Print edition for September 16, 2004

Kerry seeks to sway veterans in LV speech: Kirsten Searer; With polls showing veterans overwhelmingly supporting President Bush, Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry today is expected to make a strong pitch for the veteran vote.

Bail lowered for mom held in girl's death: By Matt Pordum; District Judge Sally Loehrer lowered the bail for a 38-year-old woman accused of murdering her diabetic daughter, saying the woman is "not a danger to society because she doesn't have any more diabetic children."

Closure leaves workers, patrons in somber mood: Treasures closed its doors at 11:45 p.m. on Wednesday and the last dancer tucked two pairs of platform heels, one silver, the other black, in her car and drove away at midnight.

Obituaries for September 16, 2004: Aloysius Frank Abram, 78, of Las Vegas died Aug. 3 in Las Vegas. He was born July 26, 1926, in New York. A resident for 40 years, he was a retired Marine Corps veteran.

Rugged hit gets first hit for Broncos safety Lynch: John Lynch saw the next-day-mail envelope in his locker and knew the news wasn't good.

Man on bicycle killed by hit-and-run car: Jen Lawson; A bicyclist was killed this morning in a hit-and-run collision on Arville Street just north of Harmon Avenue, Metro Police said.

Trial date set for man accused of killing sister, grandparents: Dante Pattison, 23, is now to be tried on Feb. 28 before District Judge Lee Gates.

NEI to take appeal on Yucca standards to Supreme Court: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The Nuclear Energy Institute will ask the Supreme Court to evaluate a federal appeals court decision affecting the Yucca Mountain project.

Murder or the heat of passion: By Matt Pordum; After a roughly six-week trial, a Clark County jury is now left to determine if Daniel Wolff is rightly accused of murder or if he responded with rage after waking up to find himself being raped.

Sports book operator poised to exit bankruptcy: The company that operates the largest chain of sports book operations in the state expects to emerge from bankruptcy by the end of the year following the approval of a settlement with the company's largest creditor.

Letter: GOP hopes for Yucca amnesia: Come to think of it, the National Republican Party did not mention Yucca Mountain either. Maybe the Republicans think we'll have amnesia until after the election.

Ex-Metro officer violates probation, will go to prison: By Matt Pordum; A former Metro Police officer who was sentenced to probation for using his position in law enforcement to coerce sex from two prostitutes in 1997, will now serve one to four years in prison for violating the terms of his probation.

Letter: Imposter in the White House: The only difference is this: George W. Bush has never been my president and is an imposter in an empty suit. He was elected by five Republicans on the U.S. Supreme Court.

Motivation is the focus: It's being hailed as the richest non-heavyweight fight in boxing history.

Seward set to bring down No. 1: Steve Guiremand; UNLV senior linebacker Adam Seward knows there's a very good chance that he'll break the Mountain West Conference career tackling record on Saturday night against Air Force at Sam Boyd Stadium.

Letter: Feds, not plants, own nuke waste: Ms. Thompson erred in saying nuclear waste is owned by the "nuclear plants." The federal government owns the nuclear waste. This ownership agreement has been in place since the 1950s and was reinforced by law in the Waste Policy Act of 1982. Additionally, regarding who pays for storage of the waste, the $23 billion to $25 billion in surcharges (depending on the source of the figure) paid into the Nuclear Waste Fund by the commercial nuclear power industry was for the development of the Yucca Mountain Repository.

EPA fines Utah company: Pesticide dealer Steve Regan Co. was fined $3,850 for distributing and selling Diazinon 4F/AG500 to Whipple Pest Control, a non-certified applicator in Mesquite.

Rogers to pay Porter as lobbyist for colleges: Rogers, a millionaire media mogul, said he will personally pay for Porter's $120,000 contract. The University and Community College System of Nevada is paying the lobbyist firm of Josh Griffin and Tim Crowley $120,000 for its services this year as well.

News briefs for September 16, 2004: Metro Police are looking for a man who robbed a cash loan business on Desert Inn Road near Decatur Boulevard Tuesday afternoon.

Oil futures fall as Ivan passes Louisiana: Mark Shenk; New York crude oil futures fell for a second session today as crews return to production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico off Louisiana after Hurricane Ivan moved east of the state.

Computer blamed for air traffic problem: The Federal Aviation Administration blamed computer problems for a loss of radio communication between air traffic controllers and planes that halted air traffic for three hours Tuesday.

Regulators warn of scam: A division spokeswoman said there is no evidence that any Nevada consumers have purchased the policies, but Wilson Pacific has been using a Las Vegas address in its solicitations.

High court upholds Nader's placement on Nevada ballot: CARSON CITY -- Consumer advocate Ralph Nader will be on the Nevada ballot as a candidate for president.

Sports briefs for September 16, 2004: The commissioner's office told the U.S. District Court in Miami on Tuesday that it intends to relocate the Expos for 2005 but did not specify where. Washington and Northern Virginia are the leading contenders, and a decision could be announced this month.

Mojave's 'Smart' move a first for Nevada teams: Nick Christensen; Gregory Beasley was just looking for money for his school's football program when he stumbled upon something worth infinitely more.

Gaming briefs for September 16, 2004: NEW ORLEANS -- Winnings from gamblers at Louisiana's state-licensed casinos dropped 4.5 percent last month in comparison to August 2003, despite the addition of a new gambling outlet at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, state police reported.

NTS gets funds for anti-terrorism training: Sens. Harry Reid, D-Nev., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, and John Ensign, R-Nev., helped secure $20 million for the Test Site training in the Homeland Security spending bill, passed Tuesday in the Senate. Congress approved $20 million for the same purpose last year.

E-file, tax credits hot topics at IRS forum: Kevin Rademacher; The Internal Revenue Service wants taxpayers to get all of the money that is coming to them as quick as possible.

NRC asked to give new look at Yucca documents: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department wants the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to revisit a licensing board decision that ruled the agency did not file Yucca Mountain project document properly.

Marquez's featherweight title on line: By Jeff Haney; Juan Manuel Marquez, fresh off a controversial 12-round draw against Manny Pacquiao on May 8 at the MGM Grand, returns to the ring in the featured undercard bout Saturday night.

UNLV law school rated No. 9 for Hispanics: By Timothy Pratt; Leticia Saucedo remembers trying to find a professor at Harvard to talk to about feeling out of place in the Ivy League after leaving her birthplace in South Texas, which she said was "98 percent Mexican."

Treasures' liquor license is denied: Sito Negron; Treasures, touted as a $30 million strip club of unparalleled luxury, failed to get a permanent liquor license from the Las Vegas City Council after a nearly three-hour discussion Wednesday.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Toliver replaces crew chief for his Toyota Funny Car: Jerry Toliver has hired Norm Grimes to replace Richard Hogan as crew chief of the Schick Quattro Toyota Celica Funny Car after the owner/driver failed to qualify at four of the past five races.

Preps: Football standings: SUNSET REGION Northwest Division

Lawyers challenge doctors initiative wording: CARSON CITY -- Chief Justice Miriam Shearing has ordered Secretary of State Dean Heller to respond today to the Nevada Supreme Court to claims that he has allowed misleading statements to be placed on the November ballot.

VegasBeat -- Timothy McDarrah: Dion, Anderson models of decorum at WMAs: Classy, sophisticated and mature most certainly are words that come to mind regarding Celine Dion.

$600,000 in grants to be used for recreational trails: The trail project in Clark County is in Henderson and involves constructing a recreational trail that will link the nearby Silver Spring Recreation Center to other trails in the area. The project is part of a five-phase plan known as "Project Green."

Editorial: No longer ignored: In the Electoral College sweepstakes, with a winner-take-all system of allocating each state's votes for president, Nevada is one of the states in this year's race for the White House that is still up for grabs. Neither candidate is putting much money or time in uncontested states, such as California, that clearly will vote Democratic, or Texas, which obviously will vote Republican. Nevada traditionally has leaned conservative and voted Republican in presidential elections, but nevertheless Democrat Bill Clinton carried the state twice in the '90s. It's also one of the beauties of the way we elect our president that even ...

Goodman land question sent to Ethics Commission: Sito Negron; Robert Rose, a thorn in the side of Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, on Wednesday filed another request for an opinion with the state Ethics Commission.

Letter: Bush's policies wasted surplus, exported jobs: Bonehead Economics is premised on the assumption that tax-cut money will create new jobs and stimulate the economy. In my case, all of my tax-cut money was wiped out by rising health care insurance premiums, coupled with higher co-pay fees for medical appointments and medicines. Since the 2000 election, my cost of living has increased. Utility bills have gone up substantially. We all know the price of gasoline. Milk is nearly $4 a gallon. We pay 30 percent more for meat.

Auditor issues doubt about Delta's ability to continue: Harry R. Weber; ATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines' independent auditor has raised doubts about the carrier's financial viability as the nation's third-largest airline revised its annual report to include the possibility of a Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition "in the near term."

Web site created about school dress: By Emily Richmond; A Clark County School District parent launched a Web site Wednesday aimed at gathering public input on the controversial dress code policies being carried out at some campuses.

Hearing on Perkins could be in November: Dan Kulin; A hearing before a federal administrative law judge to determine whether Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins has violated the U.S. Hatch Act could be held in November or December in the Las Vegas area, according to an order from the judge issued Wednesday.

Cirque du Soleil spares no cost with 'KA': By Jerry Fink; Cirque du Soleil unveiled its new $135 million theater and gave a peek at its $30 million production, "KA," at the MGM Grand Wednesday.

LV soldier goes to Kosovo: Dick Benoit; Army National Guard Staff Sgt. Stephen Spach, Valley High School class of 1985, has been sent to Kosovo as a member of the Army contingent serving as part of the Multinational Brigade-East. He is assigned to Task Force Falcon at Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo.

Editorial: Let's act on report card for colleges: The group has given the state Ds and Fs on its past nationwide report cards. In its report card for this year, titled "Measuring Up 2004," the group gives Nevada credit for making certain improvements over the past decade. More students are entering college right after high school, for example, and more students are returning for their sophomore year. Nevertheless, the group once again handed us abysmal grades -- two Fs, a D, a C- and a C.

General promises more efficient rotation of Guard: Jace Radke; As the National Guard continues to shift from its old mission as a strategic reserve to an operational force, the commander of the country's citizen soldiers said he is working to ensure that guardsmen can't be deployed more than once every five years.

Crude oil rises on hurricane concerns: Crude oil futures rose in New York on concern that U.S. inventories may fall for an eighth week after Hurricane Ivan forced tanker owners to delay deliveries and producers to shut platforms in the Gulf of Mexico.

Letter: No funds left for Bush's promises: Things were brought up regarding Sen. John Kerry's voting record that took place after the Cold War when Republicans and Democrats alike voted for cuts in military spending, yet they distort and make this seem like a "flip-flop."

Atlantic City Tropicana accuses local union of 'hidden agendas': John Curran; ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. -- The Tropicana Casino and Resort accused a casino workers union Wednesday of pressuring its members into a strike while pursuing "hidden agendas."

Reid gives $1 million to DSCC: WASHINGTON -- Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., has donated $1 million of his campaign money to the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

AFAN For All Seasons: Nonprofit organization celebrating 20th anniversary: "I didn't think I had anything to worry about," Olson said. "I didn't identify with HIV people.

Police to offer gift certificates to those turning in guns: The gun buyback program, believed to be the first in at least 10 years for the city, is scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 4 in a Wal-Mart parking lot at 1807 W. Craig Road.

Finance panel OKs funds to combat test cheating: CARSON CITY -- The legislative Interim Finance Committee has provided $45,000 to combat cheating on the high-stakes tests in the public schools.

Gaming board chairman steps down, cites media scrutiny: David B. Caruso; PHILADELPHIA -- A former mob crimefighter picked by the governor to head the state's new gambling commission quit the post Wednesday, a little more than a month after his appointment.

Three billboards approved; they might be the last ones: Dan Kulin; Three new billboards for North Las Vegas were approved by a split City Council on Wednesday, and they could be among the last for the city as the council is expected to vote next month on a permanent ban of new billboards.

Las Vegas City Council briefs for September 16, 2004: Residents of Spencer Street between Oakey Boulevard and St. Louis Avenue will have to wait at least two more weeks before getting approval and $7,800 from the city to install speed humps.

Letter: Kerry is only war hero in the race: Why should Kerry congratulate George Bush for lying about how he got in the National Guard and for not fulfilling his obligations while there. Let's also not forget who started all this (Republicans) by lying about John Kerry's record.

Community briefs for September 16, 2004: Lied Discovery Children's Museum will host the Harvest Festival from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the museum, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North.

In interview, Horn describes near-death experience: Chris T. Nguyen; LOS ANGELES -- Nearly a year after a tiger attack left him partly paralyzed, Roy Horn, half of the illusionist duo Siegfried & Roy, for the first time described his memories of the mauling during a television interview that aired Wednesday.

Rogers urges college leaders to bring in outside money: With state money for higher education hard to come by, Interim Chancellor Jim Rogers is pushing Nevada's university leaders to bring in more outside money.

University building funding may come up short: CARSON CITY -- When the construction bids come in next year, the science and engineering building at UNLV may cost about $6.8 million more than the $60 million the state had planned to spend on the project, state officials said Wednesday.

El Nino may bring drought relief: Five consecutive winters of disappointing snowfall in the Rocky Mountains have left the Colorado River and Lake Mead high and dry, but some climatologists say the coming winter could be better.