Print edition for April 13, 2005

Titus, ACLU dispute strip club tax: CARSON CITY -- Senate Minority Leader Dina Titus wants to revise the tax law to impose the 10 percent live entertainment tax on strip clubs, but the ACLU says that would be unconstitutional.

Kerkorian ruling precludes payout to nonprofit groups: By Liz Benston; Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian wasn't the only loser to emerge last week from a long-running court battle with car maker DaimlerChrysler AG.

NLV agency may have violated law: By Timothy Pratt; The North Las Vegas Housing Authority, a $14 million agency, did not post an agenda on its Web site as of Tuesday afternoon for a regularly scheduled board meeting today, apparently violating state law.

Deal would protect Grand Canyon land: Two conservation groups announced a deal Tuesday that would make more than 850,000 acres of land on the north rim of the Grand Canyon off limits for development.

Legislators considering changes to election laws: Kirsten Searer; CARSON CITY -- Hoping to stave off more debacles like the ones that happened in the 2004 elections, legislators dug into a pile of bills Tuesday that would reform state election laws.

Probation likely in case where woman killed by flying rock: By Matt Pordum; A 34-year-old real estate agent who authorities say caused a rock to fly through the windshield of a woman's car, killing her, will most likely be sentenced to probation due to a plea agreement he entered into with prosecutors Tuesday.

PACE OKs merger with USWA: The combined union will have 850,000 members in the U.S., Canada and the Caribbean. The combined union will be called the United Steel, Paper and Forestry, Rubber, Manufacturing, Energy, Allied Industrial and Service Workers International Union or USW.

Suspect in crash may have been eating while driving: Eric Leake; Anthony Borruto, 48, was hit just after he reported to work, while he was standing near the back of his city pickup truck along Bassler Street next to Joe Kneip Park about 6 a.m., North Las Vegas Police said.

Assembly Speaker outlines ethics bill: AP; The incidents have resulted in a "severe deterioration in the public trust in government," Sandoval said Wednesday as he presented an ethics reform bill to the Assembly Government Affairs Committee.

Fish Tale: Las Vegas couple mix cultures, personalities at Japanese restaurant: Ken Miller; Mary Beth and Toshiaki Horiai have laid the ground rules of their marriage pretty firmly: He cooks. She doesn't.

Homeless outreach plan readied for Wilson Ave.: Dan Kulin; Government and nonprofit groups are coming together to launch a 60-day homeless outreach effort beginning April 20, aimed at moving the scores of homeless camped out on Wilson Avenue behind the Las Vegas Rescue Mission before the area is cleared and cleaned in two months.

Kids sink their lives into production: Eric Leake; Tickets

Soroptimists honor women: The award program recognizes and honors young women who make the community and world a better place through volunteer efforts. The program was named for Violet Richardson, the president of the first Soroptimist club in 1921.

Columnist Elizabeth Foyt: Legal elite honored at Law Foundation event: Elizabeth Foyt; Richard Elmore, chairman of the foundation, said that the dinner-dance recognized 10 Nevada judges and attorneys for exceptional contributions, among them former Clark County Justice of the Peace Tony Abbatangelo as well as attorneys Robert Carlson, Brent Carson, Robert Cottle, Megan Dorsey, Tracy Eglet, Linda Linton, Thomas Sheets, Robert Vannah and William Voy.

Community briefs for April 13, 2005: The public is invited to attend a Las Vegas Centennial celebration of the Nevada Council of the Blind 11 a.m.-3 p.m. April 23 at the East Las Vegas Community/Senior Center, 250 N. Eastern Ave. (at Stewart Ave.).

Drivers can expect continued delays on Tropicana Avenue: Crews are rehabilitating a sewer line, similar to a project continuing until at least April 25 along East Desert Inn Road, from Las Vegas Boulevard to Maryland Parkway, officials said.

Casino draws $240 million bid: Rick Callahan; FRENCH LICK, Ind. -- Two Indiana companies announced Tuesday they will seek the casino license dropped by Donald Trump's company as part of a $240 million plan to return Orange County to its glory days as a posh destination resort.

Fight schedule: At Northern Quest Casino, Airway Heights, Wash. (ESPN2), Antwun Echols, Dade City, Fla., vs. Kingsley Ikeke, Los Angeles, 12, IBF middleweight elimination bout.

Construction begins on Henderson distribution center: The project, located on 11 acres at 505 E. Sunset Road, will consolidate the current local FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery operations and more than double the size of the two existing facilities.

Editorial: We say: Vaporize this: We didn't like the sound of this to begin with, but when we heard about its companion product -- a portable device that works in cars -- we envisioned just one more way for drivers to behave criminally and kill and injure themselves and other people. In response to an entrepreneur who wants to sell the devices in Nevada, the Assembly Commerce Committee has amended another liquor-related bill to make it illegal to buy, sell or use AWOLs anywhere in the state. We raise our glasses of water high in toasting that amendment.

Genting in joint bid for Singapore projects: Linus Chua and Kate Mayberry; Genting Bhd., Asia's biggest publicly traded casino operator, said each of the two Singapore projects it's bidding for that may include the city's first casinos will cost S$3 billion ($1.8 billion) to S$4 billion.

Columnist Adam Candee: Moore cashed in on opportunity at Masters: Adam Candee; Chip this, Tiger: The biggest winner at the Masters was Ryan Moore.

Obituaries for April 13, 2005: Donald Behlke, 65, of Las Vegas died April 1 in a local hospital. He was born May 14, 1939, in Wisconsin. A resident for 15 years, he was a warehouseman in the gaming industry.

News briefs for April 13, 2005: The 16-year-old girl who committed suicide Monday at Clark County's juvenile detention center has been identified as Brittany Nicole Kish of Henderson.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Moore fails pop quiz on PR: Short of handing out hotel management brochures on the practice tee, golf wunderkind Ryan Moore did about all he could to be true to his school during last weekend's Masters, proudly wearing his UNLV golf cap and UNLV golf shirt while pounding the fairways and tiptoeing around the greens at staid Augusta National.

Porter, without a challenger, racks up $400,000 for campaign: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Sophomore Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., has set a fast pace in fundraising, netting more than $400,000 in the first three months of the year -- with no viable Democratic challenger, according to his campaign manager.

Fuller makes 'big-league' debut at home track: By Brian Hilderbrand; Thursday

Council sets parameters for land sales near golf course: The Boulder City Council set parameters Tuesday for selling land around the Boulder Creek Golf Course in bid to win voter approval for a June 7 ballot initiative.

NLV delays homeless sweep: North Las Vegas City Manager Gregory Rose ordered the delay because there were "too many questions" regarding the cleanup and the city needed to organize all the interested agencies and parties, said Tim Bedwell, spokesman for the North Las Vegas Police, who was speaking on behalf of the city manager.

Athletics a tool to fight teen drinking: Molly Ball; In the fight against teen drinking and drunken driving in the Las Vegas Valley, Clark County school officials have tried to use athletics as one means of stemming the problem.

NLV agency fails to post agenda: By Timothy Pratt; The North Las Vegas Housing Authority, a $14 million agency, did not post an agenda on its Web site as of Tuesday afternoon for a regularly scheduled board meeting today, apparently in violation of state law.

Assembly stiffens fatal crash penalty: Kirsten Searer; CARSON CITY -- Drivers who are found to have showed simple negligence while defying routine traffic laws, contributing to a fatality, could be charged with vehicular manslaughter under a bill passed Tuesday by the Assembly.

Group: Mining, drilling often close to federal lands: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- More than half of federally protected public lands in Nevada have active mining or oil and gas operations within five miles or less, according to an analysis to be released today.

Porter postpones Yucca hearing: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Government employees involved with the allegedly falsified information regarding the Yucca Mountain nuclear dump will not appear at a House hearing that was scheduled for today.

Senate won't get gambling bill unless House acts first: Dewhurst, a Republican who presides over the 31-member Senate, said it would be irresponsible to permit a potentially bloody floor fight over legislation to legalize video slot machines or full-blown casino gambling only to see the measure crumble on the other side of the Capitol.

Council sets stage for battle over land: A development company today will withdraw proposed legislation allowing Boulder City to deannex property after the City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to oppose the bill.

Columnist Jeff Haney: Here are 19 starting pitchers to bet against: Some baseball bettors, to prepare for the early going of the season, work to identify starting pitchers who might be worth backing at the windows -- maybe they're "sleepers," or up-and-comers, or primed for a breakout year.

Letter: No reference to God in original Declaration: The Declaration was an act of rebellion, not the basis for a system of government. That came several years later with the U.S. Constitution. The phrase, "by their Creator," was not written into the original Declaration. Jefferson had written, "All men are endowed with certain unalienable rights." A few delegates insisted that a reference to God be included or they wouldn't sign. The majority of delegates refused to allow this. Since the Declaration had to be unanimous, a compromise was reached and "by their Creator" inserted.

Editorial: Bill raises awareness of kids in cars: But what about parents who unintentionally leave their children alone in a car? Over the past several years in Southern Nevada, there have been several cases of parents not being charged, even after leaving their child in a hot car and returning to find the child dead. The parents in these cases told police they had tragically forgotten that their children were in the car. Such cases are always investigated, but if no reason is found to doubt the parents, there is no law that applies in such circumstances and parents cannot be charged.

Clarke: ID theft prevention tied to anti-terrorism efforts: Kevin Rademacher; Business efforts to prevent identity theft, protect privacy and secure financial accounts are closely tied to the nation's homeland security strategies, a leading counterterrorism expert said.

Retail sales rise modestly: The Commerce Department reported today that the March increase followed a stronger 0.5 percent sales increase in February and represented the smallest advance since a meager 0.1 percent rise in January. The increase was significantly below market expectations for a 0.8 percent surge in sales.

Perkins, Sandoval team up on open meetings, ethics: CARSON CITY -- Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, and Attorney General Brian Sandoval, a Republican, joined forces today to urge passage of a bill to strengthen the open meeting and ethics laws.

Pit boss: Sanford makes sure injured players are still productive in spring: Steve Guiremand; There is a new makeshift addition to the Rebel Park practice fields this spring.

Ralph Siraco's Santa Anita selections: 1st Race -- THREE DEGREES -- Irish-bred draws good middle post in small six-filly downhill field, Solis scales Gallagher trainee, first Degrees of victory? KIZKA -- Baze aboard Mandella trainee for owner Hubbard, draws outside box in down-the-hill allowance/claimer, will be rolling late. Value Play -- PINDARIC

LVCVA revises 2005 budget: Room tax revenue is rolling into Southern Nevada so fast that the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority has to make adjustments for how to spend it.

Trial scheduled for suspect in homeless woman's death: By Matt Pordum; A 51-year-old homeless man accused of strangling a 69-year-old homeless woman to death, a woman who would often help the accused with money from her Social Security checks, will stand trial, Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Ann Zimmerman ruled Tuesday.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Newman/Haas team enters two cars in Indy 500: Reigning Champ Car World Series champion Sebastien Bourdais will attempt to make his first start in the Indianapolis 500 next month as Newman/Haas Racing has filed its first two-car entry for the race since 1995.

Simulcast company wants to take horse bets offshore: Lien Games, which supplies video signals of horse races to North Dakota off-track betting sites, is pushing for the offshore gambling operation.

Sports briefs for April 13, 2005: Former Tennessee coach Buzz Peterson has accepted the job as head coach at Coastal Carolina in Conway, S.C.

Letter: Passports won't stem illegal flow: If you cross the bridge or tunnel from Detroit to Windsor, Ontario, to purchase prescriptions that the pharmaceutical industry has priced out of the reach of millions of decent, hard-working, honest Americans, you'll need a passport to return home. If you cross the border into Tijuana for lunch, same deal.

Feds to study risks of shipping waste to Utah: WASHINGTON -- The Homeland Security Department will study risks associated with shipping nuclear waste to Utah, Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. told the Salt Lake Tribune on Tuesday.

Detroit businesswoman looks to expand empire: Sarah Karush; DETROIT -- Marian Ilitch is the intensely private matriarch of a business empire that includes one of the nation's largest pizza chains, two professional sports franchises and a wealth of real estate. Now she is poised to become one of the few private individuals to own a major casino.

Smith, longtime resident, Goodsprings JP, dies: Janet Curtis Smith, the Goodsprings justice of the peace for 12 years, who presided over the highly publicized Jeremy Strohmeyer case in 1997 and served in the 1970s as a top aide to Gov. Mike O'Callaghan, died Tuesday. She was 76.

Moran leaves Gaming Commission: Nevada Gaming Commissioner John T. Moran Jr. said he has some regrets about leaving the post he has held for less than a year, but he thinks now is the time to begin pursuit of a long-time desire to run for a state office.

Columnist Peter Benton: Crowd support key in keeping Takefuji Classic: Peter Benton; The Las Vegas Country Club will be the setting Thursday for the first round of the LPGA's Takefuji Classic, where, with the exceptions of Annika Sorenstam, Se Ri Pak and Grace Park, everyone who is anyone on tour will be competing.

Preps: Baseball Top 10: Compiled by the Las Vegas Sun and the Sparks Tribune

Preps: Results: Green Valley 8, Coronado 0: W: Krause (7 IP, 4 H, 6 K, 1 BB). L: Singer (3 IP, 1 K, 1 BB, 7 R, 3 ER). 2B: Carter (CORO). 3B: Zuniga (GV).

Civil War buff Montgomery dies: Bruce Montgomery, grandson of a Civil War veteran who through his work with the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War encouraged greater interest in that key period of U.S. history, died April 5 in Las Vegas from complications of old age and a heart attack he had suffered in February. He was 91.

State gaming board takes regulatory step: The board will now take public comments on the 98-page draft regulations for 30 days before taking final action. The board must issue licenses for manufacturers and distributors at least three months before it can license racetracks to operate the first slots parlors -- a step not expected before December.

Legislative briefs for April 13, 2005: A bill creating the crime of video voyeurism and prohibiting the secret filming of a person in a restroom, locker room, dressing room and a home, was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday.

Ethics board eyes county's former public administrator: Jared Shafer, who served as public administrator until January 2003, is accused of concealing documents that would have kept him from acting as a special administrator to investigate the death of a client's son.

Gators' Krause aces Coronado: Nick Christensen; The last thing Coronado needed right now was to face the state's best team's ace.

Modest Votaw a hard act to follow: Adam Candee; It's great that the LPGA is on the upswing, its outgoing commissioner says, but Ty Votaw refuses to take too much of the credit.

Senate lottery panel named: Senate leaders Tuesday named 21 members to the special panel, including three Democrats who have publicly opposed a lottery, and six Republicans.

Governor opposes new casino: Blanco and Vitter have been jousting for weeks over the casino hopes of a tiny, impoverished band of central Louisiana Indians, with Vitter prodding the governor to issue a firm "no" while burnishing his own anti-gambling credentials in press releases. Meanwhile, a national scandal involving top Washington Indian casino lobbyist Jack Abramoff has lapped at Vitter's heels.

Maestas back in court: By Matt Pordum; Beau Maestas, indicted on battery by prisoner charges on Friday, was scheduled for arraignment before District Judge David Wall this morning.

Pitino eyes UNLV assistant: Steve Guiremand; Lon Kruger is expected to wrap up his 2005 recruiting class with the addition of two more players today as the spring signing period begins.

Win or lose, tournament weekend should be more fun for Kerr this time: Adam Candee; Savoring a victory was about the last idea on Cristie Kerr's mind at the end of last year's seven-hole playoff in the LPGA Takefuji Classic.

Armed officers urged for schools: By Emily Richmond; Clark County's school police union and local labor leaders are pushing for armed officers to be mandatory at every middle and high school campus in Clark County.

Columnist Jeff German: Feds look to make deal with Rizzolo: In an effort to streamline a decade-old case that has collected thousands of hours of wiretaps and piles of documents, federal prosecutors are trying to strike a deal with Crazy Horse Too owner Rick Rizzolo.