Columnist Jeff German: Expect Bush to be mum on Yucca

Friday, April 22, 2005 | 11 a.m.

If nothing else, Rep. Shelley Berkley deserves credit for making an effort to get President Bush's attention on the faltering Yucca Mountain Project.

Berkley sent the president a letter this week asking him to halt work on the high-level nuclear waste dump amid allegations that government scientists falsified documents to move the project along.

But I don't think the Democratic congresswoman can expect much of a response from the man who wouldn't let Nevada reporters question him about Yucca Mountain during last year's campaign.

Even Berkley's aides recognize that it's a long shot to get an answer from Bush, much less an admission that he was wrong to recommend Yucca Mountain to Congress.

"We felt it was important to at least get it on the record," said Berkley's press secretary, David Cherry.

Bush still hasn't responded to Lt. Gov. Lorraine Hunt, a member of his own Republican Party. Hunt sent a letter to the White House a month ago asking the president to reconsider moving forward with the troubled project.

Hunt said Thursday she's still holding out hope of hearing from the president.

"We know there's been so many things going on in the world, but I would certainly expect a response," she said.

And I certainly expect to win the $12.5 million Megabucks jackpot, Lorraine.

Las Vegas is a city of excesses.

We're always among the nation's leaders in alcohol consumption and smoking and, of course, gambling is everywhere.

But now, according to the May issue of Men's Health magazine, we have a new vice.

The magazine says we're addicted to greasy fast food.

In its monthly "MetroGrades" section, Men's Health ranks us as one of the 10 worst cities in America for fast food consumption.

Out of 101 cities surveyed in the latest piece, we rank 100 -- only a notch above Houston, which the magazine says has the most fast food restaurants in the country.

Should we be surprised by this finding? Probably not.

Just take a ride around the valley and look at all of the artery-clogging choices available to us morning, noon and night.

Something big is in the works at the embattled Crazy Horse Too.

Owner Rick Rizzolo has been fixing up the outside of his topless joint all week long.

Workmen have put fresh blacktop on a rear parking lot, filled in cracks in the building and done some major spray painting.

The repairs are fueling speculation that Rizzolo is preparing to sell the Crazy Horse -- which makes sense given his bid to strike a deal with federal prosecutors looking to indict him on racketeering charges.

Any deal is likely to involve prison time for Rizzolo, as well as a large fine and his permanent departure from the Crazy Horse.