Print edition for December 14, 2005

Columnist Ron Kantowski: On how readers with a worthy tale to tell can help him solve his Las Vegas Bowl problem: There's a retired sports writer in town named Ed Vovsi whose second novel begins with a sports writer being discovered spread-eagle, with a bullet in his head, on the 50-yard line at Sam Boyd Stadium the morning after the Las Vegas Bowl.

Editorial: Asking the wrong questions: With an estimated $100 billion in damage in this and other Gulf of Mexico coastal communities, and hundreds of thousands of former New Orleans residents finding permanent homes in other cities, the question idling in the back of a growing number of minds is: Should we rebuild New Orleans?

Editorial: Patriot Act stalled in 11th hour: Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, the Judiciary Committee's senior Democrat, sponsored the bipartisan legislation with Republican Sens. John Sununu of New Hampshire, Larry Craig of Idaho and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. It would give lawmakers enough time to adequately review the Patriot Act's more contentious provisions without forcing Congress to vote before portions of the law expire Dec. 31.

Respected superintendent turns down Clark County: By Emily Richmond; San Francisco Schools Superintendent Arlene Ackerman's professional pedigree made her such an attractive candidate to be the next chief executive of the Clark County School District that she was wooed by both the official search team and an outside group of business leaders.

Columnist Tom Gorman: On those e-mails that ostensibly make him a millionaire: Seems that I'm on the path to immense wealth, thanks to a handful of e-mails I've received in recent weeks.

'Love' will try not to be a pain: With all of the talk lately about Broadway coming to Las Vegas, Marvin Lashever is wondering if it's a one-way street, or a highway that runs in both directions. "The idea intrigued me that a production born in Las Vegas could go to Broadway," Lashever said.

Las Vegas' field of dreams: Dan Kulin; Part of east Las Vegas' Freedom Park would be turned into replica Major League Baseball parks for softball and baseball as part of a proposed $25.9 million sports complex.

Wash diversion still studied: State and federal agencies are still gathering information and considering what action they should take -- if any -- in response to a rancher's decision to build a dam and artificial lakes in the environmentally sensitive Meadow Valley Wash.

Flashpoint for Dec. 14, 2005: Don't play poker with Billy Walters. The stuff he says with a straight face and that Kentucky drawl is so soothing, so innocuous. What a bluffer he must be. The same guy who contributes hundreds of thousands to local government politicians but once said he simply has been lucky in his land deals matched that howler Tuesday on KNPR's "State of Nevada." When host Dave Berns pressed him on whether he had juice, whether he was a "gamesman," Walters deadpanned: "I know where City Hall is located. I know where the Clark County Commission is located." I understand he also ...

Letter: Many countries offer cheaper drugs: The House Committee on Government Reform, in a 2001 report on prescription drugs prices, found as a result of controls, such drugs cost 31 percent to 48 percent less in Canada, France, Italy, Britain, Germany and Japan than in the United States.

THE ELEVATOR: Who's headed toward the penthouse on the local sports scene -- and who's getting the shaft:

Man's survivors to get $75,000 from state in cow-truck accident: By Cy Ryan; Gov. Kenny Guinn, chairman of the state Board of Examiners, which approved the settlement, said Monday that procedures "need to be tightened" to prevent a recurrence of the September 2000 accident on U.S. 93 near Wells.

How sweet it isn't: CARSON CITY -- Nevada students can kiss their Hershey's goodbye.

Letter: We can demand more from our politicians: The reason I wrote this letter is because a friend told me that the vast majority of Las Vegans, including those who are religious, don't care about the homeless. He said also that the vast majority of veterans don't care about homeless veterans.

HUD suspends indicted developer: By Timothy Pratt; The Housing and Urban Development Department has suspended developer Donald Davidson from the Las Vegas Housing Authority board and from doing any business with the federal government, according to documents the Sun has obtained.

Henderson ministorage plans put on hold: The developer of a proposed RV and ministorage facility has asked Henderson for more time before seeking approval to build across the street from an upscale subdivision.

Senators offer Yucca alternative: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid and Sen. John Ensign are expected today to unveil long-anticipated legislation that formally proposes their alternative to Yucca Mountain -- leaving waste at the nuclear power plants that produced it.

Columnist Jeff Haney: On why World Poker Tour's Lyle Berman thinks the card game may become as popular as pro golf on TV: THE INSIDE STRAIGHT

Bid on a variety of items at Sun site: So use one of those TV timeouts you've been saving and get over to the Sun's Web site (www.lasvegassun.com) and make your bid before Friday's midnight deadline passes.

Columnist Jon Ralston: On items that are sorely missing from the city's centennial time capsule: A vintage cocktail waitress uniform, an ersatz "Welcome to Las Vegas" sign, a passel of trinkets from Strip productions.

Letter: Don't be mistaken -- Iraq was no threat: Hear the truth, Mr. Carroll, and be set free. Saddam was no threat to us and he was not tied to al-Qaida. President Bush knew it, Congress knew it, the Democrats knew it and the media knew it, but war fever was on the land and many thought it was in their own best interests to go along. We went to Iraq to control and to privatize Iraq's oil reserves and to expand our military bases in the Middle East.

Editorial: Quietly changing the Constitution: They hope to add the provision to a broader immigration bill to be considered by the House this week. Proponents say too many illegals are crossing U.S. borders to deliver "anchor babies," so-called because these infants are automatically U.S. citizens who, when they are 18, can apply to bring in family members from other countries.