Print edition for February 1, 2005

Editorial: A vote for freedom: On a purely technical level and compared to the tranquility with which the United States conducts its elections, Sunday's election was hardly perfect. Iraqis paid a terrible price through the violence carried out on Election Day, with 44 people killed in terrorist attacks. And because so many candidates had been killed or targeted for death by insurgents, many of them campaigned anonymously, relying on voters to choose them based on their assigned number on the ballot.

Reid's ring inspires team to try for its own: JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- At Monday's news conference, Andy Reid was asked about the shiny bauble on his right hand: his ring from Super Bowl XXXI, which he earned while an assistant with the Green Bay Packers.

Drivers downplay latest rule changes: Mark Martin couldn't understand all of the hoopla surrounding NASCAR's new rules changes that 43 Nextel Cup drivers tested for the first time Monday at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Wranglers show no ill effects from flu: Nick Christensen; Somewhere in foggy Fresno last week, Wranglers forward Jeff Attard picked up the Bug that Ate the Wranglers.

Memorial service planned today for woman whose son survived attack: Shiloh Edsitty, who survived the Nov. 8 attack at a Las Vegas apartment complex, is living in upstate New York with the family of a woman who was a former teacher of his mother. His guardian, Vivian Powell, said she and Shiloh decided to hold the ceremony to give Las Vegans a chance to say goodbye and provide moral support for the family.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Dietician shows she has class: The chance to take another stab at it starts Thursday with free classes being offered by University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. The classes are to be conducted from noon to 1 p.m. each Thursday through April 28 at the extension service's learning center, 2590 Lindell Road.

Community briefs for February 1, 2005: As part of the yearlong Las Vegas Centennial celebration, Mayor Oscar Goodman invites the public to learn more about downtown and its history and get in shape by participating in Centennial Walks from noon to 12:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Obituaries for February 1, 2005: Robert Allan, 64, of Las Vegas died Sunday in a local hospital. He was born June 17, 1940, in New York City. A resident for 30 years, he was a salesman of industrial chemicals and an Army veteran.

Division title could go down to the last goal: Nick Christensen; There are still three undefeated soccer teams in Southern Nevada -- but not the same three reported here last week.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: NASCAR's pretty boy not afraid to get dirty: Long before Jimmie Johnson was winning NASCAR Nextel Cup races and being selected one of People magazine's "Sexiest Men in the Fast Lane," which he was in 2000 (he is no longer on the eligible part of that list, having married longtime girlfriend Chandra Janway on Saint-Barthelemy Island on Dec. 11), he was the youngest driver (15 years old) ever to compete in the Mickey Thompson Stadium Off-Road series.

LV teacher studies marshes with Jason team: Beth Slovic; A dedicated teacher with the Clark County School District, Pam Locascio is enthusiastic about science education, and she's willing to wade around in Louisiana's marshes to prove it.

Preps: Monday's Results: Bishop Gorman 4, Clark 0: G: BG -- Whitney Hawkins, Katie Avena, Sami Cashman, Alex Barilla. Shutout -- Cassie Romeo.

Pollard, former pop singer, dies: Ray W. Pollard, lead singer of the The Wanderers rhythm and blues group during the 1950s and 1960s who had also performed on Broadway, died Wednesday of lung cancer at a Las Vegas convalescent home. He was 74.

Rebels defenseless in loss: Steve Guiremand; COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- It doesn't get much uglier than this.

Martin considers future as owner, just not in Nextel Cup: Although he said he might have an interest in driving for his own NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series team, Mark Martin said he has no desire to one day become an owner in the Nextel Cup Series.

MTR Gaming stock surges: Shares closed up 4.93 percent at $11.92 on Nasdaq, after closing Friday at $11.36.

Council approves $700 million expansion to Foxwoods: The council Monday approved a $700 million expansion of their casino resort, including an 825-room hotel tower, 5,000-seat theater, a massive convention space and ballroom and more gaming units, shops, nightclubs and restaurants.

Firm fined $850 million over insurance practices: Although the company did not formally acknowledge any wrongdoing, Michael G. Cherkasky, the chief executive of Marsh, apologized for what he called the "shameful" and "unlawful" behavior of "a few people" at the company. But he said, "We don't believe that our corporate entity has ever been involved in a pattern of covering up or a pattern of criminal behavior."

Casino revenue in Miss. remains steady: Jack Elliott Jr; JACKSON, Miss. -- There's been nothing spectacular about the single-digit growth in Mississippi's casino industry over past five years.

Sports briefs for February 1, 2005: Former world No. 1 Martina Hingis' tennis comeback was spoiled today when Marlene Weingartner of Germany beat her 1-6, 6-2, 6-2 in a first-round match at the Volvo Women's Open in Pattaya, Thailand. Hingis started well, winning the first set easily, but looked far slower than she did before taking a two-year break to recuperate from a severe ankle injury. The five-time Swiss Grand Slam champion last competed in a WTA tournament in October 2002 at Filderstadt, Germany, where she lost to Elena Dementieva.

New York blocks simulcasts to track: The New York State Racing and Wagering Board has banned the tracks from transmitting their races to 10 locations, including the New Hampshire track. The ruling affects races from four thoroughbred tracks and seven harness tracks.

Jurors asked whether execs meant to pay bribe or bonus: On the first day of the trial for former Lincoln Park chief executive Daniel Bucci and Nigel Potter, who was a top executive with the park's London-based parent company Wembley PLC, a federal prosecutor said he would prove the men concocted a $4 million bribery scheme in a bid to expand the gambling facility and dog track.

Appeal on attorney's fees rejected: CARSON CITY -- A federal appeals court has rejected the claim of a Bulgarian national who wanted the government to pay his attorney fees after he was acquitted of being involved in a sham marriage to stay in this country.

Metro Police put Super Bowl partiers on notice: Jen Lawson; p>For the second year in a row, Metro Police will be looking for drunken drivers on Super Bowl Sunday and on the two days preceding the big game, when football fans often have pre-parties to gear up for the competition.

Letter: State violated homeless' rights: Imagine that you are a homeless person whose possessions were trashed by a state agency. This means that your identification is gone and you will not be able to access services. You may not even be able to replace most of your identification. Family mementos that you can't replace are lost, too. A state agency has violated your constitutional rights and you have no recourse except the courts, which you can't afford.

County agenda grows with high rises: In what could portend things to come, the Clark County Commission on Wednesday is scheduled to consider requests for 11 high-rise buildings for the Las Vegas Strip.

LV will take more time to study Lamb Park deal: Dan Kulin; A proposed deal to turn Floyd Lamb State Park over to Las Vegas would prohibit the city from changing what happens in the most-heavily used part of the park, but would ease restrictions on the hundreds of remaining acres to allow other outdoor recreational uses such as baseball and soccer fields.

L.A. water agency rains on LV parade: Officials with the water agency serving 25 million users in Southern California are questioning who came up with a program to conserve use first.

Lone Mountain murder case ends in guilty verdict: By Matt Pordum; A 19-year-old man was convicted of first-degree murder on Monday for beating to death and then robbing his friend before leaving the body at the base of Lone Mountain last summer.

Letter: Use state surplus to fund freeze on property tax: Everyone, however, pays property taxes -- either through direct ownership or indirectly via rent payments. The biggest objection to state Sen. Dina Titus' plan, which is to freeze property taxes for a year at their current level and use the time to settle on property-tax plan agreeable to most legislators, is the purported loss of tax revenue during that one year. I believe that in Clark County the expected property tax revenue increase, at least for budgetary purposes, was somewhere around 5 percent.

Editorial: Iraq outlook not all rosy: In a speech in Washington, Reid complimented the elections, calling them a "milestone." But he also pointed out that the Bush administration is operating day-to-day in Iraq. "The president needs to spell out a real and understandable plan for the unfinished work ahead," Reid said. He was careful to advise against setting a deadline for troop withdrawal, as that "only empowers those who don't want us there." But he was deliberate in using the term "exit strategy."

Company with Henderson plant reports improved earnings: The company, which produces titanium metal products, reported fourth-quarter earnings of $11.2 million, 64 cents a share, on sales of $137 million, compared with $9.9 million, 62 cents a share, on sales of $100.6 million.

Candidates file for seats across valley: Gary L. Ratliff filed to run in the race to fill the Ward 6 seat on the Las Vegas City Council. The other candidates are Anthony M. "Tony" Salas, Robert D. Glover, Steve Ross, city Planning Commissioner Byron Goynes, Debbie Kitterman Burgos, Jeff Crisman and Steve Sanson.

Sierra Health profit exceeds estimates: Michelle Swafford; Las Vegas-based Sierra Health Services Inc. reported Monday afternoon that its fourth-quarter profit rose more than 400 percent and beat analysts' estimates.

Minnie to the Max: Callback founder employs energy, experience to boost LV entertainment scene: Your eyes adjust and you realize that the room next to the entry is not really another room, but a giant mirror, and the sum of the employees are the ones before you.

Rx plan pushed for disabled: Kirsten Searer; An estimated 5,000 people with disabilities could get help with their health care costs under a plan being pushed by Assembly Majority Leader Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas.

Berkley tries again to divert nuke funds: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., was to tell Congress today that money collected to pay for nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain should be used to research ways to keep the waste at nuclear power plants instead,

Auction set for Wednesday at Cashman Theatre: Registration opens at 8 a.m. All bidders must submit a $10,000 deposit in certified funds payable to BLM on the day of the sale to obtain a bidder number. To bid on the 1,710-acre parcel, the deposit is $64.6 million.

Alliance Gaming announces $7.5 million quarterly loss: Kevin Rademacher; Las Vegas-based Alliance Gaming Corp. this morning said it had a net loss of $7.5 million, or 15 cents a share, in its fiscal year second quarter.

National Lampoon, Barrick to offer spring break package: The company that brought us Van Wilder, the Griswold family and "double secret probation" is on the verge of bringing Las Vegas hundreds of spring break tourists.

High court rejects killer's appeal: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court Monday rejected the appeal of Roberta Stevens, who was sentenced to life in prison for the fatal shooting of her husband in Las Vegas in December 2001.

Columnist Jeff German: Lois can do much for Ward 1: For 32 years she has lived in the same house in this ward -- which stretches from the upscale Canyon Gate at The Lakes to the high-crime "Naked City" near downtown.

'Mustard busters' relish yanking of invasive weed: Beth Slovic; For information on volunteering to be a "mustard buster," call Elizabeth Powell at (702) 293-8759.

Berkley bill would divert nuke funds: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., planned to tell Congress today that money collected to pay for nuclear waste storage at Yucca Mountain should be used to research ways to keep the waste at nuclear power plants instead.

Man arrested in fire at parent's home: Stephen Curran; A Las Vegas man was arrested this morning in the suspected arson fire that gutted at least one room of a sprawling home owned by his parents near downtown Las Vegas.

As cases pile up, Nevada's high court seeks funds for more judges: CARSON CITY -- There are an estimated 600 medical malpractice suits pending in Clark County and there are not enough judges to bring them to trial within the specified time.

Lawyers in DA's office weigh union: Molly Ball; Clark County prosecutors may form a union in order to have a say in their compensation, one of the prosecutors involved in the effort said on Monday.

Fundraising group may cut ties with UMC: David Kihara; The nonprofit corporation responsible for raising money for University Medical Center's pediatrics division is considering dissolving over a conflict that has already led a national children's fundraising organization to end ties with UMC at a loss of more than $475,000 annually for the hospital.

Searching for greener pastures: Officials of the St. Patrick's Day Parade say that after 38 years mostly in Las Vegas they are moving this year's parade to downtown Henderson in an attempt to stem gushing losses of green -- money, that is.

Stratosphere gets special delivery: Stratosphere gets special delivery

Airport land sale policies reviewed: Clark County could have written deed restrictions specifying a cemetery for a piece of property sold by the county's aviation department to a local land broker, a deputy district attorney said Monday.

Rogers wants full-time fundraising role: Interim Chancellor Jim Rogers wants the Board of Regents to create a new position for him when he steps down from the post in June: vice chancellor for development.

News briefs for February 1, 2005: Former Nevada Rep. James Bilbray may fill the Democrat's spot on the upcoming Base Closure and Realignment Commission, or BRAC.

Reid pledges to fight possible new effort on bunker buster: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- If Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld aims to revive research into the proposed nuclear "bunker buster" bomb, he will have to go through Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid.

Democrats say they won't give in to Bush: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- When President Bush takes his Social Security reform proposal on the road to sell it to voters this week, Democrats will be there to challenge him, Congress' top two Democrats said today.

MGM Mirage's profit surpasses expectations: With a buyout of Mandalay Resort Group on the horizon, MGM Mirage rode increased gaming and room revenue to a record fourth quarter, the company said today.

Talks continue over hospital rates: Michelle Swafford; Health plan contract negotiations have been extended past Monday's deadline for more than 300,000 Las Vegas Valley workers, meaning those workers can be treated at current rates during discussions.

Hospital operators see income rise: Michelle Swafford; Two hospital operators that operate in Las Vegas announced positive financial results today.

Nevada remains big hit with filmmakers: Kevin Rademacher; While the motion picture industry has abandoned many U.S. locations for incentives from international locations such as Canada, New Zealand and Australia, Las Vegas has bucked the trend.