Stories published February 25, 2005Las Vegas Sun

Crusaders make leap of faith up to 3A: Mike Sims; The Faith Lutheran boys' basketball has a tall task ahead, moving up in class and winning the state title in its first season.

Gladiators give Whelihan a spin at QB: Adam Candee; Craig Whelihan, come on down: It's your turn to help the Gladiators defense continue to defy statistics and stay afloat in the Western Division.

Bill would ban executions of minors: Kirsten Searer; CARSON CITY -- Nevada hasn't executed a juvenile since 1949, but the state does have one man on death row for murdering two people when he was 16 years old.

Goodman could still run for governor: "I've been told by smart people that you never say no," Goodman said during his regular weekly press conference on Thursday. "I'm not going to say no because there is no reason to say no."

Fishing report: Rainy weather left fishermen out in cold: The same situation seems to be taking place in the Overton Arm, where boaters are finding they have to spend quite a bit of time on the water to catch just one or two stripers.

Mass transit trains skirting backyards raise concerns: Stephen Curran; Residents living along the route proposed for a mass transit system that would eventually link Henderson to North Las Vegas are nearly split on whether the system would be good for Southern Nevada, a committee formed to study the system said Thursday.

Leeway seen in hardship tax plan: Kirsten Searer; CARSON CITY -- The Legislature's chief attorney told an Assembly committee Thursday that the Legislature could have a wide leeway in creating a hardship exemption for people struggling to pay their property taxes.

Porter criticized on Social Security: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Rep. Jon Porter, R-Nev., is on a short list of Republican lawmakers under attack by Democrats for allegedly having inconsistent positions or waivering support for President Bush's proposal to privatize Social Security.

Lady Rebels end road woes: COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Senior forward RanDee Henry scored a game-high 23 points and UNLV held off a determined Air Force squad to earn a 70-63 victory in Mountain West Conference women's basketball action Thursday night at the Clune Arena.

NLV City Council schedules special meeting: In April, the council appointed a 15-member committee that between July and February developed the so-called Visioning 2025 Strategic Plan with the help of the public. The group of residents and members of the business community dealt with such issues as fiscal management of the city, municipal services, economic development and redevelopment, quality growth, cultural amenities, a safe and livable community and city pride.

Court declines to hear ex-casino cashier's appeal: The state Court of Appeals last August had upheld the conviction and 10-year sentence, with three years suspended, given Simmie Bright Jr. in 2002. The Supreme Court on Thursday declined Bright's motion to look at his case.

Woman's protest gives two attorneys prominent play: Dan Kulin; Ross Goodman, son of Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, and business partner Louis Palazzo now have their names in big red letters on the building that is the center of their lawsuit.

Jury awards $7.5 million in Wal-Mart discrimination case: Patrick Brady, 21, was hired for a job in the Wal-Mart pharmacy department in Centereach, N.Y., during the summer of 2002. After one day in the pharmacy, he was reassigned to other responsibilities, including collecting garbage and shopping carts from the parking lot.

Guatemalan Consul to visit LV: Services offered include help with documents such as passports, birth certificates, marriage certificates and consular identification cards.

Reno guard turns in gutsy performance: Nick Christensen; Reno guard Kaylan King was a headache for the Bishop Gorman players Thursday, but a severe migraine, possibly caused by food poisoning, almost kept her out of the Huskies' 57-45 state semifinal win against Bishop Gorman.

Whistleblower sues HP: The lawsuit, filed in California Superior Court in San Francisco by Robert Hindin, seeks damages that could reach the tens of millions of dollars under the California False Claims Act. The suit claims HP engaged in a "scheme to defraud its customers by knowingly selling defective and potentially dangerous medical devices."

Maryland legislators set up slots bill for final vote: Tom Stuckey; ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- The House of Delegates rejected a series of amendments offered by gambling opponents Thursday and set the stage for a final House vote today on a bill to legalize 9,500 slot machines at four locations.

Foy, the man who gave wings to actors, dies at 79: He put wings on the stars.

Panel says LV can learn lessons from L.A. growth history: Dan Kulin; Southern Nevada is a lot like Los Angeles was 75 years ago, and if it continues to follow that pattern, growth will overflow the valley during the next decade, with residents facing severe traffic congestion and pollution, a panel of development industry leaders said Thursday.

Gibbons: State should keep more land-sale money: CARSON CITY -- Rep. Jim Gibbons, a possible candidate for governor, said Thursday he wants Nevada to keep more of the money from the sale of public lands in Clark County and he opposes the Bush Administration's plan to use the money to pay down the national debt.

Man gets 40 years in death of actor: By Matt Pordum; A 52-year-old homeless handyman on Thursday was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for the killing of 87-year-old "Our Gang" actor Jay R. Smith.

Surgeons help boost survival rate: Jace Radke; Lt. Col. Mark Erickson has been to the Middle East twice in the past three years and is likely to be sent back again soon because people with his skills are in such demand there.

Former UNLV assistant turning corner with Western Illinois: The Great

Political 'speech police' debate rests with judge: Jace Radke; A federal judge could decide next week if it is unconstitutional for the state Ethics Commission to serve as arbiter of speech made about political candidates.

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Internet rumor of race swap dismissed angrily in Atlanta, laughingly in Las Vegas: FONTANA, Calif. -- Don't believe everything you read on the Internet.

Qwest revises bid for MCI by adding share-value protection: Sandy Shore; DENVER -- MCI Inc. stood by its $6.7 billion deal today to merge with Verizon Communications Inc. despite an improved $8 billion bid to acquire the long-distance telephone company submitted a day earlier by Qwest Communications International Inc.

Gaming Board members blast Blagojevich for meddling: Board members Gary Peterlin and William Dugan told a House gambling committee that Blagojevich's administration has repeatedly interfered with the board. The administration has handed out contracts and hired board employees without permission, they said.

News briefs for February 25, 2005: The Clark County School Board will vote early next week on proposed attendance zone boundary changes for the 2005-06 academic year, decisions that could affect tens of thousands of students.

Eagles play for third title-game appearance: Jeff Neubert; For the first time since 1989, Las Vegas is hosting the state basketball tournaments, and it's not just the big schools participating.

Regulators OK nuke storage site in Utah: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- A proposed temporary nuclear waste storage site in Utah cleared an important regulatory hurdle Thursday, paving the way for the site widely viewed as a stopover for the nation's waste on its way to Yucca Mountain.

New CFO named: Haddock becomes chairman, president and chief executive of Phoenix-based Aztar on March 1. He replaces Paul Rubeli, who previously announced his retirement.

Golden Nugget pays $30,000 fine: Executives of the downtown Golden Nugget resort paid a $30,000 fine Thursday, wrapping up a state complaint that addressed sports book wagering irregularities and an incident in which a Nugget executive misdealt cards at a blackjack table during a celebrity event.

Assembly passes resolution against Social Security plan: Kirsten Searer; CARSON CITY -- The Assembly passed a resolution Thursday urging Congress to oppose any kind of privatization of Social Security.

Academy offering scholarships: The scholarships will be awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants should bring Nevada identification, a Social Security card, a U.S. residency card if applicable and proof of unemployment benefits if applicable. Applicants must also meet basic employment requirements such as the ability to pass a background check, and a drug test and they must be qualified to obtain a food handler health card.

Lawmakers spar over plan to let girl sing at Legislature: CARSON CITY -- In a possible preview of the race for governor next year, Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., and Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins, D-Henderson, butted heads Thursday over a 12-year-old girl's appearance at the Nevada Legislature.

Three officers face inquest in killing: Police said Jeffrey Allan Gaddis tried to rob a Walgreens on Flamingo Road near Nellis Boulevard, led officers on a short chase and then pulled a gun on them. The officers shot Gaddis.

Rebels rollin' as Air Force rolls in: Steve Guiremand; -- UNLV forward Odartey Blankson after the Rebels lost at

Hospital owner reports profit decline: Michelle Swafford; The parent company of Desert Springs, Valley, Summerlin and Spring Valley hospitals reported its profitability declined 20 percent in the fourth quarter.

Sports briefs for February 25, 2005: Lawmakers in the Alabama's black caucus are calling for a black athletes' boycott of mostly white Auburn University until the school agrees to rehire two black administrators fired in a reorganization of the athletic department.

High court dismisses Reno Hilton's appeal: The court said there were still pending matters in the class-action suit in the district court in Reno. Considering appeals piecemeal could result in a significantly increased caseload and confusion in the district court, the court said.

Middle school plans back on track: The Clark County School District's plans for a new middle school in North Las Vegas appear to be back on track two months after the city rejected the proposal.

Mandalay employees to keep existing benefits: It was the first indication of what's in store for Mandalay employees since the deal was announced in June. MGM Mirage officials have been hesitant to talk directly to Mandalay workers and have been silent about the issue to comply with federal securities regulations.

MGM Mirage-Mandalay deal clears final hurdle: The Nevada Gaming Commission spent three hours trying to uncover some reasons to oppose MGM Mirage's $7.9 billion acquisition of Mandalay Resort Group.

Columnist Jeff German: Growing old before our time: That's when 110 acres of railroad land, now in the heart of downtown, were parceled and auctioned off to create the town of Las Vegas.

Fitzgeralds owner eyeing Strip, Detroit expansion: By Liz Benston; The owner of the Fitzgeralds hotel and casino in downtown Las Vegas said he is hungrily eyeing the Strip to expand his gaming business but intends to wait several months before casino-shopping in the hope that skyrocketing prices stabilize.

Communications director leaves: Greer worked for the AGA, which primarily represents commercial casinos, for six and a half years. The AGA has not yet announced a replacement for Greer, whose last day is March 4.

Ophthalmologist accused of ethical, professional lapses continues practice: Molly Ball; An eye doctor accused of multiple ethical and professional lapses has continued to practice in Henderson as he awaits proceedings against him in a case the doctor claims was trumped up by a vindictive competitor.

Three school health centers to close: By Emily Richmond; The doors of three campus health centers providing services to thousands of students will be abruptly shut next week after the Clark County School Board balked Thursday at letting a private company to take over operations.

Juror's research leads to mistrial: By Matt Pordum; A juror's use of a coconut to try to test the prosecution's theory that a rock was used as a murder weapon caused a mistrial Thursday, infuriating the assistant district attorney who had handled the case.

AFL-CIO chief details agenda for LV meeting: Christina Almeida; AFL-CIO President John Sweeney said he'll study slashing member contributions by as much as half so that local unions would have more money to boost recruitment and reverse years of shrinking membership.

Bill again introduced to ban executions of minors: Kirsten Searer; CARSON CITY -- Nevada hasn't executed a juvenile since 1949, but the state does have one man on death row for killing two people when he was 16 years old.

Summerlin Parkway, Rainbow ramps to close for weekend: The southbound U.S. 95 ramp to Rainbow Boulevard and the eastbound Summerlin Parkway ramp will close at 9 p.m. today and will stay closed until 5 a.m. Sunday, department officials said. The closure comes as construction continues on a new bridge structure linking the two roadways.

Champs back for more: Nick Christensen; Rematch, anyone?

Legislative briefs for February 25, 2005: A bill to repeal the $1.50 fee for renewing a driver's license by mail was approved Thursday by the Senate Committee on Transportation and Homeland Security.

Cheyenne High School principal Matthew moves to Canyon Springs: By Emily Richmond; Cheyenne High School Principal Ronan Matthew received an offer he couldn't refuse Friday; to take over the helm of struggling Canyon Springs High School in North Las Vegas.

Centennial faces Reno with fourth title at stake: Nick Christensen; The Centennial girls' basketball team will have a familiar opponent tonight. But the Bulldogs will have to dig a little deeper into the game tape archive to scout their challenger for the 4A state high school basketball championship.

Nevada lawmaker grills juvenile justice officials: AP; Leslie challenged officials on several staffing and funding requests in juvenile justice budgets, telling the Division of Child and Family Services that it needs to pick up the pace on making recommended changes.

Advocates critical of fed OK of child welfare plan: CARSON CITY -- Nevada's plan to improve its care of the state's most vulnerable children is weak and should not have been approved by the federal government, leaders of two advocacy groups said this morning.

Teacher plans to hire lawyer to fight forced reassignment: By Emily Richmond; A North Las Vegas teacher whose Black History Month play became a source of controversy said Thursday he plans to hire an attorney and fight his forced reassignment to an alternative school.

New post-qualifying system could pull Gordon back to the pack: FONTANA, Calif. -- Sunday's Auto Club 500 will mark the 10th time the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series has raced at California Speedway, but even three-time event winner Jeff Gordon said he would be going through a learning experience this weekend.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Orleans feels just right for NIAA tournament: I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night because A) I live here, and B) a room there is too expensive, at least according to all those bellyachers up North who say it costs too much for a hotel room in Las Vegas to justify playing the state basketball tournament here every other year.

Casinos face FEC fines over donation to Senate campaign: Sharon Theimer; WASHINGTON -- Mirage Resorts and Harrah's Entertainment are among those facing federal fines over illegal fundraising for New Jersey Republican William Gormley's U.S. Senate campaign in 2000.

Obituaries for February 25, 2005: Betty Nadene Affentranger, 70, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in Las Vegas. She was born Feb. 8, 1935, in Oklahoma. A resident for 2 1/2 years, she was a retired teacher.

New health lab offers area better defense: Molly Ball; Southern Nevada is better prepared for everything from West Nile virus to bioterrorism thanks to the area's first-ever federally certified public health laboratory, officials said.

New department will concentrate on development: With some officials concerned the city may be lagging behind other communities in attracting business, North Las Vegas will create a department in July to focus solely on economic development.

Community briefs for February 25, 2005: Henderson presents Gospel Fest, an evening of gospel music 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday at Black Mountain Recreation Center, 599 Greenway Road, to celebrate Black History Month.

What a difference three years made for Vaughan: Spencer Patterson; It's difficult to imagine a time when Stevie Ray Vaughan's name wasn't synonymous with the words "guitar god."

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Doing more, not less: WEEKEND EDITION

Film focuses on diversity in heroes of 9/11: Eric Leake; The public face of the heroes of Sept. 11 is not often that of a black man or woman.

Letter: War on drugs is waste of money: Incredibly, President Bush continues to throw good money after bad to fund the absurd and unwinnable "war against drugs." Perhaps instead of trying to take back Nevada's share of Bureau of Land Management monies, a few billion dollars could be taken away from the budget of the Drug Enforcement Administration and applied to our laughingstock of a national debt.

Performing Arts for February 25, 2005: Organ recital

Editorial: Easing traffic gridlock: The project isn't costly in just dollar terms: As many as 900 people could be forced to move because homes, apartments and businesses would have to be leveled to make way for the improvements. A Transportation Department spokesman said that owners displaced would be able to sell their property at fair market value to the government, and that tenants of apartments and strip malls, both of which dominate the area, would be helped so that they can relocate to other areas with similar public services. This is a commitment that the Transportation Department can't waver from, and it should call ...

Beltway's new name is official: The beltway, which was named in honor of Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury last year, was officially christened in a ceremony Thursday afternoon at Acacia Park in Henderson.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Shepherd, and his voice, are ready to stand out: Spencer Patterson; "I went to a vocal coach because everybody said how important it was to learn some of the techniques so that I don't damage my voice," Shepherd said in a phone interview from his Los Angeles home. "I didn't know if my voice could handle back-to-back performances. But so far, I've been pretty lucky as far as that goes."

On Display for February 25, 2005: "Growing Up With the Berenstain Bears," an interactive, bilingual exhibit, will be held at the Lied Discovery Children's Museum, 833 Las Vegas Blvd. North, from Saturday to Aug. 28. Admission $7 adults, $6 children 1 through 17, seniors and military, free for children under 1. 382-3445.

Columnist Lisa Ferguson: Comedian Morton is 'tooned into animation: Lisa Ferguson; So says Greg Morton who, before beginning his stand-up career, had a hand in drawing, directing and supplying voices for dozens of animated series from the mid-1980s through the early '90s.

High school students live by the sword: Eric Leake; The roughly 80 senior English literature students will perform parts of "MacBeth" and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" tonight at 6:30 p.m. in the Liberty High School Theater. Tickets are $5.

Editorial: No arrogance left behind: The latest criticism of NCLB comes from the National Conference of State Legislatures. A 14-member, bipartisan National Conference task force spent 10 months holding hearings in major cities and compiling a thorough review of how the Act has affected school districts and state educational initiatives. The task force concluded that NCLB is a seriously flawed approach to education. A report on its findings, released this week, lists 43 recommendations for improving the Act and getting education in this country moving forward again.

Bowling for independence: Beth Slovic; WEEKEND EDITION

Letter: Bush protecting drug companies: February 26 - 27, 2005

'Mamma Mia!' changes cast, but not show's high quality: Most of the original cast is gone and the acting could use a little directing in spots, but "Mamma Mia!" is still one of my favorite productions in Las Vegas.

Letter: By firing teacher, principal sent the wrong message: Rather than support the teacher for doing what protocol suggests, Velasquez made a truly boneheaded decision, one without thought to the real message being sent, and fired the teacher just because she brought media attention to the school. Yes, he sent a strong message to his faculty about attracting the spotlight, but what message do you think the principal's actions sent to the already raucous class and the entire student body? This is irresponsible leadership.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Stop making speedy decisions: WEEKEND EDITION

State starting to shift aid to at-home care programs: Beth Slovic; People prefer home and community-based care for senior citizens, including assisted-living facilities, and it is cost-effective. But according to a recent report by the think tank arm of AARP, Nevada still does not spend enough of its $2.4 billion in Medicaid money on those forms of care.

Rural counties, Vegas at odds: Kirsten Searer; WEEKEND EDITION

Celebrities to try case of King David: Local Jews will scrutinize a hero of their faith Sunday morning by placing ancient Israel's King David on trial for first-degree murder at Temple Beth Sholom.

Four takes on tackling taxes: February 26 - 27, 2005

UNLV gets a boost from Boyd: By Christina Littlefield; William S. Boyd was scheduled this afternoon to announce a $25 million pledge to the UNLV law school that bears his name.

Letter: Property tax issue waiting on Legislature: February 26 - 27, 2005

Columnist Jon Ralston: Don't glorify wrongs of the past: WEEKEND EDITION

Summer internships give high school students head start: Eric Leake; WEEKEND EDITION

Datebook for February 25, 2005: "A Taste of Sounds and Soul," a soul food celebration, will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday to Sunday on Fremont Street. Admission is free. 388-2226.