Print edition for January 27, 2005

Las Vegas Monorail won't get funds for extension: Stephen Curran; Citing mechanical failures that resulted in shutdowns and lower-than-expected ridership, the federal government will not provide public funding for a long-planned extension of the Las Vegas Monorail.

Homebuilder's profit rises: Revenue grew 12.5 percent to $911.8 million.

Homeless advocates take to streets for headcount: By Timothy Pratt; Just hours after an announcement that the Las Vegas Valley will receive nearly four times as much federal funding as it did last year to help the homeless, hundreds of volunteers spread out across the valley to try to keep federal funding levels as high as possible.

Nevada taxable sales rise for 11th straight month: CARSON CITY -- For the 11th straight month, Nevada merchants posted strong double-digit increases in taxable sales in November.

Multimedia Games in deal with Sigma: By Liz Benston; Multimedia Games Inc. has acquired certain assets of Sigma Game Inc. in Las Vegas in a deal designed to broaden distribution of Sigma slot machines and give Multimedia, which makes slots for tribal casinos, a foothold in the nontribal casino market.

FCC official: Deregulation hurting media diversity: Kevin Rademacher; The deregulation of the U.S. media industry is stifling its creativity, localism and diversity.

DOE to seek less money for Yucca: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department is seeking $650 million in funding for the Yucca Mountain nuclear dump, a lower amount than it requested this year, apparently because of significant delays in the project's schedule, according to energy trade magazines, nuclear industry sources and a congressional source.

LVCVA chief: Vegas' success relies on exploiting its brand: The top executive of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority today outlined how the city will attract 43 million visitors by 2009, a 15 percent increase over the record 37.4 million people who visited last year.

Sisters facing deportation to remain in custody: By Timothy Pratt; U.S. Magistrate Judge Robert Johnston ruled this morning that he could not order that two Las Vegas teens be released from an immigration cell in Los Angeles.

Green Valley Ranch hopes to lure big spenders with expansion: By Liz Benston; When Station Casinos Inc. opened a $115 million hotel expansion at its Green Valley Ranch Station Casino this month, the company got 296 more rooms that it has so far filled to near-capacity with tourists and conventiongoers.

FAA says planned condo tower not a hazard: "We looked at the plan for the Summit and we determined it will not have any greater effect on the airspace than the Stratosphere does," Walker said. "The effect is zero."

Wal-Mart opens smaller valley stores: Jennifer Shubinski; Despite a steady rain and roads torn up by construction the newly opened Wal-Mart Neighborhood Market at Silverado Ranch Boulevard and Bermuda Road had a packed parking lot and curious shoppers Wednesday.

Health and welfare top Legislature's agenda: CARSON CITY -- Nevada is at the "bottom of the barrel" in providing health and welfare services to its citizens, state Human Resources Director Mike Willden told the legislative budget committees Wednesday.

Workers ratify contract with grocery stores: The union ratified a three-year contract Tuesday with Vons owner Safeway Inc., Smith's and Food 4 Less owner Kroger Co. and Albertson's Inc., Michael Gittings, secretary-treasurer of Local 711, said.

Unit's mission: Deliver supplies, represent Nevada: Jace Radke; After completing more than 20 missions and driving nearly 350,000 miles in Iraq, the Henderson-based 1864th Transportation Co. is becoming well known as they truck supplies to their fellow soldiers.

Station KCNV returns to air: Warren Brown, chief engineer for KCNV, said the station returned to the air around 11 a.m., despite continued weather damage to its broadcast equipment on Mount Potosi.

McCarran traffic jumps in '04: In a year in which airports nationwide reported record traffic, McCarran International set a new standard for itself in 2004: the arrival and departure of a record 41.1 million passengers.

'Two and a Half Men' dissected at NATPE: Kirk Baird; To say it's difficult to be a hit sitcom in these days of crime-scene dramas and high-stakes reality competitions is an understatement.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Outdoor shop displays great stuff: "You don't do that at J.C. Penney," said Lawson, a former Penney's employee who is now visual display manager for Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World at the Silverton.

Guard, Reserve employer award nominations sought: Dick Benoit; The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve is accepting nominations for its 2005 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award, given for outstanding support of employees who serve in the Reserve and National Guard.

Ex-Bush spokesman Fleischer describes life at White House: Eric Leake; Ari Fleischer was asked only one question Wednesday night that much resembled those of his days as White House press secretary.

Editorial: Ward 1's new voice: It was more than an indictment that cost Moncrief the election, though. Residents of Ward 1 were unhappy with her representation of them. Many missed the clout that McDonald once had with the rest of the City Council. Residents evidently believe that Tarkanian, whose lengthy and productive tenure on the Clark County School Board is matched by her community service, was the right fit for the job. We, too, were impressed by Tarkanian's track record and we are confident that her enthusiasm and dedication will provide Ward 1's residents with the leadership they deserve -- and that has been missing ...

Reid staffer back at work after arrest: WASHINGTON -- A man who works for Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid is back at work after being arrested when he held up an anti-war sign during the inauguration ceremony last week.

CCSN to drop truck driving school: CCSN's controversial professional truck driving school will be eliminated because it is losing too much money, President Richard Carpenter said.

Democrats set plans to help families: Kirsten Searer; Democrats announced their full legislative agenda on Wednesday, saying they want to take immediate steps to help Nevada's families.

Review board keeps subpoena power: Jen Lawson; A Citizen Review Board that investigates complaints of misconduct against Metro Police will retain its power to compel officers to appear at their hearings, a judge ruled Wednesday, shutting down the police union's attempt at skirting the subpoenas.

Company amends purchase agreement: The change is the result of lower than expected operating results at the property, Herbst Gaming said. The company didn't disclose the previous purchase price.

Orchestrated Effort: You could say that the Moscow Philharmonic has been typecast, and no matter how many Brahms, Copland and Schubert pieces it carries in its repertoire, audiences yearn for authentic Russian sound, particularly Tchaikovsky.

Sports briefs for January 27, 2005: A German soccer referee admitted to fixing games and said Thursday he was ready to cooperate with prosecutors to clear up the sport's biggest scandal in the country in more than 30 years.

Obituaries for January 27, 2005: James Robert "Jimi" Arboleda, 50, of Las Vegas died Saturday in a local hospital. He was born April 12, 1954, in the Philippines. A resident for 25 years, he was an automobile sales finance manager and a Vietnam War Air Force veteran.

Lady Rebels on slippery slope to medocrity: Adam Candee; Her voice is lost to illness right now, but even if UNLV coach Regina Miller could really yell at her scuffling Lady Rebels, what's left to say?

Mesquite may avoid fines for its response to flooding: The city of Mesquite will apparently avoid fines for forging a new channel of the Virgin River, an effort city officials said they made following last week's flooding to avoid further damage to public and private property.

News briefs for January 27, 2005: North Las Vegas Police have released the name of the officer involved in a standoff with a shotgun-wielding driver Monday.

Tribe meets about casino plan: Tribal consultant Bill Johnson said the project would require approval from state and federal officials, along with public support.

Commission hires lawyers: In other business at their second meeting, board members continued the grinding process of setting up their new state agency -- a task that Tuesday included a prolonged discussion about how to comply with the state's open-meeting law.

Ravens' Lewis sentenced to four months in prison: In the summer of 2000, Jamal Lewis signed a $35 million NFL contract and was ready to leave behind his days hanging out in a crime-ridden Atlanta housing project.

Lawsuit alleges top authorities had responsibility in scandal: Stephen Curran; The woman at the center of a sex scandal that brought down a former district attorney's office investigator filed a lawsuit this week alleging that a number of high-profile government officials let the abuse happen.

Lobos' Granger back on the court: Steve Guiremand; The New Mexico Lobos got a bit of good news on Wednesday when all-Mountain West Conference forward Danny Granger was cleared to practice for the first time since undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery on Jan. 10.

Preps: Wednesday's Results: Mojave 70, Palo Verde 65: MJVE: Dominique Watson 20 pts, Darnell Grier 19 pts, Dante Poole 17 pts. PV: P'Allen Stinnett 35 pts.

Judge lays into Tabish attorney: By Matt Pordum; District Judge Joseph Bonaventure chastised Rick Tabish's local attorney Wednesday saying the lawyer's "win at all costs" strategy and "unsavory" ethics are typical of the reasons that "people hate lawyers."

Hutchison steady in wake of tragedy: Mike Sims; The Palo Verde girls' basketball team started slowly this year, but after coping with transition and tragedy, the Panthers seem to be on the right track.

Program provides free gun locks: Beth Slovic; A program of the National Shooting Sports Foundation has distributed more than 170,000 gun locks for free in Nevada during the past two years, group officials said Wednesday.

Montandon challenger emerges: Dan Kulin; The man hoping to unseat North Las Vegas Mayor Michael Montandon officially launched his campaign and took his first swing at the incumbent on Wednesday.

Preps: Girls' State rankings: Compiled by the Las Vegas Sun and the Sparks Tribune

Late rally pushes Gaels past Durango: Nick Christensen; For a while Wednesday, Durango's girls' basketball team looked like it might be the first local squad to crack the armor of the city's elite.

Editorial: Yucca rush is now clear: The Bush administration backs Yucca Mountain 100 percent. It is, however, hamstrung by the president's election-year promise to allow science and the courts to determine the future of Yucca Mountain. The administration's decision not to appeal the judges' ruling left two options for the Energy Department. It could lobby Congress to drop the requirement to abide by the National Academy's recommendation. But that's a difficult prospect, especially with Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., a longtime foe of Yucca Mountain, serving as the Senate Minority Leader. Or it could try to meet the new standard by reworking the mountain's design and reconfiguring ...

Ralph Siraco's Santa Anita selections: 1st Race -- RIDE AND SHINE -- Hard-knocking gelding draws middle slot in sprint claimer, Desormeaux stays on young Stute trainee, this is spot where he can pop up and win. EXCESS SUMMER -- Baze aboard Mullins trainee, draws inner post for dash opener, a factor throughout. Value Play -- FOUR CHECKER

Letter: Election was not a Bush mandate: That means that of the 60 million people who voted for him, 13 million were concerned with moral values. In total that means that 47 million voted for other reasons. Now he is saying that because he was re-elected the voters ratified his Iraq war policy.

Letter: Use tax surplus to address needs: Our government is ascribed with the authority to provide public infrastructure and services in the best manner possible. If there's a surplus from one activity and a shortage elsewhere, it's basic common sense that the surplus be reallocated to areas in need. It's about choices.

Oil refiner to spend $525 million to reduce emissions: The company also agreed to pay a $4.5 million civil penalty and to spend another $10 million on clean-air programs under the agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, that agency and the Justice Department said in a statement in Washington.

Letter: Inaugural was a party for the rich: This time, we had George W. Bush's overblown, overpriced debacle with the rich and privileged tiara-wearing crowd. Well, at least it showed who he represents.

Casino agreement shelved: The action Tuesday night came after the first reading of an intergovernmental agreement with the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma.

Mexican Mafia show up in Nevada prisons: CARSON CITY -- A branch of the Mexican Mafia is filtering into Nevada from California and is ending up in prisons here.

Gibbons named chairman of House energy subcommittee: The subcommittee oversees the U.S. Geological Survey, geothermal energy, the U.S. uranium supply, mining policy and U.S. mineral resources on public lands, among other items, according to its Web site.

Warm weather rouses tortoise: By Mary Manning; As warm rain surged into Southern Nevada Wednesday from the south, biologists got a surprise at the Red Rock National Conservation Area when Mojave Max, a desert tortoise in hibernation for the winter, poked his nose out of a burrow.

Belmont dog track suffers more fallout from indictments: The Lakes Region Greyhound Park was one of 10 off-track sites disconnected in the past two days by the New York Racing Association, The Union Leader reported Wednesday.

Partner tribes question Pawlenty casino fee: Patrick Condon; ST. PAUL -- The chairman of an Indian tribe looking to build a new casino with the state said that Gov. Tim Pawlenty dropped a big obstacle in the plan's path by calling on the partner tribes to come up with $200 million to get it started.

Bodman plans to keep Cabot holdings: WASHINGTON -- Energy Secretary-nominee Samuel Bodman plans to keep his financial holdings in former employer Cabot Corp. but has pledged to recuse himself from issues directly affecting it.

Fatal stabbing investigated: Homicide Sgt. Ken Hefner said bystanders flagged down the crew on a Republic Services garbage truck about 7:10 a.m. and told them they had seen a dead body nearby in the 600 block of North Fourth Street.

Suit: Mayor's son duped woman in land deal: Dan Kulin; A counter-lawsuit from an elderly woman fighting Louis Palazzo and Ross Goodman, son of Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman, over a piece of downtown land the woman owns, alleges Palazzo and Ross Goodman had inside information they "illicitly received" and then intentionally hid, which showed the woman's property was worth much more than they were offering.

Wet day linked to more than 200 accidents: Mary Manning and David Kihara; Metro Police and the Nevada Highway Patrol reported more than 200 collisions on Wednesday's rain-slicked roads, though one that sent an infant and child and to the hospital in critical condition was likely caused by drunken driving, not rain, authorities said.

Stanley Leisure may apply for all new U.K. casinos: Paul Jarvis; Stanley Leisure Plc, the largest U.K. casino operator, may apply to operate all the 24 casinos allowed under new British gambling laws after the government placed limits on the number of Las Vegas-style venues it will permit.