Print edition for June 6, 2005

Letter: Bush re-election a risky monopoly of political power: Those who have never had the necessity for Medicare are not concerned, while many millions of the elderly who are just above the poverty line are truly in need of the program to maintain the health they have.

Editorial: Heading for future shock in schools: Virtual High School in Clark County has a full-time enrollment of about 160 students. Another 7,000 students log on part time for various classes and such specialized programs as tutorials in proficiency exams. Virtual schools are the latest refinement in distance education, which caught on in the 1800s when colleges began offering correspondence courses to adults who couldn't take the time to enroll personally. What makes us uncomfortable about today's form of distance education is that it's moving rapidly into schools all over the country and making large enrollment gains each year. What's going on in the world today, when ...

Guest columnist Ryan Keeney: Win or lose, getting this far was a valuable, memorable experience: Plain and simple, Friday was the longest competitive day I have ever played and I think everyone would say the same. I putted in on my last hole and I was holding the pin waiting for my playing partners to putt in, and no joke, I actually caught myself from falling over. That kind of puts it in perspective.

Municipal elections on Tuesday: Voters in four area cities will go to the polls Tuesday to cast ballots in races for City Council and Municipal Court judge.

State to spend more than $15 billion: CARSON CITY -- Nevada agencies will be spending more than $15 billion in the next two years for education, mental health, other social and regulatory programs and for pay raises for government workers.

A family torn apart: Man's wife, stepson are deported in unusual case: By Timothy Pratt; Harry Ridge, who says he is a God-fearing man, found himself on a recent morning praying for a federal immigration official who was due to make a decision about deporting his wife and stepson to Suriname, a small country in northern South America.

Birth announcements for June 6, 2005: May 24:

Rebels look forward to getting back in 2006: Adam Candee; OWINGS MILLS, Md. - Leave it to the kid who experienced one of the more unusual golf careers in UNLV history to perfectly sum up this unusual trip to the national championship tournament.

Tribe choses finalists for casino construction contract: Tribal officials say the 22,000-square-foot casino will add up to 40 jobs on the reservation.

Finishing touches put on new center: Finishing touches put on new center

Sports briefs for June 6, 2005: A 41-year-old man was charged Sunday with calling in a fake bomb threat at The Palace two hours before Game 6 of the Eastern Conference finals.

Jenas likely to follow state suit with federal lawsuit: After five years of fruitless negotiations with the state over building a casino, the tribe filed the state lawsuit last week, seeking compensation for what it described as a breach of contract on the part of former Gov. Mike Foster.

Potential Greenspan successors emerging: Jeannine Aversa; WASHINGTON -- Wanted: expert with a deep understanding of what makes the economy tick.

Golf briefs for June 6, 2005: Tom Jenkins rolled in a 5-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole to beat D.A. Weibring and win the Allianz Championship in Polk City, Iowa.

Bets may be off for 2007 All-Star Game: The state Gaming Control Board on Wednesday will consider prohibiting wagering on the National Basketball Association All-Star Game in 2007 if the contest is played in Las Vegas.

Boys and Girls Clubs offers break on charges: Every new member gets one week of membership at no cost.

Judge allows casino classes: Hinds County Chancery Judge Patricia Wise issued a 16-page ruling on Friday saying it was legal for USM to teach the courses, but lawyers say her decision likely would be appealed. USM would offer the classes in Long Beach.

Medical examiners draw criticism: Molly Ball; Actions taken Friday by the state Board of Medical Examiners, which declined to discipline three Southern Nevada doctors accused of malpractice, could fuel the continuing controversy over the board's effectiveness.

Obituaries for June 6, 2005: L. James "Jim" Beebe, 71, of Henderson died Thursday in Henderson. He was born Aug. 14, 1933, in Salinas, Calif. A resident for more than 30 years, he was a retired telephone company supervisor, an emergency room volunteer at St. Rose Dominican Hospitals' Rose de Lima campus for more than nine years, a lifetime member of the National Rifle Association and a member of the Telephone Pioneers.

UNLV runs out of comeback magic: Nick Christensen; TEMPE, Ariz. - In the closing days of a season of comebacks, UNLV seemed primed to write another chapter Sunday morning in its NCAA baseball regional.

Legislative briefs for June 6, 2005: A bill making it tougher for teens to get licensed to drive has cleared the Legislature, with the Senate and Assembly adopting a conference report that increases the age from 15 to 16 to qualify for a driver's license.

County: Businessman tried to deceive officials: Stephen Curran; Raymond Young created a company to confuse county Aviation Department officials with whom he was working to develop an airport in Ivanpah Valley, attorneys for the county argued Friday.

Executive to plead guilty in federal AIG probe: Houldsworth reached an agreement with the Department of Justice and the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to admit to one count of conspiring with others to misstate AIG's financial statements, his lawyer, Larry Byrne of White & Case LLP, said today in an e-mailed statement.

Tax relief was biggest issue for lawmakers: CARSON CITY -- With the curtain about to close on the 73rd session of the Nevada Legislature top lawmakers agree that property tax relief for homeowners and businesses will likely be remembered as the single greatest accomplishment of the four-month gathering.

Hotel-condo hybrid is growing trend in U.S.: Mike Schneider; ORLANDO, Fla. -- Denver attorney Jacques Machol loves the hotel amenities he gets when he stays at the Fontainebleau in Miami Beach: room service, housekeeping, linen service and a complimentary breakfast.

Editorial: High housing prices prove troubling: While that is good news for those people who bought homes at least several years ago at lower prices, resulting in them acquiring considerable equity along the way, this is troubling news for those people who are looking to buy a new home today. In many cases they simply have been priced out of the American Dream. One of the big draws to luring people to Las Vegas was the relatively low price of housing here. And while we are still lower than Southern California, that gap is narrowing and we are starting to be much higher than other parts ...

Plans for Dubai, Morocco and Bahamas resorts are updated: The new budget will total $1.2 billion -- the filings said -- an increase of about $100 million. Construction is now expected to begin in the fourth quarter with completion expected by late 2008.

Longtime business, civic leader Harris dies at 88: Longtime Las Vegas businesswoman and civic leader Bunny Harris was willing to try almost anything at least once to serve her community, including run for office.

Favre hints he could play past 2005: GRAND CHUTE, Wis. -- Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre said Sunday that next season might not be his last, and stepped up pressure on teammate Javon Walker to end his holdout.

No deal on rebate plan as session nears end: CARSON CITY -- As the legislative session inched closer to adjournment, negotiations with Gov. Kenny Guinn continued today in hopes of reaching a compromise on his $300 million rebate plan.

Wife of former Enron exec is released from prison: Lea Fastow, 43, exited a federal detention center flanked by her husband, a key figure in the Enron scandal; her sister; and her lawyers, Mike DeGeurin and Jennifer Ahlen.

Park transfer to city on track: Dan Kulin; The planned transfer of Floyd Lamb State Park to Las Vegas is still on track, Las Vegas Councilman Michael Mack said, although city and state leaders will meet sometime in the near future to decide what exactly would be allowed at the park in northwest Las Vegas.

O'Callaghan remembered: Annie Flanzraich; Mike O'Callaghan's roots go deep into Nevada's history as one of its governors, teachers, mentors and newspaper editors. And now a tree in his honor is rooted in Paradise Park.

Work continuing on Atlantis resort in Bahamas: The filing indicates that the company is nearing completion of a 75,000-square-foot Marina Village, which includes restaurants and retail shops.

Letter: Wynn Las Vegas dazzles the senses: A visit to this extravaganza yields an experience of the senses that is only rivaled by one's first encounter with the neon-lit Las Vegas Strip. Wynn Las Vegas' main entryway is adorned with a multitude of flowers that emit wonderful fragrances, and its spacious pathways wind their way in a cubist-like manner until they encircle the casino floor. Moreover, the brightly colored designs on the floors of these pathways so fully capture the focus of the viewer that every look up from them and into the natural light so prevalent throughout the property momentarily renders a blurred image of this ...

Schools funding bills pass: CARSON CITY -- A bill that starts the state paying for all-day kindergarten classes is on its way to Gov. Kenny Guinn, ending a bitter fight in the Legislature.

News briefs for June 6, 2005: Henderson Police charged a man with several violations Saturday in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident.

Columnist Ralph Siraco: Young Castro making strides toward joining Baze: Ralph Siraco; While we wait for the tale of the two horses -- Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo and Preakness Stakes victor Afleet Alex -- in their Triple Crown rubber match on Saturday in the Belmont Stakes, this is a tale of two jockeys, both with record performances last week.

Jurors hear tape of Maestas asking for death penalty: By Matt Pordum; "I feel like I deserve the death penalty," Beau Maestas told detectives in a taped interview about the fatal stabbing of a 3-year-old girl and the paralyzing of her 10-year-old half-sister.

Futures rise to six-week high after refineries shut units: Oil gained for the ninth day in 10 after Exxon's Baytown, Texas, refinery, the nation's largest, closed a boiler at a gasoline-making unit on June 2 and Hovensa LLC said it halted processing at a crude-oil unit at St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, for unscheduled maintenance, curbing fuel production.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Fund times to be had in Beatty: At least one local nonprofit organization is finding fertile ground for fundraising in Beatty.

Bingo supplier loses patent case against GameTech: Alana Roberts; A Las Vegas federal judge has ruled in favor of Reno-based bingo equipment supplier GameTech International Inc. in a three-year patent infringement lawsuit filed by competitor Planet Bingo.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: Ride with Andretti couldn't end fast enough: For more information on the Mario Andretti Racing School, click on andrettiracing.com or call 315-6300.

Moments of Clarity: Front projectors put viewers in theaterlike setting: Kirk Baird; Then he saw a front projector.

Free health fair offered at Harley store: The free event will include screenings for skin cancer, vision, hearing and blood pressure. Cholesterol, lipid panel, and glucose tests will be available for a small fee, fasting is required for these tests. There will be fun contests, prizes and refreshments.

Borgata's success spurs hopes of revival for Atlantic City hotels: By Liz Benston; ATLANTIC CITY -- It's midnight on Tuesday and every last blackjack, roulette and craps table at the Borgata is bustling. It's a similar scene in a downstairs poker room and off-track betting parlor, where most of the available seats are taken.

Starwood to open budget line of hotels: Jeannine DeFoe; Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc. will introduce a budget version of its W Hotels in 2007 to compete with chains owned by Hilton Hotel Corp. and Marriott International Inc.

Architect: School district got good deal on building: By Emily Richmond; Edward Vance, executive vice president of JMA Architecture Studios, says "if anyone should have sour grapes" about the Clark County School Board's $14.5 million purchase of a four-story office building, it's he.

Teacher arrested in online sex talk: Jen Lawson; A Garside Middle School gym teacher was arrested Friday just moments before he allegedly was scheduled to meet a teenage student for a sexual encounter at a school dance, Metro Police said.

Regents support a Rogers run for governor: University regents appointed businessman Jim Rogers as permanent chancellor less than a month ago, but some regents are thinking Gov. Rogers might have a nicer ring to it.

Intense search is on for man accused of swindling girlfriend: Jen Lawson; Tracey Tran thought Jim Puglin was the perfect man.

Medical board strips doctor of license: Molly Ball; The state Board of Medical Examiners on Friday took away the medical license of a Las Vegas doctor who is in prison for violent crimes, but declined to discipline three other Las Vegas-area doctors accused of malpractice.

Medical pot laws take a hit: Gina Holland; WASHINGTON -- Federal authorities may prosecute sick people who smoke pot on doctors' orders, the Supreme Court ruled Monday, concluding that state medical marijuana laws don't protect users from a federal ban on the drug.