Print edition for May 17, 2005

Country's economy rises 5.3%: The world's second-largest economy accelerated from a revised 0.1 percent pace in the fourth quarter, a report by the Cabinet Office in Tokyo showed today. The median forecast of 28 economists surveyed by Bloomberg was for gross domestic product to expand 2.4 percent.

Community briefs for May 17, 2005: An information seminar is scheduled from noon until 2 p.m. Saturday at Community College of Southern Nevada, 6375 W. Charleston Blvd., for those interested in being firefighters in Las Vegas or North Las Vegas.

Immunization schedule for May 17, 2005: HENDERSON PUBLIC HEALTH CENTER: 129 W. Lake Mead Parkway, Building A, Suite 10, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m., through Friday.

Editorial: Ensign uses wrong tactic: The suit was rejected in March 2004 by U.S. District Court Judge Philip Pro. The Sierra Club appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which in July allowed preparatory work to continue but halted actual lane building while it considered the appeal. The court has yet to rule. Meanwhile, growth is not procrastinating. More vehicles are coming onto the highway every day, adding to commuters' already lengthy driving times. They are not alone in being aggravated. Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., is at the boiling point. He has introduced an amendment in Congress that says, essentially: "Damn the federal ...

Company test marketing new oil blend for french fries: The company would not disclose the location or number of restaurants at which it is testing the cooking oil. A company spokesman said it is gauging customer feedback but wouldn't say what the response has been.

Columnist Susan Snyder: Seniors not ready to graduate: "My children can't keep up with me," the 75-year-old Las Vegas woman said. "When they visit, I insist they walk with me. We walk 30 minutes a day."

Going for broke wins pair $3 million: Adam Candee; MESQUITE - Controlled chaos swirled all around him, much like the powerful winds that dominated thoughts and actions throughout the sixth and final day of this unique golf challenge.

Regulators keep tabs on gaming measures: Gaming regulators are keeping a close watch on four bills making their way through the Nevada Legislature, the state's newest Gaming Control Board member said Monday.

Ways to measure utilities' service debated: Kevin Rademacher; Hearings opened Monday morning on efforts to establish a mechanism to monitor the effect on customer service of a 1999 merger between Nevada Power Co. of Las Vegas and Sierra Pacific Power Co. of Reno.

Tebbs keeps cool in wintry weather at state meet: Nick Christensen; Brutal.

Tabish relative cites claim to silver coins: By Matt Pordum; Rick Tabish's former brother-in-law believes he is entitled to the silver coins Tabish used as collateral for a loan for his legal defense, his attorney said Monday.

Group issues plan to reorganize AFL-CIO: Alana Roberts; A group of four unions, including Culinary Union Local 226 parent UNITE HERE, has issued its own proposal on how to reorganize the AFL-CIO.

Company to sell casinos stake: Under the terms of the agreement, Great Canadian Gaming Corp. of Richmond, British Columbia, will acquire from a Caesars subsidiary its 95 percent interest in Metropolitan Entertainment Group, a Nova Scotia partnership that runs the Casino Nova Scotia Halifax and the Casino Nova Scotia Sydney.

Tax cap affects county coffers: Stephen Curran; Clark County agencies expect to have almost $50 million less than originally expected because of the cap on soaring property taxes, but it should have little effect on the roughly $1.3 billion general fund budget unanimously approved Monday.

Ethics Commission counsel is resigning: CARSON CITY -- State Ethics Commission counsel Nancy Lee Varnum, who said there has been a conflict with the commission's executive director, Stacey Jennings, is resigning.

Cartoonist Smith takes third place: Judges honored Smith's portfolio, which included the military records of President Bush and Sen. John Kerry, the question of an exit strategy in Iraq and same-sex marriages.

Judge to decide status of man who sold pot: By Matt Pordum; When the smoke clears, a judge will have to decide if a licensed medicinal marijuana user was acting as a "care giver" or a drug dealer as he grew and sold pot to other medically licensed users in Clark County.

Boxing results: Golden Gloves: Little Rock, Ark.

Whether judge needs law degree focus of campaign: Sean Hoeffgen

Remington urges reducing number of regents to nine: Remington supported Assembly Joint Resolution 11, the constitutional amendment that would reduce the size of the Board of Regents to nine and make it a primarily appointed board.

Sports briefs for May 17, 2005: The U.S. Open will be played on a blue surface this year, the first change to the tennis courts since the final Grand Slam event of the season moved from the clay courts of Forest Hills in 1978.

Michigan tribe urges governor to negotiate deal: Sarah Karush; Leaders of a western Michigan Indian tribe on Monday urged Gov. Jennifer Granholm to negotiate a compact for a new casino now that the federal government has officially approved the tribe's land-trust proposal.

Columnist Jeff German: Gaming interests stack deck: The hope was to devise standards that would avert the nasty political fighting that occurred between Station Casinos and residents in the area of the massive Red Rock Station project at West Charleston Boulevard and the Las Vegas Beltway. The Culinary Union, which is trying to organize 10,000 Station workers, sided with the residents.

Group promotes wilderness: The nonprofit wilderness education and advocacy group is calling this Wilderness Week and has several events scheduled in Las Vegas. Already, the group has led a small expedition to the Mormon Mountains, about 80 mines north of Las Vegas, to clean up trash and close an illegal vehicle route into the federally protected wilderness.

Execs high on near future: A panel of chief financial officers believes Las Vegas will undergo a more meaningful evolution of development in the next 10 years than it has had in its first 100.

Letter: Bush is failing on many big issues: Maybe he can only focus on one thing at a time.

International law firm merges with Vegas company: Alana Roberts; The big international business law firm of Greenberg Traurig LLP has merged with the Las Vegas-based law firm of Quirk & Tratos for an undisclosed amount of money.

Weidner still upbeat despite Macau results: By Liz Benston; Shares of Las Vegas Sands have fallen more than 6 percent from a couple of weeks ago when analysts said the company's first-quarter gambling revenue in the Chinese enclave of Macau was much lower than expected.

Legislative briefs for May 17, 2005: Without dissent or discussion, the Senate approved a resolution Monday urging President Bush, Congress and federal agencies to recognize that Yucca Mountain is not suitable for a high-level nuclear waste dump.

Two men arrested in stabbing deaths: Jen Lawson; The former treasurer of the Clark County Republican Party was arrested by Metro Police in the stabbing deaths of his ex-wife and her father last August.

Preps: Monday's results: 4A State Tournament First Round Resort at Red Hawk Lakes Course Sparks Par 72, 6,941 yards

Southwest Gas seeking 3 percent rate increase: Kevin Rademacher; Earlier this month, Southwest Gas Corp. Chief Executive Jeffrey Shaw warned attendees at the company's annual shareholders meeting that natural gas prices continue to rise and a rate increase was expected.

Assembly Democrats vow to resurrect lottery issue: Kirsten Searer; CARSON CITY -- Assembly Democrats vowed to revive their idea for a state lottery on Monday, though the senator who halted the bill said he isn't changing his mind.

Letter: Now is not time to relax in fight against Yucca: Now is not the time to relax. The Energy Department is not going to walk away from a $6 billion investment, and I'm afraid Nevadans will feel the fight is over.

Woman gets 3 to 12 years in DUI death: Nicole Cowans previously pleaded guilty to one count of driving under the influence resulting in death for the May 11, 2004, crash that killed Jessie Marie Hinson.

Editorial: Fighting base closings: One of the major bases set for closure is 95 miles southeast of Reno -- the Hawthorne Army Depot, a munitions facility employing about 200 people. The Pentagon says the storage and demilitarization functions could be performed instead at Tooele Army Depot in Utah, saving $777 million over 20 years. Proposed changes at the Reno-Tahoe International Airport Air Guard Station would result in the loss of about 150 jobs, with eight C-130H aircraft being transferred to Little Rock Air Force Base in Arkansas and combat support units being moved to two stations in California. In contrast, Nellis Air Force Base ...

Withers tries to thwart third term on council for Smith: Stephanie Smith

Columnist Brian Hilderbrand: Busch's rookie season going better than expected: While stopping short of calling his rookie season in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series easy, Kyle Busch said he has been pleasantly surprised with how competitive he and his Hendrick Motorsports team have been through the first 11 races.

Closer scrutiny of documents eyed: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Nevada wants Nuclear Regulatory Commission judges to take a closer look at the documents the staff submitted to the Yucca Mountain project database last year.

Hospital issues split lawmakers: Kirsten Searer; Assembly Bill 342 would require hospitals to file five new reports with the state, including:

Tiny Coleville cashes in where it counts most: Nick Christensen; About a two-hour drive south of Sparks is Coleville, nestled along the edge of the Sierras in the idyllic Antelope Valley.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: This purse is worth fighting over: It used to be that if you wanted to watch two women fight over a million dollars, you had to be there when a CEO of some Fortune 500 company made the mistake of introducing his wife to his personal assistant at the office Christmas party.

Panel OKs more building inspectors: CARSON CITY -- In an effort the avoid future construction problems such as those that plagued the Sawyer State Office Building in Las Vegas and the veterans home in Boulder City, the Senate Finance Committee on Monday approved hiring more state building inspectors.

Underwater casino planned: The Macau government has tentatively agreed to grant land for the "City of Dreams" resort, featuring an underwater casino hall with a capacity of 450 gaming tables and 3,000 slot machines, one of its developers, Melco International Development Ltd. said in a statement Monday.

Corrections: Corrections

Emphasis on team: Nick Christensen; Las Vegas High's softball team this year did what it's supposed to do - won the Northeast Division handily, going 12-0 in league play to earn a top seed in the Sunrise playoffs.

Pigs party with cake left over from Vegas centennial bash: Dan Kulin; The day after thousands pigged out on Las Vegas' 130,000-pound birthday cake, it went to a bunch of hogs.

North Las Vegas elections changes discussed: CARSON CITY -- Four Democratic Assembly members and a former assemblywoman told the Senate Government Affairs Committee on Monday that the election process should be changed in North Las Vegas.

Four-run 11th lifts 51s to win: NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A four-run 11th inning Monday carried the 51s to an 8-6 victory against the host Sounds in their Pacific Coast League game at Greer Stadium.

Bill requiring auctions of public lands would hurt LV, officials say: CARSON CITY -- Las Vegas officials told a Senate committee Monday that a bill that would require state and local governments to hold public auctions on the sale of surplus land would cripple their economic development efforts.

Broncos' crowded backfield welcomes back Anderson: Tatum Bell. Ron Dayne. Quentin Griffin. Maurice Clarett. Somewhere in that mix, Mike Anderson thinks he'll fit in.

Ernst to leave post with regents to advise Rogers: Suzanne Ernst, the chief administrative officer to the Board of Regents, is trading in her 13 bosses for one big boss.

Obituaries for May 17, 2005: Audrey Maye Christian, 72, of Las Vegas died Saturday in Las Vegas. She was born Sept. 7, 1932, in Grove, Okla. A resident for 12 years, she was a data processing clerk in the oil industry and studied at Oklahoma A&M University.

News briefs for May 17, 2005: A jaywalker crossing Sahara Avenue just west of Las Vegas Boulevard was hit by a pickup truck and killed about 7:10 a.m. Monday, Metro Police said.

Casino revenues fall 7.4 percent in April: Two of the city's three casinos took in less money.

Reid: Despite talks, there will be no compromise in filibuster fight: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., on Monday said there would be no compromise in the fight over the filibuster, setting the stage for a historic showdown to begin as early as Wednesday.

Gaming firms increase political donations with merger in works: Penn National Gaming Inc. and Argosy Gaming Co. gave state officials more than $570,000 in campaign donations in the 2003-2004 election cycle, easily topping the amounts given by other casino companies.

Wednesday's horse racing entries: Post Time 1:20 p.m.

April gaming win: $189 million: Analysts say April is typically one of the busiest months for the casino industry, as travel picks up and income tax refund checks come back. In April 2004, state-licensed casinos won $176.6 million.

Company reports profit: Archon Corp. reported revenue of $13.6 million, a decrease of 10 percent from a year earlier. Minus promotional costs, revenue was $12 million, down 7 percent.

Ramirez challenges Montandon: Mike Montandon

Judge: Nonresidents can't be banned from getting licenses: Judge Thomas Honzel said both laws discriminate against nonresidents without a legitimate state reason. He rejected the government's argument that the bans were warranted under the 21st Amendment of the U.S. Constitution that allows states to regulate the sale of liquor across state lines.

Winds slash through valley: The last thing 41-year-old George Espinoza expected while he showered Monday afternoon was a tree crashing through his bathroom ceiling.