Print edition for November 10, 2005

Schools get technical: By Emily Richmond; The Clark County School District is betting that preparing students for the work force -- and not just higher education -- is the solution to its stagnant test scores and spotty history of lackluster achievement.

Environmentalists up in arms over new mining proposal: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- Environmental groups and mining interests are awaiting a House vote, which could come as early as today, on a budget reconciliation bill that would allow the sale of federal land for mining claims.

KJUL fans singing again: KJUL fans were elated Tuesday when it was announced that their favorite format of adult standards music would be back, only at a different station.

Editorial: High price to pay for low rents: On second thought, it's debatable whether many of their new lodgings are any better than the shelter they found when homeless.

Letter: Existing residents funding too much: The concept that existing residents could benefit by underwriting "growth" emerged several years ago and was gleefully adopted by governmental figures, but was never fully accepted by the general population. The people grudgingly paid gradual increases in property taxes to sustain growth and developments until suddenly our officials demanded massive new amounts of money. Now, just as suddenly, the people are starting to demand redress through two referendums now being circulated -- Sharron Angle's Property Tax Restraint Initiative, and Bob Beers' Tax and Spending Control Initiative.

Gordon likes teammate's chances for Nextel Cup title: Jeff Gordon said he thinks Hendrick Motorsports teammate Jimmie Johnson is in the perfect position heading into the final two races of the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series season.

Alzheimer's claims longtime Las Vegan: Doris Wellendorf was all about family and the holidays.

Editorial: What GOP dominance?: Democrats, despite a scandal that forced the sitting Democratic governor in New Jersey to resign last year, held onto the office as U.S. Sen. Jon Corzine won. In Virginia, a state that voted decisively for President Bush in his re-election bid and which has two Republican U.S. senators, the Democrats held onto the governor's office as well, with Lt. Gov. Tim Kaine winning.

Lady Luck shines on Third St. visitors: Third Street is alive with the sound of live music and pounding hammers.

Letter: No longer a loyal fan of Tiger Woods: His first professional tour win was here in Las Vegas and he visits our great city numerous times a year. For him to have passed the Michelin Championship at Las Vegas this year is inexcusable to me -- and my loyal fan status is gone.

Letter: Quality of construction is the main issue: I find it interesting that the very people who pushed for the "Right to Repair" law are now complaining that it doesn't work for them because it means that instead of repairing one or two homes in a tract they would have to repair all the defective homes they've built in that tract. I hope our state legislators are listening.

Old, new Nugget owners' feud rages: By Liz Benston; Hotel developer Steve Wynn appeared in a courtroom Wednesday morning to pursue his lawsuit against the Golden Nugget over a Wynn Las Vegas executive hired away to work at the Golden Nugget Laughlin.

Columnist: Ron Kantowski on being teed off by LVCVA slap in the face to sponsorless LV Invitational: When it was learned that the Michelin Championship at Las Vegas was losing the "Michelin" part of its title because of the tire company pulling its sponsorship, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority had another chance to bail out one of the valley's longest-standing major league sporting events.

Yucca's new boss facing a moving target: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- It may not matter much if White House nominee Edward Sproat knows little about the Yucca Mountain project he will potentially inherit. The program has possibly changed more in the last month than it has in the past two decades.

Editorial: Pssst, Buddy, want to sell a car?: Well, that should change in some parts of the valley now that the Las Vegas City Council unanimously approved a new law on Nov. 2 that says residents may sell only one motor vehicle at a time from their homes and sell no more than two vehicles total in a year.

Comrades in a lost war: Ba says the insurgent forces in Iraq are well aware of U.S. military history, particularly the 1973 pullout of Vietnam amid mounting protests at home. With U.S. deaths in Iraq recently topping 2,000, terrorist forces believe all they have to do is hold on until similar protests force a pullout of Iraq, Ba said.

Flashpoint for Nov. 10, 2005: No one else could have generated the interest in Oscar Goodman's "major" announcement downtown Tuesday evening. The mayor's little helpers did not deny he might announce a run for governor -- they even encouraged it to boost attendance. The announcement was substantive -- $100,000 from Bombay Sapphire will go to Larry Ruvo's Alzheimer's clinic think tank. But it was minor compared to what many hoped -- or feared. One wag suggested the think tank could be used to discern how to replace all those brain cells killed by consuming alcohol. Another pointed out: Ruvo has generated little media with his ...

Lawmaker: Conspiracy in Tupac killing: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- A conspiracy theory is brewing in Congress, but it has nothing to do with the typical inside-the-Beltway preoccupations: Did the government take part in a conspiracy to kill rapper Tupac Shakur?

Highlights of September 2005 revenue report on Nevada casinos: AP; -STATEWIDE: $1.01 billion win, up 9.6 percent.

Columnist John Katsilometes: How the Hooters Hotel & Casino is progressing in its employee search: Up high, construction workers populated scaffolds at the soon-to-be Hooters Hotel & Casino just east of the Strip on Tropicana Avenue. Below, women hoping to be chosen as Hooters Girls sashayed into the hotel's main entrance.

Feds keep Head Start on month-to-month basis: The Department of Health and Human Services will continue to fund the Head Start program on a monthly basis as long as EOB provides the federal government with proper receipts and expenditures detailing the EOB's valid monthly expenses, said Steve Barbour, a department spokesman.