Print edition for November 18, 2005

Happy Trails: Western-themed park opens: Happy Trails: Western-themed park opens

California adds 6,800 jobs in October: AP; More than 14.8 million people in the state held payroll jobs during the month (not including farm workers and the self-employed).

Editorial: Centennial commission's red-letter day: The 30-foot-tall mural that will be displayed outside the Sahara West Library next year is among 175 the commission is sponsoring in commemoration of Las Vegas' 100th anniversary.

It's been a magical, musical match for widow, widower: They met on the phone seven years ago and have been making music ever since.

No joke: Vegas audiences can be tough on comedians: Rating (out of five stars): *** 1/2

Columnist Jeff Haney: An oddsmaking Web site handicapped by outrageous grammar and outrageous win claims: A respected professional gambler named Ron Boyles was quoted in this column a couple of months ago referring to sports touts -- guys who sell their predictions to the public -- as "charlatans, snake-oil salesmen and ... lowlife (jerks)."

Helped off the streets: By Timothy Pratt; Marlon Pfaff was looking for cottage cheese Thursday at the 99 Cents store on Charleston Boulevard.

Letter: Intelligent design simply isn't science: A letter to the editor does not provide the space to describe and teach all the observations, experiments, biology, genetics and repetitions of studies and ideas that compose the Darwinian theory. Suffice it to say that the work being done in this field is overwhelmingly supported and accepted by all science and is, indeed, the basis for most biological medical activity in the world today.

Arts Notes: Ballet's big wheel, Ferris, leaving LV: Come February, Nevada Ballet Theatre will bid an emotional farewell to Executive Director Harris Ferris.

Columnist Jon Ralston: Pondering a regent, a gubernatorial candidate -- and one egomaniac defending another: Not Miller time here: Regent Steve Sisolak says he's thinking of running for secretary of state for one simple reason: He doesn't like how Ross Miller, the twentysomething son of ex-Gov. Bob Miller, has been crowned with the job before the race can begin.

Columnist John Katsilometes: How some stand-up comics visiting this weekend view Vegas: Dane Cook was on a Comedy Central special with Dave Attell recently, a show taped at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay. The first joke from the excitable Cook was, "Vegas! I have a new slogan: Whatever happens in Vegas and I see it, I'm (bleeping) telling everyone!"

Editorial: Energy secret coming out: Cheney rebuffed their entreaties. Furthermore, he conducted all of the task force's meetings in secret. Not surprisingly, when the task force finished its work in May 2001, it had concluded that the best energy policy was one that continued the tradition of almost total reliance on fossil fuels and nuclear power.

Analysis: State of the System: Accountability, efficiency, progress over process.

Letter: Bush has no clue about paying bills: It's obvious Bush has never had to balance the family checkbook, but those who have know you don't write checks when you don't have the funds to cover them, don't give expensive gifts (in the form of tax breaks to your rich friends) you can't afford, and must curb your expensive hobbies (starting wars) when funds are low. Long after Bush leaves office, we Americans and our offspring will be paying the tab for the eight years he spends in office.

Editorial: Probe reveals hidden agenda: Kenneth Y. Tomlinson resigned as board chairman two weeks ago after the corporation's inspector general presented results of his investigation. The report, released Tuesday, says Tomlinson violated the Public Broadcasting Act, which created the CPB and is designed to shield programming decisions from politics.

Shari's little lamb goes on: Puppeteer Shari Lewis died of cancer in 1998 at the age of 65.

Fallen U.S. soldiers: Marine 2nd Lt. Donald R. McGlothlin, 26, of Lebanon, Va., died Wednesday from small-arms fire while conducting combat operations against enemy forces during Operation Steel Curtain in Ubaydi, Iraq. He was assigned to Battalion Landing Team 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, I Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, Calif. His unit was attached to 2nd Marine Division, II Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward).

Freshman guard makes the transition: Jo'Van Adams is the gem of UNLV's most recent recruiting class, and he said he has been making strides in his transition to college basketball.

Problems found in files of late boxer: The Nevada State Athletic Commission files on Martin Sanchez, one of two boxers who died in Las Vegas bouts this year, contain medical documents that were missing his required signature and other records that are contradictory.

Columnist Jeff German: The Nevada attorney general's role in the Royal Links controversy: It may be a smart political move for George Chanos to dive into the mess at City Hall over the dealings of golf course developer Billy Walters.