You spell Nevada, they spell Navada

Benjamin Grove & Suzanne Struglinski

Saturday, Oct. 8, 2005 | 11:39 a.m.

Nevadans are used to the constant mispronunciation of the state's name, but at least people can spell it right -- or can they?

A letter from Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., went to 150,000 residents this week addressed to "POSTAL CUSTOMER NAVADA."

Reid spokeswoman Tessa Hafen said the senator's office knows how to spell the state's name and had it right in the letter. The Senate Printing, Graphics and Direct Mail office is in charge of the mailing label.

Reid's office called the printing office about the error, and the senator was sent a written apology.

"It was absolutely human error, and it is inexcusable," Senate Sergeant at Arms Bill Pickle, who oversees the office, said. "We are just mortified."

FORESHADOWING 2008?

A reader of Reid's new blog at www.giveemhellharry.com posted a message regarding the "Give 'Em Hell Harry" billboards erected in Albuquerque, Phoenix and Helena, Mont., to promote the blog. The post noted that the slogan, read fast, sounds like "Give 'Em Hillary."

A HARD DAY'S FLIGHT

Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., and a number of other Jewish lawmakers observed Rosh Hashana early this week. Berkley flew back to Washington on Thursday in time to vote on a number of bills. (GOP leaders agreed to hold the votes late in the day to accommodate returning West Coast lawmakers.) She was scheduled to jump back on a plane to fly back to her Las Vegas district Friday. Nevada's lawmakers often fly back to the state for long weekends, as votes are not often held on Monday or Friday.

ANIMAL ADDITION

McGruff the Crime Dog, Smokey Bear and Woodsy Owl have a new friend in the public service announcement animal kingdom: Energy Hog.

The Energy Department is hoping the new spokesanimal will encourage people to use less gasoline, electricity and heating oil.

Energy Hog, complete with curly tail poking out of the back of his jeans, chain-link necklace and tough-guy haircut, greeted reporters and other attendees at a press conference Monday at the National Press Club.

The department, along with a coalition of business, government and environmental groups, kicked off a nationwide energy-saving campaign, using the spokeshog as a model of what not to do.

The hog, deemed a "spokesvillain" by the department, symbolizes all the ways energy can be wasted. He doesn't turn off lights, he has poor insulation and old appliances -- in his pigpen.