Print edition for October 9, 2005

Columnist Jeff Simpson: The scoop on Gaughan's latest property: By Jeff Simpson; You see it on the Strip, where palaces like Wynn Las Vegas, Bellagio and the Venetian capture ever larger chunks of the tourist dollar; in the locals market, where Strip-quality properties like Green Valley Ranch blow their competitors away, and even in the slot-bar market.

Hearing the truth about Yucca: Matt Huffman and Launce Rake; Call a public hearing on Yucca Mountain, and you'll find the "truth" is sometimes way, way out there.

Editorial: Planning brings protection: The studies showed that the influenza virus that killed 50 million people worldwide in 1918 and 1919 started out as bird flu. The pandemic happened when the bird-flu virus stopped killing just birds. The virus adapted so that it also killed people, and made them highly infectious for several days before they died.

Editorial: Wisdom required for a broader view: Clark County commissioners are considering a businessman's request to rent Segway Human Transporters for use on sidewalks along the Las Vegas Strip. These two-wheeled, 85-pound machines are fun to ride but take some practice to control skillfully. Millions have been spent on the Strip's network of pedestrian overpasses to improve safety in a metropolitan area consistently named among the nation's most dangerous places to walk. Our pedestrians don't need another sidewalk hazard, especially along the heavily traveled tourist corridor.

Terrorism on track?: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- Las Vegas and a handful of other "target cities" are sitting on a terrorist threat -- hazardous material shipments -- that could be a far more immediate risk than nuclear waste transports, a leading environmental consultant says.

Letter: Americans making voices heard at the pump: Politicians are spinning the opinions of so-called economic experts that it would hurt the economy if we didn't let the law of supply and demand control the gas prices. They are saying that we would run out of gas if we lowered the price because people would rush to the gas stations and fill their tanks. This rhetoric is no longer being soaked up by an uninformed American public.

Carter is seen as a long shot against Ensign: Benjamin Grove and Dan Kulin; Jack Carter

Columnist John Katsilometes: Comedy Festival up to more funny business: (So long ago was that routine that Martin bemoaned Las Vegas' high ticket prices -- "$15 to get in.")

Pentagon robot race continues; winner to be announced: Four other driverless vehicles out of a field of 23 entries zipped past the finish line Saturday in less than 10 hours after traversing dirt trails, passing through three tunnels and navigating a mountain pass.

Letter: Disasters shed light on BRAC plans: Even the Pentagon complains about the folly of using active-duty military for primary disaster control, replacing the historic function of the U.S. Coast Guard and National Guard.

Billy V.: One of the 10 most powerful individuals in Nevada is also one of its most anonymous.

Columnist Tom Gorman: Joining the scavengers for a peek inside the ruthlessly capitalist world of a Las Vegas storage auction: And when they end up financially busted -- by misfortune, broken relationships, job loss or pathological self-destruction -- they discover that Las Vegas still isn't done with them. This town will try to wring every dollar from them, like some hungry vulture efficiently picking every last morsel off road kill.

Columnist Ron Kantowksi: Rebels don't need to apologize: Ron Kantowksi; To paraphrase Oliver Barrett in "Love Story," what can you say about a game whose most exciting play was a disputed measurement for a first down? That was decided not by tackle-shedding touchdown runs or pinpoint forward passes but by a coach's decision to "take the wind" in the fourth quarter? That featured a grand total of 381 combined yards, five intercepted passes and two lost fumbles? That saw the team that led until the final nine seconds go 0-for-15 on third-down conversions?

Fans plan protest over KJUL change: "We might not be able to change back KJUL, but we are going to put on notice that older adults need entertainment and music, too," said the 62-year-old Wisconsin native.

Letter: Hurricane bill wasteful spending: The proposed bill that was the topic of the editorial, introduced by Sens. Chuck Grassley and Max Baucus, would unnecessarily spend more than $9 billion to expand Medicaid dramatically. States such as North Dakota, Wisconsin and Vermont, despite receiving very few hurricane evacuees, would be handed a combined $53 million. This is taxpayer money.

Columnist Jeff German: Ruling does little to bring issue into focus: The Nevada attorney general offered a legal opinion on cameras in cabs last week.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Can we trust Bush's faith in court nominee Miers?: I can't be certain, but I feel like Alice must have felt when she went through the keyhole and into a wonderland that, at best, turned her world upside down by making a Mad Hatter seem sane and a Cheshire Cat's smile appear tame. In short, this whole Supreme Court thing is getting curiouser and curiouser.

Editorial: Call for common courtesy: A 32-year-old Washington state woman was asked to disembark a flight in Reno last week when other passengers complained that the slogan imprinted on her T-shirt was offensive. The shirt featured black-and-white images of President Bush, Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice alongside the title of the movie "Meet the Fockers" -- strategically minus one vowel.

Columnist Jon Ralston: Despite lingering optimism, land plan back at square one: "In my opinion, it's the best piece of urban real estate in the world. It's the heart of the city, and it gives us the opportunity to realize dreams and concentrate our vision on making it a very special project." -- Mayor Oscar Goodman on the 61 acres, June 6, 2000 (Las Vegas Sun)

Columnist Hal Rothman: Too big for our britches?: Hal Rothman; We've seen remarkable changes in the past few years and they have had an impact on how we live here:

Letter: Politicians ignore homeless again: There is no difference between the evacuees and our homeless people, and the local politicians should be ashamed of their action in diverting funds dedicated to our mentally ill homeless people and using them for hurricane relief. When the City Council made that decision, we discovered it was sitting on about $5 million in federal funds designated for housing low-income and homeless people.

Public art comes to life: By Kristen Peterson; The downtown "Poets Bridge" in the Lewis Avenue Corridor crosses a river of dry pebbles and Yucca plants.