Print edition for October 18, 2005

Columnist Jeff German: Past deal raises questions: It is an irony that is too sweet to ignore.

Editorial: Firing squad is not justice: The verdict was rendered despite AIDS experts from around the world, including Dr. Luc Montagnier, co-discoverer of the virus, testifying that the Libyan hospital's overall unsanitary practices, including doctors' multiple use of needles, resulted in the infections. In an interview with The New York Times, Montagnier said some of the children were infected even before the nurses arrived, and others became infected after they were imprisoned.

Shuffle up and deal: Event: The World Poker Tour's Doyle Brunson North American Poker Championship

Editorial: Bridging the great divide: As reported in the Las Vegas Sun on Monday, the department has started a series of meetings to help North Las Vegas' Hispanic residents learn more about their local police. U.S. Census figures show 87 percent of those living in the neighborhood near the Boys & Girls Club on East Carey Avenue -- the site of the first meeting in September -- are Hispanic. And about half of them speak little or no English, the figures show.

Inmate health becoming a priority: North Las Vegas is ready to increase annual spending on inmate health care by 41 percent at its jail, a detention center that fails to meet a national standard and where far less is spent on inmate health care than at other valley jails, officials said.

Columnist John Katsilometes: A high roller who attempts to exact revenge on Las Vegas: Even after losing more than $3 million in a gambling frenzy over a three-year period in the late '90s, Daren Leverenz still thinks he can beat Las Vegas. He's even constructed a TV series around that belief, "Man Vs. Vegas," which debuts Friday night at 10 on CMT (Cox cable channel 57).

A Cherry on top: Dan Kulin; School wasn't Sam Cherry's thing, but luckily for downtown Las Vegas, building is -- knock on wood.

Lady Rebels shutout streak hits six: The longest consecutive shutout strings in NCAA women's soccer:

Expect winter to be a little warmer, drier: If you like the weather the valley had Monday, you should enjoy it while you can because the region is expected to have a relatively warm and dry winter.

Metro Police salary boost would fall short: J. Craig Anderson; A proposed contract for Metro Police officers, which would raise salaries by nearly 17 percent, wouldn't make them the best paid in the Las Vegas Valley.

Hold your horses: Show will be back: There are horses for courses, and the World Invitational Grand Prix international show horse event believes it may have found a course worth returning to at the Thomas & Mack Center.

Bankruptcy filings set record: Kevin Rademacher; It has been a busy couple of weeks for those in the bankruptcy business.

Study: Nevada's college grads below average: A college degree from a Nevada institution may not be worth as much as one from other states, according to a national report released last week.

Letter: Agreeing with letter writer -- sort of: Bush would never be talented enough to play the fiddle.

Two new resorts will give Henderson piece of the Strip: By Liz Benston; Six miles south of the Strip on Las Vegas Boulevard, two relative newcomers to the gaming business are betting big on resorts that aim to create an alternative for tourists.

Getting a handle on international tourism: SAVANNAH, Ga. -- An official with the Commerce Department says it is time to roll out the red carpet for international visitors.

Construction collapse called unusual for area: Jennifer Shubinski and Nick Christensen; A safety director for a local general contractor said the type of collapse that happened Monday at one of Turnberry Associate's Las Vegas projects is unusual for the area.

Flashpoint for Oct. 18, 2005: So gubernatorial candidate Jim Gibbons, darling of the right, is against privatization and for collective bargaining for state employees? When it comes to prisons or public safety, he'll nix any privatization as governor. And if his position as a legislator is any guide, he'll support collective bargaining as governor. So says a Web site (http://www.nevadacorrections.org) that declares the little-known Nevada Corrections Association's endorsement of Gibbons. Was it pandering or sincerity? Either way, this is a classy group, too. Check out this message on its web site: "You know It's a Bad Day When You Find a Hole in Your Glove ...

'Neon Evolution' lights up Vegas through dance: He was murderer, a thief and a gangster. She was a tough broad with a dirty mouth. Together they were opportunists, motivated by money.

Letter: Faith keeps us from focusing on education: In fact, for most of our history, populist thought has always sided with the fundamental goodness of the manual laborer endowed with "common horse sense" as opposed to the educated "elitists" of higher education.

Editorial: Beware of Straw Man Inc.: The 1991 Legislature saw opportunity in relaxing standards for people who want to incorporate their businesses in this state. At the time, there were about 60,000 corporations registered with the Nevada secretary of state's office. The annual revenue generated by the fees for filing papers of incorporation was then about $7 million. Today there are 260,000 corporations listed by the secretary of state's office, and they generate an additional $50 million in annual filing fees for the state treasury.

Water plan has rural counties steamed: The hot-button issue of importing water from rural Nevada to the thirsty Las Vegas Valley is on the agenda of the Clark County Commission and several of its political alter egos this morning.

Freshman McDonald vying for starting quarterback job: UNLV football fans won't have to wait until next year for their quarterback controversy.

Letter: Science, religion don't belong together: Has the letter writer never taken a science course? There is no evidence of critical scientific thinking. Scientific discovery long ago uncovered the laws of physics that explain the movement and interaction of the stars and planets.