Print edition for September 16, 2005

Peden, Barrera put friendship on hold for unification bout: Robbie "The Bomber" Peden, the affable IBF super featherweight champion, was willing to touch on a number of topics in a relaxed and wide-ranging conversation Thursday.

Work begins on $8.7 million outdoor plaza and amphitheater: Henderson has started construction on an $8.7 million outdoor plaza and amphitheater that city officials said will help attract national events and tourists to the community once it opens in May.

Columnist Ron Kantowski: There's more to racing than fiery wrecks: If there's one thing we've learned from the cable news business during the past decade or so it's that sex sells and frightening auto racing crashes keep us from going to the refrigerator after somebody reads the NFL scores off a teleprompter.

Boards' new CD is child's play: Spencer Patterson; The past few weeks have been a confusing time for fans of Boards of Canada.

Columnist Spencer Patterson: Indie practitioners Interpol happy to play in the dark: Spencer Patterson; It's just indie-rock band Interpol, enjoying Las Vegas the only way its four members know how, in the same dark jackets and ties they wear while onstage.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Something for everyone at the Freakin' Frog: "Rarely do we close before 3 a.m.," said Adam Carmer, who started the small club in a strip mall across the street from UNLV about two years ago.

Columnist Jerry Fink: Entertainment takes stage at Gaming Expo: Usually the keynote session (which was held Tuesday) focuses on a variety of gaming issues, but this year the topic was entertainment.

Letter: Bush lacks logic and compassion: The comment about "liberals and their cohorts" resisting drilling for oil in the Alaskan wilderness reflects the indifference -- or is it ignorance -- of those who simply discount fossil fuels as a finite entity. They would have corporations tear up every pristine acre before they would promote the development of alternative energies or encourage the government to heavily tax gas-guzzling SUVs.

Extortion conviction overturned by court: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday overturned the extortion conviction of a man who claimed he was the half-brother of Strip hotel owner Steve Wynn and was entitled to millions of dollars.

Children are happily reading in Stine's time: Kirk Baird; With all the electronic distractions at their disposal, it's easy to assume kids today aren't reading.

A little of everything: Since days with Sound Machine, Jon Secada has built a diverse career: This interview took place Aug. 26.

Death penalty upheld for killer of woman, her son: CARSON CITY -- The Nevada Supreme Court on Thursday upheld the death penalty for Timmy "T.J." Weber, who was convicted of the April 2002 slayings of his live-in girlfriend and her 15-year-old son in Las Vegas.

Editorial: Misplaced priorities: The Times' interest in the issue began in March when a college student in Minnesota died. His pacemaker was flawed, the paper reported, and the manufacturer afterward issued a recall. The Times reported that the manufacturer, Guidant Corp., had known about the flaw in its Ventak Prizm 2 DR defibrillator for three years, but kept selling it anyway despite the introduction of an improved one. The corporation's excuse, that it had made all necessary disclosures in annual reports required by the FDA, is now under review. According to the Times, heart specialists are asking whether such routine and often vague ...

Letter: Alibis, excuses keep on coming: DAVID SULLIVAN

Columnist Muriel Stevens: New steakhouse BOA is to cheer for: After undergoing a a series of treatments, including a form of petrification, the driftwood became the elegant trees throughout the dining room. The result is stunning.

Editorial: Questions on oversight: USGS officials have told aides to Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., that no clear reason for the cuts was offered by the Energy Department. Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., said the cuts give the Energy Department a means to get rid of employees "who may know exactly what corners were cut and what findings were doctored." She also added that cutting the USGS funding is the latest sign that the Bush administration isn't interested "in answering lingering questions about the shoddy science and lack of quality assurance that has been well documented." And Rep. Jim Gibbons, R-Nev., in a letter ...

Letter: Instead of exchanging gifts, send donations: We have decided that the adult members of our families will not exchange gifts this Christmas. Instead, in the early Christmas spirit, we will all dig deep in our pockets to make generous gifts to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.

Community briefs for Sept. 16, 2005: The Las Vegas Golf Classic on Monday will help raise funds for the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation.

After revamp, Luxor is still 'Fantasy' land: With MGM's emphasis on appealing to younger audiences, veteran producer Anita Mann was given the challenge of revamping a production that, in my estimation, didn't need revamping.

Lawyer says heist suspect's plea to depend on deal: David Kihara; Heather Catherine Tallchief will plead not guilty to charges related to the 1993 heist of $2.5 million in Las Vegas unless prosecutors agree to a plea bargain in the next couple of weeks, one of her lawyers said Thursday.

Payday loan law causing confusion: Plenty of confusion exists over a new state payday loan law that is intended to help get consumers off of their debt treadmills.

UNLV seniors driven by wall plaques: Steve Guiremand; John Robinson won't be roaming the UNLV sidelines in a Battle for the Fremont Cannon contest against Nevada-Reno for the first time in seven years on Saturday night in Reno. But his legacy lives on.

Perkins disputes claim he disrupted hospital: Michelle Swafford and Ed Koch; Assembly Speaker Richard Perkins says the allegation that he endangered patients at Desert Springs Hospital on Thursday while supporting nurses in a labor dispute with the facility is "ludicrous."

Applicants for School Board: The applicants are:

Police investigate apparent murder-suicide: David Kihara; A 25-year-old man shot and killed his 22-year-old girlfriend before turning the gun on himself at an apartment complex on the 7000 block of East Lake Mead Boulevard this morning, police said.

Newspaper denied bid for records of dead girl: Clark County District Judge Stewart Bell this morning rejected a request from the Las Vegas Sun for access to the social service records of a 2-year-old Las Vegas girl who died in June of malnourishment and neglect a year after the county closed an investigation into her living conditions.

Panel rejects tourism commission's request to fund Mexico office: CARSON CITY -- The Legislative Interim Finance Committee on Thursday rejected a request of the state Tourism Commission to use $100,000 for an office in Mexico in conjunction with the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

State lawmakers want assurances park will not be developed commercially: CARSON CITY -- Floyd Lamb State Park, a former city park turned over to the state in the 1970s, is set to be returned to the control of Las Vegas City Hall, but some state lawmakers are worried that the city will permit commercial development on part of the property.

Obituaries for Sept. 16, 2005: Penny Beck, 38, of Las Vegas died Wednesday in a local hospital. She was born March 15, 1967, in Rockledge, Fla. A resident for 28 years, she was a homemaker.

Columnist Nick Christensen: Biggest non-league week of season upon us: Nick Christensen; This space has often lauded the schedule-making gnomes for the non-league football games this year, with no week better than this one, as four of the city's top five teams will play each other.

Fishing report: Stripers finally turning up on top: LAKE MEAD: Anglers are finally experiencing some top water action for striped bass, otherwise there has been little change in the fishing during the past week.

Agency: Bankrupt airlines must continue to pay into pensions: Steve Karnowski; As long as newly bankrupt Delta and Northwest airlines continue to fly planes, they must contribute to their employees' pension funds, the director of the federal agency that protects private-sector pensions said Thursday.

Center's demolition delayed: Mark Makinson of Jaynes Corp., the general contractor, said today his company is seeking a new demolition firm and expects to begin work in about a week.

Gaming briefs for Sept. 16, 2005: BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- About 70 percent of the historic buildings at the former Bethlehem Steel site would be preserved under a plan being put forward by developers.

Nevada remains world's third-largest gold producer: The Nevada Mining Association released its annual report today showing the state remains the world's third-largest producer of gold behind South Africa and Australia. Nevada accounted for 8.7 percent of the world's total gold production.

NRC is told quality comes first on Yucca Mountain work: Suzanne Struglinski; WASHINGTON -- The Energy Department is now more focused on the quality of its Yucca Mountain work than on meeting a specific schedule, department officials told the Nuclear Regulatory Commission Thursday.

Jackpot strikes a second time for man, 92: By Liz Benston; Apparently lightning does strike twice.

With merchandise, coroner's office capitalizes on popularity of forensics: Jen Lawson; The black canvas tote bag that Clark County Assistant Coroner John Fudenberg uses as a carry-on when he flies often attracts attention -- it's emblazoned with the coroner's office signature "flatline" logo.

IBM to urge its workers to be teachers: Brian Bergstein; International Business Machines Corp., worried the United States is losing its competitive edge, will financially back employees who want to leave the company to become math and science teachers.

Saturday's horse racing entries: Post Time 10 a.m.

Former Venetian exec takes post at N.M. resort: Brian Parrish, who in July was appointed acting chief operating officer of the casino and ski resort in south central New Mexico's Sacramento Mountains, was appointed the permanent COO on Thursday.

Mountain fire may move toward homes: Firefighters were worried that gusty winds expected this afternoon could push a wildfire toward 100 homes in the rural community of Mountain Springs, about 31 miles southwest of Las Vegas.

Sports briefs for September 16, 2005: At Farmington, Pa., one of Shaun Micheel's best rounds since he won the 2003 PGA championship suddenly became secondary in importance. He kept on playing, and mostly playing well at the 84 Lumber Classic, but his mind was on a stricken David Toms.

Brokerage drops account service fees, raises outlook: Separately, Schwab also projected its earnings for the current quarter will range between $195 million and $205 million, the second highest three-month profit in the San Francisco-based company's history.

Relocated family worries about relatives left behind: J. Craig Anderson; Six of Wylita Guichard's relatives are gathered at her home Thursday, occupying every available seat in its spacious family room, but the place has never felt so empty.

Fugitive suspect in area robberies: David Kihara; The fugitive who escaped from a northern Nevada prison last month now is suspected to have committed two "polite" armed robberies and one home invasion in Southern Nevada while on the lam.

Companies not fearful of product knock-offs: Chief executives of three gaming equipment manufacturers say they aren't worried that their products will be copied or reverse engineered when they're introduced in Asian venues.

Wynn cuts borrowing cost of Macau casino project: Patricia Kuo; Wynn Resorts Ltd. this week cut the borrowing cost for its Macau gaming project amid bank demand for investment opportunities.

Columnist Jeff German: Sign flap at county building: But that's exactly what he did last month when he had signs posted around his county government building warning that the facility was "protected by audio and visual recording equipment."

Harter sets $500 million goal: You might call it a $500 million celebration.

Experts: Gaming growth good bet: New gaming jurisdictions are emerging around the world, from Florida's racinos to the United Kingdom's cyberspace domain.

Boardwalk closing to clear way for CityCenter: By Liz Benston; Without revealing a specific date, MGM Mirage expects to close its aging Boardwalk hotel and casino within a year to make way for Project CityCenter, the company's $5 billion casino resort, hotel and condominium complex on the Strip and the largest privately funded construction project in U.S. history.

News briefs for Sept. 16, 2005: Former Sun columnist Timothy McDarrah was arrested Tuesday in New York City and charged with trying to solicit sex from an FBI agent posing as a 13-year-old girl on the Internet.

Twenty-three apply for seat on School Board: By Emily Richmond; The Clark County School Board will have about two dozen candidates to consider as they prepare to choose a replacement for the District E seat, vacated in July by Denise Brodsky.

French, U.S. companies to build nuke power plant: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- A French firm with Yucca Mountain ties and a U.S. nuclear company aim to win the race to construct the first new U.S. nuclear power plant in nearly 30 years, despite the nation's problem-plagued nuclear waste plan.

Company to cut 5,000 jobs, shut third of factories: The maker of Sharpie pens and Rubbermaid trash cans said it plans to close one-third of its 80 factories worldwide.

Chain questions motives of lawsuit by labor group: After the group, the International Labor Rights Fund, filed the class-action suit in Los Angeles on behalf of employees for Wal-Mart contractors in China, Bangladesh, Nicaragua, Swaziland and Indonesia, Wal-Mart said it needed to study the lawsuit before responding.

Legislation to outlaw online gambling suffers setback: Benjamin Grove; WASHINGTON -- A senator who has long led a charge to outlaw Internet gambling has suffered another defeat -- for now.

Nevada jobless rate drops: CARSON CITY -- Unemployment in Nevada fell slightly in August and 4,000 new jobs were created during the month, signaling the continuing effect of the state's strong economy.