Print edition for January 8, 2006

Homeless man at UNLV inspires many to help: By Timothy Pratt; William Cole is not used to people recognizing him on the street, or sending him checks, or offering to buy him lunch.

Columnist Jon Ralston: A. G. Chanos is finding out that it's hard to sidestep controversy when the LV City Council is involved: George Chanos is learning the hard way about the school of hard knocks. And I am not talking about the attorney general's controversial decision to cast a pall over popular drug importation legislation, an opinion that may be legally sound but is politically treacherous.

Columnist Jeff Simpson: Why Wynn, Station are likely to pass on Penn: By Jeff Simpson; Leading Las Vegas casino operators don't agree on prospects in the Keystone State.

Columnist John Katsilometes: Observing the art of the deal with a Steve Wonder impressionist: I am dealt jack of clubs and ace of spades, and I call out to the dealer, blackjack!" He raises his hand for a high-five -- and misses. A pit boss standing nearby steadies him and we try again, with success.

Editorial: Schools need genuine help: Only four school districts in the country are larger than Clark County's, whose enrollment will likely break 300,000 by year's end. Of course a school district of that size needs a large staff to support all of its services and programs and ensure compliance with federal and state mandates.

Letter: Let's clean house in the White House: With Vice President Dick Cheney as Bush's successor, however, we'd still have a problem, as the same administration would be leading the country. Too bad they both couldn't be impeached.

Highway to Nevada tourist town reopens after sinkhole filled: AP; Nevada Highway 342 reopened just north of Silver City on Friday night, nearly a week after it was shut down.

Columnist Tom Gorman: On getting mixed reactions as he hits the streets looking very Elvis-like: For a few hours last week, I was the King of Porn.

Columnist Hal Rothman: Why Elvis wasn't an immediate hit in Vegas, and how the city eventually came to love him: Hal Rothman; Today is Elvis Presley's birthday, and it should be an official holiday in Las Vegas. Every year we should stop for a moment and remember the King.

Editorial: Let security be next big thing: Microsoft's Vista operating system, scheduled for release this year with impressive new features, was demonstrated. And through other demonstrations and a sharing of his vision, Gates foretold the day when all digital devices will be linked, enabling us to be wired at all times.

Flashpoint for Jan. 8, 2006: The Abramoff scandal not only is causing squirming in Washington, DC. It is causing some writhing here among Nevada's delegation. Just watch all the fingers being pointed already. Last week, it was Rep. Jon Porter, who did not DeLay in asking Rep. Shelley Berkley and Sen. Harry Reid to return money. Berkley responded with the equivalent of a nuclear attack on Porter while Reid was more terse and tepid - although he usually does his knifing behind the scenes. Luckily for Porter and Rep. Jim Gibbons, Abramoff didn't pay much attention to them. But Sen. John Ensign already has shorn ...

Letter: Canadian drug plan risky, unsafe: At question was what the Legislature wrote in its bill earlier this year regarding "FDA approval." According to proponents, FDA approval means any drug the FDA has approved for sale in the U.S.

Now Appearing: Comedy hit nothing to laugh at: The success of November's Comedy Festival at Caesars Palace inspired the opening of a new comedy club in Las Vegas.

Columnist Jeff German: How the Nevada Resort Association became larger than ever just in time for campaign season: Two and a half years ago, political insiders were predicting the breakup of the Nevada Resort Association, the influential lobbying arm of the casino industry.

Station's Econ 101: By Liz Benston; If you want to track the explosive growth of Las Vegas, talk to the U.S. Census Bureau. If you want to understand what it means -- how it fires the valley's robust economic engine -- talk to the Fertittas, Lorenzo and Frank III, the brothers who run the Station Casinos chain.

Where I Stand -- Brian Greenspun: Offering prayers and praise for one of the last of Israel's greatest generation: He's the last of the warrior class.

Legality of state drug plan remains unclear: CARSON CITY -- Former Attorney General Brian Sandoval said he hadn't reached an opinion on whether the Legislature's plan to allow Nevadans to buy cheaper prescription drugs from Canada was legal.

Editorial: What lies ahead for Israel: "The situation leaves me with a lot of uncertainty. I don't know what will happen next in our country," Doron Diamont of Jerusalem told Cox News Service. "In my opinion, Sharon is the only leader that can make decisions and implement them."

Letter: Leakers, Times betraying U.S.: Attorney General Alberto Gonzales opened a criminal investigation to learn who committed the crime of leaking to The New York Times, saying it was highly classified information. But will the identity of those who leaked ever be known? Or will another news reporter go to prison for refusing to disclose his source of his information, leaving the identity of the sources unknown? More than that, is America more vulnerable to al-Qaida because of the leak?

Letter: Read truth about federal budget, tax cuts: Having taken their accumulated capital gains, is it any surprise that in the following year, whether rates remain low or are increased, revenue on the now lower, realized level of capital gains would drop? The truth: Higher rates, over time, will increase revenue subject to only one condition, i.e., should the GOP prevail with the abolishment of the estate tax then the wealthy could defer taxes forever.

Paris' beau may have been under the limit: Clark County officials are investigating reports that Tao at the Venetian and Body English at Hard Rock Hotel both allowed Hilton's underage boyfriend, Greek shipping heir Stavros Niarchos III, into the clubs, county spokesman Erik Pappa said after it was reported Friday on the television program "In Business Las Vegas."