Print edition for January 24, 2006

Letter: Gas prices affect our cost of living: When there are events that indicate that there is going to be a shortage of gasoline, such as Hurricane Katrina, there will be a "buy" market, thereby raising the price for a barrel oil. This in turn will then raise the price of gasoline because of the increase in producing the gasoline.

Letter: Writer wasted his energy in oil letter: However, this claim isn't nearly as lame as his statement that "those oil company signs around the Las Vegas Valley belong to global companies and their foreign stockholders."

Take Five: C.J. Watson: University of Tennessee senior guard C.J. Watson experienced the highs and lows of college basketball within three days last week when the Volunteers followed a defeat at Memphis with a rousing victory over second-ranked Florida.

Henderson councilwoman will not seek a fourth term: While candidates in several cities are gearing up for re-election in 2007, Henderson Councilwoman Amanda Cyphers said Monday she will not seek a fourth term.

Iran 'needs to be stopped': Molly Ball; * B'nai B'rith International Executive Vice President Daniel Mariaschin will give a presentation entitled "From Buenos Aires to Tehran: Reviewing the Jewish Agenda for 2006" at 7 p.m. today at UNLV Hillel, 4765 Brussels Road.

Columnist Jeff German: A big step to help gambling addicts: Nevada and its gaming industry are making history again today.

Unhealthy children's program is cited: By Timothy Pratt; Hundreds of children from poor families enrolled in the Las Vegas Valley's Head Start program are not being given adequate medical and dental care, a federal Head Start official said.

Photos offer a post-9/11 feeling of fear in suburbia: There is an ominous feeling emanating from the images in "Neighborhood Watch," a photo series by Los Angeles photographer Laura Kleger.

Columnist John Katsilometes: The changes in Las Vegas' favorite Broadway-style production show, 'Mamma Mia!': Jacquelyn Holland roamed the Mandalay Bay Theatre behaving as a common tourist Saturday night, having her photo taken with ushers who lead guests to their seats for "Mamma Mia!"

Two-shot win in Las Vegas sparked Ward's big year: Last year was a memorable one on the LPGA Tour for Wendy Ward.

Poor vs. property rights: J. Craig Anderson; The dwindling supply of affordable housing in the Las Vegas Valley has the Clark County Commission on the verge of restricting property rights of mobile home park owners.

Letter: Nadelstern is best pick to lead schools: Even when there were six candidates, his resume stood out. Why? He is the only one who emphasizes what happens in the classroom between students and teachers. The classroom and the individual schools are the most important entity in the entire system.

Editorial: GM, Ford in four-wheel dive: In November General Motors announced it would close nine plants in North America by 2008, an action that would mean trimming 30,000 people from its workforce. On Monday Ford made its own much-anticipated restructuring announcement for North America. It will close 14 manufacturing plants and eliminate up to 30,000 jobs by 2012. The news from Ford was doubly painful, as it meant that a restructuring announced in 2001, which cost 35,000 jobs, didn't work.

Editorial: Losing the gun that won the West: The traditional Winchester rifles will be discontinued -- including the lever-action Model 94 that became an American icon and the preferred saddle-gun of the 19th century. The only guns that will bear the Winchester name in the future will be more modern, higher-priced models made in Japan, Portugal and Belgium, a spokesman for Herstal Group told the Associated Press last week. Herstal Group owns U.S. Repeating Arms and the rights to the Winchester name.

Letter: What chances did 'Brokeback' take?: But if that is the case, the makers of "The Passion of the Christ" and "The Chronicles of Narnia" went out on the limb. Need we be reminded that society has removed prayer from our schools, society wants to eliminate "In God We Trust" from our currency and society removed the Ten Commandments from a state building. The filmmakers of "The Passion of the Christ" and "Narnia" took the chances.

Borrowing from core of the Big Apple: By Emily Richmond; NEW YORK -- Clark County School Board members came to Manhattan in search of a schools superintendent. They're heading home with fresh ideas for Las Vegas schools, including a way to get parents more involved.

Golf developer might be asking too much: A California golf course designer has asked Boulder City to lease him 1,500 acres in Dutchman's Pass as part of an ambitious plan to build eight golf courses surrounded by villas.

Flashpoint for Jan. 24, 2006: They just don't get it. I speak of the Nevada lawmakers who last year accepted expensive tickets to a Rolling Stones concert from Ameriquest, a national mortgage company that this week paid hundreds of millions to settle a predatory lending case. It is simply pathetic to listen to them prattle on about how they wouldn't be influenced by such a gift. First, how much would it take to influence them? Second, do any of them have some ethical Rubicon they won't cross? Third, do they really think that the Ameriquest execs thought they would make good company watching Mick and ...

Editorial: Scrambling to roll Easter eggs: According to the Associated Press, members of the Family Pride Coalition and other groups have said they see their participation in the April 17 event as an opportunity to show that their families embrace the same kinds of activities as those led by heterosexual families.

Conservation to be pushed to cut use of water: After three years of continuous decline in water use, Southern Nevada used more water last year than the year before.

Higher utility costs hurt residents: Kevin Rademacher; The rising cost of natural gas, electricity and gasoline continues to chew up the paychecks of Las Vegas Valley families.

Letter: Difficult questions in wake of girl's death: Why was she left in a trash bin with no name? Who could have committed this horrendous act? Why did this precious being end this way? Didn't anyone ever love her?