Print edition for July 13, 2006

District E campaign gets uglier by the day: It's the political equivalent of "Girls Gone Wild."

Downtown builder gets good land deal: Dan Kulin; The prospective builder of a high rise that officials hope will become a center for the jewelry industry is on his way to landing a good deal for a chunk of Las Vegas' 61-acre parcel known as Union Park.

Editorial: Meth is devastating lives: Attention to this problem began increasing after that. A local meth symposium was organized and government officials traveled to seminars to gain a better perspective on the problem. Police officers and politicians began speaking out and local media outlets generated numerous stories.

Haze of power politics: A growing Las Vegas Valley needs energy to cool the effects of the sweltering summer sun, and energy providers think they have the solution in new coal plants that would be built hundreds of miles north of here.

State network to battle terrorism: These centers will be staffed by local and federal law enforcement officers who will gather and share information that may relate to Nevada, said Frank Siracusa, director of the state Emergency Planning Office.

Augustine lived up to her reputation: By J. Patrick Coolican; For 90 minutes, Kathy Augustine was everything people said she'd be: tough to the point of abrasive, lashing out at enemies - Democrats, Republicans, the media.

John Katsilometes on the release of the Killers' new album, which was recorded at the Palms and (reportedly) pays tribute to Sam's Town: Yes, the Killers are comfortable working in and writing about their hometown (especially the casinos). Having completed work at the Palms Studios and a studio in London on its second CD (or, sophomore release, to use music writer parlance), the band has announced dates for both its new album and new single. The album (still officially untitled) will be available Oct. 3 and the new single, "When You Were Young," will be released Sept. 18.

TAKE FIVE: drifting: "Drifting" is a term that describes the technique of driving a car with its rear wheels slipping at a greater angle than its front wheels, causing it to "power-slide" around a turn. The driver uses the tires and the throttle to steer the car. The goal is to achieve "opposite lock" - turning the steering wheel in the opposite direction the car is turning - and to produce a lot of screeching and huge clouds of tire smoke. Trust me, the kids love it.

Letter: Bush bashers have the right idea: In Ron Suskind's book, "The Price of Loyalty," former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill recounts how in an early 2001 meeting the issue of Iraq was already on the table. It was obvious to him that plans were already being formulated to take Saddam out. Bush led the nation into a war based on lies that now shows there were no weapons of mass destruction, not the potential of a mushroom cloud.

Editorial: A rude awakening: Pentagon officials have announced that Geneva Conventions protections will now apply to all terrorism suspects in the United States' custody. And, they also declared, that they will end the Army's exclusive, multibillion-dollar contract with Halliburton Co. to provide services for soldiers.

Ron Kantowski talks with Wendy Macpherson of Henderson, who just outbowled everybody in the country: This was big news. It was the 103rd time that they had set 'em and knocked 'em down at the Open, a tournament so large that it takes five months to complete. The USBC Championships began on Feb. 11 with 63,000 bowlers. When it ended on July 3, Macpherson, who has made her home in Henderson since 1991, was the only one standing.

Editorial: An unexpected death: Augustine, who had been impeached as Nevada's state controller, died in Washoe Medical Center on Tuesday after having suffered a heart attack at her Reno home early Saturday.

Letter: Citizens should oppose Haynes: It wasn't all that long ago that the president's nomination of William Haynes to a federal judgeship was stalled, for any number of good reasons. The guy was a primary force behind the torture policies and a long list of Vice President Dick Cheney's misguided, elitist and sadistic projects. He is to the right of Attila the Hun.

Letter: Do we believe president or our own eyes?: We have been told that "major combat operations in Iraq have ended" and that the insurgency is in its "last throes." Our own eyes see no end in sight to the Iraq occupation while scores of our fighting troops are coming home in body bags every month with many others returning with life-altering injuries. We are told that we are making progress in the war on terror. Our own eyes see the horror pictures coming out of India as the death toll rises.