John Katsilometes on how the state Republican Party decided the media was not welcome at its 150th anniversary party in Reno

Friday, June 30, 2006 | 7:36 a.m.

The state Republican Party pitched a shutout on Wednesday night.

Going down, swinging, was the free press.

The GOP held its 150th anniversary (and my, how time flies) celebration in Reno at the Spanish-style estate owned by former state Republican Party Chairman John Mason. According to a colleague, as members of the print media approached to gain access to the event, GOP Chairman Paul Adams said no members of the press were allowed, and the journalists were summarily turned away.

Adams was told that it was ironic that the party celebrating Abraham Lincoln would exclude the press at one of its events.

Adams' response: "Well, Lincoln suspended habeas corpus, too," a reference to the law requiring that a detained person be brought before a court to decide the legality of the detention or imprisonment.

In an unrelated development, the unmistakable fragrance of equine waste hung over the property, which is also home to a guesthouse and a barn.

NoteMart

"Love" scenes: Closing in on tonight's gala opening of "Love" at the Mirage is that the one scene prompting the most negative response is the "Blackbird" segment starring Fabio Esposito De Castro. It's not a criticism of De Castro, who is great as Dr. Robert, but the humor in the piece (including a kick to the crotch and uncomfortable application of a gloved hand) has been deemed too juvenile by many fans who appreciate the deep-meaning ballad. Scenes set to two of George Harrison's best songs - "Something" and "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" - are far more effective, as are the use of silhouetted Beatles figures and the informal (and funny) chatter from the studio ...

A little more "Love": I am hearing that security has been boosted for Saturday's Ringo Starr and the All-Starr Band show at Mandalay Bay Beach, and I wonder what in the name of Phil Ramone that could mean ... Absent from the red carpet list for tonight's opening event is Pete Best, the Beatles' original drummer. No one thought to invite him, is what I understand ... If you spot Mirage limousines rolling through town with plates reading LOVE 1, LOVE 2 and so on, they are indeed limos being used by MGM Mirage to promote the show. A total of 18 will be navigated through our peerless road system ... Seizing the opportunity to satisfy an increased hunger for Beatles music is the Fab, which returns with a revamped lineup on July 7 at the Club at the Cannery. The band, which for 11 years has played several Vegas clubs of varying ambience, took a sabbatical a few months ago ...

Hot on the trial: The Nevada Trial Lawyers Association held its annual summer gala dinner at Four Seasons on Tuesday. Honored as Trial Lawyer of the Year was James Crockett, who was most recently in the news last fall as the lawyer representing Mark Brown in Brown's lawsuit against Cirque du Soleil. Brown was seriously injured in January 2002 when a prop fell on his head as he worked on the set of "O." Crockett, a resident of Las Vegas since 1952, helped hammer out a last-minute settlement in the case, which concluded in August. Introducing Crockett was friend and partner Richard Myers (the two run the law firm Crockett & Myers)

Hot suit: As a result of their last-minute cancellation of Saturday's show at Lake Las Vegas, Hall & Oates could wind up in Clark County District Court. The "blue-eyed soul" practitioners backed out of the show on the floating stage at Reflection Bay on Saturday afternoon, prompting Lake Las Vegas to take legal action, Lake Las Vegas Director of Marketing Cary Krukowski said Thursday afternoon. Krukowski said she expects to have the suit filed by the end of today. Also expected to take action are officials with Harrah's Entertainment - Hall & Oates also canceled a show last Friday at Rio Vista Outdoor Amphitheatre in Laughlin.

Krukowski said the reason given was that Daryl Hall, who a year ago was diagnosed with Lyme disease, did not want to face high outdoor temperatures. But Krukowski said the stage at Lake Las Vegas was equipped with a cooling system and the temperature read 75 degrees (Fahrenheit) at showtime. She also said the Warren Brothers, who made it to the show after opening earlier that night for Martina McBride at Mandalay Bay, were so well received that she plans on booking them as part of an all-country bill next summer ...

Hot nuptials: This from the Hilton Hot Sheet newsletter. Las Vegas Hilton executive Richard Wilk and new bride, Laura, threw a VIP-studded red-carpet wedding and reception at the hotel Saturday night. A BBC crew that has been in town recently taping a program centered on the Hilton recorded the ceremony and reception ...

I prefer the escalator: Take a leisurely ride up the escalator in Dick's Sporting Goods at the Galleria at Sunset mall and you stumble upon ... a selection of Stairmasters and treadmills ...

She loves shoes! Vanity plate on a Mercedes-Benz E320 with what the reader says was "a beautiful female driver": ILUVSHZ.