Print edition for March 12, 2006

Trial will show two sides of fallen star: For much of his brief political life, his public radiance chased away the shadows of his real life.

Jeff Simpson on how Steve Wynn's golden touch has been working its magic lately: Wynn is really in his element right now. He's operating Wynn Las Vegas, getting ready to open Wynn Macau in September, preparing to break ground April 28 on Encore and strategizing future development in Las Vegas, Macau and elsewhere.

Jon Ralston explains why Oscar Goodman's refusal to reveal his political action committee's activities are Nixonian: - Las Vegas Sun, March 9

Hal Rothman tells why HOAs are now viewed as a necessary evil: In a society that prizes individual rights above all else, homeowners' associations are oppressive, parochial, tyrannical and downright mean.

Editorial: For love of car and driver: What's not to love? There are the other fans and the party atmosphere of the grandstands. And there are the drivers, who are considered among the most down-to-earth and approachable of sporting superstars. NASCAR fans love, love, love their drivers - and, it seems, with good reason.

Secret FBI reports bare Galardi dealings: Jeff German and Steve Kanigher; On the morning of Aug. 26, 2003, Michael Galardi was so desperate to strike a deal with the government to avoid prison time that he offered to wear a wire for FBI agents to set up his longtime personal lawyer, not to mention other well-known Las Vegans.

Tom Gorman on how to make that collection plate jingle on Sundays: Put slot machines in church vestibules.

Jack Sheehan remembers how fighter Gerry Cooney showed us all something on a losing night in a Las Vegas ring: Tickets for seats like mine were going for $1,500. When I looked around at those seated behind me, in a section priced lower than mine, I saw a galaxy of stars that you might find on Oscar night. Johnny Carson was four rows behind me, and just in front of him were Michael Douglas, Jack Nicholson, Clint Eastwood, Sylvester Stallone, and Bo Derek, still basking in her newfound fame from the movie "10."

Letter: A president we can't ignore - or forget: Realistically, though, I fully agree with Mr. Berner's assessment of Dubya's "reign" as the very worst I have lived through in my 80-plus years - and, unfortunately, his term has 2 1/2 years more to go!

Editorial: The freedom to get answers: The 1966 law that grants Americans the right to access government records and information has long been considered the frontline weapon of news reporters. But it is an important tool that all citizens can - and should - use to hold their government accountable. For this reason, the American Society of Newspaper Editors has designated Sunday through Saturday as Sunshine Week.

Letter: Rhetoric that sounds as bad the second time: 1. Review this administration's hyperbolic (and by now proven utterly false) run-up rhetoric leading to its unwarranted and bungled invasion of Iraq. Change a few dates and names, and we could simply re-use the texts.

Letter: Outsourcing puts U.S. citizens in dire straits: Recently, the president set out on his mission to persuade citizens to privatize their health care. A year ago, his mission was persuasion for the privatization of Social Security.

Elaine Wynn: lessons learned trying to better schools: By Emily Richmond; That might sound like an empty aphorism. But as Wynn has watched the School Board and the district buffeted by parents and business leaders in recent months, she has wondered if the latter two groups understood.

Letter: How about some compassion for homeowners?: While on the surface, giving someone a ticket for feeding the homeless doesn't sound compassionate, what about compassion for the homeowners who live nearby?

Editorial: Minority majority coming: And these minority populations are expanding into communities and regions long dominated by non-Hispanic whites, according to a Newhouse News Service report on the findings released Tuesday by the Brookings Institution in Washington. William Frey, a demographer and the study's author, told Newhouse News Service that, "Many parts of America are getting a small taste of diversity for the first time, and in many places the new presence of minorities is being met with some backlash and culture clashes."

Letter: History has rendered one verdict on Bush: History may still be out on President Bush's accomplishments, save one: He has been an unqualified success at causing liberals to unflinchingly demonstrate that they are completely consumed by their hatred for him.

John Katsilometes on the Food Network's visit to Summerlin for a Bleu-plate special: On Monday a production crew from Los Angeles visited the acclaimed culinary school in Summerlin for three hours, recording footage of all the college's nuances for a show that will air on the Food Network on June 17.