Print edition for May 12, 2006

Editorial: Airline security needs boost: Since 2002, when airport security was taken over by the Transportation Security Administration, El Al has been allowed to substitute its own security measures at John F. Kennedy International in New York, Los Angeles International, Miami International and O'Hare International in Chicago. El Al is requesting that its own procedures also be allowed at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Ugly side of sheriff race surfaces: As Sheriff Bill Young's campaign for re-election came to a sudden end this week, another campaign continued - out of public sight, conducted in the underbelly of Clark County politics.

County contract talks held up by numbers: Clark County and the union that represents its rank-and-file employees can't even agree on how many people should be at the negotiating table.

It seems almost everyone wants to be a millionaire: Brian Wargo, Las Vegas Sun; I've never been to your fair city but am interested in buying a home there. Is it true the city might sell some land and make me an instant millionaire?

Jeff Haney gets the scoop on why the Pistons get so much action: The Detroit Pistons are favored by as high as minus-250 (risk $2.50 to win $1) to win the championship at betting shops that are still taking action on that proposition.

Letter: Don't shortchange Nevada candidates: Certainly Nevada has some strange and tainted people running this year, and so does every other state. Ralston does no real service when he lumps in some excellent, solid candidates with the fringe people. Cute, but not really straight.

Editorial: Hydrogen is the big prize: In a story this week the San Francisco Chronicle reminded us that builders of the transcontinental railroad in the 1860s picked up federal prizes of per-mile subsidies and land grants for accomplishing the feat.

Improving family services is his goal: Thomas D. Morton, who plans to assume the post in late July, was appointed May 3 by County Manager Thom Reilly. Morton and Reilly are still negotiating the salary.

Jon Ralston on the chancellor's role in hiring a new UNLV president: The faculty - at least in part - is upset. And, yet, the regents - and their boss - no doubt are euphoric.

Catalogs of Las Vegas Centennial murals are available: Half of the 20,000 catalogs, funded by a $19,000 grant from American Family Insurance, will go to Clark County schools that participated in the project. The other 10,000 will be given out at the city's four community centers: Reed Whipple Cultural Center, West Las Vegas Arts Center, Charleston Heights Arts Center and East Las Vegas Community/Senior Center.

Letter: Four easy steps to a more secure border: 1) Stiff penalties against employers who hire illegal immigrants and refuse to verify documents of applicants before hiring them.

Video art engulfs Fireside Lounge: By Kristen Peterson; When the bartender explains that it's part of an art show, the woman squeals and smiles: "Oh, is it live or something?"

John Katsilometes finds the La Concha motel project is chugging along and the lobby should be moved in September: "Slice it up like an orange," Neon Museum board member Steve Evans said Wednesday night during a Neon Museum fundraiser at the Plaza's Center Stage Italian Chop House. "But that's easier said than done."

Teamsters challenge union votes: By Emily Richmond; The tally was 2,711 votes for the Teamsters and 1,932 votes for the current union, the Education Support Employees Association. Additionally 93 ballots were cast for no union, said Julie Contreras, commissioner of the Local Government Employee-Management Relations Board.

Nevada's political universe: By J. Patrick Coolican; Six degrees of separation from Oscar Goodman

Editorial: Domestic spying revelation: This week USA Today reported that the National Security Agency has collected the phone call records of tens of millions of Americans in cooperation with AT&T, Verizon and BellSouth. Most of the Americans whose records have been culled are not suspected of committing a crime, but NSA officials plan to use the massive database to help them analyze calling patterns and better detect terrorist activity.

Minor league blues: Delmon Young's meltdown in an International League game last month notwithstanding, minor league baseball's use of replacement umpires this season has only been a minor distraction, according to Las Vegas 51s officials.

Letter: Legislation would stunt ethanol progress: This bill, which might speed up the use of ethanol as a fuel additive in America, would also undermine the growth of America's emerging ethanol industry, which has been stalled for 20 years due to the oil industry and its lobbyists. Making it beneficial to import ethanol would only serve to make us dependent on another foreign country for our ethanol needs rather than developing our own sources.

For just a few moments, please, let Bonds be about baseball: AP; We're just back from my 9-year-old's Little League game and he's already tuned into the Cartoon Network.

Pac-10 team finds small Rebel packs big wallop: That continued an impressive Division I debut season for the Sparks native, who leads the Rebels with a .342 batting average. He has been particularly lethal in Mountain West Conference games by spraying the ball to all fields.