Print edition for November 16, 2006

Trying to gain the upper hand: The nonaggression pact between Nevada's two senators has hit a snag.

John Katsilometes talks with a man who has endured enough pain to prepare him for anything: "The only way he'll be able to get off death row is if Nevada kills the death penalty," Del Prado said Wednesday outside of Del Prado Jewelers, his family's recently relocated business at Neonopolis. "Personally, I'd be pleased to see him sit for 10 years before they put the needle in him. Then he can suffer like we did. This has not been easy for my family."

LOOKING IN ON: MOTOR SPORTS: Casey Kingsland came to expect the worst when he showed up at a racetrack during his three-year odyssey to land a ride in the NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series.

Slot makers shy away from theme machines: By Liz Benston; Clint Eastwood, Pamela Anderson, Ann-Margaret and Drew Carey put in an appearance two years ago. Last year Morgan Fairchild, Gene Simmons of rock group Kiss and Don Cornelius of "Soul Train" fame showed up. This year's celebrities at the casino industry's largest trade show were two Playboy Playmates - turning heads not so much for their legacies as their looks.

Editorial: Stumped by Pahrump: Tuesday night the board on a 3-2 vote approved an ordinance that makes English the official language of the town, bans the display of foreign flags without an American flag also on display and outlaws providing benefits to illegal immigrants.

Coyote Springs cuts a water deal: By Launce Rake; An embryonic development 60 miles north of Las Vegas and the regional water wholesaler for Southern Nevada have a tentative agreement to operate wells and divide water in the open desert.

LOOKING IN ON: GAMING: By Liz Benston; When the dust settles, what was once lauded by media and industry types as the biggest hotel and condo building boom in Las Vegas history may become the valley's second- or third-largest development wave.

Letter: Nonsmokers should look in the mirror: I find it amusing that nonsmokers get their shorts in a bunch about spending an hour or two a week in a restaurant where people smoke tables away from them, yet seem indifferent to the more insidious problem of breathing the air in Vegas 24/7. Furthermore, I would bet that nonsmokers are just as guilty of polluting the air with their barbecue grills, fireplaces and lawn mowers, but I suppose they'll find a way to rationalize their contribution to pollution.

Music and passion: Kristen Peterson, Las Vegas Sun; Tickets: $27, $45, $69; 895-2787

Letter: Teacher merit pay is a complex issue: How will he implement merit pay so that it does not become a good-ol'-boy reward system for teachers favored by administrators? What are the criteria that he will use to establish merit raises? Will merit pay raises be given for teachers who publish books and articles related to their subjects of expertise?

Editorial: Improving flight safety: According to a story in Wednesday's USA Today, the number of "high-risk" incidents on runways is 31 this year, compared to 29 in 2005 and 28 in 2004. Although the numbers are small - about one near-collision occurs for every 2 million takeoffs and landings - they are cause for concern because they are increasing.

Letter: Give Clean Indoor Air Act a chance: Other tourist towns, such as Los Angeles and New York, have actually seen improvements in business as a result of smoking bans. This makes sense since nonsmokers are in the majority, and they are no longer repulsed by what were once smoke-filled establishments.

NBA not a financial slam dunk for Vegas: In typical style, Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman threw a frilly NBA All-Star balloting kickoff event Monday at the Fashion Show mall.

Ron Kantowski asks, given the sorry state of the program and the exorbitant cost of maintaining it ...: They have noticed that I haven't been writing about football and want to know when, if ever, I plan to declare an end to the cease fire.

Editorial: A lack of cooperation: According to recent Associated Press stories, Mike Leavitt said he would not consider the idea of the government negotiating with the pharmaceutical companies to get better prices for the drugs used by Medicare recipients. He'd rather continue allowing drug companies and private insurers to set the prices.

Letter: Right to good health trumps right to smoke: If people want to endanger their health by smoking, then they are certainly free to do so, provided they do not endanger my health or that of a majority of Nevadans who voted for clean air. If people want to smoke, let them do so outside, preferably in the desert, where they can freely indulge in this filthy habit.

FLASHPOINT for Nov 16, 2006: Talk about denial. In a roundup of how its candidates fared, the pro-choice, Democratic group EMILY's List could not contain itself when Nevada was listed. "It was a great night for Democratic women in Nevada on the state level. Three of the six constitutional statewide offices are now held by Democratic women - Treasurer Kate Marshall; Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and Controller Kim Wallin. These women made history in Nevada, becoming the first Democrats elected to statewide office since 2003." (Actually, it's since 1998.) So a pro-choice Democratic woman - what was her name? - loses the state's most ...

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