Print edition for September 12, 2006

Editorial: Better coordination needed: But the images of bite marks, burns and other atrocities inflicted on defenseless children are only pieces of the overall puzzle of child abuse that, according to a story in Thursday's Las Vegas Sun, investigators have difficulty in assembling. Historically, there have been no national standards for investigating suspicious child deaths.

Highlights of July 2006 revenue report on Nevada casinos: AP; -STATEWIDE: $1.04 billion win, up 8.4 percent.

FLASHPOINT for Sep 12, 2006: There's a fine line between honoring a memory and exploit- ing a tragedy. So it was interesting Monday on the anniversary of 9/11 to see how politicians handled their perceived duty to say something and the seeming imperative to say too much. Sen. Harry Reid spoke on the Senate floor, but without his usual partisan slicing and dicing of the administration. Rep. Jim Gibbons sent out two statements, one under his congressional title and another, longer one, under his gubernatorial campaign banner. Perhaps Rep. Shelley Berkley handled it in the best, classiest way -- a two-sentence release hearkening back to ...

Maybe dad's fourth time a charm: J. Patrick Coolican and Michael J. Mishak; Sun reporter J. Patrick Coolican sat down for a one-on-one interview with former President Jimmy Carter on Monday. Here's some of what Carter said.

Reilly to lead Harrah's philanthropic efforts: By Liz Benston; Harrah's, arguably the most aggressive and expansion-minded of casino companies, may have landed just the right front-office executive to help win over public officials and community groups.

Editorial: Paying a premium: The surcharge will be applied to individuals with annual incomes of more than $80,000 and married couples with incomes of more than $160,000. For individuals who bring in more than $200,000 annually, monthly Medicare premiums are expected to quadruple by 2009, The New York Times recently reported.

A MOMENT CAPTURED: R. Marsh Starks, Las Vegas Sun; Saturday's plan was to get up early, brew coffee and put the hedge clippers to the Texas Ranger bushes encroaching on the front walkway.

Letter: Letter writer is confused about some things: For one, I wonder how people can so quickly forget that everyone - from the Israelis to the French - thought that Saddam Hussein was hiding an active WMD program. We had good reason to believe so. Saddam worked very hard to give us that impression, by thwarting U.N. weapons inspectors at every turn. It wasn't until allied forces scoured Iraq that we realized it was all a sham, probably meant to intimidate Iran and Saddam's internal opposition.

Letter: Couric's interview with Bush a joke: I'm sure CBS wanted to hurry and get Ms. Couric into the spotlight of being the new "CBS Evening News" anchor as soon as possible and they certainly did.

Letter: America needs to hit terrorists hard: Whatever we have done so far in response to their announced desire to kill us is inadequate. It is a certainty that they are now making plans for attacking us again. We must, therefore, change our response. Tell me please how often you would allow a bully to bash you without hitting back? And if he said that he was going to kill you, how many chances would you give him to succeed?

Water hearing off to a good start: The authority and Interior Department agencies reached the agreement Sunday after six months of negotiations. The authority must monitor rural White Pine County for environmental effects from planned wells pumping water to Las Vegas, and would have to mitigate "unreasonable" effects in that county's Spring Valley.

Editorial: Pared down, but still flawed: This is how many sections now remain of a ballot question known as the Property Owners' Bill of Rights that voters will decide in November.

Ron Kantowski on a former NFL quarterback who is carrying a message from Jesus Christ: But as his 29,997 NFL career passing yards attest, he sure could pass.

LOOKING IN ON: EDUCATION: By Emily Richmond; The Clark County School District riled state legislators by hiring 21 employees for the human resources department with state funds earmarked for innovative educational programs and services. But district officials defend the decision, saying it was essential to the hiring of more than 2,700 new teachers for the 2006-07 academic year.

PISTOL still pointed at many projects: The scaled-back version of Nevada's eminent domain initiative could cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars and undermine the ability of local governments to keep pace with the valley's booming growth, the measure's leading opponents charged Monday.