Print edition for February 5, 2007

John Katsilometes on the star-studded items up for bid at the 'Power of Love' gala: But such an event could take place, if not for me then for one of the guests at Saturday's Keep Memory Alive "Power of Love" gala fundraiser at the MGM Grand. The list of live auction items was passed along over the weekend, and Ms. Hatcher is offering to take two high bidders on a shopping spree in Vegas (she doesn't specify where, but it likely won't be Bonanza, the world's largest gift shop) and lunch or dinner at "one of Las Vegas' haute cuisine restaurants." Other packages up for auction at the annual benefit for the Lou Ruvo Brain ...

Pizzas por pesos put patrons in a pickle: By Timothy Pratt; Call it pepperoni politics.

Saving a scholarship: By Christina Littlefield; State lawmakers are wondering how to stretch the life of the Millennium Scholarship, which is credited with boosting the number of Nevada college students but is running dry.

Signs of trouble looming over big sign: In the adult entertainment business, size does matter.

Security lapse at airports: Instead, in response to the report that employees of Reagan National Airport were entering secure areas without being screened, a report augmented by hidden-camera video, the TSA simply issued a generic statement.

Facing a health crisis: While that may sound like an overstatement, Nevada is an unfortunate national leader in methamphetamine use. According to the latest federal statistics, 10.2 percent of Nevadans over the age of 12 have reported using methamphetamine at least once, as have 11.7 percent of high school students.

UFC no longer fighting for its life: By Jeff Haney; Randy Couture, a member of the Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Fame, recalls the moment he realized professional mixed martial arts would never again be pigeonholed as a niche sport, a curiosity or a novelty act.

FLASHPOINT for Feb 05, 2007: By Jon Ralston; And so it begins: The condescension - and worse - toward Nevada by the presidential hopefuls. The Washington Post reported last week that only a couple of second-tier presidential hopefuls had committed to the Feb. 21 presidential candidate forum in Nevada . We get Bill Richardson and Tom Vilsack? I am tingling with excitement . How about you? It is time for Democrat Numero Uno Harry Reid to put the hammer down on the likes of Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Show them where Nevada is on the map, Senator. Tell them we will not be ignored. This is just ...

Community is his No. 1 priority: Gov. Jim Gibbons last week tapped Las Vegas City Councilman Lawrence Weekly to replace the retiring Yvonne Atkinson Gates on the Clark County Commission.

Letter: President's plan has ominous overtones: There is plenty of precedent for such a move. Such a system was in wide use in a large part of the world from 1919 to 1990 and is still in use in some countries today. I just hope Mr. Bush will use their true title: Commissars!

Editorial: Renewing public trust: Speaking in New York on Wednesday, Bush also acknowledged that the wage gap between the wealthy and the poor is twice as wide as it was in 1980. But conservatives shouldn't fret that Bush has suddenly become a liberal. The president, who boasted of a strong economy characterized by low unemployment, low interest rates and industrial growth, also urged Congress to protect his precious tax breaks for the wealthiest Americans.

Letter: Real ID Act a waste of time and money: To have to spend extra time getting more documents for the DMV for yet another ID document in the form of a standardized driver's license is a waste of time, taxpayer money and a further dilution of state autonomy. Let the state DMVs continue to certify driving ability without having to put more employees on every state's payroll, and let the Federal Passport Agency continue producing a portable document to prove US citizenship.

Bush impeachment proceedings overdue: Jo Anne F. Smith; This president is by far the worst we have had. The scandal of past presidents, including Richard Nixon and Bill Clinton, are minute compared to the lying of President Bush and his administration. The prior presidents' actions didn't kills thousands of servicemen and women. It is about time Congress started impeachment proceedings against this president and his vice president before we end up in World War III.