Print edition for January 3, 2007

Editorial: Salaries make a difference: As a solution, we have supported raising the salaries of rookie school police officers to make them more competitive with the salaries of rookies signing on with Metro Police and the Henderson and North Las Vegas police departments.

Editorial: Enlightening consumers: According to a story by The New York Times on Tuesday, the discount retail giant Wal-Mart has announced plans to encourage consumers to purchase CF light bulbs. Wal-Mart executives told the Times that they hope to sell at least 100 million of the spiral-shaped, energy-saving bulbs this year.

Editorial: Treating privacy like trash: Revealed were Social Security numbers, details of bank accounts, copies of driver's licenses and other private information.

Ceremony a sneak peek of commission's future: Like most swearing-in ceremonies, the first meeting to include newly elected Clark County Commissioners Chris Giunchigliani and Susan Brager consisted mostly of formalities - the welcome-to-the-group speeches from incumbents and the thank-you-to-my-family-and-supporters remarks from the rookies.

Muslim couple's trip to California, Nevada turns into nightmare: By Timothy Pratt; German national Majed Shehadeh and his wife, Joanne Mulligan, decided that when they visited their daughter in California for the holidays, they would fly through McCarran International Airport.

Jon Ralston conjures up a collection of events that he wishes had made it into the list of Top 10 stories of 2006: I did:

Jeff Haney on why Joe Hachem finds a win at the Brunson Poker Championship more gratifying than his victory at the 'Big One': When veteran poker pro Scotty Nguyen won one of the first major poker tournaments of 2006, a World Poker Tour event in Mississippi, he called it the second most memorable moment of his career.

Guinns move into new Reno home, buy time share in a private jet: CARSON CITY - Former Gov. Kenny Guinn spent his first day out of office unpacking boxes and sweeping out the garage of his new home in Reno.

Valley gets second child diabetes specialist: By Marshall Allen; Recruiters for Summerlin Hospital Medical Center have hired a doctor who specializes in children's diabetes, bringing the total of those desperately needed specialists in the Las Vegas Valley to two.

Letter: New rules needed to keep nature clean: Teresa Krolak-Owens; Christmas Day saw hundreds of cars full of people enjoying the snow and generally living it up in the holiday spirit of things. I always get this warm and fuzzy feeling knowing that folks are out choosing to enjoy the outdoors and what the season has to offer.

Letter: Paying our respect to presidents, soldiers: Walter E. Gunther; But I am especially moved by the somber ceremony for the passing of a president of the United States, and that is as it should be for the highest office in America. Yet, I must think of the huge difference of a president's funeral and that of an infantry private coming home for burial.

Las Vegas Art Museum enters big leagues regarding donations: By Kristen Peterson; Call it the year of being taken seriously.

Bomb test at NTS remains explosive: Launce Rake; Click here for a printable chart.

UFC becomes a heavyweight in sports: By Jeff Haney; The MGM Grand Garden Arena was still quivering with excitement shortly after two of the most popular fighters in mixed martial arts wrapped up a riveting spectacle that had lived up to its considerable buildup.

German Muslim with American family detained, denied U.S. entry: AP; A civil rights group called authorities' treatment of Majed Shehadeh a case of anti-Muslim discrimination.

Letter: Assemblyman's plan for gift cards is awful: I consider myself to be very liberal, some might even say that I am a bit socialist, but what Assemblyman Ruben Kihuen is proposing is communism or more likely outright theft. Whatever the assemblyman wants to use the unused gift card money for, it's wrong.

Q+A: Trent Carlini: By Jerry Fink; After taking a year off to spend time with his new wife and new baby, Elvis tribute artist Trent Carlini is back.

Nevada in line for a seat: By Lisa Mascaro; Click here for a printable graphic.

FLASHPOINT for Jan 03, 2007: I have a Gerald Ford story, too. Yes, he was, as many have said, kind and gracious. But my remembrance has nothing to do with his personality or politics. In 1997 Ford was the featured guest at a Lake Tahoe fundraiser I attended with my colleague, Ed Vogel. By coincidence, Vogel, Ford and I had spent time in Ann Arbor, so the colloquy turned to Michigan football. Vogel and I were lamenting that our team was going to struggle that year, that the Maize and Blue were in for a long season. Ford scoffed at us and told us that ...