Print edition for March 26, 2007

Flags raised, chief probed: By Christina Littlefield; The state attorney general's office and Community College of Southern Nevada administrators are investigating whether college construction chief Bob Gilbert used his position to help build his ranch home off Kyle Canyon Road.

Gilbert blames disgruntled employees: By Christina Littlefield; Bob Gilbert says allegations of misconduct swirling around his activities as construction chief at the Community College of Southern Nevada spring from employees disgruntled over his management decisions.

Letter: If war is so important, let Halliburton fund it: Unfortunately, the man who sits in the White House has belligerently stated he will veto the bill.

FLASHPOINT for Mar 26, 2007: It has been great theater watching the local Republicans struggle to be relevant in the presidential race. Their jealousy of the savvy move by the Democrats to sandwich themselves between Iowa and New Hampshire has been delicious to watch. It now appears as if the GOP might be conducting a caucus the same day as the Democrats - Jan. 19. That has made Nevada a player, assuming the state doesn't screw it up, in the presidential race. And now, it appears, a player on both sides because the GOP contest seems even more wide open than the Democratic race. I ...

Letter: Show some love for Rebels' boxing team: In the beginning of April, the UNLV boxing team will be defending the national championship title it won last year. Greg Murrell, my son, will be boxing for his third national championship title in three years. Many of the other young men on the team will also be fighting for a second or third championship belt. UNLV will be hosting the West Coast Regional Boxing Tournament from March 29-31 to set the teams for the National Championship Tournament, which will be held in Reno.

Editorial: Paying the judges better: Already the starting salary of Nevada's District Court judges - $130,000 a year - is $10,000 higher than the median pay of District or Superior Court judges across the nation, as reported in a Las Vegas Sun story last week by Sam Skolnik.

Ron Kantowski on White Castles, airline hassles and rampant speculation on the courtship of Kevin's father: She seems awfully chatty and she's got a lot of carry-on stuff and baby seats are falling out of the overhead compartments. So my first inclination is to tell her that I'm really not a sports writer, I just play one on TV.

Letter: Businesses should respect smokers' needs: But what some of the anti-smoking bigots fail to understand is that there are still certain businesses that can allow smoking inside their establishments and food can be provided. For all of those bar and grills and taverns that are smoker-friendly, they should advertise so that the tens of thousands of locals and tourists who smoke can patronize their business establishments.

Jeff Haney on the highly unlikely possibility that a Las Vegas sports book might deal a double line: After spotting an over/under in an NBA game I liked, I walked up to the counter to bet it.

Leaving her mark on Las Vegas' culture, arts scenes: For all the lamenting over slow cultural growth in Las Vegas, Patricia Marchese is one person who could have lodged a valid complaint.

Editorial: Protecting abuse victims: The bill, sponsored by Assemblyman William Horne, D-Las Vegas, would allow people to continue owning their guns, but they could not possess them while under the restraining order.

Sun's probe hindered by college's slow response: By Christina Littlefield; Efforts by the Sun to investigate allegations of misconduct by Bob Gilbert, chief of construction at the Community College of Southern Nevada, have been stymied because college officials have not responded to some of the newspaper's requests for information.

Editorial: Actions speak loudly: The plan is being hailed as a "gift" to the park system, which turns 100 in 2016. More accurately, it is an infusion of long-overdue funding for a 390-park network - one that won't even cover the system's $5 billion maintenance backlog.

John Katsilometes reports on a unique wedding ceremony for a similarly unique couple in the downtown arts district: By John Katsilometes; Funkhouser owns the antique and crafts store the Funk House, serves as the president of the nonprofit arts organization Whirlygig and is founder of the weekly art walk/crafts fair/street party First Friday. Dominguez operates his own flooring company, the aptly titled Fabulous Floors of Las Vegas. The two met at Dino's, which sits across from Olympic Garden on Las Vegas Boulevard South, on Valentine's Day 2006. In July, again at Dino's, during "Karaoke Night with Danny G" and with the Bee Gees classic "Words" droning in the background, Dominguez brought forth a sheet cake with a proposal scrawled across the ...

Public health inspector says toxic mold made him sick: By Ed Koch, Mary Manning; A public health inspector who says he was sickened by mold in his office is still waiting for his disability benefits - a year after an arbitrator ruled in his favor.