Candidates Ignoring Financial Disclosure Requirement

"The secretary of state's office can only enforce that the forms are filed. But that in itself is proving to be a Herculean task this cycle as candidates continue to thumb their noses at the public's right to know."

ERIN NEFF: Optional disclosure? (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

"Reversing course, Senate Democratic leader Harry Reid's office acknowledged Wednesday night he misstated the ethics rules governing his acceptance of free boxing tickets and has decided to avoid taking such gifts in the future, even as a top Nevada Athletic Commission official defended the practice."

Reid will not accept gifts like fight tickets in the future (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

"Sadly, there aren't enough rocks alongside the Las Vegas Beltway to stone all the elected officials who've been comped in a generous way. Sen. Reid's "credentials" are about juice -- juice that gets him and other elected officials into the front row at sold-out events without waiting in line or spending a penny."

In defense of juice: Reid offers embarrassing justifications for free seats to boxing (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

State Sen. Titus

Nevada candidate outlines economic plan (Nevada AP article)

State Sen. Titus And Rep. Gibbons

Nevada governor candidates back faith-based initiatives (Nevada AP article)

State Sen. Titus And Mayor Gibson

Democrats woo union vote: AFL-CIO endorsement might not come before primary (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"Joseph Pitts, a GOP candidate for state treasurer, has filed an affidavit challenging the candidacy of Mark DeStefano, one of two rivals in the Republican primary, on residency grounds."

Treasurer hopeful challenges GOP rival's candidacy: Three Republicans seeking primary win (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Carson City Bipartisan Political Action Committee

New PAC puts civility, qualifications before party identity (Nevada Appeal* article)

JANE ANN MORRISON: If Young shoots from the hip, Gillespie's a straight shooter (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

16 admit guilt in Crazy Horse case: Owner expected to plead guilty to fraud today (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Acquisition could push airport facelift forward (Nevada Appeal* article)

County to consider medical park plan (Lahontan Valley News* article)

Alcohol restrictions are needed at Farmers Market (Lahontan Valley News* editorial)

"Financially, the redevelopment agency has been treading water for several years because of declining casino values downtown, leaving little money for new projects. For this year and the coming year, all property taxes collected go to pay off debt.

Since 2000, the assessed value of the downtown district has shrunk from $245 million to $94 million for the tax year beginning July 1."

Reno redevelopment administrator resigns (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

"'We have to raise the admission standards, we simply do,' Rogers said. 'We have too many students who are not ready for several reasons' to attend a Nevada university."

BOARD OF REGENTS: Admission standards up for vote -- Rogers thinks compromise will appease all sides (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"Up to 800 area mental health patients will be looking for a new counseling program after Carson Tahoe Regional Healthcare closes its outpatient Behavioral Health Services program next month."

Hospital cuts outpatient mental health program (Nevada Appeal* article)

Carson Tahoe Regional to cut outpatient mental health service (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Hospital cuts mean it's time for community to come together (Nevada Appeal* editorial)

"After winning approval to cross federal lands Wednesday, Vidler Water Co. officials say that was the last major hurdle in building a water pipeline from Honey Lake Basin to serve up to 16,000 new homes in the North Valleys."

Honey Lake water plan takes shape (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Yucca Turmoil Seems To Not End -- Congressional Hearings On Budget: Nuclear Regulatory Commission Welcomes New Congressional Appointees (Nevada Observer article)

Progress Reported: Yucca said 'bogged down' (Pahrump Valley Times article)

Big Bomb Blast Put On Hold To Relief Of Downwinders: Federal Judge Wants Answers Before Blast Can Be Rescheduled (Nevada Observer article)

Divine Strake should never take place (Carrie Dann column, Reno Gazette-Journal)

Public needs facts about blast (Reno Gazette-Journal editorial)

Reid seeks boost in PILT funding (Elko Free Press article)

Reid wants increased funding for PILT program in Nevada (Pahrump Valley Times article)

Silencing whistle-blowers (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

Whistle isn't all that blows: Supreme Court pares free speech rights for government whistle-blowers (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Garcetti v. Ceballos (US Supreme Court website - pdf file)

Berkley bill to target oil industry subsidies (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"People who have served their country well entrust all their personal information to the VA. It is expected that a high level of security should be the norm."

VA must keep the public trust (Reno Gazette-Journal editorial)

"The point is this: Republicans can credibly ask for someone without sin to cast the first stone. And that means Reid has got to drop his rock."

Fightgate: Final Justice (Steve Sebelius column, Las Vegas CityLife)

How pathetic (Las Vegas CityLife editorial)

Fight Tickets: On Juice and Cash and Politicians (Richard Abowitz column, Los Angeles Times)

The AP is fair and balanced, too (Hugh Jackson column, Las Vegas Gleaner)

Reid parries on boxing, thrusts on immigration (Vegas Pundit website)

Reid Ethics Bout Goes Another Round (State Republican Party Press Release, via Battle Born Opinion News)

Official: It's Not About Paying For The Tickets; It's About Attending

"'I'm 100 percent behind government officials coming to this government-regulated event to see how we do things,' Kizer said Wednesday."

New commissioner stands by free tix (Las Vegas Business Press article)

Rep. Gibbons And State Sen. Beers

Undeserved attack (Dennis Myers column, Reno News & Review)

State Sen. Titus

Titus lays out development plan (Las Vegas Business Press article)

[Sorry, TNO readers, there's nothing about it on the Titus Campaign website.]

There's never a tax-and-spend liberal around when you need one (Hugh Jackson column, Las Vegas Gleaner)

Congressional District 2

Carville stumping for Derby (Anjeanette Damon column, Reno Gazette-Journal)

Congressional District 3

Jon Porter: When Saying Nothing Says It All (Desert Beacon blog)

"As the FBI and U.S. attorney know better than anyone, Las Vegas is a target-rich environment for investigations and prosecutions. We might run out of water someday, or land, or pupfish, but when it comes to crooks, scammers and shysters, we've got an unending supply."

If you liked G-sting, you'll love Operation QuackShyster (George Knapp column, Las Vegas CityLife)

Sales Up 4.1 Percent In March Over Last Year; Monthly Tax Haul Up 8.48 Percent

Taxation Revenue Statistics - March 2006 (Gov. Guinn Press Release)

Nevada Health Matters

AIDS at 25: When AIDS came to Nevada, the battle was against both the disease and the ignorance about it (Dennis Myers article, Reno News & Review)

FREEBIE FLAP: Ethics letter targets Reid -- Activist asks Senate panel to look into controversy over boxing tickets (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"The rule for all public officials should be a simple one: no free tickets, regardless of who the donor is and regardless of the nature of the event."

A simple rule: no freebies (Reno Gazette-Journal editorial)

State Sen. Beers

Somebody got a new webcam (Anjeanette Damon column, Reno Gazette-Journal)

Bob Beers' New Webcam Broadcast (Beers Campaign website)

Titus Economic Development Plan

Stupak can't be head of that commission if she wins (Hugh Jackson column, Las Vegas Gleaner)

Congressional District 3

A Puppet With Many Strings (Reno and Its Discontents blog)

City And County Of Carson

PAC could be first step in getting people to listen (Nevada Appeal* editorial)

Three contend for school board seat (Nevada Appeal* article)

Storey County

Lyon County deputy district attorney running for Storey County DA position (Nevada Appeal* article)

Union Endorsements

"The union federation endorsed Democratic candidates for federal and statewide offices, including Jack Carter for U.S. Senate; Rep. Shelley Berkley, University Regent Jill Derby and Tessa Hafen for Congress; Robert Unger for lieutenant governor, Ross Miller for secretary of state, Kate Marshall for treasurer, Kim Wallin for controller and Catherine Cortez Masto for attorney general."

Democrats receive AFL-CIO backing: Union sidesteps governor's race endorsement (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Democratic Blog Convention

Kossack hordes set to descend on Las Vegas (Hugh Jackson column, Las Vegas Gleaner)

Fund-Raiser James Carville

James Carville Supporting The Ladies (Reno and Its Discontents blog)

"Rizzolo and 14 other defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud the United States. In court on Thursday, Rizzolo told Pro he devised a system that allowed employees to under-report the cash income they received from dancers' earnings at the end of each shift."

FELONY TAX CHARGE: Rizzolo enters guilty plea -- Crazy Horse Too owner to sell club as part of deal (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

JOHN L. SMITH: Group settlement leaves some Crazy Horse Too defendants unhappy (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

Taxable sales drop in wintry weather (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Nevada sales up 4.1 percent in March (Nevada AP article)

Taxpayers could save estimated $4 million, audit finds: Savings would come if contractors were required to return prevailing wage surveys (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"Program administrators say it is helping some of Nevada's most vulnerable residents cope with the summer heat: Nearly half of households receiving utility assistance include a disabled person, nearly 25 percent include a child under 6, and more than 40 percent have a resident older than 60."

Plan to help pay power bills gains steam: More households are taking advantage (Las Vegas Sun article)

DMV looks at cutting waiting: Car dealers shun registration service (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Flap over findings subsides: Official upset over audits' statements but accepts recommendations (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"The city assessor's map indicate it's Burnaugh's property. But the land is part of 60 acres that were set aside for the city's use in a patent agreement with the Bureau of Land Management in 1973."

Supervisors table land decision (Nevada Appeal* article)

County approves medical park plan (Lahontan Valley News* article)

Newlands Experimental Farm to be site of regional plant materials center (Lahontan Valley News* article)

"As for using tax dollars to pay for an event being held largely outside the city, Miller said: 'There's so little consideration given to the city residents, employers, workers themselves. Instead, there is this constant kind of obsequiousness to the Mecca of the Strip. I can almost see Oscar's prayer rug on the ground as he leads the entire congregation.'"

Oscar doesn't mind the line (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"In April, the Henderson Planning Commission unanimously recommended that the City Council approve the shopping center project. There was no testimony about the potential dangers at that meeting."

Shopping near deadly fumes? Henderson considers retail project (Las Vegas Sun article)

Task force announces dates for 'Parent's Handbook on Gangs' (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Settlement reached in $7 million class action (Gardnerville Record-Courier* article)

Construction starts on Austin's house (Gardnerville Record-Courier* article)

Surviving market slow-down (North Lake Tahoe Bonanza article)

The safe bet? (North Lake Tahoe Bonanza editorial)

"Drivers in the Truckee Meadows have good reason to be skeptical when they hear that area traffic officials are going to try again to synchronize traffic lights."

For traffic, it's all a matter of timing (Reno Gazette-Journal editorial)

College tuition aid goes ignored: Private sources of scholarships report applicant shortage (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

What if consumers could shop online for the Clark County hospital charging the least for hip replacement surgery? Or what if, along the way, they could gather information on which hospital is most preferred by their peers for that procedure?

Medicare data release to aid consumers, government says (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Helping Patients Get The Best Care For Their Needs (Center For Medicare And Medicaid Services website)

Radioactive Railroad

YUCCA MOUNTAIN: DOE eyes old rail plan -- Nuclear waste would travel western path (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"Voting mostly along party lines, the California Assembly on Tuesday gave 49-31 approval to a bill that would award the state's presidential electoral votes not according to how California's own residents vote, but to the recipient of the most popular votes, nationwide."

Scheming for a popular vote: States trying to alter our presidential election process (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

Meanwhile ... (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

Nevada Culture

Carson Valley Days scheduled (North Lake Tahoe Bonanza article)

"It is clear to us that Carson Valley's future will be inextricably linked to its past. If there is one way this place will thrive and survive it will be to market the history that makes it special."

Our future is in our past (Gardnerville Record-Courier* editorial)

In digging for a tunnel entrance, the end is near (Nevada Appeal* article)

Las Vegas Lobbyists Raising Money For Carson City Assemblyman Oceguera -- Why?

The young (ish) lobbyists have money, too (Vegas Pundit website)

Assembly District 21

It's nice to be anointed (Vegas Pundit website)

Lyon County

__________

Nevada Government

State Government

New Department Of Administration Audits

Nevada Supreme Court Changes Decision

New Army Guard Commander

Las Vegas officer to lead Nevada Army National Guard (Nevada AP article)

Local Government

Lyon County

Commissioner Decisions - June 1, 2006 (Nancy Dallas column, NewsDesk)

__________

From The Neon Empire

Home Means Nevada

Harrah's plays catch-up in Asia as competitors storm ahead (Nevada AP article)

__________

Nevada's Past

The Belvada

Historic building getting new life in busted boom town Tonopah (Nevada AP article)

==========================================

June 3, 2006

[4:35 PM]

_____

Nevada Politics

Nevada's Wretched Campaign Finance Laws

Nevada And Sen. Reid

2006 Governor's Race

2006 State Treasurer's Race

State Republican Party

NICPAC Hits a Homerun (Erik Odom column, Battle Born Opinion News)

__________

___________

Nevada Government

State Government

State Hauling In Taxes, But Can't Spend Them

NDOT Abandoning State Roads

The Battle Against Meth

Health, Human Services: New strategies needed to treat substance abusers (Pahrump Valley Times article)

Prevailing Wage Law

Whatever You Say May Be Used Against You

Public Utilities Commission

Utilities: Departing PUC member leads to industry shuffling (In Business Las Vegas article)

Local Government

Churchill County

Clark County

God Damn That Traffic Jam

Clogged arteries -- Forum: Tourism growth demands solutions (In Business Las Vegas article)

Las Vegas Outlook

Mix And Match In Henderson

Mixed-use plan brings new look to Henderson (In Business Las Vegas article)

Metro's Substantial Taser Purchase

Bum Rap

U.S. Conference of Mayors

Mayors live it up at Las Vegas meeting (Las Vegas Sun article)

Elko County

Lyon County

Nye County

Beatty

Pahrump

Senior Center recovering from 'past mistakes' (Pahrump Valley Times article)

__________

Nevada Education Matters

Public Schools

Teacher Pay

School Bus Emissions

Never be content with a B: Nevada scores high on a national survey of school bus emissions, but it can do even better (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Clark County School District

Teacher Shortage

Community Alliance for the Reform of Education (CARE)

Washoe County School District

School Forbids Commencement Address

__________

Nevada Water Matters

SNWA Gets Sensitive

Corporate Suction Scheme

Honey Lake water plan takes shape with federal approval (Nevada AP article)

Carson River

__________

Nevada Health Matters

From Doctor To Nurse

Paying The Price

Health care coverage weighs on retailers (Las Vegas Business Press article)

Strokes

After stroke, first minutes are crucial: Two local hospitals also help raise awareness (Las Vegas Sun article)

__________

Nevada Mining

Hedging

Regime Change

Myckatyn retires as Quadra's CEO; Blythe new CEO/president (Ely Times article)

__________

Federal Nevada

Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Dump Project

Soaring Fuel Prices

GASOLINE PRICE RELIEF: Reid touts energy plan -- Senator blasts administration (Las Vegas Review-Journal article)

Federal Lands

New FBI SAC For Las Vegas

Counter-terror vet takes reins as FBI's special agent in charge (Pahrump Valley Times article)

Payments In Lieu Of Taxes (PILT)

Reid says his effort could bring $1.7 million to Nye (Pahrump Valley Times article)

Immigration Reform

Federal Mortgage Loan Scandal

Massacre Stories Need Independent Investigation

Asking a hard question: The world watches as U.S. Marines ask, 'What happened in Haditha?' (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Flag Amendment

__________

From The Neon Empire

Internet Gambling

Thanks For Just Being There

Sands execs land millions in unearned bonuses (Las Vegas Business Press article)

Planned Growth, But Whose Plan?

Gaming: Station Casinos puts stock in planned growth (In Business Las Vegas article)

==========================================

June 4, 2006

[12:30 PM]

_____

Nevada Politics

Nevada's Wretched Campaign Finance Laws

Nevada And Sen. Reid

2006 Elections Generally

Politics of the cowboy and the suburbanite (Las Vegas Sun article)

2006 Governor's Race

2006 Local Elections

State Republican Party

__________

Nevada Government

State Government

State Finances

Spending Cap Doesn't Apply To Nevada State Legislature

Recent Discovery

Funds 'found' to fight fires (Las Vegas Sun article)

Nevada's Burning Hills

Summer rangeland fire potential high: June Weather a Key Factor (Elko Free Press article)

Local Government

City And County Of Carson

Fandango Time

Clark County

Developing News

Choices

Affordable Housing

Hal Rothman notes that even though the housing market has cooled, it's not necessarily inexpensive (Las Vegas Sun column)

Elko County

Washout!

County mulls new bridge at Jarbidge (Elko Free Press article)

The Child Is The Father To The Man

Youth Council Revived: Youth will advise city council (Elko Free Press article)

Lake Tahoe Basin

Civic Action

Helping keep clean this end of the lake (Steve McKibben column, North Lake Tahoe Bonanza)

Lyon County

Dirty Anaconda

Yerington

Golf course community proposed on west edge of town: Requests are a first step toward a 435-lot development (Mason Valley News article)

__________

Nevada Education Matters

Public Schools

Breakfast In America

Students need breakfast, too: Local participation strong, but nationally the school breakfast program has low turnout (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Lyon County School District

__________

Nevada Health Matters

Medicare

West Nile Virus

Mosquito season heats up: Flooding increases source points, but West Nile Virus yet to be detected as well (Mason Valley News article)

__________

Nevada Culture

Carson City

Elko

Rules set for renewal of Elko Mining Expo competition (Elko Free Press article)

__________

Federal Nevada

Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Dump Project

Nevada Test Site

US Supreme Court's Recent Whistleblower Decision

Veterans Administration

VA spent over $680 million in Nevada in 2005 (Mason Valley News article)

__________

From The Neon Empire

Money Talks

Investors more bullish on Las Vegas casinos than ever before (Las Vegas Sun article)

The Science Of Separating Gamblers From Their Money

Designing for Dough in Vegas (Wired News article)

==========================================

June 5, 2006

[9:10 AM]

_____

Nevada Politics

Nevada And Sen. Reid

2006 Governor's Race

2006 Local Races

State Democratic Party

Cultivating grass roots: Dean setting the stage for Democratic ground war in red states and rural areas (Las Vegas Sun article)

__________

Nevada Government

State Government

DMV And Dealer Registrations

Army National Guard

Local Government

City And County Of Carson

Churchill County

Got A Bad Reaction

Clark County

Vegas In The Rear View Mirror

Where do tourists from Vegas go? Web sites give hints for getaways (Las Vegas Sun article)

New Development

Cosmopolitan offers peek into Strip's future (Las Vegas Sun article)

Washoe County

Reno Redevelopment

Foot traffic's future (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

__________

Nevada Education Matters

Higher Education

Public Schools

Carson City School District

Clark County School District

__________

Federal Nevada

Soaring Fuel Prices

Berkley's bill has merit: Nevada congresswoman will introduce legislation that prioritizes renewable energy (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

FBI Search Of Congressman's Office

Unwarranted Surveillance

Murders Of Unarmed Iraqi Civilians

__________

Nevada Culture

Mule Races

__________

From The Neon Empire

Tribal Gambling Operations

Internet Gambling

Here's how you spell problem gambler (Reno Gazette-Journal editorial)

__________

Nevada's Past

Digging Donner Lake

Wagon Train Traveling West On The California Trail

The Pony Express!!!

==========================================

Update for June 5, 2006

[5:55 PM]

_____

Nevada Politics

2006 Elections

Let's take a peek into my political crystal ball (Michael Green column, Las Vegas Business Press)

Minuteman Visit

Chris Simcox's Visit To Reno and The March of The Minutemen (Reno and Its Discontents blog)

__________

Nevada Government

State Government

Battle Against Methamphetamine

Meth treatments only scratching the surface: Experts are finding that different approaches need to be found to halt widespread usage (Las Vegas Business Press article)

Nevada's Burning Hills

Local Government

Clark County

Taxpayers Pay The Bill For Las Vegas Mayor's Showgirls & Elvis Impersonator Entourage

The Goodman follies (Steve Sebelius column, Las Vegas CityLife)

Latest Developments

Youth Violence

Boyz Will Be Boyz? Is the latest violent spree by a pack of young men indicative of a larger problem, or a consistent condition? (Las Vegas Weekly article)

__________

Federal Nevada

New US Marshal

Former state gambling regulator named U.S. marshal for Nevada (Nevada AP article)

Area 51

Whatever They're Hiding, I'd Like to Know What It Is: Memorial Day at Area 51 (Las Vegas Weekly article)

__________

From The Neon Empire

Aztar Acquisition

Columbia Sussex 'would have paid whatever it took' for Aztar (Las Vegas Business Press article)

__________

Nevada Mining

Oil!!! Maybe

Prospectors search for black gold in Nevada (Las Vegas Business Press article)

__________

Nevada Journalism

Promising Blog Merger: Monday Morning Pundit Joins Reno and Its Discontents

==========================================

June 6, 2006

[9:45 AM]

_____

Nevada Politics

2006 Governor's Race

Gibson's sad path to victory (Monday Morning Pundit, Reno and Its Discontents blog)

2006 Ballot Initiatives And Petitions

2006 Local Races

Political Parties

What do party chairs do, anyway? (Monday Morning Pundit, Reno and Its Discontents blog)

__________

Nevada Government

State Government

Nazi Doctor Bill Goes To Legislature

Inadequate Regulation Of Mortgage Lenders

USA Capital Case

Nevada's Burning Hills

Car Dealer Registrations

Local Government

City And County Of Carson

Churchill County

Drug Discounts

Clark County

Tasers And The Police

The Devil And Las Vegas: A Contemporary Fable

Elko County

Elko Railport

Lake Tahoe Basin

Changing Times

The suburbanization of Tahoe (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Ignored Permit Restrictions

Storey County

Retro-Government Toll Road Proposal: Forward Into The Past

__________

Nevada Education Matters

Higher Education

Sued Over Defense Fees

Professor sues over state money used to defend UNR in lawsuits (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Public Schools

Clark County School District

__________

Nevada Mining

Going Up

Gold futures rise with Iran conflict (Elko Free Press article)

__________

Federal Nevada

Immigration Reform

Mayors remain on fence about border barrier with Mexico (Nevada AP article)

Equal Rights And Equal Treatment

A Matter That Should Be Left To The States: Constitutional Amendment To Define "Marriages"

Federal Lobby And Lobbyist Reform

Corporate Plundering

Punitive Awards In Personal Injury Cases

Mafia Cops Case

__________

From The Neon Empire

New Strip Casino Planned

__________

Nevada Culture

Carson City's Brewery Arts Center

__________

Nevada's Past

The Pony Express

==========================================

Update for June 6, 2006

[7:35 PM]

_____

Nevada Politics

2006 Governor's Race

2006 US Senate Race

Public Citizen on Sen. Ensign's Voting Record (Public Citizen website, via Desert Beacon)

2006 Legislative Races

2006 Ballot Initiatives And Petitions

Politicians Who Want To Raise Taxes

Taxpayers Beware! (Chuck Muth column, Battle Born Opinion News)

On Not Running For Office

Jack Sheehan explains why his name will not be found on any ballot for public office (Las Vegas Sun column)

__________

Nevada Government

State Government

Canadian Pharmaceuticals

Nevadans turning to Canada for drugs: Four pharmacies now taking orders (Las Vegas Sun article)

Insurance Fraud

Anatomy of a scam (Ian Mylchreest column, Las Vegas Business Press)

Local Government

Clark County

Nice Job. Now Get Out.

Homeless helper nears 'promise' of a new home (Las Vegas Sun article)

From Wet To Dry

Water park not ready to dry up for good (Las Vegas Sun article)

Lyon County

Commissioner Planning decisions (Nancy Dallas column, NewsDesk)

__________

Nevada Education Matters

Higher Education

Funding

Close the funding gaps: Community College of Southern Nevada and UNLV both shortchanged on state funding (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Public Schools

Activist Files Ethics Complaint Against Educators

EdWatch Nevada Takes on the System (Erik Odom column, Battle Born Opinion News)

Clark County School District

Teachers forced to moonlight: Pay sends 40 percent into second jobs (Las Vegas Sun article)

__________

Nevada Environment

Dace's Destiny

Dace winning upstream battle: Species making comeback; refuge to open to public (Las Vegas Sun article)

__________

Federal Nevada

Lobbying And Lobbyist Reform

It's not just the electeds that take the freebees (Anjeanette Damon column, Reno Gazette-Journal)

From The US Congress

Seeing politics as priority: Senate GOP leaders put urgent issues on hold while genuflecting toward conservatives (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

The Administration And Its Claims

Congress, courts push back against Bush's assertions of presidential power (USA Today article, via Desert Beacon)

Homeland Security

Not-so-smart identification: Arrest of Canadian terrorist suspects raises border issue anew in a post-9/11 world (Las Vegas Sun article)

__________

From The Neon Empire

Station Casinos And The Culinary Workers Union

New Projected Strip Casino

==========================================

June 7, 2006

[6:20 PM]

_____

Nevada Politics

2006 Governor's Race

2006 State Treasurer's Race

Marshall tips her hand: Democrat from Reno shows the world who's running the show on her campaign (Monday Morning Pundit, Reno and Its Discontents)

2006 Legislative Races

2006 Ballot Initiatives And Petitions

2006 Local Races

2006 Campaign Ads

Reality Checks (Vegas Pundit website)

That New PAC

New CC NV Left-Wing PAC Tries to Hide Behind “Civility” and “Qualifications” (Terresa Monroe-Hamilton column, Battle Born Opinion News)

State Republican Party

Forget Where’s Waldo…Where’s Paul? (Chuck Muth column, Battle Born Opinion News)

__________

Nevada Government

State Government

Department Of Transportation (NDOT)

Road Divestment

Rough Roads

Roads open, but rough, to popular northern Nevada fisheries (Nevada AP article)

Nevada's Burning Hills

State Tax Surplus

State Department Of Taxation

Could Collect $500,000 By Paying $10,000, But Won't

To Crack Down On Businesses, Though

Homeland Security

Another Step For The Surveillance State

DUI Roadblocks: How Effective Are They?

Liquor lobby fights to shut down sobriety checkpoints (Las Vegas Sun article)

Canadian Pharmaceuticals

Sick of high prices: Nevadans ordering prescriptions from Canada might help create change in drug pricing (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Local Government

Clark County

Questions About County Commission

Developers Having A Blast

Homeowners Associations

Henderson Landlords & Tenants

Lyon County

Wants More Money

Sales tax increase ballot question being drafted following resolution approval (Fernley Leader-Courier article)

Developing Changes

Master plan amendment hearings to be less frequent (Fernley Leader-Courier article)

Change Of Venue

Fernley Justice Court to hear court cases from Silver Springs (Fernley Leader-Courier article)

Storey County

Retro Government Toll Road Plan

Washoe County

Wants More Money

Officials seek tax increase in Washoe County for public safety (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

An Old Fiasco

Paving stones relegated to the past (Reno Gazette-Journal editorial)

__________

Nevada Education Matters

Public Schools

Clark County School District

Washoe County School District

Freedom Of Speech

Student body president will be allowed to speak (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Nicotine Nazism

__________

Federal Nevada

The Constitution And Homosexual Marriages

Ensign Votes Yes On Marriage Amendment (Sen. Ensign Press Release)

Immigration Reform

From The US Congress

House Passes Berkley Bill Expressing Support for Osteoporosis Prevention and Treatment (Rep. Berkley Press Release)

__________

__________

From The Neon Empire

More On The Maxim

A different Maxim to rise along the Strip? (Las Vegas Business Press article)

__________

Nevada Culture

State Museum

Bad Business

__________

Nevada's Past

Resurrecting A Railroad

==========================================

Update for June 7, 2006

[11:15 PM]

______

Nevada Politics

2006 Governor's Race

2006 US Senate Race

Carter stumps at Tahoe (North Lake Tahoe Bonanza article)

2006 Congressional Races

2006 Ballot Initiatives and Petitions

2006 Local Races

__________

Nevada Government

Local Government

Lake Tahoe Basin

Lyon County

Commissioner Planning decisions - June 1 2006 (Nancy Dallas column, NewsDesk)

__________

Nevada Education Matters

Public Schools

Washoe County School District

Enrollment numbers remain low (North Lake Tahoe Bonanza article)

__________

Federal Nevada

The US Constitution And Homosexual Marriages

__________

From The Neon Empire

The Camel And The Tent

__________

==========================================

June 8, 2006

[10:00 AM]

_____

Juice v. Justice: LA Times Investigates Las Vegas Judges

__________

Nevada Politics

2006 Governor's Race

RACE FOR GOVERNOR: Gibbons taking week off -- Gubernatorial challengers fume about congressman's unwillingness to debate (Las Vegas Review-Journal article)

2006 Congressional Races

2006 Ballot Initiatives And Petitions

2006 Local Elections

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Corruption? In Nevada?

Rizzolo Rundown

Rizzolo pleads Guilty to Racketeering and Tax Evasion: Sentencing scheduled for September 15 (Steve Miller column, AmericanMafia.com)

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Nevada Government

State Government

State Tax Surplus

About That Bridge

Local Government

City And County Of Carson

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words

Life-Saving Program Eliminated

Clark County

The New Eldorado

North Las Vegas Nicety

McCarran Airport

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Nevada Education Matters

Higher Education

State universities expected to raise entry requirements (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Public Schools

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Federal Nevada

Yucca Mountain Nuclear Waste Dump Project

Lobby And Lobbyist Reform: Federal Freebies

Special interests treat lawmakers, staff to 191 trips (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

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From The Neon Empire

Fueling The Urge

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Nevada's Environment

Glacial Speed

Pretty Poison

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Nevada Culture

Get The Drift And Go With The Flow

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Nevada's Past

At Some Secluded Rendezvous

The Galloping Pony Riders

Carson Valley's Romantic Past

Historic Preservation Award

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Reaction To LA Times Articles

Plenty of Sin in Sin City Justice (Richard Abowitz column, Los Angeles Times)

Daily Glean: Gosh, isn't Nevada colorful? (Hugh Jackson column, Las Vegas Gleaner)

The LA Times Articles (Part 1 of a 3-part series)

In Las Vegas, They're Playing With a Stacked Judicial Deck -- Some judges routinely rule in cases involving friends, former clients and business associates -- and in favor of lawyers who fill their campaign coffers. (Los Angeles Times article)

A Judge Who Isn't Playing by Fast and Loose Rules (Los Angeles Times article)

Anti-Smoking Initiatives

Responsible smoking (Lee Haney column, Las Vegas CityLife)

Court puts smoke ban on Nov. ballot: If you approve, Nevada will thank you for (not) smoking (Las Vegas CityLife article)

"This plan is not only ambitious but large for Churchill County. Essentially, Matthews will build a small town, complete with homes, jobs and commerce."

Burden of Hazen project rests on county officials (Lahontan Valley News* editorial)

Tribe sponsors conference on child abuse (Lahontan Valley News* article)

Changes announced for Farmers Market this year (Lahontan Valley News* article)

"'These special interests don't want voters to have the right to decide these issues,' said Chris Bohner, Culinary Union spokesman. 'They like the clubby system today that works in their favor.'"

Station Casinos prepares for initiative fight (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Did school district threaten reformer? (George Knapp column, Las Vegas CityLife)

The sodomite hotline (Chip Mosher column, Las Vegas CityLife)

Ensign: Death Of Al-Zarqawi Shows Progress In Iraq (Sen. Ensign Press Release)

Reid Statement On The Death Of Zarqawi And Progress In Iraq (Sen. Reid Press Release)

Gibbons Statement on Death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi (Rep. Gibbons Press Release)

"The Pentagon is poised to omit from its new policies the Geneva Conventions provisions that ban 'humiliating and degrading treatment' of those detained and interrogated by the U.S. military."

Cruel and unusual policy: Proposed rules governing military interrogations depart from Geneva standards (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Cleric abducted in Italy by CIA was 'tortured from moment of seizure' (The Independent [UK] article)

US has woven clandestine ‘spider’s web’ of detentions and transfers, with collusion of Council of Europe member states, says Parliamentary Assembly Committee (Council Of Europe Report)

Map of the 'Spider's Web' (Council of Europe website)

Council of Europe website

'Spider's web' of rendition and secret prisons revealed in report (The Independent [UK] article)

George Bush Sr. asked retired general to replace Rumsfeld: The former president's secret campaign to oust the secretary of defense was rebuffed by President Bush, a source says (Salon.com article, via Reno and Its Discontents blog)

"Plagued by news reports revealing an unconstitutional surveillance program, an unceasing skein of violence in occupied Iraq, record deficits, the largest national debt in history, a soaked shambles where New Orleans used to be, a return to $3-plus gasoline prices, blatant (and, primarily, Republican) corruption in the nation's capital, convictions for corporate malfeasance, little progress on port security and a bizarrely Byzantine Medicare prescription drug program, President George W. Bush and the Republican Senate leadership have decided to ... debate an amendment to the Constitution to ban gay marriage."

Here we go again (Las Vegas CityLife editorial)

"It took an out-of-state newspaper, the Los Angeles Times, to publish one of the most devastating pieces about Las Vegas that we have seen in many years. The story, which the paper printed this week, is not some of the standard Sin-City-with-Flamboyant-Mayor lampooning we have come to expect. This is an in-depth investigative piece, the product of years of reporting by two journalists, which exposes the incestuous nature of a judiciary fueled by friendships and campaign money."

Jon Ralston on the embarrassing state of Nevada's judicial system (Las Vegas Sun column)

"The Los Angeles Times on Thursday began a series of articles on Las Vegas-style justice and focused on the conflicts, cozy relationships and troubling questions created under a system in which judges collect campaign contributions and run for office."

JOHN L. SMITH: Las Vegas-style justice takes hit, but don't expect judges to flinch (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

In Las Vegas, They're Playing With a Stacked Judicial Deck -- Some judges routinely rule in cases involving friends, former clients and business associates -- and in favor of lawyers who fill their campaign coffers. (Los Angeles Times article)

A Judge Who Isn't Playing by Fast and Loose Rules (Los Angeles Times article)

One Republican's Point Of View

Not much to look forward to with Carter (Jim Clark column, North Lake Tahoe Bonanza)

Congressional District 2

"Derby is banking on voter dissatisfaction with the Republican controlled Congress to help her win in November."

Democrat strategist Carville campaigns for Jill Derby (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Tax And Spending Control (TASC) Initiative

"'What we have to do is we all have to get along, and we cannot have people harassing each other,' District Judge Sally Loehrer told the parties during an afternoon hearing."

Judge chides ballot groups: Petition backers, foes agree to rules (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Judge lays the ground rules (Anjeanette Damon column, Reno Gazette-Journal)

"The Internet is a great tool for finding the most influential people who are also like-minded, and drawing them into a coalition, getting them to act offline, Newberry said. 'There are 30 million influentials in this country. People who make trends, form opinions,' he said. 'We have to have mindshare over that.'"

Liberal view grows online: Activists gather at Riviera to hear Democrats (Las Vegas Sun article)

"A peeved Gov. Kenny Guinn reluctantly supported a plan Thursday to give a San Francisco law firm four extra months to complete its probe into city of Las Vegas actions that temporarily gave developer Bill Walters the right to convert a golf course into a residential neighborhood."

Guinn fumes but backs extension in probe of Walters deal (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

NHP chief quits, major demoted in investigation's aftermath (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Head of NHP resigns after investigation: Northern Command chief demoted (Nevada Appeal* article)

Sentencing, Parole Changes Sought

"The legislative committee studying Nevada's criminal sentencing and parole rules wants to ease the tough "deadly weapon" enhancement imposed on violent criminals and put more inmates - particularly the nonviolent - on parole earlier."

Committee recommends sentencing, parole changes (Nevada Appeal* article)

Watching Everybody

"The Board of Examiners approved an experimental electronic monitoring system Thursday for Southern Desert Correctional Center that would allow tracking of both staff and inmates in a prison 24 hours a day, seven days a week."

Prison gets tracking for inmates, officers (Nevada Appeal* article)

Computer glitch knocks out NDOT radio system (Nevada Appeal* article)

Facing a shortage of funds for roads: State's choices: Taxes, gridlock (Las Vegas Sun article)

Highway 208 needs turn lane (Gardnerville Record-Courier* editorial)

Emergency fund running low: Guinn says the 2005 Legislature should have set aside more money (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Fires may delay prescribed burn (Elko Free Press article)

Lightning strike starts fire that closes Highway 160 (Nevada AP article)

No structures threatened in Stagecoach wildfire (Nevada Appeal* article)

Citizens for Affordable Homes Inc. was rejected again in its attempt to change the zoning of its office building. Zone change request turned down by advisory council (Nevada Appeal* article)

New vision, as park becomes urbanized (Nevada Appeal* article)

Appeal denied, permit approved for Hazen project (Lahontan Valley News* article)

City approves multi-family lots along North Maine Street (Lahontan Valley News* article)

"Too many communities fail to recognize the value of events like the Farmers Market and the people behind them until it's too late and they're gone. That would be a big mistake and one we hope Fallon does not make."

Business owners should embrace Farmers Market (Lahontan Valley News* editorial)

Forum will offer information on meth (Lahontan Valley News* article)

"Vegas has been synonymous with prostitution since Block 16 (Ogden and Stewart, and First and Second streets) served as the town's red-light district in the early 1900s, and has, over the years, become one giant Tenderloin."

A Court of Their Own: Cops expect to make 5,000 prostitution-related arrests this year. Do we need a special court to handle them? (Las Vegas Weekly article)

"I'd like to know what problem we are solving with this ordinance," said board member Bob Hadfield. "Why do we need the law? Who are we protecting?"

Casino rooms rule rankles Minden board (Gardnerville Record-Courier* article)

Regional Planning Governing Board

"Despite the objections of angry residents whose downstream homes have been flooded, elected officials Thursday approved building up to 1,550 homes in what is now the floodway of the Steamboat Creek on the Butler Ranch."

Housing approved for floodway (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Sellout Revives Regional Separatism

 "Any time the community looks towards Reno and Sparks and sees what they feel is an inappropriate use of money it starts the process again," said IVGID General Manager Bill Horn. "This time people are saying 'gee, $13.5 million isn't a good decision'."

Ballardini draws local concern (North Lake Tahoe Bonanza article)

Inequitable County Taxes

"Looked at through another lens, regardless of the Supreme Court's verdict, both government and 'we the people' lose. Why? Because both Judge Maddox and later Judge Griffin of the same court essentially found that the county and the state systematically looted the Village. These opinions insure that faith in government is further eroded. If you reside in Incline your darkest suspicion that the county is robbing you is confirmed."

Even the winners come out behind (Andrew Whyman column, North Lake Tahoe Bonanza)

"The increase in the grade-point average for admission to 3.0 from 2.75 in effect for the fall of 2006 was originally proposed to take effect in fall 2010."

Admission rules change OK'd: Vote allows GPA boost at UNLV, UNR (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

University admissions get tougher (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Regents give chancellor another year on contract: Term to run through June 2009 for two legislative sessions (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Regents extend chancellor's contract through '09 (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

"It may contain more than its share of grit from the Rocky Mountains, but valley tap water rates well in terms of state and federal drinking water health standards, according to a report from the Las Vegas Valley Water District."

Report: Valley water meets health standards (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

96th Annual Carson Valley Days 2006 Event Schedule (Gardnerville Record-Courier* article)

Upcoming Fallon entertainment events (Lahontan Valley News* article)

Keeping history alive (Gardnerville Record-Courier* article)

Nevada Soldiers Overseas

Governor Issues Statement On US Army Soldier From Winnemucca Killed In Iraq (Gov. Guinn Press Release)

Soldier tells locals about Iraq (Ely Times article)

April 2006 Nevada Gaming Revenues And Collections (Gov. Guinn Press Release)

Nevada casinos win $989.8 million in April (Nevada AP article)

"The most recent statistics from the FBI indicate that there was a seven-fold increase in reports of mortgage fraud — from more than 3,000 in fiscal year 1999 to almost 22,000 in fiscal year 2005, the institute reported. The FBI also has reported that federally-regulated institutions reported more than $1 billion dollars in losses because of mortgage fraud in fiscal year 2005, the group reported."

Mortgage fraud hits close to home in Nevada (In Business Las Vegas article)

"What will be one of the largest retail power shopping centers in the Las Vegas Valley is scheduled to start construction within the next month with major retailers already on board."

Huge shopping project to get under way (In Business Las Vegas article)

"The largest privately-owned piece of land in the Lake Tahoe Basin has been sold to a development company based in the Bay Area."

Ski resort sold to developer (North Lake Tahoe Bonanza article)

 "Development impact fees levied against developers, both residential and commercial, legally have to be justified as mitigating only the added pressures on limited community services."

Businessman weighs in on the costs of progress (Pahrump Valley Times article)

Cox says growth must have balance (Pahrump Valley Times article)

Cox asks developer for community center funds (Pahrump Valley Times article)

Regents approve contract with Nevada coach Mark Fox (Nevada AP article)

Appeals Court: Environmental Impact Statements For Nuclear Storage Must Consider Terrorist Attacks

San Luis Obispo Mothers For Peace v. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Website)

Yucca Mountain And US Sen. Chic Hecht

Nevada's stupidity, the world's loss (Bob McCracken column, Pahrump Valley Times)

Ensign Applauds House Passage Of Telecom Legislation (Sen. Ensign Press Release)

Ensign Honored For Work On Video Access (Sen. Ensign Press Release)

Untangling the Telecom Act (FreePress webpage, via Desert Beacon blog)

Musab al-Zarqawi is dead (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

Better chance now for Iraq: Death of al-Zarqawi is no guarantee of peace, but it results in renewed hope (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Senate Committee Approves Bill to Authorize NSA Snooping (Center For Democracy Technology website, via Desert Beacon blog - pdf file)

Senate Letter To Vice President Cheney, June 8, 2006 (pdf file)

Joint Letter On NSA Surveillance (pdf file)

Data Retention Plan Lacks Privacy Safeguards; Could be Costly (Center For Democracy Technology website - pdf file)

NSA Domestic Warrantless Snooping (Center For Democracy Technology website)

Center For Democracy Technology website

So Who Are Your Friends?

New Scientist has discovered that Pentagon's National Security Agency, which specialises in eavesdropping and code-breaking, is funding research into the mass harvesting of the information that people post about themselves on social networks. And it could harness advances in internet technology - specifically the forthcoming "semantic web" championed by the web standards organisation W3C - to combine data from social networking websites with details such as banking, retail and property records, allowing the NSA to build extensive, all-embracing personal profiles of individuals."

Pentagon sets its sights on social networking websites (NewScientistTech article)

"Even properties in sleepy outposts such as Lake Tahoe and Laughlin are going upscale, aiming to attract regulars with richer tastes as well as more discriminating visitors."

Gaming: Casino makeovers aren't just on Strip (In Business Las Vegas article)

Nevada Journalism

Nevada bloggers opine online (Merrie Leininger column, Reno Gazette-Journal)

How Some Nevada Judges Stay Under the Radar: Senior judges are exempt from some rules of accountability. The careers of three jurists reflect the ethical questions that can result (Los Angeles Times article)

Previous articles in this series:

For a Vegas Judge and His Friends, One Good Turn Led to Another -- James Mahan got his jobs on the state and federal benches through the connections of old pal George Swarts. Things turned out well for Swarts too. (Los Angeles Times article)

In Las Vegas, They're Playing With a Stacked Judicial Deck -- Some judges routinely rule in cases involving friends, former clients and business associates -- and in favor of lawyers who fill their campaign coffers. (Los Angeles Times article)

A Judge Who Isn't Playing by Fast and Loose Rules (Los Angeles Times article)

"His bald head glistening like a raw oyster, pugnacious former political consultant James Carville says Democrats could pick up two congressional seats in Nevada and that he bets both Al Gore and Hillary Clinton will run for president."

Carville says Nevada districts are in play (Las Vegas Sun article)

Lyon County

Lyon sheriff candidates describe their goals for department (Nevada Appeal* article)

Flier criticizes PAC members (Nevada Appeal* article)

Prosecutors want ex-commissioners' sentences increased: Herrera, Kincaid-Chauncey accused of perjury (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"'We are going to hold our officers to the highest standard,' Perry said. 'We will be teaching our folks ethics, compassion, accountability and personal responsibility. We are looking to move forward. We have a short time to get back on track.'"

NHP interim chief vows ethics reform: Harassment scandal led to agency shake-up (Las Vegas Review-Journal article)

Guards say prison's neighbors at risk (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

$233 million in roadwork planned: Projects include new U.S. 95, I-15 exits (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Drivers to see road projects across region (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Regents approve joint recreation center with Carson City (Nevada Appeal* article)

Workforce housing plan discussed (Nevada Appeal* article)

Regents OK $217.7 million construction budget: Money to go toward campus buildings (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Board of Regents approve controversial bill draft (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Grades must be higher to get into state colleges (Nevada Appeal* article)

Regents want $600 million for construction at universities (Nevada Appeal* article)

CCSN looks at building a hybrid campus: Stores, classes to share space (Las Vegas Sun article)

New community college plan moves forward (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

CLARK COUNTY TEACHER SHORTAGE: Retirees beckoned back -- Law passed in 2001 allows collection of pension and salary (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

JANE ANN MORRISON: Teaching loses another one because of the stress, low pay, lack of respect (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

A soldier's life: the first assignment overseas: Carson City man ships out for service overseas (Nevada Appeal* article)

Federal land holdings: More states looking at Southern Nevada approach (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

Nevada Journalism

Liberals log onto clout: Bloggers get together for more conventional approach to politics (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Wesley Clark touts science at YearlyKos: Retired general slams 'politicization' of research (Las Vegas Sun article)

"In the space of three days and a few thousand words, the Los Angeles Times has pulled back the sheen that civic leaders have spent years earnestly putting over Las Vegas, removing the beautiful illusion of a glistening, evolving city and replacing it with the ugly reality of an incestuous, corrupt backwater."

Jon Ralston outlines the need for Nevada judges to be appointed (Las Vegas Sun column)

How Some Nevada Judges Stay Under the Radar: Senior judges are exempt from some rules of accountability. The careers of three jurists reflect the ethical questions that can result (Los Angeles Times article)

For a Vegas Judge and His Friends, One Good Turn Led to Another -- James Mahan got his jobs on the state and federal benches through the connections of old pal George Swarts. Things turned out well for Swarts too. (Los Angeles Times article)

In Las Vegas, They're Playing With a Stacked Judicial Deck -- Some judges routinely rule in cases involving friends, former clients and business associates -- and in favor of lawyers who fill their campaign coffers. (Los Angeles Times article)

A Judge Who Isn't Playing by Fast and Loose Rules (Los Angeles Times article)

Tax And Spending Control (TASC)

Deadline looms for citizen initiative petitions (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

"We have always allowed more here, first as economic necessity and then as habit. In Nevada, you remain free in the late 20th-century version of the term: You can do what you want, where you want, how you want and with whomever you want."

Hal Rothman looks at the Nevada Indoor Clean Air Act as a microcosm of the duel between the state's tradition and its future (Las Vegas Sun column)

VIN SUPRYNOWICZ: Why I am not a 'conservative' (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

No denying cost of roads: A task force peers ahead and sees need for tax increases to avoid gridlock in the future (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Jeff Simpson on how the downside of growth - traffic jams - cuts casino profits (Las Vegas Sun column)

"The difficulty, as Sparks leaders have discovered in their own efforts to win support for public safety ballot measures, is that most citizens believe that public safety should be the No. 1 priority for local government spending, not an afterthought that requires a special tax."

Taxpayers will need convincing (Reno Gazette-Journal* editorial)

GEOFF SCHUMACHER: Hiring for Dummies: Pay new teachers more to end shortage (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

"'That's a great site,' a second broker said. 'If I got this from the BLM at this price, I could have a contract to sell it for twice that in a heartbeat, and I'd love to. It could bring a lot more than that. They're throwing money away.'"

LAND SALE: BLM to bypass public auction -- Critics say developer will get parcel at price far below market value (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Local FBI chief takes the reins at a good time: Office coming off success of lengthy operations (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"However, these 'campaign finance' restrictions are already having a chilling effect on political speech in many jurisdictions. Unless such laws are speedily revised to bar this kind of meddling with the free press -- assuming that's even possible -- the courts should strongly consider tossing them out, entirely."

Penalizing political speech: Washington radio case could affect Nevada (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

Flag-Burning Amendment THOMAS MITCHELL: Putting 'sacred icons' before freedom (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

ERIN NEFF: Politicians now quick to court blogosphere (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

"The more people who are decent, hardworking people who are in politics," Dean said, "the harder it is for the sleazebags to do what they do in politics. We need your help."

Dean urges bloggers to seek political office: Former presidential candidate addresses YearlyKos convention (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"Another week, another spat between Democratic gubernatorial candidates Jim Gibson and Dina Titus."

POLITICAL NOTEBOOK: Titus challenges Gibson to debate growth -- Democrats in governor's race to face off Friday (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Washoe County

Reno mayor anticipates 4 more years (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Area growth takes top priority in upcoming elections (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Web-active Democrats key to bid, Carter says (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Cyberspace pumps up Democrats (Las Vegas Sun article)

Keeping the Chinese in the dark: Google and censorship abroad (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

"A recent Christian Science Monitor investigative report disclosed that the FBI has convicted more than 1,000 corrupt politicians at all levels of government over the past two years, and that indictments are up nearly 50 percent during that period. No matter how you look at it, that's a lot of corruption in a country that holds itself out as a model democracy to the rest of the world."

Political corruption is bipartisan (Guy W. Farmer column, Nevada Appeal*)

JANE ANN MORRISON: Attorney's ideas for changing gaming regulation system deserve consideration (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

Business realities forced cuts at Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center (Ed Epperson column, Nevada Appeal*)

Storey County should slow down on toll road idea (Nevada Appeal* editorial)

"Regional planning officials should not assume that they will soon soothe the anger and frustration of people who oppose a residential development in the Steamboat Creek area of Butler Ranch."

Make safety the priority (Reno Gazette-Journal editorial)

Filling children with knowledge, not junk food (Kirk Caraway column, Nevada Appeal*)

AT BAC, Nevada Artists Association premieres juried summer show: 150 members' best works judged for prize money (Nevada Appeal* article)

City approves loan to assist SSIR with stalls (Lahontan Valley News* article)

"The federal government has no legitimate interest in using taxpayer resources to provide an additional layer of enforcement."

Federal policing of sport (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

"The rock art symbols etched in basalt by generations of a dozen different tribes represent a span of American Indian heritage from more than 1,000 years ago to the late 1800s."

Inventory turns up more petroglyph panels in Sloan Canyon (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Donner Party's steps retraced: Professor praises group's courage after completing 32-day, 300-mile trek (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

An evening with the 'King of the Comstock': Presentation on robber baron William Sharon, the best-loved and most-hated man in the Comstock (Nevada Appeal* article)

Memories Of Spruce Goose: Three crew members of flying boat recall making history 59 years ago (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

UCDEALSHERE

Palace Jewelry & Loan

• Case: FV05-00517 DARREN MACK VS. CHARLA MACK (Judge Doherty) 

• Case: DV05-00263 CHARLA M MACK VS DARREN R. MACK (Sealed) (Judge Weller)

• Case: CV05-02211 - PALACE JEWELRY & LOAN CO. VS. CHARLA MACK

• Case: CV99-02144 G & S INVESTMENT CO. VS. JOAN RAE MACK, ET AL

• Case: DV91-256 DARREN MACK VS. DEBRA LYN MACK 

Suspect sought for murder and in shooting of judge: Last seen in south Reno (Nevada Appeal* article)

Judge Chuck Weller named as victim in courthouse shooting; suspect still on loose (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Judge conscious and talking with family: Police search for sniper in shooting (Nevada AP article)

Las Vegas Chamber Of Commerce Endorses Rep. Gibbons

Chamber backs Gibbons and Krolicki (Las Vegas Business Press article)

Chamber backs two from GOP (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

This just in! (Steve Sebelius column, Las Vegas CityLife)

State treasurer candidate meets with local businesses (Lahontan Valley News* article)

Signature-Gathering Deadline

"Review-Journal opinion polls have found solid majority support from voters for all three petitions, but that support won't matter if the proposed amendments fail to qualify for November's ballot."

Initiative petitions (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

Tax And Spending Control (TASC) Litigation

Keep petition arguments respectful (Reno Gazette-Journal editorial)

Reid Delivers Democratic Radio Address (Sen. Reid Press release)

Give 'Em Hell Popeye (Hugh Jackson column, Las Vegas Gleaner)

JOHN L. SMITH: Democrats' best fighter aware key to winning is in knowing when to fight (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

Police link judge shooting with homicide; suspect still missing (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Pawn shop owner suspect in Reno death, possible tie to shot judge (Nevada AP article)

Potential violence surrounds family court cases, lawyers say (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Judges live with danger (Reno Gazette-Journal editorial)

Injured Reno judge popular target for angry parents (Nevada AP article)

"The president of the Nevada Bar Association said Monday a three-day series of newspaper articles highly critical of some Southern Nevada judges may help reform the state's process of selecting and retaining judges. Vince Consul, a Las Vegas attorney, said the Los Angeles Times' stories 'spread through the legal community like wildfire.'"

Selection of judges might change: Series of articles highly critical of current process in Nevada (Las Vegas Sun article)

The LA Times Articles

How Some Nevada Judges Stay Under the Radar: Senior judges are exempt from some rules of accountability. The careers of three jurists reflect the ethical questions that can result (Los Angeles Times article)

For a Vegas Judge and His Friends, One Good Turn Led to Another -- James Mahan got his jobs on the state and federal benches through the connections of old pal George Swarts. Things turned out well for Swarts too. (Los Angeles Times article)

In Las Vegas, They're Playing With a Stacked Judicial Deck -- Some judges routinely rule in cases involving friends, former clients and business associates -- and in favor of lawyers who fill their campaign coffers. (Los Angeles Times article)

A Judge Who Isn't Playing by Fast and Loose Rules (Los Angeles Times article)

"The Nevada Supreme Court is considering whether the Department of Transportation violated state law by purchasing a total of 27 new road graders without first advertising for contracts to supply the graders."

State Supreme Court considers legality of grader purchase: NDOT's use of pricing agreement questioned (Nevada Appeal* article)

"There's a reason that government agencies are required to put major purchases up for bid - to ensure taxpayers are getting their money's worth."

Purchases show disregard for taxpayer money (Nevada Appeal* editorial)

USA Capital seeks change to investor panel: Attorneys claim Fertitta Enterprises executive has conflict of interest (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"Nevada ranked fifth overall in the nation for best tax climate, according to the Tax Foundation's State Business Tax Climate Index 2006. California ranked 40th."

Taxing numbers for many, but not Nevada (Nevada Appeal* article)

NNCC locked down after fight (Nevada Appeal* article)

SNEA takes responsibility for fliers warning of prison dangers (Nevada Appeal* article)

Medical care for inmates is 'poor': Legislative panel told of prisons' problems (Las Vegas Sun article)

Ambulance service seeking loan until collections issue fixed (Nevada Appeal* article)

Activists take Las Vegas to court: City ordinances deprive homeless of several rights, ACLU lawsuit alleges (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

How mean can we get? Citing someone for feeding the homeless in parks would be an act of pure discrimination (Las Vegas Sun editorial)

Snowmelt still flooding roads (Elko Free Press article)

County lacks funding for Osino road (Elko Free Press article)

Station Casinos arranges fight against petition (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Station Casinos arranges fight against Reno petition (Nevada AP article)

"The 10 UNLV dental school students who are alleged to have forged faculty signatures on university documents, including patient records, were each ordered to perform 1,500 hours of community service and will receive their degrees, higher education sources said."

UNLV students accused of forgery to receive degrees (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

School board to vote on wording of $25 million bond proposal tonight (Nevada Appeal* article)

CLARK COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT: Starting pay for teachers increased -- Newcomers to get as much as those in second, third years (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

You Think You Can Do It Better? (Myrna the Minx column, Reno and Its Discontents)

"Mahan's decision is the same one that drew the attention of the Los Angeles Times in an investigative series about Nevada judges last week. The Times said Mahan failed to disclose that he had previously been a business associate of Bulloch, but this allegation was not part of Del Mar's appeal."

Kicker: Court won't review decision to dismiss award to developer (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

"Where in the Constitution does government find the right or power to stop a person -- even "the rich" -- from backing a candidate willing to vote their views at the capital? Nowhere."

Campaign finance 'loophole': Horrors! The Internet is unregulated! (Las Vegas Review-Journal* editorial)

ERIN NEFF: Going by the book (Las Vegas Review-Journal* column)

"In 2002, then-Las Vegas Review Journal reporters Dave Berns and Jeff Simpson described Ho's monopoly-era product as 'dingy, organized crime-ridden offerings ... plagued by (triad) control of individual gaming tables, prostitution and loan sharking.'"

Six degrees of separation: Ho family influence in Macau gaming is not abating (Las Vegas Business Press article)

"Now, however, convicted felons can get a major piece of a Strip casino as a real estate play and it's legal to install a licensed operator. But the outlines of this deal show how easily the Gaming Commission's licensing regime can be circumvented by "branding" and "leasing" agreements."

Meet the new kings of the Strip (Ian Mylchreest column, Las Vegas Business Press)

Ex-Carson legislator implicated in illegal sports book probe: Three Carson City homes searched in bookmaking probe (Nevada Appeal* article)

Former lawmaker linked to illegal bookies: Joerg's home in Carson City raided (Las Vegas Sun article)

Voters signal support for casino plan: Tribes want to build side-by-side off I-15 (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Reno police launch manhunt for fugitive pawn shop owner (Nevada AP article)

Warrant issued for Mack in wife's death (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Affidavit In Support Of Warrant For Arrest (Reno Gazette-Journal feature)

Gibbons Recognized for Commitment to Nevada's Taxpayers (Rep. Gibbons Press Release)

Porter's Teacher Background Check Legislation Passes House (Rep. Porter Press Release)

Henderson Chamber Of Commerce Endorses Its Mayor

The voice of bidness, Henderson style (Hugh Jackson column, Las Vegas Gleaner)

Tax Cap Proposals

"The place to achieve property real and responsible tax relief is through participation in local government by attendance at city council, school board, and county commission meetings and demanding that elected leaders be prudent with the people's money."

Anti-tax measures great for Nevada's millionaires (Lahontan Valley News* editorial)

Tax And Spending Control (TASC) Initiative

Beers unsure if tax initiative will reach ballot (Nevada Appeal* article)

Elko County

Sheriff candidates face off Thursday (Elko Free Press article)

"Clark County Recorder Frances Deane sold 32 years worth of real estate documents for thousands of dollars and used the cash to pay her bills and purchase a plasma television, according to an arrest warrant issued Tuesday."

Deane faces felony counts: Recorder charged with 19 counts in corruption case (Las Vegas Review-Journal* article)

Mack left 'angry' by divorce settlement, friend says (Reno Gazette-Journal article)

Some unhappy parents post Weller complaints on Web sites (Reno Gazette-Journal article)