14-year-old Alex Smythe remembered as ‘a great kid’

Camouflage cap turned backward, Alex Smythe gave the camera his best teenage tough guy squint. He couldn't quite pull it off.

As more photos appeared during Smythe's memorial service Monday, the handsome young man's sunny, fun-loving personality seemed to warm the Palm Mortuary chapel on an otherwise miserable day.

The 14-year-old loved soccer, hockey, bike riding, playing the drums, and life in general.

"He was a great kid," Smythe's former math teacher Jane Noggle recalled. She taught him at Molasky Middle School. "He had a great sense of humor, and he was a good student. He was just a good kid."

Smythe died Jan. 21 after fighting leukemia. Candlelighters for Childhood Cancer of Southern Nevada assisted with the funeral costs.

At his service, the cool, happy teenager who couldn't quite master a hard stare was remembered as a great friend.

On Monday, with Rabbi Mel Hecht officiating, the chapel overflowed with family members, schoolmates, and a little rock music.

At least one kid arrived at the service by skateboard, which, I'm guessing, Alex would have thought was pretty cool.

RIZZOLO MESS: The seemingly endless saga of former topless club mogul Rick Rizzolo is scheduled to continue today with the trial of James Kimsey, the felon/paralegal who is accused of filing legal documents over Rizzolo's signature.

The trial is scheduled for U.S. District Judge Philip Pro's courtroom.

If Kimsey is found guilty, Rizzolo's days running from his $9 million judgment obligation to paralyzed Kansas tourist Kirk Henry could be near an end.

If that happens, Rizzolo's mess will get much deeper. The list of potential defendants next in line to be charged with attempting to deceive federal authorities will surely make bigger headlines.

TRAIN TROUBLE: It's official: American Magline Group received no dollars in stimulus funding for its proposed Las Vegas-Anaheim train project. With DesertXpress in the political engineer's seat thanks to its relationship with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, tell me you can almost hear people shouting, "Victorville, here we come!"

NO GLOOM, DOOM: There's just no truth to the rumor that this year's Las Vegas Preview economic forecast was held at the Clark County coroner's office. Sponsored by the Las Vegas Chamber of Commerce, Thursday's event was at the Thomas & Mack Center Cox Pavilion and featured best-selling author Steven Levitt and MGM Mirage Chairman Jim Murren.

GOODMAN'S SUPPORT: Las Vegas Mayor Oscar Goodman isn't running for governor, but he said this week he'd be willing to throw his support behind a candidate who would look after the city's best interests.

On the subject of the sorry state of the economy in Nevada, Goodman also said this about the candidates in the race: "I don't have an answer for it, I'll tell you that. And unfortunately I haven't heard an answer for it. Whoever's running had better have an answer for it."

WORLD MARKET: If you're looking for a sign that some business people have faith in the future of the country and the community, look no further than the World Market Center downtown, which starting Feb. 1 will resemble an enormous beehive of activity as thousands of furniture buyers and sellers converge for the Las Vegas Market.

MAKING NEWS: Local singer-songwriter and union carpenter Matt Dorman on Thursday donated to the Nevada History Museum what are thought to be the only copies in existence of the short-lived Desert Daily Sun newspaper, which was published in Las Vegas in 1931.

ON THE BOULEVARD: Now that they've been put on notice in Wednesday's column, you would think North Las Vegas officials would avoid the potential for a major lawsuit by providing better security for their prosecutors who park at Municipal Court. ... Longtime Wall Street gaming company analyst Bill Lerner has been named to the Board of Directors of the Nevada Cancer Institute.

Have an item for the Bard of the Boulevard? E-mail comments and contributions to Smith@reviewjournal.com or call (702) 383-0295. He also blogs at lvrj.com/blogs/smith.