REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK

SAYING SOMEONE IS BETTER THAN MOST CLARK COUNTY COMMISSIONERS isn't saying much, considering the tendency of such politicians to end up on the wrong end of criminal prosecutions.

So Clark County Commissioner Bruce Woodbury, leaving office after 27 years because of term limits, doesn't get too excited about tributes paid to him.

"It shouldn't necessarily be a compliment that you stayed out of jail," he said Wednesday as he introduced Republican Rep. Jon Porter at Porter's campaign kickoff in Henderson. "With the commission, that's the way it is sometimes."

MOLLY BALL

WOODBURY SAID HE HAD PUT SOME THOUGHT into his introduction of Porter, whom he's known for nearly 30 years.

He also bounced a few ideas off of Porter's campaign staff.

"I said, 'Would it be OK if I talked about Jon's and my days in uniform?' " Woodbury said. "They said, 'Nah, if you've heard one Boy Scouts story, you've heard 'em all.'"

MOLLY BALL

OVERHEARD ON THE SCANNER: "Once again I didn't hear you because you're talking like a girl."

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY'S ELECTION NIGHT CELEBRATION had some odd stuff going on in the background, at least at the beginning.

Before election results started rolling in, the televisions were tuned to "Entertainment Tonight" and "Insider," both of which featured interviews with John Edwards, the former Democratic senator from North Carolina and one-time vice presidential nominee.

Edwards was talking about his affair with an aide, and the words "cheating scandal" kept appearing on the TV sets.

The sound was off in favor of a deejay, who offered some odd choices to go with the footage: Journey's "Open Arms," "Too Much Heaven" by the Bee Gees and the Eagles singing "I Can't Tell You Why."

All unintentional, but shouldn't someone have changed the channel?

ALAN CHOATE

LAID-BACK LAWMAKER CHAD CHRISTIANSEN watched Tuesday night's primary election results roll in at the Republican victory party at Stoney's country bar.

Wearing an untucked shirt, jeans and sandals, Christiansen said with a straight face, "I take every race seriously."

MAGGIE LILLIS

OVERHEARD ON THE SCANNER:

One officer asks: "Does he have any tattoos?"

Another officer responds: "On his chest he has the words 'Love Mom.'"

LAS VEGAS MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN IS ALWAYS GOING ON AND ON about his favored libation, a martini with Bombay Sapphire gin.

But he doesn't discriminate against other liquors, at least when it comes to space in his office.

A tequila maker visited him recently about opening a high-end distillery in downtown Las Vegas, and as a gift brought a couple of $500 bottles of his finest with him.

Goodman also has a bottle of Russian vodka featuring his picture on display.

"We're getting quite a collection up there," he said.

ALAN CHOATE