Reporters’ Notebook

A THURSDAY SPLIT DECISION BY THE NEVADA SUPREME COURT expanding protections for stadium operators from foul ball injuries at baseball games had the makings of a great movie. At least if you just considered some of the names involved: the appellant, Kathleen Turner, and one of the seven state Supreme Court justices, Michael Douglas.

The case, and the 4-3 ruling ending her lawsuit for a foul ball injury, however, was anything but a romantic comedy for Turner.

Her attorney, Beau Sterling, said Thursday that Turner would not comment on the decision. "We did speak to her and she is very shaken up about the whole thing," Sterling said.

At least Douglas came down on Turner's side. He was one of three justices who believed Turner should be able to proceed with her lawsuit against Mandalay Sports Entertainment, which operated the stadium where the Las Vegas 51s play at the time of the foul ball incident.

SEAN WHALEY

A SUSPECT IN THE MINXX NIGHTCLUB SHOOTING has yet to be extradited to Las Vegas, but the Renton, Wash., man, Arvin Edwards, is already in a different sort of "Vegas."

He's being held at a Yakima County, Wash., jail, in an area known as "Yakivegas."

The Yakima Valley in south-central Washington got the nickname because of its bright lighted signs -- bright compared to the surrounding rural area that is, according to one resident.

The Web site for a Yakima Valley apparel store pondered the origin of the title: "Is it an irreverent jab at the implied lack of style, nightlife and other forms of amusement that we (wrongly) have a reputation for? Most likely."

UrbanDictionary.com offered this definition for "Yakivegas": "Riddled with crime and gang violence, the depressed area around and including the city are known for a high unemployment rate and low property values."

Either way, it doesn't seem to reflect too well on the real Vegas.

LAWRENCE MOWER

SEN. HARRY REID WAS ON THE PHONE WITH NEVADA TRANSPORTATION LEADERS and some reporters on Tuesday when he was told that Sen. Jim DeMint, R-S.C., had just withdrawn an amendment attacking federal funding for the proposed Nevada-California maglev train.

"We'd beat his ass anyway," Reid said. "That is really good."

The next day DeMint pushed another amendment targeting maglev. Sure enough, it went down 78-18.

STEVE TETREAULT

OSCAR-WINNER KEVIN SPACEY TOLD ASIAN NEWS INTERNATIONAL THAT HE WAS BORED during his time in Las Vegas filming "21."

For the myriads who haven't seen the movie, Spacey plays MIT professor Micky Rosa, who trains his eggheads to count cards and score millions at Las Vegas blackjack tables.

"I've been to Vegas a lot of times over the years, and in a sense I'm over it," Spacey told the media outlet. "We were there about a month. I didn't party and I didn't gamble. You just can't when you're on a movie. I played tennis on the days when I wasn't working."

Bored by Vegas, eh?

Well, Mr. Spacey, Las Vegas will apologize when you apologize for "K-Pax."

MICHAEL SQUIRES

LAS VEGAS MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN FOUND A KINDRED SPIRIT last week -- a horse named (temporarily) BAM, which stands for "Beautiful American Mustang."

The horse was in the City Hall plaza Thursday to promote a contest among elementary school students to find a better name. The contest is aimed at raising awareness of the Mustang Heritage Foundation.

Goodman posed for a picture with BAM, who mostly sat still but at one point moved to get a closer look at the photographer's camera.

"She's a little bit like the mayor," Goodman said. "She sees a camera and starts to go to it!"

ALAN CHOATE

LATER, GOODMAN RETURNED TO HIS LAWYERLY ROOTS when asked about the status of a downtown sports arena.

In February, the council extended negotiations with REI Neon, the arena's would-be developer, until Thursday.

That deadline passed without a further extension, but Goodman said he's meeting with the interested parties this week.

"I don't have any recollections of an April 17 deadline," he said at his weekly news conference.

"The deadline will come and go and I'll be having my meeting next Wednesday."

He insisted the project is moving forward, which it needs to, because the backers of a rival arena plan behind Bally's casino on the Strip say their plan is progressing.

ALAN CHOATE