Reporter’s Notebook
NORTH LAS VEGAS MAYOR MICHAEL MONTANDON AND Mayor Pro Tempore William Robinson disagreed Tuesday over the proposed $841.4 million budget for next year. Robinson refused to support the budget because of 32 new nonpublic safety positions, which he couldn't justify in today's economic times.
"If you're going to set public safety out there as a sacred cow, I need you to explain exactly why," Montandon told him.
"I don't think anybody in the city is a sacred cow," Robinson said. "I think public safety is somewhat more necessary than a $211,000 deputy director of utilities."
"You think that now," Montandon said. "But the moment somebody flushes and it doesn't have anywhere to go, trust me, it'll become pretty important."
LYNNETTE CURTIS
THE LAS VEGAS WRANGLERS AND CINCINNATI CYCLONES started a five-game contest for the Kelly Cup this weekend, and as usual there's a little action on the hockey games.
Mayor Oscar Goodman and Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory agreed to bet the Fremont Street Experience against the Ohio River.
"If I win, we'll have a downtown water development here," Goodman said. "If I lose, there's no telling what's going to happen to the Fremont Street Experience back in Cincinnati. Maybe we can just send them Neonopolis."
ALAN CHOATE
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT IN INYO COUNTY was the lead agency on a forensic dig last week at the Death Valley ranch where Charles Manson and his "family" hid out after their 1969 murder spree in Los Angeles.
Police were looking for human remains long rumored to have been at the ranch.
So who did Inyo County find to give daily progress reports on the dig tied to the actions of a doomsday cult leader? A lieutenant by the name of Jim Jones, of course.
HENRY BREAN
WHEN IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE WOULD-BE OWNERS of the Crazy Horse Too gentleman's club didn't have their financing or liquor license application together last week, Goodman unleashed an impromptu lecture on the lawyer representing the men.
"You need to get word to your friends at the marshal's that they'd better run the place," he said. "They have experience. They ran the Mustang Ranch. ... Mustang Ranch, Crazy Horse Too. What's the difference?"
The mayor was referring to the U.S. Marshals. The federal government seized the topless club after its owner pleaded guilty to tax evasion, and the feds also seized the Mustang Ranch brothel near Reno and hoped to operate it to pay off back taxes, once upon a time.
ALAN CHOATE
IN PREPARATION FOR THE MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND, officials at Lake Mead National Recreation Area on Wednesday were to have their annual news conference on safe boating practices. Then the wind came up, and they had to cancel the event because of -- you guessed it -- unsafe boating conditions.
HENRY BREAN
Week In ReviewMore Information
QUOTES "I'm a warranty gal. I always do extended warranties." Assemblywoman Francis Allen, R-Las Vegas Arguing during a legislative subcommittee meeting for extending warranties rather than buying new state computers. It was Allen's first public appearance since being jailed on charges she stabbed her husband with a steak knife. "Nevada, quite frankly, is one of the worst markets. There were a lot of investor loans there that magnified the downturn." Howard Shapiro Vice President, Fox-Pitt Kelton, on why he expects the state's home buyers to face tough standards for awhile NUMBERS 108 the high temperature on Monday,a record for the date 63 the high temperature on Saturday 0 bodies found at Barker Ranch by the Inyo County sheriff's department after excavating 5 possible grave sites 2 Las Vegas' rank nationally for residents' technology know-how 6.3 percent of Nevada high school students who used meth in 2007, compared to 11.7 in 2005 $43,800,000 Judgment against Las Vegas Sands Corp. after a jury determined the company failed to pay businessman Richard Suen for helping secure a Macau casino concession BLOGS VEGAS VOICE: New Kids on the Block are back and set to appear at Mandalay Bay. VEGASLAND: Hooters girls milk bovines for as much free publicity as they can. VIN SUPRYNOWICZ: Forget the "war," legalize hemp and eliminate income tax. SHERM FREDERICK: A prayer for Sen. Edward Kennedy, who was diagnosed with a brain tumor. THE ONLINE GUY - TIDBITS: Make money by searching on the Microsoft Live Search network. THE BOOK NOOK: Reviews of "Lottery," "Apathy and Other Small Victories," "Billy Creekmore," "Careless in Red." Read these and more blogs at www.lvrj.com/blogs.
