Reporters’ Notebook

NEVER LET IT BE SAID THAT LAS VEGANS AREN'T READERS AND HOBBYISTS.

Las Vegas police Sgt. John Loretto had this to say on the discovery of ricin in a motel room Thursday: "We don't know that there was any criminal intent on anybody's part. It could have been somebody that was reading a book who wanted to try to make something."

MARY HYNES

NEWBIE LAS VEGAS CITY COUNCILMAN RICKI BARLOW WAS THE TARGET on Tuesday of some good-natured ribbing about his immaculate suit, tie and matching periwinkle pocket hankie.

At the grand opening of Catholic Charities of Southern Nevada's new Employment Services Center, Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly, who was sporting a brown sweater-vest, called Barlow "the best-dressed city councilman."

Monsignor Patrick R. Leary, Catholic Charities' executive director, said Barlow was "so nicely dressed" that he's been asked to teach a class on "dressing for success" at the charity's campus. The monsignor, clad in a black suit and traditional priest's collar, complained that he never gets that kind of attention.

"No one asked me to teach about dressing for success, and I don't know why," he said.

Barlow was, figuratively, red-faced.

"If I were lighter, I would be blushing," he said. "It's very difficult to embarrass me, but I stand before you as a black man embarrassed today."

LYNNETTE CURTIS

IT'S NICE TO KNOW A SEAT ON THE NEVADA SUPREME COURT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY ERASE ONE'S SENSE OF IRONY.

Last Wednesday, NASCAR driver Robby Gordon and Tom Flocco, the president of Beam Global Spirits & Wine Inc., makers of Jim Beam bourbon, gathered at the Regional Justice Center with several Nevada judges and justices to talk about Nevada's DUI courts.

Most people know Gordon is famous for driving at breakneck speeds, and Jim Beam's booze has a reputation for getting people very, very drunk. Nevada Supreme Court Justice Mark Gibbons noted this during the news conference.

"Even though Jim Beam does sell alcohol and does promote fast driving, I would note they promote safe drinking by adults and the fast driving is confined to the race course," Gibbons said.

DAVID KIHARA

JUST WHO IS SPEAKING FOR GOV. JIM GIBBONS THESE DAYS?

Director of Communications Brent Boynton quit last October and never was replaced. No. 2 spokesperson, Melissa Subbotin, announced two weeks ago she was quitting, effective Friday.

On Thursday, she wrote a news release about the death in Reno of Nevada Highway Patrol trooper Kara Kelly-Borgognone. The release carried a Washington, D.C., dateline, and her cell phone number had been changed to the 202 area code.

Calls to the number were met with a message stating she no longer worked for Gibbons.

On Friday, when reporters called Gibbons' office for comment on state matters, they were referred by staff secretaries to Las Vegas political consultant Jim Denton, who ran Gibbons' 2006 campaign.

"Is he the press secretary?" a reporter asked.

"He is this week," one Gibbons staffer said.

Denton said he thought reporters were joking when they called him to speak on the governor's behalf. He then announced he was immediately resigning as acting press secretary.

"My position was short-lived," said Denton, hoping to avoid excessive telephone calls from reporters.

The real acting press secretary is longtime Las Vegas newsman Dan Burns, whose full-time job is spokesman for the Department of Public Safety.

ED VOGEL

REP. SHELLEY BERKLEY, WHOSE PERSONALITY is as colorful as her outfits, has a new campaign logo that may finally do the Las Vegas Democrat justice. Berkley, who in the past has had her likeness put on poker chips for a campaign souvenir, showcased it on banners overhanging the stage at the recent Clark County Democratic Convention and on free T-shirts.

MOLLY BALL

THOUGH THE THEME OF LAS VEGAS' AERIAL GALLERY, a year-long art display on Las Vegas Boulevard, is "Thirst," the artist had a different kind of beverage in mind than the one focused on by Mayor Oscar Goodman.

Most of the artwork focuses on water and how it's used in Nevada. Goodman, however, pointed to a panel featuring someone drinking at a bar and superfluously mentioned that he really likes the giant neon martini glass on Fremont Street.

It was all related to "the power of drink and the quenching of thirst," he said.

"Nobody appreciates thirst like I do," said the martini-mad mayor at the exhibit's dedication Thursday. "In fact, in about 50 minutes my liver will begin to quiver."

Actually, try five minutes.

Though it was only a little past 4 p.m., shy of his customary 5 p.m. alcohol kickoff, Goodman hoisted a martini from the Downtown Cocktail Room to lead a toast to artist Ivan Brunetti and his work.

ALAN CHOATE

BYRON GOYNES, CHAIRMAN OF THE LAS VEGAS PLANNING COMMISSION, got a little ahead of himself Thursday night.

Procedure called for opening a public hearing on what was thought to be a routine item. He opened the hearing, asked for comment, and then closed the hearing in the space of about five seconds, too fast for the wannabe speakers to even stand up.

He caught his gaffe, though, and reopened the hearing.

"This is a NASCAR weekend," he said by way of apology. "I may have been on the throttle."

ALAN CHOATE