Reporters’ Notebook

JUST HOW POWERFUL IS MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN?

The question came up during a contentious discussion of an affordable-housing project last week. Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian suggested that city staff might skew a recommendation if it involves something that's an elected official's priority.

That's particularly true with Goodman, she said -- it becomes, "The mayor wants it."

"I don't think you know how powerful you are," Tarkanian said.

The prospect of being called powerful clearly annoyed the mayor. He called two department heads to the podium and asked them to declare that no, in fact, he'd never pressured them to do anything.

"I have no idea how powerful I am," he snapped. "My wife doesn't listen to me."

ALAN CHOATE

DISTRICT JUDGE MICHELLE LEAVITT WAS INTRIGUED recently when a prosecutor in her courtroom described a stolen phone that was equipped with a Global Positioning System. Why, she wondered aloud, would a phone have a GPS? So one could find the phone?

"In this situation, the father had put it on the daughter's phone without her knowledge," the prosecutor explained.

"I love that," Leavitt remarked. "You gotta show me how to do that later."

CARRI GEER THEVENOT

OVERHEARD ON THE SCANNER:

Man A: "Hey, what did you do?

Man B: "I can't tell you or I'll have to kill you."

Man A: "All right, don't tell me then."

Man B: "I think a little plug was loose."

Man A: "Thanks, send us a bill.

Man B: "Who's your daddy?"

COUNTY COMMISSIONER TOM COLLINS WORE A JACKET AND TIE to Tuesday's meeting, where he sat with a bouquet of flowers on the dais in front of him. He offered an explanation during public comment at the Las Vegas Valley Water District board meeting.

"I got married 40 years ago, and my wife got married 40 years ago. That's why I look so handsome and debonair today," he said.

Water district general manager Pat Mulroy quickly replied, "Your wife deserves the flowers."

HENRY BREAN

AN INCIDENT ON THANKSGIVING PROVIDED POTENTIAL FODDER for those anti-smoking ad campaigns. A Las Vegas man got more smoke than he bargained for when he tried to light a cigarette and his oxygen tube caught fire. The man swatted at the flames with a pillow, causing the fire to quickly spread throughout his apartment.

No one was seriously injured in the blaze that caused an estimated $35,000 in damage to the apartment complex.

Nobody said smoking was cheap.

BETH WALTON

A DRUNKEN WOMAN WAS FORCED TO STOP FOR POLICE while driving on Nov. 17, despite persistent attempts to get away from the officer by ramming his patrol car.

"She finally got a flat tire and we were able to get her," said Las Vegas police Lt. Robert Quackenbush.

BETH WALTON

REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE RUDY GIULIANI IS TRAVELING IN STYLE, according to a New York Daily News report last week.

The former New York City mayor is using a Gulfstream IV owned by Las Vegas casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson, the newspaper reported. Giuliani's campaign paid more than $119,000 for use of the jet, according to the story.

The New York Post, the New York Daily News' chief rival, also reported on the jetting Giuliani. And while the tabloids battle tooth and nail to get such scoops, as far as Reporters' Notebook is concerned the real competition comes down to which one has the better headline.

You be the judge.

The News: WELCOME TO AIR RUDY: Prez wanna-be is royally treated by king of Sin City

The Post: RUDY'S A LUXURY JET-$ETTER