Reporters’ Notebook

MARGARET PENSE MADE THE 300-MILE TRIP to Las Vegas to speak out Thursday against a proposed water pipeline that may one day tap groundwater near her home in White Pine County's Snake Valley.

Pense started to cry as she told the Southern Nevada Water Authority board how worried she is about losing her water.

After she left the podium, she headed for the ladies' room to compose herself and exact a little revenge.

"Now I'm going to go flush a toilet down here," Pense said.

HENRY BREAN

OVERHEARD ON THE SCANNER: "They have on black hats and they're fat as hell. They make you and I look skinny."

LAS VEGAS MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN has been in several movies. He has many bobbleheads in his likeness, many caricatures and cartoons featuring him. He was featured in an art installation on Las Vegas Boulevard, and his face smiles down from behind a martini glass on a light pole in the Fremont East District.

But it's just not enough.

At a press event to introduce Green Chips, a nonprofit coordinating clean energy projects, the mayor wasn't satisfied with the green casino-style chips that are to be given as keepsakes to donors.

"I find it very disturbing that my image is not on it," he said, speculating that they would be worth a lot more with his picture.

ALAN CHOATE

AT LEAST HE DIDN'T MENTION THE POLE DANCERS.

Clark County Commissioner Tom Collins, who also is on the county's Debt Management Commission, urged fellow debt commissioners to vote their conscience in approving a $249 million bond program for the Clark County School District.

"If you want a bunch of dumb-ass kids growing up washing dishes and sweeping streets and not being able to go on to college and perform, then don't approve nothing."

JAMES HAUG

AT THE SAME MEETING, CLARK COUNTY COMMISSIONER Steve Sisolak couldn't hide his frustration after a debate about whether a citizen legally could be allowed to speak before the debt management commission.

"We've spent three minutes arguing about whether he should get three minutes," he said.

JAMES HAUG

WARREN HARDY, WHO LOBBIES FOR A BUILDERS' TRADE GROUP, told Clark County commissioners last week why nonunion shops would get an unfair deal under a bidding system that requires unions to participate.

Dozens of supporters in the audience stood and cheered the former state senator's remarks.

The applause did not go unnoticed by Commissioner Rory Reid.

"I just want to note for the record that Warren Hardy never received a standing ovation until he left politics," Reid said.

SCOTT WYLAND