Week in Review: Reporters’ Notebook

The new free speech climate at the Fremont Street Experience means people are free to hand out risque escort service advertisements downtown, even if the city approves a new ordinance about conduct at the tourist attraction.

"We can't even, from what I understand from our city attorney, hold the pamphleteer responsible if litter is created," Mayor Oscar Goodman said. "We could hold the person who receives the material responsible if they throw it down."

But don't worry, folks. If the cards do wind up on the ground, Goodman said, tourists won't be ticketed for tossing them there.

But you should use a trash can anyway.

ALAN CHOATE

Great Basin College President Carl Diekhans was introducing himself and his college to newly elected members of the Board of Regents. He was bragging about a program at the Elko community college when he said, "It's a liberal arts program, but in rural Nevada, you don't use the word liberal."

The room full of academics, of course, burst into laughter.

RICHARD LAKE

The Nye County School District maintains a house in Tonopah for use by the superintendent. It was built in the 1930s and still has a lot of the original stuff inside, said Superintendent Rob Roberts.

The yard is not as quaint.

A few years ago a hole was discovered about 15 feet from the house that turned out to be a 400-foot vertical shaft. It was a remnant of the old mining days, but Roberts joked that it could be used for something else: getting rid of school chiefs who outstay their welcome.

" 'Yeah, he disappeared,' " he said with a laugh. " 'We don't know where he went.' "

HENRY BREAN

Bob Irwin, owner of The Gun Store in Las Vegas, said he didn't see a spike in business immediately after the shooting rampage in Tucson, Ariz.

Gun sales might go up if there is a serious discussion of new restrictions, he said, but he doesn't think that will happen. Instead, he expects the usual people to introduce the usual gun-control legislation and not much to come of it.

"When a drunk driver kills six people, you don't really have anyone trying to ban cars," Irwin said.

HENRY BREAN