WEEK IN REVIEW: Reporters’ notebook

WAS SOMEONE SENDING A SIGNAL AT WEDNESDAY'S LAS VEGAS CITY COUNCIL MEETING? Attorney David Chesnoff, representing Towbin Hummer in the giant-flag flap that's pitted car dealer Dan Towbin against Councilwoman Lois Tarkanian, conspicuously placed a large cardboard box on the speaker's table as he addressed the council. Written in large type on all four sides of the box was the word "Recall."

Asked later about the box, Chesnoff denied there was any intended subliminal message, saying to a reporter, "Young man, you're not going to write about that."

DAVID McGRATH SCHWARTZ

A LIGHT-HEARTED LOCAL ASSOCIATED PRESS STORY ABOUT SECOND-GRADERS AT WRIGHT ELEMENTARY SCHOOL OBJECTING TO THE GREEN BEANS served in the school's cafeteria didn't sit so well with at least one reader of the Review-Journal.

"This little brat uprising could have been nipped in the bud with another menu item: a taste of my belt!" wrote reader Burch Spelton.

DAVID KIHARA

IMAGINE PAHRUMPIANS' SHOCK WHEN THEY PICKED UP THEIR WEDNESDAY NEWSPAPER AND SAW "GIBBONS GETS LIFE SENTENCE: Parole possible after 40 years" on the front page.

Turns out it wasn't that Gibbons. The story was about a 17-year-old, Tyler Aaron Gibbons of Pahrump, who was convicted of first-degree murder.

WE'RE NOT LAWYERS HERE AT WEEK IN REVIEW, BUT THAT DOESN'T STOP US FROM ADMINISTERING SOME FREE LEGAL ADVICE from time to time. For example, we would recommend a "no contest" plea for two men who were arrested near Boulder City on July 22 after a break-in at a federally owned electrical substation.

Boulder City Police Chief Thomas Finn said the men had "copper hanging out the back" of their small SUV when they were caught driving away from a hole that had been cut in the fence at the high-voltage facility.

"It was kind of funny, actually," Finn said. "As they took off, the copper was unwinding from the spool across the desert."

HENRY BREAN

COMEDY CENTRAL'S "THE DAILY SHOW" RECENTLY DID SOME TREND-WATCHING ON THE STRIP, NOTING THE USE OF MOBILITY SCOOTERS BY ABLE-BODIED LAS VEGAS TOURISTS.

"Daily Show" correspondent Jason Jones pitted an able-bodied scooter user, Chris Flexhaug, against Paul Martin, the president of Nevadans for Equal Access and a wheelchair-user.

"I definitely think it's my right to ride the mobility scooter," said a too-polished-to-be-believable Flexhaug. "You can roll right up to the (gaming) table; if you're out on the Strip, give rides to ladies."

Martin shot back:

"I think it's outrageous that these perfectly healthy individuals are renting these mobility devices. ... Laziness is not recognized as a disability."

Jones then decided to give the mobility scooters a try.

"It's easy to see how a scooter could enhance the Las Vegas experience," he said, as footage showed him running a scooter into a performing Celine Dion.

He then took his act poolside. After driving in circles and pretending to be intoxicated, Jones is asked to leave by a security guard.

"This is a strict violation of the ADA -- Americans with Disinclination to Walk Act," Jones yells at the guard.