Thursday, April 10, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Mercury

Quick and Dirty: A notebook of news and politics

Shades of Chic Hecht?

Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., has embarrassed the state with his proposal to prevent French and German companies from helping to rebuild Iraq after the war is over. This nonsensical idea, prompted by a couple of animated phone calls from hot-headed constituents, also risks offending a significant pool of Las Vegas tourists.

In case Ensign hasn't noticed, French and German tourists are a fairly common sight in Las Vegas, where, in case he didn't notice, we depend quite heavily on tourism for our livelihood. And, by the way, a good number of those French and German tourists have big green dollars to spend here. As a result, sources report, Las Vegas resorts have not been turning away any French or German visitors, but, rather, being nice to them and attempting to make their stay here as comfortable and enjoyable as possible. You know, the usual.

True, the Paris hotel-casino has gotten a little silly by taking down the French flags on its building, a move that prompted some wags to ask, "Why don't they just turn the Eiffel Tower into an oil derrick and change the name to `Texas'?"

So, Ensign joins Rep. Jim Gibbons, another Nevada Republican, in looking stupid concerning France's refusal to go along with President Bush's arrogant war. Gibbons recently suggested that France should be kicked out of the United Nations. One suspects a stronger case could be made for kicking out the United States.--GS

Return of the Boston

Eight months after shutting the doors at its popular Jones Boulevard location, the Boston, ground zero for much of live local music, is set to reopen next month at a new location, 1030 E. Flamingo Road, and with a new vibe. General manager Rob Bassett didn't return phone calls, but the bar's website says the Boston--plugged as "Las Vegas' #1 Live Music Sports Bar Venue"--is slated to kick off May 9 with an all-local band party. Between its name-brand status as a live music destination and proximity to UNLV, the bar should have no problem re-establishing itself; if it's anything like the old Boston, the drinks'll be reasonable, the music roster solid, the crowd friendly. The original location, Bassett has said, was plagued by air-conditioning problems and spats with the landlord. Visit www.thebostonlv.com for more info.--AK

Chemical insecurity

It's an irony only a terrorist could truly snicker at: A nearly $80 million funding package to finance the U.S. war in Iraq and security here on the homefront was stripped last Wednesday of a measure that would have required significant changes at the nation's most dangerous chemical facilities. Senate Democrats Jon Corzine and John Edwards had hoped that, this time--hot on the heels of a General Accounting Office report saying let's get these vulnerable facilities secured NOW--the oft-introduced Chemical Security Act would prevail at last. Alas, it was blocked by Senate Republicans, no doubt acting on behalf of their industry buddies. Now, says Dan Geary of the National Environmental Trust, "it looks like the Bushies are going to introduce their own chemical security act."

Don't know why they'd do that. Corzine's is good: Among other things, it'd demand that facilities assess their vulnerabilities and then switch to less toxic chemicals or, barring that, at least store the stuff underground or off site. Bush's plan, from what's been said so far, would likely focus on beefing up physical barriers. That's fine, but it's going to take a lot more than higher fences and more security guards to keep out those truly bent on mass destruction.--HW

Plane talk

A recent plane crash near North Las Vegas Airport has spurred some area residents to worry aloud that the next errant flying machine could crash into their living room. While most have been careful not to blame the airport per se--after all, it was there first--the tone of comments from nearby residents is that somebody should do something about this frightening situation.

Here's a suggestion: IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT CRASHING AIRPLANES, DON'T LIVE NEAR AN AIRPORT. It couldn't get much simpler than that.--GS

Internet liaison

Barbie has one. The war has one. Stay-at-home moms have one. Xena has one. Elvis has one. And now presidential candidate Howard Dean has one. It's a meet-up site on the Internet, where people can connect to arrange physical, face-to-face meetings once a month in their town to discuss their topic of choice (Barbie, Elvis, war, Dean). Local activist Peggy Maze Johnson, executive director of Citizen Alert, stumbled upon the Dean meet-up website last week--just in time to go to the first meeting the next night at Metro Pizza.

"There were about 17 people there," she says. "A couple of attorneys, a computer expert, a few teachers" and so on. "We talked about how we could raise money" to start a grassroots campaign for Dean for president in Las Vegas.

Maze Johnson, who talked with Dean about Yucca Mountain last year when he came to Las Vegas, says Citizen Alert plans to ask him "for his position papers" before it makes a formal declaration of support. But so far, she says, the physician and former Vermont governor "says the right things."

"His position on the war is great--he was the first Democrat to come out against the war," she says. "And as a doctor, he gives low-income children free medical care."

Dean supporters meet the first Wednesday of every month at 7 p.m., all across the country. To connect with supporters in your town, go to the website at dean2004.meetup.com.--HW

Wet 'n Still Wild

Relax, water lovers, Wet 'n Wild ain't going anywhere. Sonya Robinson, director of sales and marketing for the popular Strip water park, scotched rumors that the business is closing. "Heck no. We'll be here for 2003. We promise to open April 12."

Robinson says preliminary ticket sales are booming and she expects banner business this season. "We're having an awesome year," she says. "Sales of season passes are up." Wet 'n Wild draws tourists and locals alike as the summer temperatures climb above 100 degrees. And Robinson predicts it will stay that way. "The weather's heating up." She says she has no idea who circulated a report that Wet 'n Wild would close and be replaced by a new hotel-casino. "The rumors are always out there."--LW

Local band does good

A spotlight as bright and white as fresh milk shone on two local bands that duked it out Saturday at the Boulevard Mall. The styles of the bands were markedly different. Happy Go Lucky performed funky jazz-rock while Veno Dark Skin played hip hop. Listeners liked both groups, but when the votes were tabulated, Happy Go Lucky was the winner.

"We're really excited," guitarist Dennis Oliver said as fellow band members Brad Gallimore and Christian Ranger nodded and smiled. "This helps get our name out."

Las Vegas is one of 100 American cities participating in the Shake Stuff Up Tour, sponsored by Got Milk?, the promotional arm of the milk industry. In the fall, judges will choose one national winner who will receive a shot at radio airplay and a recording contract. In addition, the winning group's song will be featured in Got Milk? advertisements on MTV.

For the two Las Vegas finalists, just getting to the stage Saturday was an accomplishment. Their CDs were chosen by a panel of judges from among more than two dozen entries. Then, late last week, area residents cast votes for either of the two local bands at local high schools and supermarkets. Voting machines were pink milk chugs, which were equipped with CD players and earphones to enable listeners to sample the music before they voted.

"It's all good, clean fun," says Ashley Devonshire, spokeswoman for Got Milk? "The idea is to get teens to drink more flavored milk, which contains the same nine essential nutrients and vitamins as white milk."--B.S.

Gov't

E-convenience

For those unlucky people who've gotten a traffic ticket, but who are lucky enough to have a computer with Internet access, Las Vegas Municipal Court has launched a pilot program that allows violators to attend traffic school online.

The test began two weeks ago and has two more weeks to be evaluated for the first 100 defendants. The city's information technologies staff and its program contractor are working out the bugs during the four-week period before it ramps up to full operational mode.

Thanks to the online traffic school, violators won't have to be "inconvenienced" by personally attending a class at the cramped "teaching facility" near Rancho Drive and Washington Avenue and instead can sit at home and work off their infraction by watching a monitor. The city says, "Students will benefit from the convenience of taking the class at home with a flexible schedule"--leaving some to ask, "So, where's the penalty?"--FC

Manhole police

A flier is being distributed at Las Vegas City Hall asking city employees to be on late-night lookout for trucks illegally dumping their loads into public manholes. The advisory states that some commercial vacuum trucks are pumping out the contents of grease traps, sand/oil interceptors and septic tanks, which "can result in disastrous consequences." The problems can range from clogged sewer lines to illegal discharges into Lake Mead to "toxic or explosive conditions underneath city streets." The environmental division of the Public Works Department notes that illegal dumping is most likely to occur late at night and away from major streets. Anyone detecting illegal dumping is asked to call 229-6594 and report any suspicious activity.--FC

Zest or Irish Spring?

On rare occasions, a public official will get so caught up in the passion of the moment that he or she will say something unbefitting the setting. That's what happened at the last Las Vegas Planning Commission meeting when Chairman Richard Truesdell cussed, using the word "shitty" to describe the condition of a tire store at Eastern and Stewart avenues where a billboard under review is located.

At the end of the televised meeting, Truesdell left fellow commissioners wondering whether he uses Zest or Irish Spring when he said, "I have to go home and wash my mouth out with soap."--FC