By Michael J. Mishak It was a cultural coup. Frank Gehry, among the world's most renowned living architects, unveiled the designs of his latest project - and it was in Las Vegas. And it wasn't a casino. When Gehry lent his genius to the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute, a medical research center, it marked a big step for Las Vegas. A city born of neon kitsch had evolved to the point that it embraced world-class architecture. Gehry's plans gave 2006 a welcome jolt. But just a month later, Las Vegas was rocked in a different way. Two former Clark County commissioners headed to trial for selling their public offices - to the owner of a topless club, Michael Galardi. The commissioners were convicted, and in the proceedings, Galardi made claims that tainted public servants across the valley. Gehry and Galardi. They symbolized Las Vegas in 2006. One sparkling step forward, one embarrassing step back. In all, Las Vegas made strides in culture, entertainment, business and research last year. The region failed to match those steps in the public arena, as transportation, health and government services - and ethics - faltered. Here, in no particular order, is a look back on elements of the year that was and how the Sun rates them: Gaming Las Vegas' casino kings made record deals to keep the Strip competitive - while exporting Vegas to China. The highlights: From Frank Gehry to Michael Galardi, the Sun analyzes the Las Vegas Valley's high notes, low notes and a lot of notes in between
Las Vegas Sun
Las Vegas Sands became the first when it opened Sands Macau in 2004. Sands is building the almost $2 billion Palazzo next to the Venetian Las Vegas and plans to open its mammoth Venetian Macau before the end of 2007. Sands was also selected for a coveted Singapore gaming license and to build a slot parlor in Bethlehem, Pa. Revenue from Macau casinos surpassed the Las Vegas Strip while construction was also under way on the MGM Grand and other major hotels there. One glaring negative in the year: Wynn Las Vegas adopted a policy allowing dealers' immediate supervisors to share in dealers' tips. Dealers filed suit but a state court dismissed the complaint. Dealers at other casinos fear they might be next. Harrah's accepted a $90-per-share offer from private equity firms Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group - a historic buyout plan fueling interest in private buyouts of publicly traded casino companies. A group of investors led by Station Casinos executives Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta has made a bid to take that company private. Transportation  One word: Gridlock. If you drive at all, you already know about the valley's overtaxed highways, which must make room for about 100 additional vehicles daily. And unless state and regional officials do something soon, the current snail's pace of traffic on congested streets and freeways will slow even more. A state transportation task force suggested in a Dec. 5 report that unless a long-term funding plan is in place, nearly every highway in the valley will be jammed within the next 25 years. At the same time, the state Transportation Department reported that it needs at least $3.8 billion more over the next nine years to build much-needed projects, such as widening portions of Interstate 15 and U.S. 95 in the valley. The task force said the state needs to raise taxes and take other decisive action to pay for the needed improvements. Don't hold your breath. In Nevada, taxes are toxic. So transit officials are considering "Lexus Lanes," carpool lanes that double as toll roads for those riding solo. The year did bring a consolation: The southwest portion of Interstate 215 opened. But gridlock persisted on the Strip, while ridership on the Las Vegas Monorail was sharply lower than projected, prompting Wall Street to downgrade Las Vegas Monorail Co.'s investment rating to "junk bond" status. Hoping for a brighter future, county officials last month approved the Monorail's plans to expand to McCarran International Airport - a move Monorail officials think will ease Strip traffic and put the Monorail on a stronger financial track. Meanwhile, McCarran continued to push growth to the limit. Airport traffic in the first 10 months of 2006 was up 3.7 percent - from 37.1 million to 38.5 million passengers - over the same time last year. Airport officials expect to hit capacity by 2011, and that's assuming that the new $1.8 billion Terminal 3, now being designed, opens as anticipated that year. An environmental study also is under way for a new international airport estimated to cost $7 billion in the Ivanpah Valley, southwest of Las Vegas. That airport, however, won't open in time to relieve McCarran's near-term crunch. Government ethics It was a trying year for Nevada residents who pine for clean government. Allegations of corruption were thrown at judges, former county commissioners, a state senator, a county official, candidates for governor. First, a three-part series in the Los Angeles Times about Nevada judges embarrassed the legal system - and hometown media for not uncovering the abuses. The series focused on nine Las Vegas judges, many of whom routinely accepted campaign donations from attorneys with cases pending before them but rarely disclosed the conflict of interest. Despite what some legal ethics scholars describe as blatant conflicts and misconduct warranting the judges' removal, much of Nevada's legal community responded with nonchalance. On the upside, 2006 saw the conclusion to the County Commission trial, with former Commissioners Dario Herrera and Mary Kincaid-Chauncey both headed to prison for accepting bribes from Michael Galardi. Just before the November election, The Wall Street Journal reported that Rep. Jim Gibbons delivered sweet contracts to a friend, defense contractor Warren Trepp, who took the Gibbons family on a lavish Caribbean cruise - a trip Gibbons didn't report to the House Ethics Committee. Days later, voters elected Gibbons governor, looking past not just that, but assault allegations and other charges as well.
Environment Environmentalists on the national level scored huge victories in the November elections and Silver State activists have reason to hope. Nationally, the No. 1 target of numerous environmental groups was Rep. Richard Pombo, a California Republican known for his opposition to the Endangered Species Act and the National Environmental Policy Act. Pombo was defeated by a clean-energy activist. Pombo's good friend on the House Resources Committee was Jim Gibbons - who defeated his Democratic rival for governor, state Sen. Dina Titus, a champion of conservation. Both Gibbons and Pombo have been friends to Nevada's powerful hard rock gold and metal mining industry, but that industry could take a hit with an overhaul of federal rules governing hard rock mining that would include steps to better protect the environment. Nevada miners, however, will have a friend in the Governor's Mansion. Although Gibbons received his strongest support from rural Nevada voters, he is not likely to embrace the environmentalists' battle against the Southern Nevada Water Authority's plan to tap rural water for metropolitan Las Vegas. While rural voters are concerned about the Water Authority's effort, opposition is centered over White Pine County, with a population of about 10,000. On the other hand, the captains of industry and labor in Las Vegas have lined up to support the Water Authority's plans. The Water Authority says it needs the water to keep up with growth - and to keep the Southern Nevada economy growing at a rapid pace. The environmentalists can hope that with Democratic control of Congress, tax credits and subsidies for alternative energy will get a boost. With the state rich in solar, wind and geothermal energy sources, Nevada could become a model for clean, alternative energy development. Real Estate The Las Vegas real estate boom went bust. New-home sales dropped sharply in the spring, prompting builders to offer lavish incentives, which in some cases were valued at more than $25,000. Pools, vacations and even cars were offered to buyers but it wasn't enough to halt the market slide. Condo conversions also cooled. The construction workforce took a hit. In the end, irrational exuberance created more housing than the market could stand. There was other bad news: Nevada received the unflattering distinction of having the second-highest foreclosure rate in the nation. Exotic loans have led to high mortgage rates. But 2006 also brought a bright spot: After decades of urban sprawl, Clark County finally moved to establish a think tank to oversee growth and land planning. With luck, Southern Nevada might see fewer big boxes and more big ideas. And the flip side of a bad housing market for sellers is a better housing market for buyers. Public Safety  Popular Sheriff Bill Young bowed out of the sheriff's race, and voters replaced him with Undersheriff Doug Gillespie - not millionaire businessman Jerry Airola, whose law enforcement credentials were suspect. The Las Vegas crime landscape isn't encouraging. Metro had more than 20 officer-involved shootings in 2006, up from 12 the previous year. Metro administrators have several explanations for the increase: Officers are younger and thus inexperienced; officers are spooked after the Feb. 1 murder of Metro Officer Henry Prendes; officers are encountering more armed suspects. Unfortunately, there is no data to back up any of the claims, and so the troubling question remains: Why did cops shoot so many people in 2006? The death of Swuave Lopez, a teenager who was shot and killed by police while running handcuffed from a patrol car, is now the subject of an FBI investigation. So is the death of James Lewis, who was fatally Tasered. Their deaths also have raised questions about whether the coroner's inquest process is flawed. An inquest jury ruled that the officers who shot Lopez, for example, were justified. Nevada was ruled the "Most Dangerous State" for the third consecutive year by research firm Morgan Quinto. Metro Police argue that the statistics the firm uses are skewed by the constant tides of tourists to Las Vegas - a way of arguing, essentially, that tourists, not Nevadans, are the problem. In more encouraging news, Metro Police seem to be making a dent in Las Vegas' dismal car theft problem. In 2005, the city was ranked second in the country for per-capita auto theft. In the past year, police began employing different tactics to combat the thefts and recently started to see the numbers decline. Outside of Metro, the Nevada Highway Patrol scored a coup in August when Trooper Eddie Dutchover pulled over fugitive polygamist leader Warren Jeffs, who was on the FBI's Ten Most Wanted list. Sports Despite the conspicuous absence of a major sports franchise, Las Vegas is still the place for big-time events. (Think NBA-All Star Game and Vegas Grand Prix in 2007.) It also continues to enjoy the exploits of a surprising number of locally grown, first-rate athletes. Las Vegas tennis icon Andre Agassi made his swan song a memorable one, advancing to the third round of the U.S. Open before giving a tearful farewell speech that had most of Flushing Meadows weeping along with him. If the Tennis Channel Open, which marked the return of big-time pro tennis to Las Vegas in February, needs a wild card to fill the draw, we know whom it should invite first. Another local headed for his sport's Hall of Fame, Greg Maddux, pitched for two major league teams (Cubs and Dodgers) and signed with a third (Padres) before the end of the year. But regardless of the color of his uniform, Maddux proved he can still get guys out as a 40-year-old. In the city's biggest events of the year, boxers Manny Pacquiao and Erik Morales went toe-to-toe in two savage fights and Jose Luis Castillo failed to make weight for his much-anticipated third bout against Diego Corrales. Mixed martial arts filled local arenas, emerging as a threat to boxing with the fistic crowd. Jamie Gold of Malibu, Calif., won the $12 million top prize in the World Series of Poker at the Rio but was sued for half the money by an acquaintance who claims they had a verbal agreement to split any winnings. The fate of the $6 million remains in dispute as the case makes its way through the legal system. In auto racing, Las Vegas Motor Speedway spent a bazillion dollars on improvements in the hope of landing a second NASCAR Nextel Cup race while NASCAR fans found a gazillion reasons not to like upstart drivers Kurt Busch and his brother Kyle of Las Vegas. It seemed like a big deal when Team USA moved its basketball training camp here and played its only exhibition game before the World Championships in Japan against Puerto Rico at the Thomas & Mack Center. It became slightly less of a big deal when the NBA millionaires were knocked off by Greece in the medal round. But a lot of those guys will be back for the NBA All-Star Game in February, which is a big deal for Las Vegas. So if they sign a few autographs for the locals, all will probably be forgiven. In other peach basket news, major college basketball finally returned to town, although UNLV had nothing to do with it. Defending national champion Florida and perennial Final Four contender Kansas met in a spectacular overtime game played before a frenzied sold-out crowd at the Orleans, reminding local fans of what big-time college hoops looks and feels like. In addition, 2006 will be remembered as the year that Las Vegas took it to the streets, or the parking lots: There was the second installment of the New Las Vegas Marathon and the announcement of the Vegas Grand Prix, which will see 200-mph race cars roaring through downtown in April. And who can forget X-games star Mike Metzger's spectacular flying leap over the fountains at Caesars Palace and his safe landing on the other side? Spectacular isn't a word anyone would use to describe a darker spot on the local sports scene: UNLV athletics. The football team was so bad at the end of the year that people in high places were questioning what to do with the program if it doesn't improve. The once-proud Rebels basketball program continued to wallow in mediocrity during the 2005-06 season, while showing surprising promise at the beginning of the 2006-07 season, compiling a 12-2 record by Dec. 28. Compassion Las Vegans rich and not so rich opened their wallets for a variety of good causes. But the city famously generous to its high-stakes winners treated its downtrodden poorly in '06, giving the city a black eye nationally. The dizzying "Power of Love" auction and concert starring Vanessa Williams, a benefit held in February at the MGM Grand for the Keep Memory Alive Foundation - the fundraising organization for the Lou Ruvo Brain Center - raised $20 million. The final tally set a record for money raised during a single fundraising event, thanks in part to two dog houses designed by Frank Gehry that went for $350,000 each. And, almost without peer among celebrity athletes in the philanthropic arena, Andre Agassi held his 11th annual Grand Slam for Children auction and concert - headlined this year by Phil Collins - in October at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. The event drew an audience of about 8,000 and raised $8.6 million. Over the years Agassi has raised nearly $61 million to benefit at-risk youth in Southern Nevada. The homeless were not so fortunate. Las Vegas, with Mayor Oscar Goodman leading the charge, passed an ordinance that made it a crime to feed the homeless in city parks. The city also instituted a ban on sleeping within 500 feet of feces. Both measures were challenged. The feeding ordinance was thrown out by a court and the city repealed the feces measure. The message to the homeless was clear - keep moving. Citing safety reasons, the city also closed a public park, which happened to be a congregating point for the homeless. Pure coincidence, officials insisted. As those events played out, the valley's three housing authorities created no new affordable housing, and spent most of their time dealing with corruption, mismanagement and inefficiency. To make matters worse, several low-rent apartment complexes closed after slumlords were found to have kept them in deplorable conditions. The only bright spot was a $4 million program to house the hard-core homeless and help them obtain ongoing care. Day laborers also had a bad year. Local governments, led by Clark County, promised to find a solution to day laborers gathering on corners, which upsets business owners and neighborhood residents. Nothing happened, though, and instead day laborers became the target of a crime wave. Also during the year, the valley's once biggest nonprofit organization, the Economic Opportunity Board, finally folded. Created as part of the 1960s War on Poverty, the board collapsed under the weight of years of mismanagement and shoddy services. So far, no comparable group has taken its place, and many programs still are being reshuffled. ELECTIONS  It was a battle of the sexes. Democratic women versus Republican men. And, with the exception of gubernatorial candidate Dina Titus, who blamed sexism in part for her loss to Republican Jim Gibbons, the Democratic ticket won most of the statewide races. Three of the state's six constitutional offices are now held by Democratic women: Treasurer Kate Marshall, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto and Controller Kim Wallin. A fourth Democrat, Ross Miller, became at age 30 the youngest secretary of state in the nation. Republican Brian Krolicki, term-limited as state treasurer, won his bid for lieutenant governor. He joined Gibbons as the only Republicans elected to statewide offices. In federal races, the self-described "three amigas" - Democrats Tessa Hafen, Jill Derby and Rep. Shelley Berkley - gave the Republicans a run. Still, despite the strong challenges from first-time candidates, Republicans Jon Porter and outgoing Secretary of State Dean Heller topped their opponents to keep two of the state's three House districts red. For her part, Berkley easily turned away a challenge from unknown bail enforcement agent Kenneth Wegner in her Las Vegas-based district. Escaping the national Republican slaughter, Sen. John Ensign steamrolled his Democratic challenger, Jack Carter, son of former President Jimmy Carter. On a local level, organized labor sent a strong message to politicians in Southern Nevada. Clark County Commissioners Lynette Boggs McDonald and Myrna Williams lost their seats this year, mostly because they crossed some of the region's most powerful unions. The two found themselves in the cross hairs of relentless, coordinated campaigns, which turned out to be particularly damaging to Boggs McDonald. A rising Republican star, she lost by one of the largest margins ever suffered by a commission incumbent. Assemblywoman Chris Giunchigliani and Clark County School Board member Susan Brager will replace Williams and Boggs McDonald, respectively. The Vegas Image Old Vegas gave way to New Vegas in 2006. The Klondike Inn, just east of the "Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas" sign on Las Vegas Boulevard, was shuttered in June when longtime owner John Woodrum was forced to sell because of escalating property taxes. Now, one of the city's enduring - if somewhat rickety - gambling haunts will be leveled in favor of yet another high-rise project, set to begin construction by the spring. The closing of the Stardust was handled gracefully as owner Bill Boyd waxed nostalgic with customers and employees until the doors were locked for good on Nov. 1. The final show, starring Vegas icons Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme, was tasteful, poignant and loads of fun. After months of negotiations, the Aladdin/Planet Hollywood secured a deal to bring the Miss America pageant back to Las Vegas for a second consecutive year. Well-compensated celebrities continued to use Las Vegas nightclubs as a playground, and in return those nightclubs, including Pure at Caesars Palace and Tao at the Venetian, gained extensive media coverage across the country. As a result, scenesters with disposable income have lifted clubs into direct competition with ticketed shows, many of which have been forced to close or shift show times because of dwindling audiences. Bucking the trend, the Beatles tribute "Love" debuted at the Mirage as a hit. The premiere drew an eclectic collection of celebs, including the surviving ex-Beatles and Siegfried and Roy. Oscar existing as a rustic subset of The Vegas Image
The self-described "happiest mayor in the world" added a layer of tarnish to Las Vegas' reputation for his treatment of the down-and-out. But he also landed two top-tier sporting events for Las Vegas, championed the city's downtown revitalization - and drew a sharp moral line. Oscar Goodman supported an ordinance - approved by the City Council - that prohibited passing out sexually explicit fliers and other leaflets on Fremont Street. Civil rights activists argued that the ordinance violated free speech and the courts agreed, ruling it unconstitutional. Seeking to clean up downtown further, Goodman led the crackdown on the homeless, supporting the ordinance to prohibit feeding them in city parks, arguing that the practice discouraged the needy from seeking food from agencies that could offer more long-term help. That notion was a bit more compassionate than one of his past ideas: Moving the homeless to an abandoned prison 30 miles outside the city. He also proposed putting graffiti "artists" in public stocks - he called them friendly stocks - so the public could dab paint in their faces. Goodman was instrumental in securing the 2007 NBA All-Star Game and the Vegas Grand Prix. He hopes that a successful All-Star Game will help build support to bring an NBA team to town, a project for which mayoral fervor burns especially brightly. NBA officials, though, have made it clear that so long as casino sports books accept wagers on pro basketball games, the league won't be coming to town permanently. The mayor remains confident, but for now the smart money says don't bet on it. The mayor also has been pushing for an arena to house a team. Even without a pro franchise, the arena is needed, Goodman says. Health Defying already low standards, Las Vegas' health care diagnosis turned critical in 2006. A report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed that nearly a third of Clark County's children between ages 19 months and 35 months are not vaccinated at recommended levels - lower than any urban area in the nation. The booming city also faces a severe shortage of physicians, who one-by-one seem to be opening fee-based concierge practices with a limited number of patients. On the plus side, Las Vegas won't have to endure any more secondhand smoke in restaurants. In a move that jeopardized Nevada's libertarian reputation, voters approved a statewide ban on smoking in all places except casino floors and bars that don't have food licenses. Several for-profit hospitals and insurance companies earned a black eye with two high-profile disputes. At year's end, about 600,000 patients covered by Sierra Health Services, the state's largest insurance provider, will not be covered at the four Sunrise Health facilities. Both companies in the dispute paint the other as the bully, but the real victims will be patients if the contract ends. Sunrise provides the only pediatric heart specialists in the state, so Sierra kids need to stay healthy. Also, Sierra patients could cause overcrowding in other local hospitals. A contract dispute between the nurses and technicians of the Service Employees International Union Local 1107 and the Valley Health System turned ugly as well. Workers were locked out from Valley Hospital Medical Center and Desert Springs Hospital for two days in December until politicians intervened, forcing hospital officials to agree to a 60-day cooling-off period, which is under way. Entertainment Broadway took a slap in the face from Las Vegas audiences this year, dampening hopes for the city to become Broadway West. But that was the only blemish in a year that saw Cirque du Soleil productions spreading like kudzu. Joining its four Cirque brethren this year was "Love," the Beatles tribute at the Mirage. There also was talk that "Mind Freak" magician Criss Angel and Cirque are going to enter into a partnership for a show at the Luxor. And of course Cirque will be producing a "Love"-like Elvis tribute for MGM Mirage at the Project CityCenter, but that won't be ready for several years. Las Vegas continued to offer some great non-Cirque shows, many of which you don't have to mortgage the house and kids to see. But the notion of Broadway West took a hit. The first show to go down because of weak ticket sales was "Avenue Q," the hit Broadway production stolen from a possible national tour by Steve Wynn, who wanted exclusive rights to put the adult-oriented puppet show in his Wynn Las Vegas. However, Wynn expresses confidence that his next stab at Broadway - "Spamalot" - will fare better and is still planning to bring it to town. A good move for Monty Python fans, but are there enough of them to keep this farce from also taking a walk down "Avenue Q"? The second big-time production to go under was "Hairspray" at the Luxor. In short: A wonderful show, full of energy, that flopped for no good reason. The failures of "Hairspray" and "Avenue Q" have created some debate among the prognosticators of what's good for Las Vegas entertainment - what will and won't withstand the test of audience approval. At this point, it's anybody's guess. "Phantom, the Las Vegas Spectacular" has wowed critics and a lot of fans, but no one knows whether the numbers are sufficient to keep the musical from suffering the same fate as "Hairspray." To be sure, it's a more expensive production and producers aren't likely to pull the plug anytime soon. Just around the corner is Mel Brooks' "The Producers," supposedly opening sometime after the first of the year. Another valiant effort to bring Broadway west, but can it succeed where others have failed? Arts The city of neon shtick is finally building the kinds of cultural institutions that will move Las Vegas toward becoming a cosmopolitan city. Hold the laugh track, for now. Seriously. The Las Vegas Philharmonic introduced two of its three guest conductors vying to replace the departing musical director, Hal Weller. Judging by the skills of David Commanday, who led the orchestra through an evening of Rossini, Corigliano, Sarasate and Beethoven in October, and David Itkin, who presented works by Berlioz, Barber and Prokofiev for a November program, Las Vegas has a pretty exciting symphonic future. Both performances were solid. We should know who the new director will be in February, following a visit from Peter Rubardt, the third guest conductor. In January, the Las Vegas Art Museum opened "Southern California Minimalism." The exhibit was the first official show brought in by the museum's new director Libby Lumpkin and would define its new direction as a contemporary art institution. Its current exhibit, "Frank Gehry Designs the Lou Ruvo Brain Institute," is equally professional and educational. Sandwiched in between were shows by Belgian painter Cindy Wright, Martin Mull and Roy Lichtenstein (organized prior to Lumpkin's arrival). The museum is building a permanent collection, working toward accreditation and is planning to build a new branch. This is the kind of expertise and effort Las Vegas needs if it wants to enter the international art world. The Las Vegas Performing Arts Center Foundation selected David Schwarz as its architect of record for its design team for the Smith Center for the Performing Arts. Both the building's design and use draw criticism. Local architects complained that Schwarz's notoriously neoclassical style will be a terrible fit for Las Vegas - or anywhere else in the 21st century. The Las Vegas Philharmonic was allowed little say in the project, and there is concern that nonprofit organizations won't be able to afford the center, planned for downtown's Union Park. Some argue that Myron Martin, president of the foundation, places too little interest in community groups and too much emphasis on touring musicals, which already have proved unsuccessful in Las Vegas. The $250 million project is a public-private relationship, with some of the funds coming from the city's car rental tax. Groundbreaking won't occur until 2008, but the secretive behavior of those involved has created some skepticism. The best news regarding the center is that Candy Schneider, who was well respected as assistant director of the School Community Partnership Program, will be the center's director of education and outreach. Higher Education With their hearts in the right place, Southern Nevada's higher education institutions strived to improve in 2006, with varying degrees of success. The biggest event of the year was the January ouster of UNLV President Carol Harter, who had spent 11 years at the helm of the university. Harter and Chancellor Jim Rogers had been butting heads for months, and Rogers had quietly worked with UNLV Foundation trustees to push her out and into a new think tank at the college. Rogers had similarly pressured John Lilley, UNR's former president, to find other work, which he did, outside of Nevada. If it was time for the two presidents to go, as Rogers contends, then the ousters may have been a painful but positive step to move the two universities forward. But Rogers' top-down management style raised questions about whether there was more to it than that. In May, regents bungled the hiring of Harter's successor by ignoring faculty concerns and opting for a three-star general from West Point. When the general declined, regents opted to hire the runner-up, David Ashley, provost of the University of California, Merced. Ashley, who had been the pick of many professors because he had built a research university from scratch, could be just what the college needs as it tries to raise UNLV's research capability. With only six months on the job, Ashley hasn't done much more than guide the ship. Time will tell. UNLV suffered its share of embarrassments during a tumultuous year. Its Institute for Security Studies proved itself to be much better at securing dollars - $8.9 million in grants over the past three years, mostly in federal funding - than in attaining its goal of making the university a leading academic authority on homeland security. The university also endured embarrassing headlines as 10 students at its School of Dental Medicine forever tainted the rest of the first graduating class by stealing a professor's password to sign off on their own clinic work. A failed partnership with a private orthodontics company also sent the school scrambling to make up revenue for its orthodontics program. And even as the UNLV Foundation embarked on an unprecedented $500 million campaign, it exaggerated its fundraising dollars. Turnover at the foundation continues to be a major problem, further hurting the college's fundraising. Still, giving is up from previous years. Better news on the higher education scene: The Community College of Southern Nevada pursued multiple private-public partnerships, including a creative new venture to build a campus in the northwest corner of the Las Vegas Valley. Education The Clark County School District served valley students well in 2006, effectively coping with record growth as well as rising campus crime. By most accounts, choosing Walt Rulffes, the in-house candidate, as Clark County School District superintendent proved to be a wise choice for the Clark County School Board. Rulffes will be a respected, familiar face for the district at the 2007 legislative session. He has also shown a willingness to give individual campuses more freedom, namely through his "empowerment schools" initiative. The district's pass rate jumped from 33 percent to 52 percent in a single academic year. But the state's benchmarks, in compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind Act, will increase next year, making it more difficult for schools to hit the standardized testing targets. When Gov. Kenny Guinn set aside $100 million for educational initiatives (including $22 million for full-day kindergarten programs), public schools cheered. But a commission that reviewed the grant requests was criticized for its work: Although some schools submitted identical proposals, one campus would be denied money and the other would receive the funds. Also, awarding $1.8 million for personnel in the Clark County School District's human resources department brought a sharp response from lawmakers. The money was intended for programs and services more directly benefiting students, said Assemblywoman Bonnie Parnell, D-Carson City, co-chair of the Legislative Committee on Education. A record number of weapons were seized from students in the first four months of the academic year, and campus crime - from fist fights to incidents involving guns - is on the rise. On the upside, School Police received a long overdue raise, bringing salaries closer in line with municipal law enforcement agencies. District officials hope this will stem the exodus of experienced officers who leave for jobs with Henderson, North Las Vegas and Metro Police. A legislative audit was generally favorable to the Clark County School District, singling out its fiscal operations for praise. But a key recommendation, that the district save $350 million in land costs over five years by requiring developers to set aside parcels for schools, requires action by the Legislature, not the School Board. Sun reporters Marshall Allen, Liz Benston, Tony Cook, J. Patrick Coolican, Jerry Fink, Abigail Goldman, Mark Hansel, Ron Kantowski, John Katsilometes, Christina Littlefield, Kristen Peterson, Tim Pratt, Launce Rake, Emily Richmond and Brian Wargo contributed to this story. Problems or questions? |
