DISTRICT SUPERINTENDENT WALT RULFFES was missing in action from the board meeting Thursday. He was off hiking, but he swore it wasn't along the Appalachian Trail, metaphorical or otherwise. He said he "was on an educational trip to Zion National Park" with his granddaughter.

JAMES HAUG

OVERHEARD ON THE SCANNER: "When you talk to him, will you let him know he doesn't need to treat his operator, aka me, like dirt?"

AS SIGRID BRUNEL, 70, and Argentina Kapp, 49, socialized with other lesbians Thursday evening in a ballroom at the Rio, where a gathering was held to note the passing of a domestic partnership law in Nevada, a reporter asked the Las Vegas couple whether they planned to register as partners. Sure, they said, they'd register as soon as Nevada passed a domestic partnership law. But, you know, that's what this event is for, the reporter said. "Here in Nevada?" Kapp asked. Yes, really, reported the reporter. Still incredulous, Kapp added, "So it did pass, huh?" Brunel laughed and said the pair had been "living in the clouds."

CARRI GEER THEVENOT

LAST WEEK, LAS VEGAS MAYOR OSCAR GOODMAN was looking forward to joining the cast of The Soprano's Last Supper for a limo ride and a toast to the performance at the Tropicana.

"I'll give them a toast and welcome the mob back to Las Vegas," Goodman said.

ALAN CHOATE

STATE SUPREME COURT JUSTICE KRIS PICKERING drove her Mercedes Benz station wagon through the front of a local UPS store last week, demolishing the place. No one was hurt. Pickering said the accelerator stuck. There go her hopes of driving for UPS after her judgeship. There go her chances of replacing David Ragan in the No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion in NASCAR's Sprint Cup series. There go her hopes of opening a rival drive-through.

MAGGIE LILLIS

A LISTING OF POWERFUL SOUTHERN NEVADANS who have not been quoted in the Review-Journal in several days, thus allowing wildly irresponsible speculation as to whether they were "hiking the Appalachian Trail."

• Jim Rogers, outgoing chancellor of higher education.

• Harry Reid, U.S. Senate majority leader.

• Pat Mulroy, general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority.

• Steven Horsford, state Senate majority leader.

• Penn Jillette, magician, libertarian, TV show host.