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The Associated Press

Nation

Jenny turns 55

Around the nation

Tucson, Arizona | Published: 05.10.2008
FLORIDA
Fake-wedding sting leads to 80+ arrests
ORLANDO — A federal sting of four companies accused of arranging fraudulent marriages for U.S. citizenships, complete with wedding photos of brides in gowns and elaborate fake cakes, has netted more than 80 arrests, authorities said Friday.
Immigrants, Americans and company officials were among the 83 arrested. The immigrants paid as much as $10,000, while the U.S. citizens were offered up to $2,500, U.S. Attorney Robert O'Neill said.
The couples were coached on how to pass immigration checks with fake answers, even though in some cases they didn't speak the same language as their purported spouse, officials said. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services officials who review each citizenship-conferring marriage to ensure legitimacy tipped off federal agents in many cases.
MAINE
Disaster area named
AUGUSTA — President Bush declared a northern Maine county a federal disaster on Friday after historic flooding that destroyed or damaged hundreds of homes this month.
The declaration makes federal assistance available in Aroostook County for temporary housing, repairs and disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other assistance programs. Teams from the Federal Emergency Management Agency have been in the state assessing damage.
When he sought the federal declaration, Gov. John Baldacci estimated that more than 200 homes were damaged and that as many as 1,000 people were displaced.
MASSACHUSETTS
Inmate's sex-change request opposed
BOSTON — Allowing a convicted killer to get a sex-change operation would pose insurmountable safety and security problems for the state prison system, the Massachusetts corrections chief said.
Harold Clarke, who took over the department in November, said allowing the surgery for Michelle Kosilek could make her a target for assault by other inmates. He said prison officials also have concerns that Kosilek — who is serving a life sentence without parole — could try to escape if she is taken out of state for the surgery.
Clarke outlined his opposition to the surgery in court papers filed this week, mirroring arguments made by his predecessor, Kathleen Dennehy.
Kosilek, 58, was born a man, Robert, but underwent a legal name change to Michelle in 1993 and has been living as a woman in an all-male prison in Norfolk. Robert Kosilek was sentenced to life in prison for murdering wife Cheryl in 1990.
Kosilek sued the Department of Corrections in 2000, claiming the system's refusal to allow the state-funded surgery violated her Eighth Amendment right against cruel and unusual punishment.
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
New evidence filed in civil-rights case
New evidence was filed Friday in a long-running civil-rights case against the Secret Service, including e-mails that portray an offensive image of a naked black man and racist jokes.
Among the 10 e-mails submitted to the court were jokes circulated within the agency that made fun of the way a "20-year-old 5th grader" in Harlem spoke; the Rev. Jesse Jackson; and a black golf caddy's work ethic.
"We are deeply disappointed by any communication or action on the part of our employees that exhibits racial or other insensitivity. We expect our employees to show better judgment," agency spokesman Eric Zahren said. "The Secret Service has a zero-tolerance non-discrimination policy. We do not and will not tolerate bias and discrimination of any kind."
In 2000 a group of black employees filed a lawsuit that alleges that since at least 1999, black agents have been passed over for promotions because of their race.
ALASKA
Oil work slowed
ANCHORAGE — Oil production at Prudhoe Bay, the nation's most prolific oil field, halted on Friday when a vehicle clearing snowdrifts damaged the power supply to processing centers.
Prudhoe Bay had been sending about 380,000 barrels of crude oil a day down the trans-Alaska oil pipeline, said Steve Rinehart, spokesman for field operator BP PLC. Rinehart said production on Friday would be "way down" and would ramp back up over the next several days.
BP's Northstar field also went off-line as a result of the power outage. Northstar produces about 79,000 barrels of crude daily from a man-made island in the Beaufort Sea.
NEW JERSEY
Passaic mayor quits
TRENTON — The mayor of Passaic City resigned Friday after he pleaded guilty to attempted extortion and admitted he accepted $5,000 in cash to influence government contracts.
Samuel Rivera, a former police officer, is the latest of about 130 public officials to be found guilty of corruption in New Jersey since 2002 in a federal probe.
"By his own conduct, Mr. Rivera added himself to the growing roster of corrupt public officials in New Jersey," U.S. Attorney Christopher Christie said. "The citizens of Passaic deserved better."
Rivera, 61, admitted taking $5,000 in exchange for using his official influence to make a company Passaic's insurance broker. The company turned out to be an FBI front.
His attorney, Henry Klingeman, said Rivera faces 18 to 24 months in prison at sentencing, set for Aug. 15.
CALIFORNIA
City is not liable in tiger attacks
SAN FRANCISCO — San Francisco officials say an investigation has found the city not liable for injuries suffered by two brothers attacked by an escaped zoo tiger.
In a letter released Friday, City Attorney Dennis Herrera denies claims filed by Kulbir and Paul Dhaliwal. A Siberian tiger mauled the men and killed their 17-year-old friend on Christmas Day.
Herrera says the claims should be referred the San Francisco Zoological Society, which manages the zoo, and to the society's insurance company.
The claims are a precursor to a lawsuit. The Dhaliwals' attorney says he expects to file one soon.
TENNESSEE
Car crash results in fire, citation
ROCK ISLAND — One moment, Justin Hill was turning into his driveway. Minutes later he was being flown to a hospital as his home went up in flames. Then he got a traffic ticket.
Hill, 42, got into a crash after turning into the path of an oncoming car Tuesday evening, said Tennessee Highway Patrol Officer Monte Terry. Hill's wife, who had been cooking, heard the crash and ran outside, leaving the kitchen stove unattended.
Within minutes, their Rock Island trailer was on fire, and firefighters who had responded to the accident found themselves fighting the blaze.
The rural central Tennessee home had extensive damage. Hill was treated at the hospital and released, but he was cited in the accident for failure to yield.
MISSOURI
Burglar used obits to pick his targets
PLATTE CITY — A burglar who authorities say used the obituary pages to select his targets was convicted of 10 counts Friday.
Prosecutors say Dane S. Johnson and a co-defendant who pleaded guilty burglarized more than 30 Kansas City-area homes, picking their victims by reading real estate listings and obituaries, hitting model homes, homes on real estate tours or homes where owners would be attending funerals.
"It's hard to imagine a more cruel and heartless burglary scheme than this one," Platte County Prosecutor Eric Zahnd said.
Jenny, a western lowland gorilla and the world's oldest captive gorilla, eats some cake as the Dallas Zoo celebrates her birthday. Jenny turned 55 Thursday and was treated to a four-layer frozen fruit cake and banana-leaf-wrapped treats. Jenny's caretakers say her joints and eyesight are going, but she's otherwise healthy. Gorillas in the wild live to be 30 or 35, officials said.
The Associated Press
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