All fire restrictions being lifted in Prescott National Forest
Associated Press
PRESCOTT ÷ Monsoon rains have provided enough moisture to allow officials to lift all fire restrictions in the Prescott National Forest beginning Wednesday morning.
That will include all restrictions on campfires, smoking and camping outside of developed areas that were put in place because of the potential for fires in the national forest.
Officials said visitors still need to make sure they extinguish all campfires and smoking materials when they are in the forest.
Officials added that the public wonāt be allowed into an area burned in May by the Indian fire, which scorched 1,300 acres and destroyed five homes in Prescott.
Data indicates blacks, Hispanics searched more by Nebraska State Patrol
Associated Press
LINCOLN, Neb. ÷ Black and Hispanic motorists stopped by state troopers were more likely to be searched than white drivers, according to data released by the Nebraska State Patrol.
Based on data from the first three months of the year, 7 percent of black motorists and 6 percent of Hispanic drivers stopped by state troopers were searched compared with 1 percent of white motorists.
"I am surprised by some of the numbers," Patrol Superintendent Col. Tom Nesbitt said.
A majority of the stops were on Interstate 80, the stateās main east-west highway.
Because the I-80 driving population does not reflect the population of Nebraska, the University of Nebraska at Omaha plans to conduct a demographics survey of the driving population along the highway for comparison purposes.
"The official data they have, the numbers donāt speak for themselves," said Samuel Walker with UNOās criminal justice program. "You need an estimate of the at-risk population."
A law enacted last year requires all officers to document the race and ethnicity of those they stop.
BMW recalls Minis, SUVs to fix transmission and brake problems
Associated Press
FRANKFURT, Germany ÷ German luxury automaker BMW said Tuesday it was recalling 56,000 X5 sport-utility vehicles and 38,700 Minis worldwide to fix transmission and brake problems.
The Munich-based company said the Mini and Mini Cooper, which went into production last year, have a problem with a cable connecting the gearshift to the gearbox, which could result in the car getting stuck in one gear.
The X5 has a problem with the brake pedal shaft which could result in a sudden loosening of the pedal and loss of brake power at low speeds or while parking, said company spokesman Wieland Bruch.
BMW said no injuries or accidents have resulted from either defect, both of which were discovered during internal quality reviews.
All owners are to be notified by letter and the repairs made free of charge.
"If there had been a danger to life or limb, we would have issued a public appeal to the owners, rather than go through the dealers," spokesman Wieland Bruch said. The X5 brake fault "doesnāt happen suddenly and drivers could use the hand brake in an emergency," he said.
To fix the problems, a fastener clip needs to be attached on the Mini, and a pin needs to be inserted with the X5, Herr said.
The Minis were made between May 2001 and May 2002, and the affected X5s were made between Aug. 1999 and Feb. 2001.
BMW said it had sold some 87,000 Minis by the end of June, meaning more than 40 percent will have to be repaired. Almost a third of 187,000 X5s delivered will also have to be adjusted.
The Mini is produced in Oxford, England, while the X5 is made at Spartanburg, S.C., in the United States.
Three telecom company leaders face Senate criticism
Associated Press
WASHINGTON ÷ The nationās biggest brokerage firm denied Tuesday that it knowingly helped Enron hide its true financial condition. Leaders of three telecom companies engulfed in accounting scandals, meanwhile, were criticized by senators over the excesses of executives who cashed out millions in company stock while employees were losing their jobs and savings.
At the White House, President Bush signed into law the most far-reaching government crackdown on business fraud in 70 years, hoping to restore investor confidence with a promise of "hard time" for corporate wrongdoers.
On Capitol Hill, skeptical senators accused Merrill Lynch & Co. of abandoning its moral, if not legal, responsibility to investors by allegedly helping Enron hide its financial problems despite a host of ethical questions.
