Sands lays off 280 Vegas employees
LAS VEGAS (AP) " Casino operator Las Vegas Sands has laid off 283 people from its Las Vegas resorts.
Company spokesman Ron Reese says the affected employees worked in the corporate offices as well as the Venetian and Palazzo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip.
Reese says the Friday layoffs are part of broader cost-reduction measures at the company. The company is facing huge interest costs because of a debt load topping $10.4 billion.
The pressure comes as business at its casinos has been badly hurt by the recession.
Reese says nearly 7,000 full-time equivalent positions remain in Las Vegas.
The company continues to plan a May 22 opening for its $778 million Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem in Pennsylvania.
Also under construction is a $5.4 billion resort in Singapore due to open at the end of the year.
Teacher arrested on porn charges
BOULDER CITY (AP) " A middle school teacher and youth soccer coach in Boulder City is facing 64 counts of possessing child pornography.
Charles Richard "Rick" Rogers, a Garrett Middle School teacher, was arrested Thursday afternoon and booked into the Clark County Detention Center.
Authorities say the 46-year-old also coached youth soccer teams and spent more than two decades coaching the BC United club team before retiring last year.
Boulder City police say they found photos and videos at Rogers' home and on an electronic storage device that also contained his classroom materials.
Rogers has worked for the Clark County School District since 1992.
Marine arrested in Iraq bribery probe
SAN DIEGO (AP) " A months-long investigation led by a Camp Pendleton-based military official has led to the arrest of a Marine accused of bribing contractors in Iraq.
Officials say the Marine Corps filed four charges of bribery and graft Thursday against Camp Lejeune-based Master Sgt. Terence O. Walton for wrongfully accepting money and other gifts.
Walton served in a contracting office in Fallujah from February 2005 to January 2006.
Marine spokesman Lt. Col. David Griesmer refused to specify what Walton is alleged to have received or to name any contractors tied to the case.
Camp Lejeune did not immediately respond Saturday to an e-mailed request to reach Walton or his lawyer.
The case is being overseen by Camp Pendleton's Lt. Gen. Samuel Helland, who leads Marine Corps forces in the Middle East.