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Shuttle gauge still baffles NASA

By wire services
Published July 19, 2005

CAPE CANAVERAL - Nearly a week after a faulty fuel-gauge reading halted the first shuttle countdown since the Columbia disaster, NASA has yet to uncover any clues to the problem. Officials said Monday that the flight of Discovery would be put off until at least next week.

"Right now, I can tell you that we're still looking for the problem," shuttle program manager Bill Parsons said. "We've waited two-plus years, 21/2 years to be here. We're trying awfully hard to resolve this issue."

Discovery - indefinitely grounded since Wednesday's fuel gauge failure - will fly no earlier than July 26, said Parsons' deputy, Wayne Hale.

NASA officials have gathered 12 teams of experts to diagnose the sensor problem and try to fix it in time to launch Discovery within a window that ends July 31. If they miss the cutoff, they may have to wait until the next window in September.

SAN DIEGO - A federal jury Monday convicted San Diego's new acting mayor and a City Council member of taking payoffs from a strip club owner to help repeal a "no-touching" law at nude clubs.

In the latest blow to a city awash in scandal, Michael Zucchet, who became interim mayor over the weekend, was found guilty of conspiracy, extortion and fraud on his first business day in office. He was immediately suspended from the position.

Council member Ralph Inzunza, convicted of the same charges, was also suspended.

It is unclear who will succeed Zucchet. Mayor Dick Murphy resigned and left office Friday, eight months into a second term cut short by mounting problems at City Hall.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. - A 16-year-old boy was convicted of murder Monday in a school shooting that left two teenagers dead.

John Jason McLaughlin faces a life sentence unless his lawyer can convince a judge that the boy was mentally ill at the time of the killings. If so, McLaughlin could be sent to a mental hospital.

A judge who heard the case without a jury found McLaughlin guilty of first-degree murder in the death of Seth Bartell, 14, and second-degree murder in the slaying of Aaron Rollins, 17. The two were killed in 2003 at Rocori High School in Cold Spring. McLaughlin was tried as an adult.

WASHINGTON - Nissan North America Inc. said Monday it will recall more than 140,000 Murano sport utility vehicles amid concerns that a broken wire in the alternator could deplete power to the engine and lead to a crash.

The recall involves more than 125,000 vehicles from the 2003-2005 model years and more than 15,000 vehicles in Canada, Nissan spokesman Dean Case said. No injuries or crashes linked to the problem have been reported, he said.

The recall is expected to begin Aug. 3. Dealers will be instructed to inspect and replace the alternator with a new version that has been upgraded to prevent the problem. Owners can contact Nissan at (800) 647-7261.

WASHINGTON - The Justice Department is trying again to force tobacco companies to turn over $280-billion in profits that prosecutors say were the result of a campaign to mislead the public about the dangers of smoking.

Government lawyers asked the Supreme Court on Monday to throw out an appeals court ruling that barred them from seeking the money. The government should be allowed to pursue the $280-billion to address "ongoing concerted unlawful activity in the tobacco industry spanning decades and affecting the lives of millions of Americans," the department said.

Monday's request came at the deadline for the administration to decide whether to appeal the February ruling. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that the government could not use federal racketeering law to seek the penalty.

WASHINGTON - The Senate confirmed Lester Crawford on Monday as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration. The vote was 78-16.

Crawford has served as acting commission for the past year and was deputy commissioner.

ATLANTA - After a meeting marked by hissing and shouting, Atlanta's City Council on Monday delayed consideration of a ban on panhandling.

The proposal would make it illegal to beg for money near downtown hotels or tourist sites. On a third offense, beggars could be jailed or fined.

After about five hours of public comments, the council voted 8-7 to table the question. No date was set for it to be considered.

[Last modified July 19, 2005, 01:09:13]