News briefs for October 25, 2001

Thursday, Oct. 25, 2001 | 9:45 a.m.

Post offices using vacuums

Vacuums are being used to whisk dust off mail sorting machines at post offices in Reno and Las Vegas to keep particles out of the air in response to the country's anthrax scare.

The change from air hoses, which blew particles into the air, to vacuums for cleaning the letter-handling equipment started Tuesday with the U.S. Postal Service in Reno.

In Las Vegas, Postal Service spokesman Vic Fenimore said vacuums have been used instead of compressed air at the Southern Nevada mail sorting center since before the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11.

Indictment charges bank defrauded

A man who worked as a loan officer at a former Las Vegas bank has been named in a grand jury indictment, which alleges that he executed a scheme that defrauded the bank out of $875,500.

Peter Tsou is accused of manipulating secured loans at Norwest Bank between November 1998 and January 1999.

The indictment alleges that Tsou and a group of 14 co-conspirators would open bank accounts at Norwest. The accounts would then be used as collateral for loans, for which Tsou served as loan officer.

The indictment further alleges that Tsou would remove the hold status on the original accounts, allowing applicants to withdraw the collateral money and the loan.

The money could then be rolled over to another account, allowing applicants to draw additional loans, according to the indictment.

Former CCSN official levels claims

Former Community College of Southern Nevada Associate Vice President Norman Curry has filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the Board of Regents and two former officials of the University and Community College System of Nevada.

Curry's suit, filed Wednesday, asks for $450,000 in lost wages, $150,000 for mental anguish and any court costs.

Former CCSN President Richard Moore and former interim President Orlando Sandoval are also named in the suit, which alleges that Curry was under-paid, harassed and that his contract was allowed to run out in June 2000 because he is black.

The suit states that Curry was paid thousands less than other associate vice presidents and that his rights were violated when he was questioned by college officials about allegations that he had sexual relations with students and faculty.

Station Casinos donates to school

Station Casinos Inc. this week donated $10,000 to Robert Taylor Elementary School in Henderson.

The donation, to be used to purchase school supplies, is part of the company's Smart Start Partnership Program, which aims to increase children's chances of succeeding in school.

Launched a year ago, the program provides participating schools with student incentives, teacher recognition programs and computer equipment, among other things.

Nine elementary schools in Clark County are part of the partnership.

Warrant issued in Oct. 18 killing

Metro Police have identified a 23-year-old man as a suspect in the shooting death last week of a 29-year-old Las Vegas man.

Christopher Hernandez is wanted in connection with the slaying of Gabriel Alspaugh on Oct. 18 about 7:10 p.m. in front of a convenience store at 3000 E. Charleston Boulevard near Pecos Road.

Alspaugh got into an argument with a man in front of the store, and another man coming out of the store also started arguing with Alspaugh, police said.

One of the two men shot Alspaugh, and then both ran from the area, police said.

Anyone with information about this case is asked to call Metro's homicide unit at 229-3521 or Secret Witness at 385-5555.