News briefs for May 29, 2003

Thursday, May 29, 2003 | 9:49 a.m.

Conferences will tackle water woes

Las Vegas will host one of eight regional conferences to address emerging water problems in the West, Assistant Interior Secretary Bennett Raley said Wednesday.

The conferences will help identify solutions to the West's water problems and focus on population growth in urban areas and the need to distribute water for environmental, farming and recreational uses, he said.

The meetings will be open to the public and feature speakers from various areas.

Other conference sites for "Water 2025: Preventing Crises and Conflict in the West" are Colorado, Arizona, New Mexico, California, Utah, Idaho and Montana.

Starbucks cups are recalled

Starbucks Coffee Co. is recalling about 38,000 plastic children's cups because small pieces of plastic on them can detach, posing a choking hazard to young children.

The Seattle-based company has received two reports of pieces of the tumbler cup's straw coming off when the straw is chewed. No injuries have been reported, but in one case a child choked on a detached piece of the straw, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said Wednesday.

The recalled cup is made of clear plastic in the shape of a bear with the words "Bearista Bear" printed on the front. The cup, sold in blue or green, has a screw-on lid in the shape of a bear's head, with a flexible straw.

Starbucks stores nationwide sold the cups this month and in April for about $7.

The government warned consumers to take the cups away from children immediately. Consumers can return the cups to any Starbucks location for a refund or can call the company at (800) 235-2883 for more information.