Nation in brief: Clinton mourns his stepfather

Bill Clinton and his family joined hundreds of mourners Saturday for the funeral of his stepfather, the man who the former president said brought his mother the “most secure, stable years she ever had.”

Richard Kelley, a retired salesman, died Wednesday at his home at age 91 after a long battle with colon and liver cancer.

“He didn’t wuss out at the end. It was all done with grace and love,” Clinton told more than 600 people at First United Methodist Church, describing his stepfather’s final moments. “I am very thankful to him for many things, but most of all for giving our mother the 12 most secure, stable years she ever had.”

Clinton attended with his wife, U.S. Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York, and their daughter, Chelsea, who read an Irish benediction during the funeral service.

Dallas

Dell ends bonuses, to reduce managers

In a memo to Dell Inc. employees days after returning as chief executive officer, Michael Dell said the beleaguered computer maker is quashing bonuses for 2006 and reducing managers to help cut costs and steer the company back toward dominance.

The e-mail sent Friday also revealed that Dell will not hire a chief operating officer, will push faster product development and will expand into new business to drive revenue growth.

In the e-mail, Dell wrote that the company ended its fiscal year Friday with “great efforts, but not great results.”

“This is disappointing, and it is unacceptable,” wrote Dell, who went on to say that he plans to remain CEO for the next several years.

Details of the shake-up came after Dell replaced Kevin Rollins as CEO on Wednesday, returning to the helm of one of the world’s largest computer manufacturers. The change came as Dell tries to fix mounting problems that include disappointing earnings reports, eroding market share and an ongoing federal accounting probe.

Philadelphia

Pastor will give his last sermon

The pastor whose family has led the Bright Hope Baptist Church for three generations plans to give his last sermon today, when he will turn over his ministry to an outsider.

The Rev. William H. Gray III’s father and grandfather led the inner-city congregation from the early 1900s through the tumultuous 1960s, when visitors included Martin Luther King Jr. and other civil rights leaders.

Other notable guests have included Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu and presidents Jimmy Carter and George W. Bush.

Gray succeeded his father in 1972, and stayed at the church’s helm while serving more than a decade in the U.S. House of Representatives and 12 years in charge of the United Negro College Fund.

None of Gray’s three sons followed him into ministry.

“I don’t regret that none of them chose ministry,” Gray said. “I always told my kids, ‘Be whatever you want to be, but be good at it.’ “