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In brief: Clinton official will head Toyota panel

From Wire Reports

WASHINGTON – Toyota plans to announce today that a former Clinton administration official will lead an independent safety panel to review the company’s quality control practices.

The Japanese automaker planned to discuss the panel at a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on the company’s massive recalls. It is the third congressional hearing on the Toyota recalls in the past week.

Toyota executive Yoshi Inaba planned to tell lawmakers that former Transportation Secretary Rodney Slater would head the panel, which will review the company’s quality control systems. Slater led the Transportation Department from 1997 until January 2001.

Inaba said in remarks planned for delivery today that Toyota dealers have repaired more than 1 million recalled vehicles.

Officer accused of abusing Scouts

FREDERICKTOWN, Mo. – The top police officer in a remote eastern Missouri town was ordered to stand trial Monday on charges that he sexually assaulted two members of the Boy Scout troop he led after an investigator testified that the officer had confessed to the crimes.

Kenneth Tomlinson II, 42, faces 16 counts of sodomy. Madison County Judge Robin Fulton set an arraignment for March 18.

Fake bridal show scams thousands

BOSTON – Police said thousands of brides-to-be and wedding vendors have been scammed by a Web site advertising a fake Boston bridal show.

Police said Monday a site called The Boston 411 invited would-be brides and vendors to a nonexistent Spring Home and Bridal Show at the Hynes Convention Center this weekend. They said 6,000 people and businesses paid registration fees and bought floor space through the Web site, which promised elegant wedding displays and free samples.

Authorities say they got wind of the scam after vendors began calling the convention center to ask when they could start working on their show exhibits and were told no such show existed.

One wedding photographer says he paid $3,000 to attend the show and to produce promotional materials.

The site has been taken down.