Nation briefs 12/26/04

Man shoots nurse at Calif. convalescent home

PERRIS, Calif. -- An 87-year-old man visiting a family member at a convalescent home allegedly shot a nurse in the face Friday after he became angry about the care the relative was receiving, authorities said. The nurse was listed in critical condition, Riverside County sheriff's spokesman Dennis Gutierrez said. Minutes after the afternoon shooting at the Ember Care Health Center in Perris, authorities arrested Norman Larson of Sun City for investigation of assault with a deadly weapon, Gutierrez said. A woman visiting the center said the gunman threatened to shoot another nurse. Citing privacy laws, Gutierrez did not identify the family member.

Nameless man doles out cash at Denver shelter

DENVER -- Residents of Samaritan House didn't know what to expect when the bearded, middle-aged man parked his sport utility vehicle in front of the downtown homeless shelter Christmas Eve. The man walked into the building, pulled out a thick roll of $100 bills and began passing them out to each of the approximately 300 residents. When he was finished, he had given out $35,000. As a crowd gathered, the man said he had once been homeless and knew what it was like to be in need. He did not identify himself and said only that he lived in Denver.

Letterman performs holiday show in Iraq

David Letterman brought his late-night show to Marines serving in Iraq on Friday, loosening up the Camp Taqaddum crowd with the line, "Anybody here from out of town?" Letterman brought comedian Tom Dreesen and the band Off the Wall. With the help of cue cards held by an Army soldier, Letterman ran off a series of crowd-pleasers: "Iraqi elections are in January. Hurry up and pick somebody so we can get the hell out of here," he said. And: "If I wanted to face insurgents I would've spent Christmas with my relatives." Letterman has repeatedly featured Marines on "The Late Show."