Marissa says the first time her ex-husband beat her she was seven months pregnant with their son. He tried to throw her out of a moving car.

“He told me, 'I will slit your throat.'”

Fearing for their lives, Marissa and her two children have moved seven times in the past seven months and have stayed at three local domestic violence shelters, “I'm just trying to pay my bills, have my own place, and survive.”

Click here for more information on Safe Nest's Adopt a Family program

Like most families fleeing domestic violence, presents under the tree are not their first priority, which is why Christmas away from home is especially hard on the youngest victims.

“They're expecting Santa. Children don't understand that they can't have a normal Christmas, so that's difficult. And for a mother to have to make up a story that because we've moved so many times that Santa couldn't find us, well, that's just really sad,” said Maria Outcalt with Safe Nest.

But Safe Nest says through its Adopt a Family program, the community can make sure none of the women and children fleeing domestic violence will be forgotten, “Most of these families are just asking for basic household things and some toys for their children.”

Marissa's two-year-old needs a winter coat and loves musical books and blocks. Her 13-year-old daughter is in desperate need of a bicycle to shorten her 45-minute walk to and from school everyday.

“I'll bet she'll just cry and jump for joy because she would be so happy,” said Marissa.

Regardless of what is or is not under the tree at Christmas, Marissa says her children have already learned an important lesson this year, “Presents are not the most important part of Christmas. We are together and we love each other and the most important thing is that we are alive and safe.”

Safe Nest needs individuals, families and even businesses to come forward and adopt these families fleeing domestic violence this holiday season.

No one has been hit harder by the economy than those in need. The organizations who give food to people have seen an increase of 66-percent in the amount of people in need. At the same time their donations dropped.

Donations of food and money are off about 17-percent to charities in Las Vegas. The main supplier of food to those charities faces the same problems.

Monday, Three Square Food Bank turned to Senator Harry Reid. The senator toured the warehouse where the food bank stores its donations.

Three Square CEO Julie Murray asked the senator to help bring more federal assistance to pay for the increasing cost of food that Las Vegas needs to feed the needy.

Some of their food is donated by grocery stores right before it goes bad. They also buy in bulk to reduce cost. MGM allows Three Square to put their food order in with the massive gaming company. That way the charity gets the same corporate bulk rate.

Donations and a small amount of government assistance also help out.

Murray says the budget to buy food this year was $250,000. The charity is on pace to pay $1.3 million to buy the food needed to support the community, “As we forecast the increased number of layoffs that will be occurring over the next month, we are just barely keeping up. Any dollar that comes in or any can of food goes right out the door to people in need.”

Murray adds that the middle class families who used to donate to Three Square are now the ones turning to charities asking for help.

Senator Reid says there is money set aside in the farm bill passed this year to help charities. It gives $500 million in new spending that could be for food banks. He says he will do what he can so Nevada charities, including Three Square, get their share of that money.

The state of the economy right now means there are more families who need help putting food on the table this Thanksgiving. That's why employees at the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department were up before dawn to pack 500 dinner baskets.

Employees throughout the department donated either money or food for the baskets. They were then delivered all over the valley.

One bunch went to students at Roy Martin Middle School.

“This year our need has really raised so we have students that are not only homeless but we have a lot of parents have been laid off and they could use the turkey dinner,” said Ramona Fricker.

“Being an inner city school, we felt it's important that kids in general need assistance and we stepped up to the plate and deliver every year to this fine school,” said Terry Roberts with Metro.

There were several other organizations that gave away food. But still, more is needed.

At Three Square, they've had 10,000 requests for help, but so far they've only been able to get donations of food to feed about 3,500 families.

Fire officials say someone intentionally set a fire overnight in the Twin Lakes Plaza at Rancho and Washington. Two businesses were destroyed and others were heavily damaged.

For Ernestina Gutierez, she is a first time business owner of a small, yet successful tuxedo shop, “You worked really hard to get this and its gone.”

This morning she got a call from her alarm company. She rushed out to find her business is one of the most heavily damaged by this fire, “Thanksgiving and Christmas, even if its not holidays, its hard.”

Investigators believe the fire started in the middle of the strip at San Pedro's store. They say it's going to take them a couple of days to figure out how the fire started. In the meantime, seven mom and pop shops are closed for business and that means seven different owners are now wondering about their livelihood.

Gutierez had an employee come to work this morning and she told him the bad news. Then there are her customers who paid for their party dresses and tuxedoes all lost in the fire.

“They have to have their parties it's not their fault, it's not my fault, but I have to do what I'm supposed to do. I have to give back their money,” she said.

“It's going to take a whole dent out of this economy, this part of the mall but what are you going to do,” said store owner Richard Almeida.

Almeida owns the Twin Lakes Laundromat across the street.

Firefighters were able to control the fire within in an hour, so everything on his side was untouched by the flames.

It's may be a big financial loss for Gutierez , but she's not letting this stop her from rebuilding in the same spot and starting from scratch.

At the time the buildings were built sprinklers weren't required to be installed. Had there been, firefighters say the damage would have been significantly less.

Southern Nevada cancer patients who can't afford treatment often turn to UMC for help but now that medical help won't be there for them.

Clark County commissioners voted to stop all outpatient oncology services at UMC as of Dec. 31, 2008. Some are calling Tuesday's vote a death sentence.

Already UMC has stopped taking on new patients. The impact will be felt by people diagnosed with cancer who don't have insurance and can't afford to pay for health care.

After a brief presentation from the head of UMC, county commissioners voted to do away with a number of hospital services, including outpatient oncology care. UMC's CEO Kathleen Silver went into detail about each program and what kind of savings the county-run hospital would gain from the cuts.

Representatives from local cancer centers, along with the Susan G Koman for the Cure organization spoke out in the meeting. Jackie Brown, a cancer survivor herself, was hoping the commissioners would vote against the cuts but that didn't happen.

“People will die with the decisions made today. UMC outpatient oncology care is closing and the people we work with, the uninsured, lower income people of the community, will have no options,” said Brown.

“Where will poor people go? We want an answer if you have one. Where will the poor people go? Are we saying we'll just sit back and watch people die?” questioned Clark County Commissioner Lawrence Weekly.

Although Weekly asked some tough questions, in the end he voted with the rest of the commissioners to close the program.

Other cuts at the hospital were also approved.

The Clark County District Attorney's office is seeking criminal charges against hip hop mogul Marion “Suge” Knight.

A criminal complaint sent to the Las Vegas justice court charges Knight with two counts of felony drug possession and one count of misdemeanor battery. A court spokeswoman says the charges were being processed by the court Tuesday.

Police say they saw the founder of bankrupt Death Row records beating his girlfriend while brandishing a knife in a parking lot near the Las Vegas Strip in August. Authorities said the woman wasn't stabbed, but was treated at a hospital for injuries.

Police say Knight had ecstasy and hydrocodone when they arrested him. Knight was later released after posting $19,000 bail. His attorney was not immediately available for comment.

(Copyright 2008 by the Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

At a time when county, city and state offices are facing cut backs, one agency is benefiting from the foreclosure crisis. In fact they are busier than ever.

They aren't police but they carry weapons. They aren't lawyers but they serve papers. Constables enforce court orders and taxpayers pay nothing for their services. Right now constables are doing a record amount of work and running one of the most efficient agencies in the county.

“With the downward trend of the economy, this office flourishes even more,” said Robert “Bobby G” Gronauer, Las Vegas constable. He runs the $3 million a year agency. The county oversees them, but these deputies are an agency unto themselves.

Gronauer says the economic meltdown boosts this business. Ten years ago, they did 2,000 evictions a month. Last year it was 4,000 a month. And it's not just evictions.

“Small claims, subpoenas, summons, demand letters,” he said. The office runs on a unique commission system. Instead of taxpayer money going to cars, guns and training, everything is paid for by court fees.

“We're actually a business in the county. A mom and pop store if you will,” Gronauer said. Lawyers and businesses pay them to serve papers and evict the foreclosed. The more efficient the deputies, the more money in their pocket and cleaner streets for everyone else. It's an incentive that keeps the office busy.

“Because of our size, because of our uniqueness, there's things  can do that other agencies can't do.” Gronauer says his office is handing about 20,000 processes a month and he needs to hire six more deputies, mostly men and women with law enforcement backgrounds.

The world they see is a twisted version of the American dream. Families praying for financial salvation. Piles of dirt left behind. There are homeowners so desperate, they even steal the kitchen.

For all the darkness, the bright side is the cost savings for all of us. Metro stopped doing car recoveries and traffic warrants. It's now the job of constables which means that there's no taxpayer money involved.

So when the good times go bad, the constables work harder. The constable does not have carte blanche to do as he pleases. He must show balance sheets to the county commissioners for approval and he must back up every purchase.

Police are investigating the robbery of the casino cage at Fitzgerald's Hotel. The robbery happened around 4 a.m. and the suspect is still at large.

The suspect is described as a Hispanic male or light-skinned African American male. He is 35 to 45 years of age, 5'10″ to 6' tall and between 180 to 190 pounds. Police say he gave the teller at the cage a note informing her of the robbery. The man was given around $5,300 in $100 bills. The suspect then got in to a cab and drove away.

If you have any information, you are asked to call Crime Stoppers at 385-5555.

Veterans Day is tomorrow, and Las Vegas is preparing to host a downtown parade that organizers tout as one of the biggest in the country.

This year, officials say more than 50 soldiers representing the Wounded Warrior Project will be honored. The parade starts at 10 a.m. on Fourth Street, from Gass Avenue to the entrance of the Fremont Street Experience.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Barack Obama drew support from many groups in Nevada — Latinos, young voters and African Americans.

Doolittle Center was more like a post election party Wednesday. Many people never thought they would live to see an African American as their next president.

At 77-years-old, Lucille Bryant doesn't miss an exercise class at the Doolittle Center. But she seems to have a lot more energy after Tuesday night's win for Obama.

“For last night, to see a history event like this, with an African American man, I gave God the glory. I gave God the praise. A historical moment, one I never thought I would see,” she said.

She not only witnessed it, but also participated in the process. A process she once wasn't a part of because of the color of her skin, “When I left Louisiana in 1953, I was not allowed to vote. African Americans were not allowed to vote. My first voting was when I came to Las Vegas.”

She can't help but reflect on what the victory means for so many African Americans, past and present.

“I rejoiced for my ancestors, for my great grandmother who was born and reared a slave in Sumter County, Alabama. For my mother, my father, all those who have gone before, my grandmother who was never allowed to vote,” she said.

Willie D. Walker remembers those times. He stayed up past his normal bed time last night, “I wanted to go to go to sleep myself, but I couldn't close my eyes because I wanted to know the results.”

He compares Obama to Dr. Martin Luther King, “He had a dream on what tomorrow would be like — little black children, little white children, all walking together, holding hands and getting along, and Mr. Obama is bringing forth the same issues.”

Doolittle Center was visited several times by the Obama campaign throughout the election, including by the president-elect himself.