Student has all the answers
Junior who conquered new SAT 'just has a history of being perfect'
By APRIL KINSER / DallasNews.com
PLANO, Texas - Erin Yu had to look twice as she checked her SAT score online last week.
A perfect score – 2400 – beamed from the computer screen next to her name.
"I was like, 'Oh, my God!' " said Erin, a 17-year-old junior at Plano Senior High School. "I was in a good mood for the whole day."
Erin was the only student in North Texas to ace the new college entrance exam, one of just seven in the state and 107 in the nation. More than 300,000 students in the country took the expanded test March 12, the first time it was administered by the College Board.
The revamped SAT now includes three sections worth 800 points each. The most notable change is a new writing section that includes a 25-minute essay, said Caren Scoropanos, a spokeswoman for the College Board.
For the essay portion, students must take a stance on an issue and use reasoning skills to back up their thoughts. Erin wrote that the majority should not always rule and cited Galileo and his battles with religious scholars about whether the sun is the center of the solar system.
Erin sailed through the old SAT in 2003 when she earned a perfect 1600. She figured the new test would be tougher.
"I didn't really expect it this time," Erin said.
College Board officials would not release details on the overall performance of students who took the test on the first outing, saying it is too early for comparisons to previous years because students still have several opportunities to take the test this year.
Last year, 939 students made a perfect 1600. Totals for this year won't be available for several months.
Officials also would not release names or locations of the six other students in Texas, citing confidentiality. Schools were notified and encouraged to call local media. So far, local reports have revealed four students with perfect scores in the Houston area.
A self-described "band nerd," Erin said she prepared for the exam by studying at Karen Dillard's College Prep in Plano, a company that sells plans and programs to help students study for different exams. She works at the business part-time, helping others with study plans.
Erin said she did not cram for the test because she felt confident after taking the old version. She said her advanced placement classes helped prepare her for the challenge. In the weeks before the exam, she took a few practice tests.
Erin is at the top of her high school class, ranked No. 1 out of 1,245 students. She is a member of the National Honor Society with a 4.3 GPA and plays the flute in the marching band. She often volunteers her time with disabled children.
"If you were to meet Erin, you would never think 'Oh, she's so smart,' " said Sheri Wise, Erin's school counselor. "She's so normal, humble, sweet and very personable. She just has a history of being perfect."
When Erin was 3, her parents moved to the United States from a poor, rural area of northern China. They wanted to provide better learning opportunities for the entire family.
Her father, Hua Ping Yu, earned a doctorate degree in math while at the University of Iowa and taught at Emory and Henry College in Virginia for three years before moving his family to Plano, where he works as a Web developer.
Her mother, Jianwei Yang, works as a lab monitor at Collin County Community College and earned a bachelor's degree in math.
Erin has an 11-year-old brother, Joe, whom she describes as "a normal kid who likes to ride his scooter."
Mr. Yu said his pride for his daughter is "beyond words."
"We feel so lucky," he said.
Erin said she wants to study humanities, business or law in college. She's considering universities in Texas, but she said her goal is to attend Harvard, Stanford or Yale.
News from the Lone Star State
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Irving doctor's license suspended
He denies wrongdoing after 2 patient deaths attributed to painkillers
By ROBERT THARP and ERNEST LONDOÑO / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - An Irving doctor who went to prison for tax evasion in the 1990s is in trouble again after two of his patients died while on pain-management prescriptions.
The Texas Board of Medical Examiners announced Friday that Dr. Cantral Eargle Jr.'s license has been suspended temporarily. The board concluded he kept sloppy records and didn't adequately examine his patients before prescribing a potent cocktail of tranquilizers, muscle relaxants and opiate painkillers.
"Any two of those three are very suspicious for a physician," said Dr. Donald Patrick, the medical board's executive director.
Dr. Eargle, standing outside his Irving home dressed in pink scrubs, told The Dallas Morning News on Friday afternoon that he never intentionally prescribed drugs to patients who didn't need them.
"I never knowingly gave medications to anyone who didn't have a legitimate medical need or whom I suspected was abusing it," the 75-year-old physician said.
The medical board's investigation concluded that two patient deaths were drug-related. Investigators also found that Dr. Eargle kept incomplete records and apparently tried to augment the files of two patients after their deaths.
"The records are so devoid of details that you can't tell," Dr. Patrick said.
The medical board did not make reference to another case, in which one of Dr. Eargle's patients died. But Grand Prairie resident Billy Nash was willing to discuss his son's death in November 2003.
Mr. Nash said his son, Mark Alan Nash, 27, had drugs in his system when he died in a single-vehicle accident. After the crash, Mr. Nash said he discovered more than 40 prescription pill bottles.
Mr. Nash said Dr. Eargle has written the prescriptions during a nine-month period that began when Mark sought relief from a toothache.
"He was on those drugs – they were in his system," Mr. Nash said. "They zapped him. Hopefully ... [Dr. Eargle] will get indicted and stay out of business and won't hurt no more people. That's not a good doctor. My doctor wouldn't do that."
The Dallas County district attorney's office said Friday afternoon that no criminal cases have been filed against Dr. Eargle, and the medical examiner's board would not comment on whether it planned to forward its findings to prosecutors.
Records show that Dr. Eargle served nearly a year in the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan., in 1991 and 1992 for failing to file income tax returns for three years. At trial, he said he had been ordained by a mail-order ministry and had taken a vow of poverty.
Prosecutors said he held church meetings with employees and relatives inside his clinic. During that time, he made deposits in Swiss bank accounts. When he closed those accounts, he returned the funds to his personal accounts, according to court records.
A 1988 Texas medical board investigation found that Dr. Eargle couldn't account for more than 100 doses of the popular tranquilizer diazepam, which is often sold under the brand name Valium. The inquiry also found that he had dispensed drugs to an undercover investigator without performing an exam.
In July 1985, before he came to Texas, a California medical board ordered him to surrender his license in that state. An investigation found that he had prescribed dangerous drugs "without a good-faith prior examination" and that he had "committed acts of gross negligence."
Dr. Eargle's case is reminiscent of another Dallas doctor who got in trouble recently with prescription drugs.
In March, a Dallas County grand jury indicted Dr. Daniel Maynard on two charges of manslaughter for the drug-related deaths of two of his patients. He also faces charges of prescribing medication without a valid medical reason and defrauding Medicare and Medicaid.
Dr. Maynard came under investigation in late 2002 after at least a dozen patients died from drug-related complications. His attorney has said he is not guilty of the charges.
Regret, but not guilt
Dr. Eargle told The News he regrets prescribing medications that might have contributed to patient deaths, but he assumed no guilt.
"I really feel bad about that situation," he said, referring to a grandmother who died last October and whose autopsy revealed opiate and benzodiazepine intoxication. "I don't know whether she got that stuff from me or other places."
Dr. Eargle said he earned a medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1966 and worked as a resident at the Medical Center in Augusta, Ga.
He said that after he moved to California, he became an ordained minister affiliated with the Universal Life Church. He said he severed ties with church leaders about 20 years ago.
In 2003, Dr. Eargle briefly saw patients at his brick home on a cul-de-sac in a quiet Grand Prairie neighborhood. He stopped after neighbors complained to city officials.
"We received complaints from the community about a doctor running a business from his home," said Steve Collins, Grand Prairie code enforcement manager.
Dr. Eargle then moved his practice to a 700-square-foot office in a nearby commercial building at 921 W. Pioneer Parkway.
"He had a reasonable practice," said his former landlord, Kathy Krabbenschmidt. "He was always busy. Every time I'd come out, he had a waiting room full of people."
Dr. Eargle moved his home and office to Irving about a year and a half ago so he wouldn't have to be driven to and from work; he said he's visually impaired and can't drive. A "closed" sign was on his office door Friday.
A former patient said she once got a prescription from Dr. Eargle for allergy medicine. She said he warned her not to go to a nearby Sack N' Save pharmacy because it refused to fill his prescriptions.
Dr. Eargle had an explanation.
"Some pharmacists have their own morals and they don't believe in chronic pain medicine," Dr. Eargle said.
A pharmacist at the Sack N' Save declined to comment.
An Irving neighbor, Brad Cunningham, 51, said he was surprised at the allegations.
"He's a very nice man," Mr. Cunningham said, adding that the only two odd things about his neighbor are that he drives a golf cart on city streets and seldom wears anything but scrubs. "He doesn't wear people clothes. He only wears scrubs."
Dr. Eargle said he intends to go to Austin soon to appeal the board's decision.
"I hope people will understand the basic problem was not taking good records," he said. "I take full responsibility. Now I'm taking excellent records. If I get a second chance, I will continue to take excellent records to try to help people who need help."
Staff writer Scott Parks contributed to this report.
He denies wrongdoing after 2 patient deaths attributed to painkillers
By ROBERT THARP and ERNEST LONDOÑO / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - An Irving doctor who went to prison for tax evasion in the 1990s is in trouble again after two of his patients died while on pain-management prescriptions.
The Texas Board of Medical Examiners announced Friday that Dr. Cantral Eargle Jr.'s license has been suspended temporarily. The board concluded he kept sloppy records and didn't adequately examine his patients before prescribing a potent cocktail of tranquilizers, muscle relaxants and opiate painkillers.
"Any two of those three are very suspicious for a physician," said Dr. Donald Patrick, the medical board's executive director.
Dr. Eargle, standing outside his Irving home dressed in pink scrubs, told The Dallas Morning News on Friday afternoon that he never intentionally prescribed drugs to patients who didn't need them.
"I never knowingly gave medications to anyone who didn't have a legitimate medical need or whom I suspected was abusing it," the 75-year-old physician said.
The medical board's investigation concluded that two patient deaths were drug-related. Investigators also found that Dr. Eargle kept incomplete records and apparently tried to augment the files of two patients after their deaths.
"The records are so devoid of details that you can't tell," Dr. Patrick said.
The medical board did not make reference to another case, in which one of Dr. Eargle's patients died. But Grand Prairie resident Billy Nash was willing to discuss his son's death in November 2003.
Mr. Nash said his son, Mark Alan Nash, 27, had drugs in his system when he died in a single-vehicle accident. After the crash, Mr. Nash said he discovered more than 40 prescription pill bottles.
Mr. Nash said Dr. Eargle has written the prescriptions during a nine-month period that began when Mark sought relief from a toothache.
"He was on those drugs – they were in his system," Mr. Nash said. "They zapped him. Hopefully ... [Dr. Eargle] will get indicted and stay out of business and won't hurt no more people. That's not a good doctor. My doctor wouldn't do that."
The Dallas County district attorney's office said Friday afternoon that no criminal cases have been filed against Dr. Eargle, and the medical examiner's board would not comment on whether it planned to forward its findings to prosecutors.
Records show that Dr. Eargle served nearly a year in the federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kan., in 1991 and 1992 for failing to file income tax returns for three years. At trial, he said he had been ordained by a mail-order ministry and had taken a vow of poverty.
Prosecutors said he held church meetings with employees and relatives inside his clinic. During that time, he made deposits in Swiss bank accounts. When he closed those accounts, he returned the funds to his personal accounts, according to court records.
A 1988 Texas medical board investigation found that Dr. Eargle couldn't account for more than 100 doses of the popular tranquilizer diazepam, which is often sold under the brand name Valium. The inquiry also found that he had dispensed drugs to an undercover investigator without performing an exam.
In July 1985, before he came to Texas, a California medical board ordered him to surrender his license in that state. An investigation found that he had prescribed dangerous drugs "without a good-faith prior examination" and that he had "committed acts of gross negligence."
Dr. Eargle's case is reminiscent of another Dallas doctor who got in trouble recently with prescription drugs.
In March, a Dallas County grand jury indicted Dr. Daniel Maynard on two charges of manslaughter for the drug-related deaths of two of his patients. He also faces charges of prescribing medication without a valid medical reason and defrauding Medicare and Medicaid.
Dr. Maynard came under investigation in late 2002 after at least a dozen patients died from drug-related complications. His attorney has said he is not guilty of the charges.
Regret, but not guilt
Dr. Eargle told The News he regrets prescribing medications that might have contributed to patient deaths, but he assumed no guilt.
"I really feel bad about that situation," he said, referring to a grandmother who died last October and whose autopsy revealed opiate and benzodiazepine intoxication. "I don't know whether she got that stuff from me or other places."
Dr. Eargle said he earned a medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia in 1966 and worked as a resident at the Medical Center in Augusta, Ga.
He said that after he moved to California, he became an ordained minister affiliated with the Universal Life Church. He said he severed ties with church leaders about 20 years ago.
In 2003, Dr. Eargle briefly saw patients at his brick home on a cul-de-sac in a quiet Grand Prairie neighborhood. He stopped after neighbors complained to city officials.
"We received complaints from the community about a doctor running a business from his home," said Steve Collins, Grand Prairie code enforcement manager.
Dr. Eargle then moved his practice to a 700-square-foot office in a nearby commercial building at 921 W. Pioneer Parkway.
"He had a reasonable practice," said his former landlord, Kathy Krabbenschmidt. "He was always busy. Every time I'd come out, he had a waiting room full of people."
Dr. Eargle moved his home and office to Irving about a year and a half ago so he wouldn't have to be driven to and from work; he said he's visually impaired and can't drive. A "closed" sign was on his office door Friday.
A former patient said she once got a prescription from Dr. Eargle for allergy medicine. She said he warned her not to go to a nearby Sack N' Save pharmacy because it refused to fill his prescriptions.
Dr. Eargle had an explanation.
"Some pharmacists have their own morals and they don't believe in chronic pain medicine," Dr. Eargle said.
A pharmacist at the Sack N' Save declined to comment.
An Irving neighbor, Brad Cunningham, 51, said he was surprised at the allegations.
"He's a very nice man," Mr. Cunningham said, adding that the only two odd things about his neighbor are that he drives a golf cart on city streets and seldom wears anything but scrubs. "He doesn't wear people clothes. He only wears scrubs."
Dr. Eargle said he intends to go to Austin soon to appeal the board's decision.
"I hope people will understand the basic problem was not taking good records," he said. "I take full responsibility. Now I'm taking excellent records. If I get a second chance, I will continue to take excellent records to try to help people who need help."
Staff writer Scott Parks contributed to this report.
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Counselor facing sexual assault charge
Woman says man had intercourse with her during session
By JENNIFER EMILY / The Dallas Morning News
PLANO, Texas - A 37-year-old Plano counselor accused of having a sexual relationship with a patient was charged with sexual assault, according to court documents obtained Friday.
The first two times the 38-year-old woman visited his office for counseling, Artchavat "Art" Punta Griffin told her she was beautiful, according to court documents. The third time, he kissed her. On the fourth visit, Mr. Griffin pulled a condom and lubricant out of his desk and had sexual intercourse with her, records show.
After the encounter, the woman paid her $25 co-pay, records show.
Plano police spokesman Carl Duke said such sexual relationships are criminal because the mental-health providers are exploiting the emotions of their clients.
"Basically, the therapist has a role where the patients are dependent on their therapists," Officer Duke said. "There's supposed to be a trust there."
Mr. Griffin, who lives in The Colony, could not be reached for comment.
The Dallas Morning News does not typically identify possible victims of sex crimes. The accuser declined to comment through a spokeswoman.
Mr. Griffin was arrested Wednesday evening at his office on Plano Parkway. He has a second office in Frisco. Officer Duke said Mr. Griffin was released from the Plano jail on $15,000 bond.
Officer Duke said Plano police have no other complaints of wrongdoing against Mr. Griffin, but they fear there could be others.
"People who exhibit this behavior have typically done it before," he said.
Mr. Griffin is a licensed professional counselor with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. He has not had any disciplinary action that required the surrender or revocation of his license, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Mr. Griffin is responsible for notifying the board of his arrest. Until he or another party tells the board of the complaint, it cannot take any action. His license would not be affected unless the board takes action, according to the board.
Mr. Griffin's record shows a conviction for DWI in 2004 after an arrest by Dallas police.
Woman says man had intercourse with her during session
By JENNIFER EMILY / The Dallas Morning News
PLANO, Texas - A 37-year-old Plano counselor accused of having a sexual relationship with a patient was charged with sexual assault, according to court documents obtained Friday.
The first two times the 38-year-old woman visited his office for counseling, Artchavat "Art" Punta Griffin told her she was beautiful, according to court documents. The third time, he kissed her. On the fourth visit, Mr. Griffin pulled a condom and lubricant out of his desk and had sexual intercourse with her, records show.
After the encounter, the woman paid her $25 co-pay, records show.
Plano police spokesman Carl Duke said such sexual relationships are criminal because the mental-health providers are exploiting the emotions of their clients.
"Basically, the therapist has a role where the patients are dependent on their therapists," Officer Duke said. "There's supposed to be a trust there."
Mr. Griffin, who lives in The Colony, could not be reached for comment.
The Dallas Morning News does not typically identify possible victims of sex crimes. The accuser declined to comment through a spokeswoman.
Mr. Griffin was arrested Wednesday evening at his office on Plano Parkway. He has a second office in Frisco. Officer Duke said Mr. Griffin was released from the Plano jail on $15,000 bond.
Officer Duke said Plano police have no other complaints of wrongdoing against Mr. Griffin, but they fear there could be others.
"People who exhibit this behavior have typically done it before," he said.
Mr. Griffin is a licensed professional counselor with the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors. He has not had any disciplinary action that required the surrender or revocation of his license, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.
Mr. Griffin is responsible for notifying the board of his arrest. Until he or another party tells the board of the complaint, it cannot take any action. His license would not be affected unless the board takes action, according to the board.
Mr. Griffin's record shows a conviction for DWI in 2004 after an arrest by Dallas police.
Last edited by TexasStooge on Sat Apr 23, 2005 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Fort Worth ends suits on Water Gardens
City agrees to $750,000 for families, who still are suing others
By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas - The families of the four people – an adult and three children – who drowned last summer at the Fort Worth Water Gardens have agreed to settle their lawsuits against the city for a total of $750,000.
That amount is greater than the city's original total offer of $500,000. The plaintiffs had sought $1 million from the city for each of the victims. The settlement must be approved Tuesday by the Fort Worth City Council and then by a judge.
"We have discussed it with the council in executive session, and we're confident that the council is going to approve the recommendation," said David Yett, Fort Worth's city attorney.
Christopher Ford, a Chicago-based attorney for the victim's families, said the settlement is good for both sides.
"They wanted to do the right thing for their constituents, and we wanted to do the right thing for our clients," he said.
The victims, from the Chicago area, were Myron Dukes, 39; his 8-year-old daughter, Lauren Dukes, and 13-year-old son, Christopher Dukes; and Juanitrice Deadmon, 11, a family friend. Members of the two families could not be reached for comment Friday.
All four of the victims were in Fort Worth on June 16 for a weeklong Baptist convention at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
A police investigation concluded that Lauren slipped on the edge of the Active Pool – known for its steep steps and waterfalls – and fell into the murky, swirling water. Juanitrice grabbed her hand to help her but also fell into the pool.
Mr. Dukes and his son jumped in to save the girls but were also sucked to the bottom, according to the investigation. The Tarrant County medical examiner's office said that all four drowned and that there were no other injuries, such as head wounds, that contributed to their deaths.
An engineering study commissioned by the city concluded that the water in the Active Pool was about 8 ½ feet deep instead of the recommended 3 ½ feet. It also found that the Water Gardens, a downtown landmark that opened in 1974, suffered from poor maintenance, staff cutbacks and a lack of training for employees in recent years.
A report released in February said the city needed to spend as much as $3 million to renovate and improve safety at the Water Gardens.
Mr. Ford said the settlement does not affect the lawsuits pending against the architects and engineers who designed and have worked on the Water Gardens during the last three decades.
Mr. Yett said the deal will end what probably would have been a costly court battle.
"To reach a final resolution of that issue, we could foresee lengthy court proceedings and appeals," he said. "It's a wise financial move for the city to settle early on before a lot of costs have occurred."
After discussing the lawsuit on several occasions via telephone, city officials and the plaintiffs' attorneys met in Fort Worth on April 8 and agreed to the $750,000 figure. City Manager Charles Boswell said the settlement with the family would be paid from a fund that includes contributions from each city department.
Council member Becky Haskin, who attended the victims' funerals in Chicago, said she agrees with the compromise and expects it to be approved next week.
"It's a very sad situation, and I will be glad to have it behind us," she said.
Mr. Yett said the settlement will include standard language saying that the city is not admitting liability and is settling to avoid further expenses.
Mr. Ford said that he and other attorneys working on the case have agreed to waive their fees on the first $500,000 of the settlement.
Except for the Active Pool, the Water Gardens have reopened.
City agrees to $750,000 for families, who still are suing others
By JEFF MOSIER / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas - The families of the four people – an adult and three children – who drowned last summer at the Fort Worth Water Gardens have agreed to settle their lawsuits against the city for a total of $750,000.
That amount is greater than the city's original total offer of $500,000. The plaintiffs had sought $1 million from the city for each of the victims. The settlement must be approved Tuesday by the Fort Worth City Council and then by a judge.
"We have discussed it with the council in executive session, and we're confident that the council is going to approve the recommendation," said David Yett, Fort Worth's city attorney.
Christopher Ford, a Chicago-based attorney for the victim's families, said the settlement is good for both sides.
"They wanted to do the right thing for their constituents, and we wanted to do the right thing for our clients," he said.
The victims, from the Chicago area, were Myron Dukes, 39; his 8-year-old daughter, Lauren Dukes, and 13-year-old son, Christopher Dukes; and Juanitrice Deadmon, 11, a family friend. Members of the two families could not be reached for comment Friday.
All four of the victims were in Fort Worth on June 16 for a weeklong Baptist convention at the Fort Worth Convention Center.
A police investigation concluded that Lauren slipped on the edge of the Active Pool – known for its steep steps and waterfalls – and fell into the murky, swirling water. Juanitrice grabbed her hand to help her but also fell into the pool.
Mr. Dukes and his son jumped in to save the girls but were also sucked to the bottom, according to the investigation. The Tarrant County medical examiner's office said that all four drowned and that there were no other injuries, such as head wounds, that contributed to their deaths.
An engineering study commissioned by the city concluded that the water in the Active Pool was about 8 ½ feet deep instead of the recommended 3 ½ feet. It also found that the Water Gardens, a downtown landmark that opened in 1974, suffered from poor maintenance, staff cutbacks and a lack of training for employees in recent years.
A report released in February said the city needed to spend as much as $3 million to renovate and improve safety at the Water Gardens.
Mr. Ford said the settlement does not affect the lawsuits pending against the architects and engineers who designed and have worked on the Water Gardens during the last three decades.
Mr. Yett said the deal will end what probably would have been a costly court battle.
"To reach a final resolution of that issue, we could foresee lengthy court proceedings and appeals," he said. "It's a wise financial move for the city to settle early on before a lot of costs have occurred."
After discussing the lawsuit on several occasions via telephone, city officials and the plaintiffs' attorneys met in Fort Worth on April 8 and agreed to the $750,000 figure. City Manager Charles Boswell said the settlement with the family would be paid from a fund that includes contributions from each city department.
Council member Becky Haskin, who attended the victims' funerals in Chicago, said she agrees with the compromise and expects it to be approved next week.
"It's a very sad situation, and I will be glad to have it behind us," she said.
Mr. Yett said the settlement will include standard language saying that the city is not admitting liability and is settling to avoid further expenses.
Mr. Ford said that he and other attorneys working on the case have agreed to waive their fees on the first $500,000 of the settlement.
Except for the Active Pool, the Water Gardens have reopened.
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Substitute teacher accused in attack
By Tawnell D. Hobbs / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A substitute teacher at Spruce High School was arrested Friday, accused of lunging at four students with a pocketknife, Dallas schools spokesman Donald Claxton said.
Witnesses said that the students started the incident with the substitute teacher, whose name was not disclosed, Mr. Claxton said.
The substitute has been taken off the district's substitute list and won't be used again, the spokesman said.
By Tawnell D. Hobbs / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A substitute teacher at Spruce High School was arrested Friday, accused of lunging at four students with a pocketknife, Dallas schools spokesman Donald Claxton said.
Witnesses said that the students started the incident with the substitute teacher, whose name was not disclosed, Mr. Claxton said.
The substitute has been taken off the district's substitute list and won't be used again, the spokesman said.
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Cell towers meet schools' income need
By MIKE JACKSON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The cellphone's growing popularity does more than fatten the wallets of mobile phone companies. School districts from Dallas to Fort Worth have been cashing in, too.
For more than 10 years, area school systems have been pulling in extra bucks by awarding leases to cellphone companies that attach antennas to stadium lights, flagpoles and other tall places, administrators say. And where there was no sufficient high point, the companies erected towers to bounce signals from one location to another.
"In hard times it's a way to try to pick up some revenue," Plano school district administrator Tom Kimbrough said. "And at the same time it serves the community."
Interest in antennas at schools appears to be growing almost as fast as the mobile phone business.
Plano, which welcomed the district's first antenna in 1992, has antennas at eight locations. But the district would like to bring in more, Mr. Kimbrough said. Richardson, which has three, hopes to soon add another. And McKinney schools officials will soon enter the market. Officials there recently approved a contract for the district's first tower, at an elementary school.
Officials say tight budgets and drying revenue sources are forcing them to be creative in their approaches to finding money.
Lease values vary with each district, but the monthly rate ranges from $1,000 to $2,000. Dallas, for instance, has 10 leases that bring in about $10,000 a year, officials said. Irving leases sites at two high schools for $1,500 a month.
In Plano, where leases bring in about $144,000 annually, administrators hope to expand. Officials recently settled on a contract with Verizon Wireless for a tower on the roof of the district's administration building. That tower would net Plano $24,000 per year, Mr. Kimbrough said.
"You can see the opportunity," he said. "Say you have 10 of them at $24,000 a year over 10 years. That's $2.4 million."
McKinney's lease would bring in $36,000 per a year, officials said. The district could demand a premium monthly rate – $3,000 – because Walker Elementary School is in a residential area of the city where deed restrictions limit opportunities to place antennas, McKinney assistant superintendent Dennis Womack said.
"Before we were willing to consider it, the rate had to be above average," Mr. Womack said.
Some might argue that $36,000 is not much when you consider McKinney's $140 million annual budget, district spokeswoman Diana Gulotta said. But in a school district that has had to cut programs to balance its budget in recent years, the extra money helps, she said.
"You can look at it like it's not a lot of money, but that's a teacher's salary," she said.
Schools are useful locations for antennas, said Peter Kavanagh, a consultant who serves as a liaison between schools and cellphone companies. They are typically located in residential areas where there are few options for erecting a tower or attaching an antenna to a building.
"The west part of McKinney is a good example of that," Mr. Kavanagh said. "There are acres and acres of residential property. Institutions like schools are right in the middle of it."
Mr. Kavanagh said the area's five prominent cellphone companies probably have about 1,500 antenna sites around the Dallas-Fort Worth region. About 5 percent of those are at schools or churches.
Though they generate cash and smiles among some, cellular antennas and towers don't please everyone.
A group of McKinney residents opposes the school district's plans to place a cellular tower at Walker Elementary, said Mark Rude, who has a child at the school. Homeowners say that it would hurt property values and that parents worry about the potential health risks to children.
"The small financial benefit that the district would receive is not worth the risk," Mr. Rude said.
Mr. Womack said the district's agreement with Verizon calls for a "stealth tower" that would stand no taller than 70 feet behind the school. It would be a white, narrow pole, much like a flagpole, with the antennas inside.
The Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the cellphone industry, says there is no known risk associated with towers and antennas that comply with FCC safety guidelines.
"There is no reason to believe that such towers could constitute a potential health hazard to nearby residents or students," says an FCC report on radio frequency safety.
By MIKE JACKSON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The cellphone's growing popularity does more than fatten the wallets of mobile phone companies. School districts from Dallas to Fort Worth have been cashing in, too.
For more than 10 years, area school systems have been pulling in extra bucks by awarding leases to cellphone companies that attach antennas to stadium lights, flagpoles and other tall places, administrators say. And where there was no sufficient high point, the companies erected towers to bounce signals from one location to another.
"In hard times it's a way to try to pick up some revenue," Plano school district administrator Tom Kimbrough said. "And at the same time it serves the community."
Interest in antennas at schools appears to be growing almost as fast as the mobile phone business.
Plano, which welcomed the district's first antenna in 1992, has antennas at eight locations. But the district would like to bring in more, Mr. Kimbrough said. Richardson, which has three, hopes to soon add another. And McKinney schools officials will soon enter the market. Officials there recently approved a contract for the district's first tower, at an elementary school.
Officials say tight budgets and drying revenue sources are forcing them to be creative in their approaches to finding money.
Lease values vary with each district, but the monthly rate ranges from $1,000 to $2,000. Dallas, for instance, has 10 leases that bring in about $10,000 a year, officials said. Irving leases sites at two high schools for $1,500 a month.
In Plano, where leases bring in about $144,000 annually, administrators hope to expand. Officials recently settled on a contract with Verizon Wireless for a tower on the roof of the district's administration building. That tower would net Plano $24,000 per year, Mr. Kimbrough said.
"You can see the opportunity," he said. "Say you have 10 of them at $24,000 a year over 10 years. That's $2.4 million."
McKinney's lease would bring in $36,000 per a year, officials said. The district could demand a premium monthly rate – $3,000 – because Walker Elementary School is in a residential area of the city where deed restrictions limit opportunities to place antennas, McKinney assistant superintendent Dennis Womack said.
"Before we were willing to consider it, the rate had to be above average," Mr. Womack said.
Some might argue that $36,000 is not much when you consider McKinney's $140 million annual budget, district spokeswoman Diana Gulotta said. But in a school district that has had to cut programs to balance its budget in recent years, the extra money helps, she said.
"You can look at it like it's not a lot of money, but that's a teacher's salary," she said.
Schools are useful locations for antennas, said Peter Kavanagh, a consultant who serves as a liaison between schools and cellphone companies. They are typically located in residential areas where there are few options for erecting a tower or attaching an antenna to a building.
"The west part of McKinney is a good example of that," Mr. Kavanagh said. "There are acres and acres of residential property. Institutions like schools are right in the middle of it."
Mr. Kavanagh said the area's five prominent cellphone companies probably have about 1,500 antenna sites around the Dallas-Fort Worth region. About 5 percent of those are at schools or churches.
Though they generate cash and smiles among some, cellular antennas and towers don't please everyone.
A group of McKinney residents opposes the school district's plans to place a cellular tower at Walker Elementary, said Mark Rude, who has a child at the school. Homeowners say that it would hurt property values and that parents worry about the potential health risks to children.
"The small financial benefit that the district would receive is not worth the risk," Mr. Rude said.
Mr. Womack said the district's agreement with Verizon calls for a "stealth tower" that would stand no taller than 70 feet behind the school. It would be a white, narrow pole, much like a flagpole, with the antennas inside.
The Federal Communications Commission, which regulates the cellphone industry, says there is no known risk associated with towers and antennas that comply with FCC safety guidelines.
"There is no reason to believe that such towers could constitute a potential health hazard to nearby residents or students," says an FCC report on radio frequency safety.
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TexasStooge
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Fort Worth teen killed at birthday party
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A Fort Worth teen was killed late Saturday while attending a birthday party.
16-year-old Famous Lockhart was shot at the party in the 2500 block of Butterfield Drive.
Police believe Lockhart was actually trying to leave the party after an argument. He was sitting in a car when someone approached and opened fire. Lockhart's friends took him to All Saints Hospital, where he died.
Police are still looking for the gunman.
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A Fort Worth teen was killed late Saturday while attending a birthday party.
16-year-old Famous Lockhart was shot at the party in the 2500 block of Butterfield Drive.
Police believe Lockhart was actually trying to leave the party after an argument. He was sitting in a car when someone approached and opened fire. Lockhart's friends took him to All Saints Hospital, where he died.
Police are still looking for the gunman.
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TexasStooge
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Garland hit-and-run victim dies
GARLAND, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A Garland family is grieving following the weekend death of their young son from a hit-and-run accident.
Neftalee Benitez, 8, was struck aruond 7:00 Friday night in the 600 block of Wallace.
Police are now looking into whether to upgrade charges against the 16-year-old driver, but at this time police said it appears fault lies with the child.
"Everything appears at this point that when he failed to stop and look both ways when entering the street, that's what caused this wreck," said Garland police spokesman Joe Harn.
The driver was not speeding when his minivan struck the boy but did not stop to help the injured child, authorities said. Witnesses gave police a portion of a license plate number, which led them to the suspect, who lived nearby.
Police believe the 16-year-old driver was under the influence of marijuana. For now, he's charged with failure to render aid, and driving under the influence.
The teen driver is expected to appear before a judge later Monday morning.
GARLAND, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A Garland family is grieving following the weekend death of their young son from a hit-and-run accident.
Neftalee Benitez, 8, was struck aruond 7:00 Friday night in the 600 block of Wallace.
Police are now looking into whether to upgrade charges against the 16-year-old driver, but at this time police said it appears fault lies with the child.
"Everything appears at this point that when he failed to stop and look both ways when entering the street, that's what caused this wreck," said Garland police spokesman Joe Harn.
The driver was not speeding when his minivan struck the boy but did not stop to help the injured child, authorities said. Witnesses gave police a portion of a license plate number, which led them to the suspect, who lived nearby.
Police believe the 16-year-old driver was under the influence of marijuana. For now, he's charged with failure to render aid, and driving under the influence.
The teen driver is expected to appear before a judge later Monday morning.
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TexasStooge
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Irving students' laptops stolen
2 incidents reported in a week; officials say robberies are rare
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Two students have reported having been surrounded and robbed of their district-issued laptop computers within a week, police reports show.
The first incident occurred about 4 p.m. April 12. A DeZavala Middle School student was walking home through Lively Park when he was approached by two men, possibly high school students, who the student said hit him and stole his laptop, according to the report. They fled on foot.
Three days later, a Nimitz High School student said he was walking in the 1300 block of Senter Road about 8:30 p.m. when he was surrounded by three older males. They told him to give up his laptop before he got jumped, so he handed over his laptop, he told police.
Police and district officials said incidents in which students' laptops are taken by force are rare.
"Getting robbed of it is pretty uncommon," said Lt. Michael Coleman, who oversees the school resource officers – Irving police officers stationed on the campuses. "The first I've heard of it this year is the one at Lively Park. That really hasn't been a problem."
Theft, when someone leaves the laptop unsecured and later finds it missing, is the most common crime associated with the laptops, he said.
"Those are the only two that have happened in a while," agreed David Tull, police spokesman. The department had several reports a year or more back and later broke up a ring of laptop thieves after they started showing up in Dallas, he said.
This year, about 120 laptops have been reported stolen or lost, district officials said, a significant drop from last year, when nearly 240 were reported missing. Such thefts are considered a Class A misdemeanor because of the roughly $1,400 value of the laptops, officials said.
Forcibly taking the laptops bumps the offense from a misdemeanor to a second-degree felony, Lt. Coleman said.
To avoid becoming a victim, Lt. Coleman suggested students try to avoid being alone if possible.
The district is purchasing about 250 additional laptops for the coming year, including about 100 laptops to replace ones that were lost, stolen or broken. The rest are to cover increased enrollments for the next year.
"We anticipate some student growth next year. We're trying to be proactive," said Dr. Alice Owen, the district's director of technology who oversees the laptop program.
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This proves one thing, some people (young and old) are just desperate!
2 incidents reported in a week; officials say robberies are rare
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Two students have reported having been surrounded and robbed of their district-issued laptop computers within a week, police reports show.
The first incident occurred about 4 p.m. April 12. A DeZavala Middle School student was walking home through Lively Park when he was approached by two men, possibly high school students, who the student said hit him and stole his laptop, according to the report. They fled on foot.
Three days later, a Nimitz High School student said he was walking in the 1300 block of Senter Road about 8:30 p.m. when he was surrounded by three older males. They told him to give up his laptop before he got jumped, so he handed over his laptop, he told police.
Police and district officials said incidents in which students' laptops are taken by force are rare.
"Getting robbed of it is pretty uncommon," said Lt. Michael Coleman, who oversees the school resource officers – Irving police officers stationed on the campuses. "The first I've heard of it this year is the one at Lively Park. That really hasn't been a problem."
Theft, when someone leaves the laptop unsecured and later finds it missing, is the most common crime associated with the laptops, he said.
"Those are the only two that have happened in a while," agreed David Tull, police spokesman. The department had several reports a year or more back and later broke up a ring of laptop thieves after they started showing up in Dallas, he said.
This year, about 120 laptops have been reported stolen or lost, district officials said, a significant drop from last year, when nearly 240 were reported missing. Such thefts are considered a Class A misdemeanor because of the roughly $1,400 value of the laptops, officials said.
Forcibly taking the laptops bumps the offense from a misdemeanor to a second-degree felony, Lt. Coleman said.
To avoid becoming a victim, Lt. Coleman suggested students try to avoid being alone if possible.
The district is purchasing about 250 additional laptops for the coming year, including about 100 laptops to replace ones that were lost, stolen or broken. The rest are to cover increased enrollments for the next year.
"We anticipate some student growth next year. We're trying to be proactive," said Dr. Alice Owen, the district's director of technology who oversees the laptop program.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This proves one thing, some people (young and old) are just desperate!
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Desperate pilot lands on Duncanville street
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
DUNCANVILLE, Texas - James Doug McGehee was flying 1,500 feet over Duncanville with his wife and teenage daughter when things got quiet – too quiet.
"It sputtered once and just quit," the 46-year-old pilot from Spring, Texas, said of the engine in his rented 1979 Cessna 172.
He and his wife, Natalie, had flown in Saturday morning from Houston to pick up their 14-year-old daughter, Allyson, from her high school choir competition in the Dallas area.
Mr. McGehee has flown for six years after getting flying lessons for his 40th birthday. Nothing like this had ever happened to him.
"This is when all the training pays off," he said Saturday night by telephone after returning home. "Even though you still practice these things, you don't think. You just do what you know you should do.
"I kind of lost track of time," Mr. McGehee said of the moments after the engine cut out.
Ms. McGehee kept time – it was two minutes.
"My wife said, 'Oh, my God' but she didn't panic. I was just focused on what we were doing," said Mr. McGehee, a geophysicist for Exxon Mobil.
He leveled out the plane so it would glide and tried once to restart the engine but failed. As he had been trained, he picked out a possible landing site, a big empty field just off Duncanville's Main Street.
But as he headed down, he saw the street and figured that would be better – if he could miss the power lines stretched over the road and the three cars heading his way.
The woman driving the first car apparently noticed him and pulled over, he said. The two others followed her lead, clearing the way for him to make the sharp descent.
"To say I wasn't scared would be lying, but you do what you have to do," Mr. McGehee said. "It was a fairly smooth landing."
The plane came to a stop in the 1300 block of Main Street at a wrecking service, without a scratch to anyone in or around the plane or even the plane itself. Mr. McGehee stepped out to an astonished crowd.
"Everybody was really nice," he said. The woman in the lead car even took his wife and daughter to rent a car so they could complete their trip to Abilene for a ballet performance, he said.
Roland Herwig, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman, said officials were investigating but did not know a cause. Mr. McGehee said he also wasn't sure what went wrong – perhaps water in the fuel or a clogged fuel line.
After talking to police and the FAA, he rented a car and returned home to Spring, a northern suburb of Houston.
"I came home and hugged my two other kids," he said of daughter Erin, a college junior, and son Brendan, a senior at Klein High School. "They're giving me a hard time, but they said, 'If you can do that, I'll fly with you again.' "
By evening, he said, they were just "chillin'."
"But I wonder if I should go buy a lottery ticket," he joked.
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
DUNCANVILLE, Texas - James Doug McGehee was flying 1,500 feet over Duncanville with his wife and teenage daughter when things got quiet – too quiet.
"It sputtered once and just quit," the 46-year-old pilot from Spring, Texas, said of the engine in his rented 1979 Cessna 172.
He and his wife, Natalie, had flown in Saturday morning from Houston to pick up their 14-year-old daughter, Allyson, from her high school choir competition in the Dallas area.
Mr. McGehee has flown for six years after getting flying lessons for his 40th birthday. Nothing like this had ever happened to him.
"This is when all the training pays off," he said Saturday night by telephone after returning home. "Even though you still practice these things, you don't think. You just do what you know you should do.
"I kind of lost track of time," Mr. McGehee said of the moments after the engine cut out.
Ms. McGehee kept time – it was two minutes.
"My wife said, 'Oh, my God' but she didn't panic. I was just focused on what we were doing," said Mr. McGehee, a geophysicist for Exxon Mobil.
He leveled out the plane so it would glide and tried once to restart the engine but failed. As he had been trained, he picked out a possible landing site, a big empty field just off Duncanville's Main Street.
But as he headed down, he saw the street and figured that would be better – if he could miss the power lines stretched over the road and the three cars heading his way.
The woman driving the first car apparently noticed him and pulled over, he said. The two others followed her lead, clearing the way for him to make the sharp descent.
"To say I wasn't scared would be lying, but you do what you have to do," Mr. McGehee said. "It was a fairly smooth landing."
The plane came to a stop in the 1300 block of Main Street at a wrecking service, without a scratch to anyone in or around the plane or even the plane itself. Mr. McGehee stepped out to an astonished crowd.
"Everybody was really nice," he said. The woman in the lead car even took his wife and daughter to rent a car so they could complete their trip to Abilene for a ballet performance, he said.
Roland Herwig, a Federal Aviation Administration spokesman, said officials were investigating but did not know a cause. Mr. McGehee said he also wasn't sure what went wrong – perhaps water in the fuel or a clogged fuel line.
After talking to police and the FAA, he rented a car and returned home to Spring, a northern suburb of Houston.
"I came home and hugged my two other kids," he said of daughter Erin, a college junior, and son Brendan, a senior at Klein High School. "They're giving me a hard time, but they said, 'If you can do that, I'll fly with you again.' "
By evening, he said, they were just "chillin'."
"But I wonder if I should go buy a lottery ticket," he joked.
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TexasStooge
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Lesbians' firings open rift in town
Their private lives made public, they sue the school board
By NANCY BARR CANSON / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
BLOOMBURG, Texas – Sheila Dunlap has lived all her life in this northeast Texas town of 375 people south of Texarkana.
For 15 years, she worked as a bus driver and office assistant at the Bloomburg school, where her children were students.
Then, on Dec. 8, she was fired without explanation.
A few days later, Merry Stephens – a teacher and coach who led the school's Lady Wildcats basketball team to the state finals in 2004 – was fired by the school board in a 4-3 vote.
The women say they were fired for only one reason: They are living together, the only lesbian couple in Bloomburg.
Ms. Stephens appealed her termination to the Texas Education Agency and got a settlement from the school board. Ms. Dunlap, who wasn't a teacher and had nobody to appeal to, is preparing to file a federal discrimination lawsuit.
Staying put
While their private relationship has been made public and controversial, the women say that this is their home, that they have friends here and that they have no intention of leaving. They never saw themselves as lesbian activists, they say, but they never thought they'd be fired.
Ms. Stephens, 39, came here from Arkansas in 1999. She and Ms. Dunlap, 46, have been together for five years, living in a neat log house off a blacktop road – a house Ms. Dunlap once shared with her husband.
"We live together. We don't talk about it. We just keep to ourselves," said Ms. Dunlap, whose family has been in Bloomburg for more than 100 years.
In 2000, she created a stir when she divorced her husband of 25 years and became involved with Ms. Stephens.
Ms. Dunlap's children were 12 and 20 at the time, and the divorce was not easy, she said. Her grown daughter still doesn't talk to her. Ms. Dunlap said she's close to her son, but he's living with his dad.
"I can't talk about it without crying," she said.
The women said they had been harassed for some time, especially since Jerry Hendrick, the school counselor, was promoted to superintendent. In 2004, Ms. Dunlap was moved out of the front office and into a tiny room with no heat or air – "into a closet," she said. "He was trying to get me to quit."
A few months later, she said, he fired her without explanation.
The women say Mr. Hendrick was hired by the board "to do their bidding." The superintendent had no comment.
Board member Ronnie Peacock said Mr. Hendrick was promoted to "make some changes" at the school, even though he was not certified with the state as a superintendent. Mr. Peacock said that this was "no big deal" and that Mr. Hendrick could obtain his certification over time.
But officials at the State Board for Educator Certification said that by law, a superintendent must be certified. They declined to comment further.
The motion to fire Ms. Stephens for alleged insubordination and inappropriate behavior was made by board member Jimmy Lightfoot, Ms. Dunlap's uncle. He had no comment.
"I knew he didn't approve," Ms. Dunlap said, "but I didn't think he'd take it that far."
In a deposition taken in preparation for the TEA hearing on Ms. Stephens' firing, then-school board president Derous Byers, one of three board members who supported her, said she was fired because she was a lesbian. He cited an incident in Georgetown at the 2004 state basketball finals:
"She had worked very hard to get them there. The girls had worked very hard to be there," Mr. Byers said. "And [Ronnie Peacock] said ... to anybody that would stand and listen, 'She won't be here next year. She don't deserve to work here,' because he said that she was a lesbian."
Mr. Byers also said in his deposition that once, when he cautioned against trying to fire someone because of her sexual orientation, Mr. Peacock told him: "Well, we're bonded or insured for a million dollars apiece. ... We ought to fire her and see what happens."
After that deposition, the case was settled and Mr. Byers was removed as board president. The district agreed to pay the full value of Ms. Stephens' two-year contract, including salary and benefits, totaling about $100,000. In exchange, Ms. Stephens agreed not to pursue further legal action.
The attorney handling Ms. Dunlap's case, Shannon Minter of the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco, says he is confident Ms. Dunlap will prevail in her suit against the board.
"The government can't fire people just because they're gay," he said.
Discrimination denied
Mr. Peacock said he didn't know why Ms. Dunlap was fired, and he denied any discrimination in the vote against Ms. Stephens. "She's a great coach, great personality, and I wish her well," he said.
He said he couldn't say why he voted to fire her. He didn't comment on Mr. Byers' deposition.
Some people in Bloomburg oppose the firings.
"People shouldn't judge like that," said Suzanne Simmons Bishop, a grandmother and insurance sales representative. "They ought to follow the golden rule."
But others, such as Ms. Dunlap's daughter, Heather Cloninger, 25, support the decisions. Ms. Cloninger said she is glad the board fired Ms. Stephens, whatever the cost of the settlement.
"It was money well spent," she said, still angry at Ms. Stephens for the "disrespect she showed my family."
"We don't need her here imposing her views on our kids."
Nancy Barr Canson is a freelance writer in East Texas.
Their private lives made public, they sue the school board
By NANCY BARR CANSON / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
BLOOMBURG, Texas – Sheila Dunlap has lived all her life in this northeast Texas town of 375 people south of Texarkana.
For 15 years, she worked as a bus driver and office assistant at the Bloomburg school, where her children were students.
Then, on Dec. 8, she was fired without explanation.
A few days later, Merry Stephens – a teacher and coach who led the school's Lady Wildcats basketball team to the state finals in 2004 – was fired by the school board in a 4-3 vote.
The women say they were fired for only one reason: They are living together, the only lesbian couple in Bloomburg.
Ms. Stephens appealed her termination to the Texas Education Agency and got a settlement from the school board. Ms. Dunlap, who wasn't a teacher and had nobody to appeal to, is preparing to file a federal discrimination lawsuit.
Staying put
While their private relationship has been made public and controversial, the women say that this is their home, that they have friends here and that they have no intention of leaving. They never saw themselves as lesbian activists, they say, but they never thought they'd be fired.
Ms. Stephens, 39, came here from Arkansas in 1999. She and Ms. Dunlap, 46, have been together for five years, living in a neat log house off a blacktop road – a house Ms. Dunlap once shared with her husband.
"We live together. We don't talk about it. We just keep to ourselves," said Ms. Dunlap, whose family has been in Bloomburg for more than 100 years.
In 2000, she created a stir when she divorced her husband of 25 years and became involved with Ms. Stephens.
Ms. Dunlap's children were 12 and 20 at the time, and the divorce was not easy, she said. Her grown daughter still doesn't talk to her. Ms. Dunlap said she's close to her son, but he's living with his dad.
"I can't talk about it without crying," she said.
The women said they had been harassed for some time, especially since Jerry Hendrick, the school counselor, was promoted to superintendent. In 2004, Ms. Dunlap was moved out of the front office and into a tiny room with no heat or air – "into a closet," she said. "He was trying to get me to quit."
A few months later, she said, he fired her without explanation.
The women say Mr. Hendrick was hired by the board "to do their bidding." The superintendent had no comment.
Board member Ronnie Peacock said Mr. Hendrick was promoted to "make some changes" at the school, even though he was not certified with the state as a superintendent. Mr. Peacock said that this was "no big deal" and that Mr. Hendrick could obtain his certification over time.
But officials at the State Board for Educator Certification said that by law, a superintendent must be certified. They declined to comment further.
The motion to fire Ms. Stephens for alleged insubordination and inappropriate behavior was made by board member Jimmy Lightfoot, Ms. Dunlap's uncle. He had no comment.
"I knew he didn't approve," Ms. Dunlap said, "but I didn't think he'd take it that far."
In a deposition taken in preparation for the TEA hearing on Ms. Stephens' firing, then-school board president Derous Byers, one of three board members who supported her, said she was fired because she was a lesbian. He cited an incident in Georgetown at the 2004 state basketball finals:
"She had worked very hard to get them there. The girls had worked very hard to be there," Mr. Byers said. "And [Ronnie Peacock] said ... to anybody that would stand and listen, 'She won't be here next year. She don't deserve to work here,' because he said that she was a lesbian."
Mr. Byers also said in his deposition that once, when he cautioned against trying to fire someone because of her sexual orientation, Mr. Peacock told him: "Well, we're bonded or insured for a million dollars apiece. ... We ought to fire her and see what happens."
After that deposition, the case was settled and Mr. Byers was removed as board president. The district agreed to pay the full value of Ms. Stephens' two-year contract, including salary and benefits, totaling about $100,000. In exchange, Ms. Stephens agreed not to pursue further legal action.
The attorney handling Ms. Dunlap's case, Shannon Minter of the National Center for Lesbian Rights in San Francisco, says he is confident Ms. Dunlap will prevail in her suit against the board.
"The government can't fire people just because they're gay," he said.
Discrimination denied
Mr. Peacock said he didn't know why Ms. Dunlap was fired, and he denied any discrimination in the vote against Ms. Stephens. "She's a great coach, great personality, and I wish her well," he said.
He said he couldn't say why he voted to fire her. He didn't comment on Mr. Byers' deposition.
Some people in Bloomburg oppose the firings.
"People shouldn't judge like that," said Suzanne Simmons Bishop, a grandmother and insurance sales representative. "They ought to follow the golden rule."
But others, such as Ms. Dunlap's daughter, Heather Cloninger, 25, support the decisions. Ms. Cloninger said she is glad the board fired Ms. Stephens, whatever the cost of the settlement.
"It was money well spent," she said, still angry at Ms. Stephens for the "disrespect she showed my family."
"We don't need her here imposing her views on our kids."
Nancy Barr Canson is a freelance writer in East Texas.
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Latino group spreads message
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Some Nimitz Latinos, who this year formed a group to motivate the school's Hispanic student population, are now targeting parents.
Latinos Stand Up formed at the start of the year to recognize Hispanics at the school and encourage them to take a more high-profile role in the school. Now they're asking parents and others to join them at the Latinos Stand Up kickoff festival on May 1.
"It's an eclectic event that's focused on getting our message out, but also entertainment," said sponsor Netanya Even, who teaches Spanish at the school.
The group includes a loosely organized coalition of about 100 students who want to recognize their Hispanic heritage and build bonds with the larger community, organizers said.
"The idea is to get more Latinos to actually stand up for what they believe in and don't be scared, just because they don't see Latinos as the main leaders," said Isela Lopez, 15, a ninth-grader at the school. "I'm Latino, and it's about time we should stand up."
The festival will include performances by Ballet Folklorico, along with some of the club's students, who have been practicing dance routines for several months. They're also working on a video featuring the students and several presentations. "We're trying to get parents and the community and for them to see us the same way," junior Jose Arbaiza said of the May 1 event.
He said he found inspiration in the group's efforts.
"When you're walking through the school, you want to be part of the school. I didn't feel part of the school. It got me wanting to do stuff for the community," he said.
Anthony Bond, a community activist who is helping organize communitywide dialogues on race issues in the city, is also helping the students garner community support for the event. He said he's impressed with the group.
"I'd like to come back a year from now and find out from you what impact you've had," he told students at a recent organizational meeting. "I believe you're going to have a very positive effect."
Organizers aren't sure how many people to expect but have been trying to spread the word with fliers and word of mouth.
Isela's hope: "that more Latinos actually stand up and not hold back what they think."
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Some Nimitz Latinos, who this year formed a group to motivate the school's Hispanic student population, are now targeting parents.
Latinos Stand Up formed at the start of the year to recognize Hispanics at the school and encourage them to take a more high-profile role in the school. Now they're asking parents and others to join them at the Latinos Stand Up kickoff festival on May 1.
"It's an eclectic event that's focused on getting our message out, but also entertainment," said sponsor Netanya Even, who teaches Spanish at the school.
The group includes a loosely organized coalition of about 100 students who want to recognize their Hispanic heritage and build bonds with the larger community, organizers said.
"The idea is to get more Latinos to actually stand up for what they believe in and don't be scared, just because they don't see Latinos as the main leaders," said Isela Lopez, 15, a ninth-grader at the school. "I'm Latino, and it's about time we should stand up."
The festival will include performances by Ballet Folklorico, along with some of the club's students, who have been practicing dance routines for several months. They're also working on a video featuring the students and several presentations. "We're trying to get parents and the community and for them to see us the same way," junior Jose Arbaiza said of the May 1 event.
He said he found inspiration in the group's efforts.
"When you're walking through the school, you want to be part of the school. I didn't feel part of the school. It got me wanting to do stuff for the community," he said.
Anthony Bond, a community activist who is helping organize communitywide dialogues on race issues in the city, is also helping the students garner community support for the event. He said he's impressed with the group.
"I'd like to come back a year from now and find out from you what impact you've had," he told students at a recent organizational meeting. "I believe you're going to have a very positive effect."
Organizers aren't sure how many people to expect but have been trying to spread the word with fliers and word of mouth.
Isela's hope: "that more Latinos actually stand up and not hold back what they think."
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Computer glitch causes wrong inmate's release
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8
NEWS 8 EXCLUSIVE
DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas County jail inmate bound for prison but mistakenly released last week is now back in custody.
News 8 has learned ongoing computer problems at the jail and courts may be the cause.
After receiving a three-year sentence for possessing a prohibited weapon, Carlos Villalobos didn't head to state prison - instead, he went right out the door.
"He took advantage of what he knows is a system with flaws," said Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price.
A company called InfoIntegration installed the new computer system to follow prisoners through the jail and courts, but it's been riddled with problems including incorrect updating of cases and recording where prisoners are held.
The courts have been so frustrated, they stayed on the old system. So when District Judge Janice Warder ordered Villalobos held without bond last week and sentenced him to prison, it appeared on the old computer network that's supposed to update the new system.
However, after Villalobos returned to jail awaiting his trip to prison, a magistrate let him bond out for reasons still unclear.
Others question if the magistrate became confused looking at two separate computer records, or if there was yet another glitch. Either way, the sheriff's office followed the order.
"A bond was set so we could only follow what we had on record," said Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez.
Instead of losing track of prisoners inside the jail or information on the cases, the new concern is that violent prisoners can manage to get out.
"We don't have a system we can rely on," Price said.
The county district attorney's office said it has "grave concerns about how this happened, and how it is going to be fixed in the future."
County commissioners get an update on the troubled computer system Tuesday, and must decide whether to add more people and spend more money to get it working properly.
By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8
NEWS 8 EXCLUSIVE
DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas County jail inmate bound for prison but mistakenly released last week is now back in custody.
News 8 has learned ongoing computer problems at the jail and courts may be the cause.
After receiving a three-year sentence for possessing a prohibited weapon, Carlos Villalobos didn't head to state prison - instead, he went right out the door.
"He took advantage of what he knows is a system with flaws," said Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price.
A company called InfoIntegration installed the new computer system to follow prisoners through the jail and courts, but it's been riddled with problems including incorrect updating of cases and recording where prisoners are held.
The courts have been so frustrated, they stayed on the old system. So when District Judge Janice Warder ordered Villalobos held without bond last week and sentenced him to prison, it appeared on the old computer network that's supposed to update the new system.
However, after Villalobos returned to jail awaiting his trip to prison, a magistrate let him bond out for reasons still unclear.
Others question if the magistrate became confused looking at two separate computer records, or if there was yet another glitch. Either way, the sheriff's office followed the order.
"A bond was set so we could only follow what we had on record," said Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez.
Instead of losing track of prisoners inside the jail or information on the cases, the new concern is that violent prisoners can manage to get out.
"We don't have a system we can rely on," Price said.
The county district attorney's office said it has "grave concerns about how this happened, and how it is going to be fixed in the future."
County commissioners get an update on the troubled computer system Tuesday, and must decide whether to add more people and spend more money to get it working properly.
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TexasStooge
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Man known for violent streak charged with injuring kitten
Old E. Dallas neighbor says he threatened to kill her after his arrest
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Angela Alanis has been terrified of the man she calls the neighborhood bully.
He broke windows and knocked down her fence, but she did not report it, she said. She did not even report it when she said he threatened to harm her and her husband.
"He was telling us that he was going to kill us – that this is his neighborhood," said Mrs. Alanis, 32. "We were afraid he would retaliate."
But Mrs. Alanis put fear aside late Saturday and called police when she spotted him hurling a kitten to the pavement in the 4600 block of Manett Street in Old East Dallas.
"If he can do that to the cats, what else is he capable of?" Mrs. Alanis said Monday. "We were just always afraid he would do something crazy."
Edward Pinales, 32, is being held in the Dallas County Jail on charges of animal cruelty and retaliation with bail totaling $125,000. He was also held without bond on a misdemeanor charge of civil contempt.
In this neighborhood of 1940s-era brick bungalows, Mr. Pinales bragged out his gang membership and was known as a ruffian with a propensity toward violent behavior, particularly when he drank, some neighbors said. Others described him as a cat lover who helped with household chores.
Mr. Pinales had lived with his grandparents since he was a teenager, did not drive and had no visible means of employment, neighbors said.
Some neighbors did not want to be quoted by name but echoed Mrs. Alanis' comments. They said they suspected that he had vandalized their property, but they also had refrained from turning him in.
Charming or nasty?
"When he's sober, he can be very, very charming," said one neighbor who has known Mr. Pinales since he was a teenager. "When he drinks, he's just as nasty as can be."
Neighbors said they were vividly aware of that in October 2001, when he reportedly tried to stab a relative and then bit off a portion of a relative's ear and spit it out during a confrontation. He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the case. He's also been convicted of resisting arrest and possession of illegal chemicals.
In April 2003, his elderly grandmother told police that she had told Mr. Pinales to "quit sniffing glue, get a job and quit being a freeloader," a police report said. A short time later, Mary Chacon said her grandson had taken a fine wire and ran it 6 inches off the ground in the back of her residence, which caused her to fall, the report said. When she opened her garage, she told police, she found a string line attached to a barbell, but the device did not work.
When he returned, Mrs. Chacon had locked him out, the report said. Detectives were not able to make contact with Mrs. Chacon, and the case was suspended.
In February 2004, Mrs. Chacon told police that she was having trouble with her grandson and wanted advice "on how to handle the situation," the report said.
Cat owner
But to a mother and daughter who live near Mr. Pinales, he was a cat lover with three adult felines: Hitler, a female cat so named for a fur mustache similar to her namesake, Smokey and Patches. The neighbor said he often stayed at their house and performed household chores.
"We've never seen him hostile," the daughter said. "Occasionally, he gets a little angry when he drinks, but he loved those cats. He's really good-hearted."
On Saturday about 8 p.m., Mrs. Alanis said she saw Mr. Pinales outside with several juveniles.
"I saw him taking something out of his pocket and throw it," she said. "It was a kitten. I couldn't believe it."
The kitten had a "bulging eye" and a "bloody nose," a police report said.
Threat made
Witnesses told police that Mr. Pinales had killed one of the kittens, smashing in its head and kicking it into the gutter, a police report said. Authorities were unable to locate that kitten.
Animal-control officials seized the injured kitten, three other kittens and two adult cats from Mr. Pinales' home. As he was being arrested, the suspect threatened to kill Mrs. Alanis in the presence of police officers, a report said.
Several hours later, the suspect called her home from jail and told her: "Guess what? I'm going to get out real soon and I'm going to kill you," a report said.
On Monday, the other kittens and cats were being cared for at the city's animal shelter, said Kent Robertson, manager of animal services.
The injured kitten "looks like it's in pretty good shape," Mr. Robertson said. "They all look a little thin, but they don't look like they're in bad shape."
The mother and daughter who had been Mr. Pinales' friends said they no longer want to associate with him.
"I can't believe he would do that to those little-bitty kittens," the daughter said. "I can't accept him as a friend."
Old E. Dallas neighbor says he threatened to kill her after his arrest
By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Angela Alanis has been terrified of the man she calls the neighborhood bully.
He broke windows and knocked down her fence, but she did not report it, she said. She did not even report it when she said he threatened to harm her and her husband.
"He was telling us that he was going to kill us – that this is his neighborhood," said Mrs. Alanis, 32. "We were afraid he would retaliate."
But Mrs. Alanis put fear aside late Saturday and called police when she spotted him hurling a kitten to the pavement in the 4600 block of Manett Street in Old East Dallas.
"If he can do that to the cats, what else is he capable of?" Mrs. Alanis said Monday. "We were just always afraid he would do something crazy."
Edward Pinales, 32, is being held in the Dallas County Jail on charges of animal cruelty and retaliation with bail totaling $125,000. He was also held without bond on a misdemeanor charge of civil contempt.
In this neighborhood of 1940s-era brick bungalows, Mr. Pinales bragged out his gang membership and was known as a ruffian with a propensity toward violent behavior, particularly when he drank, some neighbors said. Others described him as a cat lover who helped with household chores.
Mr. Pinales had lived with his grandparents since he was a teenager, did not drive and had no visible means of employment, neighbors said.
Some neighbors did not want to be quoted by name but echoed Mrs. Alanis' comments. They said they suspected that he had vandalized their property, but they also had refrained from turning him in.
Charming or nasty?
"When he's sober, he can be very, very charming," said one neighbor who has known Mr. Pinales since he was a teenager. "When he drinks, he's just as nasty as can be."
Neighbors said they were vividly aware of that in October 2001, when he reportedly tried to stab a relative and then bit off a portion of a relative's ear and spit it out during a confrontation. He pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with the case. He's also been convicted of resisting arrest and possession of illegal chemicals.
In April 2003, his elderly grandmother told police that she had told Mr. Pinales to "quit sniffing glue, get a job and quit being a freeloader," a police report said. A short time later, Mary Chacon said her grandson had taken a fine wire and ran it 6 inches off the ground in the back of her residence, which caused her to fall, the report said. When she opened her garage, she told police, she found a string line attached to a barbell, but the device did not work.
When he returned, Mrs. Chacon had locked him out, the report said. Detectives were not able to make contact with Mrs. Chacon, and the case was suspended.
In February 2004, Mrs. Chacon told police that she was having trouble with her grandson and wanted advice "on how to handle the situation," the report said.
Cat owner
But to a mother and daughter who live near Mr. Pinales, he was a cat lover with three adult felines: Hitler, a female cat so named for a fur mustache similar to her namesake, Smokey and Patches. The neighbor said he often stayed at their house and performed household chores.
"We've never seen him hostile," the daughter said. "Occasionally, he gets a little angry when he drinks, but he loved those cats. He's really good-hearted."
On Saturday about 8 p.m., Mrs. Alanis said she saw Mr. Pinales outside with several juveniles.
"I saw him taking something out of his pocket and throw it," she said. "It was a kitten. I couldn't believe it."
The kitten had a "bulging eye" and a "bloody nose," a police report said.
Threat made
Witnesses told police that Mr. Pinales had killed one of the kittens, smashing in its head and kicking it into the gutter, a police report said. Authorities were unable to locate that kitten.
Animal-control officials seized the injured kitten, three other kittens and two adult cats from Mr. Pinales' home. As he was being arrested, the suspect threatened to kill Mrs. Alanis in the presence of police officers, a report said.
Several hours later, the suspect called her home from jail and told her: "Guess what? I'm going to get out real soon and I'm going to kill you," a report said.
On Monday, the other kittens and cats were being cared for at the city's animal shelter, said Kent Robertson, manager of animal services.
The injured kitten "looks like it's in pretty good shape," Mr. Robertson said. "They all look a little thin, but they don't look like they're in bad shape."
The mother and daughter who had been Mr. Pinales' friends said they no longer want to associate with him.
"I can't believe he would do that to those little-bitty kittens," the daughter said. "I can't accept him as a friend."
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TexasStooge
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121 reopens after gas line break
LEWISVILLE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - State Highway 121 reopened after noon on Monday after police shut portions of it down as Atmos Energy crews repaired a gas line break.
Several businesses at the intersection of the highway and Plano Parkway in The Colony voluntarily evacuated after an 18-inch gas line ruptured at that intersection.
Diane Baxter, a spokeswoman for The Colony, said it’s unclear what caused the rupture. No injuries were reported.
Lewisville police closed off eastbound access to the intersection at Midway West and 121.
LEWISVILLE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - State Highway 121 reopened after noon on Monday after police shut portions of it down as Atmos Energy crews repaired a gas line break.
Several businesses at the intersection of the highway and Plano Parkway in The Colony voluntarily evacuated after an 18-inch gas line ruptured at that intersection.
Diane Baxter, a spokeswoman for The Colony, said it’s unclear what caused the rupture. No injuries were reported.
Lewisville police closed off eastbound access to the intersection at Midway West and 121.
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TexasStooge
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High school's principal kills himself
HEMPSTEAD, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A high school principal apparently killed himself a day after a male former student accused him of sexual abuse.
Authorities said today that Angleton High School Principal Marcus Cloud was found dead in his car Friday evening at a roadside park on Interstate 10 near Hempstead.
He suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in his chest.
The accusations came from a student at Cloud's previous job as principal of Hempstead High School, about 50 miles northwest of Houston.
Hempstead ISD Superintendent Mona Chadwick said the 17-year-old student accused Cloud on Thursday of sexual abuse.
Cloud resigned as principal at his new school upon hearing the accusations.
HEMPSTEAD, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A high school principal apparently killed himself a day after a male former student accused him of sexual abuse.
Authorities said today that Angleton High School Principal Marcus Cloud was found dead in his car Friday evening at a roadside park on Interstate 10 near Hempstead.
He suffered an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound in his chest.
The accusations came from a student at Cloud's previous job as principal of Hempstead High School, about 50 miles northwest of Houston.
Hempstead ISD Superintendent Mona Chadwick said the 17-year-old student accused Cloud on Thursday of sexual abuse.
Cloud resigned as principal at his new school upon hearing the accusations.
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TexasStooge
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Rasansky apologizes for bat comments
Council member called Boy Scout doing park project 'Count Dracula'
By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Finally, a stake has been driven through the bat brouhaha.
Dallas City Council member Mitchell Rasansky on Monday apologized to the father of the Boy Scout he called "Count Dracula" because the teenager had erected three bat houses at a North Dallas park.
"People were calling my office threatening to kill me," said an emotionally drained Mr. Rasansky.
The boy's father, Ira Richardson, said late Monday that he had not seen Mr. Rasansky's letter of apology.
He said he was moved by the outpouring of support from his neighbors and people across the state. "It's been a civic lesson for my children," he said.
Scout erected bat houses
In his letter, Mr. Rasansky said he had "great respect and admiration for all Boy Scouts."
The 14-year-old erected the bat houses in Glen Cove Park as part of a project to get an Eagle Scout badge.
Before building the houses and the 300-yard nature trail, he got permission from the area homeowners association, the city Park and Recreation Department and the local Boy Scouts.
Mr. Rasansky heard about the bat houses from a former president of the homeowners association and began voicing his concerns at a neighborhood meeting.
His remarks that the Boy Scout is actually from Transylvania and that he planned to take a "wooden stake and a cross" to the park were jokes, Mr. Rasansky said, adding that he did not mean to embarrass the teen.
The council member also appeared last week at City Hall in plastic fangs with a plastic bat attached to his suit.
Teen will get badge
Mr. Richardson feared that the park department would remove the bat houses and that his son wouldn't get his Eagle Scout badge. But parks officials said Monday there are no plans to move the bat houses.
Chasity McReynolds, a spokeswoman for the Boy Scouts, said the teen would receive his badge.
Council member called Boy Scout doing park project 'Count Dracula'
By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Finally, a stake has been driven through the bat brouhaha.
Dallas City Council member Mitchell Rasansky on Monday apologized to the father of the Boy Scout he called "Count Dracula" because the teenager had erected three bat houses at a North Dallas park.
"People were calling my office threatening to kill me," said an emotionally drained Mr. Rasansky.
The boy's father, Ira Richardson, said late Monday that he had not seen Mr. Rasansky's letter of apology.
He said he was moved by the outpouring of support from his neighbors and people across the state. "It's been a civic lesson for my children," he said.
Scout erected bat houses
In his letter, Mr. Rasansky said he had "great respect and admiration for all Boy Scouts."
The 14-year-old erected the bat houses in Glen Cove Park as part of a project to get an Eagle Scout badge.
Before building the houses and the 300-yard nature trail, he got permission from the area homeowners association, the city Park and Recreation Department and the local Boy Scouts.
Mr. Rasansky heard about the bat houses from a former president of the homeowners association and began voicing his concerns at a neighborhood meeting.
His remarks that the Boy Scout is actually from Transylvania and that he planned to take a "wooden stake and a cross" to the park were jokes, Mr. Rasansky said, adding that he did not mean to embarrass the teen.
The council member also appeared last week at City Hall in plastic fangs with a plastic bat attached to his suit.
Teen will get badge
Mr. Richardson feared that the park department would remove the bat houses and that his son wouldn't get his Eagle Scout badge. But parks officials said Monday there are no plans to move the bat houses.
Chasity McReynolds, a spokeswoman for the Boy Scouts, said the teen would receive his badge.
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TexasStooge
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Coaching great Hughes retires
All-time winningest boys basketball coach steps down at Dunbar
By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas - Fort Worth Dunbar's Robert Hughes, the nation's all-time winningest high school boys basketball coach, has taken his last ride at Stop Six.
Mr. Hughes said Monday that he would retire after 47 seasons, 1,333 victories and five state titles at I.M. Terrell and Dunbar.
Mr. Hughes named Dunbar "Stop Six, Texas" for an old trolley line that used to run east from Fort Worth. The up-tempo, winning style of basketball played there by his Flying Wildcats became legendary.
"I'll admit it was a hard decision to make, but it was a decision I had to make," said Mr. Hughes, 76. "I don't have any fear about it. It was a great ride."
Mr. Hughes said he decided to retire largely because of his wife, Jacquelyne.
"I've just decided the poor baby's been punished enough," he said.
The couple celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary this month. They will do plenty of traveling, such as spending the summer on the Oregon coast. They like to take long drives, and Mr. Hughes wanted to retire before he needed to hire a driver.
"I'm now the official unpaid chauffeur and go-fer for my wife," Mr. Hughes said.
Mr. Hughes became the nation's leader in career victories during the 2003 season, surpassing Morgan Wootten of DeMatha Catholic in Maryland. The court at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center was named in Mr. Hughes' honor, and Dunbar capped the season by winning the Class 4A state title.
Among active coaches, Ron Bradley of Port St. Joe in Florida is closest with 948 victories.
Mr. Hughes grew up in the country outside Sapulpa, Okla., and played at Texas Southern and later for Marcus Haynes' Harlem Magicians traveling team. He got into coaching in 1958 at I.M. Terrell, which played in the Prairie View Interscholastic League. Mr. Hughes said his first salary for teaching and coaching was $3,800.
Mr. Hughes led I.M. Terrell to state titles in 1963, 1965 and 1967 before the school closed in 1973. He led Dunbar to 30 straight playoff appearances and 12 trips to the state tournament, where his teams won championships in 1993 and 2003.
Mr. Hughes said he is most proud of what Dunbar came to represent.
"The state championships, the consistency of having a top program," he said. "If you're going to go anywhere, you've got to beat Dunbar."
But all that winning took a lot of work.
"He deserves a break," said Leondas Rambo, who has worked as Mr. Hughes' assistant since 1974. "He did what he set out to do in his life. He helped so many kids."
Mr. Rambo credited Mr. Hughes' discipline and work ethic for all his successes. Mr. Hughes, who's 6 feet, 6 inches tall, still cuts an imposing figure, often found with his arms crossed and speaking in a deep, resonating voice.
"If we're doing a drill and he stands up and says something, everybody stands at attention like he's a drill sergeant," Mr. Rambo said. "The UIL says the only day you can't practice is Sunday. Six days a week, we're practicing."
Dunbar, however, might not have to make do without a Hughes on the sidelines.
Robert Hughes Jr. left a head coaching job at Houston Wheatley to coach junior varsity at Dunbar this past season.
"I would think he would be a strong candidate for the position," Paul Galvan, Fort Worth school district athletic director, said Monday.
The elder Mr. Hughes has been mulling retirement for several seasons, especially since the 20-13 season ended in March. A self-professed workaholic, he has done enough in the gym.
Mr. Hughes says he's been blessed.
"Sometimes it's hard to go to sleep," he said, "cause you can't go to sleep when you're smiling."
All-time winningest boys basketball coach steps down at Dunbar
By KATE HAIROPOULOS / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas - Fort Worth Dunbar's Robert Hughes, the nation's all-time winningest high school boys basketball coach, has taken his last ride at Stop Six.
Mr. Hughes said Monday that he would retire after 47 seasons, 1,333 victories and five state titles at I.M. Terrell and Dunbar.
Mr. Hughes named Dunbar "Stop Six, Texas" for an old trolley line that used to run east from Fort Worth. The up-tempo, winning style of basketball played there by his Flying Wildcats became legendary.
"I'll admit it was a hard decision to make, but it was a decision I had to make," said Mr. Hughes, 76. "I don't have any fear about it. It was a great ride."
Mr. Hughes said he decided to retire largely because of his wife, Jacquelyne.
"I've just decided the poor baby's been punished enough," he said.
The couple celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary this month. They will do plenty of traveling, such as spending the summer on the Oregon coast. They like to take long drives, and Mr. Hughes wanted to retire before he needed to hire a driver.
"I'm now the official unpaid chauffeur and go-fer for my wife," Mr. Hughes said.
Mr. Hughes became the nation's leader in career victories during the 2003 season, surpassing Morgan Wootten of DeMatha Catholic in Maryland. The court at Wilkerson-Greines Activity Center was named in Mr. Hughes' honor, and Dunbar capped the season by winning the Class 4A state title.
Among active coaches, Ron Bradley of Port St. Joe in Florida is closest with 948 victories.
Mr. Hughes grew up in the country outside Sapulpa, Okla., and played at Texas Southern and later for Marcus Haynes' Harlem Magicians traveling team. He got into coaching in 1958 at I.M. Terrell, which played in the Prairie View Interscholastic League. Mr. Hughes said his first salary for teaching and coaching was $3,800.
Mr. Hughes led I.M. Terrell to state titles in 1963, 1965 and 1967 before the school closed in 1973. He led Dunbar to 30 straight playoff appearances and 12 trips to the state tournament, where his teams won championships in 1993 and 2003.
Mr. Hughes said he is most proud of what Dunbar came to represent.
"The state championships, the consistency of having a top program," he said. "If you're going to go anywhere, you've got to beat Dunbar."
But all that winning took a lot of work.
"He deserves a break," said Leondas Rambo, who has worked as Mr. Hughes' assistant since 1974. "He did what he set out to do in his life. He helped so many kids."
Mr. Rambo credited Mr. Hughes' discipline and work ethic for all his successes. Mr. Hughes, who's 6 feet, 6 inches tall, still cuts an imposing figure, often found with his arms crossed and speaking in a deep, resonating voice.
"If we're doing a drill and he stands up and says something, everybody stands at attention like he's a drill sergeant," Mr. Rambo said. "The UIL says the only day you can't practice is Sunday. Six days a week, we're practicing."
Dunbar, however, might not have to make do without a Hughes on the sidelines.
Robert Hughes Jr. left a head coaching job at Houston Wheatley to coach junior varsity at Dunbar this past season.
"I would think he would be a strong candidate for the position," Paul Galvan, Fort Worth school district athletic director, said Monday.
The elder Mr. Hughes has been mulling retirement for several seasons, especially since the 20-13 season ended in March. A self-professed workaholic, he has done enough in the gym.
Mr. Hughes says he's been blessed.
"Sometimes it's hard to go to sleep," he said, "cause you can't go to sleep when you're smiling."
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TexasStooge
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Brazen robberies shake UNT campus
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8
DENTON, Texas - A string of armed robberies at the University of North Texas has left students, faculty and nearby residents on edge.
The most recent attack happened Monday, when a student was hit with a handgun. Crime alerts warning of the danger are now posted across the campus as the suspects appear to be getting bolder.
Students came to class Tuesday morning only to learn of the latest robbery. It happened on Hickory Street, just a few blocks off campus; a student was accosted by two men, one of whom pointed a pistol at him, demanded his wallet and then hit him in the head with the gun.
"The campus isn't very busy at night when you're walking back from class to your car," said student Paige Garcia. "If anyone pointed a gun at me, I would just be completely freaked out."
Denton and UNT police believe the same men struck twice Tuesday morning - first on Hickory and then on campus near the school's General Academic Building.
"One of the suspects patted his waistband and indicated that he had a pistol," said UNT Police Deputy Chief Ed Reynolds.
UNT has posted a security alert across campus. They fear the robbers are growing more brazen, and won't hesitate to use their weapons.
The robberies are creating a feeling of anxiety among students, especially those who take night classes, like Camille Parsons.
"I walk home a lot of nights each week," Parsons said. "Sometimes it's after dark, and so of course I'm concerned that people could be out."
"It just makes it unsafe for students to be able to walk throughout the evening," student Ani Edohoukwa said.
By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8
DENTON, Texas - A string of armed robberies at the University of North Texas has left students, faculty and nearby residents on edge.
The most recent attack happened Monday, when a student was hit with a handgun. Crime alerts warning of the danger are now posted across the campus as the suspects appear to be getting bolder.
Students came to class Tuesday morning only to learn of the latest robbery. It happened on Hickory Street, just a few blocks off campus; a student was accosted by two men, one of whom pointed a pistol at him, demanded his wallet and then hit him in the head with the gun.
"The campus isn't very busy at night when you're walking back from class to your car," said student Paige Garcia. "If anyone pointed a gun at me, I would just be completely freaked out."
Denton and UNT police believe the same men struck twice Tuesday morning - first on Hickory and then on campus near the school's General Academic Building.
"One of the suspects patted his waistband and indicated that he had a pistol," said UNT Police Deputy Chief Ed Reynolds.
UNT has posted a security alert across campus. They fear the robbers are growing more brazen, and won't hesitate to use their weapons.
The robberies are creating a feeling of anxiety among students, especially those who take night classes, like Camille Parsons.
"I walk home a lot of nights each week," Parsons said. "Sometimes it's after dark, and so of course I'm concerned that people could be out."
"It just makes it unsafe for students to be able to walk throughout the evening," student Ani Edohoukwa said.
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TexasStooge
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Truck crash snarls traffic in Fort Worth
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
FORT WORTH, Texas — An overturned tractor-trailer threatened to affect the morning commute for thousands of Tarrant County motorists Wednesday morning.
The 18-wheeler, loaded with meat, was headed south on Interstate 35W at Basswood Boulevard about 3 a.m. when the driver lost control and the rig flipped on its side.
The driver told police he swerved to avoid an object in the roadway and slammed into a concrete median barrier.
The driver fled the burning wreckage and was not seriously hurt, but the accident shut down traffic on both sides of the busy freeway for a time.
The northbound lanes were opened in time for morning rush hour, but the southbound lanes were expected to remain closed until 8 a.m. while the truck's payload was removed so the trailer could be uprighted.
Motorists were forced to detour around the accident scene.
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
FORT WORTH, Texas — An overturned tractor-trailer threatened to affect the morning commute for thousands of Tarrant County motorists Wednesday morning.
The 18-wheeler, loaded with meat, was headed south on Interstate 35W at Basswood Boulevard about 3 a.m. when the driver lost control and the rig flipped on its side.
The driver told police he swerved to avoid an object in the roadway and slammed into a concrete median barrier.
The driver fled the burning wreckage and was not seriously hurt, but the accident shut down traffic on both sides of the busy freeway for a time.
The northbound lanes were opened in time for morning rush hour, but the southbound lanes were expected to remain closed until 8 a.m. while the truck's payload was removed so the trailer could be uprighted.
Motorists were forced to detour around the accident scene.
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