News from the Lone Star State

[TexasStooge]

Pastor: Church will rise from ashes

By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - The senior minister at a South Dallas church pledged to rebuild after fire caused extensive damage the facility on Tuesday.

The alarm at The Lord's Missionary Baptist Church, 6722 Bexar Street, went out around 11:30 a.m. as Pastor Carlton Garrett was away taking his wife to the doctor.

Before the two-alarm fire was brought under control about an hour later, firefighters said the sanctuary and a youth activities area were heavily damaged by smoke and flames.

No one was in the building when the fire started, and there were no injuries.

Investigators said a preliminary check indicates the fire likely started in the central sanctuary and may have been sparked by an electrical malfunction.

There was no evidence of arson.

Pastor Garrett said it appeared that the building, near Rochester Park, could be rebuilt. He added that construction could take several months, and that regular services would be held at an alternate location until then.

[TexasStooge]

Breaking News

FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A teenaged boy has been found dead in north Tarrant County. Police said the boy was found with a bag tied around his head in the backyard of a home. Details to come.

[TexasStooge]

Police arrest 3 in teen's murder

By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8

RICHARDSON, Texas - Three young people are in jail Tuesday night after they were arrested in the murder of 17-year-old Jason Martin.

Martin, who lived in Garland and was a senior at Sachse High School, was shot to death Friday night in Richardson after the football game between Lake Highlands High School and Berkner High School.

Richardson police said they moved quickly to arrest the three suspects, but are still looking for a fourth suspect.

Police said the men were involved in a fight between two groups that ended in Martin's death and left five others injured.

"Some of the folks that were involved did have some gang affiliations, but as far as all of them no," said Sgt. Kevin Perlich, Richardson Police Department. "And a lot of the victims that were actually hit were innocent bystanders."

Police and school officials said none of the suspects that range from ages 18 to 24 were students, but may have attended the game and then congregated in a random parking lot.

"Some of the rowdiness that the district has been experiencing, we have attributed to students attending our games who are not from Richardson ISD and who kind of use the games as a social setting," said Tim Clark, Richardson Independent School District. "They are not there to watch the game, and are obviously not the type of fans we are interested in letting in."

School officials said from now on, anyone attending a game must show a Richardson High School ID. And police said they will have more officers out Friday night looking for possible trouble makers.

School officials and police said they are going to take extra security measures during and after football games to make sure something like this does not happen again.

[TexasStooge]

Girl orphaned after truck-train collision

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - An 18-month old girl who was critically injured in a truck-train collision Monday afternoon is now orphaned.

Her father, Joseph Sillas, died Tuesday night of his injuries. Her mother, Veronica Sillas, had been pronounced dead at the scene Monday.

Police said Mrs. Sillas ignored flashing lights and drove a Ford Ranger pickup around the crossing arms to try to beat a freight train.

An Amtrak train coming from the other direction slammed into the family at the Southwest 19th Street intersection.

None of the train's passengers were injured and the train sustained minimal damage, said Marc Magliari, a spokesman for Amtrak. The train had left Chicago on Sunday, stopped in Dallas at 1:48 p.m. Monday and was headed to Fort Worth, he said.

[TexasStooge]

Dallas County prepares to buy bird flu vaccine

By Janet St. James and Brad Watson / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Dallas County today said it will be ready to buy more than two million doses of vaccine for the bird flu when one becomes available.

Health officials are trying to get ahead of a global pandemic after the United Nations voiced a new concern Tuesday about the avian flu. Drug companies may not be able to produce enough vaccine in time to combat a human outbreak.

However, UN officials are exploring ways to speed up the production of a vaccine because it could take six months to manufacture adequate stocks. Current and limited stockpiles may be useless if the flu virus mutates.

It is believed that most cases of bird flu infection in humans have resulted from direct contact with infected poultry and the current risk to Americans from the bird flu outbreak in Asia is low. So far, there have been no human cases in the United States

However, given the potential threat, Dallas County is prepared to buy enough vaccine to stockpile for every person in the county.

County commissioners approved spending about $800,000 Monday to buy vaccines for the flu this season and other diseases in the year ahead. And they said they are prepared to spend a million dollars, and perhaps more, to get a bird flu vaccine.

The problem is waiting for it.

People who received flu shots at the Dallas County Health and Human Services said they were relieved there should be enough flu vaccine this season.

But some are concerned how they would get any medicine to prevent the deadly avian flu should the virus spread in North Texas.

"Yeah it's kind of scary because I don't know if me, my kids or my family are protected from it," said Tranell Perrault, a patient who received his flu shot.

The bird flu has killed 65 people who received the virus from poultry in four Southeast Asian nations so far. But the fear is that the virus will mutate and start spreading from human to human worldwide.

And while no bird flu vaccine is available yet, the county said it's ready to spend the money it would take to vaccinate all 2.2 million residents.

"We cannot depend on the federal government to get vaccine here locally, and in 48 or 72 hour period," said Zachary Thompson, Dallas County Health and Human Services. "We need to stockpile vaccine now so we can have it readily available for the citizens of Dallas County."

The anti-viral drug Tamiflu reduces the affects of the bird flu and may prevent infection.

The county said it will buy Tamiflu if there's an outbreak, but the amount would be limited since there will be only about 4 million doses ready in the United States by the end of the year.

However, after an August drill, the county feels confident it can safely distribute any kind of medicine.

"Oh, I think the county will be ready if there's an outbreak, and I think we'll have the law enforcement staff ready," said Margaret Keliher, Dallas County judge.

[TexasStooge]

Man arrested for taking improper pictures

SOUTHLAKE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Southlake police arrested a man taking pictures during an Oktoberfest celebration.

Police said the man was taking improper photographs of women and children. Officers seized the man's digital camera during the celebration on Southlake's town square Sunday.

The man, Louis J. Vogel, 60, of North Richland Hills, is free on a $5,000 bond.

If the man is found guilty he faces up to 2 years in jail and a maximum fine of $10,000.

[TexasStooge]

Homicide rate, overall crime down

Police Department may not meet lofty goals, but Kunkle likes trend

By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Nine months into the year, Dallas' homicide rate is down 8.1 percent and overall crime has fallen 3.4 percent for the same period in 2004.

The latest available statistics show that the Police Department is not on track to meet ambitious crime-cutting goals set by the chief of police, but the trend is still reassuring to City Manager Mary Suhm.

"This police chief is thoughtful and methodical about attacking the problem," Ms. Suhm said Tuesday.

Police Chief David Kunkle hoped to reduce homicides by 20 percent and overall crime by 10 percent by the end of the year.

"It's not good enough for us," Chief Kunkle said Tuesday about the pace of the improving picture. "But the way the numbers are going is encouraging."

Almost across the board, crime trends look positive compared with last year: Through September, burglaries were down overall, although business burglaries were up slightly. Auto theft dropped more than 9 percent. Robberies overall were down nearly 6 percent, with a nearly 17 percent drop in business robberies.

"I'd like to think that our policing strategies are making a difference," Chief Kunkle said. "I'm encouraged that we set a goal to reduce homicides more than any other crime and that they're down more than any of the other [violent crime categories]."

Chief Kunkle attributed some of the gains to the 60-officer Operation Disruption task force – formed in early July to sweep some of the city's most crime-ridden areas – and the use of overtime money to put extra officers on the streets on weekend nights and at other peak hours. The chief said he believes both will continue to pay dividends.

Another behind-the-scenes factor: having drivable cars. In the last 10 months or so, the condition of the marked patrol fleet of about 700 cars improved greatly with the addition of more than 300 new squad cars.

"Getting enough cars in our fleet allowed us to readjust schedules" in June, Chief Kunkle said. "We are putting more officers on the streets on Fridays and Saturdays and other peak times."

Efforts have also been made by Chief Kunkle's new second-in-command, promoted in August, to press for more accountability within the department.

Aggressive push

First Assistant Chief David Brown has pushed his commanders to focus on violent crime, repeat offenders, crime-ridden properties and minor crimes, such as public intoxication, that can lead to violent crime.

Chief Brown has instituted almost daily crime meetings with the patrol, investigative and narcotics deputy chiefs and assistant chiefs who report to him. The meetings focus on picking target areas for extra enforcement, sharing intelligence and reviewing crime-fighting performance.

"It's very time consuming, but it's a good thing," said Deputy Chief Patricia Paulhill, who commands the southeast division, the area with the city's highest crime rate. "I didn't have to go out and beg for resources from narcotics or the gang unit."

'Mind-set change'

It's bringing a "mind-set change" to patrol. Instead of making excuses about not having enough officers, commanders are looking for solutions, she said.

Prioritizing better sharing of data among the department's homicide, narcotics and gang units also might be helping fuel an improved homicide clearance rate. Through September, nearly 73 percent of such cases had been solved or otherwise cleared.

"[Communication] was very lacking," said Lt. Mike Scoggins, the homicide unit's commander. "There wasn't much communication upward or downward. Now, we constantly have open lines between each unit."

In June, July and August, Dallas police logged 45 homicides in 2005, compared with 69 in summer 2004.

The lower numbers mean that Dallas is unlikely to top the 244 homicides last year.

The last year the homicide rate in Dallas fell was 2002, when there were 188 homicides. Overall crime fell 4 percent last year.

But if the city is to lick its crime problem in the long run, Dallas must find a way to properly equip, man and pay the Police Department, say the co-chairs of Safer Dallas Better Dallas, a group that successfully persuaded a local foundation to donate $15 million to the department this year.

The group is trying to raise millions more in private donations to better equip officers. They are also advocating higher starting salaries and pushing for a long-term plan to increase the size of the manpower-strapped department.

"Individual safety is a bedrock for democracy," said organization co-chair Jack Hammack, a former oil executive and Highland Park mayor. "If you don't have a safe life, you don't have a happy life."

[TexasStooge]

Alterations to DPS drill haven't cut out dangers

121 concussions seen since 1978; agency weighing changes again

By DAVE MICHAELS / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN, Texas – Trooper Steve Booth still had a telltale bite mark on his right arm. There were bullet wounds to his head, shoulder, pelvis and wrist, delivered by a .45-caliber revolver that had been taken from him.

Some of his grieving colleagues concluded that the tragedy reinforced a pillar of the Department of Public Safety's rigorous training: Troopers must be ready for the dirtiest fight. For many, that trumped concerns that the DPS academy's fighting drill was sending scores of recruits to hospitals with concussions.

"If people get hurt in the training program, the program is under scrutiny," said retired Lt. Mark Sassman, a former coordinator of the DPS recruit school. "If they get hurt on the street, then we didn't adequately prepare them for the job."

Twelve years after Trooper Booth's death, DPS is again wrestling with the drill's future. The reason is another death – recruit Jimmy Ray Carty died of a severe brain injury suffered while fighting on May 19. This time, the suspect is the training itself.

Records obtained by The Dallas Morning News show that 121 DPS recruits have suffered concussions because of the drill since 1978, the year a recruit sustained what was apparently the first near-fatal injury. Along with dozens of interviews with witnesses, law enforcement training experts and doctors, the records indicate that the agency has consistently modified the drill as injuries mounted and became more serious, and as doctors and others raised concerns.

But those changes sometimes made the drill more dangerous.

For instance, the agency once directed its commanders to phase out strikes to the head but later tolerated such blows again. DPS also has ignored warnings from doctors who told commanders that brain injuries could be fatal, the physicians said.

"When I heard there was a program that promoted recruits hitting other recruits in the head and was being used today, I was horrified," said René Haas, a Corpus Christi attorney. She represented a former recruit who nearly died because of fighting in 1988.

Albert Rodriguez, commander of the DPS training academy, has declined interview requests. So have other top agency officials.

Tela Mange, a DPS spokeswoman, said the department has always monitored the drill. The agency is preparing to hire a consultant who will review the drill and suggest whether changes should be made, she said.

"We take the safety of our recruits very seriously," Ms. Mange said. "We have continued with the active countermeasures [fighting] program because it's an important part of providing our recruits with the defensive skills they are going to need when they are out on the road."

Many troopers and former trainers said Mr. Carty's death should not dissuade DPS from using the exercise. Recruits need training for the gritty realities of policing, they said.

Even some troopers who were seriously injured at the academy, such as 23-year veteran Dennis Storch, said the exercise is essential.

"When you are out on the street, nobody is going to step in and say, 'That is enough,' " said Trooper Storch, who suffered a major brain injury in 1982. "If you get hit in the nose and blood runs and your eyes water, you have to know that 'I am not out of it. I can keep going.' "

'You don't want to quit'

In describing the training academy, which she entered in 1978, Belinda Macias paints a picture of a primitive place. Recruits boxed but did not wear headgear. Boxing was used to eliminate weak recruits, and fights were rarely stopped, she and others said.

Ms. Macias has no memory of the fight that knocked her out and sent her to the hospital for 22 days with a near-fatal brain injury.

After she woke from a coma, she asked her opponent, Tim Mollenkopf, why the fight wasn't stopped, she said.

"He said they were telling him to knock me out," said Ms. Macias, who now works for a travel reservations company. "We were all young and trying to make a career. You don't want to quit."

Reacting to national media attention about Ms. Macias' injury, DPS defended its boxing drill. "Two or three years from now, it won't be mentioned," director Wilson Speir said at the time.

In a 1978 memo to his superiors, a DPS boxing trainer argued vigorously for keeping the drill. But Sgt. Stephen Baggs also warned that headgear, which commanders wanted to introduce, would not prevent concussions and could make them more common.

"The mandatory use of head protectors will not prevent concussion or a similar type of injury and may, in fact, increase the particular type of injury due to the double jarring or shock effect of the gloves and the headgear," Sgt. Baggs wrote.

A concussion is caused when the brain is shaken within the skull, often as a result of high-speed impact with another object.

Ms. Haas, who said DPS officials told her in 1988 that they did not know their drill could cause brain injuries, said recently that Sgt. Baggs' memo shows the department is guilty of gross negligence.

"The use of anything that resembled boxing would be an intentional decision to disregard the probability of serious bodily injury and death, which is a definition of gross negligence," Ms. Haas said.

Sgt. Baggs, who did not return phone calls seeking comment for this report, saw it differently, according to his memo. Boxing imparted courage and stamina and taught recruits to spot an opponent's weaknesses, he wrote.

He argued that the best way to reduce injuries was to recruit people who could fight. Recruits who could not box should be terminated, he wrote.

Control efforts

Ms. Macias' injury in 1978 taught DPS that it needed to better referee fights, said Roger Leathers, a former recruit school coordinator stationed at the academy from 1973 to 1983. If someone was hurt, the fight was stopped, he said.

Recruits began wearing headgear, probably in 1979 or 1980, according to DPS records.

Over the next several years, trainers carefully matched people by weight, height and ability, Mr. Leathers said.

After numbering 11 in 1982, the number of concussions dropped in 1983 and 1984, according to records. Mr. Leathers credited Claude Hart, a veteran trooper with boxing experience who began training recruits after Sgt. Baggs transferred to another division.

"It was very controlled," Mr. Leathers said. "I don't recall after he started handling boxing that we had a real serious injury."

Mr. Hart, now executive director of the Texas State Troopers Association, did not return phone calls or faxes seeking comment.

But some troopers who went through the academy in the early 1980s said trainers continued to intentionally match recruits against a superior fighter for one of their three boxing matches.

In February 1988, another recruit suffered a serious brain injury while boxing. Joel Cordova, a former Marine, suffered a subdural hematoma – bleeding on the surface of the brain – and spent six months in a coma, his family said.

The injury occurs when something hits the skull at a high speed. An acute subdural hematoma, the most severe type, has a mortality rate of 50 percent, according to medical literature.

Mr. Cordova spent a year in a rehabilitation facility in Austin, and four years at one in Dallas. Today, he talks slowly but cannot walk on his own or work, his family said.

Soon after Mr. Cordova's injury, DPS officials assured his lawyer, Ms. Haas, that they "were not going to box again," a promise she said she interpreted as a ban on strikes to the head.

Targeting the head

DPS wanted to "phase out tactics that require actual strikes to the head," according to an order given to Mr. Rodriguez, then the recruit school coordinator, in February 1988. On a performance evaluation, Mr. Rodriguez was praised as the best recruit school coordinator in the department's history.

But the program that Mr. Rodriguez developed did not prohibit head strikes.

DPS adopted a new kind of fighting exercise, known as active countermeasures, which was supposed to reduce injuries such as broken noses and fractured ribs. By allowing recruits to punch or kick, the exercise was supposed to be more like common street fights than boxing.

It also was supposed to be safer.

Recruits would be protected by headgear, chest protectors, and shin and elbow pads.

The academy "would/could expect ... a minimum of a 50 percent reduction in injuries," Mr. Rodriguez wrote in a 1987 memorandum to his superiors.

Some former commanders who practiced boxing during their academy days said active countermeasures was a much-improved drill.

For example, the practice of intentionally matching recruits against better boxers ended, the commanders said.

"The reason you boxed was to see if you would fight, and the whole purpose was to see if they could put you with somebody you could not win with," said retired Capt. Frank Woodall, who is now director of training and education for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Education, which licenses police officers. "That changed, and it changed for the better."

While DPS officials believed active countermeasures would lower injuries, department records show that concussions increased after the new drill was introduced.

From 1978 to 1988, the academy averaged almost five concussions per year. From 1994 to 2004, the average was six concussions a year.

A state hiring freeze prevented DPS from holding an academy class from 1990 through 1993, officials said.

The number of injuries might have been aggravated by the way DPS conducted the drill, said a defensive-tactics expert who advised the department in 1987.

Martin Michelman, a trainer based in Massachusetts, said the drill is not supposed to become a brawl between recruits.

Instead, one recruit should act as the aggressor, throwing punches at his opponent, Mr. Michelman said. The other recruit is supposed to play the officer, defending against the punches and looking for openings when he could grab his baton or pepper spray.

Later, recruits learn countermeasures – how to avoid a punch and then strike back.

"You don't just let people go at it like a free-for-all," Mr. Michelman said. "There have to be some controls and balances. We cannot replicate what may happen on the street."

But that is the way DPS conducted the drill. Videotapes of fights reviewed by The News consistently show both recruits acting as aggressors. They punch each other at the same time, often in a chaotic whirlwind of motion.

Mr. Woodall, the retired captain, said trainers were always careful to prevent injuries.

"When the training staff saw someone received an injury, that fight was stopped immediately," Mr. Woodall said. "And that person was tended to."

Sometimes, deciding to stop a fight was difficult, because recruits who disliked fighting would fall down to quit a match, several troopers said.

Trainers tried to make the drill as safe as possible, said Mr. Sassman, who worked at the academy from 1986 to 2004. Recruits were instructed how to throw a punch and did not fight until their eighth week at the academy, he said.

Recruits in the latest class, during which Mr. Carty died, underwent 52 hours of physical conditioning, included some fighting instruction, before they fought for the first time, during the 10th week, Ms. Mange said.

Trainers also made recruits grapple before they fought. This drill, similar to wrestling, was supposed to tire recruits so they would not punch too hard.

Still, Mr. Sassman said, he might have stopped some fights that were allowed to continue. He did not intervene because he had confidence in his trainers' judgment, he said.

"I would have to say some of the things that went on out there, I would question some of the things that they did," Mr. Sassman said. "Why didn't you stop it earlier, and how many blows to the head did they take before this was stopped?"

Doctor intervenes

In 2002, Dr. Craig Berent of Austin sounded an alarm about the recruit concussions he was treating. He met with three commanders and suggested they change the drill to prevent concussions, he said.

DPS officials seemed concerned, he said, but they did not commit to any changes. Dr. Berent decided to make his concern public this summer after learning about Mr. Carty's death.

The doctor also said he was worried because the department's records, released to news organizations, did not include the eight concussions he treated. Dr. Berent said he would not be surprised if the number of concussions is higher than the 121 identified in state records.

"I wish they had heeded our advice and not continued the boxing," he said. "We said, 'Listen, this could be serious, and could lead to permanent brain damage or worse.' "

Other doctors who treated recruits for concussions during the 1980s and 1990s raised no red flags. Austin physician J.R. Reneau treated at least 31 concussions from 1978 to 1984, according to state records.

"If I saw any concussions, I do not remember them," Dr. Reneau said in a recent interview. "And if I did, they were pretty mild."

Most of the more than two dozen current and retired troopers interviewed said it would be foolish to abandon fighting because of Mr. Carty's death. They argued that the violent drill is an indispensable part of training.

"I know DPS is probably going to get roasted over it, and if they failed to properly referee and handle the thing, maybe they deserve to," said Mr. Leathers, the former recruit school coordinator. "But I sure hate to see our program watered down because somebody got hurt."

Still, Mr. Leathers said, DPS could teach recruits to block and punch without a full-contact drill. The Austin Community College police academy, where he is an adjunct professor, uses that approach.

Critics fail to recognize that even today, many troopers work alone, and often in remote locations, Mr. Leathers and other troopers said. A trooper might be as many as 30 minutes away from the nearest police officer.

Valuable lessons

The fighting drill's lessons transcend the experience of trading punches, its supporters said. The exercise teaches stamina, toughness and the resolve to stay alive – essential skills for a trooper who could find himself alone against several suspects.

"They want you to know that if you are out there in the middle of nowhere and you give up, that is pretty much it," said Cpl. Patrick Davis, a 21-year trooper based in Gonzales.

According to reports provided by DPS for this story, troopers often report being forced to punch or kick aggressive suspects in order to arrest them.

In June, Trooper Richard Salinas, based in Seguin, reported that he was chasing an intoxicated suspect on foot when the man "raised up his hands with his fist clenched and told me to 'come on.' "

The two scuffled, and although Trooper Salinas pepper-sprayed the suspect and hit him with his baton, the man continued punching.

Eventually, Trooper Salinas was forced to hit the suspect twice in the face, "which caused [the suspect] to fall to the ground," the trooper wrote.

He then held the suspect on the ground until a Seguin police officer arrived.

In a recent interview, Trooper Salinas credited his training with helping him arrest the suspect.

"When he took that stance, I did not hesitate to hit him," he said. "They taught us in the academy that you can never allow them to get the upper hand. When they get the upper hand, they might kill you."

That was the result of Trooper Booth's confrontation in 1993.

On the day he died, Trooper Booth was "hand-to-hand fighting" with a suspect, his widow said in a recent interview. Then, Joseph Norton somehow wrested Trooper Booth's gun away and shot him to death.

Even today, Renee Cavitt wonders how a skinny 48-year-old suspect overcame her husband, who was 28, strong and stocky.

"There are certain things they have to be trained to do, and to fight is one of them," Ms. Cavitt said.

[TexasStooge]

Residents: Keep us out of Ft. Worth

By YOLANDA WALKER / WFAA ABC 8

FORT WORTH, Texas - A Tarrant County land fight has reached a fever pitch.

Fort Worth wants to annex 7,700 acres, including the Willow Springs Ranch subdivision. But if the annexation is approved, some residents said they'll pay as much as $2,700 more in taxes a year.

Louise Tankersley, 88, has lived on her property in Tarrant County since 1954.

"I've lived on a farm all my life, and I really like it," she said.

Her thoughts on being annexed into Fort Worth are clear.

"I don't want it," she said. "We're too far from Fort Worth to be annexed in the city limits."

And she's not the only one who loves the rural life.

"Love it, absolutely love it," homeowner Susan Harn said. "The neighbors are wonderful; it's quiet."

That's why Harn and her family moved here a year ago. When she and neighbors of the Willow Springs Ranch Subdivision built their homes, they said they had no idea they were part of an annexation in the works since 2002.

"We're under the realization now that this is a forced annexation," said homeowner Doug Chezem. "It's not a voluntary deal; they're telling us that we're gonna be annexed."

"We're the only residential area they're trying to annex," homeowner Kathy Niles said. "Everything else is commercial."

The area to be annexed sits in far northwest Tarrant County off Highway 287 - in fact, it's been dubbed the "287 Zone."

"In many aspects, the city is very well prepared to take over and to provide services," said Fort Worth development director Bob Riley.

The city said funds have already been allocated to equip the area with utilities, police and fire services, but residents worry about response times. The group came by the busload to speak to the City Council, hoping it will make a difference of some sort.

"Oh they're gonna hear us," Niles said. "There's no doubt."

"We're gonna try, we're gonna try ... that's all we can do," said Harn. "At least we tried."

[TexasStooge]

Alleged kidnap victim found safe

By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - A reported kidnapping in North Dallas Wednesday morning ended on a happy note as the child was found safe.

A female witness told police a man took a young boy while he was waiting for a school bus at the corner of Preston and Alpha roads near Valley View Mall around 7:30 a.m.

The suspect was wearing a dark jacket and drove away in a gray or blue Nissan Altima, according to the witness.

The child was estimated to be four or five years old and was wearing a white shirt and a school uniform. The witness said he was screaming and yelling when the man grabbed him, but police later said the witness may have been mistaken.

[GalvestonDuck]

http://www.blogger.com

[TexasStooge]

Two more arrests in fatal beating

By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - The Dallas Police Department arrested two more suspects Wednesday in the mob beating case that killed one teenager.

Joseph Davis, 18, was beaten to death ten days ago after the State Fair Classic football game.

Over a week later, police have arrested Christopher Norris Smith, 22, and Kendrick Lamont Barnes, 22, at their homes in Dallas.

Davis left a party at the Adam's Mark Hotel early Oct. 2 with two relatives and was hanging out in a parking lot two blocks away where the beating took place. Police said the two suspects actively participated in Davis' beating death as nearly 200 people stood around and watched.

Police and community leaders requested that witnesses come forward to tell what happened the night Davis was killed. And at first, few people were willing to talk, but now police said they are receiving dozens of tips.

Two of those tips led police to their first suspect Antonio Dernard Few, 20. Officers arrested and charged Few with murder in connection to the beating death of Davis.

Now, Dallas police are moving quickly in the case and were interviewing witnesses throughout the day. Those interviews and some anonymous tips led to the two arrests.

"Detectives have given me an indication that they are confident the way the investigation is progressing at this point," said Sr. Cpl. Max Geron, Dallas Police Department. "Initial estimates are that there were about 15 to 20 suspects."

Both men have been charged with murder. Meanwhile, police continue to interview witnesses at the Dallas Police Department headquarters. Three detectives are working the case and suspect more arrests may be made Wednesday night.

Tonight at 10:00 p.m., News 8 has obtained an exclusive photo from the crime scene that shows potential suspects.

[TexasStooge]

A 'grackle posse' in Fort Worth?

By MICHAEL REY / WFAA ABC 8

FORT WORTH, Texas - Fort Worth city officials are calling for backup in their never-ending fight against the hated grackle.

Loud and messy, the birds are nature's party poopers - and since cooler weather means they are more active, the city is enlisting the public's help to chase them away.

Leaders are quick to dismiss images of a "grackle posse" on the loose in Fort Worth, but they do want properly-trained citizens to help them clear out the birds.

For a decade, when the weather cools and the grackles gather, six city workers have loaded their guns and fired loud firecracker-like devices to scare the birds away. Workers generally concentrate on normal nesting spots downtown, but the frazzled birds don't flee far.

Under a new program, though, citizen soldiers can use their own shotguns and starter pistols to drive grackles away. To participate, residents must take a training course and get a permit for pyrotechnics.

City employees will still take care of downtown; residents and business owners will cover the rest of the city.

"The satellite areas - car dealerships, mall areas, homeowners who have problems around their area," said David Moody of the city's parks department.

In his quiet neighborhood, Lee Unger feeds and cares for all birds but grackles.

"I've gone out here and clapped my hands, and they usually go flying," Unger said.

The roof of his car bears the scars of grackle droppings, but as much as he dislikes the cantankerous creatures he's not in favor of using shotguns to drive them away.

"I don't know about the shotguns," Unger said. "You know, there's other things there (like) the dogs. My dogs would run."

[TexasStooge]

Home owners fight verified response policy

By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - There was a lot of fear and anger voiced at Dallas City Hall Wednesday after news the Dallas Police Department might no longer respond to burglar alarm calls unless there's a verified response that a crime has occurred.

Verified response meansthat unless there is some confirmation of a crime, Dallas police will not respond to burglar alarm calls.

Last year, Dallas police responded to 62,000 burglar alarm calls. Out of that number, the department said 60,100 were false alarms, which makes 97.2 percent.

Police said that is a waste.

However, those with alarms expressed a different opinion.

"Imagine what will happen when word gets out on the street that its a city policy not to respond," said Laura Ainsworth at the meeting. "The Brinks sign in front of our house will be a joke."

Many said it's a safety issue that private security and neighbors don't replace police.

"You don't have the little neighbor going across the street looking in the windows at two in the morning to answer a felony call," said Radford Field.

And many said if the change occurs, Dallas shouldn't charge an alarm fee at all.

"Why should we pay the City of Dallas $50 annual, and they don't come out," said Geraldine P. Brown.

But Police said they'll still respond to panic alarms and confirmed crimes. Supporters said responding when there's a 97 percent false alarm rate is a waste.

"Our police have more important things to do than drive around the city putting a thousand post notes a week on doors out there," said Larry Davis, productivity commission.

Members of the Salt Lake City police force said verified response has helped reduce the crime rate and response times.

"We found that we have shaved off two minutes off our response time to higher priority crimes from five minutes to three minutes," said Mark Peck, a Salt Lake City police officer. "We can now respond faster to those higher priorities."

Police Chief David Kunkle spoke last and said verified reponse is good policy, but bad politics.

He said it will boost efficiency and help police prioritize. But it's a tough sell.

The politics on policy will continue with another public hearing in two weeks.

So far, a date for a vote has not been set.

[rainstorm]

Homicide rate, overall crime down

Police Department may not meet lofty goals, but Kunkle likes trend

By TANYA EISERER / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Nine months into the year, Dallas' homicide rate is down 8.1 percent and overall crime has fallen 3.4 percent for the same period in 2004.

The latest available statistics show that the Police Department is not on track to meet ambitious crime-cutting goals set by the chief of police, but the trend is still reassuring to City Manager Mary Suhm.

"This police chief is thoughtful and methodical about attacking the problem," Ms. Suhm said Tuesday.

Police Chief David Kunkle hoped to reduce homicides by 20 percent and overall crime by 10 percent by the end of the year.

"It's not good enough for us," Chief Kunkle said Tuesday about the pace of the improving picture. "But the way the numbers are going is encouraging."

Almost across the board, crime trends look positive compared with last year: Through September, burglaries were down overall, although business burglaries were up slightly. Auto theft dropped more than 9 percent. Robberies overall were down nearly 6 percent, with a nearly 17 percent drop in business robberies.

"I'd like to think that our policing strategies are making a difference," Chief Kunkle said. "I'm encouraged that we set a goal to reduce homicides more than any other crime and that they're down more than any of the other [violent crime categories]."

Chief Kunkle attributed some of the gains to the 60-officer Operation Disruption task force – formed in early July to sweep some of the city's most crime-ridden areas – and the use of overtime money to put extra officers on the streets on weekend nights and at other peak hours. The chief said he believes both will continue to pay dividends.

Another behind-the-scenes factor: having drivable cars. In the last 10 months or so, the condition of the marked patrol fleet of about 700 cars improved greatly with the addition of more than 300 new squad cars.

"Getting enough cars in our fleet allowed us to readjust schedules" in June, Chief Kunkle said. "We are putting more officers on the streets on Fridays and Saturdays and other peak times."

Efforts have also been made by Chief Kunkle's new second-in-command, promoted in August, to press for more accountability within the department.

Aggressive push

First Assistant Chief David Brown has pushed his commanders to focus on violent crime, repeat offenders, crime-ridden properties and minor crimes, such as public intoxication, that can lead to violent crime.

Chief Brown has instituted almost daily crime meetings with the patrol, investigative and narcotics deputy chiefs and assistant chiefs who report to him. The meetings focus on picking target areas for extra enforcement, sharing intelligence and reviewing crime-fighting performance.

"It's very time consuming, but it's a good thing," said Deputy Chief Patricia Paulhill, who commands the southeast division, the area with the city's highest crime rate. "I didn't have to go out and beg for resources from narcotics or the gang unit."

'Mind-set change'

It's bringing a "mind-set change" to patrol. Instead of making excuses about not having enough officers, commanders are looking for solutions, she said.

Prioritizing better sharing of data among the department's homicide, narcotics and gang units also might be helping fuel an improved homicide clearance rate. Through September, nearly 73 percent of such cases had been solved or otherwise cleared.

"[Communication] was very lacking," said Lt. Mike Scoggins, the homicide unit's commander. "There wasn't much communication upward or downward. Now, we constantly have open lines between each unit."

In June, July and August, Dallas police logged 45 homicides in 2005, compared with 69 in summer 2004.

The lower numbers mean that Dallas is unlikely to top the 244 homicides last year.

The last year the homicide rate in Dallas fell was 2002, when there were 188 homicides. Overall crime fell 4 percent last year.

But if the city is to lick its crime problem in the long run, Dallas must find a way to properly equip, man and pay the Police Department, say the co-chairs of Safer Dallas Better Dallas, a group that successfully persuaded a local foundation to donate $15 million to the department this year.

The group is trying to raise millions more in private donations to better equip officers. They are also advocating higher starting salaries and pushing for a long-term plan to increase the size of the manpower-strapped department.

"Individual safety is a bedrock for democracy," said organization co-chair Jack Hammack, a former oil executive and Highland Park mayor. "If you don't have a safe life, you don't have a happy life."

sounds like good news

[TexasStooge]

Witness captured fatal beating in photo

By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - A woman took a photo of Joseph Davis, 18, in the last moments of his life.

Davis was beaten to death ten days ago after the State Fair Classic football game in a parking lot two blocks from the Adam's Mark Hotel in downtown Dallas.

He had left a party at the hotel with two relatives and was hanging out in a parking lot two blocks away when he was attacked by a mob of people.

The woman, who wished to remain unnamed, said she took a photo amongst the mayhem.

"When I took the picture, a heavy set guy turned around and looked at me and said you better stop taking pictures before they beat you up," she said.

The woman said she couldn't believe the brutal violence she witnessed that night.

"People were coming from everywhere hitting that boy," she said. "Nobody tried to stop nothing."

She said Davis was on the ground in a fetal position trying to stop the blows, but then gave up.

"I knew he was dead, I knew he was dead because he was looking so limp," she said.

Many people who hear the story are amazed that nearly 200 people stood around as more than a dozen men beat Davis to death and did nothing.

"You don't say nothing and you don't get nothing done to you," the witness said.

She said the only reason the beating stopped is because police eventually arrived.

"When they saw the police lights come on, they scattered like roaches when the light comes on," she said.

The Dallas Police Department arrested two more suspects Wednesday in connection with the mob beating.

Over a week later, police arrested Christopher Norris Smith, 22, and Kendrick Lamont Barnes, 22, at their homes in Dallas.

Police said the two suspects had actively participated in Davis' beating death.

Police and community leaders requested that witnesses come forward to tell what happened the night Davis was killed. And at first, few people were willing to talk, but now police said they are receiving dozens of tips.

Two of those tips led police to their first suspect Antonio Dernard Few, 20. Officers arrested and charged Few with murder in connection to the beating death of Davis Sunday.

Now, Dallas police are moving quickly in the case and were interviewing witnesses throughout the day. Those interviews and some anonymous tips led to Wednesday's two arrests.

"Detectives have given me an indication that they are confident the way the investigation is progressing at this point," said Sr. Cpl. Max Geron, Dallas Police Department. "Initial estimates are that there were about 15 to 20 suspects."

Both men arrested Wednesday have been charged with murder. Meanwhile, police continue to interview witnesses at the Dallas Police Department headquarters. Three detectives are working the case and suspect more arrests soon.

News 8 showed the picture to Dallas police detectives who said what interested them the most about the photo was that they could see several potential suspects wearing white shirts and hats.

"It is something we can look at, and hopefully with any of our witnesses that are coming forward, we will be able to recognize someone who might have been dressed that way," said Lt. Mike Scoggins.

Police encourage other people with pictures to come forward. They said it helps them piece together what happened to Davis and who through the punches.


The witness said she couldn't believe the violent scene she saw early Oct. 2.

[TexasStooge]

SMU, UD among Bush library finalists

Texas Tech group, Baylor also still in contention; Arlington, A&M, UT out

By KIM BREEN / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Southern Methodist University and the University of Dallas are in.

So are Baylor University in Waco and a group led by Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

The list of finalists to house the George W. Bush Presidential Library has been narrowed from seven to four, Donald Evans, head of the library selection committee, confirmed Wednesday night.

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"It will be the finest presidential library museum that has been built," said Mr. Evans, former commerce secretary and Mr. Bush's longtime friend.

Three other groups had applied: the city of Arlington, Texas A&M and the University of Texas System.

The four finalists have been asked to make oral presentations about their proposals in Washington next month, Mr. Evans said.

The library is expected to cost $200 million to $300 million, financed with private donations.

The president and first lady Laura Bush – an SMU alum and trustee – will have the final say on the library, but they'll consult a committee led by Mr. Evans and Marvin Bush, Mr. Bush's youngest brother.

"We're really happy and gratified and honored to be taken to the next level of consideration," said Brad Cheves, vice president for development and external affairs at SMU. He said the university's proposals have the merits and attributes that they hope will make it the president's pick.

Sheila Allee, spokeswoman for Texas Tech, said she learned Wednesday afternoon that her school was on the list of four finalists.

"We are very excited," she said. "We are looking forward to continuing in the process."

The group headed by Texas Tech also includes Lubbock, Midland, where the Bushes grew up, and other West Texas communities and colleges.

Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck said he got the call earlier this week that his city didn't make the cut. "I respect that decision," he said.

Mr. Evans said the committee received seven "really outstanding" proposals. "All of them will make a contribution and add to the final design [and plans for] the library."

He said earlier this month that Mr. Bush would like to have as part of the library an institute "that is a think tank of scholars and researchers that will continue to study and research and report and write and speak on the issues that are important to him – freedom and democracy, compassionate conservatives, broad reform, economic reform.'"

"The president will be a young man, filled with lots of energy when his term comes to an end. So, it is certainly something that he will be very involved in, that he expects to be involved in after leaving office."

Staff writers G. Robert Hillman and Holly Yan contributed to this article.

[TexasStooge]

Home owners fight verified response policy

By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - There was a lot of fear and anger voiced at Dallas City Hall Wednesday after news the Dallas Police Department might no longer respond to burglar alarm calls unless there's a verified response that a crime has occurred.

Verified response meansthat unless there is some confirmation of a crime, Dallas police will not respond to burglar alarm calls.

Last year, Dallas police responded to 62,000 burglar alarm calls. Out of that number, the department said 60,100 were false alarms, which makes 97.2 percent.

Police said that is a waste.

However, those with alarms expressed a different opinion.

"Imagine what will happen when word gets out on the street that its a city policy not to respond," said Laura Ainsworth at the meeting. "The Brinks sign in front of our house will be a joke."

Many said it's a safety issue that private security and neighbors don't replace police.

"You don't have the little neighbor going across the street looking in the windows at two in the morning to answer a felony call," said Radford Field.

And many said if the change occurs, Dallas shouldn't charge an alarm fee at all.

"Why should we pay the City of Dallas $50 annual, and they don't come out," said Geraldine P. Brown.

But Police said they'll still respond to panic alarms and confirmed crimes. Supporters said responding when there's a 97 percent false alarm rate is a waste.

"Our police have more important things to do than drive around the city putting a thousand post notes a week on doors out there," said Larry Davis, productivity commission.

Members of the Salt Lake City police force said verified response has helped reduce the crime rate and response times.

"We found that we have shaved off two minutes off our response time to higher priority crimes from five minutes to three minutes," said Mark Peck, a Salt Lake City police officer. "We can now respond faster to those higher priorities."

Police Chief David Kunkle spoke last and said verified reponse is good policy, but bad politics.

He said it will boost efficiency and help police prioritize. But it's a tough sell.

The politics on policy will continue with another public hearing in two weeks.

So far, a date for a vote has not been set.

[TexasStooge]

BREAKING NEWS: Woman kidnapped at Plano donut shop

PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Plano police said what started as an innocent meeting between ex-lovers is now being investigated as an abduction.

According to a friend, Amanda Seitzler agreed to meet her former boyfriend at a Dunkin Donuts shop on Coit Road late Wednesday night, but the man grabbed her and drove away.

The suspect is Ali-John Youssef Cherri, 19. Police said he has black hair and brown eyes, is 5' 10" tall and weighs 220 pounds.

Seitzler was described as 5'-8" tall weighing 150 pounds.

She was last seen with Cherri about 10:45 p.m. Wednesday in a silver 2002 Kia Rio with Texas license plate S38-DGY. Police said they were believed to be driving north out of Plano.

Contact Plano police if you have any information.

[TexasStooge]

DART seeks fare solution

As gas costs spiral, agency's proposed route cuts alarm many

By TONY HARTZEL / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Rising gas prices are prompting a growing number of North Texas commuters to park their cars in favor of buses and trains, but Dallas Area Rapid Transit is considering service cuts to help balance its budget.

Though DART ridership has increased 11 percent on its bus and light-rail lines and 18 percent on the Trinity Railway Express commuter line, the additional passengers have not helped the agency's finances.

The problem: a lower-than-expected sales tax revenue forecast for 2006 throughout the region, and increased fuel costs.

The sales tax numbers are crucial because DART gets most of its revenue from that source. The transit agency, which spends about $887,000 a day to run its buses and rail lines, recovers about 11 percent of its daily operating cost through fares.

The agency expected a 3 percent increase in sales tax collections this year and 5 percent next year. The goal will probably be reached this year, but the agency has adopted a more conservative 4 percent growth estimate for 2006, which forced it to scale back its budget by about $3 million.

The service cuts could be supplemented by a fare increase, too. Discussions about raising fares for the first time since 2003 are in the early stages.

Agency officials said the service cuts and train schedule changes were being considered months before gas prices reached $3 a gallon. They are based primarily on low ridership, said Gary Thomas, DART's president and executive director. The cuts are expected to affect only a small portion of the estimated 152,625 bus rides taken by residents each day.

"We're not just cutting to save money. We should be doing that in good funding times and in bad funding times," said Mr. Thomas. "But if we're not careful, we can cut routes and it will deteriorate ridership. It can become a self-fulfilling prophecy."

New bus and rail passengers began crowding onto DART trains in the summer, but the real increases came in early September. The first two weeks of that month showed double-digit percent increases over the same period in 2004. But because of the budget forecast, the agency this month began operating trains less frequently during late weeknights and early weekend mornings.

DART officials are reviewing 39 of the lowest-performing bus routes. Substantial cuts are planned for many, and elimination is possible for at least nine.

Several dozen speakers protested at a DART board meeting Tuesday night, contending that a large transit agency should find a way to maintain routes while doing more to encourage ridership.

"Y'all need to think about what y'all are doing," said Hazel Tillman, who rides the Route 8 bus into the Park Cities area for work. Her route would be shortened under the proposed cuts, forcing her to walk 11 blocks to get to her job. "That's my only means of transportation."

Some of the most vocal opposition has come from dozens of Route 234 riders, who catch an express bus in Plano or Richardson and ride to Irving or Las Colinas.

"A lot of us depend on that route," said Plano resident Mike Perkins, noting that other, less direct bus and rail combinations would add 45 minutes to his commute. "I'm just one of many who ride that route and want to keep it."

According to DART, Route 234 attracts an average of 59 riders a day, and that translates into a subsidy of almost $24 for every passenger trip. The transit agency has pushed for those riders to form van pools, which have a subsidy of about $1 per passenger trip

In considering which bus lines to shrink or eliminate, DART weighs one route's performance against similar routes. Route 234 supporters argued to the board that the Plano-to-Irving bus service is vastly different from other express routes that run from outlying stops directly to downtown Dallas. Those routes have a goal of a $4.50 subsidy per passenger trip.

DART also is targeting some local routes for elimination, including Routes 569 and 534, which serve Lake Highlands.

"They are really sticking it to us this time," said Frederick Caruso, a resident of the Audelia Manor public housing complex. Residents of that complex rely heavily on buses that take them to stores, libraries and rail stations. Although the residents have faced transit cuts before, "This is probably one of the lowest blows DART has stuck to us," Mr. Caruso said.

DART officials say that most of the proposed cuts will not leave riders stranded and that other bus routes and rail lines can fill the void. Audelia Manor residents, for example, have another route nearby on Northwest Highway.

"There are very, very limited areas where we wouldn't have some type of service within a quarter-mile," said Tim Newby, DART's assistant vice president for service planning and scheduling.

Since the routes were first evaluated over the summer for elimination, DART has begun collecting new data on the low-performing routes to determine whether they have done better during recent ridership spikes. Because routes are measured against others, if the low-performing bus lines improved, other bus lines probably did as well.

"In general, these routes are going to need an increase of 40 to 50 percent in ridership to meet the standards," said Mr. Newby.

Although the agency would save some money by cutting routes, hurdles for DART's $324 million operating budget are coming from several other fronts, as well.

Every one-cent increase in the cost of a gallon of diesel fuel costs DART $64,000 a year. The agency budgeted $1.29 per gallon for diesel fuel in 2005, and it originally budgeted $1.86 per gallon for this year before boosting it to $2.02 in the days before Hurricane Katrina hit.

The agency buys 6.4 million gallons of diesel a year at a volume discount. If diesel fuel prices keep rising, DART probably will tap its $29.5 million sales tax reserve to make ends meet.

Health insurance costs for employees also have risen.

The amount of money collected through fares has remained relatively flat, even during recent ridership spikes. Many new riders have had employer-sponsored transit passes available to them previously but chose not to use them until the cost of fuel began to rise, transit officials say.

As more people begin to try transit, DART should consider taking money from its sales tax reserves rather than cutting service, said Kenneth Day, president of Amalgamated Transit Union Local 1338, a union representing many DART bus and rail operators.

"Taking service away is not always the right thing to do," he said. "I don't know how they can cut services when buses are so full."
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Go to www.DART.org for service change information.