News from the Lone Star State

[TexasStooge]

Keller man charged in flight attendant's death

DALLAS, Texas (DallasNews.com/AP) - North Texas authorities have charged a man in the weekend traffic accident that killed a New Hampshire woman.

Stephen Mole of Keller is charged with intoxication-manslaughter with a motor vehicle and two charges of intoxication-assault.

Marilyn Gates, 52, of Fremont, N.H., was killed when Mole's sport-utility vehicle ran a red light on Saturday and hit the car carrying Gates, her husband and three other New Hampshire residents, police said.

Gates was a flight attendant whose life was spared on Sept. 11, when she was not on her regularly scheduled flight because of a family appointment.

American Airlines Flight 11 from Boston to Los Angeles was hijacked and flown into the North Tower of New York's World Trade Center.

[TexasStooge]

McKinney gamblers forced to hand $72,000 to police

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8

McKINNEY, Texas — A high stakes battle is taking place in North Texas.

Some poker players busted in McKinney said they thought armed robbers were coming after them.

But they weren't crooks; they were cops. And now that the dust has settled, the players claim they were robbed.

The men play for thousands of dollars.

But on the night of February 7, at a back room poker game in McKinney, they and several other high stakes players lost everything, and thought they were going to lose their lives, too.

"They rushed in yelling, 'Get down!' It was just chaos. Just chaos," said poker player Terry Miller.

They saw guns. Ran for exits. Tried to hide.

"We thought we were being robbed. Saw the police. Got comfortable. Then we got robbed again," said another player.

Police officers came with a search warrant, and cleaned out the card players.

"They took the money out of my pocket. Gave me 37 cents back," said one of the players.

A citation for illegal gambling is like a traffic fine; you get a $280 ticket.

So why did McKinney police seize more than $72,000 by raiding the game and the home of the man who owned the business?

"Proceeds from illegal activity, from crimes, are subject to seizure," said police spokesman Capt. Randy Rowland.

An undercover officer wearing a hidden microphone played poker in the same building a few nights before. The facility is marked as a charity and protected by security.

"They had drinks, a bar, waitresses. We basically found an operating casino right here in McKinney," Rowland said.

According to an arrest warrant affidavit, the house kept a cut, which made the game illegal. But these players said they weren't in that game, and that they didn't pay anyone to play poker.

"Everytime I cashed out, I got every dollar that was coming to me," said one player.

"The money out of my pocket was not proceeds from gambling," another player added.

Investigators said the money was evidence of a crime.

"They will have to go in front of a judge and pretty much prove an uphill battle: That that was their 'walking around money.' Their pocket change. That they had $5,000, $4,000 rolled up in hundreds and 20s in a rubber band," said Rowland.

The players are businessmen and retirees, not professional gamblers. They want their money back.

So far, no dice.

A McKinney police spokesman said the raid was conducted in a way to protect everyone, including officers. He also said the fact that players were so worried about being robbed shows why police are so concerned about the increasing number of high-stakes gambling rooms.

[TexasStooge]

Fort Worth woman held captive, tortured

By REBECCA RODRIGUEZ / WFAA ABC 8

FORT WORTH, Texas - Investigators said Wednesday a woman was held captive by her ex-boyfriend for 19 days and tortured inside a Fort Worth home.

Robert Drew Stephenson was arrested Tuesday night on charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and retaliation, Fort Worth police Det. Bryan Jamison said.

Stephenson remained in the Mansfield Jail Thursday in lieu of $250,000 bond - $100,000 for the aggravated kidnapping charge and $50,000 each for the other two charges, Jamison said.

Stephenson allegedly kidnapped and tortured the victim after the pair broke up following nearly four years of dating. The woman escaped the house in the 5200 block of Miller Avenue while Stephenson was sleeping, took the keys to his truck and drove herself to the safety of a relative's home, police said.

Fort Worth police Lt. Gene Jones said the woman was burned with a blow torch, and then Drano was poured on the wounds.

"I remember seeing at least two main burn areas on her back," Jones said. "(With) the violence and the degree of pain and torture, this is a very unusual case. It is generally something you see in a movie."

Jones described one of the burns as being the size of two large hands.

Neighbors said they did not know anyone was inside the home, which police called extremely filthy.

Police have not released the identity of the woman, but said she is still recovering from the incident.

Dallas Morning News staff writer Alan Melson contributed to this report.
_____________________________________________________________

Give Mr. Stephenson the same treatment he gave his ex-girlfriend.

[TexasStooge]

New life for old McKinney courthouse

MCKINNEY, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/WFAA.com) - After 132 years as the focal point of McKinney, the Old Collin County Courthouse was reborn Thursday as the McKinney Performing Arts Center.

The neoclassical revival style building, on the city's downtown square, fell into disuse after 1979, when a modern new courthouse was built nearby.

Community leaders and volunteers—working with the McKinney Community Development corporation and the city government—came up with a plan in 2003 to renovate and restore the structure, which was the state's tallest building north of San Antonio when it opened.

The Texas Historical Commission worked in partnership with arts center backers to preserve the structure's original beauty during the $9 million renovation.

Central figures in the project gathered on the stairs of the new arts center for a 10 a.m. ribbon cutting ceremony, after which the building was opened to the public.

Highlights of the facility include the 480-seat Courtroom Theater—complete with the original judge's bench, jury box and witness stand.

A 1920s vintage Mighty Wurlitzer theater pipe organ has been installed, an instrument restored from parts assembled from their original homes in a Ponca City, Okla. movie theater and a church in Dothan, Ala.

The building also has a gallery space, an artist's studio, and several multipurpose and conference rooms.

The McKinney Performing Arts Center is the new home for the Cross Timbers Youth Orchestra and several community organizations, including the Collin County Hispanic Chamber, Volunteer McKinney Center and Crape Myrtle Trails of McKinney Foundation.

[TexasStooge]

Tarrant DA will prosecute in restaurant attack

FORT WORTH, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - The Tarrant County District Attorney’s office reversed course Thursday, announcing it will prosecute a man charged with attacking a Fort Worth woman with a bat.

Kurt Stallings, chief of the DA’s pretrial division, said he reversed the decision made by one of his assistants after reading about it in a Metro column in The Dallas Morning News.

“I reversed the decision, which is within my purview to do,” he said Thursday.

An assistant district attorney who reviewed the case had recommended that the case not be prosecuted because he didn’t think it could be successfully prosecuted because the woman who was attacked, Charlotte Johnson, had a criminal record that included a felony.

Ms. Johnson, 35, who expressed outrage in the News’ column, said she was relieved to see justice being served.

Mr. Stallings said his office “made a mistake,” especially since there were multiple witnesses to the assault.

The offense took place March 6 at a McDonald’s restaurant in Forest Hill, when David Robert Kalnbach yelled at Ms. Johnson for blocking the restaurant’s exit with her car. Mr. Kalnbach retrieved a bat from his trunk and confronted Ms. Johnson, who took the bat from him and hit him on the head with it.

Forest Hill police charged Mr. Kalnback, 46, with assault with a deadly weapon. He’s free on bond, pending his trial.

His case soon will be referred to a Tarrant County grand jury, said Mr. Stallings.

“Frankly, to me, it was pretty clear-cut,” Mr. Stallings said. “A guy gets out with a bat and goes after a woman.”

The initial decision not to prosecute, he said, was “a mistake.”

[TexasStooge]

Dinosaur tracks surface in Grapevine

GRAPEVINE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Around 95 million years ago, the north shore of Grapevine Lake was the stomping grounds to dinosaurs and experts said there are tracks to prove it.

The Protohadros byrdi, or the duck-billed dinosaur, was said to once inhabit the lands near the lake.

"This was the seashore and these animals were walking along the flats," said Jim Diffily, Fort Worth Museum of Science and History.

Scientists believe the plant-eating dinosaur looked like it had three toes and could run on its hind legs but would feed on all four.

While the tracks were discovered in 1982, low lake levels have brought them to the surface.

"You hear about them [and] you know they existed, but then you see proof of it," said Dale King, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. "So, I do think it's exciting."

Many young children visiting the site find it exciting too.

Sarah Stewart, 9, said it was exciting to see history in her own backyard.

"I think they are cool because a dinosaur actually walked here right where you are stepping," she said as she walked across the prints.

Experts said the size of the tracks and their width apart show the dinosaurl was 15 or 20-feet long, and are the only remnant of a Texas giant.

"My foot is about a size 12, it's got another 6-inches probably," King said.

Corp officials aren't disclosing the exact location of the prints because they said they don't want sight sightseers defacing the tracks that are not usually exposed. They have asked people to not look for the tracks.

[TexasStooge]

Police: Torture victim drugged, hung from rafters

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8

FORT WORTH, Texas - New details began to arise Thursday involving the woman held captive and tortured for over two weeks in the 5200 block of Miller Avenue.

The small condemned home where the victim said she was tortured by her ex-boyfriend for 19 days sits between a vacant lot and an empty home. Police said the location of the home they called filthy made it easier for her screams to go unheard.

"The home was full of trash, debris [and] full of equipment," said Lt. Gene Jones, Fort Worth Police Department. "The home had no running water [and] no electricity. The home was uninhabitable."

The victim told police her ex-boyfriend not only beat her, hung her upside down from the rafters and burned her back with a blow torch, but she also said he poured drain cleaner on her wounds.

"The one wound was the size of a saucer," Lt. Jones said. "The other [was] slightly larger."

Every time she screamed too much or too loud, the victim said her torturer would inject her with morphine.

She said she was only able to escape when he fell asleep after being awake for days.

Police arrested Robert Drew Stephenson, 43, Tuesday night.

Stephenson has a long history of arrests for drugs, and violence and investigators said they believe he brought his ex-girlfriend to the home and tortured her in retaliation for filing an assault charge against him.

Stephenson now faces more charges and a quarter million dollar bond.

Investigators said they found evidence of drugs inside the home, which will likely be torn down.

[TexasStooge]

Dallas officers fired after separate sexual allegations

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle has fired two Dallas police officers Thursday after two separate sexual allegations.

Officer Patrick Taylor was fired after Arlington police arrested the rookie cop last. He is accused of seducing a 14-year old-girl and mailing sexually explicit pictures of himself to her.

Five year veteran Corey Adams was also fired. He was let go for allegedly having sex with a prostitute while on duty. Police said Adams was working in patrol and was in uniform when the incident occurred.

[TexasStooge]

Victims speak out after losing nearly $900,000

By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8

North Texas victims that said Damon Mark Lewis, 35, used his job as a trusted financial advisor to steal millions from them spoke out for the first time Thursday.

Damon Lewis was arrested in 2002 and is serving a 25 year sentence for security fraud and misapplication of fiduciary property.

Five families claimed they lost their entire savings, which added up to $2.6 million in total.

Sam and Genelyn Ray invested for their golden years and their financial planner showed them their portfolio indicating they were in good shape.

"There was no inkling of any problems until right at the end, until right before the whole house of cards fell down," said Ray said.

But their dreams of retiring in a few years suddenly came crashing down.

"He had all the stocks listed there [and] what their values were," Ray said. "And of course they were gone. He had sold them all."

They said they trusted Lewis to help them make smart investments for three years. Then, he asked the couple to transfer most of their money to a new account with Bank of America securities.

"I called Bank of America securities because I thought I had an account there and they told me they had never heard of me," Ray said.

Lewis set up his own account with money that belonged to the Ray family and also four other families. He used their money to pay his rent, buy a boat and finance a wedding. The Ray family lost almost $900,000 and virtually all of their retirement savings.

Genelyn Ray said they were shocked when they first heard their money had been stolen. When the shock wore off, Sam Ray said he realized what their savings being stolen meant.

"Basically, I'm going to be working as long as I can, [which is] where as before," Ray said. "I intended to work for maybe a few more years and then completely stop. I don't see that in the cards right now."

While Lewis is serving a 25 year sentence in a Texas prison, the Ray family said their biggest disappointment is being deceived by a man they trusted with their life savings.

"I'm a pretty sophisticated guy, and this guy just takes me to the cleaners," Ray said.

The Rays will be talking about their story at Scam Jam Saturday at the Dallas Convention Center.

Local, state and federal law enforcement agencies will be there too offering tips on how to protect yourself from scams and fraud.

[TexasStooge]

Bridge could shatter budget

Some say soaring costs put Calatrava's 3rd Trinity span in peril

By EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Construction costs for the first of three much-heralded bridges to span the Trinity River could reach $100 million – nearly twice its advertised price tag, an official close to the project said Thursday.

And with federal and state dollars maxed out, transportation officials say, Dallas would have to make up the difference, which some experts attribute to soaring steel and cement prices.

In the last year, renowned Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava has made cost-saving design adjustments to the Woodall Rodgers and Interstate 30 bridges, the two he's already designed. But if construction bids for the Woodall Rodgers bridge are far over budget, some say Dallas may have to cancel a third Calatrava bridge at Interstate 35E.

"Right now, we don't have the funding" for the third bridge, Trinity River Project director Rebecca Dugger said, "and that isn't any secret."

There's a lot of speculation on how bids for the 1,800-foot "signature" Woodall Rodgers span will come in, City Manager Mary Suhm said Thursday. But she and her colleagues will confront that issue in early June, she said, when the Texas Department of Transportation unseals them.

In the event that the project comes in over budget, Ms. Suhm said, "We'll do what we do with any other project that's overbid: We'll start negotiating."

If need be, she said, some additional design features might have to be eliminated. She said she's still hopeful the project will cost between $51 million and $57 million, the amount Mr. Calatrava and city consultants targeted.

But a high-ranking official close to the project said that Dallas would be lucky to get a bid between $75 million and $85 million and that it would probably be close to $100 million. The federal government and the state can't make up any of the difference, the official said. Any fundraising effort would fall in the city's lap.

No matter how high the bids are for the Woodall Rodgers bridge, city officials say, it won't put the brakes on the I-30 bridge; that one's already too far along. But it could spell trouble for the I-35 bridge – the biggest and most expensive of the three, which remains undesigned and far from funded.

Ms. Suhm said she remains committed to "the original concept: three Calatrava bridges." But Mayor Laura Miller said that even if the Woodall Rodgers bridge comes in on budget, the third bridge is still in question.

"We still don't have a private donor," she said, "and I'm not going to start campaigning for that bridge until we have one."

If the bids for the Woodall Rodgers bridge prove much higher than expected, it won't be the first time one of Mr. Calatrava's projects has come in over budget in the U.S.

The Milwaukee art museum he designed ended up costing nearly four times its original estimate – the result of a complex moving sunscreen, among other factors. It's a tradeoff, experts say: Dallas officials didn't want run-of-the-mill bridges; they wanted the work of an artist.

Ms. Miller is confident the bids won't come in far over budget.

"The good thing about bidding," Mayor Miller said, "is that everyone knows the number we've put out there, and that we want to stick to it."

And Mr. Calatrava's firm and city subcontractors came up with their estimate in the fall of 2005, Ms. Dugger said – late enough that they were probably able to account for changes in the construction market.

Mr. Calatrava has also responded accordingly to rising steel prices, Ms. Dugger said, making modifications to his design of both the Woodall Rodgers and I-30 bridges. Instead of a steel deck, for example, the Woodall Rodgers bridge – to be named the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge after a major donation from the Dallas philanthropist – will have a concrete deck. Instead of using welded connections, Mr. Calatrava will use bolts.

"His team has been doing lots of cost estimates; they've had steel fabricators out to give advice," Ms. Dugger said. "He's concerned, too. He knows our funds are limited."

A Calatrava representative said he was on vacation and unavailable, and his associates in Zurich, Switzerland, could not be reached for comment. But Trinity Trust Foundation president Gail Thomas said that she spoke to Mr. Calatrava recently and that "he believes we really are going to be able to bring it in on budget."

State transportation officials say they're sensing a lot of excitement for this project in the construction community – they've received inquiries from as far away as Japan. But there are also a lot of frayed nerves.

Many of the contractors the state Transportation Department routinely works with have never participated in a project of this nature, said Mohamed Bur, a transportation engineer and assistant project manager for the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge. Mr. Bur said he and his colleagues are unable to predict how high bids for the project are going to be because Mr. Calatrava's design uses techniques and supplies – including stay cables and multirotational bearings – that many contractors aren't familiar with.

City officials hope to clear the air next month, when they host "pre-bid" meetings for potential contractors. Mr. Calatrava or his associates will be on hand to explain the details of the project, Ms. Suhm said.

Steel and cement prices are another concern. Steel costs spiked in 2004 and haven't fallen much since, said Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America. Cement costs have been rising at double-digit rates for a couple of years, he said. And high diesel fuel and transportation costs are also a concern.

Last fall, the Ohio Department of Transportation delayed construction on its Ironton-Russell Bridge after cost estimates approached $110 million, 28 percent over budget. Ohio officials blamed the setback on rising steel and concrete prices.

"I'm hearing from transportation and highway departments around the country, as well as other public agencies, that construction costs are far outrunning estimates," Mr. Simonson said.

The state Transportation Department routinely follows a "buy American" protocol with regard to steel and other supplies, Mr. Bur said. State officials have agreed, at the city's request, to allow construction companies to submit two bids: one using American steel, the other using foreign steel. If a bid using foreign steel is more than 25 percent lower than an American steel bid, he said, it will be permissible for the Woodall Rodgers project and the I-30 project.

For now, all the state Transportation Department has to work with is Mr. Calatrava's estimate, Project Manager Tim Nesbitt said. But there are some cost questions, he said. And this month's storms served as a reminder of just how damaging high water could be to a massive construction effort.

"The difficulty now is that everyone's running scared," said Ms. Thomas of Trinity Trust. "There's no need for that. Let's see how the bids come in, and let's go for it."

Staff writers Reese Dunklin and David Dillon contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Dallas man sentenced to life for 2004 murders

By ROBERT THARP / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - A Dallas man was sentenced to life in prison Thursday for his role in the August 2004 robbery and shooting deaths of three men inside a West Oak Cliff Apartment.

Felipe Confer is the third person to be convicted of capital murder for the shooting deaths of Fernando Jasso, 35; Alfredo Cedillo, 24; and Jesus Barajas, 34.

According to court testimony, the three men were robbed and shot after they had a dispute with a prostitute in an apartment in the 2200 block of Fort Worth Avenue.

The men were found naked, hogtied and shot in the head.

Prosecutors Shelley Hallman and Brandon McCarthy argued that Mr. Confer, 25, guarded the men with an assault rifle as they were being tied up and helped fix the gun when it misfired. A fourth suspect, Maria Torres, is also charged with capital murder and is awaiting trial.

[TexasStooge]

Suspect charged in Fort Worth sex assaults

FORT WORTH, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A man faces two counts of aggravated sexual assault and other charges in connection with a series of attacks on women in northwest Fort Worth, police said Thursday.

Fort Worth police Sgt. Don Hanlon said Jose G. Carrillo, 30, was arrested Thursday after a lengthy investigation by the Fort Worth Police Sex Crimes Unit. He was in custody at the Mansfield jail in lieu of $300,000 bond.

Sgt. Hanlon said police received a tip and were able to identify the suspect on March 10. Mr. Carrillo was arrested for outstanding traffic warrants, and investigators obtained enough evidence after executing a search warrant to tie him to eight assaults beginning in December 2004. Six of the attacks were against Hispanic women in the city’s Northside neighborhood, and two others occurred near the Cultural District.

Mr. Carrillo also faces a charge of aggravated robbery, and immigration violations because he is a Mexican national in the country illegally, Sgt. Hanlon said.

[TexasStooge]

Couple robbed, attacked twice in home

By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Police said an older couple was beaten and robbed twice over the last four days in the 8600 block of Skyline Drive in Dallas.

Mary and John Nunley, ages 64 and 72, said they are now fortifying their home they lived in safely over 30 years before the altercations.

"You can imagine what it is like to be beaten up in your house," John Nunley said.

On Monday night around 9:30 p.m. the couple said the doorbell ran. When John answered the door he said a man barged in.

"He just leaped up and shut the door and shoved me back and said I want your money," he said.

John's wife heard the commotion and grabbed a hammer to try and help, which ended up being a mistake.

"He easily took the hammer away from her and hit her in the head with [it]," he said. "...She was lying on the floor bleeding profusely."

John jumped in to help and said he was hit by the man's fists.

The robber left with $50 and John and Mary were left beaten and bruised. They went to the hospital and then went back home to recover.

Two nights later the couple said they knew the robber was back when they heard a crash.

"I think he was successful getting the money the first time and thought we were easy pickings," John said.

The robber yelled and demanded more money. The couple said they were so scared they gave him their credit cards because they had no cash.

"I was afraid last night, but now I am more afraid," Mary said.

The robber used the Nunley's credit cards to take out some cash, which gave police an image of him on surveillance tape. A source said police may have a suspect in custody and he may already be in the Dallas County jail.

[TexasStooge]

Boys find body in Garland creek

GARLAND, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Two boys discovered a body in a creek off Garland Road near Buckner.

The boys discovered the body about 5:30 p.m. Thursday and called police.

Dallas Fire-Rescue retrieved the body of a man and investigators said the 40-year old victim had identification and lived in the area.

There were no signs of trauma and the medical examiner is trying to determine if the man drowned in the flash floods on March 19.

[TexasStooge]

Three teens killed in Garland wreck

By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8

GARLAND, Texas — Three high school students were killed in a fiery crash Thursday night after their car careened into a brick wall.

Garland police spokesman Joe Harn said the Toyota sedan was speeding north on East Brand Road in northeast Garland when the driver apparently lost control.

The car hit a pickup truck and started sliding sideways. The teens' vehicle hit the brick wall at Muirfield Road and burst into flames.

Several neighborhood residents attempted to rescue the three occupants, but the intensity of the fire held them at bay.

Harn said police were working to identify the teens, who were all between 17 and 18 years old and believed to be students in the Garland school district.

The driver of the pickup truck was not hurt.

[TexasStooge]

Woman found dead in burning house

IRVING, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) — Irving firefighters discovered a woman's body inside a burning house early Friday.

The fire was reported just after 5 a.m. in the 2500 block of Markland Street across from Nimitz Park.

While two occupants of the 1,300 square foot residence were able to escape the smoky blaze, firefighters found a female in a first floor bedroom where the fire apparently started.

The woman, whose name was not released, was pronounced dead. It could not be immediately determined whether she died before the fire or as a result of it.

[TexasStooge]

For Bengalis, a place for culture to shine

Irving: Heritage preserved, celebrated at arts center school

By DEBORAH FLECK / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas - Pushpita Yasin, 9, performed Saturday at the Irving Arts Center in a play where a monster takes away her Bengali language. But she and her friends prevail.
"We pushed it away," she said about the threat to her culture.

For many Bengalis living in North Texas, preserving their rich heritage is important.

The Irving Arts Center plays a key role in this mission. It serves as the home of the Academy of Bangla Arts and Culture.

Shah Zulfiqar is among the academy's first members and serves as its president.

"While presenting the arts is our focus, we also started the academy to help our children learn about where we are from," he said.

Mr. Zulfiqar said the academy attracts members from Bangladesh and the West Bengal area of India, which includes the city of Calcutta.

Since the academy opened in 1988, programs, activities and membership have flourished.

The academy offers a Bangla school to teach children how to read and write in Bengali, how to sing Bengali songs and how to perform classical dances.

"I've been going for a very long time," said Atoshi Asgar, 18, of Bedford. "It's a great place to learn about our heritage."

Atoshi was born in Bangladesh but came to the U.S. when she was about 5. A graduate of L.D. Bell High School, she is now a student at Tarrant County College.

Pushpita, a student at Bear Creek Elementary School in Euless, said she really likes the Bangla school. "It's fabulous to perform in shows," she said.

Misha Mohiuddin, a sophomore at MacArthur High, composed and arranged all the music for the academy's third annual Children's Multicultural Festival at the arts center last weekend. An active member of the academy, he said he hopes "it continues for a very long time."

The academy reaches out to older members with an adult theater class and study circles. Four times a year, the academy sponsors a lecture or reading by a noted scholar or artist. Poet Shahid Quadri of Boston is under consideration to read his works this year.

There are also celebrations of Bengali history, such as plays about Independence Day, and special events marking religious festivals, such as an Eid ul-Adha dinner.

"We all get involved," said Md. (Mohammad) Mohiuddin, Misha's father. He serves as academy treasurer, and his wife dances in performances and helps out at the school. His family, which includes daughter Saima, 8, has lived in Irving for about nine years.

While many members live in Irving, the group draws Bengalis from throughout the area.

"We now have friends from Allen and many other cities," Mr. Mohiuddin said, adding that he believes the group is the only one of its type in the area.

The academy helps the growing numbers of Bengalis here stay connected to their homeland halfway around the world. As Pushpita said, it keeps the monsters at bay.

[TexasStooge]

Garland school mourns for accident victims

By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8

GARLAND, Texas — Three Garland High School seniors on their way home from an off-campus event were killed in a fiery crash Thursday night when their car careened into a brick wall.

The accident stunned classmates, who visited the accident scene in disbelief, exchanging hugs and leaving flowers.

"This morning, when I started contacting teachers at six o'clock, they were as devastated as I knew the kids would be," said Garland High School Principal John Morris. "All three were leaders."

Garland police spokesman Joe Harn said the victims' Toyota sedan was apparently speeding north on East Brand Road in northeast Garland when the driver lost control.

The car hit a pickup truck and started sliding sideways. The teens' vehicle hit the brick wall at Muirfield Road and burst into flames.

Andrew Olson, 39, of Garland said he saw what happened and stopped to help.

"I immediately ran to the car and realized someone was in there and most likely unconscious," Olson said. "I only saw one person in the car and I tried to pull him out but I had a problem getting the door open. I kept having to step away because of the heat. It was horrible."

The driver of the car was identified as Raheed Salam, 17. Shane Petroski, 18, and Alex Manriquez, 18, also died in the crash.

All three were members of the school's Key Club, an academic group that teaches students about leadership and service to the community.

The students had attended a band festival in downtown Garland earlier Thursday evening.

"You hate these tragedies, and you really hate it when it's such good kids," Principal Morris said. He noted that they were all involved in extracurricular activities and were honor students.

"We have counselors here across the district to help these kids get through the crisis," said Garland Independent School District spokesman Reavis Wortham. "We’ve urged them to stay in school if they can, but if they are too overcome, they can leave the classroom to talk to someone. If they feel they cannot stay in school, of course we will release them to their parents."

Some students were seen leaving campus in tears after learning of the deaths. "Everybody is in shock," said Garland ISD spokesman Steve Knagg. "We have a school full of crying kids."

The driver of the pickup truck that was hit by the students' car was not hurt.

Principal Morris said he would ask the school board whether diplomas could be awarded posthumously to the three seniors at graduation ceremonies seven weeks from now.

DallasNews.com writer Kimberly Durnan contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Glazer looses consciousness at top of Prosperity Bank

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A man who lost consciousness while glazing windows on the eight floor of the Prosperity Bank on LBJ Freeway has been rescued by firefighters.

Witnesses telephoned the emergency services when they noticed the man's arm dangling.

The condition of the man is at present unknown.

[TexasStooge]

Garland gym aims to attract old people

By JANET ST. JAMES / WFAA ABC 8

GARLAND, Texas - It's not exactly pumping iron the old fashioned way - but it is sweating to the oldies.

Fit after 50 in Grapevine is the first franchise of its kind in Texas targeting baby boomers.

"I didn't see any spandex or any hard bodies around, so I thought it was a natural place to come to," said Roger Sandberg, 64.

"We don't have any mirrors. We don't have scales, we don't measure people. We're really just about staying healthy and fit and keeping our mobility and our heart healthy through our older years," said the owner, Linda Martin.

The concept uses circuit training.

Exercisers use a piece of equipment for just 45 seconds before moving on.

Unlike the already popular Curves franchise for women, Fit after 50 is co-ed - so husbands and wives like 77-year-olds Billie and Bo Coburn can work-out together.

The atmosphere is designed to make this crowd feel comfortable with people from their own generation and juke box tunes to match.
"It's our music and you kind of want to dance from one station to the other because the music is fun," said Janie Williams.

And even though "those were the Days," these folks say this is the time, to be Fit after 50.