News from the Lone Star State

[TexasStooge]

Leaders: Now's time for dialogue on race

Black, Hispanic groups point to increased tensions in the city

By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas - An emerging coalition of black and Hispanic leaders in Irving says more attention must be paid to racial tensions in the community and plans to call on school and city leaders to take action.

Preliminary plans call for meeting with city and school leaders and setting up town-hall-style forums to discuss race relations and concerns.

"We can't beat up on people and expect them to help us," said Anthony Bond, a former NAACP leader. "At the same time, we're fed up, and we're not going to take this anymore."

Organizers, who include residents, business leaders and leaders from LULAC and NAACP, pointed to several recent events in the community they said signaled heightened tensions, including:

•A traffic stop Jan. 5 in which a Hispanic man said he was struck by an officer. Officer Dan Miller was fired last week after being indicted on an official oppression charge. His attorney has denied that Officer Miller used excessive force.

•Five black and five Hispanic students were involved in an on-campus brawl at Irving High. All 10 received the same punishment and have been assigned to the district's alternative campus.

•Results of a fall city survey released this month included dozens of negative comments on the increasing minority population in the community, particularly Hispanics.

Hispanics comprise more than 31 percent of Irving's population and Mexicans more than 70 percent of that number, according to U.S. Census Bureau's 2000 data. Irving is about 64 percent Anglo, 10 percent black, 8 percent Asian and .7 percent American Indian, 2000 census figures show.

Organizers said they want to work with city and school officials on a plan for specific measures, such as hiring more minorities, diversity training and organizing town hall meetings to vent concerns from both sides.

Rene Castilla, a North Lake College official, is working on the community dialogues.

"There is a resentment in south Irving to the number of Hispanics that live in the area. There is a quiet attack on Hispanics in the southern part of the city accusing them of lowering property values because of their presence," he said. "Property values are lowing because of landlords who don't take care of properties and are renting them to Hispanics who can afford low-income housing."

Dozens of comments in a city survey addressed diversity issues. Some complained employees were not fair to blacks, others complained the city pandered to illegal immigrants and others complained of too many families that don't speak English.

"For the most part, they are older citizens in south Irving who are scared, who are concerned about what they see is happening to what was once their beautiful neighborhood. And now what they see is all these Latinos everywhere, and they see these dollar stores and they see declining property values, and they're terrified," Mr. Castilla said. "Because we don't talk to each other, we don't get anywhere except what we see in the survey."

"Without that dialogue, we're not going to preserve Irving as a city. It's going to be made up of people who want to get out and constantly criticize that part of the city as a place not to live," he said.

The group met Wednesday with an official from the Justice Department's Community Relations Service, which tries to foster dialogues among community, school and city leaders on race relations.

"Our office does not do investigations," said senior conciliation specialist Richard Sambrano, who called community leaders together after reading about racial tensions in The Dallas Morning News. "Our office enhances communications between the parties and tries to help resolve issues.

School board President Barbara Cardwell said she is willing to listen.

"If they want to talk to us as board members or as residents, I'd be more than happy to talk to them," she said.

Mr. Castilla said his intent is not to make city or school leaders feel they are under attack.

"We're not attacking the city. We're not attacking the Police Department. We're not attacking the school district," he said. "We're asking for help from the community to establish a dialogue to bring about understanding. If we can do that, we can solve some of these problems."

Mr. Sambrano urged the group to come up with some specific actions city and school officials could take to address the concerns.

"It's not enough to go and say to the Police Department this is excessive force, but you also need to say this is what we'd like you all to do," he said. "That's what goes into mediation."

Among specifics organizers said they want to address are disparities between the ratio of minority students and minority teachers and administrators on campuses, racial profiling of Hispanics by officers, and whether diversity training is needed for officers. Prevention is key, organizers said.

"We want to see how we as a community can prevent these kinds of fights in the future," Mr. Bond said. "We want to root out any kind of racist problems on the Police Department, so this kind of thing won't occur again."

[TexasStooge]

Ex-police chief to run for council

Cannaday joins three declared candidates for Place 5 seat

By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas - A former Irving police chief wants to serve on the City Council.

Lowell Cannaday, who retired last fall as Irving's top cop, said he'll run for the Place 5 council seat.

He'll face at least three declared candidates: incumbent Jim Beggs, retiree Roland Medina and restaurateur David Cole.

Filing for the May 7 election began Monday and ends March 7.

Although this will be Mr. Cannaday's first run for political office, he said he has enough experience to serve on the council. He's prepared Police Department budgets and worked with the city manager's office. He's also served on various city and community boards.

"I'm certainly not a rookie to city business," he said. "I have the advantage of not having to start from scratch."

Improving code enforcement is a top issue for Mr. Cannaday, although he said last week that he needed more time to study the matter before offering details on reforms.

Other priorities include quality-of-life issues, economic development and figuring out what to do with the Texas Stadium site once the Dallas Cowboys leave for a new stadium in Arlington.

Mr. Cannaday, 67, was Irving's police chief for 10 years. He also worked for the Dallas Police Department for 28 years. Since he retired, he's been relaxing and setting up a mediation business with his wife.

The Place 3 council seat and mayor's post are also up for grabs. Although all races are citywide, candidates running for Places 3 and 5 must have lived in their respective districts for at least one year before the election. Place 3 is on the city's west side; Place 5 is in central Irving.

In the Place 3 race, incumbent Allan Meagher says he'll run again. As of Friday, no opponent had filed to run against him.

The mayor's race features at least six declared candidates, including Thomas Spink, an insurance agent. Mr. Spink couldn't be reached for comment Friday afternoon.

Other declared mayoral candidates include incumbent Joe Putnam; former council members Herbert Gears and Terry Waldrum; former Mayor Marvin Randle; and former Irving school board member Owen DeWitt.

[TexasStooge]

Consultant aims to improve arts center

Faced with funding cut in '08, city is seeking resident feedback

By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas - A consultant will study ways to improve the Irving Arts Center, which could face a dramatic cut in funding in three years.

Wolf, Keens & Company will spend up to a year surveying the center's operations and seeking feedback from residents.

The group also will study ways to deal with the looming funding cut. A change in a state law means the center could lose about $1.5 million in annual funding starting in 2008, said Richard Huff, the center's executive director.

"Is there an immediate crisis? Absolutely not," Mr. Huff said. "But we'd be fools not to be thinking about" addressing the issue.

The center, which has operated for about 20 years, includes theaters, galleries and rehearsal halls, and supports various arts organizations, including orchestras and theater groups. Its annual budget is about $4.5 million.

The state law change means the center could lose funding when its bonds are paid off, Mr. Huff said.

But the center's fund-raising ability is limited because its theaters aren't big enough to attract large shows or touring acts, Mr. Huff said.

Arts center officials are reluctant to speculate on solutions, although privatizing the center is a possibility, said Laura Sanner, chairman of the Irving Arts Board.

The funding issue concerns Ms. Sanner, but she says the board and center have plenty of time to figure out what to do.

"We're trying to look ahead and prepare so it doesn't catch us by surprise," she said.

The City Council voted this month to spend about $128,000 for the study. The study will allow the city to affirm the importance of the arts and establish new priorities with arts groups, council member Joe Philipp said.

The study will also give residents the chance to address the center's role in Irving, said Mr. Philipp, who is the council's liaison to the Arts Board.

"Good prior planning and good lead times make a difference in providing the opportunity" to offer feedback from residents and to address the funding issue, he said.

[TexasStooge]

Members agree on tackling code enforcement, not the pace

By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas - Council member Beth Van Duyne seems impatient these days when talking about code enforcement. Her colleague James Dickens sounds hopeful.

Ms. Van Duyne wants the council to act faster on its pledge to vote on code enforcement reforms. But Mr. Dickens says the council needs to take time to study the matter.

The council has been meeting about code enforcement for the last couple of months. The meetings come after complaints from residents who are tired of neighbors who park too many cars in their front yards or dump their trash at the curb too soon.

They want city officials to act faster to force residents to adhere to the rules.

Council members say changes are on the way. Hiring more code enforcement officers is a possibility.

Politics and the upcoming May elections are partly to blame for the council dragging its feet, Ms. Van Duyne says. The mayor's spot and two council seats are up for grabs.

"We are stalling, it seems, until after May for no reason," she said. "There's absolutely no reason that it should take this long."

Mr. Dickens has said he hopes the council finalizes code reform recommendations by June. But it's possible the council may take action sooner, he said.

But the council shouldn't have a knee-jerk reaction, Mr. Dickens said. He said the council owes it to residents to receive input from residents and staff members before voting on reforms.

"There's no quick fix solution and these things take time," Mr. Dickens said. "I'm not going to succumb to pressures of a quick-fix remedy."

Survey says ...

Speaking of hot issues: A residents survey conducted last fall reveals concerns about code enforcement and other big issues.

Written comments from respondents shed light on residents' views of last fall's beer and wine sales election, the Dallas Cowboys' upcoming move to a new stadium in Arlington and the continuing north Irving versus south Irving debate.

Among some of the comments:

•"Most services go to South Irving and most taxes are paid by Las Colinas and Valley Ranch. Be more equitable."

•"Failure to pass the alcohol sales vote recently is a small disaster for Irving."

•"Praise the Lord we voted not to have liquor stores sell alcohol here."

•"I was very disappointed that the city was not proactive to keep the Cowboy stadium in Irving."

•"Irving doesn't need to spend taxpayers' money to build a new sport complex for the Dallas Cowboys."

Get city news via e-mail

Many residents are turning to their computers to receive city news about a smorgasbord of activities, from job postings to crime reports.

The e-mail notifications, called listservs, continue to grow in popularity since they were launched in 2000, said Cheryl Thompson, the city's webmaster.

"This is a great way to communicate quickly and cheaply," Ms. Thompson said. "It's easy for more people to do."

Among the more popular listserv topics: job postings, arts events and sexual offender notifications.

To join a listserv, go to the city's Web site – http://www.ci.irving.tx.us – and click on "other popular pages" on the right-hand side. Then scroll down and click on "e-mail lists."

[TexasStooge]

Homeowners: Be careful working with contractors

By John Gutierrez-Mier, Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FORT WORTH, Texas - Tula Walker always imagined she would spend the last years of her life in the house where she and her late husband raised their children.

For years, the widow and great-grandmother thought of remodeling her southeast Fort Worth home. So last year, she sold some property in California and hired Woodard General Contractor to build her dream house.

Today, the house is in shambles.

Most of its walls and ceilings are missing. The floor is littered with nails, wood and other debris. Walker hasn't been able to live there since early fall. She lives with one of her two daughters.

Walker blames the contractor, Harrell Woodard, to whom she's already paid $60,000.

He blames Walker, saying she expanded the original $63,000 project so much that it's going to take an additional $20,000 to complete the work.

The dispute may wind up being sorted out in court. Legal Aid of Northwest Texas has agreed to represent Walker, who plans to sue if the work isn't completed.

She has also filed a complaint with the Texas attorney general.

"Those type of complaints are among the top five that we receive each year," said Tom Kelley, a spokesman for the Austin-based agency.

Over the past two years, the state attorney general's office has received about 600 complaints from homeowners about contractors, he said.

If the attorney general's office receives a lot of complaints about a single contractor, it may investigate and file a lawsuit, Kelley said.

But homeowners can also protect themselves.

The attorney general's office suggests contacting references and the local Better Business Bureau before hiring a contractor. That's particularly important because Texas doesn't require builders to be licensed.

Homeowners should also examine contracts carefully, and they should never pay for work before it's done, say home-building experts.

Walker said she hired Woodard after seeing his sign in the yard of a neighboring house where he was doing some work.

Her kitchen was near the front of her house and the contract she and Woodard signed called for a new one to be built near the rear. The house would also be reframed and a back wall extended.

"I was ecstatic," said Walker, 66. "I always wanted my kitchen in the back of my house so that I could look out of a window and see my grandchildren and great-grandchildren playing."

In early September, she paid Woodard $20,000.

Later, Walker wanted some other work done. She said she was told the additional work would cost $6,588. Over the next few months, in five payments, she said she gave Woodard $40,000.

"He promised it would be finished by Thanksgiving," Walker said.

Woodard said that when the additional work was requested, the contract was amended, and "everything was done verbally."

"Once we got into the job, there was a gazebo in the back and she wanted that moved and a room built there," Woodard said.

"Labor cost jumped from $7,500 to $15,000," he said.

Other costs rose, too. Woodard said he had to pay additional money to subcontractors including plumbers for three bathrooms that were being added to the home.

"The bottom line is that she ran out of money," he said.

Among Walker's complaints is that her contract stated that she would get a new roof. But the roof remained unshingled for 45 days as rain pounded the area, and her furniture and other belongings were damaged.

Walker said she eventually bought shingles and hired laborers to finish the roof after Woodard told her he didn't have the money to do it.

Walker isn't the only dissatisfied customer. Another Fort Worth homeowner said she gave the contractor $18,000 for work he never completed.

Mary Roberson, whose east Fort Worth home was damaged by a fire in April, said she paid him all the proceeds she had received from her insurance company, and the work was never completed.

"I'd come home one day, and he'd want more money," Roberson said.

Plywood still covers a hole in the ceiling in the hallway. Doors he replaced don't close. Kitchen cabinets he installed are leaning over.

Roberson has talked to a lawyer.

Woodard said he did what he could.

"Every time I do an insurance claim, people expect more than what they can afford," Woodard said.

IN THE KNOW

Evaluating a contractor

Consumers can get help evaluating contractors from the Certified Master Builder Corp. in Fort Worth, said Skip Burks, the corporation's executive director.

The organization comprises 115 home builders, some of whom also remodel homes. Members must have five years in the home building and remodeling business and must submit to credit checks and provide references from subcontractors, suppliers and homeowners.

It is a group of peers policing one another, Burks said.

"We're not saying that our builders are any better than any others," Burks said. "But we do offer consumers a little more information."

Monique Lopez-Hinkley, a lawyer with Legal Aid, also offered consumers some advice in dealing with remodeling contractors.

"Always ask a lot of questions," she said. "Never give them any more money if they haven't done what they're supposed to do."

[TexasStooge]

Recycling program has grown

By Bill Teeter, Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FORT WORTH, Texas - About 10 million pounds of recyclable paper have been shredded, baled and sold since the Tarrant County clerk's office began a recycling program 12 years ago.

And although the program still costs more than it brings in, the county has expanded its recycling effort to include nearly 30 other local entities, County Clerk Suzanne Henderson said.

The program saves money that the county would spend to dispose of records and preserves landfill space, Henderson said.

Each year, about 500 tons of papers from the courts, the district and county clerks, the tax office, the Sheriff's Department and other county offices are recycled, Henderson said.

[TexasStooge]

Police: Student Brings Sword To School, Slashes Boy's Face

Boy Recovering At Hospital

ARLINGTON, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Police say a student brought a sword to an Arlington school and injured another student's face Monday morning.

The incident happened at Arlington Lamar High School at about 6:45 a.m., well before classes started.

The suspect and victim's identities were not released, as both are minors.

The victim was cut on his chin and was sent to Arlington Memorial Hospital. His condition is unknown but he reportedly needs several stitches to the chin.

Arlington Independent School District superintendent Dr. Mac Bernd said the attack was random, and said the district will be aggressive in charging the suspect, who recently transferred to the school from out of state.

[TexasStooge]

JP sees only couples today

By Bill Teeter, Star-Telegram Staff Writer

FORT WORTH, Texas - In Judge Barbara Ferrell's court, matters of law give way to matters of the heart every Feb. 14.

Provided Valentine's Day falls on a weekday, Ferrell, the Pct. 1 justice of the peace, conducts weddings instead of the usual cases. Couple after couple come forward and leave as newlyweds.

Ferrell festoons her courtroom in the historic Weatherford Street courthouse with flowers, candles and other decorations to make it special for the couples.

In her 10 years as justice, Ferrell has held the Valentine's wedding spree every year except 2004, when the holiday fell on a Saturday. As many as 57 have been married on one day, she said. She has 31 couples scheduled and expects more to walk in.

She gets a $50 fee per wedding but, because she's closing the court to other actions, she covers costs of using the court, Ferrell said.

Ferrell said she does it because of her belief in marriage and to provide a special flair for couples who can't afford fancy nuptials.

"I've been married 47 years, and when I got married, I had a big wedding," Ferrell said, "but that was only because my aunts paid for it."

[TexasStooge]

Retired Exxon chief Rawls dies

FORT WORTH, Texas (Star-Telegram) - Lawrence G. Rawl, the retired chief executive who moved Exxon Corp. to Irving from New York and faced public wrath over the Exxon Valdez tanker disaster in 1989, died Sunday in Fort Worth, the company said Monday. He was 76.

ExxonMobil did not immediately specify the cause of death.

"Larry was a strong leader for our company and the petroleum industry and a true friend," Lee Raymond, who succeeded Rawl as CEO, said in a release. "We all mourn his passing and express our deepest sympathy to his family for their loss."

Mr. Rawl retired from Exxon in 1993, a month before he reached the company's mandatory retirement age of 65.

In a difficult operating environment, Mr. Rawl ensured Exxon remained a strong financial performer, He boosted profits by selling marginal oil and gas properties, slashing the work force, and focusing on prime exploration prospects.

Mr. Rawl also moved Exxon to Irving in 1989 to flee New York's higher costs and long employee commutes.

Mr. Rawl was CEO in 1989 when the Exxon Valdez tanker discharged 260,000 barrels of crude into pristine waters in Alaska. It was the nation's largest oil spill.

Mr. Rawl attracted public wrath for remaining at the company's corporate headquarters, which were then in New York, instead of going to Alaska immediately after the spill. He defended his actions by saying he could better launch Exxon's cleanup effort by being in New York, the nerve center for the company's communications network.

Exxon also drew scathing criticism for moving too slowly in its initial cleanup efforts but eventually pumped more than $2 billion into the huge oil recovery project.

Born in 1928 in New Jersey, Mr. Rawl enlisted and served in the U.S. Marine Corps at the end of World War II. Following his military service, he entered the University of Oklahoma and received a degree in petroleum engineering.

He joined Humble Oil & Refining Co., Exxon's predecessor. In 1980, he joined Exxon as a senior vice president. He was named president in 1985. And in 1987, he was elected chairman and CEO.

Mr. Rawl was also a philanthropist, in 1997 forming the LGR Foundation for the advancement of the interests of youth in Texas. The organization's mission was later broadenede to include issues relating to Alzheimer's Disease. He also served on the board of visitors of the University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center.

Private family services will be in Austin, ExxonMobil said.

[TexasStooge]

Irving resident attempts to become the next American Idol

By Leann Callaway, Irving Rambler Staff Writer

IRVING, Texas - Millions of viewers watched as Jeff Johnson of Irving competed for the chance to become the next American Idol. “Back in September, I auditioned in New Orleans with around 8,000 other people,” Johnson explained. “At first, I just thought it would be fun to be part of the craziness of auditioning for the show. But, four auditions later the judges said, ‘Yes, you’re going to Hollywood!’”

During the audition in New Orleans, Johnson (who leads praise and worship for several Texas churches) was shown praying with a group of contestants.

In November, Johnson went to Hollywood for the next round of competition, which was shown Feb. 8. Although Johnson was not selected as a finalist for American Idol, many doors have been opened because of experience.

Johnson, who was already a sought-afterworship leader, is even more in demand than ever before. His worship CD, Shaken, is the #1 seller at http://www.independentbands.com.

This summer, Johnson will be performing at 94.9 KLTY Interstate Batteries “Celebrate Freedom”, which is one of the largest Christian gatherings in the country.

[TexasStooge]

Demolition Raises Asbestos Fears

GARLAND, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- The Eastgate Village apartment complex at the intersection of Northwest Highway and Plaza Drive near Interstate 635 was sold recently by the city of Garland to private developers. The developers ordered the 878-unit complex demolished to make room for a new development despite the presence of asbestos within the walls and ceilings of the structure.

The Texas State Health Department confirmed the existence of asbestos in the complex. The substance typically requires a specially trained crew of workers wearing protective suits to remove the asbestos.

At Eastgate, however, crews are demolishing the buildings while spraying water on the debris. Some independent asbestos contractors called the conditions unsafe for workers and residents who live nearby.

"There's no way that they can wet this material enough to keep the fibers down from this whole community getting fiber," Jim McKee, an asbestos contractor, said.

"This should be abated before the demolition," Diana Cross asbestos contractor said. "That's the law."

Neighbors, too, voiced concerns about the work.

"I'm worried about it," nearby business operator Nick Mujanovic said. "I'm worried for my health, for my customers' health. I'm right across the parking lot from them."

The lawyer for the property owner said the work was approved by the state. Since the NBC 5 news story, though, the owners said the work would be suspended. State inspectors said there are a variety of violations at the site.

Officials with the demolition company performing the work declined to comment.

[TexasStooge]

Dallas Cracking Down On Truancy

DALLAS, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- The city of Dallas recently launched a patrol campaign designed to reduce truancy among school-age children. During the past three weeks, officers have rounded up an average of 30 students per day who were absent from class without permission.

The truancy roundup also has caused the city's crime rate to drop, according to Sgt. Lonnie Allen of the Dallas Police Department.

"We have experienced a reduction in burglaries and thefts and burglary of motor vehicles that have occurred here in the southwest (section of Dallas)," Allen said.

Police said that most students who are approached by officers admit to skipping school. Others, however, try to flee.

"We'll get the ones that want to play chase, " Allen said. "But, generally, they can't outrun the radio. We'll catch them and put them back in school."

Police said the citywide truancy sweep will continue indefinitely.

[TexasStooge]

Debt management plans can deceive

By BYRON HARRIS / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - It may be the scariest four-letter word: debt.

Americans have $2 trillion of personal debt. Now, a News 8 investigation has found credit counselors frequently promise an easy fix to debt problems, but that's not what consumers ultimately get. Credit counseling can be a worthwhile solution, but this look inside the industry finds a cynical, often deceptive business which can ruin people's lives.

For many, the debt problems begin with basic spending, but soon spiral out of control. And many hope their debt problems will end with a quick, painless solution like the ones depicted in television commercials and internet advertisements.

Becca Lozano trusted a credit consolidation company to help her pay off her $17,000 of debt. So did Ronda Hicks, who had $4,000 of debt. Both ended up with unpaid bills and worse credit than before.

"It's ridiculous - it's absolutely ridiculous," Lozano said.

"They're out to make a buck out of anybody they can, and they don't care who they hurt or who they walk over in the process," Hicks said.

Each woman signed a debt management agreement with a Dallas company called Liberty Debt Solutions. For a monthly service fee and a lump sum payment, Liberty promised to reduce their total monthly debt, reduce their interest rate and repair their credit rating.

Instead of paying several bills to all their creditors, Lozano and Hicks would make one big payment to Liberty each month. The process is commonly called a debt management plan, or DMP.

"They basically said that within three months all of my bills would be current (and) all of my late fees would stop," Lozano said. "This was on their website as well."

The internet is crammed with companies offering to consolidate and settle debt problems. People in financial trouble fill out forms outlining their money problems, including personal information.

But suddenly, they're targeted for spam by companies selling debt management programs. Then, the phone calls start. The caller may represent himself as a credit counselor, but an insider told News 8 that's often a salesman, out to make a commission for convincing the consumers they need a debt management program.

"It's almost like a used car salesman," said that insider, who worked inside the debt consolidation business and asked News 8 not to reveal his identity. "(You) figure out what their problem is, and what keeps them up at night, and you hit them ... you hit 'em hard, and you make the sale and go on to the next one."

It's a big-money business, generating service charges, management fees and processing fees.

Hicks and Lozano agreed to let Liberty Debt withdraw hundreds of dollars from their checking accounts every month, and were promised that it would go to their creditors. Later, they found out a lot of their money never got there, and their credit was destroyed.

When they questioned Liberty, they got a standard industry answer: their contract guaranteed nothing.

"If you ever get your hands on one of the contracts, it's pretty iron-clad," said the industry insider. "High-powered lawyers wrote those things, and most of the customers never ever read them."

In the case of Hicks and Lozano, the contract came from a Dallas firm called Intellidebt, one of more than 17 inter-related companies that News 8 tracked to a building in Syosset, New York. Their parent company's Web site said they cater to consumers with financial difficulties, and that they make substantial profits.

"One company will have 15-20 names - all one company," the insider said.

"It's pretty easy to start a debt counseling, debt consolidation or debt management business," said Jeannette Kopko of the Better Business Bureau. "You can start a Web site, or advertise this type of service."

A U.S. Senate study last year found "abusive practices" with credit counseling. A Texas Senate study two months ago found that loopholes in the law allow credit counselors to "circumvent regulation."

Liberty had three different offices in Dallas before it finally went bankrupt. No legal action has been taken against the company.

"They need to be thrown in jail," Lozano said. "They definitely don't need to be doing the same business."

Consumers dont necessarily know who they're dealing with when they choose a credit counselor. It turns out that the president of Liberty Debt, Ken Bennett, has a criminal record. He did not return News 8's calls.

Bennett is now working for Robert E. McCallan, who runs Intellidebt. McCallan also has an arrest record; he declined an interview with News 8.

McCallan's brother Tim runs Americorp, headquartered in the building in New York; Americorp specializes in processing data for credit counselors. A partner company called Intermark Media, also in the same building, makes its money by finding leads for credit counseling companies. Intermark's Web site boasts its ability to find people who are "in debt, and best of all, live on the telephone." In the industry, those leads sell for up to $100 each. It's a business that profits from despair.

"A lot of these people are desperate people," said the insider. "They're looking for a quick fix, someone's going to come in riding on a white horse and solve all their financial problems in a 30-minute conversation."

Hicks and Lozano have had hope turn into anger, and their financial lives will take years to rebuild.

"I just don't think there's any real way to recover from this," Lozano said.

The hard truth is that solving debt is never easy. The oldest, most reputable organization doing that is Consumer Credit Counseling Services, or CCCS. They try to steer clients away from debt management plans.

[TexasStooge]

Dallas dentist arrested in FBI sex sting

By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - An FBI sting operation has led to the arrest of a popular Dallas dentist in California on Monday.

Dr. Todd Calvin, 43, faces charges after allegedly planning a Mexican vacation to have sex with underage boys.

Calvin did not see patients on Monday at his Lakewood office. Instead, the dentist is one of three men FBI agents arrested on a dock on Harbor Island near San Diego. Those arrests came after a three-month undercover investigation.

"All of those arrested were actively molesting children," said FBI Special Agent Daniel Dzwilewski.

The FBI tracked Calvin through a group called the North American Man-Boy Love Association, or NAMBLA. An FBI agent infiltrated the group, and after two meetings he gained trust with some members. That led to to a planned trip to Mexico Saturday to a so-called "safe haven" in which the FBI charges that Calvin helped coordinate, through e-mail and phone conversations, plans to engage in sex with underage boys.

"There were revelations by these members that they had previously engaged in sex with minors at safe havens in various locations," Dzwilewski said.

Calvin is known as the "singing dentist" for his work with local choral groups. Neighbors and patients were shocked by his arrest.

"I certainly would not think my dentist would be up to that," neighbor and patient Cari Hurst said. "Just to think I saw him just a couple of months ago, and trusted him with my health care."

At Calvin's Lakewood home, neighbors confirmed what sources told News 8 was a raid at the dentist's home by FBI and Dallas Police on Saturday morning, two days before his arrest.

"I knew it was something major because the FBI (was there)," Hurst said.

Neighbors said agents spent a couple of hours coming in and out of the house, but said they had never previously noticed anything strange about Calvin.

"I didn't see anything that would make me think, 'oh, this is unusual,'" neighbor Michael Russo said.

Calvin was being held in San Diego pending an initial appearance in U.S. District Court. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in prison.

[TexasStooge]

Schlosser ruled not competent

Plano mom to be treated for mental illness before standing trial in her daughter's slaying

By JENNIFER EMILY / The Dallas Morning News

McKINNEY, Texas – Dena Schlosser saw babies coming out of the wall of her jail cell; they cried out, "Mommy, Mommy."

That testimony by a jail psychiatrist was among the evidence presented Monday that led a Collin County jury to decide that Mrs. Schlosser was not mentally competent to stand trial in the death of her daughter, whose arms were cut off.

The six-woman, six-man jury took less than nine minutes to decide they agreed with the mental assessment by the defense and prosecution. The finding means jurors believed she does not have the mental ability to consult with her lawyer and/or she does not rationally understand the charges against her.

Mrs. Schlosser, 36, will be sent to Vernon State Hospital in a few days. There, doctors will work to restore her competency. Defense lawyer David Haynes said his client probably will eventually stand trial and be found competent in a matter of months.

Mrs. Schlosser was charged with capital murder after the November death of 10-month-old Margaret "Maggie" Elizabeth Schlosser.

Mrs. Schlosser was covered in blood, holding a butcher knife and listening to a church hymn when police arrived. The night before Maggie's death, she told her husband she wanted to give their baby "to God." She told police she cut off Maggie's arms.

At Vernon State Hospital, Mrs. Schlosser will join two other mothers accused of killing their children.

Lisa Diaz of Plano and Deanna Laney, who lived near Tyler, were found not guilty by reason of insanity in the deaths of their children last year. Ms. Diaz was accused of drowning her two daughters. Ms. Laney was accused of stoning two of her sons to death.

Mrs. Schlosser will be held at the maximum-security facility for 120 days. The stay can be extended without a court hearing, officials said.

Mr. Haynes said he was not surprised by the verdict at the competency trial. "We're just glad the jury saw it our way," he said.

Mr. Haynes said Mrs. Schlosser did not seem to understand what happened, except that she will be going to a hospital. She is "numb" and "overwhelmed," he said.

Husband wasn't there

Prosecutor Curtis Howard declined to comment, saying he was abiding by a gag order on the civil side of the case regarding custody of Mrs. Schlosser's two surviving daughters, ages 6 and 9. Her husband, John Schlosser, was given custody of the children after they lived in foster care. He was not in the courtroom during testimony.

Court-appointed psychiatrist Dr. David Self, who determined that Mrs. Schlosser was not competent, diagnosed psychosis, bipolar disorder and severe depression in Mrs. Schlosser. Postpartum psychosis also had been diagnosed after Maggie was born.

Mrs. Schlosser has been prescribed the antipsychotic medication Haldol and antidepressant medication.

Collin County jail psychiatrist Dr. Xioyan Wu, who testified that Mrs. Schlosser told her about hearing and seeing the babies, said Mrs. Schlosser has not had an auditory or visual hallucination in three or four weeks. Dr. Wu said that although Mrs. Schlosser's psychosis is improving, she's slipping deeper into severe depression.

Dr. Wu and Dr. Self testified that Mrs. Schlosser could receive better care at the state hospital than at the jail because of better programs and more time with a psychiatrist.

Mrs. Schlosser initially resisted psychiatric treatment, saying there is "no such thing as depression, only God." It was not clear why she began accepting treatment.

Dr. Self testified that Mrs. Schlosser repeatedly said she wished she'd died with her daughter. She told Dr. Self that she'd planned to commit suicide or hoped her husband would kill her because of her actions.

When he told her that she could die by injection if convicted of killing Maggie, she responded that was fine "if God needed her life."

Dr. Self said that when people are "fine" with being sentenced to death, "you can pretty much take it to the bank" they aren't motivated to help with their defense.

Plano police officers testified that Mrs. Schlosser seemed "somewhat catatonic" or "blank" on Nov. 22 – the day Maggie died.

'Guttural growling'

Plano Officer Richard Hendrix testified that Mrs. Schlosser made a "guttural growling" sound for about five to eight minutes a couple of times an hour for at least six hours. The sounds began while she was being treated in an emergency room that day after stabbing herself in the shoulder.

Mrs. Schlosser is highly religious, but Dr. Self said she was offended by the idea that her faith or her church played a role in Maggie's death. Mrs. Schlosser's mother and stepfather, Connie and Mick Macaulay, have suggested that Mrs. Schlosser's postpartum psychosis, coupled with her fervent religious beliefs, contributed to her actions.

Mrs. Schlosser sat hunched in her chair for most of Monday's competency trial. She stared straight ahead, frowning the entire time.

The only emotion she showed came as she left the courtroom after the verdict. She waved to her former stepfather, Bob Nicholas. Her movement was restricted by a black belt that kept her hands close to her waist. Her legs also were tethered.

Mrs. Schlosser was 5 when Mr. Nicholas married her mother. They divorced when Mrs. Schlosser was in college, but the two kept in contact. He had not seen her since the summer of 2003 until he visited her in jail Sunday. He had tried to see her previously in jail but could not.

Mr. Nicholas said Mrs. Schlosser's demeanor is unlike it was before Maggie's birth.

'It was upsetting'

"She doesn't have that happy glow that I knew," he said, choking back tears. "It was upsetting to me."

During their visit, he said, Mrs. Schlosser asked him to sit beside her in the courtroom but did not seem to understand her legal dilemma.

He asked her whether she knew what was happening. She said, "I think I'm going to be moving someplace."

[TexasStooge]

Sword-wielding student cuts classmate

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8

ARLINGTON, Texas — Police have detained an Arlington Lamar High School student after he allegedly slashed a classmate with a sword before school this morning.

The bizarre incident happened about 6:30 a.m. Monday when police said the unidentified 16-year-old approached fellow students carrying two swords, each about 2 feet long.

One student—a 14-year-old freshman—was cut in the face by the attacker. The sound of screams attracted the attention of an unarmed security guard.

"A security guard tackled the student, held him down," said Arlington ISD Superintendent Mac Bernd. "The assailant has been arrested. He's been transported to jail."

Bernd said the guard "overwhelmed" the student until help arrived; the guard's left hand and wrist were bandaged following the incident.

The student who was cut was taken to Arlington Memorial Hospital for treatment. Bernd said stitches would likely be required.

School officials said they knew of no relationship between the injured student and the attacker, who transferred to Lamar about a month ago. They said the attacker, who was also a freshman, was exhibiting deliberate aggressive behavior, but they are not sure why.

The Dallas Morning News contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Toll tunnel would run under LBJ

By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Interstate 635, commonly known as LBJ Freeway, is one of the most heavily-traveled highway corridors in North Texas.

As the High Five interchange at Central Expressway pushes along, LBJ is in the midst of a major makeover.

"We can't go up, we can't go out, so we've decided to go underneath," said TxDOT's Matt McGregor.

$700 million in funds is already earmarked for a project that would put the longest, widest-mined tunnels in the United States under LBJ.

"It's called the LBJ West Section Managed Lanes HOV Toll Tunnel," McGregor said. "We'll come up with a better name later."

If the plan is completed, westbound drivers, for example, could enter a three-lane tolled tunnel between Hillcrest and Preston roads. It would be similar to the short toll tunnel along Keller Springs under Addison Airport's runway, and the true tunnel-shaped path would be about as long as DART's subterranean light rail run between downtown and Mockingbird Station.

"But it would be 60 feet wide - three times wider, (and) 30 feet tall in the middle - 1.5 times taller," McGregor said.

What makes it a record-setter is the fact the underground trip would continue into what's called cut-and-cover box construction, an example of which takes cars through a short tunnel on Spring Valley Road underneath Central Expressway in Richardson.

Those underground lanes, three in each direction, would flow underneath new frontage roads west of the Galleria, where now there are none. They'll run for nearly five miles in each direction.

McGregor said the tunnels would be accessible via Tolltags only - no cash - and the price will likely be flexible based on the time of day.

"During midday it would be a lower price, peak periods would be a higher price and late-night or off-peak would be a much lower price," said McGregor.

Engineers have gotten approval for the project schematics, and design work is now 30 percent complete. Engineers hope to have at least part of the tunnel open by 2012.

[TexasStooge]

In Big D, big gestures go a long way

By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com

DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - You romantics know who you are.

You loved it when John Cusack held a boombox playing "In Your Eyes" over his head to get the attention of Ione Skye in the movie Say Anything . Or when Richard Gere swept Debra Winger off her feet and carried her from her dead-end factory job in An Officer and a Gentleman. Or more recently in Love Actually, when young Sam crashed through security at Heathrow Airport just to bid farewell to a classmate crush.

You adore the dramatic, all-consuming act of love.

Unfortunately, those movie moments are not replicated as often here in Big D, where big gestures tend to be more of the down-on-bent-knee variety.

Romance and marriage proposals go hand in hand at the Adolphus hotel's restaurant, the French Room, where about five to 10 couples get engaged each month. It's a sure bet that at least one couple will celebrate a Valentine's Day betrothal Monday night, maitre d' Jim Donahue said.

One man wanted his marriage proposal to be a surprise so he set up a ruse with the restaurant staff. Under the guise that they were meeting six others for a business dinner, the couple sat at a table for eight. A few minutes later the waiter announced that the others had canceled and asked if they would prefer a table for two.

"He had it all set up, pre-selected the wine and everything," Donahue said. "When he proposed to her she was so shocked. He had set it up that both their parents were waiting in the lobby. It was cool. The best part is how the girl handles it. If the girl breaks down and sobs, it's so moving."

Charlie Smith, owner of Dallas Surrey, said his carriage rides are perfect for Valentine's Day proposals.

"We already have two planned. We'll probably get three or four more," Smith said.

Sheila Johnson, owner of the downtown Floral Concepts, said she has a customer who fills a room with flowers for his wife every Valentine's Day. And here's the unbelievable part - he also does it at other times throughout the year.

"It's always so much fun to help them do those kinds of things because it's obviously very meaningful to them," Johnson said.

Big gestures come in big packages, says Camelia Situmorant, an associate manager of Godiva Chocolatier in Dallas, where a popular seller is a satin, heart-shaped box holding 43 pieces of chocolate and truffles.

(Does a giant box of candy say "big gesture" or "big waistline"?)

Some big flourishes are meant for little people. At least that was the case when one Dallas man bought 10 arrangements of a dozen roses in pink and white for his daughter's first birthday.

"He was saying, 'No one remembers their first birthday,' so he wanted to do something over the top," said Ashley Hudnall, who works at dr. delphinium designs and events.

For those a bit beyond their first birthday, "I love you" sometimes means "say hello to your new car." At least twice someone has received a luxury vehicle as a surprise gift at the Adolphus.

Chief doorman Phillip Johnson helped a woman surprise her husband with a new car to celebrate a work promotion. While they dined inside, Johnson pulled the shiny Mercedes to the front entrance, took a music tape from the old car and put it in the new one. When the man came out, Johnson turned on the tape and asked if he recognized the music.

"He sat down and said, 'Yeah, that's like my tape,' and I said, 'Sir, this is your new car.' He lit up and looked at his wife, then he got out and hugged her. It just made my day. Every time I see this guy we both remember what happened," he said.

Not that cinema-worthy moments don't occasionally happen in Dallas. Donahue recalls another moment from the French Room:

"It was a very nice young couple," Donahue said. "He was all of 25 years old but very confident when he stood up in the full dining room and said, 'Turn off the music.' He said, 'I have an announcement to make. This beautiful, young lady just agreed to be my wife. I've known her since the third grade. She turned me down the first couple of times I asked her out.' People stood up, whistling and cheering. Then he picked her up and carried her out of the restaurant."

Now that's a big gesture.

Dallas Web staff reporter April Kinser contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Kirk joins strong mayor debate

He's working to defeat plan and might offer alternative

By GROMER JEFFERS JR. / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk is working with a coalition of business leaders and elected officials to defeat a proposal that would give the mayor sweeping powers, several City Council members say.

As part of that effort, they say, Mr. Kirk is helping develop an alternative plan that would enhance the mayor's authority but include significant checks and balances with the council.

Such a proposal could be placed before voters as early as November, and some council members say they could kick off a "public process" for developing such an alternative plan within a couple of weeks.

Mr. Kirk declined to comment on his strong-mayor efforts. "It would not be appropriate," he said.

Several council members say their work with Mr. Kirk to defeat a strong-mayor proposal developed by lawyer Beth Ann Blackwood doesn't mean they are against giving the mayor more power. The proposal goes to voters May 7.

Council member Veletta Forsythe Lill said the council is listening to several proposals, including those brought by the League of Women Voters and the Dallas Citizens Council.

"Many on the council believe there needs to be some changes in the charter," she said. "As a result, we've been talking to different people, and that includes Ron Kirk."

Ms. Lill said the first step to revamping city government would be defeating the Blackwood proposal.

"If that were defeated, the next available date for a referendum would be in the fall," she said. "The plan would have modest enhancements of the mayor's power with the proper checks and balances."

Council member Ed Oakley agreed.

"There are some people who believe there ought to be a look at the structure of our government," he said. "November is the soonest you could get something on the ballot, if you reach a consensus by then and come up with a final recommendation."

Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill, who acknowledged he had spoken with Mr. Kirk about the subject, said opposing council members aren't likely to develop an alternative strong-mayor proposal before the May election.

But he conceded that officials within the group opposing the Blackwood plan were studying ways to improve city government.

"It is possible that there may be developed, through some process, a consensus on issues before the May vote," Mr. Hill said. "We're going to have to deal with these issues at some point, but it's critical that we don't send a mixed message to our voters."

Mayor Laura Miller said she didn't think members of the City Council would ever agree to give the mayor more power. Instead, she said, they are much more likely to seek changes giving themselves more authority.

Council members already have expressed interest in pursuing recommendations by the Charter Review Commission that would give them bigger budgets, district offices and more overall power.

"It's all well and good to say, 'We want strong-mayor but not this plan,' " Ms. Miller said. "What they all miss is that the council is not going to do that. I just don't see anything else happening."

A fund-raising letter signed by several influential business leaders echoed the idea of the need to defeat the Blackwood plan while acknowledging that changes might be necessary.

Drafted by political consultant Carol Reed, who works for the Dallas Citizens Council, the letter will begin showing up in mailboxes this week. It describes the Blackwood proposal as a bad plan that would lead to patronage and public corruption.

"Let us be very clear. We are not debating whether the Dallas city charter should be changed, or whether we should move to a strong-mayor system of government," the letter says. "We are only concerned about the Blackwood charter change. A shift in power without proper safeguards makes this proposal totally unacceptable."

Opponents of the plan welcomed the support of various business leaders, support they hope will lead to the critical dollars necessary to match the proponents' well-financed effort.

"We may have different ideas about how to improve city government, but that's not the issue here," said Dallas lawyer Darrell Jordan, a leader of the opposing Coalition for Open Government. "The main thing is that we are all opposed to the Blackwood plan."

The issue of changing the city charter to give the mayor, and the council, broader powers has been sporadically discussed for at least a decade.

Mr. Kirk, the city's first black mayor, proposed giving the office more power after he was elected in 1995. The idea was soundly rejected by the City Council.

Last year, Ms. Miller, who as a council member criticized Mr. Kirk for seeking more power, developed her own plan, which also was rejected by council members.

"They have been adamantly and uniformly against going to any type of stronger-mayor form of government," Ms. Miller said of council members.

In seeking a middle ground between the opposing camps, some business leaders consider the 2002 debate over a public safety-pay referendum as a blueprint.

To defeat a ballot issue to award public safety officers a 17 percent pay raise, the City Council vowed to give police officers 15 percent raises over a three-year period if the larger pay bump was voted down. It was.

But Ms. Miller, who crafted that compromise, said there are important differences in the two issues.

"There was a lot less at stake for the council with that," she said. "It wasn't an emotional thing, it was a fiscal thing."

Mr. Hill, who represents black residents who feel giving the mayor more power would reduce their clout at City Hall, says the support of Mr. Kirk and the Dallas Citizens Council is good news.

But he said reaching a consensus on another proposal could be difficult.

The council currently hires the city manager, and any plan that gives that power to the mayor would lesson the power of minority voters who can't match the at-large influence of voters who live in North Dallas.

"There is real struggle here," Mr. Hill said. "A change has to hit on all of these issues, and that won't be easy. ... Ron's in a tough spot. He's adamantly opposed to Blackwood, but he also says he wants the mayor to have more power."

[TexasStooge]

GI death benefit debated

Veterans generally back plan, disagree on how it should be paid out

By KATIE MENZER / The Dallas Morning News

FORNEY, Texas – Randi Drake is thankful for all the help she received after her husband was killed in Iraq – from the sympathy cards sent from people across the country to the $12,000 check the government gave her.

But now the college student is worried about the future for herself and her 2-year-old daughter, which is why she supports a proposal to increase the death benefits for families of service members killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and future war zones.

"Anything would help since I'm 20 and I'm a widow and I have a little girl," Ms. Drake said.

Veterans groups and others applaud the sentiment behind the plan, but not everyone agrees with the details.

Under the proposal backed by President Bush, the Pentagon and some Capitol Hill leaders, the "death gratuity" – a tax-free, lump-sum payment given to survivors – would increase from $12,420 to $100,000. The government would also pay $150,000 in life insurance premiums for military personnel.

The increased benefits would only be paid to families of troops killed in designated war zones. That means the families of the seven Fort Hood soldiers who died in a Black Hawk helicopter crash in Central Texas last November would not receive the additional benefits, said Joyce Raezer, director of government relations for the National Military Family Association.

"Our organization is very uncomfortable with the idea that we are going to treat death differently because of where it occurred geographically," she said.

Ed Dorn, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness from 1993 to 1997, said he was concerned that the substantial increase in the death gratuity might tempt young soldiers not to purchase life insurance. More than 90 percent of service members have signed up for life insurance under the current benefits plan, although the government does not help with the premiums.

"The danger is soldiers won't acquire the life insurance," said Mr. Dorn, now an independent researcher. "They'd say $250,000 is fine with me and get no extra coverage."

He said understanding the difference between the death gratuity and life insurance is at the crux of the matter. The death gratuity – first established in 1908 and supported by Civil War veterans – was intended only to serve the immediate needs of the family, such as travel costs to the funeral, burial expenses and other bills.

The death gratuity was only a few hundred dollars when it was introduced and was bumped from $6,000 to $12,000 in 1991. It's been adjusted slightly for inflation in the past decade.

Emotionalism has clouded the distinction between the death gratuity and life insurance. The death gratuity is intended merely to provide families with cash to meet some of the immediate costs associated with a soldier's death," Mr. Dorn said. "Long-term financial needs are met with the life insurance policies that soldiers acquire."

A range of support

Ms. Raezer said her group supports raising the death gratuity slightly and using more money to subsidize life insurance premiums – but only for service members who are already paying for life insurance.

At the American Legion, officials are less picky. They said they'd love to see higher death benefits for the survivors of all military personnel, but they won't turn down an increase for any of their members.

"We'll let Congress iron out the details in terms of where the benefit is going to be best spent and best utilized, but we're always in favor of anything that is going benefit our service members," said Ray Felsecker, assistant director for national security foreign relations for the Legion.

Veteran organizations AmVets and Veterans of Foreign Wars have also said they support the bill.

Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., a bill sponsor, said the circumstances of a service member's death are important when determining the amount of death benefits, although he is willing to look into offering the benefits to service members killed while training for combat.

"There is some distinction between a person in a hostile fire zone and a person not in a hostile fire zone who may lose their life," he said last week during a hearing of the Senate Armed Service Committee.

David S.C. Chu, undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness, said proposed changes would almost double the $262,000 now available to families of slain service members.

Surviving family members currently get additional benefits, including health care, housing and education funding from the government. Some nonprofit groups and foundations also provide funding for spouses and children of deceased service members.

But Sen. Joe Lieberman, D-Conn., who also supports the bill, said the current death benefit, even when combined with other benefits given to families, was a "paltry sum" compared with the compensation given to the families of 9-11 victims.

"When you compare the two, there was an imbalance that was not acceptable," he said last week. "I believe the average award there was over $2 million. I understand the different circumstances and all the rest, but still it's a measure of America's trust, our generosity to those we lose in this and other conflicts."

Deployed in March

Ms. Drake said she wasn't really worried when her husband, Chad, was deployed March 13 to Iraq with his battalion from Fort Hood. His grandfather had died only two months earlier, and "I assumed nothing else bad would happen."

Sitting in her mother's house as her daughter Kaylee crawled on her belly beneath a coffee table, Ms. Drake said she believes her husband was killed Sept. 7 while sitting in the gunner's position of a Humvee in Baghdad.

"I think it was a sniper, but they don't know," Ms. Drake said, her eyes sad and downcast. "There was only one shot fired. He was the only one."

Ms. Drake was 17 and Spc. Drake was 20 when they married on Aug. 12, 2001. Spc. Drake left for boot camp three days later.

Ms. Drake said they often talked of their plans for after his military service. Spc. Drake wanted to buy land and build a house and workshop where he could tinker on cars.

Before deploying, Spc. Drake recorded himself reading bedtime stories to Kaylee on video so she wouldn't forget him while he was away, Ms. Drake said. He also recorded a message on a talking picture frame.

"Kaylee, I love you very much and I miss you every day and I'll see you very soon," the gravelly voice with a Texas twang says when the play button on the frame is pushed. "I love you. Bye-bye."

Spc. Drake had life insurance, and Ms. Drake receives payments from Social Security and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The government also helps pay for her college tuition, and she uses her benefits to help pay for her rent, other college costs, caring for Kaylee and other bills.

"I just have to be very careful about my budget."

She is most worried about Kaylee. What if Kaylee needs emergency medical care not covered under insurance or special schooling someday, Ms. Drake asks herself.

"I don't know what's going to happen," she said.