News from the Lone Star State

[TexasStooge]

Samaritan seeks hit-and-run victim's ID

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8

FORT WORTH, Texas - Police need help identifying a woman who was run over Tuesday morning on Interstate 35W between Rosedale and Interstate 30 in Fort Worth - and the good Samaritan who came to her aid needs some answers as well.

About 4:15 a.m., driver Rodney Summerville said he noticed a woman struggling to move in the center lanes of I-35W. It appears two, three, maybe even four drivers hit her - but no one stopped to help until Summerville came by.

"I was compelled to stop," he said. "There's no way I could have kept going and think to myself, 'I just left somebody in the middle of the road back there.'"

Summerville, 23, said the woman seemed to be hurt, and struggling to get up. He saw a car swerve, then a truck that didn't.

"Whoever was driving the truck behind it just plowed right into ... ran directly over her," Summerfield said. "I grabbed her under the arms, pulled her to the side of the road and called 911.

By afternoon, the woman was in ICU, barely alive. Police have few clues to who she is, or why she was in the middle of the highway. Summerville wants to know, too.

"I was like, 'ma'am, everything is going to be OK,'" he said. "I held her hand; she didn't really squeeze it or anything, but you know, I was holding her hand trying to comfort her."

Summerville said the woman appeared to be in her 50s, white with silver-streaked hair, dressed in a dark top with white pants and clean white sneakers.

He said he's haunted by her eyes, and the thought that drivers hit her without stopping.

"I would think they'd know they hit a person," he said. "Why wouldn't they stop? That's what bothers me."

[TexasStooge]

Town's residents sue over KKK exhibit

From KHOU CBS 11 in Houston

GALVESTON, Texas - Some Galveston County residents are part of a federal lawsuit against the city of Tomball.

The three residents claim the city denied them access to a Ku Klux Klan exhibit back in June.

Corey Irving, Christina O'Toole and Rona Smith joined dozens of others to protest the presence of the KKK. The trio tried to enter the community center to look at an exhibit the Klan had set up, but were denied entry by police because the group said it didn't want minorities inside.

The three claim that because the event was held in a public building, police violated their civil rights by denying them access.

[TexasStooge]

Protesters urge prostitution crackdown

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - South Dallas residents gathered Wednesday morning to call for a crackdown on prostituition in the area.

The protestors' specific target is the Interstate Motel at Overton Road and Interstate 35E, which they say is a haven for prostitution.

"We're gonna shut down this motel, OK? (We want to) keep it away from schools and the community," said protester Dwaine Caraway, a local activist and former City Council candidate.

The motel's special-use permit comes up for renewal before the City Planning Commission on November 10, and they don't want it to be renewed.

"This motel and other hot-sheet motels ... get rid of 'em," Caraway said.

Caraway likened the motel to sexually-oriented businesses that have been shut down in other parts of the city; he said the same should happen in this case.

He said his group plans frequent protests in front of the motel until the Nov. 10 meeting.

[TexasStooge]

Irving teen's death is under investigation

IRVING, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A 15-year-old Irving boy died Saturday morning, police said. Edward Hubbard collapsed about 10:37 a.m. The Dallas County medical examiner's office is investigating the cause of death.

[TexasStooge]

$5.3 million library to put children first

Irving: At twice the size of current branch, it could open by 2007

BY ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas - Irving's new Valley Ranch library will include a coffee shop, more space for children's services and views of a nearby canal.

Construction on the $5.3 million project is likely to begin next summer, library officials said. It could open by fall 2007.

"When it's done, it's going to serve a part of the city that's needed this service for quite a long time," said Sam Smith, a council member and liaison to the Library Board.

The library will be twice as big as the current Valley Ranch branch, which is "bursting at the seams," said Bobbie Thomas, Library Board president.

City officials are designing the library with children in mind. It will have about three times more space for children's services, a popular part of the current branch, said Patty Landers, Irving Public Library director.

Library officials also plan to create a "quiet room" for adults to escape children and computers.

The new library, near MacArthur Boulevard and Cimarron Trail, will include tall windows to let in sunlight and take advantage of canal views. Residents will be able to read outside on benches.

The city hopes to make money off the coffee shop. Mr. Smith said the cafe would encourage residents to stay at the library longer.

The building will also include 5,000 square feet of unfinished space, which, Mr. Smith said, will help keep future construction costs low if city officials decide to expand the library.

Library officials have met with residents to receive feedback, which has been incorporated into the design, Ms. Landers said.

Mrs. Thomas thinks residents will be pleased with the canal views and the larger children's area. She says north Irving is "exploding with children."

"We're real excited about the plans," she said.

The Valley Ranch branch, which the city leases, is the second busiest in the five-library system. In July, more than 23,000 items were checked out at Valley Ranch. Central Library, the busiest branch, checked out 71,000 items.

More than 100,000 people have used the Valley Ranch library since October, said Ms. Landers, who expects the new library to attract more visitors.

"It sets the standard for future library branches," she said.

Bond funds will be used to finance the library. Voters approved money in 1999, but a downturn in the economy stalled the project.

As construction begins, city officials have said they are also interested in – but haven't committed to – opening a library in north-central Irving.

"It's certainly a dream I think we all have," Ms. Landers said.

The area south of Interstate 635 and north of Northgate Drive has lacked a local library since the city dropped out of an agreement with North Lake College last year to operate a campus library that served the public.

[TexasStooge]

Fort Worth tanker spill prompts evacuations

FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/WFAA.com) - A portion of North Fort Worth was evacuated Wednesday afternoon after a gasoline tanker tipped over, spilling some of its 3,000 gallon load of fuel into storm drains.

The tanker, at a Texaco station in the 1300 block of East Long Avenue, was tilted at a 45 degree angle as firefighters stood nearby with hoses.

Initial reports indicated that evacuations were ordered as a precaution in a two-block radius of the gas station. That included a Food City grocery store across the street.

Streets at the intersection of East Long and Decatur Avenue were closed to traffic.

There were no reports of injuries and no indication how long the cleanup would take.

The Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base sent a foam pumper to the scene. Arlington firefighters helped with equipment and manpower to cover a downtown Fort Worth fire station.


WFAA ABC 8
The jackknifed tanker spilled some of its load.

[TexasStooge]

Mayor Miller loses bid to oust Lee

By YOLANDA WALKER / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Dallas Mayor Laura Miller lost her bid to remove Plan Commissioner D'Angelo Lee in a showdown vote at Wednesday's City Council meeting.

By a 6-3 margin, Council members voted to table any action in Lee's case for three weeks.

Lee only has about two weeks left in his two-year appointment, but Miller wanted him out now, citing ethical questions surrounding an FBI probe.

"Due to Mr. Lee's actions on the Plan Commission, the public's trust has been lost," Miller told Council members before the vote.

The mayor said Lee voted on issues before the commission that he should have recused himself on due to alleged conflicts of interest.

She said Lee was driving cars that were given to him as gifts, but were not properly recorded.

Because Lee is not facing any charges, some Council members said he should not be removed and is innocent until proven guilty.

The call for Lee's removal comes during an FBI probe that continues to expand. Two Council members and three members of the Plan Commission are under investigation.

"Mayor Miller, you have a history of attacking appointed African-American representatives on boards and commissions," said Joyce Foreman, a Dallas citizen who was one of many speakers suggesting that Miller's campaign was racially motivated; she is white and Lee is black.

"When it comes to us, we don't get the same liberty and justice for all," said Council member James Fantroy.

Former Council member Al Lipscomb agreed. "Rights have been obviously, blatantly, violated," he said.

Council members will reconsider Lee's case in three weeks.

[TexasStooge]

Texas' Kinky Friedman hits jackpot

Is it a good omen for Kinky Friedman's run for governor?

AUSTIN, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - Friedman, a Texan who hopes to unseat Rick Perry in the next gubernatorial election, just boosted his finances. The independent candidate won nearly $46,000 over the weekend playing a slot machine at Harrah's in New Orleans.

The writer, humorist and musician Wednesday showed reporters a photo of him at the winning machine.

Friedman will have up to two months next spring to collect 45,000 signatures from registered voters to make it onto the ballot as an independent.

Perry and Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn are running on the Republican side. Chris Bell and Felix Alvarado are Democrats running at this point.

Meanwhile, Friedman hasn't decided yet what to do with his casino winnings. He said he may give it to his campaign fund, donate it to a charity or give it to a "leprosy colony for unwed mothers in Hawaii."

[TexasStooge]

Man's death blamed on power shut-off

Red Oak: Company investigates; relatives cite clerical error

By HOLLY YAN / The Dallas Morning News

RED OAK, Texas – For the past two years, Jimmy Douglas Fuller's emphysema was so severe that he couldn't walk 10 steps without using an oxygen tank.

He also was sensitive to the summer heat and avoided the outdoors.On Monday, Mr. Fuller, 59, was found dead – about two hours after utility workers shut off electricity to his home, a spacious portable storage unit that had been converted into living quarters.

Mr. Fuller's family said a clerical error led to the power being cut off at their home and the nearby living quarters – which share the same address – and believe that the heat contributed to his death.

Family members said they had discovered that a check was applied to the wrong utility account.

Billy Jones, general manager of the Navarro County Electric Cooperative, said his company is conducting an internal investigation.

"We want to look at everything that affects that account," he said.

Lt. Clint Tims of the Ellis County Sheriff's Department said that power was shut off about 1 p.m. Monday and that Mr. Fuller's body was found about 3 p.m. The official temperature at 3 p.m. Monday was 93 degrees.

He said the cause of death had not been determined.

Family members said they never received any advance notice that the electricity would be turned off at their house and Mr. Fuller's living quarters.

Mr. Jones said his company tries to make written or personal contacts with customers before turning off power.

"There is no reason for [anyone's power] to be cut off without notice in advance," Mr. Jones said.

Mr. Fuller's wife, Linda, and her daughter returned from back-to-school shopping Monday afternoon and found a red note on the door from the Navarro electric company, they said.

The note said the electric bill had not been fully paid, said Tina Davis, Mr. Fuller's stepdaughter.

As Mrs. Davis was calling the company, Mr. and Mrs. Fuller's 12-year-old son walked into the sweltering living quarters and found his father unconscious on the floor.

Mrs. Fuller and Mrs. Davis moved his limp body to the bed and unsuccessfully attempted CPR. "I imagine it was too hot for him," Mrs. Davis said.

She first blamed herself for her stepfather's death.

Mrs. Davis, who lives at the same address, said she pays the electric bill every month – half from one checking account and half from another.

Mrs. Davis' name is on one of the accounts. The other bears the names of Mrs. Davis and her stepsister, Jeanna Stubbert.

Last month, Mrs. Davis sent both checks to the electric company but did not write the electric account number on one of them. She said she later discovered that someone had written the wrong account number on the check.

"They applied the payment to the wrong account," said Ms. Stubbert, who lives next door to her father. "They applied it to my account."

The family also wondered Wednesday why the utility company was not aware of Mr. Fuller's health.

Mr. Jones said his company takes special care of people with illnesses who are particularly reliant on electricity.

"We have an alert system in our computer," he said. "If they're on life support, there's a flag on the account. In times of outages, especially storms, we try to get to those customers first."

Mr. Jones said that to his knowledge, Mr. Fuller did not have a flagged account. He said employees rely on customers to inform them of special needs.

But Mrs. Davis said the cooperative has made enough visits to her home that at least a few employees know that her stepfather had severe respiratory problems.

"When it rains, we lose electricity here very easily," she said. "I tell them my dad is on oxygen."

The Fuller family said their anger over Mr. Fuller's death escalated when several members tried to call the cooperative. Each said he or she was hung up on.

"My employees have been instructed if customers are abusive or curse, they can hang up on them," Mr. Jones said.

On Wednesday, Mrs. Fuller said she and her family have been too stressed to mourn.

"We haven't had time to grieve," she said, "because we've been arguing with the electric company."


LOUIS DeLUCA/Dallas Morning News
Linda Fuller (back right) says her husband, Jimmy Douglas Fuller, had emphysema and was sensitive to summer heat.

[TexasStooge]

Former ERCOT exec enters guilty plea

By PETE SLOVER / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN, Texas - One of six men accused of bilking the state’s electricity grid operator pleaded guilty Wednesday to organized criminal activity, agreeing to repay $505,000 and to face up to 15 years in prison.

James Christopher Uranga, 37, of Round Rock, admitted his role in setting up a series of shell companies, then funneling millions of dollars of business to those firms from his employer, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas.

“The true nature of this white-collar crime has gradually come to light and it is appalling in its scope,” Attorney General Greg Abbott said in a statement. “This defendant can expect the same justice as any other person who engages in organized crime in Texas.”

Mr. Uranga, who oversaw computer security for ERCOT, has agreed to cooperate with prosecutors against the remaining defendants in the ongoing Williamson County case.

“All of us are guilty of the offenses as indicted, and worked together,” Mr. Uranga said in a written confession filed with state District Judge Michael Jergins.

The Dallas Morning News first discovered and reported the activities that were the basis for the charges.

Mr. Uranga’s lawyer contended that his client was a “patsy,” lured from an upstanding life as a decorated Navy reservist into crime by his boss and now co-defendant Kenneth Shoquist, the former top computer official at ERCOT.

“He’s admitted his guilt, and he feels very badly – ashamed,” said defense attorney Daniel Wannamaker of Austin.

[TexasStooge]

Family: power shut-off probably led to death (Updated)

By GARY REAVES / WFAA ABC 8

RED OAK, Texas - A 12-year-old boy found his father dead a few hours after the power was turned off their home Monday afternoon. Family members said they can prove their bill was paid in full and that a father's life might not be gone had the company not turned off the switch.

The general manager of the Navarro County Electric Cooperative said his accounting manager is in the hospital and he hasn't been able to check the records. However, he said the Corsicana based company usually sends warning notices. The family said they never received one.

The power was cut off Jim Fuller's Red Oak metal building he called home around 1:00 p.m. A little over two hours later his son found him dead.

"He was on the floor towards the oxygen tank asleep," said Montana Fuller. "I felt his neck and he wasn't breathing."

Fuller had emphysema and needed a wheel chair to get around, an oxygen bottle to breath and cool air to survive.

While the autopsy has yet to determine the cause of death, his family blamed the Navarro County Electric Cooperative. The family found a red tag around 3:15 that showed the company cut off the power for non-payment. However, Fuller's daughter said she paid the bill with a check that also had her sister's name on it.

"So, they wrote her account number on it, credited her account and sent it to the bank and never notified us of any disconnect notice," said Christina Davis.

While the family said they had contacted the company several times to let them know that turning the power off could turn deadly for disabled Fuller, the general manager said he has found no records indicating the special circumstances. He said the entire incident is under investigation.

"My daughter has called several times during power outages to let them know there was a man here with oxygen and he had to have air," said Linda Fuller.

Sheriff's investigators said it is too early to jump to conclusions.

"Basically, an unexplained death waiting on a report from the medical examiners office," said Lt. Clint Tims.

However, while it may be too soon for authorities, the family said it is too late for Fuller.

"I'm not saying he might not have died anyhow, but in all probability, he might have been okay if the electricity hadn't been cut off," his wife said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
This may be another case of a family falling victim to identity theft.

[TexasStooge]

DART bus hit by gunfire

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police said a Dallas Area Rapid Transit bus was hit by gunfire about 5 a.m. Thursday and crashed into a tree.

No one was hurt in the incident on Ann Arbor Ave. at Interstate 35 in South Oak Cliff.

DART investigators said three bullets hit the back of the bus, which was carrying no passengers at the time. The impact apparently caused the startled driver to run off the road and into a tree.

Those in North Central Texas, Watch News 8 Daybreak for more information and live reports.

[TexasStooge]

Porous border frustrates states

Saying U.S. isn't doing enough, states taking matters in own hands

By MICHELLE MITTELSTADT and DAVID McLEMORE / The Dallas Morning News

Frustration is rising along the Southwest border.

Angered by unending waves of illegal immigration, some Americans have taken matters into their own hands by forming "Minuteman" patrols that they plan to expand from Arizona to Texas this fall.

A Houston congressman is pushing for creation of militias of armed volunteers to augment Border Patrol forces. Gov. Rick Perry is mulling a border neighborhood watch-style program.

And in recent days, the governors of Arizona and New Mexico – fed up with the failure of the federal government to control the border – have declared state emergencies in counties struggling with rising immigrant smuggling and violence.

"It's a scream for help from Congress," said Frank Sharry, head of the National Immigration Forum, an immigrant advocacy group lobbying for an immigration overhaul. "They are basically pounding the table and saying, 'Do something.' "

While Washington policy-makers are definitely attuned to the growing public anxiety over border security and illegal immigration, they're far from achieving consensus on the proper remedy.

The issues are complex and enmeshed with profound economic, diplomatic, national security and social considerations.

At heart, though, they revolve around two basic questions: How to improve enforcement of the porous Southwest border and what to do with an illegal immigrant population that tops 11 million and swells by 450,000 a year.

Sen. John Cornyn, the Texas Republican who will play a pivotal role in the debate as chairman of the Senate immigration subcommittee, believes the recent flare-ups on the border may hasten the pace of reform.

"There just seems to be a growing sense of momentum," Mr. Cornyn said, adding he is "pretty optimistic" Congress will tackle a comprehensive border security and immigration overhaul package this fall.

While there is little opposition to the idea of heightened border and interior enforcement, the Bush administration and lawmakers remain deeply split about how to treat those living here illegally. Some favor a plan that would set illegal immigrants on the path to legal residence, while others such as Mr. Cornyn propose allowing them to work here legally for several years before returning home.

"It's a very volatile and unstable debate," said Mr. Sharry. "There are a variety of voices all calling for action. And it's looking increasingly likely that Congress will address it – but the what Congress does is far from certain."

Arizona is bearing the brunt of illegal crossings, accounting for half of the 1,026,387 apprehensions made by the Border Patrol so far this fiscal year. Texas is second, with the arrest of 289,589 illegal crossers; California third, with 154,826; and New Mexico fourth, with 65,863.

New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano, both Democrats, have in recent days declared emergencies in several border counties, freeing up $1.75 million and $1.5 million respectively for extra law enforcement and equipment to cope with immigration and rising violence.

"I'm taking these serious steps because of the urgency of the situation and, unfortunately, because of the total inaction and lack of resources from the federal government and Congress," Mr. Richardson said.

The governors have disputed charges by some Republicans that they're just trying to embarrass President Bush.

Mr. Perry has no plans to take a similar step "though the option remains on the table," said spokesman Robert Black. "He is more concerned with reminding the federal government that securing the national borders is a federal, not a state, responsibility."

Texas needs more federal resources, Mr. Black said, noting that the governor dispatched $5 million to enhance law enforcement amid the recent explosion of violence in Nuevo Laredo caused by warring drug cartels.

In Laredo, Webb County Sheriff Rick Flores complained that the state aid is too limited.

"Rick Perry is giving us nothing," Mr. Flores said. "Everything is happening along this stretch of the border, and we're not getting anything, other than lip service from both Governor Perry and the federal government.

"We're the first responders and we need additional monies to expand our reach and cover this porous border with Mexico," Mr. Flores added. "It's not the DEA, or the FBI. It's us, local law enforcement who are positioned right along the line – la linea –protecting the homeland."

In Del Rio, Val Verde County Judge Manuel Fernandez believes the solution isn't to declare a state of emergency. "I'm not in favor of what Governor Richardson did," Mr. Fernandez said. "If we're going to petition Governor Perry for anything, it's his help in lobbying the state and feds for more money and equipment to help us better control our borders."

Like most other South Texas officials, Mr. Fernandez is critical of the Minutemen groups coming to the state to set up militia-style guards along the border.

"Border control is a state and federal government issue, and that's who we trust to do the job," he said. "We don't need people coming into the state to do it."

Rep. John Culberson, the Houston Republican who has introduced legislation to deputize armed civilians in a Border Protection Corps, believes immediate action is necessary to patrol a porous border he views as a major national security threat.

"The bottom line is that the local and state law enforcement authorities are overwhelmed and overrun," he said.

Homeland Security Department spokesman Jarrod Agen noted that the administration has spent $2.7 billion on extra Border Patrol manpower and other border security measures since the Sept. 11 attacks. He pointed out that recently arrived Homeland Secretary Michael Chertoff has identified border security as a major priority. "We realize that this is a major area where we need to focus attention," he said.

Mr. Culberson urged the Bush administration to pay more attention to border security and immigration control.

Action can't come soon enough, he said. "I am fed up. My district is fed up. We simply cannot sit still and allow this to continue."

Staff writer Alfredo Corchado in Mexico City contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

Average ACT score unchanged in Texas

By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN, Texas – Texas high school students' scores on the ACT college entrance exam dipped slightly in English and reading this year, although the state's overall results were unchanged from a year ago.

Texas students also failed to gain ground on their counterparts across the nation as the average composite score in the state remained at 20.2 out of a possible perfect score of 36, compared with the national average of 20.9, according to results released Wednesday.

The national figure also was the same as last year.

State Education Commissioner Shirley Neeley said a positive sign for Texas was the record number of black and Hispanic students in the Class of '05 who took the test.

"We're encouraged by this rise in participation among minority students," Dr. Neeley said, noting that a quarter of Texas students taking the test were Hispanic. Those students also made up 22 percent of Hispanic students nationwide who took the ACT.

About a third of Texas high school graduates this year – 72,294 students – took the test.

The exam measures skills in English, reading, math and science. Results for each of those subjects and a composite score are reported for all students taking the ACT.

On the English and reading sections, Texas' results dropped from last year. In English, the average score was 19.3 – down from 19.4 – and in reading it was 20.3 – down from 20.5. There were no changes in the math and science scores.

"It is disappointing to see the English and reading scores drop slightly," Dr. Neeley said. "We've got to do a better job preparing our high school students."

[TexasStooge]

DART bus hit by gunfire (Updated)

By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Police said a Dallas Area Rapid Transit bus was hit by gunfire about 5 a.m. Thursday, jumped a curb and crashed into a small tree.

No one was hurt in the incident on the Interstate 35E access road near Ann Arbor Ave. in South Oak Cliff.

DART investigators said three bullets hit the back of the bus, which was carrying no passengers at the time. The impact apparently caused the startled driver, H. Butler, to run off the road and into a tree.

"It mostly scared me," Butler said, adding that he also saw smoke when the shots rang out. "My back is hurting; legs shaking a little bit."

Butler was taken to a hospital complaining of neck and back injuries.

Investigators were still trying to determine whether the bus was deliberately targeted or if it was hit by random gunfire.


WFAA ABC 8
The bus smashed into a tree after shots rang out.

[TexasStooge]

Son, 31, gets life in fatal stabbing

Garland: Juror says panel quickly rejected insanity defense

By ROBERT THARP / The Dallas Morning News

GARLAND, Texas - Jurors quickly rejected a 31-year-old Garland man's contention that he was legally insane when he tortured his mother and nearly cut her head off with a kitchen knife, deliberating less than 10 minutes Wednesday before finding him guilty of murder.

After the jury's quick verdict, District Judge Manny Alvarez sentenced Patrick Boyd to life in prison for the March 2003 stabbing death of 55-year-old Janet Cantrell.

Jury forewoman Liz Trocchio-Smith said the graphic testimony about Ms. Cantrell's death made some jurors ill and left others with nightmares during the two-day trial, but panel members came to immediate agreement that the insanity defense did not apply in Mr. Boyd's case.

"We felt like he had some mental illness, but he was not severely mentally ill," she said. "He did know right from wrong."

Trial witnesses said Mr. Boyd was losing touch with reality in the hours before Ms. Cantrell was fatally stabbed, stopping only after a Garland police officer shot him four times.

His older sister, Christi Boyd, testified that Mr. Boyd was behaving erratically when she checked on him at their mother's request on the morning of March 19. Mr. Boyd was pacing in his apartment and telling her that their mother was "evil" and needed to die, she said.

Ms. Cantrell drove from her home near Lufkin, Texas, hoping to help, but Mr. Boyd only got worse, she said. He tackled her and began choking her inside his apartment, then ran to the kitchen and returned with a knife.

As Ms. Boyd – seven months pregnant at the time – struggled with her brother, Mr. Boyd stabbed their mother repeatedly until his knife bent. He found another knife and continued, following her to the parking lot, where he cut a deep gash into her neck before he was shot. Ms. Cantrell's last words were "Patrick, I love you," Ms. Boyd said.

Three mental health experts testified that Mr. Boyd was severely mentally ill at the time of the attack. They agreed that he probably did not know what he was doing was wrong at the time, although one said the attack might also be explained as the work of someone in an intense rage.

"He doesn't think like we think," said defense attorney Jim Moore. "In his mind, killing her was the right thing to do."

Prosecutor Heath Hyde argued that the insanity defense should not apply in Mr. Boyd's case because he had given indications that he knew what he was doing was wrong.

Before the attack, Ms. Boyd said, Mr. Boyd told her that he'd be going to prison for the rest of his life. Later, as he was stabbing Ms. Cantrell, he stopped briefly and took a phone away from Ms. Boyd to prevent her from calling for help.

"If everybody who was depressed or bipolar killed their mother, we'd never clean all the blood off the streets," Mr. Hyde said in closing arguments. "Perhaps he does have a mental defect, but it didn't affect his ability to know what he was doing."

Ms. Trocchio-Smith said jurors gave little credibility to testimony from three mental health experts who testified that Mr. Boyd was having a severe psychotic episode when he attacked and killed his mother.

"We sat there with an open mind, thinking we could be convinced that he had a mental problem," she said. "But we never saw the evidence."

[TexasStooge]

Corinth police push for teen curfew

By STEVE STOLER / WFAA ABC 8

CORINTH, Texas - Police in a fast-growing Denton County town are asking their city leaders to set a curfew designed to keep teenagers off the streets in the early hours of the morning.

Corinth police said when it comes to kids, nothing good happens after midnight.

"There's really no redeeming value of having a child out in the middle of the night at 2:00 in the morning," said Lt. Lance Stacy. "What's there for a child to do? A child should be home in bed."

Police said it is those late night hours when criminals and intoxicated drivers come out, and they said the curfew is a way to protect kids and keep them safe.

If Corinth City Council members approve the curfew, kids under 17 won't be allowed out on the streets between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m.

Some Corinth teenagers said they were not very happy about that prospect.

"I think it's pretty unfair, because we are old enough to be responsible for ourselves," said teenager Marcus Drayton. "So, I think we should be able to come outside whenever we want."

Corinth teenager Boo Rodriguez said he agreed.

"The curfew is kind of unfair for kids who just want to get out and have some safe fun," he said.

Another teen, Jeremy Tolliver, said he doesn't see why age is even an issue.

"I don't think the age matters, but the maturity of the person," he said. "Like, if you can just go and share with your friends and not do anything wrong, I don't see what the problem would be."

Corinth police said some parents agree with the teens, and do not seem to mind that their teenage children are out late into the night and early morning. They said they believe implementing a curfew will force those parents and their kids to be more responsible.

[TexasStooge]

When weather is nice, bring out the ice

By LINDA LEAVELL / DallasNews.com

DALLAS, Texas - Ice is hot.

Dallas-area wholesalers say ice is selling well, probably because it’s been just the right kind of toasty, without too much rain.

“Anywhere from, say, 96 degrees to 99 degrees is perfect,” said Robert Pierce, co-owner of American Ice Co. in Dallas. “It’s actually been just right.”

Pierce explained that a lengthy string of 100-degree days would send people who ordinarily participate in outdoor activities scurrying back to their air-conditioned homes. “We have to have people moving to buy ice,” he said.

To that end, summer 2005 has been quite cooperative.

An average North Texas summer usually means 16 days of 100-degree temperatures. As of Thursday, the thermometer has reached triple digits seven times – once in June, four times in July and twice in August. The only consecutive days were Aug. 2 (101 degrees) and Aug. 3 (100).

“We’ve only had seven (100-degree) days. That’s a good sign,” said National Weather Service meteorologist Jesse Moore. “That doesn’t mean that we won’t hit 105 later this month or next month.”

The weather service is calling for temperatures in the high 90s to near 100 through the end of the week.

In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Dallas-based Reddy Ice Holdings, the nation’s largest ice producer notes the seasonality of its business, characterized by peak demand between May and September and periods of uncertain profits caused by cold or rainy weather. Approximately 68 percent of the company’s revenues in 2004 occurred during the second and third calendar quarters.

“Consumers demand ice for a variety of reasons, but many of them buy ice in connection with outdoor-related activities, both commercial and recreational,” the document states. “During extended periods of hot weather, our profits and cash flow may decline because of an increase in expenses in response to excess demand. We may have to transport ice from one plant to another and, in some cases, purchase ice from third-party sources and transport it to a specific market to meet this excess demand.”

Pierce said his company is moving close to 300 tons of ice each day, with clients including Texas Stadium, several area universities, convenience stores and the new Pizza Hut Park in Frisco.

“It’s been a good summer – probably one of the best summers we’ve had in the last three years – mainly due to it being dry most of the summer and the heat,” Pierce said.

“Last summer we had above-normal rainfall and below-normal temperatures. That was not good,” he said. “When you only have five months to make your year, that’s pretty tough.”

Shipping loads of ice to Florida, where a series of hurricanes struck, “is what saved us last year,” Pierce said.

Clear Cube Ice Co. in McKinney, which has been in business since 1970, services convenience stores, grocery stores, marinas and restaurants.

Employee Judy Furlong said they’ve seen a spike in sales over the hot weekends, when clients will get their regular deliveries and then ask for an extra fill-up.

Some days “we pass ourselves coming and going,” Furlong said, but on the rainy days, “we’re waiting for the phone to ring.”

[TexasStooge]

A staff kids can identify with

Irving: District, parents reach out to growing number of Hispanics

By STELLA M. CHÁVEZ / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas - Maria Elias wants to learn as much as possible about her girls' school in Irving but says it's hard to ask questions if no one understands her.

She said having a staff member who speaks Spanish or understands Latino culture could help.

"It's important because maybe they would also help the students more," Ms. Elias said.

She recently joined Padres con Poder, or Parents with Power, aimed at getting more Latino parents involved in their children's educations.

Still, Ms. Elias, who has three children at Nimitz High School, said that's not the most pressing issue in her mind.

"The most important thing for me is that they learn English," she said of her children.

As the Irving school district becomes increasingly diverse, some community leaders have called for more diversity in staffing to deal with the challenges parents like Ms. Elias describe.

District officials say they are making strides in hiring more qualified teachers and administrators who mirror the student population. They point to this year's numbers as an example.

Neil Dugger, the district's personnel director, said minorities likely would make up about 34 percent of the professional staff this year, compared with 30.8 percent last year. That staff includes teachers, principals, counselors and other administrators.

The administration is responding to a recommendation by the District Improvement Committee, which suggested this year that the district strive for a 3 percent increase in the number of minorities on staff.

The new hires and promotions include eight Hispanics and two blacks at the administrative level. Three of those positions are principals, and four are vice principals. The first day of school in Irving is Tuesday.

"We feel good about the people we're hiring this year," Dr. Dugger said. "If they happen to be minority, then all the better."

By law, the district can't consider race as a factor in hiring, but it can target universities that have predominantly minority student bodies.

Officials say that's important in Irving, where nearly 60 percent of students last year were Hispanic and where 64 languages are spoken.

This year, nearly 24 percent of the staff will be Hispanic, up from 22.1 percent last year.

Some minority community leaders say it's about time.

"They're about 12 years late," said Manny Benavides, president of the Irving chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens. "They did not have the structure in place before to teach all these Hispanic students. It's a proven fact that if those kids don't have someone to identify with, they're not going to be interested in education."

How well students do with a diverse staff is still up for debate.

Maureen Evans, senior policy analyst with Community Teachers Institute, which promotes school diversity, said there hasn't been enough research on the subject.

But a report released last year by the National Collaborative on Diversity, which Ms. Evans' organization is a part of, found that minority teachers tend to have higher expectations for academic, personal and social performance for minority students. The report also said that minority teachers or administrators serve as role models to students of color as well as all students.

"It's about bringing in as much richness in terms of cultural diversity to the education system," Ms. Evans said.

Dora Moran, the incoming program director of bilingual/English as a second language/migrant programs, agrees with that assessment.

"It's easier to identify the needs when you yourself been through [similar experiences]," she said.

Ms. Moran is a former program coordinator for Region 10 Education Service Center in Richardson. In her new role, she will work directly on issues affecting the growing immigrant student population.

Raul Pena, the new principal of Lively Elementary, said he had many role models who were teachers when he was growing up in El Paso.

So, he can understand why some parents or students want to see a more diverse staff in Irving.

"Our increasing number of Hispanic families from other countries with no English or little English is an increasing challenge," he said. "I think the district is taking a very proactive approach in making sure [the staff] reflects the student population."

For Socorro Cano, a parent, such issues are not something she dwells on.

"Up to now, we haven't really had a problem," she said.

Her main focus is to get more moms and dads to join the parent group.

"Of course it would help to have more Hispanics [on staff]," she said. "But for us, it would also be helpful if more parents got involved."

[TexasStooge]

Richardson church sends aid to Bulgaria

RICHARDSON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) — Volunteers from The Heights Baptist Church loaded 900 pairs of blue jeans along with shoes, computers and medical equipment into a large shipping container at Richardson Regional Medical Center Thursday morning.

The humanitarian aid is on its way to Bulgaria, where the medical equipment will make an especially big difference in the former Soviet Bloc country.

"Their doctors are well trained, but they don't have the medical equipment," said church member Cookie Slate. "Even though this equipment is used and it's several years old, it'll be the best they have."

It will take six weeks for the aid to reach Bulgaria, which borders Greece, Turkey and Romania.

In October, a group from the church will travel to the region to fit orphans with new shoes, socks and clothes.