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- TexasStooge
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Use of big-city address costs town revenue
By KRISTEN HOLLAND / The Dallas Morning News
PARK CITIES, Texas - The Park Cities may be the place to live, but many University Park and Highland Park businesses would rather say they're in Dallas.
So they list Dallas as their location because either they don't know any different or it just sounds better.
But that causes a problem: Highland Park and University Park can lose valuable sales tax revenue. In April, University Park hired a firm to determine how much money the city has lost and continues to lose because of the errors.
Kent Austin, University Park's finance director, said he noticed that their sales tax collections were declining the last several years. "I knew that because of our unique location and the irregular boundaries that it was very possible that merchants were identifying themselves as being in Dallas instead of University Park," Mr. Austin said.
A copy of the sales and use tax return Texas business owners must submit includes a box for the owner's name and mailing address and another to enter a taxpayer identification number. However, there's no place on the form to indicate whether a business is located within the same city as its mailing address.
Officials at the state comptroller's office could not be reached to discuss how a city can lose sales tax revenue to another city.
Part of the Park Cities confusion is that many businesses, including most in University Park's Snider Plaza, use Dallas in their mailing address, Mr. Austin said. So do many along Preston Road, Lovers Lane and in the southeast quadrant of Preston Center, at Preston and Northwest Highway.
Scott Alexander, a co-owner of The Nest in Snider Plaza, said he and his wife use Dallas in the address because it's recognizable.
"When you call directory information, they don't recognize" University Park, he said. "They recognize University Park almost as a subdivision of Dallas, when in reality it's its own community."
By Mr. Austin's count, 668 University Park businesses are incorrectly coded to Dallas; 814 use the correct code.
The problem of losing sales tax revenue to a neighboring city has been a problem elsewhere.
Addison – which borders Dallas, Carrollton and Farmers Branch – reviews its sales tax revenues quarterly to make sure they're allocated correctly.
"We haven't had a problem, necessarily, but it's something that we're aware of," said Bryan Langley, Addison's assistant finance director.
Farmers Branch, another area city that's landlocked, has also lost revenue over the years. Like Highland Park and Addison, the city audits its sales tax revenue as often as possible.
"Every week the state puts out a new sales tax permit report that you can ask for sorted by ZIP code," said Charles Cox, Farmers Branch's finance director. "We get a copy of that report to make sure that new folks coming into the city are reporting to the correct city. Every week there's an error."
The city has recouped about $7 million from area cities, mainly Dallas, during the past decade.
Although Highland Park has lost some revenue, it is always recouped because the town audits at least twice a year, said Bill Pollock, the town's director of fiscal and human resources.
The results of University Park's audit won't be available until the end of the year, but Mr. Austin said he's expecting a refund totaling "hundreds of thousands of dollars" for several years' worth.
Sales tax revenue has hovered around $1.9 million the past three years, according to figures provided by University Park. The most recent peak occurred in fiscal 2000, when the city collected more than $2.6 million.
Several University Park businesses didn't realize that their sales tax revenue was being directed to the wrong city.
DeBoulle Jewelers on Preston Road, for instance, lists its address as Dallas – and that's also where a portion of the store's sales tax revenue goes.
"The comptroller is the one that dishes it out," said Peter Harrop, deBoulle's chief financial official. "On our sales tax return, you don't specify a city. Our address is listed as 6821 Preston Road, Dallas, because University Park doesn't have its own ZIP code."
Mr. Austin said the fact that University Park doesn't have a specific ZIP code or post office does pose a problem. The city once had its own post office, but it closed years go. Now residents must travel outside the Park Cities to visit one.
Post office officials said it doesn't matter whether someone puts University Park, Dallas or Timbuktu on an envelope.
"It's all about the ZIP code for the United States Postal Service," said McKinney Boyd, a local postal service spokesperson. "We just look at the address line and the nine-digit ZIP code."
Several business owners said they put Dallas on their business cards and letterhead because that's the address the post office or their landlord gave them. The practice is so widespread that even the city of University Park once used Dallas on its letterhead.
Mark Leopold, who has a Prestige Properties office in Highland Park Shopping Village, offered another explanation for the city swap.
"People would think you're a little snobby if you put Highland Park, Texas," he said.
By KRISTEN HOLLAND / The Dallas Morning News
PARK CITIES, Texas - The Park Cities may be the place to live, but many University Park and Highland Park businesses would rather say they're in Dallas.
So they list Dallas as their location because either they don't know any different or it just sounds better.
But that causes a problem: Highland Park and University Park can lose valuable sales tax revenue. In April, University Park hired a firm to determine how much money the city has lost and continues to lose because of the errors.
Kent Austin, University Park's finance director, said he noticed that their sales tax collections were declining the last several years. "I knew that because of our unique location and the irregular boundaries that it was very possible that merchants were identifying themselves as being in Dallas instead of University Park," Mr. Austin said.
A copy of the sales and use tax return Texas business owners must submit includes a box for the owner's name and mailing address and another to enter a taxpayer identification number. However, there's no place on the form to indicate whether a business is located within the same city as its mailing address.
Officials at the state comptroller's office could not be reached to discuss how a city can lose sales tax revenue to another city.
Part of the Park Cities confusion is that many businesses, including most in University Park's Snider Plaza, use Dallas in their mailing address, Mr. Austin said. So do many along Preston Road, Lovers Lane and in the southeast quadrant of Preston Center, at Preston and Northwest Highway.
Scott Alexander, a co-owner of The Nest in Snider Plaza, said he and his wife use Dallas in the address because it's recognizable.
"When you call directory information, they don't recognize" University Park, he said. "They recognize University Park almost as a subdivision of Dallas, when in reality it's its own community."
By Mr. Austin's count, 668 University Park businesses are incorrectly coded to Dallas; 814 use the correct code.
The problem of losing sales tax revenue to a neighboring city has been a problem elsewhere.
Addison – which borders Dallas, Carrollton and Farmers Branch – reviews its sales tax revenues quarterly to make sure they're allocated correctly.
"We haven't had a problem, necessarily, but it's something that we're aware of," said Bryan Langley, Addison's assistant finance director.
Farmers Branch, another area city that's landlocked, has also lost revenue over the years. Like Highland Park and Addison, the city audits its sales tax revenue as often as possible.
"Every week the state puts out a new sales tax permit report that you can ask for sorted by ZIP code," said Charles Cox, Farmers Branch's finance director. "We get a copy of that report to make sure that new folks coming into the city are reporting to the correct city. Every week there's an error."
The city has recouped about $7 million from area cities, mainly Dallas, during the past decade.
Although Highland Park has lost some revenue, it is always recouped because the town audits at least twice a year, said Bill Pollock, the town's director of fiscal and human resources.
The results of University Park's audit won't be available until the end of the year, but Mr. Austin said he's expecting a refund totaling "hundreds of thousands of dollars" for several years' worth.
Sales tax revenue has hovered around $1.9 million the past three years, according to figures provided by University Park. The most recent peak occurred in fiscal 2000, when the city collected more than $2.6 million.
Several University Park businesses didn't realize that their sales tax revenue was being directed to the wrong city.
DeBoulle Jewelers on Preston Road, for instance, lists its address as Dallas – and that's also where a portion of the store's sales tax revenue goes.
"The comptroller is the one that dishes it out," said Peter Harrop, deBoulle's chief financial official. "On our sales tax return, you don't specify a city. Our address is listed as 6821 Preston Road, Dallas, because University Park doesn't have its own ZIP code."
Mr. Austin said the fact that University Park doesn't have a specific ZIP code or post office does pose a problem. The city once had its own post office, but it closed years go. Now residents must travel outside the Park Cities to visit one.
Post office officials said it doesn't matter whether someone puts University Park, Dallas or Timbuktu on an envelope.
"It's all about the ZIP code for the United States Postal Service," said McKinney Boyd, a local postal service spokesperson. "We just look at the address line and the nine-digit ZIP code."
Several business owners said they put Dallas on their business cards and letterhead because that's the address the post office or their landlord gave them. The practice is so widespread that even the city of University Park once used Dallas on its letterhead.
Mark Leopold, who has a Prestige Properties office in Highland Park Shopping Village, offered another explanation for the city swap.
"People would think you're a little snobby if you put Highland Park, Texas," he said.
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- TexasStooge
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No ordinary fundraiser for Carroll ISD
Auction items include 103-inch TV; tickets cost $100
By LAURIE FOX / The Dallas Morning News
CARROLL, Texas - Debbie Barton fears every year that it will be impossible to top the previous year's jaw-dropping auction items for the Carroll Education Foundation's annual fund- raiser.
She needn't have worried.
Among the items are a trip for four to the Ellen DeGeneres show, a private jet to the World Series, a percentage ownership in a gas well, a 103-inch television and home theater system, and a two-year lease on a new Lexus.
This is not your average school bake sale.
Raising money for Carroll schools is serious business to Ms. Barton, the nonprofit foundation's executive director.
"It's gotten out of control," Ms. Barton said, laughing about the donated items available for bid at the group's Culinary Celebration from 4 to 8 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center. "But there are always other events like this out there raising money, and you have to find ways to stand out. We want people to be in awe of the generosity of those donating the items."
The auction items come from businesses and residents in the northeast Tarrant County community.
At $100 per person, the event is a hot ticket. Last year the group sold out the dinner with 1,000 seats. This year, it hopes to sell 1,500 seats.
"We raised $284,000 in three hours last year," Ms. Barton said.
The foundation funds educational programs not covered by Carroll's operating budget.
Through a formal grant application process, the Carroll Education Foundation's board, teachers and administrators meet to evaluate all teacher grant applications. This committee selects new programs and monitors and evaluates current programs.
The foundation has disbursed 144 teacher grants totaling $350,000 since 1996.
Beverly James, a second-grade teacher at Johnson Elementary, won a fellowship last year for special classroom learning centers. She said the foundation supports teachers on all levels.
"I get the feeling that they always want to know what more they can do," she said.
For information, visit http://www.carrolleducationfoundation.com.
Auction items include 103-inch TV; tickets cost $100
By LAURIE FOX / The Dallas Morning News
CARROLL, Texas - Debbie Barton fears every year that it will be impossible to top the previous year's jaw-dropping auction items for the Carroll Education Foundation's annual fund- raiser.
She needn't have worried.
Among the items are a trip for four to the Ellen DeGeneres show, a private jet to the World Series, a percentage ownership in a gas well, a 103-inch television and home theater system, and a two-year lease on a new Lexus.
This is not your average school bake sale.
Raising money for Carroll schools is serious business to Ms. Barton, the nonprofit foundation's executive director.
"It's gotten out of control," Ms. Barton said, laughing about the donated items available for bid at the group's Culinary Celebration from 4 to 8 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Gaylord Texan Resort and Convention Center. "But there are always other events like this out there raising money, and you have to find ways to stand out. We want people to be in awe of the generosity of those donating the items."
The auction items come from businesses and residents in the northeast Tarrant County community.
At $100 per person, the event is a hot ticket. Last year the group sold out the dinner with 1,000 seats. This year, it hopes to sell 1,500 seats.
"We raised $284,000 in three hours last year," Ms. Barton said.
The foundation funds educational programs not covered by Carroll's operating budget.
Through a formal grant application process, the Carroll Education Foundation's board, teachers and administrators meet to evaluate all teacher grant applications. This committee selects new programs and monitors and evaluates current programs.
The foundation has disbursed 144 teacher grants totaling $350,000 since 1996.
Beverly James, a second-grade teacher at Johnson Elementary, won a fellowship last year for special classroom learning centers. She said the foundation supports teachers on all levels.
"I get the feeling that they always want to know what more they can do," she said.
For information, visit http://www.carrolleducationfoundation.com.
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City Council appoints acting city manager
Irving: Veteran Cash to fill interim role as McCullough leaves
By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas – A 28-year veteran of city government will become Irving's acting city manager.
The City Council on Thursday appointed Sandy Cash, deputy city manager, to the post starting Oct. 1. He will succeed Steve McCullough, who will retire at the end of September.
The council plans to hire a search firm to find a long-term successor for Mr. McCullough, who announced his resignation this summer. Interviews with firms could take place next week.
Mayor Herbert Gears hopes the city can hire a search group by the end of the month and find a new manager by the end of the year.
"Our intention is to move along quickly on this process," he said. "We're not dragging our feet."
In Irving, the city manager functions as the city's chief executive, overseeing a general fund budget of about $145 million and about 2,000 employees.
Mr. Cash, 55, has been deputy city manager since 1994. Mr. Cash has served in a number of positions in Irving, including assistant city manager and planning coordinator for the community development department.
Mr. McCullough, city manager since 1993, announced in June that he'd retire after a 30-year career in Irving. He said he based his decision on his 30th anniversary, which he marked this summer.
In other city news, the council on Thursday approved a $500,000 agreement with the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce for economic development services.
The money will be used in part for improving the chamber's Web site and for expanded advertising and marketing. The contract calls for the chamber to help boost the city's tax base by increasing building occupancy and bringing high-paying jobs to the city.
Also Thursday:
•The council approved an agreement worth up to $495,000 with Dean International Inc. for assistance with transportation issues and consulting services. The company has helped the city organize the annual Texas Transportation Summit, which brings regional elected officials together to discuss transportation topics, such as aviation, high-speed rail and transportation security.
•Henry Cisneros will kick off the city's fall speaker series with a speech at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. The speech, titled "Building Neighborhoods and Communities," is free. For more information, call 972-721-2426.
•A public meeting about a proposed residential development near North Lake is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, 8001 Mustang Drive. Billingsley Co. wants to fill about 325 acres south of the lake with houses, apartments and shops in a project called Cypress Waters. The proposed development is in Dallas, but the property borders Irving and Coppell. Suburban officials are concerned about a potential influx of neighbors who would live in the development and crowd schools, congest streets and strain city services.
Irving: Veteran Cash to fill interim role as McCullough leaves
By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas – A 28-year veteran of city government will become Irving's acting city manager.
The City Council on Thursday appointed Sandy Cash, deputy city manager, to the post starting Oct. 1. He will succeed Steve McCullough, who will retire at the end of September.
The council plans to hire a search firm to find a long-term successor for Mr. McCullough, who announced his resignation this summer. Interviews with firms could take place next week.
Mayor Herbert Gears hopes the city can hire a search group by the end of the month and find a new manager by the end of the year.
"Our intention is to move along quickly on this process," he said. "We're not dragging our feet."
In Irving, the city manager functions as the city's chief executive, overseeing a general fund budget of about $145 million and about 2,000 employees.
Mr. Cash, 55, has been deputy city manager since 1994. Mr. Cash has served in a number of positions in Irving, including assistant city manager and planning coordinator for the community development department.
Mr. McCullough, city manager since 1993, announced in June that he'd retire after a 30-year career in Irving. He said he based his decision on his 30th anniversary, which he marked this summer.
In other city news, the council on Thursday approved a $500,000 agreement with the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce for economic development services.
The money will be used in part for improving the chamber's Web site and for expanded advertising and marketing. The contract calls for the chamber to help boost the city's tax base by increasing building occupancy and bringing high-paying jobs to the city.
Also Thursday:
•The council approved an agreement worth up to $495,000 with Dean International Inc. for assistance with transportation issues and consulting services. The company has helped the city organize the annual Texas Transportation Summit, which brings regional elected officials together to discuss transportation topics, such as aviation, high-speed rail and transportation security.
•Henry Cisneros will kick off the city's fall speaker series with a speech at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Irving Arts Center, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd. The speech, titled "Building Neighborhoods and Communities," is free. For more information, call 972-721-2426.
•A public meeting about a proposed residential development near North Lake is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 26 at MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church, 8001 Mustang Drive. Billingsley Co. wants to fill about 325 acres south of the lake with houses, apartments and shops in a project called Cypress Waters. The proposed development is in Dallas, but the property borders Irving and Coppell. Suburban officials are concerned about a potential influx of neighbors who would live in the development and crowd schools, congest streets and strain city services.
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City may settle neck-hold suit
Dallas: Council to decide on $800,000 deal in suspect's death
By JASON TRAHAN / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The city of Dallas may pay $800,000 – possibly a record-setting settlement – to the family of a 23-year-old man killed after two police officers used a controversial neck hold on him.
A Dallas County grand jury cleared both officers of criminal charges in the December 2003 death of Allen Simpson, but the department has banned the neck hold. On Wednesday, the city's legal team advised the Dallas City Council to approve the payment to Mr. Simpson's family, citing several factors:
•The arresting officers didn't attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Mr. Simpson when he lost consciousnesses after a struggle. They told investigators that it was because they had no mouth mask and that Mr. Simpson coughed up blood and saliva.
•One of the officers, Seth Rosenberg, failed his state police exam three times after being hired by the department in 2001 but was allowed to become an officer anyway. Police have since firmed up their hiring practices.
•In July 2004, the department banned the hold used in the incident, in part because a storm of controversy after Mr. Simpson's death led to the discovery that the lateral vascular neck restraint, or LVNR, had already been widely banned by many other major U.S. police departments where it was deemed too dangerous.
"I thought it was in the best interest of the city to resolve this case in a settlement rather than let it go to trial," said City Attorney Tom Perkins. "You never know what a jury could conclude."
Council members are expected to vote on the settlement proposal within a week or so.
"It's a big settlement," Mayor Laura Miller said. "The problem is when you have an officer involved who has this kind of background, it's kind of hard. When the guy was on the ground and wasn't breathing, our rules say they have to do something about it."
The proposed settlement eclipses the amount Dallas paid the family of another man who died in 1998 after officers put him in a LVNR neck hold. That family received $575,000.
State damage caps that normally limit the amount that someone can sue the government for do not apply in this case because it is a federal civil rights lawsuit and there is no cap on such suits, Mr. Perkins said.
Jim Skinner, the attorney for Mr. Simpson's family, said Thursday that he could not comment on the proposed settlement. "I'm just not in a position right now because we're still in the process of trying to get this wrapped up," he said.
The officers' attorney did not return phone calls. Police Chief David Kunkle also declined to comment Thursday.
Allen Simpson died Dec. 29, 2003, after being placed in the LVNR during a fight with Officer Rosenberg and Officer Lonnie Howard. Both men were investigating a drug complaint in Pleasant Grove when they spotted a car fitting a witness' description and tried to pull it over.
Mr. Simpson, the driver, raced away. He had a criminal record that included several drug charges.
He eventually stopped at a dead end in the 2500 block of Earlcove Drive and jumped out of the vehicle. After a struggle, Officer Rosenberg applied the neck restraint, and Mr. Simpson lost consciousness.
No attempt was made to revive the man until paramedics arrived 11 minutes later.
The Dallas County medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide, specifically asphyxia caused by neck compression.
An internal police inquiry was inconclusive on whether officers violated department policies.
Officer Rosenberg, 27, who joined the department in 2001, was allowed to become a police officer even though he failed his state police test three times and then was "recycled" into another academy class. The department no longer permits that practice.
Officer Rosenberg also twice applied to the Corpus Christi Police Department, in 1999 and 2000, but was rejected.
Officer Howard, 32, was hired in 1999. He has been disciplined three times for violating department policies, including missing court appearances twice and for violation of sick leave policy. He also was involved in a 2002 shooting but was cleared of wrongdoing.
After Chief Kunkle banned the neck restraint, he asked the city to buy Tasers, which are used to immobilize combative suspects.
While praised by most police officers around the country as an effective alternative to using guns, batons or other violent takedown techniques, some critics say the Tasers cause heart failure and want their use suspended until more research is done.
Dallas has had no Taser-related deaths. Fort Worth has had four people die after police used the device on them, but the medical examiner ruled that the cause of death was cocaine intoxication in three of the four cases. The fourth case is pending.
Staff writer Tanya Eiserer contributed to this report.
Dallas: Council to decide on $800,000 deal in suspect's death
By JASON TRAHAN / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The city of Dallas may pay $800,000 – possibly a record-setting settlement – to the family of a 23-year-old man killed after two police officers used a controversial neck hold on him.
A Dallas County grand jury cleared both officers of criminal charges in the December 2003 death of Allen Simpson, but the department has banned the neck hold. On Wednesday, the city's legal team advised the Dallas City Council to approve the payment to Mr. Simpson's family, citing several factors:
•The arresting officers didn't attempt cardiopulmonary resuscitation on Mr. Simpson when he lost consciousnesses after a struggle. They told investigators that it was because they had no mouth mask and that Mr. Simpson coughed up blood and saliva.
•One of the officers, Seth Rosenberg, failed his state police exam three times after being hired by the department in 2001 but was allowed to become an officer anyway. Police have since firmed up their hiring practices.
•In July 2004, the department banned the hold used in the incident, in part because a storm of controversy after Mr. Simpson's death led to the discovery that the lateral vascular neck restraint, or LVNR, had already been widely banned by many other major U.S. police departments where it was deemed too dangerous.
"I thought it was in the best interest of the city to resolve this case in a settlement rather than let it go to trial," said City Attorney Tom Perkins. "You never know what a jury could conclude."
Council members are expected to vote on the settlement proposal within a week or so.
"It's a big settlement," Mayor Laura Miller said. "The problem is when you have an officer involved who has this kind of background, it's kind of hard. When the guy was on the ground and wasn't breathing, our rules say they have to do something about it."
The proposed settlement eclipses the amount Dallas paid the family of another man who died in 1998 after officers put him in a LVNR neck hold. That family received $575,000.
State damage caps that normally limit the amount that someone can sue the government for do not apply in this case because it is a federal civil rights lawsuit and there is no cap on such suits, Mr. Perkins said.
Jim Skinner, the attorney for Mr. Simpson's family, said Thursday that he could not comment on the proposed settlement. "I'm just not in a position right now because we're still in the process of trying to get this wrapped up," he said.
The officers' attorney did not return phone calls. Police Chief David Kunkle also declined to comment Thursday.
Allen Simpson died Dec. 29, 2003, after being placed in the LVNR during a fight with Officer Rosenberg and Officer Lonnie Howard. Both men were investigating a drug complaint in Pleasant Grove when they spotted a car fitting a witness' description and tried to pull it over.
Mr. Simpson, the driver, raced away. He had a criminal record that included several drug charges.
He eventually stopped at a dead end in the 2500 block of Earlcove Drive and jumped out of the vehicle. After a struggle, Officer Rosenberg applied the neck restraint, and Mr. Simpson lost consciousness.
No attempt was made to revive the man until paramedics arrived 11 minutes later.
The Dallas County medical examiner's office ruled the death a homicide, specifically asphyxia caused by neck compression.
An internal police inquiry was inconclusive on whether officers violated department policies.
Officer Rosenberg, 27, who joined the department in 2001, was allowed to become a police officer even though he failed his state police test three times and then was "recycled" into another academy class. The department no longer permits that practice.
Officer Rosenberg also twice applied to the Corpus Christi Police Department, in 1999 and 2000, but was rejected.
Officer Howard, 32, was hired in 1999. He has been disciplined three times for violating department policies, including missing court appearances twice and for violation of sick leave policy. He also was involved in a 2002 shooting but was cleared of wrongdoing.
After Chief Kunkle banned the neck restraint, he asked the city to buy Tasers, which are used to immobilize combative suspects.
While praised by most police officers around the country as an effective alternative to using guns, batons or other violent takedown techniques, some critics say the Tasers cause heart failure and want their use suspended until more research is done.
Dallas has had no Taser-related deaths. Fort Worth has had four people die after police used the device on them, but the medical examiner ruled that the cause of death was cocaine intoxication in three of the four cases. The fourth case is pending.
Staff writer Tanya Eiserer contributed to this report.
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Dallas fire chief resigns in note
No explanation given; officials say city sought new leadership
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas Fire Chief Steve Abraira has resigned, a City Hall memorandum sent Friday night to top officials night indicates.
The two-sentence document, signed by Assistant City Manager Charles Daniels, offers no explanation why Chief Abraira resigned, except to say the resignation is effective immediately.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia, however, says city management wants new departmental leadership.
She said she believes that the city manager's office asked Chief Abraira to resign.
"The city manager believes it's time for new blood, and I support that decision," said Dr. Garcia, a member of the City Council's Public Safety Committee and the committee's former chairwoman.
City Manager Mary Suhm declined to comment Friday night as to why the chief resigned.
"You got the memo," she said.
Ms. Suhm added that Chief Abraira submitted a letter of resignation, which she would make available this weekend. Chief Abraira could not be reached for comment.
Like most city departmental directors, Dallas' fire chief serves at the city manager's discretion.
Assistant Fire Chief Louie Bright will serve as interim fire chief while the city conducts a nationwide search, according to the memorandum.
Council member Angela Hunt, who also serves on the council's Public Safety Committee, said that she's aware the department is shuffling positions but that she does not know why Chief Abraira resigned.
"This really has taken me by surprise," Ms. Hunt said.
Dallas appointed Chief Abraira to his post in May 2000, and he officially assumed it in August 2000.
"I want the Dallas Fire Department to be known as a top department, both nationally and internationally," he said at the time.
Chief Abraira was the first Hispanic and non-internal hire to lead Dallas' roughly 1,600-member Fire-Rescue Department. He earned $138,623 in 2004, according to city records.
Before working in Dallas, Chief Abraira served for 25 years in Miami's fire department, finishing his tenure there in 2000 as assistant fire chief.
"I just want to thank Chief Abraira for his service," Dr. Garcia said. "The city manager is now looking for a team that's progressive. I look forward to working with the manager to find that new chief."
Chief Abraira was known as a personable administrator, visiting firefighters at stations and personally responding to many fire calls.
One of Chief Abraira's primary goals after arriving in Dallas was establishing a two-tiered emergency system that assigned advanced life-support units to the most urgent calls and standard units to less-severe calls. He also wanted a supervisor on board every paramedic run.
Neither of the goals materialized, Dallas fire spokesman Lt. Joel Lavender said. He was not sure why.
Lt. Lavender said that the resignation came as a surprise to him and that he had not been briefed on the matter.
Staff writer Holly Yan contributed to this report.
No explanation given; officials say city sought new leadership
By DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas Fire Chief Steve Abraira has resigned, a City Hall memorandum sent Friday night to top officials night indicates.
The two-sentence document, signed by Assistant City Manager Charles Daniels, offers no explanation why Chief Abraira resigned, except to say the resignation is effective immediately.
Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia, however, says city management wants new departmental leadership.
She said she believes that the city manager's office asked Chief Abraira to resign.
"The city manager believes it's time for new blood, and I support that decision," said Dr. Garcia, a member of the City Council's Public Safety Committee and the committee's former chairwoman.
City Manager Mary Suhm declined to comment Friday night as to why the chief resigned.
"You got the memo," she said.
Ms. Suhm added that Chief Abraira submitted a letter of resignation, which she would make available this weekend. Chief Abraira could not be reached for comment.
Like most city departmental directors, Dallas' fire chief serves at the city manager's discretion.
Assistant Fire Chief Louie Bright will serve as interim fire chief while the city conducts a nationwide search, according to the memorandum.
Council member Angela Hunt, who also serves on the council's Public Safety Committee, said that she's aware the department is shuffling positions but that she does not know why Chief Abraira resigned.
"This really has taken me by surprise," Ms. Hunt said.
Dallas appointed Chief Abraira to his post in May 2000, and he officially assumed it in August 2000.
"I want the Dallas Fire Department to be known as a top department, both nationally and internationally," he said at the time.
Chief Abraira was the first Hispanic and non-internal hire to lead Dallas' roughly 1,600-member Fire-Rescue Department. He earned $138,623 in 2004, according to city records.
Before working in Dallas, Chief Abraira served for 25 years in Miami's fire department, finishing his tenure there in 2000 as assistant fire chief.
"I just want to thank Chief Abraira for his service," Dr. Garcia said. "The city manager is now looking for a team that's progressive. I look forward to working with the manager to find that new chief."
Chief Abraira was known as a personable administrator, visiting firefighters at stations and personally responding to many fire calls.
One of Chief Abraira's primary goals after arriving in Dallas was establishing a two-tiered emergency system that assigned advanced life-support units to the most urgent calls and standard units to less-severe calls. He also wanted a supervisor on board every paramedic run.
Neither of the goals materialized, Dallas fire spokesman Lt. Joel Lavender said. He was not sure why.
Lt. Lavender said that the resignation came as a surprise to him and that he had not been briefed on the matter.
Staff writer Holly Yan contributed to this report.
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Elections in several cities, school districts today
Bedford voting on mayor, alcohol sales; others tackling bonds
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Today is election day in several cities and school districts in North Texas.
Voters will decide alcohol elections in Bedford, Mansfield, Melissa and Sachse.
Bedford voters will decide whether to allow beer and wine sales in stores. In addition, eight candidates are on the ballot for mayor, three months after Rick Hurt resigned amid infighting and a tax rollback that closed several city facilities, including the library.
Mansfield residents will vote on propositions to allow beer and wine sales in stores and alcohol sales at restaurants without requiring a private club membership.
One measure on the Melissa and Sachse ballots would allow the sale of mixed drinks in restaurants, while the other item would legalize the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption. Melissa voters turned down liquor sales in February.
In Coppell, voters will decide whether to continue sending sales tax proceeds to schools. City officials say Coppell is the only city in Texas to fund education through a half-cent sales tax approved by voters.
Grapevine-Colleyville school district voters will decide on a $107.9 million package that would finance new facilities and improvements at every campus.
Birdville school district voters will consider three propositions that total $215 million.
In the DeSoto school district, voters will decide on a record $116 million bond package. The proposal's big-ticket item is $45 million for a second high school or a new campus for grade realignment.
Red Oak residents will decide on a $7.75 million bond package for street and drainage improvements, an east-side fire-police station, and parks and facilities expansions and additions.
Bedford voting on mayor, alcohol sales; others tackling bonds
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Today is election day in several cities and school districts in North Texas.
Voters will decide alcohol elections in Bedford, Mansfield, Melissa and Sachse.
Bedford voters will decide whether to allow beer and wine sales in stores. In addition, eight candidates are on the ballot for mayor, three months after Rick Hurt resigned amid infighting and a tax rollback that closed several city facilities, including the library.
Mansfield residents will vote on propositions to allow beer and wine sales in stores and alcohol sales at restaurants without requiring a private club membership.
One measure on the Melissa and Sachse ballots would allow the sale of mixed drinks in restaurants, while the other item would legalize the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption. Melissa voters turned down liquor sales in February.
In Coppell, voters will decide whether to continue sending sales tax proceeds to schools. City officials say Coppell is the only city in Texas to fund education through a half-cent sales tax approved by voters.
Grapevine-Colleyville school district voters will decide on a $107.9 million package that would finance new facilities and improvements at every campus.
Birdville school district voters will consider three propositions that total $215 million.
In the DeSoto school district, voters will decide on a record $116 million bond package. The proposal's big-ticket item is $45 million for a second high school or a new campus for grade realignment.
Red Oak residents will decide on a $7.75 million bond package for street and drainage improvements, an east-side fire-police station, and parks and facilities expansions and additions.
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Burleson kids in hot water over fake money
By KARIN KELLY / WFAA ABC 8
BURLESON, Texas - Six Burleson elementary students are learning a tough lesson after scanning money and printing fake bills.
A teacher first spotted the circulation of the counterfeit money, and now two of the six male students have been sent to alternative school - and two parents may have to answer to the Johnson County district attorney.
"These notes were very good copies and easily could be passed," said Burleson ISD spokesperson Richard Crummel.
Burleson police showed News 8 copies of some of the $752 in fake currency two boys scanned and printed on a home computer. Police said a father and stepmother showed the 11-year-old and his friend how to do it when the children asked.
The parents told police they warned the children not to take the bills to school, but they did anyway, passing them to four friends.
"Two are going to alternative campus, and four will return next Monday," said Crummel. "But the whole school has been told it's of a serious nature."
Police initially called the Secret Service. The agency ultimately decided not to investigate, but Johnson County attorneys are reviewing the case against the students and the two adults.
Some parents who live near the school believe that's a bit much.
"Unless they were trying to go to the grocery store and use the money, if they were having fun I don't see any harm in it," said Bransom Elementary parent Linda Schmid.
"I feel sorry for the children," Crummel said. "But in the scheme of things, it's a mistake and they'll learn from it."
By KARIN KELLY / WFAA ABC 8
BURLESON, Texas - Six Burleson elementary students are learning a tough lesson after scanning money and printing fake bills.
A teacher first spotted the circulation of the counterfeit money, and now two of the six male students have been sent to alternative school - and two parents may have to answer to the Johnson County district attorney.
"These notes were very good copies and easily could be passed," said Burleson ISD spokesperson Richard Crummel.
Burleson police showed News 8 copies of some of the $752 in fake currency two boys scanned and printed on a home computer. Police said a father and stepmother showed the 11-year-old and his friend how to do it when the children asked.
The parents told police they warned the children not to take the bills to school, but they did anyway, passing them to four friends.
"Two are going to alternative campus, and four will return next Monday," said Crummel. "But the whole school has been told it's of a serious nature."
Police initially called the Secret Service. The agency ultimately decided not to investigate, but Johnson County attorneys are reviewing the case against the students and the two adults.
Some parents who live near the school believe that's a bit much.
"Unless they were trying to go to the grocery store and use the money, if they were having fun I don't see any harm in it," said Bransom Elementary parent Linda Schmid.
"I feel sorry for the children," Crummel said. "But in the scheme of things, it's a mistake and they'll learn from it."
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Rat problem growing in Lakewood
By DON WALL / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Rats are roaming a Dallas neighborhood, and the weather may be part of the reason why.
People around Lakewood are seeing the nocturnal rodents in places they've never seen them before.
"in the past it was pretty rare to see our little friends running across," homeowner Sheila Haberman said. "Now we'll see them almost every night running across the wires."
Haberman said the rats have been spotted in closets, scurrying away as doors open.
"It's a bit disturbing, but I guess you become desensitized," she said. "It's the reality we live with."
Pest control experts said a mild winter and a hot, dry summer are causing rats to build their nests closer to houses, nearer to available sources of food.
"They can climb up the vines, they can go up the trees, drop onto the roof," said exterminator David Fincannon. "I've seen them go straight up stucco two stories to get to their hole."
Fincannon is on a rat patrol, searching the attic and finding rat droppings and pecan shells - a sure sign the rats are close. He'll clean up, close rat holes and lay out traps and poisons in secure boxes to kill the pests.
Lakewood Hardware is selling more rat traps than ever.
"There are some pretty big ones hanging around," said Dallas resident Richard Ellison. "We have cats in and around the house, so that helps a good bit."
Don't expect a house call from the Dallas Health Department. Officials say you should eliminate all available sources of food both inside and outside, but they do not recommend people try to poison rats on their own - they may end up killing their pets.
By DON WALL / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Rats are roaming a Dallas neighborhood, and the weather may be part of the reason why.
People around Lakewood are seeing the nocturnal rodents in places they've never seen them before.
"in the past it was pretty rare to see our little friends running across," homeowner Sheila Haberman said. "Now we'll see them almost every night running across the wires."
Haberman said the rats have been spotted in closets, scurrying away as doors open.
"It's a bit disturbing, but I guess you become desensitized," she said. "It's the reality we live with."
Pest control experts said a mild winter and a hot, dry summer are causing rats to build their nests closer to houses, nearer to available sources of food.
"They can climb up the vines, they can go up the trees, drop onto the roof," said exterminator David Fincannon. "I've seen them go straight up stucco two stories to get to their hole."
Fincannon is on a rat patrol, searching the attic and finding rat droppings and pecan shells - a sure sign the rats are close. He'll clean up, close rat holes and lay out traps and poisons in secure boxes to kill the pests.
Lakewood Hardware is selling more rat traps than ever.
"There are some pretty big ones hanging around," said Dallas resident Richard Ellison. "We have cats in and around the house, so that helps a good bit."
Don't expect a house call from the Dallas Health Department. Officials say you should eliminate all available sources of food both inside and outside, but they do not recommend people try to poison rats on their own - they may end up killing their pets.
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Few knock Perry for deadlock
Poll shows most blame legislators, lobbyists for school-finance impasse
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN, Texas – Although Gov. Rick Perry called two special legislative sessions on school finance that ended in failure this summer, most Texans don't blame him, pointing the finger instead at lawmakers and lobbyists, according to a new Texas Poll.
The poll also found that two-thirds of Texans believe their property taxes are too high, lending support to state leaders' insistence that school property taxes be reduced as part of any comprehensive school-funding package considered by the Legislature.
And nearly two-thirds of those questioned in the poll disagree with their school districts on when classes should start each year. They want school to start after Labor Day – two to three weeks later than most districts now begin classes.
School finance and education reform bills approved separately in the House and Senate specified that all schools open their doors the Tuesday after Labor Day – though the bills ultimately failed to pass in the regular and special sessions.
The chief sponsor of the post-Labor Day start, Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, said he pushed the new requirement after hearing complaints from many parents upset about classes beginning in the middle of August – and in some cases earlier than that.
In addition to helping migrant students who often miss the first few weeks of school, Mr. Lucio said, the change "would pay off economically so that our precious dollars are spent in the classroom and not on air conditioning or other costs that are unnecessary."
Also seeking such a change was the tourism industry.
School boards and superintendents, on the other hand, maintained that the new rule would undermine local control of schools. They argued that the school calendar should be left to the discretion of local officials, who generally favor the current mid-August starting date.
The Texas Poll of 1,000 adults, taken Aug. 22 through Sept. 3, has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points, meaning results can vary by that much in either direction.
Among the poll's key findings:
• About a fourth of respondents – 25 percent – blamed lawmakers for the impasse on school finance this year, while another fourth of those polled said lobbyists and special interest groups doomed the effort to fix the state's troubled school finance system. About 14 percent blamed Mr. Perry, and 17 percent said all sides share responsibility.
• Respondents gave the state's public school system bad grades, but when asked to rate their local schools, a majority assigned a grade of either A or B. By contrast, only 28 percent of those polled gave an A or B to the public schools of Texas, and 26 percent said the system deserved no more than a D or F. Another 39 percent gave a C.
• Although there is practically no support in the Legislature for a state income tax, 45 percent of respondents said they would support an income tax if it reduced property taxes and the revenue was used for education. Slightly more – 47 percent – said they opposed the idea.
• The 65 percent who said their property taxes were too high was a significant jump over the beginning of this year, when 54 percent had that complaint. That poll was taken just as the Legislature convened its regular session when school finance and tax reduction plans took center stage.
Texas schools are primarily funded through local property taxes and state aid. The state share in the $33 billion-a-year system has slipped dramatically in recent years and now makes up only 37 percent of the total.
Conversely, local property taxes have soared and pushed most districts up to the maximum tax rate of $1.50 per $100 valuation.
Poll shows most blame legislators, lobbyists for school-finance impasse
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN, Texas – Although Gov. Rick Perry called two special legislative sessions on school finance that ended in failure this summer, most Texans don't blame him, pointing the finger instead at lawmakers and lobbyists, according to a new Texas Poll.
The poll also found that two-thirds of Texans believe their property taxes are too high, lending support to state leaders' insistence that school property taxes be reduced as part of any comprehensive school-funding package considered by the Legislature.
And nearly two-thirds of those questioned in the poll disagree with their school districts on when classes should start each year. They want school to start after Labor Day – two to three weeks later than most districts now begin classes.
School finance and education reform bills approved separately in the House and Senate specified that all schools open their doors the Tuesday after Labor Day – though the bills ultimately failed to pass in the regular and special sessions.
The chief sponsor of the post-Labor Day start, Sen. Eddie Lucio, D-Brownsville, said he pushed the new requirement after hearing complaints from many parents upset about classes beginning in the middle of August – and in some cases earlier than that.
In addition to helping migrant students who often miss the first few weeks of school, Mr. Lucio said, the change "would pay off economically so that our precious dollars are spent in the classroom and not on air conditioning or other costs that are unnecessary."
Also seeking such a change was the tourism industry.
School boards and superintendents, on the other hand, maintained that the new rule would undermine local control of schools. They argued that the school calendar should be left to the discretion of local officials, who generally favor the current mid-August starting date.
The Texas Poll of 1,000 adults, taken Aug. 22 through Sept. 3, has an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points, meaning results can vary by that much in either direction.
Among the poll's key findings:
• About a fourth of respondents – 25 percent – blamed lawmakers for the impasse on school finance this year, while another fourth of those polled said lobbyists and special interest groups doomed the effort to fix the state's troubled school finance system. About 14 percent blamed Mr. Perry, and 17 percent said all sides share responsibility.
• Respondents gave the state's public school system bad grades, but when asked to rate their local schools, a majority assigned a grade of either A or B. By contrast, only 28 percent of those polled gave an A or B to the public schools of Texas, and 26 percent said the system deserved no more than a D or F. Another 39 percent gave a C.
• Although there is practically no support in the Legislature for a state income tax, 45 percent of respondents said they would support an income tax if it reduced property taxes and the revenue was used for education. Slightly more – 47 percent – said they opposed the idea.
• The 65 percent who said their property taxes were too high was a significant jump over the beginning of this year, when 54 percent had that complaint. That poll was taken just as the Legislature convened its regular session when school finance and tax reduction plans took center stage.
Texas schools are primarily funded through local property taxes and state aid. The state share in the $33 billion-a-year system has slipped dramatically in recent years and now makes up only 37 percent of the total.
Conversely, local property taxes have soared and pushed most districts up to the maximum tax rate of $1.50 per $100 valuation.
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Crowd marks independence
Irving: Thousands join fiesta in advance of Mexican holiday
By WENDY HUNDLEY / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas – Gray skies and the threat of rain didn't keep the crowds away from Texas Stadium on Sunday for an early celebration of Mexican Independence Day.
Organizers estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people came out and enjoyed the Tejano-style bands, Mexican foods and carnival rides at Fiestas Patrias 2005.
While the event honored Mexican Independence Day, which is Sept. 16, "it's also a celebration of the several South American and Central American countries and their independence," said Betsy Galleguillos, a senior accounts manager for Univision Radio, a sponsor of the festival that kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month.
Parents munched on tacos, funnel cakes, hot dogs and tamales, while their children begged to ride the Tilt-A-Wheel or Monkey Maze. People stood in lines for freebies given out by hosts of vendors.
"We do this every year. It's fun," said Arlington resident Ariel Aguilar as he stood with his family on the stadium parking lot listening to the bands performing on an open-air stage.
Even though she lives in Dallas, this is the first time Marisela Lozo has attended the daylong celebration. She had a ready answer when asked what she and her son were enjoying the most at the festival. "The music," she said, above the noise of the crowd.
While many had come to Fiestas Patrias for a day of fun, others were using the opportunity to take care of some business as well.
The longest line at the event stretched in front of a booth for the Mexican Consulate's Dallas office.
Even before the booth opened, people had begun lining up, waiting for a chance to apply for a matricula consuela, or Mexican identification card, that will allow them to open a bank account, cash checks and conduct other business.
"They'll wait in line for hours," said Robert Zuniga, a senior loan officer for Bank of America that had a booth next to the consulate's open-air office.
Jessica Juarez had been in line an hour and was still far from the front. She said her boyfriend, Angel Hernandez, was waiting for a matricula so he could open a bank account.
While the line was barely moving and she was missing the fun of the festival, Ms. Juarez had no intention of losing her place in line.
She said it was better than fighting the weekday crowds at the consulate's Dallas office.
"People get there at 4 o'clock in the morning," she said.
Irving: Thousands join fiesta in advance of Mexican holiday
By WENDY HUNDLEY / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas – Gray skies and the threat of rain didn't keep the crowds away from Texas Stadium on Sunday for an early celebration of Mexican Independence Day.
Organizers estimated 100,000 to 150,000 people came out and enjoyed the Tejano-style bands, Mexican foods and carnival rides at Fiestas Patrias 2005.
While the event honored Mexican Independence Day, which is Sept. 16, "it's also a celebration of the several South American and Central American countries and their independence," said Betsy Galleguillos, a senior accounts manager for Univision Radio, a sponsor of the festival that kicks off Hispanic Heritage Month.
Parents munched on tacos, funnel cakes, hot dogs and tamales, while their children begged to ride the Tilt-A-Wheel or Monkey Maze. People stood in lines for freebies given out by hosts of vendors.
"We do this every year. It's fun," said Arlington resident Ariel Aguilar as he stood with his family on the stadium parking lot listening to the bands performing on an open-air stage.
Even though she lives in Dallas, this is the first time Marisela Lozo has attended the daylong celebration. She had a ready answer when asked what she and her son were enjoying the most at the festival. "The music," she said, above the noise of the crowd.
While many had come to Fiestas Patrias for a day of fun, others were using the opportunity to take care of some business as well.
The longest line at the event stretched in front of a booth for the Mexican Consulate's Dallas office.
Even before the booth opened, people had begun lining up, waiting for a chance to apply for a matricula consuela, or Mexican identification card, that will allow them to open a bank account, cash checks and conduct other business.
"They'll wait in line for hours," said Robert Zuniga, a senior loan officer for Bank of America that had a booth next to the consulate's open-air office.
Jessica Juarez had been in line an hour and was still far from the front. She said her boyfriend, Angel Hernandez, was waiting for a matricula so he could open a bank account.
While the line was barely moving and she was missing the fun of the festival, Ms. Juarez had no intention of losing her place in line.
She said it was better than fighting the weekday crowds at the consulate's Dallas office.
"People get there at 4 o'clock in the morning," she said.
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Former chief fires back
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The former chief of Dallas Fire-Rescue criticized his former boss and said his forced resignation was due to cost cutting and fire safety in a statement to the press Monday.
Steve Abraira had been publicly silent since his resignation last week, but today he took the gloves off and aimed his punches at his former boss.
The statement raised concerns about the fire rescue budget, but still tip toed around what prompted him to quit.
However, in a letter to Fire-Rescue members, Abraira blasted city manager Mary Suhm.
"Unfortunately, she has little or no respect for the outstanding service [they do]," he said.
Abraira also said he was told to cut costs, but felt reducing companies and staff posed a tremendous safety issue. He stated that since he would not offer those significant cuts he got "the ultimatum to resign or be terminated."
But Suhm said her support for public safety has never wavered.
"The first and foremost thing we do is public safety, the protection of the lives and property of our citizens," she said.
Suhm would not talk about the chief's resignation, but said Fire-Rescue's staffing and budget has grown and more fire stations are being built. Some council members agreed and said Abraira's criticism is off base.
"You can see all the money we're putting into new facilities and new equipment," said Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia.
But some firefighters said they feel Fire-Rescue has taken a back seat to the police department.
"We understood the crime problem in Dallas and understood it had to be addressed," said Capt. Mike Buehler, with the Dallas Firefighters Association. "But we also understand that the safety of the citizens of Dallas is in question, and we need to make sure that we have the resources to do our job."
City officials said they hope a proposed efficiency study would find waste and assess needs.
But Abraira said it "would be fashioned in a way to justify significant cuts."
Some council members disagree.
"We don't do efficiency studies to get rubber stamps," said council member Angela Hunt. "We do them to have an objective body from outside the city take a look at how we're organizing things in our city to see the best way we can do it."
In his statement, the chief made it clear he was miffed that Suhm did not issue her ultimatum to him in person, and that he was never given a reason why he did not get a merit pay raise.
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The former chief of Dallas Fire-Rescue criticized his former boss and said his forced resignation was due to cost cutting and fire safety in a statement to the press Monday.
Steve Abraira had been publicly silent since his resignation last week, but today he took the gloves off and aimed his punches at his former boss.
The statement raised concerns about the fire rescue budget, but still tip toed around what prompted him to quit.
However, in a letter to Fire-Rescue members, Abraira blasted city manager Mary Suhm.
"Unfortunately, she has little or no respect for the outstanding service [they do]," he said.
Abraira also said he was told to cut costs, but felt reducing companies and staff posed a tremendous safety issue. He stated that since he would not offer those significant cuts he got "the ultimatum to resign or be terminated."
But Suhm said her support for public safety has never wavered.
"The first and foremost thing we do is public safety, the protection of the lives and property of our citizens," she said.
Suhm would not talk about the chief's resignation, but said Fire-Rescue's staffing and budget has grown and more fire stations are being built. Some council members agreed and said Abraira's criticism is off base.
"You can see all the money we're putting into new facilities and new equipment," said Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Elba Garcia.
But some firefighters said they feel Fire-Rescue has taken a back seat to the police department.
"We understood the crime problem in Dallas and understood it had to be addressed," said Capt. Mike Buehler, with the Dallas Firefighters Association. "But we also understand that the safety of the citizens of Dallas is in question, and we need to make sure that we have the resources to do our job."
City officials said they hope a proposed efficiency study would find waste and assess needs.
But Abraira said it "would be fashioned in a way to justify significant cuts."
Some council members disagree.
"We don't do efficiency studies to get rubber stamps," said council member Angela Hunt. "We do them to have an objective body from outside the city take a look at how we're organizing things in our city to see the best way we can do it."
In his statement, the chief made it clear he was miffed that Suhm did not issue her ultimatum to him in person, and that he was never given a reason why he did not get a merit pay raise.
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Lottery critic wants to run it
AUSTIN, Texas - A longtime critic of the Texas Lottery Commission whose complaint over jackpot inflation led to the executive director's resignation has applied to fill his job.
Dawn Nettles, publisher of the weekly "Lotto Report" newsletter, would replace Reagan Greer, who resigned in July after admitting he had signed off on advertising inflated Lotto Texas jackpots.
"I have considered my options carefully and have concluded that the best way to achieve my goals would be from that position," Nettles said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
The inflation came to light after Nettles filed a complaint with the state attorney general's office. The agency later admitted it advertised an $8 million June 8 jackpot despite estimated ticket sales of $6.5 million.
The agency invited Nettles to join a committee searching for a new executive director, but she declined, saying participating would conflict with her duties publishing her newsletter and Web site.
Lottery spokesman Bobby Heith said he hadn't seen Nettles application. About 110 people have applied.
"We'll treat that application like any of the others that we're receiving for the executive director position," Heith said.
Nettles has been a publishing, marketing and advertising consultant since 1977. She also published a real estate magazine from 1979 to 1993, when she started focusing exclusively on the lottery.
AUSTIN, Texas - A longtime critic of the Texas Lottery Commission whose complaint over jackpot inflation led to the executive director's resignation has applied to fill his job.
Dawn Nettles, publisher of the weekly "Lotto Report" newsletter, would replace Reagan Greer, who resigned in July after admitting he had signed off on advertising inflated Lotto Texas jackpots.
"I have considered my options carefully and have concluded that the best way to achieve my goals would be from that position," Nettles said in an e-mail to The Associated Press.
The inflation came to light after Nettles filed a complaint with the state attorney general's office. The agency later admitted it advertised an $8 million June 8 jackpot despite estimated ticket sales of $6.5 million.
The agency invited Nettles to join a committee searching for a new executive director, but she declined, saying participating would conflict with her duties publishing her newsletter and Web site.
Lottery spokesman Bobby Heith said he hadn't seen Nettles application. About 110 people have applied.
"We'll treat that application like any of the others that we're receiving for the executive director position," Heith said.
Nettles has been a publishing, marketing and advertising consultant since 1977. She also published a real estate magazine from 1979 to 1993, when she started focusing exclusively on the lottery.
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Vandals hit Muslim center Sept. 11
By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA ABC 8
IRVING, Texas - Many Muslims have expressed concern after a Sept. 11 break-in at the Islamic Center of Irving. Sunday someone smashed the windows of portable classrooms used by students in pre-kindergarten through second grade.
The crime came at the end of two weeks of the center donating - not just money - but shipping several trucks of food, supplies and medicine after Hurricane Katrina.
"We teach our children to respect themselves and others," said teacher Renee Atuon. "When they see this, they don't understand where that came from."
Police said while they did leave prints and blood, nothing was missing or taken. To the people who worship and gather at the Islamic Center of Irving, the vandalism was disheartening and disappointing.
"To see these kinds of things still happen," Ahmed Elmalky said. "But, I think it's a result of ignorance."
With regard to this being a hate crime, police said that there isn't any proof of that yet. However, many in the Muslim community said the date and location the vandals chose seemed more than a coincidence.
"It really broke my heart because - as an American - I hate to see hatred within a community," said Atuon.
By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA ABC 8
IRVING, Texas - Many Muslims have expressed concern after a Sept. 11 break-in at the Islamic Center of Irving. Sunday someone smashed the windows of portable classrooms used by students in pre-kindergarten through second grade.
The crime came at the end of two weeks of the center donating - not just money - but shipping several trucks of food, supplies and medicine after Hurricane Katrina.
"We teach our children to respect themselves and others," said teacher Renee Atuon. "When they see this, they don't understand where that came from."
Police said while they did leave prints and blood, nothing was missing or taken. To the people who worship and gather at the Islamic Center of Irving, the vandalism was disheartening and disappointing.
"To see these kinds of things still happen," Ahmed Elmalky said. "But, I think it's a result of ignorance."
With regard to this being a hate crime, police said that there isn't any proof of that yet. However, many in the Muslim community said the date and location the vandals chose seemed more than a coincidence.
"It really broke my heart because - as an American - I hate to see hatred within a community," said Atuon.
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Small towns come to the rescue
Food, shelter, nuptials – residents help in any way they can
By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com
In a post-Katrina world, small-town Texas has shined.
Scores of towns and sparsely populated counties, often with far fewer resources than the major metropolitan areas, have provided food, water, shelter and education to thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees.
“There’s a lot of heart in the country,” said state Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman. “Everybody’s loving on them.”
There have been job fairs, spaghetti lunches and rides to church. One town treated its guests to Friday night football. Another made sure a young New Orleans woman could get married.
“They are Texans as far as we are concerned and they are welcomed,” said state Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola. “We hate the circumstances that brought them here, but we are glad they are here.”
Evacuees seeking refuge in Texas have found themselves at roadside rest stops and Wal-Mart parking lots. Some of the folks who ended up in Bonham didn’t even know where they were until volunteers showed them town of about 10,000 on a map.
About 130 people have taken shelter at a former armory in Bonham, about 65 miles northeast of Dallas. At least eight children have enrolled in Bonham schools after volunteers took them shopping for clothes.
“There’s not a lot of industry, but we have hard-working farmers, retired people and educators,” Phillips said. “It’s a great place to be but not an economic boom town. They don’t have a lot to give, but what they have they are giving.”
When the new residents expressed an interest in the town’s favorite pastime, volunteers made arrangements to include them.
“We are going to send over a school bus for Friday night’s football game against Commerce,” Superintendent Linda Gist said last week. “When you are in Bonham, Texas, that’s one of the most exciting things that can happen to you on a Friday night.”
Many towns and counties knew that some people would trickle through during the evacuation, but nobody predicted the numbers, medical needs or length of stay. As many as 1,000 have gone to Mesquite, while smaller towns like Rowlett and Rockwall have accommodated 200 apiece. Even Princeton, in Collin County, is assisting 50 people.
Smaller communities generally lack cash or resources for such emergencies, but they have managed well so far, said Frank Sturzl, the Texas Municipal League’s executive director. They “scour around and see who can help … and do the best they can on a shoestring.”
It’s too early to determine the long-term effects of the migration, but some of the changes could be a boost to Texas, both culturally and economically, Sturzl said.
“There isn’t a model for this,” he said. “Our cities are inventing as they go along.”
For counties, the emergency came as officials are trying to devise their budgets and set tax rates, said Elna Christopher, spokeswoman for the Texas Association of Counties. But county officials are operating on the premise that the federal government will reimburse them, she added.
And although resources may be less plentiful, smaller counties and towns sometimes respond more easily to a crisis because everyone knows each other, making emergency management more seamless, she said.
“They saw those horrible images on television and it has brought the communities to jump into action,” Christopher said. “Since they have such a sense of community it’s easier for them to draw on those resources locally than it is for a big city.”
Last week, a lunch of spaghetti with meat sauce and salad fed some of the 200 evacuees who have settled in Terrell, about 40 miles east of Dallas. Several organizations donated the food, volunteers did the cooking and the owner of the La Quinta Inn provided serving space.
Construction workers, teachers, nurses, heavy equipment operators, police officers and Wal-Mart employees have found jobs in or near Terrell, said Don Lindsey, an American Red Cross volunteer and former mayor.
“This place has been unbelievable,” said Jenny Mulder, 47, a registered nurse from New Orleans. “They’ve taken us to church and have provided a safe haven. We are afraid to leave it.”
Terrell also awed Tyralyn Aubert-Harris of New Orleans, who stopped in the town she had never heard of when her family became too tired to finish the drive to Dallas.
“I’ve never seen so much love,” she said. “They gave us clothes, they feed us twice a day and you meet a lot of people who get your mind off of what happened.”
“And when I saw the schools, I was very impressed. My kids love it. They even went to bed early so they could get up for school the next day.”
In Newton County, about 120 miles northeast of Houston on the Louisiana border, officials and volunteers are working to create comfortable shelters for more than 1,000 evacuees, which is sizeable compared with the county’s population of 15,000.
The county is an evacuation route for the Texas coast but officials never expected to receive people fleeing from New Orleans.
“We are providing a good place for everybody,” said Mark Allen, deputy incident commander. “We are trying to keep family units together and give them some privacy. They’ve had enough shellshock as it is.”
Newton County has experienced emergencies before, like the cleanup after the 2003 space shuttle explosion.
“We are going to take care of them until they get stable,” Allen said. “We’ve had several take jobs and one or two is considering buying a home. Several have given up on the large city and decided the country is not that bad after all.”
In nearby Orange County, plumbers, electricians and other skilled workers are volunteering time and expertise to turn an old school into a sophisticated shelter. Local companies, such as DuPont, are contributing money for the materials, County Judge Carl Thibodeaux said.
County officials realized that about 1,000 people needed emergency shelter when they saw the packed tourist center. Since then, doctors, nurses and pharmacists have worked long hours to meet many medical needs, Thibodeaux said.
“Everyone is chipping in to make them as comfortable as possible,” he said. “Someday it may be us because we are in the bull’s eye for a hurricane.”
Nacogdoches, a city of about 30,000, has been tending to 375 people, said Victoria LaFollett-Koenig, the emergency management coordinator.
Some reached the city only because they ran out of gas or money. Others came by bus.
“It’s amazing the resolve of the human race and particularly these people speak to the best of it,” LaFollett-Koenig said. “You get to know them on a personal basis and when they leave they want to take pictures with you and they hug you. The people have been so nice and so grateful we are thankful for the opportunity to help.”
Beaumont and Port Arthur combined to take in approximately 3,000 Louisianans, including about 25 pregnant women. Some requested gas money to reach other destinations while others are getting help with permanent housing and jobs, said Everette “Bo” Alfred, a Jefferson County commissioner.
Recent focus has been on counseling the victims, who are starting to absorb the gravity of their situation. “What we found after the eight or ninth day was that the horror had set in,” Alfred said. “They are coming to the reality that they don’t have a home.”
Bride-to-be Heather Good, a lance corporal in the Marines, was scheduled to be married last Friday in New Orleans. Her fiancé, also a Marine, already was due to arrive from his post in Japan for the nuptials, as was the bride’s father, who is serving with the National Guard in Iraq.
A tearful Good was staying at the Best Western in Sulphur Springs, about 70 miles northeast of Dallas, when hotel management learned about her ruined plans and sought community help to make sure the wedding went off on schedule.
“There’s a bunch of us who work on projects and we started … calling around,” said Bobby McDonald, an accountant who writes an online newsletter about happenings in Sulphur Springs.
“We took her around town and showed her different places where people get married. This house just sold and the new owner agreed to let us have the wedding on the front porch,” McDonald said.
The Best Western provided a room for the reception and serving staff, and McDonald helped with cheese and fruit trays. Two women in town made the wedding cake and groom’s cake. A local caterer provided tables and linens. And a company offered its horse-drawn carriage so the bride could arrive at the outdoor wedding in style.
“We weren’t turned down by anyone. We may be more excited than the bride,” McDonald said. “It’s been a lot of fun, and they will always remember Sulphur Springs.”
Food, shelter, nuptials – residents help in any way they can
By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com
In a post-Katrina world, small-town Texas has shined.
Scores of towns and sparsely populated counties, often with far fewer resources than the major metropolitan areas, have provided food, water, shelter and education to thousands of Hurricane Katrina evacuees.
“There’s a lot of heart in the country,” said state Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman. “Everybody’s loving on them.”
There have been job fairs, spaghetti lunches and rides to church. One town treated its guests to Friday night football. Another made sure a young New Orleans woman could get married.
“They are Texans as far as we are concerned and they are welcomed,” said state Rep. Bryan Hughes, R-Mineola. “We hate the circumstances that brought them here, but we are glad they are here.”
Evacuees seeking refuge in Texas have found themselves at roadside rest stops and Wal-Mart parking lots. Some of the folks who ended up in Bonham didn’t even know where they were until volunteers showed them town of about 10,000 on a map.
About 130 people have taken shelter at a former armory in Bonham, about 65 miles northeast of Dallas. At least eight children have enrolled in Bonham schools after volunteers took them shopping for clothes.
“There’s not a lot of industry, but we have hard-working farmers, retired people and educators,” Phillips said. “It’s a great place to be but not an economic boom town. They don’t have a lot to give, but what they have they are giving.”
When the new residents expressed an interest in the town’s favorite pastime, volunteers made arrangements to include them.
“We are going to send over a school bus for Friday night’s football game against Commerce,” Superintendent Linda Gist said last week. “When you are in Bonham, Texas, that’s one of the most exciting things that can happen to you on a Friday night.”
Many towns and counties knew that some people would trickle through during the evacuation, but nobody predicted the numbers, medical needs or length of stay. As many as 1,000 have gone to Mesquite, while smaller towns like Rowlett and Rockwall have accommodated 200 apiece. Even Princeton, in Collin County, is assisting 50 people.
Smaller communities generally lack cash or resources for such emergencies, but they have managed well so far, said Frank Sturzl, the Texas Municipal League’s executive director. They “scour around and see who can help … and do the best they can on a shoestring.”
It’s too early to determine the long-term effects of the migration, but some of the changes could be a boost to Texas, both culturally and economically, Sturzl said.
“There isn’t a model for this,” he said. “Our cities are inventing as they go along.”
For counties, the emergency came as officials are trying to devise their budgets and set tax rates, said Elna Christopher, spokeswoman for the Texas Association of Counties. But county officials are operating on the premise that the federal government will reimburse them, she added.
And although resources may be less plentiful, smaller counties and towns sometimes respond more easily to a crisis because everyone knows each other, making emergency management more seamless, she said.
“They saw those horrible images on television and it has brought the communities to jump into action,” Christopher said. “Since they have such a sense of community it’s easier for them to draw on those resources locally than it is for a big city.”
Last week, a lunch of spaghetti with meat sauce and salad fed some of the 200 evacuees who have settled in Terrell, about 40 miles east of Dallas. Several organizations donated the food, volunteers did the cooking and the owner of the La Quinta Inn provided serving space.
Construction workers, teachers, nurses, heavy equipment operators, police officers and Wal-Mart employees have found jobs in or near Terrell, said Don Lindsey, an American Red Cross volunteer and former mayor.
“This place has been unbelievable,” said Jenny Mulder, 47, a registered nurse from New Orleans. “They’ve taken us to church and have provided a safe haven. We are afraid to leave it.”
Terrell also awed Tyralyn Aubert-Harris of New Orleans, who stopped in the town she had never heard of when her family became too tired to finish the drive to Dallas.
“I’ve never seen so much love,” she said. “They gave us clothes, they feed us twice a day and you meet a lot of people who get your mind off of what happened.”
“And when I saw the schools, I was very impressed. My kids love it. They even went to bed early so they could get up for school the next day.”
In Newton County, about 120 miles northeast of Houston on the Louisiana border, officials and volunteers are working to create comfortable shelters for more than 1,000 evacuees, which is sizeable compared with the county’s population of 15,000.
The county is an evacuation route for the Texas coast but officials never expected to receive people fleeing from New Orleans.
“We are providing a good place for everybody,” said Mark Allen, deputy incident commander. “We are trying to keep family units together and give them some privacy. They’ve had enough shellshock as it is.”
Newton County has experienced emergencies before, like the cleanup after the 2003 space shuttle explosion.
“We are going to take care of them until they get stable,” Allen said. “We’ve had several take jobs and one or two is considering buying a home. Several have given up on the large city and decided the country is not that bad after all.”
In nearby Orange County, plumbers, electricians and other skilled workers are volunteering time and expertise to turn an old school into a sophisticated shelter. Local companies, such as DuPont, are contributing money for the materials, County Judge Carl Thibodeaux said.
County officials realized that about 1,000 people needed emergency shelter when they saw the packed tourist center. Since then, doctors, nurses and pharmacists have worked long hours to meet many medical needs, Thibodeaux said.
“Everyone is chipping in to make them as comfortable as possible,” he said. “Someday it may be us because we are in the bull’s eye for a hurricane.”
Nacogdoches, a city of about 30,000, has been tending to 375 people, said Victoria LaFollett-Koenig, the emergency management coordinator.
Some reached the city only because they ran out of gas or money. Others came by bus.
“It’s amazing the resolve of the human race and particularly these people speak to the best of it,” LaFollett-Koenig said. “You get to know them on a personal basis and when they leave they want to take pictures with you and they hug you. The people have been so nice and so grateful we are thankful for the opportunity to help.”
Beaumont and Port Arthur combined to take in approximately 3,000 Louisianans, including about 25 pregnant women. Some requested gas money to reach other destinations while others are getting help with permanent housing and jobs, said Everette “Bo” Alfred, a Jefferson County commissioner.
Recent focus has been on counseling the victims, who are starting to absorb the gravity of their situation. “What we found after the eight or ninth day was that the horror had set in,” Alfred said. “They are coming to the reality that they don’t have a home.”
Bride-to-be Heather Good, a lance corporal in the Marines, was scheduled to be married last Friday in New Orleans. Her fiancé, also a Marine, already was due to arrive from his post in Japan for the nuptials, as was the bride’s father, who is serving with the National Guard in Iraq.
A tearful Good was staying at the Best Western in Sulphur Springs, about 70 miles northeast of Dallas, when hotel management learned about her ruined plans and sought community help to make sure the wedding went off on schedule.
“There’s a bunch of us who work on projects and we started … calling around,” said Bobby McDonald, an accountant who writes an online newsletter about happenings in Sulphur Springs.
“We took her around town and showed her different places where people get married. This house just sold and the new owner agreed to let us have the wedding on the front porch,” McDonald said.
The Best Western provided a room for the reception and serving staff, and McDonald helped with cheese and fruit trays. Two women in town made the wedding cake and groom’s cake. A local caterer provided tables and linens. And a company offered its horse-drawn carriage so the bride could arrive at the outdoor wedding in style.
“We weren’t turned down by anyone. We may be more excited than the bride,” McDonald said. “It’s been a lot of fun, and they will always remember Sulphur Springs.”
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- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
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- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Health experts urge jail revamp
Dallas: Upgrade staff, facilities, screening and TB tests, report advises
By JAMES M. O'NEILL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Experts hired by Dallas County to improve the jail's seriously deficient medical care are calling for major changes in the way inmates are screened, better testing for tuberculosis, the addition of key medical staff, and an overhaul of significant sections of the jail to provide better medical facilities.
The suggestions, summarized in a new report, address many of the major problems identified in a scathing February study on widespread problems in jail health.
The report is laced with urgency and notes that, while permanent improvements in the jail's medical facilities are made, the county could put a mobile medical facility in the parking lot as a temporary fix.
It was produced by several experts, including Dr. Michael Puisis, a national expert on correctional health who wrote the earlier report outlining major flaws in the jail's health delivery.
"I'm glad this is a definitive report with clear suggestions," said County Judge Margaret Keliher. "It's a blueprint for some changes we all need to make."
The new report suggests that, given the jail's 7,000 inmates, up to 20 new examination rooms are needed. Dr. Puisis also recommends a medical infirmary of 40 beds that provides 24-hour nursing care and bedside electrical outlets to allow for IV pumps, as well as sight lines that put patients in view of a nurses' station.
The report also calls for a 120-bed medical housing area for those with chronic medical needs, such as diabetes or asthma, and an area to handle suturing wounds, stabilizing broken bones and other immediate needs.
The report outlines an improved system for swift distribution of medication to inmates. Currently, inmates with chronic needs, such as the mentally ill or those with diabetes, sometimes wait weeks before getting vital medication.
Care for mentally ill inmates has been a focus of advocates, and the new report recommends an acute mental health unit with 50 to 80 beds. Admission and discharge would be under the control of mental health staff – not jail guards.
Vivian Lawrence of the Mental Health Association of Dallas said many of the proposed changes for the mentally ill "would be wonderful." But she worried that commissioners would want to address the facility changes only through the construction of a proposed new south jail tower.
"That's two years down the line," she said. "We need some things implemented now."
Ms. Keliher said she was particularly pleased the report calls for major changes at book-in, so the county can identify and address medical needs more quickly. Currently, jail guards screen inmates for medical problems, but in his February report, Dr. Puisis warned that jail guards without medical training can easily fail to identify many inmates who need urgent care.
He advocates that two medical staffers and two mental health staffers be assigned to book-in to conduct medical screening, and that screening be conducted in privacy.
The Dallas Morning News obtained an abridged copy of the recommendations after filing a Freedom of Information request.
However, the county has asked the state attorney general's office to have a complete draft copy of the report protected from disclosure. In a letter to the attorney general, District Attorney Bill Hill's office seeks to suppress the draft version because it "contains comments by the consultants consisting of advice, opinions, and recommendations on policy-making matters that were never intended to be a part of the final copy of the Recommendation Report."
The county cites pending lawsuits filed by inmates and their families over the quality of jail health care as the reason for withholding such information from the public.
The original report from February has never been made public by the county. The News obtained a copy of that report, which called jail health care conditions "life-threatening" to some inmates.
Not every commissioner has seen the new report. Several read it Monday after The News sought comment. They said they agree with the major recommendations. But there is no estimate of the capital costs involved in adopting the changes.
Ms. Keliher said there would be some savings incurred by treating inmates at the jail rather than having to send them so often to Parkland.
"I'm going to be in lock step with Dr. Puisis on this," said Commissioner John Wiley Price. "There's nothing unreasonable in his recommendations."
He said his biggest concern was not the facility improvements but how the county will attract enough qualified medical personnel to fill new positions. Mr. Price said attracting quality medical staff to work in a jail would be challenging.
Mr. Price said he would not back Dr. Puisis' call for an expensive new chest X-ray machine to screen inmates for TB, in addition to a TB skin test the state already requires. Mr. Price said he didn't see the point of a duplicate test when the state requires a skin test.
Dr. Puisis said the skin test "misses as much as 20 percent of contagious tuberculosis." He recommends the county conduct the skin test to abide by state law but also invest in a chest X-ray machine to better identify contagious cases of TB.
Public health experts have said treating TB in the jail is an important public health issue, because TB can easily spread in a jail and inmates can infect the general public once released.
Commissioners have been waiting for the new Puisis report all summer but already decided to increase spending on jail health for the coming year by $9 million, bringing the total to $23 million. In addition, the commissioners assigned Parkland the task of improving the jail's health care, after the University of Texas Medical Branch decided this summer not to continue oversight of jail health when its contract ends Nov. 30.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT'S NEXT
Parkland hospital officials must decide which new staff positions to put in place at the jail and start hiring.
Parkland could decide to contract out some work, including mental health care at the jail.
Dallas County commissioners must decide how many of the proposed capital improvements to make, and how to pay for them.
Commissioners must decide which capital improvements must be made immediately and which can wait to be included with the new south jail tower to be completed by 2008.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full Text: Report on Dallas County Jail Medical and Mental Health Programs.
Dallas: Upgrade staff, facilities, screening and TB tests, report advises
By JAMES M. O'NEILL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Experts hired by Dallas County to improve the jail's seriously deficient medical care are calling for major changes in the way inmates are screened, better testing for tuberculosis, the addition of key medical staff, and an overhaul of significant sections of the jail to provide better medical facilities.
The suggestions, summarized in a new report, address many of the major problems identified in a scathing February study on widespread problems in jail health.
The report is laced with urgency and notes that, while permanent improvements in the jail's medical facilities are made, the county could put a mobile medical facility in the parking lot as a temporary fix.
It was produced by several experts, including Dr. Michael Puisis, a national expert on correctional health who wrote the earlier report outlining major flaws in the jail's health delivery.
"I'm glad this is a definitive report with clear suggestions," said County Judge Margaret Keliher. "It's a blueprint for some changes we all need to make."
The new report suggests that, given the jail's 7,000 inmates, up to 20 new examination rooms are needed. Dr. Puisis also recommends a medical infirmary of 40 beds that provides 24-hour nursing care and bedside electrical outlets to allow for IV pumps, as well as sight lines that put patients in view of a nurses' station.
The report also calls for a 120-bed medical housing area for those with chronic medical needs, such as diabetes or asthma, and an area to handle suturing wounds, stabilizing broken bones and other immediate needs.
The report outlines an improved system for swift distribution of medication to inmates. Currently, inmates with chronic needs, such as the mentally ill or those with diabetes, sometimes wait weeks before getting vital medication.
Care for mentally ill inmates has been a focus of advocates, and the new report recommends an acute mental health unit with 50 to 80 beds. Admission and discharge would be under the control of mental health staff – not jail guards.
Vivian Lawrence of the Mental Health Association of Dallas said many of the proposed changes for the mentally ill "would be wonderful." But she worried that commissioners would want to address the facility changes only through the construction of a proposed new south jail tower.
"That's two years down the line," she said. "We need some things implemented now."
Ms. Keliher said she was particularly pleased the report calls for major changes at book-in, so the county can identify and address medical needs more quickly. Currently, jail guards screen inmates for medical problems, but in his February report, Dr. Puisis warned that jail guards without medical training can easily fail to identify many inmates who need urgent care.
He advocates that two medical staffers and two mental health staffers be assigned to book-in to conduct medical screening, and that screening be conducted in privacy.
The Dallas Morning News obtained an abridged copy of the recommendations after filing a Freedom of Information request.
However, the county has asked the state attorney general's office to have a complete draft copy of the report protected from disclosure. In a letter to the attorney general, District Attorney Bill Hill's office seeks to suppress the draft version because it "contains comments by the consultants consisting of advice, opinions, and recommendations on policy-making matters that were never intended to be a part of the final copy of the Recommendation Report."
The county cites pending lawsuits filed by inmates and their families over the quality of jail health care as the reason for withholding such information from the public.
The original report from February has never been made public by the county. The News obtained a copy of that report, which called jail health care conditions "life-threatening" to some inmates.
Not every commissioner has seen the new report. Several read it Monday after The News sought comment. They said they agree with the major recommendations. But there is no estimate of the capital costs involved in adopting the changes.
Ms. Keliher said there would be some savings incurred by treating inmates at the jail rather than having to send them so often to Parkland.
"I'm going to be in lock step with Dr. Puisis on this," said Commissioner John Wiley Price. "There's nothing unreasonable in his recommendations."
He said his biggest concern was not the facility improvements but how the county will attract enough qualified medical personnel to fill new positions. Mr. Price said attracting quality medical staff to work in a jail would be challenging.
Mr. Price said he would not back Dr. Puisis' call for an expensive new chest X-ray machine to screen inmates for TB, in addition to a TB skin test the state already requires. Mr. Price said he didn't see the point of a duplicate test when the state requires a skin test.
Dr. Puisis said the skin test "misses as much as 20 percent of contagious tuberculosis." He recommends the county conduct the skin test to abide by state law but also invest in a chest X-ray machine to better identify contagious cases of TB.
Public health experts have said treating TB in the jail is an important public health issue, because TB can easily spread in a jail and inmates can infect the general public once released.
Commissioners have been waiting for the new Puisis report all summer but already decided to increase spending on jail health for the coming year by $9 million, bringing the total to $23 million. In addition, the commissioners assigned Parkland the task of improving the jail's health care, after the University of Texas Medical Branch decided this summer not to continue oversight of jail health when its contract ends Nov. 30.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT'S NEXT
Parkland hospital officials must decide which new staff positions to put in place at the jail and start hiring.
Parkland could decide to contract out some work, including mental health care at the jail.
Dallas County commissioners must decide how many of the proposed capital improvements to make, and how to pay for them.
Commissioners must decide which capital improvements must be made immediately and which can wait to be included with the new south jail tower to be completed by 2008.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Full Text: Report on Dallas County Jail Medical and Mental Health Programs.
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- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Former fire chief blames Suhm
Dallas: City manager forced him to quit, he says in scathing letter
By JASON TRAHAN, TANYA EISERER and DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Former Dallas Fire Chief Steve Abraira says City Manager Mary Suhm forced him to resign last week for not signing off on cost-saving measures that he says would take firefighters off the streets and put lives in danger.
"Unfortunately, she has little or no respect for the outstanding service that you provide or for me personally," he said in a scathing letter to the city's fire employees released Monday.
The former chief, who has granted no interviews since he resigned abruptly Friday, also openly criticized Ms. Suhm's push for a $400,000 management study as politically motivated.
"I am confident that such a study would be fashioned in a way to justify significant cuts in the department and that the fire chief would be required to implement those recommendations," Mr. Abraira's letter said. "If those cuts/changes recommended by the consultant, in my professional opinion, were a reduction in service or jeopardized your safety, I could not in good conscience be a party to it and would have resigned at that time. So you see the dilemma I was faced with."
Ms. Suhm said Monday that she would not explain why she asked the chief to resign. But she said she is committed to not skimping on police and fire resources.
"It's my responsibility, and my right as city manager, to make sure I have the right team in place to assure that the public safety of the city of Dallas will operate efficiently and effectively, and I take that responsibility very, very, very seriously," she said.
Mr. Abraira said in his letter that the manager has demanded that he cut costs and that the only way to do it would be to slash the number of firefighters riding on trucks, or get rid of whole crews.
"This ... would be a reduction in service to the citizens as well as a tremendous safety issue for you," he said in his letter.
Ms. Suhm said she had no plans to recommend cuts to the department, which is to receive a modest funding increase next year. "The first responsibility of city government, or government at all, is public safety," she said.
Mr. Abraira's toughly worded letter is a marked departure from his normally low-key public persona, colleagues say. Few people outside city government had a hint he was going to resign. For that matter, few in the public could even name the fire chief, as compared with the very high-profile police chief.
And that's what allowed the rift between Mr. Abraira and Ms. Suhm to fester, said Mike Buehler, president of the Dallas Firefighters Association.
Taking a back seat
"Because of the crime problem in Dallas, the needs of the Fire Department have taken a back seat to the needs of the Police Department," he said.
"He was sometimes overwhelmed by the politics in a city the size of Dallas," Mr. Buehler said. "He had a very strict sense of chain of command and felt that the chain of command ran through the city manager. He never did take advantage of relationships with the council members, which ultimately would have been beneficial.
"This is Dallas, and if you don't have council members backing you, you're not going to last."
Among firefighters, Mr. Abraira was well regarded. He was a second-generation firefighter who rose through the ranks in Miami to become an assistant chief. He was the first Hispanic to be Dallas' top firefighter.
Dallas appointed Mr. Abraira to his post in May 2000, and he officially assumed it in August 2000.
Dallas' previous fire chief, Dodd Miller, ran the department for 26 years, one of its longest serving chiefs. He served with the department for a total of 41 years, rising through the ranks.
"It's probably better off than when he came in," said Joe Betzel, a firefighter at Station 43 in northwestern Dallas, referring to the department during Mr. Abraira's tenure.
'Hands-on' fire chief
"He was more of a hands-on type guy than Chief Miller," Mr. Betzel said. "You'd see him at fires you wouldn't think he would be at, not just big multiple-alarm fires. We always used to kid around with each other that for Dodd Miller to try to find your fire station, he'd have to have a Mapsco to find you."
Council members expressed support for Ms. Suhm's decision to pursue another fire chief but added they're unsure why she asked Mr. Abraira to resign.
"I know our fire chief was asked to step down, but it's unclear whether an event precipitated this, or if this is the city manager wanting to go in a different direction," said council member Angela Hunt, who serves on the body's Public Safety Committee.
"Regardless, we need to make sure that on issues of public safety, we're doing what's in the best interest of the citizens," Ms. Hunt said.
Council member Gary Griffith, another Public Safety Committee member, expressed support for conducting a fire-rescue efficiency study, saying that he believes most of his council colleagues agree.
Any chief must "enthusiastically support" such a study, and "my knowledge is that there wasn't a strong working relationship" between Mr. Abraira and Ms. Suhm.
Ms. Suhm said she's looking for someone with "professionalism, innovation, commitment, a team player, customer service oriented, sensitive to diversity. That's what I want from anybody."
Dallas: City manager forced him to quit, he says in scathing letter
By JASON TRAHAN, TANYA EISERER and DAVE LEVINTHAL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Former Dallas Fire Chief Steve Abraira says City Manager Mary Suhm forced him to resign last week for not signing off on cost-saving measures that he says would take firefighters off the streets and put lives in danger.
"Unfortunately, she has little or no respect for the outstanding service that you provide or for me personally," he said in a scathing letter to the city's fire employees released Monday.
The former chief, who has granted no interviews since he resigned abruptly Friday, also openly criticized Ms. Suhm's push for a $400,000 management study as politically motivated.
"I am confident that such a study would be fashioned in a way to justify significant cuts in the department and that the fire chief would be required to implement those recommendations," Mr. Abraira's letter said. "If those cuts/changes recommended by the consultant, in my professional opinion, were a reduction in service or jeopardized your safety, I could not in good conscience be a party to it and would have resigned at that time. So you see the dilemma I was faced with."
Ms. Suhm said Monday that she would not explain why she asked the chief to resign. But she said she is committed to not skimping on police and fire resources.
"It's my responsibility, and my right as city manager, to make sure I have the right team in place to assure that the public safety of the city of Dallas will operate efficiently and effectively, and I take that responsibility very, very, very seriously," she said.
Mr. Abraira said in his letter that the manager has demanded that he cut costs and that the only way to do it would be to slash the number of firefighters riding on trucks, or get rid of whole crews.
"This ... would be a reduction in service to the citizens as well as a tremendous safety issue for you," he said in his letter.
Ms. Suhm said she had no plans to recommend cuts to the department, which is to receive a modest funding increase next year. "The first responsibility of city government, or government at all, is public safety," she said.
Mr. Abraira's toughly worded letter is a marked departure from his normally low-key public persona, colleagues say. Few people outside city government had a hint he was going to resign. For that matter, few in the public could even name the fire chief, as compared with the very high-profile police chief.
And that's what allowed the rift between Mr. Abraira and Ms. Suhm to fester, said Mike Buehler, president of the Dallas Firefighters Association.
Taking a back seat
"Because of the crime problem in Dallas, the needs of the Fire Department have taken a back seat to the needs of the Police Department," he said.
"He was sometimes overwhelmed by the politics in a city the size of Dallas," Mr. Buehler said. "He had a very strict sense of chain of command and felt that the chain of command ran through the city manager. He never did take advantage of relationships with the council members, which ultimately would have been beneficial.
"This is Dallas, and if you don't have council members backing you, you're not going to last."
Among firefighters, Mr. Abraira was well regarded. He was a second-generation firefighter who rose through the ranks in Miami to become an assistant chief. He was the first Hispanic to be Dallas' top firefighter.
Dallas appointed Mr. Abraira to his post in May 2000, and he officially assumed it in August 2000.
Dallas' previous fire chief, Dodd Miller, ran the department for 26 years, one of its longest serving chiefs. He served with the department for a total of 41 years, rising through the ranks.
"It's probably better off than when he came in," said Joe Betzel, a firefighter at Station 43 in northwestern Dallas, referring to the department during Mr. Abraira's tenure.
'Hands-on' fire chief
"He was more of a hands-on type guy than Chief Miller," Mr. Betzel said. "You'd see him at fires you wouldn't think he would be at, not just big multiple-alarm fires. We always used to kid around with each other that for Dodd Miller to try to find your fire station, he'd have to have a Mapsco to find you."
Council members expressed support for Ms. Suhm's decision to pursue another fire chief but added they're unsure why she asked Mr. Abraira to resign.
"I know our fire chief was asked to step down, but it's unclear whether an event precipitated this, or if this is the city manager wanting to go in a different direction," said council member Angela Hunt, who serves on the body's Public Safety Committee.
"Regardless, we need to make sure that on issues of public safety, we're doing what's in the best interest of the citizens," Ms. Hunt said.
Council member Gary Griffith, another Public Safety Committee member, expressed support for conducting a fire-rescue efficiency study, saying that he believes most of his council colleagues agree.
Any chief must "enthusiastically support" such a study, and "my knowledge is that there wasn't a strong working relationship" between Mr. Abraira and Ms. Suhm.
Ms. Suhm said she's looking for someone with "professionalism, innovation, commitment, a team player, customer service oriented, sensitive to diversity. That's what I want from anybody."
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Irving Officials Back University of Dallas Plans for Presidential Library, Expecting Half a Million Visitors a Year
IRVING, Texas (BUSINESS WIRE) - As Irving-based University of Dallas prepares to submit its proposal for the George W. Bush Presidential Library, Irving officials have put their strong support behind it, saying the city is anticipating half a million visitors a year when the Library opens and a possible $560 million in annual economic impact. The Catholic-affiliated university is one of seven contenders for the Library, and proposals are due Sept. 15.
Irving Mayor Herb Gears voiced his support at the Aug. 25 Irving City Council meeting: "We believe the Presidential Library would bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to Irving, and it would elevate the prestige of Irving even further, both nationally and internationally. We think the University of Dallas has an excellent chance to pull in this impressive project, and I support their proposal wholeheartedly."
Maura Gast, Executive Director of the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau, commented: "The actual dollar figure for the economic impact from the Presidential Library is difficult to forecast, but studies predict that it would have a possible initial impact on the total Metroplex area of more than a half billion dollars. The Clinton library has already had an economic impact of $1 billion in Little Rock."
Calculations for total economic impact include past attendance figures from other presidential libraries. In peak years, the Johnson library had 905,244 (1976); Kennedy's library attracted 563,470 (1980); and Truman's library had 510,584 visitors (1976). The Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark., which opened last November, has already attracted more than 400,000 visitors within its first nine months.
"We believe the attendance could be sustainable at 400,000 to 500,000 visitors every year, and this area can easily support that with its experience with Texas Stadium," Gast said. "Beyond the visitor impact that can be anticipated, the proposed Irving location for the Bush library will have much greater economic impact because of the tremendous development opportunities surrounding the location. And, with no issues of eminent domain at or around the project, efforts for complementary development can even begin sooner than the actual Library construction."
The new Presidential Library complex will capitalize on the $1 billion worth in transportation improvements already committed for the central-Metroplex redevelopment plans, which include a new Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail station, scheduled for completion in 2011, and the expansion of State Highways 183 and 114, as well as Loop 12 bridge reconstruction, roads, ramps and more, scheduled for completion by 2008.
Development options for the area surrounding Texas Stadium, which were presented earlier this year by internationally known planners RTKL Associates, include an urban environment with retail, restaurants and hotels; a mixed-use district that would emphasize residential, business and community retail purposes; or an urban village similar to Dallas' uptown that includes residential and commercial developments and neighborhood parks.
"After seeing the University of Dallas' impressive plans for the Library, I am confident Irving has envisioned this project in a way that is simply incomparable," Gast said. "Last fall, I had the opportunity to attend the opening of the Clinton Library and witness firsthand the estimated $1 billion in impact through tourism and other development it has had on Little Rock. From that moment, I've become a believer in the opportunity on our horizon to have the privilege of becoming the home of President Bush's library."
The University of Dallas began its plans two years ago for the George W. Bush Presidential Library from a proposal by two alumni, Nathaniel ("Tan") Parker and Curtis Downs. The current steering committee includes University staff and faculty, Harry Longwell, Board of Trustees president, the entire Board of Trustees and a host of supporters.
With more than 3,000 students, the University of Dallas offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in liberal arts and business. The University's main campus is in Irving, Texas. It also has the Constantin Campus in Marino, Italy, near the Pope's summer residence, and a satellite campus in Plano, Texas.
The University is the only Catholic-affiliated university in North Texas, its academic philosophy is rooted in the classics of Western civilization and its values are steeped in the rich traditions of Catholic education. For more information, visit http://www.udallas.edu.
The Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau represents Irving's $456.4 million a year hospitality industry. Funded solely by hotel/motel tax collections, the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau targets corporate, convention and leisure visitors to the city's hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops as well as attractions throughout Dallas/Fort Worth.
Find more information about the City of Irving on its website at http://www.irvingtexas.com or http://www.ci.irving.tx.us.
IRVING, Texas (BUSINESS WIRE) - As Irving-based University of Dallas prepares to submit its proposal for the George W. Bush Presidential Library, Irving officials have put their strong support behind it, saying the city is anticipating half a million visitors a year when the Library opens and a possible $560 million in annual economic impact. The Catholic-affiliated university is one of seven contenders for the Library, and proposals are due Sept. 15.
Irving Mayor Herb Gears voiced his support at the Aug. 25 Irving City Council meeting: "We believe the Presidential Library would bring in hundreds of thousands of visitors annually to Irving, and it would elevate the prestige of Irving even further, both nationally and internationally. We think the University of Dallas has an excellent chance to pull in this impressive project, and I support their proposal wholeheartedly."
Maura Gast, Executive Director of the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau, commented: "The actual dollar figure for the economic impact from the Presidential Library is difficult to forecast, but studies predict that it would have a possible initial impact on the total Metroplex area of more than a half billion dollars. The Clinton library has already had an economic impact of $1 billion in Little Rock."
Calculations for total economic impact include past attendance figures from other presidential libraries. In peak years, the Johnson library had 905,244 (1976); Kennedy's library attracted 563,470 (1980); and Truman's library had 510,584 visitors (1976). The Clinton Presidential Library in Little Rock, Ark., which opened last November, has already attracted more than 400,000 visitors within its first nine months.
"We believe the attendance could be sustainable at 400,000 to 500,000 visitors every year, and this area can easily support that with its experience with Texas Stadium," Gast said. "Beyond the visitor impact that can be anticipated, the proposed Irving location for the Bush library will have much greater economic impact because of the tremendous development opportunities surrounding the location. And, with no issues of eminent domain at or around the project, efforts for complementary development can even begin sooner than the actual Library construction."
The new Presidential Library complex will capitalize on the $1 billion worth in transportation improvements already committed for the central-Metroplex redevelopment plans, which include a new Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail station, scheduled for completion in 2011, and the expansion of State Highways 183 and 114, as well as Loop 12 bridge reconstruction, roads, ramps and more, scheduled for completion by 2008.
Development options for the area surrounding Texas Stadium, which were presented earlier this year by internationally known planners RTKL Associates, include an urban environment with retail, restaurants and hotels; a mixed-use district that would emphasize residential, business and community retail purposes; or an urban village similar to Dallas' uptown that includes residential and commercial developments and neighborhood parks.
"After seeing the University of Dallas' impressive plans for the Library, I am confident Irving has envisioned this project in a way that is simply incomparable," Gast said. "Last fall, I had the opportunity to attend the opening of the Clinton Library and witness firsthand the estimated $1 billion in impact through tourism and other development it has had on Little Rock. From that moment, I've become a believer in the opportunity on our horizon to have the privilege of becoming the home of President Bush's library."
The University of Dallas began its plans two years ago for the George W. Bush Presidential Library from a proposal by two alumni, Nathaniel ("Tan") Parker and Curtis Downs. The current steering committee includes University staff and faculty, Harry Longwell, Board of Trustees president, the entire Board of Trustees and a host of supporters.
With more than 3,000 students, the University of Dallas offers both undergraduate and graduate programs in liberal arts and business. The University's main campus is in Irving, Texas. It also has the Constantin Campus in Marino, Italy, near the Pope's summer residence, and a satellite campus in Plano, Texas.
The University is the only Catholic-affiliated university in North Texas, its academic philosophy is rooted in the classics of Western civilization and its values are steeped in the rich traditions of Catholic education. For more information, visit http://www.udallas.edu.
The Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau represents Irving's $456.4 million a year hospitality industry. Funded solely by hotel/motel tax collections, the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau targets corporate, convention and leisure visitors to the city's hotels, restaurants, attractions and shops as well as attractions throughout Dallas/Fort Worth.
Find more information about the City of Irving on its website at http://www.irvingtexas.com or http://www.ci.irving.tx.us.
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- TexasStooge
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Hospital sued over flesh-eating infection
WACO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A farmer whose right leg was amputated five days after he sought treatment for an ingrown toenail has filed a negligence lawsuit against a hospital.
Troy Zacharias, a diabetic who contracted a flesh-eating infection after his toenail was removed in 2003, seeks unspecified damages against Scott & White Memorial Hospital, the Scott, Sherwood and Brindley Foundation, Scott & White Clinic and Dr. Matthew R. Porter, a former employee at the Scott & White Clinic in Waco.
The lawsuit filed last week claims the Zacharias, 38, of McGregor suffered "unspeakable" pain, mental anguish and disfigurement.
His attorney Jim Hering declined comment on the lawsuit.
Attorney Bob Burleson, who represents Scott & White, said the lawsuit is without merit and that Zacharias is alive only "because he got the very best of care." Porter, who no longer works at the clinic, did not return phone messages.
Zacharias had a fever two days after his toenail was removed, so he went to the clinic. Instead of examining his foot, Porter prescribed a medication for flu-like symptoms even though flu cultures proved negative, the suit alleges.
Zacharias' condition worsened and the pain in his right leg became severe, according to the suit. He returned to the clinic a few days later, where another doctor ordered his immediate hospitalization.
Zacharias' wife drove him to Scott & White Hospital in nearby Temple where "virtually nothing was done for Troy for hours after he arrived," the lawsuit claims.
After his leg was cut off just above the right knee, Zacharias suffered kidney failure and a heart attack. By the next day, he suffered multi-system organ failure and could breathe only with a ventilator, the suit says.
Over the next few months, Zacharias had more surgeries and procedures on the leg, according to the suit.
WACO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A farmer whose right leg was amputated five days after he sought treatment for an ingrown toenail has filed a negligence lawsuit against a hospital.
Troy Zacharias, a diabetic who contracted a flesh-eating infection after his toenail was removed in 2003, seeks unspecified damages against Scott & White Memorial Hospital, the Scott, Sherwood and Brindley Foundation, Scott & White Clinic and Dr. Matthew R. Porter, a former employee at the Scott & White Clinic in Waco.
The lawsuit filed last week claims the Zacharias, 38, of McGregor suffered "unspeakable" pain, mental anguish and disfigurement.
His attorney Jim Hering declined comment on the lawsuit.
Attorney Bob Burleson, who represents Scott & White, said the lawsuit is without merit and that Zacharias is alive only "because he got the very best of care." Porter, who no longer works at the clinic, did not return phone messages.
Zacharias had a fever two days after his toenail was removed, so he went to the clinic. Instead of examining his foot, Porter prescribed a medication for flu-like symptoms even though flu cultures proved negative, the suit alleges.
Zacharias' condition worsened and the pain in his right leg became severe, according to the suit. He returned to the clinic a few days later, where another doctor ordered his immediate hospitalization.
Zacharias' wife drove him to Scott & White Hospital in nearby Temple where "virtually nothing was done for Troy for hours after he arrived," the lawsuit claims.
After his leg was cut off just above the right knee, Zacharias suffered kidney failure and a heart attack. By the next day, he suffered multi-system organ failure and could breathe only with a ventilator, the suit says.
Over the next few months, Zacharias had more surgeries and procedures on the leg, according to the suit.
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- TexasStooge
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Dallas sues to shut down parlors
By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The City of Dallas has targeted massage parlors by suing to shut them down because officials said many are prostitution dens.
A new law went into effect Sept. 1 that requires all massage parlors, and their masseuses, to have a license. Dallas police and city officials said they are now going after those who are not following the law.
The department has arrested 17 people and inspected at least seven businesses since the law took effect. Those in violation faced stiff fines and could ultimately have their businesses shut down.
During the week, the City of Dallas has sued four parlors, which included two located on Highway 183 near the Interstate 35 split, one on Mockingbird Lane and one on Central Expressway just north of Interstate 635.
Juan Reaves said he is tired of the bath house next to his barbecue restaurant because it was bad for business
"It hurts our business to the extent [that] we close at 4:00 because this is not a place where families want to bring their kids and bring their families," Reaves said.
However, those in agreeance with Reaves are now closer to seeing many of the parlors shut down. The new law has allowed police to go in and inspect the parlors for permits. Before the law was passed, police had to prove prostitution was going on before they could do anything.
"If we go in there and they don't have their license, we can seek to close their operation without building prostitution cases," said City Attorney Tom Perkins.
However, despite temporary restraining orders against four bath houses to keep them from giving massages, many of the parlors were still open. News 8 stopped at the Swedish Institute and the open lights were still on until a camera was pulled out and started rolling. And at Yokohama, employees tried to keep News 8 from seeing what was happening inside.
Police said at all four locations, undercover officers were offered sex for money and paid for massages.
By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The City of Dallas has targeted massage parlors by suing to shut them down because officials said many are prostitution dens.
A new law went into effect Sept. 1 that requires all massage parlors, and their masseuses, to have a license. Dallas police and city officials said they are now going after those who are not following the law.
The department has arrested 17 people and inspected at least seven businesses since the law took effect. Those in violation faced stiff fines and could ultimately have their businesses shut down.
During the week, the City of Dallas has sued four parlors, which included two located on Highway 183 near the Interstate 35 split, one on Mockingbird Lane and one on Central Expressway just north of Interstate 635.
Juan Reaves said he is tired of the bath house next to his barbecue restaurant because it was bad for business
"It hurts our business to the extent [that] we close at 4:00 because this is not a place where families want to bring their kids and bring their families," Reaves said.
However, those in agreeance with Reaves are now closer to seeing many of the parlors shut down. The new law has allowed police to go in and inspect the parlors for permits. Before the law was passed, police had to prove prostitution was going on before they could do anything.
"If we go in there and they don't have their license, we can seek to close their operation without building prostitution cases," said City Attorney Tom Perkins.
However, despite temporary restraining orders against four bath houses to keep them from giving massages, many of the parlors were still open. News 8 stopped at the Swedish Institute and the open lights were still on until a camera was pulled out and started rolling. And at Yokohama, employees tried to keep News 8 from seeing what was happening inside.
Police said at all four locations, undercover officers were offered sex for money and paid for massages.
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Commissioners give themselves, others a raise
Dallas County: Pay boost follows vote last month to increase taxes
By JAMES M. O'NEILL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas County commissioners, who approved a tax increase last month to help close a budget gap and to address urgent deficiencies at the jail, decided Tuesday they would give themselves a 5 percent pay increase for the coming year.
That comes after a 4 percent increase a year ago.
The commissioners unanimously passed the pay measure, which also provides 5 percent increases for other elected officials, including the sheriff, county clerk, treasurer, tax assessor, 11 justices of the peace and five constables.
The raise, combined with an 8 percent increase in the mileage allowance, brings County Judge Margaret Keliher's compensation to $150,674 for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. The pay and allowance increases bring Sheriff Lupe Valdez's compensation to $137,055, and the four commissioners' pay to $125,664.
The entire measure, which involves salary and mileage allowances for 23 elected officials, will cost a combined $2.81 million, up $135,000 from the current year.
On Aug. 30, the commissioners voted 3-2 to raise the county tax rate a maximum of a cent per $100 in property valuation, to a rate of 21.39 cents. That would be only the second tax rate increase in a decade.
In the two public hearings the commissioners held on the tax increase, including one Tuesday morning, only one person came forward to speak, a sheriff's deputy on behalf of Sheriff Valdez.
Among those who voted against the tax increase was Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who said the commissioners could cut expenses to balance the budget instead.
Mr. Mayfield said last month he favored only a 3 percent raise for all county employees, instead of the 5 percent advocated by other commissioners, to save $4.2 million.
On Tuesday, after voting to approve the pay and car allowance increases for elected officials, Mr. Mayfield said he would still push to limit the county employee raise to 3 percent.
"I still think we ought to reduce it and save $4 million," he said. He said it looked like the other commissioners would approve a 5 percent raise for county employees.
The commissioners will take a final vote on the tax rate and budget on Sept. 27.
As expected, the commissioners on Tuesday also approved the tax rate for Parkland Memorial Hospital, as well as Parkland's budget for the coming fiscal year. The tax rate would remain unchanged at 25.40 cents per $100 in property value.
The hospital's approved operating budget of $857 million includes $23 million to handle jail health care, a boost of $9 million over the current year.
Dallas County: Pay boost follows vote last month to increase taxes
By JAMES M. O'NEILL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas County commissioners, who approved a tax increase last month to help close a budget gap and to address urgent deficiencies at the jail, decided Tuesday they would give themselves a 5 percent pay increase for the coming year.
That comes after a 4 percent increase a year ago.
The commissioners unanimously passed the pay measure, which also provides 5 percent increases for other elected officials, including the sheriff, county clerk, treasurer, tax assessor, 11 justices of the peace and five constables.
The raise, combined with an 8 percent increase in the mileage allowance, brings County Judge Margaret Keliher's compensation to $150,674 for the fiscal year that begins Oct. 1. The pay and allowance increases bring Sheriff Lupe Valdez's compensation to $137,055, and the four commissioners' pay to $125,664.
The entire measure, which involves salary and mileage allowances for 23 elected officials, will cost a combined $2.81 million, up $135,000 from the current year.
On Aug. 30, the commissioners voted 3-2 to raise the county tax rate a maximum of a cent per $100 in property valuation, to a rate of 21.39 cents. That would be only the second tax rate increase in a decade.
In the two public hearings the commissioners held on the tax increase, including one Tuesday morning, only one person came forward to speak, a sheriff's deputy on behalf of Sheriff Valdez.
Among those who voted against the tax increase was Commissioner Kenneth Mayfield, who said the commissioners could cut expenses to balance the budget instead.
Mr. Mayfield said last month he favored only a 3 percent raise for all county employees, instead of the 5 percent advocated by other commissioners, to save $4.2 million.
On Tuesday, after voting to approve the pay and car allowance increases for elected officials, Mr. Mayfield said he would still push to limit the county employee raise to 3 percent.
"I still think we ought to reduce it and save $4 million," he said. He said it looked like the other commissioners would approve a 5 percent raise for county employees.
The commissioners will take a final vote on the tax rate and budget on Sept. 27.
As expected, the commissioners on Tuesday also approved the tax rate for Parkland Memorial Hospital, as well as Parkland's budget for the coming fiscal year. The tax rate would remain unchanged at 25.40 cents per $100 in property value.
The hospital's approved operating budget of $857 million includes $23 million to handle jail health care, a boost of $9 million over the current year.
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