Dallas complex on edge after alleged rape
By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Police are searching for a rapist in Dallas after he allegedly struck the Camden Farmer's Market apartments in downtown Dallas.
A female resident said she was sexually assaulted, robbed and threatened after a man broke through her first floor window.
The suspect was described as a black male about 6-feet and 3-inches tall. He was dressed in a black T-shirt, jeans and boots. He also wore a blue and white bandana as a mask and a black knit hat.
An incident such as this has other residents thinking twice about safety.
"This is supposed to be a safe area here and you can walk your dogs," said resident Yadi Amaro. "You just don't feel safe outdoors after the sun goes down. It is scary."
The apartment complex issued a notice to all residents.
"When I got the notice I was actually in shock," said resident Omar Martinez.
Some residents said they were worried because Dallas police don't have a suspect,
"I am kind of weary of the fact that there could be some sort of perpetrator or even worse, someone that could be a sociopath out on the loose...," Martinez said.
Dallas police said they have talked to the victim in the case and are gathering DNA evidence from the crime scene to see if it matches other rapes in the area. They said they hope the DNA evidence will lead to an arrest.
The complex has urged people to take precautions and there are safety tips that anyone can use for their protection. Some precaution include immediately reporting suspicious activity, keep all windows and doors locked at all times, keep drapes closed at night and immediately call 911 when feeling threatened.
News from the Lone Star State
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Hot topics for Tuesday's election
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
Tuesday, voters in the Lone Star State will head for the polls to decide on everything from bond issues to gay marriage. News 8 has a check list of the hottest votes facing North Texans.
Texas voters will decide the controversial gay marriage ban amendment to the state constitution.
Proposition No. 2 supporters said it is needed to protect traditional marriage, and opponents said it enshrines discrimination in the state constitution.
Opponents also said the proposition is unfair, threatening pensions, insurance and legal contracts between same sex partners. But supporters said this takes the issue out of the courts and lets Texas voters decide.
In Dallas, voters will also once again decide on a strong mayor form of government.
Supporters of Proposition No. 1 said it provides accountability at City Hall, but opponents said it will weaken council members and especially minorities. They also fear it is giving Mayor Laura Miller more power if re-elected in 2007, but supporters said mayors should be able to choose a city manager who shares their vision.
And with Proposition No. 14, Dallas voters decide on a homeless assistance center downtown.
Supporters said it will give the homeless a centralized place for treatment, job training and housing referrals. Opponents said it threatens the revitalization downtown and will draw thousands of additional homeless to the core.
However, supporters said it will get them off the street by giving them a place to go.
And finally in White Settlement, voters decide whether to change the town's name to West Settlement.
Supporters said it's needed because the name is racially offensive and opponents said it is political correctness run amok.
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
Tuesday, voters in the Lone Star State will head for the polls to decide on everything from bond issues to gay marriage. News 8 has a check list of the hottest votes facing North Texans.
Texas voters will decide the controversial gay marriage ban amendment to the state constitution.
Proposition No. 2 supporters said it is needed to protect traditional marriage, and opponents said it enshrines discrimination in the state constitution.
Opponents also said the proposition is unfair, threatening pensions, insurance and legal contracts between same sex partners. But supporters said this takes the issue out of the courts and lets Texas voters decide.
In Dallas, voters will also once again decide on a strong mayor form of government.
Supporters of Proposition No. 1 said it provides accountability at City Hall, but opponents said it will weaken council members and especially minorities. They also fear it is giving Mayor Laura Miller more power if re-elected in 2007, but supporters said mayors should be able to choose a city manager who shares their vision.
And with Proposition No. 14, Dallas voters decide on a homeless assistance center downtown.
Supporters said it will give the homeless a centralized place for treatment, job training and housing referrals. Opponents said it threatens the revitalization downtown and will draw thousands of additional homeless to the core.
However, supporters said it will get them off the street by giving them a place to go.
And finally in White Settlement, voters decide whether to change the town's name to West Settlement.
Supporters said it's needed because the name is racially offensive and opponents said it is political correctness run amok.
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Raw sewage leaks into Dallas elementary
By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Raw sewage leaked into Dade Elementary School classrooms and forced students outside Monday in the 2800 block of Park Row in Dallas.
City of Dallas workers appeared on the scene to pump out the sewage that appeared to be coming from sewer lines connected to an adjacent apartment complex.
However, one parent said this wasn't the first time this has occurred at the elementary school, and the incident has her and others angry.
"It smells nasty," said parent Andrea Cokes. "It smells like, you know if your toilet like overflows or something and it is leaking out all over the floor. That is what it smells like. But there are puddles, puddles of water everywhere in three classrooms.
Teachers said that around the time the apartment complexes were built was around the time the sewage problem began.
The leak hit classrooms located in the basement level of the school, and pre-kindergarten students were later moved to other classrooms.
Dallas Independent School District said they are working with the city to resolve the problem.
Pictures from inside the school will be on News 8 after the football game.
By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Raw sewage leaked into Dade Elementary School classrooms and forced students outside Monday in the 2800 block of Park Row in Dallas.
City of Dallas workers appeared on the scene to pump out the sewage that appeared to be coming from sewer lines connected to an adjacent apartment complex.
However, one parent said this wasn't the first time this has occurred at the elementary school, and the incident has her and others angry.
"It smells nasty," said parent Andrea Cokes. "It smells like, you know if your toilet like overflows or something and it is leaking out all over the floor. That is what it smells like. But there are puddles, puddles of water everywhere in three classrooms.
Teachers said that around the time the apartment complexes were built was around the time the sewage problem began.
The leak hit classrooms located in the basement level of the school, and pre-kindergarten students were later moved to other classrooms.
Dallas Independent School District said they are working with the city to resolve the problem.
Pictures from inside the school will be on News 8 after the football game.
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Raw sewage leaks into Dallas elementary
By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Raw sewage leaked into Dade Elementary School classrooms and forced students outside Monday in the 2800 block of Park Row in Dallas.
City of Dallas workers appeared on the scene to pump out the sewage that appeared to be coming from sewer lines connected to an adjacent apartment complex near Fair Park.
However, one parent said this wasn't the first time this has occurred at the elementary school, and the incident has her and others angry.
"It smells nasty," said Andrea Cokes, who has a 5-year-old son who attends the school. "It smells like, you know if your toilet like overflows or something and it is leaking out all over the floor. That is what it smells like. But there are puddles, puddles of water everywhere in three classrooms.
Cokes said she and the teachers are tired of the problem that has been around for at least two years.
She said she personally saw sewage flooding previously while helping out at the school.
"I was in there with them, helping the teacher out," Cokes said. "We were reading stories on the floor [and] all of the sudden water just came in and the kids got scared."
The leak hit classrooms located in the basement level of the school, and pre-kindergarten students were later moved to other classrooms.
Cokes took her digital camera inside the basement and took pictures of the classroom mess. However, Cokes said the images were only half the experience.
"I wish you could smell it," she said. "It's just nasty."
The reason Cokes said she is irritated is because she said she has seen a lack of people taking responsibility for the problem.
"...Nobody wants to do anything," she said. "The school district says it's not their problem [and] the city says it's not their problem."
A Dallas Independent School District spokesman said district maintenance and the city are working together to find the leak, and at no point have the students been endangered by the situation.
By BRAD HAWKINS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Raw sewage leaked into Dade Elementary School classrooms and forced students outside Monday in the 2800 block of Park Row in Dallas.
City of Dallas workers appeared on the scene to pump out the sewage that appeared to be coming from sewer lines connected to an adjacent apartment complex near Fair Park.
However, one parent said this wasn't the first time this has occurred at the elementary school, and the incident has her and others angry.
"It smells nasty," said Andrea Cokes, who has a 5-year-old son who attends the school. "It smells like, you know if your toilet like overflows or something and it is leaking out all over the floor. That is what it smells like. But there are puddles, puddles of water everywhere in three classrooms.
Cokes said she and the teachers are tired of the problem that has been around for at least two years.
She said she personally saw sewage flooding previously while helping out at the school.
"I was in there with them, helping the teacher out," Cokes said. "We were reading stories on the floor [and] all of the sudden water just came in and the kids got scared."
The leak hit classrooms located in the basement level of the school, and pre-kindergarten students were later moved to other classrooms.
Cokes took her digital camera inside the basement and took pictures of the classroom mess. However, Cokes said the images were only half the experience.
"I wish you could smell it," she said. "It's just nasty."
The reason Cokes said she is irritated is because she said she has seen a lack of people taking responsibility for the problem.
"...Nobody wants to do anything," she said. "The school district says it's not their problem [and] the city says it's not their problem."
A Dallas Independent School District spokesman said district maintenance and the city are working together to find the leak, and at no point have the students been endangered by the situation.
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Fort Worth police search for bank robber
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - The threat of an explosive situation helped a Fort Worth bank robber get away with his loot.
The suspect robbed the Bank of America in the 5600 block of East Lancaster Monday afternoon. Police said a note to the teller demanded money and threatened the man had a bomb.
Surveillance pictures show the man was white, slender and about 5 feet 5 inches tall with brown hair. He was wearing a long-sleeved white dress shirt with a tie and dark pants.
Those who recognize the man are asked to contact Fort Worth police at (817) 335-4222.
FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - The threat of an explosive situation helped a Fort Worth bank robber get away with his loot.
The suspect robbed the Bank of America in the 5600 block of East Lancaster Monday afternoon. Police said a note to the teller demanded money and threatened the man had a bomb.
Surveillance pictures show the man was white, slender and about 5 feet 5 inches tall with brown hair. He was wearing a long-sleeved white dress shirt with a tie and dark pants.
Those who recognize the man are asked to contact Fort Worth police at (817) 335-4222.
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TCU to renovate with $100 million
By KARIN KELLY / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - One-hundred million dollars worth of big improvements are coming to Texas Christian University in the form of four new dorms, a bigger student union and lots of green space.
One of the great moments of many college student's time on campus is moving off campus, but at universities across America there's a move to keep students close to the heart.
The goal of the expansions and renovations is to keep students living on campus.
"Vanderbilt [and] Duke are doing that," said Vice Chancellor Don Mills. "SMU is looking at the same kind of program we are."
TCU will begin construction next year to transform the Frog Fountain area into a town center that will be pedestrian-friendly.
"All these streets will be gone and this parking will be gone," Mills said. "...Right here at Stadium Drive, a new student union will anchor a commons area flanked by four new dorms."
TCU officials said the expansion is not a move to improve college ratings or bring in more students. In fact enrollment will stay at just under 8000.
"We have a stated goal by our board to house 2/3 of our students on campus," said Victor Boschini, TCU chancellor.
College leaders said some lessons are learned outside the classroom, and a big place to gather and meet will pay off for generations to come.
"On a college campus, you're going to interact with people who are very different," Mills said. "And part of learning is how do I learn from other people [and] get ideas from people who are different from me."
By KARIN KELLY / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - One-hundred million dollars worth of big improvements are coming to Texas Christian University in the form of four new dorms, a bigger student union and lots of green space.
One of the great moments of many college student's time on campus is moving off campus, but at universities across America there's a move to keep students close to the heart.
The goal of the expansions and renovations is to keep students living on campus.
"Vanderbilt [and] Duke are doing that," said Vice Chancellor Don Mills. "SMU is looking at the same kind of program we are."
TCU will begin construction next year to transform the Frog Fountain area into a town center that will be pedestrian-friendly.
"All these streets will be gone and this parking will be gone," Mills said. "...Right here at Stadium Drive, a new student union will anchor a commons area flanked by four new dorms."
TCU officials said the expansion is not a move to improve college ratings or bring in more students. In fact enrollment will stay at just under 8000.
"We have a stated goal by our board to house 2/3 of our students on campus," said Victor Boschini, TCU chancellor.
College leaders said some lessons are learned outside the classroom, and a big place to gather and meet will pay off for generations to come.
"On a college campus, you're going to interact with people who are very different," Mills said. "And part of learning is how do I learn from other people [and] get ideas from people who are different from me."
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Garland joins fight against 'street spam'
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
GARLAND, Texas — Some call it "street spam," and liken it to all that unwanted e-mail that bombards your in box.
Garland will now pay cash for temporary advertising signs that are posted at intersections or utility poles. The city says the signs create distractions, clutter, and can be a safety hazard.
"Very often, you can go through and clean up an area and then they'll come right back through and put more signs down," city spokeswoman Dorothy White said.
Code enforcement officers removed 16,000 illegal signs last year alone. "It's really more man hours than one city department can do," White said.
Last summer, Mesquite enlisted the help of Boy Scouts and other non-profit groups to help remove the unwanted advertising signs. The city paid a quarter for each sign.
Now Garland plans a similar program, called I-SIGN. The will offer 50 cents for each sign that's collected.
Volunteers must register with the city before they can start turning signs into cash.
"The idea for that is that they understand the safety rules, have the orange vests and so on to protect themselves," White said, adding that volunteers must also understand that they can't remove signs that are legal and properly placed.
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Garland I-SIGN Program
Mesquite TOSS Program
By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8
GARLAND, Texas — Some call it "street spam," and liken it to all that unwanted e-mail that bombards your in box.
Garland will now pay cash for temporary advertising signs that are posted at intersections or utility poles. The city says the signs create distractions, clutter, and can be a safety hazard.
"Very often, you can go through and clean up an area and then they'll come right back through and put more signs down," city spokeswoman Dorothy White said.
Code enforcement officers removed 16,000 illegal signs last year alone. "It's really more man hours than one city department can do," White said.
Last summer, Mesquite enlisted the help of Boy Scouts and other non-profit groups to help remove the unwanted advertising signs. The city paid a quarter for each sign.
Now Garland plans a similar program, called I-SIGN. The will offer 50 cents for each sign that's collected.
Volunteers must register with the city before they can start turning signs into cash.
"The idea for that is that they understand the safety rules, have the orange vests and so on to protect themselves," White said, adding that volunteers must also understand that they can't remove signs that are legal and properly placed.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Garland I-SIGN Program
Mesquite TOSS Program
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Dallas man admits to a dozen bank robberies
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) -- A man arrested at his home in Dallas has confessed to as many as a dozen bank robberies in Texas, Austin police said.
Michael Matthews, 34, is accused of robbing a Bank of America branch in Austin on Oct. 13, according to a statement from police.
Matthews, while being interviewed by law officers, admitted to holdups in Houston, Fort Worth, Arlington, Waco, Spring and The Woodlands, investigators said.
A witness obtained the license plate number of a vehicle allegedly driven by Matthews after a bank robbery in Houston.
Officials believe the license was on a vehicle belonging to a girlfriend of Matthews.
Dallas FBI agents arrested Matthews on Nov. 1.
The FBI didn't immediately return a call Tuesday for comment.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) -- A man arrested at his home in Dallas has confessed to as many as a dozen bank robberies in Texas, Austin police said.
Michael Matthews, 34, is accused of robbing a Bank of America branch in Austin on Oct. 13, according to a statement from police.
Matthews, while being interviewed by law officers, admitted to holdups in Houston, Fort Worth, Arlington, Waco, Spring and The Woodlands, investigators said.
A witness obtained the license plate number of a vehicle allegedly driven by Matthews after a bank robbery in Houston.
Officials believe the license was on a vehicle belonging to a girlfriend of Matthews.
Dallas FBI agents arrested Matthews on Nov. 1.
The FBI didn't immediately return a call Tuesday for comment.
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Voters to decide on mayor's powers, gay marriage ban
From The Dallas Morning News Staff Writers
Polls open today across the country for voters to decide myriad political races and ballot issues. Locally, a gay marriage ban and Dallas' strong-mayor issue and a homeless center have garnered attention. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Among the issues:
Nine proposed state constitutional amendments – including a gay marriage ban and items governing reverse mortgages and when judges can deny bail – lead state ballot items. Houston-area voters will decide a mayor's race and an open state House seat.
Voters in Dallas face two much-debated propositions: one to increase mayoral power and the other to set aside more than $20 million for a homeless assistance center.
Other North Texas cities will vote on an assortment of items, including bond issues in Lancaster, Rockwall and Wylie and a name change in White Settlement.
Nationally, a pair of big-spending, notably nasty races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia will be decided, in addition to mayoral races in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, New York and San Diego.
From The Dallas Morning News Staff Writers
Polls open today across the country for voters to decide myriad political races and ballot issues. Locally, a gay marriage ban and Dallas' strong-mayor issue and a homeless center have garnered attention. Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Among the issues:
Nine proposed state constitutional amendments – including a gay marriage ban and items governing reverse mortgages and when judges can deny bail – lead state ballot items. Houston-area voters will decide a mayor's race and an open state House seat.
Voters in Dallas face two much-debated propositions: one to increase mayoral power and the other to set aside more than $20 million for a homeless assistance center.
Other North Texas cities will vote on an assortment of items, including bond issues in Lancaster, Rockwall and Wylie and a name change in White Settlement.
Nationally, a pair of big-spending, notably nasty races for governor in New Jersey and Virginia will be decided, in addition to mayoral races in Atlanta, Boston, Detroit, New York and San Diego.
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Missing: 20,000 standardized tests
Of statewide total, DISD leads in exams lost, mostly TAKS
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - More than 20,000 copies of state tests – supposedly kept under lock and key – disappeared from Texas schools this spring, according to state data. Dallas schools lost more than 7,000 test documents, more than any other district in the state.
State officials say they are reconsidering their testing security policies after some experts said having Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or TAKS, questions floating around the state could put the integrity of the testing system at risk.
"We probably need to look at some ways to strengthen our security," said Susan Barnes, associate commissioner of standards and programs at the Texas Education Agency.
In all, 26,998 secure test documents from spring 2005 were missing as of Oct. 28. That total includes documents such as test coordinator manuals, but the vast majority are the test booklets.
That's a small percentage of the more than 12 million secure test documents the state produces each year for a range of subjects and grade levels, state officials said.
"We have accounted for 99.78 percent of the documents," said Lisa Chandler, TEA's director of assessment. "We're not concerned by that rate."
But some say loose test documents can be a threat, even in small numbers.
"Every time you lose even one, it's potentially a problem," said John Fremer, former top test developer of the SAT and a founder of Caveon, the Utah company that Texas has hired to analyze its test results for signs of cheating. "Whenever you have a large operation where you send out millions of tests, you're going to have some shortage."
The number of missing tests statewide was first reported by KHOU-TV in Houston on Monday. KHOU is owned by Belo, which also owns The Dallas Morning News.
Dallas schools spokesman Donald Claxton said Monday that he did not yet know any details about the missing test documents. "We're looking into it," he said.
Evelyn Reed, Dallas' director of systemwide testing, did not return a phone message Monday.
Normally, having test booklets unaccounted for would not be a major security concern in Texas. For the last several years, the state has released complete copies of its tests to the public shortly after they were administered. The releases were intended to increase public confidence in the tests and to help educators prepare students.
Recycled questions
But those annual releases meant the state had to rewrite all of its tests each year at substantial cost. As a cost-cutting measure, the Texas Education Agency now plans to release its tests every other year and recycle test questions in between releases.
In other words, the 2006 TAKS test will include questions already used on the 2005 TAKS – which means having loose copies of the 2005 test floating around is not a good thing.
"Anytime you don't have entirely new items every year, you have a greater security risk," Dr. Fremer said.
He said that if too many copies of the test are unaccounted for, a state might have to adjust how many questions it reuses on future tests. State officials said they would not discuss how many questions they will reuse next year.
Each spring, testing documents are shipped to school districts from Pearson, the company that Texas hired to administer its major state tests. The documents are supposed to be stored in a locked location until test day.
When students are finished testing, the answer sheets are shipped immediately back to Pearson for grading. The test booklets are sent back from individual campuses to district officials, who then ship them back to Pearson.
Districts receive more test booklets than they expect to use, Ms. Chandler said. That's in case more students than expected show up on test day. But if schools have more test booklets than they need – and school officials know that missing test booklets will not result in any serious sanction – it could tempt some educators to look at test booklets ahead of time and help students cheat.
In recent years, as allegations of educator-led cheating have hit some Texas schools, several teachers have said that copies of the TAKS test are sometimes circulated around schools before test day.
Dr. Barnes said she doubted that scenario would happen. "We have people signing oaths, and they know that people could report them" if they do something wrong, she said.
But she said that, to her knowledge, no Texas school has been investigated or sanctioned in recent memory for not returning all its test booklets. TEA does not ask schools with large numbers of missing test booklets to explain their disappearance.
According to Texas Education Agency data, 7,084 test booklets from this spring's state testing in DISD have disappeared.
That's many more than other large districts in the state. Houston lost 1,111, Austin lost 436, and Fort Worth lost 384.
Of the lost Dallas test documents, the largest number – 5,989 – were from the state's main exam, the TAKS. The remainder was from other tests, such as the alternative assessment the state gives to special-education students.
Largest disappearance
The state's single largest disappearance of testing documents came in Dallas after the TAKS tests administered on Feb. 22 and 23. Those tests covered reading in grades 3, 5 and 9, writing in grades 4 and 7, and English language arts in grades 10 and 11.
Two of those tests – the reading tests in grades 3 and 5 – carry high stakes for children, because students must generally pass them in order to move on to the next grade.
Of the 64,883 test booklets distributed to DISD for those tests, 5,150 have gone missing, according to state data. That's more than eight times the number of tests to disappear from the next biggest document loss: 627 tests that disappeared from a Houston ISD special-education test session.
Several other area districts also had test documents missing, according to state data. Carrollton-Farmers Branch was missing 100 documents. Plano had 154, Richardson had 136, and Irving had 105.
TEA asked University of North Carolina professor Gregory Cizek to evaluate Texas' test security measures this year, but he did not delve into the issue of lost test documents. As part of his report, he surveyed district testing administrators about their thoughts on weaknesses in the system.
"Tracking secure materials in large districts that have very small staff is like herding cats," one anonymous administrator wrote. "The volume is overwhelming to handle without the chance of something being misplaced. Imagine 63,000 test booklets and three to four people in central trying to keep track of all of it."
Of statewide total, DISD leads in exams lost, mostly TAKS
By JOSHUA BENTON / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - More than 20,000 copies of state tests – supposedly kept under lock and key – disappeared from Texas schools this spring, according to state data. Dallas schools lost more than 7,000 test documents, more than any other district in the state.
State officials say they are reconsidering their testing security policies after some experts said having Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or TAKS, questions floating around the state could put the integrity of the testing system at risk.
"We probably need to look at some ways to strengthen our security," said Susan Barnes, associate commissioner of standards and programs at the Texas Education Agency.
In all, 26,998 secure test documents from spring 2005 were missing as of Oct. 28. That total includes documents such as test coordinator manuals, but the vast majority are the test booklets.
That's a small percentage of the more than 12 million secure test documents the state produces each year for a range of subjects and grade levels, state officials said.
"We have accounted for 99.78 percent of the documents," said Lisa Chandler, TEA's director of assessment. "We're not concerned by that rate."
But some say loose test documents can be a threat, even in small numbers.
"Every time you lose even one, it's potentially a problem," said John Fremer, former top test developer of the SAT and a founder of Caveon, the Utah company that Texas has hired to analyze its test results for signs of cheating. "Whenever you have a large operation where you send out millions of tests, you're going to have some shortage."
The number of missing tests statewide was first reported by KHOU-TV in Houston on Monday. KHOU is owned by Belo, which also owns The Dallas Morning News.
Dallas schools spokesman Donald Claxton said Monday that he did not yet know any details about the missing test documents. "We're looking into it," he said.
Evelyn Reed, Dallas' director of systemwide testing, did not return a phone message Monday.
Normally, having test booklets unaccounted for would not be a major security concern in Texas. For the last several years, the state has released complete copies of its tests to the public shortly after they were administered. The releases were intended to increase public confidence in the tests and to help educators prepare students.
Recycled questions
But those annual releases meant the state had to rewrite all of its tests each year at substantial cost. As a cost-cutting measure, the Texas Education Agency now plans to release its tests every other year and recycle test questions in between releases.
In other words, the 2006 TAKS test will include questions already used on the 2005 TAKS – which means having loose copies of the 2005 test floating around is not a good thing.
"Anytime you don't have entirely new items every year, you have a greater security risk," Dr. Fremer said.
He said that if too many copies of the test are unaccounted for, a state might have to adjust how many questions it reuses on future tests. State officials said they would not discuss how many questions they will reuse next year.
Each spring, testing documents are shipped to school districts from Pearson, the company that Texas hired to administer its major state tests. The documents are supposed to be stored in a locked location until test day.
When students are finished testing, the answer sheets are shipped immediately back to Pearson for grading. The test booklets are sent back from individual campuses to district officials, who then ship them back to Pearson.
Districts receive more test booklets than they expect to use, Ms. Chandler said. That's in case more students than expected show up on test day. But if schools have more test booklets than they need – and school officials know that missing test booklets will not result in any serious sanction – it could tempt some educators to look at test booklets ahead of time and help students cheat.
In recent years, as allegations of educator-led cheating have hit some Texas schools, several teachers have said that copies of the TAKS test are sometimes circulated around schools before test day.
Dr. Barnes said she doubted that scenario would happen. "We have people signing oaths, and they know that people could report them" if they do something wrong, she said.
But she said that, to her knowledge, no Texas school has been investigated or sanctioned in recent memory for not returning all its test booklets. TEA does not ask schools with large numbers of missing test booklets to explain their disappearance.
According to Texas Education Agency data, 7,084 test booklets from this spring's state testing in DISD have disappeared.
That's many more than other large districts in the state. Houston lost 1,111, Austin lost 436, and Fort Worth lost 384.
Of the lost Dallas test documents, the largest number – 5,989 – were from the state's main exam, the TAKS. The remainder was from other tests, such as the alternative assessment the state gives to special-education students.
Largest disappearance
The state's single largest disappearance of testing documents came in Dallas after the TAKS tests administered on Feb. 22 and 23. Those tests covered reading in grades 3, 5 and 9, writing in grades 4 and 7, and English language arts in grades 10 and 11.
Two of those tests – the reading tests in grades 3 and 5 – carry high stakes for children, because students must generally pass them in order to move on to the next grade.
Of the 64,883 test booklets distributed to DISD for those tests, 5,150 have gone missing, according to state data. That's more than eight times the number of tests to disappear from the next biggest document loss: 627 tests that disappeared from a Houston ISD special-education test session.
Several other area districts also had test documents missing, according to state data. Carrollton-Farmers Branch was missing 100 documents. Plano had 154, Richardson had 136, and Irving had 105.
TEA asked University of North Carolina professor Gregory Cizek to evaluate Texas' test security measures this year, but he did not delve into the issue of lost test documents. As part of his report, he surveyed district testing administrators about their thoughts on weaknesses in the system.
"Tracking secure materials in large districts that have very small staff is like herding cats," one anonymous administrator wrote. "The volume is overwhelming to handle without the chance of something being misplaced. Imagine 63,000 test booklets and three to four people in central trying to keep track of all of it."
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TexasStooge
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Grade repeats stay low
Reading effort credited; others cite social promotion loophole
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN, Texas – The big push against social promotion in Texas public schools has been more like a little nudge so far.
A new study from the Texas Education Agency on grade retentions – the number of students who flunk at each grade level – indicates that the percentage of students held back has barely changed, despite a heavily touted state crackdown on automatic promotions.
In 2004, just 2.6 percent of students in third grade – where the primary focus on social promotion has been so far – had been held back.
That was fewer than the previous year, the first time that students were required to pass the reading section of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills to progress to fourth grade.
The percentage was also only marginally higher than the three previous years, when there was no requirement to pass the exam. State officials had predicted that as many as one in eight students might have to repeat third grade under the new law.
While the report details trends at all grade levels, the numbers for third grade are among the most significant findings because those students must now pass the reading section of the TAKS to advance.
In lower grades, the numbers were much higher, perhaps because schools are trying to help children before they get to the all-important third grade. The number of students retained in first grade was more than twice that of third grade.
Explanations
State officials attributed the low failure rate in the third grade to teacher training and reading intervention programs that begin in kindergarten and continue through the early elementary grades. Last spring, fifth-graders became the second class required to pass the TAKS before promotion.
But state researchers noted that the retention rate was held down somewhat by a provision in the law that allows a student who has failed the TAKS in three chances to be promoted if his principal, teacher and parents agree.
According to the study, 46.4 percent of students who failed the test repeated the third grade. The rest were promoted after their parents successfully appealed.
Still, educators and researchers suggested the problem of social promotion – passing students based on age rather than achievement – was not as great as former Gov. George W. Bush contended when he persuaded the Legislature to launch the program shortly before he became president.
Sandy Kress, former education adviser to Mr. Bush, said the low retention rate among third-graders should cause school districts to take a closer look at the committees that can promote students who fail the test.
"School superintendents and principals ought to be sure that the standards used by these committees are rigorous and follow the intent of the law," Mr. Kress said.
Mr. Kress said he cannot judge whether the promotion committees are operating as intended and noted that many of the students are improving thanks to intensive help after they first fail the TAKS.
"But if people begin to become lax in making these decisions ... then the effectiveness of the program could be compromised," he said.
The standards
Others said the standards for passing the high-stakes exam may be too low.
"I hesitate to say teachers are doing a great job because the standards for student assessment in Texas are lower than in other states," said Chris Patterson, research director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank.
Richard Kouri of the Texas State Teachers Association played down the significance of the third-grade requirement, noting that more students failed in kindergarten, first and second grade before the rule took effect – and there are still higher retention rates in those grades.
"In talking to our elementary teachers, the prevailing philosophy is that you don't want to let a kid go too far through school behind the rest of his or her class," Mr. Kouri said. "The best time to catch a student up is in the earliest grades."
Mr. Kouri also said the negative impact of retention on a younger student is not as great as in the later grades. In other words, the older the child gets, the more aware he is that he's not advancing with his classmates.
About 6.4 percent of first-graders – 21,101 pupils – were held back after the 2003-04 school year, according to the TEA study. In third grade, 8,196 were held back.
Other findings
The education agency's study, released last week, also found:
•In elementary grades, retention rates were highest in first grade, followed by second grade and kindergarten. Fifth grade was lowest – about 1 percent – and fourth and sixth grades were slightly higher.
•In secondary grades, the failure rate was highest among ninth-graders, where 16.5 percent of students began their second year of high school as freshmen. The percentage, while high, reflects improvement since 1999, when 18.8 percent of ninth-graders were retained.
•Overall, 4.7 percent of all Texas students were repeating a grade in 2004-05. That figure – representing 187,037 out of 4 million students – was unchanged from the previous year.
•Black and Hispanic students were far more likely to be retained than white or Asian students. About 6 percent of all black and Hispanic children were retained in 2004, compared with 2.9 percent of whites and 1.8 percent of Asian students. Among students from low-income families, 5.7 percent were held back.
"The disparities in retention rates across ethnic groups were significant," TEA researchers concluded. They noted that black and Hispanic elementary students were nearly twice as likely to be held back.
Debbie Ratcliffe, a spokeswoman for the education agency, credited teacher training and reading programs for the low retention rate in third grade. The state has spent more than $500 million on such programs since 1999, when the law to curtail social promotion was enacted"There hasn't been a spike [in retentions] at third grade because we are identifying the kids who need help much earlier," Ms. Ratcliffe said. "It is better if you nip the problem in the bud rather than wait for the child to fail."
She also said kindergarten and first grade "will probably always have higher retention rates, for emotional and social reasons as much as academic reasons. Sometimes, people just guess wrong about when a child is ready for school."
The high failure rate among ninth-graders is long-standing and stems in large part from the different course structure in high school, where students need to pass at least six classes each year to advance. High school students now need 24 credits to graduate – or six credits per year.
Unlike elementary schoolchildren, high school students only have to retake the classes they fail.
But the failure of so many ninth-graders has been cited as a key factor in the state's high dropout rate, as some students get discouraged by their inability to pass classes when they reach high school.
"Our concern is that we have been focusing in Texas on improvement in the early grades but not paid as much attention to students when they reach high school," said Ms. Patterson of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAILING THE STANDARD
A look at what happened to third- and fourth-graders who failed social promotion standards in 2003-04:
THIRD GRADE
Students who failed standard: 8,621
Students promoted anyway: 4,618 (53.5%)*
Students retained: 4,003 (46.4%)
FOURTH GRADE
Students who failed standard: 61,776
Students promoted anyway: 58,120 (94.1%)
Students retained: 3,653 (5.9%)
Students whose fates are unknown: 3 (less than 0.1%)
*The state report specifies that 1,496 students were promoted by grade-placement committees composed of a parent, teacher and principal. The reason for the other 3,122 students' promotions is unclear, partly due to incomplete records, the state said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[url-http://www.tea.state.tx.us/research/pdfs/retention_2003-04.pdf]Download the TEA report[/url]
Reading effort credited; others cite social promotion loophole
By TERRENCE STUTZ / The Dallas Morning News
AUSTIN, Texas – The big push against social promotion in Texas public schools has been more like a little nudge so far.
A new study from the Texas Education Agency on grade retentions – the number of students who flunk at each grade level – indicates that the percentage of students held back has barely changed, despite a heavily touted state crackdown on automatic promotions.
In 2004, just 2.6 percent of students in third grade – where the primary focus on social promotion has been so far – had been held back.
That was fewer than the previous year, the first time that students were required to pass the reading section of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills to progress to fourth grade.
The percentage was also only marginally higher than the three previous years, when there was no requirement to pass the exam. State officials had predicted that as many as one in eight students might have to repeat third grade under the new law.
While the report details trends at all grade levels, the numbers for third grade are among the most significant findings because those students must now pass the reading section of the TAKS to advance.
In lower grades, the numbers were much higher, perhaps because schools are trying to help children before they get to the all-important third grade. The number of students retained in first grade was more than twice that of third grade.
Explanations
State officials attributed the low failure rate in the third grade to teacher training and reading intervention programs that begin in kindergarten and continue through the early elementary grades. Last spring, fifth-graders became the second class required to pass the TAKS before promotion.
But state researchers noted that the retention rate was held down somewhat by a provision in the law that allows a student who has failed the TAKS in three chances to be promoted if his principal, teacher and parents agree.
According to the study, 46.4 percent of students who failed the test repeated the third grade. The rest were promoted after their parents successfully appealed.
Still, educators and researchers suggested the problem of social promotion – passing students based on age rather than achievement – was not as great as former Gov. George W. Bush contended when he persuaded the Legislature to launch the program shortly before he became president.
Sandy Kress, former education adviser to Mr. Bush, said the low retention rate among third-graders should cause school districts to take a closer look at the committees that can promote students who fail the test.
"School superintendents and principals ought to be sure that the standards used by these committees are rigorous and follow the intent of the law," Mr. Kress said.
Mr. Kress said he cannot judge whether the promotion committees are operating as intended and noted that many of the students are improving thanks to intensive help after they first fail the TAKS.
"But if people begin to become lax in making these decisions ... then the effectiveness of the program could be compromised," he said.
The standards
Others said the standards for passing the high-stakes exam may be too low.
"I hesitate to say teachers are doing a great job because the standards for student assessment in Texas are lower than in other states," said Chris Patterson, research director for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, a conservative think tank.
Richard Kouri of the Texas State Teachers Association played down the significance of the third-grade requirement, noting that more students failed in kindergarten, first and second grade before the rule took effect – and there are still higher retention rates in those grades.
"In talking to our elementary teachers, the prevailing philosophy is that you don't want to let a kid go too far through school behind the rest of his or her class," Mr. Kouri said. "The best time to catch a student up is in the earliest grades."
Mr. Kouri also said the negative impact of retention on a younger student is not as great as in the later grades. In other words, the older the child gets, the more aware he is that he's not advancing with his classmates.
About 6.4 percent of first-graders – 21,101 pupils – were held back after the 2003-04 school year, according to the TEA study. In third grade, 8,196 were held back.
Other findings
The education agency's study, released last week, also found:
•In elementary grades, retention rates were highest in first grade, followed by second grade and kindergarten. Fifth grade was lowest – about 1 percent – and fourth and sixth grades were slightly higher.
•In secondary grades, the failure rate was highest among ninth-graders, where 16.5 percent of students began their second year of high school as freshmen. The percentage, while high, reflects improvement since 1999, when 18.8 percent of ninth-graders were retained.
•Overall, 4.7 percent of all Texas students were repeating a grade in 2004-05. That figure – representing 187,037 out of 4 million students – was unchanged from the previous year.
•Black and Hispanic students were far more likely to be retained than white or Asian students. About 6 percent of all black and Hispanic children were retained in 2004, compared with 2.9 percent of whites and 1.8 percent of Asian students. Among students from low-income families, 5.7 percent were held back.
"The disparities in retention rates across ethnic groups were significant," TEA researchers concluded. They noted that black and Hispanic elementary students were nearly twice as likely to be held back.
Debbie Ratcliffe, a spokeswoman for the education agency, credited teacher training and reading programs for the low retention rate in third grade. The state has spent more than $500 million on such programs since 1999, when the law to curtail social promotion was enacted"There hasn't been a spike [in retentions] at third grade because we are identifying the kids who need help much earlier," Ms. Ratcliffe said. "It is better if you nip the problem in the bud rather than wait for the child to fail."
She also said kindergarten and first grade "will probably always have higher retention rates, for emotional and social reasons as much as academic reasons. Sometimes, people just guess wrong about when a child is ready for school."
The high failure rate among ninth-graders is long-standing and stems in large part from the different course structure in high school, where students need to pass at least six classes each year to advance. High school students now need 24 credits to graduate – or six credits per year.
Unlike elementary schoolchildren, high school students only have to retake the classes they fail.
But the failure of so many ninth-graders has been cited as a key factor in the state's high dropout rate, as some students get discouraged by their inability to pass classes when they reach high school.
"Our concern is that we have been focusing in Texas on improvement in the early grades but not paid as much attention to students when they reach high school," said Ms. Patterson of the Texas Public Policy Foundation.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FAILING THE STANDARD
A look at what happened to third- and fourth-graders who failed social promotion standards in 2003-04:
THIRD GRADE
Students who failed standard: 8,621
Students promoted anyway: 4,618 (53.5%)*
Students retained: 4,003 (46.4%)
FOURTH GRADE
Students who failed standard: 61,776
Students promoted anyway: 58,120 (94.1%)
Students retained: 3,653 (5.9%)
Students whose fates are unknown: 3 (less than 0.1%)
*The state report specifies that 1,496 students were promoted by grade-placement committees composed of a parent, teacher and principal. The reason for the other 3,122 students' promotions is unclear, partly due to incomplete records, the state said.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[url-http://www.tea.state.tx.us/research/pdfs/retention_2003-04.pdf]Download the TEA report[/url]
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TexasStooge
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Police investigate Plano apartment robberies
PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police are investigating two home invasion robberies at Plano apartment complexes.
The first happened early Monday morning on Ohio Drive.
The second occurred about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday morning at a complex on Whitestone Drive.
In both cases, the victims said a black male at least six feet tall with a muscular build broke into their apartments and demanded their ATM cards.
Police are searching for suspects and believe the two offenses are related.
PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police are investigating two home invasion robberies at Plano apartment complexes.
The first happened early Monday morning on Ohio Drive.
The second occurred about 4:30 a.m. Tuesday morning at a complex on Whitestone Drive.
In both cases, the victims said a black male at least six feet tall with a muscular build broke into their apartments and demanded their ATM cards.
Police are searching for suspects and believe the two offenses are related.
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TexasStooge
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- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
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Police: No charges in girl's fatal shooting
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas police said Tuesday they do not plan to file charges in connection with the pellet gun death of a four-year-old girl.
The five-year-old cousin of Esmerelda Contreras found the weapon and accidentally shot her at a home in Southeast Dallas on Saturday afternoon.
The girl died later at a hospital.
Police said they boy's parents won't face charges in the tragic shooting.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas police said Tuesday they do not plan to file charges in connection with the pellet gun death of a four-year-old girl.
The five-year-old cousin of Esmerelda Contreras found the weapon and accidentally shot her at a home in Southeast Dallas on Saturday afternoon.
The girl died later at a hospital.
Police said they boy's parents won't face charges in the tragic shooting.
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TexasStooge
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'Fabulous' turnout for election
By KIMBERLY DURNAN and APRIL KINSER / DallasNews.com
Dave Richardson doesn't always get involved in political issues, but he was motivated to vote Tuesday because he wants to knock down a proposed constitutional amendment that would make same-sex marriages unconstitutional in Texas.
"People in same-sex unions should have the same rights as everyone else," said Richardson, 60, of Dallas. "We do not need to have an amendment to take away rights."
Proposition 2 would place a ban on same-sex marriage in the Texas Constitution and prohibit the state or local governments from creating or recognizing "any legal status identical or similar to marriage."
It is the most high-profile and controversial measure among the statewide constitutional ballot initiatives and was believed to be generating a higher-than-normal turnout for an off-year election.
Other local measures drawing voters were a bond issue that would provide for building a homeless shelter in downtown Dallas and a referendum to give more power to the Dallas mayor.
Laura Weston, who voted at the Walnut Hill Recreation Center, said her religious beliefs spurred her decision to vote for Proposition 2.
"Marriage is, in fact, a union between one man and one woman," Weston said. "Although I know people and have relatives who are gay, it should not be considered a marriage."
At several Dallas voting precincts, booths were packed, lines were long and voters filled out their ballots by squatting in corners and crouching on church pews.
"Usually a constitutional amendment election is such a yawner, you can watch the grass grow," said Precinct 3006 election judge David Morris at Bethany Presbyterian Church. "This turnout is more like a mayor's race."
By 9 a.m., more than 100 voters had been through the recreation center, an "absolutely fabulous" turnout for an off-year election, judge Joan Pratt said.
"It's surprising how busy it is, but there are some touchy issues driving people here," Pratt said. "I definitely think Proposition 2 is getting people here this morning."
At the Oak Lawn branch of the Dallas library, lines were 15 deep with a 20-minute wait, said election judge Paul Lynam.
"We have more voters than booths," he said. "We are in the any-flat-surface-will-do mode."
Michael Landers, 41, of Dallas said it was worth the wait to cast his vote against the strong-mayor proposal, his rationale being that Mayor Laura Miller hasn’t been effective with the power she already has.
"She's been pushing that forever," he said. "My God. How many times can she run for office? Is it over yet?"
Steve Golonka, 44, said a stronger-mayor type government would provide more checks and balances for the City Council.
"I think it's going to make them more accountable," said Golonka, who voted for the measure. "I can't really affect all 14 City Council members now, but if this passes, I can have more of a say."
Mary Clare Edwards, 59, of Dallas said she was drawn to vote for the homeless shelter.
Proposition 14 calls for allocating $23.8 million in bond money to build a 24-hour homeless facility and single-room-occupancy apartments.
"We need a homeless shelter downtown to give them a place to shower and get them help with a job and not cast them off like the untouchables," she said.
Howard Weinberger, 67, said he objects to the shelter because he believes it will hurt downtown business. "You can't even use the library downtown anymore," he said.
By KIMBERLY DURNAN and APRIL KINSER / DallasNews.com
Dave Richardson doesn't always get involved in political issues, but he was motivated to vote Tuesday because he wants to knock down a proposed constitutional amendment that would make same-sex marriages unconstitutional in Texas.
"People in same-sex unions should have the same rights as everyone else," said Richardson, 60, of Dallas. "We do not need to have an amendment to take away rights."
Proposition 2 would place a ban on same-sex marriage in the Texas Constitution and prohibit the state or local governments from creating or recognizing "any legal status identical or similar to marriage."
It is the most high-profile and controversial measure among the statewide constitutional ballot initiatives and was believed to be generating a higher-than-normal turnout for an off-year election.
Other local measures drawing voters were a bond issue that would provide for building a homeless shelter in downtown Dallas and a referendum to give more power to the Dallas mayor.
Laura Weston, who voted at the Walnut Hill Recreation Center, said her religious beliefs spurred her decision to vote for Proposition 2.
"Marriage is, in fact, a union between one man and one woman," Weston said. "Although I know people and have relatives who are gay, it should not be considered a marriage."
At several Dallas voting precincts, booths were packed, lines were long and voters filled out their ballots by squatting in corners and crouching on church pews.
"Usually a constitutional amendment election is such a yawner, you can watch the grass grow," said Precinct 3006 election judge David Morris at Bethany Presbyterian Church. "This turnout is more like a mayor's race."
By 9 a.m., more than 100 voters had been through the recreation center, an "absolutely fabulous" turnout for an off-year election, judge Joan Pratt said.
"It's surprising how busy it is, but there are some touchy issues driving people here," Pratt said. "I definitely think Proposition 2 is getting people here this morning."
At the Oak Lawn branch of the Dallas library, lines were 15 deep with a 20-minute wait, said election judge Paul Lynam.
"We have more voters than booths," he said. "We are in the any-flat-surface-will-do mode."
Michael Landers, 41, of Dallas said it was worth the wait to cast his vote against the strong-mayor proposal, his rationale being that Mayor Laura Miller hasn’t been effective with the power she already has.
"She's been pushing that forever," he said. "My God. How many times can she run for office? Is it over yet?"
Steve Golonka, 44, said a stronger-mayor type government would provide more checks and balances for the City Council.
"I think it's going to make them more accountable," said Golonka, who voted for the measure. "I can't really affect all 14 City Council members now, but if this passes, I can have more of a say."
Mary Clare Edwards, 59, of Dallas said she was drawn to vote for the homeless shelter.
Proposition 14 calls for allocating $23.8 million in bond money to build a 24-hour homeless facility and single-room-occupancy apartments.
"We need a homeless shelter downtown to give them a place to shower and get them help with a job and not cast them off like the untouchables," she said.
Howard Weinberger, 67, said he objects to the shelter because he believes it will hurt downtown business. "You can't even use the library downtown anymore," he said.
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TexasStooge
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Amber Alert issued for missing infant
DECATUR, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/WFAA.com) - The Decatur police department issued an Amber Alert Tuesday afternoon for a seven-month-old child who was taken from his grandmother.
Police said John Christopher Stephenson Jr. was last seen around 1 p.m. with his mother, who does not have legal custody of the boy.
The suspect, Alicia Pearl Stephenson, 26, was driving an older blue Chevrolet pickup truck with damage to the left front fender. Police said her last known address was in Durant, Okla.
Anyone with information about the infant or his mother was asked to call Decaur police at 940-627-1500.
Decatur is 35 miles northwest of Fort Worth in Wise County.
DECATUR, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/WFAA.com) - The Decatur police department issued an Amber Alert Tuesday afternoon for a seven-month-old child who was taken from his grandmother.
Police said John Christopher Stephenson Jr. was last seen around 1 p.m. with his mother, who does not have legal custody of the boy.
The suspect, Alicia Pearl Stephenson, 26, was driving an older blue Chevrolet pickup truck with damage to the left front fender. Police said her last known address was in Durant, Okla.
Anyone with information about the infant or his mother was asked to call Decaur police at 940-627-1500.
Decatur is 35 miles northwest of Fort Worth in Wise County.
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TexasStooge
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Prop 2 bringing out voters
By KIMBERLY DURNAN and APRIL KINSER / DallasNews.com
Dave Richardson doesn't always get involved in political issues, but he was motivated to vote Tuesday because he wants to knock down a proposed constitutional amendment that would make same-sex marriages unconstitutional in Texas.
"People in same-sex unions should have the same rights as everyone else," said Richardson, 60, of Dallas. "We do not need to have an amendment to take away rights."
Proposition 2 would place a ban on same-sex marriage in the Texas Constitution and prohibit the state or local governments from creating or recognizing "any legal status identical or similar to marriage."
It is the most high-profile and controversial measure among the statewide constitutional ballot initiatives and was believed to be generating a higher-than-normal turnout for an off-year election.
Other local measures drawing voters were a bond issue that would provide for building a homeless shelter in downtown Dallas and a referendum to give more power to the Dallas mayor.
Laura Weston, who voted at the Walnut Hill Recreation Center, said her religious beliefs spurred her decision to vote for Proposition 2.
"Marriage is, in fact, a union between one man and one woman," Weston said. "Although I know people and have relatives who are gay, it should not be considered a marriage."
At several Dallas voting precincts, booths were packed, lines were long and voters filled out their ballots by squatting in corners and crouching on church pews.
"Usually a constitutional amendment election is such a yawner, you can watch the grass grow," said Precinct 3006 election judge David Morris at Bethany Presbyterian Church. "This turnout is more like a mayor's race."
By 9 a.m., more than 100 voters had been through the recreation center, an "absolutely fabulous" turnout for an off-year election, judge Joan Pratt said.
"It's surprising how busy it is, but there are some touchy issues driving people here," Pratt said. "I definitely think Proposition 2 is getting people here this morning."
At the Oak Lawn branch of the Dallas library, lines were 15 deep with a 20-minute wait, said election judge Paul Lynam.
"We have more voters than booths," he said. "We are in the any-flat-surface-will-do mode."
Michael Landers, 41, of Dallas said it was worth the wait to cast his vote against the strong-mayor proposal, his rationale being that Mayor Laura Miller hasn’t been effective with the power she already has.
"She's been pushing that forever," he said. "My God. How many times can she run for office? Is it over yet?"
Steve Golonka, 44, said a stronger-mayor type government would provide more checks and balances for the City Council.
"I think it's going to make them more accountable," said Golonka, who voted for the measure. "I can't really affect all 14 City Council members now, but if this passes, I can have more of a say."
Mary Clare Edwards, 59, of Dallas said she was drawn to vote for the homeless shelter.
Proposition 14 calls for allocating $23.8 million in bond money to build a 24-hour homeless facility and single-room-occupancy apartments.
"We need a homeless shelter downtown to give them a place to shower and get them help with a job and not cast them off like the untouchables," she said.
Howard Weinberger, 67, said he objects to the shelter because he believes it will hurt downtown business. "You can't even use the library downtown anymore," he said.
By KIMBERLY DURNAN and APRIL KINSER / DallasNews.com
Dave Richardson doesn't always get involved in political issues, but he was motivated to vote Tuesday because he wants to knock down a proposed constitutional amendment that would make same-sex marriages unconstitutional in Texas.
"People in same-sex unions should have the same rights as everyone else," said Richardson, 60, of Dallas. "We do not need to have an amendment to take away rights."
Proposition 2 would place a ban on same-sex marriage in the Texas Constitution and prohibit the state or local governments from creating or recognizing "any legal status identical or similar to marriage."
It is the most high-profile and controversial measure among the statewide constitutional ballot initiatives and was believed to be generating a higher-than-normal turnout for an off-year election.
Other local measures drawing voters were a bond issue that would provide for building a homeless shelter in downtown Dallas and a referendum to give more power to the Dallas mayor.
Laura Weston, who voted at the Walnut Hill Recreation Center, said her religious beliefs spurred her decision to vote for Proposition 2.
"Marriage is, in fact, a union between one man and one woman," Weston said. "Although I know people and have relatives who are gay, it should not be considered a marriage."
At several Dallas voting precincts, booths were packed, lines were long and voters filled out their ballots by squatting in corners and crouching on church pews.
"Usually a constitutional amendment election is such a yawner, you can watch the grass grow," said Precinct 3006 election judge David Morris at Bethany Presbyterian Church. "This turnout is more like a mayor's race."
By 9 a.m., more than 100 voters had been through the recreation center, an "absolutely fabulous" turnout for an off-year election, judge Joan Pratt said.
"It's surprising how busy it is, but there are some touchy issues driving people here," Pratt said. "I definitely think Proposition 2 is getting people here this morning."
At the Oak Lawn branch of the Dallas library, lines were 15 deep with a 20-minute wait, said election judge Paul Lynam.
"We have more voters than booths," he said. "We are in the any-flat-surface-will-do mode."
Michael Landers, 41, of Dallas said it was worth the wait to cast his vote against the strong-mayor proposal, his rationale being that Mayor Laura Miller hasn’t been effective with the power she already has.
"She's been pushing that forever," he said. "My God. How many times can she run for office? Is it over yet?"
Steve Golonka, 44, said a stronger-mayor type government would provide more checks and balances for the City Council.
"I think it's going to make them more accountable," said Golonka, who voted for the measure. "I can't really affect all 14 City Council members now, but if this passes, I can have more of a say."
Mary Clare Edwards, 59, of Dallas said she was drawn to vote for the homeless shelter.
Proposition 14 calls for allocating $23.8 million in bond money to build a 24-hour homeless facility and single-room-occupancy apartments.
"We need a homeless shelter downtown to give them a place to shower and get them help with a job and not cast them off like the untouchables," she said.
Howard Weinberger, 67, said he objects to the shelter because he believes it will hurt downtown business. "You can't even use the library downtown anymore," he said.
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TexasStooge
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- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
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Home on the ... pavement?
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - It's something you just don't see everyday on the streets of downtown Dallas: a longhorn cattle drive.
The 100 bovines drew crowds and stopped traffic on Main Street Tuesday morning as part of a promotion for the Texas Stampede at the American Airlines Center this weekend.
The parade of livestock and cowboys started at 11 a.m. at the corner of Main and St. Paul Street. The herd then headed west to Houston Street and finished up just outside the Sixth Floor Museum in the Dallas West End.
The Texas Stampede marries rodeo events and musical acts like Cross Canadian Ragweed and Martina McBride.
Other Stampede activities include a poker tournament and barbequeue cookoff. Proceeds will benefit Children's Medical Center Dallas. Since its inception in 2001, the Texas Stampede has raised more than $2.2 million.
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - It's something you just don't see everyday on the streets of downtown Dallas: a longhorn cattle drive.
The 100 bovines drew crowds and stopped traffic on Main Street Tuesday morning as part of a promotion for the Texas Stampede at the American Airlines Center this weekend.
The parade of livestock and cowboys started at 11 a.m. at the corner of Main and St. Paul Street. The herd then headed west to Houston Street and finished up just outside the Sixth Floor Museum in the Dallas West End.
The Texas Stampede marries rodeo events and musical acts like Cross Canadian Ragweed and Martina McBride.
Other Stampede activities include a poker tournament and barbequeue cookoff. Proceeds will benefit Children's Medical Center Dallas. Since its inception in 2001, the Texas Stampede has raised more than $2.2 million.
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rainstorm
TexasStooge wrote:Police: No charges in girl's fatal shooting
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas police said Tuesday they do not plan to file charges in connection with the pellet gun death of a four-year-old girl.
The five-year-old cousin of Esmerelda Contreras found the weapon and accidentally shot her at a home in Southeast Dallas on Saturday afternoon.
The girl died later at a hospital.
Police said they boy's parents won't face charges in the tragic shooting.
no need for charges here
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TexasStooge
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- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
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Mansfield on alert after abduction attempts
By DEBBIE DENMON / WFAA ABC 8
MANSFIELD, Texas - Students in the Mansfield Independent School District are on alert after a man allegedly tried to abduct a 16-year-old female.
However, this wasn't the first incident in the area. The student's experience made it the third reported abduction attempt involving MISD students.
The first report happened in August when a man tried to grab a girl at a bus stop. A second report occurred in September when a girl said a man tried to abduct her at an apartment complex.
The latest incident occurred in the 1500 block of Walnut Creek Drive at an auditorium at Mansfield High School.
That night, there was one Mansfield officer patrolling the campus, but he was not near the crime scene of the assault.
The 16-year-old female said she was grabbed from behind in the auditorium's parking lot. However, someone appeared during the attempt and the suspect drove away.
"As I understand, she was by herself [and] meeting some people there," said Terry Morawski, a Mansfield ISD spokesperson. "But she was by herself...But, I guess she got lucky that someone was in the area to help her out."
That someone had one parent expressing gratitude.
"I think he was a brave soldier," said parent LaTonya Wallace. "I think more people need to get involved in things and step out like that. So, I say God bless him and thank you for saving another child's life."
Melvin Griggs, as well as other students at the high school, heard about the assault over the school's intercom.
"It's a big shock to me, because you would never think something like this would go down in Mansfield," Griggs said. "...No one knows about Mansfield. It is a small community."
A letter was sent to parents in kindergarten through eight grade alerting them of the Nov. 3 incident at the Willy Pig Auditorium.
Since police are still searching for the suspect, many parents have said it is their job to teach children how to stay safe.
"Too many times as parents we just think that our kids, once they start driving, are adults and they should know how to make adult decisions," said parent Betty Wobig. "But they can't. They are still 16-year-olds and we still have responsibilities as parents to help our children realize the dangers that are out there."
By DEBBIE DENMON / WFAA ABC 8
MANSFIELD, Texas - Students in the Mansfield Independent School District are on alert after a man allegedly tried to abduct a 16-year-old female.
However, this wasn't the first incident in the area. The student's experience made it the third reported abduction attempt involving MISD students.
The first report happened in August when a man tried to grab a girl at a bus stop. A second report occurred in September when a girl said a man tried to abduct her at an apartment complex.
The latest incident occurred in the 1500 block of Walnut Creek Drive at an auditorium at Mansfield High School.
That night, there was one Mansfield officer patrolling the campus, but he was not near the crime scene of the assault.
The 16-year-old female said she was grabbed from behind in the auditorium's parking lot. However, someone appeared during the attempt and the suspect drove away.
"As I understand, she was by herself [and] meeting some people there," said Terry Morawski, a Mansfield ISD spokesperson. "But she was by herself...But, I guess she got lucky that someone was in the area to help her out."
That someone had one parent expressing gratitude.
"I think he was a brave soldier," said parent LaTonya Wallace. "I think more people need to get involved in things and step out like that. So, I say God bless him and thank you for saving another child's life."
Melvin Griggs, as well as other students at the high school, heard about the assault over the school's intercom.
"It's a big shock to me, because you would never think something like this would go down in Mansfield," Griggs said. "...No one knows about Mansfield. It is a small community."
A letter was sent to parents in kindergarten through eight grade alerting them of the Nov. 3 incident at the Willy Pig Auditorium.
Since police are still searching for the suspect, many parents have said it is their job to teach children how to stay safe.
"Too many times as parents we just think that our kids, once they start driving, are adults and they should know how to make adult decisions," said parent Betty Wobig. "But they can't. They are still 16-year-olds and we still have responsibilities as parents to help our children realize the dangers that are out there."
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TexasStooge
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- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Tax incentives raise eyebrows for new WalMart
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - A new battle is brewing at Dallas City Hall over tax incentives for a WalMart project that may go up near the corner of Abrams Road and Forest Lane.
The proposed 17 acre site is a place where retail has struggled and drug crime and prostitution has plagued.
However, supporters of the project said a WalMart Supercenter could turn things around.
"I think it will be a catalyst to really redevelop all along that Forest Lane block face," said Bill Blaydes, Dallas City council member.
With it's proximity to the LBJ Freeway, Blaydes said it's the perfect spot. But some neighbors disagree with the council member.
"What do we need with a Supercenter?" said resident Robin John. "We got enough of those [and] we don't need another one."
John said she fears the shopping center will bring a jump in traffic for those nearby.
"I have a hard enough time to get into my place on Friday at 6:00 p.m.," she said.
While this may sounds like a typical WalMart fight, there's a new twist to the proposal.
News 8 learned of a tax incentive crafted to secure the deal if needed. The city would return 50 percent of its sales tax revenue from the store up to a million dollars.
Officials said WalMart hasn't asked for the deal. Instead, the developer asked to possibly pay purchase, relocation and demolition costs. Mayor Laura Miller said that's not the taxpayers' problem.
"I wasn't sure that was a good location for a WalMart anyway, but I certainly don't want the taxpayers to have to subsidize it to the tune of a million dollars," she said.
But Blaydes said the city isn't getting much from the properties now. WalMart would bring in new revenue and revive the area. He thinks it's a good deal.
"Long term, I don't think there's any doubt about it," he said.
The council will be asked to vote on zoning changes to clear the way for the WalMart.
However, Miller said she felt the council should have been told the project might eventually include tax incentives. She said the council members should see the whole picture before making their decision.
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - A new battle is brewing at Dallas City Hall over tax incentives for a WalMart project that may go up near the corner of Abrams Road and Forest Lane.
The proposed 17 acre site is a place where retail has struggled and drug crime and prostitution has plagued.
However, supporters of the project said a WalMart Supercenter could turn things around.
"I think it will be a catalyst to really redevelop all along that Forest Lane block face," said Bill Blaydes, Dallas City council member.
With it's proximity to the LBJ Freeway, Blaydes said it's the perfect spot. But some neighbors disagree with the council member.
"What do we need with a Supercenter?" said resident Robin John. "We got enough of those [and] we don't need another one."
John said she fears the shopping center will bring a jump in traffic for those nearby.
"I have a hard enough time to get into my place on Friday at 6:00 p.m.," she said.
While this may sounds like a typical WalMart fight, there's a new twist to the proposal.
News 8 learned of a tax incentive crafted to secure the deal if needed. The city would return 50 percent of its sales tax revenue from the store up to a million dollars.
Officials said WalMart hasn't asked for the deal. Instead, the developer asked to possibly pay purchase, relocation and demolition costs. Mayor Laura Miller said that's not the taxpayers' problem.
"I wasn't sure that was a good location for a WalMart anyway, but I certainly don't want the taxpayers to have to subsidize it to the tune of a million dollars," she said.
But Blaydes said the city isn't getting much from the properties now. WalMart would bring in new revenue and revive the area. He thinks it's a good deal.
"Long term, I don't think there's any doubt about it," he said.
The council will be asked to vote on zoning changes to clear the way for the WalMart.
However, Miller said she felt the council should have been told the project might eventually include tax incentives. She said the council members should see the whole picture before making their decision.
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