News from the Lone Star State

[TexasStooge]

Wrong-way driver causes fatal crash on I-20

ARLINGTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Arlington police blamed a fatal crash on Interstate 20 early Sunday on a wrong-way driver.

Investigators said a 25-year-old woman was driving her Geo Prizm westbound in the eastbound lanes of I-20 near Highway 360 about 4:30 a.m. and collided with a Mitsubishi Galant.

The woman—whose name was not released—was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 42-year-old man who was driving the Galant was taken by helicopter ambulance to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth for treatment. His name and his condition were not released.

Police said they would investigate whether alcohol was a factor in the fatal crash.

Dallas Morning News writer Brandon Formby contributed to this report.

[TexasStooge]

90-year-old Lancaster man missing

Police seek help from public

LANCASTER, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - Lancaster police are seeking the public’s help in locating a missing 90-year-old man.

Clarence Jerome Davis was last seen leaving a friend’s home in Lancaster at about 2 p.m. Friday. Mr. Davis is a white man, about 5-foot-6 and 104 pounds. He has white hair and sometimes wears glasses. He was last seen wearing a gray flannel shirt, gray Haggar pants and black slip-on shoes.

He drives a black 1998 GMC Sierra pickup truck with license plate 17LWP1. The truck has a white camper shell that has no glass on the rear door. The truck has damage to the rear bumper on the driver’s side and a running board on the passenger side only.

Police said Mr. Davis has Alzheimer’s disease, is hard of hearing and requires daily medication, which he did not take with him. Mr. Davis was lost earlier this year but was later found in McKinney.

He has a lake house on Cedar Creek Lake near Gun Barrel City. Anyone with information is asked to call Lancaster police at 972-227-2311.

[TexasStooge]

Neighbors build on a community's past

By MICHAEL E. YOUNG / The Dallas Morning News

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas - Neighborhoods pulse with life just as their inhabitants do, growing younger or older with shifting populations, richer or poorer, friendly or fearsome.

Change can be slow and steady or sweep through almost overnight. But change comes.

Bear Creek, a historically black neighborhood now split between Irving and Grand Prairie that was once home to 1,000 families, has grown increasingly diverse. It's also experiencing a wave of new development.

As Irving takes steps to preserve some of the community's heritage, new residents of different ethnic backgrounds continue to move in.

Dallas' Vickery Meadow, filled with apartment buildings designed for single professionals, transformed into a neighborhood of mostly poor immigrants, families jammed together in small spaces.

North, south and east of the city, rural enclaves all but disappear in the rush to the newest suburbs. And the inner-ring cities face the struggle to remain vital as residents and their housing age.

The Dallas Morning News will look at these neighborhoods and others – their past and present, their history and heritage – and try to gauge what the future might hold.

[TexasStooge]

Woman mauled to death by dogs

THORNDALE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) – A pack of six dogs mauled a 76-year-old woman to death as she worked in her front yard, authorities said.

Lillian Loraine Stiles was riding on a lawn mower in her front yard Saturday when she was confronted by the dogs, described as a pit bull-rottweiler mix, said Milam County Sheriff Charlie West.

Investigators think Stiles was heading back into her house after getting off the lawn mower when she was attacked.

Stiles, who had severe bites over her entire body, was pronounced dead at her home. A man who tried to help Stiles was bitten on his leg.

The six dogs were found at the home of Stiles' neighbor, Jose Hernandez. Thorndale is located about 70 miles west of College Station.

Five of the dogs were seized by the sheriff's department and taken to a veterinary clinic in nearby Cameron.

An autopsy on Stiles will be performed by the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office.

The sheriff's department will send the findings of its investigation to the Milam County District Attorney's Office, which will decide if any criminal charges will be filed against Hernandez.

[TexasStooge]

Breakfast club offers food for thought on city

Irving: Residents, leaders meet weekly to share ideas, project updates

By DEBORAH FLECK / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas - The group meets every Wednesday in Irving. It boasts no officers, no bylaws and no rules. Yet like clockwork its members gather bright and early at the Las Colinas Country Club. They always end up sharing much more than breakfast.

The Henry Holmes breakfast group, as it's often called, offers news about everything and anything in Irving. The much-beloved tradition began about 15 years ago as a way to get residents to run for elective office.

"It all started with a banker and a doctor," said Jennings Smith, who serves as the group's moderator. The banker was the late Henry Holmes, who liked to meet regularly with his friend, the late Dr. Robert Pierce.

"They liked to talk about issues important to Irving and a little politics," Mr. Smith said.

Little by little, more residents joined them. They met at JoJo's on Airport Freeway until the restaurant closed. Around 1998, members headed north to the country club and have congregated there ever since.

The informal gathering now attracts a loyal contingent of those who care about what is happening in their hometown. More than 50 men and women usually stop by each week.

Mayor Herbert Gears and chamber of commerce President Chris Wallace regularly attend. Municipal employees not only from City Hall but also from other areas such as the Arts Center and the Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau can be found in the crowd. Many business executives of companies based in Irving also come when they can.

"It is a pretty good venue to help a person 'stay in the know,' " said group regular Karen Berlin, director of development at Irving Healthcare Foundation.

'Grumpy old men's club'

While meetings are dominated by men, women have filtered in to what is sometimes called "the grumpy old men's club," according to James Spriggs, former president of the Greater Irving-Las Colinas Chamber of Commerce and another regular.

"We are also called the House of Lords," Mr. Spriggs said. "That's because another group meets in south Irving and is called the House of Commons."

Lawyer John Danish coined the terms of endearment to poke a little fun at the different groups. He's been a regular of another breakfast group that meets Saturdays at Barzan's Cafe on Sixth Street.

A big proponent of both groups, Mr. Danish said the meetings are great sounding boards. "They breed all kinds of ideas and are where many trial balloons are launched," he said. "It's where raw politics takes place."

Irving Rotary Club President Clayton Dobson agrees. He said he has been to every Wednesday breakfast "unless I have been out of town or in the hospital." He doesn't want to miss "the exchange of information."

The first part of the Henry Holmes gathering is social, allowing attendees to visit over breakfast. During the second part, the moderator calls on those who want to speak.

Anyone is welcome to say a few words, promote an event or voice an opinion.

Project updates

At one meeting, City Council member Sam Smith gave a brief update on the search for a new city manager.

He was followed by Aviall Chief Executive Officer Paul Fulchino, who talked about his company and the economy.

Council member Joe Philipp reported on a litany of projects, such as airport plans for land east of the runways in Irving, stadium news, the possibility of the Bush library coming to Irving, and the North Lake Project.

'Eventful time'

"It is a exciting and eventful time to live in Irving," he concluded.

His wife, Elizabeth Philipp, spoke about the Irving Schools Foundation that she directs.

Others who spoke included Sharon Rose of Irving Sister Cities International, Don Williams of the chamber and residents Arnold Martin, Glen Hardison and Dick Yard.

Many regulars said controversy rarely visits the group. Sometimes around election time, heated issues may come up, but most don't remember anything particularly negative happening.

One main value, said Ms. Berlin, is that the gathering "gets folks excited about all that is happening in Irving. We have so much to be proud of. Good people, one and all."

"It's a great group," Mr. Smith said. "I really enjoy it."

The camaraderie and the information draw many faithful from throughout the community.

As Mr. Smith said, "There is a lot of knowledge in that room."

[TexasStooge]

Arts Center considers options in funding cut

Irving: Consultant suggests scaling back on programs, grants

By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News

IRVING, Texas – The Irving Arts Center will consider chopping popular programs and reducing grants to local groups to overcome a significant funding cut, according to a consultant's report.

Arts board members received suggestions this week from a company the city hired to study ways to deal with the looming budget problem. A change in state law governing how some hotel and motel taxes can be used means the center could lose about $1.5 million in annual funding starting in fall 2008.

The board Monday instructed Wolf, Keens & Co. to bring more details on a proposal that would lead to cuts in the visual arts and grants programs and marketing budget. The board also wants to study how it can generate new revenue to help soften the funding cut. The center, which has operated for about 20 years, includes theaters, galleries and rehearsal halls, and it supports arts organizations.

The consultant will develop a business plan and is scheduled to bring back more details next month, say arts officials, who stress they are only studying their options and don't know when final decisions will be made.

Arts board chairman Gus Tramp says the center has enough time to hammer out a plan.

"It gives us time to work on these options that we might have for additional revenue," he said.

The board Monday was presented with two other scenarios to deal with the funding cut.

One option calls for the city to substantially reduce the center's offerings, which would save money but "eviscerate a key community asset," according to the Wolf, Keens report. On the other hand, the city could expand the center in the hopes of bringing in more groups so it could charge more in rental fees. But bond funds would be needed to pay for construction.

Some board members called the first option too extreme and the latter option unrealistic.

Wolf, Keens ruled out privatizing the facility, saying it wasn't viable in part because the center's theaters aren't large enough to produce significant revenues.

The consultant's report suggests that the center may need city funds in order to continue operating without significant program cuts. But city assistance isn't guaranteed. The city has experienced budget woes in recent years, and the next budget year won't be any easier, acting City Manager Sandy Cash warned arts board members. Earmarking Arts Center funds could require a property tax increase.

Council member Sam Smith told the board it needs to study numerous methods of generating new revenue. "You have to change business as usual," he said.

Mr. Smith suggested that the board study the possibility of selling alcohol during center events. Board member Laura Sanner supports tapping new revenue sources but doesn't care for alcohol sales. Instead, she hopes the center seeks new business from groups across the metro area, and encourages Irving's ethnic groups to rent out the facility.

While Mr. Tramp hopes the center can generate revenue, he doesn't know whether enough money could be raised to cover costs.

Ms. Sanner is hopeful that the center won't need assistance from the city's general fund. But she said, "We have to prepare for a worst-case scenario."

In addition to studying funding cuts, the consultant analyzed operations and conducted a resident survey. Among the conclusions:

•The center isn't top heavy with senior staff, and salaries aren't out of line for similar positions in other facilities.

•Few center groups cater to Irving minorities, and few minorities use the facility.

•Survey respondents who are more involved in the center are more likely to value the center's role as a community rehearsal and performance space, while respondents who aren't as involved value the center for providing arts experiences for children.

•Respondents most familiar with the center view it most positively. But, among those who are less involved with the center, there's a "perception that IAC is 'elitist' and that it is 'not welcoming.' "

[TexasStooge]

90-year-old Lancaster man found

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A 90-year-old Lancaster man missing since Friday was found Sunday in Dallas, police said.

Clarence Jerome Davis was last seen leaving a friend’s home in Lancaster at about 2 p.m. Friday. Lancaster police said officers from Dallas Fire-Rescue found Mr. Davis on Malcolm X Boulevard near Fair Park.

His family was notified, and he is now home with them, police said.

Police said Mr. Davis has Alzheimer’s disease, is hard of hearing and requires daily medication, which he did not take with him. Mr. Davis was lost earlier this year but was later found in McKinney.

[TexasStooge]

Police pursuits net three suspects

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Police arrested a total of three people after two separate chases in North Texas overnight.

Two men were apprehended around 3:30 a.m. Monday after their vehicle was stopped at Illinois Avenue near Hampton Road in Dallas.

It was not immediately clear what prompted the pursuit, which started in Southeast Dallas.

The suspects were taken into custody after police used spikes to slow down the vehicle.

Another chase—this one in Haltom City—left a cab driver injured when the suspect's vehicle struck a taxi on Loop 820 at Highway 377.

The suspect was arrested.

All lanes of northbound Loop 820 were shut down during the investigation.

[TexasStooge]

Opinions voiced on mom's death, son's arrest

By BERT LOZANO / WFAA ABC 8

PLANO, Texas - The man who called Plano police to report his mother missing Saturday was placed behind bars Sunday after he was charged with her murder.

Plano Police arrested the son of Ellen Williams Hancock, 62, and the search for the woman's body continues.

Some neighbors at the Collin Creek Apartments, who had nicknamed Ellen Hancock "Granny," were confident and relieved with the arrest.

"It's a shame, and god bless her," said Carissa Marvin, the victim's friend. "And I'm glad that they figured out that he did it, and I just hate that it happened."

However, Paul Hancock's friend, Vere Knief, said the murder allegations are false.

"They never really argued [and] there was never any problems," Knief said.

Knief arrived at the Plano Police Department with Paul's girlfriend who lived at the apartment with Hancock and his mother.

"She woke up, she went downstairs and she noticed that the coffee table was knocked over," Knief said. "...She noticed that there was blood on the walls and just everything was a mess, so she woke up Paul."

The Plano police said they found evidence of a struggle inside.

A neighbor said he saw the missing woman arguing with two girls and a man the night before her disappearance.

"...When I came out they ran inside," said neighbor Joel Hernandez. "The woman continued arguing with a man, who may have been her son outside the apartment."

After hours of questioning Hancock and his girlfriend, police arrested Hancock even though the body of his mother had not been found.

"I do feel comfortable that our detectives have more than enough information to get a warrant of arrest for Mr. Hancock, her son," said Det. Mike Johnson, Plano Police Department.

Plano police will not release any information about why they suspect Hancock, or if he is cooperating in the search for his mother's body.

Hancock's girlfriend has not been charged with a crime.

[TexasStooge]

Dogs maul, kill woman

THORNDALE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A pack of six dogs mauled a 76-year-old woman to death as she worked in her front yard, authorities said.

Lillian Loraine Stiles was riding on a lawn mower in her front yard Saturday when she was confronted by the dogs, described as a pit bull-rottweiler mix, said Milam County Sheriff Charlie West.

Investigators think Stiles was heading back into her house after getting off the lawn mower when she was attacked.

Stiles, who had severe bites over her entire body, was pronounced dead at her home. A man who tried to help Stiles was bitten on his leg.

The six dogs were found at the home of Stiles' neighbor, Jose Hernandez. Thorndale is located about 70 miles west of College Station.

Five of the dogs were seized by the sheriff's department and taken to a veterinary clinic in nearby Cameron.

An autopsy on Stiles will be performed by the Dallas County Medical Examiner's Office.

The sheriff's department will send the findings of its investigation to the Milam County District Attorney's Office, which will decide if any criminal charges will be filed against Hernandez.

[TexasStooge]

Son accused of killing mother, 62

By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News

PLANO, Texas – Friends described Ellen Williams Hancock as a loving woman who would do anything for anyone. Especially her son, Paul.

"That's what she was all about," said Todd Franklin, who worked with Ms. Hancock. "Everything was for him."

But hours after Paul Edward Hancock reported waking up and finding his mother missing with their apartment in disarray, the 23-year-old was charged with her murder. Ms. Hancock, 62, remains missing.

"I think we all kind of prepared ourselves for the worst, but we all hoped it would turn out differently," said Debbie Boyd, who also worked with Ms. Hancock.

Police were called Saturday to Ms. Hancock's apartment regarding a "welfare concern with suspicious circumstances." Police said there were signs of obvious foul play in the unit that Ms. Hancock shared with her son and his girlfriend.

As people who knew Ms. Hancock prayed for her safe return Sunday, Mr. Hancock was being held in the Collin County Jail in connection with her death with bail set at $50,000.

Detective Mike Johnson, a Plano police spokesman, declined to comment Sunday on the details of the search for Ms. Hancock. He also declined to comment on what evidence led to the murder charge against Mr. Hancock or whether Mr. Hancock had a criminal history in Plano.

For more than a decade, Ms. Hancock's face was a familiar sight at the Oaks of Collin Creek apartments, where she was affectionately known as "Grannie."She spent years preparing apartments for new residents at the complex. After she experienced health problems, the complex made a place for her in the guard station, where she greeted residents as they came home.

Over the weekend, that station became a memorial site, where folks placed candles, flowers and messages.

Ms. Boyd, who lives at the complex, said Mr. Hancock was a quiet man who had been a typical teenager growing up. She said while she didn't know him as well she knew his mother, news of his arrest was a surprise.

"It's very unfortunate because she was a good lady," Ms. Boyd said. "I don't know what else to tell you. I really hate it because she lived and breathed for that boy."

Mr. Franklin, the complex's maintenance supervisor, said Ms. Hancock was a hard worker who rarely called in sick and almost never complained.

"I don't think anything ever came easy to her," he said. "She just rolled with the punches."

Ms. Boyd said that Ms. Hancock knew everyone who lived in the complex and that she often chatted with residents as they pulled into the complex.

"She always had treats for the pets and candy for the kids," Ms. Boyd said. "I can't imagine anyone wanting to hurt her."

She described Ms. Hancock as a loving woman with a great sense of humor and a "firecracker personality."

"She was a very big part of the property," Ms. Boyd said.

[TexasStooge]

Fire guts Old East Dallas home

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A three-alarm fire caused heavy damage to a large two-story home in a historic Old East Dallas neighborhood late this morning.

Around 11 a.m., a Dallas police officer requested fire personnel after noticing flames while driving by the house, located on North Peak Street just south of Worth Street.

The fire spread quickly, and soon engulfed the wood-frame structure. Spectators gathered across the street in a parking lot at East Dallas Christian Church to watch the fire, which generated a large amount of smoke visible from downtown and beyond.

Over 60 firefighters were involved in fighting the blaze, which was complicated by high winds and downed power lines near the home.

No one was injured in the fire. The family of five displaced by the fire was not home when the fire began.

[TexasStooge]

Police step up hunt for Plano mom

By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8

PLANO, Texas - Police are stepping up the search for a missing Plano woman, as her 23-year-old son was placed behind bars charged with her murder.

Paul Hancock reported Ellen Williams Hancock, 62, missing on Saturday but when police arrived at the apartment, they found evidence of foul play.

A friend of Mr. Hancock has spoken out, saying the murder allegations are false.

"Paul is not that kind of guy. He's not violent - he's sweet, caring. He's trying to get engaged, so why would he do something like that?" said Vere Knief.

Knief accompanied Paul's girlfriend who lived at the apartment with Hancock and his mother to the Plano Police Department.

"She woke up, she went downstairs and she noticed that the coffee table was knocked over," Knief said. "She noticed that there was blood on the walls and just everything was a mess, so she woke up Paul."

However, some neighbors at the Collin Creek Apartments, who had nicknamed Ellen Hancock "Granny," were relieved the arrest had taken place.

"It's a shame, and god bless her," said Carissa Marvin, the victim's friend.

A neighbor said he saw the missing woman arguing with two girls and a man the night before her disappearance.

"When I came out they ran inside," said neighbor Joel Hernandez. "The woman continued arguing with a man, who may have been her son outside the apartment."

After hours of questioning Hancock and his girlfriend, police arrested Hancock even though the body of his mother had not been found.

"I do feel comfortable that our detectives have more than enough information to get a warrant of arrest for Mr. Hancock, her son," said Det. Mike Johnson, Plano Police Department.

Plano police will not release any information about why they suspect Hancock, or if he is cooperating in the search for his mother's body.

Hancock's girlfriend has not been charged with a crime.

[TexasStooge]

Sheriff's new top deputy has similar goals

By JAMES M. O'NEILL / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - After an eight-month search, Dallas County Sheriff Lupe Valdez has chosen a man with a background strikingly similar to her own as her top administrative assistant.

Jesse E. Flores, 68, until recently a district commander with the Waco Police Department, was sworn in Monday as the sheriff’s executive chief deputy – the top appointee position under the sheriff.

The position has been vacant since Sheriff Valdez took office Jan. 1.

“I’d rather do something right than do it quick,” the sheriff said. "It’s been a long road to find a person with the same ideals I’m trying to instill in the department."

Mr. Flores said that, like Sheriff Valdez, his chief goal is “to serve the community in a fair and compassionate way."

"I’m a very down-to-earth person," he said. "What you see is what you get.”

He said he realized the department has been buffeted by numerous problems in recent years, from the way inmate medical care has been handled to the most recent allegations that the department’s DWI task force has been engaged in racial profiling by targeting Hispanic drivers.

“I assure you we’re going to get to the bottom of every investigation,” he said. “We’ll see what we need to do to straighten things out.

"Mistakes of the mind I can understand. But if it’s a mistake of the heart, that I can’t understand.”

Last week, a vice president of the Latino Peace Officers Association asked Sheriff Valdez to suspend the activity of the department’s DWI task force until procedures can be put into place to guard against targeting Hispanics.

The deputy, Mike Ramirez, complained that a deputy runs the task force, saying someone with a more senior rank should be in charge. He also expressed concern that civilians who are volunteer reserve deputies and who work on the task force are not properly trained or supervised.

Sheriff Valdez said Monday she has assigned two high-level administrative assistants to investigate the task force and how it functions. She also said the unit will be placed back within the traffic division, and a lieutenant will have direct oversight of the unit, including where the group sets up its DWI sting operations.

She also said the volunteer reserve deputy unit would be overhauled to provide more direct supervision and responsibility.

Mr. Flores will spend the next few months seeking input from officers in various departments to develop ideas about other possible improvements, the sheriff said.

Mr. Flores grew up outside Waco, raised by his mother and grandparents. His father died when Mr. Flores was just 8 months old, and the family scratched out a living picking cotton, harvesting corn and raising cattle and chickens.

“It was pure old country,” he said.

After high school, he spent four years in the Navy as a signalman.

“It taught me a lot about manhood and being a good person,” he said.

Mr. Flores said he became interested in law enforcement at age 11, after he got lost in Waco while tagging along with an older brother on a bitterly cold evening. Two police officers picked him up, got him a hamburger and kept him in the patrol car to warm up as they made their rounds, and dropped him off near home.

In the 1960s, Mr. Flores applied to work for the Dallas Police Department, but said he was nearly two inches short of the requirement at that time that officers be at least 5 feet, 9 inches tall. Such rules were later thrown out by the courts.

In 1973, Mr. Flores joined the Waco Police Department. By 1982, he had been promoted to lieutenant, and later moved to the community services and special operations divisions. Like Sheriff Valdez, he is fluent in Spanish.

While working, Mr. Flores earned a bachelor’s degree from Baylor University and a master’s in public administration from Southwest Texas State University.

Waco police Chief Alberto Melis said he suggested Mr. Flores to Sheriff Valdez.

“He has extensive experience as a commander of our SWAT unit and our patrol unit,” Chief Melis said. "There are few things he hasn’t done."

He said Mr. Flores was particularly good at “handling hot spots” and spearheading the department’s community relations.

When Mr. Flores met the sheriff two months ago, he learned they shared a similar background. She was raised in a family of itinerant farmhands of Mexican descent.

“I guess you are attracted to people you can identify with,” she said. “I’m very comfortable that he will share my goals. I was impressed by his fairness, his honesty and the ethical values he has.

“I’ve always said I’d rather hire a good person and train them to be a cop, than hire a good cop and try to make them a good person. We’re about serving the community, and he’s on board with that.”

[TexasStooge]

Texas man's burned body found in Illinois

EDDY, Texas/MOUNT VERNON, Ill. (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - A Texas man's smoldering body was found Saturday in an Illinois field.

Authorities believe 25-year-old Les Wayne Rash, Jr. was killed in Texas and his body hauled to land just outside Mount Vernon, Illinois.

Rash was a resident of Eddy, a central Texas town just south of Waco.

The remains were burned on land belonging to a relative of the suspect, 29-year-old Roy Andrew Lewis, officials said.

Lewis is now in custody in Texas, accused in Rash's death.

[TexasStooge]

Dogs that mauled woman euthanized

THORNDALE, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) - Five dogs that mauled a 76-year-old woman to death in her front yard were euthanized Monday, authorities said.

A sixth dog in the pack had been shot and killed by the woman's husband.

Lillian Loraine Stiles was riding on a lawn mower in her front yard Saturday when she was confronted by the dogs, described as a pit bull-rottweiler mix, said Milam County Sheriff Charlie West.

Investigators think Stiles was heading back into her house after getting off the lawn mower when she was attacked. She suffered severe bites over her entire body and was pronounced dead at her home, authorities said. Authorities were waiting for autopsy results Monday.

Weldon Smith, of Rockdale, tried to help Stiles and was bitten on the leg. He ran to alert the woman's husband, Jack Stiles, who was inside the couple's home.

The animals belonged to Stiles' neighbor, Jose Hernandez. West said he was unaware of previous complaints or reports regarding the dogs. The dogs will be checked for rabies, said Nell Dohnalik, a spokeswoman for the sheriff's department.

The sheriff's department will send the findings of its investigation to the Milam County District Attorney's office, which will decide if any criminal charges will be filed against Hernandez.

Lillian Loraine Stiles is survived by her husband, three children, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

Thorndale is located about 70 miles west of College Station.

–––

Information from: The Eagle

[TexasStooge]

Want free trees? Try downtown Dallas

By DAVID FLICK / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Just in time for Christmas, a downtown arts group is giving away trees.

But it may be more conifer than your living room can handle, and the most expensive free gift you’ll ever receive.

The Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation is giving away nearly 350 bald cypress and sweet gum trees that now grow in a park adjacent to the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center.

“We had a couple of people call thinking they were Christmas trees,” foundation spokeswoman Tina Sharp said, “but when we told them they were 25-foot bald cypresses, they were like, ‘OK, thank you, never mind.’.”

The site is being cleared to make room for an arts district parking garage and the new Margot and Bill Winspear Opera House.

“We wanted to open up the site and, at the same time, offer another life for the trees,” Sharp said.

Anyone interested in getting one of the trees may call the foundation at 214-954-9925, extension 235, by the close of the business day Thursday. The tree is yours gratis - with several caveats.

The trees, which were planted in the late 1980s when the Meyerson was being constructed, are about 25 feet tall. Furthermore, anyone claiming a tree is responsible for all removal and relocation costs - which can be expected to run at least $1,000, Ms. Sharp said.

The foundation had received about 40 calls by Monday afternoon, she said. Most were from businesses and companies that want the trees for developments.

The foundation doesn’t want to misrepresent its offering.

“We encourage people to come to the site and look at them before they make a decision,” Ms. Sharp said.

[rainstorm]

90-year-old Lancaster man found

DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A 90-year-old Lancaster man missing since Friday was found Sunday in Dallas, police said.

Clarence Jerome Davis was last seen leaving a friend’s home in Lancaster at about 2 p.m. Friday. Lancaster police said officers from Dallas Fire-Rescue found Mr. Davis on Malcolm X Boulevard near Fair Park.

His family was notified, and he is now home with them, police said.

Police said Mr. Davis has Alzheimer’s disease, is hard of hearing and requires daily medication, which he did not take with him. Mr. Davis was lost earlier this year but was later found in McKinney.

i am glad he is ok

[TexasStooge]

South Dallas residents fight to close motel

By BRAD WATSON / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - A new effort is underway to use zoning laws to shut down another motel in Dallas' southern sector that local residents have claimed breeds prostitution and drug use.

Just three weeks ago the City Plan Commission denied a special use permit for a motel at Interstate 35 and Overton that neighbors claimed was also a haven for crime.

There are similar charges against the American Inn Motel near Fair Park that homeowners and a church are going after in attempts to close the business.

Homeowners in the southern sector said since the city won't aggressively go after motels they call dangerous that are close to their neighborhoods, they will.

They also said they are optimistic about the future since a DART rail line will come down Scyene Road in the years ahead and hopefully bring new development.

However, they want to hit the crime issue hard now.

The American Inn Motel is a familiar foe to homeowners southeast of Fair Park.

The Bertrand Neighborhood Association said the motel attracts prostitutes and illegal drug use.

"It's a nuisance because of the traffic," said Willie Mae Coleman, Bertrand Homeowners Associateion. "The kind of people that go there and stay."

In a lawsuit brought by the city, a district judge four years ago found the 20-year-old motel a public nuisance because of prostitution and drugs.

The court ordered improvements over a nine month period.

But homeowners and the True Lee Missionary Baptist Church across the street said management's old ways have returned.

"It just brings in an element that just further degrades the community and makes people feel unsafe by being here," said Rev. Donald Parish.

Appraisal district records showed the motel is owned by Yasoda Enterprises of Terrell.

But when News 8 asked for a comment from the owner, there was no response.

Police confirm there was a homicide at the motel in June, but a clerk denied there is serious crime in the business.

"We don't have any problem here," the clerk said.

Since it has less than 60 rooms, the American Inn Motel must have a special use permit. But the city said it doesn't have one.

So, with help from former park board member Dwaine Caraway, the church and homeowners want to shut down the motel under zoning law.

"These motels, the majority of them, are operating non-conforming without the required SUP," Caraway said.

Neighborhoods near the Interstate motel on I-35 made a similar argument, and the city plan commission agreed and denied renewal of their permit.

The motel is appealing to the city council.

[TexasStooge]

Traffic Alert

• Southbound Interstate 35E shut down at Swisher Road in Corinth due to accident; backup stretches more than three miles
• Westbound lanes of Interstate 30 are closed at St. Francis Ave. in East Dallas due to fatal accident

Live Traffic Reports from Traffic Pulse