News from the Lone Star State
Moderator: S2k Moderators
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Road rage shooting leaves man in critical condition
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A road rage incident has one man clinging to life - and Dallas police searching for the driver of a late model Ford Expedition.
Late last night, a pickup truck filled with workers was traveling on Hwy 67 at Kiest Boulevard.
It sideswiped the Expedition and the driver of the S-U-V shot at the truck, hitting a passenger.
He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A road rage incident has one man clinging to life - and Dallas police searching for the driver of a late model Ford Expedition.
Late last night, a pickup truck filled with workers was traveling on Hwy 67 at Kiest Boulevard.
It sideswiped the Expedition and the driver of the S-U-V shot at the truck, hitting a passenger.
He was rushed to the hospital in critical condition.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Firefighters investigate Trinity rail track blaze
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas firefighters are investigating a fire on a rail trestle in Dallas.
The fire broke out about 11:00 p.m. on Friday at Stemmons Freeway and Inwood Drive.
It is on the line that carries the Trinity Railway Express.
A spokesperson for DART says the blaze has not caused any structural damage.
One westbound train was delayed for 20 minutes; an eastbound train for 10 minutes.
WFAA ABC 8
The blaze did not cause structural damage.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas firefighters are investigating a fire on a rail trestle in Dallas.
The fire broke out about 11:00 p.m. on Friday at Stemmons Freeway and Inwood Drive.
It is on the line that carries the Trinity Railway Express.
A spokesperson for DART says the blaze has not caused any structural damage.
One westbound train was delayed for 20 minutes; an eastbound train for 10 minutes.

WFAA ABC 8
The blaze did not cause structural damage.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Arrest made in Arlington clerk slaying
ARLINGTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Arlington police have arrested one suspect and are searching for two others in the fatal shooting of a convenience store clerk Tuesday night.
Jared Dwayne Birmingham, 21, was arrested about 1 p.m. Friday at an apartment complex in the 2600 block of Country Ridge Lane. He’s been charged with capital murder and was being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
Birmingham has previous convictions for marijuana possession and failure to identify a fugitive from justice. Investigators are not sure whether he was the one who shot Shekhar Regmi, 20, when a cash register failed to open during the robbery of a Fina gas station on Copeland Road.
Authorities are not releasing additional details about Birmingham’s arrest or how they located him until the other two suspects are in custody. However detectives have credited media coverage with helping identify the suspects.
Shekhar, a Fort Worth student who was working to save money for college, was gunned down just one hour before the store was scheduled to close on Tuesday.
Another clerk sought refuge in a cooler and escaped the gunfire.
Shekhar had only been working at the store for about two months.
Police have released the surveillance camera video in the hope that the public will come forward with information.
In October, 19-year-old Anthony Flanery was shot and killed while working alone as a clerk at a 7-Eleven store in Lancaster. Three men were arrested in connection with the crime.
Last month, a would-be robber was shot and wounded as he attempted to hold up a Shell convenience store at Camp Wisdom Road and Interstate 35E in Dallas.
ARLINGTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Arlington police have arrested one suspect and are searching for two others in the fatal shooting of a convenience store clerk Tuesday night.
Jared Dwayne Birmingham, 21, was arrested about 1 p.m. Friday at an apartment complex in the 2600 block of Country Ridge Lane. He’s been charged with capital murder and was being held in lieu of $250,000 bail.
Birmingham has previous convictions for marijuana possession and failure to identify a fugitive from justice. Investigators are not sure whether he was the one who shot Shekhar Regmi, 20, when a cash register failed to open during the robbery of a Fina gas station on Copeland Road.
Authorities are not releasing additional details about Birmingham’s arrest or how they located him until the other two suspects are in custody. However detectives have credited media coverage with helping identify the suspects.
Shekhar, a Fort Worth student who was working to save money for college, was gunned down just one hour before the store was scheduled to close on Tuesday.
Another clerk sought refuge in a cooler and escaped the gunfire.
Shekhar had only been working at the store for about two months.
Police have released the surveillance camera video in the hope that the public will come forward with information.
In October, 19-year-old Anthony Flanery was shot and killed while working alone as a clerk at a 7-Eleven store in Lancaster. Three men were arrested in connection with the crime.
Last month, a would-be robber was shot and wounded as he attempted to hold up a Shell convenience store at Camp Wisdom Road and Interstate 35E in Dallas.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Dallas post worker admits $580,000 fraud
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) -- A Dallas postal worker who serviced stamp vending machines has pleaded guilty in a $580,000 embezzlement investigation.
Sixty-three-year-old Joseph Charles Urso will be sentenced March 16th.
Federal prosecutors say Urso pleaded guilty yesterday to misappropriation of postal funds.
The now-suspended postal worker faces a maximum ten years in prison and a $250,000 dollar fine.
Court records indicate Urso, since 1992, had been a service technician responsible for vending machines at certain post offices in Dallas.
Prosecutors believe Urso for years embezzled by stealing funds collected from machines -- instead of depositing all of the money.
Urso also allegedly used postal forms to under-report the funds.
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8/AP) -- A Dallas postal worker who serviced stamp vending machines has pleaded guilty in a $580,000 embezzlement investigation.
Sixty-three-year-old Joseph Charles Urso will be sentenced March 16th.
Federal prosecutors say Urso pleaded guilty yesterday to misappropriation of postal funds.
The now-suspended postal worker faces a maximum ten years in prison and a $250,000 dollar fine.
Court records indicate Urso, since 1992, had been a service technician responsible for vending machines at certain post offices in Dallas.
Prosecutors believe Urso for years embezzled by stealing funds collected from machines -- instead of depositing all of the money.
Urso also allegedly used postal forms to under-report the funds.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Arlington police arrest man over loan fraud
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Bond tops $1,000,000 for a Mesquite man who allegedly used other people's loan application data to apply for funds.
Arlington police say 41-year-old Stephen Bernard Jones worked for Legacy Financial Group.
He was arrested yesterday in an investigation going back to October.
Jones is accused of making false statements to obtain property or credit and for three outstanding speeding tickets.
Company officials contacted police after Jones sought loans of $680,000 and $448,000 to purchase homes.
Police say it appears Jones used credit reports from customers and just put his name on the cover sheet.
Jones was arrested before the loan applications were approved.
Legacy Financial Group president Chad Bates says the company has controls in place to discover and prevent such occurrences.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Bond tops $1,000,000 for a Mesquite man who allegedly used other people's loan application data to apply for funds.
Arlington police say 41-year-old Stephen Bernard Jones worked for Legacy Financial Group.
He was arrested yesterday in an investigation going back to October.
Jones is accused of making false statements to obtain property or credit and for three outstanding speeding tickets.
Company officials contacted police after Jones sought loans of $680,000 and $448,000 to purchase homes.
Police say it appears Jones used credit reports from customers and just put his name on the cover sheet.
Jones was arrested before the loan applications were approved.
Legacy Financial Group president Chad Bates says the company has controls in place to discover and prevent such occurrences.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Running for his life
His treatment over, athlete now trains for race to aid research
By KARIN SHAW ANDERSON / The Dallas Morning News
MESQUITE, Texas - Chris Ragan seems to have one answer for everything.
Running.
The Mesquite man first defaulted to that solution in November 2004, when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma just before his 20th birthday.
"What was going through my mind is, 'How can I be more prepared for this?' " Mr. Ragan remembered thinking as he braced for the coming treatment. "How can I be ready for what's fixing to happen?"
"If I run, that's got to be a good thing," he thought.
He ran to steel himself for the chemotherapy. He ran between the treatments. He ran until he vomited, then ran some more. To celebrate the end of chemotherapy, he ran a half-marathon. Then another. Then a 31-mile ultra-marathon. Today, he'll run on a treadmill to raise money for cancer research. Sixteen miles on Christmas Eve.
"Running for me was a definite coping mechanism," said Mr. Ragan, who admits he was stunned and scared after the diagnosis.
Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer that attacks the lymphatic system that helps the body fight infection. Treatments have improved, according to the American Cancer Society, but the disease still kills about 1,400 people a year.
Mr. Ragan put on a brave face in front of his family and his buddies in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University. He packed up and returned home, vowing to get himself as healthy as possible before beginning chemotherapy.
The training started after Mr. Ragan – never a marathoner before – was directed to Leah Stuekerjuergen, an avid runner. He asked if he could join her and a friend on their regular afternoon jogs.
The first outings were easy, but as the chemicals weakened his body, Ms. Stuekerjuergen could see their effects.
"There would be days when he would show up at my door, and I couldn't believe he had made it out of bed," she said.
The Horn High School counselor said Mr. Ragan's determination was an inspiration.
"He'd say, 'Are we running today?' " she recalled. "I'd say, 'You're here. You bet we are.' "
It was tortuous therapy for someone fighting cancer. After the first few treatments, he would have to skip nearly a week of running to recover.
"Eventually," he said, "I just learned to kind of force myself to get out and run, even if I was pretty sick."
"During that bad week when I would run, I would just plan on ... having to run off the side of the road periodically," he said. "I kind of had to work out a technique, because I didn't want to stop running."
"He was just pretty incredible," Ms. Stuekerjuergen said.
The day before his last round of chemotherapy, Mr. Ragan completed his first half-marathon. He wore the T-shirt he earned for running it to that last chemotherapy session.
Then, after his body rid itself of the chemicals for a month, he began radiation.
"I decided ... I did a half-marathon for chemotherapy. I'll do a half-marathon for radiation, too," he said.
By then, Mr. Ragan's already slim frame was 25 pounds lighter, and he was getting weaker from the radiation. But he performed well in his second race.
"That was actually the fastest pace I've ever kept," he said. "I think a lot of it was the weight, because it made it a lot easier to move."
By June, Mr. Ragan was cancer-free and planning to return to A&M. The Army had revoked his full scholarship because of his condition, so he got loans and a few smaller scholarships to cover the costs.
Over the summer, he continued running and began training for longer runs.
"It felt so good," he said. "I knew the half-marathons were just the beginning."
In October he ran the ultra-marathon and signed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training to run in an Arizona marathon next month. Participants must raise $3,000 for the society's cancer research and patient services, and he is just $300 shy of that goal. The deadline is Jan. 3, and he needed a quick boost to his fundraising efforts.
His answer?
He will run on the treadmill in front of the Wal-Mart store in Forney as friends and family members collect donations. The 16 miles he'll cover is just a casual stroll now.
"I haven't set a distance yet that I couldn't make."
His treatment over, athlete now trains for race to aid research
By KARIN SHAW ANDERSON / The Dallas Morning News
MESQUITE, Texas - Chris Ragan seems to have one answer for everything.
Running.
The Mesquite man first defaulted to that solution in November 2004, when he was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma just before his 20th birthday.
"What was going through my mind is, 'How can I be more prepared for this?' " Mr. Ragan remembered thinking as he braced for the coming treatment. "How can I be ready for what's fixing to happen?"
"If I run, that's got to be a good thing," he thought.
He ran to steel himself for the chemotherapy. He ran between the treatments. He ran until he vomited, then ran some more. To celebrate the end of chemotherapy, he ran a half-marathon. Then another. Then a 31-mile ultra-marathon. Today, he'll run on a treadmill to raise money for cancer research. Sixteen miles on Christmas Eve.
"Running for me was a definite coping mechanism," said Mr. Ragan, who admits he was stunned and scared after the diagnosis.
Hodgkin's lymphoma is a cancer that attacks the lymphatic system that helps the body fight infection. Treatments have improved, according to the American Cancer Society, but the disease still kills about 1,400 people a year.
Mr. Ragan put on a brave face in front of his family and his buddies in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M University. He packed up and returned home, vowing to get himself as healthy as possible before beginning chemotherapy.
The training started after Mr. Ragan – never a marathoner before – was directed to Leah Stuekerjuergen, an avid runner. He asked if he could join her and a friend on their regular afternoon jogs.
The first outings were easy, but as the chemicals weakened his body, Ms. Stuekerjuergen could see their effects.
"There would be days when he would show up at my door, and I couldn't believe he had made it out of bed," she said.
The Horn High School counselor said Mr. Ragan's determination was an inspiration.
"He'd say, 'Are we running today?' " she recalled. "I'd say, 'You're here. You bet we are.' "
It was tortuous therapy for someone fighting cancer. After the first few treatments, he would have to skip nearly a week of running to recover.
"Eventually," he said, "I just learned to kind of force myself to get out and run, even if I was pretty sick."
"During that bad week when I would run, I would just plan on ... having to run off the side of the road periodically," he said. "I kind of had to work out a technique, because I didn't want to stop running."
"He was just pretty incredible," Ms. Stuekerjuergen said.
The day before his last round of chemotherapy, Mr. Ragan completed his first half-marathon. He wore the T-shirt he earned for running it to that last chemotherapy session.
Then, after his body rid itself of the chemicals for a month, he began radiation.
"I decided ... I did a half-marathon for chemotherapy. I'll do a half-marathon for radiation, too," he said.
By then, Mr. Ragan's already slim frame was 25 pounds lighter, and he was getting weaker from the radiation. But he performed well in his second race.
"That was actually the fastest pace I've ever kept," he said. "I think a lot of it was the weight, because it made it a lot easier to move."
By June, Mr. Ragan was cancer-free and planning to return to A&M. The Army had revoked his full scholarship because of his condition, so he got loans and a few smaller scholarships to cover the costs.
Over the summer, he continued running and began training for longer runs.
"It felt so good," he said. "I knew the half-marathons were just the beginning."
In October he ran the ultra-marathon and signed up with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training to run in an Arizona marathon next month. Participants must raise $3,000 for the society's cancer research and patient services, and he is just $300 shy of that goal. The deadline is Jan. 3, and he needed a quick boost to his fundraising efforts.
His answer?
He will run on the treadmill in front of the Wal-Mart store in Forney as friends and family members collect donations. The 16 miles he'll cover is just a casual stroll now.
"I haven't set a distance yet that I couldn't make."
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Guard unit's return a special gift in itself
Home from Iraq early, troops get 'back to reality' with families
By GRETEL C. KOVACH / The Dallas Morning News
They had trimmed the tree with seal ornaments, a play on the family's name. The cards were sent, the presents bought.
The only thing Suzanne Seal was missing was her husband.
Finally, three days before Christmas, Sgt. Marc Seal's black Suburban pulled up to their house in The Colony after the soldier had spent a yearlong tour in Iraq with the Texas National Guard.
Soon, everyone was there: Ms. Seal, their five kids, Grandma and Grandpa, the Great Dane puppy, the aging terrier.
"Welcome home, Honey," said Ms. Seal, adding a playful comment about his treading on her white carpet with stinky boots.
Two-year-old Madison ran through the house exclaiming "Daddy mine!" while Daddy, formerly known as Sgt. Seal, looked dazed. "It's back to reality," he said gamely.
Santa came early this year, they said, when most of the 56th Brigade returned to Texas this month.
The part-time soldiers were mobilized for training in summer of 2004 and left for Iraq in January. None had expected to be home for Christmas. Sgt. Seal, a 35-year-old emergency-room paramedic, was among the last to return.
"He's not allowed to leave anymore," declared daughter Allaina, 16.
Historic deployment
The Fort Worth-based 56th Brigade was made up of 3,000 soldiers from Irving, Denton, Arlington and other cities and towns across the state.
They were sent to Iraq in the largest deployment of state guardsmen since World War II to help secure the country, from An Nasiriyah in the south to the snowy provinces of the north.
Twenty-nine soldiers were granted U.S. citizenship during their welcome-back ceremony. Two came home to new babies. Six never will come home.
The others survived more than 7,000 combat patrols and 1.3 million miles on the road, 330 homemade bombs and hundreds of small-arms firefights.
But they didn't want to survive another holiday away from home.
When he's not hacking from a lingering "desert cough," 1st Sgt. Bill Gilles, 55, of Weatherford can chuckle now about the trials of their year-and-a-half mobilization.
They prepared for their deployment last winter at Fort Polk, La., which they renamed Fort Puke after heaters failed and water froze in their tents.
When the guardsmen realized they could train their replacements in Iraq before Christmas, morale went sky high. "Not for us, but for the families," Sgt. Gilles said.
"I spent Thanksgiving in Kuwait. It was absolutely miserable, but I knew I was coming home," he said.
While "Baghdad Bill" roamed the Iraqi capital – checking on his "Joes," his troops – his poly-steel building-supply business back home faltered. His son Bryan dropped out of college to fill in, but the business became one of the casualties of war suffered by several other self-employed soldiers in the brigade.
They did good work in Iraq, helping to secure the country during two elections, Sgt. Gilles said. But he'll probably retire from the National Guard in October.
"My wife won't allow it again," he said. "I don't blame her, I want to be home."
This Christmas morning, they'll hike to the top of a peak overlooking the Rio Grande for a three-day camping trip.
Staff Sgt. Joey Carter, 32, of Burleson has been sipping those triple-grande caramel macchiatos he dreamed of in Iraq and wandering through store aisles admiring plasma television screens.
Today you'll find him sitting around the fireplace with his family, playing Eagles and George Strait tunes on the guitar.
Sgt. 1st Class Robert Norris will spend the holidays with his wife, Maggie, and four children on his new ranch in Venus, rewiring stalls and watering horses.
Sgt. Norris, 35, a full-time National Guard soldier based in Denton, hadn't let himself hope he'd make it home for Christmas.
"I kind of kept it out of my head up until two or three days before I left. You didn't want to get too excited about it and then not have it happen," he said.
Jay "Sir Duck" Worth, a 57-year-old security contractor, helped organize a welcome-back party for the brigade's Irving-based combat engineers.
Mr. Worth was on his way to Afghanistan and missed Wednesday's party at the armory, but Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2494 barbecued and distributed presents while soldiers enjoyed plastic cups of beer and wine.
"They deserve it," Mr. Worth said in an interview before leaving. "Being away from home is tough. They put their lives on the line for us."
Tough times
The soldiers and their relatives seemed to be sighing in nearly universal relief. But the homecoming for Spc. Chris Odette, a 29-year-old Canon USA technician from Keller, was tinged with bitterness.
When he wasn't clutching his daughter Chrishia in his lap, Spc. Odette sat by himself among the crowd.
While he was gone, his wife, Shiomara, discovered she had breast cancer. Their new home was broken into twice; one of the times his wife broke her nose diving under a table to hide and his daughter glimpsed the intruder.
Chrishia, 4, developed kidney problems and separation anxiety, Spc. Odette said. He tried to comfort his family from Iraq but felt helpless.
"We've been through a lot this year," he said. "I'm going to do the rest of my time, but then I'm getting out.
"Hopefully my daughter will understand what we did and she can be proud."
Sgt. 1st Class Milt Dana, 53, of Lancaster said he wanted to return to Iraq as soon as possible.
At first, he was a soldier following orders, trying to figure out why U.S. forces were there, he said. But his perspective changed on a security mission in northern Iraq, where he saw the skeletal remains of children believed to have been gunned down in a mass grave.
"Their only crime was that they were Kurds," he said. "There were weapons of mass destruction over there – in the form of genocide."
Spc. Erika Rougeaux, 26, considered it a mixed blessing to return home in time for the holidays. Half the presents she sent from Iraq arrived broken and must be replaced, and she needs to help her Creole relatives make pralines.
Spc. Rougeaux's parents had cared for her daughter Alexis, 7, while she guarded a security checkpoint approaching a Baghdad camp. Now her relatives want to visit, but she just wants to rest.
"I'm excited to be home, but there's so much to do," she said. "I'm worn out."
Another battle
Like the rest of the brigade, Sgt. Ronald Singleton, 34, returned home just in time to spend Christmas with his family. But he left Iraq halfway through his tour to fight a new battle – against leukemia.
His high school sweetheart and wife of 13 years, Cassondra, was still nursing their 6-month-old son when Sgt. Singleton became ill with a rare nonhereditary form of the disease. She entrusted their five children to her parents and has been at his side during treatment in Washington, D.C., and San Antonio.
Sgt. Singleton grew stronger by the day after a successful transplant in August of stem cells taken from his younger sister's bone marrow. Two weeks ago he and his wife were reunited with their children at their Joshua home.
This Christmas will be wonderful, Ms. Singleton said.
"It makes it more special that we are all together. We are very blessed that he is with us," she said.
Last Christmas, Ms. Seal kissed her husband goodbye under the mistletoe. They had decorated the tree in patriotic red, white and blue, but the holiday felt anxious and rushed.
Sgt. Seal left for Iraq in early January and served as a recon scout in northern Iraq. (The Army forbade him, because of his classified mission, to be photographed for this story.)
Back home, Ms. Seal worked as a finance project manager and cared for his four children from a previous marriage – Allaina, Nolan, 14, Dillon, 11, and Benjamin, 8 – and their daughter Madison.
The year and a half he was away from home passed rather quickly for his wife and children, who rushed from swim meet to football game to ballet recital.
But on her lonely days Ms. Seal cried in private, where the kids couldn't see.
"He's out there looking for bad guys," she said shortly before his return. "He needs to focus on his job over there to get home safely."
Finally, he did. Now Sgt. Seal is trying to remember to quit reaching for his sidearm, to stop at stop signs, to punch in the security code before entering his home.
"The biggest thing is to just fit in again," he said.
The kids will be up at daybreak today, going wild. Wrapping paper will cover the floor, and they'll eat to their hearts' content.
The Seals will play football outside, then watch sports on TV.
"I'm just happy that he's here," Ms. Seal said, running her fingers through her husband's hair.
Home from Iraq early, troops get 'back to reality' with families
By GRETEL C. KOVACH / The Dallas Morning News
They had trimmed the tree with seal ornaments, a play on the family's name. The cards were sent, the presents bought.
The only thing Suzanne Seal was missing was her husband.
Finally, three days before Christmas, Sgt. Marc Seal's black Suburban pulled up to their house in The Colony after the soldier had spent a yearlong tour in Iraq with the Texas National Guard.
Soon, everyone was there: Ms. Seal, their five kids, Grandma and Grandpa, the Great Dane puppy, the aging terrier.
"Welcome home, Honey," said Ms. Seal, adding a playful comment about his treading on her white carpet with stinky boots.
Two-year-old Madison ran through the house exclaiming "Daddy mine!" while Daddy, formerly known as Sgt. Seal, looked dazed. "It's back to reality," he said gamely.
Santa came early this year, they said, when most of the 56th Brigade returned to Texas this month.
The part-time soldiers were mobilized for training in summer of 2004 and left for Iraq in January. None had expected to be home for Christmas. Sgt. Seal, a 35-year-old emergency-room paramedic, was among the last to return.
"He's not allowed to leave anymore," declared daughter Allaina, 16.
Historic deployment
The Fort Worth-based 56th Brigade was made up of 3,000 soldiers from Irving, Denton, Arlington and other cities and towns across the state.
They were sent to Iraq in the largest deployment of state guardsmen since World War II to help secure the country, from An Nasiriyah in the south to the snowy provinces of the north.
Twenty-nine soldiers were granted U.S. citizenship during their welcome-back ceremony. Two came home to new babies. Six never will come home.
The others survived more than 7,000 combat patrols and 1.3 million miles on the road, 330 homemade bombs and hundreds of small-arms firefights.
But they didn't want to survive another holiday away from home.
When he's not hacking from a lingering "desert cough," 1st Sgt. Bill Gilles, 55, of Weatherford can chuckle now about the trials of their year-and-a-half mobilization.
They prepared for their deployment last winter at Fort Polk, La., which they renamed Fort Puke after heaters failed and water froze in their tents.
When the guardsmen realized they could train their replacements in Iraq before Christmas, morale went sky high. "Not for us, but for the families," Sgt. Gilles said.
"I spent Thanksgiving in Kuwait. It was absolutely miserable, but I knew I was coming home," he said.
While "Baghdad Bill" roamed the Iraqi capital – checking on his "Joes," his troops – his poly-steel building-supply business back home faltered. His son Bryan dropped out of college to fill in, but the business became one of the casualties of war suffered by several other self-employed soldiers in the brigade.
They did good work in Iraq, helping to secure the country during two elections, Sgt. Gilles said. But he'll probably retire from the National Guard in October.
"My wife won't allow it again," he said. "I don't blame her, I want to be home."
This Christmas morning, they'll hike to the top of a peak overlooking the Rio Grande for a three-day camping trip.
Staff Sgt. Joey Carter, 32, of Burleson has been sipping those triple-grande caramel macchiatos he dreamed of in Iraq and wandering through store aisles admiring plasma television screens.
Today you'll find him sitting around the fireplace with his family, playing Eagles and George Strait tunes on the guitar.
Sgt. 1st Class Robert Norris will spend the holidays with his wife, Maggie, and four children on his new ranch in Venus, rewiring stalls and watering horses.
Sgt. Norris, 35, a full-time National Guard soldier based in Denton, hadn't let himself hope he'd make it home for Christmas.
"I kind of kept it out of my head up until two or three days before I left. You didn't want to get too excited about it and then not have it happen," he said.
Jay "Sir Duck" Worth, a 57-year-old security contractor, helped organize a welcome-back party for the brigade's Irving-based combat engineers.
Mr. Worth was on his way to Afghanistan and missed Wednesday's party at the armory, but Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2494 barbecued and distributed presents while soldiers enjoyed plastic cups of beer and wine.
"They deserve it," Mr. Worth said in an interview before leaving. "Being away from home is tough. They put their lives on the line for us."
Tough times
The soldiers and their relatives seemed to be sighing in nearly universal relief. But the homecoming for Spc. Chris Odette, a 29-year-old Canon USA technician from Keller, was tinged with bitterness.
When he wasn't clutching his daughter Chrishia in his lap, Spc. Odette sat by himself among the crowd.
While he was gone, his wife, Shiomara, discovered she had breast cancer. Their new home was broken into twice; one of the times his wife broke her nose diving under a table to hide and his daughter glimpsed the intruder.
Chrishia, 4, developed kidney problems and separation anxiety, Spc. Odette said. He tried to comfort his family from Iraq but felt helpless.
"We've been through a lot this year," he said. "I'm going to do the rest of my time, but then I'm getting out.
"Hopefully my daughter will understand what we did and she can be proud."
Sgt. 1st Class Milt Dana, 53, of Lancaster said he wanted to return to Iraq as soon as possible.
At first, he was a soldier following orders, trying to figure out why U.S. forces were there, he said. But his perspective changed on a security mission in northern Iraq, where he saw the skeletal remains of children believed to have been gunned down in a mass grave.
"Their only crime was that they were Kurds," he said. "There were weapons of mass destruction over there – in the form of genocide."
Spc. Erika Rougeaux, 26, considered it a mixed blessing to return home in time for the holidays. Half the presents she sent from Iraq arrived broken and must be replaced, and she needs to help her Creole relatives make pralines.
Spc. Rougeaux's parents had cared for her daughter Alexis, 7, while she guarded a security checkpoint approaching a Baghdad camp. Now her relatives want to visit, but she just wants to rest.
"I'm excited to be home, but there's so much to do," she said. "I'm worn out."
Another battle
Like the rest of the brigade, Sgt. Ronald Singleton, 34, returned home just in time to spend Christmas with his family. But he left Iraq halfway through his tour to fight a new battle – against leukemia.
His high school sweetheart and wife of 13 years, Cassondra, was still nursing their 6-month-old son when Sgt. Singleton became ill with a rare nonhereditary form of the disease. She entrusted their five children to her parents and has been at his side during treatment in Washington, D.C., and San Antonio.
Sgt. Singleton grew stronger by the day after a successful transplant in August of stem cells taken from his younger sister's bone marrow. Two weeks ago he and his wife were reunited with their children at their Joshua home.
This Christmas will be wonderful, Ms. Singleton said.
"It makes it more special that we are all together. We are very blessed that he is with us," she said.
Last Christmas, Ms. Seal kissed her husband goodbye under the mistletoe. They had decorated the tree in patriotic red, white and blue, but the holiday felt anxious and rushed.
Sgt. Seal left for Iraq in early January and served as a recon scout in northern Iraq. (The Army forbade him, because of his classified mission, to be photographed for this story.)
Back home, Ms. Seal worked as a finance project manager and cared for his four children from a previous marriage – Allaina, Nolan, 14, Dillon, 11, and Benjamin, 8 – and their daughter Madison.
The year and a half he was away from home passed rather quickly for his wife and children, who rushed from swim meet to football game to ballet recital.
But on her lonely days Ms. Seal cried in private, where the kids couldn't see.
"He's out there looking for bad guys," she said shortly before his return. "He needs to focus on his job over there to get home safely."
Finally, he did. Now Sgt. Seal is trying to remember to quit reaching for his sidearm, to stop at stop signs, to punch in the security code before entering his home.
"The biggest thing is to just fit in again," he said.
The kids will be up at daybreak today, going wild. Wrapping paper will cover the floor, and they'll eat to their hearts' content.
The Seals will play football outside, then watch sports on TV.
"I'm just happy that he's here," Ms. Seal said, running her fingers through her husband's hair.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Two fires reported at Arlington ministry
By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON, Texas - The Arlington Fire Department is investigating two fires that occurred within 14 hours at a ministry collecting clothes and Christmas donations for people in need.
The first fire at Mission Arlington on West South Street started at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in a room on the first floor.
The fire department received the second call just before 3 a.m. Sunday from someone reporting flames through the roof. Nobody was injured, but the two fires caused about $30,000 in damage.
“It had just about anything you could imagine that someone this time of year could need,” said Battalion Chief Don Hartz
By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News
ARLINGTON, Texas - The Arlington Fire Department is investigating two fires that occurred within 14 hours at a ministry collecting clothes and Christmas donations for people in need.
The first fire at Mission Arlington on West South Street started at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in a room on the first floor.
The fire department received the second call just before 3 a.m. Sunday from someone reporting flames through the roof. Nobody was injured, but the two fires caused about $30,000 in damage.
“It had just about anything you could imagine that someone this time of year could need,” said Battalion Chief Don Hartz
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Woman found dead in NW Dallas apartment
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A 60-year-old woman was shot and killed Christmas Eve in an apartment north of Bachman Lake.
Police found Antonia Robledo dead of a gunshot wound to the head about 11:40 p.m. at the Chapel Oaks Apartments on Larga Drive near Webb Chapel Road, according to a police report.
No other details were available.
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - A 60-year-old woman was shot and killed Christmas Eve in an apartment north of Bachman Lake.
Police found Antonia Robledo dead of a gunshot wound to the head about 11:40 p.m. at the Chapel Oaks Apartments on Larga Drive near Webb Chapel Road, according to a police report.
No other details were available.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
School aims to purchase van for family with 2 ailing sons
Irving: Benefit helps boys who have muscular dystrophy
By JEREMY ROEBUCK / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - He may walk with difficulty, but students at Irving's Otis Brown Elementary are willing to wait for 7-year-old Zachary Frost.
Diagnosed at birth with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is characterized by rapid muscle degeneration, the second-grader is just beginning to show signs of the advancing condition.
"The students are so patient and supportive," special-education teacher Deidra Reed said. "They're willing to step back so Zachary can be at the front of the line."
Allowing Zachary his chance to be line leader is just one gesture; parents, teachers and students at Brown also have undertaken a fundraising drive on his behalf. They hope to buy Zachary's family a van large enough to accommodate him, his older brother, Jacob, and two electric wheelchairs.
In three weeks, the school has raised $7,000 toward the $40,000 goal, lead special-education teacher Monya Silverwise said.
"That may not sound like a lot, but that's tremendous for a low-income elementary school," she said.
When Zachary was taking his first steps at age 2, Jacob had already taken some of his last. With the same disorder, Jacob, now 12, relies on an electric wheelchair to get around.
Parents Tamey and Michael Frost managed to squeeze Jacob and his wheelchair into their small Kia Spectra for years. But as Zachary's condition worsens, they worry that making room for the boys and two wheelchairs will be impossible, Mr. Frost said.
"We tried to go to the [Muscular Dystrophy Association] for help," Mr. Frost said. "They have money for medical costs but didn't really have options for what we needed."
So parents, teachers and students at Brown decided to help. The school hosted a benefit screening of The Polar Express last week, selling tickets at varying price levels and allowing students to buy refreshments and the right to wear their pajamas to school for the day.
The students also recently wrapped up a letter-writing campaign to Oprah Winfrey in hopes that the talk show host would feature the Frosts on her show or contribute to their campaign.
"The school has been really good at taking care of us," Mrs. Frost said. "It means a lot. It's nice to have them looking out for us."
For Brown's teachers, helping the family provides an opportunity to teach their students a valuable life lesson.
"We try to tell them that the boys' muscles may be shutting down," Ms. Reed said. "But their hearts and minds are still working."
Jeremy Roebuck is a Dallas-based freelance writer.
Irving: Benefit helps boys who have muscular dystrophy
By JEREMY ROEBUCK / Special Contributor to The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - He may walk with difficulty, but students at Irving's Otis Brown Elementary are willing to wait for 7-year-old Zachary Frost.
Diagnosed at birth with Duchenne muscular dystrophy, which is characterized by rapid muscle degeneration, the second-grader is just beginning to show signs of the advancing condition.
"The students are so patient and supportive," special-education teacher Deidra Reed said. "They're willing to step back so Zachary can be at the front of the line."
Allowing Zachary his chance to be line leader is just one gesture; parents, teachers and students at Brown also have undertaken a fundraising drive on his behalf. They hope to buy Zachary's family a van large enough to accommodate him, his older brother, Jacob, and two electric wheelchairs.
In three weeks, the school has raised $7,000 toward the $40,000 goal, lead special-education teacher Monya Silverwise said.
"That may not sound like a lot, but that's tremendous for a low-income elementary school," she said.
When Zachary was taking his first steps at age 2, Jacob had already taken some of his last. With the same disorder, Jacob, now 12, relies on an electric wheelchair to get around.
Parents Tamey and Michael Frost managed to squeeze Jacob and his wheelchair into their small Kia Spectra for years. But as Zachary's condition worsens, they worry that making room for the boys and two wheelchairs will be impossible, Mr. Frost said.
"We tried to go to the [Muscular Dystrophy Association] for help," Mr. Frost said. "They have money for medical costs but didn't really have options for what we needed."
So parents, teachers and students at Brown decided to help. The school hosted a benefit screening of The Polar Express last week, selling tickets at varying price levels and allowing students to buy refreshments and the right to wear their pajamas to school for the day.
The students also recently wrapped up a letter-writing campaign to Oprah Winfrey in hopes that the talk show host would feature the Frosts on her show or contribute to their campaign.
"The school has been really good at taking care of us," Mrs. Frost said. "It means a lot. It's nice to have them looking out for us."
For Brown's teachers, helping the family provides an opportunity to teach their students a valuable life lesson.
"We try to tell them that the boys' muscles may be shutting down," Ms. Reed said. "But their hearts and minds are still working."
Jeremy Roebuck is a Dallas-based freelance writer.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
New rules for animal owners?
IRVING, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - The Irving City Council's Community Services Committee on Tuesday plans to discuss proposed changes to the animal services ordinance.
City officials wrote in a memo that the changes lessen restrictions on keeping certain livestock and provide flexibility for residents who want to keep more than four domestic animals.
"The ordinance provides animal owners with more options for keeping animals than what is prescribed in the existing ordinance," wrote Pat Fowler, public health and environmental services director.
Also on the agenda: a discussion of proposed amendments to the city's childcare ordinance and a code enforcement update.
WHOM IT AFFECTS: Irving residents
MEETING DETAILS: 6 p.m. Tuesday, 825 W. Irving Blvd.
TO KNOW MORE: http://www.ci.irving.tx.us
The coming week's top issues in northwest Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties
IRVING, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - The Irving City Council's Community Services Committee on Tuesday plans to discuss proposed changes to the animal services ordinance.
City officials wrote in a memo that the changes lessen restrictions on keeping certain livestock and provide flexibility for residents who want to keep more than four domestic animals.
"The ordinance provides animal owners with more options for keeping animals than what is prescribed in the existing ordinance," wrote Pat Fowler, public health and environmental services director.
Also on the agenda: a discussion of proposed amendments to the city's childcare ordinance and a code enforcement update.
WHOM IT AFFECTS: Irving residents
MEETING DETAILS: 6 p.m. Tuesday, 825 W. Irving Blvd.
TO KNOW MORE: http://www.ci.irving.tx.us
The coming week's top issues in northwest Dallas, Denton and Tarrant counties
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Hispanic students get boost from grant
UTA, Mountain View team up to fill shortage of nurses, teachers
By TOYA LYNN STEWART / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - For as long as she can remember, Silvia Campos has wanted to become a teacher. Growing up in Mexico, she practiced by teaching her younger siblings their ABCs and how to count.
The 36-year-old Irving resident is now making her wish a reality as a sophomore at Mountain View College. She plans to transfer to the University of Texas at Arlington to obtain a bachelor's degree.
She is the kind of student the two institutions are gearing up to help, thanks to a $3.5 million partnership grant designed to assist future Hispanic nurses and teachers.
The grant, offered by the U.S. Department of Education, will be shared by both institutions and will be used for staff, technology, curriculum development and the creation of a nursing laboratory at Mountain View. The first wave of students will benefit in 2006.
"The reason we chose teacher education and nursing is because it is obvious we have a shortage in these areas," said Moises Almendariz, dean of the education center at Mountain View.
Beyond that, the college wanted to build a better bridge for transferring students to UTA, he said.
Jeanne Gerlach, dean of the College of Education at UTA, says the partnership makes sense in many ways.
"We've known for a long time that we haven't turned out the number of Hispanic teachers and administrators we need," Dr. Gerlach said. "With our growing population, it's about role models in the schools, having bilingual educators and understanding the culture.
"We need to remember [that] what the Rio Grande area looks like today, the rest of Texas will look like in 20 years," she added.
The 2000 Census showed the state's population was 32 percent Hispanic, and the percentage is steadily increasing. But according to the 2005-2010 Texas State Health Plan, about 7.3 percent of registered nurses and 11 percent of direct patient care doctors are Hispanic.
In schools, blacks, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians make up 14 percent of K-12 educators while 36 percent of the students are from such backgrounds, according to a 2003 report by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future.
Boosting enrollment
Ray Grasshoff, a spokesman for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, said colleges and universities are enrolling more students, including Hispanics, but not at the levels that are needed.
"We want to enroll 1.6 million by 2015," he said. "A few years ago, our goal was to enroll 1.5 million."
The agency boosted its goals because of the state's growth – much of it among the Hispanic population, he said.
By 2040, about 56 percent of students in two-year colleges in Texas will be Hispanic, and Hispanics will represent 45 percent of the students in a four-year college, said Steve Murdock, the state demographer and a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
"We have to reach out, and we have to enroll more Hispanic students," said Mr. Grasshoff, listing some of the high-need areas such as technology, education and health care. "We have to have more trained in those fields, and we need more partnerships to accomplish this."
The partnership between Mountain View and UTA will help provide a more skilled and educated workforce, will help boost the state's economy and could help attract more businesses to Texas, Mr. Grasshoff said.
Cultural divide
Mary Jane Ashe, assistant director of undergraduate student services at UTA's school of nursing, said attracting more Hispanics to nursing "allows us to deliver culturally competent care to our patients."
"Looking at the population within Dallas-Fort Worth and the percentages of ethnic and racial backgrounds and the population in the nursing program, do they match the population we serve?" she asked. "There's a mismatch. There's a lower population in our program compared to the population in Dallas-Fort Worth.
"We're trying to get a better match," she said.
Michael Lopez, a registered nurse at RHD Memorial Medical Center, attended North Lake College in Irving before transferring to UTA in September.
Mr. Lopez said it's easy for people of other cultures, including Hispanics, to get lost in the health care system because of language barriers and cultural differences. He said it's important for health care workers to be able to relate to their patients.
The grant is "needed and can be very beneficial because people get sick and people need to be taught," he said.
Although the grant targets Hispanic students, others will benefit, Mr. Almendariz said.
Both institutions will be able to enhance what they're already doing. For UTA, the funding will boost its teaching and nursing programs. The grant will also allow Mountain View to develop a nursing program and support its teaching program, Mr. Almendariz said.
It's that kind of support that Ms. Campos says she needs.
Ms. Campos, who taught at a small primary school in Mexico City, is now a teacher's aide in the Irving school district. She dreams of having her own classroom. She knows that as a part-time student, wife and mother of three children, it might take awhile to realize her dream, but she's determined.
"I hope to graduate by 2010," she said. "I think [the partnership] will work out real well and can help out later on."
UTA, Mountain View team up to fill shortage of nurses, teachers
By TOYA LYNN STEWART / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - For as long as she can remember, Silvia Campos has wanted to become a teacher. Growing up in Mexico, she practiced by teaching her younger siblings their ABCs and how to count.
The 36-year-old Irving resident is now making her wish a reality as a sophomore at Mountain View College. She plans to transfer to the University of Texas at Arlington to obtain a bachelor's degree.
She is the kind of student the two institutions are gearing up to help, thanks to a $3.5 million partnership grant designed to assist future Hispanic nurses and teachers.
The grant, offered by the U.S. Department of Education, will be shared by both institutions and will be used for staff, technology, curriculum development and the creation of a nursing laboratory at Mountain View. The first wave of students will benefit in 2006.
"The reason we chose teacher education and nursing is because it is obvious we have a shortage in these areas," said Moises Almendariz, dean of the education center at Mountain View.
Beyond that, the college wanted to build a better bridge for transferring students to UTA, he said.
Jeanne Gerlach, dean of the College of Education at UTA, says the partnership makes sense in many ways.
"We've known for a long time that we haven't turned out the number of Hispanic teachers and administrators we need," Dr. Gerlach said. "With our growing population, it's about role models in the schools, having bilingual educators and understanding the culture.
"We need to remember [that] what the Rio Grande area looks like today, the rest of Texas will look like in 20 years," she added.
The 2000 Census showed the state's population was 32 percent Hispanic, and the percentage is steadily increasing. But according to the 2005-2010 Texas State Health Plan, about 7.3 percent of registered nurses and 11 percent of direct patient care doctors are Hispanic.
In schools, blacks, Hispanics, Asians and American Indians make up 14 percent of K-12 educators while 36 percent of the students are from such backgrounds, according to a 2003 report by the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future.
Boosting enrollment
Ray Grasshoff, a spokesman for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, said colleges and universities are enrolling more students, including Hispanics, but not at the levels that are needed.
"We want to enroll 1.6 million by 2015," he said. "A few years ago, our goal was to enroll 1.5 million."
The agency boosted its goals because of the state's growth – much of it among the Hispanic population, he said.
By 2040, about 56 percent of students in two-year colleges in Texas will be Hispanic, and Hispanics will represent 45 percent of the students in a four-year college, said Steve Murdock, the state demographer and a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio.
"We have to reach out, and we have to enroll more Hispanic students," said Mr. Grasshoff, listing some of the high-need areas such as technology, education and health care. "We have to have more trained in those fields, and we need more partnerships to accomplish this."
The partnership between Mountain View and UTA will help provide a more skilled and educated workforce, will help boost the state's economy and could help attract more businesses to Texas, Mr. Grasshoff said.
Cultural divide
Mary Jane Ashe, assistant director of undergraduate student services at UTA's school of nursing, said attracting more Hispanics to nursing "allows us to deliver culturally competent care to our patients."
"Looking at the population within Dallas-Fort Worth and the percentages of ethnic and racial backgrounds and the population in the nursing program, do they match the population we serve?" she asked. "There's a mismatch. There's a lower population in our program compared to the population in Dallas-Fort Worth.
"We're trying to get a better match," she said.
Michael Lopez, a registered nurse at RHD Memorial Medical Center, attended North Lake College in Irving before transferring to UTA in September.
Mr. Lopez said it's easy for people of other cultures, including Hispanics, to get lost in the health care system because of language barriers and cultural differences. He said it's important for health care workers to be able to relate to their patients.
The grant is "needed and can be very beneficial because people get sick and people need to be taught," he said.
Although the grant targets Hispanic students, others will benefit, Mr. Almendariz said.
Both institutions will be able to enhance what they're already doing. For UTA, the funding will boost its teaching and nursing programs. The grant will also allow Mountain View to develop a nursing program and support its teaching program, Mr. Almendariz said.
It's that kind of support that Ms. Campos says she needs.
Ms. Campos, who taught at a small primary school in Mexico City, is now a teacher's aide in the Irving school district. She dreams of having her own classroom. She knows that as a part-time student, wife and mother of three children, it might take awhile to realize her dream, but she's determined.
"I hope to graduate by 2010," she said. "I think [the partnership] will work out real well and can help out later on."
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Woman killed in NW Dallas apartment
By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A 60-year-old woman was shot and killed about 11:30 p.m. Christmas Eve in an apartment north of Bachman Lake.
Police found Antonia Robledo dead of a gunshot wound to the head at the Chapel Oaks Apartments on Larga Drive near Webb Chapel Road, police said.
A witness and the women’s two sons called 911.
“When they got there, they were met by the victim’s two sons, and the sons advised the officers that they had left the residence for a temporary time and when they returned back they found their mother had been shot multiple times inside their residence,” said Lt. Rick Watson, a Dallas police spokesman.
Homicide detectives haven’t determined why the shooters targeted the second-floor apartment, where Ms. Robledo lived with her two adult sons.
“It is not a stray bullet deal,” Lt. Watson said. “They shot into the apartment.”
The witness told police he saw a man shoot into the apartment with a long-barreled gun, perhaps a rifle or a shotgun.
Police are still conducting interviews and have not named any suspects. The witness was only able to provide a vague description.
Police ask anyone with information to call the Dallas police homicide unit at 214-671-3661 or 214-671-3584.
By MICHAEL GRABELL / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - A 60-year-old woman was shot and killed about 11:30 p.m. Christmas Eve in an apartment north of Bachman Lake.
Police found Antonia Robledo dead of a gunshot wound to the head at the Chapel Oaks Apartments on Larga Drive near Webb Chapel Road, police said.
A witness and the women’s two sons called 911.
“When they got there, they were met by the victim’s two sons, and the sons advised the officers that they had left the residence for a temporary time and when they returned back they found their mother had been shot multiple times inside their residence,” said Lt. Rick Watson, a Dallas police spokesman.
Homicide detectives haven’t determined why the shooters targeted the second-floor apartment, where Ms. Robledo lived with her two adult sons.
“It is not a stray bullet deal,” Lt. Watson said. “They shot into the apartment.”
The witness told police he saw a man shoot into the apartment with a long-barreled gun, perhaps a rifle or a shotgun.
Police are still conducting interviews and have not named any suspects. The witness was only able to provide a vague description.
Police ask anyone with information to call the Dallas police homicide unit at 214-671-3661 or 214-671-3584.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Arlington charity recovers from fire
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
ARLINGTON, Texas — Volunteers at Mission Arlington were prepared to assess the damage Monday after a Christmas morning fire destroyed part of the downtown Arlington facility at Pecan and South streets.
Firefighters responded to the blaze shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday, battling to save the building that has served the city's less fortunate for nearly 30 years.
Arlington Fire Chief David Stapp said all signs pointed to the work of an arsonist. "There are several signs of forced entry into the building on this particular fire," he said.
The blaze destroyed part of the second floor, and there was serious water damage below.
It was a difficult scene for Mission director Tillie Burgin, the heart and soul behind the organization. "This is a very humbling experience for me," she said. "To see the folks in this community—our firefighters, our police officers, even you—to come together to help us..."
But in the midst of tragedy, Burgin never stopped expressing thanks to God.
No one was hurt and firefighters kept the blaze contained to a limited area.
The fire came just days after the Mission had already distributed thousands of Christmas toys that had been stored inside. That damage was limited to a few teddy bears left behind.
"We've already seen 22,000 people," Burgin said. "They've gotten gifts and toys, so that was good."
Sunday's fire was the second to hit the Mission in less than 24 hours. The first—in a ground floor storage area—burned coats and blankets before firefighters put it out.
Mission director Burgin was sure the public would help them meet the coming need. "I do know it's going to get colder, and so our coats and blacnkets and gloves will be really needed," she said.
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
ARLINGTON, Texas — Volunteers at Mission Arlington were prepared to assess the damage Monday after a Christmas morning fire destroyed part of the downtown Arlington facility at Pecan and South streets.
Firefighters responded to the blaze shortly before 3 a.m. Sunday, battling to save the building that has served the city's less fortunate for nearly 30 years.
Arlington Fire Chief David Stapp said all signs pointed to the work of an arsonist. "There are several signs of forced entry into the building on this particular fire," he said.
The blaze destroyed part of the second floor, and there was serious water damage below.
It was a difficult scene for Mission director Tillie Burgin, the heart and soul behind the organization. "This is a very humbling experience for me," she said. "To see the folks in this community—our firefighters, our police officers, even you—to come together to help us..."
But in the midst of tragedy, Burgin never stopped expressing thanks to God.
No one was hurt and firefighters kept the blaze contained to a limited area.
The fire came just days after the Mission had already distributed thousands of Christmas toys that had been stored inside. That damage was limited to a few teddy bears left behind.
"We've already seen 22,000 people," Burgin said. "They've gotten gifts and toys, so that was good."
Sunday's fire was the second to hit the Mission in less than 24 hours. The first—in a ground floor storage area—burned coats and blankets before firefighters put it out.
Mission director Burgin was sure the public would help them meet the coming need. "I do know it's going to get colder, and so our coats and blacnkets and gloves will be really needed," she said.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Three children perish in Houston fire
By JASON WHITELY / KHOU CBS 11 in Houston
HOUSTON, Texas — Three children died after being taken to the hospital following an apartment fire in southwest Houston Monday morning.
The mother of the children was at home at the time of the fire, investigators said.
The mother was cradling one toddler when she ran out of her second-story apartment. Neighbors said she was begging for someone to go inside the apartment and rescue her three other children, but the smoke was too thick.
The other children were carried out of the apartment after they were discovered in a rear bedroom.
They were pronounced dead around 11:30 a.m. The victims included two girls, ages 7 and 6. The age of the third child, a young boy, was not immediately available.
EMS personnel administered CPR to the victims who were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital.
The fire started around 10 a.m. and was tapped out around 10:40 a.m.
"It's just a life-or-death issue," said one neighbor. "Were they going to make it? Were they not going to make it? Kids, little kids ... the kid that they pulled out of here looked like he was probably maybe two, three years old. That was awful."
The cause of the fire was under investigation. Arson investigators were called to the scene, which is standard operating procedure for a fire scene.
By JASON WHITELY / KHOU CBS 11 in Houston
HOUSTON, Texas — Three children died after being taken to the hospital following an apartment fire in southwest Houston Monday morning.
The mother of the children was at home at the time of the fire, investigators said.
The mother was cradling one toddler when she ran out of her second-story apartment. Neighbors said she was begging for someone to go inside the apartment and rescue her three other children, but the smoke was too thick.
The other children were carried out of the apartment after they were discovered in a rear bedroom.
They were pronounced dead around 11:30 a.m. The victims included two girls, ages 7 and 6. The age of the third child, a young boy, was not immediately available.
EMS personnel administered CPR to the victims who were taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital.
The fire started around 10 a.m. and was tapped out around 10:40 a.m.
"It's just a life-or-death issue," said one neighbor. "Were they going to make it? Were they not going to make it? Kids, little kids ... the kid that they pulled out of here looked like he was probably maybe two, three years old. That was awful."
The cause of the fire was under investigation. Arson investigators were called to the scene, which is standard operating procedure for a fire scene.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Trees pine for new life after holiday
But ornaments don't, so please remove them before recycling
By KATIE MENZER / The Dallas Morning News
It's hard to stay chipper when the when the wood chipper is spitting out flying shards of glass and mangled nails.
That's the post-holiday word from your friendly, neighborhood sanitation and recycling departments, which are asking North Texas residents to please partake of their Christmas tree recycling programs but not before removing all stands, tinsel, lights, nails and ornaments.
Although Christmas tree recycling programs differ from city to city, most transform the Tannenbaums to mulch, which is either offered to residents for free, used on city property or sold. But officials warn that your favorite Christmas bulbs can morph into red-and-green bullets if left on a tree while a worker is putting it through a chipping machine, and ornaments may contaminate the mulch, possibly injuring those who use it in their gardens or elsewhere.
"You don't want people having all that stuff mixed up in their chips," said Duncanville solid waste supervisor David McBurnett, adding that trees left still bedecked by residents at the city's service center – which will begin mulching trees free of charge today – must be thrown away.
The recycling programs are popular among North Texas areas wanting to keep Christmas trees out of valuable space in landfills, but cities including Duncanville, Plano and Dallas said they've seen the forest of trees recycled in their programs thin over the years as more homes go artificial for the holidays.
Duncanville mulched 110 holiday pines in its recycling program last year, down from a high of about 300 in years past. Dallas ground about 4,000 trees last year, which was also down from previous years, officials said.
"About three years ago, they came out with those self-lighted, artificial trees," said Glenna Brown, Plano's recycling education coordinator. "People love those."
Still, if you've gone green this year, Ms. Brown wants you to know you've got a friend in Plano. Homeowners can begin recycling trees – stripped of ornaments – Jan. 3.
The trees will be mulched and sold to residents and companies as Plano Pure compost products.
"They are turned back into a useful product," Ms. Brown said. "Cedar mulch is absolutely divine."
But ornaments don't, so please remove them before recycling
By KATIE MENZER / The Dallas Morning News
It's hard to stay chipper when the when the wood chipper is spitting out flying shards of glass and mangled nails.
That's the post-holiday word from your friendly, neighborhood sanitation and recycling departments, which are asking North Texas residents to please partake of their Christmas tree recycling programs but not before removing all stands, tinsel, lights, nails and ornaments.
Although Christmas tree recycling programs differ from city to city, most transform the Tannenbaums to mulch, which is either offered to residents for free, used on city property or sold. But officials warn that your favorite Christmas bulbs can morph into red-and-green bullets if left on a tree while a worker is putting it through a chipping machine, and ornaments may contaminate the mulch, possibly injuring those who use it in their gardens or elsewhere.
"You don't want people having all that stuff mixed up in their chips," said Duncanville solid waste supervisor David McBurnett, adding that trees left still bedecked by residents at the city's service center – which will begin mulching trees free of charge today – must be thrown away.
The recycling programs are popular among North Texas areas wanting to keep Christmas trees out of valuable space in landfills, but cities including Duncanville, Plano and Dallas said they've seen the forest of trees recycled in their programs thin over the years as more homes go artificial for the holidays.
Duncanville mulched 110 holiday pines in its recycling program last year, down from a high of about 300 in years past. Dallas ground about 4,000 trees last year, which was also down from previous years, officials said.
"About three years ago, they came out with those self-lighted, artificial trees," said Glenna Brown, Plano's recycling education coordinator. "People love those."
Still, if you've gone green this year, Ms. Brown wants you to know you've got a friend in Plano. Homeowners can begin recycling trees – stripped of ornaments – Jan. 3.
The trees will be mulched and sold to residents and companies as Plano Pure compost products.
"They are turned back into a useful product," Ms. Brown said. "Cedar mulch is absolutely divine."
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Police looking for missing Dallas woman
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - Dallas police said Monday they were investigating the case of a 38-year-old Dallas woman, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and has disappeared from a University Park shopping center.
Amy D’Amico’s car was found Thursday afternoon parked outside Kuby’s Sausage House in Snider Plaza by her husband, Brad D’Amico. He said she was shopping and running errands when he tried to contact her by phone around 3 p.m. and couldn’t reach her.
D’Amico said he found some of his wife’s medication and believes she may have stopped taking it. He also said she may have become frightened for some reason and confused by people trying to assist her.
“Because of her medical condition she may actively evade help,” he said.
The car was locked and it did not appear that there had been a struggle, Dallas police Sgt. B.K. Nichols said.
D’Amico is 5-foot-7 and 250 pounds with brown hair and eyes. She was wearing a dark shirt, plaid skirt and carrying a white handbag, her husband said.
Police asked that anyone with information call 911 or 214-671-4321.
Dallas police were handling the case because she was reported missing from that city, but University Park police have offered assistance.
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - Dallas police said Monday they were investigating the case of a 38-year-old Dallas woman, who suffers from paranoid schizophrenia and has disappeared from a University Park shopping center.
Amy D’Amico’s car was found Thursday afternoon parked outside Kuby’s Sausage House in Snider Plaza by her husband, Brad D’Amico. He said she was shopping and running errands when he tried to contact her by phone around 3 p.m. and couldn’t reach her.
D’Amico said he found some of his wife’s medication and believes she may have stopped taking it. He also said she may have become frightened for some reason and confused by people trying to assist her.
“Because of her medical condition she may actively evade help,” he said.
The car was locked and it did not appear that there had been a struggle, Dallas police Sgt. B.K. Nichols said.
D’Amico is 5-foot-7 and 250 pounds with brown hair and eyes. She was wearing a dark shirt, plaid skirt and carrying a white handbag, her husband said.
Police asked that anyone with information call 911 or 214-671-4321.
Dallas police were handling the case because she was reported missing from that city, but University Park police have offered assistance.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Police seek suspect in Christmas Eve murder
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas police are looking for leads in the Christmas Eve murder of a 60-year-old woman who worked as a maid.
On Christmas Eve, Antonia Robledo sent her sons grocery shopping and when they returned they found their mother dead and the home shot up.
While Robledo's sons grocery shopped, the family believes the killer fired a 12 gauge shotgun into the apartment.
"They just shot it up," said son Venturo Robledo. "They shot up my apartment and I don't know why."
People at the Turtle Creek building where the woman cleaned were mourning her death Monday.
Dallas County Commissioner Maurine Dickey said she remembers how the woman many called Toni treated everyone with kindness.
"Every morning I would come down the elevator and she was always there with a big smile and she would say, 'Hello Mrs. Dickey, how are you?'" Dickey said.
Often Robledo was said to get clothes from the wealthy residents of the building and distribute them to poor people in her neighborhood.
"She was always in a good humor and she was never able to afford a car," Dickey said. "I know her family was everything to her and she loved to talk about her family."
Dallas homicide detectives said to solve the case and find Robledo's killer they will need the public's help with a confidential tip or find a mistake by the killer.
"We are investigating all other reasons and whether this was gang related," said Lt. Rick Watson, Dallas Police Department.
Commissioner Dickey said Dallas County will help in anyway it can to solve the case and she vowed Robledo wouldn't become just another statistic in Dallas' 2005 murder rate.
"I have confidence that Chief Kunkel is going to get on this," Dickey said. "We have a good DA to help put whoever did this behind bars, and I have all the confidence that those perpetrators will be caught."
One of Robledo's son said he believes the shots that killed his mother may have been intended for him.
The shots could have come from a possible drug dealer who fired the shots thinking he may have known something about a robbery in the neighborhood, he said.
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Dallas police are looking for leads in the Christmas Eve murder of a 60-year-old woman who worked as a maid.
On Christmas Eve, Antonia Robledo sent her sons grocery shopping and when they returned they found their mother dead and the home shot up.
While Robledo's sons grocery shopped, the family believes the killer fired a 12 gauge shotgun into the apartment.
"They just shot it up," said son Venturo Robledo. "They shot up my apartment and I don't know why."
People at the Turtle Creek building where the woman cleaned were mourning her death Monday.
Dallas County Commissioner Maurine Dickey said she remembers how the woman many called Toni treated everyone with kindness.
"Every morning I would come down the elevator and she was always there with a big smile and she would say, 'Hello Mrs. Dickey, how are you?'" Dickey said.
Often Robledo was said to get clothes from the wealthy residents of the building and distribute them to poor people in her neighborhood.
"She was always in a good humor and she was never able to afford a car," Dickey said. "I know her family was everything to her and she loved to talk about her family."
Dallas homicide detectives said to solve the case and find Robledo's killer they will need the public's help with a confidential tip or find a mistake by the killer.
"We are investigating all other reasons and whether this was gang related," said Lt. Rick Watson, Dallas Police Department.
Commissioner Dickey said Dallas County will help in anyway it can to solve the case and she vowed Robledo wouldn't become just another statistic in Dallas' 2005 murder rate.
"I have confidence that Chief Kunkel is going to get on this," Dickey said. "We have a good DA to help put whoever did this behind bars, and I have all the confidence that those perpetrators will be caught."
One of Robledo's son said he believes the shots that killed his mother may have been intended for him.
The shots could have come from a possible drug dealer who fired the shots thinking he may have known something about a robbery in the neighborhood, he said.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
Numbers spark debate in Trinity bridge project
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The Trinity River Project has always included plans for a series of signature bridges, and the Dallas City Council settled upon three when it approved the project's Balanced Vision Plan.
However, some council members said the number three is now is open for discussion. In fact, one council member said a third signature bridge is not needed.
While there was great fanfare as ground broke for the first of three Trinity River bridges designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, City Council member Mitchell Rasansky said he thinks that two bridges is more than plenty.
"Listen, I think it's great, one," Rasansky said. "[I] question two, but I'm surely not going to support a third one. I'm just not going to do it."
Both the first bridge, which is an extension of the Woodall Rogers Freeway and the second, which will replace the bridge at Interstate 30, are fully funded.
The third bridge is scheduled to go at Interstate 35.
But while the Texas Department of Transportation is replacing the existing bridge regardless, a Calatrava suspension bridge can more than double the cost.
"...The $65 [to] $70 million differential between a regular bridge and a Calatrava Bridge, can it be used for the roads and the streets and other transportation needs for the City of Dallas?" Rasansky said.
However, others said a suspension bridge is fiscally responsible because it will last two to three times as long and could become Dallas' version of Paris' Eiffel Tower.
"That's a wonderful way to express it because it is a trinity of bridges for the Trinity River [and] because I think the Trinity River will be the focal point of Dallas if we do it right," said Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Many supporters said the bridges will show Dallas' vision as well.
"We've always had a big vision," said Gail Thomas, Trinity Commons. "We have never gone back really on our biggest visions, and this is the biggest of all and we don't want to quit now."
The debate has arisen at this time largely because the city has started to discuss the next bond project, and whether to include some of the funding to make the Interstate 35 bridge something more than TxDOT standard issue.
By CHRIS HEINBAUGH / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The Trinity River Project has always included plans for a series of signature bridges, and the Dallas City Council settled upon three when it approved the project's Balanced Vision Plan.
However, some council members said the number three is now is open for discussion. In fact, one council member said a third signature bridge is not needed.
While there was great fanfare as ground broke for the first of three Trinity River bridges designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, City Council member Mitchell Rasansky said he thinks that two bridges is more than plenty.
"Listen, I think it's great, one," Rasansky said. "[I] question two, but I'm surely not going to support a third one. I'm just not going to do it."
Both the first bridge, which is an extension of the Woodall Rogers Freeway and the second, which will replace the bridge at Interstate 30, are fully funded.
The third bridge is scheduled to go at Interstate 35.
But while the Texas Department of Transportation is replacing the existing bridge regardless, a Calatrava suspension bridge can more than double the cost.
"...The $65 [to] $70 million differential between a regular bridge and a Calatrava Bridge, can it be used for the roads and the streets and other transportation needs for the City of Dallas?" Rasansky said.
However, others said a suspension bridge is fiscally responsible because it will last two to three times as long and could become Dallas' version of Paris' Eiffel Tower.
"That's a wonderful way to express it because it is a trinity of bridges for the Trinity River [and] because I think the Trinity River will be the focal point of Dallas if we do it right," said Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Many supporters said the bridges will show Dallas' vision as well.
"We've always had a big vision," said Gail Thomas, Trinity Commons. "We have never gone back really on our biggest visions, and this is the biggest of all and we don't want to quit now."
The debate has arisen at this time largely because the city has started to discuss the next bond project, and whether to include some of the funding to make the Interstate 35 bridge something more than TxDOT standard issue.
0 likes
- TexasStooge
- Category 5
- Posts: 38127
- Joined: Tue Mar 25, 2003 1:22 pm
- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
- Contact:
One dead after plane crash in Saginaw
SAGINAW, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Two CareFlight helicopters responded after a small plane crashed just north of Saginaw killing one of two passengers.
Raymond Craft, 53, was killed in the accident and his older brother, 60-year-old Robert Craft, was rushed to a hospital in critical condition.
Investigators said the plane was practicing stunt maneuvers at the time of the crash, but the cause of the crash was still unknown.
The plane crashed near Hicks Airfield in the rural area of Tarrant County west of Highway 287.
The plane was a 1940 Steerman, which was a plane that was commonly used to train military pilots during World War II.
SAGINAW, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Two CareFlight helicopters responded after a small plane crashed just north of Saginaw killing one of two passengers.
Raymond Craft, 53, was killed in the accident and his older brother, 60-year-old Robert Craft, was rushed to a hospital in critical condition.
Investigators said the plane was practicing stunt maneuvers at the time of the crash, but the cause of the crash was still unknown.
The plane crashed near Hicks Airfield in the rural area of Tarrant County west of Highway 287.
The plane was a 1940 Steerman, which was a plane that was commonly used to train military pilots during World War II.
0 likes
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 6 guests