Two arrests after street racing death
By CAROL CAVAZOS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - A race through the streets of Pleasant Grove early Saturday had a fatal finish. One teen was killed and two people were arrested.
The race ended at 2:30 a.m. in the 100 block of South Masters Drive in far southeast Dallas. Residents at the corner of Masters and Grove Oaks said they've been worried about illegal racing for a long time.
Ana Tafolla recounted a close call two weeks ago. "The car came this way, but it broke our mailbox," she said. "This is like the third time."
They've given up on a permanent mounting for the mailbox.
Tafolla and other neighbors said the problem continues to be street racing.
"I mean, they race through here a lot," said Rosalia Yanez. "I don't know what they see the fun of it. Somebody could get killed or hurt."
That's what happened early Saturday morning. Something went wrong and a speeding Chevrolet Camaro hit the median, then struck a utility pole and then rolled over.
The impact ejected Juan Martinez Jr. from the passenger seat. The 18-year-old was killed.
Dallas police charged the driver, 18-year-old Terry Hebb, with intoxication manslaughter and racing.
The other vehicle in the race, a Mercury Mountaineer SUV, also rolled over, landing on the sidewalk in front Ana Tafolla's home.
That driver, Jose Garcia, 23, was charged with driving while intoxicated and and racing. Neither he nor his passenger required hospitalization.
Neighbors want action.
"They should put some police officers or something to be watching at night," Taffola said. "This is dangerous for us."
News from the Lone Star State
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TexasStooge
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Man with brain damage missing in Irving
IRVING, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Irving police are looking for a young man who is described as mentally impaired.
Ian Brown, 18, was last seen around 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the 4100 block of Compton Court, just south of Airport Freeway and west of Belt Line Road.
A car accident three years ago left Brown with brain damage. He does not walk well, has stroke-like characteristics and may be in need of seizure medication.
If you've seen him or have any information on his whereabouts, contact Irving police.
IRVING, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Irving police are looking for a young man who is described as mentally impaired.
Ian Brown, 18, was last seen around 2:30 p.m. Saturday in the 4100 block of Compton Court, just south of Airport Freeway and west of Belt Line Road.
A car accident three years ago left Brown with brain damage. He does not walk well, has stroke-like characteristics and may be in need of seizure medication.
If you've seen him or have any information on his whereabouts, contact Irving police.
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Trustees to vote on policy for student handouts at school
Irving ISD: Board also to consider use of campuses for meetings
By KATHERINE LEAL UNMUTH / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - If students want to hand out fliers publicizing a church youth group meeting or hold a non-school-related gathering at Irving schools, they may soon have to follow new guidelines.
The board of trustees on Monday will consider whether to adopt new policies regarding student expression on campus and the use of facilities.
The policy identifies times and locations where distributing non-school materials is allowed. It places more limits on elementary and middle school students while giving greater freedoms to high school students.
All students may distribute materials 30 minutes before and after school at any entrance and exit.
Students may not distribute materials in classrooms during instructional time.
The Grapevine-Colleyville and Plano school districts enacted similar policies last year.
Plano changed its policy after being sued by the Liberty Legal Institute when an elementary student was not allowed to hand out candy-cane pens with religious messages in December 2003. Liberty had argued the student's First Amendment rights were violated.
Officials with the group also met last year with Grapevine-Colleyville officials after a student group raised some concerns about the district's policies.
Irving trustee Jerry Christian, a member of the policy committee, said it was important to differentiate the rules based on a student's age.
"The more mature students are given more responsibility," he said. "This makes it clear that the elementary school is a teaching situation, but at the high school there's a lot of freedom."
Hiram Sasser, director of litigation for Liberty Legal, said such policies are too complex and are unconstitutional. Districts should have simple policies that allow students free-speech rights unless they cause a disruption or hand out something vulgar or obscene, he said.
"We're asking them to empower teachers and principals to just make decisions based on what common sense dictates instead of having these complex rules," he said.
For example, students should be able to distribute material to their friends in the hallway – as long as it's not disruptive, he said.
The Irving policy does not allow elementary students to distribute anything in the hallways or cafeteria.
They may hand out materials during recess.
High school and middle school students would be able to distribute materials in the hallways.
Only high school students could distribute information in the cafeteria.
Trustee Michael Hill said the district is reacting to current cases such as the one in Plano.
"I think a kid should be allowed to pass out whatever they want," he said. "If someone's passing out things that are against my religious faith, I can't restrict them, so I don't want someone restricting me."
A second policy to be considered Monday sets up a process for secondary students to apply for permission to hold non-school-related meetings on campus.
Irving ISD: Board also to consider use of campuses for meetings
By KATHERINE LEAL UNMUTH / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - If students want to hand out fliers publicizing a church youth group meeting or hold a non-school-related gathering at Irving schools, they may soon have to follow new guidelines.
The board of trustees on Monday will consider whether to adopt new policies regarding student expression on campus and the use of facilities.
The policy identifies times and locations where distributing non-school materials is allowed. It places more limits on elementary and middle school students while giving greater freedoms to high school students.
All students may distribute materials 30 minutes before and after school at any entrance and exit.
Students may not distribute materials in classrooms during instructional time.
The Grapevine-Colleyville and Plano school districts enacted similar policies last year.
Plano changed its policy after being sued by the Liberty Legal Institute when an elementary student was not allowed to hand out candy-cane pens with religious messages in December 2003. Liberty had argued the student's First Amendment rights were violated.
Officials with the group also met last year with Grapevine-Colleyville officials after a student group raised some concerns about the district's policies.
Irving trustee Jerry Christian, a member of the policy committee, said it was important to differentiate the rules based on a student's age.
"The more mature students are given more responsibility," he said. "This makes it clear that the elementary school is a teaching situation, but at the high school there's a lot of freedom."
Hiram Sasser, director of litigation for Liberty Legal, said such policies are too complex and are unconstitutional. Districts should have simple policies that allow students free-speech rights unless they cause a disruption or hand out something vulgar or obscene, he said.
"We're asking them to empower teachers and principals to just make decisions based on what common sense dictates instead of having these complex rules," he said.
For example, students should be able to distribute material to their friends in the hallway – as long as it's not disruptive, he said.
The Irving policy does not allow elementary students to distribute anything in the hallways or cafeteria.
They may hand out materials during recess.
High school and middle school students would be able to distribute materials in the hallways.
Only high school students could distribute information in the cafeteria.
Trustee Michael Hill said the district is reacting to current cases such as the one in Plano.
"I think a kid should be allowed to pass out whatever they want," he said. "If someone's passing out things that are against my religious faith, I can't restrict them, so I don't want someone restricting me."
A second policy to be considered Monday sets up a process for secondary students to apply for permission to hold non-school-related meetings on campus.
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Failing TAKS may still mean missing out on graduation day
Irving ISD: Panel advises board to keep ban intact, despite push for change
By KATHERINE LEAL UNMUTH / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas – Not graduating with his classmates last year left Jonathan Pineda feeling like an outsider.
His repeated failure on the science portion of the state's exit exam barred him from participating in The Academy of Irving ISD's commencement ceremonies.
"It's like a put-down," said Jonathan, 18, who had attended Irving schools since moving from Mexico in the sixth grade. He passed the TAKS test over the summer and participated in a smaller ceremony, but he would have preferred the first one.
"I would like to change that [policy], so the next generation can go ahead and walk the stage," he said.
The Irving school district's existing policy states that "participation in graduation is a privilege, not a right."
And despite a district survey that showed a majority of parents and students supported changing the policy, the Irving school board will consider a recommendation Monday to leave it as is. The board's three-member policy committee is also recommending more strictly enforcing the policy at summer graduations.
"It lowers our standards if we don't do it that way," trustee Barbara Cardwell said.
Students in Texas must pass all four sections of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exit exam to receive a diploma. But it's up to each district to decide whether to allow students who fail the test but have completed all course requirements to participate in graduation ceremonies. Districts are allowed to award a certificate of completion in place of a diploma.
Other districts
A survey by Irving officials found that 32 of the 50 largest Texas districts, including Dallas and Plano, do not let students who failed the test participate in graduation. Those that do let students participate include Grand Prairie and Richardson.
In Birdville district schools in northeast Tarrant County, students are allowed to participate if they agree to take the test every time it is administered and agree to seek remedial help.
"There's no consistency across the state in this," said Whit Johnstone, Irving's division director of planning, evaluation and research. "Most don't allow the kids to walk, but a substantial number do."
Irving trustee Jerry Christian said he is concerned students will perceive participating in graduation as the same as receiving a diploma – when in fact they are technically recorded as dropouts. There also is concern they may not put as much effort into preparing for the exams.
"Let's give them something that means something instead of just giving them a reason to have a party," board President Ruben Franco said.
Dallas schools spokesman Donald Claxton said it's important that graduation represent completion of all requirements.
"It would lose its significance if we did anything else," he said.
But Anne Brassell, Arlington's executive director of secondary education, said it's important to recognize those who stay in school. Her district allows students who fail the test to participate in graduation. Many pass the test the summer after graduation, she said.
"They've accomplished a lot," she said. "They've earned all the required credits."
Students begin taking the tests their junior year. Last year, Irving students had at least five chances to pass. About 90 students had not passed the test by graduation. That number had dropped to about 40 by the end of the summer, Mr. Johnstone said.
Michel Sanchez, an English teacher at The Academy of Irving ISD, prompted the board's discussion when she requested a change to the policy last year. She said some students had already ordered their caps and gowns before learning they hadn't passed.
"I feel really passionate about these students," Ms. Sanchez said. "These kids were just greatly disappointed they could not walk across the stage. They should be recognized for earning all their credits."
Immigrant students
Ms. Sanchez said many of the Irving students affected by the policy are Hispanic or learned English as a second language.
Last month, 10 students and their parents opposing California's new exit exam filed suit, arguing it unfairly blocks graduation and hurts poor minority students.
Irving trustee Michael Hill also said he is sympathetic to many immigrant students who enter the district as teenagers and struggle with the state test. The new TAKS test is seen as more rigorous than Texas' previous exit exam.
"These kids who work really hard do not represent lowering the standards," Ms. Sanchez said. "We're asking them to recognize that."
For Aleida Garza, 18, it is anxiety, not excitement, that builds as graduation approaches. She has attended Irving schools since moving from Mexico in the third grade and would like to study hospitality at North Lake College. She failed the math portion of the exit exam twice and recently took it a third time. She attends after-school and Saturday tutoring sessions.
"I want them to know who they're saying 'no' to," she said. "It's not like I'm a bad student and I slack off in class. I think it's important to be recognized for the work you've done after you've been in high school for four years."
Irving ISD: Panel advises board to keep ban intact, despite push for change
By KATHERINE LEAL UNMUTH / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas – Not graduating with his classmates last year left Jonathan Pineda feeling like an outsider.
His repeated failure on the science portion of the state's exit exam barred him from participating in The Academy of Irving ISD's commencement ceremonies.
"It's like a put-down," said Jonathan, 18, who had attended Irving schools since moving from Mexico in the sixth grade. He passed the TAKS test over the summer and participated in a smaller ceremony, but he would have preferred the first one.
"I would like to change that [policy], so the next generation can go ahead and walk the stage," he said.
The Irving school district's existing policy states that "participation in graduation is a privilege, not a right."
And despite a district survey that showed a majority of parents and students supported changing the policy, the Irving school board will consider a recommendation Monday to leave it as is. The board's three-member policy committee is also recommending more strictly enforcing the policy at summer graduations.
"It lowers our standards if we don't do it that way," trustee Barbara Cardwell said.
Students in Texas must pass all four sections of the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills exit exam to receive a diploma. But it's up to each district to decide whether to allow students who fail the test but have completed all course requirements to participate in graduation ceremonies. Districts are allowed to award a certificate of completion in place of a diploma.
Other districts
A survey by Irving officials found that 32 of the 50 largest Texas districts, including Dallas and Plano, do not let students who failed the test participate in graduation. Those that do let students participate include Grand Prairie and Richardson.
In Birdville district schools in northeast Tarrant County, students are allowed to participate if they agree to take the test every time it is administered and agree to seek remedial help.
"There's no consistency across the state in this," said Whit Johnstone, Irving's division director of planning, evaluation and research. "Most don't allow the kids to walk, but a substantial number do."
Irving trustee Jerry Christian said he is concerned students will perceive participating in graduation as the same as receiving a diploma – when in fact they are technically recorded as dropouts. There also is concern they may not put as much effort into preparing for the exams.
"Let's give them something that means something instead of just giving them a reason to have a party," board President Ruben Franco said.
Dallas schools spokesman Donald Claxton said it's important that graduation represent completion of all requirements.
"It would lose its significance if we did anything else," he said.
But Anne Brassell, Arlington's executive director of secondary education, said it's important to recognize those who stay in school. Her district allows students who fail the test to participate in graduation. Many pass the test the summer after graduation, she said.
"They've accomplished a lot," she said. "They've earned all the required credits."
Students begin taking the tests their junior year. Last year, Irving students had at least five chances to pass. About 90 students had not passed the test by graduation. That number had dropped to about 40 by the end of the summer, Mr. Johnstone said.
Michel Sanchez, an English teacher at The Academy of Irving ISD, prompted the board's discussion when she requested a change to the policy last year. She said some students had already ordered their caps and gowns before learning they hadn't passed.
"I feel really passionate about these students," Ms. Sanchez said. "These kids were just greatly disappointed they could not walk across the stage. They should be recognized for earning all their credits."
Immigrant students
Ms. Sanchez said many of the Irving students affected by the policy are Hispanic or learned English as a second language.
Last month, 10 students and their parents opposing California's new exit exam filed suit, arguing it unfairly blocks graduation and hurts poor minority students.
Irving trustee Michael Hill also said he is sympathetic to many immigrant students who enter the district as teenagers and struggle with the state test. The new TAKS test is seen as more rigorous than Texas' previous exit exam.
"These kids who work really hard do not represent lowering the standards," Ms. Sanchez said. "We're asking them to recognize that."
For Aleida Garza, 18, it is anxiety, not excitement, that builds as graduation approaches. She has attended Irving schools since moving from Mexico in the third grade and would like to study hospitality at North Lake College. She failed the math portion of the exit exam twice and recently took it a third time. She attends after-school and Saturday tutoring sessions.
"I want them to know who they're saying 'no' to," she said. "It's not like I'm a bad student and I slack off in class. I think it's important to be recognized for the work you've done after you've been in high school for four years."
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Eyes on their hearts
Fire departments step up efforts to detect coronary issues
By STEPHANIE SANDOVAL / The Dallas Morning News
FARMERS BRANCH, Texas – Firefighters expect their bodies to perform like exotic sports cars – going from zero to 60 in seconds.
But if a firefighter hasn't kept up with routine maintenance, the stress associated with responding to calls can be fatal, industry experts say.
Nearly half of the U.S. firefighters who died on duty from 1995 through 2005 died of cardiac arrest. And the rate of heart attack goes up for firefighters 40 and older, according to the National Fire Protection Association and the U.S. Fire Administration.
With that in mind, several area fire departments are ramping up fitness programs and adding comprehensive medical testing to detect coronary problems.
Farmers Branch requires firefighters to work out each shift, using new fitness equipment at each station. The city also requires an annual medical exam.
This week, the department started putting all personnel over age 40 through a body scan using electron beam tomography, looking for blocked arteries and other problems that could lead to a heart attack. The scan also can detect early signs of cancer and other problems in major organs.
Carrollton, which has long had a similar fitness program, also added the body scans this year. Irving plans to start putting personnel through the same tests by summer. Rowlett and Allen are doing the same. Addison put personnel through the scans last year.
"We really think we've done an excellent job of being able to provide a lot of special equipment and protective clothing and training," Farmers Branch Fire Chief Kyle King said. "This is just an addition to the overall aspect of safety of firefighters."
Electron beam tomography is an outgrowth of CT scan technology. The EBT scanner takes rapid images of the heart and arteries and other major organs.
It is done without needles or dyes, and it is considered one of the most advanced early diagnostic tools available, able to detect even slight arterial blockages
Sudden cardiac deaths
The annual number of sudden cardiac deaths among firefighters dropped by about a third from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. But the rate has held steady since then. Forty percent to 50 percent of the firefighters who die on duty every year die of heart failure, according to a National Fire Protection study released last June.
Most of the deaths between 1994 and 2004 occurred during fire operations (35 percent), responding to or returning from alarms (25.2 percent) or during training (11.4 percent.)
From the moment the alarm sounds until long after firefighters are back at their station, firefighters' hearts are pumping hard, Carrollton Assistant Fire Chief Mario Molina said.
"If we get a structure fire, we don't have that luxury of warming up and stretching," he said. Firefighters can be sleeping, be roused by the alarm and on scene in six to nine minutes, fire officials said.
Early detection of coronary problems can save cities money by enabling personnel to get early treatment rather than undergo expensive surgery, hospitalization and time off, fire officials said.
Addison Deputy Fire Chief Chris Kellen said the EBT scans are far more reliable than the traditional electrocardiogram and treadmill stress test most departments require.
"We have been doing the EKG stress test since 1984 ... and it has never found a heart problem with anybody in the department," he said. "Yet we have had quite a few people who have had heart attacks, and several in six months after the test didn't show anything."
"The good thing about it was the one person who had severe blockage went immediately into the hospital and had stents put in. It probably kept him from having the big one. It may have saved his life," Deputy Chief Kellen said
'EBT is much better'
In Allen, the EBT scans done last year found calcium blockage of arteries or other heart problems with five firefighters.
"We found out recently this EBT is much better and more predictive," Irving Assistant Fire Chief Mike Evitts said. "I went through the scanning, and they were able to tell me I had a 1 percent calcium deposit on one part of my aorta. ... They can give warnings three or four years early, before something happens, to start changing your diet and do something different."
Farmers Branch firefighter Capt. Stephen Bock underwent an EBT scan on his own last year, and it showed calcium buildup in his arteries. He went on medication and made some lifestyle changes.
When he went through the procedure again Thursday with the Fire Department, the test showed almost all the blockage was gone.
"I'm thrilled," he said.
Departments make fitness equipment available to personnel, though not all require daily workouts. Most firefighters must pass a regular fitness test. Some departments have firefighters at each station who serve as fitness coordinators, helping others set up exercise and diet regimens and encouraging firefighters to eat healthier food.
Panel calls for action
The Texas Commission on Fire Protection also is encouraging departments to get on board.
Last week, commissioners adopted recommendations that fire departments assess wellness and fitness needs and develop standard operating procedures. The written operating procedure is required to be available upon the biannual inspection of each department by the commission.
The commission's decision is an endorsement of the Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative, established by the International Association of Fire Fighters and the international Association of Fire Chiefs.
"This is saying every department should go through and assess the physical condition of their members. How they do it, that's up to them," said Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Kent Worley, a Texas Commission on Fire Protection commissioner.
Fort Worth has long had a fitness program, and firefighters must pass an annual physical. But the city has not decided whether to incorporate the EBT scans.
The commission chose not to make fitness programs mandatory because some departments don't have the financial resources to do so.
Dallas Fire-Rescue Lt. Joel Lavender said he hopes the department one day will be able to include EBT scans to their health and fitness program. But with about 2,000 firefighters at several hundred dollars per scan, the cost would be high.
"It's a serious dilemma when you've got council members making the best bang-for-the-buck decisions they can," Lt. Lavender said. "Hopefully in the future there will be some monies in the budget, and we can resurrect that idea and have a medical assessment."
Fire departments step up efforts to detect coronary issues
By STEPHANIE SANDOVAL / The Dallas Morning News
FARMERS BRANCH, Texas – Firefighters expect their bodies to perform like exotic sports cars – going from zero to 60 in seconds.
But if a firefighter hasn't kept up with routine maintenance, the stress associated with responding to calls can be fatal, industry experts say.
Nearly half of the U.S. firefighters who died on duty from 1995 through 2005 died of cardiac arrest. And the rate of heart attack goes up for firefighters 40 and older, according to the National Fire Protection Association and the U.S. Fire Administration.
With that in mind, several area fire departments are ramping up fitness programs and adding comprehensive medical testing to detect coronary problems.
Farmers Branch requires firefighters to work out each shift, using new fitness equipment at each station. The city also requires an annual medical exam.
This week, the department started putting all personnel over age 40 through a body scan using electron beam tomography, looking for blocked arteries and other problems that could lead to a heart attack. The scan also can detect early signs of cancer and other problems in major organs.
Carrollton, which has long had a similar fitness program, also added the body scans this year. Irving plans to start putting personnel through the same tests by summer. Rowlett and Allen are doing the same. Addison put personnel through the scans last year.
"We really think we've done an excellent job of being able to provide a lot of special equipment and protective clothing and training," Farmers Branch Fire Chief Kyle King said. "This is just an addition to the overall aspect of safety of firefighters."
Electron beam tomography is an outgrowth of CT scan technology. The EBT scanner takes rapid images of the heart and arteries and other major organs.
It is done without needles or dyes, and it is considered one of the most advanced early diagnostic tools available, able to detect even slight arterial blockages
Sudden cardiac deaths
The annual number of sudden cardiac deaths among firefighters dropped by about a third from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. But the rate has held steady since then. Forty percent to 50 percent of the firefighters who die on duty every year die of heart failure, according to a National Fire Protection study released last June.
Most of the deaths between 1994 and 2004 occurred during fire operations (35 percent), responding to or returning from alarms (25.2 percent) or during training (11.4 percent.)
From the moment the alarm sounds until long after firefighters are back at their station, firefighters' hearts are pumping hard, Carrollton Assistant Fire Chief Mario Molina said.
"If we get a structure fire, we don't have that luxury of warming up and stretching," he said. Firefighters can be sleeping, be roused by the alarm and on scene in six to nine minutes, fire officials said.
Early detection of coronary problems can save cities money by enabling personnel to get early treatment rather than undergo expensive surgery, hospitalization and time off, fire officials said.
Addison Deputy Fire Chief Chris Kellen said the EBT scans are far more reliable than the traditional electrocardiogram and treadmill stress test most departments require.
"We have been doing the EKG stress test since 1984 ... and it has never found a heart problem with anybody in the department," he said. "Yet we have had quite a few people who have had heart attacks, and several in six months after the test didn't show anything."
"The good thing about it was the one person who had severe blockage went immediately into the hospital and had stents put in. It probably kept him from having the big one. It may have saved his life," Deputy Chief Kellen said
'EBT is much better'
In Allen, the EBT scans done last year found calcium blockage of arteries or other heart problems with five firefighters.
"We found out recently this EBT is much better and more predictive," Irving Assistant Fire Chief Mike Evitts said. "I went through the scanning, and they were able to tell me I had a 1 percent calcium deposit on one part of my aorta. ... They can give warnings three or four years early, before something happens, to start changing your diet and do something different."
Farmers Branch firefighter Capt. Stephen Bock underwent an EBT scan on his own last year, and it showed calcium buildup in his arteries. He went on medication and made some lifestyle changes.
When he went through the procedure again Thursday with the Fire Department, the test showed almost all the blockage was gone.
"I'm thrilled," he said.
Departments make fitness equipment available to personnel, though not all require daily workouts. Most firefighters must pass a regular fitness test. Some departments have firefighters at each station who serve as fitness coordinators, helping others set up exercise and diet regimens and encouraging firefighters to eat healthier food.
Panel calls for action
The Texas Commission on Fire Protection also is encouraging departments to get on board.
Last week, commissioners adopted recommendations that fire departments assess wellness and fitness needs and develop standard operating procedures. The written operating procedure is required to be available upon the biannual inspection of each department by the commission.
The commission's decision is an endorsement of the Fire Service Joint Labor Management Wellness-Fitness Initiative, established by the International Association of Fire Fighters and the international Association of Fire Chiefs.
"This is saying every department should go through and assess the physical condition of their members. How they do it, that's up to them," said Fort Worth Fire Department spokesman Kent Worley, a Texas Commission on Fire Protection commissioner.
Fort Worth has long had a fitness program, and firefighters must pass an annual physical. But the city has not decided whether to incorporate the EBT scans.
The commission chose not to make fitness programs mandatory because some departments don't have the financial resources to do so.
Dallas Fire-Rescue Lt. Joel Lavender said he hopes the department one day will be able to include EBT scans to their health and fitness program. But with about 2,000 firefighters at several hundred dollars per scan, the cost would be high.
"It's a serious dilemma when you've got council members making the best bang-for-the-buck decisions they can," Lt. Lavender said. "Hopefully in the future there will be some monies in the budget, and we can resurrect that idea and have a medical assessment."
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Police arrest one after Dallas chase
By CAROL CAVAZOS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Police said a Dallas officer was nearly run over Sunday morning after he tried to pull over two men in a car during a routine traffic stop.
The stop led to a chase that ended at Samuell-Crawford Memorial Park in southeast Dallas where officers caught the passenger, Jamie Rubio, and charged him in relation to allegedly attempting to run over Officer Ronald Kramer.
Rubio, 21, was handcuffed wet after running through a creek in an attempt to flee from the police.
He was the passenger in the green Ford Escort, and police said he was the one who took charge in the chase.
"He started screaming and yelling at the driver to go, and he was reaching across with his foot to try to hit the gas and trying to put the car in gear," Officer Kramer said.
After the suspects took off from the car and hid in a wooded area, officers in AirOne searched for them from above and additional officers and canine units looked on the ground.
The suspects' motives in the alleged aggravated motor vehicle assault and evasion of arrest may lie in a pack of cigarettes, police said. Officers said they believed the cigarettes contained heroin and will run tests to see if they prove positive.
Despite the driver not being apprehended, police called off the search.
"We're pulling the officers," said Sgt. H.R. Hines. "We're pulling the dogs. We got the primary person that was involved."
Police said they believe the suspect may also provide an answer in the original traffic stop, which was due to a backward 6 on their license place, at a car wash on the 8600 block of Lake June.
By CAROL CAVAZOS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Police said a Dallas officer was nearly run over Sunday morning after he tried to pull over two men in a car during a routine traffic stop.
The stop led to a chase that ended at Samuell-Crawford Memorial Park in southeast Dallas where officers caught the passenger, Jamie Rubio, and charged him in relation to allegedly attempting to run over Officer Ronald Kramer.
Rubio, 21, was handcuffed wet after running through a creek in an attempt to flee from the police.
He was the passenger in the green Ford Escort, and police said he was the one who took charge in the chase.
"He started screaming and yelling at the driver to go, and he was reaching across with his foot to try to hit the gas and trying to put the car in gear," Officer Kramer said.
After the suspects took off from the car and hid in a wooded area, officers in AirOne searched for them from above and additional officers and canine units looked on the ground.
The suspects' motives in the alleged aggravated motor vehicle assault and evasion of arrest may lie in a pack of cigarettes, police said. Officers said they believed the cigarettes contained heroin and will run tests to see if they prove positive.
Despite the driver not being apprehended, police called off the search.
"We're pulling the officers," said Sgt. H.R. Hines. "We're pulling the dogs. We got the primary person that was involved."
Police said they believe the suspect may also provide an answer in the original traffic stop, which was due to a backward 6 on their license place, at a car wash on the 8600 block of Lake June.
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Missing Irving teen found unharmed
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
GARLAND, Texas - An 18-year-old mentally impaired Irving man that went missing on Saturday was found safe and unharmed at a friend’s house in Garland on Sunday afternoon, police said.
Police began looking for Ian Colin Brown after he reportedly wandered off from his home in the 4100 block of Compton Court about 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
The 18-year-old requires seizure medication, which did not have on him.
By BRANDON FORMBY / The Dallas Morning News
GARLAND, Texas - An 18-year-old mentally impaired Irving man that went missing on Saturday was found safe and unharmed at a friend’s house in Garland on Sunday afternoon, police said.
Police began looking for Ian Colin Brown after he reportedly wandered off from his home in the 4100 block of Compton Court about 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
The 18-year-old requires seizure medication, which did not have on him.
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TexasStooge
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Blaze sparks neighbors' aid
Cedar Hill: When mayor's house catches fire, town lines up to help the family rebuild
By KAREN AYRES / DallasNews.com
CEDAR HILL, Texas – Mayor Rob Franke peeled the soot-stained cover off his living room sofa Sunday and discovered a gift.
Nestled among the mud and ash were several family photos in perfect condition, pulled aside by the firefighters who had tamed the raging blaze that practically destroyed the Franke home on Friday night.
"They saved a bunch of our pictures," Mr. Franke said as he turned to Mayor Pro Tem Cory Spillman. "That is wonderful. That is just so wonderful."
Few other items were spared after a fire of unknown causes started in the garage and quickly consumed most of the Frankes' one-story home. But the mayor and his wife, Jenaie, say the dozens of people who came out to help them from across the area this weekend mean more than any material items.
"When you get into politics, you're used to giving and not getting a lot in return because you're just dealing with problems," said Mr. Franke, mayor for the past nine years. "For people to come back and help us was pretty amazing."
By Sunday, thick soot, mud and pieces of the fallen roof covered everything from the kitchen stove to Mr. Franke's comic book collection.
The fire apparently started shortly after the Frankes and several friends left to celebrate their daughter Farren's 16th birthday at Humperdink's restaurant in Arlington.
They had just ordered drinks when a neighbor called to say he had spotted smoke and flames coming out of the house and called 911.
Mr. Franke told his wife to keep the news from his daughter and raced back to the house with Mr. Spillman, who was also at the party.
"There was no question that I was going," Mr. Spillman said. "He's like family, and you know their whole world is about to be turned upside down."
The attic above the garage, filled with treasured Christmas ornaments and yearbooks, had been one of the fire's first stops. The roof was next.
By the time they got to the house around 8:30 p.m., the flames pouring from it were so intense that the heat had melted the lights and bumpers on nearby cars.
Phone calls had already gone around town. About 50 neighbors, council members, friends and fellow members of the Cedar Hill Church of Christ lined up outside.
City Manager Alan Sims pulled the mayor aside to tell him that two of their dogs, Lacey and Lennie, and their cat, Roxie, hadn't made it out.
As firefighters from Cedar Hill and DeSoto tried to stop the blaze from consuming the rest of the mayor's home, council member Wade Emmert conducted a prayer.
"There were just open mouths and dropped jaws," Mr. Emmert said. "We were in shock."
The mayor watched the fire burn for an hour and decided to drive back to his daughter's party. His only daughter would never have another 16th birthday; he would have another house.
Before Mr. Franke left, Ken Lybrand, an elder at his church, prayed with him privately.
"I prayed that God would give Rob the strength to get through the situation and the wisdom to deal with it," Mr. Lybrand said.
The fire was out by the time the Frankes returned home at 10:30 p.m. with teenagers in tow.
They soon got a look at what was left: Two bedrooms had water damage. The remainder of the house – living room, game room, kitchen, Mr. Franke's office and a third bedroom – was pretty much destroyed.
But they were not.
"It's pretty sad," Mr. Franke said, "but it's just stuff. Life will go on."
One family quickly took them in for the night. Within hours, the Frankes had toothpaste, deodorant, underwear and other necessities.
Fire investigators spent the night combing the garage for clues. Mr. Franke said electrical causes and arson have been ruled out. Mr. and Mrs. Franke don't smoke, but it's possible that someone else's cigarette sparked the fire.
Another crowd started to gather at the house around 6:45 a.m. Saturday. Nearly 60 city employees, council members, neighbors and friends divided into groups. Many worked until 9 p.m.
Some people washed clothes that could be pulled from closets; others tried to salvage melted photos. Several people helped haul furniture to the back yard. After a friend offered to let the family stay in a nearby vacant house, others gathered beds and furniture.
"[The mayor] is always the first one there when other people are experiencing tragedies, and people felt compelled to be there when he was going through a tragedy," Mr. Emmert said.
On Sunday morning, the family went to church as they always do. They were again the focus of a prayer by Mr. Lybrand.
"Rob and I looked at each other and cried," Mrs. Franke said. "It wasn't because of the fire. It was because of the people."
Mr. Lybrand said he told the congregation that the Frankes' love for God would continue to carry them through the tragedy.
"Too often we spend too much time asking 'Why?' instead of taking the time to deal with it and move on with life," Mr. Lybrand said. "That's what Rob and Jenaie are doing now. They're dealing with it."
The church is now organizing a committee to help the Frankes.
The family expects an insurance adjustor today, but they already know their plans: They want to rebuild in town, preferably on the same spot.
"I will stay in Cedar Hill," Mr. Franke said, "no doubt in my mind."
Cedar Hill: When mayor's house catches fire, town lines up to help the family rebuild
By KAREN AYRES / DallasNews.com
CEDAR HILL, Texas – Mayor Rob Franke peeled the soot-stained cover off his living room sofa Sunday and discovered a gift.
Nestled among the mud and ash were several family photos in perfect condition, pulled aside by the firefighters who had tamed the raging blaze that practically destroyed the Franke home on Friday night.
"They saved a bunch of our pictures," Mr. Franke said as he turned to Mayor Pro Tem Cory Spillman. "That is wonderful. That is just so wonderful."
Few other items were spared after a fire of unknown causes started in the garage and quickly consumed most of the Frankes' one-story home. But the mayor and his wife, Jenaie, say the dozens of people who came out to help them from across the area this weekend mean more than any material items.
"When you get into politics, you're used to giving and not getting a lot in return because you're just dealing with problems," said Mr. Franke, mayor for the past nine years. "For people to come back and help us was pretty amazing."
By Sunday, thick soot, mud and pieces of the fallen roof covered everything from the kitchen stove to Mr. Franke's comic book collection.
The fire apparently started shortly after the Frankes and several friends left to celebrate their daughter Farren's 16th birthday at Humperdink's restaurant in Arlington.
They had just ordered drinks when a neighbor called to say he had spotted smoke and flames coming out of the house and called 911.
Mr. Franke told his wife to keep the news from his daughter and raced back to the house with Mr. Spillman, who was also at the party.
"There was no question that I was going," Mr. Spillman said. "He's like family, and you know their whole world is about to be turned upside down."
The attic above the garage, filled with treasured Christmas ornaments and yearbooks, had been one of the fire's first stops. The roof was next.
By the time they got to the house around 8:30 p.m., the flames pouring from it were so intense that the heat had melted the lights and bumpers on nearby cars.
Phone calls had already gone around town. About 50 neighbors, council members, friends and fellow members of the Cedar Hill Church of Christ lined up outside.
City Manager Alan Sims pulled the mayor aside to tell him that two of their dogs, Lacey and Lennie, and their cat, Roxie, hadn't made it out.
As firefighters from Cedar Hill and DeSoto tried to stop the blaze from consuming the rest of the mayor's home, council member Wade Emmert conducted a prayer.
"There were just open mouths and dropped jaws," Mr. Emmert said. "We were in shock."
The mayor watched the fire burn for an hour and decided to drive back to his daughter's party. His only daughter would never have another 16th birthday; he would have another house.
Before Mr. Franke left, Ken Lybrand, an elder at his church, prayed with him privately.
"I prayed that God would give Rob the strength to get through the situation and the wisdom to deal with it," Mr. Lybrand said.
The fire was out by the time the Frankes returned home at 10:30 p.m. with teenagers in tow.
They soon got a look at what was left: Two bedrooms had water damage. The remainder of the house – living room, game room, kitchen, Mr. Franke's office and a third bedroom – was pretty much destroyed.
But they were not.
"It's pretty sad," Mr. Franke said, "but it's just stuff. Life will go on."
One family quickly took them in for the night. Within hours, the Frankes had toothpaste, deodorant, underwear and other necessities.
Fire investigators spent the night combing the garage for clues. Mr. Franke said electrical causes and arson have been ruled out. Mr. and Mrs. Franke don't smoke, but it's possible that someone else's cigarette sparked the fire.
Another crowd started to gather at the house around 6:45 a.m. Saturday. Nearly 60 city employees, council members, neighbors and friends divided into groups. Many worked until 9 p.m.
Some people washed clothes that could be pulled from closets; others tried to salvage melted photos. Several people helped haul furniture to the back yard. After a friend offered to let the family stay in a nearby vacant house, others gathered beds and furniture.
"[The mayor] is always the first one there when other people are experiencing tragedies, and people felt compelled to be there when he was going through a tragedy," Mr. Emmert said.
On Sunday morning, the family went to church as they always do. They were again the focus of a prayer by Mr. Lybrand.
"Rob and I looked at each other and cried," Mrs. Franke said. "It wasn't because of the fire. It was because of the people."
Mr. Lybrand said he told the congregation that the Frankes' love for God would continue to carry them through the tragedy.
"Too often we spend too much time asking 'Why?' instead of taking the time to deal with it and move on with life," Mr. Lybrand said. "That's what Rob and Jenaie are doing now. They're dealing with it."
The church is now organizing a committee to help the Frankes.
The family expects an insurance adjustor today, but they already know their plans: They want to rebuild in town, preferably on the same spot.
"I will stay in Cedar Hill," Mr. Franke said, "no doubt in my mind."
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TexasStooge
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Police arrest one after Dallas chase
By CAROL CAVAZOS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Police said a Dallas officer was nearly run over Sunday morning after he tried to pull over two men in a car during a routine traffic stop.
The stop led to a chase that ended at Samuell-Crawford Memorial Park in southeast Dallas where officers caught the passenger, Jamie Rubio, and charged him in relation to allegedly attempting to run over Officer Ronald Kramer.
Rubio, 21, was handcuffed wet after running through a creek in an attempt to flee from the police.
He was the passenger in the green Ford Escort, and police said he was the one who took charge in the chase.
"He started screaming and yelling at the driver to go, and he was reaching across with his foot to try to hit the gas and trying to put the car in gear," Officer Kramer said.
After the suspects took off from the car and hid in a wooded area, officers in AirOne searched for them from above and additional officers and canine units looked on the ground.
The suspects' motives in the alleged aggravated motor vehicle assault and evasion of arrest may lie in a pack of cigarettes, police said. Officers said they believed the cigarettes contained heroin and will run tests to see if they prove positive.
Despite the driver not being apprehended, police called off the search.
"We're pulling the officers," said Sgt. H.R. Hines. "We're pulling the dogs. We got the primary person that was involved."
Police said they believe the suspect may also provide an answer in the original traffic stop, which was due to a backward 6 on their license place, at a car wash on the 8600 block of Lake June.
By CAROL CAVAZOS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Police said a Dallas officer was nearly run over Sunday morning after he tried to pull over two men in a car during a routine traffic stop.
The stop led to a chase that ended at Samuell-Crawford Memorial Park in southeast Dallas where officers caught the passenger, Jamie Rubio, and charged him in relation to allegedly attempting to run over Officer Ronald Kramer.
Rubio, 21, was handcuffed wet after running through a creek in an attempt to flee from the police.
He was the passenger in the green Ford Escort, and police said he was the one who took charge in the chase.
"He started screaming and yelling at the driver to go, and he was reaching across with his foot to try to hit the gas and trying to put the car in gear," Officer Kramer said.
After the suspects took off from the car and hid in a wooded area, officers in AirOne searched for them from above and additional officers and canine units looked on the ground.
The suspects' motives in the alleged aggravated motor vehicle assault and evasion of arrest may lie in a pack of cigarettes, police said. Officers said they believed the cigarettes contained heroin and will run tests to see if they prove positive.
Despite the driver not being apprehended, police called off the search.
"We're pulling the officers," said Sgt. H.R. Hines. "We're pulling the dogs. We got the primary person that was involved."
Police said they believe the suspect may also provide an answer in the original traffic stop, which was due to a backward 6 on their license place, at a car wash on the 8600 block of Lake June.
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TexasStooge
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- Location: Irving (Dallas County), TX
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Growing districts rely on rookie teachers, but veterans are in demand
By KAREN AYRES / DallasNews.com
Nearly 19,000 kindergartners are expected to enroll in Frisco schools in the next five years – more than the district's entire population last year.
Many families are lured by sparkling new campuses, healthy PTAs and high test scores. But parents flocking to Frisco and other growing suburban school districts will find their children aren't the only newcomers on campus.
A Dallas Morning News analysis found that many of the most celebrated, booming school districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are struggling to fill their burgeoning ranks with experienced teachers.
As local school districts now head into teacher recruiting season, they are paying close attention to how many veterans they are able to lure.
Officials say higher incomes and involved parents keep scores buoyed for now in many growing districts. But they see quality teachers as a long-term investment in their future reputations.
Competition is fierce for the limited, local pool of teachers who know the classroom ropes. Four of 10 teachers in the average Dallas-Fort Worth area school district have five years or less experience on the job. About one-fourth have 20 years' experience.
"We're all looking for the same things, and experience is certainly a factor," said Roger Herrington, executive director of human resources in Garland ISD, which opens a new school every year to keep up with growth.
"It's like going to the dentist for a root canal. Do you want this to be their first root canal or do you want them to have experience?"
The survey of area school administrators and an analysis of the latest testing, personnel and demographic data in 59 school districts across North Texas find:
• Fast-growing districts on average have less-experienced teachers than more established districts. For example, in Little Elm, which grew 36 percent in two years, the teaching staff averages 6.8 years on the job. That figure jumps to more than 11 years in long-established Arlington, state records show.
• Many of these fast-growing districts also carry among the highest passage rates in the area on the annual TAKS tests. In Frisco, for example, 84 percent of the students passed the TAKS in 2005, compared with an average of 68 percent for all of the area districts.
• Socioeconomics and parental involvement are often stronger predictors of academic success than the single factor of teacher experience, but experts stress that quality teachers do matter.
"If you just look at the TAKS scores from wealthy districts, a large part of that is driven by family background," said Dr. Eric Hanushek, a Stanford University professor who has studied student achievement in Texas. "But you shouldn't assume that means the schools aren't important. The kids there who have the good teachers are learning more than the kids there who have the poor teachers."
Though Dallas teachers have more experience on average at 12.3 years, test scores trail many suburban school districts with newer teachers. Last year only 49 percent of students passed the TAKS, according to state reports.
Mary Roberts, a Dallas ISD deputy superintendent, said officials there have been able to keep many veterans with good salaries and special programs, but the district faces tough conditions. Four of five students are classified as poor, and 30 percent have limited English proficiency.
"The student composition of our district vs. the suburbs is very, very different," said Ms. Roberts, who noted that the district still hires hundreds of new teachers every year to keep up with turnover.
Faced with new school buildings to staff, personnel officials in rapidly growing suburbs fill hundreds of positions a year. Though officials stress that good scores and involved parents lure teachers from other districts, many of the jobs go to young people fresh out of college.
The lessons often flow both ways in the classroom.
"There is nothing that will completely prepare you for walking in and having 23 kids on your own," said Nikki Mize, a 24-year-old who teaches fourth grade in Frisco, which hired about 100 staff members with no experience this year.
Many parents say they aren't concerned about green teachers because they keep a close eye on their children's assignments.
"I definitely do think it's parent involvement," Mike Shepherd, who has two children in Frisco schools, said of the district's success. "It's a matter of asking questions. It's all communication."
Yet school leaders in many wealthy, growing districts say they know quality teachers will help their students in the long run – regardless of parental involvement. They work to poach veterans from other districts every year, but there are only so many to go around. Most teachers aren't eager to switch districts in the middle of their careers.
Some districts, including Little Elm and Frisco, have changed their salary schedules to boost pay for veterans. High test scores, more experience and higher incomes mark the Highland Park school district.
Many districts strategically place teachers to deal with inexperience. Frisco administrators make sure that at least one-third of every new school staff has experience. Other districts strive to hire experienced teachers for grade levels when students take TAKS tests.
"It makes sense that we look for experienced teachers in the third grade," said Mary Nelle McClendon, director of human resources in Wylie ISD. "It's an important testing year for students."
School leaders say the benefits of hiring veterans are clear.
Not only do they have a better idea of techniques to help students pass the TAKS, they say, they also have a better grasp of teaching tactics.
"When you get a teacher who has 15 years experience, they've had 15 years of training," said Julie Burton, director of personnel for Highland Park ISD. "They know what works and what doesn't work. They know how to reach kids."
Educators say veterans also have a better handle on managing the classroom. Some classes can joke around with their teachers; others dissolve into chaos.
"You don't teach the class as a whole," said Carole Lemonds, a fourth-grade teacher in Arlington with 27 years experience. "You teach the students as individuals."
Joyce Protopapas said her son, a sophomore at Centennial High School in Frisco, occasionally complains that his young teachers have trouble handling his classmates.
"My son complains about them being so young," Ms. Protopapas said. "It's the maturity thing that he's uncomfortable with."
Educators also stress that not every 20-year veteran should still be teaching. They say newcomers are sometimes the best teachers in the building – energetic, tech-savvy and not yet jaded about the challenges of the job.
Studies show that the benefits of experience level out after a couple of years. Therefore, the challenge for many of the swiftly growing districts is to help the newcomers when they get in the door in hopes they will develop as leaders and stay put.
Many districts have mentoring programs. Some districts operate in teams to share the job of preparing lesson plans with regimented curriculums.
Ms. Mize hopes that extra help will one day make her a strong veteran.
"I'm so excited, and I want to change the world," Ms. Mize said. "And I think a lot of first-year teachers are like that."
By KAREN AYRES / DallasNews.com
Nearly 19,000 kindergartners are expected to enroll in Frisco schools in the next five years – more than the district's entire population last year.
Many families are lured by sparkling new campuses, healthy PTAs and high test scores. But parents flocking to Frisco and other growing suburban school districts will find their children aren't the only newcomers on campus.
A Dallas Morning News analysis found that many of the most celebrated, booming school districts in the Dallas-Fort Worth area are struggling to fill their burgeoning ranks with experienced teachers.
As local school districts now head into teacher recruiting season, they are paying close attention to how many veterans they are able to lure.
Officials say higher incomes and involved parents keep scores buoyed for now in many growing districts. But they see quality teachers as a long-term investment in their future reputations.
Competition is fierce for the limited, local pool of teachers who know the classroom ropes. Four of 10 teachers in the average Dallas-Fort Worth area school district have five years or less experience on the job. About one-fourth have 20 years' experience.
"We're all looking for the same things, and experience is certainly a factor," said Roger Herrington, executive director of human resources in Garland ISD, which opens a new school every year to keep up with growth.
"It's like going to the dentist for a root canal. Do you want this to be their first root canal or do you want them to have experience?"
The survey of area school administrators and an analysis of the latest testing, personnel and demographic data in 59 school districts across North Texas find:
• Fast-growing districts on average have less-experienced teachers than more established districts. For example, in Little Elm, which grew 36 percent in two years, the teaching staff averages 6.8 years on the job. That figure jumps to more than 11 years in long-established Arlington, state records show.
• Many of these fast-growing districts also carry among the highest passage rates in the area on the annual TAKS tests. In Frisco, for example, 84 percent of the students passed the TAKS in 2005, compared with an average of 68 percent for all of the area districts.
• Socioeconomics and parental involvement are often stronger predictors of academic success than the single factor of teacher experience, but experts stress that quality teachers do matter.
"If you just look at the TAKS scores from wealthy districts, a large part of that is driven by family background," said Dr. Eric Hanushek, a Stanford University professor who has studied student achievement in Texas. "But you shouldn't assume that means the schools aren't important. The kids there who have the good teachers are learning more than the kids there who have the poor teachers."
Though Dallas teachers have more experience on average at 12.3 years, test scores trail many suburban school districts with newer teachers. Last year only 49 percent of students passed the TAKS, according to state reports.
Mary Roberts, a Dallas ISD deputy superintendent, said officials there have been able to keep many veterans with good salaries and special programs, but the district faces tough conditions. Four of five students are classified as poor, and 30 percent have limited English proficiency.
"The student composition of our district vs. the suburbs is very, very different," said Ms. Roberts, who noted that the district still hires hundreds of new teachers every year to keep up with turnover.
Faced with new school buildings to staff, personnel officials in rapidly growing suburbs fill hundreds of positions a year. Though officials stress that good scores and involved parents lure teachers from other districts, many of the jobs go to young people fresh out of college.
The lessons often flow both ways in the classroom.
"There is nothing that will completely prepare you for walking in and having 23 kids on your own," said Nikki Mize, a 24-year-old who teaches fourth grade in Frisco, which hired about 100 staff members with no experience this year.
Many parents say they aren't concerned about green teachers because they keep a close eye on their children's assignments.
"I definitely do think it's parent involvement," Mike Shepherd, who has two children in Frisco schools, said of the district's success. "It's a matter of asking questions. It's all communication."
Yet school leaders in many wealthy, growing districts say they know quality teachers will help their students in the long run – regardless of parental involvement. They work to poach veterans from other districts every year, but there are only so many to go around. Most teachers aren't eager to switch districts in the middle of their careers.
Some districts, including Little Elm and Frisco, have changed their salary schedules to boost pay for veterans. High test scores, more experience and higher incomes mark the Highland Park school district.
Many districts strategically place teachers to deal with inexperience. Frisco administrators make sure that at least one-third of every new school staff has experience. Other districts strive to hire experienced teachers for grade levels when students take TAKS tests.
"It makes sense that we look for experienced teachers in the third grade," said Mary Nelle McClendon, director of human resources in Wylie ISD. "It's an important testing year for students."
School leaders say the benefits of hiring veterans are clear.
Not only do they have a better idea of techniques to help students pass the TAKS, they say, they also have a better grasp of teaching tactics.
"When you get a teacher who has 15 years experience, they've had 15 years of training," said Julie Burton, director of personnel for Highland Park ISD. "They know what works and what doesn't work. They know how to reach kids."
Educators say veterans also have a better handle on managing the classroom. Some classes can joke around with their teachers; others dissolve into chaos.
"You don't teach the class as a whole," said Carole Lemonds, a fourth-grade teacher in Arlington with 27 years experience. "You teach the students as individuals."
Joyce Protopapas said her son, a sophomore at Centennial High School in Frisco, occasionally complains that his young teachers have trouble handling his classmates.
"My son complains about them being so young," Ms. Protopapas said. "It's the maturity thing that he's uncomfortable with."
Educators also stress that not every 20-year veteran should still be teaching. They say newcomers are sometimes the best teachers in the building – energetic, tech-savvy and not yet jaded about the challenges of the job.
Studies show that the benefits of experience level out after a couple of years. Therefore, the challenge for many of the swiftly growing districts is to help the newcomers when they get in the door in hopes they will develop as leaders and stay put.
Many districts have mentoring programs. Some districts operate in teams to share the job of preparing lesson plans with regimented curriculums.
Ms. Mize hopes that extra help will one day make her a strong veteran.
"I'm so excited, and I want to change the world," Ms. Mize said. "And I think a lot of first-year teachers are like that."
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TexasStooge
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Arlington parents granted school tranfers
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
ARLINGTON, Texas - Parents who camped outside Arlington ISD for more than a week in order to transfer their children to a different school, may be seeing a payoff.
Earlier this morning, they were allowed inside the building to start the paperwork to transfer their children to the school of their choice.
About 100 parents had camped out for eight days.
Some parents said they had bonded over their common goal.
"To be honest with you, it hasn't been that bad," said Eugene Haase, a parent. "The people here are wonderful. We've made a lot of lasting relationships. Saturday night we had a pot luck dinner. We've exchanged telephone numbers."
Most parents are guaranteed to get their children transferred. Butler Elementary is the school of choice.
Arlington is one of three districts in the state which allow parents to transfer their children to other schools.
By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8
ARLINGTON, Texas - Parents who camped outside Arlington ISD for more than a week in order to transfer their children to a different school, may be seeing a payoff.
Earlier this morning, they were allowed inside the building to start the paperwork to transfer their children to the school of their choice.
About 100 parents had camped out for eight days.
Some parents said they had bonded over their common goal.
"To be honest with you, it hasn't been that bad," said Eugene Haase, a parent. "The people here are wonderful. We've made a lot of lasting relationships. Saturday night we had a pot luck dinner. We've exchanged telephone numbers."
Most parents are guaranteed to get their children transferred. Butler Elementary is the school of choice.
Arlington is one of three districts in the state which allow parents to transfer their children to other schools.
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TexasStooge
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Dallas police issue 10 Most Wanted list
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas police are taking a cue from the FBI by coming up with their own 10 Most Wanted list.
The list is posted on the police department's website, and features pictures and descriptions of the top 10 offenders wanted by the department.
The list includes alleged killers like Emilio Noyola, Juan DeLaCruz Rios and Michael Dwayne Ewing, as well as armed robbery suspects and one man—Ivan Claude Green—wanted for a sexual assault.
The DPD site also provides a way for citizens to leave anonymous tips for investigators via a telephone hotline (214-671-4TIP).
DALLAS, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Dallas police are taking a cue from the FBI by coming up with their own 10 Most Wanted list.
The list is posted on the police department's website, and features pictures and descriptions of the top 10 offenders wanted by the department.
The list includes alleged killers like Emilio Noyola, Juan DeLaCruz Rios and Michael Dwayne Ewing, as well as armed robbery suspects and one man—Ivan Claude Green—wanted for a sexual assault.
The DPD site also provides a way for citizens to leave anonymous tips for investigators via a telephone hotline (214-671-4TIP).
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TexasStooge
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Dallas residents aim high for bonds
Dallas: Meetings backed $1.5 billion, surprising some council members
By DAVE LEVINTHAL and EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Here's Dallas' billion-dollar question: How much are voters willing to spend to improve their roads, lights, firehouses, parks and the like?
The answer: More than many City Council members first thought.
From farthest Far North Dallas to southern Mountain Creek, residents routinely told their representatives they would support a $1 billion bond package if City Hall, as planned, puts one before them in November.
And many residents who attended a series of recent council member-hosted neighborhood meetings – especially those in the city's southern sector – backed a $1.5 billion program.
"I'm sure surprised. But I was pleasantly surprised," said Linda Koop, who represents largely North Dallas District 11 and serves as the council's Transportation and Environment Committee chairwoman. "I see confidence in the public as far as their government is concerned."
Municipalities sell such bonds to fund public works projects that are often too pricey to include in standard year-to-year budgets.
A $1.5 billion bond program would rank as Dallas' largest ever, at nearly three times the cost of its 2003 bond program. Even so, City Hall says it would need about $7.2 billion to address every bond-eligible public need in Dallas.
South of the Trinity River, the needs list is striking.
Flood control, road repairs and enhanced police presence – and everything in between. But homeowners there say they're willing to pay for it, if given the opportunity.
Only a "very small percentage" of the residents at the neighborhood meetings supported a bond issue less than $1 billion, District 3 council member Ed Oakley said.
"We've been in this community for 30 years, watching all the economic development go to Cedar Hill," said Irene Alexander, who lives in council District 4 and supports a $1.5 billion bond program. "This city does not have a level playing field. The only way for us to achieve that is to catch up."
Packed house
Arrivals to City Council member Maxine Thornton-Reese's bond meeting at the Beckley-Saner Recreation Center started slowly. But 10 minutes into last week's event, the house was packed; almost exclusively black, almost exclusively women.
And they've got big ideas. For alley paving and sidewalk repairs. For creek maintenance and storm water improvements. For better shopping options (particularly at the Lancaster Kiest center) and more visible police, especially around the area's vacant lots.
"If you're way far behind, you have to run real fast, like they do in track," Dr. Thornton-Reese said in her pitch for a $1.5 billion bond. "The squeaky wheel gets the oil. What happened to the last people who voted against a bond package? It was Wilmer Hutchins."
Most of her constituents agreed with her, casting straw votes for a $1.5 billion bond package. But some – like Ernesto Peña – aren't so easily convinced, particularly after watching a colorful video about new development projects in Dallas.
"That video's all pretty," he said. "But how much are the taxes of those multimillion-dollar downtown buildings going to increase? We're supporting them."
At the Kiest Recreation Center on a recent Wednesday night, Mr. Oakley took recommendations for the 2006 bond package from people in a lively and diverse crowd. They want road repairs on Hampton and Westmoreland roads. New "pocket parks" and historic period street lights. Improvements to the North Oak Cliff Library, and, as always, Fair Park.
But his constituents' top concern? Erosion along creeks. There's Ten Mile Creek. Five Mile Creek. Coombs Creek, Crow Creek and Cedar Creek. They've got flooding problems, trash problems, silt problems. And residents' backyard trees are losing their roots and toppling.
"With what happened with Katrina, we're taking this very seriously," Mr. Oakley said.
But these types of projects take time. Ed Hickson's West Oak Cliff neighborhood started pushing an erosion package for Five Mile Creek in 1997, he said, and finally got it into the 2003 bond issue – with the help of Mr. Oakley and Mayor Laura Miller.
Ms. Miller, Dallas' only citywide-elected official, didn't conduct bond meetings of her own, choosing instead to attend several council district meetings. There, she often sat among attendees, discussing city priorities alongside them.
"You can only issue so much debt every year and do so much work every year," she said at a joint District 11/District 12 meeting, where expanded park space, alley repairs and street improvements topped constituents' wish lists.
Overshot feared
Ms. Miller warned residents that a $1.5 billion package might overshoot the city's ability to spend the money it's raised. Shoot lower, she suggested.
Dallasites didn't exactly heed her advice at a joint District 9/District 14 meeting hosted at St. Thomas Aquinas Church by council members Gary Griffith and Angela Hunt.
When polled by city staff, just two people at the meeting said they favored a $500 million bond package, while 22 people supported the $1 billion package.
The winner? The $1.5 billion package, with 26 backers. Two people said the city should put a package more expensive than $1.5 billion before voters.
And the money should especially go toward parks, streets, recreation centers and trails, Trinity River Corridor improvements, flood control and renovations to Fair Park's Cotton Bowl.
"We'll be paid back by investment in the city," said Joanna St. Angelo, who said she supports a bond package of at least $1 billion. "If the city has $7 billion in needs, anything less than $1 billion doesn't make sense. It's pay now, or pay later."
Dallas: Meetings backed $1.5 billion, surprising some council members
By DAVE LEVINTHAL and EMILY RAMSHAW / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Here's Dallas' billion-dollar question: How much are voters willing to spend to improve their roads, lights, firehouses, parks and the like?
The answer: More than many City Council members first thought.
From farthest Far North Dallas to southern Mountain Creek, residents routinely told their representatives they would support a $1 billion bond package if City Hall, as planned, puts one before them in November.
And many residents who attended a series of recent council member-hosted neighborhood meetings – especially those in the city's southern sector – backed a $1.5 billion program.
"I'm sure surprised. But I was pleasantly surprised," said Linda Koop, who represents largely North Dallas District 11 and serves as the council's Transportation and Environment Committee chairwoman. "I see confidence in the public as far as their government is concerned."
Municipalities sell such bonds to fund public works projects that are often too pricey to include in standard year-to-year budgets.
A $1.5 billion bond program would rank as Dallas' largest ever, at nearly three times the cost of its 2003 bond program. Even so, City Hall says it would need about $7.2 billion to address every bond-eligible public need in Dallas.
South of the Trinity River, the needs list is striking.
Flood control, road repairs and enhanced police presence – and everything in between. But homeowners there say they're willing to pay for it, if given the opportunity.
Only a "very small percentage" of the residents at the neighborhood meetings supported a bond issue less than $1 billion, District 3 council member Ed Oakley said.
"We've been in this community for 30 years, watching all the economic development go to Cedar Hill," said Irene Alexander, who lives in council District 4 and supports a $1.5 billion bond program. "This city does not have a level playing field. The only way for us to achieve that is to catch up."
Packed house
Arrivals to City Council member Maxine Thornton-Reese's bond meeting at the Beckley-Saner Recreation Center started slowly. But 10 minutes into last week's event, the house was packed; almost exclusively black, almost exclusively women.
And they've got big ideas. For alley paving and sidewalk repairs. For creek maintenance and storm water improvements. For better shopping options (particularly at the Lancaster Kiest center) and more visible police, especially around the area's vacant lots.
"If you're way far behind, you have to run real fast, like they do in track," Dr. Thornton-Reese said in her pitch for a $1.5 billion bond. "The squeaky wheel gets the oil. What happened to the last people who voted against a bond package? It was Wilmer Hutchins."
Most of her constituents agreed with her, casting straw votes for a $1.5 billion bond package. But some – like Ernesto Peña – aren't so easily convinced, particularly after watching a colorful video about new development projects in Dallas.
"That video's all pretty," he said. "But how much are the taxes of those multimillion-dollar downtown buildings going to increase? We're supporting them."
At the Kiest Recreation Center on a recent Wednesday night, Mr. Oakley took recommendations for the 2006 bond package from people in a lively and diverse crowd. They want road repairs on Hampton and Westmoreland roads. New "pocket parks" and historic period street lights. Improvements to the North Oak Cliff Library, and, as always, Fair Park.
But his constituents' top concern? Erosion along creeks. There's Ten Mile Creek. Five Mile Creek. Coombs Creek, Crow Creek and Cedar Creek. They've got flooding problems, trash problems, silt problems. And residents' backyard trees are losing their roots and toppling.
"With what happened with Katrina, we're taking this very seriously," Mr. Oakley said.
But these types of projects take time. Ed Hickson's West Oak Cliff neighborhood started pushing an erosion package for Five Mile Creek in 1997, he said, and finally got it into the 2003 bond issue – with the help of Mr. Oakley and Mayor Laura Miller.
Ms. Miller, Dallas' only citywide-elected official, didn't conduct bond meetings of her own, choosing instead to attend several council district meetings. There, she often sat among attendees, discussing city priorities alongside them.
"You can only issue so much debt every year and do so much work every year," she said at a joint District 11/District 12 meeting, where expanded park space, alley repairs and street improvements topped constituents' wish lists.
Overshot feared
Ms. Miller warned residents that a $1.5 billion package might overshoot the city's ability to spend the money it's raised. Shoot lower, she suggested.
Dallasites didn't exactly heed her advice at a joint District 9/District 14 meeting hosted at St. Thomas Aquinas Church by council members Gary Griffith and Angela Hunt.
When polled by city staff, just two people at the meeting said they favored a $500 million bond package, while 22 people supported the $1 billion package.
The winner? The $1.5 billion package, with 26 backers. Two people said the city should put a package more expensive than $1.5 billion before voters.
And the money should especially go toward parks, streets, recreation centers and trails, Trinity River Corridor improvements, flood control and renovations to Fair Park's Cotton Bowl.
"We'll be paid back by investment in the city," said Joanna St. Angelo, who said she supports a bond package of at least $1 billion. "If the city has $7 billion in needs, anything less than $1 billion doesn't make sense. It's pay now, or pay later."
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TexasStooge
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State fair's favorite swine Boris dies
No word on whether fair will replace boar who bought the farm
By KATIE MENZER / DallasNews.com
DALLAS, Texas - There's a little less room in hog heaven these days.
Holy Macaroni, the 1,183-pound boar known to fairgoers in Texas as Boris, died from complications of a foot infection last fall at his home on an Iowa farm. He was 5 ½ .
"I knew he wasn't feeling real good," said Daryl Real, vice president for agriculture and livestock for the State Fair of Texas.
The plus-sized pig starred under a misting fan outside the Swine Building at the last two fairs.
"He was very well-tempered," Mr. Real said. "He will be missed."
Although his years were few, Holy Macaroni's résumé was full. He won the 2004 Big Boar competition at the 2004 Iowa State Fair, was featured in a National Geographic documentary and appeared on ABC's The View.
He was celebrated among Texas fairgoers, who awed at his ability to sleep 23 hours a day despite the thousands of little fingers that poked at him through his pen.
"He turned out to be a famous pig," said Gene Stoltzfus, the hog's owner. "We got out the backhoe and gave him a proper burial."
Mr. Real said he has no concrete plans to bring in another giant boar, but don't count out the possibility of seeing Boris the sequel at this year's fair.
Mr. Stoltzfus said he's grooming another portly pig, although it has not been named. This one's 3 years old and 1,000 pounds – and growing.
"He might be the best one yet," Mr. Stoltzfus said.
No word on whether fair will replace boar who bought the farm
By KATIE MENZER / DallasNews.com
DALLAS, Texas - There's a little less room in hog heaven these days.
Holy Macaroni, the 1,183-pound boar known to fairgoers in Texas as Boris, died from complications of a foot infection last fall at his home on an Iowa farm. He was 5 ½ .
"I knew he wasn't feeling real good," said Daryl Real, vice president for agriculture and livestock for the State Fair of Texas.
The plus-sized pig starred under a misting fan outside the Swine Building at the last two fairs.
"He was very well-tempered," Mr. Real said. "He will be missed."
Although his years were few, Holy Macaroni's résumé was full. He won the 2004 Big Boar competition at the 2004 Iowa State Fair, was featured in a National Geographic documentary and appeared on ABC's The View.
He was celebrated among Texas fairgoers, who awed at his ability to sleep 23 hours a day despite the thousands of little fingers that poked at him through his pen.
"He turned out to be a famous pig," said Gene Stoltzfus, the hog's owner. "We got out the backhoe and gave him a proper burial."
Mr. Real said he has no concrete plans to bring in another giant boar, but don't count out the possibility of seeing Boris the sequel at this year's fair.
Mr. Stoltzfus said he's grooming another portly pig, although it has not been named. This one's 3 years old and 1,000 pounds – and growing.
"He might be the best one yet," Mr. Stoltzfus said.
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TexasStooge
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Urban resort nears completion
By DEBBIE DENMON / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Hotel Palomar is billed as Dallas' first "urban resort."
It's an $80 million makeover of a 10-story building at North Central Expressway and Mockingbird Lane that started life as a Hilton Inn, but fell into disrepair in later years the Hiltop Inn and then the Hotel Santa Fe.
"What made it really make it work for us is to do more than redevelop a hotel," explained developer Kip Snowden, who said his company completely gutted the original structure. "We took it back to its concrete frame and started over."
Visitors to the 5-star hotel will be surrounded by luxurious living. "These are loft-style condominiums, and in this tower over here there are 59 condo units," Snowden said. "We've got one penthouse which used to be Harpers Restaurant; we got a lot of interest from a lot of celebrities."
The 10th floor penthouse of the hotel has 5,500 square feet of floor space. It can be yours for $3 to $5 million.
Views from the Hotel Palomar, part of the Kimpton Hotels group, are spectacular. "We couldn't be more excited," Snowden said. "This is the first time Kimpton Hotels have come into Texas."
Another first for the Palomar: The eighth location of New York's exhale spa, featuring a 10,000 square foot fitness center.
Co-developer Jeff Berry showed off the 2,800 square foot model of the neighboring Residences at the Palomar. "It is the whole package. It's the hotel services; it's the spa; it's the retail here. Restaurants of Traders Vic coming back and Harper's Corner in the Kimpton hotel... it is the whole package," Berry said.
In essence, residents don't have to leave the property if they don't want to, and with a plush pad like the ones offered here, who would blame the fortunate owner? The model runs more than $1 million.
"This is like a development that you would think of like in a Los Angeles, Chicago, New York," Berry said. "We're able to bring it right here in the heart of Dallas."
Hotel Palomar is slated to open in July; the Residences at Hotel Palomar are expected to open in September.
The corner of Central and Mockingbird is already bustling with development. Across the street at Mockingbird Station, a thriving mixed-use retail and residential center featuring a movie theater and restaurants.
The SMU campus is just two blocks away and a DART light rail station within walking distance adds to the accessibility.
By DEBBIE DENMON / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Hotel Palomar is billed as Dallas' first "urban resort."
It's an $80 million makeover of a 10-story building at North Central Expressway and Mockingbird Lane that started life as a Hilton Inn, but fell into disrepair in later years the Hiltop Inn and then the Hotel Santa Fe.
"What made it really make it work for us is to do more than redevelop a hotel," explained developer Kip Snowden, who said his company completely gutted the original structure. "We took it back to its concrete frame and started over."
Visitors to the 5-star hotel will be surrounded by luxurious living. "These are loft-style condominiums, and in this tower over here there are 59 condo units," Snowden said. "We've got one penthouse which used to be Harpers Restaurant; we got a lot of interest from a lot of celebrities."
The 10th floor penthouse of the hotel has 5,500 square feet of floor space. It can be yours for $3 to $5 million.
Views from the Hotel Palomar, part of the Kimpton Hotels group, are spectacular. "We couldn't be more excited," Snowden said. "This is the first time Kimpton Hotels have come into Texas."
Another first for the Palomar: The eighth location of New York's exhale spa, featuring a 10,000 square foot fitness center.
Co-developer Jeff Berry showed off the 2,800 square foot model of the neighboring Residences at the Palomar. "It is the whole package. It's the hotel services; it's the spa; it's the retail here. Restaurants of Traders Vic coming back and Harper's Corner in the Kimpton hotel... it is the whole package," Berry said.
In essence, residents don't have to leave the property if they don't want to, and with a plush pad like the ones offered here, who would blame the fortunate owner? The model runs more than $1 million.
"This is like a development that you would think of like in a Los Angeles, Chicago, New York," Berry said. "We're able to bring it right here in the heart of Dallas."
Hotel Palomar is slated to open in July; the Residences at Hotel Palomar are expected to open in September.
The corner of Central and Mockingbird is already bustling with development. Across the street at Mockingbird Station, a thriving mixed-use retail and residential center featuring a movie theater and restaurants.
The SMU campus is just two blocks away and a DART light rail station within walking distance adds to the accessibility.
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TexasStooge
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Dallas explosives scare leads to evacuations
By CAROL CAVAZOS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Explosives experts issued an all clear Monday afternoon after three suspicious canisters were discovered in a residential garage in Southeast Dallas.
A bomb squad robot was deployed to the 8300 block of Reva Street in Pleasant Grove to examine the large containers while a portion of the neighborhood was evacuated as a precaution.
Firefighters and an ambulance were on standby as the robot determined that the canisters—labeled "U.S. Army Hazardous"—did not contain explosives. A small cache of fireworks was discovered at the scene, police said.
The canisters were thought to belong to a resident who was recently evicted from a nearby apartment complex. They were discovered by a Dallas County constable who was enforcing an eviction at the Reva Street address.
By CAROL CAVAZOS / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Explosives experts issued an all clear Monday afternoon after three suspicious canisters were discovered in a residential garage in Southeast Dallas.
A bomb squad robot was deployed to the 8300 block of Reva Street in Pleasant Grove to examine the large containers while a portion of the neighborhood was evacuated as a precaution.
Firefighters and an ambulance were on standby as the robot determined that the canisters—labeled "U.S. Army Hazardous"—did not contain explosives. A small cache of fireworks was discovered at the scene, police said.
The canisters were thought to belong to a resident who was recently evicted from a nearby apartment complex. They were discovered by a Dallas County constable who was enforcing an eviction at the Reva Street address.
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TexasStooge
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Voting machine stolen from elections judge
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - An electronic voting machine was stolen from the home of a Dallas County elections judge over the weekend.
Sgt. Don Peritz, a Dallas County Sheriff spokesman, said the judge notified sheriff's dispatchers Sunday afternoon that the iVotronic touch-screen machine was stolen from his home in the 200 block of East 5th Street.
Dallas County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet said the machine will not function without an additional piece of hardware called a personalized electronic ballot, or PEB.
Mr. Sherbet said his employees identified the serial number of the stolen machine and have blocked it from any access to the elections system, reducing the risk of vote fraud.
Dallas County purchased about 750 of the ADA-compliant special voting machines for visually impaired and blind voters. The machines cost about $3,000 each, roughly the same amount the county puts out for an electronic touch-screen voting machine.
Sgt. Peritz said sheriff's detectives are investigating the theft.
Dallas Morning News staff writer Herb Booth contributed to this report.
DALLAS, Texas (The Dallas Morning News) - An electronic voting machine was stolen from the home of a Dallas County elections judge over the weekend.
Sgt. Don Peritz, a Dallas County Sheriff spokesman, said the judge notified sheriff's dispatchers Sunday afternoon that the iVotronic touch-screen machine was stolen from his home in the 200 block of East 5th Street.
Dallas County Elections Administrator Bruce Sherbet said the machine will not function without an additional piece of hardware called a personalized electronic ballot, or PEB.
Mr. Sherbet said his employees identified the serial number of the stolen machine and have blocked it from any access to the elections system, reducing the risk of vote fraud.
Dallas County purchased about 750 of the ADA-compliant special voting machines for visually impaired and blind voters. The machines cost about $3,000 each, roughly the same amount the county puts out for an electronic touch-screen voting machine.
Sgt. Peritz said sheriff's detectives are investigating the theft.
Dallas Morning News staff writer Herb Booth contributed to this report.
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TexasStooge
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Conference targets domestic violence
By KIM HORNER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - About 400 prosecutors, law enforcement officers and victims’ advocates began meeting in Dallas on Monday as part of the first national Conference on Crimes Against Women.
The Dallas Police Department and the local Genesis Women's Shelter created the first-time event to help the justice system better fight domestic violence.
The number of local domestic violence cases has declined in recent years thanks to collaboration among police, prosecutors and shelters, organizers said. But they said violence against women remains a serious problem, with 14,000 cases reported to the Dallas Police Department alone in 2005.
“Every 12 seconds in this country, a woman is assaulted, either on the street or in her own home,” said Jan Langbein, executive director of Genesis Women’s Shelter of Dallas. “Violence against women is unacceptable.”
The conference, which features speakers from the Dallas Police Department and Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, continues through Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.
Presentations at the conference include a look at the tactics batterers use, how to handle cases when the batterer is a law enforcement officer, and a case study on the Laci Peterson investigation and prosecution.
By KIM HORNER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - About 400 prosecutors, law enforcement officers and victims’ advocates began meeting in Dallas on Monday as part of the first national Conference on Crimes Against Women.
The Dallas Police Department and the local Genesis Women's Shelter created the first-time event to help the justice system better fight domestic violence.
The number of local domestic violence cases has declined in recent years thanks to collaboration among police, prosecutors and shelters, organizers said. But they said violence against women remains a serious problem, with 14,000 cases reported to the Dallas Police Department alone in 2005.
“Every 12 seconds in this country, a woman is assaulted, either on the street or in her own home,” said Jan Langbein, executive director of Genesis Women’s Shelter of Dallas. “Violence against women is unacceptable.”
The conference, which features speakers from the Dallas Police Department and Dallas County District Attorney’s Office, continues through Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency Dallas.
Presentations at the conference include a look at the tactics batterers use, how to handle cases when the batterer is a law enforcement officer, and a case study on the Laci Peterson investigation and prosecution.
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TexasStooge
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Toddler struck, killed by uncle's truck
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
GRAPEVINE, Texas - A toddler died Sunday from injuries he suffered after being struck by a pickup driven by his uncle.
Rudy Morales, 1, of Lewisville was pronounced dead at a Dallas hospital, said Grapevine police Sgt. Bob Murphy.
The boy’s uncle, Reynoldo Morales, had taken Rudy and other children to an equestrian riding center in the 2900 block of N. Grapevine Mills Mall.
The boy, police said, apparently followed Mr. Morales as he attempted to move the truck to another parking spot.
Mr. Morales, of Lewisville, did not have a valid driver’s license, police said
No charges have been filed. The case will be turned over to the Tarrant County district attorney’s office for review, Sgt. Murphy said.
By DEBRA DENNIS / The Dallas Morning News
GRAPEVINE, Texas - A toddler died Sunday from injuries he suffered after being struck by a pickup driven by his uncle.
Rudy Morales, 1, of Lewisville was pronounced dead at a Dallas hospital, said Grapevine police Sgt. Bob Murphy.
The boy’s uncle, Reynoldo Morales, had taken Rudy and other children to an equestrian riding center in the 2900 block of N. Grapevine Mills Mall.
The boy, police said, apparently followed Mr. Morales as he attempted to move the truck to another parking spot.
Mr. Morales, of Lewisville, did not have a valid driver’s license, police said
No charges have been filed. The case will be turned over to the Tarrant County district attorney’s office for review, Sgt. Murphy said.
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TexasStooge
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'Thug party' spurs questions of racism at Baylor
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
Accusations of racism at Baylor University arose once again after photographs of a fraternity's so-called "thug party" were recently found on a website that caters to college students.
Officials said they have worked on improving race relations on the Waco campus after the fall party where at least one student who attended came with her face darkly bronzed to imitate a black person.
Several members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity were said to have organized and attended the party, which was held off campus. The university has no fraternity or sorority houses and the university officials said they didn't know the party took place.
However, a few weeks ago freshman Deandre Upshaw found photos of the party on the college website Facebook.com.
"It was very offensive," he said. "This is 2006 and I believe people need to realize this is not acceptable. It's not cool." The campus NAACP chapter said those who participated at the party should not be expelled, but should be educated.
"As a whole the organization needs to be...fined and take diversity classes, and be even suspended until they get their acts together," said Melissa Perry.
School officials said the girl who used the bronzer on her face has expressed remorse.
"She is very repentant and very sorry for what she did," said Dub Oliver, dean for student development. "None of them sought to offend anyone but they did."
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
Accusations of racism at Baylor University arose once again after photographs of a fraternity's so-called "thug party" were recently found on a website that caters to college students.
Officials said they have worked on improving race relations on the Waco campus after the fall party where at least one student who attended came with her face darkly bronzed to imitate a black person.
Several members of the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity were said to have organized and attended the party, which was held off campus. The university has no fraternity or sorority houses and the university officials said they didn't know the party took place.
However, a few weeks ago freshman Deandre Upshaw found photos of the party on the college website Facebook.com.
"It was very offensive," he said. "This is 2006 and I believe people need to realize this is not acceptable. It's not cool." The campus NAACP chapter said those who participated at the party should not be expelled, but should be educated.
"As a whole the organization needs to be...fined and take diversity classes, and be even suspended until they get their acts together," said Melissa Perry.
School officials said the girl who used the bronzer on her face has expressed remorse.
"She is very repentant and very sorry for what she did," said Dub Oliver, dean for student development. "None of them sought to offend anyone but they did."
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