Mother: School didn't act on steroid tip
District says she wasn't specific; admitted users won't be disciplined
By GARY JACOBSON and GREGG JONES Staff Writers / The Dallas Morning News
COLLEYVILLE, Texas – The mother who set in motion a steroid investigation at Colleyville Heritage High School said she gave administrators detailed information last September, including the name of a football player who was taking the banned drugs.
She told The Dallas Morning News on Friday that school officials never asked to interview her son, a Heritage athlete, even after she told assistant principal Ted Beal that her son had admitted using steroids he bought from a football player and described extensive steroid use by team members.
"I told them they had a steroid problem, they needed to investigate it," the mother said in an e-mail response to questions. "And the response from Mr. Beal three hours later was 'I talked with ... [football coach Chris] Cunningham and he said no, they do not have any players on steroids."
Robin McClure, the district spokeswoman, on Thursday acknowledged steroid use at Heritage but suggested the investigation had been hampered when the mother declined "to provide specific information."
Ms. McClure said Friday that the admitted steroid users wouldn't be disciplined because their drug use occurred last year and away from school property.
Grapevine-Colleyville school district officials disclosed Thursday that nine Heritage students had admitted using the banned muscle-building drugs. The district made the admission in response to questions from The News, which has conducted a four-month investigation of steroids in high schools.
District officials said the investigation stemmed from a phone call from an anonymous parent – the Colleyville mother interviewed several times by The News beginning in October. The mother and her son spoke to The News on the condition that their names not be revealed because they feared retaliation. The mother called the school after discovering a vial of anabolic steroids in her son's bedroom closet.
"We would still be very eager to get more information from the mother and son," Ms. McClure said Friday.
Ms. McClure said the district has expanded its investigation to other schools in the district. Coaches have been asked to step up their efforts to talk to athletes about the dangers of steroids and to encourage users to come forward, she said.
"The boundary for using steroids doesn't stop with Heritage High School," she said.
Anabolic steroids, which are illegal to possess without a doctor's prescription, can cause liver damage, tumors, depression and suicidal thoughts, and other side effects.
Officials' comments
In their comments, school officials have characterized the steroid use by the nine students as limited to a "brief" period last spring. They also described the supplier of the steroids as "an adult source" outside the school.
But the Heritage athlete interviewed extensively by The News said he bought steroids from a senior football player last spring. He said the football player was supplying steroids to other Heritage athletes. He also said he believed the football player was getting the steroids from an adult.
Activist Don Hooton of Plano said Friday that the steroid use at Heritage was probably much more widespread and ongoing. Mr. Hooton formed the Taylor Hooton Foundation to raise awareness about youth steroid abuse after his son, a Plano West baseball player, abused steroids before committing suicide in July 2003.
"It would be extremely naive to believe that steroid use was limited to nine kids and one six-week period last year at a high school the size of Colleyville," Mr. Hooton said.
He noted that typical steroid use involves taking the drugs for several weeks and then "cycling" off for a period of time before using them again.
Mr. Hooton said he would deliver a steroid awareness seminar at Heritage on Feb. 24 at the invitation of Mr. Cunningham.
"The coach said they were going to use the gymnasium instead of the auditorium because they expected such a large crowd," said Mr. Hooton.
School officials told The News on Thursday that they informed law enforcement authorities about the adult who was allegedly selling steroids to students. Ms. McClure said Friday that the district's deputy superintendent had spoken with Colleyville Police Chief Tommy Ingram about the issue as recently as Thursday.
But Detective Hillary Wreay, one of Colleyville's lead investigators, said the Police Department wasn't investigating. The district's contact with the chief was probably a courtesy call, she said, because there wasn't a formal police report logged into the department's computer system.
Chief Ingram "didn't instruct us to do anything on this, because there's no report," she said. "They [district officials] wouldn't have made a report through the chief."
She said Chief Ingram was unavailable Friday.
Ms. McClure said that the district had alerted the University Interscholastic League about the steroid use.
Charles Breithaupt, UIL athletic director, said the governing body would take a hard look at the problem.
"We will not stick our heads in the sand," Dr. Breithaupt said. "We will aggressively look at our options, and we will listen closely." Those options could include statewide steroid testing if schools asked for such a program, he said.
Coach defended
Some Heritage parents, players and former players rallied to the defense of Mr. Cunningham on Friday.
"I think ... [steroid use] happens at the majority of 4A and 5A high schools in the state," said Joe Quinn, 24, who played at Heritage under Mr. Cunningham from 1997 to 1999.
Mr. Quinn, now a student at Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, said he feared that school officials would make his former coach a scapegoat.
"Chris Cunningham is an honest man, a good man," Mr. Quinn said. "I'm sure he didn't have any knowledge or involvement or would have condoned that for any reason."
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD board members who were reached for comment declined to discuss specifics of the investigation and referred questions to Ms. McClure.
Three board members said they had learned about the athletes' admissions Thursday as district administrators prepared responses to the newspaper's inquiries.
School board President John Eubanks said he was disappointed and added that the revelations have "probably opened our eyes" to the situation.
"Clearly, the use of steroids seems to be a growing problem," said Mr. Eubanks, a Colleyville resident.
Among Heritage students and parents, the steroid use was the talk of the day. Reporters and television news crews hovered outside the school during much of the day.
"You have every high school in the district doing it," said junior Hilary O'Brien, a girls soccer player. "We're just not surprised."
Friday night, most Heritage fans attending the boys basketball game at Haltom City were wary of reporters and the spotlight focused on their school.
One Colleyville parent praised the district's response. "I think the big thing is what they're trying to do now – education," said Doug Williams, whose son Robert is a sophomore in the football program and a student manager for the basketball team.
"I don't think there's an easy answer," he said. "It's the same thing as sex, drugs and drinking. Kids are going to experiment ... talk to your kids."
Staff writers Reese Dunklin, Kate Hairopoulos and Tim MacMahon contributed to this report
News from the Lone Star State
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NHL dispute hurts Dallas arenas
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The lingering professional hockey labor dispute is hurting business at the two sports arenas in downtown Dallas.
American Airlines Center is trying to drum up new business to replace the NHL, and now Reunion Arena is being relegated to third-or-forth tier events.
On most days, the parking lot at Reunion Arena is empty.
"Reunion Arena is really shifting its focus from purely being a public assembly venue for concerts and sporting events to still maintaining that aspect, but allowing us to open it up into the convention and trade show market," explained Frank Poe, director of convention and event services for the Dallas Convention Center.
Arena experts outside Dallas say the NHL lockout is hurting Reunion's efforts to secure bookings. The city disputes that contention.
But American Airlines Center is expected to lose more than 40 hockey dates, and it's managers are looking elsewhere to fill those seats.
Last year, a city auditor's report said Reunion Arena was "...hampered by its physical detachment from the Convention Center" and by its contract with the American Airlines Center.
More than five years after the deal was approved, it remains controversial because the American Airlines Center can prevent any event from being booked at Reunion Arena.
"If American Airlines Center sits vacant all year long, we still get our rent. But if Reunion is vacant, we get nothing except the expense of maintaining the facility," said Sharon Boyd, who actively opposed the AAC project.
Boyd said Reunion is a good facility. "We ought to use it more effectively," she added.
Reunion's operating losses have increased from $750,000 in 2003 to $1 million last year. The deficit is expected to grow to $1.3 million in 2005.
At the same time, bookings have dropped from 75 dates in 2003 to an estimated 60 dates this year.
"People have the option between Reunion Arena and the American Airlines Center," said Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price. "Regardless of the price, they're going to go to the American Airlines Center each time."
Price wants the Dallas Independent School District to use Reunion Arena more frequently, and there are plans to provide a link between Reunion and the Convention Center.
City officials add there are no plans in place to tear down Reunion Arena.
By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - The lingering professional hockey labor dispute is hurting business at the two sports arenas in downtown Dallas.
American Airlines Center is trying to drum up new business to replace the NHL, and now Reunion Arena is being relegated to third-or-forth tier events.
On most days, the parking lot at Reunion Arena is empty.
"Reunion Arena is really shifting its focus from purely being a public assembly venue for concerts and sporting events to still maintaining that aspect, but allowing us to open it up into the convention and trade show market," explained Frank Poe, director of convention and event services for the Dallas Convention Center.
Arena experts outside Dallas say the NHL lockout is hurting Reunion's efforts to secure bookings. The city disputes that contention.
But American Airlines Center is expected to lose more than 40 hockey dates, and it's managers are looking elsewhere to fill those seats.
Last year, a city auditor's report said Reunion Arena was "...hampered by its physical detachment from the Convention Center" and by its contract with the American Airlines Center.
More than five years after the deal was approved, it remains controversial because the American Airlines Center can prevent any event from being booked at Reunion Arena.
"If American Airlines Center sits vacant all year long, we still get our rent. But if Reunion is vacant, we get nothing except the expense of maintaining the facility," said Sharon Boyd, who actively opposed the AAC project.
Boyd said Reunion is a good facility. "We ought to use it more effectively," she added.
Reunion's operating losses have increased from $750,000 in 2003 to $1 million last year. The deficit is expected to grow to $1.3 million in 2005.
At the same time, bookings have dropped from 75 dates in 2003 to an estimated 60 dates this year.
"People have the option between Reunion Arena and the American Airlines Center," said Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price. "Regardless of the price, they're going to go to the American Airlines Center each time."
Price wants the Dallas Independent School District to use Reunion Arena more frequently, and there are plans to provide a link between Reunion and the Convention Center.
City officials add there are no plans in place to tear down Reunion Arena.
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Crash into pond kills child, dad
ARLINGTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Arlington police are investigating a one-vehicle accident that resulted in the death of a 2-year-old boy and his father.
Dennis Umanzor, 24, of Arlington was driving west on Road to Six Flags when his pickup veered off the road and landed in a pond near the intersection of Six Flags Drive.
Mr. Umanzor's son, Melvin Velasquez, died after the truck was submerged. His cause of death had not been released late Sunday.
Mr. Umanzor was taken to Arlington Memorial Hospital, where he later died. Police said they believe Mr. Umanzor's history of seizures may have been a factor in the accident.
Two Arlington firefighters suffered hypothermia as a result of rescue attempts.
Brandon Formby contributed to this report.
ARLINGTON, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Arlington police are investigating a one-vehicle accident that resulted in the death of a 2-year-old boy and his father.
Dennis Umanzor, 24, of Arlington was driving west on Road to Six Flags when his pickup veered off the road and landed in a pond near the intersection of Six Flags Drive.
Mr. Umanzor's son, Melvin Velasquez, died after the truck was submerged. His cause of death had not been released late Sunday.
Mr. Umanzor was taken to Arlington Memorial Hospital, where he later died. Police said they believe Mr. Umanzor's history of seizures may have been a factor in the accident.
Two Arlington firefighters suffered hypothermia as a result of rescue attempts.
Brandon Formby contributed to this report.
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Parishioners asked to forgive Grand Prarie priest
Bishop tells members that policy on reporting sex misconduct works
By CHRISTY A. ROBINSON / The Dallas Morning News
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Dallas Bishop Charles Grahmann, in an address laced with tears, asked parishioners in Grand Prairie on Sunday to forgive their priest who four days earlier was arrested on charges of child pornography possession.
The bishop stood before the standing-room-only congregation at Immaculate Conception Church to announce the allegations against the Rev. Matthew Bagert and deliver words of comfort.
"It's with profound sadness that I address these words to you," he said before stating the accusations against Father Bagert, 36. "We all know this is a federal offense. This is in the hands of the Grand Prairie police."
He publicly thanked the church's associate pastor, the Rev. Jesus Belmontes, who alerted the Dallas Catholic Diocese of his suspicions, and added that it's proof the diocese's reporting procedures with regard to sexual misconduct are working.
He also told parishioners – a crowd of varied ages and ethnicities – that their priest had been suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation.
Emotion broke the bishop's normally reserved demeanor as parishioners listened intently.
"All of this pains me very much," he said before pausing a few moments to cry.
"I have no answer to this situation," he said, his voice breaking. "Only that we're all human beings, including your priest, and subject to temptation and sin like everyone else."
Bishop Grahmann instructed the congregation on how to respond to the news about Father Bagert, likening fallen Christians to the prodigal son.
"When one fails, we also believe in forgiveness," he said. "I ask that you open your arms and welcome him back. That's what Jesus would have done."
If the allegations against Father Bagert are verified, national church policy apparently would prohibit him from serving in ministry again. The policy's definition of abuse covers "behavior by which an adult uses a minor as an object of sexual gratification," even if there is no physical contact or force.
In December, Father Belmontes saw an image of a nude boy on Father Bagert's office computer, according to police arrest affidavits.
Grand Prairie police seized Father Bagert's computer, videotapes and printed material Jan. 31 and found sexually explicit images of nude boys. They arrested him Wednesday. He was released on $20,000 bail.
Father Bagert, who had been pastor of the church since 2001, has been a staunch supporter of Bishop Grahmann, having helped run a petition drive supporting him in 2003. That campaign successfully countered one started by parishioners who criticized the bishop's handling of sex-abuse cases and called on him to resign.
The Dallas Diocese and its insurers have paid tens of millions of dollars in recent years to settle abuse cover-up claims. About 10 of its priests have been exposed as abusers and removed from ministry; two have been sentenced to prison.
According to the diocese's Web site, average Sunday attendance at Immaculate Conception is more than 1,500. The church, which also runs a kindergarten through eighth-grade school, was established in 1918.
Staff writers Stephanie Sandoval and Brooks Egerton contributed to this report.
Bishop tells members that policy on reporting sex misconduct works
By CHRISTY A. ROBINSON / The Dallas Morning News
GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas – Dallas Bishop Charles Grahmann, in an address laced with tears, asked parishioners in Grand Prairie on Sunday to forgive their priest who four days earlier was arrested on charges of child pornography possession.
The bishop stood before the standing-room-only congregation at Immaculate Conception Church to announce the allegations against the Rev. Matthew Bagert and deliver words of comfort.
"It's with profound sadness that I address these words to you," he said before stating the accusations against Father Bagert, 36. "We all know this is a federal offense. This is in the hands of the Grand Prairie police."
He publicly thanked the church's associate pastor, the Rev. Jesus Belmontes, who alerted the Dallas Catholic Diocese of his suspicions, and added that it's proof the diocese's reporting procedures with regard to sexual misconduct are working.
He also told parishioners – a crowd of varied ages and ethnicities – that their priest had been suspended pending the outcome of the police investigation.
Emotion broke the bishop's normally reserved demeanor as parishioners listened intently.
"All of this pains me very much," he said before pausing a few moments to cry.
"I have no answer to this situation," he said, his voice breaking. "Only that we're all human beings, including your priest, and subject to temptation and sin like everyone else."
Bishop Grahmann instructed the congregation on how to respond to the news about Father Bagert, likening fallen Christians to the prodigal son.
"When one fails, we also believe in forgiveness," he said. "I ask that you open your arms and welcome him back. That's what Jesus would have done."
If the allegations against Father Bagert are verified, national church policy apparently would prohibit him from serving in ministry again. The policy's definition of abuse covers "behavior by which an adult uses a minor as an object of sexual gratification," even if there is no physical contact or force.
In December, Father Belmontes saw an image of a nude boy on Father Bagert's office computer, according to police arrest affidavits.
Grand Prairie police seized Father Bagert's computer, videotapes and printed material Jan. 31 and found sexually explicit images of nude boys. They arrested him Wednesday. He was released on $20,000 bail.
Father Bagert, who had been pastor of the church since 2001, has been a staunch supporter of Bishop Grahmann, having helped run a petition drive supporting him in 2003. That campaign successfully countered one started by parishioners who criticized the bishop's handling of sex-abuse cases and called on him to resign.
The Dallas Diocese and its insurers have paid tens of millions of dollars in recent years to settle abuse cover-up claims. About 10 of its priests have been exposed as abusers and removed from ministry; two have been sentenced to prison.
According to the diocese's Web site, average Sunday attendance at Immaculate Conception is more than 1,500. The church, which also runs a kindergarten through eighth-grade school, was established in 1918.
Staff writers Stephanie Sandoval and Brooks Egerton contributed to this report.
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Kin mourn 2 men killed changing tire
By MARGARITA MARTIN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News
EVERMAN, Texas – When Ernesto Martínez met his future son-in-law he was a little jealous and not sure that the man was right for his daughter. But with time, the Fort Worth men became friends and frequently helped out each other.
On Saturday, one of those occasions turned tragic.
Miguel Rodríguez, 25, and Mr. Martínez, 41, were struck and killed by a motorist Saturday night as they finished changing a tire on Interstate 20 in Arlington. Police arrested Michael Bradley Bazilewich, 18, of Grand Prairie and charged him with two counts of manslaughter, an Arlington Police Department spokeswoman said.
A traffic accident investigator said Mr. Bazilewich was released from jail Saturday night on $20,000 bail.
Family members gathered in Everman remembered the men as caring people who enjoyed being with their families.
Vanessa Rodríguez said her husband and her father were friends and sometimes co-workers. They had once worked cleaning golf clubs at Spalding Sports Worldwide in Fort Worth.
Mrs. Rodríguez , who met her husband at a quinceañera, said she'll remember his smile and kind words. The couple had been married for two years and had their first child, Michael, in December. Mr. Rodríguez celebrated his 25th birthday Christmas Day.
"He showed me he loved me," said Mrs. Rodríguez, 22.
Mr. Rodríguez's mother, Anastasia Ríos de Rodríguez, was inconsolable as she mourned the death of her youngest child. She had been visiting from Torreon, Mexico, to meet her grandson.
"He was my model son," Mrs. de Rodríguez said, sobbing. "I want the guilty person to be punished. My son didn't deserve this."
An ardent soccer fan who followed Mexican team Aguilas del América, Mr. Martínez was remembered as a jolly man who doted on his grandchildren and loved to make people laugh.
"He liked to dance a lot," said wife Laura Gonzalez. "He always said he put on a show."
Mr. Martínez also had a birthday recently, Jan. 29. He moved with his family from Reynosa, Mexico, to Fort Worth five years ago.
Rosendo González, a brother-in-law, said of Mr. Martinez, "He was a very happy man, very helpul, very padre."
The accident happened about 7 p.m. Saturday as the Rodríguezes and Mrs. de Rodríguez were heading to Jacksonville, Texas, to visit relatives. They pulled over near the New York Avenue bridge on Interstate 20 because of a flat tire.
Mrs. Rodríguez called her father to help change the flat on their 1996 Chevrolet Silverado truck because her husband didn't have the appropriate tools.
Mr. Martínez, Mr. Rodríguez and another relative had finished changing the tire shortly before the accident. Salvador Martínez said the two men were hit as they tried to remove the jack.
"I saw it, but like a flash," Salvador Martínez said.
Mr. Bazilewich sideswiped the men with his 2000 Mitsubishi Gallant, Arlington police said. Mr. Martínez and Mr. Rodríguez were pinned between the two cars and died at the scene.
Family members on Sunday were making funeral arrangements.
Ms. Gonzalez said she and her daughter were united in grief and would have to move on without a man in the house.
"What are we going to do?" she said. "This is like a nightmare."
By MARGARITA MARTIN-HIDALGO / The Dallas Morning News
EVERMAN, Texas – When Ernesto Martínez met his future son-in-law he was a little jealous and not sure that the man was right for his daughter. But with time, the Fort Worth men became friends and frequently helped out each other.
On Saturday, one of those occasions turned tragic.
Miguel Rodríguez, 25, and Mr. Martínez, 41, were struck and killed by a motorist Saturday night as they finished changing a tire on Interstate 20 in Arlington. Police arrested Michael Bradley Bazilewich, 18, of Grand Prairie and charged him with two counts of manslaughter, an Arlington Police Department spokeswoman said.
A traffic accident investigator said Mr. Bazilewich was released from jail Saturday night on $20,000 bail.
Family members gathered in Everman remembered the men as caring people who enjoyed being with their families.
Vanessa Rodríguez said her husband and her father were friends and sometimes co-workers. They had once worked cleaning golf clubs at Spalding Sports Worldwide in Fort Worth.
Mrs. Rodríguez , who met her husband at a quinceañera, said she'll remember his smile and kind words. The couple had been married for two years and had their first child, Michael, in December. Mr. Rodríguez celebrated his 25th birthday Christmas Day.
"He showed me he loved me," said Mrs. Rodríguez, 22.
Mr. Rodríguez's mother, Anastasia Ríos de Rodríguez, was inconsolable as she mourned the death of her youngest child. She had been visiting from Torreon, Mexico, to meet her grandson.
"He was my model son," Mrs. de Rodríguez said, sobbing. "I want the guilty person to be punished. My son didn't deserve this."
An ardent soccer fan who followed Mexican team Aguilas del América, Mr. Martínez was remembered as a jolly man who doted on his grandchildren and loved to make people laugh.
"He liked to dance a lot," said wife Laura Gonzalez. "He always said he put on a show."
Mr. Martínez also had a birthday recently, Jan. 29. He moved with his family from Reynosa, Mexico, to Fort Worth five years ago.
Rosendo González, a brother-in-law, said of Mr. Martinez, "He was a very happy man, very helpul, very padre."
The accident happened about 7 p.m. Saturday as the Rodríguezes and Mrs. de Rodríguez were heading to Jacksonville, Texas, to visit relatives. They pulled over near the New York Avenue bridge on Interstate 20 because of a flat tire.
Mrs. Rodríguez called her father to help change the flat on their 1996 Chevrolet Silverado truck because her husband didn't have the appropriate tools.
Mr. Martínez, Mr. Rodríguez and another relative had finished changing the tire shortly before the accident. Salvador Martínez said the two men were hit as they tried to remove the jack.
"I saw it, but like a flash," Salvador Martínez said.
Mr. Bazilewich sideswiped the men with his 2000 Mitsubishi Gallant, Arlington police said. Mr. Martínez and Mr. Rodríguez were pinned between the two cars and died at the scene.
Family members on Sunday were making funeral arrangements.
Ms. Gonzalez said she and her daughter were united in grief and would have to move on without a man in the house.
"What are we going to do?" she said. "This is like a nightmare."
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Copter lifts Bell image
Debuting today, the 429 is FW firm's first new design in 7 years
By KATIE FAIRBANK / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas - Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. is expected to unveil its first all-new helicopter in seven years Sunday at Heli-Expo 2005, the annual rotorcraft industry convention in Anaheim, Calif.
The debut of the Bell 429 light twin-engine helicopter marks an important indication of the progress the Fort Worth company has made toward rejuvenating its commercial product line.
Bell had been pitching new products as part of its turnaround at the last couple of industry conventions, but some analysts had noted that they were actually modified versions of products already on the market.
For example, the company introduced the Bell 210 last year, a helicopter that merges the perennially popular UH-1 Huey with a lot of off-the-shelf parts.
"It's been a very long time since they have done a nonderivative product, and the market was starting to punish them for that," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with the Teal Group, a Washington consulting firm. "This will probably reverse that."
The last all-new helicopter Bell offered was the 427, which was certified in 1998.
The Bell 429, capable of a 365-nautical-mile range with a full payload, boasts a cabin that's 70 percent larger than the 427's.
The 429 also has sliding doors that open wide enough for emergency medical technicians to load patients.
In addition to rescue medical services, light twin-engine helicopters appeal to corporate customers such as energy companies that need to transport workers to offshore platforms.
The 429 is expected to contain nine new technologies created at Bell as part of a development project called Modular Affordable Product Line.
"The most visible is the MAPL cabin. It's huge," said Michael Redenbaugh, Bell's chief executive. "We are able to do this because we accelerated the introduction of some of our MAPL technology by three years."
Mr. Redenbaugh said that the 429 would be the "first of many" Bell products that will begin incorporating newly developed technologies.
Mr. Aboulafia said the new aircraft signals that Bell is interested in proprietary technology, and the move should pay off in the marketplace.
"It's been a long time since they've inserted this level of technology into their product line.
Most of the time they focused on interior improvements and somebody's new engine," he said. "But this is a new approach to the market, and they'll be rewarded."
Pricing information wasn't available on the new helicopter.
According to Bell, the 429 is not expected to add jobs to the local area. The company did not say where the aircraft would be assembled.
Early orders
Bell said that more than 90 orders are already booked for the aircraft, and deliveries will begin in the first half of 2007.
About 80 of the orders are from customers that converted their Bell 427 orders to the new aircraft.
"We listened to what they wanted, and the Bell 429 is the result," Mr. Redenbaugh said.
Other announcements
Bell is also expected to make several other announcements at the industry show, including:
•The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is taking delivery of three Bell 407 light-utility helicopters, valued at about $5 million.
•The Rotorcraft Leasing Co. has ordered six Bell 206L-4 LongRangers.
•Petroleum Helicopters Inc. has placed an order for six Bell 407 helicopters to be delivered this year.
Debuting today, the 429 is FW firm's first new design in 7 years
By KATIE FAIRBANK / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas - Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. is expected to unveil its first all-new helicopter in seven years Sunday at Heli-Expo 2005, the annual rotorcraft industry convention in Anaheim, Calif.
The debut of the Bell 429 light twin-engine helicopter marks an important indication of the progress the Fort Worth company has made toward rejuvenating its commercial product line.
Bell had been pitching new products as part of its turnaround at the last couple of industry conventions, but some analysts had noted that they were actually modified versions of products already on the market.
For example, the company introduced the Bell 210 last year, a helicopter that merges the perennially popular UH-1 Huey with a lot of off-the-shelf parts.
"It's been a very long time since they have done a nonderivative product, and the market was starting to punish them for that," said Richard Aboulafia, an aerospace analyst with the Teal Group, a Washington consulting firm. "This will probably reverse that."
The last all-new helicopter Bell offered was the 427, which was certified in 1998.
The Bell 429, capable of a 365-nautical-mile range with a full payload, boasts a cabin that's 70 percent larger than the 427's.
The 429 also has sliding doors that open wide enough for emergency medical technicians to load patients.
In addition to rescue medical services, light twin-engine helicopters appeal to corporate customers such as energy companies that need to transport workers to offshore platforms.
The 429 is expected to contain nine new technologies created at Bell as part of a development project called Modular Affordable Product Line.
"The most visible is the MAPL cabin. It's huge," said Michael Redenbaugh, Bell's chief executive. "We are able to do this because we accelerated the introduction of some of our MAPL technology by three years."
Mr. Redenbaugh said that the 429 would be the "first of many" Bell products that will begin incorporating newly developed technologies.
Mr. Aboulafia said the new aircraft signals that Bell is interested in proprietary technology, and the move should pay off in the marketplace.
"It's been a long time since they've inserted this level of technology into their product line.
Most of the time they focused on interior improvements and somebody's new engine," he said. "But this is a new approach to the market, and they'll be rewarded."
Pricing information wasn't available on the new helicopter.
According to Bell, the 429 is not expected to add jobs to the local area. The company did not say where the aircraft would be assembled.
Early orders
Bell said that more than 90 orders are already booked for the aircraft, and deliveries will begin in the first half of 2007.
About 80 of the orders are from customers that converted their Bell 427 orders to the new aircraft.
"We listened to what they wanted, and the Bell 429 is the result," Mr. Redenbaugh said.
Other announcements
Bell is also expected to make several other announcements at the industry show, including:
•The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency is taking delivery of three Bell 407 light-utility helicopters, valued at about $5 million.
•The Rotorcraft Leasing Co. has ordered six Bell 206L-4 LongRangers.
•Petroleum Helicopters Inc. has placed an order for six Bell 407 helicopters to be delivered this year.
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Arlington, Lewisville OK alcohol sales
By BRANDON FORMBY and HERB BOOTH / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Voters overwhelmingly defeated three school bond propositions in Duncanville on Saturday.
Local option alcohol elections passed in Anna, Arlington, Lewisville and Oak Point. Voters in Hutchins narrowly defeated beer and wine sales in stores but approved allowing the sale of drinks in restaurants. Melissa, Lancaster and Ponder voters rejected local option elections.
Arlington and Richland Hills voters approved property tax freezes for homeowners who are 65 or older or disabled. In Fort Worth, voters passed a half-cent sales tax that will fund the Crime Control and Prevention District.
Click here for area Election Results.
By BRANDON FORMBY and HERB BOOTH / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - Voters overwhelmingly defeated three school bond propositions in Duncanville on Saturday.
Local option alcohol elections passed in Anna, Arlington, Lewisville and Oak Point. Voters in Hutchins narrowly defeated beer and wine sales in stores but approved allowing the sale of drinks in restaurants. Melissa, Lancaster and Ponder voters rejected local option elections.
Arlington and Richland Hills voters approved property tax freezes for homeowners who are 65 or older or disabled. In Fort Worth, voters passed a half-cent sales tax that will fund the Crime Control and Prevention District.
Click here for area Election Results.
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TexasStooge
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House Fire Victims Try To Douse Flames With Garden Hose
CEDAR HILL, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Flames destroyed part of a home in the 2500 block of Rolling Oaks Ridge in Cedar Hill overnight.
The fire started at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday in the fireplace and quickly spread to the attic and roof.
The family was home at the time and ran outside.
When firefighters arrived, family members were trying to douse the flames using a garden hose.
No injuries were reported.
CEDAR HILL, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Flames destroyed part of a home in the 2500 block of Rolling Oaks Ridge in Cedar Hill overnight.
The fire started at about 11:30 p.m. Sunday in the fireplace and quickly spread to the attic and roof.
The family was home at the time and ran outside.
When firefighters arrived, family members were trying to douse the flames using a garden hose.
No injuries were reported.
Last edited by TexasStooge on Mon Feb 07, 2005 10:46 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Collin County Couple Dies In House Fire
Investigators: Victims May Not Have Heard Smoke Alarms
COLLIN COUNTY, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Fire investigators say a Collin County couple killed in a fire may not have heard the smoke alarms in their house.
The fire broke out Saturday in a remote section of Collin County.
Kenneth Furrs, 78, and his wife, Trudy, 81, couldn't escape the flames.
Investigators said the blaze started near a heating and air conditioning unit.
Investigators: Victims May Not Have Heard Smoke Alarms
COLLIN COUNTY, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Fire investigators say a Collin County couple killed in a fire may not have heard the smoke alarms in their house.
The fire broke out Saturday in a remote section of Collin County.
Kenneth Furrs, 78, and his wife, Trudy, 81, couldn't escape the flames.
Investigators said the blaze started near a heating and air conditioning unit.
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Saginaw Man Killed In Plane Crash
Homemade Plane Went Down In Indiana
SAGINAW, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- A Saginaw, Texas, man was killed after his homemade plane crashed in Indiana, NBC 5 News reported.
Investigators said that fog prevented Wilfred Ramsey, 60, from landing at a nearby airport Saturday morning.
The small, single-seat plane circled the area, clipped a tree and went down near Rochester, Ind.
The plan plunged into a small pond, NBC 5 News reported.
Homemade Plane Went Down In Indiana
SAGINAW, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- A Saginaw, Texas, man was killed after his homemade plane crashed in Indiana, NBC 5 News reported.
Investigators said that fog prevented Wilfred Ramsey, 60, from landing at a nearby airport Saturday morning.
The small, single-seat plane circled the area, clipped a tree and went down near Rochester, Ind.
The plan plunged into a small pond, NBC 5 News reported.
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Rockwall priest agrees to leave
Dallas bishop sought resignation amid protests from public
By BROOKS EGERTON / The Dallas Morning News
ROCKWALL, Texas – An embattled pastor announced his resignation Sunday, making him the second Dallas Catholic Diocese priest in a week to fall in connection with sexual misconduct allegations.
The Rev. William "Bill" Richard said he was leaving Our Lady of the Lake Church to bring "peace and reconciliation" to the parish, where protesters recently began pressing Dallas Bishop Charles Grahmann to remove him. They have cited Father Richard's efforts to save the job of a top aide – who is serving probation for indecent exposure – and his dismissal of critics from church positions.
Bishop Grahmann responded to the campaign by seeking Father Richard's resignation last week. It is highly unusual for him to give in to parishioners' personnel demands, especially given the diocese's severe shortage of priests – one was arrested on child pornography charges last week in Grand Prairie, and another recently was suspended for planning to get married.
Behind the Rockwall controversy lies some history that has never been publicized: A lawyer wrote the bishop in 1993 to say that Father Richard had been sexually harassing several boys at a Dallas Catholic high school and a Plano church. Sworn statements from three boys followed, describing unwanted looks, requests, comments and massages of the chest, back and shoulders.
"From time to time, Father Richard invited me to his bedroom, which made me uncomfortable and afraid," said a former altar boy's affidavit, which was filed in a lawsuit against the diocese. "Father Richard discussed bestiality with my brother and me, and seemed to imply he had participated in bestiality."
In 1994, Bishop Grahmann transferred Father Richard from the high school to Rockwall, where he succeeded a priest who had molested a girl and been sent to an out-of-state treatment center.
Father Richard has denied the allegations, which apparently went uninvestigated. On Sunday, he declined to comment after church services. Kevin Carr, the affidavit's author, told The Dallas Morning News that no one from the diocese or law enforcement ever contacted him.
Texas law says anyone who has "cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse" must notify state authorities. Abuse is defined as including not just physical violence and sexual conduct, but also any "emotional or mental injury" that affects a child's functioning.
Bishop Grahmann's Texas Catholic newspaper, which his spokesman Bronson Havard edits, reported in 2002 that a psychologist had reviewed all the diocese's clergy personnel records "for any indication of violations of state laws relating to minors." None of those "who were found in this category" remained in diocesan ministry, the paper said.
"The diocese has a 'zero tolerance' of persons who have abused children," according to the article. It described Dallas as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Web site also has: as a national model for protecting children and vulnerable adults.Mr. Havard, who formerly worked as a deacon in Rockwall under Father Richard, did not respond to requests for comment Sunday.
At church services, Father Richard also announced the resignation of his aide and friend John Sarlay.
Mr. Sarlay, a layman who has long served as Our Lady of the Lake's music minister, pleaded no contest last year to charges that he masturbated in view of an undercover police officer at a Dallas mall restroom. He has not responded to requests for comment.
Mr. Sarlay and Father Richard got standing ovations after a Sunday Mass. Many parishioners, some choking back tears, stood in line afterward to speak with the priest.
Elsewhere, people who have been boycotting Mass cheered the resignations. "Hundreds and hundreds of prayers have been answered," said Dan Muckensturm, a leader of the protesters.
Father Richard's behavior deeply affected some boys who knew him at St. Mark the Evangelist Church in Plano and Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, according to interviews and documents.
Mr. Carr, for example, cried when describing a late-1980s incident with Father Richard at St. Mark, friend Sean Perkins recalled.
"He could barely talk," said Mr. Perkins, who advised him to tell an adult. Mr. Carr told The News he alerted a parent, who did not believe him.
Further reports of trouble began to emerge in fall 1991 at Bishop Lynch, where Father Richard had been sent as chaplain.
Steve Boughton, who taught theology and coached the golf team, said several boys confided in him that the priest scared or disturbed them. Chris Tunnell, who also taught theology, said about four boys told him the same thing.
Mr. Boughton particularly remembered one athlete in his early teens, who he said spoke with a trembling lip and teary eyes. The teacher's journal, which The News reviewed, shows this entry from that time:
"He said that Father Richard watched him showering in the boys locker room and stared at him. Father said that he 'was a handsome boy.' "
Brothers Richard and Aaron Kopecky, who attended Bishop Lynch then, said some students may have overreacted to the priest. Father Richard was widely perceived as gay, they said, and frequently touched people when communicating.
"As far as I know, he never did anything wrong," said Richard Kopecky. "He's a nice guy."
Mr. Boughton said he, too, initially minimized the boys' concerns, telling them that Father Richard was trying to be friendly and was more physical than they were accustomed to. After complaints persisted, he notified first one supervisor and later another, but nothing changed.
Ultimately, he spoke to Father Richard. "He was deeply concerned," according to Mr. Boughton's journal. "I asked if I should tell the students that he is just showing friendship. He said, 'Yes! Yes! Let them know I don't mean anything by it!' "
But soon, principal Ed Leyden accused Mr. Boughton of spreading rumors about Father Richard and improperly having pupils at his own house. The teacher denied wrongdoing and said he refused pressure to quit, but his contract was not renewed at the school year's end. He later sued the diocese, saying he had been punished for blowing the whistle.
The diocese denied the claim, and the case was dismissed before evidence could be heard. Judges ruled that Mr. Boughton, as a private-sector employee, had no right to contest the non-renewal of his year-to-year contract and no legal protection as a whistle-blower.
Mr. Boughton, who teaches in a public school, did not seek publicity for his case but agreed to talk after being contacted by The News.
"The whole thing was put in motion to protect the priest," he said. "It was like the boys didn't matter."
Dallas bishop sought resignation amid protests from public
By BROOKS EGERTON / The Dallas Morning News
ROCKWALL, Texas – An embattled pastor announced his resignation Sunday, making him the second Dallas Catholic Diocese priest in a week to fall in connection with sexual misconduct allegations.
The Rev. William "Bill" Richard said he was leaving Our Lady of the Lake Church to bring "peace and reconciliation" to the parish, where protesters recently began pressing Dallas Bishop Charles Grahmann to remove him. They have cited Father Richard's efforts to save the job of a top aide – who is serving probation for indecent exposure – and his dismissal of critics from church positions.
Bishop Grahmann responded to the campaign by seeking Father Richard's resignation last week. It is highly unusual for him to give in to parishioners' personnel demands, especially given the diocese's severe shortage of priests – one was arrested on child pornography charges last week in Grand Prairie, and another recently was suspended for planning to get married.
Behind the Rockwall controversy lies some history that has never been publicized: A lawyer wrote the bishop in 1993 to say that Father Richard had been sexually harassing several boys at a Dallas Catholic high school and a Plano church. Sworn statements from three boys followed, describing unwanted looks, requests, comments and massages of the chest, back and shoulders.
"From time to time, Father Richard invited me to his bedroom, which made me uncomfortable and afraid," said a former altar boy's affidavit, which was filed in a lawsuit against the diocese. "Father Richard discussed bestiality with my brother and me, and seemed to imply he had participated in bestiality."
In 1994, Bishop Grahmann transferred Father Richard from the high school to Rockwall, where he succeeded a priest who had molested a girl and been sent to an out-of-state treatment center.
Father Richard has denied the allegations, which apparently went uninvestigated. On Sunday, he declined to comment after church services. Kevin Carr, the affidavit's author, told The Dallas Morning News that no one from the diocese or law enforcement ever contacted him.
Texas law says anyone who has "cause to believe that a child's physical or mental health or welfare has been adversely affected by abuse" must notify state authorities. Abuse is defined as including not just physical violence and sexual conduct, but also any "emotional or mental injury" that affects a child's functioning.
Bishop Grahmann's Texas Catholic newspaper, which his spokesman Bronson Havard edits, reported in 2002 that a psychologist had reviewed all the diocese's clergy personnel records "for any indication of violations of state laws relating to minors." None of those "who were found in this category" remained in diocesan ministry, the paper said.
"The diocese has a 'zero tolerance' of persons who have abused children," according to the article. It described Dallas as the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Web site also has: as a national model for protecting children and vulnerable adults.Mr. Havard, who formerly worked as a deacon in Rockwall under Father Richard, did not respond to requests for comment Sunday.
At church services, Father Richard also announced the resignation of his aide and friend John Sarlay.
Mr. Sarlay, a layman who has long served as Our Lady of the Lake's music minister, pleaded no contest last year to charges that he masturbated in view of an undercover police officer at a Dallas mall restroom. He has not responded to requests for comment.
Mr. Sarlay and Father Richard got standing ovations after a Sunday Mass. Many parishioners, some choking back tears, stood in line afterward to speak with the priest.
Elsewhere, people who have been boycotting Mass cheered the resignations. "Hundreds and hundreds of prayers have been answered," said Dan Muckensturm, a leader of the protesters.
Father Richard's behavior deeply affected some boys who knew him at St. Mark the Evangelist Church in Plano and Bishop Lynch High School in Dallas, according to interviews and documents.
Mr. Carr, for example, cried when describing a late-1980s incident with Father Richard at St. Mark, friend Sean Perkins recalled.
"He could barely talk," said Mr. Perkins, who advised him to tell an adult. Mr. Carr told The News he alerted a parent, who did not believe him.
Further reports of trouble began to emerge in fall 1991 at Bishop Lynch, where Father Richard had been sent as chaplain.
Steve Boughton, who taught theology and coached the golf team, said several boys confided in him that the priest scared or disturbed them. Chris Tunnell, who also taught theology, said about four boys told him the same thing.
Mr. Boughton particularly remembered one athlete in his early teens, who he said spoke with a trembling lip and teary eyes. The teacher's journal, which The News reviewed, shows this entry from that time:
"He said that Father Richard watched him showering in the boys locker room and stared at him. Father said that he 'was a handsome boy.' "
Brothers Richard and Aaron Kopecky, who attended Bishop Lynch then, said some students may have overreacted to the priest. Father Richard was widely perceived as gay, they said, and frequently touched people when communicating.
"As far as I know, he never did anything wrong," said Richard Kopecky. "He's a nice guy."
Mr. Boughton said he, too, initially minimized the boys' concerns, telling them that Father Richard was trying to be friendly and was more physical than they were accustomed to. After complaints persisted, he notified first one supervisor and later another, but nothing changed.
Ultimately, he spoke to Father Richard. "He was deeply concerned," according to Mr. Boughton's journal. "I asked if I should tell the students that he is just showing friendship. He said, 'Yes! Yes! Let them know I don't mean anything by it!' "
But soon, principal Ed Leyden accused Mr. Boughton of spreading rumors about Father Richard and improperly having pupils at his own house. The teacher denied wrongdoing and said he refused pressure to quit, but his contract was not renewed at the school year's end. He later sued the diocese, saying he had been punished for blowing the whistle.
The diocese denied the claim, and the case was dismissed before evidence could be heard. Judges ruled that Mr. Boughton, as a private-sector employee, had no right to contest the non-renewal of his year-to-year contract and no legal protection as a whistle-blower.
Mr. Boughton, who teaches in a public school, did not seek publicity for his case but agreed to talk after being contacted by The News.
"The whole thing was put in motion to protect the priest," he said. "It was like the boys didn't matter."
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Stock show ends on fuzzy note
By TONY HARTZEL / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas – Things were hopping Sunday on the Fort Worth stock show's last day. Really hopping.
With many of the cattle barns already silent, rabbits and their breeders took center stage nearby. And with breeds ranging from 28-ounce Netherland dwarves to 20-pound Flemish giants competing at auction, the bids were flying.
A pair of mini rex rabbits fetched top bids, garnering $160 and $185 toward the end of the show. But pound for pound, Happy Carver may have gotten the best deal when she paid $155 for a 15-pound female Flemish giant.
"They're just like a big ol' puppy," said Mrs. Carver, a Weatherford resident. "How can I go wrong?"
She noted that her new furry friend boasted a lengthy pedigree that will make her the envy of breeding circles. Perhaps the clincher came when auction supervisor Bob McBee put the large rabbit in front of the show cages and got it to trot. Ms. Carver described the animal's gait as "sort of a lope."
While an auctioneer drummed up bids in the poultry barn for some of the Southwest Exposition and Livestock Show's smallest animals, some of the largest also were on the block Sunday at the commercial heifer sale. That event, coupled with the rodeo finals later in the evening, guarantees that the stock show will stay ahead of last year's attendance. With one day left, the show – which opened Jan. 14 – had recorded 888,200 visitors, up from 881,600 in 2004.
The 29 auctioned rabbits raised $1,601 for the Texas Rabbit Breeders Association scholarship fund. Most of the donated rabbits came from professional breeders, who viewed the auction as a way to generate and preserve interest in the hobby.
Even rabbit superintendent Tom Barker, who has run the show for 19 years, got caught up in the action. He backed out of the bidding for the Flemish giant at the last minute.
"We got the bid up, and that's the name of the game," he said.
A few years ago, Mr. Barker added, someone paid about $800 for one of the pint-sized Netherland dwarves. The animal had a noteworthy bloodline.
This year, Andrea Schroeder's donated Netherland dwarf, named Spin, fetched $30 at auction. Others, she said, are too precious to part with.
"You can get attached to them. That's why I don't sell those," said Ms. Schroeder, an Arlington High graduate who won several scholarships from rabbit breeders last year and is majoring in animal science this year at Stephen F. Austin University.
Rabbits can give birth to as many as four litters a year, a fact of nature that also poses the biggest challenge for breeders. Some of the extra animals are sold to individuals, and some end up in pet stores. Still others can end up as food.
While a rabbit show in a poultry barn is no Westminster Kennel Club dog show at Madison Square Garden, the event means almost as much to breeders, who travel almost every weekend to the shows.
"Rabbits are great," Mrs. Carver said. "I love rabbit shows, but I love the camaraderie as much as anything else."
By TONY HARTZEL / The Dallas Morning News
FORT WORTH, Texas – Things were hopping Sunday on the Fort Worth stock show's last day. Really hopping.
With many of the cattle barns already silent, rabbits and their breeders took center stage nearby. And with breeds ranging from 28-ounce Netherland dwarves to 20-pound Flemish giants competing at auction, the bids were flying.
A pair of mini rex rabbits fetched top bids, garnering $160 and $185 toward the end of the show. But pound for pound, Happy Carver may have gotten the best deal when she paid $155 for a 15-pound female Flemish giant.
"They're just like a big ol' puppy," said Mrs. Carver, a Weatherford resident. "How can I go wrong?"
She noted that her new furry friend boasted a lengthy pedigree that will make her the envy of breeding circles. Perhaps the clincher came when auction supervisor Bob McBee put the large rabbit in front of the show cages and got it to trot. Ms. Carver described the animal's gait as "sort of a lope."
While an auctioneer drummed up bids in the poultry barn for some of the Southwest Exposition and Livestock Show's smallest animals, some of the largest also were on the block Sunday at the commercial heifer sale. That event, coupled with the rodeo finals later in the evening, guarantees that the stock show will stay ahead of last year's attendance. With one day left, the show – which opened Jan. 14 – had recorded 888,200 visitors, up from 881,600 in 2004.
The 29 auctioned rabbits raised $1,601 for the Texas Rabbit Breeders Association scholarship fund. Most of the donated rabbits came from professional breeders, who viewed the auction as a way to generate and preserve interest in the hobby.
Even rabbit superintendent Tom Barker, who has run the show for 19 years, got caught up in the action. He backed out of the bidding for the Flemish giant at the last minute.
"We got the bid up, and that's the name of the game," he said.
A few years ago, Mr. Barker added, someone paid about $800 for one of the pint-sized Netherland dwarves. The animal had a noteworthy bloodline.
This year, Andrea Schroeder's donated Netherland dwarf, named Spin, fetched $30 at auction. Others, she said, are too precious to part with.
"You can get attached to them. That's why I don't sell those," said Ms. Schroeder, an Arlington High graduate who won several scholarships from rabbit breeders last year and is majoring in animal science this year at Stephen F. Austin University.
Rabbits can give birth to as many as four litters a year, a fact of nature that also poses the biggest challenge for breeders. Some of the extra animals are sold to individuals, and some end up in pet stores. Still others can end up as food.
While a rabbit show in a poultry barn is no Westminster Kennel Club dog show at Madison Square Garden, the event means almost as much to breeders, who travel almost every weekend to the shows.
"Rabbits are great," Mrs. Carver said. "I love rabbit shows, but I love the camaraderie as much as anything else."
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TexasStooge
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News Charities sets funding record
By KIM HORNER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The Dallas Morning News Charities raised nearly $1.3 million for the hungry and homeless in its 2004-05 campaign – the largest amount in the fund-raiser's 19-year history.
"Because of the great generosity and caring of our community of Dallas Morning News readers, this campaign has been a record-breaking success. Once again, they made a difference for those in need," said Robert W. Mong Jr., editor of The News and chairman of The Charities.
Money from the campaign, which ended Jan. 31, supports 21 area nonprofit agencies that provide food, shelter, emergency assistance and counseling.
The Stewpot received $120,337.92, enough to buy 157,894 meals for the homeless.
"It's a wonderful gift to the community and those people who need it most," said the Rev. Bruce Buchanan, director of the agency.
Another $106,180.52 went to a Dallas charity that provides day care for children as young as 6 weeks old so their parents can get job training, look for work or finish their educations.
"Most people don't think about children that young being homeless," said Barbara Landix of the Vogel Alcove Childcare Center for the Homeless.
The Charities raised $1,294,221.80 in its latest campaign, compared with $1,174,587.95 last year. Since 1986, more than $14.2 million has been collected.
Although the campaign has ended, donations to The Charities are accepted year-round.
By KIM HORNER / The Dallas Morning News
DALLAS, Texas - The Dallas Morning News Charities raised nearly $1.3 million for the hungry and homeless in its 2004-05 campaign – the largest amount in the fund-raiser's 19-year history.
"Because of the great generosity and caring of our community of Dallas Morning News readers, this campaign has been a record-breaking success. Once again, they made a difference for those in need," said Robert W. Mong Jr., editor of The News and chairman of The Charities.
Money from the campaign, which ended Jan. 31, supports 21 area nonprofit agencies that provide food, shelter, emergency assistance and counseling.
The Stewpot received $120,337.92, enough to buy 157,894 meals for the homeless.
"It's a wonderful gift to the community and those people who need it most," said the Rev. Bruce Buchanan, director of the agency.
Another $106,180.52 went to a Dallas charity that provides day care for children as young as 6 weeks old so their parents can get job training, look for work or finish their educations.
"Most people don't think about children that young being homeless," said Barbara Landix of the Vogel Alcove Childcare Center for the Homeless.
The Charities raised $1,294,221.80 in its latest campaign, compared with $1,174,587.95 last year. Since 1986, more than $14.2 million has been collected.
Although the campaign has ended, donations to The Charities are accepted year-round.
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TexasStooge
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Gifted and on their own
Students' self-directed classes are their most challenging
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - What do you offer students who can generally ace all the classes the school district comes up with?
Let them make up their own class.
Nearly two dozen students at Irving's four high schools took on the create-a-class challenge this year, a new independent study type of class familiar to colleges, but less common for high schools.
"What we wanted was for every student to independently pursue their passion," said Debbie George, the director of gifted and talented programs for the district. "The idea is to give the students an open creative environment."
They are now writing novels, composing music, designing buildings and producing videos, while tackling tough subjects such as bullying in high school hallways.
"It took me a while to decide whether I was up to the challenge," said Marcus Wells, a 17-year-old Nimitz senior, who is designing a building. "It's something you put your time into because you want to do it. It's not like calculus."
High schools made the offer at the end of last year – design a course of study around a topic of your choice – the caveat being you'll have to do lots of research, interviews, create and meet deadlines and, most important, produce results. All have to give a presentation on the projects in April, explaining what they did, how they did it and the end results – whether portfolios or programs.
Students maintain notebooks that include the proposal, a résumé, letters of introduction, itineraries, bibliographies and tracking notes.
Many are translating their projects into scholarships for college or portfolios to set themselves apart during interviews.
Stephanie McGeorge is going to a prestigious art college, Alfred University in New York, thanks to her independent study project. She was accepted early and received some financial aid and scholarship money as well.
"A lot of my junior year I spent researching colleges," she said. "Once I started narrowing it down to five or six colleges, they all wanted portfolios, and I didn't have that kind of thing."
She asked Nimitz art teacher Danny White whether he thought she could pull it together.
"You've got the talent and innate ability, but it's going to be an extreme challenge," he told her. "It's got a pretty high bar of expectations."
For Stephanie, picking her field of study turned out to be the easy part. She had to quickly devise plans to generate a 20-piece portfolio within about 8 weeks to meet the deadline.
"I had to learn a lot. I didn't know a lot of the basic concepts," she said. "I was learning Art I in the first week. ... You're learning a year's material in a few weeks."
Stephanie spent about four to five hours on the project during school days and 12 to 16 hours on weekends compiling a portfolio of drawings and photographs to present to her college.
"At first, the most difficult thing was getting used to time management," she said. "But the busier I got, the easier it was to stay focused and dedicated."
Marcus Wells took on his interest in architecture. "I always wanted to design something, but I didn't know what," he said. "I always wanted a building with my name on it."
He considered trying to design a cruise ship, but eventually settled on a hotel connected possibly by a sky bridge to a hospital, where families of sick children could stay and be close. His plans call for about 25 rooms and two floors.
"What sparked it was volunteering at Children's Medical Center this summer," he said. "I wanted to help people at the hospital, make it easier and more enjoyable. It's already not the best place to be,"
To pursue the project, he had to research whether other hospitals have such facilities, find specifications and even learn AutoCAD – a computer-assisted design program.
"It's what I thought it would be," he said. "It's challenging and fun at the same time."
Arturo Aguero, one of a handful of juniors in the program, agreed.
"I like the challenge and the uniqueness – the idea that you can create your own class," the 16-year-old said.
He envisions a career as a composer of music for film – like James Horner or John Williams.
The horn player then arranged music for woodwinds and strings. He's since completed an arrangement of harmonies and counter melodies for "The First Noel." His plans are to complete a mini-symphony – two movements – for a small ensemble.
Meagan Marshall, a senior cheerleader at Nimitz, is crafting an anti-bullying program for high schools, after conducting research on the 1999 Columbine massacre in which two disaffected students killed 13 people in Colorado.
Although anti-bullying programs are found in middle schools, "we don't have anywhere to go if you feel pressured," she said of high school. She plans to create a brochure.
"I really wanted to see if I could impact a kid's life," she said.
Similarly unique projects are under way at other campuses.
At the Academy, for example, junior Bryan Wade is crafting a recruitment video encouraging students to look into the Academy's specialized career-oriented curriculum. Senior Alireza Esfahani is creating a brochure for the school's legal specialty about the district attorney's office. Senior Will Koss is writing a short book – a tragic love tale that he hopes to eventually turn into a novel.
Not all have survived the process.
"We're progressing pretty well," said Debbie George, director of gifted and talented programs for the district who oversees the project. "We've lost a few students, which is to be expected."
Fifteen students initially approved for the program have dropped the course, either because of scheduling conflicts or because coursework was too demanding. Twenty-two remain.
"The gap between what they thought it was and what was expected was bigger than they thought," Ms. George said. "The kids that are producing are exactly what I expected."
Students' self-directed classes are their most challenging
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - What do you offer students who can generally ace all the classes the school district comes up with?
Let them make up their own class.
Nearly two dozen students at Irving's four high schools took on the create-a-class challenge this year, a new independent study type of class familiar to colleges, but less common for high schools.
"What we wanted was for every student to independently pursue their passion," said Debbie George, the director of gifted and talented programs for the district. "The idea is to give the students an open creative environment."
They are now writing novels, composing music, designing buildings and producing videos, while tackling tough subjects such as bullying in high school hallways.
"It took me a while to decide whether I was up to the challenge," said Marcus Wells, a 17-year-old Nimitz senior, who is designing a building. "It's something you put your time into because you want to do it. It's not like calculus."
High schools made the offer at the end of last year – design a course of study around a topic of your choice – the caveat being you'll have to do lots of research, interviews, create and meet deadlines and, most important, produce results. All have to give a presentation on the projects in April, explaining what they did, how they did it and the end results – whether portfolios or programs.
Students maintain notebooks that include the proposal, a résumé, letters of introduction, itineraries, bibliographies and tracking notes.
Many are translating their projects into scholarships for college or portfolios to set themselves apart during interviews.
Stephanie McGeorge is going to a prestigious art college, Alfred University in New York, thanks to her independent study project. She was accepted early and received some financial aid and scholarship money as well.
"A lot of my junior year I spent researching colleges," she said. "Once I started narrowing it down to five or six colleges, they all wanted portfolios, and I didn't have that kind of thing."
She asked Nimitz art teacher Danny White whether he thought she could pull it together.
"You've got the talent and innate ability, but it's going to be an extreme challenge," he told her. "It's got a pretty high bar of expectations."
For Stephanie, picking her field of study turned out to be the easy part. She had to quickly devise plans to generate a 20-piece portfolio within about 8 weeks to meet the deadline.
"I had to learn a lot. I didn't know a lot of the basic concepts," she said. "I was learning Art I in the first week. ... You're learning a year's material in a few weeks."
Stephanie spent about four to five hours on the project during school days and 12 to 16 hours on weekends compiling a portfolio of drawings and photographs to present to her college.
"At first, the most difficult thing was getting used to time management," she said. "But the busier I got, the easier it was to stay focused and dedicated."
Marcus Wells took on his interest in architecture. "I always wanted to design something, but I didn't know what," he said. "I always wanted a building with my name on it."
He considered trying to design a cruise ship, but eventually settled on a hotel connected possibly by a sky bridge to a hospital, where families of sick children could stay and be close. His plans call for about 25 rooms and two floors.
"What sparked it was volunteering at Children's Medical Center this summer," he said. "I wanted to help people at the hospital, make it easier and more enjoyable. It's already not the best place to be,"
To pursue the project, he had to research whether other hospitals have such facilities, find specifications and even learn AutoCAD – a computer-assisted design program.
"It's what I thought it would be," he said. "It's challenging and fun at the same time."
Arturo Aguero, one of a handful of juniors in the program, agreed.
"I like the challenge and the uniqueness – the idea that you can create your own class," the 16-year-old said.
He envisions a career as a composer of music for film – like James Horner or John Williams.
The horn player then arranged music for woodwinds and strings. He's since completed an arrangement of harmonies and counter melodies for "The First Noel." His plans are to complete a mini-symphony – two movements – for a small ensemble.
Meagan Marshall, a senior cheerleader at Nimitz, is crafting an anti-bullying program for high schools, after conducting research on the 1999 Columbine massacre in which two disaffected students killed 13 people in Colorado.
Although anti-bullying programs are found in middle schools, "we don't have anywhere to go if you feel pressured," she said of high school. She plans to create a brochure.
"I really wanted to see if I could impact a kid's life," she said.
Similarly unique projects are under way at other campuses.
At the Academy, for example, junior Bryan Wade is crafting a recruitment video encouraging students to look into the Academy's specialized career-oriented curriculum. Senior Alireza Esfahani is creating a brochure for the school's legal specialty about the district attorney's office. Senior Will Koss is writing a short book – a tragic love tale that he hopes to eventually turn into a novel.
Not all have survived the process.
"We're progressing pretty well," said Debbie George, director of gifted and talented programs for the district who oversees the project. "We've lost a few students, which is to be expected."
Fifteen students initially approved for the program have dropped the course, either because of scheduling conflicts or because coursework was too demanding. Twenty-two remain.
"The gap between what they thought it was and what was expected was bigger than they thought," Ms. George said. "The kids that are producing are exactly what I expected."
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TexasStooge
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Brawl's effects still felt
Some say Irving High fight was a symptom of broad racial tensions
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Ten students who elevated a longstanding verbal dispute into a fight last week are now assigned to the district's alternative campus.
But that hasn't put the incident to rest. Community debate has opened over whether an isolated dispute among a handful of students – five black and five Hispanic – simply got out of hand or whether the fight signals broader race-based conflicts in school hallways and the larger community.
"Since that day, there hasn't been one single incident, either verbal or physical," said Irving High principal Carolyn Dowler, who said the tension between the groups hasn't spilled out to the rest of the school.
The students involved have a history of verbal, rather than physical, conflict, Ms. Dowler said. And there are other tensions – athletes vs. nonathletes – that are at play as well in this incident.
But some community leaders say the incident reflects racial tension in the community.
Anthony Bond, a former NAACP leader, is calling for cultural committees at both the city and school district to address the issue.
"Irving ISD is experiencing a culture shock right now," as the community's demographics shift from a predominantly white population a few decades ago to an increasingly minority one, he said. "They've not kept up."
Ruben Franco, the school board's vice president and its only Hispanic member, said he does not believe the fight last week reflects broader racial tensions. "There is tension among kids constantly," he said. "Those kids were dealt with."
Manuel A. Benavides, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens local council, disagrees.
"This community here in Irving is very behind the curve," he said. "It's getting ready to boil over."
While the school fight can be partially attributed to teen bravado, Mr. Benavides said, "this shouldn't be happening in the education field."
Both Mr. Bond and Mr. Benavides say part of the problem stems from demographic chasms between predominantly minority student populations and generally white administrators and teachers, who don't necessarily appreciate cultural differences.
"If you had the proper mix, it wouldn't eliminate the problems, but it would go a long way in alleviating them," Mr. Bond said.
But parents also need to be more involved, both men said.
Mr. Bond suggested creating an interracial committee "consisting of hotheads from both sides" at the campus level that would include parents, teachers and students.
But an isolated fight shouldn't be interpreted as a product of schoolwide or districtwide tensions, Mr. Franco said. The vast majority of students get along well on a daily basis in a variety of school programs, clubs and teams without any such incidents, he said.
"Why are we focusing on the bad stuff?" he said. "It's not fair to the kids who are doing the right thing. ... There's a lot of beautiful stuff going on in the schools."
"Obviously, there's some culpability" on the part of the students involved, Mr. Bond said. But, "the issue is not who started the fight. It's what are the conditions that festered for two years."
Some say Irving High fight was a symptom of broad racial tensions
By RUSSELL RIAN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Ten students who elevated a longstanding verbal dispute into a fight last week are now assigned to the district's alternative campus.
But that hasn't put the incident to rest. Community debate has opened over whether an isolated dispute among a handful of students – five black and five Hispanic – simply got out of hand or whether the fight signals broader race-based conflicts in school hallways and the larger community.
"Since that day, there hasn't been one single incident, either verbal or physical," said Irving High principal Carolyn Dowler, who said the tension between the groups hasn't spilled out to the rest of the school.
The students involved have a history of verbal, rather than physical, conflict, Ms. Dowler said. And there are other tensions – athletes vs. nonathletes – that are at play as well in this incident.
But some community leaders say the incident reflects racial tension in the community.
Anthony Bond, a former NAACP leader, is calling for cultural committees at both the city and school district to address the issue.
"Irving ISD is experiencing a culture shock right now," as the community's demographics shift from a predominantly white population a few decades ago to an increasingly minority one, he said. "They've not kept up."
Ruben Franco, the school board's vice president and its only Hispanic member, said he does not believe the fight last week reflects broader racial tensions. "There is tension among kids constantly," he said. "Those kids were dealt with."
Manuel A. Benavides, president of the League of United Latin American Citizens local council, disagrees.
"This community here in Irving is very behind the curve," he said. "It's getting ready to boil over."
While the school fight can be partially attributed to teen bravado, Mr. Benavides said, "this shouldn't be happening in the education field."
Both Mr. Bond and Mr. Benavides say part of the problem stems from demographic chasms between predominantly minority student populations and generally white administrators and teachers, who don't necessarily appreciate cultural differences.
"If you had the proper mix, it wouldn't eliminate the problems, but it would go a long way in alleviating them," Mr. Bond said.
But parents also need to be more involved, both men said.
Mr. Bond suggested creating an interracial committee "consisting of hotheads from both sides" at the campus level that would include parents, teachers and students.
But an isolated fight shouldn't be interpreted as a product of schoolwide or districtwide tensions, Mr. Franco said. The vast majority of students get along well on a daily basis in a variety of school programs, clubs and teams without any such incidents, he said.
"Why are we focusing on the bad stuff?" he said. "It's not fair to the kids who are doing the right thing. ... There's a lot of beautiful stuff going on in the schools."
"Obviously, there's some culpability" on the part of the students involved, Mr. Bond said. But, "the issue is not who started the fight. It's what are the conditions that festered for two years."
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TexasStooge
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Officials at odds over resident group's study
Council members, mayor clash over way to make reforms in south
By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Some City Council members are questioning the need for a residents group to study the quality of life in south Irving.
Mayor Joe Putnam says that he's interested in getting input about south Irving from residents who have a "vested interest" in the area. Opponents say that the group will undermine the council's efforts to study code enforcement reforms.
The conflict exploded Wednesday in a terse exchange at a council meeting. Some council members confronted Mr. Putnam and expressed their displeasure about the group, the Irving South Environment Resources Values and Entrepreneurship Committee.
"I feel it's working at odds ... with the City Council's stated goal" of addressing code enforcement issues, council member Sam Smith said following the meeting.
A council committee is studying code enforcement.
Mr. Putnam said the residents group was formed in response to criticism that south Irving is in decline. The group will help offer a second opinion, he said.
Council member Beth Van Duyne said that Mr. Putnam's request amounts to "good ol' boy politics." The mayor is "working around the council for his own agenda," she said.
Mr. Putnam said his colleagues' concerns are politically motivated and amount to "political hysteria."
"I want citizens ... who have an extensive knowledge of south Irving to really examine those allegations and whether there's any substance to them," Mr. Putnam said.
The group plans to submit a report in April, outlining its findings and possible recommendations, said John Danish, committee chairman.
Group members plan on studying a variety of factors and issues that face the area south of Airport Freeway, including property values, crime statistics, ordinances and business demographics, Mr. Danish said.
The 13-member group includes former City Council members, an Irving school district principal and a firefighter, Mr. Danish said.
Council members, mayor clash over way to make reforms in south
By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Some City Council members are questioning the need for a residents group to study the quality of life in south Irving.
Mayor Joe Putnam says that he's interested in getting input about south Irving from residents who have a "vested interest" in the area. Opponents say that the group will undermine the council's efforts to study code enforcement reforms.
The conflict exploded Wednesday in a terse exchange at a council meeting. Some council members confronted Mr. Putnam and expressed their displeasure about the group, the Irving South Environment Resources Values and Entrepreneurship Committee.
"I feel it's working at odds ... with the City Council's stated goal" of addressing code enforcement issues, council member Sam Smith said following the meeting.
A council committee is studying code enforcement.
Mr. Putnam said the residents group was formed in response to criticism that south Irving is in decline. The group will help offer a second opinion, he said.
Council member Beth Van Duyne said that Mr. Putnam's request amounts to "good ol' boy politics." The mayor is "working around the council for his own agenda," she said.
Mr. Putnam said his colleagues' concerns are politically motivated and amount to "political hysteria."
"I want citizens ... who have an extensive knowledge of south Irving to really examine those allegations and whether there's any substance to them," Mr. Putnam said.
The group plans to submit a report in April, outlining its findings and possible recommendations, said John Danish, committee chairman.
Group members plan on studying a variety of factors and issues that face the area south of Airport Freeway, including property values, crime statistics, ordinances and business demographics, Mr. Danish said.
The 13-member group includes former City Council members, an Irving school district principal and a firefighter, Mr. Danish said.
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TexasStooge
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City's services highly regarded in survey
But quality of life doesn't rate as well among respondents
By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Residents give high marks to key city services, but they aren't as satisfied with Irving's quality of life, according to a recent survey.
The survey also shows that some residents aren't happy with the city's changing demographics.
The fire, library and police departments received the highest grades in the survey, which was conducted last fall. Code enforcement received the lowest rating: 35 percent of respondents gave the department a grade of "poor."
Meanwhile, respondents' views of the city's quality of life have declined in recent years. In last fall's survey, 46 percent of respondents described the city's quality of life as "excellent" or "good." In a 2000 survey, 56 percent of respondents used the same ratings.
But residents offered more favorable grades in last fall's survey when asked about their neighborhoods: 67 percent of respondents said their neighborhood's quality of life was "excellent" or "good." North Irving residents, however, were more favorable toward the quality of their neighborhoods than south Irving residents.
The survey doesn't contain any major surprises, Mayor Joe Putnam said.
"I think it's a fairly accurate reflection of the public sentiment that I'm aware of," he said.
About 2,100 of 14,137 surveys were returned. A grant from the National Center for Civic Innovation funded the survey.
Written comments from dozens of respondents reveal that some aren't pleased that the city has become more racially diverse.
The survey shows that some residents are against Hispanics, said Anthony Bond, a community activist.
Mr. Bond wants the city to form a cultural advisory committee, whose members would encourage people from different cultural groups to interact with each other and become familiar with City Hall.
But the survey comments don't surprise Manny Benavides, president of the Irving chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.
"Irving is growing; it is not a bedroom community," he said. "People are going to be coming into the city and are going to be people that this city is not used to. ... We're here, we're not going to go away and it's just something they have to deal with."
Among other survey highlights:
•South Irving respondents were less likely to feel safe in their neighborhood at night than north Irving respondents.
•66 percent of respondents say their impression of city employees is "excellent" or "good."
•Among city services reporting significant improvements in resident satisfaction in 2004 compared with 2000: recreation centers; curbside recycling; condition of major streets.
•Among city services reporting decreases in satisfaction in 2004 compared with 2000: code enforcement noise; traffic enforcement; police patrol visibility.
But quality of life doesn't rate as well among respondents
By ERIC AASEN / The Dallas Morning News
IRVING, Texas - Residents give high marks to key city services, but they aren't as satisfied with Irving's quality of life, according to a recent survey.
The survey also shows that some residents aren't happy with the city's changing demographics.
The fire, library and police departments received the highest grades in the survey, which was conducted last fall. Code enforcement received the lowest rating: 35 percent of respondents gave the department a grade of "poor."
Meanwhile, respondents' views of the city's quality of life have declined in recent years. In last fall's survey, 46 percent of respondents described the city's quality of life as "excellent" or "good." In a 2000 survey, 56 percent of respondents used the same ratings.
But residents offered more favorable grades in last fall's survey when asked about their neighborhoods: 67 percent of respondents said their neighborhood's quality of life was "excellent" or "good." North Irving residents, however, were more favorable toward the quality of their neighborhoods than south Irving residents.
The survey doesn't contain any major surprises, Mayor Joe Putnam said.
"I think it's a fairly accurate reflection of the public sentiment that I'm aware of," he said.
About 2,100 of 14,137 surveys were returned. A grant from the National Center for Civic Innovation funded the survey.
Written comments from dozens of respondents reveal that some aren't pleased that the city has become more racially diverse.
The survey shows that some residents are against Hispanics, said Anthony Bond, a community activist.
Mr. Bond wants the city to form a cultural advisory committee, whose members would encourage people from different cultural groups to interact with each other and become familiar with City Hall.
But the survey comments don't surprise Manny Benavides, president of the Irving chapter of the League of United Latin American Citizens.
"Irving is growing; it is not a bedroom community," he said. "People are going to be coming into the city and are going to be people that this city is not used to. ... We're here, we're not going to go away and it's just something they have to deal with."
Among other survey highlights:
•South Irving respondents were less likely to feel safe in their neighborhood at night than north Irving respondents.
•66 percent of respondents say their impression of city employees is "excellent" or "good."
•Among city services reporting significant improvements in resident satisfaction in 2004 compared with 2000: recreation centers; curbside recycling; condition of major streets.
•Among city services reporting decreases in satisfaction in 2004 compared with 2000: code enforcement noise; traffic enforcement; police patrol visibility.
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TexasStooge
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‘Resale’ red? Not on this rare Mustang
By Matthew Zabel / Denton Record-Chronicle
DENTON, Texas - When Ray Coleman and Jerry Flowers threatened to take a beat-up 1967 Ford Mustang and "paint it resale red," Don Smith decided to save a piece of Texas history.
The car’s original "bluebonnet blue" color set it apart from other versions of the sports car that year, so Smith, a 45-year-old Corinth resident, chose to restore it.
"It ran, pretty poorly, but it would start," Smith said. "It was all there, just in really bad shape."
The car was an authentic "Lone Star Limited," a special edition of the classic sports car in 1967 that Ford designed specifically for the Texas market.
Since he bought the car from Coleman and Flowers in 2002, Smith restored the car and plans to show it at the 45th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts AutoRama, Friday through Sunday at Dallas Market Hall.
Coleman and Flowers, who own an auto repair shop in Irving, owned the car for about a year, Coleman said. They had considered restoring the car, but hadn’t gotten around to it. He said they knew the car was rare, but they didn’t know how rare.
"We kept looking at it, and we decided nothing sells like a red Mustang," said Coleman, who also is on the board for the North Texas Mustang Club. "As it turns out, that would have been one heck of a mistake."
Since he bought the car about two years ago, Smith has been researching the car, and he learned Ford made just 175 of them for the Texas market.
It has its original transmission and 289-cubic-inch V-8 engine, he said. Though he added no new safety features to the vehicle, some of the parts, like the battery, are not original to the car, he said.
"I’m interested in it because it’s a piece of history," Smith said. "I’m from Texas, so I’m proud of anything that’s from Texas."
The Mustang has won some awards at car shows, but AutoRama will be the biggest show it’s been in, Smith said. Mustang Monthly also has taken photographs in the car for an upcoming publication, he said.
Smith said the two years he’s spent restoring the car has helped him relieve stress.
He also drives the car quite a bit, perhaps too much, he said, "because it’s a great driving car."
"If it had been a regular Mustang, I probably wouldn’t have done it. But this is a bit of history," Smith said.
O’REILLY AUTO PARTS AUTORAMA
When: 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: Dallas Market Hall, 2100 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas
Admission: General admission $12, children 6 to 12 years old $5, children 5 and younger free
By Matthew Zabel / Denton Record-Chronicle
DENTON, Texas - When Ray Coleman and Jerry Flowers threatened to take a beat-up 1967 Ford Mustang and "paint it resale red," Don Smith decided to save a piece of Texas history.
The car’s original "bluebonnet blue" color set it apart from other versions of the sports car that year, so Smith, a 45-year-old Corinth resident, chose to restore it.
"It ran, pretty poorly, but it would start," Smith said. "It was all there, just in really bad shape."
The car was an authentic "Lone Star Limited," a special edition of the classic sports car in 1967 that Ford designed specifically for the Texas market.
Since he bought the car from Coleman and Flowers in 2002, Smith restored the car and plans to show it at the 45th annual O’Reilly Auto Parts AutoRama, Friday through Sunday at Dallas Market Hall.
Coleman and Flowers, who own an auto repair shop in Irving, owned the car for about a year, Coleman said. They had considered restoring the car, but hadn’t gotten around to it. He said they knew the car was rare, but they didn’t know how rare.
"We kept looking at it, and we decided nothing sells like a red Mustang," said Coleman, who also is on the board for the North Texas Mustang Club. "As it turns out, that would have been one heck of a mistake."
Since he bought the car about two years ago, Smith has been researching the car, and he learned Ford made just 175 of them for the Texas market.
It has its original transmission and 289-cubic-inch V-8 engine, he said. Though he added no new safety features to the vehicle, some of the parts, like the battery, are not original to the car, he said.
"I’m interested in it because it’s a piece of history," Smith said. "I’m from Texas, so I’m proud of anything that’s from Texas."
The Mustang has won some awards at car shows, but AutoRama will be the biggest show it’s been in, Smith said. Mustang Monthly also has taken photographs in the car for an upcoming publication, he said.
Smith said the two years he’s spent restoring the car has helped him relieve stress.
He also drives the car quite a bit, perhaps too much, he said, "because it’s a great driving car."
"If it had been a regular Mustang, I probably wouldn’t have done it. But this is a bit of history," Smith said.
O’REILLY AUTO PARTS AUTORAMA
When: 3 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. Friday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday
Where: Dallas Market Hall, 2100 Stemmons Freeway, Dallas
Admission: General admission $12, children 6 to 12 years old $5, children 5 and younger free
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TexasStooge
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Zales Store Robbed For Nearly $500,000
Rare Jewel Heist Hits Fort Worth
FORT WORTH, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Fort Worth police say armed bandits struck a Zales outlet store Thursday night shortly before closing, stealing roughly $500,000 in diamonds.
The bandits ordered the only customer in the store into a back hallway of the store while the conducted their business. Meanwhile, at gunpoint, the employees handed over nearly $500,000 of diamonds.
"These types of robberies with this dollar amount are not at all common," said Lt. Gene Jones, with the Fort Worth Police Department.
Detectives said the same two men may have robbed a Jared Galleria of Jewelry in Plano last month.
"We can't say that we're certain they're related but we have suspicions they are," said Jones.
The gunmen in the Jared robbery were not caught on camera.
Jones said one of the robbers stayed at the front of the store and was very aggressive and was ordering the individuals inside the store to comply. Surveillance video then showed the robber at the front of the store getting frustrated with his partner over the time spent inside the store.
"I need you to come on, Bro!" the robber shouted. "Come on!"
In just minutes the robbers were gone, ending one of the highest-dollar heists in Fort Worth in recent memory.
No one saw the bandits leave so there is no description of their getaway car.
Rare Jewel Heist Hits Fort Worth
FORT WORTH, Texas (KXAS NBC 5) -- Fort Worth police say armed bandits struck a Zales outlet store Thursday night shortly before closing, stealing roughly $500,000 in diamonds.
The bandits ordered the only customer in the store into a back hallway of the store while the conducted their business. Meanwhile, at gunpoint, the employees handed over nearly $500,000 of diamonds.
"These types of robberies with this dollar amount are not at all common," said Lt. Gene Jones, with the Fort Worth Police Department.
Detectives said the same two men may have robbed a Jared Galleria of Jewelry in Plano last month.
"We can't say that we're certain they're related but we have suspicions they are," said Jones.
The gunmen in the Jared robbery were not caught on camera.
Jones said one of the robbers stayed at the front of the store and was very aggressive and was ordering the individuals inside the store to comply. Surveillance video then showed the robber at the front of the store getting frustrated with his partner over the time spent inside the store.
"I need you to come on, Bro!" the robber shouted. "Come on!"
In just minutes the robbers were gone, ending one of the highest-dollar heists in Fort Worth in recent memory.
No one saw the bandits leave so there is no description of their getaway car.
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TexasStooge
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City fighting judgment in death suit
By BRETT SHIPP / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Sonny Chaney makes the 45-mile drive to a cemetery outside Canton every Sunday to visit his wife's grave.
"I get depressed," Chaney said. "I'll go get in my pickup and drive all the way to Canton, and sit there by her grave and just talk to her and tell her that I love her and miss her."
While Dallas city officials debate a new form of government, Chaney wants them to consider something perhaps more important: his wife's death.
The death of Dorothy Chaney has never been an agenda item at Dallas City Hall; it's doubtful City Council members or Mayor Laura Miller even know who she was. But her surviving family wishes that city officials would stop for a moment and listen, especially now that a jury has found the city responsible for her death.
On December 9, 2000, Chaney suffered a heart attack at work. Her co-workers called 911 and administered CPR until Dallas firefighters and paramedics could respond.
But by the time they got her heart restarted, Chaney's brain was irreversibly damaged. Sixteen days later, she was pronounced dead.
The story might have ended there had it not been for eyewitness accounts of the first minutes after firefighters responded. Chaney's son said her co-workers witnessed a fatal breakdown of machinery and communication.
"The equipment didn't work, they couldn't find a mask," said Chaney's son Colby. "The defibrillator wasn't working."
Chaney's attorney David Schiller then set out on what he said has been a frustrating, four-year fact finding mission.
"They obstructed us pretty much all along the way," Schiller said.
The trail led him to what he believes was a failed defibrillator battery, as well as a failure to comply with a state law that requires firefighters to test and maintain the units in accordance with manufacturers' guidelines.
"It's no fault of the firemen, the individual firemen who went out there ... it's not their fault that their equipment didn't work properly," Schiller said. "It's the city's fault - the city didn't train them properly."
Two months ago, a jury agreed, found the City of Dallas liable and awarded the family $2.3 million. Colby Chaney said the jurors were angry with the city, and moved to tears.
"Every one of them came up and said, 'I'm sorry,'" Colby said. "One lady came up to me and said 'I want a hug,' and she was crying."
But a jury's verdict was not enough to ease the family's pain, perpetuated not by state law - which caps damages against the city at $250,000 - but by something else. Despite the evidence and the sympathetic jury, the Dallas city attorney's office is exercising the city's right to appeal.
First Assistant City Attorney Tom Perkins told News 8, "We think we responded responsibly in that incident, and our guys were out there trying to save that lady's life. I don't think the city was at all callous in its response."
He also said, "We respectfully disagree with the decision by the jury."
But the family is less respectful when it sees a new piece of video. At a recent spot check by News 8 at a local firehouse, it appeared that firefighters had still not been apprised of the state requirements.
"In fact you haven't even read the manufacturer's guidelines for maintenance and upkeep," one firefighter was asked.
"Not for maintenance, no sir," he replied.
"If they had taken responsibility right away, I would have a lot more respect for them, (but) right now I have none ... I have none for the city at all," Colby Chaney said.
For Sonny Chaney, the prospect of more legal battles with the city makes the weekly trip to his wife's grave, that much more difficult.
"I don't think I'll ever recover from what has happened to us," Chaney said.
Shortly after Dorothy Chaney's death, the city replaced all of the old defibrillators with new, mostly maintenance-free ones. City officials said the change was not done in response to Chaney's death.
By BRETT SHIPP / WFAA ABC 8
DALLAS, Texas - Sonny Chaney makes the 45-mile drive to a cemetery outside Canton every Sunday to visit his wife's grave.
"I get depressed," Chaney said. "I'll go get in my pickup and drive all the way to Canton, and sit there by her grave and just talk to her and tell her that I love her and miss her."
While Dallas city officials debate a new form of government, Chaney wants them to consider something perhaps more important: his wife's death.
The death of Dorothy Chaney has never been an agenda item at Dallas City Hall; it's doubtful City Council members or Mayor Laura Miller even know who she was. But her surviving family wishes that city officials would stop for a moment and listen, especially now that a jury has found the city responsible for her death.
On December 9, 2000, Chaney suffered a heart attack at work. Her co-workers called 911 and administered CPR until Dallas firefighters and paramedics could respond.
But by the time they got her heart restarted, Chaney's brain was irreversibly damaged. Sixteen days later, she was pronounced dead.
The story might have ended there had it not been for eyewitness accounts of the first minutes after firefighters responded. Chaney's son said her co-workers witnessed a fatal breakdown of machinery and communication.
"The equipment didn't work, they couldn't find a mask," said Chaney's son Colby. "The defibrillator wasn't working."
Chaney's attorney David Schiller then set out on what he said has been a frustrating, four-year fact finding mission.
"They obstructed us pretty much all along the way," Schiller said.
The trail led him to what he believes was a failed defibrillator battery, as well as a failure to comply with a state law that requires firefighters to test and maintain the units in accordance with manufacturers' guidelines.
"It's no fault of the firemen, the individual firemen who went out there ... it's not their fault that their equipment didn't work properly," Schiller said. "It's the city's fault - the city didn't train them properly."
Two months ago, a jury agreed, found the City of Dallas liable and awarded the family $2.3 million. Colby Chaney said the jurors were angry with the city, and moved to tears.
"Every one of them came up and said, 'I'm sorry,'" Colby said. "One lady came up to me and said 'I want a hug,' and she was crying."
But a jury's verdict was not enough to ease the family's pain, perpetuated not by state law - which caps damages against the city at $250,000 - but by something else. Despite the evidence and the sympathetic jury, the Dallas city attorney's office is exercising the city's right to appeal.
First Assistant City Attorney Tom Perkins told News 8, "We think we responded responsibly in that incident, and our guys were out there trying to save that lady's life. I don't think the city was at all callous in its response."
He also said, "We respectfully disagree with the decision by the jury."
But the family is less respectful when it sees a new piece of video. At a recent spot check by News 8 at a local firehouse, it appeared that firefighters had still not been apprised of the state requirements.
"In fact you haven't even read the manufacturer's guidelines for maintenance and upkeep," one firefighter was asked.
"Not for maintenance, no sir," he replied.
"If they had taken responsibility right away, I would have a lot more respect for them, (but) right now I have none ... I have none for the city at all," Colby Chaney said.
For Sonny Chaney, the prospect of more legal battles with the city makes the weekly trip to his wife's grave, that much more difficult.
"I don't think I'll ever recover from what has happened to us," Chaney said.
Shortly after Dorothy Chaney's death, the city replaced all of the old defibrillators with new, mostly maintenance-free ones. City officials said the change was not done in response to Chaney's death.
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