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#1901 Postby TexasStooge » Wed Jun 22, 2005 10:20 am

Rare bird hatches at Fort Worth Zoo

FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - There was a rare and wonderful birth at the Fort Worth Zoo recently.

A Red Crowned Crane hatched a new chick, but it wasn't easy.

She's been trying to give birth for a decade and was finally able to do so with the help of artificial insemination.

The new chick is sure to get a lot of attention because less than 2,000 of the birds exist in the world.

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Courtesy of KHOU-TV
A Red Crowned Crane was able to give birth to a new chick after a decade of trying and finally, artificial insemination.
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#1902 Postby TexasStooge » Wed Jun 22, 2005 10:25 am

FBI probes bribery allegations

Exclusive: Housing developer at heart of City Hall inquiry

By TAWNELL D. HOBBS and ERNESTO LONDOÑO / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - A federal investigation into possible corruption at Dallas City Hall centers on a real estate development company and allegations that its agents bribed public officials to smooth the way for some of its projects, The Dallas Morning News has learned.

FBI agents on Tuesday continued to search the offices of Southwest Housing Development Co., which specializes in building affordable housing for low-income families and senior citizens. In return for developing affordable housing, the company earns federal tax credits that increase the profitability of its projects.

The office doors to Southwest Housing, owned by Brian Potashnik, were locked Tuesday afternoon. But FBI agents could be seen inside culling through records. They said the office probably would reopen today.

No one answered the door Tuesday afternoon at Mr. Potashnik's Highland Park home, a Mediterranean-style house with palm trees in the front yard.

Repeated attempts to contact him were unsuccessful.

FBI agents, accompanied by Dallas police, began executing search warrants Monday.

Agents searched the law office, home and City Hall office of Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill. Warrants also were executed at J.L.'s Security and Investigations, a company owned by Dallas City Council member James Fantroy.

Cheryl Wattley, Mr. Fantroy's attorney, said her client "remains confident he has done nothing illegal."

Lori Bailey, an FBI spokeswoman, also confirmed that agents searched the office of D'Angelo Lee at 1409 S. Lamar, a high-rise building across from the Dallas Police Department. His car also was searched while it sat in a City Hall parking space.

Mr. Lee is a member of the City Plan Commission, the municipal panel that deals with zoning matters that affect Southwest Housing and other real estate developers. Mr. Lee was appointed to the plan commission by Mr. Hill.

Mr. Lee said he is cooperating with investigators.

"I don't believe I've done anything wrong," he said. "It's going to be a circus. I have not done anything wrong. If I'm wrong for caring, that's fine."

He also defended Mr. Hill.

"Don Hill is the most honest person that you can ever meet," Mr. Lee said. "This is an unfair attack."

U.S. Magistrate Judge Paul Stickney signed the search warrants June 15, based on a lengthy affidavit prepared by FBI Special Agent Tom Ensz. The affidavit, which would shed light on the exact nature of the investigation, remains sealed from public view.

One of the search warrants, used to search Mr. Hill's vehicle, gave agents permission to collect evidence of, among other things, "theft or bribery concerning programs receiving federal funds."

Mr. Hill told reporters Tuesday that he doesn't own the 1998 BMW that FBI agents searched.

"I'm allowed to drive the car," he said.

The car is registered to Daniel Thorne of Garland, but Mr. Hill said that wasn't the person who gave him the car. When asked who owned it, he declined to answer and became agitated.

"It's not a buyout for a vote," he said. "It's a friend's car – a car I earned the right to drive."

Mr. Hill characterized Southwest Housing as a strong development company that does "very good work" for Dallas. But that's as far as his relationship with Mr. Potashnik goes, he said.

Mr. Hill called D'Angelo Lee – his appointee to the City Plan Commission – a close friend, but he said he has never twisted his arm or asked him to bribe others to vote a certain way.

"I haven't done any favors," he said.

The last two days haven't been easy, Mr. Hill said. But he has gotten by on a "tremendous outpouring of support. This has been a great experience even in its difficulty."

Illegal land deal?

A Dallas school district official said Mr. Lee approached him in February about making an under-the-table land deal, mentioning Mr. Hill's name prominently in the discussion.

The school official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Mr. Lee wanted him to arrange for the Dallas Independent School District to sell land to a developer in exchange for compensation.

"He said, 'Man, if you can make this happen, I'll try to take care of you,' " said the DISD official, who was in a position to influence land deals. "I told him, 'I don't work like that. You don't need to offer me nothing.' "

The school official said the land sought by Mr. Lee was owned by DISD and near the Veterans Medical Center in Oak Cliff. The official said Mr. Lee never brought up a dollar amount that he would receive for helping with the land deal.

"No numbers ever came up," the official said. "It's just a statement: 'We'll take care of you.' Well, you know what that means."

Mr. Lee disputed that version of events. "That is absolutely untrue," he said.

He said he has been looking at DISD land near the veterans hospital as an additional site for the city's homeless shelter.

Mr. Lee said he wants the center in his district because he has plans for it, such as focusing on rehabilitating veterans who are homeless instead of just housing them. He said he first contacted DISD's real estate department two or three months ago. He said no one asked him to scout for land.

"I was trying to give an alternative, although no one has told me to do this," Mr. Lee said.

The school official said he avoided Mr. Lee after that first – and only – meeting, which took place at Mr. Lee's office across from the Dallas Police Department.

"He hunted me down for maybe two weeks," the official said. "Whenever he would call me, I wouldn't return his call."

The school official said Mr. Lee used Mr. Hill's name freely during their talk. He said he asked Mr. Lee whether Mr. Hill knew of the meeting.

"I don't ever let Don know until I get the deal done," the school official said Mr. Lee replied. The official said he never told Mr. Hill about Mr. Lee's proposal.

"I should have told him," he said. "But I didn't know how to tell him. I just left it alone."

The school official said he decided to ignore the offer and told Mr. Lee to go through proper channels.

Late last year, Mr. Lee approached the Dallas Housing Authority about partnering with Southwest Housing on two multifamily projects, said Ann Lott, authority president and CEO. The agency eventually agreed to co-partner the two projects, which have yet to be built, she said.

Brian Potashnik and his family are active campaign contributors to local, state and federal candidates. Most of their money goes to Democrats, according to records.

Records show that Mr. Potashnik contributed $5,000 to Mayor Laura Miller on Feb. 24, 2004. Cheryl Potashnik, his wife, contributed $5,000 to Ms. Miller on the same day. The couple made a joint $5,000 contribution to Ms. Miller on Sept. 9, 2002. The Potashniks each donated $1,000 to Mr. Hill in 2004.

Ms. Miller spoke to reporters about the investigation for the first time Tuesday.

"I think it's very sad for City Hall and the families involved," she said at a news conference on gun safety at the Martin Luther King Center. "It's pretty distracting when you have the FBI come and take files."

Ms. Miller said she was at the airport picking up her daughter Monday afternoon when FBI agents started searching Mr. Hill's office.

"It's rather dramatic and unfortunate," she said. "Hopefully, they'll wrap it up very quickly."

Ms. Miller said her relationship with the Potashniks began when they built a senior housing complex in Dallas. Although they have contributed to her campaigns, Ms. Miller said she has never taken gifts from them.

"I have a nice relationship with them," she said.

Ms. Miller said that in the last year, the city has approved an extraordinary number of tax-credit housing projects. Southwest Housing is one of two primary development companies the city uses for such projects. As of November, the company had built 10 such projects within the city limits.

Ms. Miller and her council colleagues have raised questions about the relationship between Mr. Fantroy's security business and southern Dallas developers. About a year ago, council members learned Mr. Fantroy had a business contract with James Fisher, a local developer and president of Provident Odyssey Partners, another company that builds southern-sector housing.

Mr. Fantroy was accused of having a conflict of interest between his private business and his position as a public official overseeing real estate developers.

After calling an executive session to deal with the conflict during a City Council meeting, several members asked the city attorney to talk to Mr. Fantroy about dropping the security contract. Mr. Fantroy declined.

The city attorney told the mayor that as long as Mr. Fantroy excused himself from council actions involving Provident, the contract wasn't inappropriate.

In September, Ms. Miller accused Mr. Fantroy of a breach of ethics on a similar case – one that involved Mr. Fisher and a zoning change for a proposed multifamily housing complex in southern Dallas.

Mr. Fantroy, who excused himself from a vote because of a conflict of interest, spoke about the case with council member Maxine Thornton-Reese and asked her to carry the item through to approval for him.

Ms. Miller said at the time that Mr. Fantroy's support for the project looked strange because he had been so adamant about bringing single-family homes – not more apartments – to southern Dallas.

On Tuesday, Ms. Miller played down the Fantroy incidents of a year ago, saying those events had nothing to do with Southwest Housing and the Potashniks.

Major builder

Mr. Potashnik's company is one of the biggest builders of affordable multifamily housing in North Texas. Dallas city officials have praised him for venturing into the sagging southern Dallas housing market.

Southwest Housing has received tens of millions of dollars from the state of Texas for 43 properties since 1994, according to the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. The bulk of that money came through the state's low-income housing tax credit program, with the rest through a bond program.

The credits are the state's way of encouraging private developers to build affordable housing. In exchange, the developers receive credits on their federal income taxes. Developers can also sell the credits to another party.

Gordon Anderson, a spokesman for the state housing department, said the agency preferred not to comment on Southwest Housing or Mr. Potashnik, pending any law enforcement investigations.

Agent Bailey said investigators finished executing the search warrants Tuesday. No one was arrested in connection with the investigation.

Agents investigating public corruption cases usually use evidence obtained through search warrants to support criminal complaints. Investigators declined to say when or whether they will file charges, and whom they might target. Agents may keep seized evidence until the investigation is complete.

Public corruption ranks fourth on the FBI's Top 10 priority list, which was reassessed after Sept. 11, 2001. Terrorism, espionage and cybercrimes are the top three priorities.

The Dallas FBI office's last full-blown public corruption investigation targeted Dallas City Council member Al Lipscomb, who in 1999 was convicted for accepting bribes from a cab company owner.

Mr. Lipscomb's conviction was later overturned on a technicality, and the U.S. attorney's office declined to retry him.

Staff writers Reese Dunklin, Holly Hacker, Emily Ramshaw, Dave Levinthal, Tanya Eiserer, Gromer Jeffers Jr., Michael Grabell, Brooks Egerton and Scott Parks.
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#1903 Postby TexasStooge » Wed Jun 22, 2005 10:29 am

Teen death highlights 'skitching' danger

By JANELLE STECKLEIN and JONATHAN TJARKS / DallasNews.com

FORT WORTH, Texas - A Fort Worth teenager’s death earlier this week is pointing to the dangers of skitching, the illegal act of being towed on a skateboard by a moving vehicle.

Daniel Roberts, 17, who was hanging on to a truck before falling off his skateboard, died Monday night at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office.

Witnesses told Fort Worth police that Daniel sustained head injuries.

Lords of Dogtown, the recently released movie about the Venice, Calif., teens who revolutionized the skateboard world of the '70s, features a scene in which the main characters skitch behind a fast-moving city bus.

Several skateboarders at Suburbia Skate Community in Lewisville said this week that they have skitched, usually by grabbing the metal handles on the backs of postal trucks. When the mailmen notice they are hanging on and get angry, they said, they let go.

Tanner Jones, 11, said skitching isn’t something he does every day.

“It’s not that common,” Tanner said. “It’s like partying. It’s fun to do on occasion.”

Police still were investigating Daniel’s unusual death, said Sgt. Don Hanlon of the Fort Worth police traffic investigations unit.

“We haven’t come across it (before),” he said. “We’re treating the case very seriously and making sure everything is done correctly.”

The police must interview several witnesses, including an off-duty police officer who was in a nearby front yard, and a boy who was riding his bike behind Daniel.

One witness said the truck was going around 5 mph when Daniel was critically injured, Hanlon said. Hanlon said he does not believe Daniel was wearing a helmet.

Upon completion of the investigation, the district attorney will decide whether to charge the 20-year-old truck driver. Hanlon said a “plethora of potential charges” is possible, but because the case is rare there is no precedent.

Kevin Fearn, a senior statistics associate with the National Safety Council, said skateboarding deaths are uncommon. There were no reported fatalities in 2003, the most recent year for which statistics are available, but an estimated 97,649 accidents required emergency room treatment, most often for ankles and wrists. Almost 7,000 people were treated for head injuries.

The safety council recommends that skateboarders wear all appropriate protective gear, learn how to fall to avoid serious injury, and steer clear of riding among pedestrians or behind vehicles.

Zach Cocker, 17, who works at Suburbia Skate Community, said he was not surprised to hear about the fatal accident.

“You’ve got car, wheels, body. It’s just not a good combination,” he said.

Willie Weatherly, 13, said he was concerned that the accident would give skateboarding a bad reputation.

“It doesn’t really affect me,” Willie said. “I mean you can die if you fall off the side of the street the right way. You know when you skateboard you’re taking a risk.”

East Plano’s Eisenbergs Skatepark owner, Josie Eisenberg, said skitching is fairly common, although she doesn’t recommend it. In fact, when her brother was 17, he injured his elbow badly in a similar accident, she said.

“It’s more of a daredevil thing,” she said. “It’s just boys being boys. Boys will still find something to be pulled on.”

She said more serious and fatal accidents can be attributed to vehicles in the street than in a skate park.

Eisenberg said rolled ankles is the most common injury. Inexperienced skateboarders, or veterans going for big tricks, get injured most often.

“Wear a helmet,” she said. “Know your surroundings. Use your common sense and keep your eyes open.”

Image
Courtesy of AP
Heath Ledger stars as Skip Engblom in "Lords of Dogtown."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click here for Skateboarding Safety Tips
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#1904 Postby TexasStooge » Wed Jun 22, 2005 10:32 am

Firefighters train to protect themselves

By KIMBERLY DURNAN and APRIL KINSER / DallasNews.com

FARMERS BRANCH, Texas - Farmers Branch Deputy Fire Chief Ronnie Inman has a mantra: "Every firefighter goes home. Everyone goes home to see the next morning."

On Tuesday, hundreds of firefighters across North Texas embraced that sentiment by participating in the first nationwide stand-down for firefighter safety. The departments were asked to forsake all non-emergency duties to focus on safety training.

The International Association of Fire Chiefs initiated the program after discovering that an alarming number firefighter deaths have occurred since January.

"By the start of May, we had 50 deaths, not even halfway through the calendar year," said Chief Bob DiPoli, the association's chief. "At this point we have 58. How many firefighters is it all right to lose? In my mind, one is too many."

The National Fire Protection Association also counts more than 78,000 firefighter injuries a year, a number that has remained relatively constant over the past several years, despite monumental improvements in technology and equipment, according to the IAFC.

Inman said while it is important to focus on safety at fire scenes, many deaths are due to physical exertion, stress and heart disease.

"It's kind of a double-edged sword," Inman said. "We have great food and cooks in the firehouse, but we sometimes eat too much. Our caloric intake doesn't always match up with our physical exertion."

At a morning meeting Tuesday, Inman urged fellow firefighters to eat healthier and exercise regularly.

The department has never had a firefighter fatality, he said.

The leading cause of death for firefighters in the line of duty is heart attack, often caused by the stress and overexertion of fighting a fire, said Ron Siarnicki, executive director for the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation.

To reduce that particular risk, safety measures should include physical fitness programs, nutrition classes and monitoring at the scene of a fire for stress levels.

Vehicle accidents traveling to and from scenes are the second-leading cause of fatalities, Siarnicki said. "We are creating awareness on the safe handling of emergency equipment."

And 10 percent of the fatalities occurred during training classes, so more attention needs to be placed on safety there, Siarnicki said.

"Our program is 'Everyone Goes Home' and our goal is to continue an array of activities pushing the health, wellness and safety of firefighters," he said.

In Plano, the last serious fire-related injuries occurred in 1995, when nearly 20 houses caught fire in the Whiffletree subdivision in the northern part of the city, fire department spokeswoman Peggy Harrell said.

One firefighter was taken to the hospital after suffering from smoke and heat exhaustion. Another suffered a career-ending injury when a brick wall collapsed on top of him damaging his knee, she said.

The Plano Fire Department hasn't had a fire-related death since the 1950s and spends a lot of time training its firefighters. But any extra awareness is helpful, Harrell said.

"My husband is a firefighter, so I appreciate the focus on safety training," she said.

Melissa Murphy, who works for the Farmers Branch department, said although her colleagues are ready for any situation, safety should always be in the forefront of their minds.

"You need to always watch out for yourself," Murphy said. "Always watch out for your fellow brother."
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#1905 Postby TexasStooge » Wed Jun 22, 2005 10:37 am

Cruelty laws split rights groups, owners

By GRETEL C. KOVACH / The Dallas Morning News

AUSTIN, Texas - When it comes to animal cruelty laws, Texans on both sides of the fence hope their howl is the loudest.

Animal rights advocates say the state is among the least progressive in the nation. But owners whose animals have been seized are furious about what they call overly aggressive tactics and a lack of due process.

Major figures mobilizing on both sides of the statewide debate hail from North Texas. Republican state Rep. Toby Goodman, an Arlington lawyer, authored the 2003 bill that made owners liable for shelter costs and denied them the right to appeal court-ordered shelter placements or destruction of their animals.

Longtime animal cruelty investigator Dave Garcia, vice president for operations at the Dallas-based SPCA of Texas, testified on its behalf. So did another Dallas resident, Skip Trimble, a real estate investor and vice president of the Texas Humane Legislative Network.

"Our current animal cruelty laws are Swiss cheese," Mr. Goodman said. "If you starve an animal to death, you can be prosecuted. But if you don't give the animal water and it dies, you cannot."

It is not a crime under Texas law to kill your own puppy by intentionally running over it with a power mower, skin a feral cat alive or shoot your neighbor's horse.

"Texas is in the 19th century. We haven't even made it to the 20th century," Mr. Trimble said.

Local animal advocates said they had enough votes to close such loopholes this year, but the bill died in committee. They'll try again in the next regular legislative session, in 2007.

On the other side, local animal owners are rallying to get their right of appeal restored.

After a series of highly publicized raids last year on owners suspected of animal abuse, some in Van Zandt and Kaufman counties hired lawyers, filed lawsuits and spoke on national television, saying they were treated unfairly.

The SPCA of Texas, an independent nonprofit that runs shelters in Dallas, McKinney and The Colony, has been lauded for helping county officials shutter puppy mills. But in two recent cases, veterinarians testified against SPCA investigators and said the animals didn't need to be confiscated.

John Sickle, a lawyer from Canton who defended the suspects in those unsuccessful cases, said the lack of an appeals process is absurd.

"People love animals and think the SPCA does a great job, but there's a matter of justice here and a matter of due process," he said.

Lynn Miller, his legal assistant, added: "I don't believe in mistreating animals. But there's so many of these cases where that is not happening. They make a big deal about finding a little poop in the kennel."

Decisions final

Animal owners can appeal court-ordered auctions of their animals. But barring appeals for shelter placements and euthanasia is extremely rare, said Southern Methodist University law professor George Martinez.

"It's probably unconstitutional," said Mr. Martinez, who teaches appellate law. "Normally there is the right to appeal in any case."

In this year's legislative session, Rep. Chente Quintanilla, D-Tornillo, introduced a bill that would have restored owners' right to appeal animal seizures, but it failed.

Mr. Goodman thinks justice is being served.

"These are cruelly treated animals who have been seized by animal control authorities," he said. "There's a trial, there's a determination that the animal has been neglected."

Accused owners have "had their day in court," he said.

A legal case involving confined animals, some so sick they need to be put down, must not be held in limbo until appeals are exhausted, animal advocates said. What's more, they say, shelters can't afford to care for animals while frivolous appeals continue for years.

"What do you do with 300 cats or 18 horses while the owner is appealing? You can see what a burden this placed on local governments," Mr. Trimble said.

The SPCA wins more than 90 percent of its cases, he said, because they are true instances of animal cruelty or neglect. Others say those statistics are proof that justice is skewed because no one wants to be portrayed as in favor of animal cruelty.

A veterinarian who posed as a cameraman when the ABC newsmagazine 20/20 accompanied the SPCA of Texas on what he called an unjustified animal raid said it was easy for shelter staff to convince authorities of cruelty even when it's not warranted.

"Get a picture of an animal behind a chain-link fence with a pathetic expression and a few close-ups on some un-scooped poop ... and you can pull at anyone's heartstrings!" Dr. Gaylon TeSlaa wrote in an e-mail circulating among animal owners' groups.

Dr. TeSlaa said he has donated significant time and money to animal welfare programs in California, where he practices. But he is troubled by the aggressiveness of some private rescue organizations that start to resemble what he called animal "collectors."

Dr. Robert Wright, who runs a mobile veterinary service based in Gilmer, Texas, said many veterinarians are reluctant to oppose SPCA investigators in court because the public views them as infallible.

He was subpoenaed to testify in Lynda Williams' Van Zandt County case because he had administered rabies vaccinations to the animals at her property the day before the July 2004 raid.

He said that conditions were not ideal but that Ms. Williams had hired him to respond to SPCA concerns, and he said he did not believe the animals needed to be seized.

"The SPCA loves to play on sympathies. They make things out to be worse than they are," said Dr. Wright, who has worked as a relief vet for the SPCA's McKinney clinic.

'It's been devastating'

The highly publicized raids also make it hard for owners to find an attorney, Karen Snider said. She blames a cat show rival for filing the complaint that led to the 1994 seizure of about 100 cats from her Arlington home.

In court, "You have this feeling when you walk in that it's a done deal. I lost everything that I held dear, that my whole life revolved around. It's been devastating," Ms. Snider said.

James Bias, president of SPCA of Texas, said his group is not trying to shut down all breeders. Less than 1 percent of its investigations result in court-ordered seizures, he said.

"But we are passionate about our mission – to rescue animals and take them out of abusive situations," he said.

Not all local breeders are convinced.

Carol Beene of Denton said her Great Danes eat better than most humans. She said anybody with a grudge could turn an animal owner in.

"A judge doesn't know anything about dogs – so, in all honesty, doesn't know if it's a good or a bad situation," she said.

The San Antonio-based Responsible Pet Owners Alliance, an advocacy and animal rescue group, is lobbying to get the no-appeal rule overturned.

"Whatever happened to citations and giving animal owners a chance to take care of violations? There must be a better way," said Mary Beth Duerler, the group's executive director.

"We've been the last state to fall. It's been happening all over."

In 2001, Texas became the 38th state to make animal cruelty a felony in some cases. In this year's legislative session, 15 bills were tied to the issue, including one that now makes it an offense to interfere with the duties of an animal control officer.

As animal cruelty complaints increase, groups such as the American Dog Owners Association have posted tips about avoiding seizures, reminding owners that no one can enter their home uninvited without a warrant.

Some owners complain that they lost their homes and businesses after their animals were seized. But there is little sympathy for suspects in animal abuse cases, said Laura May, a Dallas law student interested in a career defending animal rights.

"The animals are the victims here," she said.

Image
NATALIE CAUDILL/Dallas Morning News
Skip Trimble of Texas Humane Legislative Network, with his dogs (from left) Angel, Buddy and Bronte, says Texas animal cruelty laws are in drastic need of an update.
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#1906 Postby TexasStooge » Wed Jun 22, 2005 2:47 pm

Minority business leaders launch pro-Wright effort

By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - Minority business leaders gathered Wednesday morning to issue a public invitation to Southwest Airlines.

Six North Texas chambers of commerce representing minority groups are uniting against Southwest' campaign to end Wright Amendment restrictions on flights out of Dallas Love Field. Two Texas Republican congressional leaders are co-sponsoring legislation that would repeal the amendment.

As Southwest Airlines continues its push to get the amendment repealed, the business leaders said they have a big stake in doing business at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport and want Southwest to come join them at D/FW rather than possibly hurt them by expanding Love Field operations.

Airport officials and the business leaders stressed Southwest's ability to immediately begin interstate flights anywhere in the country as a low-cost carrier by moving operations to the larger airport. D/FW is also offering 22 open gates and $22 million in incentives.

D/FW Airport vice president Don O'Bannon said they are concerned that Wright's repeal would cause the airport to lose more money, especially in light of the recent closure of Delta's hub there.

"What we're afraid of is that we're going to end up with even more empty terminal space as a consequence of American Airlines moving its operations to Love Field and competing head-on with Southwest Airlines," O'Bannon said. "It adversely affects D/FW Airport."

American Airlines officials are already on record as saying they are opposed to the Wright Amendment's repeal.
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#1907 Postby rainstorm » Thu Jun 23, 2005 5:50 am

TexasStooge wrote:Teen death highlights 'skitching' danger

By JANELLE STECKLEIN and JONATHAN TJARKS / DallasNews.com

FORT WORTH, Texas - A Fort Worth teenager’s death earlier this week is pointing to the dangers of skitching, the illegal act of being towed on a skateboard by a moving vehicle.

Daniel Roberts, 17, who was hanging on to a truck before falling off his skateboard, died Monday night at Harris Methodist Fort Worth Hospital, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner’s office.

Witnesses told Fort Worth police that Daniel sustained head injuries.

Lords of Dogtown, the recently released movie about the Venice, Calif., teens who revolutionized the skateboard world of the '70s, features a scene in which the main characters skitch behind a fast-moving city bus.

Several skateboarders at Suburbia Skate Community in Lewisville said this week that they have skitched, usually by grabbing the metal handles on the backs of postal trucks. When the mailmen notice they are hanging on and get angry, they said, they let go.

Tanner Jones, 11, said skitching isn’t something he does every day.

“It’s not that common,” Tanner said. “It’s like partying. It’s fun to do on occasion.”

Police still were investigating Daniel’s unusual death, said Sgt. Don Hanlon of the Fort Worth police traffic investigations unit.

“We haven’t come across it (before),” he said. “We’re treating the case very seriously and making sure everything is done correctly.”

The police must interview several witnesses, including an off-duty police officer who was in a nearby front yard, and a boy who was riding his bike behind Daniel.

One witness said the truck was going around 5 mph when Daniel was critically injured, Hanlon said. Hanlon said he does not believe Daniel was wearing a helmet.

Upon completion of the investigation, the district attorney will decide whether to charge the 20-year-old truck driver. Hanlon said a “plethora of potential charges” is possible, but because the case is rare there is no precedent.

Kevin Fearn, a senior statistics associate with the National Safety Council, said skateboarding deaths are uncommon. There were no reported fatalities in 2003, the most recent year for which statistics are available, but an estimated 97,649 accidents required emergency room treatment, most often for ankles and wrists. Almost 7,000 people were treated for head injuries.

The safety council recommends that skateboarders wear all appropriate protective gear, learn how to fall to avoid serious injury, and steer clear of riding among pedestrians or behind vehicles.

Zach Cocker, 17, who works at Suburbia Skate Community, said he was not surprised to hear about the fatal accident.

“You’ve got car, wheels, body. It’s just not a good combination,” he said.

Willie Weatherly, 13, said he was concerned that the accident would give skateboarding a bad reputation.

“It doesn’t really affect me,” Willie said. “I mean you can die if you fall off the side of the street the right way. You know when you skateboard you’re taking a risk.”

East Plano’s Eisenbergs Skatepark owner, Josie Eisenberg, said skitching is fairly common, although she doesn’t recommend it. In fact, when her brother was 17, he injured his elbow badly in a similar accident, she said.

“It’s more of a daredevil thing,” she said. “It’s just boys being boys. Boys will still find something to be pulled on.”

She said more serious and fatal accidents can be attributed to vehicles in the street than in a skate park.

Eisenberg said rolled ankles is the most common injury. Inexperienced skateboarders, or veterans going for big tricks, get injured most often.

“Wear a helmet,” she said. “Know your surroundings. Use your common sense and keep your eyes open.”

Image
Courtesy of AP
Heath Ledger stars as Skip Engblom in "Lords of Dogtown."
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Click here for Skateboarding Safety Tips


sounds like a dumb thing to do
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#1908 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:07 am

Water main break floods FW intersection

FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A massive water main break in Fort Worth flooded an intersection along Highway 121 Thursday morning, stranding several drivers and cutting off access to businesses in the area.

Just before 10 a.m., water began flooding Beach Street at the southbound 121 service road. Rushing water cascaded across the roads and through parking lots of several fast-food restaurants. One driver had to be rescued from his vehicle, and other cars could be seen stranded in high water.

A large sinkhole also formed in the parking lot of an empty restaurant.

Police and water crews are on scene trying to pinpoint the cause of the problem, and reduce the flooding. Drivers are urged to avoid the area until further notice.

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Courtesy of WFAA ABC 8
Water levels quickly rose, stranding drivers at the intersection.
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#1909 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:10 am

Inmate suspect in ice cream vendor death

By REBECCA LOPEZ / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - While out for the day on a work release program, police said Adrian Escobedo killed an ice cream vendor and then returned to his cell.

The murder happened in broad daylight in front of children. Francisco Badillo, 28, was robbed and shot to death while pushing his ice cream cart in November 2003 in west Oak Cliff.

"We had an innocent victim," said Sgt. Gary Kirkpatrick, a homicide supervisor. "A man who was out there working hard trying to support his family probably making just a few dollars a day and doing the best he could."

The murder remained unsolved until police got a tip that led them to Escobedo, 27.

They found him in the Dallas County Jail serving time for family violence and assault on a deputy constable.

Escobedo had spent time in and out of jail for years. Police learned Escobedo was supposed to be working as backhoe operator, but they said he was committing crimes instead.

"While he was out on work release, he did not attend work," Kirkpatrick said. "During his time he was committing robberies and certainly killed this innocent victim."

Police said after the murder, Escobedo checked himself back into the jail. It is not unusual for a judge to let convicted criminals leave jail to work, and the county probation office said there was no indication he posed a danger.

"I think the response at the time given the situation was appropriate and is something we would normally do because we didn't have reason to do more," said Jim Mills, interim director of Dallas County's Community Supervision and Corrections Department.

Police said they didn't give up on solving this crime and have now charged Escobedo with capital murder.
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#1910 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:12 am

Fake security guard tries to abduct woman

By REBECCA RODRIGUEZ / WFAA ABC 8

HURST, Texas - Fear spread through a Hurst apartment complex this week after a man posing as a security guard tried to kidnap a young woman. The attempted kidnapping happened last week, but the man has approached other women who live at the Hurst Manor complex off Loop 820 and Booth Calloway Road.

Police describe the man's actions as "bold and brazen," and believe it is only a matter of time before he tries again. They're not just warning people who live in the complex, but everyone who lives nearby as well.

"I've got kids," said resident Sandra Slagel. "I keep them inside now; I don't even let them play outside anymore by themselves ... it's scary."

Letters went out to all residents a few days ago after the suspect knocked on an apartment door, claiming to be a security guard. When a woman answered, he grabbed her by the shirt and tried pulling her out. He didn't succeed, but less than a hour later he knocked on another door without any luck.

"Your mind can run wild, but we just don't know what his full intentions were, and that is scary," said Hurst Police Sgt. Craig Teague.

Around Hurst Manor now, every knock is suspicious.

"They say he has a tendency to knock on the door, then not be in front of the peephole," said resident Kristin Williams. "I don't open my door ... if you don't want to show your face you don't need to speak to me."

Police urge apartment residents and people living nearby to be on alert. They believe he will strike again.

"Look out there, and if you don't know them then don't open it," Teague said. "Your safety net is that door."

Police describe the suspect as a white male with strawberry blond hair, about 25 years old, five foot seven inches and about 130 pounds. He was wearing all black at the time of the attack.

If you have any information, please call Hurst police at (817) 788-7180.
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#1911 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:14 am

FBI finishes search tied to corruption probe

By GARY REAVES / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - On Wednesday the Dallas City Council held its first meeting since federal agents searched the City Hall offices, businesses and homes of several council members and their associates.

After two days in which dozens of agents carried out boxes of evidence from various sites, FBI officials said they are now done with their search. The next step is for them is to review what they have seized, connect the dots and see what the total picture looks like in their investgation into possible financial corruption.

At City Hall, people are still buzzing about the probe. However, there was only a brief reference to the investigation during the council session.

"I'm asking the listening audience to be very careful about making decisions on this FBI investigation, because something smells," community activist Roy Williams told the council and audience.

The two men who had their offices searched tried to carry on as usual. For council member Don Hill, that included supporting a flag room full of kids in a reading program. For James Fantroy, it meant trying to secure funds for the struggling Southwest Center Mall on the city's south side.

But during a break, reporters peppered Hill with questions about his appointee to the plan commission, D'Angelo Lee. Lee's car and office were also searched by the FBI, and The Dallas Morning News reports Lee wanted the DISD to sell land near the VA Hospital, offering a school official compensation to push the deal through.

Wednesday, Hill defended Lee.

"I know he has a real heart for Southern Dallas development," Hill said. "I know he has worked real hard in the Lancaster-Kiest corridor; I know he's worked for single-family housing. So what I know of him doesn't say to me he's a schemer or anybody involed in any kind of scheme or land deal - that's not who I know."

Though it may not be exactly business as usual, and it was certainly overshadowed by the FBI probe, but on Wednesday the council did accomplish one of its biggest goals: it approved the financial plan for the historic Mercantile complex downtown. When finished, the group of buildings will bring more than a million square feet of new housing and retail to the central business district - the biggest new project in Dallas in decades.
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#1912 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:15 am

American management, employees fight for pensions

By JIM FRY / WFAA ABC 8

AUSTIN, Texas - In a time of retirement fear, American Airlines employees and management joined together on Capitol Hill Wednesday to fight for their pensions.

Both United Airlines and U.S. Airways ended their employees' pension plans. However, American Airlines has taken steps in an attempt to avoid the same fate.

The airline started by cutting employees' benefits, which has helped. So far in 2005, the company has contributed about $200 million to its pension programs. Now, American has asked for help from the government.

American Airlines CEO Gerard Arpey received hearty cheers from employees while asking Congress to prop up their pensions. He even received a standing ovation from the unions, who once were bitter enemies of management:

'We're gonna do this together,' said Tommie Huto-Blake, APFA president.

Big airlines have lost big money and some have gone into bankruptcy and canceled their pension plans. Other airlines said they want a new law allowing them to freeze traditional pensions.

Airline workers are afraid.

"There is no doubt about that," Huto-Blake said. "There is fear and what we're trying to do here today is to give hope."

American Airlines' unions gave up salary and benefits to save their retirement plans, but still the company's pension fund is in the hole.

"We think we have a very realistic chance of getting fully funded again and we're just asking Congress to help us do that," said the CEO of American Airlines.

Two other airlines, Delta and Northwest, said they want even more leeway, but American employees fear that could spell the end to company-sponsored pensions.
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#1913 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:30 am

Bomb scare closes Plano streets

PLANO, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - Plano police blocked off several streets and a middle school parking lot Wednesday afternoon after a suspicious device was found nearby.

Just after 2 p.m., officers were called to Bowman Middle School at Jupiter Road and Park Boulevard on the city's east side after someone found a pipe-like object they deemed suspicious.

A police bomb squad soon arrived on the scene, examined the device by robot and had a technician in protective clothing carry the suspicious pipe away for a safer inspection. They later set off an explosive charge near the foot-long object, though it is not yet known whether it was actually a bomb.

Access to the parking lots of several nearby businesses as well as the middle school's campus was disrupted by the incident.

Police have not determined who placed the object there.

Image
Courtesy of WFAA ABC 8
A robot was used to examine the suspicious device.
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#1914 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:32 am

Cars with keys in ignition easy targets

By JIM DOUGLAS / WFAA ABC 8

FORT WORTH, Texas - Police said more than 1,500 vehicles were stolen in Fort Worth this year. Almost half of the vehicles stolen had keys left inside them by the owner and offices are trying to halt the rising number.

Few things irate an officer more than a driver who left their keys in their car for the theif. However, according to Andy Matheny, a Fort Worth officer, car owners can get on the defense.

"Well, they get mad just because we ask were the keys in the ignition," he said. "Then they get upset and say 'Well, yeah.'"

Mike Simpson experienced police reprimand first-hand after he got caught with his keys in the ignition while his vehicle was unattended.

"Well, they chewed me out for leaving my keys in the car and told me they would give me a ticket," Simpson said. "He followed me home."

Nearly 90 times in the last month, Fort Worth cars were stolen because they were easy targets with the keys in the ignition.

Police said they are stretched thin as it is without helping the car thiefs. They also said it is a crime to leave the keys in the car and hope the near threat of the fine will get the point across.
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#1915 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:35 am

Parsing your password pile

By KIMBERLY DURNAN / DallasNews.com

ALLEN, Texas - Marc Pareti’s more than 50 computer passwords became almost impossible to remember, so he recorded them all in a spreadsheet. Of course, he needs a password for that, too.

“All I have to do is remember one password,” the 35-year-old Allen resident said. “I used to keep it written down in my Franklin planner, but that’s not too secure. If anybody got the planner, they would have access to all my passwords.”

The codes help him access information for his job, bank, shopping and other Web sites to play fantasy football or read the news. “Everything you do is on the Internet and everything on the Internet requires a password,” he said.

A computer program helps Rick Dalfonso, 44, of Desoto organize dozens of passwords, including 40 for work. “I tell my network services guys that they make the system so secure that we can’t get in and do our jobs,” he said.

Passwords have not only multiplied, but become increasingly difficult to retain, with stringent requirements that restrict common words and demand longer combinations with numerals and characters. Reduction of computer hacking and identity theft is the main reason for the heightened security.

Hackers generally are motivated by one of two things: To show they are smart enough to break into the system or to steal information, said M.K. Raja, professor of information systems at the University of Texas at Arlington.

“One type just wants to show a big corporation how foolish they are in terms of protecting personal information. These hackers may not use the information because they are usually not malicious but frivolous,” Raja said. “At the other end, these hackers are interested in identity theft, not of one or two people but thousands.”

Complex passwords would not have helped the MasterCard holders whose information recently was stolen from a database in Arizona, Raja said.

“The average consumer can’t do anything,” he said. “They will just have to monitor activity on their card. It was a security flaw in the company that process that information.”

Michael Wiser, vice president of product management and strategy at Citadel Security Software based in Dallas, advises against keeping passwords on spreadsheets, under keyboards or in planners because they can be accessed easily, giving private information no protection. It’s also unwise to repeat passwords or use ones that are short or that lack numerals or characters, he said.

Dictionary attacks can guess your password by running through the entire alphabet in all combinations in a few minutes, but adding another character increases the difficulty of cracking it, Wiser said.

Another word of caution: Skip birthdates for PIN numbers or passwords because those are a finite set of numbers and easy to figure out.

“People should use separate passwords for all their financial information,” Wiser said. “I have 30 to 35 passwords, and because I’m in security, no two passwords are the same. They are all complex.”

He has a system, with each sharing the same central core, but then tagging on different beginnings and endings that have a pattern he can remember.

“The reason for passwords is that it’s an authentication of your identity. And the only way that can happen if it’s in your head – not electronic,” he said.

Douglas Harris, executive director of the cyber security and emergency preparedness institute at the University of Texas at Dallas, suggests using memorable cues. For example, his dog Tripper weighs 98 pounds and cost a lot of money. A password with this information could be Trip98#$, he said.

Memory expert Sandra Chapman, director of the Center for BrainHealth at the University of Texas at Dallas, said people generally can recall up to seven of anything random, but that ability declines with age.

Most people remember long passwords by incorporating some information they already know, like birthdates or part of a Social Security number, Chapman said.

So how does a memory expert remember passwords?

“I use transformations of the same one,” she said. “I add underlines and spaces, but it pretty much stays the same.”

The experts said password overload eventually would disappear as technology improves and companies begin to use more sophisticated identification methods such as fingerprints and devices that can be plugged into a computer.

“Eventually it will be a two-pass system,” Harris said. “Some sort of biometric device using a thumbprint or palm print, and then an easy password. As things become more complex, we are going to have to use biometrics.”

Until that day, Ben Cook, 80, of Bullard said he would keep his passwords near his computer for easy access, because they are too hard to memorize.

“People who use their driver’s license number and Social Security number can be gotten by anyone who uses a computer, but you can’t just remember numbers. They have to relate to something.

“I’m really fed up with passwords,” he said. “I’m tired of opening that desk drawer every time I need one.”
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#1916 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 11:38 am

City business must go on, council says

Specter of corruption inquiry shadows 1st full meeting since runoffs

By DAVE LEVINTHAL, EMILY RAMSHAW and REESE DUNKLIN / The Dallas Morning News

DALLAS, Texas - Dallas City Council members went through the motions Wednesday. But concern about a sweeping federal investigation into possible corruption at City Hall was not far from anyone's mind.

In separate interviews, Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill and council member James Fantroy expressed discomfort in the aftermath of FBI searches this week of their businesses – and in Mr. Hill's case, his car, home and City Hall office.

Other council members also wondered aloud what long-term effect the investigation would have on the body, which conducted its first full meeting after runoff elections this month. Still, they vowed to soldier on with city business.

"It's tough, yes. I'm just not going to let it get me off track," Mr. Hill said. "God's going to work this out. Work is going on here. We're going to keep pushing ahead."

Mr. Fantroy said the council didn't seem to be distracted Wednesday despite the media whirlwind of the last two days. But he said the scrutiny has been frustrating for him and his family.

"My family and I don't like being out with our name out here," Mr. Fantroy said. "I'm a family man. ... I'm just a little fish caught up in a big pond."

Mr. Hill also defended D'Angelo Lee, his appointee to the City Plan Commission and a focus of the corruption investigation.

"I've not known him to do any scheming. What I know about him doesn't indicate he's a schemer – that's not the man I know or work with," Mr. Hill said.

The FBI confirmed Wednesday that searches were made earlier in the week at two previously undisclosed locations in connection with the corruption inquiry.

Searches were made at the office of the Black State Employee Association of Texas at 5801 Marvin D. Love Freeway and at the home of Sheila Farrington, a close friend and associate of Mr. Hill.

"I don't want to be rude or anything, but I have no comment," Ms. Farrington said Wednesday.

FBI Special Agent Lori Bailey said Wednesday that the agency had finished serving all the search warrants it obtained for this stage of its inquiry.

"Our investigation is continuing, and we will continue to employ all logical techniques," Agent Bailey said. "Large-scale and complex investigations usually take a considerable amount of time to conclude."

Another target of the FBI investigation is Southwest Housing Development Co. On Monday and Tuesday, agents executed search warrants at its office and culled through records.

Report disputed

An executive of the company on Wednesday disputed a Dallas Morning News report that the FBI investigation centers on Southwest Housing and allegations that its agents bribed public officials to smooth the way for projects.

Warren Kirshenbaum, general counsel for Southwest Housing, said the company and its owner, Brian Potashnik, are "not the target of the investigation."

Mr. Kirshenbaum, one of three high-level Southwest officials interviewed Wednesday, said federal agents did not divulge many details during the raids. But, he said, "They did say it's an investigation into certain other individuals and that our company was one of several companies they were going to execute the search warrants on."

Jeff Carpenter, a Southwest executive vice president, added that agents indicated that "we're a small portion of the investigation."

The officials said no Southwest employees had been questioned or called before a federal grand jury. The company also has not received a formal target letter notifying it that authorities are investigating, and agents did not seize any property during the searches.

Agent Bailey declined to comment on the assertions that an agent told Southwest officials they were one of multiple businesses targeted for searches.

Deepak Sulakhe, Southwest vice president, and Mr. Kirshenbaum said the company deals with public officials because it must show the state that it has local support to qualify for lucrative tax credits for its projects. That contact often involves the council members in whose district Southwest's project lies.

The officials said employees have not offered financial benefits or gifts to officials and emphasized that the contact is "appropriate, legal and legitimate," Mr. Kirshenbaum said.

"We don't employ City Council people or pay them or provide services," he said. "We completely and unambiguously dispute that."

He and Mr. Sulakhe said Southwest employees have not been solicited by public officials for gifts or benefits either.

Back at City Hall, Mr. Hill and Mr. Fantroy demonstrated no awkwardness in the presence of their colleagues.

Mr. Hill waxed eloquent about the need for more affordable housing in Dallas, while Mr. Fantroy said the developer of a downtown grocery store should have employed more racial minorities. Business proceeded as usual, so it seemed, though Mr. Hill was not present during most of the council's afternoon session.

Mayor Laura Miller said no one's resting easy while a major investigation is going on at City Hall.

"Today, the mood of the council is very much, 'Let's get our work done,' " Ms. Miller said. "But there isn't one of us not sitting here thinking we have a very serious issue at City Hall."

For two of the council's newly elected members, neither had banked on a federal investigation clouding their first days in office.

"There's no question that this is a surprise to all of us," council member Angela Hunt said. "We're all just trying to stay focused. It doesn't benefit any of us to try to predict the outcome of this investigation."

Said new council member Linda Koop: "We've got to go about doing the business of the city. That's all we can do."

Council member Maxine Thornton-Reese said she was shocked when she heard about the FBI search. But she said she is even more disturbed by her colleagues' treatment in the media.

"It seems to me that whatever we try to do, it's a smear campaign," she said. "And once you're smeared, you're smeared."

And while Dr. Thornton-Reese said she has never seen a wide-ranging FBI investigation such as this one, she is confident that Mr. Hill and Mr. Fantroy will not be charged.

"It's not changing my work. I think they don't have anything. It's all a smokescreen," she said.

Council member Leo Chaney agreed that Mr. Hill and Mr. Fantroy are innocent, saying, "They're good men, and they're great leaders for our city."

But, "I am concerned that this is going to have an effect on the council," he added.

Activists dismayed

During public speaking periods, several political activists said they were dismayed by the investigations.

"All of us are astonished," Marvin Crenshaw told the council.

Shortly afterward, former council member Al Lipscomb, whom Mr. Fantroy defeated in a run-off election to retain his District 8 seat, went to the lectern.

But Mr. Lipscomb, who served 27 months of home confinement before a federal bribery conviction was overturned on a technicality, never addressed the investigation. He pleaded with council members to create economic opportunities for ex-convicts.

Staff writer Ernesto Londoño contributed to this report.

Image
Photos by TOM FOX/Dallas Morning News
Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Don Hill (left) answers questions about the FBI investigation into possible corruption at City Hall. 'We're going to keep pushing ahead,' he said Wednesday.
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#1917 Postby TexasStooge » Thu Jun 23, 2005 1:01 pm

Fort Worth water main break causes shortage (Updated)

FORT WORTH, Texas (WFAA ABC 8) - A massive water main break in Fort Worth flooded an intersection along Highway 121 Thursday morning, stranding several drivers, cutting off access to businesses in the area and causing a water shortage in areas served by the line.

The 54-inch line carrying water from the Rolling Hills Treatment Plant broke around 9:30 a.m., and began flooding Beach Street at the southbound 121 service road. Rushing water cascaded across the roads and through parking lots of several fast-food restaurants, causing a large sinkhole in the parking lot of one empty restaurant.

One driver had to be rescued from his vehicle, and other cars could be seen stranded in high water.

Officials said it is early in the investigation, but heat and excessive water consumption may have led to the pipe's rupture.

"Pressures are up in the system, the ground's been dry, soils shift and we haven't had rain in a while," said Fort Worth Water Department spokeswoman Mary Gugliuzza. "It's hard to say for sure, but it's probably a combination of factors. This line is at least 30 years old."

Water officials are pleading for residents in Fort Worth as well as the other affected areas to refrain from outdoor watering until further notice, because of the reduced supply caused by the break.

The water main break affects residents who live north of Loop 820 between Jacksboro Highway on the west and Denton Highway/377 on the east. The broken water main primarily served cities north of Fort Worth that purchased water from the city, including Saginaw, North Richland Hills, Lake Worth, Haltom City, Keller, Westlake, Northlake, Haslet and more.

Drivers are urged to avoid the area until the mess can be cleaned up.

WFAA-TV's Karin Kelly contributed to this report.

Image
WFAA ABC 8
Water levels quickly rose, stranding drivers at the intersection.
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#1918 Postby TexasStooge » Fri Jun 24, 2005 10:56 am

Radio's Ron Chapman calls it a career

By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8

DALLAS, Texas - North Texas radio legend Ron Chapman wrapped up a storied broadcast career Friday morning.

Chapman had been on the air in Dallas for 45 years, starting at KLIF (AM 570) radio, spending decades with KVIL (103.7 FM) and then the last few years with oldies stalwart KLUV (98.7 FM). He announced his retirement earlier this year, and said since then the e-mails and calls have poured in wishing him well. Still, he said he's ready for a break.

"I'm just ready to go relax somewhere," Chapman told News 8. "This is not a big emotional thing for me ... I guess if they had fired me it would be one thing, or if I were leaving because they had just diagnosed me with some terrible disease, that would be emotional, but this is happy."

Mayor Laura Miller made a surprise visit to the show Friday to present Chapman with a key to the city, and declare Friday as Ron Chapman Day in Dallas.

Chapman also hosted a popular dance show on Channel 8 in the 1960s called "Sump'n Else", and he ended his final program spinning some of those same oldies.

"This is a time for Nancy and me to go do what we wanted to do, and it just seems like the right time to do it," he said.

Local news anchor and former Chapman sidekick Jody Dean will take over as the KLUV morning host beginning next week.
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#1919 Postby TexasStooge » Fri Jun 24, 2005 10:57 am

Whistleblower exposes D/FW air traffic cover-up

By DAN RONAN / WFAA ABC 8

DFW INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, Texas - A Department of Transportation investigation has revealed that air traffic controllers at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport failed to report serious operational errors over a seven-year timeframe.

The mistakes included letting planes fly dangerously close together, jeopardizing passenger safety.

These potentially fatal errors came to light only after whistleblower Anne Whiteman decided to step forward.

"I want to do the right thing, and the Federal Aviation Administration isn't doing the right thing," Whiteman said.

A D/FW air traffic controller with more than 20 years of experience, Whiteman said she witnessed aircraft flying too close together "on an average, once a month."

The government report, which was sent to President Bush, painted a disturbing picture of D/FW's Terminal Radar Approach Center, also known as TRACON.

The report said managers and controllers routinely looked the other way at these violations of federal regulations. Whiteman said for at least the last two years, air safety at D/FW has seriously been jeopardized on a regular basis.

"It happens to this day—even with the report," Whiteman said. "And it doesn't just happen in the radar room."

On Thursday, the government's Office of Special Counsel agreed with her long list of charges.

In a letter to President Bush they stated D/FW's controllers and managers "routinely covered up serious operational errors involving aircraft."

"It's a tremendous failure of D/FW to follow procedures," the Special Counsel's report said.

According to FAA regulations, planes must be separated by a minimum of 1,000 feet vertically and three miles horizontally when they are within 40 miles of large airports like D/FW.

In one case, two planes were within 300 feet and just over a half mile apart. Anothr time, two jets were within 900 feet and about a mile-and-a-half from one another.

Whiteman said there was a collective group at TRACON that would protect each other. She described what happened to one of her colleagues who failed to keep planes at federally regulated distances.

"He forgot one of his airplanes and he was on a converging course with another one," she said. "A collision course with another aircraft. He had an operational error."

This was a serious violation that usually meant a controller must go through remedial training. However, in both cases, the mistakes were not reported.

"When it got to the point where it endangered safety or endangered the flying public, I should say, I did indeed point fingers," Whiteman said.

Because of Whiteman's disclosures, D/FW is facing disciplinary sanctions that include unannounced inspections for the next two years.

Whiteman said she has been ostracized by many of her co-workers as a result of her revelations. She was transferred to another position because she said she was threatened by a colleague.
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#1920 Postby TexasStooge » Fri Jun 24, 2005 10:58 am

Fleeing driver arrested after fatal wreck

By CYNTHIA VEGA / WFAA ABC 8

ARLINGTON, Texas — Traffic on eastbound Interstate 30 was brought to a halt following a deadly overnight car crash near the Ballpark Way exit.

Police said two vehicles—both headed east—collided early Friday. A smaller car struck a pickup truck in front of it from behind.

The impact was so powerful that the pickup rolled onto the median. "We also have clear damage that shows that the suspect vehicle impacted the rear end and went underneath the victim's truck, causing it to flip," said Arlington police Sgt. Mike Holguin.

The impact partially ejected the woman driving the pickup, killing her.

Police said the woman driving the smaller vehicle attempted to flee on foot, but did not get far. She was arrested and now faces possible criminal charges ranging from intoxication manslaughter to failure to stop and render aid.

Investigators believe speed and alcohol may be contributing factors.They said the investigation could slow rush hour traffic until 8 a.m.

Motorists traveling toward Dallas Friday morning were advised to take the Fielder, Cooper or Collins exits, then detour north to Lamar or south to Division streets.
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