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Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Robinson woman wins more than $33,000 in scratch off game
A Robinson woman recently won $33,333 in a Texas Lottery scratch-off game, lottery officials announced today.
Amy Love was sitting in her car scratching off a game ticket when she realized she’s won a large prize playing the “Winning in 3’s” game.
“I couldn’t believe my eyes,” she said in a press release. “It’s a great blessing.”
Love said she plans to use her winnings to “pay some bills and have some fun.”
The ticket was sold in McGregor at the Skinny’s store at 509 W. McGregor Drive.
Lottery officials say five $33,333 winning tickets remain.
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6:30 p.m.: Methodist Home prepared for up to 50 children from West Texas sect
Officials at Waco’s Methodist Children’s Home say they’re prepared to accommodate up to 50 of the children removed from the YFZ religious sect ranch in Eldorado on April 3.
Although about 100 of the sect’s children were being taken today to foster care outlets around the state, Methodist Home officials said at a 6 p.m. press conference they were not sure when any will come to Waco. Nor have they been told how many to actually expect.
Earlier in the day, 51st State District Judge Barbara Walther signed a placement order authorizing the Department of Family and Protective Services to place children in foster homes across the state.
Brian Mize, a children’s home spokesman, had said the Methodist Home has not received confirmation from DFPS whether they should expect children today.
DFPS spokesman Chris Van Deusen confirmed about 100 children, most of them older than five years, had left San Angelo for foster homes. He declined to say where the children will go.
The children who are being placed have completed the DNA testing previously ordered by the courts, he said.
A placement plan attached to the order states that CPS identified the homes as places where the children would remain separate from other children at the facilities. Waco’s Methodist Children’s Home is mentioned among other foster homes in the placement plan.
In 1993, the Methodist Home housed children who were removed from the Branch Davidian compound outside Waco during the 51-day siege.
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Waco airport to receive $700,000 for runway safety
The city of Waco will receive a $701,925 grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation to make improvements to the runway safety area of the Waco Regional Airport, according to U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards office.
“Making improvements to Waco regional airport will help improve the local economy, which can enhance quality of life for McLennan County families,” Edwards said in a news release. “Through federal grants such as this, the Waco Regional Airport is able to keep meeting the same high safety and performance standards as those airports in larger metropolitan areas.”
Edwards said the improvements will help attract major airlines to the airport, ensuring that Central Texans will have choice when it comes to passenger flight.
— By staff writer David Doerr
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Waco Methodist Children’s Home awaiting word today on taking children from Eldorado religious compound
Waco’s Methodist Children’s Home is waiting to hear if they’ll receive today some of the children removed from the YFZ religious sect ranch in Eldorado on April 3.
Tuesday afternoon, 51st State District Judge Barbara Walther signed a placement order authorizing the Department of Family and Protective Services to place children in foster homes across the state.
DFPS spokesman Chris Van Deusen confirmed about 100 children, most of them older than five years, had left San Angelo for foster homes. He declined to say where the children will go.
The children who are being placed have completed the DNA testing previously ordered by the courts, he said.
A placement plan attached to the order states that CPS identified the homes as places where the children would remain separate from other children at the facilities. Waco’s Methodist Children’s Home is mentioned among other foster homes in the placement plan.
Brian Mize, a children’s home spokesman, said he could not confirm that some of the children might come to the home Tuesday, saying he would need confirmation from DFPS before he could comment.
—Emily Ingram
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Child injured in bus-van crash transferred to Scott & White
From Tribune-Herald reporter Emily Ingram:
One child from Monday’s wreck involving a school bus and a van has been transferred to Scott & White Hospital for treatment.
The child was taken to the Temple hospital Tuesday for “further observation”, Lacy-Lakeview Police and Fire Chief Dennis Stapleton said.
Twelve people were injured Monday afternoon when a private school van collided with a Conally Independent School District bus. The other 11 children and adult driver were released from local hospitals since the crash, Stapleton said.
The van apparently failed to yield the right of way when it turned off Brenda Street in front of the bus on U.S. Business Highway 77 about 3:30 p.m. Monday.
The children injured were from the van.
The crash remains under investigation.
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‘Why I Love My School’ video winners named
Voting ended Monday and today we have the results of the “Why I Love My School” video winners from the contest here at wacotrib.com.
Parkdale Elementary is the winner with 10,483 votes — just a shade under 40 percent of 27,604 total votes — and will receive $500.
Kendrick Elementary was second with 8,841 votes (32 percent) and gets $300. Dean Highland got the third-most votes with 6,446 (23 percent).
The checks will be presented by the Waco ISD Education Foundation.
You can check out the six videos and the final voting numbers here.
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A.J. Moore tax help does record numbers
Got this release from NeighborWorks Waco, which has worked with the A.J. Moore Academy high school student tax preparers:
Free Community Program Run by High-School Students Refunds Nearly $2.2 Million to Local Taxpayers
Waco, TX - In its fourth year as a free income tax preparation site, A.J. Moore Academy’s high-school student preparers have surpassed all previous years’ numbers by filing a record 1,861 free electronic returns totaling approximately $2,198,906 in refunds as of April 11. School officials are still waiting for final figures through April 15, which must be confirmed through the Internal Revenue Service.
Last year the site prepared 1,118 electronic and paper returns with a total refund amount of $1,556,032.
The rest of the release follows the jump.
A major portion of A.J. Moore’s site funding support came from the following organizations:
Central Texas Chapter of CPAs;
Central National Bank;
Jaynes, Reitmeyer, Boyd & Therrell;
Pattillo, Brown & Hill;
Waco Tribune-Herald.
This list does not include several individual donors who also supported the site. The Heart of Texas Workforce Development Board also provided major grant support; prior grant support has come from the Waco Foundation, Cooper Foundation, and Rapoport Foundation.
The site is a member of the Asset Building Coalition of Waco (ABC Waco), coordinated by NeighborWorks® Waco, which assists low- and moderate-income, disabled, elderly, and English Second Language taxpayers in achieving a better quality of life through community partnerships that deliver financial education and awareness, build assets, and provide tax preparation assistance. In addition to AJ Moore’s site, ABC Waco offered nine other free tax preparation sites in the Waco area through the AARP Tax-Aide program.
An end-of-season celebration for A.J. Moore’s site is scheduled for Thursday, April 24 at NeighborWorks® Waco at 922 Franklin Avenue. IRS representatives and several local elected officials are expected to be in attendance to help recognize the students’ achievement.
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Fake priest in East Texas thefts caught in Vegas
A fake priest sought by East Texas authorities for alleged thefts from hospital patients has been arrested in Las Vegas.
The TV show “America’s Most Wanted” had featured Leslie Earl Raymond last Saturday. The show’s Web site says federal marshals arrested Raymond on Monday.
The arrest comes almost a year after he allegedly took wallets from patients and a nurse at hospitals in four states. Kilgore police say a clerical-collar-wearing man pretended to minister to patients last July at Kilgore’s Laird Hospital.
Authorities later determined that a 78-year-old patient had his credit card stolen. The fake priest was caught on security video at a Kilgore pharmacy, using the credit card to buy 800 dollars worth of gift certificates.
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N.M. wildfire burns several houses
Crews got a break from the weather today as they battled a wildfire that had destroyed nine homes in central New Mexico’s Manzano mountains.
“The weather overnight was quite calm and the wind died down,” said Dan Bastion, a public information officer. That was expected to continue today, he said, allowing fire crews to strengthen containment lines.
The fire destroyed nine outbuildings and two recreational vehicles. Officials could not say whether anyone had been living in the homes. No injuries were reported.
It had covered 4,130 acres, or nearly 6.5 square miles, and was 27 percent contained, Bastion said.
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‘Branding the Brazos’ to kick off today
A dedication will be held at noon today on the grounds of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum for the first of the “Branding the Brazos” monumental sculptures.
Donors Betsy and Clifton Robinson will formally present the city of Waco and the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame with a larger-than-life (125 percent) bronze sculpture of a 19th-century Texas Ranger on horseback by noted San Antonio sculptor Don Hunt. The commission has been permanently installed at the entrance of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum.
Follow the rest of the news release after the jump …
The dedication of “Texas Ranger” is the kickoff for the “Branding the Brazos” series of sculptures. In an effort to promote cultural awareness and economic expansion, prominent Waco businessman, Clifton Robinson and his wife Betsy, have donated $1 million to launch the formation of “The Waco Chisholm Trail Heritage”, a monumental sculpture project by nationally renowned sculptor Robert Summers.
Director of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame Byron Johnson said, “We are most grateful to Betsy and Clifton Robinson for this gift, and their sponsorship of an arts program which will benefit Waco for generations.”
In coordination with the Waco Cultural Arts Fest, the Robinsons are encouraging public participation in the event with a fundraising effort titled “Branding the Brazos,” a grant challenge urging the community to match their $1 million contribution.
Contributions can be made to an ongoing designated fund at the Waco Foundation (Waco Cultural Arts Fest, “Branding the Brazos”) for sculpture projects in the area and is designed to ultimately establish the Brazos River Corridor as a gateway for Waco’s cultural district. WCAF President, Doreen Ravenscroft said she is confident the project will become a focal point for the community, emphasizing Waco’s distinct heritage and commitment to the arts. Beyond its cultural benefits, the Robinsons said the lasting success of “The Waco Chisholm Trail Heritage Project” will be its economic impact on the city and are convinced that the projects funded by “Branding the Brazos” will stimulate economic growth through increased tourism.
Waco would join other cities such as Dallas, Plano and Fort Worth in showcasing monumental sculpture projects, placing it among the ranks of some of Texas’ greatest cultural arts centers. In Dallas, Summers’ sculpture “Trail Drive: An American Monument to the West,” located in Pioneer Plaza, is considered by the Dallas Convention Center and Visitors Bureau to be the most photographed attraction in the city. Local residents can see Summers’ work displayed at the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum with his life-size depiction of “Old Texas Ranger” and “George B. Erath.”
“The Waco Chisholm Trail Heritage” project, designed to reflect Waco’s heritage, will be located at the Suspension Bridge entrance of Indian Springs Park, making it easily accessible for tourist and resident viewing. Summers’ original design for the three part bronze sculpture includes three horse-backed riders and seven to nine longhorns created at 150 percent of their original size.
Ideas for this project originated with the first annual Waco Sculpture Competition and Exhibition, sponsored by the WCAF. Thanks to a successful fundraising effort by many Waco citizens, the event resulted in the purchase of the “Las Mesas” sculpture by international sculptor Jesus Morales installed at the entrance to the Waco Convention Center. Following the purchase, the lead donor Mr. and Mrs. Robinson became interested in starting a monumental arts project for Waco, which evolved into “The Waco Chisholm Trail Heritage.” As this process has evolved, “Texas Ranger” sculptor Don Hunt became a part of the “Branding the Brazos” public art project coordinated by Waco Cultural Arts Fest.
For more information regarding the “Branding the Brazos” arts initiative contact Doreen Ravenscroft at 254-772-7637 or e-mail doreen@wacoartsfest.org
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Suicide car bomber kills 2 Marines in Iraq
A suicide bomber detonated an explosives-laden car at an entry control point to the western town of Ramadi today, killing two U.S. Marines and wounding three others, the military said.
One civilian was killed and two dozen other residents were wounded in the blast. Ramadi is the capital of the former Sunni insurgent stronghold of Anbar province, and has been relatively peaceful since local tribal leaders joined forces with the U.S. military against al-Qaida in Iraq.
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Protest planned today at Riesel coal plant
Those against the proposed coal-fired power plant near Riesel are using Earth Day as a way to put their conviction into action by holding a rally against the plant from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m.
More information about this, along with maps and directions, is at the group’s Web site, stopthecoalplant.org.
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Waco students to join Shakira for education push
Cunningham is a student at Baylor University. Kralleman is a Waco native and student at Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Ky. The press conference is at noon.
Here’s more information about the event, from an e-mail press release:
Seeking to raise awareness for the bipartisan Education for All Act of 2007 (EFA) with US leaders, he/she joins with GCE’s coalition in 120 countries to call on government leaders to support a basic education for all children, including the 72 million young children and 226 million older youths internationally who are out of school.
GCE’s Action Week will take place from April 21-27 and will also include the “World’s Biggest Lesson” on April 23, when millions of children worldwide will participate in the an attempt to break the world record for the largest lesson ever through learning and teaching a curriculum about the denial of quality education to tens of millions of poor children.
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Building deaths prompts review by NYC mayor
During a building boom in New York City, 13 people have died in construction accidents this year — that’s one more than the total for all of 2007.
Now Mayor Michael Bloomberg says he is not satisfied with the city’s Department of Buildings and wants to know what went wrong.
The deaths include seven people who were killed last month when a crane toppled and a window installer who fell nine stories last week when his safety strap failed.
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China changes coverage of Olympic torch’s Everest ascent
China is altering plans for media coverage of the Olympic flame’s ascent of Mount Everest, with officials saying today that harsh weather is making reporting conditions difficult.
The changes, in effect, mean that foreign reporters would likely spend only 10 days overall in Tibet — about half the time initially planned.
Officials denied that the changes were connected to protests and riots in Tibet against Chinese rule last month. After the protests, the government allowed a group of foreign reporters to visit the Tibetan capital of Lhasa only to have the carefully scripted trip upended by a protest by monks at an important Buddhist shrine.
“This has nothing to do with the situation in Tibet,” Wang Hui, a spokeswoman for the organizing committee, known as Bocog, told foreign reporters. “It’s all because of the uncertain weather conditions.”
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Former Waco pastor leaving Fort Worth church to teach
Former Lake Shore Baptist Church pastor Brett Younger, who faced controversy at Broadway Baptist Church in Fort Worth over a pictorial directory that included photos of gay couples in the church, is leaving Broadway to teach at Mercer University in Atlanta.
More information is in this Associated Baptist Press article.
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Prewedding tour on ‘Today’ show this morning
Not that I’m advocating workers congregating in front of the television during a long stretch of the morning, but during the “Today” show’s final hour that starts at 9 a.m. CDT we’ll have the prewedding tour of the presidential ranch in Crawford by Laura Bush.
The first lady will be guest-hosting the show from its New York studio. Daughter Jenna Bush reportedly will — as the New York Times noted in a column yesterday — stop in for a book discussion. Some wedding talk is expected.
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A happy Earth Day to you!
Today is Earth Day, in which we’re asked to be more cognizant of caring for this planet that sustains us.
Baylor University is making the day with a couple of events. An Earth Day fair is from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Here’s more information on the free event from a news release:
This Earth Day join us at Baylor at the Fountain Mall as we celebrate and empower our community to be better stewards of our environment. At the heart of our fair is the locally grown lunch sponsored by Baylor’s student government. Celebrants are welcome to enjoy our live music as well as learn more about what they can do to be better stewards.
Sample a free organic lunch or take a spin on the bike-powered smoothie machine. A hybrid vehicle will be on display, and various booths from on- and off-campus organizations like Green Mountain Energy, Aramark dining services, Keep Waco Beautiful and The Cameron Park Zoo will be on hand.
At 7 tonight will be an Earth Day lecture by Dr. Larry Lehr on “Ethanol and Rising Gas Prices” in the Baylor Science Building. Lehr is a professor of environmental studies who has has been studying ethanol production for 20 years.
As for today’s weather, it’s going to be a mostly cloudy, but warm day with a high near 86 degrees. There is a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. A south-southeast wind between 10 and 15 mph will blow.
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