By Erin Quinn
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 10:23 PM
Waco police arrested a woman tonight in the robbery of a Waco discount store.
LaShonda Reed, 35, was arrested on a second-degree felony robbery charge shortly after the 8 p.m. incident at the Family Dollar store at 624 E. Waco Drive, said Waco police Sgt. Steve Graeter.
Graeter said Reed was talking with a clerk counting money in the store near closing time, when she grabbed an envelope of money and ran out the door.
A manager chased Reed down the street and grabbed the envelope, and Reed struck him with her fist and then ran to a nearby vehicle, Graeter said.
About six blocks away police stopped a vehicle matching the description of the one Reed was in, and they arrested her, Graeter said.
Her bond has not yet been set at the McLennan County Jail late this evening.
By Wendy Gragg
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 07:50 PM
Waco police have identified a man arrested in the robbery of an afternoon credit union robbery as Christopher Brinkly.
Authorities are investigating a robbery this afternoon at the First University Credit Union at 605 S. University-Parks Drive.
Police say a man walked into the credit union about 4 p.m. and without saying a word sprayed a teller with pepper spray. He then jumped over the counter and grabbed an unknown amount of money before leaving the bank, police said.
Police arrested Brinkly near the intersection of University Parks Drive and Franklin Avenue shortly after the robbery. Police said officers found he had money with him. Credit union employees identified Brinkly as the robber, police said.
By Erin Quinn
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 06:09 PM
A 15-year-old girl is being treated in the hospital this evening after Waco police say she was slashed across the face with a razor blade by another teenage girl on the bus home from school.
Waco police Sgt. Steve Graeter said that just before 4:30 p.m. today, two 15-year-old girls got into a fight while the school bus was in the area of 12th Street and West Avenue and loaded with students.
One of the girls told police she attends Waco High School, and the other University High School. Graeter said he was not sure why the girls were on the same bus.
One of the girls slapped the other, he said, and the other girl took a razor and slashed the girl from the bridge of her nose across her eyebrow, Graeter said.
As soon as the fight broke out, the bus driver pulled over, Graeter said.
After the girl was cut, she ran off the school bus and to her home at Parkside Apartments, Graeter said.
From there, she was taken to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center to be treated for the laceration, he said.
The alleged attacker was taken to the Bill Logue Juvenile Detention Center and charged with aggravated assault.
When officers talked with the suspect, she told them she carries the razor to school so she can shave her arms.
Graeter said he did not know what the girls were fighting about.
By Mike Anderson
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 04:09 PM
McLennan County Judge Jim Lewis this morning issued a countywide disaster declaration and issued a ban on outdoor burning in unincorporated areas.
Lewis took the action because of information about drought conditions from the Texas Forest Service and because weather forecasts indicate dry, windy conditions will continue.
The order, effective immediately, prohibits nearly all outdoor fires, including those contained in a barrel or hopper. It does not include grills, barbecues or smokers used to cook food that are fully covered and attended.
The use of welding or cutting torches is prohibited unless the user has adequate fire suppression equipment, including a 2A-20BC fire extinguisher within 30 feet of the fire, and a person acting as “fire monitor” remains on the scene for 30 minutes after welding is over, according to the declaration.
A violation of the ban is a class C misdemeanor and a conviction could result in a fine of up to $500, the declaration said.
By Regina Dennis
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 11:53 AM
The McLennan County Commissioners Court approved a schematic for the new jail on State Highway 6 during its weekly meeting today, marking the first significant progress toward construction of the new facility.
The proposed building plan, drafted by Hale Mills Construction Ltd., builder for the jail, calls for a single-floor building with 816 beds. The schematic will be presented Friday to the Texas Commission on Jail Standards, which will evaluate the concept and design before approving the construction.
Hale Mills Construction was to submit a schematic to the commissioner’s court at last Tuesday’s meeting, but it had not incorporated the jail commission’s ratio requirements of single-separation cells to dormitory-style cells into its original designs.
By Ken Sury
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 11:42 AM
Insurors of Texas, through the Insurance Council of Texas, is donating smoke detectors to the Waco Fire Department as part of a campaign called “We’re Out to Alarm Texas.”
A news conference was held this morning at the Central Fire Station, 1016 Columbus Ave., to announce the donation. The Waco Fire Department will distribute the smoke detectors to elderly residents who need them, according to a release from the city.
Tom and George Chase, both of Insurors of Texas, were present at the news conference along with Mark Hanna of the Insurance Council of Texas and State Fire Marshal Paul Maldonado.
Waco resident Madelene Goff, who received a smoke detector from a previous campaign, was on hand to tell how the device alerted her to a fire in the water heater closet in her home on Oct. 23, 2006. Due to the early warning, she was unharmed and the damage to her home was limited.
By Ken Sury
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 11:33 AM
Flu shots will be available from the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District starting tomorrow, according to a city news release.
The cost is $20-25 based on residency. Contact the clinic for more details. The health district also accepts Medicare Part B. The clinic is at 225 W. Waco Drive. The immunization clinic may be reached at 750-5410.
Clinic hours on weekdays are 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Afternoon hours on Wednesday extend to 7:30 p.m., while Friday is open for the morning only. The clinic also is open 10 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of each month.
Here’s more information from the city:
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year.
Symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills and muscle aches. Most people are ill with the flu for only a few days, but others become very ill and may need to be hospitalized. Influenza causes thousands of deaths each year, mostly among the elderly. Individuals who think they have the flu should contact their health care provider.
The best time to get a flu shot is in October or November, but because flu season usually peaks between January and March, vaccination in December or even later can be beneficial.
People who are at high risk for getting the flu should be vaccinated in October. High-risk individuals include:
*Children 6 months through 18 years of age,
*Pregnant women (the clinic does not vaccinate pregnant women)
*People 50 years of age and older
*People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
*People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
*Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
*Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
By Ken Sury
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 11:19 AM
The Salvation Army sent out a release that its mobile feeding units, which it calls “canteens,” continue to canvas the Hurricane Ike-affected areas. The canteens provide food and water to first responders and victims of the storm.
The Salvation Army has provided close to 1.7 million meals and more than 2 million snacks to victims and first responders, it said.
The Salvation Army asks people who want to help those affected by Hurricane Ike to visit http://www.salvationarmyusa.org or call 1-800-SAL-ARMY. Monetary donations are needed to meet survivors’ most immediate needs. A $100 donation will feed a family of four for two days, provide two cases of drinking water and one household cleanup kit, containing brooms, mops, buckets and cleaning supplies.
By Ken Sury
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 10:21 AM
The American Academy of Family Physicians/Foundation announced today that Dr. Lynda Barry of the Waco Family Medicine Residency Program received one of the 2008 AAFP/F Wyeth Immunization Awards
She received the “Best Practices” award for creating programs that identified and overcame immunization barriers in the community, which had prevented children from receiving important vaccines against childhood diseases.
The facility was awarded for:
*Updating the electronic heath record module to reflect children’s current immunization status and daily compliance reports;
*Implementing a standing order mandating immunization screenings at every child’s visit;
*Distributing bilingual patient recall letters to alert parents to next appointments, leading to a 27 percent increase in well-child visits.
The foundation notes that more than one quarter (25.6 percent) of the children in Texas are not up-to-date with immunizations.
By Regina Dennis
| Tuesday, September 30, 2008, 09:52 AM
McLennan County commissioners this morning OK’d the construction of a 132-unit apartment complex for lower-income residents.
The apartments will be at 811 Maehr Road near Texas State Technical College and the Connally Golf Course.
The county approved a resolution that declared a need for the complex and entered into a cooperation agreement with Big Country Living LT, which will build it. The apartments would be run by the Texas Housing Foundation, which has similar arrangements in five other counties.
At least two people are dead and a third is injured following a late night crash in East Texas involving six 18-wheelers and one car.
A dispatcher with the Department of Public Safety said this morning that eastbound Interstate 20 at exit 560 is shut down while emergency crews clear the wreckage and clean up fuel spills.
A spokesman with the Texas Department of Transportation told Tyler television station KLTV that cleanup efforts could take awhile and it’s unknown how long the interstate will be closed.
Officials said the accident began when an 18-wheeler rolled over and caught fire. Details weren’t immediately available on the two adults who died in the crash, but they were riding together in the one car involved in the wreck.
By Paula Blesener
| Monday, September 29, 2008, 02:08 PM
From the office of U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, today following the defeat of the bailout bill:
U.S. Representative Chet Edwards today voted for H.R. 3997, the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act, which failed to pass the House by a vote of 228 to 205. The bill strengthens the original proposal put forward by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson by including increased accountability and oversight, protections for taxpayers and families, and limits on executive compensation for CEOs.
“Our present financial situation is a serious one, and it demands bipartisan cooperation between the White House and Congress to produce a responsible recovery plan to stabilize our economy. At a time when confidence is low throughout the global economy, the government has a responsibility to act to prevent a wider economic collapse that truly harms everyday families.
“Without decisive action, credit markets could freeze and Main Street could suffer with job losses estimated in the millions. Families could be unable to take out basic home and car loans, small businesses could find operating loans dry up, students might not be able to get student loans next semester, and credit card interest rates could soar.
“I strongly opposed the original Paulson plan, because it did not adequately protect the interests of average taxpayers, and it gave complete control on how to spend $700 billion to one person, Secretary Paulson. No one should have that much power.
“This bipartisan financial rescue plan includes strong oversight and protects taxpayers by requiring the government and Wall Street to pay back the American people, something I strongly support. Going forward, I believe that Congress and the Administration must pass into law a financial recovery plan, responsible regulation and strong oversight to rein in the abuses of Wall Street and prevent another crisis from happening.
“There is no guarantee that this bill will prevent a recession, because our economy faces a lot of challenges right now, but I believe a failure to pass recovery legislation could potentially start a downward economic spiral that could put millions of jobs and families at risk. I am angered that Wall Street greed has put us in this position, but as imperfect as this bill is, I believe the risk of inaction is far greater for our country and everyday citizens than the risk of this action,” said Edwards, a senior member of the House Budget Committee.
The bipartisan financial rescue plan:
Rescues the troubled credit and financial markets to stabilize our economy and insulate America’s working families from Wall Street greed and excess.
Reimburses taxpayers by making sure they share in any profits resulting from the government’s help
Reforms how business is done on Wall Street … limits excessive compensation for CEOs and enacts strong Congressional oversight.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 29, 2008, 12:52 PM
Baylor’s Oct. 11 football game vs. Iowa State has been selected for telecast on Fox College Sports, the Big 12 Conference office announced today. Kickoff between the Bears and Cyclones is set for 6:05 p.m. CDT at Floyd Casey Stadium.
According to a release from Baylor:
Including the Iowa State game, five of Baylor’s first six contests will have been televised; including four nationally (two on FSN, one on ESPN2 and one on FCS).
Baylor hosts No. 1 Oklahoma Saturday at 11:40 a.m. on Fox Sports Network. All tickets for the game are $40 and can be purchased at the Floyd Casey Stadium Ticket Office (8 a.m. - 6 p.m.), by calling 254-710-1000 or online at baylorbears.com.
The entire Big 12 Conference telecast schedule for Oct. 11 is below:
ABC: Texas vs. Oklahoma (Dallas), 11 a.m., CT
ESPN2: Colorado at Kansas, 11:30 a.m., CT
FSN: Nebraska at Texas Tech, 2 p.m., CT
FCS: Iowa State at Baylor, 6 p.m., CT
ESPN or ESPN: Oklahoma State at Missouri, 7 p.m., CT
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 29, 2008, 11:40 AM
A private company with ambitions on space and a test site in McGregor finally had success with getting a rocket into orbit.
Sunday was the fourth attempt by Space Exploration Technologies, or SpaceX, to launch its two-stage Falcon 1 rocket, carrying a dummy payload, into orbit from the South Pacific.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 29, 2008, 11:32 AM
The annual Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo parade will be at 6 p.m. Tuesday in downtown Waco. The parade marks the opening of the event.
The parade will begin on Taylor Street and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and will continue down Franklin to Ninth Street (that means it’ll end in front of our Trib offices. More than 100 parade entries are expected. Click here for a pdf map of the parade route.
The Heart O’ Texas Fair & Rodeo begins with Sneak-a-Peek on Thursday and runs through Oct. 11. 11th. More information is at www.hotfair.com.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 29, 2008, 08:52 AM
Several sports reporters and columnists are noting with awe the fact that former Baylor Bear kicker Matt Bryant yet alone played, much less made all three of his field-goal attempts a day after burying his 3-month-old son.
A particularly good column comes from Gary Shelton of the St. Petersburg Times.
Bryant’s son, Matthew Tryson, didn’t wake up Wednesday morning. An autopsy hopes to find answers.
On Saturday, Bryant and his family were back in Texas laying their son to rest. On Sunday, he was kicking field goals as a way to honor his son, he said.
Bryant was a kicker for Baylor from 1997-98. On a personal note, I knew Matt from his high school days at Bridge City, where he displayed his powerful leg punting and kicking, but also was a solid linebacker and a standout baseball player. As a sportswriter for The Orange Leader, I once saw him hit four consecutive homers during a tournament. You often become friends with the kids and their families at smaller communities like Bridge City, which is still recovering from flooding by Hurricane Ike.
Matt spotted me in the stands at a Baylor football game a few years back and came over to chat. This was after he was cut from the Dallas Cowboys during training camp. He later signed with the New York Giants for the 2002 season, but has been with Tampa Bay since 2005.
In the photo above, Matt blows a kiss skyward after one of his field goals Sunday.
By Erin Quinn
| Friday, September 26, 2008, 09:44 PM
A 34-year-old Gatesville man was injured Friday night when highway authorities say he ran his motorcycle into the back of a pickup truck.
Officials said the man didn’t brake fast enough as Interstate 35 traffic was slowing.
Just after 7:30 p.m., Jason Blackwell, a truck driver, was driving his Harley-Davidson motorcycle northbound near Abbott when the accident occurred, said Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Travis Ballew.
Blackwell was taken by medical helicopter to a hospital to be treated for what Ballew said appeared at the scene to be non life-threatening injuries. Blackwell was not wearing a helmet, Ballew said.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 26, 2008, 09:55 AM
The annual Walk MS event to raise funds to help those living with multiple sclerosis and their families served by the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, Lone Star Chapter, will be held Saturday at Cameron Park Zoo, 1701 N. Fourth St.
Former Baylor University football coach Grant Teaff and his wife, Donell, serve as the honorary chairs. The event includes a U.S. Track & Field-sanctioned 5-kilometer run.
Registration begins at 7 a.m. The run starts at 7:45 a.m.; the walk begins at 8 a.m.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 26, 2008, 09:21 AM
A chlorine leak at a water treatment plant near Crestview Elementary School has the campus on standby in case evacuations are needed, according to Waco ISD spokesman Dale Caffey, although it doesn’t appear to be an imminent threat.
A breeze is helping dissipate the chlorine gas, easing the concern, he said. Firetrucks and ambulances are at the school as a precaution.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 26, 2008, 08:32 AM
Flu shots will be available from the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District starting Wednesday, according to a city news release.
The cost is $20-25 based on residency. Contact the clinic for more details. The health district also accepts Medicare Part B. The clinic is at 225 W. Waco Drive. The immunization clinic may be reached at 750-5410.
Clinic hours on weekdays are 8:30-11:30 a.m. and 1:30-4:30 p.m. Afternoon hours on Wednesday extend to 7:30 p.m., while Friday is open the morning only. The clinic also is open 10 a.m. to noon the second Saturday of each month.
Here’s more information from the city:
The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death. The best way to prevent the flu is by getting a flu vaccination each year.
Symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, chills and muscle aches. Most people are ill with the flu for only a few days, but others become very ill and may need to be hospitalized. Influenza causes thousands of deaths each year, mostly among the elderly. Individuals who think they have the flu should contact their health care provider.
The best time to get a flu shot is in October or November, but because flu season usually peaks between January and March, vaccination in December or even later can be beneficial.
People who are at high risk for getting the flu should be vaccinated in October. High-risk individuals include:
*Children 6 months through 18 years of age,
*Pregnant women (the clinic does not vaccinate pregnant women)
*People 50 years of age and older
*People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
*People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
*Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
*Household contacts and out-of-home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 25, 2008, 04:02 PM
The Texas Farm Bureau Friends of Agriculture Fund Inc. announced today that it has endorsed incumbent U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Waco) for re-election to his District 17 seat.
Text from the announcement is below.
“Congressman Edwards has had an outstanding record on issues important to agriculture and rural Texas in his 18 years in Congress,” said Texas Farm Bureau and AGFUND President Kenneth Dierschke. “He recognizes the importance of farm programs in providing food security to our nation by placing a safety net under agricultural producers, and has provided innovative solutions in protecting both private property rights and the environment.”
Congressman Edwards is one of only eight House members to serve as a senior member on both the House Budget and Appropriations Committees. He also serves on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, Energy and Water Appropriations Subcommittee, co-chair of the House Army Caucus, and the USO Congressional Caucus.
AGFUND is Texas Farm Bureau’s political action fund. It is a legal entity separate from the Texas Farm Bureau and may endorse and contribute financially to political candidates.
By Regina Dennis
| Thursday, September 25, 2008, 02:58 PM
A Marlin High School student was arrested for threatening to blow up the campus at the start of the school day today.
Jeffery Harrison, 18, was charged with making a terroristic threat and is being held in the Falls County Jail on a $1,500 bond.
Detective Michael Baker with the Marlin Police Department said officers arrested Harrison in front of the school at 8:41 a.m. Classes were not disrupted by the threat.
“Unfortunately, this has happened several times last year,” Baker said. “The kids figured out the if they call in to blow up the school, it will shut the school down for the day.”
Baker said Harrison is mentally retarded, and made the statement because he had gotten angry with another student.
“I would almost bet that he had heard other students say (they would blow up the school),” Baker said.
By Tim Woods
| Thursday, September 25, 2008, 11:52 AM
James Michael Grant Jr., a 16-year-old from Gatesville who pleaded guilty Monday to his role in his father’s stabbing murder, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison.
Grant was arrested Oct. 29 and certified in March to stand trial as an adult in the slaying.
According to arrest documents, Grant called John Hopkins to his home after his father, James Michael Grant Sr., had fallen asleep.
The younger Grant waited in the hallway while Hopkins stole a gun and money from Grant Sr. before fatally stabbing the elder Grant.
Grant Jr. then entered the room and stomped on his father’s chest before he and Hopkins carried the body out to a truck, according to the documents.
The elder Grant’s body was found on the side of a county road and the younger Grant admitted to his participation in the murder in a jail interview with Coryell County Sheriff’s Office investigators, arrest documents said.
Grant pleaded guilty Monday morning in the 52nd District Court and was sentenced by the judge today to 45 years.
Grant’s mother, Leslie Megan Lewis-Grant, and Hopkins are still being held as they await trial on capital murder charges. The capital murder charge carries a maximum sentence of death or life in prison without parole.
Even without the guilty plea, the younger Grant would not have been eligible for the death penalty, since he has not reached the age of 18.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 25, 2008, 11:03 AM
This story is too odd not to share, but it also has some news value in that it seems bizarre to charge someone with passing gas in the direction of a police officer.
Yes, you’re reading that right. A West Virginia man who police said passed gas and fanned it toward a patrolman has been charged with battery on a police officer.
If you’re so inclined (and I’m betting that you are), read on here.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 25, 2008, 08:32 AM
Waco native Caroline Cutbirth, whose face graced the cover of our March Waco Today magazine, was mentioned in this Huntsville Times article today as a preview to a music festival in that Alabama city this weekend.
The story focuses on Cutbirth’s group, The Girls, and their famous ancestors. Tayla Lynn is the granddaughter of country star Loretta Lynn. Jennifer Wayne is the granddaughter of screen legend John Wayne. Caroline, meanwhile, is a distant relative of pioneer Daniel Boone.
The story only has comments from Lynn, via a phone interview, but she talks about her bandmates.
By J.B. Smith
| Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 12:20 PM
The downtown Tax Increment Finance Zone board today voted to recommend a $1.08 million incentive for the Waco Information Gateway, a $28 million data storage center planned at 700 Austin Ave.
The board also approved $62,000 to assist with a $423,000 renovation for an art gallery at 712 Austin Ave. but tabled a $500,000 request to assist Rapoport Academy with expansions at Paul Quinn Campus.
The Waco Information Gateway would house several floors of computer servers to back up data at businesses in Waco as well as Dallas, Fort Worth and Houston. Sarah Roberts, senior vice president-economic development with the Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce, said the project will benefit Waco businesses and colleges and also will help bring improvements in electrical and telecommunications infrastructure in Central Waco.
The TIF Zone board makes recommendations to the Waco City Council on the use of funds dedicated for improvements in downtown and the Brazos River Corridor. New tax revenue from real property in the district is plowed back into the fund.
By Regina Dennis
| Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 09:12 AM
Two Fort Hood soldiers have been arrested for stealing an ultralight airplane and crashing it near a Killeen residence on Monday.
Zachary Douglas Arenz, 18, and Jacob Matthew Kroese, 18, have been charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and are each being held on $50,000 bond.
Killeen police had responded to a report of a crashed aircraft in the 1200 block of Charisse Drive in the early morning hours Monday. A Quicksilver MXII light sport aircraft had crashed into several mailboxes. Witnesses told police that two men ran from the scene after the aircraft hit the ground.
Arenz and Kroese confessed to stealing the experimental plane from Skylark Air Field, according to Killeen police.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 08:48 AM
The Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce and Green Mountain Energy Company will officially “flip the switch” for the chamber’s new solar array at 11:45 a.m. today at the new Chamber headquarters, 101 S. Third St.
According to a chamber news release, the installation is the largest solar array in downtown Waco and may be the largest in McLennan County. The environmentally sustainable Greater Waco Chamber building opened June 6. The solar project allows the chamber to earn a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) point and utilize a renewable source of clean energy.
Green Mountain Energy gave the chamber 48 solar panels to help with efforts to emphasize environmentally responsible building techniques in the new headquarters. The solar panels will meet more than 6 percent of the 14,000-square-foot building’s annual energy needs without producing pollution.
By Jeff Osborne
| Wednesday, September 24, 2008, 07:21 AM
From Waco Police spokesman Steve Anderson:
Two Waco convenience stores were robbed early this morning, and the store clerk was attacked in both instances.
About at 1:35 a.m., two men wearing all black clothing entered the Skinny’s located at 3225 Hillcrest Drive. One of the suspects struck the clerk in the head with a pistol and demanded the store’s money. Suspect left with an undisclosed amount of cash.
About 2:15 a.m., it is believed the same two suspects entered the Skinny’s located at 6800 Sanger Avenue, and again one of the suspects struck the clerk in the head with a pistol and demanded the stores money.
In both cases the suspects were last seen leaving the store on foot and no vehicle was seen.
By Mike Anderson
| Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 05:02 PM
The stretch of University-Parks Drive that was severed by a sinkhole in 2006 has reopened.
Waco city officials took down fencing with little fanfare today, allowing motorists and pedestrians to cross a bridge that was built after the sinkhole formed in February 2006.
By Mike Anderson
| Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 04:15 PM
La Vega High School football player Christopher Parr has been released from jail after spending nearly a month there on aggravated robbery charges.
Parr, 17, was released Monday afternoon following a hearing in which 54th State District Court Judge Matt Johnson reduced his bond from $75,000 to $25,000. Johnson also set a curfew where Parr must stay home between 6 p.m. and 7 a.m., a court official said.
Bellmead police arrested Parr Aug. 27 in an Aug. 26 robbery, in which Bellmead authorities say he held another teen at gunpoint and robbed him of his shoes and hat.
The alleged victim, 19-year-old Lonnie Sawyer, told investigators he was walking east at about 10:40 p.m. in the 5200 block of Concord Road in Bellmead. The affidavit states he saw a vehicle pass him, circle around, then pass him again before pulling into a driveway.
Sawyer told investigators that Parr, 17, opened the passenger door of the vehicle and pulled a handgun from below the seat, the affidavit states.
Parr walked up to Sawyer, pointed the gun at him, then asked, “What kind of shoes are you wearing? ” the affidavit states.
Sawyer replied, “It doesn’t matter,” then kicked his shoes off and pushed them toward Parr, the document states.
Another man then ran up to Sawyer and kicked him in the chest, knocking him to the ground, and told Parr to take the victim’s hat, the affidavit states.
Sawyer told investigators he knew Parr from school.
Before his arrest, Parr was La Vega’s star running back. Because of the curfew as a condition for his release on bond, he will not be able to play in Friday night football games, his attorney said.
By Regina Dennis
| Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 12:53 PM
Plans for the new jail on State Highway 6 are at a standstill as builders wrangle with the final design plan.
The builder of the new jail has drafted seven different building schematics, making revisions each time to comply with requests by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. The company was to present the commissioners court a design plan to approve today, but did not do so.
The primary issue with the jail design is the ratio of single-occupancy cells to dormitory cells, which would hold nine to 24 inmates. More single-occupancy cells would increase constructions costs for the project, officials said.
DRG Architects PLLC, the architectural firm serving as consultant over the jail project, will meet with the jail commission Wednesday to settle the design questions. The firm will not present its preliminary schematics at the meeting.
“We will hopefully get some firm answers on what they require so that we can move forward,” said Gary Adams, jail planner with DRG Architects.
By Ken Sury
| Tuesday, September 23, 2008, 12:00 PM
We received an e-mail from the city of Hewitt this morning about its plans for National Night Out, which is usually held in August but Texas cities are allowed for the first time this year to hold it in October when it’s cooler.
Hewitt will have its kickoff party from 6 to 9 p.m. Sept. 30 at Midway Middle School, 800 N. Hewitt Drive next to Taco Casa. According to Chief James Barton, the kickoff party will have the Morticians, Stonhenj and plenty of activities, free food and drinks for everyone.
Hewitt will have neighborhood block parties on Oct. 7, the date for National Night Out in Texas.
By Tim Woods
| Monday, September 22, 2008, 04:01 PM
A Coryell County boy pleaded guilty today to murdering his father.
James Michael Grant Jr, 16, was arrested Oct. 29, 2007, and certified to stand trial as an adult in March.
James Michael Grant Sr’s body was found last Sept. 15, 2007, on a county road and investigators learned that he had been stabbed to death in his Gatesville home before being dumped next to the road.
In addition to he younger Grant, his mother, Leslie Megan Lewis-Grant and John Tarrell Hopkins were arrested in the killing.
Hopkins confessed to the murder in a jail interview with sheriff’s investigators, according to arrest documents. The sentencing phase begins Wednesday.
American Red Cross officials say the evacuee count in their Texas shelters is down to about 7,600 from a peak of more than 40,000 in the days after Hurricane Ike came ashore.
But the relief agency said today it isn’t sure how long Texas operations will last. Those efforts include food and help with basic needs for residents in some of the hardest-hit areas.
“I can tell you we won’t be measuring this operation in weeks,” said Joe Becker, senior vice president of disaster services for the Red Cross. “We will be measuring this operation in months.”
Fundraising will be a “daunting task,” Becker says. The combined costs of relief efforts for Ike and its Gulf Coast predecessor, Hurricane Gustav, could top $100 million. Becker says the agency has raised less than $20 million for 2008 hurricane relief.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 22, 2008, 11:31 AM
Waco ISD begins an interesting initiative with “Project Return” from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Richland Mall courtyard. The event is an effort by the district to locate students who left school before earning a high school diploma, according to a release from the district.
City leaders, school administrators, and school board members will attempt to contact former students by telephone and encourage them to return to school.
For more information about “Project Return,” call Liz Harris at 755-9515.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 22, 2008, 11:16 AM
The Big 12 Conference office announced today that Baylor’s Oct. 4 Big 12-opening football game vs. No. 2-ranked Oklahoma has been selected for telecast on the Fox Sports Network.
Kickoff between the Bears and Sooners is set for 11:30 a.m. at Floyd Casey Stadium.
Including the Oklahoma game, four of Baylor’s first five contests will have been televised; including three nationally (two on FSN and one on ESPN2). This marks the fifth consecutive season that FSN has televised the Baylor-Oklahoma game, including four straight national telecasts.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 22, 2008, 09:58 AM
Because it is officially fall, why not check out some of the season’s looks from last week’s Providence Champagne Luncheon and Style Show? We have loads of images online here.
Or see if you or anyone you know was captured in our shots of faces at the event.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 22, 2008, 09:27 AM
The deadline to register with the Waco Police Department for a block party is 4 p.m. Friday, according to a release sent out by the city this morning. Though National Night Out is held in August for the rest of the country, Texas cities were able to coax a date change to Oct. 7 because it’s too hot to enjoy it down here.
That makes sense. It might still be hot, but at least not August hot.
The release begins below.
The Waco Police Department invites everyone to participate in the 25th Annual National Night Out on Tuesday, Oct. 7, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Due to extreme summer heat, Texas cities are observing the event in October rather than August this year.
National Night Out provides citizens with the opportunity to display a unified stance against crime and drugs in our neighborhoods by joining together in Neighborhood Watch and Neighborhood Association block parties.
The block parties may include cookouts, parades, youth activities, anti-crime displays and rallies. Each registered party is visited by a motorcade of police, fire, Citizens on Patrol volunteers, East Texas Medical Service EMS, McGruff the Crime Dog and more. The deadline for registering parties is 4 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 26.
For more information or to register a party, please call 750-1761. Contact your Neighborhood Association for information on parties in your area or visit www.waco-texas.com for a list of registered parties.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 22, 2008, 08:00 AM
Last week felt more like the beginning of fall with those terrific cooler temperatures. Today, the actual start of fall, will see conditions more like summer with a high near 91 degrees and a southeast wind between 5 and 10 mph.
Today is the autumnal equinox, which means that the length of the day and night are roughly equal. Our days will keep getting shorter up to the winter solstice.
If you’re curious, we officially hit fall at 10:44 a.m. today.
By Erin Quinn
| Friday, September 19, 2008, 07:16 PM
A woman in a motorized wheelchair was taken to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center this evening after she was struck by traffic at Park Lake Drive and North 19th Street in North Waco, police said.
A southbound vehicle on North 19th Street hit Sherri Ward when she was midway across the street and the traffic light changed, Waco police Sgt. Steve Graeter said. The incident happened about 6:30.
Graeter said no one was ticketed because the vehicles had the green light and the motorist who hit Ward couldn’t see her because she was shielded by yet another vehicle nearly parallel to it.
The woman has been warned several times previously about riding her wheelchair in the middle of the road, police said.
Ward, who was knocked from the wheelchair, was taken to the hospital for cuts and scratches.
By Erin Quinn
| Friday, September 19, 2008, 05:42 PM
Waco police today arrested a second man in connection with the August shooting death of 21-year-old Robert Louis Nevarez, of Belton, and they say another murder suspect linked to the case is still at large.
Keith Wayne Caulfield, 19, was arrested at his residence at 1515 Homan Ave. and booked into McLennan County Jail on a murder charge, Waco police said in a statement.
Caulfield’s bond hasn’t yet been set.
Steve Kelly, 18, of Waco was arrested in connection with Nevarez’ death earlier this month.
Police say they’re looking for Larry Vonzell “Mookie” Waits as a third murder suspect. Waits’ last-known addresses were in the 3400 block of Parrott Avenue and the 3600 block of Erath Street.
Waits should be considered armed and dangerous, police say.
Around 4 a.m. on Aug. 23, a passersby found Nevarez lying on the street along the 2500 block of Cole Avenue with a gunshot wound to his head.
Police ask that anyone with information on Waits’ whereabouts call the Waco Police Department at 750-7500 or Crime Stoppers at 753-HELP.
Dallas-based Luminant Power says it is applying to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to build two new reactors at its Comanche Peak Nuclear Power Plant near Glen Rose, about 75 miles northwest of Waco.
Luminant chief executive David Campbell said Friday the application is an initial step in a multiyear regulatory process.
The company released an economic impact study that said the plants will spark more than $22 billion in economic development and lead to the creation of 104,000 new jobs in the region.
“Expanding nuclear power at plants such as Comanche Peak can help play an important role in increasing access to a safe, clean energy supply while creating new highly-skilled jobs that can boost the economy,” said U.S. Representative Chet Edwards, D-Waco.
Somervell County Commissioners passed a resolution in support of the plant.
The application is about 7,500 pages long. It seeks approval for two new nuclear power generation units of 1,700 megawatts each at the company’s nuclear plant near Glen Rose.
Campbell says the reactors would combine to produce enough electricity for about 1.8 million average Texas homes.
The company says no specific construction costs are available yet.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 19, 2008, 10:40 AM
As life tries to return to normal on Galveston after Hurricane Ike, there’s a report that a gas station was reopened on the island.
One pump is back on at the gas kiosk in front of a Randall’s supermarket is on 61st Street, about two blocks behind the Galveston seawall, The Associated Press reports. It’s been six days since Hurricane Ike devastated the city.
Clerk Elma James, who is on her first day back at work at the gas kiosk, said she believes the pump is the first one back in service in Galveston.
I’m curious — and unfortunately, the short story didn’t say — how much gas is at that one working pump on the island.
AAA Texas reported that the statewide average price for gasoline reached $3.70 per gallon this week, a jump of 16 cents since before Ike struck the Texas coast.
The national average price for retail gasoline was $3.83, also up 16 cents in the past week.
Remember that local gas prices are available online at our gasbuddy link.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 19, 2008, 10:27 AM
We now have more information about the 16-year-old shot last night in Waco.
According to Waco police, the incident happened after a traffic crash in the 800 block of Colcord Avenue just after 8 p.m.
Officers were dispatched to the crash with a report that one of the vehicles left the scene, a release said. When officers arrived, a crowd of 75 to 100 people were screaming and yelling at each other.
Officers were told that the vehicle that fled the scene returned and started shooting in the direction of the other vehicle that had been involved in the accident, which was still parked at the entrance to the apartments.
Witnesses said between four and six shots were fired, with one of the bullets hitting the teenager in the mouth. The youth had walked up after the crash occurred and was just standing at the side of the road, police said.
The victim was taken to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center by an East Texas Medical Center ambulance where he was treated and was last listed in stable condition, police said.
The suspect vehicle was described as a black Saturn and should have damage on the right passenger side, police said.
At this time no arrest has been made. Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call the Waco Police Department at 750-7500 or Crime Stoppers at 753-4357.
By Regina Dennis
| Friday, September 19, 2008, 09:47 AM
Waco police are investigating the shooting of a 16-year-old boy near an apartment complex last night.
The shooting happened in the 800 block of Colcord Avenue at about 10:20 p.m. Thursday, officials said.
The victim was shot in the head, and was taken to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, officials said. Police have not released the victim’s name, and his condition is unknown at this time.
Police are looking for two suspects in connection with the shooting. They are believed to have left the scene in a dark green or black Saturn, officials said. No arrests have been made at this time.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 19, 2008, 09:39 AM
Waco police say they’ve made an arrest in the June murder of a local resident.
Raheem Abdullah Watkins, 27, of Waco, was arrested Thursday for the June 2 murder of Charles White, police announced in a release today.
White, 44, was found by officers in the backyard of his residence, 3601 Homan Ave. around 12:50 a.m., suffering from gunshot wounds to his upper body. Emergency medical service personnel arrived on scene but White had no pulse and was already dead, the police report said.
Family members told officers that White had gone outside to check the fuse box on the house because the power had gone out. The house had old wiring and fuses, so power outages were not uncommon, they told police.
Shortly after White had gone outside, family members heard several gunshots. When one of the family members looked outside they saw what looked like a man running out of the backyard and getting into a car parked in the alley.
During the initial investigation blood found at the scene was collected and submitted to the Texas Department of Public Safety Laboratory for analysis, police said.
On Monday investigators were notified by the DPS Laboratory supervisor that the blood sample submitted was matched to Watkins, police said.
A warrant was issued Thursday for the arrest of Watkins. According to the report, Watkins was found in the 1000 block of Preston Street by patrol officers just before 4:30 p.m. and was arrested after a brief foot chase.
Watkins was in possession of crack cocaine and marijuana at the time of his arrest, police said.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 19, 2008, 08:56 AM
The Willow Grove Community Cemetery will be recognized at a dedication ceremony Saturday afternoon as it receives a Texas Historical Commission marker. The designation honors the cemetery as an important and educational part of local history.
The ceremony at the Willow Grove Community Cemetery, 1639 Willow Grove Road, will be from 1 to 3 p.m. County Commissioner Ray Meadows will be one of the speakers.
Here’s part of a release about the event:
The cemetery has served the community of Willow Grove since the late 1800s when former slaves, William “Buck” Manning and A.W. Crawford moved here with their families in the years following emancipation, founding Willow Grove in 1871.
They purchased property and each man donated an acre of land on which to establish Willow Grove Baptist Church and the cemetery. In the early 1900s, the Willow Grove Community Association formed to maintain the grounds and the cemetery continues to serve area residents and descendants of the pioneering families.
This weekend marks the 73rd year of Willow Grove Baptist Church’s annual celebration (traditionally the third weekend of September) to honor the pioneers who made the community their home.
For more information on the historical marker ceremony or the weekend celebration, please contact J.L. Crawford at 254-717-4927.
By Regina Dennis
| Thursday, September 18, 2008, 01:28 PM
A small Waco Transit bus caught on fire early today near the McLennan County Jail.
The bus was traveling along State Highway 6 around 8 a.m. when the fire started. There were no passengers on the bus at the time, and the driver managed to exit the vehicle unharmed.
Asst. Waco Fire Chief Patrick Kerwin said firefighters were dispatched at 8:18 a.m. A second unit was requested as firefighters spotted large clouds of black smoke while driving to the fire.
Kerwin said the fire was put out in minutes. The entire front end and interior of the bus had melted, but the fuel did not catch on fire, he said.
“Everything was made out of plastic or some toxic material, so that’s why it generated a lot of smoke,” Kerwin said. “But it was pretty typical (containment) for a vehicle fire.”
Kerwin said the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 18, 2008, 11:07 AM
We received an announcement that eight Marines will be returning from Iraq to the Ordnance Maintenance Company in Waco.
The Marines are expected to arrive at the training center, 2100 N. New Road, between 5 and 5:30 p.m. The center will be open beginning at 4 p.m. for visitors so they can greet the returning Marines.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 18, 2008, 10:09 AM
The city of Hewitt has announced that it hired a new city manager.
Adam Miles, who has been assistant city manager in Cleburne for the past six years, will begin work on Sept. 29. He replaces Don Davis, who has served as interim city manager.
Dennis Woodard, Hewitt’s city manager for 21 years, retired in April.
Miles, a graduate of Cleburne High School and Baylor University, began working for Cleburne in 1997 as a planning and zoning project coordinator. He continued working for Cleburne while he completed a Master of Public Administration degree from the University of Texas at Arlington in 2000.
After graduation, Miles worked six months as a city planner for North Richland Hills. Miles returned to Cleburne soon after as assistant to the city manager. He became Cleburne’s assistant city manager in 2002.
His recent projects in Cleburne involved developing a 10-acre botanical park, renovating a historic library, constructing a community center, and building a civic/convention center with a performing arts center.
“Speaking on behalf of the city council, we are excited about Adam coming to Hewitt,” Mayor Charlie Turner said in a statement. “We think he will be a tremendous asset to the organization and community.”
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 18, 2008, 09:57 AM
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has this story on former Baylor University track star Jeremy Wariner and his return to the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex following his Olympics experience in Beijing.
Wariner is a graduate of Arlington Lamar High School.
Wariner brought home a gold medal in the men’s 4x400 relay and was “disappointed” to take second behind rival LaShawn Merritt in his signature race, the 400.
But the 24-year-old sounds optimistic about his future and hopes to compete through the 2016 Games.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 18, 2008, 09:45 AM
Scholars from The Institute for Studies of Religion at Baylor University are sharing initial results from the second wave of the Baylor Religion Survey in Washington, D.C., this morning as part of the Religion Newswriters Association conference being held there.
These results are a followup to the groundbreaking 2005 survey that revealed a majority of Americans believe in God or a higher power, the new Baylor findings — published in What Americans Really Believe by Dr. Rodney Stark (Baylor University Press, 2008) — highlight more hot-button issues of religious life in our country.
Among those issues is: Who gets into heaven?
Two-thirds of Americans are convinced they’re headed to heaven, the researchers found, and they were surprised about the high numbers for the percentage of people who think that many others will be going with them to their final reward. Getting to heaven isn’t considered as exclusive as it used to be, they say.
When asked “How many of the following people do you think will get into heaven?” respondents answering “half or more” said:
By Regina Dennis
| Thursday, September 18, 2008, 09:04 AM
The electricity is back on in Franklin, Bremond and Calvert in Robertson County.
Power was restored for most of the affected towns by about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to officials in the sheriff’s department. Some residents in Franklin did not receive power until 2:30 a.m. today, officials said.
Debbie Zan, court clerk for the city of Bremond, said teachers will be reporting back to work at the school district today, and classes would resume for students Friday. The schools in Franklin are still closed until further notice.
In Limestone County, the city of Kosse also had its power restored late Wednesday evening.
Beaumont-based Entergy is the electric supplier for all of these cities.
Officers are trying to round up cattle and keep them off a busy highway this evening after an 18-wheeler overturned east of Waco.
The chaos began about 6 p.m. when a cattle truck flipped over on State Highway 6 where Farm-to-Market Road 164 branches off to go to Mart. The truck appears to have been on an access road, and so far authorities have not shut down either roadway
Men can be seen on horseback trying to corral the scattered cattle. Motorists are having to slow to avoid the brazen bovines that keep walking onto the highway.
It is unclear if the truck’s driver or any of the cattle are injured, although some of the animals remain in the back of the overturned truck.
By Mike Anderson
| Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 05:18 PM
Homegrown country music star Billy Joe Shaver was indicted this afternoon on felony charges stemming from an April 2007 shooting at a Lorena bar.
A McLennan County grand jury indicted Shaver, 69, on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second degree felony, and a charge of unlawful carrying of a handgun by a licensed holder on a licensed premises, a third degree felony.
The charges stem from an incident April 1, 2007 at Papa Joe’s Bar in Lorena.
Police said Shaver was at the bar with his wife at the time when he met a man, Billy Bryant Coker, 50, of Waco, who has family ties to his then-wife.
Details are sketchy about what happened in the next hour. But it ended outside the bar, with Shaver asking Coker, “Where do you want it?” then shooting him in the cheek and driving away, a police arrest warrant affidavit states.
Coker was released from the hospital days later.
Shaver’s attorney at the time, Austin-based Joseph Turner, has said Shaver was defending himself because Coker had threatened his client with a knife.
In court records, Coker said the attack was unprovoked. Shaver was arrested days later on a charge of aggravated assault and possessing a firearm in a prohibited place. He has since been released on bond.
Dale Watson, an Austin singer-songwriter and a friend of Shaver, wrote an upbeat country song about the incident, titled “Where Do You Want It?” In performance, he prefaces the song by noting that Shaver denies using the phrase.
By Tim Woods
| Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 01:33 PM
Two women escaped safely when the duplex they live in caught fire this afternoon.
Fire crews are still on the scene in the 1000 block of Speight Avenue.
Painter Donald Eskew said he and his crew were in the area this afternoon when some of his employees saw smoke coming out of the upstairs unit of the duplex. They thought someone was in the upper unit but knocks on the door went unanswered, he said.
The workers kicked in the door and saw the unit was fully engulfed in flames.
Meanwhile, members of the crew also knocked on the door of the downstairs unit, where two women who live there were asleep, Eskew said. The pair were awakened by the knocking and were able to escape unharmed, he said.
Eskew said the upstairs unit appears to be gutted.
Watch wacotrib.com for updates on this breaking story.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 11:45 AM
Big 12 Conference football teams put up some big numbers in their games last weekend and that’s the topic that starts the Trib’s latest Baylor/Big 12 podcast, currently available to listen to at wacotrib.com.
Join the Trib’s John Werner, Brice Cherry and Chad Conine for their observations in the podcast. This week’s Big 12 games actually start tonight with Kansas State playing Louisville on ESPN2 at 7.
The interstate headed into hurricane-wracked Galveston is jammed with gridlocked traffic for miles with people who believed they had a way onto the island.
Interstate 45 was packed for more than 4 miles this morning, and some travelers were getting frustrated.
People have not been allowed back since Hurricane Ike slammed ashore. City officials on Tuesday announced a “look and leave” policy allowing people to briefly check on their property, then halted it after belatedly becoming concerned about traffic jams.
It wasn’t just residents stuck in traffic — utility trucks with cherry-pickers, workers’ vans and supply trucks were inching along. Many people just parked their cars and got out.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 11:13 AM
A man was arrested in Navarro County after officials discovered 2,100 marijuana plants growing near his home Tuesday.
Jesus Omera Robles, 32, was charged with possession of marijuana and remains in the Navarro County Jail on a $50,000 bond.
The Navarro County Sheriff’s Office raided a rural residence Tuesday morning at County Road NW0148 just south of Rice, discovering marijuana plants that range from knee-high in height to more than 10 feet tall in a wooded area near the home, according to a press release from spokesman Mike Cox. Deputies arrested Robles after witnessing him clean the stalks of one of the marijuana plants.
This is the third marijuana bust the sheriff’s office has conducted this year.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 09:36 AM
H-E-B announced today that it is launching a statewide tear-pad campaign in stores to help support victims of Hurricane Ike.
As a release notes: The campaign offers H-E-B customers an opportunity to join H-E-B’s hurricane relief efforts by adding a donation in increments of $1, $3, or $5 to their total grocery bill. Donations will be distributed to disaster relief agencies that will help thousands of Texas evacuees in need.
H-E-B will route all donations directly to disaster relief agencies.
You have likely seen the tear-off pads before at H-E-B stores, such as the effort to raise funds to help agencies that provide food for the needy. Last week H-E-B presented Waco’s Caritas with a $10,000 check from money raised from those tear-offs.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 17, 2008, 08:31 AM
Some people are going to be late for work this morning from a minor accident on Lake Shore Drive involving nine cars.
We have a staffer at the scene, who says that the westbound stretch of Lake Shore between Martin Luther King Boulevard and the Waco Water Park is down to one lane and traffic has backed up as the pileup is being worked by emergency personnel.
It doesn’t appear to be more than a slew of fender-benders, so hopefully no one is hurt.
As Margaret Mills’ felony theft trial nears, an assistant state attorney general has outlined more specific allegations against the former Downtown Waco Inc. executive director.
In a 97-page document filed to give Mills and her attorneys notice of “extraneous and/or unadjudicated offenses” alleged against Mills, Assistant Attorney General David S. Glickler gives a summary of “suspected fraudulent activity” totaling $511,000 and reportedly committed by Mills.
The records also show that Mills, 67, was bouncing checks to a variety of area merchants long after the initial allegations against her surfaced in October 2006.
Prosecutors are required before trial to give notice to the defense if they intend to offer evidence about matters that are not specifically alleged in the indictment. Some of the extraneous matters could come up during the first phase of Mills’ first-degree felony theft trial. However, some matters likely might not be admissible unless Mills is convicted. Then it could be offered during the trial’s punishment phase.
Mills, who headed the downtown development organization for 18 years, was indicted in November in the embezzlement of money from the agency from January 2002 to July 2006. Her trial in Waco’s 54th State District Court is set for Nov. 3, with a pretrial hearing scheduled for Oct. 24.
Mills’ 16-page, 116-paragraph indictment alleges that she stole more than $200,000, the amount at which a theft case becomes a first-degree felony and punishable by up to life in prison.
Documents filed by Glickler, however, allege that funds totaling $511,504.83 were “transferred to Margaret Mills or to others on her behalf.”
Glickler, who took over prosecution of the case after McLennan County District Attorney John Segrest recused his office, declined comment Tuesday, as did one of Mills’ attorneys, Rick Bostwick.
Mills, credited by many with helping revitalize the downtown district, resigned abruptly in July 2006. Her attorneys were unsuccessful earlier this month in a bid to get her trial moved from McLennan County because of publicity generated by the case.
Glickler’s summary is broken down into nine categories, the first of which alleges that $259,225.62 in unauthorized non-payroll checks was made payable directly to Mills from Downtown Waco Inc.
Others allegations include:
n $65,975.48 in unauthorized Downtown Waco Inc. checks made out to First National Bank that went into Mills’ personal account or for her loan payments.
n $40,800.37 in unauthorized checks from River City Corp. to Mills. (The Downtown Waco executive board believed that the River City account was not active.)
n $19,939 in diversion of donations made to Downtown Waco Inc. and deposited in Mills’ personal account with no record of reimbursement.
n $18,394.29 in unauthorized use of Downtown Waco Inc. ATM/check card.
n $18,615.78 in unauthorized Downtown Waco Inc. checks written to Bank of America and cashed by Mills.
n $2,251.60 in unauthorized Downtown Waco Inc. checks made out to her son Coke Mills and deposited into his account.
n $7,852.23 in unauthorized Downtown Waco Inc. checks written to “cash” or “Wells Fargo” and cashed by Margaret Mills.
The ninth category reportedly lists Mills’ personal expenses that improperly were paid as legitimate business expenses of Downtown Waco Inc., including $30,726.39 for personal credit cards; $20,555.97 for yard and landscaping work at Mills’ home; $9,760.27 for dining; $3,077.92 in cell phone bills; and $14,329.91 marked as “other.”
In another portion of the exhibit, Glickler includes 58 pages from the McLennan County district attorney’s office hot check department that reflect numerous occasions from December 2004 through July 2007 in which Mills issued checks with insufficient funds and then paid fees and made restitution to the merchants.
Glickler also filed a list of 47 potential prosecution witnesses in Mills’ trial, including her son, members of the dormant Downtown Waco Inc. executive board, police investigators, bankers, city officials and local merchants.
By Tim Woods
| Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 08:12 PM
Waco’s city council amended the city’s solid waste ordinance tonight, hoping to keep eyesore trash containers out of sight except on collection days.
The new ordinance states that Waco residents may place their trash cans at collection points no earlier than 6 a.m. the day before collection day and that trash cans must be removed from the collection point by 8 p.m. of the following day.
Additionally, trash containers must be kept either out of sight or within five feet of the customer’s home.
“It’s aimed at the people who leave (trash cans) out there day after day after day,” city manager Larry Groth said after the meeting. “We get a lot of complaints from people who pull their carts up, but their neighbor leaves it out there all week long.”
The Tribune-Herald has obtained a courthouse security video of Margaret Mills being let into the courthouse annex Sept. 3 by one of her attorneys, Pat Beard, so Mills wouldn’t have to run the gauntlet of TV and newspaper cameras at the main entrance to the courthouse.
Judge Matt Johnson had scheduled a hearing in 54th State District Court to consider arguments from Mills’ attorneys about why her felony theft case should be moved from McLennan County because of publicity. The judge overruled the motion.
Before the hearing, Johnson was alerted by a deputy that Mills had circumvented the courthouse security system by going through the annex, which is locked and not considered a public entrance to the courthouse complex. All courthouse visitors are directed to the front door, where they walk through a metal detector and are subject to search.
The judge ordered Mills, who is charged with a first-degree felony, to go downstairs and walk through the metal detector before the hearing started. Beard later admitted that he let her in the annex to avoid the cameras, courthouse officials have said.
Mills’ trial is set to begin Nov. 3.
By Regina Dennis
| Tuesday, September 16, 2008, 12:27 PM
Robertson County is still scrambling to provide resources to people who have been without power since Hurricane Ike skirted Central Texas.
Franklin, Calvert and Bremond have been without power since early Saturday. County Judge Jan Roe said Entergy, the electric provider for the towns, estimates that the cities could be without for up to three weeks. Hearne and rural areas of the county use a different electric provider and did not lose power in the storm.
“If Entergy is able to find a route sufficient to carry the load of power and regenerate the line, we could get power within the week,” Roe said. “But that’s very wishful thinking. It’s a spider web of lines and they will have to make sure there is something available to connect an equivalent degree of power or it will blow somebody else up.”
Grocery stores are not able to open, and four school districts are closed. Roe said each city has set up a center to provide meals, water and ice to people affected by the storm.
Sanderson Farms and the Federal Emergency Management Agency have provided refrigerated trucks for each affected community, which are being used for the food distribution centers and as a storage area for residents’ perishable supplies such as milk and baby formula, Roe said.
The city hall buildings, nursing homes and county courthouse are each running on backup generators and are open. Water and sewage are running throughout the county. Generators were attached to the sewage system when the storm first hit to keep the drinking water sources from being contaminated, Roe said.
The county also has been providing shelter, showers and food to about 20 evacuees from the Houston and Galveston area at the Pridgeon Community Center in Franklin.
“If we can provide them with housing vouchers, then we will try to move them into FEMA subsidized housing where they maintain self-sufficiency, but if we can’t we will continue to provide shelter for them,” Roe said.
Kosse, in Limestone County, lost power Saturday around 7:30 a.m. The city received less than 2 inches of rain, but blames the outages on problems with Entergy electric company.
Kosse city offices are without power. The only convenience store in the town has been closed since the storm first hit. The city has placed its only generator at the Kosse Community Center, 200 N. State Highway 14, where it is providing meals and water to residents, said City Secretary Nora Ensminger.
“We’ve just been checking up on our elderly, and taking them a meal if they needed it delivered, making sure that they’re all OK,” she said. “We’ve been working with local police and fire departments, and the EMT from Groesbeck has been assisting us as well.”
Some elderly residents have fled town to other areas with family, but most people in Kosse are staying put, Ensminger said. Kosse still has working water, she said.
Food distribution centers in Robertson County:
*Franklin — Pridgeon Community Center, 351 Cooks Lane
*Calvert — Calvert Volunteer Fire Department, 604 Railroad St.
*Bremond — Bremond High School, 601 W. Collins St.
For more information, contact local city hall offices or the county judge’s office at (979) 828-3542.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 15, 2008, 12:36 PM
Waco natives LaDainian Tomlinson and Lance Berkman will be inducted into the Texas Sports Hall of Fame as the Hall’s Induction Committee, chaired by legendary sports writer Dave Campbell, announced its class of 2008.
Banquet date, time and ticket prices will be announced at a later date.
Scheduled to appear in Waco for the induction ceremonies are Tomlinson, the University High School product and star running back with the San Diego Chargers; Berkman, the Houston Astros first baseman; former University of Texas football star and Philadelphia Eagles defensive back Bill Bradley; former Dallas Cowboy linebacker Lee Roy Jordan; former University of Texas men’s basketball coach Abe Lemons (deceased); former NASL soccer star Kyle Rote Jr.,; former University of Texas running back Steve Worster; and former University of Texas women’s basketball star Clarissa Davis-Wrightsil.
By Ken Sury
| Monday, September 15, 2008, 10:39 AM
Freshman Robert Griffin wasted little time in receiving Big 12 recognition in football. Today he was named the conference’s Offensive Player of the Week for his performance in Friday night’s 45-17 win over Washington State.
Here’s what the league’s release says about the honor:
True freshman Robert Griffin established a Baylor single-game rushing record with 217 yards on 11 carries and two touchdowns against Washington State in his second career start and third career game. It marked the Bears’ first 200-yard rushing performance since the previous record was set in 1994.
Griffin also set school and Big 12 Conference records with 19.7 yards per rush, was 7-of-15 passing for 129 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. He tallied 217 all-purpose yards to tie for the ninth-best single-game total in school history and generated 346 yards of total offense, 12th all-time at Baylor.
Griffin led the Bears to their first win against a non-Big 12 BCS team since 1998, ending a six-game skid.
By Cindy V. Culp
| Monday, September 15, 2008, 10:35 AM
Gas prices around Central Texas are a mixed bag in the wake of Hurricane Ike. But at worst, the price per gallon is about 50 cents more than before the storm.
In the Waco area, the price of a gallon of unleaded is ranging from $3.65 at the Valero station off Interstate 35 in Hewitt to $3.99 at the Flying J truck stop in Waco, according to the Web site gasbuddy.com.
To the north, in Hillsboro, prices are similar. A 7-Eleven store off the interstate is selling unleaded for $3.99 per gallon. But a Mobil station, also on the Interstate, had gas for 40 cents less, the site says.
To the south, in Temple, the lowest price listed on the site this morning is $3.59 per gallon at a Valero station. The highest is $3.75 at an Exxon station.
In Milam County, hit harder by the storm, the price of gas is only listed for one station, which is selling unleaded for $3.65 per gallon, according to the site.
The prices the site uses are obtained by volunteers who enter them daily.
By Cindy V. Culp
| Monday, September 15, 2008, 10:20 AM
Seventh & James Baptist Church in Waco, which has been serving as one of the local shelter sites for Hurricane Ike evacuees, still has about 30 people staying there, said Pat Bailey, wife of pastor the Rev. Raymond Bailey.
That represents about six families, she said, and is about half of what the church had at its peak.
Some of those families will likely remain at the shelter until the end of the week, Bailey said, because their homes do not have power. For families that have a safe place to go to, the church is working with them individually. Some have signed up for FEMA assistance but others have not, she said.
“We’re trying to give them some help to get home,” she said.
By Cindy V. Culp
| Monday, September 15, 2008, 10:15 AM
Flights at Waco Regional Airport are back to normal today after Hurricane Ike caused all commercial flights Saturday to be canceled. Some American Eagle flights between Waco and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport resumed Sunday.
But today is the first day Continential Connection resumed flights between here and Houston’s George Bush International Airport.
By Regina Dennis
| Monday, September 15, 2008, 08:41 AM
A 7-year-old was killed and his twin brother injured in a three-car accident Sunday evening on U.S. Highway 77 in northern Falls County.
The accident occurred about a mile south of Golinda at 6:05 p.m., according to officials with the Texas Department of Public Safety. The driver of a 1997 Geo Prizm had stopped in the southbound lane of Highway 77 and was struck by a 1999 Chevrolet pickup. The Prizm was thrust into the northbound lane of the highway and was struck by a 2009 Toyota Corolla.
A total of six people were injured in the crash, including the twins and a 9-year-old child.
A DPS spokeswoman said all were taken to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center Sunday night. The condition of the other injured persons is not known.
By Mike Anderson
| Sunday, September 14, 2008, 04:04 PM
Some air service out of Waco has resumed today in the wake of Hurricane Ike, while a few flights remain scrubbed until Monday morning.
Officials with American Eagle at Waco Regional Airport say the airline resumed flights between Waco and Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport today. The next flight is to depart at 6 p.m., an airline representative said.
However, Continental Connection representatives said today they do not expect to resume flights to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport until the 5:22 a.m. Monday flight.
Both airlines canceled all Waco flights Saturday.
All air service to Houston was suspended again today — airlines had originally hoped to resume flights by then, but Continental Airlines Inc. said it was aiming for a Monday reopening at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
At the height of the hurricane, Houston-based Continental ran much of its network from an underground emergency bunker in suburban Montgomery County, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Both airlines are offering free flight changes to some customers whose plans were altered by Ike.
By Mike Anderson
| Sunday, September 14, 2008, 03:16 PM
As of 3:00PM on Sunday, September 14th here is the status of sheltering operations in Waco-McLennan County:
Since the Reception Center was closed Saturday afternoon at 2pm, the American Red Cross is handling the placement of the few persons entering our area seeking shelter. The majority of persons that remained in the Galveston-Houston area to ride out the storm are being evacuated in buses to large state designated shelters in hub sheltering cities. Several of those previously being sheltered in one of the seven Waco area shelters have left.
In an effort to begin consolidating evacuees to better serve and facilitate individuals from the same area, approximately 250 evacuees at the Green Family Camp will be moved to the available spaces in other shelters previously opened in the greater Waco area.
Those include:
City of Waco Multipurpose Center (Quinn Campus)
G.L. Wiley School
College Ave Baptist Church-McGregor
Crestview Church of Christ
7th and James Baptist Church
South Waco Recreation Center
By Paula Blesener
| Sunday, September 14, 2008, 09:22 AM
Thousands of Central Texas customers of Entergy Texas remain without power today as a result of Hurricane Ike.
According to the company’s Web site this morning, almost 300 customers have no power in Milam County, with 435 in Limestone County and nearly 200 in Falls County. Harder hit are the areas around Franklin and Caldwell, with some 7,000 without power in those counties, the Web site reports.
By Bruce Kabat
| Sunday, September 14, 2008, 08:46 AM
Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin is drawing some big praise after leading the Bears to a 45-17 romp over Washington State University.
From the Seattle Times:
Player of the game: Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin, who rushed for 217 yards and threw for 129. Griffin set a school rushing record and became the first quarterback since Cody Carlson in 1986 to rush for more than 100 yards in a game for the Bears.
Play of the game: Griffin faked into the middle and swept left for a 58-yard touchdown on Baylor’s first play of the second half. The scoring run gave Baylor a comfortable 35-14 lead with 8:47 remaining in the third quarter.
From Chuck Carlton, Dallas Morning News:
Griffin is the real deal with mad skills, to steal a line from Napoleon Dynamite. He’s confident bordering on cocky and has the talent to overcome his inexperience. He had 217 yards rushing and left midway through the fourth quarter. His passing isn’t quite as dazzling, but it’s not bad. He just needs accuracy to go with the arm strength.
From Howie Stalwick, Seattle Post Intelligencer:
True freshman quarterback Robert Griffin, who attended Olympia’s Hansen Elementary School when his father was stationed at Fort Lewis, sparked the Bears with a series of dazzling plays in a 45-17 romp at Floyd Casey Stadium … Just 18 years old, Griffin displayed quick feet and a strong right arm.
And from the Waco Trib’s own John Werner:
Freshman quarterback Robert Griffin is a big reason for the buzz. Unquestionably the most athletic quarterback in Baylor history, Griffin busted loose for a school-record 217 yards rushing on just 11 carries, setting a Big 12 record with a remarkable 19.7 yards per carry. When was the last time you saw a quarterback break off two 58-yard runs and a 57-yarder for good measure?
Washington State coach Paul Wulff said it best: “Robert Griffin makes everybody look slow.”
By Jim Barnes
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 10:12 PM
American Eagle’s 6:20 a.m. Sunday flight from Waco Regional Airport is canceled, but later flights are on, according to an American Eagle representative.
Continental Airlines’ Web site says operations out of Houston Intercontinental Airport will be closed Sunday.
By Jim Barnes
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 06:11 PM
Massive power outages have been reported as a result of Hurricane Ike for Entergy Texas, Inc. customers.
According to the company’s Web site, up to 500 are without power in the areas of Tehuacana, Mexia, Groesbeck, Marlin, Lott and Cameron. Up to 1,000 are without power in the Buffalo area, and up to 5,000 in Caldwell, Bremond, Calvert and Franklin.
By Erin Quinn
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 02:41 PM
A Robertson County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman reports that Franklin, Calvert and Bremond are entirely without power as a result of high winds from Hurricane Ike.
Elsewhere in Central Texas, the Freestone County Sheriff’s Office reports downed trees and power lines.
By Bruce Kabat
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 02:27 PM
Here’s the latest Hurricane Ike update from City of Waco spokesman Larry Holze.
As of 2:00PM on Saturday, September 13th here is the status of sheltering operations in Waco-McLennan County:
Our Reception Center, the Church of the Open Door, shut down today at 2PM. No new evacuees are expected. Waco-McLennan County Emergency Management greatly appreciates the huge contribution and sacrifice Pastor Ronnie Holmes, his staff and congregation have made to welcome the approximate 1,000 evacuees (some with their pets) to our area.
Anyone in need of sheltering should now contact the American Red Cross at 254-776-8362 or Waco-McLennan County EOC at 254-750-5911.
The various shelter counts issued in the 11AM Update this morning are still accurate to the best of our knowledge. Some people may leave these shelters over the next several days and counts may not be easily obtained. The Waco-McLennan County EOC will remain in 24 hour operation until further notice.
Those persons who came to McLennan County by way of bus from San Patricio County (our sister, point-to-point evacuation County) will leave Sunday before Noon to return home. Residents of the impacted areas of the storm including Houston and Galveston should wait for authorities in those areas to give the ok before returning. Several thousand solders of the National Guard are being sent to protect the area until the word is given for residents to return.
We will continue to operate shelters for the evacuees until they return to their areas or other long term arrangements can be made.
1:50 pm: Official now: The flash flood watch and tropical storm wind warning have been canceled for Waco and most surrounding counties (Limestone County remains under both). Waco and the other surrounding counties are now under a wind advisory, with 25 mph sustained winds and higher gusts expected.
1:10 pm: Latest NHC report downgrades Ike to a tropical storm with top sustained winds of 60 mph. The center is now near Palestine (as might be anticipated from the damage mentioned below).
Waco Regional Airport reported 0.10 inches of rain last hour, and sustained 24 mph winds with gusts to 36 mph.
And the NWS in Fort Worth is now saying that Waco will be removed from the flash flood watch, and the tropical storm warning for Waco will be replaced with a wind advisory. Details when that happens.
Noon: One of those stray bands of showers just started up where I am; I had to scramble to close a window where it was raining in. A few counties over where the main part of Ike is hitting, Palestine’s emergency manager reports via the NWS that power is out across much of Anderson County. Numerous trees are down over there, including one onto a house.
11:10 am: The National Weather Service has issued a small-stream flood advisory for Limestone, Freestone, Anderson and Leon counties. Meanwhile, Waco Regional Airport reported 25 mph winds with gusts to 37 mph and 0.02 inches of rain in the last hour.
It looks from radar like the rain is going to mostly give Waco a miss except for a few stray bands of showers. It’s likely to stay windy for much of the day, though.
10:13 am: The 10 am National Hurricane Center update puts the center of Ike near Trinity in Trinity County with 80 mph winds. Meanwhile, the National Weather Service is reporting trees down in and west of Fairfield, and trees down and power outages in Franklin.
By Erin Quinn
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 12:33 PM
Emergency crews have been dispatched to a report of an 18-wheeler whose driver apparently jumped the concrete barrier separating the north and southbound lanes of Interstate 35 south of Highway 6, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman said.
Northbound traffic was backed up for about two miles as a result of the accident, and a portion of the truck was hanging over the barrier.
The driver reportedly said that a gust of wind pushed the truck to the barrier.
By Ken Sury
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 11:57 AM
Called to check on American Eagle flights out of Waco Regional Airport and was told all have been canceled for today. Didn’t call Continental because obviously nobody is flying in or out of Houston.
My mother and sister’s trip to Italy was supposed to fly out of Houston today, but that was canceled earlier in the week. Instead, my sister just northwest of Houston and my brother and his family in Katy are listening to the wind howl and wondering if their board fence is going to fall over with all the wind.
By Ken Sury
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 10:00 AM
City of Waco spokesman Larry Holze has sent out this update on evacuees sheltered in McLennan County.
As of 9:00AM on Saturday, September 13th here is the status of sheltering operations in Waco-McLennan County:
The number of people coming into our official Waco-McLennan County reception center, Church of the Open Door (900 N. Loop 340, at Exit 339 off Interstate 35) has diminished to only a few per hour. Both the emergency operations center and reception center remain in 24-hour operation to receive and provide for the needs of evacuees and citizens.
Here is a list of the shelters currently open and the number of evacuees registered:
[number in brackets indicates capacity].
Remember that people cannot go to any of these shelters directly without first being registered and assigned at the reception center.
Greene Family Camp - 566 [600]
City of Waco MultiPurpose Center (Quinn Campus) - 24 [25]
G.L. Wiley School - 104 [150]
College Ave Baptist Church-McGregor - 29 [30]
Crestview Church of Christ - 96 [100]
7th and James Baptist Church - 47 [66]
South Waco Recreation Center - 50 [100] (opened at 9 p.m. Friday)
Approximately 190 pets have been taken in at the Waco Animal Shelter but others are on their way as of this update.
By Joseph Abbott
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 09:16 AM
The new word from the National Weather Service in Fort Worth is to expect tropical storm force winds to start in the next hour. The Waco area forecast now calls for 25 to 35 mph steady winds, with gusts up to 50 mph.
By Ken Sury
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 08:04 AM
The official National Weather Service reporting station at the Waco Regional Airport is now showing a north wind blowing at 22 mph with a gust as high as 33 mph, so it appears we’re starting to see some of Ike’s effects.
By Regina Dennis
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 07:44 AM
Some counties east of Waco are beginning to experience weather changes as the outer bands of Hurricane Ike nears the Central Texas region.
Parts of Falls and Hill counties were experiencing heavy winds, the sheriff’s departments there reported. There were some sprinkling rains in Hubbard around 7 a.m.
Limestone County officials are expecting serious weather around 10 a.m. Saturday.
By Ken Sury
| Saturday, September 13, 2008, 07:27 AM
Here’s a release from the Red Cross about donations requested to help hurricane victims.
The American Red Cross in its effort to shelter and assist the needs of our coastal neighbors during their time in our area are requesting the following In Kind donations for supporting shelter residents. These items can be delivered to our chapter office at 4224 Cobbs Drive, next to the National Guard Armory. You can contact us at 254.776.8362 or 888-776-9226 for more ways to donate time and resources.
New books, magazines, games, balls and puzzles for children, youth and adults
New comfort items such as Kleenex tissue, washcloths, towels, sheets & pillows
New wet wipes, baby diapers Size 3
We would also like to remind evacuees and their families to register as “Safe & Well” through the Red Cross Web site at www.redcross.org.
Now you can even give with the touch of your cell phone!! Text keyword “GIVE” to “2HELP” (24357) for a $5 donation to the Disaster Relief Fund. Your cell phone will be billed the $5.00 donation. You can text up to four times to give $20.00 total. (Standard text messaging charges apply)
All American Red Cross disaster assistance is free, made possible by voluntary donations of time and money from the American people. You can help the victims of thousands of disasters across the country each year by making a financial gift to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund, which enables the Red Cross to provide shelter, food, counseling and other assistance to victims of disaster.
The American Red Cross honors donor intent. If you wish to designate your donation to a specific disaster, please do so at the time of your donation. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or 1-800-257-7575 (Spanish). Contributions to the Disaster Relief Fund may be sent to your local American Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P. O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013. Internet users can make a secure online contribution by visiting www.redcross.org.
By Bill Whitaker
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 09:16 PM
People from across the Texas coast continue to arrive at the Waco-McLennan County reception center, the Church of the Open Door, seeking shelter after fleeing Hurricane Ike.
City of Waco spokesman Larry Holze said the Greene Family Camp in Bruceville is sheltering 568 evacuees and has a capacity for a total of 600. The Red Cross is staffing the shelter.
The city of Waco Multi-Purpose Center at the Quinn Campus in East Waco is sheltering 24, one short of its total capacity. The American Red Cross is staffing the center, which is caring for evacuees with special needs. Waco-McLennan County Public Health officials are helping with prescriptions and medications.
G.L. Wiley Middle School, the focus of intense controversy last month regarding its closure by the Waco school board, is back open, this time serving a new need. City officials are sheltering 137 evacuees there and can accommodate 13 more.
College Avenue Baptist Church in McGregor is sheltering 29 evacuees with room for one more. Crestview Church of Christ is sheltering 71 and can accommodate 100. The Seventh and James Baptist Church on the Baylor University campus has 11 evacuees and can accommodate a total of 66.
The South Waco Recreation Center was opened about 9 p.m. for more evacuees if the need arises throughout tonight and into Saturday. It can accommodate 100.
Holze said 160 pets have been taken in at the Waco Animal Shelter, “but others are on their way as of this update.” The shelter can accommodate 220.
By Erin Quinn
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 08:25 PM
At 8:15 p.m., a spokeswoman with the Texas Department of Public Safety reported that traffic on roadways in and around Waco was flowing smoothly, despite millions of coastal residents fleeing their homes from the seemingly inevitable wrath of Hurricane Ike.
“Whatever’s going on over there isn’t affecting us yet,” the spokeswoman said.
That’s been pretty much the case all day, even amid reports of bumper-to-bumper traffic on highways south of Waco.
In fact, northbound traffic through Waco on Interstate 35 was moving along so well that a highway trooper pulled over one motorist, apparently for speeding.
By Erin Quinn
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 07:32 PM
The first number on the marquee that displays the range of gas prices at the Brookshire’s filling station on Robinson Drive reads $3.48 — more than 12 cents cheaper than even the lowest prices on the Robinson strip.
It must be too good to be true, crane-necking passersby must be saying, and there’s no three-car-deep wait like at some pumps in the Waco area this weekend.
Has to be too good to be true, especially with gas prices edging upward because of Hurricane Ike, reported fuel shortages and the threat to refineries in the hurricane’s path.
Sure enough, a sign in the window states, “Sorry. Out of gas.”
Brookshire’s store manager Gary Grones said the station ran out of gas around 9 p.m Thursday.
By Jeff Osborne
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 04:46 PM
From the office of Larry Holze, director of municipal information for the city of Waco:
As of 4:30 p.m. today this is the status of sheltering operations in Waco-McLennan County:
People from across the coast of Texas continue to arrive at the official Waco-McLennan County reception center, Church of the Open Door (900 N Loop 340 at Exit 339 off Interstate 35).
Approximately 480 evacuees are being sheltered at Greene Family Camp which is being run by the American Red Cross. No new buses have arrived at the reception center. This is an adjusted “input” from reception center assignment, not an actual count at the camp.
18 people are at the Multi Purpose Center next to the YMCA on Elm Street that is also staffed by Red Cross. (This was previously referred to as the Doris Miller Y in earlier reports). This is a special needs facility with a capacity of 25. The Waco-McLennan County Public Health staff are assisting with prescription and other medication needed.
137 pets have been taken in at the Waco Animal Shelter. They have a new capacity of 220. The Waco Animal Shelter has received 8,000 pounds of food and cat liter from citizen donations. The Waco Police Department animal control office is in charge of all animal issue operation.
Wiley Middle School is being opened as a shelter at this time and will begin taking in evacuees coming in to the reception center only. One local church is assisting with several families who were previously at Greene Family Camp. We expect the demand to end by early Saturday morning based on the present storm movement.
By Regina Dennis
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 04:25 PM
Milam County was not planning on setting up shelters for Hurricane Ike evacuees.
And then they showed up.
“I think the people that we’re getting were some of the ones that were thinking it might not be as bad as it is, and they were trying to wait it out,” said Susan Reinders, emergency management coordinator for the county. “But now they realize they need to seek some shelter, so we’re catching that.”
Reinders said there are currently 250 evacuees spread across five shelters set up in the county, with four more shelters ready to be activated in Rockdale if needed. At least another 100 evacuees are on the way.
“We had a group of people who had been down here with Hurricane Rita, and they called to see if our shelters were going to be open, “ Reinders said. “So they sort of made reservations, so to speak, because we weren’t supposed to be opening any centers.”
Reinders said a public service announcement has made on local radio stations inviting mobile home residents to stay in shelters during the storm as well to seek cover from the 60 and 70 mph winds expected Saturday afternoon. Power outages and flooding are the major concerns for the county, and local volunteer fire departments are on call to handle any flooded roadways, she said.
Hill County has set up two shelters for evacuees and has been receiving people from the Waco reception center at the Church of the Open Door since Wednesday evening, according to Jeremy Groer, spokesman for the county’s emergency management office.
About 400 evacuees are at Latham Springs Baptist Camp, while 20 special needs children are at Buffalo Ridge Camp, Groer said.
“Most of our regular citizens have stepped up to volunteer at the shelters,” Groer said. “They’re both camps as well, so a lot of the regular camp staff is on duty, as well as some people from local non-profit groups.”
The emergency management office has been coordinating different activities throughout the city in preparation for Hurricane Ike: fueling all law enforcement vehicles, clearing roadways of debris, and preparing back-up generators for areas that may lose power during the storm.
One big concern is monitoring at least six creeks in the county that are prone to flooding. The city of Covington is also considered a problem spot, Groer said.
“We have barricades set up to hold off those areas if we need to,” he said. “We urge people to use caution and not drive into any water, because the quick currents could easily become dangerous.”
In Limestone County, a handful of evacuees have been placed in temporary shelters at local churches, though the county is not an official evacuation center, said Limestone County Judge Daniel Burkeen.
Burkeen said the county is particularly preparing for power outages certain to come with the storm.
“We’re a rural county, and we get a lot of tree limbs falling down when there are a lot of high winds, and we usually receive a lot of power outages from storms,” he said.
TXU energy has sent extra crews to the county to deal with outages as they occur, and generators are being prepared at county offices and hospitals. Local law enforcement will assist in clearing any blocked roadways, Burkeen said.
Falls County is also beefing up patrol of law enforcement officials to be available if any major problems arise because of the storm.
“DPS (Texas Department of Public Safety) takes care of the highways pretty well, but we’ll be more focused on clearing any downed trees or taking care of power outages and things like that,” said Jerry Kindred, emergency management coordinator for Falls County.
The county is placing a 15,000 kilowatt backup generator at the Falls County Jail, and has a 7,500 kilowatt generator stored on a transport vehicle in case there is another major power outage in the county. The emergency management office is also monitoring roadways, but does not anticipate any flooding in the area.
“If we stay in the 2 to 4 inches range, as far as rainfall goes, I think we’ll be fine,” Kindred said.
By Jeff Osborne
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 04:17 PM
A spokeswoman for McLennan Community College says MCC has cancelled tomorrow’s Saturday classes because of the threat of severe weather, and offices will be closed Saturday, including the library.
By Cindy Culp
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 04:00 PM
Oncor Electric Delivery, which maintains the power lines in this area, will have enough staff here to respond to any outages caused by bad weather this weekend, said Mike Cain, area manager for the company.
The company does have a plan to send employees from non-affected areas to parts of the state where there is the greatest need for service. But that won’t come at the expense of local needs, he said.
The planning process has been daunting, however, Cain said. Not only has the storm’s changing path complicated matters, he said, but its sheer size is challenging.
“We’re having to prepare contingency plans across our entire service area,” Cain said.
To speed up service if there are outages, people should keep a copy of their electric bill handy, Cain said. It contains both the telephone number to call to report outages as well as their account number, which will be needed, he said.
In addition, Cain urged people not to mess with any downed power lines they might encounter or nearby debris. Instead people should leave the area immediately and call 9-1-1, he said.
“Don’t touch the lines or anything they touch because those lines might be energized, he said.
By Regina Dennis
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 03:53 PM
Officials from the McLennan County region of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice are being dispatched throughout parts of Texas Saturday to examine the conditions of jails affected by the storm.
John Seamanski, maintenance supervisor for region 6 of the criminal justice department, said about 10 people from Waco will be sent out Saturday morning as a first response team to evaluate the conditions of the state prisons that may be damaged by the hurricane.
“We’re headed out to Navasota first, to examine the situation there and make sure everything’s secure and the buildings are up to code,” he said. “From there, we’ll be making our way south toward the coast to whatever areas are more affected and wherever we’re most needed.”
Seamanski said they will be focusing mostly on some of the newer buildings that are made of metal and more susceptible to wind damage. Hurricane Ike is currently a category 3 hurricane with winds speeds of 105 mph.
“Most of the older, concrete structures are pretty solid and won’t be in that much danger, but it’s the ones that are not so stable that we’re worried about.”
Though he is going to have to travel during the storm this weekend, Seamanski was more concerned about making sure his wife and two sons are secure in Waco. At Wal-Mart, he purchased four gallons of water and two 12 packs of bottled water for his family and other grocery items.
“I’m just picking up things to make sure they will have whatever they need to make it through the storm,” he said.
By Cindy Culp
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 03:50 PM
Oncor Electric Delivery, which maintains the power lines in this area, will have enough staff here to respond to any outages caused by bad weather this weekend, said Mike Cain, area manager for the company.
The company does plan to send employees from non-affected areas to parts of the state where there is the greatest need for service. But that won’t come at the expense of local needs, he said.
The planning process has been daunting, however, Cain said. Not only has the storm’s changing path complicated matters, he said, but its sheer size is challenging.
“We’re having to prepare contingency plans across our entire service area,” Cain said.
To speed up service if there are outages, people should keep a copy of their electric bills handy, Cain said. It contains both the telephone number to call to report outages as well as their account numbers, which will be needed, he said.
In addition, Cain urged people not to mess with any downed power lines they might encounter or with nearby debris. Instead people should leave the area immediately and call 9-1-1, he said.
“Don’t touch the lines or anything they touch because those lines might be energized, he said.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 03:39 PM
Fred Youmans, a local Farmers Insurance agent, said agents are visiting local hotels and shelters to distribute fliers about how customers can file claims if they discover their home or other property has been damaged and they’re going to be in Waco for several days.
“We’re providing basic information on making a claim,” said Youmans, adding that Farmers is assembling two catastrophe teams from Waco to head to the storm area if necessary.
By Mike Copeland
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 03:30 PM
Tow King Inc. is making plans to have a busy day on Saturday.
“We have 10 trucks, and we will have every one of them ready to go,” said spokesman Gary Hoffman. Even two older trucks that are considered spares will be used if necessary. Tow King has put a new battery in one to make it ready for action. Also, employees who do not usually work on weekends have been put on standby.
By Regina Dennis
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 02:45 PM
What hurricane?
Though city officials have cautioned residents to stock up on water, non-perishable food items and working flashlights in preparation of heavy rainfalls from Hurricane Ike, some shoppers are less concerned about the effect of the storm on Waco.
At the H-E-B on North 19th Street near McLennan Community College, displays of bottled water were virtually untouched by shoppers. Canned goods also stayed stocked on shelves, though some shoppers tossed a few in their baskets while doing normal grocery shopping.
“I wouldn’t have normally bought the can goods, but I think they would be good to have if something happens,” said Waco resident Jimmy Lou Simmons. “I probably shouldn’t have bought all this meat, because if the power goes out it’ll go bad.”
Simmons said she would consider buying bottled water later in the evening if it seemed like the storm would have a big impact on the city. However, she said that some of the urgency about the storm is overkill.
“I think the media is making it out to be bigger than it is, and the city officials feel pressure to act right away because if something goes wrong they’ll get blamed for it,” Simmons said.
At the Wal-Mart on Franklin Avenue, large displays of gallon water bottles were in every major aisle. Toward the back of the store, the shelves holding bottled water were running scarce.
Chris Olivarri, who said he was doing normal shopping at the store, thought some people were being overly cautious.
“It’s good to be prepared, but I think it’s gone too far, because they’re (Wal-Mart) out of D batteries,” he said, adding that he also purchased batteries and flashlights because his power tends to go out in any storm.
Clifton resident Lorraine Fuller, a stay-at-home mom, had stocked her basket with chips, cookies, juice and other snack foods for her four children.
“This is just regular shopping for the week,” she said, while placing stuffed Wal-Mart bags into the trunk of her car. “High school football, that’s the biggest thing on our minds.”
Some shoppers were worried about how big of an impact Hurricane Ike would have on Texas. The storm is projected to make landfall at Galveston late Friday, then travel to Houston and just east of Waco in Central Texas Saturday.
Phyllis Ward was preparing her home for relatives coming to Waco this weekend for a family reunion. Her elderly aunt lived in Corpus Christi and had to evacuate to San Antonio. She also has a lot of family in Houston.
“I’m definitely concerned about what it’s going to do on the coast, and I’m praying that it doesn’t do as much damage as they’re projecting,” Ward said. “But as far as for what’s going on here, it is a little over the top for me.”
By Cindy Culp
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 02:20 PM
Local officials who work with Waco’s homeless have made plans to keep their clients safe if bad weather hits Central Texas, said Teri Holtkamp, the city of Waco’s homelessness administrator.
At tomorrow’s breakfast for the homeless at Mission Waco’s Meyer Center for Urban Ministries, officials will give an update on the weather, so that everyone will know what’s going on, she said.
If the weather is bad, the Meyer Center will be kept open all day until local shelters for the homeless open up in the evening, Holtkamp said.
She added that in times of bad weather, the shelters loosen up their occupancy rules to allow anyone who needs a place to stay to be there.
By Regina Dennis
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 01:48 PM
The heavy rainfall expected from Hurricane Ike Saturday could pose some problems for McLennan County farmers, said county Agricultural Extension Agent David Groschke.
Potential erosion of soil is the biggest concern for most farmers, Groschke said. Erosion would displace fertile soil and make it unusable for planting.
“There’s not any crops covering the fields now, it’s just bare ground that’s been processed for next year’s planting,” Groschke said. “Any heavy rains could carry the soil downhill because there’s nothing to hold it in place. But a lot of the farmers are prepared for that.”
Groschke said securing livestock is another concern if the weather turns dangerous.
The Heart O’ Texas Fairgrounds has offered to allow some ranchers to keep horses in the coliseum during the storm.
“If we run into tremendous amount of lightning, it’s possible some may loose a cow or two in big lighting storm,” he said. “It’s best to try to get livestock under a barn or some type of infrastructure, but with a big herd that’s going to be hard to deal with.”
Most area farmers have already done a second cut of hay for the year, and Groschke anticipates that they will be able to get a third hay cut in October, even with the amount of rainfall expected this weekend.
Wheat crops in the area had been harvested toward the end of the summer, and most farmers have picked their cotton crops.
“We have a few of them that haven’t harvested their cotton,” he said. “If we get a lot of rain, the crops would get hurt pretty bad if they retain a lot of moisture.”
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 01:24 PM
12:24 P.M.: H-E-B is still fully stocked with gas, “and we don’t anticipate any supply problems,” said spokeswoman Leslie Lockett. “We have several stores in Waco actually receiving trucks today.”
She said wholesale prices to the store have increased, but H-E-B has not yet passed those along at the pump. She said a refinery near Corpus Christi is cranking back up because Ike is moving in a direction away from it.
That means H-E-B has more options for buying gasoline than it thought it might. “We buy it anywhere we can get it,” she added.
11:01 A.M.: Spokesman Shoaib Ahmed said he’s noticing a lot of people topping off their tanks at the Raceway station on South Valley Mills Drive. He said business was so brisk that he ran out of gasoline about three hours Thursday evening.
He believes people are scared that prices will skyrocket, so they’re stocking up. He said his prices have risen 4 cents to $3.53 a gallon for regular unleaded.
10:49 A.M.: Valero Energy Corp. has had to shut down refineries in Houston, Texas City and Port Arthur. But spokesman Bill Day says it is too early to tell if Valero will have supply problems that might affect the convenience stores it operates in Waco and Central Texas.
He said about 60 Valero stores have been closed in the Houston area. Whether prices will be going up, he said, also remains to be seen. But it is a matter of supply and demand, and the company has three refineries out of commission.
“It really depends on how long the refineries stay down,” said Day. “Even if it’s not damaged by the storm, it takes several days to get a refinery going again. It’s not an easy process. After Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005, several refineries were down for weeks. (Price increases) will depend on the severity of the storm and damage to the refineries.”
10:46 A.M.: Matthew Barnes at Skinny’s, 4200 W. Waco Drive, said his employees have noticed more people topping off their gas tanks. He doesn’t know if they are Waco people or evacuees.
While on the telephone with business editor Mike Copeland, he said he was charging $3.59 a gallon for regular unleaded but had orders to change that to $3.75. He said he would be making the change “as soon as we get off the phone.”
9:47 A.M.: Business is brisk at the Woodway H-E-B this morning. The milk case is nearly depleted. The only flashlights left are rechargeable. A cashier said there was a huge rush before people headed to work with a lot of visitors from the coast purchasing groceries.
9:22 A.M.: It may not be this way everywhere around Waco yet, but we’ve seen vehicles this morning stacked two to three deep at each pump at the Woodway H-E-B Food Store.
By Erin Quinn
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 12:34 PM
Like many Texans facing evacuation, 26-year-old William Smith took his beloved pets with him.
Like those countless others, he says he doesn’t know what he’d do without his pets.
They’re members of his family.
But unlike most pet owners, Smith’s fuzzy friends are mice.
Seven of them, to be exact. The mother, Patches, the father, Stinky Cheese, and their five baby mice.
They started out as food for a pet snake, Smith said. But Patches and Stinky Cheese got too big and, well, Smith got attached to the little furry creatures.
To Smith’s surprise, the family of rodents were a popular addition Thursday to the 21 evacuees loaded on an Aransas Pass school bus bound for Waco’s Church of the Open Door, which is Waco’s receiving site for coastal evacuees.
Children on the bus, he said, were intrigued by the little fellas. Smith said he even took one of the babies out during the bus ride for the children to pet.
By Bruce Kabat
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 11:59 AM
Thanks for joining our noontime live chat about Hurricane Ike on WacoTrib.com.
Trib senior editor Bill Whitaker moderated a discussion with KXXV News Channel 25 chief meteorologist Matt Hines and City of Waco spokesman Larry Holze.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 11:30 AM
More than 400 people along the Texas Gulf Coast are being sheltered in the county, according to an 11 a.m. release from city of Waco spokesman Larry Holze, who will be joining the Trib’s Bill Whitaker and Joseph Abbott (aka Joe Weather) and KXXV News Channel 25 chief meteorologist Matt Hines at noon today for a Live Chat about Hurricane Ike.
Here’s the release:
People from across the coast of Texas continue to arrive at the official Waco-McLennan County reception center, Church of the Open Door, 900 North Loop 340 at Exit 339 off Interstate 35.
Approximately 390 evacuees are being sheltered at Greene Family Camp, which is being run by the American Red Cross. These numbers are based on no new buses arriving at the reception center but individual car loads that were routed to the camp. Some of the previous evacuees assigned to this location have left after a one night stay and moved on to other parts of the state so this number is an adjusted “input” from reception center assignment, not actual count at the camp. We will get that number later.
Seventeen people are at the Multi-Purpose Center next to the YMCA on Elm Street that is also staffed by Red Cross. (This was previously referred to as the Doris Miller Y in earlier reports). This is a special-needs facility with a capacity of 25. The Waco-McLennan County Public Health District staff are assisting with prescription and other medication needed.
Four persons are in local nursing homes that arrived on buses and one is in a local hospital.
Seventy pets have been taken in at the Waco Animal Shelter. They have a capacity of 180 but could be expanded as needed. Waco PD animal control office is in charge of all animal issue operation. We are prepared to establish other shelters as needed. We expect the demand to end by early Saturday morning based on the present storm movement.
By Cindy V. Culp
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 11:01 AM
If McLennan County gets a lot of rain this weekend, the most likely place where the Brazos River will exceed its bank is in the Downsville area, said Judi Pierce of the Brazos River Authority. The community perpetually has flooding problems when there are heavy rains, she said.
Sometimes water also builds up around the Gholson area, Pierce said. But that seems unlikely this weekend, she said, because both Lake Waco and Lake Whitney have plenty of room to store water.
“Everything looks really good,” Pierce said.
Further south, however, the river tends to flood more, Pierce said. Usually the problems begin around Marlin and then get worse toward Bryan-College Station and further south. Areas north of Lake Whitney also sometimes experience problems, she said.
Within the city of Waco, one spot that could flood in the event of heavy rains is Waco Drive and Franklin Avenue where they cross over Waco Creek, said Assistant City Manager Joe Mayfield. That area is near where the Academy Sports & Outdoors store is, he said.
Another potential place where water could be over the road is in the 3000 block of Austin Avenue where there is a bridge that goes over a creek, Mayfield said. In addition, there are some low spots on Waco Drive between 18th and 25th streets where water can get high enough to prevent small cars from crossing after heavy rains, he said.
By Cindy V. Culp
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 10:54 AM
The Waco Humane Society/Animal Shelter is still abuzz with activity. It is now caring for more than 70 evacuated pets, executive director Karen Froehlich said this morning.
Volunteers built dog runs until it got dark Thursday, Froehlich said. Then after that, others stayed to help with security and other tasks, leaving at 6 a.m. just as another group was coming in, she said.
The shelter is getting a lot of help from veterinary tech students at McLennan Community College, Froehlich said. They are giving animals needed vaccinations.
The response of requests for food has been overwhelming, Froehlich said. The shelter now has all the food it can handle, she said, including a 2,000-pound donation coming from M&M Mars this morning. What the organization really needs now is cash, she said, because it is incurring extra overhead expenses to care for evacuees’ pets.
“Just the change in your pocket can help,” she said, adding that the government reimbursement to the shelter won’t cover all of its costs.
By Regina Dennis
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 09:13 AM
With Hurricane Ike expected to affect the Central Texas area Saturday morning, police departments in McLennan County are beefing up patrol and response units.
The Lacy-Lakeview Police Department said it is keeping more officers on patrol and personnel in dispatch to help answer phones.
The Bellmead Police Department said it may bring in more people to handle dispatch calls on Saturday, when it expects the call volume will increase with people requesting directions.
Beverly Hills police are preparing patrol units to assist with possible flooding that may come to areas homes located near Waco Creek. The department is stocking on supplies and equipment to set up temporary shelter for homes that may be flooded.
“Whenever we get 2 or 3 inches or rain, it (Waco Creek) can flood really quickly,” said dispatch supervisor Chad Fillip. “We have about a half-dozen houses we have to keep an eye on.”
The McLennan County Sheriff’s Office said it has not seen a huge change in the call volumes so far, but a spokeswoman said, “we know that can change when it (Hurricane Ike) comes. Right now we’re just keeping an eye on the weather.”
The Department of Public Safety said State Highway 6 and Interstate 35 were not experiencing any increased traffic related to hurricane evacuation this morning.
By Ken Sury
| Friday, September 12, 2008, 08:14 AM
Stay with us here at wacotrib.com as we work to keep you updated on the latest with Hurricane Ike and its effects on our lives as well as friends, relatives and neighbors in Southeast Texas.
The forecast is calling for a good chance of rain today and well, for Saturday we’re looking at 100 percent coverage unless Ike takes a massively sharp northward turn, which would be even worse news for Houston and the low-lying coastal areas.
Check the latest position and projected track for Ike here.
We’ll have another Live Chat with KXXV News Channel 25 chief meteorologist Matt Hines at noon today and he will be joined by city of Waco spokesman Larry Holze on our local care for evacuees.
For us today, we can expect mostly cloudy skies with a high near 91 degrees. We have a 20 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms during the day and a 50 percent chance tonight for Baylor’s rescheduled game with Washington State and area high school games.
By Mike Anderson
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 08:14 PM
A Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman says U.S. Highway 77, State Highway 6 and Interstate 35 in and out of the Waco area are “clear and flowing.”
Of course, with many South Texas residents moving their way north in preparations for Hurricane Ike’s early Saturday landfall, she added, “for now anyway.”
By Mike Anderson
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 07:19 PM
The following press release was released by the city of Waco at 7 p.m.
62 evacuees are being sheltered at Green Family Camp which is being run by the American Red Cross.
18 people are at the Multi Purpose Center next to the YMCA on Elm Street that is also staffed by Red Cross.
One bus arrived at the reception center earlier this evening with 21 on board.
Four persons are in local nursing homes that arrived on buses and one is in a local hospital.
A number of pets are being taken care of at the Waco Animal Shelter. Waco Police Department animal control office is in charge of all animal issue operation.
The Waco-McLennan County Emergency Operations Center went 24 hour operational Wednesday and will remain active until further notice.
The reception center (Church of the Open Door, 900 N. Loop 340Exit 339 off Interstate 35) also began 24 hour operation Wednesday and will remain open until further notice.
The three members of the EOC that traveled to San Patricio County to help with the evacuation to our area have returned to Waco.
The EOC is also supporting our Heart of Texas Council of Governments counties with supplies where we can. Plans are being made to send 500 cots and blankets along with ice and water to Hillsboro.
By Mike Anderson
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 06:38 PM
As of this afternoon, about 100 Hurricane Ike evacuees are being sheltered are being sheltered in McLennan County, says Waco city spokesman Larry Holze.
However, more buses are on the way, Holze says.
Some “25 persons with special needs are being sheltered at the Doris Miller YMCA. Within the next 12-24 hours we will better know if persons from other counties come to our reception area needing shelter,” Holze said. ” Please remember, as we identify shelter locations it is critical that no one bypasses the reception center and goes directly to a shelter.”
Holze’s press release continues:
“Some of our neighboring Counties that are not a part of the ‘point to point’ state evacuation designated shelter plan are providing valuable support to the Waco-McLennan County operation. Latham Springs Camp has approximately 400 evacuees in Hill County. Bosque, Falls, and Freestone counties are ready to assist our operation as needed.”
“Until such time as we begin receiving large numbers of individuals seeking shelter, it is important to remind our own citizens to be prepared for some potentially strong winds and rain. Power outages could occur so consider having ready to eat food available that does not require heating. Water is not a problem since Waco’s water system has backup generators and from 24-36 hours of water stored in overhead storage tanks.”
By Mike Anderson
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 05:21 PM
According to the Houston Chronicle, Central Texas is among the inland parts of Texas that is receiving prisoners evacuated from coastal prisons.
In Galveston County, 402 inmates from the Carol S. Young Medical Facility in Dickinson were evacuated to prisons near Gatesville, Texas Department of Criminal Justice officials told the Chronicle. Lyons said 129 of the prisoners had been receiving medical care at the unit.
By Mike Copeland
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 05:02 PM
5:02 P.M.:Patty Badtram, owner of Batteries Plus, said shoppers have swamped her store in search of every kind of battery, as well as flashlights and radios. “It’s due to the weather,” she said. “They just want to be prepared.”
She said she’s also selling a lot of instant cell-phone chargers that work on batteries.
3:56 P.M.: Brett Boyd, owner of GreenLife Nursery, 1312 N. New Road, said he’s moving as many plants as possible inside his complex. He’s preparing for a 4-to-5-inch rain that could flood some of the lower areas of his business.
He said he distinctly remembers chasing plants down New Road during a storm about 20 years ago, “and I don’t want to go through that again.” Boyd said frankly “we’re a little bit worried.” He said he’s not really concerned about wind but does fear high water.
2:35 P.M.: Kam Bass, who owns the Ben’s Short Stop locations locally, said she does not know what to expect from customers, whether they will fill up in anticipation of bad weather or not. She would not be surprised if gas prices start rising at the pump because of the refinery closings on the Gulf Coast. It’s all a matter of supply and demand, and if supplies are curtailed, prices will go up, she said.
1:25 P.M.: McCoy’s Building Supply is selling a lot of polyfilm, which is rolled plastic that contractors and builders place over construction projects during threatening weather. It also is taking orders for generators. “We really haven’t seen the affects on plywood, at least not yet. On the coast, our stores are probably running 100 miles an hour in that area,” said Doug Hill, store manager.
11:06 A.M.:The Home Depot, 5605 W. Waco Drive, has sold out of generators, and it will not be receiving any more because the company is shipping them to stores in South Texas.
The store is still getting a lot of calls for generators, “(we) just don’t have them to sell,” says Jamie Riley, pro sales manager. He has not noticed a run on plywood and believes Waco residents don’t fear the worst.
Brandon Pharris, assistant manager of the Tractor Supply store in Waco, also said he was selling a lot of generators. “We’ve sold out of those, and we probably won’t be getting more for a long time,” he said. “The company is sending the others down South.”
The Keith’s Ace Hardware in Lorena is stocking up on flashlights, tarps and raincoats because a rush is expected on those items. It hasn’t happened yet, but Friday could be different, according to Zach Claybaker, service representative.
H-E-B has activated its emergency preparedness team, said H-E-B public affairs spokeswoman Leticia Mendoza. It will closely monitor stores from the Gulf Coast all the way to Central Texas, including Waco, to make sure they have plenty of bottled water, diapers, formula, canned goods, ice, flashlights and batteries.
Central Texas may not be directly affected, she said, but it could be seeing evacuees who need assistance.
McLennan County Courthouse officials are taking a few steps to prepare in case Waco is hit by strong winds, heavy rain or flooding.
McLennan County Judge Jim Lewis declared a state of disaster on Thursday and sent the declaration to the governor’s office in case of damage. The filing would make it easier for McLennan County to receive state or federal disaster relief funds.
Also, District Clerk Karen Matkin is taking measures to ensure the safety of important county documents.
“If we get a tornado or very strong winds, we could lose some windows in the courthouse or in our offices. Virtually every one of the court administrators’ offices have windows,” Matkin said.
Matkin has asked that all pleadings, case files and other court documents be taken to the district clerk’s office for safekeeping in metal file folders that are bolted to the floor.
Courthouse employees also are being asked to clear off their desks in case windows blow out, Matkin said.
The courthouse computer system is already backed up, but officials plan to take the back-up tapes and put them in a secure area, Matkin said.
“We have to be in a situation where our records are secure,” she said.
By Joseph Abbott
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 04:25 PM
From the National Weather Service:
…Now is the time to prepare for impacts from Hurricane Ike…
Hurricane Ike will make landfall along the middle Texas coast Saturday morning. Ike will head northward, impacting North Texas Saturday and Sunday with strong winds, heavy rainfall and tornadoes. Now is the time to prepare for this intense tropical system to keep your family safe.
…Preparing for the wind…
Secure lightweight objects which may be blown about. Items such as lawn furniture, potted plants and garbage cans can become dangerous projectiles during high winds.
Extended power outages may occur in the hardest hit areas. Have battery powered radio, televisions, or weather radios available.
Keep flashlights with extra batteries nearby.
Have foods which can be prepared without cooking. Maintain a supply of bottled water. Keep a supply of crucial medications.
Do not forget about the needs of your pets and animals.
…Preparing for tornadoes…
Tropical cyclone tornadoes usually occur on the northeast side of the center of the storm.
These tornadoes can develop with little advance warning and move rapidly.
Have your tornado plan ready.
Seek shelter in interior rooms and keep away from windows.
…Preparing for the rain…
Flash flooding will lIkely occur where heavy rain falls.
Closely monitor nearby streams and creeks.
Avoid travel, and be extremely cautious if you must venture out.
Do not attempt to travel through water on roadways. Turn around… don’t drown.
…Monitor the latest forecasts…
You can always stay updated with the latest watches, warnings, and forecasts from your National Weather Service in Fort Worth and the National Hurricane Center through NOAA Weather Radio, our internet homepage, and local media outlets.
By Mike Anderson
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 03:09 PM
Waco police have arrested Steve Kelly, 18, in the August 23, 2008 shooting death of Robert Louis Nevarez, 21.
In addition to murder, Kelly was also charged with retaliation after police say he and another man threatened a woman in Waco’s Trendwood Apartments after he had learned that she was talking with police about Nevarez’s death. The woman feared for her life and fled the apartment complex, police said.
Nevarez was found lying in the 2500 block of Cole Avenue with a gunshot wound to the head during the early morning hours of Aug. 23.
Police arrested Kelley just before 10:30 this morning, after an unknown caller gave information that Kelly was inside Apartment 1736 number C Dallas Circle. Officers with the K-9 unit responded and found Kelly hiding in the apartment.
Police also arrested Dantwan Bradley, 19, of Waco on a retaliation charge. Police said an arrest warrant was issued for Bradley after he was identified as the unknown male with Kelly when he stopped a woman in the Trendwood Apartment complex and threaten her.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 02:50 PM
A Waco jury this afternoon sentenced Danny Eugene Daniels to life in prison and a $10,000 fine in connection with a fatal shooting in October 2006.
The jury of seven men and five women found Daniels, 22, guilty of murder this morning in 54th State District Court after about two hours of deliberation.
The trial immediately moved into the punishment phase. Daniels faces a sentence of no less than 15 years up to life because of two prior felony convictions.
Daniels shot to death Michael Crawford Evans, 22, of Waco on Oct. 30, 2006, because he believed Evans stole crack cocaine from him. After Evans was shot in the chest with a .357-caliber handgun, he got in his vehicle and drove a short distance before crashing into a tree.
A forsenics firearms expert testified Wednesday that the bullet taken from Evans’ body was fired by the gun found on Daniels a month after the shooting during a traffic stop by Waco police.
Baylor has moved its football game against Washington State up to 7:30 p.m. Friday in order to avoid complications caused by the approach of Hurricane Ike to the Texas Coast this weekend.
The game, originally scheduled to be played Saturday at 11:30 a.m. and to be televised nationally on FSN, posed potential travel problems to fans, to the Washington State travel party as well as to FSN’s crew, the large majority of whom are from the Greater Houston area.
Details on possible television or video webcast of the game are being explored and will be announced as soon as possible. All updates will be posted immediately to BaylorBears.com.
Another Baylor athletic home event altered due to the weather is Sunday’s soccer match vs. Arizona State. The match has been moved back to 5 p.m. at Betty Lou Mays Field.
Baylor’s campus is currently scheduled to remain open and operational through Friday.
In other local college football, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor will also play Friday night at Tiger Field in Belton.
By Bruce Kabat
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 02:01 PM
Midway High School’s web site reports that the Panthers’ cross country meet has been canceled, as well as Saturday’s volleyball tournament at Round Rock Westwood.
By Paula Blesener
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 01:42 PM
The used tire collection planned for Saturday at the Heart O’ Texas Fairgrounds has been postponed because of the impending arrival of Ike in Central Texas.
The event will be rescheduled for November, with the date and location to be named later, said Parker Willson, head of Keep McLennan County Beautiful. The group co-sponsors the tire disposal program with Keep Waco Beautiful.
For more information, please call KMCB, 722-2832 or Keep Waco Beautiful, 750-5728.
By Chad Conine
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 12:46 PM
As Texas high school football programs continue to move out of the way of Hurricane Ike,
Cameron’s game at Lexington tonight has been canceled because of bumper-to-bumper traffic both on State Highway 36 and U.S. Highway 77.
Parkview Christian is changing both its site and game day. Parkview has rescheduled its game with Allen Academy to Monday at 7 p.m. in Bryan.
Meanwhile, Waco High, which hosts Round Rock Stony Point, has moved its game from 7:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday. Likewise, Valley Mills will play at Granger at 6 instead of 7:30 on Friday.
Mexia’s game at Crockett has been moved to tonight, as has Gatesville’s contest at Fairfield. Kickoffs are at 7:30.
By Cindy Culp
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 12:09 PM
12:09 P.M.:The city of Waco sent out a release that approximately 200 persons have registered at the official evacuation reception location, Church of the Open Door, 900 N. Loop 340.
The release also noted that as of 11 a.m., two buses from San Patricio County, with an estimated 12-18 persons on board, are bound for the Waco reception center. Three members of the Waco-McLennan County Emergency Operations Center remain in San Patricio County to assist identifying and routing evacuees and buses to the reception area.
Currently, about 200 people are being sheltered in the county, the release says. The Greene Family Camp, which has a capacity for up to 600 persons, is the first shelter established. Six to 10 evacuees who went to the reception center had mobility or other needs so a special-needs shelter has been opened at the Doris Miller YMCA. It will accommodate up to 20 with special needs.
All evacuees arriving in Waco need to go first to the Church of the Open Door reception area to be screened and processed so they can be sent to a shelter that has a place for them and that any special needs can be addressed.
Because the storm has moved up the coast from earlier forecasts, San Patricio County is not ordering evacuation. At this time few, if any, buses are expected with no mass evacuations from San Patricio County.
Waco Mayor Virginia DuPuy signed the official declaration of disaster Wednesday evening to provide the authorization to receive funding for expenses incurred.
11:49 A.M.: Because of the hurricane threat, McLennan County Sheriff Larry Lynch said he will likely cancel visiting hours at the county’s jail this weekend.
He said he doesn’t want to encourage people to be on the road during a time when the area may get pounded with rain. Plus, visitors must stand in line outside while they wait to get in to visit someone and he doesn’t want them out in the elements, he said.
In addition, the sheriff’s office is keeping in close contact with the county’s road and bridge crews in case the weather this weekend causes dangerous driving conditions on some roads, Lynch said.
Hillcrest Health System also is gearing up for whatever Hurricane Ike may bring this weekend. One concern is securing the construction site at Loop 340 and Interstate 35 where Hillcrest is building its new hospital campus.
The contractor in charge of the project is most worried about all of the rain predicted to blanket the area, said Jim Gebhart, Hillcrest’s chief operating officer. Starting Wednesday afternoon, crews began moving nonwaterproof items into temporary metal buildings that have been erected on the site during construction. That entailed moving some materials that were already inside the buildings out to make room for more vulnerable items, he said.
Construction employees also are working to secure trees that are waiting to be planted, Gebhart said. Some will be planted this afternoon, he said, while others will be secured with ropes and other means. The concern is that they could blow away due to high winds from Ike, he said.
Similarly, other materials that could possibly be carried by high winds are being secured, Gebhart said.
The good news is that the building itself is 100 percent “dried in,” meaning it should be waterproof, Gebhart said. Just in case, however, the contractor is developing contingency plans should an unexpected leak spring up, he said.
Overall, the building is about 75 percent finished, Gebhart said, which means most of the materials at the site have already been used.
“It’s much less (of an impact) than if this had happened earlier, like three or six months ago,” Gebhart said.
In addition to construction concerns, Hillcrest is readying itself to take on hospital patients evacuated from the coast, if necessary, said CEO Glenn Robinson. That process includes taking assessments of its capacity and having additional meetings with staff members. Right now, the hospital is on alert from the state but has not yet received any evacuated patients, he said.
However, the hospital did receive a request from the state Wednesday night to have workers do a medical check of a bus of senior citizens who had come from the Houston area, Robinson said.
He said he believes they were headed to the Dallas-Fort Worth area, adding that no problems were found with any of the passengers.
The hospital system is running extra checks on its generators in case the storm causes power outages in the area, Robinson said.
The Family Health Center, a network of local clinics that primarily serves the poor and uninsured, also is on standby to help evacuees who need primary medical care. The center has a cooperative agreement with the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District to be the community’s urgent care provider in disaster situations, said Allen Patterson, the center’s chief financial and operating officer.
Right now, the plan is for city or county officials to notify the center of any evacuees who need care. Those evacuees will then be seen at whichever clinic has open appointments, Patterson said.
If necessary, Family Health staff can also provide on-site care at shelters or other locations, as they did during Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, Patterson said. But it’s better to provide care in a clinic if possible, he said.
The center has not been contacted to provide care so far, Patterson said this morning. But he predicted it might get some requests by the end of the day, especially if more evacuees come to the Waco area.
Providence Healthcare Network in Waco is keeping close tabs on the storm, spokesman Jonathan Ford said. It is working with the Texas Hospital Association, as well as local and state disaster officials, to keep abreast of what help is needed. If necessary, the hospital is available to treat evacuees, he said.
By Bruce Kabat
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 11:23 AM
Belton ISD out-of-town activities scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 13, have been canceled because of weather concerns. This includes the varsity football game with Mansfield Timberview, which has been rescheduled for 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 19, in Mansfield.
By Regina Dennis
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 10:54 AM
As Hurricane Ike looks to skirt Central Texas this weekend, surrounding counties are gearing up their emergency operations to handle the weather and support evacuees coming to the area.
Milam County law enforcement officials have been facilitating the flow of evacuees being bused into Bell and McLennan counties to ease traffic backups on State Highways 36 and 77, said county Homeland Security and emergency management coordinator Susan Reinders.
The Red Cross and other emergency operations personnel are on standby awaiting word whether Houston will receive emergency evacuation orders, which would bring an influx of evacuees into the county.
“We don’t have a large facility that would support shelter, food and shower capabilities for a large amount of people, but we do have church fellowship halls, school cafeterias and what have you that we can convert into shelter for people,” Reinders said.
Reinders said the county could probably maintain shelter and support for 3,000 people, about the number of evacuees it held during Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005. All available hotel rooms were completely booked as of Tuesday, she said.
Some veterinary offices will be able to house animals that are evacuated, though Reinders said the county could not support a large or small animal sheltering operation.
Reinders also encouraging is county residents to prepare for the effects of the storm, which could pass through Milam County Saturday.
“If it turns out as bad as they’re saying, we could expect some heavy rains and winds, and power outages as well,” she said. “It’s important that people be prepared with food and medical supplies for at least 72 hours and make sure they have gas in their cars in case they have to move.”
Limestone County Sheriff Dennis Wilson said the local law enforcement and emergency personnel have been participating in conference calls twice each day with state emergency management officials in Austin. County emergency response officials are on standby to act when needed.
“We are not designated to receive any evacuees, and we will not be opening any emergency shelters at this time,” Wilson said. “Our number one role is to support McLennan County during this process as a fellow member of the HOTCOG (Heart of Texas Council of Governments) region.”
Local law enforcement agencies have activated their emergency response plans and are preparing equipment and staff to cope with any weather and transportation related problems that may arise. The Limestone County Jail also may receive up to 350 inmates from South Texas jails during evacuation.
“Right now we’re in a wait-and-see mode,” Wilson said. “We can’t really say for sure what areas we’re going to be needed most until it actually happens, but we’re prepared for what’s coming.”
By Bruce Kabat
| Thursday, September 11, 2008, 10:42 AM
Due to the approach of Hurricane Ike, the Gatesville High School varsity football game scheduled for Friday, Sept. 12, in Fairfield has been moved to at 7:30 tonight in Fairfield.
All junior high and sub-varsity games scheduled for tonight have been rescheduled for Friday, Oct. 3.
The Gatesville varsity volleyball game vs. Fairfield is canceled, as are all sub-varsity volleyball games.
Contact Info: Gatesville High School 254-865-8281 or Gatesville ISD @ 254-865-7251
At 9:15 a.m., a 54th State District Court jury left the courtroom to begin deliberations in the murder trial of Danny Eugene Daniels, who is accused of shooting to death Michael Crawford Evans in October 2006.
Prosecutors Melanie Walker and Edward Vallejo presented their summations to the jury this morning. Walker told jurors: “If the defendant walks out of here you send a message to all those drug dealers that you can extinguish whoever you want as long as it is over drugs. Don’t let that happen.”
Defense attorney Stan Schwieger during his summation blasted at the credibility of two of the state’s witnesses who have multiple felony convictions. He called it a mockery of the justice system that such people would be sworn in to tell the truth.
“I think the best way to look at it is: Pick a lie and stick with it,” Schwieger said. “He lied to you about lying (referring to testimony from Roosevelt Young, a five-time convicted felon who told jurors he witnessed the shooting.)”
The seven-man, five-woman jury can sentence faces a minimum of 15 years to life.
By Jim Barnes
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 07:35 PM
Sherrill Headrick, a former Dallas Texans and Kansas City Chiefs linebacker, died Wednesday. He was 71.
The team announced Headrick’s death. The Kansas City Star reported on its Web site that Headrick died of cancer. Chiefs officials had no details, including where the former TCU star lived or where he died.
Headrick played eight seasons for the Texans/Chiefs franchise. He was selected to five all-AFL squads and started at middle linebacker during the team’s AFL title wins in 1962 and 1966, as well as the first Super Bowl.
Nicknamed “Psycho” by his teammates for his aggressive play and personality, he was inducted into the Chiefs Hall of Fame in 1993.
By Bill Whitaker
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 07:17 PM
With Hurricane Ike racing toward the Texas coast, city of Waco officials said early this evening that no one had yet registered at the city’s official evacuation reception location, Church of the Open Door, located at 900 N. Loop 340 at exit 339 on Interstate 35.
About 5 p.m. two buses with a total of 50 persons — 25 per bus — left San Patricio County, McLennan County’s evacuation partner, bringing evacuees to Waco, city spokesman Larry Holze said in a statement.
“These buses could reach our area by midnight,” Holze said. “As of this time, no other buses are scheduled to leave before morning, if then.
“Three members of the Waco-McLennan County Emergency Operations Center are in San Patricio County to assist in routing evacuees and buses to our reception area and notifying us on their departure,” he said.
The expected path of the storm has moved 50 miles to the northeast. That means San Patricio County — just northwest of Corpus Christi — may experience only tropical storm winds when Ike makes landfall sometime Saturday.
This may impact evacuation plans of residents in that county, Holze said.
“As information is received on the status of evacuees, we will issue additional releases,” he said. “We are currently prepared to immediately shelter 1,000 individuals at various locations in our county.”
By Tim Woods
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 05:14 PM
Baylor University officials say Saturday’s game game against Washington State University is still on, but that could change depending on Hurricane Ike’s path.
Nick Joos, associate athletic director for external affairs, said BU officials met this afternoon to track the situation. Safety is of the utmost concern, he said.
“If the state mandates evacuation on the coast and now you’ve got a bunch of people coming north, we don’t want to cause any problems for the state troopers or anyone like that,” Joos said. “Safety (is the concern), whether it’s people coming to the game or people evacuating their areas.”
Joos said that if the game is unable to be played this weekend, for whatever reason, the matchup with Washington State would have to be scrapped this year, as the two schools do not have any common open dates on their schedule.
He did say, though, that a replacement game would likely be scheduled, in the event of a cancellation, but did not specifically name any schools that might be considered.
The new forecast track for Hurricane Ike — now a Category Two storm with 100 mph winds — has shifted northward and sped up, bringing Ike ashore early Saturday around Palacios.
Meanwhile, the National Weather Service’s Fort Worth office has issued a statement on possible effects for North Texas. Waco, on the current forecast track, would see 50 mph winds with gusts up to hurricane strength Saturday afternoon through early Sunday, and 4 to 8 inches of rain. The statement urges preparedness for possible power outages and securing outdoor materials and belongings — trash cans, lawn furniture and such — and could get caught by high winds.
By Erin Quinn
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 03:55 PM
Waco police are looking for an 18-year-old Waco man they say is wanted in connection with the murder of a 21-year-old Bellmead man, who was found late last month lying on a residential street with a gunshot wound to his head.
According to a news release from Waco Police Officer Steve Anderson, Steve Kelly is wanted on a charge of murder and retaliation in connection with the death of Robert Nevarez.
Nevarez was found lying in the 2500 block of Cole Avenue during the early morning hours of Aug. 23.
The release states that Kelly and another man threatened a woman in Waco’s Trendwood Apartments, after he had learned that she was talking with police about Nevarez’ death. The release states the woman feared for her life and fled the apartment complex.
Police are asking that anyone with information as to Kelly’s whereabouts to call the Waco Police Department at 750-7500 or Waco Crime Stoppers at 753-HELP.
By JB Smith
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 03:15 PM
A spill of more than 100,000 gallons of sewage along Flat Creek has been contained before it reached the Brazos River, city of Waco officials said this afternoon.
The spill, discovered this morning, was apparently caused by a construction accident that damaged a sewer main, said Dori Helm, a city utilities spokeswoman. The spill occurred just west of Interstate 35 between Sun Valley Road and Loop 340. The water drained into Flat Creek, but city workers built a dam of sandbags downstream and contained it before it got to Grieg Road in Robinson. The spilled water will be pumped back to a lift station near the site of the spill and returned to the regional sewer system for treatment, Helm said.
Helm said the city has disinfected affected areas around Flat Creek and has kept the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality informed of its progress.
By Erin Quinn
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 03:05 PM
Three months after the managing editor of the Bosque County News disappeared from her job and family for six days, the 44-year-old has been charged with stealing between $15-20,000 from the newspaper, reports kxxv.com.
La Dawn Garland is charged with theft, and was released Monday from the Bosque County Jail on a $20,000 bond, the site reports.
In early June, Garland drove the newspaper owner’s truck from Bosque County to Waco to run errands and didn’t return.
Six days later, authorities found her at a rest stop in Wyoming, dehydrated and slumped over the truck’s steering wheel.
The site states that the Bosque County News reports the missing money was discovered after her disappearance.
They also report she suffers from manic depression and a compulsive disorder.
According to kxxv.com, Meridian police are investigating.
By Tim Woods
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 01:15 PM
Baylor University officials are closely monitoring Hurricane Ike’s progress and how it might affect Saturday’s home game against Washington State University.
Nick Joos, associate athletic director for external affairs, said that safety is of the utmost concern.
“If the state mandates evacuation on the coast and now you’ve got a bunch of people coming north, we don’t want to cause any problems for the state troopers or anyone like that,” Joos said. “Safety (is the concern), whether it’s people coming to the game or people evacuating their areas.”
Joos said that if the game is unable to be played this weekend, for whatever reason, the matchup with Washington State would have to be scrapped this year, as the two schools do not have any common open dates on their schedule.
He did say, though, that a replacement game would likely be scheduled, in the event of a cancellation, but did not specifically name any schools that might be considered.
By Cindy V. Culp
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 11:55 AM
Local officials are gearing up to help Hurricane Ike evacuees, some of whom will arrive here this afternoon.
The first bus of evacuees is expected to arrive in Waco by 4 p.m. today, according to Marlene Neill, community relations specialist with the city of Waco.
The Waco-McLennan County Office of Emergency Management held a meeting this morning to coordinate shelter plans with area churches and nonprofit organizations.
A volunteer meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. in the Bosque Theatre at the Waco Convention Center.
The storm is expected to slam into Texas somewhere near Corpus Christi early Saturday morning. In preparation, the state is providing buses for people to voluntarily leave the area today. Later, it could order a mandatory evacuation.
McLennan County is designated to help San Patricio County, near Corpus Christi, under a statewide disaster plan. That means the county is responsible for caring for any evacuees from there who are brought here by state buses.
To assess what help the county will need to provide, a “forward team” of local officials is being sent to San Patricio County today, said Frank Patterson, Waco-McLennan County emergency management coordinator. The team — which consists of medical, fire and public health personnel — will call local officials to let them know when buses leave, how many people are on them and what needs those passengers have, Patterson said.
The team may stay a few days to continue giving ongoing assessments, Patterson said, or it may return after all of the voluntary evacuees have left. That decision will be made as the situation develops, he said.
Any evacuees sent here will go first to the Church of The Open Door in Bellmead. It is acting as a “reception center” for all local evacuees, Patterson said, with officials there deciding which shelter sites evacuees should be sent to.
Several city of Waco recreation centers have been designated as potential shelter sites, Patterson said, as well as a few churches and a couple of other sites. The American Red Cross, for example, is planning to set up a shelter at the now-vacant G.L. Wiley Middle School if needed, said Angie McFarland, fund development director for the charity.
The city of McGregor and the city of Hillsboro also have potential shelter sites, Patterson said. In all, he estimated that the county has the capacity for about 1,200 evacuees.
Which sites will be opened and when will depend on the influx of evacuees, Patterson said. The local Salvation Army chapter will help provide cots and food to evacuees, he said. The Red Cross also is standing by.
McFarland, from the Red Cross, said the organization is poised to swing into action as soon as it gets the word that it needs to get the shelter sites ready. For example, hundreds of cots are already loaded on a truck.
“They’re ready to go,” she said.
The Red Cross has ready-to-eat meals and kits containing hygiene items ready to give out, McFarland said. In addition, it is in the process of lining up local restaurants to cater meals and volunteers to help with everything from evacuees’ medical to emotional needs, she said.
Local officials also are making preparations to help evacuees who don’t stay at local shelters. Susan Morton, tourism manager for the Waco Convention and Tourism Bureau, said she and her staff are calling local hotels at least once a day to check on room availability. They are posing the results on wacocvb.com, the bureau’s web site.
Morton said there appears to be very few rooms available on Friday and Saturday. Other days, “there are still quite a few rooms available.” Besides those fleeing the hurricane, Baylor fans are coming to town to watch the Bears battle Washington State on Saturday.
Justin Martin, manager of the Country Inn & Suites on Interstate 35 said the 63-room property is booked Friday and Saturday because of Ike. Normally it would be about half full, he said.
Similarly, the 72 rooms at the Holiday Inn Express on Woodway Drive is full for Saturday, Sunday and Monday, said front desk supervisor Darryl Neumann, front desk supervisor.
“Whether we will stay that way depends on whether people cancel when they realize they are out of harm’s way,” Neumann said. “We started really getting a lot of calls on Monday, when they said Ike was heading for the Gulf.”
Tribune-Herald staff writer Mike Copeland and the Associated Press contributed to this story.
Defense attorneys in the murder trial of Danny Eugene Daniels called two witnesses who gave brief testimony this morning before resting their case.
Daniels is on trial in 54th State District Court for the October 2006 murder of 22-year-old Michael Crawford Evans, who was found after his vehicle hit a tree on a Waco street.
The first witness, who lives at 10th Street and Bosque Boulevard, said he heard the crash and saw two men walking away from the truck.
The other witness was the mother of Daniels’ 4-year-old child.
Prosecutors presented testimony today from a forensics firearms examiner who said that a gun found on Daniels during an arrest about a month after Evans’ killing was a match to the murder weapon.
Earlier today a pathologist testified that Evans died from a gunshot wound. Other testimony came from the victim’s father-in-law who said that Evans left behind a 3-year-old boy.
The trial recessed for the day, and will resume Thursday at 8:30 a.m. with summations for the jury and then deliberations.
Testimony on Tuesday came from a convicted felon who said he saw the shooting.
By Chad Conine
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 11:20 AM
Though Hurricane Ike is out over the Gulf of Mexico, it’s already wreaking havoc on the Central Texas high school football schedule.
Several area varsity games, including Connally at Caldwell, Marlin at Rockdale, Normangee at Rosebud-Lott, Cameron at Lexington and Bremond at Thorndale have been moved to Thursday night because of the threat of severe weather and heavy traffic.
Connally coach Kevin Johnson said this morning that the Cadets’ schedule change is intended to help the teams beat traffic coming out of Houston in advance of Hurricane Ike.
Rosebud-Lott coach Kyle Maxfield said avoiding traffic was a concern, along with the unpredictability of the hurricane and the potential it could create severe weather on Friday night.
“The storm could hit earlier,” Maxfield said. “You just want to do what’s best for the kids.”
Coaches with information on other game changes can contact Chad Conine at (254) 757-5711 or cconine@wacotrib.com.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 09:45 AM
Space Exploration Technologies Corp., better known as SpaceX, has been granted an operational license by the U.S. Air Force to use Space Launch Complex 40 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on the Florida coast.
You might recall that SpaceX has a test facility for its rocket engines at McGregor’s old naval weapons site.
By getting the license, SpaceX can make plans for launch operations of its Falcon 9 rocket later this year. The Falcon 9 has been tested at McGregor.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 09:30 AM
The Waco Humane Society is prepared to receive pets from evacuated residents affected by Hurricane Ike from San Patricio County, according to a release sent from the Waco Humane Society.
McLennan County aids San Patricio County during hurricane evacuations, following a statewide disaster plan implemented by Gov. Rick Perry after Hurricane Katrina in 2005.
“We have activated our disaster team volunteers and we are ready to help residents of mandatory evacuations related to Hurricane Ike,” said Waco Humane Society Executive Director Karen Froehlich in the release. “Our goal is to reduce any additional stress on pets and their owners while facing an already stressful situation. Our trained volunteers and employees are ready and on call.”
Pet-friendly hotel information and other animal-related resources is available at www.WacoHumaneSociety.com.
Anyone interested in volunteering to help the dogs and cats of evacuated residents must attend a mandatory disaster team volunteer orientation at 6 p.m. Thursday at the Waco Humane Society, 2032 Circle Road. A variety of volunteer opportunities for all levels of experience will be available.
The Waco Humane Society is requesting that local residents not bring in any homeless dogs or cats until next week — unless it is an emergency situation — to keep space available for evacuees’ pets.
For more information or to make a donation to help Hurricane Ike evacuess, visit www.WacoHumaneSociety.com or call 254-754-1454.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 09:22 AM
If the weather from Hurricane Ike doesn’t scuttle plans, Puppy Plunge Day is planned for dogs and their owners from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday at Waco Water Park, 900 Lakeshore Drive.
According to a release from the city, activities will include a swimsuit contest (are we talking about dressing up the pooches?), a retrieving competition, training demonstrations, micro-chipping and open swimming. Awards and door prizes will be given out throughout the event.
The cost is $5 per dog. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Waco Humane Society. The first 100 dogs will receive a free goodie bag. Dogs must have current shot records, and no aggressive dogs will be allowed.
For information (and I’m sure you have questions), call 254-750-5781.
By Regina Dennis
| Wednesday, September 10, 2008, 08:33 AM
A man was arrested for robbing a convenience store around 4 a.m. today.
Jared Greenwood, 30, was arrested and charged with aggravated robbery for holding up the Skinny’s station at 1125 Speight Ave.
Police said Greenwood used a handgun in the robbery, but did not have any more specific details about the incident. It was not known how much cash Greenwood had taken from the store.
By Regina Dennis
| Monday, September 8, 2008, 02:55 PM
Waco police are looking for a device stolen from a pick-up truck Sunday that contained radioactive materials.
The device was in a large yellow plastic case that resembles a tool box and was stored on the bed of a pickup truck parked at the 3100 block of North 30th Street Sunday. The device is used to measure moisture density in soil and contains small traces of radioactive material.
The case is marked “Troxler,” the brand of the machine, and “Radioactive.” The machine’s model number 3430 and serial number 29518.
Police said neither the box nor the device pose and immediate threat to the public.
Anyone having information about this burglary or the whereabouts of this piece of equipment should contact the Waco Police Department at 750-7500 or Crime Stoppers at 753-HELP.
By Regina Dennis
| Monday, September 8, 2008, 02:43 PM
Killeen police are investigating a murder-suicide in which a Fort Hood specialist killed his lieutenant and then himself this morning.
According to a press release from the Killeen Police Department, the lieutenant and a staff sergeant had gone to a residence at 18074 N. Second St. to speak with the specialist. For reasons unknown at this time, a confrontation began between the two parties, and a gun was seen.
Police received a 9-1-1 call of the disturbance at 8:39 a.m. and went to the scene.
Officers who arrived at the residence witnessed the specialist assault the lieutenant and shoot him. Police then fired shots at the specialist, who turned the gun to his head and shot himself. The staff sergeant was not injured.
The lieutenant and specialist were pronounced dead at 9:50 a.m. and 9:51 a.m., respectively by Justice of the Peace Bill Cooke. An autopsy has been ordered on the bodies, and the cause of death will be determined after those results are in, the release said.
The names of the deceased have been withheld pending notification of the next of kin. The investigation is continuing.
Jury selection is under way in the 54th State District Court this morning for the trial of Danny Eugene Daniels, who was indicted on murder charges.
Daniels, 21, was indicted in January in the killing of 22-year-old Michael Crawford Evans, whose death initially was attributed to a traffic accident.
Waco police had found Evans lying on the floorboard of a pickup truck that had crashed into a tree in the 1300 block of Bosque Boulevard. The man was later found to have a gunshot wound to the chest.
Daniels has two previous felony convictions, one for cocaine possession in 2005 and another for aggravated assault as a juvenile, making him eligible to be tried as a habitual criminal.
If convicted of murder as a habitual criminal, the minimum punishment he can receive would be bumped from five to 25 years in prison.
Daniels later was indicted for cocaine possession and for being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The firearm he is charged with possessing — a .357-caliber pistol — is believed to be the weapon with which Evans was killed, officials have said.
By Regina Dennis
| Monday, September 8, 2008, 10:47 AM
Police have identified the man who died at the YMCA Family Center as 68-year-old Edwin VanZant.
VanZant, a San Angelo resident who was visiting Waco, was found dead in the sauna of the facility around 5 p.m. Sunday, police said. He had a history of heart problems and was diabetic. Emergency personnel attempted to revive him but were unsuccessful. Police said the death is being investigated as a natural cause death.
The YMCA reopened today at 5 a.m., according to a woman who answered the phone there.
A Waco couple in their 60s and two 17-year-olds from China Spring were killed last night in a head-on collision on State Highway 6.
The Waco Police Department released the victims’ names this morning from the accident that involved two vehicles, a 1994 extended-cab Chevrolet pickup and 1997 Toyota 4-Runner.
The driver of the pickup has been identified as Richard Howeth, 66, and the passenger was his wife, Mary Howeth, 67, both from Waco, according to a release from police spokesman Steve Anderson.
The driver of the Toyota has been identified as Samantha Buis, 17, and the passenger was Donovan Rodriguez, 17. Both were listed as being from China Spring.
According to the release, officers and emergency personnel from Waco Police Department, McLennan County Sheriff’s Office and Texas Department of Public Safety, Waco Fire Department and East Texas Medical Center responded around 8:25 p.m. to the accident in the 1000 block of West State Highway 6.
The vehicles were found in the eastbound lanes, the release said. The driver and passenger of the pickup were still in their vehicle while the driver and passenger of the Toyota had been ejected. All occupants were pronounced dead at the scene by Justice of the Peace Kristi DeCluitt.
The release said the crash investigation was continuing into how the accident occurred.
By Regina Dennis
| Monday, September 8, 2008, 09:08 AM
A woman who answered the phone at the Waco Family YMCA said the facility is open today after a 68-year-old San Angelo man was found dead in the sauna Sunday evening and the facility was closed.
Police said the man had a history of heart conditions and was diabetic. He was found unresponsive in a sauna around 5 p.m., according to police. Emergency personnel and YMCA employees were unable to revive the man.
The center opened at about 5 a.m., the woman said. The man’s identity has not been released by police.
By Van Darden
| Sunday, September 7, 2008, 08:43 PM
Waco police say four people were killed in a head-on collision tonight on State Highway 6 near Bosque Boulevard.
About 8:25 p.m. a Chevrolet pickup was going west on Highway 6 near the Bosque Boulevard overpass when for unknown reasons it left the road, crossing the grass median and a metal barrier before going into oncoming traffic, said Waco Police Department spokesman Steve Anderson. The pickup struck an eastbound Toyota 4-Runner head-on.
The crumpled white SUV was left unrecognizable by the force of the impact.
Two women and two men were in the vehicles, and all were pronounced dead at the scene, Anderson said, though he was unsure who many were in each vehicle. Two of the people had been thrown from the vehicles in the collision, he said.
All four were adults, Anderson said. He was unsure if any were wearing seatbelts.
Police had only identified one of the victims as of late tonight, using a driver’s license the victim was carrying. That person’s name was not being released until family members had been notified, Anderson said.
The wreck caused police to shut down Highway 6 from about 8:30 p.m. Anderson said once accident investigators finish their work it was to be reopened, likely before dawn.
By Van Darden
| Sunday, September 7, 2008, 06:12 PM
Waco police are investigating a questionable death at the Waco Family YMCA this evening, a police spokesman said.
A 68-year-old San Angelo man died while in a sauna about 5 p.m., said Waco police Sgt. Steve Graeter. Police found no signs of foul play, and a justice of the peace did not order an autopsy, authorities said.
The YMCA closed for the rest of the day after the death. It was unclear if the facility will reopen in the morning.
By Erin Quinn
| Saturday, September 6, 2008, 05:00 PM
Three Penelope High School football players injured in a rollover accident Friday afternoon in Hubbard were released from Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center later that day — minutes before their six-man team squeaked out a 52-51 win over Kopperl.
Just after Penelope’s pep rally, the players were involved in a one-vehicle rollover wreck on Farm-to-Market Road 2114 near Highway 171 in Hubbard, a Hill County Sheriff’s Office spokesman said.
No details were available on the cause of the wreck. The Sheriff’s Office and Penelope coach Corey McAdams declined to release the players’ names.
One of the boys, a sophomore, had been ejected from the vehicle and was taken by medical helicopter to Hillcrest, the coach said. A junior and a sophomore were also injured and taken by ambulance, he said.
Shaken up, McAdams said he called a meeting of his nine remaining players. In a few hours, they were set to kick off at Kopperl.
A call from the hospital revealed the boys were sitting up and talking. The team decided to play.
After the game, McAdams held a team meeting.
“I don’t often get a chance to tell those guys I love them,” he said. “But I told them last night.”
All customers of Bruceville-Eddy Water Supply are being instructed to boil their water prior to drinking it.
The city of Bruceville-Eddy sent out its boil notice Friday night, noting that, “due to conditions which have occurred recently in the water system,” the Texas Commission for Environmental Quality was requiring the boil order.
To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking and ice-making should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption. The water should be brought to a roiling boil, then boiled for two minutes.
By Regina Dennis
| Friday, September 5, 2008, 07:41 PM
Highway troopers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians stayed busy on Interstate 35 this evening, working at least three wrecks in the northbound lanes or frontage roads with at least two people being taken to the hospital.
For northbound motorists, it meant slow-going through the Waco area, especially just south of the city.
The first of the accidents — involving at least one rollover near the Sun Valley exit in Hewitt — occurred about 5:25 p.m., just in time for rush hour traffic. It caused traffic on northbound I-35 to back up for about two miles, highway troopers said.
At about 6:30 p.m., with traffic at one point backed up on a two-way frontage road nearby, the driver of an SUV reportedly tried to move onto the highway, only to crash into a southbound mini-van.
Witnesses said the SUV rolled over and one of the occupants was sent to the hospital.
About an hour later, with traffic moving again on northbound I-35, a motorcyclist reportedly cut in front of a car, only for the two vehicles to collide when traffic up ahead suddenly came to a halt, witnesses said.
The motorcyclist was sent to the hospital.
Texas Department of Public Safety troopers were too busy trying to get information on the accidents, tend to the injured and keep traffic moving to immediately provide more detailed information on the accidents.
By 8 p.m., traffic on Interstate 35 appeared to be moving steadily.
By Erin Quinn
| Friday, September 5, 2008, 06:29 PM
Highway authorities today identified Ronda Latrice Harold, 37, daughter of longtime Bellmead Police Chief Robert Harold, as the woman who was struck and killed early Tuesday morning while crossing Interstate 35.
A Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman said that just before 4:20 a.m., the driver of a northbound 2005 Nissan pickup truck struck the Waco resident near the Craven Avenue exit in Lacy-Lakeview. The spokesman said the driver didn’t see the woman crossing the interstate.
A spokesman for McDowell Funeral Home said this evening funeral arrangements are pending.
DPS spokesman Frank McKinney earlier told the Tribune-Herald that the usual high speeds of interstate traffic combined with pre-dawn lighting made crossing the highway perilous.
“That time of morning, the lighting is not very good, and when you have a vehicle traveling at interstate speeds and there’s a pedestrian attempting to cross the interstate, it’s not a good situation,” McKinney said.
A Texas state legislative committee has ordered an inquiry into the handling of graves that were discovered and exhumed for the expansion of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and Museum in Waco.
The House Committee on Culture, Recreation and Tourism has appointed a special subcommittee that will hold hearings on the case.
The subcommittee will try to determine whether state and federal laws are being followed as the expansion work continues, and whether current policies to protect graves need to be strengthened, said the subcommittee’s chairwoman, Donna Howard, D-Austin.
The Culture, Recreation and Tourism Committee oversees the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the Texas Historical Commission, two state agencies that have been involved in the Ranger museum case.
The city of Waco in 2007 discovered skeletons along the path of a utility line trench it was building to serve the new annex to to the Ranger Museum. The city hired an archaeologist to study and exhume the bones, under the guidance of the Texas Historical Commission.
The Texas Ranger Museum grounds, known as Fort Fisher Park, lies atop a historic cemetery known as First Street Cemetery. A state judge in 1968 granted permission for the city to relocate graves to another part of the cemetery to accommodate the new museum. But new evidence has emerged that most of the bodies were not moved when the headstones were moved.
Baylor University sent out a news release that BU alumnus, former trustee and longtime philanthropist Milfred Lewis of Missouri City, Texas, died Tuesday in Houston.
He served nine years on the board of trustees and made the naming gift for the Lewis Art Building of the Hooper-Schaefer Fine Arts Center in the late 1970s. That gift provided Baylor art students with much-needed studio, gallery and museum space.
“Their gift has meant so much to the art department over the years, because it allowed us to prosper and grow,” said John McClanahan, professor and chair of the department of art, who has seen the number of department faculty more than double since the Lewis’s gift. “I don’t think we could’ve grown at such a rate without the Lewises.”
Lewis earned his bachelor of business administration degree at Baylor in 1955. A charter member of Baylor’s Endowed Scholarship Society with his wife, Mary Lee (BBA ’55), the couple established scholarships for athletes as well as business students and has been recognized at the Golden Bear Circle level of the society.
“Milfred Lewis selflessly gave of his time and resources to promote Baylor’s bright future,” said Dr. David E. Garland, Baylor’s interim president and dean of George W. Truett Theological Seminary. “In sharing his blessings with Baylor art and business students, athletes and beyond, he touched countless lives.”
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 4, 2008, 11:44 AM
Waco resident Ron Frusher, president of Balloon Operations for Curves International, placed seventh at the 2008 U.S. National Hot Air Balloon Championship that ended Monday in Anderson, S.C., and was named Rookie of the Year.
You might recall that last year’s national championships were held in Waco. San Angelo’s Joe Heartsill defended the national title he won here, becoming the fifth pilot to win back-to-back crowns.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 4, 2008, 11:25 AM
Midway High School geometry teacher Debbie Perry is one of six educators chosen as finalists for the Texas Teacher of the Year program.
Those making the finalist pool were chosen from 40 regional Teachers of the Year, and that’s further divided by three in the secondary education category and three for elementary schools.
What’s interesting about Perry’s selection is that she received the regional honor while a mathematics teacher at Travis Junior High in Paris ISD. She began teaching this fall at Midway High.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 4, 2008, 11:11 AM
Yes, this is the week for the Republicans to shine with their convention, but I have to post this link to the Kids Rock the Vote ‘08 blog that went up yesterday. It has two kids, who apparently were friends with Chet Edwards’ sons, and they interviewed “the almost vice president” and his wife.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 4, 2008, 10:00 AM
Right about now, the Waco Mammoth Foundation, city of Waco and Baylor University are holding a groundbreaking and dedication ceremony at the Waco Mammoth Site.
Congressman Chet Edwards, Mayor Virginia DuPuy, City Manager Larry Groth and representatives from the National Park Service are scheduled to take part in the private ceremony. Members of the Waco Mammoth Foundation and donors of the project are in attendance.
There’s more activity tonight as the National Park Service will have a public meeting to discuss the Waco Mammoth Site Special Resource Study Report at 7 in the SBC Theater at Baylor University’s Mayborn Museum Complex, 1300 S. University-Parks Drive.
The meeting will include public discussion and comments on the findings of the study, which evaluates the site’s potential for inclusion in the National Park System.
By Tim Woods
| Thursday, September 4, 2008, 09:31 AM
McLennan Community College last night got the single-largest donation in the history of the school.
During the MCC Foundation’s Scholarship Reception, local businessman Jim Hawkins and his wife, Nell, presented the school with a $575,000 donation.
MCC spokeswoman Lisa Wilhelmi said MCC President Dennis Michaelis indicated the money would be earmarked for a new plaza on campus and artwork for the science building currently under construction.
By Ken Sury
| Thursday, September 4, 2008, 08:11 AM
A good, cool morning to ya, Waco. Temperatures in the mid-60s to start this Thursday feels just great. I could get used to mornings like these.
We should have more sun than yesterday and top out at around 88 degrees. We reached only 84 for a high Wednesday; that’s 10 degrees lower than average. That north-northwest wind around 10 mph will be with us again today.
The 70 residential-care patients who arrived Sunday from Lake Charles, La., and stayed at the Waco Veterans Affairs Medical Center should be heading out of Waco about now for their trip back to their facility.
Officials with the Waco VA Medical Center plan to keep Building 91 ready throughout hurricane season for possible future evacuations. With the likelihood of more tropical storms and hurricanes this month, that sounds like a prudent move.
Speaking of Hurricane Ike and Tropical Storm Josephine and TS Hanna, check out this interactive Web site, stormpulse.com. I think it’s a sharply designed site for keeping up with those tropical storms, though as its disclaimer notes, it is not an official weather site.
Ike, by the way, went from Category 1 status to Category 4 in a six-hour span. That’s scary.
By Mike Anderson
| Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 04:04 PM
Waco City Manager Larry Groth has just released this response to the Waco Police Association’s news conference earlier today:
“We were very disappointed with the Waco Police Association’s Press Conference held this morning and its allegations against the mayor and council. The mayor and council did not accept the association’s request to meet with them because of ongoing negotiations in the meet & confer process between city management and the association.
“Our current agreement with the police association ends at the end of September and negotiations in the meet & confer process, which was requested by the association, is intended to establish the next agreement. The council was simply following the ground rules established by the process. Chief Brent Stroman briefed the council at a work session earlier this year on crime rates and department needs as we prepared budgets for the upcoming year.
“Public safety has been and continues to be a very high priority with this council and past Councils. This is evidenced by their past actions such as:
“1. Council recently approved the 2008-09 budget committing over $29 million towards the police budget, which is a third of the total general fund budget and 85 percent of property taxes;
“2. Approved the hiring of additional recruits to ensure the department will be at full strength;
“3. During the past five years, authorized 27 additional patrol officer positions and two additional sergeants including a new Street Crimes Unit.
“Safety of this community is extremely important to the council and city management. Crime is not acceptable at any level and Chief Stroman diligently works with city management and his command team to properly allocate resources. We were happy to see the latest UCR Report that indicates reported crimes are down by 9.56 percent during the first seven months of 2008 compared to the same time period during 2007.”
By J.B. Smith
| Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 03:48 PM
A longtime city maintenance worker — well, now a former maintenance worker — and his wife have claimed a $30 million Lotto Texas prize.
Ben Zilka quit his job today at the city’s parks and recreation department after he and his wife, Merri, bought the ticket worth $30 million.
The winning ticket was bought by Merri Zilka on Aug. 27 at EZ Shop, located at 3730 N. 19th St. in Waco, a Texas Lottery Commission spokeswoman said.
“It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy,” said Rusty Black, head of the city’s park and recreation department where Zilka worked for over a decade. “He wasn’t extremely wealthy. From what I understand his family was having difficult financial times. Hopefully, he can use it to help them.
Black said he’s heard that Zilka already had plans for some of the winnings. Merri Zilka took the cash option when purchasing the ticket, so the couple will collect $19,433,607 after taxes.
“I understand he’s buying him a new truck. He had to get a ride today to work.”
Black said he hopes Zilka has a good financial adviser to help him manage his newfound millions.
“I hope he gets good advice and people don’t take advantage of him,” Black said.
By Mike Anderson
| Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 03:47 PM
A group of 70 residential-care patients from Lake Charles, La., will begin the return home tomorrow morning after spending about four days at the Waco Veterans Affairs Medical Center.
The patients arrived at the VA Sunday after fleeing Hurricane Gustav. The group will leave at 8 a.m. to return to its health-care facility, Chennault Place, and will be accompanied by eight caregivers from its facility along with two VA nurses.
The Waco VA Medical Center plans to keep Building 91 in a state of readiness throughout hurricane season for possible future evacuations, VA officials said.
The patients’ return was announced today on the same day that Tropical Storm Ike was upgraded to a hurricane. Ike is currently churning westward in the middle Atlantic and is expected to reach the Bahamas by the weekend. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Hanna is moving northward with its sights on the East Coast.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 12:29 PM
Emergency officials are dealing with a diesel spill on Interstate 35 near the Lakes Brazos Parkway exit, according to the police scanner.
Sounds like the diesel spill has made it slick along about a mile stretch of the northbound lanes. Someone on the scene said some of the diesel was beginning to run off into the drainage ditch.
According to chatter on the scanner, a pipe in the roadway caused a truck to spill the diesel.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 11:29 AM
The Waco Police Association has taken its case for more resources to battle violent crime in Waco to the steps of City Hall.
Anne Cyr, the association president, said in an 11 a.m. news conference on the Waco City Hall steps that it has been rebuffed in attempts to meet with the mayor and city council on the issue. Cyr said the group has sent three letters to the mayor and city council and received two rejection letters and no response to the third.
She said Waco officers need more resources to fight violent crime in the city, but didn’t specify what resources are needed.
Cyr added that the association has begun running commercials on local stations starting today. The commercial also is on the group’s Web site, wacopa.org, which says that Waco is the seventh most violent city in Texas, according to a 2006 report that is on the site.
The commercial is below. It touts headlines from the Trib as examples of the crime problem. Small point, though: The headlines in the video aren’t exactly what has been in the newspaper. We don’t put exclamation marks in our headlines as two of those indicate, nor do we capitalize most words in our headlines.
By Erin Quinn
| Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 10:47 AM
The defense has rested this morning in the punishment retrial of convicted murdered Billie Wayne Coble.
The trial is taking the rest of the day off, but will resume at 8:30 a.m. Thursday in the 54th State District Courtroom with one last witness for the prosecution who has been unavailable earlier. After that, the case will go to the jurors for deliberation.
Coble, 59, did not take the stand. After more than 17 years on death row, his death sentence in the August 1989 deaths of Robert and Zelda Vicha and their son, Waco police Sgt. Bobby Vicha, was overturned by a federal appeals court. His conviction was left intact but a new punishment trial was ordered.
He sobbed during testimony from his 35-year-son, Gordon Wayne Coble, who described his life growing up with his father.
Coble’s son, who goes by G.W., was born to Coble and his first wife, Pam. G.W. testified that he never was beaten by his father, but was abused by other men in his mother’s life.
He talked about the things he did with his father, such as hunting, fishing, playing football, and outings to Lions Park.
The defense also asked whether his father taught him gun safety. G.W. said he did.
During cross-examination by the prosecution he admitted to seeing his father hit his mother only once, when he was 7. He said he tried to pull his father off his mother during the attack, but couldn’t.
Prosecutors then displayed a police photograph of his mother with bruised eyes and a broken eye and asked him if that’s what she looked like after the beating. He said yes.
In describing discipline from his father, G.W. said, “I held my dad in such high regard, a look of disappointment from him would just about bring me to tears.”
He said he met Bobby Vicha at his father’s wedding to his third wife, Karen, and that he went to school with a lot of the grandchildren of Robert and Zelda Vicha. He described the older Vichas as nice people.
G.W. Coble also testified about his father’s willingness to help others, saying that he’d give the shirt off his back to anyone and he never met a stranger. G.W. Coble then offered several examples, such as stopping to help people stranded on the side of the road.
The morning’s other defense witness was Marilyn Finley, who worked with Billie Wayne Coble’s second wife, Candy, at H-E-B and a gas station in the 1980s.
She testified to seeing Candy playing pinball with other men at the gas station and being “flirty.” Finley said she didn’t recall seeing Coble act violently, and that Coble wasn’t romantic toward her.
She said Coble would take her son hunting and camping and to the National Guard Armory.
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 09:48 AM
Greater Waco Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jim Vaughan is being honored by the National Audubon Society’s Together Green initiative for his part in creating the first green chamber of commerce building in America.
The new chamber headquarters that opened this summer is seeking LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for its energy efficiency, natural lighting and sustainability. The building also has a “living” roof.
In a release, Vaughan said, “I’m pleased to be recognized, but I’m especially pleased that the word is getting out that Waco is taking a lead in sustainability.”
By Ken Sury
| Wednesday, September 3, 2008, 08:55 AM
Historic Waco Foundation is opening its four house museums today for free tours for evacuees of Hurricane Gustav in Waco. It’ll give them a way to pass the time before they return home.
The house museums will be open from noon to 3 p.m. Those with questions can call Historic Waco Foundation at 753-5166. More information can be found on the foundation’s Web site.
By Mike Anderson
| Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 06:35 PM
Austin actors Joe Sears and Jaston Williams, best known for their two-man comedies about fictional Tuna, Texas, have postponed their Waco Hippodrome Theatre performances of “Tuna Does Vegas!” this month to January, 2009, after Hurricane Gustav forced cancellations of the production’s September performances in cities near the Gulf Coast.
Waco Performing Arts Company executive director Scott Baker said the Tuna company asked the Waco theater today to postpone its Sept. 12-14 Hippodrome stop to avoid compounding financial problems caused by canceled shows in Lafayette, La., Orange and Galveston due to the approaching hurricane.
Baker said the Waco dates would be rescheduled in January in a similar Friday-through-Sunday time frame to minimize disruptions for ticket-holders. Almost 1,900 tickets had been sold for the five “Tuna Does Vegas!” performances and the Hippodrome box office staff will begin contacting those buyers with refund information.
The WPAC director expected to discuss specific rescheduled dates and refund procedure with the Austin production company Wednesday morning. Those wishing ticket refund information may call the Hippodrome box office at 752-9797.
By Wendy Gragg
| Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 03:30 PM
The G.L. Wiley Middle School supporters calling themselves Fighting to Save the Children have decided not to continue with their lawsuit against the Waco Independent School District.
“We thought that the fight to keep Wiley open was noble, but we thought it was a far more noble thing to let the children of Wiley get back to normal,” said spokesman for the group, Rev. Delvin Atchison.
“We intend to continue to engage the school board on the future of Wiley,” Atchison said. “We still want a school in East Waco.”
Atchison said the group intends to peacefully protest the closing of Wiley outside the Waco ISD administration building from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. every Friday until the school board election in May.The group also plans to be active in the school board election process.
State District Judge Jim Meyer on Friday denied the temporary injunction that would have kept the school open while two Wiley families and an East Waco support group pressed a lawsuit against the Waco school district.
WISD trustees voted Aug. 7 to close the school, which for five years was labeled unacceptable by the state and which had dwindling enrollment.
Wiley supporters got a temporary injunction that kept the school open for a week, but Meyer’s ruling — and an Aug. 23 vote by WISD again to shut it down — resulted in students beginning their second school week at different campuses around Waco.
Atchison said something positive that came from the fight for Wiley is the rallying by leaders of the community to get involved in the school system.
“There was an awakening of a sense of unity and community around Wiley,” Atchison said.
By Erin Quinn
| Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 12:27 PM
A good portion of the remainder of this morning’s testimony in the retrial of convicted murderer Billie Wayne Coble centered on cross-examination of the defendant’s sister, Mary Coble Ivey Oller.
District Attorney John Segrest disputed many of Oller’s assertions about her younger brother, such her testimony that Coble was despondent about the failure of his marriages and felt he was the victim in those breakups.
Segrest displayed police photographs of each of the three ex-wives showing their bruises after being battered by Coble. That was the reason the marriages fell apart, Segrest said.
He also asked Oller why she didn’t recall occasions that Coble made inappropriate gestures and later forced himself on her daughter at a family gathering. Segrest also shot down her comments about Coble’s civic involvement, saying that those trips of taking children to the lake enabled him to molest girls.
Oller also testified that she went with Coble to spy on his second wife, and saw her cheating on him with another man. Oller said Coble asked her to come along so he had proof of his wife’s infidelity.
Segrest also questioned what Oller knew about her brother’s kidnapping charge in his abduction of third wife, Karen Vicha, prior to the killings. Coble hid in Vicha’s car and surprised her, brandishing a knife, Segrest said.
“I knew he wanted to talk with her,” Oller replied. “I didn’t know about the knife.”
By Erin Quinn
| Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 10:59 AM
The older sister of Billie Wayne Coble trial told 54th State District Court jurors this morning that her brother returned from Vietnam a far darker person than he had been before he left.
The defense began calling witnesses today in the retrial of Coble, 59, whose punishment for killing his estranged wife’s parents, Robert and Zelda Vicha, and her brother, Waco police Sgt. Bobby Vicha, in August 1989 is being determined again because his death sentence was overturned by a federal appeals court.
Mary Coble Ivey Oller, 63, testified about their upbringing. They grew up in Waco, but their father died in a workplace accident before Billie was born, she said.
Their mother remarried quickly, but the new stepfather was an alcoholic who never held jobs long, she said. They grew up in a two-room house at 12th and Dutton streets.
She described her mother as only smiling twice and then dealing with mental issues. Their mother didn’t remember having children and didn’t know them, Oller testified.
Because of their mother’s mental state, Mary and Billie went to live at the Corsicana State Home and Austin State School.
On Coble’s 17th birthday he enlisted in Marines. He turned 18 while on board a ship to Vietnam.
Mary Oller teared up as she talked about her once happy-go-lucky, always smiling and bubbly brother changing in even in letters he wrote from Vietnam. “He just didn’t show his happy personality in his letters,” she said.
That continued when he returned after the war, she said.
“He would always give me a big hug and always a big smile, and that wasn’t there anymore,” she said under questioning from defense attorney Russ Hunt Jr.
He had been active in the community as a member of the Waco Jaycees and a peewee football coach, she said. He even had an entry in a book titled “Outstanding Young Men of America,” she recalled.
Coble had moved in with her after he separated from Karen Vicha, but a few days before the killings he began to get more withdrawn and depressed, acting similar to their mother during her mental breakdown, she said.
Once he was looking in the basement for their dog Scruffy, a dog long since dead, she said.
The Saturday before the Aug. 29 killings (a Tuesday), Coble began throwing out a lot of his belongings, including the “Outstanding Young Men of America” book.
Oller said Coble tossed his truck keys to her and said, “If anything happens, the truck is yours.” She was afraid he was going to take his life, she testified.
By Regina Dennis
| Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 09:44 AM
A 17-year-old girl was hospitalized after nearly drowning in Lake Whitney Monday.
Gisela Vizuedh was swimming in the lake near Loafer’s Bend with her mother and other family members, said Larry Armstrong, a patrol lieutenant with the Hill County Sheriff’s office. Her mother, Macrina Vizuedh, 40, slipped into a deeper section of water while attempting to swim to a sand bar in the lake. Gisela tried to save her mother, but also was pulled under by water currents.
Armstrong said boaters preparing to leave the sand bar heard the women hollering and pulled them out of the water.
Macrina Vizuedh was treated at Lake Whitney Medical Center. Gisela was airlifted to a local hospital. Armstrong said he did not know where the girl had been sent for treatment or her current condition.
By Regina Dennis
| Tuesday, September 2, 2008, 08:26 AM
A woman was struck and killed by a pickup truck on Interstate 35 early Tuesday as she attempted to cross the highway.
Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Frank McKinney said the driver of a 2005 Nissan pickup was headed northbound on I-35 near the Craven Avenue exit at 4:19 a.m. when he struck the pedestrian. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene, McKinney said. He said the driver had not seen the woman.
“That time of morning, the lighting is not very good, and when you have a vehicle traveling at interstate speeds and there’s a pedestrian attempting to cross the interstate, it’s not a good situation,” McKinney said.
Longtime Waco chef Mike Osborne is in New York, where he's enrolled in The Culinary Institute of America. He'll share tidbits of food lore, recipes galore and more.
Waco resident Randy Fiedler looks for the lighter side of a dark world, tells little-known stories of local history, and indulges in flights of pure goofiness.
Waco resident Kay H. Wilson has a plan, idea or opinion on nearly everything. Although her words may seem harsh at times, her heart is in the right place — usually on her sleeve.
