Home > Waco Breaking News > Archives > 2008 > November > 06
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Fire badly damages Waco-area home
An afternoon house fire in Chalk Bluff rekindled later this evening, gutting a guest room and leaving the rest of the home with smoke and water damage.
Engines from the Chalk Bluff Fire Department were called to 108 Wildwood Avenue around 12:30 p.m. Though the cause of the fire is unknown, investigators believe the fire started in a guest room closet. The fire was put out with support from other area fire departments.
Firefighters were summoned again to the house just after 8:00 p.m., when smoldering embers inside the front wall flared up and the attic caught fire, said Chalk Bluff Fire Chief Mike Meadors.
The fire was extinguished by 9:30 p.m. Outside the house sat a pile of half-burned possessions.
The Red Cross is helping the family with food, shelter and clothing, Meadors said.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines
Maybe Barney was jealous about all the talk of Obama’s puppy…
Talk about a biting critique of the press.
It seems President Bush’s dog Barney wasn’t much in the mood for friendly attention during his walk outside the White House on Thursday. So when Reuters reporter Jon Decker reached down to pet the Scottish terrier, the seemingly docile dog snapped at him and bit Decker’s right index finger.
Reporter April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks happened to capture the moment on video.
And, naturally, it soon wound up on YouTube. The video comes to an end with a freeze frame on Barney’s fangs.
Barney won’t have to worry about bothersome reporters much longer. The Bush administration ends in 75 days, and the president is headed back to Texas.
Sally McDonough, a spokeswoman for first lady Laura Bush, said of Barney: “I think it was his way of saying he was done with the paparazzi.”
Mrs. Bush asked McDonough to call Decker and make sure he was fine. She reports that Decker “is being a good sport about it all.”
The intrepid reporter got bandaged up by the White House doctor.
As he says in the YouTube clip: “I got bit by Barney, and unfortunately it broke the skin, and I have to be on antibiotics for the next few days.”
Consider it a cautionary tale. The incoming president, Barack Obama, has promised to buy daughters Malia and Sasha a puppy.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines
Man sentenced in three Waco area restaurant robberies
A bullet-proof vest wearing gunman who robbed three businesses this summer was sentenced to 20 years in prison today.
Juan Felipe Arango, 25, pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated robbery and was sentenced on each charge by 54th State District Judge Matt Johnson to serve concurrent 20 year prison terms.
Arango will have to serve at least 10 years in prison before he is eligible for parole. Immigration officials also have placed a detainer on him, possibly making him a candidate for deportation after he is released from prison, officials said.
Arango pleaded guilty to robbing the Smoke Break and More at 325 LaSalle Ave. in Waco on June 8, a Subway restaurant in Robinson on June 21, and the Little Caesar’s on Interstate 35 in Bellmead on July 3.
A security camera at the Robinson Subway showed Arango brandishing a pistol and wearing an armored vest.
Authorities have said Arango’s girlfriend, Erica Lira Sanchez, drove the getaway car while he robbed the three businesses. They were arrested shortly after the Bellmead robbery.
Sanchez, 21, remained in the McLennan County Jail late today, also charged with aggravated robbery. She is set to stand trial Jan. 26 in 54th State District Court in Waco.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Courthouse
Former Waco Internet company owner sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for child porn
A 49-year-old Waco man who is serving a 40-year state prison term for indecency with a child has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for conspiracy to produce child pornography.
Phillip Warren Roberts, former owner of an Internet service provider in Waco called Century Alpha, pleaded guilty in August to federal child pornography charges. He was sentenced to prison this week by U.S. District Judge Walter S. Smith Jr.
Roberts admitted that from June 2003 to October 2003, he conspired with a Pennsylvania woman to provide him with sexually explicit photos of a 2-year-old through this computer in exchange for $2,000, according to federal officials.
Waco police and federal agents executed a search warrant at Roberts’ house and business and discovered more than 47,000 images and about 675 videos depicting child pornography on his computer, officials have said.
In 2003, Roberts was sentenced in state court to 40 years in prison and fined $20,000 for violating his probation after Waco police arrested him for possessing child pornography. Roberts had been on deferred probation since pleading guilty in August 2000 to two counts of indecency with a child involving an 11-year-old.
He won’t begin serving his federal sentence until he completes his state prison term, officials said.
The woman in Pennsylvania was prosecuted there for providing the images, authorities have said.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Courthouse
Fourth person arrested in Mexia home-invasion, victim getting better
As the condition of the Mexia man who police say was shot in his home improved to fair today, a fourth man was arrested in the apparent home-invasion robbery.
Trevor O’Neal Smith, 19, of Mexia, was being held in the Limestone County Jail Thursday on charges of aggravated robbery and burglary of a habitation. His bond was $150,000.
Waco residents Damion Jackson, 22, Willie McCraw, 20, and Louis Smith, 21, also still remained in the jail Thursday on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, burglary of a habitation, assault of a police officer and evading arrest. Each was held on $260,000 bond.
Mexia police have said about 11 a.m. Monday the men broke into a house on North Ross Street in Mexia and shot Nick Hill, the home’s resident, who is in his mid-20s.
The men then led police on a multi-county, high-speed chase to Bremond, where the suspects’ 1985 Oldsmobile Delta 88 wrecked, police said.
Mexia police were not available by phone this morning for an update.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Police & crime
Dow falls 443 points
NEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street plunged for a second day, triggered by computer gear maker Cisco Systems warning of slumping demand and retailers reporting weak sales for October. Concerns about widespread economic weakness sent the major stock indexes down more than 4 percent Thursday, including the Dow Jones industrial average, which tumbled more than 440 points.
The two-day plunge totals about 10 percent for the major indexes.
Comments from Cisco that it saw a steep drop in orders in October and reports from retailers that consumers are skipping trips to the mall provided fresh evidence of the economy’s struggles. While sales at Wal-Mart Stores Inc. benefited from bargain-seekers, some specialty retailers posted huge drops in monthly sales.
Adding to investors’ list of worries, the Labor Department said the number of people continuing to draw unemployment benefits jumped to a 25-year high, increasing by 122,000 to 3.84 million in late October. It marked the highest level since late February 1983, when the economy was being buffeted by a protracted recession.
While new claims for unemployment benefits dipped by 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted level of 481,000 last week, the levels remain elevated. The findings added to the market’s unease ahead of Friday’s October employment report, a widely watched barometer of the economy’s health.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Business, National news
Longhorn player kicked off for Facebook comments
The Baylor Bears football team won’t have to contend with the Longhorns backup center on Saturday. He was kicked off the team because of comments he made on Facebook, a person close to the team has confirmed to Austin American-Statesman reporter Suzanne Halliburton, who blogs on the Bevo Beat.
According to the blog entry, Buck Burnette made an ill-advised post on his Facebook page after it was announced that Barack Obama won the election.
Halliburton blogs:
According to those who saw the Facebook page, Burnette updated his status shortly after Barack Obama was elected president Tuesday night and wrote that hunters should get their guns. One of the people who claimed to have seen Burnette’s original post said it also included a racial slur. Others saw what Burnette wrote and posted comments on other sites, encouraging their friends to shut down his page.
Burnette’s page has since been deleted from Facebook.
However, screen grabs show that he had updated his status to an apology. Burnette wrote: “Clearly I was in the wrong for what I did and I apologize for being a sore loser.”
Permalink | Comments (42) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Baylor University, Baylor football, Baylor sports, Pro & college sports
Emanuel accepts job to be Obama’s chief of staff
It’s now official as The Associated Press reports that Democratic officials say Barack Obama’s fellow Chicagoan Rahm Emanuel has agreed to be his White House chief of staff.
One of Obama’s first decisions as president-elect was to ask the Illinois congressman to run his White House staff. Emanuel accepted today after struggling over family and political considerations, according to the AP.
Emanuel serves in the House Democratic leadership and will have to resign his seat and put aside hopes of becoming House speaker.
The AP says that Emanuel is a fiery Democrat who served as a political and policy aide in the Clinton White House. His selection is a shift in tone for Obama, who chose more low-key leadership for his presidential campaign.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Politics
Striping to begin for soon-to-be two-way Waco streets
Beginning tomorrow, the city of Waco’s traffic department will begin striping sections of 11th and 12th Streets that are being converted to two-way roads, the city says in a release.
Here’s the rest of the release:
Waco City Council approved the change on Nov. 1, 2006. Since then, staff have been designing and preparing for the reconfiguration.
The changes involve the sections of 11th Street between Bosque Blvd. to Columbus Ave., and 12th Street from Bosque Blvd. to Franklin Ave. During the transition, the west side of 11th Street and the east side of 12th Street will be closed.
During the week of Nov. 17, the traffic signals will be adjusted for the conversion, and the complete switch to two-way traffic is planned for Thursday, Nov. 20 at 4 p.m.
For more information, contact Traffic Services at 750-6620.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, City hall
McCain-Palin campaign squabbles being reported
A number of media outlets are reporting that now with the election done, the behind-the-scene troubles of the McCain-Palin campaign, especially in regard to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, are coming to light.
This ABCNews.com story has a pretty good summary of what other outlets are reporting.
The Los Angeles Times has this article about the clothing purchases and other conflicts.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Politics
Never too late: Obama picks up North Carolina
Two days after the presidential election, The Associated Press today has declared President-elect Barack Obama the winner in North Carolina after canvassing counties in the state to determine the number of outstanding provisional ballots.
The win adds 15 electoral votes to Obama’s wide victory and a symbolic triumph in a state that hadn’t voted for a Democrat in more than a generation.
The survey found there are not enough remaining ballots for Republican candidate John McCain to close a 13,693-vote deficit.
North Carolina’s 15 electoral votes brings Obama’s total to 364 — nearly 100 more than necessary to win the White House. Missouri is the only state that remains too close to call.
Obama’s win in North Carolina was the first for a Democratic presidential candidate since Jimmy Carter won the state in 1976.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, National news, Politics
It’s homecoming week at Waco High
Homecoming week is in high gear at Waco High School this week. The parade around the campus was held last night, followed by a powder puff game and the “Burning of the W” at Paul Tyson Field.
At right are the nominees for 2008 Homecoming king and queen (click on the photo for a bigger image and the names). The 12 finalists were chosen after last week’s election from nominees of the school’s various clubs and organizations. This homecoming court will be presented at the Friday night game with Midlothian. The king and queen will be announced at halftime.
The football game kicks off at 7:30 p.m. A pep rally in the school gym is at 3:25 p.m. that day.
Here’s a shot of some of the fun from last night’s homecoming parade. For more photos from the parade, click here.
Permalink | Comments (4) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Education, High school sports
Injured motorcyclist still critical; driver improves to fair
A 44-year-old motorcyclist injured Monday night when his motorcycle collided with a car during a police chase remains in critical condition this morning, while the condition of the car’s 58-year-old driver has improved from serious to fair, said a spokesman with Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center.
Waco motorcyclist Clarence Majors collided into a Toyota Tercel, driven by Arturo A. Espindola of Waco, at 6:45 p.m. Monday at the corner of 18th Street and Austin Avenue, Waco police have said.
According to police, officers attempted to pull Majors over for a traffic stop at the corner of 15th Street and Austin Avenue, when the motorcyclist sped off, and crashed into the Tercel.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Police & crime
Midway’s Beauty and the Beast begins run
Midway High School students are bringing the Disney classic “Beauty and the Beast” to the stage for four performances beginning tonight.
The Midway High Fine Arts Department does a musical every two years, but school officials say this year’s production pulls out all the stops, with impressive costumes from New York (seen in the photo here), to the fabulous backdrops and scenery, to a phenomenal cast and crew.
Performances will be in the MISD Performing Arts Center, 800 Hewitt Drive. The first show is at 7p.m. today. Other performances are at 7 p.m. Saturday (although that one is already sold out), a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, and at 7 p.m. Monday.
General admission tickets at the door and the day of the show are $10. For more information, call 761-5650, ext. 2054.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines
Texas Life bought, but will stay in Waco
Waco-based Texas Life Insurance Co., founded in 1901, has been bought by a Connecticut company that says it will leave the company headquarters and its 131 employees in place.
Texas Life, which occupies the building at Ninth Street and Washington Avenue that bears its name, is the oldest legal reserve life insurance company domiciled in Texas.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Business
Newspapers popular as keepsakes of Obama victory
For all the doom and gloom surrounding the future of the newspaper industry these days, newspapers are pretty popular when people want an edition as a keepsake.
The Associated Press reports that newsstands from Seattle to New York quickly sold out of Wednesday’s papers declaring Barack Obama the nation’s first black president as some jubilant customers picked up two, three or even 30 copies as keepsakes.
The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune in Obama’s hometown were among papers that restarted their printing presses to produce hundreds of thousands of additional copies across the country.
I’m pretty sure we printed extra copies of our Trib edition Wednesday as well, though I’m not sure we’ll have quite the demand here for keepsakes as other cities might.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, National news, Politics
Gay couples disappointed by California marriage ban
Actor George Takei and longtime partner Brad Altman were the first to receive a marriage license in West Hollywood when a court cleared the way for gay marriage earlier this year. Best known for his role as Mr. Sulu on “Star Trek,” Takei on Wednesday was disappointed but philosophical about California voters’ decision to yank that right by passing a constitutional amendment restricting marriage to heterosexual couples.
“There are going to be heartbreaks, setbacks and sacrifices to be made,” he said, “but we will soldier on.”
The passage of Proposition 8 stirred anger, protests, lawsuits and a deep sense of loss among gays in California. At least three legal challenges were filed by Wednesday night and others were being prepared, ban opponents said.
Permalink | Comments (41) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines
Lincoln re-election speech to be auctioned in 2009
On the heels of this presidential election comes the announcement from Christie’s auction house that it plans to auction a handwritten copy of the 1864 speech Abraham Lincoln delivered at the White House after being re-elected.
According to The Associated Press, the four-page manuscript, which remained in the family’s hands until 1916, will be sold on the bicentennial of Lincoln’s birth on Feb. 12, 2009, the auction house announced today. It is expected to fetch more than $3 million.
Lincoln delivered the speech to a large crowd on Nov. 10, 1864, after winning a second term with 55 percent of the popular vote. He said the results “demonstrated that a people’s government can sustain a national election in the midst of a great civil war.”
Lincoln also expressed gratitude to “almighty God for having directed my countrymen to a right conclusion” and called on them to “reunite in a common effort to save our common country.”
Lincoln’s war policies were unpopular, and his prospects for a second term had looked bleak. He himself believed that Democrat George B. McClellan, a popular former Union general, would win.
Lincoln’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln, presented the manuscript to New York Congressman John A. Dwight as a thank-you for his efforts in securing funding for the construction of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C.
In 1926, Dwight’s widow gave the document to the Southworth Library Association in Dryden, N.Y. Proceeds from the sale will go toward a new wing for the library, located in New York’s Finger Lakes region. According to the library’s Web site, it was displayed only once, during the 1976 bicentennial celebration.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, National news
Obama tabs Texan for transition team
President-elect Barack Obama has looked to South Texas where he selected University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College President Juliet V. Garcia to join his transition team, officials said.
Garcia, the first Mexican-American to head a four-year U.S. university, will serve as one of the president-elect’s advisers.
“I consider public service to be our highest calling; so I am greatly honored to have been invited to take part in the historic transition of our young democracy,” Garcia said in a written statement to The Brownsville Herald, the newspaper reported Wednesday in an online story.
UTB-TSC’s Jose Bocanegra, who lectures on American political institutions and economic and public policy, said that Garcia, “will be an advocate for the area.”
Obama and Garcia have met. Obama visited UTB-TSC in February during his campaign. Also that day, he surprised revelers at the annual Sombrero Festival.
Brownsville native Federico F. Pena, former U.S. secretary of transportation and energy and former Denver mayor, was national co-chair of Obama’s campaign.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, National news, Politics
Clearing and cooler today
Good morning, Waco. We’re cooling off a bit today with the arrival of a front. Skies will be sunny, with a high near 75 degrees and a north-northwest wind between 5 and 10 mph.
Tonight’s low will drop into the mid-40s, a definite change from past days.
Apparently, we got a little rain in my neighborhood last night as there were some puddles. It wasn’t enough, however, to wake me from my slumber.
Waco Regional Airport received 0.04 inches between 2 and 3 a.m. today. Did you get any rain?
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Weather
