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November 2008
Laura Bush: Dallas on weekdays, Crawford on weekends
Laura Bush soon will no longer live in the country’s most famous mansion or be able to get away to the coveted Camp David presidential retreat. But beyond the perks, she says what she will miss most about being first lady are the staff and friends who surround her.
“I’ll miss all the people that are around us all the time, from the ushers and butlers who are there for every president … to our own staff, of course, that we love to laugh with and talk with and solve problems with,” she said in a televised interview broadcast Sunday. “So I’ll miss the people the most.”
President George W. Bush’s tenure ends on Jan. 20, when President-elect Barack Obama will take office. The Bushes plan to return to Texas, where they will likely spend their weeks in Dallas and weekends at their secluded ranch near Crawford.
The first lady has given advice to Michelle Obama about making the White House a warm, family home. The Bushes’ grown daughters, Jenna and Barbara, have given some playful tips about having fun in the executive mansion to the Obamas’ young daughters, Malia and Sasha.
Laura Bush recalled in the interview that she met the Obamas a few years ago at a reception for freshmen senators; Barack Obama had been elected as an Illinois senator. Asked if she viewed them back then as a prospective president and first lady, Laura Bush said: “I don’t know if I would say that. But I certainly saw somebody who was very ambitious and accomplished — in both of them.”
She jokingly referred to the start of her post-White House years as “the afterlife.”
The first lady spoke on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in a taped interview that focused largely on her advocacy for women and girls in Afghanistan. She encouraged Americans not to forget about Afghanistan, particularly as the militant Taliban, which brutally represses women, is fighting to re-establish itself.
“Our tendency in the United States is to become isolationist, become protectionist,” she said. “I hope people in the United States will look outside of our life here in the United States and do what they can both financially, to be able to support the people of Afghanistan, and then every other way.”
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Fire danger warning, wind advisory
Waco and surrounding counties are under a red flag warning for wildfire danger from noon to 6 today. A wind advisory is already in effect.
From the warning: NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH WITH OCCASIONAL GUSTS NEAR 40 MPH WILL DEVELOP THIS MORNING BEHIND A COLD FRONT. RELATIVE HUMIDITIES BELOW 30 PERCENT WILL ALSO EXIST IN THE WARNING AREA. CONDITIONS WILL BE THE MOST DANGEROUS DURING THE AFTERNOON HOURS WHEN WINDS ARE STRONGEST AND HUMIDITIES ARE THE LOWEST.
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Waco area under red flag warning Sunday
Waco and surrounding counties are under a red flag warning from noon to 6 pm Sunday. From the warning text:
NORTHWEST WINDS OF 20 TO 35 MPH AND HIGHER GUSTS … AND SURFACE HUMIDITY FALLING TO 30 PERCENT OR LESS WILL CREATE A VERY DANGEROUS WILDFIRE SITUATION ACROSS THE WARNING AREA SUNDAY AFTERNOON.
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Wisconsin hands Lady Bears 1st loss of season, 59-58
Melissa Jones missed two free throws with a half-second left on the clock, preserving a 59-58 victory for Wisconsin over the sixth-ranked Baylor women’s basketball team today in the title game of the Paradise Jam tournament in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands.
Alyssa Karel gave Wisconsin (5-1) its only lead of the game with a bucket with 7.3 seconds remaining.
Jones was fouled on a put-back attempt right at the buzzer, but missed a chance to win the game or at least send it to overtime.
Baylor (6-1) will return to action next Saturday at home against St. John’s.
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Baylor men defeat No. 14 Arizona State, 87-78, advance to tourney final
The Baylor men’s basketball team defeated No. 14 Arizona State, 87-78, late tonight at the 76 Classic in Anaheim, Calif.
LaceDarius Dunn led Baylor with 27 points, including six 3-pointers, and Curtis Jerrells added 22.
After the Bears took a 61-46 lead midway through the second half, James Harden helped the Sun Devils cut the lead to as little as four (82-78) with four 3-pointers. However, Baylor was able to make its free throws in the final two minutes and close out the game.
Harden finished with 32 points.
Baylor (6-0) advances to play No. 19 Wake Forest in the tournament championship game at 9:30 p.m. Sunday. Arizona State (4-1) will play UTEP in the third-place game at 7 p.m. Sunday.
Click here for a full report.
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Lady Bears defeat Villanova, 62-57, at Paradise Jam
Villanova put a scare into Baylor’s perfect season, but the Lady Bears survived.
Sixth-ranked Baylor saw its lead of as many as 21 points trimmed to three with 2:29 remaining, but made the plays it needed down the stretch in a 62-57 win over Villanova today at the Paradise Jam tournament.
Villanova (2-3) trailed by 16 points at the half, but managed to make a second-half surge behind some scorching shooting from behind the 3-point arc. Meanwhile, Baylor (6-0) couldn’t find the range for much of the second half, hitting just six of its first 21 shots and going more than six minutes without a field goal.
Ultimately, little plays made the difference, as Melissa Jones picked up a key offensive rebound with the Lady Bears up 3 in the waning minutes, and Baylor made two steals defensively.
Jessica Morrow, shooting 28 percent on the season coming into the game, broke out of her slump with a team-high 17 points on 6-of-11 shooting.
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Police look for credit union robber
Waco police are looking for a man who robbed the First University Credit Union this afternoon.
The suspect entered the credit union, 605 S. Univeristy-Parks Drive, and told a teller he had a gun, Waco police spokesman Steve Anderson said. He never produced a gun, and no one was injured.
The man fled the building toward Interstate 35 with an undisclosed amount of money. Police do not yet have a detailed description of the suspect.
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Police investigate credit union hold-up
Waco police are at the scene now of a hold-up at First University Credit Union, 605 S. University-Parks Drive.
Reporter Cody Winchester is on the way to find out more. Check back for details on wacotrib.com.
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Shopper voices: everything but the kitchen sink
At Kohl’s department store, doors opened at 4 a.m. and a little shoving took place as two different lines tried to enter the store at the same time.
Julie King, 17, of Axtell, was the first in line when the Target Greatland store opened at 6 a.m. King said she arrived at the store at about 1:30 a.m.
Royce Henley, 41 of China Spring, wasn’t kidding when he said he was shopping for appliances at Sears. He said he was in the market for a refrigerator, stove, dishwasher and washer/dryer.
“It seems like everything went out at once and needed to be replaced,” he said.
Laura Hawkes, 49, of Robinson, followed her annual tradition by hitting the stores early and often. She said she probably will spend less this year because of tough economic times.
“I still have my job, but some people in our family have lost theirs, and I wouldn’t want them to feel like they have to give big gifts,” said Hawkes.
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Shopper voices: 90 minutes to check out?
Kim Ince of Lake Whitney got a REALLY early start on her Black Friday shopping. Early as in, she actually started at 11 p.m. yesterday at Hillsboro’s outlet mall. Leaving there at 2 a.m., she slept a couple hours and then hit Target and Richland Mall in Waco.
She’s buying mostly for her children and a grandchild, she told the Trib’s Regina Dennis.
She’s spending less this year, but noticed she’s had plenty of company in looking for bargains.
Kim Bennett of Hewitt started at 4 a.m. at Kohl’s, Target and Old Navy and then went to Richland Mall. Her big find: Bath and Body Works had some great discounts, and workers were giving away a gift bag with purchases that carried about $100 in free products.
She’s out with the grandkids — who must be much more patient than MY son: They were in line for 90 minutes waiting to check out at Old Navy earlier this morning. Now that’s dedication.
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New airport manager brings experience from Del Rio
Joel C. Martinez, 30, who previously served as director of Del Rio International Airport, confirmed today that he has been hired as director of Waco Regional Airport.
Martinez will succeed Richard Howell, who left Waco Regional to serve as manager of airports in San Luis Obispo County, Calif., not far from where he grew up in Santa Barbara.
Martinez has resigned his position in Del Rio and said his first day on the job in Waco is Dec. 15.
He grew up in Del Rio but said Waco Regional Airport offers him an opportunity to work for a larger operation.
“In Del Rio, we have about 17,000 passengers a year. You have about 85,000 enplanements,” said Martinez, speaking by phone from his home in Del Rio.
Waco City Manager Larry Groth confirmed that Martinez was offered the job after a round of interviews with several applicants. “He stood out from the rest,” said Groth.
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Tragedy in the name of getting a bargain
Black Friday got completely out of hand at one New York Walmart, according to a New York Daily News article, leaving one worker dead and causing a pregnant shopper to allegedly miscarry.
All this to get a good deal?
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Navarro County man dies in rollover wreck
A Navarro County man is dead after a rollover accident early Thursday morning.
Adam Scott Lewis, 26, of Mildred, was driving southbound on County Road 1090 just east of Corsicana about 1:35 a.m. when his 1991 Nissan pickup ran off the road, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman said. Lewis overcorrected, causing his pickup to roll over and hit a fence, she said.
Conditions at the time were foggy, the spokeswoman said. Lewis was not wearing his seatbelt, she said.
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Got a great deal? Have a Black Friday beef? Let us know
I’m not an early riser if I can help it. And I hate crowds. And I pretty much always work the Friday after Thanksgiving. So I’ve never joined in the Black Friday thing.
Did you know that the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday because it was, historically, the day that many retailers moved into the black, or became profitable for the year? So says the New York Times.
Are you out there doing your bit for the economy? Are you already done shopping for the day? Where’d you get your best deal? Whose parking lot is the most packed? Let us know about your experiences today (and whether you’re up for doing it next year).
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Early shoppers beating the rain
Trib photographer Rod Aydelotte was on the job at 4 a.m. today, snapping photos of about 2,000 diehard shoppers lined up at Kohl’s (and one small scuffle when folks tried to cut in line). He reports that Best Buy and Target were also full of early birds.
Good thing they’re out early, because we’ve got a 60 percent chance of thunderstorms today. Hope everyone gets those gifts in the trunk before the rain starts coming down.
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Baylor men defeat Providence in 76 Classic opener, 72-56
Kevin Rogers collected 16 points and seven rebounds to lead Baylor to a 72-56 win over Providence in the opening round of the 76 Classic late Thursday night.
The Bears (5-0) advanced to the semifinals against No. 14 Arizona State (4-0) at 11:30 CDT tonight at the Anaheim Convention Center. Arizona State beat Charlotte, 84-56, earlier today.
For a full game report, click here.
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Lady Bears defeat Central Florida in Paradise Jam opener, 79-67
The sixth-ranked Baylor Lady Bears feasted on Central Florida’s turnovers in garnering a comfortable Thanksgiving Day win.
Baylor got its fast-break game off and running thanks to UCF’s turnover problems in a 79-67 victory over the Knights at the Paradise Jam Tournament at the University of the Virgin Islands in St. Thomas.
Baylor (5-0) led just 18-15 midway through the first half, but upped its defensive pressure to increase its advantage to 12 at 39-27 by halftime.
The Lady Bears emerged from the locker room after halftime with a hot touch, increasing their lead to 20 on a Morghan Medlock turnaround with just over 11 minutes remaining. With Baylor’s starters all resting in the final minutes, UCF (1-3) took advantage with a late spurt to trim the final gap to 12, but the Lady Bears were never threatened.
Baylor will continue action at the Paradise Jam at 2:30 p.m. Friday against Villanova, a 47-45 loser to Wisconsin earlier Thursday.
Read Brice Cherry’s tournament preview here.
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Roads, airport starting to slow with holiday traffic
Looks like there are some travel snags for Thanksgiving travelers.
A spokeswoman for Continental Airlines in Waco said flights are two hours delayed. The next flight to Houston leaves at 6:20 p.m. She the problems are related to delayed air travel throughout the country. A spokeswoman for American Eagle said their planes are all on time.
A spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety said southbound traffic on Interstate 35 is slow but steady. She said northbound traffic, however, is backed up due to several minor accidents north of Waco. She said crews are working to clear the accidents. No major injuries have been reported and no lanes have been closed.
Check back at wacotrib.com for updates.
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Deadline for Toys for Tots registration nears
The Salvation Army of Waco sent us this release about registering for Toys for Tots.
Thousands of children in McLennan County will not experience the joy and excitement that Christmas brings this year for many different reasons, however, through the Marines Toys for Tots Foundation; you can make a child’s wish become reality.
The Salvation Army of Waco will conduct its last week of Marines Corps Toy for Tots Registration on December 1-5. Registration will be at The Salvation Army of Waco located at 1225 S. Jack Kultgen Expressway from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Applicants should bring a Valid Driver’s License or other government issued photo I.D, Birth Certificate of each child, and proof of residence (utility bill) at the time of registration.
“We do our best to help as many people we can in need immediate assistance,” said Rosa Burks, Director of Social Services for The Salvation Army. ”We really want the public to know that (The Salvation Army) is a free service, not just for the holidays, but all year round.”
This free assistance program is provided to low income individuals who are registered for Toys for Tots through The Salvation Army. Parents can receive their toys at scheduled appointment times during the days of December 18, 19, 20 and 21 at the Toy Warehouse located at 800 Schroeder (by the Room Store) off Franklin Drive.
This program involves the entire community by directly allowing them to become personally involved through sharing with those less fortunate in their community, by providing gifts of new toys to thousands of children throughout the community who otherwise might not have anything for Christmas.
“It’s so exciting to see the looks on the parent’s faces as they are able to fulfill their children’s Christmas dreams, said Captain Tracey Czajkowksi, Commanding Officer. “This is made possible by the generosity of the people of the McLennan County.”
Last year, 77,318 toys were provided to local children during the Marines Toys for Tots Foundation.
During, the 2007 Kettle Campaign, The Salvation Army was able to help thousands of local families, children and shut-ins experience a joyous holiday season. They distributed 4,210 gifts to local nursing homes, hospitals, and veterans, provided over 800 meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day and helped 9,872 individuals in the month of December through the Social Service Program.
For more information about The Salvation Army holiday programs, to donate or volunteer, please contact the local Salvation Army in Waco at 254-756-7271, or stop by and see us at 1225 S. Jack Kultgen Expressway.
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Odd Waco connection to fatal crash near Chicago
The Chicago Tribune has this story today about a deadly joyriding crash that killed two teenagers and injured three youngsters. Several paragraphs into the article is a mention that the car in the accident was bought by a Waco woman for her 21-year-old daughter.
According to a sheriff’s department there, the daughter allowed a 15-year-old who she thought was 18 to borrow her car to run an errand. Instead, he went joyriding on a stretch of road long known for attracting fast drivers, police say.
Sadly, it’s the type of thing that could happen anywhere.
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Alleged drunk driver runs over himself
How’s this for cosmic karma? A 21-year-old man in New Mexico accused of driving drunk and leading police on a chase ended with him running over himself. And he suffered only minor injuries.
Read the story here.
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MCC names three to be interviewed to replace outgoing president
The McLennan Community College board of trustees named three people to be brought in to interview for the presidency of the college at their meeting tonight.
The three have applied to replace Dennis Michaelis, who will end his 21-year presidency when he retires on Aug. 31, 2009.
The list of applicants to be interviewed includes Utpal Goswami, provost at Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona; Quintin Bullock, provost at Tidewater Community College in Virginia Beach, Va.; and Johnette McKown, MCC executive vice president.
MCC spokeswoman Lisa Wilhelmi said that board chairman Randy Cox said officials expect to interview the candidates in over the next two weeks and did not have a specific time frame for naming Michaelis’ replacement.
MCC’s trustees also set the maximum price to build the campus’ new parking garage at $5.45 million. Joe Mazanec of Waco-based Mazanec Construction, who will build the garage, said at the meeting that construction will begin on the garage first thing this morning.
The new four-story parking garage is set to be completed on Aug. 31, 2009, and MCC officials have said it is necessary to alleviate parking problems on the campus with an ever-expanding enrollment.
The furniture cost for the three new buildings on MCC’s campus— a classroom building, science building and emergency services training center— was also set at just over $1.35 million. McKown said that price was within $6,000 of the amount originally budgeted for the furniture, which includes desks, tables, chairs, computer tables and trash cans.
Also at tonight’s meeting, trustees were told that 10 MCC presidential scholars will travel to Washington, D.C. to attend Barack Obama’s presidential inauguration on Jan. 20.
Al Pollard, MCC’s vice president for program development, said the students will leave on Jan. 19 and will have a full schedule, including a tour of the capitol, stops at Washington, D.C.’s various monuments, the Smithsonian Institution and then the inauguration and parade.
While meeting with the students last Sunday, Pollard said he learned that not only have many of the students not been to Washington, D.C., but several have never traveled anywhere by airplane, which he said added to their excitement about the trip.
Michaelis also said at the meeting that he has been in recent discussions with Texas Tech University about a partnership for MCC to offer Texas Tech bachelor’s degrees through its University Center.
Michaelis described the talks as “promising” and “exciting,” though he said the discussion is still in the early stages.
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Police identify two more killed in fiery crash
Freestone County officials have released the names of two men who were among three who died in a fiery crash early Monday.
Jorge Castaneda, 40, and Rodolfo Gomez, 41, both of Mesquite, died about 4:50 a.m. when Castaneda’s 1996 Ford F-150 pickup collided head-on with a 2004 Honda Ridgeline on State Highway 14, one mile north of Farm-to-Market Road 27 in Freestone County, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman said.
The Honda’s driver, 42-year-old Sammy McGowan of Wortham, also died in the accident.
The spokesman said McGowan was driving north on Highway 14 when the southbound pickup crossed the median, striking the Honda, and caught fire.
A 1996 Ford Explorer then crashed into the F-150, the spokesman said. Its three occupants were taken to Parkview Regional Hospital with non life-threatening injuries.
The spokesman said the three men were from Corsicana, but would not release their names citing hospital confidentiality agreements.
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Waco bicycle ice cream vendor robbed at gunpoint
Waco police arrested a man tonight in the armed robbery of a bicycle ice cream vendor.
The ice cream man was robbed at gunpoint about 5:20 p.m. when he was working on 23rd Street, in between Mitchell and Lyle avenues, a Waco police spokeswoman said.
The vendor flagged down a Waco police officer and told him the direction the robber fled, the spokeswoman said.
Officers caught up with the robbery suspect a few blocks away, she said. She could not say how much money or merchandise was stolen. The arrested man’s name has not been released.
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Waco’s CareNet, Humane Society win contest
Two Waco organization will receive the top two prizes in the Perry Office Plus $25,000 Charity Office Makeover contest. CareNet Pregnancy Center of Central Texas and the Waco Humane Society received the top two prizes after the public voted in an online survey.
CareNet will receive an office makeover from Perry Office Plus worth up to $25,000 in office furniture, space planning, design and installation services. Both winners will receive an office prize package of office machines, artwork and supplies worth up to $1,000, including products from HP, Smead, Zebra and Acco Brands.
Updates on the makeover will be posted online at www.perryop.com.
More than 40 contest entries were received from area non-profit organizations, who described their need for an office facelift and seven from Waco, Temple, Killeen, Copperas Cove, Belton and College Station were chosen as finalists. Finalists were chosen based on need, lack of office functionality, and community impact.
“Non-profits struggle enough, but especially during uncertain economic times, and we want to encourage the public to continue to support local charities in the days ahead,” said Perry Office Plus Sales and Marketing Director Bonnie Hunt.
The other finalists were: Central Texas Youth Services (Belton), Cornerstone Christian Academy (College Station), Cove House Emergency Homeless Shelter (Copperas Cove), Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity, and Ralph Wilson Youth Clubs of Temple.
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Waco trash collection changes for holidays
Waco residents whose trash collection is normally Thursday will need to take the garbage out a day early this week.
Because of the Thanksgiving holiday, Thursday’s routes will be collected on Wednesday.
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Meager pecan crop saved by last year’s abundance
The state’s pecan crop is one of the smallest in years, but the holidays won’t be ruined if you want to gobble the sweet goodness of pecan pie or give away festive tins of the salty treats.
Last year’s bountiful harvest is supplementing the shortfall. Stored pecans can last for years and appear a bit darker because of their oil, but are just as tasty, agriculture officials said.
“There are plenty of pecans to buy,” said Jose Pena, an extension economist with Texas AgriLife Extension Service in Uvalde. “If you close your eyes and taste one (from each year), they’re identical.”
This year Texas is expected to produce 32 million pounds of pecans. For the second consecutive year the state trails Georgia, on track to produce 70 million pounds, and New Mexico, projected at 45 million, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The nationwide total is expected to be 204 million.
Last year’s Texas pecan crop of 70 million pounds was part of the nationwide total of 385.3 million pounds, the highest in a decade or more, according to the USDA.
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Waco-area cafes make Texas Monthly Top 40 list
Two area small-town cafes were named among the 40 best small-town cafes by Texas Monthly, which loves to criss-cross the state and find these gems.
The one closest to Waco is Donald Citrano’s Coffee Shop Cafe in McGregor, which already is famous because it’s been a stop for President Bush, Secret Service personnel and the media following our 43rd president. Next closest is Sister’s in Marlin.
There’s also this handy online Google map of the selections, along with a short writeup when you click on the button.
The cafes are featured in the December issue. You can preview them online here, but to read the story, you’d have to be a Texas Monthly subscriber or join online.
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Six people in McLennan County being treated for rabies
Handling a cute little kitten now has six people in McLennan County receiving post-exposure rabies vaccinations to prevent the illness, according to a press release by the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District.
On Nov. 17, a confirmed case of rabies in a kitten was reported to the health district.
Read the rest of the release here:
Due to concerns about the potential of additional persons being exposed to this confirmed animal rabies case, the Health District is releasing additional case information to identify all other persons who may have been bitten by this rabid kitten, so they can receive post exposure rabies vaccinations to prevent rabies.
The rabid kitten was described as a two to three-month-old red (orange) tabby male that stayed near the address listed below (Rosenthal area, off of Hwy 77):
Pina’s Country Store and Cafe, 3857 S. Robinson Dr., Lorena, TX 76655
If you or someone you know were at the Country Store between Nov. 2 and Nov. 13 and were bitten by this kitten (or injured through a scratch with the kitten’s saliva contacting that fresh wound), contact your primary care physician immediately to discuss your risks. If a valid exposure has occurred, rabies post exposure vaccinations should be administered promptly to prevent this fatal disease.
A rabies exposure is defined as (1) an animal bite which breaks the skin or (2) exposure of broken skin (bled or had serious drainage within the past 24 hours) or mucous membranes to saliva or cerebrospinal fluid. Also, please contact the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District at (254) 750-5411.
This incident serves as a reminder to avoid handling stray animals. Think twice about petting any animal, particularly an unfamiliar animal, to avoid being bitten or scratched. Not only do bites and scratches hurt, but the animal’s saliva may pose a rabies virus exposure risk. All mammals, including humans, are susceptible to rabies. This deadly viral disease is usually found in Texas wildlife, most notably skunks, bats, raccoons, coyotes and foxes, but it can spill over from these animals into unvaccinated domestic animals.
For more information on rabies prevention, please contact the Waco-McLennan County Public Health District at 254-750-5411 or the Department of State Health Services Web site at http://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/rabies.
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Dunn leads Bears past Jacksonville
PHOTOS
LaceDarius Dunn buried seven treys and scored a game-high 23 points as Baylor overcame Jacksonville, 76-68, Monday night at the Ferrell Center.
Curtis Jerrells collected 17 points and eight assists as the Bears improved to 4-0.
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Three killed in fiery collision
Three people were killed this morning in a fiery three-vehicle crash in which two people were trapped in a burning vehicle.
The collision happened about 4:50 a.m. on State Highway 14, one mile north of Farm-to-Market Road 27 in Freestone County, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman said.
Sammy McGowan, 42, of Wortham, died when his 2004 Honda Ridgeline collided head-on with a 1996 Ford F-150 pickup, the spokesman said.
McGowan was driving north on Highway 14 when, for an unknown reason, the southbound pickup crossed the median, going into oncoming traffic, the spokesman said.
A 1996 Ford Explorer then crashed into the F-150, causing the pickup to catch fire with its two occupants trapped inside. Those names have not been released, pending identification, the spokesman said. Their bodies were sent to the Dallas Medical Examiner’s office for autopsies.
The threein the Explorer were taken to Parkview Regional Hospital in Mexia with non-life threatening injuries, the spokesman said. Their names were unavailable this afternoon.
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Baylor ‘pinwheels’ campaign ends today
If you stroll along the Baylor campus this morning, you should see about 3,000 pinwheels at Fountain Mall.
The Baylor Social Justice group is leading the “Pinwheels for PLC (Preemptive Love Coalition)” campaign today. The 3,000 pinwheels represent the number of children in Iraq who need heart surgery.
The Preemptive Love Coalition is a nonprofit organization that exists to fund heart surgeries for the children in Iraq who are dying of heart disease. PLC has an office in Iraq assisting the children and families, along with an office in Texas that raises funds and handles the administrative end of the organization.
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SpaceX issues statement on concerns caused by Saturday night’s test
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The following press statement was issued moments ago by SpaceX about its test Saturday night in McGregor:
Dear Greater Waco Area Residents,
We appreciate your feedback regarding our recent test as it allows us to improve our notification process to the surrounding community.
Since we began operations in 2003, SpaceX has conducted over 2000 tests, and nearly ten have been multiple engine tests at similar times of day. During these previous tests, we did not receive complaints from citizens in your area. The weather on November 22, with low clouds and cool temperatures, drastically affected the distance the sound and light travelled. We began test procedures for this particular test at 7:00am on Friday, Nov. 21 and executed it as quickly as possible, working through hundreds of pages of procedures designed to keep the community, staff, and hardware safe. While no further tests are planned for this stage in McGregor, in the future we will increase our notification to include local news media and law enforcement in McLennan, Coryell, Bell, and Falls counties.
As a resident of Central Texas for over 25 years, with family in the area, it is extremely important to me, as well as all of SpaceX, who choose to raise their families in the area, that our testing is safe for local residents. The propellants used are non-toxic and environmentally friendly, In fact—the Falcon 9 burns a higher grade of kerosene (more environmentally friendly) than a 747 and burns only about half of what a single 747 flight does. The smoke you may have seen was composed mostly of steam and dust.
SpaceX strives to be a good corporate neighbor, bring high technology jobs to the area, and stimulate the local economy. We are proud to have operations in McGregor and make use of facilities which have historically played such an important role in American history. Engines which propelled American astronauts to the moon and back were developed and tested here, as well as the Sidewinder and Phoenix missiles.
The launch vehicle engines tested last night will soon take cargo, and eventually crew, to the International Space Station. Falcon 9 represents the only medium to heavy lift rocket that is 100 percent Made in America and with this vehicle—SpaceX will bring leadership in launch back to the US. The leadership role is currently held by former Soviet Republics, France, and China.
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Press release on SpaceX rocket firing
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The following press release about last night’s rocket test in McGregor was retrieved from SpaceX.com today.
SpaceX Successfully Conducts Full Mission-Length Firing of its Falcon 9 Launch Vehicle
Significant Milestone Achieved as SpaceX Prepares to Demonstrate U.S. Transport to the International Space Station
HAWTHORNE, CA — November 23, 2008 - Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SpaceX) successfully conducted a full mission-length firing of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle’s first stage at its McGregor Test Facility in Texas, on November 22. For the static test firing, the first stage remains firmly secured to the massive vertical test stand, where it fired for 178 seconds or nearly three minutes — simulating the climb of the giant rocket from the surface of the Earth towards orbit.
At full power, the rocket generated 855,000 pounds of force at sea level. In vacuum, the thrust increases to approximately one million pounds or four times the maximum thrust of a 747 aircraft. The test consumed over half a million pounds of propellant. All nine engines fired for 160 seconds, then two engines were shut down to limit the acceleration and the remaining seven engines continued firing for 18 more seconds, as would occur in a typical climb to orbit.
The test firing validated the design of SpaceX’s use of nine engines on the first stage, as well as the ability to shut down engines without affecting the functioning of the remaining engines. This demonstrates the ability of Falcon 9 to lose engines in flight and still complete its mission successfully, much as a commercial airliner is designed to be safe in the event of an engine loss. Like an airliner, the Falcon 9 engines are enclosed in a protective sheath that ensures a fire or destructive loss of an engine doesn’t affect the rest of the vehicle.
The Falcon 9 will be the first vehicle since the Saturn V and Saturn 1 to have the ability to lose any engine/motor and still be able to complete its mission without loss of crew or spacecraft. Engine out reliability proved crucial to mission success on two of the Saturn V flights.
“In the past month, we performed significant upgrades to the test stand and flame trench in preparation for this test,” said Tom Mueller, Vice President of Propulsion for SpaceX. “We added the flight base heat shields around the engines to protect the bottom of the rocket from the prolonged blast of heat and vibration.”
“The full mission-length test firing clears the highest hurdle for the Falcon 9 first stage before launch,” said Elon Musk, CEO and CTO of SpaceX. “In the next few months, we will have the first Falcon 9 flight vehicle on its launch pad at Cape Canaveral, preparing for lift-off in 2009.”
About SpaceX
SpaceX is developing a family of launch vehicles intended to increase the reliability and reduce the cost of both manned and unmanned space transportation, ultimately by a factor of ten. With its Falcon line of launch vehicles, powered by internally-developed Merlin engines, SpaceX offers light, medium and heavy lift capabilities to deliver spacecraft into any altitude and inclination, from low-Earth to geosynchronous orbit to planetary missions.
On September 28, 2008, Falcon 1, designed and manufactured from the ground up by SpaceX, became the first privately-developed liquid fuel rocket to orbit the Earth.
As a winner of the NASA Commercial Orbital Transportation Services competition (COTS), SpaceX is in a position to help fill the gap in American spaceflight to the International Space Station (ISS) when the Space Shuttle retires in 2010. Under the existing Agreement, SpaceX will conduct three flights of its Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft for NASA, culminating in Dragon berthing with the ISS. SpaceX is the only COTS contender with the capability to return cargo to Earth and demonstrate the capability to carry crew to and from the ISS.
Founded in 2002, the SpaceX team now numbers nearly 600, located primarily in Hawthorne, California, with four additional locations: SpaceX’s Texas Test Facility in McGregor near Waco; offices in Washington DC; and launch facilities at Cape Canaveral, Florida, and the Marshall Islands in the Central Pacific.
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Police: Men robbed Bellmead store and stole clerk’s car
Bellmead police are looking for two men wanted in connection with a Saturday night convenience store robbery, authorities said.
Two men wearing masks and gloves and brandishing guns, entered the Phillips 66 gas station at 2004 Bellmead Drive about 8:30 p.m. and demanded money from the clerk, Bellmead police said in a press release.
The men, armed with a shotgun and a chrome revolver, took an undetermined amount of cash from the store and locked the 28-year-old clerk into a closet, police said.
The men also took the keys to the clerk’s 2004 Nissan Sentra and fled east on Spur 299, off Waco Drive. Police say the car was recovered later that evening in the 2000 block of Hoffman Street in Waco.
Bellmead police ask anyone with information regarding this robbery to call 799-0251.
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Lady Bears steam past Rice
PHOTOS
- gallery: Baylor Lady Bears vs. Rice
HOUSTON — All five of Baylor’s starters scored in double figures as the 10th-ranked Lady Bears rolled over Rice, 83-58, in their first road test of the season this afternoon at Rice’s Tudor Fieldhouse.
After leading just 16-14 midway through the first half, Baylor (4-0) took control with an 11-2 run fueled by a couple of nice passes from senior guard Jessica Morrow that led to baskets.
Rachel Allison tallied a double-double for the second time this season, and both times she’s done it by halftime. Allison finished with 16 points and 14 rebounds, while sophomore guard Melissa Jones also had a double-double with 11 points and 10 boards.
Morrow chipped in 14 points, four rebounds and three steals, while Jhasmin Player scored 12 and Danielle Wilson added 11.
D’Frantz Smart, Rice’s waterbug guard, led the Owls (2-1) with 14 points, six assists and five steals. Megan Elliott added 11 points for Rice.
Baylor’s next action will be Thursday against Central Florida at the Paradise Jam Tournament in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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Massive rocket test in McGregor rattles Central Texas
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Update: SpaceX responds to residents’ concerns about Saturday night rocket test
The orange glow seen over McGregor late Saturday night wasn’t a bomb explosion or a Martian invasion.
Around 10:30 p.m., SpaceX, a private space exploration technologies company, tested its nine-engine Falcon 9 rocket at the McGregor Airport, said Lauren Dreyer, manager of business development for SpaceX.
Dreyer said the 177-second-long, nine-engine “mission duty cycle” was a complete success.
“We ran the engines just like they would run during flight,” Dreyer said. “But instead of being up in the air, they were held down. They weren’t moving.”
SpaceX is working on rockets to travel to the International Space Station, Dreyer said.
A Waco police spokeswoman said her department received dozens of calls from concerned citizens inquiring about the test, but Dreyer said SpaceX had been working with the McGregor community during the week, placing a notice in the McGregor Mirror and on the marquee in front of McGregor High School.
“This is something the public should be excited about,” Dreyer said. “It’s nothing to worry about.”
Dreyer said anyone with questions about Space X should contact her at lauren@spacex.com.
To read previous a previous Tribune-Herald profile of SpaceX, click here.
For the SpaceX press release on the test, click here.
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Baylor freshman sets Big 12 record in 85-43 win over Southern
PHOTOS
- gallery: Check out photos from Bears' win
Freshman Quincy Acy hit all five shots to set a Big 12 record by making 18 straight field goals this season as Baylor roared past Southern, 85-43, today at the Ferrell Center.
Acy finished with a team-high 15 points while grabbing five rebounds.
Baylor guard Henry Dugat nearly recorded a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists.
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Lady Bears roll past Stephen F. Austin, 77-42
It wasn’t always pretty, but the Baylor Lady Bears will take it.
No. 10 Baylor limited Stephen F. Austin to 32 percent shooting in a relatively easy 77-42 romp tonight at the Ferrell Center.
Baylor (3-0) built an overwhelming 41-9 lead by halftime, holding the Ladyjacks (2-1) scoreless for a 14-minute span at one point. However, the Lady Bears played sluggishly and sloppily at times in the second half, forcing a bevy of tough passes and finishing with 19 turnovers.
Jhasmin Player and Melissa Jones tied for high-point honors for Baylor with 13 apiece.
Tammara Marion led SFA with 12.
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Margaret Mills to spend first night in prison tonight
Margaret Mills will spend her first night in prison tonight.
Mills, 67, who pleaded guilty earlier this month to embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars as executive director of Downtown Waco Inc., rode a McLennan County Sheriff’s Office bus Friday with several other women prisoners to the Woodman State Jail in Gatesville.
Mills had been housed in the McLennan County Jail’s medical segregation unit since 54th State District Judge Matt Johnson sentenced her to nine years in prison Nov. 10. The Woodman unit is an intake facility where new prisoners go through the classification process, said Texas prison spokesman Jason Clark.
Prison officials consider an inmates’s educational level, psychological background, medical history, age, work experience and other factors before determining to which prison unit to assign her, Clark said.
It could be several weeks before Mills is moved to her assigned unit, Clark said. While there are female prison units in South Texas, the majority of female prisons are in the Gatesville area, Clark said. Those include the Woodman, Murray, Hilltop, Crain and Mountainview units.
Mills likely will have to serve a little more than two years before she becomes eligible for parole, county officials have said.
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Waco VA celebration to honor native Americans
Here’s a release about a celebration honoring native Americans today at the Waco Veterans Affairs Medical Center. I’m told that the meal for participants is being cooked in a pit dug in the ground in the Indian tradition. The person doing the cooking started at 5:30 this morning. (Full disclosure: the photo at right is not from the event, but from a Google search online.)
This event is open to the public. Here’s the release:
The Central Texas Veterans Health Care System honors the generations of American Indians and Alaska Natives at a “Veterans’ Dance” celebration Friday beginning at 11 a.m. at the Waco VA Medical Center between Stracke Auditorium (Building 6) and Building 11.
CTVHCS Native American Program Committee invites the media and the public to attend the colorful celebration that includes: Native American music, dance, drummers, an Indian health service display, and food. The celebration is part of Native American Heritage Month.
Native American Indians from the Kickapoo, Cherokee, Apache, Choctaw, Comanche, Navaho, Black Foot, and Seminole Nations will participate in the program. Beginning at 1 p.m., traditional dances and songs will be performed by over 50 dancers from across the nation. Songs will include the Veterans’ Song, Flag Song, War Mothers’ Song, as well as songs from past and current wars; World War II, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq. Family and veterans will be asked to join in the dance to honor the veterans of each war.
Of the 2.5 million Native Americans and Alaskan natives in the United States, the 2000 Census reported that 195, 871 are veterans. Nearly 12,000 served in the military during World War I, over 44,000 during World War II, and approximately 42,000 fought in Vietnam of which 90 percent were volunteers.
The rich history of our Native Americans speaks to us through the names of our cities, lakes, and rivers; the magnificent ruins of ancient communities; and most important, through the lives of the people who retain the cultural, spiritual linguistic, and kinship bonds. Please join us as we celebrate National American Indian Heritage Month.
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Waco’s education summit continues
The Greater Waco Community Education Summit concludes today with more discussion and a speech by U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards (D-Waco).
A key theme on Thursday was communication.
Trib senior editor Bill Whitaker examines some of the ideas brought up in discussion groups in his column today.
Trib photographers also captured many of the faces involved in the summit, as seen above with Autumn Outlaw from Texas State Technical College and student ambassador Matthew Bell. For more faces at the summit, check out our slide show.
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Vacant Marlin school building fire ‘suspicious’
A fire at a vacant Marlin school building early today is being viewed by officials as suspicious.
Firefighters responded to the 500 block of Oak Street shortly after 3 a.m., said James Adams, chief of the volunteer fire department. A fire had been reported at the gymnasium and auditorium of the vacant Marlin Middle School.
“The was no gas or electricity on in the building, so it’s real suspicious how it got started,” Adams said, adding that it was too early to pinpoint a cause for the blaze.
Adams said the school had been closed for 15 to 20 years. The building had caved in a few months ago, and the city was in the process of clearing out the remains.
Fires were still smoldering in parts of the building as of 10 a.m. Friday. Adams said fire crews would continue to monitor the scene until the fires are completely out. Once the building is safe for entry, officials can being investigating the cause, he said.
In the summer, a string of house fires in Marlin were ruled arson, Adams said.
Waco Fire Marshal Jerry Hawk declined to speculate about whether the fire could possibly be related to four fires here that investigators have ruled arson during the past month.
Three of those fires occurred on Oct. 24. They were at the old Sanger Avenue Elementary School, located between 17th and 18th streets on Sanger Avenue; the abandoned Townhouse Hotel at 17th Street and Washington Avenue; and Vittles, a defunct restaurant at 23rd Street and Waco Drive.
The fourth fire occurred Nov. 14 at the old Waco High School building on Columbus Avenue.
Hawk has previously said that investigators believe the initial trio of fires is connected and that officials have suspects in those blazes. They are unsure if the fourth fire is also linked.
No arrests have been made, and Hawk said there are no updates in any of the cases.
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Skinny’s in Waco robbed early this morning
Police are looking for a man who robbed a convenience store early Friday.
The robbery occurred around 12:50 a.m. at the Skinny’s convenience store at 600 N. Valley Mills Drive, said Waco police officer Steve Anderson. The suspect walked into the store, brandished a knife at the sales clerk, and demanded the money from the cash register, Anderson said.
The man left the store with and undisclosed amount of cash. The sales clerk was not injured.
On Thursday, a Waco jury sentenced Joshua Jimenez to 55 years in prison for his robbery of a Valero store at knifepoint.
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Dr Pepper to deliver on its free-soda promise
Dr Pepper is making good on its promise of free soda now that the release of Guns N’ Roses’ “Chinese Democracy” is a reality. The soft-drink maker said in March that it would give a free soda to everyone in America if the album dropped in 2008. “Chinese Democracy,” infamously delayed since recording began in 1994, goes on sale Sunday.
“We never thought this day would come,” Tony Jacobs, Dr Pepper’s vice president of marketing, said in a statement. “But now that it’s here, all we can say is: The Dr Pepper’s on us.”
Beginning Sunday at 12:01 a.m., coupons for a free 20-ounce soda will be available for 24 hours on Dr Pepper’s Web site. They’ll be honored until Feb. 28.
Dr Pepper, of course, began in Waco. The soda was created at Morrison’s Old Corner Drug Store in Waco in 1885. You can find out more at the Dr Pepper Museum Web site.
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Family Abuse Center seeks sponsors to help families
The Family Abuse Center in Waco is seeking help to provide a good Christmas for its families. Here’s a news release from the organization:
Sponsor a small family as an individual, or a larger family as an organization. You may sponsor a family residing at the shelter during the holidays, or a family that is transitioning from the shelter into a home of their own.
The Adopt-A-Family program matches you, or your organization to a family according to your wishes.
You will be provided with a profile that lists the age, gender and sizes of each family member, along with a short wish list of items that the family would need.
For more information, contact Jennifer at (254) 772-8999. The Family Abuse Center serves Bosque, Falls, Freestone, Hill, Limestone, McLennan and Navarro counties.
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Gatesville prison unit to be renamed today
A ceremony commemorating the renaming of a female prison unit in Gatesville for former Texas Board of Criminal Justice Chairman Christina Melton Crain is scheduled for this morning.
The formal dedication of the Christina Melton Crain Unit, 1401 State School Road in Gatesville, will begin at 11 a.m. Keynote speakers will be former board Vice Chairman Pierce Miller, and former board secretary Patsy Day.
Members of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice voted in August to rename the unit, previously known as the Gatesville Unit, after Crain, who served as the board’s first female chairman from 2003 until 2008. The nine-member board, appointed by the governor, is responsible for the management and operations of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
For more about Crain, click here.
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Are you ready for some football?
The second round of the prep football playoffs begins tonight, with a host of games involving local teams. Check out Jason Orts’ high school preview.
Our high school feature is on Midway running back John Hubert, who has 2,078 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns.
Also tonight, the Baylor Lady Bears hit the hardwood again at the Ferrell Center.
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Man sentenced to 55 years in prison for knifepoint robbery
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- link: The trial: Day 1
A 19th State District Court jury sentenced Joshua Jimenez, 37, to 55 years in prison and a $1,110 fine for robbing a Valero store at knifepoint in July.
The jury deliberated for about 30 minutes before reaching its verdict. Jimenez will have to serve at least half of that sentence before he is eligible for parole.
Jimenez faced from 25 years to life in prison.
In reaching its guilty verdict earlier today, the jury took about an hour to deliberate.
Jimenez told the court that the incident was actually a drug deal that went awry with the store’s clerk.
Prosecutor Hilary LaBorde showed jurors a portion of a video showing Jimenez brandishing a knife and demanding money.
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Jury deciding fate of convicted robber
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- link: The trial: Day 1
A 19th State District Court jury is now deliberating the punishment of Joshua Jimenez, 37, who was found guilty of robbing a Valero store at knifepoint in July.
Jimenez faces from 25 years to life in prison.
In reaching its guilty verdict earlier today, the jury took about an hour to deliberate.
Jimenez told the court that the incident was actually a drug deal that went awry with the store’s clerk.
Prosecutor Hilary LaBorde showed jurors a portion of a video showing Jimenez brandishing a knife and demanding money.
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Shannon Elizabeth at Baylor? (updated 2:39 p.m.)
Actress Shannon Elizabeth was seen at Baylor University today, and has visited other locations throughout Waco. She was spotted on campus with a film crew.
Two sources at Baylor said they didn’t know anything about Elizabeth’s visit, saying “that’s not to say it’s not true,” but a third source did confirm Elizabeth was in town.
Elizabeth grew up in Waco and attended Waco High, where she played tennis.
The actress rose to prominence with her role in the 1999 film “American Pie.”
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Another Waco restaurant closes
Who is it? Click here for the Mike’s Marketplace blog to find out.
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Jury finds man guilty in Waco robbery trial
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- link: The trial: Day 1
A 19th State District Court jury has found Joshua Jimenez, 37, guilty of robbing a Valero store at knifepoint in July.
The jury took about an hour to deliberate. The punishment phase is starting now.
Jimenez told the court that the incident was actually a drug deal that went awry with the store’s clerk.
Prosecutor Hilary LaBorde showed jurors a portion of a video showing Jimenez brandishing a knife and demanding money.
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Waco woman’s home damaged in overnight fire
A Waco woman returned home early today from her overnight job at a nursing home to find that, while she was gone, a fire had broken out in her home, and that most of her uninsured belongings were too damaged to save.
At about 3:30 a.m. today, Waco firefighters responded to Nireta Oliver’s 1124 Preston St. home, and extinguished a fire in her dining room, said Waco Fire Marshal Jerry Hawk.
He said the fire started at an extension cord that was plugged into an outlet in the dining room to a window unit. The rest of the house suffered smoke damage, he said.
While the house is not a total loss, Oliver’s belongings were uninsured, Hawk said. Oliver, who Hawk said is in her late 40s, is staying with friends until her house can be repaired.
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Jury deliberates in Waco robbery trial
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- link: The trial: Day 1
A 19th State District Court jury has begun deliberations this morning in the aggravated robbery trial of Joshua Jimenez, who allegedly robbed a Valero store at knifepoint in July.
Prosecutor J.R. Vicha told jurors that while it was a 10-second crime and that the trial was relatively short, it doesn’t mean that it’s not a serious crime.
Jimenez told the court that the incident was actually a drug deal that went awry with the store’s clerk.
Prosecutor Hilary LaBorde showed jurors a portion of a video showing Jimenez brandishing a knife and demanding money. That led to an outburst by Jimenez.
“Where’s the other video? Where’s the other video?” Jimenez said, referring to his claims that approached the clerk twice and the second video showed his confrontation with the clerk after discovering that an iPod he had traded for didn’t work.
Judge Ralph Strother admonished Jimenez for his outburst.
“I’m just sayin,’” Jimenez replied.
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Man indicted in deadly Waco shooting
A McLennan County grand jury today indicted an 18-year-old Waco man in the Aug. 23 shooting death of Robert Nevarez.
Steve Kelly was indicted on a murder charge in the death of the 21-year-old Nevarez, who was found about 4 a.m. in the 2500 block of Cole Avenue. He suffered a single gunshot wound to the head, authorities have said. Nevarez was taken to Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, where he later died.
Kelly has also been charged with retaliation in the case, but he was not indicted on that charge today.
Investigators determined that Kelly threatened several people who had cooperated with police during the initial investigation into Nevarez’s death and arrested Kelly on Sept. 11 after an anonymous caller gave police information on where he was hiding.
Waco police also arrested Larry Vonzell Waits, 20, and Keith Wayne Caufield, 19, both of Waco, on murder charges in Nevarez’s death. Their cases have yet to be presented to a grand jury.
Kelly remains in the McLennan County Jail in lieu of $550,000 bond on murder and retaliation charges, Waits in lieu of $750,000 and Caufield in lieu of $100,000 bond, both on murder charges, a jail official said. Waits was also held without bond on a parole violation.
Staff writer Van Darden contributed to this story.
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Teen critical after collision near Waco
A 16-year-old boy is in critical condition at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center today after he drove into oncoming traffic and was struck on the driver’s side door.
Texas Department of Public Safety Cpl. Charlie Morgan said the teen was taken to the hospital by medical helicopter after the 7:30 a.m. accident at the intersection of State Highway 6 and Bosque Ridge Road, near Waco.
Because he is a minor, Morgan would not release the boy’s name, and a Hillcrest spokesman said hospital policy forbids the boy’s condition to be released.
Morgan did not know where the boy was from or details regarding the accident such as what vehicles were involved.
Morgan said the youth had the sun in his eyes when he was stopped at the stop sign at the corner of Highway 6 and Bosque Ridge Road. He pulled out to make a left and didn’t see oncoming traffic, Morgan said.
Two vehicles swerved to miss him, but he was struck by a third in the northbound lanes, Morgan said.
Morgan said no other injuries were reported at the accident. North and southbound lanes on Highway 6 were backed up for a couple hours.
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Controversial billboards in Waco changed
Two controversial billboards posted by the Waco Police Association that alerted drivers traveling in and out of Waco that the city is among the most “violent” in the state have been replaced, upon expiration of the association’s contract with the company that owns the billboards.
Mat Naegele, vice president and general manager of Temple-based Lamar Advertising, said today that he replaced the billboards on Saturday, the day the association’s contract was up.
In place of the billboards that claimed, “The Murder Rate is Up! Waco is the 7th most violent city in Texas!”, Naegele said he covered the message with one touting Waco as a “great place to live.”
He said he thought it was time for a more positive message.
Officer Anne Cyr, president of the association, had said the billboards — which dismayed local business owners and city officials — were erected to expose the Waco City Council’s refusal to meet with the association to discuss issues including police staffing and resources. The group’s request has not yet been granted.
Earlier this month, Waco Police Chief Brent Stroman presented the city council with a detailed crime analysis to counter the association’s claims that the city is covering up negative statistics.
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Baylor Law School group to debate Gitmo
The Baylor Law School Federalist Society will host a debate at 7 tonight on the detention and torture of the Guantanamo Bay prisoners.
The debate will be in Room 120 of the Umphrey Law Center, 1114 S. University-Parks Drive. Professors Brian Serr and Mark Osler will represent two sides of a discussion that has embroiled the nation and her courts.
“This is a key issue that the legal community and the next administration must address,” said B.J. Jiral, Baylor Law School Federalist Society president. “We’ve captured a large number of hostile prisoners, and we have to find a legally permissible way to deal with them.”
More of the release follows:
Since the beginning of the Afghanistan campaign in 2001, military prisoners deemed too dangerous to release have been held at Camp X-Ray in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The Bush administration has labeled these prisoners “enemy combatants” or “detainees,” designations that remove the protections of U.S. laws and the Geneva Conventions, and has unsuccessfully attempted to try them in military tribunals outside the United States. President-elect Barack Obama has announced that one of his first executive orders will establish a special court process for these detainees on U.S. soil and under U.S. law.
“We’re honored to have such knowledgeable and deep-thinking advocates to debate this topic,” said Jesse Davis, Baylor Law School Federalist Society vice president. “Both professors are well-known and widely published legal scholars, so it will be very interesting to get their perspectives on such a crucial constitutional issue.”
Prof. Serr is a noted civil and human rights advocate, and has been on the Baylor Law faculty since 1986. He teaches Criminal Law, Criminal Procedure, Advanced Criminal Procedure, and Supreme Court Seminar, and has briefed and argued cases before the U.S. Supreme Court and the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Prof. Osler is a sought-after expert in the fields of criminal law practice and sentencing. He is a former Assistant United States Attorney, and his book Jesus On Death Row is forthcoming (January 2009, Abingdon Press). Prof. Osler has also briefed cases to the U.S. Supreme Court (including the recent United States v. Spears crack cocaine case) and argued in several U.S. Courts of Appeal.
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Waco to have pro indoor football team?
Looks like another professional sports franchise has Waco lined up as a member. According to this story from the Southwest Daily News in Sulphur, La., the Southern Indoor Football League has been created and Waco is set to join in 2010.
League President Thom Hager, who also owns the Louisiana Swashbucklers, announced the league’s creation yesterday.
The inaugural season, set to kick off after Easter 2009, includes Texas teams from Austin, Houston, Galveston and Pasadena, and the Louisiana cities of Lake Charles, Houma and Lafayette. Two other teams might be announced soon, he said.
Hager is looking at six more franchises to join in 2010, including Waco. Other markets preparing to join the SIFL, he said, are Birmingham, Ala., and four Florida cities — Pensacola, Tallahassee, Tampa and Lakeland. When these teams join, the SIFL will be divided into a west and east division.
Here’s the SIFL Web site.
Will this be any more successful than other pro and semi-pro teams in Waco? Based on past history, they have a pretty short shelf life.
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Waco-area agencies finalists for office makeover
We received this e-mail announcing that CareNet Pregnancy Center of Central Texas and the Waco Humane Society are among seven charities across Central Texas selected as finalists in the Perry Office Plus $25,000 Charity Office Makeover contest.
Online voting at www.perryop.com ends on Sunday.
Here’s more of the news release:
The other finalists are Central Texas Youth Services in Belton; Cornerstone Christian Academy in College Station; Cove House Emergency Homeless Shelter; Fort Hood Area Habitat for Humanity; and Ralph Wilson Youth Clubs of Temple.
The winning organization will receive a total office makeover from Perry Office Plus worth up to $25,000 in HON office furniture, and space planning, design and installation services. The space will be customized to be more efficient, attractive and allow the organization to better serve the community. The winner and one runner-up will receive an office prize package of office machines, artwork and supplies to complete the space.
More than 40 contest entries were received from area nonprofit organizations, who described their need for an office face-lift. Finalists were chosen based on need, lack of office functionality, and community impact and the public is asked to visit perryop.com to vote for the office they want to see made over.
Sales and Marketing Director Bonnie Hunt says, “Non-profits struggle enough, especially during uncertain economic times, and we want to encourage the public to continue to support these important programs.”
About Perry Office Plus Perry Office Plus is the largest independent office products and furniture dealer in Central Texas and has been locally owned and operated since its establishment in 1920. Headquartered in Temple, Texas, Perry Office Plus has retail locations in Killeen and Belton and a furniture showroom in Waco. They offer thousands of office products for free delivery throughout the area and provide a wide range of office furniture, custom space planning and installation services. For more information, visit www.perryop.com.
About The HON Company The HON Company is a leader in the design and manufacturing of workplace furniture including chairs, storage, panel systems, tables and desks. Headquartered in Muscatine, Iowa, The HON Company has numerous manufacturing facilities strategically located throughout the United States, and markets its products through a nationwide network of dealers and retailers. The HON Company is an operating company of HNI Corporation (formerly HON INDUSTRIES). For more information, visit www.HON.com.
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Major accident on Highway 6
State troopers are on the scene of a major accident in northbound lane on State Highway 6 near Bosque Ridge Road.
According to a Department of Public Safety spokeswoman, injuries were reported and an ambulance was called to the scene. A call about the accident came in at 7:32 a.m., she said.
According to an eyewitness, a truck hit a car.
The police scanner just reported that a CareFlight helicopter has left the accident scene.
We’ll try to get more information as it is available.
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PHOTOS: Baylor men defeat Centenary, 90-55
Curtis Jerrells collected 20 points and eight assists as Baylor blew past Centenary, 90-55, this afternoon at the Ferrell Center.
The game was part of ESPN’s College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon.
Freshman Quincy Acy hit all seven field goals and finished with 15 points for the Bears, while LaceDarius Dunn hit four of seven treys and scored 18 points.
Henry Dugat added 14 points, four rebounds and four assists, and Kevin Rogers chipped in 13 points.
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Downtown Waco ‘inspirational piece’ to show at 3 p.m. council meeting
MULTIMEDIA
- video: Rick Sheldon's vision of Waco in 2015
- gallery: Artistic designs
Waco-based developer Rick Sheldon will unveil his vision of downtown Waco’s future with a computer-simulated video at the Waco City Council meeting at 3 p.m. today.
“It’s an inspirational piece,” City Manager Larry Groth said of the video, which he thinks will be a useful recruiting tool for businesses and developers who are interested in the downtown and river corridor area. “That doesn’t mean this is the way it’s going to be, but it’s a way to get people thinking.”
Among other attractions, the video shows a 55,000-seat “Beardome” stadium on land across the river from the Texas Ranger Museum. Sheldon also hopes to persuade the Texas Department of Transportation and other parties to build a prominent new I-35 bridge of eight lanes, with six lanes of frontage roads.
The video also shows the Elm Street corridor transformed into a market and cultural center, then soars upriver to Cameron Park, the Bosque River Stage and the Waco Mammoth Site, which are envisioned as water taxi stops.
To read more about Sheldon’s plans and what city leaders think, city reaction, click here for J.B. Smith’s preview.
We’ll have the video and other conceptual mockups of the downtown cityscape available today on WacoTrib.com around the time of the council meeting.
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UPDATE: Democrats let Lieberman keep committee chair
WASHINGTON — Sen. Joe Lieberman will keep his chairmanship of the Senate Homeland Security Committee despite hard feelings over his support for GOP nominee John McCain during the presidential campaign.
The Connecticut independent will lose a minor panel post as punishment for criticizing Obama this fall.
Lieberman’s colleagues in the Democratic caucus voted 42-13 Tuesday on a resolution condemning statements made by Lieberman during the campaign but allowing him to keep the Homeland Security Committee gavel but lose a subcommittee chair on the Environment and Public Works panel.
Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said he was very angry by Lieberman’s actions but that “we’re looking forward, we’re not looking back.”
Added Reid: “Is this a time when we walk out of here and say, ‘Boy, did we get even?’” said Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev.
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Giving Thanks, Giving Hope banquet photos now online
We’ve got new photos online from Sunday’s Giving Thanks, Giving Hope banquet at the Lions Den. The event benefited Compassion Ministries, which helps homeless people and those on the verge of homelessness find permanent housing and employment.
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What’s popular, what’s coming up on WacoTrib.com?
Want to know what everyone else is reading this morning? We’ll tell you here on Waco NOW:
Our most popular story so far today is the flap in the Waco suburb of Hewitt over recently fired officer Danny Powell.
Powell and his supporters claim the officer of 16 years was fired in retaliation for talking to a city council member in support of the civil service proposition for the police department, a contentious measure which passed in the Nov. 4 election.
We’ll also have some interesting economic development news on WacoTrib.com today as developer Rick Sheldon will unveil his vision for the Waco of the future at this afternoon’s city council meeting.
He has a computer-generated video of a virtual blimp ride over the Brazos River Corridor circa 2015, which includes upscale hotels, a domed Baylor University football stadium, a riverfront restaurant row, a signature Interstate 35 bridge, art galleries and a gourmet grocery store, all tied together with streetcars and water taxis.
We’ll have the the 16-minute aerial-style video will be available about 3 p.m. today here on wacotrib.com, so check back for that.
“I’d like everyone to look at it,” Sheldon said. “It’s there to generate debate and to inspire. This is just our idea, but we wanted to get community input. The only way this can be successful is if the community picks up this transformative effort.”
Rounding out our top 5 most popular stories this morning:
- The Baylor men’s basketball team will face Centenary on national TV at 3:05 p.m. today as part of ESPN’s College Hoops Tip-Off Marathon;
- Baylor University officials announced Monday that a sophomore student from The Woodlands died Saturday afternoon after a car accident north of Houston;
- Our lead story in today’s paper: Local businessmen weigh in on the auto bailout;
- Expanding and developing the skate park and Charlie McLeary Tennis Center will be on the agenda at a city meeting tonight.
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Gas tank explodes in Gatesville fire
The Gatesville Fire Department is investigating a Sunday night fire that destroyed a shed and car at a home, authorities said.
About 9 p.m., the department received a report of a shed on fire next to a residence in the 200 block of Carroll Drive, a department spokesman said.
A vehicle inside the shed caught fire and its gas tank exploded, the spokesman said.
Early reports indicated that the homeowner was injured in the fire, but the spokesman said that report was erroneous.
The spokesman said a passerby, who was watching the firefighters battle the blaze, fell and was taken to a nearby hospital with minor injuries.
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Waco house burns
Waco fire officials are investigating a fire that broke out in a North Waco home this morning.
The fire was reported at a house in the 1500 block of Trice Avenue about 2:20 a.m., a Waco Fire Department spokesman said.
Firefighters responding said they saw smoke coming from the house and that the residents had all gotten out safely, the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that the house was not fully engulfed in flames and that some of the residents’ belongings may be salvageable.
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Baylor women move to No. 10 in AP basketball poll
A day after the Baylor Lady Bears trounced second-ranked Stanford, the new Associated Press women’s basketball poll rewarded the team with a nine-spot jump to No. 10.
Baylor (2-0) avenged a big loss last year in Palo Alto, Calif., with a resounding 81-65 win in the Ferrell Center Sunday afternoon.
The Cardinal, meanwhile, slipped six spots to No. 8.
In other poll news, LSU’s streak of Top 25 appearances is over while Connecticut became a unanimous choice at No. 1.
The Lady Tigers fell out of The Associated Press poll for the first time since Feb. 25, 2002, a span of 117 straight weeks. It was the sixth-longest active streak in the country behind Tennessee (417), Connecticut (279), Duke (169), North Carolina and Stanford (134).
LSU, 24th in the preseason poll, lost to then-No. 16 Notre Dame 56-50 on Sunday. The Lady Tigers have had four different coaches during their streak in the Top 25 and have had a steady stream of talented players. However, they graduated their starting five from last season’s Final Four team and Hall of Fame coach Van Chancellor is basically starting from scratch.
Maryland, third in the preseason poll, was shocked by TCU on Friday and fell to No. 11. Buoyed by the victory, the Horned Frogs entered the Top 25 at No. 24 for the first time since the final poll of the 2004-05 season.
“It’s good to be back,” TCU coach Jeff Mittie said. “We always schedule tough, which gives us some opportunities. We still play Texas A&M, Oklahoma State and Cal on the road.”
With losses by Stanford and Maryland, Oklahoma moved up two spots to second — eight points ahead of No. 3 Rutgers. North Carolina, Tennessee, Duke, and California each moved up two spots.
Rutgers visits seventh-ranked Cal and No. 8 Stanford this weekend.
The Cardinal were followed by Louisville and Baylor.
Maryland fell out of the Top 10 for the first time since the preseason poll of 2005-06. Only Tennessee, Connecticut, and North Carolina have been in the Top 10 longer.
The Terrapins were followed by Texas A&M, Vanderbilt, Texas, and Notre Dame.
Virginia dropped one place to 16th and visits Tennessee tonight. Ohio State and Arizona State flip-flopped their places in the poll. Oklahoma State dropped five spots to No. 19 after losing at Duke on Friday. Auburn remained in 20th.
Purdue, Florida State, Xavier, TCU, and Old Dominion held the final five spots. The Lady Monarchs’ visit Texas tonight.
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Baylor’s Pawelek named Big 12 defensive player of the week
Baylor linebacker Joe Pawelek has been named Big 12 defensive player of the week.
Pawelek collected seven tackles and made two interceptions in Baylor’s 41-21 win over Texas A&M. His third-quarter interception set up a Baylor touchdown, and his fourth-quarter interception in the end zone stopped an A&M drive.
We have loads of coverage from Saturday’s big game here.
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TSTC begins spring registration
Class registration for the spring semester at Texas State Technical College Waco got under way today. Registration hours are from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays and ends Dec. 19.
Registration will resume on Jan. 5 and continue through Jan. 8.
Spring classes are to begin Monday, Jan 12.
TSTC notes that because financial aid processing can take several weeks to complete, those needing financial assistance should contact the TSTC Financial Aid Office immediately at (254) 867-4814. The TSTC Waco Web site — www.waco.tstc.edu — provides additional details, dates and an online application.
Students have a choice to sign up for a variety of different degree and/or certificate options.
To find out more, you can call toll-free at (800) 792-8784 or direct at (254) 867-2005.
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Baylor women win
Rachel Allison scored 25 points as No. 19 Baylor upset No. 2 Stanford, 81-65, Sunday at the Ferrell Center.
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One killed, one injured in Gatesville crash
A Gatesville teen has died and another was injured when the pickup they were riding in overturned on State Highway 36 north of Gatesville.
Jessica McGehee, 17, of Gatesville was killed around 9:30 p.m. Saturday when the 1999 Ford F-150 pickup truck left the roadway, overturned and rolled several times, a Texas Department of Public Safety spokeswoman said.
The spokeswoman said the truck’s driver, 17-year-old Kodi Hitt, also of Gatesville, was injured in the accident and taken to Scott & White Hospital in Temple.
Hitt was driving north on Highway 36 when she drifted out of her lane onto the right shoulder, the spokeswoman said. Hitt overcorrected and veered off the left shoulder. In an attempt to regain control of the pickup, Hitt overcorrected a second time, causing the truck to roll three times.
Justice of the Peace Jimmy Wood pronounced McGehee dead at the scene.
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Edwards says he’s not interested in Obama cabinet post
Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, said today he’s staying in Congress despite speculation he was being considered for Veteran Affairs secretary.
The Waco Democrat said Sunday he told President-elect Barack Obama’s transition team that he’ll continue representing his Texas district where voters this month re-elected him to a 10th term.
Edwards, who is chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Committee, said he believed he could be more effective in Congress than the Cabinet.
Edwards defeated Republican Rob Curnock to win a 10th term on Nov. 4.
He was also reported to be on Obama’s short list of potential running mates during the presidential campaign this summer.
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Waco sees season’s first freeze
Waco Regional Airport had an overnight low of 30 degrees this morning. It was already 32 at midnight, so yesterday goes down in the record books as the date of this year’s first freeze.
That puts us a bit ahead of the average date, Nov. 23, but not especially early, according to National Weather Service records. The earliest first freeze on record was Oct. 24, 1917; No. 10 on the list is Nov. 5,
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Baylor men defeat Paul Quinn in opener, 108-50
The Baylor men’s basketball team defeated Paul Quinn, 108-50, in its season opener tonight at the Ferrell Center.
Henry Dugat led Baylor with 22 points. Curtis Jerrells had 17 points and 10 assists, Kevin Rogers and LaceDarius Dunn had 16 points each, and newcomer Quincy Acy had 13 points and 11 rebounds.
Check back to wacotrib.com tonight for a full report.
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West teen killed in car wreck, 2 other teens injured
A Friday night rollover wreck claimed the life of a West teen and sent two others to a local hospital, authorities say.
Katherine Gant, 17, of West, died around 10:45 p.m. when her 2002 Toyota Rav4 rolled over on Farm-to-Market Road 2114 at the Czech Hall Road intersection in West, a Department of Public Safety spokeswoman said.
The spokeswoman said Gant was eastbound on FM 2114 and traveling at an unsafe speed when she failed to negotiate a curve and left the roadway, overturning her car.
Keri Boyett, 17, sustained broken bones in the wreck and is in stable condition at Hillcrest Baptist Medical Center, the spokeswoman said.
Tyler Bettge, 16, of Abbott, was also injured and is in critical condition at Hillcrest, the spokeswoman said.
The spokeswoman said all three were wearing seat belts when the accident occurred.
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Fire weather warning
Waco and surrounding counties except Limestone are under a red flag warning from 11 am to 6 pm. Winds of 15 to 25 mph gusting to 35 mph, combined with low humidity and dry vegetation, will create a high fire danger.
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Lady Bears romp past Florida Atlantic in opener, 90-45
Rachel Allison had 18 points and 13 rebounds, and newcomer Morghan Medlock had 14 points and 16 rebounds as the 19th-ranked Baylor Lady Bears rolled past Florida Atlantic, 90-45, in their season opener tonight at the Ferrell Center.
Baylor outrebounded Florida Atlantic 70-33.
Check back to wacotrib.com for a full report.
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Fire chief: Old Waco High fire was arson
The fire this morning in the old Waco High School building has been ruled arson, Waco Fire Chief John Johnston said.
Investigators are unsure whether the fire is linked to three fires set Oct. 24, all of which were ruled arson. Johnston said investigators talked today to a person about the blaze.
The fire, which was confined to the bottom floor toward the rear of the building, took about 20 minutes to put out and resulted in no significant structural damage, Johnston said.
The school is being renovated into affordable income housing, and today’s fire delayed work at the site. A worker said when his crew arrived this morning, they found a fire in the basement.
Sanger Avenue Elementary School, the Townhouse Hotel and a local restaurant were all hit by arson last month. The school and hotel were gutted, and the city of Waco demolished the hotel this week.
Fire Marshal Jerry Hawk said last month that investigators believe those three fires were connected and said they had suspects in the blazes. No arrests have been made.
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Update: March at Baylor ends
The racial awareness march on the Baylor campus this morning has come to an end, with marchers saying that they were pleased to address their concerns in a meeting with Dub Oliver, vice president for student life, and Interim President David Garland.
Baylor’s Association of Black Students and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People organized the silent march this morning.
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Can drive at Baylor-A&M game to help food pantries
Caritas has sent out a news release that the Baylor University Student-Athlete Advisory Committee will host its first Food for Families can drive at Saturday’s Baylor-Texas A&M football game at Floyd Casey Stadium.
Donations can be made at all gates from 1 p.m. through the end of the first half. The rest of the release follows:
All fans attending the 105th rendition of the ‘Battle of the Brazos’ are asked to bring a canned food item to this game. Baylor student-athletes will be collecting the canned food good items before the game at each Floyd Casey Stadium entrance gate. Canned food items collected on Saturday will help fill the food pantries of 11 McLennan County food pantries who will be participating in the annual Food for Families Food Drive, which culminates on Friday, November 21st.
The SAAC is a committee comprised of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience at Baylor University. The SAAC also offers input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect student-atheletes’ on-campus experience.
Kickoff for Saturday’s game is set for 3:05 p.m. and tickets may be purchased by calling 254-710-1000, or online at baylorbears.com.
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Boil-order notice for Elm Mott residents
The McLennan County Water Control and Improvement District 2 in Elm Mott has issued a boil-water notice for its customers as a precautionary measure due to low water pressure.
The district advises residents to bring water to a vigorous, rolling boil for two minutes before using it. For more information, call 829-1824 or 829-1954.
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Fire in basement of old Waco High School
An early morning fire put a temporary stop to renovation work at the old Waco High School building on Columbus Avenue.
A worker at the site said when his crew arrived this morning, there was a fire in the basement. By 9:30 a.m., the fire was out, but the Waco Fire Department was still at the school and workers had not been given the OK to go back in the building.
The smell of smoke lingered around the basement doors at the back of the large building. It is unknown at this time how large the fire was.
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March on Baylor campus under way
Students involved with a racial awareness march on the Baylor campus this morning were moving from Morrison Hall to the location of the alleged noose, and then stop at Pat Neff Hall, where they plan to meet with administrators.
Baylor’s Association of Black Students and National Association for the Advancement of Colored People organized the silent march this morning.
The alleged noose, according to an e-mail sent Thursday by Baylor Interim President David Garland, turned out to be a rope swing discarded by students.
Discovery of the “noose” was one of three incidents on election night that were thought to be racially motivated after Barack Obama became the first black elected president of the United States.
The march is one of a number of events this week that were designed to increase cultural and racial awareness on campus.
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Baylor cheerleader featured on Sports Illustrated Web site
Freshman Baylor cheerleader Marisa McKee, a biochemistry major from Forney, is featured as Sports Illustrated’s Cheerleader of the Week on its Web site. It’s part of the SI on Campus portion of its Web site.
Her photos and information were posted to the site yesterday and I assume will be up through Wednesday of next week.
The page has a short question-and-answer piece, such as why she chose Baylor and her worst habit, along with several photographs. She is pictured in a couple of shots with fellow cheerleaders Nikki Friend and Kourtney McMillian. Kourtney is the taller one in the pics.
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BU: Students say rope was for swing, not noose
BU interim president David E. Garland issued a statement this afternoon stating investigators believe a crudely fashioned noose found on campus last week after the election of Barack Obama as president, was in fact not a noose at all.
“On Wednesday afternoon, a student met with Baylor police and provided information pertaining to the rope that was found on campus,” the statement reads. “This student claimed responsibility for the rope and described its origin. The student explained that he had been spending time with a group of friends on Fountain Mall the evening before the election and had discovered a rope he believed to have been from one of the tents used during the university’s homecoming activities. The students thought they could use the rope to create a rope swing. The students tied one end of the rope to a limb of the tree and tied the other end in a loop from which they attempted to swing. Later they abandoned the swing. The students strongly deny that the rope was intended to mimic a noose or to convey a message of any sort.”
The call for unity comes on the heels of racially charged incidents on campus after Obama was elected the nation’s first black president. A rope was found hanging from a tree outside Morrison Hall. Later in the evening, black and white students exchanged words outside Penland Residence Hall but were dispersed by police before the incident turned physical. Outside Brooks Flats, students reportedly burned Obama/Biden campaign signs, though that incident has since been downplayed by school officials who said they understand students were burning empty computer boxes.
Garland’s statement said the group who had been involved in the creation of the rope swing talked to student leaders who were together Wednesday night planning the unity march that is scheduled for 9 a.m. Friday on campus. The Friday march is one of several events held at Baylor this week to encourage tolerance.
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City, Sanger School group meet with judge about building
The badly damaged Sanger School building won’t face a possible wrecking ball until at least Dec. 11 when a hearing has been scheduled on the structure’s fate.
Waco City Attorney Leah Hayes and LaNelle McNamara and John McNamara, who own the building and head Sanger School Foundation Inc., met with 74th State District Court Judge Alan Mayfield for about 30 minutes today in his chambers.
Mayfield announced that both parties are working together. The city had called for the building to be torn down after an early-morning fire on Oct. 25 gutted the building along with two other structures. Fire officials called all three blazes arson.
But the city did say it didn’t want to raze a historic building, while the McNamaras said they won’t continue to support renovation of the structure if it’s determined to be a danger to the community.
The Sanger School Foundation sought a temporary injunction to keep the city from tearing it down. The city wants a mandatory injunction either to force the owners to tear down or have it approved for the city to tear it down.
Structural engineers will be examining the building soon, Mayfield said.
The postponed hearing will resume Dec. 11, Mayfield announced, though he said if the weather or other factors caused further deterioration to the building he would reschedule the hearing sooner.
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TSTC group seeks help with Galveston cleanup effort
Twelve members of Texas State Technical College’s SkillsUSA Advanced Technology chapter have volunteered to travel to Galveston Island Saturday to help with cleanup in the Crystal Beach and Bolivar Peninsula portions of Galveston County.
According to a release from TSTC, the students are in great need of donations of shovels, wheelbarrows, wader boots, a dolly and other related items. Additional donations of DEET bug spray and suntan lotion are needed. The goal for donations is 10 or more of each of these items.
Here’s the remainder of the release:
If you can afford to donate, please bring items to the John B. Connally Center on the TSTC campus at the corner of Crest and Campus drives, located at the main entrance of the campus. Donations can be processed by Trish Kimberly, Carol Salvato or Walton Yantis in the Computer Networking and Systems Administration Department. Also joining in the project is Network Security Technology students.
Tractor Supply has graciously donated gloves and facemasks for the group, and Bush’s Chicken has donated gallons of iced tea.
After the project is completed, the group will donate all useable items for further use by the local fire department.
Please give today!
To find out more, call 867-3592 or 867-3852 or visit http://cns.tstc.edu/skillsusa.
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Domestic violence workshop for church office administrators next week
A free workshop luncheon for church office administrators titled “Domestic Violence 101: Resources for First Responders” will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 20, at the Family Abuse Center in Waco.
The event is cosponsored by the Baylor Center for Family and Community Ministries and the Baylor Center for Ministry Effectiveness and Educational Leadership.
Becky Ellison, executive director of the Family Abuse Center and a Baylor MSW alumna, will present the workshop. “We believe this workshop will be a great opportunity to learn and get resources that you need to help those who come to the church hurting as a result of domestic violence,” Ellison said. “We also would like to see pastors attend.”
The two Baylor Centers offered a similar workshop in the fall on the topic of benevolence, with training and information about response to those who come to the church doors in need of food or services.
Register by Monday, Nov. 17, by contacting Tammy_Woods@baylor.edu or at 254-710-3704. Directions to the Family Abuse Center will be given upon registration.
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Waco Tennis Association to dedicate courts to Charlie McCleary
The Waco Tennis Association tonight will dedicate a marker naming two of the teaching courts at Waco Regional Tennis and Fitness Center after Charlie McCleary. McCleary was a key figure in developing the sport in Waco and the Charlie McCleary Tennis Center just off downtown was named for him, though parts of the site are now being used as a skate park.
The dedication ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. McCleary’s family will be there and the Waco Tennis Association’s annual meeting will follow.
The WTA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the furtherance of tennis development in Waco and the surrounding communities, both competitive and recreational. Founded in 1926, the Waco Tennis Association is the oldest continuing non-profit tennis association in the State of Texas.
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A&M Corps of Cadets to march in Waco before game
The Texas A&M Corps of Cadets will march in downtown Waco Saturday morning before the Aggies play Baylor at Floyd Casey Stadium.
The march will begin at 11 a.m. on Avenue Avenue between 13th and 14th streets. The group will march east down Austin Avenue and end at Fourth Street near Heritage Square.
The reviewing stand for the parade will be on the corner at Eighth Street.
The night before, the Greater Waco A&M Club will have yell practice beginning at 11:30 p.m. Friday at Indian Spring Park near the Suspension Bridge. For more information about that event, call 776-8282.
I have mentioned before on this blog that I am an A&M graduate (Class of ‘82), so what do you think it’s like for me working in the Waco Tribune-Herald newsroom a few football fields-distance away from the Baylor campus? We have this video to show you.
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Two-vehicle accident near Richland Mall
Emergency personnel are working a two-vehicle accident this morning near Richland Mall at State Highway 6 and U.S. HIghway 84.
It isn’t known if there are injuries, but ambulances and two tow trucks have arrived at the scene when a Ford Explorer and minivan have collided, according to a Waco Police Department spokeswoman.
We’ll update as more information is available.
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City sets public meeting on McCleary tennis, skate site
The city of Waco parks and recreation department will host a public meeting on Tuesday to gain input for a master plan for the McCleary Tennis Center and Waco Skate Park, according to a city news release.
The meeting will start at 6:30 p.m. and will be held at the Waco Regional Tennis and Fitness Center, 900 Lake Shore Drive.
With assistance from Skate 254, Columbus Avenue Baptist Church, local citizens and area tennis players, the city plans to examine the potential of creating a more natural park setting that would include a variety of recreational amenities.
For information, call the parks and recreation office at 254-750-5781.
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McGregor man arrested after beer truck rollover in Colorado
A Central Texas man was in Colorado police custody early today, held on a driving under the influence charge after the 18-wheeler he was driving flipped over, spilling a 45,000 pound load of beer.
Bobby Dodge, 56, of McGregor, was driving east on Colorado Highway 58 about 7:30 p.m. Tuesday when he tried to enter an onramp to Interstate 70 too fast, Wheat Ridge, Colo. police spokeswoman Lisa Stigall said.
The rig overturned and the full load of beer, which Dodge had picked up from Coors Brewing Company in nearby Golden, smashed inside the truck, Stigall said.
The onramp was closed for nearly seven hours while cleanup crews manually unloaded the trailer, Stigall said.
Dodge, who Stigall described as a contract truck driver, was cited for driving under the influence and taken to the Wheat Ridge city jail.
Stigall said this incident was the second time this year a truck had overturned on that onramp.
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Get primed for Baylor vs. Texas A&M football
Are you fired up about this year’s Battle of the Brazos? It’s always a classic rivalry matchup, and we’ve got plenty of coverage on WacoTrib.com:
- A Modest Aggie: Check out our video of Trib community editor Ken Sury, a transplanted Aggie suffering in (sometimes) silence here in Bear Country;
- Matchup: Trib beat writer John Werner analyzes his keys to the game in 5 matchup categories in our weekly interactive graphic;
- Podcast: The sports guys huddle for their weekly Baylor/Big 12 chat — on tap this week: How important is the A&M game for Baylor? Who are the Bears’ best senior standouts? And is Graham Harrell the frontrunner for the Heisman? Find out what they think this week;
- Video: Know any good Aggie jokes? The Trib’s Emily Ingram asked some Baylor fans in last year’s EmZone;
- The Bear Blog: Trib sportswriters John Werner and Brice Cherry bring you Baylor sports tidbits all week long on the award-winning Bear Blog;
- Complete coverage: All our Baylor football stories, photos, videos and more on the Baylor football page.
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Robinson police looking for jewelry missing from scene of man’s killing
Robinson police are asking for help in finding jewelry missing after the killing of Waco businessman Joe Sturdivant, who was found shot to death in his home on Oct. 8.
Sturdivant was found by his wife, Joyce, after she returned home to their residence in the 3100 block of Highway 77 around 5:20 p.m. Sturdivant was pronounced dead as a result of a gunshot wound to the back of the head and another to his back, according to an autopsy report.
Joyce Sturdivant told Robinson police detectives that a butterfly-shaped brooch was discovered missing from the home when she returned to the residence a few days after the homicide, Robinson police said.
The missing butterfly brooch is similar to a diamond-encrusted gold, blue and green butterfly brooch Joyce Sturdivant still has in her possession, police said. She said the missing diamond brooch, however, is gold, pink and green.
Robinson police encouraged anyone with information about the missing brooch or with any information regarding the death of Joe Sturdivant to call police at 662-0525.
Callers wishing to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 753-HELP.
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Operation Christmas Child continues
Operation Christmas Child, which benefits children across the world by filling shoe boxes with school supplies, toys, necessity items, candy and a letter of encouragement, is under way in Waco.
The Chick-Fil-A on Franklin Avenue is accepting filled Operation Christmas Child boxes through this Saturday. Click on the photos with this post to see what was going on Saturday.
“Operation Christmas Child is a unique opportunity to do something as simple as packing a shoe box that will have a lasting impact on a child across the world,” said Keri Pribble, Operation Christmas Child regional manager. “We are excited about the 2008 collection season as community members have already begun packing shoe box gifts.”
Some 8 million gift-filled shoe boxes will go out to children in more than 100 countries suffering from natural disaster, war, terrorism, disease, famine and poverty.
Another local collection site, running Nov. 17-24, is at Highland Baptist Church, 3014 Maple Ave. Hours to drop off the shoe boxes during that period are 9 a.m. to 5p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, and 2 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday. To ask questions, call (800) 910-2498.
Step-by-step shoe box packing instructions are available at www.samaritanspurse.org.
If you know of other collection sites locally, please comment on this post.
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Former Waco pastor’s new church at odds with Georgia Southern Baptists
Our “big sister” newspaper, the Atlanta Journal Constitution, has this story today about the Georgia Baptist Convention approving a policy Tuesday aimed at diminishing the role of churches led by women pastors.
The policy is broad and provides the organization the ability to refuse donations from entities out of sync with Southern Baptist beliefs. There is only one church that currently falls into that category: the 2,700-member Decatur First Baptist, headed by the Rev. Julie Pennington-Russell.
Pennington-Russell, who recently spoke at Baylor’s Chapel, was called by Decatur in 2007. She had been pastor at Waco’s Calvary Baptist Church from 1998 until joining Decatur.
Last year, there was talk of breaking ties with Decatur First Baptist over Pennington-Russell, said J. Robert White, executive director of the convention, according to the story.
If convention executives take action, that would allow Decatur First to remain associated with Southern Baptists, but they would not accept donations from it. Churches whose gifts are not accepted lose their organization voting privileges and the ability to give to Southern Baptist missions and help programs.
Full disclosure: Pennington-Russell, or “Pastor Julie” as we called her, was my family’s pastor and we still attend Calvary here. I recall the brouhaha over her arrival at our church in 1998 and having to walk through a picket line to enter the building.
She addressed some of those issues about women as clergy in this Day1.org video podcast. It’s nearly nine minutes long.
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Friends of Peace to present award-winning documentary
Waco Friends of Peace will present the Waco premiere of the Academy Award-winning film Taxi To The Dark Side (best documentary, 2007) at 6 p.m. Thursday during its monthly movie night.
The movie explores the development of torture as policy in the war on terror after the Sept. 11 attacks. Included is a free pizza buffet. Go to www.friendsofpeace.org for details.
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TSTC’s offering OP-TEC Parent Night
Texas State Technical College has a parent night planned on Monday for parents of children in junior high and high school who might be interested in optics and photonics (the science of generating, controlling, and detecting photons).
The release is below.
Parents of children in grades seven through 12 are invited to attend OP-TEC Parent Night on Monday, Nov. 17, at Texas State Technical College Waco. The event will be held from 5 to 8 p.m. in the campus’ IDEAS Center, located in the Electronics Center building on Airline Drive.
OP-TEC (National Center for Optics and Photonics Education) is a national consortium of two-year colleges, high schools, universities, laboratories, industry partners and professional societies committed to creating a secondary to postsecondary “pipeline” of highly qualified and strongly motivated students.
Job opportunities in the emerging field of photonics are plentiful and pay well. Optic and photonic skills are used in an extensive variety of industries, including medicine, construction, manufacturing, Homeland Security and more.
Because of this, TSTC offers a free summer camp every July to inform students, teachers and high school counselors of the skills needed for a successful career in photonics and to provide a chance to let them try it first-hand.
Learn more about photonics and the opportunities available in this emerging field. Attend Parent’s Night and find out what all the excitement is about. (Counselors and teachers are also welcome to attend.)
To find out more about OP-TEC and what it can offer your child, go to www.op-tec.org, or call 867-3173.
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Doc Anderson was on Dr. Phil Tuesday
In case you missed yesterday’s appearance by our state Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson on the “Dr. Phil Show,” he was part of a show titled “Risky Teen Behavior” and focused on the reckless and sometimes illegal activities by teens.
Anderson is crusading to criminalize Salvia, a hallucinogenic herb. He filed a bill Monday to bring up the issue again in the 2009 session of the Texas Legislature. It died in committee last session.
Here’s a link to the “Dr. Phil Show” program on that topic. Anderson’s appearance is addressed on the fourth and last page of the recap about the program.
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Police: Woman killed trying to leave KKK ritual in Louisiana
An Oklahoma woman who was lured over the Internet to take part in a Ku Klux Klan initiation was shot and killed after the ritual went awry, and the group tried to cover it up by dumping her body on a rural roadside and setting her belongings aflame, authorities said.
But the plan failed: By Tuesday, a local Klan leader sat in jail on a second-degree murder charge, and seven others were charged with trying to help conceal the crime.
“The IQ level of this group is not impressive, to be kind,” St. Tammany Parish Sheriff Jack Strain said Tuesday.
The woman, whose identity was not released, was supposed to be initiated near the village of Sun, La. and then return to her home state to find other members for the white supremacist group, Strain said.
It wasn’t clear what rites awaited her at the campsite, but authorities believe the initiation had begun by the time the shooting happened. Strain said the group’s leader, Raymond “Chuck” Foster, 44, shot and killed her Sunday night after a fight broke out when she asked to be taken back to town.
Read the rest of the story here.
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Waco-area man one of three dead in apparent Dallas murder-suicide
A man with Waco ties shot and killed his estranged wife and her mother today before turning the gun on himself in East Dallas, authorities said.
Police are calling the three deaths a double murder-suicide.
The estranged husband of Janice Hill, 24, Keith Lewis Hill, is the suspect in the killings, said Dallas police spokesman Sgt. Gil Cerda. The 28-year-old man was found dead in a home with a rifle by his body. There was no sign of forced entry.
Janice Hill and her 52-year-old mother, Jeanne Carroll, were also found dead in the home when Hill’s grandmother woke up around 1 p.m. She is in her 80s, hard of hearing and never heard the rifle shots, Cerda said.
Cerda said Hill’s truck is registered in Waco. He said he didn’t know how long Keith Hill had been in the Dallas area before the incident occurred.
A public records search showed Hill renewed his driver’s license in June showing he lived at an address on Lacy Drive in Lacy-Lakeview.
This afternoon, yellow police tape surrounded the ranch-style East Dallas home in the 9000 block of Michael Lane, near Eastfield College, a Dallas community college.
About 100 yards south of the home, the suspect’s vehicle was hooked up to a tow truck to be carted away. Police said they believe the man parked there, walked up the residential street with his rifle and was let into the home early Tuesday.
Police records indicate that Janice Hill was assaulted by her husband in Grand Prairie on Oct. 9, Cerda said. Keith Hill was arrested on Oct. 23 and Janice Hill sought a restraining order five days later.
Police were at the home as recently as Sunday. Janice Hill called police, saying she has been receiving harassing phone calls from an unknown person whom she believed was her husband. The caller never spoke, Cerda said.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
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One sent home after area fatality accident
As a funeral is held today for 16-year-old Monty Huffman of Prairie Hill, who died Saturday morning in a one-vehicle accident, one of his passengers was released from the hospital.
Karen Davis, 19, was treated for minor injuries and released from Limestone Medical Center, said a hospital spokeswoman.
Aaron Martin, 15, was reportedly taken to Scott & White Medical Center after the accident, but today a hospital spokeswoman says he was never admitted.
A spokeswoman at Groesbeck High School, where Martin and Huffman were students, declined to reveal any information regarding Martin’s condition because he is a minor.
Just before 1 a.m. Saturday, authorities said Huffman was speeding in a 2000 Toyota Sienna when he lost control of the vehicle at a curve on County Road 760, six miles south of Groesbeck. The vehicle rolled over, said a spokeswoman with the Texas Department of Public Safety.
She said Huffman died instantly.
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DHL Express to close TSTC hub in Waco
DHL Express confirmed today that its Waco hub at the Texas State Technical College airport is one of 19 regional hubs the shipping company will shutter as it ceases domestic operations.
The company announced Monday that it was cutting 9,500 jobs in the United States and would eliminate U.S.-only domestic express shipping by land and air. Heavy losses and fierce competition were cited as the reasons.
The TSTC hub employs only three DHL employees, but a spokesman for the company said dozens of independent contractors also work at the facility. It serves clients in Texas and Oklahoma.
Last day of operation at the Waco hub is Jan. 30.
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Waco’s Edwards says he’d consider VA secretary post
U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, who has been suggested as a candidate for Veterans Affairs secretary, said that he would have to consider whether he could be more effective in the Cabinet or Congress.
Edwards said he has not been approached by President-elect Obama, who considered him as a possible running mate.
“I would want to think long and hard,” Edwards, D-Waco, told The Associated Press Monday at a groundbreaking for a new Fort Worth veterans outpatient clinic. “I wake up every day being blessed to represent my district, representing veterans … and we’ve done a lot of good things.”
Edwards is chairman of the House Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Committee, which helped increase funding for veterans’ health care and benefits by $16.3 billion the last two years.
He also said he would have to consider whether he wanted to give up his position as the second-highest ranking Democrat on the Energy and Water Appropriations Committee. Edwards also serves on the House Budget and Appropriations committees and Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee.
Edwards was re-elected last week to his 10th term representing the district that includes President Bush’s Crawford ranch.
Edwards said he has not spoken to Obama or his staff before or since the election, about the Veterans Affairs secretary post.
But he said rumors about that possible Cabinet position started after it was revealed — to the nation’s surprise — that he was among Obama’s top four vice presidential choices, the day before Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware was selected in late August.
“I love my present job,” Edwards said. “Where could I do the most good for veterans? I’m not sure.”
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Texas Wildscapes workshop comes to Lake Waco Wetlands
The Lake Waco Wetlands is joining with Texas Parks & Wildlife to offer a free workshop called Texas Wildscapes on Saturday from 10 a.m. to noon at the wetlands, according to a news release from the city.
The program will be led by Mark Klym, coordinator of the Texas Wildscapes program for the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department.
Texas Wildscapes helps Texas regain contact with nature while also restoring some of the habitat wildlife has lost to urban expansion, the release says. While the class if free, participants are asked to register by calling the Lake Waco Wetlands at 848-8654.
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How much rain did you get?
That quick-moving storm with the heavy rain dropped 0.36 inches on the official Waco Regional Airport gauge between 7 and 8 a.m. this morning.
The gauge atop our Trib roof recorded 0.6 inches.
How much rain fell where you are?
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Dr. Phil, meet Waco’s ‘Doc’ Anderson
The office of state Rep. Charles “Doc” Anderson, R-Waco, sent out a release that our legislator will be appearing Tuesday on “The Dr. Phil Show,” which will discuss salvia.
You might recall that Anderson is leading the fight in Texas to criminalize salvia, a herb that can cause hallucinations or other delusions when ingested directly or dried and inhaled.
His efforts to criminalize the drug were most recently written about in the Dallas Morning News.
We wrote about it when Anderson introduced House Bill 2347 during the 2007 session. The bill, however, died in committee.
“The Dr. Phil Show” is on KCEN-TV, Channel 6, (cable channel 3) at 3 p.m.
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Waco drug raid nets $500,000 in marijuana, Hummer
Authorities announced this afternoon officers have seized about 750 pounds of marijuana, a Hummer and other items and arrested three men at a house on Chappel Hill Road in Waco.
The seizure Friday was a coordinated effort between the McLennan County Sheriff’s Office, Waco police and local Drug Enforcement Administration agents.
In addition to the marijuana - estimated to be worth about $500,000 - authorities also seized a Hummer H2 truck, a Dodge Charger, a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, two handguns, a semi-automatic assault pistol, $1,800 in cash and a small amount of cocaine, authorities said.
Steven Robertson, a supervisory special agent with the DEA, said the raid was significant and that it was “a major blow against marijuana trafficking” in the city of Waco.
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Margaret Mills sentencing live blog
10:37 a.m. - Just more than a half-hour after Mills was taken into custody, the courthouse is quiet. Media are packing up their cameras, and the courtroom is empty.
10:30 a.m. - Upon her sentencing, Mills paid the court $100,000 in restitution, per Wednesday’s agreement. The Tribune-Herald reported in Saturday’s paper that four of the Millses’ friends each paid $25,000 of the amount. Those friends included insurance magnate Bernard Rapoport, former U.S. Ambassador to Sweden Lyndon Olson Jr., and law partners and businessmen Pat Beard and David Kultgen. Beard, one of her lawyers, was the only one of the four who was in the courtroom for Mills’ sentencing. She has reportedly already paid an additional $70,000 in restitution. The deputy state attorney general, who spoke on behalf of the prosecution, said he felt justice was served in the matter because members of the Downtown Waco Inc. executive board were satisfied with the amount of restitution.
10:23 a.m. - A deputy state attorney general, who spoke on behalf of the prosecution, says the investigation against Mills is closed and no additional charges are pending. “We feel very strongly that justice has been served,” he tells reporters. The attorney general’s office has charged that Mills stole more than $500,000 from Downtown Waco Inc. The office reduced those allegations to just less than $100,000. Before the deal was struck, Mills faced a maximum sentence of life in prison on the first-degree felony. More than half of the allegations were dropped by the state.
10:11 a.m. - When asked about Mills’ state of mind by reporters after the hearing, Bostwick says, “it’s a horrific experience to think about going to prison.” At the same time, he says, she’s a bit relieved to have some “closure.” He says his understanding is that all women sentenced to prison in the state, at least initially, go to a prison unit in Gatesville. He says imagines she will not serve the entire nine-year sentence, but declined to guess how long she might serve. A prison spokesman told Tribune-Herald reporter Tommy Witherspoon last week that Mills will likely serve about two years.
10:03 a.m. - Judge Johnson enters the courtroom. Per last Wednesday’s plea agreement, he sentences Mills to nine years in prison and $307,968.99 in restitution to the agency she headed for 18 years. After she agreed to waive her right to an appeal, Johnson tells her she is now in custody of the bailiffs. Seconds later, she was led to a door behind the judge’s bench where court personnel typically take people into custody. The entire sentencing hearing was over in four minutes.
10 a.m. - As the sentencing hearing is about to begin, a reporter from local TV station KWTX, Channel 10, says he asked Mills how she is feeling as he walked in the courthouse. The reporter says her only reply was, “not good.”
9:58 a.m.- With Judge Matt Johnson still in his quarters, Assistant State Attorney General David S. Glickler sits at the prosecution table, and chats with Bostwick. Mills and Beard are talking.
9:54 a.m. - Margaret Mills takes a seat between her lawyers, Rick Bostwick and Pat Beard, at the defense table.
9:51 a.m. - With nine minutes before the sentencing hearing starts, the courtroom is filled with muted chatter from about 25 people sitting in the pews. Toni Herbert, who served as the executive director of Downtown Waco Inc. after Margaret Mills, is seated next to Coke Mills. One seat away from Margaret Mills, on the front row near the prosecution’s side, is Parnell McNamara, a former, longtime, Waco-based U.S. deputy marshal.
9:39 a.m. - Margaret Mills walks into the courthouse to be sentenced with her husband, Coke Mills, a Waco-based lawyer. Her face is solemn as she walks up to the courthouse, goes through security and takes the elevator to the Judge Matt Johnson’s 54th State District Court on the third floor. The Millses enter the courtroom, and sit in the first row on the prosecution’s side.
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Baylor men’s hoops whips Tarleton in exhibition, 76-44
LaceDarius Dunn scored 18 points and Kevin Rogers hit 15 to lead Baylor to a 76-44 exhibition win over Tarleton State tonight at the Ferrell Center.
The Bears held the Texans to 31.9 percent shooting as they avenged a 95-85 loss last season.
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Motorcyclist killed in wreck on N. 25th Street in Waco
A Saturday afternoon motorcycle accident killed a Waco man, authorities said.
Waco police say Melesio Barrientos, 18, was killed when his 2003 Yamaha motorcycle crashed into a Nissan Murano, driven by Ramon Castillo, 58, also of Waco.
The accident occurred around 1:20 p.m. when Castillo failed to stop at a stop sign at the corner of Windsor Avenue and N. 25th Street, authorities said.
Police say Barrientos, who was not wearing a helmet, struck the left passenger side of the Nissan.
Justice of the Peace Billy Martin pronounced Barrientos dead at 1:30 p.m.
Police records indicate that Castillo was not cited in the incident.
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Accident backs up traffic on Interstate 35
An accident on northbound Interstate 35 near 12th Street has traffic slowed beyond Valley Mills at 6:40 p.m.
A Waco Police Department spokeswoman said there doesn’t appear to be anything significant about the accident, but because airbags deployed, tow trucks and an ambulance were dispatched to the scene.
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BU to hold unity rally, updates noose investigation
Baylor University interim president David Garland said in a statement today that University officials continue to investigate the appearance of rope shaped into a noose on campus after Tuesday’s election of Barack Obama to the presidency.
“We are grateful to a number of students who have come forward with information pertaining to the rope that was found on campus Wednesday morning,” the statement said. “Baylor police are now in possession of the rope, which appears to have been about 10 feet in length with a crude knot forming a loop at the end. Police are continuing their investigation and invite anyone with information about the origin of the rope to contact them.”
The statement also said campus police will talk to students who engaged in a shouting match after the president-elect’s victory speech and expect to make referrals to the university’s department of judicial affairs.
“Contrary to some initial reports, police have not been able to produce any solid evidence that Obama/Biden campaign signs were burned in the barbecue pit adjacent to Brooks Flats,” the statement continued. “Investigators have learned that what were originally reported to be Obama/Biden campaign signs were actually empty computer boxes. Officers are continuing to look into the matter.”
There have been no additional incidents reported to campus authorities, the statement said.
Campus officials also encouraged students to participate in several forums to promote unity on the campus, including a prayer rally on Wednesday.
Garland’s statement again outlined Baylor’s policies toward racist acts at the school.
“As I have said previously, racist acts of any kind will not be tolerated at Baylor. The evidence we have obtained suggests that a small number of individuals on our campus were responsible for the events of Tuesday evening.
“As I have spoken with students privately and listened to their public comments, I know that they share our profound sense of anger over this entire situation. They resent that the irresponsible actions of a few have left a stain on the university of which they are so proud.”
The student Senate passed a resolution Thursday decrying the Tuesday events.
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Mills getting help to pay back $100k
Margaret Mills will be going to prison Monday morning and is expected to pay $100,000 of $307,968 in restitution at her sentencing hearing. The Tribune-Herald has learned that she will be getting a help from some prominent Wacoans to pay a portion of her restitution tab.
Bernard Rapoport, Lyndon Olson Jr., Pat Beard and David Kultgen each are chipping in $25,000 to pay that portion of Mills’ restitution, Rapoport and Olson confirmed Friday.
The partial restitution of $100,000 was ordered by 54th State District Judge Matt Johnson to be paid up-front Monday as part of a plea agreement reached in Mills’ case earlier this week.
Mills agreed to a nine-year prison term, plus the agreed restitution amount, after pleading guilty to stealing money from Downtown Waco Inc., the agency she ran as executive director for 18 years.
She and her attorneys, Rick Bostwick and Beard, agreed to the settlement with special prosecutors from the attorney general’s office after Johnson agreed to reconsider approving a plea offer.
The judge had rejected at least three previous plea deals, saying he would not agree to any deal that called for her to serve less than 15 years in prison. That was before prosecutors abandoned more than half the counts in the 116-paragraph indictment, reducing the maximum term Mills faced from life in prison to 10 years.
Mills, 67, is set for sentencing at 10 a.m. Monday.
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Waco native doesn’t win Price is Right model gig
Waco native and Midway High School graduate Lindsey Kelley was one of the five finalists in CBS’s “The Price is Right” model search, but fans voting online chose Southern belle Amanda Shiflett of Corner, Ala., CBS and the show announced today.
Each of the finalists had the opportunity to appear on a Price is Right episode during the week of Oct. 20-24 and fans could get online and vote.
Kelley, 27, is the daughter of Mike and Toni Kelley of Woodway. She and her husband, Mike Palumbo, live is Los Angeles, where Lindsey has had several acting jobs since moving there. They have a 7-month-old daughter, Lillie Marie.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.”
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Axtell ISD election results now in
We now have the Axtell school board election results from yesterday. The lag time was due to the fact that we only had McLennan County figures and not Hill County totals until now.
Adding the Hill County votes didn’t affect the results. Incumbents Brian Frankum and James Caldwell were returned to their seats and Ricky Lyle Stecher will fill the third seat available.
The incumbents each received 683 votes, while Stecher tallied 661. Will Hutson, the fourth candidate, had 381 votes.
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Baylor interim president confirms apparent racial incidents election night on campus
Interim Baylor University President David E. Garland released the following statement today:
Baylor police reported today on three disturbing incidents that occurred on our campus yesterday.
Late Tuesday afternoon we were notified of a single clothesline rope that had been seen in a tree on campus. The individuals who discovered it believed it had the appearance of a noose. Baylor police are now in possession of the rope and continue to speak with students who observed the rope in the tree and are gathering additional information about the origin of the rope.
Last evening, police investigated a small fire in a barbecue pit adjacent to Brooks Flats in which it was alleged several Obama/Biden campaign signs had been burned.
Finally, police were called late last evening to a disturbance outside Penland Hall, where a shouting match had occurred between two small groups of white and African-American students.
These events are deeply disturbing to us and are antithetical to the mission of Baylor University. We categorically denounce and will not tolerate racist acts of any kind on our campus.
Further, we are committed to maintaining the safety and unity of our campus community. We wish to celebrate and strengthen inclusiveness, understanding and acceptance of all members of the Baylor family.
As they have thus far, Baylor police will respond quickly and decisively to any additional situations of this nature. Faculty, staff and students with information pertaining to any of the incidents we’ve described are urged to contact Baylor police at 710-2222.
Baylor has specific policies regarding expectations of civility and respect on our campus. Those policies, which we endorse and enforce, can be found at http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php?id=39242.
Faculty, staff and students also participate in on-going weekly meetings hosted by our department of multicultural activities called “Frankly Speaking” in which issues of the day are discussed in a respectful and civil manner. The goal of “Frankly Speaking” is for participants to feel comfortable expressing their opinions and beliefs within a safe environment. The meetings are held in the Bill Daniel Student Center each Tuesday from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., and members of the Baylor community are invited to participate.
We believe that the incidents on our campus yesterday were irresponsible acts committed by a few individuals. As a community we condemn these terribly unfortunate events that do not represent the values we share as members of the Baylor family.
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Local program seeks ‘Waco’s Biggest Loser’
A Waco-area personal wellness coach is challenging local residents to a friendly weight-loss competition inspired by the fitness reality TV show “The Biggest Loser.”
Julie DeSario is launching two nonprofit 8-week courses that offer tips on nutrition and exercise, paired with a bit of competition.
“Together we have fun and all the group support for the best results,” she says. “Course participants can use any weight-loss program they’d like; whether it is Jenny Craig, the South Beach Diet, Weight Watchers or a customized plan. We’ll work with each person to find what works best for them.”
The first eight-week course begins at 10 a.m. Thursday at Gold’s Gym, 250 N. New Road. The next one will start at 6 p.m. Dec. 2 at Hewitt Community Center, 208 Chama St.
Participants will weigh in each week, and the three people with the highest percentage of pounds lost at the end of the course will win prize money. She hopes to have 20 students per class, which would allow for a $250 first-place prize, $150 second-place prize and $100 third-place prize.
The group will charge a participant $1 for each pound gained during the course, and $5 if a participant misses two or more class sessions. This money will be added to the prize pots.
The cost for the 8-week course is $29. All the money will go into the pot for the prize money, she says.
For more information and to register, call 254-224-6261.
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Story speculates that Edwards could get Obama cabinet post
A Houston Chronicle story today looking at the gains Democrats made in Texas, but noting that the state remains solidly “red,” includes a paragraph that says there already is speculation that U.S. Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, and former Dallas Mayor Ron Kirk might be picked for cabinet posts in Barack Obama’s administration.
A shoo-in for Veterans Affairs secretary, ya think?
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Obama big winner at Rapoport Academy mock vote
The results are in from the mock presidential election held yesterday at the Rapoport Academy, where 75 percent of the ballots went to Barack Obama.
One hundred-fifty kindergarten through fourth-grade students voted, the evidence of which can be seen here.
Comments from the students about the importance of voting included “If you don’t vote, someone might get elected that you don’t like” and “ I voted cause that’s what everyone” is “sposed to do.”
Click on each of the images here for a larger version.
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Margaret Mills punishment trial live blog
3:50 p.m. - Rick Bostwick, Mills’ attorney, talked with the media after walking Mills to a vehicle in the parking lot to the side of the courthouse. Bostwick said the decision to take the plea agreement was difficult for Mills.
“I think any time you are talking about somebody’s life, or a significant portion of it, it’s agonizing,” he said. “I think that until you go through a trial, you don’t realize how agonizing it is, especially when it’s much more public than normal.”
Click to see Margaret Mills video.
He said the process has been “embarrassing” for Mills, given the “incredibly vicious and public things” people have said about her in the past two years.
Bostwick said Mills will “spend time with her family” over the next several days before she is sentenced on Monday.
“She has not been hiding from anybody or denying anything,” Bostwick said. “I don’t know how anybody could take more responsibility than she has. Apparently that’s not enough for some people.”
When asked why Mills needed the money, Bostwick said “to live.”
“I think she repaid some (of her son’s) student debt,” he added. He said allegations that she used the money to pay her son’s house payment or for his wedding are “absolutely untrue.”
Like Glickler, Bostwick said he has “no idea” how long Mills will actually serve in prison. Although Mills will be sentenced to the institution decided upon by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice, she will likely serve her sentence at the Gatesville women’s unit, courthouse sources say.
3:47 p.m. - The Tribune-Herald, as well as TV reporters and cameramen, followed Mills out of the courthouse. Her face was stoic and she did not speak.
3:43 p.m. - When asked by the Tribune-Herald whether the first couple days of trial have been a waste, given that a plea agreement was reached, Glickler said it is not uncommon for an agreement to be reached after a testimony has begun. He said he is “satisfied” with the agreement, and has “no idea” how long Mills will actually serve in prison. He said he has no intentions of filing additional charges against Mills.
3:15 p.m. - Mills left the courtroom, making yet another walk past half-a-dozen video cameras. She retreated back to the room in which she and her attorneys discussed the agreement. Jurors have been released. All of the jurors declined comment to the media.
3:02 p.m. - Mills is still seated at the defendant’s table. Jurors have been called back into the courtroom. Johnson is advising jurors of the plea agreement. Mills is not showing any emotion.
3 p.m. - Johnson says he will sentence Mills at 10 a.m. Monday.
2:52 p.m. - Judge Johnson goes back on the record. The state says the state has reached a plea agreement, which ends the punishment trial. Glickler says the agreement is as follows: Mills will serve nine years in prison, with no fine assessment. She will be responsible for court costs and have to pay a total of $307,968.99 in restitution to Downtown Waco Inc. Because she has already paid $70,000 in restitution, she will have to pay an additional $237,968.99. At the time of her sentencing, per the agreement, Mills must pay $100,000 to Downtown Waco Inc. Mark Boyd, former treasurer of the agency’s board, was asked by Johnson if this amount of restitution was acceptable. He said it is. Johnson has just accepted the plea agreement, and is repeating it to Mills.
2:48 p.m. - Lawyers for both sides are seated at their respective tables. Mills is seated next to her attorneys. Judge Johnson is in his chambers. The courtroom is silent.
2:42 p.m. - Mills has walked out of the meeting with her attorneys. Her every move followed by video cameras, she walked out of the meeting room and into the courtroom. A TV reporter asked her, “Doing OK?” She said, “Doing just fine.”
2:36 p.m. - Glickler and the prosecution team has left the meeting with Mills, her husband and her attorneys.
2:28 p.m. - Glickler has entered the room in which Mills, her husband and her attorneys are meeting.
2:23 p.m. - Jurors were standing around the courthouse rotunda, and bailiffs led them back in to the jury room.
2:11 p.m. - A bailiff is taking Coke Mills, Mills’ husband, to the room in which Mills and her attorneys are meeting. Coke Mills is a lawyer in Waco.
2:04 p.m. - Glickler has left the courtroom and is talking with witnesses that were called by the prosecution. Mills is still meeting with her attorneys.
2 p.m. - Mills has left the courtroom to talk with her attorneys.
1:50 p.m. - Lawyers for both sides are in the judges’ chamber apparently discussing the plea agreement, courthouse sources are saying.
1:45 p.m. - Although jurors were told to come back from lunch at 1:30 p.m., court proceedings have yet to begin. Mills is seated at the defense table. Neither Judge Johnson nor the lawyers for either side are in the courtroom.
12:07 p.m. - Outside the presence of the jury, Judge Johnson says that, after hearing the testimony of former Downtown Waco Inc. treasurer Mark Boyd, he has decided to “consider and accept” a nine-year plea agreement. Because Boyd’s testimony revealed additional forgeries that would total Mills’ “bad acts,” Johnson says, to more than $500,000, Johnson says the restitution amount that Mills would be required to pay will have to be considerably more. He did not give the defense an exact amount, and will give them until 1:30 p.m. to decide. After Johnson made the offer, Mills began to sob. She clasped her hands over her face and rocked back in forth in the defendant’s chair. Afterward, Mills asked her attorneys if there was anything that could stop Tribune-Herald photographer Jerry Larson from taking pictures of her through the glass of the courtroom door. Her lawyers advised her that she is in public court, and nothing can be done. Johnson spoke sternly toward Glickler when he asked whether, given the revelations regarding Boyd’s forged signature, the attorney general’s office had a plan to prosecute her on forgery charges. Glickler said they have no plans “at this time.” Johnson had previously set his “bottom line” at 15 years, and felt the attorney general’s office “circumvented” his authority by abandoning 63 counts in the indictment, thereby reducing the charges. When asked for a comment about the judge’s statement, Glickler told Tribune-Herald reporter Tommy Witherspoon, “not a chance.” Mills’ attorney Rick Bostwick also declined comment as Mills continued to weep.
Noon - As to what should happen, Boyd says he does not see a future for Downtown Waco Inc. He says he hopes that is not true. Glickler passes the witnesses. Judge Johnson dismisses jurors for a lunch break. Testimony will resume with the defense’s cross-examination of Boyd at 1:30 p.m.
11:50 a.m. - Boyd says Downtown Waco Inc., while defunct, is still paying restitution. Annual dues for Downtown Waco Inc. was about $65,000, Boyd says. Of that amount, about $45,000 were paid by members. Membership drives were always in the summer, so the majority of members paid in June and July. He says those members received no value in 2006 for the dues that they paid. He says board members are attempting to reimburse members for that year.
11:48 a.m. - Boyd says committee members had meetings with Waco city officials. The city decided in October 2006 not to renew Downtown Waco Inc.’s contract. Boyd says he “felt awful” about this. When asked if he would be happy to have Downtown Waco Inc. on his resume, he says “I would probably not put my board involvement with Downtown Waco Inc. in my obituary or on my resume, and that’s a shame.”
11:45 a.m. - After Mills left the agency in 2006, Boyd says it was brought to the board’s attention that the agency’s bills were not being paid. Waco lawyer John Cullar was hired by Mills, he says.
11:35 a.m. - In a letter provided to Boyd and various other board members in June 2006, Mills explains discrepancies in the agency’s finances. Boyd says that “I deeply regret the liberties taken with this account,” and she wanted to discuss reimbursement with board members. Boyd says he felt “dejected” that so much was true. Boyd says after the board read the letter, Mills was terminated. They allowed her, however, to announce to the public that she was retiring from the agency. The year, he says, was supposed to be a celebration of Downtown Waco Inc.’s 50th anniversary. He talks about a multi-page ad in the Waco Tribune-Herald during that time that was a tribute to Downtown Waco Inc. and Mills. Board members said there was no other celebration held by the agency on account of her retirement.
11:28 a.m. - Boyd says Mills prepared financial statements, did the hiring and firing for the agency, among other duties. Glickler asks, “Is it is a smart way” to run the agency “to have one person making all of the decisions?” Boyd says that in hindsight it is not. Boyd, who has testified that he has served on so many boards that he can’t remember how many, says boards on which he has served during the past two years have been run differently. Boyd says that it was “an honor” to serve on the board of Downtown Waco Inc. Glickler asks if Boyd’s happiness to be on the board caused him to be “satisfied” to ride the “coattails” of Mills. Boyd says he “certainly” would have been.
11:20 a.m. - Boyd is asked by Glickler about financial statements that each board member would receive during each month’s board meeting. Mills would prepare each statement, Boyd says. Revenues shown on those statements, he says, did not always match up. The board had concerns that the agency would go over budget. When asked, Mills would always have an explanation, Boyd says. Glickler asks Boyd to describe Mills’ leadership style. Boyd says, “She was unafraid. She would take on anything.” He also says she was “forceful” at times, but “effective.”
11:15 a.m. - Glickler is asking about reimbursement checks made to Mills. The executive committee did not receive explanations about them, Boyd says. Glickler also asks Boyd about “employee advances.” Boyd says that, too, was not a general practice of the board.
11:05 a.m. - During the meeting with the agency’s accountants in 2006, Boyd says he “apparently failed” initially by not continuing the investigation against Mills after he met with her in 2004. Boyd says he talked with the executive committee regarding the checks in question. He says the executive committee was “stunned” and “in disbelief.” He says that the committee realized something needed to be done, and hired a lawyer, John Hawkins, who, he says, specialized in dealing with employment matter. Boyd says he and Scott Felton, who was president at the time, the committee showed Mills the checks and asked for an explanation. Mills was not responsive to the efforts, he says, although she told them she would look into it, and get back to them. He says the executive committee had to keep “hammering her” on the issue for several months.
11 a.m. - During the 2006 meeting with the agency’s accountants, Boyd says he was made aware that other signatures were forged. Per Glickler’s questioning, Boyd goes into detail about his own signature, and how the one on various checks are not his.
10:55 a.m. - The jury is being brought back in the courtroom. Mark Boyd, former treasurer of Downtown Waco Inc., will resume his testimony. Assistant State Attorney General David S. Glickler, representing the prosecution is still questioning him. Boyd talks about a second meeting, which took place in 2006, that he had with the agency’s accountants regarding discrepancies in the agency’s finances. Through Glickler’s questioning, Boyd points out checks in which his signature was forged.
10:50 a.m. - On break, Mills is now seated at the defendants’ table speaking with her attorneys.
10:40 a.m. - On break, Mills is standing at the defendants’ table, speaking with her attorney, Pat Beard.
10:35 a.m. -Judge Johnson calls a recess. Jurors are expected back in the courtroom at 10:50 a.m.
10:30 a.m. - In addition to Bank of America Downtown Waco Inc. account and Wells Fargo Bank River City Corporation account, Boyd says, after being questioned by Glickler, that there was a third way that Mills stole from the agency. He says she was making deposits $3,000 drawn on the Waco Tribune-Herald check and made to Downtown Waco Inc. It’s endorsed by Downtown Waco Inc. with her signature. That bank account number is not a Downtown Waco Inc. number, Boyd says. He says the Tribune-Herald was a partner member of the agency, which meant the newspaper paid higher dues. She deposited the check into her personal bank account, Boyd says. In 2006,
10:25 a.m. - Glickler displays the checks to the jury. Going through similar examples of checks written in 2004. Boyd says he did not authorize these checks. Glickler shows Boyd a check that is not made out to anyone. In 2006, Glickler asks if Boyd saw all of these “questioned check activity” checks. Boyd says, “absolutely.”
10:15 a.m. - Glickler shows Boyd another River City check written in October of 2004. Boyd says he doesn’t remember if he was treasurer of Downtown Waco at the time. Glickler submits the checks into evidence. With no objection from the defense, Judge Johnson admits them. Glickler asks Boyd about Mills’ children. Boyd says she has a son, Richard. Glickler asks if Boyd knew that Richard got married during sometime during the past few years. Boyd says he does not know. Glickler points out a check for $10,000 written under the River City Corporation account. There was a deposit made in Mills’ account for $10,000 on the same day. Mills was the sole signature on the check. Boyd says she would not have been authorized to do this. That check was written Oct. 4, 2004, and the memo line reads “for videographer”.
10:08 a.m. - Glickler is showing Boyd a series of checks, and asks him to read their content to jurors. Many of those checks were written to Margaret Mills. Other checks have just one signature, that signature being Mills’, he reads to jurors. Another check is drawn on a different bank account, which was River City Corporation through Wells Fargo Bank. It was written to Mills, from Mills, Boyd says in response to Glickler’s questioning. Boyd says he did not authorize this check. “It was a corporation which really did not have much life,” Boyd says. “Downtown Waco funded it,” just to have an open account, he says. This was Aug. 4, 2004.
10 a.m. - After the fiscal year, Boyd says he feels Downtown Waco’s financial status was “sound.” Boyd says he didn’t think Mills was stealing then, but that he “certainly does now.” Glickler asks Boyd how many terms he served as treasurer. Boyd says he “can’t recall.”
9:55 - Boyd talks about his 2005, after-hours meeting with Mills. He says he showed Mills the checks and questioned validity. “Mrs. Mills had very competent and relevant explanations,” he says. Boyd says he was “convinced that she was correct, and I took no further action on it.” Boyd says he did not tell anyone about this meeting, but that Mills did not ask him to do so during that meeting. In October 2006, he says there was a change of officers on the board. Boyd moved to the position of vice president. Pat Millar became treasurer. Boyd says he did not brief Millar on the problems that were brought to his attention by the attorneys.
9:50 a.m. - Glickler shows Boyd a check, that Boyd says appeared to look like a check he was shown by the accountants in early 2005. Boyd says he was concerned. “I felt like I had to have an explanation for those checks, so I responded to that.” He says he called Mills for a meeting after office hours, so he could get an “explanation.” In 2006, an internal investigation at Downtown Waco Inc. began, Boyd says. Boyd says he made the Waco Police Department aware of the investigation in 2006.
9:40 a.m. - Assistant State Attorney General David S. Glickler asks Boyd how the budget was performing as 2004-05 began. Boyd said “magnificently.” Boyd said “potential problems” were brought to his attention in early 2005 by the board’s accountant. Boyd says the fiscal year starts Oct. 1 of each year, as it did then. In early 2005, Boyd says he received a phone call from the board’s accountant, who asked Boyd to come to his office for a meeting. Glickler asked if a woman named Denise Wilder was there. Boyd says he didn’t recall, and didn’t know who Denise Wilder is. During the meeting, the accountants told Boyd that there were a “series” of checks related to Downtown Waco Inc. business, that were made to Margaret Mills or a bank.
9:35 a.m. - Testimony has not yet begun. Rather than sitting in the typical defendant’s seat next to her lawyers, Rick Bostwick and Pat Beard, Mills is seated behind her attorneys. The jury is being brought into the jury room.
9:20 a.m. - The courtroom is beginning to fill up. Margaret Mills is not yet in the courtroom. Mark Boyd, the former treasurer of the board of Downtown Waco Inc., is expected to be first on the stand, continuing his testimony from yesterday.
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Bruceville-Eddy numbers are final
The numbers in today’s paper for the Bruceville-Eddy City Council races are final. We thought we were missing figures from Falls County and didn’t have final totals, but it turns out that Bruceville-Eddy has only a street and a water line that runs into the neighboring county with two registered voters.
According to city records, neither of the registered voters cast ballots.
That puts Rick Eaton in for the unexpired mayor’s term. Allen Trigg Sr., Connally Bass and Halbert Wilcox won the three at-large council seats, and Frank Holt handily captured the unexpired council term.
Here’s the election report.
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Crawford ISD heads ‘back to table,’ superintendent says
Crawford ISD Superintendent Kevin Noack said this morning that the school board and officials will have to “go back to the table” and start looking over its spending after voters turned down a proposed 13-cent rollback increase for the district.
Voters rejected the issue 571-555 Tuesday night. The district’s boundaries are in McLennan and Coryell counties (not also Bosque County as we listed on our results page).
The funds would have been used to provide teacher pay raises and supplement the budget.
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Baylor Lariat: Racial incidents occur around election
The Baylor Lariat is reporting racially charged incidents on campus last night, in which Barack Obama memorabilia was burned in the fire pit of Brooks Village and racial slurs were tossed between students near Penland Hall after Obama was declared president.
We’re looking into this as well and we’ll let you know what we find out.
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VIDEO: Obama says he’ll be president for ‘all America’
A triumphant Barack Obama vowed to be a president for all America, even those who voted against him, and asked for patience to address America’s problems of war and finance, which the called the greatest challenges of a lifetime.
The first black president-elect cast his election as a defining moment in America’s 232-year history and an answer to cynicism, fear and doubt about the power of democracy.
His victory speech was delivered before a multiracial crowd of more than 100,000 people. Many cried and nodded their heads while he spoke, surrounded by clear bulletproof screens on his left and right.
“If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible; who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time; who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,” he said in his first public words after winning the election.
He appeared on stage with his wife, Michelle, and daughters Malia, 10, and Sasha, 7, set to become the first family of color ever to occupy the White House. Every family member was dressed in black and red.
To those who voted against him, he said, “I will be your president, too.”
“Even as we celebrate tonight, we know the challenges that tomorrow will bring are the greatest of our lifetime — two wars, a planet in peril, the worst financial crisis in a century,” he said. “There is new energy to harness and new jobs to be created; new schools to build and threats to meet and, for us to lead, alliances to repair.”
He was already suggesting a second term to accomplish his goals, saying he expected “setbacks and false starts.”
“We may not get there in one year or even one term,” he said. “But America, I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you — we as a people will get there.”
Obama, an Illinois senator born 47 years ago of a white American mother and black African father, sprinkled his address with references to the civil rights struggle.
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McLennan County totals
Final McLennan County totals:
President
John McCain (R): 49,005
Barack Obama (D): 29,959
Bob Barr (L): 491
Write-ins: 138
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn (R): 48,960
Richard Noriega (D): 28,182
Yvonne Schick (L): 1,329
U.S. Representative, District 17
Chet Edwards (D): 47,390
Rob Curnock (R): 31,152
Gardner Osborne (L): 675
Railroad Commissioner
Michael L. Williams (R): 43,694
Mark Thompson (D): 30,653
David Floyd (L): 2,103
State Representative, District 56
Charles “Doc” Anderson (R): 44,056
David Meine (L): 6,944
State Representative, District 57
Jim Dunnam (D): 14,127
Neill Snider (L): 1,337
Sheriff
Larry Lynch (R): 48,759
Charles C. Hutyra (D): 28,944
County Commissioner, Precinct 3
Joe Mashek (D): 8,695
Danny Volcik (R): 7,245
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Falls County totals
Final Falls County totals:
President
John McCain (R): 2,975
Barack Obama (D): 1,958
Bob Barr (L): 36
Write-ins: 3
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn (R): 2,905
Richard Noriega (D): 1,863
Yvonne Schick (L): 72
U.S. Representative, District 31
John Carter (R): 2,826
Brian Ruiz (D): 1,867
Barry Cooper (L): 91
Railroad Commissioner
Michael L. Williams (R): 2,255
Mark Thompson (D): 2,243
David Floyd (L): 120
State Representative, District 57
Jim Dunnam (D): 3,481
Neill Snider (L): 528
Sheriff
Ben Kirk (D): 2,693
Michael Baker (R): 2,218
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VIDEO: McCain congratulates Obama on victory
Republican John McCain conceded the presidential race to Barack Obama, saying the Democrat has achieved a “great thing” for himself and the country with his historic victory.
Flanked by wife Cindy and running-mate Sarah Palin, McCain spoke to supporters outside the Arizona Biltmore Hotel shortly after 10 p.m. CST Tuesday, saying the “American people have spoken and they have spoken clearly.”
He conceded the contest as polls closed on the West Coast, adding a string of states to Obama’s electoral vote tally and sealing the Illinois senator’s victory.
McCain stressed the historic nature of the election, noting that an invitation to Booker T. Washington to dine at the White House by Theodore Roosevelt had been viewed as an insult in some quarters.
“Senator Obama has achieved a great thing for himself and for his country,” McCain said.
Although McCain had criticized Obama during the hard-fought campaign as too inexperienced to be president, the Arizona senator said that “in a contest as long and as difficult as this campaign has been, his success alone commands my respect for his ability and perseverance.
“But that he managed to do so by inspiring the hopes of so many millions of Americans who had once wrongly believed that they had little at stake or little influence in the election of an American president is something I deeply admire and commend him for achieving.”
McCain told his supporters that it was natural “to feel some disappointment. Though we fell short, the failure is mine, not yours.”
McCain had been all but counted out of the contest for the GOP nomination in the summer of 2007, when his campaign was all but broke, and his comeback was a remarkable political feat.
“I don’t know what more we could have done to win this election,” McCain said. “I’ll leave that to others to determine. … I won’t spend a moment in the future regretting what might have been.”
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Freestone County totals
Final Freestone County totals:
President
John McCain (R): 5,201
Barack Obama (D): 2,032
Bob Barr (L): 41
Write-ins: 3 (2 for Ralph Nader, 1 for Chuck Baldwin)
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn (R): 4,805
Richard Noriega (D): 2,170
Yvonne Schick (L): 142
U.S. Representative, District 6
Joe Barton (R): 5,012
Ludwig Otto (D): 1,916
Max Koch III (L): 102
Sheriff
Ralph Billings (D): 4,342
Tommy Page (R): 2,828
County Commissioner, Precinct 3
Stanley Gregory (D): 1,103
Kurt Kroop (R): 670
Constable, Precinct 3
L.B. Gamble Jr. (D): 1,171
Stephen James (WI): 85
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Hill County totals
Final Hill County totals:
President
John McCain (R): 9,220
Barack Obama (D): 3,802
Bob Barr (L): 104
Write-ins: 67
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn (R): 8,595
Richard Noriega (D): 4,104
Yvonne Schick (L): 249
U.S. Representative, District 17
Chet Edwards (D): 7,226
Rob Curnock (R): 5,525
Gardner Osborne (L): 163
State Representative, District 10
Jim Pitts (R): 9,576
Phil Smart (L): 1,394
Sheriff
Jeffrey Lyon (R): 7,682
Larry Armstrong (D): 5,225
County Commissioner, Precinct 3
Larry Wright (D): 1,285
Sam McClendon (R): 1,243
Constable, Precinct 2
Billy Gerke (D): 1,031
Dowell Missildine (R): 982
Constable, Precinct 4
Bill Wilkins (R): 3,144
Jacky Aitken (D): 2,012
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Bell County totals
Final Bell County totals:
President
John McCain (R): 49,066
Barack Obama (D): 40,185
Bob Barr (L): 537
Write-ins: 389
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn (R): 49,943
Richard Noriega (D): 35,741
Yvonne Schick (L): 2,275
U.S. Representative, District 31
John Carter (R): 49,921
Brian Ruiz (D): 35,370
Barry Cooper (L): 1,994
State Senator, District 24
Troy Fraser (R): 54,023
Bill Oliver (L): 14,268
State Representative, District 54
Jimmie Aycock (R): 15,417
Nicolass Kramer (L): 6,680
State Representative, District 55 (term expires in January)
Ralph Sheffield (R): 24,415
Sam Murphey (D): 21,949
R. Daniel (I): 2,462
State Representative, District 55 (full term)
Sheffield: 30,134
Murphey: 24,224
Chris Lane (L): 1,501
County Commissioner, Precinct 1
Richard Cortese (R): 14,100
Phillip Arnelli (D): 7,371
County Commissioner, Precinct 3
Eddy Lange (R): 12,019
Gil Hollie (D): 7,712
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Add your comments: Up next for Obama … governing
WASHINGTON — Now the hard part.
Barack Obama essentially came out of nowhere, beat the Democratic establishment, conquered doubts about his experience and overcame questions about his race to be elected the first black president after a grueling campaign that lasted nearly two years.
As president-elect, he faces three immediate challenges: confronting the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression, determining the next steps in two lingering wars, and leading his Democrats, including liberals expecting that the change he promises will come instantly. It won’t.
On the heels of a campaign in which cash wasn’t a concern, Obama must tackle all of those tasks with no room in the budget as the nation heads for a painful, perhaps long-lasting, recession.
No new president has faced so much since Franklin Delano Roosevelt — and even he didn’t have two wars on his plate.
Roosevelt had four months to come up with programs to address the Great Depression before he took office on March 4, 1933.
Obama gets just 2½ to put together his government; inauguration is Jan. 20.
He will chart the country’s course against this dreary backdrop: Unemployment is at 6.1 percent and predicted to rise as high as 7.5 percent next year; pessimistic consumers have curtailed borrowing and spending; home foreclosures are rampant; Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security face huge financial problems; and, 152,000 U.S. troops are in Iraq more than five years after the initial invasion, while 32,000 are in Afghanistan in the sixth year of the war against terrorism.
With Democrats expanding their majorities in both the House and Senate, Obama will have to figure out how to lead a country that’s more conservative than liberal while trying to satisfy the left wing of his party. He will face demands for a quick withdrawal from Iraq. He’s promised withdrawal, but carefully.
From the outset, how Obama acts to deal with these conditions will set the tone for his presidency.
Voters got an early glimpse of his style last month when Wall Street collapsed, stocks fluctuated and the government intervened. He struck a cautious stance and deferred to lawmakers dealing directly with the problems. He was deliberative and careful in his response — perhaps just the approach voters were seeking after eight years of what critics call President Bush’s cowboy approach.
Yet, Obama may be blamed for recession woes despite the fact that he inherited the mess from Bush. The troubles are on Obama’s watch now even if there’s little he can do about them. The president in power always suffers when the economy tanks. Just ask the first President Bush in 1992.
Indeed, coming in with a big victory doesn’t guarantee success.
Democrat Lyndon B. Johnson won with 61 percent of the vote in 1964. He won his Great Society programs in his first two years but his administration essentially collapsed in the final two with the escalation of the Vietnam War.
In choosing Obama as the 44th president, the nation took a historic leap beyond its legacy of slavery and toward healing racial tensions just four decades after the tumultuous Civil Rights movement.
Politically, Obama’s election amounted to a wholesale rejection of the status quo after eight years of Bush and Republican rule.
Voters were willing to take a chance on a relative newcomer to the national stage. Obama is a 47-year-old black man from Chicago with a liberal voting record who is in just his first Senate term and has offered few specifics on how he would govern.
Culturally, Obama’s victory was so much more for a nation on the verge of becoming a true melting pot; government estimates say white people will no longer make up a majority of Americans by 2042.
The son of a black father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, Obama’s call for change created a movement at a time of great upheaval in the country. And, that proved to be a large enough force to overcome lingering prejudices.
To be sure, the economy proved a powerful motivator.
Preliminary exit poll results showed that six in 10 voters named it as their top issue, far more than other problems named including Iraq and terrorism. Obama was leading among this group. And, nearly all voters — nine in 10 — said the economy was in bad shape and said they were worried about the economy’s direction. Obama had the advantage among these voters, too.
Four in 10 said their family financial status was worse than four years ago — the highest number to report that in a presidential race since at least 1992. Nearly three quarters of this group voted for Obama.
Race didn’t appear to be much of a hurdle.
Nearly one in 10 whites said race was an important factor in selecting a candidate, though only a tiny fraction said it was the most important factor. In both groups, about six in 10 were voting for McCain.
Obama won nearly half of the white vote while nearly all blacks and two in three Hispanics supported him.
Although Obama played down his skin color, it played a part in his general election strategy. Minorities, as well as youth, were identified early on as a key demographic to register and court.
It appeared to work.
Obama was the overwhelming choice of the one in 10 voters who went to the polls for their first time Tuesday. One in five of the new voters was black, almost twice the proportion of blacks among voters overall. Another one in five of the new voters was Hispanic. About two-thirds of them were under 30 years old.
All — whites, blacks, women, Hispanics, young people, Democrats, Republicans and independents — will have high expectations for Obama’s presidency.
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Coryell County totals
Final totals for Coryell County:
President
John McCain (R): 11,537
Barack Obama (D): 6,611
Bob Barr (L): 132
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn (R): 11,629
Richard Noriega (D): 5,906
Yvonne Schick (L): 466
U.S. Representative, District 31
John Carter (R): 11,539
Brian Ruiz (D): 5,912
Barry Cooper (L): 433
State Representative, District 59
Sid Miller (R): 10,429
Ernie Casbeer (D): 7,079
Coy Reynolds (L): 443
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Limestone County totals
Final totals from Limestone County:
President
John McCain (R): 5,062
Barack Obama (D): 2,515
Bob Barr (L): 55
Write-ins: 22
U.S. Senator
John Cornyn (R): 4,817
Richard Noriega (D): 2,549
Yvonne Schick (L): 113
U.S. Representative, District 5
Joe Barton (R): 2,503
Ludwig Otto (D): 1,357
Max Koch III (L): 47
U.S. Representative, District 17
Chet Edwards (D): 2,088
Rob Curnock (R): 1,384
Gardner Osborne (L): 38
County Commissioner, Precinct 1
John McCarver (R): 1,280
Joe Neason (D): 935
Groesbeck ISD $23 million bond
For: 1,938
Against: 1,234
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Voting totals: La Vega ISD bond voted down
On the tax-rate increase for the La Vega ISD: 707 against, 502 for
On the proposed $22 million bond construction project: 647 against, 576 for
On funds for the new athletic facility: 712 against, 507 for
On funds for the new administration building: 744 against, 474 for
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McLennan County early voting totals are in
According to McLennan County early voting results, 60 percent, or 29,460, of the 49,178 voters cast their ballots for Sen. John McCain for president. Just more than 39 percent, or 19,165, of those voted for Sen. Barack Obama.
More than 53 percent, or 14,227, of early voters cast straight-ticket Republican ballots, and more than 46 percent, or 12,259 straight Democratic tickets, according to the McLennan County Elections Office.
In the District 17 Congressional race, incumbent Democrat Chet Edwards leads Republican Rob Curnock with 59.29 percent, or 28,830 votes. Curnock received 39.96 percent, or 19,432 early votes.
In other county races, the McLennan County Commissioner Precinct 3 race, according to early voting, favors Democratic incumbent Joe Mashek, who has 54.81 percent, or 5,049, of votes. Republican Danny Volcik has more than 45 percent, or 4,163, early votes.
McLennan County Sheriff Larry Lynch leads Democratic challenger Charles C. Hutyra, 62 percent to 37 percent.
Early voting numbers represent 38.07 of the total number of voters. In all, 130,428 McLennan County residents cast their ballots this general election.
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Voter Voices: South Terrace Recreation Center
The wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were on the minds of some voters at the South Terrace Recreation Center polling station on South 12th Street