Home > Waco Breaking News > Archives > 2009 > July > 02
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Report: Rangers had to borrow money from MLB; Hicks to sell team
The Texas Rangers borrowed millions of dollars from Major League Baseball within the last week, according to a Yahoo report.
Rangers spokesman John Blake told the Web site that the club would have no comment, and Rich Levin, a spokesman for the commissioner’s office, said baseball does not comment on team finances.
Baseball will continue to offer financial assistance to owner Tom Hicks until he is able to sell the team, the Web site reported, citing a major league source with direct knowledge of the situation.
“He won’t be running the team much longer,” the person said. “Major League Baseball is helping him through this until someone else can be put in place to run the club.”
Yahoo reported a major league source told the Web site that the loan to the Hicks Sports Group was not made specifically to help Hicks with payroll obligations and was believed to be for less than $15 million.
That number first surfaced Wednesday, when a caller to an XM radio station said the Rangers had failed to make payroll and had to get $15 million from Major League Baseball. The host, former Rangers manager Kevin Kennedy, said he knew something about the situation and that the team would be owned by someone other than Hicks in the offseason.
The Rangers’ player payroll of nearly $69 million is 22nd out of 30 big league teams.
The reports of the radio broadcast were published by rangerfans.com, a Web site that follows the team.
Hicks said in May he would be willing to sell controlling interest in the franchise, in part because of financial problems he is facing. Earlier this year, Hicks Sports Group defaulted on $525 million in loans backed by the Rangers and the NHL’s Dallas Stars, the other U.S. pro sports team Hicks owns.
Hicks bought the Rangers for $250 million in 1998. Last month, Forbes valued the Rangers at $405 million, 15th among the 30 major league teams.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Pro & college sports
Foul play suspected in Waco man’s disappearance
He was last seen at home with his mother wearing blue jean shorts and a black tee shirt. His mother last heard from via telephone on June 21, but did not know his whereabouts at the time of the call.
His family suspects foul play because unknown men appeared at his mother’s home after his disappearance asking for him and threatening to harm him, Waco police Detective Kristina Woodruff said.
Police asked anyone with information on his whereabouts to contact Woodruff at 750-7614.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Police & crime
Former Waco Civic Theatre manager pleads guilty to misusing funds
The former manager of the Waco Civic Theatre pleaded guilty today to misusing theater funds for personal use.
U.S. District Judge Walter S. Smith Jr. will sentence Jennifer J. Mitchell, office manager at the theater from 2006 to January, on Aug. 26. She faces up to 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
Federal prosecutors made no mention of the amount of the misappropriation and documents related to her case, including an indictment, do not specify an amount. However, court officials said she is subject to being ordered to make restitution for the misused funds.
The theater board fired Mitchell in late January after an audit found she had improperly taken money from the theater and doctored financial reports to cover it up.
A Secret Service investigation revealed that Mitchell made “numerous cash withdrawals” using the theater’s automatic teller machine card. Theater records also showed that Mitchell, who was responsible for paying bills and preparing financial reports for the board, paid herself more than her approved salary, according to court records.
On Jan. 12, federal officials say Mitchell forged the signature of a longtime theater board member on a check made payable to her.
Mitchell’s suspicious activities were first reported to federal authorities by U.S. Magistrate Jeffrey C. Manske, a theater board member.
Permalink | Comments (13) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Police & crime
Baylor ex Sutton promoted to Reds
Former Baylor infielder Drew Sutton has been promoted to the Cincinnati Reds after the team suffered several injuries in the infield.
Sutton was called up from Triple-A Louisville, where he was hitting .254 with five homers and 19 RBIs in 38 games this season. In April, the Reds acquired Sutton from the Houston Astros organization, which drafted him in the 15th round out of Baylor in 2004.
Sutton has hit .280 with 66 homers and 259 RBIs in six minor league seasons. In his only season at Baylor, he hit .304 with eight homers and 40 RBIs.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Pro & college sports
Michael Jackson memorial service will be Tuesday at Staples Center
Michael Jackson’s memorial service will be Tuesday morning at the Staples Center, the 20,000-seat coliseum in downtown Los Angeles where Jackson rehearsed his show the night before he died, according to a person who has been briefed by a representative of the family.
Here’s the full story from CNN.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines
Britain expects 100,000 swine flu cases daily
Britain faces a projected 100,000 new swine flu cases a day by the end of August and must revamp its flu strategy, the nation’s health minister said Thursday.
Britain has officially reported 7,447 swine flu cases and three deaths, but officials acknowledge the real number of cases is far higher, since many with the virus have not been tested.
Britain is the hardest-hit nation in Europe amid the global swine flu epidemic. Many flu experts believe numbers could jump exponentially now that the virus is entrenched. Because swine flu, or H1N1, is a new virus, few people have any natural immunity, allowing the virus to spread rapidly.
“Cases are doubling every week and on this trend we could see over 100,000 cases per day by the end of August,” Health Minister Andy Burnham told the House of Commons on Thursday.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Health, Swine flu, World news
Italy’s train derailment death toll reaches 19
Italian officials say the death toll from a train explosion in Tuscany has risen to 19, with 25 people injured.
Premier Silvio Berlusconi says 11 of the injured are in very serious condition.
A train carrying liquefied gas derailed around midnight Monday in the seaside town of Viareggio, setting off a massive explosion that consumed nearby homes.
The Viareggio health director Giancarlo Sassoli says only 10 of the dead have been identified.
Berlusconi said Thursday the government will investigate whether the international rules governing the rail transport of such highly flammable materials needed to be changed.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Transportation, World news
Obama says Putin still living partly in the past
President Barack Obama is describing Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as someone who still has “one foot in the old ways of doing business and one foot in the new.”
He says one reason he’s meeting with Putin — as well as with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev — during his upcoming visit to Moscow is that he wants Putin to know that “the old Cold War approaches” to relations with the United States are “outdated.”
Obama says Putin “still has sway” in Russia.
He also says the U.S. is developing a “very good relationship” with Medvedev, and that he’s looking for gains in nuclear arms reduction.
During an Associated Press interview Thursday, Obama rejected the idea that Russia is an obstacle in confronting North Korea and Iran. He said there’s been “good cooperation” in dealing with those two countries.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Politics, World news
Smartphones take root on farms
It’s not just the corporate suits who are hitched to their smartphones. CNN.com has a fun read about a Nebraska farmer who feels more connected to the world from his admittedly “middle-of-nowhere” farm.
And I love the headline for the story: “Twittering from the tractor: Smartphones sprout on the farm.”
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Agriculture, Technology
Still seeking input for backyard pools story
I’m tossing this out there again in case you hadn’t seen this yesterday.
Trib reporter Erin Quinn is working on a story about safety concerns that people have about backyard pools, whether it’s kiddie pools, above-ground or in-the-ground pools. This year Texas has already seen a high number of drownings of children this year.
How do you keep your kids safe? And what concerns do you have seeing other people’s kids around pools?
To contact her, call 757-5748 or e-mail equinn@wacotrib.com.
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Health
State agency to change its name
I found this news somewhat amusing. We received this news release that the Office of Rural Community Affairs will change its name to the Texas Department of Rural Affairs on Sept. 1.
Hmmm. Going from ORCA to TDRA because of confusion about the agency’s duties. What do you think the confusion might have been?
Here’s the release:
AUSTIN — The state agency dedicated to rural Texas will have a new name as of September 1, 2009, thanks to legislation authored by Representative Drew Darby and carried in the Senate by Senator Craig Estes.
The law changes the name of the Office of Rural Community Affairs (ORCA) to the Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA). The agency’s URL will become www.tdra.state.tx.us. The agency’s duties and dedication to rural communities remain the same.
“The new name will make their status as an official state agency unmistakable,” said Representative Darby. “HB 1918 supports the agency’s ability to deliver services in the most efficient and effective manner.”
The agency’s acronym, TDRA, pronounced Te’ De’ Är’ A, will replace the old acronym of ORCA, which often led to confusion about the agency’s role.
“Rural communities and even other state agencies often mistook us for a non-profit organization,” said ORCA executive director Charles S. (Charlie) Stone. “The new name makes our role as a state agency and provider of state and federal grants immediately clear to everyone.”
Since its creation in 2001 by the 77th Legislature, the agency has awarded over 4,891 grants, totaling more than $642 million. These funds have gone out to communities and counties for economic development, disaster relief, infrastructure, and healthcare, benefiting more than four million people in Texas.
“Rural communities are vital contributors to the prosperity of this state going well beyond agriculture with manufacturing and a growing renewable energy industry,” said Senator Estes, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs. “The newly named Texas Department of Rural Affairs emphasizes not only the value of this department, but the value of our rural areas to our overall state economy.”
“We thank Representative Darby and Senator Estes for supporting rural communities and this agency during the legislative session,” said Dr. Wallace Klussmann chair of the ORCA governing board.
ORCA is the state agency dedicated solely to rural Texas and is a provider of rural-focused state and federal resources for community development, disaster recovery, economic development, housing and rural health. The agency serves as the state’s primary liaison with HUD and manages the federal disaster allocation for public infrastructure. ORCA is the federally-designated State Office of Rural Health. For more information, visit ORCA online at www.orca.state.tx.us.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Around the state, Politics
Leno wins Web address fight with Katy man
Television host Jay Leno has won control of a Web address using the name of his new show.
The U.N.’s World Intellectual Property Organization says current owner Guadalupe Javier Zambrano, 51, of Katy will have to transfer the domain name — thejaylenoshow.com — to the comedian.
The agency says Zambrano failed to demonstrate he had a legitimate reason for registering the address five years ago while Leno was still hosting The Tonight Show.
Zambrano used the site to redirect Web surfers to his real estate business.
The Jay Leno Show premieres Sept. 14 on NBC.
Permalink | Comments (5) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Business, Courthouse
WASP members to get Congressional Gold Medal
President Barack Obama made it official yesterday, signing into law S. 614, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots, also known as WASP.
You might recall our recent story before the bill was signed which featured Waco resident Deanie Parrish, who was one of those special women who flew during World War II for non-combat military missions in the United States.
Wonder when she can expect to get her gold medal?
In a release from the White House:
“The Women Airforce Service Pilots courageously answered their country’s call in a time of need while blazing a trail for the brave women who have given and continue to give so much in service to this nation since,” said Obama. “Every American should be grateful for their service, and I am honored to sign this bill to finally give them some of the hard-earned recognition they deserve.”
From 1942 to 1943, more than 1,000 women joined the WASP. Thirty-eight of them died while their served. Their contributions went largely unrecognized for years, not even being acknowledged with veteran status until 1977.
The bipartisan effort in Congress to recognize the contributions of the WASP was led by Sens. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD), and Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Susan Davis (D-CA). Obama and Ros-Lehtinen were joined by three members of WASP as well as five active-duty U.S. Air Force pilots who followed in their footsteps.
Interestingly, the White House has posted photos from the signing for anyone with an Internet connections to view. Go to www.flickr.com/whitehouse. The photo posted here is from flickr. Click it to enlarge.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Military, Politics
Ohio police chief, female officer caught kissing on camera
OK, I’ve got another “What were they thinking?” stories, this time out of Ohio. Read The Associated Press story below.
The police chief of a northeast Ohio township has retired after a video became public showing him and a female office kissing and caressing in the front of a police cruiser while a prisoner was in the back seat.
Timothy Escola retired Tuesday night after four years with the Perry Township police department about 50 miles south of Cleveland. Law Director Charles Hall says Escola’s retirement closes an internal investigation.
Hall says no charges are being considered against part-time officer Janine England, who was with Escola in the cruiser June 2.
Escola and England drove to the Cincinnati area to pick up a burglary suspect.
An anonymous tip prompted an investigation last week and a review of the cruiser’s dashboard camera.
Not surprisingly, the Canton Repository newspaper and its Web site, CantonRep.com, is all over this juicy story, complete with dashboard video.
Permalink | Comments (8) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Hot stories, Police & crime, Weird & wacky
U.S. soldier believed captured in Afghanistan
An American soldier is believed to have been captured by insurgents in eastern Afghanistan, the U.S. military said today.
The soldier has been missing from his unit since Tuesday, said Army Capt. Elizabeth Mathias. Citing concern for his safety, she did not disclose the circumstances of his disappearance, or explain how military authorities had concluded that he was being held, or say whether there had been any communication with insurgents about the missing man.
The Reuters news agency quoted a senior Taliban commander, Mullah Sangeen, as saying the soldier was captured earlier this week as he left a base in Paktika province on patrol.
If the reports are borne out and an American soldier was seized alive, it would represent an unprecedented coup for the insurgents. They could exploit a capture for propaganda purposes or demand concessions such as a prisoner exchange.
Permalink | Comments (1) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Military, World news
Investigator: Air France jet fell intact into sea
A French investigator says Air France Flight 447 did not break up in flight but plunged vertically into the Atlantic Ocean.
Alain Bouillard, leading the investigation into the June 1 crash for the French accident investigation agency BEA, also says life vests found among the wreckage of the plane were not inflated.
All 228 people aboard the plane were killed when it plunged into the ocean en route from Rio de Janeiro to Paris.
Bouillard said at a news conference outside Paris on Thursday that the search for the plane’s black boxes has been extended by 10 days and will continue through July 10.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Aviation, World news
N.C. ‘sewer creature’ stirs interest
Apparently, this has been all over YouTube — you can view a video below — and a TV station in Raleigh, N.C., has this story about a “blob” of sorts that was uncovered by a videocamera during a search of a sewer line.
It seems to be pretty benign, but freaky-looking, nonetheless. There’s debate about exactly what it is. A city environmental coordinator believes it to be a cluster of tubifex or sludge worms, while a biology professor says it’s a cluster of invertebrates called byrozoan.
But admit it, it does look somewhat like “The Blob.”
Permalink | Comments (2) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Hot stories, Weird & wacky
Setback in jobs market with more cuts reported
Employers cut a larger-than-expected 467,000 jobs in June, driving the unemployment rate up to a 26-year high of 9.5 percent, suggesting that the economy’s road to recovery will be bumpy.
The Labor Department report, released Thursday, showed that even as the recession flashes signs of easing, companies likely will want to keep a lid on costs and be wary of hiring until they feel certain the economy is on solid ground.
June’s payroll reductions were deeper than the 363,000 that economists expected.
However, the rise in the unemployment rate from 9.4 percent in May wasn’t as sharp as the expected 9.6 percent. Still, many economists predict the jobless rate will hit 10 percent this year, and keep rising into next year, before falling back.
All told, 14.7 million people were unemployed in June.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Business, Economy
MCC extends deadline for aesthetician program
Individuals interested in becoming a skin-care specialist now have until July 20 to complete applications for McLennan Community College’s Aesthetician Program.
The program can be completed in one year and combines classroom work and hand-on experience with the public. Graduates receive a certificate of completion and are eligible to take the licensing exam administered by the State Board of Cosmetology.
For more information, contact program director Ron Robinson at 299-8702 or rrobinson@mclennan.edu or visit MCC’s Web site at www.mclennan.edu.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Education
Officer uses Taser on pastor, pepper spray on congregants
Here’s a strange story to start your day. A Webster police officer used a Taser on a pastor and pepper spray to disperse members of his congregation Wednesday after they said the pastor tried to interfere with a traffic stop of a member of his church.
Jose Elias Moran, 42, was charged with interfering in the duties of a police officer during a traffic stop on the Iglesia Profetica Peniel parking lot southeast of Houston.
“This did not have to happen. It didn’t have to go this far,” Debbie Moran, the pastor’s 15-year-old daughter, said.
While the officer’s report says the pastor pushed the officer and went inside the church to return with 40 other congregants, witnesses claim Moran didn’t touch the officer and it was the policeman who became belligerent and kicked on the door of the church.
Click here for The Associated Press story.
Permalink | Comments (3) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines, Hot stories, Police & crime, Weird & wacky
Back into the 100s? Perhaps
While the National Weather Service forecast calls for a high of “only” 99 degrees today, I’m not so sure we won’t see triple digits again with no rain predicted.
The NWS forecast calls for sunny and hot, with a high near 99, and heat-index values as high as 102. A southwest wind around 5 mph will turn to the east-southeast.
Yesterday’s high at the official Waco Regional Airport recording station was 97, the second day of sub-100 highs after 10 straight days in the 100s. A new streak might start today.
Permalink | Comments (0) | Post your comment | Categories: Headlines
