Lancaster ISD Teacher on Leave Amid Parent Concerns

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A Lancaster High School teacher was put on leave, after concerns were raised about the teacher's past. 

Lancaster High School has not released the identity of the teacher involved, but parents and students claim to have identified the person as pre-calculus teacher Tyler Deaton. 

Parents, who didn't want to be interviewed on camera, told NBC 5 that students searched for information about their teachers on Google when Tyler Deaton's name started showing in the searches.

Students discovered that his wife, Bethany Deaton, was killed in Kansas City, Mo. last fall. A man living with the couple, Micah Moore, was indicted for Bethany Deaton's murder and implicated Deaton. 

See the history of the Micah Moore case here.

Moore has since recanted the entire story and is awaiting trial.

Lancaster Independent School District communications director S. Cole-Hamilton released a statement to NBC 5 that was sent to parents. 

 

 "We were recently made aware that there are concerns regarding a teacher at the high school. It was brought to our attention that there are allegations related the teacher's involvement in an incident related to his wife and other activities.

 

The staff member, who was hired in February, cleared a formal background check conducted through the Department of Public Safety and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Databases.

However, after receiving the concern, we took immediate action, removed him from the classroom and placed him on leave. We are in the process of obtaining additional information as we further investigate this matter. We appreciate that we have students and stakeholders who hold us to the highest standards. And, we work to ensure that the people in front of our students model the character that we expect. We can assure you that we are proactive in maintaining the high standards of character among our staff. 

We value and understand the importance of honest, open communication; therefore, we wanted to notify you immediately regarding this matter."

 

Investigators in Missouri tell NBC 5 that parents from Texas have been calling Jackson County investigators asking about the case.

Jackson County Missouri investigators tell NBC 5 they are aware that Tyler Deaton is living in Texas and is teaching. Sergeant Ronda Montgomery with the Jackson County Sheriff tells NBC 5 that investigators have traveled to Texas more than once.  

Tyler Deaton hasn't been charged with any crime and by Missouri law, investigators can't say if he is or is not a suspect in the case.

NBC 5 attempted to contact Tyler Deaton through his Facebook account, but have not received a response.

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Busch Wins Nationwide Race at Texas for 6th Time

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Kyle Busch is winning again in the Nationwide Series, at Texas and everywhere else, since getting back into a Joe Gibbs Racing Toyota.

Busch won his third consecutive Nationwide race by leading 91 of 200 laps Friday night at Texas, where he became the first six-time winner in the series at the 1 1/2-mile, high-banked track. 

"It's fast. It just suits right into my style," Busch said. "It's such a fun race. ... It's also being part of this JGR team."

While driving a car he owned last season, Busch didn't win in the Nationwide Series. This year back in the Gibbs ride, since having engine problems and finishing 32nd in the opener at Daytona, he has four wins and a runner-up finish to push his series victory record to 55.

Busch, who described his Toyota as "flawless," Busch finished 2.27 seconds ahead of Brad Keselowski in his Ford. Austin Dillon finished third and Dale Earnhardt Jr. fourth, both in Chevrolets. 

"Definitely Kyle is really strong, he's a great driver for sure. But I think you have to look at the cars they have at Gibbs," Keselowski said. "I think last year was a bit of an eye-opener for us. ... Joey (Logano) won a bunch of races in that same car, and Kyle had the reverse fortune. I think that shows you the effort that Gibbs puts into the series, and they've been rewarded as they should for that effort."

Logano was a nine-time winner in 22 Nationwide races for Gibbs last season. Busch did have nine top-five finishes without winning in his car last season, and now is the first driver to win four of the first six Nationwide races to start a season. 

Even Busch acknowledged that the guys at Joe Gibbs racing sure make it seem easy.

"If you put an elite driver in an elite car, you should get elite results and that's what you've seen," Keselowski said. 

Busch now has 110 victories in NASCAR's three top series, including 25 in the Sprint Cup Series and 30 in trucks. 

Right before the start of the Nationwide race, Busch won the pole for Saturday night's Sprint Cup race at Texas.

After sweeping both Nationwide races in Texas in 2008 and 2009, Busch won the spring race in 2010 before finishing second that fall to end his Lone Star State winning streak. 

Friday night's race featured a Texas-record 11 leaders and 22 lead changes. Busch led five times, including the final 31 laps after going back in front out during the last caution. 

Sam Hornish Jr. maintained the series points lead despite finishing 34th. He made contact with Jeremy Clements and spun into the infield grass with just more than 55 laps left, doing significant damage to his car. 

His lead over Regan Smith shrunk from 20 to two. Smith finished seventh. 

Alex Bowman, who was dealing with flu-like symptoms when he won the pole earlier Friday, finished 14th.

Eric McClure got out of his Toyota early in the race because of his own illness. He was replaced by Jeff Green, who had already parked his car after three laps. He drove McClure's car (14) to a 30th-place finish. 

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Amber Alert Issued for Cedar Hill Girl

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Cedar Hill police have issued an Amber Alert for a 12-year-old girl they believe is "in grave or immediate danger."

Sommer Brown is a black girl who is 5 feet 6 inches tall and weighs 90 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black tank top and black basketball shorts.

Police believe she is with her mother, 43-year-old Lisa Elizabeth Brown, a black woman who is 5 feet 8 inches tall and weighs 120 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes and was last seen wearing a black blazer and a light green shirt.

Police said they believe the pair may be traveling in a gray/pewter 2006 Ford Expedition with a paper Carmax tag that reads 86P 3357 and expires on May 19, 2013.

"I'm worried for her safety and her well-being and ... we need to find her ASAP ... because I don't know what her mother could do to her," said Madison Dews, Sommer Brown's stepsister.

Cedar Hill police said Lisa Brown, an Atlanta schoolteacher who is currently on spring break, came to North Texas to try to get temporary custody of her daughter.

The girl's father was awarded custody about three weeks ago.

Police said Lisa Brown filed a police report accusing her estranged husband of sexually abusing his daughter. Cedar Hill police said they looked into the claims, found they were false and arrested Brown on suspicion of filing a false police report on Tuesday.

Brown bonded out of a jail on Wednesday and sought an emergency temporary custody order through family courts on Thursday but was denied, police said.

After the court denied her custody, Brown tried to take her daughter out of school, but the school denied her request because she doesn't have custodial rights, police said.

Investigators said Lisa Brown drove to her estranged husband's neigbhorhood in the 100 block of Hannah Circle at approximately 6 p.m. on Thursday and called her daughter.

Dews said she was sitting with her stepsister inside the house while she talked with her mother on the phone.

Her mother told her stepsister "how much she missed her, she couldn't live without her, and she wasn't going to live without her, and that she wasn't going to stop trying to get her," Dews said.

She said Sommer Brown went outside "because her mother begged her for a hug."

When Sommer Brown finally came out of the house, neighbors told police they heard Lisa Brown yelling at her daughter to get in the car. When she finally complied, Brown sped away, witnesses said.

Dews said she ran after the car, with her stepsister staring at her through the window.

"She was, like, looking at me like to see what our next step was going to be ... because she knew that she wasn't planning on leaving with her mother," Dews said.

Family members say their top concern is getting Sommer Brown home safe.

Dews said she wants to know that her stepsister safe and wants her back home. She also said she wants her stepsister to know that her family is looking for her, saying that she knows Sommer Brown doesn't want to be with her mother.

"She had no intentions on ever seeing her mother again," she said.

Police said Lisa Brown is not cooperating with police and has cut off contact with her lawyer, who was trying to get her to turn herself in and return her daughter.

Lisa Brown has ties to Houston, Atlanta and Chicago, according to Cedar Hill police.

Anyone with information on the Browns' whereabouts is asked to call the Cedar Hill Police Department at 972-230-5785.

NBC 5's Amanda Guerra contributed to this report.

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Seattle Snaps 3-Game Skid With 3-1 Win Over Texas

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Kyle Seager had a two-run double, Hisashi Iwakuma made it stand with 6 2-3 strong innings, and the Seattle Mariners beat the Texas Rangers 3-1 on Friday night to end a three-game losing streak.

Iwakuma (2-0) got the better of his countryman and Texas starter Yu Darvish in the seventh all-time pitching matchup between the pair, both in Japan and the majors. Darvish (2-1) holds a 4-3 advantage when the pair match up on the mound. 

Iwakuma held the Rangers bats silent until the fourth inning when Ian Kinsler led off with a homer. That proved to be the extent of the Rangers' offense as Iwakuma and three relievers combined to shut down Texas.  

Tom Wilhelmsen pitched the ninth for his fourth save. 

Of Seattle's starting staff, Iwakuma has been one of the most consistent pitchers early in the season. He was perfect through three innings until Kinsler led off the fourth with a towering homer that barely cleared the glove of Raul Ibanez leaping at the wall in left. 

It was the most obvious example to date of the new dimensions at Safeco Field being a factor. 

A year ago, Kinsler's homer would have either been caught on the warning track or caromed off the wall, which has been moved in slightly and lowered to 8 feet. 

Instead of getting rattled, Iwakuma kept rolling. He retired the next five straight and eight of the final 11. Iwakuma left with two outs in the seventh after throwing 90 pitches, giving up just three hits and striking out six.  

Texas had a chance to get to Iwakuma in the sixth when Kinsler led off with a single and was called safe stealing second base by umpire Gary Darling when replays clearly showed he was out. 

With Mariners fans expressing their displeasure after the missed call was shown on the giant new video board, Iwakuma escaped the jam getting Lance Berkman and Adrian Beltre to pop out to the infield to end the inning.  

Charlie Furbush took over with two outs in the seventh and allowed a single and a walk, but Stephen Pryor struck out pinch-hitter Craig Gentry to end the inning.  

Darvish didn't throw well in Seattle during his first season and didn't start Year 2 much better. Darvish plunked Jason Bay for the first time with one out in the first, then gave up consecutive singles to Kendrys Morales and Ibanez, the second one scoring Bay. 

Justin Smoak flew out to deep center field for the second out, but Seager continued to show signs of breaking free from an early slump. Seager lined a shot down the first base line and off the tip of Mitch Moreland's glove for a two-run double. 

But that was it for Seattle's offense. Darvish didn't allow a hit after Seager's double and retired his final 12 batters before leaving after the sixth.  

Notes: Iwakuma walked Moreland with two outs in the fifth inning, the first walk he's issued this season. His streak of 18 innings without a walk was the second-longest in franchise history. ... In three career starts in Seattle, Darvish has a 7.71 ERA. ... Seattle OF Michael Morse had reduced swelling in his fractured right little finger on Friday and the team is staying with the same timeline that he could be back from the injury in less than a week. 

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Former Kaufman Co. JP Williams Arrested

After a second search of his Kaufman home on Friday, former Kaufman County Justice of the Peace Eric Williams was arrested overnight Friday and booked into the Kaufman County Jail.

According to booking information, Williams was arrested for one count of making a terroristic threat and two counts of insufficient bond. 

He is being held on three million dollars bond. 

Local, state and federal agents searched Williams' home in the 1600 block of Overlook Drive late Friday afternoon.

The FBI, Texas Rangers and Kaufman County investigators are gathering evidence related to the McLelland and Hasse murders according to Kaufman County public information officer Lt. Justin Lewis.

A listed phone number for Williams went unanswered Friday afternoon. But his attorney, David Sergi, released a statement Friday saying his client "has cooperated with law enforcement and vigorously denies any and all allegations."

Williams has never been named as a suspect in the murders of Mark McLelland, his wife Cynthia and ADA Mark Hasse. 

In an interview April 3, Williams told NBC 5 he had nothing to do with the McLellands' murder and doesn't even own a gun.

"If I was in their shoes, I would want to talk to me," Eric Williams said in an interview at his house. "In the investigators' minds, they want to check with me to do their process of elimination."

Williams, a former Kaufman County justice of the peace, was charged with theft and later convicted in a high-profile trial. He was kicked out of office, and his law license was suspended. He was 

sentenced to two years' probation and is appealing his conviction.

But he said he is not bitter and wouldn't want to harm anyone.

"I've cooperated with law enforcement," Williams said. "I certainly wish them the best in bringing justice to this incredibly egregious act."

Williams' name has swirled around the courthouse because his trial was sensational news in this small community, and it included testimony of death threats.

William said he was contacted Saturday night by investigators -- only about three hours after Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, were found dead inside their Forney home.

He said he met the agents at a nearby restaurant, where he allowed them to swab his hands for gunpowder residue. He also gave them his and his wife's cellphones, which they returned the next day.

"I know I didn't do anything," he said. "I know where I was."

Williams said he was at home with his wife or up the street at his in-laws late Friday and Saturday.

He expressed shock at the crime and sympathy for the victims' families.

"I want to say my deepest condolences go out to the McLelland family and all the people at the courthouse," he said.

Asked if he is angry at prosecutors, he said, "No, I'm not. Obviously that was also a part of them doing their jobs."

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

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Homeless Man Allegedly Sets Man, SUV on Fire

A man was set on fire while sitting in his sport utility vehicle in the parking lot of a 7-11 near Pacific Coast Highway and Clark Avenue in Long Beach. A witness captured this cellphone footage of the attack on Friday, April 12, 2013.

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A 63-year-old man is in critical condition Friday night after he and his car were doused with a liquid and set on fire outside a Long Beach convenience store hours earlier.

"This is an unsettling crime, a horrific act," said Sgt. Aaron Eaton, with Long Beach Police Department.

The attacker approached the victim, tossed a flammable liquid into a green sport utility vehicle and sparked the blaze, Eaton said. Investigators do not believe the victim and attacker know each other.

After running from the 7-11 near Pacific Coast Highway, a 39-year-old man known by many in the area to be homeless was arrested in connection with the attack.

Witnesses used fire extinguishers and water bottles to help extinguish the flames, which consumed the victim as he stumbled from the SUV.

A white sedan was parked next to the SUV. The driver of that car was inside the 7-11 getting a cup of coffee when his car also caught fire.

Steve Cox said he gave spare change to the alleged attacker minutes before the fire.

"He didn't seem like he was going to harm anybody. He wasn't very aggressive or anything. I mean, asking for change, he seemed like a nice guy," Cox said. "I'm really surprised about what happened. It's outrageous."

Neither the victim nor the alleged attacker were identified as of late Friday.

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Ex-Judge Arrested After Killing of Texas DA, Wife

After a second search of his Kaufman home on Friday, former Kaufman County Justice of the Peace Eric Williams was arrested overnight Friday and booked into the Kaufman County Jail.

According to booking information, Williams was arrested for one count of making a terroristic threat and two counts of insufficient bond. 

He is being held on three million dollars bond. 

Local, state and federal agents searched Williams' home in the 1600 block of Overlook Drive late Friday afternoon.

The FBI, Texas Rangers and Kaufman County investigators are gathering evidence related to the McLelland and Hasse murders according to Kaufman County public information officer Lt. Justin Lewis.

A listed phone number for Williams went unanswered Friday afternoon. But his attorney, David Sergi, released a statement Friday saying his client "has cooperated with law enforcement and vigorously denies any and all allegations."

Williams has never been named as a suspect in the murders of Mark McLelland, his wife Cynthia and ADA Mark Hasse. 

In an interview April 3, Williams told NBC 5 he had nothing to do with the McLellands' murder and doesn't even own a gun.

"If I was in their shoes, I would want to talk to me," Eric Williams said in an interview at his house. "In the investigators' minds, they want to check with me to do their process of elimination."

Williams, a former Kaufman County justice of the peace, was charged with theft and later convicted in a high-profile trial. He was kicked out of office, and his law license was suspended. He was 

sentenced to two years' probation and is appealing his conviction.

But he said he is not bitter and wouldn't want to harm anyone.

"I've cooperated with law enforcement," Williams said. "I certainly wish them the best in bringing justice to this incredibly egregious act."

Williams' name has swirled around the courthouse because his trial was sensational news in this small community, and it included testimony of death threats.

William said he was contacted Saturday night by investigators -- only about three hours after Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, were found dead inside their Forney home.

He said he met the agents at a nearby restaurant, where he allowed them to swab his hands for gunpowder residue. He also gave them his and his wife's cellphones, which they returned the next day.

"I know I didn't do anything," he said. "I know where I was."

Williams said he was at home with his wife or up the street at his in-laws late Friday and Saturday.

He expressed shock at the crime and sympathy for the victims' families.

"I want to say my deepest condolences go out to the McLelland family and all the people at the courthouse," he said.

Asked if he is angry at prosecutors, he said, "No, I'm not. Obviously that was also a part of them doing their jobs."

Copyright Associated Press / NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

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West Hollywood Meningitis Patient Brain Dead; Health Officials Sound Warning

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Officials in West Hollywood are warning members of the public to protect themselves against  meningococcal infection, an illness caused by a bacteria or virus that can be fatal.

City Councilman John Duran held a news conference Friday afternoon alongside Chris Brown, director of health and mental health for the LA Gay and Lesbian Center, to sound an alarm.

Duran told NBC4 one of his long-time supporters -- a 33-year-old gay man -- had been diagnosed with meningitis two days ago, was hospitalized and is now in a coma. The man has been declared brain dead, Duran said, identifying the victim as Brett Shaad.

The man had attended an annual Palm Springs event known as the White Party, which took place over Easter weekend and draws thousands of gay men from across the country to the desert city, Duran said.

"If this resident was in fact in attendance at the White Party, it raises the issue, so we want to get the word out to any gay men that were at the White Party, that if they have any of these symptoms, go see their physician immediatly," Duran said at the news conference.

Duran said he didn't want to be alarmist, but wanted gay men and others to be on alert for signs of the disease, which can initially resemble the flu.

Dr. Maxine Liggins, area medical director for the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said people who think they may have been exposed should watch for a stiff neck, fever, headache, sometimes a rash, and generally not feeling well.

Duran suggested the West Hollywood case may be from a similar bacterial meningitis strain that circulated among gay men in New York City -- an outbreak that infected 22 people and has killed seven people since 2010.

Los Angeles County Department of Public Health officials said they have not confirmed a direct connection between the Los Angeles-area case and the New York City strain.

Officials don't want to cause panic, Duran said, but are taking an active stance to avoid the delays in response to AIDS 30 years ago.

On Friday, the Equinox fitness club on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood sent a notice to members that a person who used the facility April 6 had been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. Officials at the press conference confirmed the individual was the same man being treated at Cedars Sinai.

"The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has assured us that there is virtually no risk of exposure in a health club setting," the email stated. "We are notifying you to let you know that Equinox members and staff are safe, we have taken all necessary safety precautions and we will continue to do everything we can to guarantee our members have the best fitness experience possible."

The email included a link to a letter sent by the Department of Public Health to the club.

Meningococcal disease can have severe health impacts and can progress quickly from flu-like symptoms, rashes and a stiff neck, so health officials say early diagnosis and treatment are crucial. If treated quickly, the disease can often be cured with antibiotics.

Last month, Orange County health officials warned public schools about an outbreak of meningococcal infections in Tijuana that began in January.

A teen was being treated at UC Irvine Medical Center for Meningocococcemia and had had all of her limbs amputed, prompting her parents to advocate for awareness about a vaccine that protects against the disease.

The bacteria -- Neisseria meningitidis -- that causes the bloodstream infection afflicting 18-year-old Kaitlyn Dobrow also causes meningococcal meningitis, an inflammation of tissue around the brain and spinal cord, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Infections from the bacteria can be spread from person to person through respiratory and throat secretions and are common in close quarters -- such as military barracks and college dormitories -- according to the CDC website. Person-to-person contact must be close – such as kissing, sex or sharing food – for the bacteria to spread.

Those who have been in close contact with a patient with meningococcal disease should be treated with antibiotics to prevent the illness from progressing, according to the CDC.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

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Calif. Teens Arrested on Sexual Assault Charges After Girl's Suicide

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Three teenage boys are under arrest, facing possible charges in connection with what police say was the sexual assault of a 15-year-old female California high school student.

Attorney Robert Allard, who represents the girl's family, says the teen committed suicide after photos of the alleged attack at Saratoga High School in Saratoga were published online.

"Based on what we know, she was unconscious, there were multiple boys in the room with her," Allard said. "They did unimaginable things to her while she was unconscious."

On Sept. 10, 2012, eight days after the alleged assault, the girl, Audrie Pott, committed suicide.

We don't normally identify victims of sexual assault or suicide, but have used the girl's name in this report with her parents' permission. They are hoping the story will help prevent something like this from every happening to anyone else.

The family's attorney says the girl took her life after learning that her attackers took photos during the assault, and then published them online and showed them around school.

Allard said, in the days that followed the attack, the girl wrote on her Facebook page, "The whole school knows…. My life is ruined."

The Santa Clara District Attorney's Office would not comment on the case because the suspects are minors.

The sheriff's department tells NBC Bay Area all three boys are 16 years old and were arrested on charges of sexual battery on Thursday.  Two of them were arrested on the Saratoga High School campus Thursday morning and the third was arrested in Gilroy.

Allard says two of the boys are students at Saratoga High School and the third is a student at Christopher High School in Gilroy. 

All three are being held at Juvenile Hall until a detention hearing on Monday or Tuesday, but as of yet, have not been charged with a crime.

The girl's parents, who didn't find out about the attack until after their daughter's death, want the boys prosecuted as adults.

"What these boys did is beyond unconscionable," Allard said. "They should be held to the highest standard of the law to make sure this never ever happens again."

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Deadly Texas Bus Rollover Probed; Details Emerge on Driver

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Federal investigators spent hours at the Cardinal Coach company's Texas headquarters Thursday night, hours after a bus crash outside Dallas killed two people and injured 40.

Investigators combed through evidence like maintenance records and log books. They could return to the Grand Prairie office several times over the next few weeks.

As the bus was towed away from the scene in nearby Irving, the video clearly showed one tire that was blown out. Some passengers told NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth they heard a loud popping sound before impact. That could have been a tire blowout.

"We've heard stories passengers heard a loud pop so we will be looking at tire safety and looking at the equipment on the bus itself," said former Department of Transportation official Brigham McCown.

Casino Trip Organizer Killed in Bus Crash

Family friends described Sue Taylor, who went by the name "Casino Sue," as a "firecracker" of a woman.

Charter Bus Driver's Family Says He Was a Good Driver

The family of Loyd Rieve, the man behind the wheel of the charter bus crash, spoke to NBC 5 about Rieve being a safe driver.

More Photos and Videos

But others passengers said they did not hear or see anything wrong in the seconds before the crash.

The bus driver, Loyd Reive, has been working as a commercial driver for nearly 20 years, according to his family.

NBC 5 dug through court records and discovered Reive was behind the wheel in a deadly bus crash in 2001. He swerved around an accident on I-35 and struck and killed a Good Samaritan who was trying to help victims. A grand jury chose not to indict him.

Reive remains in the intensive care unit at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas.

Calls and messages to Cardinal Coach have not been returned.

Passengers Injured, Organizer Killed

Casino trip organizer Sue Taylor, 81, of Hurst, and Paula Hahn, 69, of Fort Worth, died in Thursday's crash, the Texas Department of Public Safety said.

Family friends described Taylor, who went by the name "Casino Sue," as a "firecracker" of a woman.

"We're devastated," Janet Denham said.

Her friends said Taylor often planned casino trips and would entertain her guests with games during the road trips. Her daughter told NBC 5 that her mother had been organizing the trips for 10 years.

Information from area hospitals had 13 patients still receiving treatment at Parkland, three at Baylor Irving, one at Baylor Dallas, and one at Methodist. All patients were treated and released at the UT Southwester St. Paul Medical Center. Las Colinas Medical Center did not respond to calls for updates on the seven patients transported there.

Dan Risik, who spoke with NBC 5 both from the scene of the crash and later from his home, said he felt "very lucky" to be alive after the crash.

"After hearing what I've heard and seeing what I've seen in person, I feel extremely fortunate to be virtually injury-free -- a few scrapes, whatever," Risik said. "Other than that, I feel very lucky."

Deadly Texas Bus Crash Coincides with Safety Crackdown

Thursday's deadly crash happened in the middle of an aggressive push by federal regulators to shutter unscrupulous carriers and ramp up safety inspections.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has shut down more than a dozen private bus companies — nearly half of which it deemed "imminent hazards" — over the past couple months. Last week, the agency announced it was deploying a team of more than 50 safety investigators throughout the country to conduct a wider examination of "higher risk" carriers, including many small charter operations. The FMCSA also asked local police to join the crackdown by boosting traffic enforcement.

The inspection teams headed out into the field on April 1, with orders to target 250 companies with lackluster safety records, according to the American Bus Association, a trade group whose officials were briefed by federal authorities.

Among the carriers already shut down by the FMCSA was Fung Wah, a popular discount bus service between New York City and Boston that had a history of crashes and safety violations.

It's not clear whether the owner of the bus that wrecked Thursday, Cardinal Coach Line, would have been targeted in the crackdown had the crash not happened. According to FMCSA's online record system, Cardinal Coach Line was given a "satisfactory" safety rating in 2009. In the past two years, none of the company's five buses has been in a crash, the records say. But the company's two inspections over that period found violations that resulted in putting a bus and/or or a driver out of service.

Read more on the federal bus safety crackdown here.

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Investigation Into Bus Rollover Continues

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Federal investigators spent hours at the Cardinal Coach Lines headquarters in Grand Prairie Thursday night, and they could return several times over the next few weeks.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators combed through evidence like maintenance records and log books.

As the bus was towed away from the scene, the video clearly showed one tire that was blown out. Some passengers told NBC 5 they heard a loud popping sound before impact. That could have been a tire blowout.

"We've heard stories passengers heard a loud pop so we will be looking at tire safety and looking at the equipment on the bus itself," said former Department of Transportation official Brigham McCown.

But others passengers said they did not hear or see anything wrong in the seconds before the crash.

Investigation Into Bus Rollover Continues

Federal investigators are looking into the company that owned and operated the charter bus that rolled over, killing two and injuring over three dozen.

Witnesses Commend Bus Crash Emergency Response Efforts

Emergency responders sprung into action Thursday morning when a charter bus overturned on George Bush Turnpike.

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The bus driver, Loyd Reive, has been working as a commercial driver for nearly 20 years, according to his family.

NBC 5 dug through court records and discovered Reive was behind the wheel in a deadly bus crash in 2001. He swerved around a crash on Interstate 35 and struck and killed a good Samaritan who was trying to help victims. A grand jury chose not to indict him.

Calls and messages to Cardinal Coach have not been returned.

Passengers Injured, Organizer Killed

At least two people were killed and 40 were hospitalized due to the crash, including casino trip organizer 81-year-old Sue Taylor, of Hurst.

Taylor and Paula Hahn, 69, of Fort Worth, died in the crash, DPS said.

Family friends described Taylor, who went by the name "Casino Sue," as a "firecracker" of a woman.

"We're devastated," Janet Denham said.

Her friends said Taylor often planned casino trips and would entertain her guests with games during the road trips. Her daughter told NBC 5 that her mother had been organizing the trips for 10 years.

Information from area hospitals had 13 patients still receiving treatment at Parkland, three at Baylor Irving, one at Baylor Dallas, and one at Methodist. All patients were treated and released at the UT Southwester St. Paul Medical Center. Las Colinas Medical Center did not respond to calls for updates on the seven patients transported there.

Dan Risik, who spoke with NBC 5 both from the scene of the crash and later from his home, said he feels "very lucky" to be alive after the crash.

"After hearing what I've heard and seeing what I've seen in person, I feel extremely fortunate to be virtually injury-free -- a few scrapes, whatever," Risik said. "Other than that, I feel very lucky."

Deadly Texas Bus Crash Coincides with Safety Crackdown

The deadly charter-bus crash Thursday happened in the middle of an aggressive push by federal regulators to shutter unscrupulous carriers and ramp up safety inspections.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has shut down more than a dozen private bus companies — nearly half of which it deemed "imminent hazards" — over the past couple months. Last week, the agency announced it was deploying a team of more than 50 safety investigators throughout the country to conduct a wider examination of "higher risk" carriers, including many small charter operations. The FMCSA also asked local police to join the crackdown by boosting traffic enforcement.

The inspection teams headed out into the field on April 1, with orders to target 250 companies with lackluster safety records, according to the American Bus Association, a trade group whose officials were briefed by federal authorities.

Among the carriers already shut down by the FMCSA was Fung Wah, a popular discount bus service between New York City and Boston that had a history of crashes and safety violations.

It's not clear whether the owner of the bus that wrecked Thursday, Cardinal Coach Line, would have been targeted in the crackdown had the crash not happened. According to FMCSA's online record system, Cardinal Coach Line was given a "satisfactory" safety rating in 2009. In the past two years, none of the company's five buses have been in a crash, the records say. But the company's two inspections over that period found violations that resulted in putting a bus and/or or a driver out of service.

Read more on the federal bus safety crackdown here.

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MLB Brawl Breaks Out

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A Dallas firetruck was struck by a bullet Friday morning, Dallas police say.

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Dallas Firetruck Struck by Bullet

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A Dallas firetruck was struck by a bullet Friday morning, Dallas police say.

Dallas Fire-Rescue's Engine 19 was driving down Interstate 30 near Munger Boulevard when one of its windows shattered.

The firefighters on board thought they had been hit by a rock, but during the course of the investigation they found reason to believe it was something other than a rock that shattered the window.

Dallas police later told NBC 5 that a bullet had struck the fire truck.

None of the firefighters were injured and they were not headed to an emergency when the glass shattered.

The incident is under investigation.

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More Police Expected at UT-Austin After Bomb Threat

AUSTIN, TX - NOVEMBER 1: A general view of the University of Texas tower in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

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The University of Texas at Austin will increase police presence on campus after an anonymous bomb threat.

The university said no additional information indicated that the bomb threat is credible, however, over the next few days there will be an increased police presence in and around campus buildings.

The campus is scheduled to remain open and all campus activities will continue as planned.

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Rape Suspect Was Linked to Peeping Tom Cases

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Investigators say the man suspected in three rapes in Lake Highlands was suspected in other crimes across North Texas, including peeping on a teenager in a public bathroom.

Cesar Benitez, 33, also known as Pino Porcayo, was charged in March with three sexual assaults in February and March. Police said DNA evidence connected him to the attacks and that Benitez had admitted to all three offenses.

Court documents show that Benitez was suspected in several peeping Tom cases in Allen, McKinney, Plano and Dallas last year. Allen police arrested Benitez in May on suspicion of voyeurism, or disorderly conduct.

According to an arrest affidavit obtained by NBC 5, Benitez was caught on surveillance video in April 2012 running from an Allen Target store after he was questioned about being in the women's restroom.

According to the affidavit, a 13-year-old girl was using the restroom when she dropped her phone in the stall. When she picked it up, she spotted a man on the floor of the adjacent stall looking at her. She immediately notified the store, and someone in the store snapped a photograph of him as he ran out of the store.

The store's surveillance cameras also captured images of Benitez

Allen police shared the information with other departments. Plano reported similar crimes and released store surveillance video and photographs of a man believed to be Benitez who was peeping in a Kohl's.

Allen police Sgt. Jon Felty said Benitez was identified in the Target peeping case because officers had assisted him with a broken-down car a few weeks earlier and had gotten his personal information.

"His car was disabled, and we had done a motorist's assist, so we realized he had been in our city," Felty said.

Allen police, who had a warrant in hand, had Benitez under surveillance in Rockwall in May when he was arrested.

"He attempted to do the same thing in a Target store and was arrested," Felty said.

Voyeurism is a disorderly conduct charge, which is a misdemeanor citation. Benitez's bond at the time was only $1,500. The fine was only $500, Felty said.

There is no record of Benitez spending time at the Collin County Jail for such an offense under his name or his alias of Pino Porcayo. It's possible he bonded out and paid the fine in Rockwall.

Plano police never filed a case for the incident at Kohl's.

Felty said the case shows the importance of reporting anything suspicious, because you never know who the person committing an offense might turn out to be.

In a year's time, "there are definitely some correlations between the two," Felty said.

Benitez is currently being held in the Dallas County Jail on a $4.5 million bond. He is also being held on an immigration detainer by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, a branch of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

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Goat's Head Delivered to Wrigley Field

Clearly this fellow is to blame.

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The head of a goat was delivered to Chicago's Wrigley Field on Wednesday afternoon, officials confirmed.

The "intimidating package," as reported by Cubs officials, was found at about 2:30 p.m. outside Gate K and addressed to franchise owner Tom Ricketts.

The package didn't appear to have been deliveredby the U.S. Postal Service, Cubs spokesman Julian Green said.

The delivery comes in the midst of the organization's ongoing negotiations with the city and small business owners regarding a a five-year, $300 million plan to renovate the Friendly Confines.

The Billy Goat Curse dates back to Oct. 6, 1945, when tavern owner Billy Sianis bought a box seat for his goat, Murphy, for Game 4 of the World Series at Wrigley Field to help promote his establishment. When he was ordered to remove the goat, he claimed to place a curse on the team that would prevent it from ever hosting another World Series at Wrigley Field.

Dead goats were found hanging on the Harry Caray statue outside the field in 2007 and in 2009.

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Birthday Teen Hit in Chest by Softball Dies

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A California high school student who had just turned 16 years old on Wednesday died after being hit in the chest with a softball during a physical education class, officials confirmed.

The teen -- identified as Taylor Dorman by friends, fellow students and Ramona High School principal Tony Newman -- collapsed on a school field in Ramona after being struck by a ball Wednesday morning..

Newman confirmed that Wednesday was the 10th grader's birthday.

Dorman was airlifted to Palomar Hospital. Details on the teen's condition at the time of his transport to the hospital were not immediately released.

The county medical examiner's office will determine Dorman's official cause of death at a later time, as well as confirm whether or not possible contributing medical conditions played a role in his death.On Wednesday night some students gathered at Ramona High School to mourn the sudden loss of their classmate. Students signed a memorial poster for Dorman and placed flowers near the poster.

Last May, an 18-year-old student at Mission Hills High School in San Marcos died suddenly after collapsing in the school gym.

In that instance, senior football star Anthony Vaeao was playing basketball with friends when he fell to the ground. He was rushed to hospital and was pronounced dead a short time later.

In August 2012, a report released by the medical examiner's office determined Vaeao's cause of death stemmed from a heart problem, with obesity listed as a contributing factor.

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Family Escapes Fire, Roommate Dies

Kendra Lyn, NBC 5 News

A Dallas family escaped an apartment fire, using bedsheets to climb down from a balcony. Their roommate, however, did not make it out of the building alive.

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A Dallas family escaped from their burning apartment, but their roommate never made it out of the building alive.

The fire started at Sage Creek Apartments on Rosemeade Parkway off the President George Bush Turnpike around 1 a.m. Thursday.

The fire was devastating for the family who lost their home as well as their friend in the fire.

Fire investigators say the victim lived with the husband, wife and their four-year-old son.  The boy alerted his parents to the fire.

The husband quickly got his wife and child out onto the balcony through the window as the apartment filled with smoke and flames. He tells firefighters that he could see the back of the couch on fire. He called out to his 52-year-old roommate, who had been in the living room, but didn't get an answer and couldn't see him.

The husband scrambled on his hands and knees trying to find his roommate, but the fire was too intense and had to leave his friend behind and get out of the apartment.

By that time, the fire had blocked the family's escape route down the stairs. They tied bedsheets together to get down to the first floor from their balcony.

Fire crews kicked down the locked door and found the victim dead on the couch.

"We obviously have a tragic situation. It's very fortunate that the people who got out were able to get out. It's a miracle they got out the way they did," says Jason Evans with Dallas Fire Rescue.

Fire crews say the victim did have several medical issues and was on oxygen. Investigators say the oxygen could have contributed to the fire. The exact cause of the fire is still under investigation.

The Dallas County Medical Examiner is working to determine if the fire or a medical problem killed the man.  Authorities are not releasing the man's name until his family has been notified of his death.

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Bus Crash Shuts Down Bush Turnpike

NBC 5 is providing live video coverage of this incident. At times the picture may switch between sources or go to black.

Irving emergency crews are working a major bus accident on State Highway 161/President George Bush Turnpike near Belt Line Rd.

Initial reports said a bus rolled over in the crash and that as many as 40 patients may be trapped inside. NBC 5 watched as firefighters pulled multiple victims out of the vehicle. All passengers have been removed.

The bus is lying along its right side, which trapped the passengers and did not let them out the doors of the bus. Passengers had to use emergency hatches on the roof of the bus and push out the windows of the left side of the bus to climb out or be removed by emergency crews.

Two witnesses told NBC 5 that when they stopped to help, they witnessed "bodies stacked on top of each other...moaning, crying, screaming for help." They were able to remove a few people from the bus.

Sixteen patients are in critical condition, according to emergency crews. Many passengers suffered minor injuries. Patients were sent to Baylor Irving Medical Center and Las Colinas Medical Center. Severely injured patients were sent to Parkland Memorial Hospital.

Dozens of firefighters and other first responders are on the scene, searching inside the bus. Patients are being loaded inside ambulances. No word on the extent or number of injuries. Irving, Coppell, and other emergency crews are working at the scene.

All lanes of the freeway on State Highway 161/President George Bush Turnpike between Belt Line and a tollbooth are shut down.

DART says the bus is not one of their vehicles and believes the bus is a private charter belonging to Cardinal Coach Line in Mansfield, TX.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, Cardinal Coach Line has not had any accidents, moving violations, or Department of Transportation driver or vehicle out of service orders or violations.

Passenger Dan Risik tells NBC 5 the bus was headed to Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, OK. The bus set out from a Walmart parking lot and was heading north to the casino. After the crash, Risik said people were laying on other people, trapping individuals underneath each other.

Risik said many of the passengers are older individuals, including retirees and senior citizens.

NBC 5 has crews on the way to gather more information.

As this is a developing story, details may change as we receive more information.

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Bus Overturns Near Dallas, Texas Trapping as Many as 40 People

A bus apparently heading to a casino overturned on a highway outside Dallas, Texas on Thursday trapping as many as 40 people inside, according to initial reports. 

The accident occurred in the Dallas suburb of Irving. All lanes of the freeway on State Highway 161/President George Bush Turnpike and a tollbooth are shut down.

NBC 5 watched as firefighters pulled multiple victims out of the vehicle. All passengers have been removed.

The bus is lying along its right side, which trapped the passengers and did not let them out the doors of the bus. Passengers had to use emergency hatches on the roof of the bus and push out the windows of the left side of the bus to climb out or be removed by emergency crews.

Two witnesses told NBC 5 that when they stopped to help, they witnessed "bodies stacked on top of each other...moaning, crying, screaming for help." They were able to remove a few people.

Sixteen patients are in critical condition, according to emergency crews. Many passengers suffered minor injuries. Patients were sent to Baylor Irving Medical Center and Las Colinas Medical Center. Severely injured patients were sent to Parkland Memorial Hospital.

Dozens of firefighters and other first responders are on the scene, searching inside the bus. Patients are being loaded inside ambulances. No word on the extent or number of injuries.

All lanes of the freeway on State Highway 161/President George Bush Turnpike between Belt Line and a tollbooth are shut down.

DART says the bus is not one of their vehicles and believes the bus is a private charter belonging to Cardinal Coach Line in Mansfield, TX.

According to the Federal Motor Carrier Administration, Cardinal Coach Line has not had any accidents, moving violations, or Department of Transportation driver or vehicle out of service orders or violations.

Passenger Dan Risik tells NBC 5 the bus was headed to Choctaw Casino Resort in Durant, OK. The bus set out from a Walmart parking lot and was heading north to the casino. After the crash, Risik said people were laying on other people, trapping individuals underneath each other.

Risik said many of the passengers are older individuals, including retirees.

NBC 5 has crews on the way to gather more information.

As this is a developing story, details may change as we receive more information.

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Man Tries to Saw Arms Off at Home Depot, Saved by Firefighter

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A man was found in a pool of blood at a home improvement store in California after he purposefully attempted to cut his arms off with handsaws, authorities said.

Pasadena Fire Captain Art Hurtado was among the horrified shoppers at a Home Depot in West Covina on Wednesday. He was shopping with his wife on his day off when he jumped in to help the victim.

"We are always in work mode," Hurtado said. "As soon as I threw my keys to my wife, she knew saw the work and the stride that I had. And she knew, I'm working."

Art and his wife Isabelle saw West Covina police officers rush to the man, and he joined them.

"The officers had already found a man face down, multiple aisles, and the whole store is in chaos," Hurtado said.

"People just couldn't believe it," added Cpl. Rudy Lopez, with West Covina Police Department. "He walked into the saw area, picked up a couple of saws in the saw area and started cutting both of his arms."

Hurtado said that as soon as he noticed the first saw, he "thought it was just going to be a crime scene and a fatality."

Without gloves or any equipment, the 21-year fire department veteran began working on the victim.

"I barely had a pulse and he was just barely breathing," Hurtado said.

But Hurtado kept trying, using what was on the stores shelves around him.

"I can save this guy, if I engage, that's what we do," he said.

"I started asking for a lot of towels," Hurtado added. "They finally showed up with a large packet of quarter inch rope, nylon rope. And I ripped it open and just stretched it out and I told the police officer I want 24-inch sections. Just start cutting."

Lopez said the victim used several handsaws – including one that is used to cut drywall – to cut "all the way down to the bone."

"It was a godsend," Lopez said. "He happened to be at the right place at the right time, probably saved his life."

It was all in a day's work, according to Hurtado.

"Were we in a good place for it? No, but you improvise," he said. "You make things do. Like I said, if I didn't have rope, I would have used my shoelaces. We would have made it work."

Home Depot told NBC4 in a statement that it will cooperate with law enforcement's investigation. The victim remained in surgery late Wednesday.

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Parents Accused of Kidnapping Kids, Fleeing to Cuba, Jailed in Tampa

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The Florida couple accused of kidnapping their own children and fleeing to Cuba on a boat were booked into a Tampa jail early Wednesday morning after they were handed over to U.S. authorities.

Sharyn Patricia Hakken, 34, and husband Joshua Michael Hakken, 35, are facing several charges including kidnapping, child neglect, burglary and interference with custody, according to Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office jail records.

Both were being held without bond and it was unknown whether they have attorneys.

Cuba Says It Will Turn Over to United States Parents Who Allegedly Fled with Kidnapped Children

Cuba said it will turn over to the United States a Florida couple who allegedly kidnapped their own children from the mother's parents and fled by boat to Havana. Acting State Department spokesman Patrick Ventrell discussed the case involving Joshua Michael Hakken, 35, his wife Sharyn, 34, and their two young boys.

Video Shows Joshua Hakken On Board His Sailboat Docked in Cuban Waters

Video of Joshua Hakken aboard sailboat docked in Havana's Hemingway Marina. Cuba said Tuesday that it will turn over to the U.S. the parents who allegedly kidnapped their own children in Florida.

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Authorities say Joshua Michael Hakken kidnapped his sons, 4-year-old Cole and 2-year-old Chase, from his mother-in-law's house north of Tampa. The boys' maternal grandparents had been granted permanent custody of the boys last week.

The children are safe and are expected to be returned to their maternal grandparents later Wednesday.

The boys' grandfather, Bob Hauser, thanked family and friends for their prayers and authorities for their help in finding his grandchildren.

"We are very appreciative of that, and it was very, very comforting to my wife and I to know that that was going on," Hauser said.
 
On Tuesday, Foreign Ministry official Johana Tablada said in a statement that Cuba had informed U.S. authorities of the country's decision to turn over the couple and their children.
 
The Hakkens had been spotted alongside their boat, Salty, docked at Havana's Hemingway Marina. A Cuban official said that the ministry alerted the U.S. authorities that the boat arrived in the Marina on April 7 at 3:20 p.m. during poor weather conditions.

Tablada said Cuba tipped the State Department off to the Hakkens' presence on Sunday and that from that moment "diplomatic contact has been exchanged and a professional and constant communication has been maintained."

The U.S. and Cuba share no extradition agreement and the island nation is also not a signatory of the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction, an international treaty for governmental cooperation on such cases.

Hakken lost custody of his sons last year after a drug possession arrest in Louisiana and later tried to take the children from a foster home at gunpoint, authorities said.

According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, Hakken entered his mother-in-law's Florida house last Wednesday, tied her up and fled with his sons. Federal, state and local authorities searched by air and sea for a boat Hakken had recently bought. The truck Hakken, his wife and the boys had been traveling in was found Thursday, abandoned in Madeira Beach, Florida.

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Teaming Up to Put Technology in Classrooms

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At a time when state education funding is up for discussion in Austin, North Texas school leaders are looking for new ways to fund their technology programs by working with local businesses.

Superintendents from the Northwest, Lewisville and Irving school districts showed off their work with technology in the classroom to a large group of Fort Worth business leaders on Tuesday. Technology initiatives that put laptops and iPads in students' hands were among the highlights of the meeting.

"We have to look to business leaders, educators, parents, community leaders and collectively bridge the here-and-now with the future our kids are going to live in," Northwest Independent School District Superintendent Karen Rue said.

The school districts hope to partner with and, in some cases, continue to partner with business leaders in order to expand technology offerings to students, a goal they say benefits both sides.

"Business leaders know the skills and the skill sets they want future employees to have," Rue said. "They also recognize that there is no better investment than today's students."

Jon Gustafson, of defense contractor Lockheed Martin, said the growing need for a skilled workforce requires students to get on the right track well before college.

"We represent the aerospace industry, and it's critical that students have the skills we need to be successful," he said. "It's critically important that they make the right career choices and that we provide the right infrastructure to enable them to be successful."

The Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Association of School Administrators and national representatives from the Committee for Economic Development, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, also attended the meeting.

"The education system needs to be innovative and it needs to reflect this economy that we live in now," said Michael Petro, CED executive vice president. "We think what they've done here in these communities is something that might be replicable in communities across the country."

Chamber of Commerce CEO Bill Thorton said leaders from other school districts had hoped to attend but were tied up in Austin working on the legislative front.

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Speedway Campers Ready for Potential Severe Weather

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The first big race weekend of the year is about to get the green flag at Texas Motor Speedway.

Hundreds of people have already parked their RVs and trailers and set up tents, just in time for potentially severe storms to roll through.

TMS officials say about 1,000 campers have set up their belongings, with about 90 percent dropping everything off and set to return later in the week. Everyone who is staying knows that rough weather is headed their way.

"We already knew; we came prepared," said Bobby Rosier, of Waxahachie.

"We know the weather is coming. We know it's going to be pretty bad," said Chris Thomas, of Duncanville.

Rosier and Thomas, who have season passes, have camped out at the speedway for years, and they've got a plan for Wednesday morning's storms.

"Plan is to sleep in the car for tonight," Thomas said. "When everything passes over tomorrow in the morning, we'll get everything set up, and we'll be ready to roll."

Race weekend and bad weather is nothing new for the dedicated NASCAR campers.

"A lot of tents blow across here," said Hoby Smith, who is in his eighth year of camping at the racetrack. "We've fished a lot of tents out of the creek over there. We've lost one in the creek too."

This time, Smith is confident that duct tape, zip ties and T-posts sunk a foot and a half into the ground will keep his family and tents safe from wins as high as 60 mph. He said he is also comfortable knowing he'll be informed if something really nasty heads their way.

"We're not really worried," he said. "We got the weather (radio), the Wi-Fi. Track people come by every so often, keep us updated."

TMS officials say they watch the radar closely, not just for what might affect the track and its races, but also for the hundreds camping on grounds.

The speedway says they will be watching and will send security out to warn campers if severe weather rolls into the area. Concourses will be opened, as will the tunnels used to drive toward pit lane. There are also structures throughout the campsites where bathrooms and showers are located.

"We've got the tornado shelter right there at the bathroom," Smith said.

And while everyone here is ready for the worst, they're more focused on the days after.

"We make it through tonight, we're home free," Smith said.

"We'll be ready to go, start partying -- that's what NASCAR does," Thomas said.

As many as 15,000 people could be camping out at the race track by the time the Nationwide Series starts to race on Friday night. The NRA 500 is the premiere Sprint Cup event scheduled for Saturday night.

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Old Parkland to Stay Open, Surprising Commissioners

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Dallas County commissioners learned Tuesday that part of the old Parkland Hospital will be reused even after the new $1.27 billion replacement hospital opens next year.

That fact was not included in a briefing prepared for Tuesday's meeting with commissioners by Parkland officials. Commissioners pried it out during intense questioning about progress on the new hospital.

"Why haven't you said anything to this court? Why? Why are we having to probe and finding out this way as opposed to you bringing it to us?" Commissioner John Wiley Price asked.

"Perhaps we were not clear in our communication; I apologize for that," said Cobie Russell, Parkland board member.

Commissioner Elba Garcia said plans to reuse the old buildings also caught her by surprise.

"I personally do not know about these changes," she said. "I didn't know they were taking place."

Parkland officials said outpatient clinic patient demand has already exceeded projections for 2017, when 243,817 visits were forecast.

Last year, Parkland clinics treated 314,325 people, 28.9 percent more than the 2017 projection.

Parkland's interim chief financial officer, Ted Shaw, said a new outpatient clinic to help meet that demand was to be included in the new hospital, but it would have cost $165 million, more than Parkland could afford.

Commissioner Mike Cantrell said the trend toward higher patient demand was anticipated when voters approved the new hospital in 2008.

"We knew what was taking place, so this shouldn't be a surprise to anybody," Cantrell said.

"Commissioner Cantrell, I can only tell you that the numbers that were in the plan, the volumes that were in the plan, were far less than what we're actually experiencing," Shaw said.

Now, Parkland plans to spend $12 million for a bridge across Harry Hines Boulevard between the old and new hospitals and $25 million to renovate two 1980s buildings for an expanded clinic at the old hospital campus.

"They're pretty good buildings," Russell said. "They work well. We've talked to the physicians that work in those buildings, and they find those agreeable buildings."

Cantrell interrupted Russell.

"Everyone hearing that? When we're trying to build a $1.2 billion facility? We did not hear that," Cantrell said about the need for a new building years ago.

"And as a board we didn't either," Russell said. "Things have changed."

Parkland officials also said emergency room visits have soared far higher than forecast, with more than 195,000 in 2012 compared with the prediction for 2017 of around 153,000.

Commissioners thought new Parkland clinics in outlying areas would help reduce visits to the Parkland emergency room and the central hospital clinic.

"You do that by building clinics in the community," Price said.

Parkland already operates seven clinics around Dallas County for preventive and minor medical care.

County Judge Clay Jenkins said the Pleasant Grove area, miles from the nearest Parkland Clinic, has a large population eligible for care from the public hospital.

Jenkins said it is not clear where Parkland plans to get the money to renovate the old hospital buildings for clinic space now.

"And we need to address that, so if this money is coming out clinics and it's not in a budget we've approved, that's a concern," Jenkins said.

Russell said plans are due to be finalized at an April 22 Parkland Hospital Board meeting and she would return to commissioners with more details in May.

Price said it appears important decisions have already been made without records to support it.

"They're making decisions every day based on information that they don't have solidified in terms of writing, and I'm just very concerned," Price said.

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Navistar Closing Garland Plant, 900 Out of Work

Tammy Mutasa, NBC 5 Garland Reporter

The Navistar plant in Garland will close its doors in a couple of weeks leaving a few hundred employees to figure out their next move.

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In a matter of weeks, a Garland plant that employed 900 people will close its doors for good.

Production has officially stopped at Garland location of the Navistar International Corporation. The entire operation will shut down in May 31, putting 900 people out of work. So far, only a small workforce remains on the job to shut down the plant.

Navistar's Garland location is an assembly plant that also manufactures service trucks.

After 15 years in Garland, the trucking company said they decided to consolidate and move production to Ohio and Mexico. The company said they would be cutting costs by millions of dollars by shutting down the Garland plant.

"It seems like the curse of death whenever I'm going to work for somebody because of the circumstances and that's just the way its' worked out," said Navistar worker Jeff Houghton who will be without a job on Friday. Houghton says he has witnessed company shutdowns three times in the last 15 years of his life.

"People are disgruntled about it," said Ryan Goss, "But they've given us a pretty good time frame in which to plan, a lot of us want to go back to school, find other jobs."

The Garland Chamber of Commerce is working with Texas Workforce Solutions, trying to help those who will be out of work. They recently hosted a job fair for 400 production workers and 15 area companies.

"It's a function of "what do want to do?," said Paul Mayer, CEO of the Garland Chamber of Commerce. "If you want to go to work, and you're motivated, and there are jobs for you, we have to do a better job of marketing the available jobs."

No word on who will take over the Navistar building, but city officials tell NBC 5 a high profile broker is aggressively trying to find new buyers.

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Lewisville Searching for 80-Year-Old Man

Earmon Hensley was last seen around 5 p.m. on April 8 driving a blue 1995 Chrysler Town and County with license plate BJ2-Z290.

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Lewisville police have issued a Silver Alert for an 80-year-old man that has dementia.

Earmon Hensley was last seen around 5 p.m. on April 8 driving a blue 1995 Chrysler Town and County with license plate BJ2-Z290.

Police say Hensley is a white male that is 6-foot 2-inches tall and around 160 pounds with grey hair and hazel eyes.

Police did not have a description of his clothing.

If you have any information about Hensley or his vehicle, please contact local police.

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Jackknifed Truck Shuts Down Mixmaster

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Interstate 35E southbound traffic in Dallas backed up early Wednesday morning as emergency crews remove a jackknifed tractor-trailer from the roadway.

The truck crashed on I-35E at I-30 in Dallas, collectively known as the Mixmaster.

The ramp from I-35E southbound to I-30 eastbound was closed due to the crash.

Follow Samantha Davies (@SDaviesNBC5) on Twitter or use hashtag #DFWTraffic to find updates to this and other traffic stories.

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Man Arrested for Threats Near White House

An investigation into a suspicious vehicle near the White House turns out to be unfounded. News4's Tony Tull reports.

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A man was arrested and charged with making felony threats after an investigation into a suspicious vehicle near the White House Wednesday morning.

Krzyztof Wasik is being held by police. The scene of the investigation was cleared before 7 a.m. Wednesday.

The Secret Service, assisted by D.C. and National Park Police, investigated the vehicle after someone indicated there was a device inside it, reported NBC Washington reported.

The investigation, began shortly before 5 a.m and led to the closure of several District streets as a precaution, which complicated the early morning commute.

 

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Honor Flag Flies for McLelland

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The U.S. Honor Flag was raised for the second time this year in Kaufman County.

This time, the flag honored Kaufman County District Attorney Mike McLelland, who was shot to death on March 30 in his Forney home. McLelland's wife, Cynthia, was also killed.

"Today the U.S. honor flag is here to celebrate the life and service of a great individual," said Chris Heisler, founder of the Honor Network.

The service to fly the flag began at noon Monday, with the flag remaining at the top of the flagpole outside the Kaufman County Courthouse for 24 hours. Organizers told NBC 5 that the flag would fly at full height because they believe McLelland would not have wanted it at half-staff.

In February, the flag was raised for Kaufman County Assistant District Attorney Mark Hasse, who was killed outside the Kaufman County courthouse in a shooting.

McLelland Family Remembers Slain Couple

As the Honor Flag heads once again to Kaufman County, the family of Mike and Cynthia McLelland speak exclusively to NBC about the slain couple.

$200K Reward in Kaufman County Murders

New electronic billboards advertising a $200,000 reward for information in the Kaufman County murders of Mark Hasse and Mike and Cynthia McLelland have gone up around North Texas.

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McLelland is the first Honor Flag honoree who has previously handled the flag. He touched the flag during the ceremony for his friend and colleague Hasse.

Honor Network Founder Criticizes of Investigation

In a press conference at his home on Saturday, Heisler criticized the efforts of law enforcement investigating the killings of the McLellands and Hasse.

Heisler, saying he was speaking for Cynthia McLelland's family, said the family was angered and frustrated. He backed away from his remarks during the Honor Flag ceremony Monday.

"The frustration is, is that somebody, somewhere out there knows what happened. They know who did this," he said. "The frustration and anger is directed to those individuals. We need those individuals to come forward to bring justice to Kaufman."

"The message is of frustration not at all towards law enforcement or to those who are serving to protect the community of Kaufman or the county," Heisler said.

Kaufman County Judge Bruce Wood said at the Honor Flag ceremony that there is no division and everyone stands in unity.

"There's everybody working together to pull forward to assist law enforcement in capturing the people, again, that are responsible," he said.

In a statement about the comments Heisler made on Saturday, the Kaufman County Sheriff's Office said that members of Mike and Cynthia McLelland's family said his "self-description as a family spokesperson and his statement of the family's feelings are both inaccurate and unauthorized."

McLelland Family Remembers Slain DA

McLelland's mother, Wyvonne, said she remembers the conversations she had with her son.

The two spoke a few times a week. She said the family man loved his wife and his job dearly.

"He never hung up the phone and didn't say 'I love you,'" Wyvonne McLelland said, choking back the years. "He was a great son, never any trouble. He just liked what he did."

McLelland said her son always did what he set his mind to. Ever since the murder of his best friend and top prosecutor, Hasse, he was set on finding the killer.

"This is the bad thing, he meant to end this. Mark was one of his best friends. He was going to end this," she said.

NBC News had an extended interview with the McLelland family on "Today."

Investigations Continues, Public Assistance Wanted

The investigations into the murders of both top Kaufman County prosecutors continue with no arrests.

Sheriffs and other law enforcement in the area have said very little about either investigation. Authorities have set up a tip line at 877-847-7522 and a billboard campaign to get the public involved in sharing information.

There is a reward for information leading to an arrest in the McLelland case. The fund, which includes money from the governor's office, has reached $200,000.

NBC 5's Ray Villeda and Randy McIlwain contributed to this report.

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511 Traffic Information System in the Works

Ken Kalthoff, NBC 5 News

The 511 hotline and 511DFW.org website will bring together information from several different cities and agencies serving the Central Expressway corridor and hopes to help drivers navigate the area.

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Drivers who use Central Expressway in Collin and Dallas counties will soon have a new source of traffic information.

The 511 system will provide information by telephone and on the Web. The system will be up by the end of April for several months of live testing, with a big promotion to come this summer.

The system is a joint project of several cities and transportation agencies that are combining their information for the first time.

"The idea of pulling it all together at one location is new," said Mark Ball, Dallas Area Rapid Transit spokesman.

"It started in San Diego recently; the Dallas-Fort Worth area would be the second one," he said. "Our goal, of course, is to make this such an important point for the public to take advantage of that we'd see it grow and become a bigger regional program."

Initially, the information will focus on the Central Expressway corridor and provide drivers with accurate, real-time information to help them choose alternate routes, which may include the feeder road, surface streets, toll roads or DART rail.

"Compared to a number of other roads, you can't find these unique things like you can on this piece of Central Expressway," Ball said.

A study suggests saving fuel, time and pollution expense in North Texas could be 20 times more than the $8 million being invested to start the 511 program.

"Pollution is a problem for this area," Ball said. "If we don't do something about cleaning it up, we lose federal funds, so here is the perfect opportunity where groups are working together to solve that problem."

More: 511 DFW website

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