HomeMy WebLinkAbout2003-08-15 Euless Articles DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGEOF
MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGWAY(2)
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED �S / S C� DATE OF ARTICLE ' C' NEWSPAPER DMN
EULESS
Apartment fire sends
woman to hospital
' A woman was hospitalized
and four apartments were left
uninhabitable after a fire late
Thursday at the 'Fountain
Wood Apartments;. 750 E.
Mid-Cities•Blvd., in Euless.
The woman,whose name was
' not released,was taken to Har-.
ris Methodist H-E-B Hospital
in Bedford after suffering from
smoke inhalation. Two fire-
' fighters suffered steam burns
to their arms and necks and
were treated at the scene.Fire
Department spokesman Rob-
ert Isbell said the cause of the
fire may have been electrical.
The Grapevine and Euless fire
departments helped control
the blaze,which started in the
worrian's first-floor apartment.
The apartment above it had,
' fire damage, and two other
units had smoke damage. Oc-
cupants of the units in the two-
story building were relocated.
' Brandon Formby
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MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY(2) ,
YOUNG McDONALDCOLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED p 0 i'S 10-3 DATE OF ARTICLES C f Q-3 NEWSPAPER FWST
Electrical blaze
By DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR. a
=qw
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER
EULESS —An electrical problem in a vv �
bedroom may have started a fire late
Thursday that caused $600,000 damage ! ° �
to an apartment complex and injured
three people including two firefighters, ,:
fire officials said Friday.
Fire investigators said the blaze began
in a downstairs apartment-at the Foun-
tain Wood Apartments, 750 E. Mid-Cities
Blvd.
x �$ ,
Fire, smoke and water damaged three
apartments,fire officials said. .�
One of the residents suffered smoke ° ,
inhalation and the firefighters had steamg � _ �
burns, said Christine Cox, a spokes-
�kh 1 kF 9Y '."av hw„fir AAy R'f
woman for the Euless Fire Department.
The resident was taken to a local hospital
for observation,Cox said. STAR TELEGRAM/JEN FRIEDBERG
None of the injuries were life-threat- Ernest Eddy,left,and Clara Eddy survey the damage at their daughter's apartment complex,
ening,fire officials said. where officials say an electrical problem caused a fire Thursday night. Three people were
Fire officials did not release the identi- injured,and six residents had to leave their apartments.
ty of the firefighters or the resident.
The blaze, reported by several resi- more than a half-hour before it was extin- official said.They were moved elsewhere
dents, occurred shortly after 11:30 p.m. guished,Cox said Friday. in the comp:ex,authorities said.
Thursday at the complex. Six residents had to leave their apart- Domingo Ramirez Jr.,(817)685-3822
About 28 firefighters battled it for ments because of the fire, an apartment ramirez@star-telegram.com
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' MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RID GWAY(2)
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
J15fU7 DATEOFARTICLE NEWSPAPER FWST
IDATEDISTRIBUTED
'J INSIDE CRIME FIGHTING,
..Drug
task cracks dovv-n
on meth p
i By MARK THOMPSON Through July, -
' STARTELEGRAMSTAFF WRITER easy to make, said Ronnie habit. The t
® investigators shut Cloud commander of the Y urn to other
Methamphetamine has down 11 meth labs this year, unit's Northeast Sector. means to supply that income,"
' been"the hard drug of choice" confiscating $101,800.worth In the past, many meth he said.
in Northeast Tarrant County of the drug.' manufacturers created large And Euless police Lt. Steve
since the 1980s, and its preva- departments in Bedford, Col- batches — and smells that Kockos, a Northeast Sector
lence has increased in recent leyville, Euless, Grapevine, were easy to detect — so they drug task force commander
' ,years, several police officers Haltom City, Hurst, Keller, operated in rural areas, Cloud , from 1995 to 1997, said
-said. North Richland Hills,Richland said. Now, many meth manu- ,methamphetamine use in
That comes despite efforts Hills, Southlake and Watauga, facturers make smaller batches! ,Northeast Tarrant County is
to combat the problem. he said. more pervasive now than
'
Through July, investigators and produce them quicker, he ever before."
g J Y g Police estimate meth's said. _
ll areadrug task force had shut ll meth street value at $93 per gram, "They can do this in motel chologicaland Methamphetamine
which indicates that more than rooms or out.in a car," Cloud g Y physically
' blabs this year and confiscated 1,000 grams have been seized said. addictive, Kockos said. Many
amounts of methamphetamine this year,Slinkard said. Many who manufacture people who take it become
with a street value of$101,800, Tolls on lives are harder to small batches of meth are more aggressive. He said
said Sgt. Joe Slinkard of the estimate. hooked on it themselves and sometimes they do not sleep
' :Metro Narcotics Intelligence "I was dealing with 25-year-;_, ___ ___ ____, --___ for several days, and often will
Unit. olds this week that looked like make and sell it partly to sup- not eat.They tend to take oth-
Last year, the group shut 14 they were in their mid-40s. . port their own habit, Cloud er drugs to help them calm
meth labs and seized quanti- That's just living the metham- said. down,Kockos said.
ties valued at$65,998,he said. phetamine lifestyle," Slinkard Methamphetamine use also "Then they.get high again,
The unit's Northeast Sector said. fuels other crimes,particularly until they crash. It is danger-
receives manpower and furan- A major problem with the theft and burglary, Hurst ous stuff,"he said.
' cial backing from police drug is that it has become too- police Sgt.Craig Teague said. Mark Thompson,(817)685-3859
"Normal sources of income markthompson@star-telegram.com
don't pay enough to support a
' What meth is
Methamphetamine is a cen- Methamphetamine labs- line at(817)457-9300.
tral nervous system stimulant which use explosive,flammable . Signs that might indicate a
' made from ingredients con- and cancer-causing substances methamphetamine lab include:
tained in over-the-counter med- -are dangerous to anyone ■Blacked out or taped up
ications and other easily obtain- nearby,said Col.Thomas Davis windows.
able household items. It can be Jr.,Texas Department of Public ■Increased traffic,especially
' smoked,snorted, injected or Safety director. at night.
taken orally. People in Tarrant County who m Strong ammonia odor`simi-
Texas police officers seized want to report a suspected
350 methamphetamine labs last methamphetamine lab or who lar to fingernail polish remover.
' year,up from 228 in 2001,and would like help obtaining treat- ■Excessive trash, including
more than twice the 123 in 1999, ment for methamphetamine chemical bottles and hoses.
a Texas Department of Public addiction can call the Metro SOURCE:Texas Department
of Public Safety
Safety news release says. Narcotics Intelligence Unit hot
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RID GWAY(2)
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR '
DATE DISTRIBUTED D✓ DATE OF ARTICLE '9115 1 Q 3 NEWSPAPER FWST
Yellow ric roacl lto
Bear Creek amphitheater
NORTHEAST
AFTER HOURS
JOY DONOVAN
EULESS—With school starting, '
children could use a little escape. The
Wizard of Oz will begin this week-
end at the Villages of Bear Creek
Amphitheater,1951 Bear Creek Park- ,
way.
The Starlight Performing Arts
Theatre and School production will '
take the stage at 8:15 p.m.Friday and
Saturday and Aug.22-23.Dorothy will
take her familiar trip down the yel-
low brick road in the classic Frank '
Baum tale of a Kansas girl who finds
herself in another world.
Tickets are available in advance
for$8 at Midway Recreation Center, ,
300 W.Midway Drive,and for$10 at
the gate.Call(817)685-1666.
Wei
I
W
rY
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MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RID GWAY(2)
YOUNG McDONALD 4COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED I� ( I S 3 DATE OF ARTICLE 1 3 NEWSPAPER FWST
' EULESS ,.
3 bind,rob mans
inside apartment
' Police searched Wednes-
day for three men who rushed
into an apartment,bound a a'
' resident and robbed him of a,
undisclosed amount of mon-
ey and property.
The home invasion
occurred about 3:30 p.m.
' Tuesday in the 1100 block of
El Camino Drive. _
The 21-year-old victim told
' police that one of the men
was wearing a mask and was
armed with a handgun.
They entered through an
' unlocked front door,police z
said.
The robbers left through a-'"
' back door and jumped from a.v,
balcony after being startled
by the arrival of the victim's
girlfriend,police said.
About the same time,the
victim worked Himself free, t)
ran out of the apartment and.,5u
alerted a maintenance workers
' who contacted police.
—Domingo Ramirez Jr.
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MAYOR CITYCOUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RID GWAY(2)
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATEDISTRIBUTEDy ( � � ' C3 DATEOFARTICLE I NEWSPAPER FWST
EDITORIALS
Starting somewhere
Both The Dallas Morning News Some believe
that there is no reason for a regional
and the Star-Telegram editorial, �
boards have had a little fun with the transit authority here.You might con-
meeting they will co-host Friday at the ; template that statement the next time
conclusion of the 6th Annual Texas you are stalled in bumper-to-bumper
Transportation Summit in Irving. traffic.
The invitations to elected and Some say that regional cooperation
appointed officials that went out did is,already well under way. But what
so under the headline "Hell freezes the Star-Telegram board sees is much
interest and energy over." The two boards d0 find it ... tel'but not much col-
well, unusual to be working together laboration and consensus. .r
on something. Some think it is about one county
But the subject at hand is not funny. or the other seeking an advantage t
It is a serious issue facing not only the over another, or about one political
region's bigger cities and counties but structure vs. a different one. Keep w
the smaller ones as well. thinking that way,and watch business-. sk viost snswav<d qurstio.�yoyahoala k-iv_�
And the message from the state andA solution to the region's " ``"'w'"''
federal governments seems clear: Fix $ � *0
your
transportation problem ..�
Your P roblems,or we will. . � �
The invitations is possible if those who can make
went to officials # happen will make it happen. r
OVM
because the news- � 1 y�P'r `
IL
es choose competing cities for their ..r
papers had to start relocations.
Rivals offer �"�� .. �°"' The two
somewhere. But papers have
Who knows what will happen Fn- helpinghsud challenged t
both papers agree day? We don't. And_neither do those ir<nng - The rcgitsus lead.
that this process— editorial a�e = - elected a�
P invited. The invitation caught every- editor% of�time appointed-
if it is to be suc- one by surprise. S a-Tel Wort rc Tonal sum
cessful — must be What should happen is the begin- ��ThCc[as mtt here 'A
Morning News t
inclusive rather
Hing Of an open and frank discussion have settheir switzerland
than exclusive, and about regional problems and region rivalries aside on Au 15 mid
bottom-uprather P to cn�t+>,onsor on Aug.lu oto
solutions with the more narrow inter- a regi - to enmmit to
than top-down. sit summit 4 developing 4v-
this ests checked at the door. aimed at com- this time n
The region has And to those of you who didn't et bald. `North year,a plan t
Y g Texas biggtst the atructm
tried top-down. It problems - and funding(T
P an invitation but are affected (and
didn't WOrl(, traffic congestion'and eratl�� imposed "solo- allortlm Texas Regional
that's just about 5 million people,-give filtlw air. tion that Texans so Mundt Authority:
Many are — rightlydes__
enthusiastic about or take): You have a role to la as The inability to get Wrfere""•t anythi
P Y in,ont and around the I'his is clearly the more irnrant th
the meeting. Oth- Well. North Texas Ivdetmplex biggest challenge fac- we can do than prM �
g efficiently, eombu�xi illNorth Texas and this communitytonard
ers aren't so crazy - Push your way onto the agenda and .vitt,the areas danger- sn+,ng it ti+iit require solving our transli(ka-
the working committees.Make sure onsty high ozone and thetrustandcollabora- tion and air qual`:i
about the idea. In fine-soot pollution, tion of a targe number roblems," said Pa
other words it's that you're represented — and that's levels, threatens to oc pr�pple,'said Kean lam], vice preside
strap to economic Ann t illey,vice presi- and edtton.d p,*e e(ow
true whether ou favor oro ose a on m and<vttaltty. -dent and cditoria�page for of the Fort Worth
business as usual Y PP ti:_ -A.... -c Tl._ ARE
_ o _
in North Texas. regional transit authority. Now is the
But business as time to have all opinions aired in the '
usual in North open.
+Texas is not good Whatever else surfaces from Fri-
enough anymore. day's meeting, regional cooperation '
on mass transit is being cussed and
discussed at a level of intensity not
seen before.
And that's good. ,
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' MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DELA CRUZ RIDGWAY(2)
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED_ f S 103 DATE OFARTICLE J r 0 3 NEWSPAPER FWST
, - Te-rrier
by Starlight in conjunction with the city'—';
A' dog named OZ of Euless Parks and Community Services"7 Department,is adapted from L. Frank
follows the Baum's book.In case there's anyone alive
who doesn't know,the tale was immortal
' yellow-brick road lzed in the 1939 film starring Judy
Garland as Dorothy. Aja Wiltshire, 15, of
to 'wi Za rd, Euless is the girl who goes over the rain-
bow in this production.
' Those involved with the play say Oz
By TERRY LEE GOODRICH bears a strong resemblance to the cairn
STAR-TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER who played Toto in the movie.
' His most demanding scene in the out- "Oz has a great little personality. He
door musical will be the one in which he looks like he has a smile all the time,"
tugs on the curtain. says Jamie Marsh, general manager of
The cairn terrier must seem merely Man's Best Friend, a training and boarding
determined, not ferocious. company with several locations. He heard
Such are the dramatic challenges for the city was seeking a talented dog and
Oz,the coincidentally named puppy cast recommended Oz, a student at a Man's
' as Dorothy's dog Toto in The Wizard of 0Z, Best Friend in Grand Prairie. .
which opens Friday night at the Villages 'The good thing about a terrier is they
of Bear Creek Amphitheater.
This will be the first time the Starlight have focus," Marsh says. "The hard part
' Performing Arts Theatre and School has will be the distractions from lights and
cast a dog in a show, director Anicia applause."
Brown says. Ozs owner, Deborah Hastings of Grand
"He has to bark on cue, come on com- Prairie, says her 11-month-old dog"won't
' mand and be carried by four different be perfect. But he'll be entertaining."
people before the play is over,"she says. Other highlights will be professional
And he can't pyrotechnics.The wicked witch's broom
' The Wizard of Oz lose his con- will light up and smoke; when she reaches
centration for Dorothy's red slippers, sparks will fly.
Friday through Aug.23 during the A machine will emit fog when the witch
Villages of Bear Creek pivotal scene melts.
Amphitheater when he The dog won't have a dressing room;
1951 Bear Creek yanks on the but"we'll have a lot of water for him
Parkway curtain to backstage—and two huge fans," Brown
'
Euless reveal the says.
$10;$8 in advance wizard. I
Audience members may bring blankets
(817) 685-1666 The musi- and lawn chairs. Advance tickets may be
' - cal, presented purchased at Midway Recreation Center,
300 W. Midway Drive.
Shows are at 8:15 p.m. Fridays and
Saturdays,through Aug. 23.
Terry Lee Goodrich,(817)685-3812
terry@star-telegram.com
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MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM IIENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RID GWAY(2) '
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRAARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATE DISTRIBUTED �)I DATE OF ARTICLE lam' /�S l NEWSPAPER FWST
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STAR-TELEGRAM/KELLEY CHINN
Aja Wiltshire and Oz go over the rainbow in Starlight's production of The Wizard of Oz. '
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j
MAYOR CITY COUNCIL CITYATTORNEY CRIM HENNIG MCKAMIE DE LA CRUZ RIDGTVAY(2)
YOUNG McDONALD COLLINS WILHITE GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBRARYREF ANIMAL CNTR
DATEDISTRIBUTED_ n S 0 3 DATE OF ARTICLE O G 3 NEWSPAPER FWST
Proposal
has RTC .
bother' ed -,�
Today's private debate' may be Morning News."
the The newspapers invited elect- the pledge could become politi-
e precursor to more emphasis ed officials from every city and cal ammunition against the signs
on regionwide transit planning. county in the region to debate ers•
By BRYON OKADA regional transit, but not to Members will be free to sign-.
' STAR TELEGRAM STAFF WRITER undercut the work of the present the pledge,council member Jack
ARLINGTON = Officials with the Regional regional council.The 2 p.m con- Miller said."But you get hung by.
Transportation Council are furious about a thedia- ference concludes the Texas the whereases as much as you
sponsored conference today that calls for a new Transportation Summit at the get hung by the therefores,"he
' Omni Mandalay Hotel in Irving. said.
`
regional planning group to oversee Metroplex tran- Star-Telegram editorial ak r
sit issues. The media are latecomers to P g
If a unified transit system should be built, offi- the transit debate, while the editor Paul K.'Harral said the.
' cials said,the planning should be done by the trans- council — made of three dozen reaction was not surprising,pari.
portation council, the region's metropolitan plan- city, council and transit agency ticularly coming from people,
ning organization. officials — has often toiled in who devote a lot of time to trans-
After more than an hour of venting their frustra- obscurity, officials said. Too portation. The Star-Telegram
' tion,numerous members said they will not colleo- often,they said,editorial support first called for a regional tray,
tively sign a joint pledge created by the Star- on key transportation issues is agency last years. ;
Telegram and The Dallas Morning News backing missing. `What I want from the meet-
the proposed system because doing so may imply "We need to turn the tables a ing the newspapers are hosting is,
' that transportation has lacked leadership in the little bit and thank them for some uniform agreement that
past. finally getting on board at the can cut across traditional geo-
"Why do we need a unified transit agency creat- sixth annual transportation graphic and political_divisions,"
ed newspaper?" meeting," North Richland Hills Harral said. "Whether that
by the news P Per? Dallas County Judge Mar- Mayor Oscar Trevino said. agency p-
' garet Keliher said."We already have the RTC with- results in a single a enc or sup,-,
out setting up another structure through The Dallas Some council members said port for some ongoing process;
that an editorial published in or something no one has thought.,
both newspapers painted an of yet is immaterial.'Whacis.
overly gloomy picture of Metro- important is that whatever tl.i.l
Alex highway congestion.Signing solution is,is truly regional." -
Morning News editorial edi-
tor Keven Willey agreed that the.
papers are not trying to usigp.
the transportation agenda -
"It is an effort by the newspa-.
' pers to draw attention to a very
important topic and to inviteall
the players around the same_
table so that we work together
' a coordinated effort to achieve
good end,"Willey said.
Bryon Okada,(817)685-3853
okada@star-telegram.com