Saving Denton's Tree Canopy

Sara Story, Denton Reporter

The City of Denton is working on plans to keep their booming development from destroying too much of the area's natural resources like trees.

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City leaders say the tree canopy in Denton is smaller than the national standard, and they want to buy property to save trees.

Denton wants to create more spaces like the park around Donald Welch's home.

Welch said the trees around his home have kept him planted in his community for more than 12 years.

"This looked so nice, I couldn't resist it," he said. "My wife and I can come out in the mornings and drink coffee and watch the squirrels or whatever animals are running around; same thing in the evenings."

But creating such park spaces is challenge in a city where development often overshadows trees. Denton's urban forester, Angie Kralik, said the city's tree canopy is 19 percent.

The national standard is 30 percent or more.

"It is not necessarily a negative impact at this point," she said. "We certainly don't want to go below that point."

Kralik said the city hopes to strike a balance between nature and urban growth.

Denton is looking at ways to save the resource, such as planting new trees and buying private property that will be protected from development.

The land would be purchased with money from the city's tree fund. Developers must pay a fee when they cut down certain trees, with the money going into the tree fund.

"We have spent very little of it," Kralik said.

The City Council may appoint a citizen's committee to help identify land that will be purchased to save trees. Denton residents who are interested in such a committee should contact their City Council representative.

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Cowboys of Color Ride into Mesquite Rodeo

Tammy Mutasa, Mesquite Reporter

The Cowboys of Color are having nationals at the Mesquite Rodeo this weekend for the 12th year.

Cowboys of Color Ride into Mesquite Rodeo

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This weekend the rodeo is lassoing in a bigger crowd by bringing in and celebrating more diversity.

It's a Texas tradition that hasn't always showcased its color to the fullest, but at 73 years old, Cleo Hearn, the founder of Cowboys of Color, has been riding on his dream to change that.

"A cowboy doesn't care about the color of your skin -- he just wants to know that you're a cowboy," said Hearn.

Cowboys of color from all over the country are heading to the Mesquite Rodeo for their National Finals Rodeo. The show mixes good old cowboy tricks and presents the history of cowboys of color in Texas.

"The theme of Cowboys of Color is: 'Let us educate you while we entertain you,'" said Hearn. "Let us tell you the wonderful things that blacks, Hispanics, and Indians did for the settling of the west that many history books left out."

The first rodeo Hearn ever put on was in 1968, but it's the 12th consecutive time Cowboys of Color have had their finals at the Mesquite Rodeo.

"Cowboys of Color is exciting, because it plays into every bit of our talents here at the arena," said Jacob Moorehead, Mesquite Rodeo director of events. "This just adds another chapter to what rodeo means to America and the sport."

The event begins on Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

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Weatherford ISD's Fall Festival Canceled Over Weather

Mark Schnyder, NBC 5

The chilly weather is putting the Weatherford school district's annual Fall Festival on ice.

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The chilly weather is putting the Weatherford school district's annual Fall Festival on ice.

About 650 athletes from 11 school districts and their families were expected at Kangaroo Stadium for the event, along with about 2,500 volunteers and students.

Patti Young, the district's executive director of special programs, said she got up early on Friday to check weather reports. Expected wind chills in the low 40s were about 10 degrees below what's acceptable for an outdoor school event, prompting the cancellation, she said.

"I had to make a tough decision, a joint decision from the district in the best interest of our students," she said. "It was disappointing but necessary, because we have to think about our children's safety and their welfare."

Teresa Cocke, whose son Robby was one of the athletes, said they were disappointed by the cancellation.

"We got up early this morning, looking forward to it," she said. "Got our phone call, saying it was canceled. I had to break the news to Robby. He was sad."

Young said this event is always scheduled for mid- to late October. In her 18 years with the district, the Fall Festival has never been canceled for weather reasons, she said.

The Fall Festival, which takes a year to plan, is too big to try to reschedule so all the district can do is start planning for next year and hope the weather is warmer, Young said.

Meanwhile, the windy conditions also forced the cancellation of a pre-game spectacle at an Irving school district homecoming game. Students and the superintendent were scheduled to fly over the field in light sport aircraft.

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Hockey Fans Swarm Lockout Workouts

Catherine Ross, Plano Reporter

It didn't take long for the news that about two dozen NHL players were holding lockout workouts together in Plano to spread.

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It didn't take long for the news that about two dozen NHL players were holding lockout workouts together in Plano to spread through Twitter.

"There are no secrets anymore, with social media and all that stuff," said Sidney Crosby, captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

"It was supposed to be very low key," said Tom Hulsey, general manager of the Dr Pepper StarCenter in Plano.

But once the news spread, the crowds started growing.

"There was some good scrimmaging going on right there," observed Connor Walton, who is originally from Toronto.

Hulsey said the StarCenter brought in security to handle the hundreds of people who were turning out every day to watch the practices and forming a line that looped around the building to try to catch players for autographs and pictures.

With the news Thursday afternoon that all league games would be canceled through November because of the lockout, hockey fans said they're looking for whatever professional action they can find.

"I really should be studying," Andrew Gifford said. "This is the only hockey we get right now."

"I don't know when I'm going to see them next on the ice," agreed Hallie Stephenson, who has been at the facility twice this week.

Many are looking for a resolution to the lockout dispute, perhaps no one more than the players.

"They got a little taste of hockey that they're probably missing right now -- we all are," said Crosby, who called the lack of progress in negotiations "disappointing."

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AA Reports Progress in Pilot Talks

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American Airlines is making "good progress" in three-week-old contract talks with pilots and will begin funding a new retirement plan to replace contributions to pilots' pension plans, a company executive said in a letter to pilots late Friday.

Senior Vice President Denise Lynn said the airline would begin paying 11 percent into a new 401K retirement program for pilots.

The pilots' pension plans end next month.

At the same time, the airline offered to increase the contribution to 14 percent if pilots approve a new contract.

"I believe good progress has been made and we are approaching a deal that the APA Board of Directors will soon agree to put out for a ratification vote," Lynn wrote to pilots.

Tom Hoban, a spokesman for the Allied Pilots Association, said the union had no comment on the letter.

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Arrest Made in M Streets Attack, Burglaries

Gabriel Hernandez-Machuca, 33, has been arrested in connection with two burglaries in the M Streets neighborhood.

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Assault Victim Warns Neighbors About Attack

A woman in the M Streets area of Dallas is warning her neighbors about an attack by a man who broke into her home, stole her underwear and tried to sexually assault her.

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Dallas police have arrested a man in connection with an attempted sexual assault and two burglaries in the M Streets area of the city.

Grand Prairie police took Gabriel Hernandez-Machuca, 33, into custody during a traffic stop on Thursday and turned him over to Dallas police.

Dallas police said Hernandez-Machuca gave detectives details on his involvement in a burglary and attempted sexual assault in the 5100 block of Vanderbilt Avenue and a burglary in the 5100 block of Ridgedale Avenue.

In both burglaries, underwear was stolen from the women's homes, Dallas police had said.

The victim in the Vanderbilt Avenue attack told NBC 5 that she was punched and choked in her home Oct. 18. She said her attacker tried to sexaully assault her, but she fought him off.

Police said they are reviewing other burglaries that may have involved Hernandez-Machuca.

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Local FEMA Team Responding to Hurricane Sandy

Rick Mitchell, Ray Villeda and Kevin Cokely, NBC 5 News

As the East Coast braces for what could be a historic storm, a local FEMA team is heading out to help.

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Ten people from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's regional headquarters in Denton are heading to Virginia to help states along the East Coast respond to Hurricane Sandy.

The incident management assistance team includes specialists in mass care, communications, logistics, and operations.

"One of the first things we do is, we get onboard, take a look at what's going on, kind of get a good sense of what's going on on the ground, working closely with the state, their personnel and determining if there's any shortfalls, if there are how can we fill those shortfalls, and make sure that everything's being handled as it the threat comes in and makes landfall," Robert Alvey of FEMA said.

Denton is also sending 2.75 million meals, 775,000 liters of water and several communications trucks from a staging area in Louisiana.

The team leaves Saturday morning and expects to be fully operational on Sunday.

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More Cameras, Training for School With Indecency Arrest

Omar Villafranca, NBC 5 News

Plano ISD says it plans to add cameras to Hunt Elementary in Murphy and train teachers to deal with child indecency cases.

Changes Announced for Hunt Elementary

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Emotions Boil Over at Meeting Over School Sex Abuse Case

Hunt Elementary parents said at a heated meeting that they want to know what is being done to prevent another case of sexual abuse after two separate allegations in two years.

Coach Accused of Indecency Warned by Principal: Affidavit

The Collin County Sheriff's Office released the arrest affidavit in the case of a Hunt Elementary School coach accused of indecency with a child.

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The Plano school district is putting safety measures in place after two incidents of suspected sexual abuse between a teacher and a student at a Murphy elementary school within two years.

Last week, Todd Reich, a gym teacher at Martha Hunt Elementary, was arrested on suspicion of indecency with a child.

His arrest came less than a year after a teacher at the school, Joseph Garbarini, was sentenced to more than 60 years for a similar incident.

On Tuesday, parents of students at Martha Hunt Elementary ripped into administrators for not putting safety measures into place.

Steve Cuny, a father of four students, said simple measures, such as more cameras and doors that allow people to look into rooms, were not in place in certain parts of the school.

Plano Independent School District Superintendent Richard Matkin told parents in a letter that he had heard their concerns and that changes were on the way.

"It was with the best of intentions that the district hosted the parent meeting on October 23 to connect the Hunt Elementary School parents and families with additional resources and information," he wrote. "I realize that many walked away from the meeting feeling unheard, and I want to convey my apologies for this sentiment."

The letter listed the following changes that schools officials plan to implement:

• Additional cameras will be added to gymnasiums and common areas. The current plan being implemented is to increase from 40 cameras to 88 cameras.
• All solid doors on offices and classrooms are currently being modified to contain glass/windows.
• Additional counseling staff will be assigned to the campus.
• A full‐time assistant principal will be assigned to the campus.
• All paper and window coverings will be removed from doors and interior windows. However, security systems for lock‐ins, lock‐downs and storm procedures will be followed when necessary.
• Members of the campus leadership team will be in every classroom on a daily basis.
• Training will be provided for Hunt Elementary School personnel related to the particular issues faced this month.
• The district will engage a third‐party review of its human resources practices and procedures to validate current processes.

Benjamin Conner, one of the concerned parents at the Tuesday meeting, said the changes would ease parents worries.

"The steps they outlined in the email were kind of exactly what we wanted to hear on Tuesday night," he said. "From my perspective, it's a step in the right direction. It's positive. People are excited to hear that there are safety measures being put in place."

Conner said he plans to make sure the district follows up on its word. He also mentioned that another meeting between parents and administrators is being planned.

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