Husband and Wife, Both Kelly Hildebrandt, Divorce

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Kelly Hildebrandt is no longer married to Kelly Hildebrandt.

Nope, that is not a typo.

The same-name couple whose whirlwind, heart-warming romance drew headlines in the United States and abroad has divorced, the male Hildebrandt, Kelly Carl Hildebrandt, told NBC 6 on Friday.

"How do they term it at the courthouse? Irreconcilable differences, that is what I would say," Hildebrandt said. "We gave it our best shot."

After the couple separated, male Kelly returned in March last year to his hometown of Lubbock, Texas, where family and friends live and where his tree-service business is situated, he said.

"She's a Florida girl, and I'm a Texas guy," he said. "We really did come from pretty different worlds."

For the first time since the couple separated, male Kelly returned to South Florida for a visit this week, he said. He met with female Kelly a few days ago and there were "no hard feelings," he said.

The tale of the two Kellys began in February 2009, when Kelly Katrina Hildebrandt, of Coral Springs, found the Facebook profile of her future spouse. She saw that they had the exact same first and last name and sent him a friendly greeting to note their shared name.  

Same Name Couple Celebrates 1st Anniversary

They started having online exchanges and three weeks later, male Kelly, then 24, traveled from Texas to South Florida to meet female Kelly, then 20. They hit it off immediately and got engaged.

NBC 6 first reported about the Kellys in July 2009, and their story soon after went worldwide. They appeared on the "Today Show," "Inside Edition," Fox News, the front page of Yahoo.com, their wedding picture made People Magazine and they were mentioned in the monologue of late-night talk show host Conan O'Brien.

On Oct. 11, 2009, Kelly and Kelly tied the knot in Lighthouse Point. Things were going well for the newlyweds: They lived together in Coconut Creek and celebrated their first anniversary with a trip to Key West.

Then last year, the pair filed for divorce. The court case is still listed as pending, Broward County court records show.

A Tale of Two Kellys

Male Kelly said he has been happy back in Texas. "That's where all my connections are. It's been really great since I got back," he said.

When he moved, he didn't have to travel back to Texas alone. "Kelly let me keep my dog," he said.

Female Kelly couldn't be reached for comment Friday. But in a statement, her mother told NBC 6: "Yes, I am sorry to say they have separated. I am happy to say they have remained good friends and are both doing well."

Male Kelly said he would be reluctant to marry anyone with the same name again. He said he suspected there would be another spotlight if that were to happen.

"I wouldn't want my future spouse to have to deal with everything from before," he said. "That wouldn't be a fair situation, given the media coverage."

Asked whether the media spotlight affected his marriage, Kelly said he didn't have an answer. "You know, I really don't know on that," he replied.

He was sure, however, that having the same name didn't impede their love, he said. That just happened to be the "cutesy side" of a real relationship, he said.  

Female Kelly has since removed her Facebook account.

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Celina Father Accused of Making School Gun Threat

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A Celina man who allegedly told elementary school officials he had a gun as part of an experiment on school safety is facing third-degree felony charges.

School officials said Ronald Miller went to Celina Elementary School, where his child is a student, on Wednesday and claimed to have a gun.

Administrators said Miller first approached a school greeter with whom he was acquainted and said he had a gun.

"He told her he was a gunman and his target was on the inside -- and 'I'm going inside. What are you going to do about it?'" Superintendent Donny O'Dell said.

O'Dell says the school greeter froze in panic, allowing Miller to walk through the school's front door while children were entering the building for the school day.

Miller then entered the office and made similar threats, he said.

"He told them that he is a shooter and 'you're dead, and you're dead,'" O'Dell said.

O'Dell said Miller then asked to speak to the school principal, telling staff he was conducting an experiment into school safety.

Miller never produced a weapon.

School officials called administrators and, eventually, police once Miller left the property.

"The main thing that you learn is that it could be anybody at any time," O'Dell said.

Celina parent David Sciano, who has two children at the school, said the incident illustrates how little the district has stepped up security in the wake of last month's school shooting in Connecticut.

"A guy walks in, makes threats. Everyone is sitting there terrified, doesn't know what to do," he said. "It shows that this is going to happen again."

Sciano said he had heard about the incident through word of mouth.

School officials said they had held off communicating with parents so it would not interfere with the police investigation.

A letter went home with students on Thursday afternoon.

"We're not perfect, but what we've got to do is get more perfect," O'Dell said.

The superintendent said the district has looked at its security protocols since the fall and often runs emergency drills.

He said the district has considered and will look into hiring a school resource officer.

In the meantime, parents such as Sciano said they feel bad for Miller for making what seems to have been a poor choice with lasting consequences.

"His intent was probably just to say, 'Hey, you've done nothing,' and that's what it showed, so if that's what it takes, that's a shame," Sciano said. "This guy gave up his life to make a point. I don't know if he was going to hurt anyone or not, but if there's anything that we've gotten out of this, is that we know that we are not prepared."

Miller was arrested late Wednesday on a charge of making a terroristic threat. He is being held on a $75,000 bond.

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Plano ISD Adds Project-Based High School

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The Plano school district will open in the fall a standalone, academy-style high school that uses a project-based, collaborative learning model.

Administrators say part of the Plano Independent School District's future lies in giving students and parents more choices.

"I think public education is taking a turn," said Renee Godi, principal of the district's new Academy High School.

The academy is one of three opening in the fall of 2013 but is the only new standalone campus.

The school will have a project-based setup focused on a science, technology, engineering, arts and math curriculum.

While a lot of schools focus on a science, technology, engineering and math curriculum or have project-based learning, few schools have done "true interdisciplinary work," said Jim Hirsch, assistant superintendent of academics and technology.

The school will do away the traditional, structured eight-period school day to create what the district calls a "collaborative environment," much like a real-world office.

The school is housed in a former office building, much of which is open space.

"Our day is not defined by the courses students have to take, but more in line with the projects that they're working on," Godi said.

For example, students would study the moon landing event by looking at it from every angle, from the science behind the discovery to the math applications involved and even the social context, administrators said.

"It's really about identifying with the way of learning," Godi said.

Plano ISD parent Raj Menon served on the academy steering committee during its design and development phases.

"If I were to go to high school again, I would definitely pick this school," he said. "I really think it allows the kids to be engaged at a different level."

His eighth-grader is one of the 400 or more students vying for the school's 300 spots for incoming freshman and sophomores.

The academy has found support from corporate sponsors such as Texas Instruments.

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AA Asks for Another Extension on Business Plan

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The Fort Worth-based airline asked for an extension until April 1. It's the fifth time the carrier has asked to delay the process.

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American Airlines late Friday asked a bankruptcy judge for a delay in filing a business plan to emerge from restructuring -- a sign a consensual merger with US Airways is unlikely anytime soon.

The Fort Worth-based airline asked for an extension until April 1.

It's the fifth time the carrier has asked to delay the process.

American was joined in the request by the influential Unsecured Creditors' Committee, or UCC.

The airline has made "significant progress" in its restructuring effort but still needs more time, the company said.

"The work proceeds on many fronts concurrently, but is time and resource demanding, and therefore, additional time is necessary," the airline's attorneys wrote.

The board of directors of American's parent company, AMR Corp., met this week but made no announcements.

Friday's request, filed as the bankruptcy court in New York closed for the day, is an indication the airline has chosen to continue to evaluate its options and has decided not to pursue an immediate merger with US Airways.

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Bill May Force Sex Offenders to ID Themselves Online

Omar Villafranca, NBC 5 News

A bill introduced in the Texas House would force sex offenders, who are allowed to use the Internet, to identify themselves, their offense and even give out their address on social media sites.

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A new bill in the Texas Legislature would force sex offenders to identify themselves on social networking sites.

Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio, said he is pushing House Bill 23 in part because social media sites such as Facebook aren't doing their jobs.

"When you become a member of Facebook, you agree to the terms and conditions, and one of the terms and conditions now is that you cannot be a sex offender, a convicted sex offender," he said. "Now, of course, it's not enforced and so now this is being left up to other states to make sure we have enforcement mechanisms."

If passed, the measure would make certain sex offenders who still have Internet access privileges put specific information in their profile. The information would include identifying themselves as a sex offender, the type of offense and where the offense took place, as well as the offenders' full name, date of birth, sex, race, height, weight, eye color and hair color. The offender's current address or where they hope to live would also have to be included.

"In this day of the Internet, we are doing so much more online, and we need to make sure we're being pretty vigilant about who we're communicating with," Fischer said.

The bill doesn't include any specifics on who would enforce the bill should it become law. A spokesman for Fischer said while offenders do have to register with local law enforcement and DPS, exactly who would enforce the measure will be decided in the legislative process.

More: House Bill 23

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Natural Gas Explosion Levels Lewisville Duplex

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A natural gas explosion destroyed a duplex in Lewisville hours after construction workers mistakenly cut a gas line.

The duplex behind the Lighthouse Pentecostal Church of God is owned by the Christian Community Actions, an organization that assists people who are in need.

The home exploded at 12:30 p.m., while crews were working to repair a gas leak. Construction workers mistakenly cut a 4-inch gas line in the area at about 10 a.m., investigators said.

Emergency crews at the time told NBC 5 they had the issue under control and that no evacuations were necessary. But fire officials later told another NBC 5 reporter that they had evacuated a block downwind of the gas leak.

The house that exploded was not included in the evacuations.

Atmos Energy said the cause of the explosion is under investigation.

Two Lewisville firefighters and a man who was inside the duplex at the time of the explosion were sent to area hospitals after the explosion, according to fire officials.

Witnesses said the explosion "felt like a bomb went off" and said they could feel the shock wave from blocks away.

"Honestly, I didn't see anything at first," said Danny Vigil, who lives in the area. "What I felt was a huge explosion. It was almost as if you were sitting in a movie, a big action movie -- you hear bombs going, that's what it sounded like."

"Pictures were rattling, falling onto the ground," he said. "The first thing I did was run out the front door -- ran all around because I thought some car hit our home. [I] ran to the back, I saw flames, smoke, debris in the air, shingles, branches. It was just an unbelievable sight."

"I was sitting at my desk whenever was a loud explosion," Dwayne Ryaman said. "[I] literally thought maybe an 18-wheeler had ran into my building at first."

"When I came out of my door, I immediately saw the black smoke and flames," he said. "I got a little bit closer to the scene, saw the debris that was strewn out in the middle of the street."

Debris covered the roadway in the 500 block of East Main Street in Lewisville. The road was shut down while emergency crews worked near the scene.

None of the surrounding homes or businesses were damaged in the explosion.

The man who was inside the duplex was critically injured and taken to Medical Center of Lewisville. He underwent surgery and was later airlifted to Medical Center of Plano, where he was in intensive care Friday night. He is expected to survive.

The injured firefighters were released from the hospital later Friday.

Crews are put out hot spots at the location of the explosion. Atmos Energy crews assisted, along with fire crews from Lewisville, The Colony and Carrollton.

NBC 5's Ellen Goldberg and Amanda Guerra contributed to this report.

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Natural Gas Explosion Levels Duplex in Lewisville, TX

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A natural gas explosion destroyed a duplex in Lewisville, Texas, hours after construction workers mistakenly cut a gas line, NBCDFW.com reported.

The duplex behind the Lighthouse Pentecostal Church of God is owned by the Christian Community Actions, an organization that assists people who are in need.

The home exploded at 12:30 p.m., while crews were working to repair a gas leak. Construction workers mistakenly cut a 4-inch gas line in the area at about 10 a.m., investigators said.

Emergency crews at the time told NBC 5 they had the issue under control and that no evacuations were necessary. But fire officials later told another NBC 5 reporter that they had evacuated a block downwind of the gas leak.

The house that exploded was not included in the evacuations.

Atmos Energy said the cause of the explosion is under investigation.

Two Lewisville firefighters and a man who was inside the duplex at the time of the explosion were sent to area hospitals after the explosion, according to fire officials.

Witnesses said the explosion "felt like a bomb went off" and said they could feel the shock wave from blocks away.

"Honestly, I didn't see anything at first," said Danny Vigil, who lives in the area. "What I felt was a huge explosion. It was almost as if you were sitting in a movie, a big action movie -- you hear bombs going, that's what it sounded like."

"Pictures were rattling, falling onto the ground," he said. "The first thing I did was run out the front door -- ran all around because I thought some car hit our home. [I] ran to the back, I saw flames, smoke, debris in the air, shingles, branches. It was just an unbelievable sight."

"I was sitting at my desk whenever was a loud explosion," Dwayne Ryaman said. "[I] literally thought maybe an 18-wheeler had ran into my building at first."

"When I came out of my door, I immediately saw the black smoke and flames," he said. "I got a little bit closer to the scene, saw the debris that was strewn out in the middle of the street."

Debris covered the roadway in the 500 block of East Main Street in Lewisville. The road was shut down while emergency crews worked near the scene.

None of the surrounding homes or businesses were damaged in the explosion.

The man who was inside the duplex was critically injured and taken to Medical Center of Lewisville. He underwent surgery and was later airlifted to Medical Center of Plano, where he was in intensive care Friday night. He is expected to survive.

The injured firefighters were released from the hospital later Friday.

Crews are put out hot spots at the location of the explosion. Atmos Energy crews assisted, along with fire crews from Lewisville, The Colony and Carrollton.

NBC 5's Ellen Goldberg and Amanda Guerra contributed to this report.

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Flu Outbreak Has Spread to 47 States: CDC

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A shortage of Tamiflu has many on edge, but it's not the only remedy this flu season. Dr. Bruce Hensel reports for the NBC4 News at 6 p.m. on Jan. 10, 2013.

The flu is widespread now in more than two-thirds of the country. A widespread flu outbreak pushes up demand for popular treatment.

More Photos and Videos

The Centers for Disease Control's latest report on this unusually bad flu season shows that the virus'es geographic reach has grown but that the outbreak may have begun to wane.

"The bottom line: It's flu season," said Dr. Tom Frieden, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention during a press conference addressing the report on Friday morning. "Most of the country is seeing or has seen a lot flu and this may continue for a number of weeks."

The report, which covers the week from Dec. 30 to Jan. 5, shows that the outbreak has now spread to 47 states, up from 41 the previous week.

Flu Spike: How to Stop It

"We're continuing to see influenza activity remaining elevated in most of the U.S.," Frieden said. "It may be decreasing in some areas, but that's hard to predict, because particularly when you have data from over the holidays season."

While 24 states are still reporting a high level of flu, that number is down from 29 the previous week. Frieden went on to say the data showing the flu could be waning may have been skewed by the holidays, a time during which doctors may be on vacation or people may be less likely to seek treatment.

Flu Tips for Parents

Since the outbreak began in October, more than 3,700 people have been hospitalized with the flu, and 20 children have died.

This year's vaccine has been 62 percent effective, about what the CDC expected given current conditions, according to Frieden, who warned that even if the flu is ebbing, flu season is far from over.

"Nationally, it's likely that flu will continue for several more weeks," said Frieden. "During the past decade we have seen an average of about 12 consecutive weeks — three months — of ILI (influenza-like illness) being elevated. But as we often say, the only thing predictable about flu is that it's unpredictable. Only time will tell us how long our season will last and how moderate or severe this season will be in the end."

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States reporting widespread flu activity:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

States reporting high flu activity:

Alabama, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

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