ADVERTISEMENT 2
ADVERTISEMENT 3
Error: No articles to display
ADVERTISEMENT 1
ADVERTISEMENT 4
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
Texas is finally phasing in higher standards to pass its standardized tests — but will do so more gradually then initially planned.
Students began taking State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR tests, in 2012.
But they proved so challenging that the state froze passing standards for the past four academic years, rather than having them get tougher over time.
Education Commissioner Michael Williams announced Tuesday he was lifting the freeze, meaning passing standards will rise beginning this school year.
But he also proposed having passing standards increase only small amounts every academic year until 2021-2022. STAAR was originally designed to feature larger jumps in standards every few years, until 2021-2022.
Despite the eased standards, students have generally struggled to pass STAAR more than previous statewide testing systems.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
The director of the Texas Department of Transportation has announced he'll step down at the end of the year.
Joe Weber made the announcement Tuesday. The former three-star Marine general was chosen only last year to run the agency.
According to a statement released by TxDOT, Weber in his announcement to the agency's 11,000 employees called his past 18 months "a true highlight in my life." The agency is primarily responsible for maintaining and expanding the 80,000-mile state highway system.
The 65-year-old didn't say in the statement why he was leaving the $299,000-a-year job.
Weber, a 1972 Texas A&M graduate, had served as Texas A&M University's vice president for student affairs before being selected in April 2014 to lead TxDOT.
PHOENIX (AP) —
An Arizona man charged with helping plan an attack on a Prophet Muhammad cartoon contest in Texas has asked a judge to throw out evidence from his interview with investigators two days after the attack.
A lawyer for Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem said the May 5 interview at an FBI office wasn't recorded because of a technical issue. The lawyer also raised questions about whether his client voluntarily spoke with investigators and was advised about his right to remain silent.
Authorities say the 43-year-old Abdul Kareem provided the guns that Nadir Soofi and Elton Simpson used in the May 3 shooting in Garland, Texas. The two were killed a police shootout after they opened fire outside the contest at a conference center, injuring a security guard.
Abdul Kareem also hosted the two gunmen in his home beginning in January, authorities said. He has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy, making false statements to investigators and other charges.
Abdul Kareem's attorney, Daniel Maynard, said in court papers last week that the interview provided the basis for the false statements charge. The false statements that Abdul Kareem is accused of making include saying that he didn't have advance knowledge of the attack.
"While the government recorded every other important interview in this case, the government did not record this interview and is only able to provide a subjective summary of the interview," Maynard wrote.
Maynard said federal investigators tried to record the interview, but they were stymied by a technical issue that wasn't revealed in court records. He said an interview summary written by investigators provides no objective evidence or verbatim quotes from his client.
Cosme Lopez, a spokesman for the U.S. Attorney's Office in Phoenix, which is prosecuting Abdul Kareem, declined to comment Tuesday on Abdul Kareem's request.
Soofi and Simpson were roommates in Phoenix and drove to Texas to attack the event featuring cartoons deemed offensive to Muslims. They were killed by police after they drove up and opened fire outside the contest at a conference center, injuring a security guard. No one attending the event was hurt.
Authorities say Abdul Kareem practiced shooting with Simpson, Soofi and others in the remote desert outside Phoenix between January and May. They also say Abdul Kareem hosted the gunmen and others in his home to discuss the contest and the shooters' plans to travel to Texas to attack the event.
Authorities also say Abdul Kareem also had aspirations to join the Islamic State terrorist organization and attack the 2015 Super Bowl in suburban Phoenix.
HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) —
A convicted killer in Texas was executed Tuesday for fatally shooting another man in a robbery that yielded just $8.
No late appeals were filed for Juan Martin Garcia, who was lethally injected for the September 1998 killing and robbery of Hugo Solano in Houston. Solano, a Christian missionary from Guadalajara, Mexico, had moved his family to the city just weeks earlier so his children could be educated in the U.S.
Garcia, 35, apologized to Solano's relatives in Spanish in the moments before the execution. Solano's wife and daughter sobbed and told the inmate they loved him.
"The harm that I did to your dad and husband — I hope this brings you closure," he said from the death chamber gurney, his voice breaking. "I never wanted to hurt any of you all."
He told his sister and several friends in English that he loved them. "No matter what, remember my promise," Garcia said. "No matter what, I will always be with you."
As the dose of pentobarbital began, he winced, raised his head and then shook it. He gurgled once and snored once before his movement stopped. He was pronounced dead 12 minutes later, at 6:26 p.m. CDT.
Solano's wife, Ana, and her daughter raised their arms in an apparent prayer inside a death chamber witness room. Afterward, Ana Solano said she wished the execution had not taken place and that she accepted Garcia's apology because it came "from his heart."
She said a person deserves to survive so they can share what they learn from their mistakes with others in similar situations. "It's about God. It's about Jesus," she said.
In an interview with The Associated Press last month, Garcia acknowledged he shot Solano but denied the robbery, an accompanying felony that made it a capital case.
Garcia, who was linked to at least eight aggravated robberies and two attempted murders in the weeks before and after Solano's death, also insisted jurors had unfairly penalized him because he didn't take the witness stand in his own defense at trial.
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to review Garcia's case in March. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected a clemency request from him last week.
The execution was the 11th this year in Texas, which carries out capital punishment more than any other state.
Evidence at the 2000 trial and testimony from a companion identified Garcia, who was 18 at the time of the killing and a street gang member, as the ringleader of four men involved in Solano's shooting and robbery.
Garcia, his two cousins and another man had already carried out a carjacking when they spotted the 36-year-old Solano early on Sept. 17, 1998, getting into his van to go to work.
Eleazar Mendoza, who was sentenced to 55 years in prison for aggravated robbery, testified that Garcia approached Solano and pointed a gun. Mendoza said Garcia ordered Solano to surrender his money then shot him when he refused.
Garcia told the AP that it was Mendoza's idea to rob Solano and that Solano escalated the confrontation by resisting.
"He punches me," Garcia said from a visiting cage outside death row. "First thing that came through my mind is that the dude is going to try to kill me. He grabbed the gun with both of his hands and it discharged."
Solano was shot four times in the head and neck.
Another defendant, Raymond McBen, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for aggravated robbery and paroled a year ago. The fourth man charged, Gabriel Morales, was given a life sentence for capital murder.
Three more Texas inmates are scheduled for executions in upcoming weeks. They include Licho Escamilla, who is set to die next week for the 2001 shooting death of Dallas police officer Christopher Kevin James.
DEL RIO, Texas –
U.S. Border Patrol agents working in the Del Rio Sector seized more than 1,300 pounds of marijuana, with an estimated value of more than $1,000,000 in five different incidents.
“Our agents are committed to disrupting the flow of illegal narcotics into the country,” said Del Rio Sector Chief Rodolfo Karisch. “I commend our agents for their hard work and dedication for protecting our nation’s borders.”
On September 3, at approximately 3 p.m., an agent from the Comstock Station, conducting linewatch operations discovered foot sign in an area known for contraband smuggling near a ranch west of Langtry. As the agent tracked the sign he found several green military style duffel bags that had been abandoned, behind some brush. A search of the area for subjects indicated that they traveled south back towards Mexico. The duffel bags contained 473 pounds of marijuana worth an estimated valued $379, 120. The marijuana was turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration.
On September 6, at approximately 6 a.m., agents from the Eagle Pass South Station, conducting linewatch operations on a local ranch near Eagle Pass observed foot sign of several individuals walking away from the Rio Grande. As agents followed the foot sign they discovered five large military style duffel bags laying in the brush. An extensive search of the immediate was conducted and no subjects were located. The bags contained 217 pounds of marijuana at an estimated value of 173, 800. The marijuana was turned over to DEA.
On September 11, at approximately 7 p.m., agents from the Eagle Pass South Station, conducting linewatch operations, responded to suspicious activity on a local ranch. As agents arrived to the location of the suspicious activity, they encountered two large bundles hidden in the cane on the river’s edge. A search of the immediate area did not result any apprehensions. The bundles contained 217 pounds of marijuana at an estimated value of 173, 840. The marijuana was turned over to DEA.
On September 22, at approximately 10 p.m., agents from the Eagle Pass Station, conducting linewatch operations were notified of two subjects making an illegally entry into the U.S. near a ranch southeast of Eagle Pass. As agents responded to the area they encountered foot sign of the two individuals leading away from the river. After following the foot sign, agents apprehended one individual, a Mexican national attempting to conceal himself the brush. After a search of the area, agents discovered two duffel bags nearby. The duffel bags were found to contain 41 pounds of marijuana, valued at $33,384. The marijuana and the subject was turned over to the Maverick County Sherriff’s Office for prosecution.
On October 3, at approximately 2 p.m., an agent from the Comstock Station was conducting roving patrol operations near FM1024 and Highway 90. Upon arriving to the location the agent observed a white Chevy pickup. As the agent began following the pickup the driver began to drive erratically. The agent activated his emergency lights to perform an immigration inspection of the occupant. The pickup pulled over to the side of the road, and as the agent exited his service vehicle, the pickup sped off. The pickup eventually pulled up to a nearby ranch and the driver absconded. A search of the pickup revealed seven green military duffel bags in the bed and in the cab area. There were an additional three bricks wrapped in brown cellophane located in the tool box. An immediate search of the area for the absconded driver was conducted with negative results. The green duffel bags contained a total of 447 pounds of marijuana, valued of $357,760. The contraband will be turned over to the DEA.
During Fiscal Year to Date 2015, the Del Rio Border Patrol Sector has seized more than $11.8 million worth of narcotics. The Del Rio Border Patrol Sector is part of the South Texas Corridor, which leverages federal, state and local resources to combat transnational criminal organizations. To report suspicious activity, call the sector’s toll free number at 1-866-511-8727.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
The state has agreed to buy three buildings near the Alamo as part of a revamp of the historic shrine and its surrounding plaza in downtown San Antonio.
General Land Office spokeswoman Brittany Eck said Monday that the agency expects to close on the Woolworth, Crockett, and Palace buildings by the end of the year, pending inspections.
Land Commissioner George P. Bush's office is teaming with San Antonio to create a master plan to makeover the Alamo. Set to be ready next year, the plan is costing the city $1 million, with Bush's office covering additional costs.
Eck said buying the buildings should be a "significant consideration in the long-term master planning process," though nothing will change immediately.
She wouldn't speculate on the buildings' future use, at least for now.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) —
An 18-year-old man accused of posing as a 12-year-old to enroll at a Hurst elementary school has been sentenced to 20 years in prison.
Ricardo Lugo was sentenced to prison Monday for indecency with a child, and received 10 years of probation for possession with intent to promote child pornography. Authorities say Lugo was enrolled in the 6th grade last year at Hurst Hills Elementary School, and his enrollment was supported by false documents presented to the school.
Twenty-nine-year-old Randy Ray Wesson, who Hurst police say posed as Lugo's father, pleaded guilty earlier to federal child pornography charges. Authorities say they discovered thousands of child pornography images in Wesson's home during a raid.
He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 3.
LIVINGSTON, Texas (AP) —
A Texas inmate set to be executed Tuesday acknowledges fatally shooting a Mexican man who was robbed of $8 and had just moved his family to Houston, but insists he doesn't deserve to die for the killing 17 years ago.
"This is not a capital case," Juan Martin Garcia, 35, told The Associated Press last month in a prison interview near Livingston. "I got railroaded since I didn't take the stand (to testify at trial)."
Evidence at his 2000 capital murder trial and testimony from a companion identified him as the ringleader of four men involved in the September 1998 shooting and robbery of Hugo Solano outside Solano's apartment complex. The slaying and a string of other violent crimes tied to Garcia convinced a jury he should be put to death.
His lethal injection to be held in Huntsville would be the 11th this year in Texas, which carries out capital punishment more than any other state. Three more executions are scheduled in upcoming weeks.
No late appeals seeking to block the execution were in the courts on Monday. The Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles rejected a clemency petition for Garcia on Friday.
Evidence showed Garcia, who was 18 at the time, had already carried out a carjacking with his two cousins and a third man during the early morning hours of Sept. 17, 1998, when they spotted Solano getting into his van to go to work. Solano's relatives said the 36-year-old, who did Christian missionary work in Guadalajara, Mexico, had moved with his wife to Houston weeks earlier so their children could be educated in the U.S.
Eleazar Mendoza, who pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and was sentenced to 55 years in prison, testified that Garcia approached Solano and pointed a gun. Mendoza said Garcia, speaking in Spanish, ordered Solano to turn over any money he had and then shot him when he refused.
Garcia, who spoke to the AP on a phone inside a caged-in visitors' area outside the state's death row, blamed Mendoza for initiating the confrontation and Solano for resisting the demand for money.
"He punches me. First thing that came through my mind is that the dude is going to try to kill me," Garcia said. "He grabbed the gun with both of his hands and it discharged."
Solano was shot four times in the head and neck. Garcia said he didn't rob Solano.
"My dad used to beat me," Garcia said. "When that guy hit me, I was high on drugs and the first person I saw was my dad. So I kept shooting."
Court records show Garcia was in a car that was pulled over for a broken headlight 11 days after the killing. He was arrested for possession of a handgun when the weapon hit the floorboard as he was getting out of the car. He was released but arrested again later on an escape warrant as a juvenile fugitive when the gun was matched to Solano's slaying.
At Garcia's trial in Houston, authorities tied him to at least eight aggravated robberies and two attempted capital murders in the weeks before and after Solano's death. He also had an extensive juvenile record starting at age 12.
Another defendant, Raymond McBen, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. He was paroled a year ago.
The fourth man charged, Gabriel Morales, went to trial and was sentenced to life on a capital murder conviction.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) —
Texas officials say nearly 400 of the state's 1,200 school districts are using a geography textbook that refers to slaves brought to America as "workers."
Houston mother Roni Dean-Burren said Monday she struggles to understand how that description was approved in her 15-year-old son's textbook. She posted her disbelief on social media last week. An ensuing uproar led the publisher to change the wording.
McGraw-Hill Education is one of the biggest textbook publishers in the U.S. It posted a Facebook message saying the company "can do better" and promised immediate revisions to digital copies. However, the textbook still remains in classrooms.
The Texas State Board of Education approved the book last year. The wording went unnoticed by opponents of the socially conservative board.
DALLAS (AP) —
Authorities say four people have died in a fiery wreck on a Dallas overpass after their vehicle became entangled with a tractor-trailer carrying lumber.
Dallas County Sheriff's Department spokesman Raul Reyna said they are still investigating what caused the wreck early Monday morning. He said two adults, including a pregnant woman, and two children died in the vehicle that became entangled with the tractor-trailer. He says the driver of the tractor-trailer was unharmed.
Reyna says that when the vehicles became entangled, the gas tanks on the tractor-trailer ruptured, causing the large fire. Burning lumber fell from the overpass onto the ground below.
The accident happened on the bridge from westbound Interstate 20 to southbound Interstate 35.
