Today Newspapers (Duncanville, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 16, 2009 Page: 1 of 18
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©2009
Today Newspapers
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Opinion 4
Lifestyles 5
Religion 6
Sports 11-17
Education 17-18
www. todaynewspapers. net
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"JLL TX 75304-2655
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Vol 1, No. 5
Today Newspapers - serving the Best Southwest for more than 40 years
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Bluebonnets, bikes,
beautiful weather
By BILL CONRAD
Today Staff
About 1,000 bike riders de-
scended on Lancaster April 11
as part of the Greater Dallas
Bicyclists 11th annual Lancaster
Country Ride.
The ride began at the Lan-
caster Town Square and consist-
ed of three routes of 23, 42 and
63 miles. The two longer routes
travelled through the pic-
turesque Bluebonnet Trail in
northern Ellis County before
heading back to Lancaster.
Once the riders returned to
the square they were entertained
with live music and had the
opportunity to shop at the
Bluebonnet Art Fair, an invita-
tion-only event held on the
square. Lancaster Chamber of
Commerce President Joe John-
son said more bikers stayed in
town to shop and eat lunch after
the ride this year than before.
Before the riders began their
ride, many of them ate at the
annual pancake breakfast held
at the First United Methodist
Church and hosted by Boy
Scout Troop 140. The scouts
served more than 200 plates of
pancakes and sausage.
Lancaster Country Ride bik-
ers found a bluebonnet field
on Sugar Ridge Road near
Palmer. More on page 2.
Today photo by CHRIS HUDSON
mmm
. .
Easter Egg hunt time
No car insurance? DVPD has
OK to tow, impound your car
By BETHANY BERRY
Today Staff
The Duncanville City Council
elected to approve the police
department's policy regarding
uninsured motorists during an
April 7 meeting.
Officers in Duncanville are
now cracking down on drivers
who cannot provide proof of
insurance during traffic stops and
now have the option of impound-
ing vehicles on a driver's first
offense.
The previous policy, effective
Jan. 1, allowed for the towing of
uninsured vehicles when involved
in traffic accidents or on the sec-
ond and subsequent violations of
failure to maintain financial
responsibility.
Councilman Ken Weaver and
Police Chief Robert Brown
pushed for the change at a March
3 meeting after examining a simi-
lar policy in the Carrollton and
Dallas police departments. Both
believe the enforcement will
decrease the number of uninsured
drivers in Duncanville.
Upon voting, councilmembers
concerns turned to the use of dis-
cretion by Duncanville officers.
See TOWING, Page 3
DeSoto PD OKed on profiling report
Today photo by STEVE SNYDER
Duncanville's Lakeside Park was the scene of Easter egg madness April 11. Here, a girl
in the 8-10-year-old division is scrambling to get all she can.
By JILL QUARLES
Today Staff
A presentation and statistical analysis of traffic
stops and searches dominated the agenda at the
April 7 DeSoto City Council meeting, as members
heard the police department's annual Bias-based
Profiling Analysis.
Dr. Eric Fritsch, a University of North Texas pro-
fessor whose specialty is research methodology,
addressed the council, using graphs and charts to
illustrate his findings, that the department is "clear-
ly in compliance" with Articles 2.131-2.135 of the
Texas Code of Criminal procedure.
In spite of Fritsch's assurance that there was no
measurable wrongdoing from officers, councilmem-
bers questioned the findings and their validity.
Councilmembers Carl Sherman and Denise
Valentine voiced concerns, wondering how Fritsch
could "ascribe any kind of conclusion" from a study
with seemingly "little or no merit."
According to research findings, almost 72 per-
cent of all drivers stopped by police were African-
American, while less than half the city's population
and less than one-fifth of the region's population are
African American.
See POLICE, Page 3
DV starts trimming budget
By BETHANY BERRY
Today Staff
Cutbacks have begun as the city prepares for a $1.1 million short-
fall in the 2009-10 fiscal year.
During an April 7 meeting, councilmembers unanimously
approved to terminate a contract with CURTCO, Inc. for crack seal-
ing services, saving $59,000 in the upcoming budget.
City Manager Kent Cagle explained the contract was a bid award-
ed in January and due to the current economic times the city has con-
sidered reducing expenditures in various departments.
While the voting members of the council unanimously approved
the termination, one other member did not follow suit.
District 3 Councilman Paul Ford, who was escorted out of the
meeting due to disagreements in issues and unable to vote, was
opposed to the termination of the contract and believes reductions
should be made in other areas.
"We should not postpone necessary street repairs," Ford said on
his website. "The result will be increased hazards for motorists and
increased expenses later on."
DeSoto child dies from drowning
Tiojai Williams, a 5-year-old boy found unconscious in a pool at
the MCM Grande Hotel in DeSoto, died over the weekend.
According to the DeSoto Police Department, a large party with a
number of children was being held at the hotel April 10 when
Williams was found floating in the indoor pool. An off-duty Border
Patrol agent performed CPR on Williams, police said. Williams died
about 6 p.m. Saturday at Children's Medical Center Dallas, officials
said.
mmm, pancakes, maybe (;edar Hillians will need to look
(at the calendar) before watering
Today photo by CHRIS HUDSON
At the Boy Scouts' pancake breakfast in Lancaster
April 11, Rick Kearl looked like he didn't know
whether to eat his breakfast or play with it.
By STEVE SNYDER
Today Staff
It's almost time for Cedar Hill
residents to take a look at the calen-
dar before turning on their hoses
and sprinklers.
The Cedar Hill City Council
passed a water conservation ordi-
nance last year, and one of its main
provisions goes into effect May 1.
A main part of the ordinance
restricts daytime water use from
May 1-Sept. 30. That is done by
banning landscape watering, except
with a handheld hose, three days a
week. The other four days a week
are split into even-numbered and
odd-numbered address division,
with each side of a street getting two
days of watering a week,
And, the city is serious.
A first violation of the offense
incurs a fine of up to $200. A sec-
ond violation can cost $400, a third
violation $600, and a fourth viola-
tion $2,000.
During initial discussion of the
measure, Director of Public Works
Ruth Antebi-Guten said she planned
on having a few Public Works
Department employees trained to
write citations.
"Other area cities have a similar
system. There's a concerted effort in
the area to conserve water," she said.
Northwood sees educational, economic and moral value in 'going green'
By LAUREN D'AVOLIO
Special to Today
"Green" has many meanings.
To some, it conjures images
of St. Patrick's Day. To others,
wood University, green is syn-
onymous with growth strategy
and environmental responsibility.
Northwood has already made
significant strides to reduce its
water usage, energy consumption
money. Or envy. But at North- and even to recycle its comput-
ers. But Kurt Middelkoop, a con-
sultant for the Texas Manufac-
turing Assistance Center, was on
campus April 1 to train students,
faculty and staff to better docu-
ment, maintain and improve
environmental management.
Middelkoop teaches and trains
companies, cities and universities
to reduce their environmental
impact while improving prof-
itability.
See GREEN, Page 18
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Today Newspapers (Duncanville, Tex.), Vol. 1, No. 5, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 16, 2009, newspaper, April 16, 2009; Duncanville, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth403288/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Zula B. Wylie Memorial Library.