Fire officials say there's been an explosion at a natural gas plant in a town south of Austin, Texas, but no injuries have been reported.Witnesses say flames shot 400 feet into the air in Thursday morning's explosion at the plant in the town of Stairtown, about 40 miles south of Austin. Fire officials in a town 11 miles away say the explosion was felt there. more >>
A nearly half-ton Texas woman charged in the death of her toddler nephew couldn't have beaten the boy to death because of her limited movement from weight problems, her attorney said Tuesday. Mayra Rosales, who weighs nearly 1,000 pounds, was indicted last week on capital murder charges in the death of Eliseo Gonzalez Jr. Prosecutors said the 2-year-old boy died after being struck at least twice in the head while in the care of Rosales, who is bedridden. more >>
A 12-year-old boy took his grandmother's car and led police on a chase at speeds up to 60 mph before swerving to avoid spikes in the road and crashing into a fence, police said. The boy was treated for a small cut to the head then taken to Nueces County Juvenile Justice Center, where he remained in custody Tuesday, chief juvenile probation officer Homer Flores said. more >>
A spokesman says the wife of Republican Ron Paul is leaving a Houston hospital after more than two weeks. Spokesman Jesse Benton tells The Associated Press that 72-year-old Carol Paul will be released Tuesday night. He says her condition has improved after having three surgeries and that "she is alert and talking." The couple plans to return home. more >>
Police have arrested three people in two separate incidents of alleged threats of violence at schools. A 46-year-old man was arrested before class Monday outside St. Matthew Catholic School with a gun, a baseball bat and a knife, police said. Days earlier, two teenagers were arrested and accused of planning a plot resembling the 1999 attack at Colorado's Columbine High at a high school in nearby Boerne. more >>
WACO - A 13-year-old boy who admitted stabbing a teenage friend to death earlier this summer has received a 15-year sentence as part of a plea agreement. State District Judge Alan Mayfield accepted the plea agreement Monday after rejecting a 10-year proposal earlier this month. The boy was 12 at the time of the June 6 stabbing. more >>
A Texas motorcoach operator forced out of service by federal authorities last week was involved in at least two deadly accidents in Mexico before being shut down, court records show. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration on Friday ordered Autobuses Rio Verde of Irving to cease interstate operations because of its links to Green River Buses LLC of Dallas, which had received a similar order in April. more >>
Along with normal first-day jitters and excitement, students in this tiny district started school Monday wondering which teachers might be toting firearms. "It was kind of awkward knowing that some teachers were carrying guns," said Adam Lira, 17, a senior. "I don't feel like they should be, 'cause we already have locked doors and cameras. But I didn't feel threatened by it." more >>
Two new indictments against members of a polygamist sect have added bigamy charges against men already accused of the sexual assault of a child. The indictments issued Thursday by a Schleicher County grand jury accuse Michael George Emack, 57, and Raymond Merrill Jessop, 36. Both were served on Friday. more >>
Flood watches and warnings are in effect for extreme southern Texas after more than a week of heavy rain. Authorities say the town of Roma on the Rio Grande got 4 more inches of rain Sunday, reflooding areas that had begun to dry out and chasing some people to shelters for the night. more >>
Court authorities here will be able to track students with a history of skipping school under a new program requiring them to wear ankle bracelets with Global Positioning System monitoring. But at least one group is worried the ankle bracelets will infringe on students' privacy. more >>
Navigating the maze of high school hallways can be tough for a new ninth-grader. Learning the oh-so-important social hierarchy and coping with added academic responsibilities can be even harder. Ninth grade, often the first year of high school, is a critical time for students, when many sink or swim in their budding high school careers. more >>
WASHINGTON — Rep. Chet Edwards, D-Waco, whose congressional district stretches from Fort Worth's southern suburbs to the Bryan-College Station area, has undergone background checks as a possible vice presidential nominee, Democratic Party officials confirmed Friday. One top Democratic aide speaking on the condition of anonymity said Edwards had made a short list of three or so contenders. more >>
HALLETTSVILLE – One of the area’s biggest parish picnics is set for Sunday, Aug. 31, as Sacred Heart Catholic Church hosts its annual fall event at the Knights of Columbus Hall. “We welcome everyone to come out and take part in all the activities and enjoy the fabulous food,” said the Rev. Father John Peters, pastor at Sacred Heart for 14 years. “We always have a good turnout and there is something for everyone.” more >>
An auto body shop worker was convicted and swiftly sentenced to life in prison Thursday for grooming children as young as 5 to perform in sex shows at a small-town swingers club. Patrick "Booger Red" Kelly showed no emotion after the verdict. Jurors deliberated about two hours before finding him guilty of engaging in organized criminal activity. They took just 15 minutes to sentence him to prison for life. Defense attorneys had sought a suspended sentence of less than 10 years so Kelly could be placed on probation. more >>
A federal judge delayed the planned execution of an inmate Thursday pending an evaluation to determine if the inmate is able to understand why he is to be put to death. Jeffery Wood was to have been executed Thursday evening for taking part in the 1996 robbery of a convenience store in which a clerk was fatally shot. more >>
A West Texas grand jury is meeting again to consider possible charges against members of a polygamist group. Thursday's meeting in Eldorado was the third since authorities raided the group's ranch in April following allegations that underage girls were being forced into marriages and sex. more >>
FANNIN – A curious animal trotting across Farm-to-Market Road 2987 makes a family think chupacabras have expanded their South Texas territory. “It was just what they’ve had in the paper and on TV,” said 64-year-old Donald Nedeau. more >>
CUERO – The Cuero Country Opry will feature 10-year-old Ally Cancetti of Woodsboro during its monthly show tonight at the VFW Hall on U.S. Highway 183 North. Other entertainers include the Chisholm Trail Swing Band, the Sisters Too of Port Lavaca, Wally Rogers and Scotty Decker. more >>
