Martha Stewart Gets Five Months In Prison
Martha Stewart was sentenced to five months in prison with five months of home detention. Part of the five months will be during two years of probation. There will be a $30,000.00 fine. Stewart will have home confinement with the right to go to her place of work. This was a surprise and a downward departure by the judge. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by cc)

Another Body Found In An Arkansas Front Yard
James Cummings, an 80-year-old retired Game Warden, was found dead yesterday morning in front of his produce stand at Prescott AR. Items were missing from his home when his wife arrived and found him. The MO is similar to another homicide in Howard County AR where George Cook, 69, was found in his yard Tuesday. Jason Watson, 22 and a female juvenile were arrested in Sevier County AR for that homicide late yesterday afternoon because of evidence from yesterday mornings homicide. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by cc)

Texarkana Club Owner Arrested On Arson Charges
Danny Davison, 51 of Texarkana, was arrested on arson charges yesterday. Davidson is accused of torching the Headliners Club on US-71 South of Texarkana. It was insured for $360,000. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by cc)

Kilgore Man Killed
Mathew Howell, 21 of Kilgore, was killed on TX-31 in Kilgore while riding a motorcycle. Howell was not wearing a helmet and the bike was reported stolen out of Kerrville. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by cc)

Pet Kills Nacogdoches Infant
Jordan Parker, an eight-month-old baby boy of Nacogdoches, was killed in his family home yesterday morning. He was killed by a beloved family pet. A 14-year-old, 65 pound pit bull and a smaller mixed-breed dog starting fighting while the infant was in the floor. The grandmother and mother were in another room and could not separate the fight in time. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by cc)

McKinney Police Release Murder Suspects
McKinney police dropped capital murder charges against three men in the March shooting deaths of four people that included two high school football players. Police cited a lack of physical evidence even though the three men remain prime suspects in the worst homicide in McKinney’s history. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by cc)

Three Upshur County Men Indicted In Murder
Three Upshur County men were indicted on murder charges in the slaying of Joe Nickelbur, 32, who was found on the side of a road in April. Jason Baughman, 24 of Ore City and brothers Gregory Narramore, 33 and Jeremy, 29, both of Summerfield Community are suspects in the murder. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by cc)

Wrong Place
A Smith County dispatchers accidentally sent deputies to the wrong address for an armed robbery Wednesday night that caused a 12-minute response delay. The robbery took place near the Smith / Van Zandt County line on I-20. The deputies were sent to a truck stop at TX-155 and I-20. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by cc)

Hawkins Restaurant Wants To Sell Alcohol
The Lakeside Restaurant at Hawkins wants to sell alcohol. Wood County commissioners will decide today on amending the lease the county holds with the restaurant owners to allow the sell of alcohol. The restaurant is operating now under a bring-your-own drink. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by cc)

Davis Indicted For Murder
39-year-old Michael Dewayne Davis has been indicted for the capital murder and aggravated robbery of 79-year-old Marvin Davis in Paris. The victim’s body was found in his trailer at Gene’s Flea Market Jan. 8. He had been hit on the head, robbed and strangled. Police say DNA evidence ties Davis to the scene of the crime. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by dj)

Paris Resident Convicted Of Drug And Firearm Charges
25-year-old Damien Deashong Council of Paris was convicted of three drug and firearm charges by a federal jury in Sherman. He now faces 27 to 35 years in prison. Council was arrested July 12, 2003, after Paris police found drugs and a firearm during a search warrant. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by dj)

$30,000 Grant Helped Lamar County Sheriff's Office
A $30,000 grant from the DWI Selective Traffic Enforcement Program has allowed the Lamar County Sheriff’s Department to crack down on the incidents of drunk driving in Lamar County. The grant gave Lamar County the funds to have more deputies on patrol when needed to stop drivers from endangering themselves and others. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by dj)

McKinney Police Take Murder Off The Menu
McKinney police Thursday dropped capital murder charges against three men in the March shooting deaths of four people - including two high school football players. Police cited a lack of physical evidence -- but also said Jecory May, Calvin Walker and James Jones remain the prime suspects in the attack at a home. Authorities say DNA evidence is at a crime lab in Austin, and could take up to two more months to process. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by dj)

Texas High School Students Will Need Four Years Of Science
The Texas State Board of Education approved a requirement for high school students to take four years of science in order to graduate. The vote was 8-7 and would take effect with students entering the ninth grade in the fall of 2007. The board agreed to make the science requirement contingent on additional funding from the Legislature. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by dj)

97 Percent Of Third Graders Pass TAKS
Results released Thursday from the Texas Education Agency indicate that 97 percent of Texas third graders passed the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills test and will be promoted to the next grade. Last year 96 percent passed the test. The 3 percent who failed the exam will flunk barring successful appeals by their parents. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by dj)

Texas Teacher Salaries Rank 30th Nationally
Teacher salaries in Texas rank significantly lower than the national average and 30th in the country, according to a study by the American Federation of Teachers. Average pay for Texas teachers was almost $40,000 which is about $6000 less than the national average. Oklahoma ranked 50th and Louisiana ranked 45th. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by dj)

Nacogdoches Boy Killed By Pit Bull
An 8-month-old boy was killed Thursday after being attacked by his grandmother's pit bull. Jordan Lee Parker died of massive head injuries Thursday morning at the family home just outside the Nacogdoches city limits. The pit bull, which had no history of past aggression, had been fighting with another pet, a smaller terrier, when it attacked the boy. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by dj)

Texas Child Protective Services Caseload Said To Be Too Heavy
The investigation into the Texas Child Protective Services Division prompted lawmakers on Thursday to demand the state move to reduce the average caseload for CPS workers. The chairman of the House Human Services Committee said Thursday the average child abuse and neglect investigator's caseload of 50 per month is "way too many" and stretches workers too thin. (Reported: 2004-07-16, by dj)