Free Republic

Suspect pulls out own eye BY JERRIE WHITELEY HERALD DEMOCRAT Andre Thomas, the Sherman man accused of killing his wife, son and his wife's young daughter a week ago, quoted a Bible scripture Friday night after he apparently used his hands to pull out his own right eye. Grayson County Sheriff Keith Gary said Thomas was in a jail cell directly across from the book-in station when he turned his back on the jail staff. Gary said the staff heard a scream, and then Thomas turned around with his eyeball in his hand. Thomas is charged with one count of...

Texas Legislature drives another bill to law We all should pay more attention to what's going on when the Texas Legislature is in session. Some mighty interesting bills get passed that we don't always hear about until they effect us personally. Not long ago we became aware of a bill passed making auto license plate frames illegal if they cover any of the important information such as "TEXAS." Law enforcement agencies have been pretty lenient in allowing those frames to stay on the thousands of cars across the state. Their hands really would be full if they decided to crack...

<p>Washington — Supporters can stand near President Bush and loyally wave their signs, but demonstrators opposing the president's policies are exiled to protest zones (search) in isolated areas, the American Civil Liberties Union (search) has alleged in recent court filings.</p>

PITTSBURGH (AP) The truck driver charged by police in a fiery crash that killed a vacationing family of five had a commercial driver's license he may not have been qualified for, authorities said Tuesday. Police were also investigating why Ejub Grcic was on the rural Butler County road before the Monday afternoon crash, since they said his tractor-trailer was too heavy for the road, which had a 10-ton limit. Authorities have accused Grcic, 54, of West Valley City, Utah, of running a stop sign and killing a North Carolina family that had been visiting relatives in the area. State police...

<p>WASHINGTON — Church leaders who say they represent millions of mainline Protestants are accusing the Bush administration of not going far enough to address poverty across America. Some are even questioning their support for President Bush's faith-based initiative (search).</p> <p>“The lack of a consistent, coherent, and integrated domestic policy that benefits low-income people makes our continued support for your faith-based initiative increasingly untenable,” wrote 34 church leaders in a June 9 letter to Bush.</p>

Retired Army General Wesley Clark has been very effective in keeping his face and opinions in the media forefront the past year or so. There's a reason for that. Political aspirations. Clark is toying with the idea of announcing as a Democratic candidate for President of the United States. Truth is, he's after the number two spot. Vice Presidential candidate for now, the Oval Office Later. Clark was a guest on Tim Russert's Meet the Press this past Sunday. The questioning turned to Clark's political ambitions and his feelings on the Bush tax cut. Clark says that he would not...

As a veteran, I find it appalling, outrageous and unconscionable that the United States government can see fit to send millions upon millions of dollars to Afghanistan, Pakistan and the rest of the Arab countries, construct a war in Iraq, where the final cost will be in the billions, and then cut veterans benefits after they have “paid their dues” by serving their country. This includes our so-called friends Egypt, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. The bottom line is that the only use these countries have for us is our money. They harbor Osama bin Laden, train terrorists and perpetrate terrorist...

PHILADELPHIA (AP) - The brother of Philadelphia Mayor John F. Street received a contract worth more than $1 million a year to maintain baggage equipment at Philadelphia International Airport, though he has no employees and no experience in the field. Fourteen employees of Philadelphia Airport Services, which had done the work on the conveyors and carousels, will be transferred to T. Milton Street's company, Notlim Service Management. Philadelphia Airport Services is a joint venture of private companies that provide airport maintenance. Mayoral spokeswoman Barbara Grant said John Street was not involved in the decision to award the contract, and Milton...

<p>PHILADELPHIA — About one in every eight graduates walked out of Sunday's commencement at Saint Joseph's University before the keynote address by Sen. Rick Santorum who recently infuriated gay groups and others with derogatory remarks about homosexual behavior.</p> <p>Santorum, the Senate's third-ranking Republican, didn't mention the walkout or the controversy directly.</p>

<p>TOM SCHOLZ, the founder of the popular rock band BOSTON, announced today that the group will use their popularity and power to make the world a better place. The band will benefit the Sierra Club, America's oldest, largest and most influential environmental organization, by donating $1.00 from every ticket sold on their upcoming nationwide summer tour. The donations will be used by the Sierra Club in its efforts to protect America's communities by fighting for clean air and water, fighting to clean up toxic waste sites, and safeguarding America's majestic landscapes.</p>

NAJAF, Iraq, April 2 -- An enthusiastic welcome for U.S. forces in Najaf turned jubilant today, as several thousand Iraqis braved sporadic firefights for what one Special Forces officer described as "the Macy's Day parade," applauding a U.S. patrol that pushed close to a religious shrine at the center of the city.

Bush and God A higher calling: It is his defining journey-from reveler to revelation. A biography of his faith, and how he wields it as he leads a nation on the brink of war By Howard Fineman NEWSWEEK March 10 issue - George W. Bush rises ahead of the dawn most days, when the loudest sound outside the White House is the dull, distant roar of F-16s patrolling the skies. Even before he brings his wife, Laura, a morning cup of coffee, he goes off to a quiet place to read alone...

Texas, oui? Bush aides are chuckling over a new bumper sticker that pokes fun at France's refusal to join the president's pressure campaign on Iraq. "Texas," it says, "is bigger than France."

<p>NEW YORK - McDonald's Corp. (MCD) Thursday dismissed as "senseless" the filing of an amended lawsuit in New York alleging the fast-food chain sells foods that are more hazardous than customers expect.</p> <p>The reaction from the world's largest restaurant chain came a day after new court papers were filed in a previously dismissed suit that had blamed the company's Big Macs, fries and Chicken McNuggets for obesity in children. The papers were filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan late on Wednesday, according to several news reports.</p>

<p>KITTANNING - People drawing unemployment benefits often get an unpleasant surprise this time of year: They owe hundreds of dollars in federal income taxes.</p> <p>U.S. Rep. Phil English, R-3rd, wants to change that by proposing that unemployment compensation be exempt from income taxes.</p>

Rescuers saved a 4-year-old boy in Fort Worth and an elderly man in Dallas from separate fires Wednesday. Fort Worth police said they would not pursue charges against the mother and aunt of a 4-year-old boy who had been left alone Wednesday and apparently set his North Side home on fire. The child, who was not seriously injured, was rescued by a passer-by who saw the flames and pulled the boy to safety. Several hours later in Dallas, maintenance workers pulled an elderly man from his burning second-floor apartment in the Love Field area. The 76-year-old was in critical condition...

<p>WASHINGTON - Iraq may have obtained as many as 400 electronic "jammers" that could throw America's smart bombs off their programmed path if the U.S. goes to war, Fox News has learned.</p> <p>There is "real concern at the highest levels" at the Pentagon that Baghdad may have purchased the jammers from a Russian firm, a senior defense official said.</p>

GOP keeps House seat in North Texas ASSOCIATED PRESS Wednesday, January 8, 2003 SHERMAN -- Republican Larry Phillips won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives on Tuesday, beating Democrat Donnie Jarvis by almost 2-to-1 in a runoff for the District 62 seat. With all of the votes counted, Phillips of Sherman had 6,102 votes, or 66 percent, and Jarvis of Van Alstyne had 3,198, or 34 percent, in the unofficial returns. District 62 covers Grayson and Fannin counties along the Oklahoma border, about 60 miles north-northeast of Dallas. Both men are lawyers. Jarvis came out ahead in Fannin...

Cedar Tree Nuisance Did you know that Cedar Tree could be a threat to our water supply and our native eco-systems? For years the Texoma area has seen a growing proliferation of eastern red cedar and ash juniper trees growing in just about every place imaginable. And now, a coalition is being formed to combat this ongoing problem. It's a site common all over the Arbuckle Mountains - the greenery of cedar trees spreading for miles. And while it may be pleasing to the eye, authorities say the trees are causing many problems, ranging from eco-system damage to loss of...

No ‘jail’ for Bush protesters Smokinleroy, a former Karns City area resident, wrote to empathize with Bill Neel because he also had been put in a fenced-in area when he wanted to protest against Bill Clinton. What Smokinleroy fails to realize is that Bill Neel simply wanted to stand in the designated area, just not in the temporary “jail” that the Allegheny police had made for protesters, during the visit by President George W. Bush to Neville Island on Labor Day. To Smokinleroy I say that some of us actually believe this country is about the Constitution, not the Flag....