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Gun Control Debate Plays Out in North Texas

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Supporters on both sides of the emotional debate on gun control are making their case at North Texas demonstrations.

On Friday, the group Organizing for Action went to the Dallas office of Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz to ask him to support President Barack Obama's proposals.

"He can either stand with the parents who've lost children, the parents of Newtown, (Conn.), the parents all across America who've lost children, or he can stand with the gun lobby," group leader Marsha Fishman said.

About two dozen people attended the demonstration, including parents of victims.

Elizabeth Soltero said her 22-year-old daughter was killed in California in 2000 by a woman who was given guns by someone else.

"We couldn't do anything about the man who gave her the guns, because all he had to do is say, 'I didn't know she was going to kill somebody,'" Soltero said.

Among other things, the group wants gun owners to be held responsible for the use of their firearms and to expand background checks for purchases at gun shows.

"We don't feel that universal background checks infringes on anybody's rights," Fishman said.

On Saturday, 500 people are expected at a Dallas rally opposing new limits on guns.

Organizer Jonathan Osborn said the Day of Resistance is one of 90 similar rallies scheduled around the country on Saturday.

"We don't want our Second Amendment further regulated or infringed on in any way," he said.

Osborn said investing more money in enforcing existing laws would be a better way to remove guns from the hands of criminals than adding new laws.

"It's not going to take out the criminal element or even the violent, mentally ill element," he said. It's only going to further hinder the normal citizens' -- the law-abiding citizens' -- ability to defend themselves and harm them," he said.

The demonstration is scheduled from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Dallas Flag Pole Hill on Northwest Highway.

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Know Your Rights Before Buying Pets at a Pet Store

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There is little to no recourse for consumers in Texas if they buy a dog or cat a pet store that they later discover is sick or has a congenital defect.

Sophie Clingenpeel learned this the hard way.  She initially went into PetOrama in Mansfield to buy a kitten.  Instead she left with a little brown puppy she named Enzo.  She said it was love at first sight, but just days after bringing Enzo home Clingenpeel said he became deathly ill with a contagious disease that attacks a dog's intestinal tract called parvovirus.

Days later, Clingenpeel said Enzo was so sick a nurse at the veterinary emergency clinic asked if they could administer CPR on Enzo if it became necessary.

"If we had not bought him, he would not have made it," Clingenpeel said.

NBC 5 Investigates Consumer Unit first introduced you to PetOrama when we broke the story about consumers who said they bought sick dogs from the store, two of which had to be put to sleep. 

Since that story aired, a new manager is now running PetOrama and expects to purchase the store in the next six months. The city's police chief told NBC 5 the store has been inspected and is compliant with city code, although animal control continues its investigation.

PetOrama's prior manager did not respond to NBC 5's questions about Enzo, but in previous conversations she said she insisted she took good care of her animals and her dogs checked by a veterinarian.

But based on that original story, NBC 5 wanted to find out what rights consumers have in these cases.

"There are no regulations of pet stores of any shape, form or fashion at the state level," said Skip Trimble, a board member with the Texas Humane Legislation Network, a group that advocates for animal rights.

Without statewide rules and regulations, protection is left largely to city ordinances.

Police to Investigate Store Accused of Selling Puppies with Parvo

Mansfield Chief of Police Gary L. Fowler is opening an investigation into a local pet store after the NBC 5 Investigates Consumer Unit was alerted to claims by several families that they purchased puppies that were sick with parvovirus.

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No city in North Texas goes as far as Austin, which banned the sale of cats and dogs at pet stores.  In Mansfield, the home of PetOrama, animal control can impose fines on pet stores if they don't keep their animals healthy. In Fort Worth, animal control can inspect pet stores if it has concerns or gets complaints and pet stores are required to provide vet care to suffering animals. Plano mandates pet stores keep animals healthy and isolate sick animals.

That's why it's important for consumers to complain to the appropriate city department if a problem arises.

While about 20 states have puppy lemon laws to give consumers some protection if they buy a sick animal, there is no such law in Texas.  It's a law animal advocates would like to see adopted and one that may be supported by the Pet Industry Joint Advisory Council, a trade group representing the pet industry under certain circumstances.

"Lemon laws can be a good thing," said Mike Canning, the President and CEO of the PIJAC.  But Canning said PIJAC would only support a law like that if there was a good balance between consumer and pet store rights.  If not, his group would lobby against the legislation.

"Responsible members of the pet industry stand behind their products," Canning said.  He also said that in cases of parvovirus, pet store owners should work with consumers to resolve complaints.

Other than complaining to the right city department, another option consumers have is to sue pet stores.

"The only recourse they have right now in Texas is the deceptive trade practice act," he said.

It's been done.  Pet owners have reached settlements with pet stores. But suing is expensive.  So Trimble said making local lawmakers aware of problems is imperative.

"There's nothing more important and a better way to get a bill passed then for victims to come forward and tell their lawmakers what happened to them and to let them know that they need their help," Trimble said.

That's why Clingenpeel is speaking out. She said she'd like to see more regulations to protect both owner and pet. 

With the absence of laws, it's up to consumers to do their due diligence.  Experts offer this advice:

• Ask a pet store if you can visit a breeder's facility to see a puppies parents face to face.  
• Ask about guarantees.
• See if you can have the puppy checked out by an independent veterinarian before you buy.

Clingenpeel said she alone is footing the vet bill for little Enzo, the $250 puppy that Clingenpeel said now cost nearly 20 times that amount.  But she said he is worth it.

"I had to save him," she said.

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Marine Corporal Arrested Over Murder of Camp Pendleton Officer

NBC 7 San Diego

Alvin Bulaoro, 24, was found dead inside a sleeping bag in the back seat of a parked car in Fallbrook on Jan. 3.

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Body Found Zipped in Sleeping Bag

San Diego County Sheriff's Deputies say a body was found zipped up in a sleeping bag inside of the 1997 Toyota Forerunner. NBC 7's Danya Bacchus reports.

Mother Fears Body Found in Sleeping Bag is Her Son

The family of a missing man is bracing for the worst after deputies discovered a body inside a car in the parking lot of a grocery store in Fallbrook Thursday night. Chris Chan spoke to the man's mother, who fears that body is her son's.

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A U.S. Marine was arrested Friday night in California's Camp Pendleton in connection with the murder of a man whose body was found zipped up inside a sleeping bag in the back seat of a parked car in Fallbrook last month.

According to the San Diego County Sheriff's Department, suspect Kevin Albert Richard Coset was taken into custody shortly after 5 p.m. for the murder of Alvin Bulaoro, 24.

Bulaoro was found dead inside a 1997 Toyota 4Runner on Jan. 3. Homicide investigators said his body showed signs of trauma and deemed his death suspicious in nature.

Bulaoro had been reported missing by his family and was last seen on Dec. 21, 2012.
Bulaoro's family pleaded for investigators to find his killer.

"I want justice for my son," his mother, Josephine Bulaoro, told NBC 7 in an interview back in January.

Bulaoro was enlisted in the Navy for four years. He worked as a human resources officer at Camp Pendleton, helping Marines with pay, benefits and housing issues.

During that time, he got his bachelor's degree. After leaving the Navy, Bulaoro became a lieutenant in the Army.

He returned from training in Texas in November and was set to participate in a ceremony for his commission on Jan. 12 in Los Angeles.

"He told me, 'Mom you're going to be very proud of me,'" his mother previously told NBC 7.

Bulaoro's brother told NBC 7 the family had hired a private investigator to search for Bulaoro. The private investigator is the person who told the family that Bulaoro's car had been spotted in the Albertson's parking lot on Jan. 3.

According to the sheriff's department, Coset is a corporal in the Marine Corps.

He was taken into custody Friday with the help of NCIS agents and charged with the murder of Bulaoro.

Officials have not released any further details. The motive for the murder remains unknown.
 

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Man Sues Parents for Not Loving Him Enough

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A 32-year-old man in Brooklyn, New York is suing his parents, claiming he wasn't loved enough by them and that their neglect has caused him to be homeless and jobless. 

Bernard Bey filed a self-written lawsuit in Brooklyn court earlier this month, accusing his parents of causing him mental anguish and for making him feel "unloved and beaten by the world." 

"If you have kids, you're expected to love your children," Bey told NBC 4 New York. "You want the best for your children." 

Bey claimed he was physically and emotionally abused and ran away from home when he was 12, and then was in and out of the shelter system after turning 16. He's spent time in jail and is now homeless, and he believes his parents are at the root of his problems. 

Bey is asking the court for more than $200,000 in damages. He wants his parents to mortgage their family home and purchase two franchises like Domino's Pizza. 

The aspiring rapper said the money would be help the entire family.

"I feel like my parents should want the best for their children and grandchildren so we have something to pass down for generations so we don't have to live like this," he said. 

Bey's parents, who live in public housing, said they're not in a position to give up any money. His stepfather named in the suit, Bernard Manley, had some choice unprintable words and maintained Bey is not his biological son.

Bey said he is willing to drop the lawsuit if his family will simply sit down at the dinner table with him.

"Let's work together, and definitely, I'll drop the suit," he said. 

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The Sequester: What Does It Mean?

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Every day that passes without a deficit-cutting deal makes it more likely that the federal government will be forced into its first "sequester" in nearly 30 years, a problem of politicians' own making that could suck billions of dollars out of the economy.

The sequester is Washington jargon for using the threat of automatic spending cuts to force action on reducing the debt. The term doesn't mean much to most people outside the capital, and you could be forgiven for assuming that the president and lawmakers will scramble at the last minute to dodge their deadline and set up a new one. That is, after all, how the current predicament came to be.

But politicians are cutting it awfully close, making the risk very real, scholars and analysts say.

And the stakes have arguably never been higher: the sequester is just one of three looming fiscal deadlines, each with its own potentially calamitous impact on the tenuous economic recovery.

"This is unprecedented," said Steve Bell, senior director of economic policy at the Washington D.C.-based Bipartisan Policy Center, who served as staff director of the Senate Budget Committee in the early 1980s, when the last sequester showdown occurred. "I'm a historian of this stuff, and this has never happened together, these things. I don't know what the technical term is down here, but where I'm from, New Mexico and Colorado, we call it 'a goat rope'…chaos and confusion, where nobody knows what's going on."

For full politics coverage, visit NBCNews.com.

The sequester is scheduled to go into effect March 1, triggering the opening phase of cuts that will total more than $1 trillion between now and 2021. Most of the reductions would be divided evenly between the defense budget and non-defense spending that isn't already mandated by law (those mandates include Medicaid, Social Security and food stamps). It is up to the president to decide how to apply cuts to those so-called discretionary spending items.

Then, on March 27, comes a temporary appropriations measure that is keeping the federal government running. Without a renewal there will be a shutdown of all non-essential functions.

Finally, in mid-May, a statutory limit on the federal debt, which has been temporarily lifted, will go back into effect and make it difficult for the country to pay its bills.

The chances of all three of those threats becoming reality remain distant. But given the state of partisan discord, it appears "extremely likely" that the sequester will happen, Bell said.

The last time Congress imposed a sequester was 1986 when Ronald Reagan was president -- with limited results.

The current sequester threat has been driven by a darkening crisis surrounding the federal deficit, which is projected to skyrocket in coming decades, primarily because of the rising cost of health care. A couple years ago, Congress settled a fight over raising the country's debt limit by passing the Budget Control Act, which set a Jan. 2, 2013 deadline to find ways to cut $1.5 trillion from the deficit. A bipartisan committee was assigned to come up with a plan, but it failed. Faced with the combination of the sequester, the expiration of Bush-era tax cuts and a scheduled reduction in payroll taxes—a confluence of events known as the "fiscal cliff"—President Barack Obama struck a deal with Congress. It included letting the payroll tax lapse, raising tax rates for households making more than $450,000 and delaying the sequester to the beginning of March. The fiscal cliff deal also allowed taxes on capital gains and dividends to go up and extended jobless benefits.

The new sequester deadline has prompted another showdown between Obama, who has called for a more "balanced" reduction plan that includes eliminating tax breaks for the wealthy, and Congressional Republicans, who say the president already got tax increases out of the fiscal cliff negotiations and should take full responsibility for the sequester. A GOP alternative plan would spare defense cuts and focus on domestic spending.

For 2013, the sequester means more than $85 billion in cuts, including $42 billion from defense, $28 billion from domestic discretionary spending, and nearly $10 billion from Medicare.

With no deal in sight, the White House has prepared a list of deep, wide cuts that it says could costs thousands of jobs, hurt small businesses, damage the government's ability to ensure food safety, diminish the ranks of law enforcement, and reduce school aid and housing assistance—not to mention the massive impact on the military and defense contractors.

Most of the cuts likely won't effect ordinary Americans for weeks, or months, Bell said, because government agencies will first look for ways to cut costs internally, like canceling training and conferences and repairs and slowing down payments on contracts. Furloughing federal workers is always the last resort.

But eventually, the impact will spread across the country, as payments to government contractors and subcontractors and social service agencies dry up. Those employers will have to contemplate cutting their payrolls. The Bipartisan Policy Center estimates that a million or so jobs will be lost under a full-scale sequester in 2013 and 2014. The economy could lose billions of dollars.

"Instead of the lights going out, think about it as a bulb that gets dimmer, bit by bit, as the light gets less and less," Bell said.

The lights-out scenario could come on March 27, the deadline for a government shutdown. If Congress can't avert that crisis, the country could be in for a huge economic blow, Bell said.

But he doesn't see that happening. A more realistic outcome, he said, is after a few weeks of the sequester, the economic turmoil will cause enough blowback in Washington to spur lawmakers to pass another stopgap spending bill and find another temporary fix to the sequester.

"The pain felt by private employers and workers will be made loud and clear to members of the House and Senate, and it's interesting how quickly they react when that happens," Bell said.

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Fired Dallas 911 Call-Taker's Appeal Denied

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An appeals board has upheld the termination of a Dallas 911 call-taker who was fired for her handling of a call from a woman who asked for a welfare check on her daughter before breaking into her home and finding her dead.

The mother of Deanna Cook called 911 on Aug. 19 and asked that an officer go by her daughter's home because she had not been heard from in days.

The call-taker, Angelia Herod-Graham, told Vickie Cook to call hospitals and jails first.

"I was trained to ask that you have people contact jails and hospitals," she said.

The family forced their way into Deanna Cook's home and found her body. Police say Cook's former husband had killed her two days earlier -- a day she had called 911 for help.

The operator who took that call was suspended and later resigned.

On Thursday, a civil service board heard Herod-Graham's appeal of her termination.

The 911 call was played during the hearing.

Vickie Cook: We are not in the house. We are trying to get in the house to see if everything is OK.
Herod-Graham: What I have to do is, ma'am, police can't kick the door in, but ambulance can kick the door in, so are you ready for the fire department, since you want to do a welfare check, is that correct?
Cook: We, we got it in. We in.

Moments later, screams can be heard as Cook finds her daughter.

Herod-Graham insisted that she had followed her training.

"I was trained by the city of Dallas on how to do my job, and I did what I was trained to do," she said.

Dallas Police Chief David Brown testified at the hearing that he decided to fire Herod-Graham because a reasonable person would have sent officers.

During the hearing, Herod-Graham agreed that it took six minutes to finally dispatch police.

Brown said he worked and was assigned to a 911 call center in the early 1990s. He was not Herod-Graham's boss.

At the time of her firing, Dallas police said Herod-Graham had previously mishandled two other calls. The department said then that she was disciplined for failure to report a 911 call regarding a police officer being assaulted and for disconnecting a caller from 911 while she was attempting to report a man with a gun outside her home.

Herod-Graham said after the hearing that she was a scapegoat.

"But like I said, God has something better for me, and I bless everyone, even Chief Brown," she said. "I'm not mad at him, because my God has something bigger and better for me."

She told reporters that she is looking for another job.

Deanna Cook's death drew national attention after her family found her dead two days after she called 911 to report that her former husband was attacking her.

The police officers sent to her house left after looking in the windows when no one answered the door.

Tonyita Hopkins, the call-taker that answered the call, was suspended and later resigned. Police said she did not enter critical information into the call sheet.

Kimberly Cole, a manager at the call center, and Lt. Ronald Thomasson were also disciplined in the matter.

Cook's family filed a federal lawsuit against the city over the 911 call she made the day she died. An attorney for the family said the responding officers stopped at a burglary alarm and at a 7-Eleven before arriving at Cook's home. Once they arrived, they did not put much effort into entering the home, he said.

More than a month earlier, Dallas' 911 call center was criticized after callers reported that they were unable to reach a call-taker while a house fire raged on July 4.

Dallas police said in late August that they had created a new classification for call-takers and dispatchers to use when relaying reports to officers in the field. The class is for calls involving serious bodily injury or death and is listed as the highest priority.

NBC 5's Ray Villeda and Omar Villafranca contributed to this report.

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Homes Evacuated During Hostage Situation

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Homes in the area of Windy Pine Lane and Arkansas Lane in Arlington were evacuated early Friday morning as Arlington police dealt with a hostage situation.

Sgt. Christopher Cook with the Arlington Police Department says two 911 calls related to this incident came to police departments in Arlington and Pantego.

Cook said around 1 a.m., a neighbor called 911 after they heard a young woman outside the home crying out for help. At the same time, Cook said Pantego received a 911 call from another woman who escaped from the home and said a young woman was assaulted inside and needed help.

When officers arrived on the scene, the young woman and a young man were inside the house and would not leave the residence to talk to police officers.

Investigators said they believe the young woman was being held against her will inside the home and initiated hostage procedures.

Arlington SWAT units and other police officers are on scene and say that attempts to communicate with the people inside the home have been unsuccessful in the last few hours.

Cook said Arlington police believe there could be some weapons inside the house.

The witness to the alleged assault, who also contacted 911 in Pantego, is on scene with investigators to help provide more information about the young man and young woman. Cook said police are currently unsure of the exact relationship between the young man and young woman.

NBC 5's Keaton Fox saw families with small children evacuated away from the scene.

Cook says while some homes in the area have been evacuated, all residents on Windy Pine Lane in Arlington should stay inside.

Arlington ISD says transportation for students that live on Windy Pine will be provided once the situation is resolved.

NBC 5 has crews on the scene gathering more information. As this is a developing story, details may change as we receive more information.

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Car Crashes Into Volleyball Court After Chase

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A police chase in Arlington ended up in court -- a volleyball court, that is.

Arlington police attempted to pull over a vehicle, but after the car did not stop for officers, police pursued the car down Pioneer Parkway until the car drove over the curb and into the Ace Volleyball Center.

The car ran over the curb and concrete parking lot markers of the indoor volleyball center before it slammed through the building and ended up on one of the courts inside the building.

The owner of the volleyball center, Michael Siska, said the man driving the vehicle actually got out of the car and wandered around the building for some time, apparently looking for an escape route.

Police sent in K9 units to help apprehend the man for evading arrest.

A woman passenger was taken to the hospital to be checked out after the crash.

Siska says the facility was scheduled to hold a volleyball tournament Friday night with 300 local girls which will now have to be canceled as the damage is repaired.

There is also an adult volleyball tournament scheduled for this weekend. Siska hopes the damage will be fixed quickly so the facility can get back to business as quickly as possible.

Siska had a sense of humor about the incident, commenting that the couple had VIP court-side seats to upcoming volleyball events.

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Three-Alarm Apartment Fire Disrupts Traffic

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A three-alarm apartment fire on Skillman St. in Dallas has shut down multiple lanes of traffic.

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A three-alarm apartment fire on Skillman St. in Dallas has shut down multiple lanes of traffic.

Northbound lanes of traffic on Skillman around 8110 Skillman St., where the fire is located, have been closed while emergency crews fight the fire.

NBC 5 has crews on the way to the scene to gather more information. As this is a developing story, details may change as we receive more information.

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State Seizes Four Dry-Cleaning Shops

Amanda Guerra, NBC 5 News

Some dry cleaning customers have been hung out to dry after state officials shut down four dry cleaning businesses in the Fort Worth and Euless areas.

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Some dry cleaning customers have been hung out to dry after state officials shut down four dry-cleaning businesses in Fort Worth and Euless.

State records show a lien was filed against the owner of the shops, Taufiq Ahmed, who owes the state approximately $239,000 in sales tax. The delinquent time period listed on the lien is April 2005 to December 2008.

Several customers showed up to the locations on Wednesday, only to find a sign in the door saying the shops had been seized by the state and were closed.

"I had no idea," Kim Norris said. "I just brought my clothing in yesterday, so this must have just happened within the last 24 hours."

"I've just made two trips up here, and I still haven't gotten my clothes," Gary Carpenter said. "But no, it's not a problem. I can come back tomorrow. But ... I'm shocked."

Signs advising customers on the times and dates during which they can come pick up their clothes are posted in the store windows.

Customers must bring exact cash, a check or a money order.

Here are the locations for the four stores:

• Comet Cleaners at 3204 Camp Bowie Blvd. Suite C (Fort Worth)
• Comet Cleaners at 8808 Camp Bowie W. Suite 160 (Fort Worth)
• Comet Cleaners at 2977 South Precinct Line Rd. Suite 221 (Fort Worth)
• Martinizing Dry Cleaners at 109 W. Harwood Rd. (Euless)

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Car Bomb Hits near HQ of Syria's Ruling Party

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A car bomb struck a security checkpoint near the headquarters of Syria's ruling Baath party and the Russian Embassy in the capital Damascus on Thursday, leaving smashed and burning cars on a main thoroughfare and at least four dead bodies lying in a nearby park, according to witnesses and opposition activists.

Syrian state TV also reported the blast in the central Mazraa neighborhood, calling it a "terrorist" attack by a suicide bomber on a heavily populated area near a mosque, a hospital, a bus station and a school. It said at least four children were among the wounded.

The state news agency published photos of two dead bodies lying in the street.

The pro-regime TV station Al-Ikhbariya showed images of what appeared to be at least four dead bodies on the ground and cars on fire. The footage shows firefighters trying to douse cars on fire and lifeless and dismembered bodies lying on the grass of a public garden.

The Britain-based activist group Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the blast caused tens of dead and wounded.

For more world news coverage, click on NBCNews.com

Eyewitnesses at the scene said a car had exploded at a security checkpoint between the Russian Embassy and the central headquarters of the ruling Baath party of President Bashar Assad.

"It was huge. Everything in the shop turned upside down," one local resident said. He said three of his employees were injured by flying glass that killed a young girl who was walking by when the blast hit.

"I pulled her inside the shop but she was almost gone. We couldn't save her. She was hit in the stomach and head," he said, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of retribution for speaking with foreign media.

Ambulances rushed to the scene of the blast, which shattered windows and sent up a huge cloud of smoke visible throughout much of the city, witnesses said.

Russia's state owned RIA Novosti news agency quoted a Russian Embassy official as saying the Embassy building had been damaged in the blast but no one was hurt.

The blast followed two mortar attacks in as many days on the capital. On Wednesday, two mortar shells exploded next to a soccer stadium in Damascus, killing one player. The day before, two mortar shells blew up near one of Assad's three palaces in the city, causing only material damage.

Not long after the first blast Thursday, a security official reported a second blast in the capital's northeastern Barzeh neighborhood. He had no other information and spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

For more world news coverage, click on NBCNews.com

The Observatory, which relies on a network of anti-regime activists inside Syria, said two car bombs had exploded near security centers in Barzeh, followed by intense clashes between rebels and security forces.

Damascus has so far mostly avoided the large-scale violence that has destroyed other Syrian cities, though deadly car bombings have targeted government buildings in the capital.

In May 2012, twin car bombs exploded outside a military intelligence building, killing 55 people in the deadliest attack against a regime target in the capital since the uprising began 23 months ago.

And in July, rebels detonated explosives inside a high-level crisis meeting in Damascus that killed four top regime officials, including Assad's brother-in-law and the defense minister.

Syria's conflict began in March 2011 with political protests against the government and has since evolved into a civil war between Assad's regime and hundreds of rebel groups seeking to topple it. The U.N. says some 70,000 people have been killed in the conflict so far.

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Woman Threatened Mass Shooting at College: FBI

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Amanda Bowden, 19, is accused of threatening to carry out a Newtown-style mass shooting at a community college in New Haven, Conn. She is seen holding a gun in this photo posted on her Facebook page.

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The FBI has arrested an Connecticut woman accused of threatening to carry out a mass shooting at Gateway Community College in New Haven, Conn.

Amanda Bowden, 19, of East Haven, Conn., was taken into custody Tuesday.

Bowden is accused of threatening to commit a Newtown-style mass shooting at the community college.

"As alleged, this defendent made a series of threats that described in great detail her intention to carry out a suicidal mass murder at a community college in New Haven," said U.S. Attorney David Fein.

According to federal authorities, Bowden made several threats by text message with a witness cooperating with investigators between Feb. 4 and Feb 16. She also had text message and verbal conversations with an undercover officer, discussing her plans to commit a mass shooting and bombing at Gateway, authorities said.

Bowden claimed to have guns and claimed that she had constructed at least two napalm-based bombs at her home in East Haven, according to Fein.

The FBI and New Haven police chief Dean Esserman notified Gateway Community College President Dorsey Kendrick about the threats on Feb. 5, according to a school spokesperson.

"Chief Esserman and GCC security had been contacted by the FBI, and were told that there was no imminent danger as a result of the post, but an investigation was underway," said Evelyn Gard.  "The chief requested that Dr. Kendrick and GCC security keep the matter confidential until the investigation was complete."

Bowden was arrested on state charges Tuesday. Federal agents searched Bowden's home in East Haven after her arrest and did not find any firearms or explosives, according to authorities.

Bowden appeared in Milford Superior Court on state threatening charges Wednesday and was then taken into federal custody and moved to Bridgeport Federal Court, where she appeared on a charge of false information and hoaxes.

She remains in custody pending a hearing on March 1.

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Kepler Mission Finds "Smallest" Planet

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Scientists on the lookout for habitable planets outside Earth's solar system found a small wonder with a notable distinction -- Kepler-37b is the smallest planet yet discovered that orbits a star similar to our sun.

The planet's discovery was announced Wednesday by scientists who are part of NASA's Kepler mission. It is located near what researchers consider the "habitable zone" -- a system in which water might exist on planets.

It probably does not have an atmosphere that can support life and the 800-degree Fahrenheit surface temperature would be too hot, but Kepler-37b is still a significant find because it suggests the universe is packed with tiny planet candidates.

And, in the haystack of space, Kepler-37b is the needle.

"We uncovered a planet smaller than any in our solar system orbiting one of the few stars that is both bright and quiet, where signal detection was possible," said Thomas Barclay, Kepler scientist at the Bay Area Environmental Research Institute in Sonoma, Calif. "This discovery shows close-in planets can be smaller, as well as much larger, than planets orbiting our sun."

Since Pluto was re-categorized from planet to dwarf planet, Mercury has become the poster-planet for tiny planets. Kepler-37b -- located about 210 light-years from Earth in the constellation Lyra -- is only slightly larger than the moon.

"The fact we've discovered tiny Kepler-37b suggests such little planets are common, and more planetary wonders await as we continue to gather and analyze additional data," said Jack Lissauer, a planetary scientist at NASA's Ames Research Center at Moffett Field.

The potential for detecting planets such as Kepler-37b has increased as technology allowed researchers to find and measure planets smaller than Earth.

The first planets discovered that orbited a sun-like star outside our solar system, called exoplanets, were relative giants. Kepler, launched in 2009 on a hunt for Earth-like planets, provided scientists with a sizeable techological leap.

The space telescope -- Southern California's Jet Propulsion Laboratory managed Kepler mission development -- measures the size of an object when it passes in front of a star. The percentage of light blocked from the telescope's vantage point helps scientists determine the size of the planet.

But to do that, scientists have to determine the size of the star. Using a process called asteroseismology, scientists studied sound waves created by the boiling motion under the star's surface.

The waves create oscillations detected by Kepler -- small stars have high tones, largers ones produce lower tones in the same way different size bells create different tones. The Kepler-37 star's radius is just three-quarters of the sun, so it produces high-frequency oscillations that make it "the smallest bell in the asteroseismology steeple," according to researchers.

The mission's finding were published Wednesday in the journal "Nature."

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Whole Foods' Chicken Ad Featuring Obama Outrages Neighbors

NBC 4 New York

Some Whole Foods customers are complaining about a sign featuring the president -- a sign they considered racist. Pei-Sze Cheng reports.

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A Whole Foods supermarket in New York has removed a sign that used a drawing of President Barack Obama to advertise a sale on chicken after complaints that the ad was offensive.

The sign outside the supermarket on Manhattan's Upper West Side, featuring an apparent caricature of Obama advertising an upcoming sale on whole organic chickens, outraged neighbor Woody Henderson.

"There are certain things that have been used to put down black people — watermelon, fried chicken," he said. 

Jason Nunez of the Bronx said, "Even if he's not the president, you're going to have an African-American promoting the sale of chicken? They can do better than that." 

Residents and passersby agreed the man in the sign looked like Obama, but not all thought it was derogatory.

"Obviously it looks like the president, but I don't think it's racist," said Joseph Joshua.

A spokesman for Whole Foods said store artists create a variety of pop culture imagery to promote sales and events. The sign advertising the chicken was put up earlier in the week but taken down "once it was brought to our attention by a shopper that it may be perceived as offensive," said the spokesman. 

"There was no disrespect meant at all," the spokesman said.

Henderson thinks the chain should take more responsibility. Another neighbor, Jeffrey Schaper, said, "I don't think you can find a more pro-Democratic neighborhood. They're sort of shooting themselves in the foot. It is pretty outrageous."

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Woman Apologizes for 911 Cigarette Request

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A Hood County woman who was arrested after calling 911 to ask for cigarettes now admits it was a frivolous request and says she regrets it.

Linda White, 48, of Granbury, called 911 at about 1 a.m. on Feb. 11 and asked deputies to make a delivery.

"I need some cigarettes," she said in a recording of the call.

On Tuesday, she apologized and tried to explain.

"We were just kicking it in the back yard -- a few beers too many," she said. "Next thing you know, we're out of cigarettes. Well, I didn't want to drive to town. ... I was drunk, you know, but in my back yard."

"Who's the safest person to call?" she asked. "Your police department, I thought."

Drunk or not, the sheriff's office said 911 is reserved for emergencies.

"A call for deputies to bring cigarettes to the resident is not an emergency call," Hood County Chief Deputy Biff Temple said.

Two deputies responded and found White and her boyfriend, Gary Roberts.

"I just saw bright lights and knew," White said.

Roberts said he knew White was in trouble.

"I knew, because I told her, 'Somebody is fixing to go to jail,'" he said.

White was booked on a charge of abusing 911, a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $2,000 fine and 180 days in jail.

She was released on bond about six hours later, she said.

"I am deeply sorry for what I did," she said in an interview outside her home. "I'm embarrassed. It's not me."

"It is kind of funny," she said laughing.

White added that she learned the hard way not to call 911 with a frivolous request.

"They don't deliver -- they pick up," she said.

Listen to the 911 call (Warning: explicit language):

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Father-Daughter Dance's "No Women" Policy Criticized

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Father-Daughter Dance "No Women" Policy Criticized

A Johnson County mother of two is pushing the Alvarado school district to drop its "no women allowed" policy for father-daughter dances.

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A Johnson County mother of two is pushing the Alvarado school district to drop its "no women allowed" policy for father-daughter dances.

Jennie Edwards, a single mother, said her daughters' grandmother was asked to leave a Valentine's Day Daddy Daughter Dance.

Edwards said the dance policy needs to be updated.

"It needs to be changed," she said. "We don't live in that kind of a world anymore."

Edwards, a single mother, had to work on Valentine's Day, so her parents drove an hour from home take the girls to the dance at Alvarado High School that benefits the junior-senior prom.

Her daughters, 7-year-old Emily and 5-year-old Madilyn, got all dressed up to go to the dance, their first dance.

"It was just a big deal," Edwards said. "It was a big deal for them."

But not long after the dance started, organizers told the girls' grandmother she had to leave. Rather than make her wait in the car alone, the girls and their grandparents all left the dance together.

"I was so upset the girls were upset," Edwards said. "It was such a big deal to them. They really wanted to be there. It was a big deal to them, and ... my heart broke for them, and there was nothing I could do; nothing."

"I'm both mother and father to these girls," she said. "Had I gone, I would have been asked to leave, too. And I'm not the only woman out there like this. These aren't the only two little girls out there like this. It's not fair."

Alvarado Independent School District Superintendent Chester Juroska said he plans to sit down with school principals to talk about changing the dance policy.

"If one person has their feelings hurt, I'm bothered by that," he said.

Juroska said the father-daughter only policy is "more trouble than it's worth" and that the district "probably ought to" revisit it.

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Could Dallas Host the 2024 Olympics?

Omar Villafranca, NBC 5 News

The U.S. Olympic Committee sent a letter to the city of Dallas to see if Dallas is interested in bidding for the 2024 Olympic Games.

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The city of Dallas will try and make a bid for the 2024 Summer Olympic Games.

Matt Wood, the CEO of Dallas 2024, said  his group is working with city leaders to promote the city and prove "Big D" can host the biggest athletic event in the world.

Wood said the Trinity River Project, already underway in Dallas, could become part of the venue for Olympic events. Fair Park could become the Olympic Village, housing as many as 20,000 athletes.

Wood said the two locations could put Dallas ahead of other U.S. cities vying for the games.

"When they come down and sit down with us we say look, we're further along than some other cities and we have more resources here than other cities may have ready to go and then just make it the easiest choice for them," Wood said. "That's all we can do."

Wood said the multi-billion dollar project, funded with private and public money, could provide long-term benefits for Dallas. 

Unlike Super Bowl XLV, which was billed as a North Texas event, the Olympics would only have Dallas in the name. But Wood is quick to add that venues in Tarrant County, like Cowboys Stadium, would be used.

The U.S. Olympic Committee is scheduled to make a decision on which U.S. city will make a bid in Sept. 2015.

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Fuel Spill Closes I-30 in Dallas

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The main lanes of westbound Interstate 30 were closed for hours Wednesday morning after an 18-wheeler crashed into the center median and started leaking fuel.

The crash happened around 2:30 a.m. just before Akard Street.

Witnesses tell Dallas Sheriff's deputies they saw the rig drift over the lane into the median. The truck's wheel and fuel tank were snapped off in the crash.

About 70 gallons of fuel spilled on the road. Environmental crews arrived around 5 a.m. to clean up the fuel. 

The driver was not injured.

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Recovery Continues After Truck Slams Into Creek

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Man Rescued From Submerged Car

The Dallas County Sheriff's Office said there was only one vehicle involved in the crash near Belt Line Road and East Tripp Road in the unincorporated part of Dallas County.

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An investigation is underway as Dallas County emergency crews try to recover a truck that crashed into a creek on Tuesday night.

The Dallas County Sheriff's Office said there was only one vehicle involved in the crash near Belt Line Road and East Tripp Road.

Investigators said the truck crashed into the culvert around 9 p.m. Tuesday night and completely went under water.

Sunnyvale firefighters were able to pull one man from the car, but they do not know if anyone else was inside.

That person has been transported to Dallas Regional Hospital in Mesquite.

Emergency crews are using divers to gather more information about the vehicle.

Authorities do not know what caused the crash.

Recovery efforts were hindered Tuesday night after a cable being used by the emergency crews to pull the vehicle from the water snapped.

Crews will be back out at the scene attempting to pull the vehicle out around 8 a.m. Wednesday.

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One Dead After Shooting Outside Nightclub

One man is dead after a shooting outside an Oak Cliff nightclub early Tuesday morning.

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One man is dead after a shooting outside an Oak Cliff nightclub early Tuesday morning.

The deadly shooting happened just before 1:30 a.m. near Chocolate City, a club off Beckley and Illinois.

Dallas police identified the victim as 35-year-old Tommy Heads from Lancaster, TX.

Officers believe Heads exchanged words with some people inside of the club and the fight spilled outside into a nearby parking lot.

Investigators say Heads walked out of Chocolate City with his girlfriend and down the block to his car at Beckley and Ohio.  Two men confronted them. At least one man had a gun and shot Heads in the buttocks, seriously wounding him.  Paramedics gave him CPR and rushed him to Methodist Hospital where he died a short time later.

Police reports state that the people that shot Heads also took $100 from him before fleeing from the scene.

The victim's girlfriend did not get hurt. Investigators are talking with her and hope she can provide some information about who shot and killed her boyfriend.

Dallas police are searching for the gunman and his accomplice.

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Red Light Cameras Make Millions

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In the city the Dallas Cowboys call home, some red light cameras write checks as big as an NFL salary.

One camera at northbound Cooper and Pioneer Parkway in Arlington dished out $2.5 million in red light tickets in just four years.

In the City of Fort Worth, records show cameras have generated $23 million.  The top money maker is on the West Freeway Frontage Road at Ashland Avenue, bringing in $1.7 million since 2008.

Red light cameras were installed to save lives to prevent dangerous crashes and to catch people who are breaking the law, and there's evidence cameras work.

A Texas Transportation Institute study found a 26 percent decrease in red light crashes at intersections after cameras were installed. 

But some e-mails obtained by NBC5 Investigates raise questions about whether some city officials are more interested in reducing crashes, or collecting millions of dollars to fill gaps in city budgets.

Through an open records request, NBC 5 Investigates obtained a Dallas City Hall e-mail string talking about red light camera revenue.

In one email, a city staffer said someone in the City Manager's office "needs an explanation of why the following items are reporting low on revenue and what will be done to address the issue."

The list includes parking fines and red light cameras.

Another staffer writes back explaining, "Red Light Cameras are projected to be under-budget due to a decline in the number of violations per site."

An Assistant City Manager replies, "…who is picking the red light sites and what department are they in?"

"I think it's really dangerous when city officials from any city begin to tell us that we have a certain quota or certain expectation of how much money red light cameras are going to produce," said University of Texas at Arlington Criminology Professor, Alex del Carmen

Del Carmen said there's a danger that a noble, lifesaving program could become driven more by a need to boost city budgets than by the safety goals cameras were intended to achieve.

"They were never meant to produce a dollar figure that at some point it would be an expectation," del Carmen said.

Despite the emails, the City of Dallas insists camera locations are chosen only on the basis of crash statistics and other safety concerns.

Raul Magdaleno, who heads the City of Dallas commission that helps decide where to put red light cameras, admits the city does move cameras sometimes if the number of tickets decreases at an intersection.

But Magdaleno said decisions on where to put cameras are based on which intersections have the greatest safety need, not on any dollar amount target.

"No that is never discussed. The target is never discussed in any of the commission," said Magdaleno.  "As a commission, that is not -- we do not take that into consideration."

In Texas, state law said cities can only spend red light ticket money on traffic safety programs.

In Fort Worth, the city uses their portion of the money to make roads safer.

"Intersection improvements, traffic signals, school sidewalks and pavement markings," said Randy Burkett, Fort Worth traffic engineer.

In Arlington it pays for a police DWI program.

Arlington and Fort Worth told us they'd find other ways to pay for those things if tickets dropped and the money dried up.

"If we have fewer accidents, I don't think anyone is going to quibble with that and we'll consider it a success," said Rebecca Rodriguez, spokesperson for the City of Arlington.

And, in Dallas, where a camera at Lovers Lane and Central Expressway wrote 30,000 tickets in four years, the city said the program will stay focused on the mission of changing driver behavior to save lives.

"Try talking to a mom who's just lost her kid because somebody passed a red light because they were texting and passed a red light -- to them this is not about revenue," said Magdaleno.

But as the cameras flash and the money rolls in, cities are getting used to a giant pot of extra cash.

"I do expect to see more and more of these cameras to appear on your way to work and my way to work on a daily basis," said del Carmen.

Under Texas law, cities are also required to split red light camera money they collect with the state. 

That money is supposed to fund regional trauma centers.  But the state comptroller's office tells NBC 5 Investigates $64 million is just sitting in that fund.  The legislature has not given it to the hospitals yet.

In a statement, State Sen. John Carona, told NBC 5 Investigates, "We told the taxpayers this money would go to a specific purpose, and we need to live up to that."

Locations of the top money making cameras:

Arlington*

• Northbound Cooper @303 $2,450,877.47
• Northbound Watson @ Avenue H $2,060,015.17
• Northbound South Cooper @ West Park Row $1,456,919.00
• Northbound North Cooper@ Road to Six Flags $1,293,168.16
• *Represents money from 2008-2012

Dallas*

• Westbound Lovers Lane @ North Central Expressway $2,283,673
• Forest Lane EB + EBLT @ Plano $1,469,475
• Westbound Mockingbird Lane @ Central NBSR $1,308,675
• * City of Dallas dollar amount figures are based on the number of citations issued x $75/ per citation since Fiscal Year 2009.

Fort Worth*

• Westbound West Freeway Service Road @ Ashland Ave $1,765,186.15
• Eastbound E Rosedale Street (West Side) @ South Freeway Service Road South $1,172,461.47
• *Represents money collected from 2008 to September 2012

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Marriage Counselor Affair Trial Resumes

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A Tarrant County jury will resume deliberations Tuesday in a sexual assault case involving a marriage counselor accused of abusing her position to exploit an emotionally dependent client.

The jurors are deliberating on the case involving Loven who was a licensed counselor at the time she allegedly counseled a couple to divorce and used her position to have sex with the husband.

Loven could face two to 20 years in prison, if she is found guilty.

Jurors received the case around 3 p.m. on Friday, but were sent home shortly after 5 p.m. They sent a note around 4 p.m. asking for the definitions of exploitation and emotional dependent, as well as coffee.

The trial resumed Friday afternoon with a handful of prosecution witnesses, before the state rested. The defense put on no witnesses, as it is not required to do so.

Marriage Counselor Trial Continues

Sheila Loven, the marriage counselor charged with sexual assault for using her position as a licensed counselor to have sex with a male client, was back in court Thursday.

Marriage Counselor Accused of Sexual Assault

Marriage counselor Sheila Loven was charged with sexual assault, prosecutors say she had sex with one of the clients she was supposed to be counseling.

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During closing arguments, the prosecution and defense said Loven was a bad counselor and what she did was wrong, but both sides disagreed on whether it was illegal.

Prosecutors Betty Arvin and Sean Colston compared the counselor and patient relationship to preacher and parishioner or student and teacher.

They argued that the victim, who NBC 5 will not identify, was emotionally dependent on Loven as a licensed counselor, and she exploited that relationship for sex.

Text messages, allegedly from Loven to the victim and his wife, were brought up during closing arguments.

"It tells you that Sheila knew (victim) was emotionally dependent on her," Assistant District Attorney Colston argued.

Defense Attorney Mark Scott admitted his client's actions were immoral and argued that his client didn't take advantage of the victim or manipulate him and his wife, rather she simply developed feelings for him.

"I know you don't like Sheila, I don't blame you," Scott said. "What she did is terrible, it's disgusting. They want you to believe that leaving love notes for him was manipulative, that telling him he was handsome was manipulative. Ladies and gentlemen she fell in love with (the victim), it's a bad idea, terrible. Immoral, unethical, improper, goes across boundaries, not right, not illegal."

Colston said it is illegal and if the genders were different there would be no doubt.

"What if this was a woman treated by a counselor, we would have no doubt that she was exploited, that that was an illegal act," Colston said.

"Divorce Counseling"

The wife took the stand on Thursday and testified about her relationship with Loven, which she described as "visiting her best friend once a week to talk."

The wife said Loven spoke unfavorably about her husband for months and encouraged the two to divorce. 

"It wasn't marriage counseling, it was divorce counseling," the wife said in court. 

In Sept. 2009, after the wife filed for divorce, she met Loven at Flip's in Grapevine, Texas. Throughout lunch she disclosed to Loven suspicions she had about her husband seeing someone. She testified that after a possible girlfriend was mentioned, Loven admitted her involvement.

"It's me, it's me," the wife said Loven told her. "She had developed an interest in my husband and wanted to seek a relationship with him," she said in court.

The wife added that she was numb after the conversation with Loven and eventually got up and left the restaurant. 

The Fort Worth Star Telegram reports that Loven and the husband had an affair for two months in 2009 before the couple reconciled after realizing that Loven had been deceiving them during their separate counseling sessions.

"I thought she was my friend, I thought she cared," the wife testified.

After the couple's reconciliation, they started receiving sexually graphic, threatening and insulting text messages in Jan. 2010, allegedly from Loven. 

The defense argued in court that the messages could not be authenticated. Judge Ruben Gonzalez over ruled the objections.

Prosecutor Betty Arvin quoted in court a text message to the husband that read: "When are you going to figure out that you are nothing without me? I made you a man." 

A text sent to the wife read: "I want you to suffer."

The couple is now divorced.

Husband Testifies

Throughout Thursday's trial the husband testified. He detailed the issues in his marriage, why he and his wife went to counseling, and how the sexual relationship with Loven, started, continued and ended. But the man, who NBC 5 will not identify, said if he only knew what Loven was up to he wouldn't have done it.

"If you had the knowledge that you had on Sept. 19, 2009, would you have ever had sex with Sheila Loven?" Asked Tarrant County Assistant District Attorney Sean Colston. "No," the victim testified.

The husband said he entered into marriage counseling because that is what his wife wanted and he wanted to keep his marriage together. He testified that he and his wife were manipulated in separate counseling sessions by the defendant, Loven, and those manipulations eventually led the victim into going to a night club with Loven.

He said Loven touched him inappropriately at the time, but he thought it was merely an accident. In the days that followed, the victim went to Loven's house to bring her some supplies. That's when he said Loven first kissed him and he kissed back.

"I kissed her, then I was like oh (expletive), what have I done?" said the victim.

The kiss then led to to a sexual relationship that ended only after Loven told the victim's wife about the affair. The husband and wife reconciled when they realized what was going on, although the two have since divorced.

Loven's defense attorney tried to get the victim to paint the relationship as purely consensual, and one that isn't coerced.

"You were a willing participate in that," asked attorney Mark Scott.

"Nobody had showed me attention like that in months and here, yes, my counselor," the victim testified.

The victim also said Loven told him she loved him repeatedly. It's affection the victim testified he liked because he was having a rocky stretch in his marriage.

"Finally, I just started saying it (I love you) because I didn't know what to say, I wanted her to say," the victim testified. "She keeps saying it and I didn't know what to say."

But the victim ultimately wanted to get back together with his wife.

"I still felt like I was connected to my wife and it felt like I was doing something wrong here with Sheila," the victim testified.

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Half of Parents Join Facebook to Spy on Kids: Report

Philadelphia Police announced on Wednesday they've made 100 arrests through the usage of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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Although some people believe that 30 and 40-somethings join Facebook to reconnect with old high school flames, at least one report says that half of all parents are doing it to keep tabs on their children.

According to the Education Database Online blog, about half of all parents said part of the reason they joined was to see what their kids were up to.

Another 43 percent admitted to checking their kids' status updates every day. And probably the worst of all, 92 percent on social media have "friended" their children.

Not surprisingly, one in three teens say they have been embarrassed on social media by a parent. Thirty percent of teens also responded they would de-friend parents if they could. 

At the age of 13, when teens are allowed to join Facebook, about 65 percent request their parents as friends. That number drops to 40 percent by age 20.

   Image: OnlineEducation.net

Parents obviously want to stay in touch with their children, and social networks are a way to do that. 

The only problem occurs when parents are too nosy or too involved in their kids' lives — such as posting embarrassing photos or constantly messaging.

Like most things, parents have to learn when to back away and let their children act on what they have been taught at home.

Hopefully, that means being responsible and respectful online.

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Rubio Water Bottles Make $125K In Sales

In the aftermath of Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's water grab, "SNL" showcased a "sip slip" spoof during its "Weekend Update," and Rubio's PAC pitched a product to cash in on the water woe. Terry Sullivan with the Reclaim America PAC discussed Rubio's water bottles in an email.

Sales of Marco Rubio Water Bottles Gushing...

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South Floridians React to Marco Rubio's Water Break

South Floridians on Wednesday reacted to Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's water bottle moment during his response to the State of the Union. NBC 6's Keith Jones has the story.

Rubio and Craig Romney Hold Rally at FIU

About 200 people attended the "Student Victory Rally" led by Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and Mitt Romney's son Craig on Friday. Student Claudia Navarro and Romney supporter Alexander Cook talked about the candidates.

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Florida Sen. Marco Rubio's water bottle became a viral sensation after his response to President Obama's State of the Union last week.

But that water bottle is not just a sensation – it's now making his Reclaim America PAC thousands of dollars in profit.

"So far we've sold over 4,200 water bottles in the last five days, bringing in over $125,000," Terry Sullivan with the Reclaim America PAC said on Monday.

With a minimum $25 donation, the PAC will send buyers a white water bottle that reads "RUBIO" in big red letters.

The water bottle has been advertised on the PAC's website and on Rubio's social media as a way to "send the liberal detractors a message that not only does Marco Rubio inspire you…he hydrates you too."

Sullivan said the water bottle inspiration came after seeing all the hype from the media and the pundits after Rubio's drink of water.

During his State of the Union response last week, Rubio lurched forward to grab a drink of water, took an audible gulp, returned the small Poland Spring bottle to a table and continued with his speech, causing a social media explosion. The moment was also immortalized on "SNL."

Rubio himself said via Twitter that the water bottle moment helped him gain more than 13,000 new followers and joked that he would have to start drinking water in the middle of all his speeches.

He then published the picture his own for-sale Rubio water bottle on Twitter, urging his followers to buy the water bottle and quench their thirst for conservative leadership.

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NYC Subway Heroes Save Stranger Who Falls onto Tracks

NBC 4 New York

Three men wasted no time jumping onto the subway tracks to save a man who fell off the platform in the early morning hours Sunday, barely missing the next train rolling into the station. Roseanne Colletti reports.

3 Men Jump onto Subway Tracks to...

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Three men jumped onto the subway tracks to save a man who fell off a Manhattan platform early Sunday, barely avoiding the next train rolling into the station. 

A man in his 20s hit his head and stumbled onto the tracks at the 1 train platform at about 2:40 a.m. Sunday at the Columbus Circle station. The next train was schedule to arrive in two minutes. Garrett O'Hanlon, 22, jumped onto the tracks to rescue the stranger.

"I looked over and saw him down there, and everyone started to scream," the Air Force cadet from Dallas told NBC 4 New York Monday. "After that, it was almost like a blur, it happened so quickly." 

Seeing O'Hanlon struggle with the unresponsive and bleeding man, 23-year-old Dennis Codrington jumped in to help, along with his friend from Poughkeepsie, 23-year-old Matt Foley.

O'Hanlon said the man was heavy and he couldn't lift him alone. His friend was happy to help.

"It was really surreal," said Codrington, a personal trainer for the fitness chain Equinox who lives in Manhatan's Washington Heights neighborhood. "I can't tell you what I was thinking when I was down there. The last thing I was thinking was just 'Get the guy off the tracks.'" 

The three men were still struggling to lift the man on the tracks onto the platform when other straphangers pitched in.

"The people on the platform were pulling him up, pulling us up," said O'Hanlon. "It was like collaboration of teamwork."

The three heroes got up just in time. First responders rushed the unconscious man to a hospital. His condition was unclear.

Codrington soon boarded a train to go back to work, and O'Hanlon had a flight to catch back to the Air Force Academy in Colorado.

"To witness something like that, witness someone almost being killed, it just puts a lot of things in perspective for me," said Codrington. 

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Police: Morales "Lunged At The Officers"

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Police Going Door-to-Door in Search for Fugitive

Four days after he attacked a Miami-Dade police officer, fugitive Alberto Morales is still on the loose.

Injured Officer's Daughter Calls Morales "Dangerous"

The daughter of the detective attacked by Miami fugitive Alberto Morales, spoke out at a news conference on Friday pleading for the public's help in locating Morales.

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Grapevine police said in his final moments of life, 42-year-old Alberto Morales attempted to do what he had done successfully in the past, evade capture. 

But this time, he ultimately failed.

"Officers surrounded Mr. Morales," Sgt. Robert Eberling with Grapevine police said. "They gave him commands to surrender. He failed to do so. He failed to display his hands, He kept his hands concealed and when Morales lunged at the officers,  they subsequently shot him fearing for their safety."

Officers were concerned because they said he was armed with sticks. "He was very skilled and crafty as far as making makeshift edge weapons inside of prison and I think that was certainly in the forethought of the officers who encountered him today," Sgt. Eberling said.

Since Morales' daring escape Monday night using a pair of eyeglasses, officers said he ditched the shorts he was wearing and found other clothing. On Saturday morning, when he was discovered, he was wearing long pants. He was also less than four miles north of the Wal-Mart parking lot where he escaped.

The latest and last search began after Grapevine Police received a burglary call from a home in the same area late Friday night. Officers said men's clothing and jewelry were missing from the home.
 

"We are somewhat surprised that someone was able to, especially with the weather, the terrain up there, that someone was able to remain hidden," said Sgt. Eberling.

"It's been a long arduous week with everyone involved in this investigation," said Sgt. Eberling. "I think for the most the part the officers are relieved that we no longer have a threat out there." 

Detective Pardinas Released

The Miami-Dade, Florida Police Department said Detective Jaime Pardinas walked out of Dallas' Parkland Memorial Hospital on Saturday and is now resting at a Dallas/Fort Worth area hotel.

Doctors said he is not allowed to travel home to Miami until Monday at the earliest.

On a 911 call released last week, Pardinas can be heard breathing heavily as he tells the operator that he's been stabbed. He described Morales' height, weight and appearance and then added: "He's a schizophrenic."
 

In a news conference at Parkland Hospital Wednesday, authorities said Pardinas was stabbed very deeply in the neck and back and that he suffered a collapsed lung.

Reaction From South Florida

Pardinas' sister Cyntia Shand told NBC News in Miami she is relieved to hear Morales is no longer alive.  "I personally feel ashamed anyone has to die but this man [Morales] was such a criminal, it's actually a relief that he won't hurt anyone or cause any further terror," Shand said.

She also spoke about her concerns for the community of Grapevine. "Could you imagine the terror that, that community (Grapevine) had to endure with lock down in schools and communities that felt threatened? It's over. It's a relief actually."

Shand added that her brother, Pardinas, is recovering well. "He sounds strong, he's cracking jokes," Shand said. "But his main concern is to protect our family, our privacy.. just to make sure we maintain our family closeness." "He's our hero.. but let him be the public's hero."

The police department in Miami-Dade released the following statement in response to news that Morales had been killed.:

"I want to thank the Grapevine Police Department, Fort Worth Police Department, the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force, and all other law enforcement agencies, along with the city of Dallas, and the entire state of Texas,for putting an end to the manhunt.  I would also like to thank the local EMS service and Parkland Memorial Hospital for their skilled and proficient life-saving care.

To our Detective Jaime Pardinas, I commend you for your will to live through this horrible event that you've endured, and we look forward to your safe return home.

To the victims who suffered at the hands of this diabolical individual, may you now have peace knowing that he will not be able to hurt you or anyone else again.

May God continue to guide us and protect us as we continue to fight the battle of good verses evil."

--J.D. Patterson, Director

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White Buffalo Makes Home In Dallas

Kevin Cokely & Amanda Guerra, NBC 5 News

You can now see a rare white buffalo among the native Texas plants and animals at a downtown Dallas landmark.

White Buffalo Makes Home In Dallas

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A Downtown Dallas ranch is now home to a rare white buffalo.

Many stop by Fuel City to buy gas and tacos and see native Texas plants and animals, including five of the state's biggest longhorns.

On Saturday, "Lone Star" moved in. She is a 4-year-old white American bison. The rare animal is considered sacred in many Native American cultures.  It is a symbol of hope and rebirth.

NBC DFW learned the white buffalo is pregnant and expected to give birth this summer.

Fuel City is located 801 South Riverfront Blvd. It includes eight acres on the banks of the Trinity River at the interchange of I-30 and I-35E.  

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Frisco HS Basketball Player's Inspiring Game

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Dealing with illness, a Frisco HS Basketball player makes a play no one will soon forget.

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It's senior night at Frisco Wakeland High School, and it just happens to be the biggest game of the season.  The Wolverines need a win against Heritage High School to make the playoffs.
               
Senior forward Justin Nicholas is returning to the court for the first time since December.  Win or lose, this will be his last game.
               
"I've missed it a lot.  I've even had dreams about playing," said Nicholas.  "You know, you never realize how much you miss something until it's gone."

Midway through the basketball season, Justin was rushed to the hospital after finding lumps on his body.  On Christmas eve, he had emergency surgery for testicular cancer.

"When we found out it was just like 'wow,'" said the senior.  "You never know what could happen, you never know when your life could end.  You just take little things for granted like playing basketball."

Surgery was successful, but the cancer had spread.  Justin is through three rounds of chemotherapy, with one more to go.

"At first, it was really hard," said Justin's mom Gayla Nicholas.  "There would be nights where he and I were at the hospital where he'd become very emotional, which was very tough.  But he has very good spirits, a very good attitude and he's handled this extremely well."

Through chemotherapy, Justin's health is improving.  His basketball coach wanted to recognize that progress on senior night.

"Since it was taken from him so suddenly, I knew coach Harris over at Heritage would be completely on board with the fact if we could work something out, get him in the game, let him score a bucket and just let him get in the box score with his teammates one last time," said Wakeland basketball coach Brent Benningfield.

To a standing ovation, Justin was welcomed back to the court and introduced as a starter.  The two teams allowed Nicholas to take the ball and score the game's first basket.  Wakeland then let Heritage score an uncontested layup to tie the game at two.  Nine seconds into the game, Justin left the court knowing his varsity career was over.

On a night that celebrated Justin's determination, the basketball game had a similar theme.  Wakeland hit a game winning bucket in the final minute.  Final score, Wakeland 67, Heritage 65.

"It was awesome, a lot better than I thought it would be with everyone behind me," says Justin. 

"It was such an amazing night and I want to just thank everyone for coming out and supporting me.  It means so much to me."    
 

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Police: Former Constable Killed Ex-Girlfriend

Andres Gutierrez, NBC 5 News

Rockwall police said former Hunt County constable Anthony Lewis shot and killed his ex-girlfriend. Lewis then led police on a 45 minute chase from Rockwall to Greenville.

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High Speed Chase After Shooting In Rockwall

The suspect in the shooting lead police on a 45 minute chase through several North Texas cities.

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A Rockwall mother of three children died Saturday. Police believe Jessica Aguilar's ex-boyfriend, former Hunt County Constable Anthony DeWayne Lewis killed her before leading police on a pursuit and gunfight.

NBC DFW talked with the Aguilar's son, Jaime Puente. He said Lewis approached his mother at his sister's basketball game hours before she died on Saturday night.

"He wasn't being violent," Puente said. "My mom was just trying to be civil... She let him stay there."

According to Puente, Aguilar and Lewis met about five years ago at work.  She was an apartment complex manager and he worked security. They had recently split.

"I just had that feeling that there something wrong," Puente said. "He got mad way too easy." 

He adds that Lewis was upset at the fact that Aguilar had started dating again.

Lewis served as constable in Commerce, until he was defeated in the recent Republican Primary. He left office January 1.  His law enforcement experience was a factor in the officers' response.

"It certainly made us consider our tactics given that he knows how we operate," Rockwall police Sgt. Aaron McGrew, with Rockwall Police said.

Once the chase ended in Greenville, a standoff ensued.

"The suspect produced a handgun and pointed it to the direction of the officers," Sgt. McGrew said. "Officers from several agencies opened fire at that point."

Aguilar's companion, Francisco Delacruz, was taken to Baylor Hospital and is expected to survive.

Lewis is at Parkland Hospital in Dallas in critical condition.  He is charged with one count of murder on one million dollars bond and one count of attempted murder with a $500,000 bond. 

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Two Grassfires Cause Concern Near Benbrook Lake

Ray Villeda, NBC 5 News

Grassfires break out along 5200 block of FM1187 and at Stuart Phelps and FM1187.

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A large cloud of smoke over an unincorporated part of Tarrant County could be seen miles away on Sunday.

On scene, Tarrant County Sheriff's deputies believe it may have been a result of sparks from a train on the tracks.

Two fires are believed to be responsible for the large cloud of smoke.  They broke out along two stretches of FM 1187, southeast of Benbrook Lake.

The smoke was so thick it enveloped nearby homes.

"You could see the flames coming off tree tops when you were up a little further up the road," said Terry Covington. "It got so dense you couldn't see 50 yards."

The fire was across the road from Renee Lewis's home.

"We called 911," Lewis said. There was a lot of smoke, they warned us we might have to take off, packed four of the dogs and went down the road where I could breathe a little better."

The Tarrant County fire marshal is still investigating. No word on how many acres were burned as a result.

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