2012 is here!

Texas jury awards 150 billion to family of Splendora boy who was set afire.

LA GRANGE, Texas (AP) — An attorney says a Texas jury has awarded the largest verdict he has ever heard of — $150 billion to the family of a man who died 12 years after being set afire as an 8-year-old.

Robbie Middleton was set on fire near Splendora in Montgomery County on his 8th birthday in 1998.

Craig Sico says the punitive damage award is symbolic and the family expects none of it will be paid.

The defendant, Don Wilburn Collins, is currently imprisoned on an unrelated sexual assault charge. He was never charged and denies involvement in the 2010 death of 20-year-old Middleton.
Sico says he asked jurors to make a statement by topping the $145 billion Florida verdict against tobacco companies in 2000.

Neither Collins nor any attorney appeared for him at the civil trial. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice didn't respond to requests for comment Tuesday.

Worst wildfire in East Texas history possibly caused by lightning

THE CHRON:

The cause of the worst wildfire in East Texas history that burned across 19,000 acres and destroyed 83 homes is listed as "undetermined" - although a investigative report speculates that it mostly likely was triggered by smoldering underground roots or stumps from a lightning strike 10 days earlier in the same vicinity.

According to a report on the fire obtained by the Houston Chronicle, Assistant Montgomery County Fire Marshal Scott Burlin said he reviewed digital photos of the fire scene, reports on the lightning fire and examined the burned terrain before issuing his final report on the 16-day blaze that began Sept. 5 in the woods near the western edge of the Crown Ranch subdivision.

While stating the fire appeared to be accidental, he stressed it originated in the same general area as a fire caused by a lightning strike 10 days earlier on the far western edge of the Crown Ranch subdivision. The only access to the subdivision is off FM 1486 in Montgomery County, but the fire actually began on the subdivision's western edge which lies in Grimes County, he said.

"It is well documented that burning stumps and tree roots can and do smolder in the 'black areas' for several weeks after a forest fire if that fire is not fully extinguished," he said in the report. "This scenario cannot be ruled out and is most likely the cause of the Tri-County fire on Sept. 5."

The fire ravaged acres in Montgomery, Waller and Grimes counties with the most destruction occurring in Waller where 75 homes were listed as totally destroyed.

According to the report, Burlin said he examined several deer camps that were in the vicinity of the fire and might have possibly had camp fires or burn piles that could have initiated the blaze.

However, he said he found "no credible information or evidence" that any of the camps had contributed to the fire.

He also concluded that the drought conditions and high winds caused it to quickly rage and made it difficult to bring under control.

As a result, he said dozens of firefighters from as far away as Florida and California assisted in battling the blaze.

He said assistance came from area volunteers as well as the Texas Forest Service, U.S. Forestry Service and included water drops from giant planes.

Shadowhawk drone will be deployed in January

HOUSTON (CN) - A Texas sheriff plans to launch an unmanned drone in January. The ShadowHawk will not be armed with weapons, but will be equipped with blue flashing lights, a camera and an infrared sensor, according to Montgomery County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Randy McDaniel. Montgomery County is north of Houston.

The Montgomery County sheriff purchased the drone with a $300,000 grant from the Department of Homeland Security.

The ShadowHawk was made by Conroe, Texas-based Vanguard Defense Industries. Conroe is the seat of Montgomery County, which is immediately north of Houston's Harris County.

The ShadowHawk weighs 50 pounds, is 79 inches long and can fly as high as 8,000 feet. The drone is operated remotely by a laptop computer system, runs off a mixture of oil and gas, and can stay airborne for more than an hour, depending on weather conditions.

Vanguard Defense Industries CEO Michael Buscher said his company manufactures and sells the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to commercial and law-enforcement customers, but most have been sold for military uses.

Vanguard's military UAVs can be equipped with 40-millimeter grenade launchers, and fully- and semi-automatic small arms, according to the company's website.
Though Montgomery County's ShadowHawk will not have weapons, Buscher said Vanguard is developing a system to arm its law enforcement UAVs with nonlethal munitions.

"Despite the press the aircraft has received, the Law Enforcement (LE) version is not what we would deem as a 'weaponized' system," Buscher wrote in an email to Courthouse News Service. "Within the next 60 days our R&D division will complete testing on a less-lethal firing system that can be integrated in the LE variants. This system will include provision of a unit which will be capable of firing 37mm or 40mm less-lethal munitions and not high explosives. These munitions will include tear gas canisters, flares, smoke, flash-bangs, etc."

Buscher directed Courthouse News Service to the website of an Ontario, Canada-based business, Police Ordnance Co., for an idea of what kinds of munitions its law enforcement UAVs will be capable of carrying.

Police Ordnance calls itself "the premier law enforcement products manufacturer and distributor serving the law enforcement professional worldwide."

Through its website, Police Ordnance sells tear gas, bean-bag projectiles, baton and sting-ball projectiles in 37mm and 40mm cartridges, and munitions designed to deliver a "combination payload of flash-bang charge and smoke charge" upon impact.

McDaniel said the Montgomery County Sheriff's Department "would definitely look into what the capabilities are" once Vanguard Defense Industries works out the kinks in its law-enforcement UAVs firing systems.

For now, the sheriff's department will use the ShadowHawk for "mission-specific issues," such as searching for people lost in Sam Houston National Forest, in situations involving hazardous materials, or to provide support for people on the ground fighting a forest fire, McDaniel said.

"The ShadowHawk can see through heavy smoke using its optic system to find hot spots, fire breaks and fire lines. And can help the ground crews figure out where to go," Vanguard CEO Buscher said.

The sheriff's office has been working with Vanguard on the ShadowHawk project for 3 years, after it was approached by Buscher, according to the Houston Chronicle.
Deputy McDaniel told the Chronicle there has not been any major opposition to the drone since the plans were unveiled in late October. But questions about its surveillance capabilities have stirred privacy concerns.

McDaniel told the Chronicle last week: "We're not about spying on the residents of this county. We are about putting criminals in jail and putting a stop to criminal activity. We have better things to do, and spying is not our role."
Buscher told Courthouse News that using the ShadowHawk is "no different from having a manned helicopter."

"They've been using helicopters since the 1940s. So cities and municipalities have been dealing with these issues for decades. You still have to get warrants and follow protocol you would for a manned helicopter. A lot of people don't realize a helicopter can conduct surveillance from high altitudes where you can't see it."
Deputy McDaniel said warrants are not legally required for the ShadowHawk to conduct surveillance.

"Air space is just that. Just as a news helicopter can fly over your house and poke a camera outside your window and record you in your yard, our helicopter can do that. There's no requirement for aerial surveillance," McDaniel said.
As for the ShadowHawk's potential to be equipped with nonlethal munitions, University of Houston professor of criminal procedure Adam Gershowitz said the mere existence of the technology does not raise any red flags.

"I can't think of any U.S. Supreme Court precedent that says you can't do it. I don't think there are any constitutional rules to stop it. I do think it would be a good idea for Montgomery County to put specific guidelines in place as to how it will be used," Gershowitz said.

The sheriff's department is training a two-man team to use the ShadowHawk. McDaniel said the department has had to work around the deputies' schedules to get the training done.

The training program is a "180-hour, FAA-based training program that includes physicals, as anyone who applies for a pilot license has to meet sight and hearing requirements," Buscher said.

ACLU concerned about police drone

THE CHRON:

As the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office gears up to employ an unmanned helicopter to hunt criminals and find missing persons, civil liberties advocates are concerned about the spy in the sky used for policing.

Chief Deputy Randy McDaniel of the sheriff's office said the $300,000 ShadowHawk drone - purchased from Vanguard Defense Industries with federal homeland security grant funds - will take to the air in the coming months to provide another tool in the law enforcement arsenal.

"It's an exciting piece of equipment for us," he said. "We envision a lot of its uses primarily in the realm of public safety - looking at recovery of lost individuals and being able to utilize it for fire issues."

It also could be used, he said, to provide surveillance for officers serving a warrant at a specific location. It would not, however, be used to track suspects' vehicles. McDaniel said that manned helicopters would continue to be used for that purpose.

The unmanned craft will be controlled by a pilot using a laptop with a game-like console, and it comes equipped with a powerful camera and heat-seeking device mounted on the front.

ACLU concerns

In the future, the drone could be equipped to carry nonlethal weapons such as Tasers or a bean-bag gun, McDaniel said.

Kirsten Bokenkamp, spokeswoman for the Houston-based American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said the drones raise concerns because there are not enough safeguards in place to protect citizens from unreasonable search and seizure.

HPD's 2007 tests

"It's just another example of technology that is outstripping our lives," she said. "What we mean by that, is the technology moves so quickly and the interpretations of the Fourth Amendment are failing to keep up with the technology. That brings privacy concerns."

"Further," Bokenkamp said, "the use of drones kind of takes the place of good old-fashioned detective work, and it allows for a more pervasive surveillance than we've been accustomed to or that we know about."

McDaniel disagreed, saying the 50-pound drone is an extension of the aerial resources currently available to law-enforcement agencies - manned helicopters from the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Texas Department of Public Safety and the Houston Police Department.

League City man faces child pornography charges.

SANTA FE, Texas — A 34-year-old League City man faces child pornography charges after investigators claimed the man downloaded illegal images to his computer, Santa Fe police said.

Santa Fe police Detective Heather Burd, who is a member of the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, tracked a series of child pornography downloads to a League City Internet address.

James Karl Dunivan was arrested at his home in the 1200 block of Halls Bridge in League City on Monday morning.

Bastrop is burning ...

BASTROP

- The most destructive wildfire on record in Texas showed no signs of slowing down Monday, destroying 25,000 acres in Bastrop County and 476 homes, more houses than any single wildfire before and more than all other fires this year combined, according to the Texas Forest Service.

With more than 60 new wildfires raging across the state, Gov. Rick Perry left the campaign trail Monday in South Carolina to address the public and organize requests for more federal aid.

Closer to Houston, a fire in Magnolia burned 20 homes and more than 1,600 acres, and was threatening subdivisions in Montgomery and Grimes counties late Monday. It had moved southwest into Waller County last Monday.

It was one of several fires to hit the area, straining state and local resources as officials focused on the most dangerous blazes. One firefighter was injured and one fire engine burned in blazes in the Magnolia area, said Lt. Dan Norris, spokesman for the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities did not yet know how much of the most dangerous fire had been contained Monday, but planned to continue fighting it "as long as necessary," Norris said.

Strong winds and dry conditions fanned the flames and aided the blaze's rapid growth, forcing the evacuation of more than 150 homes. Montgomery County officials were encouraging evacuations from the intersection of FM 1774 and FM 1488, about 42 miles northwest of Houston, up to the Grimes County line, an official said.

Magnolia fire

The Magnolia fire, located off FM 1774 and FM 1488, jumped FM 1488 late Monday and forced further evacuations, although some families were being allowed back to their homes. The Magnolia Independent School District canceled classes today because of the fires. Evacuation shelters were being set up throughout the area, including at Magnolia High School.

Another fire in the area had burned 100 acres and was 80 percent contained, Norris said. It had destroyed one structure and caused no injuries after 50 homes were evacuated.

A fire covering about 100 acres was burning in Oak Ridge North late Monday.

A fire near Nacogdoches that started Sunday night raged to 300 acres Monday and forced 60 families to evacuate their homes, said Ralph Cullom, a spokesman for the Texas Forrest Service. That fires grew with strong gusts of winds and fed off of dry conditions on the ground.

"This drought we're having is just unprecedented," Cullom said.

No injuries have been reported in Bastrop, but two people were reported killed in a North Texas fire Monday. A woman and her 18-month-old child died when a fast-moving fire near Gladewater, east of Dallas, set their mobile home on fire and they were unable to escape.

The Bastrop County Complex Fire, pushed by strong winds and fed by plenty of dry grasses, shrubs and trees, steadily moved south Monday and expanded throughout the day. It jumped the Colorado River twice.

"We will be working days on end," said Mike Fisher, the Bastrop County Emergency Management Coordinator. "The fire is so dynamic we really have no idea where it is."

'Lives at stake'

Perry said the wildfire burning in the central part of the state is "as mean looking" as he's ever seen.

Driest year on record plagues Texas ...

VOA: Weather forecasters and agriculture experts in the southwestern U.S. state of Texas say there is no relief in sight for what already is the worst drought year on record. The searing heat and dry conditions have caused devastating wildfires in the western part of the large state and led to crop losses, cattle deaths and water rationing in areas of east Texas that are normally wet at this time of year.

Driving through the countryside northwest of Houston, one sees dried up fields, dying trees and livestock ponds that are not much more than a puddles of fetid, algae-covered water. In some towns, farmers' markets have been cancelled because local growers have little to offer. Those with wells for irrigation are struggling with the high cost of fuel to run their pumps.

Debbie Cross, who operates a farmers' market near Cypress, Texas, says people are becoming discouraged by the lack of rain and the high temperatures, which are around 40 degrees most days.

“The drought is hurting everything. It is hurting all the crops, the cattle, the hay. There is no grass. The chickens are miserable. I mean everybody is just miserable. We need water,” Cross said.

Cross says local farmers are unable to supply much fruit and vegetables and that she is getting by with produce trucked in from other states where conditions are better.

“We are getting it from the local southern states and southwestern states are kicking in -- Arizona, New Mexico, Louisiana, Oklahoma. Everybody knows that the Texas market is a great consumer market, so they are helping out a lot here,” Cross said.
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One of the hardest hit agricultural sectors is livestock. Texas is the biggest cattle producer in the United States and ships beef to many foreign markets. Earlier this year, ranchers endured one of the worst winters on record, with several days of subzero temperatures in a region where freezes are rare. The drought has made it even harder, driving up the cost of hay and leaving some areas so dry that cattle have died of thirst in their pastures.

One rancher who has managed to get through this crisis with most of her stock in fairly good condition is Dorie Damuth, owner of the Flying D ranch near Magnolia, Texas.

Damuth raises prize-winning Texas Longhorns for breeding and she has managed to find hay and enough water to keep them alive. She says she has seen dry spells before, but nothing that compares to this year.

“The drought is something I, as a cattle woman, and all of my fellow cattlemen and cattlewomen have never experienced before. This is probably the 100-year drought, just like you can have a 100-year flood. It is very devastating for all of us ranchers who work so hard to provide beef for our country as well as for around the world,” Damuth said.

In a dried up lake on her property, there is a Longhorn skull sitting on top of cracked earth that is muddy and soft underneath.

“We have had lakes and stock ponds on the ranch that have dried up because of no rain, no rainfall. They will dry down to a little mucky place in the middle that is still wet and the cattle will sometimes go down and try to get water and they can't. And they step into that mucky mud and it is kind of like quicksand, and they can't get out.”

Lately, there have been beautiful fluffy clouds floating over the area. But ranch hand Chris Quinters is not encouraged by them.

“Those are some nice clouds, but it don't look like they are going to bring any rain,” Quinters said.

East Montgomery County, Texas gets grant for eye-spy UAV.

The Sheriff’s Office of Montgomery County, Texas was recently awarded a grant by the Department of Homeland Security for a squadron of ShadowHawks. Montgomery County’s Chief Deputy Randy McDaniel is psyched.

“We are very excited about the funding and looking forward to placing the equipment into the field. Both my narcotics and SWAT units have been looking at numerous ways to deploy it and I absolutely believe it will become a critical component on all SWAT callouts and narcotics raids and emergency management operations.”


The Department of Homeland Security grant is just the latest indication that the US is taking the military’s lead – with over 7,000 drones in the skies of Iraq and Afghanistan – and using drones as a key tactical tool.

In 2009 a surveillance drone called the Wasp was used during a SWAT raid in Austin, Texas. The Wasp climbed to 400 feet and beamed realtime video of a house in which an armed drug dealer was hiding. After the team had confirmed that there were no unforeseen dangers lurking in the backyard, they stormed the house and arrested the suspect. Drones are also helping the US to secure its borders against illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Just a few months ago the Obama administration began sending drones to Mexico to gather intelligence and help in the country’s war on drugs.

The ShadowHawk is the seven-foot, 50-lb copter from Texas-based Vanguard Defense Industries. The copter is the result of three years of development.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE

Dozen Arabian horses perish in fire ...

by Michelle Homer / KHOU.com

MAGNOLIA, Texas -- As many as 14 Arabian horses were killed Tuesday morning in a stable fire in Magnolia.
The 2-alarm blaze broke out at the Goslin Nix Stables at Superior Road and FM 1488 around 6 a.m.

The flames spread quickly trhough the 5,000 square foot stable and firefighters were unable to rescue 14 horses.
Neighbors and fire crews entered the burning building to open some interior stalls and free the others.

Some of the 14 surviving horses suffered burns and smoke inhalation and are being treated by a veterinarian. Most appeared to be unharmed as they grazed in a nearby pasture.

Each horse is valued between $60,000 and $100,000, according to the Montgomery County fire marshal.

The huge stable that housed them was gutted.

Firefighters from Montgomery County, Magnolia, The Woodlands and Needham volunteer fire departments battled the blaze.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE

The forecast?

Rangers investigating kidnapping ...

By Nancy Flake
The Texas Rangers are seeking two men who kidnapped a woman at gunpoint Tuesday night from the parking lot of her East Montgomery County apartment and forced her to withdraw money from her bank.

The Rangers believe the kidnapping and robbery may be related to two similar robberies in the Atascocita area of Harris County.

The woman was unharmed, a Montgomery County Sheriff's Office press release states.
Around 11:45 PM Wednesday, the 24-year-old woman was returning home and was walking from the parking lot to her apartment building, located somewhere near Community Drive in New Caney, when two black men confronted her and took her at gunpoint in her car to a bank drive thru on FM 1960, MCSO Lt. Dan Norris said.
There, one of the men covered his face with a bandana and, using the victim's ATM card and PIN, withdrew money from the victim's bank account.

The suspects drove the victim to a remote area of a nearby parking lot and walked away, leaving the victim unharmed in her vehicle.
The men fled in a dark colored small sport utility vehicle that was waiting for them, with a third suspect driving. The victim then contacted local police authorities, the release states.

One of the men is described as a black male, approximately 5 feet, 6 inches tall and in his early 20s, wearing a navy blue baseball cap bearing a Cleveland Indians logo, a navy blue polo shirt with baggie jeans and black Nike Jordan shoes with silver on top.

The second man, also black, is described as approximately 6 feet tall and with a thin build, in his early 20s and wearing a red shirt and red
baseball cap.

The Texas Rangers have been investigating this case and they believe two similar robberies in the Atascocita area on FM 1960 may be related.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE

Houston Area 4th of July Celebrations ...

by Stacy Morrow / khou.com staff
khou.com

The Houston area is buzzing with activities for the celebration of our nation's independence. You can find events from fireworks displays to parades, in just about every city and community. Here's a list we've compiled of the things we have heard about so far. If you see we have missed anything, or if you want to add something, let us know in the comments below!

HOUSTON
Freedom Over Texas
Houston will set the stage for an extraordinary patriotic celebration at Mayor Annise Parker’s official Fourth of July event, Freedom Over Texas. The annual event is held at Eleanor Tinsley Park from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. and culminates with a fireworks extravaganza set to a perfectly timed bed of patriot and current musical selections. Free with a can of food benefiting the Houston Food Bank or $8 per person (children under 2 free) Information from: http://www.freedomovertexas.org

ExxonMobil Star-Spangled Salute, Miller Outdoor Theatre
Enjoy an evening with Michael Krajewski and the Houston Symphony. Astronaut and vocalist Chris Hadfield will also sing Big Smoke, a song inspired by his first shuttle mission.

Make sure to stay until the end for the 1812 Overture—complete with booming cannons! This celebration concludes with a magnificent display of fireworks provided by the City of Houston through the Miller Theatre Advisory Board. Hours: 8:30 p.m. - 10:30 p.m. at 6000 Hermann Park Drive, Houston, TX 77030, Phone: 281-FREE-FUN or 281-373-3386 Information from: http://milleroutdoortheatre.com/events/133/

Bayou Bend Family Days Independence Day Celebration
Start your Fourth of July at Bayou Bend, where America's Colonial era is celebrated in patriotic style. Ring in the holiday with an extravaganza of Americana—performers, crafts, activities, refreshments, and more—and don't forget to sign the Texas-sized Declaration of Independence before you leave! With its unique blend of the arts and American history, Bayou Bend is the perfect place to spend Independence Day. From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. FREE! Information from:
http://www.mfah.org/visit/bayou-bend-family-days/

Kidpendence Celebration | Children's Museum of Houston
Friday, Jul 1 2011 6:00 AM to Monday, Jul 4 2011 10:00 PM CDT
We’re seeing stars and stripes at this special Independence Day celebration! Join us for a patriotic 21-soda geyser burst salute on the 4th of July and plenty of fun-filled activities that will cover you in red, white and blue! Claim Your Independence Discount: We know rising gas prices are making you see stars and stripes, so it is time to claim your independence from them! Receive up to $12 off/ 6 people on July 1 - 4. Special Activity - 21 - Soda Geyser Burst Salute: Celebrate America with a CMH tradition - 21 patriotic bursts of soda that will help you get excited for the rest of the day's activities. 1500 Binz, Houston TX 77004. Phone: (713) 522-1138 Informaton from: http://www.cmhouston.org/en/cev/2570

BELLAIRE
July 4th Parade and Festival
The parade begins at 9:30 am and the festival runs from 10 am to 1 pm. The parade route begins at the Bellaire Triangle and travels down Bellaire Blvd. and S. Rice Ave. A children's parade leads the big parade. Kids are encouraged to decorate trikes, bikes and wagons and meet by Community National Bank at Bellaire Blvd. & Fifth Street. No need to enter the children's parade ahead of time, just show up at 9 a.m. in the CNB parking lot. The festival begins in Bellaire Town Square immediately after the parade. Enjoy live entertainment, carnival games, food, a mini ferris wheel, petting zoo, moon jumps, dunk tank and much, much more! Admission into the festival is free, but games take tickets and the food is an additional cost. Join us for some home town fun! Information from: http://www.ci.bellaire.tx.us/index.aspx?nid=879.

CITY OF EL LAGO
July 4th Picnic
For this year’s July 4th Picnic, we are going to take it down home with a parade and then bar-b-que at the pool. Join us at 10:00 a.m. at McNair Park for the annual non-motorized parade around the park. Prizes will be awarded in the following three categories: Most Sparkling, Most Creative and Most Patriotic. After the parade, we will retire to the El Lago Swim and Racquet Club to visit with friends, listen to some music and enjoy a burger together. The City will provide the drinks, burger, bun and burger fixings; we are asking residents to bring a side dish and/or desert. You will also want to bring your lawn chair or blanket for relaxing around the pool and spray ground in the afternoon. Information from: http://www.ellago-tx.com/events.html#july4

CONROE
July 4th Walden and Bentwater Fireworks Show
Fireworks will be shot off at Dusk from the Marina near the Walden Yacht Club, 13101 Melville Dr, Montgomery. Parking at the Yacht club is reserved for dinner guests. There is limited parking on the streets. Suggested viewing is from the water. Information from: http://www.conroetoday.com/evps/evitem.cfm?evid=4548

FORT BEND
Freedom Rings Concert featuring the Fort Bend Symphony Orchestra
Program includes Star Spangled Banner Finale with soloist, Armed Forces Salute, America the Beautiful – Dragon, God Bless the USA, Liberty Fanfare -Williams/Aguero, Joplin Rag, You're a Grand Old Flag, Variations on a Shaker Melody – Copland, Strike Up the Band, Sousa Marches, Gems of Stephen Foster and 1812 Overture. Event will be at the Stafford Centre from 7p.m. to 9 p.m. and a fireworks show will begin at 9 p.m. Location:10505 Cash Road, Stafford, TX 77477. Information from: http://www.fbso.org/
KATY
Annual Freedom Celebration at Katy Mills Mall
The 22nd Annual Katy Freedom Celebration fireworks display will be held at Katy Mills Mall on Monday, July 4. The fireworks are launched between the east side of the mall and Katy Fort Bend Road. The display begins at dark (approximately 9:00 p.m.) and can be viewed from several miles around the mall area. Information from: cityofkaty.com/katy-freedom-celebration-july-4/
KEMAH
Kemah’s Independence Day Parade
Kicking off the Independence Day Celebration activities is the Kemah 4th of July Parade, Monday, at 11:00 a.m. with the Children’s Parade starting at 10:30 a.m. The parade line up is behind the Kemah Visitor Center at 9:00 a.m. with the parade route travelling along the Kemah Lighthouse District. The theme for the patriotic parade this year is “The Spirit of Volunteerism.” The parade is open to all and easy to enter with no registration fee. Monday evening is the July 4th Kemah Boardwalk Fireworks, “Star Spangled Skies” extravaganza. From the Kemah Boardwalk and surrounding areas all will be able to see the fantastic light show over Galveston Bay. The annual fireworks display scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m. For more information on these activities or lodging needs contact the Kemah Visitor Center at 281-334-3181. Information from: http://www.kemah.net/July_4_2011_Kemah_press_release.pdf

LEAGUE CITY
July 4th Citizen Appreciation Day
Mayor, City Council, Parks Board and staff will be serving free refreshments in appreciation of the citizens of the City of League City at League Park from 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. There will be live music and other entertainment. FREE. Information from: http://www.leaguecity.com/calendar.aspx?EID=1348

NASSAU BAY
July 4th Parade and Fireworks Show
Decorate your bikes, floats, baby strollers, cars, or just yourself! Various prizes will be awarded. Join your friends and neighbors for a fun-filled evening. Bring a picnic dinner and a blanket for the fireworks show. Parade begins at 6:30 p.m. from Gloria Dei and ends at Lake Park Nassau. Activities at the park including bounce houses, food vendors, face painting, and live music. Fireworks Display begins at 9 p.m. Information from: http://www.nassaubay.com/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=48

PASADENA
Pasadena's Annual 4th Fest Event will take place Monday, July 4th, 2011
from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the Pasadena Convention Center.
There will be a 20-minute long fireworks show, live music by “The Slags,” a car show, kidzone, USMC Toys for Tots BBQ Cook-off, games, prizes, vendors, water balloon war zone, sports and other entertainment. Information from: http://www.ci.pasadena.tx.us/default.aspx?name=prk.event-4thfest

PEARLAND
Celebration of Freedom
This year's program will begin with an explosion of patriotic excitement! A full-size carnival will be on site at noon on Monday. Stadium and Field seating will be available at no charge beginning at 6 PM on Monday. A VFW military salute will begin the evening's entertainment, followed by the National Anthem. The stadium will be filled with the tunes of Texas country recording artist, Hamilton Loomis. At sundown, enjoy a spectacular 20-minute fireworks display from your seat inside the stadium.. For more information, call 281-412-8900. Information from: http://www.pearlandparks.com/celebration_of_freedom.html
SUGAR LAND
Celebration of Freedom
The City of Sugar Land’s 26th annual Red White and Bluefest will set the skies ablaze over Oyster Creek Park. Celebrate America’s 235th birthday with family, friends and fellow residents while enjoying new main stage performances, delicious county fair-type goodies and numerous children’s activities. A free shuttle service will be provided from Mercer Stadium, 16403 Lexington Blvd., to Oyster Creek Park, 4033 State Highway 6 South, from 4:30-11 p.m. Information from: www.sugarlandtx.gov
THE WOODLANDS
South County Fourth of July Parade “Celebrating the American Dream”
On Sunday, July 3, stroll through Market Street - The Woodlands for its Fourth of July parade, “Celebrating the American Dream” starting at 9 a.m. The festivities continue later that evening when the Houston Symphony performs its Star Spangled Salute, a free concert at the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion starting at 8 pm. Information from: http://www.4thofjuly.org/

Houston Symphony presents Star-Spangled Salute
The Pavilion dons red, white and blue July 3 for the return of the Star-Spangled Salute. This free Independence Eve spectacular features the Houston Symphony in a selection of patriotic favorites under the direction of Michael Krajewski. Don’t miss commemorating the birth of our nation by joining the Symphony in this grandiose celebration. It’s an evening of good, old-fashioned family fun complete with cannons blasting from the top of the hill during Tchaikovsky's "1812 Overture." Pre-concert activities begin at 6:30 p.m. in the Fidelity Investments Plaza.FREE event. Information from: http://www.woodlandscenter.org/tourarchive.html?n_id=346

Red, Hot & Blue Festival
The Woodlands will celebrate July 4 weekend with one of the largest firework displays in the greater Houston area, hot dog and watermelon eating contests, live entertainment, and more! Now in its 14th year, the annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival will be held Monday, July 4, 2011 from 6 - 10 pm at Town Green Park and Waterway Square, both located along The Woodlands Waterway. Admission to the event is free and tickets for food concessions and games may be purchased on-site. Information from: http://www.thewoodlandscvb.com/redhotblue/

Alvin woman jumps on hood of beer thieves ...

Wild fires plaguing Texas

Firefighters from Cut and Shoot, Caney Creek, Splendora, Montgomery County and Bear Creek fire departments were still at work by deadline Monday trying to put out a nearly 200-acre wildfire about 10 miles northwest of Cleveland.
No structures were harmed.
Four bulldozers, including one from the Texas Forest Service, worked to set up a fire perimeter to keep the fire contained.
Helicopters made 38 drops of water to squelch the flames. The cause was undetermined Monday night.

Texas Local Web Site Blooms into a Flower for the Community

New exciting things are developing in the Summer of 2011 for ExploreHouston.com

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14 year old Conroe teen dies after leading cops on high speed chase ...

HUNTSVILLE, Texas—A 14-year-old driver was killed and his 13-year-old passenger injured after their joyride led to a high-speed chase, then a horrific crash near Huntsville early Tuesday, according to authorities.

Authorities said a State Trooper attempted to pull over the two Conroe teens after spotting them joyriding in downtown Willis around 1 a.m., but the driver refused to stop.

Instead, he floored it and led authorities on a high-speed chase up Highway 75.
Montgomery County Sheriff’s deputies joined in the chase, which ended after the teen failed to negotiate a sharp curve on Highway 1374.

"The suspect was traveling over a 100 miles an hour," said Sgt. Terry Barnhill. "He came through about a 45 degree turn, lost control of his vehicle and slammed into a telephone pole."

The impact of the crash nearly split the vehicle in two.

The passenger, Gustavo Roberto Casillas, was ejected from the vehicle and broke his leg. He was taken to Memorial Hermann Hospital in stable condition.
The driver, Collin Johnson, had to be cut from the floor panel. He died at the scene.
The family Johnson lived with said they took the teen in when he had nowhere else to go. They confirmed the vehicle was taken from their property.

Conroe ISD confirmed the teens were junior high students, but would not reveal which school they attended. They will, however, provide grief counselors to students in need.

Plane crash in Conroe claims two

Sun May 8, 2011.
By Matt Stephens |
The National Transportation Safety Board and the Flight Standards District Office are investigating a fiery plane crash that killed a Conroe man and his daughter Saturday morning near Lone Star Executive Airport.

The aircraft’s pilot, Elzie Jessie Warren, 70, and his daughter, passenger Phyllis Jean Ridings, 52, died when his airplane crashed in the woods north the airport in Conroe.
Conroe Fire Chief Ken Kreger said the plane, an experimental Ravin aircraft, took off from runway No. 14 at 8:52 a.m. Warren called the air traffic controller complaining of smoke in the cockpit less than three minutes later.

The plane crashed in the woods at 8:55 a.m. about half a mile north of the airport, missing runway No. 19, which appears to be where Warren had planned to land, Kreger said. MCHD and Conroe Fire Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from the control tower shortly before the crash at 8:54 a.m.
While firefighters and police arrived on scene at 9:03 a.m., the distance from the edge of the woods to the crash made it difficult to reach the scene, Kreger said.

About an acre of land was bulldozed around the fire by the Texas Forest Service, and Kreger said the blaze was “contained and under control” Saturday afternoon.

Dennis McCright, a pilot, said he has known “Bud” Warren for 10 years and called him “a good guy and a family man,” while praising Warren for his “genius” skills as an engineer and mechanic.
“He’ll be missed, not only him personally, but his expertise because he helped a lot around the airport,” McCright said.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE!

Texan heads Bin Laden raiders

The commander of the U.S. military unit responsible for killing elusive al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden — Vice Adm. William H. McRaven — is a San Antonio native and graduate of the University of Texas in Austin.

McRaven, 55, earned a bachelor's degree in journalism in 1977, although a campus dean said a computer listing didn't indicate whether the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps member had an interest in the print side of news coverage, broadcast or public relations.
A fellow ROTC member recalled McRaven as eager for military service.

"He was extremely focused on preparing for special forces details," said Curtis Raetz, of McKinney, who majored in engineering at UT, served in the Marine Corps and now works in private business.
'He had drive.'

Raetz, who graduated a year before McRaven, said the ROTC program included required courses such as naval science.

James Gruetzner, who served in the same Navy ROTC batallion as McRaven, told Cox Newspapers, "He had drive. He went on extraordinarily long runs to stay in shape. He was very dedicated."
McRaven's Navy biography states he attended the Naval Postgraduate School and was its first graduate in Special Operations/Low Intensity Conflict. In 1995, he wrote a book called Spec Ops: Case Studies in Special Operations Warfare Theory and Practice.

McRaven became commander of the U.S. military's Joint Special Operations Command in 2008.
In that role, he reportedly led the planning and execution of bin Laden's death Sunday at the hand of Navy SEALs, an acronym that stands for Sea, Air and Land.

Texas Independence will be celebrated at two sites

LA PORTE
San Jacinto Day
This year’s edition of the San Jacinto Day Festival and Battle Reenactment, planned for Saturday, commemorates the 175th anniversary of the battle.
During the event at San Jacinto Battleground State Historic Site in La Porte, hundreds of history re-enactors will dramatize events that led to Texas winning independence. The festival also includes entertainment, food, games and other fun in a historic setting.

The Battle of San Jacinto is considered the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Gen. Sam Houston and the Texas army defeated the Mexican army April 21, 1836. The next day, Mexican Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna was captured, and later he signed a peace treaty.

The state’s annual “official” ceremony honoring the anniversary of the battle occurs April 21, as it will this year at 11 a.m. La Porte is 22 miles east of downtown Houston.
Contact: 281-479-2421; www.sanjacinto-museum.org.
Historic site: 281-479-2431; www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

CONROE
Lone Star flag park finally a reality
Many cities and historic sites in Texas are honoring their heritage this spring as the state celebrates the 175th anniversary its independence, and the city of Conroe is unveiling a new park dedicated to state history. It’s doing so April 21, San Jacinto Day, the anniversary of the 1836 battle that led to Texas independence.
For years, Conroe has dreamed of a monument to honor Montgomery County as the birthplace of the Lone Star flag. Dr. Charles B. Stewart, a Montgomery County resident who signed the Texas Declaration of Independence, designed the flag at the request of Mirabeau B. Lamar, president of the Republic of Texas. The banner was officially designated the state flag in 1839. It became the official state flag in 1845, when Texas joined the union.

In 1997, the Texas House of Representatives passed a resolution designating Montgomery County as the birthplace of the Lone Star flag. And this month, Lone Star Monument and Historical Flag Park will open next to Montgomery County Central Library in Conroe.

The monument at the 3.5-acre park is a circular landscaped plaza surrounded by 13 flags that flew in Texas as the region fought for independence during the Texas Revolution. At the center of the plaza is The Texian, a 14-foot-tall bronze sculpture by Conroe artist Craig Campobella. The statue depicts an everyman volunteer soldier of the Texas Revolution.

The dedication starts at 5:30 p.m. April 21. Afterward, a free concert will star country singer Gary P. Nunn and other musicians. The park is at I-45 and FM2854.
Contact: 713-410-6076; www.texasflagpark.org or www.cityofconroe.org.

Houstonians feel pressure at the pump

by Lisa Chavarria / KHOU 11 News
khou.com
Posted on March 29, 2011 at 8:48 AM

HOUSTON NEWS 11 -- The price at the pump appears to be forcing drivers around Houston to figure out ways to save cash.

Gas prices were averaging $3.49 on Tuesday morning, and that is forcing some drivers to find ways to other means of transportation.


Several commuters at one of Metro's Park and Ride said although they usually choose the bus over their vehicles, now it's saving them more than ever.
"It makes me want to ride the bus more. It's cheaper for me to take the bus than it is for me to drive to work now," said John Young.

Gloria Chen, recently decided she couldn't take her car on her usual commute anymore. She added, "I used to drive all the way to the Medical Center from Katy, but because of increasing gas prices, I've decided to use the park and ride."

Conroe environmental battle heats up

CONROE - A giant red sign sitting in a front yard reads, "Warning. Toxic Wells Coming." Farther down a snaking, wooded road is a clearing with another sign posted on a metal gate warning trespassers of video surveillance.

This is ground zero in a 5-year-old battle that has pit residents of this city north of Houston, federal regulators and a multibillion-dollar oil company against Texas environmental officials who approved an underground landfill despite arguments it could contaminate aquifers that provide drinking water to millions of people in South Texas.


Opponents to the plan point to the cancer-stricken California town of Hinkley made famous by Julia Roberts' film Erin Brockovich as an example of what can happen when water is contaminated.
"Once your water is dirty, you'll never get it clean again," said Rebecca Kaiser, a Conroe resident who has spent five years fighting the plan by TexCom Gulf Disposal LLC to operate an injection well barely a mile from hundreds of homes and several schools.


TexCom wants to bury liquid commercial waste that is classified as nonhazardous, but could include trace amounts of toxic chemicals, including cancer-causing benzene. The company would inject the waste into a well thousands of feet underground.
The procedure is done safely in hundreds of places nationwide, but the proposed waste site in Conroe is an oil field pockmarked with hundreds of abandoned wells drilled in the 1930s, some of which officials say have not been properly plugged.


The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and some engineers fear these wells could act as a conduit for the waste to travel to aquifers, contaminate the water and go unnoticed for some time.


"There is some scientific evidence that there could be a problem there," said Philip Dellinger, EPA's chief of the groundwater underground injection control section.


$500 million drilling at stake
Matters are complicated further because Denbury Onshore LLC, a company investing more than $500 million in a lucrative oil drilling project in the Conroe oil field, believes the opposing pressures created by the oil production and the waste injection could contaminate the precious minerals it is mining.


Despite the widespread opposition, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality voted 2-1 in January to issue TexCom a permit to operate the underground landfill.
The permit was approved after the agency's own two-member administrative panel advised against it, the state's Railroad Commission said the oil and gas resources could be harmed and the EPA expressed concern.


Lou Ross, TexCom's president, said he is confident the company will be able to proceed with its plans after the expected appeals process is complete.
He said the science is sound and "the geology in the area is proper for this type of well," including 1,100 feet of impermeable shale that would separate the waste and the aquifer.


"It's problematic because of what's going on with humanity on the surface, not because of geology," Ross added.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY AT THE CHRON

"Poop" not funny to TxDot.

by Tiffany Craig / 11 News
khou.com
Posted on March 14, 2011 at 4:54 PM

HOUSTON—A detour sign downtown has been getting a lot of attention over the past few days, but it’s sending the wrong message.

A prankster managed to hack into the electronic sign and change the message.
Britnie McFadden works in a building at Louisiana and Prairie.

"This morning when I came into work, I saw the LOL and smiley face and I thought it was hilarious," said McFadden. "I took a picture and posted it on Facebook."
The Monday morning message attracted plenty of attention, but it was the four-letter word a few days ago that really had people laughing out loud.

"Friday night it said ‘POOP,’" said Mustafa Guner. "I was coming back from a workout and I was shocked. Make a left turn if you need to poop!"
A similar prank happened in Austin two years ago. Somebody rigged a warning sign to say "Caution: Zombies Ahead," "Run for Cold Climates" and "The End is Near."
The sign is owned by a TxDOT contractor. They told us somebody broke into the guts of the trailer and hacked the system.

A man who goes by the name "John" believes it was all in good fun.
"You can’t get any better than that, you know what I mean," he said.
By Monday afternoon, the intended message was back, along with a new lock.
McFadden was a little upset to see the fun was over.

"I just think that somebody actually took the time to do it has given everybody a good laugh," said McFadden. "I mean, it’s all in good fun—not very legal -- but good fun nonetheless."

If caught, the hacker could be fined $500.
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NORAD exercise tomorrow over Houston

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) will conduct exercise flights tomorrow morning as they practice intercept and identification procedures. Exercise flights will take place over Southeastern Texas. Although they are scheduled for mid-morning, the exercise flights could be delayed due to weather concerns.

Those living southeast of Houston, specifically near Ellington Airport, may hear and/or see NORAD-controlled fighter jets in close proximity to a military or military contracted aircraft, which will be taking on the role of a Track of Interest (TOI).

In order to test responses, systems and equipment, NORAD continuously conducts exercises with a variety of scenarios, including airspace restriction violations, hijackings and responding to unknown aircraft. All NORAD exercises are carefully planned and closely controlled.

NORAD has conducted exercise flights of this nature throughout Canada and the U.S. since the start of Operation Noble Eagle, the command’s response to the terrorist attacks that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001.

Breaking: Explosions rock Belvieu plant!

Multiple explosions, fire at Mont Belvieu plant

Credit: AIR 11
A fire at Enterprise Products in Mont Belvieu was burning out of control more than an hour after witnesses heard multiple explosions.

by Michelle Homer / khou.com
khou.com
Posted on February 8, 2011 at 1:05 PM
Updated today at 1:39 PM


MONT BELVIEU, Texas – Several explosions at a Mont Belvieu plant were followed by flames that could be seen from miles around.
The explosions happened at Enterprise Products at 135 Sun Oil Road around 12:25 p.m.


Witnesses reported seeing workers fleeing from the Chambers County plant. Other workers were being told to stay inside.
The company hasn't released any details about injuries. An employee, who didn't want to be identified, said at least one contractor has not been accounted for.


The employee said the explosion happened in a subsection of the plant.
Chambers County officials say there's no known threat to the public at this time.

They have not called for evacuations.
State Highway 146 is closed near the plant.

The fire was still burning out of control nearly an hour after it began. The flames could be seen 25 miles away in Houston.

A Houston caller named Pat said she was talking by phone to a relative inside the plant when the first set of explosions happened. There were three more explosions while they were still on the phone. "Anywhere from eight to 11 explosions," according to Pat.

READ MORE AT KHOU

Controversy surrounds teen beating by Houston police

(CNN) -- Houston's mayor and police department were on the defensive Friday, two days after graphic video came out showing several police repeatedly kicking and beating a 15-year-old burglary suspect as he lay on the ground.
An internal police investigation of the incident last March led to the firing of seven police officers, said spokesman John Cannon of the Houston police department.

Two successfully appealed and returned to their jobs, said Houston NAACP President D.Z. Cofield.

Five other officers were disciplined in other ways, Cannon said. And a Harris County grand jury indicted four of the officers this summer, based in part on the video.
Harris County District Attorney Patricia Lykos opposed the video becoming public and felt doing so might prejudice potential jurors and force the indicted officers' trials to be moved out of the county.

Quanell X, a local activist, got hold of the surveillance tape showing the scene outside a storage facility and gave it to the media.
He said he had every right to obtain the footage and make it public.

"I will show my people what they deserve to see, and let the public see what you don't want them to see," Quanell X said.
Mayor Annise Parker said the police leadership and city acted properly.

"I resent any implication that we were trying to hide the tape," she said.
After viewing the footage, Houston Police Chief Charles McClelland Jr. fired the seven officers and a grand jury called for misdemeanor charges against four of them in June.

Lykos told reporters Thursday there was not sufficient evidence to pursue more serious charges, such as aggravated assault.
"Without revealing what was presented to the grand jury, in order to have aggravated assault you have to have serious bodily injury or impairment or use of a deadly weapon," she said. "None of that was apparent in this case."

The tape, first shown Wednesday on CNN affiliate WTRK, shows the 15-year-old boy -- being chased by police and falling to the ground after being upended by a moving police car. He then falls face first and places his hands on the ground.

A disciplinary letter from McClelland, dated June 23 and posted online less than two weeks later by CNN affiliate HTRK, says that the boy had his hands behind his head and neck area, in an obvious position of surrender.

Then, the letter adds and the tape shows, Officer Raad Hassan "then ran toward (the boy) and kicked him a total of 15 times," then later kicked him more times in the groin area even after he "was handcuffed and no longer a threat."

READ THE FULL STORY ON CNN

Bay City Substitute Teacher Arrested For Making Death Threats

by khou.com staff
khou.com
Posted on January 27, 2011 at 11:23 AM
Updated today at 11:23 AM


BAY CITY, Texas – A substitute teacher has been arrested and charged in connection with death threats made to students in Bay City ISD, the Matagorda County Sheriff’s Office said Thursday.

Paul Nolen May, 41, was arrested on Wednesday.
He’s charged with 12 counts of making a terroristic threat – all of which are third-degree felonies.

The threats began on December 28 when the district received a hand-written, profanity-laced letter, purportedly from the parent of a student.

In the letter, the sender expressed anger over their child being disciplined at school. The letter detailed new "rules" for the school to follow regarding discipline and threatened to "kill a random student" if the demands were not met.
About a week later, a second threat was sent via text message.

The message, sent from an anonymous source and forwarded among Bay City ISD students, said this: "Hey! Forward this to everyone…1 rule broken, two girls dies at the jr. high and 2 from high school, dnt go! The school will be on lockdown."

It was not clear if May was suspected in both threats. Investigators declined to release any additional information Thursday.

May was being held in the Matagorda County Jail on bonds totaling $240,000.

Tomball man gets 10 years for fatal DWI

A Tomball man who said he’s turned his life around after a drunk-driving wreck that has left one man in a vegetative state will spend 10 years in prison.
Judge K. Michael Mayes, of the 410th state District Court, sentenced Stephen Burks, 39, to 10 years in prison Friday for one count of intoxication assault. The accident injured Carlo Lujan, 21, also of Conroe.

Burks also received 10 years’ probation for injuring Aurelio Iglesias, 47, of Conroe, during an August 2009 accident at the intersection of Texas 105 East and Millmac Road.
Burks will have to serve at least five years in prison before being eligible for parole.

“I am happy (about the sentence),” Assistant District Attorney Tyler Dunman said. “This has been a case that has really impacted me because sometimes it may be easy if someone is killed by a drunk driver (because) the family can move on. But in this case, the good Lord left Carlo Lujan to really show the impact of drunk driving in our county.”
Lujan, a 2007 graduate of Caney Creek High School, played football for the Panthers.
DPS troopers who responded to the Aug. 15, 2009, accident testified during Burks’ sentencing hearing.

Burks was driving a pickup truck that ran into the back of Lujan’s passenger vehicle, which rear-ended a second vehicle that Iglesias was driving.

Lujan was airlifted to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center in Houston, where doctors determined his head had dislocated from its spine during the accident, leaving him in a minimally-responsive state.

Iglesias, a preschool teacher with the Conroe Independent School District, testified how he was trapped inside his car for at least 30 minutes and suffered injuries to his knee, groin and ribs.

“At first, I was really scared ... I thought my car would explode,” Iglesias said. “Now, I’m like an old man; I’m still scared when I’m driving.”
Armida Lujan, the mother of Carlo Lujan, told Mayes about her son’s life before the crash.

“Carlo loved to be in church. ... He was a youth minister,” Armida Lujan said. “He had preached that night (of the accident) about faith.”
Carlo Lujan’s caretakers wheeled him into the courtroom on a stretcher during the hearing to let Mayes see his vegetative state.
“The doctors never gave us any hope,” Armida Lujan said. “I thought he just had injuries like broken ribs and he’d recover. But time passed, and he didn’t look good.

READ THE REST OF THE STORY HERE

Michael Jackson's Doctor Clueless

Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- The pretrial hearing for Dr. Conrad Murray continues Wednesday as a Los Angeles County Superior Court judge decides whether there is "probable cause" to try him on an involuntary manslaughter charge in the death of pop star Michael Jackson.

The hearing, which began Tuesday, is expected to last two or three weeks, with 20 to 30 witnesses testifying.
On Tuesday, Jackson's former security chief testified that Murray seemed not to know how to administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation as he waited for paramedics to arrive at the singer's house.
Faheem Muhammed said he and and guard Alberto Alvarez saw Murray crouched next to Jackson's bed "in a panicked state asking, 'Does anyone know CPR?' "

"I looked at Alberto because we knew Dr. Murray was a heart surgeon, so we were shocked," Muhammed said.

Jackson's doctor heads to court Murray faces court hearing Events surrounding Jackson's death

When defense attorney Ed Chernoff asked if perhaps Murray was asking for help because he was tired, Muhammed said, "The way that he asked it is as if he didn't know CPR."

Jackson appeared to be dead at that time, with his "eyes open and his mouth open, just laying there," Muhammed said.

Prosecutor David Walgren earlier said that Murray used "ineffectual CPR with one hand while the patient was prone on a soft bed." Two hands with the patient prone on a hard surface is the proper method, he said.
Muhammed, the third witness on the opening day of the hearing, said he never saw

Murray performing CPR on Jackson before paramedics arrived and carried him to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center.
Jackson's mother, Katherine, sister La Toya and brothers Randy and Jackie sat in the second row of the courtroom during Tuesday's opening session.
Jackson's two oldest children, Prince and Paris, were at their father's bedroom door as the drama unfolded just after noon on June 25, 2009, Muhammed said.

"Paris was on the floor on her hands and knees and she was just crying," he said.
The children would learn two hours later that their father had died when Murray and Jackson manager Frank Dileo talked to them in a hospital room.
"Frank blurted out and said, 'Your daddy had a heart attack and died,' " Jackson personal assistant Michael Williams testified.

At the start of the hearing Tuesday, the prosecutor said that Murray waited at least 21 minutes after he found Jackson unresponsive before calling for an ambulance.

"By all accounts, Michael Jackson was dead in the bedroom at 100 North Carolwood prior to the paramedics' arrival," Walgren said.
The coroner concluded Jackson died from "acute propofol intoxication" in combination with "the contributory effects of the benzodiazepines," Walgren said.
Propofol is a powerful anesthetic used to "put people under for surgery," and the benzodiazepines were sedatives Murray later acknowledged giving Jackson in the morning before his death, he said.

"Michael Jackson was preparing for one of the most important tours of his life" in the months before his death, Walgren said.
Murray's defense team has hinted it would argue that Jackson was under pressure from the concert promoter, which led him to demand treatments to help him sleep.
Kenny Ortega, who was directing what would have been Jackson's comeback concerts, was the first of about 30 witnesses the prosecution is calling.
Ortega described Jackson as "involved, active, participating" at his last rehearsal, which ended 12 or 14 hours before his death.
"He was in a delightful mood, and we had an absolutely fantastic day," Ortega testified.

But Ortega described a different, "scary" Jackson at the Staples Center rehearsal on June 19, six nights before his death.
"I just felt that he appeared, you know, really lost," Ortega said. "It was scary. I didn't know what was wrong. I couldn't put my finger on it."


READ THE FULL STORY AT CNN