News for North Texas
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Aerial Spraying For West Nile Begins Tonight

If all goes as planned, aerial spraying is scheduled to begin tonight from 10pm to possibly 2am.

Spraying from trucks in the Southern part of Dallas county will take place this evening as aerial spraying begins in cities north of I-30.

Listen to KERA's call-in special: Fighting West Nile

This is the first time the area has had such aerial spraying of insecticide in almost half a century.

The area covers at least 49,000 acres and includes University Park, Highland Park and all of East Dallas.

County and city officials approved the spraying because of a growing West Nile virus epidemic that has infected more than 207 Dallas County residents and killed 10 of them.

Cities opting in on aerial spraying: Addison, Carrollton, Coppell, Dallas, Farmers Branch, Garland, Grand Prairie, Highland Park, University Park, Mesquite, Richardson.

Dallas City Hall West Nile Info Site

Texas retail gasoline prices up 4 cents this week

Retail gasoline prices have risen an average 4 cents this week across Texas.

AAA Texas on Thursday reported the average price at the pump has reached $3.53 per gallon. The nationwide retail price for gas increased by a nickel to hit $3.71 per gallon.

The association survey found that Dallas, Austin and Houston have the most expensive gasoline, at $3.54 per gallon. The least expensive gasoline in Texas is in El Paso, at $3.28 per gallon.

AAA says higher oil prices amid tensions with Iran and increased demand during the summer continue to push U.S. gasoline prices higher.

AP

Judge bars American from dropping pilots' contract

A bankruptcy judge has blocked American Airlines from ditching its contract with union pilots and imposing measures to lower labor costs.

Judge Sean Lane ruled Wednesday that American failed to prove that dealing with furloughs and the outsourcing of flying to other airlines are necessary to reorganize. Parent AMR Corp. filed for Chapter 11 protection last November.

But the judge says Fort Worth-based American could fix those elements.

An American spokesman says the carrier will adjust the two provisions, make another offer to pilots and by Friday file a new bid to cancel the union's contract. The Allied Pilots Association earlier rejected American's final contract offer.

Flight attendants are voting through Sunday on American's last offer.

AP

Fort Hood suspect's trial on hold over beard

For the past two months, the military judge presiding over the Fort Hood shooting suspect's case has said he wants to avoid disruptions in court.

So after Maj. Nidal Hasan showed up wearing a beard for a June pretrial hearing, Col. Gregory Gross banned him from the courtroom until he shaves.

Now Hasan's facial hair has become a bigger disruption than anyone might have foreseen. All hearings and the murder trial, set to start next week, were put on hold Wednesday. Proceedings will resume after an appeals court rules on Hasan's objections to being forcibly shaved.

The delay is frustrating for many involved in the case. It's been almost three years since the shooting rampage left 13 dead and more than two dozen wounded on the Texas Army post.

AP