A federal appeals court has cleared the way for immediate enforcement of a new abortion law in Texas.
Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott had asked the three-judge panel to cut short the typical three-week waiting period between when the court issues a ruling and implementing it.
The new law requires doctors to conduct a sonogram before performing an abortion, to show the woman the image, to play the fetal heartbeat aloud and describe the features of the fetus. Planned Parenthood says the only way a woman can currently opt out is by closing her eyes and covering her ears.
Friday's order clears the way for the Texas Department of State Health Services to issue rules for complying with the law and to prosecute doctors who do not obey it.
AP
Judge in Va. rejects GOP primary ballot appeal
A federal judge has refused to add Gov. Rick Perry and three other candidates to Virginia's Republican presidential primary ballot.
U.S. District Judge John Gibney ruled Friday that the candidates should have challenged Virginia's primary qualifying rules earlier. Gibney said they knew the rules months ago.
Perry sued last month after failing to submit enough signatures to get on the ballot. Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum and Jon Huntsman also failed to qualify and later joined Perry's lawsuit. They asked Gibney to declare Virginia's law unconstitutional and add their names to the March 6 ballot.
Only former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and Texas Rep. Ron Paul qualified for the March 6 primary ballot.
AP
Ex-SEC attorney agrees to settle conflict claim
A former Securities and Exchange Commission attorney has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle charges that he violated federal conflict of interest standards by providing representation for disgraced financier R. Allen Stanford.
The agreement announced Friday between Dallas attorney Spencer Barasch and the Department of Justice settles allegations that Barasch improperly represented Stanford in front of the SEC after leaving his post as head of enforcement in the agency's Fort Worth office.
The government claims Barasch, while with the SEC, directed that an inquiry of Stanford be closed.
Barasch's attorney, Paul Coggins, said his client denies wrongdoing but settled to avoided "protracted litigation."
Stanford was charged in 2009 with running a Ponzi scheme that bilked investors out of $7 billion. His trial is scheduled to begin January 23rd.
AP
Changes For Travelers At Love Field
This weekend signals some big changes at Dallas Love Field as construction of a new terminal continues.
Starting Friday, the East Pedestrian Bridge that connects the terminal to the third level garage is closed for at least ten days. Access will be at street level.
Monday, the West Tunnel, which connects the Terminal 2 Baggage Claim to Parking Garage A will close. Access will be on the ground level.
And Wednesday is the Terminal 2 “flip”. The current lobby security checkpoint will be closed for the next phase of construction, and passengers will use the “new” part of the terminal.
BJ Austin, KERA News
Irving Mom Sentenced For Murder Of Son
An Irving woman is going to prison for 45 years in the death of her six year old son, whose body was found dumped on a dirt road in Maine.
42 year old Julianne McCrery spoke tearfully about her son at her sentencing hearing. She told the court he did not deserve what she had done to him.
McCrery pleaded guilty in November to smothering her six year old son in a New Hampshire motel room, then dumping his body.
BJ Austin, KERA News
FW Police Release Description Of City-Worker Impostors
Fort Worth Police have released descriptions of two people believed to be posing as city workers in order to burglarize elderly residents.
Police say they’ve answered a series of such calls over the past two months.
Investigators say a male suspect knocks on the front door and asks the elderly resident to accompany him to the back yard to discuss some work to be done next door. Meanwhile, a female suspect enters the home and steals valuables.
Police describe the man as Hispanic, 40 to 50, about 5-8 and chubby, about 230 pounds.
The woman is described as Hispanic, about 30, 5-foot-2 and 115 pounds.
Anyone with information is asked to call Fort Worth Crimestoppers - 817-469-TIPS
BJ Austin, KERA News