Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott is suing U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius for cutting-off funding to the Texas Women’s Health Program.
In the filing, the Attorney General calls the decision to rescind funds for 90% of the family planning and cancer screening program “arbitrary, capricious, and not in accordance with law.”
Sebelius says Texas is violating Medicaid rules by banning abortion providers, or any organization affiliated with an abortion provider, from participating in the Women’s Health Program.
Attorney General Abbott is asking the court to find that the Texas law does not violate federal rules and order Sebelius to restore the funding.
BJ Austin, KERA News
Dallas Celebrates St. Patrick’s Day
Dallas’ annual Greenville Avenue St. Patrick’s Day parade kicks off Saturday at 11.
Southbound traffic will be shut down from Blackwell to SMU Boulevard from 9 to 1. Northbound traffic stops at 10.
Dallas Police remind parade-goers there is no overnight camping or sleeping in parking lots in order to get a good spot to watch the parade.
The annual St. Patty’s Street Party is on Greenville between Vanderbilt and Vickery. That block will be closed to traffic all day, from 9am to 8pm.
Dallas Police say watch where you park. Cars will be towed from resident-only parking areas.
BJ Austin, KERA News
Bomb Threat Aboard Flight At DFW
The FBI and DFW Airport police are investigating a reported bomb threat aboard a United Express Flight from Los Angeles.
The plane landed safely at DFW Friday afternoon. The 66 passengers and crew were evacuated. Airport officials say the plane was moved to a remote area while the investigation continues.
No other flights are affected.
BJ Austin, KERA News
Family Of Dallas 9/11 Hate Crime Victim Become US Citizens
The widow and daughters of a Pakistani immigrant killed by a white supremacist in a 9/11 revenge attack are now U.S. citizens.
Wearing hijab headscarves, Duri Hasan and three of her daughters took the oath Friday in a ceremony at the New Jersey office of U.S. Rep. Rush Holt. A fourth daughter became a citizen last week.
The Hasan family was determined to remain in America and become citizens despite the fatal shooting of Waqar Hasan at a Dallas convenience store four days after 9/11.
The family had also faced the possibility of deportation. But Holt helped them get permanent legal residency.
Mark Stroman admitted carrying out a string of 9/11 revenge shootings. He was executed last year in Huntsville, Texas, for the murder of another immigrant.
AP
Dallas firefighter allegedly fired gun at station
An off-duty Dallas firefighter has been accused of discharging a handgun at a fire station.
Dallas Fire-Rescue officials say 37-year-old Jesus Ventura of Irving has been put on paid administrative leave during the investigation of the March 8 incident. Nobody was hurt.
Dallas police say Ventura was arrested late Thursday at his home on a deadly conduct warrant. Jail records Friday did not list information on whether Ventura remained in custody. Police did not immediately provide further details on the arrest.
A police report says Ventura had waived the pistol and pointed the handgun at other firefighters. Witnesses disarmed Ventura.
AP
Texas teen sentenced to 10 years for deadly punch
A 14-year-old Fort Worth boy has been sentenced to 10 years in a juvenile jail for killing a stranger with a single unprovoked punch.
State District Judge Jean Boyd sentenced the boy Thursday. The teen, who is not being identified because he is a juvenile, admitted to a manslaughter charge earlier this year following the October attack on 40-year-old Mark Gregory.
A statement from the Tarrant County District Attorney's Office says the boy and two friends hopped out of a car that night when they saw Gregory walking. The punch knocked the 106-pound Gregory down and he hit his head on the pavement. He died two days later.
AP
Southeast Texas courthouse reopens after gunfire
A Southeast Texas courthouse has reopened two days after gunfire outside left one person dead and three hurt.
The Jefferson County Courthouse reopened Friday. A suspect remains in custody over the shootings in downtown Beaumont.
Bartholomew Granger had been on trial in a family-related criminal case. Police say he opened fire a couple of hours before he was due back in court Wednesday.
Granger is charged with murder over the fatal shooting of a bystander and is held on $4 million bond. Authorities identified the slain woman as Minnie Ray Seabolt of Deweyville.
Investigators say Granger's adult daughter was wounded. Police say she was hospitalized Friday in critical but stable condition. Her mother and another bystander suffered minor wounds.
Beaumont is 80 miles east of Houston.
AP
Business group warns about St. Patrick's Day scams
A business group in Texas has offered a warning about money schemes during St. Patrick's Day weekend.
The Better Business Bureau in Austin on Friday said scammers often use public holidays to target consumers with bogus sweepstake claims. St. Patrick's Day is Saturday.
The BBB says consumers across Texas frequently contact the group inquiring about a mail or phone notification announcing they've won a substantial sum of money.
BBB official Carrie Hurt says one clue about a fraudulent sweepstakes offer is requiring consumers to make a purchase to get a prize.
AP