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Top Stories: Plans For New Sutherland Springs Sanctuary; Fighting Antibiotic Resistance

Courtesy of MYRICK, GUROSKY & ASSOCIATES - NAMB
A rendering of the new First Baptist sanctuary in Sutherland Springs.

The top local stories this morning from KERA News:

First Baptist Church in Sutherland Springs will build a new sanctuary and community center. The announcement by church officials Tuesday night comes nearly five months after a gunman killed more than two dozen people during a Sunday church service last November.

Since then, the current sanctuary of the church has served as a memorial, with chairs bearing the names of the men, women and children who died on Nov. 5.

The sanctuary renderings show a sanctuary with two towers and an adjacent education center – about 14,000 square feet. A memorial prayer garden is planned in between the buildings, and church officials also plan to hang paintings of all 26 victims of the shooting. This is phase one of the nearly 2-acre property.

“This building is going to represent not what the world talks about – the hate and the ugliness – but what Paul taught, and he said love never fails,” said First Baptist pastor Frank Pomeroy.

The project is expected to cost about $3 million funded primarily through donations. The North American Mission Board – a division of the Southern Baptist Association – is overseeing the project and will provide any remaining funds if donations fall short.

It’s unclear what will happen to the current memorial sanctuary. Ground breaking for the new sanctuary is set for May 5 – exactly six months after the shooting.

Other stories this evening:

  • The Seattle Seahawks have cut back-up quarterback Trevone Boykin amid reports of police in Mansfield investigating the former TCU quarterback for alleged domestic violence. His girlfriend, Shabrika Bailey told WFAA-TV that Boykin attempted to choke her and broke her jaw in two places at his home last week. In a statement released to the NFL Network, Boykin called Bailey's allegations "false," but said he understands the Seahawks' decision to release him. The 24-year-old hasn't been arrested or charged. Regardless, he may be subject to NFL discipline under the league's personal conduct policy.

  • Hospitals are doing a better job these days stopping the spread of antibiotic resistant bacteria in healthcare settings, but according to the Centers for Disease Control, these so-called "superbugs" still kill up to 23,000 people a year. KERA's Justin Martin talked to He Dong, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry at UT Arlington, about efforts to prevent these infections – not with drugs – but by developing a new synthetic "nanomaterial."

You can listen to North Texas stories weekdays at 8:22 a.m. and 6:20 p.m. on KERA 90.1 FM.

Former KERA staffer Stephanie Kuo is an award-winning radio journalist who worked as a reporter and administrative producer at KERA, overseeing and coordinating editorial content reports and logistics for the Texas Station Collaborative – a statewide news consortium including KERA, KUT in Austin, Houston Public Media and Texas Public Radio in San Antonio.