Officers Patrol Dallas Neighborhood After Sexual Assault

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Dallas bicycle officers are patrolling a neighborhood where a woman was sexually assaulted Friday in the second attack in three weeks.

The victim was sexually assaulted in a home along Ferndale Road in Lake Highlands at about 10 p.m.

Investigators do not believe the attack is related to the first sexual assault. In that case, a woman was raped at knifepoint by an intruder in her home in the 10800 block of Ferndale Road on Feb. 22.

Fernando Munoz, who police say is a "strong suspect" in the Feb. 22 assault, was in custody at the time of the most recent attack. Police also said that the descriptions of the attacker in the two assaults do not match.

Munoz was arrested earlier this month in Lewisville on suspicion of burglary. He was charged in a 2010 Dallas sexual assault after DNA evidence linked him to the attack, police said.

Police are testing DNA evidence to see if Munoz is connected to several rapes dating back to 2008, including the Feb. 22 assault in Lake Highlands.

Dallas police said the bike patrols are a direct response to Friday's attack, but residents say it is little comfort.

"It's very frightening," Melissa Hairston said.

Hairston said the attacks have her feeling vulnerable.

"I don't know if the rapists are getting some idea that we're easy pickings over here," she said. "I don't know what the deal is."

"We've always locked our doors. We never keep our garage doors open," she said.

The president of the Lake Highlands Estate Neighborhood Association said people are constantly calling, wondering if there is an update on the Friday attack.

Joe Sides, a landscape contractor in the area, said the usually friendly neighborhood has become understandably guarded.

"This morning, they're barely opening the door," he said.

Police said the attacker in the Friday case was a man in his 20s who was about 5 feet 8 inches tall with a chubby, clean-shaven face and a short, buzz haircut. Police said the victim also said he wore gray shorts and a jacket and spoke English with a Spanish accent.

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Dallas Councilman Proposes Plastic Bag Ban

Omar Villafranca, NBC 5 News

The city of Austin just started a plastic bag ban and Dallas City Councilman Dwaine Caraway wants to put forward a similar ordinance.

Dallas Councilman Wants to Ban Plastic...

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Is Dallas trying to be like Austin?

When it comes to plastic shopping bags, yes.

A ban on plastic shopping bags went into effect this month in Austin. 

The office of Dallas City Councilman Dwaine Caraway confirms that Caraway is working on a similar ordinance for the city of Dallas. No details have been released yet.

But before the ordinance is even discussed, a state lawmakers is pushing the "Shopping Bag Freedom Act", which would stop all plastic shopping bag bans.

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Polyurethane Spill Closes I-35E in Waxahachie

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Interstate 35E is back open after a crash involving an 18-wheeler in Waxhachie.

Waxahachie police closed Interstate 35E southbound at West 287 Business early Tuesday morning when a truck overturned and spilled polyurethane on the roadway around 3:40 a.m.

Police say they believe the driver misjudged the exit and over-corrected.

No injuries were reported.

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Cleanup Continues After Bridge Demolition

Jeff Smith, NBC 5

Workers are removing rebar and chunks of concrete from the site where the old Weatherford Street bridge used to stand.

Cleanup Continues After Bridge Demolition

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Weatherford Street Bridge Demolished

Crews demolished the old Weatherford Street bridge near downtown Fort Worth at about 10:15 p.m. Monday.

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Clean up is underway and is expected to last into mid-day Tuesday following the planned demolition of the old Weatherford Street bridge between downtown Fort Worth and Interstate 35W.

Demolitions experts, contracted by the Texas Department of Transportation, imploded the bridge at approximately 10:22 pm Monday.

The implosion will make way for completion of the new Weatherford Street bridge, as well as new on-ramps to I-35W, said Val Lopez of TxDOT.

The demolition was necessary, Lopez said, because the new bridge sits less than six feet away from the old bridge. That close proximity makes using a crane too dangerous for the integrity of the new bridge, Lopez said.

Prior to the explosion, officials on the scene had said that an air horn would sound for one minute as a warning leading up to the actual demolition. By several accounts, that horn never sounded.

The blast could be heard as far away as Arlington, according to witnesses.

"I am laying in bed and it was unmistakable. There was an explosion. It was not like a transformer exploding or a car backfiring. It was literally, that's an explosion. I knew I'd wake up the next day and hear about it on the news," said Arlington resident Darrell Bevelhymer, who lives 20 miles away from the bridge.

Several streets around the area of the demolition will be closed through Tuesday morning as crews clear steel rebar and concrete chunks.

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Philadelphia Mayor Slams "White in Philly" Magazine Story

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Philly Mag Cover Causes Controversy

Mayor Michael Nutter criticized an article published in Philadelphia Magazine called "Being White in Philly." The author Bob Huber, who is white, talks about the experiences of whites living in ethnically diverse communities. NBC10's Denise Nakano reports details and shares what locals had to say.

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The issue of race in the City of Bortherly Love has come to the forefront after a recent Philadelphia Magazine cover story called "Being White in Philly."

The article, written by Bob Huber, a white man, describes the experiences of white people who live in racially mixed neighborhoods in Philadelphia. The story garnered plenty of attention since it appeared at the beginning of March especially since Mayor Michael Nutter got a hold of it.

On Friday, Nutter sent a letter to the city's Commission on Human Relations in response to the article. In his letter, Nutter claimed the article had a "disgusting tone" and criticized its "collection of disparaging beliefs and negative stereotypes." He also claimed the story "used isolated negative experiences" and made "generalizations" to portray African Americans as lazy, irresponsible and criminal. Nutter requested that the city's Commission on Human Relations conduct an "inquiry" into the state of racial issues in Philadelphia.

Rue Landau, the Executive Director on Human Relations, agreed, claiming that the article perpetuated "harmful stereotypes." He also stated the Commission is currently looking at "relations in the city."

Huber defended his article in an email, claiming his goal when writing the piece was to simply address the city's problems in race relations and to "push for a better dialogue." While he agreed with the Mayor's decision to ask for an inquiry on the city's racial issues, he also called Nutter's description of the article "off the mark to the point of absurdity."

Tom McGrath, the editor of Philadelphia Magazine, also called Nutter's statements "sophomoric," according to Philly.com. McGrath accused Nutter of being "more interested in scoring political points than having a serious conversation about race."

On Monday, McGrath hosted a panel discussion on the article and the issues it has raised at the National Constitution Center. More than 250 people showed up for the event titled "Can We Talk About Race?"

"We have never been able to resolve the issue of race in our society," said Walter Palmer, one of the panelists.

After the panel, McGrath admitted that the article had flaws.

"I think the flaws in this piece were exacerbated by mistakes in terms of the topic," he said. "The one thing I think we might have done a bit differently is how we framed it."

The Human Resources Commission also voted to have a public meeting on the article on April 18 in Fairmount-Brewerytown.

The reaction to the article from Philadelphia residents has been mixed.

"I thought the magazine was inappropriate to put outside," said Yvette Rocco who works at a local newsstand. "I didn't like what the cover said."

"I thought it was an older white male who visited a particular neighborhood and wrote about his experience," said Christopher Norris, a journalist. "I think he has the right to do so."

"The more dialogue we have on race and race issues, the more understanding we have of where other people are coming from," said James Brunson.

Chad Lassiter, a sociologist who teaches at the University of Pennsylvania and West Chester University believes the article has provided a valuable opportunity for the city to openly discuss the issue of race.

"We need not engage in reactionary politics," he said. "We need to call for a race dialogue in the city of Philadelphia. We need to look at ourselves and how we're not being tolerant. We need to become more tolerant and embrace difference."

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Frisco House Explodes After Standoff, Fire

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Frisco police say several small explosions damaged a home after a man set it on fire during a standoff with police Monday night.

Police say 38-year-old William Chad Coleman refused to leave a home at 6106 Arlington Drive after police responded to a domestic disturbance call around 9:49 p.m.

The call began when the suspect's fiance drove to the Frisco Police Department and reported Coleman chased her from the home and into her vehicle. The victim also stated Coleman pointed a handgun at her in a threatening manner, according to police.

When officers arrived at the home, they observed Coleman carrying several firearms while inside the home. Officers contained the area and brought in tactical units while making contact with Coleman through 911.

Through that contact, Coleman allegedly threatened to come out "blazing fire," according to police. Officers reported hearing loud noises from within the house, breaking of windows, and heard several small explosions coming from the garage where a fire began.

"I saw police running up and down the alley here," neighbor Steve Benhoff said about the incident. "I heard several explosions...one rattled my window a little bit."

Another neighbor, Susan McDermott, said the police contacted her with a warning about the situation next door.

"Stay away from the windows, don't let anyone out," McDermott recalls.

An hour later, they came with another warning. "They came pounding on my door to get out of my house because the house next door was on fire," McDermott said.

After the start of the fire, police say Coleman evacuated the burning house and surrendered to police without incident.

"All the sudden, the guy come running out of the house, they all yell, 'get down,' he bends down in the front yard and they handcuffed him," Benhoff said. "Then the back of the house was pretty much engulfed in flames."

Coleman was transported to Centennial Medical Center in Frisco and treated for smoke inhalation.

Coleman has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is in the Frisco jail on a $150,000 bond. He could also be charged with arson once the fire investigation wraps up in Frisco.

NBC 5's Kendra Lyn contributed to an earlier version of this report.

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AMR, US Air CEOs Testify in D.C.

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AMR CEO Tom Horton and US Airways CEO Doug Parker appeared in front of a Senate antitrust committee Tuesday morning.

According to official notices, the Senate Committee on the Judiciary scheduled a hearing of the Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights entitled "The American Airlines/US Airways Merger: Consolidation, Competition, and Consumers" starting at 10:00 a.m. Eastern time.

Witnesses scheduled to attend included Horton and Parker, as well as Diana L. Moss, Director and Vice President of the American Antitrust Institute, and William McGee, a consultant for the Consumers Union.

American Airlines released the following statement on Horton and Parker's prepared testimonies.

We wanted to let you know that today, Thomas Horton, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of American Airlines, and Doug Parker, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of US Airways, will be testifying before the Senate Subcommittee on Antitrust, Competition Policy and Consumer Rights on why the combination of American Airlines and US Airways represents a compelling opportunity for customers, employees, shareholders and communities of both airlines. In their prepared testimony, Mr. Horton and Mr. Parker explain how the new American Airlines will be good for competition, offering consumers more choices and increased service.

• Discussing how the merger is the best path forward for both companies and the airline industry, Mr. Horton notes:
  "…Our merger with US Airways will create the new American Airlines, a global competitor worthy of bearing the name of our country as America's flag carrier. Flying under the iconic American Airlines brand, it will be positioned to compete - not just against other domestic carriers but against the best the world has to offer."
• Mr. Parker highlights how bringing together each company's complementary networks will improve service and enhance competition:
  "By combining American and US Airways, the new American Airlines will build the network that passengers have told us they want, one that will compete more effectively with the other networks airlines, as well as low cost carriers… By combining these networks, we will provide thousands of passengers better alternatives by creating over 1300 new connecting opportunities and the potential to access numerous cities world-wide served by one carrier but not the other."
• Mr. Horton also stresses that the new American Airlines will be a stronger, more competitive company:
  "The new American will take flight in what continues to be one of the most intensely competitive industries in the world. There is nothing that our people want more than to put American back on top as a fierce competitor that will set a new standard of excellence, and that is exactly what this merger will do."
• This merger brings with it significant benefits for employees and has unprecedented support from both companies' labor unions, which Mr. Parker highlights:
  "That financial stability also will provide very significant benefits to our employees including better pay and benefits; more jobs and greatly improved job security; and better opportunities for advancement."

In connection with today's hearing, leaders from five major unions representing American Airlines and US Airways employees reaffirmed their strong support for the merger in a letter to the Senate Subcommittee.

The union letter and the prepared testimony for both Mr. Horton and Mr. Parker are available on the joint website: www.newAmericanarriving.com.

Previous Testimony in Committee

Executives from both American Airlines and US Airways made their case about their proposed merger to a congressional committee in February.

The airline executives testified before the Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Anti-Trust Law subcommittee of the House Judiciary Committee on Feb. 26.

The hearing examined the proposed merger's effects on competition and consumers in the airline industry.

The executives answered questions about how the merger would affect ticket prices and how the new airline's hubs would work.

Read more on that testimony by clicking here.

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12 Schools Under "Caution Lockdown"

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A dozen schools in the Richardson Independent School District are on a "caution lockdown" due to police activity in the area.

Tim Clark, with the district, described a caution lockdown as one where students are not allowed to leave the building. Clark said the district is just being cautious and that they have had no reported incidents on campus.

The campuses affected by the caution lockdown are: Lake Highlands High School, Lake Highlands Junior High School, Lake Highlands Elementary School, Lake Highlands Freshman Center, Northlake Elementary School, Wallace Elementary School, White Rock Elementary School, Merriman Park Elementary School, Skyview Elementary School, Thurgood Marshall Elementary School, Moss Haven Elementary School and Forest Meadow Junior High School.

At about noon Tuesday, the district placed the following message on their website:

"This morning, there was a police incident in the Lake Highland area. Throughout the morning, Richardson ISD security has monitored the situation carefully. Currently, police presence in the area has increased as they search for the suspect. As a precaution and as our standard practice to ensure the safety of our students, campuses in the area have been put on lockdown until the suspect is caught or the police can ensure that he is no longer the area."

While police have not confirmed why there is an increase in activity in the area, a homeowner's association told NBC 5's Lindsay Wilcox that a sexual assault had taken place -- the third in as many weeks. 

Police do not believe the previous attacks are related, but have increased patrols in the area as the investigation into the assaults continues.

NBC 5 has crews on the way and we'll update this story with more information as soon as it's available.  As this story is developing, elements may change.  NBC 5's Lindsay Wilcox contributed to this report.

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