Deputies Arrest Pair Accused of Stealing $200,000 in Equipment

MARSHALL — Deputies have arrested two people accused of stealing more than $200,000 in equipment in Louisiana and East Texas. According to KETK, Harrison County Lt. Jay Webb says the sheriff announced the arrests Monday morning. James Robert Arnold, 47, and Michael Stephanie Arnold, 35, were booked into the Harrison County Jail on separate charges. Sheriff Tom McCool said his department recovered a $90,000 backhoe, $10,000 goose neck trailer, $5,000 flatbed trailer, $75,000 mini track hoe and three golf carts worth $24,000 from a Longview business off Highway 259. Property was taken from Harrison County, Van Zandt County, Longview, and Lincoln Parish. Authorities are also looking into two missing tractors from DeSoto Parish. Read more …

Hawkins Mayor Charged with Official Oppression

QUITMAN — According to the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, the mayor of Hawkins was arrested Monday afternoon. Officials tell KETK Mayor William Rogers was booked into the Wood County Jail on a single count of official oppression. Details on the accusation against Rogers weren’t immediately available. Rogers was released on $1,000 bond. Read more …

Mother Arrested for DWI with 4 Children in Car

LONGVIEW — An East Texas woman is behind bars after troopers say she was driving while intoxicated with children in the car. According to KETK, the Texas Department of Public Safety says Sarah Veronica Bruns, 36, was arrested around 10:00 Sunday night on U.S. Highway 259. She reportedly had four children in the car with her at the time of her arrest. Bruns was charged with DWI and four counts of child endangerment. She remains in the Gregg County Jail on $25,000 bond.

Louisiana Woman Allegedly Kicks E. Texas Deputy in Throat

HENDERSON — A Louisiana woman was arrested last week after she allegedly kicked a Rusk County deputy in the throat. According to Chief Deputy Charles Helton, at 4:30 a.m. on Thursday, a woman was taken into custody for DWI in the Walmart parking lot off Highway 79. While the suspect, Amanda Kluth, 27, of Youngsville, Louisiana, was being placed into the patrol car, she allegedly kicked a deputy in the throat. At this time, she was pepper sprayed, according to KETK. Authorities took Kluth to a local hospital where she was checked and released. Deputies then transferred her to the county jail. She was charged with DWI, resisting arrest, and assault on a peace officer. She has since been released on bond.

Two Sentenced for Child Sex Assault

LONGVIEW — Two Longview men learn their punishment after pleading guilty to separate sexual acts on children. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report 34-year-old Robert Gribble and 24-year-old Jacob Myers learned their fate last week. Gribble was originally arrested in 2013 after a child reported continuous sexual abuse. Police say Gribble described several incidents with elementary-school-age children between 2009 and 2013. He was sentenced to 25 years. Myers pleaded guilty last week to three counts of sexual assault of a child. He will spend eight years in prison.

Tyler Accident Injures One

TYLER – One person is injured following a head-on collision in Tyler. It happened around 7:00 Sunday night in the 1700 block of East Gentry. Police say a truck veered into on coming traffic, hitting another vehicle. KETK reports the truck driver is hospitalized, his condition not known at this time. The other driver was not injured.

Texas Deputy on Admin Leave after Fatal Shooting

LINDEN — According to the Cass County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy has been placed on administrative leave after he was involved in a fatal shooting Sunday morning. KETK reports that Deputy Johnny Bailey was involved in the incident around 11 a.m. Sunday off Cass County Road 4915 south of Bloomburg. Officials say Bailey was attempting to serve felony warrants stemming from Ward County on Charles Alver Jones, Jr., 33, for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault on a family member and impeding breath. Bailey was placed on administrative leave per departmental policy. An investigation is being conducted by the Texas Rangers, and no further information was immediately released.

Great Texas Balloon Race Gets Underway; Safety Tips Issued

LONGVIEW — The Great Texas Balloon Race got underway Monday, with activities continuing in Longview and the surrounding area through Sunday. Meanwhile, local police want to make sure that everyone enjoys the activities safely, and they’ve issued a set of safety tips, which you can read below. A practice flight was held Monday morning, and competitive flights begin Tuesday. The Great Texas Balloon Race Festival, with a variety of family-friendly activities, gets underway Friday. According to the event website, the Balloon Race is “a world class event attracting the very best competitive pilots from across the United States and the world.” The website also highlights Friday and Saturday night’s popular Balloon Glows, which “entertain crowds with an awesome display of color and excitement.” Read more …

FAA Proposes to Fine Southwest Airlines $12M

WASHINGTON (AP) – The government is proposing a $12 million civil fine against Southwest Airlines for failing to comply in three separate cases with safety regulations related to repairs on Boeing 737 jetliners. The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that beginning in 2006 Southwest made “extreme makeover” alterations to eliminate potential cracking of the aluminum skin on 44 jetliners. The FAA said an investigation determined that Southwest’s contractor, Aviation Technical Services Inc. of Everett, Washington, failed to follow proper procedures for replacing the fuselage as well as other work on the planes. The agency said all of the work was done under the supervision of Southwest Airlines. The statement said Southwest returned the planes to service when they were not in compliance with regulations. Southwest has 30 days to reply to the proposed fine.

California Governor Takes Dig at Texas Guard Plan

MEXICO CITY (AP) – California Gov. Jerry Brown has taken a not-so-subtle dig at Texas Gov. Rick Perry’s decision to deploy National Guard troops to the border. Brown said Monday in Mexico City that he expects it to be a short-lived measure and that “wiser minds will prevail.” Brown is in Mexico for three days of meetings, focusing on migration, trade, investment and environmental cooperation. At a news conference Monday with Mexican Foreign Relations Secretary Jose Antonio Meade, Brown said the immigration overload of thousands of Central American youths at the border should be seen as a humanitarian issue. Meade said he and Brown agree that the use of law-enforcement or military agencies “is never justified in cases where children are concerned” unless they are providing medical or logistical aid.

Woman Dead at Houston Warehouse Was Assaulted

HOUSTON (AP) – Houston police say a 35-year-old woman whose body was found at an abandoned warehouse was assaulted and died of her injuries. Police on Monday identified the victim as Lakeisha Perkins. Nobody has been arrested. The woman’s body was discovered last Tuesday after police received a tip. Investigators did not immediately say how Perkins was assaulted. Police are asking anyone with information on the slaying to contact authorities.

Former CPS Supervisor Arrested on Tampering Charge

ABILENE (AP) – Central Texas police say a former supervisor for state Child Protective Services has been arrested for tampering with evidence as police investigated the 2012 starvation death of a 22-month-old girl. Abilene police Chief Stan Standridge said Monday that 58-year-old Martha Kiel Whitaker turned herself in Saturday on the felony charge. She posted $1,000 bond and was released. Online jail and court records do not indicate an attorney for her. Standridge says detectives had “grave concerns” about a lack of cooperation by CPS supervisors as police investigated the death of Tamryn Klapheke. The child was found dead in her crib inside a squalid home while her father was on an Air Force deployment. Tamryn’s mother, Tiffany Klapheke, was convicted of her death and sentenced in February to 30 years in prison.

West Texas Teenager Arrested in Fatal Stabbing

ABILENE (AP) – West Texas police say an 18-year-old man has been arrested in a stabbing death near Abilene Christian University. D’Angelo Bell is charged with capital murder in the death of 19-year-old Kaleb Cory on Sunday at a housing complex near the university. He’s also been charged with assault of a public servant. Bell was arrested and placed in a patrol car, where police say he kicked out a window and injured an officer. Bell is being held in jail on bonds totaling $290,000. The Taylor County jail says records don’t show an attorney for him. Police say Bell fought with Cory after the victim confronted him about stealing several items from the apartment’s owner. Authorities say Cory was stabbed several times and was taken to a hospital where he later died.

Texas Agencies to Crack Down on Illegal Water Use

AUSTIN (AP) – Increased enforcement efforts will soon begin to prevent people from illegally drawing water from Central Texas lakes and the lower Colorado River. Law enforcement officers for the Lower Colorado River Authority and other agencies will increase patrols beginning Friday. They’ll look for property owners along the chain of lakes that include Buchanan and Travis who are illegally drawing water for domestic uses such as watering lawns. LCRA spokeswoman Clara Tuma said Monday the authority has spent the last few years reminding lakeside property owners that they must have a contract to pump lake water for their use. There were fewer than 60 contracts with the authority in 2009 and now there are more than 3,700. Increased patrols also will be conducted along the Colorado River between Lake Travis and Matagorda Bay.

Jaso has 3 RBIs as A’s beat Rangers 9-3

It doesn’t matter to John Jaso whether he’s Oakland’s leadoff batter, as long as he’s playing. For the Athletics, he’s extremely important at the top of the order, especially with Coco Crisp hurting.

Jaso drove in three runs Sunday night, helping Scott Kazmir and Oakland beat the Texas Rangers 9-3. The A’s catcher had a run-scoring single during a five-run second inning and added a two-run double in the fifth.

“I like (leadoff) because I’m in the lineup,” Jaso said. “I don’t care where.”

Manager Bob Melvin said Crisp, who has led off in 69 of the Athletics’ 105 games, was going back to Oakland to be examined by the doctors who have been treating a recurring neck injury.

“When Coco’s out, we certainly need a guy against right-handers,” Melvin said. “(Jaso) takes a lot of pitches, and he can be aggressive.”

Jaso was leading off for the 15th time this season and has had at least one hit each game while batting .380 (19 for 50) in that role. He entered the game with an overall .360 on-base percentage.

The Athletics’ first three batters — Jaso, Stephen Vogt and Yoenis Cespedes — each had a double and a single, and Josh Reddick added three singles.

Kazmir (12-3) moved into a tie for the American League lead in wins while allowing seven hits in five innings. He walked two and struck out two. Read more …

Jones and Ozuna lead Marlins over Astros 4-2

Before leaving for a seven-game trip last on July 18, the Miami Marlins had won just once in their previous seven games.

What a difference a week made.

Garrett Jones and Marcell Ozuna homered to lead the Marlins over the Houston Astros 4-2 Sunday to complete a three game sweep and a 6-1 trip.

It’s the first time they’ve ever swept in Houston and was their first series sweep since beating the Rays in consecutive two-game series from June 2-5.

“It feels good that we were able to come in here and not have a letdown after a great series in Atlanta,” Miami manager Mike Redmond said. “I think that’s probably the biggest thing. We did what we needed to do to win, and that’s a good feeling out there right now.”

Jones’ homer capped a three-run first for the Marlins, and Ozuna padded the lead with his solo shot in the sixth. Read more …

Johnson injures hamstring again

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. — Once again Matt Johnson was unable to make it through a training camp practice because of a hamstring injury.

Johnson has been beset by hamstring injuries since being drafted in the fourth round of the 2012 draft. He missed most of his rookie season with recurring hamstring injuries. He missed most of the offseason program in the spring with a hamstring injury. He has yet to play in a regular-season game.

“You hate it for Matt,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “He’s done everything right. … I’m sure no one is more frustrated than him.”

The severity of the injury is not known. He got hurt in team pursuit drills in the early part of Sunday’s practice. He immediately grabbed his leg and was checked out by an athletic trainer before heading inside for the day.

Johnson wasn’t the only injury. Defensive tackle Terrell McClain left early with an ankle sprain. DeVonte Holloman was having dehydration issues. Linebacker Will Smith (groin) and offensive lineman Darius Morris (hamstring) did not practice.

The Cowboys have their first off-day of training camp on Monday.

Cowboys hope Beasley can help out Bryant

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

Follow reporter Todd Archer’s live updates from training camp in Oxnard, California.
Preseason Live
The Cowboys plan to give Beasley every opportunity to prove he can make plays as an outside receiver. It’s not just about expanding the role of a receiver who emerged as a significant contributor in his second NFL season, catching 39 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns. If Beasley can do more than just play in the slot, it opens up possibilities for the Cowboys coaches to create mismatches with their most dangerous weapon.

For the first few seasons of his NFL career, the Cowboys featured Dez Bryant solely as the X receiver, keeping his role as simple as possible. They moved him around some last season, and he’s mentally prepared for much more of that entering his fifth year, often working out of the slot in three-receiver sets with Beasley outside.

“I think there’s really no limit on what we can do with him, and I believe that,” receivers coach Derek Dooley said. “We started moving him around last year, and that’s the only way to continue to get him the production that he needs to get because defensive coordinators are too good. If they know where he’s going to be, it’s going to be a long Sunday.

“So the sky’s the limit. It’s a matter of repping. To your point, moving him into the slot, we’ve got to figure out what Cole’s role is, so that’s what we’re working through right now.” Read more …

McClain jumps right back in at Cowboys’ camp

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. — Linebacker Rolando McClain got thrown right into the fire in his return from retirement.

There was no acclimation period for McClain, the 25-year-old former eighth overall pick who sat out last season and missed the first two practices of the Dallas Cowboys’ training camp to attend his trial on two misdemeanor charges in Alabama. He put on the pads Saturday afternoon and got to thumping.

In fact, McClain hit a little too hard on his first rep of team drills, tackling running back Lance Dunbar to the ground, something that isn’t supposed to happen in practice.

The 6-foot-4, 259-pound McClain worked as the second-team middle linebacker but will have every opportunity to win the starting job with Sean Lee out for the season. McClain displayed the talent on that snap that made the Cowboys decide he’s worth the risk despite his red flags. He shed a block by tight end James Hanna and stuffed Dunbar for a short loss.

“I was glad to see him,” owner/general manager Jerry Jones said. “I was impressed that they put him right in. I really thought they might ease him in, might need to since he hadn’t had OTAs, hadn’t had the kind of drills. The deal with him, and because of the issue retiring, what you want to see is what you were seeing when he wasn’t in the drill. He was back over there, his body language was great.” Read more …

Jason Garrett gets under Dez Bryant’s skin

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. — Head coach Jason Garrett pretty much guaranteed an elite performance by Dez Bryant during Sunday’s practice.

Garrett made sure to get under Bryant’s skin the previous afternoon, throwing another log on the Pro Bowl receiver’s competitive fire. The head coach loudly provided some intentionally inaccurate color commentary after Bryant got wide open but was overthrown on a pass during 1-on-1s, barking that cornerback Orlando Scandrick had kicked Bryant’s butt on the rep.

“I had my reasons for saying what I said, and so, Dez Bryant’s going to be ready to go today,” Garrett said before Sunday’s practice. “Trust me.”

Not exactly a bold prediction, but it proved to be true.

Bryant actually got off to a bit of a slow start in 1-on-1s, as cornerback Morris Claiborne had pass breakups on their first two reps. Claiborne would have been called for holding on a curl route, but he made a nice play to bat away a deep ball on the second throw.

That didn’t sit well with Bryant, who responded in spectacular fashion, torching Claiborne on a slant-and-go the next time they matched up.

Claiborne was toast as soon as Bryant made the double move, having bitten hard on the slant. Claiborne was at least 15 yards behind Bryant as he caught the pass and sprinted into the end zone.

In team drills later in the practice, Bryant put another highlight on the reel at Claiborne’s expense, burning him on a go route for what would have been another long score.

Claiborne had taunted Terrance Williams during 1-on-1 drills Saturday, shouting that they better bring Bryant over to compete against him.

Be careful what you wish for, especially after the head coach has been talking trash to the No. 1 receiver.

Cowboys to be patient with Murray contract

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. — The Dallas Cowboys have let it be known they want to sign Dez Bryant and Tyron Smith to long-term contract extensions. They don’t have the same sense of urgency with running back DeMarco Murray.

Murray is entering the final year of his rookie contract, just like Bryant. The Cowboys picked up the fifth-year option on Smith’s deal in the spring for 2015 but want to lock him up before they get to next season.

Just because the Cowboys do not anticipate an extension for Murray does not mean he is not part of their future.

“I think we’ll see kind of how his year goes and go from there,” executive vice president Stephen Jones said. “He’s the type of player we want on our team. He’s young and he had a good year last year. But I’d imagine that he’s going to have a great year too and I hope he does.”

Murray ran for 1,121 yards last year and was added to the Pro Bowl despite missing two games. He has yet to play a full season, but he is critical to the Cowboys’ success. The Cowboys are 11-0 when he receives 20 or more carries.

But he plays a position that has been de-valued in recent years. The largest free-agent contract signed in the offseason averaged $3.5 million a year. The last time the Cowboys paid a running back big money was Marion Barber, who signed a seven-year deal worth $45 million that included $16 million guaranteed in 2008. The Cowboys cut Barber after the 2010 season.

Jones said contract decisions are made on individual basis, not on how good or bad a deal worked with a player at the same position in the past.

“Running backs, that’s kind of evolved in this league,” Jones said. “It’s tough for running backs to have a lot of longevity. But there’s ones that do. DeMarco is a leader. He takes good care of himself. I think his best football is ahead of him.”

Scandrick: This year is going to be different

By Tim MacMahon | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. — The No. 32 would be on cornerback Orlando Scandrick’s mind every day even if it wasn’t on his jersey.

There is no hiding the fact that the Dallas Cowboys ranked 32nd — dead last — in the league in total defense last season.

“The facts are the facts,” Scandrick said during an appearance on ESPN Dallas 103.3 FM’s “Two-Point Conversion.” “We were the last-ranked total defense, so we can’t go anywhere but up from here, but that’s not going to change just by showing up. We’ve to have an attitude about us as a defense, and we’re going to have to play together. Playing together stops a lot of the things that happened that caused us to be the 32nd-ranked defense.”

The Cowboys lost three of their most productive defensive players from last season, releasing defensive end DeMarcus Ware, letting defensive tackle Jason Hatcher leave in free agency and seeing Sean Lee injure his knee in May.

However, Scandrick expressed confidence that the Dallas defense would be vastly improved in its second season playing a 4-3 scheme.

“I just think this year is going to be different,” Scandrick said. “I don’t know if I’m just an optimist, but I really feel that this year is going to be different. We have a different group of guys. We have some younger guys. We have a lot of guys who have a lot to prove. We have some younger guys who want to prove they can play in this league. We have some other younger guys who want to prove they can be starters in this league. I really think from the bottom of my heart that we have a chance to be a solid defense this year.”

As safety Barry Church put it, the Dallas defense “has a boulder on our shoulder,” thanks to their ranking last season.

Scandrick has had a chip on his shoulder since he slipped into the fifth round in the 2008 draft. He was once of those young guys who had to prove he could play in the NFL. In his seventh NFL season, he finally got the chance to prove he could be a full-time starter and is fighting to keep that role now.

At 27, Scandrick suddenly has the longest Dallas tenure among players in the defensive meeting room other than defensive end Anthony Spencer, who could start the season on the physically unable to perform list.

The departures of Ware and Hatcher, as well as the season-ending knee injury suffered by Lee, left a leadership void on the Dallas defense. Scandrick feels a responsibility to help fill it.

“It was tough to see those guys go,” Scandrick said. “I just think about when I came in and how those guys took me under their wing and how they looked out for me. I just think I owe it to the younger guys now to do the same thing. Like I tell them, I’m open to helping whenever I can.

“I think it’s also that I help my coaches when my coaches are trying to get a point across. Sometimes it’s easier to hear it when you hear it from a player. I’m just here to find ways to win. All I want to do is win, and all I care about is winning.”

Rod Marinelli’s love of football

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

OXNARD, Calif. — Rod Marinelli never had a backup plan. He was going to be a football coach.

The Dallas Cowboys’ defensive coordinator is in his 19th season in the NFL and second with the Cowboys. He has been coaching since 1973.

What would he be doing if he wasn’t on an Oxnard, California, practice field at the end of July?

“Doing this,” Marinelli said. “Free some place.”

He turned 65 on July 13 and he inherits a defense that was last in the league. Others might blink and shy away from the opportunity, but Marinelli embraces it. He wants his players to embrace it. The last time he was a defensive coordinator he had Pro Bowlers like Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs, Charles Tillman, Julius Peppers, Tim Jennings and Henry Melton.

With the Cowboys the only Pro Bowler he has is Melton, who is coming back from a torn anterior cruciate ligament. There are questions at every level of the Cowboys’ defense, but nothing can take away the juice he gets from being on a field.

“I love practice,” Marinelli said. “I love the physicalness. I love the fundamentals. I love the competition. And you like to see men grow and develop. That’s as much as anything. And then the schematics of it. It’s fun. I mean it’s all good. It’s a great sport.”

He might walk slowly but it does not hinder the energy he has in practice or the feelings his players have for him. Marinelli was one of the main reasons Melton chose to sign as a free agent with the Cowboys.

“He’s got the credentials and he actually cares for you, not just as a football player but as a man,” Melton said. “Even in the offseason, not necessarily call or text about football, it would be about family. He actually cares about your success.”

Marinelli said he coaches the man first, the player second.

“Responsibility, accountability, all those things first,” Marinelli said.

Marinelli and the Cowboys hope that approach leads to results. He is in the final year of his deal with the Cowboys, but he knows he will be coaching somewhere in 2015 if he is not back with the Cowboys. Retirement is not in his mind.

“I don’t think that far,” Marinelli said. “I don’t. I like it. I can’t tell you, but I just like it. I can’t see being home, my gosh.”

Strong offseason fueling Brandon Weeden

By Todd Archer | ESPNDallas.com

IRVING, Texas – Brandon Weeden’s bid to be the Dallas Cowboys’ No. 2 quarterback in 2014 got a lot easier when the club decided to release Kyle Orton.

Barring something unforeseen, Weeden, who signed a two-year deal in the offseason, will be Tony Romo’s backup. But Weeden does not look at the move as “weight off my shoulders.”

“Given the situation Kyle has been in in previous years in Dallas, he’s been the backup quarterback, so I think if he was there it would be one more obstacle I would have to kind of hurdle,” Weeden said. “But at the same time I can’t really get wrapped up in putting all of my attention on that. I need to do what I did in the [organized team activities] and continue to play well and get better. I think hopefully things will work out that way regardless.”

The Cowboys felt confident enough to jettison Orton, who skipped the entire offseason program and minicamp, in part because of what Weeden did in the spring. With Romo recovering from back surgery and being kept out of competitive drills and Orton missing, Weeden took all of the first-team snaps.

“I think the reps I got in the OTAs were kind of irreplaceable,” Weeden said. “If I was in a situation where God forbid something happened to Tony and I’m asked to play, those are the guys I’m going to battle with, so those reps I got were invaluable. I know I won’t get many of those in [training] camp, but fortunately I had 12 practices where I was able to get out with those guys. Now it’s, ‘Let’s get to work.’ I’m ready to get to California and get things rolling.”

Orton had the same benefit last year of taking all of the offseason snaps in 2013 as Romo recovered from surgery to remove a cyst from his back. When Romo hurt his back in Week 16 against the Washington Redskins, he was able to step into the season finale against the Philadelphia Eagles and play well. He completed 30 of 46 passes for 358 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but a late turnover sealed the Cowboys’ loss.

“[Gavin] Escobar and [Jason] Witten are two totally different players. Dez [Bryant] and Terrance [Williams] are two totally different players,” Weeden said. “You kind of learn what certain guys’ strengths are and little nuances of what they do. That’s the thing more than anything. You kind of get a feel for what Dez likes on fades and all that stuff a certain way where Terrance might like it another way. You’ve got to learn what each guy likes. When you’re with so many new guys it takes time. You always want more time, but it’s nice to have the reps I did get there to get a head start.”