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 A panhandle lawmaker wants to put the kibosh on divorce. Republican state representative Warren Chisum of Pampa says he'll introduce legislation next year that would make couples wait 2-years before they can divorce unless they take a 10-course designed to save their marriage. Opponents say the government shouldn't be involved in making unhappily married people stay together. Chisum introduced a similar bill last year, but it failed in the house. Texas Tech has a new president. But, it's not official just yet. University of Missouri-Kansas City chancellor Guy Bailey, 57, Wednesday was named the sole finalist for the job but he can't be offered the job until after a state-required 21-day waiting period. Bailey is a former provost and executive vice president at the University of Texas-San Antonio. A corrections officer with the Randall county sheriff's office has been fired after he was arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting an acquaintance. Sgt. Derrick White, 31, was arrested Tuesday in connection with an incident last weekend. Police say White allegedly used a pistol during the assault. He had been with the department since 2003 and was supervisor of the jail from October until his firing. He was released on a $50,000 bond. An Amarillo police officer who rescued a woman from her burning home last summer is among dozens recognized nationally for their heroism. Officer Dewayne Griffin, 26, Tuesday was awarded a Carnegie medal for his actions in saving Bobbie Miller, 70. The award comes from the Pittsburgh-based "Carnegie Hero Fund commission". The medal also comes with $6,000. This is the third time Griffin has been recognized for his heroism in this incident. He was also named "Outstanding City Employee" and was given the "Firefighter Heroism Award" for his actions. 90 cases of Salmonella have now been confirmed in the Amarillo area since mid-May. But, none are linked to raw tomatoes. Most of them are attributed to a restaurant. The I-Hop on south Western was shut down last Monday for a second time after city health officials diagnosed 21 new cases. Since then, 14 more have been reported, including 11 employees of the restaurant. The entire building is being disinfected and re-stocked. It may reopen Tuesday after another inspection. A West Texas A&M student is in the hospital with a minor gunshot wound after a Canyon police officer shot him during a domestic disturbance early Saturday. Bradley Barnum, 20, suffered the injury after allegedly threatening police with a shotgun at the Silver Creek apartments. According to chief Bobby Griffin, the officer fired a single shot, which ricocheted off the gun, hitting Barnum in the abdomen. He now faces several charges. The officer who fired the shot is on administrative leave pending a grand jury ruling. 21 new cases of salmonella are reported in the Amarillo area, but, none linked to tainted tomatoes. City health officials say there have been 76 cases reported since mid May, most of which are linked to the I-Hop restaurant on south Western near I-40. The restaurant shut down down Monday and will remain closed until all employees have been tested. A member of a white supremacist group is accused in the murder of a New Mexico man. Billy Joe Watson, 44, was indicted Friday in Roosevelt county on murder and drug charges for the 2005 shooting death of Jimmy "Bo" Chunn at his residence in Causey, New Mexico. Investigators say Watson conspired with several members of the "Aryan Brotherhood" in the murder. Watson allegedly offered 850 gallons of anhydrous ammonia for the purpose of making methamphetamine, for the murder. An Amarillo man is charged with making terroristic threats for allegedly calling in five bomb-threats to several businesses. Todd Alan Early, 39, was arrested Friday for the June 13th incidents that forced the evacuation of two Wal-Marts, two United supermarkets and the Bealls department store at Westgate mall. Early is in the Randall county jail, but also faces charges in Potter county. Amarillo's murder rate for 2007 has increased by one. The December 27th death of Tamara Ann Bell, 23, was originally reported as a suicide, but investigators now say she was murdered. Carlos Enrique Vigil, 25, is now charged with her shooting death after being indicted for murder late Thursday by a Potter county grand jury. The shooting occurred at a home in the 1000 block of south pryor. Bell's murder increases last year's homicide total to 22. A rollover early Friday morning in Gray county claims the lives to two people and injures three others. Paul Andre Brown, 35, of Pampa and Amaya Shepard, 8, of Denton were killed when Brown's vehicle rolled several times on the service road of I-40 around 2:30am. DPS troopers say it appears Brown failed to negotiate a curve, flipping the vehicle, ejecting four of the five occupants. The other three were taken to Northwest Texas Hospital. More than $36,000 worth of methamphetamine was seized during a traffic stop on I-40 Thursday. DPS troopers stopped the vehicle near Groom, and found the drugs hidden in the luggage. A small amount of marijuana was also found. Two Arizona men were arrested and booked into the Carson county jail. Despite a week of rain, a burn ban remains in effect in Randall county. Commissioners voted unanimously Friday morning to keep the ban until late August. This ban also includes all aerial fireworks ahead of the 4th of July holiday. Similar burn and firework bans are also in effect in Potter county. The shakeup at the Potter county sheriff's office continues. Captain Dennis Horn resigned Wednesday. Sheriff Ron Boyter says Horn is taking early retirement after seven years with the department. Boyter adds, this is not the start of a purge in the office and that Horn's decision was his alone. Boyter is still evaluating the staff after taking over the job Monday. He'll finish the unexpired term of former sheriff Mike Shumate who's serving a six month jail sentence for his bribery conviction. A Clovis man sentenced to 16-years in prison for his involvement in the shooting death of a 10-year old boy will stay behind bars a lot longer. David Griego, 31, Wednesday was given an additional 8-years because prosecutors argued that he is a violent repeat offender. Griego was originally given the maximum sentence for being an accessory to the murder of Carlos Perez. A judge tacked-on eight years after it was shown Griego was convicted of three felonies in the last ten years. More than 300 citations have already been issued in the less than two weeks that red light cameras have been in operation in Amarillo. About 80% of the violations caught on camera have been confirmed by police as offenses, the majority of which have come at the intersection of Coulter and Elmhurst. It's a different story at 3rd and Pierce, where only 35% of the violations have been ruled as actual offenses. A new downtown hotel could be in operation in Amarillo before the end of 2009. City commissioners Tuesday approved Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) incentives on the Fisk building, clearing the way for "Courtyard by Marriot" to begin renovations on the historic building which could begin before year's end. City commissioners approved two Amarillo Economic Development Corporation grants including one that will help West Texas A&M University with operating expenses in their new downtown Amarillo campus. The Canyon university will receive more than $2 million for their two-floor campus in the Chase building. 31 graduate and upper level courses will be offered at the downtown high rise starting in August. Another outbreak of salmonella has forced an Amarillo restaurant to close it's doors again. The I-Hop on south Western st. shut down voluntarily Monday night after city health officials approached management about 2 more salmonella cases linked to the restaurant. Those two cases occurred after the restaurant shut down last week to disinfect the building. Nine cases were linked to the original closing of the I-Hop. City health officials say these salmonella outbreaks are not linked to tainted tomatoes. Good old fashioned police work leads to the arrest of an Amarillo murder suspect. Special Crimes detectives Friday arrested Deshawnqee Williams, 17, in connection with the May beating death of Max Stanhope, 77. Police say they went door-to-door again last week in the neighborhood of north Orange St. where they came-up with Williams' name and then matched his fingerprints to the crime scene. Williams is being held in Lubbock where he was arrested on a burglary charge. A capital murder charge is expected to be filed in Potter county this week. Potter county's new sheriff wasted little time Monday in getting to work. Ron Boyter's first act as sheriff was to appoint Clay Duke as his chief deputy. Duke, you may remember, was one of five candidates seeking the republican nomination for sheriff's office this year. He eventually lost in a runoff to nominee Brian Thomas. Boyter was sworn-in Monday morning after a day-long debate Friday between county commissioners on who they would appoint to fill the remainder of convicted former sheriff Mike Shumate's term. A man hiding in the walk-in freezer of a convenience store, robbed it early Monday morning. The suspect was dressed in "all black" when he emerged from the freezer of the Toot-n-Totum at 3101 Plains ave. just after midnight. Police say the clerk was closing when the suspect approached her with a sawed-off shotgun. No one was injured. There's a new sheriff in town and his name is not Roger Haney. Potter county commissioners debated in executive session for more than six hours Friday before settling on former DPS Lt. Ron Boyter to finish the unexpired term of Mike Shumate. Boyter will be the third person to occupy the office in little more than a week. He replaces Haney, who was sworn-in last Friday after Shumate's corruption conviction. County judge Arthur Ware and commissioner Alphonso Vaughn wanted Haney. But, commissioners Joe Kirkwood, Manny Perez and Lacy Borger wanted someone from outside the department. Thieves be warned. Something as seemingly trivial as stealing copper wiring comes with a heavy price tag. A Portales man was sentenced Friday to 5 1/2 years in prison for stealing copper wiring from a Roosevelt county farmer. Pedro "Pete" Galvan, 52, must also pay restitution to the farmer. Galvan was arrested last October after the property owner called the sheriff when saw Galvan and another man break into his barn. Deputies caught the two men red-handed. Five more people from out of state realize how tough DPS troopers are on drug-runners. The five were arrested during two separate traffic stops. The first stop occurred Wednesday afternoon on I-40 near Groom. Troopers say they found more than 1,300g of methamphetamine worth more than $110,000. Three people were arrested. The second stop was Thursday morning on I-40 near Conway. Two people face drug related charges after the discovery of a $500,000 worth of cocaine. An outbreak of salmonella in Amarillo forced a restaurant to shut down temporarily. The city health department is investigating 9 cases of salmonella allegedly linked to the IHOP restaurant at I-40 western. The other I-hop on Ross is not affected. The restaurant voluntarily closed down last week for one day to disinfect the entire building and give employees a "hand-washing" seminar. This outbreak is not linked to the tainted tomatoes that have sickened nearly 400 people nationwide. A Potter county inmate due to be released next month, apparently couldn't wait. Gerry Don Smith, 22, walked away from a work detail at the county's fleet maintenance facility at 421 south Bowie around 2:15pm Wednesday. Smith was serving time on two misdemeanor charges. This is the second escape from Potter county in the last two weeks. Joshua Barnes fled from a courtroom June 6th. He was captured four days later. A Fritch man tells National Transportation Safety Board investigators he saw a small plane landing on the ice at Lake Meredith in the days before one crashed near Harbor bay 24-years ago. Ernest Vanover, 84, says on the day of the crash, the same Beechcraft 77 was flying low over the lake, but never emerged from the canyon. He speculates the ice was too thin to support the plane and crashed when a wheel got caught. The plane was finally discovered late last month. The remains of the two men on board were never recovered. A fit of jealousy is believed to be the motive behind a stabbing and kidnapping in Clovis last week. Police say Victor Sotelo, 25, stabbed Michael Valdez three times in the parking lot of a restaurant because he thought Valdez was involved romantically with his girlfriend. Sotelo is also accused of kidnapping his cousin and girlfriend at knifepoint following the stabbing. Sotelo is charged with assault and kidnapping. Valdez was airlifted to a Lubbock hospital in stable condition. A Canyon landmark could be in jeopardy of coming down. The 47-foot tall "Tex Randall" Cowboy stands on a property that is being pursued by an out-of-state buyer, who doesn't want the 4-ton cowboy. Tex was erected in 1959 to promote a western store. Six months in jail and eight years probation. That's the sentence for former Potter county sheriff Mike Shumate. But, the it wasn't decided by a jury. It was a deal worked-out between prosecutors and defense attorneys. As part of the deal, Shumate must waive the right to appeal his public corruption conviction. He'll serve his sentence in the Armstrong county jail then must abide by the conditions of his probation for eight years. Shumate was found guilty last week of accepting bribes from the jail's food services vendor. The Hereford man accused of killing his wife earlier this month is out of the hospital. But, now he's behind bars. Roberto Martinez, 41, is charged with the murder of Maria Martinez, 37, June 8th at their Hereford home. The couple was found in a pool of blood, both suffering from stab wounds, but police believe Mr. Martinez's injuries were self-inflicted after he stabbed his wife. He's being held on $250,000 bond. An Amarillo native who gained fame as a dancer and actress has passed away. Cyd Charisse died of an apparent heart attack Monday in Los Angeles at the age of 86. The long-legged beauty was born Tula Finklea in Amarillo in 1921. The accomplished ballerina went on to dance with the Ballet Russe as a teenager before making it big in film, dancing with the likes of Gene Kelly and Fred Astaire. The leader of a northeastern New Mexico apocalyptic sect says a girl removed from their compound by the state has been returned to her parents. Wayne Bent began fasting nearly two weeks ago, claiming he would not eat until the girl was released. He says the fast will continue until he sees her face. The 67-year old leader of "The Lord of our Righteousness Church" is charged with sexual contact with a minor. He denies anyone from their compound was molested. Two weeks after the wreckage of a 24-year old plane crash was found at Lake Meredith, still no sign of the pilot or passenger's remains. Park rangers have been searching the area in Harbor Bay since the small Beech craft plane was discovered. The NTSB is looking over the wreckage, trying to determine what caused the plane to go down in January of 1984. Steven Lampe and Larry Lucas presumably died in the crash. A Stratford man was struck and killed by a train Friday. Railroad workers tell the Sherman county sheriff's office that Peter michael Peterson, 63, was walking on the tracks just outside Stratford when the incident occurred. The Potter county sheriff's office should be in good hands until a new sheriff can be appointed. 26-year department veteran Roger Haney was sworn-in Friday as acting-sheriff Friday night after the conviction of Mike Shumate on bribery charges. Haney is the obvious favorite to be appointed to the position when county commissioners meet next Friday. A toothache is the least of his problems now. A Clovis inmate who escaped this week while on medical furlough faces even more charges after his capture Friday morning. A Crimestoppers tip led to the capture of Jonathan Shane May. He escaped Wednesday after a judge released him into his mother's custody for a dentist appointment. This came after he was sentenced to five years in prison for drug distribution. A fugitive wanted for murder in Clovis called police Tuesday asking that his murder charge be dropped so he can go on with his life. Noe Torres told police he's tired of running. He's been in hiding since 2005, when he allegedly took part in the shooting death of Carlos Perez, 10. Three others involved in the shooting are already serving time. Clovis police say there's only one way Torres can make this go away. Turn himself in and face a jury of his peers. Staring at five years in prison, a Curry county inmate Wednesday escaped shortly after he was sentenced. Jonathan Shane May, 32, of Clovis, told the judge he had a dentist appointment and was given a medical furlough. He was ordered to return to court following the appointment. But, while in his mother's custody, he fled in a Ford Bronco. Police have located the vehicle, but May is on the lam. He was convicted Tuesday for possession and distribution of methamphetamine. Potter county sheriff Mike shumate is now former sheriff. He was removed from office late Thursday night after a jury found him guilty of one of three charges in his public corruption trial. Many of the jurors were crying as the verdict was read. Shumate was acquitted of two charges of accepting illegal campaign contributions but, faces up to life in prison on the bribery charge. His sentencing will be held Tuesday. Captain Roger Haney was sworn-in as interim sheriff until the county commission can appoint a new one. Electricity is now on the list of things getting more expensive. Xcel energy Thursday requested a rate increase with the Public Utility Commission. If approved, the overall base rate would increase 5.9%. Xcel officials say rising costs of everything is pushing the need along with buying power from a new generating station, which they say will save customers money in the future. An Amarillo man was killed Wednesday morning in an accident near the Texas-New Mexico line. DPS troopers say Nicholas Lewis, 22, died when his delivery truck slammed into the back of a semi pulling out of the rest area on I-40. Witnesses say the sun appeared to be in Lewis' face when the accident occurred. Checkout time came early for a man accused of several auto burglaries in Amarillo. Dennis William Heldt was arrested Wednesday morning at a motel on I-40 at Paramount after police spotted his car in the parking lot. Police say they found more than 500-pieces of evidence, allegedly linked to the auto-burglaries, including purses, credit cards, electronics and more. Heldt is also wanted on a parole violation out of Ector county. It was deja vu all over again Wednesday as firefighters were sent back to I-40 and Soncy to battle a grass fire. That's the same location as a fire Tuesday that shut down parts of i-40 for awhile. The difference Wednesday.... The fire jumped the interstate and threatened several businesses which had to be evacuated. No injuries or damage is reported. Investigators were still trying to determine what caused Tuesday's fire when the second fire ignited. A letter from Potter county sheriff Mike Shumate to Mid America Services was a key piece of evidence introduced Wednesday in the sheriff's corruption trial. The 2004 letter threatened cancellation of the commissary contract with the company if software accounting problems were not fixed. The defense is trying to prove the sheriff showed Mid-America services "no" preferential treatment. Prosecutors contend Shumate was bribed to help Mid America secure both the food services and commissary contracts. Testimony continues Thursday morning. It's been a busy week for DPS troopers on I-40. For the third time since Sunday, troopers have discovered drugs during a traffic stop. Troopers Tuesday seized 4.4lbs of cocaine and 2.6 lbs of marijuana during a stop near Adrian. The drugs have a street value of more than $118,000. Two Connecticut residents were arrested. $100,000 worth of black-tar heroin was seized Wednesday diromg a drug bust in north Amarillo. Police and SWAT team members searched a home in the 700 block of N. Arthur finding 7oz of the drug along with a large amount of cash, several firearms and stolen property. Pete Gonzalez, 51, and Trenton Wilson, 45, were arrested and face federal charges of conspiracy to distribute heroin. After a month of probationary operation, red light cameras in Amarillo go on-line for real. Starting Thursday, red-light runners at five intersections in town will be photographed and fined $75. That could mean a lot of money for the company operating the system. During the 30-day probationary period, they sent out more than 2,100 warnings to people who ran red lights. More than half occurred at Coulter and Elmhurst. Those receiving fines can appeal the civil penalty. Traffic on I-40 came to a standstill in west Amarillo for about an hour Tuesday afternoon when a grass fire forced officials to close the interstate. The fire started southwest of I-40 and Soncy and threatened at least one structure before firefighters gained control of it. No one was injured. The cause is still under investigation. Add Randall to the list of counties banning fireworks. Because of the ongoing dry-conditions, commissioners Tuesday banned "skyrockets" and "missiles with fins". This does not include those classified as class "B" or "C" explosives generally small in nature such as firecrackers. Potter county commissioners approved a similar ban monday. The prosecution has rested its case in the corruption trial of Potter county sheriff Mike Shumate. During testimony Tuesday, prosecutors tried to give jurors a picture of what lengths Shumate went to, in an effort to give the jail's commissary contract to "Mid America Services". One county employee testified that a different company actually had a better proposal and was recommended by a six person committee. But, Shumate went with Mid America the next day. Prosecutors believe bribery was the reason. The defense begins presenting it's case Wednesday morning. Another drug bust on I-40 nets 38lbs of marijuana. DPS troopers found the weed hidden in the trunk of a car during a stop Monday morning on I-40 near Amarillo. The pot has a street value of $16,000. The driver and a passenger were arrested. More people are buckling-up when they hit the roadways, at least in Amarillo. During the latest "Click-it or Ticket" campaign, police say seatbelt usage rose from 88.4% to more than 96%. However, officers issued 776 seatbelt citations during that same campaign. Despite the end of the Click-it or Ticket campaign, Amarillo police will continue enforcing seatbelt violations. It didn't take long for an escaped inmate to get back to work. Potter county sheriff's deputies say Joshua Duane Barnes, 20, robbed an Amarillo home Friday after his escape. Investigators say they recovered several items from the burglary Tuesday morning when they captured Barnes at an Amarillo motel. Three others with him may face charges as well. Barnes escaped Friday just before the start of his fraud and assault trial was to begin at the Potter county courthouse. If you're planning a 4th of July fireworks show of your own, stock-up on firecrackers and snakes, because if it flies, it's not allowed to fly in Potter county. Because of the ongoing drought, county commissioners Monday banned the use of aerial fireworks with fins or sticks. Randall county commissioners will vote on a similar proposal Tuesday. Most of us know I-40 thru the panhandle is a major drug corridor. That fact is illustrated even more after a 4-day criminal interdiction task force on the interstate led to 61 criminal arrests, most of which were drug-related. In all, troopers seized more than 600lbs of marijuana, 26.4lbs of cocaine, nearly 5lbs of methamphetamine and more than $217,000 in suspected drug money. Border patrol agents also detained 78 suspected illegals. Drug runners apparently aren't getting the message.... Run your drugs through the panhandle, and you will get caught. DPS troopers Saturday seized more than 2,100g of meth during a traffic stop on I-40 west of Amarillo. The drugs were found hidden behind the engine compartment and has a street value of nearly $173,000. A Missouri man was arrested. Hereford police are investigating the city's second homicide of the year. Maria Martinez, 37, and her husband Roberto Martinez, 41, were found Sunday afternoon at their home with stab wounds. Mrs. Martinez died while both were being flown to Northwest Texas Hospital in Amarillo. Mr. Martinez's condition is unknown at this time, but he is considered a suspect. Police say the couple was found bleeding in their bed. Their 17-year old son discovered the gruesome scene. Rising prices for just about everything is hitting us all pretty hard, especially charitable organizations. That's where Mrs. Baird's bakery comes in. The company Tuesday will donate 10,000lbs of bread to the High Plains Food Bank in Amarillo. The high cost of food and fuel has hampered donations at the food bank, which serves all 26-counties in the panhandle. Mrs. Bairds is donating a total of a 500,000lbs of bread to 25-food banks in six states. One former and two current Potter county employees testified Monday in the public corruption trial of sheriff Mike Shumate. They claimed to be surprised or disappointed in the sheriff's decision to go with Mid America Services for the jail's commissary contract. All three served on a committee, appointed by the sheriff, which recommended another company. Prosecutors claim Shumate was given money and gifts to help secure that contract. Defense attorneys claim Shumate's ex-wife is seeking revenge. Testimony resumes Tuesday. Police continue their search for an escaped inmate in Amarillo. Joshua Duane Barnes, 20, was at a sentencing hearing at the Potter county courthouse when he escaped from a bailiff. As he fled down the stairwell, he jumped from landing to landing. Barnes is considered dangerous.... He was being sentenced for assault when he escaped. He was already serving time for other crimes. The public corruption trial of Potter county sheriff Mike Shumate is on hold until Monday when former chief deputy Ken Farren is expected to retake the stand for the prosecution. Farren testified Thursday that he didn't trust the owner of "Mid America Services", the jail's food service provider, and actually voted against the company on a separate commissary contract. His testimony came after defense attorneys questioned the motive and credibility of Shumate's ex-wife Beverly, who claimed she saw a "Mid America" executive give money to the sheriff on three occasions. Testimony continues Monday at 9am. A Clovis couple are headed to prison in connection with the sexual abuse of a young child. Roy Johnston, 50, was convicted Thursday for sexual assault of a child. Police received a tip from a sibling of the child in June of 2005 claiming their stepfather was having sexual contact with the 8-year old girl. Investigators say the abuse had been going on for three years. Johnston will serve 15-years in prison. The mother, Dawn Bennett, was convicted of child abuse in the case for not doing anything about it after she had been told by the children. An Amarillo man was carjacked and robbed early this morning at Amarillo blvd. east and Fillmore. The victim was stopped at the intersection when two men entered his vehicle, punched him and removed him from the drivers seat. The intruders demanded money and made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. An Amarillo man was robbed at his apartment in the 4600 block of Virginia early this morning. The victim tells police, a man and a woman kicked in the front door and demanded money. The robbers claimed the victim owed money for drugs. The victim was able to flee, although his residence was ransacked when he left. A teenager was killed last night trying to remove a portable toilet from the roadway. Police say the 19-year old man was struck and killed by an SUV on Canyon e-way near Georgia when he got out of his vehicle on the interstate and tried to remove the porta potty that had fallen off the back of a truck. The accident tied-up traffic in the northbound lanes for several hours. The victim's name has not been released. Still no sign of remains of the two men presumably killed in a plane crash at lake Meredith 24-years ago. National park officials have removed all of the wreckage from the Harbor Bay area, but will continue to search for the remains of Steven Lampe and Larry Lucas. They were on board the plane when it disappeared in January of 1984. An exhaustive search at the time turned-up only a wheel from the plane. Lower water levels at the lake exposed the wreckage last week when it was found by two teenagers. Billowing black smoke filled the skies in northeast Amarillo Thursday afternoon after stacks of tires caught fire. Investigators aren't sure how it started, but the flames did spread to nearby grass near Amarillo blvd. east between Eastern and Lakeside. The fire did threaten several homes and an apartment complex had to evacuated before firefighters gained control. No structures were damaged and no one was injured. The prosecution's star witness took the stand Thursday in Potter county sheriff Mike Shumate's public corruption trial. Beverly Shumate testified that she saw an executive of "Mid America Services" give the sheriff money on three separate occasions. The defense meanwhile, continues to try and chip away at her credibility painting her as a rejected and vengeful woman. Mrs. Shumate did admit she told people she would ruin her ex-husband as sheriff. The case recessed until Monday. An Amarillo man is in severe condition after he was robbed at his home last night by two intruders. The victim was home in the 2200 block of Washington when the robbers came in, armed with a knife and gun. The homeowner received stab and gunshot wounds, while the men made off with an undisclosed amount of money. The only description of the robbers is that they were both males, wearing white shirts. An argument between an Amarillo man and his stepson ended in bloodshed Wednesday afternoon. Donald Lee Steven was arrested after his 17-year old stepson was stabbed during the argument. It happened in the 1300 block of Bluebell around 12:30pm. The teen's injuries are considered minor. Life at Boys Ranch is back to normal after all of the children taken from a polygamist group's ranch are now back with their parents. The last of the 72-FLDS children being housed at Boys Ranch were picked-up Wednesday. Child welfare officials say all of the the 440 children seized from the compound have been picked-up at foster care facilities across the state. Defense attorneys for Potter county sheriff Mike Shumate Wednesday attacked the credibility and motivation of his ex-wife. This came under cross-examination of the lead FBI investigator in shumate's public corruption trial. The investigator told jurors he was given information from Beverly Shumate which instigated the investigation into bribery allegations against the sheriff. The agent said Beverly Shumate estimated they had received $10,000 in cash and other items from the county jail's food services provider in an attempt to secure two contracts. Testimony continues at this hour. More FLDS mothers were at Boys Ranch Tuesday picking up their children who had been housed there since the state took custody of hundreds of children from a polygamist compound in Eldorado. Only 10-boys from compound remain at Boys Ranch after a judge ordered the state to relinquish custody back to their parents. 72 boys had been living at the ranch since CPS removed the children two months ago. All of the children housed across the state are expected to be returned by the end of the week. The first day of testimony in potter county sheriff mike shumate's public corruption trial consisted of evidence against the sheriff accompanied by defense objections to almost every piece of it. The prosecution is presenting it as a case of "power corrupts" while defense attorneys call it revenge from a "bitter ex-wife". The state presented cancelled checks and receipts as evidence linking Shumate to Mid-America services during a time when they were seeking the jail's food services and commissary contracts. Testimony continues Tuesday. A summertime favorite returns to downtown Amarillo today with the popular "High Noon on the Square". Every Wednesday throughout the summer, Center City of Amarillo will offer a $5 lunch and great local entertainment on the old Potter county courthouse lawn. Today's food will be provided by the Big Texan Steak Ranch, with performances from cast members of the outdoor musical drama "Texas". The dinner bell rings at High Noon. The state of Texas is wasting little time in putting the country's busiest execution chamber back in operation. There are 12 scheduled executions before year's end, including one death row inmate from Amarillo. Larry Davis, 40, is scheduled to be put to death July 31st for the 1995 murder and robbery of Michael Barrow. There are three executions planned for the month of June, starting with convicted murderer Derrick Sonnier who will be given a lethal injection Tuesday. A man wanted in connection with two bank robberies in Amarillo was killed in a standoff in Dallas Friday. A warrant was issued out of Randall county last week for Daniel Devette Ross, 42, charging him with robbery of the First United Bank branch on southeast 34th. Ross was also a suspect in a March Happy State Bank robbery on south Western. Dallas police attempted to serve the warrants Friday, when Ross barricaded himself in a residence. Ross was killed when he allegedly exited the home and raised a rifle towards officers. The bodies of the two men whose plane went down in Lake Meredith 24 years ago, but wasn't discovered until Friday, have been identified. Steven Lampe, 25, was the pilot of the Beech-77 aircraft. Lampe and passenger Larry Lucas were killed in the crash. The plane went down in January of 1984, but wasn't discovered until this weekend when two teenage canoeists found the plane partially submerged in the receding Meredith waters. One of the two men arrested last week for armed robbery is now charged with capital murder in another holdup. Phoung Pham, 18, is accused in the May shooting death of Loc Dang and the injury to his brother Sang Dang. Pham and his older brother Taun Pham, 19, were arrested last week in connection with another robbery which investigators believe is part of a string of holdups targeting Asian business owners. The mother of a boy who was killed in February is charged in his death. Sondra Weschke, 28, was indicted by a Randall county grand jury on a charge of injury to a child by omission in connection with the death of her seven year old son William. Weschke's boyfriend, Jason Mills, 19, is charged with murder in the case. Autopsy results indicate severe head wounds caused the child's death. 12 women will make-up the jury hearing the public corruption trial of Potter county sheriff Mike Shumate. Prosecutors and defense attorneys Monday questioned more than 130 potential jurors in the case. Meanwhile, visiting judge Quanah Parker denied a defense motion asking for the bribery charge against Shumate to be thrown out. The judge has set aside the entire month of June to try the case. Shumate is accused of accepting bribes from the jail's food services provider in order to help them secure the contract.
 Three sentenced for unemployment fraud 05/28/08 posted 5:41pm
Three panhandle residents have a new home in federal prison after they were convicted in a scheme to defraud the Texas Workforce Commission out of thousands of dollars in unemployment benefits. Warren McDonald of Dimmitt received the harshest sentence.... More than five years behind bars. Barbara Glover-Williams and Christopher Hughes, both of Amarillo, will serve six and seven months respectively. All three pleaded guilty to mail fraud and aiding & abetting and must pay restitution. Canyon High School will be under new leadership next year. Former CHS teacher Tim Gilliland takes over as principal in July. Gilliland taught at Canyon for six years during the 90's and most recently was the superintendent of Stratford schools. Less than a week before Potter county sheriff Mike Shumate goes on trial for bribery and corruption charges, his attorney wants the bribery charge thrown out. Attorney Seldon Hale filed a motion Friday asking for the charge to be dropped because the indictment does not list the person who allegedly offered the bribe. Shumate's trial begins Monday in Potter county. He's accused of accepting bribes from Mid-America services, the jail's food service provider. Long time Amarillo College professor, Dr. Paul Matney will serve as acting president while current president Dr. Steven Jones takes a three-week medical leave. Jones has been diagnosed with cancer. Matney is currently the vice president and dean of instruction. Potter county employees will continue to work five days a week. A proposal to switch to four 10-hour work days was tabled Tuesday at the county commissioners meeting. It's expected to be brought back before the commission after they receive more input from judges. Critics say a four day work week will limit access to county services. Judge Arthur Ware says the plan would save money on energy costs and on gas usage by employees. A Pampa man was killed in a weekend house fire. Investigators say David Bowers, 44, was killed when fire broke-out at his home in the 1400 block of south Barnes around 3am Saturday. The state fire Marshall couldn't pinpoint the exact cause of the fire, but did rule it an accident. Downtown Amarillo has a new tenant and it's a big one. West Texas A&M University will begin holding classes in the Chase building this fall. A&M regents approved the move Friday. WT will renovate the 10th and 11th floors to accommodate nine high tech classrooms, a computer lab, student lounge and faculty offices. 31 upper-level and graduate classes will be held in amarillo's tallest building. The man accused of sexually assaulting several women during parking lot robberies in Amarillo will likely never see the outside world again. Joseph Wendell Hume, 35, pleaded guilty to eight charges was sentenced Thursday to five life terms for three assaults, two this year, and one in 2006. Hume will not be eligible for parole for 150-years. A Potter county judge has been given a public warning by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. 47th District judge Hal Miner must also attend an 8-hour class on gender sensitivity and sexual harassment. The warning comes as the result of complaints filed by witnesses who say Judge Miner inappropriately touched a female attorney twice on the backside during a 2006 Christmas party. The attorney said she was not offended. But, the witnesses say it's improper for a judge to touch a lawyer in that manner, who regularly practices in his courtroom. An Amarillo woman will spend more than three years in a federal prison for health care fraud. Paula Garst pleaded guilty in January to the charges of defrauding eight people and businesses out of more than $32,000 by offering low-cost health insurance to the self-employed and small businesses. Garst must also pay restitution. The names we give our children in Texas are starting to reflect our shifting population trends. Three of the top 10 names given to newborns last year have a definite Latino flavor. Jose was the number one name given to boys while Angel was fifth. On the girl's side, Isabella was the third favorite. Emily was the number one name not only in Texas, but across the country. The Curry county sheriff's office has corrected a glitch that allowed inmates in the county jail to make free, unmonitored calls to the outside world. Inmates discovered a flaw in an automated answering service at the public defender's office that gave them access to an outside line. Jail officials were tipped off to the glitch when the office received more than 9,000 calls over the weekend alone. A preliminary autopsy indicates that a 20-year old Clovis man, whose body was discovered in a field, died from an apparent suicide. Isaac Zarate was found hanging from a utility pole Monday. Zarate had gone missing last week, after he left the scene of a vehicle accident. Authorities are still unsure if injuries from the initial accident played a role in zarate's death. Police have released the name of the suspect charged with murder after a Sunday morning bar fight. Juan Pinones-Aguilar, 26, was arrested Sunday afternoon for his alleged role in the death of Manuel Rudy Sanchez, 25, at "La Pachanga" bar on Amarillo Blvd. east. Sanchez was shot several times in the upper body in the parking lot of the bar. He died later that day at the hospital. Two people are dead, eight others injured after their vehicle rolled south of Dumas Sunday night. DPS troopers say Sut Top, 41, and Ra Bee, both of Cactus died in the accident. Two of the eight injured are in critical condition. Troopers say the driver of the vehicle failed to negotiate a curve on the Dumas highway, over-corrected and rolled the vehicle several times. Three homicides in Amarillo over the weekend makes 11 so far this year. Possibly 12, depending on autopsy results in another case. It's an unusually high number this early in the year when you consider there 19 murders all of last year, Including five in December alone. In the last six months, there have been 16 confirmed homicides. The power of the internet caused a panic in Amarillo Monday. Police say an e-mail and text message was widely circulated that wasn't true. The e-mail claimed a gunman was randomly shooting at people on Georgia street and even claimed there were victims. Police and media were inundated with calls all day by worried residents. A long time member of the Amarillo school board is stepping down. Albert "Pete" Smith announced his resignation Monday. He was first elected to the board in 2000 and served as president in 2004 when voters approved a $108 million bond that added three new schools and major improvements to all other campuses in the district. An Amarillo man has died after an incident Sunday evening at Thompson park. Ernest Ray Perry was driving when he got into an altercation with another man. As a result, Perry lost control of his van, causing it to plunge into the lake. He was pulled from the water, but later died at the hospital. A suspect in the incident was arrested later that night. An Amarillo man was killed early Sunday morning in a bar fight at the "La Pachanga" bar. Manuel Rudy Sanchez, 25, was shot at about 1:30am during the altercation. He was taken to the hospital by private vehicle, where he was pronounced dead. A 26-year old male was arrested Sunday afternoon and charged with murder. The shooting death of an Amarillo man overnight Friday may be related to two robberies earlier this year. Police say Loc Dang, 51, was killed while chasing two robbery suspects. His older brother Sang Dang, 54, was also injured. The two men began the chase during an attempted robbery at their home in the 1700 block of Jennifer. Police believe the incident may be related to two other robberies this year in which business owners were accosted at their homes. The accidental firing of a gun leads to manslaughter charges for a Dumas man. Jose Alberto Martinez, 22, is charged in the November 2007 shooting death of Monica Magallanes, 18. Prosecutors say Martinez was examining a gun he was considering buying at an Amarillo home on N. Spring when it went off, striking Magallanes in the head. She was taken to the hospital where she later died. Landowners around the Childress area are not happy with T. Boone Pickens' plan to construct a water pipeline and utility lines through their property. Pickens started sending letters to about 1,100 landowners last month telling them their properties may be affected by the construction. If agreements cannot be reached with landowners, the water district could use "eminent domain" to sue for condemnation of their property. A Clovis man gets 8-years for kidnapping. George Vela, 28, was sentenced Thursday in Portales. Vela was arrested in February of last year after a woman escaped from his home after being held against her will. The victim says she slipped-out after Vela left the house to go to the store. When officers spotted Vela, he attempted to flee, leading officers on a high speed chase before he was caught. A convicted meth dealer is headed to prison for 9-years. Raymond Gonzalez, 34, of Clovis was sentenced Thursday. Prosecutors say Gonzalez was busted after a joint undercover operation with Cannon Air Force base investigators. Gonzalez was convicted for selling methamphetamine to undercover officers on three separate occasions. Now we know why a South Dakota man was trying to flee police earlier this week in the panhandle. Arthur Smith is one of the most wanted fugitives in Ward county, South Dakota. He's faces several charges including burglary and escape. Smith was arrested Tuesday after leading police and DPS officers on a high speed chase through Amarillo and the panhandle, at speeds more than 100/mph. The panhandle man arrested this week in Oklahoma for allegedly trying to sell a 25-gallon drum of cyanide will be extradited to Amarillo to face federal charges. Jeffrey Don Detrixhe of Higgins is expected to be charged with possession or transfer of a chemical weapon. Detrixhe was busted after an FBI informant set up a fake buyer tied to the white supremacist group "The Aryan Brotherhood". Investigators wouldn't say how much, but claim they also found enough cyanide at his higgins home to quote "do some damage". A Pampa man on Texas' death row can appeal his conviction. The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals says Henry Watkins Skinner can pursue arguments that a blood-spatter report should've been used by his lawyers and, a corroborating witness should've been called in his capital murder trial. Skinner was convicted of the 1993 stabbing deaths of his ex-girlfriend Twyla Busby and her two mentally impaired sons at their Pampa home. Another good thing to come out of this week's rain, Potter county has lifted it's burn ban. That means residents can now safely conduct outdoor burning. Lake Meredith lifted it's ban earlier this week. However, most panhandle counties remain under a burn ban. Billionaire T. Boone Pickens' renewable energy company is buying more than 600 wind turbines from General Electric. The turbines will be used to start what is expected to be the world's largest wind energy project near Pampa. The first phase of the project is expected to cost about $2 billion. Power should start coming online in 2011. An Amarillo man was found guilty earlier this week of aggravated sexual assault of a minor. Alan Alexander Newsom was sentenced Tuesday to 75-years in prison for the December 2005 offense. Newsom was accused of sexually assaulting a 7-year old. The Potter county jury deliberated less than an hour before reaching their verdict. If you drive a Ford F-150 pickup, you may have a braking problem. Ford is recalling 655,000 F-150's and Lincoln Mark LT pickups from 2005 and 2006. Company officials say a hose in the brake-assist system can fail, but will still work with less power. The problem has caused 11-minor accidents with no injuries. Amarillo police are following a lead to eastern New Mexico that could be tied to last weekend's murder of an Amarillo man. A Clovis convenience store owner says a woman paid for her purchase earlier this month with painted quarters. Special Crimes detectives say a large amount of painted novelty quarters was stolen from Max Stanhope's home a month before he was murdered. Stanhope was found beaten to death at his north Amarillo home Saturday night. A panhandle man is accused of trying to sell a 25-gallon drum of cyanide to an FBI informant. Jeffrey Don Detrixhe of Higgins was arrested Monday in southeast Oklahoma. The informant says Detrixhe claimed to have enough cyanide to "kill a city". He allegedly tried to sell the drum for $10,000, along with a thermal imager and a fully automatic Russian-made AK 47 assault rifle. Investigators say they also found cyanide at Detrixhe's Higgins home. Last week's rain and this week's forecast has prompted the National Park Service to lift a burn ban at Lake Meredith. Campfires will be permitted only in designated campgrounds and picnic areas. Visitors are still being asked to be cautious by keeping fires small and never leaving them unattended. Amarillo city commissioners Tuesday took another step toward improving safety on our roadways. They unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would ban the installation and operation of electronic LED "off-site" billboards. The commission did say they would take up the issue again if new research becomes available. The person or persons responsible for Amarillo's latest murder, now have a price on their heads. Crimestoppers is offering up to $1,000 for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the beating death of Max Stanhope, 77. Investigators say Stanhope also had several cuts on his body. Police believe Stanhope was killed when he walked-in on an apparent robbery at his north Amarillo home either late Thursday or early Friday. A high speed chase through Amarillo Tuesday ended south of the city after a DPS trooper shot-out the suspect's tire. Troopers were trying to stop Arthur Smith's vehicle for speeding on I-40 near Conway when he fled. Troopers remained in pursuit for nearly an hour as the suspect sped through Amarillo. After Smith's car was disabled, he jumped from the moving vehicle which then crashed into an innocent bystander's Bronco II near Rockwell road and the Canyon E-way. Smith faces several charges including auto theft, evading arrest and assault. It's national police week, and several local law enforcement agencies will be in town tomorrow for a memorial to honor those who have lost their lives while protecting others. 11 Amarillo officers have died in the line of duty in the department's history. The last officer killed was James Mitchell in 1985. Meanwhile, 22 Texas law enforcement officers were killed in 2007, the most in the country. The ceremony will be Tuesday at 4pm at the Llano east cemetary, in the field of honor section. It is open to he public. First, it was red light cameras, now, Amarillo city commissioners will tackle another issue concerning road safety. Tuesday, they'll consider a proposed ordinance prohibiting the installation and operation of electronic billboards within city limits. Mayor Debra McCartt says they may delay taking any action on the issue while they gather new information on the billboards. An Amarillo man who apparently walked-in on a robbery was killed late last week. Police found the body of Max Steven Stanhope Saturday in his apartment in the 2500 block of north Orange st., though, they believe he was murdered 24-to-36 hours before they discovered his body. Officers were checking on his welfare after family members hadn't heard from Stanhope in two days. An autopsy will determine the cause of death. No suspects have been identified. For the second time in three years Amarilloans narrowly rejected an indoor smoking ban. More than 16,500 ballots were cast on the issue, with the ban failing by less than 250 votes. Though the vote-margin was much closer than it was three years ago, the percentage was nearly identical. Four metro-area educators have been named "teachers of the year". Lana Velasquez of Pleasant Valley elementary and Linda Terry of Caprock high are the elementary and secondary teachers of the year for Amarillo. Arden Road elementary's Chris Norton and high school journalism instructor Laura Smith are the winners in Canyon. All four will now move onto the state "teacher of the year" selection process. Any criminal charges arising from last month's raid on the polygamist compound in Eldorado will be handled by the Texas attorney general. A San Angelo judge ruled Tuesday, the AG will handle any prosecutions. Meanwhile, custody hearings for the 464-children in state custody, including 73 at Boys Ranch, will start later this month. New Mexico state police have arrested the leader of an apocalyptic church in northeastern New Mexico. Three children were removed from the compound north of Clayton last month after an investigation into allegations of inappropriate contact between the children and the leader. Wayne Bent, who goes by the alias Michael Travesser, claims to be the messiah. He has admitted to sexual contact with other members of the church as a way to bring them closer to God. A Canyon man was killed in an overnight crash Tuesday south of Amarillo. DPS troopers say Roman Rene' Maldonado, 24, was not wearing a seatbelt when he lost control of his vehicle on south Ttradewinds road around 2:30am, rolling it several times. Maldonado was pronounced dead at the scene. A 26-year old passenger, who was wearing a seatbelt, was taken to the hospital in stable condition. Speed may have been a factor in a weekend crash that killed a Hereford teenager and critically injured two others. Police say Luis Trevizo, 19, was ejected from the vehicle early Saturday morning when it rolled in the city. 18-Year olds Heather Gomez and Jacqueline Hernandez were flown to a Lubbock hospital in critical condition. Police are still trying to determine who was driving and say none of them were wearing seatbelts. A Houston man was killed Saturday in a car crash in Randall county. DPS troopers say Daniel Rios, 23, died at the scene of the accident at south Washington and loop 335 around 6:30pm. Two female passengers were taken to the hospital. Their injuries are not considered life-threatening. The group pushing for an indoor smoking ban in Amarillo has more ammunition. A study out of Boston University suggests restaurant smoking bans may play a big role in persuading teens "not" to pick up the habit. The findings back up the idea that smoking bans discourage tobacco use in teens by sending the message that smoking is frowned upon in the community. A group opposing the ban in Amarillo says forcing the ban would infringe on the private property rights of owners. A Pampa man was killed Friday when his motorcycle collided with another vehicle outside of town. DPS troopers say Jerry Mack Morphis was travelling on highway 60 when he ran into a farm vehicle pulling onto the highway. The driver of that vehicle was not injured. Amarillo police are searching for two men accused of robbing a man at an apartment complex. Just after midnight, two men, weilding baseball bats with nails protruding from the end, approached the victim in the parking lot of the Huntington Point apartments at 6801 Wolflin. They made off with an undisclosed amount of cash. Job growth, low unemployment and retail sales continue to push Amarillo's economy forward. The Amarillo National Bank economic analysis for April shows an increase of 1,400 new jobs, the third lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.1% and retail sales jumped 5% over last April. However, construction is down and oil prices are up 72%. Amarillo saw a sharp rise in auto thefts in 2007. According to a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Amarillo ranks 37th out of 361 cities when it comes to car theft, up 40 spots from a year ago. Amarillo is one of five Texas cities to rank in the top 50, including Laredo, El Paso, Houston, and Dallas. The relative of a Texas legend was badly injured in an ATV accident at Palo Duro canyon earlier in the week. Andrew Bivins, the son-in-law of Major League pitching great Nolan Ryan, flipped his vehicle Monday, and was trapped for seven hours before being discovered by ranch workers. He's being treated at an Amarillo hospital for a collapsed lung and a shoulder injury. If one day of early voting is any indication, there will be a lot of people casting ballots on a proposed indoor smoking ban in Amarillo. Through the first day of early voting Monday, 783 people showed-up to the polls, mostly in Randall county. 558 people voted at the annex, while less than half that amount cast ballots at city hall. Early voting continues through May 6th. The election itself is May 10th. A suspected drunk driver, with three kids in the vehicle, is accused of causing a chain-reaction crash Tuesday. Amarillo police say Mateo Solis, 26, was intoxicated when he crashed his suburban into a pick-up, a tree and a gas meter near 8th and Crockett. When the vehicle burst into flames, witnesses at the scene pulled the 1, 3, and 5 year old kids from the vehicle. Solis was arrested on a DWI charge. The kids suffered only minor injuries.
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