Missing 85-Year-Old Plano Man Has Been Driving Around Metroplex For 24 Hours With No Cell Phone

PLANO, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Plano Police say a missing 85-year-old man man who may be in the early stages of dementia has been driving around the Metroplex for more than 24 hours without his cell phone.

Frank Sanford Smith’s vehicle has been tagged by surveillance cameras in various locations across the Dallas area, but his current whereabouts are unknown.

Frank Sanford Smith

Around  7:45 p.m., on Tuesday, June 29, Plano Police officers responded to a missing person’s call in the 5900 block of Sicilian Circle.

Upon Officers arrival, they met with Smith’s son who said his father had left his home at 4:30 pm on a routine errand.

At 7:17 p.m. Mr. Smith called using a stranger’s cell phone and left a message for his son saying he had gotten lost in Dallas and was headed home.

The Plano Police Department is seeking assistance from the public in locating Mr. Smith.

He is described as a white male, approximately 5’9” tall, 130 pounds with gray hair and blue eyes.

He was last seen wearing a red Kansas Jayhawks baseball cap, baggy jeans, and a plaid long-sleeve button-up shirt. He is driving a white 2008 Lexus L460 bearing TX license plate #DH2D113.

His son has indicated that he may be in the beginning stages of dementia, but currently this is an undiagnosed medical condition.

Anyone with information as to the whereabouts of Mr. Smith or his vehicle, is asked to call 911 or Detective Steve Sanders at (972) 941-2212.

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/3xlUBHS

It’s Not Just Home Prices; Rent In DFW Is Also Going Up

IRVING, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Bad news for those hoping to avoid the expensive housing market by renting.

Two new studies are finding that rents around North Texas are on their way up.

Keri Cooper is like a lot of North Texans who wants to buy a place to live but can only afford an apartment.

“My mom actually said I waited too long to find a house,” said Cooper. “I just cannot afford to buy anything in this area anymore, it’s just absolutely ridiculous.”

But Cooper and others seeking refuge by leasing have recently been experiencing sticker shock.

She lives in Irving where the only thing hotter this summer than a restaurant patio, is skyrocketing rents according to new studies.

A rental listings site Zumper found rents in Irving rose by more than 5% between May and June, the highest in the country.

Plano was not far behind while some North Texas cities like Arlington saw slighter increases.

“Out of this entire Lake Carolyn area I’d say these are the cheapest which is the only real reason we live here,” said Irving resident Sarah Parker.

Parker and Dylan Hills had trouble finding an apartment within their budget when they recently moved to Irving.

“They were closer in price to Downtown Dallas as in Irving which was a weird one for us,” said Hill. “Do we pay a significant portion of our monthly income and rent? Yes, absolutely. Do we want to pay less? Absolutely.”

Another new study found average rents across DFW have increased % from $1,491 in March of 2020 to $1,536 one year later.

The studies say the reason for rent inflation is a big population migration to North Texas set off by the pandemic.

Unfortunately, for tenants like Cooper, there’s no sign things will change.

“Luckily my apartment has been reasonable as far as rent increases but I really won’t know until my next renewal is up what the price will be, but if it’s good I’ll stay. If it’s not good I may have to move back in with my mom,” said Cooper.

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/3w3lZcx

Dallas Nonprofit Looks To Deter Criminal Activity Through Neighborhood Mixers

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Violent crime is on the rise in Dallas.

Dallas Police say 10% of reported incidents are occurring in just 14 of the city’s 1,000-plus reporting areas.

Chief Eddie Garcia’s violent crime reduction plan aims to address this.

It says DPD is well aware some apartment complexes located in historically low-income neighborhoods are hot spots for crime.

As part of the long-term violence reduction plan, they’re now working with city leaders and stakeholders to identify these complexes and address conditions conducive to crime.

Meanwhile, an area nonprofit, Urban Specialist, is also working to make an impact.

More on that a bit later in the story.

Almost three weeks ago, there was a shooting at a southeast Dallas apartment complex off Jim Miller Road.

Dallas Police said two groups of people had gotten into a fight.

At least one gun was pulled and as a result, four women and a 4-year old child were shot.

They all survived.

No arrests have been made.

“I thank God all those people were okay,” resident LaDonna New said.

LaDonna New lives in the complex — and says unfortunately, violence and crime are not uncommon occurrences.

“I kind of stay in my home so I don’t really come out or let my son come outside,” she said.

David Williams grew up nearby and said he’s seen the effects this can have on a community.

“A lot of the folks who come from underserved communities and underprivileged neighborhoods, they have talents and skills and unfortunately, when something like that happens it can deter their whole path,” he said. “So what we want to do is step in and intervene and give them a different option.”

Urban Specialists, which works to eliminate violence in urban culture, has launched a new initiative.

“To be able to show love to the community and let them know that we care about stopping violence,” Urban Specialist’s Corey Cleghorn said.

“Peace, Prosperity and Possibilities” is bringing neighborhood mixers to apartment complexes that have recently experienced violent crime.

For the kids, there’s bounce houses and snow cones.

Parents get a chance to mingle.

For teens and young adults, there’s mentorship and job opportunities.

“We are servicing each other, we are building each other, we are holding each other accountable and we’re filling in those gaps,” Love Deposit’s JoJo Nelson said.

“Sometimes it’s hard to tell the community is with us you know when we don’t really see them out doing things like this, but when we see things like this it brings us all closer together,” New said. “It makes us want to show love.”

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/36iwyy1

Texas Executes John Hummel For Killing Wife And Father-In-Law Near Fort Worth

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM/AP) – A Texas inmate was executed Wednesday evening for an attack that killed his pregnant wife, 5-year-old daughter and father-in-law more than a decade ago.

John Hummel received a lethal injection at the state penitentiary in Huntsville for the December 2009 killings.

Authorities say John Hummel stabbed his wife, Joy Hummel, more than 30 times, then used a baseball bat to beat to death his daughter, Jodi Hummel, and his 57-year-old father-in-law, Clyde Bedford, who used a wheelchair. He then setting their home on fire in Kennedale, a Fort Worth suburb.

“The death penalty is – and should be – reserved for the worst crimes,” Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Sharen Wilson said. “John Hummel’s actions were unconscionable. Our thoughts and sympathy are with the family and friends of the victims.”

John Hummel (credit: TDCJ)

Hummel, strapped to the death chamber gurney, said a brief prayer that ended with him saying he would “be with Jesus when I wake.”

“I truly regret killing my family,” he said, then thanked friends for their prayers and support.

“I love each and every one of you,” he added.

As the lethal dose of the sedative pentobarbital began to take effect, he took a half-dozen breaths, then began snoring quietly. About a minute later, all movement stopped, although his eyes didn’t completely close. He was pronounced dead at 6:49 p.m. CDT, 13 minutes later.

“It was too easy,” Cecil Bedford, whose brother was among those killed, said after watching Hummel die. “It was like going to sleep.” He said a punishment more severe would be more appropriate. “A rope, a guillotine, a firing squad. There’s all kinds of good stuff to kill people. They should get what they deserve. An eye for an eye. I’m sorry. I’m old school.”

Prosecutors say he killed his family because he wanted to run off with a woman he met at a convenience store.

After the fire, Hummel fled to Oceanside, California, near San Diego, but was later arrested.

Investigators say he confessed to the killings.

Hummel, 45, who had worked as a hospital security guard, was convicted of capital murder for the deaths of his 34-year-old wife and father-in-law.

He was not tried for his daughter’s death.

His attorney, Michael Mowla, did not file any last-minute appeals before his execution, saying all available legal avenues had been exhausted.

Appeals courts rejected Mowla’s attempts to stop his execution because Hummel had not been properly assessed on whether he would be a future danger — a question Texas juries must answer in death penalty cases.

Mowla also unsuccessfully argued the appearance of impropriety as Hummel’s trial lawyer now works for the Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, which convicted him.

Hummel had been scheduled to be executed on March 18, 2020, but it was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bedford’s sister, Cylinda Bedford, said her family still doesn’t understand why Hummel killed his family.

She described Joy Hummel, who worked as a massage therapist, as outgoing and bubbly. Jodi had been excited about starting school and Clyde Bedford, who was better known by his nickname Eddie, “loved that grand baby,” Cylinda Bedford said.

“Come on, your own baby. You gotta be some kind of monster,” Cylinda Bedford, 54, a retired body shop technician, said of Hummel. “I don’t have no closure. And him being put to death, is not going to be closure either because then we’ll never know why.”

Hummel’s attorney also argued that his client suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder and other issues related to his military service that caused him to “snap” one night.

But Miles Brissette, a prosecutor at Hummel’s trial, said authorities discovered Hummel had previously tried to kill his family by putting rat poison in a spaghetti dinner.

On the night of the killings, Hummel stood in his kitchen for 30 minutes so he could “psych himself up” for what he was about to do, and after killing his wife, he caught his breath before fatally beating the others, Brissette said.

“This guy senselessly took the life of a beautiful mother, a beautiful child and a grandfather that just did everything for them. For him to want to be single and just kill them this way is senseless,” said Brissette, who is now a defense attorney in Fort Worth.

Hummel was the second inmate executed this year in Texas and the fifth in the U.S. Last month, Texas resumed executions after nearly a year. But it didn’t go as planned: The execution was performed without media witnesses. An investigation blamed the mistake on several factors, including new personnel and procedures, along with insufficient oversight.

Cylinda Bedford said nothing will make up for the loss her family still feels at Christmas or on birthdays. And a piece of her history was lost when Hummel burned down the family home where her father was born and raised and where her parents raised their children. Her family sold the land where the home stood but nothing new has been built there.

“It’s still an empty lot,” Bedford said.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/3qEEraf

Police: Man Accused Of Murdering 16-Year-Old He Thought Was Breaking Into His Car In White Settlement

WHITE SETTLEMENT, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – A man has been charged with murder after he allegedly shot a 16-year-old boy who he believed was breaking into his car in the Tarrant County city of White Settlement.

Jamaine Taylor, 31, was arrested on Tuesday in connection to the death of Latroy Lewis on June 16.

Police said Taylor saw two boys looking into his vehicle and began to yell at them on the morning of the incident. Police said Taylor chased the boys as they ran away.

During the incident, police said Taylor fired several rounds, striking Lewis in the chest. The 16-year-old later died at a hospital.

According to police, the two boys were not acquainted with Taylor. Police said Taylor accused the boys of trying to break into his vehicle.

Jamaine Taylor mugshot (Source: White Settlement Police Department)

“White Settlement detectives worked diligently and with the help of the community were able to identify and locate the suspect in this case. The department wants to thank those who contacted the department and provided information leading to the arrest in this case,” said Chief J. P. Bevering.

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/3jwwqT2

‘All Of A Sudden You Get Hit In The Head’: Pair Of Birds Harassing People In Southlake

SOUTHLAKE, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – A pair of seemingly angry birds have people ducking, dodging and generally avoiding a section of sidewalk in Southlake in order to stay away from the sudden aerial attacks.

Walkers, runners and bikers have reported run-ins with the birds, identified as Mississippi Kites, since late May in the Timarron neighborhood off E. Continental Blvd.

While many of the attacks are just fly-bys, some people have had the birds run right into them, and witnesses have seen them draw blood.

Kites will commonly defend their nests in that fashion according to Sam Kieschnick, an urban wildlife biologist with Texas Parks and Wildlife.

The behavior can last a month or longer, until the chicks are able to leave the nest and the parents move on.

Once the nest is established though, federal law protects the birds.

Mississippi Kites in Southlake (CBS 11).

“You can do things to discourage them from nesting in the area, but once they have a nest with eggs you can’t legally touch it,” said Brad Hazelton, the bird curator at the Fort Worth Zoo. “So you just have to let nature run its course at that point.”

Vamsi Alla said he had seen social media posts about the bird attacks, but didn’t realize they were along his regular running path when he went out in May.

“It was coming so fast, and before I realized to duck, it just went over me. And again I turned, and it came back again,” he said.

Lou Romano said he had been hit by the medium sized grey and white bird a couple of times.

“You don’t see it approaching you. You don’t hear it, and all of a sudden you get hit in the head, pretty good,” he said. “Felt like someone threw a softball and hit me in the head.”

Kieschnick said wearing a large hat can help keep kites away, or even using an umbrella.

While the behavior ends after the chicks leave the nest, Hazelton said they can return to the same location again later.

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/361wC4U

North Texas Cities Combining Fireworks And Drones For Fourth Of July Celebrations

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – The cities of North Richland Hills, Richland Hills, Haltom City and Watauga are getting extra creative this year, adding in a drone light show to their annual fireworks display.

It’s believed to be the first show in the state of Texas to be combined with drones.

“It’s going to be spectacular and we really want to make it unforgettable,” said Preston Ward, owner of Prestotechnics and Sky Elements, the two companies putting on the display.

It comes after last year’s show was canceled, giving Ward and his team two years to make the show even better.

Though the idea to add a drone light show came in November after seeing President Joe Biden’s celebratory election display back in November.

“When we saw that… we absolutely had to figure out how to do it and how to add it to this display for the entire community,” said Ward.

It’s an addition he hasn’t seen done in Texas before.

“It’s the first with a municipal firework show and a drone light show,” he said.

The show will start with 100 light-up drones flying at once to create shapes across the sky.

“This display has 12 different animations they are going to work through,” he said.

They’re all controlled and programmed through computers. It’s part of a 25-minute show that will end with a lot of fireworks too.

The free show is set for this Sunday, July 4, at 9:30 p.m.

It will be held at BISD Plaza, where they say plenty of parking will be available.

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/3qBbqfD

Child Tax Credit: IRS Facing Possible Implementation Problems For Monthly Check

(CBS Baltimore) — With the updated Child Tax Credit, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will soon start to distribute millions of monthly checks to families. The recurring payments of up to $300 per kid start on July 15. The Biden administration estimates that this sort of stimulus check for parents will reach 39 million households, accounting for about 90 percent of the nation’s children. But a program of this magnitude brings with it plenty of operational challenges for an underfunded agency that wasn’t set up to dole out money on a monthly basis.

How Does The Updated Child Tax Credit Work?

For parents of children up to age five, the IRS will pay $3,600 per child, half as six monthly payments and half as a 2021 tax credit. That comes out to $300 per month and $1,800 at tax time. The amount changes to $3,000 total for each child ages six through 17, or $250 per month and $1,500 at tax time. The IRS will make a one-time payment of $500 for dependents age 18 or fulltime college students up through age 24.

Payments will be based on the modified adjusted gross income (AGI) reflected on a parent or parents’ 2020 tax filing. (AGI is the sum of one’s wages, interest, dividends, alimony, retirement distributions and other sources of income minus certain deductions, such as student loan interest, alimony payments and retirement contributions.) The amount phases out at a rate of $50 for every $1,000 of annual income beyond $75,000 for an individual and beyond $150,000 for a married couple. The benefit will be fully refundable, meaning it will not depend on the recipient’s current tax burden. Qualifying families will receive the full amount, regardless of what they owe in taxes. There is no limit to the number of dependents that can be claimed.

Child Tax Credit payments will be automatically deposited on a monthly basis starting July 15. Each subsequent payment will be issued on the 15th of the month through December of 2021. If the 15th is a weekend or holiday, the money will arrive on the nearest prior business day. (August 15th falls on a Sunday, so that month’s distribution will arrive on August 13.) The remainder will be credited to a recipient’s 2021 taxes. Most eligible parents will not have to do anything to receive the money. It will just start arriving based on the information the IRS already has on file.

The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 expands the #ChildTaxCredit for tax year 2021. Taxpayers may receive part of their credit in 2021 before filing their 2021 tax return. https://t.co/535gR8FJvp pic.twitter.com/lroi9iG1Yd

— IRSnews (@IRSnews) June 21, 2021

What Issues Surround The Updated Child Tax Credit?

The updated Child Tax Credit was passed into law back in March, as part of the American Rescue Plan. The program was scheduled to start four months later. The buffer allowed the IRS to move past tax season. But whether the agency has had enough time to stand up this operationally complex program remains to be seen.

Sending out Child Tax Credit payments on a regular basis presents unique challenges. There’s the task of finding all the people who should receive the money, communicating to them that this money is out there and they qualify for it, and then getting them into the system. A recent Data For Progress poll found that 53 percent of Americans know little or nothing about the revised credit.

“If you’ve already filed for your taxes in 2020 or 2019, or if you applied for a stimulus check through the IRS’s website that they set up during the pandemic, then there’s nothing else that you need to do,” says Stephen Nuñez, the Lead Researcher on Guaranteed Income at the Jain Family Institute, an applied research organization in the social sciences. (Nuñez studies cash welfare policy, that includes field work to answer policy-relevant questions about the social safety net.). You’re covered, and you should receive the benefit, whether you’re expecting it or not. However, if you are not aware — and, unfortunately, many of the most vulnerable households are those who are not aware — they really do need to come forward, if they haven’t filed taxes already.”

An estimated one third or more of the children who live in poverty also live in households that don’t file taxes. And those are the families likely to most benefit from extra money each month. The Biden administration has set up a portal for non-tax filers to sign up. Its focus is on helping the extremely poor and homeless get their benefit.

#IRS has an online tool to help families who don’t file tax returns register for monthly #ChildTaxCredit payments. Learn more at https://t.co/QsIMs56FuT pic.twitter.com/dN0Eym40Hc

— IRSnews (@IRSnews) June 22, 2021

Portal users have encountered issues when seeking information or registering. According to Nuñez, “the new web page has been under criticism, because it’s a bit clunky and hard to use, and, in particular, it’s very difficult to navigate if you are on a mobile phone rather than on a PC. So right now, there’s a lot of push by voluntary income tax assistance sites, by nonprofits and community development organizations and by community leaders to raise awareness and to help these folks get into the system. Because those big poverty numbers that we’re talking about — cutting poverty by 40 percent — those assume that everybody gets it. And if they don’t get it, we’re not going to see quite as much impact.”

With public awareness of the updated Child Tax Credit lagging, the Biden administration has sought to spread the word. June 21 was Child Tax Credit Awareness Day. And according to a White House fact sheet released prior to that day, “as part of Child Tax Credit Awareness Day, the administration will encourage elected officials, organizations that fight for children, and faith-based organizations, to help low-income families—who may have such low-incomes that they are not required to file taxes—to use a new, easy Child Tax Credit sign-up tool to help give their children a lifeline out of poverty.”

Vice President Kamala Harris and other White House officials attended events on June 21 meant to educate the public. As the Vice President stated at one event, “through tax credits and food assistance and housing assistance and healthcare coverage and direct checks, the American Rescue Plan — and here’s the drumroll — the American Rescue Plan will lift half of America’s children out of poverty.”

Aside from public outreach issues, the updated Child Tax Credit faces technical hurdles. “The IRS has not historically been in the business of sending out tens of millions of checks on a monthly basis,” Nuñez notes, “though they did have some experience with that over the past year because of the pandemic. So I think we’re all waiting to see what’s going to happen. We’re talking about roughly 40 million checks going out each month between July and December of this year. So there’s always a possibility that there will be mistakes, checks getting lost in the mail, or people inadvertently throwing away a benefit that they don’t realize is coming.”

The IRS, like many parents, has lacked the money necessary to do its job. Congress has continually reduced the agency’s budget over the last decade; funding is down by about 21 percent. That’s left the IRS short on what it needs to accomplish its various initiatives. A blog post from National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins a couple months ago cited limited resources and technology issues as reasons for delays in processing tax returns. But those shortcomings can also spill over into other initiatives, like the revised Child Tax Credit checks.

An IRS watchdog informed Congress that budget cuts limit the agency’s ability to keep up with technology. The agency has long relied on an old programming language called COBOL. That isn’t necessarily a problem, unless the code isn’t kept up to date. And the IRS hasn’t kept it up to date. So when changes to the tax code come along, the agency has to find and pay programmers to fix things. The IRS initiated a modernization effort in 2019, but it relied on future funding. President Biden is also looking to increase the agency’s budget by $1.2 billion in the 2022 fiscal year. None of this will help in the short-term, however.

How these technological limitations affect the rollout of the updated Child Tax Credit remains to be seen. But implementation challenges in the initial stages shouldn’t detract from a program that could change the lives of millions. And if the updated Child Tax Credit is extended past 2021, those positive effects could have far-reaching effects for the country. According to Nuñez, “the research shows that as you cut down on child poverty, that those children grow up to be healthier, more productive, better-educated adults. And, of course, that’s great for the economy, and it’s great for society.”

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/2SCNDzg

Viral Facebook Post Reveals Invasive Worm ‘Well-Established’ In North Texas

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Researchers this week discovered that the hammerhead flatworm, an invasive species threatening our environment, isn’t just present in North Texas, but widespread here.

The Texas Invasive Species Institute at Sam Houston State University is crediting a viral Facebook post for prompting people to report sightings of the worm.

“After the post that shared last week, I’m 100 percent certain they are well established in the north Texas area,” said Ashley Morgan-Olvera, the institute’s director.

hammerhead flatworm (credit: Texas Invasive Species Institute)

She’s not sure what prompted the original post, but suddenly people began sharing they too were seeing the distinct-looking footlong worm with a flat half moon head.

She’d received about 20 reports of the worm in North Texas before this week when reports started flooding in.

“Easily 300 reports since that post and they’re still coming in,” she said.

The worms are originally from Southeast Asia, but have spread across the globe.

“Their main diet is earthworms, so that’s why they’re such a big threat,” explained Morgan-Olvera. “If you remove earthworms from our environment, our plants can’t break down soil like that so then everything will start to get choked off.”

hammerhead flatworm (credit: Texas Invasive Species Institute)

The worms excrete a chemical as a defense mechanism that can irritate your skin if you touch it with your bare hands. It’s bad for your pets, too.

“We really don’t want your animals to eat them,” said Morgan-Olvera. “Because they’ll make the animal throw it back up and it can leave the animal feeling sick afterwards.”

If you see one of the worms, she suggests using a stick or paper towel to pick it up. You can toss it into a plastic bag filled with salt, seal it tightly, and then throw it in the trash.

“Don’t… don’t cut it up. They will regrow,” said Morgan-Olvera.

Each piece she warns can become a new worm.

“I have gotten some reports where people say ‘I cut the head off’ and I’ll say ‘alright. Thank you, but please go find the rest of the animal because that headless segment is going to grow a new head’,” she said.

Report sightings or learn more about the worms here.

hammerhead flatworm (credit: Texas Invasive Species Institute)

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/3h5PHJn

‘Two Steps Forward, Three Steps Back’: Some Texans Still Waiting Months For Rent Assistance

(CBSDFW.COM) – After a slow start, the Texas Rent Relief program has made progress in helping people who missed payments because of the pandemic.

However, some Texans say they’ve been waiting months for assistance.

“It’s just kind of two steps forward, three steps back,” said Aaron Jones, who lost his job at the beginning of the pandemic. “I was a revenue analyst for a hotel management company. So when hotels don’t have any revenue to manage, they don’t really have needs for analysts.”

When the Texas Rent Relief program opened in February, he immediately applied for help.

“I’m all over them, trying to get a hold of someone,” Jones said. “I try to log in every day to see if the application status has changed.”

The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs, which runs the program, says there are nearly 13,000 applications currently under initial review.

According to the agency, the approval process takes about two weeks for review and may take up to 14 days for payment processing once the applicant has provided all the federally required documentation.

It’s been nearly five months, and Jones is still waiting for approval.

“They need to help within a timely manner for them to be effective,” he said.

He isn’t the only one having issues with the program.

“So what we’ve seen is a lot of landlords have lost patience, and tenants are headed to court, despite there being more than a billion dollars in rental relief in Texas,” said Christina Rosales, deputy director of Texas Housers, a nonprofit advocacy group for affordable housing.

So far, less than half of the nearly $1.2 billion in available funds has been paid out to nearly 68,000 households. Another, 14,696 have been approved but are waiting for payment.

“Texas Rent Relief Program easily leads the nation in amount of funds disbursed or in the payment pipeline with $510 million,” said Kristina Tirloni, senior communications advisor for the TDHCA. “Approximately $10 million is approved daily assisting those Texans needing rental or utility payment assistance… We have more than 1,800 program staff working to help applicants get everything submitted so we can process their application as soon as possible in accordance with federal guidelines.”

TDHCA advises applicants to check for texts, voicemails and emails from the program and get back to program staff with the required information as soon as possible so their application can continue to be processed.

Out of the nearly 13,000 applications currently under initial review, TDHCA says approximately 9,400 are missing the federally required documentation.

“Actually Texas is one of the places doing the best in distributing that rent relief, but that’s not saying much because it’s still taking a long time and the collateral damage is that tenants are being evicted as a result of very slow rental payments,” Rosales said.

But Jones isn’t giving up hope his assistance will come through.

“Just have to get through to the other side of it,” said Jones.

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/2UQcnEV

Downtown Rockwall Mural Damaged Beyond Repair After February’s Winter Storm

ROCKWALL, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – The mural in Downtown Rockwall that depicted scenes of the city old and new, was severely damaged during the February winter storm.

The city said on Wednesday, June 30 its insurance provider deemed the painting a total loss, and it has been removed.

Downtown Rockwall mural destroyed during February winter storm (credit: City of Rockwall).

“There is no plan to replace the mural, and the surface of the building will be restored to its original condition,” the city said in a news release.

from CBS Dallas / Fort Worth https://ift.tt/3y9X5sZ

A Meal And A Blessing: South Texas Church Offers Service To Migrants Crossing Border Into US

MISSION, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – One local church in Mission, Texas, is offering every migrant that comes through their doors a meal and a blessing before they continue on their journey to cities well beyond the border with Mexico.

The recent influx in migrants crossing the border illegally, especially in South Texas, has Father Roy Snipes busy offering charity and blessings like never before. He said while the numbers are unprecedented that doesn’t mean his kindness is limited.

First it was about 150 a day and then some more. But lately, the Lady of Guadalupe Church in Mission, which serves as an overflow facility, is offering nightly refuge to more than 300 migrants who were brought here after being processed by immigration authorities and released into the U.S. with a pending court date.

Sometimes children outnumber the adults.

“We consider our job to just give them a pat on the back, tell ’em you haven’t been abandoned,” Snipes said.

Snipes welcomes the migrants when they have no where to go yet. Migrants stay a night or two and are also offered meals, clean clothes and a shower.

The next steps for the migrants once they leave the church in the Rio Grande Valley is to board buses that eventually take them to their final destination throughout different cities in the country.

But it’s what happens before they leave the border that is considered to be the migrants’ first real welcome. Every morning Snipes walks them from their lodging area and into church pews where he prays for all of them.

“This is it. This is what it’s all about. Mommas and daddies and babies. If you don’t have reverence for this, you need to stop and think… stop and pray,” Snipes said.

CBS 11 News spoke with a Guatemalan man and woman who were with their two infant children. They did not want to be identified but wanted to share their story.

“Why are you all coming to the United States?” asked CBS 11 reporter Ken Molestina.

“(translated) Like any migrant, we have an American dream… for those who are lucky to cross, we are hoping for a better future,” the man replied.

The man said his family’s trip lasted 20 days and at times, they thought their kids wouldn’t make it.

“Is it worth if for you to take this risk and get here the way you did?” Molestina asked.

“(translated) Yes, because here we will have a chance to live out the dreams that we couldn’t back home,” the woman replied.

“What message do you have for Americans about your situation,” Molestina asked.

“(translated) The message would be for them to be patient with us, and that we can all reach our hopes with God’s help,” the man replied.

Snipes also shared a message of his own.

“You see a momma and a daddy and a baby and you want to be mean to them for God sake, don’t do that. Don’t do that to yourself. You poison your soul and you poison your family,” Snipes said.

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What’s Next? Legal Expert Explains Bill Cosby’s Overturned Conviction, Future For Accusers

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Bill Cosby has been freed from prison after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction. There are a lot of questions about today’s sudden ruling.

Legal expert Damian Jackson, a criminal defense attorney and partner with Reilly McDevitt & Henrich law firm, joined Eyewitness News to break down the ruling.

Question: Explain this ruling. Does this mean the court believes Cosby should not have been prosecuted in the first place?

Jackson: “That’s what it seems like. The court basically came down and said that the second prosecution should have Bruce Castor’s agreement. They went very far in explaining that although these things happen, they might not like what the evidence was. They said that it should have been honored. You just can’t have a second DA come in and upset our agreement …

Bruce Castor, he made this agreement for whatever reason. He had investigated the case, he didn’t think he had enough to prosecute, he wanted to get the victims some kind of relief so he cut that deal so that Cosby could at least give a deposition at the earlier case and based off of that, that’s why Mr. Cosby basically incriminated himself and told everything that he did.”

Question: Cosby was convicted and found guilty, but this ruling means he is free and clear?

Jackson: “It means he’s free and clear, it doesn’t mean that he didn’t do it, but he can no longer be prosecuted for any crime connected to her or many of the victims.”

Question: Do his accusers have any recourse?

Jackson: “It really depends on what the timing is. They might have some recourse depending on the statute of limitations but I don’t think that they do …

If there are other victims out there that we don’t know about, they possibly could get their day in court, but from what I remember and everything that was said before, she was the last victim that they knew about. The statute of limitations on her case was about the expire and that’s why they decided to go ahead and charge him at that point in time.”

Question: What now for Cosby? Does he have any recourse against the court system?

Jackson: “That’s something that he might try and go against but, bottom line, everyone followed the rules. If anybody really to blame here it’s Bruce Castor and the subsequent prosecution

Watch the video to hear more from Jackson.

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Rocket Mortgage Classic Preview: ‘Should Be A Shootout,’ Says CBS Sports’ Colt Knost

(CBS Detroit) — The PGA Tour returns to Detroit for the third instance of the Rocket Mortgage Classic. This year’s field will face a Detroit Country Club course where the previous two winners went low. With the course largely unchanged and some recent weather to soften things up, this year’s Rocket Mortgage Classic should be another birdie-fest.

The field set to take on the club’s North Course is solid. The highest-ranked player is last year’s champion, Bryson DeChambeau, at sixth. He shot 23-under in the debut of his new, bulkier physique. And that added strength helped him overpower the course. Can he do it again?

“This was kind of the first look at Bryson DeChambeau and his new power game he’s brought in, the change in his body,” says CBS Sports on-course reporter Colt Knost. “And he just absolutely destroyed the field last year, winning by three shots. And he’s a heavy favorite again this week. So it’ll be interesting to see if he can back that performance up that he had here last year.”

Patrick Reed, ranked ninth, is the only other top-10 player showing up this week. Reed has four top-10 finishes since his win at the Farmers Insurance Open in January. Webb Simpson, the world’s 15th-ranked player, has only played in four events since the start of April, and three of those were majors. He’ll look to improve on last year’s eighth-place finish. Hideki Matsuyama, ranked 18th, has also found limited success since his April Masters win.

“There’s a lot of big names,” Knost points out. “You have Phil Mickelson, Hideki Matsuyama, Rickie Fowler. Bubba Watson is in the field, along with Matthew Wolff, Max Homa. I think it’s a very, very solid field, pretty top-heavy, but definitely a week where you could see maybe a lesser name really make a big splash and turn his season or career around.”

The field will face a Detroit Country Club track that has yielded its fair share of birdies over the last two years. The Club’s North Course, originally designed by Donald Ross, was updated in preparation for its inaugural event in 2019. A par-72 stretching to 7,370 yards, the Tour’s oldest course is a bit of an anachronism on today’s PGA Tour. It’s a classic course in an age when venues are modernizing to counter the power game.

The North Course’s front nine, lined with trees, is a little more challenging than the back nine. Any course will reward distance, but accuracy off the tee helps here as well. The opening hole, a 397-yard par-4, is original to the course, and tees off near the base of a bent oak that marked a Native American trail between Detroit and Saginaw. The fourth hole, one of two par-5s on the front nine and the course’s longest, extends to 635 yards. The green is still very reachable in two shots.

On the back nine, the 14th, 15th and 16th holes came together a couple years ago to form ‘Area 313,’ where birdies can fly. Fans will be on hand again this year to create a festive atmosphere for a set of holes that provides some scoring opportunities. The series starts with a 555-yard, risk-reward par-5, depending on how it’s approached. The 15th hole is a par-3 that plays longer than its 160 yards might suggest. The 16th hole, a 446-yard par-4, offers scoring opportunities for those who can navigate the green.

“It really sets up well for the guys that can bomb it, because they can cut a lot of the doglegs,” notes Knost about the North Course. “They take the fairway bunkers out of play. And with the unfortunate weather they’ve had here in Detroit the last week, the golf course is going to play extremely soft, which makes these players just absolutely throw darts at these pins, and they’re gonna make a lot of birdies. So, unless the wind blows, a lot, this golf course isn’t going to have much defense. It’s going to give up a lot of low scores and should be a shootout.”

Here are the favorites:

Bryson DeChambeau (15-2)

DeChambeau is the defending champion at the Rocket Mortgage Classic. He torched the field last year, in his only event at Detroit Golf Club. And he remains possibly the Tour’s longest driver, leading in Strokes Gained: Off-The-Tee. His last win came at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which he followed up with a tie for third at the Players Championship.

Hideki Matsuyama (14-1)

Matsuyama has only one top-10 finish this year, and that was his Masters win back in April. He’s never cracked the top 10 at the Rocket Mortgage Classic either. In 2019, he finished 13th, and in 2020, he finished 21st. But Matsuyama has been relatively consistent on this course and played well on other courses designed by Ross.

Patrick Reed (14-1)

Reed has five top-10 finishes in his 15 events this year. That includes a win at the Farmers Insurance Open back in January. He’s also playing relatively consistently, particularly around the green, where he ranks eighth in Strokes Gained: Putting. He missed the cut at last year’s Rocket Mortgage but placed fifth the year before.

Watch the Rocket Mortgage Classic Saturday, July 3 and Sunday, July 4, 3:00 – 6:00 PM ET on CBS.

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Texas Mother Killed By Stray Bullets In Annapolis While Dropping Son Off At Naval Academy

ANNAPOLIS, Md. (CBSDFW.COM) – A celebration turned into a tragedy for one Texas family after a deadly drive-by shooting in Annapolis, Maryland.

Police said Michelle Cummings, 57, was struck by stray bullets at a hotel while sitting outside on a patio with her husband at around 12:20 a.m. Tuesday. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

“We know preliminarily that two people were sitting in a car, an SUV on Pleasant Street, adjacent to where the homicide occurred,” said Annapolis Police Chief Ed Jackson. “And shots rang out, and at least one of the shots more than one we believe struck Ms. Cummings.”

According to police, Cummings, of Houston, was in the area to watch her son get inducted into the United States Naval Academy. Her son was a football prospect from Westfield High School in Houston.

Michelle Cummings (Credit: Spring ISD/WJZ)

A reward of $20,000 is being offered for information that leads to an arrest as the FBI, ATF and police department investigate.

An official in charge of plebe summer, a training program required for all incoming freshman, said Cummings’ son will continue his way into the academy.

“I couldn’t be prouder of that young man,” Lt. Col. Todd McCarthy told WJZ.

In a statement to KTRK, Spring ISD, where her son went to school, said:

“We are devastated to hear about the passing of Michelle Cummings. Ms. Cummings was a very engaged parent at Westfield High School where her son Leonard “Trey” Cummings III graduated in 2020. She served in 2019-20 as the president of the Westfield High School Football Booster Club and was always ready to support our student athletes. Our hearts and prayers go out to the Cummings family during this time of sorrow.”

A GoFundMe page that was set up as a memorial fund for Cummings’ family has reached over $88,000 in donations.

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Homicide Victim Found ‘In The Area’ Of Irving’s Running Bear Park

IRVING, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Irving Police are investigating a homicide after a man was found dead “in the area” of Running Bear Park at 2601 S. Story Rd.

Officers responded to a report of an unconscious person in the area on Sunday, June 27 around 7:00 a.m.

When they arrived they found the man deceased.

Investigators determined the individual, later identified as Yoni Jimenez, was the victim of a homicide.

Jimenez’s gray 2016 Mazda 3 was missing, but later recovered.

Anyone with information on this case can contact the Irving Police Department at (972) 273-1010 (24 hours) or submit tips to ipdcrimetips@cityofirving.org.

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Grand Jury Declines To Indict Texas Doctor Accused Of COVID-19 Vaccine Theft

HOUSTON (CBSDFW.COM/AP) – A grand jury on Wednesday, June 30 declined to indict a former Houston-area health department doctor who was accused of stealing nine doses of coronavirus vaccine from a damaged vial and administering them to family and friends.

Prosecutors alleged that Hasan Gokal, who worked for Harris County Public Health, stole a vial of the Moderna coronavirus vaccine while working at a vaccination site at a suburban Houston park on Dec. 29, 2020.

But grand jurors in Harris County, where Houston is located, decided no criminal charges were warranted.

The grand jury’s decision comes after a judge in January dismissed a theft charge prosecutors had filed against Gokal.

Paul Doyle, Gokal’s attorney, said in statement that the grand jury’s decision ends a “prolonged, unwarranted attempt by District Attorney Kim Ogg and her office to disparage Dr. Gokal’s good name.”

“No doctor should ever feel forced to choose between saving lives and keeping their job,” Doyle said.

Hasan Gokal (credit: CBS News)

Doyle said hundreds of medical professionals and others had written letters, sent emails and made phone calls in support of Gokal’s actions.

“We respect the decision of the grand jury in this and every case. Evidence, not public opinion, is the guiding principle of our work,” the Harris County District Attorney’s Office said in a statement.

In January, prosecutors filed a misdemeanor theft charge against Gokal, who was fired after the health department conducted an internal investigation.

Doyle said Gokal did nothing wrong and was only trying to ensure that vaccine from a punctured vial was not wasted.

A judge later dismissed the theft charge, ruling there was no probable cause in the case. Harris County Court-At-Law Judge Franklin Bynum criticized prosecutors, saying their probable cause complaint was “riddled with sloppiness and errors.”

After the dismissal, prosecutors presented the case to the grand jury.

In March, the Texas Medical Board dismissed an investigation against Gokal, saying he “appeared to have administered doses of the COVID-19 vaccine to patients that were properly consented, in the eligible patient category, and they were given doses that would have otherwise been wasted.”

The board also found there were no protocols for Gokal to follow and he relied on state guidance to not waste the vaccine.

In Wisconsin, a former pharmacist who purposefully ruined more than 500 doses of COVID-19 vaccine was sentenced to three years in prison on June 8.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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South Texas Family Fighting To Keep Border Wall From Being Erected On Their Ranch

Watch Ken Molestina’s report on CBS 11 at 6. It will be posted here after it airs.

MISSION, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – The debate over Gov. Greg Abbott’s border wall plan has fired up a South Texas family who say they’ll fight to keep their property on the border with Mexico wall-free.

The Cavazos Family Ranch sits on 65-plus acres on the banks of the Rio Grande River in Mission, Texas.

It’s been in the family for three generations and they make no secret how they feel about a border wall going up on their property.

“It will be a waste of money,” said Fred Cavazos. “I don’t think it will help us at all the way they are thinking.”

Fred and his cousin, Reynaldo Anzaldua Cavasos look after their land.

“We used to harvest the crops and help him irrigate and take care of animals and this sort of thing, so we’ve always worked here,” said Reynaldo.

The Cavazos cousins, Fred and Reynaldo (CBS 11).

The cousins don’t physically ranch it anymore, but instead rent out and maintain several homes on the property for a living.

The Cavazos’ said they’ve been offered $350,000 by the federal government for 6-and-a-half acres of their land to complete a previous wall project, something they are fighting.

But now, they fear Gov. Abbott’s new plan could take even more from them.

“There is no doubt he is going to be challenged. He’s going to be challenged if he comes over here…he is going to be challenged by us too, because we are not going to sit here and let him take any more of our land.”

The Cavazoses say protecting all of their land from eminent domain is not just a matter of opinion or a preference, they say it’s also tied into a promise that they made to their grandmother.

“Our grandmother told us when we were kids, ‘I’m going to teach you how to work’, and this is where we worked and never sell the land, because the land will always feed you.”

They said they made a vow to their grandmother, Eloisa Rosa Cavazos before she died and has long as they’re still around, the cousins say it’s a commitment they’re going to fight to keep.

But aside from the land they’re already slated to lose, National Guard troops have been posted on their land around the clock. A watch tower has been placed there, too and U.S. Customs helicopters fly overhead often.

“How would you like it for the government to come to your house and say we’re going to put a gate right in your house. You can’t come in until you tell us to come open up,” said Fred.

“I know that the wall is political. You can not take private land for political reason. It’s got to be for the good of the nation. This is not for the good of the nation. This is for political reason,” said Reynaldo.

Law enforcement says they need the wall because of the massive wave of migrants arriving illegally is more than they can stop on their own.

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Teen Charged With Murder In Death Of Cameron Moore, 22, In Arlington

ARLINGTON, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Arlington police officers arrested a juvenile in connection to a shooting at an apartment complex in the 2100 block of Forest Hills Drive.

The victim, who was later identified as 22-year-old Cameron Moore, was transported to a local hospital for treatment on June 13. But he died 18 days later due to injuries sustained during the shooting.

Witnesses were able to identify the shooter as a juvenile who lived at the apartment complex. A warrant was issued for the teen’s arrest and they were taken into custody on June 14, 2021. The teen was initially charged with one count of Aggravated Assault. Due to the victim being deceased, that charge will be upgraded to Murder. Due to the suspect’s age, the department is unable to release their name, booking photo, or arrest warrant affidavit.

The motive for the shooting remains under investigation.

 

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Irving Police Need Help Identifying Criminal Mischief Suspect Who Lost It At Gas Station

IRVING (CBSDFW.COM) – Law enforcement officials with the Irving Police Department are asking for help identifying a criminal mischief suspect who caused a ruckus at a gas station.

It happened at a gas station in the 3700 blk of Esters on June 14.

Surveillance video shows the woman aggressively pushing items off the clerk’s counter. She also slams into the counter, grabbing a display and pulling it to the floor. She then stomps willy-nilly out of the store.

Police didn’t say what suspect’s motive was or why she was upset.

If you recognize her, please contact Investigator Dickinson at DDickinson@cityofirving.org or call (972)721-6547.

 

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‘Do your part.’ First Lady urges Dallas citizens, leaders to get the COVID-19 vaccine

Jill Biden teamed up with former Dallas Cowboys great Emmitt Smith in the fight against COVID. Here’s what they had to say.

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Same-Sex North Texas Couple Welcomes Twins

ALLEN, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) – Same-sex couples are turning more and more to surrogates and embryos as a method of having children other than adoption.

Bear and Ellle entered the world just one minute apart three months ago.

Josh Neal and Robert Sleeper with their twins (credit: Medical City McKinney).

Their arrival is not only an example of the scientific advancements in modern day conception, but also of the social advancements of same-sex parents who want biological children.

“You have a genetic link to your child but they also have at genetic link to each other so I think coming in as 2 dads that in our minds kind of completed the full circle of family that we were wanting,” said father Josh Neal.

The twins were delivered by a surrogate from embryos each implanted with the DNA from one of their two fathers Robert Sleeper and Josh Neal.

“I do think it’s especially important for our community to understand what is possible. We realize how truly blessed we are,” said Neal.

Medical Center McKinney helped the couple with their birth plan and delivery knowing it would be a special one.

The couple with their twins and dog (credit: Medical City McKinney).

One of their nurses just happened to be a childhood friend.

“Just to watch them become new parents it’s just so much fun,” said nurse Sarah Thetford of Medical Center McKinney.

Pride month celebrates the liberation of the LBGTQ community.

Bear and Elle are shining symbols of the strides made that have led to same sex couples becoming proud parents.

“If we can be a face or source of support, any sort of inspiration to anyone out there, to show to your point what a modern family looks like, we are more than happy and truly blessed to do that,” said Neal.

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First Lady Jill Biden Pushes COVID-19 Vaccinations In Dallas

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM/AP) – First Lady Jill Biden played offense Tuesday, June 29 in the fight against COVID-19, teaming up with an NFL Hall of Fame running back to encourage Texans to get vaccinated against the disease.

“Today, we are finally getting back the things that we lost. But as far as we’ve come, we’re not done yet,” the first lady said in brief remarks after she toured a pop-up vaccination clinic at Emmett J. Conrad High School.

She was accompanied by former Dallas Cowboys running back Emmitt Smith, who used a sports metaphor to make the same point.

“We’re in the fourth quarter, and the game is far from over,” Smith said after the tour as they addressed a group of people who had just been vaccinated.

The first lady flew to Texas as part of President Joe Biden’s campaign to vaccinate as many Americans as possible against COVID-19 in the face of growing concern about the spread of a new and more contagious strain of the coronavirus known as the delta variant.

Biden had set a goal of vaccinating 70% of adult Americans by Sunday’s July Fourth holiday, when he plans a White House celebration of the nation’s independence from the virus.

But while the administration has acknowledged it will fail to meet the president’s goal, the White House has said the president, first lady, vice president and her husband will continue to barnstorm the country encouraging holdouts to roll up their sleeves.

Nationwide, 66% of adults have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Texas, just under 50% of people ages 12 and older — the demographic being served at the Dallas high school’s clinic — have been fully protected against the disease caused by the coronavirus, according to state COVID-19 data on the CDC’s website.

“It’s just not enough, which is why I wanted to come here today,” Jill Biden said, stressing that the vaccines in use are safe, effective and free.

The Dallas clinic is open to students 12 years and older, school staff, parents and anyone from the broader Dallas community. The Dallas Independent School District is hosting community vaccine clinics at different high schools daily this week.

Parkland Health & Hospital System is administering the Pfizer vaccine, which requires two doses administered three weeks apart.

As an incentive, anyone getting vaccinated at the high school will receive tickets to the Six Flags Over Texas theme park. They will also be eligible to win prizes, such as airline or concert tickets and gift cards, through a raffle sponsored by Mayor Eric Johnson’s office.

The first lady planned a similar stop later Tuesday in Houston, where she was to pair up with Doug Emhoff, the spouse of Vice President Kamala Harris, to visit a COVID-19 vaccination clinic hosted by the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park, their home ballpark.

The stop in Houston will be the first joint appearance of the administration for Biden and Emhoff, the second gentleman. They campaigned together several times during the 2020 general election.

The Astros are hosting the clinic as part of Major League Baseball’s “Vaccinate at the Plate” program, held during June, which offers incentives to fans who get protected against COVID-19.

(© Copyright 2021 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)

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North Texas Cities Pushing Illegal Fireworks Reporting To Phone Lines, Websites To Keep 911 Lines Open

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – Complaints about the repeated scream of bottle rockets flying through your neighborhood this Fourth of July aren’t going to rise to the top of the list, but public safety departments promise someone will look at it.

Arlington is joining Fort Worth this weekend, encouraging residents to use a special hotline, and online reporting site for fireworks issues, rather than 911.

Both cities are trying to reduce call volume from the emergency line, to leave it open for fires, accidents and urgent medical situations.

The approach follows a record number of fireworks complaint calls in 2020, and an admission this spring by officials in Fort Worth that they are having no impact in curbing fireworks use, which is illegal in the city.

In Fort Worth, retired firefighters will answer calls to a hotline, putting the information into a database where a dispatcher will flag priority calls.

In Arlington, certified emergency volunteers will similarly fill out a form, then is reviewed by a dispatcher.

“We’ve got people watching those to see where those emergencies truly are, and what calls we can prioritize as a priority two or priority three type call,” said Mike Drivdahl with Fort Worth Fire.

Arlington has also been placing digital message boards in parts of the city, reminding people of the city ordinance in an effort to get more compliance with the law.

Drivdahl acknowledged the city does not have enough resources to respond to all of the complaint calls received, something officials said in March, draws additional complaints from residents.

However he said they still try, and that on some calls it may not be apparent that they respond if they get there after all the activity has stopped.

Richard Fegan said firefighters in Arlington approach it the same way.

“You may not make it to all of em, but you may,” he said. “So we’ll have police and fire units out throughout the city patrolling but also being dispatched to direct locations.”

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Sweepstakes, Raffles And Giveaways: Are COVID-19 Vaccination Incentives Making A Difference?

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Get a COVID-19 vaccine these days and you could walk away with all kinds of freebies.

Local governments and businesses are stepping up to offer incentives, but the results haven’t been consistent.

At the Dallas College Cedar Valley Campus on Tuesday, June 29, volunteers waited patiently in a quiet gym for anyone who might want to get vaccinated.

“We have Six Flags tickets. We have food. So come get your vaccine,” said Sharon Davis, chief critical response officer for Dallas College.

In the first three hours, 14 people showed up.

Brenda Martinez admits she was a little scared to get vaccinated, but was eventually convinced by those around her to get it.

“My friends and family. They pushed me a little bit,” she said.

She didn’t even know about the free ticket to Six Flags, the box of free food, or the goodie bag from HEB she could collect for getting vaccinated.

At a pop-up vaccination clinic at Emmett J Conrad High School in Dallas, the free Six Flags tickets being offered came as a surprise to many, as well.

“Really? That’s cool!” said Michelle Martinez, 16, who said she wanted to be vaccinated for her own safety and others’ before returning to school in the fall.

“No, we didn’t know. Lucky him!” said Marlene Porras, who brought her son to get vaccinated.

Joaquin Porras, 14, says he just wants to be able to safely travel.

“So I can go visit my family in California and other places,” he said.

Incentives are becoming more common.

The Dallas Regional Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday announced it’s launching a sweepstakes for residents of Dallas, Tarrant, Collin, and Denton counties who get vaccinated between June 9 and September 1.

Those who enroll can win prizes from American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, the Dallas Cowboys, the Dallas Mavericks, the Dallas Stars, and more.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson has a similar raffle for city of Dallas residents vaccinated between June 1 and July 23 offering free roundtrip flights, sports tickets, State Fair passes, an autographed Luka Doncic jersey and a $1,500 grand prize.

The mayor’s spokesperson said about 1,000 have registered in the first two weeks.

“We see in some places those incentives are working,” said White House Vaccinations Coordinator, Dr. Bechara Choucair.

In Ohio, a lottery with million dollar prizes boosted vaccinations, while in Arkansas, a program offering free scratch-off tickets fell flat.

“You’ll see places like Chicago where they’re offering free Lollapalooza tickets,” said Dr. Choucair, noting all the incentives being offered.

For some people, he believes it can be an effective motivator.

He warns, though, it has to be part of a larger strategy.

“Incentives is just one tool in our tool box, we still have a lot of work to do to get people’s vaccine confidence levels up. And I think there are people who want to get vaccinated and we have to make it as easy as possible for them,” said Dr. Choucair.

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