: News

Bell Helicopter unveils 525 Relentless

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:33 CST

By Bob Cox

DALLAS -- Bell Helicopter officials say the 525 Relentless, unveiled Sunday, will have cutting-edge technology designed and built to meet customers' needs five years from now.

While officials were still moderately vague about some details and specifications, they said they will stick to a philosophy of "underpromise and overdeliver."

The Relentless is the product of Bell executives and engineers who said they spent a lot of time listening to and working with potential customers to determine their future needs.

"It's a new way of designing; it's a new way of doing business for Bell," President John Garrison said as the aircraft was unveiled before hundreds of people at the Heli-Expo trade show.

"Relentless is more than a name. It's a focus."

The bright yellow mockup bore the logo of launch customer Petroleum Helicopters, a major provider of transportation to offshore oil and gas rigs, the principal market for the new aircraft.

Bell officials said they are far along in the design and expect to build and fly the first prototype in 2014. More than 320 engineers and other specialists are working on the program, and the number should reach 500 by year's end, Bell said.

It plans to produce the Relentless at its Amarillo plant, with many key parts and components made at Bell's Fort Worth-area facilities.

The Relentless is aimed at a market sector that already has five to seven competing models -- the medium helicopter class capable of holding 12 to 16 passengers and flying as far as 400 nautical miles.

Bell officials say the Relentless is designed to hold 16 passengers in larger, more comfortable seats and with the ability to enter and exit more easily.

The aircraft, they say, will provide customers better value and lower costs for hauling large payloads of people and cargo long distances. The latest technology in cockpit instruments and digital flight controls should make the aircraft easier and safer to fly and land, especially when weather worsens in flight.

Announcements of aircraft products are often accompanied by lengthy lists of interested buyers with money in hand who are supposedly eager to place orders.

Bell spokesman Robert Hastings said the company has taken no orders but is talking to several potential buyers besides Petroleum Helicopters. "There are customers who are willing to sign, but we talked about it and said, 'Let's wait until we're a little farther along,'" Hastings said.

Designing and building helicopters from scratch almost inevitably proves more difficult, technologically challenging, time-consuming and costly than predicted. Bell has a long record of struggling to meet schedule, cost and performance commitments on military aircraft like the V-22 and even its newest commercial helicopter, the 429, launched in 2005 but just now being delivered in significant numbers.

Bell officials say there is a big difference between the capabilities and culture of the company now and as recently as five years ago.

"We're very aggressive about measuring our internal performance, and we will hold ourselves accountable," Garrison said. Bell is a "very proud company with great people who needed an opportunity to do a lot of these things."

Bob Cox, 817-390-7723

Twitter: @bobcoxict

21-year-old Fort Worth woman ID'd as driver in fatal wreck

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 12:16 CST

By Domingo Ramirez Jr.

FORT WORTH -- The driver killed Wednesday afternoon in a wreck on southbound Interstate 35W has been identified as Emily Reyes of Fort Worth, according to the Tarrant County medical examiner's website on Monday.

Reyes, 21, died of multiple injuries in the wreck that occurred shortly before 5 p.m. Wednesday in the 4800 block of South Freeway. Her death was an accident, the medical examiner's office has ruled.

Reyes' car entered the freeway on the Felix Street ramp and she tried to cross two lanes but lost control of the vehicle, causing it to spin, acording to police. Police said she was traveling at high speed when she lost control.

The vehicle ended up facing north and an 18-wheeler which was southbound collided with her car, police said.

The truck driver had minor injuries, police said.

Soldier from Mineral Wells found unresponsive at Fort Hood

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:40 CST

By Chris Vaughn

A U.S. Army soldier from Mineral Wells died last week after he was found unresponsive in his barracks room, according to officials at Fort Hood on Monday.

Pfc. Joe Christopher Robinson, 21, died at Scott and White Hospital in Temple last Thursday, according to the Army. He was found in his barracks on Wednesday and taken to Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center first.

The circumstances surrounding his death are under investigation. No other details were released by the Army.

Robinson joined the Army in July 2008 as an infantryman and served with 1st Squadron, 8th Cavalry in the 1st Cavalry Division. He deployed to Iraq in January 2009 and spent the entire year there.

Among his decorations were an Army Commendation Medal, National Defense Service Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.

Housekeeper of Terry Bradshaw's ex-wife sentenced for stealing jewelry

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:15 CST

By Domingo Ramirez Jr.

FORT WORTH -- A former housekeeper of the ex-wife of NFL legend Terry Bradshaw has been sentenced to 10 years' probation for stealing thousands of dollars worth of jewelry.

Aleida Garcia, 35, of Lewisville, got probation with deferred adjudication during a hearing on Jan. 31 in Criminal District Court No. 3.

An arrest warrant was issued for Garcia last summer after Charla Bradshaw Conner of Westlake reported the thefts to Keller police. The agency investigated because Westlake contracts police service with Keller.

The thefts occurred in 2010 and last year, according to police. Keller police were alerted in May after Conner became suspicious of her maid.

Investigators questioned the housekeeper in July at Conner's home in Westlake and she was escorted away after the interview, Keller police have said. She had worked as a housekeeper there since 2009, working one day a week, Keller police Lt. Brenda Slovak has said.

The list of items missing included at least three Rolex watches, six gold rings, six tri-gold bracelets and four gold and diamond necklaces, according to police reports. In all, about $96,350 worth of jewelry or 23 pieces were gone, police reported.

Garcia admitted to authorities that she took $45,545 worth of jewelry, some from a bathroom and some from a bedroom, a police affidavit stated.

Slovak said that many of the pieces were sold at pawn shops throughout North Texas, and the items were resold.

One pawnshop official told police that some items were melted as scrap when they were not picked up by Garcia, the affidavit stated.

No Meals on Wheels delivery in Tarrant County today because of severed power line

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 07:56 CST

By Alex Branch

Meals on Wheels Inc. of Tarrant County will not deliver meals Monday because of a power outage that was possibly caused by thieves in search of copper, an organization spokeswoman said.

A power line to the facility at 320 South Freeway was "severed," spokeswoman Denise Harris said.

Workers were trying to restore power but the facility will remain closed until the repairs are complete and evaluated by city inspectors, she said.

"Every effort is being made to resolve this unfortunate situation today," she said.

Clients should have at home "shelf stable meals" that were previously distributed in case inclement weather disrupts delivers.

This summer, thieves cut and removed copper pipes attached to an air conditioning unit at the non-profit.

Alex Branch, 817-390-7689

Twitter: @albranch1

Arlington man suspected of DWI killed in Grand Prairie wreck

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 10:40 CST

By Domingo Ramirez Jr.

A driver suspected of being intoxicated was killed late Sunday on Interstate 30 in Grand Prairie when his truck rear-ended a sports utility vehicle that was parked on the side of the highway, Grand Prairie police said Monday.

Authorities identified the driver as Misael Gomez, 33, of Arlington. He died at Methodist Dallas Medical Center shortly after the crash.

The crash occurred shortly after 11 p.m. Sunday on westbound I-30 near MacArthur Boulevard in Grand Prairie.

Gomez was driving a 1996 Ford Ranger westbound on the highway when the truck drifted off the highway into a grassy area, hit a construction warning sign and smashed into the unoccupied Chevrolet Suburban, police said.

Investigators say they believe that alcohol may have been a factor in the crash and they are awaiting toxicology reports.

Authorities continued their investigation.

It was the second traffic fatality in Grand Prairie this year.

International alumni are filling universities' coffers

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 23:30 CST

By Diane Smith

Businessman Mustaque Ahmed's home country is Bangladesh, but philanthropy ties him to the University of Texas at Arlington, where he invests in students.

Ahmed, who graduated with the Class of '81, believes in giving back. In 2010, he gave the university $145,000 in gifts through its dollar-for-dollar Maverick Match program -- $125,000 went to create the Festival of Ideas Global Research Institute. He is also managing director of UTA's 2011-12 development board.

Ahmed's desire to see UTA move from a commuter school to a campus of first choice echoes that of university leaders, but it's his long-held personal mission.

"A lot needs to be done at UTA; that's why I support UTA," Ahmed said in a recent telephone interview from Bangladesh, adding that he would like his alma mater to become a center for global ideas.

Ahmed and a growing number of other international alumni are helping the American universities where they earned degrees. They are donating as U.S. universities compete for the brightest students, modernize facilities and step up research amid cuts in higher-education funding. Experts say unique ties have emerged so that international alumni are not just giving money -- they are promoting good will between nations and helping recruit students through word of mouth.

University of North Texas alumnus and entrepreneur Charn Uswachoke of Thailand gave the school its largest gift ever: $22 million to support music, engineering and business. At the University of Texas at Dallas, industrialist Naveen Jindal of India was a partner in a $30 million gift aimed at supporting endowed chairs and fellowships. The university's School of Management was named in his honor -- Jindal earned a Master of Business Administration there in 1992.

At Arkansas State University, the international community has not only donated, but has also helped build a strong rugby program.

"We had one South African come over; he went back and told his friends," said Cristian Murdock, vice chancellor for university advancement.

Hasan Pirkul, dean of the Naveen Jindal School of Management at UT Dallas, said: "People often do not appreciate the impact of international students on the United States. We are growing friends of the United States."

International ties

The trend raises the question: Do universities lose some autonomy when they take gifts from donors who live overseas?

That question is another side of a recent issue raised in a New York Times report about how University of Washington officials have said international students help subsidize financial aid for low-income students because they pay higher tuition.

Some experts said higher out-of-state tuition and international alumni's gifts are helping during lean times.

"This is no-strings-attached money coming back to us and it is helping us educate our kids in Texas," Pirkul said. "The key is money with no strings attached. It's true philanthropy."

Murdock said universities must always scrutinize domestic and international donors so as not to open themselves to criticism. All gifts ultimately have to be approved by the boards of trustees or regents.

"I see the future of international giving growing," Murdock said, adding that with states reducing funding and private schools growing more hesitant to raise tuition continually, universities are "looking under every stone."

Lisa Baronio, UNT's vice president for advancement, said reaching out to international alumni is relatively new there.

"The biggest challenge is trying to keep track of your international alumni," Baronio said, adding that some universities assign a lifetime e-mail address while students are still enrolled.

The idea is not to replace state support but to boost donations, she said.

"We want to be able to provide the best education possible for our students in the state of Texas," Baronio said.

College ambassadors

UNT alum Uswachoke sees himself as an ambassador with sentimental ties to Denton. He earned an MBA from UNT in 1973.

Uswachoke said the world is becoming more globalized, with standards of living improving in Asia. Students there want a better education, so they turn to America.

"The U.S. has the best education system, especially in higher education," Uswachoke said. "Most U.S. universities need more funding from the outside."

He said international alumni serve as a link for students overseas searching for a campus with the right fit.

The number of international students in America has been growing for a decade. A record 723,277 were enrolled nationwide in the 2010-11 academic year, according to the Institute of International Education. China, India and South Korea sent the most that year.

"China's growing middle class has the ability to send their students anywhere in the world for their education and the United States is the destination of choice," said Peggy Blumenthal, senior counselor to the president at the New York-based Institute of International Education.

Blumenthal said that formerly, most Chinese students in the U.S. were graduate students, but the number of undergraduates is growing. The U.S. undergraduate model, which includes liberal arts and analytical thinking, is highly admired, she said.

Pirkul said gifts from international alumni show that the U.S. is making more global friends and building relationships that help trade, investment and diplomacy.

The gifts are also a sign that the American culture of philanthropy has been imprinted on international alumni who come from countries where college donations aren't the norm, he said.

"Their success is really our success," Pirkul said.

Diane Smith, 817-390-7675

Twitter: @dianestar

Missing Fort Worth girl, mother found in New Mexico

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 08:38 CST

By Domingo Ramirez Jr.

FORT WORTH -- A nationwide Amber Alert search for a missing 11-year-old Fort Worth girl and her mother ended Sunday when New Mexico police found them near a national forest, police said.

Jessica Smith and her mother, Kimberly Smith, 42, were found about 1 p.m. Sunday in their SUV nine miles south of Tres Piedras, in north-central New Mexico near Carson National Forest, according to a Fort Worth Police Department news release.

Authorities, working on tips, had been canvassing the state since shortly after Jessica was reported missing from her home in Fort Worth on Tuesday.

The two, who were hungry and exhausted, were taken to Holy Cross Hospital in Taos.

Jessica did not appear to be injured, police said.

The Taos Police Department coordinated the search efforts of multiple agencies over several days, the agency said on its Facebook page.

Northern New Mexico is under a winter weather advisory, so the timing of the find might have been perfect.

Police expect to seek extradition of Smith to Fort Worth on charges of aggravated assault and endangering a child. She is accused of violence against her daughter the day before the two disappeared.

"If not for the actions of the school officials, witnesses, reporting parties, along with the coordinated efforts of our law enforcement and media partners, this unfortunate, sensitive and complicated investigation would not have ended with such a positive outcome," police Sgt. Pedro Criado said in the news release.

Police gave no other details Sunday.

At 6 p.m. Sunday, officials from the Fort Worth Police Department and the Tarrant County district attorney's office were on a plane to New Mexico.

Jessica's relatives had told authorities that her mother is mentally ill and has threatened suicide and harm to her children, police have said.

An Amber Alert was issued Tuesday because Jessica was taken from her home in far north Fort Worth by her mother, police said.

Smith has custody of Jessica, and they lived at a house in the 7300 block of Indiana Avenue.

School officials called police Tuesday when Jessica did not arrive, and they expressed concern for her well-being.

Investigators went to the house and learned that the previous evening, Kimberly and Jessica were involved in domestic violence.

"Smith placed Jessica in imminent danger of serious bodily injury," Criado has said.

The next morning, relatives told police, when they realized that Smith and Jessica were not in the house, they assumed that Jessica had gone to school.

Jessica's father, Phillip Monroe Smith, 36, is facing a charge of sexual abuse of a child under 14, police and court records say. He was arrested in October and was released after posting $100,000 bail.

Phillip and Kimberly Smith are divorcing. The family was ordered to undergo psychological evaluations, and the divorce case was referred to mediation, records say.

This report includes material from the Star-Telegram archives.

Domingo Ramirez Jr.,

817-390-7763

Twitter: @stcrime