KHOU-TV, Houston.
And now, from 11 News in Houston, Sylvan Rodriguez, Susan Banks, Dr. Neil Frank with weather,
and Giv Nielsen on sports.
This is KHOU 11 News.
Good evening.
Houston homicide investigators are at this hour checking on what they believe could be
the abduction of a 10-year-old boy.
The boy's father reported him missing this morning.
Police have spent the day looking for him.
11 News reporter Nancy Holland joins us now with more on how that investigation is going.
Nancy?
Sylvan, at this time there are indications the trail may actually lead out of Houston.
The question is, where does it go from here?
Officers on horseback searched the area around Eisenhower Park looking for Sterling Tetro
Jr.
Officers also used dogs in the hunt after the boy's father said his son was missing.
Also missing, the clerk at this convenience store, Larry Cantrell.
The owner says the boy often stayed overnight here and sometimes cleaned up around the place.
But now the clerk is gone, money from the cash register is apparently gone, and the
boy is gone.
Yeah, there was a couple of people that saw him here this morning before they both, you
know, were missing.
By late afternoon, this search of the area was called off when the trail led to the bus
station.
A trailways employee says investigators showed her a picture of the boy and he was the one
she saw getting on a bus with a man earlier today.
He was calm.
He was right next to the man.
That's how I remember him.
The woman says the people she saw left about 1130 this morning.
The woman says, however, she cannot remember which bus the two boarded.
She says there were at least four leaving around the same time.
Sylvan?
Nancy, what do they know about the clerk?
Any criminal record?
Police say he does have a criminal record.
They will not say what that record is.
How about the FBI, Nancy?
Are they planning to step in at this point?
Houston police say there is a possibility they might ask the FBI for help.
They have also contacted DPS and several other police agencies in other cities, but they
won't tell us what cities they're looking at.
They probably want to keep some things quiet now.
I think so at this point and the search goes on.
Nancy, thank you for being with us.
Another story involving children.
Children involved in sexual abuse cases have to face the accused offender in open court.
Texas state courts say they do, even if the child is only six years old and his mother
is the defendant.
11 News Carolyn Campbell has more.
A six-year-old boy had to tell a courtroom full of strangers his mother had sexually
abused him.
That was hard enough, but the child's courtroom ordeal was made worse because he had to testify
while his mother looked on.
The boy had to take the stand against his mother because videotaping a child's testimony
is no longer allowed in Texas.
Carol Lee Dowdell has been charged with physically and sexually abusing her son.
Child advocates and prosecutors say some children just aren't strong enough to testify in court,
especially if the accused is a parent.
Many children are afraid of the courtroom setting.
They're afraid to talk in front of strangers.
They're afraid of the person that abused them, and they're real intimidated by the courtroom
and by all those other people.
But the Court of Criminal Appeals ruled the Constitution mandates that the accused be
allowed to face the accuser.
Judge Michael McSpadden doesn't agree with the court's ruling, but he says he can understand
both sides of the argument.
That's the main argument on that side, is the right of confrontation to question that
child before the jury so the jury can see the child's demeanor on cross-examination.
Prosecutors don't expect any changes in the court ruling.
They are working hard to prepare those children who must testify in court, those victims who
must face their offenders.
The boy's grandmother wishes he could have just videotaped his testimony because she
says being forced to take the stand against his mother is more than any child should have
to bear.
Carolyn Campbell, 11 News.
The son of Houston socialite Carolyn Favre appeared in court today asking for a lighter
charge.
19-year-old Kenyon Schulman is accused of using his computer to bill long-distance phone calls
to unauthorized credit cards.
Today defense attorney Dick Degarin asked the judge to drop the current charge of theft,
which is a felony, and to charge Schulman with computer hacking, which is a misdemeanor.
An alleged hitman is in jail tonight charged in a bizarre murder-for-hire scheme.
His weapon, a pipe bomb.
Our Charles Hadlock has the story.
Police say 24-year-old Paul Andrew Guillory was contacted by an inmate in the Harris County
jail who wanted to kill a witness in the inmate's upcoming robbery trial.
Guillory built a homemade pipe bomb that police say was going to be used against the unnamed
witness.
He was going to be the hitman.
He was making the bomb and was also going to be the hitman on one of the witnesses and
aggravated robbery.
The bomb was made of gunpowder, rocket motors, and wire.
Just days away from the start of his robbery trial, the suspect, who police will not identify,
changed his mind about the killing and called it off using a phone in the county jail.
He had second thoughts, right?
And he didn't want the man, apparently didn't want the man to be hit.
So he contacted Graham's Toppers.
The bomb was kept at this house in Sugarland where relatives of the robbery suspect live.
They were unaware of the bomb until the Houston bomb squad came to get it.
The robbery suspect remains behind bars and is joined tonight by Guillory, who faces charges
of possessing a bomb.
Charles Hadlock, 11 News.
A missing stop sign may be the reason six handicapped students from Spring ISD were
involved in a collision of their bus with a van.
Investigators say a stop sign was gone from the intersection of North Vista and North
Meadow.
That's in North Harris County.
The school bus driver drove through.
The minibus was then broadsided by a van.
The shaken students were examined and released from Northwest Medical Center.
The driver of the van was admitted with a concussion.
That school bus driver may be ticketed for failing to yield at an open intersection.
Near panic inside a Northeast Harris County elementary school this morning when an armed
man entered the building.
Sheriff's deputies say 38-year-old William Keempler did not realize he was inside the
Cloverleaf School when he chased a suspected burglar into that facility.
The two scuffled sheriff's deputies were called in.
Both men were taken into custody.
Keempler claims the unidentified 17-year-old he was chasing broke into his home last Friday.
No shots were fired and none of the students was injured.
Campus violence is a growing problem in the Houston Independent School District.
But a memo advising teachers to step in when there are student fights has run into strong
opposition.
As 11 News reporter Arthel Neville tells us, the opposition is so forceful, the policy
will be dropped.
It's supposed to be a place for learning, but all too often the school campus is transformed
into a battleground.
Many times teachers are caught in the middle.
When I see a fight in the hall or some other situation, instead of handling it myself,
I'm going to hit that panic button and hopefully the assistant principal or a police officer
or security guard is going to come up and handle it.
This seven-page memo says teachers should do just the opposite.
It advises them to intervene in physical confrontations between students.
But by breaking up a fight, teachers say they risk being accused of mishandling students,
plus they could risk their lives.
Some teachers call the recommendation ridiculous.
Superintendent Raymond agrees.
She says several items in the memo are ludicrous, adding it should not have been distributed,
and she promises to rescind the policy Thursday morning.
I think it was done in error and I have issued a directive to all of the principals, which
they will receive tomorrow, that it is hereby officially withdrawn.
Raymond says teachers and principals should use good sound judgment in disciplining students
until a program acceptable to everyone can be developed.
Arthel Neville, 11 News.
Still to come here on 11 News at 6, possible double-dealing in the city water department
involving hundreds of thousands of dollars.
And the move is underway to snuff out pot smoking at rock concerts, and later Neil Frank
with a forecast that keeps looking better and better.
Stay with us.
One of every 22 children has a potential hearing problem.
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Policy detection and treatment can assure your child better communication and learning
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Brought to you by Herman Hospital, standing watch over Houston's health.
Remember when every song on the radio was your favorite?
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I felt like a complete failure.
She makes more money than you.
The first time I see Liz, the perfect Robertson tenures, I opened the dishwasher to get out
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And
big questions tonight about how the City of Houston's Public Works Department conducts
business.
There is now word of an investigation being launched into possible fraud, computer tampering
and awarding hefty funds to businesses that actually owe the city money.
Our Deborah Martin has the story.
To Houston Center uses hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of city water every year.
But according to one Houston council member, it may not have had to pay for even one drop.
The company denies this.
However, Council member John Goodner says he's been looking into questionable practices
in the Public Works Department for two years.
He thinks the city's department is letting some businesses get advantages worth thousands
of dollars.
Commercial property owners have been allowed to close out accounts, use the risk deposit
to bring payments current, then reopen accounts without posting any deposits.
I don't know whether these problems in the commercial accounts are the result of carelessness,
ignorance, fraud or a combination of all.
But we have got serious, serious problems in that department that need to be addressed
now.
Obviously, you have some very serious accusations, which if they are true, will result in substantial
numbers of heads being rolled most likely.
Goodner thinks there may be problems with the department's computer files.
Someone may have illegally entered the system and changed bills.
The department is now tightening access into its computers.
Meanwhile, city leaders held a meeting to discuss Goodner's allegations.
An hour later, City Controller George Grineas said he's ready to hire outside auditors to
do some checking.
The information that Mr. Goodner gave us, I think, raises some very reasonable questions.
Grineas doesn't know how long the audit will take, but he plans to look at every transaction
on questionable accounts to determine if they were justified or involve possible criminal
activity.
Deborah Martin, 11 News.
Well, the problems at the water department were not the only things Council had to tackle
today.
It's been a hard time enforcing the law when it comes to marijuana smoking at rock concerts.
But a letter from an angry parent now has some Council members saying it's time to try
and snuff out the joints.
Bill Jeffries reports.
At many rock and roll concerts, people in the crowd smoke marijuana, as Alexander Moda
found out when he took his 13-year-old daughter to a recent concert by Bon Jovi in the Summit.
It was very obvious what was going on.
The people that were doing it were very careful about them, they were very secretive, you
know, passing the joints back and forth.
So quite frankly, I was really shocked.
As Moda learned, at a sports event in Houston, it's illegal to smoke anything in the stands.
However, since tobacco smoking is legal at concerts, it's easier for pot smokers to slip
by.
If we mean business about getting rid of drugs, we should not condone marijuana consumption
in our public buildings by silently sitting by and letting the smoke go through the loophole.
Tinsley received a letter from Moda and says it's time for marijuana laws to be enforced
at concerts.
But with big crowds involved, some police say a riot could result.
There's no way you could enforce that law after the concert has started and not get
somebody hurt.
Police officers and citizens alike.
What to do about stores that sell drug paraphernalia is also being considered by Council.
One store selling pipes and drug use equipment was recently driven out of its location by
public pressure.
Rodney Ellis says if laws are not found to stop paraphernalia stores, he will harass
them.
John Goodyear had a suggestion.
I don't know what that guy was up in Tennessee that went around with a ball bat, but that
is a form of harassment.
We may have to resort to that.
Harassment in that form might do wonders.
The American Civil Liberties Union blasted the Council members saying they should stick
to legal warfare in their fights.
Bill Jeffries, 11 News.
And Ellis hopes that city nuisance ordinances can be used to legally crack down on paraphernalia
stores.
Well, let's talk about weather now.
It was a beautiful day, Doc.
Is it warm enough for you yet?
I know you don't like it cold.
No, but it might be by the weekend because we're looking for this warming trend to continue
for the next several days.
We'll talk about it when we come back.
When Bill Dembe was in Vietnam, he dreamed of coming home and playing a little basketball,
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The top 100 motorcycle riders in the world are invading Houston.
The University Children's Hospital of Hermann presents the Coors Extra Gold Super Challenge.
Round 8 of the Camel Supercross Series.
Soaring into the Houston Astrodome.
Saturday night, March 18th.
This is no milquetoast gentleman's race on asphalt.
This is bone breaking.
Cinderbending.
Outflying mega voltage and a sanctioned world championship act.
Tickets now.
At the hospital, all ticketrons including Foley's and participating Honda Yamaha dealers.
The Coors Extra Gold Super Challenge.
Saturday, March 18th in the Dome.
Throw your rope around this one.
Pretty weather, hardly a cloud in the sky and the reason for that is because we have
high pressure that settled in over North Texas yesterday.
We still have that storm system off the east coast of the United States and as we put the
satellite pictures in motion, you're going to see the clouds moving with the storm system
but also watch this little area of snow from Oklahoma on up into the Ohio Valley because
you're going to see it persists in there.
Alright, now let's put it in motion.
There you can see the clouds off the east coast but here's that little bank of snow
and it does have an effect on our way, it did have an effect on our weather this afternoon
and we'll tell you more about that in just a minute.
But in the meantime, we're still having some problems along the coastal areas of North
Carolina, Virginia on up into southern New England where they're getting some snow and
some freezing rain and it looks like that that's going to continue for the next 24 hours.
Down into Florida, strong northerly wind and it was cold down there today folks.
50 degrees in Orlando, hardly the kind of weather you like to play baseball in.
Even 60 degrees down in Miami and you hardly ever see a day in the winter when the temperature
doesn't get above 60 degrees.
Now further to the west, nice warming trend around this high up into the central plains,
got up to 71 degrees this afternoon in Denver.
That established a new record for this day, 90 down in Phoenix, even at Las Vegas, 86
degrees and we have a nearly stationary front from the central Rockies on into California
and that little weak low associated with that is causing some snow in Wyoming, Montana and
Idaho.
Here over the state though this afternoon, that high pressure area, northeast flow up
around Wichita Falls coming down over that snow bank only got up to 49 degrees this afternoon
and just a couple of hundred miles further to the west, southerly winds produced 79 degrees
in Amarillo and it is colder over the northeastern corner of the state than any place else.
Here locally we had a 60 degrees, that's about 10 degrees below normal for this time of the
year, ranging down to 47 on the island and that's 16 degrees below normal.
The winds have been blowing out of the east, northeast some 10 to 15 miles an hour.
Now this is what it looks like tomorrow, that storm system is going to linger along the
coast that means if you're planning to trip down into Florida it's going to be on the
chilly side because you are going to have those strong northerly winds come right down
into the state.
High pressure will continue to dominate our weather and that means our winds that ought
to be out of the east or northeast tomorrow some 10 to 15 miles an hour and as the temperatures
continue to rise not a bad day maybe to consider to do a little bit of boating.
It's going to be another chilly night tonight, that's what our forecast would indicate if
you're going out this evening you might want to take a coat again because it will be in
the 40s when you return.
Headed for an overnight low of 35 but that's about 5 degrees warmer than last night so
good warming trend.
Headed to 65 tomorrow maybe even 70 in the afternoon and then as we go to Friday, Saturday
and Sunday you'll see we just make it a little warmer every day.
Maybe it will pick up a few clouds but by Sunday we make make 80 and I'll survive.
We'll be sizzling by Sunday is that it Doc?
Ok Doc thank you you know there is much more ahead on 11 News at 6.
Houston loses one of its best known sports personalities.
And the Rockets try a new line up against the Utah Jazz.
And GIF has sports next.
This year 10 million people will buy a new car.
And today's sophisticated engines deserve an equally sophisticated fuel.
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This new old Cutlass-Kelley International Series reminds me of me.
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Fact is I'm so repped on the new styling features no way am I coming in.
That Quad 4 engine really cooks.
My dad and granddad would love it.
This is not your father's old mobile.
It sure suits me and Betty Jo.
This is the new generation of olds.
How about the president's on the phone.
Heck yeah.
In every Walgreens pharmacy there's an intercom that saves you time.
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Isn't it nice there's a Walgreens nearby?
Walgreens invites you to pour yourself America's favorite refreshment at very cool savings.
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All on sale this week at Walgreens.
Impossible?
We don't know the meaning of the word.
If it means less than fresh pasta, wonderful meals and warm smiles.
Impossible?
It just isn't in our language.
The Olive Garden Italian restaurant.
I know you're going to talk about Paul Bosch and Susan and I had a chance to work with
him during that telephone.
We liked him a lot.
Oh he was a great person.
No question about it.
Community oriented great person.
One of the city's most recognized sports figures passed away last night is of course is Paul
Bosch the man who gave more than 30 years of wrestling or two wrestling suffered a heart
attack at his home.
He was 76.
Bosch did everything for the sport.
Bosch is a wrestler later as an announcer and a promoter.
Perhaps he is most famous for a commercial he did for a jewelry store when he wore an
earring.
But in this, but in his youth Bosch was also a World War II hero.
He captured many German prisoners and he has gone back over the years and has become friends
with the prisoners he captured and their families.
And he would go back from time to time to visit these people in Germany and still corresponds
with them.
That gives you an indication of what kind of human being he was.
He had a great sense of humor.
In fact the matter is I have a cast of his cauliflower ear up in my office made out of
bronze.
But it's going to be a great loss not only to me but to the city.
Outside the ring Bosch was involved with many charitable causes including last January's
United Cerebral Palsy Telephone which was shown here on Channel 11.
He will be missed by many.
The Astros dropped another close exhibition game 4-3 to the Reds today.
Despite the loss there were some bright spots however.
Outfielder Billy Hatcher went 3-3 and slugger Glenn Davis smacked his fourth home run of
the spring.
Jim Clancy pitched three innings allowing only one run.
The Reds scored the winning run off left hander Dan Schatzzadar.
Tomorrow the Astros take on the Mets.
In St. Louis Cardinal pitcher Danny Cox is an unhappy man.
Cox was at a St. Louis airport today.
Reporters wanted to talk to him about another injury to his right arm.
Cox was in no mood to talk and in fact he pushed one cameraman backwards over a chair.
Cox later apologized but the cameraman is still very upset.
The Rockets play one of their more important games of the season tonight in Salt Lake City.
They are going against the Utah Jazz a team which leads the Rockets by three games in
the Midwest Division.
Starting the start for the first time in a Rockets uniform is Walter Barry.
Coming off the bench in Sunday's game against the Lakers Barry scored 10 points pulled down
seven rebounds to help spark the Rockets.
The only thing that really kept me back from playing was he wasn't really acclimated to
what we were doing yet and he still doesn't know everything but I can't help but put him
in.
Judging on his play against the Lakers I felt that I have no other choice but to play.
In the three games versus the Jazz this season the Rockets have won both games played here
in the Summit but lost the other game at the Salt Palace.
The University of Oklahoma has decided to suspend basketball player Mookie Blaylock
for one game following his arrest over the weekend.
Blaylock is in the starting guard position for the second ranked Sooners but was arrested
outside a convenience store on Sunday.
Blaylock pleaded no contest today to an amended charge on disturbing the piece.
He was ordered to pay $69 in court fees and given a six month deferred sentence.
The University of Houston is getting ready for this weekend's Southwest Conference basketball
tournament.
Today the Cougars practiced without forward Richard Hollis.
He has fluid on his left knee so he was just a spectator this afternoon as his teammates
prepared for A&M Friday night.
Hollis should be close to full strength by Friday but Pat Foster has to be asking himself
what more can possibly go wrong this season.
I spent something almost every week since the season started but again we have to remain
positive and look for the best in everything but I just hope Richard can play for his sake
because he's had a great year.
It's not really bothering me now like that.
They just want me to take extra precautions you know don't let it swell up any more than
what it has been and they want me to take a couple days rest on it.
The Cougars also got the news sophomore Craig Upchurch was named to the All-Southwest Conference
team.
Rice is also going to the Southwest Conference tournament and they got some good news today.
Dana Hardy and Kenneth Rourke were named to the All-Conference newcomer team.
We'll hear about them or hear from them tonight at 10 o'clock.
Alright thank you.
Also coming up tonight at 10 Houstonian Lloyd Benson puts his Democratic weight behind Republican
John Towers ailing nomination and Eastern Airlines struggles to stay aloft as pilots
and machinists stay off the job.
We'll see how furloughed employees regard the company right now.
Those stories and an update on the case of the Lake Houston 10 year old who is reported
missing possibly abducted.
Hope you can join Marlene McClinton for the news tonight at 10.
And finally tonight big business and Houston Public Schools held an annual get together
aimed at improving students futures.
One hundred fifty business leaders met with students and teachers to find out how to improve
the educational experience for the students.
Three executives from Houston's Bechtel Incorporated, an engineering and construction firm, talked
to Bel Air high school students.
They say it's time companies show youngsters how to prepare for life after graduation.
There's somewhat of a disconnect between some of the kids going to school and what the world
needs and I think we can help that.
Almost all the schools in HISD have been adopted by a local company.
The business is planned to offer students internships in the companies to help them
with their futures.
Good idea, good plan.
Hope it works.
Yeah.
That's our news.
Thanks for joining us.
We'll see you tomorrow at noon.
Thanks for having me today.
I want him out of the show.
Where did I lose control here?
But his guests are totally out of control.
I would like to leave my hair to Teletubbies.
Join Avian's Roz Ryan, Richard Simmons, Lendret Grave and Ken Kurchable.
The death of a goldfish in England.
As they shake, rattle and roll their way into your living room.
Can we make this real easy for me?
This week on Win, Lose or Draw.
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