the Irving Rambler www.irvingrambler.com “The Newspaper Irving Reads” February 08, 2007 Obituaries Page 14-15 THIS Movie Times Page 3 Artist exhibit their Vintage Tea invitation Police & Fire Page 2 Boundless Expressions Page 8 Puzzles Page 13 WEEK Sports Page 4-5 Page 6 TTeexasxas RailroadRailroad CommissionCommission recommendsrecommends gasgas ratesrates bebe reducedreduced Texas Railroad Commission Atmos Mid-Tex, a division of charging ratepayers at the same resolutions requiring Atmos to jus- Cities’ decision to the Texas Rail- judges recently ruled that natural Atmos Energy Corporation, is the time the company was reporting tify the monopoly rates it was road Commission and asked the gas rates currently charged by monopoly provider of natural gas that it was earning more money for charging the city and their citizens Commission to approve a $60 mil- Atmos Mid-Tex should be reduced to 1.5 million customers through- shareholders than did TXU Gas, for natural gas. Based on the in- lion rate increase. by $23 million on an annual basis out North Central Texas. Jay the previous utility owner. More formation provided by Atmos, the After a three-week hearing, and that ratepayers are entitled to Doegey, city attorney for the City than 80 city councils throughout city councils voted to reduce the Railroad Commission judges a $2.5 million refund of improper of Arlington, and Chairman of the North Texas individually adopted Atmos’ rates. Atmos appealed the See CITIES, Page 11 surcharges. city coalition challenging Atmos’ The judges’ 186-page decision rates, pointed out that cities have to lower rates is the result of an regulatory authority over natural action initiated by more than 80 gas rates that are charged custom- Texas cities including Irving to ers within city limits and can use investigate whether the rates that that power to ensure monopoly Atmos was charging its customers rates are just and reasonable. were too high. In 2004, Atmos began sur- Signing Day brings high school students closer to their college dreams Nine MacArthur athletes “The majority of scholarships signed letters of intent to accept colleges give out are related to foot- scholarships and continue their ball. Division one schools can give What dark secrets lurk behind this innocent face serving Texas’ homes and businesses? sport at the college of their choice 24 scholarships per year. It is never during the school’s annual Sign- easy to get an athletic scholarship, ing Day ceremony. The following but across the board, football pro- ElementarElementaryy schoolschool wwelcomeselcomes soapsoap starstar students received football scholar- vides the highest percentage of ships, Ron Brooks – Louisiana scholarships to high school stu- By Jess Paniszczyn eral Hospital and commercial in- have been watching on TV was State University, Bo Harris – Uni- dents. In the last five years, we The world of soap operas vis- terruptions throughout the week of great. versity of Arkansas, Brent Calvin have had close to 50 kids receive ited W.T. Hanes Elementary when Feb. 12. “Jason Thompson came here – Trinity Valley Community Col- football scholarships. Jason Thompson, General “I entered the contest on a and took over my class. He taught lege, Kelly Griffin – Texas Chris- “We are proud of those kids, Hospital’s Dr. Patrick Drake, whim and got lucky,” Ms. Wolff some of the lessons I had planned. tian University, Willard Henson – because they have to maintain cer- switched jobs with first grade said. “I have been watching Gen- The kids had a ball with him. They Trinity Valley Community College, tain academic, character and ethi- teacher, Jamye Wolff, on Jan. 22 eral Hospital for about 15 years. I had so much fun and he was amaz- Havio Torres – Cisco Junior Col- cal standards. They must have the as part of ABC’s Fan February pro- tape it and watch it at night. ing with them. He really worked lege, and Sam Shelton – Wesleyan physical talent to get an athletic motion. “I went to LA for three days. I with the kids. The kids just abso- University. Chasity Reed received scholarship, but they also must As Mr. Thompson took on the spent a day on the set, met all the lutely loved him. He did great; my a basketball scholarship to the Uni- have the grades. We know how challenge of teaching, Ms. Wolff actors and toured the set. I also kids have not stopped talking about versity of Texas at Arlington, and much time and work they put into traveled to Los Angeles to experi- toured wardrobe, read through him. It was a really good experi- Kristen Masters received a swim this achievement. They are all ence life as an actor on a daytime some of the script, and met the ence for all of us. scholarship to the University of the great kids and it is exciting to see drama. Videotaped footage of the casting director and executive pro- “Some of my kids formed a Incarnate Word. the opportunities they have,” he switch will be aired between Gen- ducer. Meeting all the people I real bond with Jason. We just sent “We had several kids who had said. him a bunch of Valentine’s Day the opportunity to sign their schol- cards. arships. We are excited about that,” “It was a once in a lifetime ex- MacArthur’s head football coach, perience. I feel really lucky to have Brian Basil, said. had the chance to participate in “For many of these kids, to- this,” she said. day they achieved their dream to After spending the day in Ms. be able to go to college and con- Wolff’s shoes, Mr. Thompson tinue both their education and their spoke about his classroom experi- sport. This is their means to a bet- ences later in the afternoon. ter life. In four to five years from “Personally I had a really, re- now, these kids will have a college ally good time. We had a good day. degree because they have been I love being around kids. They are blessed with the ability to play a amazing,” he said. sport. So today is a celebration of “I think the kids kind of knew all that hard work they have put that I am on television, but they into their sport to place them in don’t know what I do. I don’t think this position. they were too impressed by that “We try to have a lot of our whole TV thing. younger students at the signing, See TEACHER, Page 8 because some of the kids who Irving Rambler $0.25 signed today were encouraged by watching older students sign in past years. A lot of times, kids think back to the day they saw other stu- dents sign and that motivates them During the school’s annual Signing Day ceremony, MacArthur students sign letters of intent to attend to want to be up there. colleges and play sports. Page 2 February 08, 2007 www.irvingrambler.com The Irving Rambler Police & Fire Briefs Robbery: 02- Robbery: 02-01-07 at 3:30 p.m. N. Britain through a fence. Dur- phone. The incident occurred at probably a pellet from a pellet 01-07 Two A black male with a gold tooth ing the pursuit, the driver fled 2801 W. Walnut Hill Lane. gun. No children were on the bus. males were ap- went into the Washington Mutual through a chain that was blocking parently in- Bank and presented a note de- a driveway in the 600 block of West Deadly Conduct: 02-06-07 at Aggravated Robbery: 02-06-07 volved in an ar- manding money. For some reason Union Bower. The suspect went 2:58 p.m. The driver of a Dallas at 8:40 p.m. A female complain- gument over a the suspect became nervous and under the chain without damage, County Schools bus reported that ant was talking on her cell phone woman in the fled the area before completing the but when the officer’s squad went he, along with another Dallas outside of her apartment in the 600 600 block 6th robbery. CID and CSI were noti- under it the chain broke the wind- County Schools employee, were blk of East Royal Lane when two Street when they began to fight. fied. shield, scratched the roof and west bound in the 2800 block of males approached her. One of the When the complainant began to dented the hood. W. Pioneer when an unknown pro- males displayed a handgun, took get the better of the suspect, a sec- Pursuit/Squad Car Damage: 02- jectile struck a window near where her cell phone and grabbed her by ond suspect hit the complainant 02-07 at about 1:45 a.m. An of- Structure Fire: 02-02-07 IFD and the passenger employee was the wrist instructing her to take over the back and head with a pipe ficer observed a vehicle driving patrol officers responded to a roof sitting. The projectile penetrated them to her apartment. She and then took his cell phone and without lights in the 300 block of fire at Saltgrass Steakhouse in the the glass; however, no projectile screamed causing the two suspects money. The complainant was Mimosa. He attempted to stop the 500 block of W. I.H. 635. Employ- was located. Officers believe it was to run away. transported to Irving Baylor with vehicle and it fled for approx. two ees inside the restaurant were injuries. miles, where it wrecked out at 805 quickly evacuated and there were no injuries. The restaurant sus- Irving Fire Department LOOKING FOR A CAR? tained significant damage.