Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas (2024)

January 7, 1995

Publication:

Fort Worth Star-Telegrami

Location:

Fort Worth, Texas

Issue Date:

Saturday, January 7, 1995

Page:

44

Extracted Article Text (OCR)

A rim r'i 21A Saturday January 7 1995 Serving the cities of Arlington Dalworthington Gardens Grand Prairie Kennedale Mansfield and Pantego Metro to 1 (6 All ofthe sudden we smelted gas" i 1 1 11 rzi- J- i -J Bud Kennedy lLS7 fa NL-VtrV'-t I'K M-iv- JJ Mil 7 sentenced to prison in drug case Federal official says Cali Gartel damaged ByChrisPayne Fort Worth Star-Tclcgram DALLAS Federal authorities yesterday closed the book on one of the biggest drug trafficking cases in North Texas history with the sentencing of seven people to prison who operated a major cocaine distribution operation linked to Colombian and Mexican drug lords officials said "This one has direct ties to the premier godfathers of the drug trade in both Colombia and Mexico" said Phillip Jordan special agent in charge of the Dallas office of the Drug Enforcement Administration "It was a well-organized well-established and sophisticated operation" The case began on Jan 13 1994 when federal agents and Arlington and Kennedale police seized 1760 pounds of cocaine in Arlington during traffic stops of two pickups seen leaving a Kennedale warehouse Further searches of other warehouses and homes in the Fort Worth-Dallas area resulted in seizures totaling 3 1 32 pounds of cocaine about $100000 in cash and numerous financial records and ledgers The cocaine estimated to be worth up to $300 million was seized from five locations one on Trent Street in Kennedale one on Finley Road in Irving one on Ramblewood (More on CASE on Page 24) Juan Gonzalez's assault charge dropped suit filed ByMaryDoclar I Fori Worth ARLINGTON A misdemeanor assault charge against Rangers left fielder Juao Gonzalez was dismissed yesterday because of if r-'f Fort WonhStar-Tclcgram ALLEN ROSE Lone Star Gas Co workers dig around a 4-inch natural gas main that was ruptured by a construction crew Gas leak disrupts city workers' day Spread of worries about hepatitis closes center do not know whether an excon druggie infected anyone with incurable hepatitis But we do know that our worries about surgical technician David Wayne Thomas have wiped out a Bedford surgery center Thomas has been gone from the Mid-Cities Surgi-Center nearly three years The center's secretive former owners have been gone four months Yet the new owners have decided to close it Jan 20 a corporate vice president said because "coverage in the press has scared patients" News reports about the Surgi-Center took a toll even though Thomas is long gone to prison again and the center now belongs to the reputable ColumbiaHCA Healthcare Corp Most of us have heard of the Florida dentist who died of AIDS and left behind five patients who somehow contracted the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) But I do not remember hearing of fears over HIV closing an entire Hospital or medical facility not the way the alarm over at least 1 9 donfirmed hepatitis cases Suddenly closed the surgery center Mostly we hear about hepatitis A We read news stories warning that a restaurant employee has dome down sick and customers need a shot Restaurant owners are never to blame but even then the results dan be "devastating" said Ken Stone a past president of the Fort Worth Restaurant Association: Your business is gone overn ight" That's only because of hepatitis A a weakling compared to the more recently recognized hepatitis Cvirus(HCV) -1 HCV is a blood-borne virus but blood supplies htve been screened for HCV only since 1986 said Dr Margie Peschel the medical director of the Carter Blood Center Reliable tests did not begin until May 4 1 990 only a year before Thomas started his brief stints at Walls Regional Hospital in Cleburne and at the Mid-Cities Surgi-Center Thomas has said he used clean Syringes when he injected drugs from patient supplies and refilled Jhe vials with saline solution No case of hepatitis has been definitively linked to the surgical technician But at least 1 7 former patients "and two babies born to former patients have tested positive That's three times the average rate ofinfection "If I were going to have surgery I wouldn't worry now about contracting hepatitis Peschel said "In today's society I'd worry a jot more about dying from a gunshot wound" Too bad some of us may be overly worried about any current risk of hepatitis And too bad the pew owners are closing the Mid-Cities Surgi-Center Bud Kennedy's column appears Tuesdays Thursdays and Saturdays and in Star Time on Fridays Phone (817) 390-7538 fai 390-7789 StarText ID 120087 I Ail ByChrisPayne Fort Worth Slar-Tclegram ARLINGTON Brisk winds carried natural gas from a ruptured 4-inch line into the Arlington Police and Fire department headquarters yesterday afternoon forcing the evacuation of 50 to 75 employees Police Chief David Kunkle arrived at the Ott Cribbs Public Safety Center 620 Division St minutes after the evacuation puzzled at the chaotic activity as fire engines and firefighters buzzed about "I have no idea what is happening" he said "I guess they have been evacuated because this is my office staff standing out here" Firefighters evacuated the second floor about 1:45 pm after employees reported smelling gas Minutes later officials determined that the source of the gas was a broken line near West Division and Magnolia streets a few blocks west of the public safety building (More on LINE on Page 24) too many conflicting accounts of the incident an assistant city attorney said But another round of legal action against the superstar began when the woman who contends that Gonzalez assaulted her filed a lawsuit against 'fiJ '-Z-IZZZ i People who work in the Ott Cribbs Public Safety Center wait after being evacuated yesterday him in a 1 arrant Lounty Gonzalez court Shea White contends in the suit that Gonzalez caused her physical pain and meri-(MoreonGONZALEZonPage24) Fast food to go Goodman out to put mark on family la A i i I I iff I 1 I I This is the fourth in a series of profiles of Arlington-area legislators in preparation for Tuesday's opening of the 74th Texas Legislature By John Austin Fort Worth Siar-Telcgram ARLINGTON Toby Goodman leaned back in the big leather chair of his East Lamar Boulevard office in north Arlington the picture of relaxation And why not relax a little? It was the week after Christmas his law offices were closed and the legislative session didn't start for days The rest of Arlington seemed to be taking down the Christmas tree or decking the malls But casual plaid shirt khakis and loafers notwithstanding Goodman was ready for work "I've been working since I was 12" said Goodman who was in the office for a 9: 1 5 am meeting followed by an 1 1 am appointment to discuss the divorce he is handling for fellow state Rep Kent Grusendorf "I don't know any other way I'm always doing something" Hard work has taken Goodman a long way from his boyhood home in Wichita Falls where he busted his nose in the (More on GOODMAN on Page 24) Toby Goodman Age: 46 Residence: Arlington District: State House 93 Political experience: District 93 state representative 1991 -present Committee memberships: State Affairs Judicial Affairs Fort Worth Star-Telegram ALLEN ROSE The Checkers Restaurant near UT-Arlington on South Cooper Street fell victim to difficult access company officials said and will be moved to another site The restaurants are portable and can be moved complete with the fixtures and utensils story on page 25a mmm UTA engineers score high on crucial test PAGE26A Any way you figure them baseball tickets cost too much EDITORIAL fGE28A TEA investigator to visit Grand Prairie school district PAGE 1 A1" Chairman of gang task force in Grand Prairie resigns PAGE 23 A TODAY Arlington ACT-SO will conduct an informational meeting at 10 am today at the George Hawkes Public Library 101 Abram St Students grades 9 through 12 may attend For details call 261-49 15 Thatop Arlington-area stories found in today's Star-Telegram.

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