Atheists Challenge Rowlett City Council Prayer Policy

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The city of Rowlett is under scrutiny for its invocation policy at the start of city council meetings. 

Prayers read before Rowlett City Council meetings are being criticized from local residents and an atheist group that wants the prayers gone.

Rowlett resident and Atheist, Chad Aldridge, is among a group of North Texas Atheists challenging the city's prayer policy before council meetings, saying it's too pro-Christian, and not inclusive.

Instead, the atheists want a moment of silence or the invocation taken out of meetings.

"How would they like it if they were forced to pray to Muhammad or Allah or Ganesha the Hindu God--any of the others out there, because that's what they're doing to us," said Aldridge. "They just don't see the error that they are oppressing a smaller minority in us the atheists, the Hindus, any Muslims or even Jews in this town that don't believe in Christ's divinity and don't want it enforced on us at the meetings."

The atheists say they will keep fighting for the change.

Meanwhile, a prayer vigil is scheduled to precede Tuesday's 7 p.m. city council meeting at Rowlett City Hall.

"Just because there are more Christians in Rowlett, does not give them the right, in the United States, to leave others out," said Terry McDonald from the Metroplex Atheists.

In 2010, the city made changes to their prayer policy, after someone anonymously complained to the Freedom from Religion Foundation.

Under the modified policy, any established religious group can pray before council meetings, but the city said Rowlett is made up of predominately Christian groups.

"The established bodies of religion in Rowlett are Christians," Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Michael Gallops. "There's a Catholic church here, there are multiple denominations of churches but there aren't any from other religions."

City leaders said they are inclusive – welcoming people from all beliefs. They say they have no plans to make changes to the policy.

"There is no reason for us to change the policy, the policy is constitutional, the policy is neutral, it's non-discriminatory we're gonna stick with it," said Gallops. 

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Officers Patrol Dallas Neighborhood After Sexual Assault

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Dallas bicycle officers are patrolling a neighborhood where a woman was sexually assaulted Friday in the second attack in three weeks.

The victim was sexually assaulted in a home along Ferndale Road in Lake Highlands at about 10 p.m.

Investigators do not believe the attack is related to the first sexual assault. In that case, a woman was raped at knifepoint by an intruder in her home in the 10800 block of Ferndale Road on Feb. 22.

Fernando Munoz, who police say is a "strong suspect" in the Feb. 22 assault, was in custody at the time of the most recent attack. Police also said that the descriptions of the attacker in the two assaults do not match.

Munoz was arrested earlier this month in Lewisville on suspicion of burglary. He was charged in a 2010 Dallas sexual assault after DNA evidence linked him to the attack, police said.

Police are testing DNA evidence to see if Munoz is connected to several rapes dating back to 2008, including the Feb. 22 assault in Lake Highlands.

Dallas police said the bike patrols are a direct response to Friday's attack, but residents say it is little comfort.

"It's very frightening," Melissa Hairston said.

Hairston said the attacks have her feeling vulnerable.

"I don't know if the rapists are getting some idea that we're easy pickings over here," she said. "I don't know what the deal is."

"We've always locked our doors. We never keep our garage doors open," she said.

The president of the Lake Highlands Estate Neighborhood Association said people are constantly calling, wondering if there is an update on the Friday attack.

Joe Sides, a landscape contractor in the area, said the usually friendly neighborhood has become understandably guarded.

"This morning, they're barely opening the door," he said.

Police said the attacker in the Friday case was a man in his 20s who was about 5 feet 8 inches tall with a chubby, clean-shaven face and a short, buzz haircut. Police said the victim also said he wore gray shorts and a jacket and spoke English with a Spanish accent.

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Dallas Councilman Proposes Plastic Bag Ban

Omar Villafranca, NBC 5 News

The city of Austin just started a plastic bag ban and Dallas City Councilman Dwaine Caraway wants to put forward a similar ordinance.

Dallas Councilman Wants to Ban...

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Is Dallas trying to be like Austin?

When it comes to plastic shopping bags, yes.

A ban on plastic shopping bags went into effect this month in Austin. 

The office of Dallas City Councilman Dwaine Caraway confirms that Caraway is working on a similar ordinance for the city of Dallas. No details have been released yet.

But before the ordinance is even discussed, a state lawmakers is pushing the "Shopping Bag Freedom Act", which would stop all plastic shopping bag bans.

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Polyurethane Spill Closes I-35E in Waxahachie

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Interstate 35E is back open after a crash involving an 18-wheeler in Waxhachie.

Waxahachie police closed Interstate 35E southbound at West 287 Business early Tuesday morning when a truck overturned and spilled polyurethane on the roadway around 3:40 a.m.

Police say they believe the driver misjudged the exit and over-corrected.

No injuries were reported.

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Cleanup Continues After Bridge Demolition

Jeff Smith, NBC 5

Workers are removing rebar and chunks of concrete from the site where the old Weatherford Street bridge used to stand.

Cleanup Continues After Bridge Demolition

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Weatherford Street Bridge Demolished

Crews demolished the old Weatherford Street bridge near downtown Fort Worth at about 10:15 p.m. Monday.

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Clean up is underway and is expected to last into mid-day Tuesday following the planned demolition of the old Weatherford Street bridge between downtown Fort Worth and Interstate 35W.

Demolitions experts, contracted by the Texas Department of Transportation, imploded the bridge at approximately 10:22 pm Monday.

The implosion will make way for completion of the new Weatherford Street bridge, as well as new on-ramps to I-35W, said Val Lopez of TxDOT.

The demolition was necessary, Lopez said, because the new bridge sits less than six feet away from the old bridge. That close proximity makes using a crane too dangerous for the integrity of the new bridge, Lopez said.

Prior to the explosion, officials on the scene had said that an air horn would sound for one minute as a warning leading up to the actual demolition. By several accounts, that horn never sounded.

The blast could be heard as far away as Arlington, according to witnesses.

"I am laying in bed and it was unmistakable. There was an explosion. It was not like a transformer exploding or a car backfiring. It was literally, that's an explosion. I knew I'd wake up the next day and hear about it on the news," said Arlington resident Darrell Bevelhymer, who lives 20 miles away from the bridge.

Several streets around the area of the demolition will be closed through Tuesday morning as crews clear steel rebar and concrete chunks.

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Philadelphia Mayor Slams "White in Philly" Magazine Story

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Philly Mag Cover Causes Controversy

Mayor Michael Nutter criticized an article published in Philadelphia Magazine called "Being White in Philly." The author Bob Huber, who is white, talks about the experiences of whites living in ethnically diverse communities. NBC10's Denise Nakano reports details and shares what locals had to say.

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The issue of race in the City of Bortherly Love has come to the forefront after a recent Philadelphia Magazine cover story called "Being White in Philly."

The article, written by Bob Huber, a white man, describes the experiences of white people who live in racially mixed neighborhoods in Philadelphia. The story garnered plenty of attention since it appeared at the beginning of March especially since Mayor Michael Nutter got a hold of it.

On Friday, Nutter sent a letter to the city's Commission on Human Relations in response to the article. In his letter, Nutter claimed the article had a "disgusting tone" and criticized its "collection of disparaging beliefs and negative stereotypes." He also claimed the story "used isolated negative experiences" and made "generalizations" to portray African Americans as lazy, irresponsible and criminal. Nutter requested that the city's Commission on Human Relations conduct an "inquiry" into the state of racial issues in Philadelphia.

Rue Landau, the Executive Director on Human Relations, agreed, claiming that the article perpetuated "harmful stereotypes." He also stated the Commission is currently looking at "relations in the city."

Huber defended his article in an email, claiming his goal when writing the piece was to simply address the city's problems in race relations and to "push for a better dialogue." While he agreed with the Mayor's decision to ask for an inquiry on the city's racial issues, he also called Nutter's description of the article "off the mark to the point of absurdity."

Tom McGrath, the editor of Philadelphia Magazine, also called Nutter's statements "sophomoric," according to Philly.com. McGrath accused Nutter of being "more interested in scoring political points than having a serious conversation about race."

On Monday, McGrath hosted a panel discussion on the article and the issues it has raised at the National Constitution Center. More than 250 people showed up for the event titled "Can We Talk About Race?"

"We have never been able to resolve the issue of race in our society," said Walter Palmer, one of the panelists.

After the panel, McGrath admitted that the article had flaws.

"I think the flaws in this piece were exacerbated by mistakes in terms of the topic," he said. "The one thing I think we might have done a bit differently is how we framed it."

The Human Resources Commission also voted to have a public meeting on the article on April 18 in Fairmount-Brewerytown.

The reaction to the article from Philadelphia residents has been mixed.

"I thought the magazine was inappropriate to put outside," said Yvette Rocco who works at a local newsstand. "I didn't like what the cover said."

"I thought it was an older white male who visited a particular neighborhood and wrote about his experience," said Christopher Norris, a journalist. "I think he has the right to do so."

"The more dialogue we have on race and race issues, the more understanding we have of where other people are coming from," said James Brunson.

Chad Lassiter, a sociologist who teaches at the University of Pennsylvania and West Chester University believes the article has provided a valuable opportunity for the city to openly discuss the issue of race.

"We need not engage in reactionary politics," he said. "We need to call for a race dialogue in the city of Philadelphia. We need to look at ourselves and how we're not being tolerant. We need to become more tolerant and embrace difference."

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