Large marijuana seizure turns into simple yard work

What had been originally pegged as "one of the largest marijuana plant seizures in the police department's history" in terms of a Texas police department, instead turned into a bad day of weeding. It turned out the weed in question was actually just that, a simple weed.

It all happened in Corpus Christi, TX. At about 8PM on Thursday night, a teenage bike rider discovered what he thought were marijuana plants growing in Waldron Park in Flour Bluff.

Officers ultimately spent hours tagging and removing some 400 plants from the city park. Only after testing did they discover that the plants were Horse Mint, a member of the mint family, and certainly not something you could get high on.

In effect, the police operation turned into mere yard work.

Watch a video report:

Dozens of Tickets Issued in Dallas for Not Speaking English

After it was revealed that a rookie officer, Gary Bromley, had issued a citation on Oct. 2nd to Ernestina Mondragon for being a non-English-speaking driver --- a bogus offense --- it has now been revealed that dozens of tickets have been written in Dallas for similar "crimes."

Dallas Police Chief David Kunkle said on Friday afternoon that officers have written at least 39 citations to people over the past three years for not speaking English. Kunkle said all officers and supervisors involved will be investigated for dereliction of duty. Meanwhile, all pending citations will be dismissed, and people who paid fines will be reimbursed.

In Bromley's case, Bromley had stopped the 48-year-old Mondragon for making an illegal U-turn in the 500 block of Easton Road, near East Northwest Highway, according to the citation. However, he added a citation for being a non-English speaking driver, as well as for driving without a license (which was simply because she had forgotten her license; that charge was later dropped).

Kunkle called it a rookie mistake: under the Dallas City Code, taxi drivers must be able to speak English. There is also a federal statute that says commercial drivers must speak English.

However, since Bromley was a trainee officer, why did his trainer on that date, Senior Cpl. Daniel Larkin, 53, not step in to correct things?

Teacher Stabbed to Death at Tyler, TX High School

Todd R. Henry, a music therapist for special needs students at John Tyler High School, was stabbed by a student earlier this morning. He later died, and the student has been taken into custody.

John Tyler High School serves grades 9-12 in the Tyler Independent School District. It has received a GreatSchools Rating of 3 out of 10, based on its state test results.

Todd R. Henry was stabbed around 8:50 AM, according to a statement on the Tyler Independent School District website. At the time of the incident, one teacher, one paraprofessional, and three students were in the classroom.

Although a student is in custody, his name has not been released. John Tyler High School was placed on lock-down just after the incident, and parents began picking up their children at 10:45 AM.

It was not the first time Todd R. Henry had been injured by a John Tyler High School student. He missed the first two weeks of school because he was recovering from surgery on a shoulder injured when he broke up a fight last year.

Tyler, TX is located about 95 miles southeast of Dallas. It has a population of 110,000.

Chupacabras Found in TX, OK?

TX Chupacabra

A Chupacabra is a mythical creature rumored to inhabit parts of the Americas, specifically parts of Latin America or Mexico. I even recall a Chupacabra being featured on an episode of The X-Files. That alone should give you an idea of its sci-fi-ness.

However, a report has surfaced, including pictures, of three animals found over four days outside the ranch of Phylis Canion in Cuero, TX. Cuero is 80 miles southeast of San Antonio. The animals, according to Canion, are approximately 40 pounds, and she has termed them Chupacabras based on a resemblance to the reputed appearance of the beast.

According to Wikipedia, here's how the Chupacabra has been described:

The most common description of Chupacabra is a reptile-like being, appearing to have leathery or scaly greenish-gray skin and sharp spines or quills running down its back. This form stands approximately 3 to 4 feet (1 to 1.2 m) high, and stands and hops in a similar fashion to a kangaroo. In at least one sighting, the creature was reported to hop 20 feet (6 m). This variety is said to have a dog or panther-like nose and face, a forked tongue, and large fangs. It is said to hiss and screech when alarmed, as well as leave behind a sulfuric stench. When it screeches, some reports assert that the chupacabra's eyes glow an unusual red which gives the witnesses nausea.

Another description of Chupacabra, although not as common, describes a strange breed of wild dog. This form is mostly hairless and has a pronounced spinal ridge, unusually pronounced eye sockets, fangs, and claws. It is claimed that this breed might be an example of a dog-like reptile. Unlike conventional predators, the chupacabra is said to drain all of the animal's blood (and sometimes organs) through a single hole or two holes.

Looking at the pictures, it could be some sort of mutant dog or something. Interestingly, there was a second report of a Chupacabra in OK. What's also notable is that the pictures of the second animal seem pretty similar to the ones from TX. And the timing is uncannily right around the same time (now).

OK Chupacabra

In the OK case, however, the person who found the Chupacabra in OK wanted to remain anonymous.

What made Canion, on the other hand, believe this was a Chupacabra rather than just a mutant dog is that the chickens on her ranch that she believes were killed by the beast weren't eaten or carried off. Rather, all the blood was drained from them. The Chupacabra's Spanish name (literally, goat sucker) comes from its reputation of of attacking and drinking the blood of livestock, especially goats.

She also says she plans DNA testing to determine what the animals really are, if they can, anyway. Mutant dog or Chupacabra? You decide.