US Airways CEO Doug Parker says he understands American Airlines doesn’t want to talk merger. But he says he’s confident it will happen.
Parker says Friday’s announced support for a merger by American’s three largest unions was an important step. He says the focus now is on members of the Unsecured Creditors Committee in American’s bankruptcy case.
Parker: We are eager to demonstrate to the creditors of AMR that our plan would result in higher returns than the AMR stand-alone strategy would. And we’re highly confident the value created by our two companies is very large compared to the value of a stand-alone AMR.
Parker says a merger would create $1.2 billion a year in “cost synergies” – including management reductions, a single I-T system, and added purchasing power.
His comments came in a conference call about US Airways’ $48 million dollar profit for the first quarter of 2012. Last week, Fort Worth based American Airlines posted a $1.7 billion dollar loss for the same period.
BJ Austin, KERA News
Ethics Complaint Against Dallas Mayor
A candidate for Dallas School Board has filed an ethics complaint against Mayor Mike Rawlings.
20 year old Demarcus Offord complains that Mayor Rawlings violated the city’s ethics code by endorsing three DISD candidates. Offord is running against incumbent Bernadette Nutall.
The ethics code prohibits an elected official from using the prestige of the office to benefit a candidate or political party. The Mayor says his endorsements are as a private citizen.
A preliminary panel of the Ethics Advisory Commission has 21 days to rule if the complaint is valid and moves on to a full-hearing.
BJ Austin, KERA News
Homeless Man Arrested In Attack On Student
Dallas Police have made an arrest in the stabbing and sexual assault of a 17 year old student on her way to school Wednesday morning.
Police say the girl was near a DART bus stop on Maple about 7:30 when a man in his late 50’s/early 60’s attacked her. Investigators report the girl is in critical, but stable condition.
About four hours later, the police helicopter spotted an individual matching the description. He was wearing bloody clothes and is believed to be homeless. Police continue to gather evidence and look for potential witnesses.
BJ Austin, KERA News
Official: Remains believed to be starved boy's
A law enforcement official says the Dallas County medical examiner believes skeletal remains found in a rural creek south of Dallas may be those of a 10-year-old boy who was allegedly starved to death by his parents.
Ellis County Justice of the Peace Bill Woody said Wednesday that the medical examiner's office believes the remains found Saturday are Johnathan Ramsey's. He says the medical examiner's analysis is based on circumstances of the case as described by investigators, and that DNA test results are still pending.
The medical examiner's office declined to comment because the case involves remains found in another county.
Ramsey's father and stepmother are jailed on charges of felony injury to a child.
Authorities say the boy was confined to a room and starved as punishment.
AP
Ron Paul expands 'town hall' tour of Texas
Republican presidential contender Ron Paul is expanding his campaign tour of Texas as he toils to keep his campaign alive.
The Austin American-Statesman reports the Southeast Texas congressman has added three Texas stops, including a Thursday "town hall" meeting at the University of Texas at Austin. He also will attend a fundraiser in Austin.
Before that comes a Wednesday stop at the University of Texas at El Paso. Friday, he makes a stop at the University of Houston.
His campaign says Paul drew more than 3,000 people to each of three town halls in College Station, Fort Worth and San Antonio two weeks ago.
AP
LBJ daughter, spouse give $1M to wildflower center
A daughter of former President Lyndon B. Johnson and her husband have given $1 million to a wildflower center named for her mother.
The University of Texas on Wednesday announced the donation from Luci Baines Johnson and Ian Turpin. The money for the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center will be used to develop a $3.7 million family garden in the couple's name.
Luci Baines Johnson says her mother's dream was that the center would inspire future generations to care for the environment.
Groundbreaking is expected next year on the family garden designed by landscape architect W. Gary Smith.
The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a self-sustaining organized research unit of UT.
LBJ died in 1973. The former first lady died in 2007.
AP
SD, feds investigating whooping crane shooting
Experts say an endangered whooping crane that winters in South Texas has been shot and killed in South Dakota.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the South Dakota Game, Fish and Parks Department are investigating the fatal shooting of the bird near near Miller.
The Argus Leader reports that the migrating adult whooping crane was traveling with two other whooping cranes before being shot Friday while standing in a corn field.
Authorities are offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for killing the federally protected bird.
Whooping cranes spend the winter at the Aransas National Wildlife Refuge.
AP