By KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX –
Federal regulars are proposing a $2.5 million penalty against a sister carrier of American Airlines for not making sure crews had accurate information about the weight of baggage on dozens of flights.
The Federal Aviation Administration announced the penalty Monday against AMR Corp.'s American Eagle.
Incorrect takeoff weights are considered a safety hazard if pilots rely on faulty information when determining the right speed for takeoff.
American Eagle representatives did not immediately return a call for comment.
Monday deadline to register for Texas primaries
Texans wanting to vote in next month's Republican or Democratic primaries must be registered. The deadline to register was Monday. The primaries are Tuesday, March 2.
Further details are available from the Texas secretary of state's office. The agency has set up a toll-free number: 800-252-VOTE (8683).
Election day is Tuesday, Nov. 2.
Texan among 10 Americans held in Haiti
One Texan is among 10 Americans arrested for allegedly trying to take children out of earthquake-devastated Haiti.
The Baptists were waiting Monday to hear if they will be tried on child trafficking charges for attempting to take 33 Haitian children to the Dominican Republic without official authorization.
Child welfare groups expressed outrage over Friday's attempt, saying some of the children had parents who survived the Jan. 12 earthquake.
An Associated Press photo taken Saturday, as the Americans posed at police headquarters at the airport in Port-au-Prince, included 47-year-old Jim Allen of Amarillo.
The Amarillo Globe-News reported Monday that Allen was joined in Haiti by his cousin, Paul Thompson, formerly of Amarillo, and Thompson's son, Silas.
The Baptist group's "Haitian Orphan Rescue Mission" was described as an effort to save abandoned, traumatized children.
Fake $5 leads to arrest in College Station
A fake $5 bill in which both sides apparently were copied and glued together led to the arrest of a teenager in College Station.
Police say the 17-year-old faces a misdemeanor forgery charge. He was arrested Saturday after allegedly trying to pass the crudely made currency at a drive-in restaurant.
College Station police say it appears the fake $5 was made with help from a computer scanner, then the bogus bill was trimmed and glued together. The front of the bill was longer than the back.
Forgery is punishable by a fine not to exceed $4,000 and up to a year in custody.