By BJ Austin, KERA News & Wire Services
Dallas, TX – One of the top priorities of the incoming Dallas County Judge could spark new bipartisan cooperation on the Commissioners Court. Democrat Clay Jenkins wants to focus on truancy -- creating new programs to keep kids in school.
Republican County Commissioner Mike Cantrell applauds that focus.
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Cantrell: In Dallas County we have the highest dropout rate in the state. So, one of the ways we can work on that, and we certainly have tried, is through an integrated truancy program, countywide. We have five truancy courts now, and we can expand that under Clay's leadership and go countywide and have a unique program.
Clay Jenkins tells KERA he wants to create a prevention program to identify students likely to become truants, and a program to "pick up" truants, take them to court, and get them back in class quickly.
Jenkins takes office in January.
West Nile A No-Show This Year
West Nile virus failed to make an appearance in North Texas this season.
Dallas, Collin, Denton and Tarrant Counties report no human cases of the mosquito-borne virus this year.
Dallas County Health Director Zack Thompson credits two things.
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Thompson: The integrated mosquito control plan where we got the campaign information out to Dallas County residents. They listened and made sure they protected themselves against mosquito bites. And secondly, I want to thank Mother Nature for the cold weather last winter because that really helped kill off a lot of the mosquitoes.
Statewide, six deaths were attributed to West Nile this year; more than 120 have been reported since 2002, and West Nile's first appearance.
Boeing 787 makes emergency landing on test flight
A Boeing 787 jetliner made an emergency landing after smoke was detected in the main cabin during a test flight over Texas.
A Boeing spokeswoman said Tuesday that the plane landed safely and the crew was removed immediately after landing in Laredo.
Emergency personnel were called. Boeing said it was still gathering information about the incident.
Boeing has said it will deliver the first production models of the 787 to airlines next year. Development of the aircraft is running about three years behind schedule after a series of delays.
The fuselage of the 787 is made of composite material designed to produce a lighter, more fuel-efficient plane.
Perry: View of AZ-style immigration law unchanged
Gov. Rick Perry says his perspective hasn't changed after state lawmakers filed Arizona-style bills intended to crack down on illegal immigration.
Perry on Tuesday reiterated his support of Arizona seeking to require police to sometimes question people about their immigration status, but said the law as written isn't right for Texas.
Republican lawmakers filed several hardline immigration bills Monday, the first day for proposing legislation to be considered in the upcoming session.
Perry said he wouldn't "take the bait" and declare that he would veto certain legislation. Fresh off winning a third full term, Perry said "we'll go through the process" when the Legislature convenes in January.
Perry was in San Antonio promoting his new book, "Fed Up!"