Email Author ANNA MERLAN

2013 Stories by ANNA MERLAN

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  FEATURED STORY

  CNN and CBS Both Off the Hook in Defamation Lawsuit Over That Nonexistent Mass Grave

  published Apr 09, 2013

  A couple weeks back, we gave you an update on the unlucky Liberty County couple still trying to sue the self-proclaimed psychic who wrongly told police they had a huge mass grave filled with tiny dea... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  After Family Planning Cuts, More Than 17,000 Dallas County Women Lost Access to Care

  published Apr 05, 2013

  In 2011, as we just cannot seem to stop mentioning, your state legislators cut $73 million from the state's family planning budget, instituted a tiered funding system designed to give family planning ... More >>

• The Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Just Can't Seem To Stop Killing Each Other

  published Apr 04, 2013

  This week, we've given you a little background on the Aryan Brotherhood of Texas, and some reasons why two experts familiar with the gang are skeptical that they could be behind the murders of Kaufman... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Expert: Aryan Brotherhood of Texas are "Dumb Ol' White Boys" Who Wouldn't Kill a D.A.

  published Apr 03, 2013

  When I spoke to Terry Pelz late yesterday afternoon, he sounded hoarse and exhausted. "I'm just about talked out," he said. Pelz is a former prison warden at the Darrington Unit who now runs a crimin... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Aryan Brotherhood of Texas Membership Is Climbing In North Texas, Law Enforcement Officials Say

  published Apr 02, 2013

  Every law enforcement agency in North Texas has descended on Kaufman County in the past several days following the murder of District Attorney Mike McLelland and his wife, Cynthia, at their home. The ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Atheists Wish Local Pastors A Happy Easter the Only Way They Know How

  published Mar 29, 2013

  Last year around Easter-time, local conservative talking head and life-sized Cabbage Patch doll Ben Ferguson was upset with the Dallas Fort-Worth Coalition of Reason, our local band of godless heath... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Fifty-Six Year Old Community College Student and Republican Precinct Chair Wants a White Student Union at Tarrant County College [Updated]

  published Mar 28, 2013

  Richard Railey is definitely not an idiotic, racist troll. Nope, he's just your average 56-year-old community college student, pursuing an associates degree in IT security while trying to form a White... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Angel the Psychic, Wrong About All Those Bodies at a Liberty County Farmhouse, Is Apparently Unaware She's Being Sued

  published Mar 27, 2013

  From time to time, we've been bringing you updates on the single greatest lawsuit ever filed in Dallas County: the Liberty County couple suing "Angel," a self-proclaimed psychic (as if there's any oth... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Feds Bypass State, Give $13 Million for Family Planning Directly to Women's Health Coalition

  published Mar 26, 2013

  Maybe you're not a Yiddish speaker, but you need a handy illustration of the concept of "chutzpah." In Spanish: cojones. Or in English, if you insist: king-sized brass balls. If you need a real-world ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  At the Mayor's Rally Against Domestic Violence, Big Promises and Some Mixed Messages

  published Mar 25, 2013

  The couple started arguing on Saturday, around 3 in the morning, in a house near Fair Park. The man told the woman he hadn't forgotten their past arguments, all the times she had "disrespected" him. H... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Arlington PD Answers All Your Questions About Its "Aviation Unit," Which Consists Entirely of Two Drones

  published Mar 22, 2013

  The Arlington Police Department recently got permission from the FAA to use the two small, battery-operated drones they purchased last year using grant money from Homeland Security. Presumably, the dr... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  It Seems Mediocre Grades, Not Ethnicity, Kept Abigail Fisher Out of UT Austin

  published Mar 21, 2013

  The future of affirmative action in American universities could be decided within weeks, in a Supreme Court case with Texas roots. But a new report from the investigative journalists at ProPublica sug... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Former Highland Park Student Ryan Romo is Suing the Girl Who Accused Him of Rape [Updated]

  published Mar 20, 2013

  Back in January, a grand jury declined to indict 19-year-old Ryan Romo, the former Highland Park High School student accused of rape by a younger classmate. The girl alleged that Romo raped her in the... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Senate Committee Approves New, Ridiculous Standards That Could Shut Down Most Abortion Clinics In Texas

  published Mar 20, 2013

  Texas' Senate Health and Human Services committee approved another measure late yesterday straight out of the anti-abortion playbook: a bill that would require all medical facilities that perform abor... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Metroplex Atheists Square Off Against Rowlett's Mayor. The Mayor Says He'll Pray for Them.

  published Mar 19, 2013

  This week in godlessness brings us to Rowlett, where Mayor Todd Gottel is feeling pretty good. He'll be running unopposed soon for his second term as mayor and third term on the City Council. The rest... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  The Titus County Attorney Wants Texas Attorney General to Help Him in His Fight to Keep Bringing His Old Dachshund to Work

  published Mar 18, 2013

  Titus County is a little spot on the far northeastern part of the map, comprising some 32,000 people total. Belle is a infirm, chocolate-colored, 16-year-old dachshund. She also lives in Titus, and it... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Prosecutors Drop Case Against John David Mahaffey, SMU Student Accused of Rape [Updated]

  published Mar 18, 2013

  The Dallas County District Attorney's office has dismissed its case against John David Mahaffey, the SMU student arrested in September and accused of forcing another male student to perform oral sex.... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Ted Cruz Takes It As A Compliment When You Call Him a Crazy Wacko Bird

  published Mar 14, 2013

  They called him crazy. And "crazy-pants," and "unhinged," and, at times, a "gay-hating conspiracy theorist." But when you call freshman Tea Party-darling Senator Ted Cruz any of those names, just un... More >>

• North Texas Crime Commission Offering $5000 Reward In Playground Attack on Gay Woman

  published Mar 13, 2013

  Late last month, 27-year-old Sondra Scarber and her girlfriend Hillary Causey headed to a Mesquite elementary school's playground, to take Causey's 4-year-old son Jaxon to play. The couple later told ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Texas Right to Life Pushes More Bunk Science on "Preborn Pain," Calls Observer "Anti-Life"

  published Mar 13, 2013

  Over the past couple months, we've brought you periodic updates on Texas Right to Life's quest to help pass a bill banning all abortions after 20 weeks. They've finally found a sponsor to carry that b... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Habitat for Humanity Now Owns Four Drug Houses Once Run by the West Side Gator Boyz

  published Mar 11, 2013

  Tyrone and Patrick Weatherall had a number of bad habits. Besides the obvious one, their fondness for selling crack, the brothers had lavish, attention-getting taste, which is probably ill-advised whe... More >>

• Arlington Police Now Have FAA Approval to Use Those Drones They Bought

  published Mar 08, 2013

  Last month, we told you that the Arlington Police Department submitted an application to the Federal Aviation Administration in 2012, asking to please be allowed to use the two small remote control dr... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Judge Dismisses Charges against Al Hill III after Craig Watkins Refuses to Answer Questions

  published Mar 07, 2013

  Update, 3:52 p.m.: The Dallas Morning News' Jennifer Emily tweets that the case against Hill has been dismissed. Judge Levario cited Watkins' refusal to testify as part of her basis for dismissal. ... More >>

• Poll: Majority of Texans Favor Both "Fetal Pain" Proposal and Abortion Rights

  published Mar 06, 2013

  Yesterday, Collin County state Representative Jodie Laubenberg filed a bill that would ban all abortions after 20 weeks, calling it the "Preborn Pain Act." The bill is premised on deeply questionable ... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  State Rep. Jodie Laubenberg Files Pro-Life Favorite "Pre-Born Pain" Bill

  published Mar 05, 2013

  Back in December, Governor Rick Perry announced with much pomp and circumstance that he would support the passage of a "fetal pain" bill this session in the Legislature. "Fetal pain" is one of the pet... More >>