Lubbock County Sheriff's Office

A Texas Tech student has been charged with murder in Tuesday’s double-shooting in Slaton.

21-year-old Samson Blake Oguntope was arrested at his apartment Tuesday evening on theft charges, and has been charged with the murder of an octogenarian from Slaton.

Oguntope is charged with killing 89-year-old Faye Bowen Gray at her home in Slaton. Her caregiver, 23-year-old Megan Moore was also shot and injured in the incident. He has also been charged with theft between $500 and $1,500.

Two of Oguntope’s friends, 27-year-old Charles Henry Burgess and 25-year-old Phillip Michael Murphy were also arrested at Oguntope’s apartment for interfering with public duties.

In 2010, Oguntope was a walk-on for the Texas Tech track team before being cut from the squad.

George Frey, Getty Images

An area cable operator plans to invest a hefty amount of money in Texas this year.

Suddenlink Communications is planning to invest more than $100 million this year in Texas, to bring better services to the nearly 500,000 households and more than 28,500 businesses which they serve in the state.

“Our 2012 investments in Texas will help us further enhance the quantity, quality, and reliability of our video, phone, and internet services,” said Dave Gilles, Suddenlink Senior Vice President of Operations for their west region.

By the end of the year, the company expects to have invested about $600 million in Texas since 2006. Suddenlink is the third-largest cable communications company in the state.

tpwd.state.tx.us

A State fish hatchery may be closed due to drought.

Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Dundee Fish Hatchery is likely to be temporarily closed due to low levels in surrounding lakes that supply the hatchery with water.

The Dundee Fish Hatchery, located just west of Wichita Falls, includes 97 ponds, and supplies approximately 7 million striped bass fry and 7 million hybrid striped fry in a sizable spawning building, making it the State’s primary striped and hybrid striped bass production facility. It is one of five fish hatcheries located around Texas.

A decision on the hatchery will be made over the next two weeks. If Dundee Fish Hatchery does indeed close, production will move to other facilities. Largemouth bass production would suffer if the hatchery closes.

More on the Dundee Fish Hatchery is available here.

HPWD No.1 Map (hpwd.org)

The High Plains Underground Water Conservation District’s board has issued an enforcement schedule for certain water district rules.

The HPWD Board of Directors established a two-year moratorium on the enforcement policy and civil penalty for exceeding the district’s allowable groundwater production rate during 2012 and 2013.

The group also approved a two-year moratorium on the enforcement policy and civil penalties for failure to install meters on new wells and well systems by the January 1^st 2012 deadline, and reporting requirements for groundwater production.

“The February 21^st board action establishes a two year moratorium on enforcement and penalties in these specific areas only,” said District Manager Jim Conkwright. “This will allow groundwater users additional time to familiarize themselves with the new rule requirements.”

The directors also approved an 18-month study aimed at determining areas within the district where the Ogallala Aquifer is incapable of producing 1.25 acre-feet per year, and methods of measuring groundwater production other than water meters.

Cole Shooter, KFYO.com

A Lubbock City councilman is making a push to have Council meetings in the evening hours.

Currently, Lubbock City Council meetings begin with a citizen comment session at 7:30 a.m. every other Thursday, but District 3 Councilman Todd Klein issued a release voicing his support for moving meetings to the evening hours.

“I truly believe the public wants to witness and play a role in the process of our community discussion and debate,” Klein said. “The general public at large works during the hours of the council meeting. Tomorrow, I will recommend that every quarter of the year the council should have at least one evening meeting.”

District 4 Councilman Paul R. Beane disagrees with the idea of regular evening meetings, due to the long hours often involved.

“A meeting starting at 7:30 in the evening rather than 7:30 in the morning sometimes could run until 3:00 in the morning”, said Beane. “You know, if we could cut down on some of the conversation at City Hall, possibly we could shorten these meeting times, and possibly a meeting at 7:30 in the evening wouldn’t be that bad, but right now, I’ve got to say no dice.”

Would evening meetings help you voice your concerns at City Hall? Let us know what you think.

“If you look at the map on the back of your program, I live in section 176a.  This actually will be the fire station [for my neighborhood.]  So I have a personal interest in seeing this station open.  I appreciate it guys, because if I need you, I hope you’re there in a short amount of time.”

City of Lubbock

Minutes after taking part in the ribbon cutting ceremony for Fire Station 16, city councilman Paul Beane announced he will run for another four-year term.  He talked about some of his goals for a second term.

“Goals for the next four years….of course the Lake Alan Henry pipeline has got to be brought on line. We have other water projects.  We have street issues that are pressing us.”

Beane represents District 4.  The district covers much of south Lubbock generally from 50^th Street south to the city limits.

Thinkstock

The nutritional and lifestyle habits of overweight adults, including diets and diet pills, may be causing kidney damage, according to a new study published in the International Journal of Obesity.

One in five overweight Americans suffer from chronic kidney disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is often found in patients who have diabetes or hypertension.

Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic analyzed food choices and lifestyle habits of more than 10,900 overweight adults taken from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Survey results showed 50 percent of obese or overweight patients with kidney disease reported trying to lose weight in the past year. The study also found, on average, obese Americans with kidney disease consume protein in amounts that are above the recommended levels prescribed by the National Kidney Foundation for chronic kidney disease patients.

The usual American diet has nearly 1.2 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight. Those with chronic kidney disease are suggested to eat 0.6 to 0.75 protein per kilogram of their body weight daily; 1.9 grams per kilogram of body weight is needed for those who choose high protein diets.

“People who are overweight or obese are at higher risk for chronic kidney disease and there is a great need to define what the appropriate lifestyle changes and weight loss modalities are for protecting kidney function,” said Sankar Navaneethan, a nephrologist and lead author of the study.

“Rather than using fad diets or diet pills, overweight and obese people with kidney disease may adopt a weight loss plan that incorporates a low-protein, low-calorie diet, regular physical activity and close follow-up by their physicians”, he said.

Source: TheCheckup.com

tpauly, Flickr

Despite what many a working stiff might think, men do not wear neckties to facilitate strangulation when their bosses are less than pleased with their work.

So, why do men wear this variable, often quite fashionable, and utterly useless piece of business attire?

The answer lies in history, and Europe’s Thirty Years’ War. The logistics of that 17^th century conflict are messy, to say the least, and the various alliances hard to follow. What is worth note here was the extensive use of Croatian mercenaries. Croatian soldiers, fashion innovators that they were, wore scarves around their necks as part of their uniforms, which were called kravatas.

French soldiers must have thought the Croats looked pretty smashing in their rustic scarves. Military personnel brought the idea of wearing neckties back to France, where King Louis XIV quickly introduced ‘la cravate’ to high society. Neckties soon became all the rage. Wearing a cravate allowed you to show off your individual style, by altering the size and length of the tie, as well as the colors and patterns swimming across the cloth.

The word ‘cravat,’ which owes its origins to ‘Croatian,’ eventually became ‘tie’ in English. While the design and manner of wearing a tie have evolved over the years, the ubiquity and cross-cultural relevance of this little strip of fabric simply prove that ties are here to stay.

[Time]

TedCruz.org

On Wednesday’s edition of Lubbock’s First News, U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz talked with Chad Hasty and Rex Andrew about his run for senate and other hot-button issues in politics.

Concerning recent poll numbers, Cruz said he is “surging” in the senate race, and that the race has effectively become a two-man race between him and Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst.

“If the election were held today, according to the latest poll numbers, there’d be a run-off between me and David Dewhurst, and that presents a clear, straightforward choice…between a timid career politician in David Dewhurst, or a strong conservative fighter.”

Cruz said that people want a strong conservative who can take on President Barrack Obama, and compared his own campaign to that of Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum.

Chad Hasty also asked Ted Cruz about his views of U.S. Senator John Cornyn in connection with a Dallas Morning News story from today that is headlined: Cruz Surprises Senate Analysts by Hesitating to Back Cornyn for Top Post. Cruz disagreed with the Morning News reporter’s interpretation of his comments, “John Cornyn is a good man, he’s my friend and I like and respect him. What I told the (Dallas Morning News) reporter was very simple. Which is that I think it would be presumptuous for me to talk about who I’m going to support in (Senate) leadership until I’m elected. I’ve got a primary to win and then an (general) election.”

Cruz continued, “What I told the reporter is look- the decision of leadership in the Senate, is the decision for the conference to make, and I’m not committing to any leadership votes because I’m trying to win a primary.”

Cruz also shared his views on the payroll tax, Social Security benefits and affirmative action.

For more on Ted Cruz and his campaign for U.S. Senate, visit his website at tedcruz.org.

KFYO’s Robert Snyder contributed to this report

Lubbock Police Department

UPDATED 8:20am, February 22, 2012

Wanda Price has been found in Amarillo. The Silver Alert is now cancelled.

————————-

A Silver Alert has been issued by the Lubbock Police Department for a missing elderly woman. Wanda Price went missing yesterday afternoon from a doctor’s office on 50th Street in central Lubbock.

The 80 year-old Price is 5’7″, weighing 130 pounds.

She was last seen wearing a black pants suit and driving a 1999 Lincoln Town Car with a license plate of TEXAS 304YZR.

If you have any information on the whereabouts of Wanda Price, please contact the Lubbock Police Department at 775-2816 or 775-2865.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

Wearable electronics are quickly becoming the latest trend in the technology world, and it looks like Google is leading the way with its latest project.

Google reportedly is developing a pair of heads-up display (HUD) glasses. The glasses, which resemble a pair of Oakley sunglasses, will be able to monitor the user’s surroundings and provide them with information about their location in real-time. Not surprisingly, the glasses will run off of the Google Android mobile platform. According to people “familiar with the project,” the glasses are due to be released sometime this year, and the estimated cost ranges from $250 to $600, about the same price as a smartphone.

It looks to be a really cool product, and no doubt it’ll sell like crazy if it’s marketed properly. I am a little worried, however, that Google doesn’t have a “business plan,” to sell the glasses. Google usually relies on word-of-mouth to promote its software, like Google+, for example. But that tactic might not work out too well for hardware, particularly one with such a potentially high price tag.

Hopefully, Google will get a plan together before the glasses release, because I would hate to see such a cool product fall by the wayside just because Google didn’t know how to sell it.

Richard Ellis, Getty Images

1. Speaker of the Texas House Endorses Romney (link)

On the day after a poll showed Rick Santorum crushing his competition in Texas, Speaker Joe Straus decided to announce his endorsement of Mitt Romney.

Straus, a San Antonio Republican who has served two terms as Texas House speaker, cited Romney’s career in business and his oversight of the 2002 Olympics as evidence that the former Massachusetts governor has what it takes to fix a troubled nation.

“Mitt Romney has proven his ability to turn around troubled organizations, and I can think of few places more in need of a turnaround than Washington, D.C.,” Straus said in the release. “We’ve seen a number of good candidates in this primary race; I believe Mitt Romney is the best choice to defeat President Obama and bring our Texas spirit of low taxes, limited government, balanced budgets and fiscal conservatism to Washington.”

Interesting timing from Speaker Straus and I don’t really get it. I understand he may like Romney and supports Romney, but why make an endorsement right now? It doesn’t help Romney and could only hurt the standing Straus has in the state.

Straus is seen as a moderate and this won’t go very far in getting rid of that stigma. Doesn’t Straus have political advisers? It doesn’t really seem like it. Again, no one wins with this endorsement. Romney won’t see a bump, even in Texas. Maybe Straus is angling for a job in the Romney administration. That is the only reason this endorsement makes sense.

2. Rick Perry May Run Again (link)

Governor Rick Perry may run again. Yes, he may run for President, but this time he may seek re-election. Perry spoke with the Texas Tribune and discussed his failed White House run and his future in Texas.

Perry also told The Texas Tribune he had learned a few lessons from his failed presidential bid. He said he knows now he got into the race too late. He underestimated how hard it would be to recover from back surgery. And he learned that everything a candidate says in a presidential race is fodder for the national media echo chamber.

Other than that, he loved every minute of it.

“It was fun. I had a great time,” Perry said. “I would not in any form or fashion tell you I wish I hadn’t done it, and I am so glad I did it.”

What about re-election?

“I happen to think that being the governor of Texas, I’ve said many times, is the best job in the world. I still believe that,’’ Perry said. Asked if he was leaning toward running, Perry said:  “Oh sure, yeah. I think it’s absolutely on the radar screen for me.”

“If I had to make a decision today, I’d say, yeah, absolutely, I’m going to give it consideration. But again, it’s way early.”

If Perry does run and win re-election in 2014 that means he could serve at least 18 years in the governor’s office. It may all depend though on who wins the White House in November. Could Perry run for re-election? Yes. Could he win? You bet… as of now.

3. Affirmative Action Back to the Supreme Court (link)

Oh boy! Another topic for the campaign trail. Let’s see how long it takes for the Republican nominee to be called racist.

By agreeing to hear a major case involving race-conscious admissions at the University of Texas, the court thrust affirmative action back into the public and political discourse after years in which it had mostly faded from view. Both supporters and opponents of affirmative action said they saw the announcement — and the change in the court’s makeup since 2003 — as a signal that the court’s five more-conservative members might be prepared to do away with racial preferences in higher education.

The consequences of such a decision would be striking. It would, all sides agree, reduce the number of African-American and Latino students at nearly every selective college and graduate school, with more Asian-American and white students gaining entrance instead.

I hope the Supreme Court ends Affirmative Action. It is a terrible practice and does nothing but hurt people. Students shouldn’t get into college just because of their race. On the flip side, race shouldn’t hurt students when applying for college. Our schools should take the best possible candidates. Just like employers should hire those who are most qualified. Affirmative Action is reverse racism. It disqualifies white people because they are white.

Why would anyone be proud to be where they are because of Affirmative Action? You didn’t get the grades, you didn’t work as hard, but hey you’re black or Hispanic so you’re in! That’s not how this country should work.

4. Santorum and Satan (link)

Santorum has a warning about Satan. From Drudge:

"Satan has his sights on the United States of America!" Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum has declared.

"Satan is attacking the great institutions of America, using those great vices of pride, vanity, and sensuality as the root to attack all of the strong plants that has so deeply rooted in the American tradition."

MORE

The former senator from Pennsylvania warned in 2008 how politics and government are falling to Satan.

"This is a spiritual war. And the Father of Lies has his sights on what you would think the Father of Lies would have his sights on: a good, decent, powerful, influential country - the United States of America. If you were Satan, who would you attack in this day and age?"

"He attacks all of us and he attacks all of our institutions."

Santorum made the provocative comments to students at Ave Maria University in Florida.

MORE

The White House contender described how Satan is even taking hold of some religions.

"We look at the shape of mainline Protestantism in this country and it is in shambles, it is gone from the world of Christianity as I see it."

Okay. The Liberals will jump on this and so will some Republicans. I understand what Rick Santorum is saying here. It won’t help Santorum’s image of wanting to become America’s Pastor, but I get it. If you go to a lot of churches these days, the pastor will talk about being spiritually attacked. That the “enemy” aka Satan is trying to bring down all Christians. Well, if you believe the United States is a Christian nation and overall a good nation, you would probably think that Satan is trying to bring down the nation. Christians believe that Satan is trying his hardest to tempt us. Why would he not use people and institutions to do that?

In his blog this morning, Erick Erickson of RedState nails it. Check it out here.

5. Dumb story of the morning (link)

The USPS tries to remain in business.

The Postal Service says it would save $2.7 billion annually by cutting mail delivery to five days a week and $7.1 billion a year by managing its own health-care benefits.

Raising the price of a first-class stamp to 50 cents would raise $1 billion a year in new revenue, according to the plan.

Postage-rate increases now can’t exceed the rise in the consumer price index. The service wants to make the 5-cent increase over one or more years in addition to annual inflation- linked boosts, Chief Financial Officer Joseph Corbett said on the call.

“The U.S. today is by far the least expensive of any post in the world,” Corbett said. “Clearly we’re underpriced in that area for single-piece first-class, and we would like the ability to move that price up.”

The price of a first-class stamp was raised to 45 cents last month from 44 cents.

The Postal Service drafted its business plan with analysis from Boston Consulting Group and Accenture Plc.

Nothing can save the USPS. From here on out they will lose money.

Other Top Stories:

Gov. Chris Christie to Warren Buffett; Just Shut Up!

Romney and Santorum Tied

Where the Super PAC Money Comes From

Texas Budget Woes

The Racial Makeup of Texas Cities (Interactive)

Google Glasses

Aldawsari Ruled Competent

Woman Hit By Bullet From Mexico

American’s Aren’t Happy

Guests Appearing on LFN Today:

Larry Williams from Williams Brake, Tune, and Tire takes your automotive questions at 7:35am

These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of Lubbock’s First News with Chad Hasty. Tune in mornings 6-9am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com.

Mario Tama, Getty Images

A ribbon cutting ceremony tomorrow will mark the opening of a new fire station in Lubbock.

Fire Station #16 will be opened at 10am Wednesday morning. The new station is located at 4030 114^th street on Quaker Avenue. Its construction was funded by bonds approved by voters in 2009. The ribbon cutting and opening ceremony will take about 30 minutes.

Joe Raedle, Getty Images

The North Texas man accused of raping and torturing his neighbor on a deer-skinning device has been found guilty on three counts. Jeffery Allan Maxwell was found guilty of aggravated kidnapping and two counts of aggravated sexual assault during his trial Tuesday. DNA evidence was used to support the victim’s claims that Maxwell kidnapped and raped her at his home in Corsicana.  Prosecutors said Maxwell’s actions were unspeakable during closing statements Tuesday. He now faces up to life in prison.

davidsonscott15, Flickr

Lubbock Police are looking for leads after shots were fired in a motel parking lot this morning. Police say that a man and woman in an older model Saturn drove by the Texas Motor Inn on North I-27 and fired several shots at another vehicle in the parking lot.

It is unknown how many shots were fired, or who they were fired towards. Several bullet casings have been found. The incident happened at around 10 am. Police currently have no suspects.

Robert Snyder, KFYO.com

Texas Tech University will test its emergency outdoor siren system Wednesday morning. The sirens will sound for one minute at around 10:50 am. Sirens are tested once a year and the TechAlert! systems are checked twice a year.

Texas Tech officials ask that you make sure all of your contact information is up to date so the university can send you information on dangerous weather and other important notifications regarding safety.

Any emergency updates for Texas Tech can be found at the university home page and Texas Tech Today, as well as the online Emergency Communications Center.

Lubbock County Sheriff's Office

Authorities are searching for a suspect in a deadly assault case in Lubbock County. KAMC 28 reports that sexual assault is possibly behind the attack in Slaton that has left one dead and another injured. The incident happened at around 12:15pm in the 1400 block of Crosby Street, where a man shot an elderly woman to death and injured her 23-year-old caretaker.

Slaton schools and businesses were shut down until around 5:00 pm. Parents of students in Slaton were unable to pick up their children for several hours. As of 3:30pm Tuesday, the school district was updating parents on the status of the lock-down every 30 minutes.

Police are seeking a person of interest in the case,21-year-old Sampson Blake Oguntope. He’s described as a black male, weighing 180 pounds last seen driving a white Honda. If you have any information on this case, contact authorities immediately.