West Nile-Related Deaths Confirmed in Texas, and the first in Fresno County, Calif.

West Nile-Related Deaths Confirmed in Texas, California

Two West Nile-related deaths were confirmed Tuesday 2,000 miles apart - the 11th confirmed this year in Dallas County, Texas, and the first in Fresno County, Calif.

Nationwide, there have been at least 26 deaths attributed to the West Nile virus this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Fresno County Department of Public Health said an elderly woman was hospitalized for the virus and later died, marking the second West Nile-related death in California in 2012.

"All residents, especially those over 50 years of age and those with chronic health conditions, must take this disease seriously and should take every precaution to protect themselves and their families from mosquito bites," said Dr. Edward L. Moreno, director and health officer for the Fresno County Department of Public Health, in a news release. "I also encourage residents to engage the services of their mosquito abatement district, if necessary, to eliminate possible mosquito-breeding sources around their homes."

Dallas County Health and Human Services spokeswoman Patricia Huston would not provide any specific identifying information on the county's 11th virus fatality because of medical confidentiality and personal privacy rules.

The death came just a day after Dallas launched a second aerial attack against the West Nile virus. Five small planes sprayed more than 360,000 acres with mosquito-killing pesticides.

The first aerial attack was last Friday, making it the first time in more than 40 years that Dallas County has used an aerial launch to treat a virus.

"What our preliminary data is showing is that the aerial planes that are going out are knocking down these mosquitoes," DCHHS director Zachary Thompson told ABC News affiliate WFAA.

The DCHHS is testing mosquito traps set around the city to see how much the insecticides have affected the West Nile mosquito population, Thompson added.

The insecticide aerial fight came on the cusp of the worst nationwide outbreak of the West Nile virus, which has now killed 11 people in Dallas alone and sickened more than 200.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 693 cases in 43 states, with the majority of infections in Texas. Oklahoma, which borders Texas to the north, has reported more than 100 cases, three of which have resulted in death.

According to the CDC, up to 20 percent of infected people develop West Nile fever and exhibit mild symptoms - including fever, headache, muscle weakness, nausea and vomiting. They might also develop swollen lymph glands and a rash on the chest, back or stomach. Symptoms can last for as little as a few days, though even healthy people have become sick for several weeks.

On average, about 4 out of 5 people who are infected with the West Nile virus will not show any symptoms at all.

There is no specific treatment for a West Nile virus infection. In cases with milder symptoms, people experience symptoms such as fever and aches that pass on their own.

There is no known cure for the virus, however there are preventative measures. DCHHS said the best way to avoid exposure to West Nile virus is to practice the four Ds:

use Insect repellents that contain DEET

drain any standing water

dress in long, loose and light-colored clothing, and

take extra care to use repellent and protective clothing from dusk to dawn.

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/west-nile-related-deaths-confirmed-texas-california-220523524--abc-news-topstories.html

West Nike is Rockin and Rollin 

Now on the West Coast with 120 days left till

December 21st, 2012

Humans will once again ward off imminent disaster, our final "doom of mankind". It's like having the ultimate back-stage pass to the greatest concert on Earth!

I been bad, I been good,

Dallas, Texas, Hollywood.

I ain't askin' for much.

I said, Lord, take me downtown,

I'm just lookin' for some tush.

I been up, I been down.
Take my word, my way around.
I ain't askin' for much.
I said, Lord, take me downtown,
I'm just lookin' for some tush.

I been bad, I been good,
Dallas, Texas, Hollywood.
I ain't askin' for much.
I said, Lord, take me downtown,
I'm just lookin' for some tush.

Take me back way back home,
Not by myself, not alone.
I ain't askin' for much.
I said, Lord, take me downtown,
I'm just lookin' for some tush.

- Frank Beard, Bill Gibbons & Dusty Hill

46 Year-old Adolescent Therapist and 16 Year old's sleep over?

Counselor with the Children's Advocacy Center  Police arrested 46-year-old Ronald Hodgkiss of Frisco on Friday, Jan. 13., and charged him with sexual assault of a child. 

Mom Found Emails from Therapist Ron Hodgkiss to Girl, Police Say

FRISCO, Texas - A newly released arrest warrant affidavit shows how the mother of a 16-year-old girl became suspicious of her daughter's therapist and called police, who eventually arrested the man. 

Police arrested 46-year-old Ronald Hodgkiss of Frisco on Friday, Jan. 13., and charged him with sexual assault of a child. Hodgkiss is a licensed professional counselor who operated F.A.C.T. -- Frisco Adolescent Counseling and Therapy --- since 2008.

The arrest was the result of months of investigation by police after the mother of one of Hodgkiss' patients came to police.

The mother said she found sexually explicit emails exchanged between her daughter and Hodgkiss. According to the affidavit, the mother began investigating after she came home unexpectedly and found Hodgkiss at her house with her daughter in September.

"Thank You and Make It a Great Day, Ron Hodgkiss, MAPC, LPC" 

She told police the two were just talking, but it was an awkward situation. However, later that same day, the affidavit states the mother discovered compromising emails on her laptop between the daughter and Hodgkiss, the affidavit says.

Several of the emails purportedly from the suspect had a signature line with "Thank You and Make It a Great Day, Ron Hodgkiss, MAPC, LPC" and his work phone number, leading police to believe they originated from Hodgkiss' work email, the affidavit states. Others had similar signatures which police believe came from Hodgkiss' home computer.

The mother even took the daughter's cell phone, saying it needed a system upgrade from the provider, and tried to find texts. According to the affidavit, all the texts were deleted except one -- a warning from the daughter to Hodgkiss warning him not to text her because she would be without her phone for a day.

At first the mother did not tip off her daughter or Hodgkiss about what she found, sharing her suspicions only with police. Eventually, according to the affidavit, officers interviewed the daughter, who denied any improper relationship but agreed to see a different counselor with the Children's Advocacy Center of Collin County.

Dakota Fanning is one of the few child-turned-teen actresses who has managed to steer clear of tabloid headlines, but the 17-year-old's half-scandalous Marc Jacobs ads were just banned from British shores

The counselor told police in the affidavit that the girl was protective of Hodgkiss, but slowly began to reveal details as time went on.

The teen said the pair had walked in Deep Ellum holding hands, and that Hodgkins told her he thought of having sex with her, the documents say.

In mid-January, the affidavit says the teen confessed to her new counselor that she spent the night with Hodgkiss at his home in Frisco back in September, having told her mother she was with a friend.

It was there, she said, that the girl first fell asleep in Hodgkiss' son's room. The affidavit says Hodgkiss crawled in bed with her, then carried her to his bed. In the morning, Hodgkiss "climbed on top of her" and performed oral sex on her, according to the affidavit.

Police arrested Hodgkiss the next day. He has since been released after posting $100,000 bond.

Frisco police want any parents whose children may have come into contact with Hodgkiss to talk with their children about possible inappropriate contact.

16 will get ya 20... except under Islamic Law

In a mass wedding organised by Hamas, 450 young couples got married in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas financed the celebrations, which included both Hamas supporters and couples from other Palestinian factions.

Al Jazeera's Ayman Mohyeldin explains how the event represented a rare display of Palestinian unity.

Texas student's refusal to say Mexican pledge, anthem starts controversy

RIO GRANDE VALLEY, Texas - Every day students in Texas public schools pledge allegiance to the flags of the United States and Texas.

But when a teacher in a Rio Grande Valley high school assigned students to stand and pledge allegiance to the Mexican flag and sing Mexico's national anthem, one student refused.

The resulting controversy has one East Texas lawmaker wanting changes in the state's curriculum on how culture and patriotism are taught in schools.

15-year-old Brenda Brinsdon entered her sophomore year at McAllen ISD's Achieve Early College High School just wanting to do well in her classes.

But in mid-September she got an unexpected lesson on personal conviction and taking on the system.

"I feel that I did what's right," Brinsdon said. "And I know what I did what's right [...] I'm going to stand my ground."

Brinsdon said she stood her ground by staying seated when first-year Spanish 3 teacher Reyna Santos assigned her class to stand and recite Mexico's pledge of allegiance.

Students stood with right arms straight out and palms down, which is how the school district says Mexicans say their pledge.

Calling the lesson "un-American," Brinsdon recorded the class, which occurred the week of Mexico's Independence Day and also the 10th anniversary of 9/11.

The teacher also told students to memorize and recite the the pledge individually.

And when the time came for the part of the assignment to sing Mexico's national anthem, Brinsdon again refused.

With that, Santos asked the class to stand and led the class in the anthem.

"I told her, I was like, 'I thought this was a Spanish class,'" Brinsdon recalled. "And she's like, 'Well, yeah it is, it's like, it's a cultural thing.' And so I was the only one that sat down."

She was given an alternate assignment.

Brinsdon's father, William, backs his daughter. He said that reciting a pledge to any other nation has no place in public schools.

"What are we to do? Just lay down and let it happen?" Mr. Brinsdon said. "Or should we stand up for our country?"

Santos couldn't be reached for comment.

The school district declined several News 8 requests to interview someone with the district.

But in a statement, said it was a single lesson on Hispanic culture in one class at one campus, the lesson will be reviewed and students recite the U.S. pledge daily.

This Spanish class assignment, Brenda Brisdon's refusal and the school district's response caused a firestorm on the right.

Conservative websites erupted, getting the attention of Republican State Representative Dan Flynn of Canton.

"It was a shock to me," he said.

The Texas Education Agency says the state curriculum outlines what must be taught, but local districts decide how it's taught.

Flynn said since the state allows that much discretion, he'll file a bill again to require more mandatory studies on the U.S. Constitution.

"I do have a problem if we're making that the assignment for young people to stand up and pledge to another country," Flynn said. "It lessens the value of the pledge to the United States flag."

After no one with the district agreed to an interview, News 8 confronted McAllen School Board President Sam Saldivar after a meeting. He indicated he didn't agree with the lesson.

"I would have taken a different approach, again I'm not an educator," Saldivar said.

But as the leader of the board that sets policy, Saldivar said there's no decision yet on whether to change the curriculum.

"That's a curriculum, a teacher working with the administration," Saldiver said. "As I understand it, it's going to be reviewed, and more likely a better approach will be taken in the future."

Dallas Democratic State Representative Roberto Alonzo said to question the loyalty of the teacher and school district is unfair.

"This is a class," Alonzo said. "This is not doing allegiance to Mexico, it's not you know you are going to be part of Mexico, this is just a class to learn Spanish - to learn an aspect of what is Texas."

Brinsdon said she's been pulled from Santos' class and gets her lessons separately now. Despite the controversy, she has no regrets.

"I really hope that I was an inspiration to a lot of youth in America to stand up for what's right," Brinsdon said.

E-mail bwatson@wfaa.com