Arlington Morning News (Newspaper) - June 5, 1999, Arlington, Texas m fr Palme i and breezy high 92 Heat index to 99 Overnight flow 74 See Page 2 A Television movies turn to classic themes See Page 5A SPORTS NEW COACH Tony hired to lead Kennedale girls basketball team See Page IB Own Newspaper Texas Saturday June 5 1999 2 Sections 25 cents as missing Failure to use alert questioned By Ben Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News The Arlington Police Depart ments decision not to activate the Amber Plan to search for a missing boy later found dead was a hot topic on a local talk radio show morning And many callers asked the same nagging question family and friends of Childers have repeated ly asked Had been white instead of would police have activated the plan that broadcasts confirmed reports of child abductions to local radio and television stations across North Texas What was driving this issue today was the perception that there was some racial said Charlie Jones a talk show host on 1080 radio There were questions from some part of the audience this morning that if Had this been a white kid would the call for the Amber Plan have been put in Police Department spokesman Dee Anderson explained Friday that Arlington receives 100 to 120 missing calls a month and that there is no way the Amber Plan could be activated for every call Mr Jones said Officer Anderson an Amber Plan coordinator reiterated Friday that race plays no part in deciding whether to activate the alert plan named after Amber Hagerman a slain Arlington girl When we get a missing child case we determine if it was an abduction and race never comes into our Officer Anderson said The badly decomposed body of was found Thursday morn in an East Fort Worth lake days after the boy disappeared family members and friends have criticized Arlington police for failing to activate the Please see Questions on Page Ronnette Childers left who received confirmation of her sons death is comforted by sister Cheryl McGowan Family and friends Arlington Morning News Brad Loper offered support to the on Friday Rulings on the cause and manner of death are pending toxicology and tissue tests remembered as kind child By Kelly D Patterson Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News Childers idolized his ther the Rev Alfred McGowan He want ed to follow in his footsteps and become a preacher too So when earned a little bit of money the boy used it to buy a suit He loved his said Ronnette Childers mother referring to Rev McGowan pastor of Greater Missionary Church of God in Christ in Fort Worth The last thing I remember is seeing him all decked out in that suit I kept telling him how handsome he looked He wanted to look and act like his Mrs Childers was notified Friday that a body found in an East Fort Worth lake was identified as her missing son It was news she said she anticipated nonetheless it was hard to accept The Corey Elementary student was reported missing early Tuesday morning Family members thought planned to go to his grandfathers house a few blocks away His bicycle was found less than a from their South Arlington home left behind a messy room clut tered with toys on the floor Mrs Childers said she hadnt cleaned it She had planned to make him do it once he came home Mrs Childers said she struggles to find the words to tell her two other sons that wont come home She said death will be hardest on her Please see Boy on Page Neighbors described as an athletic boy who loved to play with other kids By Rick Klein Staff Writer of The Dallas Morning DALLAS The Arlington boy found dead Thursday in an East Fort Worth lake may have drowned after going to the park by himself police said Friday There were indications of possi ble said Detective Curt Brannon the Fort Worth police homicide investigator assigned to the case Thats the suspicion right now That still doesnt account for how he got in the water fully clothed with his shoes The Tarrant County medical examiners office confirmed Friday that the body found was that of Childers whose family reported him missing Tuesday Police believed he might have run away and did not activate the Amber Plan reserved for suspected tions Pathologists determined body was in Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park for two days before a jog ger found it Thursday partially sub merged family received the call they dreaded from the medical examiner about Friday Even though I had a feeling it was my son to hear it on the phone was Ronnette Childers said I couldnt handle it Right now Im not doing Rulings on the cause and manner of death are pending toxicology and tissue tests and results may take four to six weeks The medical examiners office reported finding no visible signs of trauma on the body and Detective Brannon declined to say what led tors to believe the boy drowned Arlington police treated the case as a runaway from the start and Fort Worth police say they have so far found nothing to call this assess ment into question Investigators believe may have come to Please see Body on Page Stars Rangers network nears deal Hicks says Bloomberg News I DALLAS Southwest Sports Group the owner of the Dallas Stars and Texas Rangers could Teach an agreement within a month with a partner for its planned regional cable said The company is talking with Fox Southwest ESPN and but is prepared to go ahead on its own if an agreement cant be reached said Tom Hicks who formed the company after buying the teams and is also chairman of a major buyout fund Hes trying to mimic Foxs strate gy of using professional sports rights as the centerpiece for a cable channel aimed at a specific region The owner hopes the combination of sports and cable under one roof will generate more revenue than the current television contracts for the National Hockey Leagues Stars and Major League Baseballs Rangers and boost the lukewarm Hicks Cramer financial forecasts for both Were one of the socalled big media markets but right now were not getting our fair Mr Hicks said The idea is to saturate Worth the nations Please see Cable on Page Stanley Cup bid excites spectators By Jeff Meddaugh Arlington Morning News Hundreds of hockey fans packed local sports bars Friday night to cheer or cry over the results of Game 7 in the Western Conference Finals between the Dallas Stars and Colorado Avalanche The Stars stormed to a 41 victory over the Avalanche at the Reunion Arena and fans in and out of the arena rallied j behind the home team as it easily secured a spot in the Stanley Cup Finals For the Colorado Avalanche fan Hockey fans profess love for home team North Texas wasnt the place to be Friday night My friends who are all Dallas Stars fans pretty accept ing of said Heidi Brown an Avalanche fan from Denver But at one point they wanted to boot me out of the Truly the night belonged to the Dallas Stars and their fans I think after the first goal the Colorado team seemed said Larry Gallardo who began watching the Stars after they made the playoffs I dont want to be a fair weather fan but Im a With the Stars scoring early and maintaining their lead throughout the game some fans said they expected them to win Other games were a little more tense than this We scored three goals before they even said Kristi Wise who sat at a table willy other excited Stars fans The Stars have a lot of heart Were proud of she added Ms Brown the transplanted Denver fan lamented that no one Please see Conference on Page INSIDE Area traffic Classifieds Lottery Obituaries Blocks TV movies 2A 81 OB 2A 2A 83197 00025 HOT SCOTS Vendors battle with heat as annual festival kicks off By Lori Price Staff Writer of the Arlington Morning News Hundreds of details go into preparations for the Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games each year But Friday when outside tempera tures reached the 90s there was one ingredient needed the most Today we need a lot of said Ruth Kirmser who spent part of her day setting up the tent for the MacLean clan Mrs Kirmser is responsible for making sure people from her Church service finds its place Athletic rivalry at festival 19 clan are in place to compete in the festival games Just hours before the festival started Friday evening dozens of organizers and vendors were out in the beat setting up booths laying out mer and hanging banners on the grounds of the University of Texas at Maverick Stadium see Organizers on Page Steve Agan a member of the Hamilton Pipe Band from Houston practices his bagpipe playing before competing at the Texas Scottish Festival and Highland Games Friday The event runs through Sunday Morning News
