The Boomstick Has Company at the Ballpark

[DFW] Rangers Ballpark Unveils...

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The two-foot long hot dog known as the Boomstick has some new teammates on the menu at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

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Fan Food Challenge: The Boomstick

NBC 5's Matt Barrie challenges a Texas Rangers fan Tim to eat an entire loaded Boomstick, the ballpark's new 2 lbs. hot dog, in 15 minutes.

The Boomstick Challege Begins at Rangers Ballpark

NBC 5 reporter Amanda Guerra and Arlington based reporter Mola Lenghi vow to eat the Boomstick hot dog in about 2 hours.

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In the last three years the Texas Rangers have made more than $35 million in improvements to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington.

As grand as the changes to center field may be, some may argue the most popular change was last year's addition of The Boomstick, a two-foot long hot dog that became an instantly legendary.

Well, now The Boomstick has some teammates, and they can all be found at Club Texas-Sized 24, a concession stand catering to oversized portions.

"We felt like we could build on that success and feature items that were 24 inches long or 24 ounces," said Shawn Maddox, the general manager for the company that provides food to the ballpark.

Yes, apparently peanuts and Cracker Jacks just aren't going to do for the modern baseball fan.

There's the Murphadilla, which is a two-foot-long quesadilla named for outfielder David Murphy. And there's the Rossome Nacho, which is a Boomstick topped with totally Rossome nacho ingredients. It's named for pitcher Robbie Ross.

There's also a two-foot long pretzel and the Beltre Buster, which Maddox called "a large gourmet hamburger."

Large really doesn't do it justice -- it's enormous.

Just keep in mind, you don't have to eat it all by yourself.

"We like to see fans sharing these items, sharing the experience," Maddox said.

But when he was pressed for a calorie count just in case, he said with a laugh, "We don't count calories."

Heading to the home opener on April 5? Here is what you need to know about tailgating in 2013. Send us your Opening Day pictures by emailing them to iSee@nbcdfw.com.

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Easter Bunny Gifts Often Lead to Abandoned Rabbits

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A Denton County rabbit expert is warning would-be bunny owners to avoid buying rabbits as Easter gifts.

Diana Leggett, founder of WildRescue Inc./Rabbit Rescue, said a lot of people buy bunnies as a cute holiday gift but quickly end up regretting it when they discover the responsibility that comes with owning one.

"Come June and July, when the bunnies that are bought at this point in time come into maturity, that's when their behavioral issues pop out," she said.

Like dogs and cats, the issues are a result of puberty, Leggett said. But unlike those popular pets, rabbits tend to be expensive to spay and neuter.

As a result, many owners simply abandon the rabbits -- sometimes at a rescue, but more often just along the side of the road or in the woods.

Leggett said there is some improvement this year as some major home-and-garden stores have stopped selling bunnies but there is still a long way to go.

"When it comes to the bunnies, we're still not there. We still have a long road to travel," she said, adding that rabbits are still used as food and even hunting bait.

WildRescue, one of the handful of rabbit rescues in the state, will take in as many bunnies as it can. But it runs off donations and only has so much space.

The best way to help is just to think twice before buying, Leggett said.

"These guys are just nothing but cuteness ... but they're a 10-year commitment and it's something you should research and look into with your family before you even consider getting one of these guys," she said. "Don't buy a bunny, but adopt one after Easter and, in the meantime, go get a chocolate bunny for your child."

Leggett said she first brought WildRescue to Denton about five years ago because the city was willing to let her run it through her home.

She operates with a volunteer staff, including veterinarians.

As of Thursday, the rescue had more than 100 rabbits. Leggett expects the number to increase in the coming months.

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Arlington PD Ready to Start Flying Small Helicopters

Mola Lenghi, NBC 5 Arlington Reporter

The Arlington Police Department demonstrated its unmanned aircraft Thursday. The FAA-approved Leptron Avenger is more helicopter than drone.

Arlington Police Demonstrate...

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The Arlington Police Department's unmanned aircraft program is taking off.

The Leptron Avenger is a 58 inches long, 11 pound, aluminum and carbon fiber, battery-powered, GPS-equipped, video and still image camera aircraft. And it takes a team to fly it.

"The minimum we can operate the aircraft with is three people. It is our preference to operate with four people," said Brook Rollins, APD's unmanned aircraft mission commander.

The team includes a pilot, a safety pilot who observes the pilot, a camera operator and a ground station operator who can also control the small helicopter from a different set of controls.

"The pilot has to be able to see the equipment at the exact time he's flying the equipment," said Sgt. Christopher Cook.

But before flying, there will be times when a search warrant is required. The same laws that apply to manned aircraft apply to these.

Sgt. Cook stressed that it's more helicopter than drone.

"They will only be flown usually for less than an hour just based upon the batter limitations, they'll never carry weapons, they won't be used of general surveillance of our citizens," he said, adding that they will be for limited and specialized situations not routine police operations.

"[The aircraft] are not going to be in the trunks of police cars going down the road," said Sgt. Cook.

FAA regulations limit the aircraft from exceeding 400 feet in the air or from flying over crowds of people like at a stadium event.

Police say they will be used when searching for a missing person or capturing images of fatal traffic accidents to allow scenes to be cleared much quicker or for storm and fire damage assessment.

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Dallas Police Set to Tackle Apt. Complex Crime

Ken Kalthoff, NBC 5 News

Dallas police are implementing a new crime prevention program aimed at troubled apartment complexes.

Dallas Police Crack Down on Apt. Crime

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Dallas police are implementing a new crime prevention program aimed at troubled apartment complexes.

The 10/70/20 program is aimed at reducing crime in certain areas. Its name   developed from police considering that 10 percent of residents refuse to tolerate crime, 70 percent tolerate crime and do nothing, while 20 percent are responsible for the crime.

On Saturday, 40 officers from the North Central substation will launch the program at The Village on Timberglen Apartment Homes located on the 3000 block of Timberglen Road.  

Police records show officers have responded to the complex 39 times in the past year for crimes ranging from robbery, burglary and assault to theft and vandalism.

The officers plan to go door-to-door, recruiting tenants who may be in the 70 percent group to join the fight against crime and report problems in their neighborhood.

Some residents said they are pleased with the plan.

"I think it's good, I really do," resident Thedrick Oglesby said. "People work too hard for their stuff to be broken into."

Residents said people are reluctant to report problems for fear criminals will retaliate.

"That's how really they do get away with it," said resident Demetrius Mills.

Resident Sondra Tywater said she has lived in the complex for 10 years and crime has increased in that time.

"If the people know the police are present, I think they'll be more supportive," Tywater said. "But if it's going to be a one time visit, it's not going to go very far because we've done this before."

Apartment management and police officials say they want to build a better long-term relationship with residents to reduce crime.

Three complexes will be included in the first stage of 10/70/20 with more to be added, police officials said.

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Family Survives High-Speed Crash Caused by Hogs

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A North Texas family wants everyone to know about the real dangers of driving along one of Texas' newest toll roads — and it has nothing to do with the 85-mph speed limit.

Jackie Anderson, of Mount Vernon, says her family was driving on Texas Highway 130 near Austin at about midnight last Friday when they hit 25 to 30 feral hogs crossing the highway.

"All of a sudden, it seems like I was 100 feet when I noticed them — a pack of wild feral hogs," said her husband, David Anderson.

Their SUV rolled 10 times.

"We must have rolled and flipped for 300 feet before the car landed on [the] driver's side," David Anderson said.

Family Survives Crash With Feral Hogs

Jackie Anderson's family was involved in a rollover crash on Texas Highway 130 after crashing into 25 to 30 feral hogs.

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The family, including their 5-week-old granddaughter survived the crash, but one of the family's dogs died. Another was lost but found four days later with a broken leg.

Jackie Anderson, who was in the front passenger seat, said she remembers thinking she wouldn't live through the crash. She sustained serious injuries — a concussion, seat belt burn and soft-tissue injuries all over her body.

Jackie Anderson said she wants Texas drivers to know about the very real feral-hog problem and questions why the state hasn't done more to warn drivers of the danger or try to keep them from entering the roadway.

The Andersons said they only saw one sign on the road, near Lockhart. More lighting and signage could have helped, they said.

"Knowing that I could have seen one light bar that said, 'Careful, feral hogs,' I would've taken a different route," Jackie Anderson said. "It just makes me sick."

There have been several reports of drivers hitting hogs and deer on the Texas toll road, which has the nation's fastest speed limit, since it opened in October.

The Lockhart Police Department released video in October that showed a pack of feral hogs roaming near the highway. 

NBC 5 DFW reported on the danger when the hogs cross the road at night and a program that pays hunters to kill feral hogs.

In October, SH 130 Concession Co., the private company that runs the 41-mile portion of Texas Highway 130, said it would put up temporary electronic message boards warning of wildlife in the area until permanent signs could be installed.

The Texas Department of Transportation said the safety of drivers is its top priority.

"Wildlife roadway crossings are a global problem. But we have already taken some measures to protect drivers on this highway. We currently have 'Wildlife Crossing' signs posted along the ROW of this highway," agency spokeswoman Veronica Beyer said in a statement Thursday. " We continue to work with the Concession company to identify what additional measures may be appropriate to improve driver safety. It's also important that drivers pay close attention and focus 100 percent of their attention on driving."

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Flight Attendants Press for Reversal of Knife Policy

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Flight attendants are urging travelers to protest the decision by federal authorities to allow passengers to carry small knives onto planes.

Members of the Association of Professional Flight Attendants started handing out leaflets to departing passengers at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Los Angeles International Airport on Thursday.

The union said it wants the flying public to be aware of the Transportation Security Administration's decision to allow knives that are less than 2.4 inches long and sporting equipment such as golf clubs and bats through security and onto planes in carry-on luggage.

"I think Administrator (John) Pistole has decided he has a different philosophy about risk-based security than we do," said Julie Frederick, APFA spokeswoman. "And we really want to protect the passengers on the airplane, the flying public, as well as our crew members."

Frederick has met with Pistole and others, since his announcement earlier this month. She said he wants to align the United States with European policy, but flight attendants, air marshals, TSA employees, pilots and several airlines want the country to maintain its own policy.

"The length of the knife that they're going to permit is the size of the knife that the terrorists used on 9/11 to gain access to the cockpit by threatening passengers and flight attendants," Frederick said.

The APFA and a coalition of flight attendants will continue to hand out leaflets until the new policy takes effect on April 25. They want members of the public to contact their representatives and sign an online White House petition to delay the new policy and possible block it or have the TSA rescind it.

Flight attendants say they feel there would be a major safety issue if the knives are allowed aboard, given that they deal with disturbances on flights on a daily basis.

"We just think that this is a nonstarter," Frederick said. "It's absolutely a safety issue for the flight attendants and the traveling public. We have things that happen every day. We just think this is a bad idea."

A vast majority of the people who received leaflets at DFW on Thursdsay said they agreed that they do not want to see knives on board. Some questioned how knives could be allowed when liquids still would not be.

"You're telling me you can do that, but you can't bring in more than 100 milliliters of liquid, right?" said Michael Mira of Los Angeles. "So, I got my eye drops taken away from me, my contact solution? Cool, that's about all I can say to that."

Many called the idea "stupid" and "not good" as they prepared to board international flights.
Flight attendants across the nation will continue to hand out the leaflets next week at their base airports, as they want people to sign the petition at noknivesonplanes.com.

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Arlington Apartment Fire Rekindles While Residents Inside

Keaton Fox, NBC 5

While residents were inside collecting belongings, an Arlington apartment complex caught fire again.

Arlington Apartment Fire Rekindles...

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An Arlington apartment building caught fire overnight, damaging several units. While residents were back inside collecting belongings, the building caught fire again.

The first fire started around 2:30 a.m. in the Ponde Apartments, 1801 Old Mill Drive. Firefighters had fire coming through the top floor of the building and called for a second alarm.

As firefighters made their way through, they found most of the fire was in the attic. They were able to contain the fire and get the flames out.

Around 5 a.m., residents were allowed back inside. As they collected their belongings inside, several people ran out to the NBC 5 crew on the scene, shouting that the building had caught fire again.

Flames were visible again from the roof and residents scrambled to get anything they could out of the building, in fear it would burn again.

Naphis Mitchell, was inside the building with two friends when the second fire started. He told NBC 5 he moved in two weeks ago and didn't have insurance.

Firefighters returned and put those flames out, but had to put more water on the building, extending the water damage.

Arlington police were called to the scene to call tempers after residents got into an argument with management over the situation.

No one was injured.

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School Board Member Indicted for Improper Relationship

Kerry Jones, 50, was indicted Thursday evening by a Denton County Grand Jury on four counts of improper relationship between an educator and a student.

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Trophy Club police are expected to issue an arrest warrant for a Northwest Independent School District school board member accused of having an improper relationship with a 17-year-old male student from Colleyville Heritage High School.

Kerry Jones, 50, was indicted Thursday evening by a Denton County Grand Jury on four counts of improper relationship between an educator and a student.

According to Trophy Club police, the relationship allegedly happened between the spring of 2010 and spring of 2011, while Jones was working as a counselor in the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District's Colleyville Heritage High School.

Cmdr. Lee Delk, with the Trophy Club Police Department, told the Star-Telegram that the investigation into the relationship began after the student notified Child Protective Services about the encounters and warned the department that they were worried Jones may do something inappropriate with an 8-year-old boy that Jones was fostering. CPS confirmed Jones has been a foster parent since 2002, but did not comment on investigation.

Grapevine-Colleyville school district officials said Jones was placed on administrative leave on Aug. 10, 2012, after leaders were notified of the investigaton into the alleged relationship. A press release stated he had not been at any GCISD school during the school year.

Police said the incidents did not occur on school property and do not involve other CHHS students. GCISD leaders said they are continuing to cooperate with police during the investigation.

Trophy Club police told the Star-Telegram that the student involved was 17-years-old at the time of the first sexual encounter, which allegedly occured at Jones' home. Because the alleged offense took place in Trophy Club, that police deparment is in charge of getting the arrest warrant for Jones.

Delk told NBC 5 the warrant for Jones' arrest is expected to be issued early next week.

Jones was elected to the Northwest school board in 2011. Northwest officials said they have known since August that Jones was under investigation and will "continue to monitor the situation and evaluate what action, if any, is appropriate with regard to Mr. Jones' position."

Under district policy, Jones can remain on the board unless he is convicted or chooses to resign.

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Bacon Craze Grows with Condoms, "Mouthwash"

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The mouthwatering breakfast meat in its natural form.

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The bacon craze that has been sweeping the nation for over a year is not slowing down.

Recipes and products surrounding the sizzling meat are all over the Internet and in some of our favorite stores. The latest additions to the trend include bacon condoms, sunscreen, and maybe even bacon mouthwash (if Scope is not pulling an April Fools' Day gag).

The condoms and sunscreen are brought to you by J&D's Foods, the "bacontrepeneurs" that have based their livelihood off of "making everything taste like bacon." Their bounty includes: bacon salt, bacon lip balm, bacon envelopes and even bacon lube.

However, mouthwash maker Scope is "launching" its own bacon-flavored product a little too close to April Fools' Day for comfort. When asked about the product's existence, Proctor & Gamble representatives have given coy responses, according to the Huffington Post.

Whether Scope is joining the trend or not, there is plenty to feast your eyes on in the bacon business.

Check out a list of the greatest non-edible bacon products to hit the market, compiled by online magazine IAMTHETREND.

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