Nation Digest
Toddlers die; Texas flood toll now 5

LOUIS DELUCA / THE DALLAS MORNING NEWS Local residents look at the wreckage of a car yesterday as it lies in a creek in Fort Worth, Texas. The driver and her young son died Friday night after she tried to drive across a flooded road.

E-mail this article Print this article Search archive Most e-mailed articles

CORSICANA, Texas — Two toddlers swept away in a stalled car were found dead yesterday, bringing to five the number of people killed in North Texas floods during weekend storms.

Police said the toddlers were in their father's car Friday after it stalled on a bridge in Corsicana. The children's father was trying to pull them from the vehicle when it was carried away by floodwaters, police said.

The body of a man whose vehicle was submerged by rising waters also was found yesterday. The vehicle's passenger escaped, police said.

In Fort Worth, a woman and her 2-year-old son died Friday night after she tried to drive across a flooded road, a fire-department spokesman said.

The woman's 1-year-old son, who was presumed dead, had not been found by late yesterday.

Storms continued on into the Houston area yesterday, bringing hail and at least one tornado.

Illinois diocese in contempt over accused retired priest

BELLEVILLE, Ill. — The Roman Catholic diocese led by Bishop Wilton Gregory, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, has been held in contempt of court for refusing to release the mental-health records of a retired priest accused of child sexual abuse.

The judge ordered the diocese and the priest, the Rev. Raymond Kownacki, to release the files, pay a $2,000 fine and reimburse the plaintiff for legal fees.

The diocese is appealing the ruling, issued Feb. 27 by Judge Lloyd Cueto of the 20th Circuit Court in St. Clair County. The New York Times learned about the unpublicized decision last week.
 
Lawyers for abuse victims said this was the first such contempt ruling against a diocese that they knew of.

More concessions sought as writers' contract expires

LOS ANGELES — Hollywood writers meeting with producers for a sixth consecutive day sought a larger share of profits from the $15 billion DVD market in the final hours before their contract was set to expire yesterday.

The contract covering 11,000 TV and movie writers was to expire at midnight, but the Writers Guild of America indicated it would consider extending talks with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Both sides declined to comment. Producers, however, likely want a contract in hand to show advertisers by May 17, when the sale of time for TV commercials begins for the next season.

The last strike in 1988 delayed the start of the fall TV season. Thanks to the success of series such as "The Apprentice" this season, however, networks might be able to compensate by offering more unscripted reality shows.

Prevention of inmate abortion ruled not violation of rights

NEW ORLEANS — Medical workers at a Louisiana jail did not violate an inmate's civil rights by preventing her from having an abortion because the procedure was not "medically necessary," a federal appellate court has ruled.

In its opinion Friday, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the prison's policy of requiring a court order for elective medical procedures.

William Rittenberg, the woman's attorney, declined to say whether his client would appeal. The woman, identified in court documents as Victoria W., became pregnant in 1999, carried the baby to term and placed it with adoptive parents.

Victoria W. learned of her pregnancy upon her incarceration after her probation was revoked in 1999. She was released on Oct. 13 of that year, too late to obtain a legal abortion in Louisiana.

Pair charged after photo lab finds toddler with pot pipe

BARDSTOWN, Ky. — A man and woman were arrested after an employee at a photo lab saw pictures of a toddler posing with a marijuana pipe.

John R. Gray, 20, and Elizabeth Lyvers, 24, were charged with first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, a felony. Police also charged Gray with one count of marijuana possession and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia.

The photographs appeared to show Lyvers' son, about 3, smoking marijuana from a water pipe, authorities said. Police said the couple maintain the water pipe did not contain marijuana.

Delta flights grounded because of computer glitch

ATLANTA — A computer glitch kept Atlanta-bound Delta Air Lines flights on the ground for about two hours yesterday, but the company gradually was restoring service to its main hub.

Flights that were in the air at the time the glitch arose were allowed to land in Atlanta, Delta spokeswoman Liza Caceres said.

Caceres did not have immediate information on the number of flights still being held at gates late yesterday.