News Reader

Larry Allen, one of the greatest Offensive linemen if not the greatest linemen to put on the Star for the Dallas Cowboys has passed away.

The Cowboys made the announcement via social media to let fans know about the former star passing.  

“Larry, known for his great athleticism and incredible strength, was one of the most respected, accomplished offensive linemen to ever play in the NFL. His versatility and dependability were also signature parts of his career,” the statement read.

Renowned as one of the greatest players in Cowboys history and among the best offensive linemen in NFL history, passed away on Sunday at the age of 52.

Allen was vacationing in Mexico with his family at the time of his death.

Allen’s career spanned 14 seasons in the NFL from 1994 to 2007, with the first 12 years spent with the Cowboys.

His excellence on the field earned him induction as a first-ballot Hall of Famer in 2013 and was also named to the NFL All-Decade team for both the 1990s and 2000s.

Throughout his career, Allen achieved numerous accolades.

He was selected for the Pro Bowl 10 times and earned seven All-Pro selections while playing for the Cowboys.

After joining the San Francisco 49ers, he added another Pro Bowl selection in 2006, bringing his total to 11.

Allen is one of only three players in Cowboys history to achieve double-digit Pro Bowl selections, highlighting his significant impact on the team and the league.

His passing comes as a great loss to the football community and his legacy will be remembered for years to come.

The post NFL Legend and Cowboys Great Larry Allen Passes Away at 52 appeared first on DeSoto Tribune.

The Edmonton Oilers are headed back to the Stanley Cup finals after defeating the Dallas Stars 2-1 to take Game 6 in the Western Conference Finals.

In front of an electrified crowd displaying immense pride for the home team, the Oilers started hot and never cooled off, scoring their first goal almost six minutes into the first period.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid scored first with one goal and an assist to help close out the series against Dallas.

On a power play in the first period, McDavid split two Dallas defenders and delivered the puck high up over Oettinger to give the Oilers the early lead.

Zach Hyman also scored on a first-period power play that gave the Oilers a 2-0 lead.

The Stars’ only goal came in the third period on a 2-on-2 matchup.

Mason Marchment gave Dallas its only score, scoring on a wrist shot midway through the third.

Oettinger had 10 saves, while Stuart Skinner stopped 34 shots for the Oilers.

After the game, McDavid breathed a sigh of relief and took it all in.

“When the horn went off, that’s the loudest I ever heard it,” McDavid told Sportsnet amid the on-ice postgame celebration as Edmonton fans chanted “We want the Cup” over and over. “Special place to play, honestly. So much history. And these fans, it was great to hear their support.”

The Oilers head to Florida to take on the Florida Panthers, who lost to the Las Vegas Golden Knights in last year’s Stanley cup Finals.

The post Edmonton Oilers Defeat the Dallas Stars to Reach Stanley Cup Finals appeared first on DeSoto Tribune.

A key supplier in the Carrollton juvenile fentanyl overdose case has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Leigha Simonton announced the sentencing of 19-year-old Julio Gonzales, Jr., also known as “J-Money,” on Wednesday.

Gonzales, who was charged in July 2023 and pleaded guilty in October 2023, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ed Kinkeade.

He faced charges of conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance.

During the sentencing hearing, evidence revealed that Gonzales was one of three primary suppliers for Luis Eduardo Navarrete.

Navarrete, 22, distributed fentanyl to students at R.L. Turner High School, Dewitt Perry Middle School, and Dan Long Middle School.

“Julio Gonzalez will spend the next 15 years in federal prison because of his involvement in supplying and distributing poison in the form of one deadly pill.  Because of that same pill, illicit fentanyl, lives have been lost and families have been forever changed,” said DEA Dallas Special Agent in Charge Eduardo A. Chávez. 

“The women and men of DEA Dallas will never stop investigating overdose and poisoning deaths and bring those responsible to justice.  We all must do our part to prevent and educate others that truly One Pill Can Kill.”

Navarrete himself was sentenced to 20 years in federal prison last week after prosecutors presented evidence indicating he ignored warnings about multiple child overdoses, including a message stating, “another youngin dead bro.”

Another key supplier, Jason Xavier Villanueva, was sentenced to 15 years in prison for conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and distribution of fentanyl to a minor.

The third supplier, Jessie Alexander Perez Martinez, is awaiting trial.

Gonzales admitted in his plea that he trafficked approximately 120,000 blue M-30 pills laced with fentanyl to Navarrete, Navarrete’s drug runner Robert Gaitan, and at least one juvenile dealer.

The pills were often sold in large quantities known as “K Packs,” containing 1,000 pills each.

Authorities arrested Gonzales on July 20 and searched his Dallas residence, uncovering 16,000 counterfeit M-30 pills, $74,294 in cash, and nine firearms.

The search also uncovered a Romanian Draco AK-47 style handgun, a Kel-Tec long-range pistol, and a Glock with a machine gun conversion device.

They also found high-capacity magazines, body armor, a vacuum sealer, digital scales, a money counter, and multiple cell phones.

This case has led to federal charges against 11 defendants and has been linked to 14 juvenile overdoses, four of which were fatal, involving children as young as 13.

“This defendant – a heavily-armed, prolific drug trafficker – was involved in providing pills that caused 14 Carrollton kids to overdose, and four of them to die,” said U.S. Attorney Leigha Simonton.

“I want to implore our community: Please, educate your children on the dangers of fentanyl. Drug traffickers are not your friends. They know one pill can kill, and they hand them over anyway.” 

The post Man Sentenced to 15 Years for Role in Juvenile Fentanyl Overdoses appeared first on DeSoto Tribune.

Students at Amber Terrace, Cockrell Hill, and The Meadows elementary schools learned the value of where food comes from through a unique school project.

The garden revitalization project, sponsored by WIPRO at the University of North Texas at Dallas, educated PreK through 5th-grade students about the origins of food and the importance of healthy eating habits.

The program incorporated both hydroponic and traditional outdoor gardening methods, allowing students to engage in hands-on learning experiences.

The hydroponic system, which grows plants using nutrient-rich water instead of soil, provided an up-close view of plant root development and the overall life cycle of plants.

Meanwhile, the outdoor garden exposed students to conventional gardening practices, including soil preparation, seed planting, weeding, and watering.

Throughout the year, students cultivated a variety of plants and observed their growth from seeds to maturity.

Through their efforts and methods of gardening, the students were able to harvest fresh produce, including tomatoes, peppers, and leafy greens.

The harvest reinforced lessons on plant care and growth and supplied healthy food for students’ families.

At the end of the harvest, students even provided DeSoto ISD superintendent Dr. Usumah Rodgers with some of the produce from the students.

Rogers praised the program’s success in fostering an interest in gardening, nutrition, and environmental stewardship among DeSoto’s youngest learners.

The school district is said to be eager to continue this initiative in the upcoming 2024-2025 school year, further nurturing the development of green thumbs among students.

For more information and to view a photo album of the project, click here.

The post Garden Project Teaches DeSoto ISD Students about Food and Health appeared first on DeSoto Tribune.