David Sentendrey

Blessed. Emmy-Award Winning Reporter at FOX 4 News Dallas-Fort Worth. Ohio Grown. North Carolina Raised. [email protected]. Cell: [phone].

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

VIDEO: A @FOX4 Special: The Promise of Palo Pinto Mountains State Park
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Texas will soon have a new 4,871-acre state park located about 75 miles west of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex — Palo Pinto Mountains State Park — and I had a sneak peek to shoot, produce and edit a 22-minute documentary about the @TPWDnews project.

The park sits on former ranch land and features rolling hills, unique rock formations, diverse habitats, 16+ miles of trail system — and the 90-acre Tucker Lake.

I had one day to drive two hours — each way — and collect content. I used my Sony A7 for static shots/interviews, and a combination of an iPhone and GoPro for walk-and-talks/moving shots. I spent 20+ hours logging, producing and editing it all together. I work with a photographer daily in my reporter role at FOX 4 News — but shot and edited all of my stories while working at my previous station between 2013 and 2019. I love to shoot and edit in my spare time — so, my news director brought this idea to me — knowing I’d have fun putting it together.

I think it’s a healthy mixture of clean, intentional shooting/editing — with raw, YouTuber-esque scenes. At least that’s what I was going for! I tried to let it breathe, while also keeping a rhythm.

We’ll be streaming/broadcasting the piece during the holidays — but until then — we’re sharing it on social media.

Much appreciation to Park Superintendent James Adams for providing access and insight — and a shoutout to Mary’s Cafe in Strawn, TX for providing a perspective on the excitement people in town are anticipating for the park.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

"I’m a damn good judge": Former Trinidad judge considers legal action after "retaliation" firing
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TRINIDAD, Texas - The former municipal judge of the City of Trinidad is considering legal action against the city after the city council fired her last Thursday.

It's the latest potential twist in a small town saga that began over water quality concerns and has now involved two arrests prompting free speech concerns, multiple firings of city employees and several lawsuits against Trinidad and its police department.

"I’m a damn good judge"
What they're saying:
"I didn’t want to be on the news. I didn’t want to be the center of this Constitutional crisis over the 1st Amendment."

Shellena Bivens was fired by the Trinidad City Council last Thursday. She's now considering legal action, saying her firing was "retaliation" for her dropping a charge against a protestor.

"I’m a good judge. I’m a damn good judge," Bivens told FOX 4's David Sentendrey.

The protestor, Winston Noles, was arrested and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct for displaying a sign with expletives directed at "bad cops."

Bivens says she dropped the charge because there was no basis for it, saying she saw no evidence the city's Water Clerk was offended by Noles as the Trinidad Police Department said she was.

"You know he was peacefully protesting," Bivens said. "He didn’t break the law."

Bivens was fired a week after dismissing the charge.

Noles was protesting the arrest of Jennifer Combs, who had previously been arrested and charged by the Trinidad Police Department after posting on Facebook that the water quality in Trinidad had caused hospitalizations.

"There’s been a lot of concern with the water," Bivens said.

No confirmed hospitalizations due to drinking the Trinidad water have been reported, but the two arrests have caused free speech concerns. Now, Bivens and her attorneys are considering legal action against Trinidad, saying her firing was unconstitutional.

"The issue we have here is that she was let go, without cause, without even a reason given — without due process," Ryan Franceschina, an attorney with GFA Law, said.

Bivens was appointed as the municipal judge of Trinidad in 2021, and her term was due to end in Dec. 2027. "We’re absolutely exploring all legal options to protect Judge Bivens’ job as well as the judiciary in Trinidad."

Bivens' firing came after several weeks of arrests and lawsuits stemming from water quality concerns in Trinidad.

On May 20, FOX 4 reported that Combs was charged with felony false alarm by the Trinidad Police Department after making an April Facebook post concerning the city's water issues.

Her post stated that people had been hospitalized after drinking the city's water. Trinidad Police Chief Charles Gregory responded by saying Combs’ post "creates fear, panic, or unnecessary emergency response within a community."

A Henderson County grand jury declined to indict Combs, who has since filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Trinidad and Gregory which alleges she was arrested in "an act of deliberate political retaliation."

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) confirmed to FOX 4 it received a complaint regarding the water quality in Trinidad, and that an investigation is ongoing.

One day after FOX 4's initial report, Noles protested outside Trinidad City Hall with a sign with expletives targeting "bad cops." Noles was arrested and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct for the sign. Bivens later dismissed the charge.

On Wednesday, May 27, Alex Estrada and Colby Reyes, two former Trinidad employees, filed a lawsuit against the city claiming the city administrator fired them without cause.

Reyes, the former Trinidad Water Clerk, says in the lawsuit that she was fired because she "refused to lie" on behalf of Gregory and City Administrator Cynthia Dosier.

Reyes' lawsuit claims Gregory publicly fabricated a story that Reyes was frightened by Noles in order to arrest him, in which Reyes says she put in writing she was "never offended" by Noles.

A law firm representing Estrada and Reyes and Consumer Wellness Center Labs are organizing free independent water testing for people on Trinidad's water supply as the TCEQ investigation continues.

At the May 28 Trinidad City Council meeting where Bivens was fired, the issue of water quality in Trinidad was never addressed.

C.J. Grisham, an attorney representing Combs, spoke directly to Chief Gregory, telling him: "You have dishonored your badge, this department, and every good officer who wears one."

Gregory, who made his first public comments since FOX 4 initially reported on the story, said he had "nothing to hide" in relation to Combs and Noles' arrests.

Trinidad Mayor Dennis Haws suggested to Sentendrey that the Texas Rangers should investigate the city and its police department after the recent arrests and water issues have come to light.

Any residents using Trinidad's water who want to take part in free testing can email [email protected] for more information.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

VIDEO: Dallas Mavericks leaving downtown for new Far North Dallas arena site @FOX4
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DALLAS - The Dallas Mavericks have chosen a site for their new arena, one that will take the team out of downtown Dallas for the first time in the team's history.

The Mavs have chosen the site of the old Valley View Mall in Far North Dallas to build a new arena and entertainment district.

The team has entered into option agreements to purchase the land, which covers 104 acres near Preston Road and the LBJ Freeway.

"The Valley View site meets most of the criteria established at the outset of our evaluation process. It is our goal to stay in the City of Dallas, and we believe this site provides the strongest opportunity to achieve that goal," the team said in a statement.

"We have the opportunity to create a vibrant mixed-use destination anchored by a state-of-the-art arena, along with restaurants, entertainment options, public green spaces and family-friendly experiences. Done thoughtfully and with community engagement, a project of this scale will serve as a meaningful economic catalyst for Dallas and its residents."

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert released the following statement on the Mavs' move:

"The Dallas Mavericks' ownership has informed the City that it has signed an option agreement for 104 acres at the former Valley View Mall site for a potential new arena. We applaud the Dallas Mavericks organization for its continued commitment to our city. We will continue working with the Dallas Mavericks throughout this process and will do everything we can to support the team’s enduring partnership with Dallas."

Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua provided the following statement to FOX 4:

"Today, our city received great news that the Dallas Mavericks would remain in Dallas and will be relocating to the Valley View site. This is great news for many reasons. First and foremost, we get to keep our beloved Dallas Mavericks within our city limits, but we also get to develop a site that has been vacant for far too long in a location with economic development tools already in place to infuse money in southern Dallas in the Red Bird community. In addition to these reasons, we cannot ignore that this helps us also preserve and invest in Dallas City Hall.

This is why diligent leadership doesn’t count chickens before they hatch, as demonstrated by some Council Members’ willingness to make a generational decision for an organization that hadn’t yet decided on their new stadium location. I want to thank the Mavericks organization for listening to the clear consensus of the residents of Dallas, in ways that some of their elected leaders refused to do.

Now, more than ever before, I am hopeful that we can have an honest discussion on Wednesday about the state of City Hall and next steps to restore the people’s house. At the very least, we can continue this discussion with no arbitrary time restraints, which should allow for us to get to the best possible outcome for the taxpayers of our city."

Beck Ventures, which owns the land the Valley View Mall site is located on, released the following statement:

"For twelve years, Beck Ventures has been honored to steward the Valley View property while working alongside the City of Dallas and North Dallas neighborhoods with the conviction that this site would one day anchor a transformation of our city. Linda Koop and Tennell Atkins had the foresight to structure the Dallas Midtown and Valley View TIF districts as a barbell, inextricably connecting Redbird and Valley View so that a world-class development at one end of the barbell directly benefits the other, possibly unlocking over $100 million in tax increment available to Redbird Mall and its surrounding communities. The Dallas Mavericks are exactly the kind of transformational partner this vision deserves, and we look forward to seeing them build a world-class basketball arena and entertainment neighborhood that becomes the northern anchor of a stronger, more unified Dallas."

Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban provided the following statement to FOX 4 on the Mavs' arena decision:

"I like it. It's in the city. Accessible from 635 and the tollway. Lots of positives."

Mavs CEO Rick Welts had previously stated the team would like to decide their future arena location by July 1. Now, the team has beaten that deadline by a month.

In January, the team reportedly narrowed their search to two locations: the current Dallas City Hall location and the former Valley View Mall site in Far North Dallas.

In April, the Mavs polled season ticket holders on where they would like a potential new arena to be built. That poll featured three options: sites in Downtown Dallas, North Dallas, and a regional suburban location.

The team's interest in Dallas City Hall had been reported for months. Welts told a business luncheon in March he and Dallas City Manager Kim Tolbert had conversations "over a year ago" about using the current Dallas City Hall location for a new arena.

Instead, the team will look to build a new arena outside of Downtown Dallas for the first time in team history. The Mavericks have called the American Airlines Center home since 2001, and formerly played at Reunion Arena in downtown.

"Go Mavs. Hopefully they’ll bring us good business."

KaiJai Alaman owns Best Thing Flopping, a seafood restaurant near the Valley View Mall site. He tells FOX 4's David Sentendrey he hopes his restaurant will offer a cheaper alternative to the food at the new arena.

"This will be a good pre-game spot. You’re right across the street from the parking lot, you know?"

Alaman isn't concerned about how a new Mavericks arena could affect his rent.

"I wouldn’t put that as a concern. I feel like we can stand on our own and I feel like with the right intentions and the good motives, we can all make money and be successful and make it thrive together," Alaman told Sentendrey. "But, if they come in, of course, we’ll negotiate and try to stay as long as we can."

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

https://t.co/5l4Ob7BdlX

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

VIDEO: Dallas gas explosion at apartment complex leaves three dead, sends multiple to hospital @heatherhaysfox4 @caseystegall @AmeliaJonesTV
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DALLAS - A suspected gas explosion and fire were reported on Thursday at an apartment building in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. Officials confirmed that at least three people were killed in the explosion, including a child.

The fire was reported around 1:15 p.m. near the corner of East 9th Street and North Patton Avenue at The Clyde apartments.

Dallas Fire-Rescue confirmed there were three fatalities from the explosion. Two women and a child were killed.

At least four people have been taken to a hospital for treatment. One person is in critical condition.

Crews are expected to remain overnight to continue recovery efforts. Residents who have been displaced will be provided hotel accommodations for the night.

Sources told FOX 4 that DFR crews were en route to the location to investigate reports of a gas leak when the explosion occurred.

Images from SKY 4 showed a small apartment complex that was fully engulfed in flames. The windows on neighboring buildings appeared to be blown out and debris was scattered across the street. There also appeared to be a utility truck that was affected by the fire.

A large plume of black smoke was initially visible in Dallas for miles.

At about 3:30 p.m., DFR upgraded its response to five alarms with more than 100 firefighters.

While people in the area reported hearing an explosion, the exact cause of the fire is still unknown.

It's still not yet clear how many people were in the building at the time and how many people were hurt in total.

A Thursday evening press conference did not address how many residents are accounted for or unaccounted for.

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and other city leaders did take a moment to ask for prayers for the families who are affected.

"I want to encourage our entire city, this entire state and entire nation, to come together and pray for all the people, all the families who are affected by this tragedy we are experiencing here today in our city. We ask everyone to please pray for our Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel who are still fighting this fire. They do an amazing job under very, very difficult circumstances like this. And we just pray that they will be safe while they try to save and help every single person they can affected by this," said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.

Neighbors said they heard a loud boom, and they felt their own apartments shake.

"I was chilling in my living room and bam, loud explosion. I mean, what I now know to be an explosion. But I thought a car ran into my house was my guess. My dogs went nuts. I started to kind of check in just through the windows. I'm like, ‘What the hell was that?’ I walked outside and then some of my neighbors were already outside kind of looking to the east from Bishop Arts District and there was a massive plume of smoke," said Mike Sirois, who lives nearby.

Sirois was initially worried that the smoke was coming from Adamson High School, which is nearby. Thankfully, it was not.

Dallas radio personality Hawkeye, from Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3, was also in the area at the time.

"I just saw the flames, the smoke. You can see the smoke from about two miles away," he said. "I didn't hear the explosion, but I will tell you there are a number of ambulances here. I mean a ton of them here."

'Hawkeye' reports from scene of explosion at Dallas apartment building

Oak Cliff resident Kacee tells FOX 4's David Sentendrey she had just moved into her new apartment complex last week.

On Thursday, she left to run errands, and returned to the building on fire. All of her belongings were in the apartment that caught fire, including her 14-year-old cat Shirley.

"I don't know what to do. This is everything I have right here," Kacee told FOX 4's David Sentendrey.

Rodney Brown tells FOX 4's Amelia Jones he was able to rescue a young girl from the apartment before more flames engulfed it.

"She was a baby," Brown said. "My instinct was that I seen her and I wanted to help."

Brown says the victim told him her mother and siblings were in the apartment complex, but he was unable to return to the apartment after the fire had spread.

The Dallas Independent School District confirmed that everyone is safe at Adamson High School, which is near where the explosion happened.

School is out for the summer, but there were reportedly some teachers in the building. Those staff members were sent home out of an abundance of caution, the district said.

The school building is now being used as a family assistance center for those who were affected by what happened.

The National Transportation Safety Board says it is starting an investigation into the explosion.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

VIDEO: Trinidad City Council fires municipal judge who dropped charge against police protestor @FOX4
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TRINIDAD, Texas - Trinidad City Council members fired the city's municipal judge after she dismissed charges against a protestor, but the water issues the city has been experiencing were not discussed during Thursday's city council meeting.

It was the first time Trinidad's city council had met since two people, Jennifer Combs and Winston Noles, were arrested for speaking about the water issues the city is experiencing.

Combs has since filed a lawsuit against the city, as have Alex Estrada and Colby Reyes, two former Trinidad employees who say they were wrongfully terminated in connection to Noles' protest.

C.J. Grisham, an attorney representing Combs, spoke directly to Trinidad Police Chief Charles Gregory, telling him: "You have dishonored your badge, this department, and every good officer who wears one."

Gregory, who made his first public comments since FOX 4 initially reported on the story, said he has "nothing to hide."

"I don’t care anymore. I’ve kept my mouth shut for a long time now. News, are you listening? I want everybody to let me speak," Gregory said. "He made a comment on the news that he wanted the Texas Rangers to come in here and investigate — I welcome them because I have nothing to hide."

Gregory was referring to Trinidad Mayor Dennis Haws, who had previously suggested the Texas Rangers investigate the city's issues.

During the meeting, the city also voted to fire Municipal Judge Shellena Bivens, who had dropped the charge against Noles last week.

"I will reiterate to the whole world watching now. I’ve been a good judge," Bivens said. "A damn good judge, I believe, is what I told y’all last time. I’ve done nothing illegal, immoral, unethical."

The water issues at the heart of this story that are still affecting Trinidad residents were not brought up at the meeting.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) confirmed to FOX 4 it received a complaint regarding the water quality in Trinidad, and that an investigation is ongoing.

The law firm representing Estrada and Consumer Wellness Center Labs are organizing free independent water testing for people on Trinidad's water supply as the TCEQ investigation continues.

The drama at the city council meeting comes after several weeks of arrests and lawsuits stemming from water quality concerns in Trinidad.

On May 20, FOX 4 reported that Combs was charged with felony false alarm by the Trinidad Police Department after making an April Facebook post concerning the city's water issues.

Her post stated that people had been hospitalized after drinking the city's water. Gregory responded by saying Combs’ post "creates fear, panic, or unnecessary emergency response within a community."

A Henderson County grand jury declined to indict Combs, who has since filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Trinidad and Gregory which alleges she was arrested in "an act of deliberate political retaliation."

One day after FOX 4's initial report, Noles protested outside Trinidad City Hall with a sign with expletives targeting "bad cops."

Noles was arrested and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct for the sign. A municipal judge has since dismissed the charges against Noles.

On Wednesday, May 27, two former Trinidad employees filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming the city administrator fired them without cause.

Reyes, the former Trinidad Water Clerk, says in the lawsuit that she was fired because she "refused to lie" on behalf of Gregory and City Administrator Cynthia Dosier.

Reyes' lawsuit claims Gregory publicly fabricated a story that Reyes was frightened by Noles last week in order to arrest him, in which Reyes says she put in writing she was "never offended" by Noles.

Any residents using Trinidad's water who want to take part in free testing can email [email protected] for more information.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

NEW: Three fatalities of people located inside debris, according to @DallasFireRes_q. Two females and one child.

Three others injured were transported to hospitals. One critical but stable. The other two released/will be released. Two self-transported with minor injuries addressed.

More on @FOX4 News at 9/10.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

VIDEO: A mother sent me video of a suspected gas explosion and fire reported on Thursday at an apartment building in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas.

The fire was reported around 1:15 p.m. near the corner of East 9th Street and North Patton Avenue.
Dallas Fire-Rescue confirmed there were fatalities from the explosion.

"There have been fatalities at this point. We can all confirm that there are fatalities. We are still working through the recovery phase. So let us work through the recovery phase and give you a total number," Chief Mark Berry said.

At least four people have been taken to a hospital for treatment. Officials now confirm they are now in recovery mode, which could take two to four hours or more.

Sources told FOX 4 that DFR crews were en route to the location to investigate reports of a gas leak when the explosion occurred.

Images from SKY 4 showed a small apartment complex that was fully engulfed in flames. The windows on neighboring buildings appeared to be blown out and debris was scattered across the street. There also appeared to be a utility truck that was affected by the fire.

A large plume of black smoke was initially visible in Dallas for miles.
At about 3:30 p.m., DFR upgraded its response to five alarms with more than 100 firefighters.

While people in the area reported hearing an explosion, the exact cause of the fire is still unknown. 
Dallas police and city leaders held a news conference on Thursday afternoon but would not answer any questions from reporters.
It's still not yet clear how many people were in the building at the time and how many people were hurt in total.

"The fire is contained, but our members are still working on the scene to do primary searches. We put a drone in the air to canvas the area to see if we have any, if we see any victims or anything around," said DFR Assistant Chief James Ross. "At this time, it's unknown how many possible fatalities we may have."

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and other city leaders did take a moment to ask for prayers for the families who are affected.

"I want to encourage our entire city, this entire state and entire nation, to come together and pray for all the people, all the families who are affected by this tragedy we are experiencing here today in our city. We ask everyone to please pray for our Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel who are still fighting this fire.

They do an amazing job under very, very difficult circumstances like this. And we just pray that they will be safe while they try to save and help every single person they can affected by this," said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.

Neighbors said they heard a loud boom, and they felt their own apartments shake. 
"I was chilling in my living room and bam, loud explosion. I mean, what I now know to be an explosion. But I thought a car ran into my house was my guess. My dogs went nuts. I started to kind of check in just through the windows. I'm like, ‘What the hell was that?’ I walked outside and then some of my neighbors were already outside kind of looking to the east from Bishop Arts District and there was a massive plume of smoke," said Mike Sirois, who lives nearby.

Sirois was initially worried that the smoke was coming from Adamson High School, which is nearby. Thankfully, it was not.

Dallas radio personality Hawkeye, from Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3, was also in the area at the time. 

"I just saw the flames, the smoke. You can see the smoke from about two miles away," he said. "I didn't hear the explosion, but I will tell you there are a number of ambulances here. I mean a ton of them here."

The Dallas Independent School District confirmed that everyone is safe at Adamson High School, which is near where the explosion happened.

School is out for the summer, but there were reportedly some teachers in the building. Those staff members were sent home out of an abundance of caution, the district said.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

VIDEO: A mother sent me video of a suspected gas explosion and fire reported on Thursday at an apartment building in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas.

The fire was reported around 1:15 p.m. near the corner of East 9th Street and North Patton Avenue.
Dallas Fire-Rescue confirmed there were fatalities from the explosion.

"There have been fatalities at this point. We can all confirm that there are fatalities. We are still working through the recovery phase. So let us work through the recovery phase and give you a total number," Chief Mark Berry said.

At least four people have been taken to a hospital for treatment. Officials now confirm they are now in recovery mode, which could take two to four hours or more.

Sources told FOX 4 that DFR crews were en route to the location to investigate reports of a gas leak when the explosion occurred.

Images from SKY 4 showed a small apartment complex that was fully engulfed in flames. The windows on neighboring buildings appeared to be blown out and debris was scattered across the street. There also appeared to be a utility truck that was affected by the fire.

A large plume of black smoke was initially visible in Dallas for miles.
At about 3:30 p.m., DFR upgraded its response to five alarms with more than 100 firefighters.

While people in the area reported hearing an explosion, the exact cause of the fire is still unknown. 
Dallas police and city leaders held a news conference on Thursday afternoon but would not answer any questions from reporters.
It's still not yet clear how many people were in the building at the time and how many people were hurt in total.

"The fire is contained, but our members are still working on the scene to do primary searches. We put a drone in the air to canvas the area to see if we have any, if we see any victims or anything around," said DFR Assistant Chief James Ross. "At this time, it's unknown how many possible fatalities we may have."

Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson and other city leaders did take a moment to ask for prayers for the families who are affected.

"I want to encourage our entire city, this entire state and entire nation, to come together and pray for all the people, all the families who are affected by this tragedy we are experiencing here today in our city. We ask everyone to please pray for our Dallas Fire-Rescue personnel who are still fighting this fire.

They do an amazing job under very, very difficult circumstances like this. And we just pray that they will be safe while they try to save and help every single person they can affected by this," said Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson.

Neighbors said they heard a loud boom, and they felt their own apartments shake. 
"I was chilling in my living room and bam, loud explosion. I mean, what I now know to be an explosion. But I thought a car ran into my house was my guess. My dogs went nuts. I started to kind of check in just through the windows. I'm like, ‘What the hell was that?’ I walked outside and then some of my neighbors were already outside kind of looking to the east from Bishop Arts District and there was a massive plume of smoke," said Mike Sirois, who lives nearby.

Sirois was initially worried that the smoke was coming from Adamson High School, which is nearby. Thankfully, it was not.

Dallas radio personality Hawkeye, from Hawkeye in the Morning on 96.3, was also in the area at the time. 

"I just saw the flames, the smoke. You can see the smoke from about two miles away," he said. "I didn't hear the explosion, but I will tell you there are a number of ambulances here. I mean a ton of them here."

The Dallas Independent School District confirmed that everyone is safe at Adamson High School, which is near where the explosion happened.

School is out for the summer, but there were reportedly some teachers in the building. Those staff members were sent home out of an abundance of caution, the district said.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

VIDEO: Former Trinidad employees file wrongful termination lawsuit against city after water issues come to light @FOX4
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TRINIDAD, Texas - Another lawsuit has been filed against the North Texas town of Trinidad, this time after two employees say they were unjustly fired in relation to last week's arrests over the city's water quality concerns.

Alex Estrada worked for the City of Trinidad for more than three years, most recently in its Street Department. His sister, Colby Reyes, was the city's former Water Clerk.

They've filed a lawsuit that claims Cynthia Dosier, the City Administrator, fired them both on the same day because the former Water Clerk "refused to lie" on behalf of Dosier and Trinidad Police Chief Charles Gregory.

Estrada's lawsuit claims Chief Gregory publicly fabricated a story that Reyes was frightened by a protestor outside of Trinidad City Hall last week in order to arrest him.

The lawsuit alleges the Water Clerk put in writing she was "never offended" by the protestor, but Dosier fired both employees "on the very same morning," and "without any legitimate cause."

The lawsuit lists Dosier, Gregory and the City of Trinidad as defendants. Dosier did not respond to FOX 4's request for comment.

The protestor arrested last week was one of two individuals arrested in Trinidad over the city's water concerns that have raised free speech concerns.

Winston Noles, a citizen journalist who runs a YouTube channel called Otto the Watchdog, livestreamed his protest at Trinidad City Hall with a sign that read "*expletive* bad cops" last Thursday.

He was arrested and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct for the sign. A municipal judge has since dismissed the charges against Noles.

In early May, Jennifer Combs was charged with felony false alarm by the Trinidad Police Department after making an April Facebook post concerning the city's water issues.

Her post stated that people had been hospitalized after drinking the city's water, which Chief Gregory said Combs’ post "creates fear, panic, or unnecessary emergency response within a community."

A Henderson County grand jury declined to indict Combs, who has since filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Trinidad and Gregory which alleges she was arrested in "an act of deliberate political retaliation."

FOX 4 continues to receive images of dirty, discolored water coming from Trinidad. Combs described the city's water supply as looking like "the Trinity River is flowing from their water taps."

A water boil had previously been issued for Trinidad on Apr. 21, several weeks after both Combs' post concerning the water problems. The boil was lifted on Apr. 23.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) confirmed to FOX 4 it received a complaint regarding the water quality in Trinidad, and that an investigation is ongoing.

The law firm representing Estrada and Consumer Wellness Center Labs are organizing free independent water testing for people on Trinidad's water supply as the TCEQ investigation continues.

City officials have not shied away from discussing the water issues Trinidad has had. No hospitalizations from the water have been confirmed.

FOX 4 obtained documents from the Henderson County District Attorney and County Attorney alerting credibility concerns towards Chief Gregory in 2022 and 2024, when he worked at a different department.

The documents allege that Gregory "made false statements to an officer who was then an officer with the Trinidad Police Department."

When asked for comment, Gregory cited the pending lawsuits as a reason for not speaking.

"This is the wrong reason that the city is on the map for."

Estrada tells FOX 4's David Sentendrey he believes the issue with the city's water lies within the underground system that brings water from the water tower. "They didn’t maintain the water lines correctly, in my opinion."

The lawsuit claims: "Plaintiffs were fired because Colby Reyes refused to lie on behalf of defendants to cover up an unlawful arrest, because Alexc Estrada filed a formal written complaint of public-concern misconduct against the City Manager (Administrator), and because each plaintiff stood on the wrong side of the City's retaliatory machine."

His lawsuit states that Dosier told him and his sister: "I’m firing you, and honey, I’m firing you too. Y’all are done here."

"I know that God’s got us, in all honesty. The truth will come out," Estrada said.

Dennis Haws believes an outside agency needs to investigate the entire situation in Trinidad, and suggested the Texas Rangers should take a look.

"There’s been enough smoke — and we need to find out if there’s a fire," Haws said.

On Chief Gregory's role in the story, Haws said: "He’s going to have to at some point make some sort of statement about what his thoughts were."

On Thursday, the Trinidad City Council is scheduled to debate firing its newly-hired city attorney, as well as the municipal judge who dropped the charges against Noles.

Haws says he was not consulted on the meeting's agenda.

"That’s our focus and that’s what we’re going to put out there? For everybody that’s watching?" Haws said. "Instead of dealing with the water?"

Any residents using Trinidad's water who want to take part in free testing can email [email protected] for more information.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

VIDEO: Paxton trounces Cornyn in Texas GOP Senate runoff @FOX4
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Incumbent Sen. John Cornyn has lost his runoff election against Texas AG Ken Paxton.

Paxton will face Democratic state Rep. James Talarico in the Nov. 3 general election.

Both candidates were found to be trailing hypothetical head-to-heads against Democratic nominee James Talarico last month and voters were split then on who was the better challenger for the Austin Democrat.

November will still be a challenge for Democrats. No Democrat has won a statewide election in Texas since 1994.

Paxton and Cornyn spent much of the runoff cycle attacking each other on social media and in ads. Before the runoff, spending across both the Democratic and Republican primaries had made it the most expensive U.S. Senate primary race in history.

That spending continued during the lead up to the runoff, with ad spending breaking $16 million for Cornyn for the runoff and $3.7 million for Paxton, according to a May 13 post from AdImpact.

Last week, President Donald Trump broke a long run of silence on the race, finally endorsing Paxton over Cornyn. Texas GOP Chair Abraham George quickly called for negative ads to cease, to which Cornyn remained steadfast in his wish to "continue to tell the truth."

Cornyn has held the seat since 2002, at one point serving as the Republican minority whip. Paxton has served as AG since 2015, facing numerous controversies along the way.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

The @AP has called this race for Ken Paxton.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

NEW: I’m at @KenPaxtonTX’s watch party where the Texas Attorney General has a significant lead over @JohnCornyn for U.S. Senate — 63 percent (455,996) to 37 percent (269,875), with 44 percent of precincts reporting.

I’m told Paxton is scheduled to take stage at 8:30 p.m. CST.

We’ll continue our live reporting on this runoff election on @FOX4.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

NEW: I’m at @KenPaxtonTX’s watch party where the Texas Attorney General has a significant lead over @JohnCornyn for U.S. Senate — 63 percent (455,996) to 37 percent (269,875), with 44 percent of precincts reporting.

I’m told Paxton is scheduled to take stage at 8:30 p.m. CST.

We’ll continue our live reporting on this runoff election on @FOX4.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

@dallasjarrod @FOX4 Much appreciated, Jarrod.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

VIDEO: Charges dismissed against Trinidad water protestors as city hall closes @FOX4
...

TRINIDAD, Texas - A grand jury has now declined to indict a woman arrested over a Facebook post about water concerns in the City of Trinidad.

This was a quick decision by a grand jury, as the woman is one of two arrests related to the water controversy that will not be moving forward.

Citizen journalist Winston Noles goes by the name Otto the Watchdog.

Last week, Noles' 80,000 YouTube subscribers had live access of his arrest for holding up a sign outside the Trinidad Police Department.

On Wednesday, FOX 4 shared an exclusive interview with Jennifer Combs, a citizen journalist arrested for a Facebook post, reading, "We have received reports that some citizens have been hospitalized due to bacteria in the water. This is a serious public health concern that deserves immediate attention."

FOX 4 has received images from residents of deeply discolored water.

City leaders admit there’s a water issue that’s been going on for years, but Chief of Police Charles Gregory says no one has been hospitalized and in a social media post of his own said Combs’ post "creates fear, panic, or unnecessary emergency response within a community."

The police department charged her with felony false alarm or report.

Combs, who says she was simply trying to investigate, maintains people have reported hospitalization, and the mayor says he’s at least seen social media posts claiming the same.

"So I came out to Trinidad because I found out that the Chief of Police had arrested a lady for making a Facebook post," said Noles.

He protested Combs’ arrest with a sign we cannot show on television, reading, "*expletive* bad cops."

"We are in a crisis with the First Amendment right now," said Noles. "I don’t like the bad part of law enforcement. I like good cops."

18-minutes into Noles’ livestream, he was arrested and charged with misdemeanor disorderly conduct for the sign.

"What they did to me was so clearly unconstitutional that any reasonable officer should’ve known better," said Noles.

On Thursday, however, Trinidad’s municipal judge said Noles’ case is being dismissed, and a Henderson County Grand Jury no-billed Combs’ case, meaning it’s dismissed due to a lack of evidence.

Now, for unknown reasons, Trinidad’s City Hall is now closed until next Tuesday, while many continue to ask what exactly is going on with the water?

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality confirms to FOX 4 that an investigation into the city’s water is ongoing.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

@DallasXCEO @FOX4 @DallasExpress Much appreciated, Chris.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

@HealthRanger Can we talk about this? I’m the reporter who broke the story in Trinidad. Contact info in bio. Much appreciated.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

@GeneralMCNews One-day after our reporting, her case is being no-billed by a grand jury.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

BREAKING: A Henderson County grand jury no-billed the case related to Jennifer Combs — who was arrested for a Facebook post she made about the city of Trinidad’s water. More on @FOX4 at 9/10.

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

Woman files lawsuit after arrest for Facebook post concerning Trinidad water supply issues
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TRINIDAD, Texas - A Facebook post about problems with the City of Trinidad's water quality led to the arrest of a woman who now says she's filed a lawsuit against the city after calling the arrest "political retaliation."

Police in the City of Trinidad, located in Henderson County around an hour south-east of Dallas, charged Jennifer Combs on May 8 with felony false alarm or report.

Her arrest stems from a Facebook post she made on her ‘Southern Belle Watch' account, where she claimed that the city's water issues had led to hospitalizations due to bacteria.

The post, in part, reads:

"We have received reports that some citizens have been hospitalized due to bacteria in the water. This is a serious public health concern that deserves immediate attention. If your water looks discolored, contains sediment, has a strong odor, or you have experienced related health issues, please send us a message. We are gathering information and reporting findings to the state."

The Trinidad Police Department, in an April 6 Facebook post of their own, said Combs wrote "false information that creates fear, panic, or unnecessary emergency response within a community."

A May 10 post from Trinidad Police Chief Charles Gregory doubled down on the decision to arrest Combs.

Gregory claimed the case was "cut and dry," and Combs' claims about hospitalizations "are simply false and have only caused unnecessary fear and confusion in our community."

"It was probably one of the most humiliating things I’ve ever gone through in my entire life. It was very, very bad."

Combs, who tells FOX 4's David Sentendrey she's never received a speeding ticket, calls the ordeal of spending the night in jail "horrifying."

"I feel like this is an extreme stretch," Combs said of her arrest.

"There’s people that are saying that their appliances are getting ruined, they can’t cook with the water, they can’t bathe with it, they can’t do laundry," she continued.

"A lot of them feel hushed, and like they don’t have a voice and no one listens to them and no one takes them seriously."

Combs says multiple citizens had posted to Trinidad PD's Facebook page stating they were hospitalized or affected by consuming the city's water.

Images provided to FOX 4 show brown water coming from faucets in sinks and bathtubs within the community.

Combs described the city's water supply as looking like "the Trinity River is flowing from their water taps."

A water boil had previously been issued for Trinidad on Apr. 21, several weeks after both Combs' post and the Trinidad Police Department's post. The boil was lifted on Apr. 23.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) confirmed to FOX 4 it received a complaint regarding the water quality in Trinidad, and that an investigation is ongoing.

Trinidad officials did not deny that the city is struggling with its water supply. Dennis Haws, the Mayor of Trinidad, told Sentendrey on Tuesday that the city's water pipes date back to the 1950s.

"We have to get to a position where we can fix that infrastructure, and it’s very expensive as I’m sure you can imagine," Haws said. "The city’s water situation is a struggle, without question."

Haws would not confirm if anyone had gotten sick from drinking the city's water, but says there have been discussions on creating a committee to focus on the water issues.

At a Trinidad City Council meeting on Tuesday, the city's water issues were a hot button topic.

"The reason why everyone is here and the reason why FOX 4 is here, is because your city is acting like tyrants," one resident said.

Police Chief Gregory was not present at Tuesday's meeting.

"I really haven’t seen anything like this before."

Dale Carpenter, a constitutional law professor at SMU, questions whether a crime was committed by Combs, and believes her First Amendment rights may have been violated.

"She’s making a statement regarding a matter of great public interest and so people sometimes make false statements on matters of great public interest, and they’re allowed to do so."

Combs has since filed a federal lawsuit against the City of Trinidad, which includes Chief Gregory, another member of the Trinidad Police Department and a Trinidad City Council member.

The lawsuit states that Combs was arrested in "an act of deliberate political retaliation."

CJ Grisham, the attorney representing Combs in the case, provided the following statement to FOX 4:

"The City of Trinidad has become a cautionary tale of what happens when unchecked ego masquerades as governance. At the center of this ongoing constitutional crisis is the case of Jennifer Combs, whose unlawful treatment by city officials exposed a pattern of corruption, retaliation, and abuse of power that has infected the entire municipal apparatus. Rather than course-correct, city leadership has chosen to double down on its misconduct by engaging in an escalating campaign of retaliatory firings, punishing employees whose only offense was bearing witness to the truth or refusing to participate in the cover-up. The bitter irony is that the only individuals in this saga who have earned termination are Police Chief Gregory and City Councilwoman Marie Bannister, whose reckless abuse of authority and personal vendettas are not merely destroying careers: they are dismantling the institutional trust, public safety infrastructure, and financial stability of an entire community. Trinidad deserves leaders who serve its people, not officials who sacrifice them on the altar of wounded pride."

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

@NickStarlingPIO Congrats, Nick! You’ll be missed!

[David Sentendrey @DavidSFOX4]

No Fly Zone: Robot passenger at Love Field prompts Southwest Airlines to ban 'bots
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DALLAS - The first step for robot-kind in the aviation world will have to wait after Southwest Airlines banned human-like robots from its flights.

On May 7, an employee of The Robot Studio, a Dallas-based company, took a Southwest Airlines flight from Dallas Love Field to Las Vegas with a robotic companion named Stewie.

The Robot Studio purchased Stewie its own plane ticket, and the company made sure its battery within it was FAA compliant in order for it to fly.

Social media videos posted by The Robot Company show Stewie interacting with passengers and walking from the terminal onto the plane, much to the bewilderment of the plane's flight attendents.

The next day, Southwest Airlines updated their baggage policy to implement a robot ban including human-like and animal-like bots.

In a statement to FOX 4, Southwest Airlines said: "To ensure compliance with our guidelines for traveling safely with lithium-ion batteries, Southwest clarified its baggage policy to include robotic devices."

The airline has added a page on their website that explains the new position on robotic devices:

"Southwest Airlines does not allow human-like or animal-like robots to be transported in the cabin or as checked baggage, regardless of size or purpose. A "human‑like robot" is a robot designed to resemble or imitate a human in its appearance, movement, or behavior. An "animal-like robot" is a robot designed to resemble or imitate an animal in its appearance, movement, or behavior. All other robots, including toys, must be able to fit within a carry-on size bag and comply with existing battery restrictions."

"You know, when you see Stewie flying on an airplane, it’s hard to hate that robot."

Aaron Mehdizadeh owns The Robot Studio, a company that rents out robots like Stewie. He says they followed every precaution in order for Stewie to take its first flight.

"The battery that we used was not a safety hazard, and a lot of people online were like how can you bring a lithium battery, you’re endangering people," Mehdizadeh said. "This battery was totally under the FAA limit."

Instead, Stewie's next flight will have to wait. Mehdizadeh expects radical changes in the world of artificial intelligence and robots.

"I understand why people have the fear," he said. "But if you are aligned towards the future and position yourself to be always learning, every new AI feature that comes out, and being ahead of the curve, this could be one of the greatest things that’s ever happened in human history."

Pushkar Shinde, The Robot Company's Chief Technology Officer, compares today's stance on robots to how people felt about automobiles in the early 1920s.

"So from my perspective, this is like a very early industry," Shinde said. "It's still predominantly entertainment." @FOX4