Search resumes for missing SHSU student

Authorities have stepped up their search for a Sam Houston State University student who went missing after visiting friends at a Montgomery County sports bar last week.

Texas EquuSearch is canvassing the area near I-45 and Sawdust road today, using all-terrain vehicles and conducting foot searches in wooded areas.

EquuSearch's Ken DeFoor said the search has not yet turned up new details.

Thomas Murray Jr., called "T.J." by family and friends, was last seen leaving On the Rocks sports bar on Sawdust Road just after midnight Oct. 19, according to the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office. Murray had just umpired a Little League baseball game and went to the club with his friends after the game.

Murray called his father on his cellphone about 12:30 a.m. to let him know he was leaving his father's truck at On the Rocks and was riding with friends to Rookies, another bar on Sawdust Road. He called his father again to let him know he had been separated from his friends but would leave the truck at Oak Ridge High School, investigators said.

Murray's cellphone was found in a ditch near the first bar, and his pickup was in the parking lot. Deputies said there appear to be no signs of foul play.

Murray is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall, with blue eyes and weighing 140 pounds. He was last seen wearing shorts and a red T-shirt with white lettering.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Keith Funderburk at the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office at 936-760-5876 or the dispatcher at 936-760-5800.

Quake shakes South Texas ...

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A shallow, moderate earthquake struck southern Texas (TX) on Thursday morning, according to the United States Geological Survey (USGS). It was the strongest earthquakes to hit the U.S. state in 45 years.

The 4.8 magnitude quake, upgraded from 4.6mb, occured at 07:25 AM local time (13:25 PM GMT) and was recorded at an extremely shallow depth of 3km (1.9 miles). It struck below Fashing, but was felt as far as Corpus Christi, San Antonio and Austin.

The epicentre of the quake was located 22 km (14 miles) NW (321°) from Pawnee, TX; 23 km (14 miles) SSW (213°) from Falls City, TX; 26 km (16 miles) WSW (249°) from Karnes City, TX; 60 km (37 miles) NW of Beeville, TX; 76 km (47 miles) SSE (154°) from San Antonio, TX; 92 km (57 miles) E of Pearsall, TX; 166 km (103 miles) SSW of AUSTIN, TX; and 463 km (288 miles) SSW (197°) from Dallas, TX.

The last time Texas experienced a tremor similar in intensity to Thursday’s quake was on July 20, 1966. The magnitude 4.8 earthquake was centred in the Panhandle, near Borger and Amarillo.

The most recent earthquake to strike the region hit on 25 April, 2010. The 4.0 magnitude earthquake was recorded 56 km west of Corpus Christi.

Assistant principal at Humble school accused of assaulting student

HUMBLE, TX (KTRK) -- The problem of bullying in schools has become a major issue over the past couple of years. We are hearing about a student at Humble Middle School who says he was being picked on by a bully. But he says it wasn't another student, it was the assistant principal.

Mother April Palmer said, "Well, he showed me. He just basically told me it was a push, like that, you know, unexpectedly."

Palmer is pretty upset right now. She says an assistant principal from Humble Middle School assaulted her eighth-grade child two weeks ago.

"His head was pushed into the table top, the cafeteria table top because he was talking," Palmer said.

The school district says the alleged incident happened during a lunch period on September 16. Palmer says she found out about the assault four days later when the school's principal called her home.

"He told me it was true, that the assistant principal was removed from the school, and that he wouldn't be there again," Palmer explained. "He apologized for what happened, and that he would look into it."

Palmer says her son didn't immediately tell her about the attack because he was afraid of that assistant principal. She says the boy claims it's not the first time the man has hit him.

"My son was explaining to me that he's been picking at him, pretty much bullying him for over the last year," Palmer said.

In a statement released by Humble ISD, spokeswoman Karen Collier says, "Whenever there is an allegation of a possible assault of a student by an employee, the accused is placed on leave with pay during the investigation. This is done to protect all parties until the allegation is thoroughly investigated and resolved."

Palmer says her son is still complaining of headaches. And she just wants to make sure it doesn't happen again.

For now, Humble ISD police are still investigating. No charges have been filed.