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COMO — A Hopkins County man has died when a tree he was burning fell on him. Dead at the scene was Domingo Perez, 67. Investigators say he was trapped under the burning tree and burned to death. The body has been sent to a Dallas lab for autopsy. The accident happened Monday night in a pasture on U.S. Highway 69 south of Como.

TYLER — A Tyler jury has assessed a 20 year prison term to a Smith County man for the sexual assault of a child. The sentence was handed down yesterday to Darren Ray Dickens, 45. He pled guilty last week to sexually assaulting some young teenage girls in his home. His sentencing trial was held in Tyler’s 241st State District Court.

FLINT — One person is in custody after leading officers on a nearly 30 minute chase in the southwest part of Smith County. It all started early Tuesday morning on Farm Road 2493. The car stopped near the Southern Trace subdivision near Flint after officers shot at and hit the car’s engine. Taken into custody was Brian Wesley Dowdle, 36, of Flint. He was booked into the Smith County Jail on charges of aggravated assault on a public servant, evading arrest, criminal mischief, and a parole violation. Investigators say that Dowdle nearly hit some officers who were on foot, but no injuries were reported.

LINDALE — They are still the same campuses that have been a part of Lindale ISD for decades, but they will receive new looks and new names next year. Monday night the Lindale ISD school board approved the name change of the current Lindale Primary School to College Street Elementary School with the start of the 2011-2012 school year. E.J. Moss Intermediate School will become E.J. Moss East and E.J. Moss West next year.

The name changes come in response to the district’s campus realignment after the passage of the 2009 bond election. The $42 million bond includes the construction of a new junior high campus and the addition of classrooms at the high school to eliminate overcrowding. The district approved the realignment of several campuses to help with future student population growth. The current primary campus serves students in first and second grade. Under the 2011-2012 realignment, the campus would serve grades 1-3. Velma Penny Elementary School currently educates students in grades 3-4. The realignment calls for Velma Penny to also serve students in grades 1-3 starting next year.

“A new name was necessary to prevent confusion concerning our two elementary campuses,” LISD Superintendent Stan Surratt said. “College Street Elementary School is a great name because the campus is on College Street, helping to identify the location. It is also symbolic in that we will prepare our young students for college careers if they chose to pursue degrees.”

E.J. Moss Intermediate School will also have a new identity. The campus neighbors the current Lindale Junior High School. The two campuses will be joined to form one school next year. Lindale Junior High School will move to its new building. When the two buildings are connected, the current intermediate campus will be known as E.J. Moss East, and the former junior high building will be E.J. Moss West. Fourth grade students and half of the fifth grade will work out of the E.J. Moss East building, and half of fifth grade and all of sixth grade will work out of E.J. Moss West. There will be functioning cafeterias in each building, two gymnasiums, and two offices. “I am most excited about our plan that prepares this school district for the next 10 to 12 years,” Surratt said. “This plan will provide every campus with room for growth.”

Lindale ISD has grown from 3,338 students in May 2007 to currently 3,778 students, a rate of growth of 13.2%. The campus realignment will give College Street Elementary and Velma Penny Elementary schools capacities of 600. The projected enrollment is 427 students at each campus next year. EJ Moss East and West will have a capacity of 1,200 with a projected enrollment of 838 students. The high school expansion will allow for a capacity of 1,460 students with a projected enrollment for next year of 1,128.

LONGVIEW — According to Longview City Secretary Shelly Ballenger, two candidates have filed to run in the May 14 General Election for City Council. In District 3, 52-year-old administrator/educator Carlton W. Mitchell has filed for the post currently held by Sidney Bell Willis. In District 4, 75-year-old incumbent Wayne Frost has filed for another term. Filing for a place on the ballot began on February 12 and continues through March 14. The last day for a regular write-in candidate to declare candidacy for the General Election is March 21.

HALLSVILLE — An East Texas school chief is asked to leave his post. Hallsville ISD board members met Monday. During the meeting, board member Harold Hunt asked Superintendent Greg Wright to resign. The district recently had to pay the Texas Education Agency over $7 million following unfavorable financial reports. Wright did not respond to Hunt’s comments, and the board took no action on the request.

BEAUMONT – Authorities say a major fugitive wanted on an outstanding Polk County warrant for murder has been arrested by U.S. Marshals of the Joint East Texas Fugitive Apprehension Task Force, Nacogdoches Police Department and Nacogdoches Sheriff’s Office. Cordell Renard Green was being sought by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office. He’s charged with the murder of Heather Dorris, 25, in Polk County.

On February 11, the United States Marshals Service received a request from the Polk County Sheriff’s Office requesting assistance in locating and apprehending Green. During the course of the investigation, deputies received information placing Green in Alto. Deputies, along with the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, Alto Police Department, and Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, responded to Alto in an attempt to locate Green. Authorities say Green was able to elude law enforcement until early Saturday morning when a tip from the Alto community placed Green in a wooded area west of town. Cherokee County authorities, the Alto Police Department, a DPS air unit, and a Texas Department of Criminal Justice K-9 unit were reportedly able to track Green through the wooded area to County Road 2501, where authorities say it appears he was picked up by an unknown accomplice.

On Sunday, the USMS received information placing Green at an address on Woden Road in Nacogdoches. Authorities say deputies, along with members of the Nacogdoches Police Department and Sheriff’s Office, converged on the residence, located Green and took him into custody without incident.

NACOGDOCHES — No charges have been filed in a fatal car/pedestrian accident in Nacogdoches. Killed in the Monday night accident was Lynde Kristine Chunn, 28, of Nacogdoches. Investigators say she was crossing in the 4600 block of North Street when she stepped into the path of an oncoming car.

SWAN — A near-fatal crash lands one person in the hospital. State troopers say a woman’s in critical condition after her vehicle crashed into a truck. KETK reports it happened in the Swan community, north of Tyler, around 3 Monday afternoon. That’s when troopers say the woman veered into the path of an oncoming rig towing another 18-wheeler. Troopers say the woman was pinned in the wreck and had to be cut from the wreckage.

TYLER — As part of the Mayor’s Tree Initiative, Artmire’s Urban Forestry has donated 1,000 trees per year for the next five years to be planted at select locations in Faulkner Park, Rose Rudman Trail and Creekside Trail. The project includes all seedlings, amendments and labor for the plantings of Dogwoods, Eastern Redbud and American Beauty Berry. Planting is expected to commence today. “We are so thankful to Artmire’s for their generous donation,” commented Mayor Barbara Bass. “This is a huge step forward in our effort to plant trees throughout the City and to keep Tyler’s urban forest thriving.”

The Mayor’s Tree Tyler initiative was launched in early 2010 with a goal to plant 5,000 trees in five years. Residents are encouraged to go to http://www.TreeTyler.com to register their tree plantings. Since the launch of the program, nearly 400 trees have been registered. “With this new donation, our annual count will reach 1,400 trees,” added Mayor Bass. “Along with our partnership with LT24 and the upcoming Tree Tyler Day, I have no doubt that we will reach our goal well ahead of schedule.”

The City is partnering with LT 24 to hold Tree Tyler Day on March 19, 2011. Tree Tyler Day will give the community the opportunity to come together to work toward reaching the Mayor’s goal of planting 5,000 trees in five years at an inaugural community-wide tree planting event. The partnership sprouted when Mayor Bass spoke with members of the Leadership Tyler 24 class and challenged them to get on board to support the Tree Tyler Initiative. Many members of the class met several times to discuss how they could become involved and ultimately formed LT24.

Between now and the March event, LT 24 will be seeking sponsors for the tree planting event. With sponsorship opportunities ranging from a single tree all the way to 100 trees, the entire community, from school classes to the City’s largest businesses, is encouraged to participate. Go to http://www.TreeTyler.com or http://www.cityoftyler.org to view a flyer detailing Tree Tyler Day sponsorship opportunities. Sponsors who have already committed to the event include: Leo Mack Jr., Adams Engineering, the Native Plant Society, Tyler Men’s Garden Club, Salon Verve and the Bob Shelton Family. To sign up as a Tree Tyler Day sponsor, you can contact the Tyler Parks and Recreation Department at (903) 531-1370.

TYLER — In an effort to bring closure to unresolved warrants, the Tyler Municipal Court has announced that it will participate in the fifth annual statewide warrant sweep set to begin March 5. More than 240 agencies across Texas will be taking part in this effort to resolve outstanding warrants. “Similar sweeps held in past years have been very effective,” said Court Administrator Cam McCabe. “In a concentrated amount of time we have cleared several thousand warrants.” Arrests during the sweep will focus on warrants from all of the participating jurisdictions. Although the concentration is on Class C charges, which include traffic, criminal parking, penal code and City ordinance violations, higher charge warrants will also be served.

Affected persons are urged to contact the appropriate jurisdiction to dispose of their cases voluntarily. For assistance with resolving an outstanding warrant, contact the Municipal Court at 903531-1266. Warrants can also be paid online at http://www.CityofTyler.org under the “I Want To” menu at the top of the page. A kiosk in the lobby of the Municipal Court is also available for those paying with credit cards. Last year during the warrant sweep, the Tyler Municipal Court cleared 2,150 warrants. The Court is open Monday through Friday from 7:00am until 5:00pm.

KILGORE — Kilgore Police are investigating a reported stabbing that lands one woman in jail. It happened Saturday night around 10:30 at 301 Bates Street. Upon arrival, police found the victim, a 26-year-old male, suffering from a stab wound to the chest. The victim was transported to Good Shepherd Hospital. Details of his condition have not been released. Charlene Marie Jackson, 50,Kilgore, was identified by witnesses as the person who stabbed the victim with a knife. She was arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a felony two offense and booked into the Kilgore City Jail. She has since been taken to the Gregg County Jail with bond set at $25,000.00.

GREGG COUNTY — Jury selection begins next Monday for 34-year-old Toronto Eldermek Lockridge, one of two men accused in a 2009 fatal shooting and arson. Lockridge, of Lakeport, faces up to life in prison for shooting 33-year-old Kelvin Muckleroy. Muckleroy’s body was found inside the torched remains of his Chappell Street home, but investigators determined he was shot before the house fire was set.

Lockridge had initially posted $150,000 bond from the Gregg County Jail in January 2010. He was arrested again four days later on a firearm charge, but posted a $35,000 bond on Feb. 18. He has been in jail since Dec. 7 on his latest charge — aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for threatening a witness in Muckleroy’s homicide — authorities said. He remains jailed on $150,000 bond.

Gregg County District Judge Alfonso Charles in November convicted co-defendent Brandon Quadnell Horne, 31, of Longview, for his part in Muckleroy’s slaying. A sentencing hearing has not been set, and Horne remains in the Gregg County Jail, records showed.

NACOGDOCHES — Stephen F. Austin State University student Christopher Lamb, 22, was found dead in the living room of a residence in the 1500 block of Leita Lane early Sunday. Lamb reportedly attended a party at the residence on Saturday night, and spent the night sleeping in a chair. He was found around 8 a.m. Sunday by the home’s residents, according to the police report.