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TYLER – Tyler police continue their investigation into an aggravated assault. It happened Saturday in the 1800 block of North Forest. Investigators say the intoxicated victim claimed a black male attacked him at his residence with a baseball bat and a knife. The victim received a large cut to his wrist in during the altercation and was transported to East Texas Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries.

TYLER — A promotion ceremony was held Monday afternoon as Police Chief Gary Swindle promoted Officers Mike Saxion and Matt Leigeber to the position of Sergeant

Officer Mike Saxion was hired by the Tyler Police Department in January 1995. Since that time he has served the Department in the Patrol Division, the Narcotics Unit and the Bike Unit, where he is currently assigned. He also serves the Department as a Field Training Officer and is a member of the Special Weapons and Tactics Team. Officer Saxion is a certified TCLEOSE instructor and firearms instructor

Officer Saxion was awarded a Medal of Valor bar in 2004, a Meritorious Conduct bar in 2003 and 2006, a Police Commendation bar in 2002 and 2006, a Certificate of Merit bar in 2004 and a Civic Achievement bar in 2006. Officer Saxion was selected as Officer of the Year in 2001.

He has also received a Master Certificate bar, Fifteen Year Safe Driving bar, Three Year Perfect Attendance bar and Distinguished Expert bar for firearms proficiency.

Officer Matt Leigeber was hired by the Tyler Police Department in February 2000 and is assigned to the Patrol Unit.

He has been a SWAT team member for nine years, a Field Training Officer for seven years and worked as a Property Crimes Detective in 2005. Officer Leigeber is a TCLEOSE Instructor, a Firearms Instructor and a Certified Shotgun Breaching Instructor.

Officer Leigeber was awarded a Meritorious Conduct bar in 2004, a Police Commendation bar in 2002, 2003, 2005 and 2009, a Life Saving bar in 2005, a Civic Achievement bar in 2010 and was selected as Rookie of the Year in 2002. He has also received a Master Certificate bar and a Five Year Safe Driving bar.

Leigeber has competed at the Texas Police and Fire Games and the World Police and Fire Games in several events including the Biathlon, Police Action Pistol, Precision Pistol competition and the Iron Man competition. He has won numerous medals at the Police Olympics including three gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal and was the overall Men’s champion in the Texas Biathlon event at the Texas Police and Fire Games in 2003.

TYLER — January is Literacy Awareness Month, and you’re encouraged to join the battle against illiteracy in East Texas. Over the past two decades, the Literacy Council of Tyler (LCOT) has grown from a handful of 30 students to 2,400 in 2010. Council staffers say Illiteracy and under-education are real problems that have the power to impact every aspect of living, from the economy to unemployment rates and levels of crime. The Literacy Council relies on over 300 volunteers each year. You’re urged to become a volunteer, make a donation or share information about the council with someone in need. For more information, you can contact LCOT’s main office at 903-533-0330.

LINDALE — The Lindale ISD Education Foundation is celebrating a successful 2010 campaign after announcing $131,565.97 in gifts. That’s well over the initial campaign goal of $100,000. Executive Director Maya Bethany said, “We cannot say thank you to our donors enough.” During the 2009-2010 school year, the Foundation awarded its first two rounds of grants in the amount of $22,274.66. The Foundation will award its third round of teacher grants in March 2011.

The Lindale ISD Education Foundation is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization formed in 2008 to fund innovative classroom projects in Lindale ISD. Funds provided pay for projects and programs not funded or under-funded by the district’s budget. Funds are awarded through teacher grants that expand student knowledge and enhance student performance. The Foundation also recognizes student achievement through the Academic Excellence Recognition Banquet held each May to recognize the top ten graduating seniors and their most influential teachers.

TYLER — Here is the monthly construction update for projects in the Tyler district of the Texas Department of Transportation.

The Texas Department of Transportation’s Tyler District has announced it expects to complete three projects before the end of the year, bringing the total number of projects under construction to 15 across the Tyler District. “Things are obviously slowing down for the holidays and the cooler weather,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “But 2011 is going to be a busy year.” TxDOT contractor Garey Constriction, Ltd., of Austin, completed the final U.S. Highway 175 expansion project in Henderson County in December, closing the book on a $26 million project that added two lanes to the highway between Eustace and the Kaufman County Line. The project began in earnest in December 2007.

Contractor R.K. Hall, of Paris, Texas, also completed a pair of small projects in Wood County, which called for adding shoulders to Farm Road 779 between Farm Road 17 and Farm Road 1799 in Golden, and to Farm Road 69 between Farm Road 515 in Coke and State Highway 37 in Quitman. The combined $3.5 million projects broke ground late this past spring.

In January, contractor A.L. Helmcamp, of Buffalo, Texas, is set to begin a project to add shoulders to Farm Road 344 between Farm Road 346 in Teaselville and U.S. Highway 69 in Bullard. “This project is among the first of several safety-related projects we’re going to be working on this summer,” Krantz said. “A majority of those projects a designed to add three-foot shoulders to narrow Farm-to-Market roads in the hopes that the extra six feet of pavement may be the difference between a wreck and a near-miss.” The $2.2 million project let to contract in August and is scheduled to take approximately six months to complete.

TxDOT also let three projects to contract in December, including a pair of projects calling for shoulder-widening similar to the Farm Road 344 project. In Cherokee County, contractor Big Creek Construction won the bid to add shoulders to and resurface Farm Road 752 south of Rusk, and Farm Road 2137 between Farm Road 344 near Bullard and Farm Road 855 north of Cuney. The approximate $978,000 project is scheduled to begin in the spring.

In Henderson County, contractor A.L. Helmcamp won the bid to add shoulder to and resurface Farm Road 314 between the Van Zandt County Line and State Highway 31 in Brownsboro. The approximate $687,000 project is scheduled to begin in the spring.

Also in Henderson County, Big Creek Construction won the bid to repair and resurface State Highway 31 between Brownsboro and the east end of Farm Road 3204. The approximate $3.9 million project is scheduled to begin in the spring. TxDOT also has plans to let one project to contract in January.

In Henderson County, TxDOT is planning an estimated $1.4 million project to repair and resurface Ranch Road 2329 between Farm Road 316 and U.S. Highway 175. The project would likely begin in the late spring or early summer.

TxDOT-Tyler District at-a-glance
Projects marked for completion in December:

*U.S. Highway 175-Adding two additional travel lanes to US 175 between Eustace and the Kaufman County Line. The $25.8 million project is on schedule to be completed by the end of 2010. Garey Construction, Ltd. of Austin, Texas, is the contractor.
*Adding shoulders to Farm Road 779 between Farm Road 17 and Farm Road 1799 in Golden. The approximate $1.5 million project let to contract in March and is scheduled for completion in December. R.K. Hall Construction of Paris, Texas, is the contractor.
*Adding shoulders to Farm Road 69 between Farm Road 515 in Coke and State Highway 37 in Quitman. The approximate $2 million let to contract in March and is scheduled for completion in December. R.K. Hall Construction of Paris, Texas, is the contractor.

Projects set to begin in January:
*Resurfacing and adding shoulders to Farm Road 344 between U.S. Highway 69 in Bullard and Farm Road 346 in Teaselville. The estimated $2.2 million project let in August. A.L. Helmcamp, Inc. of Buffalo, Texas, is the contractor.

Projects let to contract in December:
*Adding 3-foot shoulders and resurfacing Farm Road 752 between Farm Road 241 in Rusk to CCR 2405 south of Rusk; and Farm Road 2137 between Farm Road 344 west of Bullard and Farm Road 855. The approximate $978,000 let in December and is scheduled to begin in the spring. Big Creek Construction, Ltd., of Hewitt, Texas, is the contractor.
*Adding 3-foot shoulders and seal-coating between the Van Zandt County Line and HCR 3300, approximately one mile north of State Highway 31 in Brownsboro. The approximate $687,000 project let to contract in December, is scheduled to begin in the spring and take approximately four months to complete. A.L. Helmcamp, Inc., of Buffalo, Texas is the contractor.
*Repair and resurface between Farm Road 314 in Brownsboro and the east end of Farm Road 3204. The approximate $3.9 million project let in December and work is scheduled to begin in the spring. Big Creek Construction, Ltd., of Hewitt, Texas, is the contractor.

Projects scheduled to let to contract in January:
Repair and resurface between Farm Road 316 and U.S. Highway 175. The estimated $1.4 million project is scheduled to let in January and begin in the late spring or early

EAST TEXAS – Like the state, unemployment in the area has gone up slightly. The Texas Workforce Commission reports unemployment in Tyler in November was 7.9%. That compares to 7.6% in October and 7.9% in November of last year. For Longview, Unemployment last month was 7.3%. In October Longview jobless rate was 7.1% and it was 7.6% in November of 2009. The October metro jobless rate for Texas was 8.1 percent.

TYLER — Smith County Judge Joel Baker has been honored by the Texas Judicial Academy for going the extra mile to prepare for his duties as County Judge. Judge Baker was inducted as a Fellow in the Texas Judicial Academy at a reception in Austin, during the 2010 Fall Judicial Education Session.

The Academy, a partnership between the Texas Tech University School of Law and the Texas Association of Counties, names as Fellows each year those judges who attain significant judicial education above that required by state law. The educational program of the Texas Judicial Academy is overseen by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals and includes instruction by higher court judges, law school faculty as well as representatives of the Texas Probate College and the National Judicial College.

In the picture, Wichita County Judge Woodrow Gossom, on the right, presents Smith County Judge Joel Baker with his 2010 Fellowship certificate.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Fire Department is looking for individuals interested in becoming firefighter/paramedics as part of the Fire Apprentice Program. Apprentices receive salary and benefits, and the City of Longview pays education related expenses as well. The program includes 22 weeks of firefighter training followed by 12 months of paramedic school. After completion of firefighter training, apprentices are able to work as a Firefighter/EMT within the department while finishing paramedic school. This year, there are 6 openings in the Fire Apprenticeship Program. To be considered for the program, applications should be received through January 5, 2011.

According to Chief J.P. Steelman, “If someone has ever been interested in becoming a firefighter, now is a great time to pursue that dream. In Longview, we want all of our firefighters to also be fully certified as paramedics, but it is sometimes difficult to find applicants that have both certifications. The Fire Apprenticeship Program allows us to hire the best available individuals and then train them for the proper certifications, which will hopefully broaden our pool of eligible applicants.”

In addition to the Fire Apprenticeship Program, the Fire Department is also currently accepting applications for certified Firefighters and Paramedics. To apply or to learn more about the program, visit http://www.Fire.Longview.Texas.gov or contact Fire Training Chief Curtis Shaw at 903-237-1209.

MARSHALL — East Texas Baptist University will begin offering two master degrees next spring. The Marshall university will begin offering the Master of Arts in Religion and the Master of Education degrees in May 2011. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission On Colleges (SACSCOC) has approved for ETBU to offer the graduate programs.

Since 1995, over 1,300 students have graduated from programs in either religion or teacher education at ETBU. The University made the decision last spring to seek approval for these two graduate programs because of a need for such programs in East Texas. The graduate programs are an opportunity for current students to continue their educational training as well as to reach others in the area who are seeking an advanced degree. The ETBU Board of Trustees approved the curriculum for both graduate programs in September 2010.

According to Dr. Sherilyn Emberton, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs, “Today’s students are looking for universities that offer a seamless transition from undergraduate to graduate study opportunities. The ability to offer graduate opportunities in a compacted format for our undergraduate students, as well as new graduate opportunities for people of our community who already have undergraduate degrees is a real addition to the ability of ETBU to provide quality lifelong learning to the region we serve.”

The Master of Arts in Religion will be offered by the School of Christian Studies. The 30 hours of coursework for this degree may be completed in three semesters, and is set to begin during the fall semester of 2011. According to the Dean of the School of Christian Studies, Dr. John Harris, the program is designed to provide opportunities for intensive study in Christian scriptures, theology, and ministry.

The Master of Education degree will be offered by the School of Education. According to the Dean, Dr. Donna Harrell Lubcker, the department is excited about the opportunity to offer two programs that will serve the needs of area schools. The 30 hours of coursework for the Master of Education degree may be completed in 13 months, and is designed to attract new teachers to the profession as well as provide new opportunities for graduate training leading to a master’s degree for licensed educators in our local P-12 schools. The first cohort will be admitted in May of 2011.

GILMER — An Upshur County jury finds 39-year-old Leslie Leon Spangler Jr. guilty of arson in a March 2008 fire in Big Sandy at the building where he lived. Spangler will be sentenced next week. According to KETK, he faces up to 20 years behind bars.

MINEOLA — A Mineola teacher who is also married to the high school principal is arrested after allegedly having a relationship with a student, and has now quit her job. A statement released by Mineola I.S.D Superintendent Mary Lookadoo says JoAnn Stephens has resigned and is no longer employed by the district. According to the district’s website, Stephens was a Physical Education teacher at the elementary and middle schools.

Stephens, 43, was arrested Thursday afternoon after a four month investigation into the alleged relationship. Mineola police say they started the investigation after receiving a complaint from Child Protective Services on August 4. The alleged relationship was between Stephens and a male student who has since graduated.

AUSTIN — A proposal filed in the legislature would deny the children of illegal immigrants birth certificates if they are born in Texas hospitals. Instead they would be issued a temporary report of “alien birth” document, which would then be turned over to the consulate of the parent’s home country. The proposal by State Representative Leo Berman, of Tyler, would also make English the state’s official language. Berman says officials documents would only be printed in English. He says his proposal would not affect English as a second language, classes and schools would not bar people from speaking other languages and would not force San Antonio from changing its name to Saint Anthony.

LONGVIEW — City officials, friends and family members shuffled into Mobberly Baptist Church on Thursday afternoon to honor Longview police officer Jamie “Ellyn” Goodan. Goodan, 38, of Longview was found in her Towne Oaks apartment about 8:30 a.m. Saturday, dead of a gunshot wound to the head. Officers were dispatched to the residence by the victim’s husband. Ellyn Goodan’s day shift supervisor, Sgt. Richard Spruiell, responded to the call. When he arrived at the apartment, Goodan’s husband, 39-year-old Harry Goodan, invited crews into the residence and told them he killed his wife. Goodan, a 911 communications coordinator with the police department, has been charged with murder.

BEN WHEELER – A two vehicle accident in Van Zandt County has killed a motorcyclist. Dead at the scene Thursday afternoon was Eric Hall, 32, of Ben Wheeler. The Department of Public Safety reports his motorcycle drifted into the oncoming lane of traffic on a curve and hit a pickup head on. The accident happened South of Ben Wheeler on Farm Road 773.

TYLER — Tyler school superintendent Dr. Randy Reid has presented school trustees of budget concerns the district is facing for the upcoming school year. He told trustees last night the budget shortfall at the state level is $12 to $25 billion depending on the source of the data. On average, the state of Texas has 85,000 new students per year. Dr. Reid compared it to adding another Austin ISD to the state each year. He explained that public education receives the largest portion of funding from the state and until they know the depth of the shortfall, the District cannot completely plan for the situation.

Dr. Reid said looking at the District’s budget situation for the next school year, some of the funds will not be available. He said the stimulus dollars Tyler ISD currently receives will go away and the district is planning for this situation. He also said the District will see major reductions or total elimination of grant funding and the District will look at other ways to address these needs.

Reid said a large concern the school district will need to address is the Permanent School Fund (PSF). He explained that these are the funds received from the state and there is no way to fairly adjust the PSF amount throughout all of the districts in Texas. Dr. Reid told the board that as a district they are evaluating positions and programs and cost analysis to make some intelligent decisions regarding the future budgetary needs of the District.

He said Tyler ISD will be conducting a staffing and a curriculum audit that were both approved by the Board of Trustees. Dr. Reid said that in the future months Tyler ISD will look at our options and bring recommendations back to the Board regarding the upcoming school year budget.

The Board of Trustees approved the Resolution of Acknowledgment to “Make Education a Priority” and support our legislators by asking them to come together with a renewed sense of priority.

According to Dr. Reid, an alarming number of Texas school districts are facing a growing financial crisis. In 2006, legislators implemented a school finance system that has proven to fall short of properly working. An increasing number of districts are now forced to use dollars from their fund balance for daily operating expenditures.

The 2007 and 2009 legislative sessions failed to address the funding system’s shortcomings. A fear exists that the topic of school finance will meet the same fate during the 2011 session. To make sure the topic is addresses, a collective sense of educational priority must be found among us, our local communities and respected legislative leaders.