KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Organizer Christina Fulsom says the weekend’s “One Night Without A Home” in Tyler was a “great event.” The 13-hour activity at the Salvation Army Community Center was designed to educate people about homeless issues. About 100 attended, with some 50 spending the rainy night at the center. Fulsom says when it was all over, everyone agreed “that they have greater awareness; that because of that awareness they have now a better understanding.”

TJC and UT Tyler students made up a significant part of the group. Among other things, they heard from people who have experienced homelessness. Fulsom says participants agreed that they’ll view the issue differently from now on — for example, “that if they encountered a homeless person, or someone made derogatory comments about a homeless person, that they would speak up.” The event was a project of Gateway to Hope, formerly the Smith County Coalition for the Homeless.

TYLER — Tyler’s League of Women Voters and American Association of University Women present “Solving the Health Care Puzzle,” a seminar on the new health care reform law, Monday night at 6:30 at Robert E. Lee High School’s Little Theater. Spokesperson Dee Brock says seminar leader Anne Dunkelberg of the Austin-based Center for Public Policy Priorities is an expert on the law — “an outstanding researcher with a long history in public health and human services.”

According to Brock, Dunkelberg will bypass the politics of the hot-button issue. “What she’s going to do,” says Brock, “is just tell people the facts of what is in the health care law…when each facet of the law is going to take place, what needs it’s supposed to fill, and what it will mean to Texas and to individual Texans and their families.” For more information, you can e-mail soonersue@sbcglobal.net or leave a voice mail message at (903) 597-9111.

HALLSVILLE (AP) – Dozens of wealthy Texas school districts, including one in East Texas, held onto more than $40 million in tax dollars that should have gone to poorer districts until this year, when the state demanded they pay up. The districts owed the money under the state’s so-called “Robin Hood” law of education revenue sharing. The Texas Education Agency discovered the delinquencies during an unprecedented review last summer. Records relating to the review were obtained by The Associated Press under the Texas Public Information Act. The review found that the Hallsville school district went more than a year without paying. The East Texas district used the $8.5 million it withheld from the state to help pay for improvements that helped it to its first exemplary state rating. The district has since had to obtain a bank loan to pay what it owed. Other East Texas school districts on the list are Tatum and Carthage.

TYLER — Saturday marked the last day of Smith County’s first-ever Veterans Appreciation Week. KETK reports that troop supporters ended the festivities with live music and a chilly walk. Despite the cold, East Texans broke out their running shoes for a downtown Tyler 5k in support of veterans and those who serve. Activities, under the heading of “Celebrating Our Hometown Heroes,” got underway November 6 with Bullard’s Red, White, and Blue Celebration. Other events included a fish fry and awards ceremony, a sponsor dinner, an employment fair, Veterans Day celebrations at schools around the area — and the 5k, accompanied by a Freedom Walk. Many organizations banded together for the series of activities.

CHAPEL HILL – A mobile home goes up in flames late Friday evening. According to KETK, it happened on the 4600 block of Tatum Drive in Chapel Hill. A family of four was living there at the time, but fortunately they were not hurt. However, three family pets, two dogs and a cat, were killed in the blaze. The house is also a total loss.

TYLER — On Friday, the Tyler Independent School District Board of Trustees approved the order canvassing the returns and declaring the results of the November 2 Special Bond Election. With the election results showing 12,774 votes in favor and 12,840 votes against the bond, the Board of Trustees acknowledged the results as presented by the Smith County election officials. The order canvassing the returns is a step required by law after all elections. “We are very thankful for all who participated in the election and those that worked on behalf of the school district,” said Trustee Brad Spradlin. “We live in a wonderful country that has a process and the process works even though we may not exactly like the outcome.”

WHITEHOUSE – Police issue a warning for Whitehouse residents. According to KETK, officers say they arrested two men who allegedly stole mail throughout the city Friday. If you had outgoing mail in your residential box, police say you should check with the recipients to make sure they got it. If they do not receive your mail, you can report it to the Whitehouse Police Department.

GRAND SALINE – Grand Saline hopes to add a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to the record books. As part of National Peanut Butter Lovers Month, on November 13, Grand Saline Main Street and Nutty’s Gourmet Peanut Butter will attempt to break the world record for the world’s largest PB&J. The endeavor will coincide with the city’s first annual Great American Peanut Butter Festival and is in conjunction with a peanut butter food drive for the East Texas Food Bank.

“We’re so excited,” said Grand Saline Main Street Director Jamie Ollive. “We get to have a really fun festival and collect thousands of jars of peanut butter to help feed area families over the holidays.” The world record sandwich attempt will have to top 950 lbs. to break the current record, set in Oklahoma City on September 7, 2002. The PB&J construction process is scheduled to begin early Saturday morning since the bread actually has to be baked on the day of the attempt to comply with world record rules.

“We expect the process to take most of the day,” said Nutty’s owner and sandwich builder Keith Parsons. “We’ll have to wait for the dough to rise, bake the bread in a large commercial oven, and then finally we’ll transport the bread to a stage at the festival where we’ll spread on the peanut butter and jelly with long boat oars.”

“We are thrilled to be included in this event and attempt to break the record,” said Dennis Cullinane, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank. “Peanut butter is a very desirable food and a great source of protein. We rarely receive items for our East Texas children, seniors and adults that are both highly nutritious and as popular as peanut butter.”

Following Friday evening’s Great American Peanut Butter Pageant to name the festival’s first peanut butter queen, the festival begins Saturday morning at 7:00 with a peanut butter pancake breakfast — followed by the Great American Peanut Butter Parade at 10:00 am. There will be a carnival with rides and midway games, a music stage that will showcase regional talent throughout the day and nearly 100 vendors from as far away as Connecticut. “We actually have someone who’ll be selling Elvis’ favorite fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches,” said Ollive.

For further information you can e-mail mainstreet@grandsaline.com or contact Ollive at (903) 962-3122. Sponsors for the event include the East Texas Food Bank, Brookshire Grocery Company, Grand Saline Main Street, and Nutty’s Gourmet Peanut Butter.

HENDERSON — Two drug suspects are in custody in Henderson, according to KETK. On Wednesday at 8:50 p.m., officers of the Henderson Police Department, Henderson Narcotics Unit, and the Henderson PD TACT Team — in conjunction with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and the RCSO TACT Team — served a narcotics related search warrant at 401 Overton St. in Henderson. Seized in the search was a quantity of crack cocaine, marijuana and several weapons. Two Henderson men, ages 19 and 30, were arrested and are currently in the Rusk County Jail. Charges filed were Manufacture/ Delivery of Controlled Substance in a Drug Free Zone (1st Degree Felony) and Possession of Marijuana in a Drug Free Zone (State Jail Felony). Bond has not been set.

TYLER — Don’t come to the Tyler Public Library if you are looking for a quiet place to study or read this weekend. During “Art Around Every Corner” Saturday and Sunday, you will find the library, located at 201 South College, awash in music, dance, painting, sculpture and theatre. There’ll be hip-hop dancers in the Story Room, Queen Elizabeth in the Lobby, sculptures next to the computers, pottery in the Reading Room and paintings amongst the reference books. For two days, the Library is opening its doors and floors to visual and performing artists exhibiting, demonstrating and talking about their work. Admission is free. Artists will be on hand throughout the event during regular Library hours: Saturday, 9:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday from noon to 4:00pm.

RUSK COUNTY — Questions are still being raised in the mauling death of a 2-year-old Kaden Muckleroy outside Henderson. The pit bull, one of 38 dogs found on the property, was said to have been tied to a tree. The dog reportedly got loose and attacked the child. The Rusk County Sheriff says owner Kelvin Muckleroy has since turned over the dog and about 29 others to authorities. At the time of the attack, Muckleroy, Kaden’s grandfather, was at work. Authorities are investigating why the toddler was left unsupervised. Kaden died at a local hospital Wednesday morning. According to KETK, so far, no charges have been filed.

SMITH COUNTY — Evidence is stacked against Nathaniel Anderson, 15, accused of shooting his sister Amanda back in September. Deputies say they are confident in Anderson’s guilt. According to KETK, there were several items that led them to believe Anderson is guilty. Anderson reportedly told investigators that he saw his sister had been shot and was dead by looking into her room from the door. Authorities say that would have been impossible. In addition there was blood found on Anderson’s clothing matching his sisters. Authorities also say, the .22 caliber bullets matched the gun found in the house. No trial date has been set yet. Authorities are not saying whether Anderson will be tried as a minor or adult.

TYLER — Joe Straus, Speaker of the Texas House, faces more criticism, this time from Tea Partiers in East Texas and across the state. They say he’s not conservative enough. According to KETK, Tea Party officials in Tyler say Joe Straus has ignored and buried issues that are important to them like immigration and gun laws. They say they’ve worked too hard getting conservative representatives elected and they don’t want a liberal Speaker of the House.

LONGVIEW — Funeral services will be held on Monday for former Longview Mayor D.A. Benton. Benton, who was 96, died Wednesday evening. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2:00 at the First Baptist Church of Longview. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Benton served on the Longview City Council from 1952 to 1970. That includes three terms as mayor starting in 1962.

According to the Rader Funeral Home obituary, He served in every office of the Knights of Pythias including 31 years as financial secretary. He was a member of the Dramatic Order of Knights of Khorassen and a 32nd degree Mason with more than 54 years of service. He was a Shriner, a 55-year member of the Longview Lion’s Club, and a member and past president of the Longview Jaycees. For more than 39 years Mr. Benton served with integrity and dedication on the board of directors of Texas Bank and Trust Company, formerly Longview Bank and Trust.

TYLER — Robert E. Lee High School has received the 2010 College Readiness Award from the Texas ACT Council for maintaining or increasing the number of students taking the ACT Assessment over the past five years and significantly increasing their level of achievement and college readiness.

In 2010, nearly 145,000 Texas students took the ACT which was an all-time high, and Texas ACT scores have increased substantially over the last five years. According to Karen L. Pennell, Assistant Vice President and ACT Southwest Regional Manager, “The Texas ACT Council wanted to recognize those Texas high schools that have made significant strides in increasing the college readiness of their graduates as demonstrated by their ACT score increases over the past five years. This can only happen as a result of the high school’s faculty and staff efforts and the dedication of Robert E. Lee High School students and parents to focus on college readiness and raise the level of college readiness for all students. Less than 6% of all high schools in Texas were honored for this superior level of accomplishment.”