KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — A date has been set for closure of the downtown Tyler Post Office. Officials say the facility will shut its doors November 30. City officials confirmed the closure plan Thursday. It’s happening despite a petition that circulated in August, trying to keep the facility open. KETK reports the two downtown employees will be transferred to the main post office on Martin Luther King, Jr., Boulevard.

LUFKIN –A Hudson couple was arrested on methamphetamine charges after a concerned citizen reported a chemical smell in a trailer park Tuesday night. According to KETK, Hudson Police responded to Hudson Heights mobile home park Tuesday night, discovering the “chemical smell” reported to be an active “shake and bake” meth lab inside the home of Melissa Brown, 31, and Marshall Kelley, 44.

Upon arriving, Hudson Police Officer Joe Burton cleared the home of Brown, Kelley, a female house guest and the woman’s 7-year-old child. Another man was then discovered “within reach” of the meth lab in a bathroom, according to Hudson Police Chief Jeff Burns.

LONGVIEW — A Longview maintenance man at a mental heath facility was charged Tuesday with sexually assaulting at least one woman where he worked, according to police records. According to court documents, the woman was a patient at Heavenly Care Community Home, in the 400 block of Main Street. Calvin Laforest Hutchings, 48, who was Heavenly Care’s maintenance man and lived one block away, forced the woman to have sex with him multiple times. According to the Longview News-Journal, Hutchings remained jailed at last report on $10,000 bond.

BIG SANDY – A Big Sandy High School student has been arrested for giving her friend drugs at school. The friend later died. Charged Wednesday with manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance in a school zone was Ashley Williamson, 17. She is said to have given the drugs to Britnee Mount, 16. A week ago, Mount had a heart attack at her home. She later died at Children’s Hospital in Dallas. Authorities feel the drugs may have been responsible for Mount’s death. Additional charges could be filed in the case.

TYLER — The 77th annual Texas Rose Festival continues through today. This year’s Ladies’ Brunch featured New York Times best-selling author Sandra Brown. Legendary financier T. Boone Pickens keynoted the Men’s Luncheon. Both of those events were held yesterday. Also yesterday was the Queen’s Coronations. Today, with ideal weather, the usual big crowds are expected for the Rose Parade. This year’s festival theme is “A Tapestry of Blessings.” You can go to http://www.texasrosefestival.com or check the ktbb.com Calendar of Events for more information.

MONROE, La. (AP) – Three finalists, including one from Tyler, have been named for consideration as the next president of the University of Louisiana at Monroe. Interviews with the three will begin on Oct. 22. The finalists are Peter J. Fos, provost and executive vice president at the University of Texas at Tyler; Nick J. Bruno, vice president for business and finance for the University of Louisiana System; and Thomas F. Moore, vice president for academic affairs and dean of the faculty at Winthrop University. The final decision will be made by the University of Louisiana System Board.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — It may seem like an unlikely move. But 87-year-old Rockwall Congressman Ralph Hall — first elected in 1980, and a longtime East Texas representative — has signed the U.S. term limits Constitutional amendment. The measure would limit House members to three two-year terms and senators to two six year terms. Hall, now a Republican, says he introduced a term limits bill in the 90s, when he was a Democrat — but says the bill went nowhere. According to Hall, “Even though I’ve been there thirty years, I would have term-limited myself.” He says he wouldn’t be on Capitol Hill if he could have passed the measure. So why does he keep running? Hall remarks that he knows and likes what he does — and that his people want him to keep doing it. A recent Fox News poll showed nearly 80 percent approval for term limits.

LONGVIEW — Authorities in Longview arrest a drug suspect. On October 12 at around 6:30 p.m., the Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit executed a narcotics search warrant at 801 Buchanan Street. Authorities say agents made entry into the residence without incident and located approximately 10 ounces of crack cocaine, worth an estimated street value of $30,000. 35-year-old Bob Huiett Jr. of Longview was arrested and charged with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance. Huiett Jr. was booked into the Gregg County Jail.

TYLER —To help students learn the benefits of a nutritious diet early in life, the Texas Department of Agriculture is promoting National School Lunch Week, Oct. 11-15. Officials say this year’s theme, “School Lunch – What’s on Your Tray?,” is designed to help students learn that eating a healthy school lunch is essential to getting the most out of each day. During National School Lunch Week, Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples visited Orr Elementary School in Tyler to tour the school and eat lunch with students. Commissioner Staples says he’s committed to working with districts across the state to ensure children have access to healthy meals that will allow them to excel in the classroom and in life.

“Right now, taxpayers are picking up the tab for poor eating choices,” Commissioner Staples said. “It’s estimated each year Texas taxpayers spend nearly $5.8 billion on avoidable obesity-attributable health care costs. By educating students on the need to adopt the 3E’s of Healthy Living —Education, Exercise and Eating Right, children have the opportunity to grow up healthy and keep our economy strong. National School Lunch Week is the perfect occasion to remind students and their parents that adopting a healthy lifestyle is an investment in our future.”

This year’s National School Lunch Week marks one year since the full implementation of the Texas Public School Nutrition Policy (TPSNP). According to Staples, the TPSNP sets nutrition standards above and beyond federal guidelines. Staples says that’s so Texas students have access to the highest quality school lunches served in an overall environment that eliminates or restricts the availability of carbonated beverages, candy, foods prepared through deep-fat frying methods, and other foods said to have minimal nutritional value.

Staples says the National School Lunch, School Breakfast and Summer Nutrition Programs significantly increase the nutritional mealtime options to children at school. But he says the battle against poor eating and lifestyle choices must also be waged at home. According to Staples, encouraging youth to adopt the 3E’s of Healthy Living – Education, Exercise and Eating Right – helps them make decisions that can lead to active, healthy lives.

National School Lunch Week was established in 1963 to help raise awareness of the role the National School Lunch Program has in the nutritional health of students. The National School Lunch Program provides low-cost or free lunches for more than 3 million Texas schoolchildren daily. In 2003, the Texas Department of Agriculture became the state’s administering agency for the program in public schools. In 2007, TDA began administering the National School Lunch Program for private and faith-based schools in the state.

AUSTIN (AP/Staff) – Republican State Representative Leo Berman of Tyler says he’s dropping out of the Texas House speaker’s race. Conservative Warren Chisum, a Republican from Pampa, filed his speaker candidacy paperwork Wednesday with the House Ethics Commission in Austin. Berman says he’ll support Chisum, who’s been considering a run for several weeks. Chisum is challenging incumbent Republican Speaker Joe Straus, a moderate from San Antonio who took over as speaker in 2009. Chisum has said he wants to make sure experienced leaders are in place to tackle the state’s mounting budget shortfall in 2011.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Constables say they obtained warrants for Fredrick McLeod for marijuana possession and fleeing to avoid capture. Officials say they got word that he checked himself in to the America’s Best Value Inn in Smith County sometime during the night. Wednesday morning, after obtaining warrants, they went to pick him up from the inn. That’s when he walked out of his room and ran for the woods again. A K9 unit and DPS chopper from Garland have been deployed. Officials say the man does have a criminal history. Apparently he had been charged with both murder and assault of a peace officer in the past.

According to KETK, a deputy tried pulling over a Ford Explorer round 4:00 Tuesday afternoon, but the driver refused to stop. Deputies say the suspect exited Hwy 155 at I-20 and jumped out of the SUV and ran into the woods. A search of the vehicle turned up 8 pounds of marijuana, along with McLeod’s I.D.

TYLER — Smith County owns Tyler’s downtown square. So when business owners around it began noticing an increase in loitering, Tyler P.D. asked the county to do something about it. “It was really Tyler P.D. that came up with it, but we had our sheriff’s department do a survey. There were actually people sleeping out there in tents and sleeping bags, so this is our way of protecting our downtown area,” said County Commissioner JoAnn Hampton. According to KETK, Commissioners passed an ordinance to close the Tyler Square every morning from 1:00 to 5:30, just before dawn. Signs will be posted about the new ordinance and Tyler P.D. will patrol the area and tell people to move along.

Christina Fulsom with PATH says it’s just punishing the homeless for sleeping. “Because they now have this ordinance, people could be arrested and placed in what are already overcrowded jail conditions. I just don’t think this is the right solution,” Fulsom said.

The Smith County sheriff’s office says those patrolling the area will use quote: “common sense” when enforcing the ordinance.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Deputies investigate the death of a mother of seven. Authorities are trying to find out if Brandy Blevins, 30, jumped from a moving truck or was pushed. Deputies say Blevins was seriously hurt after hitting the pavement at Loop 323 and FM 14 Sunday. According to KETK, she later died at a local hospital. Authorities are looking at a possible link recent domestic disturbances at her New London Address.

TYLER — The custody battle continues for Jayden McLean, the two year old boy who shot himself with a handgun at his grandparents sports bar. Jayden is currently in foster care after CPS called an emergency hearing last week with Judge Clark to remove him from Dustin McLean’s custody. According to KETK, on Friday, Judge Clark will hear the remainder of the trial and determine who gets custody of Jayden.