KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – The deadline is at hand for postal questionnaires to help save Tyler’s downtown post office. According to KETK, the questionnaires must be mailed in by today. The petitions across Tyler are also due today. The U.S. Postal Service says it’s lost $3.5 billion, but several downtown Tyler business owners say they rely on that post office. And Mayor Barbara Bass is among those pushing to keep the office open.

WHITEHOUSE — Whitehouse is next to consider a ban on K2, a controversial substance that mimics the effects of marijuana. Whitehouse Police Chief Rick Waller says he hasn’t found anyone selling K2 in the city, but one or two places sell paraphernalia. Whitehouse Mayor Danny Hodgen says that he’s not willing to wait on the state legislature to pass a ban. The Whitehouse City Council will vote on the ordinance in September.

EAST TEXAS — Kids and their parents are still in line to get their school shots. Officials with the Northeast Texas Public Health District say they’ve been busy since Monday and in fact, treated 148 patients on Monday alone. On Tuesday, staffers say there were 93 patients. According to KETK, officials say no one will be turned away and there is an adequate number of vaccines for children. Authorities want to remind parents that kids can not go to school until they have their proper shots.

LUFKIN — A woman is arrested Monday night for driving off in a car belonging to a 76-year-old man. According to KETK, Carrie Mastellas, 41, was staying at the man’s house. Police say she slapped him and kicked him in the groin before stealing his Chevy. She was booked into the Angelina County Jail on a charge of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. The victim refused to file charges. Lufkin Police it’s the fourth time she’s stolen his car.

TYLER — Governor Rick Perry was in Tyler, talking education with students at John Tyler and Robert E Lee High Schools. In the John Tyler auditorium Wednesday the governor discussed a new teaching tool available to Texas students. It’s education on iTunes U, which offers a modern approach to keeping teachers and students engaged and informed by providing free, supplementary educational content that can be accessed anywhere.

Texas Education on iTunes U will allow teachers to access professional development and support materials, while giving students access to information to help with understanding concepts or conducting additional research on a subject area. Additionally, iTunes U will serve as a venue for state agencies and non-profit organizations to post their educational content.

“iTunes U will easily and efficiently distribute Texas-based educational materials to teachers, parents and students statewide, and will help improve Texas education and secure our position as the best place to live and work in the years to come,” Governor Perry said. “The quality of education in Texas is steadily improving as we continue to combine tried and true teaching methods with new technology to achieve educational success.”

TYLER — A junior journalism major at The University of Texas at Tyler, Kamren Thompson of Lindale, has been named the Patriot Talon student newspaper editor in chief. Student Media Advisory Board members appointed Thompson to the position earlier this month.

“I look forward to being a part of the Patriot Talon and hope to continue the record of success my predecessors achieved,” Thompson said. The Talon earned the honor of best non-daily student newspaper by the Texas Associated Press Managing Editors in 2007 and 2008. “Our staff is so blessed to have a new leader with such talent and enthusiasm,” Vanessa Curry, Patriot Talon adviser said. “We are all truly looking forward to a challenging new semester.”

Thompson holds an associate’s degree from Tyler Junior College, where she served in various leading positions at the Apache Pow Wow student newspaper. She served as that paper’s editor in chief in 2008. Thompson also served as a page design and copy editor intern for the Tyler Morning Telegraph and as a special news correspondent for the Lindale News and Times. She also won writing, design and photography awards from the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

TYLER — The Tyler ISD Foundation is wasting no time in preparations for its 20th anniversary this academic year, with an additional five community leaders recently trained as Directors. They join an additional 25 experienced board directors. The foundation was founded in January 1991.

The newly elected directors are Brenda Thomas, Bonnie Ryan Rayford, Joey Seeber, Lori Sirman and Justin Holt.

“We are pleased of course that our new directors are willing to serve our more than 600 donors and support our school district’s leaders, teachers, staff and students,” said Larry Goddard, who conducted the orientation last week.

TYLER – A Smith County Jail inmate was discovered dead in his cell Wednesday. According to KETK, Sheriff J.B. Smith says Duantes Harrison of Mineola committed suicide Wednesday afternoon. He claimed to be sick and stayed in his cell when the other prisoners went to the roof for recreation. When they returned, they found him hanging from the shower by his bed linens. Sheriff Smith says Harrison had just been sentenced to 25 years for aggravated robbery. Six other charges were pending against him, including possession of drug paraphernalia, credit card abuse, theft, aggravated robbery and forgery. As protocol requires, the sheriff notified both the Texas Rangers and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. An autopsy has been ordered.

TYLER — The City of Tyler will hold a public meeting to present the preliminary outcomes of the Texas College Area Development Plan. The gathering is set for Thursday at 6 p.m. at Austin Elementary School, 1105 W. Franklin Street. Participants will have the opportunity to hear conclusions on the Area Development Plan including the planning team’s findings and recommendations. The City of Tyler initiated the Texas College Area Development Plan study in October, 2009, to build upon recommendations set forth in the Tyler 21 Comprehensive Plan. City officials say the purpose of the Area Development Plan is to further develop Texas College, neighborhoods, and surrounding areas as a vibrant district. Officials say the plans cover long term growth, pedestrian-friendly corridors, and ideas to enhance the Texas College area.

CHAPEL HILL – Jackson Heights fire officials confirm a Chapel Hill elementary school was briefly evacuated Wednesday morning. The fire department says the evacuation was due to a gas leak about one mile from campus. According to KETK, officials say the students’ safety is not at risk, and they returned to class. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — The Tyler Junior College Board of Trustees today is set to adopt its 2010-2011 budget and tax rate during an 11:00am meeting. Trustees propose to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 33.57%. College officials point out that your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted. As KETK explains, if the tax increase passes, it will go toward paying back $28 million taken out by the board last year for maintenance tax notes. The public’s reaction to the tax hike proposal has been sharply mixed.

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University (LETU) has received a $5 million gift to establish an endowed scholarship fund for home-schooled students. The gift, from an anonymous donor, was announced Wednesday at the university convocation by LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford. It’s believed to be the single largest endowment for home-school scholarships ever established. “The generous donor sees the critical need to endow scholarships for future generations and believes deeply in the value of the kind of quality Christian education that LeTourneau University offers,” Lunsford said.

According to LETU press materials, the endowment places LETU on the leading edge of a rising trend seen across campuses, as more students are graduating from a home-schooled environment. Officials say LETU’s mission over the past year has been to increase endowments for scholarships across the board. This $5 million gift, added to the nearly $1.5 million for other new scholarships endowed this year, brings the school to nearly $6.5 million in new endowed scholarships this year alone.

The annual award of LETU’s Home-school Scholarship Fund is set at $3,000 and is renewable over four academic years. For the 2010-2011 academic year, 15 students have been selected for the LETU Home-school Scholarship. “Students and their families who are interested in applying for these home-school scholarships can contact us at admissions@letu.edu to request information,” said Vice President for Enrollment Services Linda Fitzhugh.

TYLER — A scam is underway in Smith County. Sheriff’s Lt. Tony Dana says some Lindale-area residents have been getting calls soliciting funds for the East Texas Peace Officers’ Association. Dana warns that neither the East Texas Peace Officers’ Association nor the Smith County Peace Officers’ association solicits money over the telephone. Dana says if you get such a call, don’t give out any information — and certainly don’t send the caller any money. He says just hang up your phone and don’t respond to the caller.

TYLER — Repair workers get busy quickly after a car drives into Tyler’s Fish City Grill in the Macy’s shopping center. The accident caused the restaurant to close for the day Wednesday. According to KETK, no one was injured. There was some damage to the front of the restaurant, but crews were able to repair the storefront within several hours. Officers say the driver either got his foot stuck on the pedal or accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake.