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TYLER — More than 1,700 signatures of people who want to vote for or against an alcohol option are turned in this week. According to KETK, the option is for off-premise alcohol in Smith County Justice of the Peace Precinct 4. Were the option to pass, residents could buy beer or wine from companies and take it home. In a May 2009 election, this same option was given, but it did not pass. However, some voters think there is reason to believe the results may turn out differently this time. Resident Peyton Neill says, “I don’t think it will pass, but if it does, I will not be surprised because of the amount of alcohol people want right now.”
Smith County Elections Administrator Karen Nelson says voter turnout may be higher this time because there’s a governor’s race, which may draw more attention from voters.

JP Precinct 4 touches the north and east side of Loop 323. The number of signatures needed was turned in yesterday, three weeks before the deadline. Officials are now verifying them to make sure there are enough valid signatures to hold the election. Business owners KETK spoke with from stores that are already selling alcohol in Winona say they are worried. If the vote gets on the ballot and passes, it could hurt business.

TYLER — In state district court in Tyler, the trial of Dennis Boyd Pittman, 47, continues. He is accused of forcing several children to dance and engage in sexual activity. KETK-TV reports, for a 13 year old witness Thursday it was a day of claims and contradictions.

The teen’s original taped children’s protective services interviews from 5 years ago was played. In them she denied there was sex in the club. She denied she was ever naked in the club. But she told juries in earlier trials the opposite. When confronted with the contradiction, she claimed over and over she didn’t remember.

On the tape she was asked if she had ever seen any adult naked. She replied only her mother. But again, she told earlier juries that other people in the club were naked. There was even a claim that she had seen Patrick Kelly, “Booger Red”, murder someone. But no body was ever found and no missing persons report was ever filed.

Testimony continued Friday in the so-called Mineola swingers club trial.

TYLER — Tyler Junior College officials say a gas supply line leak has been capped. According to KETK, a crew was replacing a driveway at Palmer Avenue across from the Health and Physical Education Center before the line ruptured Friday. Officials say it busted because it was close to the surface. They evacuated a soccer camp from campus as a precaution. The Tyler Museum of Art also evacuated the area. TJC does not hold classes on Friday. No injuries have been reported.

HOUSTON (AP/Staff) – Experts say a rare, stinky corpse flower is expected to bloom this weekend in Houston — the state’s second recorded bloom of the species. The first was several years ago in East Texas. Botanists at the Houston Museum of Natural Science are measuring the flower daily, and Friday said it stood nearly 5 feet tall and weighs 30 pounds. The event marks the 29th time that the Amorphophallus titanum has opened in the country’s history. Such plants emit a noxious odor that attracts pollinating carrion beetles hoping to lay their eggs in rotting flesh. The Sumatran plant doesn’t flower every year, and when it does, it’s only for two days. A corpse flower bloomed in Nacogdoches in 2004. The smell was so bad, fans surrounded the plant to blow the scent away so visitors could approach.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police Traffic Investigators are seeking information from the public about an accident that left few clues and a 16-year-old in the hospital. It happened around 3:30 Thursday morning. Police say a black 4-door Lexus was traveling northbound in the 900 block of South 14th Street when it struck the 16-year-old victim, who had been standing in the roadway. The impact threw the victim about 10 feet before landing in the roadway. The Lexus did not stop after the accident and was last seen turning east onto Ridgelea Avenue. Investigators believe the Lexus involved may possibly have damage to the front bumper, hood or windshield. The victim was initially taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, then later transferred to Parkland Hospital in Dallas for treatment.

Traffic Investigators are asking anyone with information about this accident to contact Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP or online at http://www.greggcountycrimestoppers.com. Crime Stoppers may pay up to $1000.00 for information leading to the arrest of the driver in this case.

LUFKIN — Joshua McMurray of Lufkin was arrested for selling meth out of his home. McMurray told Angelina County Sheriff’s Investigators about the lab he had been using. Authorities dug up the lockbox containing the cooking supplies. According to KETK, officials say they are still looking for one of McMurray’s associates, Daniel “Caveman” Wisenant, for delivery of a controlled substance.

SMITH COUNTY — An update on a shooting at a Whataburger in Smith County last November. Sa’Cajan Jamay Darden, 21, was sentenced to 50 years in prison Wednesday. According to KETK, he pleaded guilty to first degree aggravated assault against a public official Darden fired shots at a Cherokee County Constable who was off-duty.

LONGVIEW — Prostitution is a growing problem for one East Texas city and local business owners are fed up with it. Longview leaders are hoping a new ordinance will help police crack down. Longview Public Information Officer, Kevin Brownlee says for prostitutes that have been arrested and convicted in the last year for prostitution, if they’re found on the streets or in public flagging down motorists for the purpose of engaging in prostitution, they can be arrested and charged with a class c misdemeanor for violation of the city ordinance. Brownlee says it’s a combined community effort. According to KETK, the ordinance was passed Thursday night and is effective immediately.

TYLER — Testimony resumes today in a Tyler case involving a child sex ring suspect. On Friday, new questions arose about the testimony of kids allegedly sexually abused at the so-called “Mineola Swingers’ Club.” This during the trial of 47-year-old Dennis Boyd Pittman, accused of raping children and forcing kids to perform sexual acts for an audience. According to KETK, Friday morning was spent questioning notebooks with information taken down by the foster family of the kids involved in the case.

A woman who lives with the family where three kids were placed after being taken from the alleged child sex ring, took the stand. The defense’s question: why take notes on the trial? “I’m sick and tired of people making lies up about my parents,” she said crying. The concern is whether any of those notes got into the hands of the kids who took the stand earlier this past week. “She comes up there during breaks,” one witness testified. This just a day after the defense compared the child victims’ testimony from the last trial, when the kids admitted they didn’t remember some of that prior testimony. The woman told the court she never shows the kids her notes or talks about the case. “You have the same right to take notes as that court reporter,” said District Attorney Matt Bingham.

The afternoon brought more testimony from a child who was 10 when, she says, Dennis Pittman — with the help of her own mother — raped her. She testified that after taking “silly pills,” her mother was there as Pittman raped her. “One of the people holding you down was your own mother?,” Bingham asked. “Yes” she said. “Were your pants removed?,” Bingham asked. “Yes,” she said. “Who removed your pants?,” Bingham asked. “Dennis,” she said. Pittman faces life in prison.

LONGVIEW — Police in Longview say they’ve arrested a suspect in a residential burglary and returned the stolen property to its owner. Just after 3:45 Wednesday afternoon, Longview Officers responded to 420 West Hope Drive for a report of a residential burglary that had just occurred. Officers arrived and met with the caller, who is the mother of the victim. The woman told officers that she had gone to her daughter’s home at 420 West Hope Drive and located a strange car in the driveway. As she approached her daughter’s home to find out what was going on, she saw that her daughter’s front door had been damaged. The victim’s mother then saw a man exit her daughter’s home, carrying a large bag. The man entered the car and fled the location.
Witnesses to the burglary provided investigating officers with information that helped officers identify a possible suspect, Justin Marrow, 28. Officers then went to Marrow’s home at 116 East Sycamore and found a car in the driveway that matched the description given by witnesses. Marrow was located inside his residence, and police say property stolen from the victim at 420 West Hope was found in the car Marrow had been driving. The stolen property was returned, and Marrow was arrested and charged with burglary of a habitation, a 2nd degree felony. Marrow was booked into the Gregg County Jail.

JEFFERSON — All seven designated swimming areas at Lake O’ the Pines have been reopened. Test results that came in Thursday resulted in the beaches being reopened. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers shut down the swimming areas June 18th after tests revealed unhealthy levels of fecal coliform in the water. Two of the beaches were reopened July 2nd and the others were reopened Thursday. The problem was said to have been caused by the heavy rains about a month ago. The rain is said to have washed litter from chicken and other confined animal feeding operations to the lake shore. Bi-weekly fecal coliform testing in the swimming areas through the end of next month.

TYLER — Information from the Texas Comptroller indicates that City of Tyler sales tax revenues deposited for the month of July have decreased 7.01 percent as compared to the same period in 2009. Year-to-date revenues have declined 8.76 percent, an improvement from last month’s 8.93 percent. The reported revenue of $ 2,533,713.39 comprises $1,689,142.26 in general sales tax revenue and $844,571.13 in half-cent sales tax revenue. The figures represent receipts from May 2010 collections, as there is a two-month period before revenue is reported.

“The City had budgeted for no growth in sales tax revenue for this fiscal year,” said City Manager Mark McDaniel. “As soon as the monthly returns began indicating that sales tax revenue was declining, the City took aggressive steps to curtail spending. This is paying off as we are closing the gap on the budget shortfall. We have approximately 47 positions frozen in the general fund alone and continue to delay projects, assess contracts, and limit spending where possible.” The City began its budgeting for the 2010-2011 fiscal year months earlier than normal in anticipation of another tight budget year.

“We anticipate having at least one more really tight budget year,” added McDaniel. “As the economy recovers, municipal revenues generally lag behind. We anticipate that property tax receipts will remain flat, or possibly dip slightly in the coming year based upon recent valuations. However, Tyler is fortunate that we have no general obligation debt so all tax revenue can go directly toward current operations. Combined with being very streamlined and fiscally disciplined, we are weathering the storm better than most.”

HALLSVILLE — 2,500 stadium light poles have been recalled, including some in Hallsville. According to KETK, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission made the announcement Monday after several incidents of the Whitco poles falling down. Here in East Texas, Hallsville ISD’s Bobcat Stadium was on the recall list. School officials say they learned of the recall Tuesday and are now in the process of figuring out what to do. For now, plans call for moving forward on the basis of engineers’ reports. The officials say they have had the lights inspected and they passed all necessary safety measures. The lights will be inspected again before football season starts.

LONGVIEW – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott has recognized Claudia Ray, an assistant attorney general in the Child Support Division’s Longview office, as “Assistant Attorney General of the Year” for the 43-county region based in Tyler. Ray received the honor Wednesday at the Statewide Assistant Attorneys General Conference in Fort Worth. “Claudia Ray’s hard work and dedication helped ensure thousands of young Texans have the child support they need to grow healthy and strong,” Abbott said. “A committed and selfless public servant, Claudia stands out as one of the state’s most dedicated and impressive lawyers. We are grateful to Claudia Ray for her commitment to Texas children.”