KTBB News, Weather, Talk

GILMER— Power had to be shut down Saturday after a tree feel onto a power line, sparking a fire on Highway 155 near Gilmer. Gilmer firefighters tell KETK the fire started around 12:30 Saturday afternoon in a heavily wooded area near the highway, burning around 3 acres. Gilmer and the Texas Forest Service responded to the fire, and were able to contain and put it out before it damaged any structures. Power was shut off in the area and lanes were shut down for a short period of time as a precaution. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

TYLER – Construction crews from TxDOT contractor Big Creek Construction, Ltd., of Hewitt, are scheduled on Monday to begin several months of work to resurface and add turn lanes to Spur 364. Crews will be adding turn lanes to the entire roadway between State Highway 31 west of Tyler and Loop 323 in Tyler, and adding additional shoulder width to Spur 364 between Greenbriar Road and Loop 323. “This project is long overdue with all the growth we’ve been experiencing in Tyler and across East Texas,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “We’re outgrowing a lot of our highways around here, and Spur 364 is another example of that. We’ve pleased we’re finally able to address this longtime need.” Meanwhile, Krantz added, motorists should plan to encounter daytime lane closures and traffic controlled by flaggers and pilot vehicles. The $2.9 million project is scheduled for completion next summer. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

HALLSVILLE — Two Hallsville Firemen have been treated and released from Longview Regional Medical Center after being treated for heat exhaustion while fighting a house fire. The fire was reported around 11:15 Saturday morning in a rural area of Harrison County. The home was destroyed by the blaze. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

EL PASO (AP) — The attorney for Johnny Manziel says even if the NCAA investigation of the Heisman Trophy winner isn’t completed by the start of the season the quarterback should be able to play in Texas A and M’s first game. Jim Darnell, Manziel’s El Paso, Texas-based attorney, (pictured) says he has met with Manziel and his family, but provided few details about the status or nature of the investigation.

He did say he believed that Manziel would play August 31st when the Aggies open the season against Rice, but could not put a timetable on the case. ESPN has reported the NCAA is investigating Manziel for receiving payment for signing autographs, a violation of amateurism rules that could put his eligibility in question for the coming season.

JACKSONVILLE — Cherokee County authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating a man who they say injured a sheriff’s deputy. They are looking for Richard Ryan Cook, 42. He fled from a home on Farm Road 747 around 10:45 Friday morning. Continue reading Cherokee County Deputy Injured, Suspect at Large

ORE CITY — Fire has hit three homes in Ore City. The first of the Upshur County fires was reported around 3:00 Friday afternoon on Janis Street in the Sandy Shore addition. The fire is said to have started from a controlled burn that spread to a home. That fire spread to a second home and then spread to the third house. The first two houses have been destroyed. No injuries have been reported.

EAST TEXAS — Wulf Outdoor Sports is going out of business and closing its stores in Athens and Center. They started a going out of business sale on Friday. On the stores’ web page, Chief Executive Officer John Bell said; “We regret to inform you we have reached a decision to close our stores, our website and our business. We have served the East Texas outdoor sporting goods market for over 9 years and have made many wonderful friends.” The website also mentioned that anyone who is interested in buying furniture, fixtures or equipment, please see the store managers.

TYLER — Tyler police have obtained an arrest for suspect in the July 30th shooting death at P.T. Cole Park. Named in the arrest warrant is Rakheem Goldstein, 20, of Tyler. He is believed to have been involved in the shooting death of Briana Raquel Young. State District Judge Jack Skeen has set his bond at $1,000,000. So far, authorities have not been able to locate him. Continue reading Suspect Named in Tyler Shooting Death

LUFKIN — A Lufkin home has been destroyed by fire. But, because a 5 year old girl got her family up, no injuries were reported. The fire was reported shortly after 9:45 Friday morning in the 1400 block of Sayers Street. Lufkin Fire Marshal Steve McCool tells KETK the little girl woke her mother up after the smoke alarms did not sound. Everyone was able to escape safely. The fire is thought to have started in a bedroom. The cause of the fire has not been released.

LONGVIEW — Add Gregg County to the list of counties that have issued a burn ban. The burn ban was issued today to take effect immediately. Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt tells KETK he thought about waiting until the first of the week to start the ban, but thought it would be better if it was issued now. Stoudt says Gregg County has reached 700 on the Keetch-Byram Index, a scale used to measure forest fire potentials. Besides Gregg County, other burn bans are in effect in the counties of Harrison, Henderson, Kaufman, Marion, Panola, Sabine, San Augustine Shelby and Upshur.

TEXARKANA (AP) — A judge in Texarkana has given a former northeast Texas police sergeant a week to decide whether to take a plea in an assault case where he’s accused of injecting his wife with animal-euthanizing drugs. David Horn is set for trial in September for the attack last year on his wife, Misty. Continue reading Ex-Officer to Consider Plea in Drug Attack on Wife

DeSOTO (AP/Staff) – More charges have been filed against the former Tyler man who police say fatally shot four people and injured four others in separate Dallas-area attacks. Erbie Lee Bowser was charged by Dallas police Friday with capital murder in the deaths of his girlfriend, Toya Smith, and her daughter, 17-year-old Tasmia Allen. He was also charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for wounding Smith’s 14-year-old son and a 17-year-old family friend. Continue reading More Charges Filed in Attacks that Killed Four

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department dispatched its Hazardous Materials Team at 6:55 a.m. to a Hydrochloric Acid leak. Rock Water Energy, located at 12032 Hwy. 155 North, called for assistance with a leaking 55-gallon drum inside a building. Fire Dept. officials say the team contained the incident and remained on scene to assist workers with ventilation. There were no injuries. One engine, the Hazmat trailer, and a District Chief responded to the incident.

NOONDAY — A fire that struck a vacant mobile home in Noonday Thursday night is being investigated as arson. The Smith County Fire Marshal is looking into the blaze, which left only charred remains. KETK reports the fire broke out around midnight in the 17000 block of Hillside Drive. A couple walking along the road told investigators an unknown man approached them asking for a ride. They refused, and shortly after, the home was ablaze. Continue reading Noonday Mobile Home Fire Being Investigated as Arson

TYLER — Tyler Junior College trustees will hold a public hearing this morning at 11:00 on a proposal to increase tax revenues for 2013. College spokesman Fred Peters says the proposed tax rate of $0.199926 is the same as this year’s, “but by Texas law, we must hold hearings if it appears that property valuations will result in revenues exceeding the prior year’s.” Another public hearing on the same topic is set for August 15 at 5:30pm. Both hearings will be held in the Board Room of TJC’s White Administrative Services Center.

TYLER – Contract construction crews have completed work at the intersection of Front Street (SH 31) and Broadway Avenue. The work was to
repair a damaged storm drain that caused a sinkhole to form in the intersection on July 23. They had said the intersection would be closed until around 5:00 Monday morning or until the work was completed. The work was completed sooner since the crews worker 24 around the clock on the project since last Friday, removing the old storm drain pipe and replacing it with a new pipe, then repairing the roadway.

LUFKIN (AP) – A 51-year-old Lufkin man is back in a familiar place. Jail. Records show when Angelina County sheriff’s deputies Wednesday arrested John Richard Burch Sr., it was his 47th arrest. Burch appeared in court Thursday and pleaded guilty to resisting arrest. He’s still held on $1,500 bond. Lufkin TV station KTRE reports Burch’s record goes back to 1994 with a public intoxication arrest. He notched his second charge four days later for resisting arrest. Since then, jail records show he’s had wide range of misdemeanor and felony charges. He’s also had prison time. Continue reading Lufkin Man Arrested for 47th Time

LUFKIN (AP) – A man charged with capital murder for the weekend slayings of his ex-girlfriend and her daughter says he’s responsible for the Angelina County killings. Kevin McKelvey turned himself in and was arrested Monday night, a day after 39-year-old Teresa McCoy and her daughter, 22-year-old Shaunika Hoyle, of Lufkin, were shot to death. The 37-year-old McKelvey, in an interview with The Lufkin Daily News says he did the fatal shootings. He also says while he didn’t mean to kill Hoyle, he has no remorse for killing her mother, his former girlfriend. Hoyle was shot inside a trailer home. Her mother was shot while trying to escape the area in a pickup truck. Records show McKelvey has a previous conviction for attempted murder. He now could face a death sentence.

MT. PLEASANT — A man thought responsible for half a dozen church burglaries has been arrested by Mt. Pleasant police. Derrick Grayson Bowers, 26, of Mount Pleasant, was arrested on Wednesday based on forensic evidence found at two of the churches. The burglaries occurred between February 10th and March 28th. Bowers has been charged with six counts of burglary of a habitation.

UPSHUR COUNTY — Firefighters finally contained a 60-acre forest fire in Upshur County Thursday. The blaze broke out around 2 in the afternoon Thursday, near Flamingo Road, just off Highway 300. Upshur County firefighters say a hot spot from a last week, rekindled, sparking Thursday’s fire. Around 25 firefighters, including those from Upshur County and the Texas A&M Forest Service, battled the blaze throughout the day. Firefighters tell KETK no one was hurt and no homes have been damaged. The Texas A&M Forest Service cleared the scene, but firefighters headed back to the scene Friday. According to the Forest Service’s website, Upshur County’s fire was largest of the 13 that sparked on Thursday.

TYLER — The Texas Education Agency has released the 2013 state accountability system ratings for school districts and charter schools.Districts and schools received one of three ratings under the new system: Met Standard;Met Alternative Standard; or Improvement Required. Under the new system, the Tyler school district and 22 of the districts schools were rated met standard. Of the schools rated as having met standard, 62% earned one or more distinction designations. Continue reading Most Tyler Schools Make the Grade

EL PASO (AP) — The Family of Johnny Manziel has hired an El Paso attorney with experience in NCAA matters as the Heisman Trophy winner reportedly faces an investigation into whether he was paid to sign autographs. The Manziel family said in a statement Thursday that Jim Darnell (pictured) would be representing the Texas A&M quarterback. Continue reading Manziel Family Hires Attorney with NCAA Experience

PALESTINE — A Palestine woman is dead after her unmanned car ran over her in the parking lot of a Palestine Post Office. KETK reports Sumiko Coleman, 87, was pronounced dead at the scene. Police were dispatched Thursday morning just before 10:15 to the site at 1213 North Link. Upon officers’ arrival, it was learned that a driver of a car drove onto the premises, allowed her husband to exit the vehicle, and moments later she left the vehicle herself while the vehicle was still running. The vehicle then, unmanned, started to back out of the parking space, apparently striking Coleman, knocking her to the ground. The vehicle then continued to back out of the parking space and ran over the her. Continue reading Elderly Woman Dies after Unmanned Car Runs over Her

AUSTIN – Four Texas cities — including Mt. Pleasant — have new millionaires with tickets matching five of the numbers drawn in Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing being sold by local retailers. Second-tier prize winning tickets were sold in Arlington, Amarillo, Mt. Pleasant, and San Antonio. According to a Lottery news release, the winning ticket in Mt. Pleasant — worth $1 million — was sold at South-End Grocery, 1101 South Jefferson Avenue. Continue reading Winning Powerball Ticket Sold in Mt. Pleasant

DeSOTO (AP/Staff) – A mother and her teenage daughter are among four people fatally shot at two Dallas-area homes in a domestic dispute that left four other youths wounded — and a former Tyler athlete is suspected. Dallas and DeSoto police on Thursday said charges are pending against Erbie Bowser, who was apprehended at the second crime scene in DeSoto. According to KETK, CNN, and Dallas TV station WFAA, Bowser is a 1987 graduate of Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler — where he was an all-state football selection in 1986. Officials have confirmed that Bowser is a former Army staff sergeant who more recently worked as a special education teacher and supplemented his time as a hip-hop dancer for the Dallas Mavericks. Continue reading Former Tyler Footballer Held in Fatal Dallas-Area Shootings

AUSTIN — State Senator Dan Patrick has tried to dismantle the state’s controversial CSCOPE online school lesson program. State Education Board Member Thomas Ratliff is fighting to allow school districts to continue to use it. The two have agreed to debate the issue this month in Tyler. Patrick says, “I think we should close the program down now.” He also tweeted to Ratliff, “I’m coming to East Texas, will you be there?” — referring to the August 24th debate. Continue reading Patrick, Ratliff to Debate CSCOPE

TYLER — The Smith County Chapter of the American Cancer Society is participating in a nationwide study called CPS-3. KETK reports the goal is to better understand the factors that cause or prevent cancer and, ultimately, help eliminate cancer for future generations. For 20 years, researchers will keep a close eye on the lifestyles of “healthy” people. On Tuesday, folks gathered to increase awareness at the Chamber of Commerce in Tyler. The meeting was designed to let people know about the program and share with people on how they can become involved. Continue reading Cancer Study Being Conducted

CHANDLER — A two vehicle accident south of Chandler has killed a Smith County man. Jesus Alvarado, Jr, 20, of Flint, was dead at the scene, on Farm Road 315, just north of Farm Road 3079. Alvarado was a passenger in a car that veered into the opposite lane of traffic, colliding with an oncoming car. The accident happened around 9:00 Tuesday night. The Department of Public Safety reports the accident remains under investigation.

MARSHALL — A warrant sweep by Harrison County Sheriff’s deputies has resulted in nine drug related arrests. According to a news release from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Department, the arrests are the result of sealed grand jury indictments issued late last week. Several of the suspects, all of whom were arrested in the eastern part of the county, had multiple indictments and warrants. Three of the suspects were already in custody. The others were awakened and arrested at their homes. They are all being held in the Harrison County Jail on bonds ranging from $25,000 to $50,000. Continue reading Arrests Made in Harrison County Warrant Sweep

PLANO — A 57 year old Hunt County man has pleaded guilty to negligently releasing an extremely hazardous substance and placing another person in danger of imminent death or serious bodily injury. William “Bill” Lafon Musgrove, 57, of Quinlan, pleaded guilty yesterday in U.S. Magistrate Judge Don D. Bush’s court in Plano. Musgrove faces up to one year in prison and a $250,000.00 fine. A sentencing date has not been scheduled. Continue reading Manager of Metal Recovery Business Pleads Guilty