KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER, Texas – The Kings Academy Christian School girls volleyball team won the Texas Association of Independent Athletic Organizations state volleyball championship on Saturday in San Antonio. According to our news partner KETK, besides winning the Texas title, Ainslee, Ella, Reagan and Symie also made the Division 2 All Stars team.

TYLER – As the search for a Speaker of The House is ongoing, Congressman Nathaniel Moran says that Republicans need to find a leader to advance their priorities in their conference. Those being border security and support for Israel. With the events in the Mideast and budget crisis Moran said, “There’s a lot of bi-partisan issues that we could get to, especially as it relates to Israel right now, that we absolutely can’t take action on until we get a speaker. As I’ve said from the beginning, it doesn’t matter if you like Speaker McCarthy or not, three weeks ago was the absolute worst time to vacate and we’ve seen exactly why,” Moran said. “We knew appropriations was time sensitive at the time, we couldn’t have predicted Israel but now that we’ve had that it’s even more so that we need leadership here that can actually help the House function. We have a job to do.”
Continue reading Rep. Moran says Republicans need to lead

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that 56-year-old Michael McKenney was found guilty and sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for driving while intoxicated third or more. McKenney is a convicted felon and registered sex offender. He was initially arrested in March 2021 for driving while intoxicated by Smith County deputies, and his charge was enhanced to felony DWI due to his prior convictions. McKenney entered a plea of not guilty in this case, and his trial by jury started on Tuesday.

SMITH COUNTY – Early voting for the Nov. 7th constitutional and joint elections started on Monday, Oct. 23rd in Smith County. According to a release, there will be 14 Constitutional Amendments on the ballot for everyone in Smith County. The Cities of Whitehouse and Overton, and the Whitehouse and Lindale Independent School Districts are each holding special elections. Early voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, October 23-27; 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, October 28; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, October 30-November 1; and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday and Friday, November 2-3. There will be extended hours at The Hub only on Sunday, October 29, from noon to 4 p.m.
Continue reading Early voting has started in Smith County

TYLER — On Thursday morning, the Tyler Rose Garden Center held its 90th Texas Rose Festival opening ceremony. According to our news partner KETK, Ronald Schoenbrun, the 2023 Texas Rose Festival Association President, welcomed attendees and spoke about the events coming over the next few days. This year’s queen, Laura Bryan said she is thrilled to have kicked off the weekend. “I cannot believe that it’s finally here and that we are able to celebrate the roses and celebrate the city,” said Bryan. Schoenbrun said that people come from all over to enjoy East Texas. “We get so many out-of-town people that want to participate, get to see Tyler and what Tyler is about,” said Schoenbrun. This year’s theme is the Story of Film, where duchesses will wear themed dresses based on different movies. “It will be like nothing anyone has ever seen if you’re coming from out of town, it’s going to be great so many amazing festivities throughout the week,” said Bryan. The 90th Texas Rose Festival runs through Sunday. Click here for a list of events.

SMITH COUNTY — A portion of Smith County Road 2162 remained closed as the Texas Railroad Commission continues to work to locate an old “Legacy Oil Well” head. Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue was called out Tuesday, October 17, to an unidentified gas leak in the right-of-way of Smith County Road 2162, near Troup. Since then, the Texas Railroad Commission has worked to locate and identify the possible gas leak. They have dug a “massive hole” but needed to bring in bigger equipment to dig deeper to find the casing and seal it with concrete. Smith County Emergency Management Coordinator Brandon Moore said, adding that the issue is not a public health concern.
Continue reading Gas leak closes part of CR 2162

LONGVIEW — A former Longview ISD employee pleaded guilty and was sentenced to eight years in prison on Thursday for multiple counts of injury to a child. According to our news partner KETK, Paula Dixon, 60 of Longview, was arrested in July 2022 along with five other women that year in connection to abuse allegations against special education students at J.L. Everhart Elementary. In her indictment, it said Dixon forced children against a wall, struck them with a stick and pushed a child “with the knee of Defendant and by sitting on [the child.]” Former Longview ISD employees Cecelia Gregg, Cynthia Talley and Dixon were “released from employment,” according to the district, in October 2021 after their discovery of the abuse allegations. Gregg has a trial date set for Dec. 11, and Talley has a hearing set for Dec. 6. Continue reading Former Longview ISD teacher sentenced to prison

HENDERSON — Our news partners at KETK report that the City Council of Henderson appointed David Hill as an interim City Attorney on Tuesday by unanimous vote at its monthly meeting.Hill is slated to take over the position after Joe Edward Shumate officially resigned before his arrest on Oct. 5 and was charged with two felony counts regarding a client’s finances and property. Hill is a former Henderson City Attorney and is currently running for 4th District Judge in Rusk County. Continue reading Henderson selects new City Attorney

WHITEHOUSE — On Tuesday, Whitehouse ISD showed off its new emergency response system, called Mutualink, that aims to give officers real-time security. Inside the Smith County Emergency Operations Center, a dispatcher is the first to receive the call that allows law enforcement a live look at everything inside the building, on every floor and every angle. According to our news partner KETK, Mutualink gives the district the ability to relay real time and accurate information to first responders during an emergency. “It puts our eyes immediately inside that building during an incident,“ said Smith County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jimmy Jackson. “We think that’s critical.” Once first responders arrive on the scene, using information provided by Mutualink, they can clear the building of any danger. Jackson said this real-time information officers now have is crucial. “As we all know, time saved [equals lives] saved a lot of times,” said Jackson. “Being able to get that real-time information in the hands of our first responders first-hand is a big deal.” Continue reading Whitehouse ISD tests new emergency response system

RUSK – A boil water notice was issued for parts of Rusk Wednesday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, this includes those customers in the Highway 69 corridor south from McDonald’s south to Loop 343. It also includes intersecting streets east and west of Highway 69. A notice from the city of Rusk said, “If you did not lose water pressure this morning, then you do not need to boil your water.”
Continue reading Boil water notice for Rusk

TYLER — The Texas Rose Festival Parade is scheduled for Oct. 21 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., broadcast exclusively on KETK News. On Saturday starting at 6 a.m., Front Street will be closed from Palace Avenue to Glenwood Boulevard and Glenwood will be closed from Houston Street to Front Street. At 7:45 a.m. Front Street will be closed from Palace Avenue to Lyons Avenue and Glenwood Boulevard will be closed from Houston Street to Erwin Street. Handicap parking for the event will be at Mike Carter Field on Fair Park Drive. The parade route will start at the Rose Garden Center, turning onto Fair Park Drive and ending at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium.

TYLER — The daughter of Rabbi Neal Katz, Rebecca, and Vera Banta flew from Israel to Rome to Boston and finally to Dallas. Early in the morning on October 6, the girls were awakened by bomb sirens, just a few hours after they danced and sang at Shabbat services the night before. That day, they sheltered seven times before noon, barefoot, confused and scared, not knowing when they would be able to come back to the US. While they were waiting, they made 1,500 bags of soap, food, towels and candy for hospitals … and visited soldiers and displaced families. Both say they hope to return to Israel someday.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department responded to a call of a pedestrian and auto crash around 8:20 Tuesday night. According to a news release, “a semi-truck was reportedly northbound on Loop 323, north of HWY 64, when it struck a pedestrian that was in the roadway.” The unidentified pedestrian was not at a crosswalk or intersection when hit. The pedestrian was said to be alert when transported to a local hospital.