KTBB News, Weather, Talk

KILGORE — A student from Kilgore College and a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honors Society has been named a 2023 Coca-Cola Leaders of Promise Scholar. According to our news partner KETK, Annabelle Phillips of Hallsville will receive a $1,000 scholarship. The scholarship program is built to help new members of Phi Theta Kappa pay for expenses while they pursue their associates degree and help students develop leadership skills.
Continue reading Kilgore College student gets scholarship from Coca-Cola

TYLER – ERCOT is asking its customers to conserve electricity use due to a high level of unexpected thermal generation outages and a low wind generation forecast. According to our news partner KETK, They are asking for conservation efforts between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday. ERCOT said they will continue to closely monitor conditions throughout the day.

LONGVIEW-The Longview area is experiencing widespread power outages Wednesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, SWEPCO reportsrestorations have been made for close to 5,000 customers, and work continues to get power back to another 1,000 customers. A traffic alert has been issued by the Longview Police Department in the area of WEST Marshall and Gilmer Road. Several lanes have been closed due to a power line that is down in the intersection.
Continue reading Longview officials report 1,000 without power

TYLER — A high-friction surface treatment was recently installed on the Grande Boulevard reverse curve. The treatment is one of two safety improvements recommended by the West Grande Boulevard Reverse Curve Study presented to the City Council in October 2022. According to a City of Tyler news release, an LED Curve Warning system is also being installed, with funding from the Highway Safety Improvement Program administered by the Texas Department of Transportation. New signage, striping, and illuminated chevrons that light up as a vehicle enters the curve are scheduled to be installed later this fall. “The combination of the high friction surface treatment and the LED Curve Warning system are safety enhancements identified to address past crash history in this area,” said Traffic Engineer Cameron Williams. Continue reading High friction surface installed on Tyler roadway

WINONA — The Smith County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved a new sheriff substation in Winona. The city said it is much needed in the area. “It’s not just for the city of Winona, it’s for the whole area,” said Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith. According to our news partner KETK, one of the main issues that local officials in Smith County want to solve with the new substation is people speeding through Winona. “I can tell you right now, the citizens and the ones driving through Winona in the morning through the school zones in the big trucks going 60-70 near downtown Winona, that’s going to come to a screeching halt,” said Smith. Continue reading Commissioners approve sheriff’s substation for Winona

COFFEE CITY — The number of police officers in Coffee City equals about 20% of the town’s population. The population is 249, according to the city limits sign. But Coffee City has more than 50 full-time and reserve police officers. Records show the officers wrote more than 5,100 citations last year, and the town collected more than $1 million in court fines. More than half of the 50 police have been discharged in some way from their previous jobs, as shown from open records requests. Those prior disciplinary actions range from excessive force, public drunkenness, untruthfulness and association with known criminals. Police Chief John Jay Portillo says many were victims of internal politics. According to KHOU, a spokesperson for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement confirms the agency has an open investigation into the Coffee City Police Department but would not say if it concerns hiring practices or any other issues.

TYLER – ERCOT is asking Texans to conserve electricity use due to a high level of unexpected thermal generation outages and forecast low wind generation, according to our news partners at KETK.The issued appeal asks Texans to conserve between 5 p.m. and 9 p.m., and said they expect similar conditions to persist through tomorrow and “ask Texans to stay tuned for additional communications.” ERCOT recently issued conservation appeals four days in a row due to “tight grid conditions” and forecasts that showed potential to enter emergency operations.ERCOT said they will continue to closely monitor conditions throughout the day.

PALESTINE — The Texas Association of School Boards announced their five public school superintendents selected as state finalists for the Superintendent of the Year award. According to our news partner KETK, Westwood ISD Superintendent Wade Stanford is one of the five finalists. Stanford and four other four others will go to the next stage of the competition for Superintendent of the Year. The winner is going to be announced Friday, Sept. 29. Stanford, who has more than 38 years of experience as an educator, joined Westwood ISD as Superintendent in 2016, after four years as the assistant superintendent of Marble Falls ISD.

TYLER – Tyler Police have issued a warrant for a third suspect in the Liberty Arms apartment complex shooting. According to our news partner KETK, Delon Williams is wanted on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and deadly conduct. Back in May, police received multiple reports of shots fired at those apartment buildings. Authorities were able to identify two of the suspected shooters, making one arrest. 21-year-old Marcus Gray was arrested in June. With the warrant issued for Delon Williams, TPD are still looking for Kerick Johnson for his involvement in the shootings. Tyler Police Department asks that anyone having knowledge of the location of Williams or Johnson to please contact them.

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK , Tyler Police Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh said, a body was found in the woods behind Aldi at Highway 31 East and Loop 323. There is no indication of foul play, Erbaugh said, and the body is being sent for autopsy.This is the second body found in Tyler this week– the first was in the woods near a Walmart at the 200 block of SSW Loop 323 on Monday.

SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man pleads guilty to leaving his baby beside the road while drunk. Paul Hanna, 38, admitted to child abandonment and endangerment in the incident that happened on the night of January 10th. A motorcycle rider found Hanna’s 1-year-old daughter in her car seat on the side of a road. The biker went to a nearby home and called 911. The little girl was picked up by family members. Hanna was found in his car at a nearby convenience store. He told officers his daughter was at his home with a full-time nurse who was also watching his 4-year-old son. Officers found him to be “uncredible and intoxicated.” Hanna faces up to 20 years in prison.

LONGVIEW — A man was arrested in Longview after a shooting left someone with life-threatening injuries last Wednesday. According to the Longview Police Department and our news partner KETK, officials were told about a shooting victim who was being treated at a Tyler hospital for a gunshot wound. During the investigation, detectives determined the shooting happened within the city of Longview. They issued a warrant for 25-year-old John Lee Smith III for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Smith was reportedly out on a $125,000 bond for murder and felon in possession of a firearm at the time. Longview SWAT served the warrant at a local residence last Friday and Smith was taken into custody without incident. The investigation is ongoing.

SMITH COUNTY — A Henderson man was indicted on one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14 and one count of sexual assault of a child by a grand jury in Smith County. According to our news partner KETK, Russell Lewis Evans, 22, was arrested on April 6 and booked into the Smith County Jail on a $1 million bond. He was indicted on both counts on June 29. According to Evans’ arrest warrants, the abuse started when the victim was under 10-years-old. The warrants detail several instances of abuse over the years as told by the child. The warrants also stated that after each instance, Evans would threaten the victim, warning them about ever telling anyone of the abuse. One time even saying he would shoot the child in the head if they told anyone, according to the warrant. Continue reading Man indicted for continuous sexual abuse of a child

TYLER — A Tyler man has been indicted by a Smith County grand jury in connection to a 2022 aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon. According to our news partner KETK, Adan Orozco, 41, was arrested in April in connection with a kidnapping that took place in September of 2022. According to an arrest warrant, Orozco opened a woman’s car door and pointed a pistol at her. Orozco allegedly “pushed the barrel of the pistol into the left side of her head with the pistol and walked to the passenger side of her vehicle,” and then said “you aren’t leaving until I say you’re going to leave,” according to an arrest warrant. Continue reading Tyler kidnapping suspect indicted

TYLER – During the summer recess, United States Republican Congressman Nathaniel Moran recently announced he was running for re-election. He also took this opportunity to visit voters in his district. Monday afternoon the congressman talked to KTBB’ Chuck McKinley about the response he was getting from constituents on his re-election announcement. Moran said from the road, “The response has been great. As we traveled around our 17 counties last week, we did 9 official stops. As we talked to folks, what we focused on was the accountability for the promises we made. And what had taken place the first 8 months. And to make sure they knew we were going to be accountable to the promises we made and that we were going to keep those promises and fulfill the obligations they sent us to Washington, D.C. to do. So, transparency in those conversations, a lot of positive response from the folks who came out.”
Continue reading No recess for Congressman Nathaniel Moran