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RUSK — The Cherokee County Grand Jury has returned a no-bill regarding allegations that County Commissioner Katherine Pinotti broke the law. That’s according to a news release from Pinotti’s attorney, Cynthia Kent. Pinotti was under investigation for authorizing repairs to Patterson Lane, formerly identified in county maps and records as County Road 3427. Pinotti says she’s grateful that the grand jury took time to consider all the evidence. She adds, “The taxpayers and residents on Patterson Lane had urged me to make needed repairs to their road which had fallen into such disrepair as to be dangerous for the families and children living in that community.”

According to prior reports, many said Patterson Lane was actually a private road, not a county road. But according to Pinotti, if the road had been labeled correctly, there wouldn’t have been a problem. Pinotti says it’s one of many Cherokee County roads improperly labeled on official county maps. At a recent meeting, commissioners pushed off a vote to make changes to the maps. One suggested seeking advice from counsel before making such a move.

CUSHING — Authorities suspect possible arson after a series of house fires in East Texas. There are reportedly similarities among three house fires within a two-mile radius in the Cushing-Looneyville area. The Nacogdoches County sheriff says everything is too closely related with the fires.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – A suspect is in custody in connection with a Hopkins County murder. Charged with capital murder is Brian Allen Tucker, 44, of Mesquite. He is accused of the Friday slaying of Bobby Riley, 62. He was found dead in the Mahoney Community. An autopsy indicated he had been strangled. Tucker was arrested in Yantis late Monday night after pawning some items taken from Riley’s home. The items, including guns and musical instruments were found in a Texarkana pawn shop.

AUSTIN (AP) — Dog owners could face life in prison if their dog kills an infant or an elderly person. If the attack results in serious injury, the possibly penalty is third degree felony. In a bill passed Tuesday, owners of a dog that kills a child under the age of 18 or an adult older than 65 can be charged with a first degree felony. The maximum sentence for a first degree felony is life in prison. The bill was authored by state Representative Chuck Hopson, a Jacksonville Republican. The House approved the bill on a 123-7 vote. Following a procedural vote, the measure will go to the Senate for consideration.

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University has named Dr. Larry J. Frazier as its new dean of the School of Arts and Sciences, effective July 1. Frazier is the current associate provost and dean of the School of Arts and Sciences and a professor of religion and philosophy at Chowan University in Murfreesboro, N.C.

“Dr. Frazier was chosen following a national search and comes heartily recommended,” said LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford. “He is a native of East Texas and a proven leader who brings a passion for graduating students who will integrate their Christian faith into their professional careers.”

Frazier was his class salutatorian when he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from East Texas Baptist University, double majoring in Christian Ministry and Behavioral Sciences in 1990. He earned a Master of Arts in Theology from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1994 and a Ph.D. in religion from Baylor University in 2002. At Baylor, his work focused mainly on the history of Christianity and his dissertation applied a sociological methodology in examining the responses and adjustments of Baptist churches in East Texas during the oil boom of the 1930s.

“I am honored to join Dr. Lunsford, Dr. Coyle, and the rest of the LETU faculty and staff,” Frazier said. “During my brief time on campus I got a sense of the spirit and mission of this special place, and I look forward to being a part of what God has in store for the future of LETU.”

LINDALE — Lindale ISD’s E.J. Moss Intermediate School and Lindale Junior High School were recognized as Title 1 Distinguished Performance Schools on Tuesday at the Region 7 Education Service Center in Kilgore. District and school administrators, along with several teachers, were presented a certificate from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) during a special ceremony. The distinction is awarded through the No Child Left Behind Program of the TEA. This is the second consecutive year E.J. Moss has received the honor and the first time for Lindale Junior High School.

Title 1 schools receive federal funding to meet the needs of at-risk and low income students. To be named a Distinguished Performance School, both campuses achieved a rating of Exemplary from the TEA during the spring of 2010 and a rating of either Exemplary or Recognized during spring 2009 and spring 2008. E.J. Moss was rated Recognized in 2008 and Exemplary in 2009 and 2010. Lindale Junior High School was Recognized in 2008 and 2009, and Exemplary in 2010.

A Distinguished Performance School must also serve a student population of 40% or more low-income students during the 2010-2011 school year. The campuses also met the criteria for Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in 2009 and 2010.

LONGVIEW — A Gregg County man has been sentenced to a lengthy prison term for his third DWI conviction. State District Judge David Brabham sentenced Lonia Halton of Longview to 30 years in prison.

In April of last year Halton was involved in a three vehicle accident on South Highway 149. The Department of Public Safety said Halton had failed to control his speed and rear-ended the vehicle in front of him and that vehicle consequently rear-ended another vehicle. It was determined that Halton was intoxicated at the time of the accident.

LONGVIEW – A man stopped on a traffic violation now faces drug charges in Gregg County. Quintus Dewayne Shaw, 24, was stopped for having a headlight out. It was then that officers learned that Shaw had outstanding warrant from Harrison County for possession of a controlled substance. To make matters worse, when he was booked into the Gregg County Jail, officers found a small plastic bag of cocaine in his underwear.

EAST TEXAS — The Henderson man arrested a year ago for putting explosives in mailboxes has his final court appearance next month. Police say Larry Gene North terrorized parts of East Texas by placing more than 30 pipe bombs in various mailboxes. He’s been in the hospital most of the time since his arrest in April of 2010. But on a single day in June, North will have a competency and a change of plea hearing; then he’ll be sentenced. He’s facing a number of criminal charges and could get life in prison.

TYLER — Family and friends gathered in Tyler Monday to mourn the death of 79-year-old pastor and writer David Wilkerson. During his life, Wilkerson ministered to young drug addicts and gang members in New York City and started Times Square Church there. Many know him by his best-selling book “The Cross and the Switchblade,” which was made into a movie. Last week, he was killed in a car crash off Highway 175 near the Anderson County line, and now many East Texans say they will miss his heart of gold. Pastor Wilkerson is survived by his wife and four children.

TYLER (AP) – A third East Texas gang member has been sentenced to prison for raping a 12-year-old girl after a September high school football game. A judge in Tyler on Monday sentenced 19-year-old Glenn Authar Williams to 40 years in prison. Williams in April was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Prosecutor Guy Conine says the victim attended a football game in Tyler and then went with three girls she knew to the home of one of the men. Conine on Tuesday told The Associated Press that the victim did not know the men. Brandon High, who’s 20, and 19-year-old Josh Baker in March pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child. Each was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

HENDERSON — One man has been arrested in connection with a Henderson convenience store robbery where a clerk was held at gun point early Saturday morning. According to Lt. Craig Sweeney, Henderson police officers were dispatched to Fast Stop North in the 100 block of Kilgore Drive at about 3:15 a.m. in connection with a robbery.

The clerk told officers one man pointed a weapon at her while another person removed a “small amount of cash” from the register, then fled the scene, Sweeney said. Kuenten Scott, 18, of Winona was arrested a short time later after a traffic stop on North Mill Street. Sweeney said Rusk County Sheriff’s deputies stopped a vehicle near the convenience store a few minutes after the robbery. Investigators say they do not believe the driver of the vehicle was involved in the robbery and he was not scene on any of the surveillance footage. Scott was released from Rusk County Jail Monday afternoon on $60,000 bond, charged with aggravated robbery. Officials said they expect more arrests in the future.

GALVESTON (AP) — Officials say they believe the body of a man found washed onto a Galveston beach is that of a missing teenage swimmer. Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis says a beach maintenance crew found the body on East Beach about noon Monday. He tells the Galveston County Daily News that it’s believed to be that of John Hight, 18, of the East Texas community of DeBerry. Hight went missing as he and nine friends were swimming in rough surf Saturday. The body was taken to the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office.

MARSHALL — Three men have been arrested for racing lawnmowers in a muddy section of a Marshall park. The men were arrested Sunday afternoon and charged with criminal mischief between $1,500 and $20,000. They were said to have torn up several section of grass in the park on East Rusk Street. Arrested were James Edward Brown, 42, Christopher Scott Call, 18, and Scott Desalvo, 19, all from Marshall.

LINDALE — The Lindale Independent School District will host a second community and parent informational meeting tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the E.J. Moss Intermediate School auditorium. The focus of the meeting will be changes for the 2011-2012 school year in first through sixth grades. Parents or guardians of LISD students currently in kindergarten through fifth grades are encouraged to attend. District officials will be available to answer any questions regarding the transition and address concerns.

Lindale ISD will undergo campus realignments due to the passage of the 2009 bond election. The bond included the addition of a new junior high school campus. With the addition of the new campus, the district will make changes at other LISD campuses to handle the district’s continuing growth in student population.

Lindale Primary School will serve first through third grades beginning next school year. The current primary school will be known as College Street Elementary School beginning with the 2011-2012 school year as well. The LISD school board approved the name change in February. Velma Penny Elementary School will also serve grades 1-3 beginning next school year. The school currently serves students in third and fourth grades.

E.J. Moss Intermediate School neighbors the current Lindale Junior High School. The two campuses will be joined to form one school next year. Lindale Junior High School will move to its new building. The current intermediate campus will be known as E.J. Moss East and the former junior high building will be E.J. Moss West. Fourth grade students and half of the fifth grade will work out of the E.J. Moss East building, and half of fifth grade and all of sixth grade will work out of E.J. Moss West.