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NAPLES – A four year old pre-kindergarten girl in Naples has been killed by the school bus she had just ridden. Patience Grace Alderman was pronounced dead Wednesday afternoon at Titus County Regional Medical Center in Mount Pleasant.

Authorities say the youngster had gotten off the bus and walked around the left side of it. For some reason she headed back toward the bus. As the bus started up, the youngster tripped and fell and was run over by a rear wheel of the bus. The accident happened in the 200 block of Patterson Street in Naples.

Authorities say the girl’s death was an accident and that no charges will be filed. The bus was being driven by Deanna Van Story, who is also a coach at Pewitt Consolidated Independent School District. She was extremely shaken by the accident and required medical attention.

MARSHALL – Two East Texans are going to prison for conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.

Chadwick Ray Howe, 23, of Avinger, pleaded guilty on September 22. He was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison on January 5, by U.S. District Judge T. John Ward. According to information presented in court, from June 2009 to April 2010, Howe conspired with others to manufacture methamphetamine by purchasing cold pills containing pseudoephedrine in Panola and Harrison counties in the Eastern District of Texas. A federal grand jury returned a 20-count indictment on May 6, 2010 charging Howe with federal drug violations.

And in a separate case, James Everett Scudday, 54, of Jefferson, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison on January 5, by U.S. District Judge T. John Ward. According to federal prosecutors, on November 15, Scudday purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Wal-Mart and a Walgreens in Marshall. Texas. The purchases were made in furtherance of his drug manufacturing activities.

GLADEWATER (AP) — The buzzards are back in the East Texas city of Gladewater.

City Manager Sean Pate tells the Longview News Journal that about 30 of the large scavenger birds have been seen roosting on the city’s water tower in recent weeks.

Gladewater has dealt with an abundance of buzzards before, most recently in the spring and summer of 2009. State wildlife expert Steve Epperson helped the city get rid of the problem in the past and has been contacted again.

Officials say buzzard droppings are a threat to the water tower’s paint job, which runs about $80,000. The birds also can damage telecommunications equipment on top of the tower.

LONGVIEW — An East Texas man is in critical condition after being hit by a car. Now his family is offering a reward to help capture the person responsible. Kahn Vu, 52, was hit by a car December 28 in the 900 block of Pine Tree Road. Vu’s son says his dad was returning from a local gas station when he was hit and the driver of the car drove off. The family is pleading for information leading to the arrest of the driver.

LONGVIEW — Longview police say they have caught a wanted man after a routine traffic stop. Officers pullover Andrew Snoody at around 10:30 this morning. Snoody ran from the stop on foot and police caught him shortly after. Snoody had warrants out for his arrest in Dallas County.

NACOGDOCHES — A Henderson man faces possible manslaughter charges in connection with a Wednesday accident on U.S. Highway 259 north of Nacogdoches that left a Garrison man dead and his passenger hospitalized with undisclosed injuries.

Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper John Henley said Timothy Melton, 35, of Garrison died when the Jeep he was driving was struck by a tractor-trailer rig driven by Leon Wood, 38, of Henderson. Henley said Melton was stopped in the northbound lane of the highway, waiting to turn in to the Logmasters business parking lot at the time of the mid-day accident.

Preliminary investigation of the accident indicated Wood was also northbound in the same lane. He apparently attempted to avoid striking Melton’s vehicle but, as Melton began his turn, Wood’s truck struck the passenger vehicle in the driver’s side door, Henley said. Wood’s truck continued northbound, pushing Melton’s vehicle for about 100 yards before coming to rest in the southbound lane of the highway.

MARSHALL — Two East Texas men are heading to jail for child pornography. A 31-year-old Marshall man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales today. Corey Robert Collins pleaded guilty on Aug 17, to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 54 months in federal prison on Jan. 5. According to information presented in court, on May 19, 2010, investigators executed a search warrant at Collins’ home for suspected child pornography. During the investigation, Collins admitted to downloading child pornography over the Internet using his laptop, and consented to a search of his computer. A forensic analysis of the computer revealed 24 complete downloaded videos of child pornography.

A 49-year-old Gilmer man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas today. Terry Don Briant pleaded guilty on Aug 17 to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 97 months in federal prison on Jan. 5. According to information presented in court, on May 19, 2010, investigators executed a search warrant at Briant’s home for suspected child pornography and seized several digital cameras and computers. A forensic examination of a laptop was found to contain about 86 videos and 17 pictures of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct.

HENDERSON — Rusk County authorities have posted a $2,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of suspects who stole high quality hay and the trailer it was stored on. Lone Star Farm & Home in Henderson received a big load of horse quality square bales of hay on a large trailer, Thursday afternoon December 30th. At some time after closing and prior to the owner’s arrival at 6:30 am December 31st, unknown person(s) entered the property thru locked security gates at the back on Wilson Street. Thieves hooked to the 32’ flat bed trailer load of hay with a truck equipped with a gooseneck trailer ball and pulled it away. There were 350 bales of horse quality hay on the trailer. The hay and trailer was valued at over $10,000. If you have any information, you are asked to contact Rusk County Crime Stoppers 903-655-TIPS (8477).

EAST TEXAS — New details on the man who allegedly shot and killed a hunter over the weekend. Authorities say the Ft. Worth man arrested for that crime was convicted of murder back in 1983. Rodney Connelly, 54, told authorities he thought he shot a deer, but instead shot Louis Conner Jr., 41. Connelly was arraigned on a weapons charge Sunday. A felon can not legally possess a a weapon in the state of Texas.

LUFKIN — The pregnant Garrison woman injured in a Diboll wreck Monday is in stable condition at Memorial Medical Center-Lufkin but her unborn baby boy did not survive the crash, according to her sister.

Mary Chiz, 38, and her fiance, Travis Wertz, 35, were traveling along U.S. Highway 59 south in Diboll when an 18-wheeler rear-ended their Montero Sport, forcing them into the 18-wheeler in front of them, according to previous reports. Emergency workers from Lufkin and Diboll fire departments spent nearly 30 minutes freeing the couple from the mangled SUV. The driver of the 18-wheeler that rear-ended Chiz was cited for failure to control speed, Diboll Police said.

TYLER — Trane’s Tyler Plant is looking to fill 600 positions for their assembly line. The East Texas company plant already has 800 employees. Some 400 were laid off last year, and a company spokesman says those people will be the first considered for hiring, before outside candidates.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Investigators discover a meth lab while conducting a follow-up at a local known drug location. It happened Tuesday at a residence near the Kaufman County/Van Zandt County line. Shortly after arriving at the location it was learned that two males had fled on foot out the back from two out buildings that set toward the back of the property. Investigators say they noticed a smell that lead them to believe that methamphetamines were being cooked or had been cooked there recently. After being given consent by the owner of the out building to enter, authorities located what was believed to be a methamphetamine lab. Investigators located multiple bags of a white powdery substance believed to be methamphetamine, ranging in weight from the largest being just over 28 grams to some only having a few grams. Charges are pending for manufacture and delivery, felon in possession of a fire arm and possibly violation of parole.

TYLER — Another arrest has been made in the shooting death of a 15-year-old Longview girl. Gregory Dewayne Polley, 26, Longview was arrested Tuesday night in Longview on a parole violation. Tyler Investigators obtained an arrest warrant last night for Polley issued by Judge Kennedy for 1st degree Murder. Polley’s bond was set at $500,000 dollars and he remains in Gregg County Jail. Adrian Earl Blankenship Jr., 22, Longview was arrested Sunday on misdemeanor motor vehicle and driving violations. Judge Kennedy signed the arrest warrant for 1st Degree Murder and placed a $500,000 bond on Blakenship.

Authorities say Nicole Cartwright left Club REO December 24th to meet with family and friends, also from Longview, at the car wash on West Bow Street. Once at the car wash a disturbance occurred in the parking lot between four females in a gray or blue car with dark tinted windows, possibly a Pontiac, and a group of individuals in a red Dodge Challenger. Shots were fired, striking Ms. Cartwright who later died at a local hospital. Investigators have determined that Ms. Cartwright, who was also from Longview, was not involved in the disturbance nor was she in either vehicle.

GILMER (AP) – A state panel has suspended indicted Upshur County Judge Dean Fowler in an official oppression investigation that led some residents to protest by covering their mouths with duct tape. The suspension was announced Tuesday by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Fowler attorney Todd Tefteller says the suspension, with pay, is standard procedure when a judge has been indicted. County commissioners in September decided to stop hearing public comment.

A protester in November who put duct tape over his mouth was removed from the public meeting. A grand jury December 29 indicted Fowler on charges of official oppression and abuse of power. Two other county officials also were indicted. No trial dates have been set. County commissioners on December 30 voted to lift the ban on public comment.

TYLER — The City of Tyler, Texas, is launching the second phase of its citywide Lean Sigma program. The first phase of the program enabled the City to reduce costs and improve processes, netting a 179% return on investment in just one year.

Tyler initiated 17 projects in October 2009 and to date nine projects have been Completed, resulting in $149,559 in reduced costs and 2,500 work hours saved.

City leaders deployed Lean Sigma in a proactive effort to reduce costs and address potential budget shortfalls caused by tough economic conditions.

“We wanted to be innovative in finding ways to save tax dollars, eliminate waste and improve customer service for our citizens,” said City Manager Mark McDaniel. “By all accounts, year one of our Lean Sigma program has yielded exceptional results citywide.”

Highlights from Phase One of Tyler’s Lean Sigma program include:
*Police: Reduced defect rate in evidence processing;
*Water: Improved variation of response time for customer call-outs (variation of 30-60 minutes to less than 20 minutes);
*Fire: Implementation of Total Predictive Maintenance program (estimated annual savings of $220,000); and,
*Legal: Reduced document review time from 16 days to 8 days.

Phase two projects, rolled out three months ago, will focus on improving urgent repair processes in Neighborhood Services, reducing the time required to get more police officers on the street, lowering the costs of chemicals in the City’s water treatment facility and lowering vehicle parts inventory on hand.

“Our employees are enthusiastic because they’re helping their departments cut costs and operate more efficiently,” said McDaniel. “This initiative has taken Tyler’s Blueprint focus on continuous improvement to the next level. The program is reaching all levels of the organization through project teams so improvements are driven by those involved in the process.”

Tyler officials estimate that Lean Sigma will save $557,522 dollars during the first two phases of its implementation.