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KILGORE — Kilgore College Band Director Wayne Smith has announced his retirement effective the end of this month. �I have really enjoyed my 10 years here as band director,� Smith said. �I have just chosen to retire at this time.�

Dr. Richard Harrison, dean of Liberal and Fine Arts, said that Smith has worked tirelessly for the past 10 years as band director, and began the Ranger Band Alumni Association to keep up with former members. �Wayne has done a lot for the band over the years, including building the number of instruments that the college owns,� Harrison said. �We wish Smith the very best in his retirement.� According to Harrison, plans are to open the position in the spring to hire a permanent band director for next year�s academic school year.

Kevin Ogilvie, who currently serves as associate band director and director of percussion studies, will take over as interim band director to finish the current academic year.

TYLER – Tyler police say a toddler drowned in a swimming pool on her second birthday. At around 2:00 p.m. Monday, Officers responded to 3721 Arlington in Tyler. Arriving officers learned that a 16 year old was babysitting for the 2 year old and a 3 year old. Police say the 16 year old was talking to someone when the 2 year old went out the back door and fell into the pool. The 2 year old was transported to Mother Frances Hospital. She was unable to be revived and was pronounced dead. The victim has been identified as Ava Faith Ayers. The investigation is continuing.

LONGVIEW — Funeral services for former Longview Fire Chief Tommy J. McMaster, 75 of Longview will be this afternoon. Services will be at 2:00 at the Rader Funeral Home Chapel. Burial, with full fire department honor guard, will follow at Rosewood Park. McMaster died over the weekend after battling a lengthy illness.

According to the obituary from Rader Funeral Home, McMaster began his career with the City of Longview on March 23, 1960, serving as a Firefighter and a Driver/Operator until being promoted to Lieutenant on November 1, 1971; he was promoted to Assistant Fire Chief on December 28, 1976, assigned by the City Manager to be the Acting Fire Chief on November 16, 1979, and promoted to the position of Fire Chief on February 1, 1980, where he served as �Chief Mac� for over thirteen years, retiring in 1993.

FORT WORTH � Longview is joining six other Texas communities in splitting nearly $10.6 million to support community development and produce more affordable housing. U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan made the announcement Monday. With $829,153 in Community Development Block Grant Funding and $411,693 in HOME funding, Longview gets a total of $1,240,846. Other recipients include the cities of Allen, Denison, Midland, and Plano; and the Counties of Dallas and Montgomery.

�This funding provides the building blocks needed to improve communities,� said Donovan. �Now, more than ever, these grants promote neighborhood development, produce affordable housing, and help extremely low-income persons find their place in their communities.� Since 1974, HUD�s Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program has provided approximately $132 billion to state and local governments to target their own community development priorities. HOME (HOME Investment Partnerships Program) is the largest federal block grant to state and local governments designed exclusively to produce affordable housing for low-income families.

TYLER — Tyler-based Southside Bancshares, Inc., is named as one of Fortune Magazine�s 100 Fastest-Growing Companies. According to Fortune, the �Texas community bank won greater deposits and lent more to municipalities amid a tough credit environment.�

In order to be ranked, companies must be trading on a major U.S. stock exchange; report data in U.S. dollars; file quarterly reports with the SEC; have a minimum market capitalization of $250 million and stock price of at least $5 on June 30, 2010; and have been trading continuously since June 30, 2007. Companies must have revenue and net income of at least $50 million and $10 million, respectively, for the four quarters ended on or before April 30, 2010. Southside officials say full information and disclosures can be found in the September 6, 2010, edition of Fortune magazine.

Southside Bancshares, Inc., is a bank holding company with approximately $3 billion in assets that owns 100% of Southside Bank. Southside Bank currently has 48 banking centers in Texas and operates a network of 49 ATMs.

LONGVIEW — Police say they’ve recovered over $31,000 in lawn equipment and arrested a suspect. On September 15 at around 12:30 p.m., Longview Officers responded to a theft call at Bagley Tractor and Equipment at 3709 South Eastman Road. Officers arrived and found that sometime during the previous night, an unknown suspect had cut the fence surrounding the property and stolen three zero turn riding lawnmowers and a twelve foot flatbed utility trailer worth a total of $31,776.80. Through their investigation, Longview Detectives were able to locate the stolen equipment from Longview and surrounding areas and arrest 26-year-old suspect Justin Laroy Fagan of Longview. Fagan has been charged with theft (3rd degree felony) and has been booked into the Gregg County Jail. The stolen property has been returned to Bagley Tractor.

TYLER — The Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) today will hold the first of two public meetings to obtain input from the public that will assist in the development of a Pedestrian Access Study. Today’s meeting will be held from 3 p.m. � 4:30 p.m., in the Tyler Public Library’s Taylor Auditorium, 201 S. College Avenue. The second meeting’s set for Thursday September 23, from 6 p.m. � 7:30 p.m., in the Tyler Development Center’s Large Conference Room, 423 W. Ferguson Street.

At the meetings, the draft Tyler Pedestrian Access Study will be presented for public input. Officials say the purpose of the study is to identify existing pedestrian infrastructure and recommend priority pedestrian routes and projects that can help to connect destinations around the City and promote access. You can also go to http://www.tylerareampo.org for information.

The City of Tyler serves as the administrative agency of the MPO. The MPO, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), is responsible for carrying out the urban transportation process as required by federal legislation. Officials say the MPO is intended to provide a forum for cooperative decision making concerning transportation issues.

BULLARD — A big event at Bullard’s Bushman Celebration Center is set for this evening. Pastor Dan Cummins of the Bridlewood Church of Bullard has been organizing “Come Pray with Me,” which kicks off at 7:00 p.m. Cummins terms it “a non-political event whose purpose is to pray for the direction of our nation.” He says 2,000 people or more are expected for “what is promising to be maybe the largest prayer event of its kind in East Texas.”

According to Cummins, there are over fifty churches involved from many denominations, across Smith and Cherokee Counties. Spiritual and patriotic music will be featured. Cummins says there will also be “words of inspiration and challenge and a time to pray for “My House, God’s House, and the White House.” Admission is one non-perishable food item or one new toy for Bullard’s Mission House. You can log on to http://www.ComePrayWithMe.org or call 903-571-4291 for more information.

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler welcomes former Costa Rican President Oscar Arias as part of its distinguished lecture series. The lecture, sponsored by Sherilyn and Patrick Willis, will begin at 7:30 p.m. at the UT Tyler Cowan Center. KTBB is among the media sponsors. Arias�s topic for the lecture will be �Moral Leadership in Today’s World.�

Arias served two terms as president of Costa Rica, 1986 � 90 and 2006 � 2010. A 1987 Nobel Peace Laureate, he holds international status as a spokesperson for the developing world. He earned the Nobel Peace Prize for work that culminated in the signing of the Esquipulas II Accords, or the Procedure to Establish a Firm and Lasting Peace in Central America. He champions such issues as human development, democracy and demilitarization, and he has traveled the globe spreading a message of peace. You can check the ktbb.com Calendar of Events for more information.

HENDERSON — A Rusk County jury awards a $7 million dollar settlement to the family of Justin Clinton to be paid by the George family — the owners of the dogs that attacked and killed ten-year-old Justin last year. Pam Ford was Justin’s aunt. She doesn’t think Justin’s mother, Serenia, will ever see any of the money — but Ford tells KETK that’s not what it’s all about. “That’s not what this family was after,” says Ford. “It was to let people know that if they have these types of dogs, they have to be responsible for them and they have to contain them properly.” Justin was on his way to a friend’s house when the attack happened.

LONGVIEW — A one vehicle accident in Gregg County has left one person dead. Robert McCommon, 61, of Longview, died in the crash shortly after 8:15 Sunday morning on Hamby Road near Stonelake. The Department of public Safety reports the man, whose vehicle was pulling a boat, left the road and hit a fence and then a tree. An autopsy has been ordered by Justice of the Peace Arthur Fort.

TYLER � Tyler police have located a missing person. The search began yesterday for Arabelia Ramirez, 80, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer�s and is also in poor health. She had last been seen leaving Gilbert�s El Charro at East 5th and Loop 323 around noon yesterday. Mrs. Ramirez was found driving in the City of Hudson Oaks, Texas. She was found in good condition and was released to family members.

LONGVIEW — We�ll be getting the final numbers shortly for the 61st annual Gregg County Fair. But from the looks of the crowds, but attendance should be outstanding. Outstanding weather and more attractions were responsible for the big crowds. The annual Gregg County Fair finished its run over the weekend.

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

HENDERSON COUNTY — Work has begun to repair a bridge on State Highway 334 closed since Wednesday evening. The bridge, which spans a northern portion of Cedar Creek Lake, is located between Seven Points and Gun Barrel City in northwest Henderson County. Crews will be repairing a sheared bridge column, the damage to which forced the bridge’s closure on Wednesday evening.

TxDOT inspectors determined that the damage to the column, which is just above the waterline, was likely caused by being struck by a heavy boat or barge. TxDOT officials met with contractors Friday morning to discuss the work after an inspection by the department’s dive team indicated the bridge would have to remain closed until repairs could be made.

“We’re hoping that by Tuesday morning, the bridge is open to traffic,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “We don’t like having to close roads or bridges, but we’re not about to gamble with the public’s safety on our system.” A TxDOT incident hotline has been established for this closure to provide the latest information to the public. That number is 1-866-633-8106. Updated information will also be posted on TxDOT’s Facebook page, http://www.facebook.com/TxDOT Videos posted on the site featuring the bridge inspection process and close-ups of the damage registered more than 1,500 hits overnight between Thursday evening and Friday morning.

TxDOT’s posted detour takes traffic north from Seven Points on SH 274 to Kemp, then south and east on US 175 to SH 198, then south on SH 198 to Gun Barrel City.

Also this week in Henderson County, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on SH 315 between FM 279 north of Chandler and FM 314 south of Moore Station. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform seal coat operations on State Highway 135 between Jacksonville and Troup. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and traffic will be controlled by flaggers. Loose gravel may be present for several days following a seal coat application.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue several days of resurfacing operations in various locations along State Highway 43 between Henderson and Tatum. A second crew is scheduled to be at work on U.S. Highway 259 south of Kilgore performing shoulder work. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repair operations on Farm Road 751 in the northwest corner of the county between the Hunt County Line and FM 47 in Wills Point. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on US 80 east of Mineola between Loop 564 and Farm Road 2422, and in various locations on U.S. Highway 80 in and around Hawkins. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

TYLER — Business is booming at Tyler’s downtown Cotton Belt Depot Museum — home to model trains galore, along with various artifacts tracing railroad history in East Texas and beyond. Glenn Wilkins, the director of museum activities, was a guest on KTBB “Staff Meeting.” He says visitors come from far and wide, as shown by a map at the museum on which people place pins to show where they’re from. According to Wilkins, since the map was hung in 2006, guests have come in from all 50 states and 31 foreign countries. Wilkins says there’s lots of fun for the whole family at the museum, where the highly valued Bragg Collection of model trains is a centerpiece. He adds that you’re welcome to add to the museum’s displays, either by making a gift or lending something.

Admission to the museum is free, but you’re urged to call ahead if you’re planning on bringing a large group. You can go to http://www.cityoftyler.org and click on the “Visitors” tab for more information. You can also go to http://www.ktbb.com/audio beginning early Monday to hear the “Staff Meeting” show online.