KTBB News, Weather, Talk

ALBA – One of the escaped inmates from Mississippi is currently incarcerated in the Dallas County Jail, according to the Wood County Sheriff’s Office. Tyler Payne was arrested in the Dallas area in the early hours of Tuesday, January 10th. The other fugitive, Traverro McElroy, has yet to be located but is not believed to be in the Wood County area. Continue reading One Mississippi escaped inmate arrested in Dallas

TYLER – Authorities said a man was arrested after being accused of impersonating an East Texas police officer in Chandler. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh says a person called law enforcement on Jan. 7 after a man flashed his blue and red lights and made a hand signal at the caller to pull over. Police identified the man as Jason Fears of Bullard. The caller followed Fears to Tyler, and he was later pulled over by police for speeding. Authorities say after police learned about the incident in Chandler, Fears was charged with impersonating a public servant, arrested, and booked into the Smith County Jail. He was released on Sunday.

WASHINGTON, D.C – With Kevin McCarthy finally confirmed as U.S. House speaker, former Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran officially joins Congress. During a visit with KTBB, Moran expressed his gratitude to predecessor Louie Gohmert “for his nearly two decades of service.” Moran added that he’s “extremely grateful for the assistance he’s given me during the transition.” The new congressman noted that a lot of Gohmert’s staff will stay on board with their new boss. As to what lies ahead, Moran tolod us, “There’s this grassroots desire to see change in Washington, D.C. We’ve been developing new rules that are gonna govern how our conference and Congress runs itself…It really restores transparency and trust.” Continue reading Moran looks ahead after being sworn in as new congressman

TYLER – After 23 years in Tyler, the owners of Traditions announced their decision to close the restaurant on Sunday. “It has been our joy to serve our guests over the years and we consider it a privilege and blessing to have counted so many as part of our lives for so long,” Kandi, Robert, and Kristin Owens said in a letter announcing the restaurant’s closing. “We loved seeing your faces regularly and we are grateful for making more friends than we can count.” According to our news partner KETK, the family said they can still be found at their other restaurant in town, Corner Bakery Café. Continue reading Tyler’s Traditions restaurant ends 23-year run

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District for the week of January 9. In Gregg County, Longview maintenance will begin mill and inlay operations on FM 2207. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. In Smith County, Tyler maintenance will have a crew repairing base failures on FM 2661 just past Big Eddy Road. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. Midweek, this crew will move to FM 850 near SH 31 for profile work. Click this link for the complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

EAST TEXAS — East Texas prepares to honor Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Several events are planned in Tyler. The Tyler Together Race Relations Forum will begin its recognition of the civil rights leader Friday, January 13, with a spoken word competition and showcase at the Foundry Coffeehouse. The following day, the Texas African-American Museum on Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. will welcome guest speaker Rev. Ray C. Lewis of Jasper for a pre-holiday celebration. Tyler Together will follow up on Monday, January 16 — Martin Luther King, Jr. Day — with its annual observance stretching from the downtown Tyler square to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Click here and here for details and updates. Continue reading Tyler, Longview prepare to honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

HOUSTON (AP/Staff) — Lovie Smith of Big Sandy has been fired as coach of the Houston Texans on Sunday night after just one season where the team went 3-13-1. It’s the second straight season in which the Texans have fired a coach after just one year. They parted ways with David Culley last January after he went 4-13 in his only season.

LONGVIEW – Longview Police Department has announced that officer Larry Solomon died from angiosarcoma cancer at his home, surrounded by his family on Saturday morning Jan. 8. According to our news partner KETK, Solomon was a veteran of the U.S Marine Corp and served as police officer in Longview for eight years. He and his wife had two children. Longview Police Department thanked the community for supporting Solomon’s family at this time. His funeral services will be held with Cammack Family Welch Funeral Home, officials said.

KILGORE – Kilgore Police Department has announced that they have a new K9 school resource officer named Dodo. According to a Facebook post and our news partner KETK, Dodo is a 20-month-old German Shepard and is replacing Ruger who has retired for health reasons. Officials said that Dodo was trained by Texas K9 Solutions in Winona. Dodo has the ability to detect tobacco products, vapes, alcohol, gunpowder and various illicit drugs, according to the post. Dodo was picked because, officials said, he interacted so well with students while being vetted. The post added that Dodo was paid for with money seized from a doctor who was convicted of illegally prescribing opioids in East Texas. Dodo rides in a Dodge Charger which has been repainted with school colors and the Bulldog mascot.

UPSHUR COUNTY — The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office says an East Texas man whose body was found in November 2022 after he went missing died by drowning. According to our news partner KETK, officials said that William Chad Martin, 35, of Ore City, was reported missing on Nov. 7, and that his body was found on Nov. 16 off Live Oak Road in southwest Upshur County. Autopsy results showed his cause of death to be “accidental” by drowning, UCSO said. The report also showed high levels of methamphetamine and broken ribs consistent with a fall, according to the sheriff’s office. Officials said Martin was last seen early Nov. 5 after his girlfriend said they had been smoking meth and were drunk the day before. Continue reading Autopsy: East Texas missing man found in November died by drowning

ATHENS – The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has been searching a property near Athens for the remains of Heather Cannon, who was 15 when she went missing in 2009. According to our news partner KETK, law enforcement said they obtained a tip that Cannon was buried on a property near Highway 175 West outside Athens heading towards Eustace. The sheriff’s office also received a search warrant for the property. Authorities said the teenager was reported missing from the property they have been searching. Cannon was last seen on August 27, 2009, in the company of her biological father, Jerral Allen Whitley. Officials say Whitley refused to take a polygraph test after Heather’s disappearance. Officials said they would continue the search through Saturday.

GRAND SALINE – A Grand Saline man was arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor. According to our news partner KETK, the Grand Saline Police Department began investigating the case on Monday. DPS agents helped police and said Marty McCormick was a suspect. Police obtained a warrant for McCormick on Tuesday, and he was arrested the same day. He was booked into the Van Zandt County Detention Center. Authorities are still investigating the situation and McCormick could face other charges. GSPD also thanked the DPS, the Van Police Department, the Van Zandt County District Attorney’s Office, and the Van Zandt County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office for helping with the investigation. Anyone with information about this incident can contact Grand Saline police at 903-962-3145.

QUITMAN – A custodial death report has identified a man who was shot and killed by Mineola Police Department officers on Dec. 22 in Quitman and given new details of the incident. According to our news partner KETK, the report says Robert Allen Vancleave, 55, was shot after officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on his vehicle. Officers reported they initially tried to stop Vancleave because of reports of theft from the Walmart on NE Loop 564 in Mineola. Store employees provided a description of the alleged thief’s vehicle that was leaving the parking lot, according to the report. Officers then tried to stop Vancleave’s vehicle. The report said during the stop Vancleave allegedly tried to hit one of the officers with his vehicle. Continue reading Officials identify man shot, killed by Mineola PD in Quitman

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office reports that after being missing for over a day, 77-year-old Retha Pauls has been found. She had last been seen Wednesday around 7 p.m. at a home on Tryon Road near the Williams Road intersection in Longview. Officials say Pauls suffers from a medical condition and requires medication.