KTBB News, Weather, Talk

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County emergency personnel responded to 27 weather-related calls over night after the latest storms blew in in to the area during the early morning hours of June 5. About 29,076 people are without power this morning in Smith County and several roads are closed due to high water, Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue reported from the Smith County Emergency Operations Center. Flooded roads include County Roads 448, 336 at Wiggins Creek, 381, 471 at Prairie Creek and 498, as well as Farm-to-Market Road 1253 at CR 455. To see Smith County’s interactive map of current road closures, click here.

A shelter remains open in Bullard for people who have suffered property damage and/or power outages. Bullard Intermediate School, located at 218 School House Road, is open for those who need a place to go.

For anyone in the community seeking shelter or needing assistance please refer them to call 1-800-REDCROSS and choose Option 4 for assistance. Continue reading Smith County storm update

TYLER — Multiple traffic signals throughout Tyler are without power. According to a City of Tyler news release, some intersections are coming online and then going offline due to the unstable power grid. Drivers are urged to exercise extreme caution when traveling and treat a “dark” traffic signal like a four-way stop – each vehicle comes to a complete stop and takes its turn going through the intersection. The City is asking residents to avoid all non-essential driving. If you must drive, slow down. If you see water over the roadways, turn around.

SMITH COUNTY — Flint man was arrested on May 21 after documents said he threatened to kill multiple county officials on his podcast. According to our news partner KETK, Gary Treadwell, 64 of Flint, was arrested and booked into the Smith County Jail on May 21 and charged with “obstruction or retaliation” with a bond set at a combined $750,000.

According to an arrest affidavit, Treadwell made threatening statements on his podcast that aired on May 19. The court document reports that Treadwell threatened to kill Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith, Smith County District Attorney Jacob Putman and Henderson District Attorney Jenny Palmer. Continue reading Flint man arrested for allegedly threatening to kill county officials

TYLER – Volunteers with the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention Disaster Relief have set up a mobile kitchen in response to Monday’s severe storm activity in East Texas.

“With so many residents still without power we want to help by providing meals for the community and first responders,” said SBTC DR Director Scottie Stice. “We also have assessors in the community to see how else we can help.”

The mobile kitchen has set up at Sylvania Church, 2801 S SE Loop 323 in Tyler.

SMITH COUNTY — With East Texans feeling the effects of the recent severe weather, some shelters have opened up to those who have lost power. Our news partner KETK has a list available, and you can find it here.

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that one person is dead after a crash Tuesday morning in Smith County involving a motorcycle and 18-wheeler.The crash happened on Highway 155 South near Toll 49, south of Tyler, and traffic was significantly impacted due to the crash.

SMITH COUNTY – UPDATE: Officials with Southern Utilities Company said on Thursday that there is no estimated time for the water boil notice to be lifted due to power outages. Officials said ONCOR has not given them a timeframe for power restoration to the company’s facilities. A boil water notice has been issued for Southern Utilities customers in Smith and Cherokee counties due to the recent storms and power outages. According to our news partner KETK, severe weather Tuesday, caused the loss of power to some water wells in the Southern Utilities water system. Continue reading No restoration time for local boil water notice

WHITEHOUSE – City of Whitehouse Mayor James Wansley announced that a disaster declaration has been issued after June 3rd storms ravaged the area. According to a release, the declaration allows “[…] staff to access additional resources as needed to address the challenges associated with the storms and allows staff to take necessary measures to protect public safety while coordinating emergency response efforts.” The city urges citizens to follow their social media platforms for any updates and to contact electric service providers to report any power outages. The city also announced that residents can also utilize the Greenwood Farms Landfill for free once a month by showing a copy of their most recent City of Whitehouse water bill to dispose of limbs and other brush.

TYLER – The City of Tyler urges all residents to report personal property damages to the Texas Division of Emergency Management through the iSTAT Damage Surveys (texas.gov). Listen to the iSTAT How-To Video Guide on the page for instructions on correctly reporting damages. 
 
The Emergency Operation Center is fully activated, and nine City crews and two Forestry Service crews are working to assess damage, clear roadways, and repair traffic signals affected by the recent severe thunderstorms that moved through the area. Residents are advised to be cautious and aware of downed trees and power lines. 
 
About 1,000 911 calls have been recorded since 7:30 p.m. on June 3. No storm-related fatalities have been reported, and emergency services are running at full strength. 
  Continue reading Smith County storm damage report

SMITH COUNTY – Due to heavy rain, the City of Tyler Water Utilities is temporarily closing all public boat ramps on Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East. The ramps are being closed because of boating hazards due to debris that has washed into the lakes by recent rains and to reduce shoreline erosion. The ramps will be closed until further notice. County officials say the ramps will reopen once the lake levels recede.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – Longtime Van Zandt County Precinct 2 Commissioner Virgil Melton Jr. is dead after a tree fell onto his car while he was driving Monday night. According to our news partner KETK, a initial DPS reports the 76-year-old Melton Jr. was driving on FM 279 near Edom around 8 p.m., when a tree fell onto the car. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Melton’s wife Janice, was taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment. Officials say the investigation into the incident is continuing.

TYLER — The City of Tyler Water Utilities has experienced a wastewater collection discharge at the Westside Treatment Plant that meets the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) public notification requirements, according to a City of Tyler news release. The discharge is due to severe thunderstorms with high winds causing widespread damage to power lines, creating a power outage on both directional feed lines. The reported domestic sewage spill, involving 3,953,070 gallons, happened around 10:30 Monday night at Black Fork Creek, south of the Westside Treatment Plant, 14792 County Road 46, Tyler. Continue reading Notice of wastewater facility spill