KTBB News, Weather, Talk

WILLS POINT — Wills Point ISD announced that summer will come one day early as their their last day of school is canceled due to power outages. According to our news partner KETK, the district is canceling classes for Thursday, their last school day of the year, because of issues caused by power outages.

“The safety and comfort of our students is important, and with only partial air conditioning functioning, it is not feasible to continue classes under these conditions.” – Wills Point ISD

WASKOM — A Waskom man has been charged with federal dogfighting violations. According to our news partner KETK and a release from the Department of Justice (DOJ), Jesus Allen Stephens, 34, made his initial appearance in court on Wednesday after being indicted. According to the DOJ release, Stephens allegedly hosted and organized a “large-scale dogfighting event on family owned property in Harrison County on Nov. 13, 2021.”

Court documents allege that Stephens and others arranged to fight dogs at the event for the purposes of gambling and entertainment, and that Stephens had announced a series of up to 14 matches and sent GPS coordinates of the property to multiple individuals. Continue reading Harrison County man charged with federal violations

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that three people were arrested on Tuesday after a pursuit with Smith County authorities led to the seizure of more than 90 grams of methamphetamine. According to authorities, a Smith County Precinct 5 Deputy Constable attempted to make a traffic stop on southbound US 271 North and the car “fled at a high rate of speed.” The driver continued to evade law enforcement before officials said they pulled into the parking lot of the Texas Best Smokehouse on US 271 at I-20 and dropped off a female passenger before continuing to evade authorities. Continue reading 3 arrested after Smith County pursuit

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road and Bridge crews continue to clear roadways following Tuesday’s storm. According to a release from the county, crews spent all day Tuesday, May 28, clearing more than 40 roads that had downed trees from an early morning storm. Calls were received Wednesday morning that newly downed trees were over two County Roads 446 and 1230. CR 113 has been barricaded and closed due to water over the road. Road and Bridge crews are waiting on Oncor to safely remove the power lines before they can clear the trees on County Road 382. CR 2326 is closed due to a power line across the road.

A group of about 30 volunteers from the International ALERT Academy will be working in Smith County Thursday to help clean up damage left by the storms. Smith County Emergency Management personnel will be giving the group a list of people who have requested help with cleaning up damage and debris on their property.

Smith County residents who live on county roads and have tree debris from Tuesday’s storm can place it in the right-of-way and Road and Bridge crews will pick it up. Continue reading Smith County roads update and debris removal

SMITH COUNTY — Republican J. Scott Herod won the 2024 Smith County Precinct 3 Commissioner Republican runoff with 1,773 votes on Tuesday. According to officials, Herod received 90% of the votes with 1,773 and incumbent Terry Phillips with 10% at 198 votes. In the March primaries, Herod won with 2,968 votes. Herod is an East Texas businessman and rancher. He said it is time for a new voice in the Smith County Commissioner’s Court as Phillips has held the position since 2009.

“I think new perspective, new point of view, is key. And the ability to bring those relationships that we can accomplish business in the county is very important,” Herod said. Herod said earlier in May that his plan is to focus on where county dollars are spent.

“Smith County for example is $160 million a year business so we need to have awareness of what’s going on with those dollars and it is those commissioners who have the responsibility of working together along with the county judge to set the budget,” Herod said.

TYLER — An East Texas man was sentenced to 75 years in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to intoxicated manslaughter in a 2022 wreck east of Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, Gary Lynn Nichols, 42 of Kilgore, reportedly crashed into four 20 year-olds from Overton after their vehicle broke down at around 11:45 p.m. in January 2022 on Highway 31. Officials said one 22 year-old man was pronounced dead at the scene and the three others were taken to the hospital.

Reports said, Nichols was driving a 2008 Cadillac CTS about 13 miles east of Tyler when two victims were attempting to push a broken down 1997 GMC Jimmy when Nichols struck them. Two were taken to the hospital in critical condition and one in stable condition.

According to records, Nichols was arrested at the scene and charged with intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, two charges of intoxication assault with a vehicle and failing to re-register as a sex offender in Rusk County.

GILMER — The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said a 2-year-old child was pronounced dead on Tuesday after being found unconscious in a residential swimming pool. According to our news partner KETK, deputies responded to Bear Road around 5:25 p.m. and attempted life-saving measures on the child. The sheriff’s office said the child was found by a parent when they realized the child was missing from inside the home. Officials said the child was pronounced dead at a local hospital and an autopsy has been ordered by a Camp County Justice of the Peace. “This case will be under further investigation,” the sheriff’s office said. “Child Protective Services is also notified on the occasion of the untimely death of a child.”

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine will become a member of the states Alzheimer research wing. According to our news partner KETK, by a unanimous vote , the school will become a member of the Texas Alzheimer’s Research and Care Consortium. The goal of the TARCC, is to expand health care initiatives in East Texas.

Dr. Julie V. Philley, executive vice president and vice provost for UT Tyler health affairs and incoming UT Tyler president, said, “We aim to enhance early detection, treatment and support services for individuals and families affected by these neurodegenerative disorders.”

The release from from the TARCC further explained that Texas ranks second in the nation in the number of Alzheimer’s deaths by population.

TYLER — Smith County officials and first responders have responded to nearly 300 calls for service since 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, May 28. During and after the storms rolled through Smith County early Tuesday, calls have been responded to by Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Fire Marshal’s Office, Road and Bridge, the Constables offices and Animal Control, as well as Emergency Services Districts 1 and 2. The Smith County Emergency Operations Center has been activated.

The EOC is in constant communication with multiple emergency support function personnel as well as local jurisdictions within the county, Smith County Emergency Management Coordinator Brandon Moore said.

“We are inundated with calls about downed power lines and felled trees,” he said. “We are working through this process as quickly as possible.” Continue reading Smith County storm update

HENDERSON COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that a 61-year-old woman was arrested for murder in Henderson County after she allegedly shot her boyfriend. According to the sheriff’s office, Patricia Childs, 61 of Eustace, called them around 8:15 p.m. on Monday and said she had shot her boyfriend and he was not breathing. Deputies responded to the scene in the 15,000 block of Morning Star Circle were officials said they found Troy Aldredge dead with gunshot wounds outside the home. Officials said Childs was found sitting inside the home with a handgun on the floor of the living area. Continue reading Woman arrested for murder in East Texas

EAST TEXAS — With severe weather moving through the area and into East Texas, about 166,239 customers are without power as of 3:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Click here for a full list.

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Sheriff’s Emergency Operations Center is currently experiencing a high volume of 911 calls concerning weather related activity. Numerous calls of power lines down and associated electrical fires, structure fire (lightning strike) in Lindale 16200 Ridgeview Lane, Major Traffic Accident CR 246 at CR 223 near Arp (Car hit tree in roadway), Major Traffic Accident FM 2767 at CR 211 (Car hit tree in roadway), numerous trees down in roadway across the county, multiple trees down on CR 448 between CR 452 and Hwy 110 (Van Hwy), numerous fire and burglar alarms across county (mostly weather related). Citizens are advised to stay home and avoid driving if at all possible.

TYLER — Multiple traffic signals throughout the City are without power. 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.

The following intersection are currently without power: Continue reading Multiple traffic signals without power; treat intersections like four-way stops