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TYLER –The Tyler ISD Board of Trustees has accepted the resignation of Laura Jackson, Director of Communications. The action was taken last night at the school board meeting. Mrs. Jackson has accepted a position as the Senior Information Strategist at The University of Texas at Tyler. She will start her new duties in late October. Tyler ISD will begin accepting applications for the Director of Communications position immediately.

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department responded to a two-alarm structure fire at the Town Village South Apartments, 200 Muller Garden. The initial call was received at shortly after 4:15 yesterday afternoon and the caller reported a building on fire. The fire apparently originated in one of the apartments, possibly caused by a cigarette. Residents were at home when the fire started, but were not injured. There was heavy fire damage to at least 4 apartments, heavy smoke damage to 4 apartments, and moderate smoke damage to 8 apartments.

TYLER — Zions Bank, the owner of the closed-down Apple Swim and Fitness site, issued a statement Thursday about the condition of the property. The statement reads, “Zions Bank understands and is urgently working to address community concern about the condition of the former Apple Swim & Fitness Center property located at 5113 Timber Creek Dr. in Tyler, Texas. The bank foreclosed on the property July 3, but could not take possession of it until an eviction process was completed in court. Zions Bank kept Smith County officials informed at every stage of the process. The bank was granted possession, and its first opportunity to enter the property, on Sept. 13.

“We are working with contractors to have the pool on the property drained as quickly as possible. Gates on the property have been re-secured with padlocks, and Zions Bank has arranged for yard work to begin. Zions Bank will notify police of any trespassing on the property and we encourage the public to do the same. Zions Bank may provide additional updates on this property in the future, but has no further comment at this time.”

Earlier, KETK reported garbage littering the area, stray cats roaming the yard, and the pool water stagnant in its container. Some of the gates had been opened, and the pool area could be easily accessed at the back of the property. Officials with NET Health in Tyler said they are working closely with Zions Bank. Health officials said they have turned on the pumps in the pool to move the water around, so that the mosquitoes won’t become more of a problem. KETK spoke with a contractor who was taking pictures of the area for Zions Bank. He said he will be giving them an estimate on what needed to be done to repair the facility. Former Apple Swim & Fitness operator Tara Kay McSwain, 38, was sentenced earlier this month to two consecutive six-year prison terms for prescription fraud.

RUSK — Cherokee County Investigators have arrested Jimmy Lance Gilliland, 21, of Flint, pictured here, in connection with the September 13th residential burglary that occurred in the ShadyBrook Subdivision near Bullard. The total loss was estimated at $10,000. After photos and video from the surveillance system were shown on local news stations and on websites, the Sheriff’s Office received multiple calls beginning Saturday morning from people giving Gilliland as a possible suspect.

Deputies and investigators began following up, and they now say Gilliland and another man from Flint, Michael Taylor Oldham, 20, had allegedly taken some of the stolen property to Texican Coin and Bullion Company in Tyler, on the evening of the 13th, several hours after the burglary. Authorities say Gilliland and Oldham, who has not yet been implicated in the burglary, returned to Texican Coin & Bullion on the morning of September 14 with more of the coins, and their IDs, which authorities say were needed to sell the valuables.

Video from Texican Coin & Bullion was obtained while Investigators continued the search for Gilliland this past Monday and Tuesday. On Tuesday afternoon Det. Mike Goff received a phone call from a relative of Gilliland, who advised he would bring him to the Sheriff’s Office first thing Wednesday morning. All but five of the stolen coins were recovered on Monday, and the pistols were recovered on Tuesday, when they were found stashed in the woods behind a home on Big Eddy Road in Smith County, according to officials. This past Wednesday morning around 9:00, Gilliland was brought to the Sheriff’s Office and was booked in on one count of Burglary of a Habitation, a 2nd Degree Felony. Gilliland’s bond was set at $25,000 by Justice of the Peace Brenda Dominy, and he was released several hours later after posting the bond.

WHITEHOUSE — A bridge is down on County Road 2186, south of Whitehouse. This is a cut-through road between Highway 110 and County Road 2138. Smith County Road and Bridge crews have barricaded the road to prevent passage while damage assessment and repair plans are made.

GILMER –— Teachers and students received a scare when the Gilmer Elementary School was placed on lockdown. KETK reports that shortly after 9:15 yesterday morning, a second grader reported seeing an unknown person leaving the restroom area. The school was immediately placed on lockdown for an hour, and tapes were reviewed to make sure no students were missing, according to Gilmer ISD. During tape review, officials discovered the child’s story didn’t match up with what the student was saying. The child confessed to giving a false report. All parents in the district were notified of the lockdown by an automated phone call system and Facebook.

GREGG COUNTY — A Louisiana man has been arrested after officials said they found 25 pounds of marijuana in the trunk of his vehicle during a traffic stop on Interstate 20. That report comes from KETK and the Longview News-Journal.

Brian Mitchell, 34, was stopped by Texas Department of Public Safety trooper Brandon Smith near Texas 42, DPS Sgt. Bruce Dalme said. According to arrest reports, Smith stopped Mitchell for trailing a vehicle too close and noticed that “he showed signs of nervousness.” After Mitchell refused a search, DPS brought a K9 unit that indicated there were drugs in the trunk. A brown box with 25 pounds of marijuana was found in Mitchell’s trunk, according to his arrest affidavit.

Mitchell was taken to the Gregg County Jail but was released Wednesday on a $10,000 bond. He was charged with possession of between five and 50 pounds of marijuana.

TYLER — Tyler Junior College is among 27 recipients who will share $500 million in grants to community colleges and universities around the country for the development and expansion of innovative training programs. Announced Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Labor, the grants are part of the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training initiative. The initiative promotes skills development and employment opportunities in various fields through partnerships between training providers and local employers. Those fields include advanced manufacturing, transportation, and health care, as well as science, technology, engineering, and math careers. The U.S. Department of Labor is implementing and administering the program in coordination with the U.S. Department of Education.

According to college officials, TJC, the only Texas institution chosen as a lead college in the program, will head a consortium of four colleges nationwide in a $12,040,449 grant project. Officials say the project will build the capacity of the colleges to train Trade Adjustment Assistance-eligible and other adult workers for new careers in grocery retail management. A TJC news release says that will be done through an industry-endorsed curriculum and credential that is highly valued in the grocery industry and will bring multiple employment opportunities. Other colleges in the TJC consortium are: Cerritos (Calif.) College, Clackamas (Ore.) Community College, and the University of Alaska in Anchorage.

The TJC grant proposal stemmed from a retail management certificate program launched this fall through a partnership between TJC, Tyler-based Brookshire Grocery Company, and the Western Association of Food Chains. TJC President Dr. Mike Metke said, “This is a great example of the benefits of working closely with local businesses…This grant is extremely difficult to win, and the fact that TJC is the only institution in Texas to be the lead college for this competition is just the icing on the cake.”

TYLER — The 97th East Texas State Fair kicks off today on the fairgrounds off West Front Street in Tyler and will run through Sunday, September 30. Fair officials say it features innovative new attractions, free concerts, and exciting rides, all in all, 10 days of food, thrills, music, and fun. Tickets are $8.00 for adults, children ages 6 to 12 get in for $5.00, and children five and under are admitted free. You can go to http://www.etstatefair.com for a complete schedule of activities.

TYLER — Bishop T.K. Gorman Regional Catholic High School has been selected for the eighth time to the Catholic High School Honor Roll. The announcement includes Gorman as one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in America by the Cardinal Newman Society. Selection criteria included demonstrated commitment to Catholic identity, academic excellence, and civic education. Nearly 1,300 Catholic high schools were invited to apply to the Honor Roll by completing measurement surveys. Cardinal Newman indicates, “With this high level of competition, inclusion on the Honor Roll indicates outstanding success in each of the disciplines examined.”

“We are blessed to have a Catholic high school in Tyler with a tradition of excellence for more than fifty years,” said Msgr. Joseph Strickland, JCL, Vicar General for the Diocese of Tyler. “The recognition of Bishop Gorman as being among the top fifty Catholic schools in the nation for the eighth year in a row is especially significant because it highlights the unique character of our school. Education in the Catholic tradition is world renown for the ways it forms the whole person. The strength of Bishop Gorman Regional Catholic School is a blessing not just for the students and their families but for the entire city of Tyler and beyond.”

TYLER – Tyler Police have released the name of the woman involved in a fatal one vehicle wreck on Cumberland Road. Sarah Caitlin Stanley, 24, Nacogdoches, died September 11 after her car struck a tree and caught on fire. Tyler Fire officials found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames around 9:00 that night. She was found behind the steering wheel and was burned beyond recognition. Police requested dental records to positively identify Stanley.

Authorities said Stanley was westbound on Cumberland and struck a curb, causing her car to leave the roadway. Officials said she was traveling to Flint to visit her mother.

JACKSONVILLE – A autopsy has been ordered to help determine the cause of death of a man whose body was found in Lake Jacksonville. The body of Marvin Freeny, 24, of Jacksonville, was found next to a pier around 8:30 Wednesday morning. Authorities say Freeny had not been listed as missing. It appears as if the body may have been in the water a day or two before being discovered.

LONGVIEW – A man charged with online solicitation of a minor has been arrested by Longview police. Taken into custody following a month-long cyber sting was Christopher Mark Rutherford, 38. Police said Rutherford sent “sexually explicit” emails and text messages to a person he thought was a 14 year old child. The texting started August 22. He was arrested when he arrived at a Longview home on Tuesday. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail under a $100,000 bond.

TYLER — Robert E. Lee High School seniors Mahmoud El-Kishky and Richard Wallach are two out of 16,000 students across the nation who qualified as National Merit Semifinalists. The two
Students have been notified that their PSAT scores were among the nation’s top high scorers.

“It is a special honor to be recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program,” Robert E. Lee Principal Gary Brown said. “Mahmoud and Richard were selected among an elite group of students. I am so proud of them and their accomplishments.”

Mahmoud and Richard will find out in February if they advance to the National Merit Finalist standing. In March, approximately 8,300 Finalists will be selected to receive a National Merit Scholarship award of $2,500.

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass hosted a news conference Wednesday in cooperation with the Tyler Police Department and AT&T encouraging Tyler residents not to text and drive. The event marked “Texting and Driving – It Can Wait” Day in the city. Bass says public safety, including the reduction of fatalities and injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents, are goals shared by the City of Tyler.

According to city press materials, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) estimate that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near crashes involve some form of driver inattention. NHTSA and VTTI estimate that driver distraction is a factor in approximately 4.78 million crashes, resulting in two million injuries, more than 34,000 fatalities, and as much as $184 billion in economic damages annually. VTTI found that truck drivers face a crash risk or near crash risk 23 times greater when texting than when not texting.

The American Media Association called text messaging while driving “a public health risk,” citing a study that found text messaging while driving causes a 400 percent increase in time spent with eyes off the road. AT&T has launched a campaign to raise public awareness about the risks of texting and driving and remind all wireless consumers, especially youth, that text messages can, and should, wait until after driving, according to city officials.

TYLER — East Texas Medical Center EMS will debut its new bicycle response team this week at the East Texas State Fair in Tyler. Officials say ETMC EMS bicycle response teams include 12 experienced paramedics and EMTs who meet certain physical fitness standards, possess superior cycling skills, have a positive history with ETMC EMS, and have completed training to ensure safe and efficient operations.

“More and more EMS providers are adding bicycle medics for events, such as the fair, for faster response times through traffic and crowds,” said Neal Franklin, ETMC EMS general manager. “The cyclist has the ability to move around obstacles, utilize sidewalks and navigate around people to quickly get to the injured or sick patient. The bicycle teams will be utilized at special events, such as concerts, races, parades and festivals, and also can be contracted for private events. Bike teams can begin triage and treatment as an ambulance responds to provide transport.”

TYLER — Two Anderson County residents have pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations. Brandon Thomas Maciel, 26, of Palestine and Valerie Lynn Doyle, 24, of Itasca, pleaded guilty to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. They face up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not been set.

Federal prosecutors say on October 29, 2010, Maciel purchased 2.4 grams of cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Walgreens in Palestine. Doyle purchased 2.88 grams of cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at the same store. Maciel also admitted to making two other purchases of cold pills at a CVS store and a Wal-Mart in Palestine on the same day and on numerous other occasions. The cold pills were purchased to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. A federal indictment was returned on April 11, 2012, charging Maciel and
Doyle with federal drug crimes.

TYLER — The new director of the Cancer Treatment and Prevention Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler has received a $1.1 million grant from The University of Texas System. Edward Sauter, MD, Ph.D., received a $1.1 million STARS grant to support his research into the prevention and early detection of breast cancer. The acronym STAR stands for Science and Technology Acquisition and Retention. “This is an outstanding recruitment for UT Health Science Center at Tyler and will transform its research. Congratulations to the leadership for recruiting this star. We welcome Dr. Sauter to Texas,” said Patricia Hurn, vice chancellor for health affairs at UT System.

Dr. Sauter was one of two recipients in 2012 of the Translational STARS grants, in the first year of their existence. These grants are designed to recruit nationally known leaders in clinical science, the process of transforming promising lab results into effective medical treatments. Dr. Sauter, who recently joined UTHSCT after serving as associate dean for research at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, said he was honored to receive the grant. “I’m excited to be here at the Health Science Center,” he said. “I look forward to the opportunity to work with the other physicians, scientists, and health care providers to grow clinical research at UTHSCT. The STARS award is critical to our goal of increasing access to cancer prevention opportunities for women in East Texas.”

TYLER — The report of an alleged sexual assault on the Tyler Junior College campus over the weekend has proved to be inaccurate and unfounded, TJC officials said Wednesday. New federal guidelines require campus police to send out emergency notifications first and investigate later whenever a potential threat to safety arises. Therefore, TJC immediately released a campus-wide alert through its emergency notification system Sunday evening, even as facts were still being gathered. College officials say further investigation by campus police revealed the sexual assault allegation to be unfounded. According to a TJC news release, following a thorough review of evidence acquired through additional interviews and footage from campus surveillance cameras, it was confirmed that no sexual assault occurred.

“I am proud of the professionalism of our campus police who take the safety of our students, visitors and employees very seriously,” TJC President Dr. Mike Metke said. “I was pleased by both their initial response and their ability to investigate and produce a factual finding in a short period of time that there was no sexual assault on the TJC campus.”

Metke added that TJC has taken every measure possible to provide for the utmost security and safety of its students and employees. “It’s been my goal to make sure TJC is the kind of college I’d want my children and eventually, my grandchildren, to attend as their first choice in higher education,” he said. “I feel stronger than ever that TJC is the best choice and best value available for them and for all the people TJC serves.”

TYLER — Renowned economist Dr. Ray Perryman Wednesday indicated that Smith County will see strong economic impact if it passes pro-alcohol propositions in November. Perryman predicted a sales tax revenue increase $4.9 million, the possible creation of some 1,600 jobs, and a total economic impact of over $7 million. The original numbers were just a little over half of what Perryman reported Wednesday to community leaders and media. Perryman pointed out that Tyler’s daytime population swells to over a quarter of a million due to commuters and shoppers.

Bob Westbrook chairs the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee and serves as treasurer of the pro-alcohol Buy Local First group. He says he’s excited by the numbers, pointing out that they may encourage local governments to rely less on property taxes. Westbrook says that could encourage local entrepreneurs to expand their businesses.

There are four propositions on November ballots. Residents of the city of Tyler and Justice Precinct 2 will each decide on sales of mixed drinks in restaurants where it’s not already permitted, along with sales of beer and wine in local stores. An opposition group, Stand Strong for Tyler, continues to fight the propositions. One of that group’s key actions has been to contest the validity of the petitions that got the propositions on the ballots. Local officials continue to insist that the petitions are valid and were properly approved by the city of Tyler and Smith County.

GREGG COUNTY — An East Texas woman has been taken into custody for possession of drugs. Dana Lee Gray, 26, Longview, was arrested after a traffic stop on Interstate Highway 20. According to KETK, more than 11 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 20 grams of Alprazolam were found in the vehicle. Gray is charged with a 1st and 3rd degree felony for manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. She was booked into the Gregg County Jail with bond set at $100,000.

KILGORE — Kilgore Police have arrested a Hallsville man for reportedly threatening another person with a shotgun. According to KETK, Mark Mathison fired a shotgun in the air in the area of Harrison and Martin Street. When officers arrived, Mathison was still armed with a shotgun. Police said he was arrested without incident. He was booked into the Kilgore Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Bond was set at $15,000.

LONGVIEW — A Gilmer man who is free from jail on bond after being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon was arrested again Saturday. This time, police said, James Alan Danner was charged with pretending to be a police officer and possession of an illegal weapon. Danner, 30, was arrested after a motorist told police Danner tried to pull him over with flashing red and blue lights and a siren.

MARSHALL — Authorities say they’ve arrested an alleged thief with a gaming addiction. According to KETK, Lynn Dorsey Smith is currently in the Bossier Parish Jail. Harrison County authorities were attempting to track down the 60-year-old after he reportedly pawned several items taken in a July Harrison County theft. Officials said Smith was most likely in the Shreveport area due to the items being pawned in the Louisiana pawn shops in both Bossier City and Shreveport. An arrest warrant had been issued for felony theft.

BEAUMONT – A Florida man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. The two day trial was held in Lufkin before U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. Loren Willis was found guilty by a jury on October 13, 2011, of conspiracy to transport fish in interstate commerce in violation of state law or regulation and transporting or selling fish in interstate commerce in violation of state law or regulation. Willis was sentenced to nine months in federal prison Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.

Federal prosecutors say in September 2010, Willis and one of his co-defendants traveled from Florida to Texas with the intention to harvest alligator gar from the Trinity River for the purpose of selling the fish in Japan. Willis did not obtain a non-resident Texas fishing license before harvesting the fish. An additional co-defendant pleaded guilty to charges he altered the documentation submitted to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to reflect that the fish were captive bred, rather than harvested in the wild. Captive bred fish are not required to be inspected prior to export. The fish which were harvested from the Trinity River were transported by Willis and his co-defendant to Florida, where they were later exported to Japan. Both of Willis’ co-defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial.

According to information presented in court, Willis and his co-defendants were not satisfied with taking only large brood fish. They eventually escalated their attempt to exploit the alligator gar population by trying to purchase thousands of alligator gar fry from undercover agents. This attempt was foiled by federal and state agents.

The trial was the culmination of what began as a nine-month joint investigation between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Special Operations Unit and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In August 2010, the two agencies began investigating multiple individuals who were taking alligator gar illegally from the Trinity River, and subsequently selling the fish domestically and internationally.

AUSTIN (AP) — NFL Hall of Famer Earl Campbell, the Tyler Rose, says he will undergo nerve treatment after doctors ruled out concerns that he might have Lou Gehrig’s disease. The 57-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner said Tuesday that he will be hospitalized through the weekend. He compared the effects of the nerve problem to a robot that moves its right leg when instructed to move its left. Campbell was among the NFL’s great power backs, barreling over tacklers and never shying from contact in eight seasons. But his punishing running style cut short his career and left with him with a litany of chronic health problems. Campbell underwent knee replacement surgery last year and still requires a walker to move around.

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Thanks to a caller’s tip and security at a Shreveport casino, 60-year-old Lynn Dorsey Smith has been captured and is in the Bossier Parish Jail. East Texas authorities describe Smith as an alleged thief with a gaming addiction. According to KETK, investigators suspect Smith may have been in and out of Shreveport casinos due to his apparent addiction. Authorities report the supposed bandit has pawned several items taken in a July Harrison County theft. Officials suspected Smith would be in the Shreveport area due to the items being pawned in the Louisiana pawn shops in both Bossier City and Shreveport.

TYLER — Tyler ISD officials say a Robert E. Lee freshman who was walking in the street Tuesday morning was brushed on the shoulder by a school bus as it left Red Raider Drive. According to a school district statement, the student was evaluated by the school nurse and was transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Officials say the TISD Transportation Department is investigating the incident.

LINDALE — The Lindale Police Department and the FBI have recovered some of the bills stolen in a local bank robbery. That’s according to KETK. On September 12, at 3:00pm, a man held up the Capital One Bank on South Main in Lindale. The robber is described as having a medium complexion, wearing a white T-shirt under a blue long sleeve shirt, blue jeans and a white ball cap with a black bill. The fugitive left the bank in a small light colored, low profile style car such as an early 1990s Honda Civic. He was last seen heading south on Highway 69.

Information obtained confirms a dye pack did go off, which could cause a burn injury. There is a good possibility that the robber has a burn injury or injuries on his hands or arms and is still stained with dye. The inside of the vehicle would have red dye stains as well. A few bills have been recovered stained with red dye, suggesting that the robber might possibly be from the local area.

Authorities are still working to determine the location and travel pattern of the bills that have been recovered. They also plan to lift possible prints on the money left behind from the criminal. You’re asked to contact the Lindale Police Department or the FBI if you have any information on this case.

GULFPORT, MISS. (AP/Staff) – A mother and daughter suspected in a string of bank robberies, including one in Henderson, Texas, plan to plead guilty in a Mississippi case. They’ve notified court officials of their intent to accept a plea agreement in the armed robbery of a Gulfport bank. The Sun Herald reports Evie Mearlene Herrin, 57, and Amelia Darci Crew, 30, have been in custody since March 26, when Gulfport police arrested them minutes after the holdup of a Regions Bank. The women, who were living in Cleveland, Texas, are accused of taking just over $12,000.

A similar federal indictment in Louisiana alleges the women robbed two banks there. Court papers don’t show if their guilty pleas in Gulfport, set for October 1, will include the Louisiana robberies. And there was no immediate word on the status of the case involving a heist February 29 at Citizens National Bank in Henderson.