KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Douglas Elementary School principal Christy Roach has received the Tyler Hispanic Business Alliance Achievers Award in the professional category. This award is presented to a Hispanic professional who has achieved success through determination and hard work.

Roach was commended for her successful community partnership efforts at Douglas Elementary School, as well as the school’s academic achievements. Douglas Elementary works with the Literacy Council of Tyler to provide night classes for community members, and partners with Tyler Junior College at their Family Learning Center. This year, Douglas Elementary School was named a Texas Education Agency Recognized campus.

“Students at Tyler ISD are very fortunate to have positive role models like Ms. Roach as their teachers and principals,” Eleno Licea, Tyler ISD Trustee and Chairman of the Hispanic Business Alliance’s Advisory Committee, said. “It is especially meaningful for our Hispanic students to interact with and learn from local leaders with whom they identify,” he continued.

Roach is a native Tylerite, who grew up just two blocks from Douglas and attended the school as a child. She has served in her current position for five years, and prior to serving as principal, Ms. Roach was a teacher and assistant principal at Douglas.

KILGORE – The new city manager for Kilgore will be coming from Colorado. The city council has hired Scott Sellers, 32, of Montrose, Colorado, where he was the towns acting city manager. Before that he was assistant city manager in Centralia, Illinois. He assumes his new duties on October 31st.

Sellers will be succeeding interim city manager City Manager Tony Williams, who has held that spot since May. Williams took the post after Jeffrey Howell left after citing managerial differences with the council.

COLLEGE STATION (AP) — The Texas Forest Service says more than a third of the nearly 36 million cubic feet of timber killed by wildfires since June in East Texas has been salvaged. It will be used to produce up to $110 million worth of homes, furniture and paper.

CHANDLER — A national movement makes its way into another East Texas city. According to KETK, Chandler officials have approved a motion to add “In God We Trust” to the front of their city council chambers. The city administrator says there’s been no opposition to the move. The “In God We Trust” movement started in California, and about 250 governmental bodies have adopted that phrase.

LONGVIEW — The Humane Society of Northeast Texas has shut it doors as a precaution after an adopted puppy died. Shelter officials say they don’t know the cause of death but they say they wanted to protect the public and other animals at the shelter until further tests come back. Officials say the worst-case scenario would be the dog testing positive for distemper. Christine Kerr, Interim Executive Director for the shelter, tells KETK no animal has been put down at this time. The shelter is waiting for the test results, and Kerr says if the tests are positive for distemper, then each animal will be handled on a case-by-case basis.

The Maude Cobb Center has been set up as a temporary shelter for animals coming in until the Humane Society is able to reopen. If you believe your animal is at the shelter, Kerr says you can bring a current shot record and a picture of your animal, and it will be released to you.

QUITMAN — Opening arguments and testimony started Tuesday in the trial of Upshur County Judge Dean Fowler, who is charged with official oppression. Fowler, Sheriff Anthony Betterton and Commissioner Lloyd Crabtree were indicted and charged after resident Jimmy Caughron was removed from a Commissioners court meeting in November. Caughron attended several meetings with duct tape over his mouth to protest that public comment had been removed from meeting agendas.

“Mr. Caughron was at that Commissioners Court meeting doing what any man had a right to do,” prosecuting attorney Rick Hagan said in his opening argument. Hagan is representing the county in the case because District Attorney Billy Byrd recused himself.

Hagan told six jurors and one alternate juror that Caughron sat silently at the commissioners court meetings, “wearing a piece of tape over his mouth.” Hagan noted that Caughron did this three times and was “never told he was violating rules or conduct.” Then on Nov. 30 he was removed from court. Hagan argued that Caughron’s first amendment rights were violated when he was removed.

QUITMAN — A judge on Wednesday issued a not guilty verdict, discharging Upshur County Judge Dean Fowler of an official oppression charge. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. In a Wood County proceeding, Judge Richard Davis also quashed an indictment of abuse of official capacity against Fowler. Davis issued his verdict after the prosecution rested, citing that prosecuting attorneys had failed to prove that Fowler was involved in Jimmy Caughron being removed from a commissioners court meeting.

Caughron was removed by a bailiff from a Nov. 30, 2010, meeting after repeatedly wearing duct tape on his mouth to protest that public comment had not been allowed. Sheriff Anthony Betterton and Commissioner Lloyd Crabtree still face charges. “My family and I are relieved,” Fowler said. “We appreciate the judge’s decision. I would like to thank all of my supporters and the people who have been concerned about me in Upshur County.”

LONGVIEW — Longview police are investigating a Tuesday morning shooting near where children were waiting on a school bus. Officers were dispatched at about 7:00 to a domestic dispute call in the 600 block of Idylwood Drive, according to Longview Police Department spokeswoman Kristie Bryan. The dispute ended with gun fire near a school bus stop, according to police. No one was injured. Officials have interviewed a 14 year old girl in connection with the shooting and say they have other persons of interest in the case.

TYLER — “Aiding and abetting.” That’s how Tyler Congressman Louie Gohmert describes the President’s role in the ongoing “Occupy Wall Street” protests. He says it’s the first time in history the leader of the country is encouraging people to protest. He said, “You have all these protesters that are not of one mind and one accord and many want to be arrested.” Gohmert goes on to say, “They want to force the issue and create a problem and it’s not like the Tea Party folks that abide by the law.”

ANGELINA COUNTY — Federal agents are looking for a Lufkin man believed to be on the run because he is afraid a July 4 arrest will affect his parolee status on a 99-year prison sentence for cocaine possession. Rene Tamez, 41, no-showed a court date following the July 4 disturbance with his father-in-law in which he was arrested, according to the federal agent with the Office of the Inspector General.

The arrest was a violation of his parole, but he bonded out of the Angelina County Jail before the Texas Department of Criminal Justice could put a hold on him, the agent said. Tamez received a 99-year sentence in August 1998 and paroled out in 2007. Tamez works as a painter in the Lufkin area and is 5 foot 6, 170 pounds with black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information Tamez’s whereabouts to call the TDCJ Crime Stoppers number at 800-832-8477.

LONGVIEW – A Longview teenager has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after threatening to kill his dad. Dalton Cole Shaffer, 17, was booked into the Gregg County Jail. His bond was set at $10,000.

Officers were dispatched to the 4700 block of West Marshall Avenue on a report of family violence assault. The teen’s dad said the boy came into his room demanding that his phone be given back to him. When the father refused, Shaffer is said to have raised his hand with a pencil in a threatening stabbing motion. The dad said he pushed the boy into a wall, fighting for the pencil. He then pinned him to the ground. The teen was not injured but his dad complained about a scrape on his hand.

WINONA – A wildfire in the Winona area is contained Tuesday night. It was reported around 6:30 Tuesday evening north of Interstate Highway 20 and east of farm Road 757. Up to 20 homes were evacuated along Farm Roads 757 and 1252. Those evacuations were lifted later Tuesday night. According to KETK, a driver towing a repossessed car on a trailer sparked the fire when a tire on the trailer blew. The driver was given a ticket for reckless destruction of property.

AUSTIN — Wildfire survivors in Gregg, Harrison and Henderson counties can meet with state and federal specialists at recovery centers opening this week in area communities. Starting today, specialists from the state of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors. They also have brochures and other written materials on disaster recovery. The schedule is:
*Gregg and Harrison Counties
The fairgrounds at 1123 Jaycee Drive in Longview
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Wednesday, October 12
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 13
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, October 14

*Henderson County
The Emergency Operations Center Training Facility, 622 S. Prairieville in Athens
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, October 13
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday, October 14
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 15

Any Texan with questions about the recovery process or needing help registering with FEMA is urged to stop by a recovery center. Visiting with a recovery specialist is not a requirement for survivors who want disaster assistance, but the centers are an excellent way for people to get answers to their questions about disaster aid and help applying for it.

LONGVIEW – Longview has received some national recognition. Longview has been named as one of America’s Promise Alliance’s 100 Best Communities for Young People presented by ING for its initiatives to help young people. The competition recognizes communities across the country that focus on reducing high school dropout rates and providing service and support to their youth. Longview is a two-time 100 Best winner, previously receiving the honor in 2008.

Longview will receive a $2,500 grant, signage identifying the community as one of the nation’s 100 Best Communities for Young People, and access to America’s Promise Alliance’s community development resources. This year, more than 300 communities from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico were nominated for the 100 Best distinction. The winners are a diverse group, ranging from small communities to large cities. Winners were chosen by a distinguished panel of 20 judges that included: Marc Morial, president and CEO, National Urban League, Roxanne Spillett, president and CEO, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, and Michelle Shearer, Chemistry Teacher, Urbana High School, 2011 National Teacher of the Year.

“This award showcases the work of the entire community: the schools, nonprofits, businesses, and the City of Longview,” said Mayor Jay Dean. “I think that it’s an all inclusive effort that has made Longview a great place for our kids. We have to keep investing in the young people of Longview and encouraging them to be part of building our future.”

Longview was selected as one of the 100 Best Communities for Young People for numerous reasons including the community’s abundant after-school programs, youth recreation activities, and numerous volunteer opportunities. In addition, the City of Longview allocates approximately 10 percent of the annual budget for community services that directly benefit its youth. As a part of the Partners in Prevention department, the Youth Action Committee allows young people to participate in numerous community volunteer projects, leadership development exercises and provide a youth voice when reporting to the City of Longview departments. Partners in Prevention has a mentoring program that offers year-round, out-of-school youth programming including athletic and art classes, money management and life skills classes. The Longview Economic Development Corporation Workforce Academy helps prepare local students for higher education by holding evening classes for college credits. Through these efforts, Longview’s graduation rate remains above 70 percent. Overall, residents remain committed to helping young people maneuver the challenges faced on the road to adulthood.

TYLER — The annual Texans Against Crime night out event took place yesterday from noon to 10:00. Celebrations were held throughout the City of Tyler at local businesses and neighborhood block parties. Tyler Police Department announced the highest record of Block Parties, 163, registered for this year’s event. The Texans Against Crime program is an annual event designed to unite neighbors and communities to encourage neighborhood communication, community involvement and crime prevention to create safer neighborhoods. The program encourages neighborhoods to host block parties as an opportunity to get to know your neighbor and fight crime.

TYLER — Tyler Police Officer, Justin Utley, seen on the left in the photo, has won his third consecutive Texas State Rifle Association Championship in the service rifle category. He won it during the competition held at Camp Swift in Bastrop, TX.

Utley competed using an AR-15 with iron sights at several different distances, varying firing speeds, alternating standing or sitting and magazine changes. Out of a possible 800 top score, Utley received 782 points to take the win. The trophy he received is named in honor of his late mentor, well known shooter, match director and gunsmith, Richard P. Crawford, on the right in the photo.

Utley said, “this was a very special win for me because Rick had mentored me since I first started when I was 14. Rick taught me almost everything I know about the sport, and he coached me to where I am today.” On June 1, 2011, Crawford passed away from a sudden heart attack.

LONGVIEW – Longview is changing the date for the yearly AlleyFest. “AlleyFest – A Real East Texas Celebration of the Arts,” will be held in downtown Longview next year on the second weekend in May, May 11th through 13th. There will be live music, demonstrations, kids’ activities, and of course exhibits filled with all types of art work from pottery, jewelry, paintings to metal work.

Kelly Hall, President of the Longview Chamber said moving the date from the first weekend of June was not taken lightly. For the last four years we’ve experienced hotter than normal weather and it greatly impacted our daytime attendance. Combine that with the sluggish economy since 2008 and exhibitors found it very challenging to move their products and services. At the conclusion of the 2011 AlleyFest Director Elaine Reynolds surveyed exhibitors from the past 5 years to see if they would like to see the date changed to May and if the date change took place which weekend would work best with their festival schedule. Elaine did not stop there reported Hall. She also surveyed suppliers and volunteers and reviewed the festival schedule within a 100 mile radius to ensure AlleyFest would remain the signature event for East Texas!

Volunteers are also excited about the date change because of the new doors it will open for the event. They have always wanted to engage area schools and bring art related programming, competitions, etc. for the students and now they can.

KILGORE — Former Rangerette, Taylor Greer, will be featured this weekend on the national television series, “The Real Winning Edge.” The show is broadcast on FOX stations all over the country.

Taylor, who was a Rangerette from 2009-11, is being featured on the show because of her unique story about trying out and making the world-famous Rangerettes despite being hearing impaired. Greer, originally from Garland, was born with limited hearing abilities that completely faded away by the age of 12. She now depends on an internal device called a cochlear implant to hear.

Greer was filmed last spring in Kilgore for a segment on the television series which features high school and college age individuals who have overcome numerous obstacles to achieve success.

The 30-minute show is scheduled to air this weekend in the East Texas area on KDFW at 10:00am on Saturday and KLPN at 8:00am Sunday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she has “no reason to believe” that the State Department is biased in favor of a Canadian company’s plan to build a massive oil pipeline from western Canada to the Gulf Coast, as some critics charge. The pipeline route would go through eastern Smith County.

In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, Clinton said a decision on the $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline will be fair and based on years of work by numerous government agencies.

Clinton dismissed allegations by environmental groups that her decision is tainted by a past relationship with a TransCanada executive who served as an aide in her 2008 presidential campaign. Emails show friendly exchanges between a State official and TransCanada executive Paul Elliot.

The pipeline would travel through Montana, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

BULLARD (Staff/AP) — Former Arkansas Governor and former presidential contender Mike Huckabee weighs in on the “Fast and Furious” controversy during a visit to East Texas. Huckabee was in Bullard this week for Founder’s Day at the Brook Hill School. He tells KETK that Attorney General Eric Holder has some explaining to do. Huckabee commented, “How can he be the attorney general and not know of that many guns being in the hands of Mexican drug cartel(s) that ended up being responsible for killing an American border agent? That’s just absurd.” Huckabee says Holder either is incompetent or is just not telling the truth.

The Associated Press is reporting is reporting a subpoena heading to Holder’s desk having to do with the failed gun running operation. In 2009, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives allowed go-betweens for drug cartels to buy thousands of weapons from border state gun shops — and they lost track of about 2,000 of those guns. Some of the guns have turned up at crime scenes in Mexico, and a number are tied to Americans’ deaths.

HOUSTON (AP/Staff) – The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down the appeals of two inmates on Texas death row, including one from East Texas. Justices have declined to review the case of Beunka Adams. He was sentenced to die for fatally shooting a disabled man, Kenneth Vandever, in 2002 during a convenience store robbery in Rusk. Two women working at the store were abducted and shot. One was raped. The justices also decided not review the case of Felix Rocha, who was convicted of fatally shooting a security guard in Houston.

AUSTIN (AP) – Seven Texas school districts, including two in East Texas, have filed the first lawsuit against the state since lawmakers slashed $4 billion in public school funding over the summer. A coalition representing at least 150 school districts announced Tuesday that the lawsuit had been filed in Travis County. It asks the court to declare that the state’s school finance system violates the Texas Constitution. The lawsuit has been brewing for months. Facing a $27 billion state budget shortfall, the Republican-controlled Legislature in June approved the first decrease in per-student spending in Texas since World War II. The school districts selected to file the suit were Hillsboro, Hutto, Nacogdoches, Pflugerville, San Antonio, Taylor, and Van. Among the defendants named in the suit is Texas Education Agency Commissioner Robert Scott.

LUFKIN — Lufkin police officers were dispatched to 216 South Timberland Dr. in response to a motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian shortly after midnight Saturday morning. A witness at the scene reported seeing the suspect’s vehicle driving recklessly and weaving through traffic on Timberland Drive at a high rate of speed prior to the accident. The witness reported that the suspect’s vehicle then turned sharply, traveling fast, into the restaurant parking lot and struck a pedestrian riding a bicycle through the parking lot entrance.

The driver, identified as Martin Ramirez Jr., 20, of Lufkin, was detained. The on-scene investigation with Ramirez revealed evidence of intoxication, and examination of the damage to the vehicle that Ramirez Jr. was driving matched evidence found at the accident scene. The victim, Rhonda Elizondo, 18, of Lufkin, was transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital for treatment. Ramirez was transported to the Angelina County Jail and booked in for driving while intoxicated and for failure to stop at an accident involving injury, according to Lufkin Police reports.

TYLER — Troup Highway and Loop 323 in Tyler is a hot spot for growth right now, according to officials. A Corner Bakery and a Toppings Yogurt Shop are set to open soon in addition to Cheng’s China Bistro, which is set to open in December, according to it’s owner. KETK spoke with Robert Owen, the local franchisee for Corner Bakery and Topping Yogurt about the reason behind the new openings. He said, “People eat out in Tyler. It’s about the only business that’s growing here lately. In the last six months everything new that’s been built has been restaurants.” Officials say the three restaurants should bring in about 100 new jobs.

AUSTIN (AP) – Workers in 23 Texas counties who lost their jobs due to wildfires have the opportunity to apply for job assistance. The Texas Workforce Commission on Monday announced an expanded presidential disaster declaration includes unemployment help for Navarro County. Anderson, Bastrop, Caldwell, Cass, Colorado, Fayette, Henderson, Hill, Gregg, Grimes, Harrison, Houston, Leon, Marion, Montgomery, Rusk, Smith, Travis, Upshur, Walker, Waller and Williamson counties previously were approved for unemployment assistance. The deadline to seek employment help in Navarro County is Nov. 9. Various October deadlines apply for the other 22 counties. The Texas Forest Service says more than 2,800 homes have been destroyed since the wildfire season began last November.

TYLER – One person is in custody in connection with the robbery of a woman in the parking lot of the Super One foods store at 1105 East Gentry. It happened shortly after 4:15 Monday afternoon. A woman tells officers she had finished shopping and was putting her small children in their car seats in the back seat of her car a man got in the back seat and grabbed her by the throat. She fought of the man, identified as Donny Quang Ngo, 35, of Tyler, and jumped out of the car.

She says Ngo got out of the car and started assaulting her. He then got into the front seat of the car, which she thought he was going to steal the vehicle with her children inside. Instead, he grabbed her purse, which had been sitting on the front seat and jumped from the car.

Her screams had alerted store employees and other customers who chased Ngo to the highway in front of the store where they tacked him and held him till officers arrived. The victim did not require medical attention. Ngo was transported to East Texas Medical Center where he was treated and released for minor injuries. Ngo was then booked into the Smith County jail for robbery and released.

JACKSONVILLE – Cherokee County authorities are looking for two men who robbed a store west of Jacksonville. The robbery occurred Sunday night around 7:15 at the Corner Store at the intersection of Farm Road 747 and County Road 3113. After taking nearly $2,000 from the store the men, one armed with a handgun and the other armed with a small calibre rifle, fled the store.

Employees say the men were covered in black, including gloves and ski masks. One was a white male in his early 20s, between 5’8” and 5’10” and weighing between 160 and 180 pounds. The second suspect was a black male in his early 20s, between 5’8” and 5’10” and weighing between 130 and 150 pounds.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – A Sulphur Springs man has been identified as the victim of a weekend traffic crash. Tony G. Swindell, 28, was dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred shortly before 3:00 Sunday morning. Police reports say Swindell was west bound on East Industrial Drive when his car left the road and hit two cars in a parking lot. Swindell was thrown from the vehicle.

NACOGDOCHES – Two Louisiana men have been arrested by authorities at the Nacogdoches bus station and charged with possession of a controlled substance. Investigators say the men were acting nervously. A search turned up three pounds of cocaine. Taken into custody were Rodrick Roy Gibson and Ronald Dewayne Green, both 44, and both from Monroe, Louisiana.

MARSHALL — After 12 years on the bench, U.S. District Judge T. John Ward has retired to take advantage of a golden opportunity — practicing law with his son. “I thought it was a (rare) opportunity for people to get,” the 68-year-old said of practicing law with son Johnny Ward at Ward & Smith law firm in Longview. The federal courthouse is losing another judge, as U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles “Chad” Everingham, 43, resigned to become a partner in Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and open the firm’s new Longview office. The law firm will become the largest to set up a satellite office in the Eastern District of Texas.

Ward — often referred to as the “king of the rocket docket” for speeding patent cases through the system — and Everingham — the first U.S. magistrate judge stationed in the Marshall federal courthouse — both vacated their posts Sept. 30.