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CANTON — The Van Zandt County Jail has passed it annual jail inspection by the state agency that oversees the states county jails. The Texas Commission of Jail Standards inspector was impressed with the changes and improvements made in the facility this past year. The inspection was concluded Wednesday evening with an exit interview with Sheriff R.P.Burnett and County Judge R. Koches were the State Inspector discussed his finding and any recommendation he may have had the inspection took about 10 hours to complete.

The Van Zandt County Detention Center has undergone several improvements in the security aspect of the County Jail. An entire new locking system was approved and installed by Integrity Steel, a detention lock and door company. This was done after several months of work between the Sheriff’s Office staff, Commissioners’ Court and Texas Jail Standards, the state agency that inspects and oversees jails in the State of Texas. “This improvement will greatly enhance the security and control of the jail and make for a much safer facility for the inmates housed here and the staff”, Sheriff Burnett said.

In addition to the new locks the jail is in the process of a new paint job that has lightened the interior of the facility considerably. The once dark green doors and cell bars trimmed in black have been repainted with shades of lighter browns. The lighter color has in the past made a definite change in the attitude and atmosphere of inmates and staff. This also contributes to the overall safety of the facility.

A technology grant was obtained by the Sheriff’s Office and a much needed surveillance camera system to also help with the security of the jail was obtained at no cost to the tax payers. It will allow Detention staff to monitor both other staff and inmates movement inside the jail. It is replacing a long out dated system that parts can no longer be obtained for. It will also allow for staff to maintain a much higher level of observation of the entire facility both inside and out. Sheriff Burnett has been seeking out ways to help better the Sheriff’s Office and the Detention Center with as little or no cost to the county as possible. The Sheriff stated, “This has been my goal since taking office to help control expense and improve on your Sheriff’s Office.”

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University President Dr. Dale Lunsford has named Dallas-based author and ministry leader Bill Peel as executive director of a new university initiative designed to equip, connect and mobilize Christians to live out their faith in the workplace. Peel will assume his new role effective Jan. 3, 2011.

“Bill will launch a new center that will begin implementation of our ‘Every Workplace; Every Nation’ strategic plan,” said LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford. “Our vision is for workplaces led by men and women of professional competence and Christian character.”

Peel has more than 20 years experience helping people discover their calling, sharpen their work skills and become spiritually influential in their workplace settings. For the past seven years he has served as director of 24Seven Faith, a ministry he founded which focused on workplace discipleship, evangelism and leadership development. The ministry created resources and leading initiatives to equip and empower individuals to discover their role in God’s plan and build bridges of influence for God’s Kingdom to the workplace, community and the world.

Peel served as pastor of leadership development at Fellowship Bible Church-Dallas from 2000 to 2006, managing a staff of 80 people and leading the strategic planning process of organizational leadership change.

In East Texas, Peel was the founding pastor of Bethel Bible Church in Tyler, which grew from 40 individuals to more than 400 adults from 1983 to 1987. Peel earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.

EAST TEXAS — Henderson and Van Zandt County district attorneys say they plan to bring their own charges against two men in a string of East Texas church arsons. KETK reports Jason Bourque and Daniel McAllister entered guilty pleas in a Smith County court Wednesday. Henderson County DA Scott McKee says those new charges will be brought sometime after the men are sentenced for the Smith County charges.

TYLER – Two Rusk County residents have been sentenced to 70 months each in federal prison for a methamphetamine conspiracy involving cold pills. The sentencing hearings were held in Tyler before U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis. Timothy Charles David, 48, of Henderson, pleaded guilty on Aug. 24 to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced Dec. 15. Amy Nacole Hulsey, 31, of Joinerville, pleaded guilty on Aug. 24 to possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine and was sentenced Thursday.

According to prosecutos, between March 2009 and March 2010, David admitted to conspiring with others in the Eastern District of Texas to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine. He admitted to purchasing cold pills containing pseudoephedrine in furtherance of his methamphetamine manufacturing activities. Hulsey admitted to purchasing cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at various stores in Longview, Kilgore, Henderson, and Tyler between June 2009 and February 2010, all in furtherance of her methamphetamine manufacturing activities A federal grand jury returned a an indictment on May 6, 2010 charging David, Hulsey and four others with federal drug violations.

TYLER – Over 40 horses are recovering after being rescued from a ranch near Lindale Wednesday. Officials say it will be roughly 4 to 6 weeks before the animals are up to health standards and ready for release. Many of the horses were termed severely emaciated, and the animals were said to be suffering from a variety of medical ailments. According to KETK, the SPCA along with Smith County deputies took the 43 horses from their owner Wednesday after a six-month investigation. SPCA officials say a neighbor’s tip led authorities to the ranch, where they also found skeletal remains of other horses.

Rescue workers say the animals were initially startled to be taken. Two of the horses are pregnant. Some are still are not strong enough to stand. Officials say they are now eating and drinking water properly at stables provided by the Humane Society of the U.S. They’ll be evaluated and treated then put up for adoption. The owner, a horse breeder, is facing civil charges in connection to the case. You can go to http://www.spcaeasttx.com to find out more about adoptions and donations.

WASHINGTON – Tyler Congressman Louie Gohmert says the country needs a better plan than HR 4853. That’s the “Tax-Cut-and-Stimulus” package that President Obama recently negotiated with the Senate, and which has been under debate in the U.S. House. Gohmert had this to say Thursday regarding the proposed legislation:

“The compromise tax bill that would extend the current tax rates for two years may help avoid a potentially disastrous downturn in the struggling economy. On the other hand, the tax rate extensions have been combined with an additional 13 months of unemployment benefits on top of the two years of benefits already pushed into law. The Obama bill does not have any offsets to pay for this deficit-growing portion. The death tax is also addressed in the bill by substituting a 35% tax.”

“Since the proposed bill is not a tax cut, it is not going to stimulate the economy but rather temporarily avoid more harm. If we stand firm that businesses need more than a two-year assurance of tax stability and have a bill ready to pass on January 5th, we should get a far better deal for the economy, our future and our nation’s future. We can do better.”

“Considering all the aspects of the Obama Tax Deal, it does sound like a couple of weeks of patience and standing on the principles we believe in should yield a far better deal for the actual taxpayers and America. We can pass a bill early next year and make it retroactive so people aren’t hurt by tax hikes. Let’s do what is truly right for America and not grab the first, worst offer made.”

TYLER – A 48-year-old Laneville man has been sentenced to federal prison in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Clifford Ward Futch pleaded guilty on Aug. 31 to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. He was sentenced Thursday in Tyler to 70 months behind bars by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

According to information presented in court, on Jan. 21, 2009, Futch possessed methamphetamine for distribution in East Texas. Futch is responsible for distributing more than 200 grams of methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on May 6 of this year charging Futch and three others with federal drug violations. Bobby Jones pleaded guilty on Aug. 30, Brandon Jones pleaded guilty on Sep. 1, and Derrick Walker pleaded guilty on Sep. 30. They are all awaiting sentencing.

TYLER – Tyler ISD held a press conference Wednesday morning to address a growing problem with some of its students. Executive Director of Student Services Jeff Collum says students are becoming involved in a “choking game.” Collum says kids choke either themselves or others to get a high, but are really killing brain cells. The conference was called because students have reported 10 to 12 incidents this year so far. School officials want parents to be more aware of the situation and are sending letters out to parents.

MOUNT PLEASANT (AP) – Authorities in Mount Pleasant say a man shot and killed his girlfriend and a co-worker then turned the gun on himself outside a vocational center. Titus County Sheriff Tim Ingram said Lee Boyd, 48, shot Junior Lee Horton, 35, about 6:30 Thursday morning in the parking lot of Vocational Opportunities Center of North East Texas. Ingram says Boyd then sat in the cab of his truck and shot himself in the head. Deputies who went to Boyd’s home found Vivian Mitchell, 45, dead with gunshot and stab wounds. Ingram said Boyd was upset with Mitchell because her ex-boyfriend had started working at the center where Mitchell also worked. The sheriff said it appears Boyd shot Horton because of a previous argument between the two.

TYLER — Tyler Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a shoplifting suspect. It happened Saturday at the WalMart on Hwy 64. Authorities say a white male went to the electronics section of the store, took a laptop computer, valued at $900.00 and walked out of the store without paying. Police say someone in a PT Cruiser was waiting for him in the parking lot. If you have any information, contact Tyler Police or Smith County Crime Stoppers.

LUFKIN — Two Lufkin convenience stores were robbed last week and investigators need your assistance to identify the suspects. On December 8th, an unidentified suspect robbed a convenience store located in the 3100 block of Atkinson Drive in Lufkin. On December 12th, an unidentified suspect robbed a convenience store located in the 1900 block of North Timberland Drive in Lufkin.

In both instances, a suspect entered into the convenience stores just before 9:00 P.M., used a handgun to threaten employees of the stores, and demanded money. The employees complied with the suspect’s demands and the suspect fled on foot from the stores. The suspect in both crimes was described as a black male, approximately nineteen years old, average build, wearing a black hooded-jacket, and dark blue or black jeans. His face was covered with a blue bandana. Police believe the suspect was dropped off and picked up in a white Dodge Caravan.

TYLER – A Smith County home has been destroyed by fire. The fire was reported Wednesday night at the Arthur Freeman residence on County Road 21. Arthur and his wife Tammy smelled smoke and fled to a neighbor’s home. Their house was a total loss. They were not injured. The house had experience electrical problems prior to the fire and that may be what caused it. The fire remains under investigation.

NACOGDOCHES — A single engine plane has crashed near the Nacogdoches airport. The crash occurred around 8:00 Wednesday night. The aircraft was flying from LaPorte to Longview when it experienced engine trouble. It crashed about half a mile from the airport, taking out a power line and some trees. The pilot was not injured.

TYLER – A Tyler aggravated assault is under investigation. It occurred just before 1:15 Thursday morning in the 1400 block of West Claude. According to police Sgt. Michael Burge, the victim was cut on the stomach with a sharp object by an unknown black male. They had been involved in a verbal altercation. The victim was not seriously injured. He was treated at Mother Frances Hospital.

TYLER — A Cherokee County man’s conviction for continuous sexual abuse is affirmed by a state appeals court. Bobby Eugene Coker pleaded guilty in 2009. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The 12th Court of Appeals found Coker failed to show the statute used to convict him was unconstitutional.