KTBB News, Weather, Talk

AUSTIN — Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples has officially recognized the city of Henderson as a GO TEXAN Certified Retirement Community (CRC). The CRC Program helps communities attract retirees and potential retirees to make their homes in Texas. Henderson is the 39th community in the state to be certified.
“I extend my most sincere congratulations to the citizens and leaders of Henderson for achieving this notable certification,” Commissioner Staples said. “Not only do retirees have a significant economic impact on the regions in which they reside, but they also bring a wealth of knowledge and energy to community service, employment and business.” To become a CRC, communities must complete an application and retirement desirability assessment covering a wide range of topics.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police along with the assistance of the Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit executed a narcotics search warrant at 213 South Houston Street Friday around 1:45. Authorities found a quantity of methamphetamine and GHB was also located. Timothy “Timbo” Hutchison of Longview was arrested and charged with possession of controlled substance and delivery of controlled substance.

TYLER — An arrest has been made in a Monday morning stabbing incident in Tyler. Police responded to 518 West Selman around 6:00 on a disturbance call. Investigators determined that two neighbors who both live in separate apartments in the same large residence were involved in an argument. Police allege that Joshua Ishiah Malina, 20, stabbed Marcus Williams, 31, several times with a knife during the altercation. According to police, Williams was transported to East Texas Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries, and Malina fled the scene on foot.

Police say during the investigation, Malina showed back up at the scene of the incident and was taken into custody by police. Malina was charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and placed into the Smith County Jail with a $100,000 dollar bond.

TYLER — The Chapel Hill teen charged in the shooting death of his sister is scheduled for a hearing today. Amanda Anderson, 18, was found 8 weeks ago murdered in her Chapel Hill home. Her brother, Nathaniel, is being detained in the Smith County Juvenile Detention Center. According to KETK, the prosecution says his detainment is suggested because he may represent a possible danger to himself and the public. Anderson’s attorney, Jeff Haas, has asked for a mental evaluation for the teen suspect.

TYLER — The Texas Department of Transportation has announced that it expects to complete three projects by the end of this month, which would bring the total number of projects under construction to 18 across the Tyler District.

In Smith County, TxDOT announced contractor APAC-Texas, Inc., of Dallas, is scheduled to complete a $1.3 million repair-and-resurface contract on the westbound lanes of Interstate Highway 20 between State Highway 110 and the Van Zandt County Line. The project let to contract in August and began October 11. “We’ve made some huge improvements in our pavement on the Interstate in the past few years,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “This is one of the areas that we’d had on hold while we’ve gotten the other projects done. We’re very pleased that it will be open to traffic for the Thanksgiving holiday.”

Also in Smith County, contractor Simon Traylor & Sons, of Jacksonville, is scheduled to complete a $165,000 project to repair and resurface Cedar Camp Loop Road and campsite pads in Tyler State Park. The project let to contract in July and began in October.

In Rusk County, TxDOT contractor Encino Landscape, Inc., of Cleveland, Texas, is scheduled to complete a $75,000 Green Ribbon landscaping project to add shrubbery to traffic islands around the Henderson Star. The project let to contract in August and began in October. Green Ribbon projects are landscaping projects that target counties either in or close to non-attainment of air-quality standards.

Looking ahead to December, TxDOT has one project set to break ground. Contractor A.L. Helmcamp, Inc., of Buffalo, Texas, is scheduled to begin a $2.2 million project to add 3-foot shoulders to and resurface Farm Road 344 in Smith County between Farm Road 346 in Teaselville and U.S. Highway 69 in Bullard. The project let to contract in August.

TxDOT also plans to let three projects to contract in December. In Henderson County, TxDOT is planning an approximate $782,000 project to add shoulders to and resurface Farm Road 314 between the Van Zandt County Line south of Edom and Henderson County Road 3300, approximately one mile north of State Highway 31 in Brownsboro.

A second project will repair and resurface State Highway 31 from Farm Road 314 in Brownsboro to the east intersection with Farm Road 3204.

Finally, in Cherokee County, TxDOT is planning a combined $1.4 million project to add 3-foot shoulders to and resurface a portion of Farm Road 752 south of Farm Road 241 in Rusk, and the same on Farm Road 2137 between Farm Road 344 west of Bullard and Farm Road 855.

TYLER — Tyler Police respond to a home invasion Sunday morning just before 1:30 at 533 Bandera Drive. Authorities say the suspects reportedly kicked in the victim’s door and came into the house. Officers say the suspects stopped when they noticed the homeowner. The victim stated he then heard a gunshot and fired a round from his handgun in response. No one was injured and the suspects fled the area immediately following the incident.

LINDALE — The Tyler Junior College presence in Lindale is growing to meet increased demand. The College has entered into a lease agreement that will provide an additional 2,700 square feet of space for TJC-Lindale, located in the Identity Center, 2808 N. Main St.

The lease agreement was approved by the TJC Board of Trustees on
Thursday. The new space is on the east side of the Identity Center Complex. It will provide three new classrooms and two additional office spaces, said Heather Stokke, TJC-Lindale site coordinator. The College presently operates two classrooms with office space on the north side of the Identity Center. TJC-Lindale is home to a cohort of licensed vocational nursing students and offers core curriculum credit and continuing education courses.

The new space will be ready for Spring 2011 classes.

TYLER — The decision has been made and Judge Kelly will stay on Patric Kelly’s case. Attorney Thad Davidson has been fighting to have Judge Jack Skeen removed from a child sex ring case. Kelly was convicted in 2008 for his alleged role in a Mineola child sex ring.

In June, a Houston appeals court found his conviction should be reversed and re-tried. The same court said that Judge Skeen gave Kelly an unfair trial and should be removed from the case. However, after reviewing paperwork, Senior District Judge Alvin Khoury ruled that there is no reason to remove him from the trial. Khoury says, “Judge Skeen, not being perfect because he is human, certainly could have done a better job, but i have to believe he gave it his best efforts.”

According to KETK, Kelly’s attorney Thad Davidson, says he respects Khoury’s decision, but still believes Kelly has not and will not get a fair trial.

No date has been set yet for Kelly’s retrial.

TROUP — The Assistant Principal of Troup High School has been placed on leave and allegations are being investigated. According to KETK, Mike Staples has been at Troup High School only since the beginning of this school year. He came to Troup from West Rusk High School where he was the assistant there as well.

Superintendent Marvin Beaty told KETK that there were allegations, and they are being investigated. He added though that Staples was under contract, and had not resigned. Under the terms of his contract, he can only be dismissed by the board, and that action has not taken place.

“Mr. Staples is on paid leave, and we are conducting an investigation,” said Beaty, “but there is no change in contract status at this juncture. We should conclude the investigation today, and then to make a determination as to exactly what happened and then meet with Mr. Staples. I’m in hopes of being done with this before thanksgiving. We just need to figure out what happened exactly first.”
Staples was the interim Principal at West Rusk High School while a search was completed and a new principal hired last Spring. He left there and went to Troup this year.

SMITH COUNTY — The victim of a Smith County wreck has been identified. Natasha Moore, 24, of Fort Worth was killed in the Friday night crash near the intersection of Highway 20 and State Highway 155. According to KETK, officials with the Department of Public Safety say three vehicles were involved including a silver Mustang and an 18-wheeler. Officials say one person remains in the hospital in critical condition. DPS says a three year old child in one of the vehicles was not injured.

TYLER — City of Tyler Fire Chief Neal Franklin announced Friday that he will retire after more than 23 years with the City of Tyler effective Dec. 3. He will be pursuing a new career with East Texas Medical Center (ETMC) as the Director of EMS Business Development.

Franklin was hired by the Fire Department in 1987 as a firefighter. He worked his way through the ranks, serving as an inspector, investigator, driver engineer, captain assigned to the Hazardous Materials team and then was appointed fire chief in July 2003.

LONGVIEW — Longview Officers respond to the 500 Block of North Eastman Road around 3:10 Friday morning for a one vehicle accident. Authorities found that a silver Nissan had been traveling Northbound in the 500 Block of North Eastman Road when the driver lost control upon crossing East Marshall Avenue. The vehicle rolled several times before stopping in a restaurant parking lot. Longview Fire/EMS responded and transported both occupants of the vehicle to Good Shepherd Medical Center. The driver was transported with non-life threatening injuries and the passenger was transported with life threatening injuries.

The passenger Richard King, 20, White Oak, was pronounced dead at the hospital by Gregg County Justice of the Peace B.H. Jameson. The driver, Joshua Cowart, 21, White Oak, has been arrested for intoxication manslaughter and will be booked in to the Gregg County Jail upon his release from the hospital. The accident investigation is ongoing.

TYLER — Tyler school trustees have been briefed on the new State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) Program. STAAR will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), which is the state assessment program that has been in place since 2003. STAAR includes 12 End of Course tests and the new grade
3-8 tests. STAAR will test students over the content they study each year as opposed to testing the content studied over multiple years. School superintendent Dr. Randy Reid told school trustees last night the new assessment system will be significantly more rigorous than the current TAKS assessments. The new system will also have additional tests and the requirement that high school students pass all 12 EOC exams in order to graduate. The student’s score on the assessment must be worth 15% of student’s final grade for that course.

Dr. Reid said while there are many unanswered questions at this point as to the content and testing specifics, they are confident that many of the curriculum and instructional pieces that are in place in Tyler ISD will assist in the preparation of TISD students. He said the school district will continue to inform the students, staff, and parents as questions are answered by TEA regarding this new system as they develop and share the district’s transition plan for STAAR.

Dr. Reid also discussed high school graduation ceremonies at last night’s meeting. They are looking at the possibility of moving graduation ceremonies from the Oil Palace to Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. Each high school will hold graduation on either the Friday or Saturday evening during the first weekend in June of next year. Rain contingency plans will be in place as well. Moving the ceremony to Rose Stadium could save the school district up to $20,000. The District will draft a plan and layout for the ceremonies to be presented to the Board at next month’s meeting.

TYLER — Keeping our families safe and warm during the cold winter weather is always a top priority. But if you plan to use alternate heating sources, you may be putting your family at risk of fire. The Red Cross in Tyler urges all residents to take some steps to reduce the risk of heating-related fires.

All heaters need space. Officials say you should keep all things that can burn such as paper, matches, bedding, furniture and clothing, at least three feet away from heating equipment. Turn off space heaters when you go to bed or leave the room. Plug power cords directly into outlets and never into an extension cord. Never use a cooking range or oven to heat your home. Maintain heating equipment and chimneys by having them cleaned and inspected annually by a qualified professional.

Also, every home needs two important things: a working smoke alarm on every level of the residence and inside all bedrooms, as well as a fire escape plan so that every family member knows how to get out of harm’s way quickly. Red Cross staffers say the plan should identify at least two exits from every room and a place to meet outside that is located a safe distance from your home.

If a fire does occur, the Red Cross will be there. Last year the Smith County Chapter responded to 146 home fires, providing food, shelter and emotional support to the families affected. You can visit http://www.redcross.org/homefires to learn more about how you can reduce your risk of home fires and help your neighbors recover after a fire.

LINDALE — A wreck on I-20 Wednesday leaves one person dead and sends another to a local hospital. it happened just after 2 p.m. near mile marker 552 in Lindale. Firefighters tell KETK the wreck involved two trucks and a pickup pulling a trailer. I-20 westbound lanes in the Lindale area were shut down for awhile until hazmat crews cleaned up oil and Diesel that spilled on the road. The man killed in the wreck was
34-year-old Brandon Scott Merrick of Grand Prairie. Lindale Police say Merrick was heading west and rear-ended another truck, causing a domino effect. Traffic was already at a stand-still because of another wreck. An investigation is underway.