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HOUSTON (AP/Staff) – A man convicted in the fatal beating of a 75-year-old auto repair shop owner in Tyler is facing execution tonight, with no court appeals pending. Gregory Russeau is scheduled for execution this evening for the May 2001 death of James Syvertson. Russeau was driving the victim’s car when police pulled him over in front of a known drug house in Longview. Police found Russeau about eight hours after relatives of Syvertson found his body. Court records indicate Russeau was on a cocaine binge and on parole at the time. DNA, fingerprint and palm-print evidence helped convict Russeau of capital murder. The 45-year-old Russeau would be the ninth inmate executed this year in Texas.

MOUNT PLEASANT — A one vehicle accident in Titus County has killed a truck driver. Killed when his 18 wheeler left the road and hit a concrete bridge was Miguel Costilla, 51, of Laredo. The accident happened on Interstate Highway 30, about 12 miles east of Mount Pleasant. The accident occurred shortly aft 4:00 Wednesday morning.

TYLER — The former Chief Financial Officer of Shelby Regional Medical Center has been sentenced to federal prison. Joe White, 68, of Cameron, Texas, pleaded guilty on November 12, 2014 to making a false statement. He was sentenced yesterday to 23 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider. White was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $4,483,089.09 to Medicare’s Electronic Health Record (EHR) Incentive Program. Continue reading Former Shelby County Hospital CFO Sentenced

ATHENS — A Henderson County firefighter has been treated and released after being hit by a vehicle while directing traffic. It happened around 9:30 Tuesday night on U.S. Highway 175. According to KETK, the Log Cabin volunteer fireman was stopping traffic on the highway to allow an engine to back out when hit by a car driven by a 74 year old woman. Because of concussion concerns, the firefighter was rushed to ETMC Athens and later flown to Tyler. The woman driving the other vehicle was not injured.

TYLER — The next vice president for university advancement at The University of Texas at Tyler will be Wendell Jeffreys. He starts on the job August 15th. Jeffreys comes to UT Tyler from Colorado State University, where he currently serves as the executive director of development for the College of Business. There, he manages a staff of seven charged with raising $80 million during CSU’s ongoing $1 billion campaign. Jeffreys follows Jerre Iversen, who retired. “Mr. Jeffreys will be an exceptional addition to our leadership team, bringing a rich variety of experience to UT Tyler. He has proven skills in development, fundraising and personal business that make him an ideal candidate as our next VPUA. I know you will join me in welcoming him to Tyler later in the summer,” President Rodney Mabry said. Continue reading UT Tyler Announces New Vice President for University Advancement

STEPHENVILLE (AP) — A man who was supposed to be watching 240 cattle and horses for an ill West Texas rancher has been accused of stealing and selling the animals. Erath County jail records show Asher Quinn Hoxie of Stephenville was being held Wednesday on a charge of misapplication of fiduciary property over $200,000. Jail records don’t list an attorney for Hoxie, who was arrested Tuesday and bond set at $500,000. The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association says the ill livestock owner was from Odessa. Further details on him weren’t released. Authorities say Hoxie told the rancher that he’d take care of the livestock, but instead sold the 210 cattle and 30 horses in 2012. The investigation began in March. Authorities are still trying to locate the stolen livestock.

TYLER — Crews have removed a tractor-trailer that was broken down in the southbound lane of S. Broadway next to Rose Hill Cemetery. The trailer had to be unloaded on scene and it took a little over an hour to remove the truck. That section of roadway is now clear for drivers.

SAN FRANCISCO — Tyler ranks 8th in the country among cities where medical costs rose the most from 2011 to 2013, based on a study conducted by BetterDoctor, an online consumer health site. According to press materials from BetterDoctor, the health site analyzed the recently released Medicare procedure cost data for 2013 and compared inpatient procedure costs to 2011 prices – when the data was first released. BetterDoctor says there are a few things you can do to combat rising costs. Those include making sure you have insurance coverage, knowing your health and making sure you’re covered by an appropriate plan, visiting doctors in your network who are covered by your insurance plans, and advocating for yourself. Go to http://bit.ly/1G8lkbr to read the full study. You can go to https://betterdoctor.com/ to learn more about BetterDoctor.

KILGORE — Kilgore police believe they may have solved a string of recent trailer thefts with the arrest of a Longview man. Kilgore police have taken into custody John Cody DeWitt, 42, of Longview. He was named in a theft warrant issued by the Longview Police Department. DeWitt has been linked to six trailer thefts in Kilgore and numerous other trailer thefts in Gregg County. And the investigation is ongoing.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – A two vehicle accident in Hopkins County has left one person dead and one injured. The wreck occurred shortly after 5:45 Tuesday morning on State Highway 11 at Farm to Market Road 275. Killed was Michael Wayne Evans, 32, of Winnsboro. His car is said to have crossed the center line and collided head on with a car driven by Jose Manuel Flores, 39, of Commerce.Flores is in stable condition at Hopkins County Memorial Hospital.

TYLER — Smith County is officially eligible to apply for low-interest emergency disaster loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, according to two notification letters it received from the Texas Division of Emergency Management. In a letter dated June 11, the Texas Division of Emergency Management notified Smith County that it was designated eligible to apply for low-interest emergency disaster loans from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The loan availability is a result of a Presidential Declaration declared by FEMA for 18 Texas counties, including Smith County. The local Farm Service Agency (USDA Service Center) office will have the details on the program. It is located at 4209 Republic Drive and can be reached at 903-561-2050. The deadline for the loan applications for production and physical losses is February 5, 2016. Continue reading Emergency Disaster Loans Available to Smith County Residents

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches police are looking for two men who are accused of abducting a woman and raping her. The incident occurred between 9:15 and 11:05 Monday night. KETK reports the woman was abducted in the 1500 block of Pruitt Hill Drive. She was taken to an unknown location and sexually assaulted. She was later released on Hope Lane. She describes her attackers as two black males driving a gold Buick car with chrome rims.

SMITH COUNTY — Several fire departments responded to a house fire in northwestern Smith County. KETK reports the fire was in the 13000 block of County Road 4173, off of Highway 110, in the Hideaway Lake area. It was reported just before 11:00 Tuesday morning. The house was destroyed. No one was in the home when the fire broke out. The cause remains under investigation.

NACOGDOCHES — A two vehicle accident in Nacogdoches County has left one person dead and three injured. The wreck occurred shortly after 12:15 Monday afternoon about 7 miles west of Nacogdoches, at the intersection of Highway 7 and Farm Road 2782. Killed was Blanca Abrego-Gonzales, 69, of Douglass. The Department of Public Safety reports she was a passenger in a SUV that failed to yield at a stop sign and hit a pickup driven by Joe Stephen Howell, 38, of Mexia. The accident remains under investigation.

HAWKINS — The debate heats up over a sign on Hawkins city property. No action was taken, but it was standing room only at Monday night’s city council meeting. Most people who spoke were in favor of keeping a sign that reads, “Jesus Welcomes You to Hawkins.” However, one resident noted that it would be cheaper to move it to private property than to get involved in a lawsuit — which is what is being threatened by the group Freedom from Religion if it’s not relocated off city grounds. The speaker added that if it’s moved from Highway 80, they could make the sign even bigger. The out-of-state group says the sign’s location violates separation of church and state. Mayor Will Rogers wants to fight the group.

LONGVIEW — The senior pastor at Longview’s Mobberly Baptist Church has been elected treasurer for the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention. Dr. Glynn Stone was elected to the post for the 2016 Southern Baptist Convention Pastors Conference this past Monday at the SBC annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio. Stone is one of three officers, joining president John Meador, senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Euless, and vice chairman Dr. Neal Franks, senior pastor at First Baptist Church in Branson, Missouri., who will set the theme, establish the schedule and enlist speakers and volunteers for the two-day conference focused on encouraging and inspiring pastors. The Pastors Conference will precede the SBC annual meeting next June in St. Louis, Missouri. Continue reading Longview Pastor Elected Treasurer of 2016 Southern Baptist Convention

GILMER — The final suspect in a brutal Upshur County capital murder case has been sentenced to life in prison after entering a guilty plea on Tuesday. KETK reports Andrew Norwine, 23, appeared in the Upshur County 115th District Court at 9:00 a.m. to enter his plea in connection with the December 2012 kidnapping and slaying of Ronnie Joe Gammage. Continue reading Final Suspect in Ronnie Gammage Murder Gets Life in Prison

TYLER — Smith County is improving its county-to-county communication when it comes to law enforcement. KETK reports the new changes are for better dispatch communication. Smith County is adding three new radio channels that allow dispatchers from other counties to directly contact Smith County. The county’s assistant fire marshal, Oren Hale, says they used to have these channels in place, but when they relocated five years ago, they lost the capability. Now, after waiting for a grant and approval, they hope to have the new channels within the next 3 months. Hale says this is especially useful for high-speed chases, when authorities are forced to drive through multiple counties.

MINEOLA — Republican State Representative Bryan Hughes of Mineola announced Monday he will be running for Kevin Eltife’s state Senate seat. Hughes said his top priorities will continue to be securing the border, fighting for the pro-life cause, defending second amendment rights, and ending what he calls frivolous government intrusion in our daily lives. Republican David Simpson earlier said he’ll run and plans a formal announcement June 22. Saying it’s time for a break, Eltife announced over the weekend that this will be his last term. The Tyler Republican has served in the Senate since 2004.

CANTON — A man who escaped from the Van Zandt County Jail enjoyed freedom for less than 20 minutes before being recaptured. Wade Glenn Mathis, 20, escaped shortly before 5:00 yesterday afternoon. He escaped the facility by scaling a 12’ outer perimeter security fence topped with razor security wire. Mathis was being held pending trial for three charges of possession of controlled Substances, Felony Theft and evading arrest or detention. fled into a wooded area north and west of the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and traveled west, approximately one half of a mile, and came out onto Texas Highway 64 where he was arrested without incident shortly before 5:15. Continue reading Freedom Brief for Van Zandt County Escapee

LONGVIEW — A Gregg County Jail inmate has been indicted on an aggravated assault charge arising from an April 20 attack on other inmates. Brandon Euguene Washington, 31, of Longview was in jail on a misdemeanor theft warrant and two unpaid traffic tickets. According to the arrest report, witnesses said shortly after 9 p.m. April 20, Washington started acting aggressively toward other inmates in the cell. Washington then approached the victim and struck him in the left eye, continuing to hit the victim in the head and face, according to a complaint. He is being held in jail under a $75,000 bond. Continue reading Gregg County Jail Inmate Indicted for Assault

TYLER –John Tyler High School class of 2015 graduate Carlos Amante is the 2015 recipient of the Tab and Bonnie Beall Scholarship presented through the Tyler Independent School District Foundation. Amante was presented with a $1,000 scholarship to support both his fall and spring semesters at Tyler Junior College next school year. The Tab and Bonnie Beall Scholarship is awarded annually based on need to a Tyler ISD graduate planning to attend Tyler Junior College, the University of Texas at Tyler or Texas College. Continue reading TISD Student Awarded Beall Scholarship

LONGVIEW — Some good news in Longview’s deadly animal hospital fire. On Friday, our news partner KETK reported 5-year old Daisy being taken to an animal clinic in College Station for emergency treatment. Now Daisy’s owners say she is eating well and has a little bit more energy. Daisy and another dog were the only two to survive the Kimbrough Animal Hospital fire. Daisy’s been on secondary oxygen since being rescued, and was taken to Texas A&M after showing little signs of improvement. Her owners say she’s expected to be there a few more days. Meanwhile, a vigil for the deceased animals was held last night at the animal hospital.

LONGVIEW — The most recent former mayor of Longview has revealed plans to formally announce a bid for the Texas House of Representatives. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Jay Dean said he will seek election to District 7 Rep. David Simpson’s House seat. That’s in the wake of dual announcements by state Sen. Kevin Eltife, R-Tyler, that he would not seek re-election in 2016 — and Simpson’s statement he intends to campaign for Eltife’s Senate seat. “I intend to make my announcement shortly that I will be a candidate for House District Seat 7,” Dean said Sunday afternoon. “I have been vetting the process over this time with close associates and business associates. And I feel good. I have been encouraged for the last three to four months at a minimum by citizens to consider running for the seat.”

PALESTINE — At 7:00 a.m. Monday, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) predicted an 80% chance that a tropical wave in the Gulf of Mexico will develop into a tropical depression or tropical storm. The City of Palestine and Anderson County offices of Emergency Management encourage all residents to prepare for the likelihood of severe weather impacting the region, according to a city news release. Officials note that significant rainfall and flooding are very possible for an extended period. Residents are encouraged to put together an emergency supply kit to prepare themselves and their loved ones. Continue reading Palestine, Anderson County Prepare for Tropical Weather

TYLER — Portions of two Tyler roads have been closed because of a train derailment. No injuries were reported in the accident around 8:45 last night in the area of Robertson Road, Shaw Street and Bellwood Road. Currently the 2600 block of West Shaw Street and the 2300 block of Robertson Road are closed due to the train resting on the tracks. Officials said last night the repairs on the train were expected to take approximately 12 hours to clear up. Motorists are encouraged to find alternate routes from that area.

NACOGDOCHES — A trailer loaded with vehicle parts caught fire Sunday afternoon in Nacogdoches. It was reported just after 2:00pm in the 4000 block of South Street. When authorities opened the parked trailer, the fire grew rapidly. Firemen did not attempt to extinguish the fire because chemicals on the trailer were water reactive. There were no injuries reported. As a precaution the Texas Travel Plaza, which the trailer was behind, and nearby homes were evacuated.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Weeks of June 15 and 22. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

NOTE: An emergency contract to repair damaged culverts on Farm Road 279 at Edom starts today, weather permitting. Excessive rain in May resulted in two locations being washed out causing the culverts to separate. Repairs will be made about a mile east of Edom as well as about three miles east of Edom. The work will be conducted with the roadway reduced to one lane at each location. Expect delays. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

TYLER — State Senator Kevin Eltife of Tyler will not be running for re-election in 2016. The news comes shortly after Eltife was named the Senate’s president pro tem. The former Tyler mayor and city councilman tells KTBB he feels “it’s time to take a break.” He says he never set out to be a career politician but kept running because people asked him to. Eltife has served in the Senate since 2004. He says once out of office, he plans to stay involved in state government and local nonprofits. He adds, “I will still work hard in Austin make sure Northeast Texas is represented. I don’t have to hold office to do that.” Continue reading Eltife Won’t Run for Senate in 2016; Simpson Says He Will

TYLER — A new partnership could benefit college students and professionals. KETK reports Tyler Junior College will partner with the Greater Tyler Association of Realtors. Officials say GTAR will work closely with TJC by giving the college feedback on the program. For now, TJC will offer a certificate in proficiency in real estate. The school would eventually like to offer an associate degree in that field. GTAR said it will benefit the students by bringing in better-trained real estate agents. “Some of the courses will be in the classroom,” said Claudia Carroll, the board chairman of GTAR. “They will be taught by people who have experience in real estate, and they will be getting the proper context for the information that they’re learning.” TJC trustees approved the program in January.