KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — Damage from a powerful, slow-moving storm that pelted much of Northeast Texas on Sunday and Monday will take a good while to clean up. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, the National Weather Service reported wind speeds of 18 miles per hour with gusts of nearly 35 miles per hour at East Texas Regional Airport. Longview city officials reported the storm downed trees in 13 different locations, primarily across north Longview. Assistant to the City Manager Mary Ann Miller said crews worked over the weekend clearing debris from area roadways and would continue gathering and hauling off the debris the next few days. Continue reading Storm Leaves Damage; Drought Continues

TYLER – Residents of Smith and surrounding counties have an unprecedented opportunity to participate in a historic study that has the potential to change the face of cancer for future generations, according to study organizers. According to a news release, men and women age 30 to 65 who have never been diagnosed with cancer (excluding basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers) are needed to participate in the American Cancer Society’s Cancer Prevention Study-3 (CPS-3). Spokespeople say CPS-3 will enroll a diverse population of 300,000 people across the United States and Puerto Rico. Continue reading Local Residents Called to Contribute to Cancer Research Effort

BEAUMONT – A 30-year-old Lufkin man has been sentenced to federal prison for robbing a post office in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales. Keith DeWayne Bailey pleaded guilty on June 19 to post office robbery and was sentenced to 33 months in federal prison Wednesday in Beaumont by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. Continue reading Angelina County Man Sentenced for Robbing Post Office

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches police arrest a Tennessee man who they say tried running over two people early Sunday morning. Alex Fentress, 24, is charged with second-degree felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and driving while intoxicated. Two people told police Fentress tried running them over as he was leaving the scene of a fight.

SMITH COUNTY — Authorities have released the results of the “No Refusal” DWI Campaign. An after-action report from the Tyler Police Department shows the multi-agency results from August 30th through September 2nd:Total DWI arrests for the No-Refusal initiative for all agencies were 23. DPS had 18 DWI arrests during the No-Refusal campaign. DPS also had one arrest for DUI-Minor.) Tyler PD had 5 DWI arrests during the No-Refusal campaign. Total number of search warrants for blood was 6. DPS obtained 5 search warrants for blood. Tyler PD obtained 1 search warrant for blood. A grand total of 23 DWI arrests with 1 DUI-Minor and 6 (26%) search warrants in all were reported.

LONGVIEW — Texans Against Crime will host a Kick-off event for party hosts in Longview on Tuesday, September 10th, from 6-7:30 p.m. at the Maude Cobb Convention & Activity Center, 100 Grand Boulevard. Participants will have the opportunity to visit with other Texans Against Crime party hosts and law enforcement personnel, pick up yard signs, and visit informational booths. Continue reading Texans Against Crime Kick-Off Party Planned

TYLER — Tyler police have arrested a 73-year-old man for alleged aggravated sexual assault of a child following a standoff Tuesday. KETK reports the man is identified as James Carey Prosperie of Tyler, who spent a number of years as a local pharmacist. Police say when they tried to execute an arrest warrant in the 1000 block of Jeff Davis Drive, Prosperie initially refused to exit his house. There were reports he was armed, but police say they can’t confirm that. He was finally taken into custody early in the afternoon. Prosperie operated the Medicine Shoppe at 2119 East Fifth Street until it closed several years ago. The space is now occupied by a tattoo parlor.

TYLER — Oil and gas professional Don Warren Tuesday announced his intention to seek the City Council District 4 seat in the May 2014 election. Current District 4 City Councilmember Martin Heines recently announced his intention to run for Mayor in May 2014. Warren is a Tyler native, a graduate of Texas Tech University, and has been an oil and gas professional for the last 32 years. He is the owner of Lomoco, Inc., a small oil and gas asset management firm, which he formed in 1994. Since 2010 he has served as a volunteer on the City of Tyler Planning and Zoning Commission and is currently serving as Co -Chairman of the Bergfeld Park Improvement Project. Continue reading Don Warren Announces Intention to Seek City Council Seat

ROCKPORT (AP/Staff) – A South Texas man accused of killing his wife has been arrested in Nacogdoches County. Andrew Jared Harvey, 21, was accused of the slaying after relatives questioned why he traveled hundreds of miles to the Sacul community with his 5-month-old son — but without the baby’s mother. Nacogdoches County jail records showed Harvey was being held without bail for Rockport police. Continue reading Wife Slaying Suspect Held in Nacogdoches

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road 137, west of CR 134 and east of CR 1300, is temporarily closed. Officials say the wooden bridge at this location is currently undergoing a detailed inspection for structural deficiencies. Officials say they’ll have more information on the length of this closure as details become available.

TYLER — Authorities re-open an East Texas cold case. Brandi Wells, Tyler, went missing 7 years ago after leaving a Longview night club. According to KETK, because of the time and no evidence, the case went cold. Her family still wants answers. Continue reading East Texas Cold Case Re-opened

EAST TEXAS — Labor Day weekend is traditionally one of the biggest grilling holidays of the year. But County officials from all across East Texas had urged using extreme caution before lighting the grill and not just during the holiday, but anytime. KETK reports nearly all East Texas counties are under a burn ban. That means no bonfires, camp fires, wood burning, or open fire pits. If authorities bust you violating the burn ban, you could be fined up to $500. Van Zandt and Rains Counties have not issued burn bans, but caution is advised there as well.

TIMPSON (AP/STAFF) — Two earthquakes have hit East Texas, causing little reported damage but unnerving residents. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a 4.1 magnitude earthquake at 4:52 p.m. CDT Monday centered about 2 miles west-northwest of the town of Timpson. That’s about 150 miles east-southeast of Dallas and 60 miles southwest of Shreveport, Louisiana. The second earthquake was reported at 6:51 Monday night two miles west northwest of Timpson. It measured 4.3 on the Richter Scale. Timpson police Officer Adam Renfro says he had received reports of dishes and pictures falling from walls but no significant damage. Continue reading Two Earthquakes Rattle East Texas

SMITH COUNTY — A car and structure fire was contained Monday afternoon in Smith County. According to the Noonday and Dixie Fire Departments, the fire erupted at 12309 Greenbriar Lake Road. KETK reports the location suffered a lot of smoke damage, but no injuries were reported.

VAN ZANDT — A man has been taken into custody in Van Zandt County after barricading himself inside of business in Wills Point. According to KETK, several departments responded to the call of a disruptive man at Mitchell Oil company. When they arrived, the man barricaded himself in the bathroom. He then is accused of tearing up the room and attempting to escape through the roof. He made it into the attic where authorities say he tried to set a fire. He was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges, including arson and aggravated assault of a public servant. Continue reading One Man Arrested Following East Texas Standoff

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

WOOD COUNTY – Beginning Tuesday, TxDOT contract construction crews from Longview Bridge and Road, of Longview, are scheduled to begin approximately one year’s worth of work to add passing lanes to U.S, Highway 69 between Loop 564 in Mineola and Farm Road 779 in Golden. Crews will begin work by widening drainage structures in the work area. The $2.8 million project let to contract in June and is scheduled for completion next summer. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

GREGG COUNTY — An East Texas man is facing two charges of indecency and sexual contact with a child. According to KETK, on Friday afternoon, Gregg County Deputies arrested Orie Bray Patty, 24, of Harleton, on two charges of indecency with a child. Patty was also charged with theft, injury and family violence, and stolen property. Patty is currently in the Gregg County Jail under a $6,000 bond.

RUSK COUNTY — Rusk County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man accused of sexually assaulting three juveniles. A complaint was filed against Barney Samuel Bradshaw, 35, accusing him of the crimes. Bradshaw was found and taken into custody Thursday in Gregg County on the charges along with a warrant from Tarrant County. He was booked into Rusk County Jail with bond set at $500,000.

DIRGIN (AP) — A Texas family descended from slaves is fighting to keep a mining company from taking over land once owned by their ancestors. For three years, Luminant Mining Co. has tried to purchase the 9-acre plot in Dirgin, in Rusk County. The company already owns more than 75% of the parcel but can’t mine it because of a complex inheritance arrangement and the refusal of some family members. Ida Finley, who is nearly 102, could lose the land worked by her husband and his parents, who were slaves. Luminant says it has offered more than the land’s appraised value, plus compensation to Finley and her granddaughter for their homes. Now the company has sued some of the heirs and asked a court to divide the land or force a settlement.

LONGVIEW — Carrying rifles and shotguns, proponents of open carry laws marched through downtown Longview on Saturday morning. According to the Longview News-Journal, about 130 people participated in the march, which ended on the Gregg County Courthouse lawn. Continue reading Open Carry March in Longview

CHAPEL HILL — A house in Smith County has been destroyed by fire. According to KETK, the fire was reported just before 5:00 Sunday morning in the 10000 block of Lakeshore Drive. The residents were home at the time of the fire, but no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is unknown.

TYLER — Tyler police are looking for the man who robbed the Food Fast convenience store at 6424 South Broadway shortly before 9:45 Friday night. Store employee’s told officers that a black male entered the store, grabbed one of the workers and demanded money from the cashier. His hand was reportedly covered with some type of rag or shirt and there appeared to be a gun underneath it. An undisclosed amount of money was placed inside a bag and the suspect left behind the store. Authorities said right before the robbery occurred, an employee noticed an older model white, 4 door sedan parked behind the building. The suspect’s face was concealed with a light colored stocking cap. The employees were unharmed during the incident. The suspect was described as a black male, between 5’8-5’10, approximately 150lbs with black hair. He did have a goatee and was wearing a dark brown sweater and dark pants.

GREGG COUNTY — A woman from central Texas remained in the Gregg County Jail on Friday on multiple charges from multiple counties. Tracey Teer Guerrero, 42, of Comfort was booked Thursday into the jail after police responded to a shoplifting call about 11 a.m. at the Walmart in the 500 block of East Loop 281, according to Longview police reports
The woman had eight forms of identification and credit cards that belonged to other people, police said. Walmart employees told police they saw the woman and a man “select various items from the business” and try to leave without paying, police said. Continue reading Central Texas Woman Faces Theft, ID Fraud Charges

HARRISON COUNTY — A Longview man died in a single car wreck in Harrison County early Saturday morning, according to Trooper Brittany Holloway with the Texas Department of Public Safety. According to the Longview News-Journal, Jose Vega, 22, was driving a 1995 Chevrolet Blazer at about 3:30 a.m. along Gum Springs Road when he entered into a curve and the car flipped, Holloway said. There were no passengers or other vehicles involved. Vega was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle at the time of the crash. The wreck is under investigation.

AUSTIN (AP) – A series of gun-related laws take effect in Texas on Sunday. The changes include reduced training hours to get a concealed handgun license, easier renewal, and arming of school marshals at public and charter schools.

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Pro-Tem Martin Heines Friday announced his intention to run for Mayor in the May 2014 election. Current Mayor Barbara Bass is not seeking re-election due to term limits. Heines is the first announced candidate for the post in next May’s election. Heines, 50, a Tyler native, is a small business owner and property manager/investor currently in his second term as Tyler City Councilman for District 4. He’s also served on the Council Audit Committee and the Council Building/Economic Development Committee. Continue reading Heines Running for Mayor

LONGVIEW — The biggest percentage change of residents without health insurance in East Texas is in Smith County, where 27.2 percent of residents were without insurance in 2010. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report that number fell to 24.8 percent in 2011. The new numbers come from U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday based on 2011 figures. Data also show the percentage of uninsured people in Gregg County decreased from 25.7 percent in 2010 to 24.1 percent in 2011. Continue reading Survey Shows Uninsured Rates in East Texas

EAST TEXAS — According to Wood County and Cherokee County officials, the counties are now under burn bans. KETK reports all outdoor burning in those counties is prohibited until further notice. There are currently 141 Texas counties under outdoor burning bans, including a number in East Texas.

TYLER — A ribbon cutting ceremony Friday afternoon marked the completion of renovations to the new Community Supervision & Corrections (Adult Probation) Department at 217 East Line Street in downtown Tyler. The building features more than 15,000 square feet of office space for the probation department employees and includes training classrooms and additional parking for probationers. Continue reading Probation Office Moving to Revitalized Downtown Building

HENDERSON — A man is behind bars in Rusk County after law enforcement officials found drugs and a stolen motorcycle while executing a search warrant Thursday. KETK reports Corey Edwards aka “EWOK,” 34, of Henderson, was arrested on scene and charged with possession of marijuana. Additional narcotics charges, as well as charges of being in possession of the stolen motorcycle are pending. Deputies say it happened in the 600 block of Brown Street in Henderson. Confiscated during the search warrant were marijuana, drug paraphernalia, money, and prescription controlled substances, according to officials. Authorities also discovered a motorcycle that has been reported as stolen out of Bell County. Continue reading Henderson Man Jailed after Deputies Find Drugs, Stolen Motorcycle