East Texas physician named new UT Tyler president

Julie V. Philley, MD, named as the next president of UT TylerTYLER – The University of Texas System Board of Regents voted unanimously to name Julie V. Philley, MD, the next president of the University of Texas at Tyler. Philley currently serves as the university’s executive vice president for health affairs and vice provost and is a board-certified physician in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Philley will begin her appointment on June 1, 2024, succeeding Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, following his retirement on May 31. A native of Overton, Philley returned to East Texas in 2012 as an assistant professor of medicine at UT Health Tyler. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas Woman’s University and studied medicine at UT Health Houston’s McGovern Medical School. Philley and her husband, Richard Lee, are engaged in numerous Tyler activities, where Lee is the Music Director of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra and the Tyler Civic Chorale.

ERCOT warns of potential strain on power grid

ERCOT warns of potential strain on power gridTYLER – ERCOT issued a “weather watch” due to high temperatures and a high level of expected maintenance outages that could lead to the potential for lower reserves. According to our news partner KETK, a weather watch is issued during times of expected high demand, mainly during the summer or winter months. Jason Blakeney, owner of Blakeney Hardware, has spent years working in the energy industry and believes there is simply too much demand on our state’s power grid.

“When that happens and you have the housing industry build up as fast as it has it puts a strain on our already strained power supply,” Blakeney said.

According to census data, Texas added more people than any other state in the last year, growing by half a million people. Continue reading ERCOT warns of potential strain on power grid

Moran says East Texans are against new Title IX regulations

Moran says East Texans are against new Title IX regulationsTYLER — According to our news partner KETK, Gov. Greg Abbott released a letter on Wednesday “instructing” the state’s higher education leaders to ignore revisions made to Title IX, a federal law prohibiting public schools from discriminating based on sex. Rep. Nathaniel Moran spoke in Congress claiming East Texans are against the new regulations.

Moran spoke to Congress on Tuesday, claiming the new regulations, which are set to take effect on Aug. 1, are an attack on women’s sports. Moran said that East Texans feel the new rules are “an inexcusable federal assault towards girls and women that has no place in schools.” Moran said Title IX rule is immoral and offensive to women across the country.

Title IX, a regulation imposed by the U.S. Department of Education, “strengthens vital protections for students in our nation’s schools and provides clear rule to help schools meet their Title IX obligation to eliminate sex discrimination in their education programs and activities.”

According to Moran, Van ISD said in a letter, “the changes to Title IX forces schools to treat boys as if they were girls and to accept every student’s self declared gender identity.” KETK’s request to Van ISD for the full letter has not yet been returned. Continue reading Moran says East Texans are against new Title IX regulations

Tyler City Council approves $3.2M for street repairs

Tyler City Council approves .2M for street repairsTYLER – The Tyler City Council voted on Wednesday to approve more than $3.2 million for improvements for asphalt and street repairs. According to our news partner KETK, contracted for these improvements is Reynolds and Kay LTD. Cost for the 2024 Asphalt Enhancement Project is $3,203,701. The project will reportedly have 16 “lane miles” of city streets, alley paving, replacing the Bois D’Arc Avenue storm sewer and street and the streets at Lake Tyler.

The city has provided a table of the streets included in the project. To view it, click here.

City officials say they expect the Asphalt Enhancement Project to begin later this month and to be finished in February 2025.

‘Large amount’ of meth found during traffic stop

KILGORE – ‘Large amount’ of meth found during traffic stopThe Kilgore Police Department said on Tuesday, a traffic stop led to the arrest of a felon after finding a handgun and meth in a chip bag according to our news partners at KETK. According to a release, an officer saw a suspicious driver and pulled them over due to a reported traffic violation. During the stop, police confiscated a “large amount” of meth hidden in a chip bag and the driver was also in possession of a handgun. “We can’t be any more clear, if you sell or traffic dope in our city you are going to jail for a long time,” Kilgore PD said.

Tyler ISD holds ribbon cutting for new school

Tyler ISD holds ribbon cutting for new school

TYLER — Tyler Independent School District celebrated the opening of the new Hubbard Middle School on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, the new building is part of a nearly $90 million bond that passed in 2022. The new three-story campus sits right next to the old building that was originally built in 1964, and was funded by $63 million of the bond. The building is complete with up-to-date security, safety improvements and improved traffic flow. The community was invited to tour inside of the state of the art, science labs, theater, library, outside area and cafeteria during the celebration.

Tyler ISD said the district has been working for nearly 20 years to invest and transform facilities while keeping the tax rate as low as possible.

“We have really touched every school in Tyler, so that all of our students have equal opportunities across the district in terms of access to programming and state of the art facilities,” Jennifer Hines, Tyler ISD director of communications, said. Continue reading Tyler ISD holds ribbon cutting for new school

DOJ schedules meeting with Boeing victims as decision nears over whether company breached prosecution deal

Thinkstock/Getty Images

(WASHINGTON) — The Justice Department on Tuesday contacted the families of victims of two fatal Boeing 737 Max crashes as it nears a crucial decision over whether the company violated a 2021 deal that allowed it to escape criminal prosecution over the incidents, according to a letter obtained by ABC News.

The letter, sent by the department’s fraud section, invited families to attend a May 31 meeting where they will be informed of the DOJ’s decision as to whether the company breached the deferred prosecution agreement, or DPA.

If prosecutors believe they can make the case that Boeing violated the agreement’s terms — which demanded the company’s continued cooperation with the government, a requirement it disclose any allegations of fraud, and avoid committing any felony offenses — it would pave the way for a historic criminal prosecution of the aerospace giant that could have widespread impacts on the country’s aviation industry.

“The DOJ has been very nontransparent in disclosing to the families how they are going about making the determination of compliance or breach,” said Robert Clifford, a lawyer representing families of Max crash victims. “That has been a very disappointing feature of the department’s contact and communication with the families. But, in fairness to the department, prosecutors seldom discuss the details of their investigations, so this is not out of the ordinary.”

The meeting will be the fourth conferral session between the Justice Department and the families of passengers who died in the 2018 and 2019 crashes of two 737 Max airplanes who for years have accused the DOJ of cutting a “sweetheart deal” with Boeing that should be thrown out.

Attorneys for the victims have pointed to numerous allegations of potential wrongdoing since the deal was cut — such as claims from whistleblowers, which Boeing has denied — that the company flouted regulations and measures meant to protect its customers’ safety, as well as the January door plug incident on an Alaska Airlines flight that is now the subject of a federal criminal investigation.

“From a prosecutorial point of view, I believe they likely have enough evidence to prove Boeing violated the DPA,” said Mark Lindquist, an attorney representing a number of victims’ families. “In plain language, the main point of a deferred prosecution agreement is this: Don’t screw up again. Boeing screwed up again. The door plug blowout on the Max 9 is just one example.”

The letter from the DOJ on Tuesday states that families will meet with attorneys from the department’s fraud section over a period of seven hours on May 31, where they’ll be told of the DOJ’s decision “and potential next steps, and to hear your input and views on the same.”

ABC News has reached out to Boeing for comment.

A DOJ spokesperson did not immediately respond to ABC News’ request for comment on the letter.

“I firmly believe that entering into this resolution is the right thing for us to do — a step that appropriately acknowledges how we fell short of our values and expectations,” David Calhoun, Boeing president and CEO, said in a note to employees after the company was charged by the DOJ in 2021. “This resolution is a serious reminder to all of us of how critical our obligation of transparency to regulators is, and the consequences that our company can face if any one of us falls short of those expectations.”

Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Trane workers hold informational picket

Trane workers hold informational picketTYLER – Monday, workers from Tyler’s largest union, IUE-CWA 86782, held an informational picket at their union hall across from the Trane Technologies plant. According to our news partner KETK, the union stressed the informational picket is not a strike. It’s a membership drive and an opportunity for union members to use their own time to spread the word about what they want from the company without having to stop working.

IUE-CWA 86782 recording secretary Tierra Zhane provided the following list of demands they have for their union’s contract with Trane. Livable wages. Affordable insurance. The ability to use personal time without having to provide documentation. And, no unaffordable surcharges to insurance that “eat up” a proposed 45 cent pay increase.
Continue reading Trane workers hold informational picket

Truck crashes into Longview home, no cause given

Truck crashes into Longview home, no cause givenLONGVIEW – Authorities in Longview are investigating truck crashing into a house Tuesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Fire Marshall said the accident happened around 10 a.m. with a report of a truck having crashed into a home on Mill Run Drive, near the Compassionate Hearts Alliance. The Fire Marshall said the driver had non life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

Nichols honored for education support, voucher opposition

ATHENS – Nichols honored for education support, voucher oppositionTexas State Sen. Robert Nichols was honored by Raise Your Hand Texas on Monday for his defense of public education and opposition to school vouchers, according to our news partners at KETK. The group is honoring 100 Texas state legislators as Public Education Champions for their “steadfast commitment to Texas public schools, teachers and students.” In addition to his defense of public schools and teachers, the group said that Nichols has “remained steadfast in opposition to school vouchers which would defund local public schools and siphon taxpayer dollars to private schools and vendors with no accountability and transparency.” Nichols was recognized by Will Holleman and Deann Lee of Raise Your Hand Texas and Dr. Janie Sims, superintendent of Athens ISD, in a ceremony at Central Athens Elementary on Monday.

City of Tyler offices closed part of Friday

City of Tyler offices closed part of FridayTYLER – City of Tyler officials say their non-emergency offices and facilities will be closed Friday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 6 through May 10 is Public Service Recognition Week. With the exception of emergency and essential services, the city will be doing their part in recognizing their employees Friday. Public Service Recognition Week has been celebrated since 1985. It’s goal is to honor the men and women who serve as federal, state, county and local government employees.