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TYLER — District 6 Tyler City Councilman Jason Wright has made good on a campaign promise. He is holding town hall meetings with Tyler residents. The first one was held Saturday night.

Wright told KETK-TV, “I don’t want to wait until there’s some burning issue that we all need to kind of react to, instead I want to make sure that our citizens are better aware of what we do at the city, what’s going on and most importantly, I want to know the concerns that they have.”

Topics ranged from the budget to Tyler�s traffic congestion. Their were questions about heavy traffic on South Broadway and the loop and the medians TxDOT installed. According to Wright, statistics show that traffic fatalities have gone down since the medians were put into place. He also said roads like the Grande Boulevard extension and Loop 49 are meant to relieve some of Tyler’s traffic congestion.

TYLER — No injuries were reported when a man drives his car into a home on Tyler�s southeast side. It happened at the intersection of Tanglewood and Pinecrest around 8:00 Friday night. The home�s owner, Bob Corn tells KETK-TV when he went outside, the car�s driver was trying to back out. According to Corn, the young driver, who was arrested by Tyler police, had no driver�s license and no insurance.

LINDALE — The Lindale Independent School District and four of its campuses have been awarded Gold Performance Acknowledgments by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). The Gold Performance Acknowledgments (GPA’s) were released in the TEA’s final 2010 Accountability report. GPA’s recognize districts and campuses for high academic performance on various indicators, such as commended performance on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS), the Texas Success Initiative (TSI), and comparable improvement.

Commended means at least 30 percent of students in sub-groups (economically disadvantaged, minority, special education) scored a 90 or above on that portion of the TAKS test. The district also received GPA’s for meeting requirements in the Texas Success Initiative (TSI) in both English-Language Arts and math. TSI is a state law that requires all students entering college to be assessed for college readiness in mathematics, reading, and writing unless the student qualifies for an exemption. Comparable improvement recognizes gains in TAKS passing rates from year to year.

*Lindale ISD received GPA’s in three categories: college-ready, commended social studies, and TSI Mathematics.
*Lindale High School received GPA’s in four categories: college-ready, attendance, TSI Mathematics and commended social studies.
*Lindale Junior High School received GPA’s in four categories as well: commended reading/English-Language Arts, commended mathematics, commended writing and commended social studies.
*E.J. Moss Intermediate School also received four GPA’s: comparable improvement in reading, commended reading/English-Language Arts, commended mathematics and commended science.
*Velma Penny Elementary School received one GPA for comparable improvement in mathematics.

In July, the TEA first issued its accountability ratings, awarding an exemplary rating to the Lindale ISD. Lindale Junior High School, E.J. Moss Intermediate School, Velma Penny Elementary School and Lindale Primary School also received exemplary ratings at the campus level. Lindale High School was rated recognized.

“We are very excited about the 16 Gold Performance Acknowledgments that Lindale ISD earned,” Superintendent Stan Surratt said. The GPA’s are a reflection of our students’ academic successes. Much credit goes to our great teaching staff. They work tirelessly to prepare and motivate our students.”

MARSHALL — Marshall police have arrested a suspect in a series of robberies. They occurred early Friday morning at a couple of businesses. Taken into custody after a brief car chase was Carlyle Cooper III, 23. Investigators charged him with the two Friday robberies as well as three other holdups. He was booked into the Harrison County jail on five counts of aggravated robbery and evading arrest/detention in a vehicle. His bonds total $520,000.

WINNSBORO — The Winnsboro Police Department is asking for the public�s help in locating a missing man. He is Timothy Douglas Tate, 20, who was last seen around 11:30am on October 28th at the Winnsboro post office. Officers say they have been told Tate has a history of mental illness and is not taking his medication. It is also reported that he has expressed suicidal thoughts and is considered a danger to himself. KETK-TV reports Tate was last seen driving a 1999 red Dodge truck with a dent in the left front bumper. The truck�s Texas license plate is 49S-JN7.

LONGVIEW – Police say an elderly man drove his Suburban through the Skinner’s Grocery store in Longview shortly after 10 a.m. Friday. According to KETK, it happened when the driver was pulling out and hit a car in front of the store, then backed into a metal pole at a gas pump and pulled forward into one side of the store and out the other. The manager says the driver told him it began when his foot got stuck on the pedal. Witnesses say the man collapsed after getting out of his vehicle and was taken to the hospital. Nobody inside the store was injured. The supermarket closed for the day Friday, but should be open again Saturday.

TYLER � The Red Cross is doing its part as Veterans Day approaches. �On November 2, every adult citizen in the community had the right and privilege to go to the polls to elect our leaders. We had that liberty because over the years people have stood up and been willing to die to give us all the freedom to do so,� said Tammy Prater, executive director of the Smith County Chapter of the American Red Cross. �That is why we, the Red Cross, are participating in the Hometown Heroes Veteran Appreciation week to thank the over 18,000 veterans residing in the East Texas area,� continued Mrs. Prater.

As a kick-off to the Hometown Heroes Veteran Appreciation week the local Red Cross, hosted two Library of Congress Veterans History Project trainings November 4 at the Red Cross office in Tyler. Dr. Stephen Sloan, oral historian from Baylor University instructed 50 individuals on how to collect, preserve, and makes accessible the first-person accounts of American wartime veterans and civilian workers who supported the war efforts by preserving their stories of service to our country. Visit http://www.loc.gov/vets if you’re still interested in learning about or participating in the Veterans History Project.

The Red Cross also announced the start of the local �Holiday Mail for Heroes� program. The Holiday Mail for Heroes program is a joint effort between the American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes to enable all Americans to send a touch of home this holiday season to members of our U. S. Armed Forces, veterans and their families, many of whom will be far away from home and serving in harms way this holiday season. You can visit http://www.redcross.org/holidaymail for up-to-date information about the program including the mailing address to where cards should be sent, the deadline for sending cards, and additional guidelines.

There a number of other activities too, arranged in conjunction with the Military Officers Association of America. You can visit http://www.help4soldiers.com to find a complete listing of all of the Hometown Heroes Veteran Appreciation Week activities.

ATHENS — Several East Texas alcohol options failed in Tuesday’s election. Now another city may give it a shot this May. According to KETK, a group in Athens submitted petitions requesting two alcohol propositions to be added to the ballot. One asks for the sale of mixed beverages by restaurants, and the other would allow for beer and wine to be sold in convenience or grocery stores. Over a thousand signatures are on each petition, well over the number needed to get it on the ballot, if each signature qualifies.

COFFEE CITY — Right outside the Smith County line, Coffee City makes its money with beer, wine, and liquor. In fact, Coffee City’s Mayor Tony Moore says 90% of the city’s revenue comes from alcohol sales. However, this year’s election had three alcohol-options in smith county, which could have taken Coffee City’s lifeline. One liquor store owner says if Justice of the Peace Precinct Four would have gone wet, it would hurt the most. He says, “If you can get around driving the thirteen miles to get out here, certainly you would do just that.” According to KETK, Mayor Moore says he wants to bring hotels and restaurants to the city so they don’t have to be as dependent on alcohol sales.

LINDALE — Smith County Fire Marshals confirm a gas line was hit Friday morning at Petty’s Cafe in Lindale. It happened at 309 North Main Street just before 8:30. According to KETK, there’s no word yet what kind of gas line it is, or how it was hit, but officials say the restaurant was evacuated.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin man was arrested for allegedly burning down his mother�s home with a meth lab last week. Angelina County Sheriff�s Office investigators got a warrant for James Durham�s arrest after a state fire marshal ruled the Thursday blaze arson. Durham was arrested Tuesday afternoon at the motel room Red Cross provided his family following the fire. His mother says she had no knowledge of the meth lab. Last Thursday,investigators discovered components of a portable �shake and bake� meth lab in Durham�s bedroom, where the fire began on FM 1475. Durham was being held in the Angelina County Jail on a $25,000 bond for arson.

ANGELINA COUNTY — A 79-year-old Lufkin man was arrested for allegedly fondling an 8-year-old girl. James Watson was reportedly with the girl at a hunting lease in Nogalus Prairie Oct. 29 when the girl told her mom of the abuse. The girl told her mother Watson touched her inappropriately through her clothes while at the hunting lease. According to KETK, Watson was being held in the Angelina County Jail on a $75,000 bond.

FRUITVALE — The pilot of a private plane has been injured in a Van Zandt County crash. The extent of his injuries is not yet known. The plane went down Thursday night near Fruitvale off County Road 1915.

DALLAS (AP) – A 114-year-old East Texas woman is now considered to be the oldest person in the world. Eunice G. Sanborn of Jacksonville gained that distinction after 114-year-old Eugenie Blanchard, a nun who was considered the world’s oldest person, died Thursday on the French Caribbean island of St. Barts. The Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group listed Sanborn as being born on July 20,1896. Blanchard’s birth date was Feb. 16, 1896. Dr. L. Stephen Coles told The Associated Press that, with the death of Blanchard, the group considers Sanborn the oldest person in the world. Coles also says he spoke to Sanborn’s family Thursday and “she’s doing well. There’s no doubt.” Sanborn told the Tyler Morning Telegraph, in an April interview, that she loves everything about her life and has “no complaints.”

AUSTIN (Staff/AP) � State Legislators for Legal Immigration (SLLI) coalition members Leo Berman, Betty Brown and Dan Flynn announced the formation Thursday of a nationwide task force that will develop model state legislation to eliminate what’s termed “the misapplication of the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.” That’s the amendment granting citizenship to anyone born or naturalized in the U.S. The three East Texas state representatives say the amendment “has been utilized to secure citizenship for the children of illegal aliens and their families.” Currently, the three say, “illegal aliens are incentivized to cross our border to give birth and use their child to secure illegal benefits, residency and American jobs for themselves and for their families.”

“When the 82nd Texas Legislature convenes, taking proactive steps against illegal immigration will be a top priority for me. My colleagues and I are working diligently to formulate public policy proposals to protect taxpayers,” commented Berman (pictured). Rep. Flynn stated, “The people of Texas have made it clear that they want action on this important challenge. While the federal government continues to shirk its duty, the fiscal and social costs of illegal immigration weigh heavily on Texans.” Rep. Brown said, “We must join together to overturn the misapplication of the 14th Amendment and reinstate the intent of the 14th Amendment to ban automatic citizenship for children of non-citizens.” Including Texas, lawmakers from 41 state legislatures have now signed on as members of SLLI. You can visit http://www.StateLegislatorsforLegalImmigration.com for the latest updates.

Support for the 14th Amendment is widespread, while others simply aren’t sure the issue needs to be addressed on a Constitutional level. Last summer, Republican Senator John McCain of Arizona told The Associated Press he remained unconvinced that a change in the Constitution is needed. Instead, he argued that fully securing the border would help to solve the problem.