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GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man pleads guilty to aggravated robbery and engaging in organized criminal activity. Devonte Smith, 20, was sentenced to 20 years for each charge. According to our news partner KETK, Smith was arrested last May after he and several others committed armed robberies at the Tree House Apartments and the Summer Brooks Apartments in Longview. Smith is the second of five men to be convicted on charges arising from the incidents. Kaleb Bush was sentenced last month.

TYLER – The proposed name change for the two Tyler high schools is no longer on the school board’s agenda for June. Board president Rev. Fritz Hager, Jr. has announced he has directed the school superintendent to remove the item from the June 7 meeting and return the meeting to its customary time and format for their monthly board workshop. He took the action after school trustees Rev. Orenthia Mason and Aaron Martinez asked to have the item removed from the agenda. Mason said at a Thursday afternoon news conference she would not take away the names of John Tyler High school and Robert E Lee High School. She believes, if the name of Robert E Lee was to be changed, it should have been changed when the school was integrated. Mason said her concern is not the names of the schools, but whether or not the students are receiving a quality education and are prepared for college or some career in life.

DALLAS (AP) – More than a million acres of property in East Texas is changing hands in one of the largest U.S. timberland sales in a decade. The Dallas Morning News reports that CatchMark Timber Trust Inc. has agreed to purchase 1.1 million acres of East Texas timberland for nearly $1.4 billion. The Atlanta-based company is buying the property with a group of investors. The land is situated in multiple locations, mostly south of the area stretching between Tyler and Longview. CatchMark says the timberland is near Austin, Dallas and Houston, three of what the company says are the top five home building markets in the country.

TYLER – A Tyler school trustee say she believe there should be no name change at the city’s high schools. At a Thursday afternoon news conference, the Rev. Orenthia Mason said she would not take away the names of John Tyler High school and Robert E Lee High School. She believes, if the name of Robert E lee was to be changed, it should have been changed when the school was integrated. Mason said her concern is not the names of the schools, but whether or not the students are receiving a quality education and are prepared for college or some career in life. Mason said she and trustee Aaron Martinez are asking that the name change proposal be taken off the agenda for the June school board meeting.

AUSTIN – Longview will benefit from $27,743,911 in flood mitigation assistance grants issued by the Texas Water Development Board. The grants provided are funded through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and will be used to mitigate flood damages and prevent future losses. Of the13 applications approved, $297,536.30 will be going to Longview for acquisition projects.

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Martin Heines promises the commute down Broadway Avenue will be less hectic. According to our news partner KETK, Heines prioritized the issue during his annual State of the City Address this week. The mayor pointed out that Broadway is the 67th most congested roadway in the state — up from number 114 last year — and ranks number 1 in East Texas. The city is teaming up with TxDOT To conduct a feasibility study for improvements along the five-mile stretch from Amherst Drive to FM 2813. Heines notes that input from local citizens will be part of the process. He envisions moving traffic signals to a smarter technology — a move he considers long overdue.

TYLER — Tyler school trustees move forward with the possible renaming of Robert E. Lee and John Tyler high schools. According to our news partner KETK, the school board president has responded after cost reports were released. Board members say changing the names would cost more than one million dollars. Reverend Fritz Hager is asking the board to take the responsibility of taxpayer funds seriously. He says he has asked for more information to find the most cost effective way to make a change. He says, “If ultimately approved, these funds would come from our fund balance and would compete against other special projects that could benefit the students of Tyler ISD. So cost is an important consideration.” Trustees will take up the matter again at a meeting on June 7.

TROUP – A tip has led Cherokee County authorities to stolen property and the arrest of two suspects. Arrested on two warrants for felony theft was Austin Hawkins, 26, of Troup. He was arrested after officers found, at the Bonner Wrecking Yard on Highway 110, south of Troup, 2 stolen ATVs, a stolen dirt bike along with a generator, power tools, and Yeti cooler. The recovery of the items, which have now been returned to their owners, has solved several burglary and theft reports from Cherokee County. One of the ATVs was stolen in Smith County. Also arrested in the case was a juvenile from the Troup area. Investigators say additional charges may be filed as the investigation continues.

TYLER – A Tyler man is accused of kidnapping a woman Wednesday afternoon. In the Smith County jail is Damajere Utah Williams, 28. Officers were told a red van had pulled up in front of a house on East Houston Street shortly before 2:00. Two men are said to have forced a woman into the van and drove off. Witnesses said they thought one of the men was the woman’s boyfriend. Officers found the vehicle on Herndon Street with Williams and the victim in the van. The woman was not injured.

TYLER — Officials at UT Tyler are promising to make changes in their scholarship program after numerous international students recently had their full Presidential Fellows scholarships withdrawn. University staffers say the problem arose when demand for the financial packages drastically exceeded what was anticipated. The case has now drawn attention in national higher education publications, and UT Tyler spokesman Lucas Roebuck says the university is working hard to see that it doesn’t happen again. He earlier noted that students who had their scholarships canceled were offered alternative packages, though it’s unclear how many will accept them. Roebuck points out that none of UT Tyler’s 137 Texas Presidential Fellowships were affected. Roebuck says he understands the concerns of the affected students and how important it is for them to receive a quality higher education.

EAST TEXAS — More glitches are reported in the STAAR test. According to our news partner KETK and the Longview News-Journal, students who were taking the test online were apparently interrupted by “connectivity issues” on Tuesday. This is the second time this year students have been faced with this problem. According to a spokeswoman, issues began around 9 a.m. and were resolved by 11 a.m. The Tyler and Longview ISDs both confirmed testing problems at some of their 3rd through 8th grade campuses. The majority of students affected by the outage are a part of special education services, but some were general education students. The Texas Education Agency is waiting for a full diagnostic report on this latest incident.

TYLER – Tyler ISD’s teachers of the year say they’re honored and thankful after they were announced Tuesday night at a banquet at the Crosswalk Conference Center at Green Acres Baptist Church. Yvonne Malmstrom (left), third grade math and science teacher at Caldwell Elementary Arts Academy, is the District Elementary Teacher of the Year. The district’s Secondary Teacher of the Year is Casey Graves (right), sixth grade English Language Arts and Reading teacher at Hubbard Middle School. Continue reading Teachers of the Year Announced, Say They’re Honored and Thankful

SMITH COUNTY — The late Smith County Fire Marshal Jim Seaton was posthumously inducted into the Texas Division of Emergency Management Hall of Fame May 15. The award was accepted by his widow, Nancy Seaton; his daughter, Melissa Seaton; and Smith County Fire Marshal/Emergency Management Coordinator Connie McCoy-Wasson, during the Texas Division of Emergency Management Conference in San Antonio. “Jim was all about emergency management,” Mrs. Seaton said. “He took protecting the citizens of Smith County very seriously. Receiving this award, he would have been so honored, and I am very proud to have received it for him.” Seaton served as Smith County Fire Marshal/Emergency Management Coordinator from 1999 to 2014. Continue reading Former Fire Marshal Inducted into Emergency Management Hall of Fame

SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man was arrested after a shot was fired Monday night on South Bonner Avenue. According to our news partner KETK, Finist Lee Brooks, 41, has been charged with aggravated assault. Police said Brooks was arguing with his girlfriend when he fired a shot in the air. He then threatened the victim by pointing the gun at her. No one was injured during the incident. Brooks was released from the Smith County Jail Wednesday on $5,000 bond.

TYLER – Tyler school trustees will discuss changing the name of Robert E Lee High School at their June 7th meeting. The school board met Monday to discuss the cost of changing the names of Tyler’s two main high schools. School board president Rev. Fritz Hager, Jr., said two trustees submitted a request to place changing Robert E. Lee’s name on the agenda for May. In a prepared statement, Hager said, “Per our board policy, I exercised my authority to delay the item until after school ended and graduation was complete. Accordingly, the item is currently scheduled for our June 7 meeting, which I have directed the Superintendent to move to an evening meeting that will include public comment.”

EDOM – A Chandler man was killed when his motorcycle hit a bull in the road. Dead at the scene was Dale Fritch, 46. The accident happened shortly before 11:00 Monday night on Farm Road 2339, five miles west of Edom in Van Zandt County.

TYLER – Smith County Commissioners Tuesday approved the sale of road bonds. And they were able to do it at a lower-than-expected interest rate after receiving a dozen competitive bids. Last November, county voters approved a $39.5 million bond package to improve county roads. Monday, Specialized Public Finance Inc. bid general obligation bonds, which will net the county $12 million towards the first phase of the three-year bond package. Fidelity Capital Markets submitted the winning bid at a fixed interest cost of 2.499%. The bonds are anticipated to increase the interest and sinking portion of the tax rate by 0.7 cents per $100 valuation.

TYLER – Peace officers who have been killed in the line of duty have been remembered during a Tyler Ceremony Tuesday. Since 1851, 14 law enforcement officers have died in Smith County. They were honored during the Peace Officers Memorial Service. It was held on the Tyler square at noon. Also remembered were the 18 Texas law officers who were killed last year. As each name was called, an officer came forward and placed a white rose on a wreath. This was followed by a 21 gun salute and the playing of taps.

TYLER – Work has started on the most complex phase of the Runway 4-22 Rehabilitation Project at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. This is one of the last major tasks to complete the work for the runway project. The contractor is planning to work seven days a week, and times even at night, in order to meet the 120-day schedule of this phase. When the work is complete, the runway pavement section will include 14 inches of concrete placed over 12 inches of a heavy base section. It’s length will be 8,330 feet. The runway will be capable of carrying much heavier loads and provide extended length for landing and takeoffs. Continue reading New Phase of Runway Work at the Tyler Airport

PALESTINE – Palestine police are continuing to ask the public’s help in locating a missing teenager. She is Gabriela Pineda, 15. She is thought to be a runaway. She is described as a Hispanic female is 5’5, 120 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. If you know where she can be found, you are asked to contact Palestine police.

LONGVIEW – Officials are now saying a Longview fire that killed a man was intentionally set. The body of Johnny Quentin Miller, 44, of Longview was found in a burning duplex on Loring Lane late last Wednesday morning. The preliminary autopsy report showed he had hemorrhaging around his anterior neck muscles and almost his entire body was covered in burns. It also said no soot was found in his airway. It could take up to six weeks before the final autopsy report is available. And while the Longview News Journal reports the fire was intentionally set, the item that ignited the fire is still undetermined.

TYLER – Two persons arrested in connection with a Smith County murder last November, have had charges against them dropped. Judge Christi Kennedy announced the tampering with evidence charges have been dropped against Daniel Cole Perry, 23, of Tyler and James Hunter Ansley, 26, of Whitehouse. Still charged with murder in the case are Colton Wade Tate, 21, of Tyler and Nathan Ryan Garcia, 20, of Whitehouse. Their trial dates have been rescheduled for July 16th. They are charged with the death of 19 year old Andrew Carpenter of Tyler. He was found with a gunshot wound in a residence on Deerwood Drive. He later died at a Tyler hospital.

ANGELINA COUNTY — A 3rd party is called in to investigate the death of an Angelina County inmate. Janet Hartman, 44, died Sunday night after becoming ill at the jail. According to our news partner KETK, Hartman was taken to a Lufkin hospital where she later died. Her cause of death is unknown. Hartman’s body was sent for autopsy.

LONGVIEW – Longview police say a man previously identified as a suspect in a sexual abuse of a child case was not the person named in the arrest warrant. Police spokesman Lt. Shane McCarter told KTBB, at the time of the arrest, they did believe the man was Larry Don Morgan of Kilgore. They discovered the mix up through fingerprints. The man, who had been reported missing a week ago, has since been released to the custody of his caregivers. Authorities continue searching for Morgan, who has been on the lam for nearly three years.

TYLER – At a Monday workshop session, Tyler school trustees heard a report on the cost of changing the names of the city’s two main high schools. If they do change the names, the cost would be a lot less if done during the campus renovations, which are now underway. But, the longer you wait, the more costly it becomes. It could go as high as $2.2 million. This would cover new signs as well as rebranding uniforms, merchandise and logos. There was a lengthy discussion among the board members. And, since it was designated a discussion item, no vote was taken. No word at this time when the issue will come up again and when a vote could be taken.

GLADEWATER – The attempted robbery of a Gladewater business in under investigation. It happened shortly after 11:45 Sunday night at the G&J Food Mart. The police report says at least one shot was fired by the suspect at a store employee, who was not injured. The small semi-automatic handgun was fired after the suspect demanded money from the cashier. The suspect is said to be a man about 6 feet tall and weighing between 200 and 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing a white cloth mask, dark blue or black clothing, including a hoodie, and black shoes.

LAKE PALESTINE – A fish kill at Lake Palestine is under investigation. Hundreds of fish have been found dead. A Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson tells our news partner KETK, the dead fish are primarily white bass. And they said the kill is a naturally-occurring disease within the white bass population brought on by post spawn stress.

TYLER – Tyler’s teachers of the year will be announced tonight. The 2018 district Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year will be announced at the annual awards banquet at the Crosswalk Conference Center at Green Acres Baptist Church. The district teachers of the year will advance to compete for Regional Teacher of the Year through the Region 7 Service Center. You can go to https://www.tylerisd.org/toy to see the campus nominees.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler announced its UT System Regents’ Outstanding Employee Award recipient. He is Chemistry Laboratory Supervisor Jason DiStefano. He has been at UT Tyler since 2004. He is one of 30 systemwide staff who each received $10,000 in recognition of exceptional workplace performance.

LONGVIEW – A tip has led law officers to a Gregg County man who has been wanted for nearly three years. Arrested Sunday in the area of Texas Street and Marshall Avenue was Larry Don Morgan, 36, of Kilgore. He had been named in a warrant for indecency with a child-sexual contact. He was last seen walking around Martin Street in downtown Kilgore early on the evening of June 25, 2015. Following his arrest, Morgan was booked into the Gregg County Jail.