KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW – Filing has begun for three spots on the Longview City Council. Filing started Wednesday and will run through February 16th, for mayor and council districts 1 and 2. Mayor Andy Mack (pictured) has filed for re-election. Mack was first elected to the post in 2015, succeeding Jay Dean, who had held the post for ten years. Filing for District 1 on opening day was incumbent councilman Ed Moore. Now retired, Moore was once Longview’s Assistant City Manager. No one filed for District 2 on opening day. The election is on Saturday, May 5th.

MINEOLA – Investigators have identified a visitor from Mexico as the victim of a Mineola fire. Gerardo Valadez, 32, died in the fire at the Mineola Motor Lodge on West Broad Street. His body was sent to a Tyler lab for autopsy. Fire Marshal David Madsen said it was reported around 11:00 Monday night. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

LINDALE – The body of a missing Smith County woman has been found. Authorities had been looking for 83 year old Betty Freeman. She lived alone on County Road 4118 in the Lindale area. Her caretaker took her home around 1:00 Tuesday afternoon. The caretaker reported her missing when she went to her home around 10:00 Wednesday morning. About 2 1/2 hours later, her body was found about a mile from her house. She appears to have died from overexposure and foul play is not suspected.

IRVING (AP/STAFF) – A man accused of killing a Jacksonville woman in the metroplex, has been found dead. Investigators in Irving say Mark Leonard Kincer, 50, killed Susan Bufford Maleskey, 58, of Jacksonville, then traveled 350 miles to Monahans and took his own life. They say he had been facing eviction from a Dallas-area home for delinquent rent. An Irving police statement says no other suspects are being sought in theJanuary 11th slaying. Detectives identified Kincer as the suspect and issued a warrant for his arrest. He was found dead the next day of what police say was a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Irving police didn’t immediately release additional information about the rent dispute.

LONGVIEW – A Longview burglary suspect has been busted. In the Gregg County Jail is 49 year old Dalas Edward Skaggs of Logansport, Indiana. He was first picked up on East Marshall Avenue on an outstanding warrant. When he was arrested, officers found property belonging to a home on Stuckey Drive that was burglarized last week. He was also identified from surveillance video in the Stuckey Drive area. Officers say Skaggs confessed to the burglary. His bonds total $25,000 on charges of burglary of a habitation and possession of a controlled substance.

TYLER — Tyler Police have had some roads where traffic had trouble with ice and snow on the road. City and TXDot sand trucks responded to problem areas when they become available. Now, with dropping temperatures overnight, the roads could turn back to ice and cause many problems for drivers. Even though the street may look clear you may be driving on black ice and easily lose control of your vehicle. City of Tyler road crews will continue to sand streets at the request of the police department. Your best bet, stay at home. Continue reading Roadway Problems in Tyler

TYLER – The Department of Public Safety is continuing to strongly encourage people to not travel as many of the major roadways in the East Texas area are experiencing delays due to road conditions. If you must drive, remember to slow down and keep a larger distance than normal from other vehicles. Use extra caution when approaching elevated areas. Avoid using cruise control. During the winter season, residents can contact 2-1-1 Texas, the state’s free 24-hour helpline, to check on possible community established warming centers or related services in their area. No matter where you live in Texas, you can dial 2-1-1 or 877-541-7905 for community resources.

LONGVIEW – Snowy and icy conditions closed some roads in Longview. At mid afternoon Tuesday, all of those roads have now reopened. As is the City’s normal protocol, public works crews will be distributing sand onto roadways with a priority given to bridges, intersections, and hills. However, roads are still icy, so please avoid driving in these conditions.

EAST TEXAS — If you’re without power today, you’re far from alone. The electricity went off for thousands of East Texans as the winter blast blew through Monday night and Tuesday morning. The Wood County Electric Cooperative was reported among the utilities especially hard hit.

TYLER – Texas Department of Transportation crews have been working to address icy weather conditions. Maintenance crews completed pre-treatment of various elevated structures around the Tyler District. They have also prepared their dump trucks and equipment to respond as weather conditions change. The crews will monitor roadways, increasing their activity as night falls and the chance for icy conditions move in. Crews will be working around the clock monitoring bridges, ramps and overpasses. Problems areas will be treated as warranted and in conjunction with law enforcement notifications. Continue reading TxDOT Addressing Winter Weather in the Area

MINEOLA – An investigation is underway into a fatal fire in Mineola. Fire Marshall David Madsen said it was reported around 11:00 Monday night at the Mineola Motor Lodge on West Broad Street. Initial reports are a Hispanic male was killed and his body has been sent to a Tyler lab for autopsy. His identity has not been released at this time. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

TYLER – The Salvation Army is open and ready to serve any in need, following the cold front that brought snow to our doorstep Monday night. Currently, the Center of Hope is housing 132 people in need of shelter from the inclement weather. While many businesses are closed due to the weather, The Salvation Army’s doors remain wide open for any men, women or children in need of a warm place to stay. The soup kitchen is also open to the public for dinner tonight at 4:30 p.m. Anyone interested in helping The Salvation Army continue to provide a safe place for families during difficult times can go to http://www.salvationarmytyler.org to donate online. The shelter is also in need of bath towels, wash clothes, chapstick, scarfs and winter gloves and hats for children and adults

MARSHALL – The body of an East Texas drowning victim has been found. Around 1:00 Monday afternoon, searchers recovered the body of John Mitchell, 50, of Marshall at Lake O’ the Pines. He turned 51 on Friday and, his family told KETK News that he wanted to spend his birthday fishing with his friend, Keefer Boyd. Their overturned boat was found Friday afternoon. Boyd was released from Christus Good Shepherd in Marshall Sunday morning.

SMITH COUNTY – Due to winter weather, the work schedule which will close I-20 is being modified, cancelling work scheduled for Tuesday and moving work to Wednesday and Thursday. Depending on weather, additional changes are possible. In Smith County, the contractor is preparing to conduct night work on the FM 849 Bridge Replacement Project at I-20 at Hideaway. Eastbound I-20 will be shut down at 7:00pm on Wednesday and traffic moved to the ramp for the night as the contractor sets the bridge beams. The westbound lanes will be closed for the same work and traffic moved to the ramp at 7:00pm on Thursday, reopening Friday morning. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes to avoid delays.

TYLER – Both Tyler and Smith County are dealing with the effects of snow and icy weather. The city streets team has a sanding truck and staff on standby to sand the roads in case of severe ice. Tyler Streets Department Manager Robin Smart says they will put a base layer of sand on bridges and inclined intersections at risk of being dangerous when it gets icy. Tuesday morning at 5:30, the streets department put out a de-icing agent on city buildings. They will even move staff to 12-hour shifts so they can maintain staff 24/7 over the next couple of days. Continue reading City and County Dealing with Winter Weather

MARSHALL – A shooting at Marshall’s Wiley College is under investigation. It happened around 12:15 Monday morning. It appears as if a black sedan drove onto the Strickland Hall parking lot and possibly exchanged gunfire with someone. One bullet went through a dorm window. No injuries were reported. It is not believed that the dormitories were the target of the shooting. The car, with possibly two persons inside, crashed into a retaining wall, damaging the wall and the vehicle. The vehicle then left the campus. The car should have extensive front-end damage.

TYLER — Tylerites Monday celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with an annual downtown event. Guest speaker was Rev. Frances Cudjoe Waters of Dallas. She told KTBB, “We come here to celebrate the legacy and life and the justice that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for. But it’s important to remember that we must continue that legacy ourselves. So the real question of how we celebrate today is not so much what was done in the past, but what we will be motivated to do in the future.” Continue reading Tyler Observes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day

TYLER — Tyler TxDOT District maintenance and construction project work continues in the coming week. Weather conditions or other unforeseen issues could change these work schedules. Crews are in the process of pre-treating elevated structures on I-20 and other major roadways around the district in preparation for winter weather forecast for Monday night and into Tuesday. TxDOT personnel have readied equipment and materials and will be on standby to respond as conditions warrant. Continue reading TxDOT’s Weekly Roadwork Update

MARSHALL — The Marshall Police Department is investigating a fatal single-vehicle rollover crash Saturday around 11 p.m. on West Grand Avenue. 24-year-old driver Ulises Macedo-Castro of Marshall was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Marshall, where he was pronounced dead. The cause wasn’t immediately determined.

HENDERSON — Authorities are seeking leads after the East Texas Professional Credit Union on East Main in Henderson was robbed by a man and woman around 10:27 Saturday morning. According to KETK, police say the man was armed with a handgun, the woman with a knife. The pair left the scene in a silver crossover/SUV-type vehicle with an undisclosed amount of money. There were no employees or customers injured. The Henderson Police Department, FBI, Texas Rangers, and Rusk County DA’s Office are investigating. Anyone with information is asked to notify the Henderson Police Department at (903) 657-3512.

MARSHALL — Marshall police are strongly urging drivers to use extra caution. According to Public Information Officer Kelly Colvin, there are several water leaks within the city, the main one being on Grand Ave. at Grove St. With temperatures falling below freezing during nighttime and early morning hours, Colvin says it’s highly likely these leaks will turn to ice, making the roadways hazardous. Colvin says city crews have been working to repair the leaks. She couldn’t say exactly where the leaks are but added, “with leaks seemingly popping up all over the city, we really need drivers to just slow down and remain vigilant when traveling in these conditions.” Continue reading Marshall Police Urge Caution while Driving

TYLER (AP) – A Tyler man convicted of shooting at a sheriff’s deputy and then fleeing to Arkansas has been sentenced to life in prison. Jurors in Smith County who convicted 33-year-old Ricardo Pineda of aggravated assault against a peace officer also decided Friday he should be fined $10,000. Pineda was the target of a federal and county drug investigation when he fired a dozen rifle shots at a Smith County deputy during a March 2016 car chase. The deputy’s car was disabled. Pineda later was arrested in Corning, Arkansas, about 400 miles to the northeast. Pineda had a federal conviction in 2000 for possession and distribution of methamphetamine. Prosecutors told jurors to send a message that shooting at law enforcement officers is not acceptable.

MARSHALL — A Marshall woman has identified a missing Lake O’ the Pines boater as her brother, John Mitchell, 50, also of Marshall — and the man is presumed to have drowned. According to KETK and the Marshall News Messenger, Felicia Murray said late Friday that boats headed up by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Marion County Game Warden officials continued searching for Mitchell. Murray said Mitchell had been at the lake Friday fishing when he drowned. “The current pushed the boat up against the bank of rock and put a hole in the boat,” Murray said on Friday. “The water got in and the current turned the boat over.” Continue reading Search Continues for Presumed Drowning Victim on Lake o’ the Pines

LONGVIEW – A Longview man has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl. KETK reports a jury found James Gilmore, 59, guilty Friday on one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child. According to the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office, on November 19, 2016, an officer was dispatched to a Longview hospital on a report of a child sexual assault. During a search of his home, detectives found a note on how Gilmore wanted his estate divided and a pair of the victim’s pajamas. A DPS Crime Lab determined skin cells of the defendant were on the clothes, according to the DA’s Office. Gilmore will be sentenced on February 6.

TYLER — East Texas Copy Systems, in business in Tyler for more than 70 years, has been sold to business technology provider Datamax, Inc. Although the name of the company will change, East Texas Copy Systems President Greg Walker stresses that customers should anticipate “business as usual” moving forward, according to a news release. Walker adds, “They can also anticipate an enhanced commitment and capability through the expanded resources of Datamax.” Datamax has been in business for more than 60 years with offices in Little Rock, Hot Springs, and Dallas/Fort Worth.

TYLER — Funeral services for Tom Perryman will be on Saturday, January 20th, at 3:00pm at Stewart Family Funeral Home. Visitation will be just before that, from 1:00 till 3:00. KETK reports Perryman, a legendary East Texas radio personality, died at home Thursday with his wife of 71 years at his side. He was 90 years old. Perryman began his East Texas radio career in Jacksonville in the 1940s, He was responsible for bringing stars like Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Ray Price, and Johnny Cash to East Texas. In 2015, Tyler Mayor Martin Heines declared May 21 “Tom Perryman Day.”

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation. The funds will be used for the purchase and installation of a new scanning electron microscope (SEM) in the Kielhorn Welding and Materials Joining Engineering Laboratory at the school. A news release from the school says the new equipment will assist in modernizing existing materials joining engineering courses focused on welding metallurgy. It will also be used in biology and chemistry lab courses that will be able to add modules to introduce undergraduate students to SEM imaging. The new SEM is expected to be purchased and installed this spring and ready for use by summer, with undergraduate students across campus expected to be using it for a variety of different projects starting in the fall.

TYLER – The sale of the old Carlton Hotel by Smith County has been finalized. The 90,000-square-foot facility remained vacant for years. Tai Ly purchased the building for $537,500. Burns Commercial Properties LLC was the broker for Smith County on the sale. Closing documents for the sale were signed on Friday. Continue reading Smith County Finalizes Sale of Carlton Hotel