KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will hold two public meetings to obtain input from the public that will assist in the development of a Pedestrian Access Study. The first meeting will be held Tuesday, September 21, from 3 p.m. – 4:30 p.m., in the Tyler Public Library’s Taylor Auditorium, 201 S. College Avenue. The second meeting’s set for Thursday September 23, from 6 p.m. – 7:30 p.m., in the Tyler Development Center’s Large Conference Room, 423 W. Ferguson Street.

At the meetings, the draft Tyler Pedestrian Access Study will be presented for public input. Officials say the purpose of the study is to identify existing pedestrian infrastructure and recommend priority pedestrian routes and projects that can help to connect destinations around the City and promote access. You can also go to http://www.tylerareampo.org for information.

The City of Tyler serves as the administrative agency of the MPO. The MPO, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), is responsible for carrying out the urban transportation process as required by federal legislation. Officials say the MPO is intended to provide a forum for cooperative decision making concerning transportation issues.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP/Staff) – The trial of an Oklahoma warden’s wife accused of helping a convicted killer escape from the Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite has been postponed. Bobbi Parker’s trial for allegedly helping Randolph Dial escape in 1994 was set to start on Monday in Greer County District Court. But her attorney, Garvin Isaacs, says the trial was postponed on Wednesday by District Judge Richard Darby. Isaacs says attorneys asked for the delay following the discovery of FBI investigative files about the case that neither prosecutors nor defense attorneys had ever seen. Assistant District Attorney David Thomas did not immediately return a telephone call seeking comment. Defense attorneys maintain that Dial kidnapped Parker and held her hostage until she was rescued by authorities in the Campti community in Shelby County, Texas, in 2005.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police and additional officers serve a warrant and seize a pound of crack. It happened Wednesday around 4:00 at 1925 Lilly Street.. According to authorities, Longview Police Department Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team assisted the Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement (CODE) Unit by serving a narcotics search warrant and located two handguns, approximately $1500.00 and over one pound of crack cocaine during their search. CODE investigators arrested Gerald Templeton, 50, Longview, for manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. Templeton has been booked into the Gregg County Jail.

TYLER — A few months after the East Texas Rescue Mission is forced to shut down, the homeless are making a new part of Tyler their home. Salvation Army says they have had a large increase in the number of homeless people, but some are staying in other places–like downtown Tyler. According to KETK, out of concern for both the city’s safety and the homeless people, Mayor Barbara Bass says they’ll continue to work with organizations like the Salvation Army and Path to help.

TYLER — To help defray funeral expenses, The Amanda Anderson Memorial Fund is now open at Beacon Federal Credit Union in Tyler. The 19-year-old Anderson was found slain at her Chapel Hill home this week. For more information on making a donation, call 888-815-3800, ext. 2000. Visitation will be held Sunday from 2 until 6 p.m. at Tyler Gospel Chapel, located on Highway 31 East in Tyler. Funeral services was held at the same location at 2 p.m. on Monday.

Smith County investigators are continuing to look into the death of Anderson, who also worked at Mother Frances Hospital. The killing happened Wednesday night at a home on County Road 2273. Officials said Anderson’s brother returned from a jog to find his sister with a gunshot wound to the forehead around 7:00 Wednesday night. According to KETK, there were signs of forced entry into the home.

TYLER (AP/STAFF) — A young Smith County boy is hospitalized in Dallas after accidently shooting himself in the head. It happened at the Sportsmans’ Club on Highway 31 West. Sheriff J.B. Smith says business is owned by Chonda McClean and her husband.

He says McClean was caring for Jaden McClean, 2, at her home when the bartender called to say he had to leave work. McClean took the child with her, and while she was busy he apparently toddled into a back room, crawled up to a desk, got a handgun and shot himself in the forehead.

Jaden is the grandson of the club’s owners, whose son was murdered a couple of years ago in a still-unsolved case. Jaden’s been flown to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas in critical condition. Smith said the case will be referred to the Smith County District Attorney’s Office for a decision on whether to submit it to a grand jury.

TYLER — Seven persons were injured when a car rear-ended a Tyler school bus. The accident happened shortly after 4:15 Wednesday afternoon in the 3500 block of the van highway. A police report said six persons on the bus and the 18 year old driver of the car were injured. The injuries were not serious. The car’s driver was cited for failure to control speed.

SMITH COUNTY — A tragic accident at the Sportsmans Club on Highway 31 West in Smith County. Sheriff J.B. Smith says he was told 2-year-old Jaden McClean had wandered from in front of the bar area into the back office, found a handgun — and accidentally shot himself in the head. Jaden is the grandson of the club’s owners, Charles and Chanda McClean — whose son Dexter was murdered a couple of years ago in a still-unsolved case. Jaden’s been flown to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas in critical condition. Smith says it will be up to the DA whether any charges are filed.

TYLER — A second person has now been arrested in connection with a Monday night home invasion. Yesterday, Tyler Police Investigators arrested Torriunte Jacoby Pollard, 20, of Tyler. Bond was set at $150,000. Previously arrested in the case was Channing Javier House, 17. His bond is also $150,000.

Police say the incident happened around 11:30pm at the Dovetree Apartments at 1600 Rice Road. The victims say they thought a friend was at the door when three black males aged about 18 to 21, with bandanas over their faces, forced their way into the apartment. Victims told officers the suspects had a gun and rummaged through the apartment, taking an undisclosed amount of property before fleeing in an unknown direction. Investigators are still attempting to identify other suspects involved in the incident.

Anyone with information about the suspects involved in this crime or any felony case is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Tyler-Smith County Crimestoppers, at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Tyler-Smith County Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to arrests and charges filed against the suspects in this or any felony case

TYLER — Tyler Police say a reckless driving incident caused injuries to a pair of girls. According to press materials, police, fire and EMS personnel responded to the French Quarter Shopping Center located in the 4500 block of S. Broadway after learning the incident had occurred around 7:50 a.m. Wednesday.

Police were told that a 16 year-old driver pulled into the parking lot driving a pick-up and towing a small trailer with a 4-wheel ATV strapped down on the trailer. Two girls in the parking-lot, who were with other students, asked for a ride on the ATV while it was strapped to the trailer. According to police, the girls were riding on the ATV when the driver was observed driving too fast to negotiate a sharp turn in the parking lot. A strap securing the ATV broke and caused the ATV to flip off the trailer with the two girls on it. The girls were thrown to the pavement with the ATV falling onto one of the girls.

The girls were identified as Chelsea Rowland and Jessica Godfrey, both 15. Godfrey suffered abrasions with no serious injuries. Rowland was transported to East Texas Medical Center with cuts, abrasions and an internal injury. Police say the case has been referred to investigators for further follow-up.

TYLER – A second guilty plea in a Tyler federal court case involving oil field explosives theft. Brandon Keith Uzzel, 30, of Tyler pleaded guilty to an information charging him with theft of explosives from a federally licensed dealer. According to information presented in court, on September 25, 2009, Uzzel was involved in the burglary of a locked storage unit at Owens Oil Tools, a Tyler oil field equipment company. The secured storage unit contained approximately 400 pounds of explosives, which were taken from the property and hidden. All of the explosives have since been recovered and secured. Craig Elroy Knight, 34, of Tyler, pleaded guilty to the same charges on September 8. Uzzel faces up to 10 years in federal prison and is in custody pending sentencing.

MINEOLA (AP/Staff) — Investigators say a pilot inolved in an East Texas plane crash did not have a pilot’s license. The small plane crashed in a wooded area, slightly injuring the pilot. Texas Department of Public Safety spokesman Tom Vinger says the accident happened Wednesday morning near Mineola. Vinger says Mark England, 54, of Tyler sustained minor injuries in the crash of the Bearcat Airplane. The DPS has turned the investigation of the case over to the Federal Aviation Administration.

JACKSONVILLE — After several calls to the Police and weekend gang fights involving college students, Jacksonville residents beg for more security. Now, they may finally be getting it. According to KETK, President Miles McCall is laying down some rules, starting with a curfew at the Inn. It’s 11 p.m. on weekdays and midnight on weekends. Other security measures being taken are barricades to block off back entrances and more student expulsions. “One thing is in a small town like Jacksonville, things get more attention. It puts more burden on us to do a better job and we drop the ball sometimes.” The school is also hiring more security officials. Dr. McCall says they will expel any students involved in this week’s fights once police release names.

BUFFALO — A Tyler mail carrier has died in a two vehicle accident On U.S. Highway 79 in Buffalo. The accident, around 1:30 yesterday afternoon, occurred as the driver of a pickup was texting and hit the rear of a stalled 18-wheeler. Killed was Kerina Kaybee Bundy, 20, a passenger in the pickup. She was not wearing her seat belt. The Department of Public Safety reports she died about an hour after the accident at East Texas Medical Center in Fairfield. The pickup’s driver, Jourdon Shadoe Martin, 20, a mail carrier from Chandler, is listed in stable condition at the Fairfield hospital.

GARRISON — A Nacogdoches County man has died while trying to put out a fire that had gotten out of control. Authorities report finding the body of Bill Franklin Smith, 78. He was still holding a rake when his body was found yesterday afternoon on County Road 282 near Garrison. It is felt that he either suffered smoke inhalation or a heart attack. The fire, which spread because of the dry conditions, burned down Smith’s home.