KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – The Texas Department of State Health Services has announced that they’ve awarded $19.3 million in grants to Federally Qualified Health Centers and similar organizations, including five in East Texas according to our news partners at KETK. This initial round of funding is a part of $40 million from the Texas general revenue fund to help expand Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), FQHC look-alikes and eligible nonprofit health centers. Continue reading Health centers awarded $19M in grants

SMITH COUNTY – One person is dead after a three-vehicle crash in Smith County Monday morning. According to our news partner KETK, the accident occurred around 9 a.m. on State Highway 110 and CR 2121. Initial DPS reports say that a pickup truck turned south off CR 2121 onto Highway 110 and collided with a northbound pickup. The northbound pickup went into the southbound lane, hitting another vehicle head-on. One driver has died. Another is hospitalized, while a third driver had minor injuries.

LONGVIEW — An arrest has been made in Gregg County after a death from a dog attack. Longview police have arrested 56-year-old Martin Rodriguez after an autopsy showed an unidentified 46-year-old man was killed by a dog. The man was found lying dead in a street beside a bicycle on February 1st with wounds that seemed to be from a dog attack. According to our news partner KETK, Rodriguez was being held without bond in the Gregg County Jail on multiple animal at large charges.

TYLER — Beginning Monday, March 11, crews will be repairing curb inlets along the outside northbound lane of South Broadway Avenue from 1st Street to Shaw Street. Portions of the northbound lane will be closed throughout the week. Drivers can expect delays. Motorists are asked to  use caution while traveling on this road, as workers will be present.

MARSHALL — The Marshall Police Department said that a card skimming device was recently found at a QuikTrip gas station off of Interstate 20 near Marshall. According to our news partner KETK, Marshall Police released the following statement:

“Attention, Marshall residents! A skimming device was recently discovered at a local gas station near I20 (QT), thanks to the vigilance of a community member. Skimmers can steal your card information when you pay at the pump, leading to unauthorized transactions and financial headaches.” Continue reading Marshall PD: card skimmer found at I-20 gas station

TYLER — Tyler Police have arrested three suspects wanted in a reported carjacking Friday afternoon. According to officials, just before 12:30, officers were dispatched to the intersection of W. Queen St. and N. Ross Ave. in reference to an aggravated robbery that had just occurred. The victim told officers he was approached by a black male while sitting in his vehicle. The male pointed a handgun at him and demanded his vehicle. The victim complied and exited the vehicle, at which time the suspect got into the victims Chevy Tahoe and drove away. Additional officers flooded the area and began searching for the stolen vehicle. A short time later, an officer spotted the vehicle at a business located on Hwy. 31 W, near Patton Lane. When the driver of the vehicle saw the approaching officers, he fled the scene at which time officers pursued the vehicle. The pursuit was short lived, as the driver pulled over and stopped a short distance away. Continue reading Three suspects arrested following Tyler carjacking

MARSHALL – The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office said three people were arrested on Friday after they discovered methamphetamine, marijuana and Diazepam (Valium) during a search of a residence. According to our news partner KETK, a search warrant was ordered after an investigation revealed methamphetamine was being sold from a residence on Walnut Street in Marshall. Decorian Kashun Stewart, 25, Savion Dashawn Hicks, 21, and Taylor Roshelle Dotie, 22, all of Marshall, were located in the residence by the Harrison County Emergency Response Team (ERT), the sheriff’s office said. Stewart allegedly tried to flush methamphetamine in the toilet when the ERT entered the home, the release said.

Stewart and Dotie were charged with possession of a controlled substance. Dotie and Hicks were both charged with possession of marijuana and Stewart was also charged with tampering with evidence.
According to the release, the drug charges were enhanced because of Drug-Free-Zone violations since the residence is within 1,000 feet of East Texas Baptist University. They are currently booked at the Harrison County Jail. Continue reading Meth, marijuana, Valium discovered, 3 arrests

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, the son of two elected Smith County officials was sentenced to 30 days in the Smith County Jail on Friday after being convicted of misdemeanor interfering with public duties. Derek Phillips, 37, was initially arrested on the charge in March 2023 alongside his mother, Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips, after an incident where authorities said the two tried to interfere with a traffic stop involving Derek’s friend. Bodycam footage from the incident showed a long dispute before the arrests, and in June, both Phillips sued Smith County alleging multiple violations of their Constitutional rights related to the incident. Both were indicted for interfering with public duties in November, and the trial for Derek began on Wednesday where he was convicted. Karen’s trial is currently scheduled for March 20.

Derek’s older brother Lance Phillips, 40, also has a trial date set for April 24 for a misdemeanor charge related to an incident on Jan. 2 where he was taken into custody for disrupting a Smith County Commissioners Court meeting where his father, Terry Phillips, currently sits as Precinct 3 Commissioner.

TYLER – The headliner for the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball held in Tyler will be West Texas native and country singer Randall King. According to our news partner KETK, King has more than 300 million streams with singles like “You In A Honky Tonk,” “Hey Cowgirl” and “Mirror, Mirror.” He tours extensively across the U.S., U.K. and Europe.

Kimberly Taylor, the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball chair said about their headliner, “We are so thrilled to have Randall King performing at Ball. We invite you to join us on June 8 at the Texas Rose Horse Park as we ‘Give Cancer the Boot.”

This years theme of the 36th annual event is ‘Give Cancer the Boot’ and will be held at the Texas Rose Horse Park on June 8. The Cattle Baron’s Ball is the primary fundraiser for the American Cancer Society in Tyler.

TYLER – Tyler police have arrested two people in connection to an armed carjacking early Friday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, officers received a call that two individuals on W. Queen Avenue had held a victim at gunpoint and then took their vehicle. Tyler PD was able to arrest the pair, who were jailed and are now awaiting charges.

TYLER – At the beginning of the season the Texas College Steers Men’s Basketball team was predicted to finish 12th out of 12 in the Red River Athletic Conference. On Thursday, it was announced that the same team will be participating in the NAIA National Basketball Tournament for the first time in school history. The Steers finished the season with a 22-8 record and a conference-best 12-1 record at home. They take on Point Park on March 15th in Henderson, Tennessee.

HARRISON COUNTY – The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office said an Alabama man was arrested on Thursday for breaking into a house and drinking two beers while at the residence. Our news partner KETK is reporting that Alex Ortiz, 29 of Horton, was detained after a caller reported a man had broken into their home. Ortiz reportedly admitted he drank two beers and threw a hammer at a window.

“Before he left, he became angry from things that happened in his past. Once he thought about it, he decided to throw a hammer through the window and departed the location,” the sheriff’s office said. Ortiz was taken to the main Harrison County Jail and was charged with burglary of habitation.

PALESTINE – A man was arrested for burglary after police say he broke into a local Family Dollar and took an ice cream bar. According to our news partner KETK, on Wednesday at 7:46 a.m., Palestine police officers were called to the Family Dollar at 317 E. Spring Street. They were advised the suspect had kicked in the door and made entry, and he was described as wearing a red shirt and blue shorts. The officers saw broken glass at the door and cleared the building before finding the suspect had left through the back door. That Family Dollar was reportedly set to open at 8 a.m., just 15 minutes after the reported break-in. Kilgore was booked into the Anderson County Jail for burglary of a building.

A person was found in the Kroger parking lot that matched the suspect’s description. Officers saw 25-year-old Rhett Kilgore of Buffalo, Texas. “Officers observed Kilgore to have a fresh cut on his right ankle from the sharp glass and to be eating an ice cream bar that had the same wrapper as the ice cream sold at the business,” police said. “When questioned about the burglary, Kilgore made the statement, ‘I got tired of waiting for the business to open.’”

When officers checked security footage, they reportedly saw Kilgore attempting to enter by “pushing a shopping cart into the glass door and breaking the glass.”