KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TATUM – Our news partners at KETK report that the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decided last week to uphold the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s designation that Panola and Rusk counties do not meet national air quality standards for harmful dioxide due to a local coal plant. According to the Sierra Club, the EPA made its original nonattainment designation for the two counties in the 2010 sulfur dioxide National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Locals also raised health concerns in 2019 over possible exposure from the Martin Lake coal plant pollution. Continue reading Court upholds EPA air quality standards

TYLER – With severe winter conditions subsiding, TxDOT is asking drivers to be aware of their workers as they go about their day. With TxDOT working hard to treat roads, bridges and overpasses, they are also responsible with whats left after the freeze has gone. Jeff Williford, Public Information Officer for Tyler’s TxDOT District said, “Clean up, just from the granular material and things we put out. Branches, like I said before. We’ll work on clean-up of those, moving them from the roadway. Keep that in mind when you see us out, even after these events, to give us room ”
Continue reading TxDOT is cleaning up after the big freeze

KILGORE – With the icy winter weather letting up, Kilgore city officials report three water main breaks. According to our news partner KETK, two of the breaks are on Longview Street with the third on Kay Street. Repairs are expected to take most of the day. Highway 42 at Longview Street is currently running at one lane. Kilgore police said on Wednesday that there are still some scattered patches of ice, along with some black ice on the roads.

TYLER – With cold weather lingering Wednesday morning, about 5,177customers in East Texas are without power as of 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Our news partner KETK has compiled a list of counties with power outages from ONCOR and SWEPCO’s power outage maps, as well as several electric co-ops. You can find that list here.

EAST TEXAS — As East Texans try to stay warm in the freezing temperatures, fire departments are staying busy responding to structure fires from heating sources, our news partner KETK reports. Eric Greaser, the fire chief for Emergency Services District 2 shares some safety tips:

• Keep all heating sources at least three feet away from anything that can burn.
• Keep all children away from the heater.
• Do not use extension cords.

“Definitely recommend that you have a working smoke detector, a carbon monoxide alarm and utilize every bit of caution with space heaters and things of that nature,” said Greaser. Continue reading First responders battle fires caused by heat sources

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road 2173, also known as Carl Dowdy Road, south of Whitehouse, is closed to thru traffic because of unsafe, icy conditions. County Engineer Frank Davis said part of the road is a 90-degree turn while going downhill. That section of road remained in the shade today, so it did not have the chance to melt like other roads did. Davis said it was reported to his department Tuesday afternoon, that the section of road had remained icy, and several people ended up in an accident when they tried to drive it. The Smith County Road and Bridge Department decided to barricade CR 2173, from Willingham Road to Paluxy Road (FM 756), until it can be driven safely.

TYLER — With road conditions improving, City of Tyler offices will open Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, Monday trash collections will resume, and Tuesday collections will resume on Thursday of this week. Monday and Tuesday recycling routes will resume on Wednesday, and crews will continue to collect until the backlog is complete. Residents are advised to leave both trash and recycling carts out until collected.

SHELBY COUNTY – The Texas Department of Public Safety said that a 54-year-old Shelbyville woman died on Monday after crashing into trees on FM 2694 acording to our news partners at KETK. DPS’s preliminary investigation showed that at around 8:10 a.m. a 2020 Jeep SUV was traveling west on FM 2694 at an “unsafe” speed when it slid across the eastbound side of the road and hit two trees. Officials said that Barbra Jackson, 54 of Shelbyville, was removed from the vehicle by someone who saw the crash and then the Jeep caught fire and burned. Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene by Shelby County Justice of the Peace Marla Denby. DPS is continuing to investigate the crash.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Our news colleagues at KETK report a Jacksonville man is dead after a wreck in Cherokee County on Sunday. According to a preliminary crash report from DPS, a 2017 Chevrolet pickup was going north on SH 135 on Sunday at 3 a.m. roughly six miles northeast of Troup. The pickup reportedly “failed to drive in a single lane,” veering into the southbound lane before hitting a ditch and catching fire. The driver, identified as 23-year-old Miguel Mendez from Jacksonville, was pronounced dead at the scene.

TYLER – Due to extreme cold and worsening road conditions, non-emergency City offices for the City of Tyler will be closed to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 16. In a press release, officials say this is to comply with ERCOT’s request to conserve energy. Also closed will be the front lobbies of the Ferguson Street and Faulkner Park Police Stations and property returns and the Property and Evidence Unit. Weather permitting, all departments including Transit and Paratransit, will return to regular operations on Wednesday. City officials also say that trash collection for Monday and Tuesday are backlogged and will resume Wednesday. They ask that residents leave both trash and recycling carts out until they are dumped. Emergency services continue at full strength as needed.
 

OVERTON – The city of Overton announced early Thursday afternoon that a boil water notice has been rescinded. The boil water notice was put in effect Monday afternoon due to a problem with the city’s water recall system.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has announced that they will be closed Tuesday, Jan. 16 due to forecasted weather and road conditions. In a release, the university announced that this closing will effect the main campus, Longview University Center and the Palestine Campus. Residence Life and Student Engagement are teaming up to provide food service and snack boxes/bags for residential students.

TEXAS — Both the Public Utility Commission of Texas and the Electric Reliability Council of Texas are encouraging Texans to conserve as much energy as possible, amid freezing temperatures statewide. The PUCT and ERCOT are calling for conservation efforts “due to continued freezing temperatures, very high demand and unseasonably low wind,” PUC leaders said in a Sunday release. The National Weather Service has a hard freeze warning in effect for our region until 11 a.m. Wednesday.

ERCOT is asking both businesses and residents to conserve electricity use, officials said on social media. Those experiencing and outage can report it to the PUCT by emailing consumer@puc.texas.gov or by calling 1-888-782-8477. Continue reading ERCOT, PUCT urge energy conservation due to cold