KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The National Weather Service Office in Shreveport issued a tornado watch for Tyler until 10 p.m. Thursday, March 2. Strong to severe thunderstorms will likely continue into the overnight hours. The City of Tyler streets and storm-water crews will respond and intervene during a severe weather event where roads have washed out, and other public facilities may be compromised, according to a news release. If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1, stay on the line and DO NOT HANG UP until your call is answered. Answer all questions and follow instructions. The Tyler Police Department’s non-emergency line (903) 531-1000 should be used for all other calls and notifications, including traffic signal issues. Continue reading City of Tyler prepares for severe weather

TYLER – 114th District Court Judge Austin Reeve Jackson has sentenced Jeremy Moffitt to a combined 166 years confinement for four offenses. According to a news release from Jackson’s court, those include unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, evading arrest causing serious bodily injury, assault of a peace officer, and aggravated assault of a public servant. The charges date to an incident in which Moffitt, a Dallas resident now 30 years old, attempted to evade officers who were arresting him at the Smith County Probation Department for violations of his bond conditions. Jackson says trying four offenses at once hasn’t often been done in Smith County, but that doing so means heightened efficiency, financial savings, and less delay.

TYLER — Keep Tyler Beautiful is searching for vendors and sponsors for an Earth Day Festival on Saturday, April 22, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Bergfeld Park. The Tyler Earth Day Festival will promote a message of conservation and sustainability for the community, according to a news release. Keep Tyler Beautiful says it hopes to inspire a call to action to make a difference. The festival will feature vendor booths, music, food trucks, and other fun eco-friendly activities, according to the release. Admission is free to the public. For more information about this event or to become a vendor or sponsor, contact KTyB Community Coordinator Erin Garner at (903) 531-1335 or via email at KTyB@TylerTexas.com.

TYLER — Tickets are now available for one of the showcase events of Tyler’s upcoming Azalea and Spring Flower Trail. The theme of this year’s Historic Tyler on Tour is “Strolling through Charnwood.” Charnwood is Tyler’s first historic district, and the event, which features a Candlelight Home Tour and Garden Party, is scheduled for April 1 and 2. Five historic local homes will be featured. Click here for more information, and click this link for a complete rundown of this year’s Azalea and Spring Flower Trail.

RUSK COUNTY — A father is in custody after allegedly stabbing his son in Rusk County. According to our news partner KETK, on March 1, at approximately 7: 30 a.m., Rusk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a caller saying someone had been stabbed on County Road 3232. When deputies arrived, they found the victim and called EMS to the scene. The victim was taken to a hospital and is expected to survive his injuries, according to Rusk County officials. Deputies then arrested the father of the victim and charged him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon/family violence.

LINDALE (KRLD) — There’s a reported increase in Texans aged 18 to 20 signing up for license-to-carry training. The owner of Freedom Defense training in Lindale, Ray Barron, says he’s getting a lot of phone calls from parents wanting to sign up their teenagers for gun safety training. That’s after the Texas Department of Public Safety announced in January that young people from 18-20 can get a handgun license. Barron says parents are concerned for the safety of their children when they go to college or otherwise leave home. He says he’s also seeing an increase in women seeking handgun training.

TYLER – A Bullard man was sentenced to four years of deferred adjudication after pleading guilty Wednesday to planting a camera in the bathroom of his Tyler business and recording a woman while she was changing. According to our news partner KETK, an arrest warrant for Michael Blundell, 48, says he was an employer at a medical site and was arrested on Oct. 22, 2021, after he recruited a potential new worker who noticed a small camera sitting by the toilet after she had gone into the bathroom to change into scrubs. The woman reportedly called a friend, and left the business, taking the camera with her after discovering it. She then went to the police, who found a recording of her changing and Blundell adjusting the camera on it. Continue reading Man gets probation for videoing woman changing in bathroom of his business

TYLER — Tyler State Park is under a boil water notice due to a pressure drop in the water lines, according to their Facebook page. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the 2120042 public water system (Tyler State Park) to notify all customers to boil their water prior to consumption.

SMITH COUNTY — The Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved the creation of the Smith County Reinvestment Zone No. 1 for the area which includes a 412-acre property that will be developed as a new business park and adjacent properties. According to a news release, Tyler Economic Development Council President/CEO Scott Martinez requested that the reinvestment zone be created to encompass an area that includes the new business park planned by TEDC, just south of Interstate 20 and west of Highway 155. Martinez said creating a reinvestment zone would give TEDC a lot of latitude in what it can do with the 412 acres it has bought for an industrial park that will attract new businesses and hundreds of jobs to the community. Continue reading Commissioners Court approves reinvestment zone, tax abatement

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office recognized the best of the best in law enforcement over the last year. According to our news partner KETK, many deputies like patrol deputy, John McLean were recognized. He was received an old award with a new name, The “Lorenzo Bustos Memorial Peace Officer, Rookie of the Year Award.” The award honored Deputy Lorenzo Bustos who was killed in the line of duty while training in July of 2022. “I just hope that I do this award justice,” said John McLean. McLean said he was shocked to get the award. “I feel very honored, Bustos was highly looked up to by everybody on shift and everybody in the department so being able to receive this award tonight is an honor,” said McLean. The award acknowledges McLean’s exemplary work in the field. Continue reading Deputy Bustos’ legacy lives on through memorial award

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department says a woman earlier reported missing was found safe on Monday. Officials had sought assistance in locating Vanitra Odom, 46. According to our news partner KETK, Odom had last been seen February 23.

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court on Tuesday approved using $264,654 of its ARPA funding to help build a special baseball field for the new Miracle League of Tyler. According to a news release, the nonprofit organization promotes recreational and developmental activities for children with mental and physical disabilities. Smith County’s ARPA funding will help pay for a special rubberized turf baseball field that accommodates wheelchairs and other assistive devices while helping to prevent injuries in case of a fall, according to the release. The City of Tyler is providing the land to build the field, adjacent to its other baseball fields. Miracle League is raising funds to construct the field and the City will maintain it. Click this link for more information.

WASKOM (KMHT) — Select staff members with a school district in East Texas will soon be armed with guns on campus. The Waskom ISD Board of Trustees voted to approve district policy allowing for the adoption of the Guardian Program. The Guardian program will work as an addition, not a replacement, to the school resource officer and existing campus safety protocols. The state requires guardians to have classroom and weapons training, an annual psychological exam, and a license to conceal carry, amongst other criteria. Waskom ISD has applied for a safety grant to add more safety measures for each campus.

TYLER — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton says his office was busy recently in Smith County addressing human trafficking allegations. In his Law Enforcement Round-Up for January 16–31, Paxton says from January 23 through January 26, the Office of the Attorney General’s Human Trafficking Unit and Fugitive Apprehension Unit participated in a proactive online solicitation operation in Tyler. The operation resulted in the arrest of Jose Ernesto Hernandez of Tyler, Delano Roosevelt Phelps of Tyler, Matthew Blake Organ of Whitehouse, James David Amos II of Flint, Lobo Monterrey of Jacksonville, and Charles Alexander McLarty of Flint. All individuals were arrested and charged with solicitation of prostitution of a person under the age of 18.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Classified documents and the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment were addressed by Congressman Nathaniel Moran during his weekly visit with KTBB. Moran discussed his new bill, the Information Security Act, which seeks to train government officials in the proper process of designating and handling classified government documents. Moran told us, “There’s a number of documents that are out there that probably have been over-classified. Typically, “classified” should only be assessed to information that if released would have some detrimental effect on our national security.” Continue reading Moran shares thoughts on classified documents, toxic train derailment