KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — 32-year-old Robert Harrison Johnson IV has been indicted for arson for allegedly causing a fire that killed his half-brother last May. According to our news partner KETK, officials responded to a home on Smith County Road 1113 for a structure fire with a man trapped inside the residence. Jack McKenzie Ross, 35, who was both mentally and physically disabled, died after resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. At the time, the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office reported that Ross’s brother was able to escape the fire before responders arrived. Continue reading Man indicted for arson in fire that killed his disabled brother

MARSHALL – An East Texas law enforcement agency is cited after a major human smuggling network was taken down as part of a joint task force, according to a statement released Tuesday by the United States Department of Justice. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office was among a list of law enforcement agencies the DOJ attributed as giving substantial assistance toward the investigation that led to eight indictments. The operation, a part of Joint Task Force Alpha, included the arrest of eight alleged human smugglers whose indictments were unsealed this week in the Southern District of Texas. According to our news partner KETK, the network was allegedly led by 31-year-old Erminia Serrano, also known as The Boss Lady.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler College of Engineering is ranked 42nd nationwide by U.S. News and World Report as noted on the publication’s Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs (no doctorate) list published this week. According to a news release, the College of Engineering has been on a steady climb up the publication’s top 100 list for four consecutive years, rising this time from last year’s ranking of 75. For the second consecutive year, UT Tyler is the highest ranked Texas public institution for undergraduate engineering programs with no doctorate.

LONGVIEW – Amtrak’s Texas Eagle service has started up again after some rail workers and railway owners came to a deal on Thursday. The service, which stops in Longview, Marshall, and Mineola twice a day, was stopped on Wednesday before a potential strike on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, Amtrak spokesman Marc Magliari expected normal operations to start Friday morning, meaning the Texas Eagle starting in San Antonio and arriving in Longview Saturday morning. Amtrak’s employees weren’t a part of the strike, but Amtrak trains run on rail lines owned by other companies that operate in Longview, like Union Pacific.

LONGVIEW — The Region 4 Sabine Regional Flood Planning Group (Sabine RFPG) is requesting public review and comment of the Draft 2023 Sabine Regional Flood Plan (RFP). The public comment meeting for the Draft 2023 Sabine RFP will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Monday, September 26th, at the Longview Exhibit Center on Jaycee Drive. A recording of the presentation given at the public comment meeting will be made available for public viewing after the public meetings are held. Click here for more details.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council this week approved a $119,325 contract with MHS Planning & Design to prepare the P.T. Cole Park design plans. The park is on Vine Street, between Mockingbird Lane and Lindsey Lane. According to a news release, the City of Tyler Parks Department will renovate the park by adding a splash pad and updating the restrooms, basketball court, and pavilion — as well as adding sidewalks, replacing the playground, and renovating the athletic field. Community Development Block Grant CARES Act (CDBG-CV) will fund the project. Continue reading P.T. Cole Park to be renovated

WHITEHOUSE — A sinkhole has developed on the Main Campus Drive at Whitehouse High School just beyond the guard gate, and a detour will be necessary starting Wednesday afternoon during pick-up. In an advisory posted on the school district website, official said they would divert all traffic entering or exiting through the guard gate (from 346) through the student parking adjacent to the Main Campus Drive. This detour will result in displacing the first two rows of student parking (the far east side of the parking lot will become the alternate route). The student lot will be “General” parking only due to this disruption until proper repairs can be made, according to officials. All traffic entering or exiting through the Acker Tap entrance will not be affected. Continue reading Detour at Whitehouse High School due to sinkhole

EAST TEXAS – The Better Business Bureau serving Central East Texas will be hosting three “Secure Your ID” shredding events in October to help consumers and businesses securely destroy documents and help prevent identity theft, according to a news release. These services are provided for free, and attendees are encouraged to bring paper documents that contain personal and/or financial information to be destroyed. Officials say no boxes will be taken. You’re asked to bring your documents in a plastic bin, plastic bag, or a box you can keep. Shredding trucks and volunteers will be on hand to assist participants and hand out information on identity theft protection. All attendees must remain in their vehicles during the events. Continue reading BBB to host “Secure Your ID” Day shredding events

RUSK COUNTY – One person is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Rusk County. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez says at 1:26 a.m. Wednesday, a deputy conducted a traffic stop at Highway 64 and CR 4125. An officer-involved shooting occurred and a man died at the scene, he said. The sheriff called in the Texas Rangers to investigate, per regular policy. The deputy is on administrative leave pending conclusion of the incident. “Our prayers go out to deceased and his family and this agency as we go through this incident,” Valdez said.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council Wednesday adopted its FY 2023 budget. The theme, “Tyler Transformed,” outlines the city’s commitment to maintaining quality services as the community grows while enacting meaningful change to better the city’s workforce and business practices, according to a news release. “This budget continues our tradition of responsible government spending while accounting for our residents’ needs: smooth roadways, improved traffic flow, expanded drainage systems, upgraded water and sewer systems, and state-of-the-art facilities,” said Mayor Don Warren (pictured) as quoted in the release. “It also reflects our commitment to growth and change in how we do business.” The budget is $228.1 million, to be funded with a 6.96 per cent tax rate increase. Continue reading Council passes budget, addresses other issues

TYLER — After three Tyler ISD middle school students were taken to the hospital by their parents Monday, the district is again warning parents and students about the danger of the social media craze known as the “One Chip Challenge.” The challenge dares people to eat a chip covered in Carolina Reaper and ghost pepper seasonings, two of the world’s hottest peppers. In a Facebook post, the district outlines the dangers and health complications and asks parents to talk with their children about the severity of these dangers. Tyler ISD Director of Health Services Rachel Barber says, “The latest One Chip Challenge can cause serious bodily injury and poisoning, and some can even be fatal.” Click this link for more details.

TYLER — The Northeast Texas Public Health District now offers the updated COVID-19 boosters with protection against the newest Omicron virus strains and to prepare for future surges of COVID. According to a news release, the Moderna bivalent booster is available for ages 18 and older, and the Pfizer bivalent booster is available for ages 12 and older. The original vaccines are still used for primary vaccine doses, but the bivalent booster is available for anyone two months after receiving their final primary dose or their most recent booster dose. “The updated COVID-19 boosters provide broader protection against the original strain and against recent strains of COVID-19,” says George Roberts, NET Health CEO, as quoted in the release. “COVID-19 vaccines are the best way to protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death.” Continue reading Updated COVID-19 booster vaccines now available

TYLER — Thanks in no small part to the pandemic, the entire country is facing a teacher shortage. And with UT Tyler heading up the effort, educators met Tuesday in Tyler to address what the university’s Dr. Frank Dykes calls “a crisis situation.” The next step is to take information shared at Tuesday’s meeting, assemble a plan, and send it to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board — with an eye on applying for a grant to put the ideas into action. Dykes says the plan will be submitted by the end of September, with hopes for a response by the end of the year. Dykes heads up the university’s School of Education. UT Tyler has already been awarded a $50,000 planning grant from the Coordinating Board.

TYLER – A Tyler man has been indicted in the May murder of a mother of four. According to our news partner KETK, officials said it is believed she was killed with a machete in a “violent attack.” Jaci Wilkerson, 40, was found dead at The Lodge Apartment Complex on South Broadway. David Thompson, 49, later turned himself in to police in connection to the murder. Wilkerson’s body was found inside the front door of the apartment, and officials said a machete was found on Thompson’s bed inside the apartment, along with a “significant amount of blood.” Thompson remains jailed on $750,000 bond. He was indicted on Aug. 11.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler Tuesday announced a $5 million gift to the School of Medicine from Ednamae Walsh to support scholarships and pathway programs for the medical school. “This generous gift will create opportunities for students across the region in numerous ways,” said UT Tyler President Dr. Kirk Calhoun as quoted in a news release. As a result of the gift, every student enrolled in the second class of the UT Tyler School of Medicine will receive a four-year scholarship to cover their full tuition. This follows the 2021 gift from the Fair Foundation covering full-tuition scholarships for the first School of Medicine class, which will enroll in fall 2023. Officials say the School of Medicine’s Pathways Program will assist in addressing the physician shortage in East Texas by coordinating pathways for students to enter medical school. Continue reading $5 million gift continues momentum for UT Tyler School of Medicine