KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – Officials have identified a pedestrian who died following a Tyler crash Friday on South Broadway Avenue and South Town Drive. According to our news partner KETK, Cristian Vavich, 35, of Tyler, was walking across Broadway from the area of Whataburger when a Toyota truck swerved in an attempt to miss him “but was unable to,” according to police. The crash was initially called in around 5:45 a.m., and officials said Vavich was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials said the case remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW – Pigs tore through fields at Lear Park in Longview recently, and they caused plenty of damage. “We’re pretty sure they were in hog heaven,” Longview Parks & Recreation posted to Facebook. According to our news partner KETK, Parks & Rec will have to shut down Fields 1, 2, 4, 5, 8 and 9 for “a few weeks” until the start of Greater Longview Soccer Association games in order to get them ready for play. Meanwhile on Facebook, Longview Parks & Rec and the City of Longview are going back and forth on the post delivering pig puns. “This post will age like fine swine,” commented the City of Longview’s Facebook page. “We never sausage a good comment,” Longview Parks & Recreation page replied.

TYLER — Several Smith County road projects were recently completed using bond funding. About 2.6 miles of County Road 178 (Old Palestine Road), outside of Flint, was widened, cement treated and asphalt overlaid. Texana Land & Asphalt was the contractor. A photo of CR 178 after construction can be seen at left. Officials say several residential streets just west of the city of Tyler were also improved using bond funding. Work to County Roads 1162 (Indian Drive and Choctaw Drive), 1188, and 1241 (Larry Lane and Ronald Road) was recently completed and included about two miles of roads. The contractor was True Roads Construction, LLC. Both projects came in under budget, according to a news release.

TYLER – A new program at the City of Tyler allows families to save money on daycares and keep their baby with them at work until they reach six months of age according to our news partner KETK. Parents set aside office space for items such as a playpen, bassinet and a crib. Each employee is required to have two alternate coworkers as volunteer caregivers as extra help when needed. “So if you have a meeting and you can’t take the baby (while baby is encouraged to go everywhere at work with you) some meetings aren’t doable. Your alternate care provider provides that care. If it is a meeting or a restroom break, there’s someone designated officially who agreed to help with that care,” said Director of Organization Development, Regina Moss. The city said it is about supporting their employees and honoring them as parents. Continue reading City of Tyler allowing employees to bring babies to work

TYLER – The former mayor of Athens has pleaded guilty to federal child obscenity violations. James Monte Montgomery, 64, pleaded guilty Thursday in Tyler to sending obscene materials to a minor. According to public information, on June 3, 2021, Montgomery was arrested after arriving at an undisclosed location after soliciting sex online with investigators posing as minors. In June of 2020, Montgomery, then the mayor of Athens, began communicating by text messaging with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old female. Montgomery sent messages to the child describing sexually explicit acts that he wanted to perform on the child and offering to pay the child if she would meet him and have sex with him, according to authorities. Continue reading Former Athens mayor guilty of child obscenity violations

TYLER – Teresa Fletcher, 22, of Tyler, was sentenced to six years in prison Thursday for her part in the kidnapping and trafficking of two girls in February. According to our news partner KETK, a February 17 warrant said a Smith County sheriff’s deputy responded to a missing person report at the home on CR 420. The mother of one of the girls reportedly told deputies she had not seen her daughter since February 13. The mother told investigators she believed her daughter had been sex trafficked, according to the affidavit. Officials stated the victim’s boyfriend said she sent him her location via Facebook messenger on February 15 and he alerted the Tyler PD. The location was the home of Teresa Fletcher, documents show. Continue reading Tyler woman gets six years for promoting prostitution

TYLER – The North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA) has completed a series of enhancements to Toll 49 with drivers likely noticing a smoother, quieter ride along with the latest in highway surface technology for skid resistance. That’s according to a Thursday news release from NET RMA. A new surface was installed between U.S Highway 69 and State Highway 155. The project is the first major resurfacing on this section of Toll 49 since it was constructed, according to the release. “NET RMA is proud of these Toll 49 enhancements,” says Glenn Green, NET RMA Executive Director, as quoted in the release. “The material we utilized is the most advanced, performance graded asphalt that will not only add strength, but it also provides a smooth, quiet roadway for our customers. This is a new, highly skid resistant surface that will last for years.” Continue reading NET RMA completes major Toll 49 enhancements project

AUSTIN – The University of Texas Board of Regents Thursday approved an allocation of $100 million in Permanent University Fund bond proceeds over the next 10 years that will help fund capital expenses associated with the start-up of the Tyler School of Medicine at the University of Texas at Tyler. Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife told KTBB, “It’s an ongoing commitment made by the Board of Regents to this community and to our new medical school, and I really appreciate my fellow regents joining me in supporting this.” Eltife added that he’s really looking forward to welcoming the school’s first class next year — and to a full-fledged medical school building, which he hopes to see completed by 2025. Continue reading Regents approve $100 million for UT Tyler School of Medicine

TYLER — 51-year-old Buford Dixon has been sentenced in Tyler to life without parole for continuous sexual abuse of a child. According to a news release from the Smith County District Attorney’s office, a jury convicted Dixon in July after prosecutors proved that he sexually assaulted his own biological daughter over the course of two years and another child who had resided with Dixon. At sentencing, the court heard testimony from the lead detective on the case, testimony about Dixon’s prior criminal history, and an additional abuse victim who had not previously testified, according to officials.

WHITEHOUSE – Additional law enforcement was assigned to the Whitehouse High School campus Thursday after an alleged verbal threat was made, according to the school. The school proceeded with its regular Thursday schedule, and officials with the district said “parents should rest easy knowing students are safe.” The district said it was notified by an anonymous source of an alleged verbal threat against the high school, and they immediately contacted law enforcement and worked with them to investigate. “A student was detained by Whitehouse PD and an investigation is ongoing,” the district said. “The safety of our students and staff is our highest priority.”

CANTON – After praying for rain for so long, some East Texans received more than they bargained for with this week’s heavy rains and flooding, and the city of Canton was hit hard by the storm. As a result of this week’s heavy rainfall, parts of Van Zandt County flooded, including the county courthouse. According to our news partner KETK, the water damage caused ceiling tiles to fall in a courtroom, almost hitting a court reporter in the middle of a trial. Trash cans and buckets were placed throughout the courthouse because of several leaks. The staff has also put fans to help dry out the building. Across the county, a few homes flooded, trees and power lines were downed, and streets were impacted even narrowing bridges down to a single lane. The First Monday Trade Days parking lot also flooded. On First Monday, the Canton Mayor Lou Ann Everett says they expect the grounds to be open next weekend just in time for trade days.

TYLER – The Tyler City Council approved a $195,900 engineering contract on Wednesday to work on a downtown Tyler traffic study. According to our news partner KETK, the city is working with Kimley-Horn engineers. The city will pay for the study, but they will be reimbursed through a Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) grant. Toole Design will give recommendations on how officials can improve the downtown area. This has been Toole Design’s focus since the start of 2022. Engineers will survey the area then make recommendations for changes based on their findings, which they will show to the council. Between 2010 and 2020, the City of Tyler grew at an average rate of 1% per year. Some recent developments in downtown include the Fair Plaza Parking Garage, Smith County Jail, People’s Petroleum Building and Plaza Tower. Officials have also proposed building a new Smith County courthouse. The traffic study will last nine months and should be done by late spring 2023.

The Tyler City Council voted on Wednesday to authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with Lone Star Land Enhancement in the amount of $3,678,365.44 for the Sanitary Sewer Right of Way Clearing. The Right of Way clearing project is prioritized by the current condition of the easements and by determining how urgent the need to access the sanitary sewer assets associated with the easement. In all, the project identifies 394,486 linear feet of easements needing to be cleared. This project is funded with water utility bond. The City Council also voted on Wednesday to authorize the City Manager to execute a design contract with KSA Engineers, Inc. in the amount of $467,000 for the design, bidding, construction administration and inspection of a new administration building at the Westside Wastewater Treatment Plant. Continue reading Tyler City Council approves contract to clear sanitary sewer right of way

TYLER — The City of Tyler is presenting the extension of the Legacy Trail Project to be paid for by the proposed Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund for fiscal year 2023. Phase II of the project will add a total of 2.2 miles of trail, which includes 1.7 miles of shared-use path and half a mile of sidewalks from Peete Elementary connecting with Stewart Park along the roadway rights-of-way and through W.E. Winters Park. Currently, the city is working with a consultant to survey the area and create design plans. This part of the project is estimated to cost $354,000 and be completed by February 2023. Construction is expected to begin in fall 2023. Continue reading Proposed Half-Cent work plan includes extension to Legacy Trails

JACKSONVILLE – A Jacksonville woman was arrested on Monday for failing to register as a sex offender for the second time. According to our news partner KETK, officials said Jennifer Gail Stevens, 38, was arrested at a residence on Jacksonville Square Drive. Failure to comply with sex offender duty to register is a third degree felony. Stevens was previously arrested in February for non-compliance with The Texas Sex Offender Registry Duty to Register.