KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TROUP — A boil water notice issued this week for the city of Troup has been rescinded, and local water has now been deemed safe for consumption without boiling. The notice, the city’s second in recent days, had been issued due to a line break. If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Gene Cottle, City Manager, at 903.842.3128, extension 15. If a customer, individual, or employee wishes to contact the TCEQ executive director, call (512) 239-4691.

TYLER — Residents and motorists in the Cambridge Road area in Tyler are urged to obey all detours and road closures while contractors continue with the construction on the extensive improvement project. Contractors are working in the area preparing to install water lines drainage infrastructure and begin laying the base layer of asphalt. Currently, Cambridge Road is closed from South Broadway Avenue to Bishops Gate Lane. Cambridge Road from Bishops Gate to Yale Drive is two-way traffic while from Yale Drive to Harvard Drive is a one-way road for eastbound traffic only. Detour signs, no left turn signs, road closure signs, and a message board are in place to warn motorists which direction to safely travel. Continue reading Cambridge Road construction continues; residents asked to obey detours, signs

SMITH COUNTY — About 15 dogs, a prairie dog, and a macaw were recovered from a property on CR 223 in southeast Smith County Monday as a result of a search warrant by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, officials said. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff’s Sgt. Larry Christian said the animals were placed in the care of Smith County Animal Control. Authorities say City of Tyler Animal Control assisted in the seizure. Christian said one Smith County Animal Control officer was bitten by a dog during the seizure and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Christian added that any animals located that weren’t being attended to were taken just “for their welfare.” He said the sheriff’s office is working diligently and has a detective working the case.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Nicholas Pet Haven has requested help placing 45-50 small dogs, remnants of what they said was a “puppy mill” in Cherokee County. According to our news partner KETK, the shelter says three to four dogs each were stuffed into many stacked up rabbit cages. All dogs have food and water, but need to be vetted, groomed, and more. Nicholas Pet Haven is reporting the owners are elderly, requesting help, and willing to surrender to reputable rescues. Breeds include Yorkies, Chihuahuas, Miniature Poodles, and many more. You can contact the nonprofit at 903-630-4242 or by email at nicholaspethaven@yahoo.com.

TYLER – The son of a Tyler pastor who pleaded guilty to two theft of property charges was arrested Monday and is accused of stealing from the same elderly couple as his father. According to our news partner KETK, Jerome Anthony Milton, 27, was arrested on two charges of credit card abuse against an elderly person and was released on a combined $125,000 bond. During investigations into his father, Jerome Rocky Milton, investigators said they found the younger Milton had been using the same bed-ridden elderly couple’s cards at an ATM machine to make withdrawals. According to an arrest warrant, the pastor said “he would send Anthony in sometimes to pull money out of the ATM from the [couple’s] accounts.” However, when advised that his son could be facing criminal charges, the pastor said he did not know why his son would have made those transactions. Continue reading Son of Tyler pastor arrested, accused of stealing from same couple as father

TYLER — A Tyler gang member has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for a firearms violation, according to our news partner KETK. Bandon Deshun Hawkins, 36, plead guilty on Sept. 29, 2021 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced on Tuesday. According to court documents, in 2020 Hawkins was stopped while driving on Vine Street in Tyler and arrested on outstanding warrants. Officials said during the traffic stop, Hawkins threw a plastic bag containing marijuana from the vehicle resulting in a probable cause search. A pistol was found in the car during the search, and officials said further investigations found Hawkins to be a member of the Eight Trey Gangster Crips, a street gang. Continue reading Tyler gang member sentenced to federal prison

EDGEWOOD – Officials have released identities in a high-speed chase that began in Edgewood and ended in Forney. Police say the driver, Braylon Diamente Hicks of Forney, is a suspect in an Edgewood murder on Friday. The victim is named as Alyssa Beth Flores of Wills Point. According to our news partner KETK, Wills Point PD and a Van Zandt County DA investigator observed a dispatched call from the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office regarding a shooting and kidnapping that had just occurred in Edgewood, and the suspect was heading towards Highway 80. The pursuit continued south on FM 2965 to I-20, where the suspect then reportedly began traveling westbound at speeds over 120 mph. Authorities say the chase continued at high rates of speed, passing vehicles on the shoulders and weaving in and out of traffic through Kaufman County. Continue reading Identities released in murder, chase

TYLER — Although some portions of Smith County saw showers last week, it was not enough rain to consider lifting the burn ban, Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks reported Tuesday. The Commissioners Court received an update on drought conditions from Brooks, who said only some areas of the county received rain and it was not enough to ease fire danger conditions. “The conditions outside are disastrous for us right now,” he said, adding that they haven’t seen drought conditions like this summer since 2011. When some areas of the county received brief periods of rain, the moisture quickly dried up. And while some areas of the county saw rain, other areas did not, Brooks said. “We are still under a burn ban and I don’t recommend rescinding it,” he told the Commissioners Court. Click here for more details.

TROUP — Due to a line break, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the City of Troup Public water system to notify all customers to boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). This is a new notice after a previous advisory was rescinded. Children, seniors, and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria, and all customers should follow these directions. To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. Continue reading Another boil water notice in Troup

LINDALE — (UPDATE) Madison Adams was found in Kaufman County and safely returned to Smith County by CPS, according to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office.  According to our news partner KETK, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported Madison Adams had been missing since Wednesday, Aug. 10. Adams is 16-year-old white female with brown hair and hazel eyes. She is about 5’2″ and 143 pounds, all according to the NCMEC.

TYLER/BULLARD — Tyler ISD has received a district Texas Education Agency accountability grade of “B” for the 2021-2022 school year. The district received a performance score of 88, up from the previous year’s (2019 was the most recent rating) 85 score, and an overall Met Standard rating. Schools and districts were labeled Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster for 2020 and 2021. Meantime, the TEA recently released 2022 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) results for third through eighth grades and End of Course exams for ninth through 12th grades. Bullard ISD earned a district rating of “A” with a score of 95 and received 10 campus academic distinctions.

RUSK – According to documents, a Cherokee County commissioner who was arrested Friday night for driving while intoxicated and evading arrest acted aggressive with a trooper and refused a blood alcohol test. That’s according to our news partner KETK. Precinct 2 Commissioner Steven Norton, 51, who has since apologized for the incident, was arrested after a deputy was dispatched in response to a reckless driver. The deputy had been advised that a driver in a white truck had run people off the roadway, and witnesses said the truck almost struck several vehicles. “I proceeded to make an investigative stop to check the welfare of the driver,” the deputy said. “I then turned on the sirens and lights of my fully marked patrol unit but the truck did not come to a stop.” Continue reading Details released on DWI arrest of Cherokee County commissioner

TYLER – Officials say Khamila Tavion Bradford-Burnley, 25, of Tyler was arrested Friday in a fatal Rusk County crash last year. According to our news partner KETK, on Feb. 27, 2021, at 1:48 a.m., troopers responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash on US 79, approximately 5.7 miles south of Henderson. According to officials, Bradford was traveling northbound and veered into the southbound lane, where she struck Jose Gustavo Servin, 23, of Henderson. Servin was pronounced dead at the scene and Bradford-Burnley was transported to a local hospital in serious condition.

KILGORE – In a Facebook post Monday, the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office issued a missing person alert for Britney Nichole Sharrer, 28, of Kilgore. According to our news partner KETK, officials say Sharrer was last seen at a residence on PR 3707 (Fox Creek RV Park) in the Kilgore/Gladewater area in July by her mother. Sharrer is approximately 5’4″ tall and weighs approximately 140-150 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. She has tattoos covering her arms and specifically has a tattoo of Winnie The Pooh on her left shoulder. Anyone with information on Sharrer’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office at 903-236-8400 or Investigator Prior at 903-236-8409. Reference case #C22-11326.

LINDALE — Smith County authorities say a missing person has been found alive at a residence on Hwy 110 extremely hot and thirsty. Authorities said he was receiving medical attention and will recover. On August 14 at 8:00 p.m., The Smith County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man missing from FM 1253 near Lindale. He’s identified as Jose Cansino Ybarra, 63. Ybarra’s son told deputies they were attending a church retreat at this location when his father wandered off. The son advised that prior to notifying law enforcement, he and several of the retreat attendees had searched a large area including buildings, woods, and Ybarra’s room. Deputies, staff members, and concerned citizens began a search of the approximate 400 acre area, of which only 100 acres are developed. Continue reading Missing man found