KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW – A Longview city official who has unsuccessfully run for city council twice was arrested Sunday for possession with intention to promote child pornography. Bernd “Dutch” Deblouw, 37, was born in The Netherlands and moved to Texas after college, according to his campaign website. According to our news partner KETK, he was hired by the Longview Fire Department in 2010, but has since left the department and is now the owner of Longview I.T. Deblouw has served the city in multiple capacities, including as the president of the zoning board of adjustment, and public safety was a key issue for his campaign, according to his website. He currently serves on the planning and zoning commission. His bond for the child pornography charge has not yet been set.

EMORY — Authorities say around 5 p.m. Sunday, 30-year-old Sean Douglas Alsip was captured by the Texas Rangers. According to our news partner KETK, the Rains County Sheriff’s Office said Alsip was taken to the county jail without incident. Authorities had earlier said Alsip could be armed and dangerous. Officials said they had last seen Alsip with Monica Robertson on County Road 3150 before they ran off. Robertson was detained by law enforcement before Alsip was caught. Further details on the nature of the case weren’t immediately available.

EAST TEXAS — The Dallas Morning News and the University of Texas at Tyler released a new poll Sunday that asked Texas voters their thoughts about the November midterm elections, including the race between Gov. Abbott and Beto O’Rourke, and other issues affecting the state. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is maintaining a modest lead over Democrat Beto O’Rourke in the race for Texas governor. According to the new poll, Abbott has a 7-point cushion over O’Rourke, unchanged from a similar survey in May. Continue reading Texas voters weigh in on November midterm elections in new poll

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District. In Gregg County, Longview Maintenance will be performing base repair on SH 31 eastbound between FM 3053 and FM 1639. Crews will also be performing base repair on FM 349 westbound from just east of the intersection at FM 2276. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic on both jobs. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance will have a base failure crew on FM 3271 just off of SH 110. This will be under flagging operation. Also, a sweeper and herbicide unit will be in various locations throughout the county. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

TYLER – As classes resume, Tyler ISD shares a reminder to ensure the safety of children while loading and unloading school buses. School bus drivers will activate alternating yellow flashing lights between 100 and 500 feet before a stop. Distance will depend on speed and whether they are in a residential area or on a highway. Once they reach the stop, the driver will activate alternating red flashing lights and deploy stop signs from the side of the bus with flashing red lights on the signs. Traffic approaching from both directions must stop unless there is a physical barrier in the median between the flows of traffic, as shown in the diagram below. Click here for more details, and click this link for additional back-to-school information.

HONOLULU – A former Nacogdoches resident accused of identity theft and of possibly being a Russian spy is asking to be released on bail. According to our news partner KETK and a sister station in Hawaii, a legal expert said new information about the alleged KGB uniform presented as evidence may be enough for the judge to grant his request. The attorney for Walter Primrose makes several arguments for his release. Among them, he said the invisible ink kit found in his Kapolei, Hawaii, home, “is believed to be a toy purchased many years ago for entertainment.” More importantly he said, the KGB uniform worn by Primrose and his wife Gwynn Morrison in an old photo didn’t belong to them. The prosecutor sent an email to defense attorneys saying the photos of the couple in the uniform, meaning there was only one, was taken in the 90s, and “federal agents were given the alleged uniform.” Continue reading Attorney: New info on KGB uniform shows Texas man is not a spy

GLADEWATER – Officials say about 15 homes were evacuated Friday after a gas leak caused road closures on Lee Street including Willow and Briar Cove in Gladewater. The gas line was hit by contract crews according to Gladewater Fire personnel, who said the leak resulted in a partial neighborhood evacuation. According to our news partner KETK, officials said the homes were evacuated for safety and roadways were blocked while fire personnel worked to locate the source of the leak. Gladewater police and public works staffers were also on the scene helping with road closures. Fire officials say CenterPoint was able to “locate and cap the line then continue on to make the final repair.”

RUSK – A Cherokee County commissioner was arrested Friday night for evading arrest and driving while intoxicated. He has since apologized for the incident. According to our news partner KETK, Steven Norton, 51, said in an apology posted to his personal Facebook page that he “takes full responsibility for creating this incident.” Norton is the Precinct 2 commissioner and said he wants to apologize to his family, friends, constituents, and law enforcement personnel for his judgment on Friday night. “This is not who I am,” Norton said. “I promise with all my heart I had no intent to evade arrest. I didn’t see any lights until I was in my driveway.” Continue reading Cherokee County Commissioner arrested for DWI, evading gives apology

KILGORE — The City of Kilgore will temporarily convert the disinfectant used in the city’s water distribution system from chloramine to free chlorine beginning August 15 and ending around September 18. “For that month beginning Wednesday, said Public Works Director Clay Evers in a news release, “you may experience taste and odor changes associated with this type of temporary water disinfectant conversion.” Evers said public water systems are required to properly disinfect their water and maintain an adequate disinfectant residual in the distribution system. “Chloramine, free chlorine combined with ammonia, is what we normally use as a disinfectant because it persists for long periods while also limiting the formation of by-product contaminants,” added Evers in the release. Click here and scroll down to “Water system maintenance” for more information.

TROUP — The City of Troup has rescinded a boil water notice issued Thursday due to a line break. All customers of the City of Troup public water supply were asked to boil their water before consumption, washing hands or face, or brushing teeth. The city has now put out the word that the water is again safe for consumption without boiling. People with questions should contact Gene Cottle, City Manager, at 903-842-3128, extension 15. To contact the TCEQ Executive Director, call 512-239-4691.

EDGEWOOD – A high-speed chase that began in Edgewood ended in Forney, and according to police, the driver is a suspect in an Edgewood murder on Friday. 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 Officials: Murder suspect leads police on chase with infant in passenger seat

KILGORE – El Sombrero, a Mexican restaurant in Kilgore, “caught on fire and burned” Monday night after 17 years in business. According to our news partner KETK, owner Mike Kittner says the Kilgore staff will be working at the restaurant’s Longview location until the Longview location can be rebuilt. “We are currently working diligently with insurance and the great City of Kilgore to get through these difficult times,” Kittner said. “Thank you to everyone for your loyalty and patronage to El Som over the years, and we look forward to seeing everyone very soon or in Longview.”

EAST TEXAS – The Tyler and Longview ISDs have held their convocations in preparation for the new school year. According to our news partner KETK, during the Longview celebration, checks totaling $1.8 million were awarded to 157 teachers. “They qualify through their annual evaluation score, and they qualify through their student growth score,” said John York, a human resource officer for the district. In Tyler, 2,800 district employees gathered for their annual convocation at Green Acres Baptist Church. Teachers said they are pumped to be back in the classroom. The theme for the Tyler event was health and wellness

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Members of Stryker Lake Water Supply Corporation continue searching for answers after spending many months under a boil water notice. According to our news partner KETK, a board meeting was held Friday to answer some of their questions. There was an extensive agenda to cover, and dozens of members were in attendance. However, most of the agenda went unaddressed after the board members left the meeting after 15 minutes. “They told us first of all that we could only speak about things on the agenda and that’s when I said, ‘Nuh uh,’” said Nicki Greenwood, the former business manager and a current customer with the Stryker Lake WSC. Greenwood said the board is to be elected into their positions, but she says an election hasn’t happened in several years. “I left in 2016 and there has not been an election since. These board members just came in, and they just took a seat and said, ‘We’re board members,’” Greenwood added. Continue reading Stryker Lake Water Supply Corp. board walks out of meeting, customers looking for answers