KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — As of Monday, March 28, the Tyler community has a new location to service its boating, fishing, and hunting needs. Housing divisions including Texas Game Wardens, Wildlife, Inland Fisheries, and State Parks, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Tyler Regional Complex will act as a one-stop-shop for TPWD business, according to a news release. It’s situated on the Tyler Nature Center Wildlife Management Area on FM 848, and officials say it’s been in the works for decades. While the Tyler complex is open, landscaping and nature trails are still under construction. Visitors are urged to stay on paved walkways. A more formal grand opening is planned for later in the year. Click here for more information.

TYLER — TxDOT will be busy with another round of construction and maintenance work in the Tyler District this week. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance will have a base failure crew on FM 3226 Monday and Tuesday, then moving out to SH 64 just outside of Chapel Hill headed east. This will be under one-way traffic worked by flaggers. Gregg County crews will be working on bridge channel maintenance on SL 281 at Birdsong Rd. If they complete this project, the crew will then start edge maintenance on FM 449 eastbound and westbound. Traffic will be controlled by flaggers and a pilot car. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

MINEOLA — Texas State Senator Bryan Hughes has been appointed to the Senate Committee on Finance. Senator Hughes has been a member of the Texas Senate for the last five years and was previously a House member for 14 years. In addition to his recent appointment to the Senate Committee on Finance, Hughes also serves as Chairman of the Senate Committee on State Affairs and as a member of the Education, Jurisprudence, Natural Resource & Economic Development, Nominations and Redistricting Committees, according to our news partner KETK. Continue reading Bryan Hughes appointed to Texas Senate finance committee

EAST TEXAS — Three East Texas cities were awarded grants from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission according to our news partner KETK. The grants are to help create and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities and are given to government agencies on a 50/50 reimbursement match basis, and once funded, the sites must remain properly maintained and open to the public, according to a release. This will result in more nature trails, native gardens, playgrounds, splash pads, dog parks and sports fields at 26 community parks statewide. The grants were awarded based on community population and scope. Continue reading More than $430,000 in park grants awarded to East Texas communities

NEW LONDON — Officials with the Rusk County Office of Emergency Management have confirmed that the wildfire has been contained, with all units having cleared the scene. Officials advised that a substantial amount of smoke from the fire that would settle along the lower areas during the cooler temperatures of the night. All homes and structures in the area have been confirmed to be out of danger. Emergency personnel said that they will be conducting a follow-up aerial survey of the area to assess the total acreage of the fire, as well as to check for any breach of the containment lines.

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler recently announced that faculty within the College of Engineering have received National Institutes of Health funding to study signs of opioid exposure in infants. According to our news partner KETK, Premananda Indic, PhD, UT Tyler associate professor of electrical engineering, and Pravitha Ramanand, PhD, UT Tyler assistant research professor of electrical engineering, received an $861,744 subaward to support a University of Alabama at Birmingham project. “There is an ongoing epidemic of opioid use during pregnancy,” said Namasivayam Ambalavanan, MD, principal investigator, a University of Alabama at Birmingham professor and Virginia Walker Jones Endowed Chair in Neonatology. “Babies exposed to opioids before birth often develop neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS) and are at higher risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). However, the challenge is to identify such signs early in life.” Pioneering work conducted by the team has identified that patterns of heart rate and breathing as early as the first day after birth can be used to identify infants who later develop signs of opioid withdrawal. Continue reading UT College of Engineering receives $800,000 grant

GREGG COUNTY – A man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child. According to our news partner KETK, Joshua Wade Robinson was found guilty in the 188th District Court of Gregg County. A jury sentenced Robinson to 20 years in prison and according to the Gregg County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, he will be required to serve half of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole. “We would like to commend the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office for conducting this investigation and keeping our citizens safe,” said the Gregg County Criminal District Attorney’s Office.

WHITEHOUSE – The owner of a skating rink in Whitehouse was found guilty of murder on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, 54-year-old Lars Theorine of Whitehouse was sentenced to life in prison for the 2020 stabbing of Michael Shane Reed. Prosecutors say he owns Paradise Skating Rink and Big Kahuna Party Rentals. During the four-day trial, prosecutors presented evidence that on January 20, 2020, Theorine stabbed Reed 48 times with a kitchen knife, nearly decapitating him. Prosecutors say Theorine then attempted to stage the scene to support his self-defense claim. A crime scene investigator told the jury that the blood spatter analysis proved that the victim tried to escape before “succumbing to the numerous lacerations.” Continue reading Whitehouse man sentenced to life in prison for stabbing man 48 times

TYLER – Tyler officials want to make the drive around Rose City easier but it requires changes to the map, according to our news partner KTEK. “There’s a lot of confusion and concern about the development of this road. Everybody here present is interested in the best things for Tyler. That was clear in everyone who spoke,” says Lead Pastor of Dayspring Methodist Church, Kris Bagley. One proposed amendment plans to extend Waljm Street in South Tyler. Eventually, connecting it with Market Square Boulevard and West Grande Boulevard. Continue reading Adjusting the city map: City of Tyler hears feedback on street expansion

TYLER — Tyler kicks off one of its signature activities on Friday. The 63rd Azalea and Spring Flower Trail runs through April 10. The trail features more than ten miles of residential gardens and historic home-sites covered with azaleas, tulips, wisteria, dogwood, and more. The event has been described as a floral wonderland and a photographer’s paradise. A number of individual events are also featured. Click here for all the information.

ATHENS – A Henderson County district judge has allowed the state attorney general to appoint a new prosecutor in the case involving a fatal school bus crash in Athens. According to our news partner KETK, the judge approved an order Monday after it was requested March 17. The order will allow any attorney from the state attorney general’s office to be appointed attorney pro tem in the case of John Franklin Stevens (pictured). Stevens, 81, was charged with criminally negligent homicide and injury to a child after a bus he was driving was struck by a train on Jan. 25, 2019, killing 13-year-old Christopher Bonilla and injuring 9-year-old Joselyne Torres. The bus reportedly was pushed one-quarter of a mile before coming to a stop.

TYLER — The Better Business Bureau, The Secret Service, and the FBI team up at a news conference in Tyler on the dangers of cryptocurrency scams. The BBB’s Mechele Mills notes that cryptocurrency operates completely on the Internet and there’s no way “to reverse charges or things like that.” Mills says one reason for the danger is that cryptocurrency is “trendy,” with people “wanting a piece of the action in a way.” She tells us cryptocurrency is being used in employment and romance scams, scammers are using the new Bitcoin ATMs to get money, and they’re using cryptocurrency in the ways they normally perpetrate. Mills says it’s very important to be as knowledgeable as you can and not to react emotionally. Continue reading Officials offer warning, advice on cryptocurrenty scams

TYLER — The North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA) is informing motorists to be aware of one more nightly ramp closure for maintenance on Toll 49 this week. Entrance and exit ramps will be closed from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. Thursday night through Friday morning at the FM 756 interchange. Motorists can stay updated on closures and road conditions by visiting this link.

WHITEHOUSE — The City of Whitehouse community broke ground on the construction site of the first Whataburger that is coming to the city on Wednesday afternoon. Whataburger employees, DKT Investments and the Whitehouse Area Chamber of Commerce were all in attendance, according to our news partner KETK. The first Whataburger will be located at 1051 Highway 110. The company will be hiring more than 50 local employees. The Whataburger will be joined to a Triple J C-store. Continue reading Whitehouse breaks ground on new Whataburger