KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The House intelligence panel will submit a report to the Judiciary panel in the next few weeks and then Democrats will consider moving forward with a vote on impeachment of President Donald Trump. U.S. Texas District 1 Congressmen Louie Gohmert tells KTBB, the proceedings have been anything but fair. “Well it’s pretty sad what’s been going on. The Republican’s have not been allowed to bring in witnesses that would clarify the kind of corruption that’s gone on. And also, what kind of conspiring has gone on between the so-called whistle blower and the two people that work in the intelligence committee directly for Adam Schiff.” There could be several steps still to come, including a Judiciary committee vote, a House floor vote and, finally, a Senate trial.

KILGORE — Kilgore police arrested four people in connection with multiple church burglaries over the past week. According to our news partner KETK, an investigation started after burglaries at First Presbyterian Church and First Baptist Church were reported over the weekend. After forensic evidence was analyzed and video surveillance was reviewed, police quickly identified multiple suspects. Continue reading Kilgore Police Arrest Four in Church Burglaries

TYLER — The ovens will still be warm from feeding hundreds of people for Thanksgiving at the Salvation Army, when the Red Kettle Campaign and Angel Tree’s hit full force in Tyler. Captain Robert Parker told KTBB. “Thanksgiving weekend is the time when our Red Kettle Campaign increases to include all of our locations.” Parker went on to say, “The Angel Tree program is a great family teaching moment for kids to adopt an angel off of the tree and then get to go and shop for that child is very educational.” All the monies raised through the Red Kettle initiative at Christmas go to make meals like Thanksgiving possible, as well as social services, programs and outreaches year round. 

TYLER — Following that turkey lunch or dinner on Thursday, many may continue cooking during the weekend. Smith County Fire Marshal Paul Findley tells KTBB that staying focused is a big key to keeping trouble out of the holidays. “Unattended cooking year round is one of the number 1 causes of fires.” Many people will be frying foods, including turkey. If done incorrectly, this can be a dangerous endeavor. When frying foods, you increase the risk of a cooking fire. Continue reading Safety Tips for Frying Turkey

MARSHALL — Marshall 911 dispatched officers on Wednesday involving a crash that claimed the life of a pedestrian on East End Blvd. South. The victim was identified as Michael Wayne Diggs, 40, of Marshall. The initial investigation indicates that a male pedestrian was crossing the road outside of a designated crosswalk before being stuck and killed by a vehicle. The driver stopped at the scene. Marshall Police Department and Fire Department paramedics found Diggs deceased. Continue reading Pedestrian Killed in Marshall

TYLER –The Salvation Army is working in preparation for their annual community Thanksgiving meal. Captain Robert Parker told KTBB that volunteers worked on Wednesday to make preparation for an anticipated 1500 People at the annual Thanksgiving Lunch. “They will start prepping and start carving turkey’s and making sure all of the pumpkins are prepped and all of the side dishes are ready to go. Then we will have another big round of volunteers coming in early on Thursday morning and it’s going to be a great day.” Continue reading Salvation Army Ready to Serve

JACKSONVILLE — A man was seriously injured after being shot in the neck during a fight in Jacksonville. Police said in a social media post on Tuesday, that a fight broke out on San Saba street Monday night. Upon the arrival of police they discovered the victim was already on his way to a hospital. Officers further located multiple houses in the immediate area that were struck by gunfire. During the course of the investigation Officers determined the fight resulted in multiple people bringing out several handguns and firing several rounds. Continue reading One Seriously Injured Following Gun Fight

TYLER — Thanksgiving continues to be the leading day of the year for home fires involving cooking equipment. The average number of reported residential building fires more than doubles on Thanksgiving Day alone. Smith County Fire Marshal Paul Findley told KTBB the reasons has everything to do with what we love doing most on Thanksgiving. Food. “All of the preparations going on in the kitchen, and the busyness of our schedules sometimes causes us to get distracted.” Continue reading Thanksgiving Peak Day for Residential Structure Fires

TYLER — On Wednesday Smith County began taking bids on county vehicles for an online auction that will last for 2 weeks until 5 p.m. December 11. There will also be set times interested buyers can view the property in person. These are 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. next Tuesday, and 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. December 6, at the Gulf States Building, on E. Line Street in Tyler. No appointment is necessary. All items can also be viewed online at http://www.govdeals.com.

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) – The biggest winner in the aftermath of Stephen F. Austin’s shocking upset of No. 1 Duke might be the fundraising website for the family of the player who hit the game-winning layup. A two-month old GoFundMe page set up to help guard Nathan Bain’s family rebuild from Hurricane Dorian damage had raised over $119,000 as of Thursday morning – a massive spike from the roughly $2,000 it had raised before Tuesday night’s game that is the talk of college basketball. Bain’s family in Freeport, Bahamas lost “nearly everything of value” and the church run by his father, a minister, sustained “extreme damage” in the Category 5 storm that hammered the islands, according to the website set up by the school two weeks after the storm. Bain scored on a breakaway layup just before the overtime buzzer to give the school located in Nacogdoches, Texas, an 85-83 victory.

TYLER –There will be a special Thanksgiving box and produce distribution on Wednesday. According to The East Texas Food Bank, the initiative will take place Wednesday afternoon at the East Texas State Fairgrounds in Tyler. Distribution starts at 1:00 p.m. until 3:30 p.m. and is limited to one allocation per residence. The items are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, while supplies last.

TYLER — Smith County announced on Tuesday that new voter registration certificates have been mailed out to the registered voters. The orange cards were mailed to over a 135,000 homes in Smith County. The cards will be valid for elections through December 31, 2021. The certificates are for the voters’ records and shows them their voting precinct. It also lists each voter’s state and U.S. representatives, as well as local commissioner, justice of the peace and election information for city, school district, college district, emergency services district and municipal utility district. Continue reading Registration Cards Mailed Out in Smith County

RUSK — A resolution passed unanimously in the Cherokee County Commissioners Court on Tuesday that will make it a “sanctuary county” for the 2nd Amendment. According to our news partner KETK, the move was made to help protect gun owners. Cherokee County is the 13th county in Texas to pass such a resolution since Washington lawmakers have been calling for stricter gun laws, in the aftermath of mass shootings. No money will be spent on the resolution, but Commissioners feel it is a positive action step in protecting the gun rights of East Texans. Smith and Wood Counties have both passed similar resolutions in the past few weeks.

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office is currently looking for Rosemary Rodriguez. Rodriguez has been missing since October 8th. Gregg County Sheriff’s Lt. Joshua Tubb told KTBB on Tuesday morning that they have uncovered a key piece of evidence that could help in her disappearance. “Recently investigators have uncovered an electronic device, that we know belonged to Ms. Rodgriguez.” Continue reading Evidence Found in Case of Rosemary Rodriguez

TYLER — Smith County residents have been very active in sharing their thoughts on the potential of a new courthouse for the county. County Judge Nathaniel Moran told KTBB on Tuesday that input is invaluable. “Over the past couple of months the county has insured that people have had a number of ways to provide input. Online, Paper Surveys available at J.P. offices, and the Public Meetings.” Judge Moran went on to say the survey is still available online, and residents can click through all the information in about 3 to 4 minutes. Continue reading Citizen Input Continues for Potential Courthouse

TYLER — Tyler Police are asking for help in the identification of a person of interest in a sexual assault. The assault took place last August on Chimney Rock Drive in Tyler. According to a post on the Tyler PD’s facebook page, this person is described as a skinny black male. Police hope the rendering in this sketch will bring about information leading to the persons identity. Contact Det. Elliott at 903-531-1026 or call Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833.

HENDERSON COUNTY — A man wanted on felon warrants was arrested Monday night near Mabank following a tip. According to Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, Jesse Aaron Garner, 39, was arrested after a tipster said he would be at a gas station on State Highway 198. Garner was wanted on three felony warrants for stealing a vehicle, evading arrest with a vehicle and bond forfeiture. During the routine pat down, the arresting deputy saw an orange syringe tip fall from Garner’s lap, which led to him confessing to having two baggies with meth hidden in his socks. He was booked into the Henderson County Jail.

TYLER — After two weeks of public hearings on an impeachment inquiry of the President, many now wonder, what’s next? On Monday Congressmen Gohmert told KTBB, “We haven’t gotten word yet. The impeachment committee still remains to be the judiciary committee. We are not sure if we will be able to question the witnesses that have been called already. Or if we are going to get some trumped up report, no pun intended, from the intel committee. And then be forced to take a vote without seeing the witnesses face to face.”

KILGORE — Kilgore College has been recognized as having a top-ranked online Fire Science Degree Program by Intelligent.com. On Monday Kilgore college released the details of the award. Intelligent.com analyzed 429 programs, on a scale of 0 to 100, with KC’s program ranked at No. 9 in the nation. The student-focused comprehensive research guide is based on an assessment of 1,604 accredited colleges and universities. Each program is evaluated based on curriculum quality, graduation rate, reputation and post-graduate employment. The 2020 rankings are calculated through a unique scoring system, which includes student engagement, potential return on investment and leading third party evaluations.

TYLER — The Junior League of Tyler received confirmation on Monday from NET Health, the Center for Disease Control, and the City of Tyler that Harvey Hall is clean, clear, and safe, meaning Mistletoe and Magic is a go as previously scheduled. Susanne Mackintosh, told KTBB, “We consider the safety of our community and merchants a top priority and are incredibly thankful for all of the measures the city went to, in order to safely re-open the doors of Harvey Hall.” Continue reading “Mistletoe and Magic” Gets All Clear

TYLER — Harvey Hall Convention Center re-opened on Monday morning after Legionella bacteria was found by the Centers for Disease Control last week. However, the CDC confirmed on Friday that Harvey Hall was not the source of the Leionnaires disease outbreak in October. There were eight confirmed cases and one death linked to Legionnaire’s disease. The city’s decision to close Harvey was precautionary. The plumbing system was disnfected, flushed, and tested again. Tyler’s Julie Goodgame told KTBB, “that the initial remedial process completed over the weekend and as of this morning, Monday, we have staff moving back into the building.” Harvey Hall will host “Mistletoe and Magic” that begins on December 4.

HIDEAWAY — The plane that crashed in a field near Hideaway Friday had lost power just before the pilot deployed the Cirrus aircraft safety parachute. That’s according to the Federal Aviation Administration, which says the plane had been traveling from Terrell, headed to Gladewater. It crashed off County Road 434, west of Hideaway. According to our news partner KETK, the pilot and passenger were both injured. The extent of injuries wasn’t immediately clear, but the two were transported to U.T. Health-Tyler. Further details are awaited as the investigation continues.

TYLER — Tyler Transit began operating a seasonal line (Orange-Route 6) that started on Monday and will continue through Dec. 28. The temporary trek will run from the Social Security office on S. Donnybrook Ave. to The Village at Cumberland Park on South Broadway. The Orange route is an additional route and will not affect permanent lines of operation. The seasonal circuit hours are from 11:20 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. Tyler Transit will be operating all routes during Black Friday, Nov. 29. Hours of operation will be from 8:15 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tyler Transit will not be operating on Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year’s days. For more info contact the Transit Depot at (903) 533-8057.

AUSTIN — The Texas Water Development Board has approved $1,125,000 in financial assistance for the city of Athens. The city will use the money to finance design and construction costs as it works to replace about 5,000 linear feet of water line. The money consists of an $825,000 loan and $300,000 in loan forgiveness.

DALLAS — The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Dallas Field Division is offering a $500 reward, combined with an additional $500 offered by the National Sports Shooting Foundation (NSSF), in a case from last summer. The reward is for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the burglary and theft of firearms from Federal Firearms licensee (FFL) Wiley & Sons in Wills Point. According to a news release, around 3:00 a.m. on August 30, two people forced entry into FFL Wiley & Sons, on Van Zandt County Road 2120. Continue reading Reward Offered in Federal Firearms Licensee Burglary

TYLER — The city of Tyler plans to reopen Harvey Convention Center Monday if that’s approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health). The city temporarily closed the convention center this week in the wake of a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak that killed one person and sickened seven others. The city has since been notified by the CDC that, though testing for Legionella is positive at Harvey, the bacteria strain found in samples from Harvey was not consistent with the strain that caused the outbreak. Continue reading Officials Hope to Reopen Harvey Convention Center Monday

TYLER — For the 23rd consecutive year, Tyler Junior College has received the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association for its comprehensive annual financial report. The certificate is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting. Carol Hutson, the Executive Director of Business Services told KTBB it takes a comprhensive approach. Continue reading TJC Honored Again for Financial Reporting

HARRISON COUNTY — An East Texas couple has been indicted in the death of a 5-year-old Waskom child. According to our news partner KETK said, Danielle Faulkner, the boys mother, was indicted on Thursday. The Harrison County Grand Jury found evidence supported the charge of injury to a child causing serious bodily injury. Larry Prudhomme, Faulkner’s boyfriend, was indicted for murder. Both charges are first degree felonies punishable by 5-99 years or life in state prison if they are convicted. Bonds were set at $1 million each.