KTBB News, Weather, Talk

MARSHALL – A shooting at Marshall’s Wiley College is under investigation. It happened around 12:15 Monday morning. It appears as if a black sedan drove onto the Strickland Hall parking lot and possibly exchanged gunfire with someone. One bullet went through a dorm window. No injuries were reported. It is not believed that the dormitories were the target of the shooting. The car, with possibly two persons inside, crashed into a retaining wall, damaging the wall and the vehicle. The vehicle then left the campus. The car should have extensive front-end damage.

TYLER — Tylerites Monday celebrated the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with an annual downtown event. Guest speaker was Rev. Frances Cudjoe Waters of Dallas. She told KTBB, “We come here to celebrate the legacy and life and the justice that Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. fought for. But it’s important to remember that we must continue that legacy ourselves. So the real question of how we celebrate today is not so much what was done in the past, but what we will be motivated to do in the future.” Continue reading Tyler Observes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day

TYLER — Tyler TxDOT District maintenance and construction project work continues in the coming week. Weather conditions or other unforeseen issues could change these work schedules. Crews are in the process of pre-treating elevated structures on I-20 and other major roadways around the district in preparation for winter weather forecast for Monday night and into Tuesday. TxDOT personnel have readied equipment and materials and will be on standby to respond as conditions warrant. Continue reading TxDOT’s Weekly Roadwork Update

MARSHALL — The Marshall Police Department is investigating a fatal single-vehicle rollover crash Saturday around 11 p.m. on West Grand Avenue. 24-year-old driver Ulises Macedo-Castro of Marshall was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Marshall, where he was pronounced dead. The cause wasn’t immediately determined.

HENDERSON — Authorities are seeking leads after the East Texas Professional Credit Union on East Main in Henderson was robbed by a man and woman around 10:27 Saturday morning. According to KETK, police say the man was armed with a handgun, the woman with a knife. The pair left the scene in a silver crossover/SUV-type vehicle with an undisclosed amount of money. There were no employees or customers injured. The Henderson Police Department, FBI, Texas Rangers, and Rusk County DA’s Office are investigating. Anyone with information is asked to notify the Henderson Police Department at (903) 657-3512.

MARSHALL — Marshall police are strongly urging drivers to use extra caution. According to Public Information Officer Kelly Colvin, there are several water leaks within the city, the main one being on Grand Ave. at Grove St. With temperatures falling below freezing during nighttime and early morning hours, Colvin says it’s highly likely these leaks will turn to ice, making the roadways hazardous. Colvin says city crews have been working to repair the leaks. She couldn’t say exactly where the leaks are but added, “with leaks seemingly popping up all over the city, we really need drivers to just slow down and remain vigilant when traveling in these conditions.” Continue reading Marshall Police Urge Caution while Driving

TYLER (AP) – A Tyler man convicted of shooting at a sheriff’s deputy and then fleeing to Arkansas has been sentenced to life in prison. Jurors in Smith County who convicted 33-year-old Ricardo Pineda of aggravated assault against a peace officer also decided Friday he should be fined $10,000. Pineda was the target of a federal and county drug investigation when he fired a dozen rifle shots at a Smith County deputy during a March 2016 car chase. The deputy’s car was disabled. Pineda later was arrested in Corning, Arkansas, about 400 miles to the northeast. Pineda had a federal conviction in 2000 for possession and distribution of methamphetamine. Prosecutors told jurors to send a message that shooting at law enforcement officers is not acceptable.

MARSHALL — A Marshall woman has identified a missing Lake O’ the Pines boater as her brother, John Mitchell, 50, also of Marshall — and the man is presumed to have drowned. According to KETK and the Marshall News Messenger, Felicia Murray said late Friday that boats headed up by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Marion County Game Warden officials continued searching for Mitchell. Murray said Mitchell had been at the lake Friday fishing when he drowned. “The current pushed the boat up against the bank of rock and put a hole in the boat,” Murray said on Friday. “The water got in and the current turned the boat over.” Continue reading Search Continues for Presumed Drowning Victim on Lake o’ the Pines

LONGVIEW – A Longview man has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a 7-year-old girl. KETK reports a jury found James Gilmore, 59, guilty Friday on one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child. According to the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office, on November 19, 2016, an officer was dispatched to a Longview hospital on a report of a child sexual assault. During a search of his home, detectives found a note on how Gilmore wanted his estate divided and a pair of the victim’s pajamas. A DPS Crime Lab determined skin cells of the defendant were on the clothes, according to the DA’s Office. Gilmore will be sentenced on February 6.

TYLER — East Texas Copy Systems, in business in Tyler for more than 70 years, has been sold to business technology provider Datamax, Inc. Although the name of the company will change, East Texas Copy Systems President Greg Walker stresses that customers should anticipate “business as usual” moving forward, according to a news release. Walker adds, “They can also anticipate an enhanced commitment and capability through the expanded resources of Datamax.” Datamax has been in business for more than 60 years with offices in Little Rock, Hot Springs, and Dallas/Fort Worth.

TYLER — Funeral services for Tom Perryman will be on Saturday, January 20th, at 3:00pm at Stewart Family Funeral Home. Visitation will be just before that, from 1:00 till 3:00. KETK reports Perryman, a legendary East Texas radio personality, died at home Thursday with his wife of 71 years at his side. He was 90 years old. Perryman began his East Texas radio career in Jacksonville in the 1940s, He was responsible for bringing stars like Elvis Presley, Patsy Cline, Ray Price, and Johnny Cash to East Texas. In 2015, Tyler Mayor Martin Heines declared May 21 “Tom Perryman Day.”

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University has been awarded a $250,000 grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation. The funds will be used for the purchase and installation of a new scanning electron microscope (SEM) in the Kielhorn Welding and Materials Joining Engineering Laboratory at the school. A news release from the school says the new equipment will assist in modernizing existing materials joining engineering courses focused on welding metallurgy. It will also be used in biology and chemistry lab courses that will be able to add modules to introduce undergraduate students to SEM imaging. The new SEM is expected to be purchased and installed this spring and ready for use by summer, with undergraduate students across campus expected to be using it for a variety of different projects starting in the fall.

TYLER – The sale of the old Carlton Hotel by Smith County has been finalized. The 90,000-square-foot facility remained vacant for years. Tai Ly purchased the building for $537,500. Burns Commercial Properties LLC was the broker for Smith County on the sale. Closing documents for the sale were signed on Friday. Continue reading Smith County Finalizes Sale of Carlton Hotel

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department is investigating a woman posing as a nurse. The Texas Board of Nursing notified the District Attorney’s Office about Stephanie Garcia. She is also known as Stephanie Halcomb. The action stems from an investigation that was prompted by a patient’s complaint at Davita Dialysis. The state board said Garcia went to work at the Marshall clinic in 2016, using information of a nurse with the same name and submitting an application with false information. According to a report in the Longview News Journal, Garcia no longer works at the facility.

IRVING – Susan Bufford Maleskey, 58, of Jacksonville was found shot to death Thursday night. A family member returned home to find the woman dead. A news release from the police department said “the motive for the shooting is unconfirmed, however, detectives do not believe it to be a random act.” They say they are following up on leads and have identified a suspect.

PALESTINE – Friday morning, the Palestine Police Department raided three gaming rooms. Over the course of several months, undercover investigators visited the rooms, collecting evidence that led to Friday’s raid. Several agencies assisted in the investigation. Chief Andy Harvey said the raids, dubbed “operation Game Over,” resulted in the seizure of 125 gaming machines, computers and standalone games, and $96,224. The warrants were served at Blow Vapor Zone and Dee’s Business Center, both on West Palestine Avenue and; and J&R Lounge on McNeil Street. The investigation is continuing and officials say charges could be filed in the case. Continue reading Gambling Raids in Palestine

TYLER – A Tyler teen is going to prison for sexually assaulting a child. Justin Ray Dunford, 18, pleaded guilty Friday in 7th State District Court. Judge Kerry Russell sentenced Dunford to 25 years in prison. Last May, he is said to have assaulted a girl, under the age of 14, at a home south of the Chapel Hill area. Dunford had been living with the family but was not related to them. The girl had complained of soreness and went to the doctor where she told about the sexual assault. After an investigation, which included interviewing the girl at the Child Advocacy Center, Dunford was arrested.

SMITH COUNTY – A Smith County man claims a commercial scent spray to attract deer worked two well. The man tells a game warden he had to shoot two undersized bucks in self-defense. Their heads were found on top of a shed hidden in the woods. The man told a game warden he put the deer heads on the shed with the intention of turning himself in, but never got around to it. Multiple charges are pending. Continue reading Man Claims Deer Shooting was in Self Defense

TYLER – An East Texas man is facing sexual assault charges. Christopher Scott Sanders, 31, of Brownsboro was arrested in Tyler on Wednesday. He was booked into the Smith County Jail on charges of sexual assault of a child and possession of child pornography. His bonds total $200,000. His arrest stems from material in his car which a state trooper discovered during a traffic stop in Brownsboro late last month. Continue reading A Traffic Stop Leads to More Serious Charges

LAKE O’THE PINES — At least one agency is now out of the picture, but the investigation continues in last summer’s tragedy at Lake o’ the Pines. Three Boy Scouts were killed when the mast of their sailboat came in contact with a power line hanging over the lake. According KETK, a Texas Parks and WIldlife spokesperson says no criminal charges will be filed in the case on that agency’s behalf. He says TPW’s role in the investigation has closed. Upshur Rural Electric Cooperative says it’s too early to discuss what steps might be taken regarding power lines over waterways. That’s the utility in control of the power line involved in the accident. Utility staffers say engineers continue to investigate the tragedy.

NACOGDOCHES – A Nacogdoches County homicide victim has been identified. The man’s body was found early Monday evening at Gravel Ridge Cemetery on Farm Road 225. With the assistance of the Texas Department of Public Safety, using facial imaging technology, the victim has been identified as Thomas Vaiden Sluterbeck, 43, of Nacogdoches. Sheriff Jason Bridges says there is evidence that the man was murdered. But, since the investigation is ongoing, only limited information can be released at this time. Continue reading East Texas Murder Victim Identified

TYLER – It is a first for the Texas Rose Festival. A Tyler Junior College student has been named queen of the festival. The 85th Texas Rose Queen is Amanda Elaine Hiles of Tyler, a freshman at TJC. The announcement was made Thursday night at a gala event and a news conference. But, according to a news release from TJC, her identity as queen had actually been a closely guarded secret kept under wraps since early November. On the morning of Thursday, Nov. 2, Texas Rose Festival President Brad Curtis and a small entourage of rose festival officials, members of the Hiles family and a huge bouquet of roses, made a surprise visit to the TJC main campus to drop in on an Apache Belles rehearsal. It was then when Curtis asked Amanda, “Would you be my queen?” He got a quick, “yes.” Continue reading Tyler’s New Rose Queen Announced

TYLER – An optimistic evaluation of the 2018 economy, from East Texas to across the nation, has been painted by noted economist Ray Perryman. The appraisal came in Tyler luncheon Thursday at his annual speech on the economic outlook. It was the largest crowd ever to attend the luncheon. They had to bring in extra tables and chairs. Perryman sees a 4.5% increase in gross domestic product in the Tyler area. That is compared to a 4% percent increase in Texas, and a 2.9% percent increase in the nation. Perryman said the Texas economy is generally doing better than the national economy. He said the Texas economy grew faster because of the rebound in the oil and gas industry. Perryman added, the state’s economy depends on undocumented immigrants, and that poverty in the Hispanic community is a major social issue Texas will need to address.

TYLER – A man, who was one of three men accused of firing at Smith County deputies during a chase last year, has been found guilty of aggravated assault of a public servant. A Tyler jury on Thursday convicted Ricardo Martinez Pineda, 37, of Tyler. The jurors in the 241st State District Court will now consider punishment. Continue reading Smith County Man Guilty of Shooting at Deputies

TYLER – The Tyler district office of the Texas Department of Transportation will begin emergency preparedness operations on Friday in advance of wintry conditions that could show up in the area Monday night. Pre-treatment of elevated structures will be conducted throughout the day and completed Saturday. Crews will treat the bridges on the heavily traveled Interstate Highway 20 and elevated structures on other major roadways around the Tyler District. A brine solution consisting of salt and water designed to prevent ice and snow from sticking to surfaces will be used. Continue reading Crews Preparing to Pre-Treat Elevated Structures

TYLER – Tyler Junior College opened its Spring 2018 semester with convocation ceremonies this week in Wise Auditorium. Activities were kicked off with a performance by the Chapel Hill High School Jazz Band. TJC President Dr. Mike Metke pointed out that 15 of the 18 members of the high school group were connected to TJC through dual credit classes, Early College High School or the TJC Promise scholarship program. Classes at TJC resume next Tuesday.

TYLER – Brookshire Grocery Co. officials have presented a check to the American Red Cross’s Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. The donation is $125,000. The company, along with customers to their stores, donated $100,000. The Western Union Foundation gave an additional $25,000. Tammy Prater, Executive Director, American Red Cross East Texas Area, said the funds will be used to provide assistance for the long-term needs of persons and communities affected by Hurricane Harvey in August.

TYLER – A man accused of an Oklahoma Robbery has been arrested in Smith County. Smith County Sheriff’s deputies were first called Wednesday morning to check on Bruce Hicks Junior, 28, of Copperas Cove for emotional issues. They then learned the SUV he was driving was stolen out of Love County Oklahoma during a robbery of the vehicles owner. The owner, an 89 year old man was attacked and beaten as he walked across a parking. A search of the vehicle turned up 19 pounds of marijuana. He is currently being held in the Smith County Jail under bonds totaling $120,000.

TYLER – Robert E. Lee High School Principal Dr. Dan Crawford has written an open letter in regards to hazing incidents. During the last half of the previous school year, Dr. Crawford received numerous reports of hazing and bullying of freshmen. It’s a “tradition” that is known as “T’ing.” Dr. Crawford says hazing and bullying is prohibited on and off-campus and they will investigate any reported incidents. You can go to https://www.tylerisd.org/cms/lib/TX01918383/Centricity/Domain/35/Letter%20from%20Dr.%20C_Hazing%20and%20Bullying.pdf to read the principal’s letter on the subject.