KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LINDALE – Motorists can expect delays and closures as night work is conducted on Interstate Highway 20 at the Toll 49 Interchange, and on the ongoing US 271 project in Tyler. The schedules are subject to change due to wet weather forecast for the area. The Lindale Police Department will provide traffic control. Thursday night’s planned closure: I-20 eastbound ramp will be closed from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Toll 49 customers traveling east on I-20 wanting to travel south on Toll 49 will be directed to Harvey Rd (CR 433) where they will be turned back to I-20 westbound ramp and then to Toll 49S. Continue reading Work Continues On I-20 at Toll 49

TYLER — Services will be held Saturday at 1 p.m. at Marvin United Methodist Church for Gladys Square, the first woman to serve on Tyler’s City Council. Ms. Square died August 24 at the age of 93. She spent three terms on the Council, from 1989 till 1995. Before that, she had a lengthy career as a school teacher, most notably 33 years at Peete Elementary. Ms. Square was affiliated with numerous organizations and was named Senior Citizen of the Year at the 2006 East Texas State Fair.

LUFKIN — A popular Lufkin DJ has gone missing in the Houston area during efforts to help Harvey victims. According to KETK, 30-year-old Alonso Guillén, or DJ Ocho, left Tuesday to go help people in Spring and his boat capsized around midnight. Ocho was on a boat with 25-year-old Tomas Carreon and 22-year-old Luis Ortega. Ortega is recovering in the hospital, while the other two men are still missing. Friends and family are collecting clothes, food and water that they plan to donate to people affected by Harvey in Deep East and South Texas. Radio station Y-100 says if you have any information regarding this incident, please contact the Montgomery County Sheriffs office at 936.760.5871.

GILMER – The reward has grown in connection with an Upshur County bank robbery. The Security State Bank in Diana was robbed by three men on August 11th. The bank was robbed around 5:00 that Friday afternoon. The men, one who was armed, took an undetermined amount of money and then fled on foot. With an additional $5,000 sponsored by the Texas Bankers Association, the total reward is now $6,000. Authorities have released a picture from a video that was made at a near by business. It shows two of the suspects just before the robbery and before they covered their faces.

TYLER — The East Texas Communities Foundation is cautioning against scam artists and has compiled a list of resources to guide donors interested in helping those displaced by Hurricane Harvey. “At this time, cash donations to trusted nonprofit agencies will provide the greatest assistance to those in the disaster areas,” said ETCF President Kyle Penney in a news release. Penney cites several online resources to verify if an organization is a trusted nonprofit, including Charity Navigator and Guidestar. You can also call ETCF for guidance at 903-533-0208. Continue reading ETCF Reminds Donors to Beware of Harvey Donation Scams

TYLER – The Tyler Salvation Army is among numerous agencies offering relief to Hurricane Harvey evacuees. Several families self-evacuated from the storms path and arrived at The Salvation Army Sunday afternoon. The agency was able to provide temporary shelter and food and some basic necessities. The Salvation Army is now preparing its facility to feed any of the estimated 1,800 evacuees who are currently staying in hotels in the area starting at noon on Thursday. According to a news release, currently the best way to assist the relief efforts is by going to http://www.helpsalvationarmy.org or calling 1-800-SAL-ARMY or texting STORM to 51555.

EAST TEXAS — A former East Texas high school football player turned football coach has died, according to Clear Creek Independent School District. On Tuesday, the Friendswood Police Department confirmed Ruben C. Jordan, was killed in the devastating floods in South Texas. According to KETK, his family said he was last seen helping rescue people after Hurricane Harvey hit the state. Jordan, a retired coach at Clear Creek High School, also played football at John Tyler High School alongside “The Tyler Rose,” Earl Campbell. He graduated from JTHS in 1977, according to his Facebook page. From there, he attended Lamar University before going into coaching and teaching. Upon retirement, Jordan opened Friendswood Driving School.

LONGVIEW – Mobberly Baptist Church has established a collection center to facilitate donations from Longview residents. The center is located at 1905 West Loop 281, Suite 50, formerly Big Lots. It will assist in meeting the immediate needs of recovery efforts, as well as the ongoing needs of evacuees. Mobberly’s center will serve as an official distribution point to transport needed goods to shelters and people in need. The collection center is established in partnership with several churches and organizations. Continue reading Longview Church Establishes Hurricane Supplies Collection Center

TYLER – Robert E. Lee High School has received the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Safe Sports School 1st Team award for its Red Raider athletic training program. A news release from TISD says the award recognizes secondary schools that provide safe environments for student athletes and reinforces the importance of providing the best level of care, injury prevention and treatment. Awarded every three years, this is the second time Lee has received the 1st Team award.

TYLER – The Tyler city council will holds the second public hearing today on the city’s proposed budget. The proposal calls for a one cent tax hike. It takes the city’s tax rate from 23 cents to 24 cents per $100 valuation. The increase is proposed to cover lower sales tax revenues and a decline in the oil and gas sector. But, the tax hike is not the only proposed increase. Hikes are also proposed for city water, wastewater garbage collection and ball field rental rates. The budget is scheduled to be adopted at the council meeting on September 13th.

TYLER – Tyler has become home to Hurricane Harvey evacuees and more are expected. There are over 650 Harvey evacuees now in Tyler. In preparation for more, officials from Visit Tyler, the City of Tyler, and the Tyler Lodging Association met to prepare for the influx. There is hotel availability at almost all of the hotels this week, and properties that don’t usually allow pets, will allow evacuees to check in with their pets. Also, all local and state hotel/motel taxes are being waived for evacuees. And, evacuees will be able to get a list from the front desk at their hotel of discounted and free activities, services, entertainment, and meals that will be offered in the area. If you are a Tyler business that would like to offer free or discounted services to evacuees in Tyler, contact Shari Lee at slee@tylertexas.com or call 903-592-1661.

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court has voted unanimously to adopt the Fiscal Year 2018 budget and tax rate. County officials cite the following priorities: road improvements; increased funding for law enforcement and jail operations; improved operational efficiency; continued improvement to facilities and technology; and hiring and retaining qualified employees who are providing the highest level of service. The Commissioners Court adopted a tax rate of 33 cents per $100 valuation, the same as Fiscal Year 2017. As part of the package, the county is adding the positions of fleet manager and budget analyst. You can go to http://www.smith-county.com for more details.

TYLER — Tyler Police are searching for the suspect wanted in the robbery of a grocery store owner. It happened just after 11:00 Monday night at the Super Food Mart on NNW loop 323. Police were told that the store manager was walking to her car after locking the store when she was grabbed from behind and forced to the back of the building. The suspect reportedly shoved her to the ground and took her purse along with the store’s money from that evening. The suspect, described as a tall, thin black male, fled the scene, possibly in a white SUV. An employee taking out trash claims to have not seen anything. No injuries were reported.

LONGVIEW – Two East Texas teens have been arrested on robbery charges in Longview. Zachary Bryan Christopher, 18, of Tatum (pictured) has been charged with aggravated robbery and giving false information and failure to identify. His bonds total $101,000. Also charged in the case is Keon Thomas, 17, of Longview. He is not only charged with aggravated robbery, he is also being held on warrants for burglary of a building. His bonds total $105,000. The Longview New Journal reports the two are accused of demanding money from a taxicab driver at gunpoint. The driver said he drove away without giving any money and that both suspects ran away. The incident is said to have occurred in early May.

LONGVIEW – A Longview man is being accused of attacking his mentally challenged brother by kicking him in the face and stomping on his neck. Being held in the Gregg County Jail is Tahj Shannon, 28. The attack is said to have occurred early Saturday evening at the Ware Meadows Apartments on South High Street. According to the Longview News Journal, the suspect’s brother as well as the men’s mother told officers of the attack. Shannon is charged with injury to a child/elderly/disabled individual with intentional bodily injury.

TYLER – Smith County commissioners are set to approve next year’s budget at Tuesday’s meeting. Before the budget is adopted, the public will have one last chance to comment on it. The proposed budget for the new year, which starts October 1st, is $88.6 million. The tax rate will remain the same at 33 cents per $100 property valuation. This will still generate more revenue because of increased property values. This will cost the average home owner just over an additional $25 on their yearly tax bill. The meeting starts at 9:30 in the courthouse annex building on East Ferguson.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – East bound lanes of Interstate Highway 20, at the 530 mile marker, have been reopened following a fatal accident. The Van Zandt County crash involved a truck-tractor semi-trailer and a passenger car. The driver of the passenger car was killed. We will have more information when it becomes available.

TYLER – The Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health) encourages all East Texas residents to begin making plans to prepare for the impending rainfall that our area is expected to receive from the residual storms of Hurricane Harvey. NET Health says it is particularly important to be prepared if you live in a low-lying area, near a body of water (creeks, streams, lakes, etc.) or downstream from a large body of water. Emergency Management Officials have advised the public to call 2-1-1 for up-to-date shelter information. 2-1-1 is a free statewide program available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Continue reading Preparation Urged as Flooding Expected in East Texas from Harvey

TYLER — 23-year-old Victor Macias-Vergara of Smith County has been killed in a Tyler truck accident. Police were called around 10:30 Saturday night about a rollover crash on S. Vine Avenue near the Grove Street intersection. Witnesses said Macias-Vergara’s truck lost control and left the roadway as it drove south. Police say the case remains under investigation.

TYLER – East Texans are helping out in the ongoing response to Hurricane Harvey. KETK reports the city of Tyler will soon be assisting state officials in life-saving efforts in the Houston area. According to Fire Marshal Paul Findley, Tyler Fire is deploying a mobile command and communications unit, along with four personnel. A formal request for help was received Sunday afternoon. Up until the request, the city had only been on standby. The vehicle will travel to an undetermined staging location in the Houston area. Findley said the unit will likely be gone for a week and could possibly stay longer if needed. Continue reading East Texans Assist in Harvey Response Efforts

TYLER – Motorists can expect delays and closures as night work is conducted on I-20 at the Toll 49 interchange, and on the ongoing US 271 project in Tyler. TxDOT says the schedules are subject to change due to wet weather forecast for the area. Starting tonight, I-20 will experience closures necessary for work on the NETRMA’s Toll 49 construction project. Message boards are already in place announcing the planned closures. If the work is rained out, it will be rescheduled to start on September 5. The Lindale Police Department will provide traffic control. Continue reading Expect Night Work on I-20 and U.S. 271

TYLER — The Tyler Together Race Relations Forum will hold a “Reignite the Dream” rally on the Tyler downtown square tonight at 6:30. Organizers say it marks the 54th anniversary of the March on Washington, at which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. They say the event was spurred by recent events across the nation, including the local discussion about possibly renaming Robert E. Lee High School. According to information from Tyler Together, participants plan to remember Dr. King’s speech and rededicate their efforts to make his words a reality in the community. The event has several co-sponsors, and the public is being encouraged to attend.

RUSK – An escapee from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Skyview Unit in Rusk has been captured. TDCJ officials say 35-year-old Aaron Ray Williams was caught by TDCJ staff around 10:20 a.m. Sunday along Highway 84, west of Rusk. A news release issued shortly before 9:00 Sunday morning said he had escaped by scaling a fence. Williams is serving a 35-year sentence for burglary of a building in Smith County.

DALLAS (AP) – Congress is close to finalizing changes to the nation’s emergency dialing system inspired by a girl’s struggle to call 911 as her mother lay dying from stab wounds in a Marshall hotel room. The House and Senate unanimously passed versions of the proposal. Once the final wording is worked out, the measure known as “Kari’s Law” heads to President Donald Trump’s desk. Kari Hunt Dunn (pictured) was killed in 2013 when her estranged husband stormed into her hotel room and stabbed her multiple times while her children watched. One of them, a girl who was 9 at the time, tried to call 911 four times but wasn’t able to get an outside line. Her grandfather, Dunn’s father, pressed Congress to mandate direct-dial 911 on new phone systems that businesses install.

LONGVIEW – One person has been wounded in a Gregg County shooting. It happened Friday afternoon as Gregg County sheriff’s deputies responded to Carr Road in reference to an aggravated assault. According to the department’s Facebook Page, while investigators were interviewing the victim, the suspect drove up and rammed an occupied Gregg County Sheriff’s Office vehicle. Deputies then fired at the suspect. After being treated at the hospital, then suspect was then booked into the Gregg County Jail. The suspect, who has not been identified, is charged with 2 counts of aggravated assault against a public servant and one count of aggravated assault family violence.

TYLER – The U.S. Marshal’s Service has arrested a Mineola man on Smith County charges of aggravated sexual assault of an elderly/disabled person. In the Smith County Jail under a $1 million bond is Gary Neil McGill, 69. The charges stem from an incident in September of 2016 in which McGill is accused of the sexual assault of a woman who suffers from intellectual disabilities. During the investigation, officers recovered from his house computers, hard drives and cameras.

LONGVIEW – As Hurricane Harvey makes landfall on the Texas coast, emergency management personnel with the City of Longview and Gregg County are encouraging residents to make basic emergency preparations. Longview Fire Chief J.P. Steelman says the Longview area is not expected to receive the same level of storm severity as will be seen along the coast. But he says a storm like this could still bring heavy rainfall, high winds, and loss of power. He encourages residents to make sure they have have food and water and medications on hand and put together an emergency preparedness kit. He also encourages everyone to sign up for the CodeRed emergency notification system. Continue reading Longview Residents Encouraged to “Be Prepared”

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler officials presented faculty awards for outstanding achievement and dedication during 2017 Convocation that was held on Friday. Officials also recognized senior lecturer in economics Susan Doty, who was named to the UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers earlier this year, as well as associate professor of education Dr. Julie Delello and senior lecturer in history Dr. James Newsom, who each received the 2017 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. Continue reading Awards Handed Out at the UT Tyler Convocation

CHANDLER – A search warrant served by Henderson County Sheriff’s deputies resulted in the arrest of Phillip Corey Stewart, 38, of Chandler. He was arrested Thursday at a home on Sun Dial Drive south of Chandler. Deputies found methamphetamine, scales, baggies, a semi-automatic pistol and a 12-guage shotgun. Besides the drug charge, Stewart was also charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.