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TYLER — A Tyler man is behind bars on multiple charges out of Tarrant County. According to KETK, Montre Rashad Henry, 20, was arrested by the United States Marshal Service for sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child by sexual contact. Judicial records show Henry is a Tyler resident. He’s being held in the Smith County Jail on $50,000 bond.

SMITH COUNTY — A Grapeland man has been arrested for online solicitation. Charles Eric Tutt, 48, was arrested Thursday for online solicitation of a minor under 14-years-old. According to KETK, details surrounding the reported crime were not immediately available. Tutt is being held in the Smith County Jail on $250,000 bond.

PALESTINE – Bat houses are going up in Palestine. They will serve as a replacement habitat for bats currently residing in vacant downtown buildings. The first houses went up on the corner of Queen and Oak Streets, behind the Palestine Chamber of Commerce. The city’s Public Works department built the metal pole for the bat houses and the East Texas Chapter of Master Naturalists supplied the bat houses. Jacob Morris, Historic Preservation Officer, said the bats should start populating the houses in the spring, when they migrate north. Continue reading New Types of Houses for Palestine

TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Department is warning grandparents about an ongoing scam. It starts with a call from someone claiming to be the person’s grandson or granddaughter who is has been arrested and needs money. They need the funds immediately to post bail or pay for damages from a car wreck. They will also ask you not to tell anyone about this incident. They will hand the phone to an alleged police officer or attorney who will guide you on how to send the money. It could be by cash in the mail, or they will request that you purchase gift cards and call them back with the number on the cards. Once that money is wired, it’s gone and can’t be recovered. This has proven to be an extremely lucrative con for scammers because the scam preys on the love of a grandparent for their grandchildren. Continue reading Grandparents Alerted to a Scam

GILMER – An Upshur County man has been handed a lengthy prison term for sexually assaulting children. Wednesday afternoon, a jury convicted Obie Earl Tutt, II, 38, of Ore City, of two separate cases of aggravated sexual assault of a child and 4 separate cases of Indecency with a Child. The charges arose from two separate young girls from the Ore City area. Then on Thursday, the jury sentenced Tutt to 165 years in state prison and fined him $40,000.

TYLER – UT Tyler faculty member Susan Doty has been elected to lead the National Association of Economic Educators in a three-year appointment. She will serve in its executive leadership for the next three years, first as president-elect, then president, then past-president. NAEE is a professional association with the mission to advance economic education and financial literacy. Serving UT Tyler since 2009, Doty is a senior lecturer in economics within the Department of Social Sciences.

LONGVIEW – A Longview man is being held on a $2 million bond on a charge of capital murder. Christopher Marvin Bell II, 21, was booked into the Gregg County Jail shortly before midnight on Wednesday. Bell is charged in the deaths of Freddie Allison, 41 and Deandra Allison, 38, both of Longview. Their bodies were found shortly before 6:45 Wednesday evening at the Huntington Hills Apartments on North Eastman Road. The deaths bring the homicide death count in Longview this year to 13. Continue reading Longview Man Charged in Double Homicide

SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man has been sentenced after being convicted of aggravated kidnapping and sexual abuse. According to KETK, Lennel Jones Choice, 43, was sentenced Wednesday to 50 years in prison. On February 29th, officers were called to Hillside Park, on East Erwin Street, in reference to a female being assaulted. The victim , Maria Sanchez, 32 , Tyler, told officers she was followed on foot to Hillside Park by unknown black male. The suspect later identified as Choice, grabbed Sanchez and forced her against her will toward the creek that runs through the park. Police were notified by witnesses who were in the park that a female was in trouble. Choice was arrested as he attempted to run from officers. He was also charged with possession of marijuana and evading arrest.

LONGVIEW – Two persons are dead in a Longview shooting. It was reported shortly before 6:45 Wednesday night at the Huntington Hills Apartments on North Eastman Road. There is a report that man and a woman were killed. Longview police say they are talking with a person of interest in the case. We’ll have more information when it becomes available.

EAST TEXAS – Police departments in Kilgore and Gladewater are warning residents about an electricity scam. According to their Facebook pages, scammers claiming to be from the electric company are calling demanding payment or their electric bill or be disconnected. SWEPCO says it does not call customers to demand immediate payment. And they will not ask customers to purchase a debit/cash card to pay a bill. The company says it notifies customers with delinquent accounts by way of their monthly bills. Concerned customers can call SWEPCO’s Customer Solutions Center at 1-888-216-3523 anytime 24 hours a day.

TYLER – A 4th person has been arrested in connection with an August home invasion in Tyler. Police have charged Raymundo Maedano Flores, 35, of Tyler, with engaging in organized criminal activity. Previously arrested in the case were Mario Villegas, 19, and Alexia Juarez, 19, both of Tyler, and a juvenile. They were found by police in a truck at the house. The incident occurred on West Bow Street near Bois D’Arc. Continue reading Another Arrest in a Tyler Home Invasion

PALESTINE – First responders from Anderson County participated in an active shooter exercise Wednesday morning in Palestine. The exercise simulated an active shooter inside the Palestine Civic Center. During the exercise, Palestine Police, Fire along with Anderson County Sheriff’s Office deputies, responded to a simulated radio call. Following the engagement, EMTs with Palestine Regional Medical Center, along with th Palestine Fire Department, treated simulated victims. The victims were students from Trinity Valley Community College. The victims were then taken to Palestine Regional Medical Center where the hospital conducted a mass casualty exercise. Palestine Emergency Management Coordinator Scott Parkhurst said that these types of exercises are critical to improving the skills of all first responders and the coordination between them.

GEORGETOWN – A Cedar Park man has been sentenced to prison in the shotgun death of a former Longview woman. In a plea deal, Adam Richard Solis, 32, was sentenced Wednesday to 40 years in prison. He recently pleaded guilty to the February 2015 death of Katie Eager, 24. She had been shot around half a dozen times at their apartment in Cedar Park. Solis called 911 the following day, saying he had just returned home and found her dead. The two had been arguing prior to the shooting. It’s not know what the argument was about, but Eager had been trying to break up with Solis. Police arrested Solis at his parents home a couple of days after the shooting. Investigators say they found physical evidence linking him to the shooting. Cedar Park Police Chief Sean Mannix had earlier said, “I’d call it a rage killing, there was passion involved in this murder.”

HENDERSON COUNTY – A Smith County man is in custody after authorities say he led them on a chase in Henderson County. Taken into custody Wednesday morning was was 34 year old Robert Chapman of Bullard. The chase started after authorities say he ran a stop sign in the Sunrise Shores Subdivision. He later jumped from the SUV and took off on foot. He was later caught. A sheriff’s deputy said a “substantial” amount of meth was found on Chapman. He is being charged with manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, evading arrest with a vehicle and resisting arrest and resisting search or transport. He is currently in the Henderson County Jail under bonds totaling $211,000. Besides charges in Henderson County, Chapman also has three outstanding felony warrants from Smith County.

LONGVIEW – The chairman of Gregg County’s Republican Party has turned in his resignation. Tim Vaughn announced Tuesday he was resigning to accept a lobbying job with the Dallas based National Federation of Independent Businesses. According to the Longview News Journal, he recommended to his executive committee that it name party headquarters manager Marty Rhymes as his temporary stand-in and wait until their January 10 meeting to name a successor. She is currently the party’s vice-chair. She has served the party for over 20 years.

PALESTINE – The search for a Palestine city manager may be back to square one. Kevin Coleman, who was named last month as the lone finalist for the position, has withdrawn his application for the job. He said he took the action because of the city council’s decision to table action on a previously agreed upon employment contract. The city council will decide its next course of action at an upcoming meeting. No date for the meeting has been set. Continue reading Palestine City Manager Finalist Withdraws Application

WASHINGTON, D.C. (ABC/Staff) — An area lawmaker weighs in after getting word that the chairwoman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mary Jo White, is leaving the agency. White made the announcement Monday before testifying before the House Financial Services Committee hearing Tuesday. Chairman Jeb Hensarling commended White on her decades of government service. He said, “She has brought an incredible amount of professionalism to her position. She is known for her independent judgment, which is greatly admired and respected.” But Hensarling warned White not to use her lame duck to finalize regulations, especially the regulations known as Dodd-Frank. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to dismantle the financial regulatory overhaul Congress passed in response to the 2008 financial crisis. Hensarling is based in Dallas, and his district stretches into East Texas.

LONGVIEW – Three persons have been displaced in a Longview fire. It was reported on Oden Street shortly after 4:30 Tuesday morning. Heavy fire was reported in two bedrooms and the attic of the home, which was not insured. Investigators trace the fire back to an earlier electrical issue the previous night. The electrical panel had two breakers in the tripped position, the main breaker was tuned off and the cellulose insulation was removed from the area of the attic that surrounded the lighting fixture in the master bedroom. It appears that a hidden ember possibly continued to grow to point that the surrounding attic materials ignited. No one was home when the fire started.

TYLER – The 35th annual Brookshire’s Spirit of Christmas Food Drive is underway as of today. It began in Tyler in 1982 with the Rose City Kiwanis Club. It has now grown to include Brookshire’s, Super 1 Foods and FRESH by Brookshire’s stores throughout Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas. Last year was the most successful food drive to date. Around 500,000 pounds of food was collected and donated to local service organizations and food pantries. You can participate by donating pre-assembled “grab bags” for $5 or scan coupons for $1 or $5 that will be used to purchase additional food items. The drive runs through December 21st.

TYLER – Tyler Water Utilities is doing some work that will affect traffic flow on Old Jacksonville Highway between Rice Road and Loop 323. One northbound lane of traffic will be closed from 6:00am until around 5:30pm today through Saturday while TWU replacles 800 feet of 12-inch water main adjacent to the Brookshire’s warehouse complex.

KILGORE — A Kilgore College student has been arrested on a sex-trafficking charge. He is Malik Antione Brown, 18. He, and three others, were named in federal indictments returned in Galveston. They are accused of forcing several minor girls to engage in commercial sex acts. Brown was arrested Monday at Bennie Hall, a privately-owned off-campus building. He was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals with the assistance of Kilgore College Police. College spokesman Chris Craddock said the college police have no evidence or indication that the student participated in any illegal activity at the college.

PALESTINE — A Palestine man is in custody on an aggravated assault charge. A SWAT team and police were needed to capture Jabraun Donche Washington, 25. His name was released by authorities on Tuesday. His arrest occurred around 6:00 Saturday morning on Martin Luther King Boulevard. When police tried to get Washington to come out of his apartment, he refused, and the SWAT team was called in. After several attempts, he gave himself up. He is being held on charges of unlawful possession of firearm by felon and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His bonds total $500,000.

TYLER – A man has been living on scaffolding in an effort to raise money for the Salvation Army’s Thanksgivig meal. His drive has been successful. Clint Benefield came down from the 10 foot scaffolding off the South Southwest Loop late Tuesday morning. He has met his goal of raising $2,500 for the Salvation Army. He was ready to get warm after a chilly week of camping out. But, at the same time Benefield said he is grateful for the support of the community that allowed him to reach his goal. Lindsey Galabeas with the Salvation Army says they are expecting to serve around 1,500 meals on Thanksgiving Day to people are are a little down on their luck.

ANGELINA COUNTY — According to KETK, around 9:00 Sunday night, troopers responded to an accident on FM 326, just south of Lufkin. Reports show an SUV driving north hit Tammy Sneed, 44, whole she was walking north on the road. She was pronounced dead at a local hospital.

NACOGDOCHES — A City of Nacogodoches employee could be disciplined following an incident where he opened fire hydrants near anti-Trump protesters. According to KETK, City Manager Jim Jeffers said the worker flushed hydrants upstream of protesters, across from Stephen F. Austin University. The water was left on for some time and allowed cars driving by to splash the protesters. Jeffers said the worker, identified as Jack Lynch Jr., admitted he used poor judgment. The city manager said the flushing of water is standard maintenance and the employee could have used another location. Lynch could be disciplined for not displaying a neutral stance on politics. Jeffers said he violated city policy by giving a thumbs up to another group of protesters who were supporting President-elect Donald Trump.

AUSTIN (AP/STAFF) — Lawmakers have pre-filed more than 500 bills on the first day to propose legislation before the Texas Legislature reconvenes in January. Among the frenzy of would-be laws submitted in both chambers on Monday were several high-profile abortion proposals. One sure to spark heated debate was filed by State Representative Matt Schaefer of Tyler. House Bill 87 would prohibit aborting fetuses with abnormalities after 20 weeks of pregnancy. Current Texas law suspends a post-20-week abortion ban when fetal abnormalities are detected, or if the mother’s life is threatened. State Senator Bob Hall of Edgewood proposes a state constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right to life of unborn children and prohibiting abortion to the extent authorized under federal constitutional law. Continue reading East Texas Lawmakers Pre-File Bills

TYLER – A former Tyler DJ is heading to prison for drug trafficking. Patrick Aaron Aguirre, 40, who pleaded guilty late last month, was sentenced Monday to 20 years in prison. Known as “The Brain” on the station “The Breeze,” Aguirre was arrested in May following a six month long investigation. He was charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. Several weeks earlier, Aguirre was arrested at his Becky Drive home and charged with possession of marijuana. Following the drug charges, he was fired by Waller Media.