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TYLER — The Tara McSwain trial is set to begin this week. The case had most recently been on the docket last month in Tyler’s 7th State District Court. The DA’s office explained that the trial was bumped due to a load of trials involving jailed suspects. Jailed defendants’ cases are given priority when scheduling trials. McSwain is currently out on bond.

McSwain, 38, is the former owner/manager of East Texas Billing and former manager of Apple Swim & Fitness Center. She faces nine counts of fraudulent possession of a controlled substance, a 3rd degree felony. Last June 16, an employee of Walgreens at 5415 South Broadway called police and said there was a woman in the drive-thru attempting to pick up a fraudulent prescription for hydrocodone. Patrol officers and vice investigators arrived on the scene and took McSwain into custody after further investigation.

Investigators say they found several pieces of paper with physicians’ and patients’ names on them in McSwain’s purse. Police say the materials were discovered during the search incident to arrest and were believed to be used in a fraudulent manner. Police say because of her billing service for physicians, McSwain had access to doctor and patient information.

After investigators contacted several physicians and former patients, they say they developed probable cause that on six different occasions in 2011, McSwain provided fraudulent information to obtain a controlled substance from pharmacies in Tyler. On June 23, investigators arrested McSwain on six warrants for fraudulent possession of a controlled substance. She was booked into Smith County Jail on a total bond of $120,000, set by Judge Randall Rogers.

NACOGDOCHES — Using $1 million of his inheritance, 21-year-old senior John Ramsey of Stephen F. Austin State University has founded what’s been dubbed the “Brat PAC.” The Liberty for All Political Action Committee is an army of college Republicans going after the old establishment, modeling their beliefs around the libertarian-leaning Ron Paul. Ramsey says government has no place in the bedroom. He says when it goes there, it’s an attack on civil liberties, “and that’s not what a free republic is all about.” Ramsey’s PAC is also getting involved in a Democratic race in Travis County, supporting Michael Cargill for constable. Cargill’s an openly gay African-American who’s also pro-Second Amendment.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

ANDERSON COUNTY — The Texas Department of Transportation’s annual preventative maintenance program known as “District-Wide Seal Coat” is scheduled to resume Monday in Anderson County, weather permitting. Crews are scheduled to apply a seal coat to Farm Road 315 between Farm Road 837 and State Highway 155 in Palestine; SB State Highway 155 between Farm Road 2267 in Pert and Farm Road 315 north of Palestine; and Farm Road 323 between U.S. Highway 84 and Farm Road 1817.

A second crew on Wednesday is scheduled to seal Farm Road 2706 between U.S. Highway 287 and Farm Road 321. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two lane areas. Loose gravel may be present for several days following a seal coat application. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — The Texas Department of Transportation’s annual preventative maintenance program known as “District-Wide Seal Coat” is scheduled to begin work later this week in Cherokee County, weather permitting. Crews are scheduled to apply a seal coat to U.S. Highway 69 between the north end of Farm Road 1911 near Alto and the Angelina County Line in Wells, and on U.S. Highway 84 between U.S. Highway 69 in Rusk and the Angelina River. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two lane areas. Loose gravel may be present for several days following a seal coat application. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

Also this week in Cherokee County, TxDOT maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin edge work on Farm Road 855 between U.S. Highway 69 in Mount Selman and Farm Road 2137. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

SMITH COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repairs in various locations on State Highway 110 on the north side of Whitehouse. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone. Looking ahead, construction crews are scheduled to begin night work on Tyler’s WSW Loop 323 beginning Sunday, June 24. Crews will be working between 7:00pm and 5:00am Sunday-Thursday between State Highway 155 (Frankston Highway) and Bellwood Drive, just south of West Front Street. The approximate $2.5 million project let in January. Big Creek Construction, Ltd., of Hewitt, is the contractor.

GREGG COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews are scheduled to continue several days of pavement repairs on Interstate Highway 20, both eastbound and westbound, between State Highway 135 and the Smith County Line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress. Motorists should be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone. Loose gravel may be present for several days following a seal coat application.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on State Highway 323 between State Highway 135 in Overton and State Highway 42 near New London. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers and pilot vehicles will control traffic.

Looking ahead, work related to TxDOT’s District Wide Seal Coat program is scheduled to begin in Rusk County within the next 10 days, weather permitting. Crews will be applying a seal coat to the following roadways:
*FM 1716 between FM 2011 and SH 43;
*FM 2496 between FM 1798 and US 259;
*SH 149 between the Gregg County Line and Tatum; SH 322 between FM 2011 and FM 1249; SH 155 between Coffee City and Frankston

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue edge repairs on Farm Road 312 between Farm Road 515 south of Winnsboro and Farm Road 49 in Pine Mills, then begin several days of pavement repairs on Farm Road 312 in Winnsboro between State Highway 11 and Farm Road 515. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

CANTON — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin base and pavement repairs in various locations on State Highway 64 in Canton. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

Looking ahead, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled on Wednesday, June 20 to begin several days of base and pavement repairs in various locations on Farm Road 47.Elsewhere in Van Zandt County, construction work continues to repair, add shoulders and passing lanes, and resurface State Highway 64 between Farm Road 314 and the Smith County Line, and add centerline rumble strips between Farm Road 279 in Ben Wheeler and the Smith County Line. The approximate $6.4 million project let to contract in June and began in October. The project is scheduled for completion in summer of 2013. Big Creek Construction, Ltd., of Hewitt, Texas, is the contractor.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on Farm Road 316 between U.S. Highway 175 and Ranch Road 2329. Meanwhile, construction work to rebuild Ranch Road 2329 continues with an eye toward completion this summer. Crews are working to repair and resurface Ranch Road 2329 between Farm Road 316 and U.S. Highway 175. The $1.2 million project let in January 2011 and began in May 2011. The project is scheduled for completion in the summer of 2012. A.L. Helmcamp, Inc., of Buffalo, Texas is the contractor. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

TYLER – One person is in custody in connection with a Tyler robbery. It happened just before 7:30 Saturday night in the parking lot of the Dollar General store at 1204 West Bow. The victim told officers while he was parking, and man got into his vehicle, pulled a knife and took some money from him.

When the suspect fled the scene in a white Chevrolet Impala, the victim followed him. When the suspect stopped in a parking lot in the 1800 block of West Gentry Parkway, the two got into an argument. The suspect is said to have damaged the victim’s vehicle and fled the area.

The victim was able to write down the suspect’s license plate number and gave it to police. The car was registered to Joshua OBryan Miles, 24, of Jacksonville. He was found sitting in the vehicle in the 1400 block of East Dawson, where he was arrested. Miles was booked into the Smith County Jail, charged with aggravated robbery.

SMITH COUNTY – Authorities in Smith County are looking for a Lindale man who led them on a chase. They are also looking for his truck and his passenger in the Friday night incident. It started when a deputy tried to pull over a white Dodge truck on County Road 2661 near The Villages.

KETK reports deputy chased the truck just north of Highway 64 West onto County Road 47, where the driver pulled over, jumped out of the truck and ran into the woods. The deputy chased after him, but was not able to catch him.

While the foot case was going on, a passenger hidden in the truck, jumped into the driver’s seat and left the scene. Officers are still searching for the truck and the two men who were in it.

The truck was registered to a Tyler woman. She told officers her boyfriend stole the truck. An arrest warrant has been issued for Christopher Ely Morris, 30, of Lindale.

HOUSTON – Tyler Lawyer F. R “Buck” Files has been named as President of the Texas State Bar Association. Files, who is certified in criminal law, was sworn in Friday at the State Bar’s annual meeting in Houston. He succeeds Bob Black of Beaumont. Among his many honors over the years, Files was the Defense Lawyer of the Year, Criminal Justice Section of the State Bar of Texas in 2004.

TYLER — Citizens have one week left to take advantage of free trash services in Smith County. Vouchers are now available for the annual Smith County Wide Clean-up Event. The County Clean-up event is an opportunity for residents of Smith County to bring trash and bulky items to the Greenwood Farms Landfill for free. The Smith County Environmental Crimes Unit, Precinct Constables and Smith County Commissioners Court are working together to host the event through June 23.

The County will provide vouchers to the public that are good for up to three cubic yards per person — about a full-sized truck bed. Vouchers are available to pick up at all Justice of the Peace and Constable Precinct offices or the Smith County Courthouse Annex, Commissioners Court Office. There is a limit of one voucher per household and businesses may not participate in the voucher program.

The vouchers will be good Monday-Friday, 6:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m., and on Saturday from 6:30 a.m. to noon. The vouchers come with a list of items that the Greenwood Farms Landfill, an Allied Waste Company, will not take. Directions and a map to the Greenwood Farms Landfill are provided with the vouchers. Items not accepted during the County Wide Clean-up include hazardous waste, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, gasoline, oils, paint, acid, batteries, asbestos, Freon, whole tires, refrigerators, freezers, televisions, and computers.

For more information or to pick up your voucher, please call: Pct. 1 (Tyler) Constable Henry Jackson, 903-590-2609; Pct. 2 (Noonday) Constable Andy Dunklin, 903-590-4840; Pct. 3 (Troup) Constable Dustin Rust, 903-590-4744; Pct. 4 (Winona) Constable John Smith 903-590-4879; or Pct. 5 (Lindale) Constable Dennis Taylor, 903-590-4901. Vouchers are also available at the CBS 19 Newsroom in Tyler.

WELLS — Authorities report a 12-year-old boy has died as a result of a Cherokee County accident. He was one of two brothers hit by a car driving northbound on County Road 2741, or Preston Road, near Highway 69 in the city of Wells. According to KETK, David Stone died at the scene. Davion Stone, 6, is currently in fair condition at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport. The driver of the vehicle that struck the Stone brothers has been identified as Randall Nicholas Richard, 34, of Cleveland, TX. He did not have a current license, registration or inspection sticker. Authorities are also investigating whether or not Richard was speeding when his vehicle struck the boys.

WHITE OAK — A Gladewater man and an infant were killed in a four-vehicle wreck Thursday in White Oak. It happened around noon on Highway 80 at Hollingsworth, according to the White Oak Police Department. Brent Eric Young, 45, and 7-month-old Kennedi Burks, both of Gladewater, were killed in the wreck. They were passengers in a sedan that was rear-ended by a truck. The driver of the sedan was Mary Nicole Young, 45. She survived the crash. The driver of the pickup also survived. He was identified as Jared Tuel, 24, White Oak.

After the sedan was hit, it slid into oncoming traffic, and was struck by another vehicle, a Chevy Tahoe, driven by Patsy Ann Harrell, 65, White Oak. Harrell survived the crash. No word yet if there will be any citations given in the accident.

UPSHUR COUNTY — U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider dismissed a lawsuit against Upshur County in which a former jailer claimed he was retaliated against for opposing sexual harassment of his wife and that his Fourth Amendment rights were violated by an illegal search. According to KETK, Schneider granted a motion for summary judgment, dismissing the claim. In his opinion on the case, Schneider said former jailer John Scott Rose did not prove it was “objectively unreasonable” for two Upshur County sheriff’s deputies to search his home and that the “allegations are insufficient” to show that Rose was retaliated against.

Rose and his wife, Crystal Rose, filed the lawsuit in May 2011 against Upshur County and sheriff’s office employees Terry Carter and Landon Burleson, the two deputies who searched his home. The complaint stemmed from a December 2009 event in which Rose said he learned two sheriff’s employees had made inappropriate sexual comments or suggestive communication with his wife, according to the lawsuit.

TYLER – Union employees at Tyler’s Trane plant have approved a new four year contract. The agreement between union employees and Trane was ratified last night. There is no word on the provisions of the agreement or the vote margin.

A news release from Ingersoll Rand, the parent company of Trane, quotes plant manager Mike Swift as saying, “We are pleased by the vote outcome. This new contract provides competitive wages and benefits for our employees while providing the business the flexibility needed to make us competitive in the marketplace.”

LONGVIEW – A Longview home has been extensively damaged by fire. It was reported shortly after 6:30 yesterday morning in the 300 Block of Ramblewood Drive. Fire Marshal Johnny Zackary says the fire started in the engine of a car in the garage. It then quickly spread through the garage and into the home’s attic. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — Home sales in Tyler are up from the same time last year. KETK reports they jumped in May by nearly 7%. 289 homes had a “sold” sign out front in May; 253 sold in April. Although home prices aren’t increasing as much as realtors or sellers would like, buying trends show the economy might be on the mend.

TYLER – There’s some good news on state test results in the Tyler ISD, but room for improvement as well. This school year, ninth grade students and seventh and eighth grade students enrolled in high school courses began taking the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness (STAAR) End of Course (EOC) exams rather than the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) tests.

School officials say TISD saw improved performance in math, an area where some Tyler ISD students have struggled in the past. School district leaders say they’re specifically pleased with the performance of African-American and economically disadvantaged students on the math tests. Science has also been an area of focus for Tyler ISD, and officials say the hard work of teachers and staff has again paid off. The average number of Tyler ISD students who passed the Biology EOC exam equaled the statewide average of 87 percent.

On the flipside, only 63% of Tyler ISD students who took the English I Reading EOC met the Level II passing standard, and on English I Writing, 45% of Tyler ISD students passed. Although these results are reflective of a statewide trend, they are below Tyler ISD’s expectations. Officials say the school district is committed to better prepare students for success on STAAR by analyzing the data provided by the state and leading training sessions for teachers targeting low performing categories. You can go to the “In the News” tab at http://www.tylerisd.org/ for more on the STAAR results.

LONGVIEW — For the second year in a row, Longview I-S-D teachers will not get a pay raise. According to KETK, the school board voted to freeze salaries in anticipation of millions lost in state revenue. Despite the pay freeze, though, Longview ISD is still one of the highest-paying school districts in East Texas.

GILMER — A jury is selected in the trial against a man accused of killing his sibling. Glenn Myers Jr., 54, of Big Sandy is charged with the shooting death of his sister, Cindy Espinoza, last July in Upshur County. According to KETK, the trial should begin Monday and is expected to last up to three days.

LONGVIEW — Charges against a 21-year-old Longview man, who has been held since May 17 in connection with the deadly ambush of a former Kilgore College football player, have been upgraded to capital murder, according to the Longview News-Journal. Brendan Douglas is held in the Gregg County Jail under bonds totaling $1 million. Also, a Gregg County prosecutor said Wednesday a decision is yet to be made on whether to try as an adult a 16-year-old-arrested this past week in connection with the death of DeAundray Rossum. 16-year-old Deion Reed was arrested along with his brother, 17-year-old Torry Reed, in connection with the May 15 shooting.

GLADEWATER — Authorities make a big haul in an East Texas drug bust. On June 13th around 6:30am, the Gladewater Police Department, Upshur County Sheriffs Department, and the Gregg County Code Unit served a warrant for 58-year-old Larry Duraso. He was arrested on the 3000 block of George Richey Road in Gladewater. During a search of the property, officials say they found 3.6 pounds of marijuana, about $8,200 in cash, a truck, and two motorcycles. Duraso is charged with two counts of delivery of marijuana and was taken to the Upshur County Jail.

The warrant was the result of a lengthy investigation by officials. The Gladewater Police and Upshur County Sheriff’s Departments tell KETK that they are “steadily working hand in hand to rid our communities of drug dealers, to protect our citizens, and make our city and county a safer place for our families.”

LONGVIEW — Authorities recently conducted another set of alcohol stings and cited five retailers. On Friday, June 9, the Longview Police Department, partnering with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) and Longview Partners in Prevention (PIP), conducted off-premise minor stings at area retailers. 31 retailers were checked. The locations that allegedly sold to minors were:

1. 3305 S. Eastman Road – Food Fast # 77
2. 514 S. Eastman Road – Easy Access
3. 1001 Young Street – Cowboy’s # 13
4. 1910 Judson Road – E – Z Mart Store # 443
5. 3122 Estes Parkway – Brianna’s Stop n Shop

At these locations the individuals who allegedly sold alcohol to the undercover minor were listed in offense reports for making alcohol available to a minor. This offense is a class A misdemeanor, and the reports will be filed with the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution. In addition, the TABC issued an administrative citation or citations to each business.

NACOGDOCHES — A mother may be facing injury to a child charges after intervening in a fight between her teenage daughter and another girl. According to KETK, the two 14-year-olds started fighting just before 9:30 on Wednesday night in the 1100 block of Orton St. in Nacogdoches. According police, the mother of one of the girls became involved in the fight and allegedly assaulted the other teenager. There were no serious injuries reported but the family of the girl she attacked may press charges against the woman. Injury to a child is a third degree felony. So far, no arrests have been made. The case is still under investigation.

TYLER — A Tyler man charged with capital murder was back in court for a pre-trial hearing. Authorities said Dramon Rashon Green, 20, is charged in the death of his daughter, A’yanna Webb, 2. Green was arrested back in August after investigators determined that he assaulted his daughter outside his apartment located on the 4400 block of Paluxy.

Investigators were initially called to the emergency room at ETMC August 19, after personnel reported a child with suspicious injuries. Officers learned that the child had been brought to the hospital by her parents and was being treated for major, life threatening internal injuries. A’yanna underwent emergency surgery to stop bleeding in her abdomen. In spite of the best efforts of the medical personnel, she died as a result of her injuries.

Green remains in the Smith County Jail with bond set at $1,000,000. A court date has been set for next year.

GREGG COUNTY — The Longview Fire Department and the Judson Metro Volunteer Department plan to let an oil lease blaze burn itself out. Those two departments responded after the fire was reported Thursday morning off Highway 259 north of Longview. Authorities say there’s no worry of the flames spreading because of the heavy rain that soaked the area Thursday morning. Officials said the fire may have been caused by a lightning strike.

LINDEN (AP) — A judge has set an August trial for a Texas man accused of contributing to the death of his 13-year-old son by failing to feed him. Bill Hudson appeared in a Cass County courtroom Tuesday. He faces three child abuse charges in the 2008 death of Samuel Hudson.

The Texarkana Gazette reports that Hudson’s attorney asked a judge to not allow prosecutors to try three child abuse charges against Hudson at once. The judge agreed and said August’s trial will focus on a single child abuse charge that alleges Hudson withheld food from Samuel.

Hudson and his wife, Cynthia Hudson, adopted Samuel from foster care along with two of his siblings. Cynthia Hudson was convicted of capital murder in the death but an appeals court overturned that conviction.

LUFKIN – Beginning this fall, Angelina College will be tobacco free. According to the college’s website, school trustees approved the policy at Monday’s meeting.

The change makes the entire AC campus, including all off-campus centers, 100 percent tobacco-free. Smoking will not be allowed on-campus at any location except within the confines of a private vehicle. This will include the use of “e-cigarettes” and other such devices.

Angelina College president Dr. Larry Phillips said the decision has been pending for quite some time. “We have been discussing this policy for over a year, and we’ve conferred with both students and faculty members in that time,” Phillips said. “It is absolutely the right thing to do. A number of colleges and universities around the state are going, or have gone, to tobacco-free environments on-campus.”

Phillips cited input from the Coalition in Angelina County, which conducted surveys of students and other institutions of higher education. Those findings suggested wide-spread support for tobacco-free campuses.

“The college has been a non-smoking area in all buildings for quite a while,” Phillips said. “However, going completely tobacco-free should promote public health, save lives and save thousands of dollars in campus maintenance costs.”

TYLER – The East Texas Food Bank announced Wednesday that it has been selected as one of 500 nonprofit finalists in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program. That’s a major philanthropic initiative in which the automaker is giving 100 cars to 100 nonprofits over the course of 100 days. The East Texas Food Bank was selected as a finalist from more than 4,000 applications nationwide.

Each day, beginning May 14, 2012, 100 Cars for Good will profile five finalists. You can go to http://www.100carsforgood.com to view the finalists. Individual members of the public will be able to vote for whichever nonprofit they think can do the most good with a new vehicle. The nonprofit with the most votes at the end of each day will win one of six Toyota models. Runners‐up will each receive a $1,000 cash grant from Toyota.

The East Texas Food Bank will be up for consideration on Tuesday, June 19th, from 9:00 am – 11:00 pm. “Everyone at the East Texas Food Bank is thrilled to have been selected as a finalist for the 2012 100 Cars for Good program,” said Dennis Cullinane, executive director at the East Texas Food Bank. “We’re grateful for this incredible opportunity to showcase the East Texas Food Bank’s mission to reduce hunger by providing food, support and education to those in need with passion and efficiency. We hope East Texans will help us win a car to increase our impact in East Texas. Please spread the word now and make time to visit http://www.100carsforgood.comon Tuesday, June 19th, to vote for us.”

LONGVIEW — Longview city officials Wednesday morning reported major vandalism damage at the city’s Lear Park. Laura Hill, director of community services for the city, said both soccer concession stands and the baseball concession stand were heavily damaged. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, local police joined Longview Parks and Leisure Services officials on the scene to assess damage. “We don’t have the total estimate on damages yet, that may take a couple of days, and we will have to work with our risk management department on insurance procedures,” Hill said. Hill added that since the soccer season is over, crews will probably get busy repairing the baseball facility first, then move on to the soccer facilities.

TYLER — A 28-year-old Athens man is arrested for allegedly exposing himself to a female jogger in Rose Rudman Park. Tyler police responded to the park around 9:30 Wednesday morning after the jogger called 911, stating that the man had exposed himself twice to her as she was running along the park’s trail. Officers searched the area and located the suspect as he was reportedly attempting to leave in his vehicle. The suspect is identified as James Clayburn Kiser. Kiser was arrested and transported to Smith County Jail, charged with indecent exposure. He has a lengthy criminal history with over 40 arrests on record.

TYLER — The City of Tyler reached a major milestone Wednesday by exceeding $2.4 million in hard and soft dollar savings through the implementation of its Lean Sigma Program. To date, 45 Lean Sigma projects have been completed by City employees trained in the methodology. “Lean Sigma helps identify the waste and variation that occurs in everyday processes,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass. “The program provides a structured approach for improving efficiency – which saves both time and money.”

The City originally launched its Lean Sigma Program in 2009 with the hiring of a Lean Sigma Master Black Belt. Since that time the program has been expanded to include most City departments. A total of 123 Blue Belts (four hours of training), 29 Green Belts (80 hours of training) and seven Black Belts (160 hours of training), have been trained in the methodology. These employees work on Lean Sigma projects in conjunction with their normal job duties. You can go to http://www.cityoftyler.org for more on this story.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council received two presentations Wednesday that could ultimately lead to a new hotel conference center in Tyler as well as an arena. “The genesis for both of these projects was Tyler 21 and the Industry Growth Initiative (IGI),” said Mayor Barbara Bass. There was also follow up tax adjustment activity in the state legislature and city council aimed at expediting the project.

Consultants brought in last November have now found that Tyler is uniquely positioned to attract private investors for the construction and management of a full-service hotel conference center. Further, they went on to prioritize potential sites for the facility and suggest a prospective financing plan for the $57 to $75 million project, pending further study. “The hotel conference center would be a public-private partnership with 63 percent of the funding coming from private investment,” said Bass.

The consultants also found that Tyler could benefit from an arena to host concerts, sporting events and other large-scale events. The arena could seat from 5,500 to 8,000 attendees. “This is certainly a project that would enhance the quality of life for the citizens of Tyler,” said Mayor Bass. “However, because the City would need to have a much greater investment in the project, we will not build the arena without going to the voters for their approval.” It is anticipated that 40% of the cost of the facility would come from private donations and 60% from public funds. “Until the private donations are raised, we would not consider approaching voters to approve the public investment,” added Bass. “I really don’t see that happening before November 2013, if not later.”

On June 27, The City Council will consider a contract with the consultants to take the next step for the two projects. That includes seeking and securing potential locations, seeking partners, and conducting preliminary designs for the projects. You can go to http://www.cityoftyler.org for a more detailed look at the planning process for the convention center and arena.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police believe three local men are connected to the May murder of a Kilgore College student. According to KETK, Torre Reed, 17, and his brother Deion Frazier Reed, 16, along with Brenden Xavier Douglas, 22, (pictured) are all suspects in the murder of DeAundray Lamanze Rossum, 23. Douglas was arrested the night of Rossum’s death in connection to an attempted hold-up outside a fast food restaurant. Authorities said bullets found at that crime scene link him to where Rossum was murdered.