KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LUFKIN — Authorities continue their investigating into the death of a Lufkin man pulled from his burning house last week. Richard Browning was pulled from his Mitchell Avenue home the night of January 28. Investigators say Browning had a large amount of blood on his head and clothing when paramedics arrived. Browning died in the hospital in Houston two days later. Lufkin police say they’re awaiting toxicology results from Browning’s autopsy.

TYLER — Tyler ISD’s Griffin Elementary School and Moore MST Magnet School have been recognized by the National Center for Educational Achievement (NCEA) as 2010 Higher Performing Schools for Texas. Griffin received the recognition for its student achievement in reading and writing, Moore for its student achievement in math.

The NCEA released its 2010 Higher Performing Schools List for Texas at the end of January. The list identifies elementary, middle and high schools as NCEA Higher Performing Schools that have consistently outperformed their peers that serve similar student populations, and recognizes their achievement in bringing more students to college and career readiness than expected. NCEA (formerly known as Just for the Kids) began identifying Higher Performing Schools in 1998 and continues to annually release these lists as well as College and Career Readiness Charts for every public school in Texas.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police have arrested a woman on child endangerment charges. Friday night just before 11:15, officers responded to a 911 at 110 South Access Road. Upon arrival, officers were directed to room #223. Officers knocked several times on the door to the room, but no one answered the door. Finally, officers noticed a small child peering through the blinds at them. Once they were able to get the door open they observed a woman, later identified as Jennifer Franchell Lilly, 29, of Longview, lying on the bed. According to authorities, Ms. Lilly was unresponsive and smelled strongly of an alcoholic beverage. Once officers were able to wake Ms. Lilly up and she was taken into custody for three counts of abandoning or endangering a child/criminal negligence and transported to the Gregg County Jail.

LONGVIEW — A Longview home has been extensively damaged by fire. It was reported around 2:30 yesterday morning in the 700 block of Travis Avenue. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the flames. No one was at home when the fire started and no injuries were reported. Investigators say it appears as if some type of flammable liquid was used to start the fire on the porch near the front door.

TYLER — The East Texas Communities Foundation has numerous scholarships available for area students. On KTBB “Staff Meeting,” the foundation’s Dana Durman told us there’s a lot to be said for the scholarship process. Durman says it rewards students who have worked hard in school, sets them above the rest, and is a good way to honor the kids and tell them they’ve done a great job. Durman encourages kids to apply through her agency — and go after all the other scholarships available. She says students aren’t taking full advantage of what’s out there, often because they find the process difficult or time-consuming. “But,” she says, “the reward at the end is great, so follow through with the process.” Also, she’s available to help if you have questions.

The East Texas Communities Foundation’s application deadline is March 1. You can go to http://www.etcf.org to learn more. And as always, this week’s edition of “Staff Meeting” is available at http://www.ktbb.com/audio beginning early Monday morning.

BROWNSBORO — A 46-year-old Pflugerville man is dead as the result of a Saturday highway crash in Henderson County. A Department of Public Safety report says it happened around 1:45pm about three miles east of Brownsboro on State Highway 31. Authorities say L.C. Smith was headed east on the slushy highway when he crossed over into the opposite lane and collided with a vehicle driven by Charles Johnson, 27, of Corsicana. Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. Johnson was taken to East Texas Medical Center in Tyler, where he was last listed in stable condition with a broken leg and an arm laceration. Both men were wearing seat belts.

WHITEHOUSE — The big problem Saturday in East Texas switched from driving to plumbing. Ricardo Guerra with American Plumbing has been in the plumbing business nearly all of his life. With about 100 hours below freezing, he says last week has been one of the busiest times since the 1980′s, when there was another giant freeze. And when pipes started bursting Saturday afternoon as we got above freezing, things got even busier. “It started right after lunch. Pop here, pop there, and so we’re going crazy now,” Guerra said. Guerra was working on plumbing fed by a well to a home in Whitehouse. The homeowners had not been able to use the water for days, and when ice started to melt, the PVC pipes just broke.

Guerra says proper insulation is key for keeping pipes warm, and it’s also good to keep the water flowing somehow, for example, by leaving faucets dripping. Guerra says in the future it’s important for East Texans to know how to shut their water off when pipes start to freeze. “A lot of people don’t know how to cut their water off. So it’s a good thing to get you a meter key, make sure you can cut your water off or have a plumber install a new shutoff valve to your house and show everybody in the family how to shut it off,” Guerra said. And even though it feels like the calm after the storm, East Texas is expected to have another cold spell in the coming week. Guerra says as more cold weather approaches, it’s very important to get those hoses off your outdoor faucets and cover up the faucet with either a hard covering, or even an old rag will do.

TYLER — PATH is winding down its annual canned soup drive – Souper Bowl Sunday. PATH has been encouraging residents to get groups together and hold their own contests to see who can collect the most soup. Those who collect the most become the MVPs of the PATH Souper Bowl. There’s one winner from the “community” category and one “congregational” winner. You’re asked to bring soup donations to PATH the week following Sunday’s Super Bowl. After all the soup has been weighed, PATH will name the community-wide MVP and the congregational MVP. For more information, contact Becky Duncan at [email protected] or call 903-597-4044, ext. 120.

TYLER — As part of the Mayor’s Tree Initiative, the City of Tyler is partnering with LT 24 to hold Tree Tyler Day on March 19, 2011. Officials say Tree Tyler Day will give the community the opportunity to come together to work toward reaching the Mayor’s goal of planting 5,000 trees in five years at an inaugural community-wide tree planting event. “We are so pleased to be partnering with LT24 to move this initiative forward,” commented Mayor Barbara Bass. “I already have my overalls and shovel ready – but it is up to the community to decide how dirty they will get. I am hoping we will see the entire city come out to help grow our urban forest.”

The partnership sprouted when Mayor Bass spoke with members of the Leadership Tyler 24 class and challenged them to get on board to support the Tree Tyler Initiative. Many members of the class met several times to discuss how they could become involved and ultimately formed LT24. “We wanted to contribute to Tyler in a lasting and visible way,” shared LT24 member Brian Pearson. “What better opportunity than to help preserve the natural beauty that Tyler is known for. Our goal is to get every facet of the community involved in sponsoring trees for Tree Tyler Day.”

Between now and the March event, LT 24 will be seeking sponsors for the tree planting event. With sponsorship opportunities ranging from a single tree all the way to 100 trees, the entire community, from school classes to the City’s largest businesses, is encouraged to participate. You can log on to http://www.TreeTyler.com or http://www.cityoftyler.org for a flyer detailing Tree Tyler Day sponsorship opportunities. To sign up as a Tree Tyler Day sponsor, you can contact the Tyler Parks and Recreation Department at (903) 531-1370.

TYLER — A woman has been killed in a weekend accident in Tyler. Saturday afternoon shortly after 1:15, Tyler Police Department officers responded to a major accident in the 2600 block of W. Gentry. A red Chevrolet Corsica had exited the Taco Bell/Long John Silver’s parking lot and was struck by a black Hummer H2 westbound on W. Gentry as the Chevrolet crossed the westbound lanes. The driver of the Chevrolet, a 63-year-old from Tyler, was transported to East Texas Medical Center and was pronounced dead at the hospital. Police withheld the name of the deceased pending notification of the family.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) – Court records indicate that the owner of a Brownsboro, Texas, security firm might plead guilty in a case accusing him of plotting with a New Orleans police commander to get kickbacks from a hurricane security contract. Both Joseph Branch of Gladius Inc. and police Capt. Michael Roussel are scheduled for trial March 28, but records show Branch has a change of plea hearing scheduled March 10. The Times-Picayune reports that both pleaded not guilty on Friday to federal wire fraud in a six-count indictment that replaces a single count handed up in June. The five new counts involve alleged statements in e-mails and a phone call. The men are charged with scheming to inflate a contract with Entergy Services Inc. – one eligible for Federal Emergency Management Administration coverage.

LONGVIEW — Police in Longview say a woman left children alone in a vehicle Friday and now faces charges. Around 10:21 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 2400 Block of Gilmer Road for an assist child call. Upon arrival officers were informed by several witnesses that a small child was found wandering around in the busy parking lot of the location. Officers located the mother of the child, identified as Angela Denise Massengill, 27, of Gladewater. Officers say they also determined that Massengill had left her other two children inside the truck located in the parking lot of the location. Officers say that after further investigation, they determined that Ms. Massengill had gone in and out of the store several times and not carried the children inside the location with her. Massengill was arrested for abandoning/endangering a child with intent to return, a state jail felony.

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department responded to a two-alarm structure fire Friday at 1:24 p.m. at 1514 N. Dargan. Five engines and one Ladder Company, along with a district chief and an investigator, responded to the scene. The occupants were not home at the time of the fire. Three pets were rescued by firefighters. The fire was contained to one bedroom and a closet area. There were no injuries reported. Units cleared the scene around 2:20 p.m. The fire remains under investigation.

TYLER — No injuries reported as the Tyler Fire Department responded to a two-alarm structure fire at 11:59 p.m. Thursday at 1612 N. Confederate. Five engines and one Ladder Company, along with a district chief and an investigator, responded to the scene. The owner arrived home to find the structure filled with smoke. Investigators determined that the fire originated near a wall outlet where a space heater was plugged in. The fire spread inside the wall space and gained access into the attic. Units cleared the scene around 1:30 a.m. Friday.

TYLER – Though snowy weather has cleared out, motorists still need to be especially careful. Tyler police report the city started experiencing worsening road conditions as a result of the cold temperatures and overnight snowfall. By early Friday, between one and two inches of snow was reported to be present on the roadways with possible ice build-up around bridges and overpasses. Due to these conditions the roadways became very slick with poor traction control, making it difficult to steer and/or brake. City of Tyler Street Department personnel were notified and dispatched to help sand and clear the roadways to prevent further ice and snow build-up.

Major roadways have cleared up considerably. But some stretches are slick, especially intersections and hills, causing a lack of traction. Tyler Police say motorists have been getting stuck at the intersections and on hills. They still advise you to stay off the roads. Police have been working numerous calls for service due to the inclement weather. Officers said Friday if you are involved in a collision, the Tyler Police Department will only respond if there are injuries, vehicles are not able to be moved, or a street sign or traffic light has been damaged. All other motorists who are involved in a collision may come by the police station at a later date and pick up a “Blue State Collision Report.”

TXDOT Public Information Officer Larry Krantz says roads surrounded by trees, which don’t receive direct sunlight, can be the most dangerous, as well as roads with a water run-off nearby.

Krantz also says the following roads can typically be the most dangerous in our area:
*Interstate 20 at 69.
*I-20 at Highway 54 in Van Zandt.
*Loop 49 at Farm Road 2493.
*State Highway 154.
*US 69 Railroad overpass in Jacksonville

TYLER – Tyler police are investigating the robbery of Mazzio’s Pizza at 405 West Front. An employee told officers a black male wearing a blue-jean coat entered the business wearing a ski mask just before 8:15 Thursday night. The suspect was about 6 feet tall and weighed around 190 pounds. He demanded the money from the cash register and showed the woman what she believed to be a handgun in his jacket pocket. She opened the cash register and the suspect reached over the counter and took an undetermined amount of cash. No injuries were reported.

LONGVIEW – The Superintendent of the Pine Tree School District is stepping down. Dr. Marian Strauss has announced her resignation, which is effective at the end of March. She said she is resigning to take care of her aging parents, who live in Central. Strauss has been school superintendent since 2009. She took over the position after former superintendent Lynn Whitaker resigned.

EAST TEXAS – Due to continued cold weather and snow on the ground, there are a number of closings, cancellations, and schedule changes around the area:

All Tyler Junior College classes and activities scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 5, have been canceled, with the exception of men’s and women’s basketball games in Wagstaff Gym. Cancellations include all credit and continuing education classes, all academic and support service functions for all campuses and sites, and use of the Ornelas Health & Physical Education Center and the Vaughn library. The TJC vs. Paris Junior College basketball games will take place in Wagstaff Gym, but they have been moved back one hour to provide for additional travel time. The men’s game will begin at 3 p.m.; the women’s game at 5 p.m.

Trane — new hire orientations re-scheduled for Saturday, noon and 2 p.m.
Angelina College — Saturday events will continue as usual.

The John Tyler High basketball games against Whitehouse have been rescheduled for Saturday, February 5 as follows:
Boys are at Whitehouse: 9th grade will play at noon
JV will play at 1:30 p.m.
Varsity will play at 3:00 p.m.
Girls are at John Tyler High School: JV game begins at 2:00 p.m.
Varsity to follow

The Robert E Lee High School basketball games that were re-scheduled for Saturday, February 5, have been cancelled until Monday, February 7. The games originally scheduled for Tuesday night, February 8, will now move to Wednesday, February 9.

Weather continues to alter the UT Tyler basketball schedule for the weekend. Saturday’s games at Mississippi College have now been moved to Sunday at 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. in Clinton. The games against Louisiana College, moved from Thursday to Monday, may also be rescheduled.

The Best Chocolate Dessert Contest in East Texas, which had been scheduled for Saturday at the Senior Citizens Center on Garden Valley Road in Tyler, has been canceled.

Here’s an update on City of Tyler services:
The airport is reporting success in clearing the primary runway, and they got busy on the secondary runway Friday. Travelers are advised to consult with their airline for the latest flight information.

The show goes on for tonight at LeTourneau University’s S.E. Belcher Jr. Chapel and Performance Center. The “Celebrate Jesus Tour” featuring Guy Penrod and other Christian singers and artists will be held as scheduled.

This list will be updated when additional information is received.

RUSK – Rusk Rural Water has issued a boil water notice for customers in the following areas: FM 1857, FM 23, FM 752, FM 241, Highway 69 South, and any roads that feed off those main roads. That’s according to our news partner KETK. Keep checking ktbb.com for further updates.

TYLER – Two East Texas men have pleaded guilty to possessing stolen mail in the Eastern District of Texas. Nicholas Adam Hale, 22, of Kilgore, and Justin Eric Yanez, 23, of Troup, pleaded guilty to possessing stolen mail Thursday in Tyler before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.

According to prosecutors, on Nov. 12, 2010, Hale and Yanez drove to various locations in and around Whitehouse, Texas and removed mail from private mail receptacles. The mail which they stole contained checks written in various amounts and 20 DVD movies, among other items. According to authorities, an observant Whitehouse resident notified the Whitehouse Police Department of Hale’s and Yanez’s suspicious activities, which led to their arrest that same day. Hale admitted to committing other postal thefts in East Texas in November and December 2009. Hale and Yanez face up to five years in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not been set.

TYLER – Habitat for Humanity of Smith County, Buffalo Wild Wings of Tyler and KTBB Radio have joined forces to throw one of Tyler’s biggest Big Game parties. The event will raise money to ensure that Habitat continues its mission of eliminating substandard housing by building and repairing homes for people in need. The event will take place on Sunday, February 6, at Tyler’s Buffalo Wild Wings, 7916 South Broadway Avenue. In addition to watching the Packers and Steelers on the restaurant’s giant screens, customers can purchase $5 raffle tickets and have the opportunity to win great prizes. KTBB’s sportscaster Jamie Lent will be the evening’s MC and will raffle off prizes throughout the game.

“One reason we believe this event is going to be a success is because of the support of local businesses,” said Deanna Harrison, Habitat’s Director of Development. “Adams Furniture and Appliance donated a 42-inch LG Plasma HD TV for our grand prize. Zales and Murphey the Jeweler have donated beautiful necklaces, and we have a fabulous leather recliner from Adams Furniture that was donated by one of Habitat’s most faithful supporters. And Tanner Todd from Fnc Ponds Stone and Grass will be creating a Rock Bubbler for some lucky winner’s office or home.”

In addition to being the site of the fundraising event, Buffalo Wild Wings will be donating to Habitat for Humanity 10% of their proceeds from the sale of food and drink. They have also contributed items for the raffle drawing such as a golf bag, a cooler with iPod dock, and outdoor chairs.

TYLER — An Anderson County woman has pleaded guilty in Tyler to federal drug trafficking. Andrea Rachelle Bailey, 31, of Palestine, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession with intent to distribute phencyclidine, also known as PCP, when she appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the violation. A sentencing date has not been set. Charges are still pending against her co-defendant Sterlynn Jeremiah Henry.

Federal prosecutors say on October 7, 2009, Bailey and Henry, were found to be in possession of a mixture containing a detectable amount of PCP, which they intended to distribute in East Texas. The two were indicted by a federal grand jury on December 1, 2010.

TYLER — Beginning February 3rd, elementary school students of the Tyler Independent School District are selling discount cards to raise money for their campuses and the Tyler ISD Foundation. Again this year, Great American Opportunities Company, represented by Gene Howard of Longview, will organize the fundraiser for the campuses. George Roberts, executive director of the Northeast Texas Public Health District, is the first customer to purchase a card; he made the purchase from Larry Goddard, Tyler ISD Foundation Executive Director.

“This fundraising opportunity gives each elementary campus a chance to raise private dollars for campus projects as well as support the Tyler ISD Foundation which funds teacher grants, teacher and student recognition and other programs not typically funded by tax dollars,” said Goddard. “Our students get involved with the process of raising dollars to support the programs and projects that are innovative and vital to an outstanding education.”

According to Goddard, proceeds of the sales of the card will go to the discretionary use of the principals at each participating elementary school and the area of greatest needs as determined by the Tyler ISD Foundation Board of Directors. Discount cards may be purchased at all Tyler ISD elementary campuses as well as the Tyler ISD Administration Building, located at 1319 New Sunnybrook, in Tyler. Information can be obtained by emailing [email protected] or calling the Foundation Office (903) 266-9805 or 9806.

TYLER — A biomedical researcher at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler has been awarded a $377,500 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how and why the lung scars. Hua Tang, Ph.D., will use the two-year grant to study a specific protein – protein kinase D (PKD) – and its role in lung scarring. PKD appears to direct the lung cells to form scars, but it’s unclear how it does so.
According to a UTHSCT news release, his research could lead to new ways to effectively treat lung scarring, a chronic and progressive disease that kills about 40,000 Americans each year, according to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.

“It is a rare disease, but very dangerous. Only 20 percent of those diagnosed with lung scarring are alive five years after diagnosis,” Dr. Tang said. Currently, the only effective treatment for lung scarring is a lung transplant, said UTHSCT Vice President for Research Steven Idell, MD, Ph.D. And lung transplants last on average just five or 10 years. “There’s a need for better treatment. Scientists like Dr. Tang will lead the way in developing these treatments,” Dr. Idell said.

LONGVIEW — Aggravated sexual assault charges are filed against a Gregg County inmate. Investigators say Cheyene Thomas, 19, admitted to having sex with a 13-year-old girl on at least 2 dozen occasions at the girl’s home in Longview. Thomas has been in jail since November on other charges, including theft in Kerr County.

LONGVIEW — A distant trial date has been set for Gregg County’s tax assessor, who is asking jurors to hold him harmless in the Thanksgiving computer theft of $201,000 belonging to area cities and schools. However, a jury might never convene for the March 2012 trial in the County Court at Law No. 2, as county officials seek a settlement with the seven schools and cities that lost money in the cyber theft.

Attorney Robert Davis, representing Tax Assessor/Collector Kirk Shields, said Tuesday that all seven schools and cities had filed responses to his client’s Dec. 12 filing. Those responses are prescribed forms called general denials. Shields’ filing technically is a lawsuit, though he has stressed he is “not suing anybody” and has to seek a declaratory judgment so he won’t be personally liable for the loss. His filing names as defendants the cities of Kilgore and White Oak, Kilgore College and the Longview, Kilgore, Sabine and Spring Hill school districts.

Those are the entities whose tax payments were lost when cyber thieves diverted some $600,000 in tax payments being electronically deposited to Texas Bank and Trust for distribution to the entities. The theft was discovered in time to recover all but one third of that amount. A criminal investigation into the theft is ongoing under direction of the U.S. Secret Service and a cyber detective with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

TYLER – The rolling blackouts even had an impact at East Texas Medical Center. Their power was turned off twice yesterday. Hospital spokesperson Rebecca Berkley said that ETMC is listed as a tier one facility, which means its power should only be turned off as a last resort. Berkley added, “We understand that the local electric company, Oncor, might have had us classified incorrectly and therefore the main hospital’s power was turned off at 7:20am and around 9:00am for about 10 minutes.” She said ETMC Tyler’s emergency generators immediately kicked on and they never experienced any interruptions in care to their patients or service to their guests.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – Icy roads may have played part in a one vehicle accident in Hopkins County that killed one person. The wreck happened Tuesday afternoon on State Highway 11 at Farm Road 1870 east of Sulphur Springs. Dead at the scene was Stephannie Greinart, 22, of Winnsboro. The Department of Public Safety reports her vehicle left the road and hit a tree.

AUSTIN — Governor Rick Perry has appointed three members to the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents for terms to expire January 31, 2017.

Brigettee Henderson of Lufkin is an independent consulting interior designer and executive assistant at Carnes and Co. Auctioneers. She is secretary of the Angelina Arts Alliance Board of Directors, chair of the Angelina County American Cancer Society’s 2011 Cattle Baron’s Gala, and a member of the Buckner Family Place Board of Directors, Buckner Family Services Circle of Angels, and Junior League of Lufkin Sustainers. She is a past board member of the Lufkin Salvation Army, Museum of East Texas and Angelina Beautiful Clean. She is also past president of the Junior League of Lufkin and past vice president of the Angelina County Aggie Mother’s Club. Henderson received two bachelor’s degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Ken Schaefer of Brownsville is owner of Schaefer Stevedoring Inc. He is director of the West Gulf Maritime Association, and a past board member of University of Texas Pan American, Texas Commerce Bank, Fondo de Inversion de Veracruz, and Almacenadora Regional del Gulfo. Schaefer received a bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Ralph C. Todd of Carthage is a senior account manager at Baker Hughes Inc. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Gideon International, and Patriot Guard Riders. He is also a member of the Panola County Masonic Lodge and Bill Glass Champions for Life Prison Ministry, and is a deacon at Central Baptist Church. Todd attended the Peacock Military Academy and received a bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.

These appointments are subject to senate confirmation.

MARSHALL — A Marshall family is desperately seeking a kidney donor for its 16 month old daughter. 16-month-old Charlie Ray Furr was born with only one functioning kidney. The kidney was set to be removed last Tuesday, and Charlie Ray was expected to make a full recovery. However, during the operation, the good kidney was compromised, and then removed along with the bad organ. Now, Charlie Ray is at Children’s Hospital in Dallas undergoing life-saving dialysis treatments. A prayer vigil for Charlie Ray will be held in downtown Marshall Thursday night. Hundreds are expected to attend.