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TYLER — On Friday, the Tyler Independent School District Board of Trustees approved the order canvassing the returns and declaring the results of the November 2 Special Bond Election. With the election results showing 12,774 votes in favor and 12,840 votes against the bond, the Board of Trustees acknowledged the results as presented by the Smith County election officials. The order canvassing the returns is a step required by law after all elections. �We are very thankful for all who participated in the election and those that worked on behalf of the school district,� said Trustee Brad Spradlin. �We live in a wonderful country that has a process and the process works even though we may not exactly like the outcome.�

WHITEHOUSE – Police issue a warning for Whitehouse residents. According to KETK, officers say they arrested two men who allegedly stole mail throughout the city Friday. If you had outgoing mail in your residential box, police say you should check with the recipients to make sure they got it. If they do not receive your mail, you can report it to the Whitehouse Police Department.

GRAND SALINE – Grand Saline hopes to add a peanut butter and jelly sandwich to the record books. As part of National Peanut Butter Lovers Month, on November 13, Grand Saline Main Street and Nutty�s Gourmet Peanut Butter will attempt to break the world record for the world�s largest PB&J. The endeavor will coincide with the city�s first annual Great American Peanut Butter Festival and is in conjunction with a peanut butter food drive for the East Texas Food Bank.

�We�re so excited,� said Grand Saline Main Street Director Jamie Ollive. �We get to have a really fun festival and collect thousands of jars of peanut butter to help feed area families over the holidays.� The world record sandwich attempt will have to top 950 lbs. to break the current record, set in Oklahoma City on September 7, 2002. The PB&J construction process is scheduled to begin early Saturday morning since the bread actually has to be baked on the day of the attempt to comply with world record rules.

�We expect the process to take most of the day,� said Nutty�s owner and sandwich builder Keith Parsons. �We�ll have to wait for the dough to rise, bake the bread in a large commercial oven, and then finally we�ll transport the bread to a stage at the festival where we�ll spread on the peanut butter and jelly with long boat oars.�

�We are thrilled to be included in this event and attempt to break the record,� said Dennis Cullinane, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank. �Peanut butter is a very desirable food and a great source of protein. We rarely receive items for our East Texas children, seniors and adults that are both highly nutritious and as popular as peanut butter.�

Following Friday evening’s Great American Peanut Butter Pageant to name the festival�s first peanut butter queen, the festival begins Saturday morning at 7:00 with a peanut butter pancake breakfast — followed by the Great American Peanut Butter Parade at 10:00 am. There will be a carnival with rides and midway games, a music stage that will showcase regional talent throughout the day and nearly 100 vendors from as far away as Connecticut. �We actually have someone who�ll be selling Elvis� favorite fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches,� said Ollive.

For further information you can e-mail mainstreet@grandsaline.com or contact Ollive at (903) 962-3122. Sponsors for the event include the East Texas Food Bank, Brookshire Grocery Company, Grand Saline Main Street, and Nutty�s Gourmet Peanut Butter.

HENDERSON — Two drug suspects are in custody in Henderson, according to KETK. On Wednesday at 8:50 p.m., officers of the Henderson Police Department, Henderson Narcotics Unit, and the Henderson PD TACT Team — in conjunction with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit and the RCSO TACT Team — served a narcotics related search warrant at 401 Overton St. in Henderson. Seized in the search was a quantity of crack cocaine, marijuana and several weapons. Two Henderson men, ages 19 and 30, were arrested and are currently in the Rusk County Jail. Charges filed were Manufacture/ Delivery of Controlled Substance in a Drug Free Zone (1st Degree Felony) and Possession of Marijuana in a Drug Free Zone (State Jail Felony). Bond has not been set.

TYLER — Don�t come to the Tyler Public Library if you are looking for a quiet place to study or read this weekend. During �Art Around Every Corner� Saturday and Sunday, you will find the library, located at 201 South College, awash in music, dance, painting, sculpture and theatre. There’ll be hip-hop dancers in the Story Room, Queen Elizabeth in the Lobby, sculptures next to the computers, pottery in the Reading Room and paintings amongst the reference books. For two days, the Library is opening its doors and floors to visual and performing artists exhibiting, demonstrating and talking about their work. Admission is free. Artists will be on hand throughout the event during regular Library hours: Saturday, 9:00am to 5:00pm and Sunday from noon to 4:00pm.

RUSK COUNTY — Questions are still being raised in the mauling death of a 2-year-old Kaden Muckleroy outside Henderson. The pit bull, one of 38 dogs found on the property, was said to have been tied to a tree. The dog reportedly got loose and attacked the child. The Rusk County Sheriff says owner Kelvin Muckleroy has since turned over the dog and about 29 others to authorities. At the time of the attack, Muckleroy, Kaden’s grandfather, was at work. Authorities are investigating why the toddler was left unsupervised. Kaden died at a local hospital Wednesday morning. According to KETK, so far, no charges have been filed.

SMITH COUNTY — Evidence is stacked against Nathaniel Anderson, 15, accused of shooting his sister Amanda back in September. Deputies say they are confident in Anderson’s guilt. According to KETK, there were several items that led them to believe Anderson is guilty. Anderson reportedly told investigators that he saw his sister had been shot and was dead by looking into her room from the door. Authorities say that would have been impossible. In addition there was blood found on Anderson’s clothing matching his sisters. Authorities also say, the .22 caliber bullets matched the gun found in the house. No trial date has been set yet. Authorities are not saying whether Anderson will be tried as a minor or adult.

TYLER — Joe Straus, Speaker of the Texas House, faces more criticism, this time from Tea Partiers in East Texas and across the state. They say he’s not conservative enough. According to KETK, Tea Party officials in Tyler say Joe Straus has ignored and buried issues that are important to them like immigration and gun laws. They say they’ve worked too hard getting conservative representatives elected and they don’t want a liberal Speaker of the House.

LONGVIEW — Funeral services will be held on Monday for former Longview Mayor D.A. Benton. Benton, who was 96, died Wednesday evening. Funeral services will be held Monday afternoon at 2:00 at the First Baptist Church of Longview. Burial will follow in Memorial Park Cemetery.

Benton served on the Longview City Council from 1952 to 1970. That includes three terms as mayor starting in 1962.

According to the Rader Funeral Home obituary, He served in every office of the Knights of Pythias including 31 years as financial secretary. He was a member of the Dramatic Order of Knights of Khorassen and a 32nd degree Mason with more than 54 years of service. He was a Shriner, a 55-year member of the Longview Lion�s Club, and a member and past president of the Longview Jaycees. For more than 39 years Mr. Benton served with integrity and dedication on the board of directors of Texas Bank and Trust Company, formerly Longview Bank and Trust.

TYLER — Robert E. Lee High School has received the 2010 College Readiness Award from the Texas ACT Council for maintaining or increasing the number of students taking the ACT Assessment over the past five years and significantly increasing their level of achievement and college readiness.

In 2010, nearly 145,000 Texas students took the ACT which was an all-time high, and Texas ACT scores have increased substantially over the last five years. According to Karen L. Pennell, Assistant Vice President and ACT Southwest Regional Manager, “The Texas ACT Council wanted to recognize those Texas high schools that have made significant strides in increasing the college readiness of their graduates as demonstrated by their ACT score increases over the past five years. This can only happen as a result of the high school’s faculty and staff efforts and the dedication of Robert E. Lee High School students and parents to focus on college readiness and raise the level of college readiness for all students. Less than 6% of all high schools in Texas were honored for this superior level of accomplishment.”

TYLER — Gateway to Hope (formerly the Smith County Coalition for the Homeless) will be sponsoring the third annual One Night Without A Home as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week today beginning at 5:00pm. National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week (November 14 – 20) is a national endeavor to promote education, action, and awareness about hunger and homelessness. The 13-hour event will include a Face of Homelessness Forum. This forum provides an opportunity to hear the stories of homeless or formerly homeless persons, and information from service providers on how participants can get involved.

Anyone interested in learning more about this issue and how to address it is invited to participate. Registration fee is $15 which includes a t-shirt, meals and will help with event expenses. You can go to http://www.PATHhelps.org to obtain a registration forms are online. Click on the “One Night Without a Home” link on the homepage. Follow to the registration form link on the ONWH page. Submit the registration form online and a secure “Donate Now” page will follow. Choose the “One Night Without A Home” option. Or print the forms and mail to PATH, ONWH, 402 W. Front St., Tyler, TX, 75702.

The evening schedule begins at 5:00 with registration and dinner at the Salvation Army, followed by a march to Bergfeld Park, “Music for Hope,” The Face of Homelessness” forum, a candlelight vigil and sleeping at the park. The following morning, the day begins at 5:00am with breakfast by the Salvation Army Canteen followed by “Lessons Learned,” and then a march to the Salvation Army. Participants should dress in comfortable warm clothing and bring only what can be carried. Organizers say do not bring money, cell phones or electronics. You may bring a sleeping bag. Security will be provided.

Anyone having trouble paying the $15 fee should call Christina at 903-617-2807. If the temperature reaches 42 or below, participants will march back to the Salvation Army and sleep in the Emergency Shelter. Call 903-597-4044, ext. 107, or email christina_fulsom@tylerpath.org for more information.

TYLER � The citizen action group Grassroots America � We the People sponsors Governor Perry�s �Fed Up!� book tour stop in Tyler. The tour stop is today at Lone Star Event Center, 4036 FM 2767, from 11:30 a.m. till about 12:30 p.m. The tour is being arranged by the Texas Public Policy Foundation. The book�s full title is �Fed Up � Our Fight to Save America from Washington.�

According to materials from the foundation, �Governor Perry has asked that all proceeds from �Fed Up!� book sales benefit the research and outreach activities of the Texas Public Policy Foundation�s Center for Tenth Amendment Studies so that the Foundation can continue to ensure that Texas is a national leader in the cause of liberty and respect for a limited government.� Grassroots America Executive Director JoAnn Fleming says, �Grassroots America � We the People is happy to sponsor the Governor�s book tour stop in Tyler. We welcome his limited government Tenth Amendment message because it�s high time �We the People� put the federal government back into a Constitution-sized box.� You can go to http://www.texaspolicy.com for more details.

TYLER — Tyler Police say they deployed stop sticks to stop an 18-wheeler miles away from an accident in which the vehicle was involved. Police were notified of a hit and run accident at Old Bullard Road and WSW Loop 323 around 8:10 a.m. Thursday involving the tractor trailer and a Cadillac. The Cadillac, driven by Patricia D. Williams of Tyler, was traveling south on Old Bullard through a green light. The 18-wheeler, driven by Bill Crum from Colcord, Oklahoma, was westbound on Loop 323. Witnesses indicated that Crum ran the red light, striking the Cadillac in the intersection and failed to stop at the scene of the accident. Williams suffered minor injuries from the crash.

Witnesses followed the 18-wheeler around the Loop and kept officers posted on its location until they could catch up to the vehicle. Officers caught up to the 18-wheeler at Van Highway and Loop 323 and attempted to pull it over near 69 North and Loop 323. Police say Crum failed to pull over for officers, who now had their emergency lights and siren activated. Crum continued to travel east on Loop 323 at normal speeds, but police say he would not pull over for emergency vehicles. Crum traveled to the 271 North extension and headed north on 271, then turned left onto 271 and was now heading back towards Loop 323 and 271.

Officers deployed tire deflation devices at 271 and Loop 323 as Crum entered the intersection with officers still following. A second set of spike strips was deployed at Hillsboro and E. Gentry. Police say Crum finally pulled the 18-Wheeler over near the intersection of Beckham and E. Gentry after the tires were flat and he was driving on his rims.

Crum�s wife was asleep in the cab of the truck at the time of the incident. Police say when officers interviewed Crum, he was extremely confused and was not aware of his surroundings. Officers did not detect any signs of alcohol on Crum, and no narcotics were present on or about his person. Crum was transported to East Texas Medical Center Hospital by EMS for medical observation. Police say they believe that by getting the vehicle stopped, they prevented further injury and property damage. The case remains under investigation.

NACOGDOCHES � A Nacogdoches construction worker is in serious condition after being buried alive in a trench late Wednesday night. The incident happened at the Central Heights High School. Reports say Rafael Perez was working seven feet underground on a cable when the dirt caved in on him. KETK reports Perez was trapped for about eight minutes until being rescued. When they pulled him out he was unconscious.
He remains in intensive care at Nacogdoches Medical Center.

EAST TEXAS — Several events in East Texas celebrate Veterans Day:

The Historic Aviation Museum at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport is offering free admission to Veterans this month. A program on WWI Thursday covered Trench Warfare, the Air War Escadrilles, the Red Baron and General Blackjack Pershing. A ceremony honoring the Korean War Veterans was held at the Senior Citizens Center on Garden Valley Road in Tyler. Bell Elementary School’s program was Thursday morning in the school cafeteria. Students sang patriotic songs and shared essays they wrote honoring their Veterans. Robert E. Lee High School scheduled a free public concert Thursday evening at 6:00 in the Fine Arts Center. Griffin Elementary and Bishop T.K. Gorman also held events.

Students at Velma Penny Elementary in Lindale served lunch to WWII veterans who were recently flown to Washington D.C., as part of the Brookshire’s “World War II Heroes Flight” program. After lunch, veterans addressed different classes and shared their experiences from the war. Lindale Primary School recognized Veterans with a ceremony. LISD School Board President and Brigadier General James “Red” Brown was the guest speaker.

Local actors in Longview told the story of “Seven World War II Vets” at the Westminster Place nursing home. The actors have written about their lives and read them during a 45 minute performance to honor the Veterans. It detailed their experiences before, during and after the war.

Wills Point High School presents a salute to the veterans by performing a 1940’s USO show at the Hollywood Canteen. Following a Thursday evening presentation, the program is due to be repeated Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and then at 2:30 on Sunday. Ten percent of all ticket sales will go to the Van Zandt County Veterans Memorial. Volunteers are needed to staff the selling of bricks, ball caps and other veterans memorial items.