KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Bishop T.K. Gorman Regional Catholic High School is one of only five Catholic high schools in the United States to be selected for the sixth year to the Catholic High School Honor Roll. The announcement includes Gorman as one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in America by the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty. Selection criteria included demonstrated commitment to academic excellence, Catholic identity, and civic education. Nearly 1,300 Catholic high schools were invited to apply to the Honor Roll by completing measurement surveys. Acton indicates, “With this high level of competition, inclusion on the Honor Roll indicates outstanding success in each of the disciplines examined.” Msgr. Joseph Strickland, JCL, Vicar General for the Diocese of Tyler, says “We are blessed to have a Catholic high school in Tyler with a tradition of excellence for more than fifty years.”

LONGVIEW — A Kilgore woman is killed in a hit and run accident in Longview. It happened around 7:00 Sunday night in the 700 block of South Green Street. Police say 29-year-old Tracey Turk was struck by a car while crossing the street. She was taken to a local hospital and later pronounced dead. The motorist that struck Turk fled the scene without stopping. According to KETK, the vehicle is a 1992-1994 Mercury Grand Marquis, goldish-pewter in color, and had damage to the front end as a result of the crash. Anyone with information is asked to contact Gregg County Crimestoppers at http://www.greggcountycrimestoppers.com or 903-236-STOP.

CHAPEL HILL — Eight weeks ago, 19-year-old T-J-C student, Amanda Anderson was found shot to death in her Chapel Hill home, allegedly killed by her brother, Nathaniel. The 15-year-old is reportedly being held in the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center for another 10 days. According to KETK, the prosecution says his detainment is recommended because he may present a danger to himself and could be a danger to the public’s safety. Anderson’s attorney, Jeff Haas, asked for a mental evaluation of Anderson last Friday. He was arrested Wednesday. His family still claims his innocence. His next hearing is scheduled for November 22nd.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin High Schooler wins $10,000 in an online skateboarding contest. Jonah Campbell, 15, is a self-proclaimed skateboarding buff. He lined up his fantasy skateboarding team and found out he won while at a skate park lock-in. Campbell says his mom accepted the money on his behalf. She says she hopes he makes some wise decisions with the money. Jonah says he’ll buy a video game and a new skateboard right away.

EAST TEXAS — One man is dead, one in custody after a police chase and stand-off ends. According to KETK, officers found one man dead where the shooting took place. Smith County Deputies, State Troopers and Troup Police forced the driver to stop at CR 230 and 345, near the Omen community. The suspect refused to come out of his car and told officers he had a gun. After a short time, deputies say they were able to get the man out of his truck and into custody. Authorities searched the vehicle and found a handgun. The name of the victim and the suspect have not been released.

TYLER — East Texans got a chance on Sunday to meet Oliver North. A member of the National Security Council staff during the Reagan administration, North received national attention for his involvement in the Iran-Contra affair in the 80’s. He currently can be seen on the Fox News Channel where he hosts the documentary series “War Stories.”

North was at Barnes and Noble in Tyler to sign copies of his new book, “American Heroes in Special Operations.” KETK-TV reports North said a nation without heroes couldn’t stay around very long.

According to North, “The classical definition of a hero is a person not wearing spandex, suit and cape – TV show or a movie. A classical definition of a hero is someone who puts themselves at risk for the benefit of others.”

North was asked some of the unfavorable views of the military published on sites like Wiki-Leaks, North was quick to defend his country. “I find it to be interesting that Wiki-Leaks only has bad things to say about our military. Well if nothing else, this is a counterpoise to all that crap that’s out there, and that’s why I write these books,” North said.

TYLER – A heavily traveled Smith County road has re-opened. A driver had a seizure Sunday and lost control of his vehicle, and it hit a railroad crossing arm on the loop extension between Loop 323 and U.S. Highway 271. KETK-TV reported that prompted the railroad crossing to be closed until Union Pacific could repair the damaged equipment. That mission was accomplished Monday afternoon.

TYLER — Organizer Christina Fulsom says the weekend’s “One Night Without A Home” in Tyler was a “great event.” The 13-hour activity at the Salvation Army Community Center was designed to educate people about homeless issues. About 100 attended, with some 50 spending the rainy night at the center. Fulsom says when it was all over, everyone agreed “that they have greater awareness; that because of that awareness they have now a better understanding.”

TJC and UT Tyler students made up a significant part of the group. Among other things, they heard from people who have experienced homelessness. Fulsom says participants agreed that they’ll view the issue differently from now on — for example, “that if they encountered a homeless person, or someone made derogatory comments about a homeless person, that they would speak up.” The event was a project of Gateway to Hope, formerly the Smith County Coalition for the Homeless.

TYLER — Tyler’s League of Women Voters and American Association of University Women present “Solving the Health Care Puzzle,” a seminar on the new health care reform law, Monday night at 6:30 at Robert E. Lee High School’s Little Theater. Spokesperson Dee Brock says seminar leader Anne Dunkelberg of the Austin-based Center for Public Policy Priorities is an expert on the law — “an outstanding researcher with a long history in public health and human services.”

According to Brock, Dunkelberg will bypass the politics of the hot-button issue. “What she’s going to do,” says Brock, “is just tell people the facts of what is in the health care law…when each facet of the law is going to take place, what needs it’s supposed to fill, and what it will mean to Texas and to individual Texans and their families.” For more information, you can e-mail soonersue@sbcglobal.net or leave a voice mail message at (903) 597-9111.

HALLSVILLE (AP) – Dozens of wealthy Texas school districts, including one in East Texas, held onto more than $40 million in tax dollars that should have gone to poorer districts until this year, when the state demanded they pay up. The districts owed the money under the state’s so-called “Robin Hood” law of education revenue sharing. The Texas Education Agency discovered the delinquencies during an unprecedented review last summer. Records relating to the review were obtained by The Associated Press under the Texas Public Information Act. The review found that the Hallsville school district went more than a year without paying. The East Texas district used the $8.5 million it withheld from the state to help pay for improvements that helped it to its first exemplary state rating. The district has since had to obtain a bank loan to pay what it owed. Other East Texas school districts on the list are Tatum and Carthage.

TYLER — Saturday marked the last day of Smith County’s first-ever Veterans Appreciation Week. KETK reports that troop supporters ended the festivities with live music and a chilly walk. Despite the cold, East Texans broke out their running shoes for a downtown Tyler 5k in support of veterans and those who serve. Activities, under the heading of “Celebrating Our Hometown Heroes,” got underway November 6 with Bullard’s Red, White, and Blue Celebration. Other events included a fish fry and awards ceremony, a sponsor dinner, an employment fair, Veterans Day celebrations at schools around the area — and the 5k, accompanied by a Freedom Walk. Many organizations banded together for the series of activities.

CHAPEL HILL – A mobile home goes up in flames late Friday evening. According to KETK, it happened on the 4600 block of Tatum Drive in Chapel Hill. A family of four was living there at the time, but fortunately they were not hurt. However, three family pets, two dogs and a cat, were killed in the blaze. The house is also a total loss.

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.