KTBB News, Weather, Talk

CHANDLER – Our news partners at KETK report that a Facebook post by the Chandler Chamber of Commerce has caused a rift in the tight-knit community over the announcement that a Starbucks was coming to town. A lot of people would prefer anything but a Starbucks. It’s set to open right next to Brookshire’s alongside Highway 31, in the building previously used by Texas Famous Fried Chicken. Dozens of comments, detailing the community’s opposition to the business and reasons why.

“A lot of people don’t want it here as well as myself,” said Cody Richardson, Chandler resident. “The traffic is already bad, and they’ve had a lot of wrecks there,” said Wood. “Unless they do something about putting a traffic signal in, I think it’s going to create more havoc.” “Something else would have been better,” said Susie Wood, Chandler resident. Continue reading Chandler residents voice concerns over new Starbucks

TYLER – The Tyler Police Department said that a woman driving a motorcycle was hospitalized after crashing with a vehicle on Troup Highway and Dulse Street on Friday according to our news partners at KETK. The crash reportedly happened at around 8:19 p.m. near Green Acres Baptist Church. Details of the crash are limited but the driver of the motorcycle has been sent to a local hospital and her condition is unknown. Tyler PD said that traffic heading south on Troup Highway was diverted while law enforcement responded to the crash.

TYLER – Jack Benson, a former Douglas Elementary School student visited the campus Friday to celebrate his recent donation of $100,000 to the school. The staff and students made it special for for Mr. Benson, welcoming him with a special “Thank You” parade. According to a release from Douglas Elemetary, school personnel took Mr. Benson on a tour of school grounds and showed him the areas in which his generous donation will be used. The plan is to install new playground equipment and create a covered outdoor learning area for students.

As the tour progressed Mr. Benson said that, “Douglas holds a special place in my heart,” Benson said. “It shaped my childhood, and I always knew I wanted to give back.”
Continue reading Douglas Elementary celebrates 100K donor

TYLER – Chapel Hill ISD announced on Friday the current high school principal will be assuming the role of assistant superintendent. According to our news partner KETK, Matthew Strode will start those new duties July 1.

Strode said in a release from CHISD, “I am immensely grateful for the trust and support extended to me by Chapel Hill ISD as I transition into the role of Assistant Superintendent. I am deeply appreciative of the opportunity to contribute to our district’s continued success and am eager to collaborate with our dedicated team in serving our students, staff, and community.”

Strode has been with the Chapel Hill school district for five years.

TYLER – All public boat ramps on Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East are open. But, Tyler Water Utilities advises all lake users to remain cautious on the water. There may still be floating debris from the recent rain, which can pose safety risks to boaters and watercraft. There is also a chance for high wakes, which can impact not only boaters but can also affect properties along the shoreline. TWU asks that boaters to be mindful of their speed and the wakes they create as a courtesy to others and to prevent erosion or damage to shoreline properties.

JACKSONVILLE – According to our news partner KETK, an investigation is open into allegations of a teacher injuring a student by the Jacksonville Independent School District. Concerned parent Ashelle Whitaker said her 7-year-old son was hurt by his second grade teacher. Whitaker said physical marks and his reaction were telling that something happened.

“I see him coming down the hallway with a bloody tissue up to his mouth and his eyes swollen, him crying his eyes out, snot rolling down,” said Whitaker. “He said [the teacher] took me into the room alone, and she repeatedly pushed me up against the wall and I could not breathe,” said Whitaker. Whitaker was heartbroken and she immediately called 911, filed a report with CPS, the school’s resource officer spoke with the Smith County Advocacy Center. Continue reading Jacksonville ISD teacher accused of abusing 7-year-old

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, Tyler ISD said a bus carrying students hit a parked car on Appletree Lane on Thursday after the bus driver had a “unusual medical situation.” According to a Tyler ISD representative, the bus driver and students were uninjured after the bus hit the car but the driver is being checked out by first responders at the scene.

SMITH COUNTY – A part of Smith County Road 294 is closed for repairs because of a washout due to heavy rainfall. Smith County officials received a report that part of the road had been washed away. County Engineer Frank Davis said he expects repairs to be completed by Friday April 19. In the meantime, closure and barricade signs have been placed at the affected part of CR 294. This section is about 1.25 miles east of State Highway 135 in Arp. Those driving in this area are asked to seek a different route.

SMITH COUNTY – Thursday was an auspicious day in Smith County. It is technically the day the county was born. Texas was annexed by the United States and became a state in 1845. The next year, the new state legislature created Smith County by an act passed on April 11, 1846. Most, but not all, historians say the county was named for General James Smith, a hero of the Texas Revolution, though the act itself makes no mention. That makes Smith County Texas 178 years old today.

SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, rescue teams in East Texas remain busy as they address issues including flooded roadways, downed power lines and even rescue crews due to recent weather conditions. In Cherokee County, on the 2500 block of FM Road 855, authorities worked to save a woman Tuesday night who got swept away in her car from flood waters. A day later, the road is shut down and the vehicle remains trapped in water with no word yet when officials plan to move it. Over in Smith County, two people had to be rescued Wednesday morning near Troup after being stuck for nearly two hours.

Downed trees on roads were also keeping crews busy. “We’ve worked on dozens of trees,” Moore said. “Road and bridge [crews] have cut up and cleaned up many.” Rusk County has experienced flooding and downed trees with many residents losing power in the process. “We had a couple of transformer explosions,” Rusk County Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez said. “Just a whole lotta mess.” Continue reading East Texas looks at aftermath following storms

SHELBY COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) arrested four individuals suspected to be involved in a theft ring in Shelby County on Monday. Shelby County Sheriff Kevin Windham reported that on Monday at 8:30 a.m. investigators and deputies responded to a call in the 7000 block of Highway 7 West in Center, and upon arrival the investigators recognized the property as a “highly trafficked area for drugs and stolen property.”

The SCSO said that they spent more than 34 hours on the grounds and recovered over $150,000 of stolen property. Continue reading Four arrested after stolen items found

TEXARKANA — A 20-year-old man from Texarkana has been arrested for possession of child pornography. According to our news partner KETK, Facebook and Instagram discovered videos of suspected child pornography had been uploaded on their platforms. The social media companies then reported the illegal posts and messages to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Texarkana PD said they received those tips after the IP address of the computer from which they were posted showed to be in the Texarkana area. After several weeks of investigation, police identified the suspect as Angel Hernandez. He is currently held in the Bi-State Jail on a $100,000 bond for the charge of possession of more than or equal to 50 depictions of child pornography.

SMITH COUNTY – There will be gantry maintenance on Toll 49 Thursday night starting at 8 p.m. According to Daisy Nunez from NET RMA, the short one lane closure is between FM 2493, Old Jacksonville and SH 155.

TYLER – A Cherokee County man pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court for counterfeit pill manufacturing and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine-laced pills. According to our news partner KETK, 45-year-old Robert Martin of Alto, conspired with others to possess with the intention to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine.

Officials say that Martin set up pill press on his property in order to press out hundreds of thousand of counterfeit pills with the intention a nationwide distribution. Martin also recruited mid-level distributors and wholesalers for his drug operation.

Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson said that Martin’s arrest in July of 2023, was after a two-month-long investigation. Dickson added, “This action was the result of an ongoing investigation into an illicit pill manufacturing operation near Alto. This was a huge win for our community by removing these items and this individual from the streets of Cherokee County.”

Martin faces anywhere from 10 years in federal prison to life, but a sentencing date has not been set at this time.

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report a Cherokee County man pleaded guilty in federal court on Tuesday and is awaiting sentencing for counterfeit pill manufacturing and conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine-laced pills. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office, 45-year-old Robert Martin, of Alto, conspired with others to possess with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of a mixture containing a detectable amount of methamphetamine. Continue reading Man convicted in meth-laced pills conspiracy

TYLER – The Tyler City Council Wednesday approved a $112,000 engineering contract on for the retiming of 15 intersection’s traffic signals as a part of their Intelligent Transportation System Master Plan. According to our news partner KETK, the contract with Kimely-Horn and Associates Inc. includes project management, data collection, development of timing plans, implementation and a final report on the retimed traffic signals.

City officials say this is an extension of projects from the past four years of upgrades to city traffic signals. Since 2019, 71 of Tyler’s 149 signalized intersections have been retimed as apart of the Intelligent Transportation System Master Plan.
Continue reading Tyler to retime 15 intersection traffic signals

TYLER – Dr. Barbara Hass, dean of UTT’s school of nursing, was appointed onto a state committee to address the nursing shortage. According to our news partner KETK, the purpose for this committee was to review and amend the definitions of the Professional Nursing Shortage Reduction Program in the Texas Administrative Code, so that the program will be better equipped to adapt to evolving healthcare needs. UTT said that the committee is comprised of 19 representatives from community colleges, public health-related institutions, the hospital industry, public technical colleges, independent institutions and public universities. The United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast said in 2019 that a shortage of registered nurses was projected to increase throughout the country through the year 2030, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects more than 193,000 openings for registered nurses each year through 2032 with retirements and workforce exits factored. Continue reading UT Tyler dean of nursing appointed to state committee

SMITH COUNTY — With a theme of “Breaking Ground,” Smith County leaders met Tuesday to address the ever-growing region at the annual State of the County, according to our news partner KETK. Nearly 500 people gathered at Green Acres Baptist Church for Smith County’s 2024 state of the county, highlighting construction plans and new partnerships like at the county jail.

“We continue to work with entities, we’re working with the city of Tyler and then the other cities within the county so I think this unity that we’re seeing now is going to be nothing but movement forward, and it’s really going to be exciting,” Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said. Continue reading Leaders talk new courthouse, jail improvements

TYLER – East Texas schools are announcing school closures and delays for Wednesday morning due to complications of weather, power outages and flooding. The full list can be found on our news partner KETK’s website.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson said a woman has been rescued from a vehicle after getting stuck in high water on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK the the woman was helped out of her car on FM 855 by a passerby and first responders are working on getting her vehicle out of the water. The Cherokee County Sheriff Dickson said the woman is safe. The Smith County Water Rescue was reportedly at the scene.

KETK has been following flooding and fallen trees obstructing roadways as storms pass through East Texas on Tuesday and expected to continue through Wednesday. People can find a full list here.

 
SMITH COUNTY – Because of heavy rain, the City of Tyler Water Utilities is temporarily closing all public boat ramps on Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East. The ramps are being closed due to boating hazards resulting from debris washed into the lakes by the recent rains and to reduce damage from shoreline erosion caused by boat wakes. In addition, the lakes are closed to boat traffic from lake residents The ramps are closed until further notice. TWU anticipates reopening the ramps once the lake levels recede.

TYLER — A Tuesday morning house fire near Caldwell Zoo, led to the death of a 68-year-old woman and a dog according to our news partners at KETK. According to a release, Mynetta Gilstrap, 68, died after being transported to a local hospital. Tyler FD was dispatched to a house fire at 1713 W Mims Street near the Caldwell Zoo at 9:51 a.m. The initial call reportedly indicated that flames could be seen from the front of the house. Firefighters arrived to the house were they began containing the fire and began a search, locating Gilstrap and a deceased dog. The fire was suppressed at 10:28 a.m. and officials continue to investigate the cause.

SMITH COUNTY – Authorities across East Texas are urging drivers to use caution before getting on the roads. Storms began appearing Monday night and will continue into late Wednesday evening. According to our news partner KETK, these are the counties and roads affected.

Smith County: Officials with Smith County said that CR 463, also known as Wood Springs Road under I-20, and 370 have water over the roadways. Reports have that SH-31 to Longview has several spots where the road is covered with water. Tyler Water Utilities had temporarily closed all public boat ramps on Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East.
Continue reading East Texas road closings due to flooding

HENDERSON – CHRISTUS announced that they are moving forward with the development of a new emergency center in Henderson. According to our news partner KETK, CHRISTUS will be holding a groundbreaking celebration on April 23 at 10:30 a.m. at a seven acre site south of Wylie Elementary School on Highway 259. The new facility will feature around the clock emergency services with 17 beds, 13 exam rooms, four triage rooms, state-of-the-art full service imaging and onsite laboratory services. The project is scheduled to start construction in late spring and is projected to be completed in the second half of 2025. “We are passionate about increasing access to health care for patients across East Texas,” Chris Glenney, senior vice president for group operations of CHRISTUS Northeast Texas said. “Henderson is a key area for growth in East Texas, and we know there is a need for patients to access the exceptional health care we provide.” Continue reading CHRISTUS announces a new facility in Henderson

TYLER – With severe weather and storms continuing to move through East Texas, about 23,700 customers are without power as of 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Our news partner KETK had a list of counties with power outages noted from ONCOR, SWEPCO and other electric co-ops. You can find that list here.

SMITH COUNTY — Sections of Smith County Road 463, also known as Wood Springs Road under Interstate 20, and CR 370 have water over the roadways, according to county officials. Smith County Road and Bridge crews are out clearing downed trees, but none have been reported blocking the entire road to cause a closure. Drivers are reminded to not drive through high water crossings.