KTBB News, Weather, Talk

RUSK — A biker participating in Saturday’s motorcycle rally is in critical condition after flipping his vehicle in Rusk, according to officials at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. Noah and Patsy Louviere were rounding a sharp curve at the Rusk Railroad park when he lost control of his three-wheeled motorcycle and the vehicle flipped over a steep embankment into the dry bed of Cherokee Lake. Mr. Louviere was airlifted to ETMC inTyler. Patsy Louviere sustained mild injuries and is currently in fair condition, ETMC in Tyler.

MARSHALL — Sharon Nichols, who was charged with indecency with a child Friday along with her husband, former sheriff’s deputy and local pastor Eddie Nichols, was fired Tuesday from her position as deputy county clerk. Nichols, 33, was employed as deputy county clerk from June 2, 2008, until her termination Tuesday. Before that, she worked part-time in the county judge’s office from June 14, 2007, to May 30, 2008.

Her husband, who is also an ordained minister, was employed with the sheriff’s office for three-and-a-half years until his termination. Before his employment with the sheriff’s office, the 49-year-old worked for 13 years as a police officer with Marshall Police Department, where he also served as chaplain. Nichols’ position as pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, on U.S. 59, could not be verified Tuesday, but there is a sign at the church noting that a parking space is “Reserved for Pastor Eddie Nichols.”

The couple was arrested Friday and placed in the Harrison County jail. Both have been arraigned. Eddie Nichols was charged with two counts of indecency with a child by contact; his bail was set at $200,000. His wife, whose bond was set at $100,000, posted bond immediately and was released.

TYLER — Susan G. Komen for the Cure Tyler Affiliate will be joining forces with Jersey Mike’s Subs restaurants throughout the Tyler area today for “Mike’s Way To A Cure” Day. That day local Jersey Mike’s locations will donate 50% of their sales to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. It is part of a six-month nationwide campaign called “Mike’s Way to a Cure” which began in May in support of Susan G. Komen’s mission to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. The campaign will conclude at the end of October, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

TYLER — The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce honors its top citizens and organizations at its annual meeting. The T.B. Butler Award for citizen of the year was given to Stephen Dement, founder of the Brook Hill School and its on-campus American Freedom Museum. Dement said he was honored — and that all of Brook Hill’s work is for the youth of Smith County. He remarked, “Sometimes we wonder if it’s worth it. And then we see children excel. Their challenge, their potential is realized, and they go on to achieve great things.”

The W.C. Windsor Award for top citizen under 40 goes to Roy Martinez, Regions Bank’s community banking sales manager for East Texas. Martinez told the audience, “I’m just really proud and real happy to be here, to have these people all here today that not only helped me but help others that we’ll never know in the future who will benefit from what you’re doing today.” Large Business of the Year is Henry and Peters, P.C.; top small business is Mentoring Minds; and the Volunteer of the Year award was handed to the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum.

WILLS POINT – A young mother has died after being dragged by a horse. Cheyenne Nicole Ramirez, 18, of Wills Point, died in a Tyler hospital Tuesday following the Monday accident. Investigators say the mother on an 16-month old was mounting the horse when something spooked it. The horse started running, with the teen’s spur caught in the stirrups. Investigators say the horse dragged her about half a mile.

FLINT – A mobile home in the Flint area is nothing more than rubble today because of a fire late Tuesday afternoon. It was reported around 5:00 o’clock on Farm Road 2493. The handicapped resident of the house was able to flee to safety. Firemen rescued the woman’s pet dog from the rubble. No word on what caused the blaze.

KILGORE – A substation malfunction is being blames for a Kilgore power outage. Over 4,700 residents and businesses, including the Kilgore school district and Kilgore College, lost power around 9:00 Tuesday. The power was back on about an hour later. Southwestern Electric Power Co. spokesman Scott McCloud said the outages across the city were caused when eight circuits locked out.

BULLARD — The drought takes its toll on East Texas hay growers. According to KETK, the dry weather is creating a hay shortage. That means farmers and ranchers have to go out of state to buy hay — and pay higher prices. The ASPCA is even offering a $250,000 hay bailout, to be used to help feed animals across Texas and Oklahoma. Bullard hay baler Taylor Hand is among those feeling the pinch. He says current hay sources include Louisiana and Arkansas — even as far north as Minnesota and Canada. Hand says he doesn’t know how much longer farmers and ranchers — his customers — can hang on.

TYLER — The Trinity Mother Frances Health System Board of Directors announced the appointments of Steven P. Keuer, M.D., as President and Chief Medical Officer and Gifford V. Eckhout, Jr., M.D., M.B.A., as Executive Vice President/Chief of Anesthesia. Both physicians have served in their respective roles on an interim basis following Dr. David Teegarden’s retirement in April. Dr. Keuer previously served as Executive Vice President. Dr. Eckhout has served for many years as a Trinity Clinic physician and in other physician advisory positions.

“With the appointments of Steve and Gifford, the Board wishes to affirm our commitment to the vital role that strong physician leadership plays in our organization and in our future. They bring a strong vote of confidence from the members of the Trinity Clinic and the System Board and round out our highly effective veteran leadership team,” said Preston Smith, Chairman of the Trinity Mother Frances Health System Board.

TYLER — The current burn ban in Smith County was extended for 90 days by the Smith County Commissioners Court during a regular meeting Tuesday morning. Smith County Fire Marshal Jim Seaton recommended the burn ban’s extension due to continuing extreme drought conditions and the likelihood of a severe winter fire season. “We are expecting the severity of our fire situation to increase as we enter winter and the little bit of live foliage we still have dies off,” Seaton said.

Since July 1, the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office has recorded 563 fire responses, 372 burn ban warnings, 156 burn ban citations and three counts of reckless destruction of property. Smith County has also had 25 structures and 34 vehicles destroyed or damaged in wildfires. Seaton cautioned that the burn ban extension will restrict many popular seasonal activities and products that involve an open flame including the use of camp fires, porch chimneys and fire pits, “tiki-torches,” mosquito candles and turkey fryers. “We sympathize with burden the burn ban places on the citizens, but we in the fire service see no other alternative,” Seaton said. Supervised outdoor grilling with a covered grilling device is not prohibited under the burn ban. You can visit http://www.smith-county.com for a full copy of the burn ban and all ordinance restrictions.

LONGVIEW — More Longview retailers are cited in the police department’s latest alcohol stings. On Saturday, police partnered with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and Longview Partners in Prevention to conduct off-premise stings at area retailers to validate compliance with Texas law prohibiting the sale of alcohol to minors. Members of Mothers Against Drunk Driving also accompanied several of the officers. 36 alcohol retailers were checked by the undercover teams, and 7 allegedly sold alcohol to the undercover minors. The locations cited were:

1. 1316 Alpine – Food Fast # 18
2. 1917 Judson Road – Road Runner Superette # 2
3. 1800 S. High Street – Super 1 Foods # 632
4. 2001 N. Eastman Road – Zippy J’s No. 5
5. 1123 W. Cotton Street – Anita Food & Fuel
6. 4108 W. Loop 281 # 101 – Kyle’s Kwik Stop # 3
7. 1721 Hwy. 31 South – Smart Mart

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, TABC issued administrative citation(s) to each of the businesses. One of the suspects was arrested on an outstanding Gregg County warrant for sale of alcohol to a minor.

MARSHALL — 91 Arkansas contract poultry growers would receive $26 million in damages under a ruling issued by a federal judge in Marshall. U.S. Magistrate Charles Everingham found Pilgrim’s Pride was deliberately attempting to manipulate the price of chicken when the company decided to close its El Dorado plant in early 2009. Plaintiffs’ attorney Bob Depper says the turning point in the case was an email concerning the sale of another plant. Depper says when Pilgrim’s had the opportunity to sell the farmable plants it had closed down, there was an internal memo that said the company couldn’t do that because it would foil its plan. Awards to individual growers ranged from $50,000 to over $700,000. The judge indicated there had been difficulty in determining damages because some growers had failed to keep accurate records.

GREGG COUNTY — Gregg County troopers were called to the scene of an overturned semi on I-20 at around 8:30 Tuesday morning. Officials say the 18-wheeler was eastbound when the driver fell asleep and ran off the road. The driver didn’t realize what happened until he woke up overturned in a ditch. The semi was hauling vegetables from California to an unknown location. No injuries were reported. All Interstate lanes had reopened by early Tuesday afternoon.

TYLER – The driver of a car involved in an accident with a Tyler school bus was arrested. The accident slightly injured some students. It happened around 7:00 Monday night near the intersections of County Roads 37 and 35, just north of Tyler . A school district news release said the bus was transporting 26 Dogan Middle School students home from the Ingenuity Center after school program. As a precautionary measure, 18 students were transported to the hospital for what appeared to be minor injuries. Arrested by the Department of Public Safety was Anthony C. Thomas, 43, of Dallas. He has been charged with driving with a suspended license and, according to the jail booking report, driving on the wrong side of the road. His bond was set at $657.00.

TYLER — The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce holds its annual meeting tonight at Harvey Convention Center. The T.B. Butler Citizen of the Year Award and the W.C. Windsor Award for top citizen under the age of 40 will be presented. The event will also include a review of the past year. Jerry Woolverton will take over as chairman, replacing Lynda York, with Mary Elizabeth Jackson waiting in the wings for the following year. Close to 600 people are expected.