KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – A 50-year-old Tyler woman has pleaded guilty to social security fraud in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales Monday. Lisa Godfrey pleaded guilty to theft of government property Monday in Tyler before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.

According to federal authorities, in 2006, Godfrey applied for Title II, Social Security Retirement and Survivors Insurance Benefits on behalf of both of her children who lived with her at the time. In January 2007, one of Godfrey’s children moved out of her home and began living with their father. However, Godfrey continued to receive Social Security Benefit payments on behalf of that child and on three separate occasions, Godfrey falsely reported to the Social Security Administration that the child was still living with her during those reporting periods. This resulted in an overpayment of Social Security Administration benefits in the amount of $29,490. Godfrey, indicted by a federal grand jury on June 2, faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office announced Monday that the remains of a U.S. serviceman from Tyler, missing in action from the Korean War, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. Army Sgt. Lee D. Henry, Jr., 22 when he died, will be buried Sept. 17 in his hometown.

In August 1950, Henry died near Haman, South Korea. In early 1951, the remains of an unknown soldier were exhumed from the 25th Infantry Division Cemetery in Masan, South Korea. The remains had initially been interred on Aug. 18, 1950, but available documentation didn’t identify the individual or indicate where the remains were originally found. The exhumed remains were analyzed in Kokura, Japan, four men—including Henry—were possible candidates but couldn’t be identified given the technology of the time. The remains were buried as unknown at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu.

In 2010, scientists at Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) concluded they had evidence that supported identification of the unknown soldier. The remains were exhumed in March 2011 for analysis using modern technology. Among other forensic identification tools and circumstantial evidence, scientists from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command used dental comparisons in the identification of Henry’s remains. For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for missing Americans, visit the DPMO web site at http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or call (703) 699-1169.

TYLER — PATH Week is underway in Tyler, running through Sept. 18. The week’s activities are designed to raise awareness of the interfaith human needs organization and encourage support for it. This year’s honorees are the women of the Windsor family. According to press materials, “It was their commitment to helping those in need and their vision of an end to poverty in Smith County that led to the creation of the PATH organization.” At a media conference Monday, ETMC and First Presbyterian Church were given this year’s PATH Week awards. That was followed by the PATH Week Prayer Luncheon at Rose Heights Church of God, with Rabbi Neal Katz delivering the keynote address.

Wednesday, it’s the PATH Week Philanthropy Dinner at 6:30 pm at Villa di Felicita, 7891 Hwy. 110 N., Tyler. Barbara J. Elliott will deliver the keynote address for that event. She’s president of the Center for Renewal, a resource center for faith-based organizations seeking to renew America’s inner cities. Saturday brings Faith In Action Day at 9 a.m. That’s set for PATH Community Homes at 1412, 1429, 1501 and 1506 Pegues St. in Tyler, with area youth groups working to clean and repair the homes. You can go to http://www.pathhelps.org for more information on PATH and PATH Week.

JEFFERSON — A Voluntary Organizations Disaster Assistance Center (VODAC) has opened for individuals impacted by the East Texas Wildfires. “Our mission is to coordinate multiple charitable organizations at a central location for families and individuals to come for help,” said Bradley Scott, Community Partnerships Coordinator with American Red Cross. The Center is located at The First United Methodist Church, 305 W. Henderson, Jefferson, Texas. Hours are 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Charitable organizations and their services include:
American Red Cross — Recovery backpacks, health services, counseling
Marion County Food Bank — Food
Communities Services of NE TX — Housing
Home Depot — Fire sifters
Lone Star Legal Aid — Legalities
Jefferson Housing authority — Housing
1st United Methodist/Jefferson — Furniture, clothing, housewares
St. Vincent de Paul — Clothing
Enon Ministry/Linden — Linens, new pillows, clothing
1st Baptist of Linden — Medications, showers and laundry
Linden United Methodist Churches– Large and small animal shelter, first aid, storage, clean-up, construction crews

“We know people are distraught and don’t know what to do next,” continued Scott. “Our hope is for clients to have a recovery plan in place when they leave the facility to speed the process of rebuilding their lives.
More agencies are needed in Cass and Marion Counties to help meet the unique needs of rural communities, such as: barn storming, property clean-up, tree trimming, well services, construction and etc. Agencies should contact Alicia Toombs, 325-665-7066.

MANGUM, Okla. (AP/Staff) – The defense in the trial of a former deputy warden’s wife who is accused of helping a convicted killer escape from prison has rested its case without calling her to the witness stand. Lawyers for Bobbi Parker rested their case in Mangum, Okla., around 1:45 p.m. Monday. Jurors were sent home as lawyers for both sides rounded up rebuttal witnesses. Defense attorneys have called 38 witnesses since prosecutors wrapped up their case on Aug. 24. Lead attorney Garvin Isaacs said he planned on having Parker testify but said he changed his mind because he believes everyone is tired.

Prosecutors have charged Parker with assisting a prisoner to escape for allegedly helping Randolph Dial break out of the Oklahoma State Reformatory in 1994. Parker’s attorneys say Dial kidnapped her and held her hostage. The two were found on a chicken ranch in Shelby County, Texas, in 2005.

TYLER — El Chico Ranch opened this morning at 11 a.m. According to KETK, the restaurant previously tried to open as the Double D Ranch before a lawsuit was brought against it in a Smith County courtroom by Toys R Us. Concerns largely centered around the attire to be worn by waitresses. The El Chico Ranch will go back to court in November in an attempt to operate as the Double D Ranch.

ALTO — Officials of the Texas Forest Service tell KETK that now 1,800 acres have burned in in a wildfire near Alto. It started Sunday and was reportedly caused by a truck that had stopped near a deer feeder. Officials re-opened Hwy 294 at noon Monday, but the fire continues uncontained. A command hub has been established in Alto. KETK staff report several bulldozers have been brought in to battle the blaze. Firemen there report flames as high as 100 feet. Residents living along FM 294 west of Alto and 21 west are being told by officials they should leave the area if they feel they are in danger but no mandatory evacuations have been issued at this time.

NORTHEAST TEXAS — Official assessments made by volunteers from the American Red Cross, in aid of Marion and Cass Counties, have determined the number of homes lost as a result of the Bear Creek Fire to be approximately 66 primary residences. “We are deeply saddened by the loss of homes suffered by our friends and neighbors in Marion and Cass Counties. Judge McMichael and I are seeking emergency aid funding in the hope that we can provide some relief for our homeless citizens, said Marion County Judge Phil Parker.

In an effort to help, locals have dated 8,000 cases of Gatorade, 10,000 cases of water, and countless amounts of clothes and personal hygiene items in support of the firefighters. Locals have also donated $3000 in cash to help displaced families in need. “The amount of donated items coming in to support the firefighters and the displaced families is unprecedented. This is another amazing example of the generosity of the people of Cass and Marion Counties and their eagerness to help in times of need,” added Judge Parker.

According to information from the Longview Police Department, the Northeast Texas Fire Complex currently consists of the Magnolia Complex located east of Longview in Gregg County and the Bear Creek Fire located east of Avinger in Marion and Cass Counties. Firefighters and aerial resources are also responding to a number of new starts in the area. The Magnolia Complex is 4,909 acres and 100% contained; this complex includes the Moore, Locker Plant and Old Magnolia Fires. Three engines and three dozers remain assigned to the complex for mop-up operations. There was a 17-acre slopover on the Old Magnolia Fire near the community of White Oak late yesterday. Firefighters were successful in containing the slopover.

The Bear Creek Fire has been determined to be 40,548 acres in size as a result of more accurate mapping. The fire is now 80% contained. Crews have made good progress with completing line around the perimeter of the fire. Crews are continuing to work on the sections of line in the northwest and southeast corners of the fire.

Fixed wing aircraft with water scoopers (Canadair CL-215s) and several helicopters were utilized to cool interior hot spots on the Bear Creek Fire. Four Single Engine Air Tankers (SEATs) were available to make retardant drops as needed throughout the day. Most of the aircraft was utilized for initial attack efforts on the I-20 fire east of Marshall.

Officials say projected changes in wind direction will increase the risk of spotting on the northern edges of the fire. Flare-ups have been continuing with the hot temperatures and low humidity. Numerous snags in the area make night operations challenging and more dangerous for the firefighters. Reburn potential within the fire area is high, as unburned fuels can rekindle and threaten homes in the area.

Red Cross Shelter & Disaster Assistance

The American Red Cross has established a public shelter in the City of Jefferson located at the Visitor Center, 305 E. Austin Street. Contact (903) 655-7220 for additional information. The public shelter is tentatively scheduled to be closed on Tuesday, September 13, unless there is a need to keep it running. The Red Cross, in cooperation with a number of community organizations, has opened a Volunteer Organization Disaster Assistance Center at the First United Methodist Church, 305 West Henderson in the City of Jefferson. There’s more information about that elsewhere on this web page.

Donations for Firefighters

The American Red Cross and the NE Texas Resource Advisory Council (RAC-F) and the Good Shepherd Medical Center (Linden) is working with local residents to disburse donated items to the firefighters. Contact Bertha Evans at (903) 235-8835 for additional information.

Recovery & Needed Donations for Displaced Animals

Additional Texas Animal Health Service inspectors have been called in to help with the recovery of animals within the Bear Creek Fire area. Shelter and feed is being provided for the displaced animals. Anyone wanting to donate feed is being asked to contribute round hay, square hay, cubes and other feed for horses and cattle. Location for animal feed is at the Linden Rodeo Arena on State Hwy 8 in Linden. Volunteers are also helping locate stray pets and providing temporary shelter. Currently, 6 horses, 17 dogs and 21 cats are waiting to be claimed by their owners. Two animal fatalities include one emu and one cow.

Texas Animal Health Service is working with AgriLife from the Cass County Extension Service; AgriLife will be relieving some of the current workers by providing people to help with the recovery effort. You can contact Eddie Hayes at (903) 277-3979.

MIXON — Another fire rekindles near Mixon Sunday, but it’s under control. Cherokee County deputies confirmed with KETK that crews have now contained the fire on CR 4910. No evacuations were ordered for that area, and no injuries have been reported.

TYLER – The Northeast Texas Public Health District, or NET Health, is getting some national exposure. The FEMA Getting Real II Conference is being hosted in Arlington through Wednesday and will feature best practices among disability and emergency management leaders from across the country. NET Health’s Anderson County Public Health Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, Stephanie Walker, has been invited to share NET Health’s promising practice during the event and showcase its work toward integrating accessible resources into its planning efforts.

According to NET Health CEO George Roberts, “This year, FEMA has committed to building partnerships and sharing promising practices. A promising practice can be identified as a practice, approach or method that’s proven to have gained a positive outcome. The objective of the conference is to identify those practices that strengthen the whole community’s capacity to prepare for, respond to, and recover from the impact of disasters. These practices must also emphasize inclusion, integration, dignity, independence, accessibility and self-determination for individuals with disabilities before, during and after a disaster.

“The NET Health Public Health Preparedness department has created a series of videos in accessible formats to serve deaf, blind, limited sight, hard of hearing, cognitively delayed, and limited English proficiency audiences. These videos are the key focus of the presentation.”

“I hope to bring about awareness of the resource, share our resource, as well as inform those in attendance of the importance of integrating multiple audiences in resource creation and to develop partnerships with other entities to further advance our planning efforts,” said Stephanie Walker, NET Health Anderson County Preparedness Coordinator.

Roberts continues, “The resource we developed has been adopted by many emergency management offices across the United States and Canada. We are proud to highlight our work to a national audience in this venue and hope to develop further partnerships for success.”

RUSK COUNTY — Three county roads in Rusk County were closed Sunday evening while firefighters battled a wildfire in the area. Rusk County Sheriff’s officials say at least 150 acres burned but the fire is now 100% contained. CR 324, 327, and 328 in Church Hill, were closed due to heavy smoke and fire danger. Drivers are urged to use extreme caution when traveling these roadways due to heavy smoke still in the area.

HARRISON COUNTY — Residents had to be evacuated Sunday after a more than 100-acre fire ignited from a tractor trailer that had a blowout. Harrison County Fire Marshal Thomas Mock said crews were dispatched to the blaze near FM 2199 and Interstate 20 about 2:30. Officials say about 100 acres have burned so far. Four local fire departments were on scene as well as three dozers from the Texas Forest Service. Mock said crews from Emergency Services District No. 3 and Elysian Fields and Waskom volunteer firefighters were working alongside Texas Forest Service personnel to battle the blaze to prevent it from spreading. Air drops were being made as well, Mock said. They were still fighting the blaze late Sunday.

EAST TEXAS – The latest wildfires to be reported are in Cherokee and Henderson Counties. In Cherokee County, firemen are fighting a wildfire on County Road 4910. In Henderson county, a blaze is reported near the Athens Arboretum.

TYLER — The Texas Unclaimed Property Program is putting out the word about its website. Speaking with KTBB, unclaimed property outreach specialist Amy Claire Redmond says property can go unclaimed in several ways. For example, if you’ve left an apartment, put down a deposit, and left no forwarding address, there’s no way for the apartment company to get that check to you. Redmond wants you to check http://www.ClaimItTexas.org to find out if you have any unclaimed property that the state’s holding for you. She says there’s a lot of it, over 13 million properties, worth over $2.2 billion, that the state’s keeping safe for the citizens of Texas. Redmond says by going to the website, you can find out how to get your property back and learn more about the Unclaimed Property Program.

WHITEHOUSE – A Two vehicle accident in Whitehouse has left one person dead and three injured. The wreck happened just south of Cain Elementary on State Highway 110 just after 6:15 Saturday morning. The names of the persons involved in the wreck have not been released. The wreck is said to have occurred when a southbound car veered into the northbound lane and collided with a pickup hauling a trailer. The truck is said to have burst into flames. The injured are said to be hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries.