KTBB News, Weather, Talk

SMITH COUNTY — Republican Chris Green formally announces his candidacy for Smith County Sheriff. Green recently retired as Game Warden and has served as a state peace officer for 20 years. He said he wants to continue what JB Smith has accomplished but also implement a fresh perspective, drawing on the relationships that he has cultivated in all aspects of the community.

Green announced that he is “running on a platform of establishing and maintaining an administration that is ethical, transparent and one with integrity.” He said he wants to run a department that is fiscally responsible with the budget and with officers who lead by example as professional, compassionate servants of the taxpayers.

LONGVIEW — Fireighters in Gregg County said all fires have now been contained and evacuation orders have been lifted. This includes the fires in the Gladewater area: Cole Bottom and the Moore Fire. City and County Officials are continuing to monitor the situation and are encouraging citizens to be aware of fire safety precautions. Below is an update of the situation in the Gregg County area.

Smoke and Air Quality:

The East Texas area continues to be blanketed by smoke from area fires. The smoke tends to settle in the morning and evening. The majority of the smoke seen over the Gregg County area is seen from fires occurring in counties to the north. With all the smoke and other particles in the air, people with a history of respiratory symptoms are cautioned to stay indoors. In addition, officials encourage residents to refrain from calling 9-1-1 about general smoke in the air unless the resident sees a column of smoke or sees the fire that is the source of the smoke.

Donations and volunteers:

Generous citizens have provided many donations including more than 1,000 cases of water, hundreds of bottles of sports drinks, and many non-perishable food items. The donations have been distributed to area emergency responders. No items are being requested at this time; however, to inquire about making donations to support public safety personnel, you’re asked to call 903-237-1379. To inquire about donations for fire victims, call the local Red Cross at 903-753-2091. No volunteers are needed at this time except for qualified firefighters.

Reminder of Fire Safety Tips:

With all the smoke and other particles in the air, people with a history of respiratory symptoms are cautioned to stay indoors.

If there are extreme smoke conditions, please do not proceed down the streets.

Have an exit strategy from your home, business, and neighborhood to multiple points of exit.

Do not wait for someone to tell you to evacuate. Be watchful and evacuate if the fire danger is nearby.

For your own safety, if you don’t live near the fires, please stay away from the area around the fires.

Avoid activities that can create a spark. Examples include burning of any kind, outdoor cooking or grilling, improper disposal of cigarettes, industrial activities such as welding or other construction, or use of any older equipment without spark arrestors.

Visit http://www.FireWise.org for additional fire safety tips.

TYLER — Smith County evacuations have now been lifted after crews were able to contain that fire, according to KETK. Residents are allowed to return home. The Smith County Fire Marshal late Wednesday afternoon reported an active fire that crews were fighting at County Road 26. The fire was approximately 5 blocks away from the Jackson Heights fire Monday night. So far, 430 acres have burned in the CR 26 blaze, with 75% containment. Authorities now say arson is suspected, but the cause is not yet confirmed. They say a person of interest has been questioned, but no arrests have been made.

WHITEHOUSE — East Texas citizens rally to the cause as donations are sought for wildfire relief. Members of the Mt. Carmel Baptist in Whitehouse spent their afternoon Wednesday collecting donations for area firefighters at Brookshire’s. Volunteer Jacob Johnson said he and his colleagues planned to continue the effort Thursday. Johnson tells KETK the group is doing whatever it can to help.

TYLER – In an appearance in federal court in Tyler, A 60-year-old Vermont man has pleaded guilty for failing to register as a sex offender. Raymond Leo Lemaire, Jr., pleaded guilty yesterday to failure to register under the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act when he appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Judith K. Guthrie. He faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

Federal prosecutors say in June 2010, Lemaire moved to Whitehouse, Texas, after having been previously convicted in 2004 in Vermont of the felony offense of lewd and lascivious conduct with a minor. Lemaire failed to register as a sex offender, as required, upon his move to Texas.
He was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 13, 2011.

LONGVIEW — Fire danger continues to exist for the Longview and Gregg County area. City and County Officials are continuing to monitor the situation and are encouraging citizens to be aware of fire safety precautions. Officials opened the Emergency Operations Center on Monday, September 5 at approximately 2:00 p.m. Maude Cobb Convention Center, 100 Grand Blvd., was opened Monday to allow for sheltering of evacuees. Sheltering is also available for livestock and pets. Anyone needing shelter as a result of the recent wild fires can go to this location.

All fires in Longview and Gregg County are partially contained. Officials say they are thankful for the work of emergency responders. The winds are not as severe as Monday; however, there is still fire danger. According to KETK, County Judge Bill Stoudt has asked residents to cease all outdoor cooking of any kind. Longview Fire has responded to 82 fires in the Gregg County area from noon on Sunday, September 4, through 8 a.m. Tuesday, September 6. Only one structure was lost during that time in the city limits. The Longview Fire Department has had approximated 30 additional firefighters working each shift, has maintained five additional apparatus, and has also maintained full staffing at all Longview Fire Stations.

Currently, one of the primary concerns is air quality due to the smoke and other particles in the air. Individuals, especially those with respiratory issues, are encouraged to stay indoors. According to Longview Fire Department Assistant Fire Chief Curtis Shaw, “We are hopeful the wind conditions will stay low today as predicted. The lower wind conditions are favorable to the on-going firefighting operations.”

The Longview Fire Department has received numerous donations of water and food supplies. These items are being distributed to Longview Firefighters as well as other area agencies. However, the Longview Fire Department does not need additional donations at this time. To inquire about making donations, please call 903-237-1379. According to Mayor Jay Dean, “Only qualified firefighters are needed to assist. We appreciate the desire of individuals to come volunteer, however it is not needed at this time.”

Fire Safety Tips:
With all the smoke and other particles in the air, people with a history of respiratory symptoms are cautioned to stay indoors.

If there are extreme smoke conditions, please do not proceed down the streets.

Have an exit strategy from your home, business, and neighborhood to multiple points of exit.

Do not wait for someone to tell you to evacuate. Be watchful and evacuate if the fire danger is nearby.

For your own safety, if you don’t live near the fires, please stay away from the area around the fires.

Avoid activities that can create a spark. Examples include burning of any kind, outdoor cooking or grilling, improper disposal of cigarettes, industrial activities such as welding or other construction, or use of any older equipment without spark arrestors.

Visit http://www.FireWise.org for additional fire safety tips.

The Longview Fire Department has received Mutual Assistance from:
Sabine VFD
Quitman VFD
Holly Lake VFD
Canton FD
Edgewood VFD
Hawkins VFD
Haynesville VFD
Wills Point VFD

Aid has been provided to:
Gladewater
White Oak
Harrison County
Elderville / Lakeport
Jefferson Metro

Other agencies participating:
Texas Forest Service
Gregg County Precinct 1 and 3
Gregg County Sheriff’s Office
Longview Police Department
City of Longview
Department of Public Safety / State Troopers Office
East Texas Council of Government
HAM Operators
Area businesses have donated use of bulldozers, water tankers, and other field equipment

HARRISON COUNTY — Firefighters in Harrison county have now contained the Peter Chapel fire, in which more than 2,000 acres were burned. All of the residents who were forced to evacuate have now been cleared to return home.

GLADEWATER — Firefighters continue to battle a massive fire on Cole Bottom Road south of Gladewater after it rekindled late Tuesday. According to KETK, residents were evacuated Monday night and are still not allowed to return home. The sheriff’s office and highway patrol have entrances blocked on FM 2207 and are only allowing firefighters in the area at this time. And now that fire has merged with another major fire that’s been burning since Sunday near Gladewater on the other side of Highway 135.

RUSK COUNTY — Evacuations continue in the Price/Carlisle area. Residents living on County Roads 4110D, 4113, and 487, of Price, were told late Monday afternoon to evacuate immediately. Authorities also closed County Roads 4110D, 4113, and 487 in Price, along with FM 850 1.5 miles West of Highway 42, in New London. Officials said the fire in question was likely caused by old trees falling on power lines. Officials late Monday began evacuating the Carlisle School District due to the danger of wildfire. There will be no school in the Carlisle schools today. Also, residents living north of the intersection of Rusk County Roads 476 and 477 up to the Macedonia Baptist Church in Carlisle have been advised to evacuate due to fire in that area. A separate fire has rekindled on Rusk County Road 272 between FM 1716 and Highway 43. According to KETK, that fire has been contained.

OVERTON — A fatal shooting is reported in Overton and now, two suspects are in custody. Overton Police have arrested Anthony Arterberry and Regina Bayless. According to KETK, both have records including theft and indecency with a child in the case of Arterberry. The identity of the victim has not been released pending notification of next of kin. Authorities say the victim was shot on the side of Denman Road at least 6 or 7 times. The shooting happened Monday, and the body was found Tuesday morning.

ANGELINA COUNTY — Two women are suing their former employer, Dollar King, after being secretly photographed in the Lufkin store’s bathroom. While criminal charges of improper photography have been brought against the former manager, Nathan Scott Kesler, 36, joint employers Emergent HR, Inc., and Dollar King, LLC, now face a civil suit alleging negligence and wrongful termination.

The civil suit stems from an incident in which Kesler is alleged by police to have put his cell phone on a bathroom cabinet of the business in a position to photograph the toilet using a spy camera application. The two store employees were photographed in the restroom when the application, which uses motion detection, took the photos.

TYLER — The Northeast Texas Public Health District is issuing an advisory on health threats from wildfire smoke. Smoke from wildfires is a mixture of gases and fine particles from burning trees and other plant materials. Smoke can hurt your eyes, irritate your respiratory system, and worsen chronic heart and lung disease. Common symptoms of smoke exposure include:
• Coughing
• Scratchy throat
• Irritated sinuses
• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Headaches
• Stinging eyes
• Runny nose
Smoke may worsen symptoms for people who have pre-existing respiratory conditions, such as respiratory allergies, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). When smoke levels are high enough, even healthy people may experience some of these symptoms. Limit your exposure to smoke. Following are ways to protect your health:

If you experience any of these symptoms, take the following measures:

• Limit outdoor activities as much as possible.
• Keep the windows and doors of your home shut.
• Run the air conditioner with the fresh-air intake closed and the filter clean to prevent outdoor smoke from getting inside. If you do not have an air conditioner and it is too warm to stay inside with the windows closed, seek shelter elsewhere.
• Avoid cooking as much as possible.
• Do not burn candles or use fireplaces.
• Do not use vacuum cleaners which can stir up dust already inside your home.
• Keep your airways moist by drinking plenty of water. To help relieve dryness, breathe through a warm, wet cloth.

If you have asthma or other lung disease, follow your doctor’s advice about medicine and call your doctor if your symptoms worsen. Be careful when traveling as smoke from the wildfires can pose serious visibility issues in some areas. For more information, stay tuned to local radio or television.

DIANA — A wildfire in the Diana flared up again Tuesday afternoon. That’s according to KETK. Earlier, residents were allowed to return home after evacuations were initiated over the Labor Day weekend due to the large blaze along Farm Road 726. Officials now say the fire has burned at least some 2,500 acres and was moving south toward Farm Road 1650.

FORT WORTH (AP) — American Eagle, which operates regional flights for American Airlines, including flights to Tyler, said Tuesday that traffic rose 10.2 percent in August, outstripping an increase in passenger-carrying capacity. Eagle said paying passengers flew 855.1 million miles last month, up from 776 million miles in August 2010.

The airline raised capacity by 7.5 percent, to 1.14 billion available seat miles, a measure of one seat flown one mile. Airlines add capacity by adding flights, using bigger planes or flying longer distances.

The airlines’ parent company, AMR Corp, is in the process of spinning off American Eagle to shareholders as a separate company.

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department reminds citizens to use caution when using outdoor cooking appliances. At this time, outdoor cooking with charcoal, propane or natural gas is allowed with the following restrictions:

· Outdoor cooking operations must be done in a completely covered container. The vessel should be fully enclosed to prevent any possible ignition source from escaping.
· Cooking must be done at least 10 feet from any house or structure.
· Cooking must be constantly monitored by an adult.

The Tyler Fire Department also recommends that a water source be constantly within reach and reminds citizens that any resulting damage or injuries will be the financial responsibility of the person cooking. Additionally, grills located in City parks should not be used unless they meet the above criteria. Citizens may bring personal grills to City parks, provided they comply with the above mentioned requirements.

Citizens are encouraged to remain alert and practice fire safety precautions during these unusually dry conditions. Contact the Tyler Fire Marshal’s Office at (903) 535-0005 for more information regarding fire safety and prevention.