KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at events and work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

TYLER — The Texas Department of Transportation’s annual preventative maintenance program, known as District-Wide Seal Coat, is scheduled to begin work Tuesday on Farm Road 756 (Paluxy Drive) between South Loop 323 in Tyler and Farm Road 346 near Whitehouse. Following the work on FM 756, crews are scheduled to seal U.S. Highway 69 (West Gentry Parkway and Glenwood Boulevard) between North Loop 323 and West Erwin Street on Wednesday, and State Highway 110 (Van Highway) between East Loop 323 and Farm Road 3271 on Thursday before moving into Van Zandt County.

Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each seal coat location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays. Loose gravel may be present for several days following seal coat application.

Also, TxDOT contractor Reynolds & Kay, Ltd., of Tyler, is scheduled to begin nighttime resurfacing work on Tyler’s WSW Loop 323 between State Highway 155 and New Copeland Road on Tuesday night. Crews have been making repairs to storm-drain inlets and access areas in the past few weeks in preparation for the work. Once the night work begins, crews will be closing lanes between 8:00pm and 5:00am each night except for Fridays and Saturdays. The work is scheduled to take approximately two months to complete.

Finally this week in Smith County, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to begin work to replace a culvert pipe and build a right-turn lane at the intersection of County Road 229 (Big Oak Bay Road) and State Highway 64 east, just east of Farm Road 3226.
The work will require some lane closures on SH 64 and on SCR 229 while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

GREGG COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs in various locations on State Highway 300 (Glimer Road) between Hawkins Parkway and Farm Road 1844, including work in the SH 300/Hawkins Parkway intersection on Tuesday and Wednesday. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid the work in the Hawkins Parkway intersection.

WOOD COUNTY — The Texas Department of Transportation’s annual preventative maintenance program known as “District-Wide Seal Coat” is scheduled to start work in Wood County as early as Wednesday, July 13, weather permitting. Crews are scheduled to apply a seal coat to FM 49 between US 69 in Mineola and FM 14, FM 778 between FM 49 and US 80, and on US 80 between FM 778 and the Upshur County Line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two lane areas. Loose gravel may be present for several days following a seal coat application. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs on State Highway 64 between Interstate Highway 20 and State Highway 19 in Canton. A second crew is scheduled to perform pavement repairs in various locations on Farm Road 857 between U.S. Highway 80 in Grand Saline and Farm Road 1253. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

Also in Van Zandt County, beginning Tuesday, July 5, the Union Pacific Railroad is scheduled to replace ties on its overpass on US 80 near Fruitvale. The work will be conducted over the next two months with various daytime lane closures possible while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

Finally, District-Wide Seal Coat operations are scheduled to resume in the county as early as Friday, July 8 on State Highway 19 south of Canton between Farm Road 858 and the Henderson County line and then on Saturday on State Highway 198 just south of State Highway 243 in Canton. Crews are also scheduled to seal Farm Road 47 between State Highway 243 and State Highway 198 and Farm Road 751 northwest of Wills Point between the Hunt County Line and Farm Road 47.

Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each seal coat location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays. Loose gravel may be present for several days following seal coat application.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue pavement repairs on Farm Road 1990 between State Highway 294 and U.S. Highway 79 in Palestine. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on Farm Road 2709 between State Highway 19 north of Athens and Farm Road 316 in Eustace, followed later in the week by the same work on Ranch Road 2970 between Farm Road 753 and the end of state maintenance. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on Farm Road 839 between U.S. Highway 79 southeast of Henderson and Farm Road 1798 in McKnight. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs on U.S. Highway 84 between Reklaw and Farm Road 2753 in Rusk County. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

Also in Cherokee County, nighttime resurfacing work planned for U.S. Highway 69 in Jacksonville has been postponed until crews can complete the work on State Highway 322 in Gregg County.

TYLER � One person has been arrested for making a false alarm at the Tyler airport. Around 2:30 Sunday afternoon, officers working the Wings Over Tyler Airshow were contacted about a suspicious person inside Skyline Caf�. It�s inside the Old Terminal Building. Officers were told a black male approached the counter and handed a piece of paper to an employee when he made a food order. On the piece of paper were comments that made reference to having a gun and wanting money.

Upon realizing what was written on the piece of paper, the man said a co-worker had given it to him and must be playing a joke on him. No weapon was observed and no money was given to the man. While he was eating, officers approached the man.

The note was located and officers soon contacted Kimberly Denise Clark, 47, of Tyler. Officers determined Clark wrote the note, gave it to the man and asked him to pass it along when he ordered his food. It is not believed the man was aware of the note�s contents when he gave it to the Skyline Caf� employee with his food order.

Officers arrested Clark for false alarm or report, a class A misdemeanor. She was then transported her to the Smith County Jail.

HUGHES SPRINGS � A Hughes Springs mother and her boyfriend have been charged with child endangerment and child abandonment. Ashley Carr, and Kevin Hawkins were being held in Cass County Jail after their arrest June 20, according to Hughes Springs Police Chief Randy Kennedy. Kennedy said the two had left a a 9-month-old child and a 2-year-old child alone in an apartment.

TYLER — Mission Tyler, a collaborative effort to help local residents and others in various ways, is continuing its work in tornado-ravaged Joplin, Missouri. On KTBB “Staff Meeting,” Executive Director Travis White says a key focus of the group is relationship-building. According to White, it’s important to find out what the top priorities are for the people who need assistance. White says, “We like to go in to an area and work with the local church and just say look here we are here’s our resources, people and financially, we want to serve; where are the needs?” White tells us a recent youth car wash raised $6,100 — “and that was all funds that we were able to take to Joplin and ask the question of people in the neighborhood, what do you need most?”

White says volunteers are always needed. Another Joplin trip is set for July 20. You can go to http://www.oneloverevolution.com to learn more about Mission Tyler and its work. You can also log on to http://www.ktbb.com/audio beginning early Tuesday morning to listen to the “Staff Meeting” show online. And you can go to http://www.ktbb.com/gametime to learn about a recent Mission Tyler trip to Joplin.

GILMER � An Upshur County woman has been found dead after an apparent shooting. Authorities say the shooting happened on Nutmeg road west of Gilmer. The names of the victim, as well as a possible suspect n the case, have not been released. The case is under investigation and little details are known at this time.

HENDERSON — A Henderson man waived his extradition rights to New York, where he is charged in a first degree felony sex crime. Georgio Antwaan White, 23, is charged with criminal sexual act in the first degree in New York for an offense that occurred Sept. 5, according to a complaint signed by Gregg County Justice of the Peace B.H. Jameson on Wednesday. White had been in the Gregg County Jail on $25,000 bond since March 5, when Kilgore police arrested him for evading arrest and detention in a vehicle, resisting arrest and failing to identify a fugitive from justice. On Friday, White told Gregg County District Judge Alfonso Charles that he was “ready to go back to New York” to face the charges. Charles signed White’s extradition.

SULPHUR SPRINGS — A man baling hay on Thursday near Sulphur Springs’ western city limits discovered a human skull, leading police to find 10 to 15 bone fragments, articles of clothing and a Chicago, Ill., identification card. “At this time, we don’t suspect any kind of foul play,” Sulphur Springs Police Det. Bo Fox said Friday afternoon. “It looks like the remains were there for several months.” Police are not releasing the location where the remains were found, maintaining an active crime scene to continue its investigation and keep unwanted traffic from the area. The bones have been sent to a Denton lab.

LONGVIEW — A Longview woman charged with child endangerment was back in jail Friday charged with theft. Misty Ann Rhodes Beasley, 28, remained jailed Friday on bonds totaling $35,500 for violating her Harrison County probation for burglary of a habitation and a misdemeanor theft charge, after authorities said she tried to steal between $50 and $500 in merchandise from Walmart in the 500 block of East Loop 281.

In May, Beasley and her husband were arrested at their Clay Drive home on child endangerment charges. According to police, Beasley was unconscious and her husband, 34-year-old Jason Wayne Beasley, was hallucinating and chasing imaginary people with a knife and pistol. A 14-month old child left unattended in a separate room of the house was taken from the Beasley home by Child Protective Services.

UPSHUR COUNTY — Upshur County has implemented an emergency fireworks ban � maybe. Precinct 1 County Commissioner James Crittenden sent an emergency disaster declaration to the governor�s office without informing fellow commissioners, according to Upshur County�s Precinct 3 Commissioner Lloyd Crabtree. Though Crabtree and other commissioners did not vote on the emergency declaration, it might still be valid. Crabtree said residents in the county can still purchase fireworks, but cannot set them off. Franklin County recently enacted a similar emergency declaration banning fireworks.

The ban comes after fireworks have been on sale for several days in Upshur County. Upshur County Fire Marshal Paul Steelman said he is going forward with the ban as usual. The ban, however, will not affect the fireworks display Sunday evening at Gilmer�s Buckeye Stadium.

TYLER — During the Fourth of July holiday, the City of Tyler is reminding residents that the use of fireworks is prohibited at City parks and recreation areas, unless permitted. Section 8-4 of the City Code prohibits the use of fireworks or explosive devices at City parks within or outside the City limits. �With the extremely dry conditions we have experienced this summer, we are actively enforcing the prohibition on fireworks in City park areas,� explained Tyler Police Chief Gary Swindle.

The City will also enforce the prohibition on fireworks at Lake Tyler (Chapter 6) and will provide police officers to patrol the camping and picnicking areas of the lake to enforce this restriction. A permit was granted to Brian Conaway from Conaway Enterprises for Sunday night’s professional fireworks display at the west dam. And a permit has been issued to the Tyler Jaycees for the professional fireworks display July 4 at Lindsey Park, with gates open as of 4 p.m. and fireworks beginning around 9:30 p.m. �In the situations where a permit has been granted for a fireworks display, the vendor must have a fire truck and firefighters on site, as well as a professional pyro technician,� explained Chief Swindle.

TYLER — Tyler Police were called to a traffic accident on West Loop 323 north of Bellwood Road around 6:00 last night. According to officers, a Mexican national, Eduardo Gonzales, was driving a semi-tractor that was piggybacking two additional semi tractors.

Investigators say the load was too high to fit under the railroad overpass that crosses the loop and Gonzales struck the overpass, tearing the top off of the trucks. A motorcycle rider that was behind Gonzales had to take evasive action to avoid the debris and crashed his bike. He complained of minor injuries but refused treatment by EMS. Authorities say Gonzales had no driver’s license and no insurance. Prior to Mr. Gonzales’ vehicle being towed from the scene, he was able to get someone to bring proof of insurance for his vehicle to the scene. He was issued a citations for no license.

TYLER – Law enforcement agencies around Smith County are out in force this 4th of July holiday period, on the lookout for intoxicated drivers on streets, highways, and area lakes. Officers won�t be taking �no� for an answer. The No-Refusal DWI campaign began Friday and continues through July 4. The District Attorney’s Office is also involved.

Upon the arrest of a suspected drunk driver, he or she will be asked to blow into a breath-test instrument or take a blood test. If the driver refuses, officers will obtain an immediate search warrant signed by an on-call judge to have blood drawn by a certified nurse on staff at the Smith County Jail. The blood will then be analyzed to determine whether the driver�s blood-alcohol concentration is 0.08 or higher, the legal limit for driving in Texas.

TYLER — Tyler Police responded to a hit and run report made by the victim as they were in pursuit of the suspect. It happened around 5:15 Friday afternoon. Officers attempted to pull the suspect over in the area of W. Martin Luther King and N. Palace when the suspect began evading police. After a short pursuit, the suspect, Elvia Zarate, 21, Tyler, was arrested in the 2200 block of N. Broadway. She was charged with evading in a vehicle and failure to stop and give information. The suspect has also been charged with failure to identify after she gave a false name to officers.

TYLER — Over the 4th of July holiday, Smith County Judge Joel Baker urges all residents of Smith County to use extreme caution in their outdoor holiday activities due to the extremely dry conditions. �I am continuing to monitor conditions to determine whether to issue a disaster declaration and burn ban due to the drought. Many factors go into the decision-making process regarding the issuance of a burn ban. I always consult with the County Fire Marshal in evaluating the issuance of such an order,� Judge Baker said.

Factors in determining the need for a burn ban include:
1. The Keetch-Byram Drought Index
2. The current temperature, humidity, and wind speed
3. The weather forecast
�We also consider the type and volume of calls for emergency service due to fires,� Judge Baker added.

Officials say the majority of recent fires have been due to factors that a burn ban would not prevent, e.g., lightning strikes, electrical sparks from damaged lines, cigarettes being thrown from traveling vehicles. The current drought index is 654, and the county has historically issued burn bans when it is at our near 700. The occurrence of scattered thunderstorms in the county over the past week has brought and kept the drought index down. However, with the current weather forecast, it appears that there may be a need to issue a burn ban by Tuesday of next week substantial rainfall is not received by Monday.

The celebration of Independence Day brings the tradition of outdoor activities that may be risky due to the drought conditions throughout the state. Residents are urged to carefully monitor any outdoor cooking to insure that all combustible materials remain confined to grills or fire pits, and that any fireworks are controlled events with adult supervision. These activities should only take place, if at all, where running water is readily available. �We just want everyone to exercise common sense over the holiday weekend,� Smith County Fire Marshal Jim Seaton said.

Residents are reminded that it is a violation of state law to start a fire or cause an explosion and in so doing: (1) recklessly damage or destroy a building belonging to another or (2) recklessly cause another person to suffer bodily injury or death (Texas Penal Code �28.02 [a-2]). Such a violation is a state jail felony punishable confinement from 180 days to 2 years in a state jail facility and up to a $10,000 fine. Additionally, pursuant to Texas Penal Code �28.04, a person commits an offense if, without the effective consent of the owner, he recklessly damages or destroys property of the owner. Such a violation is a class-C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

LONGVIEW � Upshur County Sheriff Anthony Betterton is facing charges of violating a gag order because he announced his bid for re-election this week. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Betterton declined to comment Friday on his re-election campaign citing that he has been charged with violating a gag order. The order is on a case that is unrelated to his bid to be named Upshur County’s sheriff for his fourth consecutive term.

Betterton is facing charges of official oppression and gift to a public servant by a person in his jurisdiction. He was indicted in December along with County Judge Dean Fowler and Commissioner Lloyd Crabtree, who are each charged with official oppression and abuse of capacity, after a man was removed from a Commissioners Court meeting when he repeatedly wore duct tape over his mouth to protest that public comment had been removed from agendas. District Judge Lauren Parish put a gag order on the case before recusing herself.