KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — Recent LeTourneau University graduate Matthew C. Bradley has been recognized as a 2011 Texas Student Teacher of the Year for the state of Texas. Bradley graduated in May and did his student teaching in the spring of 2011 semester at Pine Tree ISD, teaching fifth grade language arts and 7th grade Texas history.

State judging took place during the Consortium of State Organizations for Texas Teacher Education (CSOTTE) summer conference recently in Austin, Texas. Bradley has been hired by Tyler�s Hogg Middle School to teach seventh grade language arts beginning in the Fall 2011 semester.

Dean of LETU�s School of Education Dr. Wayne Jacobs said Bradley�s honor is indicative of the quality of the school�s students and its program. �We are proud of Matthew�s accomplishments in student teaching,� Jacobs said. �He is an example of the quality of students we are blessed to have in our program. Our teachers are some of the best in the state, and we are excited to have another �shining star� recognized in this way.�

TYLER � Officials have tentatively identified a dead body found in Tyler this week in a vacant field by an individual who was mowing the field with a brush hog. Investigators located a wallet on the badly decomposed body, found Tuesday in the 400 block of NNE Loop 323. A Mexican identification card was discovered in the wallet that belonged to 49-year-old Asuncion Baldovinos-Toribio. Investigators also located a cell phone and apartment key that belonged to Baldovinos-Toribio in the immediate area of the body.

Investigators have talked with family members of Baldovinos-Toribio, and they confirmed that Baldovinos-Toribio has not been seen in the last month. Investigators believe at this time that the remains are those of Baldovinos-Toribio. Tests are being conducted, such as DNA testing, for final confirmation. The cause of death has not been determined and is still under investigation. Baldovinos-Toribio is also identified by the name of Valdovinos Chon in judicial records

HUDSON � The case against a former Hudson High School teacher charged with having an improper relationship with a 17-year-old student will be difficult to prosecute, as the two are now married, according to Angelina County District Attorney Clyde Herrington. Jesus �Jesse� Gonzalez, 23, and the girl, who is now 18, filed for a marriage license June 11 in Cherokee County, according to a Cherokee County records clerk. Herrington said that turn of events could affect the state�s decision to prosecute.

�I found that out (Wednesday) and the charges had already been filed for several days. It could present a difficult situation with the husband/wife privilege where in the young lady does not have to testify against him,� Herrington said. �For now we will leave the charges pending, complete the investigation and then make some sort of decision as to how to proceed.� Gonzalez�s attorney, Al Charanza agreed that the marital status of the two will impact how the case is handled.

TYLER � Area residents are being advised of a gun safety presentation occurring on the UT Tyler campus today. The presentation will include the firing of 10 shots of blanks, and university officials want to make sure it�s not mistaken for an emergency situation. The Outsiders, an Old West reenactment group, will fire 10 shots of blanks between 8:15 and 8:45this morning. According to a news release, UT Tyler campus police officials are working with the group to ensure safety. UT Tyler Chief of Police Mike Medders also has notified city law enforcement officials.

LONGVIEW � A South Longview daycare reopened Thursday morning after a half-hour evacuation when workers detected a gaseous odor. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report that fire, hazardous materials, and police units responded to Longview Child Development Center, in the 1200 block of South High Street, shortly after 8:00am. Administrators said they smelled gas in the front entryway and hallways before evacuating children to a nearby playground and calling authorities and parents. Several parents arrived to pick up their children during the evacuation. Shortly after 8:45, crews with the Longview Hazardous Materials and Rescue Unit tested the air and determined that it was safe for children to return to the building.

LONGVIEW � Longview police jailed a 39-year-old man on charges related to allegedly attacking and stabbing his 67-year-old father. Police took Michael Eric Lee into custody at his home in the 800 block of South Eastman Road shortly before midnight Wednesday; one month after an arrest warrant was issued.

According to a Gregg County Sheriff�s Office complaint, an argument ensued between Lee and his father at Lee�s mother�s house in the 5800 block of Judson Road on May 19, because the father would not agree to give Lee an acre of family land in Gladewater. According to authorities, Lee yelled at his father and moved toward him �in an aggressive manner� before swinging his arms at the father, who reportedly defended himself with pepper spray before leaving the home. �Once outside, (the father) realized that he had been cut by (Lee) with an unknown object,� the complaint showed.

Lee told sheriff�s investigators that he used an ax handle and was swinging it merely to open a door screen for air after the pepper spray was used, reports showed. When asked how his father sustained a cut on his right arm that required 12 stitches at Good Shepherd Medical Center, Lee replied, �I don�t know. I�m guessing he�s saying I did it,� reports showed. Lee remained in the Gregg County Jail without bond on Thursday.

LONGVIEW — An arrest this week for online solicitation of a minor is the latest in a series of such arrests by Longview police. A Diana man remains in the Gregg County Jail on charges of online solicitation of a minor and unlawful carry of a weapon. Longview police arrested Gregg Lee Haden, 36, at the intersection of Alpine and Page roads at 11:00 Tuesday morning. Authorities say, on Monday and Tuesday, Haden reportedly sent text messages to who he believed was a 14-year-old minor to meet for sex. When Haden arrived to meet the minor at the location, he was instead met by officers. Haden posted $21,000 bond and was released Wednesday from the Gregg County Jail. Jail records showed that he has an alias, Gregg Lee Mathison.

Earlier, a Spring man was arrested by Harris County sheriff�s deputies after Longview investigators posed as a 14-year-old female. Longview police said Bryan Dudley sent sexually explicit images of himself to someone he thought was a young girl. Stephen Wayne Perritte, 66, of Henderson, is out of jail on $20,000 bond after his May 25 arrest in Longview for online solicitation of a minor. Meanwhile, Charles Abner Richey Jr., 62, of Christianburg, Va., remains in the Gregg County Jail on $200,000 bond and a U.S. Marshal�s detainer following his May 5 online solicitation arrest.

MARSHALL (AP) – A federal trial is underway in East Texas over claims that Pilgrim’s Pride closed two plants where it had a monopoly in order to boost chicken prices. The trial in Marshall centers on a lawsuit filed by chicken farmers in four states. The suit says Pilgrim’s Pride violated federal and state laws by manipulating the price of commodity chicken when it shut down the Arkansas and Louisiana processing plants. Pilgrim’s Pride has said it closed those plants and others during bankruptcy reorganization to save costs. It emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in late 2009, a year after the filing. It then sold a majority stake to Brazilian beef giant JBS. The company’s headquarters moved from Pittsburg in East Texas to Greeley, Colo.

LONGVIEW — A Morris County man is in the Gregg County Jail after authorities said he impersonated a public servant and attacked two police officers while trespassing at a Longview apartment. Charles Lawrence Johnson, 53, of Omaha, was arrested at about 6 p.m. Tuesday by Longview police, who were responding to a criminal trespass call at Churchill in the 1500 block of East Whaley Street.

Authorities say, Johnson was told twice in 2009 to stay out of the property. On Tuesday he refused management�s requests to leave a residence. When officers arrived and tried to arrest Johnson, he said he was a Texas Ranger and displayed a badge that was actually a money clip, reports showed. When officers again tried to subdue Johnson, he fought violently until he was overtaken and cuffed.

Johnson reportedly hit an officer several times in the face with his fist during the struggle. Johnson is charged with impersonating a public servant, resisting arrest, assault of a public servant and criminal trespass. He remained jailed Wednesday on $11,500 bond.

TYLER — One person has been arrested in connection with a fire at the Dollar General Store on West Erwin. The fire was reported around 9:15 Wednesday morning. Damage was minimal. From the outset, investigators said the blaze was suspicious. Wednesday afternoon Tyler Fire Chief Paul Findley said a juvenile had been arrested in the case. Findley said the teen was charged with arson and that additional charges could be filed.

LONGVIEW � What started out as a criminal trespass case has resulted in additional charges being filed against an East Texas man. Just before 5:30 Tuesday night, Longview police responded to a criminal trespass call in the 1500 block of East Whaley Street. On the property, officers found Charles L. Johnson, 53, of Omaha, who had previously been warned by police on two separate occasions to stay off the property.

When the officers tried to take Johnson into custody, they say he resisted and struck one of the officers several times. During the incident Johnson is said to have told the officers that he was also a peace officer. Johnson was eventually taken in to custody and charged with criminal trespass, impersonating a peace officer, assault on a public servant, and resisting arrest.

One of the officers suffered minor injuries during the scuffle.

TYLER — Tyler police are investigating an aggravated assault that occurred in the parking lot of apartments in the 3400 block of Varsity Drive. The victim told officers she had been assaulted Wednesday afternoon by a woman known only to her by the name of Ann. She said the assault occurred as a result of an earlier argument over some damaged vehicle tires owned by the victim.

She told officers she was in the parking lot of the apartments when the suspect pulled up in a car and began swinging a knife at her. The assault was broken up by others in the parking lot. She had small cuts under an arm and face as well as a small puncture wound on her abdomen. She was treated at Mother Francis Hospital and released. No other injuries were reported. The investigation continues.

AUSTIN � Texas Monthly magazine is out with its list of the best and worst members of the Texas legislature. While no East Texas legislator made the best list, two were on the worst list. They are Tyler�s Leo Berman and Center�s Larry Christian. All on the worst list are Republicans, including Lt. Governor David Dewhurst.

AUSTIN � A Northeast Texas man is being named Executive Director of the Texas Democratic Party. Texas Democratic Party Chairman Boyd Richie announced that he will appoint Bill Brannon of Sulphur Springs to the post, effective July 1st. He will be succeeding Ruben Hernandez.

Richie said, �I�ve thought long and hard on this decision, and I�m very confident that Bill will do a tremendous job at the helm of the TDP. Bill has spent a lifetime working to foster inclusion, coordination and cooperation in Texas Democratic politics and he works well with grassroots organizers, officeholders and major donors, all of whom are important to Democratic success. Bill�s leadership will allow the TDP to continue and strengthen its fundraising, political, organizational and communications tasks.�

According to the group�s news release, Brannon has been professionally involved in politics for over 30 years. He has been part of over 150 campaigns at all levels and in virtually all positions. As an administrator, Bill has directed numerous campaign staffs and has over ten years experience as the District Director for two congressional offices. Bill has participated in the Texas Democratic Party at all levels � as an activist, Precinct Chair, County Chair and SDEC member.

TYLER — The City�s Tyler Against Graffiti (TAG) team and Keep Tyler Beautiful Board announce the beginning of a partnership with the Smith County Juvenile Services office to put young offenders to work cleaning up the City�s graffiti. Starting Monday morning, June 20, 2011, the TAG team will be putting the partnership into action. Organizers say the partnership is aimed at using young people who have been found guilty of violating Tyler�s graffiti ordinance to clean up the tags found around the city. The youth range in age from 14 to 17.

�This is a very exciting opportunity to get at-risk youth involved with the community in a positive way,� said Marjorie Mustard, board chairperson for Keep Tyler Beautiful. �We are hoping that this program will show young offenders that graffiti is harmful to the community; it takes hard work to clean up and it is expensive.� By engaging these young offenders in cleaning up graffiti, it is also hoped that they will take on some ownership and have some pride in their work, Ms. Mustard added.

Smith County Juvenile Services Director Ross Worley says he is very excited about the program and is optimistic over its future. �We look forward to being involved with the TAG program again and partnering with the City of Tyler to help eradicate graffiti while fostering a sense of responsibility and community with our juvenile offenders.� The City of Tyler spends nearly $24,000 per year on graffiti abatement through the TAG team efforts. The team averages about 40 reports per month. The TAG program is sponsored by Keep Tyler Beautiful.