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NACOGDOCHES — One man is recovering after a brutal attack. A Nacogdoches man is being treated at a local hospital after being slashed across his face and stabbed in the back. Nacogdoches Police say it happened around 5:30 Saturday morning at Oak Hill Plaza. Nicholas Barnes, 28, was found with stab wounds. Police say he and a couple of others were “very incoherent.” One witness was arrested for public intoxication.

MT PLEASANT � A car-pedestrian accident has killed a young boy and injured a teenage girl in Mt Pleasant. The accident, around 11:00 Saturday night, killed Cameron Jones-Wheeler, 4, and injured Jocylyn Roberts, 13. She is listed in critical condition at Dallas Children�s Hospital. The driver who is believed to have hit the two was arrested shortly before 3:45 Sunday morning. He is identified as Edward Joseph Moya, 21. He has been charged with manslaughter and injury to a child and is being held in the Titus County Jail under a $2 million bond. Authorities report after the first vehicle hit the boy, a second vehicle also hit him. That vehicle has not been located.

NEW BOSTON (AP) � Hundreds of people turned out to bid on donated items to benefit the family of a northeast Texas sheriff’s deputy killed while escorting an inmate from a court hearing. Bowie County Sheriff’s Deputy Sherri Jones died April 18 from a gunshot wound to the head in the Bowie County Courthouse basement while escorting Tucker Strickland, 21, from a mental health hearing. Strickland remains jailed on a capital murder charge. Two T-shirts drew a top bid of $500 during Saturday night’s auction, the Texarkana Gazette reported in its Sunday editions. Hundreds of other items donated by individuals and businesses also were auctioned off. Organizers said they expected several thousand dollars was raised for the family.

UNDATED — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

TYLER — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repairs in various locations on U.S. Highway 271 in Tyler between Farm Road 2015 and State Highway 31 (Front Street). Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

SMITH COUNTY — The Union Pacific Railroad, in conjunction with the Texas Department
of Transportation, is scheduled to close FM 2661 south of SH 31 to all traffic on
Wednesday, May 11 while the railroad makes repairs to the crossing at that location.
The work is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. and last through 7 p.m. Detours will be posted. The railroad is also scheduled to close South Loop 281 in Longview at FM 2087 on Sunday, May 15 for a similar repair.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation contractor A.L. Helmcamp, of Buffalo, is scheduled to begin reconstruction work Wednesday, May 11 on its $1.2 million contract to repair and resurface Ranch-to-Market Road 2329 between FM 316 south of Eustace and US 175 in Pickens. The project calls for closing RM 2329 to thru-traffic between US 175 and FM 3054 for approximately three months while crews completely rebuild the roadway in that area. That closure will be put into place on Wednesday. Detours will be posted.

KILGORE — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repairs on U.S. Highway 259 Business in Kilgore between Lantrip Street to the south end of the US 259 Bypass. The work is being done in preparation for a seal coat application later this summer. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

CHEROKEE COUNTY � Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue pavement repairs on U.S. Highway 79 east of U.S. Highway 69 before moving to the intersection of US 69 and State Highway 135 (Pine Street) to perform the same work. Once that work is complete, crews are scheduled to be at work on U.S. Highway 175 from Farm Road 347 west to the Jacksonville city limits; and SH 135 between Troup city limits and State Highway 110 in Troup. Also this week, District-Wide Seal Coat operations were postponed late last week and are scheduled to begin Monday on SH 110 between US 79 in New Summerfield and U.S. Highway 84 in Rusk. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid
delays.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to conclude resurfacing operations on State Highway 19 north of Palestine between Farm Road 860 in Bois D’Arc and the Henderson County Line before moving to Farm Road 2961 between Farm Road 837 and Farm Road 59. The work is being performed in advance of a seal-coat application in the coming weeks. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

Later in the week and into next week, TxDOT’s District-Wide Seal Coat program is scheduled to apply a seal coat to the following roadways in Anderson County:
*US 84 in Palestine between US 287 and FM 3266 east of town;
*FM 645 between FM 320 and US 79;
*Spur 324 between US 287 and FM 321;
*and US 287 between the Freestone County Line and FM 321.
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.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on Farm Road 2892 between Farm Road 2495 near Lake Athens and the end of state maintenance. The work is being done in advance of a seal-coat application later this summer. 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 perform base repairs in various locations on U.S. Highway 259 north of Henderson between State Highway 322 and Farm Road 850. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to conclude pavement repair operations in various locations on State Highway 37 south of Winnsboro near Farm Road 1647. A second crew is scheduled to perform edge repairs on Farm Road 69 between Farm Road 515 in Coke and the Hopkins 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.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing and edge-repair operations on State Highway 198 between State Highway 64 in Canton and Farm Road 1651. The work is being done in advance of a seal coat application later this month.

A second crew is scheduled to perform fog seal operations on Farm Road 858 between State Highway 19 and Ben Wheeler. 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.

NOONDAY � Three hospitalized after a Sunday morning wreck on Highway 155 near Noonday. Officials say a major rollover accident sent 3 people to Tyler hospitals. Noonday firefighters were on scene near County Road 1198. Firefighters say the accident was a double rollover. Two vehicles were going opposite directions on 155 when one vehicle lost control and the two went into the ditch. Noonday firefighters had to use the jaws of life to get the victims out. Highway 155 was shut down for 30 minutes this morning while crews worked the scene. �The two drivers were flown to two different hospitals, the third one was transported by ground,� said Noonday Firefighter Patrick Baldauf. Baldauf said the passenger transported by ground was the daughter of one of the drivers. No word yet on the condition of the three accident victims.

TYLER — 101 East Texas students divvy up over $173,000 in scholarships given out through the East Texas Communities Foundation. The students were honored during an ice cream reception at Tyler’s Marvin United Methodist Church. ETCF President Kyle Penney told the honorees that a scholarship is “a valuable award that means a lot.” Penney said he wishes more scholarships could have been presented. He termed paying for four years of higher education “a daunting task.”

Penney had several words of advice for the students. He urged them to do their best, rise to challenges, and expand the world around them. He also said the students should stay true to their values and beliefs, but also enjoy college. Finally, he asked that the recipients honor the memory and legacy of those who have made investments in them. The foundation offers numerous scholarships, and Penney was pleased that there was a big spike in applications this year.

TYLER — After four months in office, Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips says newly implemented policies, restructuring, and research have saved the taxpayers of Smith County around $41,000. Phillips, who took office on the third of January, made some policy and personnel changes in the first few weeks that she says are already paying off. �We eliminated two paid part-time positions that were staffed by a �temp� agency and contacted the Smith County Volunteer Coordinator to help us find a match for our department,� Phillips said. Now trained volunteers visit the office at least twice a week at no cost to the County with a monthly saving estimated at $2,000 according to Phillips.

Phillips says she also upgraded the technology in the land records department to make records processing more efficient and convenient to the customer. �I observed as each document traveled from the customer�s hands to nine different clerks on two separate floors of our building while being processed and believed the methodology could be improved,� Phillips said. Now that the land records department has been consolidated to one floor and digital scanning has been integrated, customers can have their documents scanned and immediately handed back to them. Phillips says streamlining the process is saving time, manpower, paper, envelopes, labels, and postage. By Phillips�s estimate, the county saved $3,500 in April alone.

Phillips also has coordinated with the Tyler Postmaster to streamline document shipping and receiving, has started charging shipping and postage for data CDs, and is in the process of making on-site credit card readers available for customers. In review of the County Clerk�s invoices and contracts with Smith County�s current indexing and imaging vendor, Phillips discovered errors in billing resulting in a credit of $30,052 being returned to Smith County. �My goal is to make the County Clerk�s office as efficient and customer-friendly as possible and to save the tax payers money by watching every penny spent.� Phillips said.

TYLER � As a part of National Police Week, the nation payed tribute to peace officers from across the country who have sacrificed their lives in the line of duty. The Smith County memorial service was held on Tyler�s downtown square today at noon. Honor guards from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Smith County Sheriff�s Office, and Tyler Police Department were on hand to honor area law enforcement officers who have lost their lives in the line of duty for 2010-2011.

In 2010 (158 officers) and to date 2011 (65 officers), 223 peace officers joined the ranks of these officers nationwide. Once again, Texas led the country with the death of 17 peace officers in 2010 and 6 officers in 2011, including Smith County Deputy Robert Britton Jr. on March 28. In 2010, the average age was 40 and average tour of duty was 11 years, 6 months. The event will include the posting of the colors, a wreath ceremony, Taps, a 21-gun salute, a riderless horse, and a fly-over by a Texas Department of Public Safety helicopter. All families of fallen officers and the public are invited to attend this ceremony.

TYLER — Tyler Police responded to an aggravated assault report and make one arrest. It happened Saturday night around 9:35 in the 2806 Loblolly. Authorities say witnesses advised that the suspect, later identified as Karla Gardner, was standing outside of her apartment waving a handgun around. Several victims gave statements that Gardner pointed the handgun directly at them in a threatening manner. Officers checked Gardner’s residence and located two .22 rounds on the ground directly in front of the front door. During a search of the residence police also found a box of .22 ammunition and a handgun case. Gardner was arrested and booked into the Smith County Jail, charged with aggravated assault.

TYLER — Tyler Police were dispatched to 7715 S. Broadway, Kohl’s Department Store, in reference to an aggravated robbery. It was reported that a white female entered the store and selected several clothing and jewelry items. The suspect then entered a fitting room and concealed the items in a black and brown colored purse that she brought into the store, as well as a red purse that she took from the store. After leaving the fitting room, the suspect exited the store without paying for the merchandise. As the suspect walked to her vehicle, she was contacted by a Kohl’s loss prevention employee. The loss prevention employee asked the suspect to return to the store with the stolen items. The suspect refused and continued to walk to her vehicle. The suspect was seated in her vehicle with the stolen property belonging to Kohl’s. After the suspect backed out of her parking space, she drove directly towards the loss prevention employee, striking the employee’s right hand with the vehicle. The suspect then left the parking lot and drove south on Broadway. The loss prevention employee received only minor injuries to her hand.

The suspect is described as a white female, with long dark hair and 4 gold colored teeth, 2 gold teeth on top and 2 gold teeth on bottom. She was last seen wearing a black cover-up shirt over a black and white striped shirt, black spandex pants and dark colored sandals. The suspects’ vehicle was described as a silver or gold colored 4 door car possibly a Honda Accord.

LONGVIEW � A man is dead after a fire at 302 Lake Lamond Road, #21 in Longview Saturday. Firefighters say a quick rescue attempt was made and the fire was put out. The fire was confined to one room, but the origin of the fire was the bed to which the victim was medically confined. Larry Ardoin, 52, was pronounced dead at the scene. No other injuries were reported.

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating a road rage incident. It happened around 4:15 this morning involving two vehicles, a 2002 Ford Focus and a 1988 Jeep Cherokee. The incident began at the intersection of Spur 364 and Loop 323 when the victim, in the Focus passed the suspect in the Jeep at that intersection. The suspect followed the victim to 2214 WSW Loop 323 and rammed the victim vehicle with his vehicle in the parking lot at that location. A fight between the two motorists broke out and the suspect received minor injuries to his face. No other injuries were reported from the fight. The suspect was taken to Trinity Mother Francis Hospital to check his welfare due to unstable heart condition and the minor injury from the fight. The suspect was admitted to the hospital for treatment. A charge of aggravated assault is under investigation. No names have been released yet.

WASKOM — Law officers are on the hunt for an armed man who robbed the Waskom branch of Citizens National Bank on Friday afternoon. There were no injuries, and the armed robber fled with an undisclosed amount of cash, according to a statement from the bank. According to police scanner reports, the suspect is a black man between 5 feet, 11 inches and 6 feet, 1-inch tall who was wearing a red shirt and khaki tennis shoes. He fled in a silver Honda Accord with paper tags.

The bank closed for the remainder of Friday but plans to have normal business hours today. Anyone with information is asked to contact the FBI�s Tyler office at (903) 592-4301.

TYLER — The investigation into a fire case in Waco has East Texas ties. According to KETK, there was an explosion and a fire in a Waco garage in March of 2010. Jennifer Matthews, now a Tyler resident, lived in the house at the time. More than 80 percent of her body was burned in the fire. Now Matthews admits she set the house on fire, causing her own injuries. She tells police she poured gasoline on the car in the garage and the vapors exploded. An arrest warrant has been issued, but due to her injuries and condition, Matthews hasn’t been taken into custody.

HENDERSON — Authorities in Rusk County have arrested 30-year-old Talbert Dan Williams of Henderson on drug charges. According to KETK, Rusk County and Henderson Police Department units executed a search/arrest warrant Friday in the 1900 block of FM 2276 in Henderson. During the search, according to authorities, narcotics officers located crack cocaine, marijuana, two semi-automatic firearms, and body armor. The estimated street value of substances seized is $2000. Williams was arrested at the scene and charged with possession of a controlled substance, a third-degree felony. He remains jailed on $20,000 bond.