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TYLER � Federal authorities in East Texas continue their crackdown on cold pill-and-methampetamine violations. Tina Lynn Fox, 44, of Carthage was sentenced to 135 months behind bars during a Tyler appearance Tuesday before Judge Michael H. Schneider. Fox was convicted by a jury on November 29, 2010, for being involved in a conspiracy to possess pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine and several counts of possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine.

According to information presented in court, from February 2008 to August 2009, Fox traveled to various pharmacies in East Texas to purchase cold pills containing pseudoephedrine in order to manufacture large quantities of methamphetamine for distribution. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Apr. 8, 2010 charging Fox with federal drug violations.

Meanwhile, Jimmy Ray Nix, 36, of Daingerfield has been sentenced to 78 months in prison. He also appeared Monday in Tyler before Judge Schneider. Nix pleaded guilty on September 1, 2010, to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. According to prosecutors, on April 27, 2009, Nix purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Walgreens in Longview, in addition to making four other purchases that same day at other stores in the area, all in furtherance of his methamphetamine manufacturing activities. A federal grand jury returned a 256-count indictment on February 2, 2010 charging Nix with federal drug violations.

HUDSON (AP) – A 71-year-old East Texas woman doesn’t mince words with a sign posted outside her house warning criminals to stay away. It says: “TRY TO BREAK INTO THIS HOUSE AGAIN, YOUR HEAD WILL BE BLOWN OFF!” An image of a gun is also on the sign. Claudia Holland was unharmed earlier this month when someone kicked in her front door. She thinks her barking dogs scared off the late-night intruder. The Lufkin Daily News reported Tuesday that Holland says it’s the first time in more than 40 years in the home to have something like this happen. She later found out that a house a couple of miles away was broken into around the same time. Holland’s son, who lives with her, helped arrange for the warning sign.

KILGORE (AP) – Five East Texas students will be prosecuted after 39 district buses had their tires flattened and school had to be canceled for a day due to lack of transportation. Kilgore police on Tuesday announced five high school students are expected to be charged with felony criminal mischief. The damage to the buses, discovered before dawn on April 8, forced the Kilgore Independent School District to call off school for the day. Nearly every bus serving the six-campus district had the valve stems removed from some tires. Police estimate the vandalism caused about $3,100 in damage.

LONGVIEW — A grass fire burns over 10 acres in Longview over the weekend on Eastman Road. According to KETK, the Texas Forest Service was called in to plow a fire line to help prevent the flames from spreading. No injuries were reported, but investigators are looking into what might have sparked the fire.

TYLER � Fifty new jobs are coming to Smith County due to a $6 million expansion of a Midland-based oil and gas chemical manufacturing and services company, Reef Services LLC (�Reef�). According to local economic development officials, the economic impact of the new facility is anticipated to be felt in the local community and throughout rural areas in this region of the state. Officials say the planned facility will additionally better facilitate growth opportunities for the company, as it is centrally located to current and future operations of Reef Services.

Clay Baten, Reef�s CEO stated, �After an extensive search in our target area, the Tyler facility was found to be an ideal opportunity.� Reef worked closely with the Tyler Economic Development Council (TEDC) to locate a suitable facility and gather information on the Tyler/Smith County area. Baten elaborated, saying, �Tyler has a terrific work force of experienced and qualified manufacturing and technical people. Tyler is approximately 300 miles closer to our major raw material suppliers. This allows for significantly reduced time between order and receipt of product, which will benefit our customers and our company. We are excited to become part of this community.�

TEDC officials say Reef Services has been experiencing the benefit of recent growth, through acquisitions and organic opportunities in the industry. According to officials, the opening of the Tyler manufacturing facility in the 134,000-square foot former Nautilus facility, on SH 155 North near Interstate 20, will lend an opportunity to increase the geographic footprint of the company, as well as enable the company to accommodate this growth.

The new Tyler manufacturing facility will be used mainly for the production of and blending of products used by the oil and gas industries and is expected to be operational in early 2012. Reef is looking for experienced and qualified applicants in manufacturing, administration, laboratory, and logistics. TEDC’s Tom Mullins says the jobs’ pay will “average between $40,000 and $45,000 each, plus a very generous fringe benefit package.”

You’re asked to submit any job inquiries to:
Reef Services, LLC
Erin Roland
Hr@reefcorp.com
PO Box 11347
Midland, Tx 79702

WINNSBORO — One man is dead after a shooting at Autumn Ridge Apartments on Beech St. in Winnsboro. Winnsboro Police say the man, Danny Harvey, was involved in a domestic dispute with his former girlfriend. Police say, Harvey went to his former girlfriend’s apartment around 9:00 p.m. and fired three shots through the closed door as she approached. One of the shots hit her leg. Harvey then kicked in the door, and chased the woman to into a closet, where he threatened her with the gun. Harvey turned the gun on himself and fired a shot into his chest. When emergency personnel arrived, Harvey was transported to a local hospital, where he died. The woman was also taken to the hospital for her injuries, but has since been released.

LONGVIEW � A second opinion is being sought after an autopsy report for Amy Lynn Cowling, 33, revealed her cause of death was �probable� seizure due to methadone and prescription drug withdrawals. Cowling, of Gilmer, was pronounced dead December 29 after she was found unresponsive in her Gregg County Jail cell. She was removed from the cell after hours of seizures said to be symptoms of withdrawal from methadone, former jail Cpl. Kashena Davis said at the time.

Justice of the Peace B.H. Jameson, who pronounced Cowling dead at the hospital, said he is seeking a second opinion from a Tarrant County pathologist with Cowling�s autopsy results because the manner of death was left up to Jameson to decide and the cause of death was listed as �probable.� Jameson said once he gets results from the second pathologist he will determine whether the manner of death was accidental, undetermined, natural causes, foul play, etc.

HENDERSON — One man is in custody and another is clinging to life after a shooting in the parking lot of the Kroger Food Store in Henderson Monday night. Authorities were called to the location on U.S. Highway 79 South just after 7:30 p.m. Monday. When they arrived the officers found a Hispanic male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds in the parking lot. The victim was airlifted to ETMC Tyler. A suspect has been taken into custody. Authorities say the victim was standing in the parking lot when the suspect drove up and started shooting.

KILGORE � A man is arrested for a Kilgore incident involving a knife assault. Around 2:00 Monday morning the Kilgore Police Department responded to the area of R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium in regards to a person suffering from stab wounds. They found Samuel Gipson, 22 years of age, of Kilgore, lying on the ground, suffering from two stab wounds. Gipson was transported by ambulance to Longview�s Good Shepherd Medical Center where he underwent surgery and is in stable condition.

Witnesses identified Marcus Trevino Woods, 35, of Kilgore, as the person who stabbed Gipson after an argument at the Meadow green Apartment complex. Police Officers were able to locate Woods at the apartment complex and he was subsequently arrested. He was booked into the Kilgore Municipal Jail and a bond was assessed at $15,000.00. At last report, the motive for the assault has not been determined.

WASHINGTON, D.C. � The Tyler Economic Development Council has once again been recognized by the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) as an accredited economic development organization (AEDO). That makes it one of 25 economic development organizations with the accreditation. Originally accredited in February 1999, the Tyler organization was reaccredited by IEDC in 2002, 2005 and 2008. Following three more successful years of activity, TEDC has now achieved reaccreditation through April 2014, which will result in 15 consecutive years of accreditation. �The Tyler Economic Development Council displays the professionalism, commitment, and technical expertise that is deserving of this honor�, said IEDC President and CEO Jeff Finkle.

TEDC was the first economic development group to be recognized as an AEDO in the state of Texas, which currently has six accredited programs. Besides Tyler, they’re located in Brooks, Conroe, Houston, Hutto, and Laredo.

LONGVIEW � A motorcycle theft lands a man behind bars. Around 5:40 Sunday morning, Longview officers made a traffic stop in the area of Fairmont and Princeton on a pickup truck driven by Eric Wayne Smith, 30, of Longview. Officers noticed a motorcycle in the bed of the truck that was determined to be stolen from the 2000 block of Lee Street five days earlier. Smith was arrested and charged with theft, $1500-$20,000.

TYLER � Catholic Charities East Texas has chosen its long-term partner the East Texas Food Bank as recipient of a $20,000 grant made available from Catholic Charities USA. Karen Kendrick, disaster preparation/event coordinator, and Nell Lawrence, executive director, both of Catholic Charities East Texas, presented the check to Dennis Cullinane, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank. �In these tough economic times, we find more and more people turning to food pantries to feed their families,� said Lawrence. �We are blessed to be able to assist our low-income neighbors to meet their dietary needs for active and healthy lives.�

The money will be used to provide food to people in need through 20 food pantries in East Texas. For Catholic Charities East Texas, the grant helps provide more food this year for an additional 160,000 meals for children, adults, and seniors in need. Catholic Charities has partnered with the East Texas Food Bank since its� first year of service in 1988.

�We are truly grateful to Catholic Charities for their ongoing commitment in supporting the East Texas Food Bank and are agencies in our fight against hunger,� said Dennis Cullinane, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank. �Their latest gift will enable us to provide immediate relief to those who need it the most.�

LUFKIN — A Lufkin radio station owner is back in jail. Stephen Walter Yates is charged with violating his probation on a felony driving while intoxicated conviction. According to KETK, the 52-year-old Yates was convicted of his third DWI in 2007 in Polk County and sentenced to 10 years’ probation. The Polk County sheriff’s office issued the warrant last Tuesday. According to jail records, Lufkin police arrested Yates last Thursday. Yates owns Yates Broadcasting, which transmits five stations over the air from its downtown Lufkin location.

NACOGDOCHES — One structure was destroyed, but another 20 or 30 homes saved after a fire began about four miles west of Nacogdoches on Highway 7 Sunday afternoon. The fire, as well as those across the state, is an example of how high winds, low humidity and dry vegetation can easily catch fire and spread.

Nacogdoches County Commissioners on Monday, recognizing the dangers posed by such fires in East Texas, enacted a burn ban. Sunday’s fire brought Lake Nacogdoches and South Nacogdoches volunteer fire departments, as well as two Nacogdoches Fire Department engines and the Texas Forest Service to combat the fire, which burned about seven acres according to the Texas Forest Service. It was unknown if the vacant structure which burned was a home or another type of building, Nacogdoches Fire Department Captain Robert Ford said.

VAN ZANDT — Two men are arrested, authorities search for a third after an anonymous Crime Stoppers tip. Raymond Ybarra, 60, and Thomas Jacobs, 39, both of Wills Point were taken into custody at a home in Van Zandt County. Authorities found a significant amount of methamphetamines, as well as two weapons and a stolen 16-foot flatbed trailer. A third man fled from the scene at the time of the arrest and deputies are looking for him. A reward of $1,000 was awarded to the tipster.