KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — More than two weeks has passed since the death of a Gregg County Jail inmate sparked an internal investigation that put the jail in non-compliance with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. Gregg County officials said Tuesday the majority of the investigation is complete, but they can�t close the books on the investigation until an official cause of death is ruled on Amy Lynn Cowling, 33. That final ruling is being held up by the victim�s attorney.

Attorney Robert Davis, who represents Gregg County Sheriff Maxey Cerliano, said the doctor who is performing Cowling�s autopsy requested that Jarom Tefteller, the attorney representing Cowling�s family, provide past medical records before her autopsy could be complete. �These documents were requested from Tefteller more than a week ago, and investigators said they had yet to receive Cowling�s medical history or HIPAA form, which releases her medical documents to the Texas Rangers,� Davis said. Tefteller said he would have to go through legal departments and possibly a court hearing before the documents could be released to him.

TYLER — Smith County officials say a major house fire leaves a family of 9 homeless. It started around 1:30 Wednesday morning at 522 Dobbs Terrace in North Tyler. No injuries were reported. Investigators say a dryer may have sparked the blaze. The mobile home was completely destroyed. The family’s car also caught on fire. Reports say there are power lines down.

LONGVIEW � A Longview warehouse has been destroyed and a suspect arrested and charged with arson. The fire in the warehouse in the 300 block of Cherokee Street was reported around 8:30 Monday night. Investigators say the building was a total loss. The suspect was arrested Tuesday night.

CINCINNATI (AP/STAFF) � Tyler native, and former Cincinnati Bengals Head Coach, Bill “Tiger” Johnson, died at his home in Fort Myers, Florida after a long illness. He was 84. Johnson was an All-State player at Tyler High School and played at Texas A&M. He is also a member of the Circle of Honor at Tyler Junior College.

Johnson was on the original Bengals staff in 1968 and spent 17 years with the Bengals, three of them as head coach. He coached the offensive line under Paul Brown before succeeding him. Johnson went 18-15 from 1976-77 and the first five games of 1978. He returned to coach tight ends from 1985-1990.

The Texas native was a center for the San Francisco 49ers. He was also on staff with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1979-82) and Detroit Lions (1983-84).

TYLER — Over the next several months, don�t be surprised if you see smoke billowing from Tyler State Park. The fire is planned. Park Superintendent, Bill Smart says that Texas Parks and Wildlife Department staff plans to conduct prescribed burns at Tyler State Park sometime during late January through March. The burns are expected to be conducted and completed in two to three days.

Prescribed burns are used as a management tool in state parks to improve habitat for wildlife by restoring forest and prairie habitats on the park that were historically maintained by natural fires. They also are conducted to reduce the amount of available fuels, such as leaf litter, fallen branches, understory growth and dead trees that accumulate naturally and from storm events. By reducing the amount of available fuels, prescribed burns reduce the chance for a potentially destructive wildfire to occur.

Park staff already has begun preparing for the upcoming burn by clearing vegetation and other fuels from the fire breaks established around the perimeter of each area (burn unit) that will be burned this year. Fuels and vegetation also are cleared away from utility poles, structures, signs and sensitive resources to protect them during the prescribed burns.

Prescribed burns on state parks are conducted by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department personnel who have undergone training and met national wildland firefighting certification standards. The park�s prescribed fire plan defines the conditions under which a prescribed burn may be conducted, taking into account wind speeds and direction, air temperature, relative humidity and fuel moisture levels. The plan also guides the fire crew members in managing burns to prevent them from escaping into adjacent properties and to minimize the effect of smoke in nearby residential areas.

Because specific weather conditions are required to conduct an effective and safe prescribed burn, TPWD staff cannot provide a specific date for the burn at this time. However, local emergency management officials will be notified before the prescribed fire is implemented. Smart stated that during the burn, some areas of the park would be closed to the public. During the burn there may be smoke that reduces visibility on neighboring roads and Smart cautions travelers to reduce their speed and use their headlights when smoke is present.

TYLER — The host of “Gun Talk,” heard on KTBB, has his say in the aftermath of Saturday’s shooting rampage in Tucson. Speaking with KTBB, Tom Gresham again targeted gun control advocates. According to Gresham, people who do not plan to take care of themselves say someone should take care of them — but people who actually take control of their own safety ask what else they need to do to take care of themselves and their families. Gresham says you can’t make people behave — the only question is what you as an individual are prepared to do about it.

Gresham says training is key. He comments that some say you don’t know how you’ll react in a situation like the one in Tucson — but that actually you do if you’re properly trained. And according to Gresham, training doesn’t just mean learning how to shoot a gun. He says it means learning how to react to attacks — how to move, how to communicate, how to shoot, how to use cover, etc. Gresham adds that according to statistics, people use guns to stop crime and protect themselves between one million and two million times a year in the U.S.

Gresham also says the man who jumped on the shooter after the shooting stopped was carrying a gun and was going to use it on the shooter as soon as he got there; Gresham says the rampage just ended right before he got there. Gresham asks, “Do you want to wait and have someone else protect you or do you want to have the ability to do it yourself? It really is as simple as that…As we like to say, ‘When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.'”

Gresham additionally discussed the possible role of “toxic rhetoric” in spurring the shooting. Gresham comments, “This is just an attempt by one group to shut down talk by another group. If you follow their logic, eventually we will all have to submit our remarks, prior to making them, to the government to get them approved…It’s crazy, it’s insane, but it’s once again from the people who brought you gun control; now they want speech control — and all of it is about controlling you.”

TYLER � A 55-year-old Kilgore man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Ronnie Ben Chappell pleaded guilty on June 23, 2010, to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison Tuesday in Tyler by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

Prosecutors say on December 12, 2009, Chappell consented to a search of his laptop computer after being identified as having used his credit card to purchase child pornography over the internet. An analysis of the computer revealed approximately 75 images of child pornography; authorities say some depicted children less than 12 years of age engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct.

TYLER � A 45-year-old Whitehouse man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations. Johnny Coy Roberson, Jr., pleaded guilty back in June to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced to 37 months in federal prison yesterday in Tyler by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

According to information presented in court, on November 21, 2009, Roberson was stopped for a traffic violation in Smith County during which he was found to be in possession of a Kel-Tex, model P-11 9mm handgun. Further investigation revealed Roberson was a convicted felon, having previously been convicted of burglary of a habitation in Smith County in 2003. As a convicted felon, Roberson is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition.

AUSTIN (AP/Staff) – Moderate Republican Joe Straus has been overwhelmingly re-elected as speaker of the Texas House — and an East Texan figured into the activity. By a 132-15 vote, Straus successfully fended off a challenge from conservatives who wanted to replace him with one of their own. Two Republicans abstained from voting. Some conservative groups had warned that they would use the speaker’s vote to assess lawmakers’ performance at the end of the session. The House was on the verge of taking an anonymous voice vote, but Republican Rep. Leo Berman of Tyler abruptly requested the vote be recorded. As speaker, Straus presides over the House and is one of the most powerful men in state government. He sets the agenda and controls what legislation makes it to the House floor for consideration.

LONGVIEW — A soldier heading home from leave is stuck in Longview after stopping to help with a wreck. Iit happened on Interstate 20. Robert Devolld was heading back to Fort Hood at the time. Devolld reportedly pulled over to check on the drivers, but as he was helping, his truck was hit by another car. Devolld at the time had no money for a hotel room but says a good Samaritan helped him get a room by putting it on their tab. Devolld is being sent back to Iraq after a 3 week leave.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council took a decisive step forward in their effort to improve traffic flow Wednesday when they voted unanimously to expand the City�s adaptive control system (ACS). The ACS system uses cameras to detect traffic volumes and makes signal timing adjustments in real time. �The ACS system is like having a traffic engineer at every intersection making constant adjustments,� explained Associate Traffic Engineer Justin Smith. �Using this system on the Broadway corridor helped us dramatically improve traffic progression. We anticipate a similar impact with this expansion on Loop 323.�

The ACS expansion will integrate 21 additional intersections into the system. These signals are along Loop 323 from Shaw Street, South and East along Loop 323 to Old Bullard Road and from Commerce Street, South and West to Copeland Road. Utilization of the ACS technology was a recommendation from the Tyler 21 plan to help ease traffic congestion. The City launched its first segment in 2007 and has added to the system in the last three years.

�Addressing traffic congestion was the number one concern identified in the Tyler 21 comprehensive plan,� shared Mayor Barbara Bass. �The City has taken many steps to improve traffic flow in the last three years and has made a lot of headway. I think this enhancement will keep us moving in the right direction.� Once the construction of Loop 323 West is complete, the City also plans to extend the system from SH31 north to US 69.

TYLER — Investigators say 62-year-old Linda Sue Michael of Quitman is the owner of 43 horses rescued in Lindale on December 13th — several of them pregnant and all of them starving. Since the rescue, things have changed for the animals. The S.P.C.A of East Texas and the Humane Society of the United States are making sure these animals receive the care they need. Besides daily food, something these horses are not used to, and exercise, Monday afternoon the animals were given vaccinations as well as additional medical attention.

As the horses receive the care they need, officials say the next step is finding them a home. Officials say in the coming weeks the S.P.C.A. will hold an open house and allow the public to see these animals once they are ready for adoption.

LUFKIN — An East Texas man is behind bars after he was arrested for an apparent meth lab at his home. Angelina County Sheriff’s officials say Matthew Thomas Harvard, 46, was arrested on methamphetamine charges. Harvard had been investigated for several months by police. Reports show this is not the first time Harvard has had a run-in with the law regarding drug offenses.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — An East Texas man is on trial for shooting his wife to death and then dumping her body in December of 2009. Police officials say John Presley killed Stephanie Fowler Presley and later left her body on an isolated road out in the county. He is facing murder charges. Presley was arrested near the U.S.-Mexico border.

TYLER -� Police round up a suspect in an aggravated kidnapping. According to authorities, Gerardo Zuniga surrendered to investigators at the Tyler Police Department without incident Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. Zuniga was jailed with bond set at $250,000 for the first-degree felony. The 26-year-old Zuniga, also known as “Ya-Yo,” is accused of kidnapping a former girlfriend. The 29-year-old woman told officers that she was forced away from a party on January 7th by Zuniga and held against her will overnight at a residence on South Oakland Street in Tyler. Investigators observed several signs of physical abuse on the victim that were allegedly caused by the suspect.