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SULPHUR SPRINGS � A man on trial in Sulphur Springs on charges of intoxication manslaughter has been found guilty of DWI, a misdemeanor, and accident involving injury or death failure to stop and render aid, a felony. James Blake Spinks, 25, of Yantis was charged with hitting Nathan Spataro, 21. He was found dead along side Interstate Highway 30 Service Road in June of last year. Spinks, who had spent the prior afternoon and evening drinking, thought he had hit a deer. Authorities were not called until several hours after the incident, and then by a man at a business who Spinks told he thought he had hit something and needed a place to hide out.

Becky Hicks, Nathan Spataro�s mother, gave a victim impact statement directed toward Spinks. �I wasn�t ready to say goodbye to my son. I think constantly about how you left my son in the ditch like he was nothing.� She went on to say that �drinking and driving had a whole new meaning to me. Part of me is so angry I could scream, while part of me is so numb from pain I can�t scream. You had a choice that night. No one made you get in your car and drive; no one made you leave him (Nathan) in the ditch. We can�t choose how we die, but we can choose how we live. Those who think that facing 10 years in prison for taking a life while driving under the influence is too severe have never faced a life sentence without their loved one. �

TYLER — Tyler Police respond to a reported shooting Wednesday night. It happened around 8:30 in the 600 block of Lyons Street. Authorities say they went to the home and were then contacted by a local hospital reporting the two gunshot victims. Shamika Miller, 35, of Tyler, was transported to Trinity Mother Frances Hospital by private vehicle and was treated for one gunshot wound. She’s currently listed in stable condition. The second victim was identified as Jonathan Paul Hart, age 34, of Tyler. Hart was transported to East Texas Medical Center Hospital by private vehicle and was treated for four gunshot wounds. He’s currently listed in critical condition.

Officers on the scene of the incident stated that the suspect showed back up and told the officers he was involved in what had occurred. The suspect is identified as James Earl Miller Jr., 38, of Tyler. Investigators determined that Miller had followed Shamika Miller, his wife and Jonathan Hart from his residence and got into an altercation. Police say Miller pulled out a revolver and fired several shots at both subjects. He’s charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was transported to Smith County Jail.

TYLER — Tyler sales tax revenues deposited for the month of November have increased 3.17% as compared to the same period in 2009. According to the Texas Comptroller fiscal year-to-date revenue is up 6.59% over the same period in the prior year.

The reported revenue of $3,164,191.42 is comprised of $2,109,460.95 general sales tax revenue and $1,054,730.47 half-cent sales tax revenue. The figures represent receipts from September 2010 collections, as there is a two-month period before revenue is reported.

“This is the third consecutive month that we have seen an increase in our sales tax collections over the prior fiscal year,” said City Manager Mark McDaniel. “We are remaining very cautious and holding the line on expenditures; however, we are certainly seeing a marked improvement in the local economy.”

TYLER — Want to buy a building in downtown Tyler? Smith County is preparing to take bids to sell the Smith County office building. The building, which dates back to the 1950s, was formerly the Carlton Hotel.

Adrienne Graham with Smith County tells KETK-TV, “As an ex-hotel, it’s never really suited our needs as a county facility, and now we are looking at finally putting this building up for sale and moving everyone into a new facility.” Graham says they’re hoping the building could be turned into a hotel again or even a retail facility.

TYLER — A Harrison County man has appeared in Tyler Federal Court to plead guilty to distributing cocaine. Rodney Kirk Jenkins, 41, of Karnack, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Everingham, IV. Jenkins faces up to 40 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

Federal prosecutors contend from 2007 through April of 2010, Jenkins maintained a place in Harrison County in order to produce large quantities of crack cocaine, which he conspired to distribute 500 grams or more of cocaine throughout East Texas. Jenkins was indicted by a federal grand jury in August.

AUSTIN (AP) � A Wood County Republican has withdrawn his support for Texas House Speaker Joe Straus, saying that Straus allies have been threatening to use redistricting to punish his political adversaries. Representative Bryan Hughes of Mineola is one of 76 Republicans on a list of supporters Straus released last week, saying he had enough pledges of support to be elected to another term as speaker.

But in a statement Wednesday, Hughes said he wouldn’t support Straus for another term because of threats of retribution by “a member of Speaker Straus’s leadership team.” Hughes said the conversation “saddened and then disgusted” him. Straus is a moderate San Antonio Republican being challenged by Rep. Warren Chisum, a more conservative Republican from Pampa who has spearheaded a movement to pressure conservatives into opposing Straus.

TYLER – Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith confirms the 15-year-old brother of murdered Chapel Hill student Amanda Anderson has been arrested in the case. According to KETK, 19-year-old Amanda Anderson was found murdered in her house in September, shot four times in the head. The arrest affidavit says that inconsistencies in the younger Anderson’s story led authorities to believe he might be the killer. Ms. Anderson was shot 4 times in the head with a .22 caliber weapon, which authorities believe to have been a semi-automatic pistol belonging to her brother. KTBB will bring you more information as it becomes available.

TYLER — The debate team at The University of Texas at Tyler is now ranked fourth among the more than 350 collegiate teams across the nation, Dr. Dennis Cali, Department of Communication chair, announced. Much like national rankings for college sports, the debate rankings play a major role in the seeding of teams for the national tournament, according to Dr. Charles Walts, assistant professor of communication, who is in his second year as director of forensics.

�This is a major accomplishment for the program,� said Walts. �The higher your rank, the better chances you have of succeeding.� Previously, UT Tyler�s highest rank held was 60th during the 2009-10 season. �This kind of jump in the rankings is an indicator of how well we are debating this year and how we have transitioned from a regional program to a national contender,� Walts added.

HENDERSON — Rusk County authorities are reporting that a toddler has been killed by a pit bull. According to KETK, on Wednesday at about 11:03 a.m. the sheriff’s office received a call from the East Texas Medical Center-Henderson emergency room requesting an officer to respond to the hospital in regard to a two-year-old child being deceased as the result of the dog attack. Upon arrival deputies learned that 35-year-old Helen Muckleroy transported her son Kaden Muckleroy to the hospital from her residence in rural Henderson for treatment of dog bites from the attack.

Further investigation indicates that the dog’s owner, Kelvin Muckleroy, who is the victim’s grandfather, had the dog chained to a tree in the yard of the residence where the attack occurred. Muckleroy has consented to the release of the animal as well as about 29 additional kennel kept dogs to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. The Sheriff’s Office indicates it is currently conducting an investigation and will release information as is appropriate.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has authorized City staff to pursue the potential of refinancing or refunding $11,090,000 in bonds from the Water and Sewer System Series 2002 revenue bonds to receive more favorable rates. Due to lower anticipated rates and the City�s AAA bond rating, it is anticipated that the City of Tyler may be able to achieve savings of up to $421,000 for their utility system. City staff will meet with rating agencies later this month to negotiate pricing for early December and will request the City Council�s authorization to reissue the bonds at its Dec. 8 meeting.

�This is a tremendous opportunity for Tyler to leverage our strong bond rating and current economic conditions to save the City money in the long term,� said Tyler City Manager Mark McDaniel. �This is part of our ongoing effort to examine all facets of our financial situation to ensure we are taking of any advantage to keep our financial position strong.� The bonds that will be refinanced are revenue bonds which are not paid for with tax revenue. Rather, revenue bonds are repaid with income from the sale of water and sewer services. The City of Tyler paid off all tax supported debt in 2008 so all sales and property tax revenue collected is used for current operations.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has accepted a proposal from NDMJ, LLC to provide ADA-accessible paratransit service to senior and disabled Tyler residents, which will continue to complement the City�s fixed route bus system. NDMJ will provide ADA accessible paratransit services within the Tyler City limits during Tyler Transit�s regular operating hours, 6 a.m. � 8:15 p.m., Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. � 6 p.m. on Saturdays. NDMJ will collect a fare of $1.50 from riders.

NDMJ, a private taxi company in Tyler owned by Jamal Moharer, submitted what councilmembers considered the most favorable proposal, offering the services for $30 per trip and offering a $7.50 local match contribution. All services including vehicle maintenance, passenger scheduling and dispatching are included in the fee. �To receive paratransit services, you must first apply,� said Davis Dickson, Transit Manager. �Eligibility is most typically given to people that are 65 or older and/or are unable to board or disembark from an accessible fixed route bus or who are unable to go to and from a bus stop.� Dickson says the application is available at http://www.cityoftyler.org on the Transit web page.

TYLER — The Tyler Development Authority has unanimously approved a proposal from Walker Parking Associates to perform a parking study in downtown Tyler. The parking study is being conducted as a preliminary step in improving downtown parking and will be made up of three components: a parking supply and demand study, a parking alternative analysis, and a preliminary financial analysis. The $34,200 required to complete this study will be paid for from funds collected from the Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone (TIRZ) Number Two (Downtown) and funds that were donated specifically for this study.

Mayor Barbara Bass says, “It’s all about trying to see how we can best get people into downtown and have adequate parking when they get there.” She adds, �It is exciting to see the first collections from the Downtown TIRZ put to use. This is exactly the type of project we envisioned when we it was conceptualized � a project that will help spur private reinvestment in the zone.�

The Tyler Development Authority was created by the Tyler City Council to provide services to the TIRZ Number Two Board on an as-needed basis. Board members include the Tyler Mayor, City Council, and representatives from other governmental entities participating in the Downtown TIRZ (Commissioner JoAnn Hampton from Smith County and Trustee Mike Coker from Tyler Junior College). Such services include hiring consultants to plan projects, hiring contractors to implement improvements and paying for such services from available TIRZ Number Two funds. Bass notes, “There are some other groups working on initiatives downtown, and we want to make sure everything’s coordinated for the betterment of Tyler.”

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County taxpayers say no to funding new schools through property taxes, many citing a tight budget. Tuesday night though, county leaders discussed a new plan that could raise property taxes — building a jail in Smith County. According to KETK, commissioners confirmed they have agreed on a $33 million project to add almost 400 beds to the existing jail. Overcrowding has been a big problem in the county for years and they say sending inmates to other counties is costing millions. Smith County leaders have put at least 3 jail proposals before voters; all of them have been rejected. No official word on when taxpayers will hear more about this plan or be able to vote on it.

NOONDAY — The Noonday fire department has a new Fire Chief. Earlier this month, a repo man said that Noonday firefighters bullied him regarding him towing a firefighters vehicle. Due to conflicting stories, the Fire Chief resigned and the department soon lost its assistant chief and one firefighter. Tuesday night, 20-year veteran Howard Harris, became the new Noonday chief. Harris said the issues the department has faced is just a bump in the road that the department is going to have to get over. Chief Harris will investigate the reported bullying and report his findings to the board.

TYLER — A job fair is on today at Workforce Solutions East Texas in Tyler. According to KETK, this job fair is a little bit different, because it will have a focus on Veterans. Workforce Solutions tells us that there will be a flag presentation and number of Veterans speakers. An award will also be given out to the winner of an essay contest held by local students. The winning essay on “what being a veteran means” will be read aloud at the event. The writers of the three best essays will receive $300. The event isn’t just for Veterans. Anyone looking for a job can come and meet representatives for over 65 businesses. The participating businesses range from those in the oil and gas industry to local hospitals. The event continues till noon at 4100 Troup Hwy in Tyler.