KTBB News, Weather, Talk

EAST TEXAS — Thousands of East Texans were left without power after strong storms moved through the area Wednesday night. Thursday morning, more than 2,600 Oncor customers were without power in East Texas. According to KETK, SWEPCO did not report any outages. Crews continued working Thursday to get all the power back on.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A veterinarian in Gilmer said she started treatment Wednesday on a dog that was found after being thrown into a trash bin at RobRoy Industries. Gilmer Police were seeking information on the person or persons who committed the crime. The perpetrator could face charges of cruelty to an animal and abandonment of an animal, police said. Cherie Nazzal of Animal Medical and Surgical Hospital in Gilmer said the female mixed breed dog was placed in the dumpster around 6:00 Tuesday morning. Gilmer Police retrieved the dog and brought her to Nazzal’s office. Nazzal said the dog’s right rear hip is out of joint and that the dog is “extremely malnourished and full of parasites.”

Nazzal said she has opted not to take the dog to the Northeast Texas Humane Society for fear the dog would be euthanized because of her condition. The dog is about 9 to 12 months old.

GREGG COUNTY — Police arrested a woman Tuesday after a man said she had separated him and his wife while they were arguing and stabbed him. Stephanie Jimenez, 20, of Longview was arrested near where the argument took place at the intersection of Whaley and Horaney streets. The victim told police the stabber used a green pocket knife. Jimenez has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

TYLER — There’s a new speed limit in parts of East Texas. According to KETK, you can now drive 75 MPH on parts of I-20. The five MPH increase was passed by the state legislature last year. That happened after a study by TxDOT showed most people already drove that fast. The new speed limit signs are currently being put up. TxDOT’s Larry Krantz says the job should be done by the end of the week for the entire Tyler district, which includes I-20’s route through Smith, Gregg, and Van Counties. He notes that until the signs are changed out and say 75 MPH, the speed limit remains 70. Krantz also cautions you to use good judgment and remember to slow down whenever it’s raining or foggy.

TYLER — The so-called Mineola child sex ring case is now in Tyler’s 12th Court of Appeals. Reports say Dennis Pittman’s lawyer thinks the outcome of the case would have been different if the court had allowed the showing of taped interviews of the children in the case. According to KETK, Pittman was convicted of engaging in organized criminal activity. He was sentenced to life in prison. The appeals court has two years to make a decision.

TYLER — The battle lines are drawn between Smith County sheriff’s candidate Chris Green and some supporters of Green’s opponent, Larry Smith. The current controversy began when Green referred to Grassroots America – We the People as a “fringe political action committee.” Grassroots America’s executive director, JoAnn Fleming, and her group’s board support Smith in the July 31 runoff.

Fleming tells KETK, “We have professionals, pastors, we have blue collar people that are in our organization… Now name calling is usually a clear sign that you have lost your focus in a campaign and you’ve just decided you’re going to be a rock thrower.” She adds, “I would suggest that Chris Green owes Grassroots America – We the People, an apology.” Fleming has also accused Green of making false allegations against Smith. She recently said, “we have the evidence to back up everything we have on our website regarding Mr. Green’s allegations against sheriff’s candidate Larry Smith. The proof is Mr. Green’s own words, which are documented in writing and on video.”

Now Green is publicly requesting that Fleming release all Republican primary sheriff candidate interview videos produced by her organization to the general public in the videos’ original unedited format so members of the public can judge for themselves. According to a statement KETK received from Green, his request is in response to “Fleming’s ongoing political stunts and screened threats that she will make the content of the videos known.” Green adds, “Fleming has concocted a story about Chris Green unfairly attacking her candidate Larry Smith when in reality the attacks in the race for sheriff have been coming directly from Smith and Fleming.” Fleming says she has no problem releasing the videos, but she’ll have to check with her board.

In a statement released Wednesday, Smith says, in part, “I want this election to stay on the high road. My position is what I can do for the citizens of Smith County.” We’ll continue to follow and update this story.

HENDERSON — Henderson I-S-D has a new policy involving electronic devices. The “BYOD,” or “bring your own device,” rule will allow students to bring their own portable electronic devices to school starting in the 2012-2013 school year. According to KETK, the new rule is an experimental one for the upcoming school year to see how students and teachers will make classrooms more interactive.

TYLER – A 51-year-old Longview man has been sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales Wednesday. Mitchell Duane Porter pleaded guilty on Jan. 11 to production of child pornography. He was sentenced in Tyler to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

According to information presented in court, on Aug. 26, 2011, a federal search warrant was executed at Porter’s residence. Several computers, cameras, and other forms of digital media and media storage devices were seized during the search. A forensic analysis of the seized items revealed over a thousand images of child pornography with approximately 8 of those photos taken by Porter. Some of the images depicted prepubescent children under the age of 12 years engaged to sexually explicit conduct, and some of the images involved the actual commission of a sexual act. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on Sep. 21, 2011, charging Porter with federal violations.

TYLER — A 32-year-old Mexican National has pleaded guilty to federal immigrations violations in East Texas. Raul Campos Alegria pleaded guilty in a Tyler courtroom Tuesday to being unlawfully in the United States after having been previously deported. According to information presented in court, on Dec. 14, 2011, Alegria was located in Smith County after he had already ben deported following a drug trafficking conviction. Alegria now faces up to 20 years in federal prison, to be followed by deportation. A sentencing date has not been set.

LONGVIEW — A multi-vehicle wreck at Eastman Road and Neiman Marcus Parkway in Longview causes some traffic tie-ups Wednesday, closing down a portion of Eastman for a time. According to KETK, the wreck happened during the 6:00 hour Wednesday morning when a salt water tanker experienced possible brake failure and the driver was unable to stop at the red light of the intersection. The tanker hit a Ford Explorer in front of it, which caused the Explorer to hit a mini-van in front of it.

The driver of the Explorer, who has not been identified, was pinned in the vehicle and had to be freed by emergency crews. She was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Three people were in the mini-van. They had minor injuries and were treated on-scene. Police are investigating the cause of the wreck.

CASS COUNTY — A husband claimed he was protecting his spouse, which led to a shooting. Keith Rondall Boyd, 53, Hughes Springs, intervened in an argument between his wife and stepson and ended the dispute by reportedly shooting the stepson, Larry Joe Sowden, 41. The Cass County Sheriff said Boyd was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The incident happened May 27 about five miles south of Hughes Springs at the intersection of CR 1599 and FM 161.

GILMER — Upshur County GOP Chairman Ken Ambrose is challenging the outcome of this past week’s primary, alleging some voters were not allowed to cast ballots. According to the Longview News-Journal, Ambrose finished last in a three-way primary for the party chairmanship, missing a run-off spot by 61 votes. According to documents filed with the Upshur County district clerk’s office, Ambrose is seeking a temporary injunction against Cynthia Ridgeway and Chuck Mears, both of whom topped him in the primary and are heading to the July 31 run-off.

Ambrose alleges some voters in Pct. 1 were denied their right to vote because their voter registration cards were miscoded with an incorrect precinct number. The filing includes affidavits from about a dozen voters who say they were denied.

GREGG COUNTY — Longview firefighters were able to contain a house fire Tuesday afternoon before it gutted a home. It happened around 3:00 on the 1200 block of Zeola Street. Officials tell KETK the house was empty at the time of the fire. It was called in by neighbors. No one was injured. Crews are still trying to determine the cause of the fire. The extent of the damage is unknown.

GLADEWATER — People in Gladewater will be getting a notice this week about the elevated levels of a potentially harmful compound in the city’s drinking water. However, according to KETK, officials say the water is in fact safe to drink. Officials say recent upgrades to the local water treatment plant should provide cleaner water in the future.

COLLEGE STATION — Some communities in East Texas and elsewhere in the state are about to lose their Farm Service Agency offices. James B. Douglass, Acting Texas State Executive Director for the Farm Service Agency (FSA), announced Tuesday that USDA Secretary Thomas A. Vilsack has approved the closure of 15 FSA county offices in Texas, a process that will begin immediately. The county offices confirmed for closure in East Texas include Upshur-Gregg, Rusk, Van Zandt, Cass-Marion, and Shelby. According to an FSA news release, after the required notifications have been provided to producers, FSA employees, and office landlords, closure dates will be established and made publicly available.

“FSA places the utmost priority on ensuring that our services to producers remain strong as this consolidation process begins,” said FSA Administrator Bruce Nelson. According to the news release, the agency will provide farmers and ranchers affected by closures an opportunity to choose the most convenient neighboring county office with which to conduct their future business with the agency. In addition, officials say, all employees in a closing office will be provided an opportunity to continue their work with FSA.

The news release continues that as a federal agency, FSA has been affected by widespread budget reductions made by Congress. Since 2011, the agency has lost 1,230 permanent employees through voluntary early separation and normal retirement. In addition, officials say, FSA has been forced to reduce discretionary administrative expenses by over 30 percent in the last fiscal year alone. You can go to http://www.fsa.usda.gov/officeconsolidations For a complete list of FSA county offices nationwide affected by this decision.

TYLER — American Eagle Airlines has added a new arriving and departing flight at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport beginning June 14. With this additional flight, East Texas travelers will have a new option for flying in and out of Tyler in the evenings. The new flight is scheduled to arrive from Dallas Fort-Worth Airport (DFW) at 6:45 p.m. and depart to DFW at 7:15 p.m. each day.

“Tyler has needed this new flight in the evening schedule because the 5:15 p.m. and 10:05 p.m. flights from DFW to Tyler Pounds are often completely full,” said Airport Manager Davis Dickson. “Having the additional evening departure from Tyler will also enhance American’s flexibility to serve passengers needing to leave Tyler after 6 p.m. I’m very pleased to see this expansion of commercial air services for our customers in the region.”

Customers wishing to book their flights should go to the American Airlines web site at http://www.AA.com or go to the airport web site at http://www.TylerAirport.com for links to the airline reservation centers. “One tip to saving time and money is to always book your flight to and from Tyler Pounds Regional Airport (TYR),” added Dickson. “Check with your travel agent or travel web site and use the three letter code TYR for Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.” Passengers are advised to arrive at the airport one hour before departure time to allow plenty of time for baggage check-in and to obtain boarding passes.

“Enhanced frequency in our airline schedules is coming at the right time for Tyler,” said Mayor Barbara Bass. “We especially need these evening flights for our business travelers and I’m sure that the new flights will fill up quickly.”

NACOGDOCHES — 19,000 people are expected in Nacogdoches Saturday for the Texas Blueberry Festival. Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples says blueberries taste great and are good for you. According to Staples, just a one-cup serving “provides five grams of fiber — more than most fruits and vegetables — and contains only 80 calories.” The weather and soil in the Nacogdoches area provide prime growing conditions for blueberries.

TYLER — The preliminary TAKS testing scores are released, and the Tyler Independent School District saw some dramatic improvements. The most significant improvements were in the 10th grade math, an 8% jump, and science, which had a 6% increase. TISD’s Kim Tunnell told KETK, “We’re really excited about these scores and very proud of the hard work of our teachers and our curriculum staff in working together to make sure that our students were well-prepared for the test this year.”

TYLER — Smith County Deputy Daniel Leon is released from a Tyler hospital after he’s hit by a car. Leon was directing traffic at Tyler Metro Church on Hwy. 110 last Thursday when he was struck by a car. According to KETK, the driver of that vehicle is not facing charges.

ANDERSON COUNTY — An East Texas deputy is hospitalized following a wreck while responding to a call. According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department, Deputy Hunter Lawrence suffered critical injuries as a result of the wreck Saturday night. It happened on U.S. 287 South just inside the Palestine city limits. Officers said five other people, including three children, were injured. KETK reports, none of the other injuries were serious. Lawrence is listed in critical condition at a Tyler hospital.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Cherokee County officials continue to investigate the death of a newborn. According to KETK, authorities say the parents chose to pray over the baby before calling for help 15 hours after the child’s death. Officials received the call around 4:00 in the morning on Sunday, May 27. Investigators said that they don’t expect to have any new information until later this week. They did say they were waiting on an autopsy report.

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man is arrested following some bizarre behavior. It happened Saturday night on Valentine road when a Gregg County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted Bryan Durrel Lynch, 30, Longview, driving his vehicle in reverse.The deputy said the 1991 Honda also had a defective license plate light. When the deputy stopped the driver he found a stash of drugs, including a large amount of cocaine, and a suspected drug dealers’ little black book of transactions, including buyers and amounts. According to the Longview News-Journal, Lynch was taken into custody and charged him with manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance. Gregg County records show Lynch was arrested more than two dozen times. He was serving a probated sentence for a previous narcotics conviction at the time of his arrest Saturday. Lynch is being held in the Gregg County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

TOOL — The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office says human remains were found last week on CR 2448, or Flagg Lake Road, west of Tool. According to KETK, the HCSO says part of a skull turned up in the 10000 block of the road on Thursday. Authorities say the following morning, investigators and state troopers searched the wooded area where the skull portion had been found and located more human remains. HCSO is investigating, and bone fragments have been sent off for analysis.

EAST TEXAS — The East Texas Food Bank’s Summer Food Program kicked off Tuesday at City Park, 200 West Queen Street in Tyler, at 11:45 a.m. Food bank staffers say the program provides free nutritious meals to children at 56 sites throughout East Texas. Since school is out, thousands of East Texas children will be looking for places they can meet their friends, have fun, and eat healthy meals.

According to a news release, the program provides nutritious meals free to all children ages 1 to 18 at participating feeding sites. Meals and snacks are also available to persons with disabilities over the age of 18 who participate in school programs for people who who are mentally or physically disabled. To participate, children just need to show up. There is no need to register, and no proof of age or income is required.

Food program sites are in Arp, Canton, Carthage, Crockett, Clarksville, Hallsville, Hawkins, Henderson, Jacksonville, Jefferson, Karnack, Kilgore, Lindale, Longview, Marshall, Mineola, Mt. Pleasant, Palestine, Reklaw, Tyler, Waskom and Wills Point. All sites will be closed on July 4th in observance of the 4th of July Holiday.

For Summer Food Program sites and hours of operation in your area dial 211. You can also visit http://www.EastTexasFoodBank.org/SummerFood for the serving sites and time for each city.

TYLER – A 33-year-old Carthage man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales Monday. Billy Glenn Carroll pleaded guilty on Jan. 4 to possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine. He was sentenced in Tyler to 100 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider on June 1.

According to information presented in court, on Aug. 1, 2009, Carroll purchased cold pills containing 3.60 grams of pseudoephedrine from a CVS store in Carthage. Carroll also admitted to purchasing cold pills on 18 different occasions from Aug. 1, 2009 to Apr. 8, 2010, which amounted to approximately 47.58 grams of pseudoephedrine, with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Carroll was indicted by a federal grand jury on Apr. 6, 2011.

NACOGDOCHES — The Civil Air Patrol has decided to move its new command center and training facility to Nacogdoches. Several Texas cities were vying to host the C.A.P., but Col. Brooks Cima says Nacogdoches has its advantages. According to Cima, “It will fill the gap between Tyler, Texas, and Baytown, Texas — which are the only two flying units that we have on the east side of the state.” The C.A.P. handles 95 percent of all inland search and rescue missions in Texas and has about 3,500 members in the state.

SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man is dead following a shooting Sunday afternoon. According to KETK, officials say it happened at a house off CR 37 in Smith County — next door to a birthday party for a two-year-old. The man has been identified as Jose Sanchez, 45. Two other men were taken to area hospitals. Authorities say the incident is under investigation. So far, no arrests made.

TYLER — The 59th annual Tyler Area Builders’ Association Parade of Homes got underway over the weekend. It’s a chance for local builders and landscapers to showcase their work. Visitors pay $10 to walk through some 3 dozen homes. One builder tells KETK several hundred visitors stopped by one of his homes Saturday, something he says will bring potential customers and boost the local economy. The Parade runs through June 10th.

UPSHUR COUNTY — Gilmer police are investigating an assault charge against Upshur County GOP Chairman Ken Ambrose. Police Chief James Grunden confirmed Saturday his office is looking into allegations made Friday by John Melvin Dodd about an incident that day at Upshur County Republican Party headquarters. According to the Longview News-Journal, in an interview, Dodd said the incident occurred while he was trying to conduct business at headquarters.

“I was assaulted by Ken Ambrose when I went after 2:00 to the Republican Party headquarters to turn in an application for my son, Joe Dodd, to run for precinct chairman of Pct. 17 on the Upshur County Republican Party Executive Committee,” Dodd said. “I filed an assault charge against Ken Ambrose with the Gilmer Police Department.”

MARSHALL — Lots of dogs in East Texas are going to need a new home. Authorities from the city of Marshall, along with Harrison County personnel, rescued nearly 70 dogs from a run-down puppy mill this past week. The mill was located in the northwestern part of Harrison County. Kay Hill of the Harrison County Humane Society says a variety of dogs are available. According to Hill, the dogs were being bred in deplorable conditions. Most of the dogs are being transferred to the North Texas Humane Society, where they will be available for adoption.