KTBB News, Weather, Talk

HENDERSON — On Monday at approximately 11:15 p.m., the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit seized approximately 5 lbs. of marijuana during a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 59 in the southern part of the county. KETK reports that during the traffic stop of an SUV, the deputy suspected criminal activity and asked the suspects for consent to search the vehicle. Authorities say both suspects occupying the vehicle agreed to the search. According to authorities, during the search of the back seat area, the deputy discovered five bags which contained marijuana. A sheriff’s department news release says the deputy seized the drugs, then arrested and charged both suspects with possession of marijuana. The suspects, of Cleveland, Mississippi, remain in the Rusk County Jail. They’re named as 26-year-old Jermaine Lamonte Farmer and 21-year-old Steve Terrell. Justice of the Peace Bob Richardson set bond for both men at $15,000.

TYLER — Two men have pleaded guilty in 114th District Court to burning several churches across Smith County. James Bourque, 20, and Daniel McAllister, 22, pleaded guilty yesterday morning in 114th District. Bourque was charged with five counts of arson and three counts of arson attempts, while McAllister was charged with two counts of arson and two arson attempts. The arson charges are first-degree felonies, for which the state recommends a life sentence in prison. The arson attempts are second-degree felonies, and the state recommends a 20-year sentence for those. Both McAllister and Bourque pled guilty to all charges, which means they gave up their right to a jury and witnesses. The court will meet again on January 10th at 8:30am to discuss their sentences.

HENDERSON — A Henderson man is arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Police say 56-year-old William Ricky George was arrested Friday night after a traffic stop for possession of a controlled substance. His was also driving on a suspended license. While police searched his vehicle, they came across several items that are used in making meth as well as thousands of dollars in cash. He was released from jail after posting $9,500 bond.

GILMER — An East Texas man is on trial for intentionally setting a fire. Testimony in the arson trial of Wesley Leon Spangler started Monday in Gilmer. The 39-year-old is charged in connection to a March 19, 2008 blaze. Officials say the building where Spangler was living caught fire. He’s also indicted on a separate charge of insurance fraud stemming from the same incident.

MT PLEASANT – Two persons have been killed when two trucks collide in Titus County. The fiery accident happened shortly after 4:45 Monday morning on State Highway 49 East of Mt Pleasant. Involved in the wreck were a Pilgrim’s Pride truck and a refrigerated truck out of Kansas carrying Red Baron Pizzas. There’s no word yet on the victims’ names.

LONGVIEW — Longview Assistant Fire Chief Kenny Southwell is retiring after twenty years of service with the Longview Fire Department and 25 total years as a firefighter. A retirement reception will be held from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., Monday, December 20, at the Longview Fire Department Training Center, 411 American Legion Blvd.

During his time with the Longview Fire Department, Southwell served many roles including firefighter, paramedic, fire driver, paramedic instructor, interim chief, and more. Officials say most notably, Southwell served as Emergency Management Coordinator and played what’s termed an extremely vital role in the development and success of the City’s Emergency Operation Center, now known as the East Texas Regional Command. Officials say Southwell’s leadership provided advancement in emergency management and impacted the role Longview plays at both the regional and state level. Southwell’s last day on the job is Friday, December 17, with an official retirement date of Friday, January 7, 2011.

TYLER — Tyler Police responded Monday morning to a major traffic accident involving a Tyler ISD school bus. The wreck was reported just before 8:30 on the 6100 block of Wilderness Road. Authorities issued a ticket to the driver of the bus for an improper turn. Officials say the driver of the bus was at fault in the morning wreck. The bus driver reportedly took a corner too sharply, causing the back rear tire to run over the front of a car. No one in the car was injured. Two students were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

LONGVIEW — A space heater is to blame for a fire that killed a Longview man early Monday morning. Longview Fire Marshal Johnny Zachary says Ronald Clark Smith, 62, was sleeping in his fifth-wheel travel trailer when a couch near his space heater caught on fire. Smith lived alone in his trailer on the 200 block of West Lynnwood in Northwest Longview. Neighbors said Smith was very friendly and would look out for their homes when they were gone. No working smoke detectors were found in the trailer.

AUSTIN — Measures filed in the legislature would exclude illegal immigrants from essentially every aspect of life in the state. State Representative Leo Berman’s bills would prevent illegals from filing lawsuits in Texas courts, something he says is necessary to cut down on traffic accident fraud. He says, “An illegal alien will take a Texans into court and sue him for everything he’s worth.” Berman adds, “If he’s in the United States illegally, and in Texas illegally, he shouldn’t have access to to our courts.” Berman, of Tyler, has also proposed denying illegals all state benefits, including welfare, loans and professional licenses and denying the children of illegals Texas birth certificates.

LONGVIEW — Three women have been charged with theft after being accused of shoplifting at the Longview Mall. Arrested late Saturday afternoon were Chelvarlier Quentice Brown, 26, Beshundra Lashay Tucker, 28, and Temika Rochelle Broussard, 29, all of Houston. Longview police say the women acted as a team. While one of the women distracted a store employee, the others took clothing from The Buckle store. They were discovered when items started falling from under one of their dresses.

TYLER — Only minor damage was reported in a fire on the roof of the under construction portion of Birdwell Elementary. The fire was reported around 6:00 Saturday night. The flames were quickly extinguished.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at events and work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

TYLER — Construction crews on Monday are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on Tyler’s West Loop 323 on either side of the State Highway 64 intersection. Weather permitting, the work should take approximately one week to complete. “We’ve done a lot of paving work at night lately,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “But in the summer, minimum pavement temperatures aren’t an issue like they are in the winter. In an effort to get this work done sooner rather than later, the contractor will need to work during the day when the pavement is warm enough to meet that minimum surface temperature.” Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to be at work on the following roadways in and around Wood County:
*Farm Road 69 north of Farm Road 515 in Coke;
*Farm Road 778 between State Highway 37 in Quitman and U.S. Highway 80;
*Farm Road 2966 north of Quitman; and
*Farm Road 49 east of Farm Road 14.
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.

KILGORE — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to make spot pavement and base repairs in various locations on U.S. Highway 259 Business in Kilgore. Crews will also be sweeping the bridges and overpasses on State Highway 31 between Longview and the Kilgore Bypass, and the bridges and overpasses on the bypass. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on State Highway 42 between Farm Road 13 in Price and Farm Road 1513 near New London. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs on the eastbound Interstate Highway 20 service road between State Highway 64 and Farm Road 859, and ditch maintenance on Interstate 20 near the State Highway 19 interchange.

Contract crews will also be trimming trees on Farm Road 751 and Farm Road 1255. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin several weeks of edge repairs in various locations on U.S. Highway 175 between Jacksonville and Poynor. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

TYLER — The East Texas Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, will present Congressman Louie Gohmert with the Distinguished Citizen Good Turn Award at a luncheon in his honor to be held on Monday. The event will take place at Green Acres Baptist Church Crosswalk Conference Center, Tyler, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Speakers will be Paul Powell, Dean Emeritus of the George W. Truett Seminary; Paul Williams, award winning singer/songwriter; and Jed Babbin, author and former editor of Human Events. Emcee will be Senator Kevin Eltife. Scouting officials say the Award is given annually to an individual or couple who have made a significant impact toward enriching the way of life in East Texas. Congressman Gohmert, an Eagle Scout, has served the citizens of the First District of Texas in the United States House of Representatives
since January 2005.

Past recipients of the Distinguished Citizen Good Turn Award include Bruce Brookshire, Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim, Jeff Austin, Sr., Eugene Brookshire, C.C. Baker, Jr., Herbert Buie, Congressman Ralph Hall, Douglas V. Smith, B.G. Hartley, Lindsey Bradley, Dr. Peggy and Howard Coghlan, Governor Rick and Anita Perry, Linda Ryan Thomas, Betsy and Elmer Ellis, Carolyn and Michael Northcutt, Sheriff J. B. Smith, Judge Bill Stoudt, Harold Beaird, and Sandi and Dr. Bill Taylor. Sponsorships and individual tickets are available for the luncheon. For more information, call the East Texas Area Council BSA office at 903-597-7201.

MARSHALL — A Marshall lawyer received a five-year probated sentence Friday for failure to register as a sex offender. Michael Bernoudy made an open guilty plea earlier this year in 71st District Court. According to the Longview News-Journal, he was also sentenced to 240 hours of community service, and he will be required to comply with all sex offender requirements for registration and reporting, said Harrison County District Attorney Joe Black. It will now be up to the state of Texas whether Bernoudy keeps his law license, Black said.

TYLER — Tyler Police received a report of a stolen trailer from the Target distribution center. It started around 3:10 Sunday morning after Target management advised authorities of the stolen trailer loaded with an assortment of merchandise. Management told police there was a GPS device attached to the truck and the last location indicated was the 2700 block Old Gladewater Hwy. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the truck. After speaking with Target personell again, they successfully located the trailer in 400 block of East NE Loop 323.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the suspects involved in the crime are urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers, at 903-597-CUFF.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police search for three suspects wanted in a Friday night shooting. Officers responded to a house in the 100 Block of Electra Street in reference to a shooting around 7:40. Police say Brandon McLeod, 26,Chris Toliver, 26 and Kevin Palmer, 25, all of Longview, had driven to the scene in an older model, dark-colored, 4-door car. The suspects fired several shots at the victim, 23-year old Shaun Thompson also of Longview. The victim suffered non life-threatening injuries and was not transported to the hospital.

Police are still trying to locate the suspects and ask that anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is encouraged to call the Longview Police Department at (903)237-1170.

LONGVIEW — A Longview Police Officer has been killed during an alleged dispute with her husband. Around 8:30 Saturday morning, officers were dispatched to the 2100 block of Tryon Road. They found Longview Police Officer Jamie “Ellyn” Goodan, 38, dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Her husband, Harry Goodan, was detained for questioning. Mr. Goodan was transported to the Gregg County jail and charged with murder. His bond was set at $500,000. Mr. Goodan is also employed by the Police Department as the 911 Communications Administrator.

The investigation is being continued by the Department with the assistance of the Gregg County District Attorney’s office.

Officer Goodan began her law enforcement career in law enforcement in 1995 as a Gregg County Jailer. In April, 1997, she became a reserve officer for the Longview Police Department and was hired as a full-time Officer in April, 1998. Officer Goodan received 29 commendations for her service to the community and to the Police Department throughout her career. She is survived by one son.

GILMER — Jarvis Hill, 29, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence on federal drug charges, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, earning him 30 years in state jail. He said he robbed the Cash Now store Sept. 30 because he needed money for a defense attorney to fight the drug charge, court records show. Hill has been jailed since he was sentenced on drug charge, which he committed three weeks before the robbery, records show.

TYLER — Officials with the city of Tyler are upbeat about the latest news on sales tax collections. Information from the Texas Comptroller indicates that total city sales tax revenues deposited for the month of December decreased 2.95 percent as compared to December 2009. But officials say that results in a 3.63 percent cumulative year to date increase for the first quarter of the current fiscal year net. While figures for December were slightly down overall, city staffers say a closer look reveals that the current period collections actually increased 0.70 percent; staffers say other audit and out of period collections equated to a 3.65 percent decrease for a net monthly decrease of 2.95 percent compared to last December.

“This means that we are continuing to see a positive trend in current sales tax collections.” said City Manager Mark McDaniel. “Although the City has not yet reached its overall budget goal, this should be easily achieved by year end.” The reported revenue of $2,410,041.30 is made up of of $1,606,694.20 general sales tax revenue and $803,347.10 half-cent sales tax revenue. The figures represent receipts from October 2010 collections, as there is a two-month period before revenue is reported.

TYLER (Staff/AP) – Tyler police report that a fourth suspect in a massive fraud and identity theft scheme has been taken into custody. Authorities say 30-year-old Nathan Paul Michael of Malakoff was apprehended by the Dallas Police Department and the U. S. Secret Service. All four suspects have been indicted, and three had already been arrested after an investigation in the Tyler area and elsewhere in East Texas. The probe involved over 6,500 victims in East Texas and losses of more than $100,000 for Tyler-area banks alone. Investigators say one suspect worked at a restaurant and wrongly obtained hundreds of credit card numbers through an access device.

TYLER — A 19-year-old woman is taken into custody after allegedly setting a patrol car on fire. It happened Friday morning around 6:00. A Tyler Officer said as they arrived to work, they noticed a 2008 Crown Victoria patrol car on fire. The vehicle was parked inside the secure area of the police department. Officers attempted to put out the fire with extinguishers and move nearby patrol vehicles to protect them from the flames. In the process, authorities say they noticed Payton Herrington, Lindale, inside the secured area. Police say she was responsible for setting the fire. She’s charged with arson, a second degree felony and criminal trespass, a class B misdemeanor.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man is being held on $1 million bond after he’s charged with threatening a witness in his upcoming trial. Toronto “Trigger” Lockridge was arrested this week and charged with aggravated assault. He is scheduled to go on trial in the death of Kelvin Muckleroy, who was found shot in the head Sept. 24, 2009, in his burned house on Chappell Street. Investigators said the fire was set to conceal the death. Brandon Horne, 31, of Longview was found guilty of murder Dec.1 in connection with the death.

According to arrest warrants, Shatoya Davis, who was subpoenaed to be a witness in Lockridge’s trial, told Gregg County authorities that Lockridge showed her a firearm during a conversation Nov. 17 in the parking lot of Cowboys convenience store in the 1700 block of Mobberly Avenue. She said they were discussing her service as a witness. While Lockridge shifted the gun from one hand to the other, he told Davis she did not need to say anything to law enforcement personnel, according to his arrest warrant.

Police say Kamica Barron, Muckleroy’s girlfriend, was hiding in a closet in the home with her two children when Muckleroy was killed. She told authorities she heard Lockridge tell Muckleroy he was going to kill him and told Horne to give him a gun, police said. There were three gunshots, then she heard Lockridge tell Horne to “clean everything up,” police said.

Lockridge’s arrest came on a drug raid. It happened Tuesday around 5:45 p.m. as the Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit executed a narcotics search warrant at 614 Buchanan Street. Authorities say agents made entry into the residence without incident, and that a quantity of ecstasy and marijuana was located. Also arrested was another Longview man, 20-year-old Sandy Brown. He’s charged with manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana; he was also apprehended on two assault warrants. Brown’s bond is $27,500.

TYLER — A Tyler dentist arrested after video recording devices were found in a home he rented to a woman and her her 15-year-old daughter is back in the Smith County Jail. According to KETK, indictment letters confirm at least seven other people were allegedly taped by 57-year-old Charles Edward Robinson Jr. Robinson Jr. has been charged with improper photo/visual recording and burglary of a habitation with intent to commit a felony. Jail records indicate his bond is set at half a million dollars. He was released from jail Monday after posting a $50,000 bond. Robinson is also charged with possession of child pornography. Cameras were found inside the woman tenant’s attic, focused on both the bedrooms and bathrooms.

PITTSBURG — The investigation continues into a fiery two-vehicle wreck that left two Pittsburg men dead and another in fair condition in a Longview hospital. Bravlio Roman, 59, and Tommy Lee Hefner, 61, were killed after their sport utility vehicle was rear-ended by a vehicle driven by Jairo Perez, 21, Tuesday on U.S. 271 south of Pittsburg.

State troopers said a Honda Odyssey SUV was stopped on U.S. 271, waiting to make a left turn onto CR 1110, when it was hit by a Ford Ranger pickup driven by Perez. The wreck pushed the gas tank to the ground and the car caught on fire, Trooper Robby Moore said. Perez was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center-Longview with two broken thigh bones.

TYLER — The two men accused in the East Texas church arsons last year have signed a waiver of jury trial and will plead guilty . Jason Bourque of Lindale and Daniel McAllister of Ben Wheeler announced their plea intentions in a hearing in 114th State District Court Thursday. Judge Christi Kennedy set the men’s plea hearing for December. They will be back in court January 10th for sentencing.

Bourque, 20, has been charged with five counts of arson. This is for the fires at Tyland Baptist Church, First Church of Christ, Scientist, Prairie Creek Fellowship Church, Dover Baptist Church, and Clear Spring Missionary Baptist Church. Bourque was also charged with three counts of attempted arson. McAllister, 22, has been charged with two counts of arson and two counts of attempted arson.

JACKSONVILLE — One of two men wanted in a weekend shooting in Cherokee County is in custody. His brother remains at large. Officials announced Thursday the arrest of Ruben Rincon, 22. They are still looking for Hugo Rincon, 19.

Over the weekend, David Thomason, 73, reportedly witnessed the men burglarizing his tool shed at his home west of Jacksonville. Thomason says his truck blocked the men from leaving his driveway. According to the victim, that’s when one them walked up to his truck window and shot him twice. Thomason says he was then pulled from his truck and put on the ground before they moved his vehicle and drove away. Thomason is now recovering and has been released from the hospital.

TYLER — An illegal El Salvadoran immigrant has received a life sentence for the aggravated sexual assault of a child. Oscar Antonio Bonilla, 31, was sentenced Thursday. A jury, back in November, found Bonilla guilty. He could be eligible for parole in 30 years. After serving his prison sentence, Bonilla will be deported.

TYLER — Prekindergarten teachers in Tyler ISD were rewarded this week for their dedication to preparing students for kindergarten when their classrooms received Texas School Ready! certification. According to Texas Commissioner of Education Robert Scott, “Strong prekindergarten programs help get at-risk children off to a good start and improve their chances for success throughout their school career. This certification can be used by parents to quickly identify programs that are effectively preparing children for kindergarten.”

The teachers receiving the 2010 Texas School Ready! Certification are: Billy Smoot from Bonner Elementary School; Marcia Trefoil, Yesinia Milan Stephanie Denton, Jackie Jackson, and Tameka Scruggs from Griffin Elementary School; Traci Sanders, Vonda Williams, Bobbie Riddick, and Monica Wood from Jones Elementary School; and Alicia Guajardo and Vicki Haddad from the Bo shears Center.

For prekindergarten classrooms from the 2008-2009 school years, 1,765 classrooms are receiving 2010-2011 certifications through a Texas Education Agency-funded evaluation system operated by the Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (Unhealthy).

To achieve certification, teachers at preschools and centers apply to CLI and provide information about their classrooms. CLI then studies information provided by Texas public school districts to assess students’ early reading and social development skills after they advance to kindergarten. The annual certification shows that children who graduated from these prekindergarten classrooms went to public kindergarten with the fundamental skills in place to be successful. Licensed childcare providers, Head Start and public prekindergarten classrooms are included in the voluntary program.

LONGVIEW — Customers now have an additional option available for making utility payments to the City of Longview. The Water Utilities Department has authorized Fidelity Express as a third party payment processor to accept customer bill payments at twenty convenience store locations throughout the Longview area. Fidelity Express will charge a fee of $1.50 for each payment transaction.

Utilizing the Fidelity Express locations, customers may pay their water bill in the form of cash, check, or money order. All water bill payments received through the Fidelity Express locations before 3:30 p.m. will be posted the same business days; payments received after 3:30 p.m. will be posted the next business day. Customers are required to have their bill statement coupon to complete payment.

According to Water Utilities Customer Service Manager Willie Marshall, “We learned that other water utilities had achieved positive results by implementing authorized payment processors throughout their communities, so we decided to pursue the effort for Longview customers. We hope this authorized payment source will be a convenient and fast option for customers that might not have access to the internet or are unable to easily travel to City Hall.”

It should be noted that Fidelity Express is the only authorized third party payment processor at this time. Customers that use other non-authorized third party bill payment services should be advised that those non-authorized payments are not immediate and may result in incorrect payment, delayed processing, late fees, or water service cancellation. As such, customers are encouraged to use only the following authorized payment options:
*By mail to City of Longview, P.O. Box 1952
*In person at City Hall, 300 W. Cotton St.
*Online using care at LongviewTexas.gov
*Over the phone with Steelworks at 903-237-1030
*Through Automatic Bank Draft established at the City Hall
*Using Fidelity Express at 20 Longview area convenience store locations.

LONGVIEW — Law officers in Longview arrest two men on a drug raid. It happened Tuesday around 5:45 p.m. as the Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit executed a narcotics search warrant at 614 Buchanan Street. Authorities say agents made entry into the residence without incident, and that a quantity of ecstasy and marijuana was located. Toronto Lockridge, 34, of Longview and Sandy Brown, 20, also of Longview, were arrested. Lockridge was arrested on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon warrant. Brown was arrested on allegations of manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana; he was also apprehended on two assault warrants. Both Lockridge and Brown remain in the Gregg County Jail with bonds totaling $1 million and $27,500 respectively.