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TYLER – Habitat for Humanity of Smith County, Buffalo Wild Wings of Tyler and KTBB Radio have joined forces to throw one of Tyler’s biggest Big Game parties. The event will raise money to ensure that Habitat continues its mission of eliminating substandard housing by building and repairing homes for people in need. The event will take place on Sunday, February 6, at Tyler’s Buffalo Wild Wings, 7916 South Broadway Avenue. In addition to watching the Packers and Steelers on the restaurant’s giant screens, customers can purchase $5 raffle tickets and have the opportunity to win great prizes. KTBB’s sportscaster Jamie Lent will be the evening’s MC and will raffle off prizes throughout the game.

“One reason we believe this event is going to be a success is because of the support of local businesses,” said Deanna Harrison, Habitat’s Director of Development. “Adams Furniture and Appliance donated a 42-inch LG Plasma HD TV for our grand prize. Zales and Murphey the Jeweler have donated beautiful necklaces, and we have a fabulous leather recliner from Adams Furniture that was donated by one of Habitat’s most faithful supporters. And Tanner Todd from Fnc Ponds Stone and Grass will be creating a Rock Bubbler for some lucky winner’s office or home.”

In addition to being the site of the fundraising event, Buffalo Wild Wings will be donating to Habitat for Humanity 10% of their proceeds from the sale of food and drink. They have also contributed items for the raffle drawing such as a golf bag, a cooler with iPod dock, and outdoor chairs.

TYLER — An Anderson County woman has pleaded guilty in Tyler to federal drug trafficking. Andrea Rachelle Bailey, 31, of Palestine, pleaded guilty yesterday to possession with intent to distribute phencyclidine, also known as PCP, when she appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the violation. A sentencing date has not been set. Charges are still pending against her co-defendant Sterlynn Jeremiah Henry.

Federal prosecutors say on October 7, 2009, Bailey and Henry, were found to be in possession of a mixture containing a detectable amount of PCP, which they intended to distribute in East Texas. The two were indicted by a federal grand jury on December 1, 2010.

TYLER — Beginning February 3rd, elementary school students of the Tyler Independent School District are selling discount cards to raise money for their campuses and the Tyler ISD Foundation. Again this year, Great American Opportunities Company, represented by Gene Howard of Longview, will organize the fundraiser for the campuses. George Roberts, executive director of the Northeast Texas Public Health District, is the first customer to purchase a card; he made the purchase from Larry Goddard, Tyler ISD Foundation Executive Director.

“This fundraising opportunity gives each elementary campus a chance to raise private dollars for campus projects as well as support the Tyler ISD Foundation which funds teacher grants, teacher and student recognition and other programs not typically funded by tax dollars,” said Goddard. “Our students get involved with the process of raising dollars to support the programs and projects that are innovative and vital to an outstanding education.”

According to Goddard, proceeds of the sales of the card will go to the discretionary use of the principals at each participating elementary school and the area of greatest needs as determined by the Tyler ISD Foundation Board of Directors. Discount cards may be purchased at all Tyler ISD elementary campuses as well as the Tyler ISD Administration Building, located at 1319 New Sunnybrook, in Tyler. Information can be obtained by emailing foundation@suddenlinkmail.com or calling the Foundation Office (903) 266-9805 or 9806.

TYLER — A biomedical researcher at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler has been awarded a $377,500 grant from the National Institutes of Health to study how and why the lung scars. Hua Tang, Ph.D., will use the two-year grant to study a specific protein – protein kinase D (PKD) – and its role in lung scarring. PKD appears to direct the lung cells to form scars, but it’s unclear how it does so.
According to a UTHSCT news release, his research could lead to new ways to effectively treat lung scarring, a chronic and progressive disease that kills about 40,000 Americans each year, according to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.

“It is a rare disease, but very dangerous. Only 20 percent of those diagnosed with lung scarring are alive five years after diagnosis,” Dr. Tang said. Currently, the only effective treatment for lung scarring is a lung transplant, said UTHSCT Vice President for Research Steven Idell, MD, Ph.D. And lung transplants last on average just five or 10 years. “There’s a need for better treatment. Scientists like Dr. Tang will lead the way in developing these treatments,” Dr. Idell said.

LONGVIEW — Aggravated sexual assault charges are filed against a Gregg County inmate. Investigators say Cheyene Thomas, 19, admitted to having sex with a 13-year-old girl on at least 2 dozen occasions at the girl’s home in Longview. Thomas has been in jail since November on other charges, including theft in Kerr County.

LONGVIEW — A distant trial date has been set for Gregg County’s tax assessor, who is asking jurors to hold him harmless in the Thanksgiving computer theft of $201,000 belonging to area cities and schools. However, a jury might never convene for the March 2012 trial in the County Court at Law No. 2, as county officials seek a settlement with the seven schools and cities that lost money in the cyber theft.

Attorney Robert Davis, representing Tax Assessor/Collector Kirk Shields, said Tuesday that all seven schools and cities had filed responses to his client’s Dec. 12 filing. Those responses are prescribed forms called general denials. Shields’ filing technically is a lawsuit, though he has stressed he is “not suing anybody” and has to seek a declaratory judgment so he won’t be personally liable for the loss. His filing names as defendants the cities of Kilgore and White Oak, Kilgore College and the Longview, Kilgore, Sabine and Spring Hill school districts.

Those are the entities whose tax payments were lost when cyber thieves diverted some $600,000 in tax payments being electronically deposited to Texas Bank and Trust for distribution to the entities. The theft was discovered in time to recover all but one third of that amount. A criminal investigation into the theft is ongoing under direction of the U.S. Secret Service and a cyber detective with the Texas Department of Public Safety.

TYLER – The rolling blackouts even had an impact at East Texas Medical Center. Their power was turned off twice yesterday. Hospital spokesperson Rebecca Berkley said that ETMC is listed as a tier one facility, which means its power should only be turned off as a last resort. Berkley added, “We understand that the local electric company, Oncor, might have had us classified incorrectly and therefore the main hospital’s power was turned off at 7:20am and around 9:00am for about 10 minutes.” She said ETMC Tyler’s emergency generators immediately kicked on and they never experienced any interruptions in care to their patients or service to their guests.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – Icy roads may have played part in a one vehicle accident in Hopkins County that killed one person. The wreck happened Tuesday afternoon on State Highway 11 at Farm Road 1870 east of Sulphur Springs. Dead at the scene was Stephannie Greinart, 22, of Winnsboro. The Department of Public Safety reports her vehicle left the road and hit a tree.

AUSTIN — Governor Rick Perry has appointed three members to the Stephen F. Austin State University Board of Regents for terms to expire January 31, 2017.

Brigettee Henderson of Lufkin is an independent consulting interior designer and executive assistant at Carnes and Co. Auctioneers. She is secretary of the Angelina Arts Alliance Board of Directors, chair of the Angelina County American Cancer Society’s 2011 Cattle Baron’s Gala, and a member of the Buckner Family Place Board of Directors, Buckner Family Services Circle of Angels, and Junior League of Lufkin Sustainers. She is a past board member of the Lufkin Salvation Army, Museum of East Texas and Angelina Beautiful Clean. She is also past president of the Junior League of Lufkin and past vice president of the Angelina County Aggie Mother’s Club. Henderson received two bachelor’s degrees from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Ken Schaefer of Brownsville is owner of Schaefer Stevedoring Inc. He is director of the West Gulf Maritime Association, and a past board member of University of Texas Pan American, Texas Commerce Bank, Fondo de Inversion de Veracruz, and Almacenadora Regional del Gulfo. Schaefer received a bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.

Ralph C. Todd of Carthage is a senior account manager at Baker Hughes Inc. He is a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, Gideon International, and Patriot Guard Riders. He is also a member of the Panola County Masonic Lodge and Bill Glass Champions for Life Prison Ministry, and is a deacon at Central Baptist Church. Todd attended the Peacock Military Academy and received a bachelor’s degree from Stephen F. Austin State University.

These appointments are subject to senate confirmation.

MARSHALL — A Marshall family is desperately seeking a kidney donor for its 16 month old daughter. 16-month-old Charlie Ray Furr was born with only one functioning kidney. The kidney was set to be removed last Tuesday, and Charlie Ray was expected to make a full recovery. However, during the operation, the good kidney was compromised, and then removed along with the bad organ. Now, Charlie Ray is at Children’s Hospital in Dallas undergoing life-saving dialysis treatments. A prayer vigil for Charlie Ray will be held in downtown Marshall Thursday night. Hundreds are expected to attend.

JACKSONVILLE — Some people in the Jacksonville area may have noticed lowered water pressure Wednesday. Afton Grove Water Supply is urging customers to conserve water. They tell KETK they are dangerously close to running out completely. Their plants can’t keep up with increased usage — which may be due to people running water to keep pipes from freezing.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Jail Officials will hold a public meeting February 10th. They’ll discuss plans for a new jail and will take community input. It will be held at the Smith County Courthouse at 4:00.

TYLER – Morning commuters in Tyler were greeted yesterday with traffic sign problems all over the city. KTBB traffic reporter Kerri Compton reported at mid-afternoon Wednesday that all traffic signals in Tyler were functioning. Earlier, the Tyler Police Department cautioned citizens that the city was experiencing traffic signal problems due to sporadic power outages. Those were attributed to a state directive that rolling blackouts be implemented. The state’s ERCOT agency lifted that directive yesterday afternoon.

Lufkin– A Lufkin man is being held on a collective $1 million bond after he’s arrested for the second time in six months for the alleged sexual assault of a child. Joseph Weeks, 19, was arrested Monday after he reportedly had an inappropriate relationship 15-year-old girl inside a movie theater in the Lufkin Mall Dec. 27. Weeks allegedly touched the girl inappropriately, according to an arrest report. The girl told her mother about the incident and her mother contacted Lufkin Police. The girl’s cell phone was searched and text messages between she and Weeks were discovered that confirmed the sexual contact, the report stated. Weeks was indicted for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in July. He’s currently in the Angelina County Jail.

LUFKIN — An Angelina County man who pleaded guilty to robbery was sentenced to 30 years in prison Tuesday afternoon. Bradley Durham, 40, appeared before state District Judge Barry Bryan Tuesday afternoon, begging to be sent to a prison-style drug rehabilitation program, blaming his behavior on addiction. He sank down in his chair on the stand, visibly shaking as he addressed Bryan Tuesday afternoon.

Durham was arrested for robbery and burglary of a habitation last year after injuring homeowner Cyrus Poling in his getaway attempt Jan 10, 2010. Poling was nearly ran over by Durham as he attempted to stop him from driving away with his property. Hanging onto the side of Durham’s getaway vehicle, Poling was dragged several feet.