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TYLER (AP) – A forensic psychologist says there is a “low probability” that a teenager accused of fatally stabbing his teacher in a Tyler classroom last year can maintain a level of competence required for trial. Dr. Emily Fallis wrote in a recent report to a juvenile court that the 17-year-old boy remains delusional and dangerous. The report was obtained by The Dallas Morning News and reported Sunday. The suspect’s mental health leaves him in legal limbo 14 months after 51-year-old Todd Henry (pictured) was killed at John Tyler High School. Prosecutors want to try the teen as an adult, but his attorney is fighting to keep proceedings in juvenile court. Fallis re-interviewed the teen in October after determining months earlier that he was too psychotic for a transfer to adult court.

TYLER – Meadow Lake, which spokespeople term a full-service senior living community for people ages 55 plus in Tyler, will celebrate its Grand Opening in early January with two celebrations. Both are to be held on the campus, located off County Road 165 near its intersection with Old Jacksonville Highway. On Friday, January 7, dignitaries are invited to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 12:00 noon at the community entrance. Immediately following the ceremony, a celebratory luncheon prepared by special guest Master Chef Sterling Burpee will be served in the Meadow Lake Center’s Azalea Dining Room. The community’s public event, an Open House, will be held on Sunday, January 9, from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m., with group tours of the campus available

Robin Baschnagel is the community’s executive director and licensed healthcare administrator. According to Baschnagel, “As Tyler’s first continuing care retirement community, or CCRC, we offer choices of residential living, including single-family homes and apartments, plus assisted living, nursing care and a full range of health, wellness and supportive services on one campus,” he explained. “The people who live here will enjoy an active lifestyle and gain peace of mind knowing that their future health care needs will be met without having to relocate.” The first Meadow Lake residents moved into the single-family Executive Homes in August, and approximately 80 percent of the community’s homes and apartments have been reserved. When fully occupied, the 92-acre campus will be home to 250 to 300 residents.

The community is backed by the not-for-profit Sears Methodist Retirement System, Inc. System CEO Keith Perry says Meadow Lake has had a positive impact on Tyler’s economy and will continue supporting the community at large. “At the peak of building, more than 300 construction jobs were filled locally, and the community will hire approximately 120 full-time employees with benefits. The greater community will also benefit from Meadow Lake’s Senior Health Clinic, which will be available to the public, as well as the Chamness Lodge, a beautiful meeting space on campus that will be open for local churches and organizations to use.”

Tom Mullins, president of both Tyler’s Chamber of Commerce and its Economic Development Council, says, “Having a high quality senior living option like Meadow Lake will help us continue to attract new people to our area and also encourage long-time residents to remain here during retirement.”

LONGVIEW — Rather than send trees to the landfill after the holiday, the City of Longview encourages residents to give their real Christmas trees new purpose as compost or fish habitats. Residents may drop off their Christmas tree at three locations from starting today and running through Friday, January 14. The drop-off locations are McWhorter Park, 1000 Toler Rd.; Stamper Park, 400 Fair St.; or the Compost Site, 280 Hearne Rd., during open hours. Christmas trees left for curbside pickup will not be recycled. When dropping off trees for recycling, residents are asked to remove all decorations from trees. Flocked trees will not be accepted.

According to Recycling Coordinator Dave Wimberly, “Each year, hundreds of trees are recycled in Longview, but we know that figure could be much higher. Whether it is a Christmas tree, a cardboard box, or a newspaper, it is a good thing whenever items are diverted from the landfill. Especially during the holidays, we encourage everyone to take a moment to separate your trash from the holidays into garbage and recycling.”

As a reminder, throughout the year Longview residents may drop off yard waste at the City’s Compost Site. Acceptable items include limbs, brush, leaves, grass clippings, and pine straw. The mulch and compost that is produced at the Compost Site is available at no charge to City of Longview residential solid waste customers with proof of residency such as a Driver’s License or water bill. Compost Site regular hours are 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. The Compost Site will be closed for the New Year’s holiday on January 1. You can contact 903-237-1250 for more information about Longview’s recycling programs.

TYLER — The City of Tyler Solid Waste Department and Keep Tyler Beautiful are providing two locations for Christmas tree recycling in Tyler. Residents can drop off their undecorated, non-flocked, real Christmas trees. It will run through Sunday, January 9 in designated areas at Golden Road Park and Fun Forest Park in Tyler. Golden Road Park is located at the intersection of McDonald Road and Golden Road. Fun Forest Park is located in the 900 block of North Glenwood Boulevard. All lights, ornaments, garland and tinsel should be removed from the Christmas tree before dropping it off near the sign that says “Christmas Tree Recycling.”

The trees at the parks are available for area fishermen to pick up and sink in nearby lakes to create fish habitats. Small fish eat the aquatic insects that find a home in the tree branches. The fish also use the trees as a hiding place. As a result, fishing is improved around the “recycled trees” because more fish congregate in these areas. Christmas trees will also be picked up at the curb for disposal at the landfill. Only trees deposited at Fun Forest Park and Golden Road Park will be recycled.

TYLER — A Christmas Eve accident in Tyler has resulted in one death. At approximately 4:22 p.m., officers were dispatched to the 4500 block of Highway 31 West. On arrival officers located the vehicle, a 2009 Ford F-150 pickup, on its side. Police say the driver of the vehicle, Autumn Gipson, was eastbound when she lost control of the vehicle, which struck a curb and landed on its side. The front seat passenger, 25-year-old Jeff Jordan, was partially ejected. Jordan was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say he was not wearing a seat belt. Accident investigators were called to the scene and completed the investigation.

SMITH COUNTY – Friday morning, the Avila family lit a fire to keep warm while preparing for a big Christmas Eve dinner at their home in the 10200 block of Smith County Road 1141. KETK reports that when Maria Avila came back from buying some last-minute groceries, things had changed. “When I came back, I saw ambulance and firefighters. I couldn’t find one of my kids, so I was thinking the – you know, the worst,” Avila said. A fire in the chimney had spread to the rest of the house, destroying nearly everything — including Christmas presents for Avila’s two boys. But thanks to her family and friends, she quickly realized everyone was okay, including her missing son. “He came out of my neighbor’s house and I was so glad. I just hugged him so hard and thanked God for him,” Avila said.

Captain Matt York with the Dixie Fire Department says East Texans should be careful this holiday season when trying to keep warm. “Make sure that you get your chimney swept out. Do everything you can to prevent having fires in your chimney. Check all your space heaters, make sure you have all the correct clearance around your space heaters – it doesn’t take much to get one going…once you get a house fire it’s…you could lose everything.” Even though her home was destroyed, Avila is just glad her family is okay. “There’ll be other times we can all celebrate together…because we’re alive,” Avila said.

Since it’s gotten colder, many East Texans will be using their fireplaces this holiday season. Go to http://www.usfa.dhs.gov/citizens/home_fire_prev/heating/fireplace.shtm to link to some safety tips for using your fireplace.

SMITH COUNTY — An East Texas family is homeless after losing its home to an assumed electric fire. If that weren’t enough on Christmas Eve, their family pets never made it out. Smith County Fire Marshal Jim Seaton told KETK that the family’s pets, a mother pit bull and her two puppies, were inside at the time of the blaze and were unable to escape. The blaze happened on County Road 3158, also known as Joy-Wright Mountain Road.

The homeowner was not at home at the time of the blaze, but was in Palestine. Her mother lives right next door, and when she saw the flames, she called 911 immediately. The grandmother told dispatch she believed her 15-year-old granddaughter was inside the house at the time. Fortunately, the teen wasn’t. Instead, authorities say, she was in Liberty City after allegedly sneaking out around 10:00 p.m. Thursday night to hang out with friends there. According to Seaton, the teen had left a heating blanket on for the puppies. It’s assumed that is what could have sparked the blaze.

Seaton wants residents to take extreme caution when it comes to space heaters and electric blankets. He says to turn them off before you leave the house — and if you’re home, don’t leave them too close to anything that will combust.

MT. SELMAN — Cherokee County sheriff’s deputies are on the lookout for an armed robber who hit a local convenience store earlier this week. According to KETK, it happened at the Hot Spot store along Highway 69 in Mt. Selman. A masked man entered the store and pulled a gun, demanding money. The man got away with some of the store’s cash.

TYLER — Tyler police say that the victim of the shooting at a car wash on West Gentry Friday morning was a 15-year-old Longview girl. Police say the girl, Nicole Cartwright, was not involved with the shooter but “was just unfortunate enough to be standing nearby.”

Sergeant Matt Smyser tells KETK that around 1:30 a.m. officers answered a disturbance call meant for Williams Chicken at 1118 West Gentry. While police were en route, shots were fired — and when officers arrived, the victim was found at the car wash, at 1103 West Bow. The wounded girl was taken to East Texas Medical Center. She later died from a single gunshot wound. Investigators have been interviewing neighbors and witnesses. You’re asked to call Tyler police at (903) 531-1000 or Crimestoppers at (903) 597-CUFF if you have any helpful information.

LONGVIEW – Longview police report the arrest of two massage parlor employees. On December 23 at 10:30 a.m., police conducted an undercover operation at 1011 NW. Loop 281 suite 4, Oriental Massage parlor. An undercover officer entered the location and made a deal for a two-person massage. Upon agreement, officers entered the location and requested to see licenses. Two females were detained who police say did not have licenses through the state of Texas to perform massages. Both females were placed under arrest for massage without license. The females were identified as Tu Duan, 53, and Guirong Song, 45, both of Longview. Song’s charge was enhanced because she had prior convictions for massage without license.

Earlier, in an exclusive story, KETK reported that the arrests follow an investigation over the past few weeks. Both suspects are here on work visas from China. There had been reports that the business had also been allegedly providing clients with sexual acts at the end of their massage. Police say the investigation will continue in order to determine who is the owner/operator of the business.

MARSHALL, Texas (AP) — A Northeast Texas woman has been sentenced to life in prison over the 2008 starving and beating death of her adopted son. The victim was Samuel Hudson, 13,.

A jury in Marshall deliberated nearly two hours Wednesday before convicting 47-year-old Cynthia Hudson of capital murder. Prosecutors did not seek the death penalty, so State District Judge Ralph Burgess sentenced Hudson to life in prison without parole. Investigators say the teen was beaten and his hands and feet were bound with plastic zip ties.

The trial was moved to Harrison County due to extensive publicity about the case in Cass County.

NACOGDOCHES — A 19-year-old East Texan gets a 13-year prison sentence. Danny Reeves pleaded guilty to hitting and robbing a 79-year-old census taker in May. Surveillance cameras helped police tie Reeves and an accomplice to the crime. The census worker has since recovered. The sentence was handed down in a Nacogdoches courtroom.

CALGARY, Alberta – Nine members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas along with 30 members from 18 other states Thursday urged U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to expeditiously approve a permit for the TransCanada firm’s $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline project. Among those Texans is Jeb Hensarling, whose district covers much of East Texas. The pipeline, from Canada to the Nederland-Port Arthur area, would run through a significant portion of East Texas.

“The importance of the Keystone XL pipeline for American energy security and the economy are undeniable,” the Congressional members wrote to Clinton. “In a time when we need them most, the Keystone XL pipeline is expected to create 13,000 high-wage American construction jobs and generate millions of dollars in tax revenues for state and local governments. In addition, this pipeline will create thousands of auxiliary jobs by providing American energy security and reducing our dependence on other less stable regions of the world.”

But as our news partner KETK recently reported, some residents are concerned. Friday, a group of East Texans met in Tyler to voice their concerns about the pipeline and to learn more about how it might affect the area. They say their main concern is the sand and oil mixture running through the pipeline. They want to make sure that the quality of the pipe is kept to the highest standards to prevent corrosion and possible pollution. Eleanor Fairchild a owns a farm in Wood County and says, “I really wish it wouldn’t come across here… but if it does come across here it should be built in a way that’s as safe as possible.” TransCanada says the first phase of the pipeline has been completed, and commercial deliveries of crude oil to U.S. Midwest markets at Wood River and Patoka, Illinois, commenced on June 30. Texas is the last stretch of the project.

TYLER – A woman is taken to the hospital Thursday morning after having a seizure while driving in Tyler. It happened in front of Sweet Sue’s Family Restaurant on the 3000 block of SSW Loop 323. Police say after the seizure, the woman’s car veered off the road, rolled down a hill and hit a light pole. No one was seriously hurt in the wreck, but the woman was still taken to the hospital to be checked out.

MT. ENTERPRISE – Rusk County Sheriff’s Deputies are looking for a robbery suspect today. Derric O’Brien Blanton is accused of robbing the Conoco Station in Mt. Enterprise Tuesday night. Deputies have issued a warrant for aggravated robbery, and say Blanton should be considered armed and dangerous. If you have any information about Blanton’s location, you’re asked to contact the Rusk County Sheriff’s Department immediately.