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TYLER (AP) – A Tyler federal judge has overturned a federal jury’s order that Apple Inc. pay $625.5 million in damages for violating patents held by Mirror Worlds LLC, a small technology company. The decision, made by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis in a Monday court filing, dismisses one of the largest verdicts in a patent lawsuit. In October, a federal jury in Tyler determined Apple infringed on three Mirror Worlds patents, which cover several features on Apple’s Mac computers, iPhones and iPods. In his ruling, Davis said that “Mirror Worlds may have painted an appealing picture for the jury, but failed to lay a solid foundation sufficient to support important elements it was required to establish under the law.” There’s been no comment from either Apple or Mirror Worlds.

LINDALE — Law officers say a man identified as John Shane Owens, 30, led them on a chase through Lindale’s Velma Penny Elementary School early Tuesday afternoon, after they discovered during a traffic stop that he had outstanding warrants. Authorities say Owens was taken to a local hospital after being tackled to the ground during the chase. He has been charging with evading arrest.

Lindale police officials say during the stop on Farm Road 849, one of the two people in the truck took off running, heading down then road and then through a field and into the school. However, he was only in the school for about 15 seconds, running through the front doors and out another door. Once outside, officers tackled the chase suspect, who was unarmed, and arrested him. Authorities say Owens was wanted on three warrants for writing hot checks. Velma Penny school officials say their school was on lockdown for about 10-15 minutes during the incident.

TYLER – Tyler entrepreneurs Michael and Lisa Lujan are preparing for national competition after being named the Small Business Administration Texas Small Business Persons of the Year for 2011. This is the first time this honor has been awarded to an East Texas business, according to the Fort Worth SBA Regional office. The Lujans will represent the entire state at the national competition in Washington, D.C., during National Small Business Week, May 18-20, which honors the estimated 27.2 million small businesses in America.

Michael Lujan, a former school administrator, and Lisa Lujan, a former banker, founded Mentoring Minds in 2002 after developing an innovative study aid, designed as a flip chart, that would help elementary teachers and students in Texas better meet new state educational standards. The two launched the firm from their garage, maxing out their credit cards to print the first 6,000 copies. Less than 10 years later, Mentoring Minds is a full-service educational publisher, producing innovative learning products with more than $11 million in 2010 sales. One of the nation’s fastest-growing Hispanic-owned businesses, it also ranks #344 in Hispanic Business Magazine’s 2010 list of the largest U.S. Hispanic-owned firms. The Lujans continue to own the company, which now has 50 employees.

To the Lujans, the key inspiration continues to be “the kiddos”, as Michael Lujan fondly refers to the students who reached him from his earliest days as an educator. “It’s what inspires our growth,” he says. “We want to reach educators and kids across the country, and our plans for the future will move us out of the ‘small’ business category very quickly.”

The Lujans say they received critical support early on from a variety of East Texas groups, including the Small Business Development Center at TJC, the Tyler Economic Development Council, and the Tyler chapter of SCORE, a small business counseling organization. Michael now serves on the board of the TEDC and as the Vice Chairman of the local Hispanic Business Alliance with the objective of promoting the growth and competitiveness of new and existing Hispanic businesses. The Lujans also support many causes, saying, “It’s not just our duty to help our communities, it’s our mission.” Among other things, Michael mentors other entrepreneurs. Mentoring Minds CEO Robert Bush says that’s “critical to East Texas,” adding that the company is committed to keeping the area “vibrant” by helping keep jobs in East Texas.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin teen pleads guilty to assault. Amber Michelle Branum, 19, punched an emergency room nurse in February. She was sentenced to five years of deferred adjudication in addition to a $500 fine. She will also participate in anger management classes and alcohol and substance abuse counseling.

LONGVIEW — Gregg County officials investigating a fire that destroyed Southwest Plastics in Gladewater have ruled the cause of the blaze undetermined. “We were not able to determine a single source of ignition,” Gregg County Fire Marshal David Kidder said. Kidder said the fire started on the west side of the plant in the area close to where the finished product is stored prior to being shipped. “There is heat involved in producing the product, but there shouldn’t be any heat source in the final product, not that could have started this fire,” Kidder said. Gladewater firefighters were dispatched at about 1:30am on March 7 to Southwest Plastics in the 1000 block of East Commerce Street after a witness noticed flames, according to Gladewater Fire Chief Wayne Smith.

LUFKIN — A former Lufkin nursing home worker accused of trying to make a 91-year-old woman touch him last year was released from jail Tuesday on a personal recognizance bond. A State District Judge granted the motion in Telesforo Vasquez III’s case for a PR bond, as the accused has no financial means to post his collective $150,000 bond. The 25-year-old has been in jail since turning himself in Dec. 1. Vasquez is charged with one count of injury to an elderly and one count of attempted sexual assault of an elderly for the Nov. 24 incident in which he allegedly exposed himself to the female Castle Pines resident and directed her to touch him, according to an arrest affidavit. When she refused, Vasquez reportedly forced her down, causing an injury to her hip and buttock area.

As part of the terms of his release, Vasquez must have no contact with hospitals, nursing homes or retirement facilities, Bryan said, adding “no means no.” He must also have no contact with the victim. Although Charanza told the judge Vasquez is ready to plead, that did not take place in the courtroom Tuesday. Vasquez faces up to 10 years in prison on each of the two third-degree felony charges.

FLINT — Authorities have identified the person killed in a two vehicle accident south of Tyler Monday. He’s Gary Gene Parrish, 47, of Balch Springs. Authorities say Parrish’s van slammed into the rear of a UPS truck on Highway 69 south. The Department of Public Safety says Parrish had to be cut from the wreckage and was not wearing a seat belt. He later died at a Tyler hospital.

HUDSON — An East Texas father and his 17 year old son have been charged with raping a 16 year old girl. The gang rape occurred earlier this month. It came to light after the girl told a school counselor. Arrested was Clinton “Bubba” Johnson Sr., 53, and his son Clinton, both of Hudson. Both are in the Angelina County Jail, the dad being held on a $150,000 bond and the son on a $100,000 bond.

PALESTINE – The superintendent of the Palestine School District is moving up to 5-A. He’ll be moving to Bryan. According to a note on the Bryan School District web site, “The Bryan ISD Board of Trustees has named Dr. Thomas Wallis as the sole finalist to replace retiring superintendent Mike Cargill. Dr. Wallis is currently superintendent of Palestine ISD in East Texas, a post he has held since 2008. He was previously principal of Mabank High School.” The Bryan school board’s action came in a Monday afternoon meeting. Following state law, the Bryan school trustees must wait 21 days before formally offering the position to Wallis.

LIBERTY CITY — Three salt water tankers caught fire Monday morning in Liberty City after a lightning strike during severe weather. Fire officials say one tanker was struck by lightning and caught fire at Sabine Disposal on Farm Road 2207. The fire then spread to two other tankers. It happened around 9:00am. The fire was put out by the Kilgore Fire Department.

WINNSBORO — A former Winnsboro band director pleads guilty Friday to sexual assault of a child and to child indecency. Paul Bramlette was indicted back in March of last year on 8 counts of sexual assault. Franklin County Officials say along with having to register as a sex offender and removal of his teaching license, Bramlettte was also sentenced to 30 days in jail with a $3,000 fine and two 10 year probation sentences.

HENDERSON — Jessica Carson entered a not guilty plea Monday morning in a Rusk County District courtroom. Carson is charged with capital murder in connection with the December 2, 2008 beating death of her 13-month-old daughter, Amora Bain Carson. Her boyfriend, Blaine Milam, also was charged in the child’s death. He was sentenced to die by lethal injection almost a year ago by a Conroe jury after being found guilty of capital murder. Rusk County prosecutors said they are not seeking the death penalty for Carson, but will seek life in prison if she is convicted.

Sheriff officials received a 911 call that morning from the couple’s home in the 13000 block of County Road 2125 saying that Amora was not breathing, according to Lt. Reynold Humber, chief criminal investigator with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. Once the first deputy arrived, paramedics told him the child was dead under suspicious circumstances, he said. Humber said deputies found the child on a bedroom floor; she had several injuries, including severe trauma that appear to have been caused by a heavy object.

Humber said the couple gave several explanations about the child’s injuries; including they had left the child unattended and someone broke in and bludgeoned her. In Milam’s trial, authorities said they found more than 20 bite marks on Amora and said she was hit with a hammer. Neither Milam nor Carson testified in Milam’s trial.

LONGVIEW – Investigators will be back on the scene today of a Longview fire. It was reported late Sunday afternoon at Southwest Plastics and Fiber, a recycling facility, 3403 Estes Parkway. The blaze was extinguished within thirty minutes, before it could spread to the large amount of combustible materials in the building. The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.

HOUSTON (AP/STAFF) — The head football coach at George Ranch High School, a female educator and her estranged husband have all been found shot to death at a Rosenberg hotel. The bodies of the three were found shortly before 5:00 Friday afternoon at the Regency Inn. The Houston Chronicle has identified the dead as coach Trevor White, pictured here, of Katy. He is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin University and formerly coached in Garrison. Also killed were Destiny Pickett of Richmond, and her estranged husband Clifford. Court records show Pickett had filed for divorce and a restraining order against her husband in February.

LAS VEGAS (AP/STAFF) – Even though Taylor Swift was named entertainer of the year, the over all winner at the Academy of Country Music awards Sunday night was Lindale’s Miranda Lambert. She will be returning to East Texas with four first place trophies. For the second straight year she was named female vocalist of the year. Her hit single “The House That Built Me,” was named both single and song of the year. The song was voted video of the year as well.

Lambert was also a performer on the show. Between her signing and winning awards, she received a lot of stage time. Her main squeeze Blake Shelton was the show’s co-host. Shelton joked Lambert will soon be giving up her second job as a wedding planner. They’ll be married in a matter of weeks.