KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Texas Department of Transportation’s Tyler District has announced it expects contractor Knife River Corp. to begin work on the long-awaited State Highway 149 widening project south of Longview by mid-February, and that another widening project, on Farm Road 14 north of Tyler, was nearing completion.

“The SH 149 project always seemed to be in a funding blind spot,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “The need was clearly there, but the right kind of funding was never available in large enough quantities to make a significant upgrade to the situation. Not anymore. The county, the city of Longview and the Longview MPO worked with TxDOT to fully fund the project and move it to the starting line. We absolutely would not be building this project today without significant financial backing from our partners.”

Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt, who oversaw the county’s nearly $6 million contribution to the project and another $2 million for a similar project on SH 42, was awarded TxDOT’s Road Hand Award on November 30, the highest award given to non-employees, for his dedication to the two projects and the continued safety of
the traveling public in Gregg County.

“These projects don’t happen without him,” Krantz said. “Period.” The SH 149 project will be conducted in two phases, the first of which calls for adding street lights and widening to accommodate continuous left-turn lane through Whiskey Bend area; repair and resurface between SH 149/State Highway 322 split and two miles south of Farm Road 2906; and adding centerline rumble strips between the Sabine River Bridge and Rusk County Line. The approximate $3.3 million project let in October.

The next phase, which is scheduled to let April, calls for realigning the SH 149 intersection with SH 322 and resurfacing between Interstate Highway 20 frontage and the railroad tracks, and widening and resurfacing SH 322 between IH 20 frontage and SH 149. The intersection realignment and the subsequent resurfacing are 100% funded
by Gregg County. The project also calls for upgrading various large Interstate guide signs in Gregg County. The estimated $3.1 million project, $2.6 million of which is funded by Gregg County, is scheduled to begin construction after the first phase has been completed.

Also beginning in February, TxDOT contractor Longview Bridge and Road, Ltd. is scheduled to begin work to add a left-turn lane on State Highway 110 on either side of Farm Road 1805 in Van to allow better turn access into the Van ISD Sports Complex. The $779,000 project is scheduled to take approximately six months to complete.

On the other end of the construction spectrum, TxDOT contractor R.K. Hall is scheduled to complete its $1.5 million project to add shoulders and resurface Farm Road 14 between Interstate Highway 20 and Loop 323 in Tyler. The project began last July.

The Tyler District also let one project to contract in January, awarding a $1.2 million contract to contractor A.L. Helmcamp to repair and resurface Farm Road 2329 between Farm Road 316 and U.S. Highway 175 in Henderson County. A start date for this project has no been determined.

Finally, the district has plans in to let to contract three bundled projects totaling an estimated $3.9 million in February, all in Wood County. The first project calls for adding shoulders and resurfacing Farm Road 17 between U.S. Highway 69 and Farm Road 779; Farm Road 514 between the Lake Fork Reservoir bridge and Farm Road 17; and Farm road 2659 between Farm Road 2911 and U.S. Highway 80 east of Hawkins, all for an estimated $1.5 million.

The second calls for adding shoulders on State Highway 154 between Farm Road 14 and Farm Road 312, and seal coating State Highway 154 between State Highway 37 in Quitman and the Upshur County Line for an estimated $1.7 million.

The final project calls for adding shoulders and resurfacing Farm Road 14 between Farm Road 2869 and Farm Road 1795 north of Hawkins, and adding centerline rumble strips on Farm Road 14 between State Highway 154 and the Smith County Line for an estimated $1.6 million. Construction on all three projects should begin sometime this summer.

OVERTON — Three persons are in custody following a drug raid on a house in Overton. Officers from the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office and Henderson Police Department served the warrant. In the house officers seized found suspected crack cocaine, powder cocaine, marijuana, alprazolam, diazepam, heroin and a gun.

Taken into custody were Don Paul Haynes, 54, Christopher Marlo Florence, 39, and Frances Irene Jernigan Haynes, 51. The Hanes were charged with manufacturing and possession of drugs while Florence was charged with drug manufacturing and possession charges, plus unlawful possession of a firearm.

TYLER — A Tyler-area fire was extinguished Friday, but officials say one structure and a car were destroyed. KETK reports it happened on the 3000 block of Mt. Vernon Street, off County Road 384 and Loop 323. Fire officials reported early in the afternoon that a house was on fire, and a mobile home next to it was also in danger of catching fire. No one was hurt in the blaze.

LONGVIEW — A Longview woman is dead from injuries suffered in a one-vehicle accident last Sunday in the 2400 block of East Marshall Avenue. Officers found a Ford Explorer had left the roadway and struck a tree. The driver, Sandra Hudman, 52, was transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Authorities learned Friday that Ms. Hudman had died from those injuries on Thursday. She was the sole occupant of the vehicle.

EAST TEXAS — Several burglaries remain unsolved in Smith and Henderson Counties. Authorities say the target is items in storage facilities. Police say multiple locations have been targeted more than once, including 7 in Tyler. Officials say there may be more than one person or group responsible. The burglaries are happening at storage centers with no surveillance systems or other security. Local storage center owners are voicing their concern. One says, “There’s nothing you can do. If they want to get in they’ll get in, no matter what.” Authorities say the big target at the storage units is electronics such as TVs and DVD players.

TYLER — Tyler resident and community leader Anwar Khalifa is offering remarks on current unrest in Egypt. In a statement submitted to KTBB, Khalifa says, “I was born in Alexandria, Egypt, and still have relatives in Alexandria, Cairo and other cities in Egypt. I have been asked to represent those of Egyptian Origin. We pray that all violence stops. We condemn all violence against any and all religions. We also condemn police violent actions against peaceful protest. President Mubarak has been a long time friend of the USA. He has apparently not kept faith with our values in empowering the general public to choose leadership in a democratic/republican form, and has not looked after the welfare of the economy of his country.”

JACKSONVILLE — A Cherokee County jury has found Dickie Paul Bellanger guilty of two counts of aggravated assault of a child and two counts of injury to a child. He received two 75-year sentences, one for each count of aggravated assault of a child. The sentences will be served consecutively in state prison. He also received two 10-year sentences, one for each count of injury to a child. Dickie Bellanger and his mother, Candi Jean Bellanger, were arrested in May 2009. He was arrested for the assaults of two infants while she was arrested for not taking action to prevent or report the abuse.

LINDALE — Authorities are taking a closer look at a fire in Lindale that almost spread between an abandoned house and a local nursery. Officials say the fire may have been set intentionally. Lindale Fire Chief Jerry Garner says around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday a house, located on the 14800 block of CR 432, was on fire. The house was completely engulfed in flames when several fire departments arrived. Embers from the fire spread to Mea Nursery and almost caught parts of the building and plants on fire. Fire officials were able to control the blaze. No injuries were reported.

LUFKIN — A day after a police report was filed, a Lufkin man was arrested Wednesday for allegedly beating his wife with a plastic baseball bat and spraying Febreze in her mouth. The incident started when Victor Ray Wortham, 36, became angry at his wife because she popped her bubble gum, according to an arrest report. Wortham reportedly punched her in the mouth and then grabbed the plastic bat and beating her in the hip and chest. He then forced her onto the bed and held her down so he could spray Febreze air sanitizer in her mouth. The chemicals in her mouth made the woman vomit several times and burned her throat, the report stated.

LONGVIEW — A fire has extensively damaged a house in the 500 block of Luckett Street in Longview. It was reported around 1:45 Thursday morning. Firemen extinguished the blaze about 45 minutes later. A resident of the house was hospitalized for smoke inhalation. She’s in fair condition. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

DALLAS — According to the Palmer Drought Index, much of East Texas remains in a moderate drought situation. In Dallas, National Weather Service climatologist Mark Fox says it’s a La Nina-influenced winter that features drier and warmer than normal weather. He says there is some relief in sight, though. According to Fox, “Actually, we’re getting back to kind of what’s a normal spring. We’re definitely gonna be looking at a wetter pattern coming up for March, April, and May.” Fox says precipitation patterns are already starting to return to normal.

JACKSONVILLE — Due to conditions which have occurred recently in the water system, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required Craft-Turney Water Supply to notify all the customers involved in the repair area to boil their water prior to consumption. According to system officials, the area included in this boil water notice is from the Antioch Methodist Church on County Road 3111 to the intersection of CR 3111 and County Road 3114, down CR 3114 including up to the intersection of County Road 1804, and down CR 1804 — also, the Pine Grove side (the southwest end) of County Road 1816.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, water system officials will notify you. If you have questions regarding this matter you may contact Rhonda Briggs, Office Manager at 903-586-9301.

TYLER – A 20-year-old man is taken to the hospital with severe head lacerations Tuesday night, after a trip to Grandma’s house went awry. Police say Billy Ray Rollins, 63, lived with the grandmother at the Tyler residence. They say when the woman’s grandson came to visit, Rollins was drunk and tried to kick him out of the house. That’s when he allegedly grabbed an axe and hit the grandson over the head with the axe handle. Rollins has been booked into the Smith County Jail on aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges.

AUSTIN — Should pit bulls be banned in Texas? A proposed bill would make owning the dog a felony. Texas pit bull advocate and owner Laura Dapkus says maulings are rare. She says in the case of a ten-year-old East Texas boy killed by two pits two years ago, “We have a very, very small population of owners that are extremely irresponsible. These dogs had bitten before.” Cynthia Kent of Tyler, attorney for the boy’s mom, wrote the legislation; she doesn’t buy Dapkus’s argument. Kent says, “It’s not the person that mauled to death Justin Clinton. It was these two pit pulls.” Short of banning the breed, “Justin’s Law” would make dog owners carry adequate insurance.

LONGVIEW — Some confusion continued to grow for one group in charge of repairing Longview streets. A heated meeting ended in the resignation of one man who says the city is not paying attention to tax payers. Jim Martin was one of 16 members on the Longview Street Task Force Committee but resigned this week because he says the committee wasn’t doing what is was formed to do. Their mission was to repair streets, but instead, intersections and roads are being torn up when no repairs were needed. One of the projects Martin is commenting on is the Trion intersection.