KTBB News, Weather, Talk

SULPHUR SPRINGS – A prisoner in the Hopkins County jail is in a Tyler hospital, possibly suffering from a brain aneurysm. The 38 year old unidentified man complained numbness in his feet and hands. After being checked out by EMS, and it was determined he was gravely ill, the man was flown to Mother Francis Hospital. At last report he was on life support.

NACOGDOCHES — An East Texas company preparing to employ more than 200 refugees. But there are still a lot of unanswered questions about how it’s going to work. Pilgrim’s Pride in Nacogdoches has 4,000 employees, but it still needs about 400 more. According to Pilgrim’s, after advertising for two years, the company still couldn’t fill the empty slots. The refugees being hired are from Burma, also known as Myanmar, the second poorest country in the world. Currently workers and their families are living in Houston, getting ready for the Nacogdoches transition.

Work at Pilgrim’s Pride means a paycheck, plus benefits. Company officials say the workers will have the same responsibilities as others in the U.S., including taxes and rent. City officials say the children will go to public schools and families will live in a closed nursing home. There are no Burmese translators right now for the company, But Pilgrim’s is confident it will find one. As for the children, most don’t have birth certificates, making it difficult to determine in exactly which grade in school they’ll be enrolled.

TYLER – Officials with Carter BloodCare say they’re experiencing a severe shortage of two blood types. According to officials, the current inventory of blood types O negative and B negative is significantly less than the preferred supply for the area. Carter is strongly urging all able and eligible donors with these two blood types to make an appointment to give blood within the next couple of days. Persons with O negative blood make up only seven percent of the general population, while those with B negative are a mere two percent.

Carter BloodCare supplies the majority of trauma centers in the East Texas area. Type O negative blood is commonly used for emergencies because any patient can receive it until his or her own type is known. Carter BloodCare says it wants to ensure that blood types O negative and B negative are available for area patients, should the need arise.

Potential blood donors must be at least 16 years old with a parent’s consent, and 17-year-olds may donate independently. Donors must weigh at least 110 pounds and be in good general health. Photo ID is required. There is no upper age limit for donors, and most medications do not interfere with donor eligibility. For more information or to make an appointment to give blood, visit http://www.carterbloodcare.org or call 1-800-DONATE-4.

TYLER – A suspect in the Sunday night robbery of the Exxon Corner Market on Lake Placid Road has been arrested. Taken into custody Tuesday, without incident, was Clance Nelson, 31, of Tyler.

He was identified as the suspect after the robbery video was aired Monday night. Several tips were called in to police identifying Nelson as the suspect. He was currently wanted for a parole violation and Tyler police have added the robbery charge against him. Nelson’s bond was set at $100,000.

LONGVIEW – A man accused of shooting his wife, who was a Longview police officer, remains free on bond — but there are some conditions to his release. Harry Goodan was released from jail Tuesday on a $75,000 bond. His bond had been $500,000, but was lowered to $75,000 earlier this month.

Among the release conditions: Goodan must be at his home between 7:00pm and 6:00am. He could leave during that time if the pre-trial services gives him permission. There will also be an electronic monitoring device installed at his home. Once a week, he will have to report to pre-trial services.

Last month, Longview officers were dispatched to the 2100 block of Tryon Road. They found Longview Police Officer Jamie “Ellyn” Goodan, 38, dead from a gunshot wound. Her husband, Harry was later charged with murder. Mr. Goodan was also employed by the Police Department as the 911 Communications Administrator.

GILMER — A state district judge has approved a $5.5 million out-of-court settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit brought by the mother and stepfather of a 6-year-old Union Grove boy killed in a two-vehicle crash nearly a year ago. Melody Croley and her husband, Jerry D. Croley, received the settlement in connection with the death of Nathan Connor Croley, who was a first-grader at Union Grove Elementary School. Authorities say he died instantly. Defendants had been Talley Rents L.L.C., and the driver of its commercial van, Judson William Maurer of Longview. Part of the settlement compensates Clinton Richey, Melody Croley’s 17-year-old son from a prior marriage, and her husband for injuries suffered in the January 29, 2010, wreck.

QUITMAN — A retrial is ordered in the case of Ty Jordan Evans, 19, charged with murder in the death of Anna Marie Moore, 24, of Winnsboro. Evans’ first trial ended with a hung jury Friday. Jurors had deliberated about six hours. Evans was accused of killing Moore in a drive-by shooting May 9. He is the first of two people to face charges in Moore’s death, which took place at her home near Winnsboro Middle School. Evans’ brother, Demarcus Hearn, also faces charges in Moore’s death as the driver of the car from which shots were fired. Moore was shot in the head as she sat on her couch. No date has been set for the retrial.

QUITMAN — Accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound has been ruled as the cause of death in the case of Loren Wayne Saunders, 16, of Alba. Officials said at approximately 1:33 a.m. January 18th, a dispatcher received a 911 call from Loren Wayne Saunders’ father, reporting his son had been shot and he was doing CPR on him. When officers arrived at Chaney Point RV Park east of Alba they found the teenager was already dead. He was lying on the floor of the two-room cabin and had a gunshot wound to his chest from a .22 caliber revolver.

Sheriff’s Department Investigator William Burge said the accidental ruling was “based on interviews we conducted with his father, his friends, the community and on evidence from SWIFTS.” SWIFTS is the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences, which called the investigator with information from the autopsy.

Burge said Saunders lived at the home with his father and that Saunders had had the gun for a while and his father had told him that Loren was never to take it without his permission, “but we know he did on more than one occasion.” As far as why Saunders would have been handling a gun at 1:30 a.m., Burge said the investigation had revealed his fascination with firearms, and unsafe handling of the gun was described by his father.

Saunders was a sophomore at Alba-Golden High School.

TYLER — A continuance has been granted in the case against Tyler dentist Charles Edward Robinson. The 53 year old Robinson is accused of secretly videotaping a 40-year-old woman and her 15-year-old daughter for the past 3 years. Robinson was in court yesterday when both the defense and the prosecution requested a continuance. A tentative court date was set for February 14th.

Following Robinson’s arrest last month, Sheriff J.B. Smith said cameras were found inside the woman’s home after she called deputies. They say they were focused in both the bedrooms and bathrooms of the woman and her daughter, who rented from Robinson. Robinson has been charged with possession of child pornography, a third-degree felony, and improper visual recording, which is a state jail felony.

NACOGDOCHES — A car-motorcycle near Nacogdoches has left one person dead. Killed was the motorcyclist, Jesus Lopez, 44, of Nacogdoches. He died when a car turned in front of him and he hit the car head-on. The car’s driver, Emory Fields III, of Shreveport, was cited for failure to yield the right of way. Information on the wreck will be presented to a Nacogdoches County grand jury for possible additional charges.

The accident happened Monday morning on State Highway 7 east. Before the wreckage could be cleared, an empty logging truck driven by Matthew Calloway, 29, of Center crashed into the wreckage.

TYLER – A continuance has been granted in the case against a Tyler dentist accused of illegally taping a mother and daughter. 53-year-old Charles Edward Robinson was arrested in December. KETK reports he was in court Monday, and both the defense and prosecution asked for a continuance. A tentative court date of February 14 has been set.

TYLER – The Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health) unveils a transformation of its identity with a new brand. Officials say that the brand supports the recent improved appearance of the health district’s facilities at 815 North Broadway in Tyler, as well as the WIC clinics located in Canton and Jacksonville. Officials add that the logo “was designed to better emphasize the protection that NET Health provides for the health of our community.” According to press materials, NET Health underwent renovations in 2009 – 2010 to allow for an expansion of its services, allow for more security and privacy for clients, and provide a much needed cosmetic improvement for the building. Officials say the renovation initiated the apparent need for a “new look” for the District.

“We have worked diligently to transform NET Health into an organization that the community can rely on for credible public health information and services. With our improved facility, new logo and new name, it is our hope that this image reflects who we are and that we serve the Northeast Texas community to the highest standard,” says George Roberts, NET Health Chief Executive Officer.

According to Roberts, the new NET Health logo star represents Texas, and the shield relates to the protection function that Public Health serves daily. In addition to the new logo, NET Health’s identity now includes an abbreviated version of the name Northeast Texas Public Health District. The redesign is a departure from the previous logo, which was a blue State of Texas with the name Northeast Texas Public Health District circled around. “The NET Health Board and Leadership team are excited about the change and what this means for the future of our organization.” says Jim Hartung, NET Health, Board Chair.

The organization’s new website — http://www.healthyeasttx.org — has already gone live with the new logo. NET Health will now start changing the logo on facilities, vehicles, and educational materials in a transition that is expected to take about 6 months.

TYLER — The Heart of Tyler will celebrate downtown revitalization advances that occurred in the past year at the organization’s annual meeting tonight from 6:00 to 8:00 at Gallery Main Street, 110 West Erwin. The non-profit organization, which also serves as an advisory board to the City of Tyler, will hold a special program at 7 p.m. to elect new board members and detail accomplishments of 2010 and plans for 2011.

Current board members who have been nominated for second terms are Casey Brownlow of Brownlow and Sons and Patrice Stine, Pillsbury GMAC / Venue Properties. Those nominated for first terms as board members are Russell Cooper, Brookshire Grocery Company; Scott Frazier, cue:creative; Bill Newburn, Regions Bank; and Shane Rohrbach, CPA, Gollob Morgan Peddy. A highlight of the evening will be presentation of the Brick Award for outstanding support of downtown revitalization. Last year’s recipient was Ron Mabry.

Board President Ingrid Young said that numerous information boards about upcoming downtown revitalization projects will be on display throughout the gallery. The public is invited to the event; RSVPs are recommended. RSVPs can be made by sending an email to downtownrsvp@tylertexas.com or calling 903-593-6905.

TYLER — The South Tyler Rotary Monday presented six $1,000 checks to the Salvation Army, Azleway, CASA, Meals on Wheels, Habitat for Humanity, and the East Texas Crisis Center. The Annual Spaghetti supper is the event that raised the funds for these and several other organizations. The event has been in existence for approximately two decades. The majority of the funds from the event are donated back to the local community, and a small portion of the funds were donated towards a water well filter program abroad. “This is one of several events that the South Tyler Rotary participates in which upholds our motto, ‘Service Above Self’; the entire South Tyler Rotary is involved in this event,” said Tom DeWitt, President of the South Tyler Rotary. “We are proud to be able to donate these funds back to so many local organizations.”

WHITEHOUSE — Whitehouse Head Football Coach Randy McFarlin is out of the hospital, and back home with his family. Coach McFarlin has been recovering from a serious car accident that happened November 28th. McFarlin, who was driving back from Daingerfield to Whitehouse when the accident occurred, was airlifted to East Texas Medical Center in Tyler for emergency surgery and then to the Intensive Care Unit. He suffered multiple internal injuries, fractured ribs, and a fractured pelvis. Coach McFarlin, his wife, their son Craig and his fiancee’ were involved in the head-on collision.