KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — East Texans are preparing to lend assistance in south Texas, depending on the impact of Hurricane Alex. The Tyler Salvation Army mobile feeding unit (canteen) deployed at 6:00am Wednesday and headed to The Salvation Army San Antonio Area Command where other Texas Salvation Army canteens are ready to deploy where needed. The Tyler Emergency Disaster team is prepared to deploy from San Antonio as part of the first response effort to Alex. This four person team is ready to serve and the canteen is stocked with enough food to provide 3,600 meals.

REKLAW — A two vehicle accident in Cherokee County has left a mother dead and her two children injured. The wreck happened shortly before 12:45 Tuesday afternoon on State Highway 204 southeast of Reklaw. Dead at the scene was Shalee Dinese Green, 29, of Jacksonville. Her 9-month old son and 5 year old daughter were taken to East Texas Medical Center-Jacksonville, for treatment. All three were said to have been using safety restraints. The Department of Public Safety says her minivan veered off the edge of the road on a curve and Green overcorrected. The vehicle traveled back across the road and hit several trees.

TYLER — Smith County Commissioners have started the budget process. Their second budget workshop was held Tuesday. According to KETK-TV, they discussed the current budget shortfall of over $5 million dollars. According to Smith County Judge Joel Baker, they’re looking for new ideas on how to cut spending before they adopt the 2011 budget in August. Judge Baker says the county has already trimmed thousands of dollars before this workshop. The objective, cut spending without laying people off.

OVERTON — Water customers in Overton are under a boil water notice. The order stems from a break in a ten inch water main near Farm Road 850 late Monday night. The break, which occurred about seven feet underground, drained the city’s water tower. What caused the break is not known. City officials say they have been building back the water pressure and will end the boil water notice as soon as they get a good sampling of water.

PALESTINE — 22 Texas Department of Transportation maintenance employees from the Tyler Disrtict are scheduled to depart at 10 a.m. Wednesday for South Texas and prepare to be deployed in any cleanup efforts made necessary by Tropical Storm Alex. The storm is on track to make landfall Wednesday evening in either Northern Mexico or extreme South Texas. The Tyler District is sending two five-man general cleanup crews along with two sign crews, signal crew, four pieces of heavy equipment and a mechanic. The group of volunteers is scheduled to spend Wednesday night near Yoakum, Texas, then proceed Thursday into the affected areas once conditions permit.

“The fact that they’re volunteers says a lot about our employees’ dedication,” said TxDOT public information officer Larry Krantz. “And there were several more who volunteered to go and were turned down. Disaster responses like this bring out the best in this department and our employees, and we’ll be there to help as long as we’re needed.” Krantz says the department’s goal before, during, and after a tropical storm or hurricane is to get people to safety, get them back home safely, and assist with the cleanup and recovery. Krants adds that the agency is working with state emergency management and local officials to provide necessary resources and expertise to ensure the safety of all Texas residents.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Tyler man who took the podium as guest chaplain of the U.S. House Tuesday morning is a towering figure in the Texas Baptist community. Congressman Louie Gohmert of Tyler offered his personal thanks to Dr. Paul W. Powell, saying, “He brings wisdom, accountability, growth, life, and light wherever he serves and truly has a heart after God’s own.”

Powell, currently interim pastor of First Baptist Church of Tyler, was the longtime spiritual leader of Green Acres Baptist Church. That’s the house of worship Gohmert attends, and the one where he and Powell first became friends in the early 1980s. Powell’s also Dean Emeritus of Baylor University’s Truett Theological Seminary and has served in numerous other capacities. “But of most importance to me,” adds Gohmert, “he has been a friend, mentor, confidant, encourager, and inspiration. May God bless Paul Powell and his family.”

JACKSONVILLE — The City of Jacksonville, East Texas Medical Center EMS, and Jacksonville’s Central Baptist Church have teamed up to bring a drowning prevention program to Lake Jacksonville. The name of the program, set for Friday at noon, is Kids Don’t Float. Life jackets and vests will be available at the concession stand at Lake Jacksonville for children to use free of charge. People can borrow these items for their children while swimming and return them before they leave so that they can be available for other children.

City officials say every year, children drown at area lakes due to lack of adequate flotation devices. The city is asking cooperation from the community to help preserve the board and the vests so that they are always available to save a life. The board is the sign with “Kids Don’t Float,” plus some more verbiage, and pegs where the vests hang. The city is also asking residents to donate a life jacket or vest that any of their children has outgrown. If you would like to help maintain the project’s mission by donating a life jacket or vest, you can call the City of Jacksonville Parks and Recreation Department at 903-586-5977 or 903-589-3510.

JACKSONVILLE — One East Texas state representative is applauding the U.S. Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in McDonald vs. City of Chicago. Jacksonville Republican Chuck Hopson says, “In these times of ever-increasing government intervention in our daily lives, it is crucial to have a Supreme Court that understands the importance of protecting our liberty.” The decision brings an end to a nearly 30-year ban on handguns in the city of Chicago and sets a new legal precedent for handgun legislation across the nation.

LUFKIN (AP) — Residents of the Lufkin area whose homes were damaged or destroyed in a December tornado can apply for part of $1.4 million in housing assistance. The Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs on Monday announced the grants will be available for low-income residents and private developers. Authorities say the Dec. 23 tornado destroyed as many as six homes and damaged about 238 others. The Lufkin Daily News reported Tuesday that some damaged houses still have tarps on the roofs. A public notice will be issued when the application process is ready.

ATHENS — An autopsy has been ordered on the body of a woman who drowned over the weekend in Cedar Creek Lake. Swimmers came upon the body of Jana Lynn Black, 42, who lived near-by. Witnesses told investigators the woman had been drinking and fishing on a pier with a friend. The friend left, but Black stayed behind. The drowning was reported early Sunday afternoon.

LONGVIEW — Several flights had to be diverted to Longview’s East Texas Regional Airport Monday night. Gregg County Sheriff Maxey Ceriliano said the planes, two American Airlines jetliners and a smaller American Eagle aircraft, were diverted because of the weather. All of the aircraft encountered heavy turbulence. At least six passengers were treated for injuries.

TYLER — On Thursday, the City of Tyler Traffic Engineering Department will be turning off the traffic signal at Front Street and Wildwood Drive. TheTyler Independent School District is relocating Jones Elementary School; therefore, the Traffic Engineering Department anticipates much less traffic at this location.

Although the signal will not be in use after July 1, the signal poles will remain in place in the event the facility is reopened in the future. However, the signal heads will be removed to avoid driver confusion. “This intersection will no longer warrant a signal because of decreased traffic volume,” said Traffic Engineer Peter Eng. “Fewer signals enhances our ability to keep traffic flowing safely and efficiently.”

LUFKIN — A Lufkin couple are facing possible charges after faking a kidnapping. Lufkin police were called to a store on North Timberland Drive by a woman reporting seeing a man forcibly shove a woman into the trunk of a car. The witness said she tried to follow the car when it sped away. That started search by a contingent of law officers.

About an hour later a woman returned to the store to tell officers she and her boyfriend had been watching the movie “Jackass” and thought it would be funny to see the reaction to a faked kidnapping. The boyfriend later told officers a similar story. The couple could be facing a variety of charges.

TYLER — Three Tyler faith and community-based agencies have been awarded a total of $77,070 in grants to build their capacity to address priorities set by the North Tyler community. A Circle of Ten, Inc., leaders announced funding to Michael’s House of Hope ($40,000), ReHabitat of Smith County ($25,000), and Touched by Suicide ($12,070). The funds were made possible through the US Dept of Health & Human Services “Expanding Capacity Opportunities for Nonprofits” (ECON) grant, bringing $230,000 in competitive subgrants in the North Tyler area and $230,000 to the Greater Alto Area.

ECON is an initiative of A Circle of Ten, Inc., based in Jacksonville, TX, who will, along with several cooperating entities, provide much of the training and technical assistance. The subgrant funds will be used for additional capacity building such as attainment of 501c3 status, implementation of records systems, equipment, staff/volunteer development, and hiring of consultants offering specialized services.

Each of the awardees will focus on two or more of the previously identified community priorities, determined earlier this year during several priority setting meetings as part of the efforts of the North Tyler Rebuild America Initiative. Baseline priorities include community and economic development, with Green Jobs Academy opportunities through education and workforce, plus making homes/buildings energy efficient. Other priorities are set by each community. North Tyler Initiative’s top additional priorities include: health services to seniors and families, youth services and opportunities, and business development.

Faith and community-based agencies addressing North Tyler Initiative’s priorities are invited to apply for the second round of competitive subgrants. A Bidders’ Conference providing an overview and Q&A session is set for June 29, 6 pm, Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce at 526 E Commerce St., Jacksonville. Grant applications are due July 30. Additional information and the Requests for Proposals are available at http://www.etvv.org, 903-541-0013 or circleof10@circleof10.org.

LAKE QUITMAN — There was a drowning in Lake Quitman over the weekend. According to KETK, Wood County deputies were called to the scene around 3:10 Sunday afternoon. Authorities say upon arrival, two people were administering CPR on 62-year-old Hube Larrimore Harles. EMS had already been summoned to the scene. The people performing CPR told deputies Harles was about 30 yards offshore when he said he could not breathe and they got him out of the water. Harles’s girlfriend said he suffered from high blood pressure. Harles was transported to a Quitman hospital, where he was pronounced dead. His body was sent to Dallas Forensics for an autopsy to determine of the exact cause of death.