KTBB News, Weather, Talk

CHAPEL HILL – Jackson Heights fire officials confirm a Chapel Hill elementary school was briefly evacuated Wednesday morning. The fire department says the evacuation was due to a gas leak about one mile from campus. According to KETK, officials say the students’ safety is not at risk, and they returned to class. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — The Tyler Junior College Board of Trustees today is set to adopt its 2010-2011 budget and tax rate during an 11:00am meeting. Trustees propose to increase total tax revenues from properties on the tax roll in the preceding tax year by 33.57%. College officials point out that your individual taxes may increase at a greater or lesser rate, or even decrease, depending on the change in the taxable value of your property in relation to the change in taxable value of all other property and the tax rate that is adopted. As KETK explains, if the tax increase passes, it will go toward paying back $28 million taken out by the board last year for maintenance tax notes. The public’s reaction to the tax hike proposal has been sharply mixed.

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University (LETU) has received a $5 million gift to establish an endowed scholarship fund for home-schooled students. The gift, from an anonymous donor, was announced Wednesday at the university convocation by LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford. It’s believed to be the single largest endowment for home-school scholarships ever established. “The generous donor sees the critical need to endow scholarships for future generations and believes deeply in the value of the kind of quality Christian education that LeTourneau University offers,” Lunsford said.

According to LETU press materials, the endowment places LETU on the leading edge of a rising trend seen across campuses, as more students are graduating from a home-schooled environment. Officials say LETU’s mission over the past year has been to increase endowments for scholarships across the board. This $5 million gift, added to the nearly $1.5 million for other new scholarships endowed this year, brings the school to nearly $6.5 million in new endowed scholarships this year alone.

The annual award of LETU’s Home-school Scholarship Fund is set at $3,000 and is renewable over four academic years. For the 2010-2011 academic year, 15 students have been selected for the LETU Home-school Scholarship. “Students and their families who are interested in applying for these home-school scholarships can contact us at admissions@letu.edu to request information,” said Vice President for Enrollment Services Linda Fitzhugh.

TYLER — A scam is underway in Smith County. Sheriff’s Lt. Tony Dana says some Lindale-area residents have been getting calls soliciting funds for the East Texas Peace Officers’ Association. Dana warns that neither the East Texas Peace Officers’ Association nor the Smith County Peace Officers’ association solicits money over the telephone. Dana says if you get such a call, don’t give out any information — and certainly don’t send the caller any money. He says just hang up your phone and don’t respond to the caller.

TYLER — Repair workers get busy quickly after a car drives into Tyler’s Fish City Grill in the Macy’s shopping center. The accident caused the restaurant to close for the day Wednesday. According to KETK, no one was injured. There was some damage to the front of the restaurant, but crews were able to repair the storefront within several hours. Officers say the driver either got his foot stuck on the pedal or accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake.

TYLER – The Tyler City Council adopted an ordinance Wednesday morning to prohibit the use, purchase, possession, and sale of illegal smoking products that mimic the effects produced by smoking marijuana. Such substances are commonly known as “K2” and “Spice.” According to KETK, fines for violating are now $2,000. Whitehouse is next to consider a K2 ban. Whitehouse Police Chief Rick Waller says he hasn’t found anyone selling K2 in the city, but one or two places sell paraphernalia. Whitehouse Mayor Danny Hodgen says that he’s not willing to wait on the state legislature to pass a ban. The Whitehouse City Council will vote on the ordinance in September.

LUFKIN (AP/STAFF) — Authorities continue to await autopsy results on a 3-month-old girl found dead in a hot SUV in downtown Lufkin. Detective J.B. Smith says the girl apparently was left in the vehicle for “a good part of the day.”

Lufkin police say Christopher W. Stanaland, 27, of Huntington dropped off his son at school and went to work around 8:30. Shortly before 3:15 he returned to his SUV to find Isabella Marie Stanaland still strapped in her car seat. He had forgotten to drop her off at a day care center. The National Weather Service says temperatures topped 100 degrees Tuesday afternoon in Lufkin

TYLER — There will not be a Smith County Jail bond issue on the November ballot. County officials had considered putting a $33 million bond proposal before voters. The measure called for construction of a 384 bed jail. The county decided not to put the proposal on the ballot because of a school bond issue that will also go before voters. The Tyler School Board on Monday approved a nearly $90 million bond issue. County officials feel the jail proposal is valid, only the timing is wrong.

LONGVIEW – A big announcement is anticipated when LeTourneau University holds its fall convocation today. It will begin at this morning at 10:50 in the S. E. Belcher Jr. Chapel and Performance Center. A school news release says President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford will make a major announcement with national implications during his welcome of incoming students. He will also share his annual State of the University report with students, faculty and staff, expanding on the university’s new initiatives and programs for this coming year.

TYLER — Wednesday offers another chance for Tylerites to weigh in on the city’s 2010-2011 budget. One of three remaining opportunities for public input on the budget is set for at 9 a.m. at City Hall. Citizens can also make their voices heard at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 8, and Wednesday, Sept. 22; the 22nd is the date scheduled for final budget adoption. The proposed budget calls for maintaining the existing “effective tax rate,” which is essentially the tax rate calculated to generate the same amount of revenue that was received in the last fiscal year. The effective rate is 20.8 cents per $100 valuation. You can go to http://www.cityoftyler.org for more information.

CANTON — Van Zandt County authorities follow up after a bomb is found in a mailbox. On Tuesday the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to VZCR #4404 on a report of a bomb being placed in a mailbox. Upon arrival a deputy advised that he observed a long pipe like object which was wrapped in black electrical tape and appeared to have a fuse on one end. The Sheriff’s Office, with the help of the Ben Wheeler Fire Department and Van Zandt County Posse members, blocked off the road in an attempt to keep anyone from getting close to the device. The Garland Bomb Squad and ATF were notified of the situation. ATF Agents from Tyler arrived at the scene and were able to safely remove the explosive device and secure it for transport. ATF then removed the device to their facility for further investigation.

TYLER — First day enrollment numbers for Tyler ISD indicate a decrease in enrollment compared to first day numbers last school year. Total enrollment for the 2010-2011 school has started with 17,530 students compared to 17,559 on the first day in 2009. Officials say it is not unusual for first day numbers to fluctuate from year to year. “We anticipate enrollment going up in the coming weeks,” said Randy Reid, Superintendent of Schools.

LONGVIEW — A pair from Gladewater and one suspect from Longview were arrested Monday for theft of copper. The three were arrested near FM 1845 and Bacle Road after deputies responded to an in-progress theft call. “Monday morning, field deputies were dispatched to an oil field company storage yard off FM 1845 north of Longview after a theft in progress was reported,” Gregg County Sheriff’s Captain Mike Claxton said Tuesday. An employee of a local production company saw a man run from a cart loaded with stolen copper and called law enforcement.

“Two of the three were located and detained when deputies arrived, and the third was found south of the theft site after running into some woods while deputies were en-route,” Claxton said. Michael Dennis Harnden, 50, and Julia Loraine Dodd, 39, both of Gladewater; and Jeffrey Wayne Prichard, 62, of Longview, were charged by probable cause affidavits with one count of theft of copper, a 4th degree felony. Officials say the copper taken from the company was recovered at the arrest location. “Some damage was caused to several electrical transformers when this group removed the copper,” Claxton said. The cost of the damage has not been determined. On Tuesday, Harnden, Dodd, and Prichard were arraigned before Judge B.H. Jameson. Bond was set on each suspect at $10,000. All three remain in jail.

LONGVIEW (AP) – A Gregg County commissioner has resigned amid allegations that crews assigned to road and bridge duties did unapproved work at baseball fields and a school. Commissioner Bob Barbee of Kilgore resigned Monday. Barbee did not immediately return a message Tuesday to The Associated Press. The Longview News-Journal reported Tuesday that Barbee admitted having crews do unauthorized work at baseball fields in Kilgore and at Maude Laird Middle School. District Attorney Carl Dorrough says he received complaints from county employees. Dorrough met with Barbee after Monday’s commissioners court meeting. He says they discussed the allegations and Barbee resigned. Dorrough also says a county ice machine, at Barbee’s personal business, has been recovered. Dorrough did not immediately return a message Tuesday to AP.