KTBB News, Weather, Talk

WHITEHOUSE — Whitehouse ISD hired a new director of security, and Jeremy Black, a Whitehouse native, accepted the position, according to our news partner KETK. “Our staff stands ready to protect the folks here,” said Black. He considers the people of Whitehouse his family. So, when the director of security position opened up at the district he jumped at the chance. He has two children who attend Whitehouse ISD and a wife who teaches at the school. He says their safety is everything. “That definitely puts some skin in the game for me, but it’s not just that. It’s the team,. It’s the safety of everybody. I mean it’s one of beliefs here that we believe that everybody has the right to a safe and caring environment, everybody,” said Black. That’s why he is working on ways to increase security in more ways than one. Continue reading Whitehouse ISD increases safety by hiring director of security

RUSK — The Cherokee County District Clerk’s Office reports a man who was on trial after being accused of capital murder was found not guilty Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, Cody Roberts was charged in the death of 18-year-old Trevor Lawson, who was found dead due to a gunshot wound in a home on CR 2117 near Maydelle on November 7, 2018. In March of 2022, Roberts’s first trial resulted in a mistrial after an investigator allegedly failed to disclose a piece of digital evidence to everyone involved in the trial.

NACOGDOCHES – Stephen F. Austin State University is preparing to discuss affiliations with four interested systems according to a recent presentation. According to our news partner KETK, there are 37 public universities in the state and seven university systems. SFA is one of only two unaffiliated institutions. The presentation mentions representatives of the Texas A&M, Texas State University, Texas Tech, and University of Texas systems had made informal contact with the SFA Board of Regents over the past several months expressing a desire to take part in any formal discussion should the board choose to evaluate a potential system affiliation. Continue reading SFA to engage in talks with four systems for possible affiliation

FRANKSTON — The Frankston Police Department has released the name of a wanted fugitive. According to our news partner KETK, police say Donald Lee Meadows, Jr. is wanted on charges of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and evading arrest. Authorities said Meadows is also wanted in Smith County. Officials said Wednesday night there was a heavy police presence on Highway 155 near Lollipop Landing. According to our news partner KETK, the Coffee City Police Department says Meadows was wearing dark clothing. Authorities have advised those in the area to lock their doors and if they see or hear anything to call 911. CCPD said Meadows was last seen running in the woods northbound from the old rest area. CCPD and DPS are assisting with the search.

SMITH COUNTY — Over 9 grams of meth were seized in Smith County Thursday night, and one person is now in custody, according to officials. According to our news partner KETK, a Smith County Constable Precinct 4 deputy stopped to check a suspicious vehicle on Chapman Road when officials said the driver was found passed out in the front seat of the car. “After further investigation into the welfare of the driver, the driver was found to have been in possession of 9.69 grams of methamphetamine,” officials said. One person was arrested. The investigation is ongoing.

TYLER — Tyler residents could see an increase in their water bill starting in October. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler water utilities is proposing a new water rate plan to upgrade infrastructure. Currently, the city is on a declining rate structure, which means water and sewer services become cheaper the more you use them. The new plan calls for customers to pay the same rate, no matter the amount of water that is used. The first 2,000 gallons of water consumed will no longer be free. “With the system is just more fair and equitable to help our residents understand what the cost of water is and what it is to get that water produced.” If this plan is approved, Tyler water customers will see an increase of about $20 on their monthly bill. Continue reading Tyler water rates could increase due to new utility plan

MAYDELLE – Wednesday storms in Cherokee County wreaked havoc on the small town of Maydelle. According to our news partner KETK, the Maydelle Volunteer Fire Department is currently without a roof. Witness Shelly Knott says the roof was suspended in a tree for about five minutes due to extreme winds, then fell into the road. According to Fire Chief Jody Gray, no injuries were reported, a few other structures were damaged in the area, and several people were without power.

KILGORE – TxDOT has announced a detour for motorists on SH 135 in Gregg County beginning Wednesday, Aug. 24, as crews begin resurfacing operations on the roadway. The project limits are from the traffic circle in Kilgore, south to the Rusk County line. Southbound traffic will continue to use SH 135 utilizing a lane shift. Northbound traffic will be detoured onto SH 42 (W. Woodlawn St), then north on Henderson Blvd. to SH 31. The detour will be in place for the duration of the project. Travelers in this area are advised to watch for road crews, expect some delays, and be aware that a detour will be in place. This project and temporary detour are subject to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office has recently been made aware of a new scam in our area. According to officials, the caller will tell you that you have missed a court summons and have a warrant out for your arrest. The caller will then request some sort of payment over the phone and give you specific instructions on how to pay. Authorities say all of these calls are a scam and you should simply hang up the telephone. Lately, these scammers have been using the name of Sgt. Kevin Mobley of the Tyler Police Department. Several other investigators and law enforcement officials have been named in the past. Continue reading Officials warn of phone scam

TYLER — The City of Tyler proposes $9.48 million in street and traffic improvements funded in the fiscal year 2023 budget and Half-Cent Sales Tax fund. According to a news release, this includes $2,060,000 in projects to be paid for by the Quality Street Commitment Fund and $7,428,000 in improvements to be funded by the Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund in fiscal year 2023. The $2,060,000 includes $585,000 for repairs and upkeep of 14 miles of historic brick streets and $1.3 million for seal coat and crack seal work on 25 lane miles of city streets. “Modernizing our traffic system and keeping pedestrians safe are at the top of our list when it comes to streets and traffic,” said City Manager Edward Broussard as quoted in the release. You can click here to learn more about the proposed budget.

PALESTINE – Officials say three dogs have died after Palestine police removed a dozen dogs from a residence and a father and son were arrested. According to our news partner KETK, the rest of the animals were taken to a local humane society. Authorities say an investigation began after an officer observed the animals living in “awful conditions at the residence.” The two suspects face multiple felony and misdemeanor charges. “This is not a puppy mill,” said Palestine police Sgt. Tinsley. “This is some people that were trying to take care of these dogs, and they were struggling to take care of themselves, and the dogs were suffering greatly.” Continue reading Three dogs die after 12 were removed from Palestine residence, two arrested

ATHENS — Time has been granted by a Henderson County judge to appoint an investigator in the case of a fatal bus crash that occurred in Athens in 2019. According to our news partner KETK, during a hearing on Wednesday, defense attorneys motioned for the appointment of an investigator to the case. The presiding judge granted permission to the motion, giving 60 days to hire an investigator for the case. The discovery status hearing has been set for Oct. 17 at 9 a.m. 81-year-old John Stevens was charged in 2019 with criminally negligent homicide and injury to a child after a bus he was driving was hit by a train, killing 13-year-old Christopher Bonilla and injuring 9-year-old Joselyn Torres. The bus reportedly was pushed one-quarter of a mile before coming to a stop.

GILMER — 22-year-old Cody Wayne Crutcher has been sentenced in Upshur County to six years in prison for two counts of sexual assault of a minor — a girl who was Crutcher’s biological sister and was 14 at the time of the assaults. Officials say the case, out of the Kilgore area, dates to July 2020. They say the Gregg County DA’s office recused itself from the case due to threats the victim’s father made against multiple people involved in the prosecution and investigation of the case.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Housing Authority is accepting applications for the Housing Choice Voucher Program. Applications will be accepted online at this link from 8 a.m. to noon on Thursday, Aug. 18. If you require a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in LHA’s affordable housing program(s) or services, contact the Longview Housing Authority at [email protected].

TYLER — Residents and motorists in the Cambridge Road area in Tyler are urged to obey all detours and road closures while contractors continue with the construction on the extensive improvement project. Contractors are working in the area preparing to install water lines drainage infrastructure and begin laying the base layer of asphalt. Currently, Cambridge Road is closed from South Broadway Avenue to Bishops Gate Lane. Cambridge Road from Bishops Gate to Yale Drive is two-way traffic while from Yale Drive to Harvard Drive is a one-way road for eastbound traffic only. Detour signs, no left turn signs, road closure signs, and a message board are in place to warn motorists which direction to safely travel. Continue reading Cambridge Road construction continues; residents asked to obey detours, signs

SMITH COUNTY — About 15 dogs, a prairie dog, and a macaw were recovered from a property on CR 223 in southeast Smith County Monday as a result of a search warrant by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, officials said. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff’s Sgt. Larry Christian said the animals were placed in the care of Smith County Animal Control. Authorities say City of Tyler Animal Control assisted in the seizure. Christian said one Smith County Animal Control officer was bitten by a dog during the seizure and taken to a local hospital for treatment. Christian added that any animals located that weren’t being attended to were taken just “for their welfare.” He said the sheriff’s office is working diligently and has a detective working the case.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Nicholas Pet Haven has requested help placing 45-50 small dogs, remnants of what they said was a “puppy mill” in Cherokee County. According to our news partner KETK, the shelter says three to four dogs each were stuffed into many stacked up rabbit cages. All dogs have food and water, but need to be vetted, groomed, and more. Nicholas Pet Haven is reporting the owners are elderly, requesting help, and willing to surrender to reputable rescues. Breeds include Yorkies, Chihuahuas, Miniature Poodles, and many more. You can contact the nonprofit at 903-630-4242 or by email at [email protected].

TYLER – The son of a Tyler pastor who pleaded guilty to two theft of property charges was arrested Monday and is accused of stealing from the same elderly couple as his father. According to our news partner KETK, Jerome Anthony Milton, 27, was arrested on two charges of credit card abuse against an elderly person and was released on a combined $125,000 bond. During investigations into his father, Jerome Rocky Milton, investigators said they found the younger Milton had been using the same bed-ridden elderly couple’s cards at an ATM machine to make withdrawals. According to an arrest warrant, the pastor said “he would send Anthony in sometimes to pull money out of the ATM from the [couple’s] accounts.” However, when advised that his son could be facing criminal charges, the pastor said he did not know why his son would have made those transactions. Continue reading Son of Tyler pastor arrested, accused of stealing from same couple as father

TYLER — A Tyler gang member has been sentenced to 37 months in federal prison for a firearms violation, according to our news partner KETK. Bandon Deshun Hawkins, 36, plead guilty on Sept. 29, 2021 to being a felon in possession of a firearm, and was sentenced on Tuesday. According to court documents, in 2020 Hawkins was stopped while driving on Vine Street in Tyler and arrested on outstanding warrants. Officials said during the traffic stop, Hawkins threw a plastic bag containing marijuana from the vehicle resulting in a probable cause search. A pistol was found in the car during the search, and officials said further investigations found Hawkins to be a member of the Eight Trey Gangster Crips, a street gang. Continue reading Tyler gang member sentenced to federal prison

EDGEWOOD – Officials have released identities in a high-speed chase that began in Edgewood and ended in Forney. Police say the driver, Braylon Diamente Hicks of Forney, is a suspect in an Edgewood murder on Friday. The victim is named as Alyssa Beth Flores of Wills Point. According to our news partner KETK, Wills Point PD and a Van Zandt County DA investigator observed a dispatched call from the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office regarding a shooting and kidnapping that had just occurred in Edgewood, and the suspect was heading towards Highway 80. The pursuit continued south on FM 2965 to I-20, where the suspect then reportedly began traveling westbound at speeds over 120 mph. Authorities say the chase continued at high rates of speed, passing vehicles on the shoulders and weaving in and out of traffic through Kaufman County. Continue reading Identities released in murder, chase

TYLER — Although some portions of Smith County saw showers last week, it was not enough rain to consider lifting the burn ban, Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks reported Tuesday. The Commissioners Court received an update on drought conditions from Brooks, who said only some areas of the county received rain and it was not enough to ease fire danger conditions. “The conditions outside are disastrous for us right now,” he said, adding that they haven’t seen drought conditions like this summer since 2011. When some areas of the county received brief periods of rain, the moisture quickly dried up. And while some areas of the county saw rain, other areas did not, Brooks said. “We are still under a burn ban and I don’t recommend rescinding it,” he told the Commissioners Court. Click here for more details.

LINDALE — (UPDATE) Madison Adams was found in Kaufman County and safely returned to Smith County by CPS, according to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office.  According to our news partner KETK, the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported Madison Adams had been missing since Wednesday, Aug. 10. Adams is 16-year-old white female with brown hair and hazel eyes. She is about 5’2″ and 143 pounds, all according to the NCMEC.

TYLER/BULLARD — Tyler ISD has received a district Texas Education Agency accountability grade of “B” for the 2021-2022 school year. The district received a performance score of 88, up from the previous year’s (2019 was the most recent rating) 85 score, and an overall Met Standard rating. Schools and districts were labeled Not Rated: Declared State of Disaster for 2020 and 2021. Meantime, the TEA recently released 2022 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR®) results for third through eighth grades and End of Course exams for ninth through 12th grades. Bullard ISD earned a district rating of “A” with a score of 95 and received 10 campus academic distinctions.

RUSK – According to documents, a Cherokee County commissioner who was arrested Friday night for driving while intoxicated and evading arrest acted aggressive with a trooper and refused a blood alcohol test. That’s according to our news partner KETK. Precinct 2 Commissioner Steven Norton, 51, who has since apologized for the incident, was arrested after a deputy was dispatched in response to a reckless driver. The deputy had been advised that a driver in a white truck had run people off the roadway, and witnesses said the truck almost struck several vehicles. “I proceeded to make an investigative stop to check the welfare of the driver,” the deputy said. “I then turned on the sirens and lights of my fully marked patrol unit but the truck did not come to a stop.” Continue reading Details released on DWI arrest of Cherokee County commissioner

TYLER – Officials say Khamila Tavion Bradford-Burnley, 25, of Tyler was arrested Friday in a fatal Rusk County crash last year. According to our news partner KETK, on Feb. 27, 2021, at 1:48 a.m., troopers responded to a two-vehicle fatal crash on US 79, approximately 5.7 miles south of Henderson. According to officials, Bradford was traveling northbound and veered into the southbound lane, where she struck Jose Gustavo Servin, 23, of Henderson. Servin was pronounced dead at the scene and Bradford-Burnley was transported to a local hospital in serious condition.

KILGORE – In a Facebook post Monday, the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office issued a missing person alert for Britney Nichole Sharrer, 28, of Kilgore. According to our news partner KETK, officials say Sharrer was last seen at a residence on PR 3707 (Fox Creek RV Park) in the Kilgore/Gladewater area in July by her mother. Sharrer is approximately 5’4″ tall and weighs approximately 140-150 pounds with blond hair and blue eyes. She has tattoos covering her arms and specifically has a tattoo of Winnie The Pooh on her left shoulder. Anyone with information on Sharrer’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office at 903-236-8400 or Investigator Prior at 903-236-8409. Reference case #C22-11326.

LINDALE — Smith County authorities say a missing person has been found alive at a residence on Hwy 110 extremely hot and thirsty. Authorities said he was receiving medical attention and will recover. On August 14 at 8:00 p.m., The Smith County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a man missing from FM 1253 near Lindale. He’s identified as Jose Cansino Ybarra, 63. Ybarra’s son told deputies they were attending a church retreat at this location when his father wandered off. The son advised that prior to notifying law enforcement, he and several of the retreat attendees had searched a large area including buildings, woods, and Ybarra’s room. Deputies, staff members, and concerned citizens began a search of the approximate 400 acre area, of which only 100 acres are developed. Continue reading Missing man found

LONGVIEW – A Longview city official who has unsuccessfully run for city council twice was arrested Sunday for possession with intention to promote child pornography. Bernd “Dutch” Deblouw, 37, was born in The Netherlands and moved to Texas after college, according to his campaign website. According to our news partner KETK, he was hired by the Longview Fire Department in 2010, but has since left the department and is now the owner of Longview I.T. Deblouw has served the city in multiple capacities, including as the president of the zoning board of adjustment, and public safety was a key issue for his campaign, according to his website. He currently serves on the planning and zoning commission. His bond for the child pornography charge has not yet been set.

EMORY — Authorities say around 5 p.m. Sunday, 30-year-old Sean Douglas Alsip was captured by the Texas Rangers. According to our news partner KETK, the Rains County Sheriff’s Office said Alsip was taken to the county jail without incident. Authorities had earlier said Alsip could be armed and dangerous. Officials said they had last seen Alsip with Monica Robertson on County Road 3150 before they ran off. Robertson was detained by law enforcement before Alsip was caught. Further details on the nature of the case weren’t immediately available.