KTBB News, Weather, Talk

PALESTINE — The body of Officer Sergeant Harold Preston will be transported to his hometown of Athens, to be laid to rest. Sergeant Harold Preston was shot and killed as he and other officers responded to a domestic disturbance call in an apartment complex in Houston. Sergeant Preston served with HPD for 41 years and was only weeks away from retirement. He is survived by his elderly parents, whom he cared for, and a fiancée. The body will be escorted from Houston back to Athens and the public is encouraged to show their support and view the procession coming through Palestine. The procession will arrive in Palestine around 12:55 PM. The motorcade will come into Palestine on W. Oak St (US-79), continuing to Palestine Ave, then onto W. Spring St (TX-19) before proceeding to Athens.

MARSHALL — An endowed scholarship program is starting at East Texas Baptist University, after a gift of $25,000 was given from Brookshire Grocery Co. BGC announced the establishment of the “Focus on the Future” scholarship program in partnership with East Texas Baptist University and more than 40 other universities and colleges in Texas, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The program is designed to reward students in BGC’s market areas for their dedication, hard work, and outstanding academic achievements.

TYLER — Every vote counts coming down the stretch in the 2020 General Election. On Thursday, Congressman Louie Gohmert told KTBB conservatives have got to get to the polls. “Everything you believe about freedom, freedom of religion, freedom of the press, freedom of speech…The right to keep and bear arms, the 2nd Amendment, 4th Amendment, 5th Amendment, 6th, 8th Amendment, those are all on the line. Because, socialist countries, your rights go to the side, Government has all the rights, you don’t.” Gohmert continued, “That’s all on the line, this is an effort to move the United States into Socialism…The problem with Socialism is not economic, the problem with Socialism is Atheism. In Socialism, your God has to become the Government.” Early voting ends Friday.

LONGVIEW — Smallwoods has revealed a project that despite the coronavirus shows the company’s continued growth. On Friday, Jason Smallwood told KTBB, “It has forced us to reconsider and change our standard operating procedures pretty much across the board for the entire company. But, at the same time, I think with folks spending more time at home, they have really looked to re-arrange their home and try to make it as comfortable as possible. So that’s where we come in.” Smallwood’s will consolidate 9 facilities and more than double employment. ‘The Campus’ project’s goal will provide a thriving culture for employees, and keep the native East Texas surroundings undisturbed. Continue reading ‘The Campus’ Project to add 200 plus employees at Smallwoods

MARSHALL — The Texas Medical Board restricted the license of a Marshall doctor on Thursday. According to a media brief, Dr. Shaun Bobbi Kelehan had his license reduced for “engaging in non-consensual sexual encounters with a patient and administered medications to the patient during these encounters.” The Board’s disciplinary panel determined that medical practice “poses a continuing threat to public welfare.” Kelehan is prohibited from seeing, examining, treating, prescribing to, or otherwise practicing medicine on male patients. Continue reading Medical Board takes immediate action on East Texas doctor

TYLER – Tyler ISD is adding a new podcast to its list of communication vehicles designed to keep parents and the community informed of the latest news from around the District. Hosted by Executive Director of Communications Jennifer Hines, the Talks with Tyler ISD podcast series will feature a variety of guests, covering everything from district-wide objectives and initiatives to inspiring stories from students and classroom teachers. The first audiocast starts Friday, when Dr. Marty Crawford talks about how the District continues to adapt and deliver through the COVID pandemic.

TYLER — The Tyler Parks and Recreation Department received a grant this week from the Louis and Peaches Owen Family Foundation totaling $7,000. The monies will go to the Goodman-LeGrand House and Museum, the annual Holiday in the Garden event at the Tyler Rose Garden and annual Ice Bowl Disc Golf Tournament. The Owen family has supported these events for 10 years. From the total amount, the Goodman-LeGrand Museum was allocated $5,000 to go towards the $26,793 needed to complete Phase 1 of its restoration project. Continue reading Tyler Parks and Rec receives grant funds

TYLER — A Trump Train Parade is set for this weekend. Lauren Snyder told KTBB on Thursday this is expected to be their largest to date taking in 3 counties. “The event happens Sunday at 1 p.m. at The Aviation Memorial Museum parking lot, off HWY 64…We are going to have our escort take us out to Canton and group up with people from there, then move to Athens with the same thing, then take Hwy 31 back to Tyler. We will go out to eat at Rudy’s afterwards. We have a group on facebook Tyler for Trump 2020 if you wanna be part of our community.” Click the link for more information. https://www.facebook.com/groups/286553835999335.

TYLER — Senator John Cornyn stopped in Tyler Thursday to rally voters as the campaign enters the final days. “What we are trying to do is make the rest of the country look more like Texas. When Chuck Schummer and his Silicone Valley billionaires and Michael Bloomberg from New York, pour 10’s of millions of dollars into Texas, they want to make Texas more like the East Coast or West Coast. Are we gonna let them do that? We are not gonna let them do that, not on our watch!” Continue reading Senator Cornyn addresses supporters Thursday in Tyler

GRAND SALINE — Azizi, the youngest calf to the famous April the giraffe, passed away unexpectedly at the East Texas Zoo and Gator Park in Grand Saline on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, April garnered worldwide attention in 2017 when she gave birth to Tajiri. More than 1.2 million people tuned in live to witness his birth. The park said more than 300,000 people watched their video of new calf’s birth, which was live-streamed on YouTube. Continue reading April the giraffe’s calf Azizi dies unexpectedly at East Texas zoo

ATHENS — A Mabank woman was arrested with a substantial amount of meth in her possession while in a subdivision off Cedar Creek Lake. According to a media release Wednesday from Henderson County Sheriff’s Department, Jessica Flatt, 32, was pulled over for a traffic violation. During the stop, she admitted to having meth in her possession. After taking her into custody, the drugs weighed in at 105 grams, according to Sheriff Botie Hillhouse. Flatts was charged with delivery of a controlled substance and taken to the Henderson County Jail.

TYLER — Coronavirus cases continue to rise in East Texas. On Wednesday, George Roberts told KTBB why. “Much of the spread is happening in our day-to-day interaction in the community. Notice, the traffic is increasing, and people are getting back to more and more of their day-to-day routines and that is causing potentially some of the spread. The NET Health President/CEO went on to say, “We’ve also noticed people having COVID fatigue, which is the idea of being tired of wearing a mask, people are tired of social distancing… We really encourage people to do those things and practice those habits that we have talked about over the last few months.” Continue reading Coronavirus cases continue to rise in East Texas

TYLER — The Tyler City Council unanimously voted to adopt a resolution on Wednesday, that would authorize the city to apply for funding from the Texas Water Development Board, Flood Infrastructure Fund program grant. The FIF program provides financial assistance in the form of loans and grants for flood control, flood mitigation and drainage projects. The two projects identified for the grant were preliminary engineering studies to analyze drainage along Gentry Parkway and the area west of South Palace Avenue between Erwin Street and Old Noonday Road. Continue reading City of Tyler applies for flood infrastructure grant from TWDB

LONGVIEW — Restrictions placed on outdoor events by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s Executive Order GA-29, have brought about a decision to cancel this year’s Longview AMBUCS Christmas Parade. The city of Longview, announced the decision Wednesday. In that release, they invited residents needing additional information, to contact Melida Heien, Main Street Coordinator, at 903-331-1469 or by clicking the link for email. https://longviewtexas.gov/FormCenter/Contact-Us-5/Main-Street-103.

LUBBOCK — A plane crash Monday afternoon killed an East Texas resident. According to our news partner KETK, the victim was identified as Donald Eakin, 69, of Hallsville. The single-engine Cessna Centurion came to Lubbock from Belen, New Mexico. It crashed at about 4:00 p.m. heading toward Lubbock Preston Smith International Airport. The plane impacted in the backyard, but the residents were not home at the time of the crash. The only damage was to a fence. According to FlightAware and audio from air traffic control, Eakin took a pass on his first attempt to land, but instead circled for a second. There was reduced visibility and conditions consistent with icing.

TYLER — A Tyler man is in Smith County Jail charged with murder for a shooting earlier this month. According to a news brief from the department, Tommy Pettigrew III, 21, was arrested Wednesday, in connection with the shooting death of Christopher Bolden, 39, of Tyler. On Oct. 11 Tyler police responded to reports of gunfire on Cecil Avenue and found Bolden in the driveway with a gunshot to the chest. Detectives identified Pettigrew as the suspect. Bolden died 8 days later. The U.S. Marshal’s Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force executed the arrest warrant Wednesday morning.

TYLER — Community members demonstrated Tuesday night at Grand Slam in Tyler, following an incident last weekend. Christian Tyler, 15, was asked to leave the facility. He was eventually detained, put into hand cuffs and pushed to the pavement. Tyler’s mom, Tonya Petite told our news partner KETK, “When you hear it happen to your child because I was on the phone when it happened I lost it completely.” Others that saw the video on social media were upset prompting the gathering at the business. Continue reading Protest over handling of ‘cuffed teen’

EAST TEXAS — A 40-year-old Ore City man has been sentenced to 70 years in federal prison for child exploitation. According to our news partner KETK, Jeremy OKieth Kyle, who also goes by several aliases, pleaded guilty on Feb. 19, to three counts of coercion and enticement. According to information presented in court, between 2013 and 2018, Kyle, a convicted sex offender, committed numerous offenses against 18 minor female victims and four adult women. He used a variety of false personas and promises of love and money to convince the victims to meet him and engage in sexual encounters. Continue reading Ore City man sentenced to 70 years for child exploitation

EAST TEXAS — Two East Texas Ministries will be distributing food to help people in need. The All Tribes Worship Center in Kilgore will be giving out food boxes Friday and St. James CME Church in Tyler will give out food boxes on Saturday. The Rev. Brian Lightner, the pastor of St. James CME, said both efforts are part of a Food and Drug Administration program to get food to families who are facing financial hardship because of the pandemic. According to our news partner KETK, right at 15,000 boxes containing meat, dairy items and fresh fruit and vegetables will be given out at each location. Continue reading Food distribution events this week in Kilgore and Tyler

KILGORE — A 14-year-old driver struck a tree on Tuesday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, the youth was driving a 2003 Ford F-150 when he lost control before crashing. The teen had to be extricated from the vehicle by the Kilgore Rescue Unit. The teenager was transported to a local hospital by Champion EMS with non-life threatening injuries. Investigators say speed and weather were contributing factors in the wreck.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Nominations Committee of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) has elected Scott Martinez, CEcD, President and CEO of the Tyler Economic Development Council & CEO of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. According to a media brief, Martinez will serve a one-year term as Chair of the Performance Oversight and Monitoring Committee of the IEDC Board of Directors. The nomination took place during IEDC’s 2020 Annual Conference. Martinez’s term will start fthe first day of 2021. Continue reading Martinez begins tenure as chair of oversight committee

TYLER — Fire officials were on the scene of a house fire in Tyler Tuesday, in which they called “suspicious.” According to our news partner KETK, one person lives at the home, but it appears they were not present when the fire started around 6:30 a.m. No one was injured in the structure fire. It is not clear if the house was insured or if smoke detectors were installed. In spite of the fire, light damage happened inside. The investigation into the fire is still on-going.

ATHENS — The TVCC Cardinal Club Golf Tournament is scheduled for Nov. 16, at Athens Country Club. Proceeds will benefit the Cardinal Club, according to a press brief on Tuesday. Tee time is 11 a.m. A meal will be served afterwards. The four-person scramble is $300 per team. For more information or to enter a team, contact Eddie Kite at 903-675-6359 or [email protected].

HENDERSON COUNTY — An East Texas couple that were expecting their first child together were killed in an alleged drunk driving crash Sunday, according to our news partner KETK. DPS said LeAnna Hester, 23, of Chandler, was traveling south on FM 315, near Coffee City, when she was struck head-on by Brandon Collins, 20, also of Chandler. Collins’ Dodge pickup crossed over the center line and hit Hester’s Dodge Neon head-on. Hester was pronounced dead at the scene. Blake Stanford, 24, of Chandler, who was in Hester’s car, was taken to University of Texas Health Hospital in Tyler, where he later died. Continue reading Alleged drunk driver kills East Texas couple

WHITEHOUSE — The early voting location at the Tyler Area Senior Citizens Association (TASCA) Center, located on County Road 2167 in Whitehouse, was temporarily shut down around 5 p.m. on Monday after a polling worker fell ill and tested positive for COVID-19. Smith County officials say the facility will be deep cleaned Monday evening. They say the polling location is expected to reopen for voters at its regularly scheduled time of 7 a.m. on Tuesday, October 27, and continue without interruption for the remainder of early voting. Smith County will continue to take all necessary safety precautions at all polling locations throughout the General Election, according to a news release. All other polling locations in Smith County were due to remain open until 7 p.m. Monday and can be found at http://www.smith-county.com.

LONGVIEW — COVID-19 screenings will be conducted in the NorthPark Drive-Through ER service. The hospital announced Monday the cost is $60 or can be filed on a patient’s insurance. In a press release from Christus, Patients are urged to bring their driver’s license or state-issued ID, and their insurance information. Screenings are available from 8:00 a.m. to 8 p.m. next door to CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Institute for Healthy Living on E Hawkins Pkwy. “Please consider participating in the screening only if you are experiencing any two of the following symptoms: fever, shortness of breath, cough, fatigue, loss of sense of smell or taste, chills, shaking with chills, muscle or body aches, headache, sore throat, nasal congestion, nausea or diarrhea or if you have been exposed to a person with suspected or confirmed COVID symptoms,” said Faber White, M.D., Interim Chief Medical Officer, CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System.