KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — Mayor Andy Mack has declared a local disaster and public health emergency for the City of Longview in response to the threat of Coronavirus (COVID-19). The declaration coincided with Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt’s similar declaration for the county. Mack says the local state of disaster and public health emergency shall continue for a period of not more than seven days from the date of this declaration unless continued or renewed by the Longview City Council. Continue reading Declaration of Local Disaster and Public Health Emergency Related to Communicable Disease

The following events have been cancelled, postponed until a later date, or otherwise adjusted due to the coronavirus.

UT Health Science Center at Tyler Extends Spring Break

TYLER — Amidst the current novel coronavirus (COVID-19) concerns, the safety of students and the community is deemed of the utmost importance. To preserve this safety, officials say, the best preventive practices must be implemented and exercised for the campus. Therefore, UT Health Science Center at Tyler’s Spring break has been extended until March 20, 2020. At this time, a determination has yet to be made regarding the format and delivery of courses following this extended break. Institutional leadership is currently exploring potential options. Continue reading Coronavirus Closings, Cancellations, and Other Adjustments

TYLER — TJC President Dr. Juan E. Mejia has issued a memo to all employees of the College asking that they stay home Monday and Tuesday (March 16 and 17), in light of recent developments in the coronavirus crisis. During that time, the President’s Cabinet will meet to determine strategies to lead the institution. Mejia said, “I ask that all of us remain proactive, vigilant, and solution driven, and that we comply with the guidelines and directions from credible sources such as NET Health.” Employees will receive instructions by Tuesday evening regarding steps going forward. Students will observe an extended Spring Break and are set to return to classes on March 23.

EAST TEXAS — Numerous schools across the East Texas area have extended Spring Break for a week so the schools can be cleaned and disinfected following Coronavirus concerns. Additional information can be found at the School’s webpage or Facebook page. Continue reading Coronavirus Related School Closings and Extended Spring Breaks

EAST TEXAS — Grocery stores around the East Texas area have announced a reduction in hours to allow time for cleaning and restocking. Brookshire’s Grocery Company released the following statement, “In order to better serve our guests, Brookshire Grocery Company family of stores will be temporarily modifying store hours effective Saturday, March 14th to allow our partners to continue preventive sanitation and restock shelves. Our temporary hours will be 7am-9pm, and we will work to return to normal business hours as soon as possible. As friends and neighbors let’s continue to come together to support one another and be kind.” Continue reading Grocery Stores to Reduce Hours to Combat Coronavirus

EAST TEXAS — SWEPCO is temporarily suspending all disconnections for non-payment as the coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to spread throughout communities. According to their Facebook page : “We know our customers are concerned about their families and ensuring they have reliable electric service allows them to focus on staying healthy and well. We are committed to doing what we can to help our customers, our employees, and the communities we serve navigate this uncertain time.”

LONGVIEW — Longview ISD has extended Spring Break due to coronavirus concerns. According to the LISD webpage, officials announced that after talking with district administration and TEA officials, they are going to extend Spring Break by two weeks. This means we will potentially resume classes on Monday, March 30. Continue reading Longview ISD Extends Spring Break

TYLER — Tyler State Park was closed early Friday, March 13 out of an abundance of caution after receiving information about a potentially ill person in the park. Initial reports were not factual, but staff at the park will take this opportunity to clean and sanitize park facilities to ensure visitor safety and will reopen Sunday. Continue reading Tyler State Park Closed

TYLER — Beginning on Monday, March 16, Tyler Transit will implement an alternate route schedule until April 1. The routes and times are outlined below. Continue reading Tyler Transit Announces Alternate Schedule Through April 1

TYLER — After a controversial campaign season for the Smith County Precinct 1 Constable position, Judge Jack Skeen ruled that a Democratic runoff will be held — but it won’t include Willie Mims. According to our news partner KETK, voters will now choose between incumbent Bobby Garmon and corrections officer Curtis Traylor Harris. In 2019, Garmon filed a lawsuit claiming Mims didn’t meet the requirements to be on the ballot. Garmon said out of the 200 signatures submitted to run, 85 of them were invalid. In January, a temporary injunction was approved, allowing Mims to remain on the ballot during the March primaries — and Mims ended up winning a majority of the votes. But unless Skeen’s ruling is overturned on appeal, Mims won’t be the precinct’s next constable. There is no Republican challenger in November.

TYLER — Tyler ISD is joining other educational entities in extending its spring break due to coronavirus. According to its website, “As a precaution, Tyler ISD, along with other school districts in Smith County, have decided to have a Community Mitigation Period for the week of March 16-20, 2020. Schools will remain closed for students and staff during this time as we assess the situation in our community as travelers return from spring break. Community Mitigation Periods are intervention strategies recommended by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to help slow the potential spread of illness in communities, like COVID-19.” Continue reading TISD Extends Spring Break

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview has chosen to cancel several upcoming City-hosted events due to the threat of Coronavirus (COVID-19). These cancellations will affect events expected to draw large crowds through the end of March. This decision does not impact events hosted by other organizations. City of Longview officials and public safety personnel will continue to monitor the situation closely. “This is not a decision we made lightly, and our goal by taking these actions is to limit the impact of this disease on our community and protect those most vulnerable,” Mayor Andy Mack said in a news release. Continue reading Longview’s City-Hosted Events and Municipal Court Dockets Suspended

TYLER — With the confirmation of coronavirus cases in Tyler from the Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health), the City will immediately implement modified operations for facilities to protect the wellness of our staff and community. These modified operations will be in place officially from Monday, March 16 until Wednesday, April 1. Additionally, it is the recommendation by NET Health that all events at City facilities, including private events, be suspended immediately. The City and NET Health will continually monitor the situation to best decide if closures will be lifted or continued. Continue reading City of Tyler Announces Modified Operations for Facilities

GREGG COUNTY — Those planning to visit Texas inmates in any of the counties where coronavirus has been reported will have to fill out a questionnaire regarding travel history and possible contact with anyone who may have COVID-19. They are asking all staff to limit any unnecessary domestic travel. If an employee feels ill, they’re being told to stay home. Employees who feel sick at work in a county where the virus has been confirmed will be sent home and required to submit a doctor’s note saying they are clear of COVID-19 before they can come back. The TDCJ is asking all staff to limit unnecessary travel. There have been cases reported in Smith, Gregg, Collin, Dallas, Fort Bend, Harris, Montgomery and Tarrant Counties.

TYLER — With Child Abuse Awareness Month just a couple of weeks away, Mary Margaret Ligon told KTBB on Thursday the Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County has several events scheduled including the “Toss Out Child Abuse” Corn Hole Tournament on April 25th. “We’ll have bounce houses, face painting dessert food trucks, and sola bread is partnering with us they’ll have their doors open and serving food as well as True Vine will have beverages, and we will have music and entertainment. It’s going to be a great family friendly fun day.” For registration and more details, click the link. https://www.cacsmithcounty.org/events/.

TYLER — Visit Tyler in conjunction with the City of Tyler has cancelled the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail Ribbon Cutting that was set for March 20. The decision comes after weighing concerns over the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) and under the advisement of the Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health). Because the Azalea & Spring Flower Trail is a self-guided tour through a public neighborhood, the Trail itself will go on. Visit Tyler also invites partakers to keep in mind that some gardens opened to the public in the past, may choose to not accept visitors this year, and some events may be cancelled.

AUSTIN — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced Wednesday he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $766.2 million in local sales tax allocations for March, 7.7 percent more than in March 2019. Tyler will see $3,348,765.78 and Longview will receive $2,433,569.86. These allocations are based on sales made in January by businesses that report tax monthly. You can search for other disbursements for cities in Texas by clicking the link. https://comptroller.texas.gov/transparency/local/allocations/sales-tax/cities.php.

TYLER –A new website is on the way for Visit Tyler. The launch will happen this summer, to better serve the Tyler community and entice guests to visit the city. Edwin Holt and his Minerbox Interactive team have a plan that will take Tyler to a new and much higher digital experience. Holt was an original team member that helped launch the Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau. The new site expects to show the story Tyler has to tell, including entertainment, dining, events, and more.

TYLER — Tyler Junior College will extend spring break through March 20th. The decision was made in response to concerns over the Coronavirus. The campus is currently on spring break this week. The school will not re-open until 2:00 P.M. on March 22nd. Students were notified through a letter letting them know and students who are on campus will not have access dining services during this time. Continue reading Coronavirus Concerns Prolong TJC Spring Break

KILGORE — Kilgore Police have arrested three suspects on terroristic threat charges following a bogus bomb threat. According to KPD’s Facebook page, officers responded to Walmart around 5:45 Wednesday evening on a theft report. While at the store, officers were alerted to a suspicious backpack inside the store with a note that read, “bomb inside.” Employees and customers were evacuated while officers conducted an investigation. The backpack contained several stuffed animals. Police said the backpack was placed in the store as a social media prank. Three unnamed suspects were taken into custody for terroristic threat.

MARSHALL — Upon the initial release of information concerning COVID-19 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), East Texas Baptist University began taking preparatory steps to mitigate and prevent the spread of the virus across the ETBU campus and throughout the East Texas region. That’s according to a news release issued late Wednesday. The first email communication regarding University plans went out on February 26 with an update on March 3. New information has now been released, and the University response can be found below. The University says it is closely following recommendations from the CDC. ETBU is being proactive to ensure the safety of students, faculty, and staff amidst the threat of the Coronavirus, according to the release. Continue reading ETBU Announces Executive Orders for Protection from Coronavirus

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler is extending spring break due to concerns about coronavirus. The details are in a letter from UT Tyler President Dr. Michael Tidwell. Tidwell also announced that the university will temporarily go to an online-only class schedule the week after spring break. The schedule of accelerated MBA classes, BAAS and graduate 7-week courses (all online) will not change. Tidwell says he hopes to return to normal operations by March 30 but that a determination on that has not yet been made. Continue reading UT Tyler Extends Spring Break, Announces Temporary Online-Only Classes

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office have arrested a wanted fugitive. According to our news partner KETK, Jacob Howell was involved in a disturbance at a residence involving a weapon Tuesday night. Howell left the scene and returned to Fruitvale in a stolen vehicle where he was confronted by law enforcement. Officials tried to stop Howell but he escaped and led them on a short pursuit. Authorities say, Howell dumped the vehicle in a wooded area and fled on foot. Howell was considered armed and dangerous before his capture on Wednesday afternoon.

TYLER — The first case of confirmed coronavirus was announced Tuesday in Gregg County. On Wednesday, City of Tyler spokesperson Jenny Wells told KTBB, “there are no cases of coronavirus in the city, and Tyler remains in very regular contact with NET Health, which works with the State Department of Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control in coordinating a regional response if necessary.” Continue reading City of Tyler Continues to Monitor for Coronavirus

TYLER — Tuesday night residents came together to meet for the Tyler 1st Comprehensive Plan. According to our news partner KETK, the meeting took into account development for the future of the city. The 20-year plan is an initiative to create a planned framework for the strategic growth of Tyler. Tyler 1st looks to develop topics of concern including downtown revitalization, historic preservation, parks and recreation, and transportation to name a few. For a complete overview visit the website by clicking the link. https://tyler1stupdate.weebly.com/.

TYLER — On Wednesday morning the Salvation Army received a donation of nearly 6,000 bowls of soup from Chick-fil-A in Tyler. The fast-food chain presented the gifts on Wednesday at their South Broadway location. Again this year, Chick-Fil-A matched every donation received from patrons by giving one of their own through out the month of February. In addition to the soup, over 600 cookies were given as well. In this partnership over the last 17 years, the restaurant has now served more than 66,000 East Texas families with the Salvation Army in Tyler.

TYLER — Tyler Pounds Regional Airport will hold a community meeting regarding the master plan of the airport on Thursday at 6 p.m. The gathering will take place at the Historic Aviation Memorial Museum. This will be the second meeting regarding the Airport Master Plan, with a goal of presenting anticipated needs for the facility over the next 20 years. Details of the project will be discussed. Organizers say the public meeting is an excellent opportunity for residents in the region to participate in the discussion to plan future goals and programs for the airport.

MARSHALL — A fire in Marshall on Tuesday, is being investigated as homicide. According to authorities, firefighters quickly got the blaze at Ryan’s Crossing Apartments under control, but discovered one dead inside the unit. If you have information regarding this case, you are urged to call the Marshall Police Department at 903-945-4540. If you want to remain anonymous you can offer a tip with Crimestoppers by calling 903-935-9969 or by using the P3 Mobile App.

TYLER — Dick’s Sporting Good’s announced on Tuesday that they will pull guns off the shelves from more than 400 stores this year. A new location opened in Tyler last month in the Broadway Square Mall. According to our news partner KETK, that location does not sell firearms. The store tested the policy at 10 locations after the 2018 Parkland High School shooting in Florida. That The largest outdoors and sports store in the nation, made the announcement during a 4th quarter earning report. The company has 827 stores nationwide. With the new policy, more than half will not sell firearms.