KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The City of Tyler Parks and Rec Department and Tyler Area Ambucs will be cutting the ribbon on the new inclusive playground at Southside Park. The red letter day is planned for Saturday at 10 a.m. The playground will accommodate kids with mobility disabilities and wheelchairs and features ramps, swings and slides that will allow children to enjoy the same playground regardless of their abilities. The inclusive playground will be the first one of its kind in Tyler. Sponsors will be present with booths and refreshments will be provided. Southside Park is located on Shiloh Rd.

FORT WORTH — A Tyler man accused of abducting an 8-year-old girl was sentenced by a Judge to life in Federal prison on Thursday. The girl was taken last May as she walked with her mother in Fort Worth when the assault happened. According to our news partner KETK, Michael Darwin Webb, 51, of Tyler, was found guilty following a two-day trial by a federal jury in Fort Worth in September. The jury deliberated for less than 10 minutes for abducting 8-year-old Salem Sabatka. Continue reading Life in Federal Prison for Tyler Man

TYLER — The U.T. Board of Regents made a significant investment on Thursday morning. The board unanimously voted to allocate $95 million dollars to 2 Tyler institutions. The money will be funneled to to UT Health Science Center at Tyler and UT Tyler to fund construction of two new facilities. $60 million is earmarked for a Graduate Medical Education & Resident Teaching Facility at UT Health Science Center at Tyler and $35 million for an Advanced Nursing & Health Sciences Complex at UT Tyler. Continue reading $95 Million Investment into Tyler Institutions

TYLER — Dameon Mosley was convicted of capital murder on Wednesday. Friday marks the 3rd day of the sentencing phase as prosecutors seek the death penalty for the murder of Billy Stacks. According to our news partner KETK, jurors deliberated just under 90 minutes before handing down the guilty verdict. Now jurors will decide if Mosley will be executed or spend the rest of his life in prison. The punishment component of the trial could last several days as prosecutors intend to call numerous witnesses and investigators to testify, and Mosley’s defense will present character witnesses. Continue reading Mosley Sentencing Phase Continues

LONGVIEW — Gregg County authorities responded to a shooting at Barracuda’s Gas and Grill Sunday evening on Highway 149 in Gregg County. Deputies arrived on the scene to find one victim that sustained a gunshot wound and that the suspect had already fled the scene. Investigators have identified Hubert Earl Kindle, age 34 of Easton, as the suspect, and are seeking info about his whereabouts. Continue reading Gregg County Shooter Identified

TYLER — “One Night Without a Home” is happening Friday night in Tyler. East Texas Human Needs Network (ETHNN) is sponsoring the “One Night Without a Home” event as part of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. More than 150 people are anticipated to be involved in the event, which is designed to increase awareness and understanding of hunger and homelessness. Speakers include a young woman formerly homeless, and how she found help and hope in Tyler. Continue reading One Night Without a Home on Friday in Tyler

LONGVIEW — The Longview Parks and Recreation Department and District 3 Councilman Wray Wade revealed sketches for Broughton Recreation Center and Broughton Park. The conceptual designs revealed at the Tuesday meeting was the result of community involvement meetings. LPA Design Studios, the firm hired by the City of Longview led the assembly. The Design Process is expected to last 6 to 8 months, before a 12 month construction process begins. Completion is anticpated by September of 2021. Click the link for the concept presentation. https://longviewtexas.gov/DocumentCenter/View/6276/Broughton-Park-and-Recreation-Center-Improvements?bidId=

TYLER — Dameon Mosley was found guilty of capital murder on Wednesday afternoon in the shooting of Tyler gas station clerk Billy Stacks in January 2017. According to our news partner KETK, it took the jury less than 90 minutes to come to a decision. The jurors now move into the punishment phase, they will decide whether Mosley will receive the death penalty or life in prison without parole. If given the death penalty, Mosley would be the first Tyler man to be handed the punishment since 2015.

TYLER — Officials say 38 people were in attendance at the latest meeting in Bullard, discussing a potential new courthouse in Smith County. Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran and Commissioners have been holding evening meetings in each of the county’s precincts. Smith County is formulating a plan with the publics input. Smith County plans to present an initial timeline for a new courthouse in the spring of 2020, hold additional public meetings throughout the summer of 2020, to give out full and accurate information, and to call for a vote on a proposed plan for the November 2020 election. Continue reading Smith County Continues Input Meetings

TYLER — The Tyler Junior College Dental Hygiene Program celebrates 50 years. Since 1969, the TJC Dental Hygiene Program has not only improved the lives of its graduates, it has also helped waves of dental patients across the region who have benefited from their care and expertise. Restrictive quarters became a thing of the past in January 2015, when the new Robert M. Rogers Nursing & Health Sciences Center became a reality. Continue reading 50 Years of History for Dental Hygiene at TJC

JACKSONVILLE – -According to our news partner KETK, four officers were honored Tuesday night for heroic actions during a dangerous situation in October. The move of respect comes in response after two Sergeants and two Officers with the Jacksonville PD faced a suspect during a stand-off leading to an arrest leading to an arrest. While the officers had SWAT training they were not a SWAT team. On Tuesday, Sergeant Wilson, Sergeant Markasky, Officer Hamilton, and Officer Burmit were presented with a letter of commendation for their work and for going above and beyond the call of duty.

TYLER — Smith County Constable Precinct 1 Democrat Bobby Garmon has announced his 2020 Campaign Kickoff for Thursday at the Smith County Courthouse Annex Commissioners Court Room. The event is scheduled from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. Garmon was appointed by Commissioners to serve the office in December of 2017. Garmon served in the Smith County Sheriff’s Department for 33 years, serving as sergeant, lieutenant, captain, major and chief deputy before retiring in 2012. The Precinct 1 Constable’s Office has two full-time deputies, seven reserve deputies, one full-time secretary and one part-time secretary.

TYLER — On Thursday Lubbock County Sheriff’s Officials will give a presentation about their mental health program during the Smith County Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee meeting in Tyler. Because of Lubbock County’s action steps addressing mental health, they were named the first “Stepping Up Innovator County in Texas”. The Criminal Justice Coordinating Committee meeting will be at 1:30 p.m. in the Commissioners Courtroom on E. Ferguson St. The meeting is open to the public.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County leaders launch an investigation after the most recent election caused concerns with voting machines and a gas leak causing a location to close. According to our news partner KETK, after several complaints from Smith County voters, Judge Nathaniel Moran says the county can do better. “We are looking at all of those issues that have been brought to our attention last week, and we want to investigate each one to ensure we understand fully what happened, and to understand how we can address that before the March primary,” Judge Moran said. Continue reading Smith County Officials Launch Investigation following Election Issues

TYLER — A Tyler man accused of drugging and raping a John Tyler student back in 2009 has been formally indicted by a Smith County grand jury. According to our news partner KETK, Robert Robinson, 63, is accused of sexually assaulting a then-John Tyler student and getting her pregnant. According to an arrest warrant, Robinson is now suing for custody of the child. Robinson is charged with sexual assault of a child. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison. His first court appearance is set for December 16.

LONGVIEW — Curbside recycling services will not be available in Longview thru the 14th of November. The change to regular recycling service went into effect on Tuesday and is due to urgent repairs at Rivers Recycling. Rivers is the local material recovery facility.During that time, contents from curbside recycling carts will be taken to the landfill with regular trash rather than being recycled. Continue reading Curbside Recycling Temporarily Down in Longview

TYLER — A 26-year-old Tyler man has discovered his punishment for drug trafficking violations. On Tuesday in the Eastern District of Texas Eduardo Pineda was sentenced to 108 months in federal prison. According to information presented in court, Pineda supervised a large-scale marijuana cultivation enterprise throughout the Eastern District of Texas, including sites located on public lands such as Davy Crockett and Sabine National Forests. In total, Pineda and his co-conspirators were responsible for cultivating thousands of marijuana plants.

RUSK — On Tuesday, Texas Health and Human Services Executive Commissioner Dr. Courtney N. Phillips, along with state and local officials broke ground on a $200 million composition project at Rusk State Hospital. HHS will construct a new 225,000-square-foot patient complex that includes a 100-bed non-maximum security unit in addition to a 100-bed maximum security unit. Continue reading Ground Breaking at Rusk State Hospital

TYLER — Keep Tyler Beautiful prepares to host the 16th annual Tyler Recycles Day on Saturday. Keep Tyler Beautiful will provide a community collection event joining thousands of local organizers holding recycling events across the country in correlation with America Recycles Day. Ark-La-Tex Shredding Company and Interstate Batteries will be providing special services for the duration of the event. This is a national initiative of Keep America Beautiful, designed to help communities spotlight their recycling efforts with thousands of local events focused on how and what to recycle. Continue reading Recycle Day for Tyler

TYLER — The Healthy Me Healthy Babies Coalition is in the final countdown to their Purple For Preemies Kickoff Luncheon. The annual luncheon will be on Wednesday, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. at the Rose Garden Center. Tickets are $30, and proceeds will benefit the March of Dimes. Each November, the March of Dimes celebrates Prematurity Awareness Month and World Prematurity Day, and the NET Health WIC Department supports these causes by working with the Healthy Me Healthy Babies Coalition. Continue reading Purple for Preemies Kick-Off Set For Wednesday

TYLER — TxDOT crews spent the day Monday pre-treating roadways in several of its northern counties. Bridges and other areas susceptible to wind and ice were pre-treated in Gregg, Smith, Van Zandt and Wood counties. Crews will remain on duty to monitor and treat roadways as necessary to help ensure safer roadways for travel. Keep a safe distance away from TxDOT vehicles as they work to treat and clear roadways.

TYLER — Prosecutors are nearing the end of their case against Dameon Mosley as the presented more information in court on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County District Attorney Jacob Putnam had said that before the court last Friday. Mosley is accused of fatally shooting 62-year-old Billy Stacks back in January 2017 while he was robbing the Conoco gas station on Loop 323 in Tyler. Putman is seeking the death penalty. Defense attorneys for Mosley have not denied their client was the shooter during the robbery, but argued during opening statements that the gun accidentally went off during a brief struggle with Stacks. They are arguing that would make him guilty of felony murder, not capital murder. Continue reading Capital Murder Trial Continues in Smith County

KILGORE — The family of a Kilgore woman missing for three weeks said she has been found safe. According to our news partner KETK, Kilgore Police had been searching for Chelsey Thompson, 30, after her family reported her missing after getting into a vehicle with an unidentified person. Details of her location or circumstances were not provided. Thompson’s sister said it was not uncommon for Chelsey to be gone for a week or so, but she always returned home until recently.

KILGORE — Kilgore police are searching for a woman who has been missing for about three weeks after getting into a vehicle with an unidentified person. According to our news partner KETK, Chelsey Ann Thompson, 30, is described as white, standing five feet four inches tall, weighing about 120 pounds. She has red hair and hazel eyes. Thompson has a tattoo on the top of her hand that reads “Top Notch” and another on her left forearm that reads “Texas Made.” Anyone with information is asked to notify Detective Andre Phillips at (903) 218-6904 or by email at [email protected].

TYLER — The Northeast Texas Regional Mobility Authority took time on Veterans Day to remind disabled veterans of a Toll 49 program that helps them travel around the area more quickly without paying tolls. All veterans with special “Disabled Veteran” license plates are eligible to register for the NET RMA Disabled Veterans Discount Program. They can take advantage of it by contacting NET RMA at 833-762-8655 when they receive a toll bill in the mail. If they have a disabled veteran license plate, the vehicle will be registered and exempt from all future tolls.

TYLER — The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler Monday announced two new projects in collaboration with Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas. Officials say they’re aimed at training future healthcare leaders and improving health in East Texas and beyond. The first project entails exploring the development of a collaborative doctoral program in Health Administration. Officials say it will focus on increasing the knowledge of healthcare professionals to better address issues related to population health. The second project is a program to examine the social and economic impact of undertreated mental health conditions in East Texas. Officials point out that access to care for mental health and reducing undertreatment of the conditions has become a public health issue.

TYLER — Tyler’s Glass Recreation Center will be closed Nov. 18 through Dec. 15 for maintenance, repairs, and renovations. During this period, crews will be resurfacing facility floors, replacing all weight room fitness equipment, and repainting the interior walls of the facility. City officials say the facility will reopen on Monday, Dec. 16, at 7 a.m. Classes and programs will resume their regular schedules.

GREGG COUNTY — Gregg County officials are investigating a Sunday afternoon shooting. According to our news partner KETK, the shooting happened around 5:45 p.m. at Barracudas Gas and Grill on Highway 149 in Easton, just north of the Gregg County line. One person was injured and taken to the hospital. Authorities say the shooter left the scene. The sheriff’s office is asking for anybody with information to contact them right away.