KTBB News, Weather, Talk

EAST TEXAS – Saturday’s storms spawned a tornado in Smith County. A team from the National Weather Service surveyed the storm damage in East Texas. They have confirmed than an EF-1 tornado touched down in the Chapel Hill area. The storm, with maximum sustained winds around 90mph, touched down around 5:45 Saturday afternoon near the intersection of highway 64 east and spur 248. Trees were uprooted, large limbs were broken and shingle damage was reported. The team also looked over the damage in Harrison county. The damage there was done by straight line winds.

SMITH COUNTY – County Road 1133 has been reopened. The road west of Noonday was closed after heavy rains caused a wash out nearly two weeks ago. Repairs have been made and it is now save for drivers. County Roads 2186, west of Troup, 26 and 247, both east of Tyler, remain closed until further notice while wash outs and culverts can be repaired.

EAST TEXAS — The National Weather Service in Shreveport will send a team to survey storm damage in East Texas Monday. According to our news partner KETK, the team is expected to concentrate on Smith and Harrison counties. Meanwhile, the service has issued flood warnings for multiple East Texas counties: Rusk County and Gregg County, set to expire Tuesday at 3 p.m.

AUSTIN — It appears red-light cameras will become a thing of the past in Texas. The state Senate passed House Bill 1631, banning them, by a vote of 23 to 8. Senator Bob Hall of Edgewood sponsored the measure. Hall says “these camera systems have little effect on road safety — and have been shown by numerous studies to actually increase the risk of certain types of collisions for drivers in the state.” Governor Abbott is expected to sign the bill into law. He called for the ban in 2018.

LONGVIEW (AP) — Actor Matthew McConaughey has finally received his high school diploma, more than 30 years after graduating. McConaughey was given his original diploma Friday night when he returned to his Texas alma mater to address the class of 2019. A Longview High School spokeswoman told the Longview News-Journal that graduates normally receive diploma holders during commencement ceremonies and that the actual diplomas must be picked up later. She said McConaughey never got his. The 49-year-old graduated from Longview in 1988. He responded to receiving his diploma with one word: “proof.” Continue reading Matthew McConaughey Receives Original High School Diploma

BEN WHEELER – The victims of a Van Zandt County shooting that left two dead and one injured have been identified. The suspect is identified as Fernando Ruiz, 35 of Ben Wheeler. Taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment were Ismael Lugo-Cervantez, 57, and Amanda Dawn Roberts, 33, both of Ben Wheeler. Cervantez later died at the hospital. Roberts is in stable but critical condition. Sheriff’s deputies responded to the home in answer to a disturbance call. The suspect is said to have shot at deputies, who returned fire. The suspect was later found dead behind the house. The investigation is ongoing. Heading up the investigation are the Texas Rangers.

TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Department is looking for two women charged with aggravated assault/causing serious bodily injury. They are Maquesha Renee Henderson, 26, and Akia Saleece Mosley, 19. Warrants have been issued for their arrest. If you know where they may be found, you are asked to contact Detective Hill at 903-566-6600. Continue reading Two Assault Suspects Sought

TYLER – Tyler’s Breckenridge Village held a ribbon cutting Friday for three new homes. Each will offer a long-term home to adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities. This phase of the campus construction started in 2017. Among those providing assistance throughout the building process has been the Texas Baptist Men, led by Bill Pigott. One of the homes was dedicated and named in his honor. The other two homes were posthumously dedicated and named for Pierre deWet and Paul Powell. In addition to the ribbon cutting at each residence, butterflies were released at the homes.

AUSTIN — You’ve seen the jokes on TV: having to go to the DMV to get your driver license renewed and mess with the long lines. Could things soon change in Texas? Legislation from state Senator Brian Birdwell and Marshall state Rep Chris Paddie (pictured) is making its way through the legislative sausage grinder. It would do things like increase the term of a DL from six to eight years. The House is considering the plan. It has to survive one more Senate vote. Another provision is to take licensing operations from the Department of Public Safety and move them to the Department of Motor Vehicles — which means Texas drivers just might have to go to the DMV.

TYLER – It was graduation walk time Friday for some seniors at John Tyler High School. The school’s Advancement Via Individual Determination seniors visited elementary campuses Friday as part of their annual Graduation Walk. It’s the 4th year they visited every elementary school in their attendance zone. Next week the seniors will walk a stage at Chistus Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium and get their diplomas. Graduation day for Seniors at Robert E Lee will be next Friday evening at 8:00. John Tyler Seniors Graduate the following night at 8:00.

LONGVIEW – A Longview school will be shuting down at the end of the school year. Citing a lack of enrollment, East Texas Christian School will be closing after 25 years of operation. It is located on Farm Road 5621, just south of Interstate Highway 20. It is next to the main campus of New Covenant Church, whose lead pastor and wife, Chuck and Diana Warnock, founded the school. The Longview News Journal reports, according to an email from the Head of School, Renee Sawyer, the decision to close was made final during the school board meeting on May 7th.

MARSHALL – Marshall police have released the name of the officer injured in a Monday evening chase. Officer Zach Lastra was running after a man who was accused of threatening a woman a 3 small children. During the chase, the officer and suspect crashed into an apartment window. The officer was taken to a Longview hospital where he underwent emergency surgery to repair injuries to his arm. He is expected to make a full recovery. The suspect he was chasing, Antonio Dejuan Trammel,34, of Marshall, was arrested the following day. In addition to a parole warrant, Trammel was charged with evading arrest or detention causing serious bodily injury and evading arrest or detention with previous convictions.

TYLER – A road in south Tyler will be temporarily closed this week. East Cumberland Road between Wilder Way and Paluxy Drive will be closed for base repairs starting Monday. Construction will begin each morning at 7:00 and work will stop each evening at 6:00. The work will run through Friday. Cumberland Road will be closed to through traffic and only residents will have access. Motorists can expect major delays, so it is important to use an alternate route.

EAST TEXAS – A multijurisdictional sex sting operation in the area has resulted in 4 arrests. Authorities in Smith and Gregg counties, along with state and federal authorities, conducted the operation on Wednesday and Thursday. The suspects were arrested when they arrived at an undisclosed location after soliciting sex online with investigators posing as minors. They were arrested for online solicitation of a minor. They were identified as Rayme Everrett, 18 of Tyler, Manuel Huerta, 28 of Bullard, Randall Earl Powell, 55 of Longview and Gary Dean Tennison, 54 of Henderson. All were booked into the Gregg County Jail.

AUSTIN – Tyler’s employment rate continues to be low, and better than the state’s figure. The Texas Workforce Commission put Tyler’s unemployment rate in April at 2.8%. It was 3.6% in March. A year ago, Tyler’s unemployment rate was 3.4%. Longview’s unemployment rate has also dropped. It went from 3.8% in March to 3.2% last month. A year ago it was 3.9%. The Texas unemployment rate fell to 3.7%, returning to an all-time record low last held in December of 2018. April also marked the 108th consecutive month of annual growth for total nonfarm employment on the state.

TYLER — An accident on South Broadway in downtown Tyler caused traffic problems for about two hours Friday morning. Officers said an 18-wheeler ran into a power pole. Power lines were wrapped around the truck and in the roadway. The southbound lanes of Broadway Avenue were closed at Elm Street. Northbound lanes were closed at Front Street. Police reported late Friday morning that all affected roadways had been reopened. No injuries have been reported.

HENDERSON — Two people are recovering after an oilfield accident near Henderson. According to our news partner KETK, it happened just after 9 Thursday morning. Workers were picking up piping when it separated. Two people were hurt and taken to the hospital, but Thursday afternoon, it was reported they were expected to be OK.

ALTO — A funeral procession was held Thursday afternoon for fallen Alto police officer Keith Radcliff. According to our news partner KETK, Officer Radcliff was on his way home Tuesday when he was called for a welfare check. The officer changed course and headed to the scene. While on the scene, the officer had a medical event and collapsed. He was pronounced dead Thursday afternoon. Chief Jackson has been the police chief in Alto since December 2011 and said this is the first time he has encountered a fallen officer. Radcliff was hired by Jackson about two years earlier. His funeral will be held at the First Baptist Church in Rusk on Sunday, May 19. Visitation will be at 1:00 and the funeral will be at 2:00.

MARSHALL – A Harrison County Justice of the Peace has been arrested. Our news partner KETK reports Harrison County Pct. 1 Justice of the Peace Megan Nicole Grigsby, 33, is free on a $10,000 bond. She has been charged with abuse of official capacity and with the theft of property that was valued between $2,500 and $30,000. Both charges are state felonies.

TYLER – Next year’s race for district 4 on the Tyler city council has become contested. Tyler lawyer Nick Pesina announced Thursday he would seek the post in the election next May. Pesina said he believes in keeping our neighborhoods safe, prioritizing infrastructure and championing economic opportunity throughout the city. Earlier this week Tyler businessman James Wynne announced he would seek the District 4 spot on the city council. That post is now held by Don Warren. He announced earlier this month he would be running for Mayor next year.

MEMPHIS, Tenn – Fred’s Stores announces more closings. Last month they announced the closing of 159 stores. That list included stores in Tyler, Whitehouse, Lindale, Kilgore and Gladewater. Those stores were suppose to be closed by the end of this month. On Thursday, the company announced it would be closing an additional 104 stores. Included on that list are stores in White Oak and Hallsville. Those stores are scheduled to be closed by the end of next month. The company said the closures are taking place at “underperforming” and “unprofitable” stores.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Two persons have been killed and one injured in a shooting in Van Zandt County. It happened near Ben Wheeler just after midnight Thursday morning. The suspect shot at arriving shreiff’s deputies, who returned fire. The suspect was later found dead behind the house. A Man and a woman were taken to Christus Trinity Mother Francis Hosptial-Tyler for treatment of gunshot wounds, where the man died. No word on the woman’s condition. The Texas Rangers are heading up the investigation.

TYLER – The Smith County Republican Party will be getting a new chairman. This comes at the direction of James Dickey, the Republican Party of Texas Chairman. Several months ago the county party’s executive committee took a vote of no confidence against Chairman Brent Thompson. It had been alleged that he had abandoned the office he was elected to in 2016. The Smith County Republican Party’s executive committee has scheduled a meeting for Thursday, May 30 to elect a new party chairman.

GILMER – An Upshur County woman is heading back to prison following her conviction by a jury in Gilmer. After convicting Suzanne Johnston, 51, of engaging in organized crime, the jury sentenced her to 70 years in prison. She was also fined $10,000. Johnston had been previously convicted 12 times across Texas and for one federal crime. Of her 12 previous convictions, six were felony crimes where she had previously been sentenced to prison. Johnston, and two men, were arrested in a sting operation in August, 2017. One of the men, Hardy Weeks, who was her boyfriend at the time, is now dead. The other suspect, Shaun Weeks, is currently awaiting trial in federal court.

HOUSTON (AP) – A tiger, found in a filthy cage in an abandoned house in Houston, now has a permanent home in Henderson County. The tiger’s former owner has been charged with animal cruelty, and is free on bond. The Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison has cared for the 350-pound tiger since it was found in February. A judge has ruled the sanctuary can keep the tiger. He also said that the former owner must pay nearly $12,000 for the animal’s care. The shelter is doing an online poll to name the tiger. The choices are Ezekiel, George, Loki or Navi.

TYLER – The East Texas Food Bank has received a nice donation. Members of the The Rotary Club of Tyler were on hand Thursday morning to present a check for $50,000 to the food bank. The funds will benefit the recently built Tyler Rotary Repackaging Room. The Rotary Club’s fundraising efforts for this project began in 2017. The repackaging Room is part of the East Texas Food Bank’s capital campaign project. It is titled “More Space. More Meals.: Our Blueprint to Fight Hunger.”

AUSTIN –The Texas Senate has approved religious liberty legislation coined the Chick-fil-A bill. State Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola authored it. Hugues says, “If you’re an individual or you’re a business, and you have an affiliation with a religious organization, this bill says the government cannot discriminate against you — they can’t deny you a contract, loan, license; they can’t revoke your tax-exempt status.” In March the San Antonio City Council voted to block Chick-fil-A from opening a restaurant at San Antonio International Airport due to the fast food chain’s legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior.

TYLER – In his 2019 State of the City address for Tyler Wednesday, Mayor Martin Heines shared obstacles and important issues the city faced in 2018 and steps the city has taken to improve them. According to our news partner KETK, one of the big ones that was also on last year’s list is traffic. But the city is working to ease that concern by upgrading the traffic light system that’s been used since the 70s in an effort to better serve the growing city. One other effort is projects by TxDot that promise to expand widely used roads and improve their safety features. Mayor Heines also touched on water, sewer, drainage, and street improvements, as well as celebrating the most recent public safety campaigns and upgrades to city parks.