KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – The National weather service says April was the 5th wettest April on record with 9.28 inches of rain recorded. The last rain event in Tyler saw 4.01 inches of rain fall. The one just before that saw 3.81 inches of rain fall. The May 3 and 4 rainfall was not the most recorded on those days. You have to go all the way back to 1887 for the record when 7.70 inches of rain was recorded

GLADEWATER – A woman has died after being hit by a train in Gladewater. It happened shortly after 6:45 Saturday evening. She has been identified as Heidi O’Brien, 39. Gladewater police say she was spray painting on the side of the track when the train hit her. She was pronounced dead at the scene.

EAST TEXAS – Complete and unofficial returns
It will be a runoff between Shirley McKeller and Pamela Phoenix for the city council seat.

Tyler City Council District 3
Dalila Reynoso133
Shirley McKeller 234
Pamela Phoenix 173 Continue reading Unofficial Election Returns

TYLER – A student research assistant in the Department of Biology at the University of Texas at Tyler has been recognized for her research work that focuses on lung disease. UT Tyler junior biology major Shandis Fancher of Lindale received second and third place awards in pathogenic microbiology research at this year’s American Society of Microbiology and the Beta Beta Beta Honors Society Conferences. Fancher plans to attend medical school after graduating from UT Tyler next year.

LONGVIEW – On Monday, June 10, at New York’s Carnegie Hall, Jim Taylor will lead a chorus of more than 130 voices, including members of two ensembles he directs, in the New York premiere of his own composition, Cambridge Songs Suite No. 2. It will be the first performance at the historic venue of a work by Dr. Taylor, and his first appearance there as a conductor. The LeTourneau Singers and the Longview Civic Chorus will be taking part in the concert.

East Texas — Water levels are high at lakes across East Texas. Lake Tylerand Lake Cherokee are closed. Lake Gladewater, which had been reopened, has been closed again because of rising water levels. The city of Jacksonville has reopened Lake Jacksonville.

TYLER – The Tyler Junior College Student Senate brought home several group and individual honors from the Texas Junior College Student Government Association Convention held in Dallas. TJC senate member Brooks Melton, of Tyler, was named state president for 2019-2020, which will also be the 50th anniversary year of the organization. TJC senate secretary Hannah Lair, of Carlinville, Illinois, served as state secretary of the organization this year. Continue reading TJC Student Senate Earns Honors

KILGORE – The Texas Department of Transportation is preparing to remove the pedestrian bridge at Kilgore College and reopen Business US 259 to traffic. Weather permitting, they plan to have the job completed by Monday. The bridge received severe damage when it was hit by an oversized load last Saturday. The roadway has remained closed for the safety of motorists. TxDOT says the contractor set-up its field operations Saturday and will conduct bridge removal activities today. Additional cleanup work will be conducted Monday before BU 259 is opened to traffic. That is the plan unless the work is delayed by unforeseen conditions. Continue reading Pedestrian Bridge at Kilgore College to be Torn Down

AUSTIN – A bill to strengthen power line safety inspections has been given unanimous support by the Texas House of Representatives. It is called the “William Thomas Heath Power Line Safety Act.” It was co-authored by representatives Chris Paddie of Marshall and Jay Dean of Longview.The vote was 145 to zero. The bill stems from a deadly accident on Lake O’ the Pines in August of 2017. Three boy scouts were sailing on the lake when their mast came in contact with a low hanging power line. The three boys were electrocuted. The measure now heads to the senate, where a positive vote there would send it to the governor.

TYLER – Tyler is seeking input about city parks now, and in the future. It is part of the city’s 1st comprehensive planning process for, not only parks, but also about open spaces, historic preservation and future land use and annexation. One of the ways you can make your thoughts known is at an open house next week. It will be held Tuesday evening from 5:30 to 7:30 at the Tyler Minicipal Rose Garden. The purpose of the open house is to seek resident input on the implementation and status of the selected areas of focus. It will also look at the city’s future needs. City officials will analyze the input and incorporate the resident feedback into their decision process during the Tyler 1st Comprehensive Plan update. Continue reading Planning for Tyler’s Future Parks Needs

KILGORE – Kilgore has reported an unauthorized discharge from its wastewater treatment plant. It happened between 4:00 and 9:00 Thursday morning. The 5 inch rain dropped an excessive amount of water into the system. Since several valves were closed because of construction at the plant, wastewater went over the tops of several of the units. They estimate between 400,000 and 600,000 gallons of partially treated wastewater flowed into Big Head Creek and then into Rabbit Creek. The city says there appears to be no threat to public health as this area is remote and unpopulated and the spill was very diluted in the flooding of Bighead Creek.

SULPHUR SPRINGS (AP/STAFF) – The body of a 44-year-old woman has been found in a Hopkins County drainage ditch after her car became stranded in high water. The accident came after severe thunderstorms passed through the area. Killed was Martha Patricia Torres-Regalado of Sulphur Springs. She and another woman were driving late Wednesday when their car became stuck in a flooded drainage ditch. The second woman went to seek help and when she returned Torres-Regalado was gone. Her body was found the next day in a drainage ditch blocks away.

SMITH COUNTY – City and school elections are scheduled in Smith County on Saturday. Voters will select persons to serve on the Tyler city council and school board. There are three city council positions on the ballot, but only one race is contested. That is for council district 3 in northwest Tyler. Wanting the post is Dalila Reynoso, Shirley McKeller and Pamela Phoenix. There are two contested school board races. Retired TISD principal Freeman Sterling is up against banker and TISD Foundation director Marc Loredo in District 3. The District 6 race features Fritz Hager seeking re-election against Lisa McClure. Continue reading The Polls Are Open

LUFKIN — Lufkin police are investigating what they say appears to be the accidental shooting death of 2 year Axton Richardson. He was at a family member’s home in the Inwood Terrace subdivision when the accidental shooting occurred around Thursday night. Paramedics rushed the boy to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. The incident remains under investigation.

EAST TEXAS – Only one Tyler road remains closed following the thunderstorms that moved through the area Thursday morning. Old Hickory Road will be closed to thru-traffic from Cumberland Road until further notice while crews work to repair a sinkhole. People living past the road closure on Old Hickory will be able to access their homes from Skidmore Lane by way of Paluxy Drive. Residents who observe the flooding of streets, creeks, overwhelmed or clogged storm inlets, or sinkholes are urged to contact City of Tyler Streets and Stormwater Management at 903-531-1393. For after-hours emergency issues, please call the City of Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000.

TYLER – A Smith County murder suspect’s pre trial hearing has been delayed. The attorney for Kristian Perdomo, 25 had requested the delay. He said his expert in the case has not yet met with Perdomo and they are still awaiting some DNA results. Plus, he still needed time to go over some of the evidence in the case. The hearing was reset for July 11th. Perdomo was arrested in a string of gang related shootings in which five persons died over a ten day period in Smith County last December.

KILGORE – Over night storms brought flooding to East Texas and the high water rescue of four persons in Rusk County. The two adults and two children, one an infant, were stranded on top of their car off County Road 1114 at the Rabbit Creek Bridge near Kilgore. Their car had been swept off the road and into some trees. New London, Kilgore Fire, and Kilgore Rescue units were called out for the swift water rescue. Around 9:00 Thursday morning it was reported all four had been rescued and all were unharmed.

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Martin Heines Thursday welcomed hundreds to the city’s 28th annual Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast at Harvey Convention Center, in conjunction with the National Day of Prayer. This year’s theme was “Love One Another.” A variety of speakers and guests focused on ending homelessness, combating sexual exploitation, mentoring youth, adoption and foster care, corporate prayer and worship, and general blessing. Attendees also got a preview of this fall’s CityFest East Texas, featuring evangelist Andrew Palau. In his closing remarks, Heines drew attention to the difference faith-based institutions and nonprofits make in the community. He said, “I am so thankful and proud as mayor that I get to represent people that have that compassion and understand the importance that it plays in the community.”

SMITH COUNTY – Polls will open Saturday in city and school board races in Smith County. During early voting for the city and school elections in Smith County, 2,145 ballots were cast. The break out looks like this, in the Tyler city council and school board races, a combined total of 826 people voted. In the Bullard school board races, 439 people voted. The Winona city and school board races saw 193 persons vote and in the Chapel Hill school board election, 687 people voted. The polls will open Saturday morning at 10 polling sites around the county.

MARSHALL – Marshall police say their drug take back drive was successful. It was held Saturday at Marshall High School. Over 165 pounds of expired or unnecessary drugs were turned in. The drugs were given to the DEA in Tyler on Monday. Anyone who might have missed the event can bring their unused or expired prescription medication to the drop-box located in the lobby of the Marshall Police Department. The drop box is accessible 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

TYLER – Smith County has received the 2018 Excellence in Safety Award from the Texas Association of Counties. The award is for maintaining a safe workplace. The award was presented at the Texas Association of Counties Conference in Austin. During the Smith County Commissioners Court meeting, County Administrator and Human Resources Director Leonardo Brown recognized his staff members Esmeralda Delmas, HR Coordinator; and Jaye Lynn Collins, Administrative Assistant who handles the county’s day-to-day workers’ compensation program.

WASHINGTON – A new federal judge will be seated in Tyler. The U.S. Senate voted to confirm Campbell Barker in the post. The vote was 51 to 47, with 2 GOP senators not present. Barker was former Deputy Solicitor General of Texas. He served four years in the criminal division of the Justice Department before his duties in Texas. Both Texas senators John Cornyn and Ted Cruz voted in favor of Barker and both released statements with high praise for him.

LONGVIEW – A man accused of killings at a Longview hospital gets life prison terms. Kyron Rayshawn Templeton, 28, of Longview, pleaded guilty in state district court Wednesday. He was given two life terms for the two stabbing deaths. They will run concurrently. He also pleaded guilty to injuring a nurse and a visitor. He was given two twenty year sentences for the assaults. The Longview News Journal reports, they will also run concurrently, but will not be served until the life terms are complete. The attacks occurred in November 2013 at then-Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, while he was at the hospital for his mother’s surgery.

TYLER — The Tyler Junior College Board of Trustees has selected Dr. Juan E. Mejia as the lone finalist to be TJC’s next President. Mejia currently serves as TJC’s President for Branch Locations & District Provost. The Board’s decision comes after an extensive national search and thorough interview process, according to a news release. TJC received 83 applications. A screening committee interviewed 11 semifinalists, eventually narrowing the field to four finalists. TJC Board President Mike Coker noted that Mejia was the first choice of the faculty, staff, students, and community members who participated in the selection process. As sole finalist, Mejia will be confirmed at a meeting on May 23 and will begin July 1 as the seventh President of Tyler Junior College. He’ll succeed the retiring Dr. Mike Metke.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road 472 is open to drivers after a culvert replacement. CR 472 — between Farm-to-Market Road 849 and CR 411 — was closed Monday to replace a cross pipe and was opened back up to traffic on Tuesday. The road is just east of Hideaway, in Precinct 3.

EAST TEXAS – The 4th annual East Texas Giving Day produced a record amount of donations. In the 18 hours ending at midnight last night, $1,308,861 was raised. The money from 3,603 donations will go to 183 East Texas nonprofit agencies. The East Texas Communities Foundation said that that the current results on the website are still subject to final review and verification. Last year 158 area nonprofits received over $750,000 in donations.

TYLER – Tyler Junior College trustees are scheduled to name a new president on Wednesday. In January, Chancellor Dr. Mike Metke announced he planed to retire June 30. A total of 83 men and women applied for the position, and after a thorough review of each applicant by a board-appointed screening committee, the pool was narrowed to several semi-finalists, who were interviewed. Last week, TJC hosted the four finalists. Each candidate spent a day participating in a variety of visits, interviews, and forums attended by the TJC Board, community members, faculty and staff. School trustees met in a closed session Monday afternoon to deliberate on the new president. The board has its regular meeting Wednesday morning at 11:00 at which time they are scheduled to announce the sole finalist. A 21-day waiting period will then begin. On May 23, the TJC Board will vote and make it official, the person who will be the seventh president of Tyler Junior College, who will take office on July 1. Continue reading Closer to a New President for TJC

SHREVEPORT – Caddo Parish authorities have identified a Harrison County man killed in a weekend vehicle/pedestrian accident. Raymond Abercrombie Jr., 37, of Waskom, died in a Shreveport hospital just over half an hour after the accident. It happened just before 4:00 Saturday morning on state Highway 3132. Investigators say he was wearing dark clothing when he tried to cross the highway. The driver said he thought he had hit a deer trying to cross the road.