KTBB News, Weather, Talk

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.

TYLER – A court reporter has been honored for her 25 years of service to Smith County. Kim Christopher was honored at Tuesday’s commissioner’s court meeting. She was the first African American woman to be hired as a Smith County court reporter. She has worked for numerous judges over the years. She served as a roving reporter, working in a different court each day or for weeks at a time. She has also taken the record for grand jury proceedings. She is currently the court reporter for County Court-at-Law Judge Jason Ellis.

MARSHALL – The City of Marshall unveiled a new “no littering sign.” It is part of a larger anti-litter education campaign that the city is promoting in an effort to get citizens to tackle the litter problem. In an effort to create a cleaner and safer environment and maintain a focus on creating an attractive community, the City Commission passed legislation last week strengthening the existing litter regulations. Continue reading Marshall’s Battle Against Litter

SMITH COUNTY – The annual Smith County-Wide Clean Up ends this Saturday. The program allows residents to take bulky items to the landfill for free. Smith County residents can use vouchers which are available at the Smith County Courthouse Annex and all justice of the peace/constable offices. They can be redeemed at the Greenwood Farms Landfill, at 12920 Farm-to-Market Road 2767, or Old Kilgore Highway, in Tyler. Smith County citizens will be able to take 3 cubic yards of solid waste, which fills the bed of a regular sized pickup, and/or bulk items to be disposed of at the landfill. Items not accepted include: hazardous waste, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, gasoline, oils, paint, acid, batteries, Asbestos, wet paint, Freon, whole tires, televisions, computers, refrigerators and freezers.

KILGORE – Traffic on Business 259 at Kilgore College continues to be rerouted after a weekend accident. The pedestrian bridge at the school was struck last Saturday by an oversized load. The impact caused significant damage to the underside of the bridge. The location could remain closed for several days. The pedestrian walkway is also closed to foot traffic until further notice. Motorists should use alternate routes to avoid delays. TxDOT engineers, along with a Kilgore College consulting engineer, are evaluating the bridge and options for opening the roadway to traffic. Traffic will remain detoured as follows:- BU 259 northbound rerouted to FM 1249 – BU 259 southbound rerouted to Houston St., then SH 135.

TYLER — A Tyler man has now been charged with intoxication manslaughter following a wreck March 4. Ethan John Craft, 24, of Tyler, was booked into the Smith County Jail April 29 with bond set at $500,000. The wreck at Loop 323 and Paluxy left Dan Gonzalez, 24, of Tyler, dead at the scene. According to the original police report, a Jeep driven by Craft was traveling southbound on Paluxy at a high rate of speed when he ran a red light and hit the driver’s side of a Yukon driven by Gonzalez. Investigators say Craft’s blood/alcohol content was three times over the legal limit.

LONGVIEW – The Texas Department of Public Safety is asking for assistance from the public on a hit and run accident. It happened Sunday night just after 8:20 on Farm Road 2767 near State Highway 31 in Gregg County. Injured was a pedestrian, Bridget Lee Scott, 38, of Longview. She is in critical condition at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Francis Hospital in Tyler. She was hit by a northbound white pickup, possibly a Chevrolet. Video obtained from a nearby business shows a white pickup truck traveling north about the same time as the accident. Continue reading Vehicle Sought in Gregg County Hit and Run Accident

TYLER – An investigator with the Tyler Police Department submitted her resignation following her arrest Saturday morning. Melinda Weaver, 32, was charged with public intoxication. She is currently free on a $260 surety bond. Police public information officer Don Martin said Weaver had been with the department just over 6½ years.

HALLSVILLE – A manager of a Brookshire’s store in east Texas is in the running for a national award. Ray Jackson, who is store director at the Brookshire’s store in Hallsville, is in the running for the Food Marketing Institute’s 2019 Store Manager Award. Jackson has been with Brookshire’s for 38 years. He took over his current duties in 2012. Even though there was no growth in the community or reduction in competitors, his store saw a sales increase of 2.26% last year. The winners will be announced on May 14th in St. Louis, Missouri.

KILGORE – Some students have won scholarship money at Kilgore College just by playing a game. The “Clash for College” video game tournament, hosted by the KC Gamers Guild, awarded $4,000 in KC scholarships as prizes for the top five winners of the tournament. It was open to KC students and high school juniors and seniors, it featured Overwatch for Xbox in a one-versus-one double-elimination format. Continue reading Win a Game, Earn Scholarship Money