KTBB News, Weather, Talk

MARSHALL — East Texas Baptist University has achieved its highest enrollment in over a decade. The Fall 2016 enrollment stands at 1,456 students, 148 students ahead of Fall 2015, an 11.2 percent increase. This figure of 1,456 students represents the University’s highest total enrollment since 2002, when there were 1,496 students enrolled. This semester is the third highest enrollment in institution history, according to an ETBU news release. The overall retention rate for student enrollment is also up to 72 percent, 4 percent higher than that of Fall 2015. ETBU began Fall 2016 with 1,177 full-time undergraduate students, a 7.3 percent increase from Fall 2015. The university has set a record high for graduate student enrollment with 122 students, a 62.7 percent increase from Fall 2015.

TYLER — The City of Tyler narrowed its national search for a new fire chief to three finalists, and hopes to present a recommendation for hire to the City Council on Sept. 28. Finalists are Daniel Baum, assistant fire chief for the city of Pearland; David Coble, the executive assistant fire chief for the city of Fort Worth; and Manuel Fonseca, assistant fire chief for the city of Nashville, Tenn. All are graduates of the National Fire Academy’s Executive Fire Officer Program, hold a Master’s degree or above and have a minimum of fifteen years of experience in fire service. The new chief will replace Tim Johnson, who retired early this year. Assistant Fire Chief Les Schminkey has been serving as interim fire chief.

LONGVIEW — Donald Trump Jr. makes a stop in East Texas this week, with his father due to make a return trip to Texas just days later. The younger Trump scheduled fundraisers Monday and Tuesday in San Antonio, Midland and Longview. The elder Trump will speak at a conference this weekend for the families of victims of illegal immigrants. Maria Espinoza, who runs the remembrance luncheon in Houston, said they finally feel like they have found someone who will listen. She said they finally have a champion in Trump. Espinoza says her phone has been ringing all weekend with people now wanting to attend.

TYLER – One woman has been injured and one arrested following a disturbance on the campus of Tyler’s Texas College. It happened around 1:00 Sunday afternoon. Investigators say a woman, who was injured with an edged weapon, was taken to the hospital by private vehicle. After interviewing witnesses, officers arrested Viviyanna Marie El-Amin. She was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and booked into the Smith County Jail.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of September 12th. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

WHITEHOUSE – County Road 2138, south of Whitehouse will be closed beginning Monday for the reconstruction of the bridge at Blackhawk Creek. Work on the bridge, located 1.2 miles north of Highway 110, is being done by the Texas Department of Transportation and is expected to take about six months. Electronic signs have been placed on the CR 2138 to alert drivers that it is closed to traffic. Motorists will need to find alternate routes during this time. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

LONGVIEW – One person is hospitalized with life threatening injuries following a Longview shooting. It happened shortly after 3:00 Sunday morning at a home in the 1700 block of Alpine Road. Initial reports are the shooting stemmed from an argument between several persons. The investigation is ongoing.

TYLER – A Lufkin man has been arrested and charged with aggravated robbery. He is Edward George, 33. The robbery occurred at the Donut Palace at 4007 South Broadway shortly after 4:30 Sunday morning. George is said to have entered the store and asked for money. When the employee refused his request, he left. George is said to have returned a few minutes later with a large knife and demanded money. When the employee called 911, George left the store. Police say he was found in a nearby parking lot, still in possession of a large knife. He remains in the Smith County Jail under a $100,000 bond.

TYLER – A Saturday morning traffic stop has resulted in the arrest of a Tyler teenager. Taken into custody after he was said to have tried to evade arrest was Robert Antonio Taylor, 19. The traffic stop occurred on West Gentry north of Jordan Street. It was discovered that Taylor had a warrant for his arrest. When taking him into custody, Taylor is said to have put his car in reverse and drove toward a Tyler officer. As another officer pulled him to safety, Taylor’s car is said to have hit a police car, then his vehicle was put into drive and he headed north on Gentry. Officers pursued the car to Loop 323, then east to Point North Road, where it stopped in front of Club Ice. Taylor is said to have then fled on foot into some woods where he was later arrested. Continue reading Teen Arrested After Fleeing Tyler Police

TYLER – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released the list of 2016 distinctions earned through the state accountability system ratings. The ratings are for school districts and charter schools across the state. Tyler ISD earned 28 distinctions. This is up from 23 last year. Distinctions are awarded based on high levels of achievement in four areas. They are student achievement, student progress, closing performance gaps and postsecondary readiness. These areas are also used to determine if a school receives a met standard; met alternative standard or improvement required rating. TISD announced last month all but three campuses received a Met Standard rating for 2016. Continue reading Tyler ISD Earns 28 Distinctions in State Accountability Results

TYLER – Named the director of facilities management at The University of Texas at Tyler is Andy Krouse. He will oversee the full spectrum of campus facility matters including maintenance and repair of campus buildings and infrastructure, custodial services and campus grounds for the university’s more than 200-acre Tyler campus as well as its campuses in Longview and Palestine. Krouse has been in higher education for the past eight years. He has served as an assistant director of facilities management and as an adjunct professor in finance and international business. He has been involved in planning and coordinating facilities small projects; participating on oversight team for all campus capital projects, coordinating projects with various departments such as environmental health and safety and campus police and parking, fiscal administration, human resource actions, work flow management and operational improvement.

LONGVIEW – A search warrant in Longview has turned up drugs and a suspect. The warrant was served at the American Dream Inn, at 2105 East Marshall Avenue, by the Gregg County Drug Enforcement Unit and the Longview Police Department Special Investigations Unit. In a room they found narcotics, including cocaine, and a large amount of cash. Arrested was Luther “Papoose” Lynn Williams, 39, of Longview. He was booked into the Gregg County jail on charges of manufacture/delivery of controlled substance, manufacture/delivery of controlled substance and possession of marijuana. His bonds total over $750,000.

LONGVIEW – One person is hospitalized following an assault and robbery in Longview. It occurred at a home on Clearwood Drive, in northwest Longview, around 10:00 Thursday night. The report on the police department Facebook page listed no suspect description or further details on the incident. The robbery remains under investigation.

TEXARKANA (AP) – An ex-financial director for a Northeast Texas group dedicated to helping needy people has pleaded guilty to conspiring to steal $1.2 million in federal funds. Cynthia Hillard Campbell of Mount Pleasant remains free on bond pending sentencing in Texarkana. Campbell on Wednesday pleaded guilty, in a plea deal, to conspiracy to commit an offense against or to defraud the U.S. government. She faces up to five years in prison. Continue reading Ex-Official with Northeast Texas Group Guilty in Theft Case

TYLER — People Attempting to Help, or PATH, honored two community leaders during its PATH Week celebration luncheon. KETK reports Rosemary and Harold Beaird were given the Gertrude Windsor Award for their hard work and service to the community. Harold helped form the Tyler Junior College Band and served on the boards of directors for many organizations. Rosemary served on PATH’s board of directors for about eight years.

PLANO – A jury in federal court in Plano has found a Sulphur Springs man guilty of two counts of distributing and one count of possessing child pornography. The verdict was returned Thursday against 53 year old Fernando Sosa-Pintor. He had been arrested following an undercover investigation by the Longview and garland Police Departments. At his trial, detectives testified that they downloaded videos of child pornography from an IP address that was traced back to Tradicion Mexicana, a restaurant he owned in Sulphur Springs. He now faces up to 20 years in federal prison on each charge. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office. Continue reading Sulphur Springs Restaurant Owner Guilty of Child Exploitation

LONGVIEW — It’s fair time in Gregg County. KETK reports there’ll be plenty of activities following the 67th Annual Gregg County Fair kickoff Friday night. Those include new rides, a magic show, a petting zoo, carnival games, and more. The fair manager says this year will have something to offer every member of the family. General admission is $6; first responders get in free. The fair runs through September 17.

TYLER — Tyler police warn about a scam. KETK reports a man claiming to work for the city has been offering tree trimming services to the elderly. Halfway through the job, he asks for payment. He says the city will pick up the tree limb and he will return the next day. But victims say he never comes back — and the city does not pick up tree limbs free of charge. The city is asking for anyone affected by this scam to call police.

TATUM – A suspect has been arrested in connection with a weekend shooting in Rusk County. The Longview Police Dpartment and the U.S. Marshal Service have arrested Antonio Manue Contreas-Vielma, 25. He is accused of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The victim was flown to a Tyler hospital for treatment. Rusk county investigators say the 28 year old victim was shot multiple times on a county road near Tatum. The shooting stemmed from an argument over a song playing on a car radio.

TYLER — Tyler Police are searching for a suspect wanted in numerous church burglaries. According to Tyler Police, Kinon Carrelle Peacock, 36, Tyler, was seen in Tyler yesterday. Investigators attempted to take him into custody but he fled on foot from his vehicle. Officials are asking for the public’s help in finding Peacock. Anyone with information about the location of Peacock or any additional information related to these church burglaries is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crime stoppers at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Crime stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and charges filed against the suspects in this case or any felony case.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A fatal wreck Thursday afternoon leaves one man dead and a woman hospitalized. The one vehicle wreck happened around 12:15 on FM-3080, about five miles north of Mabank. Wilmer Turner, 81, Mabank, was ejected when the vehicle rolled. He was pronounced dead at ETMC in Gun Barrel City. The driver, Mary Turner, 65, Mabank was taken to ETMC in Gun Barrel City in stable condition. According to the DPS report, the 2005 Dodge pick-up was traveling east on FM-3080 when it veered off the south side of the roadway. The driver over-corrected and over- turned the vehicle. Mr. Turner was not wearing a seat belt.

BROWNSBORO – One person has been killed in a one vehicle accident in Henderson County. It was reported shortly before 9:30 Thursday morning on Farm Road 804, south of Brownsboro. Dead at the scene was Tracy Davidson, 53, of LaRue. According to the Department of Public Safety report, his car was heading east when it drove off the road and hit a tree.

LONGVIEW – A man who broke into Good Shepherd Medical Center has been charged with criminal mischief causing between $2,500 and $30,000 in damage. In the Gregg County Jail under a $3,500 bond is Braden Lee Licko, 53. He is said to have broken into the hospital shortly after midnight on Wednesday. He is accused of breaking a window and flooding part of the hospital after clogging a sink. He suffered cuts on his hands and arms and left some of his blood on hospital furniture.

GRAND SALINE – Authorities are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing Van Zandt County woman. Grand Saline police say Amanda Michelle Pettis, 31, was last seen around 8:30 Monday evening. She was said to have been in a small blue SUV with an unknown white man who had a heavy build. She was wearing blue jeans, a blue t-shirt and tennis shoes. She is described as being five feet tall, weighing around 150 pounds, with brown eyes and brown shoulder-length hair. If you know where she may be found contact the Grand Saline Police Department or your local law enforcement agency.

AUSTIN – The state comptroller’s office is sending out over $629 million in local sales tax allocations for September.These allocations are based on sales made in July. And the figure is down from the same period last year. And the local figures are also running lower. Tyler’s sales tax allocation for the period is $2.9 million. This is down 6.63% from last year. For the year, Tyler’s sales tax allocation exceeds $29 million. This is off 4.38% for the year. And the results in Longview are comparable. Longview’s September allocation is $2.1 million, or 4.11% under the same period in 2015. For the year, Longview’s sales tax allocation is over $22.4 million, or 4% under for the year. We’re not alone. The cities of Houston, Midland, San Antonio saw decreases is sales tax allocations. But Dallas and Plano saw noticeable increases.

TYLER – More mosquito samples collected in Tyler have turned up positive for the West Nile Virus. The latest samples taken by Tyler Mosquito Control, which showed positive for the disease, were collected near the intersection of Thigpen Drive and Gatewood Drive in South Tyler. The samples were collected on August 30th. Twice in July, positive samples were collected on Kidd Drive in South Tyler and once on Donnybrook Drive, across from rose Rudman Park. Each time, Tyler Mosquito Control treated the areas and conducted a door-to-door campaign to inform and educate residents in the area about West Nile Virus virus and preventative measures for it. Continue reading Tyler Mosquito Control Finds West Nile Virus in Testing Sample

TYLER — Tyler police have released the results of the latest No Refusal Campaign conducted over the Labor Day Holiday. According to officials, the results are from September 2nd through September 5th. Total DWI arrests for the No-Refusal initiative for all agencies were 18. DPS had 11 DWI , Tyler PD had 4 DWI arrests, Bullard PD had 1 DWI arrest, Lindale PD had 1 DWI arrest and Smith County Sheriff’s Office had 1 DWI arrest. Total number of search warrants for blood obtained was 4. DPS obtained 3 search warrants for blood and Tyler PD obtained 1 search warrant for blood. This is a grand total of 18 DWI arrests with 4 (22%) search warrants for blood obtained.

TYLER — The City of Tyler has started renaming several streets. According to KETK, some of the areas in question right now are Sunnybrook Drive, West 8th Street past West 9th Street, Frankston Highway, between West 7th Street and Earl Campbell Parkway and South Palace Street that runs into a dead-end. The city says they are looking at renaming those areas to help clear up any confusion with duplicated names for EMS.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — A jailer in Nacogdoches County has been presented an award for saving the life of an inmate who attempted to hang himself. According to KETK, the incident took place in mid August, when jailer Ricky Eberlan was making his rounds inspecting each cell. He had been by the cell earlier passing out food trays to the inmates. The inmate was not scheduled to be checked on for another 25 minutes, but Sheriff Bridges said it’s very thorough and came back six minutes later, and that is what saved the inmate’s life. Continue reading Jailer Recognized as “Life Saver”

LONGVIEW – One person is in custody in connection with an Longview shooting early last month. Arrested late last week was Traymon Lamarius Davis, 25, of Overton. He has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection with a shooting on August 13th on Raney Street. Two persons were injured. Davis was arrested for a traffic violation the day after the shooting. He was released on bond. He was rearrested after a Texas Department of Public Safety forensic scientist matched a shell casing found in Davis’ car with a shell casing found at the Raney Street shooting. He remains in the Gregg County jail under a $100,000 bond.