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TYLER — Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) East Texas kicks off its 6th annual “Tie One On For Safety” Campaign. Spokespeople say it honors outstanding community leaders and law enforcement for saving lives and being “Difference Makers.” In addition to a Wednesday awards luncheon, the holiday “Tie One On For Safety” PSA campaign urges motorists to tie a MADD red ribbon, place a MADD decal or put a MADD red ribbon magnet on the side of their vehicle as a pledge to “drive safe, sober & buckled up” and remind other motorists to do the same. You can pick up the materials in Tyler at the MADD office, 215 Winchester Drive, or at Julian’s restaurant.

Difference Makers Award Honorees include J. B. Smith, Sheriff of Smith County; R. Scott McKee, District Attorney for Henderson County; and Tammi Branch, Victim Volunteer. MADD East Texas Executive Director Leslie Watson says the soon-to-retire Smith was honored for his ongoing service. Watson says she thinks Smith County “is probably one of the toughest place as far as DWI enforcement.” McKee was given credit for his close work with MADD’s victim advocates — and for serving in Iraq for about ten months, while keeping his DA post and continuing to support MADD. Branch has helped raise funds and handled speaking engagements for MADD since losing her son in a 2009 drunk driving crash. Watson terms Branch “an inspiration and a role model.”

Keynote speaker was Kimberly Earle, CEO of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. Also attending was Mayor Barbara Bass and other community leaders. MADD leaders point out that Texas continues to lead the nation in drunk driving fatalities. In 2009, 1,235 Texans lost their lives in drunk driving crashes, 40% of the total driving fatalities that year. Drunk driving is a 100% preventable crime.

GLADEWATER — A woman crossing the railroad tracks in Gladewater has been struck and killed by an Amtrak train. The victim is identified as Crystilla Devorra Houston, 36, of Gladewater. She died instantly. Investigators say the warning signals at the crossing were working properly. The accident happened shortly before 6:00 Tuesday night on Walter Derrick Avenue in downtown Gladewater.

CANTON — Van Zandt County Sheriff R. P. “Pat” Burnett, Jr. has been appointed to three committees of the Sheriffs’ Association of Texas. He has been appointed as Vice Chairman of the Jail Advisory Committee. This committee will provide input as to the daily problems confronting the Sheriffs in maintaining a safe jail and complying with Commission rules and regulations. The second committee, the Legislative Committee, enables the Sheriffs to actively participate in the legislative process and to insure that all bills introduced which affect the duties, responsibilities, training, court and jail functions of the Sheriffs are given proper consideration. When a particular bill affects the Sheriffs, they will be notified so that they may contact their Senators and Representatives concerning their views. The third committee that Sheriff Burnett has been appointed to is the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education Advisory Committee. This committee provides input as to the education, training and curriculum of the training program.

TROUP — The body of a missing Cherokee County man has been found. Investigators are trying to determine the cause of death. The body of Steven L Dowdy, 62, was found Wednesday afternoon in his car in a wooded area off Highway 110, about five miles south of Troup. It appears as if he had been there nearly a week. The body has been sent to a Dallas area lab for autopsy. Dowdy was reportedly last seen at 7:30am on November 11. Relatives were concerned because they say he needed medical care and medication that he did not have with him.

TYLER — Using the input received from residents at the recent neighborhood meeting, the City of Tyler has created a work schedule for the Fall 2010 Neighborhood Empowerment Works (NEW) program. The meeting provided residents an opportunity to meet with representatives from the City to share their ideas and concerns about their neighborhood. The NEW neighborhood’s boundaries are from West Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard between Border and Palace Avenues to West Vance Avenue between Moore and Palace Avenues to Franklin Street. “Resident input is critical to this program,” said Neighborhood Services Director Brenda Johnson. “The residents know their neighborhood better than anyone and are in the best position to identify opportunities for improvement.”

City officials say the NEW program enhances the quality of life for Tyler residents – one neighborhood at a time – by intensely concentrating City services in a specific area for three weeks. Various City departments use information gathered from the neighborhood meeting as well as an examination of the area to identify services that could make an immediate impact on the neighborhood.

Activities scheduled for the Fall 2010 NEW program include mowing yards; picking up trash, including removing large items from yards and moving it to the curb; minor painting and repairs to the exterior of homes in the neighborhood; and trimming branches and bushes. Residents and City employees will work on these activities through Dec. 3. On Jan. 28, the Neighborhood Services Department will make a report to the City Council on the outcomes of the Fall 2010 NEW program. A wrap-up meeting with the neighborhood will be held on Dec. 17 to discuss the results and how to sustain them while giving the residents the opportunity to celebrate their efforts.

This is the 10th NEW neighborhood since the City started the program in 2006. “The NEW program is an important tool that the City uses to stop neighborhood decline in its tracks,” said Mayor Pro Tem Ralph Caraway. “The program has made great progress throughout the City since its inception and the 10th program will certainly continue the success of NEW.”

JACKSONVILLE – The president of Jacksonville College plans to step down. Dr. Edwin Crank has told school trustees he plans to retire at the end of the year. According to the Jacksonville Daily Progress, before taking reins as president in 1988, Crank served as chairman of the Religion Department. Before he joined the faculty of Jacksonville College, Crank served on the faculty of the BMA Theological Seminary and pastor of First Baptist Church, New Summerfield.

TYLER — A teenager accused of stabbing his teacher to death in Tyler will undergo more mental health evaulation. 17-year-old Byron Truvia will be returned to the Vernon State Hospital as early as next week. He’s accused in the September 2009 stabbing death of John Tyler High School teacher Todd Henry. The incident occured inside a school classroom. Prosecutors want Truvia certified as mentally competent so he can be tried on murder charges. The hospital stay could last up to 90 days.

MARSHALL – A 35-year-old Jefferson man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Travis Earl Shelton pleaded guilty on August 17 to possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison on Monday by U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.

According to information presented in court, on July 20, 2009, Shelton purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Walgreens in Marshall in addition to making two other purchases that same day at other stores in the area, all in furtherance of his methamphetamine manufacturing activities.

Shelton was one of nearly four dozen persons indicted by a federal grand jury in Tyler in early May. They were charged with involvement in a methamphetamine manufacturing and distribution criminal enterprise in the Panola, Rusk, Gregg, Upshur, Marion, and Cherokee Counties. The indictments charged the defendants, cumulatively, with over 2000 counts of federal drug violations. The indictments resulted from a lengthy investigation launched by the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, the FBI, the U.S. Marshals Service, the Panola County Sheriff’s Department, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department, the Gilmer Police Department, the Rusk County Sheriff’s Department, the Henderson Police Department, the Gregg County CODE Unit, the Marion County Sheriff’s Department, the Jefferson Police Department, Cherokee County Precinct 4 Constable Office, and the New Summerfield Police Department.

TYLER – A 36-year-old Longview man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations Tuesday in Tyler. Sterling William Blade pleaded guilty on June 23 to possession of child pornography and was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison. According to information presented in court, on Feb. 26, Blade was arrested for failing to register as a sex offender. Blade had been previously convicted of carnal knowledge of a juvenile in 1995 in Bienville Parish, Louisiana and was required to register with local authorities as a sex offender. During the arrest, officers retrieved Blade’s cellular phone and received consent to search the phone.

Analysis of the phone revealed that Blade had received several text messages with photo attachments containing child pornography. The search ultimately revealed that Blade had received 34 pictures of child pornography, and likely distributed those images via text messaging. Officers later located two DVDs in Blade’s home, which contained videos of child pornography. Some of the material depicted children less than 12 years of age engaged in sadistic or masochistic conduct. Blade was indicted by a federal grand jury on Apr. 7, 2010.

HENDERSON — A 2-year-old is dead, and a grandfather may be charged. But when a dog fatally attacks someone, what kind of charges can they face? There have been several dog attacks in East Texas in the last couple of years, and most involved pit bulls. According to KETK, the job of the Rusk County Grand Jury is not going to be an easy one. The death of 2-year-old Kaden Muckleroy involves at least two guilty parties. One is obvious. A pit bull tied to a tree in his grandfather’s yard mauled the toddler to death November 10th. It has been euthanized.

Pit bulls are responsible for anywhere from 47-62% of the fatal dog attacks in this country in the last 5 years. But the grand jury has to decide on charges against the grandfather, Kelvin, who owned the dog along with over 30 others. Half of the animals confiscated were pit bull breeds and many were destroyed. The family claims they were just accumulated over the years.

The Rusk County Grand Jury will meet after the first of the year to look at charges based on the Sheriff’s investigation. But absent a civil suit, the charges will likely involve variations on negligence or child endangerment.

TYLER — One man is dead, one in custody after a police chase and stand-off ends all because of a kiss on the cheek. In the late Sunday night incident, Chad Otis Jones, 39, Arlington, was shot to death. The suspect, Ricky Jay Reynolds, 45, is said to have shot Jones after he saw his wife kiss the victim on the cheek. After the shooting Reynolds is said to have driven off in his truck.

Smith County Deputies, State Troopers and Troup Police forced the driver to stop at County Road 230 and 345, near the Omen community. The suspect refused to come out of his car and told officers he had a gun. After a short time, deputies say they were able to get the man out of his truck and into custody. Authorities searched the vehicle and found a handgun.

WINONA — A fireman is injured fighting a mobile home blaze. KETK-TV reports the fire was around 6:30 Monday evening near Highway 155 and Fannin Parkway south of Winona. The fireman had to be rescued when he fell through the living room floor and became trapped in the burning home. He is listed in good condition this morning. Two other firefighters had to be treated for smoke inhalation. The mobile home was destroyed. The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.

TYLER — Lacks Furniture stores has announced they plan to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. They plan to shut down their stores. Lacks Stores Incorporated plans to hold closing sales their remaining 27 locations across state, including the stores in Tyler, Longview and Lufkin. Lacks blames lenders, who will no longer lend money and are demanding repayments of loans.

NACOGDOCHES — A one vehicle accident on a wet Nacogdoches County Road has killed a Bryan man. The crash on Highway 6 in eastern Nacogdoches County occurred shortly after 6:00 Monday morning. The Department of Public Safety identified the victim as Michael Gaylon Heatly, 24. The report said his east bound pickup hydroplaned on State Highway 7, left the road and hit a tree.

LUFKIN — The Timothy Hamilton home just south of Lufkin has been destroyed by fire. The blaze, which was reported around 10:30 Monday morning, was extinguished by firemen from the Diboll and Fuller Springs Fire Departments. No one was at home when the fire started and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.