KTBB News, Weather, Talk

GLADEWATER (AP) — The mother of Chicago Bears coach Lovie Smith has died in an East Texas hospital at the age of 77. Mae Smith had long suffered from diabetes. Gregory Dearion of Dearion & Davis Funeral Parlor in Gladewater said her funeral is scheduled for Saturday afternoon at Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins, Texas. Dearion said Smith’s husband died in 1996.

Born in the small East Texas town of Big Sandy, Mae Evelyn Chalk Smith was a longtime resident of nearby Tyler. In a 2007 interview with the Tyler Morning Telegraph, she said she had been a Dallas Cowboys fan until her son became the Bears coach. Lovie Smith, a former Tulsa University football star, led the Bears to that year’s Super Bowl, where they lost to Indianapolis.

NASHVILLE (AP) – Lindale’s Miranda Lambert has so many nominations for Academy of Country Music Awards that Ronnie Dunn jokes it seems like she has 35. She actually leads with seven and she says that’s “awesome.” Lambert and Dunn announced many of the nominations Tuesday morning on “The Early Show” on CBS. Lambert will compete for entertainer of the year with Taylor Swift, Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, Toby Keith and Jason Aldean. Carrie Underwood won that top award the past two years, but isn’t nominated this year. Lambert’s fiance Blake Shelton has two nominations and will co-host the ACMs with Reba McEntire on April third.

LONGVIEW — Longview police say they’ve arrested a Gilmer man on burglary charges. On Saturday, around 10:00 p.m., Officers received information that the suspect in several area commercial burglaries was seen in the area of North Eastman Road and East Marshall Avenue. When officers arrived they located the subject walking in the 1900 Block of East Marshall Avenue. Police say the suspect led officers on a short foot pursuit. The DPS helicopter was also deployed, and the suspect was apprehended a short time later. The suspect was identified as Keir Jacques Harris, 40, of Gilmer. Harris was arrested for evading arrest and two counts of burglary. The investigation continues, and more charges may be filed at a later date.

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department has a new chief and assistant chief today. Yesterday morning, Don Dingler, pictured here, took the oath of office as the new Chief of Police. Chief Dingler has served in a variety of capacities during his 37 years with the Longview Police Department, including serving as Assistant Chief since 2003. Dingler succeeds Chief J.B. McCaleb who recently retired.

Following the swearing in of Chief Dingler, the Police Department also swore in Michael Bishop as an Assistant Chief for the department. Serving in the position previously held by Dingler, Assistant Chief Bishop will provide oversight to the Administrative Bureau.

LONGVIEW — Three persons have been arrested and a Longview massage parlor has been shut down. An undercover officer entered Sakura Spa at 2010 Gilmer Road and made arrangements for a 2 person massage. When it was agreed upon, officers entered the business and requested to see the massage therapist licenses. Two women who did not have licenses through the state of Texas to perform massages were detained. The owner, Sam Gee, 60, of Bellerose, New York, was arrested for operating a massage establishment without a license. The women, Thye Ng, 51, and Vivan Huang, 46, both of Longview, were charged with massage without a license.

MARSHALL — One East Texas city is taking steps to help out its most vulnerable citizens during this cold snap. The city of Marshall is opening an emergency shelter for residents who can’t escape the cold on their own. City Manager Frank Johnson says the shelter will be open until the weather warms up, probably sometime this weekend.

TYLER — Austin Bank was recently selected as one of the Best Companies to Work for in Texas 2011. This is the third year for Austin Bank to receive the award. The awards program is a project of Texas Monthly magazine. “Austin Bank is especially proud to receive this honor because it came from the input of our employees,” said Jeff Austin III, Vice Chairman of the Board. “The success of our bank has been built by a wonderful team of dedicated, professional employees.”

TYLER — With the snow and freezing temperatures, the City of Tyler is recommending continued precautions. Residents are encouraged to wrap exposed faucets, use caution if driving and turn off any irrigation and sprinkler equipment that could potentially reach streets and sidewalks.

“Commercial faucet covers and pipe insulation are available to reduce the chances of freezing,” explained Public Works Director Greg Morgan. “However, if commercial products are not available residents can also use newspaper or towels duct taped around the faucet to provide some protection from the freezing conditions and help prevent breakage.”

During episodes of freezing temperatures, residents are encouraged to avoid driving if possible. Overpasses and bridges are typically the first areas that freeze, so extreme caution should be taken in these locations. Sand trucks have been fully loaded and stand ready should icy conditions manifest. However, the Police Department advises avoiding the following areas should the temperature fall below freezing:

Beckham Street Overpass near Gentry Parkway; Fifth Street Overpass near Beckham; Fleischel and Saunders Overpass; Shiloh Road east of Paluxy (sloping road) and Loop 49 at overpasses.

The airport has completed all winter storm preparation procedures, including ensuring that de-icing materials are available, checking all generators to confirm they are operational, preparing sidewalk cleaning equipment and materials, and readying tractors for quick response. Travelers are urged to check the City web page at
http://www.cityoftyler.org for the latest flight information.
In the event of extreme weather, Transit service may be briefly postponed or cancelled. Check the City web page for the latest information.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin man accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl was found not guilty by an Angelina County jury Monday afternoon. Felix Aguirre, 46, stood accused of repeatedly sexually assaulting a girl in his family from the time she was age 13 to age 16. The girl testified last week that Aguirre would come into her room after her mother went to sleep and force her to have sex with him about three times a week.

The jury heard a recording the girl made of her and her mother confronting Aguirre about the abuse was brought into evidence. At one part in the tape, the mother can be heard asking Aguirre for money, $15,000 and she would “keep her mouth shut,” according to testimony. Aguirre took the stand Friday, saying he never sexually assaulted the girl and he believed it was about money to the girl and her mother.

TYLER — A Rusk County woman has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking charges. Ivana Robinson Adkins, 35, of Mt. Enterprise, pleaded guilty to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine Monday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. She faces up to 20 years in federal prison for the violation. A sentencing date has not been set. Federal prosecutors say Adkins traveled to various pharmacies in the East Texas to purchase cold pills containing pseudoephedrine to aid her in her methamphetamine manufacturing activities.

KAUFMAN, Texas (AP) — A 21-year-old Virginia man is hospitalized in fair condition after falling 110 feet from an East Texas water tower. A Kaufman County Sheriff’s Department spokeswoman says Brandon Milley of Hampton, Va., fell Sunday morning while painting the North Kaufman Water Supply tower.

Spokeswoman Pat Laney tells The Dallas Morning News that Milley employed by Worldwide Industrial Corp. of Butler, Pa., which has the tower maintenance contract. She also says he was wearing a safety rig when the fall happened and an investigation continues into just how it happened.

Laney says Milley was airlifted to Parkland Memorial Hospital after the 9:21 a.m. Sunday accident in critical condition and saw his condition improve by Monday.

TYLER — East Texas is again expecting very low temperatures this week. So far, this winter, PATH has given out more blankets than ever before. The need for heat during these extreme temperatures will result in higher than normal utility bills for families that simply can’t afford it.

“We don’t have any blankets right now,” said Christina Fulsom, executive director of PATH. “This is really a dangerous scenario. People, especially children, the ill and elderly, are at risk in these extremely low temperatures.”

PATH officials urge supporters to donate new blankets or money towards helping people with their utility bills. “Those on fixed incomes may be inclined to keep their heaters off to avoid the higher utility bills,” she added. “And some may need to purchase propane to keep warm. …Donations towards this kind of assistance are always needed and can literally save lives.”

You are asked to bring new blanket donations to the PATH office, 402 West Front Street Tyler from 8:30am to 4:30pm. Monetary donations can be designated for blankets or heat assistance and can be mailed at the West Front Street address or you can go http://www.PATHhelps.org and make a donation online.

TYLER — A Tyler hospital is among entities paying close attention after Monday’s Florida ruling on health care reform. Physician Hospitals of America (PHA) and Texas Spine and Joint Hospital are challenging the constitutionality of Section 6001 of Healthcare Reform in Texas Federal Court. An official decision is awaited in that case. Section 6001 bans further expansion or construction of Physician Owned Hospitals (POHs).

In response to the Florida ruling, lead attorney Scott Oostdyk of McGuireWoods says, “The Florida federal court has declared the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act to be unconstitutional in its entirety. Section 6001 of that law bars expansion by only one type of hospital — those that are physician-owned. We are hopeful that the Florida decision will stop the enforcement by the federal government of all unconstitutional limitations on hospital expansion, and PHA will seek that relief in the courts.” A news release from the hospital says PHA and its attorneys will continue to analyze this ruling and their various options moving forward.

There are currently 285 POHs in 34 states. These hospitals include general acute care, long term acute care, emergency medicine, multispecialty, women’s, children’s, rehabilitation and psychiatric.

JACKSONVILLE (AP) – An East Texas woman cited as the world’s oldest person has died at the age of 114. Patricia Ellis of Boren-Conner Funeral Home of Jacksonville says Eunice G. Sanborn of Jacksonville died Monday morning at her home. A message left with Sanborn’s caretaker, David French, was not returned Monday. The Los Angeles-based Gerontology Research Group in Los Angeles listed Sanborn as the world’s oldest person, based on data from the 1900 census. Robert Young of the group said the title now passes to 114-year-old Besse Cooper of Monroe, Georgia, who is 114 years and five months old. Sanborn acquired the distinction November 4 upon the death of a French nun, Eugenie Blanchard, on the French Caribbean island of St. Barts. She was 114.

TYLER — Tyler police say that it will not be up to the drivers of the vehicles involved in a Monday accident on Highway 271 to file charges against each other. A report on the incident, outside Loop 323, will be sent to a property claims department, where it will be decided whether or not both drivers will face charges.

Witnesses tell officers a Volkswagen was driving too close to a pickup truck, and the driver of the truck began tapping his brake to get the driver of the car to let up. When the VW driver went to pass the truck, witnesses say the driver of the truck jumped to the other lane to prevent the car from passing. Eventually the vehicles hit. One vehicle ran off the road and hit a power pole. No outages were reported. One driver was taken to the hospital but was quickly released. The vehicles were both towed away. Witnesses say both drivers were at fault. Police say it is fortunate that the incident did not cause a head-on collision.

TYLER — Over a month after they were discovered, some good news for a group of abused horses in Lindale. Two of them made their way to a new home in Tennessee on Sunday. In December, after numerous complaints about a herd of malnourished horses, rescuers found 43 emaciated horses and about a dozen skeletal remains. The SPCA of East Texas and the Humane Society brought the horses to the East Texas State Fairgrounds for rehabilitation. For the past month, they’ve been getting good food, exercise and vaccinations, all in preparation to find the horses a new home.

TROUP — Alcohol measures could possibly make the ballot again in East Texas. Troup’s city manager says he’s heard of petitions circulating in his community. He says petitions must have 115 signatures and be turned in by Friday. If the signatures are verified, the measures would be on the May 14th ballot.

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County deputies say a car crashed inches from a house Monday off Highway 110, south of Interstate Highway 20. Officials say the driver was speeding on a curved portion of the highway, lost control and slid off the wet road. The car crashed through a homeowner’s fence and yard, sliding to a halt on its side just inches away from the house. No one was injured during the accident. The driver was ticketed for traveling at an unsafe speed.

TYLER — A suspect is sought in a Monday morning aggravated robbery. Just before 10:00, Tyler Police responded to Henderson Chicken at 2122 North Grand. A male employee told officers he was working inside the business when two black males entered, pointing guns and yelling it was a robbery. The suspects were wearing all black and black ski masks. According to police, the employee gave them an undetermined amount of cash, and the suspects left in a black station wagon, unknown type or model. The employee was not harmed.

NACOGDOCHES — A crash in Nacogdoches claimed the life of a Stephen F. Austin student. Justin Shank, 28, was killed Friday night after a truck reportedly collided with his motorcycle. It happened along the 2700 block of North Street around 7:00. Police said Shank was pronounced dead at Memorial Hospital.

WHITEHOUSE — Smith County Game Warden Chris Green makes an uncommon stop, on land. It happened Saturday afternoon when Green decided to grab a bite to eat near the lake in Whitehouse. He says he came across some driving behavior not commonly seen in the middle of the day. “There was a truck in front of me that was weaving from side to side. I thought they might be on the cell phone or texting. I was gonna stop them and tell them they couldn’t do that,” Green said. Then the truck hit a driver stopped at the red light and veered into oncoming traffic.

After Green forced the young man out of the truck, he cuffed him and sat him down on the side of the road while he cleared traffic and called Whitehouse P.D. “Clearly his eyes were just, you know, they were dialated, going every which way, and clearly impaired on something,” Green said. He says alcohol was found in the vehicle.

The man was to be booked into the Smith County Jail and charged with driving under the influence.

TYLER — A Tyler aggravated robbery suspect has been arrested. Early Monday morning officers responded to 1118 West Gentry Parkway to a report of a robbery in progress. When they arrived, officers saw a suspect running from the store. After a brief foot pursuit, they were able to arrest Ronald Howard, 42, Tyler. Howard was positively identified by the store clerk and was booked into the Smith County Jail on aggravated robbery charges.

TYLER — Tyler police are investigating an aggravated robbery that was reported around 9:45 Sunday night at Super One Foods at 1105 East Gentry Parkway. A woman told officers she was robbed at gunpoint by a black male described as mid 20’s and having a thin build. The suspect left on foot in an unknown direction. No injuries were reported.

LUFKIN – A Lufkin woman has died in a weekend accident in Lufkin. It happened around 9:30 Saturday night on Loop 287 at Lotus Lane. Killed was Connie McKay, 45. A passenger in her car was injured. Lufkin police say she was attempting to cross the loop when her car was broadsided by a car that ran a red light. The driver was arrested after fleeing the scene on foot. He is identified as Leobardo Nieves, 20. He was booked into the Angelina County Jail on a charge of intoxication manslaughter.

LONGVIEW – A traffic stop by the Department of Public Safety has resulted in the arrest of two North Carolina residents on drug charges. Their car was stopped Saturday night on Interstate Highway 20. A K9 unit was called to the scene and the dog found 30 pounds of crack cocaine in the SUV. Arrested were Terry Bumgarner, 47, of Newton, North Carolina and Chelsea Elizabeth McDowell, 25, of Hickory, North Carolina.

TYLER — The Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health) has recently reduced the cost of the seasonal flu vaccine for the general public. The vaccine is now being offered for a fee of $8.00 at 815 North Broadway in Tyler. Medicaid and Medicare Part B are also accepted and cover the cost of the vaccination. The seasonal flu vaccination will be given on a first come, first serve basis until the vaccine supply is depleted. NET Health Immunization Clinic hours are Monday – Wednesday 8:00am till 11:00am and 1:00pm till 4:00pm and Wednesday until 6:00pm.

“It is not too late for citizens to get vaccinated against the flu for this season. We are pleased to be able to offer this protection to our community at a more affordable rate.” says George Roberts, CEO of NET Health.

“Seasonal flu vaccine, available in shot and nasal spray forms, is recommended for people ages 6 months and older. It is especially important for individuals at high risk of complications from the flu to become vaccinated as soon as the vaccine is available,” says Dr. Jonathan MacClements, Smith County Health Authority.

The 2010 – 2011 seasonal influenza vaccine will protect against three strains of flu viruses, including the 2009 H1N1influenza virus, which cause so much illness last season. Health officials say flu is unpredictable, but it is very likely that the flu virus will cause illness in the coming months.

TYLER — Warm temperatures over the weekend sent fishing enthusiasts to area lakes, a reminder that bass season is just around the corner. Bass will begin spawning in the spring, when the water temperature consistently stays above 60 degrees. When bass “bed,” or find a place to mate, they stay in shallow waters and tend to stay stagnant, making it much easier for fishermen to come away with a bag limit of bass. Smith County Game Warden Chris Green says when the weather gets consistently warmer, the fishermen will be out bass fishing in full force. Green added that it’s still critical to follow any and all safety guidelines provided when bass fishing this early in the year. Green also says not to exceed the legal bag limit of bass.

UNDATED — Here’s a quick look at events and work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

LONGVIEW — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repairs in various locations on State Highway 300 (Gilmer Road), Spur 63, and Spur 502 (Judson Road) in and around Longview. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue pavement repair operations on State Highway 31 between Trinidad and Malakoff, followed later in the week by the same work on State Highway 31 Business and State Highway 19 Business in downtown Athens.

A second crew is scheduled to perform edge repairs in various locations on Farm Road 315 and Farm Road 2010 near Chandler. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue fog seal operations on Farm Road 2330 between State Highway 19 and Farm Road 860, and on Farm Road 1817 between U.S. Highway 287 and Farm Road 323.

Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic. Fog seal operations require lengthy lane closures and can cause moderate delays to traffic. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs in various locations on Farm Road 1251 east of Henderson, and of Farm Road 2658 on the west side of Martin Creek Lake. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations in various locations on Farm Road 858 between State Highway 19 south of Canton and Farm Road 314 south of Van. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to be at work on the following roadways in and around Wood County:
Farm Road 778 between State Highway 37 in Quitman and U.S. Highway 80; State Highway 37 north of Quitman; Farm Road 857 near Farm Road 1255; and Farm Road 49 east of Farm Road 14. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue several weeks of edge repairs in various locations on U.S. Highway 175 between Jacksonville and Poynor. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

LUFKIN — A man pulled from a burning Lufkin home has died. Richard Browning, 37, died in a Houston Hospital Saturday. The fire was reported around 9:15pm Friday night at 1009 Mitchell Avenue. The house was gutted by the flames. Investigators say Browning was found in a rear bedroom. From the injuries to his head, it appeared as if he had been involved in a fight. Investigators say the cause of the fire remains under investigation, but they term the blaze “suspicious.”

LONGVIEW – A Longview home has been destroyed by fire. It was reported Friday afternoon in the 900 block of Pecan Street. A woman and her three children were not at home when the fire broke out at the home, which was not equipped with fire detectors. Investigators say the fire started on the porch and quickly spread throughout the house. The blaze even spread to the yard, setting some curbside furniture on fire.