Man Reportedly Mugged by Acquaintances

TYLER — Tyler Police responded to a report of a robbery early Monday morning. Authorities say, it happened around 1:30 when the victim claims he was on his way home from a club with two men that he met following him back to his residence. The victim claims they were in the area of the 2600 block of Seaton when one suspect exited a Yukon and approached the victim’s truck. The suspect reportedly struck the victim in the nose several times and stole his cell phone. The victim then ran to a residence to call for help. Police say the only description they have of the suspects is a Hispanic male and a white male.

Amputees Bike into Tyler

Amputees Bike into TylerTYLER — The group known as Amputees Across America passed through Tyler Monday morning. The group of amputees making a 3,500-mile transcontinental bike ride arrive at Trinity Mother Frances Rehabilitation Hospital (affiliate of HealthSouth) to visit with and inspire patients. The five cyclists are riding in 150-mile relays across the United States, visiting hospitals and local amputee support groups to increase public awareness of amputees as people with active lifestyles. This is the ninth year Amputee Across America has made a cross-country journey. You can go to http://www.amputeesacrossamerica.com to follow the 2010 journey.

TxDOT Project Updates


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

TYLER – The Texas Department of Transportation’s annual preventative maintenance program known as “District-Wide Seal Coat” is scheduled to resume this week with a second crew beginning work, meaning that work will be conducted in multiple locations around the district, including Anderson, Cherokee and Rusk counties.

The crews are scheduled to be at work this week in the following locations in the order they appear, weather permitting:
First Crew
* Farm Road 322 in Anderson County, between Loop 256 and State Highway 294;
* West Loop 256 in Palestine between U.S. Highway 79 south and U.S. Highway 79 north; and
* U.S. Highway 79 from the Neches River Bridge north to Farm Road 747 north, just west of Jacksonville.
Second Crew
*State Highway 21 in Cherokee County between Alto and the Houston County Line;
* U.S. Highway 69 in Cherokee County between Farm Road 343 in Rusk and Farm Road 1911 in Alto;
* State Highway 204 in Cherokee and Rusk counties between U.S. Highway 84 and the Nacogdoches County Line;
* Farm Road 1798 in Rusk County between Farm Road 839 in McKnight and Farm Road 225 in Laneville;
* Farm Road 840 in Rusk County between U.S. Highway 259 in Henderson and State Highway 315; and
* State Highway 322 in Rusk County between Farm Road 1249 and U.S. Highway 259 in Henderson.
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. Loose gravel may be present for several days following a seal coat application. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

TYLER — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement-repair operations on North and East Loop 323 in Tyler between U.S. Highway 69 north and Commerce Street, and on U.S. Highway 271 between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Farm Road 2016 north of Tyler. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

Also this week in Tyler, construction crews on Wednesday are scheduled to begin nighttime pavement repairs on State Highway 31 (East Front Street) between Broadway Avenue and East Loop 323. Crews will be at work making pavement repairs and resurfacing the roadway Sundays-Thursdays between 7:00pm and 6:00am. The project is scheduled to be completed by the end of August.

GREGG COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repairs in various locations on Interstate Highway 20 in Gregg County, and on State Highway 149 between Lakeport and the Rusk County Line. 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.

OVERTON — The Union Pacific Railroad, in conjunction with the Texas Department of Transportation, will be closing the railroad crossing at FM 850 in Overton for repairs between 8:00am and 6:00pm on Thursday, July 1. Traffic will be detoured to the next crossing to the north while the work is in progress.

ATHENS — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement-repair operations on State Highway 31 in various locations between Loop 7 in Athens and Farm Road 314 in Brownsboro. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zones.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs on Farm Road 1995 between State Highway 110 and Farm Road 773, and on Farm Road 1255 between Interstate Highway20 and Farm Road 773. 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.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base repairs on U.S. Highway 80 between U.S. Highway 69 in Mineola and Farm Road 778 east of Mineola. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations in various locations on U.S. Highway 287 between Farm Road 59 and the Trinity River. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

Palin Critical of Obama’s Handling of Gulf Spill

Sarah PalinTYLER — KTBB hosted former Governor Sarah Palin at Tyler’s Oil Palace Saturday night. In front of a crowd of about 4,000, Ms. Palin spoke almost exclusively on matters related to oil and energy production She leveled sharp criticism at President Obama for his tough public rhetoric regarding the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. She said, “You’d never guess that the last inspection of the rig took place just 10 days before the blowout preventer failed, and that would definitely be on President Obama’s watch, as in stop pointing fingers at everybody else and take responsibility. “She went on to say, “You asked for the job Mr. President, now buck up or stay in the truck.”

Referring to federal policy that severely restricts oil and gas exploration in the United States, Governor Palin was critical. She said that we’re the only country in the world that purposefully refuses to develop it’s own proven reserves and the president must know this. Palin says we do not have a scarcity of resources in America, we have a scarcity of common sense in Washington D.C.

Ms. Palin was sharply critical of President Obama’s moratorium on deep water oil exploration in the wake of the BP oil spill, saying that it unfairly penalizes residents of the Gulf. Pailin said, “They’ve been drilling in the Gulf for decades without any major incidents even during Katrina and Rita and there’s no need to punish Gulf residents just because BP and the government screwed up.”

Governor Rick Perry was on hand at the Oil Palace Saturday night to introduce former Alaska governor Sarah Palin. Before the event, Governor Perry spoke about the looming 18 billion dollar budget shortfall in Texas. He said it will be handled in the way it always has been, by prioritizing and reduction of spending. He said he’s not concerned in the least that Texas will have a balanced budget just like in 2003.

Governor Palin joins commentators Sean Hannity and Glenn Beck in making the Oil Palace one of the premier venues for conservative voices. In less than one year, Hannity, Beck and Palin appeared at the Oil Palace. Sarah Palin’s appearance was co-sponsored by KTBB Radio and CBS 19.

Governor Sarah Palin first made history on December 4, 2006 when she was sworn in as the first female governor of Alaska. In August 2008, Senator John McCain tapped Palin to serve as his Vice-Presidential running mate in his presidential campaign, making her the first woman to run on the Republican Party’s presidential ticket.


Amateur Radio Club Event

TYLER — It only happens once a year, but this event may save lives in the next emergency in our area. It’s the Tyler Amateur Radio Club, and this weekend marked their annual field days. When disaster strikes, like a hurricane, or there is an emergency like the Shuttle explosion, immediate communication is vital. And you cell phone may be missing in action. The one medium that will work rain or shine, with no more power than a care battery is shortwave.

And, according to KETK, once a year the 78-member strong Tyler Amateur Radio Club gets together to keep it’s skills sharp and make sure they are ready. “It’s sponsored by the American Radio Relay League, and once a year we get together to do emergency preparedness,” club member Elaine Jackson said. There’s even a rolling communications center which serves a number of local needs.

Tyler Community Policing

TYLER — Community policing remains a priority of the Tyler Police Department. That means heavy involvement from citizens according to Lt. Robert Barrentine, who says, “We need their help, and we need them to be involved for us to make this a safer place to live. We want to get out into communities and do the best we can to help them with all the problems.” Barrentine, commander of the police department’s Community Response Team, appears on this week’s KTBB “Staff Meeting.” He says police want to work with residents to address not just crime, but social problems or any other issues.

Barrentine says citizen involvement can mean anything from reporting crimes to forming neighborhood watch groups. According to Barrentine, Tyler now has 79 active watch groups, up from 55 at this time last year. Programs such as Citizens on Patrol and the Citizens Police Academy are just two other examples of how you can become involved. You can go to http://www.tylerpolice.com for more information. You can also listen to the “Staff Meeting” show online at http://www.ktbb.com/audio beginning early Monday.

Former State Rep. Bob Glaze Dead at 82

GILMER — Funeral services were held Monday morning for former State Representative Bob Glaze from Gilmer. He passed away on Friday. Dr. Glaze stood for top quality medical care and top quality education. He was a 12-year veteran of the House of Representatives and was a man of great integrity and dignity. He had a well-respected chiropractic practice and cared about the people he represented just as much as he cared about the cattle on his ranch. His friends and colleagues say they’re sad. They’ve all said what an influence Dr. Glaze had on the community and that he was involved in pretty much everything, from Rotary Club and the East Texas Food Bank to the school board and Yamboree Association.

Funeral services for Glaze, 82, were held at First Baptist Church in Gilmer with burial services following at Sunset Memorial Park.

Local Lake Remains Closed Over Weekend

JEFFERSON — Beaches at Lake O’ The Pines remained closed over the weekend. The seven areas have been shut down to swimmers since June 18 after tests showed unhealthy levels of e-coli bacteria. Reservoir manager Bobby Hamrick says such testing is required from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day. Hamrick says it’s not clear what caused the outbreak, since his office doesn’t monitor areas outside the swimming beaches. No illnesses have been reported as a result of the pollution, and more tests are on tap for today. Local convenience stores, restaurants, and marinas say the closure could ruin their summer.

TXDOT Completes, Begins Projects

TXDOT Completes, Begins ProjectsTYLER — The Texas Department of Transportation’s Tyler District announced it planned to break ground on one construction project in the month of July, but brought five others to a close in June, bringing the total number of projects under construction in the eight-county district to 26.

TxDOT’s Larry Krantz says TxDOT would be breaking ground in mid-to-late July on a repair-and-resurface project on State Highway 31 between State
Highway 42 and Business U.S. Highway 259 in Kilgore. The $981,000 project
let to contract in May to Knife River Corp., South, of Waco, and is
scheduled to take approximately two months to complete once begun.

With the addition of the State Highway 31 project, Knife River has eight
current Tyler District projects worth more than $82 million, including the Loop 281 project in Longview, the State Highway 155 project between
Frankston and Pert, and the U.S. Highway 69 overpass project at Farm Road
344 in Bullard. Contractor R.K. Hall, of Paris, has seven active projects in the Tyler District, including the night work on U.S. Highway 69 (South Broadway), for a combined $19.4 million, and while Longview Bridge and Road, Ltd. has only three ongoing projects locally, including both Loop 49 projects and the nearly completed US 69 expansion between Lindale and Mineola, those projects are worth a combined $97 million.

Meanwhile, TxDOT contractors also brought five construction projects to a
close in June, including the $737,000 resurfacing project on Farm Road 2493(Old Jacksonville Highway) in Tyler between South Loop 323 and State Highway57/Grande Boulevard. Contractors also finished a $1.5 million resurfacing project on U.S. Highway 69 in Lindale between Interstate Highway 20 and Farm Road 1804, and a $385,000 left-turn lane project on State Highway 110 at Farm Road 344 between Whitehouse and Troup.

Jury Selection to Begin in Mineola Club Trial

TYLER (AP) — A lawyer for a man charged in an alleged east Texas swingers club involving children has dropped a request to move the trial from Tyler. Jury selection is scheduled next week for the aggravated sexual assault trial of 47-year-old Dennis Boyd Pittman. Pittman was arrested in 2007 leaving his apartment in Sevierville, Tenn. Defense attorney Jason Cassel on Thursday withdrew his request for a change of venue. Further details were not released.

Prosecutors allege children as young as 5 were groomed to perform in sex shows in the Mineola area, a town of about 5,100 located 75 miles east of Dallas. The 14th Court of Appeals in Houston this month overturned the convictions of two others tried in the case. New trials were ordered for Patrick “Booger Red” Kelly and Jamie Pittman.

Murder Victim Identified

Murder Victim IdentifiedTYLER — Smith County authorities have identified the body of a woman found of County Road 2191 last weekend. She is Cherry Diane Walker of Tyler. Her body, which appeared to have been burned, hand been dumped along the side of the road. Investigators continue to search for clues that could lead them to a motive for the slaying and the woman’s killer.

Smith County Bar Association Awards

TYLER — The Smith County Bar Association has been honored by the State Bar of Texas Local Bar Services Committee as the Award of Merit winner for 2009-10. The award was presented to Smith County Bar representatives Kyna Adams and Jim Huggler at the Bar Leaders Recognition Luncheon held at the State Bar of Texas Annual Meeting in Fort Worth. SCBA was presented the Award of Merit for Division II –local or district bar associations with 101 to 500 members. This is an overall award for all programs and events of the association.

The Smith County Bar was also presented a Star of Achievement Awards. Five Star of Achievement awards are given to recognize outstanding projects among bar associations of all sizes. The SCBA was honored for their publication commemorating the 75 year history of the Association. Copies of the book will be distributed to all school and public libraries in Smith County. Printing of the book was made possible by sponsors of the 75th Gala and grants from the Texas Bar Foundation and the Smith County Bar Foundation.

Jacksonville Robbery Suspect Arrested

JACKSONVILLE — A man accused of robbing the Jacksonville Payless Shoe Source has been arrested. KETK-TV reports John Robert Nichols was arrested just over an hour and 15 minutes following the robbery, which was reported shortly after 11:30 yesterday morning. He was taken into custody after authorities stopped him on Highway 79. Authorities feel he is the man who pointed a silver revolver at a clerk and took money from the register. He then fled on a black older model motorcycle with an American flag on the gas tank and red and white stripes on the fenders. No injuries were reported.

Firm Chosen for Toll 49 Segment

Firm Chosen for Toll 49 SegmentTYLER – The North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA) Board of Directors has selected Englewood, Colorado-based CH2MHill as the design/build firm for Toll 49 Segment 3B. “The selection of a firm to construct Segment 3B of the Toll 49 project demonstrates the project’s continued momentum. The next step is to prepare to sell bonds,” said NET RMA Project Director Everett Owen. “Our colleagues in the financial industry are still very bullish on the deal and believe that there is no better time to sell a transportation bond than right now.” Toll 49 Segment 3B is a 9.7 mile section of roadway that stretches between State Highway 31 and Interstate 20.

Big Grant for Tyler Airport

Big Grant for Tyler Airport
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) has announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation has awarded the Tyler Pounds Regional Airport $2,500,000 to improve a runway safety area and acquire safety equipment. “Upgrades to Texas’ airports are critical for the regional economy and for the traveling public,” Senator Hutchison said. “These infrastructure and safety improvements to Tyler Pounds Regional Airport will help ensure the safe and smooth flow of goods, services, and people.”