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LONGVIEW – A Longview High School student will be performing at Carnegie Hall early next year. Junior violinist Isabella Cowart has been selected for the 2017 High School Honors Performance Series. She will perform with the Symphonic Orchestra in February. According to the school district’s web site, participation in one of the five Honors Ensembles is limited to the highest-rated high school performers from across the world. Cowart was one of over 18,000 nominations that were received this year. Continue reading Longview Student to Appear at Carnegie Hall

TYLER – Downtown Tyler recently has received two statewide awards in the 2016 Texas Downtown Association President’s Awards Program. The awards, were announced during the Presidents Awards Gala, held in conjunction with the 2016 Texas Downtown Conference. They were for Best Commercial Interior and Best Restoration. The Best Commercial Interior award was given to the Butler Architectural Group. The People’s Petroleum Building was named winner of the Best Restoration Award. Another Downtown Tyler project, the Downtown Tyler Film Festival, reached finalist status in the Best Promotional Event category. Continue reading Downtown Tyler Wins State Awards

LONGVIEW – Another area health care merger has been announced. Good Shepherd Health System is merging with Christus Health. The announcement was made at a Monday afternoon news conference. No terms for the merger were disclosed. It is expected to close early next year. The Irving-based non-profit has other hospital operations in the region, including Tyler, and elsewhere in Texas. Steve Altmiller, president and CEO of the Longview-based Good Shepherd Health Care said they felt strongly that Christus Health is the best potential partner for his organization. He said that they plan to invest in the Longview and Marshall Market. Continue reading Good Shepherd Healthcare Merger Announced

LONGVIEW – Longview police are looking for a bank robbery suspect. The robbery occurred just before noon on Monday at Citizens National Bank on North Fredonia Street. The man entered the bank and demanded money. They believe he was not armed. He is described as Hispanic with facial hair. He was wearing a dark colored shirt, jeans, white t-shirt, and yellow hard hat. He is thought to have driven away from the bank in a silver-colored mini SUV. No injuries were reported.

QUITMAN – A Wood County woman will be in next year’s Mrs. Texas Pageant. Lindsey Peterson of Quitman has been selected to represent Wood County in the pageant. It will be held May 5th and 6th at the Palace Theatre in Corsicana. A realtor with Century 21 First Group in Mineola, her platform is “Blended Child, Blended Family….a Beautiful Life.” From her own personal experience as an adoptee, she promotes adoption awareness and works with children and parents to help families create a circle of love. She is married to Stuart Peterson, a Winnsboro native and Dallas Firefighter. They have a one year old daughter.

PALESTINE — A SWAT team and police were needed to capture a person in Palestine in connection to an aggravated assault. KETK reports the arrest happened around 6:00 Saturday morning on Martin Luther King Boulevard. When police tried to get the man to come out of his apartment, he refused, and the SWAT team was called in. After several attempts the man gave himself up. His name was not immediately released.

TYLER — One person has been cited in a school bus crash Monday morning in Tyler. Just before 8:00, Tyler police wer notified of a roll-over crash involving a TISD School Bus and an SUV in the intersection of E. Fifth and Magnolia Streets. The bus was eastbound on Fifth Street with no students on board. Police say the SUV was traveling northbound on Magnolia crossing Fifth when it pulled in front of the bus causing a collision. The driver of the Mitsubishi was identified as Nathanael Craig, age 19, who was found at fault in the crash for Failure to Yield Right of Way from a Stop Sign. No serious injuries were reported.

LONGVIEW – One person remained hospitalized Sunday in critical condition after a shooting Saturday afternoon in South Longview. According to the Longview News-Journal, Longview Police spokeswoman Kristie Brian said police are continuing to investigate the shooting, which happened about 3:40 p.m. Saturday at Mobberly Avenue and Myrle Avenue. Brian said no one had been arrested “as far as I know.” Police shut down a section of Mobberly Avenue between Pliler Street and Edgefield Avenue while they processed the crime scene on Myrle Avenue, but reopened the street later Saturday. A witness reportedly saw a man lying on the ground outside a car. A car was in the street Saturday with its door open in the middle of Myrle Avenue next to El Primo Auto Services. Police have not released further details about the victim or whether there were any suspects.

LINDALE – Smith County Road 431, between County Road 452 and County Road 484, north of Lindale, will be closed to traffic beginning Monday. The road will be closed for the construction of a concrete box culvert and headwall by Pierce R&B, which is under contract with Smith County. The construction requires excavation close to the roadway and the closure will provide a safe work environment to the workers and to the traveling public. The road is expected to be closed for three weeks.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of October 24th. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Smith County – Tyler Maintenance plans to resume edge repairs on Farm Road 2010 between Farm Road 14 and Farm Road 16. Base repair work will be conducted on State Highway 135 just west of Arp. Expect lane closures at both locations with flaggers providing traffic control. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects Update

GARRISON – A two vehicle accident in Nacogdoches County has killed one person. Dead at the scene was Richard Roberts, 49, of Nacogdoches. His car was hit head on by a truck driven by Bronson Devan Holmes, 41, of Garrison. Holmes, who refused treatment, has been charged with intoxication manslaughter. The Department of Public Safety reports the accident happened shortly before 6:45 Friday night on U.S. Highway 59, southwest of Garrison.

TYLER – In an effort to raise money for the Salvation Army’s Thanksgiving meal, a Tyler businessman is sitting on 10 ft scaffolding. He’s in front of his business on the WSW Loop at Kinsey Road. Clint Benefield’s goal is to raise $2,500. Lindsey Galabeas with the Salvation Army says Benefield has a heart for the homeless and this is a way for him to “give back.” You can drop off your donation at his store or bring it by or mail it to Salvation Army at 633 North Broadway in Tyler. You can also go to https://www.facebook.com\salvationarmytyler and donate online.

TYLER — The number of daily flights at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport will be decreasing. According to KETK, a city of Tyler spokeswoman confirmed American Airlines daily flights will be dropping from five to four. An American Airlines spokeswoman said they made the decision after a supply and demand situation. East Texas Regional Airport in Gregg County will continue to offer two flights every day.

TYLER – Two of three persons wanted in a shooting incident on the Tyler Junior College Campus remain at large. Campus police have arrested Tyron Lamon Shead, 19, of Mesquite. He has been charged with possession of a firearm on campus and tampering with evidence. Both charges are third degree felonies. Warrants are out for two others believed to have been involved in the incident. Besides the criminal charges, nine students face Student Code of Conduct violations in connection with the incident. It occurred on September 12th outside Sledge Hall, which is the dorm housing the TJC Apache football team. No injuries were reported. Continue reading An Arrest Made in a Campus Shooting

LLONGVIEW – A Longview traffic stop resulted in drug charges being filed. The arrest report said officers pulled over Marcus Dewayne Faggans, 32, of Longview because his car didn’t have a front license plate. They noticed a marijuana cigar in an ashtray and a plastic bag filled with a white power on the floorboard. The powder turned out to be cocaine. It weighed just over 27 grams. Faggans has been charged with possession of a controlled substance measuring between 4 and 200 grams and possession of marijuana measuring less than 2 ounces. He was also charged with not having a driver’s license. Faggans was booked into the Gregg County Jail with a bond of $51,000.

LONGVIEW – Saturday is Green and Clean time in Longview. The semi-annual event allows residents to get old items out of the house and keep them out of the land fill. It will run from 8:00 till noon at Lear Park. Longview Recycling Coordinator Mike Wigington says you can bring to the park such items as electronics, batteries, motor oil, plastic, metal and even eyeglasses. And, with a city water bill, you can bring up to ten tires. That’s the green portion. On the clean side, crews picking up litter and trash on the streets in portions of Longview.

LONGVIEW — An East Texas high school has been in the spotlight. On Thursday, Longview Mayor, Andy Mack, officially declared November 11th, 2016 ‘Blue Brigade Day’. The Spring Hill High School band, under the direction of Randy Kiser, made school history recently by finishing 5th overall in the UIL 4A State Marching Band competition. The Blue Brigade is the #1 ranked Military Marching Band in the state of Texas.

TYLER – The Board of Regents of The University of Texas System Thursday approved funds for construction of a three-story building on the campus of UT Health Northeast. The $30 million in Permanent University Funds will be used to construct the School of Community and Rural Health. It will be located south of the Academic Center and will take approximately 18 months to complete. Groundbreaking is expected to take place in spring 2017. Continue reading New Building for UT Health Northeast

AUSTIN – It is now official, the new President of the University of Texas at Tyler is Dr. Michael V. Tidwell. The U-T System Board of Regents approved the appointment at the board meeting Thursday. Tidwell had been named the lone finalist for the position last month. Tidwell, currently the dean of Eastern Michigan University’s College of Business, starts his new duties January 1st. He succeeds Dr. Rodney Mabry, who announced in February he would be retiring at the end of the year. He has been the school’s president nearly 18 years. Continue reading Tidwell Named New UT Tyler President

LONGVIEW – A judge in Gilmer has rejected the request to reduce the bond on a Gilmer man involved in a fatal accident five months ago. Robert William Frazier, 23 is charged with two counts of intoxication manslaughter and two counts of intoxication assault. The charges stem from the June 3 deaths of Haley Johnson, 19, of Big Sandy, and Bailee Russell, 17, of Holly Lake Ranch. They died in a two vehicle accident on State Highway 154, about six miles west of Gilmer. According to the Longview News Journal, Frazier’s Tyler lawyer, Tonda Curry, had requested a continuance for the bond reduction hearing because she had to be in a Cherokee County courtroom. State District Judge Lauren Parish denied the request and kept Frazier’s bond at $500,000. His trial is scheduled next February.

LONGVIEW – Money has been donated to buy bullet proof vests for Longview policemen. A check for $10,500 has been given to the Longview Police Association to purchase the vests. The money comes from four companies, Texas Star Title and Loans, Cash Max, Thrifty Loans and Rapid Payday and Title Loan. Jay Pruett, owner of Texas Star, helped spearhead the donation. The Longview Blue support group has also been raising money for the vests, which each cost around $800. Their drive was launched following the July shooting of five Dallas police officers.

AUSTIN – Three persons have been appointed to the Angelina And Neches River Authority Board Of Directors. One is from Tyler. The appointments made by Governor Greg Abbott are for terms that will expire September 5th, 2021. Named by the governor are John “Skip” Ogle of Tyler, the director of public affairs for Suddenlink. Also appointed were Dale Morton of Nacogdoches, pastor of New Life Christian Fellowship, and Francis Spruiell of Center, who is the regional president for Austin Bank.

DALLAS — A man accused of dragging a Cockrell Hill police officer with his car has been caught in East Texas. Police say an officer had stopped a vehicle and told the driver to get out of the car. When the officer opened the door, the suspect took off. Chief Steven Barlog says, “The officer was entangled in the door, was dragged approximately 15 feet, and then the vehicle ran over Officer Dominguez’s legs, from which he suffered a broken ankle.” Barlog says police got a call from the small town of Tool, in Henderson County, that suspect Ramiro Miranda was staying at a home in the area. He was arrested and charged with aggravated assault on a public servant with a deadly weapon. He also had an outstanding warrant. Bond has been set at $250,000.

RUSK – A Cherokee County man has drawn a long prison term for for sexually assaulting children. Thomas Scroggins, 26, of Bullard pleaded guilty to a series of child sexual assaults. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison without the possibility of parole for a series of child sex assaults. According to a release from the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office, Scroggins used his position within the local church and school to lure young male victims to his Bullard home, where the crimes were committed. All of his victims were said to be younger than 14 years of age. Continue reading A Guilty Plea for Sexual Assault

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview woman was arrested after the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office said she threw a brick and hit a man during an argument. According to the Longview News-Journal, Nadia Rae Jackson, 27, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was released Wednesday on $20,000 bond. Officials responded to the 1300 block of FM 2906 Tuesday morning. The victim said Jackson had thrown a brick at his head because she was angry about possible infidelities. Jackson was found a short time later in Lakeport. Online records show Jackson was also arrested for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in 2014.