KTBB News, Weather, Talk

KILGORE – Kilgore College Fire Academy No. 96 will hold its graduation ceremony 6:30 this evening in the Bert E. Woodruff Adult Education Center Auditorium in Kilgore. There are 21 students who are candidates for graduation. Continue reading Kilgore College Fire Academy Graduation

WHITEHOUSE — Whitehouse Fire Chief Madison Johnson and City Secretary Stefani Wright will team up to handle interim city manager duties while a replacement is sought for Kevin Huckabee (pictured). That’s according to KETK. Huckabee’s resignation as city manager was announced Monday night at a called city council meeting. Following an executive session, the city council voted to accept Huckabee’s resignation. In a statement released by Huckabee, he said he felt his mission with the city hand been hindered by, what he called, “malicious, untruthful statements” made back in May by a Texas Municipal Police Association representative. He said he would continue to combat the false statements. Huckabee said he thought it was best for him and his family that he resign.

TYLER — Connie McCoy-Wasson on Tuesday became the first female appointed to serve as Smith County Fire Marshal. According to a county news release, after interviewing five of the 13 candidates who applied for the job, the Smith County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to appoint Wasson. She’ll fill former Fire Marshal Jay Brooks’s unexpired term through December 2016. Brooks resigned from the post in October to take a job in the private sector. McCoy-Wasson has more than 20 years of experience as a deputy fire marshal for Smith County and has served as interim fire marshal since October. According to the news release, McCoy-Wasson says she knows she has “big shoes to fill” and hopes she “can hold up the standards set before me.”

EAST TEXAS — Thousands were left without power as a result of today’s storms. According to KETK, the outages have been spread across the East Texas area. Crews with Oncor, SWEPCO, and other utilities have been working to get everything switched back on. There was no immediate word on when all the power might be restored.

LONGVIEW — A Gregg County trial stemming from a 2013 murder has been pushed back to 2016. KETK reports Paul Anthony Mengel, 30, of Bossier City, Louisiana, won’t be tried until either February or March of next year, according to Gregg County Assistant District Attorney Stacey Brownlee. The trial was initially set to begin Monday. Joey Lee Espy, 19, of Longview was found July 7, 2013, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest on Bonner Street in South Longview. He was later pronounced dead. Mengel was arrested at his house in Bossier City July 23 by the U.S. Marshal’s Violent Offender Task Force and Shreveport-area police. Mengel was booked into the Gregg County Jail on a murder charge and his bond was set at $300,000.

LONGVIEW — A suspect who was involved in a shootout with police is being treated for life-threatening injuries at a local hospital. According to a news release, on Tuesday at 2:47 a.m., Longview police were dispatched to an alarm at Academy Sports Center on Forest Square. When officers arrived they found that the glass door had been broken and it appeared someone had gained entry into the store. Officers located the suspect at the rear of the building. Police say the suspect, armed with an M-4 rifle, exchanged gunfire with the three Longview police officers. They say the suspect fled to the nearby Best Buy store on West Loop 281 and climbed onto the roof. Continue reading Suspect Hospitalized after Shoot-Out with Longview Police

TYLER — Smith County Commissioners will one more public hearing today to gather input on the Voting Centers implemented in the November 3 election. A news release reports a hearing was held this morning in Commissioners Court, and the second is set for 5:30 p.m. at the R.B. Hubbard “Hub” Center at 304 E. Ferguson St. Voting Centers are an early-voting concept on Election Day, allowing residents to vote at any polling place without being restricted to their precinct. Continue reading One More Public Hearing Set for Input on Voting Centers

LONGVIEW — Longview police are crediting a local resident with helping them catch a suspected vehicle burglar. At 8:42 Monday morning, police were dispatched to a suspicious person call on East Hawkins Parkway. When officers arrived they were told a man was caught attempting to go through a tool box at the location. The suspect left the scene prior to officers’ arrival. Continue reading Police: Quick Thinking Citizen Helps in Burglary Arrest

TYLER — Tyler police say a stolen ATM has been recovered some 95 miles away — along with a stolen U-Haul. According to a news release, investigators learned Monday that Tyler officers had taken a stolen U-Haul report from Storage Max on Old Jacksonville Hwy. this past Saturday. The same day, at 2:00 p.m., the Dallas Police Department located the stolen U-Haul with the ATM inside the vehicle in an industrial park in South Dallas. But police say the suspects were not in the area at the time of the discovery. Investigators have also been informed that the same type of crime occurred in Crandall over the weekend. The same type of crime has also been reported in Dallas and Palestine. Continue reading Stolen ATM and U-Haul Recovered in Dallas

MARSHALL — The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help locating a missing man. KETK reports authorities are searching for Clayton Maxwell Brown, 39, of Marshall. He was reported missing November 13 from a family member’s home on Sue Belle Lake Road. He was last seen walking toward the city of Marshall. Deputies say Brown suffers from mental issues. Brown is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weights 190 pounds, and has long brown hair and brown eyes. He has a full beard and wears black frame glasses. He was wearing a green jacket and green stocking cap. If you see Brown, contact Lt. Duncan with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office at 903-923-4000.

TYLER — The holiday season is upon us, and Visit Tyler, a.k.a. the Tyler Convention & Visitors Bureau, is putting out the word on “Rose City Christmas” — a collection of seasonal events happening in November and December. They range from films and concerts to a tour of homes, special events at local historic landmarks — and the annual Christmas parade. You can click on http://www.visittyler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/christmastopdf.pdf to download a brochure. You can also call (903) 592-1661 or drop by the Tyler Area Chamber office at 315 N. Broadway for more information.

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler, in collaboration with the Tyler Area Partnership 4 Education, is participating in a week-long campaign to help high school seniors with the college application process. According to a news release, “Apply Yourself Smith County” runs Nov. 16 – 20 during East Texas College Fair Week. Colleges from near and far will visit with and recruit students during fairs at local colleges, at convention centers, and on high school campuses. As part of the campaign’s college access initiative, high school representatives across Smith County will aid its seniors with the goal of each completing and submitting at least one college application.

The Tyler Area College Fair will be 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Tyler Junior College’s Gentry Gym. Tyler Independent School District and other Smith County high schools also will offer assistance with applications during the week through specific classes. TAP4E is a subcommittee of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Council. For more information, contact Sarah Bowdin, UTT’s assistant vice president for enrollment management, at 903-566-7057. You can also visit http://www.tap4e.org or email enroll@uttyler.edu if you’d like to know more.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of November 16. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Weather permitting, the Interstate Highway20 westbound Exit 595 will be closed Monday for repairs. Traffic can use the westbound Exit 596 to avoid delays. Slow down and pay attention in this and all work zones.

Crews continue to place final striping on roadways across Anderson, Cherokee, Rusk, Van Zandt, and Wood counties as district wide seal coat work nears completion. Expect lane closures in work zones. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

ANGELINA COUNTY — One man was killed in a shooting in Angelina County early Sunday morning. According to the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to “Annie Mae’s” on Jackson Road around 2:50 to the report of a shooting. Kevin Moore, 37, was taken to Woodland Heights Hospital where he was pronounced dead from multiple gun shot wounds. An autopsy has been ordered. According to KETK, Terry Christopher “Chris” Criswell (pictured) 32, has been named as a person of interest in the shooting. Continue reading Suspect Named in Angelina County Murder

TATUM — Two men were killed Friday morning in a two-vehicle collision on Texas 43 and Rusk CR 2138 near Tatum, the Texas Department of Public Safety reported. Antonio Romero, 48, of East Bernard was declared dead at the scene. The DPS said Romero was traveling south on Texas 43 and entered the wrong lane, striking the second vehicle, driven by Chase Todd, 31, of Tenaha. Todd was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, where he died of his injuries.

GREGG COUNTY — Jury selection is set to begin today in the case of a man charged in a 2013 murder at a home in the 300 block of Bonner Street in Longview. According to the Longview News-Journal, Paul Anthony Mengel, 30, of Bossier City, Louisiana, is charged in the murder of Joey Lee Espy, 19, of Longview, whose body was found July 7, 2013, inside the Bonner Street home with gunshot wounds to his head and chest.

LONGVIEW — Longview police are investigating after a truck plowed through the front of Hope’s Closet, in the 2400 block of Gilmer Road, just after 6:00 Friday night. One person was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center with unknown injuries. No word on the cause of the accident.

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating the theft of an ATM. Officers responded to an alarm call at Texas National Bank, 2133 W. Grande, around 12:30 Saturday morning. The exterior ATM was missing and a forklift from a construction site next to the bank was found in the parking lot. Police said the machinery was apparently used to steal the ATM. No word on the amount of money stolen. Anyone with information is asked to contact Tyler Police, 903-531-1000 or Crimestoppers, 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833).

LONGVIEW — Anthony Adams, 25, of Longview is dead in a Longview shooting. Police received a call just after 10:00 Thursday night of shots fired in the 5000 block of West loop 281. They found Adams in a car at that location. It appeared as if he had been shot and died inside the vehicle. The investigation is ongoing.

ATHENS – Work on design plans for repairs to Farm Road 317 in Henderson County just outside of Athens is nearing completion, but repairs are still several months away, according to highway officials. The roadway washed out about three miles east of SH 31 last spring due to excessive rain and has remained closed to traffic. In a news release, TxDOT says once the plans for a permanent repair are finalized and approved, the project will likely go to bid in February. Construction should get underway in the spring with repairs taking several months to complete before the roadway returns to normal traffic flow. Stabilization work to prevent additional damage to the road was conducted last summer under emergency contract. Officials say traffic detours will stay in place until the road is rebuilt.

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an armed robbery reported early Friday afternoon. According to KETK, authorities say the robber was armed with a pistol when he held up a Shell Station on Interstate 20 about a mile east of Highway 69. The man is described as African-American, 5 feet 5 inches tall, wearing a dark blue work suit and possibly coveralls. He was also wearing a beanie which covered his face. There was no immediate word on a getaway vehicle description. No injuries were reported.

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has appointed a Nacogdoches woman to the Texas Economic Development Corporation. According to a news release, Nancy Windham is President and Chief Executive Officer of the Nacogdoches Economic Development Corporation and previously served as the vice president of the Frisco Economic Development Corporation. The governor’s office says, “The corporation supports programs and activities of the Governor’s Division of Economic Development and Tourism, including TexasOne, which markets Texas competitively and dynamically to businesses outside the state of Texas.”

SHREVEPORT, La. — A Tyler man is among those arrested in a Louisiana sting operation to combat human trafficking. KETK reports 23-year-old Devonta Hill of Tyler was arrested for pandering and trafficking children for sexual purposes. Investigators with the Louisiana State Police and the Shreveport Police Department conducted an investigation into human trafficking as well as online child predator activity in and around the Shreveport/Bossier area. Other suspects are from elsewhere in Texas as well as Louisiana and Arkansas. Officials say during the investigation, a 17-year-old runaway juvenile from Texas was recovered who was trafficked for sexual purposes.

MT. PLEASANT — The Mt. Pleasant Police Department is asking for the public’s help identifying a woman who is believed to have stolen many items from a local business. According to KETK, police said on October 24 around 3 a.m., the woman pictured took merchandise from a Mt. Pleasant Walmart. Authorities believe the woman left the scene in a white vehicle. If you know who this person is, call the Mount Pleasant Police Department Investigations Division at 903-575-4191 or go to http://www.mpcity.net/police/tip to submit a tip online.

TYLER — A Smith County district court has granted an injunction to East Texas Medical Center Tyler, immediately designating the hospital as a preferred provider in the Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Texas (BCBS) preferred provider organization (PPO). In a news release, Elmer G. Ellis, president/CEO of the ETMC Regional Healthcare System, calls the move a victory and says ETMC has been “fighting hard” for the designation. Earlier this year, ETMC Tyler filed suit against Blue Cross & Blue Shield, saying the hospital’s exclusion from the organization’s preferred provider networks has created serious and negative impacts on a large group of consumers. Although ETMC administrators expect Blue Cross & Blue Shield to appeal the decision, they say they’re confident the ruling will be upheld. Blue Cross Blue Shield did not immediately respond to a phone message left by KTBB.

TYLER — Tyler Pounds Regional Airport will soon begin accepting bids and/or proposals for the lease and operations of food concessions and a gift shop in the west side passenger terminal. In a news release, Airport Manager Davis Dickson says the goal is to increase the airport’s appeal by expanding services. A pre-bid conference is set for Nov. 19 at 2 p.m. in the Airport Conference Room, on the second floor of the main terminal. Bids will be accepted through Dec. 8. All plans, specifications, and/or proposal forms must be submitted to the City of Tyler Purchasing office (Attention: Sherry Pettit), 511 W. Locust, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. For further information, you can contact airport administration at (903) 531-9825.

TYLER — Downtown Tyler won three 2015 Texas Downtown Association President’s Awards at a luncheon last week at the Texas Downtown Revitalization Conference in Waxahachie. According to a news release, the Martin Walker Law Firm won Best Commercial Interior, and Heart of Tyler’s Black Tie Bingo was named Best Promotional Event. Longtime Heart of Tyler volunteer Ingrid Young garnered one of the program’s top three awards, Texas Downtowner of the Year. Over the years. Tyler has received 22 awards for its revitalization projects, with 16 of those awarded since 2007.

NACOGDOCHES — The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday the seizure of more than $1 million in suspected drug money. KETK reports deputies stopped an SUV October 10 for speeding on Loop 224 at Old Tyler Road South. Officials say the driver and lone occupant was nervous and gave conflicting statements about his trip. During the stop, deputies became suspicious of criminal activity. Deputies searched the SUV and discovered about $1.1 million tucked away in three duffel bags in the cargo area. The sheriff’s office says the suspect denied the money belonged to him but confirmed the money was from drug cartel activity. Continue reading Authorities Seize $1.15 Million in Suspected Drug Money

TYLER — “Orion – Journey to Mars,” the newest exhibit at Discovery Science Place, is now open to the public. Officials say the interactive exhibit will allow visitors of all ages to learn more about manned space travel through hands-on displays and a life-size model of NASA’s Orion space capsule. According to a news release, Orion is NASA’s newest crew module that will carry four astronauts into deep space, back to the moon, and eventually to Mars one day. The museum is open 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1 – 5 p.m. Sunday. Visit http://www.discoveryscienceplace.org for more information.