KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Smith County Commissioners hold one more public hearing today to gather community input as the county considers implementing Election Day voting centers in November. According to a news release, the centers would allow residents to vote at any polling location on Election Day instead of being restricted to their precinct. One hearing was held this morning during Commissioners Court; the second one is set for 6:30 p.m. at the R. B. Hubbard Center (The Hub), 304 E. Ferguson. Only one public hearing is required. Following tonight’s session, the elections department will send in its application to participate in the state’s Countywide Polling Location Program. Continue reading Public Hearings Today on Voting Centers

WINNSBORO — The death of a Winnsboro toddler has been ruled a homicide. That’s the findings of the autopsy report from the Dallas County Institute of Forensic Sciences in the death of 16 month old Madison Cannon. The youngster died of blunt force trauma to the head. The youngster was found unconscious on April 9th. She was declared “brain dead” at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas and pronounced dead on April 11th. KETK reports there are persons of interest in the case, but no names have been released and police stated there is no reason to believe someone outside the home would have harmed the child. The investigation continues.

HARLETON — A single-vehicle accident in Harrison County has left one person dead. The wreck occurred just before 5:30 Sunday afternoon on Farm Road 2208 near Harleton. Killed was Ricky Bradford, 53, of Longview. The Department of Public Safety report said Bradford was driving dangerously on his motorcycle when he entered a curve on the crest of a hill and lost control of his bike. He was killed when thrown from the vehicle.

WHITEHOUSE — Whitehouse Police Chief Craig Shelton has resigned. After a couple of months of controversy, Shelton submitted his resignation Monday, saying he was taking a job in the private sector. In a letter to Interim Whitehouse City Manager Stefani Wright, Shelton said, “It is with a heavy heart that I wish to inform the Mayor, City Council and you that, effective immediately, I am retiring from my position as Police Chief to accept a job in the private sector.” He said he felt it was in the best interest of the city and his family that he move on. Continue reading Whitehouse Police Chief Resigns

TYLER — Authorities in Tyler and Smith County have updated their heat plan now that temperatures and heat indices are climbing into the 100-degree range. A news release from the Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health) points out that “heat is a killer.” According to officials, a Heat Advisory means that a period of hot temperatures is expected and will create a situation in which heat illnesses are possible. Heat advisories are announced by local weather reports. Officials say it’s important to be aware of the dangers of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. The Tyler Fire Department is the lead agency for the Heat Plan and you can click on http://www.tylerfiredept.com to view the plan in its entirety. Continue reading Local Authorities Issue Heat Response Plan

TYLER — Westbound traffic was blocked for a time on Highway 64 West and Loop 49 near Tyler after a wreck in which one person died and another was injured. Killed was Sue Davis, 72, of Frankston. Authorities did not immediately release the name of the injured passenger, who was flown to a Tyler Hospital for treatment. According to the Department of Public Safety, a car was traveling northbound on Loop 49 and a truck was heading southbound. The vehicles collided in the southbound lane. The wreck occurred just south of Highway 64 West. The accident remains under investigation.

PALESTINE — Palestine detectives are investigating downtown graffiti vandalism targeting several buildings, including some high-profile locations, and even a police squad car. According to KETK, authorities responded between 10:20 and 10:30 p.m. Sunday, after an officer found his squad car had been “tagged” with black spray paint on the driver’s side center post while he was in the police station. Other target locations include the Federal Building, the Anderson County Courthouse, Capital Gaines II, The Masonic Lodge, First Christian Church, Mini-Mart, Brianna’s, KYYK, Prosperity Bank, Anderson County Probation, Reagan Park, Kroger, USA Donuts, and Family Dollar at 328 E. Spring. Continue reading Graffiti Vandals Hit Downtown Palestine

AUSTIN — Governor Gregg Abbott has appointed a Palestine dentist to the board of directors of the Upper Neches River Municipal Water Authority. The governor’s office has announced the appointment of Dr. Jay Steven Herrington to the post. The appointment is for a term set to expire on February 1, 2021. The appointment is subject to Senate confirmation. Dr. Herrington is currently a managing partner at Herrington & Langley Restorative & Implant Dentistry in Palestine. He is a member of the Texas Dental Association, American Dental Association, Southwest Academy of Restorative Dentistry, and the International Team for Implantology. Dr. Herrington received a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University and a D.D.S. from Baylor College of Dentistr

LONGVIEW — One person is dead following a single-vehicle wreck around 10:35 Sunday night in the 3100 block of Pine Tree Road in Longview. Police were told that the driver was northbound and lost control of the vehicle. The car left the roadway and collided with a utility pole and a tree. A passenger, Luster Laray Mitchell, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver, identified as Markus Glenn Edmond of Longview, and another passenger, Phillip Hudson III, were transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center with what were termed non-life-threatening injuries. All three people in the car were 24 years old. The accident remains under investigation.

LIMA, PERU (AP) – Some students from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches and two faculty members are among at least 15 foreign tourists hurt after their bus crashed in Peru. Peruvian police say the bus overturned Saturday on a highway near the Pisac archaeological site outside of Cusco. Police said Sunday that the driver apparently lost control on a curve. An SFA spokeswoman says the bus carried a group from the school. Shirley Luna says nobody from SFA has life-threatening injuries. She says several people broke ribs. Parents of the students were notified. The tour bus carried 19 people, including the driver and a guide. Authorities didn’t immediately confirm nationalities of the passengers. Four people sustained serious injuries. Several others were treated for minor injuries and released.

TYLER — Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of July 27. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

There were delays Sunday afternoon on the Loop 323 West Widening project in Tyler. The northbound outside lane was closed for work on the on the east side of the roadway as part of a detour. With the removal of the old railroad bridge complete, the contractor is planning to implement night operations again starting Wednesday, necessitating multiple lane closures between 7:00pm and 6:00am Thursday. Motorists should use alternate routes during this time. Caution is advised. The remaining structure at this location was built to temporarily allow the railroad to use the tracks and will be removed once the new bridge is built. More information on this project is available in the Smith County construction updates portion of this report. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

TYLER — Five artists with strong ties to the region are in the spotlight with the Tyler Museum of Art’s newest major exhibition, Reflections of East Texas, on view July 26 through Sept. 27. According to a museum news release, the exhibition features more than 30 works across a broad spectrum of media by artists Keith Carter, Ted Ellis, Diane Frossard, Mike Perry, and Franklin Demetrius Willis. Several of the works were recently completed and will be seen by the public for the first time during the show’s run. Continue reading “Reflections of East Texas” Opens at TMA

TYLER — A man booked at the Smith County Jail punched an officer in the face after being taken out of his cell to go through processing, according to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. KETK reports Tyler police had arrested Tyler Calvin Kendrick for criminal trespass. Kendrick was not photographed and fingerprinted at the time of booking because he was acting aggressively toward officers, according to authorities. Continue reading Officials: Smith County Officer Attacked by Inmate

ODESSA (AP) – A Jacksonville man has been arrested in the stabbing death of a West Texas teenage girl 26 years ago. Thompson Ward Stricklen Jr., 52, is in Ector County Jail in Odessa jailed on murder and sexual assault charges. Bond is set at $350,000. Wendy Burdette was 15 when her body was found in an Odessa field in 1989. She had been raped and her throat was cut. A Texas Department of Public Safety report matched Burdette’s DNA with a sample taken from Stricklen as part of his sex-offender registration. Odessa police Cpl. Steve LeSueur told the Odessa American that Stricklen was previously a suspect in the stabbing but police had too little evidence to arrest him.

LONGVIEW — Longview police are issuing an advisory to local residents after investigating what they term numerous trailer thefts this summer. Police have put out a list of extra precautions to ensure that you don’t become a victim.

– Add a locking device, security alarm, or tracking device.
– Keep documentation, including photos, of your trailer.
– Make your trailer look unique by adding personalized items or artwork or painting the trailer a bright color. This will also attract attention to the trailer by the general public in the event it is stolen. Citizens may be more apt to remember seeing it. Continue reading Suggestions to Avoid Trailer Theft

TYLER — The criminal case against Whitehouse Police Chief Craig Shelton has been dismissed. According to KETK, Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham says there was “sufficient probable cause” at the time of Shelton’s arrest but new evidence has come to light nullifying the charges. Bingham says that on July 8, the woman who filed assault charges against Shelton, stemming from an incident in May, lied while under oath before the grand jury. Shelton was initially asked to resign from the police department, but his lawyer vowed to fight the charges. Shelton remains on unpaid leave from the city. Several other city employees are also involved in the case. City Manager Kevin Huckabee was initially placed on leave but is now back on the job on a probationary basis.

LONGVIEW — A jury has found Alejandro Garcia guilty of the December 2013 death of a Longview teen. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report Garcia, 23, of Winona was charged with murder in the death of 19-year-old Andres Chavez at a Longview mobile home park on Sabine Street. Police have said Garcia created a fake Facebook page, in which he posed as a woman, to lure Chavez to meet him. Police records indicate Garcia targeted Chavez because he believed the teen would harm Garcia’s sister. Garcia faces up to life in prison on the charge. The jury began deliberating about 4:20 p.m. Thursday. After about four hours, jurors asked that they be allowed to adjourn for the day and reconvened Friday morning to continue deliberations before returning the guilty verdict.

LIBERTY CITY — The reward has been increased to $5,000 for information leading to the return of a missing East Texas teen. According to KETK, 16-year-old Paiglynn Raymond of Liberty City has been missing since April 17. The family says it’s convinced someone local knows something about her disappearance. A few sightings matching the teen’s description have been reported in Dallas and Colorado.

LONGVIEW — A Longview jury is continuing deliberations in the murder trial of a Smith County man. Both the prosecution and the defense rested their cases Thursday in the trial of Alejandro Garcia, 23, of Winona. The jury deliberated around 4 hours before retiring for the night. Garcia is charged with the murder of Andres Chavez, 19. The Longview man’s body was found December 23rd, 2013, lying outside a car in the 1100 block of Sabine Street. Continue reading Jury Deliberations Continue in Longview Murder Trial

MOUNT PLEASANT — The Department of Public Safety has identified a teenager killed in a hit and run accident in Northeast Texas. Trooper Sylvia Jennings Told KETK the boy is Brice Lee Croley, 13, of Mt. Pleasant. He was riding his bicycle east bound on Interstate Highway 30 when he was struck and killed just before 4:30 Monday morning. The accident happened at mile marker 173 near the Titus/Morris County line. The vehicle fled the scene. It’s believed the vehicle that hit the boy will have damage to the hood, windshield and right front quarter panel or any similar combination. Investigators are asking area collision repair facilities to contact them if a vehicle with such damage comes in for repair. Anyone with information on the crash is asked to call 903-572-3616.

MARSHALL — An accused sex offender has been arrested in Marshall. KETK reports Kerric Lawrence Tucker, 26, of Lancaster, was arrested without incident Thursday night at a residence in the 700 block of Oak Street. He had been wanted for continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14. Tucker was booked in to the Harrison County Jail on an outstanding warrant from Dallas County.

LONGVIEW — Longview’s Good Shepherd Medical Center has been notified it is not in compliance with minimum standards necessary to take part in Medicare and Medicaid programs. The Longview News Journal reports Steve Altmiller, president and CEO of Good Shepherd Health System said in an email last night to staff members that the decision is based on the findings of a full site survey earlier this summer by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. He said the agency could publish a notice today in the News-Journal “about our noncompliance and future participation in the Medicare program.” The email went on to say “I am disappointed by the government’s decision. But most of all, I am embarrassed surveyors pointed out issues that we should have self-identified.” Continue reading Good Shepherd Fails to Meet Federal Standards

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University has named Deena Shelton as its new director of Career Services. Shelton will assist LETU students and alumni to identify their vocational calling, find rewarding careers and continue tracking graduate placement and internship placements. She will serve as a liaison with corporate and industry partners. Her work will include counseling students in job search strategies, resume building, interviewing, dressing for success and business etiquette. Originally from Mississippi, Shelton is a first-generation college student who earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from LETU in 2006 before completing her Master of Arts in community counseling at Stephen F. Austin State University. She is currently in a Ph.D. program at Walden University in Minnesota. Continue reading Deena Shelton Has New Post at Letourneau University

WASHINGTON — East Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert continues his sharp criticism of the Iran nuclear deal. Taking the House floor, the Tyler Republican said, “This deal with an evil group of leaders in Iran is going to spell death down the road for masses of people if we don’t get it stopped. So Mr. Speaker – that’s my plea. Let’s stop the deal for the good of the world.”

LONGVIEW (AP/STAFF) — The biggest shipment ever received at the Port of Caddo-Bossier in Louisiana has reached its destination, a Gregg County chemical plant. An official with Eastman Chemical Company says the 303-ton piece of equipment arrived Thursday afternoon in Longview. The so-called “cold box” was trucked from Shreveport in a journey that began last Friday. Spokeswoman Kristin Parker says a cold box is a collection of heat exchangers inside an insulated box. The unit was made in Asia and hauled by barge from the Port of New Orleans to Shreveport, via the Mississippi River and the Red River. Parker says a second shipment is expected to arrive next week. Eastman is based in Kingsport, Tennessee. Continue reading “Super Load” Reaches Eastman Chemical Site in Longview

AUSTIN – The Texas Water Development Board Thursday approved $410,000 in financial assistance from the Clean Water State Revolving Fund to the City of Hudson in Angelina County. The City will be able to finance planning and design costs associated with replacing its wastewater treatment plant, according to a TWDB news release. Officials say the city could save approximately $60,600 over the life of the loan by using the Clean Water State Revolving Fund. Hudson’s wastewater treatment plant was built in 1978 and has reached the end of its useful service life, according to the news release. The award was part of $15,364,000 in financial assistance for water and wastewater system improvements distributed to four entities around the state. TWDB also approved $3.9 billion in assistance through the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas (SWIFT).

TYLER — Two-way traffic resumed by mid-morning Thursday on Highway 64 West near Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. Vehicles had previously been prohibited from passing through the scene of an early morning accident in the area. Utility crews continued work to restore power in the vicinity, according to city officials. Airport Manager Davis Dickson said he did not expect any further delays at the airport. Continue reading Normal Traffic Flow Resumes Following Hwy 64 Wreck

NASHVILLE, TENN. (AP/STAFF) — Country star Miranda Lambert of Lindale jumped on stage and sang at a small club in Nashville, Tennessee, two days after announcing her divorce from husband Blake Shelton. The Grammy-winning singer was all smiles on Wednesday night as she joined her friend, singer Ashley Monroe, in singing “Heart Like Mine,” which she co-wrote with Monroe. The show was a preview of Monroe’s forthcoming album, “The Blade,” and country artists including Vince Gill and Phillip Sweet of Little Big Town also populated the small club. Lambert, 31, and Shelton, 39, announced their divorce Monday after four years of marriage. Lambert spent most of the evening singing along from the crowd, until Monroe invited her up to participate in her encore performance. Lambert and Shelton are among country’s most popular singers. Both pick up scores of awards annually.

LONGVIEW — That super load continues its slow movement to Longview. Crews say it was like a parade as the transporter made its way through Tatum in Rusk County where residents lined the side of the highway as if watching a parade. And it sort of was, with all of the utility, law enforcement, and other vehicles escorting the load. The convoy hit the road just after 6:00am, and reached its stopping point for the day on State Highway 149 in Longview at 9:30am. The convoy is three days ahead of its original Sunday arrival date with less than 10 miles left on its journey through parts of Texas and Louisiana. Continue reading Super Load Creeping Closer to Longview Plant

EUSTACE — A man’s body has been found in a wrecked pickup in Henderson County. He has tentatively been identified as Keith Allen Beasley, 52, of Gun Barrel City. He had been reported missing on July 14th. A Texas Department of Transportation mowing crew found the vehicle and man’s body in a drainage ditch off Highway 175 in Eustace shortly after 9:15 Wednesday morning. The pickup had been hidden from the road by tall weeds and canes. An autopsy has been ordered.