KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Texas Education Agency has officially announced Tyler ISD as one of 44 newly approved Early College High School (ECHS) designations for the 2015-2016 school year. “I am extremely honored to have the opportunity to be a part of the first ECHS Program for Tyler ISD,” ECHS Director DelSenna Frazier said. “This program is going to positively impact the lives of so many students and families in Tyler. The ECHS model is the new high school experience.” Continue reading TEA Gives Formal Approval for TISD Early College High School

AUSTIN — A Tyler man convicted of murdering a 2-year-old in 2008 had his death row appeal denied Wednesday morning. According to KETK, a Texas Court of Criminal Appeals document shows the court reviewed five allegations made in Demontrell Lamar Miller’s application and recommended his appeal be denied without an evidentiary hearing. The 28-year-old was sentenced to death in November 2009 for the June 2008 murder of his then-girlfriend’s two-year-old son, Kelynn. Continue reading Court Denies Tylerite’s Death Row Appeal

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert of Tyler has unveiled his “No Taxation Without Representation Act.” According to a news release, the measure would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to insure that there is no taxation without representation — and to make tax law regarding residents of the District of Columbia consistent with tax law affecting territories of the United States that also do not have a voting member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Continue reading Gohmert Introduces “No Taxation Without Representation Act”

KILGORE — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a man wanted out of Kilgore. KETK reports authorities are searching for Otis Ray Austin, 43, who is wanted on an outstanding felony warrant and is a person of interest in a recent burglary case. The suspect is described as 6 feet tall and weighing about 160 pounds. If you have information on Austin’s whereabouts, contact Gregg County investigator Craig Harrington at 903-237-2529 or Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP.

LONGVIEW — Longview police have canceled their search for a 50-year-old man after he was found safe. KETK reports officials were looking for John Garland, Jr., of Henderson, who had last been reported in Longview on April 8. The family was worried about the man’s disappearance because of mental health issues and his known use of narcotics, according to information from police.

TYLER — Some doctors in Texas are getting paid a lot of money, but not from patients, from pharmaceutical companies. http://betterdoctor.com says when it comes to taking money from big pharma, doctors in Tyler take second place. Dallas is ranked third. Spokeswoman Divya Raghavan says payments can be gifts or speaking fees and it could sway doctors. She suggests asking your doctor if there are cheaper alternatives if you’re given a prescription. Go to http://www.openpayments.com to find out how much your doctor has received.

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This story has been modified since it was first reported in order to correctly identify the organization name and website.

SMITH COUNTY — Tyler Police are warning area residents about three recent scams where Tyler citizens have been taken advantage of by scammers. The most recent one is a “House on Fire Scam.” Tyler Police and Smith County Sheriff’s Office have been contacted in reference to two Hispanic males who will knock on your door very late into the night and tell you that your house is on fire. They will attempt to get you outside your residence while one of them will go inside and check your electrical box. However they are looking to steal or leave a rear window open to return to your residence to commit a crime. Continue reading Smith County Officials Warn of Area Scams

ATHENS – For the second time in six months, there has been a bomb threat at the Henderson County Courthouse. Two calls were received before 9:00 Tuesday morning claiming there was a bomb at the courthouse. The building was closed and neighboring businesses were closed. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco and Firearms brought in a dog to assist in the search. No bomb was found and the buildings were reopened. A similar bomb threat was made at the courthouse last October. No bomb was found then either. Authorities feel the two threats are connected.

AUSTIN (AP/STAFF) — With seven weeks left, the real wrangling in Republican Governor Greg Abbott’s first session now begins. That’s because the Senate on Tuesday approved a new spending blueprint for Texas: a $211.4 billion budget proposal that more than triples border security spending, boosts highway construction and leaves Democrats grumbling over classroom spending and pre-K dollars. Among those weighing in is Republican Sen. Kevin Eltife of Tyler. Continue reading Budget Battle Set in Austin

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler has received a substantial materials grant to provide educational training for K-12 teachers. With the $80,000 award – the largest of its kind in Texas – the UT Tyler Center for Economic Education and Financial Literacy will equip area teachers with the knowledge and tools they need to incorporate economics and personal finance into the K-12 curriculum. Continue reading U-T Tyler Gets Educational Training Grant

UPSHUR COUNTY — The trial continues for an East Texas man accused of murdering his child’s mother in a Gilmer stadium parking lot. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Jonathan Ray Shepherd admitted to killing Cheyenne Green on video presented in Upshur County’s 115th District Court Tuesday morning. Shepherd allegedly shot and killed Green in the Buckeye Stadium parking lot during a football game at Gilmer High School on September 26, 2013. According to a probable cause affidavit, Shepherd met Green in the parking lot during halftime of a football game to give their then two-year-old child to her. A witness told police the couple was arguing about custody of the child. Continue reading Capital Murder Trial Continues for Man Accused of Killing Son’s Mother

TYLER — A man has died as the result of a weekend gunshot wound in Tyler, and his father is charged with murder. Tyler investigators arrested Donny Wayne Allen Sr. after he turned himself in to police Tuesday afternoon. He was transported to Smith County Jail on a $200,000 bond set by Judge Christi Kennedy. According to a news release, investigators determined that the son assaulted the father at the scene of the incident. After the assault had occurred the son was running from the father when the father is said to have shot the son in the back. The case remains under investigation. Continue reading Weekend Shooting Victim Dies; Father Charged with Murder

TYLER – A Dallas County doctor has been sentenced in federal court in Tyler to prison for health care fraud and identity theft violations. Tariq Mahmood, 63, of Cedar Hill, was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, seven counts of health care fraud, and seven counts of aggravated identity theft following a four day trial before U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider. He has been sentenced to 135 months in federal prison and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $599,128.02 to Medicare, Medicaid, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas. Continue reading Doctor Sentenced to Prison for Health Care Fraud Scheme

RUSK — Officials have released the names of those involved in a double-fatality wreck near Rusk. Qudus Jacobs, 22, and Chikosolu Ughanze, 20, both of Nacogdoches, died as a result of the wreck. Around 4:15 Monday afternoon, a truck was headed north on Highway 110 when it T-boned an SUV driving west. The SUV failed to yield the right of way, according to DPS. The deceased were the driver and passenger of the SUV. Ughanze was pronounced dead at the scene, and Jacobs later died at a Tyler hospital. Both were students at Stephen F. Austin University, according to their Facebook pages. The driver of the truck was identified as Richard Osteen, Jr., 29, of Troup. He was treated at a Tyler hospital and released. The crash remains under investigation.

WINNSBORO – The Winnsboro Police Department launched an investigation into the death of a baby. According to police, they received a 911 call on Thursday concerning a non-responsive 16-month old baby girl, identified as Madison Cannon. The Winnsboro Fire Department, police department and EMS all responded to the location. KETK reports an officer on scene reported the child showed signs of abuse with bruising in several spots. Continue reading Toddler’s Death Under Investigation

EAST TEXAS — The National Weather Service in Shreveport has confirmed two tornadoes in East Texas. According to KETK, one released photo (left) shows an EF-1 tornado that touched down in Gregg and Harrison Counties on April 9. The twister was captured on camera near Highway 259 and Eden in Longview. A second confirmed tornado is pictured (right) in Northern Cherokee County. That was listed as an EF-2 tornado. Continue reading National Weather Service Confirms Last Week’s Tornadoes

TYLER — The 31st Annual Taste of Tyler! It will run from 6:30 till 8:30pm Tuesday night at the Harvey Convention Center. This popular event offers menu samples from many of Tyler’s finest restaurants. Visit the restaurant booths of your choice as often as you choose for delicious appetizers, breads, entrees and desserts, along with complimentary water, sodas, beer and wine. Circulate, socialize and enjoy live music from three groups in separate areas. All net proceeds from Taste of Tyler are applied toward charitable and educational causes. Taste of Tyler is co-sponsored by East Texas Restaurant Association (ETRA) and Tyler Sunrise Rotary Club. Tickets are $20.00 if purchased in advance. Any remaining tickets will be sold at the door for $25.00. Advance tickets are available at Tyler area Dairy Queens and Papacita’s Mexican Restaurant on South Broadway in Tyler. Continue reading It’s Time for the Taste of Tyler

LONGVIEW – One person has been injured in a vehicle/pedestrian accident in Longview. It happened shortly after 6:30 Monday morning at the intersection of U.S. Highway 80 and Eastman Road. Taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center with serious injuries was James Coleman Fountain, 29. Investigators say he was running across the road and ran into the car’s path.

TYLER – Smith County residents are being warned about a scam. A man is asking for cash only donations on behalf of several local volunteer fire departments at restaurants around the county. The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office tells KETK it is a scam and the man is not a representative of any local organization. The county’s volunteer fire departments will not solicit donations without proper identification and will not specifically ask for cash only. If you are approached for money from someone saying they represent one of the area’s fire departments, you are encouraged to call the County Fire Marshall’s office or the local fire station to verify the solicitation. If you suspect fraud, contact the County Fire Marshall’s office or the Smith County Sheriff’s Department.

TYLER – Tyler is getting a minor league baseball team again. It was announced Monday afternoon that the East Texas Pump Jacks, which have played at Driller Park in Kilgore since 2008, will be moving to Tyler. They will play their games at Irwin Filed at the University of Texas at Tyler. The first home game is June 4th. The 60-game schedule runs from May 28 to August 7. That is followed by the playoffs, which the team has made each year. In seven seasons, the team has won over 200 games and the TCL championship in 2012. The team’s new office is located at 1805 Overbrook Drive, just off Paluxy Drive.

LUFKIN – Police continue their investigation of what appears to be the accidental shooting death of a Lufkin man. It occurred around 10:30 Sunday morning in the 100 block of Stonewood. The victim was found lying in a storage shed with a gunshot wound to the face. Officers found two guns and gun cleaning supplies in the shed. The victim’s name has not been released.

HARRISON COUNTY – Two persons have died in weekend accidents in Harrison County. The first was reported just before 3:15 Saturday afternoon on U.S. Highway 59, north of Marshall. The Department of Public Safety reports the accident happened when a driver, Johnnie Young, 60, of Jefferson, suffered a seizure and has car veered off the road. A passenger in his car, Irma Downs, 83, of Jefferson, died in a hospital about an hour after the wreck. Young remains hospitalized. Continue reading Harrison County Wrecks Kill Two

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of April 13. Schedules are subject to change due to the rain forecast for the week, equipment or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention in these and all work zones.

SMITH COUNTY – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Tyler expect to continue base repair work on Farm Road 2015 between Farm Road 14 and Farm Road 16 this week, weather permitting. Another crew plans to perform base work on Farm Road 1805 between Farm Road 1252 and the Van Zandt County line. Expect lane closures with traffic controlled by flaggers. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER – A motorcycle/truck accident in Tyler has left one person dead. The wreck occurred in the 2800 block of U.S. Highway 271 around 2:30 Sunday afternoon. Tyler Police said Bobby Greenwood, 35, of Tyler, was traveling southbound, driving on the improved shoulder on his motorcycle, at a high rate of speed when he hit a pickup which was making a legal right turn into a business. Greenwood died at the scene. The driver of the pickup received minor injuries and was treated at a local hospital.

UPSHUR COUNTY — Jury selection and trial for an East Texas man accused of murder has been scheduled to begin today. Jonathan Ray Shepherd, 34, has been accused of fatally shooting Cheyenne Green in the parking lot of the Gilmer Buckeye Stadium during a football game September 26, 2013. Shepherd reportedly met Green in the parking lot during halftime of a football game to give their then two-year-old child to her. A witness told police the couple was arguing about custody of the child. According to KETK, sometime after the argument, Shepherd called his wife, Suzanne Bates, and told her he had done “something bad and he couldn’t take it anymore and that she was dead.” Continue reading Trial for Gilmer Murder Suspect to Begin Monday

TYLER — Police in Tyler are following up on a weekend shooting. Around 1:00 Sunday afternoon, Tyler Police Dispatch received a 911 call that someone had been shot in the 400 block of Muller Garden Road. He has been identified as Donny Wayne Allen Jr., 25. The suspect has been identified as his father, Donny Wayne Allen Sr. Allen Jr. was transported to East Texas Medical Center with what turned out to be life threatening injuries. He underwent surgery and is now in the hospital’s Intensive Care Unit. His father remained at the scene and cooperated with officers. He was interviewed by Detectives from the Major Crimes Unit at the Tyler Police Department and then released. Late Monday afternoon police spokesman Don Martin said the case remains under investigation.

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department held its 24th Annual Awards Banquet Saturday at the Tyler Rose Garden Center. During the ceremony, firefighters, along with retired firefighters and civilians, were honored for their actions and service to the city of Tyler. Continue reading Tyler Fire Department Holds 24th Annual Awards Banquet

DIANA – On Saturday afternoon in Diana, the annual alumni baseball game turned into a benefit for coach Keith McKinley’s family. McKinley, an assistant coach in the New Diana ISD, died the week before due to complications from a heart attack. KETK reports everyone who came got a chance to pay an entry fee and play in the game, as well as buy items at a silent auction. All of the proceeds went to McKinley’s family. They are still raising money online. If you would like to help, just follow this link: http://www.gofundme.com/qgm8ts

CLEVELAND, Ohio (AP/Staff) — Tyler native Johnny Manziel has reportedly taken the first steps in his comeback. The popular Cleveland Browns quarterback was released from a rehab facility Saturday after more than 10 weeks, a person familiar with the situation told The Associated Press. The 2012 Heisman Trophy winner from Texas A&M entered the undisclosed clinic, which specializes in drug and alcohol rehabilitation, on Jan. 28 for treatment of an unspecified problem. Manziel is expected to participate in Cleveland’s offseason workouts beginning April 20, the person said, speaking on condition of anonymity because of privacy issues.

TYLER — Republican U.S. Senator John Cornyn of Texas paid a visit to East Texas Friday night. KETK reports he was at Hollytree Country Club in Tyler for the Annual Smith County Republican Club Dinner. The dinner featured a silent auction from the Smith County Republican Women as well as a VIP reception with the senator. He also spoke on topics that included international relations, small business, and Obamacare. Continue reading Cornyn Visits Tyler