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LIVINGSTON (AP) — An East Texas man has been accused of stealing an ambulance in a three-county chase that ended with road spikes stopping the medical vehicle. Polk County jail records show Derwin Wayne Armstrong, 55, of Center was being held Monday on a charge of evading arrest/detention with a vehicle. Nobody was hurt in the chase early Sunday after the ambulance was stolen from Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital. Nacogdoches police contacted other agencies as the chase went from Nacogdoches County into Angelina County. Officers put down highway spikes and stopped the vehicle in Polk County. Diboll police Chief Steve Baker says the fleeing ambulance at times went 80 mph. Authorities are trying to determine what prompted the theft. Online jail records don’t list an attorney for Armstrong, whose bond is $20,000.

TYLER — Ringo Starr, former drummer for legendary group the Beatles, is coming to The University of Texas at Tyler R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center, Susan Thomae-Morphew, Cowan Center executive director, announced. Sponsored by the Owen Family, Richey Family and Anderson Vukelja Family, the musical icon will take the stage at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, 2015. Tickets start at $55 and can be purchased at the UT Tyler Cowan Center box office, online at http://www.cowancenter.org or by calling 903.566.7424. Box office hours are 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The box office will be closed Thanksgiving week, Nov. 24- 28. Continue reading Ringo Starr to Perform Valentine’s Day Concert at UT Tyler

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler online nursing programming has achieved national recognition, Dr. Yong Tai Wang, College of Nursing and Health Sciences dean, announced. Out of 50 nationally accredited nursing institutions analyzed by the national independent organization SuperScholar, UT Tyler ranks among the best in the country to offer quality online undergraduate nursing education, according to a UTT news release. UT Tyler is the only UT System academic institution listed, and the university bests Arizona State University, Michigan State University, the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs, the University of Missouri – St. Louis and Lamar University, among others. Continue reading UTT’s Online Undergrad Nursing Programming Nationally Recognized

LONGVIEW — One person is dead following a weekend shooting in Longview. On Saturday morning at 1:15, officers were dispatched to the 3400 block of Martin Luther King Blvd. for a shots fired call. While officers were responding to that location another call came in from Good Shepherd Medical Center. An officer working off-duty there was told a shooting victim had just arrived in the emergency room. Police learned that 40-year-old Tarrence Lamond Booker, of Longview, was brought to the hospital by people at the scene of the shooting. Police were told there was an altercation between several men at the club and numerous shots were fired, with Booker being hit by gunfire at least one time. Booker had life-threatening injuries and later died at the hospital as a result of those injuries. Continue reading One Dead after Weekend Shooting

TYLER – Two men are in custody in connection with several Tyler burglaries. It began shortly after 4:15 Sunday afternoon with a call of a burglary in progress in the 1400 block of South Chilton. A witness saw someone trying to break into a home and chased the suspect toward Bergfeld Park. Officers found the suspect hiding in the public restrooms. After a brief struggle the suspect, identified as Joseph Wilson, 19, of Tyler, was taken into custody. Continue reading Tyler Burglary Suspects Arrested

TROUP Smith County authorities are investigating the injury of a pregnant woman in the southeastern part of the county. The call came in around 4:15 Sunday afternoon about a pregnant woman who had fallen from a moving vehicle. It happened on Highway 110 South near County Road 2138 near Troup. The call originally reported an auto accident. However, state troopers reported no accident and alerted the sheriffs office. The woman, after being treated on scene by EMS, was transported by life flight to a Tyler hospital for further treatment. Her name has not been released and her condition is unknown at this time.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at work planned in the Tyler District during the Week of November 10, 2014:

SMITH COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Tyler this week will be working on Farm Road 857 between Farm Road 1253 and the county line. Travel lanes will be reduced to one with traffic control conducted by flaggers. Slow down and use caution when traveling through this area. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER — Construction on the ETMC overhead pedestrian walkway will begin today between the hours of 9:00am and 4:00pm. During this time, only one lane each on Beckham Avenue will be open for northbound and southbound traffic. Construction is scheduled to continue until Friday.

TYLER – Two missing Smith County children have been found. Tyler police report that Chelsey Gee, 11, was found Saturday unharmed and reunited with her family. She had last seen Friday evening between 6:00 and 7:00 at Rose Valley apartments located at 1007 NNW Loop 323 in Tyler. Continue reading Two Missing Children Located

NOONDAY – A Missing Smith County boy has been found. Shortly after 5:00 Friday afternoon Smith County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a 911 call regarding a missing child. The caller said her 10 year old son had been playing in the yard, but when she went outside to check on him, he was gone. Patrol deputies as well as multiple agencies responded to the 10700 block of County Road 192 near Noonday. After about a two hour search, Tyler Police Department advised that they had received a call from a retail store regarding the location of the child. The child had apparently wandered into the woods and became disoriented. He continued walking through the woods until he came to a shopping center in the 7200 block of the Old Jacksonville Highway. He was returned to his mother around 7:15.

LONGVIEW – For the third time, a Longview capital murder trial is being rescheduled. In a court hearing Friday, the trial of Kyron Rayshawn Templeton, 23, was set for January 9th. He is charged in a fatal attack in Good Shepherd Medical Center’s Ambulatory Surgical Center November 26th of last year. His mother was having surgery at the center the morning when the attacks occurred. Templeton is accused of killing a nurse and a visitor at the surgical center. He is also is charged with stabbing another nurse and two other visitors and is charged with three counts of aggravated assault. No word from the district attorney’s office if they plan to seek the death penalty in the case.

MARSHALL — Officials are investigating after a decomposed body was discovered in a Marshall residence. The Marshall Police Department Communication received a call shortly after 11:45 Friday morning reporting a deceased person in the 100 Block of Wood Street. The woman has been identified as Hester Foster, 49. She had been reported missing just over a week ago. Her body has been transported to Tyler Forensic Lab, where Justice of the Peace Precinct #2 Judge Clarice Watkins ordered an autopsy to be performed to determine the cause of death.

GLADEWATER — A Gladewater man already well-known to law enforcement has been arrested on a drug-related charge. KETK reports Gladewater investigators and patrol officers concluded an ongoing investigation Thursday night when they arrested Deyron Smith, 25, and charged him with delivery of controlled substance. At the time of his arrest, Smith was in possession of over 10 grams of suspected heroin. Smith was also found to have an outstanding felony indictment for theft through Gregg County and is currently on parole through Gregg County.

BROWNSBORO — A Brownsboro High School student has been identified as Jacob McCawley, 17, after being arrested in connection with graffiti containing threatening statements. According to KETK, parents of BISD students say the threats were regarding writing on the wall of a boys’ restroom vowing “Satanic sacrifices.” School officials in partnership with law enforcement received information about graffiti on a bathroom stall on Tuesday and responded quickly to investigate the matter, according to a BISD news release. Officials say McCawley was immediately detained at the beginning of the school day Wednesday. He’ll be charged as an adult with making a terroristic threat on a public entity. He has also been suspended from school, according to BISD Superintendent Dr. Christopher Moran. Continue reading Suspect Identified in Brownsboro Threats

MT. VERNON — An East Texas school district is standing up to a group’s challenge to religious expression on campus. The Freedom from Religion Foundation last week sent a complaint to Mt. Vernon ISD over religious sayings written on school walls as well as t-shirts being sold by the PTO. Superintendent John Kaufman says the 8 to 10 biblical inscriptions are among 175 historical quotes written on walls at all their schools. According to Kaufman, “We are leaving everything just as it is until our lawyers respond with what we need to do. We’re not gonna be overreactive in this.” He adds that students feel the complaint is an attack on their religious freedom –and, in response, have been wearing t-shirts to school with religious messages on them.

CANTON – A Van Zandt County man has been found guilty of killing his wife. Larry Maples was sentenced Thursday to life in prison. The shooting happened around 6:00 Sunday morning on March 24, 2013. It occurred at a home at 2642 Farm Road 26, west of Canton, where Heather Maples, 34, had been staying. Continue reading Life in Prison for a Van Zandt County Murder

LUFKIN (AP/STAFF) — GE Oil & Gas plans to spend $60 million on expansion and modernization of its foundry in East Texas. The upgrades announced Thursday involve the GE site in Lufkin. The complex produces iron castings used to make beam pumping units and power transmission equipment. GE plans to demolish about 30,000 square feet of its existing 515,000-square-foot facility and construct 72,000 square feet of new buildings. The company also plans to refurbish the remaining facilities at the site in Angelina County. The foundry began operating in 1902.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP/Staff) — The NFL has formally begun a review of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson’s case, for potential punishment under the league’s personal conduct policy. Spokesman Brian McCarthy said Peterson was told by the NFL on Thursday that his status on paid leave from the Vikings will not change until completion of the process. That means Peterson’s return could take a while. The Palestine native pleaded no contest in Texas on Tuesday to misdemeanor reckless assault, down from a felony charge of child abuse for disciplining his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch. The league said it requested that Peterson submit relevant information from his case and meet with designated experts who will make recommendations for Commissioner Roger Goodell’s consideration. He’ll have the opportunity for a hearing before any punishment is levied.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department would like to identify the credit card abuse suspect in the accompanying photo. The card was stolen in a vehicle burglary on November 2. The suspect in these photos is also a suspect in other crimes that occurred over the November 1 weekend, according to police. The suspect allegedly used the credit card at numerous locations in Longview including Wal-Mart, Valero, Academy, and Lowe’s. The victim told police the suspect used the stolen credit card to purchase thousands of dollars worth of merchandise before the victim could cancel the card. If you have information on the identity of this suspect, contact Sgt. David Scott at 903-237-1199 or remain anonymous and contact Gregg County Crime Stoppers.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police need your help in identifying the suspect in this photo. The Ulta burglary happened on May 2, 2014 around 3:30 a.m. Ulta is located in the 3000 Block of North Eastman Road. Police say the suspect or suspects took a large amount of men’s and women’s fragrances. If you have information on the identity of the suspect or suspects, you’re asked to contact Detective Fred Runnels at 903-237-1146 and reference case number #14-6991.

FLINT — Crews responded to a pipeline fire in the Flint-Gresham area Thursday morning, according to the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office. KETK reports the line is located on County Road 178. A small portion of the road was shut down during the incident. Authorities stated the blaze began around 10:45 a.m. when contract workers were testing the line for a company interested in purchasing it. During a “hot cut operation” to combine two previously capped sections, a fire was sparked. Workers inside the hole were able to escape. The 4-inch main natural gas line was deemed no longer a threat by early afternoon. Crews were allowing the residual gas to burn off. No evacuations were ordered and no injuries occurred. A backhoe was slightly damaged by the flames.

WOODSTOCK, Ga. — Graveside services will be held today in Canton, Georgia, at the Georgia National Cemetery for past Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Jack L. Davidson. According to the website for Lakeside Funeral Home in Woodstock, Georgia, Davidson died peacefully Sunday in Woodstock at age 87. Davidson and his late wife, Ina, had moved there a few years ago to be close to their daughter. Davidson served as TISD superintendent from 1980 till 1991. Following his retirement, he was called back into service numerous times for interim superintendent roles as well as to serve for the Texas Education Agency as a Monitor or Master for school districts that were facing difficulties. Continue reading Services Friday for Former TISD Superintendent Dr. Jack Davidson

LONGVIEW — A Longview family is devastated after its service dog disappears from its yard. KETK reports it happened in the area of Tryon Road and Sunnybrook Drive. The German shepherd helps Jay Myers’s wife, who has multiple sclerosis. Their two boys let the dog outside to do her business Monday. But when they opened the door to let her back inside, she was gone. Myers believes someone took her from the family’s home and is desperate for her to be returned. He says she’s wearing a tag that has flames on one side and says, “Pets rock.” On the other side it has Myers’s name and phone number. The dog has the typical German shepherd markings. You’re asked to call (903) 238-4100 if you have any information.

EAST TEXAS — Meals on Wheels and Walgreens have announced plans for the 4th annual Walgreens Mobile Flu Shot Drive, set to begin Monday, November 10 and ending Friday, November 21. Volunteer pharmacists from Walgreens will travel to homebound seniors to administer the flu shots directly to Meals on Wheels clients. Continue reading Meals on Wheels Offering Mobile Flu Shots

NASHVILLE – Two East Texans have taken five awards at the 48th annual Country Music Association Awards. Lindale’s Miranda Lambert was the biggest winner of the night with four awards. Lambert took home album of the year for “Platinum,” single of the year for “Automatic” and music event of the year for “We Were Us” with Keith Urban. Lambert’s fifth consecutive win for female vocalist of the year Wednesday beat a record set by herself, Reba McEntire and Martina McBride. Her husband, Blake Shelton, was named male vocalist of the year. Song of the year honors went to Golden, Texas native Kacey Musgraves for the song “Follow Your Arrow.” Last year she took home new artist of the year honors. Shortly after Wednesday night’s win, Musgraves joined Loretta Lynn to sing a rendition of Lynn’s “You’re Looking at Country.”

TYLER — Applications for the city of Tyler’s Christmas Parade are due by Friday, November 7. You can go to http://www.TylerPolice.com to download an application packet. School groups (such as bands, dance teams or the National Honor Society), civic organizations, churches, and other non-profit organizations are encouraged to participate, according to a city news release. All entries must be consistent with the city’s overall parade theme of Christmas, the holidays, winter, etc. Continue reading Tyler Christmas Parade Application Deadline Approaching

EAST TEXAS – Bomb threats came in to Smith County and neighboring school districts on Wednesday. All turned out to be fake. The calls came in concerning the Smith County Courthouse and schools in Athens, Frankston and Jacksonville. Continue reading Fake Bomb Threats Reported around East Texas

ATHENS — The mayor of Brownsboro agreed Tuesday to a probationary contract with the state during a hearing for his December 2013 DWI arrest. Mayor Terry Frank Mills, 37, appeared Wednesday morning for a pre-trial intervention in Henderson County Court at Law No. 1. Mills agreed to a 12-month probation and 100 community service hours. He will also pay court fees. The mayor was arrested on December 18, 2013, for driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content level greater than .15. The legal limit in Texas is .08. Additionally, he was charged with unlawful carrying weapon, a class A misdemeanor. Continue reading Brownsboro Mayor Agrees to Probation for DWI Arrest

BROWNSBORO — A Brownsboro High School student has been arrested and charged with terroristic threat on a public entity, which is a 3rd degree felony. According to a BISD news release, the student was arrested in response to threatening graffiti discovered in a boys’ restroom Tuesday afternoon. The high school administration worked closely with local law enforcement to identify possible witnesses and the suspect, who was ultimately detained early Wednesday morning prior to arrest, according to the release. The superintendent of schools, Dr. Christopher Moran, commented he was very pleased with the response of students, staff, and local authorities and commends the high school administration and BISD police chief for the timely investigation. Additional law enforcement will be present on all BISD campuses throughout the week to reassure parents, students and staff, according to the news release.

TYLER — Tyler police have cleared the scene and traffic has returned to a normal flow around the downtown square. According to KETK, vehicles were earlier rerouted a block away from the area due to unspecified police activity.