KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TATUM — The Tatum Police Department is investigating an alleged murder-suicide that took place over the weekend. According to a release put out by the department, on Saturday at 7:45 p.m., possible gunshots at a local home were reported. KETK reports Tatum officers and Rusk County deputies responded to the scene and found a man and woman dead. The man was killed by a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The Tatum Police Department, Rusk County’s Criminal Investigation Division, the Rusk County District Attorney’s Office, and the Texas Rangers are investigating the case. J.P. Precinct 4 Darlene Childress ordered an autopsy.

TYLER – A bicyclist has been injured when hit by a SUV in the 7500 block of the Old Jacksonville Highway. The accident happened shortly before 8:15 Tuesday night. Injured was Kristin Blaise, 42. Tyler police report that a group of cyclists were riding north bound in the outside lane when Blaise was struck by a vehicle. According to Sgt. Wendell Gardner, she sustained serious injuries that are not believed to be life threatening at this time. She was transported to East Texas Medical Center for treatment. The driver, identified as Devin Hunter, 20, was ticketed for failure to control speed.

TYLER — A portion of South Broadway which had been closed due to road construction is back open. It had been closed in all directions between the intersections of Houston/South Broadway and 4th/South Broadway.

BEAUMONT — A 39-year-old Lufkin, Texas man has admitted he deliberately drove his $1 million car into Gulf waters so that he could collect insurance on the vehicle. Andy Lee House pleaded guilty to an Information charging him with wire mail fraud yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Giblin. House faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set. Continue reading Officials: Man Deliberately Ruined His $1M Car

TYLER — A joint investigation between the Tyler Police Department and the FBI has led to the arrest of a corporate security consultant-investigator for Capital One Bank in the robbery that occurred at a Capital One Bank in Tyler August 11. The suspect is identified as Daniel River Burson, 37, of McKinney. Burson was arraigned in federal court Tuesday in Tyler and will have a detention hearing on Aug. 29. If convicted, Burson faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Continue reading Security Expert Arrested in Tyler Bank Heist

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court Tuesday approved the county budget and tax rate for 2014-15 by a 3-2 vote. The budget includes a slight tax rate increase from .323564 to .33, which is projected to generate $915,884 in additional revenue that will be dedicated solely to road projects. For the average-priced home of $144,817, the annual increase in County property taxes would be an estimated $9. County Judge Joel Baker says Smith County will maintain one of the lowest county tax rates in Texas. Continue reading County Budget, Tax Rate Approved by 3-2 Vote

TYLER – The Texas Education Agency (TEA) recently released accountability ratings for school districts and charter schools across the state, and eight Tyler ISD campuses earned a total of 20 distinctions for the 2014 school year. Schools that received a “Met Standard” rating can earn up to seven additional honors, or distinctions, for outstanding performance in various areas in relation to a comparison group of campuses. Continue reading Tyler ISD Campuses Earn 20 Distinctions in Accountability System

AUSTIN — The Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) announced Tuesday that six outstanding educators from across Texas, including one from Lindale, have been chosen as finalists in the Texas Teacher of the Year program. The elementary school finalists include Whitney Crews, a sixth-grade science and social studies teacher at E.J. Moss Intermediate in Lindale ISD. Three elementary and three secondary school educators were selected from the 40 regional Teachers of the Year from each of the state’s 20 education service centers. The finalists will now contend for the honor of being named Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year and Texas Secondary Teacher of the Year. Continue reading Lindale Educator Named Finalist for Teacher of the Year

LONGVIEW — An Gregg County man is in jail after officials say he stabbed his brother. Officers with the Longview Police Department arrested Ivan Lee Tabor Jr., 57, of Longview, after police say he stabbed his brother David Tabor in the stomach. Longview Police Department Public Information Officer Kristie Brian told KETK, authorities responded to the reports of the incident Monday in the 100 block of White City Street in Longview. David Tabor was taken to a local hospital with serious injuries but is expected to recover. Ivan Tabor was charged with aggravated assault family violence with a weapon and is currently in the Gregg County Jail on $25,000 bond.

GILMER – Representative David Simpson invites citizens from District 7 and the surrounding area to a slideshow presentation and report about his week-long tour of the southern Texas border. The townhall meeting will take place tonight from 6:00 to 7:30 at the Upshur Rural Electric Co-op, 1200 West Tyler Street in Gilmer. After the report, the floor will be open for questions and comments from the audience about immigration and border security. According to press materials, the event is free and open to the public. A similar meeting is planned for September 21 in Kilgore.

LONGVIEW – One person has been killed and one injured in a Gregg County accident. The wreck occurred just before 5:00 Sunday morning on Interstate Highway 20, six miles southwest of Longview. Killed was Edward Bradley, 71, of Salt Lake City, Utah. He died about three hours after the accident at Longview’s Good Shepherd Medical Center. The driver of the other vehicle, Dylan Brown, 19, of Longview, remains hospitalized in critical condition at Good Shepherd Medical Center. According to the Department of Public Safety report, Brown was west bound on the interstate when his pickup crossed the median and hit Bradley’s vehicle.

TYLER – Student enrollment numbers for Tyler ISD are in after what officials term a successful first day of school. First day enrollment for the 2014-2015 school year increased slightly, totaling 17,085, while enrollment for the first day of classes in the 2013-2014 school year was 17,048. First day numbers showed increases at 12 campuses, while 15 campuses saw a drop in opening day enrollment. The school with the largest first day enrollment increase, compared to last year, was John Tyler High School. They saw an increase of 100 students. The largest drop was at Moore Middle School, which was down 69 students from opening day last year. According to school officials, first day of school enrollment numbers fluctuate from year to year, and District leaders anticipate enrollment changing in the coming weeks.

TYLER The Smith County Commissioners Courts final budget and tax rate hearing for the coming fiscal year is set for this morning at 9:30 in the Courthouse Annex. Commissioners have scheduled a vote on the budget and tax rate immediately following the hearing. In the budget draft, County Judge Joel Baker says, To support improvements in county roads, I am presenting a budget that is structured against a tax rate of .33000, an increase from .323564, or 1.952%. This would bring a projected $915,884 in additional revenue that would be dedicated solely to road projects. Continue reading Smith County Commissioners Poised to Pass Budget, Tax Rate

RUSK — Authorities in Cherokee County are requesting the public’s help in solving several recent burglaries. On Wednesday, July 23, a burglary was reported on CR 3708 near Bullard. The property owner returned home Wednesday afternoon to discover the door to his shop open. Upon checking the shop he discovered several thousand dollars of equipment and tools missing. He stated that the burglary would have occurred sometime between 7:00 p.m. Tuesday and at 6:00 p.m. Wednesday. Continue reading Cherokee County Authorities Seek Leads on Several Burglaries

TYLER — A man on a motorcycle led Arp police, Smith County deputies, and state troopers on a high speed chase over the weekend, but they weren’t able to catch him. KETK reports it started in Arp Saturday, after police saw the biker going more than 100 miles per hour. They, along with deputies and troopers gave chase through Chapel Hill and into Tyler. That’s when they say the biker turned into a neighborhood near Highway 64, forcing them to give up the chase for safety reasons.

TYLER — Tyler firefighters say a child playing with a lighter was the cause of a fire at a home off Travis Street. Crews tell KETK the child accidentally lit a room on fire. Mother and child managed to make it out safely. A neighbor who saw flames grabbed a water hose and began fighting the blaze. The room was destroyed in the weekend fire; the rest of the house sustained smoke damage.

KILGORE — A man who was shot by the Kilgore fire marshal during a weekend disturbance has been arrested. KETK reports Kilgore police officers took Kenny Davlin into custody Sunday upon his release from Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview. Davlin was arrested due to a warrant of arrest for the charge of aggravated assault on a public servant. Davlin was transported and booked into the Rusk County Jail in Henderson. No bond has been assessed at this time. Continue reading Suspect Arrested after Shooting Involving Fire Department

LONGVIEW — The cause of a house fire in Longview is under investigation. According to Longview Fire Marshal Johnny Zackary, fire crews responded just after 6:20 Monday morning to the 1200 block of Webster Street. Zackary tells KETK the residents were out of the home by the time crews arrived on scene. There’s no word on amount of damage, but officials say it took till around an hour to extinguish the blaze. Zackary says no injuries were sustained.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been sentenced to one year in prison after pleading guilty to animal cruelty charges. Patrick Allen Johnson, 28, was arrested in February 2014 after his pitbull, named Chico, was left chained to a tree, January 7. According to a report filed by police officer Debra Stiles, Chico was found dead by Longview Animal Control Officer Chris Kemper. Continue reading Longview Man Sentenced after His Dog Was Found Frozen

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at events and work planned in the Tyler District of the state highway department.

SMITH COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Smith County will continue edge repair work on Farm Road 14 between Tyler State Park and Farm Road 16 this week. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress. Motorists should be prepared to reduce speeds and merge in and around work zones. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER — As the academic year begins for public schools and other educational institutions, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding all drivers to watch out for children walking to and from school or waiting for school buses. Drivers must also follow all traffic laws related to school buses and school zones. One of the most dangerous times of a student’s trip on a school bus is when they are entering or exiting the bus. Drivers are urged to slow down and pay attention in school zones since children may step into a roadway without checking for oncoming traffic. Continue reading DPS Reminds Drivers to Watch for School-Bound Children

LONGVIEW — One person was taken to a local hospital Saturday afternoon following a car fire in Longview. KETK reports that the fire sparked after a two vehicle-accident at the intersection of Marshall and H.G. Mosley shortly before 3:30 p.m. The details of the wreck are still under investigation. The victim’s name and condition weren’t immediately available. Police say no one else was injured.

KILGORE — A vehicle fire in Kilgore shut down roadways for a time Saturday night. According to KETK, authorities say the blaze began shortly before 8:45 p.m. on FM 1249 just east of U.S. 259. They say a truck caught fire on the side of the road. Crews arrived on scene, blocked the roadways, and battled the blaze, quickly putting it out. Investigators are working to determine how the fire started. Officials say no one was injured. Kilgore police and firefighters cleared the scene later in the evening and reopened the roadways.

LONGVIEW — With the new Sanitation Simplified Collection program rolling out, many Longview residents have asked about how, when, and where they should place their carts for collection. Officials encourage residents to place carts out by 7:30 a.m. of collection day. The handles should be facing your house. Carts should be placed with the wheels at the curb whenever possible. Some areas are not safe or practical for curb placement, according to officials. In these areas, you’re asked to place the cart off the road no more than ten feet back. The last thing to remember is the four-foot rule: place carts four feet from any obstacles such as carts, mailboxes, other carts, and trash bags. City staffers say this will ensure a much faster collection time. For more information, contact the Sanitation Division at 903-237-1250.

LONGVIEW — The Longview city parking lots downtown on Cotton Street at Fredonia and Center are open to parking. Recent work included the reconstruction and asphaltic paving of a substandard parking lot at Fredonia and Cotton using pulverize-mix construction methods and an overlay of the parking lot at Center and Cotton, according to city officials. The construction amount for both lots was $230,558. This project was constructed by W.R. Welborn and Son, Inc., of Longview. City Street crews provided pavement milling, demolition, and debris removal prior to the contractor’s paving work. If you have any questions related to construction, call the City’s Project Manager, Alton Bradley, at 903-237-1067.

TYLER — The city of Tyler is putting out the word on a couple of street projects that got underway this past weekend. Roadwork on South Broadway Avenue from Erwin Street to Fourth Street will continue through Thursday, August 28. Officials say the final layer of asphalt will be applied and striping will be marked. To minimize inconvenience to the public, all work will be done between the hours of 7:00pm and 6:00am through Thursday. During this time, the road will periodically be closed to through traffic. All work is expected to be complete before August 29, weather permitting. Continue reading City of Tyler Street Projects

LONGVIEW — Starting last night, construction began on Fourth Street in Longview from Hawkins to Loop 281. For several days traffic will be reduced to one lane in each direction for street maintenance, milling, and overlay work. Overlay work will continue on Fourth Street during the week of August 31 from Sunday night to Wednesday night. The contractor will be working from 7:00pm to 7:00am to help reduce traffic congestion, according to a city news release. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes. This project is being constructed by Reynolds and Kay of Tyler. If you have any questions related to construction, call the City Engineer Alton Bradley at 903-237-1067..

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A Grand Saline man was killed early Friday morning in a head-on collision with an 18-wheeler. According to KETK, DPS troopers say the collision happened between 8:30 and 9:00 a.m on FM 17 in Van Zandt County. Troopers say Steven Armstrong, 22, lost control of his car while driving northbound on FM 17. He swerved into oncoming traffic and crashed into the truck. Armstrong was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not injured. The wreck remains under investigation.

TYLER — Four East Texas men have reached plea deals with the Smith County District Attorney’s Office in connection with a 2013 murder. KETK reports Lawrence Murphy Jr. was one of the four accused in the killing of Wesley Scott Lester at the American Inn Motel in Tyler in June of last year. Instead of capital murder, Murphy was charged with murder and was sentenced to 20 years in prison after reaching his plea deal Friday morning. Murphy was believed to have fled to the Dallas area after he was sought by police for the June 15 murder. He turned himself in to Tyler Police investigators nine days after the killing. Continue reading Four Reach Plea Deals in Tyler Motel Murder

GILMER — Beginning January 1, 2015, ETMC Gilmer will no longer provide inpatient care, according to East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System officials. ETMC Gilmer will continue to operate as a 24-hour emergency center providing full-service emergency care and trauma stabilization, as well as laboratory and radiology services. KETK reports the ETMC First Physicians clinic, located at the hospital, will continue to operate as usual. “Making this decision was difficult,” said Perry Henderson, senior vice president, affiliate operations. “When ETMC came to Gilmer in 1997, the hospital had been closed and boarded up for two years. We take great pride in knowing that we reopened this facility and made healthcare more accessible to the people of Upshur County. Unfortunately, poor utilization and declining reimbursements across the board make providing inpatient care unfeasible.” Continue reading ETMC Gilmer to Phase Out Inpatient Care