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LONGVIEW — A Longview bus driver has been suspended after kicking 20 middle schoolers off the bus. It happened Friday afternoon. District spokesman Adam Holland says the woman, who had never driven a school bus till this school year, kicked the kids off because she said they were misbehaving. According to Holland, she then told them to get back on, but they wouldn’t. Holland says he can’t comment on personnel matters, but “it’s one of those crimes that in this instance, in the business of transporting children, it’s unforgivable.” He says the kids all walked home — adding that most didn’t live far, but they did have to cross a busy four lane road.

CUNEY — Three robbers attacked liquor store employees as they were leaving work on Tuesday night. KETK reports it happened just before 9:00 p.m. at Arun Rise Liquor Store on Hwy. 175 in Cuney. Cuney Police say three employees were closing the store for the day when they were attacked by three men in the parking lot. One of the men held a gun to a female employee’s face and demanded money. A male employee was knocked to the ground. After taking some of the employees’ personal money, the robbers ran away into a nearby wooded area. Continue reading Cuney Liquor Store Employees Attacked

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man remained jailed Tuesday after police say he used his vehicle to push his wife’s automobile into the residence the couple shared in the 100 block of Cherie Lane. According to the Longview News-Journal, police were called to the home at about 8:00 Saturday night where they were told David Salazar Arias, 31, rammed the vehicle into a bedroom wall where his wife’s children were playing. Police said Arias fled from the scene but wrecked his vehicle a short time later. Arias, police said, admitted to using his car to cause structural damage to the house. He was held Tuesday in the Gregg County Jail on $10,000 bond charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Officials are urging citizens to be extra alert as drought conditions worsen under the current burn ban. Volunteer Fire Departments have battled multiple grass and structure fires since the burn ban was issued in Smith County last month. “Citizens need to be extra cautious as conditions in Smith County remain prime for sudden grass fires,” Smith County Judge Joel Baker said. “Use common sense while staying within the guidelines of the burn ban and watch out for others who may not realize they are creating a fire hazard.” Continue reading Officials Urge Extreme Caution as Burn Ban Continues

TYLER — Builders are moving forward with a big new shopping center on far South Broadway in Tyler, to be called the Village at Cumberland Park. KETK reports it’ll include a movie theater, bowling alley, restaurants, and more — about 100 venues in all. And right across the street, the city will be building a hotel and convention center, which is expected to take about three years to construct. Mayor Barbara Bass is upbeat about the project. She hopes all this will mean overnight guests for eating and shopping. Bass says the hotel project will begin next summer, and the shops are being built right now.

ANDERSON COUNTY — According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, a body was found Tuesday on the side of Highway 79 near the Neches River Bridge. The body, which was found around noon, had been there for more than a day, but the exact time frame is unknown. The body was sent for autopsy and officials are looking into every possible cause at this time. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers are investigating the situation. Details are limited, but we’ll update information as it becomes available.

LONGVIEW — A Gregg County grand jury indicted a Longview woman last Thursday for allegedly driving a vehicle while intoxicated with a child under the age of 15. KETK reports Jabina Janie Martinez, 34, was arrested by Gregg County troopers on June 23 and charged with multiple offenses: possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, open container, and DWI with a child under the age of 15. She was also charged with a number of other offenses by the Longview Police Department. Continue reading Woman Indicted for DWI with Child Passenger; Also Faces Second Charge

TYLER — The City of Tyler activates the first Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon controlled crosswalk in East Texas to enhance the safety of pedestrians crossing at Old Omen to the University of Texas at Tyler. City officials say a Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon controlled crosswalk, also known as a High-intensity Activated Crosswalk or “HAWK,” is a special type of hybrid beacon used to assist pedestrians in crossing a street or highway at a marked crosswalk. It was authorized by the current edition of the Texas Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Compliance will be enforced by law enforcement officers. Pedestrian hybrid beacon indications are dark (not illuminated) when not in use. Continue reading City of Tyler Implements New Safety Crossing Feature

LONGVIEW — A Kilgore man accused of killing his brother earlier this year was indicted for murder last week in a Gregg County courtroom. Jeffrey Allen Miller, 28, appeared in the 188th District Court on Thursday, September 12. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Miller allegedly killed his brother Jeremy Dewayne Miller, 27, on June 24. Gregg County authorities say the victim died at a local hospital at around 3 a.m. after he had been dropped off with a stab wound to his abdomen. Jeffrey Miller was arrested a few days later on June 28 near his home on McQueen Road off FM 1252. Continue reading Kilgore Man Indicted for Allegedly Murdering Brother

LONGVIEW — A woman was jailed early Tuesday after a traffic stop led to the discovery of more than 200 pounds of suspected marijuana. KETK and the Longview News Journal report that according to her booking report, Cynthia Elizabeth Palomo, 34, of Laredo was booked into the Gregg County Jail at about 2:40 a.m. Tuesday. A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stopped Palomo near mile marker 597 on Interstate 20 after he said she was driving in the left lane when not attempting to pass. After stopping Paloma’s vehicle, Trooper Benjamin Rolison reported “a strong odor of raw marijuana emitting from inside the vehicle.” Continue reading Big Haul of Suspected Pot Lands Laredo Woman in Gregg County Jail

TYLER — The date has been set for the annual Texans Against Crime (T.A.C.) block parties in Tyler. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 8, from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. T.A.C. celebrations are held throughout East Texas on the second Tuesday in October. Last year the City of Tyler had approximately 95 block parties throughout the City to promote the program. It’s time to register your block party by calling the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1096 or going to http://www.tylerpolice.com to register online. Continue reading Sign Up Now For Texans Against Crime Block Parties for Tyler

AUSTIN — A committee tasked with investigating a UT System regent for possible impeachment has met again. House Select Committee on Transparency in State Agency operations co-chair Dan Flynn of Van says the charge involving Wallace Hall is three-fold. Flynn says the committee must determine if Hall failed to disclose important information on his application for regent that would have materially affected his selection for regent. The group must also decide whether Hall improperly disclosed student information that affected right to privacy and exceeded his statutory authority as regent in requesting information. Hall could become the first non-elected official in Texas to be impeached.

TYLER — Gallery Main Street’s 6×6@110 project has been named a finalist in the Best Promotional Event category of the 2013 Texas Downtown Association (TDA) President’s Awards Program. Since 1998, the Awards Program has recognized more than 150 projects, events and people that make a difference in Texas downtowns. Continue reading 6×6@110 Receives Statewide Recognition

TYLER — Brookshire Grocery Company has made a donation to The University of Texas at Tyler to name the W.T. Brookshire Pharmacy Building. The announcement was made jointly by UT Tyler President Rodney H. Mabry and BGC President and CEO Rick Rayford. The Brookshire’s board of directors approved the gift to be used toward the construction of the new facility on the UT Tyler campus. The facility will be named for the founder of the grocery company, and it will house the Ben and Maytee Fisch College of Pharmacy. Continue reading Brookshire Grocery Company Makes Donation to Name UTT Pharmacy Building

HENDERSON — Rusk County officials held their third traffic summit in the last two months last week. This time, according to KETK, they focused on teen drivers and how to better educate them about the importance of staying alert while driving. The summits were prompted by the unusually high rate of traffic fatalities in Rusk County this year. Continue reading Rusk County Holds Another Traffic Summit

JACKSONVILLE — In April, “Yum Yums” burned to the ground leaving a charred scar in the middle of downtown Jacksonville. According to KETK, as the battle over who’s responsible for the clean-up continues, businesses in the area are trying to re-open, but they’ve run into a bit of a problem. A next-door business owner can’t tear down and start over because the her insurance adjustors say the building next door needs to come down. In fact, she was told she has to clean up her business or she will be fined. A public nuisance is what locals in Jacksonville are calling the former Yum Yums building on Main Street. Continue reading Burned Building Still Causing Public Issues

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison Monday after he pleaded guilty to drunken driving with two previous convictions. According to the Longview News-Journal, Ricky Muñoz, 28, pleaded guilty as a jury was being selected for his felony trial. He could have faced up to life in prison on the felony driving while intoxicated charge. Muñoz was the driver in a one-vehicle wreck on Jan. 24. No injuries were reported.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — A man dies in Nacogdoches County Sunday after he’s hit by a vehicle. KETK reports it happened just after midnight along Highway 259. 21-year old John Wesley Salley of Dallas was walking along the highway when he was hit by an oncoming truck. No charges were filed against the driver.

WOOD COUNTY — A Winnsboro man was killed in a Monday afternoon accident in Wood County. Officials with the Department of Public Safety tell KETK that the accident happened on Farm-to-Market Road 352 near Farm-to-Market Road 2869, just south of Winnsboro. DPS officials say that Lucas Gilbreath, 30, of Winnsboro, was killed. There was no immediate word on details about what caused the accident.

TYLER — One child and one adult were taken to the hospital after an SUV and Tyler ISD bus collided Monday afternoon. KETK reports that the SUV was headed southbound on Old Omen and the school bus was on McDonald.

Police say the school bus turned left onto Old Omen, pulling out in front of the SUV. The driver of the SUV was taken to the hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries and a child who was on the school bus was also hospitalized, for facial cuts. Don Martin, Tyler Police Department PIO, says there were five others on the bus that had minor injuries and were treated on scene. The bus was carrying 46 kids at the time of the wreck. The bus driver will be cited in the accident.

OVERTON — Construction starts this week (September 16-20) on South Helen Street in Overton, where officials say 400 feet of 8-inch sewer line will be replaced in the 900 block and 220 feet of 6-inch sewer line will be replaced in the 200 block. A manhole will be replaced at the intersection of South Helen and McCool Street, which is located in the 200 block of South Helen. Officials say construction may take several weeks or months, depending on the weather, to be completed. The city is asking motorists in the area to drive carefully during the construction phase or to avoid the area.

TYLER — This is a busy time for firefighters. According to KETK, Northeast Texas has the greatest concentration of wildfires in the entire state — and experts suggest you be proactive. Among the key safety tips: keep your lawn mowed and irrigated, reduce the density around your house of trees or brush, remove vegetation near windows, and clear leaves and pine needles from your property. Remember, July through September is one of the worst periods for grass fires — and all East Texas counties now have prohibitions on outdoor burning, with Rains County adding its name to the list.

LONGVIEW — A former employee of the Gregg County District Clerk’s Office has filed a federal age discrimination lawsuit against the county. In the lawsuit, filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Marshall, Gretchen L. Blackburn alleges she was wrongfully terminated Aug. 1, 2012. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, the suit says she was hired Aug. 25, 2009. Continue reading Former Gregg County Worker Files Age Discrimination Lawsuit

GREGG COUNTY — A former Gregg County Jail inmate has filed a lawsuit alleging he suffered a permanent disability because jail staff failed to monitor his medical condition. According to the Longview News-Journal, Harold Hagler filed the lawsuit on Aug. 29 in Gregg County Court at Law No. 2. The case was moved this past week to U.S. District Court in Tyler. The lawsuit claims jail staff ignored his requests for medical treatment in late August 2011, when his stomach began hurting. Continue reading Former Inmate Files Lawsuit Against County

ANGELINA COUNTY — One man is behind bars after being found walking next to a police station with a prohibited substance in his pocket early Sunday morning. It happened around 3:37 a.m. in the 300 block of Shepherd Avenue. Charles Arline, 46, of Lufkin, was found walking next to Lufkin Police Department when he was arrested for a previous theft warrant. Upon further investigation, officers found less than a gram of crack cocaine in his pocket. Arline was charged with prohibited substance in a correctional facility and his previous theft warrant. He is being held under a $2,000 bond.

ANGELINA COUNTY — A two vehicle wreck in Angelina County left one person dead and another injured. It happened around 1:00 Sunday afternoon along Highway 103 near the intersection of Watson-Loggins Lane in Angelina County. Troopers with Angelina County DPS told KETK, a GMC Yukon stopped to make a left turn when it was hit from behind by a Dodge XRS. The driver of the Dodger, Carolyn Burns, 57, was taken to a Tyler area hospital, where she later died as a result of her injuries. The passenger of the car, Melissa Oder, 40, was also taken to the hospital with injuries, but is expect to recover. DPS troopers said the driver of the Yukon was not seriously injured in the incident

TYLER — Tyler Police responded to a report of a robbery Sunday night at a local pizza place. It happened around 10:20 at the Dominos Pizza, 701 W. Gentry Parkway. According to authorities, employees said a man, armed with a semi-auto handgun, entered the business demanding money. He was given an undetermined amount of cash and he fled the scene. The suspect was described as being about 5’10, approximately 160lbs and possibly wearing a wig. He was wearing a black long sleeve t-shirt, black gloves, black pants and a piece of clothing wrapped around his face. The employees also stated that his clothing had paint splashes all over. Continue reading Tyler Police Search for Armed Robber

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs in both directions on Interstate Highway 20 between Farm Road 17 and Farm Road 1255 northeast of Canton, and near Farm Road 314 south of Van. Once that work is complete, the crew is scheduled to perform the same work on State Highway 64 between Myrtle Springs and Wills Point. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER — The 3rd Annual “Art Of Peace – Tyler” kicked off over the weekend and continues through September 22. Well-attended activities over the weekend included the Art of Peace booth at the annual Day for Kids at Bergfeld Park and a Day of Worship on Sunday at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. Today’s big event is the Peace Meal this evening at the East Texas Islamic Society Mosque. A note on the Art of Peace – Tyler website says, “Let’s have another wonderful turnout celebrating Peace with our friends in East Texas. Of particular note, make sure you register for the Peace Concert featuring Sara Hickman on Sunday, September 22 at Liberty Hall.” You can go to http://www.tylerpeace.com/ to learn lots more.

TYLER – The Smith County Veterans Service Office will be closed Monday, September 16, through Friday, September 20. Staffers will be attending semi-annual training conducted by the Texas Veterans Commission and Veteran Affairs. The office will reopen Monday, September 23, for normal operations.