KTBB News, Weather, Talk

PALESTINE (AP) – Police credit several adults with stopping a fleeing suspect from driving away in an East Texas school bus. Palestine police on Tuesday arrested Cedric Brenard Lewis. About a dozen students were on the stopped bus, which was picking up more youngsters. Nobody was hurt. Lewis was being held Wednesday on charges of aggravated kidnapping, unlawful use of a motor vehicle, public intoxication, criminal mischief and resisting arrest. Anderson County Jail records didn’t list an attorney for Lewis. Bond wasn’t immediately set. Lewis allegedly caused a disturbance at some apartments and was being escorted out by a maintenance worker when he jumped into the bus driver’s empty seat. Sgt. James Muniz says the driver, who’d been assisting a student, helped the maintenance worker and an off-duty corrections worker subdue Lewis.

TYLER — Tyler Police say a man and a woman have been found dead inside a house at 1200 North Albertson Avenue. They are identified as Cynthia Pettigrew, 50 and Johnathan Lydia, whose 49th birthday would have been Tuesday. Police believe carbon monoxide poisoning from an electric generator operating indoors in the deaths of the couple, whose bodies were found in their home.

A Tyler police statement says police were called to the couple’s home about 3 p.m. Tuesday after a family member found their bodies. Police found the gasoline-powered generator had been operating inside the home. Sgt. Paul Robeson says an autopsy has been ordered.

The couple were found by family members who went to check on them, since they had not been heard from in a couple of days.

LONGVIEW — Longview police say it appears a teen shot to death was killed while trying to burglarize an apartment. Noah Wood, 17, was found dead Monday night. He was in an apartment at the Town East Apartments on Eastman Road. His body has been sent to Tyler for autopsy.

Investigators say Wood had entered the apartment an assaulted the residents. He was then shot by one of the residents with a rifle. A news release from the Longview Police Department said detectives have determined that aggravated robbery was the motive in the case. Police arrested a second suspect in connection with this case. Information will be forwarded to the District Attorney’s office for further review. The shooting remains under investigation.

TYLER — A Tyler man has received two 10 year prison sentences in connection with a fatal accident in December of last year. Jared Tyrell Stinecipher, 26, pleaded guilty in October to criminally negligent homicide and causing an accident involving serious bodily injury or death. Killed in the accident was Arthur Dewayne Murphy, 50. Stinecipher fled the scene, touching off a manhunt.

In 7th District Court yesterday, Judge Kerry Russell sentenced Stinecipher to two 10 year sentences, which will be served concurrently. Stinecipher is the son Lt. Mark Stinecipher with the Smith County Sheriff’s Department. He was the one who called authorities when his injured son showed up at his home following the accident.

BEAUMONT (AP/STAFF) — A group of Southeast Texas property owners are appealing a ruling to the Texas Supreme Court a ruling allowing condemnation of private land for a planned Canada-to-Gulf Coast oil pipeline.

A Jefferson County court-at-law judge ruled in October that Keystone pipeline developer TransCanada can take land by eminent domain from property owners in the coastal Southeast Texas county.

Attorneys for the property owners contend that the trial judge misapplied state law granting eminent-domain powers to common carriers and developers of crude-oil pipelines. They contend TransCanada would have exclusive use to the pipeline and that it would carry oil from tar sands, which requires processing to liquefy it and is, therefore, not crude.

TransCanada wants a federal permit to ship oil by pipeline from western Canada’s tar-sand fields to Jefferson County. The proposed route would take the pipeline through eastern Smith County.

LONGVIEW — Authorities have released surveillance video of a group of people trying to cash a check belonging to a missing Longview man. The video, from December 4, shows four people in a car attempting to cash a check under Ronnie Joe Gammage’s account about 20 minutes after he had been there. He had been reported missing that same day.

Gammage is described as 6’ 8” tall, weighing 265 pounds, and usually dressed in western attire. Officials say he suffers from a mental disability which can impair his ability to make sound judgments. Gammage’s truck was found abandoned with slashed tires in the parking lot of a Waffle House at 318 East Loop 281 in Longview. His vehicle is a tan Chevrolet pickup truck. Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Ronnie Gammage is asked to contact Detective David Cheatham at 903-237-1147.

TYLER – A 43-year-old Tyler methadone clinic owner has pleaded guilty to attempting to burn down a building occupied by a competing clinic and then plotting to murder his co-conspirator after it became apparent that his co-conspirator might testify against him. Edward Jacobs pleaded guilty Tuesday in Tyler federal court to the felony offenses of attempted arson and solicitation of murder for hire. Jacobs admitted that on March 19, 2012, he gave Daniel Kubisty approximately $3,000 to burn down a building at 3322 E. Fifth Street in Tyler that was at the time being used by the “Add-Life Recovery Center” methadone clinic.

Jacobs and Kubisty both were indicted on June 6 and charged in a superseding indictment with attempted arson and conspiracy to commit arson. The indictment alleged that Jacobs and Kubisty conspired to burn down the building in order to gain a competitive advantage for the Methadone Clinic of East Texas, which also had an office in Tyler. On March 19, Kubisty was arrested in Tyler by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) and was found to have a gasoline can, with a wick saturated in gasoline protruding from its neck, in the back of Kubisty’s pickup.

Jacobs also admitted that on June 1, he arranged a meeting with a man he believed he could hire to murder Kubisty in order to prevent Kubisty from testifying against Jacobs in a federal arson case. What Jacobs didn’t know was that the “hit-man” he was dealing with was cooperating with the ATF. During the meeting Jacobs offered to pay the cooperating witness $12,000.00 for Kubisty’s murder. ATF was monitoring the meeting and arrested Jacobs at the scene. The June 6 indictment also charged Jacobs with witness tampering, murder for hire, solicitation of murder for hire, and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a crime of violence. Jacobs had been in jail awaiting trial since that time.

Jacobs is facing from five to twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine for the attempted arson and up to twenty years in prison and a $125,000 fine for solicitation of murder for hire. Kubisty’s case is still pending trial.

CANTON — Authorities in Van Zandt County say they’ve captured a wanted felon after a vehicle and foot chase. Monday afternoon around 2:00, investigators with the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s office assisted Prec.# 1 Constable Mickey Henson along with the Grand Saline Police Department in executing a felony warrant at a location on County Road 1313.

Upon arrival at the location, authorities saw two people inside a truck. The occupants spotted authorities and quickly fled, eventually abandoning the truck with both doors open and still running. Authorities say it was confirmed the vehicle was stolen out of Dallas. Authorities were advised that the wanted person, Jimmy Don Thompson, had recently made threats to kill law enforcement to keep from going back to prison and was considered armed and dangerous.

Officials say they eventually found Thompson and made the capture by luring him toward a family member’s vehicle. According to officials, as Thompson approached the vehicle, units rushed out of it; authorities say Thompson was tasered and then placed into custody. Thompson was booked into the Van Zandt County jail for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle pending arraignment. He will be facing evading arrest charges at a later date. The other suspect is still at large but has been identified, and felony warrants will be issued for that person’s arrest.

LONGVIEW — Longview officials are investigating why an elementary student was caught with a gun on school grounds Tuesday. The student was found with the handgun showing it to a friend at the South Ward Elementary School, according to the Longview Police Department. KETK reports that school officials were first alerted to the gun on campus when friends of the child told a teacher. The gun was confiscated and police were called. The school, located on the 1000 block of South Mobberly Avenue, was never placed on lockdown as it was already dismissing students at the time. Authorities have not yet revealed the age of the student. Longview PD and Longview ISD are both investigating.

KILGORE — Authorities search for the suspect accused of passing bogus bills in Kilgore. Police tell KETK a bunch of counterfeit $20 bills surfaced over the past few weeks. Most of them turned up in local banks after businesses made their deposits.

ATHENS — Seven dogs have been found dead and another 106 allegedly cruelly treated dogs were seized by the SPCA near Athens. KETK reports that Monday at 9:00 a.m., authorities found 83 dogs and 22 puppies at a suspected Henderson County puppy mill, located at 2353 Rose Pointe. According to the SPCA, the animals were cruelly confined, not receiving sufficient care, and were forced to live in their own filth inside a feces-filled, urine-soaked home on the property. Most of the dogs were allegedly suffering from eye discharge, flea infestation, long nails, severely matted fur, and skin conditions. About 60 of the dogs were confined to crates, and some crates included up to seven dogs.

Sheriff’s officials began investigating the house back in October of 2011. Once law enforcement discovered the conditions of the animals, they contacted the SPCA for support. The SPCA says the stench of ammonia was so intense that detectives wore personal protective equipment, including breathing apparatuses, while inside the home. The SPCA of Texas measured the ammonia level in the residence to be 67 parts per million (ppm). As a point of reference, short term exposure to any ammonia level over 20 ppm or long term exposure to any level over 12 ppm can cause health problems in humans.

The dogs have been taken to the SPCA of Texas’ Perry Animal Care Center in McKinney, where they will be cared for until a custody hearing on Friday, December 21, at 10:30 a.m in Poynor. Deborah Eckeberger, 59, has been arrested for alleged cruelty to animals. She has been released on $15,000 bond.

The SPCA says that puppy mill owners breed dogs for the purpose of selling the puppies for a profit, and that the living conditions of the dogs come a distant second. If you suspect you’ve found a puppy mill, the SPCA of Texas encourages you to report inhumane conditions and animal neglect to your local law enforcement agency and to the SPCA of Texas. You can go to http://www.spca.org/knowpuppymills to do that.

TYLER — Tyler Pounds Regional Airport announces that a new food concession, Le Bistro, opened Tuesday in the airport terminal. Gabriel Nguessan, owner of Le Bistro, was approved to begin operation in the commercial terminal at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport in September. Since then, Nguessan has worked to prepare for the big opening. Le Bistro will offer gourmet foods and desserts including a number of appetizers, sandwiches, breakfast items, pies and cakes. Le Bistro will also have daily breakfast and lunch specials along with plans to launch a catering menu within the next few weeks.

“We are very pleased to have Le Bistro in the passenger terminal building. It is important to our customers to have fresh coffee in the morning, and having gourmet coffees is a real plus,” said Airport Manager Davis Dickson. “We urge everyone to come out. The airport is even offering 90 minutes of free parking for restaurant customers.” Le Bistro will open each morning at 5:00am for breakfast and remain open until 2:00pm for lunch menu items. Go to http://www.tylerairport.com to view the menu.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department has received a number of cases in which citizens have reported their mail stolen from their mailboxes to gain access to their personal items of value. Police ask that you take your bill payments or any item of value to a secure mailbox or post office, or place them in the postman’s hands. You may also pay your bill online using a secure online account with your provider. As a reminder, police ask that you review your bank statements to audit your account and report any fraud that may have occurred.

LONGVIEW — Former Longview police officer, Leigh Ann Snyder filed a request late Monday asking for a hearing before the City of Longview’s appeals committee seeking to reverse the decision to terminate her employment. According to KETK, Snyder was dismissed Dec. 11 after she failed to return to work full time within one year of suffering an on-the-job injury. Snyder was injured December 11, 2011 when her squad car was hit by an intoxicated driver. She returned to light duty, but had to undergo a subsequent surgery in November that kept her from being able to return to full-time duty.

TYLER — Tyler Police responded to reports of suspicious activity and arrested two men for auto burglary. It happened around 3:30 yesterday morning in the 3300 block of Omega. Officers said a vehicle was reportedly driving through the neighborhood with no headlights. Authorities stopped the vehicle and found items reported stolen from several vehicles in the area. Jonathan Meza, 19, and Austin Taylor, 21,(pictured) both from Tyler, were arrested and booked into the Smith County Jail on three counts of burglary of a vehicle. Additional property was also recovered during the investigation.

AUSTIN (AP/STAFF) — Nearly 80 Texas school districts either have failed to submit required safety audits or don’t meet full compliance. That’s according to the Texas School Safety Center, which was formed after the Columbine shootings in 1999. The attorney general’s office says districts “can’t let another second tick” without having a safety plan in place. School district on the list include:
Frankston ISD
Gary ISD
Hooks ISD
Laneville ISD
LaPoynor ISD
Leverett’s Chapel ISD
Martinsville ISD
Pewitt CISD
Timpson ISD
Union Hill ISD
Woden ISD

MARSHALL — Marshall police are continuing their investigation of a fatal accident. Killed as he was trying to cross the street was Elmer Flores, 28, of Marshall. The accident happened just before 7:30 Sunday night on U.S. Highway 59 at Johnson Street.

MOUNT PLEASANT — A former employee of Pilgrim’s Pride in Mount Pleasant is being charged with stealing mechanical and electronic equipment valued at $200,000 from the company. Arrested is Rickey Alton Wright.

The Longview News Journal reports over $225,000 worth of stolen property has been linked directly to Wright. Around $40,000 worth of property that may have been sold by the suspect has been recovered.

Wright is charged with theft of property valued between $100,000 and $200,000, a second-degree felony. His bond has been setg at $500.000.

EAST TEXAS — East Texans vary in their opinions about what causes such tragedies as the mass shooting in Connecticut. Among the responses gathered by KETK: “I think people have lost their way with the Lord.” One interviewee blamed TV and radio; another thinks “the issue is trying to limit gun control.” One online commenter joined the many who say teachers should be allowed to carry guns in school; another blamed A.D.D. drugs such as Adderall.

AUSTIN – Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott Monday revealed that the state is investigating an alleged fraudulent tax return scheme and warned East Texas residents to avoid recruiters from Syam Tax Services LLC. According to a news release, the Texas Attorney General’s Office does not typically acknowledge investigations but disclosed the investigation into Syam Tax Services in order to help prevent additional victims from being harmed by the tax fraud scheme.

Although the State’s investigation is still ongoing, Abbott says the preliminary results show that Syam Tax Services enlisted recruiters to canvass small East Texas churches and senior residences for elderly victims who receive Social Security or disability benefits. Officials say prospective victims are told that low-income Social Security recipients are eligible for a cash benefit under a federal stimulus funds program. Next, officials say, victims are told to complete a form – which includes providing their driver’s license, Social Security, and bank account numbers to Syam’s recruiters in order to receive their federal stimulus benefits. Without the victim’s knowledge, according to Abbott, Syam subsequently prepares and files a fraudulent tax return in the victim’s name.

In reality, says Abbott, there is not a federal stimulus benefit payment for low-income Social Security recipients. But the tax return prepared by Syam and submitted to the IRS not only requests the payment, but also directs the IRS to deposit more than half of the resulting tax refund into Syam’s own bank account, according to the news release.

When the IRS realizes that the tax return is fraudulent, the agency contacts the victim and demands that the taxpayer repay the entire tax refund, plus penalties and interest. According to Abbott, since Syam never informed victims that it would file a tax return or retain a portion of the refund, victims first learn they are liable for the full amount of the fraudulent tax refund when they receive the letter from the IRS. You can go to https://www.oag.state.tx.us/ to read more about this topic.

LONGVIEW — If bank deposit figures serve as an economic indicator, then Longview and East Texas are faring well. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Longview banks completed their second consecutive year of double-digit deposit growth as of June 30, according to figures provided by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. Between June 30, 2011, and June of this year, deposits in Longview banks grew by nearly $250,000, posting a 12%. That increase comes on the heels of a 13% increase in deposits the year before.

AUSTIN — An East Texas soldier has been killed in Afghanistan. Staff Sgt. Nelson D. Trent, a Round Rock resident, was killed Thursday in Afghanistan. A native of Whitehouse, Trent, 37, died in Kandahar after an improvised explosive device ignited, according to a news release from the U.S. Department of Defense. The release said Trent was assigned to the 56th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 36th Infantry Division out of Fort Worth. Trent had been affiliated with the Texas Army National Guard, as the communications officer in charge for Joint Task Force 71, an emergency response unit made up of several guard units.

Trent graduated from Whitehouse High School in 1993. He was married with two children.

EAST TEXAS — Schools in Texas and across the country are examining safety measures and trying to cope with last week’s tragedy in Connecticut. East Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert, Tyler, on Fox News Sunday, says mass shootings seem to occur most often in places where guns aren’t allowed. Congress is expected to have a heated debate on how such mass shootings can be prevented.

The gun control debate has been renewed since 20 students and six adults were killed Friday at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut. Many lawmakers and politicians have called for the renewal of the federal assault weapons ban, a piece of legislation that expired in 2004 at the end of its 10-year term but has yet to be renewed.

Gohmert argued that as the country takes on a conversation about gun rights, people must be “open-minded.” He said emotional reactions will naturally lead to a desire to “get rid of all guns,” but he said that “you (should) use your head and look at the facts.”

LONGVIEW — A Harrison County man has been charged with drug violations following his arrest. Samuel Clay Gideon, 34, of Harleton, was arrested around 9:30 Friday night in the 100 block of South Access Road. He has been charged with manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance, possession of a dangerous drug, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond is $56,500.

TYLER — One person is injured in a motorcycle accident east of Tyler. Listed in critical condition at East Texas Medical Center is John Bayless. The accident happened around 3:00 Sunday afternoon on Farm Road 850. The Department of Public Safety reports Bayless was westbound at a high speed when his motorcycle left the road and went into a ditch. The motorcycle then hit a driveway culvert and flipped. Bayless was not wearing a helmet.

TYLER — An East Texas law enforcement official felt it was important to contact our news partner KETK to speak up about the recent Connecticut tragedy. Although he chose to remain anonymous due to job legalities, he felt it was important to speak up as a person in law enforcement who works specifically with mentally insane criminals. He says gun control isn’t the issue here — that the real issue is America’s lack of education about the mentally ill. He says, “We are being reactive to try and control the gun control laws, as opposed to the true problem of the mental illness. All of these shootings that have taken place, none of them were done by any sane individuals; they’ve all had a mental condition.” He says training the public and educating them on signs and signals to identify mental illness is the answer.

TYLER — East Dawson Street will be closed Monday through Friday of this week for concrete pavement repairs. Drivers traveling south on Beckham Avenue who want to turn left onto East Dawson will be detoured to East Houston Street. Those drivers traveling north on Beckham wanting to turn right onto East Dawson Street will be detoured to Hospital Drive.

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

LONGVIEW – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews on Monday are scheduled to close part of Callahan Road, or the South Interstate Highway 20 Access Road, between its intersection with State Highway 149 (Eastman Road) and the Eastbound IH 20 onramp while crews perform pavement repairs in that location. The closure and subsequent work will not begin until after 9:00am.

“It’s unusual that we’d completely close a roadway while we make repairs,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “But in this case, it’s the best and safest option for everyone. We’re hoping we’re finished by Monday evening so the closure will only be for a day.”

Traffic wishing to access businesses in the work area will be allowed to do so, but thru-traffic will be directed to take a marked detour. The detour takes traffic west along the westbound frontage road, then to the Eastbound IH 20 onramp at State Highway 322 (Estes Parkway). Motorists attempting to access the Eastman Chemical complex from eastbound IH 20 should use Exit 599 (East Loop 281) and take the south frontage road to the main entrance. Once the work at Callahan Road is complete, crews will resume work on various entrance and exit ramps in the Longview area throughout the week.

HENDERSON COUNTY –Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue pavement-repair operations on Farm Road 2636 south of Malakoff between Farm Road 3441 and the end of state maintenance. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic. TxDOT continues work in Cherokee County

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations in various locations on State Highway 204 between U.S. Highway 84 and the Nacogdoches County Line. A second crew is scheduled to continue shoulder work on Farm Road 855 between U.S.Highway 69 in Mount Selman and U.S. Highway 175 near Cuney. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic. Work continues in Wood County

WOOD COUNTY – TxDOT contract crews this week are scheduled to continue base and pavement repairs on Farm Road 2966 between State Highway 154 in Yantis and Loop 173 in Quitman. The work is being done in preparation for a seal coat application next summer. Also this week, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to continue base repairs and resurfacing work in various locations on Farm Road 1801 east of Mineola, and edge work on Farm Road 1643 southwest of Winnsboro between Farm Road 515 and State Highway 37. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

TYLER — The East Texas Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, have presented Dr. Paul Powell with the Distinguished Citizen Good Turn Award at a luncheon held Friday at Green Acres Baptist Church Crosswalk Conference Center. The Award is given annually to an individual or couple who have made a significant impact toward enriching the way of life in East Texas. Paul Powell is a former Texas Baptist pastor, retired president/CEO of the Annuity Board of the Southern Baptist Convention (now Guidestone) and Dean Emeritus of George W. Truett Seminary,Baylor University, Waco. Dr. Powell, now retired, lives in Tyler and attends Green Acres Baptist Church.

Past recipients of the Distinguished Citizen Good Turn Award include Bruce Brookshire, Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim, Jeff Austin, Sr., Eugene Brookshire, C.C. Baker, Jr., Herbert Buie, Congressman Ralph Hall, Douglas V. Smith, Bill Hartley, Lindsey Bradley, Dr. Peggy and Howard Coghlan, Governor Rick and Anita Perry, Linda Ryan Thomas, Betsy and Elmer Ellis, Carolyn and Michael Northcutt, Sheriff J. B. Smith, Judge Bill Stoudt, Harold Beaird, Sandi and Dr. Bill Taylor, Congressman Louie Gohmert, Ruben Martin James I. Perkins, and Rogers Pope, Sr. and Rogers Pope, Jr.

TYLER –Tyler police are looking for the lone gunman who robbed a man at a Bank of America ATM. It happened just before 10:15 Friday night in the 3300 block of Golden Road. The victim said he was approached by a black male who pulled a handgun and took an undisclosed amount of money. He then fled the area on foot. A search turned up no trace of the suspect. He is described as about six feet tall, weighing around 160 pounds and was wearing dark clothing and a mask. No injuries were reported.