KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Tyler Police investigate an early Thursday morning burglary. It happened at 3820 Lamb Drive. The resident told officers a white male suspect entered the home through an unlocked door and searched through the residence while the victim hid under a bed. The victim was unable to determine if anything was taken from the residence. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Tyler Police or Crime Stoppers.

NACOGDOCHES — For months Stephen F. Austin State University Police have been investigating reports of drugs on the campus. So far, 19 persons have been arrested, and not all are students. According to police chief Marc Cossich there are 23 suspects in the case. Along with the arrests they have recovered Marijuana, Xanax and ecstasy.

TYLER — A couple of area organizations team up to draw attention to human trafficking. The East Texas Crisis Center and 21AM are joining hands for a community awareness seminar tonight from 6:30 till 8:30 at Tyler’s Green Acres Baptist Church. According to press materials, Texas has been identified as a major hub for the growing crime of human trafficking within the United States. According to Crisis Center spokespeople, over 100,000 American minors are trafficked within the U.S. every year.

Tonight’s event is free, but registration is required; you can go to http://www.etcc.org to register. An all-day professional training conference & awareness seminar on the topic is underway at Green Acres. The Crisis Center works to address family violence, sexual assault, and other violent crime. Spokespeople say 21AM is a community partnership in East Texas committed to abolishing human trafficking at the local level.

LUFKIN — Authorities say an East Texas woman made a mistake when she allegedly flagged down an off-duty Lufkin cop. Cheryl Annette Brown was arrested for solicitation at the Sun-N-Pines Motel. An officer made the arrest in Brown’s hotel room and during the arrest discovered the presence of two other people with outstanding warrants. All three were taken to the Angelina County Jail.

TYLER — For the first time ever, the City of Tyler has published its Annual Report as an E-Book, with linked video, and as a printed document with QR Codes. “Transparency is of the utmost importance to the City,” explained Mayor Barbara Bass. “We continually strive to find innovative and engaging tools to enhance communication with our citizens. I am excited to roll out this newest report that uses YouTube, the City web page, and QR technology to share information with our citizens.”

To view the report:

· Go to http://www.CityofTyler.org and click on the annual report link on the right side of the homepage;
· Pick up a printed copy at City Hall at 212 N. Bonner;
· Access a print version at the Tyler Library;
· Go to http://www.cityoftyler.org/Home/tabid/36/ctl/NewsArticle/mid/865/CategoryID/11/NewsID/1297/Default.aspx to scan a QR Code with a smart phone; or
· Go to the link immediately above and click on the 2010 Annual Report link.

QR codes are placed throughout the document and link readers to web pages and videos related to the report’s articles.

“A QR Reader comes standard on many smartphones or can be downloaded from the app store,” explained Mayor Bass. “If you are looking at a printed version of the report, simply scan the code and your phone will automatically take you to the web site or video on You Tube. In the electronic version of the report, simply click on the code and it will serve as a link.” You can go to http://www.cityoftyler.org/Home/tabid/36/ctl/NewsArticle/mid/865/CategoryID/11/NewsID/1297/Default.aspx for more on this story.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has voted unanimously to create a Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) that will overlay a portion of a 395-acre master planned community conceptualized by North Chase Development in North Tyler. On October 28, 2008, the City Council originally authorized the creation of a pilot NEZ for a portion of the North Chase Development that was designed to increase public health, safety and welfare. The development has since changed locations, and this newly approved NEZ will now incorporate the new location.

“The synergy of the North Case Development and the programs the City is rolling out is exactly what the Tyler 21 Plan calls for to revitalize this area of our community, ‘’ said Mayor Barbara Bass. “The convergence of public programs and private investment is the perfect recipe for mobilizing further development.” Mayor Pro Tem Ralph Caraway added, “The NEZ is a tool that has been used in many other communities to successfully spark private investment. “We are hoping to see the same level of success here in Tyler.”

In the Tyler 21 plan to revitalize North Tyler, a critical goal was to “add 3,000 more households to North Tyler and downtown in the next 20 years to create mixed-income neighborhoods.” A program that can help bring that goal to fruition is a NEZ. The goal of the NEZ is to:
· Create affordable housing;
· Increase economic development;
· Improve the quality of social services, education or public safety in the neighborhood; and/or,
· Rehabilitate affordable housing.

In addition to meeting at least one of the objectives listed above, an area must meet the following criteria before it can be designated a NEZ by the City Council:
· Have clearly defined boundaries;
· Constitute a new neighborhood in the form of new improvements on at least 20 contiguous lots;
· Properties within the proposed zone must have a residential zoning; and,
· Properties within the proposed zone must be owner occupied.

The NEZ provides incentives to builders who develop projects that address these goals. The prospective incentives include:
· Waiving or rebating zoning fees and platting fees;
· Waiving building permit fees, testing fees and tap fees;
· Providing direct access to the City’s First Time Homebuyers Program; and,
· Providing an infrastructure incentive in the amount of $2000 per unit for single family attached homes or $1,000 per unit for single family detached units – up to a maximum of 50 units.

RUSK COUNTY — A Tatum man has been indicted for a Christmas week murder. A Rusk County grand jury indicted Harris Gene Hale, 55, for allegedly shooting his brother and setting his home on fire. Larry Glen Hale, 54, was found dead in the remains of his burned mobile home in Tatum. Harris Hale was arrested December 27th after an autopsy showed that his brother died from a gunshot wound and not from the fire.

GILMER — Two former Upshur County assistant juvenile probation officers who were indicted on felony charges last September have been placed on probation after pleading guilty to reduced charges of misdemeanor tampering with government record, District Attorney Billy Byrd said Friday night.

Lorie Ann Davidson and Sandra Diane Edwards were each placed on one year’s “deferred adjudication” probation and fined $500 by visiting Judge Joe Clayton after separately pleading guilty to multiple counts of the misdemeanor offense under a plea bargain, Byrd said. They were sentenced in 115th District Court. Deferred adjudication means no final conviction appears on a defendant’s record if he/she completes probation.

The women and then-chief juvenile probation officer Milton Wylie were indicted Sept. 1 on felony charges of forgery of government document. The charges involved documents that the Upshur juvenile probation office gave the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission, Byrd said.

Wylie pleaded guilty to one count of the same reduced misdemeanor charge Dec. 13. He also was placed on one-year deferred adjudication probation, and resigned his post of 11 years.

The two Gilmer women, who worked under Wylie, left the probation department before their indictments. Davidson, 43, pleaded guilty to nine counts while Edwards, 49, pleaded guilty to four, Byrd’s office reported.

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating a reported burglary. It happened just before 5:00 Wednesday morning at 1920 College. The residents told dispatchers they were barricaded in their bedroom and could hear noises coming from the kitchen and living room. Officers arrived to find the back door wide open, but no suspects. The residents say a lap top and purse were stolen. Anyone with information is asked to contact Tyler Police or Crime Stoppers.

RED SPRINGS – Gusty winds and dry conditions help fuel some fires around the area Tuesday. One was off Hitts Road in the Red Springs area where a fire destroyed a building belonging to Valance Oil Company. No injuries were reported and the cause remains under investigation.

KILGORE – A candidate for Kilgore College school trustee is out of the race because his application was ruled invalid. That leaves school trustee Larry Woodfin unopposed. John Kossa’s application was ruled invalid due to an incorrect portion on his affidavit.

Karol Pruett, election authority for the college, consulted with the Elections Division of the Secretary of State. They advised her that the application should be rejected due to a significant error on the face of Kossa’s application. “This is unfortunate,” Pruett said. “It was a simple mistake that could have been corrected, but there just wasn’t enough time before the deadline.”

Pruett said Kossa, who lives in Liberty City, filed just hours before the deadline. Pruett said she phoned Kossa to let him know about the errors and asked him to submit a corrected application right away so he could be included on the ballot. However, Kossa was out of town and not able to resubmit the application in time.

Since no write-in candidates filed to run against Woodfin, he is now considered uncontested in the KC Board of Trustees election on May 14. Woodfin has served on the KC Board of Trustees since 1999, and has been board president for the past two years.

TYLER – A 24-year-old Lawrenceville, Georgia man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Dannis Ivan Villarreal pleaded guilty on Sep. 30, 2010, to being involved in a conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison Tuesday in Tyler by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

According to information presented in court, on Jan. 25, 2010, Villarreal was stopped for a traffic violation on Interstate 20 near Longview. A search of the vehicle revealed 13 lbs. of methamphetamine hidden in a secret compartment built into the vehicle. Villarreal was transporting the drugs from Dallas to Georgia. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 6, 2010, and charged with drug trafficking violations.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – Bond has been set at $220,000 for a man accused of on-line solicitation of a minor and assault on a peace officer. He is identified as Brian Chad Martin, 36, of Sulphur Springs. The 16 year old girl’s parents tipped off authorities after noticing text messages she had received. Instead of the girl, officers were waiting for the suspect in a church parking lot around midnight Sunday. Authorities say when he noticed the officers he jumped in his car and tried to flee, trying to run over the officers. They had to shoot out his cars’ tires to get the vehicle to stop and to take Martin into custody.

At his arraignment yesterday, bond was set at $200,000 on two counts of aggravated assault on a peace officer. His bond was set at $20,000 for one count of on-line solicitation of a minor. But that is just part of his problem. At the time of his arrest, Martin was out on bond after being indicted for sexual assault, aggravated sexual assault and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. The bonds on those charges could be revoked at a hearing scheduled for Thursday.

EAST TEXAS — U.S. Senator John Cornyn makes a pair of East Texas stops Tuesday. In Tyler, Cornyn visited the FRESH by Brookshire’s grocery store, termed an innovative concept in grocery stores that utilizes many local growers and vendors. Cornyn toured the new store; met with Brad Brookshire, Chairman of the Board, and Rick Rayford, President and CEO, along with several employees; and discussed the impact of the new store on the local economy — including the creation of 350 new jobs. Cornyn also drew attention to the store’s supply of fresh, health foods, saying, “Taking care of ourselves in terms of how we eat and exercising can have a big impact on our health, particularly with regard to chronic diseases like diabetes.”

Sen. Cornyn additionally heard from Brookshire’s executives on their concerns about new federal health care legislation, which turns a year old on Wednesday. They discussed their concerns with the paperwork burden and costs they will be expected to shoulder as the law takes effect and how the new mandates could hinder their growth. Cornyn remarked, “The price of health insurance is going through the roof, and employers are having to pay a lot more…making it harder for them to hire new people.”

In Nacogdoches, Cornyn visited a drilling site in the Haynesville Shale. According to the senator, the rig represents the latest in horizontal drilling technology. He says it’s being used to tap into a natural gas play that has the potential to increase energy self-sufficiency and serve as a significant source of clean energy for the nation, while also providing revenue and jobs for the local economy. Cornyn says that means “paying taxes to help support our school kids when we’re seeing a lot of serious budget cuts across the board.” Cornyn was joined by Nacogdoches Mayor Roger Van Horn and County Judge Joe English as he toured the rig site and met with representatives from local small business, Sonerra Resources, and international oil and gas company EOG Resources, who have partnered to develop the Haynesville Shale site.

TYLER — The Tyler Parks and Recreation Department celebrates the completion of the exterior renovations at the 1859 Goodman-LeGrand House and Museum with a midday ribbon cutting event and reception. Renovations on the museum started in October 2010 and are now complete thanks to the efforts of the City of Tyler Parks and Recreation Department, Project Manager Billy Bartush with Ron Mabry and Associates, and project supervisor Michael Burke with Mikasa Construction, Inc. “The results achieved are a substantial improvement in the preservation of this historic Tyler landmark,” said Museum Curator Patricia Heaton. “This maintenance helps us ensure that the Goodman Home will stand as a showplace for many years to come.”

Refreshments will be served on the grand front porch of the Goodman, while music will be played for the enjoyment of those attending. The ceremony includes Mayor Barbara Bass and City Manager Mark McDaniel. The event is free and the public is invited to attend. Officials say the renovation project was necessary to preserve and maintain the integrity of the original structure. According to press materials, all specifications of the project were in compliance with national, state and local historical guidelines.