KTBB News, Weather, Talk

BEN WHEELER – A two vehicle accident in Van Zandt County has killed a motorcyclist. Dead at the scene Thursday afternoon was Eric Hall, 32, of Ben Wheeler. The Department of Public Safety reports his motorcycle drifted into the oncoming lane of traffic on a curve and hit a pickup head on. The accident happened South of Ben Wheeler on Farm Road 773.

TYLER — Tyler school superintendent Dr. Randy Reid has presented school trustees of budget concerns the district is facing for the upcoming school year. He told trustees last night the budget shortfall at the state level is $12 to $25 billion depending on the source of the data. On average, the state of Texas has 85,000 new students per year. Dr. Reid compared it to adding another Austin ISD to the state each year. He explained that public education receives the largest portion of funding from the state and until they know the depth of the shortfall, the District cannot completely plan for the situation.

Dr. Reid said looking at the District’s budget situation for the next school year, some of the funds will not be available. He said the stimulus dollars Tyler ISD currently receives will go away and the district is planning for this situation. He also said the District will see major reductions or total elimination of grant funding and the District will look at other ways to address these needs.

Reid said a large concern the school district will need to address is the Permanent School Fund (PSF). He explained that these are the funds received from the state and there is no way to fairly adjust the PSF amount throughout all of the districts in Texas. Dr. Reid told the board that as a district they are evaluating positions and programs and cost analysis to make some intelligent decisions regarding the future budgetary needs of the District.

He said Tyler ISD will be conducting a staffing and a curriculum audit that were both approved by the Board of Trustees. Dr. Reid said that in the future months Tyler ISD will look at our options and bring recommendations back to the Board regarding the upcoming school year budget.

The Board of Trustees approved the Resolution of Acknowledgment to “Make Education a Priority” and support our legislators by asking them to come together with a renewed sense of priority.

According to Dr. Reid, an alarming number of Texas school districts are facing a growing financial crisis. In 2006, legislators implemented a school finance system that has proven to fall short of properly working. An increasing number of districts are now forced to use dollars from their fund balance for daily operating expenditures.

The 2007 and 2009 legislative sessions failed to address the funding system’s shortcomings. A fear exists that the topic of school finance will meet the same fate during the 2011 session. To make sure the topic is addresses, a collective sense of educational priority must be found among us, our local communities and respected legislative leaders.

TYLER – At Thursday night’s school board meeting Jeff Collum, Executive Director of Student Services, presented for discussion a plan to hold both high school graduation ceremonies in June at Trinity Mother Frances Rose Stadium. He shared the potential layout of the graduation procession and seating as well as a possible schedule.

One campus would hold graduation Friday, June 3, 2011 at 8:00pm. The second school graduation will be held Saturday, June 4, 2011 at 8:00pm. In both cases there are three contingency times if inclement weather. If all contingencies fail due to weather, the graduation ceremonies would be held at Wagstaff Gymnasium on the Campus of Tyler Junior College. This proposed graduation at the District’s football stadium instead of holding at the Oil Palace, as has been done in previous years, would save the District about $15,000.

LONGVIEW – A truck driver is injured in Longview when his trailer was hit by a Union Pacific freight train. Charles Guidry was taken to good Shepherd Medical Center with minor injuries. The accident occurred Thursday afternoon near the Longview Loop off Private Road 2317 and Farm Road 2087.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff Department is investigating the burglaries of two Dollar General stores. The break-ins were discovered Thursday morning when employees reported to work. In both cases entry was gained by prying open a door. One store is located on Highway 64 east and the other is on U.S. Highway 271.

CANTON — The Van Zandt County Jail has passed it annual jail inspection by the state agency that oversees the states county jails. The Texas Commission of Jail Standards inspector was impressed with the changes and improvements made in the facility this past year. The inspection was concluded Wednesday evening with an exit interview with Sheriff R.P.Burnett and County Judge R. Koches were the State Inspector discussed his finding and any recommendation he may have had the inspection took about 10 hours to complete.

The Van Zandt County Detention Center has undergone several improvements in the security aspect of the County Jail. An entire new locking system was approved and installed by Integrity Steel, a detention lock and door company. This was done after several months of work between the Sheriff’s Office staff, Commissioners’ Court and Texas Jail Standards, the state agency that inspects and oversees jails in the State of Texas. “This improvement will greatly enhance the security and control of the jail and make for a much safer facility for the inmates housed here and the staff”, Sheriff Burnett said.

In addition to the new locks the jail is in the process of a new paint job that has lightened the interior of the facility considerably. The once dark green doors and cell bars trimmed in black have been repainted with shades of lighter browns. The lighter color has in the past made a definite change in the attitude and atmosphere of inmates and staff. This also contributes to the overall safety of the facility.

A technology grant was obtained by the Sheriff’s Office and a much needed surveillance camera system to also help with the security of the jail was obtained at no cost to the tax payers. It will allow Detention staff to monitor both other staff and inmates movement inside the jail. It is replacing a long out dated system that parts can no longer be obtained for. It will also allow for staff to maintain a much higher level of observation of the entire facility both inside and out. Sheriff Burnett has been seeking out ways to help better the Sheriff’s Office and the Detention Center with as little or no cost to the county as possible. The Sheriff stated, “This has been my goal since taking office to help control expense and improve on your Sheriff’s Office.”

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University President Dr. Dale Lunsford has named Dallas-based author and ministry leader Bill Peel as executive director of a new university initiative designed to equip, connect and mobilize Christians to live out their faith in the workplace. Peel will assume his new role effective Jan. 3, 2011.

“Bill will launch a new center that will begin implementation of our ‘Every Workplace; Every Nation’ strategic plan,” said LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford. “Our vision is for workplaces led by men and women of professional competence and Christian character.”

Peel has more than 20 years experience helping people discover their calling, sharpen their work skills and become spiritually influential in their workplace settings. For the past seven years he has served as director of 24Seven Faith, a ministry he founded which focused on workplace discipleship, evangelism and leadership development. The ministry created resources and leading initiatives to equip and empower individuals to discover their role in God’s plan and build bridges of influence for God’s Kingdom to the workplace, community and the world.

Peel served as pastor of leadership development at Fellowship Bible Church-Dallas from 2000 to 2006, managing a staff of 80 people and leading the strategic planning process of organizational leadership change.

In East Texas, Peel was the founding pastor of Bethel Bible Church in Tyler, which grew from 40 individuals to more than 400 adults from 1983 to 1987. Peel earned his bachelor’s degree from Southern Methodist University and his Master of Theology degree from Dallas Theological Seminary.

EAST TEXAS — Henderson and Van Zandt County district attorneys say they plan to bring their own charges against two men in a string of East Texas church arsons. KETK reports Jason Bourque and Daniel McAllister entered guilty pleas in a Smith County court Wednesday. Henderson County DA Scott McKee says those new charges will be brought sometime after the men are sentenced for the Smith County charges.

TYLER – Two Rusk County residents have been sentenced to 70 months each in federal prison for a methamphetamine conspiracy involving cold pills. The sentencing hearings were held in Tyler before U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis. Timothy Charles David, 48, of Henderson, pleaded guilty on Aug. 24 to conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced Dec. 15. Amy Nacole Hulsey, 31, of Joinerville, pleaded guilty on Aug. 24 to possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine and was sentenced Thursday.

According to prosecutos, between March 2009 and March 2010, David admitted to conspiring with others in the Eastern District of Texas to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine. He admitted to purchasing cold pills containing pseudoephedrine in furtherance of his methamphetamine manufacturing activities. Hulsey admitted to purchasing cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at various stores in Longview, Kilgore, Henderson, and Tyler between June 2009 and February 2010, all in furtherance of her methamphetamine manufacturing activities A federal grand jury returned a an indictment on May 6, 2010 charging David, Hulsey and four others with federal drug violations.

TYLER – Over 40 horses are recovering after being rescued from a ranch near Lindale Wednesday. Officials say it will be roughly 4 to 6 weeks before the animals are up to health standards and ready for release. Many of the horses were termed severely emaciated, and the animals were said to be suffering from a variety of medical ailments. According to KETK, the SPCA along with Smith County deputies took the 43 horses from their owner Wednesday after a six-month investigation. SPCA officials say a neighbor’s tip led authorities to the ranch, where they also found skeletal remains of other horses.

Rescue workers say the animals were initially startled to be taken. Two of the horses are pregnant. Some are still are not strong enough to stand. Officials say they are now eating and drinking water properly at stables provided by the Humane Society of the U.S. They’ll be evaluated and treated then put up for adoption. The owner, a horse breeder, is facing civil charges in connection to the case. You can go to http://www.spcaeasttx.com to find out more about adoptions and donations.

WASHINGTON – Tyler Congressman Louie Gohmert says the country needs a better plan than HR 4853. That’s the “Tax-Cut-and-Stimulus” package that President Obama recently negotiated with the Senate, and which has been under debate in the U.S. House. Gohmert had this to say Thursday regarding the proposed legislation:

“The compromise tax bill that would extend the current tax rates for two years may help avoid a potentially disastrous downturn in the struggling economy. On the other hand, the tax rate extensions have been combined with an additional 13 months of unemployment benefits on top of the two years of benefits already pushed into law. The Obama bill does not have any offsets to pay for this deficit-growing portion. The death tax is also addressed in the bill by substituting a 35% tax.”

“Since the proposed bill is not a tax cut, it is not going to stimulate the economy but rather temporarily avoid more harm. If we stand firm that businesses need more than a two-year assurance of tax stability and have a bill ready to pass on January 5th, we should get a far better deal for the economy, our future and our nation’s future. We can do better.”

“Considering all the aspects of the Obama Tax Deal, it does sound like a couple of weeks of patience and standing on the principles we believe in should yield a far better deal for the actual taxpayers and America. We can pass a bill early next year and make it retroactive so people aren’t hurt by tax hikes. Let’s do what is truly right for America and not grab the first, worst offer made.”

TYLER – A 48-year-old Laneville man has been sentenced to federal prison in a methamphetamine conspiracy. Clifford Ward Futch pleaded guilty on Aug. 31 to conspiracy to possess with intent to manufacture and distribute more than 50 grams of methamphetamine. He was sentenced Thursday in Tyler to 70 months behind bars by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

According to information presented in court, on Jan. 21, 2009, Futch possessed methamphetamine for distribution in East Texas. Futch is responsible for distributing more than 200 grams of methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas. A federal grand jury returned an indictment on May 6 of this year charging Futch and three others with federal drug violations. Bobby Jones pleaded guilty on Aug. 30, Brandon Jones pleaded guilty on Sep. 1, and Derrick Walker pleaded guilty on Sep. 30. They are all awaiting sentencing.

TYLER – Tyler ISD held a press conference Wednesday morning to address a growing problem with some of its students. Executive Director of Student Services Jeff Collum says students are becoming involved in a “choking game.” Collum says kids choke either themselves or others to get a high, but are really killing brain cells. The conference was called because students have reported 10 to 12 incidents this year so far. School officials want parents to be more aware of the situation and are sending letters out to parents.

MOUNT PLEASANT (AP) – Authorities in Mount Pleasant say a man shot and killed his girlfriend and a co-worker then turned the gun on himself outside a vocational center. Titus County Sheriff Tim Ingram said Lee Boyd, 48, shot Junior Lee Horton, 35, about 6:30 Thursday morning in the parking lot of Vocational Opportunities Center of North East Texas. Ingram says Boyd then sat in the cab of his truck and shot himself in the head. Deputies who went to Boyd’s home found Vivian Mitchell, 45, dead with gunshot and stab wounds. Ingram said Boyd was upset with Mitchell because her ex-boyfriend had started working at the center where Mitchell also worked. The sheriff said it appears Boyd shot Horton because of a previous argument between the two.

TYLER — Tyler Police are asking for the public’s help in finding a shoplifting suspect. It happened Saturday at the WalMart on Hwy 64. Authorities say a white male went to the electronics section of the store, took a laptop computer, valued at $900.00 and walked out of the store without paying. Police say someone in a PT Cruiser was waiting for him in the parking lot. If you have any information, contact Tyler Police or Smith County Crime Stoppers.