KTBB News, Weather, Talk

DALLAS (AP) — Flights at Dallas-area airports were stopped and delayed Friday afternoon due to a telecommunications equipment issue, federal officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was slowing flights to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field because of a reported local telephone company equipment issue. The FAA said the issue did not involve FAA equipment, and they were working with the telephone company to determine the cause. KTBB called both Tyler Pounds Regional Airport and East Texas Regional Airport and could not get a comment.

The FAA expects the delays to continue well into Friday night.
Continue reading Telecommunication issues causes flight delays at airports

TYLER – A Tyler doctor who was arrested in 2024 for allegedly sexually assaulting his patients was sentenced to 8 years in prison on Friday, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

On Oct. 24, 2023, 56-year-old Kenneth Donald Haygood was temporarily suspended by the disciplinary panel of the Texas Medical Board after violating a June 2023 Final Order, which restricted him from seeing female patients. The order stated that he needed to complete multiple continuing medical education courses and pass exams, in addition to paying a $5,000 administrative penalty. According to the Texas Medical Board, Haygood did not get consent before doing a physical exam of a female patient, and inappropriately discussed the encounter with the patient’s family via text message “in an attempt to intimidate them as witnesses.” Continue reading Former Tyler doctor sentenced to eight years

TYLER – Crews are putting the finishing touches on the fairgrounds for the 109th East Texas State Fair, with the highlight this year being the inaugural pro rodeo, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

The East Texas State Fair is partnering with Cavender’s to bring a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)-sanctioned rodeo to Tyler, welcoming pro rodeo athletes across the country to East Texas. The rodeo will feature events such as bull riding, barrel racing and team roping, along with entertainment suitable for all ages.

The President of East Texas State Fair, Cody Rosenbalm, explains the community’s reaction to the rodeo: “We knew people were going to be excited about it, but we were not expecting this level of response from the community. There’s a big demand in Tyler for more rodeo opportunities.” Continue reading East Texas State Fair saddles up for first pro rodeo

JACKSONVILLE — According to our news partner KETK, a new 100,000-square-foot TubeFab facility is coming to Jacksonville, creating immediate new full-time jobs for residents and potentially more in the future.

TubeFab, a company that assembles copper tubing parts, plans to invest nearly $30 million in a new facility located in Jacksonville’s Norman Industrial Park. As of now, the facility will create at least 40 full-time job opportunities, with the possibility of more than 80 jobs in the future.

“We’re honored TubeFab chose Jacksonville as the site for this transformative expansion,” JEDCO’s Chairman of the Board, Darrell Dement, said. “This partnership represents exactly the kind of forward-looking development we strive to attract. These are the types of projects that bring new energy, innovation, and opportunity to our city.”

TubeFab was founded in 2014 and specializes in the fabrication of copper tubing parts and assemblies for the HVAC/R market. The new facility will help TubeFab grow its operations while also highlighting Jacksonville’s role as a manufacturing hub in East Texas.

TYLER — A man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday after a Tyler apartment shooting left one man injured in April, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

Around 10 p.m. on April 23, officers from the Tyler Police Department responded to a shooting at Southwest Pines Apartments on 3220 Walton Road, where they located one victim with a gunshot wound to the leg. Officers were able to apply a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, and he was taken to a local hospital. Continue reading Man sentenced to 12 years after Tyler apartment shooting

HENDERSON COUNTY — A man was arrested on Wednesday evening in Henderson County after several different illegal drugs were found inside his apartment, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

Diondre Antione Young was arrested after a search warrant was conducted by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office at his apartment, located in the 200 Block of West College Street in Athens. During the search, law enforcement discovered cocaine, fentanyl pills, Xanax pills and marijuana. Following a brief struggle, Young was subsequently arrested and taken to Henderson County Jail.

Young was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. His bond is set at $31,500.

SMITH COUNTY – Two East Texas men were arrested on Wednesday after they attempted to steal from vehicles in Smith County.

According to the a press release from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, at 1:05 a.m., deputies responded to the 11800 block of Bird Point Trail just south of Tyler, where a burglary was in progress involving multiple vehicles.

Deputies began speaking with witnesses who reported that two suspects had begun lifting vehicle door handles in their driveway. The homeowner confronted both suspects, who then ran from the area. Continue reading Two in Whitehouse arrested following car break-in attempts

MINEOLA – City of Mineola officials say that a water main break has caused the line pressure to drop and a Boil Water Notice has been posted. The area affect is Hwy 80 East from Hwy 69 to Graham Street, from Newsom Street to Blair Street over to Wigley Street, then back down Wigley Street to Hwy 80. Customers in this area will have to boil their water prior to consuming.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. Instead of boiling, you can purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

Once the boil water notice is no longer in effect, the public water system will issue a notice to customers that the boil water notice is over.

TROUP, Texas – An elderly woman near Troup filed a theft report with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Saturday reporting that a handyman had possibly stolen several thousand dollars’ worth of jewelry from their home. Authorities later identified the handyman as Christopher McDowell – 53 of Troup. McDowell had worked inside the home multiple times, and even reportedly stayed in the victim’s bedroom for an “unusual length of time.” After a warrant was obtained, authorities arrested McDowell Wednesday night for the criminal offense of Theft of Property $2,500<$30K enhanced to a Third-Degree Felony. The bond was set at $100,000.

MARSHALL — A Marshall woman was sentenced to 16 years in prison for intoxication manslaughter after she killed a mother with a vehicle in 2024, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

At around 10 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2024, Marshall Police officers responded to Martindale Drive, where they found an ongoing altercation between multiple women and a disturbance involving around 40 people.

Officials said that 23-year-old Derkyla Fort was found underneath a vehicle along with her injured 5-year-old nearby. Fort was later pronounced dead at the scene, and her son was taken to a local hospital. The investigation led officers to believe Samantha Johnson was the one driving the vehicle that hit Fort, and she was later arrested.

Johnson pleaded guilty to intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle and was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Monday.

LONGVIEW – State Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock) made a stop in Longview on Wednesday evening to host a campaign rally as part of his run for the U.S. Senate, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

Talarico, an eighth-generation Texan, is the second major Democrat to enter the Senate primary, joining former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-Dallas), who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in last year’s election.

The rally, held at the Longview Community Center, highlighted Talarico’s push to connect with voters in East Texas, a region long considered a Republican stronghold. Continue reading Rep. James Talarico brings U.S. Senate campaign to Longview

RUSK COUNTY – A woman was arrested in Rusk County earlier this month after 20.3 grams of methamphetamine were reportedly found inside her vehicle, according to our news partner KETK.

At around 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 6, Rusk County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a call regarding a suspicious white Ford F-150 being parked in a closed dental office parking lot near State Highway 43. Once deputies arrived on the scene, the driver had left, and a witness told authorities that they had given them enough money to get to a gas station and stated the driver had two dogs with her. Continue reading Woman arrested after 20 grams of methamphetamine found

HUNTINGTON — A Huntington ISD teacher has resigned after students reported she made a negative comment following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Superintendent Carolyn Fiaschetti confirmed to our news partner KETK that Brianna Parrish, who taught U.S. government and world geography, stepped down on Tuesday. Parrish had initially been placed on leave after the district learned of the reported comments, though officials did not disclose what was said. The resignation comes as the Texas Education Agency reviews more than 280 complaints against teachers accused of making inappropriate remarks about Kirk.

“While all educators are held to a high standard of professionalism, there is a difference between comments made in poor taste and those that call for and incite further violence – the latter of which is clearly unacceptable,” TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement.