KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — According to our news partner KETK, a recent study from the University of Texas at Tyler found the economic impact the solar eclipse had in the City of Tyler. The total solar eclipse was observed in Tyler on April 8 and the Hibbs Institute for Business & Economic Research released a study that found visitors brought in about $7.7 million.

According to the study, researchers estimated the economic impact of visitors and their expenditures during the solar eclipse weekend including dining, entertainment and shopping at retail stores. The influx of tourists was anticipated several weeks beforehand, allowing hotels to considerably raise their rates for the event weekend, which had been fully booked. The study found that booked hotels brought in about $1 million and the calculated visitor spending during those days was $6.7 million. However the study did not take into account locals who joined the visitors and their estimated expenditures.

For a full breakdown of the study including the methodology, people can visit the current edition of the Hibbs Briefs.

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Game Wardens said that their Marine Theft Investigation Unit seized over $100,000 of equipment at the Sealy Big Bass Splash Tournament last weekend. The Marine Theft Unit reportedly patrolled the tournament for two days and inspected 300 boats, 243 motors and 100 trailers in that time. San Augustine, Sabine, Angelina, Jasper, Tyler and Nacogdoches County Game Wardens helped the unit inspect the boats which were attending what Texas Game Wardens said is the largest amateur fishing tournament in the state.

TYLER – After severe weather hit East Texas, several power companies and cooperatives have reported that 12,752 people are without power as of 9:00 a.m on Monday. Our news partner KETK has compiled a list of power outages in East Texas counties.

TYLER — City of Tyler officials said in release Friday, the next step in construction of the Smith County parking garage began Monday, April 29. For about 3 weeks, a portion of East Ferguson Street, from Center Avenue to Spring Avenue, will be closed due to the construction.

Visitors to the Annex Building, the Elections Office, Constable Precinct 1 Office and Animal Shelter can park in the large former juror parking lot off of Ferguson Street. There will only be one entrance/exit to the lot, across from the Animal Shelter off Center Avenue. Pedestrians coming to the Annex from the parking lot, including employees and visitors, will have to take a detour route to the Annex. There are white arrows painted on the ground showing pedestrians the way to go.

Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said in regards to the construction, “We appreciate all of the patience and understanding shown by our employees and visitors. We understand these parking temporary changes are difficult, but we are excited about how great the parking garage will be when it is completed.”

The construction of the 540+ parking space garage is expected to be completed in September.

TYLER — On Saturday, April 27th the Tyler Police Department along with the Drug Enforcement Agency will be hosting a Drug Drop Off. It will be at the Brookshire’s on Rice Road between 10am and 2pm. The public can anonymously drop off their unused, unwanted and expired prescription medications as well as tablets, capsules, patches and other solid forms of prescription drugs, free of charge. Liquids (including intravenous solutions), syringes and other sharps, and illegal drugs will not be accepted.

GILMER – The Gilmer Police Department said they seized guns, drugs and cash while executing a search warrant on Thursday. Our news partner KETK is reporting that the Gilmer PD executed a search warrant at a residence which allegedly housed two known drug dealers in Upshur County at around 6 a.m. on Thursday. While searching the home Gilmer PD officers reportedly found two guns, $2,269 and 36 grams of black tar heroin. A request for more information was not immediately fulfilled by Gilmer PD. We will continue to update as more info becomes available.

LUFKIN – According to our news partner KETK, officials are investigating after an overnight shooting in Lufkin that left a man injured. According to police, officers responded to a report of a man with a gunshot wound to the head around 10:20 p.m. in the 100 block of West Laurel Avenue after the man had sought help from a neighbor. The man was flown to an out-of-town hospital where he remained in stable condition, according to authorities, and the incident is under investigation.

“The man told officers he had been robbed and shot by a man that he knew but he didn’t know the suspect’s name,” officials said.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Lufkin Police Department at 936-633-0356 or Crime Stoppers at 936-639-TIPS.

LONGVIEW – The Houston Chronicle reports that business groups, led by a pair of Texas advocacy associations, stepped in quickly Wednesday seeking a halt to a rule issued by the Federal Trade Commission banning employers from using noncompete clauses to keep workers from going to a competitor. The ban was approved Tuesday and is expected to take effect 120 days after it is entered into the Federal Register. It was immediately challenged by U.S. Chamber of Commerce, which was joined by the Texas Association of Business and the Longview (Texas) Chamber of Commerce in filing suit in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas to block the measure.

Saying “the burdens of the Noncompete Rule will be immediate and significant,” the organizations argued that “Beyond making virtually all noncompetes illegal going forward, the Noncompete Rule also purports to retroactively invalidate roughly tens of millions of existing agreements. … As a result, businesses that bargained for noncompetes will lose the protections of those agreements — even if they already held up their end of the bargain.” Anticipating a delay in implementation, several Houston labor attorneys were proceeding with business as usual with their noncompete cases. Todd Slobin, a board certified labor and employment partner at Shellist Lazarz Slobin, said he thought the rule was great and it could help the economy in general because people could get better, higher-paying jobs based on their experience and skills. “In one hand, it’s amazing,” Slobin said. “In the other hand, it’s kind of like preparing for a hurricane that may never happen. Because, you know, there’s going to be so many legal challenges from big businesses, industries, who want to enforce these noncompetes and want to have them in place to keep employees where they are.”

TYLER – Champions for Children has received a grant from the Texas Bar Foundation that will be used for educational purposes. According to our news partner KETK, the $15,500 grant will fund a two-hour training session on child neglect and abuse. This is allow about 2,500 participants to undergo the training.

The release from Champions for Children further stated, “Champions’ Childcare Teacher Training is a comprehensive program designed to equip educators with the knowledge and skills necessary to meet state standards and address the critical issue of child neglect and healthy child development. This training, tailored to the specific needs of childcare providers, encompasses key elements including State Standards Compliance, In-Depth Understanding of Child Neglect, Legal and Ethical Considerations, Interactive Learning Modules, Cultural Sensitivity and Diversity Training, Collaboration with State Agencies, Continuous Professional Development, Case Studies and Practical Scenarios, Networking Opportunities, and Evaluation and Certification.”

Champions for Children said that child neglect cases in the U.S. include over 600,000 children, and that children up to age three are 80% of all neglect cases in Texas.

LONGVIEW – A Longview woman plead guilty on Thursday to manslaughter in the death of a 41-year-old man from Longview after an argument reportedly turned into physical violence. According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Police Department responded to a call at around 7:48 p.m. on May 13 to the 400 block of E. Pliler Precise Road due to a reported shooting. When officers arrived, they reportedly saw Chris Baker, 41 of Longview, who had been injured. The Longview Fire Department took Baker to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and he died the following day. Detectives spoke with Jeanne-Marie Minter, who reportedly told officers Baker and her had been arguing, and that turned into physical violence. Police said Minter got away and retrieved a firearm, went back to the room where her and Baker argued and then shot him. Minter plead guilty to the death on Thursday and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that a Jacksonville man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after a jury found him guilty of capital murder. According to a release, Brandon Branton was charged with the 2020 stabbing murder of Randy P. Davenport. Davenport’s body was found near Love’s Lookout in July of 2020 and he was determined to be the victim of an “apparent homicide.” Branton was sentenced to life in prison without parole after eight days of testimony and deliberation, the district attorney said. He was charged alongside codefendant Ja’Michael Rusk, whose case is still pending.

LUFKIN — The Lufkin Police Department is investigating an overnight shooting. According to Lufkin Police Public Information Officer Jessica Pebsworth, officers responded to West Laurel around 10:20 p.m. Wednesday night a report of a man with a gunshot wound to the head after the man sought help from a neighbor. The victim told officers he had been robbed and shot by a man that he knew but he didn’t know the suspect’s name. The man was flown to an out-of-town hospital where he remains in stable condition. Anyone with information is asked to call the Department at 936-633-0356 or Crime Stoppers at 936-639-TIPS.

LONGVIEW — Two people have been arrested in connection to the 2016 murder of Longview businessman and community figure Ron Horaney. According to our news partner KETK, Horaney was found dead in his home from multiple gunshots on May 30, 2016.

Reza Kamali, 87 of Longview, was arrested and charged with murder eight years after the crime. At his arraignment, his bond was set at $7.5 million. Alfredo Lizcano, 38, was arrested Wednesday morning for murder in Dallas County with a $10 million bond.

According to an arrest affidavit, investigators received information from a “Cooperating Individual” who reported being contacted by someone they identified as “Ray Kamali,” who authorities identified as being Reza Kamali. Continue reading Arrests made in 2016 murder of local businessman

TYLER – Smith County authorities have arrested the national president of a motorcycle gang for ordering the death of man in 2020. According to our news partner KETK, 57-year-old Kevin Higgins of Kemp, was arrested Tuesday in the death of Brandon Edwards of Chapel Hill. Investigators determined that Kemp ordered the death of Edwards, a rival gang member in fall 2019. Higgins, who is identified as the national president of the motorcycle gang Ugly Man Cossacks, had fellow member Chad Crowell carry out the murder in May 2020.

Initially three members of the Ugly Man Cossacks were arrested in Edwards death. All three have been convicted of organized crime activity in connection to the case. Kevin Higgins is in the Smith County Jail with his bond set at $2.5 million.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – The Cherokee County District Attorney said a Jacksonville man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after a jury found him guilty of capital murder. According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Branton was charged with the 2020 stabbing murder of Randy P. Davenport. Davenport’s body was reportedly found near Love’s Lookout in July of 2020 and he was deemed the victim of an “apparent homicide.” Branton was sentenced to life in prison without parole after eight days of testimony and deliberation, the district attorney said.

He was charged alongside codefendant Ja’Michael Rusk, whose case is still pending.

PALESTINE – A Former Palestine ISD band director that had been accused of an improper relationship with a student received sentencing on April 19. According to court documents, and our colleagues at KETK, Adrian Alonso was convicted on three charges of improper relationship between an educator and a student, and will be serving 11 years of confinement in a state prison. In January of 2023 the Palestine Police Department arrested Alonso after an investigation revealed that he had an “improper relationship, including sexual contact with a student, beginning in 2020.”

LUFKIN – A man was arrested in Lufkin on Tuesday for capital murder in the October death of his 4-month-old son according to our news partners at KETK. According to police, a warrant was obtained for the arrest of 25-year-old Anfernee Durham, of Lufkin, upon the finalization of his 4-month-old son, Kylo Powell’s, autopsy. Officials said his death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma to the head and torso by a Harris County medical examiner. He died in a Houston hospital on Oct. 20 after being transferred from a Lufkin hospital three days earlier. Durham was taken into custody with the assistance of the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, and his bond has been set at $1 million.

TYLER – An arrest was made by the Gregg County Sheriff’s office in the case of a murder dating back to 2016. Officials said that the suspect arrested was Reza Kamali, 87 of Longview. At his arraignment his bond was set at $7.5 million. Ron Horaney was murdered in his home on May, 30, 2016. Witnesses said that Horaney was shot multiple times while answering the door. The sheriff’s office said he was taken to the hospital, where he later died. Horaney was the owner of a major architecture business in Longview. An announced press conference scheduled for Monday afternoon will provide more details.

TYLER – A skunk in Tyler tested positive for rabies, marking the second positive rabies test this month. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler Animal Services was alerted by the Texas Department of State Health Services on Wednesday that one skunk they had submitted for analysis tested positive for rabies. The city said that the skunk had been found near the 1200 block of Larkspur Lane and that any individuals and animals with possible exposure have been identified and addressed. This is the second skunk in the month of April to test positive for rabies in Tyler. Officials warned that preventative immunization is the only effective defense against rabies, and to make sure that pets are up to date on their vaccinations.

LONGVIEW – More than a dozen East Texas school districts are asking voters for millions of dollars in bond measures. Longview ISD is proposing $456 million in updates and new facilities according to our news partner KETK. After two failed bond proposals, Longview ISD is asking for voters’ support on another multi-million-dollar measure. “In November we asked voters to vote on two propositions, we’ve broken that into five,” Wayne Guidry, assistant superintendent of finance, said. Proposition A, with a price tag of $237 million, would go mostly toward high school renovations, CTE building expansion and security upgrades across all 13 campuses. “Proposition B, is a new early learning center, proposition C, D, and E are just addressing our athletic facilities it’s been about 35 years since we’ve addressed the majority of those facilities,” Guidry said. The district is hoping that this third time is the charm. The last time Longview residents approved a district bond was in 2008.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A Kilgore man was arrested during a traffic stop near Gladewater for transporting 163 grams of methamphetamine. According to our news partner KETK, arrested Monday was Gerald Hosea Gibson of Kilgore. Gibson was pulled over for a traffic violation in Gladewater on Highway 80. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Unit conducted the search, where it vielded 163 grams of methamphetamine and $2,343. Gibson was charged with manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance. He is currently in the Upshur County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

HENDERSON – CHRISTUS Health broke ground Tuesday on a new, state-of-the-art standalone emergency center in Henderson. The center will be located on Highway 259, just south of Wylie Elementary. The new facility will feature around-the-clock emergency services, including 17 total beds, 13 exam rooms, four triage rooms, state-of-the-art full-service imaging and an onsite laboratory. Representatives from CHRISTUS, the City of Henderson, and Rusk County attended the ground breaking.

CHRISTUS Good Shepherd President and CEO Todd Hancock said, “We have been blessed to work with some great people from Henderson and Rusk County to make this facility a reality. Every stakeholder we have talked to and presented to has gotten on board immediately, as we all realize that more access to high-quality health care is nothing but great for this community.”

The expansion to Henderson is the third announced expansion from CHRISTUS Health in East Texas, joining Mount Pleasant and Palestine. Construction of the 12,500 square-foot emergency center is set to begin in the next few weeks, with a projected completion date of summer 2025.

GLADEWATER – According to our news partner KETK, the Gladewater ISD board of trustees unanimously made the decision on Monday to move to a four-day school week and opted not to have classes on Mondays. Unlike other districts that decided on having a four-day school week with Fridays off, the district of Gladewater will not be in session Mondays of the coming school year. The school board president said this will help attract and retain teachers, giving them more flexibility in their personal lives.

“As you are trying to be competitive in the workplace and attract staff, you want you want to offer something different,” Ross Morgan, school board president, said. “The main component teachers are absent because they have to go to the doctor or they have to take their child to the doctor or maybe a parent to the doctor. A lot of doctor’s offices aren’t open very long if all on Fridays and that was one kind of long discussion or kind of a really important point as to why Mondays are better.” Continue reading Gladewater ISD opts out of Mondays with four-day school week

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department said that they arrested a man and a woman following a theft incident at a Walmart in Marshall on Friday night. According to our news partner KETK, officers were called to the scene on Friday to respond to a shoplifting incident involving a man and a woman. Bridgette Eleanor Peyton, 32 of Burlington, WI, was arrested for failure to identify as a fugitive, credit or debit card abuse, theft of property worth between $100 and $750 and two warrants from Wisconsin.

After Peyton was detained, officers were reportedly told about a fight happening in the parking lot. Marshall PD said the fight was between the owner of a vehicle and a man allegedly caught trying to break into some cars in the parking lot.

Nicholas Eberle, 41 of Franksville, WI, was arrested after a reported short foot chase and charged with theft of property worth $750 and $2,500, evading arrest and detention, failure to identify as a fugitive and a warrant from Wisconsin. Continue reading Wisconsin couple arrested for theft in Marshall

TYLER – GIVE, Girls Invested in Volunteer Efforts awarded an $18,000 2024 grant to Bethesda Pediatrics during an event Sunday in Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, GIVE decided to give a grant to Bethesda Pediatrics because they provide healthcare to children who are uninsured or are enrolled in Medicaid.

Megan Riaz, the director of community relations for Bethesda Health Clinic was there on Sunday to accept the grant for Bethesda Pediatrics said, “We are overjoyed to receive this amazing grant from GIVE to improve our dental clinic with a new dental chair. The dental clinic at Bethesda Pediatrics is growing, and the GIVE grant will allow us to repurpose an existing room to serve more patients with dental care. We are so impressed by the young philanthropists of GIVE and their desire to give back to undeserved children; it is a blessing to our patients.”

The Women’s Fund of Smith County launched GIVE in 2014 in order to help girls in high school learn about leadership and philanthropy. GIVE has given away $77,912 to Smith County non-profits since the group was started.