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NOONDAY — An agreement was reached in a Smith County Precinct 2 courtroom just after 3:00 yesterday afternoon in last week’s puppy mill case. The home where Refugio Silvas, Jr., and his wife were living was raided last week. The couple was ordered to pay $8,000 and hand over all 70 puppies to the SPCA. Many people in the courtroom are said to have been upset over the puppy mill case. The SPCA says it will continue to pursue further action and charges against the couple.

TYLER — Tyler Police have arrested a teenager who allegedly robbed a 14 year old at gunpoint in Fun Forest Park. Taken into custody was Donald Lloyd Davis Jr., 17, of Tyler. Officials say the victim was walking through the park in the 1800 block of Garden Valley Road when he was approached by the suspect who told him to give him all his money. While showing his empty pockets, the teen pulled out a cell phone. The robber pulled a gun and demanded the phone, then ran away. A witness offered his phone to the teen to call the police. When officials arrived, they found Davis in the 1800 block of West Oakwood, where they arrested him. They searched the area and found a pistol and the cell phone in two different trashcans on Maxwell Street, about a block away from where they found Davis.

GILMER — Tuesday’s Upshur County Commissioners meeting erupts with accusations, and a request to remove a person from the crowd. Commissioner James Crittenden accused fellow Commissioner Lloyd Crabtree of bypassing his authority as presiding officer. That comes after Crabtree received a letter instead of Crittenden. And when Commissioner Mike Spencer tried to get back to business, a woman from the crowd spoke up, saying Crittenden was presiding and could “say what he wants to.” Spencer responded, “Excuse me. For an outburst like that I would like to have her removed from the court.” After the outburst, the commissioners took a recess. The woman was not removed from the meeting.

The commissioners’ court has seen its share of controversy in recent months. Crabtree is under indictment along with County Judge Dean Fowler and Sheriff Anthony Betterron. All are charged with official oppression and abuse of official capacity in a case involving removal of public comment from agendas.

CANTON — Authorities in Van Zandt County have arrested two suspects on narcotics charges. On Wednesday at approximately 3:30 p.m. the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s office along with the Precinct 3 Constable, Wills Point Police Department, Canton Police Department, and Child Protective Services served a narcotic search warrant at 800 Van Zandt County Road 3219 in the Myrtle Springs Community. After a lengthy investigation, the Sheriff’s Office was able to obtain a search warrant that resulted in the seizure of a large amount of methamphetamine, a large amount of marijuana, several thousand dollars, surveillance equipment and drug paraphernalia.

Wendy Mae Jones, 34, and Joseph Zachary Eggeling, 34, of Wills Point, were placed into custody and charged with possession of a controlled substance and delivery of marijuana. They’re currently being held at the Van Zandt County Law Enforcement Center on $35,000 bond each. Three others were released at the location pending further investigation. Four children ranging in age from 1 to 14 were placed in the care of Child Protective Services.

TYLER – A new film festival was announced Thursday by the film working group of the Downtown Tyler Arts Coalition (DTAC). The Downtown Tyler Arts Film Festival will take place Oct. 12-15 at Liberty Hall. Members of the DTAC filmmaker group are serving as organizers. “Show Us Your Shorts” is the theme of this year’s festival, which concentrates on comedic short films of 15 minutes or less. The event will kick off with a VIP street party on Oct. 12, with films available for viewing Oct. 13-15 at the newly renovated Liberty Hall. Additional activities will be announced at a later date.

“Independent film production is becoming a major industry,” said festival Director Chris Abraham, a volunteer with DTAC. Abraham pointed out that major media distributors have a growing interest in small, start-up studios, and filmmaking is now a very popular area of study on college campuses. Abraham continued by saying that new distribution avenues are opening lucrative business models for new media producers. “A film festival is not only great fun, but it is also a very smart business move for Tyler,” Abraham said. Also organizing the event are experienced film festival producers Stephen Self and Donna Gatewood.

The film festival is also capitalizing on Tyler’s relatively new concept of Rose Season, an effort to expand upon the economic impact of the Rose Festival by incorporating a variety of events to extend the season to three weeks. “This event was planned intentionally to complement the Rose Festival dates and offer additional activities for residents and visitors alike to enjoy,” said City of Tyler Main Street department leader Beverly Abell. “We hope the film festival will only add to the wonderful schedule of events available during Rose Season.”

Entries in the film fest are limited to live-action or animation. All films must have at least one producer or director who is a resident of Texas. Live-action movies must have had at least 75 percent of their principal photography completed in Texas. Entries must be received by Aug. 31, and only 25 will be selected for showing. Go to http://www.tylerfilmfest.com for more information on the event. “We also encourage people to ‘like’ the festival on Facebook and keep up with events on Twitter,” Abell said.

ALTO — A Cherokee County town will furlough its police force for six months, believing it the best way to save the city money. The Alto City Council voted to cut off for six months the wages and benefits for Alto’s police chief and four police officers, effective June 16. That’s despite Mayor Monty Collins’ warning that such a move is a mistake. The furlough would turn over law enforcement for the town of about 1,200 residents to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies recently took over law enforcement down the road in the town of Wells. That’s after the governing council in that town of 800 residents laid off its only police officer.

TYLER — This week, Precinct 3 Constable Dustin Rust, asked the Smith County Commissioners Court for an additional $5,800 to cover the rest of the fiscal year in fuel costs. He says with rising gas prices, the county didn’t give them enough. Precinct 2 Commissioner Cary Nix says the Constable is in a unique situation, but he says thinking ahead and staying within budget is the issue. The Commissioner says the court will discuss the matter next week.

LUFKIN — A 20-year-old Lufkin man was arrested Tuesday for having a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old girl. Hayden Shaw McCleskey is being charged with two first-degree counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child, an arrest report stated. The girl, who is now 14, was spending the night at McCleskey’s home with his sister on two separate occasions when the acts took place, the first in February and the second in March, according to the report.

The alleged sexual assaults were reported by the victim’s father, according to Lufkin Police Lt. David Young. In an interview with police, the girl said McCleskey knew she was only 13. After McCleskey was taken into custody, he admitted to having sex with the girl twice and that he was aware of her age, the report stated. McCleskey was booked into the Angelina County Jail, where he made a collective $50,000 bond a short time later. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.

LONGVIEW — Three people have been arrested in connection with a fight and a robbery that occurred at the Days Inn, in the 3100 block of Estes Parkway, May 23rd. Arrested were Robin Wilson, 28 and John Pack, 19, both of Longview. Pack’s Twin brother, Joshua, was also arrested. Police say the brothers saw Wilson, who is said to be a girlfriend of one of the teens, at the motel with six other people. In the fight that followed, the brothers are said to have used a gun and a knife to rob the group. When they fled the scene, Wilson is said to have left with them. One person was injured, but not seriously, in the fight.

LONGVIEW – Gregg County authorities are looking for two suspects in the burglary of an ATM Machine. The burglary occurred at Zippy J’s convenience store at the corner of State Highway 31 and Farm Road 2767. The suspects are said to have cut a hole in a rear wall of the building, and then used a bar to pry open the ATM. They are said to have taken $46,000 from the machine. The store’s surveillance video shows two suspects wearing dark clothing, masks and gloves.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police remembered one of their own Thursday morning during a public ceremony. They dedicated a table with a plaque in memory of fellow Officer Ellyn Goodan. The table is near the entrance to the Roy E. Stone Training Center located at 302 W. Cotton Street. The memorial was purchased with donations from Police Department employees.

Goodan died last December after being shot in the head. Her husband, and former 911 communications administrator Harry Goodan, has been charged with her murder. He was originally held on $500,000 bond. However, District Judge David Brabham ruled the bond was excessive and lowered it to $75,000 after Goodan’s father-in-law, Jimmy Rice, and Goodan’s ex-wife, Jonna Goodan, testified on his behalf at a January court hearing.

Under the stipulations of his lowered bond, Goodan is barred from possessing a gun, alcohol or illegal drugs; must remain home between 7:00pm and 6:00am daily; he must wear a monitoring device at all times; and he must report weekly to authorities. Goodan’s trial date has yet to be set in the 124th District Court. Goodan also has a pending civil case for “parent child relationship” in the interest of his and Ellyn Goodan’s son, Nicholas Goodan.

MANGUM, OKLA. (AP) — Two more prospective jurors have been chosen for possible jury service in the trial of a former warden’s wife accused of helping an inmate she fell in love with escape from prison. Prosecutors have accused Bobbi Parker of helping Randolph Dial escaped from the Oklahoma State Reformatory in 1994 and then running away with him. Defense attorneys say Dial kidnapped Parker and held her captive until she was rescued in 2005 at a Shelby County, Texas, chicken ranch. Defense attorney lawyer Garvin Isaacs said Wednesday two more people were added to a panel of prospective jurors that now totals 14. Isaacs says attorneys want to pick 22 prospective jurors before using challenges to select a 12-member jury. Jury selection continues today; it began on May 16.

TYLER — East Texas Medical Center says it’s responding to the external economic climate by streamlining operations. According to a written statement, this means becoming more efficient by reducing non-critical staff positions and finding ways to make processes more cost-effective, as officials say the organization has throughout its 60-year history. ETMC has declined to disclose any exact numbers regarding reduction of positions. According to the statement, reasons for the current economic challenges include lessening reimbursement from third-party payors, and federal and state reimbursement cuts. Hospital officials say the uncertainty caused by healthcare reform legislation is also driving this situation to some degree, both locally and nationally.

Throughout the United States, ETMC officials add, other hospital systems are experiencing similar situations. The written statement says that as the market demands reductions in healthcare costs, ETMC is doing its part to adjust operations and trim costs, while continuing to fulfill its mission.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert (TX-01) joined a bipartisan House coalition voting against a debt limit measure Tuesday night. The legislation would increase the federal government’s legal debt limit by $2.4 trillion, raising the limit to $16.7 trillion. Gohmert commented, “Raising the debt ceiling is not only irresponsible, it is, again, spending money the United States does not have. I could not vote to raise the debt ceiling without a major decline in negligent spending. Here and now, Washington must change the way it does business.

“We desperately need to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment with a cap on spending in the House and Senate and send it to the States for ratification. We must also stop the insane spending of $105 billion to implement the bureaucracy of Obamacare – which should ultimately be deemed unconstitutional. These are the immediate things we can do to show the world financial sectors we are serious about reining in renegade spending.

“There is absolutely no reason for the Administration to refuse to organize payments so we meet our public debt obligations and keep our commitments to those Americans who are supposed to receive them. Treasury Secretary Geithner should spend his time setting these priorities instead of playing Chicken Little and demagoguing this important issue.

“The future of our nation is at stake. Raising the debt limit will only dig America into a deeper, darker pit – one from which escaping will be difficult, if not, impossible. Out-of-control spending must end, and the Senate must finally pass a budget to solidify our commitment to solving this crisis. That’s the only way America will remain ‘the shining city on the Hill.’”

LONGVIEW — A Longview man is jailed after a chase and a wreck that injured five people. Jailed under a $40,000 bond on a variety of charges is Earnest James Survia Jr., 22. In his vehicle during the chase were his wife and two children.

It all started just after noon Tuesday afternoon in Longview at the intersection of Annette and Arthur. A state trooper said he saw someone trying to break into a car. Authorities say the chase started when the trooper tried to stop the man. According to officials, it ended when the man ran a stop sign in the Pine Tree area, striking another vehicle.