KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Two early morning robberies this week on the outskirts of Tyler, and the bandit is still on the loose. According to KETK, one robber targeted a Food Fast convenience store off Highway 64 and a Conoco off Northeast Loop 323 around 4 Wednesday morning. Police say they’re not sure if the man was armed. The bandit managed to hide his face with a bandana. You’re asked to call police or the sheriff’s department if you have any leads.

TYLER — Tyler gets involved in today’s “The Response U.S.A” event, Governor Perry’s prayer rally in Houston. Mayor Barbara Bass has issued a proclamation calling for a day of prayer and fasting, and the event will be simulcast at Green Acres Baptist Church in Tyler. Green Acres Pastor Dr. David Dykes invites everyone to the church’s new Crosswalk Conference Center for the viewing.

Visiting with our news partner KETK, Dykes said America is “a nation in crisis — and it’s not just a debt crisis or a political crisis, it’s really a moral crisis and a spiritual crisis, and prayer is the answer to that.” He adds that Christians don’t always know how to deal with the problems the country is facing, “but every single day, Christians can pray, and that is the one thing, really, that brings Christians together of all different denominational stripes.” The Houston event and the Tyler simulcast happen today from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. You can contact the church for more information.

KILGORE — Kilgore police were on the scene for about eight minutes before Monday morning’s fatal shooting of a troubled 19-year-old man who reportedly stabbed two officers and was said to be about to stab again, Kilgore Police Chief Todd Hunter said Thursday. An electronic stun device, which officers never got a chance to use, was found on the ground nearby. In interviews Thursday, Hunter said that while questions have been raised about the officers’ handling of the situation, his early assessment was that it was appropriate.

“A knife is a deadly weapon,” he said. “When an officer finds himself fighting for his life or the life of another, deadly force is the only option. When forced to utilize their weapon, officers are taught to shoot to stop, not kill or wound. When faced with a deadly encounter, our only goal is to stop the threat.”

The Texas Rangers are investigating events that led to the Monday morning shooting of Jamel Freeman, 19, who police said attacked two officers with a knife. Later Monday, the department said the man was mentally unstable and was known to officers.

EAST TEXAS – Grass fires kept area fire fighters busy Thursday. In Smith County, a large grass fire started around 3:00pm in the 13,000 block of County Road 1141. It started when a farmer was cutting hay and the blade hit a rock that caused sparks. Around a dozen structures were in danger at one time.

In the Winona area, a grass fire was reported around 5:00 yesterday afternoon off County Road 254. A storage building was destroyed before the fire was contained. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Nearly ten acres burned in a grass fire on Cherokee Street in Longview. The fire produced thick, black smoke because of several hundred tires that caught fire. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

TYLER – A Tyler man has been arrested on a variety of charges after officers executed a narcotics search warrant at 1219 East Locust Street. Taken into custody was Jerry Lewis Barrett, 56. When officers entered the house they found a quantity of crack cocaine, prescription pills, a short-barrel firearm, and evidence of bootlegging. Barrett as booked into the Smith County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance in a drug free zone, possession of a prohibited weapon, and bootlegging.

TYLER — A naked man has been arrested in a Tyler restaurant. It occurred around 4:30 Thursday afternoon at Wendy’s at West Front and Bonner Street. Witnesses tell officers the man entered the restaurant and went into the bathroom. There he stripped down to nothing but his glasses. He is said to have to have told the customers he wanted to have sex with some of the people in the restaurant. He was hospitalized for a mental evaluation.

TYLER — In anticipation of their total reconstruction, the traffic signals located at the intersections of College and Elm; Bois D’Arc and Elm; and Bois D’Arc and Erwin will temporarily be replaced by all flashing red lights and stop signs beginning today.

The existing signals will be replaced with new pole foundations, poles, electronics and wiring as part of the Downtown Signal Modernization Project. Stop signs for all approaches have been erected on poles and these conditions are expected to continue for approximately three weeks.

Drivers are encouraged to drive safely and use caution while workers are present.

MAGNUM, OKLA. (AP) — An Oklahoma state prison inmate testified Thursday that he saw a convicted killer get into a van with the wife of a prison warden the day the two disappeared almost 17 years ago. The inmate testified in the trial of Bobbi Parker, 49. She’s accused of helping inmate Randolph Franklin Dial escape the Oklahoma State Reformatory in Granite where Parker’s husband, Randy, was deputy warden.

The 42-year-old inmate’s name was ordered by Greer County District Judge Richard Darby not to be revealed because he fears reprisal for his testimony. The inmate, who is serving a life prison sentence at the Lawton Correctional Facility for first-degree murder, told Assistant District Attorney David Thomas he didn’t want to be involved in the case.

Randy Parker was not in court Thursday because he is a subpoenaed witness, but has attended previous court proceedings.

Prosecutors allege that Parker fell in love with Dial and became his mistress while the two worked together in a prison pottery program in the garage of the Parker home, then helped him escape on Aug. 30, 1994.

The defense has said Parker was kidnapped, beaten and repeatedly raped by Dial and that he held her hostage until they were found living on a chicken farm in Campti, which is in Shelby County, Texas, in 2005.

TYLER — East Texas Medical Center is taking measures to combat heat-related high electricity demand. The hospital released the following statement late Thursday afternoon:

“East Texas Medical Center Tyler has voluntarily switched to using generators for some parts of the hospital system to help take a load off of the electrical grids to help the state avoid rolling blackouts due to the high usage (Thursday) of statewide power systems. This action will not compromise any of the hospital’s systems and the hospital is using the generators at our own expense to help East Texas customers avoid blackouts.”

LINDALE — The Texas Education Agency released Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) evaluations on Thursday, and despite all Lindale ISD schools meeting the campus standards, the district fell short by the score of just one student. AYP is the federally mandated accountability system required by the No Child Left Behind Act and the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. All public school districts, campuses and the state are evaluated annually for AYP. AYP primarily focuses on the performance of students in grades 3-8 and 10 in the subjects of math and reading/English-language arts on the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS). For a campus or district to meet AYP, passing percentages must be met by students in each sub-population: All Students, African-American, Hispanic, White, Economically Disadvantaged, Special Education and Limited English Proficient.

At each Lindale ISD campus, the 2011 AYP standards were met for each sub-population. However, the district missed AYP in the performance of Special Education students in math by one student. Lindale ISD will file an appeal for the district. “We do plan to appeal this AYP evaluation,” Lindale ISD Superintendent Stan Surratt said, “and we are confident that our AYP district rating will change to meet the standard and reflect the great performance of the students of Lindale ISD.” The federal standards were raised this year, requiring a higher percentage of students pass state assessment tests in math and reading/English-language arts.

LONGVIEW — The new internal medicine residency program at Good Shepherd Medical Center has been officially approved by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). This clears the way for the program to admit its first class of residents in July 2012. The three-year residency program is a partnership between Good Shepherd Medical Center (GSMC) and The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler (UTHSCT). In March 2010, GSMC announced a partnership with UTHSCT to create the residency program. Since then, the two organizations have worked to put all the program’s various parts together. Now that the program has achieved accreditation, it can begin to recruit residents.

“We are proud to partner with UTHSC on this internal medicine residency program. It will produce expert physicians who are likely to stay in our region and help address the shortage of doctors we face, especially in more rural areas of East Texas,” said Ed Banos, president and chief executive officer of Good Shepherd Health System.

The internal medicine residency program also recently hired a director, Emmanuel Elueze, MD, Ph.D. “We are looking forward to training the next generation of physicians here in East Texas,” said Dr. Elueze, who is a Fellow of the American College of Physicians. “We will provide them with quality education and training, while selling them on the beauty and advantages of East Texas. We want them to stay and become doctors in Gregg County and surrounding areas.”

Internal medicine doctors are specialists in the prevention and treatment of adult diseases. And officials say those who graduate from the residency program are needed. Seven of Northeast Texas’ 23 counties currently have a shortage of health-care providers, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Texas will require an additional 40,000 doctors by 2025 to keep up with the state’s growing population, the state demographer has said.

UTHSCT President Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun praised Longview doctors for their support of the residency program. “This would not be possible without the backing of local internal medicine physicians and the larger medical community. Training resident doctors brings a new dimension to medical practice, as they challenge us to continue our learning,” Dr. Calhoun said.

Following the successful completion of four years of medical school, graduating physicians will enter the internal medicine residency program, which lasts three years. Good Shepherd Medical Center will serve as the primary clinical training site for the program and will work with its sister hospitals and other East Texas hospitals as participating sites. As an ACGME-accredited institution, UT Health Science Center is the program sponsor. In addition, a graduate medical education committee composed of members from both facilities provides oversight.

BULLARD — Due to drought-like conditions, the city of Bullard is implementing stage 2 water conservation notification. According to information from KETK and the city, the following water restrictions are effective immediately:

* Residents having even numbered addresses are permitted to water outside only on Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday.
* Residents having odd numbered addresses are permitted to water outside only on Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday.
* Outdoor water use of any kind is prohibited on Friday.
* Watering as provided in the above paragraphs is only allowed between the hours of 9 p.m. and 6 a.m.
* Violation of rationing provisions may result in a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $500 as provided by ordinance.

HENDERSON — The Rusk County Commissioners Court will consider a petition Monday to place a measure legalizing alcohol sales in Henderson on the November ballot. Although the petition is for the City of Henderson, the court must vote to put it on the ballot, according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Weldon Gray, treasurer of the Henderson 1st Committee, said that his group has encountered mostly positive reactions to the proposals.

There are two separate proposals. One would allow the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption, which would allow grocer and convenience stores to sell beer and wine, but would not permit packaged liquor sales. The second would allow for the sale of mixed beverages in restaurants by food and beverage certificate holders, which would permit restaurants to serve mixed drinks without a private club license. “We haven’t run into any organized opposition to the proposals,” Gray said. “There have been maybe three or four individuals who have expressed their disapproval of the idea, but we’ve mostly had a positive response.”

The purpose of the proposals is to attract more businesses to Henderson, particularly chain restaurants that want to serve mixed drinks without having to apply for private club status, he said. The group will probably start advertising and holding information sessions about the proposals as the election grows nearer, Gray said.

GILMER — The two-year-old who was flown to Dallas Children’s Hospital Wednesday evening after being attacked by a pit bull has been released from the hospital, Dallas Children’s Hospital spokeswoman Peggy O’Hare said Thursday. Upshur County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Ironwood Road around 4 p.m. Wednesday in connection with a toddler, identified as Alexis Black, who had been injured by a pit bull.

Upshur County spokesman Freddie Fitzgerald said Alexis was transported to East Texas Medical Center in Gilmer, then flown to Dallas Children’s Hospital. O’Hare said she had been treated and released from the hospital this morning. Wednesday evening Fitzgerald said the dog was seized from the Western Upshur County residence and taken to an area veterinary clinic to be quarantined.

HARRISON COUNTY — After several days of investigation, officials released information surrounding the arrest of two Louisiana men found pounds of marijuana. The Harrison County K9 unit was called to Interstate 20 around 9:00 Saturday morning after DPS troopers said the occupants, 21-year-old Cory Robinson and 23-year-old Orlando Gipson, refused a search of their vehicle after a routine traffic stop. Officials say the K9 alerted on the vehicle and deputies found 27 pounds of pot hidden in the vehicle in clear trash bags. One of the suspects reportedly told authorities they were transporting the marijuana from Florida to California when they were stopped. Both men were released from jail on $10,000 bond after being charged with having between 5 and 50 pounds of marijuana.

GREGG COUNTY — Five police officers from two area departments have been placed on paid administrative leave after two fatal shootings this week. On Monday, Kilgore police shot and killed Jamel Freeman, 19, after they said he attacked two officers with a kitchen knife. On Tuesday, Willie B. Green, 56, was shot and killed after authorities said he charged three Gladewater officers with a knife.

Kilgore police said officer Dee Ann Brown and Cpl. David Tucker are on paid administrative leave and added both are out of the hospital. The Gladewater Chief said three officers, whose names will not be released until an investigation is complete, are on paid leave. Both incidents are being investigated by the Texas Rangers and the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office.

LONGVIEW – The National Child Support Enforcement Association (NCSEA) presented the Judicial Excellence Award to Associate Judge Joseph Perkins of Longview. Judge Perkins accepted the award Tuesday at NCSEA’s conference in Atlanta, Ga. “Judge Joseph Perkins is a compassionate jurist who has earned well-deserved national recognition for his commitment to Texas children,” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said. “Consistently willing to embrace new ideas and innovative programs, Judge Perkins has helped facilitate financial security for East Texas families. The State of Texas is fortunate to have a committed public servant like Judge Perkins serving its families as a child support judge.” Each year, the NCSEA selects one judge for national recognition as the recipient of the Judicial Excellence Award.

NACOGDOCHES – Nacogdoches authorities have identified a drowning victim. He is Miguel Escobar, 30. His address is listed as Compton, California, but has been recently staying with friends in Nacogdoches. Escobar drowned around 6:00 Monday evening in the east park area of the lake. His body was recovered several hours later.

TYLER — Police have arrested a Tyler woman for making a false report. Monday, Allison Renee Shope, 30, told officers she was sexually assaulted in an apartment complex parking lot on Kinsey. Police say upon further investigation, Detective Gregg Roberts determined that the incident never occurred. Shope turned herself into authorities yesterday afternoon and was transported to Smith County Jail on a Class B misdemeanor. Judge Christi Kennedy set bond at $1,500.

MANGUM, OKLA. (AP) — The author of a book about a killer who escaped from an Oklahoma prison and disappeared with the warden’s wife says he heard nothing indicating the woman was being held as a kidnap victim when he talked to her while the two were missing. Charles Sasser testified Wednesday at the trial of Bobbi Parker, who is charged with assisting a prisoner to escape for allegedly helping Randolph Dial break out of the Oklahoma State Reformatory in 1994. Sasser says he believes Parker stayed with Dial willingly and that he detected nothing unusual during their conversation. Defense attorneys have said Dial drugged, kidnapped, beat and repeatedly raped Parker, and that she stayed with him only because he threatened to harm her family if she left. The couple was finally found on a Texas chicken ranch in Shelby County. Parker’s lawyers have begun cross-examining Sasser.

TYLER — The opening of a new restaurant would normally be a big plus in this economy, but the Double D Ranch in Tyler has been controversial from the start. Now there’s a new wrinkle to the legal case against the restaurant. The Double D Ranch is trying to go up at the site of the old El Chico, but not without protests from some local citizens. One says, “It’s right across from a school and it’s right next to Toys R Us and Babies R Us. So in my opinion, they may have the right to build it, but that doesn’t make it right.”

Toys R Us sought and got a temporary restraining order from Judge Christi Kennedy of the 114th District Court. The problem is the costumes worn by the waitresses. Some point out, though, that Toys R Us sells a Cowboys Cheerleader two-piece outfit on its website and Mattel makes a Cowboys Cheerleader Barbie.

But now, it has been learned, the Double D’s landlord is Toys R Us. Our news partner KETK obtained a copy of the lease, and one clause prohibits “nude or semi-nude entertainment or otherwise indecent uses” for the property. Double D Ranch is represented by local attorney Blake Armstrong, and Toys R Us by the Potter Minton firm. Neither would talk to KETK.

KILGORE — Kilgore police have more to say about a fatal shooting Monday. Police tell KETK Officer Dee Ann Brown was trying to reach mental health specialists when she and Corporal David Tucker were attacked and stabbed by Jamel Freeman, 19. Police say Tucker was stabbed in the left shoulder, Officer Brown in the neck and back of her head after being thrown to the ground. Police say the knife-wielding Freeman was shot by Corporal Tucker as he was stabbing Officer Brown.

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating a reported armed robbery. Officers say they were called to an apartment complex at 4917 Thistle after a woman said two black males robbed her. The victim claims the men approached her, pulled a gun and demanded her purse, then fled the scene. She was not injured. Both suspects are described as 6′ tall, 180 – 200 pounds. One was said to be wearing dark shorts and no shirt. The second suspect was wearing a white tee shirt and khaki shorts. Anyone with information is asked to contact Tyler Police.

EAST TEXAS – Some power outages were noted around the area Tuesday. The problems have been corrected and the power restored. Oncor says most of the outages were heat related, such as transformers that overloaded. They report, at one time, about 750 customers without electricity. About 500 of the homes were in Smith County, most in the southern part of the county. Other outages were reported in the Jacksonville, Lufkin and Nacogdoches areas.

TYLER – A Tyler man has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault. Found hiding under his house in the 800 block of Englewood was Christopher Gonzalez, 18. It all started shortly after 1:15 Tuesday afternoon when police received a call of a kidnapping. Officers say Gonzales is accused of pointing a handgun at his girlfriend and another girl. When he learned that police had been called, he hid under the house. He has been released from the Smith County Jail under bonds totaling $200,000 on two charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

AUSTIN — An East Texas woman is one of seven persons appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the Continuing Advisory Committee for Special Education. The committee provides policy guidance with respect to special education and related services for children with disabilities in Texas.

Among those appointed to the panel is Susan ‘Stormi’ Johnson of Palestine. She is a diagnostician and special education teacher in the Palestine Independent School District and Anderson County Juvenile Detention Center. She is a member of the East Texas Diagnostician Association and Texas Educational Diagnostician Association. She is also board secretary of Anderson Cherokee Community Enrichment Services. Johnson received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Tyler and a master’s degree in communication from Stephen F. Austin State University, and completed her Educational Diagnostician Certification from the University of Texas at Tyler. She is appointed for a term to expire February 1, 2015.

TYLER — Tyler police are offering their condolences following the death of a toddler whose mother works for the police department. In a statement, police say, “It is with deep sympathy that we note the passing of Noah Weisberg who passed away on Monday, August 1, 2011 in Medical City Children’s Hospital in Dallas.”

According to the statement, Noah was flown to Medical City Children’s Hospital, where he spent 12 days in intensive care. The statement continues, “Noah’s mother, Laura Jewell, who is employed by the Tyler Police Department 9-1-1 Communications Center, wishes to thank the community for their prayers and concerns for Noah during this very difficult time. A tragedy fund account is being set up at Southside Bank in Noah Weisberg’s name for anyone wishing to help with medical and funeral expenses.”

Noah, 2, was found floating in a backyard swimming pool in Tyler last month. Officials with the Tyler Police Department said they were called to the 600 block of Kennedy Drive about 5:00pm July 22, after Noah was discovered floating in the pool behind his home by his grandfather.

GLADEWATER — Authorities in Gladewater report a fatal shooting by police. The Gladewater Police Department tells KETK that just before 11:15 Tuesday morning, officers were called to a fight in a alley behind 222 S. Main Street. They say when they arrival they found a man with a knife who refused to put it down. Police say a taser was used twice in an attempt to get the man to drop the knife but had no effect either time. According to reports, the man was able to fight the effects of the taser and charged at the officers, at which point the officers fired. He was transported by ambulance to Good Shepherd Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The victim is identified as Willie Green. Green’s family says he was shot and killed in the parking lot of B & C Furniture, where he’s said to have been an employee. Green was reportedly fighting with another man, possibly over a female.

HOUSTON (AP/Staff) – A NASA spokeswoman confirms that a piece of the space shuttle Columbia has been found in drought-stricken Lake Nacogdoches. The shuttle broke apart and burned in February 2003, killing seven people and scattering shuttle pieces across East Texas. NASA spokeswoman Lisa Malone said Tuesday the spherical object, 40 inches in diameter, was a tank and part of the shuttle’s electrical power distribution system. Nacogdoches police had said the tank was recovered from the lake after its water levels dropped because of the drought. Sgt. Greg Sowell says the lower water level has exposed a larger than normal area on the north side of the lake. Malone says the tank will be shipped to Kennedy Space Center in Florida, where other Columbia debris is stored.

TYLER – Dr. Marilyn Young, Professor of Management, College of Business and Technology, University of Texas at Tyler, recently completed the 2011 Labor Market Survey for the Tyler area. Tyler Economic Development Council President/CEO Tom Mullins (pictured) says the survey is “fairly consistent” with previous such surveys, done every two to three years. Mullins says, “We do have a growing labor force, it has a varied skill set, and we have a good work ethic in this area to help support our economy.” Though challenges are ongoing, Mullins says the survey reflects no need for major changes in his council’s strategy. He remarks, “That strategy has generated good results for Tyler over the last 10-15 years.”

The purpose of the survey was to provide labor market information to businesses considering expanding or opening new facilities within the Tyler area. Mullins says detailed information concerning the labor market should be helpful in making these decisions. Numerous aspects of the labor market, such as current status, availability, minimum wage requirements, and demographic characteristics, were examined. Mullins says this information should enable employers to make more informed and rational decisions regarding expansions and investments in the Tyler and East Texas area. You can go to http://tedc.org/res_laborsurvey.php to download the survey.

The survey was conducted during March and April. The research is based upon 600 telephone interviews with respondents residing within a 30-mile radius of Tyler and covering nine counties. The population of the 30 mile radius is 365,412. According to the survey, 87.3% of the respondents were employed; 12.7% were unemployed and available for work in 2011-2012.

o This 12.7% includes hidden unemployment, i.e. new entrants and discouraged workers. A majority of the employed labor market, 82%, was employed full time.
o Of the 18% part-time workers, 42% stated they would like to work full time. Employees had been with the company for an average of 10 years. 78% of the labor force would be willing to train for a new job. 27% of the employed labor market said they were overqualified. The average distance for the total available labor market (unemployed and those people who indicated an interest in changing jobs in 2011-2012) was 22 miles.
o The average commuting distance for unemployed workers was 20 miles. Those workers employed and available are driving an average of 11 miles per day.

o The average distance driven by total employed workers was 10 miles. The majority, 80%, of the available labor market reported they were interested in full-time employment; 26% indicated an interest in part-time employment.
o 85% stated they were available for employment during the day; 25%, evening; and 13%, night. 65% of non Smith County residents said they wanted to work in Smith County. An average hourly wage of $12.89 was computed for those interested in changing jobs.
o Those unemployed were willing to accept a lower average wage of $11.71 an hour, and the total available reported $12.50 as an acceptable hourly wage.