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MARSHALL – A 51-year-old Pittsburg woman has pleaded guilty to theft of public money. Tammye Hollins pleaded guilty to theft of public money and health care fraud on Dec. 14 in Marshall before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Everingham.

According to information presented in court, on June 1, 2006, through June 30, 2010, Hollins devised a scheme to defraud and steal money from the Supplemental Security Income program and Medicaid by making fraudulent statements and representations by failing to report her marital status and sources of income. As part of her plea, Hollins has agreed to pay restitution and a forfeiture judgment to Social Security Administration in the amount of $35,316 and $5,596.57 to Medicaid. Hollins was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 1, 2010. Hollins faces up to three years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

TYLER – Two Mexican nationals were sentenced to federal prison Wednesday for transporting illegal aliens. The sentences were handed down in Tyler federal court. German Gonzalez-Espinoza, 20, of Mexico City, Mexico, pleaded guilty on May 6, 2010, to conspiracy to transport illegal aliens in furtherance of the aliens’ unlawful presence in the United States and was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis. Sergio Hernandez-Cruz, 30, of Tejupilco, Mexico, pleaded guilty on Apr. 21, 2010, to the same charge and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison Wednesday by Judge Davis. Upon completing their sentences, the two will be deported.

According to prosecutors, on Feb. 5, 2010, a van being driven by the two defendants from Dallas to Atlanta was stopped in Van Zandt County, Texas. State troopers notified immigration agents, and an investigation revealed that the occupants of the van were Mexican nationals who were illegally in the United States. Gonzalez-Espinoza and Hernandez-Cruz were indicted by a federal grand jury on Mar. 3, 2010, and charged with immigration violations.

TYLER – Two Mexican nationals have been sentenced in Tyler to federal prison for immigration violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales on Wednesday. Juan Gavino-Hernandez, 29, of Tejupilco, Mexico, pleaded guilty on Aug. 18, 2010 to being a criminal alien unlawfully in the United States after having been previously deported and was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis. Oscar Garcia-Cadena, 48, of Nuevo Laredo, Mexico, pleaded guilty to the same charge on June 10, 2010 and was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison Wednesday by Judge Davis. Both men will be deported upon completing their sentences.

According to authorities, on May 9, 2009, Gavino-Hernandez was found to be in Anderson Countyafter having been previously deported. Gavino-Hernandez was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 6, 2010, and charged with immigration violations. On Mar. 10, 2010, Garcia-Cadena was found to be in Van Zandt County after having been previously deported. He was indicted by a federal grand jury on Apr. 8, 2010, and charged with federal immigration violations.

LINDALE — The Humane Society of the United States, SPCA of East Texas, and Humane Society of North Texas worked with the Smith County District Attorney’s Office to rescue 50 horses from a Lindale property. According to information from the national humane society and KETK, an investigator with the Smith County District Attorney’s office served a seizure warrant to the owner of the horses Tuesday evening, allowing the rescuers to begin removing the horses Wednesday. Humane society officials say many of the horses on site were severely emaciated and showed signs of neglect. Rescuers say the animals were suffering from a variety of medical ailments including overgrown hooves and parasite infestation. Rescuers also found several dead horses and numerous equine skeletons on the scene.

“These horses may have been struggling to survive for quite some time, but now thanks to everyone involved in this rescue they will receive the care they so desperately need,” said Nicole Paquette, Texas senior state director for The HSUS. “It is the responsibility of every horse owner to provide humane, responsible care for their horses at all stages of their lives.” Rescuers have been removing all of the horses from the property and transporting them to a temporary shelter. Officials say once the horses reach the shelter, they will be checked by a team of veterinarians and given any necessary immediate medical care. Officials add that the horses will be cared for at the shelter until their custody is determined.

PITTSBURG (AP) – A man’s self-proclaimed “journey by faith” through Texas and beyond has been delayed after his covered wagon was hit by a vehicle and two of his mules were killed. Gregory Kuehmichel of Mineral Wells was bound for Tyler when the accident happened between Pittsburg and Gilmer, killing his mules named “Courageous” and “Constance.” The Longview News-Journal reported Wednesday that Kuehmichel was traveling along U.S. 271. The Department of Public Safety says half of the wagon was on the highway when the accident happened Saturday morning. The car driver was treated and released from a hospital. Kuehmichel was not hurt, but his covered wagon was destroyed. He’s vowed to continue his journey, which in 2008 included a trip to Wisconsin, if he can get a new wagon and more mules.

TYLER — Tyler officials say efforts to expand the economic impact of the Rose Season paid off this year with an estimated $2,041,529 spent by attendees at the three-week long event – up from $973,706 in 2009. Hotel-motel occupancy tax revenue during the month of October also rose significantly according to information from the State Comptroller’s Office; revenue grew by more than $20,000 over the same month in 2009.

“Following the Rose Festival in 2009 we formed a committee to look at ways we could capitalize upon the event to attract more visitors to Tyler,” commented City Manager Mark McDaniel. “We already had several longstanding, successful attractions – so it was simply a matter of adding additional activities that appealed to a broad range of visitors and getting the word out across the State. The result was the three-week long Rose Season.”

In addition to the traditional Rose Parade, Queen’s Tea and Coronation, the 2010 Rose Season included Tyler’s first full marathon, the Festival on the Square Texas Music Concert, a self-guided garden tour, horticulture workshops, the Master Gardener Fall Conference and Bulb Sale, an arts and crafts fair and much more. “By expanding the Rose Season into three weekends, we were able to offer a variety of events that were marketable to a cross section of tourists,” added Convention and Visitors’ Bureau Chief Operating Officer Henry Bell. “We focused our marketing efforts on this region as well as the major metro areas such as Dallas.”

Overall, reports from the planners of Rose Season events showed that attendance grew from 57,410 attendees in 2009 to 83,839 in 2010. More than 50 percent of attendees were considered tourists from outside Smith County and overnight stays grew from 1,423 in 2009 to 1,878 in 2010.

Some events that were part of the Rose Season had been held at other times of the year in the past. The Festival on the Square had traditionally been held in September; however, to reach a critical mass, the event was moved to October as part of the Rose Season line up. The concert occurred the night before the Rose Marathon, which allowed for cross marketing of both events, and drew an estimate 2,500 attendees. “The Tyler Rose Marathon was a great addition to the Season’s events,” said McDaniel. “It drew more than 1,800 people and resulted in 302 hotel room nights.” At least 70 percent of the marathon’s participants were from outside Smith County, with six percent coming from other states.

“Planning for the 2011 Rose Season is already underway,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass. “The spirit of cooperation that is growing is positioning tourism as a major economic driver in our community. I have every confidence that we will continue to see growth moving forward.” The year-to-date hotel-motel occupancy tax has grown more than 10 percent as compared to the same period in 2009.

TYLER — A Cherokee County man’s conviction for continuous sexual abuse is affirmed by a state appeals court. According to KETK, Bobby Eugene Coker pleaded guilty in 2009. He was sentenced to 35 years in prison. The 12th Court of Appeals found Coker failed to show the statute used to convict him was unconstitutional.

TYLER — The driver of a Tyler school bus involved in a collision this week is getting some re-training behind the wheel. Two students on board during the crash were taken to a local hospital for precautionary reasons. The driver of the bus was cited for making an improper turn. School officials now say all Tyler ISD transportation employees involved in collisions are required to retrain prior to returning to the job. The training would include toxicology testing, defensive driving and practical behind the wheel assessments.

TYLER — A Tyler man has been sentenced to prison for robbing a Tyler drug store. On Monday, Jerry Craig Jr., 32, pleaded guilty to the July robbery of the CVS Pharmacy on South Broadway at East 5th Street. Craig decided to let a jury assess his punishment. After about two hours of deliberations Tuesday, the jury sentenced him to 42 years in prison.

MOUNT PLEASANT – The victims in a Monday morning crash in Titus County have been identified. The accident happened around 4:45am on State Highway 49, eight miles east of Mount Pleasant. Dead at the scene were Javier Galvez, 34, of Winfield, who was driving a Pilgrim’s Pride truck, and Tommy Gilbert, 51, of Wichita, Kansas, whose refrigerated truck contained frozen pizzas. According to the Department of Public Safety, Galvez may have fallen asleep and his truck drifted across the roadway. He appears to have tried to get back in his lane but struck the oncoming truck head on. Both trucks then burst into flames.

TYLER — On October 5, Louis and Peaches Owen made a record philanthropic donation of $18 million to Mother Frances Hospital-Tyler to help construct the area’s first stand alone heart hospital. Tuesday, hospital officials unveiled the completion of Phase One of The Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital, which is located in the Ornelas Tower.

Phase One is a new Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (CICU) with twenty-four private rooms for care of cardiac patients. This unit employs the modified universal bed model, allowing all aspects of pre- and post-operative cardiac care to be delivered in one room. As patients progress through the healing process, hospital officials say, the resources of the patient’s room flex to meet the needs of the patient, rather than having the patient move through different units of the hospital. Families are encouraged to participate in the healing process.

Officials also announced the naming of the cardiac intensive care unit as the William Powell, MD, Cardiac Intensive Care Unit. Dr. Powell, now retired, was one of the first heart surgeons to practice at Mother Frances Hospital.

The Owen Heart Hospital will be completed in two phases. Construction of Phase Two begins in the spring of 2011 and should take 18 months to complete. The Heart Hospital will be six stories; include comprehensive cardiac, thoracic and vascular services; and stand east of and adjacent to Mother Frances Hospital.

TYLER — Tyler Junior College dual-credit students will benefit from a $25,000 grant the college has received from the AT&T Foundation, TJC officials have announced. “This grant will launch the AT&T Scholars Program,” said Dr. Kim Russell, TJC Foundation director. “The goal of this pilot program is to encourage more economically disadvantaged students to complete college-level courses while they are still in high school. We know that if at-risk high school students successfully complete one or more college-level courses while still in high school, they are more likely to graduate and have a greater chance of attaining a post-secondary degree or certificate in the future.” At a news conference announcing the grant, Russell was joined by TJC President Dr. Mike Metke, State Sen. Kevin Eltife, Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid, and AT&T Foundation Director Candice Gast.

HENDERSON — On Monday at approximately 11:15 p.m., the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office K-9 Unit seized approximately 5 lbs. of marijuana during a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 59 in the southern part of the county. KETK reports that during the traffic stop of an SUV, the deputy suspected criminal activity and asked the suspects for consent to search the vehicle. Authorities say both suspects occupying the vehicle agreed to the search. According to authorities, during the search of the back seat area, the deputy discovered five bags which contained marijuana. A sheriff’s department news release says the deputy seized the drugs, then arrested and charged both suspects with possession of marijuana. The suspects, of Cleveland, Mississippi, remain in the Rusk County Jail. They’re named as 26-year-old Jermaine Lamonte Farmer and 21-year-old Steve Terrell. Justice of the Peace Bob Richardson set bond for both men at $15,000.

TYLER — Two men have pleaded guilty in 114th District Court to burning several churches across Smith County. James Bourque, 20, and Daniel McAllister, 22, pleaded guilty yesterday morning in 114th District. Bourque was charged with five counts of arson and three counts of arson attempts, while McAllister was charged with two counts of arson and two arson attempts. The arson charges are first-degree felonies, for which the state recommends a life sentence in prison. The arson attempts are second-degree felonies, and the state recommends a 20-year sentence for those. Both McAllister and Bourque pled guilty to all charges, which means they gave up their right to a jury and witnesses. The court will meet again on January 10th at 8:30am to discuss their sentences.

HENDERSON — A Henderson man is arrested for possession of methamphetamine. Police say 56-year-old William Ricky George was arrested Friday night after a traffic stop for possession of a controlled substance. His was also driving on a suspended license. While police searched his vehicle, they came across several items that are used in making meth as well as thousands of dollars in cash. He was released from jail after posting $9,500 bond.

GILMER — An East Texas man is on trial for intentionally setting a fire. Testimony in the arson trial of Wesley Leon Spangler started Monday in Gilmer. The 39-year-old is charged in connection to a March 19, 2008 blaze. Officials say the building where Spangler was living caught fire. He’s also indicted on a separate charge of insurance fraud stemming from the same incident.

MT PLEASANT – Two persons have been killed when two trucks collide in Titus County. The fiery accident happened shortly after 4:45 Monday morning on State Highway 49 East of Mt Pleasant. Involved in the wreck were a Pilgrim’s Pride truck and a refrigerated truck out of Kansas carrying Red Baron Pizzas. There’s no word yet on the victims’ names.

LONGVIEW — Longview Assistant Fire Chief Kenny Southwell is retiring after twenty years of service with the Longview Fire Department and 25 total years as a firefighter. A retirement reception will be held from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m., Monday, December 20, at the Longview Fire Department Training Center, 411 American Legion Blvd.

During his time with the Longview Fire Department, Southwell served many roles including firefighter, paramedic, fire driver, paramedic instructor, interim chief, and more. Officials say most notably, Southwell served as Emergency Management Coordinator and played what’s termed an extremely vital role in the development and success of the City’s Emergency Operation Center, now known as the East Texas Regional Command. Officials say Southwell’s leadership provided advancement in emergency management and impacted the role Longview plays at both the regional and state level. Southwell’s last day on the job is Friday, December 17, with an official retirement date of Friday, January 7, 2011.

TYLER — Tyler Police responded Monday morning to a major traffic accident involving a Tyler ISD school bus. The wreck was reported just before 8:30 on the 6100 block of Wilderness Road. Authorities issued a ticket to the driver of the bus for an improper turn. Officials say the driver of the bus was at fault in the morning wreck. The bus driver reportedly took a corner too sharply, causing the back rear tire to run over the front of a car. No one in the car was injured. Two students were taken to a local hospital with minor injuries.

LONGVIEW — A space heater is to blame for a fire that killed a Longview man early Monday morning. Longview Fire Marshal Johnny Zachary says Ronald Clark Smith, 62, was sleeping in his fifth-wheel travel trailer when a couch near his space heater caught on fire. Smith lived alone in his trailer on the 200 block of West Lynnwood in Northwest Longview. Neighbors said Smith was very friendly and would look out for their homes when they were gone. No working smoke detectors were found in the trailer.

AUSTIN — Measures filed in the legislature would exclude illegal immigrants from essentially every aspect of life in the state. State Representative Leo Berman’s bills would prevent illegals from filing lawsuits in Texas courts, something he says is necessary to cut down on traffic accident fraud. He says, “An illegal alien will take a Texans into court and sue him for everything he’s worth.” Berman adds, “If he’s in the United States illegally, and in Texas illegally, he shouldn’t have access to to our courts.” Berman, of Tyler, has also proposed denying illegals all state benefits, including welfare, loans and professional licenses and denying the children of illegals Texas birth certificates.

LONGVIEW — Three women have been charged with theft after being accused of shoplifting at the Longview Mall. Arrested late Saturday afternoon were Chelvarlier Quentice Brown, 26, Beshundra Lashay Tucker, 28, and Temika Rochelle Broussard, 29, all of Houston. Longview police say the women acted as a team. While one of the women distracted a store employee, the others took clothing from The Buckle store. They were discovered when items started falling from under one of their dresses.

TYLER — Only minor damage was reported in a fire on the roof of the under construction portion of Birdwell Elementary. The fire was reported around 6:00 Saturday night. The flames were quickly extinguished.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at events and work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

TYLER — Construction crews on Monday are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on Tyler’s West Loop 323 on either side of the State Highway 64 intersection. Weather permitting, the work should take approximately one week to complete. “We’ve done a lot of paving work at night lately,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “But in the summer, minimum pavement temperatures aren’t an issue like they are in the winter. In an effort to get this work done sooner rather than later, the contractor will need to work during the day when the pavement is warm enough to meet that minimum surface temperature.” Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to be at work on the following roadways in and around Wood County:
*Farm Road 69 north of Farm Road 515 in Coke;
*Farm Road 778 between State Highway 37 in Quitman and U.S. Highway 80;
*Farm Road 2966 north of Quitman; and
*Farm Road 49 east of Farm Road 14.
Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

KILGORE — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to make spot pavement and base repairs in various locations on U.S. Highway 259 Business in Kilgore. Crews will also be sweeping the bridges and overpasses on State Highway 31 between Longview and the Kilgore Bypass, and the bridges and overpasses on the bypass. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on State Highway 42 between Farm Road 13 in Price and Farm Road 1513 near New London. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs on the eastbound Interstate Highway 20 service road between State Highway 64 and Farm Road 859, and ditch maintenance on Interstate 20 near the State Highway 19 interchange.

Contract crews will also be trimming trees on Farm Road 751 and Farm Road 1255. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin several weeks of edge repairs in various locations on U.S. Highway 175 between Jacksonville and Poynor. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

TYLER — The East Texas Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, will present Congressman Louie Gohmert with the Distinguished Citizen Good Turn Award at a luncheon in his honor to be held on Monday. The event will take place at Green Acres Baptist Church Crosswalk Conference Center, Tyler, from 11:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Speakers will be Paul Powell, Dean Emeritus of the George W. Truett Seminary; Paul Williams, award winning singer/songwriter; and Jed Babbin, author and former editor of Human Events. Emcee will be Senator Kevin Eltife. Scouting officials say the Award is given annually to an individual or couple who have made a significant impact toward enriching the way of life in East Texas. Congressman Gohmert, an Eagle Scout, has served the citizens of the First District of Texas in the United States House of Representatives
since January 2005.

Past recipients of the Distinguished Citizen Good Turn Award include Bruce Brookshire, Lonnie “Bo” Pilgrim, Jeff Austin, Sr., Eugene Brookshire, C.C. Baker, Jr., Herbert Buie, Congressman Ralph Hall, Douglas V. Smith, B.G. Hartley, Lindsey Bradley, Dr. Peggy and Howard Coghlan, Governor Rick and Anita Perry, Linda Ryan Thomas, Betsy and Elmer Ellis, Carolyn and Michael Northcutt, Sheriff J. B. Smith, Judge Bill Stoudt, Harold Beaird, and Sandi and Dr. Bill Taylor. Sponsorships and individual tickets are available for the luncheon. For more information, call the East Texas Area Council BSA office at 903-597-7201.

MARSHALL — A Marshall lawyer received a five-year probated sentence Friday for failure to register as a sex offender. Michael Bernoudy made an open guilty plea earlier this year in 71st District Court. According to the Longview News-Journal, he was also sentenced to 240 hours of community service, and he will be required to comply with all sex offender requirements for registration and reporting, said Harrison County District Attorney Joe Black. It will now be up to the state of Texas whether Bernoudy keeps his law license, Black said.

TYLER — Tyler Police received a report of a stolen trailer from the Target distribution center. It started around 3:10 Sunday morning after Target management advised authorities of the stolen trailer loaded with an assortment of merchandise. Management told police there was a GPS device attached to the truck and the last location indicated was the 2700 block Old Gladewater Hwy. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the truck. After speaking with Target personell again, they successfully located the trailer in 400 block of East NE Loop 323.

The case remains under investigation. Anyone with information about the suspects involved in the crime are urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers, at 903-597-CUFF.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police search for three suspects wanted in a Friday night shooting. Officers responded to a house in the 100 Block of Electra Street in reference to a shooting around 7:40. Police say Brandon McLeod, 26,Chris Toliver, 26 and Kevin Palmer, 25, all of Longview, had driven to the scene in an older model, dark-colored, 4-door car. The suspects fired several shots at the victim, 23-year old Shaun Thompson also of Longview. The victim suffered non life-threatening injuries and was not transported to the hospital.

Police are still trying to locate the suspects and ask that anyone with information regarding their whereabouts is encouraged to call the Longview Police Department at (903)237-1170.

LONGVIEW — A Longview Police Officer has been killed during an alleged dispute with her husband. Around 8:30 Saturday morning, officers were dispatched to the 2100 block of Tryon Road. They found Longview Police Officer Jamie “Ellyn” Goodan, 38, dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Her husband, Harry Goodan, was detained for questioning. Mr. Goodan was transported to the Gregg County jail and charged with murder. His bond was set at $500,000. Mr. Goodan is also employed by the Police Department as the 911 Communications Administrator.

The investigation is being continued by the Department with the assistance of the Gregg County District Attorney’s office.

Officer Goodan began her law enforcement career in law enforcement in 1995 as a Gregg County Jailer. In April, 1997, she became a reserve officer for the Longview Police Department and was hired as a full-time Officer in April, 1998. Officer Goodan received 29 commendations for her service to the community and to the Police Department throughout her career. She is survived by one son.

GILMER — Jarvis Hill, 29, who is serving a 10-year prison sentence on federal drug charges, pleaded guilty to aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, earning him 30 years in state jail. He said he robbed the Cash Now store Sept. 30 because he needed money for a defense attorney to fight the drug charge, court records show. Hill has been jailed since he was sentenced on drug charge, which he committed three weeks before the robbery, records show.