KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — The Longview Symphony has announced it has a new director. Jon Cromer, president of the Longview Symphony League Board announced Monday that Dr. Geen Moon is the symphony’s new director. The musical arts director at Stephen F. Austin University, teaches graduate conducting and orchestra administration, coaches chamber groups, opera scenes and oversees student teaching for the string area at SFA. Dr Moon’s doctoral thesis was on the history of the Longview Symphony. The symphony’s artistic committee is now working with Dr. Moon to finalize the 2016-2017 season.

LONGVIEW — A police dog with the Longview Police Department will be getting some body armor. K9 Indio will be getting a bullet and stab protective vest. It is a charitable donation from non-profit organization Vested Interest in K9s, Inc. K9 Indio’s vest is sponsored by Amy Dingler of Protecting Pups in Longview. Amy is a retired police chief’s wife. The vest will be embroidered with the sentiment “In tribute to fallen officers.” It is expected to arrive within 8 to 10 weeks.

LUFKIN – Lufkin police continue their investigation into a fake Facebook page and a fake story. The page carried a fake news story about “3 officers killed, 5 wounded in Lufkin shooting.” It came from a website server that appears to be hosted out of Utah, but is registered to a person in the country of Georgia, which use to be part of Russia. Detectives are currently working to trace the origin of the Facebook page. The link directs users to a website called “All News Universe” that contains malware or spyware that can infect computers and compromise personal information. Lufkin police Public Relations Specialist Jessica Pebsworth said “It could take six to eight weeks to trace the IP address of the Facebook page poster, but Facebook is cooperating with the investigation.”

CUNEY – All members of a Cherokee County town’s police force have handed in their resignations. The small town of Cuney, in northwestern Cherokee County, lost their police chief Tuesday. Chief Michael Trawick submitted his resignation to the mayor and board of aldermen. A part-time officer also resigned. Last week, the department’s two reserve officers also submitted their resignation. Trawick told KETK the resignations stem from differences with newly elected mayor, Grace Beal. Police duties in Cuney now rests in the hands of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department.

TYLER – Children looking for summer activities will find a lot at the Tyler Public Library. And this summer, the bus ride to and from the library will be free. Children and teens up to the age of 18 will be able to ride a Tyler Transit bus free with a Tyler Library card. Youth Services Librarian Linda Gray says Children 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult, over 18, at all times. And the adult fare with the child is only $1. Continue reading Free Summer Bus Rides to the Tyler Public Library

LONGVIEW – One person has been killed in a Gregg County shooting. According to KETK, the victim was said to be Longview businessman, Ronnie Horaney, owner of Horaney’s Feed Store. Witnesses said he was shot while answering the door at his home around 7:00 Monday night on Tryon Road just north of Longview. No arrests have been made. Details remain sketchy at this time as the investigation continues.

TYLER – Two persons are in custody following a brief Tyler chase. It started around 6:00 Monday evening when officers tried to stop a car that ran a red light at Plauxy and Grande. It ended when the men’s car crashed at Loop 323 and Easy Street. The driver has been charged with driving while intoxicated and the passenger was charged with public intoxication. Their names have not been released.

LUFKIN – A fake social media website is being investigated by the Lufkin Police Department. A Facebook page created Monday called itself Lufkin News Today. It shared a news story “3 officers killed, 5 wounded in Lufkin shooting” around 4:15pm. Public Relations Specialist Jessica Pebsworth said in a news release when the link is followed, it appears to go to a site that has the ability of infecting a computer system with malware. She added “We are working to get to the bottom of who created this page. This is not something we are going to take lightly.” If you have any information about the page or who created it you are asked to call 936-633-0356.

TYLER – One person is in custody following a standoff near Tyler’s Trane plant. It was reported shortly before 12:30 Monday afternoon on Hancock Drive just southeast of Tyler. Arrested was 32 year old Michael Greenlee of Tyler. He is said to have gotten into a dispute with a construction worker and fired a shot into the ground. No one was hit. A negotiator contacted Greenlee and talked him out of his house. He was booked into the Smith County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault.

TYLER — The Literacy Council of Tyler is looking for information about a statue stolen from Southside Park. The statue is holding a stack of books. KETK reports the council was notified by the parks department it was missing on Friday. This is not the first time the statue has been stolen. It went missing around this time last year but was recovered in a nearby creek. The statue was a gift to the park by a donor. If you have any information, contact Tyler police.

TYLER — Sheriff Larry Smith and state Representative Matt Schaefer did their part Monday to honor those who lost their lives in military service. Both spoke at Tyler’s annual Memorial Park observance on Memorial Day. Smith says it’s important to “keep their memory alive and to thank them, thank their families for the ultimate sacrifice they’ve made to make this nation what it is.” He added that everyone should honor fallen military members “all during the year and not just on Memorial Day.” Schaefer says, “Their past sacrifice presents us with a challenge for today: what are we doing with the freedom bought with their blood? Do we value our neighbor’s freedom as much as our own? We must honor their sacrifice with renewed devotion to the values that make america great.”

LONGVIEW – A man is undergoing evaluation at a Longview hospital following a Monday morning incident. Shortly after 7:15 Monday morning police were called to a Village Drive apartment where a man had gotten into a cab. He appeared to have a handgun, which he held to his head, an said he wanted to go to the hospital. The cab driver fled. The man surrendered without incident when police deployed gas into the cab. The gun turned out to be a toy. The man was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center. Depending on the outcome of the evaluation, charges could be filed in the case.

TYLER — An East Texas congressman gives thought to repopulating humanity in space and wonders how many gays should be on the trip. Congressman Louie Gohmert, Tyler, commenting on the house floor concerning the expansion of rights for transgender and gay people, contemplates a doomsday scenario in which a colony of humans are sent to live on another planet. Gohmert said, “God made people male and female, with no question marks.”

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches officials are investigating an early Monday morning accident that has left three people dead and one critically injured. According to KETK, the accident happened around 1:30 on East Starr Avenue, near the intersection of Glen Hollow Street. The investigation indicates that a car, driven by Chace Scruggs, was traveling east on Starr Avenue when it left the roadway and struck several trees. The vehicle then caught fire. Scruggs, Rajeen “Ray” Williams and Geena Zarick (pictured) were pronounced dead at the scene. A fourth person, Trent Haynes, was taken to a local hospital in serious condition. All are currently, or were recently, enrolled in SFA.

OVERTON – One person is in custody in connection with a homicide in Overton. It happened shortly before 7:00 Saturday night on East Henderson Street. Killed was Carol Park, 52. Her husband, Nathan Park, 42, has been charged with the shooting. He was first picked up on an unrelated charge. He was later charged with murder. The investigation into the shooting is continuing.

LUFKIN – There is a new arrival at the Ellen Trout Zoo in Lufkin. The Zoo’s Facebook page says the zoo’s two-toed Linne’s sloth’s gave birth to a baby last Tuesday. They can be found in the Small Animal Building near the entrance to the zoo. The zoo’s staff says the baby may be hard to see because she naturally holds onto her mother or father. During this time, the parents tend to curl up in a ball to hide the infant.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Weeks of May 30th. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

SMITH COUNTY – Tyler Maintenance plans to perform base repairs on SE Loop 323 between 9:00am and 3:00pm, Tuesday and Wednesday. Another crew will conduct edge work on Farm Road 1253. Expect lane closures in both work zones with flaggers directing traffic. Continue reading TxDOT Road Work

LINDALE – A two vehicle accident on Interstate Highway 20, 7 miles west of Lindale has killed two persons. It happened around 1:30 Saturday morning. Killed were Andrew Steven Caban and Rhonda Richardson, both of Wills Point. Their west bound van ran into the rear of a Peterbilt truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer. The driver and passenger in the van were pronounced dead at the scene. The truck’s driver and passenger were not hurt.

EAST TEXAS – Two fatal accidents have been reported in East Texas.

A two vehicle accident on Interstate Highway 20, 7 miles west of Lindale has killed two persons. It happened around 1:30 Saturday morning. Killed were Andrew Steven Caban and Rhonda Richardson, both of Wills Point. Their west bound van ran into the rear of a Peterbilt truck-tractor towing a semi-trailer. The driver and passenger in the van were pronounced dead at the scene. The truck’s driver and passenger were not hurt.

In Rusk County, two persons were killed in a two vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 259. It was found around 4:00 Saturday morning. The crash involved a truck-tractor semi-trailer and a pickup truck. The roadway was shut down during the investigation and was reopened around 5:30. The victim’s names have not been released.

LONGVIEW – A Longview teacher has been removed from the classroom pending an investigation. The school district took the action following the arrest of John Derr. The middle school teacher was arrested on Tuesday for harboring a runaway. The district confirmed the action and the fact that the student is not enrolled with LISD. Sarah LeBus, communications officer for the Longview School District said, “In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, as well as the privacy of the child and family, we can make no further comment at this time.”

MT SELMAN – A man with ties to Bullard and Troup, and wanted by Cherokee County authroities for kidnapping, has been arrested. Trenton Salmon, 23, was arrested shortly before 3:45 Friday afternoon at a home in Reklaw. Captain John Raffield with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department says Salmon has been taken to the Cherokee County Jail. He is being charged with aggravated kidnapping and interference with emergency request for assistance. Continue reading Cherokee County Kidnapping Suspect Arrested

WINNSBORO — Winnsboro police say they will present the Madison Cannon case again. The case, prosecuted by the Texas Attorney General, was no-billed this week by a Wood County grand jury. According to KETK, no information was ever disclosed on the person or people prosecuted, and no arrests or persons of interest were ever publicly released. Continue reading Winnsboro Police to Present Madison Cannon Case Again

LUFKIN – A Donald Trump campaign sign has led to the arrest of a Lufkin man on charges of public intoxication. It started when Joshua Monroy, 21, went home with a man he met at a party. When Monroy saw the Donald Trump sign in his yard, he became combative and tried to fight. Monroy was told to leave. He was later found asleep in the man’s vehicle. Police woke him up, charged him with public intoxication and took him to the Angelina County Jail.

QUITMAN – Four persons have now been arrested in connection with a Wood County home invasion that injured a teenager. The 16 year old was stabbed Tuesday as he was fighting with one of the men who broke into his home near Quitman. He was not seriously injured. Taken into custody early Friday in the case were 18 year old Quancell Richie of Fruitvale (pictured) and 18 year old Kemond Montral Harris of Mineola. Previously arrested were Lawrence “Flow” Herron of Mineola and a Hispanic male juvenile. Most of the items stolen from the home have been recovered.

TYLER — For the second time this month, a Tyler radio personality has been arrested on drug charges. Patrick Aaron Aguirre, 39, known as “The Brain” on the station “The Breeze,” was arrested at his home shortly before 11:15 Thursday morning. Tyler Police say the latest arrest follows a six-month long investigation. Aguirre has been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. He was booked into the Smith County Jail with bonds totaling $850,000. Aguirre was previously arrested at his Becky Drive home on May 4th and charged with possession of marijuana. On top of everything else, Aguirre has been fired by Waller Media. Continue reading Radio Personality Charged with Organized Criminal Activity

JACKSONVILLE — A two vehicle accident in Cherokee County has killed an Anderson County woman. The crash occurred shortly before 1:30 Thursday afternoon on Highway 135 about a mile east of Jacksonville. Dead at the scene was Kayla Tucker, 18, of Palestine. The Department of Public Safety reports Tucker lost control of her car on the wet highway. Her car spun into the opposite lane of traffic and collided with a SUV driven by Russell Gideon, 48, of Frankston. He was not injured.

TYLER — The Faulkner Park entrance at Cumberland Road was suppose to reopen this week. But, because of weather delays, it will remain closed for two more weeks, until June 8th. The entrance was closed because of the ongoing construction for the Cumberland Road extension. Construction includes removal of the median at this entrance, reconfiguration and striping of the intersection, widening of Cumberland Road, asphalt paving and concrete paving. The parking lot entrance will remain open for the Faulkner Park ball fields. Until the Cumberland Road entrance is reopened, traffic will need to detour to exit and enter at the Faulkner Park southern entrance at South Broadway.