KTBB News, Weather, Talk

PALESTINE – A call center is coming to Palestine and with it will come 500 jobs. It was announced on Monday Results Companies will be expanding to Texas and will be leasing a 45,000 square foot building in the Willow Creek Business Park. The center is scheduled to open next month. The company started negotiations with the Palestine Economic Development in late February. The company will start activity in Palestine with a series of hiring events starting June 2nd.

TYLER – Tyler ISD will hold a special Board of Trustees meeting tonight at 6:00 on the future of the school district’s 46-year-old desegregation order. Trustees and the public will hear a presentation by Friedman & Feiger on Unitary Status for the district, which would mean removing the 1970 order. Following the presentation, there will be a time for public comment. This will be the second presentation to the Board by Friedman & Feiger, the first presentation occurring during the Board Workshop held on May 9. You can go to http://www.tylerisd.org to read the first presentation in its entirety. A lengthy process is anticipated before any action would be taken on the matter.

TYLER — Police continue their investigation of a fatal weekend accident in Tyler. The Saturday night wreck killed 21 year old Haile Beasley of Tyler. The police said Monday morning that alcohol was not a factor in the accident that happened on West Grande Boulevard near the Shady Oaks intersection. Beasley was eastbound when a pickup drove into oncoming traffic, striking her car head on. The driver of the truck, identified as James Fulton of Tyler, was found to be at fault. There was no word on possible charges. Fulton was not injured in the crash.

GILMER — A man, who had been living in Kilgore, has entered a plea of guilty to the aggravated sexual assault of his girlfriend’s daughter in 2014. In state district court in Gilmer on Monday, Gilberto Hernandez Garcia, 33, was sentenced to 25 years in prison by State District Judge Lauren Parish. Hernandez, who is in this country illegally, must serve at least one half of the sentence and would be required to register as a sex offender. Upon parole, he faces deportation. Continue reading A Prison Term for Sex Offender

GILMER — Prior to jury selection in Gilmer on Monday, 36 year old Jason William Anderson of Gilmer pleaded guilty to enhanced family violence. This was based on a prior assault family violence conviction. He was also enhanced for punishment based on a Rusk County felony where he received 5 years in prison for felony driving while Intoxicated. Anderson was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Continue reading Upshur County Man Gets Prison for Family Violence

ATHENS – A Henderson County couple, David and Cindi Wood, are trying a different approach to selling their home. It’s a 300 word essay contest. And the winning entry will get the 3-bed room home on 25 acres about three miles north of Athens. Cindi says they love the property, but they need to live closer to a U.S. Veteran’s medical facility for her husband’s future medical care. This special need has inspired them to seek an alternative way to sell the home and property. Continue reading Different Way to Sell a Home

SMITH COUNTY — East Texans are asked to be on the lookout for an alleged mail thief who authorities say they’ve now identified, though his name wasn’t immediately released. According to KETK, a camera captured a man reportedly stealing material from a mailbox in Starrville. Smith County Pct. 4 Constable John Smith says there have been several complaints of mail thefts in the Chapel Hill, Winona, Starrville, and Lindale areas. These crimes could lead to things such as identity theft and forgery. Contact Constable Smith at Jsmith@smith-county.com if you have seen this man or know his identity.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the TxDOT Tyler district during the week of May 16. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

In Longview, McCann Road at the new George Richey Road/FM 2275 project will be closing on Monday, May 23, for an extended period of time. The closure is necessary to make the tie-ins to the new roadway. Motorists should be prepared for this change to their commutes and make plans accordingly during this phase of work. The outside southbound lane of Judson Road is also closed as it is tied in to the new road as well. This George Richey Road/FM 2275 Extension project runs from McCann Road to US 259. Additional project information is available in the Gregg County section of this story. Continue reading TxDOT’s Weekly Roadwork Update

EAST TEXAS — Early voting for the May 24 runoff elections is underway and continues through May 20. In East Texas, Bryan Hughes faces David Simpson in the battle for State Senate District 1. The winner will replace Kevin Eltife, who’s retiring from the post. Also, Cole Hefner squares off against Jay Misenheimer in the contest for Hughes’s State House District 5 seat. All four candidates are Republicans. There are other races to be decided as well. In Smith County, incumbent Precinct 4 Constable John Smith faces a GOP primary challenge from Josh Joplin. The winner will go up against Democrat Larry Reddic in November. There’s also a Republican runoff between Mary Lou Bruner of Smith County and Keven Ellis of Lufkin for State Board of Education District 9. The winner of that election will face Democrat Amanda Rudolph this fall.

TYLER — The newest exhibition at the Tyler Museum of Art is “Modern Masters: Twentieth Century Prints.” Organized by the Reading Public Museum, the show “highlights the wide range of artistic movements that occurred throughout the twentieth century including Fauvism, Minimalism, Pop Art and Surrealism,” according to information from TMA. Featured artists include Salvador Dali, Robert Indiana, Donald Judd, Roy Lichtenstein, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, and Andy Warhol. Following a Sunday opening, the exhibition runs through July 24.

TYLER — Police continue their investigation of a fatal weekend accident in Tyler. The Saturday night wreck killed 21 year old Haile Beasley of Tyler. The police said Monday morning that alcohol was not a factor in the accident that happened on West Grande Boulevard near the Shady Oaks intersection. Beasley was eastbound when a pickup drove into oncoming traffic, striking her car head on. The driver of the truck, identified as James Fulton of Tyler, was found to be at fault. There was no word on possible charges. Fulton was not injured in the crash.

EAST TEXAS — School superintendents in East Texas are reacting after the Obama Administration issued a directive Friday concerning school bathrooms. It said transgender students should be allowed to use bathrooms that match their gender identity. “We believe that it’s something that is inappropriate for the federal government to be involved in, and we’re gonna run our schools the way Tyler wants us to,” Tyler ISD Superintendent Marty Crawford (pictured) told KETK. “We certainly do not need a directive from Washington or politicians from Austin telling us how to handle,” said Lindale ISD Superintendent Stan Surratt. Continue reading Superintendents Address Transgender Bathrooms

LUFKIN (AP) – A Lufkin man has been sentenced to 119 years in prison after being convicted of forcing two juvenile girls to take drugs and then raping them. Brandon Pipkin was convicted Friday of sexual assault of a child, indecency with a child, and delivery of a controlled substance. The 39-year-old Pipkin did not testify before the Angelina County jury sentenced him. Pipkin was arrested in 2014 after a teenager called 911 to report that she had been drugged and sexually assaulted. The girl told the dispatcher that Pipkin had forced her to use methamphetamine before having sex with her. Investigators also determined that a younger teen was also forced to do drugs with Pipkin before he had sex with her.

CANTON — For the third time since 2013, a major fire has struck The Mountain in Canton, this time destroying six buildings. According to the popular old west town’s Facebook page, the blaze broke out around 1:42 Saturday morning. The page says the Canton Fire Department, along with other area fire departments, contained the flames to a small area. Officials offered no immediate word on the cause or how the incident would affect business. There were no reports of any injuries. Continue reading The Mountain in Canton Hit by Fire Again; Six Buildings Destroyed

MT. ENTERPRISE – The Texas Department of Public Safety has released additional information about a double-fatality accident in Rusk County, including the identities of those involved. Trooper Jean Dark says troopers responded around 4:00 Friday morning to the crash on SH 315 near Mt. Enterprise. She says preliminary investigation revealed that a Camaro was westbound when, for an unknown reason, the driver crossed over the center stripe and into the path of a Freightliner truck tractor towing a semi trailer. The vehicles collided, and the occupants of the Camaro were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the truck tractor and his passenger were transported to ETMC Henderson with possible injuries. Continue reading Victims’ Names Released in Fatal Rusk County Wreck

WASKOM — The city of Waskom says a ground water source has tested positive for E. coli. KETK reports the sample tested positive on Thursday. The city says the well in which the sample was taken has been disconnected from the water system and is no longer online. Crews will disinfect and clean the well before putting it back into operation. The process is expected to take 10 days. E. coli can cause illness and is a particular concern for infants, young children, and people with weakened immune systems.

TYLER — The City of Tyler has promoted two long-term key leaders to the positions of managing director of development and social services and managing director of culture, recreation and tourism services. Stephanie Rollings has been promoted to managing director of culture, recreation and tourism. Rollings has worked for the City of Tyler for more than 12 years in various leadership roles, most recently as the director of Parks and Recreation. In that role she oversaw operations for Parks and Recreation, Rose Garden, Harvey Hall, Keep Tyler Beautiful and Library Services. Her new role will include those duties as well as Main Street, Liberty Hall, oversight of the Innovation Pipeline and contract management of the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Rollings is a graduate of Texas State University and recently completed a Master of Public Administration degree at the University of Texas at Tyler. Continue reading City of Tyler Appoints New Managing Directors

TYLER – Tyler ISD will hold a special Board of Trustees meeting Tuesday evening at 6:00 on the future of the school district’s 46-year-old desegregation order. Trustees and the public will hear a presentation by Friedman & Feiger on Unitary Status for the district, which would mean removing the 1970 order. Following the presentation, there will be a time for public comment. This will be the second presentation to the Board by Friedman & Feiger, the first presentation occurring during the Board Workshop held on May 9. You can go to http://www.tylerisd.org to read the first presentation in its entirety. A lengthy process is anticipated before any action would be taken on the matter.

TYLER — One person has been killed and two injured in a two vehicle accident in Tyler. It occurred shortly after 11:15 Friday morning on the North Northeast Loop between East Commerce and East Erwin. The initial report was a north bound minivan crossed over to the southbound lane and collided with a an 18-wheeler carrying logs. The woman driving the minivan, 36-year-old Tanya Palmer of Tyler, was killed, and two in the truck have been hospitalized. Traffic began moving normally through the area after several hours of tie-ups.

KILGORE — There was a brief lockdown Friday afternoon at several Kilgore schools. The lockdown began after shots were reported in the area, but not at the schools. The lockdown, which began shortly after 2:45 Friday afternoon, was lifted about ten minutes later. The Lockdown occurred at Kilgore Middle School, Kilgore Intermediate School, Chandler Elementary and Kilgore Primary School. The gunfire, in a wooded area, was determined not to be a threat to the schools.

TYLER – A woman is in custody, charged with a Tyler Robbery. It occurred at the Valero convenience store at at 4833 Troup Highway around noon on Friday. She has been identified as Karen Rasberry, 49 of Tyler. The clerk said a woman with a diaper wrapped around her hand came in, claiming she had a gun, and demanded money. Officers found the suspect across the street at the entrance to Wal-Mart. Rasberry was booked in to the Smith County Jail on the charge of Robbery, a 2nd degree felony.

TYLER — A former Smith County Sheriff’s dispatcher is free on bond following her arrest. Christin Rae Kelm, 30, has been charged with aggravated perjury and tampering with government records. She resigned several weeks ago. She had been on paid administrative leave during an internal investigation. This followed a citation for class A assault stemming from a domestic dispute.

LONGVIEW — Longview police have arrested a woman found in a stolen vehicle. It started Thursday night with a report of a suspicious vehicle. It was found in the 2300 block of Pine Tree Road. Driving the truck was Lacy Miranda Tiffin, 24, of Longview. In the vehicle they found numerous items that were stolen in some vehicle burglaries earlier that evening. Tiffin was booked into the Gregg County Jail on charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and burglary of a vehicle.

LONGVIEW — For the second time in five months, a Longview teen has been charged with a weapons violation. Samuel Reese, 17, was arrested around 9:30 Thursday night as he tried to runaway from police. Reese was arrested near the intersection of Fredonia and Hughes Streets. That’s when they found a .22 pistol in his sweatpants. He was free on bond following a January arrest for a weapons violation and possession of marijuana. Reese, said to be a Longview gang member, has been charged again with unlawfully carrying a weapon.

LONGVIEW — A woman has been arrested following a report of an assault at Ingram Park on 10th Street in Longview. A woman told officers Kaitana Sharday Thomas, 24, of Longview assaulted her with her fists. She was said to have first pointed a 9 mm handgun at the victim. But, as Thomas tried to put a round in the chamber, the gun jammed. She was said to have then handed the gun to a man and struck the victim. Thomas was charged with aggravated assault and booked into the Gregg County Jail.

GULFPORT, Miss. (AP) – Two men and a woman indicted on meth-trafficking charges have pleaded not guilty in the seizure of crystal meth and buckets of wastewater said to contain meth flushed down a toilet. The Sun Herald reports 36-year-old Tosh Humphrey, of Slidell, Louisiana; Roy Lee Tatum, of Palestine, Texas, and Chiquita Acker of Pearlington, Mississippi, both 40, entered their pleas Thursday in U.S. District Court. The three face charges of conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute meth. Each charge is punishable by 10 years to life in prison. They are held with no bond. The three stood together in court, each flanked by an attorney, and were told they are set for trial July 15. If they want to change their pleas, they must notify the court in writing before June 14.

LUFKIN — A brief police standoff has ended with the arrest of a Lufkin shooting suspect, who’s now charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The incident started around 1:15 Thursday morning. It ended about nine hours later with the arrest of Zane Williams, 39, of Lufkin. Williams is accused of arguing with Amos Clary, 35, in the parking lot of the Hidden Oaks II Apartments on Tulane Drive. He is then said to have shot Clary, who is in critical condition in a Houston hospital. He then was said to have taken his girlfriend against her will, and fled. When investigators interviewed the woman, they learned she had not been kidnapped. Lufkin detectives tracked him to a trailer home in Trinity County. After a brief standoff in the Apple Springs area, Williams surrendered.

WILLS POINT – One person is in custody following an attack at a Van Zandt County motel that left one person critically injured. KETK reports the attack occurred around 8:00 Thursday morning at Motel Rest on Highway 80 in Wills Point. The victim has been flown to a hospital for treatment. The suspect, who has not been identified, as been taken to the Van Zandt County Jail.