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The Queen of the Texas Rose Festival has been announced. The queen for the 2016 festival is Mallory Kristine Curtis, 19, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Bradley Curtis. Mallory says it’s an honor to be selected, and “to say that I’m excited is a bit of an understatement.” She adds, “It’s important to remember that the Rose Festival is not just about the breathtaking costumes, but about promoting Tyler and the rose industry.” Mallory is a graduate of Robert E. Lee and will soon be transferring to the University of Oklahoma. The Duchess of the Rose Festival is Mary Birdsong Gabriel, daughter of Pam and Matt Gabriel. The theme for the 83rd festival is “Museum of the Majestic.” It will be held October 13th through 16th. The announcement about the Rose Festival activities was made Saturday night at the 24th annual Winter Gala at the Willowbrook Country Club.

LONGVIEW — As part of ongoing narcotics investigations, the Longview Police Department’s Street Crimes Unit has arrested five more persons on various drug charges. Six drug houses were targeted this week, resulting in 20 arrests. Four of the drug houses targeted were in Longview earlier in the week. According to the police department’s Facebook page, 2 arrests were made Friday in Woodland and 3 in Kelso on Friday after the SCU served search warrants at two homes. During service of the search warrants, officers recovered a firearm, methamphetamine, heroin, packaging material, scales and other drug paraphernalia. Continue reading Drug Arrests in Longview

LONGVIEW — Longview police say there are no new developments in the city’s first homicide of the year. The victim is identified as Tony Bernard Nelson, 20. Police received a call of a shooting just before midnight Friday night in the 1600 block of 12th Street. They found Nelson’s body inside a house. Investigators say the house is a known drug house, so they believe the shooting was narcotics related. The investigation is continuing.

LONGVIEW — An East Texas doctor is free on a $30,000 bond after being indicted for indecency with a child by exposure. Arrested was William Kenneth Huff, 62, of White Oak. The indictment says the East Texas Medical Center-Quitman doctor touched the breast of a child younger than 17 years old and had her expose her genitals. ETMC Affiliate Marketing Manager Deleisa Johnson told the Longview News Journal, after information from the indictment was released, Huff was fired.

WINNSBORO — The Winnsboro Police Department has completed it’s investigation into the death of 16 month old Madison Cannon. The youngster was found unconscious on April 9th. She was declared “brain dead” at Children’s Medical Center in Dallas and pronounced dead on April 11th. The death has been ruled a homicide. On the department’s Facebook page, they say the investigation has been completed and the case will be presented to the Texas Attorney General for possible action. An autopsy performed last summer indicated the youngster died from blunt force trauma to the head. Investigators had previously said there are persons of interest in the case, but no names have been released and police stated there is no reason to believe someone outside the home would have harmed the child.

A portion of Tyler’s Old Bascome Road, which ahd been closed, has now been reopened. Construction began January 4th to replace a collapsed drainage system on Old Bascom Road between Shiloh Road and Old Omen Road. They said, at the time, they had hoped the work would be completed by January 8th. The city announced Friday that the work has been completed on schedule and the road reopened.

LONGVIEW — A White Oak man was released Wednesday on $30,000 bond on a grand jury indictment accusing him of indecency with a child by exposure. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report William Kenneth Huff, 62, is accused of touching the breast of a child younger than 1 and having her expose her genitals in June. Huff was employed at ETMC Quitman as a hospitalist, ETMC Affiliate Marketing Manager Deleisa Johnson said in a statement Friday. ETMC administration became aware of his Gregg County indictment earlier in the week, Johnson said, and the decision was made to terminate Huff’s contract. The charges against Huff did not involve a patient or relate to his employment with ETMC, she said. Huff was arrested by Gregg County sheriff’s deputies Wednesday at the Gregg County courthouse.

WHITE OAK — One man may be responsible for numerous robberies in Gregg and Upshur Counties. The latest occurred Shortly after 9:15 Friday morning at the Subway Restaurant on West Highway 80 in White Oak. According to the White Oak Police Department Facebook page, the man pulled a gun, grabbed some cash, and then fled. A similar robbery happened Friday morning in Longview at the Subway on Gilmer Road. In both cases, the suspect was described as a black male wearing a black ski mask, black jacket, red flannel under shirt, dark jeans, and black shoes. He may also be responsible for robberies, and attempted robberies, in Longview, Kilgore, Gilmer and Van. All of the robberies happened during the morning hours.

BEN WHEELER — A Van Zandt County man has been arrested for possessing child pornography. Robert Spain Jr., 48 of Ben Wheeler, was arrested after sheriff’s deputies and U.S. postal inspectors served a search warrant on Friday. Spain was arrested at a home on Farm Road 773, in the Ben Wheeler area. Evidence was removed from the house and was sent to the forensic lab for analysis.

TYLER — A Lindale minister is out on bond after being arrested for prostitution. According to KETK, jail records indicate Ronald Stribble, 66, was arrested Wednesday by Tyler police. Officials say communication between Stribble and an officer acting as a prostitute was initiated on social media. They say Stribble made arrangements to meet a woman at a motel on Loop 323 near Old Jacksonville Highway. Police say Stribble was arrested and jailed after they determined he came to the motel for “sexual relations.” He was later released on $500 bond. Continue reading Minister Arrested for Solicitation of Prostitute

SMITH COUNTY — A Thursday afternoon shooting in northern Smith County has been ruled accidental. Deputies were called to a home on County Road 446 and learned that Jesse Wiggins, 21, had been shot in the abdomen while his father, Tracey Wiggins, 54, was trying to show him how to unload the weapon. Jesse Wiggins was airlifted to a Tyler hospital for treatment of his injuries where he underwent surgery. He is listed in fair condition and expected to make a full recovery.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith tips his hat to his office’s newest K9 team for a Thursday evening cocaine bust. Smith says Deputy Logan Smith and his K9 Malachi recently graduated from a training academy. They were conducting patrol duties off FM 14 when Deputy Smith conducted a traffic stop, became suspicious of the driver, and used Malachi to examine the van’s exterior. Malachi reportedly detected the presence of a controlled substance. Sheriff Smith says a vehicle search turned up 2.2 lbs. (one kilogram) of cocaine. The cocaine was seized; the driver was arrested and charged with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance. An Immigration Customs hold has been placed on Epifanio Bautista-Renteria, 33. The investigation is ongoing.

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Constable forum is set for today. According to KETK, the meeting will focus on the active shooter class held by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. The forum will begin at 1:15 at Lakeview Church of the Nazarene in Tyler. It is open to the public.

KILGORE — A Kilgore man is being sought in connection with a felony warrant for indecency with a child. According to KETK, Larry Don Morgan is described as 5’10” and weighing approximately 190 pounds. Police believe Morgan is still in the East Texas area. Kilgore Police are urging anyone with information regarding his location to contact police. Tips can also be made by contacting Detective Kay Lynn Newbill at 903-218-6907 or by email at kay.newbill@cityofkilgore.com, or Gregg County CrimeStoppers at 903-236-STOP.

GREGG COUNTY — The driver of a pickup that led Gregg County officers on a chase earlier this week has been arrested. He is identified as Preston Wade Graham, 17, of Gladewater. He was released on bond from the Gregg County Jail on Thursday. He is accused of leading Gregg County Deputies on a pursuit in a pickup reported stolen in Longview. The chase started around 7:45 Monday night after sheriff’s deputies spotted the pickup. It ended on Commerce Street in Kilgore when the truck stopped after crashing through a traffic circle. The driver and a passenger both fled on foot. The passenger was arrested that evening.

FORT HOOD — The new Commanding General of the 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood is Tyler native Major General John C. “JT” Thomson III. A change of command ceremony took place at the central Texas Army post on Thursday. Major Thompson is replacing Major General Michael A. Bills. This will be Thomson’s second tour of duty at Fort Hood. He commanded the 41st Fires Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division at Fort Hood from 2009 to 2011. Most recently, he served as the 75th Commandant of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy from August 2014 to December 2015.

MARSHALL — A Marshall woman has been arrested after her car hit the rear of a Marshall school bus. Charged with driving while intoxicated 3rd offense or more, is Margarette Cartheryn Judy, 35, of Marshall. The accident happened shortly before 7:15 Thursday morning in front of William B. Travis Elementary. Students were getting off the bus when the accident occurred. No injuries were reported.

TYLER – Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics announced Thursday that it has signed a letter of intent to become part of CHRISTUS Health, an international, faith-based, not-for-profit health system headquartered in Irving. According to a news release, the move “will greatly strengthen both organizations, improving access to care for patients and expanding each organization’s service offerings.” Lindsey Bradley, President and Chief Executive Officer of TMFHC, says in the release that CHRISTUS “shares our faith-based values and dedication to quality care.” TMFHC CEO Ray Thompson adds that the move “will solidify world-class healthcare in East Texas for decades to come,” according to the release. Ernie Sadau, Chief Executive Officer for CHRISTUS Health says the teamup “will forge a stronger Catholic healthcare system East Texans will depend on for years to come.” Continue reading Trinity Mother Frances to Become Part of CHRISTUS Health

TYLER — Internationally-known economist Dr. Ray Perryman Thursday offered a Tyler audience a varied message in his annual national, statewide, and East Texas economic outlook. Perryman remains relatively upbeat about East Texas, Tyler in particular. As in the past, he points to continued economic diversification, saying the health care industry remains “very very strong, continuing to grow and prosper.” Perryman also mentions company expansions as well as new companies coming into the market, singling out investments in the manufacturing sector. He says though East Texas has some dependence on the oil and gas industry, there’s not nearly as much in our region as in parts of the state where there’s been a lot of fracking activity. According to Perryman, the Tyler area will probably grow faster than the state or the country in general over the next 4 to 5 years. Continue reading Perryman Shares Economic Forecast

KILGORE — The Kilgore Police Department is seeking witnesses to a fatal December 22 crash on US 259 B, a short distance south of I-20. KETK reports Jerriell Lewis, 33, of Longview died in the two-vehicle wreck. Based on the statements obtained from witnesses, investigators believe there may have been additional witnesses to the crash who were not questioned by police. Police ask anyone who saw the crash to contact Det. John Rowe.

LONGVIEW — TxDOT re-opened FM 2087 in Longview to traffic Thursday morning. A portion of the roadway was closed to through traffic on New Year’s Eve due to high water. The water started receding a few days ago. TxDOT inspected the roadway and conducted needed repairs Wednesday.

TYLER — Trinity Mother Frances Health Systems will be bought out by another medical group, sources close to the hospital have told KETK. According to the sources, Christus Health is buying the Tyler-based hospital and clinic system. The formal announcement is expected to be made this afternoon.

BIG SANDY — Big Sandy police say officials are investigating a train car derailment that occurred shortly before midnight Wednesday. Officer Noe Delacruz told the Longview News-Journal the derailment happened along tracks near the intersection of South Tyler Street and West T&P Avenue in Big Sandy. None of the cars tipped, and there were no reports of leaks or damage. “It happened at around 11:00pm, when approximately ten cars popped off the tracks. Fortunately it was in a location where they workers were able to unhook the cars and then get them back on track,” he said.

AUSTIN — Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar announced he will send cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts $617.2 million in local sales tax allocations for January, 0.1% less than in January 2015. These allocations are based on sales made in November by businesses that report tax monthly. Hegar also said that sales tax revenue for the state in December was $2.33 billion, down 1.1% compared to December 2014. Tyler’s sales tax revenues for the period came to $3,065,758.51. That is down 1.46% from the same period last year. Longview’s drop was a little steeper. Their sales tax revenue was $2,555,989.23. This is down 14.1% from the same time last year. Continue reading Tyler and Longview’s Sales Tax Revenues Down Slightly.

TAMPA, FLA. (AP) — The Tampa Bay Buccaneers fired coach Lovie Smith on Wednesday night. Smith, A Gladewater native who was raised in Big Sandy, went 6-10 this season and 8-24 over two years in charge of the team. The announcement came as a surprise to many because Smith’s job was not considered to be in danger.

TYLER – The East Texas Communities Foundation is currently accepting applications from East Texas students for 39 scholarships. ETCF officials say the deadline for submission is March 1 at 5:00 p.m. unless noted otherwise. All applications and supporting documents must be submitted online. A student may apply for every scholarship for which he or she meets the eligibility requirements. Applicants should complete a unique application for each scholarship. Go to http://www.etcf.org/pages/scholarships/students/student-guide-and-available-scholarships for detailed eligigility criteria.

TYLER — After receiving approval by the state, Smith County will use voting centers for all future county-wide elections. In a news release, county Elections Administrator Karen Nelson says she and her colleagues are “very excited to be able to give convenience and flexibility to voters.” The voting centers allow residents to vote at any of the 34 polling locations in Smith County on Election Day instead of being restricted to their precinct. Continue reading Voting Centers Deemed Successful by the State

TYLER — A big change is on the way for what many consider a downtown Tyler landmark, as it’s learned that Jakes Tyler will no longer be a publc restaurant. Co-owner Kalma Utz tells KETK the venue will be refocusing its business with a new concept. Utz says the business will not be open Tuesday through Saturday, but will hold private events such as wine dinners and cooking schools via reservation only. The business, located at 111 E Erwin St., is owned by Alan and Kalma Utz, who took it over in 2008 from Rick Eltife. The historic building the restaurant resides in is 125 years old. Employees said ownership announced the surprise decision on Tuesday. Utz didn’t immediately provide further details on what went into the decision.