KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is holding a public open house this afternoon to update the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). Officials say the amendments include adding a project that will allow the Texas Department of Transportation to participate in the purchase a 7.25 mile portion of abandoned right-of-way currently owned by Union Pacific Railroad to use for a future multimodal trail. The open house will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Tyler Development Center’s Large Conference Room at 423 West Ferguson Street. Continue reading Tyler MPO Holds Open House on Transportation Plan

ANDERSON COUNTY — The National Weather Service says Thursday’s storm damage along Anderson County Road 142 was caused not by a tornado as previously believed, but by straight line winds. KETK reports the damage began around 5:25 p.m. and lasted for about a minute, with wind speeds between 55 and 65 mph. The narrow damage path began 4 miles south of Palestine and had a length of about 1 mile. Local law enforcement and state officials said several trees and power lines were blown down onto the road. A garage door was damaged by the winds, several trees were uprooted, and a storage building was destroyed.

LIBERTY CITY — It has been more than seven months since Liberty City teenager Paiglynn Raymond disappeared down Interstate 20, and now the reward for information leading to her return has gone up substantially. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report Vickie Raymond, the girl’s grandmother, said her family has not given up hope — and neither have their friends. “A gentleman who grew up with Paiglynn’s father (Chris Raymond) has doubled the reward to $10,000 in the hopes it may encourage someone to come forward,” she said. “You do not even have to leave your name; you can use the tip line at (903) 236-STOP and remain anonymous.” Continue reading Reward Doubled for Missing Teen

KILGORE — Kilgore College staffers and residents crowded into the college’s Stewart H. McLaurin Administration Building Thursday to meet the first of four finalists to replace retiring President Bill Holda. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. “I am a strong proponent of the student success model for education,” said Kyle Wagner, vice president of instruction and economic development at Coastal Bend College in Beeville. “If we focus on what our students need to get out of the college — designing our programs to meet those needs — Kilgore College will grow and grow.” Continue reading Kilgore College Meets First of Four Presidential Finalists

WHITEHOUSE — A fire in a dryer around 9:45 Friday morning in Whitehouse High School’s athletic department forced an evacuation of the school and an early dismissal of classes. Once the smoke cleared, students were allowed to return to the buildings to get their belongings and then classes were dismissed for the rest of the day. According to KETK, the school district says no students were hurt but one employee was taken to a local hospital about an hour after the incident. There was no immediate word on his condition or on the cause of the fire. Classes are expected to resume as normal Monday morning.

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP/Staff) – Three finalists for the position of administrative director and head of campus at Mississippi State University-Meridian have been announced, and they include an East Texan. Terry D. Cruse is vice president for enrollment services at LeTourneau University in Longview. The other candidates are from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and Delta State University in Cleveland, Mississippi. Officials say the candidates will attend on-campus interviews in the next few weeks. Finalists also will participate in forums for faculty, staff, and students that will include presentations on their visions for MSU-Meridian. An LETU official has declined comment.

BROWNSBORO — A Brownsboro ISD bus carrying students was involved in a crash Friday afternoon on Highway 31. KETK reports the bus and a truck were the only vehicles involved in the wreck. No injuries were reported, but the superintendent said three students would be taken to a nearby hospital as a precautionary measure.

LONGVIEW — Three counterfeiting suspects were arrested by Longview police just before 5:00 Thursday afternoon, after police responded to a report of suspicious activity at a motel on highway 31. Arrested were Marcilin Allenon Smith (pictured), 44, of Longview; Jeremy Michael Norton, 35, of Hallsville; and Buffy Renee Driggers Norton, 34, of Hallsville. Acting on a search warrant, officers found over $5000.00 in counterfeit currency, numerous fake ID’s, stolen driver’s licenses, counterfeit checks, and stolen credit cards. Officers also located computer equipment used in the production of such counterfeit money and other counterfeit products such as fake ID’s and checks. All three men were booked into the Gregg County Jail.

LONGVIEW — Authorities say it was a Longview man who died Thursday morning near Longview. Killed in the wreck on Interstate Highway 20 near Estes Parkway was Billy Minor, 63. He was pronounced dead at the scene after his vehicle hit the rear of a tractor-trailer. The Department of Public Safety says the truck had stopped because of construction work. The truck’s driver was not injured.

WASHINGTON (AP/STAFF) — President Barack Obama says he’s rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline because he does not believe it serves the national interest. Obama says the pipeline has played an overinflated role in political discourse. Obama is speaking at the White House after meeting with Secretary of State John Kerry. The decision caps a seven-year saga that became a flashpoint in Obama’s presidency. Killing the pipeline allows Obama to claim aggressive action on the environment. Three phases of the project are in operation, including the one running through eastern Smith County. The Smith County section was part of phase three of the project, which runs from Cushing, Oklahoma to refineries at Port Arthur. It was completed in January of last year.

LONGVIEW — Two persons are hospitalized following a Longview shooting. It happened just before 1:30 Friday morning on East Melton Street. Police received reports of several gunshots in the area. They found two persons injured. One had been shot and another, who had a broken bone, had not been shot. Both were transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center for treatment of non life threatening injuries. Authorities have not identified a suspect in the shooting.

KILGORE — Kilgore College is denying claims that it retaliated against and then fired.a former employee. KETK reports Dalton Smith went to the media in fall of 2014 with improper asbestos handling claims at the school. In the lawsuit he filed, Smith said he was demoted, ostracized, and eventually fired from his position at the college’s physical plant. KC President Bill Holda says it is the school’s policy not to comment on ongoing litigation.

TYLER — City officials are responding after activist Erin Brockovich sent a letter to the Tyler city council concerning what she calls a significant misinformation campaign about the water quality problem in Tyler. At a news conference on Wednesday, Mayor Martin Heines said he’s asked the city manager to hire an independent, third party expert to evaluate the facilities and protocols of the city’s water department. This comes in the wake of accusations from Brockovich that the water isn’t safe, and that city officials are lying to residents. The concerns were raised by a surge in haloacetic acids in the Tyler system. The mayor said he remained confident in the Tyler water system. Continue reading Tyler Responds to Letter From Erin Brockovich

TYLER — Police are looking for the man who robbed a Tyler business. The Dollar General store at 306 West Gentry Parkway was robbed shortly before 9:30 last night. As employees were closing the store they were approached by a man who had his hand covered as if he was holding a handgun. He demanded cash. He left the store on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. He was described as a black male wearing a black hoodie, khaki pants and a stocking over his face. No injuries were reported.

PITTSBURG — A Pittsburg police officer is under investigation. A short news release from the department said the unnamed officer was suspended following allegations naming the officer as a suspect in an offense that occurred back in February. So far, no charges have been filed. The information will be turned over to the Texas Rangers who will investigate the case.

LONGVIEW — A fatal car-motorcycle accident in western Harrison County remains under investigation. Killed was the motorcyclist, Robert Allen Lamay, 44, of Longview. He died just over an hour after the accident at Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview. The Department of Public Safety says a car driven by Jacob M. Ponder, 22, of Longview, failed to yield the right of way at a stop sign and was hit by the motorcycle. The accident happened around 7:45 Wednesday night on Southeast Loop 281.

LONGVIEW — Authorities have identified a woman killed in a Gregg County wreck on Wednesday as Glynda Jo Simpson, 54, of Henderson. The Department of Public Safety says was driving a truck on the service road on the south side of Interstate Highway 20 near mile marker 596 between Eastman Road and the Eastman plant entrance. The truck left the roadway and went into a ditch, where it hit a concrete culvert and flipped into the creek. The truck was upside down and completely underwater. Simpson, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene.

TYLER — Governor Abbott is taking more steps to crack down on sanctuary cities, but tea party groups say he needs to get even tougher. JoAnn Fleming of Smith County-based Grassroots America – We the People praised Abbott for stripping state criminal justice money from counties that don’t turn over criminal immigrants to the feds. But she says the governor has the authority to eliminate sanctuary cities today. According to Fleming, Abbott can “immediately issue an executive order that takes care of cities and counties.” She adds that a special session of the Legislature should be called. Fleming says sanctuary cities are a public safety emergency that requires action now.

LONGVIEW — One person has been killed in a two vehicle accident in Gregg County. It occurred on Interstate Highway 20 near Estes Parkway. The victim’s name and details about the accident have not been released. For a while the west bound lanes of the interstate, near the 595 mile marker, were shut down and traffic was detoured around the area. The interstate has since been reopened.

TROUP — A Jacksonville man has died in an accident that shut down both lanes of State Highway 110 north of Troup for part of Wednesday night. KETK reports two vehicles collided head-on just before 6:00 p.m. The Texas Department of Public Safety reports a car was driving south in the northbound lane when it collided with an SUV that was driving north. The driver of the car was Terry Ivy, 48. He was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The driver of the SUV has been identified as Florentina Jaimes, 46, of Troup. She, along with 9-year-old Yanaly Jaimes and 12-year-old Augistine Jaimes, were taken to a Tyler medical center for treatment. The extent of their injuries was not immediately known.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is preparing to update law officers and the public on new gun laws and situations involving firearms. On Friday and Saturday, November 13 and 14, the SCSO will present a free training event at the TJC West Campus relating to open carry as well as active shooter incidents. Sheriff Larry Smith says the training on Friday will be from 8 a.m.-12 noon and is reserved for commissioned law enforcement officers only. The training on Saturday will be open to the general public and will be from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Smith says the training will cover the new open carry laws that go into effect January 1 and will also include a class entitled “Citizens’ Response to an Active Shooter.” Smith says he considers it necessary to discuss those issues in order to have a smooth transition to open carry. Continue reading SCSO Offers Training on Gun Laws, Shooting Incidents

TYLER — The Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is holding a public open house Monday to update the Metropolitan Transportation Plan (MTP) and Transportation Improvement Plan (TIP). The Tyler Area MPO is responsible for transportation planning within the Tyler Metropolitan Area, which includes Tyler, Hideaway, Lindale, New Chapel Hill, Noonday, Whitehouse and Bullard. Officials say the amendments include adding a project that will allow the Texas Department of Transportation to participate in the purchase a 7.25 mile portion of abandoned right-of-way currently owned by Union Pacific Railroad to use for a future multimodal trail. The open house will be held from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. at the Tyler Development Center’s Large Conference Room at 423 W. Ferguson St. Continue reading Tyler MPO Sets Open House on Transportation Plan

PALESTINE — A Palestine toddler is hospitalized after his father backed over him in a driveway Wednesday. According to KETK, Palestine police say the child was playing when his dad pulled out of the garage. The boy was flown to a Dallas hospital with multiple facial fractures and is reported in fair condition.

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Martin Heines says he’s asked the city manager to hire an independent, third party expert to evaluate the facilities and protocols of the city’s water department. In a letter made available to the public, Heines points out that the firm, Enprotec/Hibbs & Todd, Inc. has never done work for the city of Tyler. Heines presented the letter at a Wednesday news conference in the wake of accusations from activist Erin Brockovich that the water isn’t safe — and that city officials are lying to residents. According to Heines;s letter, “We expect the independent review to take approximately two weeks. The firm will begin work starting on Monday, Nov. 9. Upon completion of their assessment, we will review the findings and make them available to the public. Our goal is to continue our long history of transparency and openness in local government.” Continue reading Tyler Mayor Addresses Local Water Safety Concerns

GLADEWATER — The Gladewater Police Department, along with state and federal agencies, conducted a sex offender check Wednesday morning. KETK reports only one person was found out of compliance, and that person will face charges. Operation Walk The Line was conducted on 21 registered sex offenders living in Gladewater. Officers went to the address of each registered offender to verify compliance with state law. Officials say the non-compliant offender could face up to a second degree felony criminal charge of failure to comply with registration requirements.

PALESTINE — A man died Tuesday night in an Anderson County house fire on FM 320, northwest of Palestine. According to KETK, Sheriff Greg Taylor says Charles Richard Conklin, 76, was the only person in the home. When firefighters arrived around 8:30 p.m., the residence was engulfed in flames. No other injuries were reported. The State Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the incident. Conklin’s body has been sent for autopsy.

TYLER — 114th State District Judge Christi Kennedy of Tyler is seeking a third term. The announcement comes in a letter sent to area residents. Kennedy, a Republican, was first elected in November 2008 and re-elected in 2012. According to the letter, Kennedy “has resolved more than 5500 criminal cases and over 2700 civil matters, including a significant number of jury trials…The Courts of Appeals have affirmed Judge Kennedy’s decisions in an impressive 98.9% of cases appealed.” Kennedy has no announced opposition thus far.

TYLER — According to the Patriot Talon, the charter for The University of Texas at Tyler’s Kappa Sigma Rho Nu Chapter has been disbanded by the fraternity’s national office. Kappa Sigma National Director Mitchell Wilson told the university newspaper the charter was revoked due to a violation of the fraternity’s code of conduct. In April, the fraternity was suspended by UT Tyler for one year following an investigation. Continue reading UT Tyler Kappa Sigma Charter Revoked

EAST TEXAS — The polls were busy around East Texas Tuesday on a number of fronts. Smith County voters, like residents in the state, approved all seven of the proposed amendments to the state constitution. Voter turnout was low with just under 9% of the registered voters casting a ballot. Of the 127,320 registered voters in the county, there were a total of 11,299 ballots cast. Continue reading Local Election Results

LONGVIEW — Longview Police are looking for a vehicle involved in a hit and run with a Pine Tree ISD bus near the intersection of Waggoner Street and Fairway Drive. According to KETK, police say a truck — possibly a blue Dodge — hit the bus Tuesday afternoon and left the scene. No injuries were reported. Anyone with information is asked to call Officer Doug Pickering at 903-237-1170.