KTBB News, Weather, Talk

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 Kappa Sigma National Director Mitchell Wilson told the university newspaper the charter was revoked due to a violation of the fraternity’s code of conduct.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.

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Martin Heines will hold a news conference at 11 a.m. Wednesday to address recent concerns about the city’s water. KETK reports residents of Tyler were notified of contaminated water in their region, but are told it is still safe to drink. The city experienced a level of 0.062 mg/l of haloacetic acids, which is 2 parts per billion over the level established by the Environmental Protection Agency. “We are monitoring the situation,” says utilities managing director Gregory Morgan. “We believe that the root cause of the problem is the high rains that we experienced last spring.” Continue reading Mayor to Hold News Conference on Water Issues

NACOGDOCHES — The investigation continues into a weekend shooting in Nacogdoches. According to KETK, police say someone reported an unknown person shot a firearm into her home around 3:00 Sunday morning. The bullet entered the side of the house and lodged in a wall in a bedroom. A child was sleeping in the bedroom but was missed by the bullet. If you have any information regarding the incident, contact the Nacogdoches Police Department.

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler will host its inaugural International Fest, a public event set for 11 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, in the University Center ballroom. UT Tyler Administrative Services Officer Kimberly Carrillo says The UTT Office of International Programs is joining efforts with the Global Patriots student organization in the effort. Carrillo says booths showcasing individual countries will be staffed by students from around the world, and students who have studied abroad will present booths of the countries they visited. Continue reading UT Tyler Announces Inaugural “International Fest”

LONGVIEW — One person is dead following an accident near the Eastman plant in Gregg County. The Department of Public Safety says a woman truck driver was traveling west 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. The driver, who was the only occupant of the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. There was no immediate word on the victim’s identity pending family notification.

RUSK COUNTY — The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man reported missing. According to KETK, Tommy Dale Beason, 30, is described as 6’3″, around 215 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes. If you have any information on Beason’s whereabouts, please contact the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office at 903-657-3581 or Rusk County Crime Stoppers at 903-655-8477.

BULLARD — An arrest warrant has revealed more details in the arrest of a former Brook Hill School coach. KETK reports Bullard police officers arrested Ricky Clements, aka “Papa Ricky,” 61, of Flint, and charged him with enticing a child. Clements served as the head volleyball coach at Brook Hill. In the arrest warrant affidavit, it is revealed Clements had allegedly been sending inappropriate text messages with a 16-year-old boarding school student. Police were first notified by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. When authorities spoke with the the child’s mother, they reportedly learned she was aware of the situation. Continue reading Affidavit Details Case against Former Brook Hill Coach

TYLER — The city of Tyler has installed three Big Belly trash receptacles downtown to test if they will help make trash pickup more efficient, according to a news release from the city. Officials say the new receptacles are solar-powered, high tech trash compacting containers that will communicate with Tyler’s Solid Waste Department and notify them when the container needs to be emptied. This will allow for containers to be emptied before they become overflowing. It will also eliminate a trip to empty a container that is not full. Continue reading High Tech Trash Containers Installed in Downtown Tyler

EAST TEXAS — Harrison County and Tyler investigators are seeking information on surveillance photos taken of people who are stealing checks from mailboxes and forging them. KETK reports the thieves have been spotted in area stores buying merchandise with forged checks reported stolen from mailboxes during the last few months. The bandits purchased items at Wal-Mart stores in Mt. Pleasant, Center, Jacksonville, Tyler, and Harrison County. Continue reading Thieves Use Stolen Checks from East Texas Mailboxes

QUITMAN — The Wood County Sheriff’s Office will soon be implementing the use of a drone. According to KETK, Sheriff Jim Brown said flight training will begin within the month, weather permitting. The drone will be used for search and rescue, surveillance on drug operations, photographing crime scenes, and searching agricultural lands for marijuana fields and drug labs, among other missions. Brown says the drone is paid for by proceeds seized from drug dealers. The unmanned aircraft is capable of reaching heights of 350 feet, can fly more than 90 minutes at a time, and has a range of more than a mile from the controller. Brown said the drone operates with 4K state of the art video technology. The Sheriff’s Office drone also has thermal camera (FLIR) capability for nighttime operation.

TYLER — The Farm Service Agency (FSA) is now accepting applications for emergency farm loans due to damages and losses caused by drought beginning October 13 and continuing in Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, and Van Zandt Counties. In a news release, Smith County Farm Loan Manager Joseph Grier asks farmers who want to apply for emergency loans to submit their applications as soon as possible. The deadline for applications is June 21, 2016, but Grier says if farmers wait too long, a backlog will develop and cause delays. Grier says generally, farmers who have lost 30% of their production or any physical loss due to the disaster are eligible for the emergency loans. Continue reading FSA Accepting Drought Relief Applications

LONGVIEW — The recent discovery on Gregg County roadways of numerous headless deer or some missing antlers has prompted a warning from Game Warden Todd Long. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Long points out that illegal activity is involved. “Many times, they just take the head for trophy value,” said Long. “There’s some value tied to the antlers, and so these guys are ‘horn hunting’ on the side of the road. They’re just taking the antlers for trophy value and then leaving the rest of the deer to waste.” Continue reading Warning Comes after Reports of Headless Deer

GREGG COUNTY — A Lindale man died early Sunday in a one-vehicle crash on Texas 42, north of Carr Road in Kilgore. Dennis Glasscock, 49, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Glasscock was driving south on Texas 42 when his vehicle left the roadway and struck a tree. He was ejected from the vehicle. It’s not clear why Glasscock lost control of the vehicle. His body was sent to Tyler for an autopsy.

LINDALE — Eight units of a Lindale apartment complex have either been destroyed or extensively damaged in a Sunday morning fire. And one person has been arrested. It was reported before 1:30 Sunday morning at the Scenic Hills Apartment complex at 317 South Industrial Street. Charged with arson is Tiffany Lashay Collins, 26, a resident of one of the apartments. Her bond was set at $750,000. KETK reports one woman broke her leg when she jumped from a second floor as the flames quickly spread throughout the complex.

NACOGDOCHES — A three vehicle accident south of Nacogdoches has killed one person and injured two. The wreck occurred on U.S. Highway 59 shortly before 12:15 Saturday morning. Killed was Jose Luis Reyes, 21, of Nacogdoches. He was dead at the scene after being thrown from his car. The drivers of the other two vehicles, Candice Renae Cooper, 32, of Nacogdoches and Sydney Rae Cantalupo, 20, of Driftwood, were both injured. The Department of Public Safety says Reyes car hit the rear of a pickup that had slowed to make a turn. Reye’s then car ended up in the northbound lane where it was hit by an oncoming car.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of November 2. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Motorists can expect lane closures and delays on Interstate Highway20 in Gregg and Smith counties during the week. On Monday, weather permitting, concrete repair work will continue in the westbound outside lane at Mile Marker 567 to 566 from 7:00am to 7:00pm. Law enforcement will be present in this work zone so slow down and pay attention. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

LONGVIEW — Some counterfeit $20 bills have turned up in the Longview area. The Gregg County Sheriff’s department reports the money was used to pay for services at a local restaurant. The bills are said to have a smooth texture, smell of fabric softener, and matching serial numbers. Two persons are said to have passed the phony money. One was a white male with sandy blond hair, dark colored eyes, clean shaven, standing approximately 5’7” tall with an average build. The second suspect was a white female, sandy blond hair, approximately 40-45 years of age, approximately 5’7”tall with a small build. If you have information about the suspects you are asked to contact the sheriff’s department at 903-237-2529 or Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP.

TYLER — Moderate damage has been reported to the garage of a Tyler home in a fire that was reported just before 6:30 Saturday afternoon. Firemen had the fire at 6149 Springbrook Drive under control in about twenty minutes. There was very little damage to the residence. No one was at home when the fire started and there were no injuries. Investigators say while the exact cause of ignition has yet to be determined, it is believed to have started in the area of a chair, which had some type of rags and combustibles on top of it.

TYLER — Police are looking for two men in connection with a Tyler shooting. Officers were called to East Texas Medial Center shortly before 8:00 Saturday night. Being treated for a gunshot wound to his hand was Jermey Williams. He told officers he was sitting in a vehicle with two women in the parking lot of the Stonegate Landing Apartments on Plauxy Drive when they were approached by two black males, wearing hoodies. One is said to have opened the car door and shot Williams. He was able to get away from the suspects and was treated for a non-life threatening injury.

PALESTINE — Police are looking for the person who used an oversized fork lift to steel an ATM machine from a Palestine bank. The theft occurred at Prosperity Bank at 1015 North Church Street in Palestine early Saturday morning. KETK reports surveillance video shows the thief was driving a yellow Hyndai oversized fork lift. The driver rammed their truck into the ATM, knocking it off its support. The driver lifted the ATM onto the forklift before fleeing.

DOGWOOD CITY — A Smith County man has been killed in a vehicle-pedestrian accident near Dogwood City. Killed in the accident shortly before 7:30 Friday night was Rexton Russel, 54, of Flint. The accident occurred as Russel was walking along the inside southbound lane of Highway 155 near County Road 1182. The Department of Public Safety reports he was hit by two vehicles. The drivers were not injured and no charges are expected to be filed.

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County grand jury has indicted a Kilgore woman in a fatal August hit and run accident. Indicted was Kyrsten Nycole McCarty, 25. She is accused of hitting Robert Jack Moorehead, 5, on August 30th. She is said to ahve hit the boy in the 1900 block of Florence Street in Kilgore. He later died in the hospital. McCarty was arrested the day after the accident. She has been charged with felony accident involving death.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Rising water on the Trinity River began causing problems for some Henderson County residents Friday, but the sheriff’s office says the area has been checked and no levees have broken. According to KETK, the National Weather Service reported late Friday afternoon that a levee had possibly failed on the east side of the river in Henderson County. The possible failure was reported around 3:25 p.m. to the NWS by local law enforcement officials. The NWS said residents near the breach, in the Trinidad and Malakoff area, should move to higher ground immediately. The Henderson County emergency management coordinator (EMC) says gates to Cedar Creek are closed. Water continued to rise in the area late Friday. We’ll update this story as new information comes in.

LONGVIEW — A Gregg County grand jury has handed up an indictment of Kyrsten Nycole McCarty, 25, of Kilgore. KETK reports she is accused of killing a young boy in a traffic accident. On August 30, McCarty was driving on Florence Street in Kilgore when she allegedly hit 5-year-old Robert Jack Moorhead. He later died at a local hospital. The suspect was arrested and booked into jail the following day. She is charged with accident involving death, and the minivan she was driving was seized.

BULLARD — The head volleyball coach at Bullard’s Brook Hill School has been arrested on a charge of enticing a child. According to KETK, Smith County judicial records indicate 61-year-old Ricky Clements, aka “Papa Ricky,” was arrested by the Bullard Police Department on Thursday. His name and email information have since been deleted from the school’s website. Enticement of a child, by legal definition, is “Inviting, persuading, or attempting to persuade a child to enter any vehicle, building, room, or secluded place with intent to commit an unlawful sexual act upon or with the person of said child.” Clements was booked into the Smith County Jail. His bond was set at $4,000.

SMITH COUNTY — A shootout in Smith County between an estranged husband and wife has left the woman dead and her husband critically injured. Killed was Margaret Reach Pulsipher 67 of Winona. Injured was Jerry Francis Pulsipher, 70. Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 1:00 Friday afternoon to reports of a domestic disturbance and shots fired on County Road 3116, also known as Philpot Road, in northeastern Smith County. Investigators later determined the man was bringing food to his estranged wife at her home when she allegedly shot him at least twice. Continue reading Woman Dead, Man Critically Hurt in Shootout