KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — Street work continues on West Hawkins Parkway in Longview through the week of July 10. Officials encourage drivers to find alternate routes. Questions should be directed to the city’s project manager, Kevin Jaeger, at 903-237-1112.

LONGVIEW — Officials with the city of Longview are alerting residents to a current scam. Officials say an email asks you to send money overseas to someone who’s been robbed, jailed, or the like. The scammers also seem to know information about the people they contact or the purported victim; authorities say that makes the scam more believable. A telephone scam very similar to this is also afoot in the area. If you get such a message, you’re advised not send money without verifying it through another type of communication, such as a phone call to a mutual friend or a relative of the sender. Officials warn against giving out any personal information via email, telephone, or text message.

TYLER — A Smith County grand jury has no-billed 65-year-old Fredy Neal in the fatal shooting of 31-year-old Michael Caldwell (pictured) outside a Walgreens on January 3. Officials say Caldwell and his girlfriend were asked to leave IHOP on the West Loop due to a disturbance. Police were then called by a driver who said the two were out in traffic, with Caldwell chasing cars on foot. The two then reportedly entered the nearby Walgreens and became disruptive. A verbal altercation ensued in the parking lot, with Neal shooting Caldwell in the chest, later saying he feared for his life.

LONGVIEW (Staff/AP) — The leader of a national political group has issued a statement after admitted Charleston church shooter Dylann Roof said the group influenced his actions. KETK reports 62-year-old Earl Holt III of Longview, a former St. Louis, Missouri, school board member, is the president of the Council of Conservative Citizens. Holt says his group runs “one of perhaps three websites in the world that accurately and honestly report black-on-white violent crime…The CofCC is hardly responsible for the actions of this deranged individual merely because he gleaned accurate information from our website…The CofCC does not advocate illegal activities of any kind, and never has.” Continue reading Longview Man Denies Responsibility for Charleston Massacre

TYLER — A Smith County grand jury has indicted 33-year-old Roy Edward Smith, accused of stabbing Victoria Massey multiple times as she left her Moore Grocery Loft apartment on North Broadway in June 2012. In a case that drew wide attention and spurred safety concerns, the victim was left for dead but survived. Police say they got a key break last June through a DNA sample from a sock that contained a rock Smith allegedly used to strike Massey in the head before the stabbing. Continue reading Suspect Indicted in 2012 Moore Loft Stabbing

TYLER — A Tyler house has been destroyed by fire. It was reported around 11:00 Sunday morning in the 4000 block of Gatestone Boulevard. There were no injuries. Firefighters tell KETK at the scene the family who lives at the house were at church when the blaze began. It started in the garage and spread to the house. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

De KALB (AP) — Two Northeast Texas law officers will not be prosecuted over the 2014 fatal shooting of a domestic disturbance suspect during an exchange of gunfire. The Texarkana Gazette reports a Bowie County grand jury Thursday declined to indict anyone in the death of Eddie Davis of De Kalb. Officers on Aug. 8 answered a domestic disturbance call at the 64-year-old man’s home, approached a back door and Davis began firing. De Kalb police Officer Sharon Coleman was shot in the leg as she and sheriff’s Deputy Danny French tried to subdue Davis. Coleman’s body camera showed Davis ignored multiple requests from the officers to drop his gun before he was fatally shot. De Kalb is a town of about 1,900, located 140 miles northeast of Dallas.

AUSTIN (AP) — Thousands of Texans have sought government help in the weeks since deadly storms and flooding devastated parts of the state. The Federal Emergency Management Agency announced Saturday that more than 17,500 individuals have registered so far for assistance. A federal disaster declaration was updated Wednesday to cover 30 Texas counties. FEMA says nearly $29 million has been approved for claims linked to recovery since severe weather began May 4. Two people were killed May 10 when a tornado hit Van. Memorial Day weekend flooding in parts of Texas damaged or destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses. More than two dozen people were killed statewide. Disaster assistance for homeowners and renters may include grants for housing and home repairs. The U.S. Small Business Administration offers low-interest loans for eligible applicants.

SMITH COUNTY — The body of a drowning victim has been recovered from the swimming area of Tyler State Park. Witnesses say a 19 year old from of Dallas went underwater and never surfaced. He had been swimming with friends when he accidentally drowned Saturday. Dive team members recovered his body after searching a couple of hours.

PALESTINE (AP/STAFF) — Police are seeking a suspected gunman after a man and a woman were fatally shot at a house in East Texas. The shooting happened around 5:30 Saturday morning in the 900 block of North Conway Street. They have been identified as Timothy Laban Owens, 39, and Ashley Quinn, 25, both of Palestine. Owens was pronounced dead at the scene and Quinn died a couple of hours later at Palestine Regional Medical Center. Palestine police say a 17 year old male at the home during the shootings early Saturday was not harmed and called for help. The teen is a relative of Owens. The suspect fled. Police did not immediately provide details on the wanted man or a possible motive. They are scheduled to release more information today.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department reports finding a woman who was the object of a critical missing person case. Krystal Rochell Dixon, 22. She was last seen at 7:30 Friday night leaving East Texas Medical Center. It is reported that she was found around 9:00 this morning and is safe and in good health. No other information was released.

TYLER — City crews are addressing issues with part of the storm sewer system in the outside lane of southbound traffic on Broadway Avenue just south of Erwin Street. The outside southbound lane will be closed until the temporary work is completed. Drivers should use caution due to the construction activities.

MABANK — A Mabank firefighter has been terminated following allegations of racism. KETK reports Kurtis Cook has also been banned from the department’s property. The action came after community members shared a photo from a social media comment thread where Cook appears to have made a racist comment in reference to the South Carolina church shooting. The picture shows a profile stating: “He needs to be praised for the good deed he has done.” The investigation into Cook’s actions were announced Friday morning. He was terminated a short time later. Continue reading Comments Gets Mabank Fireman Fired

COFFEE CITY (AP/STAFF) — Traffic was delayed on one East Texas highway because a boat had nowhere to float. Nobody was hurt Friday when a pontoon boat fell off a trailer and onto Highway 155 in Coffee City. Law enforcement officers in the town of nearly 300 people say the driver of the vehicle hauling the pontoon boat made a wide turn onto the highway. The boat slipped off the trailer, overturned and ended up blocking several lanes of traffic. A wrecker was brought in to help put the boat back on the trailer. Traffic was diverted until the boat was moved.

BATON ROUGE, LA. (AP) — A Northeast Texas logger faces one count of felony timber theft following an investigation by the Louisiana Department of Agriculture and Forestry. On Thursday, forestry agents arrested Ronnie Dale Clayton of Linden, Texas, and booked him into the Caddo Parish Detention Center. Clayton is accused of cutting an 80 acre tract of timber in Rodessa in Caddo Parish without first obtaining consent from 80% of the landowners. Agents say Clayton assisted a landowner in securing a Texas notary, who notarized 15 falsified timber cutting agreements. They say Clayton paid the owner $35,000 for the timber. Agents found numerous heirs that had no knowledge the timber had been cut. Clayton posted a $20,000 bond and was release.

LONGVIEW — It’s been the talk of Longview, but as of Thursday, it’s official. KETK reports former Mayor Jay Dean announced his candidacy for District 7 state representative. During his time as mayor, Dean says he reached out to the community through bi-monthly town hall meetings. He says it’s important for him to know what matters to residents — “to be a voice for all people but also to understand from the citizens in this district exactly what they consider the issues. We work hard to do that.” Continue reading Dean Officially Announces State House Run

WHITEHOUSE — One person has been wounded and one person charged in a Smith County shooting. It happened around 2:00 Thursday afternoon in the 7600 block of County Road 2193, near Whitehouse. Initial reports are that a man and a woman had gotten into an argument. The man was said to have been holding a gun. When the woman tried to knock the gun from his hand, the weapon fired, the bullet hitting her in the shoulder. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. The man, identified as Justin David Tracy, 26, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon family violence and unlawful possession of a firearm. His bonds total $575,000.

HUNTSVILLE (AP) – Texas death row inmate Gregory Russeau has been executed for the slaying of a 75-year-old Tyler auto repair shop owner 14 years ago during a crack cocaine binge. The 45-year-old Russeau became on Thursday the nation’s 17th convicted killer to receive a lethal injection this year and the ninth in Texas. The U.S. Supreme Court last October refused to review his case, and no additional appeals were filed for him in the courts. Russeau was sentenced to die for the May 2001 death of James Syvertson, who was beaten, robbed and whose car was stolen from his shop in Tyler. Continue reading Man Executed for Tyler Slaying

WHITEHOUSE — One person has been wounded in a Smith County shooting. It happened around 2:00 Thursday afternoon in the 7600 block of County Road 2193, near Whitehouse. Initial reports are that a man and a woman had gotten into an argument. The man was said to have been holding a gun. When the woman tried to knock the gun from his hand, the weapon fired, the bullet hitting her in the shoulder. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. The man was taken into custody by sheriff’s deputies. Their names have not been released. The shooting remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW — Acting on a tip, law officers arrest a woman wanted by Gregg County authorities. Gregg County Crime Stoppers had been seeking the public’s help in locating Lisa A. Campbell. She was wanted for injury to a child/elderly/disabled with intent to commit bodily injury. Authorities had said they felt she was still in the Longview area. They announced Thursday that she had been arrested. No word on how the arrest was made.

MANSFIELD (AP) — A coroner says methamphetamine intoxication caused the death of an East Texas man while he was in custody on drug charges. The Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s office also determined the death of Wendale Webb, 44, of Emory was accidental. Fort Worth police arrested Webb on April 5 on suspicion of marijuana possession. Webb, who was located inside his vehicle, was transported to the Mansfield City Jail. He was found unresponsive the following day in a holding cell and later pronounced dead. Autopsy results were released Wednesday.

WHITEHOUSE — One person has been wounded in a Smith County shooting. It happened around 2:00 Thursday afternoon in the 7600 block of County Road 2193, near Whitehouse. Initial reports are that a man and a woman had gotten into an argument. The man was said to have been holding a gun. When the woman tried to knock the gun from his hand, the weapon fired. She was taken to the hospital for treatment. Their names have not been released. The shooting remains under investigation

NACOGDOCHES (AP/STAFF) — Although the center of a tropical depression has moved into Oklahoma, a trailing band of the storm system continues to bring rain and flooding to portions of Texas. Police in Nacogdoches said that voluntary evacuations were taking place at an apartment complex along swollen Banita Creek west of Pearl Street. Also South Fredonia in the Magnolia Street area, South Pecan and South Church areas. The Nacogdoches Recreation Center at 1112 North Street has been opened as an emergency shelter for evacuees. According to the Nacogdoches Police Department, the following streets were closed as of 10:15 this morning:
West College from Pearl to the creek
* Pearl Street from Main Street to Powers
* Ellington Street from Pearl to the creek
* West California from Pearl Street to the creek
* South Pecan from Cox to the City Garage
* South Fredonia from Magnolia Street to the Creek
* West Hospital from North Street to Pearl Street
* Powers Street from Pearl to Old Tyler
* Press Road from Lake Street to Hunter Road Continue reading Flooding Still a Problem in Texas

PANOLA COUNTY — TxDOT has approved selling a section of Farm-to-Market Road 1794 between State Highway 43 and FM 959 in Panola County to Luminant, and it will be closed to traffic beginning Monday. Rick Berry owns a home off the road and is very concerned about the effects of the road closure. According to Berry, “It is really the only major route across the northern part of Panola County east-west.” Berry says meetings surrounding the closure took place in Austin, and the public had no opportunity for input. The move was approved by the Panola County Commissioners Court. TxDOT says the Texas Transportation Commission deemed the road excess property during an April meeting.

TYLER – Officials have released more details on a five-vehicle, two-fatality crash Wednesday afternoon on IH-20 in Smith County. The mishap shut down a portion of the interstate for nearly three hours, backing up traffic for miles. According to the Department of Public Safety, at troopers responded to the wreck at approximately 3:22 p.m. It occurred in the eastbound lanes near the 578 mile marker, about 7 miles east of Winona. Continue reading Details Released on Two-Fatality Crash

TYLER — Tyler city officials have scheduled an open house at which residents may provide input toward the Old Jacksonville Highway (FM 2493) Corridor Study. The open house will be held tonight from 5:30 to 7 at Lane’s Chapel United Methodist Church, located at 8720 Old Jacksonville Hwy. in Tyler. The portion of road being studied is bounded by Loop 323 in Tyler and Highway 69 in Bullard. According to a news release, the study will analyze the current conditions of traffic, travel lanes, and signals and make recommendations for upgrades as the corridor grows. Continue reading Open House for Old Jacksonville Highway Corridor Study