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MOUNT ENTERPRISE (AP) – Three Stephen F. Austin State University students have been killed and another hurt in a two-vehicle wreck in East Texas. The Department of Public Safety says both drivers survived the Rusk County accident involving an SUV and a tractor-trailer rig. An official at Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler says Kevin Garcia, 19, of Houston was in serious condition Monday. DPS says an SUV driven by Garcia was hit by a truck Saturday night while making a U-turn on Highway 315 about 3 miles south of Mount Enterprise. The trucker wasn’t hurt. The three SUV passengers died at the scene. DPS identified them as Patrick Wayne Fagan, 18, of Missouri City, Hunter Vance Buck, 23, of Bastrop and Kamilla Burgos-Carrillo, 21, of Tamaulipas, Mexico.

TYLER — A Tyler man is arrested on a variety of charges, including burglary. The arrest came after a call from a person reported seeing a man walking down the street carrying a window air conditioner. The call came in just before 3:00 Sunday afternoon in the vicinity of Tenneha and Nutbush. Arriving officers were told by others that the man had been observed knocking on doors and trying to open windows. One witness said that he had observed this subject enter a home by removing the air conditioner and then climbing in through the opening.

Officers went to this residence and were not able to get anyone to answer the door but heard noise inside. They believed that the suspect was hiding in this residence. Officers then saw the man looking at them through the window. The suspect refused to come out and ran from the house. One citizen attempted to tackle the suspect but was unable to stop him.

When the suspect ran into a wooded area, officers formed a perimeter. The suspect emerged from the woods and continued running but was taken into custody in the area of Bois D’arc and Martin Luther King. The suspect was identified as Artavious Travon Harris, 20, of Tyler. he was found to already have a warrant for his arrest from the Tyler Police Department for Burglary of a Habitation. While on scene Harris confessed that he had in fact unlawfully entered the residence at 1909 Tenneha to burglarize it.

Harris was transported to the Smith County Jail and booked in for the arrest warrant charge of Burglary of a Habitation. In addition, Harris was charged on-sight for another count of burglary of a habitation, evading arrest, and fail to identify as a fugitive.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

RUSK COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation contract crews Monday began approximately one week of mill-and-inlay operations on the Henderson Square, marking the beginning of the final phase of the signal upgrade project begun last year. Crews are scheduled to remove the old pavement in the work area, replace it with fresh hot mix this week, weather-permitting, then stripe the area early next week before activating the new traffic signals.

“This is a lot of work in a tight space,” said TxDOT spokesman Larry Krantz. “We’re strongly recommending that motorists use their knowledge of the area to seek alternate routes to bypass the square this week if their intended destination is not on the square.” In addition to providing a brand-new driving surface, the pavement-repair work obliterates the old roadway striping that would not have been compatible with the new signals. “The new signals are generations ahead of the old signals,” Krantz said. “They’ll be hooked into a larger signal network that will be more responsive to motorists using the intersection and traveling throughout Henderson. As a project, this one was long overdue, and we appreciate the patience the people of Henderson have shown during this process.”

Also this week in Rusk County, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to continue edge work on U.S. Highway 259 between the south end of the Kilgore Bypass and Farm Road 850. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zones.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation contract crews this week are scheduled to perform mill-and-inlay operations on State Highway 19 in Canton between Interstate Highway 20 and State Highway 64. The work should last most of the week, weather permitting. Once that work is complete, the crew is scheduled to move to perform the same work at the IH 20/SH 64 interchange west of Canton.

Elsewhere in Van Zandt County, TxDOT maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue mill-and-inlay operations on U.S. Highway 80 in and around Grand Saline and begin resurfacing operations in various locations on Farm Road 16 in and around Van late next week. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

ALTO – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to make base and pavement repairs in various locations on State Highway 21 between Alto and the Nacogdoches County Line. Once that work is complete, crews are scheduled to perform the same work on State Highway 110 north of New Summerfield. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

Also of note in Cherokee County, right-of-way acquisition for the expansion of U.S. Highway 69 in Wells is scheduled to begin this fall after the Texas Transportation Commission recently voted to allocate $4 million for that purpose. The actual construction is still unfunded, but the project remains a priority of the Tyler District and the department as a whole insofar as it would eliminate a proven bottleneck on a major hurricane evacuation route.

ANDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews have scheduled resurfacing operations Monday and Tuesday of this week in various locations on Farm Road 1990, between U.S. Highway 79 south of Palestine and State Highway 294. Once that work is complete, the crew is scheduled to perform the same work on Farm Road 1137 east of Palestine. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

SMITH COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue base and pavement repairs on Farm Road 2661 between the railroad crossing south of State Highway 31 and Big Eddy Road. A second crew is scheduled to perform spot-resurfacing operations on Farm Road 2710 east of Lindale between Farm Road 16 and Farm Road 14. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to make pavement and edge repairs in various locations on Farm Road 779 northwest of Mineola. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

HENDERSON COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to conclude several weeks of pavement-repair operations on U.S. Highway 175 between SE Loop 7 in Athens and Farm Road 804. The work is being done in preparation for a seal coat application later this summer. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

PALESTINE — Early Sunday morning, Palestine Police were called for a disturbance at Club Tangeria on the 200 block of Saltworks Road. Police were called after a report of a man being shot at this location. Police and EMS arrived on the scene and found the victim on the ground in front of the club. Information from witnesses said that the victim had been sitting in a car in front of the club at the time of the shooting. Witnesses also said that a midsize car drove by and three to four shots rang out. The victim was hit in the arm and abdominal area. They were taken to a local hospital. As of 9 a.m. the victim is now in stable condition. The victim who has not been named at this time is from the Fort Worth area.

Police have spoken with several witnesses to the incident and will be following up on several leads concerning the matter. “There are other people that we will be looking to speak with over the next few days,” said Sgt. James Muniz. The investigation is going at this time. There has been no arrests. Detectives from the Palestine Police Department will be looking to talk with one person of interest as early as this afternoon. Police are asking if there are anymore witnesses with any information to call James Muniz at 903-731-8477 or Crime Stoppers at 903-729-TIPS (8477).

EAST TEXAS — East Texas U.S. Marshals are seeking a Tennessee fugitive who may have Aryan Brotherhood connections. David Gordon Jenkins, 46, was indicted by a grand jury in Franklin County, Tennessee for his participation in the beating death of Corey Matthews.

Three other defendants in the indictment have been arrested, but Jenkins is a fugitive regarding these charges from Tennessee. The US Marshals request assistance from the public to locate this man. He was last seen in East Texas. He has connections in the Texarkana and Newton, Texas areas. The suspect also has connections with both the Aryan Nation and Aryan Brotherhood which are white supremacist groups. Jenkins is on the Tennessee 10 Most Wanted List of the Tennessee Bureau of Investigations. There is a reward being offered from TBI and the US Marshals for information leading to the arrest of the fugitive.

Anyone in East Texas with any information on Jenkins is urged to call your local US Marshals at 903-590-1370, Crimestoppers at 903-597-2833, or Deputy U.S. Marshal Jason Ladd at 423-421-0248.

LONGVIEW — Three Longview residents were arrested Thursday after police said they found methamphetamine, cocaine, marijuana and weapons inside a home in the 400 block of Gayle Street. According to the Longview News-Journal, Stasha Arianna Benfield, 38, Amos Edward Simmons, 34, and James Timothy Peery, 37, were arrested after agents with the Drug Enforcement Agency, the County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit and the Longview Swat Team executed a search warrant at the house.

Benfield (pictured) was arrested on suspicion of two counts of possession of between one and four grams of a controlled substance and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. She was held Friday in the Gregg County Jail on more than $20,000 in bonds.

Simmons was also arrested on charges of possession of between one and four grams of a controlled substance and possession of less than two ounces of marijuana. He was held Friday in the Gregg County Jail on three bonds totaling $20,500.

Peery was arrested on charges of possession of between one and four grams of a controlled substance, possession of less than two ounces of marijuana and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. He was held Friday in the Gregg County Jail on bonds totaling more than $30,000.

AUSTIN (AP) — The Texas House has overwhelmingly approved a bipartisan measure removing sales tax when consumers purchase gold coins and other small quantities of precious metals. The bill would exempt from sales tax the purchase of up to $1,000 in metal coins. It was authored by Rep. David Simpson, a tea party Republican from Longview. Many lawmakers signed on as co-sponsors, saying it would make it easier for low-income Texans to bolster their savings with some precious metals. It passed overwhelmingly with a simple voice vote Saturday.

The measure is expected to cost the state at least $375,000 through fiscal year 2015. But 21 other states already have no sales tax on gold and silver coins. It must clear a final, procedural hurdle in the House before heading to the state Senate.

LONGVIEW — A district judge in Longview handed a 20-month sentence to a man who pleaded guilty to cruelly tying a dog that became the focus of regional attention two summers ago. According to KETK, while sentencing Jeremy Morgan Evans, 24, Judge Alfonso Charles called photo evidence of the dog’s injuries “sickening.” Charles also said Evans’ ex-girlfriend, who lived alone for a week at the Kilgore house where Evans tied the recently adopted dog, also bore responsibility for injuries to Honey Bee. Rescue of the terrier/Chihuahua mix from a Kilgore backyard sparked a Facebook page that attracted donations from as far away as Japan.

SMITH COUNTY — David and Sabrina Kimbley(pictured) were back in a Smith County courtroom on Friday. According to KETK, they made their appearance in the 241st District Court for a pretrial hearing presided by Judge Jack Skeen. Judge Skeen set their trial date for Monday, June 3rd. The Kimbley’s were arrested and indicted on 13 counts of child endangerment last year. The five Kimbley children were removed from the Kimbley’s care following the death of two year old Jacob Kimbley in August of 2012. In February, the Kimbleys appeared for a routine status hearing on their custody case.

Officials with Child Protective Services cited “neglectful supervision” of so many children, which resulted in Jacob Kimbley’s death, as the reason for the indictment. Earlier reports said Jacob went missing during a game of hide-and-seek and was later found in a septic tank after an extensive search.

The Kimbleys’ five remaining children have been in foster care since the incident, and will stay in foster care during the course of the hearings. KETK has been told that the children are doing fine, and are undergoing medical check ups. The Kimbleys will not be allowed to visit their children.

TYLER — A Tyler ISD school bus carrying 8 students was involved in a minor accident Friday afternoon. KETK reports a vehicle ran a stop sign and struck the bus. Police officers made arrangements to take the children home. Nobody was injured in the accident.

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department and the Muscular Dystrophy Association partner in the fight against neuromuscular diseases during the annual Fill the Boot campaign. Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass, Tyler City officials, MDA staff and special guests began this year’s campaign Friday with a media kick-off at Tyler Fire Station 10, at 2502 Old Omen. Tyler Today is the final day to fill the boots at Wal-Mart on Troup, Wal-Mart on Hwy 64, and the parking lot of Lowe’s from 10am-6pm to benefit the Muscular Dystrophy Association. Last year Tyler firefighters raised over $20,000 through their Fill the Boot efforts. Tyler firefighters have been participating in Fill the Boot for several years and have raised over $116,000 in the past eleven years. Firefighters are the largest national sponsor for MDA.

TYLER — Supporters gathered Thursday evening for the kickoff of the Tyler Cattle Barons’ Gala. The kickoff event was hosted by Cavender’s Boot City, which donated a portion of the proceeds to the gala’s beneficiary, the American Cancer Society. “This kickoff party is a great way to get your Cattle Barons’ Gala ‘Rigs to Riches’ outfit, all while shopping for a cause,” said Trudy Williams, Cattle Barons’ Co-Chair. There were also gala tickets on sale at the kickoff. The Cattle Barons’ Gala will be held June 8th at the Rio Neches Ranch. Go to http://www.cattlebaronsgala.net/ for more information.

CARTHAGE — A special-appointed judge ruled Thursday that embattled Panola County Sheriff Ron Clinton will be suspended with pay. During a hearing in Carthage, Judge Diane DeVasto ordered the county to continue paying Clinton, said defense attorney David Moore. “The state had asked he be suspended without pay,” Moore said, according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. The judge gave the defense until May 14 to respond to a petition filed Tuesday by Panola County District Attorney Danny “Buck” Davidson for Clinton’s removal from office, Moore said. Another hearing has been set for May 16. DeVasto appointed Panola County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Kevin Lake as interim sheriff, Moore said.

DeVasto, a former justice on the 12th Court of Appeals, was appointed to preside over the case, and members of the Smith County district attorney’s office are prosecuting it. Davidson and 123rd District Court Judge Charles “Brick” Dickerson recused themselves from the case.

Clinton was arrested Feb. 28 by Texas Rangers and FBI agents on charges of tampering with a government record, abuse of official capacity and theft by a public servant. The charges stem from what prosecutors allege were Clinton’s failure to repay a travel advance and a scheme to use county money to repay it, which involved instructing an informant to lie. After the hearing Thursday, Moore said, “We still maintain we are innocent. We have not been indicted. We understand there is a grand jury in place in Carthage. Hopefully we’ll have an opportunity to address the grand jury ourselves. We hope that would be a two-way street.”

KILGORE — A murder-suicide appears to have been prevented by Kilgore police. It began just after 4:30 Thursday afternoon when officers responded to a suspicious vehicle and welfare concern in the 500 block of Gladewater Street.

According to a news release from the Kilgore Police Department, Officers found William Lawson, 50 and his father, Robert Emmett Lawson, 76, both of Kilgore. The men were inside the cab of a pickup. Officers detected the strong odor of propane and on the windows were signs that said “Danger Propane.”

Officers say William Lawson threatened to ignite the propane. As the windows started fogging up, with the help of the Kilgore Fire Department, officers were able to get inside the truck where they saw William Lawson attempting to strangle his father. Inside the truck they found a propane tank.

Both men were taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Kilgore for treatment. Robert Lawson, who was said to be in critical condition, transferred to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview. William Lawson is currently being detained by police and will be charged with Attempted Murder.

LONGVIEW — The new dean of the School of Business at LeTourneau University in Longview is Dr. Bruce A. Bowman. He starts his new duties July 1st.

Bowman has five years’ experience as an academic dean as well as collegiate teaching experience and skills in business and management. He comes to LETU from his role as dean of the Division of Science, Technology & Business at the Alexandria Campus of the Northern Virginia Community College. Previously, Dr. Bowman served as dean of the David Crawford School of Engineering at Norwich University and held senior corporate positions in the defense industry after retiring from the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant Colonel.

Bowman served in a variety of Army assignments, including as a division chief for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon and as an assistant professor at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in New York. He is a graduate of the Army’s elite Special Forces Qualification Program, Command & General Staff College, and Airborne School.

Following his service in the U. S. Army, Bowman held senior business positions at PricewaterhouseCoopers Management Consulting, SAIC, and the Johns Hopkins University’s Applied Physics Laboratory. Additionally, he served as a board member of Vermont’s Technology Council and a member of Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s Advisory Board for Electrical & Computer Engineering.

Bowman earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Indiana University, a Master of Science degree in Operations Research from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology and a doctorate in civil engineering from Columbia University. He is the retired founding executive director of the ACE Mentor Program of the Greater Washington Metro Area, Inc., a successful non-profit corporation that mentors and provides career guidance in architecture, construction management, and engineering to high school youths.

TYLER — Tyler Water Utilities will be repairing a water main in the 100 Block of WSW Loop 323 in front of the Walgreens store. The outside, northbound lane of Loop 323 will be closed between 6:00am and 8:00pm Saturday. This area is just south of the intersection of West Erwin (Highway 64 West) and Loop 323 WSW. Persons living or working in this area may want to use alternate routes. Limited access to local businesses will be available.

KILGORE — One person was killed and three injured in a Kilgore accident. KETK reports it happened just after 6:00 yesterday morning at the intersection of State Highway 42 and Farm Road 1252. Kilgore Police say a truck was traveling south on Highway 42 and collided with a car heading west on FM 1252. In addition to the driver, there were also two passengers in the car. They were all taken to a Longview hospital, where one of the passengers was pronounced dead. The person’s name has not yet been released. The driver and additional passenger of the car were also taken to the hospital, along with the driver, and sole occupant, of the truck. Authorities are still investigating the accident.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man could be paralyzed after being hit by a car police said was driven by his wife. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Chelsea Conner Allen, 44, was booked into the Gregg County Jail in connection with the assault after police on Wednesday found her husband dragging himself across the pavement at the American Dream Inn in the 200 block of East Marshall Avenue. The victim told police he and Allen had been married for four years, according to police reports. He was transported to Longview Regional Medical Center, where medical staff said his lower body was not responding and that he may be paralyzed, reports showed. Allen is being held in the Gregg County Jail under a $50,000 bond.

HALLSVILLE — More than 20 teens were given citations for possessing or drinking alcohol after authorities responded Sunday to a call about a pasture party in Hallsville. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report that Jay Webb, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office spokesman, said 22 citations were issued shortly before 1 a.m. Sunday. That happened after someone called dispatch complaining about a loud party in the 2000 block of Country Club Road. Sheriff’s deputies and officers with the Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the call and found about 65 teenagers having a party. Most of the teens who were at the party live in Hallsville, Webb said.

After speaking with teenagers and administering breath tests, the officers determined some of the teens were in possession of alcohol while others were intoxicated, Webb said. The teenagers were released to their parents. No charges were filed for trespassing. The pasture’s owners lived nearby but were unaware of the party, Webb said.

TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in the recent theft of almost $10,000 worth of diesel fuel and other items from three locations in South Tyler and Southern Smith County.

During the overnight hours of April 22-23, a male suspect was caught on security video at Trendsetter Recycling, at 15580 CR 164, where some 250 gallons of diesel fuel was taken. The same man is suspected of burglarizing Compton Roll Off, at 15692 FM 2493, where about 30 gallons of diesel fuel was taken and a company truck was broken into and tools were stolen. A third location was also robbed and is being investigated by the Tyler Police Department.

Anyone with information on the identity of the suspect or the burglaries is asked to call Sheriff’s Detective Aaron Hinton at 903-590-2698.

TYLER — Authorities have made more progress in a four-month fraud investigation conducted by investigators of the Tyler Police Department, the FBI, and other county and local police agencies. Police announced Thursday that only five suspects of the original 21 are still sought: Demarcus Osborn, 23; Kachada Webb, 23; Lashundra Harris, 21; and Roderick Taylor II, 24, all of Tyler; and Tevin King, 19, of San Antonio.

Investigators were contacted since January by 45 victims who stated that their identity was fraudulently used stemming back to 2012. Authorities say the suspects were going online and obtaining multiple loans, using the victims’ identities, and having the funds transferred into the suspects’ bank accounts that they had set up. The victims were not aware of the fictitious loans in their names until they were contacted by the loan company for default of payment.

Anyone with information about the suspects involved in this crime is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to arrests and charges filed against the suspects in this case or any felony case.

LONGVIEW — The complainant in a civil rights investigation of Longview ISD sports said Wednesday the district has asked the U.S. Department of Education for an early resolution. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report the district’s athletic program became the focus of a Title IX probe in February after a former girls soccer coach complained to the education department’s Office on Civil Rights. Title IX of the U.S. education code seeks to ensure boys and girls receive equal treatment in the classroom and on the field.

Chris Yoder, a teacher at Longview High School who resigned last summer as girls soccer coach, said Wednesday the civil rights office told him Tuesday the district had asked for early resolution. The district declined through its spokesman to comment on any aspect of the federal probe. The civil rights office Case Processing Manual says the Early Complaint Resolution requires both parties to “work constructively toward a mutually acceptable resolution.” “It’s not resolved,” Yoder said. “We’ve taken another step, and we’re closer.”

Department of Education spokesman Jim Bradshaw said in an email Wednesday he could not disclose much about the ongoing case. “About all we can tell you is that the case remains under investigation,” Bradshaw wrote the News-Journal. “We don’t discuss the details of our civil rights probes. That includes communications between the school district and OCR.”

GLADEWATER — A Gladewater man was arrested this week on a warrant accusing him of stalking his wife. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. The arrest warrant filed in Gregg County Court at Law No. 1 accuses Lanny Dale Hill, 47, of going to his estranged wife’s home and repeatedly hitting the door while yelling obscenities at her. On March 19, Shannon Hill called Gladewater police to report Lanny Hill was at her home in violation of a temporary restraining order issued as part of the couple’s divorce, according to the warrant. Gladewater police issued a criminal trespass card against Lanny Hill, according to the warrant. The warrant details other incidents on April 16 and 17.

On April 19, Lanny Hill allegedly broke a window in Shannon Hill’s car. When he was stopped by police for reckless driving later, officers said they found a claw hammer and broken glass inside the vehicle, according to the warrant. On April 26, Gladewater police arrested Lanny Hill for violating the temporary restraining order by being on Shannon Hill’s property. He was being held in the Gregg County Jail on bonds totaling $27,500 on charges of criminal mischief, criminal trespass and stalking.

TYLER — A job fair Wednesday for hundreds of folks in the oil and gas industry never happened. KETK reports it was scheduled in Tyler at Workforce Solutions East Texas. The flyer advertised some 20 companies would be on hand with jobs, courtesy of Northeast Texas Oil Field Alliance. But when job seekers showed up, no one was there. Workforce staffers say they’re unsure how the event was promoted, and that the recruiter was not cleared to do the job fair. Staffers say they did what they could to make sure job seekers were taken care of. We’re told Northeast Texas Oil Field Alliance will not be asked back to Workforce Solutions again.

TYLER — Hundreds turn out for the Mayor’s Prayer Breakfast in Tyler, part of the National Day or Prayer. Mayor Barbara Bass said the focus this year was on our future, and that the people who prayed were young people, who are the future. According to the mayor, “We know that if we don’t ground our children in our faith, that our future is gone.” Bass also reminded attendees that they are part of a community. She told them, “If you are a person of faith, you need to be living that faith by helping everyone around you.” The event was held at Harvey Convention Center.

Elsewhere, the Smith County Courthouse Square there were people praying from 9:00am to 9:00pm. Each hour a different church or group headed the prayer, worship and Scripture readings.

AUSTIN (AP/Staff) – An East Texan offered his thoughts as the Texas House approved allowing parents to opt-out of participating in a state immunization registry, rather than the current system allowing them to opt-in. The bill drew bipartisan support and passed 92 to 55 on Wednesday. It was strongly opposed by tea party-backed representatives. The information collected is only accessible to doctors. But critics worried what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands. Its sponsor, Austin Democratic Rep. Donna Howard, noted that vaccinations have stopped diseases that used to be pandemics. She asked critics, “What are you afraid would happen to the records?” Longview Republican Rep. David Simpson said a default opt-in would make the registry grow larger and could lead to the harassment of participants. He asked, “Should parents take care of children or should the state?”

MARSHALL — Some tense moments for authorities in Marshall after a suspicious pressure cooker type device was found near a dumpster outside a local gas station. Fire Chief Kenneth “Buzz” Snyder said authorities wanted to proceed “from a cautious standpoint,” so they “called the professionals who had the equipment and the training” to “come in, check it out, and make sure it wasn’t a hazardous device.” Snyder said a month ago, they never would have called the bomb squad in this situation, but the Boston Marathon bombing has changed that. The pressure cooker was found to contain only old, burned cooking grease.

LONGVIEW — A Longview woman has been arrested after police say she assaulted another woman with a hammer and staple gun in the 400 block of Johnson Street. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Staci Murry, 49, allegedly told the woman she was going to hit her with a hammer. The victim told police Murry swung the hammer at her twice but missed, forcing the victim to take shelter inside her apartment, according to police reports. Murry was able to open the door, at which time she hit the victim in the eye with a staple gun, according to authorities. Police say the two women began fighting and had to be pulled apart by neighbors. Murry is being held in the Gregg County Jail on $15,000 bond charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

LONGVIEW — Longview police are upbeat about Saturday’s Drug Take-Back Day. Longview Police and Louis Morgan Drugs teamed up to participate in the DEA’s Drug Take-Back Program. Local citizens turned in approximately 205 pounds of expired and unused medications for proper disposal. By properly disposing of these medications, police say citizens are making sure these drugs don’t fall into the wrong hands. The Longview Police Department was just one of the many law enforcement agencies across the nation to participate in this program. Last September, local citizens turned in over 339 pounds during the last Drug Take-Back event. According to PAR Officer James Bray, he hopes the decrease in the amount this time means that more people are becoming aware of the program. You can visit http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html for more information on this program.

WHITEHOUSE — There’s only one proposition on the May ballot for Whitehouse voters. KETK reports it would allow beer and wine to be sold in grocery and convenience stores. In 2010, it was voted down. this time around, though, the idea appears to be gaining momentum. At least one supporter says, “I’m concerned about the growth in our city, where all the surrounding cities sales tax is going up and where ours in going into the negative.” An opponent says, “We would like to keep it, the community, as friendly a place for family and kids as we can.”