KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — A known Longview gang member pleaded guilty Wednesday to unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon in the 124th District Court, according to the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, the DA’s office says sentencing for Timothy Earl “Trump Money” Johnson, 31, has been reset to an unknown date. Johnson is an active member of the 300 Davis Street Gang, according to the district attorney’s office. Johnson faces two to 20 years in prison when he appears before District Judge Alfonso Charles for sentencing.

KILGORE — Two Longview men were arrested Thursday near the Kilgore College campus after police say they found them in possession of multiple controlled substances. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Timothy Cloninger and William L. Blair, both 20, were arrested about 3:30 a.m. in the 1100 block of Broadway Street, Kilgore College police said. The men share a Longview address, according to police reports. The college said neither was a student.

After stopping the two men after they departed a restaurant, an officer saw what appeared to be a marijuana cigarette inside their vehicle. Blair told him it was K2, an illegal form of synthetic marijuana, the report said. When the officer searched the vehicle, he found six types of prescription drugs in a backpack. Cloninger and Blair were each charged with six counts of possession of a dangerous drug and booked into the Gregg County Jail. Blair was being held under bonds totaling $12,000. Cloninger was being held under bonds totaling $30,000.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Three teens are arrested in Van Zandt County after a burglary gone wrong. It happened along CR 4821. Deputies tell KETK a couple of youths kicked in the door of a house but then ran away after spotting the law. The boys were caught a short time later. Deputies arrested a third teen who they believe was involved.

TYLER — The Northeast Texas Public Health District has named Dr. Kirk A. Calhoun, President, UT Health Northeast, as the 2013 winner of the W. T. “Doc” Ballard Award for Excellence in Public Health. He was recognized for his commitment to improving public health, addressing health disparities, and advocating for public health at the local, state, and national levels.

According to the health district’s announcement, For more than 30 years Dr. Calhoun has served as a physician, educator, researcher, and administrator. As President of UT Health Northeast since 2002, Dr. Calhoun understands that quality of life is directly related to the health of our population and he knows the public health importance of access to care. In an era of nationwide provider shortages, 80% of the family medicine physicians trained at UT Health Northeast remain in Texas, and the majority stay in our community. This is a testament to Dr. Calhoun’s focus on improving the health of our community through improved access to care.

The “Doc” Ballard Award is the District’s highest accolade for outstanding service contributing significantly to the enhancement of public health. Doc Ballard, a registered professional engineer for the Texas Department of Health and mentor to NET Health, was a leader in protecting the health of the public. His expertise and administrative skills ensured the environmental controls crucial to the quality and safety of public drinking water and public food service; the proper disposal of wastewater and solid waste; and the monitoring of radiation.

AUSTIN (AP) — Charter schools in Texas would have to offer the pledge of allegiance or a moment of silence each day under a bill given preliminary approval by the House. The measure overwhelmingly passed Thursday but not without friction. Republican state Representative David Simpson of Longview wanted to soften the language from asking students to “recite” the pledge to doing so “freely without coercion.”

Simpson is among the most prominent tea party members in the Legislature. He told the House that although he supports students saying the pledge, the U.S. Constitution “requires that we not compel people.” Lawmakers quickly lined up to block Simpson’s amendment. Republican Marsha Farney said her bill doesn’t compel charter-school students to say the pledge but merely gives them the opportunity.

AUSTIN (AP) — The Texas Senate has voted to place new restrictions on spending from the state’s Major Events Trust Fund, which is typically used to help stage large sports events such as car races or Super Bowls. The Senate bill would bar the state comptroller from pledging money from the fund before all program requirements are met. The bill also prevents money from being spent before the event is held. It also limits how much could be spent on structural improvements to stadiums, such as a new roof or scoreboard.

Lawmakers have been scrutinizing the fund since Comptroller Susan Combs pledged to spend $250 million to help stage the Formula One car race in Austin, which began in 2012. The bill by Greenville Republican Senator Bob Deuell now goes to the House.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin woman didn’t go easily when police tried to arrest her during a Wednesday night disturbance in the 600 block of Weaver Avenue. Officers say Marquita Shamica Higgins, 30, was the one causing the disturbance. As they started to arrest her, she is said to have assaulted several officers, who had to use a taser on her to get her under control.

Higgins is facing a variety of charges; assault on a public servant, resisting arrest and possession of a controlled substance between 1 and 4 grams. She was also said to have had some outstanding municipal warrants out on her.

HUNTSVILLE (AP) – A Texas inmate has been executed for fatally shooting one of three people he and a partner abducted during a Rusk convenience store robbery nearly 11 years ago. 29-year-old Richard Cobb received lethal injection Thursday evening for using a 20-gauge shotgun to kill Kenneth Vandever in a field where two women also were shot and one was raped. The punishment was carried out after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected a last-day appeal. Cobb’s lawyers contended a prison expert gave false testimony at Cobb’s trial in 2004 that tainted his punishment. State attorneys argued the testimony was accurate and the appeal was a meritless attempt to delay the execution. It’s the fourth execution this year in Texas. Cobb’s partner, Beunka Adams, was put to death a year ago.

TYLER — A former Tyler photographer has been arrested on child exploitation charges. Todd Fleming, 53, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 17 and charged with 24 counts of sexual exploitation of a child and one count of possession of child pornography. The offenses are said to have occurred while Fleming lived in Tyler. He now lives in McKinney.

Fleming went before U.S. Magistrate John D. Love in Tyler for his initial court appearance on Wednesday. According to the indictment, from 1999 to 2007, Fleming coerced or persuaded minors to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of photographing such conduct. The victims were said to be from 12 to 17 years of age. Federal authorities say at least 8 victims have been identified and confirmed and they may be additional victims.

KAUFMAN (AP) — Investigators are combing for evidence in a vehicle they suspect was used in the January slaying of a North Texas prosecutor. A search warrant affidavit released Wednesday says the silver 2001 Mercury Sable was found at a Dallas wrecking yard. Workers said it had been towed from a self-storage complex where Eric Williams (pictured) had a storage unit rented for him. Owners of the complex said the car was abandoned there.

The vehicle resembles one witnesses said was used in the killing of Kaufman County prosecutor Mark Hasse. He and District Attorney Mike McLelland won a theft conviction of Williams, costing Williams his justice of the peace position and law license. Williams and his wife, Kim, are charged with capital murder in the slayings of Hasse, McLelland and McLelland’s wife, Cynthia.

MARSHALL — A Marshall man who died shortly after being shocked with a stun gun by Marshall police is said to have died from phencyclidine (PCP) toxicity. That was the coroner’s ruling in the death of Marcus Dewayne Slade, 32. A Harrison County grand jury has no billed officers in the case.

The incident started on January 4th when police responded to a disturbance call near the intersection of East Houston Street and Scoggins Street in Marshall. According to a police statement, officers were confronted by an uncooperative nude black male. A struggle ensued and the man was tased. Slade was shocked and arrested and taken to the Harrison County Jail. Officials said an ambulance was called a short time later when Slade was found unresponsive. He was pronounced dead by Harrison County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Kenneth Alford. He died three days before his 33rd birthday.

LONGVIEW — Texas Department of Transportation officials Thursday announced they would keep the Martin Luther King overpass at I-20 in Longview closed until further repairs could be made to the structure. “We never gamble with the safety of the traveling public,” said TxDOT Tyler District Engineer Randy C. Hopmann, P.E. “We are in the process of initiating a contract to make the necessary repairs to re-open the structure as quickly and safely as possible.”

Local TxDOT engineers closed the overpass early Monday morning as a safety precaution after an 18-wheel truck ran off the roadway, then burned underneath the overpass. A Mississippi woman died in the wreck. Engineers from TxDOT’s Bridge Division inspected the site the following day and informed the Tyler District Thursday morning of their findings and subsequent recommendation that the overpass should remain closed pending repairs.

“This will be handled similarly to other bridge-hits we’ve had along Interstate 20 and elsewhere,” Hopmann added. “Our goal is to get this work done quickly and safely, and get the overpass re-opened to traffic as soon as possible.” There is no timeline for the work to begin, or estimate on the potential cost, but officials say plans for the repairs are already underway.

KILGORE — Kilgore officials say they have determined through investigation that a previously reported robbery at Dr. Sam Fino’s Clinic on North Henderson Boulevard on March 26 did not occur. Police say the robbery was staged by two clinic employees along with two other parties. One clinic employee, Mikela Veronica Zermeno, 21, of Longview, was arrested on April 24 for False Report to a Police Officer, a Misdemeanor. The second employee, identified as Cierra Cheri Ballard, 23, of Rusk, is still being sought by police due to an active warrant for False Report to a Police Officer. Two additional arrests are also anticipated along with additional criminal charges for theft of money from the clinic.

LONGVIEW — The Longview school district will join a nationwide group that identifies students who could become violent and tracks them throughout their education — regardless of where they move. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, LISD officials said Wednesday the district will participate in the Student Safety National Alliance starting in the 2013-14 school year. “What we are offering and introducing to you today is the Walmart for student safety and security,” said interim district Superintendent James Wilcox.

About 70 school administrators and campus police officers from 25 school districts attended a school safety conference at the district’s education safety center to learn about the alliance. Profiler Dan Korem, author of “Rage of the Random Actor,” told school officials Wednesday, “We’re here because of what happened at Sandy Hook. If we weren’t having these catastrophic acts, we wouldn’t be here.” The database will not conflict with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act because the stored information will not be open to the public, officials said.

The school safety alliance is not without its critics, though. Branden Johnson, president of the local chapter of the NAACP, said although the database could have a positive effect on campus safety, there is a huge drawback to tagging students as troublemakers as early as kindergarten. Johnson added there is nothing stopping a principal from discussing a student’s profile in the system with his or her teacher, something he said will damage the teacher/student relationship in the classroom. “This will adversely affect minority children,” he said. “But hey, if the school district thinks this will help, OK. We are dealing with elected officials. If people don’t like this, they can vote those trustees right out of office.”

JACKSONVILLE — Due to conditions which have occurred recently in the water system, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the Craft-Turney Water Supply system to notify all the customers involved in the repair area to boil their water prior to consumption. KETK reports the area included is Farm Road 747 South between County Roads 3211 (Earle’s Chapel Rd.) and 3206, including both county roads.

Officials say to ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, water system officials say they will notify customers.

TYLER — Daily commuting in Tyler these days involves more stopping than going. The city’s growth has made navigating our streets a daily battle. City Hall is aware of the driver frustration. In 2007, The Tyler 21 Steering Committee mapped out a plan, and transportation was on that list then. The group, now known as Tyler 1st, posts monthly surveys asking citizens to weigh in on what they think the city needs to improve on. City planners tell KETK they review the plan every five years.

City Engineer Peter Eng says to help alleviate some of the traffic, Tyler converted about fifty of its traffic signals to flashing yellow arrows. The city will also be adding a fifth adaptive control system, which calculates what happens at an intersection every fifteen minutes and predicts how it should adjust itself to accommodate traffic. Along with that, the city hopes work on Grande Boulevard and Toll 49 will relieve some of the congestion.

TYLER — Police are warning about scammers targeting the elderly. According to KETK, they say a Tyler man was arrested after he tried scamming a 97-year-old woman out of more than $20,000 this month. Oscar Lee Newberry, 19, reportedly drove the woman to a bank and had her withdraw $25,000 from her bank account. Authorities also say the elderly woman had already paid Newberry $7,000 to work on her house.

TYLER — A Tyler shooting is under investigation today. It happened just before 7:00 Wednesday night at the D&N Grocery in the 1000 block of West Bow Street. Witnesses report someone in a black truck drove down Bow Street and fired shots at the business. No injuries were reported, but at least one vehicle in the parking lot was hit by gunfire.

TYLER — The Texas and Southwest Cattle Raisers Association put out a crime watch recently in East Texas after nearly 20 cows were stolen from a ranch in Wood County, and many from other counties as well. According to KETK, local ranchers say that cattle criminals must be stopped. Livestock means money for ranchers in East Texas, and that’s exactly why thieves want the animals. Cattle rustling is on the rise in recent years, and officials say agencies are cracking down on the rustlers. But officials say the cows’ value means cattle theft will likely continue to go up.

TYLER — A suspect is in custody in an aggravated robbery that happened Monday in Tyler. Police say Jarome Antoine Wilson, 25, surrendered to investigators Wednesday. Police say the case remains under investigation. They continue looking for other suspects in the incident.

On Monday afternoon, shortly after 3:15, police responded to the Pinnacle at North Chase Apartments at 3651 North Broadway. Police say three black males forced their way into an apartment that was occupied by a woman and three young children. The suspects displayed a handgun while they ransacked the apartment and stole numerous electronic items. Investigators were able to identify one of the suspects as Wilson. They say he’s a known gang member who was considered armed and dangerous. His bond was set at $500,000.

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.

LUFKIN — A judge in Angelina County declares a mistrial in the murder case of a former Texas prison guard. KETK reports his decision came when jurors couldn’t reach a verdict in Timothy Malone’s trial. Malone was charged in the killing of Terry Adams but contends he shot Adams in self-defense. He’d been in jail since 2010 after being found guilty of shooting Adams’s acquaintance Joel Gresham in the leg.

BEAUMONT — Six Shelby County residents have been arrested in connection with a drug trafficking conspiracy in East Texas. A 13-count indictment was returned by a federal grand jury on Apr. 17, 2013 charging the following individuals with federal gun and drug crimes:
Lakeva Shillette Hill, a/k/a Sugar Momma, 35;
Lester Earl Pitts, 48;
Vincent Jermaine Lathan, a/k/a Reed Cartwright, 36;
Cornelius Vansharles Gray, 36;
Anthony Gene Chumbley, 46; and
Andrae Demarkqudell Pegues, a/k/a Mark, 33.

The indictment alleges that beginning in May 2010, Hill, Pitts, Lathan and Gray were involved in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana and crack cocaine in East Texas. Hill, Pitts and Gray are also charged with conspiracy to possess a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. Pitts is charged with three counts of providing a firearm to a drug trafficker and three counts of providing a firearm to a convicted felon. Hill and Chumbley are charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm. Pegues is charged with providing a false statement to a federal agent.

The defendants were arrested on April 18 and made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge Keith Giblin this week.

If convicted of the drug conspiracy charge, the defendants each face up to life in federal prison. The firearms conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison. The firearms possession charges carry a penalty of a minimum of five years in prison. For providing a firearm to a drug dealer or a convicted felon, the defendant faces up to 10 years for each charge. For being a felon in possession of a firearm, the defendants each face a minimum of 15 years in federal prison. The false statement charge has a penalty of up to 5 years in federal prison.

LUFKIN — An Angelina County man has been sentenced to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to possessing child pornography. David Smith, 69, of Lufkin was sentenced yesterday. Last May, he was sent to a psychiatric hospital for a mental health evaluation.

The investigation started in July 2011 when an employee of Best Buy reported to police they found files on a computer hard drive that was suspicious of child pornography. Investigators later found on the hard drive pornographic images of children.

TYLER — Grassroots America – We the People joins the No More Excuses, Tyler ISD! Coalition in urging voters to reject the Tyler ISD bond package on the May 11th ballot. The conservative citizen action group cites “a mountain of evidence from both national and state education rating agencies that document Tyler ISD’s poor academic results.” According to a Grassroots America news release, “This bond election is not just about buildings. It should be about setting a higher standard in our community for what the school board and administration produce with our tax dollars.”

Tyler Proud is a local group that endorses the bond proposal. According to KETK, Tyler Proud spokesman David Stein recently said, “It’s a good decision to pass the bond because it will create a better learning environment. It’s great for the kids, it’s great for the teachers, it’s great for the community, it’s just a good decision.” State Senator Kevin Eltife recently voiced his support of the bond proposal and announced that he has joined Tyler Proud.

WASHINGTON — Tyler Congressman Louie Gohmert has issued a statement following up on some earlier comments he made in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombing and the capture of a suspect.

Gohmert says, in part, “C-SPAN Washington Journal, a show that I have appeared on numerous times, asked me to appear on their program last Wednesday – just two days after the terrorist attack at the Boston Marathon. Being the Vice Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee on Crime, Terrorism and Homeland Security and a former judge, they wanted me to weigh in on homeland security issues. During the hour-long broadcast, the topic turned from terrorism to immigration. Being familiar with specific testimony on the subject, I made the comment that there are individuals with known terrorist ties, who are trained to act Hispanic in order to gain access to the United States to carry out harm.

“This truthful assertion was based on fact, but has now been grossly misconstrued and vilified for simply restating information that has been publicly disclosed by those who knew. Liberal media outlets blasted out stories condemning me with outrageous titles – labeling me a “racist” among other things. Other media which did not know the truth simply accepted such false characterization without checking to see if my comments were true. Such writers have instead even called for Senators Ted Cruz, John Cornyn and Marco Rubio, as well as Gov. Rick Perry to denounce my statements.

“During testimony before Congress, FBI Director Robert Mueller covered efforts by al Qaeda and Hizbollah to establish a presence specifically in Mexico and elsewhere in Latin America. Director Mueller confirmed during his testimony that there are individuals from countries with known al-Qa’ida connections who are changing their Islamic surnames to Hispanic-sounding names, obtaining false Hispanic identities, and pretending to be Hispanic immigrants. These were referred to as ‘special interest aliens’ and, according to the FBI director, are of ‘tremendous concern to us.’

“It is completely disingenuous to claim that my statements are erroneous, intolerant, or racist. I have made clear repeatedly that I am pro-legal immigration and that I respect Hispanic values. I particularly admire the faith, family values and work ethic that are so prominent in the Hispanic culture, especially since those were foundational values of this country. Being a nation of immigrants has contributed to our strength and identity.

“It should be clear: anyone who thinks I should be denounced for my truthful comments at issue needs to simply do a little checking. Sadly, it has become more apparent over time that the agenda of liberal blogs and left wing journalists is not to seek truth but to destroy reputations and spew lies about those with whom they disagree.”

TYLER – A Dallas County physician has made an initial appearance in Tyler federal court after being arrested and charged with health care fraud violations in an area that reportedly included parts of East Texas. Tariq Mahmood, 61, of Cedar Hill, was indicted by a federal grand jury on April 11 and charged with conspiracy to commit health care fraud and seven counts of health care fraud. Mahmood appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love.

According to the indictment, Mahmood, a general practitioner, owned and operated several hospitals in the state of Texas, including Cozby Germany Hospital in Grand Saline, Renaissance Terrell Hospital in Terrell, Central Texas Hospital in Cameron, Community General Hospital in Dilley, and Shelby Regional Medical Center in Center. From April 2010 to April 2013, Mahmood and others are alleged to have carried out a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid through the submission of false and fraudulent claims.

Mahmood and others allegedly added, changed, deleted, and incorrectly sequenced diagnostic codes in a way that did not reflect the actual diagnoses and conditions of the patients. Authorities allege that they submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicaid based on the added, changed, deleted, and incorrectly sequenced diagnostic codes. By means of fraudulent billing practices, the defendant and his co-conspirators are alleged to have unlawfully submitted false claims of more than $1.1 million and obtained more than $375,000. If convicted, Mahmood faces up to 10 years in federal prison for each charge.

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches ISD police detained two Thomas J. Rusk Academy of Fine Arts elementary students for possession of an unloaded firearm, according to officials. NISD Police Chief Doug Ploch said there was no indication either child planned to use the weapon. According to KETK, he said the students viewed having the pistol as “like more of a show and tell.” Ploch said his department believes an 11-year-old boy first brought the .22 semi-automatic pistol to school on Monday and gave it to a 12-year-old boy. The 12-year-old took the gun home and planned to return to school with it on Tuesday, according to school authorities.

Superintendent Dr. Fred Hayes commended NISD staff for its quick response to a parent’s tip. “Our staff followed the lead and made sure the weapon did not come back to campus,” Hayes said. Ploch said that a parent alerted the transportation department of the situation and that the gun was recovered from the 12-year-old on an NISD bus Tuesday morning. Both the 11- and 12-year-old have been detained, each being charged with possession of the weapon. The youth are in custody of the juvenile probation department and most likely will be taken to the Longview detention facility. Investigation into the incident continues.

Instances of weapon possession on NISD campuses are not common, the chief said. “We have seen more incidents involving toy guns,” Ploch said. “As for real firearms, we’ve only had 6 or 7 instances in the past 20 years.” He added, “This is not common, but we do take it seriously. The moment we heard about the possible existence of a firearm, we action and were able to recover it and detain those students we believe are connected to it.”

NACOGDOCHES — The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office arrested a woman after a search warrant led to the recovery of five grams of meth, two weapons, and evidence of child endangerment, according to authorities. KETK reports Felicia Hale, 30, of Nacogdoches, was arrested at the scene for possession of a controlled substance within 1000 feet of a drug free zone and child endangerment. Sheriff Jason Bridges stated the sheriff’s office had an ongoing investigation on the distribution of drugs from a house on Lake Street for the past month. During that time, deputies were able to get probable cause for a search warrant on the residence, located in Hill View Trailer Park.

Officials executed the search warrant around 10:00 a.m. Monday morning. Deputies found the suspect and a four-year-old child asleep in the back bedroom. Sheriff Bridges stated that when the two were awakened, deputies found meth underneath the child and a loaded handgun was also found in the bed near the child. Deputies recovered five grams of meth from the home, along with two loaded pistols, digital scales, plastic baggies, and other drug paraphernalia, according to officials. Hale was transported to the Nacogdoches County Jail and booked in for both felony charges. Child protective services was also notified and responded to the scene. Authorities said t he residence was located within a 1000 feet of a drug free zone.

TYLER — The Tyler Cattle Barons’ Gala has announced that this year’s Gala Headline Entertainer will be Craig Morgan. According to press materials, Morgan has fourteen top ten hits — including fan favorites “Redneck Yacht Club,” “Almost Home,” “That’s What I Love About Sunday,” and “Tough.” This year’s gala is set for June 8 at the Rio Neches Ranch. The annual event benefits the American Cancer Society. You can go to http://www.cattlebaronsgala.net/ for more information.

LONGVIEW — An East Texas airport is fined after an investigation found safety lapses. KETK reports Gregg County paid a $44,000 fine after a 19-month federal investigation at East Texas Regional Airport. The Longview News-Journal reports investigators found humps and a hole in the safety area of the airport’s 10,000-foot runway. Other issues were lapses in live fire training and an incomplete rescue and fire staff back in the summer of 2011.

Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt described the FAA’s concerns as administrative. “At no time was that airport ever considered unsafe in terms of any of the flights coming in,” he said. Airport Manager Roy Miller was hired at the end of December as part of the county’s response to FAA findings that prompted the airport to be placed on a federal watch list of airports subject to unannounced inspections.