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ANGELINA COUNTY — A Lufkin man was sentenced to 55 years in prison Tuesday afternoon for breaking into a woman’s home and raping her last April. Antonio Brumley, 22, appeared before state District Judge Barry Bryan Tuesday to answer for his actions the night of April 5, 2011. Because of a deal, in exchange for his guilty plea entered in December, the maximum amount of prison time Brumley faced was 60 years on each of two counts of aggravated sexual assault and one count of aggravated robbery.

The victim said she was awakened by a strange sound and turned on her bedside lamp to see Brumley standing in a corner. He then grabbed her and placed his hands over her nose and mouth. She said he bound her hands behind her back and raped her while beating her in the head. After the first sexual assault, he demanded money from her, and after receiving it, he raped her again. Brumley then left her home.

TYLER — Tyler police have arrested a kidnapping suspect. William Easley, 33, Flint, was arrested last night at his residence. This comes after an ordeal at a Tyler grocery store. On Monday around 4:22 p.m., Tyler Police responded to Fresh by Brookshire’s at 6991 Old Jacksonville Highway in reference to an attempted robbery that occurred in the parking lot. Police contacted a 39-year-old female victim who told police that she was exiting her vehicle when she observed a man approaching her door. The victim told police that the suspect told her that he had a gun and was forcing her back into her vehicle.

The victim immediately started to scream for help and was pushing the suspect in order to get out so her screams could be heard. Upon hearing the screams, two customers in the parking lot came running to her aid. The suspect ran from the victim’s vehicle and jumped into a blue, Grand Am vehicle and sped from the scene.

Officers located a suspect vehicle along with a suspect on S. Broadway who was identified and released pending further investigation. Tyler Detectives were able to develop information that allowed them to secure an arrest warrant for kidnapping.

Around 8:30 Tuesday night, law enforcement watching the residence of Easley observed his vehicle at the residence. He was arrested and transported to the Smith County Jail. His bond was set at $150,000.

HARRISON COUNTY — The Hallsville City Council voted 3-2 on Tuesday night to reinstate police officers terminated in December, while the officers hired to replace them are out of jobs, that’s according to the Longview News-Journal. Council members, along with Mayor Jerri Medrano and the city attorney, were in closed session from 6:15 until 9:00 last night before the vote.

Police Chief Greg Scott, Sgt. Mack Fuller and officer T.C. Livingston were terminated Dec. 28 by Medrano. The lone remaining officer, Earl Dykes, resigned in the middle of his shift that same night. Without further explanation, Medrano has said the officers were terminated for violating city policies. She had no comment Tuesday night about the council’s vote.

Since the December firings, the city hired Lukas Reynolds as chief and also hired Shane Guthrie and Paul Montoya as officers. This past week, Robert Perkins, who worked as a reserve deputy with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, was hired for the final officer position.

KILGORE — Four children were injured Tuesday afternoon after a car struck a Kilgore school bus. The Kilgore Independent School District bus was traveling southbound on U.S. 259 when it turned onto Woodlawn Street and was struck by a car, according to Kilgore Police Department Sgt. Will Dietrich. Four students in the bus and the driver of the car were transported to an area hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Dietrich said it appears the driver of the school bus made an unprotected left turn at the intersection and that the car struck the bus near its rear end. He said there were about 25 children on the bus.

TYLER – The second of two meetings this week is set for tonight as the Tyler Independent School District continues efforts to seek public feedback on the district’s long range plan. Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Randy Reid will present the proposed plan at a community meeting at 6:30 at Robert E. Lee High School’s Fine Arts Center. That follows a Tuesday gathering at John Tyler High School. “Presenting the proposed long range plan to the public is the next step in a year-long process to work with our community to update our facilities and prepare Tyler ISD for an expected 2,500 additional students by the year 2020,” Reid stated. “Our school board has worked diligently to put this plan together, and we feel it will help us accomplish our goals to support academic progress and create financial efficiencies.”

Over the past year, the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees and Tyler ISD administrators researched best practices from around the state and worked with the Tyler community to develop a plan to improve district facilities and prepare the district for the future. “The Board of Trustees greatly appreciates the community feedback we have received throughout this long range planning process,” Michelle Carr, Board President, said prior to the John Tyler session. “We hope community members will continue to show their support for our schools by attending these meetings and sharing their thoughts with us.” Dr. Reid will present the feedback received at the community meetings to the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees at their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday.

LONGVIEW — Gregg County Sheriff’s officials said Tuesday the autopsy of a 39-year-old Longview woman who was found last week on the side of Interstate 20 showed no signs of trauma. The department is waiting for toxicology reports on the woman identified as Melissa Diane Gonzales, Chief Deputy Chuck Willeford said. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, the report from the Tarrant County medical examiner might take more than a couple of months.

The body was found just before noon Wednesday on I-20 near the Estes Parkway exit after a hitchhiker discovered her body behind a concrete barrier in the westbound lane of the roadway. “We’re still following up on leads of people who might have seen her, or who might have been with her,” Willeford said. Willeford said they still were unsure of the nature of her death and couldn’t speculate natural causes, drug overdose or homicide, though he has said the situation is suspicious.

GILMER — An attorney Tuesday dropped all charges against three elected Upshur County officials. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Judges Richard Davis and Diane DeVasto signed orders dropping all cases against Upshur County Sheriff Anthony Betterton and Commissioner Lloyd Crabtree after prosecuting attorney Rick Hagan filed motions to dismiss. Hagan has also filed a motion to dismiss the final pending charge against County Judge Dean Fowler. District Attorney Billy Byrd indicted the three officials in December 2010 after a man was removed from a Commissioners Court meeting for wearing duct tape over his mouth to protest that public comment had been taken off agendas.

Hagan dropped charges of official oppression, abuse of official capacity and gift to a public servant filed against Crabtree. He dropped charges of official oppression and gift to a public servant against Betterton. He also filed a motion to dismiss a charge he brought against Fowler for violation of section 171.004 of the local government code. Davis in October found Fowler not guilty of official oppression and subsequently dropped Fowler’s charge of abuse of official capacity.

In his motions to dismiss, Hagan noted the court had found Fowler not guilty because the prosecution had failed to present enough evidence to show Fowler had a part in removing Jimmy Caughron from the courtroom. Hagan called Fowler “the most culpable of the three” and said he did not believe continued prosecution would “serve the ends of justice.”

TYLER — The United States Marshals Service Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force facilitated the arrest of Jerry Don Whatley Tuesday. Authorities say Whatley had been on the run for the last five years, and was a Van Zandt County “Most Wanted” Fugitive. Whatley was wanted for bond forfeiture/aggravated sex assault of a child since January 10, 2007. The U.S. Marshals Task Force, Tyler Division, was approached by the Canton, TX, Police Department for help with bringing Whatley to justice. The Tyler U.S. Marshals adopted this fugitive case in October 2011, and investigators began developing various leads to locate him.

This fugitive investigation was accomplished by the network of U.S. Marshals offices around the country. Marshals in Louisiana, Texas, and Florida were involved in this investigation. Over the past several months, Investigators conducted interviews and surveillance at various locations, eventually leading to Whatley’s arrest. It was determined that Whatley was actually living in two places, one in Texas and the other in Okeechobee, Florida, and traveling back and forth. To complicate things even more, authorities say, Whatley had assumed a new identity. In the last few weeks, enough information developed that placed Whatley in Okeechobee.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Marshals, Fort Pierce FL Division, located the address, and observed a vehicle with a Texas plate in the driveway. The arrest culminated with a traffic stop of this vehicle where Whatley was identified as the driver. Authorities say Whatley was found to be in possession of false identification documents. They say the false I.D. card contained his photo, but was bearing the name David Simms. Whatley was also allegedly found to be in possession of counterfeit currency. Whatley is now in custody of the Okeechobee Sheriff’s Office, where he will await extradition proceedings back to Texas. Local charges are also being filed on Whatley in Florida as a result of this arrest.

TYLER — A trip to Austin scheduled by City officials to meet with leadership from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) planned for Tuesday has been canceled as a result of the Lower Neches Valley Authority (LNVA) amending their call on water rights affecting Tyler. “We are extremely happy that the LNVA amended their call so that it no longer affects Tyler,” said Mayor Barbara Bass. “Senator (Kevin) Eltife and his staff were instrumental in assisting us with resolving this issue and we are very thankful for their strong representation at the state level.”

In November, the LNVA issued a request to the TCEQ to “call” their water rights on the Neches River. The LNVA’s water rights are senior to those of the City of Tyler and most other water rights holders on the Neches River. This call resulted in an order from the TCEQ to the City of Tyler to maintain and not exceed a specific water level in our lakes that was equal to the level present on Nov. 10, 2011. “The level of the lakes in early November was significantly lower than normal due to the very dry conditions we experienced over the summer and early fall,” said Tyler Water Utilities Managing Director Greg Morgan. “With the expectation that we will experience a dry spring and summer, we were very concerned about this directive.”

Upon learning of the TCEQ order, the City of Tyler filed a motion to overturn the director’s decision with the TCEQ and retained a water law specialist and hydrology engineer to assist with developing a case for the withdrawal of the order. A meeting was planned for Jan. 17 with the Director of the TCEQ; however, before the meeting took place the LNVA issued a request to the TCEQ to amend their call from the original 1913 and 1924 dates to a Nov. 12, 1963 priority date.

Tyler has three separate water rights; the oldest, with a priority date of 1915, is Lake Bellwood. The other two are associated with Lake Tyler/Lake Tyler East with priority dates of 1947, 1953 and 1956, for a total of 40,223.77 acre-feet per year, all designated as municipal, industrial and domestic purposes. “Because Tyler’s water rights are senior to the 1963 date the LNVA is now calling, we will no longer be affected,” added Morgan.

The authority of the TCEQ director to issue a call on water rights was provided in the last Texas State Legislative session. This was only the second time the agency had exercised this authority with the first being another recent call on the Brazos River. In that case the call was graduated, starting with junior rights and escalating as the need grew.

The City of Tyler will continue its current Mandatory Water Restrictions due to the low lake levels. “Given the diminished levels of our reservoirs, we feel it is prudent to continue with the Mandatory Water Restrictions put in place on Dec. 13,” added City Manager Mark McDaniel. “We will continue to monitor the situation closely to determine when these restrictions can be lifted.”

“Step Two” of the Drought Contingency Measures as outlined in Article X (Water Conservation/Emergency Demand Management Plan) and Article VIII of the City of Tyler Code of Ordinances call for mandatory water conservation measures to prohibit water waste. Water waste is defined as washing house windows, sidings, eaves and roof with a hose (without the use of a bucket); washing driveways, streets, curbs and gutters, washing vehicles without a cut-off valve and bucket; unattended sprinkling of landscape shrubs and grass; and filling of swimming pools.

Outdoor water usage, such as irrigation of landscaped areas, is limited to Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0,2,4,6,8) or Saturdays and Wednesdays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number (1,3,5,7,9). Additionally, irrigation should be done between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Use of hand-held hoses, watering cans and drip systems for irrigation may be done at any time. The goal of the Step Two drought measures is to reduce water consumption by 10 percent.

NOONDAY (AP/Staff) — Authorities have released the names of two Lancaster residents who were victims in a Monday boating accident on Lake Palestine. According to KETK, the woman is 55-year-old Barbara Cooper. She was last reported in fair condition at a Tyler hospital. Her husband, who died, has been identified as 58-year-old Floyd Cooper.

Firefighters from Noonday on Monday afternoon responded to a report of a capsized boat on the lake. Fisherman Paul Dowdy says he and his girlfriend noticed part of a small boat sticking out of the water. Dowdy says they then saw a woman in the water, waving for help, then located her husband nearby.

Officials say the woman was hospitalized for treatment of hypothermia. An autopsy has been ordered on the man. The National Weather Service says conditions in the area Monday afternoon included temperatures in the 60s, with wind gusts topping 20 mph.

OVERTON — The driver of a tractor trailer was transported to an area hospital this morning after his rig went off the roadway and hit a tree near Overton. Department of Public Safety said the driver, Frances Robert Valdetero, 40, was traveling westbound on FM 850 at about 5:00 when the wreck occurred about a mile west of Overton. According to the Longview News-Journal online, when the rig hit the tree, the cab separated from the rest of the rig. Valedetero was transported to Trinity Mother Frances Medical Center in Tyler.

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview couple was displaced from their home early this morning after fire department officials said the residents waited an hour to call for help. Fire Marshal Johnny Zackary said firefighters were dispatched at about 3:30 to the 2100 block of Eckman Street in connection with a residential house fire. Zackary said the couple who lived in the home reported smelling smoke an hour before flames dropped down from the attic into the living area.

Despite the delay in contacting the fire department, Zackary said the fire was contained to the attic and no one was injured. Officials are looking at the electrical system closely to determine what caused the fire. Damage was estimated around $10,000.

ANGELINA COUNTY — Crime Stoppers of Lufkin wants your help identifying the suspects in two theft investigations. Investigators have not found a connection between these crimes or suspects, but both cases involve young men stealing beer from Lufkin-area convenience stores.

The first suspect is a white male with short-cut brown hair wearing a black T-shirt with a white Young and Reckless logo on its front, blue jeans and white Adidas tennis shoes. He moved directly to the store’s beer cooler, grabbed a 30-pack of Coors Light and ran from the store. He appears to have a tattoo on his right forearm, and he fled in a light grey extended-cab Ford Ranger.

The second suspect is a white or Hispanic male wearing a black toboggan, white T-shirt, dark, hooded jacket, blue jeans and white tennis shoes. He too moved directly to a beer cooler and grabbed a 30-pack, he chose Bud Light, and headed for the door, but he stashed the beer when he saw employees watching him. Several minutes later, he picked up the stashed beer and fled the store with several other males in a black, two-door car, possibly an older Honda Civic.

You can view videos of the thefts at http://www.LufkinCrimeStoppers.com.

ANGELINA COUNTY — Bubbles floated through downtown Lufkin Monday morning, evidence of an act of criminal mischief at the Angelina County Courthouse. Although the courthouse was closed for MLK Day, motorists and nearby business employees stopped to stare at the ultimate bubble bath. So far, no suspects have been named.

DIBOLL — Diboll ISD administrators on Thursday apologized for failing to notify a parent after her son was mistakenly thought to be suicidal. As a result of a Facebook post, a high school student in Diboll was called to the counselor’s office because school officials feared he may have been a danger to himself or others. School officials told the student that they had received a phone call from someone who had seen the online post and thought it was a cause for concern. Upon talking with the student, Diboll High School principal Daniel Lopez said, it was apparent there was no threat and that the post had been misinterpreted by the person who called.

“Once we are informed of a potential danger to a student, we are required to follow up on it by law,” Lopez said. “The student involved is a great kid and a really smart young man, and after talking to him we quickly identified that he was no danger to himself or anyone else. In hindsight, it was at that time that we should have notified a parent.”

Lopez said the student was asked if he would like to call his mother, but that he declined. School officials said the failure to notify the boy’s mother was a mistake.

LONGVIEW — About a hundred people united in force, pounding the pavement of Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to celebrate the civil rights leader’s birthday. The annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day march down the street that bears his name brought into fruition the Baptist minister’s dream, as black, white and Hispanic people walked through South Longview. Sponsored by the Longview Area Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, the event began at Broughton Recreation Center and proceeded north five blocks to Mount Olive Missionary Baptist Church, where a memorial service was held.

“We come to this citywide celebration to celebrate the life and the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,” the Rev. D.J. Nelson said.

The event, as Nelson described it, brings together individuals under the umbrella of an effort “to maintain the unity that we have discovered,” as well as to find new efforts to stand behind it, united. He encouraged those in attendance to stand together as a united force to improve the city, state, nation and world.

LONGVIEW — Despite a still-recovering economy, Scott Zhorne with Premiere Management said he is charging ahead with a two-building, 30,000-square-foot warehouse/industrial center on Interstate 20 and East Loop 281 in Longview. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Zhorne said the project has one industrial tenant locked in early. Zhorne said the firm was pleased to sign a long-term lease with a strong industrial tenant expanding to the Longview area from Houston. The tenant, Forum Energy Technologies, is a worldwide energy conglomerate that operates in 32 facilities in more than 16 countries and employs 3,000 people across the globe. Sales for Forum topped $1 billion in 2011.

The company has a range of specialties, from testing and certifying frac iron and valves to offering a comprehensive field of remotely operated vehicles for energy construction on the ocean floor. Zhorne said construction is moving along on the site, and he expects Forum to take possession in May. The company expects it will employ up to 10 people at the start. Sales for the company surpassed $1 billion in 2011.

CANTON — Van Zandt County Crime Stoppers authorized a total of $9,275 in rewards for specific anonymous tips in 2011 – twice the value of the rewards offered in 2010, the organization has announced in its annual report to the public. In addition, the group authorized five separate rewards of up to $1,000 each over the course of the year to encourage tips for some still-unsolved crimes. Those additional rewards are still open and waiting for a caller to phone in the right information.

Tips received by Crime Stoppers in 2011 resulted in the arrests of 15 individuals who were wanted by police agencies and sheriff’s deputies for various violent, drug-related, or property crimes, or on active court warrants. Crime Stoppers pays out cash rewards to people who call the tip line, 903-567-STOP (567-7867), and give information anonymously that leads to an arrest.

Among the rewards that are still open and waiting for tips are three older arson fires, the destruction of a modular home along I-20 at Van in August 2010, the November 2010 home and truck arson in connection with a wave of burglaries near Canton, and the Rockin’ H Family Place Café fire in Edgewood in June 2010. There is also an open reward for information about the assault on a Canton police officer behind a shopping center on State Highway 243 in December 2010, as well as vandalism at the city park in Edom in early 2011.

For 2012, Andy Flowers, president of the Van Zandt County Crime Stoppers board, said the board continues to seek additional members, and is also looking for donations that will enable Crime Stoppers to make the public more aware of its activities and the importance of anonymous tips in helping solve crimes. In 2011, Crime Stoppers participated in various festivals and a range of other activities to raise public awareness of the tip line. More information about Crime Stoppers is available online at http://www.vanzandtcrimestoppers.org or on Facebook.

TYLER — Tyler observes Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day Monday. It all began with a 9 a.m. rally on the square that was followed by a march down Broadway and an ecumenical service at 10 at the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception. Keynote speaker for the service is Texas College President Dr. Dwight Fennell.

Monday’s downtown activities were arranged by the Tyler Together Race Relations Forum. Forum chair Steve Russell says Dr. King and other civil rights leaders worked to “lift all boats.” Russell says, “It was a rising tide that brought everyone up, and so many other things have been accomplished because of the work done in the civil rights movement.” Forum vice-chair Mary Ransom says, “I think Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., came to give everyone that’s downtrodden, hopeless, some type of hope.”

LONGVIEW — In honor of the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., The MLK Planning Committee, the City of Longview, and other community sponsors present the annual MLK Citywide Celebration with events that began Friday and continue through Monday. Under the theme “The Dream, From the Community to the World,” several events have been planned including a banquet, essay contest, art contest, jazz concert, parade, festival, humanitarian celebration, worship service, and a memorial march. You can go to http://longviewtexas.gov/news/news-releases to get details on the activities.

LONGVIEW — Longview wraps up a weekend of activities honoring Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Monday’s events began with a Table of Brotherhood Breakfast from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m. at Johnny Cace’s Seafood and Steakhouse. That was followed by the MLK March from Broughton Recreation Center to Mt. Olive Baptist Church, where a midday Memorial Service was held.

WHITEHOUSE — Smith County fire investigators believe they know what sparked a house explosion Saturday morning. According to KETK, a call went out that a home along the 800 block of Corey Drive in Whitehouse was on fire. Investigators say there were several oxygen tanks inside, which most likely were a factor in that explosion. They add that someone was asleep in the home and tried to turn on a lamp, accidentally knocking it over and breaking a light bulb — possibly igniting the explosion. Firefighters believe there were about four people inside at the time of the blast. No one was seriously hurt. Their animals, though, did not make it out alive.

TYLER — Hundreds turn out again for the 26th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day rally, march, and ecumenical service in downtown Tyler. Texas College President Dr. Dwight Fennell keynoted the service and said it’s time to move forward with Dr. King’s lessons. According to Fennell, “We should stop dreaming now and take certain actions. I think our responsibility is to have a vision of the forward needs of our nation.” This year’s events were organized by the Tyler Together Race Relations Forum.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — One person is killed in a one-vehicle accident Saturday in Van Zandt County. The DPS reports it happened around 9:30 p.m. on I-20 at the 516 mile marker. Authorities say the victim was 50-year-old Georgia resident Geral Lynn Pankey, a commercial truck driver. According to the DPS report, he was headed east driving a Freightliner Conventional towing a flatbed trailer when the vehicle traveled off the roadway and overturned. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

MARSHALL — 2012 will be a year of celebration for East Texas Baptist University in Marshall as the school marks its centennial year. Dr. Samuel “Dub” Oliver is president of the university. According to Oliver, “It’s a phenomenal opportunity, both as a university and a community and as a community, to celebrate to celebrate all that has been, God’s faithfulness, and really a celebration of all who have given so much to see the institution grow and become all it is now.” Oliver says the school will be scheduling dozens of activities and events to celebrate the milestone.

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville Mayor Kenneth Melvin says the “Clean Air Committee” has been meeting for a few months now. And after much research, the committee has proposed a city wide ordinance that would ban smoking in all public places. He says the dangers of second-hand smoke are at the heart of the committee’s findings — along with various other public health items. “Some of the communities that have already banned smoking in the facilities…their heart attack rate was down 47%” Melvin said. Melvin says they also took an online poll on the city’s website. “It was almost 50/50, but not quite 50/50…the majority wanted the ban,” Melvin said.

But Jacksonville man Virgill Davis tells KETK he is not a part of that majority — he doesn’t agree with the ban. “I don’t think that’s right ’cause people still like to smoke their cigarettes around,” Davis said. He says he’s been smoking for a long time. “I’ve had open heart surgery and got a pacemaker in there on the count of my heart’s slowed up, but otherwise, it don’t bother me, it kind of settles my nerves down and keeps me from…being so nervous,” Davis said. MeanWhile, others are just tired of breathing in the smoke, “because the people that have asthma and breathing problems — they could get sick,” said East Texan LaQuinda Simpson.

Melvin says city officials hope to discuss the proposed ban further at the next city council meeting in February. “My thought is, that this may be an issue that we need to put to the voters — much like we did the beer and wine sales,” Melvin said. The Jacksonville ban would also include e-cigarettes.

EARLE’S CHAPEL — A Sunday afternoon house fire has caused big damage in Earle’s Chapel, just off Highway 79 West, outside Jacksonville. According to KETK, fire officials say the house was owned by an elderly man and woman who had been eating lunch when the fire started. With the exception of a purse, which the woman grabbed before leaving the burning house, all of their belongings were lost in the blaze. An investigation as to how exactly the fire started is underway.

TYLER — Smith County Sheriff J. B. Smith says an inmate died early Saturday morning after she was found gasping for air in her cell. The inmate was identified as 57-year-old Sonya Armstrong. According to Sheriff Smith, Armstrong was taken to a local hospital where she was pronounced dead at 3:30 a.m. An autopsy has been ordered, and the Texas Rangers are investigating the death. Sheriff Smith also confirmed that Armstrong had a history of heart disease. She was in custody on a parole violation.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) – North Dakota’s Sen. John Hoeven is pushing the Keystone XL pipeline project to carry oil from Canada to Texas Gulf Coast refineries during the Republicans’ weekly radio and Internet address. President Barack Obama faces a Feb. 21 deadline to decide whether the pipeline is in the national interest. The GOP has been pounding him on the issue, saying it’s a question of whether he wants to create jobs and import energy from a close friend and ally, or lose jobs and see Canadian oil go to Asia. Hoeven said Saturday the $7 billion pipeline expansion will reduce the nation’s dependence on oil from the Middle East and keep down the cost of fuel for Americans. Plans call for the pipeline to pass through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma. It would also pass through East Texas, including eastern Smith County.

TYLER — In 2011, the Tyler Professional Fire Fighters Association raised $16,871.77 to assist in the fight against cancer. The Tyler Fire Fighters Cancer Awareness & Relief Effort (CARE) sold pink t-shirts and hosted two golf tournaments to raise these funds. The fire fighters are donating $7,500 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure in Tyler, $3,500 to the American Cancer Society in Tyler, and $5,871.77 to the Tyler Fire Fighter Cancer Foundation. The Tyler Professional Fire Fighters Association began their efforts in the fight against cancer four years ago to assist a brother fire fighter’s family battling cancer.

“Since our efforts began in 2008, we have encouraged fire fighters across Texas and the entire nation to get involved in this fight. In the last four years, Tyler Fire Fighters have raised and donated over $70,000 to local cancer organizations,” said Tyler Fire Captain Steve Countryman. “We plan to continue hosting Turn Tyler Pink, the CARE golf tournament and wearing pink t-shirts in October to help raise awareness of those women and families battling cancer. This terrible disease continues to terrorize our communities. Fire fighters are committed to continuing this fight until cancer is extinguished from all our lives.”

TYLER – Robert E. Lee Principal Roger McAdoo was awarded the 2011 College Readiness Award presented by the Texas ACT Council. “I am honored to have received this award,” McAdoo said. “At Robert E. Lee High School we make every effort to prepare our students for college, and we are determined to continue this pattern of educational excellence.”

The College Readiness Award recognizes Robert E. Lee for increasing its ACT scores over the past five years, while also maintaining or increasing the number of students who took the test. Approximately 10 percent of high schools across the state accomplished the same results as Robert E. Lee, according to the Texas ACT Council. “These results show that your school’s faculty and staff are providing the kind of education that makes a positive difference for all students in preparing them for college and the workforce,” said the Texas ACT Council.

Last year, more than 170 students at Robert E. Lee took the ACT test. On average, those students scored 22.6 points, beating the statewide average of 20.8 points and the national average of 21.1 points.