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TYLER — The annual Texans Against Crime night out event took place yesterday from noon to 10:00. Celebrations were held throughout the City of Tyler at local businesses and neighborhood block parties. Tyler Police Department announced the highest record of Block Parties, 163, registered for this year’s event. The Texans Against Crime program is an annual event designed to unite neighbors and communities to encourage neighborhood communication, community involvement and crime prevention to create safer neighborhoods. The program encourages neighborhoods to host block parties as an opportunity to get to know your neighbor and fight crime.

TYLER — Tyler Police Officer, Justin Utley, seen on the left in the photo, has won his third consecutive Texas State Rifle Association Championship in the service rifle category. He won it during the competition held at Camp Swift in Bastrop, TX.

Utley competed using an AR-15 with iron sights at several different distances, varying firing speeds, alternating standing or sitting and magazine changes. Out of a possible 800 top score, Utley received 782 points to take the win. The trophy he received is named in honor of his late mentor, well known shooter, match director and gunsmith, Richard P. Crawford, on the right in the photo.

Utley said, “this was a very special win for me because Rick had mentored me since I first started when I was 14. Rick taught me almost everything I know about the sport, and he coached me to where I am today.” On June 1, 2011, Crawford passed away from a sudden heart attack.

LONGVIEW – Longview is changing the date for the yearly AlleyFest. “AlleyFest – A Real East Texas Celebration of the Arts,” will be held in downtown Longview next year on the second weekend in May, May 11th through 13th. There will be live music, demonstrations, kids’ activities, and of course exhibits filled with all types of art work from pottery, jewelry, paintings to metal work.

Kelly Hall, President of the Longview Chamber said moving the date from the first weekend of June was not taken lightly. For the last four years we’ve experienced hotter than normal weather and it greatly impacted our daytime attendance. Combine that with the sluggish economy since 2008 and exhibitors found it very challenging to move their products and services. At the conclusion of the 2011 AlleyFest Director Elaine Reynolds surveyed exhibitors from the past 5 years to see if they would like to see the date changed to May and if the date change took place which weekend would work best with their festival schedule. Elaine did not stop there reported Hall. She also surveyed suppliers and volunteers and reviewed the festival schedule within a 100 mile radius to ensure AlleyFest would remain the signature event for East Texas!

Volunteers are also excited about the date change because of the new doors it will open for the event. They have always wanted to engage area schools and bring art related programming, competitions, etc. for the students and now they can.

KILGORE — Former Rangerette, Taylor Greer, will be featured this weekend on the national television series, “The Real Winning Edge.” The show is broadcast on FOX stations all over the country.

Taylor, who was a Rangerette from 2009-11, is being featured on the show because of her unique story about trying out and making the world-famous Rangerettes despite being hearing impaired. Greer, originally from Garland, was born with limited hearing abilities that completely faded away by the age of 12. She now depends on an internal device called a cochlear implant to hear.

Greer was filmed last spring in Kilgore for a segment on the television series which features high school and college age individuals who have overcome numerous obstacles to achieve success.

The 30-minute show is scheduled to air this weekend in the East Texas area on KDFW at 10:00am on Saturday and KLPN at 8:00am Sunday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton says she has “no reason to believe” that the State Department is biased in favor of a Canadian company’s plan to build a massive oil pipeline from western Canada to the Gulf Coast, as some critics charge. The pipeline route would go through eastern Smith County.

In an interview Tuesday with The Associated Press, Clinton said a decision on the $7 billion Keystone XL pipeline will be fair and based on years of work by numerous government agencies.

Clinton dismissed allegations by environmental groups that her decision is tainted by a past relationship with a TransCanada executive who served as an aide in her 2008 presidential campaign. Emails show friendly exchanges between a State official and TransCanada executive Paul Elliot.

The pipeline would travel through Montana, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

BULLARD (Staff/AP) — Former Arkansas Governor and former presidential contender Mike Huckabee weighs in on the “Fast and Furious” controversy during a visit to East Texas. Huckabee was in Bullard this week for Founder’s Day at the Brook Hill School. He tells KETK that Attorney General Eric Holder has some explaining to do. Huckabee commented, “How can he be the attorney general and not know of that many guns being in the hands of Mexican drug cartel(s) that ended up being responsible for killing an American border agent? That’s just absurd.” Huckabee says Holder either is incompetent or is just not telling the truth.

The Associated Press is reporting is reporting a subpoena heading to Holder’s desk having to do with the failed gun running operation. In 2009, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives allowed go-betweens for drug cartels to buy thousands of weapons from border state gun shops — and they lost track of about 2,000 of those guns. Some of the guns have turned up at crime scenes in Mexico, and a number are tied to Americans’ deaths.

HOUSTON (AP/Staff) – The U.S. Supreme Court has turned down the appeals of two inmates on Texas death row, including one from East Texas. Justices have declined to review the case of Beunka Adams. He was sentenced to die for fatally shooting a disabled man, Kenneth Vandever, in 2002 during a convenience store robbery in Rusk. Two women working at the store were abducted and shot. One was raped. The justices also decided not review the case of Felix Rocha, who was convicted of fatally shooting a security guard in Houston.

AUSTIN (AP) – Seven Texas school districts, including two in East Texas, have filed the first lawsuit against the state since lawmakers slashed $4 billion in public school funding over the summer. A coalition representing at least 150 school districts announced Tuesday that the lawsuit had been filed in Travis County. It asks the court to declare that the state’s school finance system violates the Texas Constitution. The lawsuit has been brewing for months. Facing a $27 billion state budget shortfall, the Republican-controlled Legislature in June approved the first decrease in per-student spending in Texas since World War II. The school districts selected to file the suit were Hillsboro, Hutto, Nacogdoches, Pflugerville, San Antonio, Taylor, and Van. Among the defendants named in the suit is Texas Education Agency Commissioner Robert Scott.

LUFKIN — Lufkin police officers were dispatched to 216 South Timberland Dr. in response to a motor vehicle accident involving a pedestrian shortly after midnight Saturday morning. A witness at the scene reported seeing the suspect’s vehicle driving recklessly and weaving through traffic on Timberland Drive at a high rate of speed prior to the accident. The witness reported that the suspect’s vehicle then turned sharply, traveling fast, into the restaurant parking lot and struck a pedestrian riding a bicycle through the parking lot entrance.

The driver, identified as Martin Ramirez Jr., 20, of Lufkin, was detained. The on-scene investigation with Ramirez revealed evidence of intoxication, and examination of the damage to the vehicle that Ramirez Jr. was driving matched evidence found at the accident scene. The victim, Rhonda Elizondo, 18, of Lufkin, was transported by ambulance to Memorial Hospital for treatment. Ramirez was transported to the Angelina County Jail and booked in for driving while intoxicated and for failure to stop at an accident involving injury, according to Lufkin Police reports.

TYLER — Troup Highway and Loop 323 in Tyler is a hot spot for growth right now, according to officials. A Corner Bakery and a Toppings Yogurt Shop are set to open soon in addition to Cheng’s China Bistro, which is set to open in December, according to it’s owner. KETK spoke with Robert Owen, the local franchisee for Corner Bakery and Topping Yogurt about the reason behind the new openings. He said, “People eat out in Tyler. It’s about the only business that’s growing here lately. In the last six months everything new that’s been built has been restaurants.” Officials say the three restaurants should bring in about 100 new jobs.

AUSTIN (AP) – Workers in 23 Texas counties who lost their jobs due to wildfires have the opportunity to apply for job assistance. The Texas Workforce Commission on Monday announced an expanded presidential disaster declaration includes unemployment help for Navarro County. Anderson, Bastrop, Caldwell, Cass, Colorado, Fayette, Henderson, Hill, Gregg, Grimes, Harrison, Houston, Leon, Marion, Montgomery, Rusk, Smith, Travis, Upshur, Walker, Waller and Williamson counties previously were approved for unemployment assistance. The deadline to seek employment help in Navarro County is Nov. 9. Various October deadlines apply for the other 22 counties. The Texas Forest Service says more than 2,800 homes have been destroyed since the wildfire season began last November.

TYLER – One person is in custody in connection with the robbery of a woman in the parking lot of the Super One foods store at 1105 East Gentry. It happened shortly after 4:15 Monday afternoon. A woman tells officers she had finished shopping and was putting her small children in their car seats in the back seat of her car a man got in the back seat and grabbed her by the throat. She fought of the man, identified as Donny Quang Ngo, 35, of Tyler, and jumped out of the car.

She says Ngo got out of the car and started assaulting her. He then got into the front seat of the car, which she thought he was going to steal the vehicle with her children inside. Instead, he grabbed her purse, which had been sitting on the front seat and jumped from the car.

Her screams had alerted store employees and other customers who chased Ngo to the highway in front of the store where they tacked him and held him till officers arrived. The victim did not require medical attention. Ngo was transported to East Texas Medical Center where he was treated and released for minor injuries. Ngo was then booked into the Smith County jail for robbery and released.

JACKSONVILLE – Cherokee County authorities are looking for two men who robbed a store west of Jacksonville. The robbery occurred Sunday night around 7:15 at the Corner Store at the intersection of Farm Road 747 and County Road 3113. After taking nearly $2,000 from the store the men, one armed with a handgun and the other armed with a small calibre rifle, fled the store.

Employees say the men were covered in black, including gloves and ski masks. One was a white male in his early 20s, between 5’8” and 5’10” and weighing between 160 and 180 pounds. The second suspect was a black male in his early 20s, between 5’8” and 5’10” and weighing between 130 and 150 pounds.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – A Sulphur Springs man has been identified as the victim of a weekend traffic crash. Tony G. Swindell, 28, was dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred shortly before 3:00 Sunday morning. Police reports say Swindell was west bound on East Industrial Drive when his car left the road and hit two cars in a parking lot. Swindell was thrown from the vehicle.

NACOGDOCHES – Two Louisiana men have been arrested by authorities at the Nacogdoches bus station and charged with possession of a controlled substance. Investigators say the men were acting nervously. A search turned up three pounds of cocaine. Taken into custody were Rodrick Roy Gibson and Ronald Dewayne Green, both 44, and both from Monroe, Louisiana.

MARSHALL — After 12 years on the bench, U.S. District Judge T. John Ward has retired to take advantage of a golden opportunity — practicing law with his son. “I thought it was a (rare) opportunity for people to get,” the 68-year-old said of practicing law with son Johnny Ward at Ward & Smith law firm in Longview. The federal courthouse is losing another judge, as U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles “Chad” Everingham, 43, resigned to become a partner in Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and open the firm’s new Longview office. The law firm will become the largest to set up a satellite office in the Eastern District of Texas.

Ward — often referred to as the “king of the rocket docket” for speeding patent cases through the system — and Everingham — the first U.S. magistrate judge stationed in the Marshall federal courthouse — both vacated their posts Sept. 30.

LONGVIEW — A Henderson man being booked into Gregg County Jail on traffic warrants had a felony charge tacked to his record after officials said he attempted to get a released inmate to conceal marijuana for him. Donte Lamar Giddings, 30, remained jailed Monday on $5,000 bond, charged with possession of a prohibited substance in a correctional facility and with eight outstanding warrants for traffic violations.

According to arrest reports, an inmate who was being released from jail told authorities that Giddings attempted to “persuade him to reach in his shoe and take out a small bag of weed so that he could throw it away.” The exiting inmate declined to assist. Giddings was later seen throwing the marijuana into the trash can in the processing area at the jail. Officials said the marijuana was found in the trash can.

Troopers said Giddings was originally arrested after a traffic stop for having a defective brake light, which revealed his outstanding warrants.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man remained jailed Monday on bonds totaling $250,000 after police found cocaine and hundreds of prescription pills. Longview police arrested Ocie Demitrius Collier, 29, around 11:45 Saturday in the 1000 block of West Marshall Avenue after a traffic stop. Authorities say Collier was arrested for not having a drivers license. During a search of his vehicle, officers found 205 hydrocodone pills, 76 Xanax pills and two clear baggies containing cocaine. Police said digital scales were also found in the vehicle. Collier was charged with five counts of manual delivery of a controlled substance.

TYLER (AP) — Police say an apparent argument over a blanket has led to an East Texas man accused of killing his cousin. Tyler police say 29-year-old Danez Dewayne Black of Tyler has been charged with murder. Smith County Jail records did not list an attorney for Black, who was held Monday on $500,000 bond. Officer Don Martin told The Associated Press that the shooting happened early Saturday at the home of Black’s mother. Martin says the woman went into a room where 21-year-old Marquis Dwain Black was staying, asked for her blanket and the two began to argue. Martin says Danez Black, who also was at the home, heard the dispute and allegedly shot his cousin.

JACKSONVILLE — Funeral Services for Jo Meredith will be this morning at 10:00 at the Trinity Episcopal Church in Longview. Rader Funeral Home is handling the arrangements. Meredith was a Health Science teacher at Jacksonville High School for the past 3 years. She helped numerous students graduate under the Certified Nurses Aid program, helping them to have good jobs in the nursing field as soon as they graduate. On Friday morning, she was killed in an accident with a tanker truck while driving her motorcycle to work from Longview where she lives. Officials say she was wearing her helmet. Meredith was an advocate for breast cancer awareness on campus. At the Tomato Bowl Friday night, the town was dressed in pink for breast cancer awareness…and also to remember their teacher.

JACKSONVILLE — The Cherokee County Sheriff Department SWAT team seized 1.5 pounds of marijuana and 9 grams of crack cocaine from a Cuney residence in the 200 block of County Road 3509 at 6:30 a.m. on Friday. “Most of the drugs appeared to be packaged and ready to sell,” Sheriff James Campbell said. Three suspects were arrested at the scene, two of which Campbell said they believe to be the homeowners. Ricky Lynn Allen, 44, was charged with five felonies: two counts of manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of marijuana and two counts of endangering a child. Tashawn Monquie Johnson, 30, (pictured) was charged with four felonies: one count of manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, one count of possession of marijuana and two counts of endangering a child. Allen’s bond was set at $240,000 and Johnson’s was set at $230,000. A 20-year-old male was arrested for possession of marijuana and his bond was set at $2,000.

Child Protective Services was called to the scene to take custody of an infant child and a 12-year-old juvenile male. Campbell said the investigation had been going on for several weeks and ended with the search warrant being executed.

MARSHALL — The Harrison County Commissioners Court will consider today approving a grant to help with prosecution expenses related to a capital murder case. The grant could fund more than $200,000 in expenses the county occurred in the trial of Cortne Mareese Robinson. Robinson, 19, of Marshall was one of three people charged with the fatal shooting of Frank Zabokrtsky, 82, during a September 2009 home invasion. Jurors sentenced Robinson to death for Zabokrtsky’s murder.

In September, the county received $98,000 from the Texas Task Force of Indigent Services to help offset the almost half-million dollar deficit accumulated from trial expenses. The award only funded the defense expenses used to provide access to counsel for the poor. The grant that will be considered Tuesday is from the Office of Governor Criminal Justice Division in the amount of $203,500. The commissioner’s court approved a resolution in August to submit an application for the grant to reimburse prosecution expenses. Harrison County First Assistant Auditor Jana Smallwood said the county had budgeted $250,000 for the trial, which ended up costing almost double that.

EAST TEXAS — Federal officials are urging residents who have been affected by wildfires to register for assistance. “It doesn’t matter how little damage they had. If they had damage to their primary residence, they need to register,” FEMA spokeswoman Margaret Broadbent said. “We may can help them.”

Wildfire Recovery Assistance centers have been making their way to Northeast Texas towns hit by wildfires, and centers will remain open this week in Longview and Gilmer for people who have questions about assistance, Broadbent said. A recovery center will be open Wednesday and Thursday at the Longview Exhibit Building, 1123 Jaycee Drive. Officials will be available to answer application questions or for those who would like to apply for assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The Upshur County recovery center will reopen today at the First Baptist Church of Gilmer, 304 Buffalo Street, from 9:00am to 6:00pm. A recovery center in Cass County also will be open today at the law enforcement training center, 1031 CR 1913. “If you were affected by the fires, you can go to any recovery center that is convenient for you,” Broadbent said. Broadbent encourages residents to seek services.

FEMA has approved almost $900,000 to date to help wildfire survivors who have applied for federal and state assistance.

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

HENDERSON COUNTY– Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repairs on State Highway 31 in Chandler on either side of the Farm Road 315 intersection. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

Also, Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base repairs on U.S. Highway 175 between Farm Road 804 in Baxter and Loop 60 in LaRue. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, flaggers will control traffic.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base and pavement repairs on Farm Road 839 between U.S. Highway 79 and Farm Road 1798. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on Farm Road 320 between West Loop 256 in Palestine and Farm Road 645. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

GREGG COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform edge repairs on Farm Road 2012 in various locations between State Highway 31 and Farm Road 850 near New London in Rusk County. 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 continue resurfacing operations on Farm Road 2088 between Farm Road 14 in Oak Grove and the Upshur County Line. Crews will also be at work on U.S. Highway 80 near Farm Road 1799 west of Mineola, and east of Mineola between Farm Road 2422 and Farm Road 3056. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to resume resurfacing operations in various locations on Farm Road 13 between Troup and Price, and on Farm Road 1911 south of Alto. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

GILMER – The State/FEMA Disaster Recovery Center in Upshur County continues in its temporary location at the Gilmer Fire Station Monday after moving there Saturday. The recovery center will return to First Baptist Church of Gilmer on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The schedule:

Gilmer Fire Station
120 Henderson St.
Gilmer, TX 75644
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 10

First Baptist Church of Gilmer
304 Buffalo Street
Gilmer, TX 75644
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 12

Upshur County wildfire survivors with questions about the recovery process or needing help registering with FEMA are urged to stop by the recovery center. Visiting with a recovery specialist is not a requirement for survivors who want disaster assistance, but officials say the centers are an excellent way for people to get answers to their questions about disaster aid and help applying for it.

Texas homeowners, renters, and business owners can register online at http://www.disasterassistance.gov or via web-enabled phone at m.fema.gov, or by telephone via FEMA’s toll-free numbers: 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 1-800-621-3362. Assistants are available by phone from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week.

TYLER — Starting yesterday, the City of Tyler Water Utilities Department began implementing voluntary “Step One” of the Drought Contingency Measures as outlined in Article X (Water Conservation/Emergency Demand Management Plan) of the City of Tyler Code of Ordinances. “Although the City has not reached the consumption parameters outlined in the plan to warrant Step One Drought Measures, we feel that because of the dry weather conditions we have been experiencing, it is in the best interests of Tyler’s long term planning efforts to take this action at this time,” said Water Utilities Managing Director Greg Morgan.

Step One Drought Measures are typically taken when the average daily water consumption reaches 85 percent of the system’s production capacity. Tyler’s capacity is currently 72 million gallons per day; eight million gallons from deep water wells, 34 million gallons from Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East and 30 million from Lake Palestine. The peak use this year was on Aug. 15 when 49 million gallons were used. However, the average use this summer was 40.9 million gallons which is still well below the 85 percent consumption rate of 61.2 million gallons per day which triggers drought measures.

Voluntary Step One modified drought measures call for residents to voluntarily conserve water and limit irrigation of landscaped areas to Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number (0,2,4,6,8) or Saturdays, Mondays 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 10 p.m. and 6 a.m. Additional steps that the City will take under Step One include expedited repair of water line breaks, reducing flushing of water mains and discontinuing fire hydrant testing.

“The City of Tyler has a very stable, long-term water supply that is projected to serve us for the next 75 years,” added Morgan. “However, it is anticipated that the La Nina system that has led to the current dry conditions may last for at least another six to nine months and that overall drought conditions in the state of Texas could last for several years. Therefore, it is in the best interest of the community to take precautionary measures at this time.”

DERIDDER, LA. (AP) – A two-vehicle crash in Beauregard Parish, La., has resulted in the death of an East Texas woman. State troopers say a car driver by 62-year-old Julia Esteves, of Diboll, was traveling on Louisiana Highway 26 when her vehicle crossed the center line and sideswiped a tractor-trailer rig. Esteves was taken to a Lake Charles hospital following Friday’s accident. Troopers say she died early Saturday. The truck driver was not injured.

LUFKIN — The City of Lufkin extends its burn ban for another 90 days. According to KETK, the ban prohibits all outdoor burning of brush, trees, and storm debris, along with open campfires. City officials say burning trash and construction material is never allowed within the city limits. They ask if you see anyone burning trash illegally, please call the police right away. The Texas Forest Service reports right now, outdoor burn bans continue in 251 of the state’s 254 counties.

JACKSONVILLE — More details in a heist of money bags from the Jacksonville Walmart last week. KETK reports police have identified a fourth man they believe was involved. 23-year-old Roderick Denard Silmon of Jacksonville was identified Thursday morning, and a warrant has been issued for his arrest. Three other men were identified Wednesday. Police are additionally trying to identify a woman who they believe was also involved.

NACOGDOCHES — The final person Nacogdoches County constables were looking for as part of an 18-person methamphetamine warrant roundup was booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail Thursday evening. According to KETK and the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel, Rebekah Lynn Middleton, 29, of Nacogdoches is charged with one count of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. The investigation began more than a year ago in an effort to target the high-volume methamphetamine dealers within the county, Pct. 4 Constable Jason Bridges has said.