KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — The Longview Fire Department has deemed two structure fires as arson. According to Fire Marshal Johnny Zackary, a fire at a vacant home on Jean Drive and a fire at Eden Special Care, which is vacant, were labeled as arson Tuesday night. The fires are said to not be related, even though they occurred within two hours of each other.

According to KETK, authorities responded to the first fire on the 500 block of Jean Drive around 3:15 p.m. Crews rolled out to the second blaze at approximately 5:05 p.m. The first fire was extinguished in about 25 minutes. Police said officers saw a man running north from the fire as they arrived at the scene shortly after 3 p.m. He is described as a black or Hispanic male wearing a dark-colored shirt, khaki shorts and a ball cap. Continue reading More Arson Fires in Longview

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court honored fallen K-9 Ogar and his handler, Precinct 5 Deputy Constable Kevin Petty, on Tuesday for their service to the county. Commissioner Terry Phillips said he wanted to present Petty with a memorial to honor Ogar, the K-9 who was shot in the line of duty January 19. Commissioner Phillips, who serves the area, said he attended the memorial service held for Ogar in Lindale January 23 and was impressed with the amount of support shown in the community. Precinct 5 Constable Kenneth Bibby said Ogar was 2½ years old and had been with his office since October 2014. Ogar died protecting Deputy Constable Petty. The K-9 officer was shot during a traffic stop that turned violent.

TYLER — A jury has been seated and testimony is underway in the trial of a Smith County man accused of using a bat to kill a man. James Bales, 32, is accused of the murder of Bias Lott, 61, last March. It happened in the 22000 block of Lakeway Harbor Drive in Bullard. Deputies initially responded to a disturbance call and, upon arrival, found two men involved in an altercation. Officials said one of the men had been attacked and repeatedly hit in the head with a baseball bat. Lot was transported to a Tyler hospital where he underwent emergency surgery and died early the next morning. Bales’ trial is being held in the 114th State District Court.

TYLER – A man has been arrested following an alleged kidnapping attempt in South Tyler.It happened around 7:15 Monday night near the intersection of South Broadway and Amherst. A woman tells officers she was walking north on Broadway when a man came up from behind her and after talking with her, grabbed her, and tried to pull her behind a fence. She broke free and called police. The suspect, 28 year old Kevin James Kohute of Tyler, was arrested within 20 minutes.

HARRISON COUNTY — Hallsville Mayor Pro Tem Jake Auther Walker died Monday night during a two-vehicle crash near Marshall. According to KETK, a preliminary DPS report says at 7:34 p.m., an 18-wheeler was headed south on US 59 when a truck traveling west on FM 2625 drove through a stop sign and crossed in front of the semi. The 18-wheeler hit the passenger side of the truck and both vehicles came to a stop in a ditch. The trailer on the semi then rolled on top of the truck. Walker, 68, the driver of the truck, was pronounced dead at the scene. Rodney Regan Smircich, 52, of Rogers, Arkansas, the driver of the semi, was not injured.

ALPINE — After a guilty verdict in his Alpine trial for the first-degree felony murder of Kilgore native Trey Sands, Keith Allen McWilliams was sentenced to life in prison Tuesday morning. The Kilgore News-Herald reports the 50-year-old — the first of two men to be tried for the October 2014 killing in West Texas — will be eligible for consideration for parole after 30 years behind bars. Charles Levi Morrow is the second man accused of beating, stabbing and shooting the 28-year-old Kilgore High School alumnus and burying the man under a half-ton of rocks in the area known as Terlingua Ranch. His trial in Alpine begins Feb. 22.

TYLER — Crews responded to the seen of a wreck involving a Fed Ex freight truck on West Loop 323 around 5:30 Tuesday morning. The accident was near Rudy’s between Shaw and Hwy 31. Officials said Hazmat crews were also at the scene due to a fuel leak. The scene has since been cleared.

MT. PLEASANT — The Titus County Sheriff’s Office announced Monday the arrest of an alleged methamphetamine dealer. KETK reports that on Friday, deputies staked out part of West 17th Street in Mount Pleasant after receiving a tip about a possible meth dealer in the area. Shortly after 7 p.m., deputies approached Carl Robert Ferrell, II, 49, as he walked toward his vehicle. After an investigation, deputies reportedly found methamphetamine Ferrell’s vehicle. Authorities say they also located methamphetamine at the suspect’s apartment. Titus County deputies charged him with manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and booked him into the Titus County Jail. He was later released on $35,000 bond.

PALESTINE — The Palestine Police Department has released information on a recent holdup at knifepoint in hopes a tipster will come forward. KETK reports that on Sunday at about 8:10 pm, officers were dispatched to the Mini-Mart on W. Palestine Ave. near the Queen St. intersection on reports of an aggravated robbery in the area. When police made it to the scene, they spoke with a 35-year-old man who said two unknown black males confronted him outside of the store, with one holding a knife. The robbers stole cash and a cellphone from the victim. Continue reading Police Seek Help Investigating Knifepoint Holdup

LONGVIEW – Longview police are alerting area residents to an email scam that has surfaced. It tells the recipient they “can run, but can never hide.” According to the email, someone close to them has paid to have them killed. It says “my colleagues has been in your state right now keeping eye’s on every steps you make”. The email then asks for lump sums of money and to email the scammer at a specific email address. Longview police spokesman Kristie Brian says not to open emails that come from email addresses you don’t recognize or may look suspicious. In this case, like many other scams, the scam artists use threats, bad language, and intimidation to scare the victim into sending them cash or some other form of payment.

HENDERSON – A fatal Rusk County accident remains under investigation. The victim has been identified as Jerry Leath, 74, of Laird Hill. According to the Department of Public Safety report, Leath’s pickup was heading south when, f or some unknown reason, it left the roadway. The truck ran through a ditch and a barbed wire fence and then hit a tree. Leath was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident happened the accident happened shortly after 3:15 Sunday afternoon a couple of miles from Henderson.

TYLER — Tyler home sales decreased .3% in the fourth quarter of 2015 to 652 single-family home sales, while median price fell 6.5% to $159,000 during the same time frame. That’s according to the 2015-Q4 Texas Quarterly Housing Report released Monday by the Texas Association of Realtors. Chairman of the Greater Tyler Association of Realtors, Claudia Carroll, says some of that drop may because of all the rain we had. She said, people don’t go house hunting in the rain. Continue reading Tyler Home Sales Down Slightly in Fourth Quarter of 2015

PALESTINE — An Anderson County grand jury has indicted a man accused of murdering six people last November. Anderson County resident William Mitchell Hudson, 33, faces three counts of capital murder. The shooting occurred on Sunday, November 15. The dead were identified as Carl Johnson, 77; Hannah Johnson, 40; Kade Johnson, 6; Thomas Kamp, 46; Nathan Kamp, 23; and Austin Kamp, 21. Four of the victims were discovered in a pond behind the suspect’s home on CR 2217. The other two were found dead in a travel trailer near the site, located between Tennessee Colony and the Harmony Community. Continue reading Man Indicted in Anderson County Murders

LONGVIEW — Longview police are investigating a Saturday night drive-by shooting that left one person injured. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, police say officers were dispatched at 10:07 p.m. to the reported shooting on Spring Street between Silver Falls Road and Scenic Drive. When officers arrived, they were told a vehicle had driven past a residence and someone had fired several rounds from the vehicle. One person was struck by a bullet and taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center with what were termed non-life-threatening injuries. The victim’s name was not immediately released.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of Feb. 1. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Work in Gladewater at the intersection of US 271/US 80 continues Monday requiring a closure on US 80. The crew will then move to Mile Marker 773 on US 80 between Gladewater and White Oak performing concrete repairs for the rest of the week. This work requires closing the eastbound, outside lane. Motorists are advised to plan alternate routes. Work will be conducted daily and requires overnight lane closures until the work is complete. If you must travel through the area, please allow extra time to reach your destinations. Continue reading TxDOT Updates Weekly Work Plan

KILGORE – A new president begins work at Kilgore College on Monday. Dr. Brenda Kays, who began as a community college educator in Texas 30 years ago, succeeds Bill Holda, who had been president since July 2, 1992, and who retired on Friday. She was selected for the post over three dozen applicants for the position. Dr. Kays started work at Kilgore College on January 13th and she prepared for the transition to the president’s chair. Continue reading New KC President Takes the Helm

TYLER — Since January 31 fell on a Sunday, you can pay your property taxes on Monday, according to a news release from Smith County. The deadline has been pushed back to February 1 to allow people to make their property tax payments on time. The payments can be made online or in person at the Smith County Tax Office at the Cotton Belt Building at Front and Glenwood in Tyler. The payments can also be mailed, as long as they are postmarked by Monday, February 1, Smith County Tax Assessor/Collector Gary Barber said.

TYLER – Monday is the final day to register to be eligible to vote in the March 1st primary. There are a variety of ways to register. Smith County Elections Administrator Karen Nelson says you can register at her office at 302 East Ferguson, or go to http://www.Votetexas.gov to register online. And, she points out, if registering online, the application must be printed out and signed. Then it can be hand-delivered to her office or mailed and postmarked by February 1st. Early voting in the primary election starts February 16th.

LONGVIEW — Police in Longview say they’re investigating a shooting but having trouble getting information. On Friday at 6:56 p.m., police answered a call to a shooting that had just occurred on 8th Street near the Rose Street intersection. When police arrived they were told one person had been shot and taken by private vehicle to Good Shepherd Medical Center. Police located the victim at the hospital; his injury was said not to be life-threatening. But authorities say the victim was not very cooperative and police were not able to identify a suspect at that time.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man who’s been in trouble with the law before faces multiple charges after police found two types of drugs along with weapons during a Friday raid. Authorities say Longview police, the County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit, and the SWAT Team executed a search warrant on East Brandon Street, just off West Loop 281. Law officers say they found a large amount of methamphetamine and heroin inside the residence as well as several firearms. Samuel Utsey, 58, was arrested and transported to the Gregg County Jail. He faces two counts of manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance and a single count of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

FORT WORTH (AP/Staff) – Police in Fort Worth are investigating allegations that troubled Cleveland Browns quarterback and Tyler native Johnny Manziel might have assaulted his former girlfriend. Police issued a statement saying officers went to an apartment complex at about 2 a.m. Saturday to investigate a report of a possible assault. The officers didn’t find the person who called, but they spoke to a 23-year-old woman who said she was “involved in a disturbance with her ex-boyfriend” earlier that night in Dallas. Sergeant Steve Enright later identified him as Manziel. There have been no arrests.

LONGVIEW — Following what officials are calling a “record-breaking day” on Saturday, the 34th Annual East Texas Boat & RV Show wraps up today at Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Complex. The only damper: the show had to close a bit early Saturday due to a power outage on Longview’s south side. But organizers are working to make that up to attendees. Officials with the Longview Chamber of Commerce say if you attended Saturday’s event, you’re welcome to come back today and enter with the wrist band you purchased Saturday. In a news release, officials say, “We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused our vendors and the people who came out to be part of the event. Sunday promises to be a beautiful day so come out to Maude Cobb Convention Center and enjoy the day.” Continue reading East Texas Boat & RV Show Wraps Up Today

NACOGDOCHES — Stephen F. Austin State University regents have approved making the university a tobacco-free campus. KETK reports the rule goes into effect in August. It will include all forms of tobacco, smokeless or not, as well as vapor products such as e-cigarettes. In addition to the tobacco ban, it is proposed that students be able to attend meetings to help overcome tobacco addiction. “The work for the tobacco-free campus actually started in the summer, June or July,” says student body president Tristain Harris. “We had a meeting, we talked about it; this is an issue, something we can get behind.” After a survey was conducted it was found that 80% of the student body was in favor of a tobacco-free, smokeless campus. The finer details, such as how to enforce the new rule, are still being worked out.

LONGVIEW — Longview Mayor Andy Mack says he’s always looking to make a positive change in his community through opening up discussions — and that he believes in a program aimed at helping gang members find a way out of their violent lifestyles. KETK reports that ever since he was elected mayor, he routinely hands out surveys at city council meetings to get ideas flowing for positive change opportunities in the Longview community. He also posts the same questions online to connect with residents and receive feedback. Mack says when he asked residents if they would support a program allowing gang members to find a way out, the responses were enormous. “Kids are already in the gangs, and they want out. So this was just an idea, we throw it out there, and see what happens. It’s a dialogue. And we got incredible feedback,” said Mack. Continue reading Mack Seeks to Help Gang Members

TYLER — Keep Tyler Beautiful is kicking off its “Take Me Shopping Again!” program by giving away 1,000 reusable canvas shopping bags on Saturday at the Burlington Coat Factory, 8958 South Broadway Avenue. The event runs from 9:30am to 1:00pm, or as long as the bags last. Keep Tyler Beautiful says it’s using this program to educate the Tyler community on the pros and cons of using the thin plastic bags or the brown paper bags used by retailers to package up goods at the checkout line. This will be the first part of a community-wide effort to help shoppers answer the “paper or plastic” question for themselves.

ZAVALLA (AP) – A fiery East Texas traffic accident involving a tanker rig hauling crude oil and a smaller truck has left both drivers dead. The Texas Department of Public Safety says the accident happened shortly before dawn Friday on U.S. 69 just south of Zavalla. DPS Trooper David Hendry says preliminary information indicates the tanker truck was southbound when the northbound pickup truck crossed over and hit the bigger rig head-on. The accident led to a huge fire that burned both vehicles and shut down U.S. 69. Hendry says the fire was put out by late Friday morning. Fraffic was being rerouted as crews worked to clear the wreckage from the site.

TYLER — Authorities in Smith County say a suspect is in custody after a verbal confrontation escalated into a stabbing. On Thursday at approximately 3:05 p.m., sheriff’s deputies responded to a residence on CR 239 after receiving a 911 call reporting a stabbing at the location. The deputies found the victim, identified as Andrew Lee Mitchell Jr., lying in the front yard with a wound to his lower abdomen. He was conscious and able to answer deputies’ questions, accoridng to a news release. Continue reading Stabbing Suspect in Custody

HUNTSVILLE (AP) – A Palestine man on death row for the slaying of his 2-year-old daughter 14 years ago has received an execution date. Texas Department of Criminal Justice spokesman Jason Clark said Thursday 49-year-old Robert Roberson III is set for lethal injection June 21. He’s one of at least nine convicted killers scheduled for execution in Texas through July. Roberson was convicted of the death of his daughter, Nikki Curtis, at their home. He contended the child died of a fall from a bed. Physicians at a Palestine hospital said there was no way her extensive injuries could have been caused by a fall. The U.S. Supreme Court has on its docket next month a request to review an appeal for him that’s already rejected by lower federal courts.