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LUFKIN — A Lufkin man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an 8 month old baby boy. Randy Lee Casper, 38, entered the plea in state district court Wednesday. He now faces up to 30 years in prison. The sentencing portion of his trial should occur within the next 45 days, following a pre-sentence investigation.

TYLER — An East Texas sportswriter has been indicted by a Smith County grand jury, according to documents released by the 241st Judicial District Court. KETK reports Harold Lamonte Wilson, 36, of Tyler, was arrested by police on June 26 for sexual assault of a child. He was held on $100,000 bond in the Smith County Jail until he was released later that night. Wilson was indicted in the past week. According to Texas law, a child is defined as a person younger than 17 years old. Wilson is a sportswriter for ET Final Score and the Tyler Morning Telegraph.

TYLER — Tyler’s Parks and Recreation Board is working on a new and improved Bergfeld Park. KETK reports the board is also trying to make Tyler’s Rose Garden more beautiful and useful. The team hired a design company. Now it’s collected some ideas from hundreds of East Texans to see that everything meets expectations. These focus groups include master gardeners and casual Rose Festival viewers. One official says it’s important not to destroy any of the key elements of the Rose Garden’s historical features. Since the plans met supporters’ approval, the board will now seek the go-ahead from the city council.

GILMER — A capital murder defendant has pleaded guilty and begins serving a life sentence without parole for the December kidnapping and killing of a Longview man. The Longview News-Journal reports Daniel Paul Jones’s sentence was part of a plea agreement accepted in Upshur County’s 115th District Court. Investigators have said Jones, along with Sarah Haslam of Longview and Andrew Norwine of Arlington, robbed Ronnie Joe Gammage, 27, and later kidnapped and beat him before slicing his throat and setting him on fire. Haslam and Norwine remain in the Upshur County Jail awaiting trial. Gammage’s body was found December 19 in rural Upshur County after his mother reported him missing December 8. Jones was facing the death penalty for his role in Gammage’s death.

LONGVIEW — The issue of stray animals has been a contentious one in Longview for a long time now, and a big turnout Tuesday night demonstrates the issue is far from settled. KETK reports a public meeting at City Hall allowed residents to offer their thoughts on a new animal shelter. Mayor Jay Dean says the purpose of the meeting was to present preliminary design plans and get feedback. Officials with the Humane Society and animal control say they’re happy the city is proactive and that people get to have a voice throughout the process.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department has released the year-end statistics for the recently concluded Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (S.T.E.P.) that ran from October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013. Off-duty officers working on the grant program put in a total of 1,358 hours of additional traffic enforcement in the City, issuing 3,925 traffic citations and making 108 arrests during the year. Continue reading Longview Police Release Statistics for Recently Completed S.T.E.P. Year

TERRELL (AP) — Investigators are seeking a motive behind a bloody rampage in a small Texas town that left five people dead, including the suspect’s mother. Terrell Police Chief Jody Lay says he thinks Charles Everett Brownlow Jr. (pictured) might have attacked others if an off-duty officer hadn’t seen his car. The 36-year-old suspect was chased into the woods after a high-speed chase and was arrested at about 1:30 Tuesday morning. He is being held on one preliminary count each of capital murder and evading arrest, although additional charges were expected. Continue reading Motive Sought in Bloody Rampage that Left 5 Dead

KILGORE — A former Halliburton employee has been arrested after shots were fired at the company’s Kilgore plant. Arrested at his mother’s home in Coffee City was Chase Alford, 30. Kilgore Police Department Public Information Officer Captain Roman Roberson tells KETK Around 10:30 Monday night, a man drove up to the security gate of Halliburton Energy Services in the 200 block of Knowles Street, pointed a rifle at the security guard, and demanded he open the gate. The man then told the guard to leave the premises and proceeded to drive onto the complex. He drove over to a fracking building and shot his rifle through a few windows before leaving. Alford is facing charges of aggravated assault against a security officer and deadly conduct, discharging a firearm.

EAST TEXAS (AP) Much of Texas finds itself in a rainy cycle, with heavy rain bringing a flash-flood watch to northern and northeastern Texas. After a soggy Wednesday in North and Central Texas, East Texas and the Texas Gulf Coast was to have a second day of rain on Thursday. The National Weather Service says the sun was expected to shine over Texas through the weekend, but the state was expected to get off to a west start to the week Monday.

GILMER — The son of a former Upshur County commissioner arrested in October 2012 for holding a state game warden at gunpoint has pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful restraint, a Class A misdemeanor. KETK reports that 115th District Judge Lauren Parish of Gilmer sentenced Todd A. Crabtree, 28, to a one-year jail sentence, probated for two years. In addition, Crabtree was ordered to publicly apologize to the game warden and other law enforcement officers who responded to the scene last year. Crabtree also will have to pay a $250 fine, take an anger management class, pay court costs and other fees, and perform 100 hours of community service. While on probation he will have to submit to monthly drug tests and will be barred from drinking alcohol. He also will be prohibited from possessing any firearms or ammunition during his probation. Continue reading Former Commissioner’s Son Pleads Guilty

PEORIA, ILL. — The Caterpillar facility in Kilgore is closing. Word comes in a statement issued Tuesday by spokesperson Rachel Potts of Caterpillar’s home office in Peoria, Illinois. The facility will shut down by the end of the year. Potts says, “In Caterpillar Inc.’s 3Q financial release on October 23, 2013, it was stated that the company has taken many actions to align our costs with the environment we’re in currently. Further, we reported that while we’ve done much already, we’re not finished and expect to take deeper actions to improve our cost structure and balance sheet. Today, the company notified employees in its Kilgore, Texas, plant that following an extensive strategic review of its mining operations in Kilgore, it will close the facility to position this business to be more successful and competitive throughout the cycles in a rapidly changing mining industry.” Continue reading Caterpillar Closing Kilgore Facility

PALESTINE — The Palestine Police Department continues investigating a case as a homicide after the body of an elderly man was found early Tuesday morning. He is identified as John Jerome Ferles, 81. KETK reports officers from the Palestine Police Department were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Longhorn Drive concerning the welfare of a resident there. Police arrived on the scene and found the back door to the residence unsecured. Officers entered the residence to check on the man, he was found dead. Continue reading Probe Continues after Dead Body Is Found in Palestine

TERRELL (AP) – Court records show the man suspected of killing five people during a series of attacks in his North Texas community has a long criminal history, including convictions for assaulting a family member, drug possession and weapons charges. Police arrested Charles Everett Brownlow Jr. early Tuesday in Monday night’s slayings in Terrell. They haven’t disclosed the preliminary charges but say Brownlow is suspected of killing all five people. Brownlow’s criminal history goes back to 1995. Records show he was sentenced in 2009 to three years in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was paroled after seven months. Brownlow was convicted two years ago on an assault charge related to family violence. Court records don’t indicate which family member was involved.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — Two Nacogdoches County game wardens issued citations after finding bowhunters were allegedly cooking fresh deer meat and a buck head prior to rifle deer hunting season. According to KETK, the game wardens were checking bowhunters when they noticed heavy traffic going through a gate. The wardens entered the property and contacted an individual cooking deer meat in a camp over an open fire, according to authorities. The person reportedly claimed they were only hunting hogs and that no deer had been harvested. Officials say two more hunters arrived in camp with the same story. Continue reading Hunters Allegedly Harvest Deer Illegally

LONGVIEW — A fire early Tuesday caused significant heat and smoke damage to a house in the 1200 block of Tulane Avenue in Longview. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Firefighters arrived at the house shortly after 4 a.m. and found fire coming from the living room area of the house, Fire Marshal Johnny Zackary said. “The resident had already exited the house and was not harmed by the fire,” he said. “Just before the fire, the resident had entered the living room turning on a lamp, which resulted in the bulb popping. After replacing the bulb and when it still did not work, she checked the breaker.” After two attempts, the breaker held. When the resident went back to the living room, the drapes and an area near the wall plug were on fire. “The smoke alarm did sound, according to the resident,” Zackary said. Continue reading Longview Home Damaged by Early Morning Fire

LONGVIEW — A lawsuit has been filed over a Spring Hill girl who claims to have been the target of bullies, so much so, she says, she was forced to leave the school district and enroll elsewhere. According to KETK, bullies reportedly targeted the girl because she has a speech impediment. Now the child’s mother wants justice. Choosing to remain anonymous, the 14-year-old former Spring Hill Junior High student now attends Longview High School. The girl says constant mocking of her stutter took a toll on her emotions, and she says the teachers were no help, that “they would tell me to ignore it and it will go away.” Continue reading Spring Hill ISD Sued over Bullying Claims

HALLSVILLE — A Hallsville woman has been reported missing since October 26. Mandy Strickland, 34, was last seen around 8:00 that evening in White Oak after she dropped her kids off with their dad. She was driving a 2009 light blue Nissan Versa hatchback and was possibly heading toward Ore City to meet someone. KETK spoke with Jessica Meadows, the sister of Strickland, who heard she had also stopped at the Catfish Village in Ore City to use the phone. A missing person’s report was filed Sunday, said Meadows. Strickland is described as being slender, around 5’5″ in height with medium brown hair.Strickland is a 1997 graduate of Hallsville High School and is a crew leader at Subway in Hallsville, according to her Facebook page. If you have any information regarding Strickland’s whereabouts, contact your local authorities.

KILGORE — The Kilgore Police Department is investigating a shots fired incident at a local energy services plant. Kilgore Police Department Public Information Officer Captain Roman Roberson tells KETK Around 10:30 Monday night, a man drove up to the security gate of Halliburton Energy Services in the 200 block of Knowles Street, pointed a rifle at the security guard, and demanded he open the gate. The man then told the guard to leave the premises and proceeded to drive onto the complex. He drove over to a fracking building and shot his rifle through a few windows before leaving. Officials suspect the shooter may have been a disgruntled former employee, and they are looking at security video and employee records to figure out the identity of the man. If you have any information regarding the incident, contact the Kilgore Police Department.

TYLER — At least two people have been taken to the hospital after a head-on collision in Tyler. Tyler Police tell KETK the three-car accident happened at the intersection of West 2nd Street and Glenwood Boulevard around 9:30 Tuesday morning when one of the cars swerved into oncoming traffic. We’ll have more information as it becomes available.

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University and American Eagle Airlines signed an agreement Monday, Oct. 28, to provide a direct pathway for selected LETU flight students to find employment with American Eagle Airlines after graduation. LETU President Dr. Dale A. Lunsford and American Eagle Captain Richard King signed the letter of agreement that states that LETU and AEA will collaborate “to facilitate a steady supply of airline qualified pilots through specific recruitment, screening, selection, training, and placement strategies for pilots to be employed by AEA,” which is known as the Pilot Pipeline Program. Continue reading LeTourneau Signs Agreement with American Eagle for Pilot Pipeline

TYLER — A second Tyler Junior College football player was arrested on the TJC campus Sunday evening, according to the TJC Police Department. KETK reports Khalid Conner, a redshirt freshman, was arrested for possession of marijuana. Conner is a 2013 graduate of Timberview High School in Arlington who initially showed interest in playing at Boise State, Oregon, and Oklahoma State. The TJC Police Department also assisted with the arrest of B.J. Allen, 21, of Tatum, a Baylor University transfer. According to authorities, Allen (pictured) was apprehended on the east side of the campus for possession of marijuana in a drug free zone, unlawful carrying of a weapon, and tampering with identification numbers. Allen was on the scout team for the Apaches. Both have been kicked off the TJC team.

LONGVIEW — Two Longview children have been hospitalized after gasoline they were playing with caught fire. KETK reports a 3-year-old was taken to a Longview hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and was treated and released. The 14-month-old was taken to a local hospital before being flown to Parkland Hospital in Dallas for further burn treatment. The fire erupted in the 600 block of Idlywood in Longview, and the Longview Fire Department says the fire is believed to have been caused by the children playing with gas near a hot water heater. The home, however, was not destroyed in the fire.

TYLER – A 63-year-old Tyler eco-tourism guide has been sentenced for smuggling live snakes into East Texas. William Lamar pleaded guilty on June 18 to importing wildlife taken in violation of foreign law. He was sentenced yesterday in Tyler to three years of probation by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. Continue reading Snake Expert Sentenced for Smuggling Peruvian Reptiles

TYLER – A 37-year-old Texarkana, Texas, man has been sentenced in Tyler to federal prison for drug trafficking violations. Sonya Lamarcus Hopkins pleaded guilty on June 6 to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 87 months in federal prison Monday by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. According to information presented in court, on February 28, 2012, Hopkins arranged by telephone to distribute 7 grams of methamphetamine to another individual. The transaction was carried out by another person on behalf of Hopkins in Texarkana, Texas. Hopkins was indicted by a federal grand jury on September 12, 2012, and charged with drug trafficking violations.

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview hosted a ribbon cutting Monday for the opening of the East Hawkins Parkway extension. The approximately half-mile stretch is a three-lane road connecting Highway 259 and Tryon Road. The extension is now open for use. In addition to connecting Hawkins Parkway to Tryon Road, the new roadway provides access to several properties currently under construction, including an assisted living facility, independent living facility, and apartments. The road extension was the result of a developer participation agreement between the City of Longview and Abby Development. Without the developer agreement, the developer would not have been required to build a road this size, according to officials. To accommodate future traffic, the City of Longview agreed to pay for the construction of a third lane and a sidewalk by reimbursing the developer up to $565,000 over a five-year period.

TYLER — Tyler ISD is asking staff, teachers, students, parents, and community members to provide what’s termed important feedback through a Strategic Plan Survey that launched today. Designed and conducted by independent research and communication firm K12 Insight, the survey will guide important District decisions regarding various areas including curriculum, communication, and resource allocation, according to a TISD news release. “Our stakeholders’ voices play a vital role in the development of our strategic goals,” said Tyler ISD Superintendent Gary Mooring. “In order to ensure that our students are prepared to be productive citizens, we must all work together to provide our teachers and students with the resources and learning environment they need to be successful.” Continue reading Tyler ISD Launches Strategic Plan Survey

TEXARKANA (AP) — Investigators say two people have been killed at a Northeast Texas ranch and a resident called authorities to report he shot the pair. The Bowie County Sheriff’s Office says the circumstances of Monday morning’s shootings near Texarkana are under investigation. Continue reading Two People Fatally Shot at Texarkana Ranch

LONGVIEW — Temporary street closures continue this week to allow for railroad crossing work and additional work in Longview. Center Street will be closed between Cotton Street and Tyler Street on Tuesday from 8:00am to 5:00pm. The detour will be to High Street. Fredonia Street will be closed between E. Cotton Street and E. Tyler Street on Wednesday between 8:00am and 5:00pm. The detour will be to Center Street. This project is being performed by Union Pacific Railroad. The RoadSafe Traffic Control Technician in charge of the closure is Carlos 316-204-6218. If you have any questions about the construction, please call the City Engineer, Mark Adas, at 903-237-1053.

TYLER — Various individuals and agencies have launched a project known as Tyler Area Partners for Literacy (TAP for Literacy). According to a news release, the effort “is a coalition of community partners advocating, promoting and supporting initiatives aimed at improving literacy for all residents of the Greater Tyler Area.” Continue reading Tyler Area Partners for Literacy Is Launched

MARSHALL — A Gilmer man serving a life sentence for murder is suing the Upshur County District Attorney’s Office, claiming he is being deprived of his liberty based on the office’s failure to release evidence used as part of his case, and that his appeal was sabotaged. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. But District Attorney Billy Byrd said last week that Brandon Dean Morgan waived his right to an appeal when he pleaded guilty to murdering James Lance Evans with an axe after breaking into Evans’ home. Morgan was originally charged with capital murder but pleaded to the lesser charge of murder, said Byrd, who was not the prosecuting district attorney on the case. Continue reading Upshur County Inmate Files Suit, Claims Violations