KTBB News, Weather, Talk

ZAVALLA — After two months on the job, Zavalla police chief Jim Hodges has been suspended with pay while the city launches an in-house investigation into allegations against him. According to KETK and the Lufkin Daily News, the decision was made by the City Council during Monday night’s meeting. The council spent nearly an hour and a half behind closed doors bringing in several community members and then 69-year-old Hodges. Zavalla Mayor Greg Fletcher said Monday night he could not go into detail on the nature of the allegations at this time. “Right now he is suspended with pay until we do an investigation into the allegations that were brought against him,” Fletcher said. Hodges declined to comment.

A Zavalla woman brought into the council’s closed-door session to voice her complaint against Hodges, Juanita Malone, also declined comment on the allegations but said she is happy an investigation is taking place. “I really don’t have much to say except for that I am aware of a third-party investigator,” Malone said. “The Texas Rangers are getting involved and I am happy about that.” Hodges, a 30-year police veteran, took the reins of Zavalla’s department at the end of May after former police chief Bobby Epperly accepted a chief position with Huntington.

TYLER — Because of extremely dry conditions, Smith County Judge Joel Baker has issued a burn ban for the county. It’s effective immediately. The burn ban is effective for seven days, and may be renewed upon review of conditions next Tuesday. “We have watched conditions closely during this period of record heat and high winds, and have determined that a burn ban is needed. Many factors go into the decision-making process regarding the issuance of a burn ban. I always consult with the County Fire Marshal in evaluating the issuance of such an order,” Judge Baker said.

Factors in determining the need for a burn ban include the Keetch-Byram Drought Index; the current temperature, humidity, and wind speed; and the weather forecast. “We also consider the type and volume of calls for emergency service due to fires,” Judge Baker added. The current drought index is 694 and the county has historically issued burn bans when it is at or near 700. Unusually high temperatures, lack of rainfall and low moisture levels have contributed to need for a ban to be issued.

Pursuant to Texas Penal Code §28.04, a person commits an offense if, without the effective consent of the property owner, he/she recklessly damages or destroys property of the owner. Such a violation is a class C misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $500.

TYLER – Tyler police are investigating a stabbing that occurred Monday night in the 600 block of East Oakwood Street. Stabbed once in the upper back was Josue Pinal, 18 of Tyler. He is being treated at East Texas Medical Center. Investigators say his injuries are not considered to be life threatening.

Officers say Pinal and other witnesses have given conflicting accounts of what had happened. At this time, the suspect is unknown. This case is being forwarded to the Major Crimes Unit for investigation.

TYLER – The Salvation Army officially opens additional low-income senior housing in Tyler. A brief dedication service and ribbon cutting formally opened the Catherine Booth Gardens at 602 Golden Road. According to Salvation Army officials, for years, seniors and the disabled have found a home at the William Booth Garden Apartments on Golden Road. But the 132 units available there were never enough. Now, 72 additional units are available for rent at the new building across the street from the William Booth Garden Apartments.

LONGVIEW – A retirement reception has been held for Longview Police Officer Mike Harrod. This reception was held Monday afternoon. Officer Harrod will be retiring after 29 years of service with the Police Department. During his tenure he served the citizen’s in several different capacities. He started his career in patrol and later served in several other units including his current position as a Bike Officer and Police Area Representative for Beat 50. Harrod will continue to serve as a Reserve Officer.

MINEOLA – A suspect is in custody in connection with a Mineola stabbing. It happened around 7:45 Sunday night in the 700 block of South Pacific Street. Taken to Tyler’s East Texas Medical Center for treatment of stab wounds was Juan Regalado. Investigators learned that Regalado and the suspect had been involved in an argument for several days. It escalated Sunday evening. Arrested in the case was Juan Cruz Martinez, 37, of Mineola.

TYLER — Tyler police are asking for your help identifying a burglary suspect. On June 26, a burglary occurred at Polo’s Grocery, 611 East Oakwood. Tyler police say the suspect was caught on surveillance video inside the store. It’s been reported that the suspect stole a large amount of cash and merchandise. Police note that the photo of the suspect indicates that he has a shaved head. The suspect is wearing a bandanna to cover his hair. Anyone with information about the suspect is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers, at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833).

TYLER — A Tyler motorcycle officer has received minor injuries in an accident. Just before 10:30 Monday morning Officer J.D. Smith was operating traveling west on the inside lane of East 5th Street. Investigators say a 2002 Toyota Land Cruiser driven by Jason Moore Auringer, 34, of Tyler, pulled from the Exxon Station onto Fifth Street, turning left in front of the officer. Officer Smith hit the driver’s side door of the car. Police say Auringer was found at fault in the collision for failing to yield the right of way. Officer Smith was transported to East Texas Medical Center by EMS with minor injuries. Officer Smith is a 37 year veteran of the Tyler Police Department. He has been assigned to the motorcycle division for 33 years.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin father accused of injury to a child in the death of his infant son was arrested Sunday for allegedly beating the child’s mother in the head with a pistol over transferring a title. Mark and Vanessa Clark, both 32, are charged in the death of their infant son after losing another child the same way 18 months earlier. Both cases involved allowing the child to sleep in the same bed as the parents, a practice strongly discouraged by child welfare experts. The couple got into a fight over a title transfer Sunday afternoon, according to an arrest warrant.

KETK and the Lufkin Daily News report that when police arrived at their home, Vanessa, bleeding from a head wound, told them Mark threw her to the ground and started punching her. She said he then held her down by putting his knees to her chest, causing her difficulty in breathing, the affidavit stated. After that she said he hit her in the back of the head with the .380 pistol he often keeps in his pocket, according to the affidavit. He then went outside to leave their home in his Ford Expedition while she dialed 9-1-1.

Upon realizing he was trying to leave, Vanessa told police she ran outside and got in front of the SUV to stop him. According to the affidavit, Mark then bumped her with the SUV, knocking her to the ground. She told police after that he put the SUV in reverse and left. Vanessa told police she expected Mark to be at his mother’s home. Police located Mark at his mother’s home although he had pulled his SUV into the woods near the home, the affidavit stated.

Upon searching the vehicle, officers located a box of .380 ammo but were unable to find the pistol. Mark was then arrested and taken to the Angelina County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault and family violence, causing serious bodily injury, a second degree felony. If convicted, Mark faces up to 20 years in prison.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP/Staff) – A new report says a Canadian company underestimated the potential for spills along the pipeline it wants to build to carry tar sands oil across the Plains to refineries near the Gulf of Mexico. The pipeline would cross a significant portion of East Texas, where there’s been considerable concern among residents about its potential effects.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln engineering professor John Stansbury says TransCanada has been overly optimistic about the frequency and possible impact of spills along the proposed Keystone XL. Stansbury examined several worst-case scenarios along the proposed route and came up with much larger estimates. TransCanada spokesman Terry Cunha says the company is still reviewing the report released Monday and couldn’t immediately comment on it.

The pipeline is designed to carry oil from Canada across Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. It could also connect to the Bakken oil field in Montana and North Dakota.

TYLER — The County Treasurers’ Association of Texas (CTAT) has announced that Smith County Treasurer Kelli White is one of 4 nominees for the 2011 Texas Outstanding Treasurer Award. There are 245 County Treasurers grouped into 12 Regions in the County Treasurers’ Association of Texas (CTAT), and each one nominates a treasurer from his or her region. The other three nominees are Sharon Reynolds from Brazoria County, Dolores Ortega Carter from Travis County, and Mitzi Wohleking from Midland County. “I feel honored to be nominated by my peers for this prestigious award,” Ms. White said.

The winner will be announced at the 63rd Annual County Treasurers’ Association of Texas Conference September 18-22, 2011, which will also be hosted by Smith County. The event will be held at the Holiday Inn on South Broadway and is expected to attract more than a hundred county treasurers from across the state. “We are working hard with CTAT to make this a successful program and an event that is sure to attract a lot of people to Smith County,” Ms. White said.

LUFKIN — The capital murder trial of a Lufkin nurse accused of killing five dialysis patients by injecting them with bleach is set for September. The jury selection in Kimberly Clark Saenz’s case will start August 9 and will take the entire month. Each juror will be selected individually as the death penalty has been put into play, according to Saenz’s defense attorney Ryan Deaton. Since the allegations came to light in April 2008, Deaton has maintained that his client, now 37, is a scapegoat for DaVita Dialysis, where she worked for eight months.

Federal health officials became involved in a massive health investigation in late April 2008 after a series of patient deaths and illnesses at the Lufkin dialysis center. The center closed for nearly two months as investigators spent weeks combing through patient documents and preserving dialysis equipment for forensic testing.

Lufkin Police linked Saenz to some of the center’s patient complications May 30 of that year when they charged her with aggravated assault. DaVita fired her a day before police filed charges, according to previous reports. A statement issued by Lufkin Police last year said two witnesses saw Saenz fill a syringe with bleach and inject the substance into two patients’ dialysis lines. Both of those patients survived. Lufkin police have not offered a motive in the case.

BULLARD – A building in downtown Bullard has been destroyed by fire. It was reported around 1:00 Sunday afternoon at 212 West Main Street. An electrical short is said to have caused the blaze. No injuries were reported.

PITTSBURG – A one vehicle accident in Camp County has left one person dead. Killed in the weekend wreck was Melissa McVay, 31, of Pittsburg. She was a passenger in a car driven by Shynese Rotrice Hamilton. The driver was not injured. The Department of Public Safety says the women’s car left the road, hit a culvert and overturned. The accident occurred Saturday morning on State Highway 11, about four miles west of Pittsburg.

MARSHALL — The federal trial in Marshall against Pilgrim’s Pride resumes today following a recess. Pilgrim’s is charged with violating the Packers and Stockers Act in order to manipulate the price of chicken. The court previously heard testimony from growers who claimed the company closed plants and ran them out of business. Pilgrim’s rebutted, saying they closed the plants due to bankruptcy.