KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – The CDC has recommended that those who are immunocompromised to get a booster shot. According to our news partner KETK, U.S. health officials could announce as early as this week that everyone can get a booster shot. Some vaccinated East Texans have said they would consider getting a booster. Health officials are expected to say the booster shot should be given eight months after receiving the second vaccine. “There’s been discussion about booster shots for a while now and at what point we may want a booster to get that extra immunity a booster can provide,” George Roberts, the CEO of NET Health, said. Continue reading East Texas health officials recommend booster shot

TYLER — A case involving a wreck at Front and Palmer in Tyler is now being worked as a homicide. Police say the driver of a pickup that crashed into a power pole has been identified as Michael Lee Tucker, 29, from Tyler. Tucker died, and it was determined that he had been shot. The investigation led detectives to a residence on South Palmer, where the shooting appears to have occurred. Police said Tuesday afternoon that no suspect had been arrested and that the case was still under investigation. If you have any information on this case, contact Det. Martin at 903-531-1027 or call Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833. Palmer remained closed north and south of Front at last report, with drivers urged to use an alternate route.

TYLER — Smith County is now officially a “StormReady” County. National Weather Service Senior Meteorologist Jason Hansford, who is based out of the Shreveport office, presented the recognition to the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office/Office of Emergency Management during Commissioners Court on Tuesday. Hansford says the StormReady designation aims at ramping up community awareness of severe weather preparedness. He says the designation tells the community that everything is in place to handle inclement weather in the county. “You have been one of the more proactive emergency managers we’ve ever worked with,” he added, referring to Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks. Click here for more information.

TYLER – The Regions Foundation, a nonprofit primarily funded by Regions Bank that supports community investments, has announced a $75,000 grant to support Habitat for Humanity of Smith County. According to a news release, the donation will specifically benefit the affiliate’s ReHabitat program providing critical home repairs and modifications for low-income residents in Smith, Van Zandt, Cherokee, Anderson, Wood, Henderson and Rusk Counties. ReHabitat clients include families, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans. Since its 2009 founding, ReHabitat has completed more than 1,000 critical repairs throughout Habitat’s seven-county service area, according to the release.

BROWNSBORO – The City of Brownsboro voted Monday evening to outlaw abortion. According to our news partner KETK, Brownsboro is the 13th town in East Texas to become a “sanctuary city for the unborn” in the past two years. The movement was started by Longview native Mark Dickson, the director of Right to Life East Texas. It began in June 2019, when Waskom became the first to pass such an ordinance. Many city attorneys have agreed that these designations were unconstitutional and would all but certainly be struck down by courts if they were to be sued.

TYLER — Reed Road from Kent Drive to Meadors Cemetery Road in Tyler is open following about three weeks of construction. That’s reported in a Monday afternoon news release from the city. The speed limit is 30 miles per hour. The road will be striped in the coming weeks.

TYLER — Pipeline Analysis will be smoke testing sewer lines in sewer meter basins 13 and 17 in Tyler as part of the city’s ongoing sanitary sewer inspection program. The testing will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday, Aug. 20. Locations are south of West Harmony Street to West Oakwood Street and west of North Fannin Avenue to North Glenwood Boulevard; and south of Smith County Road 332 to East Commerce Street and west of North Northeast Loop 323 to U.S. Highway 271. Officials say smoke testing helps locate breaks and defects in the city’s sanitary sewer system. The information is used to repair and improve the sewer system, according to a news release. Continue reading Smoke testing continues in Tyler

TYLER — The former principal of Tyler Legacy High School has been indicted for possession of a controlled substance, according to Smith County judicial records. That’s according to our news partner KETK. Police say when they went to Daniel Crawford’s home in early June, they found cocaine and saw that Crawford was bleeding from the head. But they say both Crawford and his wife told them they didn’t know what had happened. Police say Crawford did tell them he was OK and didn’t need help. The affidavit says both were highly intoxicated. The cocaine was reportedly found while police searched for the cause of the injury. Crawford soon resigned from Legacy and was later arrested.

LONGVIEW — Curbside recycling services will not be available within the city of Longview beginning Aug. 17 until further notice due to what are termed urgent repairs at Rivers Recycling, the City’s third-party materials recovery facility. City officials say during that time, contents from curbside recycling carts will be taken to the landfill with regular trash rather than being recycled. The city will provide an update when more information is available, according to a news release. Trash collection, yard waste collection, bulky item pickup, and the compost site will continue to operate as normal during this time, according to the release.

WASKOM – Waskom Elementary School will be closed all week and the campus will be deep cleaned after some staffers got sick with COVID-19. According to our news partner KETK, students will not be required to make up these days. But if the school is closed in the future, students will have to make up those additional days during the year or at the beginning of summer. Remote learning will also not be available this week. Waskom’s middle and high school campuses will still hold classes. WISD Superintendent Rae Ann Patty is apologizing for the inconvenience and thanking all concerned for their “patience and understanding.”

RUSK COUNTY – One person has died and two children have been injured in a Friday afternoon wreck in Rusk County. The DPS says troopers responded around 3:55 p.m. to US 79, four miles east of Henderson. The investigators’ report indicates that the driver of a GMC truck was eastbound with a trailer in tow. The right front tire of the truck blew out and caused the driver to lose control. Both the truck and trailer went off the roadway to the right. The driver, William McAlister, 52, of Tatum, was pronounced at the scene. Passengers included 5- and 10-year-old boys. The 5-year-old was transported to LSU Medical Center in serious condition. The 10-year-old was transported to UT Health East Texas – Henderson in stable condition. The crash remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW – A convicted sex offender accused of killing a White Oak man over $35 has been indicted for murder by a Gregg County grand jury. According to our news partner KETK, 39-year-old Brandon Gilliam was the prime suspect in the May 3 murder of 66-year-old Steve McDowell. Gilliam was on the run from multiple law enforcement agencies for 10 days before he was finally caught. Court records show that Gilliam has three previous convictions in Gregg County.

TYLER – TxDOT is planning to conduct another round of construction and maintenance work in the Tyler District during the week of Aug. 16. Seal coat operations continue around the district. Motorists should expect lane closures and delays during this work to seal and protect roadways from water, and to provide a longer life cycle. Various project work will be conducted with slow-moving mobile operations. Crews will be working in Cherokee, Henderson, and Smith counties throughout the week. Click here for the full rundown of roadwork around the district.

TYLER – Tyler ISD held ceremonies to celebrate the grand openings of Tyler Legacy High School and Tyler High School after they were both under construction. According to the district, crews had been working since 2017. Now officials say the facilities will be more modern and help students be more successful. According to our news partner KETK, the Tyler High School event was held Aug. 13 and Tyler Legacy hosted its grand opening Aug. 14.

KILGORE — Kilgore College is hosting COVID-19 vaccination clinics for the community with the next one set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, in the carpeted gym of Parks Fitness Center on the Kilgore campus. Additional dates for the KC clinics are Tuesday, Aug. 31, and Tuesday, Sept. 21. The second dose will be available at least 21 days after the first dose. Both the Pfizer (2 doses) and Johnson & Johnson (1 dose) will be available. Anyone 18 or older can choose to receive either vaccine. Persons 12 to 17 years old will only be offered the Pfizer vaccine, and they must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian at the vaccine clinics. Face coverings are required to be worn inside the vaccination clinic. Continue reading COVID-19 vaccination clinic set for Monday in Kilgore

EAST TEXAS — Though all school districts in East Texas remain mindful of the COVID-19 surge, they are addressing it in a variety of ways. Tyler ISD released its back-to-school plan earlier this summer. All learning will be in person, and masks are optional. Longview ISD will offer both in-person and remote learning and will continue to monitor conditions in the school district on a daily basis, according to information from its website. Both districts started classes Monday. Continue reading Schools share COVID-19 response plans as classes begin

TYLER — A Smith County Sheriff’s Office spokesman says one person has been arrested following a fatal weekend stabbing. Sgt. Larry Christian says deputies responded around 9:45 Saturday evening to a mobile home park on Highway 64 West after a caller said a brother and sister had stabbed each other at the location. The deputies say a man and woman were outside a residence with a large amount of blood on them. Christian says the deputies had to physically remove the man from the woman so aid could be rendered. A deputy began CPR on the woman until the arrival of paramedics. It was subsequently determined that the woman, Courtney Davis, 32, of Tyler had died due to her injuries. The man, Michael Davis, 40, went to the hospital with minor injuries. Davis was later jailed on a charge of interference with public duties. The investigation continues.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department has made an arrest in a shooting around 8:50 Sunday evening at South Fleishel Avenue and East Elm Street. 18-year-old Juan Carlos Martinez is jailed on $750,000 bond on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The 14-year-old male victim was last reported in stable condition at a local hospital. Police say the investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tyler Police non-emergency number, (903) 531-1000, or Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at (903) 597-2833.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – A car has been retrieved by a dive crew and salvage team after it was discovered under a bridge in Lake Palestine. According to our news partner KETK, Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson was on the scene at CR 3504 and FM 346. He said the car had been underwater for a while, but he was not sure how long. Officials said nothing noteworthy was inside. A source at the scene said the vehicle was a compact car. Dickson was told about the car about a week ago by a game warden. He said they got it out Friday because it was the first day they could get a dive crew and salvage team.

TYLER — The UT Tyler Cowan Center announced Friday that this fall’s ZZ Top concert is due to go on as scheduled. A statement on the Cowan Center’s Twitter page says facility personnel continue to “join in mourning the loss of Rock & Roll Legend Dusty Hill and send our condolences to the ZZ Top family.” The statement says the December 1 show “is still scheduled at this time, with long-time friend of the band Elwood Francis sitting in on bass.” Any updates will be passed along as soon as they are available, according to Cowan Center officials. Hill, a founding member of the band, died July 28 at the age of 72.

TYLER — This Saturday brings another edition of Hit the Bricks, held the second Saturday of each month in downtown Tyler. Among other things, you can meet the artist behind the pet portraits displayed at Gallery Main Street. Alexandria Woodcock’s artist reception will be held in the Plaza Tower atrium from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Also, The Foundry Coffee House & DT Missions Committee are hosting an art event in support of For The Silent. And Tyler’s local Rose City Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon at ETX Brewing. Click here for a more complete rundown.

TYLER — A Smith County sheriff’s deputy has been arrested on a 3rd degree felony charge of misuse of official information. Authorities also say the suspect, Luis A. Sandoval, has been terminated from his job. Sandoval is currently free on $250,000 bond. According to a news release, the investigation has been ongoing for several months and remains active, so information will remain limited until at least two ongoing investigations are completed.

AUSTIN – A large group of pro-choice organizations and abortion doctors filed a 47-page motion Wednesday to oppose Judge Reeve Jackson’s move to dismiss the heartbeat bill lawsuit against him. That’s according to our news partner KETK. The law bans nearly all abortions after six weeks when a fetal heartbeat is detected. The lawsuit ultimately seeks for a judge to block the law or at the very least temporarily halt it from taking effect on September 1.

TYLER — A Smith County jury has found 61-year-old Steven Hill guilty of aggravated sexual assault of an elderly individual. Authorities say the victim was 81 years old and blind at the time of the offense. The victim was living at her daughter’s house, along with Hill, who was the daughter’s brother-in-law. Several other family members also lived at the residence. Key testimony came from one of the family members, a 15-year-old girl, who saw the defendant lying in the bed under the covers with the victim late one evening and alerted her mother. Sentencing is scheduled for September 14. Hill is currently on parole for burglary charges out of Ellis County.

TYLER — Tyler Junior College has recently named a pair of new leaders. Jim Pulliam joined TJC as chief information officer, overseeing the College’s Office of Technology Services. He previously served as CIO at the Children’s Home Society of Florida in Orlando. Brent Wallace is now dean of the School of Continuing Studies and executive administrator of TJC West. He previously served at Louisiana State University-Shreveport (LSUS), where he was executive director of the LSUS Division of Continuing Education and Public Service.

BALTIMORE (AP/Staff) – Baltimore Orioles slugger and Longview native Chris Davis has announced his retirement. Davis ends a career in which he became one of baseball’s most prodigious home run hitters before his production declined amid injury problems. Davis led the majors in home runs with 53 in 2013 and 47 in 2015, and the Orioles signed him to a seven-year, $161 million contract. He hit 38 homers in the first year of the deal but his numbers sank quickly after that. Davis was going to miss the entire 2021 season after surgery in May to repair the labrum in his left hip.

LONGVIEW — The East Texas Food Bank is holding another mega drive-thru produce distribution Friday in Longview from 8-10 a.m. at the Gregg County Fairgrounds. These events are open to anyone and there are no eligibility or paperwork requirements. These are drive-thru distributions and walk-ups will not be accepted. Multiple households can carpool. To pick up items for another household not present, a note must be provided. Especially given the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Food Bank staffers say they are still seeing an increased need for food assistance. As of March 2021, 240,000 people in East Texas are facing hunger. That means 1 in 5 East Texans, including 1 in 4 children, are at risk of hunger, according to officials. Continue reading Mega drive-thru produce distribution in Longview

FRANKSTON — Police are investigating an alleged school shooting threat made toward Frankston ISD on social media Wednesday night. Our news partner KETK was sent a screenshot of the suspected post. It included a picture of a pistol that was posted on an Instagram story by an apparent student with the caption “I’m going to shoot the school.” The post was reported by students and parents to the district, who turned the investigation over to police. The district released a statement saying that police have been in contact “with the individual.” Continue reading Police investigating school shooting threat made on social media

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office announces an arrest in a vehicle assault from last month. Around 2 a.m. July 26, DPS troopers were sent to a Stonebridge Way residence. The caller had reported that a vehicle had crashed into their home and subsequently fled. During the investigation, Smith County investigators say they determined that Nathaniel James Williams, 18, of Tyler, intentionally ran his vehicle into the home with the intent to harm an individual known to him. Unbeknownst to Williams at the time, he had targeted the wrong residence, according to authorities. At around 9:30 p.m. on August 10, Williams was finally arrested by Tyler police on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with bond set at $250,000.