KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — With temperatures starting to get warmer and Spring officially begins later this month, the Better Business Bureau is urging caution when it comes to door to door solicitation. Mechelle Mills says, many door-to-door solicitors have begun hitting the pavement. Typically working through March to September, door to door salespeople market everything from alarm systems, magazine subscriptions, cleaning supplies, handyman work and charitable organizations.” Continue reading Tis the Season for Door-to-Door Solicitors

TYLER – TxDOT in Smith County is planning to address edge and ditch maintenance on roadways around the county this week. Crews will start coring operations Friday on FM 2015 at US 271, then move to SH 64E to address the passing lanes in Arp. In Gregg County, Longview Maintenance crews plan to conduct pothole repairs on roadways around the county. Bridge joint repairs are scheduled to begin Thursday on the SH 322 bridge over I-20. Continue reading TxDOT Updates for Tyler District this Week

KILGORE — The Kilgore College Foundation has received an anonymous $150,000 gift that is earmarked to upgrade the technology infrastructure at the Gussie Nell Davis Rangerette’s residence. The two-story structure opened in 2006 on the Kilgore campus to house the Rangerette’s, and accommodates up to 80 freshman and sophomore members. The Rangerette’s residence was funded, for the most part, by a former Rangerette from Longview, Kathryn Heller Zwick. The Zwick Foundation donated a $3.5 million gift in 2005.

LONGVIEW — One person is dead after a shooting on Saturday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, Longview police are investigating a shooting that took place just after 3 p.m. on Mobberly mid-Saturday afternoon. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found one person dead. The investigation is ongoing. Anyone with any information is urged to contact LPD at 903-237-1170 or Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP(7867) or online at greggcountycrimestoppers.org.

TYLER — A celebration of the life of Freeman Dewayne Sterling was held on Saturday morning in Tyler. The Tyler ISD Board of Trustees Place 3 member and beloved former principal of Peete Elementary School. Dr. Marty Crawford, recently told KTBB, “Mr. Sterling was such a gentleman. I mean that in every aspect of the word.” The Tyler ISD Superintendent continued, “He was a calm, quiet man, but a very stoic, intelligent, man that really thought things through. Mr. Sterling was man who was impactful with a very steady hand.” Sterling retired as principal from Pete in 2012. He was elected to the Board of Trustees in 2019. Freeman Sterling was 64.

TYLER — Longtime Tyler trauma counselor Bobbie Burks and the co-founder of Step Up, Jeremy Flowers will be honored as recipients of the 1 in 3 Foundation’s 2020 Monarch Awards. The 1 in 3 Foundation created the Monarch Award to celebrate individuals from Smith County that demonstrate outstanding work to end sexual violence, raise awareness on behalf of sexual trauma survivors or have shown excellence in providing healing and care for survivors. Annually, the award is presented to a man and woman in Smith County working to end sexual violence. Continue reading Burks, Flowers Named Recipients of 2020 Monarch Awards

MARSHALL — A concern was made by a citizen at a recent City Commission meeting in Marshall. On Friday, in reply to the stop signs in question, the city of Marshall said the signs at Houston Street and Lafayette Street are compliant. The city went on to say the signs are properly placed and enforceable under the law to protect the safety of the citizens of Marshall. Authorities say, Officers have been monitoring traffic since the signs were placed as the community grew accustomed to the stop signs. Officers continue to observe the intersection and will issue tickets for violations.

TYLER — A 4-year-old girl reported missing earlier Friday evening, has been found. According to our new partner KETK, the child was reported missing on North Grand Avenue. Detective Andy Erbaugh, Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer, said the child had wandered into another apartment. The child was found not long after reports went out to media.

WASHINGTON D.C. — On Friday U.S. Representative Louie Gohmert told KTBB, “the reason why I voted against the bill was because it was just to weak.” The maximum sentence in the anti-lynching bill was only 10 years in prison. Gohmert said, ” my office is working on a bill with a more appropriate punishment, I’m going to see if Bobby Rush will co-sponsor it, or maybe even name the bill after him. But those people who are throwing out the racists word, they simply are playing politics, they’re dishonest, or they are just ignorant of the facts. They did’nt read the bill like I did and they ought to do that before they start calling people names.” A link to Congressmen Gohmert’s statement on the House Floor is available a courtesy of our news partner KETK.
https://www.easttexasmatters.com/news/top-stories/rep-gohmert-explains-why-he-voted-against-lynching-hate-crime-bill/.

TYLER — The Tyler Public Library has made changes recently to their wireless internet access. The move increases service inside and outside the building. The Library was able to double the strength of their wireless connectivity because of a program called E-Rate, that specializes in schools and libraries. The expansion also included the addition of nine wireless access points throughout all three Library floors, including two external units on the front and back patios.

TYLER — Habitat for Humanity of Smith County has an opportunity for veterans who need critical repairs on their home. This fiscal year Habitat received a $200,000 grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. Renovations will assist veterans in making their homes accessible, healthy and safe. Projects typically involve installing wheelchair ramps, making kitchen cabinets usable, installing new level floors and making doorways and bathrooms more accessible. Continue reading Habitat Looking for Veterans for Home Repairs

TYLER — With the upcoming March Primaries on Tuesday, Smith County has moved up their normral Commissioners Court meeting to Monday. Smith County Commissioners will meet day earlier at 9:30 a.m., this week only, in the Annex Building on E. Ferguson in Tyler. Smith County voters can cast their ballots at any one of the 35 polling locations from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday no matter which precinct they live in.

TYLER — There are no local cases of Coronavirus in northeast Texas. That was the latest word from NET Health on Friday. The only cases of Coronavirus in Texas are in people under federal quarantine at JBSA- in San Antonio. These cases do not change the risk of infection for people in San Antonio or other parts of Texas because the patients have been under federal quarantine. Continue reading NETHealth Says No Local Coronavirus in Update

TYLER — The University of Texas System Board of Regents has made it official, and granted approval to establish a medical school at UT Health Science Center at Tyler. On Thursday Board Chairman Kevin P. Eltife told KTBB, “It’s an incredible step towards a medical school in North East Texas, which will be incredible for students, for patients, for all three of our hospital systems, and for the economy. A new medical school over the next 10 years, will create thousands of jobs and bring a lot of money into the economy.” UT leaders hope it will open in the fall of 2023. Continue reading Med School Given Green Light by UT Regents

TYLER — East Texas Christian Academy has made the decision to close their campus at the end of May. On Thursday Myron Bruce told KTBB, “Systematically over the course of the last 4 or 5 years our numbers have dropped and our numbers have been down considerably. Our fund-raising and gifts and contributions just were not coming through.” The ETCA President went on to say, “there are several good private and public schools in the area as well.” ETCA was founded 40 years ago when families had fewer choices for private education. The school, which offers PK through 12th Grade classes, will officially close their doors on May 31 of this year.

TYLER — The Tyler MSA home sales were released on Thursday and show an increase in the Tyler market of 4.9% in 2019 to 2,953 single-family home sales. The median price increased 6.3% to $209,900 during the same time frame according to the 2019 Texas Real Estate Year in Review report by Texas Realtors. Across the state, Texas home sales volume and home prices continue to break records. This is the 5th year in a row for records in home sales volume and home pricing in the state. Continue reading MSA Home Sales Up in Tyler, Prices increase in 2019

WASHINGTON, D.C. — East Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert was one of only four votes against a bill to make lynching a federal hate crime. He says he couldn’t support a ten-year prison term for lynching as outlined in the bill. Gohmert said, “That’s ridiculous. First of all, I have trouble with the federal nexus of…lynching. I’d rather — like in the James Byrd case, I preferred those defendants be tried under Texas capital murder (statute) rather than under federal hate crimes law.” Two of Byrd’s killers received the death penalty. The other received a life sentence in the notorious 1998 Jasper dragging death.

TYLER — Friday marks the end of the early voting period for the upcoming Primary Election in Smith County. Polls for Early voting are open now and continues until 7 p.m.  On Wednesday, 1,840 people cast their ballots in Smith County, bringing the totals so far to 12,992 votes. Continue reading Friday is Last Day for Early Voting in Primary Election

TYLER — The Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County has been gifted a $50,000 Grant from the East Texas Communities Foundation. With this award, ETCF has now distributed more than $100,000,000 in cumulative grants over the course of 30 years. “We don’t usually celebrate the overall dollar amount of the grants we make in a year, but this year is special,” said Kyle Penney, President of East Texas Communities Foundation. Continue reading ETCF Reaches $100 Million Granting Milestone

TYLER — The City Council took action Wednesday approving $333,205.65 for the construction of the 2020 ONYX seal project. The project involves ONYX seal treatment for about 22 lane miles, which equals 11 miles of 49 streets in the city. Those lanes will be prioritized according to the pavement condition index scores and staff evaluations. ONYX is a surface treatment that prolongs the life of the asphalt and gives drivers a safer surface to drive on. The weather dependent project is scheduled to begin in June and will be complete at the end of July.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council took measures on Wednesday enabling Tyler Police to apply for, and if selected, accept grants totaling just over $40,000. The department will pursue a $40,019 grant request to the East Texas Council of Governments State Justice Assistance Grant for purchase a Mobile Pro System Security Camera Trailer. The equipment helps ensure the safety of residents and visitors at large events. “This grant is a great opportunity for our community,” said Police Chief Jimmy Toler. “With additional safety equipment, we can provide additional surveillance at events with large crowds.”

ATHENS — The proceedings for a Tyler man on trial for murder continued on Thursday in the 392nd District Court in Athens. According to our news partner KETK, Dennis Odell Metcalf, 40, is facing charges for the shooting of a 24-year-old in 2017. Law enforcement officials say that Tyler admitted to shooting James Arthur Featherston, of Murchison. Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said, at the time, that Metcalf surrendered in Chandler’s Forest Grove subdivision. According to reports, witnesses say there was no indication of an altercation between the two before the shooting.

KILGORE — Kilgore College announced on Wednesday that local philanthropist and KC alumnus Mike Clements has given $630,000 to the Kilgore College Foundation. That money will create 40 individual student scholarships. These new scholarships are available through the KC Foundation, providing financial assistance to students in need. Clements, is the owner of Energy Weldfab, has a long and proud partnership with the college that began in 1974 when Mike met his late wife, Amy, while attending classes at KC.

SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man accused in a fatal shooting at Westwood Shopping Center in 2018 made his first court appearance Wednesday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, District Attorney Jacob Putman asked for a delay in the case to allow for further DNA testing. Kristian Perdomo, 26, has been charged with the murder of Bradley Brockman, 45, after a shooting at the shopping center at Loop 323 and Chandler Highway. Investigators believed that Perdomo was connected to four other shootings that had occurred over the previous two weeks. Perdomo has only been charged with Brockman’s murder. Continue reading Murder Trial Delayed for Additional DNA Testing

TYLER — A Tyler man pleaded guilty Wednesday to two charges of intoxicated manslaughter stemming from a wreck in January 2019. According to our news partner KETK, Tommy Allen was driving on south Broadway Avenue when he struck Michael Gonzalez, 26, who was waiting at the Amherst Street red light on his motorcycle. Gonzalez later died from his injuries at a local emergency room. Allen’s wife, Susan, was a passenger in the truck. She died two days after the crash. Allen was sentenced to 12 years for each death. The sentences will run concurrently. According to an arrest warrant, Allen had numerous drugs, including Hydrocodone, Xanax and cocaine, in his system.

TYLER — A body found in Tyler Wednesday morning has been identified as Jimmy Lee Ball, 63. His body was discovered around 7:00 in a parking lot on Broadway. Investigators said foul play was not suspected. The body was sent for autopsy.

TYLER — Wednesday morning at around 7:00 a.m. officers with the Tyler Police Department were sent to N. Broadway Ave on report of a dead body in a parking lot. Police quickly located a male later identified as Jimmy Lee Ball, 63. Investigators were called to the scene and do not believe foul play was a factor. Ball’s body was sent off for an autopsy. Family members were notified and the case is still under investigation.

TYLER — The city of Tyler approved an amendment on Chapter 16 of the Ordinance Code that will increase the subscription fee for curbside recycling by forty-one cents monthly. The new rate becomes effective in the April billing cycle, and will increase from $5.35 to $5.96. This fee change will cover the increased tipping fee of $65 per ton for single-stream recycling. The main reason for the increased price is the decline in the market value for most recyclable materials. Continue reading Curbside Recycling Fees Increasing

TYLER — On Wednesday, Tyler District 4 City Councilman, Don Warren fulfilled his last day in office as part of the city council to continue his campaign for the Mayor of Tyler. The 2020 Mayoral candidate told KTBB on Wednesday what went through his mind as he looked out in the crowd following his last city council meeting, “I looked out in the crowd and thanked the staff for the last six years. I thanked the other councilmembers for the last 6 years, and I also thanked the mayor. Mayor Heines, has been a great leader. He’s been a mentor. We have not always agreed, we have had bumps in the road, but many of those bumps in the road, we learning experiences for me.” Continue reading Tyler Councilman Serves Last Day to Continue Campaign for Mayor

TYLER — A former TK Gorman graduate will attempt to qualify for the Toyko Summer Olympics later this summer. Mia Behm, a former Bishop Gorman graduate, will be racing at the Olympic marathon trials in Atlanta this weekend. On Wednesday, Mike Lee told KTBB, “the TK Gorman family is really happy and excited for Mia.” The current athletic director continued, “Mia was a great runner and a state champion when she was at Gorman, and then went to the University of Texas and made a huge mark there. Everyone in the Gorman Community is just really proud of her.” Continue reading Gorman Grad at Olympic Trials this Weekend