KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – Tyler has become home to Hurricane Harvey evacuees and more are expected. There are over 650 Harvey evacuees now in Tyler. In preparation for more, officials from Visit Tyler, the City of Tyler, and the Tyler Lodging Association met to prepare for the influx. There is hotel availability at almost all of the hotels this week, and properties that don’t usually allow pets, will allow evacuees to check in with their pets. Also, all local and state hotel/motel taxes are being waived for evacuees. And, evacuees will be able to get a list from the front desk at their hotel of discounted and free activities, services, entertainment, and meals that will be offered in the area. If you are a Tyler business that would like to offer free or discounted services to evacuees in Tyler, contact Shari Lee at slee@tylertexas.com or call 903-592-1661.

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court has voted unanimously to adopt the Fiscal Year 2018 budget and tax rate. County officials cite the following priorities: road improvements; increased funding for law enforcement and jail operations; improved operational efficiency; continued improvement to facilities and technology; and hiring and retaining qualified employees who are providing the highest level of service. The Commissioners Court adopted a tax rate of 33 cents per $100 valuation, the same as Fiscal Year 2017. As part of the package, the county is adding the positions of fleet manager and budget analyst. You can go to http://www.smith-county.com for more details.

TYLER — Tyler Police are searching for the suspect wanted in the robbery of a grocery store owner. It happened just after 11:00 Monday night at the Super Food Mart on NNW loop 323. Police were told that the store manager was walking to her car after locking the store when she was grabbed from behind and forced to the back of the building. The suspect reportedly shoved her to the ground and took her purse along with the store’s money from that evening. The suspect, described as a tall, thin black male, fled the scene, possibly in a white SUV. An employee taking out trash claims to have not seen anything. No injuries were reported.

LONGVIEW – Two East Texas teens have been arrested on robbery charges in Longview. Zachary Bryan Christopher, 18, of Tatum (pictured) has been charged with aggravated robbery and giving false information and failure to identify. His bonds total $101,000. Also charged in the case is Keon Thomas, 17, of Longview. He is not only charged with aggravated robbery, he is also being held on warrants for burglary of a building. His bonds total $105,000. The Longview New Journal reports the two are accused of demanding money from a taxicab driver at gunpoint. The driver said he drove away without giving any money and that both suspects ran away. The incident is said to have occurred in early May.

LONGVIEW – A Longview man is being accused of attacking his mentally challenged brother by kicking him in the face and stomping on his neck. Being held in the Gregg County Jail is Tahj Shannon, 28. The attack is said to have occurred early Saturday evening at the Ware Meadows Apartments on South High Street. According to the Longview News Journal, the suspect’s brother as well as the men’s mother told officers of the attack. Shannon is charged with injury to a child/elderly/disabled individual with intentional bodily injury.

TYLER – Smith County commissioners are set to approve next year’s budget at Tuesday’s meeting. Before the budget is adopted, the public will have one last chance to comment on it. The proposed budget for the new year, which starts October 1st, is $88.6 million. The tax rate will remain the same at 33 cents per $100 property valuation. This will still generate more revenue because of increased property values. This will cost the average home owner just over an additional $25 on their yearly tax bill. The meeting starts at 9:30 in the courthouse annex building on East Ferguson.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – East bound lanes of Interstate Highway 20, at the 530 mile marker, have been reopened following a fatal accident. The Van Zandt County crash involved a truck-tractor semi-trailer and a passenger car. The driver of the passenger car was killed. We will have more information when it becomes available.

TYLER – The Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health) encourages all East Texas residents to begin making plans to prepare for the impending rainfall that our area is expected to receive from the residual storms of Hurricane Harvey. NET Health says it is particularly important to be prepared if you live in a low-lying area, near a body of water (creeks, streams, lakes, etc.) or downstream from a large body of water. Emergency Management Officials have advised the public to call 2-1-1 for up-to-date shelter information. 2-1-1 is a free statewide program available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Continue reading Preparation Urged as Flooding Expected in East Texas from Harvey

TYLER — 23-year-old Victor Macias-Vergara of Smith County has been killed in a Tyler truck accident. Police were called around 10:30 Saturday night about a rollover crash on S. Vine Avenue near the Grove Street intersection. Witnesses said Macias-Vergara’s truck lost control and left the roadway as it drove south. Police say the case remains under investigation.

TYLER – East Texans are helping out in the ongoing response to Hurricane Harvey. KETK reports the city of Tyler will soon be assisting state officials in life-saving efforts in the Houston area. According to Fire Marshal Paul Findley, Tyler Fire is deploying a mobile command and communications unit, along with four personnel. A formal request for help was received Sunday afternoon. Up until the request, the city had only been on standby. The vehicle will travel to an undetermined staging location in the Houston area. Findley said the unit will likely be gone for a week and could possibly stay longer if needed. Continue reading East Texans Assist in Harvey Response Efforts

TYLER – Motorists can expect delays and closures as night work is conducted on I-20 at the Toll 49 interchange, and on the ongoing US 271 project in Tyler. TxDOT says the schedules are subject to change due to wet weather forecast for the area. Starting tonight, I-20 will experience closures necessary for work on the NETRMA’s Toll 49 construction project. Message boards are already in place announcing the planned closures. If the work is rained out, it will be rescheduled to start on September 5. The Lindale Police Department will provide traffic control. Continue reading Expect Night Work on I-20 and U.S. 271

TYLER — The Tyler Together Race Relations Forum will hold a “Reignite the Dream” rally on the Tyler downtown square tonight at 6:30. Organizers say it marks the 54th anniversary of the March on Washington, at which Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have A Dream” speech. They say the event was spurred by recent events across the nation, including the local discussion about possibly renaming Robert E. Lee High School. According to information from Tyler Together, participants plan to remember Dr. King’s speech and rededicate their efforts to make his words a reality in the community. The event has several co-sponsors, and the public is being encouraged to attend.

RUSK – An escapee from the Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Skyview Unit in Rusk has been captured. TDCJ officials say 35-year-old Aaron Ray Williams was caught by TDCJ staff around 10:20 a.m. Sunday along Highway 84, west of Rusk. A news release issued shortly before 9:00 Sunday morning said he had escaped by scaling a fence. Williams is serving a 35-year sentence for burglary of a building in Smith County.

DALLAS (AP) – Congress is close to finalizing changes to the nation’s emergency dialing system inspired by a girl’s struggle to call 911 as her mother lay dying from stab wounds in a Marshall hotel room. The House and Senate unanimously passed versions of the proposal. Once the final wording is worked out, the measure known as “Kari’s Law” heads to President Donald Trump’s desk. Kari Hunt Dunn (pictured) was killed in 2013 when her estranged husband stormed into her hotel room and stabbed her multiple times while her children watched. One of them, a girl who was 9 at the time, tried to call 911 four times but wasn’t able to get an outside line. Her grandfather, Dunn’s father, pressed Congress to mandate direct-dial 911 on new phone systems that businesses install.

LONGVIEW – One person has been wounded in a Gregg County shooting. It happened Friday afternoon as Gregg County sheriff’s deputies responded to Carr Road in reference to an aggravated assault. According to the department’s Facebook Page, while investigators were interviewing the victim, the suspect drove up and rammed an occupied Gregg County Sheriff’s Office vehicle. Deputies then fired at the suspect. After being treated at the hospital, then suspect was then booked into the Gregg County Jail. The suspect, who has not been identified, is charged with 2 counts of aggravated assault against a public servant and one count of aggravated assault family violence.

TYLER – The U.S. Marshal’s Service has arrested a Mineola man on Smith County charges of aggravated sexual assault of an elderly/disabled person. In the Smith County Jail under a $1 million bond is Gary Neil McGill, 69. The charges stem from an incident in September of 2016 in which McGill is accused of the sexual assault of a woman who suffers from intellectual disabilities. During the investigation, officers recovered from his house computers, hard drives and cameras.

LONGVIEW – As Hurricane Harvey makes landfall on the Texas coast, emergency management personnel with the City of Longview and Gregg County are encouraging residents to make basic emergency preparations. Longview Fire Chief J.P. Steelman says the Longview area is not expected to receive the same level of storm severity as will be seen along the coast. But he says a storm like this could still bring heavy rainfall, high winds, and loss of power. He encourages residents to make sure they have have food and water and medications on hand and put together an emergency preparedness kit. He also encourages everyone to sign up for the CodeRed emergency notification system. Continue reading Longview Residents Encouraged to “Be Prepared”

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler officials presented faculty awards for outstanding achievement and dedication during 2017 Convocation that was held on Friday. Officials also recognized senior lecturer in economics Susan Doty, who was named to the UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers earlier this year, as well as associate professor of education Dr. Julie Delello and senior lecturer in history Dr. James Newsom, who each received the 2017 Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award. Continue reading Awards Handed Out at the UT Tyler Convocation

CHANDLER – A search warrant served by Henderson County Sheriff’s deputies resulted in the arrest of Phillip Corey Stewart, 38, of Chandler. He was arrested Thursday at a home on Sun Dial Drive south of Chandler. Deputies found methamphetamine, scales, baggies, a semi-automatic pistol and a 12-guage shotgun. Besides the drug charge, Stewart was also charged with two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm.

TYLER — A section of New Copeland Road, which was closed this morning, has been reopened. Friday morning the Tyler Street Department is closed all lanes of New Copeland Road between Shiloh Road and Hubbard Drive. It was closed while they brought down a big tree that was in the process of uprooting.

EAST TEXAS — First responders in East Texas are headed south to help people in the direct path of Hurricane Harvey. KETK reports ETMC EMS and the Emergency Medical Task Force are preparing to evacuate residents and save lives. One by one, the ambulances rolled out Thursday afternoon. Public safety preparation for Hurricane Harvey also highlighted news at Longview City Hall on Thursday. According to the Longview News-Journal, Fire Chief J.P. Steelman said at least nine Longview firefighters have been deployed to South Texas locations for statewide emergency response. Meanwhile, said Steelman, local chiefs have held conference calls with state emergency leaders. Continue reading East Texans Prepare for Hurricane Harvey

ARP — Water delivery is a daily occurrence for students at Arp Junior High School after the city’s water tested positive for asbestos. “This plan was actually brought on by my sister-in-law,” Principal Bryan Hurst told KETK. “She works at Ozarka, and when I told her about what was going on, she offered to help us out.” City officials say the water is safe, but samples show it looking murky, and unfortunately it may be like that for longer than they’d like. “Right now it’s looking about $4 million to replace all the old lines,” Mayor Terry Lowry said. The city is researching grants and loans. Other companies have also come out offering to help provide water bottles to the school district, including Lowe’s and Jackson Water Supply.

TYLER — The city of Tyler is currently accepting applications from Tyler citizens to serve on city boards and commissions. Applicants must reside inside Tyler city limits and should not have any delinquent city taxes, city utilities, or other city assessments. In addition, they must not have any pending claims against the City. There may be additional requirements for some board positions. Go to https://www.cityoftyler.org/Departments/CityClerk/BoardsCommission.aspx to downolad an application. You can also pick one up at the city clerk’s office or call the city clerk at (903) 531-1106 to have an application faxed or mailed.

TYLER – The new school year starts Monday for Tyler students. The district’s convocation is Friday.Teachers, administrators and staff will gather to usher in the new school year at the annual convocation. It will be held Friday morning at Green Acres Baptist Church. Over 2,500 district employees will hear from School Superintendent Marty Crawford and school trustees. The guest speaker will be Keith Davis, the former New York Giants football player whose career was cut short by a knee injury.Davis went on to create Winners, Inc. It provides tutoring, mentoring, and ministry programs for disadvantaged youth.

KILGORE – Employees of the Martin Gas and Frontier Communications were evacuated for a while Thursday afternoon following shots in the area. No one was injured, but the Martin Gas building and some cars there were damaged by gunshots. Roads around the area were closed for a while as they searched for a suspect. Officers, aided by two drones, searched the area but no suspect was found.

LONGVIEW – A man is being treated for multiple gunshot wounds following a Longview shooting. His wounds are said to be non-life threatening. The shooting was reported shortly after 2:00 Thursday afternoon at the Belaire Apartments on East Young Street. Investigators feel there may have been more than one suspect who fled before officers arrived.

LONGVIEW – Longview police are looking for a woman who robbed a restaurant with a pen. The robbery occurred shortly before 4:45 Wednesday afternoon at the business on State Highway 31. The woman went to pay after eating at the restaurant. When the cash register was opened, the woman grabbed an undisclosed amount of money. She then grabbed a pen from the counter and threatened the employee with it. No one was injured. The believe they may know the woman’s identity.

HENDERSON COUNTY – A portion of U.S. 175 in Henderson County, which was closed due to a live power line down on the roadway, has been reopened. The closure was at County Road 4404 and west about 500 feet between the LaPoynor ISD and Larue. The road had been shut down in both directions. The power company has removed the power line from the road and traffic is being directed through the area. Another brief closure will occur to allow Oncor to conduct necessary work. TxDOT crews are on scene to handle traffic control. No injuries were reported and there was no loss of power.

TYLER — The Tyler Street Department has reopened Houston Street. Because of a large tree that was downed after being struck by lightning, Houston Street had been between closed South Broadway Avenue and Spring Street. The tree was removed and the street was reopened Thursday afternoon.