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EAST TEXAS — The Henderson man arrested a year ago for putting explosives in mailboxes has his final court appearance next month. Police say Larry Gene North terrorized parts of East Texas by placing more than 30 pipe bombs in various mailboxes. He’s been in the hospital most of the time since his arrest in April of 2010. But on a single day in June, North will have a competency and a change of plea hearing; then he’ll be sentenced. He’s facing a number of criminal charges and could get life in prison.

TYLER — Family and friends gathered in Tyler Monday to mourn the death of 79-year-old pastor and writer David Wilkerson. During his life, Wilkerson ministered to young drug addicts and gang members in New York City and started Times Square Church there. Many know him by his best-selling book “The Cross and the Switchblade,” which was made into a movie. Last week, he was killed in a car crash off Highway 175 near the Anderson County line, and now many East Texans say they will miss his heart of gold. Pastor Wilkerson is survived by his wife and four children.

TYLER (AP) – A third East Texas gang member has been sentenced to prison for raping a 12-year-old girl after a September high school football game. A judge in Tyler on Monday sentenced 19-year-old Glenn Authar Williams to 40 years in prison. Williams in April was convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Prosecutor Guy Conine says the victim attended a football game in Tyler and then went with three girls she knew to the home of one of the men. Conine on Tuesday told The Associated Press that the victim did not know the men. Brandon High, who’s 20, and 19-year-old Josh Baker in March pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child. Each was sentenced to 15 years in prison.

HENDERSON — One man has been arrested in connection with a Henderson convenience store robbery where a clerk was held at gun point early Saturday morning. According to Lt. Craig Sweeney, Henderson police officers were dispatched to Fast Stop North in the 100 block of Kilgore Drive at about 3:15 a.m. in connection with a robbery.

The clerk told officers one man pointed a weapon at her while another person removed a “small amount of cash” from the register, then fled the scene, Sweeney said. Kuenten Scott, 18, of Winona was arrested a short time later after a traffic stop on North Mill Street. Sweeney said Rusk County Sheriff’s deputies stopped a vehicle near the convenience store a few minutes after the robbery. Investigators say they do not believe the driver of the vehicle was involved in the robbery and he was not scene on any of the surveillance footage. Scott was released from Rusk County Jail Monday afternoon on $60,000 bond, charged with aggravated robbery. Officials said they expect more arrests in the future.

GALVESTON (AP) — Officials say they believe the body of a man found washed onto a Galveston beach is that of a missing teenage swimmer. Galveston Island Beach Patrol Chief Peter Davis says a beach maintenance crew found the body on East Beach about noon Monday. He tells the Galveston County Daily News that it’s believed to be that of John Hight, 18, of the East Texas community of DeBerry. Hight went missing as he and nine friends were swimming in rough surf Saturday. The body was taken to the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office.

MARSHALL — Three men have been arrested for racing lawnmowers in a muddy section of a Marshall park. The men were arrested Sunday afternoon and charged with criminal mischief between $1,500 and $20,000. They were said to have torn up several section of grass in the park on East Rusk Street. Arrested were James Edward Brown, 42, Christopher Scott Call, 18, and Scott Desalvo, 19, all from Marshall.

LINDALE — The Lindale Independent School District will host a second community and parent informational meeting tonight at 7:00 p.m. in the E.J. Moss Intermediate School auditorium. The focus of the meeting will be changes for the 2011-2012 school year in first through sixth grades. Parents or guardians of LISD students currently in kindergarten through fifth grades are encouraged to attend. District officials will be available to answer any questions regarding the transition and address concerns.

Lindale ISD will undergo campus realignments due to the passage of the 2009 bond election. The bond included the addition of a new junior high school campus. With the addition of the new campus, the district will make changes at other LISD campuses to handle the district’s continuing growth in student population.

Lindale Primary School will serve first through third grades beginning next school year. The current primary school will be known as College Street Elementary School beginning with the 2011-2012 school year as well. The LISD school board approved the name change in February. Velma Penny Elementary School will also serve grades 1-3 beginning next school year. The school currently serves students in third and fourth grades.

E.J. Moss Intermediate School neighbors the current Lindale Junior High School. The two campuses will be joined to form one school next year. Lindale Junior High School will move to its new building. The current intermediate campus will be known as E.J. Moss East and the former junior high building will be E.J. Moss West. Fourth grade students and half of the fifth grade will work out of the E.J. Moss East building, and half of fifth grade and all of sixth grade will work out of E.J. Moss West.

CANTON — Officials say the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office conducted and completed a sex offender roundup Saturday in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. The roundup kicked off at about 9:30 a.m. with the last team of two finishing at 4:45pm. The Canton Police Department, the constable of Precinct #3, and the deputy constable of Precinct #1 assisted sheriff’s deputies and reserve deputies in the effort.

Van Zandt County has 130 registered sex offenders. Authorities say four are currently in jail, one has absconded, and three are working out of state but are in compliance. 122 convicted offenders were physically checked. Authorities name the absconded offender as Ronald House, 41, a white male, of 254 PR 7502, Wills Point. Officials say anyone with questions about registered sex offenders should feel free to call Deputy Goddard at 903-567-4133, extension 478. You can also go to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office website at http://www.vzsheriff.com and click on sex offenders, which will take you to the DPS website. You may also call Crime Stoppers at 903-567-7867 (STOP) if you wish to remain anonymous.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Louie Gohmert of Tyler is among many issuing comments on the death of Osama bin Laden. Gohmert released the following statement Monday:

“Americans will forever remember today. The death of Osama bin Laden is a great victory for the American people. It is a day to be truly grateful to those who serve in and assist our United States military. It is also a time to revere those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in our fight against the radical Islamists who declared war upon us.

“After decades of murderous attacks by radical jihadists against the United States, our courageous warriors have struck a blow for all who love true freedom. Although bin Laden’s death is a great triumph over a remorseless murderer some thought was being divinely protected, it is imperative that we remain steadfast in our fight against those who wish to terrorize and destroy the United States and the blessings we hold dear.”

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court and Sheriff J.B. Smith cut the ribbon Monday on the newly refurbished, historical downtown building that will serve as the new office headquarters for the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. “We are very excited to see this project come to completion,” County Judge Joel Baker said. The new office will be located at 227 N. Spring Ave. in the historic Roosth-Murphey building, next door to the Courthouse Annex on Ferguson that already houses numerous Smith county offices and departments.

Since 1986, the Sheriff’s Office has been housed in the Smith County Office Building at 106 E. Elm St. – formerly the Carlton Hotel. According to officials, since 1998, one of the county’s top priorities has been to move everyone out of the outdated Carlton and into more efficient facilities. “As a hotel, the Carlton building was designed to welcome people in – not keep them out. It was never designed to accommodate the specific needs of a sheriff’s office,” Sheriff J.B. Smith said. “This move is long overdue.”

The Sheriff’s Office is one of the facilities projects being paid for in cash through the county’s Pay As You Go (PAYGO) Program. The majority of the interior work was completed with inmate labor and with the County’s in-house facilities maintenance crew to save money. The county finished the building for around $1.2 million, making the cost per square foot about $85. “We are proud to have paid for this project in cash. We are providing this much needed building completely debt-free to Smith County taxpayers. This is one example of how we are continuing to spend tax dollars wisely without cutting our services,” Judge Baker said.

LUFKIN — An Angelina County grand jury has handed down indictments on two men accused of sexually deviant crimes on the job. KETK and the Lufkin Daily News report 35-year old Nathan Scott Kesler was indicted on a charge of improper photography. Kesler allegedly used his cell phone to capture images of two store employees and a young girl in the bathroom of the Lufkin Dollar King, where he was manager. Also, 34-year old Jose Diaz Jr. is accused of trying to rape a sleeping tenant at the Acadia Arms Apartments, where he was the maintenance man. Authorities say the woman’s roommate threatened Diaz with a gun to get him to leave. He’s still behind bars in the Angelina County Jail.

LONGVIEW — A Marshall woman died early Sunday morning while walking on Texas 149 near Whiskey Bend after she was hit by an unidentified vehicle. Mindy Woodson, 30, was pronounced dead about 1:02 a.m. Sunday, according to the Department of Public Safety. Woodson was walking in the northbound lane of Texas 149 when she was hit by an unidentified vehicle, also traveling north on the highway. A driver of a second vehicle contacted law enforcement about her. DPS is conducting an investigation to find the driver of the first car. The accident happened about a mile south of Eastman Road in Longview. Justice of the Peace Arthur Fort pronounced the woman dead.

TYLER — Tyler Police investigate a report of shots fired. It happened at an apartment at 2700 North Grand. The resident was asleep inside the apartment and was not injured. It’s the 2nd time in two weeks the same apartment had reportedly been shot at. Anyone with information regarding this incident is encouraged to contact Tyler Police or Crimestoppers.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at events and work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

UNDATED — The Texas Department of Transportation’s annual preventative maintenance program known as “District-Wide Seal Coat” kicked off Monday in Cherokee County, followed by the same work in Anderson County. Crews were scheduled to apply a seal coat to State Highway 110 in Cherokee County between U.S. Highway 79 in New Summerfield and U.S. Highway 84 in Rusk on May 2, then move to US 84 in Palestine between U.S. Highway 287 and Farm Road 3266 east of town.

Staying in Anderson County, the work is scheduled to move to Farm Road 645 between Farm Road 320 and U.S. Highway 79, Spur 324 between US 287 and Farm Road 321, and US 287 between the Freestone County Line and FM 321.

Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two lane areas. Loose gravel may be present for several days following a seal coat application. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

The District-Wide Seal Coat program, which will seal approximately 300 miles of roads as it passes through all eight counties in the Tyler District before the end of August, uses a two-step process of spraying down hot asphalt and covering it with rock to add years of life to existing pavement.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Beginning Monday, Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to make pavement repairs on U.S. Highway 79 at its intersection with U.S. Highway 69 (Rusk Street and South Jackson Street), and then move east on US 79 making the same repairs in various locations. This work is scheduled to last throughout the week: US 69 and US 79, working in and around the intersection; and US 79 east of US 69. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on SH 19 north of Palestine between Farm Road 860 in Bois D’Arc and the Henderson County Line. The work is being performed in advance of a seal-coat application in May. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on Farm Road 85 between the Navarro County Line and State Highway 274 in Seven Points. A second crew is scheduled to perform the same work on Farm Road 2892 between Farm Road 2495 and the end of state maintenance. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

GREGG COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to conclude pavement-repair operations on Spur 63 in Longview. The work is being done in preparation for a seal-coat application later this summer. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone. Also this week in Gregg County, the overnight lane closure on State Highway 149 in the Whiskey Bend area has been extended to last through May 16.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform base repairs in various locations on U.S. Highway 259 north of Henderson between State Highway 322 and Farm Road 850. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repair operations in various locations on State Highway 37 in Winnsboro between State Highway 11 and Farm Road 515, and south of Winnsboro near Farm Road 1647. A second crew is scheduled to perform edge repairs on Farm Road 69 between Farm Road 515 in Coke and the Hopkins County Line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing and edge-repair operations on State Highway 198 between State Highway 64 in Canton and Farm Road 1651. The work is being done in advance of a seal coat application later this month. A second crew is scheduled to perform fog seal operations on Farm Road 858 between State Highway 19 and Ben Wheeler. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

NOONDAY — Tasty treats mixed with serious business as the Noonday Volunteer Fire Department held a community fish fry Saturday, largely to raise funds. The fire department gets tax money through an emergency services district. But Assistant Fire Chief Jonathan McClish says there are always a few expenses that the ESD does not cover, “and that’s where the donations come in.” McClish says such events, held several times a year, also promote awareness among residents. According to McClish, “They come out and introduce themselves and see where their tax dollars have gone.”

It all happened as Texans continued to deal with wildfire-prone conditions. McClish and a colleague recently helped battle a devastating wildfire in West Texas. McClish encourages residents to drop in any time and get to know their firefighters. He says his department stays busy and has grown substantially in recent years.

TYLER — Early voting in the May elections got underway today. One high-profile item is the Smith County jail bond. 384 beds would be added under the $35 million plan, which calls for expansion and renovation of the existing jail. Early voting continues through May 10, and Election Day is May 14.

TYLER — A high-speed chase that started in Longview made its way to Tyler Saturday evening. Authorities tell KETK the car being pursued made its way on down U.S. Highway 271 onto Loop 323 in Tyler. Smith County sheriff’s deputies picked up the chase on the Smith County line. After driving on the loop, police were able to stop the car south of Grande and highway 155 in Tyler. The suspect is currently in custody in the Smith County Jail. We’ll have more details as they’re made available.

TYLER — Over 6,000 people poured into the downtown Tyler Square on Saturday afternoon for the 4th Annual Cause For The Paws event — an event envisioned by award winning country artist Miranda Lambert, a native East Texan. The event was originally meant just to help the Humane Society of East Texas, but now it’s growing — while still including its original beneficiary. “Now that we’ve gotten the Humane Society of East Texas so built up, we wanted to start branching out and going across the United States, so we started the foundation (Lambert’s MuttNation Foundation) to sort of put all the money we raise in one pot and be able to help more than just our hometown…but spread it out,” Lambert told KETK Also at Saturday’s event, there were performances by Stoney Larue and Josh Kelley.

Lambert says Saturday’s show is actually the last show she’ll be performing for a while due to some other plans she has coming up. “Ready to get married, it’s been a year in planning so it kind of consumes everyone’s life for a year and so I’m ready to experience it and then move on,” Lambert said. Lambert’s people says they raised over $50,000 Saturday night in just the live auction alone. Lambert’s fiance is fellow country star Blake Shelton.

FORT WORTH (AP) – The Humane Society of North Texas just received some new tenants – 79 nonvenomous snakes. An East Texas judge granted custody of the snakes, all constrictors, to the nonprofit this week. Tammy Roberts of the agency says they include a rock python, anacondas and “a few things in between.” They are 2 to 14 feet long and weigh up to 70 pounds. The reptiles were seized by the Wood County sheriff last week from a snake dealer in a cruelty investigation. He has 10 days to appeal. The serpents are living in the Humane Society’s area for exotic animals, each in a 10- to 12-inch-high bin that is about 4 feet long and 2 feet wide. They will be fed thawed rats or rabbits by workers who use 4-foot tongs.

LINDALE — Local citizens and law officers are expressing dismay over the activities of a body shop owner. Smith County Constable Dennis Taylor says law officers have already taken three cars from Alvey’s Body Shop in Lindale this week for drivers who were tired of waiting for their cars to get fixed. “We’ve been getting complaints about cars not being worked on,” he says. According to KETK, Taylor says David Alvey, the owner, makes about $30,000 in insurance checks every month, but the cars aren’t getting fixed. “His electricity and water are shut off. The cars aren’t getting fixed. So where’s the money going?” Taylor says.

One driver says she took her truck to Alvey’s to get a new bumper. When she went to pick it up, she says it had no bumper and Alvey had messed up other parts on the truck. She also says her rims and tires were taken off of her truck and put on Alvey’s truck, so she called the Constable. Alvey was arrested for theft of property, but was released just a couple of hours later on a $4,000 bond. Since she gave Alvey her insurance check and he already cashed it, she says the $7,000 to fix the damage is coming from her pocket.

Several East Texans also say they went to Alvey’s and gave him money, but their cars never got fixed. Some people say just a couple of years ago, they took their cars to Alvey and he fixed them well. Now the Better Business Bureau rates Alvey’s Body Shop with an “F” after a customer filed a complaint that his mirror was replaced with a shiny piece of cardboard.

Constable Taylor says if anyone has a car at Alvey’s, he will go get it. Unfortunately, he says customers will probably not get their cars fixed or get their money back. The Constable also says they searched Alvey’s car, business, and home for drugs, but none were found.

TYLER – TJC’s board of trustees recently approved an across-the-board tuition increase. In addition to a higher tuition, officials say students can expect increases in other areas such as a higher general education fee, registration fee, and campus meal plans. According to KETK, officials say a full time student can expect a grand total 9% increase in tuition and fees starting in the fall.

FORT WORTH (AP) – A former Miss USA’s claims of being groped during a pat-down at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport could be a criminal matter under a bill sponsored by Republican Representative David Simpson of Longview. The measure’s gaining momentum in the Texas Legislature. If it becomes Texas law, it would be a felony for a security officer to intentionally touch someone’s private areas – even on top of clothing – unless they have probable cause. Susie Castillo says the pat down left her feeling molested and violated. Castillo, who was crowned in 2003, was in tears following the April 21st experience. She says a female Transportation Security Administration worker who checked her touched her crotch area several times.

EAST TEXAS — East Texas takes up the battle against prescription drug abuse. The Tyler Police Department and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) host a Prescription Drug Take Back Day today from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at Super One Foods located at 3000 WNW Loop 323 in Tyler. Police say there will be “no questions asked.”

In Longview, The Region 4 Prevention Resource Center, a program of East Texas Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse (ETCADA), conducts a similar effort — also today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. You can drop off your prescription drugs at Louis Morgan Drug #4, located at 110 Johnston St. To find a site near you, simply visit the DEA website at http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov or by contacting Linda Moyer with ETCADA at (903) 247-9646.

According to authorities, the purpose of this National Take Back Day is to provide a venue for persons who want to dispose of unwanted and unused prescription drugs. Police say a prior take back effort was a huge success in removing potentially dangerous prescription drugs, particularly controlled substances, from the nation’s medicine cabinets. There were approximately 3,000 state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the nation that participated in the event. All told, the American Public turned in more than 121 tons of pills on the first National Take Back Day.

Due to what’s termed the overwhelming success of the first event, DEA has scheduled the second National Prescription Drug Take Back Day. Police say it’s a great opportunity for those who missed the first event, or who have subsequently accumulated unwanted or unused prescription drugs, to safely dispose of them.

Police say the initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. More than seven million Americans currently abuse prescription drugs, according to the 2009 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Each day, approximately, 2,500 teens use prescription drugs to get high for the first time according to the Partnership for a Drug Free America. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including the home medicine cabinet.

MARSHALL — A 44-year-old Linden man has pleaded guilty to sexual assault-related charges in the Eastern District of Texas. Rodney Ray Hayes pleaded guilty to the transportation of minors with intent to engage in illicit sexual activity Friday in Marshall before U.S. District Judge T. John Ward.

According to information presented in court, Hayes, also known as the Texas Kid, had a professional rodeo act which was based out of Linden. As part of his rodeo act, Hayes had children under the age of eighteen years old performing and traveling with him. Hayes would travel with these children in interstate commerce to other states to perform their act at various rodeos. An investigation revealed that at various times between March 2005 and June 2008, Hayes engaged in illicit sexual contact with at least one minor. Hayes was indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 7, 2010.

In addition to facing federal prison time, Hayes will be required to register as a sex offender and is prohibited from having any contact with his victims. A sentencing date has not been set. The case is being prosecuted as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse.

EAST TEXAS — East Texans hit the road Friday morning in Red Cross emergency response vehicles to help out with the tornado devastation that hit nine states. Hundreds of Red Cross volunteers have either headed in that direction or are already on site — providing food, shelter, relief supplies, blood products and equipment. Sonya Meador is an experienced Red Cross volunteer who showed up Friday morning to be deployed. She told our news partner KETK, “All I can do is what I’ve been trained to do, is to be available — whether it’s staffing a shelter or feeding, running a vehicle through neighborhoods, helping people clean up, whatever — just to be available.” Forty Red Cross emergency vehicles are involved in the response effort. More than 1600 people already have taken advantage of Red Cross shelters following the tornadoes and flooding. This is believed to be the deadliest tornadio outbreak in more than 35 years.

HENDERSON – Three East Texas suspects were arrested Thursday for theft of livestock after allegedly stealing two head of cattle from a pasture near Reklaw. KETK reports John Frederick Hinds II, 26, Reklaw; his wife, Kellie Dawn Hinds, 22, Reklaw; and Bobby Addrian Askew, 24, Jacksonville, were admittedly high on methamphetamine at the time of the theft. The suspects hired a commercial hauler to transport the cattle to a livestock auction barn in East Texas. Livestock company employees immediately saw multiple signs of possible theft and reported it. The cattle were later identified as stolen and returned to the owners.

“These cattle were quickly identified and returned to their owners because employees at the livestock market stepped forward and voiced concerns they had about the sellers,” said Larry Hand, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA) special ranger. “Thanks to the collaboration between TSCRA and sheriff deputies, we were able to track down the suspects and take them into custody.” Hand advises ranchers to brand their cattle and count them regularly, especially now that cattle prices are at record highs. Hand led the investigation in cooperation with deputies from the Panola and Rusk County sheriff’s departments, the Rusk County district attorney’s office, TSCRA Market Inspector Pat McGuigan and TSCRA Special Ranger Jimmy Dickson.

TYLER — A Tyler woman is sentenced to 8 years in prison for hurting her step-daughter. According to KETK, 43-year-old Martha Lorena Camargo pleaded guilty to cutting the eight-year-old with a butcher knife because she wasn’t eating a meal fast enough. Authorities maintain Camargo also jammed her fingers down the girl’s throat and pulled her hair.

TYLER — A 29-year-old Kilgore man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug violations in the Eastern District of Texas announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales Friday. Russell Eugene Shepherd pleaded guilty on Sep. 2, 2010, to possession of pseudoephedrine knowing it would be used to manufacture methamphetamine and was sentenced to 72 months in federal prison Tuesday in Tyler.

According to information presented in court, Shepherd admitted to purchasing cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at various stores in Longview, Kilgore and Henderson between March of 2009 and January of 2010. These pills were purchased in furtherance of a conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine utilizing these pills with other co-defendants. Shepherd was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 6.

RUSK COUNTY — A Henderson man was sentenced to five years in prison Thursday morning in connection with the aggravated robbery of a convenience store almost a year ago. Phillip Wayne Moss Jr., 19, was arrested July 2010 and charged with aggravated robbery, a first-degree felony and possession of marijuana. Officials said Moss pleaded guilty before District Judge Clay Gossett Thursday morning and took “full responsibility for his conduct.”

According to previous reports, Moss used an air pistol, which resembled a firearm, threatened the clerk and demanded money from the cash register. Police officials said Moss, and an accomplice who was identified as a minor, took money from the cash register and fled. Officials had said the minor’s case was being handled through the juvenile center.

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University students and faculty will be in Kenya from May 5 through May 31 to work with disabled children and conduct research to assess how well the children’s wheelchairs work for them. LETU Assistant Professor of Biology Karen Rispin and two students, Taylor Geyman of Bonners Ferry, Idaho, and Sam Nemati of Altadena, California, will travel to partner with Bethany Kids at Joytown Special Primary School for the Disabled as part of the Wheels project at LETU. Wheels team members made a preliminary trip to Joytown in June of 2010 and have facilitated the donation and shipment of two types of pediatric wheelchairs to the school.

“What is really exciting is that our Wheels team’s research study has the potential to make a huge difference, not only to the children being fitted with these donated wheelchairs, but to children around the world using wheelchairs provided by the organizations with the same wheelchairs in this study,” Rispin said. David N’gan’ga, who is an administrator at Bethany Kids, said, “The one thing that most impressed me about the Wheels project was their commitment to follow up and do research to see if their donations work well for the children.”

While in Kenya, the Wheels team will collect data on maneuverability, ease of rolling and durability, as well as gain questionnaire input on how well each type of wheelchair worked for the kids as they played with friends and went to school. Kris Riseling, a physical therapist from Ontario, and Janet Welch, a wheelchair seating specialist from North Carolina, will accompany the Wheels team and will repair wheelchairs and ensure the chairs are fitted properly for the children. The organizations that manufacture the two types of wheelchairs are both eager for feedback that will inform their design and help them to provide more functional wheelchairs.