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EAST TEXAS — News reports that pipeline builder TransCanada is exploring options toward laying the Texas leg of the 1,600-mile conduit for Canadian oil didn’t surprise the mayor of a small East Texas town fighting the project.

“Texas has already signed off on this thing,” Reklaw Mayor Harlan Crawford said Saturday, the day after Trans-Canada announced it was considering building the line from Cushing, Okla., to refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.

Crawford’s assessment that the Texas leg remains possible matched that of Keystone XL Project Representative Jim Prescott. The TransCanada spokesman said Friday the company has all necessary Texas permits for the pipeline, which would move a thick crude oil form known as oil sands, or tar sands. The proposed line cuts through northeast Wood, southwest Upshur, east Smith and southwest Rusk counties. Crawford’s town of 266 is in the Rusk County corridor. According to the Longview News-Journal, Reklaw has banded with neighboring Gallatin, population 374, to form a regional planning commission under Texas’ Local Government Code. President Barrack Obama put the international portion of the project on ice pending an environmental study.

BOWIE COUNTY — Officials have identified a man fatally shot during a Thursday traffic stop in Bowie County. A Texas Parks and Wildlife game warden shot and killed Frank Anthony Shoen, 55, during a possible driving while intoxicated stop Bowie County Sheriff’s officials said Friday in a news release. Game Warden Shawn Hervey fired the fatal round while assisting a deputy and Liberty Eylau School District police officer during the stop on Cummings Lane southwest of Texarkana, The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said. During the stop, officials told Shoen to get on the ground with his face down. Schoen did not comply, the news release said. He then pulled out a gun and fired a round into the air. Schoen then lowered the weapon toward officers. The Texas Rangers are investigating the incident.

HARRISON COUNTY — A former Harrison County sheriff’s deputy has been indicted on his third charge of sexual indecency with a child. Huey Edwards “Eddie” Nichols was arrested in September on two charges of sexual indecency with a child by contact. He was arrested again in December on a third sex indecency charge. According to the Longview News-Journal, in the latest case, Nichols is accused of sexually abusing a 15-year-old girl between January 2002 and March 2003. Authorities learned of the third accusation from a school counselor, who came forward with the information after Nichols and his wife were arrested in the other two cases.

The girl, who now is an adult, told police that Nichols touched her inappropriately when she was 15. Police said the girl met Nichols in 2002 after running away to a vacant house after a counseling session. Nichols was one of the responding officers to the scene and asked the girl’s grandmother if he could be her male role model, according to police documents.

The other two cases involve two girls, age 14 and 11, who also told a school counselor and authorities that Nichols touched them inappropriately. Nichols, who is also an ordained minister, was immediately fired from the sheriff’s office after the investigation in the first case. His wife, 33-year-old Sharon Nichols, was fired from her position as deputy county clerk a few days later. Huey Nichols worked at the sheriff’s office for three-and-a-half years. Before that, he worked as a Marshall police officer for 13 years. He also served as the police department’s chaplain.

LUFKIN — A Palestine man remained in a Tyler hospital Friday night after being struck by an SUV as he walked across Timberland Drive hours earlier. Jaime Lopez, 53, remained in critical condition in East Texas Medical Center’s ICU after being struck by a Chevy Tahoe traveling 30 to 40 mph. Lopez, had just delivered produce to Brookshire Brothers Friday morning before parking his rig at Towne Square Four Plaza at 400 N. Timberland Drive to walk across the highway to get something to eat when the accident occurred. Jonathan McGinty, 30, of Huntington told officers he didn’t see Lopez crossing the highway until it was too late. Officials said all of his injuries appeared to be internal. He was taken to Memorial Medical Center-Lufkin’s helipad and then flown to ETMC. The accident is under investigation by Lufkin Police.

MARSHALL — The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office is requesting assistance from the public regarding the location of Lalania Rhodes-Williams. According to KETK, she is listed as a missing person and has not had any contact with the family since she left the residence of her brother in Scottsville, Texas, on Friday, January 20.

Ms. Williams is described as a black female, 40 years old, 5’5”, 180 lbs, shoulder length brown hair. She was last seen wearing gray pants, black blouse, and a light gray sweater. She may be driving a 2003 4-door Pontiac Grand Am with Texas license plates CR3D212, which is registered to her in Houston. The family believes she may be distraught and fearful, which may be why she suddenly left the residence with no additional clothing or personal items. If anyone has any information of the location of Lalania Rhodes-Williams, you’re asked to contact the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office at 903-923-4000.

TYLER — Tyler police arrest four suspects in a late Friday morning robbery at the Conoco gas station, 2706 W. Gentry Parkway. Police say several suspects entered the store and assaulted the owner, who was working behind the counter, by striking him in the face with their fists. According to police, the suspects then grabbed several packs of cigarettes and ran out of the store. The owner suffered minor injuries. Officers flooded the area and were able to capture four suspects.

The suspects are identified as:
1) Steven Ray Sadler, 17, of Tyler, bond $505,000
2) Michael Avory Hayles, 17, of Tyler, bond $250,000
3) Prince Kentrell Hull, 18, of Tyler, bond $250,000
4) Jamon Nicholas Taylor, 17, of Tyler, bond $250,000

All four suspects have been charged with robbery, a 2nd degree felony, and Sadler was also charged with evading police. Tyler Police investigators believe that more suspects may have been involved in this incident and may file other charges upon completion of the investigation.

MANY, La. (AP) – Rainfall over the past two months has prompted the Sabine River Authority of Texas to change the drought stage of Toledo Bend Reservoir from moderate to mild. Voluntary water use reductions are still encouraged by reservoir officials. The Shreveport Times reports the reservoir reached a historic low of 159.42 feet Nov. 22. Almost weekly rainfall has steadily pushed up the level, which was measured at 162.92 feet Thursday morning. By comparison, the reservoir was at 164.27 this time a year ago. The level is expected to improve in the coming days as runoff from this week’s rainfall hits the tributaries that feed into Toledo Bend.

TYLER (AP/Staff) – Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham has moved to keep a four-legged member on his staff. Sophie is a 2-year-old full-blooded, yellow Labrador retriever. Bingham has put her on the job as a successor to Macy, who died of bone cancer last month at the age of two. Sherry Magness, who’s the county’s victims’ service director, says Sophie is trained to sit by the feet of children during their testimony. She tells KLTV-TV of Tyler that If the child becomes emotional, Sophie will lay her head on the child’s lap for comfort. However, Tyler criminal defense attorney Bobby Mims tells the station that he feels Sophie is used theatrically to appeal to jurors’ sympathies for the child.

MT. ENTERPRISE — The National Weather Service confirms Wednesday’s storms produced three tornadoes with winds reaching 85 miles per hour in the Mount Enteprise area, including one that touched down along Highway 315. That information was released Thursday.

CANTON — Authorities in Van Zandt County say some cemetery vases have been recovered and warrants issued following a recent theft. On January 24th, an investigator from the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a call at Eubank Funeral Home in Mabank. They reported a theft from the Eubank Cedar Creek Cemetery located at 16701 State Highway 198.

The investigator was advised that there were 37 vases stolen from various grave plots throughout the cemetery. He immediately contacted Lt. K. Bradshaw of the Mabank Police Department. Through their joint investigation they were able to recover all 37 vases from a local metal recycling company. The company provided sales receipts showing that two white males on three separate occasions sold the vases. They were able to provide information to identify both suspects. All the property was safely returned to Eubank Funeral Home, and warrants have been issued for the arrest of both suspects. Theft from a corpse or grave is a state jail felony and each defendant may be facing multiple charges.

LONGVIEW — A man is in custody in Longview, charged in a Thursday night theft. At 11:42 p.m. Thursday, officers responded to an alarm call in the 1700 Block of East Whaley Street. The alarm company employee told dispatchers they could see a person inside the fenced area removing a cover from one of the boats in the yard. Officers gained access to the secured area of the lot and located the suspect. The man had a marine boat radio in his possession that police say appeared to have been removed from one of the boats at the location.

The suspect was identified as 42-year old Guadalupe Guillermo Hinojos of Longview. Officials say Hinojos also gave police a false name. They were able to positively identify him from jail records. He was charged with theft under $1,500 with two previous convictions, a state jail felony, and failure to identify, a Class B misdemeanor.

CANTON — Authorities in Van Zandt County say two suspects have been arrested following a series of burglaries. On Saturday, January 7th, at approximately 1:23 a.m., a deputy from the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office while on patrol observed a vehicle with a defective license plate light in Edgewood. The Deputy conducted a traffic stop.

After approaching the vehicle, the deputy reportedly detected an emitting odor of marijuana. Upon a search of the vehicle, according to authorities, the deputy located a matchbox containing marijuana and observed a large quantity of copper wire in the rear of the vehicle. The suspects were then identified as Eric Ashley Hoover and Chad Everitt Massey, both of Quinlan.

Authorities say upon an interview of the suspects, they both admitted to being in possession of the marijuana and also admitted to obtaining the copper wire by burglarizing a residence on VZCR #3702 in Wills Point. Both suspects were then booked into the Van Zandt County Justice Center. Hoover and Massey were charged with burglary of a habitation and possession of marijuana.

At a later date the suspects were again interviewed and questioned about several other burglaries that occurred approximately during the same time and in the same area. Authorities say Hoover and Massey confessed to burglaries of residences on FM 1395, VZCR 3849, and Highway 64, all in Wills Point. Both suspects will be charged with the additional burglaries. They are still considered suspects in several other burglaries. Both are currently detained in the Van Zandt County Jail.

ANGELINA COUNTY — A toxicology report indicates a Lufkin cardiovascular surgeon piloting a private plane that crashed in Southern Mississippi last year was under the influence of alcohol at the time of the accident. Taylor Pickett, 51, his wife 22-year-old Laura, and her 29-year-old sister, Jaqueline Ham, were killed when the plane went down in the early morning hours of April 10, 2011.

According to the Lufkin Daily News, the National Transportation Safety Board reported the trio left from a New Orleans airport around 3:20 a.m. after going to a bar. Pickett reportedly did not get a weather briefing or file an instrument flight rules flight plan before his 4:08 a.m. takeoff in a Cessna 310R to make the 110-mile flight.

Less than 20 minutes later, he radioed air traffic control to say he had the destination airport in McComb, Miss., in sight and wanted to stop flight following services. At that time the destination airport was actually 24 miles away, and with cloudy skies it is unlikely Pickett had the airport in sight, the report stated. The plane then overflew the destination airport. The plane reportedly clipped some trees as it crashed into a wooded area and landed in a creek before catching fire.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Cherokee County Firefighters respond to a Friday morning house fire in the 1000 block of CR 3805. Family members told our news partner, KETK, they called for help after they discovered heavy smoke coming from the attic. Multiple fire departments responded and were able to extinguish the flames quickly. The house suffered mainly water damage to the back side of house. No one was injured during the fire.

TYLER – State Representative Leo Berman of Tyler is being treated for cancer. The Texas house member says he will still be seeking re-election. Berman says his doctors tell him he has Lymphoma, a form of cancer that is treatable. Berman said, “The treatment may slow down my campaigning for a brief time, but I plan to be back on the trail very soon.”

In a statement released yesterday, Berman said, “I have talked with my local supporters and constituents and assured them I will continue to seek re-election as state representative. The next legislative session does not begin until January 2013. I will be fully prepared to once again take the oath, so I can continue to provide the common sense, East Texas style of conservative leadership that is missing in Austin.”

Berman added, “Meanwhile, my capable staff in my local and capital offices will continue to be available for the people of District 6 in providing outstanding service to my constituents, which they expect and deserve. Lou Ann and I are thankful for your prayers, and we look forward to seeing you out and about in the community.”

TYLER – The new director of student services at The University of Texas at Tyler is Kim Harvey-Livingston. The announcement was made yesterday by the assistant vice president for student affairs and dean of students, Ona Tolliver.

As director, Harvey-Livingston oversees the university’s counseling, testing and disability services offices. She previously served as interim director and has been a counselor at UT Tyler since 1998, working specifically with the wellness and prevention education services and Campus Assault Response Effort program. “Kim’s comprehensive experience with the East Texas Mental Health Associates, Andrews Center and the Smith County Sexual Assault Response Team have been and will continue to be a great benefit to our campus community,” Tolliver said.

Before serving UT Tyler, Harvey-Livingston was non-resident services director for the Women’s Center of East Texas in Longview. Harvey-Livingston holds a bachelor of arts in psychology and a master of science in clinical psychology, both from UT Tyler.

She also is a BACCHUS Network Area 6 consultant and serves on the Mothers Against Drunk Driving East Texas Regional Operations Council. Memberships include Texas Counseling Association and Piney Woods Counseling Association.

TEXARKANA, Texas (AP) — A man who police say opened fire on officers investigating after a traffic accident is dead, fatally shot by a Texas game warden. The incident happened about 1:30 yesterday afternoon on a side road near a federal prison on the southern outskirts of Texarkana, Texas.

Texas Parks and Wildlife spokesman Mike Cox says witnesses reported seeing the suspect driving erratically before he crashed. Game warden Shawn Hervey went to the scene to back up Bowie County sheriff’s deputies when they discovered the driver was armed. Cox says the man fired at the officers, and Hervey returned fire, killing the man.

FRANKSTON — Suspicious fires are under investigation at an East Texas car dealership. Employees at Bacon Chevrolet in Frankston were told some of their cars were on fire around 11:00 Monday night. According to KETK, police say an intruder cut a whole in a fence and got in. Police believe the intruder was trying to steal some gasoline, but something went wrong, and then the intruder started the fires. Police have no leads; if you have information about this, you’re asked to call them.

LONGVIEW – Authorities are looking for the man accused of robbing a Longview convenience store at knife-point. The robbery occurred Tuesday night around 11:30 at the EZ Mart at 1801 South High Street. The store’s clerk said the suspect came in and asked for the restroom. When he returned, he had a pocket knife. The clerk then ran from the store.

The suspect was unsuccessful in getting money from the cash register, so he grabbed several packs of cigarettes and left the store, headed west on Birdsong Street. He is described as a white male, 5’7” to 5’11” tall. He is a medium to large build and has a thin style beard. The suspect was wearing a camouflage hat, work boots, blue t-shirt, and blue jeans.

LONGVIEW — Longview police investigate a car theft. Shortly after 7:45pm on January 20, a Longview Police Officer was dispatched to Wal-Mart located at 515 East Loop 281. When the Officer arrived the victim told Police that someone had stolen her car, a 1999 charcoal gray Chrysler Cirrus, but that she still had the keys to the car in her possession.

The Officer reviewed the video footage from the store. From the video footage police learned that a white male and white female driving a dark colored SUV had parked near the victim’s car. The female noticed the victim’s car trunk was open as she walked by. According to the video the couple went inside the store and spoke with a tax preparation employee at a kiosk there. After a few minutes the suspects walked out of the store, walked up to the victim’s vehicle and opened the trunk completely. The male removed an item from the victim’s trunk and got into his SUV and left.

A few minutes later the suspects returned. The male suspect got out of the SUV and into the victim’s car and drove away. The male suspect was wearing a white ball cap, blue jeans, orange shirt with white stripes, and a tan coat. The female was wearing blue jeans, a dark colored blouse and had shoulder length hair.

On January 22, 2012 Officers located the stolen car during an unrelated investigation, but the suspects remain at large. Police are asking anyone with information about this crime to contact Detective Tim Eaton, 903-237-1198, or if they wish to remain anonymous, contact Gregg County Crimestoppers at 903-236-7867.

TYLER – A Tyler man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking in East Texas. Christopher Keith Browning, 29, pleaded guilty in January of last year to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute crack cocaine. He was sentenced in Tyler Thursday to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis. Browning was also ordered to submit to forfeiture of firearms and $28,000 in currency and a $10,000 judgment.

According to prosecutors, on Oct. 12, 2010, Browning and his co-defendants possessed marijuana, crack cocaine and methamphetamine with intentions to distribute the drugs in East Texas. Browning admitted to being solely responsible for the distribution of more than 500 grams of crack cocaine throughout the East Texas area. Co-defendant Calvin Browning was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison on November 7, 2011. Co-defendant Latrice Whitaker was sentenced to 15 months in federal prison on Jan. 10, 2012. They had all been indicted by a federal grand jury on Jan. 5, 2011.

TYLER – A Henderson man has drawn a lengthy federal prison sentence for child pornography. Enrique Estrada Quintana, 30 pleaded guilty last September to three counts of production of child pornography. He was sentenced to 59 years in federal prison Thursday in Tyler by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis.

According to information presented in court, on Feb. 2, 2011, a search warrant was executed at Quintana’s residence, during which several computers, cameras, and other forms of digital media were seized. A forensic examination of the seized items revealed several thousand images of child pornography and over 10,000 videos of child pornography. It was also determined that Quintana actually took approximately 100 pictures and 20 videos of three different minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. According to authorities, some of the images depicted prepubescent children under the age of 12 engaged in sexually explicit conduct, and some of the images involved the commission of a sexual act. Quintana was indicted by a federal grand jury on Mar. 2, 2011.

TYLER — Thomson Reuters identified Trinity Mother Frances Hospitals and Clinics as one of the Top Quintile Health Systems in data published in the January 16, 2012, issue of Modern Healthcare. This was Thomson Reuters’ fourth annual study identifying the top U.S. health systems based on balanced system-wide clinical performance. The study analyzed data from more than 300 organizations and ranked each based on a composite score of eight measures of quality, patient perception of care and efficiency.

In 2006, 2009 and 2011, Thomson Reuters named Mother Frances Hospital-Tyler as a 100 Top Hospitals® award winner. Mother Frances Hospital-Tyler also received the Thomson Reuters Everest Award in 2009. According to a Trinity Mother Frances news release, “Thomson Reuters is the world’s leading source of intelligent information for businesses and professionals.”

TYLER – A Henderson man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations. Stephen Wayne Perritte, 67, had pleaded guilty last September to transporting obscene materials. He was sentenced to 36 months in federal prison in an appearance Thursday by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis. Perritte was also ordered to pay a $10,000.00 fine and must register as a sex offender. According to court documents, on May 23, 2011, Perritte described sexual acts over the internet to a person he believed to be a minor.

LUFKIN — Authorities attempt to identify a suspect who took a check from an Alto mailbox and used the money to buy gift cards. Police say the man took the check, then used the money at a Lufkin Wal-Mart. Authorities tell KETK the cards were used at a Wal-Mart in Lake Jackson, about 45 minutes south of Houston.

TYLER — The East Texas Medical Center Cardiovascular Institute has enrolled its first patient in a new trial sponsored by St. Jude Medical that will contribute to the study of a device that could help detect acute coronary syndrome events, such as a heart attack. “We are proud to participate in this trial in conjunction with Cardiovascular Associates of East Texas,” commented John Stewart, vice president of ETMC. “We recognize the potential this new feature has to help save lives and enhance the care we can provide to patients. We look forward to contributing to the study.”

ETMC is one of 200 nationwide centers participating in the ST Monitoring to Detect ACS (Acute Coronary Syndrome) Events in ICD Patients study, known as the Analyze ST trial. The trial will study the safety and effectiveness of a new feature in the device maker’s Fortify ST implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) system. Dr. Noah Israel with CAET performed the procedure at ETMC. You can go to http://www.etmc.org to learn more.

EAST TEXAS — The speed limit on Interstate 20 will soon be raised to 75 mph between the Kaufman/Van Zandt county line and the Louisiana border, spanning the counties of Van Zandt, Smith, Gregg and Harrison. The new speed limits will not take effect until the speed limit signs are changed out in the next 60-90 days.

The speed limit changes span 60 Texas counties in all, making it the largest conversion since a new law was passed last year.

TYLER — A Bullard man has been sentenced Thursday to 21 months in federal prison. Eual Brent Hallford, 43, pleaded guilty on January 7, 2010, to wire fraud. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $106,000. According to information presented in court, Hallford was in business of buying and selling sports memorabilia over the internet and maintained various merchant accounts for the purpose of processing credit card payments. Authorities confirm, Hallford falsified bank statements and faxed them to the credit card processor, resulting in a loss of at least $120,000. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

ANGELINA COUNTY — A Lufkin man was arrested Tuesday after his two young children tested positive for methamphetamine. Benjamin McCoy, 23, was taken into custody on two counts of endangering a child and a warrant for speeding.

Last month, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office raided the home McCoy shares at 1501 Pershing Ave. with his girlfriend and mother of his children, Laura Dixon, 34. The sheriff’s office had been investigating McCoy and Dixon on suspicion of methamphetamine possession and manufacture. McCoy reportedly tried to run out the back door but was caught. He and Dixon were both taken to jail and arrested on drug charges.

McCoy remained in jail Wednesday afternoon as his bond had not been set, according to jail records. Dixon has not been rearrested on additional charges since bonding out of jail December 29.

JACKSONVILLE —- Jacksonville business Aonvoy Plastics will soon be no more. According to KETK, CEO Raymond Grubbs says even though he’s disappointed, the bad economy caught up to them, and it’s just business. Grubbs said he did the best he could to keep business open after buying assets from TallyHo Plastics a year ago, but signs of growth weren’t happening fast enough. Aonvoy employed about 35 people who now will have to start their job search all over again.

Jacksonville Finance Director Freddy Thomas says it’s not the only Jacksonville company that’s had to say goodbye over the past few years. Thomas says the Jacksonville Economic Development Corporation is working hard to bring new businesses to town so folks aren’t forced to go elsewhere.

Grubbs told KETK he is working to move customers’ business to other factories, and to help find new jobs for his employees. He broke the news to them back in December, he says.