KTBB News, Weather, Talk

OVERTON — Although welcome, the rain came too late for drought-hammered summer pastures. East Texas Agrilife Extension Forage Specialist Vanessa Corriher says it’s just a matter of timing. She says, “Most of those forages are warm-season perennials, are going into dormancy as we start to get into cooler temperatures. So most of those forages, we’re really not gonna see them ‘recover’ until the spring, as they come back out of dormancy.” Some producers were holding off planting because of lack of moisture, but Corriher says it’s a bit too late to plant now. She says for many of those producers who planted winter pastures earlier, the rains came just in time.

EAST TEXAS — The East Texas wildfires killed 30,000 acres of trees, but many of those are being converted to commercial timber. Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples says about one-third of those killed by the wildfires are now being harvested. According to Staples, “That translates into about 12 million cubic feet of timber that can be salvaged. That’s enough timber to build about 7,000 average-sized homes.” About $110 million worth of consumer goods will be made with that lumber.

TYLER — Rising food prices take their toll on everyone — including local food banks trying to feed the needy. Peanut butter is a prime example. The East Texas Food Bank’s Karolyn Davis tells KETK there was an approximate $2-per-case increase in the price of peanut butter the last time the food bank bought it. Davis says that’s significant because peanut butter is a key item for her agency. Some food banks are now taking a harder look at less-expensive canned tuna as an alternative if prices keep going up.

LONGVIEW – State Representative David Simpson (R-Longview) Monday filed for re-election to the Texas House of Representatives, District 7. Simpson says hundreds of grassroots supporters have already contributed to his re-election campaign since the end of the legislative session this past summer. “I am grateful for the support and encouragement I have received after returning from the legislative session,” said Rep. Simpson. “Our state’s rich resources and courageous heritage of individual freedom and responsibility have made Texas great and unique. With the blessing of the people and Providence, I will continue to work to restore civil government to its proper, limited role; to defend the Constitution; and to protect the interests of East Texans.”

HARRISON COUNTY — Authorities say a man is on the run after dousing two people with acid in Harrison County. According to KETK, 911 operators got call at 1:37 Monday morning regarding an injured person and an assault that had just occurred at 4271 Driskell Bridge Rd. in the northwest area of the county. Upon deputies’ arrival, they were met by ambulance personnel and found 2 people had been assaulted and were being treated for chemical burns on their face and body. They were both splashed around their face and chest area with a chemical drain cleaner that is an acid-based product during the assault.

Authorities say the incident began with the suspect, Galen Wallace, 39, walking through the residence on Driskell Bridge Rd. with a bottle of acid, making angry remarks about the victims, and saying that the drain cleaner could cause a lot of damage to a person. He then allegedly went to the bedroom where the victims were and began throwing the liquid onto the bed and the victims. The victims are identified as Brittany Brice, 24, and Donald Salley, 21. Both victims were transported to LSU Medical Center for further treatment.

As deputies were interviewing the victims and witness, it was learned that the suspect had reportedly fled the residence and had taken his 3 year old son, Christian, with him. Authorities say he fled into a wooded area behind the residence, and deputies, with the assistance of K-9 operations, attempted to find the suspect throughout the early morning hours. Authorities say at approximately 9:00 a.m., the suspect went to a relative’s residence, dropped off the child, and then left on foot. The suspect is being sought in connection with the assault. The 3-year-old child is with other family members.

TYLER — Tyler Police, Fire and EMS responded to a single vehicle crash into some gas pumps that occurred on Sunday around 2:33 a.m. in the 1200 block of West Gentry Parkway. The driver, identified as Christopher Combs, age 26, of Lindale, was eastbound on West Gentry and stated that he had fallen asleep, losing control of his 2006 Ford pickup. Combs drove off the roadway into the Exxon Station located at 1204 W. Gentry striking several gas pumps and causing significant structural damage to the building. Combs was transported to ETMC by EMS for treatment of injuries. Tyler Fire Department Haz-Mat responded to the scene to control the gas leakage in the parking lot. There was no report of any fire that occurred from the crash.

TYLER — Candidates begin filing for office as the 2012 election cycle gets under way. Republican Matt Schaefer, Tyler, officially filed Monday afternoon for a place on the ballot for Texas House of Representatives, District 6, currently held by Leo Berman, Tyler. Schaefer said he has obtained over 500 signatures from registered voters in the district. He said one of the issues that top his priority list is the “exploding cost” of health care in the form of Medicaid and what that’s doing to the state budget. He said that alone is putting a lot of pressure on education funding.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County fire officials say a wreck has been cleared in the western part of the county. Earlier, an 18-wheeler was blocking FM 2661, between Hwy. 31 West and Highway 64. Officials say the rig was jack-knifed about a half mile off 31. Officials on scene tell KETK the trailer separated from the cab of the 18-wheeler, when the driver was attempting to turn around on FM 2661. The driver of the truck has been taken to the hospital with minor injuries.

SMITH COUNTY — The trial for Nate Anderson has once again been continued, according to Smith County officials. It is now scheduled to take place on January 30th at 10:00 a.m. The trial was scheduled to begin Monday after it was changed from November 14th and before that, October 31st.

Anderson has been indicted in the case of his sister’s murder. Amanda Anderson, 19, was found shot to death in their Chapel Hill home in September of last year. A short time later, then 15-year-old Nate Anderson was taken into custody in connection with the murder. Anderson’s bond was raised to $1.5 million.

MARION COUNTY — A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper totaled his patrol vehicle when he struck a deer. Trooper Carlos Wilson reported that he hit the animal on FM 3001 in western Marion County around 4:30 Saturday morning. According to Marion County Sheriff’s Office, no injuries were reported. The collision was among at least four incidents on Marion County roads early Saturday. Sheriff’s officers also were dispatched to two vehicles that ran into ditches; one on Seminole Loop, and another on Texas 43 at FM 805. A local volunteer fire department also reported as many as six horses had escaped from their pasture and were walking across FM 727.

LONGVIEW — A Kilgore registered sex offender is in jail after police say he broke into a LeTourneau University men’s dormitory and tried to take improper pictures. Robert Roy “Trey” Saurenmann III, 51, remained in the Gregg County Jail on $10,000 bond following his arrest about shortly after 4:30 Saturday afternoon. There were no injuries reported, and it was not immediately clear what or where in the Tyler Residence Hall that he was trying to photograph. LeTourneau University spokesman Janet Ragland said Saurenmann is neither a student nor employee at the campus.

Saurenmann has been in the Gregg County Jail more than two dozen times since 1985 on charges ranging from aggravated kidnapping to drug possession. In 2001, he was convicted of indecency with a child and served a six-year prison sentence. Kilgore police arrested Saurenmann on Sept. 24 for indecent exposure. He was released the next day on $1,000 bond. A trial on his indecent exposure charge is set for Jan. 17 in Gregg County. He has already served a two-year probation sentence for a 2008 indecent exposure conviction also in Gregg County.

FRANKLIN – A Tyler man has died in a three vehicle accident in Robertson County. He is identified as Steven Lucas, 64. The accident happened shortly after 3:00 Saturday afternoon on State Highway 79 near Franklin. The Department of Public Safety reports Lucas was heading west when his car veered into the oncoming traffic lane, hitting two cars. Four persons were injured in the crash.

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

GREGG COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repairs on State Highway 300 (Gilmer Road) between U.S. Highway 80 (Marshall Avenue) north to the Gregg County line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on State Highway 64 between Farm Road 859 and Interstate Highway 20. A second crew is scheduled to continue similar operations on Farm Road 1995 between State Highway 110 and Farm Road 773. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zones.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations in various locations on State Highway 110 between Rusk and Troup. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform fog sealing operations in various locations on Ranch Road 2588, Ranch Road 2970, Farm Road 2752 and Farm Road 2709. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, flaggers will control traffic.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to resume pavement-repair operations on U.S. Highway 259 between State Highway 315 and the bridges south of U.S. Highway 84. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work area.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on State Highway 294 between Elkhart and Farm Road 323. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to make pavement repairs on State Highway 154 near Farm Road 288 and in various locations on Farm Road 778 between Quitman and Hainesville. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

LONGVIEW — There are cybercrimes happening right here in East Texas, and kids are often victims of harassment and obscenity. But according to KETK, there are ways parents can protect their kids. Longview police detective Kevin Brownlee says make sure you know what your child is doing with that smartphone. He says parents can buy software devices that track their children’s whereabouts online. According to Brownlee, parents should also tell their kids to turn an application off if someone starts using it inappropriately. Another good idea Brownlee offers is to have different passwords for your e-mail, Facebook, and phone. He says that way, if someone should hack into one of your accounts, that won’t mean the hacker has access to all of them.

JACKSONVILLE — A man has died after being struck by a train in Jacksonville. The accident occurred Sunday near Woodrow Street in downtown Jacksonville. Police have identified the victim as Brandal Destin Shepard, 21, of Jacksonville. Police say they believe Shepard was wearing headphones and did not hear the train approaching him. Officials believe Shepard died due to blunt force trauma. An autopsy has been ordered.

BEDFORD — A teenager reported missing by Tyler police has been located by the Bedford Police Department. Shortly after 8 p.m. Saturday, police requested public assistance in finding 15-year-old Christine Renee Fairchild. She’d last been seen in the area of U.S. Highway 69 North and Loop 323 at around 5:15 Saturday afternoon. Police notified media around 12:30 Sunday morning that the girl had been found. Further details weren’t immediately available, but police said they didn’t suspect foul play.

RUSK — The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department confirms that a 13-year old boy has been shot to death. It happened around 3:30 Friday afternoon on Ryder Road just outside the Rusk city limits. The teen was taken to Tyler’s East Texas Medical Center where he later died. No other information has been released on the case.

LUFKIN — Lufkin police tell our news partner KETK a car was shot at while parked at the mall over the weekend. Police responded to gun shots at 4600 Medford Drive. Reports say an SUV back window was shot at while the owner of that SUV was shopping at the mall. We’ll have more details as they become available.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — 38-year-old Michael Jackson was arrested Friday morning at his home near Fruitvale on attempted capital murder charges following a 10-hour standoff in which authorities say he fired more than 100 rounds. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, the standoff started about midnight when Jackson called the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s office to report that someone was breaking into his home. That’s when Jackson reportedly pointed his gun at officers and fired at least 100 rounds in the house.

The Van Zandt and Smith County sheriff’s departments; the Wills Point, Canton, Grand Saline, and Tyler police departments; the Texas Rangers; Department of Public Safety officers; county constables; and various fire and ambulance responders worked together to bring Jackson out of his home. Officers shot 30 rounds of gas into the house, but it had no effect. Authorities say a friend of Jackson’s arrived in an armored vehicle from the Tyler Police Department and talked Jackson out of the house. The investigation is ongoing. Officers are executing a search warrant to retrieve the guns used in the case.

TYLER — Many stores around East Texas opened their doors extra early for Black Friday — and shoppers have responded in a big way. At Broadway Square Mall, 20 stores opened their doors at midnight compared to only five last year. Mall officials tell KETK they decided to jump on board this year due to the economy and the competition. They report perhaps 2,000 people waiting to get into the mall when it opened. Traffic remained steady from that point on.

LUFKIN — A teenager is arrested at Lufkin store for allegedly flushing merchandise. 18 year-old Ernesto Ricardo Maldonado was arrested Friday morning during a Black Friday event. It happened at the Best Buy on the 4500 block of Medford Drive around 4:00. Officials say security officers spotted Maldonado walking into the bathroom with an HDMI cable tucked under his shirt. They followed him into the restroom, where he reportedly flushed the cable down the toilet. Police say Maldonado had also been drinking. In addition to theft, he was charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor and failure to identify.

CAMP COUNTY — Five starving horses are dumped on a Camp County road earlier this week. Officials were looking for a dually pickup pulling a gooseneck trailer that dumped the horses on CR 1230. One of the horses was sorrel, one was white, one was black, and two were dark brown. Three of the horses had to be euthanized because they were so malnourished. A landowner on CR 1230, the road where the animals were abandoned, is keeping the two remaining animals. Officials are asking anyone with information regarding the horses to call the Camp County Sheriff’s Office.

TYLER — Hundreds turn out for the Tyler Salvation Army’s annual Thanksgiving dinner. According to KETK, some 200 volunteers turned out to serve those who have fallen on hard times. The dinner featured turkey and all the trimmings. Though more of a feast than usual, it was just one of countless meals the Salvation Army provides. Staffers say the agency serves around 500 meals daily year-round, not just during the holidays. Staffers point out that plenty of people are still in need, especially in this struggling economy. By the way, today marks the beginning of the Tyler Salvation Army’s annual Kettle Campaign.

TYLER — Still weeks away from Christmas, East Texans are already packing into stores like Target trying to get a jump on buying their kids the hottest toys. KETK reports Jennifer Freeman is visiting family for Thanksgiving and getting a little shopping done for her 4 girls.

“My kids this year are wanting American Girl Dolls, Our Generation Dolls, some of the accessories that go with that,” Freeman said. And when you’re dealing with kids toys, you’ve got to be careful what you buy. Watchdog groups like U.S. Pirg point out what they say are the most dangerous toys every year that deal with choking hazards, lead content, and even noises that can hurt a child’s hearing. Freeman says she doesn’t really pay attention to those lists, but she does use caution. “Certainly when my kids were a younger age, I did if they had small parts. Or I would buy a toy and throw those small parts away that came with it I didn’t think were necessary,” Freeman said.

And reading the labels always helps. “Almost all games now are marked with age groups and safety issues on them, so please be careful; if it says 4 and your child is 3, it’s meant for a 4-year-old and not a 3-year-old. I know that sounds close, but there’s a reason for that,” said Mike Garrett with Tyler’s Target.

LONGVIEW — A dispute over a parking spot landed a Longview woman behind bars Wednesday night and sent a man to an area hospital. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. Longview police arrested 43-year-old Vanesa Blackshire at about 8 p.m. after officers said Blackshire hit a man with her vehicle in the parking lot of Walmart in the 2400 block of Gilmer Road. Police spokeswoman Kristie Brian said the victim was standing in one of the parking spots with a shopping cart waiting for his wife to loop around back into the parking spot. “Evidently the suspect wanted the space also, so she hit the man with her car,” Brian said. Brian said the victim wasn’t transported from the scene of the crash, but later went to the hospital complaining of pain. Blackshire was released from jail Thanksgiving morning on $10,000 bond.

TYLER — Lines were out the door on Thanksgiving as many East Texans chose local restaurants for dinner. According to KETK, Traditions in Tyler was just one area eatery that opted to stay open for the holiday. Observers nationwide say eating out has become much more popular on Thanksgiving. Some say rising prices for Thanksgiving food have made cooking at home as expensive as hitting a restaurant.

LONGVIEW — A teenager is arrested after a shooting that left two people wounded early Thanksgiving morning. Officers responded at 4:06 a.m. to a shots fired call in the 400 Block of Ridglea. When officers arrived they located two victims. Both victims said they had been shot by a man later identified as Pedro Perez, 19, of Longview. Police were told the suspect was in a black Cadillac. A short time later police located a Cadillac believed to be driven by the suspect. According to authorities, Perez fled on foot from police and was captured a short time later. He was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and evading arrest. At least one of the victims was transported to a local hospital with non life-threatening injuries.

LONGVIEW — No criminal charges are expected against Longview Housing Authority employees after municipal and police probes into city policy violations and apparent abuse of power found no laws were broken, city leaders said Tuesday. Longview police detectives and city administrators in the past month investigated allegations made by at least two landlords who said they were strong-armed in September and October by housing authority management for the benefit of a client who is thought to be related to Anji Johnson, manager of the authority.

Johnson, Housing Supervisor Cheteva Marshall and a 20-year senior caseworker, Tonya Pierce, were placed on six months’ job probation after a municipal probe showed they tried to pressure a landlord into approving client LaTonya Ivory’s application for rental housing through the federal Housing Choice Voucher Program. The investigation also found the trio pressured Ivory’s previous landlord to return a $700 security deposit.

JACKSONVILLE — A local woman who was missing for four days has been treated and released from the hospital Tuesday. According to police reports, Myra Jeannine Ross was last seen on Friday morning when her son dropped her off to Bonner Place Nursing Home to visit her sister. Ross’ sister Shirley Jones never saw her, according to police reports. Jacksonville Police Detective Greg Compton said the family looked for her on their own over the weekend and contacted law enforcement Monday evening. After night of searching, Ross was found in an abandoned trailer at the intersection of Bolton and Devereaux streets around 11:00 Tuesday morning. Officials say she was dehydrated.

EAST TEXAS — Harrison County and Wood County have followed suit with most other areas in East Texas and lifted their burn bans. Residents may again burn outside, according to the fire marshals’ offices. Authorities region-wide are urging residents to use caution when burning outdoors.