KTBB News, Weather, Talk

HENDERSON — 12 vehicle burglaries in less than a month may not sound concerning, but when you factor in that it’s Henderson, Texas, it raises eyebrows. According our news partner KETK, Lt. James Dukes says it’s a higher than usual amount. The Perez family on Southview Drive has been victimized twice. On Wednesday, their newly purchased home security cameras captured the thieves in the act. The police department shared the video on its facebook page. Go to https://www.facebook.com/HendersonTXPD/ to view it, and call police at (903) 657-3512 with any leads.

TYLER — 36-year-old Smith County resident Barbara Cooperwood has been found and returned home. Cooperwood had been missing since June 14. Smith County Precinct 2 Constable Josh Black said his office was notified at 12:30 p.m. Friday that she had possibly been located. According to a news release, Deputy Constable Tim Maloney responded, found the woman at the Villages Resort in Smith County, and returned her home safely.

KILGORE — Kilgore Police are asking for your help today in identifying the owner of a GMC pickup for questioning in an ongoing hit and run investigation. According to our news partner KETK, the vehicle appears to be a 2012-2013 GMC 4-door pickup. It’s a white truck with tinted windows and the front headlights are tinted as well. The truck also has a large brown tool box or gang box in the back with several stickers on it. If you have information about this vehicle contact Detective Tim Dukes at 903-218-6904, or by e-mail at [email protected]. Reference case #1906-0829. You may also contact the Gregg County Crimestoppers at 903-236-STOP(7867) or text your anonymous tip to 847411+KILGORE+yourtip.

TYLER — Tyler ISD is warning local businesses about a donation scheme in which fraudsters misrepresent that they work for TISD and ask for donations to help with John Tyler High School athletic uniforms. The phone number used is 888-218-2462. Tyler ISD is not seeking donations for athletic uniforms. Anyone receiving this call may report it to the City of Tyler Police Department.

TYLER — There’s new information on summer swim and splash options in Tyler with Fun Forest Pool closed for repairs. Starting Saturday, June 22, Tyler ISD Aquatic Center on Earl Campbell Pkwy. will be open to the public free of charge. Also, Tyler Transit will transport children ages 17 and under to the closest bus stop to Tyler ISD Aquatic Center, the Bergfeld Park Splash Pad, or the Faulkner Park Splash Pad during the summer months, free of charge. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult. City officials note that transit services end at 6:15 p.m. on Saturdays and do not run on Sundays. All information and updates will be available at http://www.TylerParksandRec.com.

MARSHALL — Marshall city residents may dispose of storm debris via curbside bulk waste pickup or by transporting debris themselves to the City of Marshall Convenience Station on Notch Road for disposal. City officials say those who wish to use the curbside bulk waste pick up option must call Republic Services at 903-986-5324 two days in advance for bulk pickup, which occurs on Thursdays. In addition, customers must bundle the debris together, forming an easily handled package not to exceed four feet in length, six inches indiameter, or 50 pounds in weight. City officials say they’ve received a number of calls regarding debris removal in the wake of recent storms. You can go to https://www.facebook.com/marshalltexas.net/ for additional information.

LONGVIEW — A shooting in 2017 resulted in a Longview man being sentenced to seventy years in prison. Dominque Shaquille Marquis Harvey, 23, fatally shot Cameron Taye Brooks, 19. Brooks was a student at Tyler Junior College at the time of his death. According to our news partner KETK, Harvey was ordered to serve seven decades in prison for Brooks’ death. Harvey pleaded guilty to the murder last Friday. He was sentenced in the 124th District Court in Gregg County on Wednesday.

TYLER — Submittals are being requested for the 10th Anniversary of the Downtown Gallery Main Street’s Celebration Exhibit. The city of Tyler invites artists to register their work for the jurying phase of Gallery Main Street’s “Celebration” fine art exhibit. The deadline for entry is June 23. Artists should visit http://www.DowntownTylerArts.com for more details. The exhibit runs July 13 through Sept. 10.

TYLER — The accused killer of 10-year-old Kayla Gomez has had his trial pushed back again. According to our news partner KETK, testimony in the case of Gustavo Zavala-Garcia is scheduled to begin in March of 2020. Jury selection begins on January 30. Zavala-Garcia is accused in the November 2016 killing. Zavala-Garcia was one of the last people to see the little girl before she went missing from a church on Highway 69 in Bullard.  No official word for the delay, but past delays pointed back to “further DNA evidence testing.”

EAST TEXAS — Tyler police are warning small businesses in the area of a payroll check scam. According to the Tyler Police Financial Crimes Unit, in January, a group of Hispanic males cashed fake payroll checks on accounts that did not issue the checks. Lindale, Rusk and Marshall were also victimized. Investigators received several cases where the suspects have cashed a payroll check from small companies, predominantly nurseries. The company name is legitimate and the checks were forged using the correct banks and check numbers. The suspects are using fraudulent identifications from other countries and are believed to be foreign nationals. Continue reading Tyler Police Warn Companies of Payroll Check Scam

WOOD COUNTY — A former Mineola ISD employee has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for online solicitation of a minor. According to our news partner KETK, Todd Karch, 50, the former technology and transportation director for MISD, was also fined $10,000. He was indicted in April of last year for using the online site Grindr to seek a sexual encounter with a 16-year-old Mineola student. Karch was sentenced Wednesday in Wood County.

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department, the Northeast Texas Public Health District, representatives with Smith County, and multiple public service agencies in the community met Wednesday to update and release this year’s Heat Response Plan. Officials say the plan is designed to serve as a guide and to provide useful information to the public. It includes information and tips on avoiding heat-related illness and injury. Additionally, it highlights resources that are available to the public during the season, including overnight and daytime sheltering locations. Partnering agencies will have access and links to the plan, which can be viewed at http://fire.cityoftyler.org/Portals/FireDept/Documents/2019%20Heat%20Response%20Plan%20Final.pdf.

TYLER — A groundbreaking ceremony was held on Wednesday for the Rogers Palmer Performing Arts Center. Wise Auditorium has been a mainstay for Tyler Junior College and East Texas performing arts since 1956. It will be renovated and converted into a comprehensive performing arts center. The TJC Campaign for the Performing Arts launched in 2018 to provide $7.5 million in private funding to underwrite the new facility. Construction begins immediately with a target completion date of January 2021.

HARRISON COUNTY — The National Weather Service confirms an EF-0 tornado touched down Wednesday morning in Harrison County. According to our news partner KETK, the NWS survey team says the twister hit a small area near Harleton on FM 450. EF-0 tornado wind speeds can be 65-85 mph. The National Weather Service says most of the damage in Nesbitt, Texas was due to straight line winds. The wind speeds topped 90 miles per hour. No injuries were reported. The Harrison County activity was part of a line of storms that made their way through East Texas Wednesday morning.

LONGVIEW — Starting on Thursday, Brent Rd. in Longview will be closed between Snoddy Rd. and Surratt Rd. The street will be closed to all through traffic at the culvert crossing at the creek for repairs. City officials anticipate the project’s completion by the end of September.

TYLER — A National Science Foundation grant has been awarded to the University of Texas at Tyler. The three year grant will enable advanced research in biological sciences. The fund of nearly $442,000 allocates monies to develop and examine genetically modified organisms, and how they can potentially enhance biosafety and environmental protection. According to U.T. Tyler assistant professor Dr. Clement Chan, “Biotechnology is one of the fastest growing industrial sectors in Texas.”

TYLER — Smith County officials are wishing their retiring fire marshal a fond farewell. In a news release, County Judge Nathaniel Moran terms Connie McCoy-Wasson “a thoughtful and hard-working and inspirational leader.” County Commissioners voted Tuesday to accept her retirement, effective June 30. McCoy-Wasson has worked in the fire marshal’s office for 26 years, including the last four as the county’s first female fire marshal. No word yet on the County’s plans to fill the role moving forward.

TYLER — Power was restored within a few hours at the Tyler Municipal Court following a Wednesday morning outage linked to early morning storm activity. Officials said customers who were scheduled for court Wednesday morning could appear beginning at 1 p.m. Wednesday to be worked into the afternoon sessions or get an appointment for another date. Customers unable to attend Wednesday can expect a reset notice in the mail. The city advises those affected to contact the Municipal Court by the end of the week to ensure the court has your updated mailing address. Officials said all customers scheduled for the Wednesday afternoon dockets would be required to appear at their scheduled times.

TYLER – Woldert Park will be the site for Wednesday afternoon’s commemoration of World Sickle Cell Day. A balloon release will be presented by the African-American Cultural Events Committee. The AACEC invites you to Woldert Park from 4 to 6 p.m. on Wednesday. The goal is to honor, observe and remember those who have finished their fight with sickle cell, while encouraging warriors who are still fighting the good fight.

AUSTIN – Soon churches and places of worship will have the same right as private property owners to allow guns on their premises. Van Zandt County District 2 State Rep. Dan Flynn filed the House version and sponsored the Senate version of a bill signed by Governor Abbott. The signing will allow churches to decide whether to allow or prohibit guns on their premises. For the last 2 plus decades sanctuaries were forbidden from the legal carry of handguns. The legislation becomes effective on September 1st.

TYLER — This year’s East Texas State Fair is in sight. Fair-goers will experience a wide variety of attractions and shows, fantastic food, concerts and thrilling carnival rides, as well as animal exhibits and so much more. All that according to the fair’s Facebook page. The 104th fair starts Friday, Sept. 20 and runs through Sunday, Sept. 29th. More details are available at https://www.etstatefair.com/.

KILGORE — A Kilgore officer’s Facebook post about a dog is going viral. Kilgore police received a call about an aggressive pit bull. An officer found Cujo and thought he could quickly catch him. So he left the back door open and tried to get the dog to jump into a caged area in his squad car. But Cujo jumped in through the back door and became aggressive, so the officer shut the door to keep himself and Cujo safe. The dog looks like he’s smiling in the picture after enjoying the air conditioning and the officer’s beef jerky. Later, an animal control officer helped safely remove Cujo from the car.

TYLER — Dick’s Sporting Goods will be coming to Tyler’s Broadway Square Mall in the winter of 2020, according to our news partner KETK. The store will be 45,000 square feet and located where Sears was once located. Sears was demolished earlier this year after the company filed for bankruptcy. “We are thrilled to welcome Dick’s Sporting Goods to Broadway Square and to the Tyler community,” Candace Foster, Broadway Mall Director of Marketing. Dick’s Sporting Goods made national headlines after it announced it would no longer sell assault rifles after the Parkland High School shooting back in 2018.

TYLER — Tyler Police are searching for a suspect wanted in a reported shooting that left one man injured. It happened around 12:45 Tuesday morning on W. Erwin Street. Upon arrival, officers found a 24-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his leg. Officers were not able to locate the suspect, who was seen running from the scene. The victim was taken to a local hospital for treatment and released a short time later. The investigation in ongoing.

LONGVIEW — Improvements are on the way for several neighborhood parks, and the Longview Parks and Recreation Department is continuing to seek feedback on the bond-funded enhancements with a Tuesday gathering. It’s part of a series of community meetings on the topic, hosted by Parks staff and the corresponding city council member. The Spring Creek Park community meeting, hosted by District 4 Councilwoman Kristen Ishihara, will take place at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday at IBEW Local 738 on East Marshall Avenue. There’s more on the ktbb.com Calendar of Events.

TYLER — A three-year project to restore and conserve one of the rarest and most valuable works in the Tyler Museum of Art’s Permanent Collection is complete, according to museum officials. They’re talking about the recent return of a pair of 18th-century folding screens by legendary Japanese painter Soga Shohaku. The Museum is presenting the newly restored work to the public for the first time in several years with a special exhibition, “Soga Shohaku: A Chinese Landscape.” It’s on display now through July 28 in the TMA Education Gallery. Visit https://www.facebook.com/TylerMuseumofArt/ for more information.

MARSHALL — The City of Marshall will be closing Airport Park from June 24 to June 28 to allow Kinder Morgan to perform utility work. City officials say the purpose is to remedy power surges that are affecting a pipeline that runs through the park. City Manager Mark Rohr cites public safety as a top priority in spite of the inconvenience the move may create. For more information, contact the Support Services Department at 903-935-4470.

ATHENS — An execution date of October 16 has been set for convicted killer Randall Wayne Mays. That’s according to our news partner KETK. In May 2008, Mays was found guilty of capital murder of two Henderson County Deputies, Tony Ogburn and Paul Habelt. The death warrant was served in 2014, and his execution date was initially scheduled for March 2015. But Mays’ lawyer filed an appeal to determine Mays’ competency to be executed. The execution date was set after a lengthy appeal process.

TYLER — The IdentoGo TSA Pre✓ Mobile RV will be stationed at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport and will provide service Monday, June 17, through Wednesday, July 3. The Mobile Enrollment Center will be located in the airport’s long term parking lot. To get started, customers must pre-enroll online at the TSA Pre✓ website. TSA Pre✓ is an expedited screening program for identified low-risk air travelers. Visit the TSA Pre✓ website for questions about enrollment.