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KILGORE – Five Kilgore College instructors have been awarded the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development Excellence Award. Honored with the award were Angela Aulds (dance), Dewey Greer (process technology), Larry Kitchen (visual arts), Julian Redfearn (business and management) and Debbie Williams (biology). Each Excellence Award recipient received a specially cast, pewter medallion. Kitchen is also the school’s 2019 Minnie Stevens Piper Professor nominee and the recipient of the Hamilton F. and Kathryn G. Beeson Teaching Award.

TYLER – One of the men arrested last year in a multi-agency sex sting operation has pleaded guilty in state district court in Tyler. As part of a plea agreement, Joshua Williams, 24, of Tyler, pleaded guilty to online solicitation of a minor. He was sentenced to six years in prison. He must also register as a sex offender. He was one of nine men arrested last October in the sting operation. The suspects were arrested when they arrived at an undisclosed location after soliciting sex online with investigators posing as minors. Tyler Police, Longview Police, FBI, ICE agents, DPS and Highway Patrol Division took part in the operation.

KILGORE – A man wanted for damaging a Kilgore park has turned himself in. Jose Maldonado-Martinez, 22, of Kilgore, turned himself in at the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office. He is currently free on a $20,000 bond. He was named in a warrant after meeting with a Kilgore police detective and reportedly confessed to causing the damage earlier this month to the Veteran’s Memorial at the Harris Street Park. He said he was under the influence of alcohol. Martinez is said to be the one who drove a vehicle into the park and crashed into the Veterans Memorial wall, a bench, and a sign. He then drove through the park and left near the northern parking lot next to Driller Stadium. The car was found abandoned on a resident’s lawn in a nearby neighborhood. They have estimated the damage to the park is up to $5,000.

LONGVIEW – One person has been arrested following a chase by Longview Police. Charged with three counts of evading arrest was Joshua Alexander Graves, 26, of Longview. He was also charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. It began on Sunday when an officer tried to stop a suspicious vehicle. But the vehicle, which had been reported stolen, would not stop. During the chase the vehicle even hit an officer’s patrol car. The chase ended when the Graves wrecked the stolen car near the intersection of Highway 259 and Farm Road 2751. He tried to flee on foot but was quickly arrested near the scene of the accident. He remains in the Gregg County Jail under bonds total $11,000.

TYLER – The work on Cumberland Road in South Tyler was rescheduled to this week. Reynolds & Kay, Inc. will be making base repairs on Cumberland Road between Wilder Way and Paluxy Drive beginning Tuesday and running through Friday. Construction will begin at 7:00am and end at 6:00pm each day. Cumberland Road will be closed to through traffic. Only residents will have access. Expect major delays, so it would be best if you use an alternate route.

TYLER — Tyler Junior College’s business services division has been recognized for improving students’ online payment experience. TJC recently received the Distinction Award for Student Experience from Blackboard Payments Powered by Cashnet for being the first adopter of Project Viking. Officials say improvements included a redesigned user interface with a responsive, mobile-first design for use on any screen size, including mobile phone, tablet, and laptop. TJC went live with the new interface in September 2018.

TYLER — The Summer Food Program of the East Texas Food Bank kicks off Tuesday. The program serves children in low-income communities in 22 East Texas cities, who participate in free and reduced feeding programs during the school year. Since these programs end when school does, the Summer Food Service Program helps fill that hunger gap, according to a news release. Officials say the program also provides supervised activities that are safe, fun, and filled with nutrition education opportunities. You can go to https://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/programs/child-assistance/summer-food-program to find a serving site near you.

EAST TEXAS — DPS troopers have been staying all too busy with fatal accidents this holiday weekend. One was reported at 6:20 Sunday morning on SH-155, half a mile north of Tyler. A vehicle driven by Jose T. Navarro-Ortiz, 22, of Spiro, Oklahoma, went off the roadway and struck a tree, ejecting and killing the unrestrained driver. Sunday at 11:07 a.m., Joseph J. Jaggernauth, 29, of Tyler was walking on the shoulder of SH 31, two miles east of Tyler, when he jumped into the path of a passing vehicle. Jaggernauth later died at a local hospital. Continue reading At Least 4 Dead in East Texas Highway Accidents

EAST TEXAS – Memorial Day has been observed all around East Texas. In Tyler, the Watkins-Logan Texas State Veterans Home held a special celebration, and a ceremony at the Tyler Memorial Funeral Home Cemetery and Mausoleum featured Congressman Louie Gohmert as guest speaker. Lindale was the site of an observance at the veterans memorial at East Valley Street and North Commerce Street. Longview’s ceremony was conducted at Buckner Westminster Place on Horseshoe Lane.

SMITH COUNTY – Fireworks sales in Smith County end on Monday. Last month, the county commissioners voted to approve an order authorizing fireworks sales over the Memorial Day holiday period. The sales started last Wednesday. The state legislature previously approved three additional holidays for fireworks sales, as long as county commissioners authorize it. The extra holidays are Texas Independence Day, San Jacinto Day and Memorial Day. County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson said Smith County residents are allowed to pop fireworks throughout the year, and are only restricted on when they can buy them.

AUSTIN – Both the Texas House and Senate voted unanimous approval to a bill that mandates seizure response training for all public school employees. The measure now goes to the governor’s desk. The bill, known as “Sam’s Law,” is named in honor of Samantha Watkins, an 18 year old Kilgore high school student. She died in December 2016 following a seizure. She’d been showing signs of the epilepsy a few months before. The measure will help students who have seizures by mandating all school employees watch a video on seizure recognition and first aid. School nurses will watch a much longer video. Plus, the child’s neurologist and parents will give the school a form detailing what to do if that child has a seizure. The bill got in just under the wire. Monday is the last date of the regular legislative session.

LONGVIEW – Longview police are investigating a shooting that left one person injured. It occurred just after 8:00 Saturday night on Hughes Street. The wounded person was taken by a private vehicle to the hospital where there were treated for non-threatening injuries. No other information is available at this time.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district for the week of May 27th and June 3rd. Weather conditions or other unforeseen issues could change these work schedules. In Tyler, night work to place the final surface is scheduled from 7:00pm to 6:00am, Tuesday through Thursday,on the FM 2493/Old Jacksonville Hwy Turn Lane Project at Grande Boulevard. Night work will be conducted on Rice Road starting June 2. Motorists can expect lane closures and delays during this work. Get more information on the project in the Smith County section of this release. You can go to https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/local-news/tyler/030-2019.html and see the project updates for TxDOT’s Tyler District.

TYLER – Those who drive or walk in downtown Tyler need to be alert for some pending work along South Broadway. The city of Tyler will be will be replacing a portion of a storm sewer pipe beneath South Broadway Avenue from West Erwin Street to approximately 140 feet south of West Elm Street. The purpose of the project is to increase the capacity of the storm sewer system and help alleviate flooding at the intersection of South Broadway Avenue and West Erwin Street. Construction is anticipated to begin mid to late June and be completed within 60 days. Continue reading Drainage Improvements in Downtown Tyler

TYLER – The opening of the swimming pool at Tyler’s Fun Forest Park is being delayed. The delays in the pool’s renovations is caused by the recent heavy rains and storms. The Fun Forest pool opening has now been rescheduled for Tuesday, June 11 at 1:00pm.

AUSTIN – A Tyler man was remembered in Austin during a Fallen Heroes Memorial Ceremony. Army Specialist Alexander Missildine of Tyler died in an IED attack in Iraq in October 2017. He was one of five persons honored during the ceremony, which was attended by Governor Greg Abbott. The Governor recognized the five Texans who lost their lives serving in the United States Armed Forces since 2017, and honored all those who have died in military service since the founding of our nation. The Governor told the gathering, “Our fallen military heroes were more than remarkable soldiers. They were sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, siblings, friends, and members of our communities. May we use today and everyday as an opportunity to remember our fallen heroes.”

TROUP – Smith County Road 2186, west of Troup, is now open. A portion of the road was closed after it was damaged by heavy rains. Smith County Road and Bridge crews have been working to reopen four roads that suffered wash outs or damaged culverts from storms two weeks ago. On Thursday, County Road 26 was reopened to drivers and on Monday, County Road 1133 was opened. The only road that remains closed is County Road 247, which is east of Tyler.

AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission has awarded 27 grants totaling $5,718,073. The money will go to community colleges, public technical institutes, state colleges and independent school districts. It’s for programs that focus on supporting high-demand occupations through the Jobs and Education for Texans grant program. Some of those funds will be coming to East Texas.

The Mineola School District will receive $257,908. The funds will help purchase and install equipment to provide 155 students with training in the occupation of welder, cutter, solder and brazer. Continue reading State Grants for Area Schools

EAST TEXAS – East Texans can benefit over the Memorial Day Holiday from another sales tax weekend in the state. This time you can save on the purchase of certain water and energy efficient products during the state’s Water-Efficient Products and ENERGY STAR sales tax holidays. Both events will run from Saturday through Monday. This is the 4th year for this sales tax holiday. Products displaying a WaterSense label or logo can be purchased tax-free for personal or business use. These include showerheads, bathroom sink faucets and accessories, toilets, urinals and landscape irrigation controls. It also applies to lawn and garden products that help conserve water outdoors. Items qualifying for the exemption include soaker or drip-irrigation hoses; moisture controls for a sprinkler or irrigation system. These items can be purchased tax-free for residential use only. You can go to https://comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/publications/98-1018.php for more information.

DeBERRY – A Harrison County man has been killed in a Panola County shooting. Dead at the scene was Keileon Johnson, 22, of Waskom. He had been shot once in the chest. Another man was shot in the hand. Arrested, and charged with murder, was Tramaine Butler, 20, of DeBerry. The shooting is said to have followed an argument. It occurred shortly before 5:00 Thursday afternoon on County Road 3151 in DeBerry.

GREGG COUNTY — A fatal wreck on I-20 early Friday morning is under investigation. It happened just before 2:00 on westbound I-20, 1/2 mile east of Kilgore. According to the Department of Public Safety report, the driver of a 2003 Ford Ranger experienced mechanical problems. The driver and a passenger began pushing the vehicle when it was struck by a semi-truck. The freight-liner also struck one of the men pushing the disabled vehicle. James Michael Evans, 56, of Kilgore, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the freight-liner was identified as William Rex Weimer, 42, of Burkesville, KY. He was not injured in the crash.

RUSK – A Cherokee County sheriff’s deputy has been indicted on five counts of indecency with a child. Jonathan Bryan Shobert, 46, was arrested by the Texas Rangers in the case back in February. He remains free on a $50,000 bond. According to our news partner KETK, Shobert is said to have “engaged in sexual contact with a child younger than 17 years of age” on September 15, October 1, November 13, December 18 and December 20, all in 2018.

TROUP – A man who was chased in the Troup area by law officers from a variety of departments last Friday has been arrested. According to the Troup Police Department’s Face Book page, Lyle Lee was arrested in Kilgore Thursday morning. He is said to have stolen a truck and a four-wheeler and then fled from officers. Later, he is said to have stolen another vehicle and some weapons. His outstanding warrants include unauthorized use of a vehicle, unlawful possession of a weapon by felon, possession of a prohibited weapon, evading arrest with vehicle, evading arrest, possession of CS Pg 1 and possession of marijuana. Judge Taylor Heaton signed all warrants with his bond totaling $670,000.

TYLER – It is official, Dr. Juan E. Mejia is the new president of Tyler Junior College. School trustees, at a meeting on Thursday, confirmed Dr. Mejia as the new president. He was named the lone finalist for the position on May 1st. He previously served as TJC’s President for Branch Locations & District Provost. He now becomes only the seventh president of the 92-year-old institution. Mejia will assume his new duties on July 1st, following the retirement of Chancellor and CEO Dr. Mike Metke.

TYLER – A man wanted in Tyler for sexual assault of a child has been arrested in Oklahoma. On Monday Tyler police posted on their Face Book page a picture of Sherman Brandon West, 44. He was named in a warrant for sexual assault of a child. On Thursday, the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force, out of Oklahoma City, notified Tyler police that West had been arrested in Norman, Oklahoma.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road 26 is now open. A portion of the road, northwest of Overton, was closed for about two weeks after it was washed out by heavy rains. Smith County Road and Bridge crews repaired the road to make it safe again for drivers, according to a news release. On Monday, crews repaired and reopened CR 1133, west of Noonday. County roads that suffered washouts or damaged culverts from recent heavy storms and that remain closed include CR 2186 (west of Troup) and CR 247 (east of Tyler). Crews are working to repair them as quickly as possible, weather permitting, so they can be safe again for driving, according to the release.

SMITH COUNTY – A former assistant district attorney in Gregg County is in jail today in Tyler. Lance Roy Larison, 51, of White Oak, was arrested on Tuesday by a state trooper and charged with driving while intoxicated. Judicial records show he was also arrested on DWI charges in Smith County in 1995. Gregg County judicial records show Larison has also been arrested there on DWI charges in 2006 and 2007. He remains in the Smith County Jail under a $500,000 bond.

LONGVIEW – A man has died while trimming a tree in Longview. The accident occurred shortly before 4:45 Wednesday afternoon in the Harrison County portion of Longview. Killed was Perry Pettit, 58, of Longview. He was found entangled in some tree branches. He was trimming the storm damaged tree and could have been hit by a falling branch. Investigators believe his death was an accident.