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TYLER – Preparations are being made to usher the Christmas season into Tyler. The city’s Christmas tree was brought in on Monday. It is sitting on the downtown square. It’s a Leyland Cypress that is 28 feet tall and 14 feet wide. For the third straight year, the city’s Christmas tree has come from the Bright Star Farm in Alba. It will be decorated in preparation for the lighting ceremony. That will take place following Tyler’s Christmas parade on November 30th. Throwing the switch to light the tree again this year will be a Children’s Miracle Network Hospital’s Miracle Child. The child’s name will be announced next week.

TYLER – An inmate found hanging in his Smith County Jail cell earlier this month has died. Just before 11:00 Tuesday morning, Quincey Butler, 44, was removed from life support at a Tyler hospital. His body has been sent to a Dallas lab for autopsy. The former New Orleans resident had been placed in a single inmate cell since he was considered to be a danger to other inmates and was also on a suicide watch. Sheriff Larry Smith says Butler was on a required ten minute observation and had been checked nine minutes prior to being found hanging in his cell. Per department protocol, the Texas Rangers are investigating the death.

GREGG COUNTY — AEP Southwestern Electric Power Co. and other utility companies are warning residents of scams from fake sweepstakes to people claiming to be police, according to the Longview News-Journal. “Scammers are targeting local businesses, senior citizens and customers whose native language is not English,” said Brett Mason, SWEPCO’s director of customer service and marketing. SWEPCO teamed with other electric, water and natural gas utilities and trade associations this past week in support of Utilities United Against Scams, a weeklong advocacy and awareness campaign. Scammers pose as electric, water, or natural gas company employees, and they threaten a customer’s services will be disconnected or shut off if immediate payment isn’t made — typically using a prepaid card or other non-traceable form of payment, according to SWEPCO. Continue reading Officials Warn of Utilities Scam

UPSHUR COUNTY — A Gilmer man accused of capital murder beat an 11-month-old toddler to death, an indictment shows. According to the Longview News-Journal, Javarrious Troy Kimeyan Dixon, 22, of Gilmer remained jailed Monday in Upshur County on $5 million bond, charged with capital murder in the March 2 death of Armani Troy Berrospe. A grand jury indictment obtained Monday says that Dixon “intentionally or knowingly” caused 11-month-old Armani’s death by “striking him on or about the head, face and neck with the hands, fists, arms or feet” or with an unknown object. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said in March that deputies responded to a 911 call March 2 to FM 2088 near Bettie in reference to an injured child. The child was taken to East Texas Medical Center-Pittsburg, where he later died from the injury. A preliminary autopsy released in March showed that Armani died of “blunt force injury to the head” with the manner of death believed to be homicide. Longview police arrested Dixon Friday on an Upshur County warrant and booked him into the Gregg County Jail. He was transferred from Gregg County to Upshur County.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — The Nacogdoches Sheriff’s Office is searching for a woman who authorities say escaped a high-speed chase and subsequent manhunt. According to KETK, Terran Speaker, 32, of Huntington, is being sought in connection with the incident on November 19 when the sheriff’s office received a call from a homeowner reporting a theft in progress. When deputies arrived on the scene, they saw a vehicle with three adults leaving the area. After a high-speed chase along Highway 59, the car pulled into a residence on CR 250 and the three suspects ran away. Deputies were able to catch Julie Saxon, 33, of Corrigan, and Travis Wilbanks, 33, of Hudson, after a short chase. Both were taken to the Nacogdoches County Jail, where they were charged with theft of a firearm and evading arrest. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office at 936-560-7794.

TYLER – Tyler police have identified a suspect in a recent theft at Bishop T.K. Gorman High School. After receiving numerous tips from the public, he has been identified as Vernell Richardson, 23, of Tyler. He was arrested Monday afternoon after meeting with his probation officer. He is on probation for burglary of a building. He is now in the Smith County jail. He is said to be the man got into the Gorman gym early last week by telling a student that he was there to work on the floors. He then went to the boys’ locker room and stole several cell phones and personal belongings. The following day, a man used the same story to enter the All Saints locker room and steal the same type of items. The All Saints burglary case remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW – A missing Longview teen is said to be safe. Longview police have been looking for Sophia Torres, 16. She was believed to be with “Robby” Robert Dale Amburn, 27, of Longview. A Facebook posting says she has been located and is safe. Police spokesperson Kristie Brian says, since she is a juvenile they can’t discuss more than she was a runaway and has returned home on her own.

KILGORE – Kilgore police are now saying a wreck on Interstate Highway 20 last Friday, which involved a cattle trailer, was caused by a hit an run driver. The accident, which caused a traffic flow problems for several hours, occurred between Mile Markers 588 and 589. The trailer had turned over in the median, trapping over 60 head of cattle and killing several of them. The investigation has shown the truck had been hit by another vehicle, which continued east bound on the interstate. The truck was described as a white pick-up with black and gold pinstriping and lettering down the side. It may have been a company truck. It should have damage to the front driver’s side.

TYLER – Tyler’s Beauty and the Box Program continues to grow. The beautification program began last year. It takes traffic signal boxes scattered around the city and turns them into works of art. What started as a pilot program of ten boxes in the Downtown Business Arts and Culture District has grown to 17 vinyl-wrapped boxes. The newest box added to the collection is at the corner of Erwin and Bois D’Arc. It is sponsored by Marvin United Methodist Church. You can go to http://www.KeepTylerBeautiful.com to see how you can sponsor a utility box.

TYLER – Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith is seeking the public’s help in identifying a man who stole a travel trailer earlier this month. It happened in the early morning hours of November 3rd. It is described as a 26 foot long white and gray Grey Wolf Travel Trailer. It was taken from the Cubesmart Storage Facility on Hwy 155 South just outside the Tyler loop. It was taken by a white male driving a white, newer model, Chevrolet 4×4 crew cab pickup. If you recognize him, you are asked to contact the Smith County Sheriff’s Department.

GUN BARREL CITY — We all love free stuff — but one East Texas man is accused of taking that a little too far. A federal indictment accuses Michael Barnes, 36, of Gun Barrel City of pretending to be a musician to get guitars, headphones, and amps that he said would be used in photo shoots. He wrote one company, claimed he played for the Texas Rangers, and got himself baseball gloves. Former U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Texas Richard Roper says, “And you’d wonder, gosh, maybe a member of the Texas Rangers organization would have enough money to buy his own gloves or get one from the club.” Roper adds any prison time depends on the value of the swag. Barnes is charged with 29 counts of wire fraud, eight counts of mail fraud, and four counts of aggravated identity theft.

LUFKIN (AP) — An East Texas woman found incompetent to stand trial in the death of her nephew has remained in county jail eight months after she was committed to a mental health facility. The Lufkin Daily News reports that Billie Jean Cuttler, charged with capital murder after the body of 3-year-old Mason Cuttler was found in a pond, was ordered to a state hospital to undergo a program to better understand court proceedings. Afterward she would stand trial or charges would be dismissed. During a competency trial, an expert testified that Cuttler intellectually functioned below 99.8% of the population. The boy’s father and Cuttler’s then-boyfriend Bobby Woods Jr. is also charged

TYLER – Thanksgiving travelers using Tyler’s Pounds Regional Airport this week will be greeted by Therapet human-animal teams. They will be at the airport today and Wednesday to greet arriving and departing travelers to help them beat holiday stress. Therapet Executive Director Carianne Fisher said research has found that people’s blood pressure and heart rate go down, their positive hormones increase and it helps people relax when they love on a dog for a little while. In addition to the Thanksgiving holiday, Therapet will also be visiting during the Christmas season on December 21 and 22.

LONGVIEW – The next segment of the new Farm Road 2275/George Richey Road Extension in Longview opens today. According to TxDOT, the $12.4 million project runs from McCann Road westward to State Highway 300. The remaining work will be conducted with the roadway open to traffic. This project is part of a new location four-lane divided highway designed to provide a safer and more efficient east/west thoroughfare for Longview. It stretches four miles from U.S. Highway 259 to State Highway 300. The contractor, East Texas Bridge, Inc., of Longview, started construction on this Phase II segment in summer 2016. Phase I from U.S. Highway 259 to McCann Road, at a cost of $34.3 million, opened to traffic in October 2016.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district for the next two weeks (Week of November 20 and 27). Weather conditions or other unforeseen issues could change these work schedules. Due to the high traffic Thanksgiving Holiday, TxDOT Tyler will not allow lane closures on construction and maintenance projects from Wednesday, November 22 through Sunday, November 26th. You can go to http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/local-news/tyler/060-2017.html and see the project update for TxDOT’s Tyler District.

MARSHALL — A Harrison County grand jury has indicted a 24-year-old Hallsville man on a charge of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle in connection with the death this summer of a Gladewater teen. According to the Longview News-Journal, Melvin Brandon Bradshaw also was indicted on a charge of intoxication assault with a vehicle, causing serious bodily injury. According to the indictment, on June 29, Bradshaw, “operated a motor vehicle in a public place while intoxicated, causing the death of 17-year-old Bobbie Renee Burke, by accident or mistake, by operating the vehicle at an unsafe speed causing the vehicle to leave the roadway, resulting in a collision.” According to Texas Department of Public Safety officials, the one-vehicle wreck occurred west of Harleton in Harrison County. Burke was one of three passengers in the vehicle driven by Bradshaw that crashed.

MINEOLA — Tammy Stanford was inside her home on Friday. She was getting ready to go into town when her cell phone began ringing, “ADT, the alarm people called and said you have a fire.” According to KETK, Stanford says she ran out of her bedroom to see her house up in flames. “I didn’t just want to run out and save myself. I love my bird and I wasn’t going out let nothing else die in my house. I started dragging the cage, I kept tugging it and that’s when I fell down and got trapped under the cage.” She was at home, all alone with no one there to help her. “I was just yelling and yelling because I couldn’t move my body and then this guy came,” said Stanford. Mike Nance, a neighbor who lives, “probably 200 yards” away from Stanford’s home heard noise and he came running. “If he wouldn’t have gotten here with five more minutes we would have been dead,” said Stanford.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A Gilmer man was arrested Friday on charges of capital murder of a person under 10, according to Gregg and Upshur County Jail records. KETK reports, Javarrious Troikimeyan Dixon, 22, was arrested by Longview police on an Upshur County warrant in connection to the March 2 death of an 11 month old. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail Friday night. Dixon has been transferred to the Upshur County Jail, records show, with his bond set at $5 million.

GREGG COUNTY — A Gladewater man has been sentenced to 55 years in prison after pleading guilty to a 2015 sexual assault. According to the Longview News-Journal, Shanon Carroll Wiess, 48, displayed a pocketknife before repeatedly raping a Gladewater woman Aug. 28, 2015. Wiess and the woman were friends who met through a recovery group, and Wiess offered to drive her home. After multiple assaults, he dropped her off at Warren City City Hall on George Richey Road. Wiess will not be able to appeal his sentence as part of his plea and must complete at least one half of his sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

TYLER – TxDOT has announced an emergency contract is being put in place to expedite the Farm Road 849 bridge replacement project. This comes after the westbound overpass, located at Interstate Highway 20 in Hideaway, sustained major structural damage when it was hit Tuesday morning by an oversized load carrying a tank vessel. Engineers have evaluated the structure and found it to be unsafe for traffic until the replacement is complete. The damage includes three of the four girders being struck including the top flange of the girders being pulled away from the concrete deck. Because construction plans to replace the structure have been previously completed, expediting the project is feasible and the best option since repairs would be costly and inefficient. The timeline for moving the project forward includes finalizing the construction plans and seeking bids by early December and work getting underway shortly after that. Continue reading Farm Road 849 Bridge will be Replaced

LONGVIEW – Longview police continue looking for a missing teenager. And they have more information about the man who may be with her. They are looking for Sophia Torres, 16. She is Hawaiian with black hair that is dyed red. She has dark brown eyes and is 5 feet 3 inches and weighs about 125 pounds. They believe she is with “Robby” Robert Dale Amburn, 27, of Longview. (pictured here) He drives a white 2006 Pontiac G6 TX LP BVN3624. Continue reading Longview Teen Still Missing

GREGG COUNTY – State troopers assisted Kilgore Police Department with a rolled over truck-tractor semi-trailer, that for a while, blocked the westbound lanes of Interstate Highway 20 in Gregg County. Crews had to off-load some 60-plus head of cattle from the truck before they could remove the wreckage. It took several hours, but the traffic flow in the area between Mile Markers 589 and 588 has returned to normal.

GILMER – A Gladewater man has pleaded guilty in Upshur County to sexual assault. Shanon Carroll Wiess, 48, of Gladewater, pleaded guilty Friday, three days before his trial was to begin. He was sentenced to 55 years in prison. In August, 2015, Wiess is said to have driven the victim around Gregg and Upshur counties for 24 hours where he raped her repeatedly. He finally let her go at the Warren City Hall. The victim said Wiess displayed a knife. As a condition of the plea agreement, Weiss has waived his right to appeal.

BROWNSBORO – A Henderson County teen is arrested for showing nude pictures of an under age girl to school students. Arrested by Brownsboro ISD police was Braden C. Molloy, 18, of Chandler. The arrest follows an investigation that began about a week ago. Molloy was arrested on Thursday and charged with possession with intent to promote child pornography. He was released from the Henderson County jail on a $15,000 bond.

LONGVIEW – Since April, Longview police have arrested 8 persons for racing on city streets. The latest arrests occurred around 2:30 Friday morning on Spur 63. Arrested were Zachary Taylor Lampkin 22 (pictured) and Joseph Matthew Ballard 23, both of Longview. The men had their vehicles impounded. Lampkin was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

MURCHISON – A convicted felon is facing a variety of charges following a Henderson County traffic stop. Corey Jason Jones, 34, of Murchison was stopped on a county road near his hometown because of an expired vehicle registration. But the expired registration and a suspended driver’s license was the least of his worries. In his vehicle, the sheriff’s deputy found a glass pipe with white residue believed to be methamphetamine and a clear, plastic baggie containing a crystal-like substance believed to be Methamphetamine. He also had a rifle. Jones was booked into the Henderson county jail on charges of unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and possession of a controlled substance.

TYLER – Tyler police are asking for the public’s help in identifying the person who is responsible for a series of thefts at Bishop T.K. Gorman and All Saints School. On Tuesday, a man got into the Gorman gym by telling a student that he was there to work on the floors. He then went to the boys’ locker room and stole several cell phones and personal belongings. On Wednesday, he used the same story to enter the All Saints locker room and steal the same type of items. If you can identify him, you are asked to contact Tyler Police or Tyler-Smith County Crimestoppers.

TYLER – A Tyler business man is still living on a platform on scaffolding in front of his business. He will stay there off the West Southwest Loop until he raises enough money to meet his goal. Clint Benefield started his quest at noon Wednesday to raise money to feed hungry in East Texans. Last year he raised $2,900 for the Salvation Army. This year he is attempting to raise $3,000 for the United Way of Smith County. The money he raises will be allocated to United Way partner agencies that deal directly with hunger. He says he will remain on that platform for up to a week if necessary. You can mail or drop off a donation to the United Way office in Tyler. You can also go to http://www.uwsmithcounty.org/FightHunger and make your donation online.

LONGVIEW — Hundreds of first responders turned out to support their co-worker who is battling stage four cancer. KETK reports the Longview Police Department organized a lunch fundraiser for Damon Weaver, an I.T. man for the city. Hundreds of police officers from across East Texas and some city residents. stopped by the Maude Cobb Convention Center in Longview to grab food and support their friend. Police officers call Weaver a great guy and say this is just a small way to support him in his battle.