KTBB News, Weather, Talk

WASHINGTON – Tyler Congressman Louie Gohmert stands behind President’s Trump’s comments about the violence that occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia. It occurred during a white nationalist rally that saw one person killed and 19 injured. Gohmert says everything the president said was appropriate, there was hate on both sides, and it is to be condemned. Gohmert tells KTBB, there is an insidious part of America that wants this country in flames and wants to destroy our freedom. Gohmert says, “We can’t let them do it. We’ve got to call out hate where ever it is.”

TYLER — A Tylerite is on the host committee welcoming President Trump to Texas in September. The President’s trip to Dallas on September 27th would be his first visit to the area since his election. Fundraiser invitations went out Wednesday. Ticket prices range from $2,700 – $100,000. The event will raise money for the Republican National Committee and for the President’s 2020 re-election fund. The Dallas Morning News reports several Texas Republicans have confirmed the event although the White House has not yet listed the trip. The host committee includes Gaylord Hughey, of Tyler, and Dennis Nixon, from Laredo.

TYLER – Smith County has approved an application for an anti-hate rally in Tyler. The hour long “Don’t Participate in Hate Rally” is scheduled to start at Thursday night at 7:00 in downtown Tyler. There will be prayers for the people of Charlottesville, Virginia as well as prayers for more unity in Tyler. While a group of counter-protesters were demonstrating in Charlottesville last Saturday, a car plowed into the crowd, killing one person and injuring 19.

LONGVIEW – A shooting has sent a man to a Longview hospital. He was shot in the leg and the injury is said to be life threatening. It was reported around 4:15 Wednesday afternoon at the American Fidelity Apartments on Morrison Street. We will have more information when it becomes available.

TYLER – Tyler Municipal Court has appointed Amy McCullough as Presiding Judge of the Court. She has been serving as interim judge of the court since February. McCullough is a graduate of Tyler Junior College. She earned her undergraduate degree at the University of Mississippi and her masters from the University of Oklahoma. She then earned a law degree from South Texas College of Law. As an attorney, she practiced as an Assistant District Attorney in Harris County and in municipal government as the City Attorney of Pearland in the 1990s. She then went into private practice.

McKINNEY (AP/STAFF) – A North Texas man must serve life in prison without parole for the 2016 fatal shooting of his estranged wife and her twin sister. Investigators say Kelley Bigham, 51, of McKinney, was upset that his wife wanted a divorce. He shot the two in June of last year while stopping at the house to get some belongings. Both were shot in the head. The couple’s adult daughter fled unharmed with her young son and called police. A few minutes later he sent a text to his daughter saying, “I’m sorry.” Bigham was later arrested at his father’s home in Point, northwest of Emory, in Rains County.

QUITMAN – Because of an incident near Mineola a couple of years ago, an Arizona man received a lengthy prison sentence. A jury this week found John David Hill, of Tuscon, guilty of evading arrest with a vehicle. He was then sentenced to 99 years in prison. The lengthy sentence stems from his eight previous felony convictions. Two of them were for evading arrest. In October, 2015, a Wood County constable tried to stop Hill. After a while, after running red lights and speeding through a service station parking lot, he finally stopped only to run away. He was arrested after a brief foot chase.

TYLER — With the special legislative session now history, Tyler State Representative Matt Schaefer says, “We had some good, bad, and ugly.” Among the pluses, the District 6 Republican points to pro-life bills and health care funding for retired teachers. But Schaefer says, “We failed on spending limits, and we had a really ugly end on property tax reform when the House quit before we were supposed to.” As to where things go from here, Schaefer tells KTBB, “That’s up to the governor. There’s a lot of unfinished business for some conservative priorities, so it’s gonna be up to Governor Abbott to determine whether we can accomplish more.” Continue reading Schaefer: Special Session a Mixed Bag

HENDERSON – East Texas law enforcement is warning the public about a scheme leaving drivers empty handed and without a car. According to KETK, the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office reports a vehicle tailgated and flashed its lights at an off-duty deputy to pull over. Knowing this is part of a carjacking con, the deputy called 911 and the car quickly disappeared after he did not pull over. Officials say many times when the drivers pull over, their valuables and vehicle are taken by the person who tricked them. Law officers say if this happens to you, do not stop. Call 911 and drive to a police or sheriff’s department.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man accused of stealing more than $40,000 worth of gold jewelry is indicted. KETK reports that police responded in May to Ana’s Hats on South Eastman Road about a robbery. The owner says two men came into the store and stole her purse, which had the jewelry and $6,000 in cash. A Gregg County grand jury has indicted 20-year-old Terry Walker for aggravated robbery. Originally arrested in june, walker remains in jail.

TYLER – As it gets ready for the new school year, Tyler Junior College will be conducting emergency drills on Wednesday. The active shooter drill will be conducted on the main campus as well as the west campus from 2:30 to 3:00pm. During the drill, campus police will send out a series of messages which will state “this is a drill” at the beginning of each communication. Officers from various law enforcement agencies including Tyler Police and FBI will assist in the drill along with representatives from Trinity Valley Community College, Kilgore College and UT Tyler. Following the drill, a weather emergency informational meeting will be held.

COFFEE CITY – The Coffee City Police Department is seeking help in solving a burglary. It occurred sometime between July 19th and the 23rd. Someone broke into the Jungle Adult Store and Patriot Games game room on Highway 155. They got in by forcing open a rear door. Besides causing significant damage to both buildings, they stole sexually oriented items, copper, surveillance camera equipment and smoking materials such as pipes and hookahs. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the Coffee City Police Department or your local law enforcement agency.

MARSHALL – Five persons have been arrested after members of the Marshall Police Department’s SWAT Team served a search warrant at a home on East Fannin Street. The action was part of an ongoing narcotics investigation. Seized were 50 grams of methamphetamine, 37 grams of ecstasy, 7 grams of powder cocaine, 20 grams of crack cocaine, 29 grams of Xanax, 55 grams of marijuana and an undisclosed amount of money. They also seized three firearms, one of which had been reported stolen. Arrested on drug and firearm charges were Brian Dewayne Davis, 26, Louis Dewayne Talley, 23, Cecilia Davis, 48, Gerald Wayne Talley, 56 and Willie Earl Brown. All are Marshall residents.

MARSHALL – After several hours of jury deliberations Monday and Tuesday morning a mistrial was declared Tuesday afternoon in the trial of former Hallsville ISD coach Dean McDaniel. The mistrial came after information was received by State District Judge Brad Morin. He did not say what that information was. McDaniel’s defense attorney, Mark Lassiter of Dallas, told the Marshall News Messenger, the judge had no choice but to declare a mistrial after an alternate juror told members of the jury false information about McDaniel during the lunch break. Continue reading A Mistrial in a Former Coach’s Trial

POYNOR – A Smith County man is being held in Henderson County for stealing a backhoe. Arrested was Ethan Lee Christian, 25, of Whitehouse. The backhoe was taken from a construction site in the Poynor area. When the backhoe was found, nearby was a pickup, stuck in mud. A search of the area turned up Christian. He was arrested for theft of property over $30,000 and he also had three outstanding warrants in Smith County.

PALESTINE – City Manager Mike Alexander has named Andy Harvey to be the Palestine’s new police chief. The Palestine City Council approved Harvey’s selection at Monday’s meeting. Harvey has been with the Dallas Police Department for 22 years. He is currently in the department’s crime scene response section. He starts his new duties August 28th.

TYLER – Marvin Lamond Rockmore, 21, of Dallas, has been arrested following a chase in Tyler and Smith County. It started around 4:30 Tuesday morning with a report of a stolen pickup on Highway 110 north of Tyler. When sheriff’s deputies found the truck, it drove off at a high speed and into Tyler. He continued, even after driving over a spike strip Tyler police put down. When deputies decided to end the chase, they bumped the rear of his car, causing it to go out of control and hit a house at the intersection of the Loop and Sunnyhill. He was then arrested and taken to a hospital for treatment. Rockmore was charged with evading arrest and was booked into the Smith County Jail. His bond was set at $150,000.

HOUSTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has rejected an appeal from a Northeast Texas man on death row for strangling his girlfriend 17 years ago. Attorneys for Daniel Acker, 45, unsuccessfully argued to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that he’s innocent of the March 2000 slaying of Marquetta George, 32, of Sulphur Springs. They also contended Acker’s trial court erroneously excluded evidence of his innocence, that appeals he previously lost were based on false evidence and that he had poor legal help in earlier appeals. George’s body was found on a Hopkins County road. Trial attorneys said she jumped from Acker’s truck and then was hit. Prosecutors said he killed her and dumped her body. A jury deliberated 90 minutes before convicting him. Acker doesn’t yet have an execution date.

LONGVIEW – A man accused of burglary has been arrested by Longview police. Kendric Earl Rider, 21, of Longview, is said to have entered several apartments on South Green Street Monday night. Among the items stolen was an air conditioner. With Rider’s arrest, officers recovered the air conditioner and other stolen items. He was booked into the Gregg County jail on a charge of burglary of a building. His bond was set at $5,000.

TYLER – The Board of Directors of East Texas Christian Academy has named Dr. Michael E. Weimer as the school’s president. He will serve with the ETCA Board as Chief Executive overseeing all school operations. The First day of school is August 16th.

TYLER — Smith County officials have made an arrest after an 18-wheeler was stolen over the weekend. KETK reports that the sheriff’s office got the report of the theft from a tire business off Loop 323. While law officers were en route, a caller claimed to be behind the vehicle near Toll 49 and Highway 155. Kelly Pickett, 38, Henderson, was arrested after being stopped. He’s charged with theft of property and unauthorized use of a vehicle.

TYLER – According to the Texas Education Agency accountability system, Tyler ISD continues to show improvement. Results from 2017 STAAR testing show that the district received a Met Standard rating and 23 Tyler school campuses received the Met Standard rating. The only two that received the Improvement Required rating were Dogan Middle School and Austin Elementary. According to a TISD news release, the district has gone from 11 campuses receiving the IR rating to 9 and now down to two. Tyler ISD also had 12 campuses earn 25 distinctions for high achievements on the STAAR test. Continue reading More Tyler Schools Meet Standards

WHITEHOUSE – A two county chase has resulted in the arrest of a motorcyclist. It began just after 9:00 this morning when a state trooper tried to stop the motorcycle for speeding. The following chase headed south on Highway 110 from Whitehouse and ended in Cherokee County. The motorcyclist was arrested at home west of Rusk at the intersection of County Roads 2202 and 2201. His name has not been released at this time.

SMITH COUNTY — Kari McKinley Noell, 29, has been added to Smith County’s Most Wanted List for credit/debit card abuse of an elderly person. The charge stems from Noell reportedly taking her grandmother’s debit card and using it without her consent. Noell’s last known address is 12951 CR 499 in Lindale. Continue reading Two Additions to Smith County’s Most Wanted List

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Edward Wilbanks, 74, was pronounced dead at the scene of a wreck Monday night. It happened around 10:10 on FM 747, southwest of Jacksonville. The DPS report indicated that Wilbanks’ truck failed to negotiate a curve and left the roadway. Wilbanks over-corrected, went back across the road and struck a pole.

WOOD COUNTY — Game Wardens confirm they have found the body of a man who went missing on Lake Fork Sunday. According to KETK, Smith County Game Warden Captain Quint Balkcom said they found the body of Danny Frank Christian, 50, of Yantis, around 9 p.m. Monday night near the mouth of Birch Creek Cove. His body has been sent for autopsy. Christian was reported missing Sunday afternoon as severe weather was moving through East Texas. His boat was found running, in neutral, with personal items on board.

LUFKIN – A registered sex offender, sought by Lufkin authorities, has been arrested. East Texas authorities had been asked to be on the lookout for William Thomas Dykes, 38. He was suppose to have been living with a family member. When police learned he had been living at a Lufkin motel, a check showed he had checked out August 7th. He was arrested Monday by authorities in Diboll. Dykes has previous convictions for failing to comply with registry requirements. His original charge stems from an Iowa conviction for attempt to commit assault with intent to commit sexual abuse.

BECKVILLE – A pilot whose plane crashed near the Harrison County-Panola County line is in the hospital with a head injury. The pilot, Charles Flay Mayo, 60, of Jefferson, reported he had crashed his small plane while checking pipelines. The plane went down on a private lease road off of County Road 267 north of Beckville. According to KETK, The man told fire officials he lost power to the plane, a Piper Model PA22135 fixed wing single engine aircraft, and was trying to make it to Carthage when the plane went down.

LONGVIEW – A pregnant Longview woman is being accused of swinging scissors and throwing a baseball bat at her boyfriend. Arrested over the weekend was Jesica Marie Barron, 25. According to the Longview News Journal, she assaulted her boyfriend of nine months after learning he had a relationship with a neighbor. He was attacked after trying to prevent Barron from attacking the neighbor. She remains in the Gregg County Jail after being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Her bond was set at $20,000.

TYLER – Two big money items will be up for public discussion Tuesday for Smith County Commissioners. The commissioners will be discussing the proposed budget as well as a proposed master road plan for the county. The road plan has a price tag of just over $100 million. One question to be answered is, how to pay for it. They are considering using bonds to fund it, an issue that could go before voters this November. The public will have one more chances to discuss the issues today. Following this morning’s regular commissioners’ meeting, the discussion will pick up at the R.B Hubbard Center on East Ferguson this afternoon at 5:30.