KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Residents had a chance Saturday to meet Joker, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office’s new K9 officer. Joker and his partner, Officer Juan Cervantes, recently graduated after several weeks of training. They join Sergeant Jeff Hobson and K9 Lanny along with Deputy Corey Cameron and K9 Endy. Joker and Officer Cervantes greeted well-wishers at Tyler Sunrise Paws Park during an event hosted by the Tyler Sunrise Rotary Club. Attendees also had a chance to roll up their sleeves for a blood drive benefiting the paws park and Smith County.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office teams up with the East Texas Substance Abuse Coalition to install prescription drug drop boxes for public use, with an eye on preventing prescription drug abuse. According to a news release, unused or expired prescription drugs left in medicine cabinets increase the potential for illicit use, especially by youth. Tyler ISD Career and Technology Center welding students built the boxes, and all materials used were donated by local businesses, so there’s been no cost to taxpayers. More information is due at a news conference and ribbon cutting July 21.

JEFFERSON – No injuries have been reported after two trains collided late Friday morning at an interlocker in Jefferson underneath the Highway 59 bridge, causing damage to an overhead pillar. KETK reports the accident has caused a traffic detour, with the road shut down while the bridge structure is evaluated. Union Pacific said 13 of its cars were derailed. The UP train was traveling from Port Laredo to Yard Center, Illinois, near Chicago. The cause of the accident is unknown at this time. UP and Kansas City Southern Railway Company, which operates the other train, are investigating the collision.

TYLER – Last year, after the death of 5 Dallas police officers, State Senator Kevin Eltife started the “We Back Our Law Enforcement” Campaign. It was to raise funds for body armor vests for law enforcement. Smith County sheriff’s deputies and constables showed off 97 rifle resistant vests Friday. The vests, which will also go to Tyler policemen, cost $204,000. The city and county will pay a portion of the cost. The rest came from the community. The goal was to raise $104,000. But the community drive exceeded that goal. Continue reading Smith County Body Armor On Display

KILGORE- Kilgore police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man accused of passing stolen checks. The checks were said to have been stolen from an elderly Kilgore resident. The suspect pictured here has tattoos on his left arm from the elbow down, and on the inside of his right arm. He was driving an older model red Dodge Dually extended cab pickup. If you have any information, you are asked to contact the Kilgore Police Department.

LONGVIEW – A Longview woman, arrested on warrants, is now also facing drug charges. Sydney Beth Caldemeyer, 38, was first arrested on two outstanding warrants. According to the Longview News Journal, while being taking to jail, she faked a seizure and then threw herself on the ground and resisted arrest. On her way to jail she told an officer she had a bag containing an illegal substance in her underwear. Female jailers found the bag containing methamphetamine. She remains in jail in lieu of bonds totaling $7,000.

TYLER – A Smith County man has been indicted for the sexual abuse of a child. The grand jury, last week, returned the indictment against 31 year old Mark James Nunley of Lindale. He was arrested last December for continuous sexual abuse of a child. The youngster was under the age of 14. The youngster described being sexually abused repeatedly by Nunley for an extended period of time. An adult told investigators they had caught the suspect in the act of abusing the child. Nunley remains free on a $350,000 bond.

ATHENS — A traffic stop by a Henderson County Sheriff Deputy early Thursday morning landed a Larue man in jail. According to the Henderson County Sheriff’s department, Brandon Curtis Justice, 37, was driving with two passengers on County Road 4712 when he was pulled over for an alleged traffic violation. The deputy found two firearms in his truck, including a 12-guage shotgun that had been reported stolen during a burglary. Justice was booked into the Henderson County Jail. The passengers were released.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County District Attorney Matt Bingham has been granted a request to be recused from the case of a Smith County commissioner. According to KETK, on May 19, the 241st Judicial District Court granted the Smith County DA’s motion to be recused from The State of Texas vs. Joann Hampton and ordered the appointment of a district attorney pro tem. Prosecutor Chris Martin, from the Van Zandt County District Attorney’s Office, has been selected to represent the state in place of Bingham’s office. Hampton turned herself in at the Smith County Jail on one count of injury to an elderly individual. Continue reading Smith County DA Granted Recusal from Commissioner’s Case

AUSTIN – An Anderson County man has been added to the Department of Public Safety’s 10 most wanted list. Briggs Clinton Lawhon, 57, who last know address was in Palestine, has been on the run for two years. A a Bandidos gang member, Lawhon has a long criminal history, including aggravated robbery with a deadly weapon, assault, burglary and delivery of methamphetamine. The Board of Pardons and Paroles issued a warrant for his arrest last year. A reward of up to $7,500 has been offered for information leading to his arrest.

DALLAS (ABC) – A year ago Friday, five police officers were gunned down after a peaceful demonstration in downtown Dallas. The five are being remembered in a variety of ways. Tyler Police will honor them with their patrol vehicles in front of the police department. The patrol cars’ emergency lights will be activated for one minute at 10:00 Friday morning. On Thursday, a memorial was unveiled in Dallas to honor the five men, one who had been married only two weeks. Their families attended the unveiling of the Dallas Circle of Heroes Memorial two miles from the site of the Dallas ambush.

TYLER – Tyler police now report a portion of U.S. Highway 271, which had been closed, has been reopened. It had been shut down in the 10800 block, at East Nutbush, due to an eighteen-wheeler blocking all lanes.

EAST TEXAS – Low-interest federal disaster loans are available to some area businesses and residents affected by the severe storms that occurred May 28 and 29. The Small Business Administration has announced the loans are in response to a request SBA received from Governor Greg Abbott on June 28. The disaster declaration makes SBA assistance available in Gregg, Harrison, Rusk, Smith and Upshur counties. The low-interest federal disaster loans are available to businesses of all sizes, most private nonprofit organizations, homeowners and renters whose property was damaged or destroyed by late May storms. Continue reading Five Area Counties Available for SBA Disaster Loans

TYLER – Tyler police have released the video of a robbery suspect. The video can be found on the police department’s Facebook page. It shows the lone gunman robbing the Exxon station on the North Northeast Loop at Commerce Street. The robbery occurred last Saturday morning around 3:00. The suspect is described as being possibly a Hispanic male with a dark beard. He was wearing a black hat, a black jacket, and black pants. He fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of money. No injuries were reported.

LONGVIEW – A Longview man is heading to prison for a robbery in November, 2015. According to KETK, 30 year old Brandon Clifton Cole III has been sentenced to 25 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty to robbing the Walmart store on East Loop 281. Witnesses say Cole pulled out a gun and began demanding money from a clerk at the Money Center inside the store. He was given an undisclosed amount of money and ran off. Cole was found him a short time later in the area of Harmon Drive and Eubanks Street. Officers recovered the stolen money and the gun used in the robbery.

TYLER – A Smith County capital murder trial is being moved to early next year. State District Judge Jack Skeen is moving the Gustavo Zavala Garcia trial to next February. He took the action Thursday morning after the defense and state requested more time. Both said there is still a large amount of information that needs to be reviewed and forensic testing that is being done. Garcia has been charged with the death of 10 year old Kayla Gomez-Orozco. She disappeared last November from a Bullard church during worship service. Her body was found days later inside a well on the suspect’s property. District attorney Matt Bingham has filed his intent to seek the death penalty in the case.

GREGG COUNTY — A Gladewater man has been sentenced to two life sentences after pleading guilty to murdering his parents. According to KETK, Casey Douglas Lansdale, 42, pleaded guilty to capital murder Wednesday. He will be eligible for parole after serving 30 years. On January 22, Gladewater Police responded to a residence on North Main Street in reference to a welfare check on Raye and Charles Lansdale, both 68, who were reportedly missing. Officers found the two bodies inside the house. An autopsy revealed the couple had been fatally shot.

PALESTINE – The public is invited to meet the 4 finalists for the job of Palestine Police Chief. The four men will meet the public Thursday night from 6:00 to 8:00 in the Ben E Keith Community Room. They are Smith County Sheriff’s Sgt. Darrell Colsin, who has over 32 years of law enforcement experience, Andy Harvey, Lieutenant for the Dallas Police Department’s Crime Scene Response Section, Bennie Baker, of Tucson, Airzona, who has over 30 years experience in law enforcement, and Earl Morrison, who was from 2014 to 2017 the Hutto police chief. Friday, the finalists will be interviewed by current officers and staff. The officers will also have the opportunity to rank their preferences.

TYLER – Two Tyler men have pleaded guilty in Tyler federal Court to drug trafficking violations. Stacey Godsey, 44, and Joseph Shay Burton, 39, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import anabolic steroids. They appeared Wednesday before before the U.S. Magistrate. Each man faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not yet been set. Continue reading Two Tyler Men Plead Guilty to Federal Drug Charges

TYLER – A man involved in a Tyler police standoff in March, has been sentenced to prison. Mario Arroyo, 51, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of DWI 3rd or more offenses. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the aggravated robbery counts, as well as the driving while intoxicated charge. The sentences will run concurrently. He was holed up in his home on West Wilson for 3 hours before he finally surrendered to police. Prior to his arrest, his son was taken into custody on a parole warrant.

AUSTIN – Five University of Texas institutions will receive $8.2 million allocated by the UT System Board of Regents. The money will fund innovative campus-based projects designed to enhance student success. The University of Texas at Tyler will receive $803,234 to support OnCourse. The school says this is a suite of course-level supports to increase first-year GPA and retention of first-time, full-time freshmen at UT Tyler. Through a competitive process, the UT’s academic institutions prepared grant proposals. The proposals were were evaluated by higher education experts outside of Texas as well as outside the UT System. Other grants are going to U-T schools in Dallas, San Antonio, El Paso and the Rio Grand Valley.

ARP – The Arp Police Department is asking for help in identifying two theft suspects. The two men broke into the Arp ISD AG barn, and stole items belonging to the school district and students and put them into a white pickup. They also took a hand made trailer. If you recognize the suspects, you are asked to contact the Arp Police Department.

ATHENS – A Gun Barrel City man has been indicted on a variety of charges following an April incident. Timothy Brian Berry, 42, is said to have held his estranged wife and two other persons at gunpoint. When deputies chased Berry, he is said to have fired a couple if shots at them. No one was hit. He then abandoned his car and led deputies on a foot chase. He eventually threw down his pistol was taken into custody. He has now been indicted for aggravated assault on public servant, aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, abandoning or endangering a child, unlawful possession of firearm, evading arrest possession of controlled substance, and theft. He remains in the Henderson County Jail.

ATHENS – A Payne Springs man has been indicted for murder by the Henderson County Grand Jury. Timothy Wayne Washington, 45, was indicted for the murder of a man in a Gun Barrel City home back in March. Witnesses reported seeing Washington drive off at a high rate of speed shortly after the shooting. When officers stopped his car, they found a passenger, who had been taken against their will. Washington has been indicted for murder, unlawful possession of a firearm, three counts of aggravated assault and aggravated kidnapping.

LONGVIEW – Some vandalism has been reported in Longview. It was reported along the Paul G. Boorman Trail off Summers Drive. According to the police department Facebook page, no arrests have been made but the suspects have been identified. The artwork will be restored and put back up.

SMITH COUNTY — Two juveniles have confessed to a July 4th burglary. It happened at the Dollar General, 12125 Hwy 271, around 5:05 a.m. An unknown amount of cigarettes were taken during the burglary, which was caught on video. Later that day, the Smith County Sheriff’s office received a call from a parent advising that her son and another boy had committed a burglary. The boys, ages 15 and 13, confessed. Two cigarette packs were recovered from the teens. The remainder of the cigarettes had been given away. Both boys were identified as the subjects that were on the video from Dollar General. They were processed into the Juvenile Attention Center.

ATHENS — A July 4th trespassing call ended with two men in the Henderson County Jail for possession of illegal drugs. According to Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, Stephen Grant Ivie, 25, of Frankston, and Leslie Brian Kelley, 34, of Tyler. (pictured) were both arrested Tuesday in the Berryville area after it was reported that they were trespassing on property without the owner’s permission. The responding deputy found a clear plastic bag containing a crystal-like substance believed to be methamphetamine, a package of pills and marijuana. Ivie was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. Kelley was arrested for possession of dangerous drugs. Both are in the Henderson County Jail awaiting arraignment.

TYLER — Carter BloodCare in Tyler is working hard this summer to keep its supply up. According to a news release, a variety of Texans might need blood transfusions — ranging from motor vehicle accident victims to cancer patients fighting for a few more months of life. You can help by visiting one of several locations holding blood drives in Tyler in coming days. The events are scheduled for this Friday and Saturday as well as Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of next week, at three businesses and a couple of apartment complexes. Check http://www.ktbb.com/calendarofevents/ for more information. You can also go to http://www.carterbloodcare.org to learn more.

KILGORE — The 32nd season of a Texas tradition is in full swing. The Texas Shakespeare Festival continues till July 30 in the Anne Dean Turk Fine Arts Center on the campus of Kilgore College. This year’s productions include Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Richard III.” Other productions are “Cyrano de Bergerac,” the musical “The Marvelous Wonderettes,” the children’s production “The Witch of Pickle Patch,” and “Did You Hear Thunder.” You can get tickets and more information at http://www.TexasShakespeare.com or by calling the ticket office at 903-983-8601.