KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – Law enforcement agencies in Northeast Texas will be out in force over the 4th of July weekend, trying to make your holiday a safe one. State troopers will be highly visible over the Independence Day weekend. Tyler police, with the help of a state grant, will have extra patrols on the street, looking for DWI motorists. Tyler police along with Smith County law enforcement agencies will be out in force for another ‘No-Refusal’ DWI campaign. If a suspected drunk driver refuses a breath test or blood test, a search warrant will be obtained and blood will be drawn by a nurse at the Smith County Jail. Tyler police spokesman Don Martin says this program has proven to be an effective tool to combat drunken drivers. Continue reading Efforts to Make Your Holiday a Safe One

KILGORE — A Kilgore woman has been indicted on two felony counts of aggravated kidnapping of a Kilgore College Rangerette. Police said Nancy Alice Motes, 57, kidnapped Alexa Blair, 19, at gunpoint from Blair’s home on Airline Drive in Longview. She was reportedly choked until she passed out and later was tied up in a storage building in Rusk County. Blair was able to escape and call police. Blair’s mother, Rangerettes Director Dana Blair, was at home at the time of the kidnapping and was bound by Motes. Authorities have declined to discuss possible motives for the kidnapping.

KILGORE – The Kilgore College administration, through routine internal processes, has found some money missing from the institution. Currently, the figure appears to be less than $6,000. The college police department is working in consultation with the Gregg County District Attorney’s Office and an external auditor to fully investigate the issue. An employee was terminated in late May as a result of the initial discovery. School president Dr. Brenda Kays said in a news release, “Certain matters are still under investigation and it would not be appropriate to comment further until those inquiries are complete.”

LINDALE — Authorities have released the name of the woman killed in a fire near Lindale. She is Bettie Lloyd, 78. Her dog also died in that blaze on County Road 4119 in the Lindale area around 5:00 Wednesday afternoon. The cause of the fire is yet to be determined.

PALESTINE – A member of the Smith County Sheriff’s Department is a finalist to become Palestine’s police chief. Sgt Darrell Colsin is one of four persons in the running for the Palestine post. With over 32 years of law enforcement experience, St. Colsin is the Public Information Officer and administrative supervisor for the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. A certified master peace officer, Coslin attended McNeese State University and Navarro College. Continue reading Smith County Deputy Could be Palestine’s New Police Chief

HARLETON – A Hallsville man has been charged in an accident near Harleton that killed a Gladewater teenager. Melvin Bradshaw, 24, is facing a variety of charges in the crash. Shortly after 12:45 Thursday morning, Brahshaw’s vehicle left County Road 4310 and crashed into a tree. Dead at the scene was 17 year old Bobbie Renee Burke. Brandshaw and two other persons in the vehicle were injured. Brandshaw was arrested Thursday and charged with intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle, intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury, driving with an invalid license with previous conviction and traveling at an unsafe speed.

HENDERSON – Nearly four dozen animals have been seized from property near Henderson. The SPCA of Texas along with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Department seized the 46 animals earlier this week. There were 28 dogs, nine kittens, six puppies, two cats and one turtle. Investigators also found multiple remains of deceased dogs. The animals were taken to a rescue center in Dallas. A custody hearing for the animals has been scheduled in Henderson on July 6th. Continue reading Animals Seized From Rusk County Property

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott is applauding a local state senator over a piece of legislation coming up in the special session July 18th. He is saluting Senator Bryan Hughes, of Mineola, a co-author of legislation that prohibits both state and local governments from deducting union dues from public employees paychecks. This issue was one of the 20 items the governor previously announced will be added to the special session agenda. He thanked him for the work on behalf of Texas taxpayers. The governor has said that Texas taxpayers should not be on the hook for collecting union dues.

AUSTIN – A recent Texas Parks and Wildlife Department law enforcement report shows some area fishermen were usinging their hands, and not their heads. A Smith County game warden was patrolling from his truck around Lake Palestine when he noticed a group of fishermen pull up to a known catfish noodling spot. Noodling is catching catfish with your hands. After watching the group for some time, the warden noticed an illegal fishing device was being used to snag fish. The warden confronted the group, seized the illegal device and issued multiple citations for violation of hand fishing laws, no fishing licenses and other water safety violations. No names were mentioned in the report.

AUSTIN – An Anderson County man has been arrested on child pornography charges. The Child Exploitation Unit of the state attorney general’s office has arrested John Aaron Burney, 43, of Palestine. The arrest follows a CyberTipline report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. When investigators executed a search warrant at Burney’s residence, they found child pornography on his cell phone. They also seized seized additional digital storage devices for examination. Burney, who could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted, was booked into the Anderson County Jail.

TYLER- Tyler police are looking for several suspects who frequent the Tyler area and are suspected of committing credit card fraud. Police spokesman Don Martin says the suspects are using re-encoded credit cards with stolen information to purchase gift cards that may be turned in for cash and merchandise. They believe that they are staying several days at a time to commit these crimes and then possibly head back to Dallas. Martin said retailers and hotel’s should be on alert to spot these suspects and notify police. Continue reading Tyler Police Looking for Fraud Suspects

HARLETON – A Gladewater teenager has died in a one vehicle accident just west of Harleton in Harrison County. Bobbie Renee Burke, 17, died in the wreck shortly after 12:45 Thursday morning. Burke was a passenger in a car which was heading south on County Road 4310 which left the road on a curve and hit a tree. The car’s driver, Melvin Bradshaw, 24, of Hallsville and his other two passengers, Shalynn Tipton, 19, of Longview and Kyler McBride, 21, of Hallsville, are hospitalized at CHRISTUS Good Sherpherd Medical Center in Marshall.

EAST TEXAS – An area lake is ranked one of the best bass lakes in the country. Bassmaster Magazine says Lake Palestine is ranked 5th in the central part of the country. Lake Fork came in at number 11, Caddo Lake was 13th. And, overall Sam Rayburn Reservoir is ranked the second best in the nation. It jumped ahead of Toledo Bend which fell to 4th in the region. As for bragging rights for the individual state with the most lakes making the Top 100, Texas wins by a long shot. The Lone Star State features 11 lakes that made the cut. California was a distant second, with seven lakes being ranked in the Top 100.

LINDALE — A 78-year-old woman and her dog are dead after a mobile home fire Wednesday on County Road 4119 in the Lindale area. KETK reports the name of the woman is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The cause and other details weren’t immediately known. We’ll have more information as it becomes available.

TYLER — It’s taken an an extra week, but Tyler is now ready to welcome a renovated local landmark to the community. Due to inclement weather, the Bergfeld Summer Showcase was rescheduled from last Thursday till this evening from 6:30 till 8:00. The event celebrates the redesign and reopening of Bergfeld Park’s Amphitheater and the new Centene Stage. Tyler Civic Theater and the City of Tyler are collaborating on the show. City personnel say everyone’s invited to watch and sing along to songs and scenes from the shows “Rock of Ages,” “Peter Pan Jr. the Musical” and “Legally Blonde the Musical.” Food trucks will be on site, and attendees are encouraged to bring blankets and portable seating. Continue reading Celebration Set Tonight for Renovated Bergfeld Park Amphitheater

LONGVIEW – A Longview woman is in the Gregg County Jail on fraud charges. An auto dealership on West Loop 281 told officers that a woman had bought two vehicles using false information. Investigators were later able to identify her as Sonya Diane Jackson, 37. They later found her sitting in one of the vehicles on Massingill Drive. In her purse they found over a gram of methamphetamine. She has now been charged with fraudulent use or possession of Identifying Information, theft of services, possession of a controlled substance. Her bonds total $30,000.

ATHENS — Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse continues his crackdown on drug suspects as deputies arrest Zackary Ryan Clemons, 39, and Haley Danielle Middleton, 23. Hillhouse says the arrests came on Westwood Beach Drive, south of Chandler, after a substantial amount of methamphetamine was thrown out of a vehicle as Clemons was stopped for a traffic violation. Continue reading Two More Drug Arrests in Henderson County

LONGVIEW – Another traffic stop and a drug bust for Longview police. It all started when a car was stopped on South Access Road for a defective brake light. The driver, along with Ronnie Taylor, 52, of Longview, his passenger, was arrested for outstanding warrants. But that was not all of Taylor’s troubles. A jailer at the Gregg County Jail found crack cocaine inside one of Taylor’s shoes.

TYLER — Smith County is soliciting opinions from residents about their road concerns and suggested improvements. According to a news release, it’s part of the county’s commitment to strategic planning and to ensure the county road infrastructure remains solid for decades. Following Commissioners Court approval on Tuesday, residents can begin providing input by going to http://www.smith-county.com and submitting their comments electronically through an e-form. The Commissioners Court is also planning several public open houses to gather input. Continue reading Input Sought on Smith County Road Plan

TYLER — A man accused of breaking into a Tyler restaurant has been taken into custody. An alarm at the Lindo Mexico Restaurant, on Gentry Parkway, sounded around 5:00 Tuesday morning. Arriving officers said the building was broken into and that the suspect had fled. After reviewing the security video with the owner, officers were able to locate the suspect a short distance from the restaurant walking down the street. Andre Lamont Coker Jr., 21, was detained and searched. Officers found a gun in his waistband, several types of illicit narcotics and evidence from the restaurant. Coker was charged with burglary of building, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and three warrants out of Smith County Sheriff’s Office.

WOOD COUNTY — A former East Texas jail administrator has been sentenced to prison. According to KETK, ex-Wood County Jail Captain David McGee has been sentenced to two years in prison for his role in helping an inmate escape the Wood County Jail and tampering with government documents. McGee resigned back in February amid an investigation into inappropriate contact between the former administrator and an inmate. During the course of that investigation, McGee was arrested by the Texas Rangers and charged with two counts of tampering with evidence. He was booked into jail and later released on bond. Continue reading Former Jail Administrator Sentenced to Prison

SULPHUR SPRINGS — The trusty that escaped from the Hopkins County Jail Tuesday morning is back in custody. According to the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office, Barney Ebey, 53, escaped while performing work at the Hopkins County Civic Center just after 8:00. He was arrested in Henderson County Tuesday night after a manhunt through a wooded area. The person responsible for driving the get-away vehicle was arrested Tuesday afternoon. Ebey was initially incarcerated for a charge of engaging in organized crime related to the theft of heavy equipment.

LINDALE – Lindale police are looking for a man who is accused of leaving a store without paying for what he had. He is said to have walked out of the Brookshire’s in Lindale without paying. He may be doing the same thing at the Brookshire’s in Mineola. There is no vehicle description available. If you recognize the man, you are asked to contact Lindale police.

REKLAW – A one vehicle accident on a wet Rusk County road has killed a Galveston man. Dead at the scene was Austin Guilmette, 19. The DPS report said he was heading south of Farm Road 839 north of Reklaw at an unsafe speed. His pickup left the road as he exited a curve, and hit a tree. The accident occurred just before 9:00 Monday morning.

LONGVIEW – Longview police have arrested a Panola County man for trying to cash a forged check. Officers were called to a bank on East Whaley. That’s where they found Blake Ryan Stanford, 21, of Carthage. He told officers that he and another person had done some yard work for someone. He said the other person drove him to the bank and gave him a check. Stanford said he forged the check owner’s name on it and was attempting to cash the check for $100. He was charged with forgery and booked into the Gregg County Jail.

GILMER – An Upshur County woman has been found guilty of attacking a woman with a cooking pot. Francis Bailey Clark, 77, of Big Sandy, was found guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She was was sentenced by the judge to five years in prison, probated for two years, along with community service and anger management. It all started in January 2016 when she confronted a woman about money she felt was owed her. Clark is said to have injured the woman when she hit her with a large heavy metal cooking pot. She claimed self-defense. The jury didn’t buy it.

JACKSONVILLE – The couple involved in a fatal train accident in Cherokee County has been identified. Killed in the June 13th incident was Michael Matthew Heiskell, 28, of Pampa. The woman, who was injured, is Shelby Laws, 26, of Conroe. The two had been riding on top of a Union Pacific freight train. Both were knocked from the train. The man fell off near Jacksonville. The woman was able to hold on, and jumped off when the train slowed down in the Troup area. She suffered a broken leg. Investigators say the two met in Austin where they traveled together to San Marcos, where they jumped on the train. The train, which had originated in Laredo, was carrying autos to Chicago.

GILMER – An Upshur County man has pleaded guilty to killing his stepfather. Clinton Ray Allen, 45, of Gilmer entered the guilty plea in state district court in Gilmer Tuesday morning. He was sentenced to 45 years in prison. He was charged in the April 6th shooting of James Earl Robertson. He was found with a gunshot wound to his head in his home on Holly Road, southwest of Gilmer. Following his arrest Allen told officers that he shot his stepdad because he had talked bad about his dead mother.

TYLER – Smith County Commissioners learned about the community of Bullard during Tuesday’s commissioners’ court session. Mayor Pam Frederick, who gave the presentation, believes Bullard is a shining star in East Texas and is proud to be a part of its progress. The presentation was part of the commissioners’ Connecting Communities initiative. The city was formed in 1867, but became known as Bullard in 1883. Mayor Fredreck says the town has seen a slow shift in focus over time. The mayor said from 2000 to 2010, Bullard experienced 114% growth in its population, and it is on track to have the same increase by the next Census. From 2010 to 2017, the city has grown 62.4%, to about 4,000 residents. Continue reading Bullard Highlighted Before Smith County Commissioners