KTBB News, Weather, Talk

SAN FRANCISCO – Children’s clothing chain Gymboree has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The company is aiming to slash its debts and close hundreds of stores amid crushing pressure on retailers. The company says it will remain in business, but will close between 375 to 450 stores according to the court filing. Of the company’s 1,281 stores, 20 are in Texas. One is in Tyler’s Broadway Square Mall. There is no word at this time which of the company’s stores will be shuttered.

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview woman has been indicted following a March 2017 shooting at a local motel. According to KETK, Jessica Courtney Perry, 29, was indicted on June 7 for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Perry was arrested April 13 in connection with the March 29 shooting at the Palace Inn on East Marshall Avenue. The victim told police she and her boyfriend had been in a vehicle with Perry and another witness. The victim said Perry pulled a gun on her after the two got in an argument on the way to the motel and shot her once she got out of the vehicle. The victim was taken to a Longview medical center with non-life threatening injuries. Perry was released from jail on May 2 after posting her $30,000 bond.

SMITH COUNTY — An inmate at the Smith County Jail has been found dead early Monday morning. Carlos Jose Hernandez, Jr, 21, Troup, was found around 12:20 a.m. According to Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith, a detention officer noticed Hernandez hanging from the shower in a side cell. Emergency crews were unable to resuscitate the inmate. The Texas Rangers were called to the scene, along with the Justice of the Peace. An autopsy has been ordered. Hernandez was booked into the Smith County Jail at 4:15 Sunday morning on charges including possession of marijuana, possession or delivery of drug paraphernalia, possession of controlled substance and also had an Immigration Customs Enforcement detainer. Total bonds were $8,500, however, he couldn’t bond out due to the ICE detainer. Continue reading Smith County Jail Inmate Found Dead

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of June 12th. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Milling operations get underway on Interstate Highway 20. Work is tentatively set to start Tuesday in Van Zandt County and will be conducted in the eastbound and westbound outside lanes as well as at the Safety Rest Area. Work is slated for the eastbound, outside lane from Mile Marker 529-536; and the westbound, outside lane Mile Markers 528, 529 and 533-539. Once work is completed in Van Zandt County, the operation moves to various locations through Smith and Gregg counties. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects Update

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — South Korea’s Yekwon Sunwoo has won the 15th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, which is one of the top showcases for the world’s best pianists. The 28-year-old Sunwoo emerged from 30 competitors to claim the $50,000 award and a gold medal Saturday in the competition held every four years in Fort Worth. It was founded in 1962 by the Cliburn, whose family moved to Kilgore when he was 6. When he was 12, he won a statewide piano competition. He entered the Juilliard School in New York City at the age of seventeen. the famed pianist died in 2013.

SMITH COUNTY — A Henderson County man has been killed in a two vehicle accident in southwestern Smith County. Killed in the crash Saturday afternoon was Nathan Sherman, 19 of Chandler. The accident happened on Farm Road 2661, near County Road 1160. The Department of Public Safety reports Sherman’s pickup was traveling north when it struck the rear of another vehicle. The pickup left the road and overturned in a ditch and Sherman was thrown from the vehicle. A passenger in the pickup and the driver of the other vehicle were not injured.

LONGVIEW – A large plume of dark smoke brought Longview firemen Saturday afternoon to Longview Scrap and Metal on Loop 281. A stack of up to two dozen cars were on fire. It took around 20 minutes to contain the blaze. The Longview News Journal reports the fire did no spread to the main building of the business and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW – Longview police are asking for the public’s help in locating a missing boy. He is Marcos Macedo, who will be 18 months old on Saturday. He is 2 feet 8 inches tall has brown eyes and black hair. Marcos was last seen by his guardian on May 31st in the presence of his non-custodial mother. Maria Becerril-Leon is 5 feet 5 inches tall has brown eyes and black hair. Maria is a known drug user and was last seen in Upshur County on Thursday, but Marcos was not seen. Continue reading Boy Missing in Longview

TYLER – A renovation project is now underway at East Texas Medical Center in Tyler. The $9.5 million will expand and enhance near the front of the hospital. This will include an exterior facelift, cafeteria expansion and addition of a new surgery waiting room. Starting June 19th, visitors to ETMC will be directed to a temporary entrance at the front of the hospital as construction begins on a new entryway. Windows on the front of the hospital will be replaced, and the fountain will be updated. A multi-lane driveway will allow visitors to enter and exit from two different locations on Hospital Drive to improve traffic flow. Continue reading An Upgrade at ETMC

KILGORE – At a Friday morning ceremony, Kilgore College was presented a $233,262 Skills Development Fund grant from the Texas Workforce Commission. Kilgore College has partnered with RedZone Coil Tubing to provide customized training to workers, with focused instruction on oil and gas standards for on-shore exploration. Trainees include coil tube operators, engineering mechanics, fluid pump operators, ground hands and information technology coordinators. Upon successful completion of training, trainees may be eligible for SafeLand, Aerial Lift and ForkLift certifications. The grant is benefiting workers in East Texas as well as the Permian Basin.

TYLER – A Longview man has been arrested for stealing nearly $50,000 in jewelry and cash. Terry Arnell Walker, 20, has been arrested for the robbery that occurred May 18th at Ana’s Hats on South Eastman Road. A woman had purchased the jewelry at a pawn shop shortly before the robbery. The Longview News Journal reports the police saw a picture posted on Facebook of the jewelry that had been stolen. Surveillance video from the pawn shop showed Walker observing the woman as she bought the jewelry. Walker remains in the Gregg County Jail under a $500,000 bond.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Louie Gohmert of Tyler weighs in after former FBI Director James Comey testified before the Senate Intelligence Committee Thursday. Comey revealed that he’d orchestrated the public release of information about his private conversations with the President in an effort to further the Russia investigation. Gohmert responded, “For the head of the FBI to be leaking information I thought was just astounding. We finally got once and for all, I would hope, that Trump was not under investigation, is not under investigation.” Gohmert spoke with KTBB and said he was amazed Comey admitted as much as he did.

TYLER — Tyler Police are searching for several armed suspects following a gas station robbery Thursday night. It happened at the Food Fast convenience store, 1516 South Vine, just after 10:00. The clerk told officers a black male wearing a mask entered the store, pointed a gun at the clerk and demanded money. The clerk handed over the register drawer with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect fled the scene with the drawer. Witnesses told police a second suspect, armed with a shotgun, waited outside the store during the robbery. Both suspects were dressed in black hoodies, blue jeans and black masks. A second witness believed the suspects got into a small to midsize tan sedan that was parked on Talley. Continue reading Armed Robbery Suspects Sought

MARSHALL — Representatives from AT&T presented a $25,000 contribution to support the Boys and Girls Club of Big Pines — And its signature “Be Great” programs targeting under-served and at-risk teens in East Texas. Bryan Partee, the club’s executive director, says using early warning signals – attendance, behavior, and course failure — the club targets about 150 students every year. Partee says the club then works to ensure they have the tools they need to succeed in high school and beyond. The AT&T contribution is part of AT&T Aspire, the company’s signature education initiative focused on school success and career readiness.

MARSHALL – Late last month we had a story about a man accused of stealing around $1,200 worth of cigarettes from a Marshall business. He is said to have gone into the Dollar General on East End Boulevard on May 24th and took about 20 cartons of cigarettes. The suspect then left the store without paying. He was later identified as Justin Williams, 27, of Longview, and an arrest warrant was issued for him. Williams was arrested by Longview Police on Tuesday and was booked into the Gregg County Jail. He is charge with theft of less than $2,500. Williams is also a suspect in several other theft cases in neighboring cities.

EAST TEXAS – Homes in Tyler and Longview have been damaged in early morning fires. The Tyler fire was reported shortly after 4:00 Thursday morning on Victory Drive. Firemen noted heavy fire and smoke at the rear of the home. It was quickly extinguished. The resident awoke to a loud noise and found fire in a large storage area of the home. Smoke alarms were present, but did not activate due to the lack of fire and smoke in the main part of the home. While the cause of the fire remains undetermined, investigators reported that the occupant had noticed smoke in the room the day before and shut off the electrical power to the light fixtures in that room. Continue reading Tyler And Longview Fires Investigated

LONGVIEW – A Longview motorcycle officer has been injured while escorting a funeral. Officer Rodney Smith was injured when a car from the procession made an unsafe turn into the officer. The officer, a ten year veteran with the police department, was ejected from the motorcycle and sustained multiple injuries. No word at this time on the extent of the injuries or about any charges in the accident.

LONGVIEW – Nearly a dozen persons have been arrested in connection with a string of Longview robberies. From May 1st through June 8th, 20 robberies have been reported in Longview, compared to 9 in the prior month. In 11 of those robberies the suspects targeted people in a public area. In 9 of the robberies the suspects targeted a person at an open business. The Longview Police Department has made ten arrests related to at least seven robberies. As the investigations continue they anticipate more of these crimes will be solved. Nine of the suspects arrested to date were adults and one was a juvenile. Eight of the adults are from Longview and one is from Nacogdoches. Continue reading Numerous Suspects in Custody For Longview Robberies

KILGORE – Kilgore police are asking for the public’s assistance in identifying two persons suspected of forgery. The forgeries were committed at Brookshire’s in Kilgore on May 18th and 19th. It is believed the two are working together. The two are also said to have passed forged checks in Tyler and Chandler. Continue reading Kilgore Forgery Suspects Sought

TYLER – A man whose Tyler’s murder charge was dismissed a year ago, has filed a federal lawsuit against those he claims were involved in his wrongful conviction. The 32 page document was filed on Monday on behalf of Kerry Max Cook. He is suing 22 people and agencies who he claims fabricated and excluded evidence and created false evidence that led to him spending 20 years in prison. The suit claims the defendants set out to pin the murder on a homosexual. According to the suit, the defendants believed Cook was a homosexual. He is seeking a jury trial, compensatory and punitive damages as well as attorneys’ fees and costs. Continue reading Kerry Max Cook Files Suit Over His Murder Conviction

HUNTSVILLE (AP) — An Upshur County man on death row for killing two men days apart during a crime trek across the state more than 15 years ago has received an execution date for later this year. Texas Department of Criminal Justice has received court documents setting 33-year-old convicted killer Clinton Lee Young for lethal injection October 26. Young, from Ore City, was convicted and condemned for the November 2001 fatal shootings of 41-year-old Doyle Douglas in Longview and then 52-year-old Samuel Petrey a day or two later in a Midland oilfield. Petrey had been carjacked in Eastland, about 50 miles east of Abilene. Young was arrested in Midland and tried for capital murder in Midland County.

WASKOM – A Harrison County man has been charged with deadly conduct following a shooting incident in Waskom. Police have arrested Michael Wilson, 53, of Waskom, following the Wednesday afternoon incident on Spur 156. Wilson is said to have gotten into an argument with three persons in a car. He is said to have fired one shot at the vehicle. Someone in the vehicle fired four shots in return. No injuries were reported. Authorities are viewing video of the incident as they try to identify the persons in the vehicle.

ATHENS — Five men were arrested for possession of methamphetamine, in separate cases. According to Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, Clifford Keith Miller, 55, was arrested at a residence outside of Athens on HWY 175 West with a substantial amount of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and marijuana. A search warrant was issued following an unrelated investigation. Miller (pictured) faces up to 20 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Continue reading Numerous Drug Related Arrests in Henderson County

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man was arrested Wednesday on a motion to revoke probation warrant. According to KETK, Kevin Brian Weddle, 43, was arrested on a warrant out of Van Zandt County to revoke his probation stemming from a conviction for online solicitation of a minor for sexual conduct. Longview police arrested Weddle around 1:10 p.m. On December 8, 2009, Weddle was sentenced to 10 years probation and registered as a sex offender. He’s being held in the Gregg County Jail without bond.

LONGVIEW – Longview conducted the monthly test of the emergency siren network on Wednesday. During the test, only eight of the twenty sirens were confirmed to work properly. The electronic equipment that relays the signal to the sirens was initially damaged during the storm on Sunday, May 28. While the electronic equipment continued to work during last week’s test and all sirens sounded on May 31, the damaged electronic equipment did not properly work on Wednesday’s test. The affected electronic equipment will be replaced as soon as it is available and tests will follow. Continue reading Problems With Longview’s Emergency Sirens

LONGVIEW – Several late night robberies in Longview are under investigation. Two robberies occurred on on June 2. One was on West Loop 281 shortly before 1:00am and one was on Gilmer Road two hours later. The suspects are identified as two white males 18 to 20 years of age. Around 3:00 Wednesday morning, the Food Fast on the South Access Road was robbed by a white male 5’6” to 5’8”. All three-location had money taken but no weapons were used and no one was injured. Detective Juarez-Ortega is investigating these robberies and can be contacted at 903-237-1110 if anyone has any additional information.

TYLER – A Man accused of biting a sheriff’s deputy has been indicted by the Smith County grand jury. Justin Utah Carsten, 22, of Bullard was indicted late last week for assault on a public servant. When deputies responded to a disturbance call on Deer Cove Road on April 14th, they found Carsten, high on something, naked and armed with a shovel. When he wouldn’t put down the shovel, they used a taser on him. He was not affected by it. While bringing him under control, he is said to have bit a deputy on the leg. Both were treated and released at a Tyler hospital.

TYLER – Tyler’s Assistant Police Chief, Billy Yates graduated Wednesday from the FBI National Academy Session # 268 in Quantico, Virginia. Law Enforcement Professionals from around the world are nominated and then selected to attend the NA at Quantico after a rigorous vetting process. The Tyler Police Department has had a total of ten former or current command staff who have graduated from the national academy.

TYLER -The Tyler firefighters Fill the Boot Drive proved to be a huge success. On May 12th, Tyler firemen asked you to fill boots with money for the Muscular Dystrophy Association. This year’s drive was a record, $54,087.04. Tyler Fire Chief David Coble expressed his deep gratitude to the Tyler firefighters and the citizens of Tyler for their tremendous support. In thanking those you donated to the campaign, Chief Coble said, “Your generous donations are helping our community get closer to finding cures for Muscular Dystrophy.”