KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office is warning East Texas residents of a lake wind advisory and high fire danger for today after similar conditions prompted an advisory yesterday. The National Weather Service has issued the wind advisory from noon to 7 p.m. for Smith, Upshur, Wood, and Camp counties, as well as portions of Southeast Oklahoma. For the second day, Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy is warning the public to not burn outside. Avoid burning outdoor trash and do not toss lit cigarettes out of your vehicle. Use extreme caution with outdoor grilling or campfires, which will raise the potential for grass fires. If you see a grass fire, contact the nearest fire department or law enforcement agency.

TYLER — The winners of this year’s Brick Award for contributions to downtown Tyler are Rebecca Ballard and Crysti LaRocca. They’re described by outgoing Heart of Tyler President Brooke Droptini as the “creative minds” behind the organization’s biggest fundraiser, Black Tie Bingo. The award announcement was made at the annual meeting of Heart of Tyler, the city’s downtown revitalization group. The gathering was held at the new Innovation Pipeline, a facility for budding entrepreneurs. Continue reading Heart of Tyler Holds Annual Meeting

AUSTIN (AP) – The Texas Senate has confirmed Gov. Greg Abbott’s three nominees for the University of Texas System Board of Regents. Tuesday night’s 29-0 vote with two abstentions means Former UT regent Janiece Longoria, ex-state Sen. Kevin Eltife, Tyler, and businessman Rad Weaver will serve six-year terms. Abstaining were Houston Democratic Sen. Borris Miles and Sen. Royce West a Democrat from Dallas. The only two black members of the Senate, the pair has criticized Abbott for not nominating any African-Americans for the UT Board of Regents. The three new regents succeed Wallace Hall, Alex Cranberg and Brenda Pejovich. Hall ruffled campus feathers by suing UT Austin to get access to hundreds of thousands of pages of emails, interview notes and other records.

TYLER – A second TJC student has been arrested for a Fort Worth murder. The United States Marshal Service arrested Cedrick Ladarius Richardson, 20, of Fort Worth. He was booked into the Smith County Jail on $100,000 bond. Last month, TJC student Keoddrick Polk, 19, of Fort Worth, was arrested on a murder charge. The Tarrant County Crime Stoppers Facebook page say Polk was placed on the 2016 Fort Worth Police Department’s Most Wanted List in September. Polk was booked into the Smith County Jail on a charge of capital murder for remuneration, also known as murder for pay. His bond was set at $150,000.

NACOGDOCHES – The former chairman of the Nacogdoches County Republican Party is free on bond today following his indictment and arrest for felony theft. Andrew Elijah Higdon, 37, was released from jail on a $5,000 bond. The indictment says the theft occurred between December 7, 2015 and July 22, 2016. The indictment indicates Higdon stole money from the State of Texas while he was party chairman. Higdon resigned the post last September 1st.

TYLER – The Better Business Bureau of Central East Texas held its annual awards program Tuesday. It was to honor businesses and charities for their outstanding achievements. The Large Business of the Year Award went to East Texas Copy Systems. The The mid-size business of the year award went to The Park of East Texas, the parent company of the East Texas State Fair and the Academic Rodeo. The small business of the year winner is Travis J Consulting, a web design and social media marketing company. The Children’s Advocacy Center of Smith County was named the nonprofit organization of the year.

MARSHALL – The Harrison County grand jury has handed up just over two dozen indictments. Two of those were sealed. Among the persons indicted was Joshua Warren Westberry, 28, of Hallsville. He has been indicted on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and three counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact. His victims were said be under the age of 14 and 17. According to the indictment, the incidents took place last year, twice on August 27 and three times on September 24.

TYLER – Two more arrests have been made in the January 28th robbery and homicide at the Conoco station on Tyler’s NNE Loop. The latest suspect in custody is Kiera Shasta Oliver, 25, the sister of Kedarius Hays Oliver who is already in custody. She has been charged with making a false report to an officer and hindering apprehension. Also arrested in the case is Shamecca Staley, 28. She has been charged with tampering with physical evidence and hindering apprehension/prosecution. She is the sister of Dameon Jamrc Mosley and is believed to be the person that drove Mosley to Dallas after the robbery took place. Continue reading More Arrests in a Smith County Robbery/Murder

LONGVIEW – The Gregg County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying two suspects. The man and woman are wanted in a credit card abuse case. If anyone has any information in regards to the couple in the photograph please contact Lieutenant Hope at 903-234-3118 or Investigator Ben Reynolds at 903-237-2544 or Gregg County Crime stoppers at http://www.greggcountycrimestoppers.org or call 903-236-7867.

TYLER – The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office is warning you not to do any outdoor burning today. Because of a dropping humidity and high winds, there is a high fire danger in Smith County. According to an alert received from the National Weather Service based in Shreveport, an enhanced fire danger will exist until humidity values increase and wind speeds decrease after 6:00pm today. Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson says to avoid burning outdoor trash and do not toss lit cigarettes out of your vehicle. Use extreme caution with outdoor grilling or campfires, which will raise the potential for grass fires.

TYLER – Smith County Commissioners have named a new Facility Services Director. Named to the post at the Tuesday morning meeting is Ed Nichols. He succeeds Steve Christian who recently retired. Nichols began working as an electrician/maintenance man for Smith County Facility Services more than eight years ago. Most recently he served as facility services supervisor. As Facility Services Director, Nichols will oversee the department’s more than 20 employees, who care for and maintain the county’s 25 buildings and grounds, including the T.B. Butler Fountain Square and Camp Ford. Nichols grew up in Longview and graduated from Gilmer High School.

LONGVIEW – Gregg County authorities say they have located the victim from a shooting last Friday. But there are still a lot of questions about the case. The shooting occurred around 4:00 Friday afternoon at the Green Top gas station on U.S. Highway 259 north of Longview. But, when Gregg County sheriff”s deputies arrived, the victim was not there. They announced Tuesday morning they have identified the victim and found him over the weekend, but police spokesman Josh Tubb said they are moving the case to the inactive file because of lack of cooperation by the victim and the witnesses. They say his injuries were not that serious. They have determined he was shot with a BB gun.

KILGORE — A Kilgore man was being held Monday in the Gregg County Jail in connection with a stabbing early Sunday. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Brandon Anthony Portales, 28, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His bond was set at $25,000. Gregg County sheriff’s deputies arrested him just after 1:00 Sunday morning on Old Highway 135 in Kilgore while responding to a report of a possible disturbance. Portales had a swollen eye, swollen nose and bleeding from his hand while walking north on Old 135 north of Addie Street. Continue reading Kilgore Man Charged in Sunday Morning Assault

LONGVIEW – The Longview Chapter of the NAACP has a new president today. He is the Rev. Lamar Jones, who has been pastor of Galilee Baptist Church in Hallsville for 22 years. He became president on Sunday. Jones is a longtime member of the chapter and lifelong Longview resident. According to the Longview News Journal, one of his first focuses is on growing an active membership, recruiting new people and revitalizing members who are not active. He said he will pattern his leadership after that of immediate past President Branden Johnson and his predecessors.

LONGVIEW – A suspect is in custody in connection with one of Longview’s weekend shootings. Montorio Dewayne Harris, 25, of Longview, was arrested by Police on Sunday evening on a murder warrant. He is accused of the Sunday morning shooting death of Donald Ray Kenney, 34, of Longview. A call to authorities around 7:00am reported a shooting in the vicinity of Twelfth and Dean Streets. There, they were told the victim was dumped near the railroad tracks off West Loop 281. That’s where they found Kenney’s body. Harris remains in the Gregg County Jail under a $200,000 bond. Continue reading Arrest Made in a Longview Homicide

EMORY — The public is asked to be on the lookout for a girl who has reportedly been kidnapped. KETK reports 7-year old Ahrora Eakin was last seen Saturday afternoon at the Emory City Park in Rains County. The sheriff’s office says she was taken by her non-custodial father. Authorities are searching for Johnathan Eakin. Eakin has a tattoo of a lion, lamb, and scripture with vines on one upper arm and tattoo sleeves on his lower arms. Investigators say he could be traveling to Colorado through Oklahoma.

LONGVIEW — Pill abuse is taking Texas by storm. Accidental drug deaths eclipse traffic deaths. The demand for prescription drugs for non-medical use is growing. The Drug Enforcement Agency’s Wendell Campbell says people are turning to heroin because it’s cheaper to buy on the street than an opiod-based prescription pill. He says on an average day in America, 590 people will try heroin for the first time. 3900 people, per day, will try an opiod based prescription drug for non-medical reasons. In San Antonio, officials are seeing 20 overdoses per day. Texarkana, Amarillo, Odessa and Longview are in the top 25 hot spots for opiod abuse in the nation.

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man has been arrested on a charge of murder. According to KETK, Montorio Dewayne Harris, 25, was arrested just before 9:00 Sunday night on a murder warrant issued by the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office. His bond has been set at $200,000. Additional information was not available.

LONGVIEW – Two shooting deaths were recorded in Longview over the weekend, the first two homicides of the year. One body was found Sunday morning. It started with a call shortly before 7:00 about a shooting in the vicinity of Twelfth and Dean Streets. Officers were told that someone had been shot at that location and then the body had been dumped near the railroad tracks off West Loop 281. There, they found the body of a black male. Investigators have been interviewing witnesses. Continue reading Two Longview Homicides

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of February 6th. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Smith County – Tyler Maintenance plans to conduct pavement repairs on Loop 323 between U.S. Highway 271 and Farm Road 14. A second crew is expected to perform edge repairs on Farm Road 16 between Lindale and Farm Road 1253. Expect lane closures with flaggers providing traffic control at both locations. Continue reading Area Roads Update

LONGVIEW – Longview police are investigating the death of a man whose body was found Sunday morning. It started with a call shortly before 7:00 about a shooting in the vicinity of Twelfth and Dean Streets. Officers were told that someone had been shot at that location and then the body had been dumped near the railroad tracks off West Loop 281. There, they found the body of a black male. Investigators have been interviewing witnesses as the investigation continues.

LONGVIEW – A shooting in Longview has left one person dead. It was reported around 1:15 Saturday morning at J’s Club on East Marshall Avenue. The body of Thomas Lynn Harper Jr., 34, of Gladewater, was found lying in a parking lot near the club. The shooting is said to have occurred in the parking lot. Investigators have determined that Harper was involved in an altercation that began at J’s Place a short time before he was found dead not far from the scene of the altercation. The investigation is continuing.

LONGVIEW – A Longview school is having a bat problem. It started a couple of weeks ago at J.L. Everhart Elementary School. In a posting on Facebook, Principal Arthur Brown said the bats are confined to the school’s gym. He says the district has been working to rectify the issue. Brown says the Gym, which is now closed, should be reopened within 10 days.

TYLER – A Smith County woman has been killed and three persons injured in a three vehicle accident in Tyler. It happened just before 4:15 Friday afternoon on U.S. Highway 271 at the Loop 323 extension. Dead at the scene was Amparo Lecroy, 54, of Winona. The accident happened when a south bound SUV attempted to turn left onto the Loop Extension. It turned into the path of a north bound tractor trailer truck which T-boned the SUV. The truck then pushed the SUV into the path of another vehicle. The victim was a passenger in the SUV. All of the roads have been reopened for normal traffic.

TYLER – Brookshire Grocery Company’s ice cream, dairy and water plants are being sold to Hiland Dairy. According to a news release from Hiland, the deal is expected to close next month. Hiland will retain Brookshire’s employees and will supply the stores with the same products. Hiland Dairy Foods Company, which was founded in 1938, is based in Springfield, Missouri. The farmer owned company has 2600 employees and operates 12 processing plants in Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas with 49 distribution centers across the region.