KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW – Starting today, a new traffic signal is operating at Fourth Street and Eastman Road (US 259) in Longview. It will be flashing yellow until October 31, at which point it will become a fully operational traffic signal. Motorists are asked use caution while work is being completed. This traffic signal work is funded from the available street bond funds as well as private funding. This project consists of installing a traffic signal with ramps and pedestrian walk-way.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of October 24th. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Smith County – Tyler Maintenance plans to conduct base repairs on FM 15 between Troup and Wright City. Edge repairs will be performed on FM 1995. Expect lane closures at both locations with flaggers providing traffic control. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

GILMER – A missing Gilmer woman has been found and is hospitalized in Tyler. Olivia Torres, 30, of Gilmer, who is 8 months pregnant, disappeared on Friday.Torres said she was going to work at the Union Hill booth at the East Texas Yamboree. Her family said her car was still parked at the Gilmer Church of Christ where she left it on Friday. Her family said she was found besides South Mimosa Road in western Upshur County and taken to Tyler’s Christus Trinity Mother Frances Hospital. She is said to be in stable condition. Her unborn twins are also said to be OK.

LUFKIN – A woman who had just moved to Lufkin has died in a two vehicle accident. Killed in the Friday night accident was Brennan Lucille Fisher, 20. The accident occurred On East Loop 287 at Martin Luther King Drive. She was a passenger in a car that was using a crossover at the intersection. An 18-wheeler was also attempting to use the crossover. The car in which Fisher was riding passed the truck and pulled into the path of a pickup, which T-boned her car on the passenger side. Four persons were injured. The driver of Fisher’s vehicle, Emily Pharris, 19, of Lufkin, was ticketed for no driver’s license and failure to yield at an intersection.

JACKSONVILLE – The Texas Department of Transportation is changing the operation of the traffic signal at the intersection of Bolton (FM 347) and Kickapoo streets in Jacksonville as part of its traffic signal removal process. Beginning today, “STOP” and “STOP AHEAD” signs will be placed on the Kickapoo Street approach to the intersection. Once the signs have been installed, the signal will flash yellow on Bolton Street allowing traffic to proceed through the intersection with caution but without stopping. On Kickapoo Street, the signal will flash red meaning the traffic must stop before continuing through the intersection. Continue reading Change for a Jacksonville Traffic Signal

TYLER (AP) – U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert says Donald Trump is a flawed candidate who is not the “salvation” of the conservative movement but instead is a “reprieve.” The Republican warned that if Hillary Clinton wins the presidency and nominates the next U.S. Supreme Court justice “then this country is done as we know it.” The Tyler Morning Telegraph reports that Gohmert cautioned against voter apathy or even discouragement in the GOP ranks because it may undercut Trump’s efforts to win the White House. He delivered his remarks last week to the Smith County Republican Women’s Club. Gohmert represents Texas’ 1st Congressional District, which stretches across much of East Texas. He’s being challenged in the November 8 general election by Democrat Shirley McKellar.

TYLER – The man accused of the fatal shooting of a deputy constable’s K-9, has pleaded guilty in a Tyler court. In a plea deal, Michael Paul Koch, 36, of Grand Saline, pleaded guilty Friday to interference with a service animal, evading arrest, unlawful possession of a firearm, manufacturing meth and theft. He will serve all sentences concurrently, meaning a 40 year prison term. Koch had been accused of shooting of K-9 Constable Ogar following a traffic stop on on Interstate Highway 20 on January 19th. Koch was arrested in a Dallas Wal-Mart four days later.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler is a finalist for the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s 2016 Star Award. The school has been recognized for its Insight Motivated Marketing 360 curriculum within the Department of Management and Marketing. The winner will be announced at a reception next Wednesday in Austin. According to a news release from the school, UT Tyler’s IMM360 program provides marketing students a set of general and specific marketable skills through a 360-degree view of how suppliers and retailers work together to serve their customers. IMM360 offers a curriculum designed to help students understand the role of data in marketing decision making and uses state-of-the-industry technology and data from resources such as The Nielsen Company, JDA, Learning Evolutions and SAP.

LUFKIN – Following the arrest this week of a Lufkin teacher for improper relationship between educator and student, now a coach in Angelina County has now been arrested. An investigator for the sheriff’s department, along with a Texas Ranger, arrested 31 year old Richard Warren Cratty Jr. of Nacogdoches. He has been charged with online solicitation of a minor. The school district’s website show he is a Zavalla High School baseball coach and also teachers social studies at the Junior High.

LONGVIEW – The Longview News-Journal is presenting a new event in Downtown Longview today. Rockers, Riders and Ribs started the set up late Friday afternoon. Several downtown streets were closed to motor traffic starting at 5:00pm Friday. Barricades were placed on several streets east of Fredonia Street. Continue reading Some Downtown Longview Streets Closed This Weekend

TYLER – You can get rid of old medications in Tyler today. The Tyler Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency, are hosting a “no questions asked” medication drop off. It will be from 10:00 till 2:00 at the CVS pharmacy on South Broadway at 5th Street. Tyler police detective Andy Erbaugh says the drive-through event is free and allows you to turn in unused and expired medications for safe disposal. It is important to clean out your medicine cabinet, especially if you have children. Young children may confuse it with something to eat or drink and keeping unneeded medications with teenagers can lead to potential drug abuse. Continue reading Tyler’s Medication Drop Off

TYLER — Liberty Utilities held another town hall meeting for East Texas customers Thursday night. It’s in response to more than 1,000 people protesting a rate increase that would more than triple some customers’ monthly bills. According to KETK, around 100 people attended the meeting for customers who live outside the city limits. After seeing the community fight back, the company asked the Public Utility Commission of Texas to stop processing its rate application until further notice or December 31, 2016, whichever comes first. Continue reading Questions Remain Following Liberty Utilities Town Hall

TYLER – A young boy has been critically injured in a two car accident in Tyler. It happened around 3:00 Thursday afternoon near the intersection of West Gentry Parkway and North Bois D Arc. An SUV heading east on West Gentry ended up crossing over the west bound lanes and into the parking lot of the Family Dollar Store. It then hit a pickup that was leaving the parking lot. The pickup rolled and ended up on its side with the woman driver partially ejected. A 4 year old boy in a rear safety seat in the SUV received life threatening injuries and was flown to Dallas for treatment. The two drivers were hospitalized. Police say alcohol is not thought to be a factor in the accident. The investigation of the crash is ongoing.

GILMER – A two vehicle accident in Upshur County has left one person dead and one injured. It occurred just before 8:30 Thursday morning on U.S. Highway 271 near Gilmer. Dead at the scene was Leno Garza Aguirre, 20, of Mt. Pleasant. Taken to East Texas Medical Center-Pittsburg for treatment was James Fuller, 47, of Jacksonville. The preliminary report from the Department of Public safety says Aguirre was traveling at an unsafe speed on the wet road. His car lost traction and started to skid and rotate. It crossed into the opposite lane of traffic and hit Fuller’s vehicle.

MARSHALL – The burn ban in Harrison County has been lifted. The ban was approved by the county commissioners on October 10th. County Judge Hugh Taylor signed the order Thursday lifting the ban. It was effective at noon on Thursday. The ban was terminated after the judge visited with County Fire Marshal Thomas Mock. After reviewing the current rain and moisture conditions, he said conditions had improved.

KILGORE – One person has been killed in a one vehicle accident in Kilgore. The victim has been identified as Christy Lynn Pierson, 40, of Kilgore. The accident occurred shortly after 7:00 Thursday morning on U.S. Highway 259 at Synergy Drive. Kilgore police say her SUV was heading south when it accidentally ended up in the turn lane. When she tried to return to her lane, she overcorrected and crashed. Pierson was pronounced dead at the scene. Three passengers were sent to Good Shepherd Medical Center Kilgore for treatment of minor injuries.

RUSK — A Rusk ISD school bus was involved in an accident Thursday morning leaving several students injured. According to the Department of Public Safety, the #7 school bus was traveling on CR 4274 approaching a sharp curve to the right. The bus then went off the roadway to the left and struck a tree with its right front. Seven children were transported to area hospitals in Jacksonville with minor injuries. The bus driver was not injured. The investigation is ongoing.

LUFKIN – A former Lufkin teacher and cheerleading coach has been arrested. Mary Ainsley Thigpen, 29, was arrested Wednesday afternoon on a charge of improper relationship between educator and student. She turned herself in at the Angelina County Jail after an arrest warrant was issued for her. She is currently free on bond. According to a news release from the school district, when the allegation surfaced, campus police started an investigation. When told about the complaint, and that she would be placed on administrative leave, Thigpen resigned.

LUFKIN – An arrest warrant is out for the former cheerleader coach at Lufkin High School. Mary Ainsley Thigpen, 29, of Lufkin, is being charged with an improper relationship between educator and student. According to a news release from the school district, when the allegation surfaced, campus police started an investigation. When told about the complaint, and that she would be placed on administrative leave, Thigpen resigned.

RUSK COUNTY – A Rusk County man is free on bond after being charged with animal cruelty. Larry Antone “Tony” Cadwell, 50, turned himself in on Tuesday. He had earlier reported two of his horses missing. When authorities went to his property off Farm Road 1251, they found nearly two dozen emaciated horses. KETK reports, on Tuesday, officials obtained an order to seize the animals. They seized 23 horses, including the two that hand been reported missing. As the investigation continues, additional charges may be filed.

TYLER – Tyler is seeing a steady improvement in the quality of it’s water. Tyler Water Utilities continues to be in compliance with lead and copper standards for drinking water. This has come as the result of making several process changes that started nearly a year ago. The city recently collected 100 water samples for the second half the year. The test results show a continuing decline in lead and copper levels. The city says this verifies the effectiveness of the water treatment process improvements put in place last winter. Continue reading Tyler’s Water Getting Good Grades

ANGIER, NC — A Tyler man is in custody in North Carolina on drug charges. Pineda Franky Garcia, 37, remains in jail under a $1 million bond. Sheriff’s deputies were responding to a complaint when they uncovered 50 pounds of liquid methamphetamine with a value of $4.5 million. According to the Daily Record in Dunn, North Carolina, investigators say the drug would have been crystallized before it could be sold. They estimate the liquid would have transformed into around 30 pounds of crystal meth. Garcia has been charged with felony trafficking in methamphetamine and felony manufacturing methamphetamine.

TYLER – A student has been arrested after bringing a gun to school. Arrested Tuesday was Dennis Wayne Forte, 18. The Robert E. Lee student is said to have brought a BB gun to school and threatened to use it. He was detained by the school district police department and then booked into the Smith County Jail on a charge of making a terroristic threat. He was released after posting $750 bond.

AUSTIN — The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has overturned a Tyler couple’s conviction and prison sentence for injury to a child. KETK reports that Kenneth and Shelley Walker were sentenced to 25 years behind bars after being found guilty of placing their two-year-old granddaughter, Bridget Walker, into a bathtub filled with scalding water. The toddler was severely burned on her feet and ankles and was flown to a Dallas hospital for treatment. In September 2014, the two were denied their appeal by the Twelfth Court of Appeals and began serving their sentence immediately. The higher court concluded evidence in the case would “merely raise a suspicion of guilt” and evidence did not support injury to a child beyond a reasonable doubt. Continue reading Appeals Court Overturns Child Injury Conviction