KTBB News, Weather, Talk

ARP – A one vehicle accident near Arp has left one person dead. The one vehicle rollover occurred on County Road 285, just south of Eastside Drive. Dead at the scene was Glenn Rawlinson, 67. His passenger, Amanda Rawlinson, was not injured. According to the Department of Public Safety, Rawlinson’s pickup was heading north when he began to swerve and drifted into the southbound lanes. He then drove into a ditch, hit a tree and the truck rolled onto its roof.

KILGORE – The Kilgore Chamber of Commerce has joined over 40 other Texas Chambers of Commerce, Texas Association of Business and other organizations in opposition of the Department of Labor’s new overtime regulation. The new regulation, which goes into effect December 1st, make millions of more workers eligible for overtime. The White House estimates the rule change will make an additional 4.2 million workers eligible for overtime pay. Kilgore Chamber President Cindy Morris says the chamber board believes the new overtime rule will effect businesses and non-profits with significant new employee costs. She added, “We do agree that an update to the salary threshold may be necessary, however doubling this cost will impact our businesses in a way that is not beneficially to growth of business. Continue reading Kilgore Chamber Opposes New Overtime Regulation

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of October 3rd. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Caution is advised on U.S. Highway 175 when a traffic switch is implemented on Monday, October 3. Traffic will be moved to the new alignment between the west end of Loop 60 to approximately one mile east of the loop. This is the Phase I project US 175 that runs from 0.1 miles southeast of FM 804 near Baxter to 1.1 miles east of Loop 60E at Larue. Get more information on this project in the Henderson County section of this release. Continue reading TxDOT Area Road Update

SMITH COUNTY – A man who is said to have fled a state trooper has been arrested in Smith County. The officer tried to stop the man’s car around 7:00 Saturday night on State Highway 110 North. The auto chase ended when the man’s car struck another car in a private driveway on County Road 45. He then fled on foot. Benito Vasquez, 20, of Tyler, was later taken into custody. He had outstanding warrants with the Tyler Police Department and the Smith County Sheriff’s Department for burglary of a habitation. And now, besides some traffic violations, he’s facing two counts of evading arrest.

LINDALE – The investigation continues into an officer involved shooting in Lindale that left one person injured. Details about the shooting have not been released. The shooting reportedly occurred around 11:00 Friday night at Jackie’s Office Club at 2707 South Main Street. Lindale Police Captain David Craft tells KETK the officer involved in the shooting was not injured and will be placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation by the Texas Rangers. The injured man was taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment. The names of those involved in the shooting have not been released.

TYLER – For the second year in a row, a Tyler woman has won the Ms. Texas Senior Classic Pageant. The winner of the pageant, which was held in Tyler for the first time, is Judy Griffin. Other winners include 1st runner up Maria Guerra of Dallas, second runner up Lauren Harris of Celina, 3rd runner up Sue Abbott of Tyler and 4th runner up Lynne Walding of Arp. This year’s “test city” pageant will determine if Tyler will indeed be the permanent home for the pageant. Continue reading Tyler Woman Wins Senior Pageant

LINDALE – An officer involved shooting in Lindale has left one person injured. The shooting reportedly occurred around 11:00 Friday night at Jackie’s Office Club at 2707 South Main Street. Lindale Police Captain David Craft tells KETK the officer involved in the shooting was not injured and will be placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation by the Texas Rangers. The injured man was taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment. We’ll have more information when it becomes available.

LONGVIEW – A jailer in Gregg County has died of an apparent heart attack while providing medical assistance to an inmate. The inmate was housed at the Marvin A. Smith Criminal Justice Facility, a minimum security facility located at 197 Floyd Wingo Drive, north of Kilgore. Jailer Robert E. Ransom, 62, and the inmate, were transferred to Good Sheppard Medical Center in Longview for treatment. Officer Ransom was unable to be revived and was pronounced dead at the hospital by Justice of the Peace Tim Bryan. The inmate was treated and later returned to the jail. Ranson has been with Gregg County since October, 2005. Prior to his employment with the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, Robert began his career in Law Enforcement in 1980 as a Deputy Sheriff for the Porter County Sheriff’s Office in Valparaiso, Indiana.

AUSTIN – A man has been arrested in connection with a fatal boating accident this summer on Lake Fork. Donald Bryant Lawson, 45, was killed in the July 9th accident. Lawson and David Michael Roche, 45, were both tossed from their boat when it crashed. According to a news release from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Roche was originally arrested on suspicion of boating while intoxicated. Lab tests show Roche had a blood alcohol content of .168. That is just over double the legal limit. An arrest warrant was issued for Roche this week following a thorough investigation. He turned himself in to the Wood County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday.

MARSHALL – One person is in custody in connection with a stabbing in Marshall. It happened shortly after 11:30 Friday morning. Being treated at Good Shepherd Medical Center-Marshall is Bilal Salahuddin, 27. He told officers he had told his girlfriend Brittany Johnson to leave. As he was escorting her to the door, he said she stabbed him. She fled to Nolan Street where she later called police. She was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

RUSK COUNTY – A suspect has been charged with murder in the death of a missing Rusk County man. The body of 60-year-old Floyd Thompson was found on Tuesday after he had been missing for over a month. Charged in his death is Lamarlon Tremone Thompson, 38, of Mount Enterprise. He was first arrested on Wednesday on unrelated offenses. Yesterday, he was charged with Thompson’s murder. Investigators say he admitted to killing Thompson and concealing the crime. His bond was set at $1,125,000.00.

TYLER – The burned car of a Smith County Murder victim has been found. Authorities have been looking for the missing vehicle belonging to 62 year old Luis Martinz of Tyler. His body was found this week in a cemetery in the Antioch Community. Three persons are in custody in the case. It was announced today the victim’s burned out 2003 Buick LeSabre has been found in a remote wooded area off Farm Road 16 East near County Road 369 in northeast Smith County. The vehicle was allegedly used to transport the body to where authorities found it.

NACOGDOCHES – A teacher in the English Department at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches keeps on winning on the TV game show Jeopardy. Seth Wilson won his 10th straight game Friday. He won $22,000 on Friday. That brings his 10 game total to $231,801.

GILMER – A man accused of causing a fatal Upshur County wreck, has been arrested following his indictment. The Upshur County grand jury on Thursday indicted Robert William Frazier, 23, of Gilmer. He was arrested Thursday afternoon by the Texas Department of Public Safety on the warrant issued from the indictment. Judge Lauren Parish set his bond at $500,000. Frazier is said to have been responsible for the June 3rd accident on State Highway 154, six miles west of Gilmer, that killed two persons and left two persons seriously injured. Continue reading Man Arrested in Fatal Upshur County Wreck

RUSK COUNTY — The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office have made an arrest in connection with the death of a man whose body was found Tuesday in Rusk County. According to KETK, officials executed a search warrant at the location where the body was found on property located at 1474 State Highway 315 in Mount Enterprise. The name of the suspect arrested has not been released. Officials said they have been looking for Floyd Thompson, 60, of Mount Enterprise, who has apparently gone missing from the property. Authorities are not saying if the body found is that of Thompson. The body was sent to Tyler for autopsy.

WHITEHOUSE — If you live in Whitehouse, you’ll now need to get a permit to hold a garage sale. According to KETK, on Thursday, the City of Whitehouse released a statement letting residents know a $5 permit will be required for all garage or estate sales. Each location can only purchase three permits per calendar year. If a neighborhood has a garage sale, each participant must pay the fee. Garage sales can only take place between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The ordinance will go into effect on November 1, 2016. The city also has an entire section in their policy dedicated to garage sale signs. Continue reading Garage Sale Permit Now Required in Whitehouse

KILGORE — An early morning train derailment in Kilgore has blocked a roadway. Kilgore police said they received the report of the four car derailment, in the 100 block of Southport Road, just after midnight. Officials said one car went through an unoccupied warehouse building. No injuries were reported and no hazardous materials were involved. Police say the cars were hauling auto parts and was heading to Little Rock, Arkansas from Houston. Barricades have been placed at Southport and Longview Street and on Southport behind Walmart. Officials said they expect Southport Road to be closed throughout the day and are reminding drivers not to bypass the barricades.

MOUNT ENTERPRISE – Rusk county authorities confirm they have made an arrest in connection with a body found earlier this week. The suspect’s name will not be released until after Friday’s arraignment. The arrest stems from a man’s body was found on Tuesday off State Highway 315 in Mount Enterprise. The body was sent to a Tyler lab for autopsy. Sgt. David Roberts with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Department says they hope to have an identity within the next 48 hours. They are investigating the death as a homicide until the autopsy tells them differently. Officials say they have been searching for Floyd Thompson, 60, of Mount Enterprise. He has been missing for about a month. They can’t say yet if the body they found is that of Thompson.

NACOGDOCHES – A teacher in the English Department at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches is still winning on the TV game show Jeopardy. Seth Wilson made it nine wins in a row on Thursday. With his latest winnings of $18,100, Wilson’s grand total is $209,801. He will try to make it ten games in a row on Friday.

MOUNT ENTERPRISE – Rusk county authorities are continuing their investigation into a body found earlier this week. The man’s body was found on Tuesday off State Highway 315 in Mount Enterprise. The body was sent to a Tyler lab for autopsy. Sgt. David Roberts says they hope to have an identity within the next 48 hours. They are investigating the death as a homicide until the autopsy tells them differently. Officials say they have been searching for Floyd Thompson, 60, of Mount Enterprise. He has been missing for about a month. They can’t say yet if the body they found is that of Thompson.

WHITEHOUSE – A Tyler man has been arrested after fighting with two men in a church parking lot. One of the men was a Whitehouse police officer. An off duty officer called for a backup to stop a fight. When the arriving officer tried break it up, JaMarqus Simmons, 18, is said to have started fighting the policeman and continued fighting with the other man. Simmons was finally arrested and charged with assault, assault on a public servant and resisting arrest. He was booked into the Smith County jail with bonds totaling $12,500.

TYLER – A Smith County murder suspect is back in jail today. Louise Anderson, 48, of Tyler was booked into the Smith County Jail on Wednesday for insufficient bond. She was arrested last December for the shooting death of her boyfriend, John Wayne Pierce, 58, of Tyler. The shooting, which occurred in the parking lot of the Game Room on Highway 31 West, followed an argument between the two. Anderson had been free on a $100,000 bond. Her bond is now set at $200,000.

CANTON – Two persons have been arrested for grave thefts in Van Zandt County. Charged with theft from a grave is David Mark Davis, 56, and his sister. Their arrests follow and investigation that started in February. Authorities estimated up to 40 graves have been effected around Edgewood, Fruitvale, Grand Saline and along U.S. Highway 80. When Davis was arrested, a stolen vehicle was also recovered. There could be other grave theft cases that have not been reported. If you have found items missing from a grave in Van Zandt County, you are asked to contact authorities.

PALESTINE — Fields of marijuana are sprouting up like weeds across East Texas — and one official thinks he knows where they’re coming from. More than a dozen have been found since the end of June. Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor says two were in his county — resulting in the seizure of nearly 10,000 marijuana plants. He believes they are cartel-related. “This is not your little Johnny’s grow out in the back field,” says Anderson. “This is definitely a sophisticated criminal activity.” He says the bad guys set up shop on property that, while it may be owned by someone, is rarely visited. They set up camp, complete with irrigation systems and campsites. He believes some of the people doing this are from Mexico and some are U.S. citizens with ties to the cartels. Once a field is discovered, the plants are destroyed. SOC

KILGORE – A Kilgore festival is being shelved and economic conditions are among the reasons for the actions. The Board of Directors of the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau have decided to cancel the long-running Snowhill Festival. Chamber president Cindy Morris said “due to many factors, including financial support and volunteer resources, the board has chosen to eliminate this event from the Chamber’s programming in 2016.” But, in the absence of that festival, the Kilgore Chamber will be lending its support to the Kilgore Historical Preservation Foundation in creating a new energy to the annual Christmas in the Patch event. This features the Derrick Lighting on November 17th.

TYLER — Liberty Utilities announced Wednesday that the company will seek to suspend a widely disputed rate hike. Liberty Utilities provides wastewater services to nearly 3,800 Smith County residents under the names of Tall Timbers Sewer and Woodmark Sewer. Under the proposed increase, some Tyler customers would see their rates go from $27.75 a month, to just over $96 by next March. Smith County home owners could see an increase ranging from 44% to 75%. Liberty Utilities released a statement: “Liberty Utilities has announced that it will seek to suspend the pending rate application for Liberty Utilities (Woodmark Sewer) Corp. and Liberty Utilities (Tall Timbers Sewer) Corp. until further notice. Continue reading Liberty Utilities Seeks to Suspend Rate Increase