KTBB News, Weather, Talk

AUSTIN – An East Texas man is one of three persons named by the governor to the Product Development and Small Business Incubator Board. Governor Greg Abbott named Jimmy Mize of Nacogdoches to the board. Mize is the market president and lending manager of the Nacogdoches Branch of First Bank & Trust East Texas. Also named to the panel were Clement Marcus of El Paso and Kelli Frias of Lubbock. Their terms will expire February 1st, 2021. The fund is a revolving loan program administered by the Office of the Governor, Texas Economic Development Bank within the Office of Economic Development Finance at the direction of the PDSBI Board. The purpose of the fund is aid in the development, production and commercialization of new or improved products and to foster and stimulate small business in the state.

TYLER – The annual United Way Campaign is off and running in Tyler and Smith County. Around 300 persons were on hand for the kickoff luncheon. And again this year, instead of a financial goal, the campaign’s goal is to get more donors. Director of Marketing Reece Anderson said, like last year, this year’s goal is 10% more participation in the campaign. Last year, 8,300 persons contributed $1.6 million. He said they would like to see around 9,500 contributing this year. The money raised each year goes to fund programs at nearly two dozen local agencies.

FLINT — A Flint neighborhood, just south of Tyler, was the target of car burglars Wednesday night. According to KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office says 11 break-ins were reported from two streets in the same neighborhood. Four cars were burglarized on Nashville Drive and seven more on Southern Trace Circle. No items were taken but all of the vehicles had been rummaged through. Investigators say all of the vehicles were unlocked.

HENDERSON – A joint investigation between the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office and the Henderson Police Department resulted in the seizure of nearly two dozen marijuana plants. The plants, that appear to have been cultivated and maintained, were found west of Henderson off County Road 424. KETK reports the plants, some as tall as 12 feet, were estimated to have a street value of around $20,000. The investigation into the discovery is continuing.

TURNERTOWN – A search warrant served at a Rusk County home has turned up drugs and stolen property. In the house on County Road 4135, Northeast of Turnertown, officers found suspected methamphetamine and marijuana and numerous firearms. They also found what is believed to be stolen property, including ATV’s. The estimated value of the stolen items was $50,000. They are now trying to find the man who lived there, Kennon Murphy, 42. He has been named in an arrest warrant for manufacturing or delivery of a controlled substance.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department has started using a new software mapping program. This will make available where police reports have been filed and the nature of those calls. Police spokesman Kristy Brains says they have been working on getting such a program for over a year. This new interactive crime mapping software will give citizens the ability to gain access to the data they are looking for on their desktop or mobile device. She said you will also have the option to to sign up for email notifications for activity that is occurring in a specific area. To access the mapping program go to LongviewTexas.gov/CrimeMap or go to the police department home page and click on the interactive crime map button at the bottom of the page.

LONGVIEW – The latest scam to surface occurred in Longview where someone sent a woman postal envelope containing a check. She was told to cash the check and go to a local merchant and fill out a survey. When the survey was completed, they were told to send them back a check for a large amount of the money and to keep the smaller amount as their payment. The lady was smart and didn’t fall for the scam. Longview police remind you, to be watchful for any offer that seems “too good to be true”. If someone asks you for your identifying information do not give it out, whether it’s over the phone or by mail service.

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department’s “Cool Cops” truck will soon we seen around the city. Instead of putting persons in the cooler, the cops will be handing out free ice cream. Police Chief Eddie Campa says its a program designed to bring the police and community closer. And besides handing out free ice cream around the city, they will also be teaming up with the Marshall School District. The will be sponsoring competitions within the schools, where winners will be rewarded for excelling in academics. And the program was started at no cost to Marshall residents. The truck was already in the department inventory. Everything else, including the ice cream and the graphics on the truck were all donated.

ATHENS – Trinity Valley Community College has promoted Dr. Wendy Elmore to the position of Vice President of Instruction. That post became open when Dr. Jerry King recently became the school’s president. Dr Elmore came to TVCC as Director of Testing in 2006. Since then, she has since served as Director of Distance Learning and Associate Vice President of Academic Affairs. She also serves the college as chair of the TVCC General Education Committee and Co-Chair of the Professional Development Committee. Elmore holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Stephen F. Austin State University, a Master of Arts in Psychology and School Counseling from UT-Tyler and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership from Lamar State University.

TYLER – In his first court appearance, Joel Baker said he waived his right to arraignment and pleaded not guilty. Baker remains free on bond following his arrest in June on three counts of violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act. He allegedly held illegal closed meetings to discuss a red-light traffic enforcement contract, which has since been suspended. The plan had been to use the cameras to monitor speeding in school zones. Baker is also under investigation for allegations he was involved in explicit sexual behavior online while conducting government business.

LONGVIEW — A former Longview police officer was in the Gregg County Jail charged with indecency with a child stemming from incidents that allegedly occurred while he was on the force in the 1980s and 1990s as well as in March 2011. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Former Longview police officer Michael Patrick Healy wrote in a private Facebook message that he caused “major harm” to a now-adult man and others after the man confronted Healy with accusations of child sexual abuse, according to a March arrest warrant. Longview police arrested Healy on March 18 on a charge of indecency with a child by sexual contact. He was released from the Gregg County Jail the same day on $100,000 bond. Healy was arrested again Monday on two grand jury indictments for indecency with a child. Continue reading More Details Released in Case Involving Former Cop

KILGORE – The Kilgore Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing woman. They say they have reason to believe that 20 year old Sheryia Grant of Kilgore may be in danger. Grant, who is eight months pregnant, was last seen around 12:00 Sunday morning. She was wearing a black t-shirt, pink undershirt and grey yoga type pants with her hair in a ponytail. She is about 5’5″ tall and weighs around 130 pounds. You can see her picture at KTBB-dot-com. Continue reading Missing Kilgore Woman Sought

MARSHALL – A Houston woman, charged with murder in a fatal Marshall accident, has been found not guilty by reason of insanity. Sharketra Shardae Hildreth, 31, was charged in the auto crash in May of last year that killed Todd Lane Davis, 19, of Waskom. She is said to have run a red light when she hit Davis’ car at the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and U.S. Highway 80. Her indictment said she intentionally disregarded a red light, killing Davis, while knowingly endangering her children, a 10 year old daughter and an 8 year old son. State District Judge Judge Brad Morin has ordered that she be committed to the Vernon State Hospital for treatment of her mental illness.

TYLER – One person is in custody in connection with a morning burglary in Tyler. Booked into the Smith County Jail was Darien Wilson, 20, of Tyler. Police responded to the $1 Jewelry Galore store on the south southeast loop just before 4:45 Wednesday morning. The glass on the front door had been broken out and the store’s safe was missing. The safe and other evidence found found in a nearby dumpster. That led investigators to Wilson.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has approved the operation of Uber in the city, passing the transportation for hire ordinance in a 5-2 vote. According to information from Uber, the company operates in a number of Texas cities, and Tyler is the 14th city in the state to pass a modern ridesharing ordinance. KETK reports services in Tyler will start in about a month. Continue reading Uber Approved in Tyler

TYLER – There is a new truck owner in Tyler today. The winner of the Cattle Barons’ Truck Chance Drawing is Skylar Neitsch. He purchased the winning ticket from Tracy Edwards, Co-chair of the Tyler Cattle Barons’ Gala Truck Chance Drawing Committee. He is now the proud owner of a 2016 GMC Sierra Crew Cab SLE Cattle Barrons Edition presented by Hall Buick GMC. The Truck Chance Drawing raised $50,000 for the Tyler Cattle Barons’ Gala benefiting the American Cancer Society. Five hundred (500) tickets were sold at $100 each.

TYLER – Today marks the first day of school For TISD students. Last year, opening day attendance was over 17,000. Tyler police spokesman Don Martin reminds you, police officers will be back in school zones watching for violators for speeding and for cell phone usage in a school zone. He also has these reminders for you:
*Be alert for the school zone signs posted near schools.
*Keep alert for the children and the crossing guards as they make their way across the street.
*Slow down and prepare to stop if the crossing guard so indicates.
*It is illegal to use a wireless communication device in a school zone unless the vehicle is stopped or a hands-free device is used. Continue reading Tyler Schools Back in Session

QUITMAN – Wood County Judge Kenneth Bryan Jeanes has pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 10 days in the Wood County Jail. He was released after serving two days of confinement over the weekend. Jeans was arrested April 28th after he was reported driving on the wrong side of the road on U.S. Highway 69 in Mineola. Continue reading Judge Pleads Guilty to DWI

LONGVIEW – A damaged license plate has led to two Gregg County residents being charged with drugs and weapons charges. Charged of possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana was Aaron Matthew Delzell, 39, and Sherri Ann Perkins, 46, both of Gladewather. Delzell was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, while Perkins was charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon. The Longview News Journal reports their arrests came after a state trooper stopped their car around 11:00 Monday night at the intersection of Marshall Avenue and Fourth Street in Longview.

TYLER – A Smith County man is sentenced to prison in connection with his threat to a Bullard Church. Rasheed Abdul Aziz, 41, of Flint, was sentenced Monday to 37 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Last September, he was accused making a threat against Corinth Missionary Baptist Church. When arrested, he had a 9mm pistol. He had previously been convicted of an aggravated robbery in Harris County in 1996, thus making it illegal for him to possess a gun. Under the plea agreement, remaining charges against him were dismissed. Since the plea agreement was sealed, we don’t know what those additional charges were.

TYLER – An Upshur County teen is free on bond after being charged with a Tyler robbery. Lazadrick Lamar Heath, 18, of Gilmer was arrested Monday afternoon. He was later released on a $5,000 bond. He is charged with the robbery of the Fast i Repair store in the Broadway Square Mall. He is said to have taken his phone there for repair. After it was fixed, he is said to have grabbed the phone and left the store without paying for it. A store employee tried to stop him from leaving, but was unsuccessful. That altercation is what made it a robbery.

NATCHITOCHES, Louisiana – A Longview man has died in a two vehicle wreck in Louisiana. Dead at the scene was Jabe Maddox, 39. He died when a car crossed over the highway median and hit his car. The crash occurred Monday afternoon on Interstate Highway 49, south of State Highway 485. The driver of the other car, Deytwan Demetrius, 18, of Fort Polk, Louisiana and his passenger, Trevon Lewis, 18, of Leesville, Louisiana, received minor injuries. Authorities say possible charges and toxicology tests are pending.

JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville community is mourning the loss of Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Tate. His sudden passing was a shock to many. Tate passed away Saturday in Jacksonville. No word on the cause of his death. Tate started work with the Jacksonville Fire Department in June of 1988. He served as the Fire Marshall and Assistant Fire Chief. His certifications include being a Fire Inspector and Investigator, Advanced Fire Fighter, EMT-I, Fire Instructor and he recently earned his Peace Officer badge. His duties with the department included supervising and training personnel, fire prevention, fire code enforcement and fire inspections. He was 58. Continue reading City Mourns Death of Assistant Fire Chief

TYLER – Smith County’s Assistant Fire Marshall Oren Hale is under investigation. He has been cited for failing to maintain a single lane of traffic. He could also be charged with having an open container in his vehicle. He was said to have a cup in the center console of his county fire marshal’s unit. It was said to have contained coke and bourbon. Sheriff’s deputies say, when they pulled behind Hale’s vehicle, they both saw what they described as pornography on the onboard computer monitor inside the vehicle. Smith County Fire Marshal Connie Wasson has ordered an investigation into the incident. Continue reading County Assistant Fire Marshal Under Investigation

TYLER — A new report from The University of Texas System and UT Health Northeast shows, if Northeast Texas were a state, it would rank among the worst in terms of mortality for three of the top four leading causes of death in the U.S. The report used detailed mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. The report looks at a 35-county area, covering over 25,000 square miles. This is similar in size to West Virginia. The region is home to just over 1.5 million people, over half of whom live in a rural area. Continue reading The Mortality Rate in Northeast Texas

LONGVIEW – A missing Longview man has been found. Last Friday, Longview police announced they were looking for Dontavious Elliott, 30. A family member says they last saw him in March or April of this year when he was dropped off at the Highway 80 Rescue Mission in Longview. The Longview Police Department Facebook page said on Monday Elliott has been located and is “ok.”

TYLER – Tyler police are investigating a major theft that occurred over the weekend at Peltier Chervolet on the west southwest loop. The thieves entered through a fence at the rear of the building around 1:00 Sunday morning. They put 48 cars up on blocks, stealing the wheels and tires from the vehicles. The loss is placed at $250,000. Investigators feel it was the work of a professional ring that strike car dealerships all over the state, traveling from city to city.

TYLER – A former Hopkins County school teacher has been sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violations. The U.S. Attorney’s office announced Monday That 39 year old Lucas Hill was sentenced on Friday to over 30 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty in February to coercion or enticement of a minor. He is said to have created a fictitious Facebook page to pose as a teenage boy in order to contact numerous girls. He persuaded them to engage in sexually explicit conduct, including producing images and videos of themselves engaged in sexual activity. At the time, Hill was a teacher in the Cumby school system.