KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Don’t Mess with Texas 30th Anniversary Trash and Treasure Hunt is today at 9:00 a.m. at Southside Park and Rose Rudman Trail in Tyler. It’s hosted by Keep Texas Beautiful and the Don’t Mess with Texas Campaign of the Texas Department of Transportation. You’re invited to join in this fun trash pickup event with a chance to win great prizes from YETI, NASCAR, McDonald’s, and more.

PARIS, TENNESSEE — Escaped convict Michael Rotunno has been captured in Paris, Tennessee Thursday night after he was spotted at a motel in a stolen vehicle from Hallsville. According to KETK, the series of events brings an end to a days long manhunt after the 30-year-old escaped from Florida law enforcement officers Monday while being transferred to a penitentiary. Rotunno used a stolen vehicle from Mississippi to make his way to Longview, where he allegedly abandoned that vehicle, and submerged it in a small lake. Another vehicle was reported stolen from Rader Funeral Home, near the lake, and it was discovered in an area north of Hallsville on Thursday. Continue reading Escaped Inmate Arrested in Tennessee

GLADEWATER — A couple has been arrested in connection with what were termed extremely malnourished horses in Upshur County. According to KETK, the Gladewater Police Department says Alisha Duvall Knox and her husband, Ronnie Arthur Knox, were arrested and charged with cruelty of livestock animals after a grand jury indicted them. Ronnie Knox was taken into custody on April 1 and Alisha on April 7. Both suspects were booked into the Gregg County Jail and bonds are set at $10,000. Continue reading Couple Arrested in Upshur County Animal Cruelty Case

TYLER – The UT Health Northeast has been awarded a $5.8 million contract from the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. The grant is to monitor and help reduce the number of Texas babies who suffer from injuries related to abuse. The new program is in addition to several other projects being funded through the newly created UT health Northeast School of Community and Rural Health. Projects funded by the contract will evaluate hospital-based programs designed to prevent abuse, especially head injuries, in a child’s first year of life. The statewide effort will be funded through August 2020. Continue reading UT Health Northeast Receives $5 Million Grant

LONGVIEW – A proposed Longview road project is being scrapped over community objections. Improvements to U.S. Highway 259 at Eden Drive and Tryon Road in Longview are being halted after comments from a March 17th open house-style public meeting revealed a lack of public support for the proposed project. The Longview Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) said no changes will be made to the intersection. Continue reading Proposed Longview Road Project Halted

LUFKIN – An Angelina County Teacher is being accused of sending nude photos of herself to a student. Our news partner, KETK, reports Huntington middle school teacher Kylie Modisette was arrested on a charge of selling/distributing/displaying harmful material to a minor. She is free on a $1,500 bond. Huntington School Superintendent David Flowers says Modisette is currently on administrative leave.

LONGVIEW – The final suspect in a drug trafficking conspiracy in Gregg County has been arrested. Taken into custody Wednesday afternoon at the Gregg County North Jail was 34 year old James Lamar Fountain. He was one of 17 persons named in indictments in a federal firearms and drug trafficking conspiracy. Besides the drug charges, Fountain is also accused of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Fountain could face up to life in prison and a fine of up to $10 million if convicted in the federal case. Continue reading Final Gregg County Drug Suspect Arrested

TYLER – John Tyler High School Criminal Justice students have advanced to the national competition scheduled to take place in Louisville, Kentucky this summer. This comes after the students competed in the Skills USA state competition earning 3rd place in both Criminal Justice Quiz Bowl and Building Search categories. They then took top honors with a 1st place finish in the Crime Scene Investigation category. Continue reading John Tyler High School CSI Team Advances

LONGVIEW – The Gregg County Sheriff’s department has alerted residents that a wanted sex offender may be in the area. He is Tyrone Edward Gott. He is also known as Ty Gott. He is wanted for parole violation on the original charge of indecency with a child by sexual contact. He has fled from his registered address in Houston and has not been seen. Gott is described as a 42 year old white male, 5’8” tall and weighs around 170 pounds. He has hazel eyes, very short brown hair. Gott also has tattoos all over his body including both arms, his chest, right wrist and left hand.

MARSHALL — A Marshall man has been found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of two girls and sentenced to 35 years on each count. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report 37-year-old Stephen Blane Fultner pleaded not guilty to the crimes, which dated back to 2014. His sentences will run concurrently. During the trial, the defense argued that Fultner was not guilty and the allegations had been concocted by the children’s grandmother, who didn’t like him. Kristin Kaye, one of the prosecutors, said the defendant deserved a life sentence because he ruined the two children’s lives. There was no immediate word on a possible appeal.

HENDERSON (AP) – The re-sentencing trial continues for the East Texas mortician whose murder case inspired the dark comedy movie “Bernie.” Bernie Tiede was convicted in 1999 of killing Marjorie Nugent, a widow more than 40 years his senior whom he befriended in Carthage. Tiede was sentenced to life in prison but freed after a prosecutor said he believed Tiede deserved a reduced prison sentence because of abuse he suffered as a child. Jurors could now send him back to prison or let him remain free. According to The Dallas Morning News, prosecutor Lisa Tanner argued Wednesday that Tiede “was stealing Marjorie Nugent blind, and he was doing it cleverly.” But defense attorney Mike DeGeurin said Nugent controlled Tiede and had a “mean streak and an abusive streak.”

TYLER — The city of Tyler is showcasing a new facility while gathering input for the future of its parks and open space. It all starts as the Glass Recreation Center hosts a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house today from 4:30 to 6 p.m. for its brand new cardio room. The formal ribbon cutting and dedication of the new room will take place at 5:30 p.m. The new cardio room will be named in honor of Corneille Hutcherson, a city employee who worked for 19 years with the Summer Playground Program. Continue reading Input Sought on Tyler Park Facilities; Glass Center Showcases New Room

TYLER – Three Tyler School District employees have been honored by Young Audiences of Northeast Texas at their annual Arts in Education Awards banquet. They are retired music teacher Leslie Ring, and teachers Christolyn Milligan and George Brigman. Honorees were selected from nominations made to Young Audiences of Northeast Texas. Individual arts educators from public or private schools within the Region 7 ESC geographic area were eligible to be nominated. Finalists were selected by a panel of local arts professionals and community members. Continue reading Three Tyler Educators Honored

EAST TEXAS – Both Tyler and Longview are lagging behind the state’s figures in sales tax receipts. The State Comptroller’s office announced Tyler’s sales tax allocation for April is $2.9 million dollars. This is down just over 5% from April of last year. Longview was down just over 2% with an April sales tax allocation of $2.1 million. The yearly figures are also down, with Tyler down nearly 5% for the first four months. Longview is down nearly 8%. Over all, Texas is sending out over $591million in sales tax allocations. This is up about 2½% from April of last year.

AUSTIN (AP) – Four more Texas counties, including two in northeast Texas, have been declared federal disaster areas due to March storms and flooding that swamped roads and inundated a town. The Federal Emergency Management Agency on Wednesday announced the designation for Henderson and Shelby counties along with Limestone and Tyler counties. Nine other Texas counties – Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Erath, Hood, Jasper, Newton, Orange, and Parker – were approved for government disaster help on March 19. The declaration clears the way for individuals and public entities to seek federal assistance for losses from storms, tornadoes and flooding March 7 through March 29. Disaster assistance could include grants and loans. Interstate 10 in Southeast Texas was closed for a time during early-March flooding that swamped much of Deweyville.

DALLAS (AP/Staff) – The Don’t Mess With Texas anti-litter campaign has been around for 30 years with more chances to pick up trash across the state — and a couple of high-profile Tyler tie-ins. The Texas Department of Transportation on Wednesday marked the slogan’s 30th anniversary with plans to display, in Dallas, some trash picked up along highways. Boy Scouts across Texas can try to earn a special merit badge to mark the anniversary by taking part in a trash-off Saturday targeting roads. The partnership involves TxDOT and the group Keep Texas Beautiful. TxDOT officials say about 1,500 trash-off events were held last year across the state. Continue reading Don’t Mess With Texas Anti-litter Effort Marks 30 Years

NACOGDOCHES – Police in Nacogdoches are investigating a drive-by shooting. It happened about 11:00 Monday night in the 300 block of Ritchie Street. Bullets are said to have hit a home and a vehicle. No injuries were reported among those in the home, including two young children. Investigators say they have no description of the shooter’s vehicle and have no suspects in the case.

KILGORE – Kilgore College photography instructor O. Rufus Lovett has been named the Charles T. Choate Adviser of the Year and The Flare newspaper staff won Sweepstakes in its division at the annual Texas Intercollegiate Press Association convention in Dallas. This marks the 26th time over the past 30 years the Kilgore College newspaper has scored the most points in its division to bring home Sweepstakes. The newspaper also took home a second place in Best of Show, competing against nearly 50 universities and community colleges from around the state. Continue reading Kilgore College Brings Home Honors from Dallas Convention

TYLER – Students from The University of Texas at Tyler Model United Nations Program have been recognized at this year’s National Collegiate Model UN Conference in New York. The program is a part of the Department of Political Science and History. In recognition of their excellence in the conference as a whole, the UT Tyler delegation, representing Madagascar, received the Distinguished Delegation Award. According to a news release from the school, this honor is presented to the top delegations and based on continually remaining ‘in character,’ teamwork, leadership, speaking and negotiating abilities, knowledge of the issues and proper usage of the procedure rules. Continue reading UT Tyler Model UN Program Recognized at National Conference

TYLER – Grassroots America We The People is working to remove County Judge Joel Baker. Our news partner KETK is reporting the group is trying to raise funds to file a civil suit in district court to remove the judge. The initial cost is $1,000. That sum will grow because of the discovery process and trial costs. The group hopes to file the suit soon. They are in discussion with an Austin attorney to prepare the suit. Their goal is to have Baker removed before the 2018 primary election. The judge has come under fire recently over allegations of lewd behavior.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County DPS has released the identities of the two people killed and the three injured in a Monday afternoon wreck near Lake Palestine. The wreck occurred near the entrance of The Villages Resort at Farm-to-Market 2661 and Big Eddy Road, also known as County Road 1261. The preliminary crash investigation revealed a Freightliner with a towed semi-trailer, driven by Leon C. Ronald, 69, of Flint, was traveling southbound on 2661. A Hyundai Accent, driven by Matthew Collins, 27, of Austin, was eastbound on 1261. Collins was stopped at the intersection. A Toyota Avalon was northbound on 2661. Collins failed to yield the right-of-way by turning left in front of the Freightliner. The Freightliner struck the Hyundai, which caused the Hyundai to strike the Avalon. The Freightliner and Accent left the roadway and came to rest in the east bar ditch. Continue reading Authorities Identify Victims in Smith County Accident

TYLER – All three suspects have now been arrested in a recent incident in which Smith County deputies were fired upon. Sheriff Larry Smith said Tuesday that Ricardo Martinez “Rico” Pineda (pictured), 36, of Tyler, was tracked down in northeastern Arkansas. Earlier, Juan Alberto Quiroga, 18, of Tyler, turned himself in to the sheriff’s department. He has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault against a public servant with a deadly weapon. His bonds, set by 114th District Court Judge Christi Kennedy, total $6,000,000. The driver of the car the suspects were in, Jeremy Robinson, 32, of Hutchins, was previously arrested. Continue reading Third Smith County Shooting Suspect in Custody

TYLER (AP) – Authorities say a shooting where an East Texas constable and his 5-year-old granddaughter were injured was prompted by his wife’s belief that he was having an affair. That according to an arrest affidavit, 66-year-old Meraland Taylor Jackson told officers she shot her husband, Smith County Precinct 1 Constable Henry Jackson, Saturday because she believed he had been having an affair with a co-worker. Meraland Jackson is charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon family violence. She’s jailed on $500,000 bond. Police say she shot her 63-year-old husband in the chest and the girl in the ankle. Henry Jackson was in stable condition at a local hospital. The couple’s granddaughter was treated and released. Meraland Jackson told investigators her granddaughter was hit accidentally.

LUFKIN – An Angelina County man, on probation for child pornography, has been arrested for sexual assault of a child. Free on bond is John Wesley Carter, 45, of Huntington. The former Lufkin charter school counselor was arrested on Saturday. He posted bond the same day. He has been charged with first-degree aggravated sexual assault of a child. The girl is said to be 13. She is said to have reported the incident to a teacher and then to a school counselor. Carter is currently serving five years probation after pleading guilty in February of last year to child pornography charges.

MT. PLEASANT – A naked driver, Identified as David Ben McKinney, 55, has been arrested in Mt. Pleasant. It started around 2:30 Sunday morning when officer saw a naked man running in town. Then a caller told police they saw naked man get into a truck near the downtown square. A short time later officers stopped the truck near the intersection of Washington and Cotton Streets. Behind the wheel was a naked driver. When officers asked McKinney why he was naked, they say his response was, “I’m drunk.” He was booked into the Titus County Jail on a charge of driving while intoxicated.

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department is seeking the public’s help in solving one of the city’s long standing missing person’s cases. It was August 1992 when Danny Joe Riley was last seen. He was believed to be traveling with another person to Houston. The Marshall Police Departments’ Criminal Investigations Bureau has put in many hours on this case, but has yet to locate Riley. When he disappeared, Riley was 43 years of age, was 5’9” and weighed 165 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. If you have any information about Riley, you’re asked to contact the Marshall Police Department.

PALESTINE – The city of Palestine will start a mosquito spraying program on Wednesday. Spraying will start at 9:00pm in the approximate boundary areas of Kenny Drive to the north, Gardner Drive and Peachtree Drive east to the city limits, Palestine Avenue and North Loop 256 to the south, and Old Brushy Creek Road to the west. It will continue through the night. Other areas throughout the city are planned for the coming days and weeks. Continue reading Palestine Starting Mosquito Spraying