KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – Former Smith County Precinct 1 Constable Curtis Traylor-Harris has been sentenced to a term of five years probation after being found guilty of theft by a jury last week. According to our news partner KETK, he was sentenced to two years in state jail probated, meaning if he were to violate the terms of his five-year probation period, Traylor-Harris would then serve the state jail sentence. Traylor-Harris was originally arrested in Nov. 2021 by the Texas Rangers. He was arrested a second time in May 2022 for allegedly violating his bond conditions. In the incident which prompted the case, multiple items were reported stolen from a home after Traylor-Harris, Chief Deputy LaQuenda Banks, and Sergeant Derrick Holman went there to serve a writ of possession. Continue reading Traylor-Harris sentenced to probation

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview is encouraging the community to assist with Longview’s Homeless Resource Day. Officials say the activity is a collaborative effort of the City of Longview and various nonprofit organizations to provide homeless individuals access to available services. The Homeless Resource Day will take place from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Thursday, January 26, 2023, in the Longview Exhibit Center on Jaycee Drive. Check this link for more details.

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview Partners in Prevention’s Unity and Diversity Committee announces Mrs. Amanda Veasy and Mr. Clent Holmes as the 2023 Unity Honors recipients. The Unity Honors is a lifetime achievement award recognizing residents who have demonstrated leadership in promoting unity, mutual understanding, and social justice, according to a news release. Among other things, Veasy is the founder and executive director of One Love Longview. Along with other credentials, Holmes is executive director of Thrive Longview (formerly known as Thrive 360). The Unity and Diversity Committee will honor the two at the 19th Annual Unity Honors Luncheon Feb. 15. Click here for more details.

EMORY – Sidekick’s, a family-owned restaurant in Emory, caught fire Thursday night in the middle of its busy dinner rush — and the Sidekick’s Facebook page says the eatery is a total loss. According to our news partner KETK, the building was quickly evacuated with the help of restaurant employees who reportedly put their lives at risk to make sure nobody was left inside. The Emory Volunteer Fire Department says fire crews from Emory, Alba, East Tawakoni, and Point were all on the scene. “Everyone is still in shock at that has happened. This restaurant has been in my family for 12 years, and I grew up in this restaurant, and to watch it go so fast, it’s crazy,” said assistant manager Danielle Patton. Continue reading Emory restaurant catches fire in the middle of dinner service

TYLER — District 1 Congressman-elect Nathaniel Moran continues preparing for the new term on Capitol Hill. We asked him what particular issues affecting the district he’s planning to work on once he’s seated. Moran says there are plenty — and that a lot will be determined by which committee he’s on. According to Moran, there’s a lot of shuffling right now due to vacancies and the shift from Democratic to Republican control in the House. He says he’ll have a better idea what impact he’ll have once he gets his committee assignment. Moran says the main committee he’s looking to get on is Judiciary, which he says will take a forefront role in East Texas on immigration issues and policy. Moran adds that that committee will also take a leading role in oversight of the Biden Administration. If that doesn’t work out, Moran says maybe he’ll be assigned to a committee on transportation and infrastructure, budget, or foreign affairs.

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District for the week of December 12. In Smith County, Tyler maintenance will have a base failure crew on FM 850, two miles south of SH 31. Motorists should expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. A second crew will assist Special Jobs with a fog seal project on US 271 from Gentry Pkwy, inside Loop 323 to FM 2015 just outside the loop. In Gregg County, Longview maintenance will continue bridge channel maintenance on FM 2207 between FM 1252 and SH 135. Expect lane closures with flaggers and a TMA controlling traffic. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

TYLER — Due to weather and construction issues, traffic on Cambridge Road in Tyler did not shift during the week of Dec. 5 as planned. Traffic is now shifting to the north side of the road as of Monday, Dec. 12.  Eastbound traffic will shift from the south side to the newly paved north side at Townhouse Drive. Drivers will move back to the south side of Cambridge Road just before reaching Potomac Drive to continue traveling east. The shift is needed for demolition of the south side of the roadway to make the area ready for new asphalt pavement, according to a news release. Residents and visitors to the neighborhood are asked to be patient and follow the instructions of the contractors. Click here for all the details.

LONGVIEW — Longview Mayor Andy Mack is in the hospital after a health event, according to Longview Public Information Officer Richard Yeakley. Our news partner KETK reports, Mayor Mack is in stable condition at this time. Officer Yeakley added that the Mack family would appreciate people’s thoughts and prayers. Additional information was not immediately available. Mack became mayor in 2015 and he was previously a city councilman representing District 4 from 1997 to 2005. District 4 Councilwoman Kristen Ishihara, who is mayor pro tem, will fill in for Mack’s responsibilities until he is able to return.

KILGORE- Kilgore Police Department said that on Dec. 3 while responding a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 20, they found six Mexican nationals who were allegedly being smuggled by the driver of a red 2015 Ford SUV. According to our news partner KETK, Adan Torres-Ramirez, 30, of Huntsville, Alabama was allegedly transporting the six passengers to Florida for work. Officials added that none of the passengers knew the driver. During their investigation Kilgore PD interviewed the six passengers and determined that they had only been in the United States a few months and how much the driver and his boss had allegedly charged them for transportation, work and lodging. Torres-Ramirez was charged with six counts of smuggling of persons and is being held on $700,000 bond. Continue reading Kilgore crash leads to man’s arrest for allegedly smuggling persons

GILMER — A Gilmer woman is “lucky to be alive” after her car was hit by a train Thursday evening around 6 p.m. The crash happened on Aspen Trail near SH 155, south of Gilmer. According to our news partner KETK, the woman’s husband, David Shaver, said the train was being worked on and moving at a slow speed going north. Shaver said his wife, Charon, saw a woman on the opposite side of the tracks, but it is undetermined if she was waving for her to drive cross. According to David Shaver, when she crossed, both the car and train were moving slowly and collided. The car’s airbags deployed and it is now totaled. She is expected to make a full recovery. Mr. Shaver said he’s grateful that locals responded quickly to make sure his wife was okay.

UPSHUR COUNTY – A man charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, while on parole, was sentenced to life in prison after 13 minutes of jury deliberation, our news partner KETK reports. The jury first began hearing evidence on Wednesday about not only this case but the defendant, Robert Buchanan’s prior convictions as well. According to a press release, Buchanan had been convicted of attempted murder in 1993 for shooting two people with a gun. Later that same year, officials said he threatened to kill three other people.. Other offenses involving violence against women were also proven to have been committed by Buchanan, according to the DA’s office. Continue reading Upshur County man receives life sentence for assault

LONGVIEW – Officials seek your help finding a missing man. According to our news partner KETK, the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office says Charlie Robinson, 65, was last seen at the Dollar Tree on North Eastman Road in Longview. Robinson has grey hair, is five foot seven, and weighs 175 pounds, according to officials. Officials said that Robinson also has medicine that he needs but did not bring with him. He was last seen driving a grey 2004 Nissan Altima, license plate MGS0079, and could be headed towards Diana or Gilmer, authorities said. If you see Robinson or his car you can call 903-236-8400.

TYLER — Tyler city officials say all lanes of traffic are now open on Rice Road between South Broadway and Old Bullard Road — but the northbound lane of Old Bullard north of Rice will remain closed until further notice due to repairs. In the way of further clarification, the intersection of Rice and Old Bullard is open to traffic. The northbound lane of Old Bullard is closed between the Rice Road intersection and the shopping center driveway. Drivers can make a right turn onto Old Bullard Road from Rice Road. Drivers can also make a left turn onto Rice Road from Old Bullard. The far right lane on northbound Old Bullard is the lane that is closed. The middle lane is now the northbound lane. Rice Road was closed Dec. 1 between South Broadway and Old Bullard when a sinkhole was discovered. We’ll keep you up to date as further developments occur.

TYLER – A Shreveport, Louisiana, mother and son are among those indicted on federal charges in a fraud case involving Texas College. Angela Speech, 43; her son, Jeremy Marshall, 24; Devonaire Jones, 35; and Camyl Lewis, 24, were indicted by a federal grand jury on Nov. 16 and charged with multiple counts of student financial aid fraud. Speech and Marshall made initial appearances before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love on Dec. 7. According to the indictment, between August 2019 and February 2020, Speech was the director of financial aid at Texas College. Speech allegedly used her access to students’ financial aid accounts to trigger financial aid payments to Marshall, Jones, Lewis, and others that they were not entitled to or eligible to receive. Continue reading Former financial aid director of Texas College indicted for student financial aid fraud

TYLER — Respiratory illnesses in East Texas are alive and well, says NET Health CEO George Roberts. It’s being called the “triple threat” or “triple-demic,” with COVID, RSV, and the flu all making their mark — though Roberts says RSV does appear to have peaked. In any event, there’s a lot you can do to fight back. Roberts urges flu shots, staying home when you’re sick, washing your hands, and covering your coughs and sneezes. He says COVID cases don’t appear as severe as in earlier days, but the disease is still not to be taken lightly. Roberts notes that all that is especially important during the holidays, when you’re likely to start getting around a lot of people.

LONGVIEW — During the monthly test of the City’s Emergency Warning Siren system on Wednesday, Dec. 7, it was determined that Siren #2 at the Longview ISD Aquatic Center was not sounding or rotating. Additionally, Siren #13 at Fire Station 5 was experiencing issues with its radio, according to a news release. Authorities say public safety personnel are investigating the issues and will coordinate any necessary repairs with Mobile Communications America, the third-party vendor that provides the service. It is unclear at this time how long the sirens will be out of service. Residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency alerts by call or text through the Smart911 system at this link.

TYLER — The City of Tyler is inviting you to visit Downtown on Thursday, Dec. 8, for the annual Holiday Open House. Local businesses will be expanding their hours of operation and hosting different activities from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. The Main Street Program will have a scavenger hunt that will allow families to explore the various Downtown businesses while in search of a unique Nutcracker hidden in each of the 15 locations. During the Holiday Open House, there will be a shuttle (sponsored by Bricks Bar and Grill) running from 6 to 8 p.m. The route includes eight different stops for participants to use to make their trip around the Downtown area. Scavenger Hunt forms can be found at each participating location. Click here for more information.

TYLER – A Grand Prairie man has been indicted on a second charge in connection to the death of a Smith County deputy. According to our news partner KETK, Daniel Nyabuto, 21, was indicted for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on Dec. 1. Nyabuto was previously indicted for intoxication manslaughter in a July crash that led to the death of Deputy Lorenzo Bustos. Nyabuto’s bond was reduced in October from $750,000 to $500,000. In his request for a bond reduction, his attorney wrote that the night of the crash, Bustos and his fellow deputy “continued their detention of the vehicle they previously stopped for an unreasonably long time due to the fact they were in a moving lane of traffic causing an immediate danger to themselves, the two individuals they had recently detained and anyone else traveling in the northbound lanes of traffic.” Continue reading Man indicted for second charge in death of Smith County deputy

CHAPEL HILL — The Chapel Hill Independent School District is seeking community input regarding additional safety methods which may be used to further protect campuses. According to a news release, these measures are offered to every school district in the state and are known as the School Marshal Plan and the Guardian Plan. Additional documentation can be viewed on the Texas Association of School Boards (TASB) website’s School Safety Services tab. These plans offer respective programs which allow for select and qualified district employees to carry a handgun, according to the release. The school board encourages staff, parents or guardians, students, and community members to complete the survey and provide their opinion on consideration of the implementation of these programs. The survey closes Monday, Dec. 19. Click here for more details.

AUSTIN — December is showing up as another strong month for sales tax allocations in Tyler and Longview, with numbers up from a year ago, continuing to reflect a statewide trend. According to the state comptroller’s office, Tyler is getting $4,847,836.53, compared to $4,426,909.70 a year ago. For the year to date, Tyler totals $58,253,320.09, compared to $53,216,955.30 at this time last year. Longview’s December total is $3,399,886.16; the December 2021 figure was $3,167,408.90. For the year to date, Longview shows $43,925,416.64, up from $38,762,679.54 at this time last year.

TYLER — A Whitehouse man was sentenced for a federal income tax violation in the Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston announced Dec. 6. On Mar. 30, Anthony D. Klein, 48, pleaded guilty to attempting to evade or defeat taxes and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. Klein was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $404,292 to the IRS. In 2016, Klein filed an IRS Form 1040, U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, with the Internal Revenue Service. On that form, he claimed that he had no taxable income and that he was entitled to credits in the amount of $5,836.00, according to a release. Continue reading Smith County man sentenced for federal income tax violation

TYLER — The Smith County Veteran Services Office held a groundbreaking ceremony at CampV Tuesday to kick off renovations to a building that will house its services. Currently, one of Smith County’s Veteran Services Officers is stationed out at a satellite office at CampV each week. But according to a news release, once the renovations are complete next year, the entire office will relocate to better provide services to veterans in one location. CampV Executive Director Travis Gladhill said since CampV started several years ago, it has become the pinnacle for services for veterans in East Texas. He added that CampV assists about 340 veterans per month. Click here to learn more.

EAST TEXAS — What are the top 10 Christmas towns in Texas? The list has been compiled by tripstodiscover.com. The travel website says, “The top Christmas towns go all out for the holiday season. The top 10 are Grand Prairie, Marshall, Galveston, College Station, Jefferson, Richmond, San Antonio, Wimberly, Fredericksburg and No. 1 … the Dallas-Fort Worth suburb of Grapevine.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office warns of a missed jury duty scam. According to a news release, the sheriff’s office has received several calls from concerned citizens. They have each advised that an unknown individual has called and identified himself as Sheriff’s Captain Craig Halbrooks. The caller then tells the victim that he needs to discuss a criminal matter with them and states that they owe money because they missed jury duty. If you receive a call like this, you’re asked not give them any information and simply hang up the phone. The news release says the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, as well as any law enforcement agency, will never call anyone and ask for money. Continue reading Missed jury duty phone scam in Smith County

TYLER – Two more Houston-area 19-year-olds were sentenced to eight years deferred adjudication, or probation, after pleading guilty to engaging in organized criminal activity in several Tyler catalytic converter thefts. According to our news partner KETK, Tedrick Perry and Avory Coleman were arrested with one other person in Tyler in connection to the cases. All three men had remained in jail since their July arrests. The third person arrested with Perry and Coleman, Kennedy Watkins, received the same sentence last week. In addition to their eight-year sentences, all three were given 137 days credit for time spent in jail.

TYLER — Citing further complications, the City of Tyler announced Monday afternoon that Rice Road between South Broadway Avenue and Old Bullard Road may remain closed for the rest of the week after a sinkhole emerged last week. The city had earlier hoped the stretch could reopen Tuesday. Motorists are encouraged to use alternate routes until further notice. Police say barricades are set up and will divert traffic away from this stretch of Rice Rd.

TYLER – The Tyler Rotary International clubs have announced the winners in their Christmas Parade, held in downtown Tyler December 1. Life Church was honored for Best Holiday Theme, Best Band honors went to TJC, and Hospice of East Texas was recognized for Brightest Entry. Leslie Cain Realty captured the Spirit Award, the Career and Technology Center was judged to have the Most Creative entry, and the award for Best Decorated Vehicle went to Thrive Skilled Pediatric. Parade organizers say they want to thank everyone who attended the parade, all the organizations that entered — and especially all the volunteers who helped make it a success.

TYLER — Tyler police are seeking help in a theft of diamonds and gold. According to the police department’s Facebook page, officers responded at 4:20 Friday afternoon to a business on S. Broadway that had a large amount of the items stolen. Police say one of the possible suspects (pictured) may have been with three other women driving what is possibly a silver Honda Odyssey. If you have any information on who this might be, you’re asked to contact Det. Tekell at 903-531-1046.

TYLER — The City of Tyler Solid Waste Department and Keep Tyler Beautiful are providing two locations for Christmas tree recycling in Tyler. Residents can drop off their undecorated, non-flocked natural Christmas trees Monday, Dec. 26, through Sunday, Jan. 15, in designated areas at Golden Road Park and Fun Forest Park in Tyler. Golden Road Park is located at the intersection of McDonald Road and Golden Road. Fun Forest Park is located at North Glenwood Boulevard and Garden Valley Road. All lights, ornaments, garland, and tinsel should be removed from the Christmas tree before dropping it off near the sign that says “Christmas Tree Drop Off,” according to a news release. Continue reading Christmas tree recycling starts Dec. 26 in Tyler