KTBB News, Weather, Talk

SMITH COUNTY — A fatal wreck in Smith County leaves one person dead and one person on the run. It happened just before 4:00 Saturday afternoon on County Road 2767 at Farm Road 757. Department of Public Safety officials tell our news partner, KETK, a 2001 Dodge Ram pick-up was driving northbound on FM 757 when he crossed over the intersection hitting the victim head-on. The victim was identified as Arthur DeWayne Murphy Jr., 50, Tyler. Troopers said the driver of the truck fled the scene on foot and escaped into some nearby woods. A search has turned up no trace of the driver.

TENNESSEE COLONY (AP) — Texas’ longest serving inmate is finally getting out of prison after 60 years. Harvey Stewart, 83, will be released from the prison in Anderson County in the coming weeks or months to a halfway house or nursing home after the state approved his parole in April. Stewart, who’s serving a life sentence for killing a Beaumont man, tells The Associated Press he’s looking forward to a good meal and a root beer when he gets out. Corrections officials say they still must complete a probation plan before Stewart is released and don’t know how soon that could happen. They say he’s no longer a threat but will receive proper supervision wherever he goes. Meanwhile, Stewart says he’s unfazed by how the world has changed during his confinement. When he first went to prison in 1951, gasoline was 20 cents a gallon, a postage stamp cost three pennies and Harry Truman was president.

LUFKIN — A Hudson woman is back in jail after violating her probation. Police tell KETK Kelli Renee Thacker was arrested after leaving her six-month-old child alone in a residence while she was passed out drunk in the back seat of her car. Thacker was taken to the Angelina County Jail. Officials say she will remain there until she gets an alcohol monitoring device.

ANGELINA COUNTY — A Hudson man originally charged with intoxication manslaughter in his wife’s motorcycle accident death pleaded guilty to a lesser charge Friday morning. Jessie Robert Huerta, 48, entered a guilty verdict to aggravated assault and received a five-year deferred sentence.

According to an arrest affidavit, just after midnight June 3, Huerta and his wife Maria Huerta, 42, left Wild Willie’s night club on his motorcycle and headed westbound on Frank Avenue. Huerta told police that night he thought he saw oncoming headlights in his lane, according to the affidavit. However, officers found no evidence that a vehicle was in his lane at the time of the accident. Huerta swerved and lost control, throwing the couple off the bike. When police arrived, they found Maria unresponsive and transported her to Memorial Medical Center-Lufkin. Maria died later that morning at the hospital from injuries sustained in the accident. Neither was wearing a helmet at the time, the affidavit stated.

Officers noted a hint of alcohol on Huerta’s breath and also took him to Memorial, where he willingly gave a blood sample. Lab results showed Huerta had a blood alcohol content of 0.18. Huerta has been out of jail on a $7,500 bond since turning himself in on the charge in August.

MARSHALL — A Hallsville teen, who pleaded guilty for his role in a spree of burglaries in Hallsville, was sentenced for the crimes Thursday. Christopher Montana Clark, 18, received 12 years in prison for engaging in organized criminal activity and 10 years for two counts of burglary of a habitation. The sentences will run concurrently with a five-year sentence he received in Gregg County in July for burglary of a habitation. Clark and two other suspects burglarized about 35 houses.

GLADEWATER — A 59-year-old man on a motorized scooter was hit by a pickup and killed while trying to cross U.S. 80 in Gladewater late Friday afternoon. Officials responded before 4:00 Friday after the person was hit by a Ford F150 westbound on U.S. 80. No citations had been issued as of Friday evening, officials said. Officials have not released the victim’s name, pending family notification. The incident is under investigation.

TROUP — The city of Troup has been moving pretty fast lately. Since the town went wet, the first wine and beer is being sold — and now, KETK reports the first liquor store has opened.

Last May the city reached a decision that many thought would never happen, approving the sale of spirits for off-premises consumption. It was a long struggle, but liquor sales were approved, and the first liquor store opened its doors Friday. The store is called the Oasis, and Jason Hartley is a partner. He says the town is split on the issue. But for the most part, the reactions are positive.

KETK sat down with one of Troup’s local business leaders, off camera, and he said the city has pretty much accepted the results. In fact, Mayor Mike McCheese was there when TV crews arrived to make sure all the permitting was expedited. And as the crews were leaving, the very first customer arrived at the Oasis.

ATHENS (AP/Staff) – Ministers and other backers of a Christmas nativity scene outside the Henderson County Courthouse have announced plans to rally Saturday. The Athens Daily Review reports hundreds of supporters, on social media sites, say they’ll be at the courthouse square in Athens. The holiday display also includes snowmen, reindeer and Christmas trees. Pastor Nathan Lorick of First Baptist Church in Malakoff says attendees are being asked to show attitudes of peace and love. County officials this month received a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The group asked that the nativity scene be removed and seeks to put up its own banner. County Judge Richard Sanders says the county is complying with federal law and the nativity scene will remain.

ATHENS (AP/Staff) – The Texas attorney general has sent a letter to the Henderson County judge, offering his help if the county is sued over its nativity scene. Henderson County officials this month received a letter from the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The group asked that the nativity scene be removed and seeks to put up its own banner. County Judge Richard Sanders says the county is complying with federal law and the nativity scene will remain. Attorney General Greg Abbott said his office cannot represent the county in court, but would file legal briefs in support. Backers of the nativity scene plan to rally Saturday. The Athens Daily Review reports hundreds of supporters say they’ll be at the Henderson County Courthouse square.

JACKSONVILLE — A Jacksonville police officer sustains minor injuries in a wreck Friday afternoon. The accident happened in the 1100 block of East Rusk Street in Jacksonville. According to KETK, police say the accident happened at around 12:30 p.m., when they believe a car turned in front of Detective Jeremy Pate’s unmarked car. Pate was taken to a local hospital; police department officials say he was later released. Officials continue to investigate the incident. No charges have been filed.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police make an arrest in connection with a wreck that killed a 1-year-old child in August. Maritza Renteria is charged with intoxicated manslaughter. According to KETK, officers said the child died after the 20-year-old’s car slammed into several parked cars at a business off Loop 281. Renteria is already free on bond.

LUFKIN (AP/Staff) – The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office says Kerry Woodard of Lufkin is held without bond on a capital murder charge. The convicted sex offender is accused of the fatal beating of his girlfriend’s 3-year-old son while she was at work. The case involves the December 2010 death of Zi’Keishun “Zi” Lane. An autopsy determined the boy died of blunt force trauma. Online jail records did not list an attorney for Woodward, who was arrested Wednesday night. Records show Woodard, in 2005 when he was 22 years old, was convicted of having sex with a 14-year-old girl. He was sentenced in 2007 to three years in prison, then paroled the following year.

ANGELINA COUNTY — The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office has made an arrest in what an investigator called the worst child abuse death he has seen. Kerry Jock Woodard, 28, is charged with capital murder in connection with the December 2010 beating death of his then-girlfriend’s 3-year-old son.

After having been in Woodard’s care while the mother was at work last December, the boy was rushed to a local hospital with serious injuries. He was then airlifted to Texas Children’s Hospital in Houston, where he later died. Although investigators were called to Memorial Medical Center-Lufkin the night the boy was brought in, it took months of investigation to implicate Woodard.

An autopsy report released in October showed the boy suffered more than 100 contusions all over his body, a lacerated liver, and subdural hematomas often seen in shaken baby cases. Cooper said the boy’s death is the worst case of child abuse he’s seen in his career.

Investigators took Woodard, a registered sex offender, into custody Wednesday evening. If convicted, Woodard faces the death penalty. He remained in the Angelina County Jail Thursday morning. Bond had not been set.

PITTSBURG — Officials have arrested a 71-year-old woman on a felony warrant after she went missing from a Pittsburg nursing home. Police say Sylvia Youngberg was arrested at about 9:40 Friday morning in the 500 block of Greer Boulevard in Pittsburg. Youngberg was then transported to Camp County Jail and booked on a felony warrant issued in Gregg County. Officials say Youngberg went missing on Tuesday from Pittsburg Nursing Center, where she had been staying as a term of her probation after a 2005 arrest. A Silver Alert was issued for Youngberg at that time.

The Silver Alert was canceled on Thursday, when an arrest warrant was issued. Ms. Youngberg had been placed on felony probation in Gregg County in 2009. She was arrested for cruelty to animals and injury to the elderly on Feb. 5, 2005.

TYLER (AP) – An East Texas man running a deer-breeding facility has pleaded guilty to federal wildlife charges over his acquisition of some animals. Prosecutors in Tyler today announced Blake Powell of Cherokee County pleaded guilty to three counts of negligent transportation of wildlife. Investigators say Powell, who owned Rockin’ P White Tails, illegally imported live whitetail deer three times during 2007. The market value of the animals topped $208,000. Details of the out-of-state sources for the deer were not immediately released. Powell, who pleaded guilty Monday, faces up to a year in prison. No sentencing date has been set.

TYLER — A Bullard man has been charged with defrauding Social Security in the Eastern District of Texas. Kenneth Wise, 51, was indicted on Dec. 7 and charged with theft of government property. Wise was arrested and appeared Dec. 13. According to information presented in court, from March 2007 to August 2011, Wise is alleged to have concealed his ability to work in order to receive more than $65,000 from the Social Security Administration in the form of Social Security Disability Insurance benefits. If convicted, Wise faces up to 10 years in federal prison.

KILGORE — A Kilgore ISD teacher accused of slapping an autistic child did so because she was surprised to have been slapped by the pre-kindergarten student, her attorney said Thursday. The 57-year-old teacher, who has not been identified, was placed on paid administrative leave after the Dec. 8 incident, the district said. She was not fired, as officials said Wednesday.

The allegations stemmed from a Kilgore Heights Elementary School trip to visit Santa Claus at the Kilgore Public Library. According to Superintendent Jody Clements, the 4-year-old student became upset and slapped the teacher, who slapped him back. Her attorney said she has been a teacher for at least 30 years and it was a defensive move. The teacher has been interviewed by Kilgore police.

TYLER – The U.S. Postal Service will hold a public meeting to discuss its proposal to move the incoming mail processing operation from the East Texas Processing and Distribution Center (P&DC) into the Austin, North Texas and Shreveport Processing and Distribution Centers (P&DC). KETK reports the meeting will take place at 6 p.m. on December 29 in the Conference Center of the Hampton Inn, at 3130 Troup Highway in Tyler.

According to the Postal Service, with the deep decline in mail volume due to current economic conditions and continuing electronic diversion, the Postal Service has an excess of employees and equipment in its mail processing operations. Officials say a study was initiated on September 15 at the Tyler P&DC to determine the feasibility of consolidating redundant operations to see if any efficiencies and cost savings are available.

According to postal officials, initial study results support consolidating mail processing operations performed at the Tyler P&DC by taking advantage of available processing capacity at postal plants in Austin, North Texas and Shreveport, to increase efficiency and improve productivity.

Officials say while no final decision has been reached, Postal Service managers will give an overview of the reasons for the proposal and its possible outcomes, and will listen to community input and concerns. A summary of the proposal and presentation materials will be made available online one week prior to the meeting; you’ll be able to go to http://about.usps.com/streamlining-operations/area-mail-processing.htm to see the information.

Anyone who wishes to submit comments in writing can send them to:

Mgr of Consumer and Industry Contact
951 W. Bethel
Coppell, TX 75099-9631

Public comments will be accepted through January 13, 2012.

TYLER — Two lawyers in Tyler plan to fight the use of a Smith County Courthouse facility dog in any child sexual abuse case. According to KETK, they say the dog may be swaying the jury against their clients. Macy the courthouse dog provides a way to comfort children as they testify in court about alleged sexual abuse. Attorney Jason Cassel says the dog is branded with a vest that would imply the dog is a service animal helping someone in need.

Cassel believes the dog can be somewhat persuasive. He says, “If you see a child walk up there, or any witness, with a service animal wearing this vest — and you can’t help but think it lends credence to whatever they’re gonna tell you, because clearly, whether subconsciously or not, they’re gonna assume that there’s validity to what that person says.” Cassel has concerns that the dog may lead the jury to believe that sexual assault has taken place even if it never happened.

TYLER — Officials say a Tyler ISD bus driver was injured when hit by a TISD bus in the bus barn parking lot. He was transported to the hospital for treatment. “An investigation into the incident is being conducted by TISD police, and transportation department policies are being reviewed to ensure the safety of our drivers,” according to a TISD press statement.

LONGVIEW — A Gregg County industrial worker is suing Eastman Chemical after he was injured while working on the plant’s property. KETK reports Antonio Marco Torres and his wife filed suit against the Longview plant after the ground gave way and Torres fell into a hole. The suit claims that an unrepaired pipe created a void underground, and that when Torres stepped on top, he fell in, suffering burns and a broken nose.

ATHENS — Controversy continues in Athens surrounding a nativity scene displayed on the county courthouse lawn. County officials received a letter Monday from the Freedom from Religion Foundation which argued that the display amounts to an unconstitutional endorsement of the Christian faith. According to KETK, they now want to hang a banner downtown very similar to one already hanging in Elmwood, Pennsylvania. It reads, “At this season of the winter solstice, let reason prevail. There are no gods, no devils, no angels, no heaven or hell. There is only our natural world.”

ATHENS — Controversy continues in Athens over a nativity scene on the courthouse lawn. According to KETK, a sign was put up Wednesday afternoon on the courthouse lawn in protest of the display. The sheriff says he’s not sure if the sign was installed by the Freedom from Religion Foundation. But he does say that it was the same sign used by the group in other areas. The sign was taken down because no one took the proper procedures to gain permission for it. Controversy concerning the nativity scene started last week when county officials received a letter from the Freedom from Religion Foundation which argued that the display amounts to an unconstitutional endorsement of the Christian faith.

TYLER — A Tyler motorcycle officer was involved in giving the gift of life. Around 8:30 Wednesday morning, officer Jimmy Turner had just completed a traffic stop in the 2600 block of S. Broadway near the Post Office when a citizen ran up to him and said a woman had just collapsed in the Post Office parking lot next to her vehicle.

Authorities said Turner immediately ran over to the woman and quickly realized she had no pulse. He called for medical assistance and began chest compressions until Fire and EMS arrived on the scene. Tyler firemen utilized the defibrillator twice to regain her heartbeat. Lisa Jones, 45, Tyler, was transported to a local hospital and is expected to recover thanks to the quick response of Officer Turner.

In August of this year, Officer Turner was also involved in giving life back to a 3-year-old child who was discovered at the bottom of the pool at a birthday party he was attending. The child was pulled from the pool and Officer Turner administered CPR until the child regained consciousness and started to breathe on his own.

MORRIS COUNTY — A person was struck by a vehicle and killed Thursday morning in Morris County while trying to help after an unrelated wreck. Officials at the Texas Highway Patrol office in Atlanta say the pedestrian was killed at about 6:00 today on Texas 49 at FM 144 west of Daingerfield. The pedestrian had stopped to assist after a wreck near the intersection when another vehicle came along and struck the person. Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Betty Johnson pronounced the person dead. Names have not been released.

ANGELINA COUNTY — There were some tense moments at the Angelina County Courthouse Wednesday afternoon as employees evacuated the building due to a bomb threat. The call came in to Lufkin Police Department around 2:30 from a Chevron on North Timberland Drive. The male caller told the dispatcher a bomb would go off at 3:30 inside the courthouse, according to Angelina County emergency management coordinator Ricky Conner. Upon receiving the call, Lufkin Police contacted courthouse bailiffs, who began evacuating everyone inside. Conner said nothing suspicious was found inside the building.

Lufkin Police were pulling surveillance video to help identify the suspect. They planned to release his photo as soon as it was available. If the caller is located, he is expected to face the third-degree felony charge of terroristic threat interrupting a public service. The charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

HENDERSON — Between January 5 and February 29, Henderson ISD employees can submit their resignations early and receive a bonus. The Henderson ISD school board Tuesday night approved offering an early resignation stipend to employees. The stipend will be $500 for professional employees and $250 for hourly employees, including paraprofessionals and auxiliary staff. The money will be given pending the employees completing the school year at Henderson ISD.

Director of Human Resources Stacey Sullivan said Wednesday that the ISD will lose another $1.3 million in funding for 2012-13 school year. Sullivan said this is the same stipend the school district offered a year ago. At that time Henderson was among the first school districts in East Texas to offer the stipend, before most school districts realized just how much money they would be losing after the legislative session.

KILGORE – A Kilgore teacher has been placed on indefinite administrative leave after allegedly slapping an autistic child. That’s according to KETK. Officials say the incident happened in the school library, where the Kilgore Heights Elementary teacher had taken the students to see Santa. School Superintendent Jody Clements says that the 4-year-old pre-kindergarten student got out of control and slapped the teacher, and that she slapped him back. The incident was said to have been witnessed by two other adults. According to Clements, the district had never had any problems with the teacher before this, but it was a situation the district could not tolerate.

MARSHALL – It looks like the Marshall school district will be searching for a new superintendent. The Dripping Springs School District has named Marshall superintendent Bruce Gearing as the lone finalist for its superintendent’s post. The Dripping Springs school district web site said “Board of Trustees voted unanimously (7-0) to name Bruce Gearing, Ed.D., as the lone finalist for Superintendent of Schools at a special meeting Dec. 13.”

Over 80 candidates filed for the post. School board members interviewed 8 of them and brought four back for a second interview. State law requires the Dripping Springs school board wait 21 days between the time a lone finalist is named and a contract for employment is offered and accepted.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota’s two U.S. senators disagree on whether language speeding up approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline should be included in a bill seeking to extend a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits.

House Republicans passed a version that includes a requirement that federal officials decide within two months whether to approve the $7 billion pipeline that would deliver Canadian crude to Texas refineries near the Gulf Coast. Senate Democrats and President Barack Obama do not want the pipeline provision in the bill.

Democratic Senator Tim Johnson says he agrees with Nebraska officials that the pipeline route should be changed, and that will require extra time for environmental analysis. Republican Senator John Thune says the pipeline should be sped up because it could create 20,000 jobs nationwide. The proposed route of the pipeline carries it through eastern Smith County.