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LONGVIEW — Longview Transit, in partnership with R&K Distributors – Your Local Budweiser Distributor, is preparing to provide a “Safe-Ride-Home” on New Year’s Eve. For the fifth consecutive year, Longview Transit will give free rides to anyone within Longview city limits on New Year’s Eve between 8:00pm and 3:00am. Rides can be scheduled by calling Longview Transit at 903-753-2287 ext.10.

Transportation service will be available to or from any Longview destination. The service is offered to the general public, including individuals that have had a couple drinks or those that simply do not want to drive that evening. Longview Transit encourages riders to schedule trips in advance if possible.

According to Longview Transit General Manager Scott Lewis, “Longview Transit has been providing Safe-Ride-Home transportation on New Year’s Eve for several years now, and it continues to be a great service for the community. Thanks to the community sponsorship, we are able to provide a free alternative to getting behind the wheel.” The Safe-Ride-Home initiative is made possible by the financial contribution of R&K Distributors.

TROUP — Two persons have been killed in a Troup house fire. They are identified as Jerry Vessels, 68 and his wife Madeleine, 66. Their home, which was a total loss, is located in the 1100 block of County Road 4706. Investigators say an explosion caused the fire that killed the couple. Some of the debris was scattered up to 100 feet from the house. A state fire marshal will help determine of the cause of the explosion.

LONGVIEW – A Tyler man is being held in the Gregg County Jail on robbery and drug charges. Arrested Friday by Longview police was Charles William Sadler, 27. He is wanted for two armed robbery charges and in Kilgore where he is charged with possession of marijuana. His bonds total over $150,000.

TYLER — A Tyler woman has been charged with aggravated robbery. She is accused of robbing a person at America’s Best Value Inn, 2828 WNW Loop 323 around 9:15 Friday night. The victim described the suspect as a white female, who was later identified as Jessica Ann Walker, 25. Officers started searching for the suspect, locating her on the southwest corner of the complex. After a brief foot chase, she was taken into custody. On her, officers found a 25 caliber pistol and an undetermined amount of cash. She was booked into the Smith County Jail.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department is warning citizens to be wary of email scams. One such scam that was seen Friday involves an email sent to citizens purportedly from Fed Ex. When citizens open the email, they’re told a courier tried to deliver a package to them but was unsuccessful. This email contains a link for the citizen to click on for further information. It is believed the link may contain a virus or some other type of malware. Longview police warn citizens to never click on an unsolicited email or link they are not familiar with. If you have clicked on an unfamiliar or unsolicited link from an email, Longview Police advise having your computer scanned for viruses.

GREGG COUNTY — One person has been killed in a one-vehicle crash on Interstate Highway 20 in Gregg County. Around 9:30 Friday morning, dispatchers were alerted to a wreck at mile marker 591 near Farm Road 2087. When troopers arrived, they found a truck that had run off the road and hit a tree. The driver of the pickup, Justin Schattel, 25, was pronounced dead. His hometown is unknown at this time. Authorities believe the crash was caused by Schattel driving at an unsafe speed.

GILMER — Two of the three suspects accused of killing a Longview man in early December appeared before an Upshur County judge Friday morning. Sarah Haslam, 20, and Daniel Jones, 19, are charged with killing Ronnie Joe Gammage, 27, of Longview, (pictured) who disappeared on December 4. KETK reports the two suspects appeared before Judge Lauren Parish in the 115th District Court. The third alleged murderer, Andrew Conrad Norwine, 21, will be transferred to Upshur County in about 10 days.

A missing person report was filed on December 8, the same day Gammage’s truck was found in a Waffle House parking lot with slashed tires. After the pickup was found, Longview police released surveillance video of a group of people trying to cash a check from Gammage’s account. Tips from the public helped identify two of the people in the car as Haslam and Jones. On Wednesday, December 19, Jones and Haslam led authorities to Gammage’s body in Upshur County.

The Longview News-Journal reports Norwine, a U.S. Army private assigned to Fort Polk in Leesville, La., signed a waiver of extradition from the Vernon Parish Jail on Thursday allowing his transfer to Gilmer. Norwine’s bond was set at $1 million on a capital murder charge. Haslam and Jones were each held on $1.3 million bond. They are charged with capital murder and aggravated kidnapping. Haslam and Jones were transferred from the Gregg County Jail to the Upshur County Jail Thursday.

According to probable cause affidavits for the arrest of Haslam and Jones, Gammage, who was mentally disabled, was lured by the trio into a vehicle Dec. 5 and driven to a construction site in Gregg County, where he was beaten. After the attack, Gammage was loaded into a vehicle and driven to rural Upshur County where he was killed and his body burned, according to police records. Prosecutors will seek the death penalty.

TYLER — Local grocery stores began stocking their shelves with beer and wine Friday. Brookshire’s, FRESH by Brookshire’s, and Super 1 Foods stores in Tyler have received permit approval from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission to begin selling beer and wine for off-site consumption. Brookshire’s Grocery Company began selling the products Friday afternoon. Tylerites passed Proposition 2, the legal sale of beer or wine for off premise consumption only, in the November 6 General Elections.

Brookshire’s Spokeswoman Ellen Reynolds tells KETK a variety of beer and wine products will be available in each store where alcohol sales are now allowed. What they choose will be based on the store’s size, along with other factors. The FRESH by Brookshire’s store on Old Jacksonville Highway will offer an expanded variety including craft beers and a larger selection of wines at varying prices.

LONGVIEW — A January 3 hearing has been scheduled for Leigh Ann Snyder, the Longview police officer fired one year after suffering an injury while on the job. KETK reports that the word comes from the city of Longview’s grievance committee. Snyder is appealing her termination. The city fired Snyder after she didn’t return to duty one year after her patrol car was hit by a suspected drunk driver. Snyder says she was not provided the benefits she needed from the city.

TYLER — Tyler police are looking for the two men who robbed the Family Dollar store at 1403 East Gentry Parkway. It happened around 8:45 last night. Employees say two men entered the store. One stood at the door as a look-out as the other approached the counter and produced a silver handgun, demanding money. They fled with a yet to be determined amount of cash.

Both suspects are described as black males in their late teens or early 20’s, 5’08” to 5’10” with medium builds. One was wearing a black hoodie and blue bandanna, the other was wearing a brown hoodie.

PENNINGTON — Officials have confirmed a second tornado touched down in Houston County on Christmas Day. According to KETK, the first twister landed near the the town of Pennington just before 9:30 that morning. The tornado traveled along Highway 287, downing numerous trees and damaged or destroyed several buildings. It was classified as an EF-3. The second twister occurred almost directly after it in the same area about ten minutes later. The EF-0 only made it about a third of a mile before it dissipated, according to the National Weather Service. The EF-3 was 300 yards wide and reached a 150 MPH wind speed. The EF-0 was 30 yards wide and reached a 75 MPH wind speed. No deaths were reported.

LONGVIEW — Firefighters battled a blaze at a Longview apartment Wednesday night. According to KETK, emergency crews were dispatched to the Towne Oaks Apartments shortly after 9:15pm. When crews arrived, they were able to extinguish the flames before the fire could spread to other apartments, but not until about $7,000 in damage was done. Two people were home at the time of the fire, but no one was injured. They will not be displaced. Fire officials say the residence’s smoke detectors were working when the blaze occurred. A cause has not yet been released.

KILGORE — Kilgore detectives are looking for a man and woman who allegedly stole money from coin operated machines at a local business. KETK reports that on December 14, shortly after 4:15pm, the duo arrived at Gregg Laundry in a white Ford 4-door car. Surveillance video shows the woman entering the laundromat first, looking at the machines and going back to the car. The man then goes into the store, breaks the machine, and takes the money.

Authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying the two people. If you have any information on one or both of these thieves, you’re asked to contact Detective Kay Lynn Newbill at (903) 983-1559 ext. 233; call Gregg County CrimeStoppers at (903) 236-STOP; or text your anonymous tip to 847411+KILGORE+your tip.

HARRISON COUNTY — A four-wheeler accident led to the death of a child in Harrison County According to KETK, at 10:45 Christmas Eve night, emergency crews were dispatched to the 4300 block of Cooks Road on reports of an ATV accident on private property. When medical officials arrived, they found a four-seat ATV and two injured people. The first victim was currently being treated and a second, an unnamed 12-year-old boy, appeared to have been thrown from the four-wheeler and killed, according to Marshall EMS. The other victim, whose age has not been released, was taken to Marshall Good Shepherd Hospital for treatment. Statements from witnesses are being gathered and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the wreck.

LONGVIEW — Longview police and Upshur County officials are closing the case on the kidnapping and murder of 27-year-old Ronnie Gammage (pictured) of Longview. According to KETK, 21-year-old Andrew Conrad Norwine plans to waive extradition from Louisiana, where he was arrested early Christmas morning. Upshur County DA Billy Byrd says that means Norwine could be back in Texas in the next few weeks. 20-year-old Sarah Haslam and 19-year-old Daniel Jones, both from Longview, are in the Gregg County Jail. The Longview News-Journal reports the three are charged in connection with an unusually violent crime — luring the mentally disabled victim into the woods, beating him, slitting his throat and setting his body on fire. Gammage’s body was found in Upshur County.

TYLER — Smith County Sheriff-elect Larry Smith will be sworn in New Year’s Day, along with other newly elected officials. Thursday, Smith released a rundown of plans for his first term. “Since the primary election,” says Smith, “I have developed a plan to reorganize the Smith County Sheriff’s Office to improve service, streamline operations, cross-train officers, put more deputies on patrol, and increase departmental efficiency and morale. Implementation of this comprehensive plan will begin on January 1 and will not call for an increase in manpower or budget.”

For starters, Smith says, “The new organizational chart will allow forty patrol deputies to be assigned to the patrol division, along with eight sergeants, a K-9 unit, and a lieutenant. With the implementation of a 12-hour patrol shift, we will have twelve units on the streets of Smith County on each shift. This is three times the number that are often currently on the streets during a shift.”

Smith also says, “We will decrease the command staff by one Lieutenant and increase the Sergeant level positions in order to have more support and supervision in the field in order to best utilize the work force for improved service.” He adds, “We will begin the implementation of a Patrol/Investigator position to better pursue criminal investigations of Class A through Class C misdemeanors.”

Communication with the public is another area of focus. According to Smith, “Two positions (one from the jail and one from operations) will be converted into a professional Public Information Officer.” Other changes include institution of a civil division for process serving; saving fuel costs and patrol time; consolidation of duties; “improved hiring, training, and promotion procedures; a new position for an internal affairs investigator; reorganized co-chief deputy responsibilities; employee support through a chaplain program to be led by Dr. David O. Dykes of Green Acres Baptist Church; and “ongoing pursuit of continuous improvement.”

CORSICANA — A Henderson County man has been killed in an accident at the Corsicana landfill. Dead at the scene Wednesday afternoon was Kenneth Eugene Wheeler of Malakoff. He was an employee for Clean Sweep Trash Service in Malakoff. Workers had already unloaded the garbage truck and were putting it back down when, for some unknown reason, Wheeler reached back into the truck. Assistant Police Chief Ronny McGaha told the Corsicana Daily Sun Wheeler was caught on the clamshell mechanism on the trash truck and not the compactor.

TYLER — This may be a good time of the year to consider a unique pawnshop based in Tyler. IPawn is an online pawn operation targeting both businesses and individuals. CEO Ben Dekalo says he keeps costs down by asking that you describe the item and what you think it’s worth. Dekalo says the item is overnighted to Tyler. When iPawn gets the item, it is evaluated, and a binding offer is provided. If the client agrees, Dekalo says iPawn transfers the money to the client in no time. Dekalo says iPawn charges 1 to 2% interest. Regular brick and mortar pawn shops may charge up to 20%.

TYLER — With continued cold temperatures in the forecast overnight, many men, women, and children are facing the struggle of trying to find a place to stay warm. The Salvation Army has made preparations and welcomes them to come to the Center of Hope at 633 North Broadway in Tyler. Beds are available as well as blankets that have been collected through blanket drives and individual donations for this purpose. Donors in the community have knit blankets as well as caps to also assist with the cold weather. According to a news release, the Salvation Army has showers available, and the agency will continue to serve three meals a day to ensure that everyone stays nourished and healthy.

LUFKIN — Angelina County Commissioner Precinct 1 Rick Harrison died Christmas day, according to officials with the commissioners’ office. KETK reports that Harrison, 56, suffered a heart attack in August and was flown to a Houston hospital, where he died. Harrison was reelected to office November 6.

KILGORE — An oil tank near Kilgore exploded around 7:00 Tuesday night. That’s the report from KETK and the Longview News-Journal. According to a Kilgore Police Department spokesman, the tank is southwest of Driller Park on a lease road off County Road 1124. First reports indicate power lines down during the winter storm may have sparked that fire.

CROCKETT — Witnesses say a tornado the size of two football fields passed through an area near Crockett Christmas Day. The National Weather Service says a Tornado just north of Pennington, southeast of Crockett, was an EF-3 storm, which has winds of 136 to 165 mph. KETK reports a feed store was destroyed. Rubble and debris were spread over a wide area; nearby homes and property were damaged. In the process, at least three American flags fell to the ground from their respective poles, but they would all be rescued, and one would be put back in its rightful place by two men. On County Road 4550, firefighters Logan Presley and Esau Hernandez rescued a flag, raised it onto a utility pole, and moved on to their next task.

EAST TEXAS – A very rare snowfall brought just over ½ inch snow to Tyler. No trouble reported on Tyler streets. It would be wise to exercise caution on bridges and overpasses around the area. In East Texas, TxDOT reports all sections have applied magnesium chloride and lightweight rock “sanding” bridges and overpasses throughout the 8 county district, including Interstate Highway 20 and Toll 49.

EAST TEXAS — All Smith County offices, with the exception of emergency services, Road and Bridge and facility service personnel, will open at 10:00 this morning due to weather. Any court hearings scheduled to begin before 10:00 will be postponed until that time. Parties and other court participants will be expected to appear at 10:00. Also, the start of mini-mester classes at Kilgore College will be delayed until 10:00 this morning due to inclement weather.

EAST TEXAS – Storms on Christmas day brought power outages to East Texas. Crews have continued working to restore the power. At one point Wednesday morning, thousands were reported without electricity around the area, mainly in Titus and Morris Counties. Gregg and Smith Counties reported several hundred outages each.

LONGVIEW – Five trucks loaded with milk have been hit by fire at the Ryder Truck Rental Facility in Longview. The fire was reported around 10:45 Christmas morning in the 400 block of Ambassador Drive. Four of the refrigerated trucks were destroyed and one damaged. No injuries were reported and the cause remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW — A third person has been arrested in the December 5 killing of Ronnie Gammage of Longview. Arrested around 1:00 Christmas morning was Andrew Conrad Norwine, 21. He was arrested in Louisiana by Vernon Parish sheriff’s deputies. He is being held in the jail in Leesburg, Louisiana. Bond has been set at $1 million.

Previously arrested in the case were Sarah Haslam, 20, and Daniel Paul Jones, 19, both of Longview. They are in the Gregg County Jail on the kidnapping and murder charges. Gammage’s body was found last Wednesday in rural Upshur County.

TYLER — Weather permitting, a new traffic signal will begin operation at the intersection of Golden Road and McDonald Road in Tyler today. Officials say the signal will enhance safety for all vehicles including those traveling to and from Tyler Junior College, Moore Middle School, and the University of Texas at Tyler. They add that it will benefit Rose Capital East Little League baseball players, their parents, and other park users at Golden Road Park. Safety for cyclists will also be improved as Bicycle Routes 9 and 12 intersect at this location, according to officials. City officials encourage all drivers to use extreme caution as they approach any new traffic control devices.

TYLER — Tyler police remain on the hunt for some home burglars. Around 11:15 Monday morning, police responded to a residential burglary alarm at 6808 Hollytree Circle. Officers arrived at the scene and learned that a burglary had occurred at that location.

During this time, dispatch received a call from a citizen who gave a suspect vehicle description. Another officer located that vehicle and attempted to stop the occupants. Police say they then threw stolen jewelry from the vehicle. The jewelry was recovered, and the value has yet to be determined. Unfortunately, police say, the suspects were able to get away on foot. The only description police have at this time is three unknown black males. Tyler Police investigators were called out to the scene to begin working on the case. No one was injured, no weapons were observed, and the case remains under investigation.

Anyone with information about the suspects involved in this crime is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to arrests and charges filed against the suspects in this case or any felony case.

DALLAS (AP) – Representative Ralph Hall of North and East Texas is set to become the oldest member of the U.S. House ever, a few months shy of his 90th birthday. The Republican from Rockwall is on pace this week to pass North Carolina Representative Charles Manly Stedman, who died in office in 1930 at 89 years, 7 months and 25 days old. Hall earlier this month had already become the oldest member ever to cast a vote. The Dallas Morning News reports that Hall recently won re-election to his 17th term from his North Texas district. It’s more common for senators to stay longer in office, in part because senators run for re-election every six years instead of every two. Hall describes himself as “just an old guy” who has “lived pretty clean.”