KTBB News, Weather, Talk

RUSK — A search party was organized on Saturday for James David Blount, who was last seen in Rusk over three weeks ago.

“We’re all hoping that he is still alive,” Nicole Morris, an organizer of the event, said. “But at this point, I think we’re all kind of coming to the conclusion that it’s no longer a search and rescue, and it’s more so a recovery.”

Blount went missing on Dec. 2, and four days later, his vehicle was discovered along Highway 84 near the Neches River. Since then, law enforcement has been working to locate Blount, but their efforts have not yet been successful.

“My heart hurts for the family and that’s why I’m just so adamant about keeping his name alive and keeping his story alive,” Morris said. Continue reading Community unites in search for missing man

TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that left one man dead and one injured. Around 2:45 Sunday morning, deputies responded to an active shooting at the Valley Blues Club, County Road 486, just north of Tyler off of Texas College Road.

Deputies found a chaotic scene with several hundred individuals attempting to leave the location. One male gunshot victim was located in the parking lot and another male victim had been transported by private vehicle to UT Health ER in Tyler. The victim on scene was transported to UT Health ER where he was later pronounced deceased. The other gunshot victim is currently undergoing surgery and is in critical condition.

Smith County Investigators and the Crime Scene Unit are currently at the location conducting their investigation. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office was assisted by DPS, Tyler PD, and Texas Game Warden K-9 Unit. Continue reading One dead, one in critical in nightclub shooting

SMITH COUNTY — Fire crews are battling a grass fire in Smith County that spread to an RV on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County ESD2 firefighters were called to FM 2089 in Overton after receiving reports of a grass fire. When crews arrived, they found an RV fully involved in flames. According to ESD2 Nikki Simmons, no injuries have been reported.

UPDATE: The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the pedestrian who was killed in Thursday’s crash as Rodolfo Mora, 68, Tyler. The investigation remains ongoing and no charges have been filed against the driver at this time.

TYLER – A man has died after being hit by a vehicle on Loop 323 in Tyler on Thursday. According to Smith County Justice of the Peace Andy Dunklin and our news partner KETK, a man was hit by a vehicle while in the 200 block of East NE Loop 323 near Lavender Road. Dunklin pronounced the man dead at the scene and has ordered an autopsy to be performed.

 

RUSK — A search is scheduled for Saturday in Rusk as volunteers gather to look for missing man James David Blount, who was last seen on Dec. 2. According to our news partner KETK, Saturday’s search is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. at Truckerz, located on West Sixth Street in Rusk. Participants will search wooded areas on foot. Volunteers are encouraged to wear sturdy shoes or boots, brightly colored clothing and safety vests if available. ATVs, four-wheelers and vehicles capable of traveling dirt roads are also encouraged.

Blount is described as a white man who is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighs about 200 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. Rusk police said he was last seen on Tuesday, Dec. 2. His vehicle was later found along Highway 84 near the Neches River on Dec. 6.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said a $25,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to Blount’s location. Law enforcement agencies, along with Heal Corp., previously searched the Neches River and surrounding areas however, as of Dec. 21, those efforts had not located Blount.

LONGVIEW — Longview Transit and R&K Distributors are partnering up to provide free rides to anyone within Longview city limits on New Year’s Eve. The “Safe-Ride-Home” initiative is back for the tenth year, providing curb-to-curb pickup and scheduled ride services to anyone from 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 3 a.m. on Jan. 1. Whether riders have had a couple drinks or simply do not want to drive that night, the free rides make transportation easier and safer for everyone in the Longview area.

Start the year off safe and schedule your free ride at 903-753-2287 or at http://www.longviewtransit.com starting Dec. 27, at 8 a.m.

TYLER – State environmental regulators have cited the Parkside development in Tyler for violating the Texas Water Code after determining that unauthorized stormwater runoff from the construction site flowed directly into the lake at Faulkner Park. The Parkside development is a Genecov Properties, Inc. project currently under construction by Genecov West Mud Creek, LLC. The site is located on the southwest side of the intersection of Cumberland Road and South Broadway Avenue in Tyler.

According to our news partner KETK, the 600,000-square-foot project is planned to extend high-profile retailers, entertainment venues and restaurants from South Broadway Avenue to Tyler’s Faulkner Park. Four TCEQ investigators inspected the site between Sept. 3 and Oct. 15. During the Sept. 3 inspection, an investigator examined an unnamed tributary of West Mud Creek that runs through the construction site and drains into the lake at Faulkner Park.

A TCEQ investigation report states that a project manager for Genecov West Mud Creek, LLC. provided the investigator with the site’s Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan. The plan identified six sediment basins intended to collect stormwater runoff. However, the investigator reported that none of the basins had been constructed as of Sept. 3. Continue reading Tyler park cited for stormwater violations

GLADEWATER – According to police, a Gladewater woman attempted to steal a truck while the driver was inside and then managed to get away, leading to two arrests this week. The incident occurred on Wednesday during a child custody exchange, according to Gladewater police. Izabel Osteen, the 28-year-old suspect, allegedly entered another person’s 2020 Ford F-150, causing a struggle as the victim attempted to prevent the theft. The victim was thrown from the truck when Osteen drove off while the victim was only partially inside. The victim had minor injuries and was transported to a nearby hospital. The stolen truck was found at several locations throughout Longview by police using vehicle tracking technology. After the car was eventually found and Osteen was taken into custody by Gregg County deputies, she was charged with robbery and booked into the Gladewater Jail.

HARRISON COUNTY – Two men were taken into custody by Marshall police on Tuesday following allegations that they shot at one another in a residential area. According to the Marshall Police Department and our news partner KETK, officers were called to the 1100 block of Melanie Street around noon after hearing reports of a man and a woman shooting at one another. One suspect escaped into a neighboring wooded area before police arrived.

After searching the area, police found both people and arrested them. Tyrell Smith, 40, of Hallsville, and Lacrystal Carter, 38, of Marshall, were taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault. Carter was accused of tampering with identification numbers as well. The investigation is still ongoing, and no injuries were recorded. As the case progresses, more charges could be brought, according to the authorities.

MARSHALL – Following a shooting on Monday night, a 28-year-old was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

Our news partners at KETK report that at around 8:30 p.m. on Monday, Marshall police officers arrived at the 700 block of N. Loop 390 Highway following a report of gunshots in the area. Tyterrius Qwantrell Lafayette, a 28-year-old suspect, was sought after overnight by the Marshall Police Department, Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Joint Harrison County Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force. Lafayette was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon at the Harrison County Jail, with a bond set at $25,000. No injuries were reported by authorities.

OVERTON — Overton cautions residents to be wary of encountering a large pack of dogs running around at night. The City of Overton posted a video of a pack of about 15 dogs running near West Rusk High School in New London, warning residents that the dogs “are very aggressive at times.” According to our news partner KETK and the Overton Police Department, the video was taken in September, but was only recently shared with him.

“As a matter of public safety, the city manager and I have decided it is necessary to share this video with the citizens we serve,” Pool said. “Please keep in mind these are not just stray dogs, they are dogs that were most likely once dumped somewhere and have now reverted back to their natural instincts of hunting in a large group as a means of survival.”

Pool urges residents to contact the local law enforcement agency if they encounter a large pack of wild dogs and not to fear prosecution for protecting themselves or another person. Continue reading Overton warns of aggressive pack of wild dogs

ATHENS — Three Athens residents were arrested on Tuesday after law enforcement executed two search warrants targeting potential drug distribution in the city.

According to our news partner KETK and the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, at approximately 6:45 a.m. on Tuesday, investigators and deputies with the Sheriff’s Office, alongside officers from the Athens Police Department, carried out two separate narcotics search warrants. The first operation took place in the 500 block of St. Joseph Street. Investigators arrested Deanglo Russell and Bridget Fossis after they located crack cocaine that was prepackaged for sale, along with digital scales commonly used in narcotics distribution.

Russell and Fossis were transported to the Henderson County Jail, where they were booked on charges of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, authorities said. Continue reading Athens drug bust involving cocaine, meth

TYLER — As flu season picks up in the United States, health experts are concerned about a mutated flu strain that may be immune to this year’s influenza vaccine. According to our news partner KETK, a highly contagious and mutated strain of influenza A H3N2, called “subclade K,” has emerged abroad, causing surges in infections across several countries and raising concerns about a mismatch between the current flu vaccine and mutated strain.

Subclade K is already circulating in most U.S. states, according to the Global Initiative on Sharing All Influenza Data database.

“Knowing that there’s a new mutated strain out there and H3N2 generally causes more severe disease is concerning,” Dr. Robert Hopkins Jr. medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, said.

Though influenza A is included in this year’s influenza vaccine, the mutations of subclade K could give the virus an advantage against the vaccine’s immunity. Continue reading Mutated flu strain emerges, experts concerned