KTBB News, Weather, Talk

AUSTIN – The Republican Party of Texas met on Saturday to discuss potential penalties for several lawmakers, including two East Texas State Representatives. According to our news partner KETK, East Texas State Representatives Cody Harris of Palestine and Gary VanDeaver of New Boston were two of those ten State Representatives who faced potential penalties from the Senate Republican Executive Committee (SREC).

Resolutions were brought against ten State Representatives who are accused of making votes and taking actions against State Republican Party platform policies like having no Democratic Committee Chairs in the State House.

Harris avoided a concurring vote and any penalties that the SREC could have levied against him but the SREC did concur with the resolution against VanDeaver. Continue reading State Rep VanDeaver penalized by Texas Republicans

UPDATE: The City of Chandler announced on Tuesday afternoon that the boil water notice was lifted due to the water line break getting repaired.

CHANDLER — The City of Chandler has issued a boil water notice for certain areas after a broken water line was discovered. Officials ask residents to boil water used for drinking and cooking. Affected areas include: Charmwood Drive, Copeland Circle, Ridgeway Drive, Ridgewood Lane, Sunnyside Drive, Kidd Drive, Brookshire’s, AutoZone, Starbucks and McDonalds. City officials in a release said the notice will stay in effect until repairs are made and testing confirms that the water is safe to drink. Residents will be notified when the advisory is lifted. If you have any questions you can call Justin Bolton at 903-849-6853 or 903-360-3081.

MOUNT PLEASANT – An East Texas man has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Wednesday for the 2023 murder of a 23-month-old girl. According to our news partner KETK, the Mount Pleasant Police Department said they received information about the death of the girl at a local hospital in July of 2023. In October, Jermaine Tyrelle Hooks was then arrested for capital murder in connection with the girl’s death and booked into the Titus County Jail. The mother of the child, Chelsea Lashaun Davis, was arrested that same month. She later entered a plea deal for a fine, court costs and a deferred sentence.

WINONA – Interstate 20 East is shutdown near the Highway 271 exit after an 18-wheeler was involved in a rollover crash on Friday. According to our news partner KETK,. Smith County Emergency Services District 2 said that the rollover crash happened at around 8:00 p.m. on Friday night. No major injuries were reported from the crash but the eastbound side of I-20 will be shut down for the next several hours. Drivers heading east are advised to to seek alternative routes through the area.

MARSHALL — The Marshall Police Department has arrested a juvenile in connection with threatening statements made toward a local school. According to a news release, upon receiving the report on October 9, investigators with the Marshall Police Department began working with the Marshall Independent School District Police Department and the Harrison County District Attorney’s Office to identify and apprehend the juvenile responsible for the statements.

Due to the subject’s age and the ongoing nature of the investigation, additional information was not released.

“The safety of our students, faculty, and community remains our top priority. The Marshall Police Department and our law enforcement partners take all reports of potential threats seriously and will continue to respond swiftly to ensure the safety and security of our schools.” – Marshall ISD Continue reading Threat made towards Marshall ISD leads to arrest

WOOD COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Shane Albrightson will spend two years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice-State Jail Division for injury to a child. Albrightson was found guilty by a jury on Tuesday, and previously had two misdemeanor assault cases in Wood County from 2022 that were still pending at the time of trial.

On Sept. 14, 2023, a father and two children went to the Winnsboro Police Department to file a police report. The father told officers that Albrightson, the mother’s boyfriend, had “put hands on” the oldest child. Both children, ages seven and 11, described to police a household of violence, depicting multiple altercations involving Albrightson and their mother.

LONGVIEW – A Longview residential fire is now being investigated as a possible case of arson. According to our news partner KETK, and the Longview Fire Department (LFD), reported structure fire occurred at 500 Dell Street on Wednesday morning. One occupant sustained minor injuries during the fire and was taken to a local hospital. It’s estimated the fire caused $120,000 in damage and three occupants have been displaced. On Thursday, LFD announced they’re investigating the fire as a possible case of arson.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office honored one of their longtime leaders on Thursday by unveiling a portrait of former Sheriff JB Smith. According to our news partner KETK, Smith started his tenure as sheriff in 1976 and after more than three decades, he retired in 2013. In a ceremony attended by many members of law enforcement on Thursday, including current Sheriff Larry Smith, former Sheriff JB Smith had his portrait hung next to the portraits of those who’ve held the role before.

“I’m so honored to be part of something like this because I feel like I’m a part of the lasting legacy of Smith County sheriffs,” JB Smith said. “There’s been many sheriffs over the years, and I’m just one of them. But I think I’ll have left a legacy and I hope it’s a positive one. Smith County is probably one of the best places in the whole world to live. We are so blessed here.”

JB Smith is also an author, humorist, rancher, a veteran and an auctioneer. To learn more about his life, visit JB Smith’s website.

CARTHAGE – Carthage ISD’s director of bands Johnnie Cotton has resigned from his position, according to our news partner KETK, after he said the district asked him to hang the Ten Commandments in his classroom on Monday.

“I would like to take this chance to explain why I resigned as Director of Bands at Carthage ISD. I believe very strongly that politics and religion have no place in the public schools,” Cotton said. “I spent my 42 years as a teacher and administrator making sure that my classroom/campus stayed neutral on both counts.”

Senate Bill 10 was passed by the Texas State Legislature in this year’s legislative session and then signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on June 20. The bill, which went into effect on Sept. 1, requires public schools to display the Ten Commandments from the Hebrew Bible.

“This summer, The State of Texas passed a law stating that you were required to post the 10 Commandments in your classroom if someone donated them,” Cotton explained. “I was informed Monday by Carthage ISD that I must do this and I refused. I was told it was required due to state law. Seeing this as a line I refuse to cross, I resigned.” Continue reading Band director resigns, refusing to post Commandments

TYLER – On Thursday, the Lake Palestine Water Treatment Plant was taken offline due to multiple critical equipment failures and flooding in the filter pipe gallery. Until the flooding issue can be resolved and the equipment failures repaired, Tyler Water Utilities is relying entirely on the Golden Road Water Treatment Plant to supply water to the entire City of Tyler.

While GRWTP can typically meet the City’s daily water needs during this time of year, any large water main break or sudden surge in demand could cause system pressure to fall below safe and acceptable levels.

To help protect the system and maintain reliable service citywide, TWU has activated Stage 2 of the City’s Drought Contingency and Emergency Demand Management Plan. Stage 2 calls for a 10 percent reduction in total daily water use. As of Saturday, Oct. 11, these restrictions are still in effect.  Continue reading Tyler requiring residents to reduce water

LINDALE – A five-vehicle crash occurred on Interstate 20 Thursday afternoon, leaving one person trapped inside a vehicle. According to our news partner KETK, the Lindale Fire Department reports firefighters were dispatched to Interstate 20 eastbound near mile marker 551. At the scene, three 18-wheelers and two passenger vehicles were involved in the crash, with several vehicles sustaining significant damage. The person trapped inside their vehicle was removed and cared for by EMS. The Lindale FD assisted by Smith County ESD 2 and a local hazmat company was conducting cleanup operations on Interstate 20.

HIDEAWAY LAKE – The eastbound lanes of Interstate 20 before FM 849 at mile marker 552 are backed up following a multi-vehicle crash.

LIVINGSTON (AP) — Texas’ top criminal court on Thursday again paused the execution of Robert Roberson, just days before he was set to become the first person in the U.S. put to death for a murder conviction tied to the diagnosis of shaken baby syndrome.

This was the third execution date that Roberson’s lawyers have been able to stay since 2016, including an attempt nearly a year ago that was stopped by an unprecedented intervention from a bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers who believe he is innocent.

The latest execution stay was granted by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Roberson had been scheduled to receive a lethal injection on Oct. 16. Since his first execution date more than nine years ago, Roberson’s lawyers have filed multiple petitions with state and federal appeals courts, as well as with the U.S. Supreme Court, to try and stop his execution. Continue reading Appeals court pauses Roberson execution