KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the week of February 8. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

SMITH COUNTY – Tyler Maintenance crews plan to conduct work at several locations around the county including replacing a culvert on Farm Road 2015 near Farm Road 14 on Monday with flaggers directing traffic; base repairs on State Highway 155South for the remainder of the week with the roadway reduced to one lane. Another crew will be performing ditch maintenance around the area as well as culvert work at the SH 31/Spur 164 intersection. Expect the outside lane of SH 31 to be closed during this work around the middle of the week. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

TYLER – Three men are being sought in a Tyler robbery. The victim tells officers, around 2:00 Saturday afternoon he was walking along West Bow Street when three men passed him. They then attacked him from behind. One of the men was armed with silver-colored brass knuckles. They stole some property and fled. The first suspect had a thin beard, a fade haircut, and was wearing a purple shirt, blue jeans, and a gold hoop earring in his left ear. The second suspect was wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans. The third was wearing black pants, a black shirt with white writing, a black jacket, and white sneakers. The victim is in stable condition at Mother Francis Hospital.

NACOGDOCHES – One person has been killed and two injured in a two vehicle accident near Nacogdoches. The head-on collision happened around 8:00 Friday night on State Highway 21. Dead at the scene was Charlotte Creel, 52, of Nacogdoches. She died when her car was hit by a pickup driven by Joshua Pierson, 22, of Pollock. The Department of Public Safety says Creel was passing another vehicle in a no passing zone when the accident occurred. Pierson, and a passenger in his vehicle, Derek Stewart, 23, of Woden, Pierson is listed in critical condition and Stewart is in serious condition. Neither was wearing their seatbelts.

TYLER – A fire just north of Tyler has destroyed a home, damaged four others and a truck. The Saturday afternoon fire was reported in the 3300 block of Mary Ann Street. Neighbors told KETK two people, including a small were in the house when the fire started. No one in the homes were injured. One firefighter became overheated and was treated at the scene. The cause remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW – A Longview drug raid has resulted in three arrests. The raid occurred Friday morning at a house in the 100 block of Cummings Street. Arrested on drug charges as well as outstanding warrants were Brandon Reese, 25, (pictured) Clifford Nelson, 44, and Damian Nelson, all from Longview. Police say in the house where the men were arrested they recovered some narcotics.

LONGVIEW – A Longview woman was robbed as she left work around shortly before 7:45 Friday night. She was leaving a business in the 1000 block of W. Loop 281 when a man came out from behind a dumpster and came up behind her. He is said to pushed her down and took the store’s money bag. He then fled in an unknown direction. She was unable to tell the gender of her attacker, who was said to have been wearing gloves, a ski mask and a yellow poncho.

TYLER –- Leadership Tyler has announced Brian Brandt as the 2016 Distinguished Alumni Award honoree. The Distinguished Alumni Award is given annually to a Leadership Tyler alum nominated by his or her peers and chosen by past award recipients. Mr. Brandt will be honored at the annual Leadership Tyler Reunion, which will be held on February 26th at the Hollytree Country Club. Brandt is a member of Leadership Tyler Class 19. He is the CEO of Core Insights, a company which influences individuals and organizations through training, strategic planning, coaching, keynotes, and leased employees.

GILMER – An Upshur County man has drawn a long prison term for sexually assaulting two boys. Tylor Lynn Charette, 22, of the Bettie Community, pleaded guilty Friday to counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child. State District Judge Lauren Parish sentenced him to life in prison plus an additional 30 years. According to a news release from Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd, Charette was a baby sitter for the boys. He is said to have repeatedly assaulted them and then told the boys, if they would keep quite about it he’d give them prizes. The mother of the two elementary students heard them crying one night and they told her of what had happened. She called authorities.

TYLER – Tyler’s Broadway Square Mall will be named on Tuesday a StormReady Supporter by the National Weather Service. This becomes the first mall in the ArkLaTex region, and one of 30 around the country, to be recognized as a StormReady Supporter. Bill Parker, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the National Weather service in Shreveoprt,says, this shows the Tyler mall has put in place practices to ensure the safety of their employees, tenants and customers when severe weather strikes. Continue reading Tyler’s Mall a StormReady Supporter

CLEVELAND (AP/Staff) – Johnny Manziel’s agent has dropped the quarterback and Tyler native following two police investigations in Texas last weekend. Erik Burkhardt released a statement to media outlets Friday saying “with deep regret” he has ended the business relationship. Manziel will be released by the Cleveland Browns next month. Burkhardt says he will remain supportive of the 23-year-old player. The agent adds that he and Manziel’s family have gone to great lengths to outline steps to help him. Continue reading Manziel’s Agent Drops Quarterback after Police Inquiries

HENDERSON COUNTY — The Henderson County Fire Marshal has identified the cause of a fire resulting in the deaths of two people Tuesday night in the Coffee City area. According to KETK, Fire Marshal Shane Renberg says the fire inside the Briarwood Bay subdivision was caused by an exploding propane tank. The incident has been ruled accidental. Investigators determined the cause of the fire was due to a propane leak inside the residence. The mobile home had no electricity, and the two residents are believed to have been using a propane stove for heat. Investigators believe during the late evening on the 2nd, a small leak in a gas line allowed propane to fill the residence, causing an explosion when one of the residents tried to light the stove to heat the residence. The two victims have not yet been identified due to pending notification of kin.

TYLER — Bill O’Donnell has been named the next vice president for business affairs at The University of Texas at Tyler effective Feb. 1. O’Donnell most recently served as vice chancellor for administrative and fiscal affairs at Indiana University – South Bend. At UT Tyler, O’Donnell is responsible for management of the university’s facilities, financial services, recruiting efforts, and human resources, according to a news release. UTT President Rodney Mabry cites O’Donnell’s “experience and devotion to excellence at each of his former positions.” Continue reading UT Tyler Announces New Vice President for Business Affairs

LONGVIEW — One person has been arrested in connection to a fire in Longview. The fire was set at a vacant building on Eden Drive Tuesday night. According to the Longview Fire Department, a juvenile was booked into the Gregg County Juvenile Detention Center. Officials said that particular arson has no relation to the other fires, at least ten, thought to also be intentionally set. Authorities said eyewitnesses helped with the investigation and encourages the public to come forward with any information on fires they may have witnessed.

TYLER — UT Health Northeast held a news conference to address the concerns of the mosquito borne Zika Virus in East Texas. “We first were alerted to a documented case in Harris County about the middle part of January so this is all a new occurrences” George Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of Northeast Public Health District of Tyler, said. According to KETK, this week CDC confirmed the first sexually transmitted case of Zika, from a patient who sex with someone who returned from Venezula. Continue reading East Texas Heath Officials Address Zika Virus

TYLER – An elderly reported missing has been found. Tyler Police said James Lowell has been located and reunited with family. Lowell was reported missing Thursday morning from a Rice Road assisted living facility.

LONGVIEW – Two Longview men have been busted on drug charges. Rickey Don Woods, 27,(pictured) and Cody Len Bartlett, 36, were arrested a hotel room in the 3100 Block of Estes Parkway. They were arrested after the County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit, along with several Longview police officers, executed a narcotic search warrant. Besides being booked into the Gregg County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance, they were also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.

TYLER — Alba-Golden Senior Jaselyn Riley will be getting two diplomas in May. She graduates from high school and will receive an associate’s degree from Tyler Junior College. She, like a growing number of students, are taking dual credit courses. A record number of students are registered in dual credit courses at TJC. It hit 2,033 this semester. And not only academic courses, but technology courses are available as well. Continue reading Dual Credit Courses, Growing in Popularity

TYLER (AP/STAFF) — A federal jury Tyler has ordered Apple to pay $625.6 million after finding that Apple services like FaceTime and iMessage infringed on technology patents held by Nevada patent-holding company VirnetX. The Company had previously won a $368 million verdict against Apple on similar claims in 2012. That award was overturned by an appellate court, which ordered a new trial. Continue reading Tyler Jury Orders Apple to Pay $625.6 Million in Patent Case

TYLER – Travel should be a little slower through Friday on Farm Road 279. The Texas Department of Transportation is conduct milling work on the road between Tyler and Chandler. FM 279 runs between State Highway 64 & Farm Road 315. Motorists are asked to slow down and watch for lane closures.

CANTON – A two vehicle collision near Canton has killed a Henderson County teen. Killed in the Tuesday afternoon crash was Ethan Gould, 19, of Athens. He was pronounced dead at the scene after his pickup collided head on with a tractor trailer rig. One of the three persons in the 18-wheeler was taken to the hospital where she was treated and released. The accident happened shortly before 6:00 Tuesday afternoon on State Highway 19, about nine miles south of Canton.

LONGVIEW – A Longview man has been arrested after being accused of two armed robberies. Kenneth Dewayne “Frog” McGee, 35, is accused of using a handgun to rob a store on South Eastman Road and earlier robbing a convenience store on Gilmer Road. A few minutes after the second robbery, McGee, who matched the suspect’s description, was found on Swancy Street. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail Wednesday morning on two counts of aggravated robbery. His bonds total $100,000.

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man is behind bars after his victim took matters into their own hands. According to KETK, around 10:55 Monday night, police were dispatched to a home on Spring Street for an unknown problem. When officers arrived, the victim told police that a Hispanic male, identified as Kevin Mitchell Gonzales, 28, Longview, had attempted to enter the garage without permission. The victim and Gonzales began to fight and Gonzales pulled out a handgun. During the struggle Gonzales fired one round from the .45 caliber pistol. The victim was able to get the gun away from Gonzales and hold him down until police arrived. Continue reading Homeowner Turns Gun on Suspect

ANGELINA COUNTY — An East Texas man has been arrested after reportedly fighting with a deputy during his arrest. According to the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, Dalton Mack Oates, 23, of Lufkin, was taken into custody after he was found hiding under a home. Officials said they received reports of an intoxicated man who had allegedly entered a home and stole a cellphone. A short time later, a deputy was able to locate found an intoxicated Oates with three cellphones. According to KETK, when the deputy tried to arrest the suspect, he began struggling with the deputy and was wrestled to the ground. Oates then ran into a wooded area. Officials eventually found Oates, with the help of Lufkin Police, underneath a hiding underneath a house. He was arrested and charged with resisting arrest, assault on a public servant and evading arrest. He is being held in the Angelina County Jail on bonds totaling $17,500.

TYLER — Tyler Water Utilities says it continues to see improvements in the city’s drinking water quality according to test results. According to a news release, the latest readings from all eight sampling sites are significantly below the maximum contaminant level threshold of 60 parts per billion (ppb) for haloacetic acids. After customers received notice of the exceedance of haloacetic acids in the drinking water, many questions were asked regarding the safety of Tyler’s water. To answer the citizens’ call for action, Mayor Heines held a press conference last November saying he’d asked City Manager Ed Broussard to contact a third party, eHt, to evaluate Tyler Water utilities and its processes. Continue reading Officials: Test Results Continue to See Water Quality Improvement

KILGORE — A Longview man outed himself by way of a job application shortly after he stole a car in the Kilgore area, according to police. According to KETK, police say on Tuesday night, a man entered a restaurant to get a bite to eat but left his vehicle running. While the man was inside the business, a burglar jumped in his vehicle and sped away. Responding officers learned the suspect had just filled out a job application containing his personal information right before the car was taken. Kilgore Police said officers also knew the man from previous run-ins with the law, and a Be on the Lookout (BOLO) was issued for Courtney Cordell Wheat. Continue reading Police: Vehicle Thief Busted after Filling Out Job Application

LONGVIEW — Longview police took two Longview residents into custody Tuesday afternoon following a car chase. Authorities said kids were inside the suspect vehicle. At 4:36 p.m., officers were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on Trevorris Rashomique Woodard, 28, in relation to a narcotics case. When officers tried to pull over a car in which the suspect was a passenger, the driver of that vehicle reportedly sped away. During the pursuit, the suspect allegedly threw a handgun out of the front passenger window. The driver, who was later identified as 28-year-old Taneeka Channee Woodard, reportedly led police on a short chase before giving herself up at the intersection of Carter and Nelson Streets. Continue reading Police: Two Arrested Following Chase with Kids in Car