KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Tyler Police worked a major wreck Wednesday morning on Highway 271 near UT Health Center. According to KETK, police say there were two cars involved, nobody went to the hospital, and the cars were not blocking the road. No further details were immediately available.

PITTSBURG — A woman has been reported missing in Pittsburg. According to KETK and Pittsburg police, Sylvia Youngberg is 71 years old, white, 5’6,” 185 lbs., with long back length gray hair that may be in a bun. She is believed to be wearing the clothing in the attached photograph and blue jean pants. She was last seen at approximately 8 p.m. on December 13 at the Pittsburg Nursing Center. It is believed she left walking in an unknown direction. If seen, you’re asked to call the Pittsburg Police Department at 903-856-3330 or your local law enforcement agency.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has voted unanimously to annex 113.8 acres adjacent to the present boundary limits of the city at the southeast intersection of Interstate Highway 20 and Highway 69 North. This is a voluntary annexation requested by the property owner, the Fair Trust. The property is not currently inhabited.

“As part of the Tyler 21 Plan, the City of Tyler has undertaken the installation of water and sewer lines along Highway 69 in an effort to stimulate growth toward Interstate 20,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass Wednesday. “The water line is almost complete and the sewer line is anticipated to be finished by this time next year. It is extremely gratifying to see this action taken today, which in large part resulted from our infrastructure project and is the foundation for major new development.”

This annexation will include a portion of County Road 461 (east of the intersection of County Road 461 and State Highway 69). Streets are given names at the time of annexation to distinguish county streets from city streets and to aid police and fire departments in identifying areas in their jurisdiction. The City Council also approved the renaming of this portion of the road to James Fair Parkway.

“This is a major step forward in fostering balanced growth for our City,” said City Council Member Ralph Caraway. “With this step and the extension of sewer service to this area next year, we are poised for significant development in this area.”

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has voted unanimously to accept an agreement with the City of Chandler that will establish Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) boundaries for both communities. Although Chandler is located in Henderson County, due to annexations by both cities, respective extraterritorial jurisdictions have reached one another. To facilitate orderly development, particularly along the Smith, Henderson, and Van Zandt County borders and to provide for a mutually agreeable settlement, representatives of both cities have had discussions and arrived at a proposed extraterritorial jurisdiction boundary for Tyler and Chandler. “We have been working with our neighboring communities to ensure there is agreement on where the ETJ is for each of us,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass. “We want to work together to do what is best for the region.”

A community’s ETJ is typically established by the number of residents in a community. Tyler’s current ETJ extends five miles while Chandler’s is half a mile from the city limit line; as annexations occur, the city limit line moves, which results in a community’s ETJ also extending. An ETJ is considered a future planning area and is an anticipated area of growth for a community. “As East Texas cities continue to grow, mutual cooperation is essential,” said Tyler City Manager Mark McDaniel. “The agreement we have reached with Chandler is in the best interests of both communities and I am pleased with the outcome.”

TYLER — The City of Tyler continues the quest for continuous improvement by starting a journey toward receipt of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, according to officials. The Baldrige Award was created by Congress in 1987 and is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence a United States organization can receive. It is a system-based model that evaluates seven categories of an organization’s makeup — leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement/analysis, workforce focus, operation focus and results. The award is presented by the President of the United States. “This journey is not about getting an award, it is about examining all parts of the City and finding ways to constantly improve our organization,” said Mark McDaniel, Tyler City Manager.

To begin this process, the City will first pursue the Texas Award for Performance Excellence (TAPE). Developed in the 1990’s, the TAPE Award is based upon the Baldrige Award and promotes awareness of effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, integrated processes and world-class results as an increasingly important element in competitiveness. The process for preparing for the award audit will include engagement of the City’s Lean Sigma Green and Black Belts and refinement of the City’s strategic planning and business planning processes, as well as internal assessment by key staff trained in the Baldrige methodology.

City officials say the City of Tyler has a long history of performance excellence. According to press materials, this history was strengthened in 1997 with the adoption of the Blueprint Business Model, which officials say defined the City’s core values and commitment to a culture of continuous improvement. The Blueprint guides Tyler’s organizational culture and is what officials say differentiates Tyler from other municipal governments.

LINDEN (AP) – Police say a pickup has struck a school bus in a northeast Texas wreck that left the truck driver hurt and his vehicle on fire. Linden police say the accident happened Wednesday morning on Highway 59. Police say the pickup ended up lodged beneath the rear area of the bus, which did not catch fire. Officer Mike Rider says the school bus apparently had stopped to pick up children and that no students were hurt. Rider told The Associated Press that the pickup driver has injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening and he was transported to a hospital. The crash involved a Linden-Kildare Consolidated Independent School District bus. Superintendent James Cowley says the bus carried 13 students and a driver.

TYLER — John Tyler High School Associate Principal of Curriculum & Instruction, Michael Timms, has been named the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) State of Texas Assistant Principal of the Year. This award is given to the assistant principal who exhibits exemplary performance and outstanding leadership in secondary education. Mr. Timms was unanimously selected to receive this honor by a committee of eight leading educators in the State of Texas.

“It is truly a pleasure to work side-by-side with Mr. Timms,” John Tyler High School Principal Shon Joseph said. “He is a highly effective leader on our campus, but more importantly, he is a positive influence on our students. I have no doubt many John Tyler graduates will list him as an inspiration in their future successes.”

By being selected TASSP State of Texas Assistant Principal of the Year, Mr. Timms earned a trip to a national conference in Washington, DC, where he will meet with the 49 other statewide assistant principals of the year. While in Washington, DC, he will also meet the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Education, and federal lawmakers.

The TASSP State of Texas Assistant Principal of the Year is selected from among the 20 Regional Assistant Principals of the Year. Mr. Timms was named the Region 7 Assistant Principal of the Year this past summer. He will now move on to compete for the National Assistant Principal of the Year recognition.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man’s bond is set at $100,000 in connection with a Sunday crash that injured a Longview police officer and her passenger. Ramon Antonio Dominguez, 22, was booked into the Gregg County Jail on Monday charged with two counts of intoxication assault. Officer Leigh Ann Snyder’s patrol car was struck head-on by Dominguez around 8:00 Sunday morning in the 5200 block of West Loop 281.

According to the arrest warrant, when officer Amy Cave responded to the scene, she met with Dominguez, who she said smelled like alcohol. According to the police report, Dominguez indicated that he had been drinking, and when asked how much, he said that he had been drinking ‘too much to be driving. Dominguez also told Cave he and a few friends were heading home, and said he wasn’t the one who was driving when the crash occurred. But the responding officer said he was the driver and that there were no passengers in the car.

Following the crash, the Jaws of Life were called to extricate the officer and her passenger, Courtney Walker, from the vehicle, and both were transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center. Snyder underwent emergency surgery for injuries sustained in the crash, and Walker was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Dominguez was transported to the jail after being released from the hospital Monday. Snyder was listed in fair condition Tuesday.

LONGVIEW — A one-vehicle rollover wreck Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of West Cotton Street and Spur 63 in Longview injured the driver and damaged cars at a nearby dealership, police say. According to police, the crash happened when the driver’s vehicle left the roadway and hit a light pole. The vehicle then flipped. The cars at the dealership were damaged by the fallen light pole. The driver was taken to a local hospital.

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating an aggravated assault. It happened around 11:00 Tuesday night in the 300 block of Frank Avenue. Officers said the victim, Aaron Thomas, had reported that Sergio Loiza shot him during an altercation. According to the police report, the two men had been arguing when Loiza showed back up at the victim’s residence with a handgun. Authorities said Loiza hit the victim in the head with the gun when it discharged hitting Thomas in the back. He was treated for a non-life threatening superficial gunshot wound at East Texas Medical Center.

ORE CITY — A two vehicle accident in Upshur County has left one person dead. The accident occurred just after 3:15 Tuesday afternoon on State Highway 155, just west of its intersection with Wisteria. Dead at the scene was Joseph Don DeLuca, 41, of Gilmer. The Department of Public Safety reports DeLuca’s car was east bound when it crossed over to the westbound lane and hit a pickup. The pickup’s driver was not injured.

GILMER — A Gregg County man will be serving time in prison for a drug violation in Upshur County. Anthony Derrick Hollis, 38, of Gladewater, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for delivery of cocaine. Because Hollis has two prior convictions the punishment was enhanced.

Hollis was arrested in August of last year after an informant tipped of authorities that Hollis wanted to sell crack cocaine. Authorities were able to obtain audio and video of the meeting.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A group of low-wealth schools, including a school district in Van Zandt County, has filed the third lawsuit against the state over school funding. Four school districts, Edgewood, and three in south Texas, McAllen, San Benito and La Feria, are named as plaintiffs. Each district has low property tax value. Three parents also are plaintiffs.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed the lawsuit in Austin Tuesday. It alleges the state’s school finance system is inequitable and inadequate for students who are low-income or still learning English.

Plaintiffs also allege that many property poor districts are taxing at the maximum rate just to meet state requirements and “no longer have meaningful discretion in setting their tax rates.”

MALDEF attorney David Hinojosa says the state has not provided adequate money to reach new standards and college-readiness goals.

LONGVIEW – Longview school trustees have accepted the resignation of Superintendent James Wilcox. The action came at their meeting late Monday night. District officials said the vote was 6-0, with trustee Troy Simmons absent from the meeting. Wilcox’s resignation takes effect December 31. Wilcox has been Longview’s school superintendent for over 4½ years. He came to Longview from the Waxahachie school district.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – The Sulphur Springs school district needs a new superintendent. Patsy Bolton submitted her letter of resignation and retirement at Monday’s school board meeting. It a prepared statement to the media Bolton said, “It was with a bittersweet mixture of humility and pride that I officially submitted by resignation and notice of retirement to the trustees.”

She was first appointed to act as interim superintendent after Mark Henry was selected superintendent at Galena Park ISD in May 2004. She was named superintendent and assumed the position in July, 2004.

TYLER — East Texas Medical Center-Tyler celebrated what’s termed “visionary leadership” as its emergency center was named the Elmer G. Ellis Trauma Center Tuesday as part of a $1 million donation by the Robert M. Rogers Foundation. In 2005, ETMC Tyler embarked on an $8 million expansion and refurbishment of its emergency department, beginning with a major addition of 12 exam rooms and support areas located on the west side of the emergency drive.

The Rogers Foundation elected to support what hospital officials call “this vital capital project” through a $1 million pledge that was completed earlier this year. As part of its commitment, the foundation asked that the trauma center be named for Elmer G. Ellis, president/CEO of the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System at the project’s completion. “Nothing better reflects ETMC’s mission of care for East Texans – and the dedication of Elmer Ellis – than its trauma program,” said Wade C. Ridley, board chairman for the ETMC Foundation. “We are grateful to the Rogers Foundation for its outstanding support of the trauma center project, which will ultimately save countless lives.”

A bronze plaque honoring Ellis, located with the donor recognition wall, reads: “Through a landmark gift to this facility, The Robert M. Rogers Foundation recognizes Elmer G. Ellis, President/CEO, East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, for exemplifying ETMC’s mission of care to East Texas. His personal dedication has resulted in an unmatched emergency/trauma network throughout the region and beyond, and ETMC Tyler’s State of Texas designation as a Level I Trauma Center. This center is thereby dedicated in his honor and in recognition of the lives that will be saved within these hallowed walls.”

TYLER — The teen who fired some shots in the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center, will be going to prison. Corey Darnell Webb was sentenced to 50 years. The Missouri teen admitted to shooting at officers inside the facility a year ago when he appeared Tuesday in 7th State District Court. Webb could have received up to life in prison. Kansas City police had asked Tyler police to hold Webb for outstanding warrants. During that time, he pulled a gun from his backpack and began firing at an officer inside the attention center. No one was injured.

LINDALE — The Lindale Independent School District board of trustees voted Monday night to join more than 300 school districts in the Texas Taxpayer and Student Fairness Coalition-Equity Center lawsuit filed against the state. Officials say the lawsuit, filed in October, is in response to the Texas legislature’s more than $4 billion cuts to school funding. The goal of the lawsuit is to push reform for the state’s current funding system in order to begin a new means to fairly distribute resources to districts, adjust for varying costs of educating students of all needs and vary operating costs of districts of different classifications (rural versus urban). The lawsuit addresses state property tax, adequacy and suitability, student equity, target revenue, tax payer equity and equal protection.

“Lindale ISD, like most districts, wants an efficient and equitable funding system for public schools,” Superintendent Stan Surratt said. “Lindale ISD is below the state average in terms of revenue per student. Also, the current funding system designed by the legislature has major issues in adequacy and future capacity. We want to see this changed.”

LISD trustees first examined joining the lawsuit as part of the business discussion at the October 10 meeting. LISD school board president Brig. Gen. James K. “Red” Brown was not present at Monday night’s meeting but Surratt said Brown had discussed the litigation with the school district’s attorneys and recommended the district participate. With Gen. Brown’s recommendation, trustees approved the contribution of $1 per Weighted Average Daily Attendance (WADA) for the lawsuit by a vote of 6-0.

Lindale ISD joins several school districts from East Texas in the equity lawsuit including Tyler ISD, Bullard ISD and Van ISD. There are currently three school finance lawsuits against the state. “In the past, most major reform and improvement in school funding has come about due to school districts filing lawsuits in the state,” added Surratt. “This is not the first time this has happened. Our goal is to prompt and motivate legislators to address the funding crisis that schools are facing.”

TYLER — Fire has damaged a Tyler home. It was reported just before 9:00 Tuesday morning at 1917 North Border. The fire started in a bedroom of the house. Everyone inside escaped safely.

Investigators say the fire when a propane space heater was started. The bed was quickly involved with fire and the residents left the house. There was heavy fire damage to two rooms. In addition, there was smoke damage throughout the house.

At this time of the year the fire department wants to remind everyone about space heater safety. All space heaters need at least 3 foot clearance from anything that can burn. Clothing, furniture, decorations, etc. can all burn if too close to a space heater. Propane space heaters are not designed to be used to heat the interior of a house while people are living in it. The greatest danger is the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning to the occupants. As always, having a working smoke detector that is properly located in a house gives the earliest warning to everyone so that they get out alive.

TYLER — The sex abuse scandals at Penn State and Syracuse cause some colleges all over the country re-examining their policies, including campuses here in in East Texas. Tyler Junior College spokesman, Fred Peters, says they were already making sure that any hint of harassment was reported and dealt with quickly. Peters says that TJC has had a Civility Task Force in place for over a year, that meets every week.

But Peters also wonders if the Sandusky story breaking when it did had anything to do with a letter from the government. The letter was sent to all colleges and universities and warned of a renewed effort to make sure Title IX cases of harassment were rooted out. Title IX is the law that deals with gender equity issues we usually associate with women’s athletics. But is also covers harassment. There were over 4000 incidents of sexual harassment reported in universities across the country last year. But with the latest high profile cases, perhaps that number will go down.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin woman was in critical condition in a Tyler hospital following a two-vehicle accident on U.S. Highway 59. Maria Cordero, 43, is being treated at East Texas Medical Center-Tyler according to Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Phillip Richard. Cordero was northbound on Highway 59 north in her 2004 Ford Mustang around 4:45 Monday afternoon when she clipped a Toyota Rav-4 driven by Jaime Sifuentes, 30, of Nacogdoches. Upon clipping the side of Sifuentes’ SUV, Cordero over-corrected, lost control and hit a metal fence in front of a home facing the highway.

After slamming into the fence, her car came to rest on its passenger side, pinning her inside the vehicle. Cordero was wearing her seat belt. Sifuentes was uninjured in the accident.

TITUS COUNTY — Two Naples residents died Saturday evening in a one-vehicle crash in Titus County. According to Department of Public Safety officials, Shawn Hamm, 39, was traveling eastbound on U.S. 67 around 8:00, when she left the roadway and struck a tree. DPS spokeswoman Sylvia Jennings said both Hamm and her passenger, Jordon Roosevelt, 56, were pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said Hamm was wearing a seatbelt when the crash occurred, but Roosevelt was not.

LONGVIEW — Longview ISD Superintendent, James Wilcox, announced his retirement to district principals and some area media Monday but had not officially given the news to his school board. That notification may have come in a closed session of the board that continued late Monday.

Board President Sam Satterwhite said Monday afternoon he was aware Wilcox had notified principals, but could not confirm when the retirement would take effect because Wilcox “has not officially told the board that.”

Longview ISD spokesman Adam Holland said in an email Wilcox planned to give his retirement notice to trustees at the meeting that began at 7:00 Monday night. If accepted, his retirement would take effect Dec. 31, Holland said. However, nothing was said about the matter during the portion of the meeting that was open to the public. About 9:00, the board went into executive session for its annual self-assessment and to discuss personnel and other matters.

“I’m pleased to have been a part of the best school district east of I-45,” Wilcox said in a news release issued Monday afternoon. “This is bittersweet, as I have loved every day in Longview ISD.”

Wilcox said in the news release he hasn’t made immediate full-time work plans, but intends to remain active in educational circles and Longview-area organizations. Meanwhile, district officials have remained mum on rumors that the board intends to rehire Wilcox about a month after his retirement takes effect.

Such an arrangement would be acceptable under the state’s Teacher Retirement System. The move would allow Wilcox to draw a salary from the district as well as partial benefits of the Teacher Retirement System. With an annual salary of $207,500, his contract with the school district expires June 30.

TYLER – A Smith County man will be going to prison for a shooting this spring in the Broadway Square Mall parking lot. Terrence Widemon, 25, of Flint, pleaded guilty Monday to aggravated assault. State District Judge Jack Skeen sentenced Widemon to 12 years in prison.

HENDERSON – The Gaston Water Supply is asking its customers to boil water for a 72 hour period. The company has experience a water line break and a loss of pressure. They are asking their Henderson customers on Main Street and Farm Road 13, and the customers south of these roads, to boil their water.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Obama administration says a Republican bill to fast-track approval of an oil pipeline from Canada could lead to the project’s demise. In a statement Monday, the State Department warned that congressional interference with the Keystone XL pipeline could backfire. The State Department has authority over the project because it crosses an international border.

The statement said that if Congress imposes an arbitrary deadline for a permit decision, it could prevent the administration from meeting environmental laws that govern the approval process. In that case, officials say the department would be unable to make a determination to issue a permit.’

GOP lawmakers back a bill to require approval of the pipeline within 60 days. They say the Canada-to-Texas pipeline will help create jobs without taxpayer money. The proposed route of the pipeline takes it through eastern Smith County.

TYLER — Effective today, the City of Tyler Water Utilities Department is implementing “Step Two” of the Drought Contingency Measures. The City implemented Stage One drought measures in early October of this year which called for voluntary restrictions of residential water use.

“Although the City has experienced some rain events in the last month, it has not been enough precipitation to refill our reservoirs,” said Water Utilities Managing Director Greg Morgan. “We feel that because of the dry weather conditions we have been experiencing in the last year and the predictions of a dry spring and summer in the upcoming year, it is in the best interest of Tyler’s long term planning efforts to take this action at this time.”

Step Two drought measures call for mandatory water conservation measures to prohibit water waste. Water waste is defined as washing house windows, sidings, eaves and roof with a hose (without the use of a bucket); washing driveways, streets, curbs and gutters, washing vehicles without a cut-off valve and bucket; unattended sprinkling of landscape shrubs and grass; and filling of swimming pools.

Outdoor water usage, such as irrigation of landscaped areas, is limited to Sundays and Thursdays for customers with a street address ending in an even number or Saturdays and Wednesdays for water customers with a street address ending in an odd number. Additionally, irrigation should be done between the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m. Use of hand-held hoses, watering cans and drip systems for irrigation may be done at any time.

The goal of the Step Two drought measures is to reduce water consumption by 10%.

“The State of Texas as well as the entire country is taking a close look at water use and conservation,” added Morgan. “We need to make sure we are doing what we can to prepare for the future.”

SMITH COUNTY — One person is dead after a family argument turned violent. According to Smith County authorities, it happened just before 2:45 Sunday afternoon in the 15,000 block of Dry Creek Road when Audy Douglas Murphy, 39, began arguing with his mother, Nanette Kirton, 62. Murphy’s stepfather, William Wesley Kirton, 67, found him standing over Mrs. Kirton, yelling at her. Mr. Kirton then retrieved his handgun and warned Murphy to stop the abuse or he would shoot. Authorities said Murphy turned toward Mr. Kirton and began coming at him aggressively, telling his stepdad to “shoot me”. Mr. Kirton fired one shot with his 9 millimeter into Murphy’s chest. He died at the scene.

Authorities tell our news partner KETK, they have responded to the residence 31 times to deal with the son. Officials say Murphy suffers from mental illness and was off his medications at the time of the shooting. He is also known to abuse illegal substances, and had a pending assault. Murphy also has a criminal history of assault, terroristic threat, criminal mischief, unlawful carrying weapon, DWI and vehicle theft. Deputies did not arrest Mr. Kirton. They believe he killed Murphy in protection for himself and his wife. The case will be presented to a grand jury for review.

JACKSONVILLE — A Jacksonville man was killed in a hit-and-run in Cherokee County. According to Texas Department of Public Safety reports, a vehicle struck and killed Adam Wade Stockton, 40, before 3:00 Saturday morning on County Road 3906, northeast of Jacksonville. The vehicle was driving around another vehicle that was stopped in the roadway when it hit Stockton. Stockton was pronounced dead at East Texas Medical Center Jacksonville. The Jacksonville Highway Patrol office is investigating.

LONGVIEW — Longview police say the motorist who struck an officer’s patrol car head-on Sunday morning will face charges of intoxication assault. Police spokeswoman Kristie Brian said officer Leigh Ann Snyder’s patrol car was struck at about 8:00 Sunday morning by Ramon Antonio Dominguez, 22, of Longview. The incident occurred in the 5200 block of Loop 281, between Sabine Street and Texas 31.

Brian said Dominguez was under the influence of alcohol when he lost control of his Toyota Scion, traveled across the median and struck Snyder’s patrol car. Following the crash, the Jaws of Life were called to extricate the officer and her passenger from the vehicle. They were transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center. Snyder underwent emergency surgery from injuries sustained in the crash, and her passenger was transported for less serious injuries.

Dominguez was also transported to the hospital for injuries sustained in the crash. He was listed in good condition Monday, and the officer was listed in fair condition. Brian said Dominguez faced charges of two counts of intoxication assault.