KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Repairs are planned for a storm sewer pipe under parts of East Grande Blvd. The City of Tyler announced on Thursday, that construction will starts July 6th and is expected to run through the 20th. The eastbound lanes of East Grande Boulevard will be closed from Rhones Quarter Rd to HWY 110 through out the project. Eastbound traffic on East Grande Boulevard will be detoured north and south onto Rhones Quarter Road. Westbound traffic will not be affected by this closure.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been arrested on charges of murder. According to our news partner KETK, James Barron, 31 was arrested and is in the Gregg County Jail. On June 20, Llewellyn Williams, 58, was found dead in his home. Police say it was a homicide, an autopsy confirms that belief. Barron’s record includes conviction of drug possession, falsifying his identity, and a DWI. Records also show Barron has been arrested twice on animal cruelty charges, but not convicted.

TYLER — Texas College has announced that the 126-year-old institution will host the Fall 2020 academic term entirely online. The school announced the decision Thursday, with a start date of August 12, and concluding November 20. The college released details following a thorough assessment of the coronavirus pandemic. A continuous review will take place to establish what needs to be done for the spring term. Fall sports will be suspended for the upcoming semester, with hopes of a spring return.

KILGORE — The Texas Shakespeare Festival at Kilgore College will be awarded a $25,000 grant to support a touring production of abridged versions of “Much Ado About Nothing” and “Hamlet” to schools throughout the state as part of the TSF Roadshow Tour. The school said in a press release Wednesday, that Arts Midwest notified them they will receive a portion of the 1.17 million dollars that will be passed out among more than 40 theatre companies and organizations. Continue reading Texas Shakespeare Festival at KC awarded $25,000

TYLER — Tyler Junior College announced three additional students have tested positive for the coronavirus, on Thursday. This brings the new total to 5. According to our news partner KETK, the individuals had been on campus prior to testing positive. Local health officials were notified, as well as the Dean of Students and the Director of Risk Management. The students have been placed in quarantine and will be allowed on campus once they have been symptom free for three days, and have a release from a doctor.

TYLER — A driver crashes into an All Saints Episcopal School security booth late Wednesday night. According to our news partner KETK, authorities say the crash happened between 11 p.m. and midnight. The driver reportedly took the time to take their license plates off the car before running away. No one was inside the booth at the time of the crash. The booth was built several years ago as a way to monitor visitors on campus and add an extra layer of safety during the school year. Police have no description of a driver at this time and are asking that anyone with information to please contact them.

MARSHALL — An East Texas educator has been give the honor of Superintendent of the Year. According to our news partner KETK, Dr. Jerry Gibson, Marshall ISD’s superintendent, has been named the 2020 Regional Superintendent of the Year. Gibson arrived in Marshall ISD in 2016, and since then has successfully managed bond construction projects, opened five new campuses, and implemented new programs within the district, including dual credit partnerships with East Texas Baptist University and Texas State Technical College. Continue reading Gibson to represent Region 7 as Superintendent of the Year

TYLER — A longtime news anchor in Tyler has died. Judy Jordan died Monday, after battling Alzheimer’s disease. The former KLTV anchor spent a season with KTBB. Jordan, is considered an innovator for women in media, she was the first female anchor in Dallas. Jordan entered the Tyler market in 1984, where she anchored the “East Texas News” every weeknight. Judy Jordan was 79.

TYLER — Culture East TX, is a restaurant in downtown Tyler. On Wednesday, the eatery announced, on their social media page, they would be temporarily closing after an employee was possibly exposed to the coronavirus, while off work. A portion of the post states, “We will be fully sterilizing the restaurant (as always) and will notify y’all as soon as we get the results back from the testing.”

TYLER — The new month began with the Northeast Texas Public Health District rolling out “Health On Wheels” made it’s debut. NET Health administered Meningitis vaccines for students at Chapel Hill ISD. On Wednesday, Terrance Ates told KTBB, “We ae very blessed to have received a mobile coach that was donated to us from Carter BloodCare a little over two years ago. We spent all of last year and the beginning part of this year to refurbish the bus to suit our needs; to have the interior redesigned, to have the exterior wrapped and then for each of our NET Health Department to begin to plan out how we would like to best utilize this bus.” Continue reading NET Health rolls out ‘Health On Wheels’

CANTON — Christus Trinity Mother Francis opened a new Emergency Room at their HealthPark in Canton on Wednesday. Dr. Ken Nixon was one of the speakers dedicating the new facility, “Anybody that knows me, will understand how important this is for our community. Not a day goes by that I didn’t see someone that has been longing for this in our community for a long long time and it’s here. This is a game changer, in my opinion, for the healthcare in Van Zandt County and our community.” Continue reading Christus Trinity Mother Francis opens new ER in Canton

NACOGDOCHES — Stephen F. Austin in Nacogdoches is taking steps that many Texas universities are and is going to require face masks on campus starting July 7. According to our news partner KETK, the policy will be amended as needed in response to conditions on campus. Exceptions will be evaluated on a cases by cases basis. Texas A&M University and the University of Texas have announced masks will be required starting in the fall semester for all faculty, staff, and students.

TYLER — Police say a Tyler man posed as a teen on social media accounts in an attempt to entice a girl he thought was 12 to meet him. Luis Ortiz, 22, was indicted on six counts by the latest Smith County grand jury. Ortiz was originally arrested for online solicitation of a minor and one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child from the April incident. Ortiz remains in Smith County Jail with bonds totaling $1.35 million. Court records indicate Ortiz will have a hearing Thursday and a docket hearing in August.

WOOD COUNTY — A 15-year-old has been arrested for allegedly attacking his father, Mark Breding, and his father’s girlfriend. The girlfriend was killed. Breding is in the hospital after suffering severe wounds. The teenager was arrested following a tip to law enforcement. The Texas Rangers are investigating. The girlfriend has not been identified pending notification of next of kin. The suspect was not named because he is a minor. Breding owns a law firm in Wood County, according to their website he is an award-winning former prosecutor with extensive experience in family law, divorce, criminal defense, DWI, and child custody matters.

TYLER – The University of Texas System Board of Regents approved plans for its eight institutions to offer in-person, online, and hybrid courses this fall, according to our news partner KETK. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, schools were forced to cancel in-person classes and conduct everything remotely in the spring. Because of this, The UT Regents believe they are prepared to quickly alter its plans if needed. “This experience is unlike any we have faced before, but our institutions have responded to the challenge to fulfill our mission and help ensure the health and safety of our campus communities,” Chancellor James B. Milliken said. Continue reading UT Regents approve in-person classes for fall semester

TYLER – A glitch in Smith County voting equipment may have affected some early-voting Republican ballots for the Precinct 4 Constable runoff. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Elections Administrator Karen Nelson said the technical issue was detected Monday morning after voters alerted officials that their ballots did not contain the Republican runoff race between Curtis Wulf and Josh Joplin. The mistake was corrected by noon on Monday. If you voted before noon on Monday you can contact the Smith County Elections office with questions.

TYLER — NET Health announced additional testing sites Monday in conjunction with check locations available to anyone in East Texas. The sites will be available at various times in Tyler, Longview, and Jacksonville. Any non-symptomatic person from any county can come to receive a free COVID-19 test. These walk-in testing events will not require pre-registration but will require masks. The Texas Division of Emergency Management will text each person their test results, not NET Health. Continue reading Upcoming coronavirus testing for East Texas area