KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – The Better Business Bureau of East Texas is warning about a Payroll Diversion Scam. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center has issued an urgent warning about an old scam which has come back with a new twist. It is a direct deposit phishing scam that targets the online payroll accounts of employees in a variety of industries. You are warned to be on the lookout for emails requesting personal information They may be from cybercriminals looking to access bank account information. Once they get the information, they can block the employee from accessing their account. This allows the scammer to reroute direct deposits to a prepaid card or other account which they control. If you get an email requesting log-in credentials or personal identifying information, don’t respond to it.

GLADEWATER – A Gladewater man remains in the Gregg County Jail following a weekend accident. Taylor Lane Guynn, 25, is charged with intoxication assault and accident involving serious bodily injury. The Longview News Journal reports he is accused of hitting another vehicle head-on. The Other driver was injured.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has announced the appointment of Dr. Neil Gray as dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. He has served as chair of the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry for seven years and assistant chair for two years. Gray joined the UT Tyler faculty in 1998 as a professor of chemistry. He has received numerous awards, including Piper Professorship of Teaching Excellence, Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award and Chancellor’s Outstanding Teaching Award. Gray is a fellow of the UT System Academy of Distinguished Teachers, founding fellow of the UT Tyler Academy of Distinguished Teachers and immediate past president of the Texas Academy of Science.

HENDERSON — Police have arrested 28-year-old, Damian Faustino Paz-Santovenia, on allegations that he installed a skimmer at a gas station in Henderson. According to our news partner KETK, investigators said they were able to identify Paz-Santovenia using fingerprints that were lifted from the skimmer at the Exxon gas station on Kilgore Drive. Paz-Santovenia, who was born in Cuba and living in Houston, was caught on camera at a Henderson Wal-Mart where police said several victim’s credit card numbers were used. An arrest warrant was issued for Paz-Santovenia on August 24th. Paz-Santovenia was booked into the Rusk County jail on Saturday, charged with second-degree unlawful interception of an electronic communication. He is currently being held on a $250,000 bond.

TYLER – Tyler’s rainfall deficit has nearly disappeared. The National weather service shows the weekend rains, through 7:00 Monday night, had dropped 2.27 inches on Tyler. This brings our year to date rainfall total to 31.64 inches. Our normal rainfall total to date would be 32.32 inches. For the past 12 months, Tyler has recorded 43.43 inches. The normal total is 46.63 inches.

KILGORE – The East Texas Council of Governments has taken the first step in their planned housing services expansion. Until now, they have focused almost exclusively on minor home repairs for seniors. Now, they are launching a new housing program designed assist qualified individuals impacted by storms and other disasters in East Texas. ETCOG has been approved to administer TDHCA HOME Disaster Relief Program, a long-term housing program designed to serve income eligible households Leading and implementing the program will be ETCOG’s Director of Aging, Bettye Mitchell. Continue reading A New Housing Program for Disaster Victims

MINEOLA – The Mineola school district is in the process of creating a police department. School trustees, last week, approved hiring personnel and creating the department. Cody Castleberry will begin in the new role of Director of Safety until Texas Commission on Law Enforcement approval is completed and Mineola becomes a commissioned agency. Once testing and commissioning is complete, Castleberry will then assume the title of the Chief of Police for Mineola ISD. A second officer will also be hired for the department in the upcoming months. Castleberry is a Mineola native and attended Mineola ISD. He has over 6 years of experience in law enforcement, primarily at the Mineola Police Department, and has over 2,500 hours of training.

TYLER – The Terracon Foundation has given the University of Texas at Tyler a $10,000 grant. A news release from the school said the funds will be used to establish advanced geotechnical engineering research space and educational materials for civil engineering students. A subset of civil engineering, geotechnical engineering utilizes the disciplines of rock and soil mechanics to investigate subsurface conditions for the design and building of foundations, earth structures and pavement sub-grades. Terracon Tyler office manager, Clayton Carroll of Tyler, a UT Tyler civil engineering alumnus, submitted the approved grant application.

AUSTIN – There has been a slight drop in Tyler and Longview’s unemployment figure. Tyler’s unemployment rate fell to 3.7% in August. That’s better than Texas and the nation. It was 4% the month before and 4.1% in August of last year. Longview’s unemployment went from 4.3% in July to 4.2% in August. A year ago it was 5.1%. Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% percent in August, down slightly from 4.0% in July. The nation’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.9% last month.

TYLER – A woman has entered a guilty plea, in state district court in Tyler, in connection with a fatal Smith County accident. Jessica Lauren Vass, 36, of Lindale, pleaded guilty Monday morning to two charges of intoxicated manslaughter. She decided to have a jury hear punishment testimony and assess her sentence; that process was scheduled to begin Tuesday. In April of last year, Vass was involved in a thee vehicle accident on Toll 49, just north of Highway 64. A car, driven by Annette Burkhart, 56, of Garland, was stopped southbound on the side of the roadway with a flat tire. A pickup truck, driven by Gary McCrary, 62, of Flint, was stopped behind the disabled car and McCrary was assisting Burkhart in changing the flat tire. Continue reading Woman Pleads Guilty to Intoxication Manslaughter

TYLER – TxDOT is planning to conduct a variety of construction and maintenance work throughout the Tyler District during the week of Sept. 24. In Smith County, motorists can expect traffic to move a little slower on I-20 at FM 849 for a couple of days when lane closures are implemented for painting operations. The contractor will be painting the FM 849 bridge columns. On Tuesday, Sept. 25, both inside lanes of I-20 will be closed as work is conducted. The outside lanes will be closed on Wednesday, Sept. 26. Expect delays, with travel reduced to one lane each direction during work at this location. Go to https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/local-news/tyler/041-2018.html for a full district-wide rundown.

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University Director of Fine Arts Dr. Jim Taylor has been invited to conduct a festival concert at Carnegie Hall in New York City on June 10, 2019, where he will premiere his new 20-minute composition for choir and orchestra, titled “Cambridge Songs Suite No. 2.” Taylor will be taking with him the LeTourneau Singers, the Longview Civic Chorus, and other East Texas singers. Experienced choral singers from around East Texas who are interested in participating can contact Taylor by email at JimTaylor@letu.edu for an audition and details. Fundraising events will be held throughout the next several months to help students with costs of travel. Those include an old-fashioned “Hymn Sing” event on campus Sunday, Sept. 30.

TYLER — The East Texas Restaurant Association has created an endowed scholarship at Tyler Junior College in honor of Bob Westbrook of Tyler (third from left in photo). According to a TJC news release, it’s for his many years of service to the local restaurant industry and his work in helping to establish TJC’s new culinary arts program. The scholarship will benefit future culinary arts students at TJC. Westbrook, who currently serves on the Tyler City Council, owned and operated three CiCi’s Pizza restaurants, two in Tyler and one in Longview. Among other community service credentials, Westbrook is past chairman of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce.

TYLER – The 2018 Ms. Texas Senior Classic Pageant in Tyler Saturday night crowned a new queen. She is Peggy Rial of Mesquite. Twenty ladies from North and East Texas participated in the pageant. This marks the third straight year the pageant was held in Tyler after being held in the Metroplex for nearly 20 years. Other winners include 1st runner up Patsy Rabe of Arlington. She was also named most photogenic. Name Miss Congeniality was Barbara Price of Burleson. The Best Talent award went to violinist Ruth Elizabeth Morrow of Tyler. Continue reading A New Senior Queen is Named in Tyler

LONGVIEW – It was a guilty verdict and a prison sentence in a Longview murder trial. A jury Friday afternoon, found Kyron Delyn Adams, 39, guilty of murder in the shooting of Thomas Lynn Harper, 34, of Gladewater. Judge Alfonso Charles sentenced Adams to 75 years in prison. The shooting followed a fight outside J’s Place in Longview in February of last year. According an arrest warrant filed by Longview police, Adams shot Harper in the back after a fight. Adams claimed the shooting was in self defense.

TYLER – The Art of Peace committee has staged a series of events in Tyler this week to promote peace. On Friday, the United Nations International Day of Peace. a new 14 foot Peace Pole was unveiled. The Medal sculpture says, in Arabic, English, French and Spanish, “May peace prevail on Earth.” It can be found beside Rose Rudman Trail. It was designed and created by artists Kerian Massey and Diane Billingsley. It is the 5th peace pole in Tyler. The others can be found at Woldert Park, Bergfeld Park, the Rose Garden Center and St. Paul Children’s Foundation.

The city and county have a meeting in Tyler next week on having the two governments work together on city issues. The meeting is scheduled next Thursday afternoon at 3:30 in the county commissioners courtroom at the Smith County Courthouse Annex Building. It is something they have been working on since the first of the year. There are two focal points. First, discussing downtown Tyler revitalization. Second, discussing how to improve services provided by both the city and county. The County Seat Coalition will be co-chaired by County Judge Nathaniel Moran and City Manager, Ed Broussard.

KILGORE – Kilgore police are asking for the public’s help in identifying women in a cash scam. It happened on September 12th at Walmart. And elderly woman lost $9,000 in the scam. If you have information please contact Detective Stephen Goodson at 903-218-6903 or by email at stephen.goodson@cityofkilgore.com. You may also contact the Gregg County Crimestoppers at 903-236-STOP or text your anonymous tip to 847411+KILGORE+your tip. Refer to KPD Incident # 1809-0700. Continue reading Scam Suspects Sought

GLADEWATER — A Gladewater woman is placed in the Gregg County jail after reportedly assaulting another woman. According to our news partner KETK, 45-year-old Chastidee Jameson was arrested earlier this week after a possible disturbance was reported from a Link to Life alert. According to the arrest report, officers found Jameson on top of another woman, punching her on the head. Officers then used a stun gun and pepper spray after she reportedly refused their orders to stop.

LONGVIEW – Longview High School students now have more freedom to use their cell phones on campus. The Longview News Journal reports the change comes as part of a new student code of conduct approved this week. Previously, high school students could only use their cell phones during lunch. Under the new rules, they can now be used before and after school, during lunch and between classes. They must be put away during class, unless a teacher tells a student they can use it. For the first offense, a teacher will fill out a form documenting the offense. After that, each offense will result in a $15 fine or in-school suspension. School officials say the outdated policy was changed because “times have changed.”

TYLER – The Ms. Texas Senior Classic Pageant is returning to Tyler for the third straight year. It had been held in the Metroplex for 20 years. But, when it lost it’s venue, the outgoing queen, Jo Anne McMeans of Tyler, invited them to come to the Rose City. The pageant’s state director Peggy Wagner has said, after their first year here, returning to Tyler was a no-brainer. She said the city opened their arms to the pageant and contestants. The current Queen is Patsy Roan Crist (pictured), who is from Hopkins County.The pageant, which is all about changing the image of aging, is for women ages 60 and over. It will be held Saturday night at 7:00 at the Holiday Inn on South Broadway. Tickets are $17.00 and will be available at the door.

SMITH COUNTY — A trial date has been set for a woman accused of killing two people while driving intoxicated on Toll 49. According to our news partner KETK, Jessica Lauren Vass, 35, of Lindale, is set to be in court for a jury trial Monday, September 24, in Judge Jack Skeen’s court. On the night of April 12, 2017 State Troopers responded to a three-vehicle accident on Toll 49, just north of Highway 64. The preliminary crash investigation revealed a car, driven by Annette Burkhart, 56, of Garland, was stopped southbound on the side of the roadway with a flat tire. A pickup truck, driven by Gary McCrary, 62, of Flint, was stopped behind the disabled car and McCrary was assisting Burkhart in changing the flat tire. Continue reading Trial Date Set for Lindale Woman Accused of Intoxication Manslaughter

MARSHALL – A Mexican national is heading to federal prison for drug trafficking in East Texas. In Marshall, U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap sentenced Benigno Guzman Ortiz, 20, to 58 months in prison. He had pleaded guilty back in May to possession with intent to distribute more than 500 grams of methamphetamine. Federal prosecutors say, when Ortiz was stopped for a traffic violation in Cass County in September of last year, he gave permission to search his vehicle. Officers found 15 bundles of methamphetamine concealed within the rear hatch of the van. He admitted that he had been recruited to drive the van containing the drugs from Houston to Texarkana, Arkansas.

TYLER – The Smith County AgriLife office is back up to full staff. The new 4H Youth Development Extension Agent is Skyler Shively. He was introduced to Smith County Commissioners at Tuesday’s meeting. Shively will undergo training for 30 days in Henderson County and begin work in the Smith County office on November 1. A graduate of Lindale High school, he comes to Smith County from Sabine ISD where he served as director of Agriculture Sciences.

TYLER – Two appointments have been announced at the University of Texas at Tyler. Dr. Kimberly Laird has been appointed as vice president of budget and finance and chief financial officer. Appointed as vice president of operations and strategic initiatives and chief operations officer is Jerry Stuff. Laird, most recently, has served as associate vice president and controller for a Dallas university. Stuff previously served as UT Tyler’s associate vice president of facilities management and capital planning.

TYLER – The East Texas State Fair begins its ten day run in Tyler on Friday. It starts with senior citizen activities. And each day there is a lot for families to see and do. There is a magician, sea lion splash and pony rides. Let’s not forget the carnival, the food and the market place. And then there’s entertainment on the main stage. The entertainment is free with your fair ticket. Motorists are also reminded about some traffic flow changes on West Front Street during the run of the fair. You can go to the fair website https://www.etstatefair.com to keep tabs on the daily activities. Continue reading It’s Fair Time in Tyler

KILGORE – Kilgore College is being named in a federal lawsuit. According to the Longview News Journal, former instructor Toledo Montgomery filed the lawsuit on Monday at the federal courthouse in Tyler. She claims the school racially discriminated against her and retaliated after she complained about the discrimination. Montgomery, who is black, accused the school of firing her after she complained that a co-worker refused to follow her instruction because of her race. She is seeking back pay, compensatory damages, equitable relief and court costs. No comment from the school on the suit. College spokesman Chris Craddock told the paper the college does not comment on pending litigation.

LINDALE – An animal rabies case has turned up in Smith County. The disease was in a skunk that was found near County Road 437 in Lindale. The Texas Department of State Health Services notified Smith County Animal Control of the positive test. Smith County reminds you not to handle bats, skunks, raccoons or other wild animals. Any youngster who comes in contact with any wild or sick animal, should tell their parents. If you know of someone who has been bitten by an animal, it must be reported to the local rabies control authority for proper investigation. Also, make sure your dogs and cats are currently vaccinated for rabies.