KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – The Salvation Army’s Red Kettle drive continues to inch its way toward this year’s goal. This year’s goal is $375,000. And, with a week and a half to go in this year’s drive, they still need to raise over $180,000. Every dollar raised here by the drive remains here. The money goes to provide food, clothes, and shelter to those needing help in Smith County. Salvation Army Captain Robert Parkersays the funds are critical to their ability to continue to provide much needed programs and services in the community. And he added ” We have faith that people will step up to help us continue to do the most good to the most people in the most need.” Continue reading Red Kettle Drive in the Final Stage

HOUSTON — The University of Houston is heading up a new institute to study hurricanes and their effects on the gulf coast — and UT Tyler is involved. A new hurricane research center backed by universities in Texas and elsewhere will examine hurricane modeling, flood mitigation, and public policy so officials can better anticipate and respond to gulf coast storms. A U of H press release says money funding the research will come from the institutions, cooperative agreements, and outside grants. Besides UTT and U of H, the universities involved are Rice, Texas Tech, Louisiana State, the University of Miami, and the University of Florida. Academics from the seven campuses can apply for the first round of funding for projects that involve collaboration across institutions. Applications are due early next year.

WHITE OAK – Wednesday was the last day of school this week in the White Oak School District. There will be no classes in all White Oak schools Thursday and Friday. School superintendent Superintendent Mike Gilbert said there has been a growing number of students becoming sick with flu- and strep-like symptoms. As they look at what they call an “escalating problem,” it is hoped that two days off before the weekend will give students time to recover. The district’s attendance is usually around 96%. But Gilbert said that has dropped to 85%.

MARSHALL – A new president has been named at Wiley College in Marshall. School trustees have named Herman Felton Jr. to the post. He will be succeeding President Haywood Strickland when he retires next June. A search firm provided several candidates for the post from which Felton was selected. He has served as the President of Wilberforce University in Ohio since 2016. Prior to that he was senior vice president, chief operating officer and vice president of institutional advancement for Livingstone College in North Carolina. Felton said “It is an honor and privilege to be a part of the rich legacy of Wiley College.”

MARSHALL – The cause of death of an East Texas college student has been determined. Marshall police say Derrick Lockwood, 23, of Jasper died of natural causes. The preliminary autopsy report, which had been released earlier, was unable to pinpoint the exact cause of death. His body was found by officers who had responded to a dorm at Texas State Technical College in Marshall on October 22nd.

PALESTINE – Palestine Municipal Court Judge Alex Nemer II submitted his resignation to City Manager Michael Hornes. This marks the second time Nemer has served in the position. He was Municipal Court Judge from January, 1974 to December 1976. Hornes said “Judge Nemer wished to spend more time with his family and focus on his private practice.” The search for a new Municipal Court Judge is underway.

TITUS COUNTY — Two school districts in Titus County closed Wednesday due to a major gas leak. Officials report the Mt. Pleasant and Chapel Hill ISDs did not hold classes. All of the schools will reopen on Thursday.

TYLER — There are a number of contested races in the Smith County primary elections next March, now that the filing deadline has passed. Among the highlights: Louie Gohmert has an opponent in the GOP congressional race, and two people have filed on the Democratic side. In the state House District 6 contest, incumbent Matt Schaefer will have an opponent, with one independent and one Democrat to appear on the ballot as well. The district attorney race includes two Republicans, and County Judge Nathaniel Moran will face a Democratic opponent in November. Continue reading Long List of Candidates for March Primary in Smith County

CANTON – A traffic stop just before noon Tuesday on Interstate Highway 20 in the Canton area has resulted in a drug bust. During the stop, the deputy’s K-9 alerted him to drugs, and the officer found 220 pounds of marijuana in the vehicle. The suspect is being held in the Van Zandt County Jail pending arraignment for possession of marijuana. His name has not been released at this time.

TYLER – A new county agent for Smith County has been announced. The new county agent, announced at Tuesday’s commissioner’s court session, is Clint Perkins. He earned a Bachelor of Science Degree from Texas A&M and a Master of Science Degree at Texas Tech. Perkins was recently employed with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Wood County. Perkins said he was proud to be joining an excellent team of extension agents and staff in Smith County, and he looks forward to serving the residents of Smith County.

TYLER – Thanks to the Rotary Clubs in Tyler, some youngsters will be getting a bike for Christmas. The South Tyler Rotary, Sunrise Rotary, and the Rotary Club of Tyler have held their annual joint Bike Build. For the past several years they have joined together for the project. Joined by their children, grandchildren, spouses, and friends, 75 bikes were assembled in 35 minutes. These 75 bikes are part of the over 550 bikes being collected in Smith County by the Salvation Army for children for Christmas. Nancy Crawford, President of South Tyler Rotary, says this is a great example of a service organization giving back to the community.

RUSK – An autopsy has been ordered to determine the cause of death on an inmate in the Cherokee County Jail. The inmate was found in his cell Sunday night. He was rushed to East Texas Medical Center in Jacksonville, where he was pronounced dead. Indications are the inmate died from natural causes, but they are awaiting the findings of the autopsy for conformation. Since they are still contacting family members, the inmate’s name has not been released. As is standard procedure in such cases, the Texas Rangers are investigating the death.

LINDALE – Someone has stolen a package off a porch in Lindale. A photo shows what appears to be an older white female coming up to a house on Abbey Road and stealing a package. It happened on Saturday, November 25th. If you recognize the person you are asked to email Sgt. Mike Lazarine at mikel@lindaletx.gov or call him at 903-882-3313.

HIDEAWAY – Work on the Farm Road 849 bridge over Interstate Highway 20 is moving faster than expected. The bridge over the interstate highway has been completely removed and all lanes of the interstate are open to normal traffic flow. They had expected the normal flow of traffic to return on Wednesday, but the west bound lanes were opened Monday and the east bound lanes were opened today. According to TxDOT Public Information Officer Kathi White, no additional lane closures are planned for this week as work continues on the bridge replacement project.

TYLER – Tyler’s Northside Park will be closed to the public on Thursday and Friday for a vegetation management project. This project will increase the navigable air space within the model airplane fields and will also allow easier access to the model airplane runway.

WOOD COUNTY — Two adults sustained minor injuries in a Tuesday morning school bus crash in Wood County. Troopers responded around 7:24 to the two-vehicle wreck involving a Harmony ISD bus on SH 154 and FM 2869. According to DPS, preliminary reports indicate that the driver of a pickup ran into the back of the stopped bus due to visibility (sun glare). There were 14 children on board the bus, none of whom were injured. The drivers of both vehicles were injured and transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview. The children were picked up and transported to school by another school bus. We’ll have more information as it becomes available.

EDGEWOOD — Edgewood police say three runaway teens have been found. According to KETK, they were discovered Monday along CR 3504 and were being evaluated by medical staff. Earlier in the day, police teamed up with other Van Zandt County law enforcement agencies in searching for the three, aged 12 to 16. The teens have been identified as Cheyenne Andrews, Bryan Nyman, and Steven Shumate. Officials took to the air and ground to search for the teens and recruited volunteers to assist.

TYLER – It will be a contested race for Smith County District Attorney in the Republican primary in March. Tyler attorney Alicia Cashell Barkley announced her candidacy in a Monday afternoon news conference. She will be going up against Assistant District Attorney Jacob Putman. With over 20 years of experience as an attorney, Barkley is a family law attorney. She practices in Smith, Henderson and Cherokee Counties. In announcing her candidacy, Barkley said she believed that the people of Smith County “deserve to have a choice in the leadership of an office that, literally, makes life and death decisions.” Monday was the final day to file for the March 6th primary.

MARSHALL – Some gas skimmers have turned up in Marshall. Three devices were found at a gas station. Detectives are currently checking other gas stations in the city for more of the devices. Unlike previous advisories, these recent skimming devices are placed inside the pump itself instead of on the outside of the machine and are completely undetectable by consumers. Police public information officer Kelly Colvin said the name of the business and it’s location are not being released. She said the business was not involved in the crime and has taken all of the necessary precautions to prevent it from happening again. Continue reading More Gas Skimmers Turn Up in East Texas

GLADEWATER – A one vehicle accident in Upshur County has killed James Norstrom, 31, of Gilmer. The accident occurred about three miles north of Gladewater on Farm Road 2685 around 9:15 Sunday morning. The Department of Public Safety reports says Norstrom was heading south when his car left the road, went into a sideways skid and hit a tree. The car then rolled onto its side and hit another tree. Norstrom was pronounced dead at the scene.

LONGVIEW – A reception is scheduled Tuesday afternoon for retiring Longview City Manager David Willard. The public is invited to the reception, which will run from 4:00 to 6:00pm at the Maude Cobb Convention Center. He will be retiring at the end of the year from the post he has held since 2007. Willard came to Longview from Odessa, where he had been serving as assistant city manager. Prior to that, Willard had been city manager in Borger and County Judge in Hutchinson County. When Willard retires, the Longview City Council has named Keith Bonds as Acting City Manager. He will serve in that post for a period of six months. Mayor Andy Mack says, after that, Bonds will be evaluated to see if the word “acting” will be removed from his title.

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has posthumously awarded the Texas Legislative Medal of Honor to Master Sergeant Travis Earl Watkins of the United States Army. Watkins grew up in Troup. He served in the army during World War II and the Korean conflict. He died from his wounds in Korea in May, 1950 as he stayed behind and ordered his men to safety. For his actions he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor six months later, on February 16th, 1951. He is buried in East Texas at the Gladewater Memorial Cemetery. Continue reading Man Who Grew Up in Smith County Receives Posthumous Award

TYLER – Three men have been indicted in a credit card skimming case that cost East Texans millions of dollars. The Smith County grand jury returned the indictments November 30th. The men are Nolberto Rivera (pictured), 29, Eligio Diegez-Arias, 29, and Emilio Francisco Guitierrez-Alvarez, 42. All are from the Houston area.They were among five people arrested in May in the card skimming case. They remain in the Smith County jail. Each is under bonds totaling $2,200,000.

LONGVIEW – A Kilgore woman pleaded guilty Monday to killing her mother last year. In state district court in Longview, Kayla Ann Wheeler pleaded guilty to the November 2106 death of Elizabeth Jane Wheeler, 52. She was sentenced to 35 years in prison. Police found the body of her mother at the Hidden Hills Apartments on Gilmer Road in Longview. The autopsy report showed the woman had stab wounds to the neck with cut her jugular vein and carotid artery, muscles and larynx. Kayla arrived at the scene as officers were investigating the death. She later told investigators during an interview that she had killed her mother.

LONGVIEW — A Texas A&M senior defensive tackle was arrested Sunday morning on several charges. According to KETK, Zaycoven Henderson, 23, of Longview, was a passenger in a car when he was seen pointing a gun at multiple people at a College Station apartment complex. Police pulled the car over as it was attempting to leave and also found marijuana. Authorities say they also found the rifle Henderson was waving in the woods nearby. A release from officers says Henderson threatened at least three people claiming he would kill them. Henderson was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, tampering with evidence and possession of marijuana. Henderson has been suspended indefinitely from team activities as a consequence for his actions.

EAST TEXAS — Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the week of December 11, 2017. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones.

In Smith County, the contractor for the Lindale Relief Route will be closing all lanes of I-20 (eastbound and westbound) to conduct work on the Toll 49 Northbound Bridge, and to place concrete for the deck of the Mainlane Bridge over I-20. The closure is slated for 9 p.m., Thurs., December 14th to 5 a.m., Fri., December 15th. Local law enforcement will be assisting with work zone traffic control redirecting motorists to the frontage roads. Message boards have been installed to provide advance notice of the closures. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates for the Week of December 11

TYLER — North-bound Toll 49 has been closed from SH 64 to I-20. This closure is expected to last until 7:00 Wednesday morning. The closure is directly related to the closure of I-20 and the removal of the damaged bridge at FM 849, near Hideaway. Drivers should plan for delays. All north-bound traffic will be diverted onto SH 64. South-bound lanes will remain open. Drivers are asked to obey all message boards and allow for extra time to reach your destination.

TYLER — All lanes of traffic are currently shut down in the 1800 block of Troup Highway due to a box truck striking a guide wire. A power pole was broken and power lines were across the roadway. Drivers are urged to use alternate routes if traveling in this area. Motorists are currently being detoured around this location.

TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Department is looking for a man wanted for the unlawful disclosure or promotion of intimate visual material. He is John Kahen Battle, 18. He is 6’6,” weighs around 155 pounds and has brown hair and brown eyes. He is know to drive a 2005 tan 4-door GMC truck a Texas license plane number BA2-8888. The truck has a flag attached to the tailgate. Battle has made threats to harm specific family members of this case. He has access to a handgun, but it is not known if he has it with him. Battle has two open assault cases, one out of the Tyler Police Department and one out of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department. If you know where he can be found, you are ask to contact your law enforcement agency.