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WHITEHOUSE – The new Director of Bands for Whitehouse ISD is Tom Mensch. He is succeeding long-time Director, Denny Whitley, who has decided to retire after 46 years in public education. Mensch has had an active band career after being the Director at both Lamar High School and Robert E. Lee High School before leading the Tyler Junior College Band for 11 years. From there he became Minister of Instrumental Music at Green Acres Baptist Church. Continue reading Tom Mensch Now at Whitehouse

PALESTINE – The Anderson County grand jury has returned no indictment in the death of a jail inmate last month. Texas Ranger Nick Castle investigated the April 17th death of William Edward Brown, III, 31. He had been arrested for a parole violation. At the time of his death, authorities said he died from natural causes. Ranger Castle’s investigation was presented last week to the grand jury. When the panel was asked “was there sufficient evidence that a criminal act occurred causing his death?” The grand jury’s answer was, “no.”

TYLER – The Tyler Junior College Occupational Therapy Assistant program has received full accreditation by the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Occupational therapy assistants work with licensed occupational therapists to provide care and treatment to help people participate more fully in everyday life. They help persons develop, recover and improve the skills needed for daily living and working. They work with in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, schools and nursing homes, as well as in the patients’ homes, places of employment and other community settings. Continue reading TJC Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Receives Full Accreditation

MARSHALL — The family of a man who died at work at Marshall Pottery has filed a civil lawsuit. KETK reports the family of Arturo Gonzalez is seeking more than $1 million. The lawsuit says he entered the kiln to perform maintenance, but that while he was inside, the automated system suddenly closed the kiln doors. After they were closed, the chamber began heating, killing Gonzalez, according to the suit. The cause of the death has been ruled accidental.

EMORY – A man accused of not paying for cattle at 7 East Texas auction markets in 2011, is heading to prison. Ronald Ryan Shepard Jr., 41, in an appearance in state district court in Emory, pleaded guilty to three counts of theft of livestock. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. He was also ordered to pay court costs, attorney’s fees and more than $125,000 in restitution to his victim in Texas. As a part of the plea agreement, he also agreed to pay restitution of $200,000 to a victim in Florida in lieu of extradition and criminal prosecution in that state. Continue reading Cattle Thief Pleads Guilty

LARUE – Two drug suspects are in custody following a high speed chase in Henderson County. Arrested Monday night were John Henry Smith, 17, of Larue and Cherith Mills, 18, of Athens. The two sped off after a sheriff’s deputy tried to stop the couple’s car for a traffic violation in Larue. Speeds reached 100 miles-per-hour for several miles before the pair was stopped on County Road 4704 in the Baxter area. Baggies of a crystal like substance believed to be methamphetamine was found under the driver’s seat and in the truck’s console. Glass pipes containing what is also believed to be the illegal drugs were also found in the vehicle. The two were booked into the Henderson County Jail.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police arrest three armed robbery suspects. It happened at the Summer Brook Apartments on Bill Owens Parkway just after 2:00 Monday after a man was reportedly robbed at gunpoint. Officers said Devonte Smith, 19 (pictured), Kaleb Bush, 18 and a juvenile approached a resident while he was in the parking lot unloading his car. One of the three pointed a gun at the resident and tried to rob him, then fled the scene. They were in custody a short time later. The juvenile was transported to Gregg County Juvenile Detention Center. Bush and Smith were charged with aggravated robbery and booked into the Gregg County Jail.

AUSTIN (AP/STAFF) — Wills Point native, singer-songwriter Jimmy LaFave, whose 2007 album “Cimarron Manifesto” drew critical raves and reached the top of the Americana music chart, has died just days after he appeared at a concert held in his honor. A statement Monday from Music Road Records says LaFave died Sunday at his Austin home after a fight with cancer. He was 61. More than 1,000 people attended a sold-out concert Thursday night at Austin’s Paramount Theatre to honor LaFave. He attended using a wheelchair. The East Texas native embraced the spirit of folk music icon Woody Guthrie. In 1996, Nora Guthrie invited LaFave to appear at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame tribute to her father and at her father’s 1997 induction into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. LaFave also was a two-time Austin Music Award winner for singer-songwriter.

PALESTINE – Palestine’s Interim Police Chief, John Herod, has resigned from the post to become the city’s Emergency Management Director. City Manager Mike Alexander said the administration “fully supports Herod’s transition into the role.” In Herod’s place, Lt. R.C. Johnson has been named as the interim police chief while a search begins for a permanent chief. Alexander said during Monday’s City Council meeting the search for a permanent chief will begin immediately. Continue reading Palestine’s Interim Police Chief Changes Posts

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Supreme Court may have just taken a bite out of the Marshall economy. The town was home to a huge chunk of all patent infringement lawsuits nationwide. Now the high court has ruled that these cases can only be heard in states where the defendant is incorporated. Joshua Landau, patent counsel for the Computer and Communications Industry Association, says, “They developed rules that tended to drive cases quickly and were pretty favorable for plaintiffs — and the juries in Eastern Texas have historically been pretty favorable to plaintiffs as well. He says the practice of buying patents from a company or inventor, living or dead — with the purpose of suing over infringement — is common.

TYLER – The Texas Department of Transportation marks the 15th anniversary of the “Click It or Ticket” campaign with a special event in Tyler. It will be Tuesday from 11:30 to 1:00 at the fountain at the Village at Cumberland Park on South Broadway. Kathi White with TxDOTsays seat belt compliance in the district is about 92%. But that leaves 8% percent who are still vulnerable. She said there were 100 crashes in the district last year that had unrestrained persons in the vehicle. Those crashes killed 41 persons and 74 persons sustained serious injuries. Continue reading Click It or Ticket Campaign

DALLAS — JC Penney is getting ready to close more stores, including three in East Texas and six others around the state. The retailer plans to close 138 stores by the end of July; the liquidation sales began this week. A company spokesman says about 5,000 jobs will be affected. Some employees will be offered a chance to work at other stores, and the rest will get help with their job searches. JC Penney had announced the closure plan earlier this year. Some of the Texas closures include stores in Athens, Marshall, Nacogdoches, Stephenville, McAllen, and El Paso.

LONGVIEW – One person has been taken into custody for a couple of Longview vehicle burglaries. Arrested shortly before midnight Sunday was Hayden Michael Dale, 25, of Longview. He was arrested for two vehicle burglaries on West Hope Drive. Longview police reported 12 vehicle burglaries over the weekend. The locations that are normally targeted are areas of high vehicle traffic and neighborhoods. They remind you to lock your vehicle. They encourage you to take, lock and hide your valuables. They say 75% of these vehicle burglaries were the result of the cars being unlocked. While a locked vehicle will not prevent every burglary, it will prevent a majority of them.

NACOGDOCHES – Authorities are looking for five men who held up a credit union in Nacogdoches. The robbery occurred around 11:00 Monday morning at the Doches Credit Union on University Drive. Authorities report five suspects, described as black males, entered the building and ordered everyone on the floor. At least two of the men were armed. They took an undetermined amount of money and were last seen heading north on Hayward Street. Both local and federal authorities are investigating the robbery. No injuries were reported.

AUSTIN – Texas Monthly has published, what it calls, the top 50 barbecue joints in Texas. And an area restaurant has made the top ten. It is Bodacious Bar-B-Que in Longview, which the magazine has at number 4. The restaurant opened in 1968 and re-opened in 2015. Their brisket is smoked for 24 to 46 hours. Also on the top 50 list is Tyler’s Stanley’s Famous Pit Barbecue. It opened in 1959. The magazine says, once you settle in, you may not want to leave. Also making the top 50 is Joseph’s Riverport Barbecue in Jefferson. According to Texas Monthly, once the term Texas barbecue belt meant the center of Texas. But now, it stretches far and wide.

CANTON — Things are beginning to transition in Van Zandt County regarding relief efforts from the April tornadoes. KETK reports the donation warehouse stopped taking donations Saturday. After next Sunday, May 28, the items left at the donation warehouse will be sent to Manna Food Bank in Canton. Assistance is still available to those who need it. A long term recovery committee will be taking over.

LINDALE – Lindale police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a theft suspect. The man is accused of leaving the store with merchandise after shorting changing a cashier during the transaction. If you recognize this person, contact Detective Chris Dworaczyk, or by email at chrisd@lindaletx.gov or call the Lindale Police Dept at 903-882-3313.

JACKSONVILLE – Two Cherokee County brothers are in custody in drug charges. Taken into custody were Joshua Dale Lindsey, 35 (pictured) and Jeremiah Daniel Lindsey, 32, both of Jacksonville. They were arrested Friday as members of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office Narcotic Division and SWAT Team and Jacksonville Police Department served a search warrant. They were arrested at the Pine Creek Apartments on Gay Avenue. Joshua’s bonds total $35,000 and Jeremiah’s bond is $10,000.

TYLER – A Smith County man has been arrested on charges of sexual assault of a child and kidnapping. Arrested Saturday by the Arp Police Department was 19 year old Micah Gage Shelburn of Troup. The incident was said to have occured on Saturday. Smith County judicial records show Shelburn was booked into the Smith County Jail on Saturday. His bonds total $100,000. Since the investigation is ongoing, further details about the case have not been released.

LINDALE – Work on the Toll 49 Lindale Relief Route will cause some closures for County Road 431, northwest of Lindale. The contractor for the Toll 49 Segment 4 project has told Smith County officials that construction of the new roadway will result in specific days where CR 431, also known as Mineola Highway, will be closed to traffic. On Tuesday, May 23, and Wednesday, May 31, they will be working on a bridge so CR 431 will be closed for the safety of the public. Signs will be placed in the area to alert and detour drivers. On June 5 and 6, CR 431 will close again for more bridge work, as well as later dates in June. The closure dates could vary due to weather and/or other delays.

EAST TEXAS — The Tyler Police Department is warning citizens of an online scam involving the purchase of stolen vehicles. Authorities said the East Texas Auto Theft Task Force has seen an increase of cases involving shoppers buying stolen vehicles through online apps and websites. They said in the past year, the task force has recovered around eight stolen vehicles in Tyler alone. Officials said in all the cases they’ve investigated, the price of the vehicle was much less than the actual blue book value of the vehicle. Officers warn potential buyers, if someone is selling a vehicle for much less than its value, it’s probably too good to be true. Continue reading Online Purchase of Stolen Vehicles Spike

AUSTIN (AP) — A transgender “bathroom bill” reminiscent of one in North Carolina that caused a national uproar now appears to be on a fast-track to becoming law in Texas, though it may only apply to public schools. Republican Representative Chris Paddie of Marshall authored the hotly-debated language, saying it had “absolutely no intent” to discriminate. Under it, transgender students would not be permitted to use their chosen bathroom but could be directed to separate, single-occupancy restrooms. “it’s absolutely about child safety,” said Paddie. “This is about accommodating all kids.” Continue reading Paddie’s Bathroom Bill is Revived

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of May 22th. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

An emergency contract has been implemented to remove debris, from the recent tornadoes, from Van Zandt County. Crews started working this week to remove mostly trees, and a small amount of other debris, from the rights-of-way on Farm Road 1651, Farm Road 3227, Farm Road 1256 and Farm Road 1861. Work on these roadways is scheduled to occur Monday through Saturday until complete. Work on higher volume roadways including U.S. Highway 80, State Highway 19, State Highway 64 and State Highway 198, will be performed on Sundays. The operation will be shut down Friday, May 26 – Tuesday, May 30, due to the Memorial Day holiday and First Monday Trade Days. The contract was awarded to Tom-Mac, Inc., of Houston. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects Update

GREENVILLE – A Van Zandt County man is in custody in Hunt County on a murder charge. He is Martin Ray Malone, 61, of Wills Point. He is charged in the shooting death of Jayme Malone Lopez, 54 of Wills Point. She was found wounded in her crashed vehicle shortly before 6:30 Friday morning on County Road 2475. She died in route to the hospital. Malone is being held in the Hunt County Detention Center. His bond has been set at $500,000. The investigation of the case is being handled by both the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Department and the Hunt County Sheriff’s Department.

TEXARKANA – The 6th Court of Appeals in Texarkana has upheld last year’s conviction of a Hallsville man and his and his 380 year sentence for aggravated sexual assault of a child. Two young men said Gregg Lee Haden, 41, had assaulted them over a three year period. The former Diana construction company owner was arrested in June of 2011 after arriving at a Longview location where he had agreed, in a text, to meet what he thought as a 14 year old for sex. But, instead of a boy, he had been communicating with an undercover officer.

LUFKIN – Two persons have been arrested in Angelina County on charges of injury to a child, a 3rd degree felony. Charged is Steven Clayton Hunt, 33, and Britni Leann Rhodes, 32. The two were booked into the Angelina County Jail. The arrests follow a joint investigation by sheriff’s department investigators and Child Protective Services.

MARSHALL — A stolen car is found in an unusual place. A local fisherman, a Texas game wardens dive team, and Harrison County deputies were involved in the discovery of a stolen vehicle, upside down, in Caddo Lake. Lieutenant Jay Webb says the vehicle has been pulled from the water. The car was reported stolen nearly a year ago from a location less than a mile from where the car was discovered. The car had been submerged in the lake at least 10 months.