KTBB News, Weather, Talk

PALESTINE – A traffic switch for State Highway 294 southwest of Palestine, originally scheduled for Friday, has been delayed until Tuesday, March 21. TxDOT says the contractor is having to make some additional updates to a temporary detour. The contractor is preparing to realign Highway 294’s intersection at U.S. Highway 79. TxDOT says once the detour updates are place, the contractor will demolish the existing intersection and reconfigure it. This will create a standard “T” intersection with Highway 79. TxDOT says once completed, the new intersection will improve safety and mobility through the area. Traffic will remain on the detour for about two months, weather permitting, as the permanent intersection alignment is completed.

(NEW YORK) — Last month, JCPenney announced it would be closing up to 140 of its stores in an effort to sustain profitability and compete against online retailers. And now, the company has revealed which of its locations will be affected. In East Texas, the Tyler and Longview stores will stay in business, but the outlets in Athens, Marshall, and Nacogdoches will be shutting down. In all, 138 stores will be closed, along with a supply chain facility in Lakeland, Florida. Another supply chain facility in Buena Park, California will be relocated. JCPenney said most stores will close in June but begin the liquidation process on April 17. Continue reading Three JCPenney Stores Due to Close in East Texas

TYLER – Two babies were hospitalized after being born in a Tyler apartment. One died and the other is listed in stable condition. Shortly before 4:30 Thursday afternoon, a woman brought one of the babies into the lobby of the Faulkner Park Police Station thinking it was a Safe Drop Zone. EMS took the baby to the hospital. While at the police station, the woman received a call that the mother of the baby had just delivered another baby at the Cumberland Place Apartments. When officers found the mother, the baby was unresponsive. Both were taken to the hospital where the baby was pronounced dead. Tyler police spokesman Don Martin says the name of the 33 year old woman who gave birth to the babies is not being released at this time.

LUFKIN – A Lufkin woman, who was in the wrong place at the wrong time, has been arrested on drug charges. Raychel Jaylin Clark, 24, has been charged with felony possession of a controlled substance, and misdemeanor charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of a dangerous drug. She was sitting in her car when a Lufkin plain clothes officer walked by and smelled burning marijuana. Inside the car he found a plastic baggie with a small amount of methamphetamine, Xanax, and K-2. By the way, she was parked about a block from the Lufkin Police Department.

TYLER – There have been a rash of auto burglaries reported in Smith County. And the sheriff’s department reports most have involved unlocked vehicles. The suspects are targeting neighborhoods, looking for unlocked vehicles, then taking unsecured items. You’re being asked to remove valuables, or place them out of sight, then lock the vehicle. Try to park in a lighted area. And, if you see any suspicious activity, you are asked to report it immediately. If you have any questions about these offenses, or information regarding possible suspects, please contact Smith County Detective Lohmeyer at 903-590-2956.

KILGORE – The Kilgore Police Department has issued a warning about door to door sales. The alert comes after people were going door to door trying to sell products, and obtain donations, using the Kilgore High School Soccer Team as a backdrop. One of those sales persons, who lives in Arkansas, is now facing a charge of deceptive business practices. Kilgore police say, as a general rule, they consider these types of businesses suspicious and warns residents not to visit with them. If a door to door sales person comes to your house, ask to see their city permit. If they don’t have one, call the police.

TYLER – Tyler police say a woman, who appeared to be a robbery victim, was actually a co-conspirator in the robbery. Arrested on Wednesday was Jamie Michelle Hardy, 33, of Tyler. Previously arrested in the case was Chad Allen Boening, 34, of Dallas. Tyler police say Boening and Hardy planned to rob a man who she had met on line. Investigators secured an arrest warrant Wednesday and arrested Hardy, charging her with aggravated robbery. Hardy is in the Smith County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Continue reading Victim Said to Be Involved in Tyler Robbery

NEW SUMMERFIELD – Three persons are now in custody in a Cherokee County murder that occurred last October. Arrested in Cherokee County over the weekend was Jose Garcia. His brothers, Maximino Garcia and Emmanuel Garcia had been earlier arrested along the Texas-Mexico border. They are all now being held in the Cherokee County Jail with a $1 million bond on each man. They are accused of the shooting death of Mario Rodriguez, 27, of New Summerfield. His pickup was found at County Road 4415 and Farm Road 2274, just outside of new Summerfield. His body was on the floorboard of the truck.

TYLER – A Bullard man, who was said to be naked when he bit a sheriff’s deputy, is in the Smith County Jail. The bond on Justin Carsten, 22, is $30,000. He’s charged with resisting arrest and assault on a public servant. When they responded to a disturbance call on Deer Cove Road, deputies found Carsten, high on something, naked and armed with a shovel. When he wouldn’t put down the shovel, they used a taser on him. He was not affected by it. While bringing him under control, he is said to have bit a deputy on the leg. Both were treated and released at a Tyler hospital.

TYLER – Tyler’s Meals On Wheels Ministry has now started serving breakfast. Zoe Lawhorn says once a week, they take to their clients a box of items like dry cereal, dried fruit, milk and juice, which is designed to complete seven breakfast meals.The breakfast meal program is designed to meet the nutritional needs of the organization’s most nutritionally at-risk clients. The program is an initiative detailed in the organization’s 2016 Strategic Plan, which was created as a collaborative effort between the Board of Directors and members of the Meals On Wheels Ministry’s Executive staff. Continue reading Meals On Wheels Now Delivering Breakfast

LONGVIEW — A preliminary autopsy report released Tuesday indicated Victorria Sam, 28, died of a gunshot wound to the head. The report shows Sam died of a “close range penetrating gunshot wound to the left side of the face.” According to KETK, on December 19th, Longview police responded to a home on Duncan Street, where they found Sam dead inside her car that was stopped in the middle of the residential street. Christopher Wade Pleasant, 26, of Longview is under indictment for the murder of Sam. He is currently being held in the Harrison County Jail awaiting arraignment on the murder charge.

MARSHALL – Authorities are looking for two persons responsible for a theft from a Marshall business. The man and woman are accused of stealing from Walmart on East End Boulevard North. The two are said to have gone in the store shortly after 2:45am on March 5th. The man went to the electronics department, while the woman left the store and got into a small white 4-door car. The man took several video cameras and left through a fire door. They both left in the car. Continue reading Marshall Theft Suspects Sought

NEW YORK (AP/STAFF) — Luxury retailer Neiman Marcus says it’s exploring strategic alternatives including a possible sale of the company. The announcement Tuesday came as the retailer, which also operates Bergdorf Goodman, reported a loss in its second fiscal quarter that ended January 28 and its sixth consecutive quarterly drop for a key revenue measure. The company has a distribution center in the Longview Business Park. it has 278 employees, which the Longview Economic Development Corporation says makes it the city’s 18th largest employer. Continue reading Neiman Marcus: Exploring Options Including Sale

MARSHALL – The autopsy report on the body of a Longview toddler shows the youngster died from accidental intoxication by opioid. The Marshall News Messenger reports the autopsy shows numerous drugs in the system of the 18 month old. Among them was methadone and ibuprofen. When the youngster died in Harrison County in late February, the mother, April Gibbons, 33, first told police one twin rolled on top of and smothered the other one. But investigators found she had given both twins adult sleeping medication. She was charged on March 8th with murder. Also arrested were her parents, Gary Evans, 60 and Carla Evans, 57, who have been charged with endangering a child.

MOUNT PLEASANT – A woman said to be part of a Titus County crime spree that left three persons dead, has been charged with two count of murder. They were filed against 18 year old Cheyenne Bigelow of Omaha. Authorities say Bigelow and her boyfriend, 29 year old Michael LaPlace of Mount Pleasant, went on a drug induced crime spree that started when LaPlace tied up his grandmother and killed his grandfather. Up the road, LaPlace is said to have killed a cousin. Another cousin, who had been tied up, got free and, in an exchange of gunfire, killed LaPlace. Bigelow is in the Titus County Jail, charged with two counts of murder, two counts of aggravated robbery and one count of possession of a controlled substance.

LONGVIEW – A former Hallsville school teacher has pleaded guilty to a Longview hit and run accident. Wendy Lee Edney, 41, of Longview, was sentenced Monday to two years probation, 100 hours of community service and 180 days of confinement in Gregg County Jail. Investigators say her blood alcohol level was more than three times the legal limit at the time of the accident, last April 27th. She had two daughters, ages 7 and 11, in her vehicle when the wreck occurred at the intersection of North Eastman Road and Hawkins Parkway. The other driver involved in the wreck is said to have followed Edney to her Tryon Road home where authorities arrested her.

KILGORE – A third person has been arrested in the disappearance of Sheryia Grant of Kilgore. She was 8 months pregnant when she disappeared August 20th, 2016. Arrested Monday in Rusk County was a juvenile from Arp. The arrest was made because of a directive to apprehend order which was the result of a two count indictment in the case, which was returned March 1st. Arrested last Wednesday in the case were Allen Lamont Sutton, 28, and Laneshia Lashae Young, 22, both of Overton. All three are charged with tampering with or fabricating physical evidence (human corpse), felony 2, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence Felony 3. Grant’s body has not been found. However, evidence uncovered during the investigation indicates she was murdered shortly after she was reported missing. Investigators say additional forensic evidence is still being evaluated and processed as the investigation is continuing.

AUSTIN — As we kick the cobwebs out of our heads from another weekend of springing forward, the experts are increasingly questioning the benefit of Daylight Saving Time. Sleep expert Dr. Richard Castriotta of the UT Health Science Center in Houston is one of them. He says, “It has an enormous cost to the transportation industry, and…people have to change their schedules for things” — along with sometimes facing medical problems that can arise. Daylight Saving Time was supposed to save energy, but in states like Texas with hot summers, having to keep the A/C humming later in the evening actually costs energy. THere are three separate bills before texas lawmakers to do away with Daylight Saving and just stick with Standard Time. One of those bills filed by state Representative Dan Flynn (pictured) of Van.

LINDALE – Lindale police have issued a scam alert. It’s about a man who used deception in soliciting money. He is said to have called a business posing as a frequent customer requesting help and that someone he knew would be at the business shortly. They were asking for money in order to get their broken down car towed away. The caller gave little information but fed off information given to him by the unsuspecting victim. A Lindale police detective says a store employee lost money to this scam. And he added, by giving them money, you are doing so willingly and it eventually puts you in a financial bind. You can see a suspect’s picture at KTBB dot com.

AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has appointed 5 persons and reappointed three others to the One Call Board of Texas. One of those reappointed to the board was Janie Walenta of Quitman. She was reappointed for a term set to expire on August 31, 2018. Walenta is a retired telecommunications manager. The board has authority over Call Before You Dig systems that notify the underground facility operators for excavation plans so pipelines and utility lines can be marked to prevent accidents.

TYLER – Recently, Macy’s announced it was closing it’s Tyler store. Now, more stores are following suit. The discount store chain Gordmans announced Monday they will be filing for bankruptcy, and liquidating their stores, including the one in Tyler. It opened in 2014 in The Village at Cumberland Park. The company has not given a time frame for closing its stores. Gordmans president and CEO Andy Hall said, “Until further notice, all Gordmans stores are operating as usual without interruption.” Also closing will the Radio Shack store on the Troup Highway in Tyler. The company has not announced a date for its closing.

ATHENS — A Smith County man is one of two persons shot and killed Sunday on Hopson Drive in the Athens area after they invaded a home and attempted to rob two residents. The men are identified as 49 year old Steven Kelley of Winona and 31 year old Cecil Spain of Grand Saline. The two are said to have posed as customers looking to purchase a dog from a man and woman at their home. The two were restrained and suffered minor injuries at the hands of the suspects, who were armed with hanguns. Both were shot and killed during the incident. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, Henderson County District Attorney’s Office, and the Texas Rangers are continuing the investigation.

TYLER – Tyler native and former NFL quarterback Johnny Manziel is said to be engaged. The announcement comes as Manziel tries to get back in football. On Friday, Manziel told TMZ, the celebrity news site, he was engaged to model Bre Tiesi. The proposal, complete with a big ring and roses, came during a recent trip to Paris. The two have been dating since last December. He credits her with helping him achieve sobriety after multiple failed stints in rehab. He told TMZ Sports, “When you find a girl as amazing as I did that saved me from where I was in my life, you absolutely put a ring on it..” Manziel’s attempt to make a comeback and drew interest from several teams at the recent NFL Scouting Combine, but no team made him an offer.

EAST TEXAS — Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of March 13, 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.

Tyler motorists are encouraged to avoid SH 64/Fifth Street when possible as milling operations continue throughout the week. The contractor, Madden Contracting Company, is conducting the work from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Work resumes from the east loop to the intersection of US 271 before continuing to SH 155.

Daily lane closures and delays can be expected. The expected completion date is around March 21. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates for the Week

KILGORE — Kilgore College campus officials have set up a food pantry within the Duvall Student Center for students in need. According to KETK, the College and University Food Bank Alliance, which focuses on promoting campus programs to alleviate food insecurity and hunger at universities in the United States, said post-secondary enrollment patterns show more and more “nontraditional” students on college campuses. “Many students now are supporting families and working full time while attending college,” the alliance said. “These students are often food insecure or one missed paycheck away from being food insecure.” The food bank alliance has 454 member institutions, including at least 25 in Texas. Campus food pantries make sense, it said, because many students often have limited transportation while community food resources are often far away from where they attend classes. College students also might not meet community agency requirements or might be uncomfortable accessing services off-campus, the alliance said.

TYLER — Tyler Police have arrested a man after two good Samaritans hold him at gunpoint following an attempted robbery. It happened around 2:10 at the Cumberland Park Shopping Center, in front of FD’s Grillhouse. Officers said two people were outside of the restaurant when they were approached by a man armed with a knife. The suspect, later identified as Chad Allen Boening, 34, reportedly pointed the knife at the female and stated, “Do you want to see her die?” Two witnesses, a father and son, were sitting in a vehicle and observed the assault in progress. Continue reading Good Samaritans Thwart Aggravated Assault

LONGVIEW — A Longview woman who the Texas Department of Public Safety said caused a fatal 2015 car crash after she was distracted by a family pet has been indicted on a criminally-negligent homicide charge. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, the indictment is related to a Nov. 30, 2015 incident, the same day as the fatal car crash. Gregg County officials were not immediately available to confirm that the indictment stemmed from the crash. Ellen Virginia Hicks, 33, was booked into the Gregg County Jail on Friday. Her bond has not yet been set. Continue reading Longview Woman Charged with Criminally Negligent Homicide

GILMER – The death of an 11 month old in Upshur County boy may be a homicide. The preliminary autopsy, which was performed by a Dallas lab, reported the youngster died from “blunt force injury to the head.” Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb said Friday they are still waiting for the final autopsy report before making a final determination. As KTBB previously reported, police were called to a location on Farm Road 2088 March 2nd after receiving a 911 call in reference to an injured child. The child was transported to ETMC-Pittsburg but later was pronounced dead.