KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – The social media clown threats have turned up in Tyler. An Instagram post claims there is a killer clown at John Tyler High School. However, Tyler police report the photo with the post has been determined to be a copied photo that has been circulated on the internet and not a photo that has been taken locally. According to a news release from Tyler police, “all reports to law enforcement concerning any clown activity have been associated with social media. We caution anyone from participating in these type of activities to prevent any type of personal injury or potential criminal charges that may occur from the incident.”

TYLER – According to a temporary street/lane closure application, the left northbound lane of Loop 323 at Woodhue Drive will be closed this week. Maximus Operating, LTD has requested the lane closure for a rig move. The northbound lane Loop 323 will be closed at Woodhue Drive, from the intersection of Woodhue Drive and Loop 323, 300 feet south of the intersection of Lion Drive and the loop.

PALESTINE — One person has been killed and one arrested in a Palestine shooting. It happened around 10:30 Monday night on West Point Tap Road. The victim, who was found in the yard, was transported to the Palestine Regional Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead. Tuesday morning, Palestine police said they had made an arrest in the case. The names of the victim and suspect have not been released.

GRAND SALINE – Reports around the country of scary clown threats have made it to East Texas. Grand Saline High School Tuesday morning received a threat that a clown would shoot up the school. Police were put on the campus following the social media threat. It was later announced that one person had been arrested in connection in the case. The suspect, a 14 year old boy, is said to be a freshman at the school. This is among several such threats to be reported in the area recently. Similar threats have been made at schools in Marshall, Van, and Tyler. Continue reading An Arrest in an Area School Threat

NACOGDOCHES – Stephen F Austin English teacher Seth Wilson now has 12 straight wins on the TV game show Jeopardy. Wilson on Tuesday had the final Jeopardy answer “Fahrenheit 451” from the “in the novel category.” With Tuesday’s winnings of $20,000, his grand total is now $265,002. He will be going for a baker’s dozen wins on Wednesday’s show. Continue reading SFA Teacher Still Winning On Jeopardy

LINDALE – Lindale police have identified the man shot by a Lindale officer Friday night. He is Jeremy Wood of Lindale. He remains hospitalized after being shot once in the chest. Police responded to a call about a man with a gun at Jackie’s Office Club at 2707 South Main Street. Officers say Wood had a gun in the club’s parking lot when they arrived. They told him numerous times to drop the weapon. When he pointed it at officers, he was shot. The officer involved in the shooting was not injured and was placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation by the Texas Rangers.

GREGG COUNTY — Services were held Tuesday in Longview for an East Texas detention officer who died on the job. Robert Ransom, 62, was at the end of his shift Friday when an inmate at the Gregg County Jail became ill. Ransom went to get a defibrillator and then he himself was hit with a deadly heart attack. Gregg County Sheriff Maxey Cerliano said ransom could have left without helping but it was his nature to help. The inmate survived. Paramedics tried but could not revive Ransom. Cerliano said ransom had been with his department for 11 years and overall, had 36 years of law enforcement service under his belt.

LONGVIEW – National Night Out activities will be held around the state this month. Tyler’s activities will be next week. In Gregg County it will be Tuesday night. This year 125 neighborhood parties will be held around Gregg County in connection with national night out. This is over 20 more than last year. Event organizers say he parties are designed to promote neighborhood alliances that strengthen communities and preserve the quality of life in East Texas. They say the parties help educate families and neighbors on crime prevention. Another benefit, getting to know the people who live around you. Continue reading National Night Out Activities in Gregg County

TYLER – A Tyler charter school has broken ground for its campus. The groundbreaking ceremony was Monday morning for the new location of Tyler Classical Academy. The school, with students from kindergarten through 8th grade, is currently located on University Boulevard. With an increasing waitlist, it will be moving to it’s new location on Grande Boulevard in the fall of next year. Among those on hand for the ceremony was senator elect Bryan Hughes. He said, “We’re thankful for our traditional public schools and also for our charter schools. Options are important so we’re thankful for the work they do.”

LUFKIN – A Lufkin theft suspect may be easy to find. The man fled a Brookshire Brothers’ store on foot. He fled after being confronted by a store employee. The police department report said he left without the stolen items. They included a loaf of bread, meat, eggs, a floral item, a pain reliever and a six pack of beer. He also left behind his car.

TYLER – A ceremony Monday afternoon marked the retirement of a Tyler policeman with nearly 40 years on the job. Sgt. Gary Rice joined the police department in May, 1977. His first 28 years were in the patrol division. He was promoted to Sergeant in 1981. His commendations include Certificate of Merit, and a Meritorious Conduct award for his part responding to a bank robbery and was vital in blocking the suspect’s escape. He received a Police Commendation as one of multiple officers who responded to the courthouse shooting in February 2005. Sgt. Rice received a lifesaving award in 2011 for his dedication to locate a suicidal caller. Sgt. Rice was named Supervisor of the year in 2008. Continue reading Sgt. Rice Retiring at Tyler Police Department

NACOGDOCHES – This may sound familiar, but, a Stephen F Austin University teacher has won again on Jeopardy. For Seth Wilson, Monday’s victory was his 11th straight on the TV game show. With his final Jeopardy answer of “Palm Sunday,” Wilson won $13,201. His 11 day total has grown to $245,002. He will be trying to make it 12 games in a row on Tuesday.

TYLER — The second town hall meeting regarding the Liberty Utilities rate increase has been cancelled. This meeting was for Liberty Utilities customers who live outside the Tyler city limits. During the first town hall meeting that took place last week, Liberty Utilities said that the rate increase has been suspended. Second town hall meeting organizer Brandon Craft therefore stated that the meeting scheduled on Tuesday, Oct. 4 at 6:30 p.m. at Tyler’s Faulkner Park Police Substation was cancelled. For more information on this meeting, contact Brandon Craft at (903) 426-6563.

ARP – A one vehicle accident near Arp has left one person dead. The one vehicle rollover occurred on County Road 285, just south of Eastside Drive. Dead at the scene was Glenn Rawlinson, 67. His passenger, Amanda Rawlinson, was not injured. According to the Department of Public Safety, Rawlinson’s pickup was heading north when he began to swerve and drifted into the southbound lanes. He then drove into a ditch, hit a tree and the truck rolled onto its roof.

KILGORE – The Kilgore Chamber of Commerce has joined over 40 other Texas Chambers of Commerce, Texas Association of Business and other organizations in opposition of the Department of Labor’s new overtime regulation. The new regulation, which goes into effect December 1st, make millions of more workers eligible for overtime. The White House estimates the rule change will make an additional 4.2 million workers eligible for overtime pay. Kilgore Chamber President Cindy Morris says the chamber board believes the new overtime rule will effect businesses and non-profits with significant new employee costs. She added, “We do agree that an update to the salary threshold may be necessary, however doubling this cost will impact our businesses in a way that is not beneficially to growth of business. Continue reading Kilgore Chamber Opposes New Overtime Regulation

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of October 3rd. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Caution is advised on U.S. Highway 175 when a traffic switch is implemented on Monday, October 3. Traffic will be moved to the new alignment between the west end of Loop 60 to approximately one mile east of the loop. This is the Phase I project US 175 that runs from 0.1 miles southeast of FM 804 near Baxter to 1.1 miles east of Loop 60E at Larue. Get more information on this project in the Henderson County section of this release. Continue reading TxDOT Area Road Update

SMITH COUNTY – A man who is said to have fled a state trooper has been arrested in Smith County. The officer tried to stop the man’s car around 7:00 Saturday night on State Highway 110 North. The auto chase ended when the man’s car struck another car in a private driveway on County Road 45. He then fled on foot. Benito Vasquez, 20, of Tyler, was later taken into custody. He had outstanding warrants with the Tyler Police Department and the Smith County Sheriff’s Department for burglary of a habitation. And now, besides some traffic violations, he’s facing two counts of evading arrest.

LINDALE – The investigation continues into an officer involved shooting in Lindale that left one person injured. Details about the shooting have not been released. The shooting reportedly occurred around 11:00 Friday night at Jackie’s Office Club at 2707 South Main Street. Lindale Police Captain David Craft tells KETK the officer involved in the shooting was not injured and will be placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation by the Texas Rangers. The injured man was taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment. The names of those involved in the shooting have not been released.

TYLER – For the second year in a row, a Tyler woman has won the Ms. Texas Senior Classic Pageant. The winner of the pageant, which was held in Tyler for the first time, is Judy Griffin. Other winners include 1st runner up Maria Guerra of Dallas, second runner up Lauren Harris of Celina, 3rd runner up Sue Abbott of Tyler and 4th runner up Lynne Walding of Arp. This year’s “test city” pageant will determine if Tyler will indeed be the permanent home for the pageant. Continue reading Tyler Woman Wins Senior Pageant

LINDALE – An officer involved shooting in Lindale has left one person injured. The shooting reportedly occurred around 11:00 Friday night at Jackie’s Office Club at 2707 South Main Street. Lindale Police Captain David Craft tells KETK the officer involved in the shooting was not injured and will be placed on administrative leave, pending an investigation by the Texas Rangers. The injured man was taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment. We’ll have more information when it becomes available.

LONGVIEW – A jailer in Gregg County has died of an apparent heart attack while providing medical assistance to an inmate. The inmate was housed at the Marvin A. Smith Criminal Justice Facility, a minimum security facility located at 197 Floyd Wingo Drive, north of Kilgore. Jailer Robert E. Ransom, 62, and the inmate, were transferred to Good Sheppard Medical Center in Longview for treatment. Officer Ransom was unable to be revived and was pronounced dead at the hospital by Justice of the Peace Tim Bryan. The inmate was treated and later returned to the jail. Ranson has been with Gregg County since October, 2005. Prior to his employment with the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, Robert began his career in Law Enforcement in 1980 as a Deputy Sheriff for the Porter County Sheriff’s Office in Valparaiso, Indiana.

AUSTIN – A man has been arrested in connection with a fatal boating accident this summer on Lake Fork. Donald Bryant Lawson, 45, was killed in the July 9th accident. Lawson and David Michael Roche, 45, were both tossed from their boat when it crashed. According to a news release from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, Roche was originally arrested on suspicion of boating while intoxicated. Lab tests show Roche had a blood alcohol content of .168. That is just over double the legal limit. An arrest warrant was issued for Roche this week following a thorough investigation. He turned himself in to the Wood County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday.

MARSHALL – One person is in custody in connection with a stabbing in Marshall. It happened shortly after 11:30 Friday morning. Being treated at Good Shepherd Medical Center-Marshall is Bilal Salahuddin, 27. He told officers he had told his girlfriend Brittany Johnson to leave. As he was escorting her to the door, he said she stabbed him. She fled to Nolan Street where she later called police. She was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.

RUSK COUNTY – A suspect has been charged with murder in the death of a missing Rusk County man. The body of 60-year-old Floyd Thompson was found on Tuesday after he had been missing for over a month. Charged in his death is Lamarlon Tremone Thompson, 38, of Mount Enterprise. He was first arrested on Wednesday on unrelated offenses. Yesterday, he was charged with Thompson’s murder. Investigators say he admitted to killing Thompson and concealing the crime. His bond was set at $1,125,000.00.

TYLER – The burned car of a Smith County Murder victim has been found. Authorities have been looking for the missing vehicle belonging to 62 year old Luis Martinz of Tyler. His body was found this week in a cemetery in the Antioch Community. Three persons are in custody in the case. It was announced today the victim’s burned out 2003 Buick LeSabre has been found in a remote wooded area off Farm Road 16 East near County Road 369 in northeast Smith County. The vehicle was allegedly used to transport the body to where authorities found it.

NACOGDOCHES – A teacher in the English Department at Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches keeps on winning on the TV game show Jeopardy. Seth Wilson won his 10th straight game Friday. He won $22,000 on Friday. That brings his 10 game total to $231,801.

GILMER – A man accused of causing a fatal Upshur County wreck, has been arrested following his indictment. The Upshur County grand jury on Thursday indicted Robert William Frazier, 23, of Gilmer. He was arrested Thursday afternoon by the Texas Department of Public Safety on the warrant issued from the indictment. Judge Lauren Parish set his bond at $500,000. Frazier is said to have been responsible for the June 3rd accident on State Highway 154, six miles west of Gilmer, that killed two persons and left two persons seriously injured. Continue reading Man Arrested in Fatal Upshur County Wreck

RUSK COUNTY — The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office have made an arrest in connection with the death of a man whose body was found Tuesday in Rusk County. According to KETK, officials executed a search warrant at the location where the body was found on property located at 1474 State Highway 315 in Mount Enterprise. The name of the suspect arrested has not been released. Officials said they have been looking for Floyd Thompson, 60, of Mount Enterprise, who has apparently gone missing from the property. Authorities are not saying if the body found is that of Thompson. The body was sent to Tyler for autopsy.