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TYLER – Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said it’s “been another great year” for TISD in his State of the District update Wednesday. Crawford addressed a Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon at the Rose Garden Center. According to a news release, topics included the recently completed BOND2013 construction projects – including a new Career and Technology Center along with the District’s first new middle school in 50 years. Crawford also covered fiscal accountability, student achievement, new or revised programs, community partners, district plans and goals, and future challenges and opportunities. Crawford said, “We have plans and people in place to continue this progress while also addressing the areas needing improvement going forward. The amount of support we have from this wonderful community plays a huge role in the success of our students.”

Also at the luncheon, the district partnered with the Tyler Area Business-Education to present the 2015 Community Partner of the Year Award to The Mentoring Alliance. The Mentoring Alliance provides three types of volunteer based mentoring programs: Gospel Village, Boys and Girls Clubs of East Texas and Rose City Summer Camps. Additionally, Senator Kevin Eltife; Rev. Orenthia Mason, director of alumni affairs at Texas College and pastor of St. James Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; and Lonny Uzzell, vice president of Southside Bank, were named 2015 Distinguished Alumni by Tyler ISD, the Tyler ISD Foundation and the Tyler Area Business-Education Council. Mason also serves on the TISD Board of Trustees.

KILGORE — The Kilgore College Police Department has received two notices of concern regarding a male offering rides to female students and then using that opportunity to try to take sexual advantage of them. That’s according to an email sent to students, and college officials say the advisory applies to both the Kilgore and Longview campuses. Officials say all students are cautioned not to accept rides or place themselves in vulnerable situations with individuals with whom they are not very well acquainted. Any students who have any concerns or questions about safety on the campuses are urged to contact the KCPD at (903) 983-8650.

LUFKIN — Lifelong East Texas Republican rancher and businessman Simon Winston filed Thursday to challenge incumbent Congressman Louie Gohmert in the 2016 GOP primary. According to press materials, Winston manages the Winston 8 Ranch outside Lufkin, as well as timber and other small business concerns. As quoted in a news release, Winston says, “Congress is a circus right now, and Louie Gohmert’s one of the main clowns.” He also claims Gohmert is “no longer working for East Texas.” Winston says he has been a community leader for philanthropic efforts in Angelina and Nacogdoches counties. He adds that he’ll work “to fight for the people of East Texas and their conservative values.” Gohmert didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment from KTBB.

LONGVIEW — The deal is off with a development firm in Houston that in June offered $2 million to buy the former Holiday Inn property at Estes Parkway and Interstate 20. Longview Economic Development Corp. Executive Director Susan Mazarakes-Gill said this week that the 6.62 acres on Estes Parkway is no longer under contract with Baker Katz and again is for sale, according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. “Baker Katz was working on a concept more akin to a shopping center but gradually determined the location is not conducive to that kind of retail,” she said. “Their due diligence period was coming to a end, so we agreed to release them from their contract and pursue other possibilities.”

GREGG COUNTY — A Kilgore man who admitted to having sex with two adolescent boys has been sentenced to life in prison. Jeffrey Lawrence MacDonald, 38, pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two lesser abuse charges at the beginning of his trial Tuesday. According to KETK, he was sentenced to life in prison for each of the first-degree felony charges and 20 years each for both second degree counts of sexual assault and indecency with a child. All four charges arose from sexual encounters MacDonald had with two brothers, ages 13 and 14, in September 2014 and December 2014. One of those was captured on a video camera MacDonald knew was in his bedroom inside a home on West Loop 281 in Longview.

RUSK – No charges will be filed in a fatal vehicle/pedestrian accident in Cherokee County. The accident happened on U.S. Highway 69 in Rusk just before 8:45 Tuesday night. Killed as she attempted to cross the road was Devin Clakley, 21, of Rusk. It was the driver of the vehicle that hit her who called 911 to report the accident.

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department will be getting a new Assistant Police Chief. The department has announced that Lieutenant Anthony Boone will be promoted in a ceremony that will be held next Tuesday. The ceremony will be held at the Longview Municipal Courtroom located at 302 West Cotton Street at 10:00am.

TYLER — A reception will be held today from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Gallery Main Street downtown to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the city of Tyler’s half-cent sales tax. The come-and-go event is open to the public, and refreshments will be provided. Voters approved the tax Nov. 7, 1995, to fund capital infrastructure projects that officials say enhance the community and attract economic development. Continue reading Half-Cent Sales Tax Marks 20th Anniversary

SMITH COUNTY — A suspect in a Sunday murder in Angelina County has been captured in Smith County. According to KETK, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office says U.S. marshals caught Terry “Chris” Criswell. More details about his arrest were pending. Criswell is accused of killing Kevin Moore, 37, outside Annie Mae’s Club in Cedar Grove early Sunday morning. His vehicle was discovered by Lufkin police on Monday afternoon at a home where he was supposedly hiding out.

PALESTINE (AP/Staff) – The lone survivor of an attack that left six dead at an East Texas campsite has told authorities that the suspect had drinks with the blended family before suddenly producing a gun and firing on them. An arrest warrant provided Wednesday by the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office reveals that 33-year-old William Hudson (pictured) was drinking with the group Saturday when he accompanied four of them into surrounding woods. The warrant says Cynthia Johnson told sheriff’s deputies that she heard gunshots before Hudson returned alone to the campsite and chased her husband and daughter into a travel camper, where he shot them. Johnson ran into the woods and eventually made a 911 call. Hudson is being held on $2.5 million bond. It wasn’t clear Wednesday whether he has an attorney. Continue reading Warrant: Suspect Drank with Campsite Victims, then Shot Them

TYLER — Ranchers and livestock producers in Smith, Upshur, & Gregg counties may be eligible for assistance from the Livestock Forage Disaster Program (LFP) for grazing losses incurred this year. That word came Wednesday in a news release from the County Executive Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Farm Service Agency (FSA) in Smith-Upshur-Gregg County, Chris Lynn. Lynn says the three counties recently met qualifying drought ratings that trigger eligibility for the program on improved pasture, native pasture, and sorghum forage. Continue reading Some Area Livestock Producers May Qualify for Drought Disaster Help

AUSTIN – State Representative Dan Flynn, R-Van, filed for re-election Wednesday at the Republican Party of Texas Headquarters in Austin. Flynn is chairman of the House Committee on Pensions. According to a news release, he says he’s pleased that legislators in this year’s session “prioritized public education, and fought to protect innocent life and religious freedom.” He also points to water issues, transportation, and a balanced budget as key items addressed in the session. Flynn says ongoing challenges include funding of public education and healthcare, oil and gas price declines, and immigration issues. Flynn has no announced opposition thus far.

SMITH COUNTY – A Smith County teen has been wounded and his brother is in custody in the incident. The shooting happened near the intersection of Cedar Ridge Drive and Bent Oak Lane around 5:00 Tuesday afternoon. Investigators says a 14 and 16 year old boy got into an argument when the younger boy got a hand gun and shot his brother in the leg. The boy was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The 14 year old is being held at the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center. He is being charged with aggravated assault.

LONGVIEW – A Kilgore man who admitted to having sex with two boys has been sentenced to life in prison. That was the punishment hand out yesterday to Jeffrey Lawrence McDonald, 38. He was sentenced by state district judge David Brabham. McDonald had pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and two lesser abuse charges. The charges stem from encounters McDonald had with 13 and 14 year old brothers in September and December of last year. One of the encounters was captured on a video camera McDonald had in his bedroom.

BEREA, OHIO (AP/STAFF) – The NFL says Browns quarterback and Tyler native Johnny Manziel will not be disciplined for a domestic incident last month. The league investigated whether Manziel had violated its personal conduct policy during a roadside argument with his girlfriend on October 12. In a statement released Tuesday, the league said it reviewed information from law enforcement and conducted interviews with Manziel and his girlfriend. The league said it “concluded that there is an insufficient basis on which to take disciplinary action.” Manziel, who has been promoted to be Cleveland’s full-time starter for the remainder of the season, was facing a possible fine or suspension. Manziel told police he had been drinking before the disagreement. He was not arrested.

KILGORE – Kilgore College Fire Academy No. 96 will hold its graduation ceremony 6:30 this evening in the Bert E. Woodruff Adult Education Center Auditorium in Kilgore. There are 21 students who are candidates for graduation. Continue reading Kilgore College Fire Academy Graduation

WHITEHOUSE — Whitehouse Fire Chief Madison Johnson and City Secretary Stefani Wright will team up to handle interim city manager duties while a replacement is sought for Kevin Huckabee (pictured). That’s according to KETK. Huckabee’s resignation as city manager was announced Monday night at a called city council meeting. Following an executive session, the city council voted to accept Huckabee’s resignation. In a statement released by Huckabee, he said he felt his mission with the city hand been hindered by, what he called, “malicious, untruthful statements” made back in May by a Texas Municipal Police Association representative. He said he would continue to combat the false statements. Huckabee said he thought it was best for him and his family that he resign.

TYLER — Connie McCoy-Wasson on Tuesday became the first female appointed to serve as Smith County Fire Marshal. According to a county news release, after interviewing five of the 13 candidates who applied for the job, the Smith County Commissioners Court voted unanimously to appoint Wasson. She’ll fill former Fire Marshal Jay Brooks’s unexpired term through December 2016. Brooks resigned from the post in October to take a job in the private sector. McCoy-Wasson has more than 20 years of experience as a deputy fire marshal for Smith County and has served as interim fire marshal since October. According to the news release, McCoy-Wasson says she knows she has “big shoes to fill” and hopes she “can hold up the standards set before me.”

EAST TEXAS — Thousands were left without power as a result of today’s storms. According to KETK, the outages have been spread across the East Texas area. Crews with Oncor, SWEPCO, and other utilities have been working to get everything switched back on. There was no immediate word on when all the power might be restored.

LONGVIEW — A Gregg County trial stemming from a 2013 murder has been pushed back to 2016. KETK reports Paul Anthony Mengel, 30, of Bossier City, Louisiana, won’t be tried until either February or March of next year, according to Gregg County Assistant District Attorney Stacey Brownlee. The trial was initially set to begin Monday. Joey Lee Espy, 19, of Longview was found July 7, 2013, suffering from multiple gunshot wounds to the head and chest on Bonner Street in South Longview. He was later pronounced dead. Mengel was arrested at his house in Bossier City July 23 by the U.S. Marshal’s Violent Offender Task Force and Shreveport-area police. Mengel was booked into the Gregg County Jail on a murder charge and his bond was set at $300,000.

LONGVIEW — A suspect who was involved in a shootout with police is being treated for life-threatening injuries at a local hospital. According to a news release, on Tuesday at 2:47 a.m., Longview police were dispatched to an alarm at Academy Sports Center on Forest Square. When officers arrived they found that the glass door had been broken and it appeared someone had gained entry into the store. Officers located the suspect at the rear of the building. Police say the suspect, armed with an M-4 rifle, exchanged gunfire with the three Longview police officers. They say the suspect fled to the nearby Best Buy store on West Loop 281 and climbed onto the roof. Continue reading Suspect Hospitalized after Shoot-Out with Longview Police

TYLER — Smith County Commissioners will one more public hearing today to gather input on the Voting Centers implemented in the November 3 election. A news release reports a hearing was held this morning in Commissioners Court, and the second is set for 5:30 p.m. at the R.B. Hubbard “Hub” Center at 304 E. Ferguson St. Voting Centers are an early-voting concept on Election Day, allowing residents to vote at any polling place without being restricted to their precinct. Continue reading One More Public Hearing Set for Input on Voting Centers

LONGVIEW — Longview police are crediting a local resident with helping them catch a suspected vehicle burglar. At 8:42 Monday morning, police were dispatched to a suspicious person call on East Hawkins Parkway. When officers arrived they were told a man was caught attempting to go through a tool box at the location. The suspect left the scene prior to officers’ arrival. Continue reading Police: Quick Thinking Citizen Helps in Burglary Arrest

TYLER — Tyler police say a stolen ATM has been recovered some 95 miles away — along with a stolen U-Haul. According to a news release, investigators learned Monday that Tyler officers had taken a stolen U-Haul report from Storage Max on Old Jacksonville Hwy. this past Saturday. The same day, at 2:00 p.m., the Dallas Police Department located the stolen U-Haul with the ATM inside the vehicle in an industrial park in South Dallas. But police say the suspects were not in the area at the time of the discovery. Investigators have also been informed that the same type of crime occurred in Crandall over the weekend. The same type of crime has also been reported in Dallas and Palestine. Continue reading Stolen ATM and U-Haul Recovered in Dallas

MARSHALL — The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help locating a missing man. KETK reports authorities are searching for Clayton Maxwell Brown, 39, of Marshall. He was reported missing November 13 from a family member’s home on Sue Belle Lake Road. He was last seen walking toward the city of Marshall. Deputies say Brown suffers from mental issues. Brown is described as 5 feet 11 inches tall, weights 190 pounds, and has long brown hair and brown eyes. He has a full beard and wears black frame glasses. He was wearing a green jacket and green stocking cap. If you see Brown, contact Lt. Duncan with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office at 903-923-4000.

TYLER — The holiday season is upon us, and Visit Tyler, a.k.a. the Tyler Convention & Visitors Bureau, is putting out the word on “Rose City Christmas” — a collection of seasonal events happening in November and December. They range from films and concerts to a tour of homes, special events at local historic landmarks — and the annual Christmas parade. You can click on http://www.visittyler.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/christmastopdf.pdf to download a brochure. You can also call (903) 592-1661 or drop by the Tyler Area Chamber office at 315 N. Broadway for more information.

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler, in collaboration with the Tyler Area Partnership 4 Education, is participating in a week-long campaign to help high school seniors with the college application process. According to a news release, “Apply Yourself Smith County” runs Nov. 16 – 20 during East Texas College Fair Week. Colleges from near and far will visit with and recruit students during fairs at local colleges, at convention centers, and on high school campuses. As part of the campaign’s college access initiative, high school representatives across Smith County will aid its seniors with the goal of each completing and submitting at least one college application.

The Tyler Area College Fair will be 6 – 8 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17, in Tyler Junior College’s Gentry Gym. Tyler Independent School District and other Smith County high schools also will offer assistance with applications during the week through specific classes. TAP4E is a subcommittee of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce’s Business Education Council. For more information, contact Sarah Bowdin, UTT’s assistant vice president for enrollment management, at 903-566-7057. You can also visit http://www.tap4e.org or email enroll@uttyler.edu if you’d like to know more.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of November 16. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.

Weather permitting, the Interstate Highway20 westbound Exit 595 will be closed Monday for repairs. Traffic can use the westbound Exit 596 to avoid delays. Slow down and pay attention in this and all work zones.

Crews continue to place final striping on roadways across Anderson, Cherokee, Rusk, Van Zandt, and Wood counties as district wide seal coat work nears completion. Expect lane closures in work zones. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

ANGELINA COUNTY — One man was killed in a shooting in Angelina County early Sunday morning. According to the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to “Annie Mae’s” on Jackson Road around 2:50 to the report of a shooting. Kevin Moore, 37, was taken to Woodland Heights Hospital where he was pronounced dead from multiple gun shot wounds. An autopsy has been ordered. According to KETK, Terry Christopher “Chris” Criswell (pictured) 32, has been named as a person of interest in the shooting. Continue reading Suspect Named in Angelina County Murder

TATUM — Two men were killed Friday morning in a two-vehicle collision on Texas 43 and Rusk CR 2138 near Tatum, the Texas Department of Public Safety reported. Antonio Romero, 48, of East Bernard was declared dead at the scene. The DPS said Romero was traveling south on Texas 43 and entered the wrong lane, striking the second vehicle, driven by Chase Todd, 31, of Tenaha. Todd was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview, where he died of his injuries.