KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — East Texas cities are once again asking for lifeguard help ahead of summer. According to our news partner KETK, over the last couple of years, public pools across the area have experienced major lifeguard shortages. There were several reasons for the shortages: the pandemic, people moving onto different jobs and not enough potential candidates getting qualified. This year could be the same if pools around the area don’t attract enough lifeguards. The recreation manager for Tyler Parks and Recreation Kandice Johnson said last summer was tough for everyone. “Last summer I was on the phone every day with another city asking, ‘what are y’all doing to get lifeguards?’,” said Johnson. “There’s like a shortage. It’s hard to find people. We’re trying to start earlier than last year.” Continue reading Shortage of lifeguards in East Texas

TYLER — A bill to help funding for public school educators is making its way through the Texas Legislature, but school officials said the bill in it’s current state just isn’t enough. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford was joined by representatives from Alba-Golden, Bullard, Carthage, Cushing, Brownsboro, Lindale, Longview, Mineola, Palestine, Pine Tree, Troup, Tyler, Union Grove and Whitehouse on Monday to call on the legislature to increase public school funding. Sounding what they called a “Mayday! Mayday! Mayday!” alarm on May 1, the districts urged supporters to contact state lawmakers to support increased school funding. With a month left in the Texas legislative session, public education advocates are asking lawmakers to allocate more of the state’s $32.7 billion surplus to schools. Continue reading Schools ask Texas lawmakers for help as inflation rises

TYLER — To help restock the Community Pet Food Bank, Tyler Animal Services will waive adoption fees for dogs and cats with the donation of at least three bags of dog or cat food of any size during the month of May. The Pet Food Bank was established in 2015 so families in need or those who could not afford to feed their pets would have a safety net to keep them in their homes. Many times, people who want to surrender a pet to Tyler Animal Control and Shelter only need time to get over a short-term financial hurdle. The Pet Food Bank provides assistance through donated food and cat litter, and so far, 30,000 pounds of food and litter have been distributed over the years. Continue reading Tyler Animal Services offers free adoptions with donations

TYLER – The Glass Recreation Center in Tyler is offering free life skills classes for teens from age 13 to 17 starting on June 6. These classes which are being offered for subjects like resume writing and car maintenance are limited to 15 participants per subject and will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursdays. According to the center, parents can choose the classes their teen will participate in but class spots are limited. To learn more about the Teen Life Skills program, call the Glass Recreation center at 903-595-7271 visit Tyler Parks and Rec online.

TYLER – Tyler is home to the largest municipal rose garden, and on Rose Sunday, the community came together to honor our city of roses. Tyler’s rose garden blooms with more than 15,000 rose bushes, seeing 100,000 visitors every year according to our news partner KETK. On Rose Sunday, people gathered to celebrate these beautiful blooms. “We are here to promote our rose garden, our beautiful 14 acres that are blooming out there and promote our city,” said Executive Director for the Texas Rose Festival Association Liz Ballard. There to honor Tyler’s roses was the Texas Rose Festival court, and the 2023 Rose Queen Laura Bryan. Today, more than one-third of the nation’s rose bushes are processed, packaged and shipped from this area. It’s building up excitement for the 90th Texas Rose Festival in just a few months.

TYLER — The Bed Bath and Beyond stores in Tyler and Longview are both closing and offering store-wide sales, according to employees. Local store employees confirmed to our news partner KETK that they are closing and that everything in the store is between 10% and 30% off. Bed Bath and Beyond’s website said similar sales are happening across the country. The stores in East Texas are closing along with every Bed Bath & Beyond store nationwide after the chain filled for Chapter 11 bankruptcy earlier in April, according to the Associated Press. It is unknown when the stores will officially close but the last day to use any gift cards or store credit is May 8, 2023, according to the company’s website.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Beginning Monday, May 8, the Texas Department of Transportation will begin widening operations on FM 768 in Jacksonville. The work will widen the roadway from 18 feet to 23 feet, from Loop 456 in Jacksonville to FM 22. Motorists should expect lane closures while work is in progress with flaggers and a pilot car controlling traffic. Delays are expected.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department said Saturday 63-year-old Mark Horner was discovered dead in Marion County. According to our news partner KETK, Horner, a teacher for Trinity School Of Texas, had been missing since April 19th. It was reported that Chase County Kansas Sheriff’s Department said they may have seen Horner in their area. That proved to be false. The Marion County Sheriff’s department, who are conducting the investigation, said there are no signs of foul play in the death of Horner.

TYLER — On Friday night, DeMarvion Overshown alongside family and friends in Tyler, got to hear his name called, getting drafted by the Cowboys in the 3rd round of the 2023 NFL draft. According to our news partner KETK, after playing safety in Arp, Overshown signed with the Texas Longhorns, where he moved over to linebacker and led the Horns in tackles. Now he will get the chance to showcase the skills he learned in Arp and in Austin and take them to his new football home in Dallas.

BULLARD – The Brookshire’s grocery was evacuated Saturday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, store management received an anonymous phone call that a “device” had been placed inside the store. Bullard police conducted a search and issued an all clear after no device had been found. The Bullard Police Department is continuing an investigation in the case.

HENDERSON COUNTY – The Henderson County Sheriff’s office report a shooting in rural Henderson county that left one person dead late Friday night. According to our news partner KETK, officials say they found 27-year-old Justin Jordan at that location with multiple gunshot wounds. Jordan later died of those wounds. Also at the scene, Sheriff’s deputies arrested Cody Alan Jones, age 30. He admitted shooting the decedent. Jones was then arrested and charged with murder and taken to the Henderson County jail. Jail records show that Jones has not yet received bond.

ATHENS – Athens Police Chief John Densmore’s last day with the department was Friday, the city announced. According to our news partner KETK, Densmore announced his resignation in order to go into the private sector. “During his tenure, Chief Densmore has worked tirelessly to keep our city safe and enhance the quality of life for all of our citizens,” according to a release from the city. “On behalf of the city, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for his dedicated service to our community. We wish him all the best in his future endeavors and are confident that he will continue to make a positive impact in his new role.” Previously, Densmore worked at the Cedar Hill Police Department as a Lieutenant before moving to Athens and becoming chief in February 2021. The search for a new police chief will begin immediately.

TYLER — There are many changes to P.T. Cole Park which has been in the community since 1955. Tyler Parks and Recreation along with city councilmen welcomed the new park with a ribbon cutting on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, this has been a working project in the community since October 2022. The 2.3-acre park has playground equipment, basketball courts and a splash pad for the hot East Texas summers. District 2 councilman Broderick McGee said this is a way for children to make new memories. “It’s going to be exciting that you know for years to come, they’ll be able to come back to this park still here and bring their kids,” said McGee. Continue reading Grand opening: Long-standing P.T. Cole Park in Tyler renovated

TYLER – Memorial services have been set for an Arp High School senior who passed Wednesday after a car crash in Smith County. Services for Thomas Fuller will be held at the Stewart Family Funeral Home in Tyler with a visitation from 6 to 8 p.m. on Sunday and the funeral service will be on Monday at 10 a.m. “Thank you very much for your support during this difficult time for our school district,” Arp ISD said. “Grief counselors are available for Arp ISD students and staff as needed on all three of our campuses.” The school district said Fuller was a member of the football team, powerlifting team and ran track during his junior year.

TYLER — After severe weather caused damage across Texas this week, the Texas Division of Emergency Management is urging all impacted Texans to report property damage to a TDEM survey. According to our news partner KETK, Texas residents are encouraged to self-submit damages to their homes and businesses using the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool damage survey. “Reporting storm damage is a critical step to helping Texas communities recover from this severe weather,” said Texas Emergency Management Chief Nim Kidd. Continue reading Texans impacted by severe weather urged to report damage in state survey

TYLER — Due to recent heavy rains in the area, the Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East boat ramps will be temporarily closed and the lakes are closed to boat traffic from lake residents, the City of Tyler announced. The lakes are currently at an elevation of 376.4 feet Mean Sea Level and are continuing to rise. The ramps are closed due to hazards from debris that washed into the lakes from recent rains. This is also an effort to reduce damage to the shoreline caused by boat wakes. The closure is effective until further notice and Tyler Water Utilities anticipates reopening the ramps once lake levels decrease.

LONGVIEW – Two achievement awards are heading CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System’s way for demonstrating commitment to stroke care, according to our news partner KETK. These achievements highlight the hospital’s following up-to-date, research-based guidelines for the treatment of stroke, leading to more lives saved, shorter recovery times and fewer readmissions. Studies show that someone in the U.S. has a stroke every 40 seconds, with strokes being the fifth leading cause of death in the United States and patients can recover better when providers consistently follow treatment guidelines. CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System, a participant in the Get with the Guidelines program, qualified for the award by demonstrating how their organization has committed to improving quality care. CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System in Longview and Marshall both received “gold plus honor roll elite” recognition for stroke care and “gold plus honor roll” recognition for type 2 diabetes care. Continue reading CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Health System receives national recognition for stroke care

TYLER — On Wednesday, April 26, the Tyler City Council approved a resolution of support accepting the results of the Downtown Tyler Traffic Study and supporting the use of Option 2: Hybrid Tapered Approach when making decisions for improvements in Downtown Tyler. The Downtown Traffic Study was developed by Kimley-Horn and approved by the City Council on August 24, 2022. The study used recommendations from Toole Design, which has been working with the City since the beginning of 2022, to create a concept to support revitalization efforts in the Downtown area. Continue reading Downtown Traffic Study gets resolution of support

BULLARD — A police officer and an alleged intoxicated driver were injured after a high-speed pursuit. According to a Bullard PD Facebook post, on Tuesday, around 1:20 a.m., a police sergeant attempted to stop a vehicle for a traffic violation on Highway 69 in Bullard. Officials said the driver of the vehicle drove away and a pursuit ensued. The vehicle was clocked going at “very high rates of speed” from Highway 69 to several county roads in Cherokee and Smith County. After more than 30 minutes of a vehicle pursuit, police said the driver got out of the vehicle and ran into a heavily wooded area near FM 756. Continue reading Suspected drunk driver arrested following high speed chase

NACOGDOCHES – An out of state truck driver led authorities on a chase through East Texas on Monday. Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to intercept the driver, 61-year-old Ed Solomon of Illinois. According to our news partner KETK, The deputies encountered him in Nacogdoches and trailed him into Rusk county.

They were asked by the company that employed Solomon that he be pulled over, he refused. There Rusk County Sheriff’s officers threw out spike strips to stop the 18-wheel vehicle. At that time, EMS was called to access Solomon’s health. He was then taken to Rusk County jail and was booked for evading arrest.

NACOGDOCHES – The Texas House passed a bill on Wednesday bringing Stephen F. Austin State University into the University of Texas system. The bill now goes to Governor Greg Abbott for signature. The bill was filed at the end of February and passed the Texas Senate on April 17 ahead of its Texas House approval on Wednesday. Included in the bill, SFA will now be enrolled in the Permanent University Fund system, and the university’s new name will be “Stephen F. Austin State University, a member of The University of Texas System.” The school colors will remain unchanged. Continue reading Texas House passes bill to add SFA to UT system

NASHVILLE, Tennessee (AP) — Country music star Miranda Lambert is dishing on the recipes from her family and friends in East Texas. Her new cookbook is called “Y’All Eat Yet?” and is equal parts Lambert’s family memoir, a guide to Texas-style entertaining and church potluck cookbook. Lambert says some of the first songs she wrote as a teenager were inspired by hearing stories and life lessons over the dinner table. The Grammy-winning singer has a lot to celebrate as she heads into the Academy of Country Music on May 11 as the reigning entertainer of the year.

MARSHALL — The Marshall Police Department disposed of 253 pounds of unneeded medications collected from the April 22nd Drug Take Back event and the ongoing collection of the past six months. The drugs were turned over to the Drug Enforcement Administration on April 24 for incineration. The Marshall Police Department encourages residents to properly dispose of unwanted or unused medications. The public can bring them to the green drop box in the lobby of the Marshall Police Department, 2101 N. East End Blvd., which is accessible all day, every day. Continue reading Marshall Police tout successful drug take-back event

SMITH COUNTY — K9 Joker officially retired on Tuesday after serving with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. He will retire with his handler Juan Cervantes. According to our news partner KETK, Joker is a seven and a half year old Belgian Malinois who has served Smith County for more than six years. Joker has aided officials with hundreds of operations from apprehension of criminals to finding missing persons.

TYLER – A woman charged in a November 2022 of kidnapping a 5-year-old boy pleaded guilty Monday in Smith County court.  Pamela Medlock, 59, of Overton, was sentenced to eight years deferred adjudication. According to our news partner KETK, Medlock made national news last year when she was identified as the prime suspect in the disappearance of an East Texas elementary school student. The child’s grandparents reported the child missing. He was found with with Medlock after a state trooper stopped her near Colorado City, Texas. After the boy was back with his family, it was revealed that She was a family friend and took the child out for his birthday and didn’t return. Thus the kidnapping charge. The adjudication means that if Medlock completes the eight-year probation, she be eligible to have the kidnapping taken off her record.

MARSHALL – A Smith County student will have their artwork hung in the United States Capitol for a year after winning a competition according to our news partner KETK. The 2023 Congressional Art Competition was created in 1982 to “encourage and showcase artistic talent from across the nation in each congressional district.” This year’s winner from Rep. Nathaniel Moran’s district is Phuong N. Nguyen, who won with a pencil piece that of artist’s mother, “Mom in the Midst of Happiness.” 22 high school students from 12 schools across the First Congressional District of Texas participated this year. For the last two weeks, each piece of artwork was on display at the Michelson Museum of Art in Marshall. Nguyen’s piece will now be displayed in the U.S. Capitol for one year, where members of Congress, staffers and visitors from around the world will see the winning artwork.

ANGELINA COUNTY — Two individuals have been arrested after forcefully tattooing their children and trying to remove the tattoos once CPS became involved, according to Lt. James Denby with the Zavalla Police Department. Denby said that on April 17, police were notified by CPS about parents tattooing their children and asked for Angelina County officials to be present when they went to the residence where the crime was taking place. According to our news partner KETK, during the visit the next day, April 18, two children ages 5 and 9-years-old were taken into the custody of CPS. Continue reading Parents arrested after ‘forcefully’ tattooing their children