KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — Keep Tyler Beautiful will host its annual daffodil bulbs sale once again this fall. The online sale opens Aug. 21 and runs through Sept. 30. A ready to plant fifty-count bag of Carlton Yellow Daffodils will cost $20 each. This year the bulb orders are online only. The bulbs will be available to pick up on Nov. 13 at the Downtown Recycle Center on N. Bois D’Arc Avenue. If the bulbs are not picked up on Nov. 13, buyers can pick up their order from Nov. 18 through Dec. 17 at the Tyler Municipal Rose Garden Center. For more information, you can visit this link or e-mail Belen Casillas, Keep Tyler Beautiful Community Coordinator, at [email protected].

HAWKINS — Jarvis Christian College in Hawkins is offering free covid-19 vaccines by Moderna and Pfizer for people age 16 and over. Following a Friday 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. availability, the effort will resume Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The vaccines will be available in the E.W. Rand Center Varsity Gymnasium on the Jarvis main campus. Security officers at the front of the campus can direct you to the building. Vaccines for meningitis and HPV also are available. For more information, contact Janet Ragland at (903) 241-5109 or by email at [email protected].

TYLER — East Texas hospitals are struggling with staff shortages as COVID-19 patient numbers rise everyday. According to our news partner KETK, Gov. Abbott announced the state is stepping in to help recruit out-of-state medical workers. One of the hospitals to receive the help is UT Health East Texas. UT Health’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Cummins said about 20 nurses and respiratory therapists made it to East Texas with more expected to arrive in the coming days. “Having experienced ICU and medical nurses and ER nurses to be able to help take care of patients is an invaluable asset to have and certainly helps bring some relief to some very tired staff members,” Cummins said. Continue reading State deploys nurses to help East Texas hospitals with staffing shortages

TYLER — Drivers and pedestrians can expect traffic signal outages at College Avenue and Ferguson Street in downtown Tyler Friday morning due to a planned Oncor power outage between midnight and 5 a.m. Motorists are reminded to treat intersections as four-way stops if traffic signals are out or flashing red.

TYLER – Tyler police are investigating after a man who had been struck by a vehicle was found dead in a roadway. Police say officers responded around 1:00 a.m. Thursday to North Broadway between the 26th Street and 28th Street intersections after getting a call. The victim was 38-year-old Devin Thompson of Tyler. Police say the driver of the vehicle involved has been contacted. We’ll provide further updates as they come in.

TYLER — The East Texas Food Bank is holding another mega drive-thru produce distribution Friday in Tyler from 10 a.m. to noon at Lindsey Park. This time has been changed from the summer hours of 8-10 a.m. All such events are open to anyone and there are no eligibility or paperwork requirements. These are drive-thru distributions and walk-ups will not be accepted. Multiple households can carpool. To pick up items for another household not present, a note must be provided. The next drive-thru distribution dates are Tuesday, 8/31, in Lufkin at the George H. Henderson Expo Center from 10 a.m. to noon; Friday, 9/3, in Tyler at Lindsey Park from 10 a.m. to noon; and Friday, 9/10, in Longview at the Gregg County Fairgrounds from 8-10 a.m.

TYLER — The Women In Tyler committee has announced the co-chairs and theme for its 2022 luncheon. This year the theme is “Women With A Voice.” The new co-chairs are Terri F. Sumpter of Christus Trinity Mother Frances Health System and Glenda Bowie, retired from TISD. As a way to celebrate Women’s History Month, Women in Tyler was founded in 1999 to honor women who have contributed to the quality of life in the Tyler community, according to a news release. Continue reading Women In Tyler committee announces co-chairs and theme

ATHENS — An elderly man was arrested Wednesday after he fatally shot a neighbor through the screen door of his home. 85-year-old Huey Edward Nichols has been charged with murder. He was booked into the Henderson County Jail. According to Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, Nichols fired a single round from a 38-caliber revolver through the door, striking the victim in the upper abdomen. He died a short time later at a Tyler hospital. Officials say the unidentified neighbor went to the home to check the welfare of Nichols. There were no signs of forced entry or a struggle, though the Nichols said he was threatened. Continue reading Elderly man charged with fatally shooting neighbor

LONGVIEW — Curbside recycling services in Longview resumed Thursday. The services were shut down Tuesday due to what were termed urgent repairs at Rivers Recycling, the city’s third-party materials recovery facility. Word of the resumption came in Wednesday afternoon.

MARSHALL — The Marshall Police Department is seeking the community’s help in locating Rhaya Hicks, 24, of Marshall. Ms. Hicks was last seen in the area of 1793 and Gainesville Rd. at approximately 3:30 Monday morning. She was driving her 2008 black Lincoln MKZ bearing Texas license plate NKZ 5530. Ms. Hicks was wearing a white, pink, and blue two-piece bathing suit. Anyone with any information about Ms. Hicks’ whereabouts is asked to contact the Marshall Police Department at 903-935-4578, or if you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Marshall/Harrison County Crimestoppers at 903-935-9969 or use the P3 mobile app.

TYLER – A truck ran into a home at South Sneed Ave. and Troup Highway in Tyler on Wednesday, and one person has been arrested. According to our news partner KETK, officers say the man drifted off the road and slammed into the chimney. Tyler Police Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh says the person was being chased on foot by a fire marshal. He was caught several blocks north on Sneed, near the 1st Street intersection. The man is being charged with driving while intoxicated and evading arrest. He could face additional charges as police continue their investigation. No one was at home at the time of the crash.

WASKOM – Waskom ISD has announced that it will close all its campuses through next Monday in an attempt to stop the spread of COVID-19 in the school district. According to our news partner KETK, for the next few days, campuses will be cleaned thoroughly to ensure a safe environment when students return on Tuesday. WISD Superintendent Rae Ann Patty says officials feel the move is the best option though they “know this is an inconvenience for some families.” On Sunday, Waskom ISD announced it would close its elementary school for a week after staff members got sick with COVID-19. The district says it will have staff available on all campuses to take calls on Monday in case any children develop symptoms.

TYLER — The Tyler Animal Shelter invites the community to come check out the new murals being painted inside the Chandler Highway facility Thursday from 3 to 5 p.m. During the come and go event, some of the artists will be finishing up their work or hanging out to talk with people as they stop by, according to information from the city. Officials say five local artists have spent the month of August working on their own murals inside the facility to create an inviting space to foster animal adoptions.

LONGVIEW — Thursday, Aug. 19, the traffic signal at the intersection of Hawkins Parkway and Good Shepherd Way in Longview will be set to flash. The signal will be fully operational beginning Thursday, Aug. 26. Drivers are encouraged to use caution at this intersection. Officials say this project consists of constructing a new 4 way traffic signal and left turn lanes at the intersection. This project is being constructed by Reynolds and Kay, LTD of Tyler. If you have any questions related to construction call Zack Shaner, P.E., at 903-237-1321.

TYLER – Tyler ISD surprised Andy Woods Elementary physical education teacher Ashley Phelps Wednesday morning by announcing that she is one of six 2022 Texas Teacher of the Year finalists. Phelps is the District’s Elementary Teacher of the Year and was recently named the Region 7 Elementary Teacher of the Year. A panel of judges will select two state-level winners, in the elementary and secondary categories, and designate one to represent Texas in the National Teacher of the Year program. The winners will be announced October 15 at an awards ceremony in Austin, where the 40 regional winners will also be recognized. According to a news release, Phelps teaches her students how fitness positively impacts their physical and emotional well-being.

TYLER – The CDC has recommended that those who are immunocompromised to get a booster shot. According to our news partner KETK, U.S. health officials could announce as early as this week that everyone can get a booster shot. Some vaccinated East Texans have said they would consider getting a booster. Health officials are expected to say the booster shot should be given eight months after receiving the second vaccine. “There’s been discussion about booster shots for a while now and at what point we may want a booster to get that extra immunity a booster can provide,” George Roberts, the CEO of NET Health, said. Continue reading East Texas health officials recommend booster shot

TYLER — A case involving a wreck at Front and Palmer in Tyler is now being worked as a homicide. Police say the driver of a pickup that crashed into a power pole has been identified as Michael Lee Tucker, 29, from Tyler. Tucker died, and it was determined that he had been shot. The investigation led detectives to a residence on South Palmer, where the shooting appears to have occurred. Police said Tuesday afternoon that no suspect had been arrested and that the case was still under investigation. If you have any information on this case, contact Det. Martin at 903-531-1027 or call Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833. Palmer remained closed north and south of Front at last report, with drivers urged to use an alternate route.

TYLER — Smith County is now officially a “StormReady” County. National Weather Service Senior Meteorologist Jason Hansford, who is based out of the Shreveport office, presented the recognition to the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office/Office of Emergency Management during Commissioners Court on Tuesday. Hansford says the StormReady designation aims at ramping up community awareness of severe weather preparedness. He says the designation tells the community that everything is in place to handle inclement weather in the county. “You have been one of the more proactive emergency managers we’ve ever worked with,” he added, referring to Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks. Click here for more information.

TYLER – The Regions Foundation, a nonprofit primarily funded by Regions Bank that supports community investments, has announced a $75,000 grant to support Habitat for Humanity of Smith County. According to a news release, the donation will specifically benefit the affiliate’s ReHabitat program providing critical home repairs and modifications for low-income residents in Smith, Van Zandt, Cherokee, Anderson, Wood, Henderson and Rusk Counties. ReHabitat clients include families, seniors, people with disabilities, and veterans. Since its 2009 founding, ReHabitat has completed more than 1,000 critical repairs throughout Habitat’s seven-county service area, according to the release.

BROWNSBORO – The City of Brownsboro voted Monday evening to outlaw abortion. According to our news partner KETK, Brownsboro is the 13th town in East Texas to become a “sanctuary city for the unborn” in the past two years. The movement was started by Longview native Mark Dickson, the director of Right to Life East Texas. It began in June 2019, when Waskom became the first to pass such an ordinance. Many city attorneys have agreed that these designations were unconstitutional and would all but certainly be struck down by courts if they were to be sued.

TYLER — Reed Road from Kent Drive to Meadors Cemetery Road in Tyler is open following about three weeks of construction. That’s reported in a Monday afternoon news release from the city. The speed limit is 30 miles per hour. The road will be striped in the coming weeks.

TYLER — Pipeline Analysis will be smoke testing sewer lines in sewer meter basins 13 and 17 in Tyler as part of the city’s ongoing sanitary sewer inspection program. The testing will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. through Friday, Aug. 20. Locations are south of West Harmony Street to West Oakwood Street and west of North Fannin Avenue to North Glenwood Boulevard; and south of Smith County Road 332 to East Commerce Street and west of North Northeast Loop 323 to U.S. Highway 271. Officials say smoke testing helps locate breaks and defects in the city’s sanitary sewer system. The information is used to repair and improve the sewer system, according to a news release. Continue reading Smoke testing continues in Tyler

TYLER — The former principal of Tyler Legacy High School has been indicted for possession of a controlled substance, according to Smith County judicial records. That’s according to our news partner KETK. Police say when they went to Daniel Crawford’s home in early June, they found cocaine and saw that Crawford was bleeding from the head. But they say both Crawford and his wife told them they didn’t know what had happened. Police say Crawford did tell them he was OK and didn’t need help. The affidavit says both were highly intoxicated. The cocaine was reportedly found while police searched for the cause of the injury. Crawford soon resigned from Legacy and was later arrested.

LONGVIEW — Curbside recycling services will not be available within the city of Longview beginning Aug. 17 until further notice due to what are termed urgent repairs at Rivers Recycling, the City’s third-party materials recovery facility. City officials say during that time, contents from curbside recycling carts will be taken to the landfill with regular trash rather than being recycled. The city will provide an update when more information is available, according to a news release. Trash collection, yard waste collection, bulky item pickup, and the compost site will continue to operate as normal during this time, according to the release.

WASKOM – Waskom Elementary School will be closed all week and the campus will be deep cleaned after some staffers got sick with COVID-19. According to our news partner KETK, students will not be required to make up these days. But if the school is closed in the future, students will have to make up those additional days during the year or at the beginning of summer. Remote learning will also not be available this week. Waskom’s middle and high school campuses will still hold classes. WISD Superintendent Rae Ann Patty is apologizing for the inconvenience and thanking all concerned for their “patience and understanding.”

RUSK COUNTY – One person has died and two children have been injured in a Friday afternoon wreck in Rusk County. The DPS says troopers responded around 3:55 p.m. to US 79, four miles east of Henderson. The investigators’ report indicates that the driver of a GMC truck was eastbound with a trailer in tow. The right front tire of the truck blew out and caused the driver to lose control. Both the truck and trailer went off the roadway to the right. The driver, William McAlister, 52, of Tatum, was pronounced at the scene. Passengers included 5- and 10-year-old boys. The 5-year-old was transported to LSU Medical Center in serious condition. The 10-year-old was transported to UT Health East Texas – Henderson in stable condition. The crash remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW – A convicted sex offender accused of killing a White Oak man over $35 has been indicted for murder by a Gregg County grand jury. According to our news partner KETK, 39-year-old Brandon Gilliam was the prime suspect in the May 3 murder of 66-year-old Steve McDowell. Gilliam was on the run from multiple law enforcement agencies for 10 days before he was finally caught. Court records show that Gilliam has three previous convictions in Gregg County.

TYLER – TxDOT is planning to conduct another round of construction and maintenance work in the Tyler District during the week of Aug. 16. Seal coat operations continue around the district. Motorists should expect lane closures and delays during this work to seal and protect roadways from water, and to provide a longer life cycle. Various project work will be conducted with slow-moving mobile operations. Crews will be working in Cherokee, Henderson, and Smith counties throughout the week. Click here for the full rundown of roadwork around the district.

TYLER – Tyler ISD held ceremonies to celebrate the grand openings of Tyler Legacy High School and Tyler High School after they were both under construction. According to the district, crews had been working since 2017. Now officials say the facilities will be more modern and help students be more successful. According to our news partner KETK, the Tyler High School event was held Aug. 13 and Tyler Legacy hosted its grand opening Aug. 14.

KILGORE — Kilgore College is hosting COVID-19 vaccination clinics for the community with the next one set for 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, Aug. 16, in the carpeted gym of Parks Fitness Center on the Kilgore campus. Additional dates for the KC clinics are Tuesday, Aug. 31, and Tuesday, Sept. 21. The second dose will be available at least 21 days after the first dose. Both the Pfizer (2 doses) and Johnson & Johnson (1 dose) will be available. Anyone 18 or older can choose to receive either vaccine. Persons 12 to 17 years old will only be offered the Pfizer vaccine, and they must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian at the vaccine clinics. Face coverings are required to be worn inside the vaccination clinic. Continue reading COVID-19 vaccination clinic set for Monday in Kilgore