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TYLER — Americans have been inundated with coverage of COVID-19 for months leading many to ask the question, why does American coverage of the pandemic always seem like bad news? On Tuesday, Paul Seegert, a managing partner with PCS consulting firm told KTBB News, “The biggest takeaway is we should be sharing some optimism with our population, that we are getting into herd immunity or that we are already at herd immunity. Looking at the CDC’s own recently published research, eight times more Americans have had COVID than have been confirmed to have COVID.” Seegert went on to say, “Yesterday [Monday] we got to 31.7 million confirmed cases of COVID. Multiply that by eight and you add the two together and you are over 270 million. Which is the original number that Dr. Fauci initially used as that herd immunity number.” Continue reading Research unveils COVID coverage negative 90% of time

SEAGOVILLE — Two East Texas teens reported missing have been found safe. The Seagoville Chief of Police confirmed with our news partner KETK, Tuesday, that an Amber Alert issued April 19 has turned out to be a hoax. Chief Ray Calverley said in the phone interview that the investigation exposed 17-year-old Marina Nelson and 16-year-old Devany Betancourt as staging an alleged abduction from the Seagoville Trade Days Flea Market. Continue reading 2 ‘missing teens’ found safe, believed to be part of elaborate hoax

TYLER — Smith County leaders say residents will be eligible to take one free trip to the landfill during the annual Smith Countywide Cleanup. The county announced Tuesday the dates will be observed as May 3-29. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office Environmental Crimes Unit and Commissioners Court are teaming up again to offer the Countywide Cleanup program. The program enables residents to take one truck-load of bulky items, which is three cubic yards of solid waste, to the Greenwood Farms Landfill for free. Organizers say that one voucher per resident is available in-person at the Courthouse Annex on East Ferguson. Read more here.

TYLER — The Harvey Convention Center has been a COVID-19 vaccine hub since December. The Northeast Texas Public Health District’s George Roberts tells KTBB News with over 50,000 immunizations they have been able to streamline the process, “Typically we can have you back for a shot in probably 15 minutes. Then, you have a waiting period of 10 to 15 minutes depending on if you have had an allergic reaction. So, your time in here could be 30 to 45 minutes. We try to move people through pretty quickly.” Continue reading Vaccine times continue to improve inside Harvey Convention Center

TYLER — The Tyler ISD Board of Trustees has advanced the career of an assistant principal in the district. LaRena Brooks has been working in the capacity of assistant at Peete Elementary School, but has been elevated after the districts approval Monday night. In a prepared statement, Brooks said, “I am so excited to continue the excellence of Peete Elementary School by serving as principal.” According to the district, Brooks promotion will fill the vacated role of Cassandra Chapa, who was named Chief Innovation Officer for Tyler ISD in March. Brook’s educational career began in 2007 as a kindergarten teacher at Griffin Elementary School.

TYLER — A Henderson man is one of two individuals that has pleaded guilty to their involvement in postal offenses in Texas and Louisiana. According to Acting U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei, Paul Kennedy, 39, of Henderson, pleaded guilty to burglary of a United States post office, possession of stolen mail, possession of stolen money orders, damage to government property, theft of government property and access device fraud on Monday. In March, Angela Moore, 37, of Longview, pleaded guilty to possession of stolen mail. Information presented in court revealed a burglary spree on Dec. 23 and Dec. 26 of Dec. 2019. Kennedy faces up to 10 years in federal prison. Moore faces up to five years. The sentencing date has not yet been set.

TYLER — The city of Tyler has a free bulky item collection for residential customers planned to start May 3 and run through through May 7. Bulky items will be removed at no charge. Items may include furniture, appliances, carpet, fencing material, old toys and other large items. Those items normally require a special fee. Organizers say tires, liquid waste, limbs, brush or tree stumps will not be picked up. The pick-up excludes businesses and multi-family home communities. Read more here.

TYLER — The man accused of murdering an East Texas pastor pleads not guilty. Back in January, Pastor Mark McWilliams was the first to encounter 21-year-old Mytrez Deunte Woolen. He was running for deputies and using the church as a hideout spot. Woolen is accused of killing the pastor with his own gun after a struggle inside the church and then leaving the scene. Woolen has been charged with capital murder. If convicted, Woolen could face the death penalty or life in prison without the possibility of parole.

TYLER — Tyler police were called to a pedestrian involved accident on Troup Highway around 7:00 Tuesday morning. According to Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh, Timothy Nickelbur, 30, from Tyler, was crossing Troup Hwy when he was struck by a vehicle. The victim was not in a marked crosswalk. Nickelbur was taken to a local hospital where he died as a result of his injuries. The incident is under investigation.

TATUM (AP) – One person was killed in the crash of a small airplane in East Texas. The Texas Department of Public Safety reports the twin-engine Cessna 310 crashed and burned about 3:20 p.m. Monday in a rural area near the Louisiana line northeast of Tatum, about 135 miles east of Dallas. DPS Sgt. Sara Warren says the fatality involved the only person believed to have been aboard. No identity of the pilot nor cause for the crash has been determined. According to the Rusk County Office of Emergency Management, the pilot took the plane out for a maintenance flight. The scene was closed off until the Federal Aviation Administration could arrive.

SEAGOVILLE — Police in Seagoville have issued an Amber alert for two teenage girls who disappeared from a flea market Sunday afternoon. 16-year-old Devany Betancourt and 17-year-old Marina Nelson were at the flea market along Highway 175 in Seagoville Sunday afternoon. Both live in Bullard, and Seagoville Police Chief Ray Calverley says both disappeared about 2:20 Sunday afternoon. He says Dallas police and the FBI have joined the investigation but they don’t have any suspects or a description of the car the two might be in. Calverley says they just know these two might be in immediate danger.

TYLER — The Junior League of Tyler is obtaining books for Tyler ISD’s new Literacy Bus. According to TISD, the bus is planning to make rounds throughout district streets this summer. The goal is to ensure children have access to books and resources year-round, including in the summer months. Some books will be given to students so they can build their own home library. The bus is a way to continue the Junior League of Tyler’s efforts to promote literacy initiatives in the community. Over the last few years, numerous summer reading camps have been hosted, with students taking home their own book following the camp.

MARSHALL — The city of Marshall updated details Monday on a weekend fire on East End Blvd. According to the Marshall Fire Department, crews were dispatched to a single family structure fire, as well as two commercial trash dumpster fires located in the vicinity of 1500 E. Grand Ave. The city said that fire department personnel put out all three fires and reported no injuries in any of the incidents. Each fire remains under investigation by the Fire Marshal’s Office. Two individuals were detained for questioning by the Marshall Fire Department Fire Marshal and Marshall Police Department. One arrest was made and the individual was transported to the Harrison County Jail Annex.

TYLER — A Tyler woman self-confessed to writing more than 100 fraudulent checks to herself from the business where she was employed. According to our news partner KETK, Vicki Melhart falsified checks ammounting to over $40,000. Melhart, 39, wrote 107 checks between October 2, 2019 and April 4, 2020, while employed by Deerbrook Storage Unit. Police say the owner told them Melhart’s job had been renting units, paying various bills, and taking payments. She was dismissed once the owner realized she had been writing the checks and forging his or his son’s signature. In total, the checks added up to $40,125.35. Melhart is in the Smith County Jail on a $100,000 bond. Her first court appearance has not yet been scheduled.

TYLER — COCHON555 will have a different look in 2021. On Monday, last year’s winner, Owner and Executive Chef of Tyler’s Culture ETX, Lance McWhorter, told KTBB News, “So COCHON approached us, while COVID was still going on about doing this carryout with COCHON program. It’s kind of an interactive take-home dinner, where everything is included. It will include five different courses…the fun part of this is we will have a 45 minute zoom meeting. I will walk you through how I plate things, and different insights to different ingredients.” Organizers say the virtual and interactive feast will bring the essence of the event directly into participants’ homes. For Tickets and more information click here. Continue reading Cook with highly acclaimed Chef in virtual event

TYLER — Hope Haven of East Texas received a $7,500 grant from Girls Invested in Volunteer Efforts over the weekend. According to our news partner KETK, the gift will be used to expand the program’s Supervised Independent Living. The non-profit, Hope Haven, is geared toward providing housing to girls in need. GIVE is an initiative of the Women’s Fund of Smith County that began in 2014 and is patterned after the Women’s Fund model of collective giving, with the goal of fostering leadership and philanthropic values in high school aged girls. Hope Haven says, they can now expand the SIL program and offer a home to three young women who can no longer participate in the traditional foster care system yet still need care as they begin adulthood.

TYLER — Over 150,000 vaccines have been given in Smith County since they began last December. NET Health’s George Roberts told KTBB News how COVID-19 vaccines were able to be designed so quickly. “What I’ve read on that is they were able to isolate the virus in the lab pretty quickly and then they were able to start working on the trials for the vaccine Pfizer and Moderna developed is a pretty new type of technology. Roberts went on to say, “They can actually go in and if they find variants and things, they can go in and make tweeks to the formulation of the vaccine. So that is some things they are looking to doing as variants come in…They made it a priority to get this thing developed as quickly and safely as they possibly could.” First doses continue Wednesday at Harvey Convention Center, to sign up click here.

SMITH COUNTY — Early voting for the May 1 Election started Monday morning. Local races include elections for the City of Tyler, City of Hideaway; and Lindale, Bullard, Chapel Hill and Troup Independent School Districts. Early voting will take place at five polling places from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, April 19-23, and from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, April 26-27. Election Day will be from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 1, at 15 polling places. Continue reading Early voting for May 1 election has begun

TYLER — A 13-year-old girl from Alabama was rescued from a home in Tyler around 5:00 Saturday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, Daniel Dylan Skipworth, 19, Tyler, was charged with kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault of a child, sex-trafficking of a child and resisting arrest. His bonds total to $560,000. Tyler police received information from the FBI that the girl might be at a location on Woods Boulevard. Police talked to Skipworth and found evidence that the girl could possibly be at the location. Continue reading Tyler man arrested for kidnapping after police rescue Alabama teen

SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County grand jury indicted an Arlington man for his involvement in the Starrville Methodist Church shooting. According to our news partner KETK, Mytrez Deunte Woolen, 21, was reportedly evading Smith County Deputies and Department on Public Safety Troopers on Jan. 2. Officials said he hid in the Starrville church all night. Pastor Mark McWilliams, 62, found him before the Sunday service January 3, and was attempting to hold Woolen at gunpoint until law enforcement could arrive. Woolen and McWilliams struggled over the gun when the pastor was fatally shot. Continue reading Church shooting suspect indicted on capital murder charge

TYLER — The North Tenneha Church of Christ will continue hosting a first dose COVID-19 vaccine clinic this weekend. Health workers will administer the Pfizer vaccine, Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. According to the city of Tyler, the event began Friday. The church will also host the follow-up second dose of Pfizer vaccines from from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 7 and May 8. The clinic is open to anyone 16 years and older. You can get the vaccine without an appointment during the walk-in clinic. For those unable to come inside, a drive-through option is also available. The church is located on N. Tenneha Ave. in Tyler. For more information, call (903) 595-6442.

TYLER — A Wills Point man was sentenced Thursday to 97 months in federal prison after he pleaded guilty to receipt of child pornography.   Computer equipment seized at the residence of James Joseph Veeser, 59, revealed visual depictions of minors engaged in sexually explicit conduct. The videos and photos had been downloaded over a three year period between January of 2016 and January 2019. This case is part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, click here.

TYLER — Officials announced Friday, that potentials jurors in Gregg County will not need to appear on Monday. In a prepared statement, Gregg County District Clerk Trey Hattaway said, “One of the side effects of calling for a jury, whether is for a civil or criminal trial, is it provides incentive for both sides to see if an agreement or a plea is possible. As of today [Friday], all trials scheduled for next week have been resolved.” Officials say jury selection is scheduled to resume on April 26 at Maude Cobb Convention Center.

LONGVIEW — A man died Thursday, after he was hit by a vehicle on West Loop 281 in Longview. According to our news partner KETK, Longview police responded to the scene just before 4:00 a.m., and found George Stoker, 47, on the ground in front of a car. Stoker was taken to a local hospital where he later died due to the injuries sustained. The accident continues to be investigated by detectives, who have interviewed the parties involved. If you have information regarding this, police ask you to contact them at 903-237-1170. You can also reach out to Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP(7867) or online by clicking here.

EAST TEXAS — In Smith County well over 150,000 COVID-19 vaccines have been given between multiple health entities in Tyler. So how long until people can do away with wearing a mask? The Northeast Texas Public Health District’s George Roberts told KTBB, “There’s a lot of questions right now about, ok, when can I stop wearing a mask, when can I stop social distancing, when can things get back to normal? The thing is quite frankly right now that is all under advisement. The CDC is looking at that right now. We have just been giving the vaccine for four months now.” Continue reading Roberts: ‘There is a strong light at the end of the tunnel’

TYLER — Tyler ISD will host their annual Teacher Job Fair on Saturday, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Tyler Legacy High School. Jennifer Hines told KTBB Friday, “Candidates will need to register and upload their information ahead of time. Once registration is complete, the candidate will receive a QR code to keep on their phone or print off. And that way when you’re at the job fair you can go around to all of the different campuses at the job fair and all they will have to do is scan your QR code and all of your information is right there.” Computers will be accessible at the event for those who need assistance with the registration process. Or to register now click here. Continue reading Tyler ISD hosts annual ‘Teachers Job Fair’ on Saturday

AUSTIN — House Bill 1927, constitutional-carry handgun legislation, has now been officially passed by the Texas House of Representatives on a vote of 87-58. The controversial bill is now headed for further debate in the state Senate. House Speaker Dade Phelan made the final vote on third reading official. Tyler State Representative Matt Schaefer’s bill would allow for the carrying of a handgun without a permit.  According to Schaefer, “This says that a person who is legally able to possess a handgun would now be able to carry that handgun in a public place.”  Democrats unsuccessfully argued the bill would make Texans less safe.  State Representative Ana-Maria Ramos said, “There is no proficiency test, no safety training, or anything before carrying a handgun in public.”

TYLER — A Whitehouse man entered a guilty plea to two counts of murder Thursday. The Smith Criminal County District Attorney’s office said that Harvey Martin, 55, agreed to both counts of murder in the first degree. The agreement was reached after discussion with the victim’s families, law enforcement, and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office. Martin will serve two life sentences to run concurrently, having no eligibility for Parole for at least 30 years. In December of 2018, Martin brutally shot and killed Caleb McGrady and Krista Newman. Martin, then drove to the police station and surrendered to detectives.

TYLER — Organizers of Chick-Fil-A’s 2021 annual soup drive, announced Thursday, the event raised more than 3,800 bowls of soup and over 400 cookies to be given to the Salvation Army. According to our news partner KETK, for each bowl of soup or cookie purchased, a bowl and a cookie were donated. Joshua Johnson, who owns franchises in Lindale and North Tyler, said the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll, “We are very big on safe service and so one of the things that we’ve seen at our stores or had to make the decision to do was close down dining rooms, so that has impacted the amount of cookies and soups were able to sell.” Chick-Fil-A raised record numbers in 2020 with almost 6,000 bowls of soup.