KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The average price of gas in Texas has risen above $2 a gallon. Prior to last weekend, motorists had gone over 10 months paying less than $2 a gallon. The average price for regular unleaded is $2.10 a gallon. According to our news partner KETK, the price jumped 11 cents in one week but is still 17 cents less than on this date last year. Despite the increase, drivers in Texas are still paying some of the cheapest prices at the pump. The national average price is $2.36. In Tyler the average is $2.08, in Longview that number is $2.10 a gallon.

GLADEWATER — A near capacity Gladewater ISD bus crashed into a tree early Thursday morning. According to our news partner KETK, the wreck happened around 7:15 a.m. near the Middle School campus. Three students were taken to the hospital for further evaluation, but injuries appear to be minor. Other students were picked up by their parents. Superintendent Sedrick Clark commended employees for the role they played in consoling both parents and students upset by the incident.

TYLER — Organizers are reminding residents two memorial tree plantings will happen Saturday, in conjunction with the City of Tyler Arbor Day event. The trees will be planted at Woldert Park, in memory of former Smith County Constable Henry Jackson and former City Councilman Ed Moore. Henry Jackson served as Smith County Precinct 1 Constable from 1999 to 2017. While Ed Moore served as District 4 Councilman for the City of Tyler from 2013 to 2019. Both men served many other roles in the Tyler community and will be remembered for their commitment to residents. Continue reading Memorial tree plantings during City of Tyler Arbor Day

TYLER – William Hardin, 68, was reported missing Wednesday after walking away from his residence on David Drive in Tyler. Hardin was found safe at a relative’s house. According to our news partner KETK, Hardin has dementia and was last seen around 4 p.m. at the Wal-Mart on South Broadway “looking confused” as he walked in and back out.

WASHINGTON D.C. — East Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert, spoke from the House Floor Wednesday against impeaching President Donald J. Trump. Gohmert, argued that Democrats were not going through traditional impeachment procedures; like calling witnesses and obtaining evidence. Gohmert said, “If you have a whim… just go straight to the (House) floor (for an impeachment vote).” Gohmert went on to say, “This is so dangerous,” he said. “You are destroying this experiment in self-government. This needs to stop.” President Trump was impeached for the second time. The Senate say they do not anticipate taking up proceedings until after the President is out of office.

TYLER — A drive-thru food distribution scheduled for Friday at the East Texas State Fairgrounds has been cancelled. The East Texas Food Bank said the next drive thru allotments in Tyler will take place the first Friday in February. The City of Tyler is working with NET Health to hold emergency vaccine distributions in the Harvey Hall parking lot through Saturday. Anyone needing food assistance can click the link and find help from one of their 26 county areas. https://www.easttexasfoodbank.org/.

TYLER — Southside Bank has been named one of the Top 10 Banking Powerhouses in America by Bank Director. On Wednesday President and CEO Lee Gibson told KTBB, “It is a team effort. I am the one who gets to speak about it and talk about it, and I am privileged to do that, but they are the ones that made it happen over all of these years. I could not be more proud of them and I tell them all of the time. I tell them you are our most important asset, because with out you we don’t have customers and without customers we don’t have a bank.” The 2021 RankingBanking study of performance powerhouse banks also ranked Southside as one of the top three banks in America for creating long-term value, named the board of directors the best in Texas, and identified Southside as the best bank to work for in Texas.

TYLER — COVID-19 hospitalization rates in East Texas have continued to spike. NET Health CEO George Roberts addressed the Tyler City Council Wednesday,”We may be tired of this virus, but it’s not tired of us.” Our news partner KETK, noted Tyler is close to setting a new record for coroanvirus hospitalizations. Currently, there are 316 patients in Tyler hospitals with the record being 317. Texas is now in its fifth week of distributing vaccines. Dr. Paul McGaha with UT Health told the council that no doses are being left on the shelf like has happened elsewhere across the country. Continue reading COVID-19 numbers remain elevated

LONGVIEW — A Longview firefighter suffered minor burns at a home fire Tuesday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, the residence on E. Melton St. was already immersed in flames when the Longview Fire Department arrived at 12:45 p.m. The city said crews were able to bring the fire under control in about 20 minutes. However, three of the families pets died from the fire. No one was at the residence at the time of the fire. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. The injured firefighter’s name was not released.

TYLER — The Small Business Administration reopened the Paycheck Protection Program loan portal earlier this week. The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce reminded members Wednesday, that Congress has passed several changes to the PPP, and also produced a “Second Draw” PPP for small businesses that may exhausted initial loans. Other changes impact eligibility for initial PPP loans, the loan forgiveness process, and the tax treatment of PPP loans. To learn more click the link to the Small Business Administration site. https://www.sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/coronavirus-relief-options/paycheck-protection-program#section-header-0.

ATHENS — The City of Athens has moved forward with the hiring of a new police chief. According to our news partner KETK, John Densmore will join the force in February. Densmore served previously as Lieutenant with the Cedar Hill Police Department. Densmore told the city council he is excited to start his new position. There were 42 applicants seeking the role, finalists were interviewed by city staff, a panel of law enforcement, a citizen committee and the city council. Chief Buddy Hill retired from the department in August of 2020.

TYLER — The body of Corbin Stiefer, 21, of Tyler, was discovered by Tyler police Wednesday. Andy Erbaugh told KTBB, “We restarted what we would call a perimeter search where his vehicle was found in all the wooded areas around all the open areas…We were all beginning to come up the East side of 49 which is a very open area when he was found.” Stiefer was found just before 11 a.m. Continue reading Body of 21 year old Tyler man found near Toll 49

TYLER — A man charged with murder for the stabbing death of his girlfriend has been found competent to stand trial. On Tuesday our news partner KETK reported Dr. Mitchell Dunn has found no evidence that Johnny Osburn, 40, Tyler, has a mental illness. Osburn is charged with murder for the death of 42-year-old Leslie Gamino of Tyler. In January of 2020, Tyler police were alerted that Gamino was possibly being held hostage by Osburn and traced the location to Townhouse Motel in Tyler where police discovered her body wrapped in bedding in the trunk of her car. She had been stabbed multiple times. Osburn was later taken into custody and charged with her death.

LONGVIEW — The United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas, Stephen J. Cox announced that Spinal Decompression Clinic of Texas has agreed to pay $330,898.00 to resolve liability under the False Claims Act for the alleged improper billing of electro-acupuncture device neurostimulators. According to the press brief SDCT billed Medicare for the implantation of 41 neurostimulators, a surgical procedure, which usually requires an operating room and is reimbursed by federal health care programs. SDCT, however, did not perform those surgeries, instead applied P-Stim devices in an office setting.

HENDERSON COUNTY — A high-speed chase through multiple counties, involving a DPS helicopter and 8 other agencies, resulted in the arrest of 2 Dallas teenagers Monday. According to Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, the chase started in Athens and ran through Kaufman and Van Zandt County. Javier Delarosa, 18, and Arnulfo Baesa, 17, are both facing charges of delivering a “substantial amount of meth.” Authorities say the chase reached speeds of 115 miles per hour and the suspects were seen throwing drugs out the window. Continue reading High-speed chase results in arrest of 2

MARSHALL — Redevelopment of Marshall’s downtown continues. On Tuesday, the city announced the recent removal of four trees that were causing extensive damage. According to the city, the extraction of the four live oak trees was necessary because of wide-ranging detriment being caused. The city said they will plant four live Oak trees on Arbor day at a city park this Spring. Marshall officials welcome your input on how to best repurpose the trunks by calling 903-935-4421 or online by clicking the link. https://www.facebook.com/marshalltexas.net.

ATHENS — An Athens woman was killed Monday night after being struck by an SUV. According to Athens police, a pedestrian, Teresa Fawcette, 60, of Athens, was attempting to cross South Palestine Street when she was struck. The driver was not physically injured in the tragedy. The accident took place at 7:20 Monday night. The investigation into this crash is ongoing.

TYLER — A woman and three children died Monday in a house fire in Winona. The cause of that fire remains under investigation. Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks is urging residents to make sure smoke detectors are installed in homes and working. “The one key element that we believe, now we don’t know it to be fact yet, we are still under investigation, but we have no evidence of working smoke detectors in either of the fires. But again, it’s pure speculation at this point. That is the reason that it really weighs on my heart, that we get that message out there. We have got to have working smoke detectors in these homes.” Continue reading Details released on fire that kills 4

EAST TEXAS — Multiple school districts will delay the start of classes on Tuesday. KTBB will continue to update delays and closings as schedules warrant. Continue reading Winter weather closings, delays

TYLER — TxDOT crews worked around the clock Monday night to ensure roads were passable and open to the traveling public. The department said that with possible freezing temperatures and icy conditions expected they continued to prepare roads. Crews treated elevated areas, bridges, overpasses, and problem areas on roadways throughout the day and then monitored and addressed issues as they came up. Continue reading TxDOT crews continue to treat and clear roadways

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A fatal crash took place on Monday in Van Zandt County. According DPS Sgt. Jean Dark, the wreck took place on Highway 19, 5 miles north of Edgewood. Preliminary reports indicate Robert Leon Richardson, 52, of Grand Saline, went into a side skid due to ice on the roadway. Richardson was ejected and killed after his vehicle went across the center stripe and struck a vehicle driven by Don Harold Treadway, 67, of Edgewood. Treadway was transported to Christus Trinity Mother Francis Hospital – Tyler in stable condition. Richardson was transported to Lybrand Funeral Home in Wills Point. The crash remains under investigation.

STARRVILLE — A fire on Monday has killed four people in Smith County. According to our news partner KETK, a mother and three children were killed in the house fire. One survivor did manage to get out of the home. A neighbor called authorities reporting the fire around 11:30 a.m. Several departments responded including Winona, Red Springs and Jackson Heights. The identities of the victims have not been released at this time, but Smith County Fire Marshall Jay Brooks did confirm, it was a mother and 3 small children.

TYLER — The Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization invited the community to attend virtual open house later this week. According to group, this is an effort by the MPO to update the Master Street Plan. The purpose of the open house is to gather input on what street elements, such as. curbs, turn lanes, bike lanes, sidewalks, among other items, should be included on different types of roads. The Zoom gathering happens from 4:30 to 6 Thursday afternoon. More information is available at http://www.TylerAreaMPO.org.

WINONA — A fire that was originally reported as a church fire, was actually a house fire in Winona. Our news partner KETK, says that 1 person is dead and a second was injured in the fire on Monday. The call came in around 11:30 a.m. Several fire departments have responded to the scene, including Winona, Jackson Heights, and Red Springs. Details are still forthcoming, on this developing story.

MARSHALL — An early morning fire claimed the life of an individual in Marshall. According to the city, a call came in to Marshall Dispatch just before 2:00 a.m. regarding a single-family dwelling fire. The home was fully engulfed when firefighters arrived to the home on Jeff Davis Drive. First responders searched the residence for survivors initially, however, there was one fatality in the home. Marshall Fire Department Chief Reggie Cooper said, “Our firefighters did an outstanding job under the circumstances, battling weather conditions and other EMS runs. The Marshall Police Department provided exceptional support, helping survivor Edith Morton during this tragic event.”

STARVILLE — The Starville Methodist Church came together Sunday, just one week after their pastor was fatally shot. According to our news partner KETK, this was the first gathering in service since the tragedy. Pastor Mark McWilliams’ was killed last week before services began. The late pastors wife, Rosemary Williams encouraged the congregation in a prayer to forgive, “Father, we can only forgive because you forgave. So Father, I just ask right now that you would help people to call on that power, Jesus. Call on that forgiveness that we wouldn’t put any blame. My husband is the happiest he has ever been.” Continue reading Church meets for first time since pastor was fatally shot

TYLER — The city of Tyler said Monday, they were working on three inoperative traffic signals due to power outages from weekend winter storms. Crews continue reacting to reports of downed trees throughout the City. At this time, we are not aware of any downed trees impeding traffic. Residents can report traffic signal issues to the Tyler Police Department’s non-emergency number at (903) 531-1000. Residents can report downed trees by contacting the Streets Department at (903) 531-1393, through the MyTyler app available on iOS and Android devices or through our website at https://www.cityoftyler.org/government/departments/streets-department/contact-streets. Continue reading City responding to aftermath of Sunday winter storms

KILGORE — Kilgore College is one of the higher education schools benefiting from the Texas Reskilling Grant. According to KC, the grant will provide free training to qualified individuals who have lost their jobs, or who stopped out of higher education. KC received a $750,000 grant from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. The $750,000 Texas Reskilling Grant will allow Kilgore College free training to qualified individuals who need to re-skill to get back into the workforce and provide support for students to complete a post secondary credential. Other East Texas colleges that received the grant are: UT Tyler and Stephen F Austin, both received $112, 500 each, and Texas A&M Texarkana got $300,000.

TYLER — Shift work has been implemented for response to winter storm conditions that could create issues for roads in East Texas. On Sunday, TxDOT said crews had treated roadways ahead of the storms, that could be troublesome for drivers through at least Monday afternoon. The weather event could mean slushy snow-covered bridges, overpasses, and primary roadways around the district. Roadways were reassessed and where needed treated a second time, before snow began to fall. The first crews reported at noon Sunday and will continue to monitor forecasts and inspect road conditions. Maintenance personnel throughout the Tyler District’s eight counties have readied their vehicles and equipment for an around the clock response.

BROWNSBORO — Police in Brownsboro are asking for help in locating a missing teen in Henderson County. Chloe Hollowell, 14, was last seen in Brownsboro. Hollowell is described as 5’6, 275, with dirty blonde hair, and brown eyes. Chloe struggles with anxiety and depression. She is under a doctor’s care and is on medication, which she does not have. Authorities are asking if you see Chloe, to contact Brownsboro Police Department 903-852-6761 or the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department 903-675-5128.