KTBB News, Weather, Talk

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Sheriff’s Department arrested a suspect for assault following a standoff Tuesday afternoon with law enforcement. According to our news partner KETK, around 4 p.m. deputies went out to Fannin Parkway in northwest Smith County in response to a call from a female who reported being assaulted by a male. Deputies noticed injury to the female including redness around her neck, though her children appeared unharmed. The suspect, 45-year-old Bryan Keith Rensberry, refused to leave the residence and barricaded himself inside. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team was called to the scene. Continue reading SWAT Team helps arrest assault suspect following stand-off

GREGG COUNTY – A man known as the “Lavender Doe” killer pleaded guilty on Tuesday to committing two murders. According to our news partner KETK, Joseph Wayne Burnette received three sentences for 50 years each, which will be served concurrently. Joseph Wayne Burnette, 43, had confessed to the slaying of Dana Lynn Dodd back on August 27, 2018. Dodd’s body had been found badly burned laying in a bush in a Kilgore oil-lease back on October 29, 2006. She remained unidentified for more than a decade, despite vigorous efforts by multiple agencies. Dodd became known as “Lavender Doe.” Continue reading ‘Lavender Doe’ killer sentenced 50 years

LINDALE — We now know more details following two murders last week in Lindale. David Joshua Reed, 40, is charged with killing 26-year-old Shelby Duarte and 43-year-old Timothy Nelson Jr. in the early-morning hours of December 9. On Monday, Duarte’s sister Shirley Thompson told our news partner KETK, “We believe that he deserves life in prison for what he did. Because, he took two innocent lives, they were asleep for God’s sake, they weren’t hurting him. He has to think about what he did for taking two lives because he was selfish and didn’t want her love to be shared by anybody else.” Continue reading Duarte’s family seeking life in prison for Reed

TYLER — Smith County Commissioner’s Court recognized two elected officials who have served the county for more than a decade on Tuesday. Precinct 1 Commissioner Jeff Warr and 114th District Judge Christi Kennedy, have each served three terms for the county. Both, Warr and Kennedy, were each first elected in 2009. Both received words of praise from County staff and leaders. They will both be retiring as of December 31, 2020. Continue reading Elected officials retirements observed

TYLER — UT Health Science Center received their first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Tyler, Tuesday. UTHSC Chief Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Cummins told our news partner KETK, “It’s an exciting thing to know, that we finally have something that gives our care-givers a whole ‘nother level of protection and feeling of safety. Because, as you think about what we have been through the last 9, 10 months…we didn’t know a lot about the virus. There was a lot of fear and anxiety about what the virus could do, and as we have seen with good reason.” Continue reading First shipment of COVID-19 vaccines have arrived at UTHSC

TYLER — Each year Tyler ISD selects student artwork for the cover of the District Christmas Card. This year TISD, selected two students to received the honor. Natalie Martin, a sophomore at Legacy High School, and Johnathan Velez, a freshman at Tyler High School. Both students were chosen for their festive designs. The District says students in all grades can submit entries for the Christmas Card. Administrators select winning entries.

EAST TEXAS — A man who confessed to killing an East Texas woman is scheduled for sentencing today. Joseph Wayne Burnette, 42, confessed to killing Dana Lynn Dawn. She was known for years as Lavender Doe, until officials were able to identify her. The 21-year-old reportedly got into Burnette’s vehicle at a Longview Walmart back in 2006. Her body was found on an oil lease road off of Fritz Swanson in Kilgore. The DNA Doe Project was able to use special DNA testing to identify her in January 2019.

HARRISON COUNTY — Joshua Sutton has been missing since November 29. Officials say the 47-year-old’s truck was abandoned on Will Smith Road. Sutton’s cell phone hasn’t been turned on since December 1st. Harrison County officials ran a K-9 unit and and did a search, but did not find anything besides a jacket, but did not know if it belonged to him. If you find Sutton, you are urged to contact authorities at 903-923-4000.

QUITMAN — Wood County Airport was approved by the Texas Transportation Commission, for $125,000. The funds will help implement improvements to the airport.’s pavement. The decision came about at the Commission’s December meeting. A project consultant will be selected this winter. Project costs will be funded through Wood County and TxDOTS’s Aviation Facilities Grant Program. Right at 275, community airports in Texas are eligible for funding, with community airports accounting for more than three million flight hours per year, providing aircraft facilities for agricultural, medical, business, and commuter use.

MARSHALL — ETBU was named the 2020 Tackle Warehouse School of the Year on Monday. The school earned the top title in collegiate fishing, presented by Fishing League Worldwide. This title annually goes to the school with the highest year-end point total at the completion of the regular Abu Garcia College Fishing season presented by YETI. Points are awarded to the top two finishing teams from each school that competes in an FLW College Fishing tournament. After finishing in eighth place last year with 2,257 points, ETBU ended the season as the top team in 2020 with 2,319 points. You can read the full story by clicking the link. https://www.flwfishing.com/tips/2020-12-14-etbu-wins-school-of-the-year.

TYLER — Representatives from St. Paul were on-hand at Rice Elementary Monday, to collect toys that had been donated by students. TISD says, this is the tenth consecutive year for the toy drive, that helps the St. Paul Children’s Foundation provide toys to families at Christmas. This year the Rice Rangers collected 492 new toys, since the cause was set-in-motion Nov. 30.

TYLER — Vaccines will be unfurled to health care workers in Tyler starting early this week. NET Health’s Russell Hopkins told KTBB Monday, “First off their is the biological response, and hopefully they will be protected from the disease of COVID. So there is that advantage, and I’m sure that that is a load off their mind, but there is also a psychological advantage of getting the vaccine first. Many have been separated from family. So now, they can get back to some sense of normalcy. Because the people they care about won’t be threatened.” Continue reading COVID vaccines to begin emerging for health care workers this week

EAST TEXAS — Several hospitals in East Texas will be among the first in Texas to get doses of the much anticipated COVID-19 vaccine, the Texas Department of State Health Services said. According to our news partner KETK, the first week’s allocation is 224,250 doses of the Pfizer vaccine to be shipped to 109 hospitals in 34 counties during the week of Dec. 14. “As expected, the initial vaccine supply is limited, and the first week’s allocation is based on information submitted by vaccine providers when they enrolled, including the number of health care workers who can be quickly vaccinated and vaccine storage capacity at each site,” the announcement said. Continue reading COVID-19 vaccine to begin arriving in East Texas as early as Tuesday

LONGVIEW — The East Texas Food Bank provided thousands of meals to families on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, roughly 240,000 people in East Texas are experiencing food insecurity. The East Texas Food Bank serves 26 counties in our area. 1,200 people made their way to the Gregg County Fairgrounds for the food distribution event and the lines were long. Longview police guided drivers to their destination and volunteers placed meals inside cars. Inside the boxes there was fresh produce, protein and milk. Volunteers said they understand the impact the pandemic has had on families in need. Continue reading East Texas Food Bank gives away more than 28,000 meals to local families

LUFKIN — The 1.4 million doses of coronavirus vaccine being sent to Texas hospitals soon are not going to 157 rural locations. One state lawmaker thinks that’s going to change. Representative Trent Ashby of Lufkin says he got a response the same day he sent a letter to the state health commissioner.  According to Ashby, “It seems clear to me that rural Texas, our voice, has been heard. It’s not set in stone, but it sure appears to me at this point that we will be included in the next round of vaccines.” Ashby told Dr. John Hellerstedt that if the state or Pfizer had communicated with any of the rural hospitals, it would have been clear that any number would have met storage and packaging requirements.

ALTO — Starting Monday, Alto ISD is moving all instruction to online learning. The district announced the change the last day of the work week, that will continue through Dec. 18. AISD maintains the change is because of a “rapid increase in the number of quarantined students and staff members.” The district facebook page announced a letter was sent home with each student. A portion of that letter reads, “Although the Cherokee County Department of Health feels that it is safe to continue on-campus learning, the district has made this decision out of an abundance of caution…”

TYLER — Griffin Elementary School will have holiday spirit on display, Saturday. School staff and community volunteers will hand out Toys for Tots gifts to 138 of the school’s families. This year’s project will place presents under the tree for more than 500 children ages 12 and younger. Each year, school staff and community members volunteer their time to take wish lists, organize, pack and pass out gifts to families. This year’s affair, will be of the drive-thru variety.

TYLER — The reigning Super Bowl MVP and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is paying tribute to his hometown with a new sports shoe — the Adidas Ultra Boost Mid PE. According to our news partner KETK, the maroon and white shoes were created with his alma mater, Whitehouse High School, in mind. The shoe is described as delivering a colorway brimming with school pride. The footwear is available on the company’s website, with some retailers selling the shoe for about $180 a pair.

AUSTIN — TxDOT is hosting a virtual public workshop Tuesday, with the goal to help connect organizations providing lifeline transportation services with their most vulnerable customers: seniors and people with disabilities. On Friday, the department said the Tyler District area is providing the meeting to review local needs and services for aging and physically impaired individuals. Residents can participate at 10 a.m. Tuesday, by clicking the link and following the prompts to join the meeting. https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/get-involved/about/hearings-meetings/public-transportation/121520.html.

ATHENS — A Gun Barrel City man was arrested and charged with theft on Thursday. According to Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse, Bobby Don Jackson, 27, faces a felony charge for stealing a log-splitter, its trailer, a welder, and a 2005 automobile. Deputies got a warrant to search for items believed to be stolen at a residence on Longleaf, in Gun Barrel City. Jackson was transported to Henderson County Jail.

TYLER — One person died early Friday morning in a traffic accident at 1:30 a.m. The wreck took place on Texas Highway 31 west of Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, two people were in a vehicle that rolled over. Tyler police say a victim was ejected and killed. A second person is in a Tyler hospital. The condition of this person was not immediately known. Officials have not yet released the identity of the person who died. The accident remains under investigation.

TYLER — The Tyler Public Library is hoping to get more people reading with the Winter Reading Challenge 2020. The institution is inviting patrons to finish 2020 by accepting the Winter Reading invitation. Those who accept will be able to log reading times and win incentives. The Challenge runs, starting Monday through Jan. 15. The launch happens Dec. 14, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. with many activities. You can register by visiting http://www.tpl.beanstack.org or click on the Beanstack reading log link at http://www.TylerLibrary.com. Patrons may register as an individual, family, class or group. Hours or books read may be logged beginning Dec. 14.

PALESTINE — The City of Palestine issued lifted a boil water notice that had been put into effect for W. Palestine Ave. City officials say that the Water Department has taken appropriate steps that boiling water for consumption is no longer necessary. If you have questions concerning this matter, contact Felipe Garcia at (903) 731-8423.

FLINT — A Smith County fire crew was searching Lake Palestine Wednesday night trying to locate a missing man. According to our news partner KETK, a 78-year-old man was on Lake Palestine in his boat, but had not been seen or heard from in several hours. Teams were called out to the area of Eastern Hills Drive and Lakeview Drive in the Flint area around 7 p.m. It is unclear if the man had a medical emergency or if he is in danger.