KTBB News, Weather, Talk

MINEOLA — Two Christmas parades in East Texas will not include horses after Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued an urgent alert to horse owners and trainers regarding the reporting of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 in Waco. According to our news partner KETK, the Mineola Chamber of Commerce has cancelled all horse entries for this year’s Christmas Parade out of an abundance of caution.

“This decision was not made lightly, but the health and safety of our community—and our four-legged friends—comes first,” Mineola officials said. “We appreciate everyone’s understanding and look forward to welcoming horse entries back in future parades when it is safe to do so.”

On Friday afternoon, the New Boston Chamber of Commerce also announced it would not include horses in their Christmas Parade. Continue reading Christmas parades impacted by Equine Herpesvirus

PANOLA COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a Central Heights Middle School teacher has been put on leave following a sexual assault arrest. Landon Christopher Odom, 26 of Gary, was apprehended on Thursday and taken into custody following a sexual assault investigation involving a minor.

Central Heights ISD released a statement shortly after that the instructor was placed on leave and removed from all school-related responsibilities.

“It is the District’s understanding that the investigation does not relate to school-based conduct or students of CHISD,” the district said in a statement issued on Friday.

The district added that it is cooperating fully with law enforcement and remains committed to maintaining transparency with parents and the community. The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue gathering evidence and conducting interviews. Odom is being held on a $100,000 bond in the Panola County Jail.

RUSK COUNTY — A Rusk County man has been sentenced to five years in state prison after allegedly making more than 70 threatening phone calls to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. According to our news partner KETK, Travis Andrew Halbert was arrested on July 1 after repeatedly calling the department over three days. He was charged with 4 counts of making terroristic threats against a peace officer and one charge of harassment.

Officials said Halbert threatened dispatchers and their families in several calls, and in one instance claimed he would “rain down hellfire” by firebombing the department. Halbert initially pleaded not guilty during his Nov. 17 jury trial but changed his plea to guilty, and received the five year prison term.

SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County officer is in the hospital after being severely assaulted by a juvenile inmate on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, deputies were sent to the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center after being informed that an inmate was assaulting an officer. Deputies arrived and were led to the officer, who was lying on the floor with significant head injury. The officer was taken a hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery for critical head injuries.

Officials reviewed surveillance footage, where they saw the suspect repeatedly striking the officer with a handicap shower rail that was detached from the shower wall. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office said the officer is currently in stable condition following the surgery.

SMITH COUNTY – Non-emergency Smith County offices will be closed Thursday and Friday, for Thanksgiving. County offices will reopen on Monday, December 1, for normal business hours. Smith County Commissioners Court will be held at its regular time, 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, November 25.

AUSTIN — A Longview resident has the winning ticket worth $1 million dollars, by playing a Texas Lottery scratch ticket game. The ticket was purchased at Super 1 Foods on East Marshall Avenue near Alpine Village in Longview. The winner elected to remain anonymous.

SHREVEPORT (NOAA) – The National Weather Service has issued a Tornado Watch for portions of northeast Texas until 7 p.m. Monday. Counties in the watch area are: Cherokee County, Rusk County, Sabine County, Nacogdoches County, Shelby County, Angelina County, San Augustine County, Panola County, Houston County, Trinity County and Anderson County. To get regular weather updates from the KTBB website, go here.

HALLSVILLE – East Texas State Rep. Jay Dean is calling for the release of Caden Hawkins, a 22-year-old from Hallsville, that Dean said is being held as a cash asset in Mexico.
According to Dean, Hawkins was arrested as he was heading home from working on an oil field when his GPS led him across the border. Hawkins had a legally registered firearm in the vehicle when he was arrested. Dean told our news partners at KETK that he spoke with Hawkins’ family on Sunday. Hawkins has reportedly been held in Juarez, Mexico for the past 9 months. His family has been trying to secure his release for months and has had to pay thousands of dollars to try and help Caden. Continue reading State Rep. calls for release of East Texan

MARSHALL — A federal lawsuit claims an East Texas rehabilitation program built around manual labor instead functioned as an unpaid labor pipeline, one that seized participants’ tips, controlled their benefits and kept them working across several businesses. The lawsuit, filed in the Eastern District of Texas, details accusations against Timothy Wiseman, Wiseman Ministries Inc., Wiseman Transport LLC, ten unnamed defendants and the ministry’s recovery program, Isaiah 58 Farms.

According to our news partner KETK, Isaiah 58 Farms is a 150-acre income-producing commercial blackberry farm with housing for up to 40 men, allowing residents to “experience restoration and recovery.” Active since 2003, Wiseman Ministries says it helps individuals dealing with “life-controlling issues.” However, the lawsuit argues that Tim Wiseman and Wiseman Ministries failed to pay employees despite requiring them to work 40-hour weeks.

The lawsuit claims that instead of lawful wages, participants received “points” or credits. Continue reading Lawsuit claims ministry ran unpaid labor scheme

TYLER – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has reappointed three East Texans to serve on the board of directors of the Sabine River Authority of Texas. According to our news partner KETK, Richard “Blair” Abney of Marshall, Joshua A. “Josh” McAdams of Center and Cliff Todd of Long Branch were all reappointed to the board on Thursday, along with Kevin M. Williams of Orange.

As members of the Sabine River Authority’s board of directors, the East Texans will help to conserve, store, control, preserve, utilize and distribute the Sabine River’s waters.

Todd is a farmer and rancher in Panola County and serves as an Executive Vice President for Topcat Companies in Longview. Todd’s also a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, a board member of UT Health Carthage and a commissioner with the Panola County Emergency Services District. He received his bachelor’s of science degree in agriculture from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches. Continue reading East Texans reappointed to Sabine River Authority board

SMITH COUNTY — A man who broke into a residence, and assaulted a woman, was sentenced to 50 years in prison by a Smith County jury on Wednesday. According to our news partner, Smith County District Attorney Jacob Putman, during the trial, prosecutors presented evidence showing that the defendant, Fred Douglas Moore, arrived at a home where he confronted a resident outside of the house. When the victim attempted to get inside the house, Moore forced his way in and assaulted her, Putman’s office said. After the victim called for help from a family member inside the house, Moore left the residence.

In court, jurors heard recorded jail calls where Moore allegedly attempted to manipulate the victim’s testimony and pressured her not to appear in court. Moore also reportedly tried to contact the victim over 3,000 times while he was incarcerated. Due to all the evidence heard in the trial, including that Moore had two prior felony convictions, the jury assessed a sentence of 50 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice. Moore was sentenced after being convicted of burglary of a habitation with intent to commit assault.

CHEROKEE COUNTY, – The National Weather Service in Shreveport has confirmed that an EF-1 tornado struck near Jacksonville in Cherokee County on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, the tornado touched down east of State Highway 135 at around 9 p.m. three miles southwest of Jacksonville.

NWS said the tornado was strong enough to produce 100 mile per hour winds and destroyed a large barn near a home, threw metal roofing several hundred yards of way, snapped trees and downed power lines. It was also reported the tornado blew a carport on top of a garage and a mobile home had it’s back porch blown off. The tornado then left the ground .72 miles from where it started, in a field near train tracks that run toward State Highway 135.

RAINS COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK charges have been dropped in a case where a Rains County judge was accused of tampering with a witness.

Rains County Justice of the Peace Robert Jenkins Franklin was arrested on two counts of official oppression and two counts of tampering with a witness in May, after he was accused of telling a defendant, “I heard you have a problem with me, boy. You take that deal, boy — or dead men can’t testify.”

Van Zandt County District Attorney Tonda Curry was assigned to serve in the case and she told KETK News that the charges against Franklin in this case were dropped because the evidence against him was enough for an indictment but later investigation called witnesses into question and she couldn’t prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.

According to Curry, the indictment against Franklin will officially be dropped once he completes a year of deferred adjudication that he recently received in a disorderly conduct/display of a firearm case. Continue reading Charges dropped against Rains County judge