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LONGVIEW – Officials at Longview’s Good Shepherd Medical Center have started a national search for a new president and chief executive. The move is needed because the hospital’s board removed Edward D. Banos from the positions. Banos has been president and chief executive at Good Shepherd since July 1, 2008.

Banos told the Longview News-Journal, “There’s a clause in my contract they can use (to terminate without cause), and they used it. Anytime a person gets terminated I think they’re shocked. I’m shocked.”

Something must have changed since Banos was named to the position. When he was named the hospital’s president and chief operating officer in 2008, board chairman Richard Dial said, “We are looking forward to the leadership that Mr. Banos will bring to Good Shepherd. He is a good fit for the organization and brings years of varied health care experience to this position. He has big shoes to fill but we are confident he will lead positive change for the organization.”

TYLER – An assistant professor of biology at The University of Texas at Tyler, Dr. John Placyk, has been awarded nearly $25,000 from Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to help in the Texas Gartersnake conservation efforts. With the award, Placyk will collaborate with the department to provide natural history, distribution, taxonomy and population biology data for the species, which has been recently listed as imperiled. Serving UT Tyler since 2007, Placyk holds a master of science in biology from Northern Michigan University and a Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology from the University of Tennessee.

GRAND SALINE — A Van Zandt County teenager has been missing for more than a week. Authorities with the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and the Grand Saline Police Department have been looking for Charity Pulley, 17, since September 18th. Pulley is a sophomore at Grand Saline High School.

The girl’s father, Jewelus Pulley, is a pastor at the Grand Saline Central Pentecostal Church. He tells KETK family members noticed Charity was missing early in the morning, and noticed that the screws had been removed from her window and the screen. Mr. Pulley says that it is not normal for his daughter to run away, and that she seemed fine the evening before her disappearance. He says she had been texting a boy, and may have sneaked out for a date with him, but if so, he never brought her back.

Pulley also says that Charity’s glasses, contacts, wallet, and house key were left behind. The teenager is legally blind in one eye, so Mr. Pulley says it would be highly unlikely she would leave all this behind. Charity Pulley is 4’11″, and about 115 lbs. She was last seen at 9:30pm on September 18th.

TYLER — The City of Tyler had to repair two water main breaks yesterday. Both were unrelated. According to a statement from the city, one was at the 2400 block of Old Bullard Road and the second is near the 700 block of South Broadway. The break on Broadway was an 8” main. The break on Old Bullard is a 6” main.

Officials say there are customers who are without water at this time. The statement says under Ch. 19-36, the city notifies customers if there will be an outage due to scheduled maintenance. Because these are both breakages and not planned maintenance, customers were not notified, according to officials. Service was restored last night.

Tyler police had to divert northbound traffic in the 600 block of South Broadway due to the water main break in that area. Traffic was diverted onto Rowland Place, which brought drivers back onto South Broadway past the problem area.

LONGVIEW — Members of the Longview Animal Shelter Task Force have voted to build a new facility, and agreed it should be exclusive to the residents of Gregg County and its municipalities. The task force was formed to address the city’s burgeoning population of abandoned and stray animals. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, recommendations must be approved by the City Council. Residents living in cities with boundaries in multiple counties will be able to utilize the new shelter. Left without shelter service in the new arrangement would be Upshur County, Gilmer, Ore City, Hallsville, Tatum, and parts of Lake Cherokee in Rusk County, all of which have used the existing shelter’s services.

The city is facing a two-year deadline for when the Northeast Texas Humane Society shelter says it will stop accepting animals from the entities it contracts with, including Longview and Gregg County. At Wednesday’s meeting, Jearl Morris, a Humane Society board member, said the shelter would possibly be willing to continue taking animals past the two-year deadline, as long as a new shelter building is under construction.

CHANDLER — Officials have released the names of three people who were injured, two critically, in a major wreck on Farm Road 317 near Chandler on Monday. They are Nataska Cumby, 24, Stephanie Wilson, 35, and Johnny Parker, 32, according to the Henderson County Department of Public Safety. According to KETK, authorities say Parker was driving his truck west on FM 317 when a Mustang driven east by Wilson moved into the westbound lane and hit the pickup head-on. The Mustang then spun around and hit a Grand Prix driven by Cumby. Cumby was taken to a nearby hospital, treated, and released. Wilson is in the hospital, but is expected to be released soon; Parker has undergone at least one surgery, but is expected to recover.

AUSTIN — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has added Jimmy Ray McMillan, 41, to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender list, and a $3,000 cash reward is now offered for information leading to his capture. McMillan is wanted for Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration. Texas Crime Stoppers tips are guaranteed to be anonymous.

McMillan has relatives and friends living in Dallas, and has been known to work in construction and carnival jobs. His criminal history includes Sexual Assault of a 9-year-old girl, Burglary, Evading Arrest/Detention and DWI. McMillan is 5 feet 10 inches tall and weighs 155 pounds. His tattoos include “TEX” on his right arm and “J+V” on his left arm.

In June 2011, MCMILLAN made arrangements, as a registered sex offender, to relocate from Nacogdoches to Fort Worth, but did not complete the move. On March 28, the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office listed McMillan as having absconded and issued a warrant for his arrest for Failure to Comply with Sex Offender Registration. McMillan has had previous employment in construction and roofing jobs and with carnivals. Officials said he should be considered armed and dangerous.

TYLER — Tyler Police said they are adding patrol units around the campus of UT Tyler after a series of violent events over the past week. According to KETK, on Sunday, Tarrington Joiner was hospitalized after being shot in the chest at the intersection of Patriot and University. On Tuesday, one man was shot in the head while another was shot in the leg at Cambridge Apartments. On Tuesday night, about a dozen people were involved in a fight at Varsity Place Apartments. And now Tyler police are seeking a suspect in an aggravated robbery at Cambridge Apartments, which you can more about elsewhere on this web page.

Although these incidents happened off campus, there are still some safety concerns from UT Tyler students. Tyler Police says they are beefing up patrols. Doyle Lynch from the Tyler Police Department said, “We’re asking that not only the other law enforcement agencies we work with and the management but also the people that live out there that if they see people who do not belong out there or that they know are causing some of the problems out there that they notify us.”

In a statement, campus officials said UT Tyler does have a system in place to alert students. They said they have installed nineteen emergency phones on campus.

UPSHUR COUNTY — Authorities arrest an aggravated robbery suspect. Upshur County Investigators were called to Catfish Village, Highway 155 North, around 3:00 Tuesday afternoon after a reported robbery. According to KETK, the store manager told authorities that the suspect entered the store demanding money and displayed a weapon. Officials obtained a description of the suspect and vehicle and later located him at a residence on Wild Onion Road in Ore City. Nathan Eric Richardson, 28, was charged with aggravated robbery and two counts of felony in possession of a firearm. Bond was set at $95,000. He remains in the Upshur County Jail.

TYLER — The look of the City of Tyler is getting ready for a change. A City Council meeting was held Tuesday at the City Hall in Tyler to review a Midtown Area Development Plan. The plan will give the medical district, the Tyler Junior College area and residential areas a new look. The surrounding areas of Trinity Mother Francis Hospital and ETMC make up the medical district hub. At the City Council meeting, City Planner Heather Nick, proposed a draft of the Mid-Town Area Development Plan to the Tyler City Council. The plan will focus on improving signage, land use, esthetics, light and street poles in a targeted area of Front Street, Broadway Avenue, Fifth Street and East Loop 323. One recommendation, renaming South Beckham to Medical Parkway.

LONGVIEW — Police arrested a suspect at a south Longview apartment complex after a report of an armed man. That report comes from KETK and the Longview News-Journal. The suspect is identified as Bendrick Jerod Jones, 26, of Longview. Police say a Signal Hill Apartments resident saw a man drive into the complex in a truck and begin wiping the truck. According to reports, the resident did not recognize the man and went to talk to him and saw he had a gun. The resident called police. When officers arrived, the suspect reportedly ran into the woods carrying a bag. Police arrested him a short time later at a nearby apartment complex.

Police contacted the owner of the truck, who said it was stolen. The owner said he had a pistol in the vehicle. Police were unable to find the gun. Jones is facing a variety of charges, including felony theft of property and evading arrest.

TYLER – A Houston man has appeared in Tyler federal court to plead guilty to in connection with a multi-state health care fraud scheme. Sunday Adebisi, 59, appeared yesterday before United States Magistrate Judge Judith K. Guthrie. A sentencing date has not been set. Adebisi faces up to 5 years in prison in addition to court ordered restitution and criminal forfeiture.

On August 1, 2012, a federal grand jury returned a sixteen count indictment charging Adebisi, the owner of a Maryland medical supply company, with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

According to the indictment, from January 2007 through September 2009, Adebisi and others carried out a scheme to defraud Medicare through the marketing of power wheelchairs and accessories, as well as “ortho kits,” which primarily consisted of a bag of orthotic items, including braces, wraps, and supports, and a heat lamp or heat pad. As part of the scheme, the defendant and his co-conspirators illegally obtained protected health information, including names, dates of birth, and Medicare numbers from elderly individuals. Adebisi supplied beneficiaries with kits and power wheelchairs which were not prescribed or otherwise authorized by a physician and which were not wanted by the beneficiaries. Claims were submitted by the defendant for approximately 480 beneficiaries located in Texas, Louisiana, and elsewhere. Adebisi submitted false and fraudulent claims to Medicare of more than $2.4 million and obtained more than $855,000.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Due to conditions which have occurred recently in the water system, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required Craft-Turney Water Supply to notify all the customers involved in the repair area to boil their water prior to consumption. That’s according to KETK. From the intersection of Farm Road 768 and County Road 1405, the notice runs east on FM 768 for 1 1/4 miles, and includes all of CR 1405.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, water system officials will notify you. If you have questions regarding this matter you may contact Rhonda Briggs, Manager, at 903-586-9301.

TYLER — The Northeast Texas Public Health District is partnering with Tyler ISD to host an informational meeting on pertussis, more commonly known as whooping cough, for parents and community members. School officials said Wednesday that three students at Andy Woods Elementary have now been diagnosed with the disease in recent days. The meeting is tonight at 6:30 at the Davidson Conference Center, 807 West Glenwood Boulevard.

Dr. Jonathan MacClements, Smith County Health Authority, and Russell Hopkins, Director of Preparedness and Disease Surveillance, will present information about how to best prevent the spread of whooping cough among children and adults. Nancy Jones, Tyler ISD Coordinator of Health Services, will also serve on the panel to provide information about the school district’s
actions to protect students.

“The best way to prevent pertussis (whooping cough) among infants, children, teens, and adults is to get vaccinated. Many young children get whooping cough from adults or older brothers or sisters who don’t know they have the disease.” Dr. MacClements said. NET Health encourages parents to make sure that not only their children are vaccinated, but that adults also receive their Tdap vaccination.

According to school officials, Tyler ISD is taking extra precautions, reviewing student vaccination records, and working closely with NET Health to protect the health of students. Students who are diagnosed with whooping cough must remain out of school until they complete five days of antibiotic therapy and are fever free for at least 24 hours. For more information on pertussis, DTaP and Tdap vaccinations, you can visit the NET Health website at http://www.healthyeasttx.org or call 903-595-1350.

GILMER — A drug-like high could be as close as an app on a teen’s smartphone, and that has some area school officials concerned. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, an official at Gilmer High School is warning parents of the digital-drug craze known as “i-Dosing” that claims to produce a narcotic-like euphoria through sound. In an email to parents and guardians, Principal Greg Watson warned of the dangers of getting high through the app, including reports of people going into trances, becoming paranoid and some “extreme reactions that required immediate medical attention.” Watson wrote, “These recordings are being called digital drugs because they can produce some of the same effects as illegal drugs. I just wanted you to be aware of what they are doing and to encourage you to be watchful and mindful of the situation.”

TYLER — The East Texas Medical Center Cancer Institute is the only cancer center in the region to offer the CyberKnife Robotic Radiosurgery System to treat men with prostate cancer, according to information from ETMC. “Prostate cancer patients now have the option of using CyberKnife for treatment,” said Todd Sigmon, vice president of the ETMC Cancer Institute. “Four CyberKnife treatments have been shown to be as effective as 40 treatments of intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), long considered the gold standard of radiation therapy. CyberKnife is recognized as an accepted treatment option by Medicare and other major insurance carriers, giving many men a choice in how they wish to be treated.”

CyberKnife is a type of radiation therapy referred to as stereotactic radiosurgery because of its ability to destroy tumors with knifelike precision, sparing surrounding healthy tissue. The procedures are largely non-invasive and patients should experience very little discomfort during planning and treatment.

“CyberKnife offers advantages to patients who have to travel for treatment, since this course can be completed in as little as a week versus up to eight weeks for IMRT. We are receiving calls from patients as far away as Dallas who are excited about potentially using CyberKnife for their prostate cancer treatment. A man with a prostate cancer diagnosis should discuss whether CyberKnife is a reasonable option for treatment in his particular case, so we ask that they call our CyberKnife Coordinator and discuss this with our care team,” Sigmon said.

TYLER — The trial of Shelley and Kenneth Walker continues today in Tyler. KETK reports both of them are charged with injury to a child. The Walkers were arrested in March, accused of hurting their two-year-old granddaughter when they held the child’s feet under hot water. The little girl suffered severe burns to her feet and ankles. She’s now in care of Child Protective Services.

LONGVIEW – Longview’s Green Street will be closed from Tyler Street north to Methvin Street today from 8:00am till 1:00pm and tomorrow, if needed, from 8:00am till 1:00pm. The road closures will be for both north and south bound lanes.

This road closure is for a private project that will be spray painting part of a building exterior. The contractor is David Reichert of D&M Painting. If you have any questions about the closure, please call the City Engineer, Mark Adas, at 903-237-1053.

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview’s contractor will construct shoulder improvements on Dundee Road on Thursday and Friday, September 27 and 28. The work is scheduled to start after the morning rush hour. Expect some delays if using Dundee Road. Alternate routes are recommended. This project is being constructed by Reynolds and Kay of Tyler, Texas. The project was approved by City Council in August. If you have any questions about the construction, please call the City’s Project Manager, Alton Bradley, at 903-237-1067.

UNDATED (Staff/AP) — Protesters Tuesday chained themselves to construction equipment in Winnsboro to protect a tree village in the path of the controversial Keystone XL Pipeline. Tar Sands Blockade spokesman Ron Seifert says they’ll do whatever it takes to stop construction because if the pipeline ever leaks, toxic chemicals will be released.

Meanwhile, a judge has ruled that developers of the planned Canada-to-Gulf Coast oil pipeline can take land by eminent domain from property owners in a coastal Southeast Texas county. However, the Beaumont Enterprise reports Jefferson County Court-at-Law Judge Tom Rugg has scheduled a Friday hearing. There, Keystone Pipeline and the property owners will hash out whether Keystone properly posted bonds for damage to properties if it ultimately loses the right to the land in later legal proceedings. Rugg also will determine if Keystone must send out new legal notices to property owners not included in previous value-setting.

Keystone and Canadian owner, TransCanada, want a federal permit to send crude oil through a pipeline from western Canada’s tar-sand oil fields to Jefferson County by way of a Cushing, Oklahoma hub. The proposed route will carry the pipeline through much of East Texas, including eastern Smith County.

BULLARD — Cherokee County authorities say they turned up marijuana, weapons, and other materials at a home in the Bullard area. Officials say the marijuana was found while a search warrant was being executed around 4:00 Monday afternoon at 390 Tarrant Road (CR 3705). According to a news release, officers seized some two ounces of marijuana inside the home and about 14 marijuana plants growing outside. Authorities say officers located four firearms, along with several other items of paraphernalia and evidence, during a subsequent search.

Investigators identified three suspects at the scene, but no arrests were immediately made. Charges are pending, and an arrest warrant or warrants will be sought on at least one suspect. Officials say the search warrant was the culmination of an ongoing investigation that also included another search warrant. That one, executed September 14 in the Mt. Selman area, resulted in the arrest of one person for marijuana possession.

RUSK — Cherokee County authorities are investigating an aggravated assault that occurred in the Woodville community on County Road 1209 outside Rusk. Officials say the sheriff’s office got a call about the incident around 1:00 Sunday morning. Officials say the victim sustained numerous cuts to his face and upper torso. He was taken to Mother Frances Hospital in Jacksonville, and then flown to ETMC/Tyler. No suspect has been identified at this time.

LONGVIEW — Authorities have identified a six-year-old who died in a Shreveport hospital after nearly drowning in an East Texas lake over the weekend. That report comes from our news partner KETK. Longview ISD released the following information: “All of us at Longview ISD are saddened by the tragic loss of Aujaylin Johnson, a 1st grade student at J.L. Everhart, and we pray that his family can find peace. Our thoughts and prayers are also with his classmates and teachers. Parents of J.L. Everhart students are being informed of Aujaylin’s passing, so that they can discuss it with their own children. Grief counseling is also being made available to students.”

At 3:30 Sunday afternoon, Marion County Game Warden Charles Furlow, who was off duty, overheard radio traffic of a child missing at Lake O’ The Pines. Furlow, who is a member of the Texas Park and Wildlife Dive Team, grabbed his gear and made it to the scene in about eight minutes. In less than two minutes, he was able to find the six-year-old in 8 to10 feet of water.

At this point, Aujaylin had been in the water for around 20 minutes. CPR was conducted on shore for around 25 minutes before he registered a pulse. The boy was taken to a Longview hospital and then flown to a Shreveport hospital, where he died on Monday. Family members say Aujaylin knew how to swim, but went under about 30 feet from shore.

KILGORE — An East Texas campus of higher learning recently had an unwelcome visitor. A man on the Kilgore College campus last week was accused of recruiting students for adult movies. Students gave a heads-up to campus police, but the man left before they were able to find him. KETK spoke with the school’s police chief, who says student safety is a top priority and student awareness plays a big role. He says, “We depend on students to report incidents like this to us so that we can remain aware and locate individuals that may be committing offenses here on campus.” The college requires all visitors to sign in. All staffers and students wear name badges.

MARSHALL – A 33-year-old Karnack woman has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in a sweeping East Texas case. Shonda Michelle Jones Perry pleaded guilty on June 1 to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Perry was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison Tuesday in Marshall by U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap.

According to authorities, Perry was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine in East Texas. The conspiracy involved defendants traveling to multiple pharmacies to purchase numerous boxes of cold pills containing pseudoephedrine which is used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. An 839-count federal indictment was returned on Feb. 1, charging Perry and 16 other co-defendants with federal drug crimes. Of those defendants, 14 have been convicted.

TYLER — Tyler Police said they were called to East Texas Medical Center Tuesday morning after a report by staff of two gunshot victims in the emergency room. The victims told authorities that they had been at a dice game at 3088 Old Omen Road. Kendrick Harper, 24, Dallas, and Brandon Rainwater, 24, Cedar Hill (pictured), were reportedly sleeping in their car at Cambridge Apartments when a black male reportedly opened the door, demanded everything they had and started firing a small handgun. Rainwater was hit in the leg and Harper in the head, shoulder and wrist. The shooter, reported to be wearing a black and white shirt, fled on foot. The men drove themselves to the hospital. Their wounds are said to be non-life threatening. Anyone with info is asked to contact Tyler Police.

GUN BARREL CITY – An unidentified person has died in a fire in Henderson County. The fire was reported around 4:00 Monday morning in the 2200 block of East Main Street in Gun Barrel City. After the fire had been extinguished a search turned up the body. It has been sent to a Dallas lab for autopsy. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW — Sheriff Maxey Cerliano and the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying burglary suspects. The two suspects are believed to be responsible for seven vehicle burglaries and two home burglaries. The burglaries occurred on the night of September 23rd / morning of September 24th in the subdivisions of Bella Terra and Country Place off Tryon Road in Longview. The sheriff’s office has provided two video links showing the suspects:

http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/apj978

http://www.sendspace.com/pro/dl/2z8r26

You’re asked to contact Crime Stoppers at (903) 236-STOP or Investigator Cecil Shelton at (903) 237-2531 with information.

DENTON – After months of collaboration and information sharing resulting in preliminary flood maps, officials with Smith County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are now asking the public to participate in a 90-day comment period. Homeowners, renters, and business owners in the cities of Hideaway, Lindale, New Chapel Hill, Noonday, Tyler, Whitehouse, Winona and the unincorporated areas of Smith County are encouraged to view the maps to better understand where flood risks have been identified. Those with comments or who would like to file an appeal have from September 27 to December 25 to do so.

An appeal is a formal objection to proposed base flood elevations or flood depths, Special Flood Hazard Areas (SFHA) boundaries and zones or floodways. Appeals must be based on technical data that show proposed maps to be scientifically incorrect. Anyone who makes an appeal must include the method, data, and analysis used to support the claim. A comment is an objection to a base map feature change such as labels, incorrect roads, jurisdictional boundaries, or any other non-appealable change.

Comments and appeals should be sent to FEMA through the local floodplain administrator. Anyone who hasn’t had a chance to participate in local flood insurance meetings or to review the new flood maps is encouraged to contact his or her county or community floodplain administrator. Other resources include:

· View a Preliminary Interactive Flood Map Index at http://riskmap6.com/documents/Meeting_53/Preliminary%20Interactive%20Flood%20Map%20Index.pdf

· Using a live chat service about flood maps at http://go.usa.gov/r6C — click on the “Live Chat” icon.

· Contacting a FEMA Map Specialist at 1-877-FEMA MAP (1-877-336-2627); email [email protected]

Once all comments and appeals are resolved, FEMA will notify communities of the effective date of the final maps.

QUITMAN — A hearing is set on October 16 in a lawsuit filed by a Hawkins man, contesting the constitutionality of a posting in the Wood County commissioner’s courtroom and the commissioners’ practice of opening sessions with prayer. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report that the lawsuit, filed in April by Charles Frederick Scott III, contends “In God We Trust” is posted in violation of the First Amendment.

Commissioners retained the Alliance Defense Fund and Liberty Institute for representation in the lawsuit. Liberty Institute, on behalf of the Wood County Commissioners court, filed a motion for summary judgment “to end the frivolous lawsuit.” Erin Leu of Liberty Institute said, “The law is entirely clear in this.” She noted there are two issues. She said the posting of the national motto has been established as a “national acknowledgement of our religious heritage.” She said every court of appeals to consider the issue has ruled use or display of the national motto is constitutional. Leu said the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled opening with prayer is constitutional. Wood County Judge Bryan Jeanes declined to comment because the matter is in litigation.

DENTON – After months of collaboration and information sharing resulting in preliminary flood maps, officials with Smith County and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are now asking the public to participate in a 90-day comment period. Homeowners, renters, and business owners in the cities of Hideaway, Lindale, New Chapel Hill, Noonday, Tyler, Whitehouse, Winona and the unincorporated areas of Smith County are encouraged to view the maps to better understand where flood risks have been identified. Those with comments or who would like to file an appeal have from September 27 to December 25 to do so.