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TYLER — Bishop T.K. Gorman Regional Catholic High School has been selected for the eighth time to the Catholic High School Honor Roll. The announcement includes Gorman as one of the top 50 Catholic high schools in America by the Cardinal Newman Society. Selection criteria included demonstrated commitment to Catholic identity, academic excellence, and civic education. Nearly 1,300 Catholic high schools were invited to apply to the Honor Roll by completing measurement surveys. Cardinal Newman indicates, “With this high level of competition, inclusion on the Honor Roll indicates outstanding success in each of the disciplines examined.”

“We are blessed to have a Catholic high school in Tyler with a tradition of excellence for more than fifty years,” said Msgr. Joseph Strickland, JCL, Vicar General for the Diocese of Tyler. “The recognition of Bishop Gorman as being among the top fifty Catholic schools in the nation for the eighth year in a row is especially significant because it highlights the unique character of our school. Education in the Catholic tradition is world renown for the ways it forms the whole person. The strength of Bishop Gorman Regional Catholic School is a blessing not just for the students and their families but for the entire city of Tyler and beyond.”

TYLER – Tyler Police have released the name of the woman involved in a fatal one vehicle wreck on Cumberland Road. Sarah Caitlin Stanley, 24, Nacogdoches, died September 11 after her car struck a tree and caught on fire. Tyler Fire officials found the vehicle fully engulfed in flames around 9:00 that night. She was found behind the steering wheel and was burned beyond recognition. Police requested dental records to positively identify Stanley.

Authorities said Stanley was westbound on Cumberland and struck a curb, causing her car to leave the roadway. Officials said she was traveling to Flint to visit her mother.

JACKSONVILLE – A autopsy has been ordered to help determine the cause of death of a man whose body was found in Lake Jacksonville. The body of Marvin Freeny, 24, of Jacksonville, was found next to a pier around 8:30 Wednesday morning. Authorities say Freeny had not been listed as missing. It appears as if the body may have been in the water a day or two before being discovered.

LONGVIEW – A man charged with online solicitation of a minor has been arrested by Longview police. Taken into custody following a month-long cyber sting was Christopher Mark Rutherford, 38. Police said Rutherford sent “sexually explicit” emails and text messages to a person he thought was a 14 year old child. The texting started August 22. He was arrested when he arrived at a Longview home on Tuesday. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail under a $100,000 bond.

TYLER — Robert E. Lee High School seniors Mahmoud El-Kishky and Richard Wallach are two out of 16,000 students across the nation who qualified as National Merit Semifinalists. The two
Students have been notified that their PSAT scores were among the nation’s top high scorers.

“It is a special honor to be recognized by the National Merit Scholarship Program,” Robert E. Lee Principal Gary Brown said. “Mahmoud and Richard were selected among an elite group of students. I am so proud of them and their accomplishments.”

Mahmoud and Richard will find out in February if they advance to the National Merit Finalist standing. In March, approximately 8,300 Finalists will be selected to receive a National Merit Scholarship award of $2,500.

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass hosted a news conference Wednesday in cooperation with the Tyler Police Department and AT&T encouraging Tyler residents not to text and drive. The event marked “Texting and Driving – It Can Wait” Day in the city. Bass says public safety, including the reduction of fatalities and injuries resulting from motor vehicle accidents, are goals shared by the City of Tyler.

According to city press materials, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) estimate that nearly 80 percent of crashes and 65 percent of near crashes involve some form of driver inattention. NHTSA and VTTI estimate that driver distraction is a factor in approximately 4.78 million crashes, resulting in two million injuries, more than 34,000 fatalities, and as much as $184 billion in economic damages annually. VTTI found that truck drivers face a crash risk or near crash risk 23 times greater when texting than when not texting.

The American Media Association called text messaging while driving “a public health risk,” citing a study that found text messaging while driving causes a 400 percent increase in time spent with eyes off the road. AT&T has launched a campaign to raise public awareness about the risks of texting and driving and remind all wireless consumers, especially youth, that text messages can, and should, wait until after driving, according to city officials.

TYLER — East Texas Medical Center EMS will debut its new bicycle response team this week at the East Texas State Fair in Tyler. Officials say ETMC EMS bicycle response teams include 12 experienced paramedics and EMTs who meet certain physical fitness standards, possess superior cycling skills, have a positive history with ETMC EMS, and have completed training to ensure safe and efficient operations.

“More and more EMS providers are adding bicycle medics for events, such as the fair, for faster response times through traffic and crowds,” said Neal Franklin, ETMC EMS general manager. “The cyclist has the ability to move around obstacles, utilize sidewalks and navigate around people to quickly get to the injured or sick patient. The bicycle teams will be utilized at special events, such as concerts, races, parades and festivals, and also can be contracted for private events. Bike teams can begin triage and treatment as an ambulance responds to provide transport.”

TYLER — Two Anderson County residents have pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations. Brandon Thomas Maciel, 26, of Palestine and Valerie Lynn Doyle, 24, of Itasca, pleaded guilty to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine yesterday before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. They face up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing dates have not been set.

Federal prosecutors say on October 29, 2010, Maciel purchased 2.4 grams of cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Walgreens in Palestine. Doyle purchased 2.88 grams of cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at the same store. Maciel also admitted to making two other purchases of cold pills at a CVS store and a Wal-Mart in Palestine on the same day and on numerous other occasions. The cold pills were purchased to be used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. A federal indictment was returned on April 11, 2012, charging Maciel and
Doyle with federal drug crimes.

TYLER — The new director of the Cancer Treatment and Prevention Center at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler has received a $1.1 million grant from The University of Texas System. Edward Sauter, MD, Ph.D., received a $1.1 million STARS grant to support his research into the prevention and early detection of breast cancer. The acronym STAR stands for Science and Technology Acquisition and Retention. “This is an outstanding recruitment for UT Health Science Center at Tyler and will transform its research. Congratulations to the leadership for recruiting this star. We welcome Dr. Sauter to Texas,” said Patricia Hurn, vice chancellor for health affairs at UT System.

Dr. Sauter was one of two recipients in 2012 of the Translational STARS grants, in the first year of their existence. These grants are designed to recruit nationally known leaders in clinical science, the process of transforming promising lab results into effective medical treatments. Dr. Sauter, who recently joined UTHSCT after serving as associate dean for research at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, said he was honored to receive the grant. “I’m excited to be here at the Health Science Center,” he said. “I look forward to the opportunity to work with the other physicians, scientists, and health care providers to grow clinical research at UTHSCT. The STARS award is critical to our goal of increasing access to cancer prevention opportunities for women in East Texas.”

TYLER — The report of an alleged sexual assault on the Tyler Junior College campus over the weekend has proved to be inaccurate and unfounded, TJC officials said Wednesday. New federal guidelines require campus police to send out emergency notifications first and investigate later whenever a potential threat to safety arises. Therefore, TJC immediately released a campus-wide alert through its emergency notification system Sunday evening, even as facts were still being gathered. College officials say further investigation by campus police revealed the sexual assault allegation to be unfounded. According to a TJC news release, following a thorough review of evidence acquired through additional interviews and footage from campus surveillance cameras, it was confirmed that no sexual assault occurred.

“I am proud of the professionalism of our campus police who take the safety of our students, visitors and employees very seriously,” TJC President Dr. Mike Metke said. “I was pleased by both their initial response and their ability to investigate and produce a factual finding in a short period of time that there was no sexual assault on the TJC campus.”

Metke added that TJC has taken every measure possible to provide for the utmost security and safety of its students and employees. “It’s been my goal to make sure TJC is the kind of college I’d want my children and eventually, my grandchildren, to attend as their first choice in higher education,” he said. “I feel stronger than ever that TJC is the best choice and best value available for them and for all the people TJC serves.”

TYLER — Renowned economist Dr. Ray Perryman Wednesday indicated that Smith County will see strong economic impact if it passes pro-alcohol propositions in November. Perryman predicted a sales tax revenue increase $4.9 million, the possible creation of some 1,600 jobs, and a total economic impact of over $7 million. The original numbers were just a little over half of what Perryman reported Wednesday to community leaders and media. Perryman pointed out that Tyler’s daytime population swells to over a quarter of a million due to commuters and shoppers.

Bob Westbrook chairs the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce Governmental Affairs Committee and serves as treasurer of the pro-alcohol Buy Local First group. He says he’s excited by the numbers, pointing out that they may encourage local governments to rely less on property taxes. Westbrook says that could encourage local entrepreneurs to expand their businesses.

There are four propositions on November ballots. Residents of the city of Tyler and Justice Precinct 2 will each decide on sales of mixed drinks in restaurants where it’s not already permitted, along with sales of beer and wine in local stores. An opposition group, Stand Strong for Tyler, continues to fight the propositions. One of that group’s key actions has been to contest the validity of the petitions that got the propositions on the ballots. Local officials continue to insist that the petitions are valid and were properly approved by the city of Tyler and Smith County.

GREGG COUNTY — An East Texas woman has been taken into custody for possession of drugs. Dana Lee Gray, 26, Longview, was arrested after a traffic stop on Interstate Highway 20. According to KETK, more than 11 grams of methamphetamine and approximately 20 grams of Alprazolam were found in the vehicle. Gray is charged with a 1st and 3rd degree felony for manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. She was booked into the Gregg County Jail with bond set at $100,000.

KILGORE — Kilgore Police have arrested a Hallsville man for reportedly threatening another person with a shotgun. According to KETK, Mark Mathison fired a shotgun in the air in the area of Harrison and Martin Street. When officers arrived, Mathison was still armed with a shotgun. Police said he was arrested without incident. He was booked into the Kilgore Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Bond was set at $15,000.

LONGVIEW — A Gilmer man who is free from jail on bond after being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon was arrested again Saturday. This time, police said, James Alan Danner was charged with pretending to be a police officer and possession of an illegal weapon. Danner, 30, was arrested after a motorist told police Danner tried to pull him over with flashing red and blue lights and a siren.

MARSHALL — Authorities say they’ve arrested an alleged thief with a gaming addiction. According to KETK, Lynn Dorsey Smith is currently in the Bossier Parish Jail. Harrison County authorities were attempting to track down the 60-year-old after he reportedly pawned several items taken in a July Harrison County theft. Officials said Smith was most likely in the Shreveport area due to the items being pawned in the Louisiana pawn shops in both Bossier City and Shreveport. An arrest warrant had been issued for felony theft.

BEAUMONT – A Florida man has been sentenced to federal prison for his role in a conspiracy to violate the Lacey Act. The two day trial was held in Lufkin before U.S. District Judge Ron Clark. Loren Willis was found guilty by a jury on October 13, 2011, of conspiracy to transport fish in interstate commerce in violation of state law or regulation and transporting or selling fish in interstate commerce in violation of state law or regulation. Willis was sentenced to nine months in federal prison Tuesday by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.

Federal prosecutors say in September 2010, Willis and one of his co-defendants traveled from Florida to Texas with the intention to harvest alligator gar from the Trinity River for the purpose of selling the fish in Japan. Willis did not obtain a non-resident Texas fishing license before harvesting the fish. An additional co-defendant pleaded guilty to charges he altered the documentation submitted to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to reflect that the fish were captive bred, rather than harvested in the wild. Captive bred fish are not required to be inspected prior to export. The fish which were harvested from the Trinity River were transported by Willis and his co-defendant to Florida, where they were later exported to Japan. Both of Willis’ co-defendants pleaded guilty prior to trial.

According to information presented in court, Willis and his co-defendants were not satisfied with taking only large brood fish. They eventually escalated their attempt to exploit the alligator gar population by trying to purchase thousands of alligator gar fry from undercover agents. This attempt was foiled by federal and state agents.

The trial was the culmination of what began as a nine-month joint investigation between the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Special Operations Unit and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service. In August 2010, the two agencies began investigating multiple individuals who were taking alligator gar illegally from the Trinity River, and subsequently selling the fish domestically and internationally.

AUSTIN (AP) — NFL Hall of Famer Earl Campbell, the Tyler Rose, says he will undergo nerve treatment after doctors ruled out concerns that he might have Lou Gehrig’s disease. The 57-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner said Tuesday that he will be hospitalized through the weekend. He compared the effects of the nerve problem to a robot that moves its right leg when instructed to move its left. Campbell was among the NFL’s great power backs, barreling over tacklers and never shying from contact in eight seasons. But his punishing running style cut short his career and left with him with a litany of chronic health problems. Campbell underwent knee replacement surgery last year and still requires a walker to move around.

BOSSIER CITY, La. — Thanks to a caller’s tip and security at a Shreveport casino, 60-year-old Lynn Dorsey Smith has been captured and is in the Bossier Parish Jail. East Texas authorities describe Smith as an alleged thief with a gaming addiction. According to KETK, investigators suspect Smith may have been in and out of Shreveport casinos due to his apparent addiction. Authorities report the supposed bandit has pawned several items taken in a July Harrison County theft. Officials suspected Smith would be in the Shreveport area due to the items being pawned in the Louisiana pawn shops in both Bossier City and Shreveport.

TYLER — Tyler ISD officials say a Robert E. Lee freshman who was walking in the street Tuesday morning was brushed on the shoulder by a school bus as it left Red Raider Drive. According to a school district statement, the student was evaluated by the school nurse and was transported to the hospital as a precautionary measure. Officials say the TISD Transportation Department is investigating the incident.

LINDALE — The Lindale Police Department and the FBI have recovered some of the bills stolen in a local bank robbery. That’s according to KETK. On September 12, at 3:00pm, a man held up the Capital One Bank on South Main in Lindale. The robber is described as having a medium complexion, wearing a white T-shirt under a blue long sleeve shirt, blue jeans and a white ball cap with a black bill. The fugitive left the bank in a small light colored, low profile style car such as an early 1990s Honda Civic. He was last seen heading south on Highway 69.

Information obtained confirms a dye pack did go off, which could cause a burn injury. There is a good possibility that the robber has a burn injury or injuries on his hands or arms and is still stained with dye. The inside of the vehicle would have red dye stains as well. A few bills have been recovered stained with red dye, suggesting that the robber might possibly be from the local area.

Authorities are still working to determine the location and travel pattern of the bills that have been recovered. They also plan to lift possible prints on the money left behind from the criminal. You’re asked to contact the Lindale Police Department or the FBI if you have any information on this case.

GULFPORT, MISS. (AP/Staff) – A mother and daughter suspected in a string of bank robberies, including one in Henderson, Texas, plan to plead guilty in a Mississippi case. They’ve notified court officials of their intent to accept a plea agreement in the armed robbery of a Gulfport bank. The Sun Herald reports Evie Mearlene Herrin, 57, and Amelia Darci Crew, 30, have been in custody since March 26, when Gulfport police arrested them minutes after the holdup of a Regions Bank. The women, who were living in Cleveland, Texas, are accused of taking just over $12,000.

A similar federal indictment in Louisiana alleges the women robbed two banks there. Court papers don’t show if their guilty pleas in Gulfport, set for October 1, will include the Louisiana robberies. And there was no immediate word on the status of the case involving a heist February 29 at Citizens National Bank in Henderson.

LONGVIEW — On September 29, from 10:00 to 2:00pm, several agencies will give the public another opportunity to prevent pill abuse and theft. Residents will a chance to rid their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs. The Longview Police Department, East Texas Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse, and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) are collaborating in the effort. You can bring your medications for disposal to Louis Morgan Drug at 110 Johnston Street. This service is free and anonymous. Residents who turn in medications will not be asked any questions.

Authorities say this initiative addresses a vital public safety and public health issue. They say medicines that languish in home cabinets are highly susceptible to diversion, misuse, and abuse. According to Longview police, rates of prescription drug abuse in the U.S. are alarmingly high, as are the number of accidental poisonings and overdoses due to these drugs. Studies show that a majority of abused prescription drugs are obtained from family and friends, including from the home medicine cabinet. In addition, Americans are now advised that their usual methods for disposing of unused medicines, flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash, both pose potential safety and health hazards.

SMITH COUNTY — A suspected car burglar has been killed in a hit and run accident in Smith County. The Department of Public Safety says the victim is Colton James Bain, 23. Investigators say item Bain and a companion were carrying at the time of the accident, appear to be from a car burglary that occurred a short time before. The other pedestrian with Bain at the time of the accident was arrested for public intoxication, and is being investigated in connection with vehicle break-ins in the area. The hit and run happened just after 6:00 Tuesday morning at Highway 110 North and Smith County Road 48, northwest of Tyler. The vehicle involved in the accident is believed to be a silver or gray Dodge Ram pickup truck, with possible front end damage. The case is under investigation.

MT. PLEASANT — A Titus County resident has died of West Nile neuroinvasive disease, the sole fatality in Texas attributed to the mosquito-borne illness since Friday, the last day statistics were released by the Texas Department of State Health Services. According to KETK and the Longview news-Journal, the latest East Texas death brings the state death toll from West Nile illnesses to 58. There have been no new cases of West Nile fever or West Nile neuroinvasive disease reported in any East Texas counties since Friday. The state health department on Monday reported 1,276 cases of West Nile disease, up 38 cases since Friday, including 21 new cases of West Nile fever and 17 new cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease.

Despite the death in Titus County, overall the numbers are beginning to slow. The slowing rates, combined with cooler temperatures, has the city of Longview’s Environmental Health Supervisor Buck Farrar cautiously optimistic that the season for illness is nearing an end. “I would suspect that our mosquito problem is beginning to dissipate,” Farrar said.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congressman Louie Gohmert joined Sean Hannity on FOX News Monday night, talking about the violence in the Middle East. According to KETK, he discussed the recent death of our U.S. Libyan ambassador. He also weighed in on the numerous reports that indicate the assault was a premeditated strike. According to Gohmert, “They look at us as weaker and in fact just this afternoon, we’ve learned the DOJ is investigating the incident. Sean, these guys are at war with us and we’re preparing a criminal case for the courts? They’re at war with us. It’s time to wake up.” According to Gohmert, the U.S. was warned in Cairo that these types of attacks would take place, but that warning was ignored, and Gohmert says that needs to be investigated.

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University broke ground Monday on a new $14 million student center in Longview. According to KETK, the 60,000-square foot building will include a book store and study areas. University officials also announced a $25 million fundraising campaign on Monday. That’s the largest fundraising campaign in the university’s history. The money will go toward the new student center, scholarships, and global programs.

LONGVIEW — Police say a Longview man was caught with a partially clothed child in an apartment complex laundry room. Authorities claim 48-year-old Dennis Ray Freeman was found Saturday night around 11:30 at the Longview Square Apartments. Freeman was arrested for indecency with a child by making sexual contact. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail. KETK reports his bail is set at $30,000.

TYLER – Reports of shots fired brought Tyler police to the Cambridge at Tyler Apartments near the University of Texas at Tyler. The report came in shortly after 8:00 last night. Officers say some shotgun shell casings were found at the scene. No one was injured and no damage was reported.

TYLER — It appears that charges won’t be pursued in a Monday armed robbery. Shortly before 1:45 Monday afternoon, Tyler police responded to Bullard Crossing Apartments at 5105 Old Bullard Road in reference to a robbery of an individual. The victim reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by a person that he knows in the parking lot. Police searched the area for the suspect and failed to locate him. Police say upon further investigation the victim did not want to cooperate with investigators and stated he did not wish to pursue criminal charges.

SMITH COUNTY — A 55-year-old Arp woman died in a one-vehicle wreck on Highway 31 East in Smith County. DPS reports the wreck happened just before 7:45 Monday morning about two and one half miles east of Tyler. Officials say Heloise Powell was westbound when her pickup ran off the road and struck an embankment. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials say Powell was wearing a seat belt.