KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW — Longview police are following up on a shooting that seriously wounded two men. Shortly after 2:15 yesterday morning, officers responded to a shots fired call in the 1100 Block of West Marshall Avenue. When officers arrived they saw a car leaving at a high rate of speed. Witnesses told police there were several males who were involved in an altercation. According to witnesses several shots were fired and two people were wounded.

Police located one shooting victim, a 26-year man, in a vehicle at the scene. That victim was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center with life-threatening injuries. A short time later officers were advised another victim, a 23-year-old man was brought to Good Shepherd by private vehicle with a life-threatening gunshot wound. According to authorities, police later found the vehicle they saw leaving the scene. No arrests have been made at this time. Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact Detective David Cheatham at 903-237-1147. If the tipster wishes to remain anonymous, he or she can contact Gregg County Crimestoppers at http://www.greggcountycrimestoppers.org or 903-236-STOP (7867).

TYLER — The president of The University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler, Kirk A. Calhoun, M.D., has been named to the Council on Graduate Medical Education (COGME) of the Health Resources and Services Administration, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dr. Calhoun, president of UTHSCT since 2002, is one of 17 members of COGME, which was established by Congress in 1986 to evaluate the supply and distribution of physicians in the United States. His term expires March 31, 2016. He is a former chair of the executive committee of the National Association of Public Hospitals and Health Systems. Dr. Calhoun also has served on the State Health Services Council and the Teaching Hospitals of Texas’ executive committee.

In addition, Anna Kurdowska, Ph.D., has been appointed director of research at UTHSCT, and Robert Tompkins, MD, has been named program director of the Family Medicine Residency. As director of research, Dr. Kurdowska will oversee the Biomedical Research Center, its 28 faculty, and associated lab and clerical staff. She joined UTHSCT in 1991 and currently is a professor of biochemistry.

Dr. Tompkins will supervise the family medicine residency program, which began in 1985. The program gives new physicians the training and experience needed to treat people in all stages of life, from infancy to old age. He is an associate professor of medicine and has been an instructor in the Family Medicine Residency Program since 1997.

DeSOTO PARISH, LA. — A Longview man is under investigation after he allegedly ran a stop sign that resulted in a Louisiana death. KETK reports that shortly after 7:30 Thursday morning, Louisiana state troopers were called to a two-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 84 at the intersection of Interstate Highway 49. When officials arrived, they discovered John Cline, 27, of Longview, was driving south on I-49 when he exited Highway 84. Authorities say Cline failed to stop at the stop sign and hit a car heading west driven by Carly Deemer, 23, of Coushatta, Louisiana.

Deemer and her passenger, Georgia Wilson, 19, of Coushatta, were not wearing belts. Deemer was pronounced dead at the scene by the DeSoto Parish coroner. Wilson sustained serious injuries from the crash and was flown to a Shreveport hospital for treatment. Toxicology samples were obtained and submitted for analysis. Cline was cited for failure to obey a stop sign.

ANGELINA COUNTY — Two people are dead in what authorities believe is a double homicide. It was reported Wednesday night on John Kolb Road in eastern Angelina County. According to KETK and the Lufkin Daily News, the victims are said to be a man and woman in their twenties. They’re now identified as Rosa and Pepe Pina, and their alleged killer is a 31-year-old black male named Terrance Barnes. Angelina County Investigators are still on the scene, and authorities continue to search for Barnes.

TROUP — About half of a Troup home has been damaged in a fire. Before the fire was put out Thursday morning, heavy smoke was visible from the attic of the home, in the 18000 block of Sunshine Lane. Crews from the Arp, Chapel Hill, and Troup VFDs answered the call. According to KETK, the cause of the fire is being investigated by the Smith County fire marshal.

TYLER — Tyler Police are searching for a 30-year-old man reported missing. Gustavo Valdovinos was last seen on July 8th at 2516 Canton Street in Tyler. Law enforcement officials have no confirmation that foul play maybe involved at this time. They say Valdovinos has disappeared for a few days in the past but not for this long period of time. Family members have not heard from him and fear that something may have happened. If you have any information regarding his whereabouts, please contact the Tyler Police Department.

LONGVIEW — Former Longview mayor Tommie Carlisle has died. The long time Longview businessman died Tuesday at the age of 84. Council members appointed Carlisle as mayor in 1975. When the city switched to electing the mayor, Carlisle became the first person elected to the post in 1978. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday morning at 10:00 at Rader Funeral Home. Burial to follow in Lakeview Memorial Gardens. Visitation is scheduled at the funeral home from 6:00 to 8:00pm Friday.

LONGVIEW — Gregg County authorities have three persons in custody in connection with two home invasions. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. The first incident was reported around 11:15 Wednesday morning in the 4400 block of Smelley Road in Hallsville. An armed elderly man said he confronted two men who had broken into a house. He told investigators they struggled with him, disarmed him and hit him in the forehead with the gun.

Shortly after that a burglary was reported in Lakeport. A witness gave a description of the suspects that was similar to the men in the Hallsville robbery. State troopers spotted a vehicle matching the description occupied by two men and a woman. They stopped the vehicle on Farm Road 2011 in Gregg County. A gun found in the car turned out to be the one taken in the Hallsville robbery. The suspects were identified as Bruce Vactor, 23, Jeremy Germaine Jackson, 30 and Brittany Bush, 24.

TYLER — A listener advises of an accident at Front and Palace in Tyler. As of late this afternoon, southbound traffic on Palace was blocked at the intersection. Drivers should avoid that area or use caution if they must drive through it.

TYLER — A project that will add a major roadway to the city is highlighted as the Tyler City Council approves the 2012-2013 Half Cent Work Program. Topping the list of 222 projects is the extension of Cumberland Road from Old Jacksonville Road to Broadway Avenue. This project will include a four lane divided road with landscaped raised medians, a bridge over West Mud Creek, and a hike and bike trail to connect north to the hike and bike trail along Grande. “This project will serve as an east-west connection for the southwest portion of Tyler,” said Half Cent Board Chairperson Ralph Caraway. “This will give citizens better access to schools, retail, parks and new development. It will also improve emergency response times and help ease traffic congestion.”

The program prioritizes projects that will be funded by Half Cent Sales Tax revenue for the year. A 60-day review period for public input began Wednesday with the Council action. The Half Cent Sales Tax provides approximately $15 million per year in funding for capital projects. You can go to http://www.cityoftyler.org to learn more.

KILGORE — Kilgore Police investigate some reported mail thefts. According to KETK, thieves struck in the Highland Park area Tuesday between 11:00am and 4:00pm. Officers are working with the local post office to try to identify those thieves.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has called a special election for November 6 on a pair of alcohol propositions. One calls for beer & wine sales for off-premises consumption; the other is for extension of the legal sale of mixed beverages in restaurants to current city limits. A group called Buy Local First has been working to get the propositions on local ballots, largely by circulating petitions that the council validated yesterday morning.

A group called Stand Strong for Tyler opposes the effort. That group is calling for the city to stop what it terms the rush to place the beer and wine measure on the ballot in November. In a statement issued to KETK, the group says, in part, “After only 10 days of reviewing the petitions Stand Strong has identified serious problems including hundreds of duplicate signatures, the names of deceased individuals as signers and numerous other serious issues that will disqualify many signatures.” The group has asked for more time to review the petitions.
City spokesperson Susan Guthrie told KTBB, “Basically we did a very thorough review of the petitions and found that there was more than enough to warrant calling the election. State law outlines that we make this decision at the next meeting following completion if our review, which is what we have done.” She says once the city confirmed the counts, the law says the council “shall,” not “may,” call the election. The Smith County Commissioners Court must give the nod to similar propositions for the county’s Justice Precinct 2. Commissioners are slated to consider that at their meeting Tuesday

LONGVIEW — A bomb scare was quickly handled by a bomb squad from Barksdale Air Force Base. They were called in to look at suspicious device found in a Longview newspaper stand. According to KETK, officials say the “bomb” is actually the coin collection device from the newspaper stand itself. Somehow, the coin collector fell off inside the newsstand. It was discovered by an IHOP patron around 7:00 yesterday morning, and officials were immediately alerted.

EAST TEXAS — The body of a drowning victim has been recovered from Lake Cherokee. The body of Kim Grounds was recovered yesterday and the investigation will continue. His body will be sent to the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences in Dallas for autopsy.

The Gregg County Sheriff’s Department said, the 44-year-old Mount Enterprise man was one of two people aboard a boat, but he didn’t make it back to shore. Members of the Texas DPS, Texas Parks and Wildlife Service, Rusk County Sheriff’s Office and the Lake Cherokee Patrol were on had to assist in the recovery operation.

CRYSTAL BEACH — A Longview man has drowned in the Gulf of Mexico. Jeffery Buttram, 42, was found Sunday afternoon in the water near the 1900 block of Avenue J in Crystal Beach. John Florence, a spokesman for the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office, said CPR was performed on Buttram on the beach. He was flown by a medical helicopter to the University of Texas Medical Branch, where he died Monday afternoon. An autopsy has been ordered.

FRANKLIN, TENN. –– Livability.com, a national website that highlights more than 500 of America’s best places to live and visit, has released a list of the Top 10 Best BBQ Cities – Surprisingly Great Places for BBQ. Tyler made the top ten list.

Much has been written about the smoking, saucing and rubbing going on in places like Memphis, Austin, Chicago and Kansas City, those cities by which all other barbecue is measured. So for their list of the best places for BBQ, Livability.com editors purposely strayed from the herd, instead concentrating on those lesser known cities with a large and loyal local barbecue fan base. To narrow down the list, editors looked at the number of barbecue restaurants, joints and shacks in a city as well as the quality of those establishments based on customer reviews, and in some cases, a little messy hands-on research.

“Part of what we do at Livability.com is uncover those hidden gems in cities and help them shine. So when a list of the best BBQ cities was proposed, it was decided that we wouldn’t take the easy route of listing the usual suspects. Instead we’d go mining for those gems that the rest of the country might not yet have discovered,” said John Hood, spokesman for Livability.com.

Barbecue is taken very seriously in Texas. Cities like Austin, Lockhart and Houston are well known for having an assortment of tempting ‘cue. Picking the best barbecue restaurant in Texas is like asking someone to pick their favorite child. Easy for some, agonizing for others. One thing most Texans agree on is Texas barbecue is the best. Livability.com editors focused their attention on Tyler a city that hasn’t received much notoriety but has some darn good barbecue. ‘Cue snobs have tipped a hat to Stanley’s Famous Pit Bar-B-Q. It has put Tyler’s barbecue scene on the map, and the scene is a good one. The city has five bona fide barbecue restaurants and a few more that offer barbecue on the menu.

The website’s Top 10 Best BBQ Cities – Surprisingly Great Places for BBQ:
1. Lexington, NC
2. Tuscaloosa, AL
3. Greenville, SC
4. Hattiesburg, MS
5. Tyler, TX
6. Springfield, MO
7. Bethesda, MD
8. Fayetteville, AR
9. Gainesville, FL
10. Cumming, GA

CADDO LAKE — Caddo Lake in Northeast Texas is known for its maze of bayous and bald cypress trees draped in Spanish Moss. the lake is popular today for its fishing, camping and boating. However, it is in danger of being overtaken by some non-native plant species that threaten its fragile ecosystem. Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples says there are two main threats. He says the plants reduce the oxygen levels in the water and clog the waterways — and that threatens the fish, waterfowl and other wildlife that depend on the lake for survival. Staples says crews are using chemical treatments and introducing weevils that eat the plants.

TYLER — A group called the Coalition of Retired Law Enforcement Officers and Second Amendment Defenders announces its support of Larry Smith for Smith County sheriff. According to KETK, the group includes former FBI and DPS officers, ex-game wardens, and some local gunsmiths. Members spoke highly of Smith’s character, experience, and integrity. As early voting continues, Smith is locked in a hotly contested race against former Game Warden Chris Green.

JACKSONVILLE — There are a lot of limbs, branches, and leaves to be hauled away following weekend storms, but some trees hold a little more meaning than that. A tree with history in Jacksonville didn’t survive the storms. Local resident Kathleen Stanfill spoke with KETK about what her family calls “the big tree.” Stanfill says, “It was just like a place that was familiar. It was just like a place that was home. It was like…it was almost like part of the family, I guess.” An old photo shows Stanfill and her sister Allison, who now owns the property once belonging to their grandparents, playing by the big tree as children. Now the tree’s been cut into pieces after falling over during Saturday night’s storm.

In the 1960s, the Texas Forest Service put the tree on its Big Tree Registry, a list of the biggest of each species. It lost the title for awhile in the 80s, but it quickly got it back, and until this past weekend, it was known as the biggest American elm in the state of Texas, exceeding 21 feet in circumference. After the storms, Stanfill drove to her sister’s house and saw the damage first hand. “I cried,” she says. “I cried like I’d lost a family member. I cried like the rest of the family did.” Stanfill says Jacksonville has lost a landmark. For years, she says, there was a plaque recognizing the designation on Myrtle Drive, and people would often stop to look, something her grandparents were very proud of.

TYLER — Traffic heading northbound on Old Bullard Road by the Broadway Square Mall is shut down due to tree trimming. KETK reports you should avoid this area or you will be rerouted to Richmond Road, where traffic is heavily backed up. Officials did not say when the cutting would be done.

TYLER — A Smith County man was arrested early Monday morning after allegedly stabbing his neighbor. It happened on the 13000 block of County Road 220, just after midnight. That’s when Smith County Sheriff’s officials tell KETK Glenn Cooper, 47, walked up to his neighbor’s house and stabbed his neighbor, Gary Simmons, 42, in the stomach. Simmons told sheriff’s officials that he knew Cooper, but not well. According to authorities, Cooper admitted to deputies that he stabbed Simmons, but no motive has been determined. Simmons was sent to a local hospital, where he had surgery. He is expected to fully recover. Cooper was arrested, and booked into the Smith County Jail. He is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and is being held on a $100,000 bond.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council Wednesday will consider calling a special election for November 6 on a pair of alcohol propositions. One would call for beer & wine sales for off-premises consumption; the other is for extension of the legal sale of mixed beverages in restaurants to current city limits. The City Council’s meeting got underway at 9:00 this morning. The Smith County Commissioners Court must give the nod to similar propositions for the county’s Justice Precinct 2. Commissioners are slated to consider that at their meeting next Tuesday morning at 9:30. A group called Buy Local First has been working to get the propositions on local ballots, largely by circulating petitions that both governing bodies must approve. A group called Stand Strong for Tyler opposes the effort.

SMITH COUNTY — One man has been taken in custody after leading deputies on a chase. William Andrew Wilson, 20, was booked into the Smith County Jail under bonds totaling $2.6 million. Smith County Deputies tell KETK they were chasing the man after he allegedly walked into a house without permission on Big Oak Drive. Wilson, who claims to be a college student, reportedly asked to use a phone but was denied by the people inside the home. He then ran from the scene. Authorities arrested Wilson after he jumped into the lake. Charges against Wilson include aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal mischief, possession of drupe paraphernalia, attempt to escape, burglary of habitation and resisting arrest.

COFFEE CITY — A suspected killer and kidnapper has been returned to Henderson County. Jackie Martez Guthrie, 22, was returned yesterday afternoon following his Friday night arrest in Galveston. He is accused of the Thursday night death of a 2012 John Tyler High school graduate and the abduction of another woman in Coffee City.

The shooting took place around 10:30 Thursday night in Briarwood Bay. Officials say Guthrie fatally shot Tyler resident Chantel Barret, 18, in the back. Police said he then forced his girlfriend, Tiffany Hurd, who is said to be 7 months pregnant with his child, into Chantel’s vehicle. A citizen’s tip led to his arrest Friday night in Galveston. Funeral services for Chantel were held Monday at First Baptist Church of Henderson, with interment at Shiloh Cemetery.

LUFKIN — An Angelina County woman has pleaded guilty to federal violations. Joneshia Cranford, 33, of Lufkin, pleaded guilty to wrongful disclosure of individually identifiable health information in an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn in Lufkin.

Federal prosecutors say, from 2005 to 2008, Cranford, an employee of a Lufkin-area health care provider, stole protected health information, including patient names, dates of birth, social security numbers, Medicare numbers, and Medicaid numbers and sold the information to Shavator Albro, 35, and Francis “Frank” Ibiok, 28, both of Houston. Cranford’s actions are a criminal violation of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).

Cranford faces up to 10 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set. Albro and Ibiok have pleaded guilty to health care fraud and identity theft offences and face up to 15 years in federal prison.

DALLAS (AP/Staff) — Celebrated car designer Carroll Shelby’s children and wife have resolved a dispute over how to bury him, two and a half months after his death. Shelby, a Camp County native, died in a Dallas hospital on May 10; his body is being held in a local morgue. His three children say their father signed a document giving them permission to have his body cremated, though his last wife, Cleo, said the document was a forgery.

Shelby’s son and Cleo Shelby’s attorney told The Associated Press on Monday that they’re close to finalizing a settlement. They say his remains will be cremated, then divided five ways among his children, his wife, and burial at a family plot in East Texas. The 89-year-old Shelby built powerful versions of the Cobra, Mustang, and Viper sports cars.

LONGVIEW — A Gilmer man has been arrested in Longview for stealing dog food and beer. Just before 9:45 Friday morning officers were dispatched to the Kroger store in the 700 block of East Marshall. Emplotees told officers a man had come into the store and taken 2 bags of dog food and 6 cases of beer. When store employees attempted to stop him, he is said to have shoved one of the employees to the ground and ran out the door and drove away. The employee was not seriously injured. Ronald O’Keith Beasley, 44, was found a short time later in the 200 block of Mitchell Street. He was charged with robbery and booked into the Gregg County Jail.

TYLER — Now through Friday, the City of Tyler Solid Waste Department will be providing free pick up of brush that was broken due to this past weekend’s storm. All limbs and brush must be placed at the curb and be less than eight feet in length. “Tyler Solid Waste typically provides free brush pick up if the debris is bundled and less than four feet in length,” said Dan Brotton, Solid Waste director. “However, because of the severe storm this weekend, we will temporarily pick up larger debris at no additional cost to our customers.” Additional crews have been scheduled to provide the added service this week.

If brush does not meet the guidelines listed above, please call the Tyler Solid Waste office at 903-531-1388. Any brush or limbs that are placed at the curb after Friday must be less than four feet in length and tied in bundles that do not exceed 50 pounds.

TYLER — Following any storm, phones at the Better Business Bureau Serving Central East Texas ring off the hook from consumers calling to verify the legitimacy of out-of-the-area contractors. Storm chasers and other door-to-door salespeople often peddle dubious deals that may cost homeowners thousands of dollars and create serious headaches, often requiring advance payment and making big promises on which they won’t be able to deliver. “Consumers are often so desperate to get repairs completed that they fail to do the proper research on the company they hire to do the work”, said Mechele Agbayani Mills, President and CEO of BBB Serving Central East Texas. “Failing to do so, however, could cause both your home and wallet to take a serious beating.”

BBB offers the following advice to homeowners before hiring a contractor:

• Check with your insurance company about policy coverage and specific filing requirements. Save all receipts if temporary repairs are necessary.
• Although you may be anxious to get things back to normal, avoid letting your emotions get the better of you. Don’t be pressured into making an immediate decision with a long-term impact. Be proactive in selecting a business and not re-active to sales solicitations.
• For major repairs, take time to shop around and get 3 -4 estimates based on the same specifications and materials. Check out references that are at least one year-old and verify licensing with local agencies.

• Be wary of door-to-door workers who claim to have left-over materials from a job “down the street” or who do not have a permanent place of business. If sales people go door-to-door, check to see if your community requires them to have solicitation permits.
• Be leery if a worker shows up on your doorstep to announce that your home is unsafe. If you are concerned about possible structural damage in your home, have an engineer, architect or building official inspect it. While most contractors abide by the law, be careful allowing someone you do not know inspect your home. An unethical contractor may actually create damage to get the work.

• Require a written contract agreement with anyone you hire. Be sure their name address, license number, if applicable, and phone number is included in the contract. Read and understand the contract in its entirety, and don’t sign a blank contract. A copy of the signed contract is to be given to you at the time of signature.
• Clearly written proposals that are detailed and broken down into separate line items are a good sign that the contractor is being thorough and has prepared an accurate estimate.

• If one estimate seems much lower than the others and it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Many fly-by-night contractors’ below-cost bids seem attractive, but these contracts often are uninsured and perform substantial cancellation fees or liquidation damages are required if the homeowner decides not to use the contractor after insurance approval of the claim.
• Never pay for work in full in advance. The Better Business Bureau recommends a consumer never pay more than half before the contractor starts repairs and don’t pay the remaining balance until you are satisfied with the work. A good guideline is to pay by the rule of thirds: pay one-third deposit, one-third when the job is 50% complete, and one-third once the job is completed.
• Hire locally whenever possible. Chances are, if the company is not from the area, they are less likely to come back and make a repair should you find something they missed.

Victims of severe storm damage should never feel forced to make a hasty decision or to choose an unknown contractor. Go to http://www.bbb.org to start with companies you can trust. To report a fraud or scam, call the BBB Hotline: 903-581-8373.

LONGVIEW — A woman who passed a stolen check early this month is sought by Longview police. On July 2, the Longview Police Department was contacted by a forgery victim. The victim stated he’d placed a check in his mailbox to be mailed around the end of May, 2012. On July 2, he realized the check had been altered and the suspect had passed the check at Ulta Cosmetics in Longview.

Police obtained several photos of the suspect. The suspect is described as a white female, with dark shoulder length hair pulled back in a ponytail. The suspect was wearing a light colored striped shirt with a dark bra and white capri pants. Police are asking anyone with information on the identity of this suspect to contact Longview Police Sgt. Chris Clark at 903-237-1199. If the tipster wishes to remain anonymous, he or she can also contact Gregg County Crimestoppers at http://www.greggcountycrimestoppers.org or 903-236-STOP (7867).