KTBB News, Weather, Talk

RUSK — Rusk ISD Classes have been delayed until 10:30 due to power outages in that area, according to KETK. Also, Alto ISD classes are canceled today.

GARY (AP/Staff) – Officials say no injuries have been reported in a gas line explosion in East Texas that shook some homes before dawn. The Panola County Sheriff’s Office says the fiery accident happened around 6:00 Wednesday morning near Gary. No damage was immediately reported. A sheriff’s dispatcher says the wellhead was shut down.

According to KETK, MarkWest Energy Partners released the following statement late following the blast around 6:00 Wednesday morning:

“ A fire was detected on a MarkWest pipeline about one-quarter of a mile from the Gary Compressor Station in Panola County, Texas. There were no injuries or structural damage to the compressor station equipment. The pipeline and compressor station were immediately shut-down and MarkWest’s emergency response plan was implemented. MarkWest’s personnel were immediately dispatched to the location. The fire, which was limited to brush surrounding the pipeline, was quickly extinguished by the Gary Volunteer Fire Department who left the site by 8:00 a.m. CDT. MarkWest is investigating this incident and will work with local and state authorities throughout this process. MarkWest would also like to thank the first responders for their quick and professional response.”

EAST TEXAS – A line of severe thunderstorms marched across East Texas Tuesday night. Funnel clouds were reported in Hopkins and Rains counties. The rain, wind and lightning were responsible for power outages around the area. Tyler, Longview, and Nacogdoches were among the communities affected.

TYLER – No students were injured when a Tyler school bus caught fire. Around 40 students were aboard the bus when the fire started just before 4:45 Tuesday afternoon near the intersection of Azalea and Powers. A TISD news release said the students were evacuated from bus number 55 before an electrical fire broke out under the hood.

TYLER – Tyler City Manager Mark McDaniel has been elected as Mt. Plains Regional Vice President of ICMA, the International City/County Management Association. His three-year term begins on October 10 at the ICMA 98th Annual Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.

“We are extremely proud that Mark has been elected to serve ICMA in this capacity,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass. “He has such passion for the profession, and I believe he will be a tremendous asset to the Association.”

McDaniel began his career as a management intern with the city of Denton, Texas, in 1985 and quickly moved upward to become assistant customer services manager (1985-87), treasury operations manager/court administrator (1987-89), and budget officer (1989-91). In 1991, he was selected as assistant city manager of Lake Jackson, Texas, a position he held until 1994, the year in which he was named city manager of Woodway, Texas (1994-2001). Following a stint as director of management and budget for Corpus Christi, Texas (2001-03), McDaniel became assistant city manager (2003-04). He left Corpus Christi in 2004 to become deputy city manager of Tyler and was named city manager in 2009.

TYLER — Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith says crime was down in the county in 2011. According to KETK, he says the reasons are enhanced awareness and better technology. The sheriff’s office reports it worked five homicides in 2011 compared to seven in 2010. Sexual assaults were also down by 19%. The only increase: burglary was up by about 8%.

TYLER — Tyler ISD Superintendent Randy Reid is joining others concerned that testing may have become too important to children. Reid says he’ll seek school board approval this month of a resolution asking the state to step back and take a look at accountability. Reid says other school districts have already signed on. According to Reid, “I know that over 200 have already passed this resolution, and we just ask everybody to put their support behind that — we think it’s the right move.” Reid’s comments to KTBB’s Bill Coates came following the state’s first-ever STAAR Test week. On the upside, Reid said things went smoothly during the week.

GILMER — A Pittsburg man has died in a one-vehicle crash near Gilmer. Chad Michael Blackburn, 22, was driving southbound at about 10 Monday morning on U.S. 271 just north of Gilmer when his truck left the roadway and struck a tree, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety. KETK reports Blackburn was pronounced dead at the scene. He was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the wreck.

NACOGDOCHES — The victim of a weekend kidnapping has been identified by Nacogdoches authorities as Houston resident John Todd, 19. Earlier, the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s office said a man was kidnapped and severely beaten by several men Saturday morning. Officials tell KETK they were able to determine that the kidnapping started at a house on Davis Street in the city of Nacogdoches.

Two suspects have been identified and arrested. Austin Truitt has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault. John Michael Windsor has also been charged with aggravated assault. The man who was beaten was taken to a local hospital and treated for multiple injuries. No bonds have been set on the suspects, and more arrests are pending. A motive for the kidnapping has not been determined.

TYLER — The City of Tyler will host a “come and go” open house today to take public comment on updates to its Master Street Plan. This is the plan that establishes where future roadways will be needed and shows general street alignments. The event occurs from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Rose Garden Center. There is no formal presentation time. Residents may attend anytime during the aforementioned hours.

“Public input is an important part of the planning process,” said Tyler MPO Executive Director Barbara Holly. “Residents are intimately familiar with their neighborhoods and routes they travel on a daily basis. Their input can make a significant difference in future planning.”

The City of Tyler updates its Master Street Plan every five years. The last update was done in 2006, and work on the current plan has been in progress since late 2011. A draft plan will be available at the open house for residents to review and comment upon.

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches officials have arrested one person in connection with an injury to a child incident that was reported on March 22. According to KETK, police took Jerome Mansfield Tyler, 23, Nacogdoches, into custody Monday morning at his home. He is charged with causing injury to a one-year old girl that was in his care. Tyler is the boyfriend of the child’s mother. Authorities were first called to a report of an unresponsive child at an apartment in the 100 block of Old Line Drive. The child was found with a head injury and was taken to a Houston hospital for treatment. The Nacogdoches Police Department and Child Protective Services were notified and opened an investigation.

HENDERSON — A Florida man has been arrested in East Texas. Emanuel Corporan, 65, Miami, was arraigned Monday. He’s charged with a money laundering felony in connection with his arrest in 2006. Corporan entered a guilty plea to 2nd degree money laundering and was put on probation but officers had discovered he had moved to south Florida without permission. According to KETK, he’s now in the Rusk County Jail.

GREGG COUNTY — The man killed in a chain reaction wreck Monday was the senior industrial appraiser for the Gregg County Appraisal District. Gregg County DPS officials say two different wrecks led to the death of Michael Lee Barnett and the serious injury of another man on Interstate Highway 20. The first crash involving an 18-wheeler and a tanker happened near the Highway 42 exit at around 7:45am, followed by a 5-vehicle wreck 10 minutes later. Authorities on scene tell KETK the second wreck was caused by passersby slowing down and stopping in the middle lane to look at the first accident.

The Gregg County DPS says Barnett, 29, was from Tyler. The Longview News-Journal reports another driver, 68-year-old Jimmy Mitchell of Tyler, is in critical condition in a Longview hospital. He has undergone surgery. DPS officials say a truck caught fire after being rear-ended by a car. That car was then struck by another truck, which was then hit by a semi. During the crash, the car involved spun into a nearby ambulance that was already working the scene. No EMS workers were hurt. No word on whether any citations or charges have been made.

TEXARKANA – A Wood County woman has pleaded guilty in Texarkana to federal violations. Mellissa Kay Morris pleaded guilty yesterday to conspiracy to commit bank fraud in an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Caroline Craven. Morris faces up to 30 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

According to federal prosecutors, while employed as assistant manager of Pioneer Credit Company in Mt. Pleasant, Morris devised a scheme in which she fraudulently created new loan applications for customers who did not have active loans. Morris used the customer’s name, social security number and other identifying information to create the loan application. Morris would them approve the loan, issue a check in the name of the customer on Pioneer’s account, sign the check on behalf of Pioneer and then forge the signature of the customer on the check. Morris then used those funds for her personal gain. This fraudulent activity resulted in a financial loss of at least $200,000.

CANTON – What started as a theft on progress has resulted in the arrest of four persons on theft charges. It happened on County Road 1308. A witness called authorities to report people on the property who did not belong there. Arriving officers confirmed the thefts and also found two of the suspects in possession of Methamphetamines.

Charged with theft of property were Joe Benson Rogers, 28, of Grand Saline; Misty Hewitt, 32, of Canton; Thomas Eric Knepp, 34, of Canton; and Michael Lynn McCarty, 32, of Wills Point. Rogers and Hewitt were also charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Subsequent investigation revealed a tractor at the scene was stolen and several pieces of farm equipment were recovered from previous thefts from this location. The recovered property had an estimated value of over $25,000.

GRAND SALINE — Two people are arrested in Van Zandt County and accused of providing alcohol to minors. On Sunday at approximately 1:58 a.m. Van Zandt County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to FM 857 for a motor vehicle accident. Grand Saline police also responded and allegedly found the operator of the vehicle to be a minor under the influence of alcohol.

Law officers obtained information about a pasture party where alcohol was reportedly being furnished to minors by adults. Officers went to the 2000 block of FM 857 and upon arrival observed a large group of minors and two adults. All juveniles ages 14-16 were released to their parents with citations for consumption of alcohol by a minor. Arrested for and charged with consumption of alcohol by a minor were Ryan Wade McGlothlin, 20, of Fruitvale, and the following Grand Saline residents: Douglas Michael Evans, 18; Chase Jacob Sanders, 18; Montana Ray Tippett, 18; Fidel Casillasor, 18; Austin Curry Bolin, 19; Michael Colton Means, 17; and Rustin Ty Wood, 18. All were arraigned and released to report to Justice of the Peace Precinct #1.

The two adults arrested and charged with purchase/furnish alcohol to a minor were Stacy Ann Deatherage, 42, and Christy Annett Wood, 39, both of Grand Saline. Both have been released on $10,000 bond.

EAST TEXAS — Residents in the Tyler and Longview areas reported downed power lines and trees along with outages as storms passed through East Texas Monday afternoon. That’s according to KETK. More rain is in the forecast, with showers and thunderstorms likely today and tonight. Things should clear up considerably by tomorrow.

TYLER — Tyler police are seeking a suspect in an armed robbery. Police were called Monday afternoon just after 2:30 to the Valero station at 1736 East Gentry. According to officers, the suspect walked up to the counter, pointed a small blue steel handgun at the clerk, and told her to give him the cash from the register. Police say the clerk handed over an undetermined amount of cash without incident. The suspect is described as a black male, approximately 6’ tall, heavy build, wearing a black cap, black t-shirt and blue jeans. The suspect got into a light brown Pontiac Grand-Am driven by a second black male suspect. Investigators are obtaining a surveillance video of the incident.

LUFKIN (AP/Staff) – Lufkin jurors who convicted an ex-nurse of killing five dialysis patients by injecting them with bleach say she should spend the rest of her life in prison with no chance for parole. The jury made its sentencing decision Monday in the case of Kimberly Saenz. The 38-year-old was convicted Friday of killing the patients and deliberately injuring five others at a clinic run by Denver-based health care giant DaVita Inc. Jurors also could have recommended that Saenz be put to death. Defense lawyers called nine witnesses during the punishment phase of the trial Monday, most of them attesting to Saenz’s participation in her two children’s school work and athletics. A prison consultant also described what Saenz’s restrictions would be as an inmate serving life without parole.

LONGVIEW — A Longview teen is in critical condition after falling out of a car. According to KETK, it happened Sunday in the 3000 block of Spring Hill Road. According to the driver of the car, Luster Laray Mitchell Jr.,20, and Delena Renee Nguyen, 17, had been dancing inside the car when the door opened and Nguyen fell out into the roadway. Nguyen was not wearing a seatbelt. Mitchell stopped immediately and called for help. Nguyen was taken to a local hospital. The incident remains under investigation.

TYLER — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Craig James visits Tyler. Though mostly known for his football pedigree, James is focusing largely on business concerns. He says small business owners spend $1.7 trillion a year adhering to federal regulations, and he notes that he has an extensive background as an entrepreneur. “So,” says James, “when I’m in the Senate chamber, I won’t need someone to explain to me how that is impacting the private sector. It’s killing jobs.” James grew up mainly in Houston but is a Cherokee County native.

BULLARD — A former Bullard police officer is set to plead guilty to a second-degree felony charge after confessing to having sex with a Bullard High School student in 2009. KETK reports that Steven Wayne Morris, 27, will enter the plea as part of a plea agreement. Morris was arrested in 2010 after a four-month investigation by the Texas Rangers. He will enter his plea on April 13.

TYLER — DPS Troopers and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office are looking for a driver accused of fatally hitting a motorcyclist. According to the Department of Public Safety, around 1:15 Sunday morning, a dark-colored Ford Heavy Duty truck struck Jacky Wayne Johnson, 65, Tyler, on Highway 64 East just east of Tyler, killing him. According to KETK, the truck then left the scene. Authorities said the truck may be damaged on its front end from hitting the motorcycle. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Smith County Sheriff’s Department.

TYLER — Tyler Police continue to search for the suspect involved two burglaries this weekend. The first reported break-in happened at the Family Dollar, 1527 NNW Loop 323 just after 6:00 Saturday morning. Employees told officers an undetermined amount of cash had been taken. While that investigation was underway, police were notified of another break-in at the Family Dollar, 4305 Troup Highway. Authorities were told that sometime during the night, the store was broken into and an undetermined amount of cash was taken. Investigators are confirming that both commercial burglaries seem similar in nature. No arrests have been made at this time.

LAS VEGAS — Lindale’s Miranda Lambert was a two time winner at the annual Academy of Country Awards Sunday night. Lambert picked up her third straight female vocalist of the year award. Her husband Blake Shelton won male vocalist of the year. And Lambert also picked up a trophy for album of the year. It was for her album “Four the Record.” It was her third straight win in that category.

AUSTIN — A general aviation airport in East Texas won top honors recently for structural and aesthetic improvements that eventually turned a financial liability into an economic asset for the community and the region. The Van Zandt County Regional Airport in Wills Point received the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) 2012 Most Improved General Aviation Airport honor at the department’s aviation awards banquet held recently at the 30th annual Texas Aviation Convention in Galveston.

The small county airport was recognized for its efforts to turn a marginal business operation into a viable concern that would make money instead of cost money. City and county officials, along with private sector support, embarked on an aggressive beautification and infrastructure improvement program to bring the airport up to service levels that would attract new business. Several local and state grants, including an $8,500 grant from the Wills Point Economic Development Corporation, helped the Airport Advisory Board to implement a vegetation management program that included wildflower seeding and new grass to prevent erosion.

TxDOT and the city and county partnered to acquire RAMP (Routine Airport Maintenance Program) grants for pavement improvements, runway and ramp upgrades and renovate and build new infrastructure including a two-story brick office building, new lighting and an entrance drive and parking lot. Instead of a financial drain, the airport is now turning a profit and attracting new business and events from around the state.

Future projects include developing a five-year aviation plan, building new hangers, resurfacing the runway and building a maintenance road and a fuel farm.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

TYLER — The Texas Department of Transportation’s Transportation Planning and Programming Division in Austin is scheduled to perform traffic counts in the Tyler District between Monday, April 2 and Friday, April 13. The survey sites, which are marked with “State Traffic Survey” signs, will be in operation for 24 hours in each of 22 undisclosed locations.

“Traffic counts are an important statistic,” said TxDOT public information officer Larry Krantz. “They tell us a lot about how our system is being used at the moment, and when compared with historical data, they show us how traffic patterns have changed. We use that data to plan everything from scheduling litter cleanup to planning for new roads.” The counts are performed annually on state-system roads, which include Interstates, U.S. Highways, State Highways, Loops, Spurs and Farm-to-Market Roads. You can go to
http://www.txdot.gov/travel/traffic_maps/default.htm to find the latest traffic counts for the Tyler District and statewide.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement-repair operations on SH 31 in Malakoff. Also this week in Henderson County, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to continue resurfacing work on Farm Road 3079 between Farm Road 314 south of Brownsboro and Farm Road 315 south of Chandler. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue approximately two weeks of edge repairs on Farm Road 1716 between State Highway 43 near Tatum and Farm Road 782. The work is being done in advance of a seal coat application later this summer. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

GREGG COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repairs on South Loop 281 between Farm Road 2205 (Jaycee Drive) and Estes Parkway early in the week, followed by applying a seal coat in the same location later in the week. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations in various locations on State Highway 294 west of Elkhart between Farm Road 322 and Farm Road 1990, followed by the same work on Farm Road 323 between U.S. Highway 84 east of Palestine and Farm Road 1817. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue pavement repairs on Farm Road 3056 between U.S. Highway 80 east of Mineola and Farm Road 778. The work is in preparation for a seal coat application this summer.

A second crew is scheduled to continue edge repairs on Farm Road 2869 north of Farm Road 49. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

NOONDAY — One person is taken to a local hospital after an 18 wheeler crashed into a sedan. The Noonday Fire Department has confirmed the truck leaked over 300 gallons of diesel fuel on Highway 155 just past Loop 49. According to KETK, both north and south bound lanes had to be shut down for clean-up but have since reopened. No word on the condition of the injured person.

NACOGDOCHES — The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s office says a man was kidnapped and severely beaten by several men Saturday morning. Officials tell KETK they were able to determine that the kidnapping started at a house on Davis Street in the city of Nacogdoches. Two suspects have been identified and arrested. Austin Truitt has been charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault. John Michael Windsor has also been charged with aggravated assault. The man who was beaten was taken to a local hospital and treated for multiple injuries. No bonds have been set on the suspects, and more arrests are pending.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP/Staff) — A former Oklahoma prison warden’s wife who was convicted of aiding the escape of a convicted killer she lived with for 11 years will be released from prison soon after serving about half of her one-year sentence. Bobbi Parker’s trial was the most expensive in Greer County history, but with time off for good behavior she could be released in April after serving about six months. The state spent more than $66,000 for her trial, including $27,000 in juror fees.

Parker was sent to the Hillsdale Community Correctional Center in Oklahoma City after being found guilty of helping Randolph Dial escape from a prison at Granite. The two eventually turned up in Shelby County, Texas. Corrections Department spokesman Jerry Massie says rules that reward inmates for good behavior have shaved almost six months off of Parker’s sentence.