KTBB News, Weather, Talk

GLADEWATER – A Gladewater driver is facing a variety of charges after a weekend accident in Gladewater. It happened in the 600 block of South Loop 485 on Saturday. Police reports say Trent Jordan Sasser’s pickup hit a car and he drove away at a high speed. A short while later Sasser, 28, lost control of his vehicle and hit a fence and then hit just over half a dozen new pickups on the lot of McKaig Chevrolet. Both Sasser and his passenger, Lauren Phillips, were taken to the hospital for treatment. Investigators say there is evidence of alcohol and drug use. Sasser will be charged with intoxication assault and fleeing the scene of an accident.

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

EDGEWOOD — Texas Department of Transportation construction contractor Texana Land and Asphalt, Inc., of Sulphur Springs, is beginning several months of work on Farm Road 859 north of Edgewood in Van Zandt County. The approximate $1.5 million project call for rebuilding FM 859 in one-mile segments between Farm Road 1395 and State Highway 19 just south of the Rains County Line, and should be completed in late summer or early fall.

Beginning at the SH 19 end of the job, crews will be tearing the roadway down to the base, stabilizing it with cement and resurfacing each section in consecutive order, with crews not moving to the second segment until the first is complete. FM 859 will be closed to thru-traffic while the work is in progress, and motorists should expect daytime lane closures and delays in and around the segment under construction.

Also this week in Van Zandt County, TxDOT maintenance crews are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations in various locations on FM 859 in Edgewood between U.S. Highway 80 and Farm Road 1395, on Farm Road 1395 north of Edgewood, and on Farm Road 47 south of Interstate Highway 20.A second crew is scheduled to perform fog seal operations at Lake Tawakoni State Park.

Finally, crews are scheduled to continue edge-repair operations on Farm Road 314 between Farm Road 1995 south of Van and State Highway 64 north of Edom. 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.

LONGVIEW — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin base and pavement repairs on FM 2205 (Jaycee Drive) in Longview between Loop 281 and State Highway 31. The work is being done in preparation for a resurfacing project planned to begin in April. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to seek alternate routes if possible to avoid delays.

SMITH COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform edge repairs on Farm Road 2868 between State Highway 155 in Noonday and Farm Road 346 in Flint. 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 resume pavement-repair operations on State Highway 155 north of Palestine, followed by the same work on U.S. Highway 79 between Loop 256 and Tile Factory Road. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zones.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin approximately two weeks of pavement repairs on FM 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.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations in various locations on Farm Road 177 and Farm Road 3052 in the Mixon area. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

LANEVILLE — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on Farm Road 225 between Farm Road 1798 in Laneville and U.S. Highway 84 west of Mount Enterprise. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers and pilot vehicles will control traffic.

TYLER — It’s time for Tyler’s Spring Free Bulky Item Collection. Residential customers may get rid of bulky items such as unwanted furniture, appliances, carpet, fence material, up to four noncommercial vehicle tires, old toys and other large items that would normally require a special fee for free. Brush, limbs and liquid waste is not included. Paint must be dried out with oil dry or kitty litter.

Place your bulky items on the curb and leave them there until collected. Items may be collected on a different day from your regular garbage collection. There is no need to contact the city Solid Waste office when you set out your bulky garbage. For residents whose trash is picked up on Monday and Thursday, place your bulky items on the curb today. For those whose trash is collected on Tuesday and Friday, place your bulky items on the curb next Monday, March 12th.

Bulky items will also be accepted from 7:00am till noon on Saturday March 10th and 17th at the City of Tyler employee parking lot in the 300 block of North Bois D’Arc in downtown Tyler.

You can visit http://www.tylersolidwaste.com or http://www.keeptylerbeautiful.com for more information.

HENDERSON — One person is dead and one injured in a three-vehicle crash in Rusk County. It happened shortly before 8:00 Saturday night on Highway 79, just over 7 miles southwest of Henderson. The DPS says a Silverado pickup was southbound, followed by a Dodge Intrepid. The Dodge struck the Silverado and continued into the northbound lane, hitting a northbound Hyundai. Dead at the scene was Reed Hunsdorfer, 62, of Henderson, who was driving the Hyundai. Enjouli Webb of Marshall, 18, the driver of the Intrepid, was listed in fair condition with lacerations. There was no immediate word on any possible charges.

WINONA — A grass fire on County Road 3109 near Winona burned an estimated 10 to 15 acres over the weekend. Fire officials say they arrived on the scene around 5:30 Saturday afternoon and put out the fire a little after 6:00. Fire officials could not confirm the cause of the fire, but KETK spoke with one of the property owners. He said he had been burning brush the day before and thought he had put that fire out completely. He also said he saw the flames while taking a picture at a nearby business and called the fire department. The property owner added that the fire was low to the ground. No one was hurt during the blaze.

TYLER – National Nutrition Month is a nutrition education and information campaign created annually in March by the American Dietetic Association. The campaign focuses attention on the importance of making informed food choices and developing sound eating and physical activity habits. This year the Northeast Texas Public Health District (NETPHD) will focus on encouraging an increase of fruits and vegetables and educating East Texans on the importance of proper portion sizes.

Health District officials say National Nutrition Month also promotes the American Dietetic Association and its members to the public and the media as the most valuable and credible source of timely, scientifically based food and nutrition information. The theme for March 2012 is “Get Your Plate In Shape.”

“MyPlate is a great tool for helping people be mindful of what foods they should be eating and how much should be on their plate. Our ‘Get Your Plate in Shape’ theme takes it a step further by giving consumers ideas for creative ways to include the food groups, helping them think out of the box to make every meal both healthful and enjoyable,” said registered dietitian and Academy President Sylvia Escott-Stump.

According to a Health District news release, “The food and physical activity choices made everyday affect your health and how you feel today and in the future. Eating a nutritious diet and engaging in regular physical activity may reduce chronic diseases, such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. Furthermore, poor diet and physical inactivity are the most important factors contributing to the rise in obesity in this country.”

On Saturday, Mayor Barbara Bass kicked off the month’s activities with “Walk with the Dietitians” at Rose Rudman Park. The NETPHD WIC Program hosted that event and will also host the following activities in celebration of National Nutrition Month:

3/13/12 – Nutrition Carnival – NET Health WIC Clinic, Old Troup Hwy., Tyler, 10:00 a.m. – 3 p.m.

3/14/12 – Registered Dietitian Day

3/16/12 – Nutrition Carnival – NET Health WIC Clinic, 815 N. Broadway, Tyler, 9:30 a.m. – 12 noon

HENDERSON — The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate a Friday afternoon shooting near Henderson. Officials tell KETK the incident happened at around 3:00 p.m. According to District Attorney’s Office Investigator William Brown, a man walked up to the Henderson Animal Shelter on Hwy. 259 South, claiming he had been in an altercation with a man who was chasing a woman. The man claimed he was trying to intervene and was shot during the scuffle. He then drove away and pulled to the side of Hwy. 259 in front of the animal shelter. The victim was taken to a local hospital. The animal shelter says it was not involved in any way.

TYLER – Several of Tyler ISD’s dedicated team members have announced that they will pursue new opportunities following the 2011-2012 school year.

Jeff Collum, Executive Director of Secondary Education, has accepted a position as Superintendent of Benton School District in Benton, Arkansas. Collum has served in his current position for the past year. Prior to that, he was the Director of Student Services for three years.

Kami Hale, Woods Elementary School Principal, will be relocating to the Houston area, where her husband has taken a new job. Hale has served as the principal at Woods since 2009.

Roger McAdoo, Robert E. Lee High School Principal, will pursue new opportunities within the district next year. He is currently working with central office administrators to finalize his future role within Tyler ISD. McAdoo has served as the principal at Robert E. Lee since 2006.

After 35 years of service to Tyler ISD, Freeman Sterling, Peete Elementary School Principal, will retire at the end of the 2011-2012 school year. He has served in his current position since 1994. Prior to being named principal at Peete, Sterling was a teacher at Rice, Owens and Jones elementary schools and an instructional consultant at Austin Elementary School.

According to a TISD news release, “We want to thank those who are leaving the district for their hard work and commitment during their time with Tyler ISD. We wish them all the best in their new endeavors. Tyler ISD is committed to keeping its employees, parents, and community members informed of staffing changes and will continue to do so in the future.”

LONGVIEW — Brandon Quadnell Horne, 32, has been sentenced to 45 years in prison for the murder of Kelvin Muckleroy, Jr. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News Journal. Horne is the second man to be convicted in the incident. Horne faced between five and 99 years or life in prison after pleading guilty in November to the murder of Muckleroy, 33. Horne and Toronto Lockridge, 36, both of Longview, were convicted of Muckleroy’s murder. The two also set fire to Muckleroy’s home on Chappell Street in Longview after killing him. Lockridge was sentenced to life in prison last month for Muckleroy’s death.

TYLER (AP/Staff) – A man who served 22 years for the murder of a Tyler woman before being freed is calling for new testing of DNA in the case. Kerry Max Cook was twice sentenced to death for the 1977 rape and murder of 21-year-old Linda Jo Edwards. Courts overturned both convictions. In 1999, Cook agreed to plead no contest without admitting guilt to the murder in exchange for a sentence of time served. Now, Cook’s attorneys want new testing of DNA evidence that they say will prove his innocence. They also want Judge Jack Skeen Jr., who prosecuted Cook in the 1990s, to recuse himself now that he supervises the court handling the case. Another of the former prosecutors says he thinks Cook is guilty but should be allowed the tests.

MARSHALL (AP) – Amtrak and Texas transportation officials are studying starting passenger rail service from Dallas-Fort Worth to Shreveport-Bossier City, La. In a joint statement, Amtrak and the Texas Department of Transportation said they’ve agreed on the scope of a feasibility study of adding the service. Amtrak already runs its San Antonio-to-Chicago Texas Eagle service on the Union Pacific route from Fort Worth to Marshall with stops in Longview, Mineola and Dallas. The proposal would add Amtrak stops at the Centre Port/DFW Airport station of the Trinity Railway Express, as well as stops in Mesquite, Forney, Terrell and Wills Point. Amtrak says that if the study shows state-funded Amtrak service should be considered, the final decisions would rest with the Texas and Louisiana legislatures.

TYLER — An 18-year-old Dallas man has been indicted in the shooting death of his roommate at Varsity Place apartments in November 2011. Brandon Willis was charged with manslaughter in the death of Davion Johnson, 18. Police believe Willis unintentionally shot Johnson while showing off a revolver he did not realize was loaded. According to KETK, Johnson died at a Tyler hospital.

HAWKINS – Jarvis Christian College at Hawkins will be getting a new president. The school’s board of trustees has unanimously selected Dr. Lester C. Newman to serve as the 12th President. He begins his new duties on April 2nd. He will succeed Cornell Thomas who resigned earlier this year. Dr. Newman currently serves as the Executive Assistant to the President and Director of Administrative Management Programs at Wiley College in Marshall. In his current role, Dr. Newman serves as a member of the President’s Cabinet and the Vice President’s Council.

According to the school’s web site, “Dr. Newman brings extensive experience in higher education administration and academics to the campus. Prior to his work at Wiley College, he served as the Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Vice President for Development at Lane College, Jackson, Tennessee; served as a consultant for higher education; President and Professor of Political Science at Mississippi Valley State University, Itta Bena, Mississippi, for nine years; Vice President for Academic Affairs and Associate Professor of Political Science, Johnson C. Smith University, Charlotte, North Carolina. In his career, he also served as Vice President for Academic Affairs and Professor; Dean of Arts and Sciences and Associate Professor; and Assistant Professor and Associate Director of Institutional Self-Study.”

LUFKIN — A Lufkin man is behind bars after he allegedly hit a neighbor in the head Wednesday night with a hammer and metal pipe. Officials say it happened around 9:14 p.m. at Rick Road Trailer Park. Police tell KETK the neighbor tried to check on Fabian Tamez’s girlfriend and children during an argument between the two adults. Tamez then struck the neighbor’s head with a hammer and metal pipe. Responding officers arrested Tamez, and one officer was kicked in the chest and face, causing injury. Tamez was booked into the Angelina County Jail for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and assault on a public servant. The victim’s condition is unknown.

TYLER – A Tyler financial institution plans to ramp up security following a Wednesday robbery. An official at Telco Plus Credit Union at 620 West Front Street tells KETK the branch will be installing additional security cameras. She also says officials are looking at keeping the location better staffed during certain hours of the day.

A woman entered the business shortly after 5:15 Wednesday afternoon, armed with a large knife. She placed a bag on the counter and instructed the teller to give her money. She then left, and was seen fleeing the scene in a black car, possibly a Chevrolet Malibu. No injuries were reported. She is described as a light skinned black female, 5’05” tall with a medium build. She was wearing a black hooded mask, black shirt and black pants.

TYLER – A Tyler man will be going to prison for federal firearms violations. Martrice Smith, 38, pleaded guilty last October to being a felon in possession of a firearm. He was sentenced yesterday to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider.

Federal prosecutors say Smith admitted that on October 20, 2010, he was in possession of a shotgun. Further investigation revealed Smith was a convicted felon, having previously been found guilty of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas in 2005; possession of a controlled substance in Smith County in 2005; possession of a controlled substance in Smith County in 2004; and burglary of a vehicle in Smith County in 1997. As a convicted felon, Smith is prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms or ammunition. Smith was indicted by a federal grand jury last September.

WINFIELD (AP) – Authorities say a man has been fatally shot by a northeast Texas police officer during a traffic stop. Police in the small town of Winfield say the shooting happened Wednesday after police stopped a vehicle for erratic driving and speeding on Interstate 30. KLTV-TV reports police say the officer handcuffed the suspects inside the police unit before he was to search the vehicle. During the search, one suspect retrieved a weapon and fired at the officer, who returned fire. Police say 23-year-old Brian Michael Fuller from the state of New York was pronounced dead at the scene. The Mount Pleasant Daily Tribune reports the other suspect was a 17-year-old arrested on charges including theft of a firearm and possession of a controlled substance. Texas Rangers are helping investigate.

TYLER – A Mt. Pleasant man has been sentenced in Tyler federal court to prison for drug trafficking crimes. Ernesto Valles Moreno, 42, pleaded guilty last April to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced yesterday to 150 months in federal prison by U.S. District judge Michael H. Schneider.

Co-defendant Hector Nieto, 40, pleaded guilty on November 2, 2010, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and was sentenced to 135 months in federal prison on August 31, 2011. Nieto was also ordered to forfeit ownership of commercial property in Mt. Pleasant, Texas valued at $93,000.00, a 2005 GMC, K3500 pickup truck, and $21,473.47 in US Currency.

According to federal prosecutors, in July 2009, Nieto and Moreno knowingly delivered approximately three kilograms of cocaine to others with instructions to transport the cocaine to Chicago, Illinois for sale and distribution. They were indicted by a federal grand jury on July 14, 2010 and charged with federal drug trafficking crimes.

CANTON — Authorities are continuing their investigation of a fatal shooting that reportedly occurred during a cockfight in Van Zandt County. Sunday morning around 3:30, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office responded to East Texas Medical Center in Athens in reference to a 21-year-old man who was brought in with a fatal gunshot wound. Henderson County contacted the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office when they learned the offense occurred at a residence off Farm Road 1861. Van Zandt County responded to the residence, where investigators were told that the victim, Luis Rodriguez of Athens, was at the residence during an illegal chicken fight when an argument occurred and the victim was fatally injured. Rodriguez was driven from the scene and taken to ETMC/Athens, where he was pronounced dead.

Authorities say numerous roosters along with fighting paraphernalia were seized at the location with the assistance of the S.P.C.A. of Texas. The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Rangers and the Van Zandt County District Attorney’s Office continue to investigate the incident.

HENDERSON — Rusk County officials are asking for the public’s help in finding a missing Mt. Enterprise man. According to KETK, the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office says 58-year old James “Jimmy” Tidwell is missing. Tidwell is described as 5’3″ and about 170 pounds.

On Tuesday morning around 11:30 officials received a call from Tidwell’s employer requesting a welfare check when he did not report to work. Tidwell’s employer says he was last seen at work Wednesday, February 15. On Wednesday, investigators found Tidwell’s abandoned truck on FM 95 and Hwy 315, approximately 5 miles from his house. As the investigation continues, anyone with information on Mr. Tidwell’s whereabouts is asked to contact the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office Investigator Robert Stinehour at (903) 657-3581 or call Rusk County Crime Stoppers at (903) 655-TIPS (8477).

TYLER — A Tyler Jack in the Box restaurant closes temporarily after a woman crashes her car into it. Authorities tell KETK the wreck occurred on Northwest Loop 323 Thursday afternoon. Officials say the incident is under investigation. No one was hurt during the accident.

TYLER – A Tyler man has been sentenced to 20 years in federal prison for federal drug and firearms violations in Eastern Texas. Gary Anderson, 30, pleaded guilty last October to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute cocaine and possession of a firearm during a drug trafficking crime. He was sentenced in Tyler yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. Anderson was also ordered to forfeit $50,000 in cash.

According to information presented in court, on March 9, 2011, Anderson possessed more than 15 kilograms of cocaine, which he distributed in the Smith County area. He also admitted to possessing two pistols while in possession of the drugs. Anderson admitted to purchasing from 2 to 4 kilograms of cocaine per week from a source in Houston, paying approximately $24,000 per kilo and was in possession of over $50,000 in cash at the time of his arrest. Law enforcement officers seized ½ kilogram of crack cocaine, marijuana, cocaine powder, cash, body armor and firearms at Anderson’s residence. Anderson had the highest criminal history points possible under the federal sentencing guidelines. Anderson was indicted by a federal grand jury on July 13, 2011, along with four co-defendants.

LUFKIN — A former Lufkin veterinary clinic bookkeeper was sentenced on Wednesday to 13 years in prison and ordered to pay restitution for stealing more than $350,000 from the business. According to KETK, Melissa “Missy” Suzanne McCleskey, 33, stood before state District Judge Barry Bryan for the hearing after pleading guilty in December to a first-degree felony theft charge without recommended punishment.

McCleskey turned herself in last December after admitting to stealing the money from East Texas Veterinary Clinic Incorporated. According to an arrest report, McCleskey kept the books for both Lufkin locations of East Texas Veterinary Clinic, Inc., which included the East Texas Veterinary Clinic on U.S. Highway 69 south and Lone Star Veterinary Clinic on Brentwood Drive.

PITTSBURG — Pilgrim’s Pride, along with corporate real estate company Binswanger, is in negotiations with Region VIII Education Service Center to sell the former Pilgrim’s world headquarters site on U.S. 271 North, with an undisclosed amount on the table.
“I cannot disclose that, by law, but we have had offers,” said Kip Collins, an agent with Binswanger who is handling the property.

According to KETK, the building, which is still involved in a lawsuit over property taxes with the Camp Central Appraisal District, has had a handful of offers in the past 12-month period, Collins said, and is listed for $11.9 million. Pilgrim’s has been selling off large tracts of property since the bankruptcy in 2008, including a large sale of 2,875 acres to the Titus County Fresh Water Supply District, a non-taxable entity, with more than 1,900 acres of that being in Camp County, which removes them from the tax roll.

TYLER — A salon owner accused of illegally injecting women with an unknown substance was in a Tyler courtroom yesterday morning. Carmel Foster, 38, the owner of Queen Diva’s Hair Salon and Spa, in Tyler, has been arraigned in Smith County on two charges of practicing medicine without a license.

The FDA is still working to confirm what substance was used in the injections as part of a breast augmentation. Those findings are expected later this week. Foster remains in the Smith County Jail on $200,000 bond.

According to KETK, one of the victims is still in a Longview hospital in critical condition.

SMITH COUNTY — A driver who flipped his vehicle while searching for his cell phone Thursday morning was not injured, according to DPS. The wreck happened on Highway 69 North just south of I-20 Shortly before 6:00. Although EMS responded to the scene, the driver, whose name has not been released, was not transported to the hospital. According to KETK, lanes going both directions were temporarily blocked, but later reopened.

EAST TEXAS — An additional shift at surviving U.S. Postal Service processing plants should ensure the pace of letters and packages sent from Northeast Texas is unchanged by the likely closing of the Tyler facility, that’s according to a postal spokesman. The Longview News-Journal reports, McKinney Boyd in the Dallas U.S. Postal Service office said 200 positions eliminated in Tyler, if Congress fails to act by May 15, will be absorbed by attrition. Boyd said employees will have the opportunity to apply for new jobs in new locations. Post offices in Overton and Easton closed during the summer.

RED SPRINGS – A home in the Red Springs area of Smith County has been damaged by fire. The house is located in the 1000 block of County Road 333. This is just north of the Tyler loop off U.S. Highway 271. No one was at home when the fire broke out yesterday afternoon and no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire has yet to be determined.

TYLER — Some Tylerites looking to sell their homes are eliminating the middleman, their real estate agent, in order to keep more money in their pockets once their house is sold. Local resident Frank McKinney is one such person. McKinney’s used real estate agents in the past, but he tells KETK times have changed. According to McKinney, “Because of the market today, because it is truly a buyer’s market in all ways, form, and fashion — I felt that what value the realtors would bring would be far less than in previous times that I’ve sold homes.” McKinney says he’s pleased with the results he’s getting so far.

TYLER — Tyler Tea Party members aren’t happy with Mitt Romney’s wins this week in Michigan and Arizona. The Tea Party’s Shawn Bradley tells KETK, “We want somebody who will really deal forthrightly and truthfully with the issues as they are, and Romney is just not proving to be that guy.” Candidates will now gear up for Super Tuesday March 6.