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CAYUGA – A one vehicle accident in northern Anderson County has left one person dead. The wreck occurred shortly after 4:45 Sunday morning on Farm Road 59 near Cayuga. Dead at the scene was David Lain Till, 57, of Cross Roads. The Department of Public Safety reports Till’s truck approached a curve and left the road and overturned. The report said Till was not wearing his seat belt.

DALLAS (AP/Staff) – Ten mail processing centers in Texas are among 252 nationwide that will close this spring in a $3 billion money-saving move by the government. Those include centers in Tyler and Lufkin. The U.S. Postal Service said Monday that it seeks to move quickly to shut the processing units and slow first-class delivery, amid declining mail volume. The Postal Service is projected to have a record loss of $14.1 billion next year.

The agency in September announced the list of processing facilities being studied, including sites in Abilene, Austin, Beaumont, Bryan, Dallas, Tyler, Lufkin, McAllen and two facilities in Waco. The agency on Monday said the cuts are now being finalized to close the processing centers, starting in April. The Tyler processing facility is located at 12621 FM 3311, northeast of the city. The cost of mailing a first-class letter goes up a penny, beginning January 22, to 45 cents.

TYLER – Suddenlink has added more than 130 jobs in Tyler this year through the end of November, bringing its total employee base in Tyler to more than 1,275. Most of the new positions are directly related to providing support to Suddenlink customers. Tyler is home to more Suddenlink employees than any other single community. The company employs nearly 5,900 nationwide and approximately 2,900 throughout Texas.

“Our company continues to grow, and the vast majority of our new jobs involve people who interact directly with customers,” said Suddenlink Senior Vice President of Regional Operations Todd Cruthird. “Since 2007, Suddenlink has the most improved customer satisfaction scores, where measured by the independent J.D. Power surveys. We are confident our new Tyler-based employees will help us continue and further improve on that trend.”

Suddenlink has two call-center facilities in Tyler, and requires prospective customer care representatives to go through extensive training – an average of six weeks – before they take their first customer calls. Suddenlink reported earlier this year that it expects to have invested nearly $120 million in 2011 in its Texas cable systems, and by the end of the year to have invested nearly a half-billion dollars in the state since 2006. Suddenlink is the third-largest company of its kind in Texas, offering cable TV, high-speed Internet, phone, security and other services.

MARSHALL – Harrison County authorities, acting on a tip, have arrested a man suspected of throwing acid on two persons. Galen Wallace, 39, was arrested Sunday near the intersection of Nesbitt Cut-off and State Highway 154. He had been living in an abandoned vehicle.

He is accused of tossing acid on Brittany Brice, 24, and Donald Salley, 21 on November 28th. Both were transported to LSU Medical Center for treatment. The incident occurred 4271 Driskell Bridge Rd. in the northwest area of the county. Authorities say the incident began with Wallace walking through the residence with a bottle of acid, making angry remarks about the victims, and saying that the drain cleaner could cause a lot of damage to a person. He then allegedly went to the bedroom where the victims were and began throwing the liquid onto the bed and the victims.

Authorities say the incident began with Wallace walking through the residence on Driskell Bridge Rd. with a bottle of acid, making angry remarks about the victims, and saying that the drain cleaner could cause a lot of damage to a person. He then allegedly went to the bedroom where the victims were and began throwing the liquid onto the bed and the victims. The victims are identified as Brittany Brice, 24, and Donald Salley, 21. Both victims were transported to LSU Medical Center for further treatment.

As deputies were interviewing the victims and witness, it was learned that the suspect had reportedly fled the residence and had taken his 3 year old son, Christian, with him. Authorities say he fled into a wooded area behind the residence, and deputies, with the assistance of K-9 operations, attempted to find the suspect, but were unsuccessful. Authorities say later the suspect went to a relative’s residence, dropped off the child, and then left on foot. The 3-year-old child remains with other family members.

GRAND SALINE — Lindsey Ray, a Grand Saline resident, has announced his candidacy for Van Zandt County Sheriff. Ray is seeking the Republican Party nomination in the March 6, 2012, primary election. Ray stated, “I am seeking the Republican Party nomination for Sheriff of Van Zandt County because I care deeply about Van Zandt County. I believe that I am uniquely qualified for the position of Sheriff and I am committed to effective, efficient and professional law enforcement.”

Ray is a veteran law enforcement officer with over 25 years experience. He holds a Master Peace Officer certificate from the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education. Additionally, he holds a Law Enforcement Instructor certification and a Firearms Instructor certification and is a Drug Recognition Expert. Ray is retired from the Texas Department of Public Safety.
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LONGVIEW — Fire department officials Monday said a South Longview day care fire was the result of juvenile mischief. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. On November 28, 29 children were evacuated from Garrett’s TLC Learning Center in the 1600 block of Mobberly Avenue when a fire ignited in the day care’s storage building. Longview Fire Marshal Johnny Zackary said investigators believe the fire was started by “juveniles misusing an ignition source.” Zackary said investigators have interviewed a few juveniles in connection with the blaze. He said about $3,000 worth of damage was caused in the fire.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Department is warning of an apparent local scam. According to Lt. Tony Dana, someone contacted a local business Monday morning claiming to represent the Sheriff’s Department, Fraternal Order of Police, and Texas Department of Public Safety soliciting donations for a Blue Santa event to take place December 17th. Dana says neither the Smith County Sheriff’s Office nor the Smith County Peace Officer’s Association contact citizens by telephone asking for donations. Dana adds, “I have contacted the Tyler Police Department and the Texas Department Public safety and they are not participating either.”

Dana adds, “This may be a scam and citizens should always use caution when receiving solicitation calls for donations from any organization over the telephone. Only give to organizations you know and trust. If you are not sure, contact your local law enforcement agency and verify the information before giving financial information over the telephone.”

TYLER — East Texans forever changed by drunk drivers gathered at Tyler’s Rose Garden over the weekend. Mothers Against Drunk Driving held a candlelight vigil to remember lives lost in drunk driving-related crashes. Frankie Baker was 7 months pregnant when her unborn son was killed when she was hit by a drunk driver. Baker says, “It changes dramatically when you’re told you’re never gonna have a child, and then all of a sudden you have a child — and then it’s taken away. So it really devastated me throughout my life because, ‘Where’s my child that was given to me that I was never gonna have?'”

With holiday gatherings taking place, it’s the perfect time to practice safety. MADD reminds everyone to use a designated driver when leaving holiday parties. MADD’s Alexia Hunter says the message is simple — be responsible.

HARRISON COUNTY — Westbound traffic on Interstate 20 was shut down for more than 20 hours Sunday while crews cleared the scene of a four-vehicle crash that involved three tractor-trailers. Department of Public Safety communications spokeswoman Estela Pasquill said crews were dispatched about 1 a.m. Sunday to the wreck on I-20 near the Loop 281/FM 968 exit west of Longview. Crews were still cleaning debris from the crash Sunday evening, she said. Traffic was being diverted onto the Loop 281 exit, across the overpass and onto the on-ramp back to the interstate, she said.

DPS spokeswoman Jean Dark said she was unsure of the details of the crash, which involved three tractor-trailers and a passenger vehicle. Officials said at least two people were taken to the hospital, but their conditions were not known Sunday evening. No fatalities were reported. The traffic backlog also caused additional wrecks.

Harrison County officials said a woman was pinned in her vehicle after a crash near the FM 450 exit. The woman had to be extricated from her vehicle with the Jaws of Life and was transported from the scene to an area hospital. Harrison County officials said there had also been two to three other minor wrecks reported Sunday near the exit Sunday.

ALTO — City council members will spend the week interviewing potential candidates selected in a Friday meeting for the position of Alto Police Chief. They have identified several candidates they will interview for the position, Mayor Monty Collins said. Collins said he didn’t remember exactly how many candidates they will be interviewing, “but we whittled them down,” he said.

In the meeting, council members waded through approximately 40 applications filed for the position submitted by hopefuls from everywhere, Councilman Jerry Flowers said. After making a hire, which is slated to occur in a meeting on Thursday, the city will hand over the process of hiring another officer to the new chief. Flowers said the city has a separate stack of applications filed for an officer’s position, and the process for hiring will not begin until the new chief is in place.

PALESTINE – An Anderson County man has been charged with his wife’s death. Murder charges were filed over the weekend against Noble Lee Barrett Jr., 53, of Palestine. His wife, Beverly Carey Barrett, 53, died Saturday at Palestine Regional Medical Center from what investigators say was blunt force trauma. She was found at the couple’s home on Farm Road 321 following a 9-1-1 call about a medical emergency. She was said to have had a large gash on her forehead.

TYLER — UT-Tyler President Dr. Rodney Mabry is expressing his pride in the academic performance of his school’s student-athletes. Howard Patterson is UTT’s vice president for auxiliary operations and intercollegiate athletics. In a letter to Patterson that was made available to KTBB, Mabry writes, “Thank you for providing me with your latest data on grades of our athletes (Spring 2011) overall and by sport. What a wonderful report it is! It shows an overall athletics GPA average of 3.00 . . . that’s just great, a full “B” average. For over 200 students? Hard to believe! Once again, your students easily exceeded the average for our student body as a whole. And, while there is room for improvement in individual sports, each one was far above satisfactory.

“Special thanks go to Head Coach Stephanie Webb and her women soccer players, though. They led all sports with a 3.51 average GPA. Wow! A whole soccer team??!!

“Please tell your coaches how much I appreciate them working hard to recruit quality students and quality athletes who are most of all, quality people. I truly believe that our athletes are the backbone of UT Tyler’s student body and that is a rare thing for a university.

“Howard, I cannot thank you enough for hiring such excellent coaches and I cannot thank /them /enough for taking their role as an important part of our academic mission so seriously.”

WHITEHOUSE — Friends and supporters are taking up donations to help the son of a Whitehouse-area woman who recently died, allegedly as a result of a Thanksgiving day beating by her husband. KETK reports that according to one of the station’s viewers, “Every dollar counts. Donations taken can be made to Patti McHugh Gage’s son, Nicholas McHugh, to cover the cost of hospital bills, legal assistance, memorial and
clothes for the youngest son, Caden, at any Capital One under ‘Nicholas McHugh.’ Nick needs a lot of help with this right now… it’s a little overwhelming for him.” The account number for donations is # 3332044477. Kelly Gage, 49, is accused of the deadly beating.

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

SMITH COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews today are scheduled to perform pavement repairs on State Highway 31 west of Tyler at its intersection of Farm Road 2661 east of Chandler, and at its intersection with Farm Road 315 in Chandler. 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.

GREGG COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repairs on State Highway 300 (Gilmer Road) between U.S. Highway 80 (Marshall Avenue) north to the Gregg County line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on State Highway 64 between Farm Road 859 and Interstate Highway 20. A second crew is scheduled to continue similar operations on Farm Road 1995 between State Highway 110 and Farm Road 773. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the
work zones.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations in various locations on State Highway 110 between New Summerfield and Troup. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue pavement-repair operations on U.S. Highway 259 between State Highway 315 and the bridges south of U.S. Highway 84. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work area.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue resurfacing operations on State Highway 294 between Elkhart and Farm Road 323. Daytime lane closures will be in effect 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 State Highway 154 near Farm Road 288 and in various locations on Farm Road 2422 between U.S. Highway 80 and Farm Road 1803. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

TYLER – Hundreds turned out in Tyler Saturday night to meet radio talk show host Glenn Beck. Beck, whose talk show is heard on KTBB weekday morning at 8:00, was in Tyler promoting his new book “Being George Washington.” Tyler was the last stop Saturday in a four city tour by Beck. Earlier in the day he was in Beaumont and Houston. Just before arriving in Tyler, he visited Nacogdoches.

His bus pulled up to Hastings on South Broadway shortly after 8:00 bringing a roar of approval from the crowd. Among those on hand was Landon Lough from Fort Worth, He waited for Beck’s arrival starting around 9:45 Saturday morning. Lough said it was well worth the wait. He said he would have waited a lot longer for a chance to get to meet Beck. Lough was awestruck by his meeting with the talk show host. Lough remarked, “It was worth every moment of it. He’s just a sincere, genuine guy, and I met with my hero, so mission accomplished.”

Florida-based Constitutional attorney KrisAnne Hall stopped by the Beck event while in town to speak with Grassroots America – We the People. Hall told our news partner KETK, “Well, I believe that he’s also a Constitutional conservative, and that phrase, in and of itself, sort of gathers different interpretations. A real Constitutional conservative believes that you can’t trade liberty for security for any reason.”

According to Beck his book about George Washington is the amazing true story of a real-life superhero who wore no cape and possessed no special powers, yet changed the world forever. It’s a story about a man whose life reads as if it were torn from the pages of an action novel: Horses shot out from under him. Unimaginable hardship. Disease. Heroism. Spies and double-agents. “Being George Washington, according to Beck, is a whole new way to look at history.

TYLER – Tyler firefighters responded to a two alarm fire at the Plantation Pines apartments at 2715 South Broadway. It was reported just before 8:00 Friday night. Investigators have determined that the fire originated in the area of the clothes dryer and was contained at the appliance. There were no injuries reported and no structural damage occurred. Additionally, there were no occupants displaced as a result of the fire.

LUFKIN – The former manager of a Lufkin business will spend some time in prison for improper photography. Nathan Scott Kesler, 36, was sentenced yesterday to two years imprison by State District Judge Gerald Goodwin.

Kesler, the former manager of a Dollar King store in Lufkin, pleaded guilty in October to improperly photographing his employees in the store’s restroom. Police say he put his cell phone on a bathroom cabinet of the business in a position to photograph the toilet using a spy camera application. Two store employees were photographed in the restroom when the application, which uses motion detection, took the photos.

NEW BOSTON (AP) — A man accused in the shooting death of a northeast Texas sheriff’s deputy has been indicted on a capital murder charge. Tucker Strickland of Texarkana is charged with shooting Bowie County sheriff’s Deputy Sherri Jones with her own gun in April. Jones was escorting Strickland from a court hearing.

QUITMAN — A man has been arrested in Wood County in connection with his son’s death. Officials say George Saunders was located and arrested at the Wal-Mart store in Mineola. According to KETK and the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, Saunders was arrested for an outstanding warrant for manslaughter in the death of his son, Loren Saunders.

George Saunders was originally scheduled to turn himself in to the Wood County Sheriff’s Office with his attorney. However, authorities say Saunders failed to show. A Crimestoppers tip indicated that Saunders was staying at a residence on Patten street in Mineola. Mineola Police Officer Carolyn Tanner located his vehicle at the Wal-Mart store at Loop 564 and State Highway 37. Further information indicated that Saunders was at Wal-Mart. Saunders is currently in custody in the Wood County Detention Facility.

Lab results conclude Loren Saunders, 16, was shot by his father, 56, in the chest on January 18. In May, Wood County officials said the circumstances surrounding the teen’s death were suspicious after he was found with a single gunshot wound to the chest. Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to a residence at Chaney Point RV Park on County Road 1590 after Saunders’s father reported his son had been shot and he was doing CPR on him.

The case was turned over to the Wood County District Attorney’s Office for further investigation after the medical examiner’s office said evidence didn’t add up to the death being considered accidental. At the time, investigator William Burge said Saunders’s cause of death was ruled accidental, because Saunders’ father told authorities he caught him playing with the handgun.

LONGVIEW — Police have arrested three people in connection with the November 1 robbery and beating at an east Longview motel. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, authorities are holding Jordan Lynn Garrett, 21, and Eric Eugene Christian, 30, on $50,000 bond. Garrett is charged with robbery and Christian charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. A third suspect, Candace Lynn Cranford, 25, was arrested Wednesday on a criminal trespass charge. According to Longview police, all three suspects were identified by a victim and witness to a robbery and assault at the American Dream Inn, in the 2000 block of East Marshall Avenue.

Longview police on November 1 spoke with two men, including Victor Villasenor, who said that he met a prostitute later identified as Garrett at one of the motel rooms. Garrett then called another woman, later identified as Cranford, to the room, according to arrest affidavits. Later in the evening, Villasenor noticed $300 was missing from his pants. When he confronted Garrett and an argument ensued, Christian entered the room along with Villasenor’s friend, Miguel Gonzales, who was in the parking lot. Christian hit Gonzales several times in the face before jumping into a vehicle with the two women, records showed. Christian then retrieved a tire iron and approached Gonzales and Villasenor again, but Villasenor retrieved his tire tool from his vehicle. Christian then got back into his car and left the motel.

A witness, who arrived at the motel and was unloading groceries during the assault, identified Christian and Cranford in photo line-ups, according to Gregg County Assistant District Attorney Stacey Brownlee. Garrett, of Gilmer, was arrested Tuesday at the Palace Inn in the 2100 block of East Marshall Avenue. Christian was arrested November 17 and remains jailed on $57,500 bond, also charged with outstanding warrants for possession of a controlled substance and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Bond had not been set for Cranford at last report.

LONGVIEW — One person has been killed and one injured in a two-vehicle accident in Longview. The victim is identified as Joe D. Hightower, 49, of Kilgore. The fiery crash occurred Thursday evening around10:00. Investigators say the two vehicles collided near the intersection of South and High Streets. One driver was heading eastbound on South Street and ran into a vehicle turning left onto South Street from High Street. The car making the turn caught fire. Hightower was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials had to extract the other driver from his vehicle. He was transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center with unknown injuries. Officials have not yet released the injured 54-year-old man.

LONGVIEW — Law officers are seeking a man who robbed a Longview bank. On
The bank alarm went off just before 10:45 Friday morning in the 3100 Block of H.G. Mosley Parkway. When officers arrived, bank employees told them a white male possibly in his 30s, wearing blue jeans, a navy or black jacket, a dark ball cap, and small rimmed glasses, walked into the bank. He walked up to a teller window and handed the teller a note. He also showed the teller a semi-automatic handgun. The teller handed the suspect an undisclosed amount of money. He then left the bank in an unknown direction.

If you have any information in reference to this or any other crime, you’re asked to call the Longview Police Department Detectives at 903-237-1110 or report your information anonymously to Gregg County Crimestoppers at 903-236-STOP. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is also offering a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the suspect.

TYLER — Law enforcement is looking for three young men who attacked a UT-Tyler student on campus late Thursday night. According to KETK, UT-Tyler police say at around 10:00 p.m., a student was assaulted while walking near the fountain in front of the Cowan Center. The victim said he observed 3 young black men, approximately late teens to early 20’s, standing nearby. One of the men asked him for a cigarette, and he replied he did not have any. At that point, the victim said that the men approached him and began striking him in his head with their fists. The victim states that he began running from the assailants and they stopped pursuing him. He then went to his house and notified university police.

The victim came to the UTT police department to provide a statement. The investigating officer observed redness and slight swelling in the area around the victim’s ear. At this time, the motive for the attack is unknown. The victim stated that he had no previous encounters with these men. Officers were able to verify through video evidence that the victim was approached and pursued by 3 black men at the fountain in front of the Cowan Center. Clothing description on the suspects are as follows:

(1) Gray pants with navy or black shirt, white or light colored tennis shoes
(2) Red pants, dark shirt or jacket with possible horizontal stripes, white tennis shoes
(3) Dark or black pants, dark shirt, white tennis shoes

The victim in this case did not seek medical attention and his injuries do not appear serious. Officers are continuing to search the area for the suspects. Students, staff, and faculty are advised to be observant and aware of their surroundings. If possible, walk with a friend or in a group. Report any suspicious persons or activity immediately to the University Police Department by dialing (903) 566-7300 or by dialing 9-1-1. Anyone with information concerning this crime, please contact University Police.

TYLER — A Mexican National has been sentenced to federal prison for failing to register as a sex offender. Concepcion Baldelamar, 49, was sentenced to six months in federal prison Wednesday. According to information presented in court, in April, Baldelamar was found to be in the United States after having been previously deported to Mexico following a conviction in Camp County for indecency with a child by sexual contact. Baldelamar failed to register as a sex offender, as required, upon his illegal re-entry to the United States in March 2009. Baldelamar will be deported following his release from prison.

MINEOLA – A woman indicted in a fatal Wood County accident has surrendered to authorities. Connie Reed Young, 57, of Golden, turned herself in Friday morning and immediately bonded out. Her bond was set at $25,000. A Wood County grand jury indicted her in connection with the fatal hit and run accident of a Mineola teenager. The indictment was returned in mid November, but the information was not released until Thursday.

Young was indicted for causing an accident resulting in death. She was accused of hitting Jacob Burrell, 15, on October 4th. He was walking along U.S. Highway 69 North when the accident occurred. The Department of Public Safety reported that Young moved to the shoulder of the road to let another vehicle pass, and that was when the teen was hit. He later died in a Tyler hospital from his injuries.

TYLER — A Gilmer man has pleaded guilty in Tyler Federal court to possession of pseudoephedrine with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Authorities say Charles David McWhorter, 37, purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Drug Emporium store in Longview. On that same day, he made three additional purchases at other stores in the area, all in furtherance of his methamphetamine manufacturing activities. McWhorter was indicted by a federal grand jury on Apr. 6, 2011. McWhorter faces up to 20 years in federal prison. A sentencing date has not been set.

SMITH COUNTY — Inmates in the Smith County Jail can no longer smoke. Smith County Sheriff J.B. Smith estimates about 99% of the prisoners smoke. As of December 1st though, their cigarettes are taken away, forcing inmates to quit cold turkey. Sheriff Smith said smoking was not banned in the past because the old jail made it difficult to enforce. Sheriff Smith also said that smoking is something you can take away from inmates. He added that they can only take away so many things, from visitation to commissary and smoking. Sheriff Smith said all tobacco products have been banned.

NACOGDOCHES – Nacogdoches County authorities have detained 11 illegal aliens discovered during a traffic stop. The van they were in was stopped Thursday night on U.S. Highway 59 near Highway 7. The mini van was going around 40 miles an hour, which is under the speed limit. But the deputy said, with that many people in the van, there were not enough seat belts for every one. Following the traffic stop he discovered that the 11, ten men and one woman, were illegal aliens.

ATHENS – An Athens home was extensively damaged when it became a garage for an 18 wheeler. The truck was westbound around 8:30 yesterday morning when the driver blacked out. The Department of Public Safety identified the driver as Gary Wayne Derrick, 40, of Mississippi. He received minor injuries. The couple living in the house, who were at home when the accident occurred, was not injured.

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper strongly suggested Friday that politics was behind the Obama administration’s recent decision to delay a proposed oil pipeline from Canada, days before he planned to visit the White House.

Harper travels to Washington on Wednesday where he and Obama are expected to announce an agreement to enhance border security. Harper is also expected to urge Obama to approve the Keystone XL pipeline to the Texas Gulf Coast. The proposed route of the pipeline takes it through Eastern Smith County.

Last month, the U.S. State Department decided to delay the project until after the 2012 presidential election, to allow the project’s developer to figure out a way around Nebraska’s Sandhills. The ecologically sensitive region stands atop an aquifer supplying water to eight Great Plains states.