KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – A motorcyclist has been injured in a two vehicle accident in Tyler. It happened just before 7:00 Wednesday night in the 5,000 block of the Troup Highway. Taken to East Texas Medical Center was Nathan Roberson, 37. He was northbound on the Troup Highway when he was hit by a pickup. Police reports indicate the pickup’s driver, Louis Dickey, 66, was attempting a left turn into a private drive and turned into the motorcycle path, failing to yield the right of way. Investigators say Robertson, who wearing a helmet, sustained non-life threatening injuries.

TYLER – A three month long theft investigation has resulted in a Tyler man’s arrest. It came Tuesday night as a contingent of officers raided a home in the 500 block of Meadow Creek Drive. Taken into custody was Clinton Daniel McCaa, 31. Investigators say McCaa is accused of stealing items and then training them for methamphetamine. His arrest is said to be in connection with a raid on a Tyler warehouse last summer. That July raid turned up a half a million dollars worth of stolen property.

DENVER (AP) — President Barack Obama said Wednesday his administration has made no decision on whether a Canadian company can proceed with plans for a transcontinental oil pipeline to Texas. A portion of the pipelines route would go through eastern Smith County.

A protester during Obama’s appearance at the University of Colorado Denver yelled that the president should say no to the contested Keystone XL project. Obama said his administration is looking into the issue but had made no decision. He told the protester: “I know your deep concern about it. We will address it.”

The pipeline would carry oil derived from tar sands in Alberta, Canada, to refineries in Houston and Port Arthur, Texas. The 1,700-mile pipeline would travel through Montana, South Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas.

AUSTIN – Wildfire survivors in Upshur, Smith and Rusk counties have one last chance to meet with state and federal specialists at recovery centers opening for a final time in area communities. Starting Thursday, specialists from the state of Texas, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and the U.S. Small Business Administration will be on hand to answer questions and provide information on the types of assistance available to survivors. They also have brochures and other written materials on disaster recovery.

The schedule is:

Upshur County
First Baptist Church of Gilmer
304 Buffalo St.
Gilmer, TX 75644
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 28

Smith & Rusk Counties
Bethel Baptist Church
13108 Hwy 64 East
Tyler, TX 75707
1 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday, Oct. 31
9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov. 1-2

Any Texan with questions about the recovery process or needing help registering with FEMA is urged to stop by a recovery center. Visiting with a recovery specialist is not a requirement for survivors who want disaster assistance, but the centers are termed an excellent way for people to get answers to their questions about disaster aid and help applying for it

Texas homeowners, renters, and business owners can go to http://www.disasterassistance.gov to register online or check on the status of an earlier registration or at m.fema.gov via the web-enabled phone. They can also call one of FEMA’s toll-free numbers: 1-800-621-3362 or TTY 1-800-462-7585. Those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 1-800-621-3362. Assistants are available by phone from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. seven days a week. The registration deadline is December 8.

JACKSONVILLE — Four people have been arrested in connection with a robbery in Jacksonville this week, and they may be linked to prior robberies. That’s according to KETK. On Tuesday at around 9:50 p.m., the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a call in reference to a hold-up alarm at the Fastrac convenience store located at the corner of FM 2138 and South Bolton Street. Cherokee County deputies and Jacksonville officers arrived on scene within minutes, and were told by the clerk that two men dressed in dark clothing and masks had run from the store. The clerk said one gunman had a rifle, the other a handgun. The robbers took the money from the register and from a customer who was in the store when they burst in.

A trooper located a vehicle at around 11 p.m. matching the description from previous store robberies in the past three weeks. The trooper stopped the vehicle at Love’s Lookout roadside park just north of Jacksonville. After backup deputies arrived, the four passengers, three men and one woman, ages 19-22, all from the Jacksonville area, were arrested and a loaded revolver was found in the vehicle along with Halloween type masks and gloves. According to authorities, it was at that time that one of the suspects ran from the vehicle and into the wooded area behind Love’s Lookout.

Authorities say a K-9 unit and helicopter were called in to assist in the hunt for the runaway suspect. According to the sheriff’s department, once the helicopter arrived, the suspect attempted changing locations again, but was spotted and caught.

The suspects face charges of:

• Aggravated Robbery – 1st Degree Felony
• Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity – 1st Degree Felony
• Unlawful Possession of Firearm by a Felon – 3rd Degree Felony

The female is also charged with:
• Possession of Marijuana less than 2 oz. – Class B Misdemeanor
• Possession of Dangerous Drug – Class A Misdemeanor

LONGVIEW -– Authorities identify the man who died in a one vehicle accident in Longview over the weekend. He was named as Rolando Chinchurreta-Hernandez, 25, Longview. The wreck happened just before 5:00 Saturday afternoon in the 900 block of West Harrison Road. Reports indicate the victim’s SUV was merging into on coming traffic when he over corrected and rolled the vehicle.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department along with (DEA) Drug Enforcement Agency is hosting a Medication Clean-out Event. The event will be held on Saturday, October 29, from 10:00 to 2:00 at the Wal-Mart Super Center, 5050 Troup Hwy. Authorities say you can just drive-up and drop off your unused and expired medications for safe disposal without getting out of your vehicle, no questions asked.

These drive-through events are free and allow you to turn in unused and expired medications for safe disposal. It is important to clean out your medicine cabinet, especially if you have children. Young children may confuse it with something to eat or drink and keeping unneeded medications with teenagers can lead to potential drug abuse. Medications including prescriptions, over-the-counter drugs, veterinary medicine, vitamins, minerals and medication samples are all accepted. Medical equipment such as oxygen tanks, sharps, inhalers, thermometers, nebulizers and IV bags cannot be accepted.

The Medication Cleanout is also sponsored by Wal-Mart Super Center on Troup Hwy. You can go to http://www.medicationcleanout.com for more information.

LUFKIN (AP) – An East Texas woman who faked being an attorney has been sentenced to eight years in prison. The Lufkin Daily News reported today, Kimberly Raven Giacone, 30, also known as Kimberly Raven Foley, pleaded guilty to falsely presenting herself as a lawyer and was sentenced Oct. 14.An affidavit says Giacone in June received $336 from a couple whose son was in prison, in an effort to get him moved to the Rusk State Hospital for psychiatric evaluation. The affidavit says the couple contacted police after Giacone sought more money and they checked with a licensed attorney that she had claimed was as a colleague. Giacone, with two previous theft convictions, was arrested in August. Investigators say the lawyer she had mentioned at one time represented her.

SMITH COUNTY — Kilgore College student Chelsea Kirkland, 19, Tatum, was killed in a wreck Tuesday morning on Texas 31 in Smith County. Kirkland was a sophomore and a twirler with the Kilgore College band who started classes at the college in fall 2009, college officials said. The fatal wreck happened about 9:00 on Texas 31 near the Smith County Road 25 intersection. Officials said a Cadillac was slowing down to make a U-turn when a sport utility vehicle driven by Kirkland came over a hill and clipped the left rear bumper of the Cadillac. Her SUV went out of control and rolled over several times. Kirkland was pronounced dead at the scene.

TYLER — The City of Tyler broke into a category of having two of the most congested roadway segments in Texas. According to data from the Texas Transportation Institute, Tyler had two roadway segments listed in the state’s 100 most congested roadways. The data shows Loop 323 between South Broadway Avenue and Texas Highway 64 west is ranked No. 80 and Loop 323 between Spur 248 and South Broadway ranked No. 93 on the list .

City officials said the latter of the two Tyler segments was on the list the previous year, and construction to improve traffic flow contributed to the rating this year. The section of Loop 323 between Spur 248 and Broadway Avenue was under construction during the reporting time. TxDOT spokes­man Larry Krantz said the two problem areas are being addressed with road resurfacing projects and a new adaptive control system to help with traffic flow.

LONGVIEW – A man who is accused of making numerous threats against a Kilgore woman and her toddler has been arrested in Longview. Taken into custody yesterday was Arsenio LaJuane Thomas, 28. He is accused of making several threats against the woman over the past month. He was even charged with criminal trespass in Kilgore last month after locking himself in the victim’s apartment with the woman and her two year old son. The arrest warrant said Thomas had made 76 calls to the woman’s phone. He is said to have threatened to burn down the apartment complex where the woman lived. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail on a charge of obstruct retaliation and bond was set at $100,000.

CANTON – A traffic stop turned into a brief chase in Van Zandt County. It started when a sheriff’s deputy tried to stop a car for a traffic violation on County Road 1803. But the car’s driver sped away at a high rate of speed. They were finally able to stop the vehicle four miles South of Highway 80 on County Road 1818. The driver, identified as Juvey Daniel Landaverde, 22, of Grand Saline, was booked into the Van Zandt County jail for felony evading arrest and bond was set at $7,500.

CENTER (AP) – The district attorney in an East Texas county with a well-known drug-trafficking route repeatedly allowed suspected drug runners and money launderers to receive light sentences – or escape criminal charges altogether – if they forfeited their cash to prosecutors. That’s according to an Associated Press investigation. As a result, the AP reports, authorities collected more than $800,000 in less than a year using a practice that essentially let suspects buy their way out of allegations that, if proven, would probably have resulted in prison sentences. “They were looking out for the treasury of their county instead of doing the job of protecting society,” said R. Christopher Goldsmith, a Houston attorney who represented one of the defendants.

The system reportedly engineered by Shelby County District Attorney Lynda Kaye Russell is now one focus of a federal criminal investigation that is also reviewing whether Russell and other law enforcement officials targeted black motorists for traffic stops. Interviews, court records and other documents reviewed by The Associated Press show numerous examples of suspects who went unpunished or got unusually light sentences after turning over tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The money from those and other defendants increased the DA’s forfeiture account by more than two hundredfold and helped ease a tight budget. The county’s former auditor has testified that at least a portion of it was spent on campaign materials, parades, holiday decorations, food, flowers, gifts and charitable contributions.

Russell, who has been district attorney in the county on the Texas-Louisiana border since 1999, did not respond to repeated requests for comment. She announced in June that she was resigning, effective at the end of the year, to care for her sick mother. The Shelby County cases arose from traffic stops on U.S. Highway 59, which runs from the U.S.-Mexico border to Canada and is one of the nation’s most notorious drug corridors.

Russell and other county law enforcement officials have been under investigation by the Department of Justice’s civil-rights division since 2008, when they were named defendants in a class-action lawsuit stemming from traffic stops in the small town of Tenaha. The lawsuit contends that a drug-enforcement program established by the town in 2006 was actually a scheme to threaten innocent motorists, most of them black, with money laundering charges if they didn’t forfeit their cash. FBI agents have interviewed many of the motorists who were stopped in Tenaha, including some who were given leniency. And several Shelby County officials have testified before a grand jury in Tyler.

AUSTIN – East Texas is prominently in the picture as federal disaster aid in the form of Public Assistance has been approved in four more wildfire-scorched counties in Texas. That brings to 19 the number of counties designated for infrastructure repair grants and other supplementary funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Cass, Morris, Navarro and Panola counties join the 15 other counties approved for FEMA’s Public Assistance (PA) Grant Program under Tuesday’s amendment to the Sept. 9 major disaster declaration.

The PA program helps reimburse applicants in the designated counties for the cost of removing disaster-related debris from public rights of way, and for measures taken by state and local emergency responders to protect lives and property before, during and after the wildfires. The program also helps defray the cost of repairing roads, public buildings, utilities and other public infrastructure damaged or destroyed as a result of the wildfires.

Supplementary funding under the PA program goes to the state and its agencies, local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations. Under the program, FEMA obligates funds to the state for 75 percent of eligible costs, while the applicant covers the remaining 25 percent. The state forwards the federal funds to the eligible local governments or organizations that incurred costs. The other counties designated for PA reimbursements are Anderson, Bastrop, Cherokee, Colorado, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Hill, Houston, Leon, Marion, Rusk, Smith, Upshur and Walker.

TYLER — A Tyler home has been damaged by fire. The two alarm blaze was reported shortly after 9:45 Tuesday morning at 308 East Queen. Neighbors reported flames coming from the house. One neighbor knocked on the door to alert anyone that might be home, but no one was there. Officials say firefighters had the fire under control by 10:15. The cause is under investigation.

HENDERSON — Another East Texas community is making an attempt to go wet this upcoming election. The early voting started Monday in Henderson as voters headed to polls to make their decision on future alcohol sales in the city. Two propositions are on the ballot: one for the sale of beer and wine at convenience and grocery stores, another to sell mixed drinks at restaurants.

TYLER — Tyler’s sales tax revenues deposited for the month of October have increased 1.3% resulting in a 1.3% year-to-date increase. The reported revenue of $2,743,579 is comprised of $1,829,053 general sales tax revenue and $914,526 half-cent sales tax revenue. The figures, which are reported by the state comptroller’s office, represent receipts from August 2011 collections as there is a two-month lag before taxes are reported and remitted back to the City from the State. “October is the first month in the City’s fiscal year and this increase is a solid start to the new year,” said City Manager Mark McDaniel.

KILGORE — Over the last several months, the Kilgore Police Department have received many citizen complaints and information regarding D’s Smoke Shop, 2508 U.S. Hwy 259 N., Kilgore. According to KETK, the shop was reportedly selling Synthetic Marijuana products, commonly referred to as “K2” along with “Molly” pills.

On Friday, October 21, Kilgore Police executed a search warrant at D’s, resulting in two arrests. The owner Michael Siv, 43, Kilgore, and a store clerk, Vannwathanak Hun, 28, Allen, were both charged with violation of city ordinance, illegal smoking products and violation of city ordinance – adult business regulations. Both were booked into the Kilgore City Jail.

Police seized numerous boxes of suspected synthetic marijuana, suspected “Molly” pills and an AR-15 Rifle. Police also discovered the business was selling pornographic movies and magazines. All the pornographic items were also seized by police.

TYLER — No lights, no decorations, no trick-or-treaters this Halloween for sex offenders. Officials tell KETK they will be checking on the nearly ninety sex offenders in Smith County to make sure they’re staying indoors, and away from the public and, they say this year, like in years past, they don’t expect any problems, but there is always a need to be cautious. Robert Gray with the Intensive Supervision Unit in Smith County says “We’ll be going by there doing checks and we’ll be going by their houses to make sure they are at home because they’re also to be at there house as well during that time and make sure they’re not answering the door for other than police and emergency.”

MOUNT ENTERPRISE – A one vehicle accident in Rusk County has left one person dead. The wreck, just before 8:45 Sunday night, killed Matthew Karl Tompkins, 43 of Mount Enterprise. The accident occurred on Farm Road 95, about four miles northeast of Mount Enterprise. According to the Department of Public Safety, Tompkins car drifted off the road to the right and he overcorrected and hit a tree.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department has released the year-end statistics for the recently concluded Selective Traffic Enforcement Program (S.T.E.P.) that ran from October 1, 2010 through September 30, 2011. Off-duty Officers working on the grant program put in a total of 1,142 hours of additional traffic enforcement in the City. During this period Officers issued 3,468 traffic citations and made 78 arrests during the year. The breakdown of citations and arrests were:
*Speeding citations: 2,227
*Adult Seatbelt citations: 597
*Child Seatbelt/Safety Seat citations: 34
*Other citations: 610
*DWI arrests: 32
*Other arrests: 46

In the category of other arrests, S.T.E.P. Officers made on-view arrests for charges including Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Felon, Possession of a Controlled Substance, Minor in Possession of Alcohol and a variety of other misdemeanor charges. Officers also served a total of 98 outstanding arrest warrants.

The Comprehensive Selective Traffic Enforcement Program is funded by a grant awarded to the Police Department by the Texas Department of Transportation, using federal funds from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The program supplements traffic enforcement efforts of the Department by utilizing off-duty officers, working overtime, to conduct traffic enforcement without the interruption created by other duties that must be handled by on-duty officers. The STEP officers are able to focus solely on traffic enforcement, targeting the offenses of speeding, DWI, and seatbelt and child restraint violations. Although the program focuses on those offenses, all traffic offenses witnessed by the officer are also enforced.

LONGVIEW – A Henderson man was jailed in Longview, accused of beating and stabbing his common law wife. Placed in the Gregg County Jail under bonds totaling $40,000 was Ronnie Alan Montalbano, 29. The woman was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center Sunday where she told officers Montalbano had stabbed her in the shoulder with a pair of needle nose pliers. He is also said to have punched her in the face and stomped on her head. She also received bruises and abrasions which she said she got when she jumped from his moving vehicle.

LONGVIEW – A person reported standing naked in a Longview street has been taken into custody. Arrested Sunday afternoon was Sandra Lois Smith, 57. Police describe her as a local transient.

Arriving officers said they found the woman fully clothed and blocking traffic in the 3100 block of 4th Street. Officers told her she was free to leave as long as she stopped walking in the middle of the road. However she walked onto the north bound lane of 4th street, causing cars to stop. She was escorted from the street, but continued to walk back into traffic. It was then she was arrested. At her arraignment Monday morning, a mental health evaluation was ordered.

WILLS POINT — After a month-long investigation, authorities in Van Zandt County make a methamphetamine bust. This past Friday, the Sheriff’s Office along with the Wills Point Police Department and the Constable of Precinct #3 executed a search warrant on VZCR #3825 in Wills Point. An undisclosed amount of methamphetamines was recovered. Kimberly Dawn Marshall, 25, was arrested, placed into custody, and booked into the Van Zandt County Justice Center. Marshall was charged with manufacturing and delivery, and her bond was set at $10,000.

NACOGDOCHES — The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s office is following up on its discovery of a large amount of stolen vehicles and property last week. KETK reports that law officers executed search warrants Monday at two more locations where stolen property was located. Several more vehicles, trailers, and ATVs have been recovered. Sheriff’s officials reported their initial find Friday at a residence in Briar Forest subdivision. On that day, authorities reported that vehicles and ATVs that were stolen from Panola, Rusk, and Shelby Counties had been recovered.

EAST TEXAS — Here’s an update on mobile disaster recovery centers available in the coming days to survivors of the recent East Texas wildfires:

Smith County
Bethel Baptist Church
13108 Highway 64 East
Tyler, TX 75707
Monday, Oct. 31
1 pm – 6 pm
Tuesday, Nov. 1 and Wednesday, Nov. 2
9 am – 6 pm
Closes Wednesday, Nov. 2

Henderson County
Emergency Operations Center Building
622 S. Prairieville Street
Athens, TX 75751
Monday, Oct. 24
1 pm – 6 pm
Tuesday, Oct. 25, and Wednesday, Oct. 26
9 am – 6 pm
Closes Wednesday, Oct. 26

Marion County
Jefferson Visitor Center
305 East Austin Street
Jefferson, TX 75657
Monday, Oct. 24, through Friday, Oct. 28
9 am – 6 pm
Closes Friday, Oct. 28

Disaster loans up to $200,000 are available to homeowners to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate. Homeowners and renters are eligible for up to $40,000 to repair or replace damaged or destroyed personal property. Disaster loans up to $2 million are available to businesses of all sizes and private, nonprofit organizations to repair or replace damaged or destroyed real estate, machinery, equipment, inventory and other business assets.

Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDLs) up to $2 million are available to small businesses and most private, nonprofit organizations to help meet working capital needs caused by the disaster, regardless of whether the business suffered any property damage. The maximum business disaster loan is $2 million for any combination of property damage and working capital.

Interest rates can be as low as 2.5% for homeowners and renters, 4% for businesses and 3% for private, nonprofit organizations, with terms up to 30 years. Loan amounts and terms are set by the U.S. Small Business Administration and are based on each applicant’s financial condition. SBA can also lend additional funds to homeowners and businesses to help with the cost of making improvements that protect, prevent or minimize the same type of disaster damage from occurring in the future.

Applicants may also apply online using the Electronic Loan Application (ELA) via https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela — SBA’s secure Web site. Residents and business owners may obtain information on SBA disaster loans by calling SBA’s Customer Service Center toll-free at (800) 659-2955, visiting SBA’s Web site at http://www.sba.gov/services/disasterassistance or contacting [email protected] via e-mail. Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call (800) 877‑8339. The filing deadline to return applications for property damage has been extended to December 8, 2011. The deadline to return economic injury applications is June 6, 2012.

PALESTINE — According to the Anderson County Judge’s Office, Judge Robert Johnston has decided to temporarily drop the county’s burn ban. According to KETK, the judge felt that the amount of rain the county received in the last few days was enough to allow people to burn their trash. People are still cautioned to use common sense while burning.

CRAFT — Due to conditions which have occurred recently in the water system, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required Craft-Turney Water Supply, south of Jacksonville to notify all the customers involved in the repair area to boil their water prior to consumption. According to KETK, the area included in this boil water notice is on FM 347 South, from Smith Wrecking Yard on both sides of FM 347 to and including County Roads 3101, 3103, 3145, 3147, 3148, 3159 — and from the intersection of FM 2138 and FM 347, south ½ mile down FM 2138 on the west side of the road.

Officials say to ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to consumption. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, water system officials will notify you. If you have questions regarding this matter you may contact Rhonda Briggs, Office Manager, at 903-586-9301.

NACOGDOCHES — When it comes right down to it, if people don’t conserve water now and a deluge of steady rain doesn’t hit Nacogdoches County soon, projections show that Lake Nacogdoches will be empty in less than a year. That’s according to KETK and the Nacogdoches Daily Sentinel. “Not only are we running out of water, we’re using more water,” Nacogdoches City Engineer Steve Bartlett said. “We have had a 25 percent increase in a one-year study period in our sprinkler account.” Brad Randall, chief operator at the Nacogdoches Surface Water Treatment Plant, says the process of preparing water from the lake for consumption hasn’t changed, but the city is contemplating mandatory conservation regulations as the ongoing drought has worsened.

TYLER — Smith County sheriff hopeful Chris Green hung up his game warden badge over the weekend at his retirement party. According to KETK, Green served 16 years as Smith County’s game warden and 20 years in the state. Green says family, friends, and other wardens came in from all over Texas to see him off. Although he’s retiring as game warden, Green says it’s only the beginning of a new chapter in his life. He says, “You know, we’re having a good time tonight. It’s kind of a closing chapter to my career as a game warden…we’re off to bigger and better things.” Green announced his run for sheriff earlier in the year. He says he’s ready to serve the public in a larger capacity.