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TYLER – In his first court appearance, Joel Baker said he waived his right to arraignment and pleaded not guilty. Baker remains free on bond following his arrest in June on three counts of violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act. He allegedly held illegal closed meetings to discuss a red-light traffic enforcement contract, which has since been suspended. The plan had been to use the cameras to monitor speeding in school zones. Baker is also under investigation for allegations he was involved in explicit sexual behavior online while conducting government business.

LONGVIEW — A former Longview police officer was in the Gregg County Jail charged with indecency with a child stemming from incidents that allegedly occurred while he was on the force in the 1980s and 1990s as well as in March 2011. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Former Longview police officer Michael Patrick Healy wrote in a private Facebook message that he caused “major harm” to a now-adult man and others after the man confronted Healy with accusations of child sexual abuse, according to a March arrest warrant. Longview police arrested Healy on March 18 on a charge of indecency with a child by sexual contact. He was released from the Gregg County Jail the same day on $100,000 bond. Healy was arrested again Monday on two grand jury indictments for indecency with a child. Continue reading More Details Released in Case Involving Former Cop

KILGORE – The Kilgore Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing woman. They say they have reason to believe that 20 year old Sheryia Grant of Kilgore may be in danger. Grant, who is eight months pregnant, was last seen around 12:00 Sunday morning. She was wearing a black t-shirt, pink undershirt and grey yoga type pants with her hair in a ponytail. She is about 5’5″ tall and weighs around 130 pounds. You can see her picture at KTBB-dot-com. Continue reading Missing Kilgore Woman Sought

MARSHALL – A Houston woman, charged with murder in a fatal Marshall accident, has been found not guilty by reason of insanity. Sharketra Shardae Hildreth, 31, was charged in the auto crash in May of last year that killed Todd Lane Davis, 19, of Waskom. She is said to have run a red light when she hit Davis’ car at the intersection of U.S. Highway 59 and U.S. Highway 80. Her indictment said she intentionally disregarded a red light, killing Davis, while knowingly endangering her children, a 10 year old daughter and an 8 year old son. State District Judge Judge Brad Morin has ordered that she be committed to the Vernon State Hospital for treatment of her mental illness.

TYLER – One person is in custody in connection with a morning burglary in Tyler. Booked into the Smith County Jail was Darien Wilson, 20, of Tyler. Police responded to the $1 Jewelry Galore store on the south southeast loop just before 4:45 Wednesday morning. The glass on the front door had been broken out and the store’s safe was missing. The safe and other evidence found found in a nearby dumpster. That led investigators to Wilson.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has approved the operation of Uber in the city, passing the transportation for hire ordinance in a 5-2 vote. According to information from Uber, the company operates in a number of Texas cities, and Tyler is the 14th city in the state to pass a modern ridesharing ordinance. KETK reports services in Tyler will start in about a month. Continue reading Uber Approved in Tyler

TYLER – There is a new truck owner in Tyler today. The winner of the Cattle Barons’ Truck Chance Drawing is Skylar Neitsch. He purchased the winning ticket from Tracy Edwards, Co-chair of the Tyler Cattle Barons’ Gala Truck Chance Drawing Committee. He is now the proud owner of a 2016 GMC Sierra Crew Cab SLE Cattle Barrons Edition presented by Hall Buick GMC. The Truck Chance Drawing raised $50,000 for the Tyler Cattle Barons’ Gala benefiting the American Cancer Society. Five hundred (500) tickets were sold at $100 each.

TYLER – Today marks the first day of school For TISD students. Last year, opening day attendance was over 17,000. Tyler police spokesman Don Martin reminds you, police officers will be back in school zones watching for violators for speeding and for cell phone usage in a school zone. He also has these reminders for you:
*Be alert for the school zone signs posted near schools.
*Keep alert for the children and the crossing guards as they make their way across the street.
*Slow down and prepare to stop if the crossing guard so indicates.
*It is illegal to use a wireless communication device in a school zone unless the vehicle is stopped or a hands-free device is used. Continue reading Tyler Schools Back in Session

QUITMAN – Wood County Judge Kenneth Bryan Jeanes has pleaded guilty to driving while intoxicated. He was sentenced to 10 days in the Wood County Jail. He was released after serving two days of confinement over the weekend. Jeans was arrested April 28th after he was reported driving on the wrong side of the road on U.S. Highway 69 in Mineola. Continue reading Judge Pleads Guilty to DWI

LONGVIEW – A damaged license plate has led to two Gregg County residents being charged with drugs and weapons charges. Charged of possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana was Aaron Matthew Delzell, 39, and Sherri Ann Perkins, 46, both of Gladewather. Delzell was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, while Perkins was charged with unlawful carrying of a weapon. The Longview News Journal reports their arrests came after a state trooper stopped their car around 11:00 Monday night at the intersection of Marshall Avenue and Fourth Street in Longview.

TYLER – A Smith County man is sentenced to prison in connection with his threat to a Bullard Church. Rasheed Abdul Aziz, 41, of Flint, was sentenced Monday to 37 months in federal prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm. Last September, he was accused making a threat against Corinth Missionary Baptist Church. When arrested, he had a 9mm pistol. He had previously been convicted of an aggravated robbery in Harris County in 1996, thus making it illegal for him to possess a gun. Under the plea agreement, remaining charges against him were dismissed. Since the plea agreement was sealed, we don’t know what those additional charges were.

TYLER – An Upshur County teen is free on bond after being charged with a Tyler robbery. Lazadrick Lamar Heath, 18, of Gilmer was arrested Monday afternoon. He was later released on a $5,000 bond. He is charged with the robbery of the Fast i Repair store in the Broadway Square Mall. He is said to have taken his phone there for repair. After it was fixed, he is said to have grabbed the phone and left the store without paying for it. A store employee tried to stop him from leaving, but was unsuccessful. That altercation is what made it a robbery.

NATCHITOCHES, Louisiana – A Longview man has died in a two vehicle wreck in Louisiana. Dead at the scene was Jabe Maddox, 39. He died when a car crossed over the highway median and hit his car. The crash occurred Monday afternoon on Interstate Highway 49, south of State Highway 485. The driver of the other car, Deytwan Demetrius, 18, of Fort Polk, Louisiana and his passenger, Trevon Lewis, 18, of Leesville, Louisiana, received minor injuries. Authorities say possible charges and toxicology tests are pending.

JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville community is mourning the loss of Assistant Fire Chief Dennis Tate. His sudden passing was a shock to many. Tate passed away Saturday in Jacksonville. No word on the cause of his death. Tate started work with the Jacksonville Fire Department in June of 1988. He served as the Fire Marshall and Assistant Fire Chief. His certifications include being a Fire Inspector and Investigator, Advanced Fire Fighter, EMT-I, Fire Instructor and he recently earned his Peace Officer badge. His duties with the department included supervising and training personnel, fire prevention, fire code enforcement and fire inspections. He was 58. Continue reading City Mourns Death of Assistant Fire Chief

TYLER – Smith County’s Assistant Fire Marshall Oren Hale is under investigation. He has been cited for failing to maintain a single lane of traffic. He could also be charged with having an open container in his vehicle. He was said to have a cup in the center console of his county fire marshal’s unit. It was said to have contained coke and bourbon. Sheriff’s deputies say, when they pulled behind Hale’s vehicle, they both saw what they described as pornography on the onboard computer monitor inside the vehicle. Smith County Fire Marshal Connie Wasson has ordered an investigation into the incident. Continue reading County Assistant Fire Marshal Under Investigation

TYLER — A new report from The University of Texas System and UT Health Northeast shows, if Northeast Texas were a state, it would rank among the worst in terms of mortality for three of the top four leading causes of death in the U.S. The report used detailed mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics. The report looks at a 35-county area, covering over 25,000 square miles. This is similar in size to West Virginia. The region is home to just over 1.5 million people, over half of whom live in a rural area. Continue reading The Mortality Rate in Northeast Texas

LONGVIEW – A missing Longview man has been found. Last Friday, Longview police announced they were looking for Dontavious Elliott, 30. A family member says they last saw him in March or April of this year when he was dropped off at the Highway 80 Rescue Mission in Longview. The Longview Police Department Facebook page said on Monday Elliott has been located and is “ok.”

TYLER – Tyler police are investigating a major theft that occurred over the weekend at Peltier Chervolet on the west southwest loop. The thieves entered through a fence at the rear of the building around 1:00 Sunday morning. They put 48 cars up on blocks, stealing the wheels and tires from the vehicles. The loss is placed at $250,000. Investigators feel it was the work of a professional ring that strike car dealerships all over the state, traveling from city to city.

TYLER – A former Hopkins County school teacher has been sentenced to federal prison for child exploitation violations. The U.S. Attorney’s office announced Monday That 39 year old Lucas Hill was sentenced on Friday to over 30 years in prison. He had pleaded guilty in February to coercion or enticement of a minor. He is said to have created a fictitious Facebook page to pose as a teenage boy in order to contact numerous girls. He persuaded them to engage in sexually explicit conduct, including producing images and videos of themselves engaged in sexual activity. At the time, Hill was a teacher in the Cumby school system.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Officials have called off the search for a suspect wanted following a traffic stop. According to KETK, Smith County Deputies received a call from DPS Troopers around 5:30 Sunday evening requesting assistance in a pursuit. Troopers were reportedly following a vehicle on Highway 31 West, near Loop 49. The vehicle was eventually stopped and two people were arrested, however, a third person jumped out of the vehicle and fled on foot into a wooded area. Smith County Sheriff’s units, including a K-9, responded to the scene. The search was called off a short time later. Additional details were not available.

LONGVIEW – Beginning Monday, traffic will be open on Spring Hill Road at Grace Creek. Motorists are asked to use caution while work is being completed. This bridge work is part of the City’s capital improvement drainage fund. This project consists of replacing the bridge top slab with a wider shoulder, replacing the wing wall and retaining walls including drilled column supports. This project is being constructed by East Texas Bridge of Longview.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of August 22. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.
Smith County construction projects updates:

Loop 323 West Widening at Union Pacific Railroad Underpass
*Limits: Tyler’s West Loop and SH 31
*Contractor: Longview Bridge and Road, Ltd., of Longview
*Cost: $12 million
*Anticipated Completion Date: Winter 2016
The contractor continues work on the new railroad bridge and retaining walls surrounding the abutments. Sidewalk work continues along with work on Bellwood Road West. A temporary detour is in place. The project includes widening Loop 323 from SH 31 to Shaw Street. The speed limit on Loop 323 in the work zone has been reduced to 45 mph from SH 64 to Shaw Street. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects

TYLER – One person is in custody in connection with a Tyler stabbing. It was reported shortly after 8:30 Saturday night at 3323 Garden Valley Road. One person was said to have been stabbed in the neck with a pair of scissors. Their injuries were described as minor and were taken to the hospital for treatment. The suspect was identified as Nathan Mathew Davidson, 39, of Tyler. He was located and arrested on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and booked into the Smith County Jail.

TYLER – One person is in custody and two are being sought in connection with a Smith County robbery. It happened Friday at a residence on Broken Bow. Once inside, the men demanded, among other things, money. One even fired his gun in the house to intimidate the victims. One of the suspects was later found on County Road 37. Derion Marquis Rhodes, 21, of Tyler, has been charged with aggravated robbery and evading arrest. He was also under active felony warrants for possession of a controlled substance. He is in the Smith County Jail under bonds totaling $63,000.

TYLER – The traffic signal at the intersection of Fifth Street and Old Omen Road is in red flash after being struck by lightning on Saturday. The intersection will remain in red flash until around 5:00 this afternoon when repairs are scheduled to complete. During this time, motorists should exercise caution and seek alternative routes if available. Continue reading Problems with Tyler Traffic Signals

TYLER – The Texas Department of Transportation is sponsoring household, workplace, and commercial vehicle travel surveys that will soon be conducted in the Tyler and Longview areas. The survey will be conducted by two transportation research firms, ETC Institute and Gram Traffic Counting. Beginning this fall, randomly-selected households and workplaces will be mailed notification letters, inviting them to participate in these voluntary surveys. Employees and visitors at participating workplaces may also be given the opportunity to contribute trip-related information as part of this effort. If asked, you are asked to consider taking part in the study. The results will help TxDOT and the Tyler and Longview Metropolitan Planning Organizations prioritize local transportation projects, improve mobility and reduce congestion. Continue reading Transportation Survey Will Soon Start

TYLER – Tyler police had to direct traffic at several intersections Friday night because of a power outage. But the power has been restored and the signals are working normally. No word on what caused the outage. For a while officers were directing traffic at the intersection of Old Bullard and Loop 323, of East Hillsboro and East Gentry Parkway and East Martin Luther King and East Gentry Parkway.

TYLER – Power outages are causing some Tyler traffic problems tonight. Tyler police are currently directing traffic in the intersection of Old Bullard and Loop 323. Also, officers are directing traffic in the intersections of East Hillsboro and East Gentry Parkway and East Martin Luther King and East Gentry Parkway. Motorists are asked to avoid these intersections until power can be restored to the traffic signals.

TYLER – In partnership with the city of Baton Rouge and the Emergency and Disaster Services department of The Salvation Army, the City of Tyler will begin gathering requested supplies for flood victims to be transported to Louisiana next week. A collection center will be set up at the Recycle Center located at 418 North Bois D’Arc Avenue. Individuals wishing to donate may do so during business hours. Hours for the Recycle Center are Monday through Friday, 7:15am to 5:30pm and Saturday 8:00am to 2:00pm. Continue reading Tyler Collecting Items for Baton Rouge Flood Victims