KTBB News, Weather, Talk

LONGVIEW – Former Gregg County District Attorney Robert Riter Foster has been arrested on a variety of charges. He was arrested Tuesday for driving while intoxicated, unlawfully carrying weapon and possessing a controlled substance. His bonds total $22,000. KETK reports Foster graduated from the Texas Tech University School of Law, J.D., in 1976, is a member of the State Bar of Texas, and was a recipient of the Thomas Jefferson Award in 1982.

TYLER — Tyler firefighters battled a structure fire near the intersection of N. Spring Street and East Oakwood Tuesday. KETK reports crews were dispatched at 1:26 p.m. Officials said it was a vacant building. No injuries have been reported. There was no immediate word on what sparked the fire or extent of damage.

WASHINGTON (AP/Staff) – President Barack Obama has vetoed a Republican bill forcing construction of the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The White House sent notice of the veto to the Senate on Tuesday, shortly after the bill was received at the White House. It’s the third veto of Obama’s presidency. The move puts a freeze on a top GOP priority, at least for now. It also reasserts Obama’s authority over a project that’s become a flashpoint in the national debate about climate change. Congressional Republicans may try to override Obama’s veto, but have yet to show they can muster the two-thirds majority in both chambers that they would need. Sen. John Hoeven, the bill’s chief GOP sponsor, says Republicans are about four votes short in the Senate and need about 11 more in the House. If approved, the Keystone XL would tie in with existing pipelines, including one that passes through eastern Smith County and other parts of East Texas.

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City police officers have honored a 10-year-old Tyler, Texas girl who sent hundreds of thank you cards to the NYPD after two officers were fatally shot. Savannah Solis told officers in a Bronx precinct Tuesday that she wants to thank the police “for what they do for us.” Savannah made about 200 cards for New York officers and 300 for police throughout Texas. She’s already visited officers in her home state. A Bronx officer acted as a go-between for Savannah. A cousin of his wife knows the girl’s family. Savannah was greeted by an NYPD helicopter flyover in the Bronx. Then she was given an NYPD hat she wore for the ceremony inside the stationhouse. Savannah told the officers she appreciates the sacrifices they make.

LONGVIEW — Longview emergency crews worked a major accident Tuesday on Judson Road where a vehicle landed in an embankment. According to KETK, a tweet from the Longview Police Department at around noon said they were responding to a possible entrapment accident in the 1400 block of Judson Road. Officers at the scene said two wreckers responded to remove the vehicle. Longview PD said this was the worst weather-related accident they had come across in the previous 36 hours. The driver reportedly slid off the road because of ice. No injuries were reported in the crash.

RUSK COUNTY — A former machine shop employee was sentenced to 40 years in prison Friday for embezzling more than $150,000 over several years. According to the Longview News-Journal, Tanya Marie Warrell McMillian, 43, Whitehouse, was found guilty of second-degree theft, but the prosecution was able to enhance her punishment to first-degree theft because of three prior felony convictions. McMillian also was assessed a $10,000 fine. The Rusk County District Attorney said McMillian stole approximately $156,000 from her employer by altering the books or forging signatures. McMillian was arrested May 11 by Texas Department of Public Safety troopers.

SHREVEPORT – The winter precipitation is over for the time being, but the National Weather Service in Shreveport says sleet accumulations remain on some area highways. If travel is necessary today, you’re still advised to use caution. Some additional winter precipitation will be possible late tonight into Wednesday across the area. The precipitation types and amounts are uncertain at this time.

INDIANAPOLIS IN.(STAFF) — Adrian Peterson’s eventual return to the Minnesota Vikings may be in doubt. CBSSports.com reports the running back’s agent got into a heated exchange and had to be separated from a member of the Vikings’ front office last week at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis. According to the report, the agent made it clear that Peterson would never play for the Vikings again. Last week, Vikings general manager Rick Spielman said he expects Peterson, a Palestine native, to stay with the team this season. Several high-ranking Vikings officials have expressed their desire to bring Peterson back in recent weeks. Peterson is under contract through 2017, but is currently waiting to be reinstated by the NFL. He was suspended following a no-contest plea to child-abuse charges last year after admitting he disciplined his four-year-old with a tree branch. The 29-year-old former league MVP played just the season opener in 2014. Peterson is reportedly interested in playing for the Dallas Cowboys.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Cherokee County officials seek leads in a string of burglaries committed in mid-February. On Friday, February 13, a homeowner in the 2000 block of Highway 79, west of Jacksonville, reported that his home had been broken into sometime between Wednesday, February 5, and Thursday, February 12. According to KETK, the homeowner said he was working out of town during the time the home was broken into and when he returned home several of his firearms had been stolen. There did not appear to be any forced entry to the home, and how the suspects broke in is not known at this time, according to officials. Once inside it does not appear that much was disturbed inside the house and the suspect might have been only looking for firearms. Total estimated loss is over $5,000. Continue reading Authorities Probe String of Cherokee County Burglaries

TYLER — The City of Tyler Municipal Court will be participating in a warrant sweep Saturday, March 7 through Sunday, March 31. Agencies will work together during this time to make arrests and collect fines for outstanding warrants, according to a city of Tyler news release. The Statewide Warrant Sweep, conducted in more than 250 agencies, runs from March 7 through March 15, but Tyler’s sweep continues through the end of March. Continue reading Tyler Participates in Statewide Warrant Sweep

NEW YORK (AP) — A Smith County girl who made about 500 handmade thank you cards for law enforcers after two officers were slain in Brooklyn will get to meet some of her New York heroes in person. The Daily News says Savannah Solis, 10, of Tyler, seen here in her Face Book picture, will visit the late officers’ precincts today. Organizers also are trying to arrange a meeting with the widows of Detectives Wenjian Liu and Rafael Ramos. They were shot in their patrol car on December 20. Savannah made about 200 cards for New York officers and 300 for police throughout Texas. She’s already visited officers in her home state. A Bronx officer has acted as a go-between for Savannah. A cousin of his wife knows the girl’s family.

SHREVEPORT – Smith and surrounding counties have been placed under a winter storm warning until midnight this evening. The area could see a mixture of freezing rain and sleet. This may cause travel difficulties on area roadways, particularly on bridges and overpasses. Ice accumulations of one quarter of an inch may cause scattered power outages as power lines and trees become laden with ice. Continue reading Area Placed Under Winter Storm Warning

KILGORE – The Kilgore City Council has picked the man they want to be their next city manager. Named the lone finalist for the post at a Friday meeting was Joshua Selleck. He is currently the assistant city manager in Cedar Park. He was one of five candidates who visited with city council members last weekend. Selleck started work in Cedar Park in 2009 as the director of finance. Three years later he was named assistant city manager. Prior to working in Cedar Park he worked for the city of Kerrville.

KILGORE – A one vehicle accident just outside of Kilgore has killed an East Texas teenager. The Department of Public Safety has identified him as Scott Evans, 18, of Tatum, seen here in his Face Book photo. A freshman at Kilgore College, Evans is the son of Andy Evans, head football coach and athletic director at Tatum High School. The accident happened around 7:30 Saturday morning on Farm Road 2204 just over two miles east of Kilgore. It was reported that Evans lost control of his vehicle on a curve, left the road and hit a tree. The vehicle then caught fire.

MARSHALL – Harrison county authorities believe a teenager died while under the influence of alcohol. He is identified as Bradley Miller, 19, of Karnack. The victim and other had been having a party at a deer camp on Strickland Springs Road, in Waskom. When he lost consciousness this morning members of the group took him to the emergency room of a Marshall hospital. It appears as if he had died before reaching the hospital. A justice of the peace pronounced Miller dead and set his body to a Tyler lab for autopsy. The investigation is continuing.

TYLER – A Tyler man has been arrested for theft of copper. Ryan Palmer Massad, 30, was arrested by Tyler police shortly before 3:45 Saturday morning. Tyler police received the call from OnCor located at 1300 South Southeast Loop 323. The report was that a man was on the property possibly stealing copper. When officers found the suspect, a foot chase ensued. He was quickly arrested. Massad was transported to the Smith County Jail on multiple charges that include: criminal mischief, criminal trespass, evading detention, felony theft (copper), and a parole violation.

TYLER — A former executive has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Tyler for making false declarations before court in a civil trade secrets case. Albert Davis, 54, formerly of Richardson, Texas, was arrested on Thursday in Lewisville, Texas on a federal arrest warrant issued by the Eastern District of Texas and the Western District of Missouri. Davis was recently charged in Missouri for his role in a fraud scheme in which a Dallas-area hospital paid more than $1 million to purchase an MRI machine from Davis and co-conspirators who impersonated representatives of Kansas City-based Cerner Corporation. Davis will have a detention hearing next Wednesday. Continue reading North Texas Man Indicted for False Statements While Under Oath

BULLARD – A stabbing is under investigation at Brook Hill School. The stabbing is said to have followed an argument between two students. It occurred around 5:30 Friday afternoon. A student was stabbed in the upper arm. His injury was said not to have been serious. One person has been detained

TYLER – The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office has arrested Walter Ray Jones Sr., 59, of Tyler, on a warrant for arson. This is in connection with a fire earlier this month. The charge is classified as a state jail felony, according to a news release from Fire Marshal Jay Brooks. On February 9, several Smith County fire departments and the Fire Marshal’s Office responded to a report of a grass fire on North Shore Drive in southwestern Smith County. When they arrived, firemen also found a house on fire. The house fir e was determined to be caused by the uncontrolled grass fire which allegedly began as a controlled burn set by Mr. Jones to clean up another property, according to Brooks.

This is an unfortunate event which could have been prevented with more care. While it is not illegal in unincorporated areas of the county to burn natural growth from the property in which the burning is taking place, you are responsible for your fire at all times, said Deputy Fire Marshal Heath Hawley.

Residents are urged to remain with any fires while they are burning. Brooks says you should always maintain defensible space around the fire and keep a water hose or some other method of extinguishing a fire readily available. “While we have had plenty of rain this winter, the air is typically very dry and the ground cover is dormant this time of year,” added Brooks. “These two conditions lead to easy ignition and rapid fire spread. If you have a fire get out of control, please contact 911 immediately.”

TYLER — The Amega West Services plant on Smith County Road 313 East is expected to close this spring. In a letter sent to employees, President Reddy Godula stated the closing will most likely take place between April 21 and May 5. KETK reports the closing is expected to be permanent. About 75 employees are believed to be affected, according to a source. The Houston-based business focuses on manufacturing and rentals in downhole tools. At the Smith County facility, the company specializes in high-tech sideways drilling pipe. The company declined to comment at this time.

LONGVIEW — A memorial service for Katie Lanell Eager is set for 2:00 this afternoon at Grace Crossing United Methodist Church in Longview, which her mother, Laura Rodgers, attends. KETK reports Eager, 24, was found dead Tuesday in the Cedar Park apartment she shared with her boyfriend. Authorities allege the boyfriend, Adam Richard Solis, was responsible for the murder. Solis, 31, is currently held on $1 million bond. Rogers said Katie grew up in Longview and graduated from Pine Tree High School, where she was captain of the drill teamteam.

LONGVIEW — Gregg County Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help finding a local fugitive, according to authorities. KETK reports that officials seek Stephanie Rachel Dyer, 24, of Kilgore, for allegedly driving while intoxicated with a child under the age of 15. Tipsters can call Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP (7867) and will remain anonymous.

ALPINE — Three suspects have been indicted in last fall’s murder of an East Texas coach after the case went before the Brewster County panel Wednesday. KETK reports that Keith McWilliams, 49, of Alpine, Rhonda Bloom, 42, of Terlingua, and Charles Morrow, 30, of Benbrook are charged with first-degree murder. The case involves the Halloween 2014 death of Kilgore resident Trey Sands, 28 (pictured). Officials say Sands was last heard from in October during a hunting trip in the Terlingua Mountains.

TYLER –The visual and performing arts programs in Tyler public schools received support in the form of a $13,000 contribution on Thursday. The Tyler ISD Foundation awarded the funds to the Tyler ISD Fine Arts Department during the district’s school board meeting. The contribution came as part of the foundation’s annual commitment thanks to a major donation from the Frances Cowan Gibson Charitable Lead Trust, according to a TISD Foundation news release. The foundation established the Frances Cowan Gibson Tyler ISD Fine Arts Endowment at the East Texas Communities Foundation in 2014 to benefit under-funded and innovative art projects throughout the Tyler Independent School District, according to the release. Continue reading TISD Foundation Awards $13,000 to Support Fine Arts Programs

NACOGDOCHES – A woman has died at a Nacogdoches hospital after being struck by a hit and run driver. Killed early last night was Matilda Cruz, 54, of Nacogdoches. KETK reports she was walking with her husband in the 200 block of North Sanders Street when she was hit. The truck’s driver fled the scene. Justin Laird, 21, was later arrested and charged with failure to stop and render aid with a fatality.

TYLER – A missing Tyler man has been found. Tyler police had asked for help in finding Emery McCuin, 48. He walked away from a group home for mentally challenged adults around 6:30 Wednesday night, and failed to return. McCuin has a mental impairment that he takes medication for and has been diagnosed with mild retardation. McCuin was located by the Smith County Sheriff’s Department and was returned home safely.

LONGVIEW — Longview police have identified the alleged shooter in Thursday’s standoff at the Saddle Brook Apartments as Shayne Daniel Afzal, 20, of Longview. According to KETK, Public Information Office Kristie Brian said officers responded at 5:46 a.m. to an “unknown problem” call at the apartments, at 1400 H.G. Mosley Parkway. Police found there was a person in an apartment at the complex and there were believed to be gunshots from inside. Due to history, Brian said, officers were concerned, so they called in the SWAT team and negotiators. The suspect called 911 several times and during this time fired more rounds with his gun, according to police. Continue reading Alleged Shooter in Longview Apartment Standoff Taken into Custody

RUSK — A Cherokee County man has drawn a two-year prison sentence and ten years probation after pleading guilty last week to indecency with a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child. KETK reports that Charles Draper Skinner, aka “Draper Skinner,” entered a guilty plea Feb. 12 in the county’s Second District Court. Skinner got the prison time for the indecency with a child charge and probation for the assault charge. Upon his release from prison, Skinner will be supervised in Cherokee County. A probation violation could result in a sentence of between five years and life in prison.

TYLER – Tyler ISD has received another award for its high level of financial transparency, according to information from the school district. The Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts recently awarded the district with its Platinum Leadership Circle Award. The award recognizes local governments across Texas that strive for a high level of financial transparency by opening their books to the public, providing clear, consistent pictures of spending and sharing information in a user friendly format, according to a TISD news release. Continue reading Tyler ISD receives Texas Comptroller Leadership Circle Award

AUSTIN – Police Thursday offered more details on former Longview resident Katie Lanell Eager’s killing at a Cedar Park apartment, allegedly at the hands of her boyfriend. That’s according to KETK and its affiliate KXAN. At a press conference Thursday morning, Cedar Park Police Chief Sean Mannix called the murder a “rage killing” made in passion. Mannix says Adam Richard Solis was involved in a heated argument with Eager before shooting her in a crime of passion, something police say is evident from the number of shots fired. Continue reading Police: Former Longview Woman’s Death Was a “Rage Killing”