KTBB News, Weather, Talk

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tyler Congressman Louie Gohmert joins other federal lawmakers concerned about freedom of religious expression by military members. Gohmert and the others are rallying behind a measure they say would expand that freedom. On “Fox and Friends,” Gohmert said the Obama Administration has shown continued hostility to such expression. Among other things, the congressman said, “At Walter Reed (National Military Medical Center), you’re not supposed to bring anybody a Bible. It’s considered an act of hostility if you give somebody a Bible on their deathbed.”

QUITMAN – The new East Texas Medical Center Quitman opened for patient care at 8:00 Monday morning, less than a day after a community celebration and dedication of the new facility. Warren Robicheaux, administrator of ETMC Quitman, calls the move “a major step in fostering ETMC’s goal of providing the highest quality healthcare to the people of Wood County.” Hospital team members began the move-in process immediately following Sunday’s open house. The emergency department moved during the early morning hours Monday. Officials reported no disruption in care during the move.

HENDERSON — A lonely memorial on Texas 79 outside Henderson serves as a reminder that the first half of 2013 has been deadly on Rusk County roads. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report 17 people have died in wrecks there since January 1 — almost six times the national average. So alarming are the numbers that county officials will conduct a summit Thursday, convening local and state officials to determine why it’s happening and what can be done about it. Continue reading Officials Plan Summit on “Alarming” Rusk County Fatality Rate

AUSTIN (Staff/AP) — Texas Attorney General and newly-minted gubernatorial candidate Gregg Abbott comes home Tuesday. Abbott returns to Longview, where he grew up, as part of a ten-city campaign swing through the state this week. His appearance is set for 9:00 this morning at Horaney’s Inc., 301 West Methvin Street. An RSVP is requested; you can go to http://www.gregabbott.com/ for more information

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

SMITH COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation contractor Reynolds & Kay, Ltd., has begun approximately three months of pavement repairs and resurfacing operations on NNE Loop 323 between U.S. Highway 69 North and American Legion Drive where North Loop 323 meets East Loop 323. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER — Funeral services have been scheduled in Tyler for Broadcaster Rick Reynolds, 71. Reynolds died Friday at Mother Francis Hospital. Services will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 at Stewart Family Funeral Home. Burial will follow. Continue reading Funeral Services Set for Retired Broadcaster Rick Reynolds

TYLER — Starting today, Smith County citizens can bring trash and bulky items to the Greenwood Farms Landfill for free. The Smith County Environmental Crimes Unit, Precinct Constables and Smith County Commissioners Court are working together to host the 2013 Smith County Wide Clean Up event July 15-27. During this two week period, vouchers will be available to the public good for one free visit to the Greenwood Farms Landfill. Continue reading Smith County Wide Clean Up Underway

NACOGDOCHES — An East Texas minor has been arrested for driving while intoxicated and possession of drugs. KETK reports it happened around 3:30 Sunday morning in the 300 block of Hughes Street in Nacogdoches. Police were conducting a traffic stop on a driver who they say had failed to stop at a stop sign. Upon further investigation, officers allegedly found that the driver was intoxicated. Officials also say they found in a search that the suspect had drug paraphernalia and an unprescribed pill in his pocket. The suspect’s name has not been released due to his age.

FLINT — Southern Utilities says a major water leak has been fixed after emerging Saturday on County Road 2868 in Flint. KETK reported late Saturday afternoon that crews were working on the problem. The leak left some residents without water.

BROKEN BOW, OKLA. (AP) – The Oklahoma Highway Patrol has recovered the body of a Texas man who drowned in the Mountain Fork River. Troopers say the body of Eric Wayne Fant, 26, of Texarkana was found Saturday afternoon. Investigators say witnesses said Fant jumped into the river from the US 70 bridge near Eagletown and never resurfaced.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — One person is dead in a motorcycle accident in Cherokee County. The wreck was reported just after 11:15 Friday night on Farm Road 855, just west of County Road 3706. The Department of Public Safety says Billy Burl Blaxton Jr., 62, of Bullard, was westbound when his vehicle ran off the roadway and struck a tree. Blaxton was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:30 Saturday morning. Officials say he was not wearing a helmet.

GILMER — Following in her grandmother’s footsteps, Karlie Carol White on Friday was named the 76th East Texas Yamboree queen. “It is a tradition in my family and I wanted to keep the tradition ongoing,” White said. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report that White takes her middle name from her grandmother, Carol White, who was crowned Yamboree queen in 1954 when she was known as Carol Cox. Though the two women never had the opportunity to meet each other because Carol White died before her granddaughter was born, Karlie said she knows her grandmother would be proud. “This is so exciting. It’s such a blessing,” said White, whose aunts Tory Frazier and Kay Bowles were also Yamboree queens in 1986 and 1988, respectively. Continue reading Gilmer Girl Follows Grandmother’s Steps, Wins 76th Yamboree Crown

MARSHALL — A water line break on the city’s south side has prompted Marshall officials to advise residents in the affected area to boil water. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, the line break is affecting as many as 3,000 customers in these areas:

South of University Avenue, and south of Johnson Street.
West of Highway 59 southward to the city limits.

Until further notice, customers in those areas are being asked to boil water used in cooking or for consumption. The city also recommends boiling for any customer who experienced low water pressure or no water. Officials were asking all residents to conserve water. Continue reading Boil Water Notice Issued after “Major” Water Line Break in Marshall

TYLER — Last summer, grasshoppers covered East Texas, devastating many hay fields across the area. And KETK reports that according to some, this year might even be worse. For the most part they can only keep these pests at bay the best they can, and many have had to resort to cutting their hay early to avoid a loss. Continue reading Grasshoppers Infesting East Texas Again

KILGORE — A man has been arrested after authorities say he had sexual relations with a minor who was high on methamphetamine. KETK reports Christopher Dale Temple, 33, of Kilgore, was arrested for the sexual assault of a 13-year-old that reportedly happened in May. Temple has a lengthy rap sheet in the Gregg County Judicial system, including burglary, assault, possession of marijuana, and criminal mischief. Continue reading Officials: Man Had Sex with Minor Who Was High on Meth

TYLER – A 64-year-old woman who lived and worked in Longview has been sentenced to federal prison in an embezzlement case. Jo Beth Westergard pleaded guilty Friday to wire fraud and was then sentenced to 24 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge John D. Love of Tyler. Westergard was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $425,323.45 to Pizza Hut of East Texas. Continue reading Woman Sentenced for Embezzling $425,000 from Pizza Business

TYLER — Now through Wednesday, July 17, the City of Tyler Solid Waste Department will provide free residential hand pick up of brush that resulted from Thursday’s storm. All limbs and brush must be placed at the curb and be less than eight feet in length and less than six inches in diameter. Residential Solid Waste crews will work on Saturday to pick up the debris. “Tyler Solid Waste typically provides free brush pick up for our residential customers if the debris is bundled,” said Russ Jackson, Solid Waste manager. “However, because of the storm on Thursday, we will temporarily pick up larger debris from residential customers at no additional cost.” If your brush does not meet the guidelines listed above, call the Tyler Solid Waste office at (903) 531-1388.

TYLER — An East Texan has been found guilty of continued sexual abuse of a child. Smith County prosecutors say Joseph Edward Sullivan began the abuse in 2010, when his victim was just 9 years old. KETK reports he was arrested in 2011. Sullivan’s punishment will be determined August 2. He faces 25 years to life in prison.

NACOGDOCHES — Two Center men were jailed after Nacogdoches County sheriff’s deputies busted them for meth. The men were pulled over for speeding along the Loop. Deputies tell KETK both appeared nervous and gave conflicting stories when asked why they were in Nacogdoches County. Authorities say ten grams of meth was discovered during a search of their vehicle. 30-year-old Donald Wayne Lee 30 and 29- year-old Thomas Justin Brown were both arrested and face felony drug charges.

TYLER — Tyler public school employees will be getting a little extra in their paychecks. KETK reports the school board approved those raises Thursday. This will increase the starting salary for new teachers. It will also increase pay for current teachers and staffers by four to five percent. Superintendent Gary Mooring (pictured) says cuts to education funding prevented them from giving raises for three years, but things are looking up. According to Mooring, “This time money coming into the state was much better and they reinstated funding which allowed us to come back and do pay raises this year.” Mooring says this will help the district retain employees and be competitive with other districts.

NEW LONDON — At a West Rusk senior award event, a man named Robert Jordan announced that a friend of his would pay for all the graduating seniors’ tuition at East Texas Baptist University, and would also for every graduating class after that. But the problem is the money has not come in. KETK reports the deadline for the first payment is July 31st, and they have had no personal contact with Nicholas J. Sturghill, the man Jordan says is the benefactor. Continue reading West Rusk Families Still Waiting for Promised Money for ETBU Scholarships

TYLER — Jonathan MacClements, MD, professor and chair of family medicine at UT Health Northeast, has received the Regents Outstanding Teaching Award from The University of Texas System Board of Regents. This is the second year that faculty at the six UT health institutions have been eligible for the award. Dr. MacClements is one of just 39 faculty members from these health institutions to receive the 2013 award. Continue reading UT Health Northeast’s MacClements Receives Outstanding Teaching Award

LONGVIEW — A Longview man, accused of a string of burglaries, has been arrested at a friend’s apartment. Joshua Terry Brown, 30, was chased by police into an apartment complex after they saw him in the process of a burglary. Investigators say brown has admitted to burglaries at the Hot Dog Express in the 100 block of Marshall Avenue, Gold Exchange also in the 100 block of Marshall Avenue and Blackaller Engineering in the 2800 block of Bill Owens Parkway. He has been charged with four counts of burglary of a building and is being held in the Gregg County Jail under bonds totaling $20,000.

TYLER — For the second straight year, the University of Texas at Tyler 2013 Patriot Classic posted a record. Patriot Classic volunteers presented the university with a check for $200,269.69 to benefit the UT Tyler scholarship program. This is the largest amount raised in the fundraiser’s 27-year history. “We are grateful to all of the volunteers and participants of this year’s event. Seventy-two percent of our students apply for some type of financial assistance, and these proceeds fund an endowment that provides permanent scholarship funding to UT Tyler students,” said school president Rodney Mabry. Continue reading UT Tyler Patriot Classic Sets Fundraising Record

LONGVIEW — Longview officials continue to monitor the local mosquito population, with an eye on West Nile virus. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, crews are continuing to spot-spray. The current practice is to check mosquito traps one by one. If there are more than 50 potentially West Nile-carrying Culex mosquitoes in a trap, crews will spot-spray the area, but there are no plans yet to go city-wide.

LONGVIEW — Texas Bank and Trust employees and customers have reported that an email scam has been circulating in recent days. According to KETK, Longview Police say that the email is likely part of a widespread scam aimed at additional banks, employees, and customers. The original email had a link in the attachment which you should not open due to possible malicious software viruses. Continue reading Scam Targets Bank Customers

LONGVIEW — Longview Police are searching for two unknown men they say were involved in a scam on July 2. KETK reports one of the men, a white male, started a conversation with the victim and eventually asked her if he could buy some gas for her. Another man, a black male, driving a blue four-door passenger car waited nearby for the other man. Continue reading Police Seek Men Involved in Scam

LONGVIEW — The head of the Humane Society of Northeast Texas in Longview said Wednesday the agency fielded two reports this past week that animals have been taken from residents by men posing as either humane society or animal control officers. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Humane Society Executive Director Scott Holloway said the first report was taken June 29. The Humane Society’s relocation manager says the caller told her that men came to her house, said they were with the humane society foster unit, that they’d had complaints and were taking her dogs. Officials point out that the Humane Society does not come and take people’s animals. Continue reading Longview Animal Shelter Fields Dognapping Calls

GILMER — Before a custody hearing Wednesday at the Upshur County Courthouse in Gilmer, an agreement was reached between the animal owner, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, and the SPCA of Texas for the animal owner to relinquish ownership of 27 animals. That’s according to KETK. The allegedly cruelly treated dogs, including ten puppies, were seized from a Gilmer residence by the SPCA. The animals will now be individually evaluated for potential adoption or placement on a case by case basis. Continue reading SPCA Gets Custody of Seized Animals

CENTER — The town of Center will no longer have a hospital after the Shelby Regional Medical Center’s agreement with Medicare/Medicaid was terminated on Wednesday. According to a statement from the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services, the cause of the termination was the hospital’s failure to meet minimum health and safety standards required for Medicare program participation. The closing of the hospital will force Shelby County citizens to drive over 20 miles for emergency medical care. In April of this year, U.S. Attorney John M. Bales announced the indictment of the hospital’s owner, Tarick Mahmood, on seven counts of health care fraud.