KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – TxDOT road projects are continuing Wednesday, Sept. 13 and Thursday, Sept. 14, as crews will be working on FM 848 from SH 64 to FM 248/University Blvd. The roadway will be closed each day from 8a to 5p. It will reopen each evening. You may want to seek an alternate route during the times noted. Click here for more East Texas area roadwork information.

TYLER — The Art Alley in Tyler unveiled more than 40 brand new murals at it’s grand opening on Saturday. 48 local artists attended the free event where they got to show off their art which was also shown in photo books for sale, our news partner KETK reports. “So Tyler actually has a really beautiful budding culture of local art. People are starting to come downtown and enjoy that,” said Lindsey Froneberger, downtown specialist. “You’ll see that with our vendor markets we have throughout Tyler and downtown and also the Tyler Arts Festival each year and we’ve got a ton of art galleries in the downtown area too. So having just a walkable free outside place to come to a condensed group of murals really just helps people to come downtown and enjoy themselves.” The Art Alley’s next phase starts in 2025 and new murals will be revealed in 2026.

RAINS COUNTY – The Rains County Sheriff’s Office announced the arrest of a Dallas man for crimes against children. According to our news partner KETK, authorities say that Christian Paul Castillo was arrested Friday and charged with online solicitation of a minor. Besides the Rain County SO, the Caddo Mills Police Department, Texas DPS and the State Office of Inspector General and Office of Attorney General all were involved in this investigation. The Sheriff’s Office also said the investigation is continuing and no more information will be available.

WOOD COUNTY – The Wood County Sheriff’s Office reported Saturday a 12-year-old boy was shot and killed in rural Alba-Golden. According to our news partner KETK, Investigators said the boys mother called and said her son had been shot in the head. When WCSO and EMS arrived they found the boy had died. The sheriff’s office conducted one interview on the scene of the shooting. Officials stated because the person interviewed and the deceased are both minors no further information will be released.

MARSHALL – Authorities in Maine have arrested a Gilmer man in connection to a murder in Ore City. According to our news partner KETK, 36-year-old Kristopher Dylan Ratcliff was booked into the Harrison County Jail Saturday, charged with murder, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Harrison County Sheriff’s Office said they issued an arrest warrant in July 4 shooting death of 35-year-old Jeremy Vick of Ore City. Vick was shot in Ore City/Lazy Lakes, transported to a local hospital, where he died. The U.S. Marshal Service arrested Ratcliff in Bangor, Maine. He was transported back to Texas and is currently in the Harrison County Jail.

LONGVIEW — The 74th Gregg County fair kicked off on Friday Sept. 8 and runs until Saturday Sept. 16 at the Gregg County fair grounds. As always, there’s the carnival, petting zoo and live music daily. Emerson Farm has their pig races to delight everyone! And your favorite fair foods with be available, including turkey legs and funnel cakes. General admission is $6 per person. Kids 3 and under, Senior Citizens and Military plus family members get FREE admission. Ride coupons and armbands are available. According to our news partner KETK, for more information on the Gregg County Fair, you can click here.

TYLER — UT Health East Texas announced the date they will break ground on a new facility designed for orthopedics and sports medicine services. According to our news partner KETK, a groundbreaking ceremony is planned for 10 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 15. The new building location will be on Old Jacksonville Highway, next to the existing UT Health East Texas Physicians clinic on Three Lakes Parkway.
Continue reading UT Health to break ground on new $12 million facility

TYLER – The Tyler Police Department said Anna Allison has been reunited with her family after they found her safe and uninjured. Her family said they had last seen her Monday night at her residence. Tyler Police thanks everyone who helped in this matter which was resolved Friday evening.
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TYLER — After more than 60 years in business, Tyler’s Put-Putt Golf & Games will be closing their doors soon. According to our news partner KETK, in November of 2022, owners Katherine and Tom Adair were informed by Genecov that their land was going to be sold. The couple was given the option to purchase the property, but declined the offer. Katherine’s parents bought the business in 1959, when she was just 2 years old. Both her parents passed in the 1990’s, and Katherine officially took over operations. “It’s been really sad,” Katherine said. “I think it’s going to be really sad for Tyler. It’s sad for our family, but it’s worse for Tyler, because they’re losing an entertainment facility that I know a lot of people love.” Putt-Putt Golf & Games will celebrating 64 years in business on November 12. Continue reading Tyler’s Putt-Putt to close their doors after 64 years

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office said that Thursday a 14-year-old boy allegedly stole a school bus from Monroe, Louisiana. Accordingly to our news partner KETK, law enforcement stopped the bus after it almost collided with an 18-wheeler on Interstate 20 near Lindale. They say “allegedly driving”, because when sheriff’s deputies entered the bus, no one was at the wheel, the boy was hiding in back of the bus. Initially, the boy told investigators he had fallen asleep on the bus and someone else had drove it. He later admitted to deputies he stole the bus from a business near the Monroe, Louisiana airport. Smith County Sheriff’s found out from the Monroe PD, this is second time the 14-year-old had stolen a bus in Monroe.

Austin – Due to continued high temperatures, high demand, low wind, and declining solar power generation this afternoon, operating reserves are expected to be low into the afternoon and evening hours. As a result, ERCOT is asking Texans to conserve electricity use, if safe to do so, today, from 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. CT. ERCOT is expecting similar conditions tomorrow and will keep the public informed through our communications channels. Continue reading ERCOT requests energy conservation again tonight

NACOGDOCHES – A man wanted in connection to a burglary in East Texas and other crimes in the state was reportedly killed by a train in Nacogdoches. Newton County Sheriff Robert Burby said Andrew Lee Ancell had active warrants from four counties before coming to Newton County. Among those warrants was one out of Sabine County for burglary. The sheriff’s office at the time said the search for Ancell included several agencies, including TDCJ tracking dogs, sheriff’s office canines and several helicopters with heat-seeking units.  He was reportedly charged with “numerous offenses” for breaking into a deer camp in Newton County near Highway 255 and CR 1090 on July 28.

TYLER – Tyler police report a man has died as result of a pedestrian accident in Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, 27-year-old David McKeethan of Tyler was killed in the accident that happened late Wednesday night on Highway 31 West. Officers found McKeethan dead at the accident site. The driver of the car involved stayed at the scene. Tyler PD is continuing to investigate.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Inmates in part of the Henderson County Jail have started a hunger strike, citing excessive bonds as their reason. According to our news partner KETK, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said the hunger strike started Wednesday in a dorm that houses eight inmates. “I was informed that we do have a dorm in the jail here where they actually removed the TV from the wall and set it on the floor… Once they did that, we took the TV out of the dorm,” Hillhouse said. “And then they have been putting in paperwork saying that their bonds are excessive, and so they are basically right now saying they are on a hunger strike.” A bond is the amount of money set by a judge or magistrate for releasing a defendant from jail before the date of their trial. Hillhouse explained that a Justice of the Peace comes in every day to help set bonds in Henderson County. Continue reading Inmates start hunger strike in Henderson County Jail

ATHENS — The former mayor of Athens has been sentenced to federal prison for child obscenity violations. According to our news partner KETK, James Monte Montgomery, 65, pleaded guilty to sending obscene materials to a minor on August 25, 2022, and was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison Wednesday. According to public information, on June 3, 2021, Montgomery was arrested after arriving at an undisclosed location after soliciting sex online with investigators posing as minors. In June of 2020, Montgomery, then the mayor of Athens, began communicating by text messaging with a person he believed to be a 15-year-old female. Montgomery sent messages to the child describing sexually explicit acts that he wanted to perform on the child and offering to pay the child if she would meet him and have sex with him. Continue reading Former Athens mayor sentenced to federal prison

COFFEE CITY – Coffee City Police Chief JohnJay Portillo has been placed on a 30-day suspension while the mayor and city council conduct their investigation. According to our news partner KETK, Coffee City Mayor Jeff Blackstone said, “After being informed of the recent allegations against our Chief of Police and the city’s reserve officer programs, the city council and myself felt it necessary for us to place Chief Portillo on a thirty-day suspension. During this time, we will be investigating this matter internally as well as seeking counsel from an independent investigation firm to validate our findings. Thank you for your patience while we work to resolve this issue.” The allegations have come from an investigation by Houston television station KHOU into several officers working remotely in the Houston area.

LONGVIEW – The board of trustees for Longview ISD confirmed Tuesday at a special meeting a new budget with a lower property tax rate. According to our news partner KETK, the new tax rate for the district is $1.1422 per $100 valuation, a decrease from the 2023 tax rate of $1.3276 per $100 valuation. Superintendent Dr. James Wilcox said. “The board maintained the same tax rate of $1.5130 from 2010 until 2019, when the district reduced the rate to $1.4430 , and we’ve continued to reduce it each year since, This illustrates how Longview ISD has worked to offset the sharp increase in property tax valuations that are well beyond our control.”
Continue reading Longview ISD gets new budget, lower tax rate

HENDERSON COUNTY – A man was arrested in Henderson County on Tuesday after authorities reportedly found almost 25 grams of methamphetamine according to our news partners at KETK. At around 6:50 p.m., Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Patrick Johnson responded to help other deputies with an assault investigation. During that investigation, officials reportedly learned that the suspect had outstanding warrants for his arrest. Johnson went to the address of their suspect on Skylark Drive and allegedly found 30-year-old Brandon McClure of Bullard hiding in a shed on the property with a woman. Continue reading 25 grams of meth seized, suspect hiding in shed

TYLER — Tyler Animal Control and Shelter is offering no-cost adoptions for dogs and cats with a donation of 12 new fleece blankets or a new dog house for September. The blankets will be used for animals at the Shelter. Blankets that are 50″ x 60″ are preferred to fit a pet’s kennel. The dog houses will go back into the community to help those who don’t have adequate shelter for their pets. Animals adopted from Tyler Animal Services are spayed/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated. The standard adoption fee for dogs is $120 and $80 for cats. To adopt, view available animals or submit an application, click here.

TYLER — Tyler police are investigating after a 37-year-old man died of his injuries from a pedestrian hit-and-run at E. Gentry Boulevard and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, our news partner KETK reports. Police said on Sept. 2 around 11:15 p.m. officers responded to the scene and found the man lying in the roadway. He was taken to a local hospital where he later died of his injuries, and was identified by authorities as William Eric Haisler, 37, of Tyler. The suspect vehicle is possibly a dark colored sedan, according to officials, and anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Kirkhart at 903-535-0194.

HARRISON COUNTY — A Longview man with several warrants was arrested after THC gummies were seized during a traffic stop. According to our news partner KETK, on Monday night, a Harrison County deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle for an alleged equipment violation. The stop led to the deputy performing a probable cause search on the vehicle where he reportedly found 6.3 grams of THC gummies. The driver of the vehicle was identified as 28-year-old Collin Gunn and it was reported that he had several warrants for his arrest out of Harrison County. Gunn was arrested and charged with possession of a controlled substance. According to judicial records, Gunn has been booked into the Harrison County Jail on a $50,000 bond.

SMITH COUNTY — On Tuesday, a meeting was held in the Smith County Commissioners Courtroom to vote on the proposed fiscal year 2024 budget and tax rate. According to our news partner KETK, the budget includes a tax rate of .347264 cents per $100 valuation. Due to the courthouse and parking garage bond that was approved by voters in November 2022, this will be an increase from the current tax rate of 33 cents. All items were approved and will go into effect on Oct. 1, the beginning of the county’s new fiscal year. The following items were voted on in regards to the fiscal year 2024 (FY24) budget and tax rates: Continue reading Smith County Commissioners Court approves proposed budget, tax rate

LONGVIEW – Part of Judson Road could have traffic backups on Wednesday due to road work. Our news partner KETK reports that only two lanes will be opened for Longview drivers between Pegues Road and Montclair Street as asphalt repairs at the bridge over Guthrie Creek begin. The road work is expected to be completed by the end of the day.

SMITH COUNTY — Since the Smith County Burn Ban was issued a month ago, the County has seen 160 grass and brush fires, and nearly 80 reports of illegal burning. “It’s been a busy month across the board,” said Smith County Fire Marshal Paul Findley, who gave an update on fire conditions to the Commissioners Court on Tuesday. There have been 432 fire-related calls since August 1, and 40 citations have been given for illegal burning. A violation of the burn ban is a Class C Misdemeanor, punishable by a fine up to $500. “The emergency responders in the county are doing an outstanding job during an extremely busy time,” Findley said, adding that the investigators in the Fire Marshal’s Office are doing a great job. “You’ve got a great team out at the EOC.” He said their partnerships with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Constables’ Offices have also been great, with the other agencies helping them out tremendously on calls, both day and night. Continue reading Smith County burn ban update

TYLER – Tyler Police Department were involved in a deadlock situation with a man who had barricaded himself in a residence on West Jackson Street Tuesday. The suspect is now in custody after authorities introduced gas into the residence. The suspect, identified as Mark Johnson, 57, was arrested without further incident. Tyler Police Department PIO Andy Erbaugh confirmed with our news partner KETK that the Fugitive Task Force was serving a warrant for another agency and that this was not a Tyler PD warrant. Johnson was booked into the Smith County Jail with bond set at $300,000.

SMITH COUNTY – One person is dead after a two-vehicle crash Tuesday morning on Toll 49 and Highway 31 According to our news partners at KETK. According to DPS, the crash involved a passenger car and a truck hauling cargo. The driver of the passenger car was pronounced dead at the scene, and the driver of the truck was taken to hospital for treatment.

EAST TEXAS — Starting Tuesday evening, from 7pm to 5am, the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NETRMA) will conduct lane closures along Toll 49 for Gantry maintenance. The scheduled work will run through Friday, September, 8. Drivers should expect brief delays.

TxDOT project updates:

SMITH COUNTY — This week, crews are scheduled to mill and inlay on SH 31 west starting at the county line and heading west. The work will begin at the bridge and will be in the eastbound lanes up to Loop 49. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. This crew will then move to FM 724, under Loop 49, for mill and inlay work. The crew will then move to Spur 235 from SH 31 to SH 64. On Friday, crews will mill and inlay on FM 2493, inside Loop 323, near Windsor St. and Hardwood Dr. Also, ditch work will be performed at various locations throughout the county. Continue reading Scheduled roadwork/maintenance

TYLER — Tyler Transit is set to host an open house meeting to notify the public of proposed service changes. The next meeting is to be held at the Glass Recreation Center, located at 501 W. 32nd Street on Tuesday, Sept. 12. from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Our news partner KETK reports the proposed changes include a price increase for all fixed routes and paratransit route fares, route modifications and the discontinuation of all Saturday services, except for paratransit medical services. Proposed fare changes are: Adults 12 and older: $2 (previously $1), Children 6-11: $1 (previously $0.50), Children 5 and under: Free, Seniors (65 and older) and people with disabilities: $1 (previously $0.50) Continue reading Tyler Transit to hold open house for October changes