KTBB News, Weather, Talk

CROCKETT — A man described as a professional cattle rustler has been indicted by a Houston County grand jury for third degree felony theft. Jerome Novak was charged with stealing 26 calves late the night of March 14 from the East Texas Livestock Auction in Crockett. Novak was arrested earlier and charged in Brazoria County for allegedly stealing 28 head of cattle from the Nacogdoches Livestock Exchange and a trailer out of Walker County. He’s now in the Brazoria County Jail on $130,000 bond. At the time of his arrest, Novak was on parole after serving time for stealing more than 300 head of cattle in 2006 from multiple victims, including Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.

TYLER — Top student artists from Tyler ISD participate in “The Art of Giving,” a recent show and auction at the Tyler Museum of Art. The TISD Foundation organized the event, with awards handed out and proceeds going to the foundation, along with charities chosen by the students. Foundation board member Todd Cruthird and his company, Suddenlink, played a key role in putting it all together. Cruthird says it was a great experience for the kids, remarking, “It’s not just about the art and their gift and talents, but it’s about teaching them philanthropy.” Cruthird says the kids and their parents were excited that “kids in our communities were reaching out and giving so much of their earnings of their art to different charities around the area.” It was all part of the foundation’s 20th anniversary celebration. Final results of the auction are expected this week.

TYLER — Tyler Police investigate a reported stabbing. It happened Saturday afternoon around 1:00 in the 500 block of Wells Street. The victim, Leonard Sweat, said he was stabbed in the upper right leg by someone he knows. He was taken to ETMC for treatment. Authorities are currently searching for the suspect.

ANGELINA COUNTY — A Lufkin man serving two life sentences for capital murder in the deaths of his then-girlfriend’s unborn twins is back in Angelina County for a court date. According to the attorney who represented Gerardo Flores during the 2005 murder trial, Flores is set to appear before state District Judge Barry Bryan this week. He was brought from prison to the Angelina County Jail on a bench warrant Friday, according to jail records. His attorney has filed a motion in his case attempting to prove he had ineffective counsel.

Flores, then 19, stepped on his five-months-pregnant girlfriend’s abdomen twice in a two-week period in 2005, eventually causing an at-home stillbirth of the 20- to 22-week-old unborn boys. The children died from blunt force trauma within days before the delivery, according to the doctor who conducted the autopsies, as detailed in the court ruling. The case tested a Texas law, The Fetal Protection Law”, making it a capital offense to kill an unborn child.

As it is currently, Flores will not become eligible for parole until he’s 59.

TYLER — Tyler Police were called to a home early Sunday morning on an aggravated assault report. It happened shortly after 3:15 in the 300 block of Fleishel. Upon arrival, officers found that six shots had been fired into the house. No injuries were reported. The resident said they did not see the suspect and was unable to give them any information. The case remains under investigation.

TATUM — An early Saturday stabbing near Tatum left one man injured and a teenager in custody. Deputies responded around 3:30 to a location on Rusk County Road 2174 on an assault call, when they found the victim, a 22-year-old Tatum man, with stab wounds to the back. The victim was transported to a local hospital and underwent surgery for his injuries.

Less than five hours later, a 19-year-old Tatum man was located and arrested in Gregg County and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The suspect remained in the Rusk County Jail on Saturday afternoon.

KILGORE — A Gregg County couple were arrested Friday on trafficking charges after officers seized drugs and other items from a Kilgore residence. Katherine Peveler, 52, of Kilgore and Michael Bosewell, 43, of Longview were charged with manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. Bond was set at $15,000 for each. Bosewell also was arraigned on an outstanding warrant on charges of resisting arrest in Gregg County.

The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office and Henderson Police Department tactical team, assisted by the Kilgore Police Department, executed a search warrant in the 800 block of Leach Street in a portion of Kilgore in Rusk County. During the raid, officers seized a quantity of methamphetamine packaged for sale along with packaging materials. They also seized an unknown amount of U.S. currency, lab equipment, scales, video security equipment and a SUV, according to Rusk County Sheriff Danny Pirtle.

TYLER — Tyler Police investigate a report of an aggravated assault. It happened Friday night at Rick’s on the Square, 104 E. Erwin Street. Officers were told that the suspect had hit the victim in the head with a glass container before being restrained, then physically removed from the bar by employees. The suspect left the scene. The victim was taken to ETMC Tyler for treatment of serious, but non life-threatening injuries.

DALLAS — Passenger rail between Dallas and Louisiana took another step forward Friday. The North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA) and Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) signed a Memorandum Of Understanding that offers opportunities for the two agencies to cooperate in the development of passenger rail service in the North and North East Texas regions. Spokespeople say the signing ceremony at Dallas Union Station allowed both parties to share their vision for passenger rail service. According to press materials, the agreement acknowledges the importance of coordinated efforts in transportation planning with respect to identifying needed passenger rail corridors, designing beneficial regional projects, and securing funding for priority passenger rail projects throughout the regions.

Gary C. Thomas, President and Executive Director of DART, served as the Master of Ceremonies for the MOU Signing event. Thomas stated, “DART is proud of the light rail and transit services that it provides to the Dallas Metroplex. DART is excited about expanding its local service area through the extension of the Orange Line to North Irving and Las Colinas, and the extension of the Blue Line linking the Downtown
Garland Station to the proposed Downtown Rowlett Station. However, DART is even more excited about the possibilities of extending light rail and high-speed rail services throughout all of North and North East Texas.”

Thomas then introduced Jeff Austin, III, Chairman of the NET RMA, as being a transportation leader whose vision for commuter rail service from Dallas to Shreveport and throughout North East Texas fits well into DART’s vision for its future development. Austin commented that passenger rail service between Dallas and Shreveport would “improve connectivity and mobility in the region, assist in improving air quality and provide alternative transportation options throughout northeast Texas.” He also stated that the NET RMA, in cooperation with DART and its regional partners, can provide viable and beneficial transportation solutions to help enhance mobility and economic development throughout the entire North and North East Texas regions.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Deputies responded to a welfare check Thursday. It happened at a home near Lindale on FM 16. Officials say SWAT members surrounded the house after the man noticed them and ran inside, refusing to come out. Authorities say the man had outstanding warrants. He man was eventually arrested and booked into the Smith County Jail.

BULLARD — A Tyler woman arrested in Bullard is facing at least 20 individual charges and there are more to come. Tiangela Ross Berry, 31, Tyler, is being held at the Cherokee County Jail on charges spanning five counties, ranging from assaulting a public servant, engaging in organized criminal activity and possession of drugs.

A citizen contacted the department when Berry’s vehicle was seen blocking traffic along N. Houston Street near Austin Bank in Bullard. Berry was apparently “slumped over” in the vehicle and the citizen woke her. Berry left the scene and officers later stopped her on Hwy 69. During the stop, Berry hit an officer with the door of her vehicle, resulting in an assault of a public servant charge. Tyler Police are reportedly considering felony theft charges after a stolen purse was found in Berry’s vehicle. The charge is escalated to a felony because she has numerous other arrests for theft. Berry was also found with prescription drugs in the vehicle which were not hers.

In all, she generated charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of a dangerous drug, driving while license invalid with a previous conviction, assaulting a public servant and resisting arrest or transport.

HENDERSON — A Rusk County man has been arrested after he allegedly solicited sex from a Gregg County teen. Taken into custody was Stephen Wayne Perritte, 66. Authorities say Perritte went from his home to a Dairy Queen in the 2100 block of Eastman Road in Longview to meet the teen. They say he communicated with the teen through text messages. He has been charged with solicitation of a minor and his bond was set at $20,000.

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass is encouraging residents to register their home and cell phone numbers on the City Code Red System. This system is used by emergency management officials to notify residents of emergency situations. The system is used in a myriad of emergency situations, including amber alerts, missing persons, gas leaks and extreme weather emergencies.

“The purpose of the Code Red system is to get information to our citizens as quickly as possible in an emergency situation,” said Mayor Bass. “Many of us rely upon the media for this type of notification; however, if you are not tuned in to your television when a situation arises, you may not be aware of the need for action.” The City recently used the Code Red system to warn Tyler residents to take cover due to a tornado sighting. Although the City does have outdoor warning sirens, residents inside their home may not hear them in the event of an emergency.

“The key word is outdoor,” explained Police Chief Gary Swindle. “If you are inside your home, it is quite possible you may not hear the outdoor sirens – particularly if you have music playing, are watching TV, if the wind is blowing or there is heavy rainfall. The Code Red system will call your home or cell phone to alert you of emergencies. We encourage residents to register their phone numbers if they haven’t already.”

Click on https://cne.coderedweb.com/Default.aspx?groupid=21wKlSaog8sfkw7OHS29qQ%3d%3d for the direct link to the Code Red registration page. Additionally, you can click on the Code Red icon on the ktbb.com news page and look on the right hand side of the City of Tyler home page. “If your home phone number is listed, it will already be registered with Code Red,” explained Swindle. “However, if your home number is unlisted, or you have a cell phone, it is not automatically registered and you should go to the Code Red web page to ensure you receive emergency alerts.”

In addition to the Code Red system and warning sirens, the City has the capability to override Suddenlink’s basic cable channels with emergency alerts. This is typically initiated when warning sirens are activated. The City of Tyler has 31 outdoor warning sirens that are fully functional and at maximum efficiency. They are broadcasting at 125 decibels at 100 feet. All of the City’s sirens have a battery back-up power source in the event of power outages.

The sound from the siren decreases as distance from the horn increases. Hills, valleys, buildings, trees and other obstructions may have an overall negative effect on the sound level perceived by the listener. The sirens purchased by City of Tyler have an overall effective design radius of .85 miles at 70 decibels in open terrain. The volume of the siren tone is fixed and cannot be increased or decreased. If the listener is near a loud radio, television or other sound source, the siren may not be heard. Additionally, if the listener is inside a car or home, the sirens may not be heard.

“During storm conditions, wind can interfere with our ability to hear the outdoor warning sirens,” added Chief Swindle. “As wind increases, so does the resultant noise that it produces. People have stated that a tornado sounds similar to an approaching freight train producing a roaring sound that can mask any other sound or audible communication.”

Persons with varying degrees of hearing loss may have difficulty hearing the sirens. Also, persons at rest or sleeping may not be awakened by the sirens. Therefore, in addition to registering for Code Red notifications, weather alert radios or alert receivers* are strongly recommended for all dwellings, businesses, schools, mobile homes and occupied trailers.

“I read recently that on average tornado deaths in the United States have gone from 8 per 1 million people in 1925 to 0.11 per 1 million people today,” added Mayor Bass. “However, in light of the recent tragedies and storm activity, it is extremely important that we all do what we can to ensure we are notified of impending danger and take appropriate precautions.”

*One example is http://www.alertnotification.com/TheInformer_7259.aspx

TYLER — Smith County law enforcement agencies will be out in force during the Memorial Day holiday, today through Sunday, and they won’t be taking “no” for an answer. A multi-joint effort between the District Attorney’s Office and police agencies from all over the county will participate in the “No-Refusal” DWI Campaign once again. Upon the arrest of a suspected drunk driver, he or she will be asked to blow into a breath-test machine or take a blood test. If the driver refuses, officers will obtain an immediate search warrant signed by a judge on call to have blood drawn by a nurse on staff at the Smith County Jail. The blood is then analyzed to determine whether the driver’s blood-alcohol concentration is 0.08 or higher, the legal limit for driving in Texas.

Authorities say the program has proven to be an effective tool to combat drunken drivers. According to law officers, it is the intent of all law enforcement agencies that this effort will act as a deterrent, persuading people to avoid driving while intoxicated because they know that police officers will be conducting sobriety testing with or without driver’s consent.

AUSTIN (AP) – Area Senator Bob Deuell weighs in as a ban on smoking in Texas bars and restaurants is snuffed out. Senators tell The Associated Press that the proposed ban has been stripped out of one of the final spending bills before the Legislature. Supporters have tried for several years to restrict smoking in public places on a statewide basis. They hoped tying one to a critical spending bill would get it passed. Supporters said it would save Texas hundreds of millions of dollars treating people who get sick from smoking-related diseases. The House passed the ban, but it ran into problems in the Senate. Deuell, R-Greenville, says lawmakers didn’t want to risk losing the spending bill and its critical school finance provisions by tying it to a controversial measure like the smoking ban.