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MARSHALL — Harrison County authorities are trying to learn why a man was lying on railroad tracks. He was killed earlier this week by a Union Pacific freight train. He is identified as Justin Kaleb Alexander, 27, of DeBerry. The accident happened early Tuesday morning in eastern Harrison County on the northern end of Pumpkin Center Road. Authorities say the victim’s motorcycle was found nearby.

The train was west bound when the crew noticed something on the tracks. When they realized it was a person on the tracks they blew the air horn and started the emergency breaking system, but there was not enough distance to stop the train before hitting the man. He was lying between the tracks with his arms crossed and his feet pointed toward the train.

TYLER — A motorcyclist appears to have been critically injured in a two vehicle accident in Tyler. He is identified as Christopher Ray Benkowski, 27, of Tyler. It happened Wednesday night at New Copeland Road and Barbara Street. Investigators say an SUV had pulled away from a stop sign on Barbara and was hit by the motorcycle. Benkowski was transported to East Texas Medical Center Hospital by ambulance. Police say his injuries appear to be life-threatening. The driver of the SUV was taken to the hospital via private vehicle.

Prior to the accident a patrol officer saw the motorcycle run a stop sign at Amherst and Donnybrook. When the officer tried to stop the motorcycle it fled north on New Copeland Road. The officer did not pursue the motorcycle. A short time later the accident occurred

TYLER — The Tyler Municipal Court has announced that it will extend the deadline for the Second Chance Program to Oct. 15 due to the program’s success in assisting citizens who have been unable to pay past due court fines because of economic conditions. The program which was launched in August was scheduled to end on September 9. During this time, 583 people took advantage of this program and paid their fines, clearing 1140 warrants.

“Some people went ahead and took care of the whole warrant amount instead of opting for the payment plan,” commented Court Administrator Cam McCabe. “Consequently, even more warrants were cleared than we expected. We had predicted that about 200 to 250 people would pay their fines and take care of their warrants during this time period. The reality is that more than twice the warrants were cleared than we anticipated.”

The Second Chance Program enables persons who have had warrants issued for non-payment of fines to reestablish a payment plan and bring their accounts current. “We have seen an increase in the number of people who have warrants issued for their arrest due to the economy,” said McCabe. “This program provides a second chance for violators to become current and take care of their fines.”

A $300 down payment is required to reestablish the payment plan. Warrants will be removed once the $300 is received and a payment plan is signed. To take advantage of this Second Chance Program, defendants must visit the cashier’s window at the Municipal Court to make the down payment and sign the payment agreement no later than the October 15 deadline.

TYLER — The Tyler Independent School District is awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting by the Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA). The GFOA is a nonprofit professional association serving approximately 17,500 government finance professionals with offices in Chicago, IL, and Washington, D.C.

The District received this award for its comprehensive annual financial report. The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management. The comprehensive annual financial report is judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program including demonstrating a constructive “spirit of full disclosure” to clearly communicate its financial story.

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler Department of Biology has received a $75,000 Endangered Species Section 6 Grant from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Dr. Neil Ford, professor of biology; Dr. Lance Williams, associate professor of biology; and Marsha Williams, research associate; will study threatened and endangered mussels and fish of four Northeast Texas rivers.

The group will use global satellite information to determine landscape features of Cypress Creek and the Sulphur, Sabine and Neches Rivers to predict where rare mussels and fish should occur. They will then conduct surveys in those sites to determine which habitat features are best at predicting where threatened species occur. Such information will improve the ability of natural resource managers to find and protect rare species of mussels and fish and their habitats.

“These four rivers differ in large scale factors that impact fish and mussels such as channelization, impoundments, sedimentation and pollution,” said Ford, principal investigator of the two-year project. “Comparing the occurrence of threatened fish and mussels in each river helps to determine which specific factors impact the habitats that are important to fish and mussels.”

Section 6 grants are funded by the United States Fish and Wildlife Service for states to gain information about their endangered species.

TYLER — The Tyler Municipal Court has announced that it will extend the deadline for the Second Chance Program to Oct. 15. Officials say that’s due to the program’s success in assisting citizens who have been unable to pay past due court fines because of economic conditions. The program, launched in August, was scheduled to end on Sept. 9. During this time, 583 people took advantage of this program and paid their fines, clearing 1140 warrants.

“Some people went ahead and took care of the whole warrant amount instead of opting for the payment plan,” commented Court Administrator Cam McCabe. “Consequently, even more warrants were cleared than we expected. We had predicted that about 200 to 250 people would pay their fines and take care of their warrants during this time period. The reality is that more than twice the warrants were cleared than we anticipated.”

The Second Chance Program enables persons who have had warrants issued for non-payment of fines to reestablish a payment plan and bring their accounts current. “We have seen an increase in the number of people who have warrants issued for their arrest due to the economy,” said McCabe. “This program provides a second chance for violators to become current and take care of their fines.” A $300 down payment is required to reestablish the payment plan. Warrants will be removed once the $300 is received and a payment plan is signed. To take advantage of this Second Chance Program, defendants must visit the cashier’s window at the Municipal Court to make the down payment and sign the payment agreement no later than the Oct. 15 deadline.

TYLER — A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held Thursday for the new East Texas Christian Academy campus at 2448 Roy Road in Tyler. The 34,000-square-foot school contains 21 classrooms and a 7,000-volume-plus library. There’s also a gym with a full basketball and volleyball court, and a high school regulation baseball field. ETCA had been housed at the Shiloh Road Church of Christ since the school started in 1979. ETCA President Wayne Boshears says the move was necessary to continue expansion of the school and its programs. ETCA has 215 students in grades Pre-K through 12.

HENDERSON (AP) – A federal SWAT team this week raided a sprawling east Texas property belonging to a family accused of selling drugs, firearms, prostitutes and fake identification documents. Thirty-year-old Victor Hernandez Jr. faces a federal charge of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines. His public defender says the charges could change after a federal grand jury meets in about two weeks. Hernandez was arrested early Wednesday morning on his family’s property near Henderson. The FBI was assisted by the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, which initiated the investigation. Authorities say Hernandez smuggled drugs from Mexico and weapons into Mexico.

HOLLY LAKE RANCH — The Wood County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a fatal stabbing. It happened around 10:35 Thursday morning at Holly Lake Ranch. The victim, 55-year-old Cecil Fulfer, Jr., was pronounced dead at the scene. The Wood County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division has been processing the scene and collecting evidence. According to KETK, as part of the ongoing investigation, they’ve also been interviewing neighbors and potential witnesses. Fulfer’s body has been sent off for autopsy, but the sheriff says he died of a single knife wound to the chest.

TYLER — Thursday marked the one year anniversary of the death of John Tyler teacher Todd Henry. The John Tyler campus began the day with a moment of silence in memory. In a statement, TISD says, “As we remember the one year anniversary of his death, we focus on how the Tyler ISD family – students and staff members throughout the District, as well as the surrounding community, pulled together to support one another during a tragic moment. Through the inspiration of Mr. Henry who himself entered education to reach our youth and positively impact their lives – we continue to encourage our students with hope and promise of their accomplishments to come.” A special moment will be set aside at the John Tyler High School football game on Friday, to remember Mr. Henry.

A teen accused in the attack on the special education teacher remains in custody. The boy was 16 last September when authorities say he stabbed Henry.

TYLER — Tyler Police are searching for a third suspect wanted in the robbery of a local cell phone store. Two suspects are in custody in connection with the Tuesday afternoon robbery of the Metro PCS store at 1700 SSE Loop 323. The suspects were located at 3088 Old Omen Road. Arrested Wednesday were Cashton Taylor Jones, 19, and Jason Cornelius Connally, 19. Both were booked into the Smith County Jail on aggravated robbery warrants. Jones’ bond is $450,000 and the bond for Connally is $400,000. The third suspect, Markest Montrel Mason, 19, Dallas is thought to possibly be in the Dallas area to elude police. Judge Baker has issued an arrest warrant for Mason and set his bond at $500,000 dollars.

The suspects are thought to be the men who entered the business around 5:00 Tuesday afternoon. One of the suspects produced a handgun and demanded money. There was one employee inside the business. The suspects ordered the employee to the rear of the store. They then took an undetermined amount of money from the register and fled. No injuries were reported in the robbery.

It was the second time the business had been robbed in just over a month’s time. On August 18th, around 6:00pm, two men, one with a handgun, robbed the store. The suspects in that robbery were described as black males between 16 and 21. One suspect was between 5’5” – 5’7” wearing a red shirt and khaki shorts. The second suspect was described as being between 5’10” – 6’ wearing a light color plaid shirt and blue jean shorts.

TYLER — A motorcyclist has been critically injured in a two vehicle accident in Tyler. It happened Wednesday night at New Copeland Road and Barbara Street. Investigators say an SUV had pulled away from a stop sign on Barbara and was hit by the motorcycle. The driver of the motorcycle, 27-year-old Christopher Ray Benkowsk of Tyler, was taken by ambulance to East Texas Medical Center. He remains there in critical condition. Police say his injuries appear to be life-threatening. The driver of the SUV was taken to the hospital via private vehicle.

Police say prior to the accident, a patrol officer saw the motorcycle run a stop sign at Amherst and Donnybrook. When the officer tried to stop the motorcycle it allegedly fled north on New Copeland Road. The officer did not pursue the motorcycle. A short time later the accident occurred.

BUFFALO — A Chandler man who admitted he was texting prior to a fatal accident, has been charged with criminally negligent homicide. Jourdan Shadoe Martin, 20, was charged Wednesday in the death of Kerina Bundy, 20, of Tyler. She was not wearing her seat belt when Martin’s pickup hit the rear of a semi stalled on Highway 79 near Buffalo last week. She later died at a East Texas Medical Center in Fairfield. Martin was not seriously injured. The accident happened around 1:30 in the morning. Martin told the investigating state trooper he failed to see the stalled truck because he was texting at the time.

MARSHALL — A Cass County man has appeared in federal court in Marshall and pleaded guilty to drug violations. In an appearance Wednesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Charles Everingham, IV, Chadwick Ray Howe, 23, of Avinger, pleaded guilty to being involved in a conspiracy to manufacture methamphetamine.

Federal prosecutors say from June 2009 to April 2010, Howe conspired with others to manufacture methamphetamine by purchasing cold pills containing pseudoephedrine in Panola and Harrison counties. A federal grand jury returned a 20-count indictment on May 6, 2010 charging Howe with federal drug violations. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has voted unanimously to adopt the proposed 2010-2011 budget that is $4.8 million less than the prior year budget and that will bring the tax rate to the effective rate of 20.8 cents per $100 valuation. “Since 1994, Tyler’s tax rate has decreased by more than 60 percent,” said Mayor Barbara Bass. “We have one of the lowest tax rates in the state as well as having about the same number of employees that we had in the mid-1980s. I am extremely proud of the work the City has done to keep our expenses down while providing exemplary public safety and services to the citizens of Tyler.”

The budget proposal is the culmination of eight months’ work by the City’s budget committee and departments in response to significantly lower sales tax revenue and slightly depressed property values. Some citizens wanted the tax rate to be even lower. But Councilmember Donald Sanders summed up the Council’s sentiment by saying, “I am proud of the work the staff has done in these trying economic times. We have maintained service levels and are taking care of concerns the citizens have.” You can go to http://ww.cityoftyler.org to read more.