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LOG CABIN – An ongoing domestic dispute has turned deadly in Henderson County. Authorities have charged a woman in her husband’s death. Taken into custody Thursday was Eula Kate Robinson, 69. She is accused of the shooting death of James Harold Robinson, 76. He died from a single gunshot wound to the chest. The shooting occurred around 11:45 Thursday morning.

MANGUM, OKLA. (AP) — A Greer County prosecutor says a 12-member jury has been selected for the wife of a former prison warden who allegedly fell in love with an inmate and aided his escape. Assistant District Attorney Eric Yarborough said Thursday the jury and three alternate jurors were chosen for the trial of Bobbi Parker, 48, who is charged with assisting a prisoner to escape. Jury selection in the case began on May 16. Yarborough says prosecution and defense attorneys will present their opening statements on Tuesday.

Parker is accused of helping convicted killer Randolph Dial break out of the Oklahoma State Reformatory in 1994. Defense lawyers say Dial kidnapped Parker and held her hostage until she was rescued in Texas at a Shelby County chicken ranch in 2005. Parker was charged in 2008. She has pleaded not guilty.

TYLER – An off duty Tyler police officer was slightly injured while trying to stop two shoplifting suspects. It happened around 3:00 yesterday afternoon at Dillards in the Broadway Square Mall.

The officer, J.R. Smith, was working a part-time job at Dillards when he was notified by loss-prevention of two black males that were in the store who have previously stolen from Dillards. The men, who were in the process of filling garbage bags full of merchandise, immediately began fleeing on foot when Smith approached them.

The officer chased them into the parking lot on the west side of the mall where the two got into a silver vehicle and accelerated rapidly in reverse out of the parking stall, nearly running over Officer Smith. The officer gave numerous commands for the suspects to stop and also struck the vehicle with his baton. The men then rammed an unoccupied vehicle causing it to collide with another unoccupied vehicle. They then fled in their car north bound on Old Bullard. Officer Smith sustained minor injury to his right hand and was treated by EMS at the scene.

RUSK – The four persons accused of trying to rob an Alto bank have been arraigned. They are Evandreal Cadarius Simpson, 19, of Palestine, Channing Nicole Johnson, 24, of Elkhart, Carl Kenneth Kelly, 22, of Palestine and Mujibur Whyamme Shaw, 36, of Palestine and previously of Jacksonville. They have all been charged with aggravated robbery, evading arrest, tampering with physical evidence and engaging in organized criminal activity.

Authorities say the four, all wearing bandanas, drove up to the Bancorp South Bank in Alto Wednesday afternoon. One of the suspects, armed with a handgun and carrying an empty bag, tried to enter the bank, but the doors were locked. It was just after 3:00 and the bank had just closed for the day. The suspects were later arrested on Highway 84 by Rusk police officers.

The attempted robbery came three weeks after the Alto Police Department was shut down because of a money crunch. The plan is to bring back the department in December.

TYLER — Tyler police are investigating a Thursday stabbing. Police responded to the 400 block of E. Line on a report of a male who had been stabbed in the upper chest. Officers were told that the victim, suspect, and witness had been drinking in a wooded area just off Line Street. The victim and suspect had reportedly gotten into a verbal altercation when the suspect allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed the victim in the chest. Police say the victim then walked out of the wooded area into the intersection of Line and Frank and asked for help.

EMS responded to the scene and transported the victim to a local hospital. The extent of his injury is unknown at this time. Police say the suspect fled the area on foot and has not been located by police. He was described as white, 5’7’’, heavy build, 30 to 40 years old. Police said the victim’s name will not be released until it has been confirmed.

TYLER — The Texas Transportation Commission has awarded $120,000 to the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority to go towards the Smith County Multimodal Facility. NET RMA Chairman Jeff Austin III stated, “We appreciate being able to work with TxDOT and Smith County in this partnership and value the hard work of Mr. Jamal Moharer, Chairman of the East Texas Coordinated Regional Transportation Planning Steering Committee (ETCRTPSC) to take another critical step toward allowing this to become a reality.”

NET RMA applied for this funding through a broad partnership to undertake preparatory and planning activities for a Multi-Modal Facility (MMF) transit hub in Tyler. Partners include the Smith County Commissioners Court and its Smith County Transportation Advisory Committee; the Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization; the City of Tyler; Tyler Transit; NDMJ, Ltd.; Greyhound Bus Lines; the East Texas Council of Governments; and ETCRTPSC.

Austin said, “To fund the ultimate project, the Legislature has given RMA’s new tools to work with the Counties in the area of project delivery including Design/Build and Design/Build/Finance to find the most cost effective and efficient manner to construct and fund the project. This is a great model to centralize multimodal facilities in a County and can be a model for other counties/cities to consider.”

According to a news release, the MMF will consolidate and focus several transportation elements at a single site and allow for increased connectivity for residents of Smith County and the East Texas region to access other areas of Texas and the nation. Officials say available transit services at the MMF will include Greyhound and Kerrville Bus Lines (intercity bus) and charter bus service, transportation to Amtrak train stops in the region, Tyler Transit, a park and ride lot, and demand-response rural transit services. “This was the reason that RMA’s were established — to partner to find transportation and mobility solutions for our region,” said Austin.

TYLER — East Texas Medical Center facilities have received an accreditation and a recertification. The Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons has granted three-year accreditation with commendation to the cancer program at the ETMC Cancer Institute. ETMC received the reaccreditation following the on-site evaluation by a physician surveyor in May. The commission is a consortium of professional organizations dedicated to improving survival rates and quality of life for cancer patients through education, standard-setting, prevention, research and monitoring the quality of cancer care.

In 1990, ETMC’s Cancer Institute was the first oncology program in East Texas to be certified, placing it among the elite hospitals in the nation with approved cancer programs. “We are very pleased to have this approval again because it’s only given to facilities that have voluntarily committed to providing the highest level of quality cancer care,” said Todd Sigmon, vice president of the ETMC Cancer Institute.

Also, ETMC Tyler’s stroke care program has been recertified as an Advanced Primary Stroke Center by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations with a Gold Seal of Approval. ETMC Tyler was the first hospital in East Texas and one of the first in Texas to receive this designation in 2005 with recertifications in 2007 and 2009. ETMC voluntarily pursued this designation in part because of the alarming rate of stroke-related deaths in East Texas. The Joint Commission conducted an on-site review this spring to review compliance with national standards, clinical guidelines and outcomes of care.

“The East Texas region has one of the highest stroke rates in our state,” said Sigmon, who also serves as ETMC Neurological Institute vice president. “Since part of the effort to earn the certification includes a focus on stroke prevention, we believe it will help us meet our goal to help change that factor in our region.”

LUFKIN — A Lufkin woman was arrested Tuesday after allegedly kicking her roommate’s 5-year-old son in the chest during a fight with the boy’s mother. That’s according to KETK and the Lufkin Daily News. Lufkin officers were called to the Lark Street home of the boy’s mother, Victoria Burr, around 10:17 p.m., in reference to the boy being injured by the woman, Versia Walker, who had been living with them for two months, according to an arrest affidavit.

Authorities say Walker, 28, left the house before police arrived. Burr told officers Walker started yelling at her and took a swing at her but then she was able to put Walker in a headlock to keep her from fighting, the affidavit stated. A neighbor reportedly tried breaking up the fight but not before the boy apparently wandered too close to Walker. Four witnesses said they saw Walker kick the boy in his chest, knocking him back several feet, according to the affidavit. When officers talked to the boy, he said his chest hurt.

After taking statements from everyone the officers left but returned about 15 minutes later when Walker showed back up. When asked about the incident, Walker said she “pushed” the boy away with her leg to keep him out of the fight, the affidavit stated. She was arrested on third-degree felony injury to a child and taken to the Angelina County Jail. As she was taken to jail a friend of hers was moving her stuff out of the home, according to the affidavit. If convicted Walker faces up to 10 years in prison.

GILMER — Upshur County officials have issued a complete fireworks ban for 60 hours. Residents will be able to purchase fireworks but cannot use them in the county. A request has been sent to Governor Perry to extend the ban for 7 days.

DIBOLL — An East Texas man wanted after a drug roundup in Diboll turns himself in. According to KETK, Neilson Gibson is charged with delivery of a controlled substance in a drug-free zone. 16 suspects on 30 drug-related warrants were involved in the undercover operation. Police began arresting them last week. Officials say the roundup started June 22 and will continue until all 16 suspects are caught.

TYLER — Smith County is one of a few government entities nationwide to receive the 2011 Achievement of Excellence in Procurement Award from the National Purchasing Institute, County Judge Joel Baker announced this week. According to a county news release, the award is earned by those who demonstrate excellence, innovation, professionalism, productivity and leadership in their procurement practices. “We have worked with the Commissioners Court to implement a lot of good procedures,” Smith County Purchasing Director Kelli Davis said. “This is a great honor for the County.”

“This award is based on performance measures and best practices. Mrs. Davis and the Smith County Purchasing Team have gone above and beyond to provide the best and most efficient purchasing procedures to the citizens of Smith County,” County Judge Joel Baker said. Arrangements are in the works for an NPI member to present the award to Smith County in the near future. “The integrity and honesty that Smith County’s Purchasing Department has shown is incredible,” Tarrant County Purchasing Director and former President of the Texas Purchasing Association Jack Beacham said. “Anytime you are considered for an award of this magnitude it is a great honor.”

LONGVIEW — Longview Fire Department officials are investigating the cause of a Thursday morning fire in the 1900 block of Holly Street. Firefighters were dispatched to the home at around 8:40 yesterday morning. They say it was fully extinguished within an hour.

WILLS POINT – Nearly four dozen animals have been recovered from alleged Van Zandt County puppy mill. The animals were found in a filthy trailer house in Wills Point. The ammonia level was so great, the eyes and throats of investigators began burning. There was said to have been no food or water for the animals. Van Zandt County authorities turned over to the SPCA six dogs, 19 puppies, two turtles and a bird. They also found 12 dogs in a pen outside the trailer.

MARSHALL – An Upshur County man has been sentenced to federal prison for firearms violations. Franklin Levern Turner, 56, of Diana, pleaded guilty in February to possessing an unregistered firearm. He was sentenced yesterday to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge T. John Ward. Turner was also ordered to forfeit a Winchester sawed-off 30-30 rifle.

Federal prosecutors say on July 15, 2009, Turner was found to be in possession of a firearm with a barrel length of less than eighteen inches which was not registered to him in the National Firearms and Transfer Record. Turner was indicted by a federal grand jury last August and charged with federal firearms violations.

TATUM – A motorcycle accident in Gregg County has left one person dead. Killed in the Tuesday night crash was Lonzo Lewis Jr., 40, of Tatum. The Department of Public Safety says Lewis was traveling at an unsafe speed when his motorcycle left Farm Road 2906 and hit a barbed wire fence. Lewis was not wearing a helmet.

MOUNT ENTERPRISE – The Tuesday night storms appear to be responsible for a traffic fatality in Rusk County. The accident happened around 10:30 Tuesday night when the victim’s pickup truck hit a tree that had fallen across the roadway. Alvertis Pruitt, 83, of Mount Enterprise, died about 12 hours later at East Texas Medical Center in Henderson. The accident happened on Farm Road 225.

GILMER — One man is dead after being hit by a truck while driving a golf cart in Upshur County on Wednesday morning. DPS officials say Alfred Keck, 74, was heading west on FM 49, just east of Lime Tree Rd., around 7:40 a.m. Authorities say Keck turned his golf cart left in front of a truck driven by Aldon Marty, 38, from Hawkins. According to KETK, officials say Marty was not speeding. Keck was thrown from the cart and pronounced dead at a local hospital.

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Commissioners Court enacted a burn ban Wednesday during its regular meeting. It’s the latest in a growing series of such prohibitions throughout East Texas and around the state. According to a release by Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt’s office, the ban will be reviewed on a periodic basis.

LUFKIN — A 17-year-old Lufkin man was arrested Tuesday for allegedly soliciting his 13-year-old cousin by reportedly sending her an inappropriate picture via text message. That’s according to KETK and the Lufkin Daily News. The man is not being named in this story in an attempt to protect the girl’s identity. He sent his cousin a text message on May 5 asking her to sneak out of her home and meet him at his mother’s house, according to an arrest affidavit. Authorities say that he then sent a message asking her for a photo and that she responded by sending a picture of herself in a bikini. In response, he said he would send her a picture of himself and did, a photo of his private parts, the affidavit stated.

The girl then sent a message asking why he would send her that photo and he messaged back that he thought she would like it, according to the affidavit. He then reportedly told her that if she would come over he would rub her neck and they could do what they did before. The man was taken into custody Tuesday on a warrant for second-degree online solicitation of a minor. If convicted he faces up to 20 years in prison.

TYLER – A 50-year-old Henderson woman has been sentenced to federal prison for a health care fraud scheme. Sheena Shelton pleaded guilty on July 22, 2010, to health care fraud and wire fraud and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison Wednesday in Tyler by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis. Shelton was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $125,000 to Medicare and Medicaid.

According to information presented in court, from 2003 to 2009, Shelton controlled and operated KC Medical Supplies, a durable medical equipment supplier in Longview. During that time, Shelton devised and carried out a scheme to defraud Medicare and Medicaid by submitting fraudulent claims for equipment and supplies which had not been prescribed or authorized by a physician. Shelton prepared documents that represented that physicians had prescribed or ordered medical equipment for certain beneficiaries although they had not. Shelton forged the signatures of local physicians to fraudulent claim forms before submitting them to Medicare and Medicaid for payment. Shelton was ordered to report to the U.S. Marshals Service on August 31, 2011, to begin serving her prison sentence.

AUSTIN (AP/Staff) – The Texas House has adjourned, ending the first special session of the 82nd Legislature — and a last-ditch effort to pass an East Texan’s airport screening bill has fallen short. Lawmakers met to consider two remaining bills and sent a minor judicial finance bill to the governor. But they failed to pass a bill from Longview Rep. David Simpson (pictured). The measure would have outlawed enhanced pat-downs by federal airport screeners unless they had reasonable suspicion that someone was carrying contraband. The House adjourned a day after the Senate, which wrapped up business on Tuesday. Both chambers passed critical fiscal bills and hurricane insurance reforms that were the impetus of the special session. Approval of those bills means there is little reason for the governor to call another special session.

NEBRASKA CITY, Neb. (AP/Staff) – A Tyler man accused of killing his girlfriend at a Dallas-area apartment has been captured in southeast Nebraska. The Nebraska State Patrol on Wednesday said 39-year-old Sisro Johnson is in the Otoe County Jail on a murder warrant from Garland, Texas. The beaten body of 45-year-old Zulema McColgan was discovered early Tuesday when officers answered a domestic disturbance call. A Nebraska trooper Tuesday night pulled over an SUV, matching the description of a vehicle being sought, on U.S. 75 just north of the Kansas state line. The suspect then drove off in a chase reaching speeds of 110 mph. The chase ended nearly 30 miles away after the SUV ran over roadway spikes, put down by law officers, and a tire went flat.

CUNEY — Authorities say a plane made an emergency landing in a field in Cherokee County. It happened Wednesday morning off of County Road 3414 north of Highway 175 near the town of Cuney. Officials say the pilot, Roger Willheim, 64, of Frankston, first reported engine trouble around 9:45 and shortly after landed the plane in the field barely missing power lines. Willheim, who was the only person on board, was not injured.

TYLER — Overnight storms Tuesday and Wednesday caused considerable damage throughout East Texas, especially in Wood County and Big Sandy. Fallen trees and downed power lines added to the chaos. Wood County officials say numerous fires occurred overnight as a result of the downed power lines but all had been put out as of Wednesday morning. Power company representatives report that several thousand people lost electricity for varying lengths of time because of the storms.

LINDALE — An early Wednesday morning fire has left one man homeless. Lindale and Mineola fire departments were dispatched to 22035 Highway 69 for a mobile home fire just after 4:00am. They say the home was fully engulfed when they arrived, but was out within 10-15 minutes of their arrival. Fire officials say that the owner of the home had lost power and was sleeping in his truck to stay cool. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man remained jailed after police said he tried to pass two counterfeit $100 bills. Carlton Hollins, 41, was jailed on $5,000 bond, charged with two counts of forgery of a government instrument. Police said he tried to pay for his food at McDonald’s in the 100 block of West Loop 281 with a counterfeit $100 bill around June 7. Then, when the cashier gave him change for the bill, he asked the employee to give him change for another $100 bill. Several days later, police said, Hollins attempted to pass a $100 bill at the McDonald’s in the 3100 block of Estes Parkway.

TYLER – An Anderson County man has pleaded guilty in Tyler federal court to drug trafficking. Derrick Deon Hicks, 37, of Palestine pleaded guilty Tuesday to possession with intent to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine in an appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. Hicks faces a minimum of 10 years in federal prison and forfeiture of $50,000.00 and firearms at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

Federal prosecutors say up until last August, Hicks conspired with others to distribute more than 280 grams of crack cocaine throughout the East Texas area. Hicks was indicted by a federal grand jury in February and charged with federal drug trafficking violations.

PALESTINE – A former Anderson County couple is arrested in West Texas on charges of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Anitia Fonville Reyes, 46, was arrested in Odessa and Tony Reyes Jr., 49, was taken into custody in Abilene. The offenses are said to have occurred in 2009 when they lived southwest of Frankston in the Brushy Creek area.

TYLER — Smith County’s financial stability has been recognized when financial institutes Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s gave the county bond ratings of Aa2 and AA+, which are both just a notch below the highest score possible, AAA.

According to an update from Specialized Public Finance, Inc. to the Commissioners Court, the exceptionally high bond rating, along with falling interest rates will make paying off the recently passed jail bond much faster and less expensive than originally anticipated.

A total of $40.875 million in bonds were issued on Tuesday; $35 million from the recently passes jail bond at an interest rate of 2.564% and the refunding of about $5 million in existing county debt at 1.7489% interest. “It’s good to know that we will be able to pay this off even sooner and save money for the citizens of Smith County because of these lower rates and our high bond rating,” County Judge Joel Baker said.

The jail bond component will be structured with a 12 year amortization schedule, which is three years shorter than originally anticipated and the refunding component will save the county approximately $376,000 in total interest expenses. “A county jail with an interest rate of 2.5 is about as low as I have ever seen in this business,” said Financial Analyst Steven Adams.

In addition, S&P revised its Financial Management Assessment to “strong” from “Good” due to the adoption of a formal, long-range capital plan and a formal debt management policy, which is the highest classification.

WINONA – A man has been injured when some bales of hay in a Smith County field caught fire. It was reported around 12:30 Tuesday afternoon off County Road 353 in the northern part of the county. The fire is said to have started when a hired hand began welding on a broken tractor.