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TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court has approved the voting results from the November 6 General Election, including alcohol propositions that were passed by voters. Commissioner JoAnn Hampton presided over yesterday’s meeting in Judge Joel Baker’s absence. She stated proper procedure was followed. Regarding sales of beer and wine, the commissioner told KETK following the court’s adjournment, “Whatever the process is, we can move right on with it.” When asked about the petition filed by Stand Strong for Tyler challenging the alcohol propositions, she declined to comment until it was heard by a judge

MARSHALL – A 40-year-old Karnack woman has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the East Texas. Peggy Ann Davis pleaded guilty on June 22 to possession of pseudoephedrine with intent to manufacture methamphetamine. She was sentenced yesterday in Marshall to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap.

According to prosecutors, Davis was involved in a conspiracy to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine in East Texas. The conspiracy involved defendants traveling to multiple pharmacies to purchase numerous boxes of cold pills containing pseudoephedrine which is used in the manufacture of methamphetamine. An 839-count federal indictment was returned on Feb. 1, 2012, charging Davis and 16 other co-defendants with federal drug crimes. Of those defendants, 14 have been convicted.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Van Zandt County Crime Stoppers has authorized $1,400 in rewards for tips that led to the arrest of a Chandler man in the October 25 home invasion and beating of a 97-year-old woman in the Callender Lake area south of Ben Wheeler.

A $1,000 reward was approved for an anonymous caller whose tip led to the arrest of David Taylor of Chandler on October 28. He is accused of beating the elderly woman in a home invasion, stealing her car, and evading police and sheriff’s deputies who pursued him following the tip. The woman survived the beating but was hospitalized for an extended period.

Crime Stoppers also approved a $400 reward for a tip that led authorities to a Wills Point man wanted on a number of warrants, including robbery, drug possession, and felony theft.

JACKSONVILLE — Last month, Stacy Hunter, was gunned down by his own cousin. Hunter made a lasting impact on the community having been a little league coach for years and a city employee. The mark “Coach Stacy” made is so big, there’s a petition going around in Jacksonville for the city to declare November 1, “Stacy Hunter” day.

KETK spoke with one of Hunter’s relatives, Cindy Hollis. She and Hunter’s sister Veronica have an online petition on http://www.change.org with hundreds of signatures as well as a handwritten one with many more than that. They will take it to the city for them to discuss. The day they are proposing is November 1, Coach Stacy’s birthday.

Jimmy DeShawn Mosely, 24, turned himself in and has been charged in Hunter’s death.

TYLER – A Tyler man is accused of pulling a knife on his roommate. It happened around 8:30 last night at 606 Woodland Hills. Arriving officers were told that the suspect was still in the residence. Police attempted to call him out using a loud speaker. After a while the suspect, identified as Jeffrey Logan, 37, came out and was arrested. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — East Texans are among the many Texans who have voiced their displeasure with the direction the United States is moving, and they’re holding a local nationalist movement meeting. The Smith County Texas Nationalist meeting is scheduled to take place tonight. The organization will hold its event at 6:30pm at The Diner on the 7900 block of South Broadway Avenue in Tyler. According to a flyer sent to the media, the group plans to use the meeting “to familiarize local citizens with the organization goals to promote, secure and protect the political, cultural and economic independence of Texas.”

The organization claims the Texas Nationalist Movement has experienced major growth leading up to and after the presidential election. Smith County resident Tammy Blair, a member of the movement, tells KETK the group is doing it for liberty. “This is a peaceful movement. That’s important. We’re not looking for war. And if people think that we are, we’re certainly not. It’s not a racist movement, it’s a movement about liberty,” she said.

Meanwhile, in a statement Tuesday, Texas Governor Rick Perry chose not to support the cause. “Gov. [Rick] Perry believes in the greatness of our Union and nothing should be done to change it,” his press secretary Catherine Frazier wrote in a statement to the Dallas Morning News. “But he also shares the frustrations many Americans have with our federal government.” As of Wednesday morning, a petition on the White House website asking for the peaceful withdrawal of the state of Texas from the union has reached nearly 100,000 signatures. Only 25,000 are needed to elicit a response from President Obama, but he has yet to comment.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Tyler Congressman Louie Gohmert will join leaders of a group known as Special Operations Speaks as they present a petition regarding the recent killings of Americans in Benghazi. The petition is to be presented Thursday in Washington. It contains the names of more than 100,000 Americans demanding a special prosecutor be appointed to fully investigate events surrounding the incident. According to information from Gohmert’s office, “The leadership of Special Operations Speaks and a majority of the American people by a 51% to 38% margin do not approve of the way the Obama Administration has handled the Benghazi massacre.” The group hopes such a prosecutor will be appointed “to fully investigate all circumstances and report back to the American people.”

TYLER — A 44-year-old Dallas man has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in East Texas. Fidencio Homero Martinez pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was sentenced yesterday to 180 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider.

Federal prosecutors say, on September 3, 2011, Martinez was a passenger in a van stopped for a traffic violation in Titus County. Martinez gave the State Trooper conflicting stories regarding where they were headed and denied having drugs in the vehicle. Martinez also claimed responsibility for all items in the van and gave consent to search the vehicle. During the search, approximately 9 kilograms of cocaine was located behind the driver’s seat. Martinez was indicted by a federal grand jury on March 8, 2012 and charged with drug trafficking violations.

AUSTIN — Legislation filed in Austin by an East Texan would make it illegal for TSA agents to perform the so-called “enhanced pat-downs.” Under the bill filed by State Representative David Simpson of Longview, TSA agents who perform such actions could be charged with a misdemeanor crime. Simpson says, “I’m hopeful that Texas will lead the way in reining in this abuse.” The last time such a bill passed, it was pulled when the U.S. attorney general threatened to cancel flights to Texas.

LONGVIEW — Three families have been displaced after a structure fire near downtown Longview. KETK reports that shortly after noon yesterday, fire officials were alerted to a blaze at a triplex on the 100 block of East Melton Street. Firefighters were able to put out the flames in a short time and rescue a dog trapped inside. The fire is believed to have started after the family started using a stove to heat the home and it caught a nearby wall on fire. No injuries were reported. Since cold weather has arrived in East Texas, if the suspected cause proves to be true, this would be the second fire in Longview caused by an unobserved heating device.

TITUS COUNTY — Mount Pleasant police officers found about 745 pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop of U-Haul van on Interstate Highway 30 East. Officer Juan Hernandez’s canine partner VADAR, alerted to the van, and a search revealed the marijuana “bundled and hidden in the back of the van,” Mount Pleasant Police Chief Wayne Isbell said. Wilber Pressley, 40, of Spring and Ralph Ross, 37, of Detroit, Mich., were arrested and charged with possession of between 50 and 2,000 pounds of marijuana. They were being held in the Titus County Jail, each on $75,000 bond, Isbell said. The estimated street value of the seized marijuana is around $525,000, Isbell said.

WHITE OAK — Three people are hospitalized after a Gregg County wreck. It happened yesterday morning on U.S. Highway 80 in the White Oak area. Gregg County D-P-S officials told KETK a woman’s pickup truck ran out of gas, coming to a stop in the right eastbound lane. Her husband arrived on scene to tow her vehicle and parked directly in front of hers. While he was working between the vehicles, another driver hit the back end of the woman’s vehicle, pinning her husband between the two trucks. The man was flown to a Tyler hospital with serious injuries. The woman and other driver were taken to local hospitals.

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department responded to a two alarm structure fire at Bullard Crossing Apartments, 5105 Old Bullard. Five engines and one Ladder Company, along with a district chief and an investigator, responded to the scene shortly after 7:00 yesterday morning. Fire personnel were able to bring the fire under control quickly and damage was limited to one apartment. The apartment above the fire sustained slight smoke damage. No injuries were reported and previously evacuated residents in the surrounding units were returned to their apartments. The Fire Marshal’s office is conducting the investigation. A cause has not yet been determined.

LUFKIN — A man who allegedly tried to rob a Lufkin bank earlier this month is behind bars after numerous tipsters were able to identify him. According to KETK, Anthony Dewayne Bond, 23, of Cleveland is accused of entering the First Bank and Trust on November 5 and giving the teller a fake withdrawal slip for the amount of $5,000.

On the slip was a fake name and account number. After running the name and account through the bank’s computer system, no match was made. She asked Bond for identification, but he refused. After noticing the back of the slip demanded money to be put in a zip lock bag, the teller then left to speak with a manager, but when she returned, Bond had left the scene.

After releasing photos of Bond to the public, multiple tips, including one from a Nacogdoches County deputy, poured in identifying the suspect. Lufkin police arrested the alleged robber on November 9 and booked him into the Angelina County Jail.

The district attorney’s office has since charged Bond with false statement to obtain property. The crime did not meet the state’s requirements of a bank robbery, according to Lufkin Police Detective J.B. Smith. Bond was also wanted by the Lufkin Police Department for burglary and is being held on $120,000 bail.

TYLER Investigators are trying to determine the cause of a fire that extensively damaged a Smith County mobile home. It was reported around 6:30 Tuesday night just outside of Tyler on U.S. Highway 69 north of the Tyler Loop. It appears to have started in a bed room. There were no injuries.

VAN — State Representative Dan Flynn of Van is drawing attention on a couple of fronts. One measure he’s introduced in the Legislature calls for the Ten Commandments to be posted in what is called a “prominent location” in public school classrooms. The bill says school boards cannot block the posting of the commandments, which he calls a non religious educational document. Flynn says, “If you walk into the Supreme Court building in the United States capital, first thing you see is the scroll of the Ten Commandments.” The Ten Commandments has had a rocky life in the courts. But the U.S. Supreme Court in 2005 upheld the posting of the Commandments on the grounds of the state capitol, holding that it is a historical document.

Earlier, we learned Flynn is hoping to implement a two-year moratorium on the STAAR assessment program this legislative session. Flynn says STAAR causes way to much stress on students, teachers and parents, and he doesn’t think they need it. According to Flynn, “Employers, colleges, technical schools — nobody has ever asked for a copy of STAAR grades.” Flynn introduced the bill as an amendment last year and got a lot of support for it. He says under his bill, it will be up to the school districts to decide if they want to opt out — and accept their portion of the money set aside for STAAR to spend as they see fit.

JACKSONVILLE — Lon Morris College, the 168-year-old junior college in Jacksonville that filed bankruptcy, is seeking Court approval for an auction on December 13th at 11:00am. KETK reports AmeriBid LLC would conduct the auction for qualified bidders only at McKool Smith, PC, 300 Crescent Court, 12th floor, Dallas. Upon approval by the United States Bankruptcy Judge in Tyler, the core of the College’s 112-acre campus will be auctioned, including such features as a library, chapel, administration building, classroom facilities, student center, dormitories, and fields. “We’re delighted to have the auction plans finalized. AmeriBid will be providing prospective bidders with detailed information about the school and its extensive campus,” said Dawn Ragan, Chief Restructuring Officer for the college.

Stephen Karbelk, co-chairman and founder of AmeriBid, said he expects prospective bidders to include other colleges, churches, denominations, school systems, and other groups that might wish to use the property as a conference center, corporate retreat, or even residential treatment center. The college property will be offered in multiple parcels and as an entirety.

LONGVIEW — A group of citizens has announced the formation of the “Longview United for Growth Committee,” a special purpose political action committee, to ask voters to support limited alcohol sales for Longview’s current boundaries. Longview United for Growth will need to collect approximately 6,000 signatures of registered Longview voters on a petition calling for the election in May 2013.

The petition will allow a vote for the legal sale of beer and wine in stores for off-premise consumption only; it will not allow additional package liquor sales or liquor stores, except those already approved by voters in previous elections. Currently, Longview alcohol sales are based on elections held after Prohibition that legalized alcohol sales on the southern and eastern part of the city to the Gregg-Harrison County line. In 2007, Longview citizens voted to allow mixed beverage alcohol sales in restaurants.

Longview United feels the economic development of northern and western parts of Longview are being hampered because beer/wine off-premise sales are not allowed on most of the Loop 281 northern corridor from approximately Tryon Road East to Harrison Road West. According to Longview United, changing this law would allow those areas to be able to recruit more supermarkets and grocery stores, allow the existing grocery stores to compete with stores in the “wet” area, and would also bring east Longview under the same rules. You can go to http://longviewwins.com to learn more. Thus far, no group has announced opposition to Longview United’s effort.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has passed several city ordinances in relation to the newly passed alcohol propositions. KETK reports councilmembers took into consideration four ordinances — three pertaining to the regulation of beer and wine sales. Beer and wine stores’ property lines are required to be 300 feet from any church property line. The distance for schools and hospitals has not been determined due to possible differences in city and state restrictions. Stores will not be allowed in “RPO” zones, which are residential and professional office areas.

The opening of “beer barns,” or packaged drive through food and beverage businesses, will require special use permits and will limited to M-2 Zones, or General Industrial District areas only. Beer and wine stores will only be allowed one sign, unless the business is on a corner, thus permitting two signs. The sign’s content will be regulated by the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission and the sign’s size by the city, which is no more than 50 square feet per banner. The City of Tyler restricts animated, flashing, blinking, or electronic message signs within the city. However, the use of “static,” or non-moving, signs, including neon signs, is permitted as long as they meet the TABC five foot distance requirement from any store front window or door. Heather Nick with the city’s planning and zoning department says there’s a business kit available on the city’s website outlining the process of implementing beer and wine sales.

Meanwhile, a petition to contest results of Tyler-area alcohol elections this month is filed by the district clerk. The petition alleges the city clerk and county election office did not comply with election law requirements during the certification process.

TYLER — TxTAGs will be available for sale at the Texas Department of Transportation in Smith County this week. TxDOT’s Larry Krantz says customer service specialists will be on hand at the Tyler area office, at the interchange of Toll 49 and Highway 155 South in Noonday. You can meet with them between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, and until noon on Thursday, to purchase a new TxTAG or get help with existing account questions. The tags are good for use on any toll road in Texas. “This is a limited time offer,” said Krantz, “and we’re staying open until 6 to make it as convenient as possible to get a TxTAG.” After noon Thursday, those wanting to buy a TxTAG can or log on to http://www.txtag.org or call 1-888-Go-TxTAG.

TYLER — Centene Company of Texas, L.P., has broken ground on a new facility in Tyler, and officials in the city say it will offer a big boost to the local economy. Centene projects 327 new employees in Tyler with an average salary and fringe benefits of $45,000. Tom Mullins with the Tyler Economic Development Council says annual payroll would be about $13.4 million within four years. Centene Company of Texas is a subsidiary of Centene Corporation, a publicly-traded Fortune 500 health insurance company with headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri. Company officials say it’s expanding its customer base in Texas. The 50,000-square foot core claims processing facility will be located in the new Tyler Business and Technology Park on Earl Campbell Parkway.

Centene Corporation, a leading manager of health care services, is the nation’s fourth-largest Medicaid manager. The company is a multi-line healthcare enterprise that provides programs and related services to the rising number of under-insured and uninsured individuals. Many receive benefits provided under Medicaid, including the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), as well as Aged, Blind or Disabled (ABD), Foster Care, long-term care, other state-sponsored programs and Medicare (Special Needs Plans).

GLADEWATER — State Senator Kevin Eltife announced he will introduce a bill to honor a Gladewater veteran by renaming a 12-mile stretch of U.S. Highway 80 in honor of U.S. Army Master Sgt. Travis E. Watkins, who was recognized posthumously for his bravery during the Korean War. According to KETK, Eltife, R-Tyler, said he will sponsor a bill to rename U. S. 80 from U.S. Highway 271 to the Big Sandy city limits “Travis E. Watkins Memorial Highway.” Cheryl Vanek, Eltife’s chief of staff, said the bill was not ready to be pre-filed Monday on the first day legislators could pre-file bills, but should be ready to file by January when the 83rd Legislative Session begins. Rep. David Simpson, R-Longview, announced in a Twitter feed Monday afternoon that he had pre-filed a companion bill in the Texas House of Representatives.

LUFKIN — In an odd twist, a Lufkin man is behind bars after he allegedly attacked the man who is believed to have just burglarized his home. According to KETK, just before 12:30 Monday morning, an officer witnessed three men jump a fence to an awaiting vehicle. When the policeman tried to approach the suspects, they all ran from the area on foot.

Two of the three alleged burglars were caught shortly after running, and it was learned they had just broken into a house, stealing guns, clothing, a TV and other miscellaneous items.

A few hours later, around 3:00, officers were dispatched to the same area to reports of a disturbance. When they arrived again in the 2000 block of Lowry Street, they found the man who had been burglarized, Eddie R. Fletcher, 26, of Lufkin, had found and allegedly attacked the third man accused of stealing from his home.

Fletcher was arrested and is charged with assault. The three men accused of burglarizing his home, Terrance J. Harris, 23, Joshua R. Nash, 23, and Ishmeal M. Washington, 24, were all charged with burglary of a habitation and evading arrest.

TYLER – A new coalition has been formed to help the Tyler school system make the grade. The four person group Monday presented a list of reasons the TISD is unacceptable in its handling of everything from education results to how it treats its teachers. The group is called “No More Excuses, Tyler ISD!” They say the problems are not new, they go back several years.

The group feels that a school bond issue that may come next spring is not the answer. They feel the school district must first address academic, personnel and student discipline issues before they consider constructing new buildings.

JoAnn Fleming from Grassroots America: We the People say they are tired of hearing excuses. She said “The time has come to face these issues head on.” The main issues addressed by the group were TISD’s poor academic results, growing discipline issues and the lack of respect for teachers.

A member of the group is Cedrick Granberry, a father of students in TISD. He said he is ok with paying money to improve the school system, but after the latest results from the state comptroller’s office, he wonders where his money’s going. “My youngest goes to an elementary that was given a 1.5 star and that’s a brand new school,” Grandberry said.

KETK said it contacted TISD and this was their response; “”As always, Tyler ISD appreciates and welcomes concerns and input from the community. We will review the information presented today and will forward these concerns to the Board of Trustees for further review.” After school trustees look over the information they should have more to say later this week.

SHREVEPORT – Eight persons have been arrested at the Louisiana State Fair in Shreveport for drug possession. The arrests, which were made over the weekend, include fair goers and carnival workers. One of the fairgoers taken into custody was Timothy Haley, 41, of Hawkins. Ketk Reports he was booked into the Caddo Correctional Center on a charge of drug possession.

FLINT – A Smith County home has been heavily damaged by fire. It was reported around 5:00 yesterday afternoon on County Road 189, in the southwestern part of the county. KETK reports neighbors woke up the 91 year old man living in the house. He was able to escape unharmed. Two barns in the back of the property also caught fire. No word on what started the blaze.

LONGVIEW – A Longview home has been extensively damaged by fire. It was reported around 8:00 Monday morning in the 2200 block of 13th Street. No one was home when the fire started and no injuries were reported. Investigators say the fire started from an electric heater that was too close to a bed.

KILGORE – Kilgore fire investigators are still trying to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a Kilgore home. It was reported around 11:30 Saturday night in a duplex at 505 Town Oaks Drive. There were no injuries.

EAST TEXAS — In conjunction with the Shreveport Police Department, the Caddo Sheriff’s Department took into custody multiple people for alleged drug possession at the Louisiana State Fair over the weekend. According to KETK, on Saturday, agents with narcotics unit conducted a one-night operation at the fair and made eight arrests, including some carnival employees. The workers have been identified as Issam Alkheid, 26, of Huntington Beach, CA, Jay Beeson, 31, of Dallas and Fawn Odom, 31, of Casper, WY. All three are were charged with possession of a drug.

Fairgoers arrested were Adam Anderson, 31, of Shreveport, Tyler Dickson, 20, of Traskwood, AR, Rumney Evertt, 50, of Shreveport and Timothy Haley, 41, of Hawkins. (pictured) All five were charged with possession of a drug and booked into the Caddo Correctional Center.

NACOGDOCHES — Nacogdoches authorities are searching for a man who allegedly pulled a rifle on a jogger in a local park. It happened just before 6:00 Monday morning at the Lanana Creek Trail. According to KETK, the victim told police he was running on the trail when a middle-aged white man, dressed in camouflage, appeared behind him pointing a deer rifle in his direction. The gunman then re-entered a wooded area near the trail. The Nacogdoches Police Department closed the trail from Main Street to the back of Pecan Park while they hunted for the man. Officers were not able to locate the alleged gunman and reopened the trail around 8:30.