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ANGELINA COUNTY — There were some tense moments at the Angelina County Courthouse Wednesday afternoon as employees evacuated the building due to a bomb threat. The call came in to Lufkin Police Department around 2:30 from a Chevron on North Timberland Drive. The male caller told the dispatcher a bomb would go off at 3:30 inside the courthouse, according to Angelina County emergency management coordinator Ricky Conner. Upon receiving the call, Lufkin Police contacted courthouse bailiffs, who began evacuating everyone inside. Conner said nothing suspicious was found inside the building.

Lufkin Police were pulling surveillance video to help identify the suspect. They planned to release his photo as soon as it was available. If the caller is located, he is expected to face the third-degree felony charge of terroristic threat interrupting a public service. The charge carries a sentence of up to 10 years in prison.

HENDERSON — Between January 5 and February 29, Henderson ISD employees can submit their resignations early and receive a bonus. The Henderson ISD school board Tuesday night approved offering an early resignation stipend to employees. The stipend will be $500 for professional employees and $250 for hourly employees, including paraprofessionals and auxiliary staff. The money will be given pending the employees completing the school year at Henderson ISD.

Director of Human Resources Stacey Sullivan said Wednesday that the ISD will lose another $1.3 million in funding for 2012-13 school year. Sullivan said this is the same stipend the school district offered a year ago. At that time Henderson was among the first school districts in East Texas to offer the stipend, before most school districts realized just how much money they would be losing after the legislative session.

KILGORE – A Kilgore teacher has been placed on indefinite administrative leave after allegedly slapping an autistic child. That’s according to KETK. Officials say the incident happened in the school library, where the Kilgore Heights Elementary teacher had taken the students to see Santa. School Superintendent Jody Clements says that the 4-year-old pre-kindergarten student got out of control and slapped the teacher, and that she slapped him back. The incident was said to have been witnessed by two other adults. According to Clements, the district had never had any problems with the teacher before this, but it was a situation the district could not tolerate.

MARSHALL – It looks like the Marshall school district will be searching for a new superintendent. The Dripping Springs School District has named Marshall superintendent Bruce Gearing as the lone finalist for its superintendent’s post. The Dripping Springs school district web site said “Board of Trustees voted unanimously (7-0) to name Bruce Gearing, Ed.D., as the lone finalist for Superintendent of Schools at a special meeting Dec. 13.”

Over 80 candidates filed for the post. School board members interviewed 8 of them and brought four back for a second interview. State law requires the Dripping Springs school board wait 21 days between the time a lone finalist is named and a contract for employment is offered and accepted.

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota’s two U.S. senators disagree on whether language speeding up approval of the Keystone XL oil pipeline should be included in a bill seeking to extend a payroll tax cut and unemployment benefits.

House Republicans passed a version that includes a requirement that federal officials decide within two months whether to approve the $7 billion pipeline that would deliver Canadian crude to Texas refineries near the Gulf Coast. Senate Democrats and President Barack Obama do not want the pipeline provision in the bill.

Democratic Senator Tim Johnson says he agrees with Nebraska officials that the pipeline route should be changed, and that will require extra time for environmental analysis. Republican Senator John Thune says the pipeline should be sped up because it could create 20,000 jobs nationwide. The proposed route of the pipeline carries it through eastern Smith County.

JACKSONVILLE — Family members say a Jacksonville man is still shaken after getting robbed Saturday night while delivering pizzas. KETK reports it all started with a fake pizza order to a local Pizza Hut from a fake address just down the street. And when the 27-year-old driver arrived, something happened he won’t soon forget. Family members of the driver, who refused to speak on camera due to retaliation, say their son Ryan Jenkins was just trying to find the right address. They say that’s when his attackers came out from behind a house and took his goods, hitting him in the head in the process.

The victim’s father says the restaurant didn’t prepare Ryan for such an incident. He says the eatery is coming out with tips now, “but it’s a little bit too late.” But the restaurant claims it does warn the drivers about some of the risks, even advising them not to carry large amounts of cash when they’re making deliveries.

AUSTIN (AP) — FEMA has expanded the wildfire disaster area in Texas. It has granted the state’s request to make 119 counties eligible to seek disaster help. FEMA also extend the incident period from April 6, 2011, through August 29, 2011. The original declaration issued by FEMA on July 1, 2011, covered wildfires between April 6, 2011, and May 3, 2011, and only included 45 counties.

Counties included in the expanded major disaster declaration can receive up to a 75% reimbursement for eligible expenses. Among the counties which were granted Category B Public Assistance (Emergency Protective Measures) are: Anderson, Cass, Harrison, Houston, Morris, Panola and Rusk.

Since the governor’s initial statewide disaster proclamation on December 21, 2010, Texas has responded to more than 26,000 fires that have burned more than 3.9 million acres. The governor’s office says state and local response costs over the last year top $330 million.

TYLER — Five people have been arrested in connection with a drug bust at the Super 8 Motel on Loop 323 in Tyler. Authorities say it was one of the largest meth busts in Smith County history. According to KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Department, along with the DEA, had been conducting an undercover case for three months. The bust started initially with a traffic stop, where authorities found a large amount of cocaine. They then searched the motel room and found over a pound of meth, estimated to be worth $73,000. A house was also searched. Along with the drugs, law officers found two handguns and a stack of cash. All five people are charged with possession.

ANGELINA COUNTY — Two alleged methamphetamine dealers with Aryan Brotherhood ties are among three persons arrested following an Angelina County Sheriff’s Office SWAT raid in Hudson. Julie Robinson and her boyfriend Michael Boddie were taken into custody Tuesday morning on first-degree methamphetamine charges after the SWAT raid of Robinson’s home off Farm Road 2497.

According to authorities, Boddie is not an actual Aryan Brotherhood member, he is an affiliate. Robinson’s ties to the white supremeacist organization run deep, as she was the once girlfriend of Aryan Brotherhood Capt. Stephen “Caveman” Wallace. Wallace is now serving a life sentence for the night he and five others, locked Robinson in the trunk of a car and then drove her to a cemetery, where she was severely beaten. Robinson, Boddie and another man, Shane Garrett, 24, of Diboll, were arrested and taken to the Angelina County Jail.

TYLER — After meeting in executive session Wednesday morning to discuss the performance of City Manager Mark McDaniel, the Tyler City Council voted unanimously to rate his performance as outstanding. “The success Tyler has had during these last years of tough economic time does not happen by accident,” said Mayor Barbara Bass. “It is due to the leadership of Mark McDaniel. We are very proud Mark has chosen to work for the City of Tyler and are thankful he is our City manager.”

McDaniel’s performance was recognized by his professional peers when the Texas City Management Association (TCMA) named him Texas Administrator of the Year in June of 2010. The TCMA Administrator of the Year Award specifically recognizes the city management professional who has made significant contributions to the field of local government management in the past 18 months.

TYLER — Tyler Police worked a major wreck Wednesday morning on Highway 271 near UT Health Center. According to KETK, police say there were two cars involved, nobody went to the hospital, and the cars were not blocking the road. No further details were immediately available.

PITTSBURG — A woman has been reported missing in Pittsburg. According to KETK and Pittsburg police, Sylvia Youngberg is 71 years old, white, 5’6,” 185 lbs., with long back length gray hair that may be in a bun. She is believed to be wearing the clothing in the attached photograph and blue jean pants. She was last seen at approximately 8 p.m. on December 13 at the Pittsburg Nursing Center. It is believed she left walking in an unknown direction. If seen, you’re asked to call the Pittsburg Police Department at 903-856-3330 or your local law enforcement agency.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has voted unanimously to annex 113.8 acres adjacent to the present boundary limits of the city at the southeast intersection of Interstate Highway 20 and Highway 69 North. This is a voluntary annexation requested by the property owner, the Fair Trust. The property is not currently inhabited.

“As part of the Tyler 21 Plan, the City of Tyler has undertaken the installation of water and sewer lines along Highway 69 in an effort to stimulate growth toward Interstate 20,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass Wednesday. “The water line is almost complete and the sewer line is anticipated to be finished by this time next year. It is extremely gratifying to see this action taken today, which in large part resulted from our infrastructure project and is the foundation for major new development.”

This annexation will include a portion of County Road 461 (east of the intersection of County Road 461 and State Highway 69). Streets are given names at the time of annexation to distinguish county streets from city streets and to aid police and fire departments in identifying areas in their jurisdiction. The City Council also approved the renaming of this portion of the road to James Fair Parkway.

“This is a major step forward in fostering balanced growth for our City,” said City Council Member Ralph Caraway. “With this step and the extension of sewer service to this area next year, we are poised for significant development in this area.”

TYLER — The Tyler City Council has voted unanimously to accept an agreement with the City of Chandler that will establish Extra Territorial Jurisdiction (ETJ) boundaries for both communities. Although Chandler is located in Henderson County, due to annexations by both cities, respective extraterritorial jurisdictions have reached one another. To facilitate orderly development, particularly along the Smith, Henderson, and Van Zandt County borders and to provide for a mutually agreeable settlement, representatives of both cities have had discussions and arrived at a proposed extraterritorial jurisdiction boundary for Tyler and Chandler. “We have been working with our neighboring communities to ensure there is agreement on where the ETJ is for each of us,” said Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass. “We want to work together to do what is best for the region.”

A community’s ETJ is typically established by the number of residents in a community. Tyler’s current ETJ extends five miles while Chandler’s is half a mile from the city limit line; as annexations occur, the city limit line moves, which results in a community’s ETJ also extending. An ETJ is considered a future planning area and is an anticipated area of growth for a community. “As East Texas cities continue to grow, mutual cooperation is essential,” said Tyler City Manager Mark McDaniel. “The agreement we have reached with Chandler is in the best interests of both communities and I am pleased with the outcome.”

TYLER — The City of Tyler continues the quest for continuous improvement by starting a journey toward receipt of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, according to officials. The Baldrige Award was created by Congress in 1987 and is the highest level of national recognition for performance excellence a United States organization can receive. It is a system-based model that evaluates seven categories of an organization’s makeup — leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, measurement/analysis, workforce focus, operation focus and results. The award is presented by the President of the United States. “This journey is not about getting an award, it is about examining all parts of the City and finding ways to constantly improve our organization,” said Mark McDaniel, Tyler City Manager.

To begin this process, the City will first pursue the Texas Award for Performance Excellence (TAPE). Developed in the 1990’s, the TAPE Award is based upon the Baldrige Award and promotes awareness of effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, integrated processes and world-class results as an increasingly important element in competitiveness. The process for preparing for the award audit will include engagement of the City’s Lean Sigma Green and Black Belts and refinement of the City’s strategic planning and business planning processes, as well as internal assessment by key staff trained in the Baldrige methodology.

City officials say the City of Tyler has a long history of performance excellence. According to press materials, this history was strengthened in 1997 with the adoption of the Blueprint Business Model, which officials say defined the City’s core values and commitment to a culture of continuous improvement. The Blueprint guides Tyler’s organizational culture and is what officials say differentiates Tyler from other municipal governments.

LINDEN (AP) – Police say a pickup has struck a school bus in a northeast Texas wreck that left the truck driver hurt and his vehicle on fire. Linden police say the accident happened Wednesday morning on Highway 59. Police say the pickup ended up lodged beneath the rear area of the bus, which did not catch fire. Officer Mike Rider says the school bus apparently had stopped to pick up children and that no students were hurt. Rider told The Associated Press that the pickup driver has injuries that are not believed to be life-threatening and he was transported to a hospital. The crash involved a Linden-Kildare Consolidated Independent School District bus. Superintendent James Cowley says the bus carried 13 students and a driver.

TYLER — John Tyler High School Associate Principal of Curriculum & Instruction, Michael Timms, has been named the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP) State of Texas Assistant Principal of the Year. This award is given to the assistant principal who exhibits exemplary performance and outstanding leadership in secondary education. Mr. Timms was unanimously selected to receive this honor by a committee of eight leading educators in the State of Texas.

“It is truly a pleasure to work side-by-side with Mr. Timms,” John Tyler High School Principal Shon Joseph said. “He is a highly effective leader on our campus, but more importantly, he is a positive influence on our students. I have no doubt many John Tyler graduates will list him as an inspiration in their future successes.”

By being selected TASSP State of Texas Assistant Principal of the Year, Mr. Timms earned a trip to a national conference in Washington, DC, where he will meet with the 49 other statewide assistant principals of the year. While in Washington, DC, he will also meet the President of the United States, the United States Secretary of Education, and federal lawmakers.

The TASSP State of Texas Assistant Principal of the Year is selected from among the 20 Regional Assistant Principals of the Year. Mr. Timms was named the Region 7 Assistant Principal of the Year this past summer. He will now move on to compete for the National Assistant Principal of the Year recognition.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man’s bond is set at $100,000 in connection with a Sunday crash that injured a Longview police officer and her passenger. Ramon Antonio Dominguez, 22, was booked into the Gregg County Jail on Monday charged with two counts of intoxication assault. Officer Leigh Ann Snyder’s patrol car was struck head-on by Dominguez around 8:00 Sunday morning in the 5200 block of West Loop 281.

According to the arrest warrant, when officer Amy Cave responded to the scene, she met with Dominguez, who she said smelled like alcohol. According to the police report, Dominguez indicated that he had been drinking, and when asked how much, he said that he had been drinking ‘too much to be driving. Dominguez also told Cave he and a few friends were heading home, and said he wasn’t the one who was driving when the crash occurred. But the responding officer said he was the driver and that there were no passengers in the car.

Following the crash, the Jaws of Life were called to extricate the officer and her passenger, Courtney Walker, from the vehicle, and both were transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center. Snyder underwent emergency surgery for injuries sustained in the crash, and Walker was treated for non-life threatening injuries. Dominguez was transported to the jail after being released from the hospital Monday. Snyder was listed in fair condition Tuesday.

LONGVIEW — A one-vehicle rollover wreck Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of West Cotton Street and Spur 63 in Longview injured the driver and damaged cars at a nearby dealership, police say. According to police, the crash happened when the driver’s vehicle left the roadway and hit a light pole. The vehicle then flipped. The cars at the dealership were damaged by the fallen light pole. The driver was taken to a local hospital.

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating an aggravated assault. It happened around 11:00 Tuesday night in the 300 block of Frank Avenue. Officers said the victim, Aaron Thomas, had reported that Sergio Loiza shot him during an altercation. According to the police report, the two men had been arguing when Loiza showed back up at the victim’s residence with a handgun. Authorities said Loiza hit the victim in the head with the gun when it discharged hitting Thomas in the back. He was treated for a non-life threatening superficial gunshot wound at East Texas Medical Center.

ORE CITY — A two vehicle accident in Upshur County has left one person dead. The accident occurred just after 3:15 Tuesday afternoon on State Highway 155, just west of its intersection with Wisteria. Dead at the scene was Joseph Don DeLuca, 41, of Gilmer. The Department of Public Safety reports DeLuca’s car was east bound when it crossed over to the westbound lane and hit a pickup. The pickup’s driver was not injured.

GILMER — A Gregg County man will be serving time in prison for a drug violation in Upshur County. Anthony Derrick Hollis, 38, of Gladewater, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for delivery of cocaine. Because Hollis has two prior convictions the punishment was enhanced.

Hollis was arrested in August of last year after an informant tipped of authorities that Hollis wanted to sell crack cocaine. Authorities were able to obtain audio and video of the meeting.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A group of low-wealth schools, including a school district in Van Zandt County, has filed the third lawsuit against the state over school funding. Four school districts, Edgewood, and three in south Texas, McAllen, San Benito and La Feria, are named as plaintiffs. Each district has low property tax value. Three parents also are plaintiffs.

The Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund filed the lawsuit in Austin Tuesday. It alleges the state’s school finance system is inequitable and inadequate for students who are low-income or still learning English.

Plaintiffs also allege that many property poor districts are taxing at the maximum rate just to meet state requirements and “no longer have meaningful discretion in setting their tax rates.”

MALDEF attorney David Hinojosa says the state has not provided adequate money to reach new standards and college-readiness goals.

LONGVIEW – Longview school trustees have accepted the resignation of Superintendent James Wilcox. The action came at their meeting late Monday night. District officials said the vote was 6-0, with trustee Troy Simmons absent from the meeting. Wilcox’s resignation takes effect December 31. Wilcox has been Longview’s school superintendent for over 4½ years. He came to Longview from the Waxahachie school district.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – The Sulphur Springs school district needs a new superintendent. Patsy Bolton submitted her letter of resignation and retirement at Monday’s school board meeting. It a prepared statement to the media Bolton said, “It was with a bittersweet mixture of humility and pride that I officially submitted by resignation and notice of retirement to the trustees.”

She was first appointed to act as interim superintendent after Mark Henry was selected superintendent at Galena Park ISD in May 2004. She was named superintendent and assumed the position in July, 2004.

TYLER — East Texas Medical Center-Tyler celebrated what’s termed “visionary leadership” as its emergency center was named the Elmer G. Ellis Trauma Center Tuesday as part of a $1 million donation by the Robert M. Rogers Foundation. In 2005, ETMC Tyler embarked on an $8 million expansion and refurbishment of its emergency department, beginning with a major addition of 12 exam rooms and support areas located on the west side of the emergency drive.

The Rogers Foundation elected to support what hospital officials call “this vital capital project” through a $1 million pledge that was completed earlier this year. As part of its commitment, the foundation asked that the trauma center be named for Elmer G. Ellis, president/CEO of the East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System at the project’s completion. “Nothing better reflects ETMC’s mission of care for East Texans – and the dedication of Elmer Ellis – than its trauma program,” said Wade C. Ridley, board chairman for the ETMC Foundation. “We are grateful to the Rogers Foundation for its outstanding support of the trauma center project, which will ultimately save countless lives.”

A bronze plaque honoring Ellis, located with the donor recognition wall, reads: “Through a landmark gift to this facility, The Robert M. Rogers Foundation recognizes Elmer G. Ellis, President/CEO, East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, for exemplifying ETMC’s mission of care to East Texas. His personal dedication has resulted in an unmatched emergency/trauma network throughout the region and beyond, and ETMC Tyler’s State of Texas designation as a Level I Trauma Center. This center is thereby dedicated in his honor and in recognition of the lives that will be saved within these hallowed walls.”

TYLER — The teen who fired some shots in the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center, will be going to prison. Corey Darnell Webb was sentenced to 50 years. The Missouri teen admitted to shooting at officers inside the facility a year ago when he appeared Tuesday in 7th State District Court. Webb could have received up to life in prison. Kansas City police had asked Tyler police to hold Webb for outstanding warrants. During that time, he pulled a gun from his backpack and began firing at an officer inside the attention center. No one was injured.

LINDALE — The Lindale Independent School District board of trustees voted Monday night to join more than 300 school districts in the Texas Taxpayer and Student Fairness Coalition-Equity Center lawsuit filed against the state. Officials say the lawsuit, filed in October, is in response to the Texas legislature’s more than $4 billion cuts to school funding. The goal of the lawsuit is to push reform for the state’s current funding system in order to begin a new means to fairly distribute resources to districts, adjust for varying costs of educating students of all needs and vary operating costs of districts of different classifications (rural versus urban). The lawsuit addresses state property tax, adequacy and suitability, student equity, target revenue, tax payer equity and equal protection.

“Lindale ISD, like most districts, wants an efficient and equitable funding system for public schools,” Superintendent Stan Surratt said. “Lindale ISD is below the state average in terms of revenue per student. Also, the current funding system designed by the legislature has major issues in adequacy and future capacity. We want to see this changed.”

LISD trustees first examined joining the lawsuit as part of the business discussion at the October 10 meeting. LISD school board president Brig. Gen. James K. “Red” Brown was not present at Monday night’s meeting but Surratt said Brown had discussed the litigation with the school district’s attorneys and recommended the district participate. With Gen. Brown’s recommendation, trustees approved the contribution of $1 per Weighted Average Daily Attendance (WADA) for the lawsuit by a vote of 6-0.

Lindale ISD joins several school districts from East Texas in the equity lawsuit including Tyler ISD, Bullard ISD and Van ISD. There are currently three school finance lawsuits against the state. “In the past, most major reform and improvement in school funding has come about due to school districts filing lawsuits in the state,” added Surratt. “This is not the first time this has happened. Our goal is to prompt and motivate legislators to address the funding crisis that schools are facing.”

TYLER — Fire has damaged a Tyler home. It was reported just before 9:00 Tuesday morning at 1917 North Border. The fire started in a bedroom of the house. Everyone inside escaped safely.

Investigators say the fire when a propane space heater was started. The bed was quickly involved with fire and the residents left the house. There was heavy fire damage to two rooms. In addition, there was smoke damage throughout the house.

At this time of the year the fire department wants to remind everyone about space heater safety. All space heaters need at least 3 foot clearance from anything that can burn. Clothing, furniture, decorations, etc. can all burn if too close to a space heater. Propane space heaters are not designed to be used to heat the interior of a house while people are living in it. The greatest danger is the possibility of carbon monoxide poisoning to the occupants. As always, having a working smoke detector that is properly located in a house gives the earliest warning to everyone so that they get out alive.

TYLER — The sex abuse scandals at Penn State and Syracuse cause some colleges all over the country re-examining their policies, including campuses here in in East Texas. Tyler Junior College spokesman, Fred Peters, says they were already making sure that any hint of harassment was reported and dealt with quickly. Peters says that TJC has had a Civility Task Force in place for over a year, that meets every week.

But Peters also wonders if the Sandusky story breaking when it did had anything to do with a letter from the government. The letter was sent to all colleges and universities and warned of a renewed effort to make sure Title IX cases of harassment were rooted out. Title IX is the law that deals with gender equity issues we usually associate with women’s athletics. But is also covers harassment. There were over 4000 incidents of sexual harassment reported in universities across the country last year. But with the latest high profile cases, perhaps that number will go down.