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TYLER — The Tyler City Council received a presentation Wednesday from the consulting law firm of Bickerstaff Heath Delgado Acosta LLP on its initial assessment of the required redistricting of single member Council districts. “The American system of representative government is based on the theory of one person – one vote, where each person’s vote in a district counts the same as another person’s vote in a similar district,” explained City Attorney Gary Landers. “The City of Tyler last redistricted in 2000; since that time, there has been a sizable increase in the total population of the city, requiring the City to again redistrict.”

The United States Constitution requires that each district within a city must have approximately equal population. Preliminary results from the 2010 Census indicate that the population of Tyler is 96,900, an increase of 15.84 percent from the 2000 Census. The distribution of that growth has not been evenly dispersed resulting in an uneven number of residents in some of the City’s single member districts. Given Tyler’s current population, each district should have 16,150 residents or be within 10 percent of that figure. To achieve this equity, district boundary lines must be adjusted to rebalance the populations in the districts.

In addition to the one voter – one vote rule, cities in Texas must be aware of the federal Voting Rights Act requirements that govern the redistricting process. To ensure redistricting obligations are met, the City of Tyler, along with Smith County and Tyler Independent School District, has contracted with the law firm of Bickerstaff and Heath to assist with the redistricting process.

“Redistricting is a complex process and there are several issues that must be kept in mind,” said Landers. “The consultants have decades of experience in this area and will guide the City through the process to ensure we meet all of our obligations. For example, we must gain approval from the U.S. Department of Justice for the new district boundaries before they are implemented in an election. Also, we have to ensure that the districting changes do not have a retrogressive effect on protected minority voters in specific districts; we have to ensure that these segments of the population are not worse off under the new system.”

Officials say the City, County, and school district have all contracted with Bickerstaff and Heath Law Firm for the redistricting process to increase coordination and cooperation. According to city officials, it is anticipated that this coordination will assist voters in the future.

In their first presentation to the Tyler City Council, the consultants presented recommendations that outline a set of redistricting criteria and guidelines that will serve as the framework to guide the City in the consideration of districting plans, assist the City in its efforts to comply with federal and state laws that apply in the process, and provide the City a means to evaluate and measure the proposed plans.

Redistricting criteria include:
* Adopting districts of relatively equal size;
* Ensuring the districts have identifiable boundaries;
* Maintaining communities of interest and neighborhoods;
* Using whole voting precincts;
* Basing the plan on existing districts;
* Drawing districts that are compact and contiguous;
* Keeping incumbents in their districts; and,
* Tailoring the plan to comply with the Voting Rights Act.

The redistricting process is expected to be implemented by the end of November 2011. Public hearings will likely be held in May or June, assessment will be completed in July and adoption of the final plan will occur in August. The plan will then be submitted to the Department of Justice in September.

TYLER — Local economic trends are continuing to improve, according to information presented at the annual luncheon of the Tyler Economic Development Council. President/CEO Tom Mullins says examples include growth in the area’s population, workforce, and tax base. Among other things, he adds, that means more prospect activity. Mullins says, “We’ll be announcing a new project here in a couple of weeks that’ll be creating some new jobs; we have a very promising prospect that’s got Tyler on the short list.” Guest speaker was former State Senator and Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff, who talked about politics and the economy.

TYLER — Police in Tyler say a citizen tip has led to an arrest. On Tuesday, Tyler-Smith County Crimestoppers received a tip on Demoria Edwards, 20, indicating that he had fled to Dallas. Edwards was wanted by the Tyler Police Department for aggravated sexual assault of a child, a first degree felony. The arrest warrant was issued on February 24 by Judge Randall Rogers. Bond was set at $100,000. On Wednesday, the United States Marshal’s Service in Dallas was notified of this information and given an address where Edwards might be found. Federal marshals located Edwards at 3043 Marjorie Avenue, Dallas, Wednesday morning and took him into custody.

JEFFERSON (AP) – The hospitalized owner of about 140 starving dogs seized in Northeast Texas could face charges over the neglected animals. The Marshall News-Messenger reported Wednesday that the animals have been rescued, by the Humane Society of Marion County, from property near Jefferson. Humane Society leader Caroline Wedding says some animals were in cages, while others were left to roam the woods. She says the dogs are being treated for flea infestations, skin diseases, infected eyes and starvation. Officials say owner, a 64-year-old man whose name has not been released, had been away from the property since last month after being admitted to a hospital in Shreveport, La. Some of his relatives contacted animal rescue authorities, who began seizing the dogs last Friday.

NOONDAY — A two story house near Noonday was engulfed by flames late Tuesday night. Firefighters say the house, located on Bayshore Drive off Highway 155, was already half-way destroyed by the time they arrived. Everyone inside the house escaped without injuries. Officials say the absence of fire hydrants around the house made fighting the fire extremely challenging. Noonday fire chief, Howard Harris said, “We don’t have any hydrants so we had to shuttle all our water. I think we had about seven different departments shuttling water for us tonight.”

There was also another structure fire reported during the same time last night on County Road 167 near Old Jacksonville Highway. The fire was extinguished quickly, causing little damage and no injuries.

TYLER — Two men have been sentenced to federal prison and ordered to pay restitution for their roles in a health care fraud scheme. According to U.S. Attorney John M. Bales, Jasper Ogbonna, 42, of Newark, Delaware, pleaded guilty last September to health care fraud and was sentenced to 21 months in federal prison and. He was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $822,411.44. Tony Ahi, 54, of Toronto, Canada, pleaded guilty in December to conspiracy to commit health care fraud and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison. He was ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $969,516.25. The sentencing hearings were held yesterday before U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider.

On June 30, 2009, a federal grand jury returned a twenty-one count indictment charging Ogbonna, the owner of a West Virginia medical supply company, with conspiracy to commit health care fraud, health care fraud, and aggravated identity theft.

On January 6, 2010, a federal grand jury returned a forty-one count superseding indictment charging Ogbonna, Anthony Nnadi, Kevin Onwudiwe, Ahi, and Emmanuel Gabriels with conspiracy to commit health care fraud. Ogbonna, Nnadi, and Onwudiwe were also charged with health care fraud and aggravated identity theft. The grand jury returned a second superseding indictment on March 3, 2010.

According to the indictment, from August 2005 through April 2008, Ogbonna controlled and operated Matrix Medical Equipment and Supplies, Inc. in Weirton, West Virginia, and Nnadi controlled and operated Nicco Medical Services, LLC in Little Rock, Arkansas. Nnadi was assisted in the operation of Nicco Medical Services by Onwudiwe and Ahi. Both companies purportedly did business providing durable medical equipment to Medicare beneficiaries. During that time, Ogbonna, Nnadi, Onwudiwe, Ahi, Gabriels, and their co-conspirators devised and carried out a scheme to defraud Medicare through the marketing of “ortho kits,” which consisted of a bag of orthotic items such as braces, wraps, and supports.

As part of the scheme, the defendants and their co-conspirators illegally obtained protected Medicare beneficiary health information, including names, dates of birth, and Medicare and Social Security numbers from elderly individuals. Approximately 509 Medicare beneficiaries in Texas and Louisiana were supplied with “ortho kits” which were not prescribed or authorized by a physician and which were not wanted by the beneficiaries. In many instances, physicians’ signatures were forged and false claims were submitted to Medicare in the names of Medicare beneficiaries who were deceased. Using protected health information, the defendants and their co-conspirators billed between $4,850 and $6,550 for each “ortho kit”, causing the submission of false and fraudulent claims to Medicare of more than $2.8 million. As a result of these claims, the defendants and their co-conspirators unlawfully obtained more than $1million from Medicare.

“Today’s sentencing marks the end of only a single battle in the ongoing war against those who purposely attack the financial integrity of the Medicare program,” said Special Agent in Charge Mike Fields of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General’s (OIG) Dallas Regional Office. “HHS-OIG, along with our state and federal law enforcement partners, is committed to protecting the
Medicare program and its beneficiaries.”

TYLER — A Panola County man and a Mexican national have been sentenced to federal prison for drug violations. Bradley Thomas Boren, 47, of Carthage, was named in a 66 count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in April of last year. He pleaded guilty on November 2 to possession of a List 1 chemical with the intent to manufacture methamphetamine. Boren was sentenced yesterday to 57 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider.

According to federal prosecutors, Boren purchased cold pills containing pseudoephedrine at a Wal-Mart store in Longview on December 13, 2008, as well as on numerous other occasions at other stores in the area in furtherance of his methamphetamine manufacturing activities.

The Mexican national, Jose Santos Rubio Guido, 28, was sentenced to 12 months and 1 day in federal prison yesterday by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. He was indicted by a federal grand jury last July and pleaded guilty to the charges last October.

Federal prosecutors say on January 8, 2010, Rubio Guido delivered approximately 56 grams of powder cocaine to his co-defendant, Alfredo Bello Dejesus. On June 11, 2010, Rubio Guido possessed another 5 grams of powder cocaine with the intent to distribute. From January 2009 to June 11, 2010, Rubio Guido delivered or aided and abetted in the delivery of approximately 50 to 75 additional grams of powder cocaine. All of Rubio Guido’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty in this case.

JACKSONVILLE — Both employees and students are concerned about the financial situation at Lon Morris College. An anonymous employee of the Jacksonville School told KETK-TV employees got their last paycheck two weeks late and didn’t receive their March 31st paycheck. Sources told KETK the college was denied a loan that was supposed to finance the school, and it’s fueling rumors that the school is bankrupt. When station reporters went to the college, they were quickly informed by officials that employees were told not to say a word.

One concerned parent said her son, who goes to the college, said some teachers were packing up and leaving because they didn’t get paid. “One of my coaches, he didn’t even come to practice today because he didn’t get his check,” says one student.

Late yesterday afternoon they received the following statement from the Lon Morris President, Dr. Miles McCall: “Lon Morris College is a school with a proud tradition. Affiliated with and supported by the Texas Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Lon Morris College, like many educational institutions, often faces financial obstacles due to the current difficult economic challenges in our country. Lon Morris College is a private non-profit educational institution. Financial information is not public information and cannot be discussed until at which time all constituent groups have been briefed through the internal processes. The tremendous growth in recent years has put pressure on working capital. The institution has no plans to close at this time…nor have we quit paying our employees. We have delayed one pay period for several days while our accounts receivables accrued to a level needed to meet cash demands and we may be forced to delay some future pay periods in order to meet our student obligations. These challenges happen every day in local industry, educational institutions, and government agencies and often go unnoticed by the media and public. We are not immune to the current economic pressure.”

NACOGDOCHES – A Nacogdoches man is in custody, charged with having an inappropriate relationship with a 14 year old girl. Arrested was Cirilo Brasil, 22. He was charged with indecency with a child and booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail. The girl’s parents are said to have discovered the relationship between their daughter and the man and contacted authorities. The investigation of the case continues and additional charges may be filed.

KILGORE — Twenty-four students graduated from the Kilgore College Fire Academy No. 79 Tuesday night. The ceremony was held in the Bert E. Woodruff Adult Education Center Auditorium. The academy is accredited by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and the State Firemen and Fire Marshal’s Association and approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The academy offers certification schools for NFPA 1001 Basic Structural Firefighter I and II certification, the Texas Volunteer certification, Fire Inspector and Fire and Arson Investigation courses. It is also a designated institution by the Canadian Province of British Columbia.

The following candidates, listed by hometown, are part of KC Fire Academy No. 79:
Bullard: Chance Massey
Delta, B..C., Canada: Dave Yee
Gibsons, B.C., Canada: Daniel Martin
Kelowna, B.C., Canada: Mike Hottman, Logan Houde, Jeff Lahn and Kyle Warkentin
Merville, B.C., Canada: Jesse Ross
Miller Grove: Blake McGowan
Mount Pleasant: Cole Latham
Nanaimo, B.C., Canada: Kyle Gerke
North Vancouver, B.C., Canada: Mark Hallaway
Ore City: Dillon Campbell
Shawnigan Lake, B.C., Canada: Brandon Peltier
St. Albert AB, Canada: Patrick Edgson
Terrace, B.C., Canada: James Morrow
Tyler: Derick Puckett
Vancouver, B.C., Canada: David Chiu
Vernon, B.C., Canada: Fred Lavoie
Victoria, B.C., Canada: Blake Atherton, Brock Atherton, Jonathan Dodd, Andrew Melling
Whitehouse: Ross M. Melton

TYLER (AP) – A Tyler federal judge has overturned a federal jury’s order that Apple Inc. pay $625.5 million in damages for violating patents held by Mirror Worlds LLC, a small technology company. The decision, made by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis in a Monday court filing, dismisses one of the largest verdicts in a patent lawsuit. In October, a federal jury in Tyler determined Apple infringed on three Mirror Worlds patents, which cover several features on Apple’s Mac computers, iPhones and iPods. In his ruling, Davis said that “Mirror Worlds may have painted an appealing picture for the jury, but failed to lay a solid foundation sufficient to support important elements it was required to establish under the law.” There’s been no comment from either Apple or Mirror Worlds.

LINDALE — Law officers say a man identified as John Shane Owens, 30, led them on a chase through Lindale’s Velma Penny Elementary School early Tuesday afternoon, after they discovered during a traffic stop that he had outstanding warrants. Authorities say Owens was taken to a local hospital after being tackled to the ground during the chase. He has been charging with evading arrest.

Lindale police officials say during the stop on Farm Road 849, one of the two people in the truck took off running, heading down then road and then through a field and into the school. However, he was only in the school for about 15 seconds, running through the front doors and out another door. Once outside, officers tackled the chase suspect, who was unarmed, and arrested him. Authorities say Owens was wanted on three warrants for writing hot checks. Velma Penny school officials say their school was on lockdown for about 10-15 minutes during the incident.

TYLER – Tyler entrepreneurs Michael and Lisa Lujan are preparing for national competition after being named the Small Business Administration Texas Small Business Persons of the Year for 2011. This is the first time this honor has been awarded to an East Texas business, according to the Fort Worth SBA Regional office. The Lujans will represent the entire state at the national competition in Washington, D.C., during National Small Business Week, May 18-20, which honors the estimated 27.2 million small businesses in America.

Michael Lujan, a former school administrator, and Lisa Lujan, a former banker, founded Mentoring Minds in 2002 after developing an innovative study aid, designed as a flip chart, that would help elementary teachers and students in Texas better meet new state educational standards. The two launched the firm from their garage, maxing out their credit cards to print the first 6,000 copies. Less than 10 years later, Mentoring Minds is a full-service educational publisher, producing innovative learning products with more than $11 million in 2010 sales. One of the nation’s fastest-growing Hispanic-owned businesses, it also ranks #344 in Hispanic Business Magazine’s 2010 list of the largest U.S. Hispanic-owned firms. The Lujans continue to own the company, which now has 50 employees.

To the Lujans, the key inspiration continues to be “the kiddos”, as Michael Lujan fondly refers to the students who reached him from his earliest days as an educator. “It’s what inspires our growth,” he says. “We want to reach educators and kids across the country, and our plans for the future will move us out of the ‘small’ business category very quickly.”

The Lujans say they received critical support early on from a variety of East Texas groups, including the Small Business Development Center at TJC, the Tyler Economic Development Council, and the Tyler chapter of SCORE, a small business counseling organization. Michael now serves on the board of the TEDC and as the Vice Chairman of the local Hispanic Business Alliance with the objective of promoting the growth and competitiveness of new and existing Hispanic businesses. The Lujans also support many causes, saying, “It’s not just our duty to help our communities, it’s our mission.” Among other things, Michael mentors other entrepreneurs. Mentoring Minds CEO Robert Bush says that’s “critical to East Texas,” adding that the company is committed to keeping the area “vibrant” by helping keep jobs in East Texas.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin teen pleads guilty to assault. Amber Michelle Branum, 19, punched an emergency room nurse in February. She was sentenced to five years of deferred adjudication in addition to a $500 fine. She will also participate in anger management classes and alcohol and substance abuse counseling.

LONGVIEW — Gregg County officials investigating a fire that destroyed Southwest Plastics in Gladewater have ruled the cause of the blaze undetermined. “We were not able to determine a single source of ignition,” Gregg County Fire Marshal David Kidder said. Kidder said the fire started on the west side of the plant in the area close to where the finished product is stored prior to being shipped. “There is heat involved in producing the product, but there shouldn’t be any heat source in the final product, not that could have started this fire,” Kidder said. Gladewater firefighters were dispatched at about 1:30am on March 7 to Southwest Plastics in the 1000 block of East Commerce Street after a witness noticed flames, according to Gladewater Fire Chief Wayne Smith.

LUFKIN — A former Lufkin nursing home worker accused of trying to make a 91-year-old woman touch him last year was released from jail Tuesday on a personal recognizance bond. A State District Judge granted the motion in Telesforo Vasquez III’s case for a PR bond, as the accused has no financial means to post his collective $150,000 bond. The 25-year-old has been in jail since turning himself in Dec. 1. Vasquez is charged with one count of injury to an elderly and one count of attempted sexual assault of an elderly for the Nov. 24 incident in which he allegedly exposed himself to the female Castle Pines resident and directed her to touch him, according to an arrest affidavit. When she refused, Vasquez reportedly forced her down, causing an injury to her hip and buttock area.

As part of the terms of his release, Vasquez must have no contact with hospitals, nursing homes or retirement facilities, Bryan said, adding “no means no.” He must also have no contact with the victim. Although Charanza told the judge Vasquez is ready to plead, that did not take place in the courtroom Tuesday. Vasquez faces up to 10 years in prison on each of the two third-degree felony charges.

FLINT — Authorities have identified the person killed in a two vehicle accident south of Tyler Monday. He’s Gary Gene Parrish, 47, of Balch Springs. Authorities say Parrish’s van slammed into the rear of a UPS truck on Highway 69 south. The Department of Public Safety says Parrish had to be cut from the wreckage and was not wearing a seat belt. He later died at a Tyler hospital.

HUDSON — An East Texas father and his 17 year old son have been charged with raping a 16 year old girl. The gang rape occurred earlier this month. It came to light after the girl told a school counselor. Arrested was Clinton “Bubba” Johnson Sr., 53, and his son Clinton, both of Hudson. Both are in the Angelina County Jail, the dad being held on a $150,000 bond and the son on a $100,000 bond.

PALESTINE – The superintendent of the Palestine School District is moving up to 5-A. He’ll be moving to Bryan. According to a note on the Bryan School District web site, “The Bryan ISD Board of Trustees has named Dr. Thomas Wallis as the sole finalist to replace retiring superintendent Mike Cargill. Dr. Wallis is currently superintendent of Palestine ISD in East Texas, a post he has held since 2008. He was previously principal of Mabank High School.” The Bryan school board’s action came in a Monday afternoon meeting. Following state law, the Bryan school trustees must wait 21 days before formally offering the position to Wallis.

LIBERTY CITY — Three salt water tankers caught fire Monday morning in Liberty City after a lightning strike during severe weather. Fire officials say one tanker was struck by lightning and caught fire at Sabine Disposal on Farm Road 2207. The fire then spread to two other tankers. It happened around 9:00am. The fire was put out by the Kilgore Fire Department.

WINNSBORO — A former Winnsboro band director pleads guilty Friday to sexual assault of a child and to child indecency. Paul Bramlette was indicted back in March of last year on 8 counts of sexual assault. Franklin County Officials say along with having to register as a sex offender and removal of his teaching license, Bramlettte was also sentenced to 30 days in jail with a $3,000 fine and two 10 year probation sentences.

HENDERSON — Jessica Carson entered a not guilty plea Monday morning in a Rusk County District courtroom. Carson is charged with capital murder in connection with the December 2, 2008 beating death of her 13-month-old daughter, Amora Bain Carson. Her boyfriend, Blaine Milam, also was charged in the child’s death. He was sentenced to die by lethal injection almost a year ago by a Conroe jury after being found guilty of capital murder. Rusk County prosecutors said they are not seeking the death penalty for Carson, but will seek life in prison if she is convicted.

Sheriff officials received a 911 call that morning from the couple’s home in the 13000 block of County Road 2125 saying that Amora was not breathing, according to Lt. Reynold Humber, chief criminal investigator with the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. Once the first deputy arrived, paramedics told him the child was dead under suspicious circumstances, he said. Humber said deputies found the child on a bedroom floor; she had several injuries, including severe trauma that appear to have been caused by a heavy object.

Humber said the couple gave several explanations about the child’s injuries; including they had left the child unattended and someone broke in and bludgeoned her. In Milam’s trial, authorities said they found more than 20 bite marks on Amora and said she was hit with a hammer. Neither Milam nor Carson testified in Milam’s trial.

LONGVIEW – Investigators will be back on the scene today of a Longview fire. It was reported late Sunday afternoon at Southwest Plastics and Fiber, a recycling facility, 3403 Estes Parkway. The blaze was extinguished within thirty minutes, before it could spread to the large amount of combustible materials in the building. The cause of the fire hasn’t been determined.

HOUSTON (AP/STAFF) — The head football coach at George Ranch High School, a female educator and her estranged husband have all been found shot to death at a Rosenberg hotel. The bodies of the three were found shortly before 5:00 Friday afternoon at the Regency Inn. The Houston Chronicle has identified the dead as coach Trevor White, pictured here, of Katy. He is a graduate of Stephen F. Austin University and formerly coached in Garrison. Also killed were Destiny Pickett of Richmond, and her estranged husband Clifford. Court records show Pickett had filed for divorce and a restraining order against her husband in February.

LAS VEGAS (AP/STAFF) – Even though Taylor Swift was named entertainer of the year, the over all winner at the Academy of Country Music awards Sunday night was Lindale’s Miranda Lambert. She will be returning to East Texas with four first place trophies. For the second straight year she was named female vocalist of the year. Her hit single “The House That Built Me,” was named both single and song of the year. The song was voted video of the year as well.

Lambert was also a performer on the show. Between her signing and winning awards, she received a lot of stage time. Her main squeeze Blake Shelton was the show’s co-host. Shelton joked Lambert will soon be giving up her second job as a wedding planner. They’ll be married in a matter of weeks.

TYLER — The Humane Society of East Texas is struggling financially, more so than ever in its 43-year history, according to Executive Director Gayle Helms. On KTBB “Staff Meeting,” she says one way you can help is to become a “Friend of the Shelter.” Helms says that’s sort of like being a member, at a cost of $30 or whatever you can afford above that figure. But Helms points out that any donation, large or small, “is just critical to us.” She also hopes you’ll come see the “Cause for the Paws” benefit concert, featuring Lindale’s own Miranda Lambert, to be held in downtown Tyler April 30. You can go to http://www.hsoet.org for more information. You can also listen to the “Staff Meeting” show at http://www.ktbb.com/audio beginning early Monday morning.

UNDATED — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

SMITH COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on Farm Road 2661 east of Tyler between State Highway 64 and State Highway 31. A second crew is scheduled to perform base repairs on Farm Road 317 south of Chandler between Farm Road 314 and Farm Road 315. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement-repair operations on State Highway 19 in Canton between Interstate Highway 20 and State Highway 64. Once that work is complete, crews will be performing the same work on SH 64 west of SH 19 and on State Highway 243 west of State Highway 198. A second crew will be performing fog-seal operations on Farm Road 751 between Wills Point and the Hunt County Line. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

LONGVIEW — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to continue pavement-repair operations on Loop 281 between State Highway 31 and US Highway 259 (Estes Parkway). Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone.

Also this week in Gregg County, TxDOT contractor Knife River renewed its plans to shift traffic to the newly constructed lanes on the State Highway 135 project north of Interstate Highway 20 beginning mid-week. Motorists are encouraged to use caution in and around the construction zone.

HENDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on Farm Road 85 between the Navarro County Line and State Highway 274 in Seven Points. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform resurfacing operations on State Highway 110 between New Summerfield and Ponta. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

RUSK COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform pavement repair operations on U.S. Highway 259 between State Highway 322 and Farm Road 850 north of Henderson. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

ANDERSON COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to perform edge repairs on Farm Road 323 southeast of Palestine between U.S. Highway 84 and Farm Road 1817. Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic.

WOOD COUNTY — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to be at work on the following roadways in and around Wood County:
*Farm Road 778 between State Highway 37 in Quitman and Farm Road 49; and
*Farm Road 857 between U.S. Highway 80 in Grand Saline and Farm Road 1255. Daytime lane closures will be in effect in each location while the work is in progress, and flaggers will control traffic in two-lane areas.

TYLER – A search for a missing boy caused a lockdown at Tyler’s Caldwell Zoo late Saturday afternoon. The 8 year old boy had wandered away from his aunt and brother around 5:45. The lockdown started about 6:00 and was lifted around an hour later when the found was found. The youngster was found about two miles from the zoo, near the intersection of the loop and Highway 69 North.

HAWKINS — Authorities release the name of a man who drowned in Lake Hawkins. The body of Gene Vatin Jr. of Longview was found floating in the lake Saturday morning about 30 feet from a boat pier. Authorities say they do not suspect foul play, but the investigation of the death is continuing.

MOUNT PLEASANT — A young girl who is thought to have wandered out the front door of a Mount Pleasant laundry has been struck by a vehicle and killed. The accident happened around 1:00 Friday afternoon at the Express Clean Laundromat, 403 West Ferguson Street. The two year old was rushed to Titus Regional Medical Center where she was later pronounced dead. The accident remains under investigation.