KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority heard from several East Texans at a Tuesday night Board of Directors’ meeting. Safety, Preservation of natural spaces, and NETRMA making a good fiscal decision, were all common themes from the 17 individuals that spoke to the proposed extension through east Tyler. The Toll 49 Segment 6 Project is an initiative of NET RMA to explore projected route options for a proposed extension of Toll 49 north to US 271 .

LONGVIEW — Finalists for the 2019 President’s Awards Program were recently announced in Austin. For over 30 years the awards program, sponsored by the Texas Downtown Association, has recognized outstanding projects, places, and people of Texas downtowns. Longview has two finalists for 2019 awards. R. Lacy, Inc. is a finalist in the category of new Construction, and for Best Downtown Business, Oil Horse Brewing Company is also a finalist. Continue reading Finalists Announced for the 2019 TDAs President’s Awards Program

TYLER — The East Texas Food Bank and Main Event Pro Wrestling have teamed up in “The Fight To End Hunger.” East Texas Food Bank presents the “Brawl At The Brewery” on Saturday night at True Vine Brewing Co. in Tyler. ETFB says Admission is free with a non-perishable food donation. The family friendly events ultimate goal is to raise awareness in the battle to end hunger in East Texas. ETFB serves over 250,000 clients in 26 counties.

TYLER — In August, the Tyler ISD school board voted unanimously to sell the John Tyler Agriculture Learning Center. According to our news partner KETK, TISD has moved forward with the sale and is taking sealed bids until 2:00 p.m. on Thursday. The district says the sale of the property makes sense since the facility has not been used in years. Should the facility sell, that money will go into the district’s general funds. The Chief Financial Officer will determine how the money should be used.

PITTSBURG — An East Texas mansion is going up for auction next month, and a well-known business titan once called it home. The home in Pittsburg was built for Pilgrim’s Pride founder Bo Pilgrim and his wife, Patricia. Bo Pilgrim died in 2017. Now his 43-acre estate — including the 18,000-square-foot home known as “Cluckingham Palace” — will be offered in a no-reserve auction starting October 15. Concierge Auctions will handle the sale. According to Forbes, the property has a listing investment of $15 million.

TYLER — A 16-year-old boy was arrested by Tyler police on Wednesday morning after allegedly robbing a Valero gas station. Officers responded to the call at 8:11 a.m. after the youth asked for cigarettes, he then pulled a gun and demanded all the money in the register. He was arrested less than 20 minutes later on Seeton Street. Officers recovered items that are said to connect him to the robbery. A gun found on the youth was discovered to be stolen. The suspect will be charged with Aggravated Robbery. By law, because the suspect is a minor, his identity was not released.

TYLER — A teen from Tyler is fighting for her life in a Dallas hospital and doctors believe vaping may be the cause. It began two weeks ago when Whitney Livingston, 17, started to complain about an upper respiratory problem. Her doctor told her she had bronchitis and early stages pneumonia. But within 24 hours her lungs had filled with fluid and she had trouble breathing. She was admitted to the ICU and transferred to Children’s Health in Dallas. Her mother, Jennifer Audas, says her daughter had been vaping for just 18 months and she thought it was a safer alternative to smoking.

SMITH COUNTY — On Tuesday morning Smith County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to an Assault call on S. HWY 155 in Tyler. Upon arrival, the suspect fled the scene on foot wearing tennis shoes and blue shorts. A brief foot chase ensued with the suspect running across Hwy. 155 in heavy morning traffic. It was learned that the suspect, Tony LeMark Battles III – 27, had come to the residence and allegedly assaulted a disabled individual. When Deputies arrived on scene he fled to avoid being arrested. Continue reading Deputies Arrest Subject After He Evaded Deputies on Foot

CARLISLE — A student has been removed from the campus of Carlisle ISD after an alleged “hit list” was brought to the attention of school officials. According to our news partner KETK, the district was made aware of the information Monday night. Law enforcement was immediately contacted and the student was questioned. Upon completion of the investigation by school officials, the student received disciplinary action and was removed from the campus. Carlisle ISD wants to ensure parents this behavior will not be tolerated. They encourage parents to have a conversation with their children and encourage them to report anything suspicious that they see or hear concerning school safety.

TYLER — Art of Peace is a week-long, Tyler, celebration of the annual United Nations International Day of Peace marked around the world on September 21. The 2019 Art of Peace theme is Living Peace, and the 2018 Peace Honoree is the People of Tyler, so many of whom are practicing peace in their daily lives. This year’s Art of Peace events include a Peace Art booth at the Boys & Girls Club Day for Kids, a juried Peace Art Exhibit at the Tyler Museum of Art, Continue reading Art of Peace Celebration Week

TYLER — The grand opening of the new Tyler Police Department Historical Museum was revealed on Monday at the main Police Station in Tyler. The museum is for officers and commemorates both the past and present with displays of badges, uniforms and equipment dating back to the 1930’s. One of the displays contains handmade model cars that are exact replicas of every vehicle in the departments history. The museum will also display photos from the past to the present.

TYLER — The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has closed an investigation into the death of a Tyler man at the Brookshire’s warehouse in March. According to our news partner KETK, Kasper Holland, 22, died at the facility in March. Initially the Tyler grocery company was fined with two violations. One of the fines was removed when documentation was presented that Holland had received proper training. Brookshire’s reached an informal settlement for the other violation for a fine of $10,608. OSHA closed the investigation on September 3.

MARSHALL — Harrison County ESD 3 Fire Rescue will host their inaugral 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb. The climb will be hosted by ETBU at their newly remodeled Marshall Grand Nursing School downtown on the square Wednesday. All uniformed, sworn, career, and/or volunteer emergency response personnel, active/ret. military service members are invited to participate in this physically demanding stair climb event. Continue reading Memorial Stair Climb Wednesday

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County officials are looking for a man who they say ran away after they responded to a call about an assault. According to our news partner KETK, deputies were called to a residence on Highway 155 South, shortly before 7 a.m. Upon arrival, a man, described only as a 27-year-old black male, wearing blue shorts and no shirt, took off running from deputies. Officials say they believe they know who the man is, but are withholding his identity until positive identification is made.

TYLER — Smith County has become the latest East Texas County to issue a burn ban. Smith County Commissioner’s took that action on Tuesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Cherokee County issued a band, prohibiting outdoor burning, 24 hours earlier. Numerous East Texas counties have been placed under burn bans in the last several week, after a long period of extreme heat and very little rain. No outdoor burning of any kind is allowed while a county is under a ban.

SMITH COUNTY — The mother of a toddler that drowned in Chapel Hill has been arrested. After an extensive investigation, investigators obtained an arrest warrant for Tiffany Snyder for injury to a child. On August 18, Smith County Deputies responded to a home on County Road 210 in the Chapel Hill area regarding a missing child. After an exhaustive search, the body of Madison Williams, 3, was located in a pond on the property. Snyder was arrested September 9 and booked into the Smith County Jail. Her bond was set at $200,000.

TYLER — The East Texas State Fair is debuting the GO TEXAN Market this year. Imagine a general store full of salsa, spices, sauces, honey, soaps, jams, and more, all made in Texas from start to finish! The GO TEXAN brand is managed by the Texas Department of Agriculture in order to promote the products of Texas agriculture. The GO TEXAN Market is one of only two GO TEXAN stores in the State of Texas. The original GO TEXAN General Store opened at The State Fair of Texas in Dallas decades ago. Now TDA and the East Texas State Fair are proud to bring the same concept to Tyler. The GO TEXAN Market will be inside the new Discovery Texas Building at the Fair. The 2019 East Texas State Fair kicks off Friday September 20th and runs through Sunday September 29th. For more information, or to get tickets, visit etstatefair.com.

TYLER — Tyler Police have arrested Phillip Jones, 51, of Nacogdoches for burglary and evading police in a vehicle. Around 11:34 a.m. Monday, police were called to the Super 8 Motel on NNW Loop 323 on a report of a man kicking in a motel room door and forcing his wife against her will into his vehicle. Officers searched the area for the suspect vehicle and located it at 64 West and Loop 323. They tried to pull the vehicle over, but police say the driver failed to comply, leading officers in a slow speed pursuit around the Loop back to the motel. Jones was captured, and the woman was recovered from the vehicle uninjured. Jones was booked into the Smith County Jail.

TYLER — In 2013, the Tyler Area Ambucs came to the City of Tyler Parks Department with the idea of building an inclusive playground. Shortly after, they began a fundraising campaign to make this dream a reality. The Tyler Area Ambucs raised approximately $300,000 and the City matched these funds through the Half-Cent Sales Tax program. Construction started in early 2019 and on Saturday volunteers are invited out from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Particpants can register to work the entire event or choose a shift. Registration is available online by clicking the link. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSevwzES8QcY799wmR0CykHBkdUx1l597KARZxUvhGaKS1qXbw/viewform. Continue reading Volunteers to Help Build Inclusive Playground at Southside Park

TYLER — On Monday The University of Texas at Tyler announced the selection of a professor into the National League for Nursing Academy of Nursing Education. Dr. Melinda Hermanns, associate professor of nursing, has been selected for induction. Hermanns is one of 17 named to the 13th class of fellows to be inducted into the NLN Academy. Hermanns will be formally inducted at an honors convocation in September at the NLN Education Summit at National Harbor. Hermanns’ area of excellence stems from partnerships that advance nursing education through her work to improve the health of populations with chronic illness.

DALLAS — East Texas first responders joined the 9/11 Memorial Stair Climb on Saturday to remember brothers and sisters that risked their lives during the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers in 2001. According to our news partner KETK, the climb is a full 110 flights of stairs in full gear to honor the 343 firefighters, 70 law enforcement, and 9 EMS workers who lost their lives. Officers from Henderson, West Harrison County and Arp attended the climb of 110 stories of the Renaissance Tower in Downtown Dallas. The Dallas Memorial Stair Climb started in 2011 with more than 360 firefighters.

TYLER — The City of Tyler has unveiled their “Movies in the Park” lineup for 2019. The series is a free, family-friendly make up of 4 movies that will run in September and October at Bergfeld Amphitheater on the Centene Stage. The slate for this year includes two 2019 features, and 2 classic reels. Attendees can bring blankets, chairs and picnics to enjoy the show. Concessions will be available for a fee. For more info, contact Debbie Isham, special events/recreation manager, at (903) 531-1214. To see the film line-up for the fall season click the link. Continue reading Tyler Movies in the Park Announces Fall Line-Up

TYLER – TxDOT is planning to conduct the following construction and maintenance work throughout the district during the Week of Sept. 9, 2019. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones. In Tyler, the contractor is preparing for a traffic shift for major construction to get underway soon on the FM 2493/Old Jacksonville Highway project between Gresham and Flint. Traffic will be moved to the east side of the roadway where detours have been installed on both ends of the project. Motorists can expect minimal impacts to traffic as trucks deliver construction materials. Go to https://www.txdot.gov/ for the complete rundown.

LONGVIEW — A woman known in East Texas as an unidentified person formerly called “Lavender Doe” officially has her name back after more than a decade. According to our news partner KETK, Dana Lynn Dodd was identified by DNA. This weekend, her family flew from Florida to visit her grave site and give it a new update. She now has a new headstone. The family wanted to thank East Texas, the DNA Doe Project and local law enforcement for helping them get closure. September 6th would have been Dodd’s 34th birthday. Continue reading Family of ‘Lavender Doe’ Visits East Texas for Memorial Service

RUSK COUNTY — A Rusk County Sheriff’s deputy is facing a DWI charge after being arrested in Henderson on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, Deputy Jimmie Candie was off-duty when he was arrested for DWI Thursday. Candie was arraigned Friday and bonded out of jail a short time later. Deputy Candie was suspended pending the outcome of an internal investigation through Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. Candie resigned from the Sheriff’s Office hours later.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department is hosting the National Night Out Kick Off Party on Saturday at Bergfeld Park. The free event is scheduled from 11am to 2pm. According to the Tyler PD Facebook page, there will be live music, food vendors, bounce houses and fun for the whole family! Carter Bloodcare will also be there for blood donations!