KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — The Blackstone Hotel, with Valencia Hotel Group, is coming back to Tyler and bringing 60 full-time jobs with it. According to our news partner KETK, the new full-service, luxury hotel is being built under a 3-year plan, on the corner of Broadway and Fergueson, promising at least 60 full-time jobs with an annual payroll of $2 million.

This economic boosting promise is why Smith County Commissioners took up a vote for a 10-year tax abatement of 50% for Blackstone Hotel, as long as Valencia Hotel Group upkeeps their promise of 60 full-time employees.

Scott Martinez, President of Tyler Economic Development Council, says his organization will be the monitor of this agreement. “So the hotel will give a quarterly and annual report on their employment numbers and their investment, as well as their sale sets to the city,” Martinez said. “So we can track to make sure they’re following through with what they committed to do.” Continue reading Tyler’s new luxury hotel to add 60 jobs

BULLARD — According to our news partner KETK, a state death report reveals neighbors believed a Bullard man was attempting suicide by cop, which led to a deadly Bullard SWAT standoff on Dec. 8.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 53-year-old Shawn Turner Sr. of Bullard, who was firing a gun from the front porch of his home. Neighbors told law enforcement they were in fear and believed he was attempting suicide by cop. The state report revealed that Turner “retrieved an AR-style rifle and began firing at officers, at which point officers returned fire.”

Turner then allegedly went back into the house, where he continued firing at officers until he changed weapons and killed himself. Turner would have been charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon. The Texas Rangers are currently investigating the case.

CASS COUNTY — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has suspended one of its troopers following a Sunday arrest for driving while intoxicated. According to our news partner KETK, 43-year-old Trooper Decori Charles Birmingham was suspended from his duties after being arrested by a fellow DPS trooper and charged with DWI. He was booked into the Cass County Jail without incident.

This comes after Birmingham was involved in a two-vehicle crash in Cass County at the intersection of State Highway 8 and State Highway 77 on Saturday. Birmingham was off duty at the time of the crash and was driving his personal vehicle. Birmingham has been with the Texas Department of Public Safety since 2014 and is stationed in Linden.

“DPS takes these allegations very seriously and the department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has also launched a separate administrative investigation,” a DPS spokesperson said.

TYLER — An Oklahoma man has pleaded guilty to child exploitation charges after being involved in transporting three minors across state borders into Texas, where they were forced into prostitution. According to our news partner KETK, The United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Texas said that 44-year-old Rolando Alexis Bravo transported the minors from Lawton, Oklahoma to Dallas on Nov. 16, 2023, where he met with a co-conspirator. There, the co-conspirator allegedly obtained hotel rooms in Tyler where the children engaged in prostitution.

Bravo could potentially face life in federal prison and a sentencing hearing will be scheduled once the presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office is complete. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Tyler Police Department. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, launched in 2006 to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

TITUS COUNTY — A Mount Pleasant man was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday after being found guilty of sexual assault against a child. According to our news partner KETK, 36-year-old Fernando Santos was arrested on Feb. 23, 2022, and charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child. Following the arrest, Santos was placed into the Titus County Jail and his bond was set at $1 million.

On Tuesday, Santos received his sentence and is expected to pay a $10,000 fine, according to the Titus County District Attorney’s Office. He was found guilty by a jury after pleading not guilty. Santos was previously charged with several different assault charges and was also previously charged with making a terrorist threat.

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County authorities are seeking help locating a 21-year-old woman who went missing last week. Our news partners at KETK report that Aumarie Deleon was last seen walking on County Road 376 (Morningside Drive) on Dec. 11. She is described as a Hispanic female, 5 feet 2 inches tall, 175 pounds, with black shoulder-length wavy hair and brown eyes. Deleon was reportedly wearing a black beanie, black sweater, dark blue jeans and black tennis shoes. She has a blue tattoo on her left hand. Deleon’s family noted that she is diagnosed with bipolar disorder, ADHD and PTSD, but that she had been off her medication for more than a year. Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact the Smith County Sheriff’s Office

EAST TEXAS — The Texas Health and Human Services is reporting 5,124 influenza hospitalizations so far this month. According to our news partner KETK, these numbers have gone up by 2,000 since Nov. 15. Longview healthcare specialists and pharmacists said the majority of cases they see are people coming in with are COVID-19 and Influenza A. Multiple school districts in deep East Texas cancelled classes this week due to flu outbreaks, including the Cushing and Shelbyville ISD’s.

“We are definitely having an uptick in it in the last several weeks,” Family nurse practitioner at Hospitality ER Judson Lawerence said. “Our numbers have increased in both flu and COVID. But the earlier you can come in get treatment the better.”

Pharmacist at Louis Morgan, Shawn Sams, knows finding the right medicine to combat your symptoms can be a daunting task. Sams said if you have a wet cough, “This particular product is Mucinex, so it’s going to help break up the chest congestion and it’s also going to suppress the cough. So the idea is your cough less often, but when you do it, hopefully it’s more productive and you can get that mucus out of your chest.” Continue reading Influenza A, COVID-19 on the rise

CENTER — Due to ongoing illnesses impacting students and staff, Excelsior ISD announced on Monday that its campus will be closed for the remainder of the week. The district said the decision was made to protect the health and well-being of the school community while ensuring students are safe during the upcoming holiday break. All activities and events will also be cancelled.

“This decision was made with the safety of our students, staff and families as our top priority,” Excelsior ISD said. “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we take this precautionary step.”

NACOGDOCHES — According to our news partner KETK, a 36-year-old man was arrested on a murder charge following a stabbing late Saturday night in Nacogdoches. Nacogdoches Police Sgt. Brett Ayres said officers responded to a medical call just after midnight in the 300 block of East Main Street, where a person was reported to be bleeding. Officers located the victim, who had been stabbed multiple times in the chest, and EMS transported the victim to a local hospital, Ayres said.

Witnesses led police to Cruz De La Luz Vargas Nava, 36, of Nacogdoches, as the suspect. He was found shortly after and taken into custody on probable cause. The victim later died at the hospital, police said. Vargas Nava was subsequently booked into jail on a murder charge. The investigation remains ongoing.

GLADEWATER – Classes were canceled Monday for Sabine ISD elementary students after reports of an unknown gas odor. Our news partners at KETK report that emergency personnel were called to the elementary campus to investigate the odor but did not detect any gas. Out of an abundance of caution, officials evacuated the campus and transported students to the high school auditorium for parent pickup.

NACOGDOCHES — A 36-year-old man was arrested on a murder charge following a stabbing late Saturday night in Nacogdoches. According to our news partner KETK, Nacogdoches Police said officers responded to a medical call just after midnight near the intersection of East Main and South Fredonia Streets, where a person was reported to be bleeding. The officers found the victim, who had been stabbed multiple times in the chest, and EMS transported the victim to a local hospital.

Witnesses led police to 36 year-old Cruz De La Luz Vargas Nava, of Nacogdoches, as the suspect. He was found shortly after and taken into custody on probable cause. Police said the victim later died at the hospital. Vargas Nava was subsequently booked into jail on a murder charge. The investigation remains ongoing.

TYLER – As East Texans get ready for the return of cold weather, several locations around East Texas are opening up as warming shelters and centers, according to our news partners at KETK. KETK News has put together the following list of locations opening to the public: Continue reading Warming shelters open across East Texas

SHELBY COUNTY – Texas’ first confirmed highly pathogenic avian influenza of the year was found in a Shelby County commercial poultry flock this week, according to our news partners at KETK. The case was confirmed by the Texas A&M Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory on Thursday after a “considerable mortality” was found in a Shelby County flock, according to the Texas Animal Health Commission and the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS). The Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) said they’re working closely with the federal animal health officials to respond to the affected area, which has been quarantined. The TAHC added that they’re also monitoring areas nearby the quarantined flock. Continue reading First case of bird flu in Shelby County

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that an adult and a child were injured when a vehicle and a tractor crashed on Toll 49 on Saturday. Smith County Emergency Services District 2 said a vehicle and a tractor crashed at around 6 p.m. on Saturday near mile marker 21 on Toll 49. An adult and a child involved in the crash have been transported to a local hospital to be treated for their injuries. Two other people involved in the crash received minor injuries and were treated at the scene. According to the district, the crash was blocking the whole roadway but one side has since been cleared.

LONGVIEW – Our news partners at KETK report that three men have been taken to a local hospital after they were injured in a shooting that happened on Swancy Street in Longview on Saturday, according to the Longview Police Department. Continue reading Three injured in Longview shooting

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that a driver has died in a crash just after midnight on Saturday morning on Highway 271 near Interstate 20 in Smith County. According to Smith County Emergency Services District 2, the driver died after their vehicle and an 18-wheeler truck collided on Highway 271. The district said first responders didn’t clear the crashed vehicles from the roadway until 4 a.m. on Saturday. The driver of the 18-wheeler was uninjured and officials said Highway 271 was back open by 5 a.m. this morning.

TYLER — Our news partners at KETK report that a former Tyler ISD substitute teacher pleaded guilty Friday to assaulting a disabled student at Moore Middle School. Joacim Castro-Lacayo, 28, was arrested in April after the Tyler ISD Police Department investigated an incident that happened on April 1.

An affidavit states that video obtained during the investigation showed Castro-Lacayo in a verbal confrontation with a special needs student that turned into a physical altercation.

The footage reportedly shows Castro-Lacayo restraining the student’s arms with the help of two aides, twisting her arms behind her back, causing her to scream in pain. He then pushed the student into a wall while continuing to restrain her and later tackled her to the ground. When the student had threatened to tell her father about the incident Castro-Lacayo responded “Tell him, tell whoever, your grandpa, your daddy.”

Castro-Lacayo was arrested April 9 and charged with injury to a child, elderly individual, or disabled individual.

Castro-Lacayo appeared in the 114th Judicial District Court on Friday where he pleaded guilty, according to lead attorney Brett Harrison. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 8.

ANDERSON COUNTY – A status conference has been scheduled for East Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson after he was granted an execution stay this past October, according to our news partners at KETK. Roberson’s attorney’s office announced, his status conference has been set for Feb. 27 and will be held over Zoom. The conference is a pre-trial meeting where attorneys will review the case’s progress and explore possible settlement options. Continue reading Status conference in Roberson case

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Our news partners at KETK report fire crews responded Thursday night to a house fully engulfed in flames, according to the Grand Saline Fire Department. Public Information Officer Caden Mosher said firefighters arrived around 6:15 p.m. at a home near the intersection of County Roads 1224 and 1225. When crews reached the scene, the fire had already consumed the structure and had begun spreading into nearby woods. The family was not home when the fire started, and no injuries were reported. Continue reading Overnight fire destroys home

TYLER – On Friday, 2,000 local kids received bags of joy from the Salvation Army of Tyler for their annual Angel Tree program according to our news partners at KETK. On Wednesday, 350 senior citizens received their presents. The Salvation Army’s Angel Tree program has been providing gifts to local children and seniors for more than 40 years. Families write their wish lists and needs on cards which are then placed in grocery stores and malls for local donors to pick up. Continue reading Tyler children get Angel Tree gifts

RUSK – Our news partners at KETK report Rusk Police Chief Scott Heagney has been placed on administrative leave for the second time this year, according to Rusk City Manager Bob Goldsberry. Goldsberry told KETK News on Friday that Heagney is being put on administrative leave in connection with an “internal personnel matter” within the police department. Continue reading Rusk chief placed on administrative leave

MARSHALL – During Thursday’s Marshall City Council meeting, officials approved a $338,663 contract for emergency repairs to the collapsed section of East Grand Avenue, according to our news partner KETK.

The Marshall City Council said in a release, “Tonight, the Marshall City Council awarded a $338,663 contract to WMS Road & Bridge to make emergency repairs to the cave-in on US Highway 80/Grand Avenue. An agreement with the Texas Department of Transportation will partially reimburse the City for repair work underneath the state’s right of way,” the city said on Thursday. “It is an agreement that Council members say will help with cost recovery and move the project along quickly. Repair work could begin as early as Monday. WMS Road & Bridge is a Texas-based general contractor from Marshall. The City Council’s vote tonight underscores its commitment to infrastructure maintenance and project efficiency.”

TYLER – Beginning Friday, Dec. 12, visitors to Downtown Tyler will have a new, free way to get around the area during evening hours. The City of Tyler is partnering with Tyler Valet to offer a fixed-route shuttle service with clearly marked pick-up and drop-off points. Shuttle stops are easy to find, with bright yellow signs placed throughout the Downtown area.

Riders can hop on and off at any stop along the route at no cost. The Downtown evening shuttle will operate during the following times: Thursdays 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Fridays 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. 
Continue reading Free evening shuttle in Downtown Tyler 

TYLER (AP) – Four years ago, James and Mary Robinson put the last Christmas tree they would ever plant in the ground. “Once you plant the tree, it takes four years to harvest it,” James said. “But once you plant your last tree, it takes four years to get out of the business.” On Sunday, they sold their last tree. Continue reading Christmas tree farm closes after 40 years

TYLER — A panel of GOP candidates took place in Tyler, featuring Stuart Hene, John Nix and James Wynne, all of whom are competing for the position of mayor of the City of Tyler.

The current mayor, Don Warren, was first elected in 2020. His six-year term will conclude in 2026, following his third term. Voters in Tyler will have the opportunity to elect Warren’s successor in May 2026. Hene currently serves as the councilman for District 1 in central Tyler. He attended Rice Elementary, Hubbard Middle School, and Tyler Legacy High School (prior to its renaming). Hene earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Baylor University and obtained his law degree from the Oklahoma City University School of Law.

John Nix describes his journey to Tyler as a young carpenter armed only with tools and an old used car. Over the years, Tyler has become a place that he and his family proudly call home. As a small business owner, Nix says he understands the importance of having a well-functioning city. Nix served as Tyler City Councilman for District 6 from 2013 to 2019. Nix currently works as the president of Nix Construction, Inc. and Nix Builders and as the owner of Nix Properties, LLC. Continue reading GOP candidates gather in Tyler

TYLER – A Tyler driver is warning other motorists of a worn out curb that pops tires at the entrance of Sprouts on Broadway Avenue.

On Sunday night, Levi Rodriguez hit a curb on the driveway into the main entrance to Sprouts Farmers Market in Tyler. It was late at night and he did not see the hole before the jagged edge instantly flattened his tire. He said he talked to the Sprouts night manager who told him it happens multiple times a day to their customers. Rodriguez was not the only one that succumbed to this curb. He instantly posted to social media about what happened and received hundreds of comments with some people saying the exact same thing happened to them.

Rodriguez said the night manager told him it was a battle between the City of Tyler and the Texas Department of Transportation, to see who’s responsible for the repairs. The storm water inlet is owned by the City of Tyler and South Broadway Avenue is under the care of TxDOT. The city told our news partner KETK that private owner of the driveway is responsible for maintenance. Continue reading Driver warns of tire popping curb at Sprouts

TYLER — Tyler fire crews were called to the Shiloh apartment complex early Thursday morning after a resident spotted flames on a neighbor’s balcony. According to our news partner KETK, the fire was reported around 4:30 a.m. at 2911 Shiloh Road. Crews evacuated the building as a precaution. While the flames did not damage the inside of the apartment, they did spread into the attic.

Structural damage to the roof forced the evacuation of all four top-floor units, and apartment management worked to relocate displaced residents into vacant units within the complex.

No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

BULLARD — Changes are expected for those traveling near Bullard ISD in December and January as TxDOT looks to upgrade U.S. Highway 69 and FM 2493, which includes the construction of a new overpass and a realigned on-ramp. According to our news partner KETK, beginning the week of Dec. 19, the speed limit at the intersection of U.S. 69 and FM 2493 East, located in front of Bullard ISD’s middle school, will be reduced to 45 mph. A temporary traffic signal will also be installed at the intersection on Jan. 5 to ease congestion and improve safety. TxDOT said message boards will be placed to alert drivers ahead of the change. Drivers are urged to stay alert and use caution in the area while improvements continue.

KILGORE — The Kilgore Fire Department is currently responding to a wildland brush fire on FM 2276 in Rusk County. According to our news partner KETK, the fire, which has spread across roughly one acre, originated from a burn pile ignited on Tuesday. Kilgore FD is urging residents to use extreme caution when conducting any outdoor burning, especially on windy days or when dry grass is present.