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TYLER — Citizens can now pick up their vouchers for the annual Smith County Wide Clean-up Event. The County Clean-up event is an opportunity for residents of Smith County to bring trash and bulky items to the Greenwood Farms Landfill for free. The Smith County Environmental Crimes Unit, Precinct Constables, and Smith County Commissioners Court are working together to host the event February 13-25. The County will provide vouchers to the public that are good for up to three cubic yards per person, about a full-sized truck bed. Vouchers are available to pick up at all Justice of the Peace and Constable Precinct offices or in the Commissioners Court Office at the County Courthouse Annex.

There is a limit of one voucher per household, and businesses may not participate in the voucher program. The vouchers will be good Monday-Friday, 6:30am to 4:30pm, and Saturday from 6:30am to noon throughout the cleanup period. The vouchers come with a list of items that the Greenwood Farms Landfill, an Allied Waste Company, will not take. Directions and a map to the Greenwood Farms Landfill are provided with the vouchers. “Manager Zach Briscoe of Greenwood Farms provides us with services every year to make the County Wide Clean-up event possible. We could not do this without their generosity,” Smith County Environmental Crimes Officer Tommy Goodman said.

Items not accepted during the County Wide Clean-up include hazardous waste, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, gasoline, oils, paint, acid, batteries, asbestos, Freon, whole tires, refrigerators, freezers, televisions and computers. For more information or to pick up your voucher, you can call Pct. 1 Constable Henry Jackson (Tyler), 903-590-2609; Pct. 2 Constable Andy Dunklin (Noonday), 903-590-4840; Pct. 3 Constable Dustin Rust (Troup), 903-842-2664; Pct. 4 Constable John Smith (Winona), 903-590-4879; or Pct. 5 Constable Dennis Taylor (Lindale), 903-590-4901.

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview is launching a new customer service tool called CitySend that allows residents to report and track service requests using a smartphone or computer. Using CitySend, residents are able to snap a photo or video of an issue, pinpoint the location on a map, and then submit the concern directly to the City of Longview. After the issue is submitted, residents are able to track the response. CitySend also has a news feature that provides updates of City of Longview news and public notices. “Customer service is very important for the City of Longview, and we are hopeful that this can be a great tool for our residents.” says Longview Mayor Jay Dean.

One of the key features of CitySend is the ability to attach a photo and a specific location to a reported issue. “When someone calls in a service request, we don’t always have a clear idea of how big the issue is or what exactly needs to be done until we get to the site. With CitySend though, we can receive a picture and location of the concern in advance, which should be helpful in managing the response,” says City Manager David Willard.

Residents are encouraged to download the CitySend app beginning on Wednesday, February 15. The app is available for free download on iPhone, Android, and Blackberry devices. The app will also be available soon on Windows mobile devices. Go to http://www.LongviewTexas.gov for more information or to submit a request.

TYLER — County Clerk Karen Phillips announced in Commissioners Court this past week that her office is among the seven percent of counties across the State of Texas that will receive a 5-Star Exemplary Award for their Vital Statistics Departments, The award will be presented at the 57th Texas Vital Statistics Annual Conference in Austin this year. Only seventeen of Texas’ 254 Counties in the State have obtained this mark of distinction. “I could not be more proud of the work my deputy clerks accomplished in such a short amount of time. Our Vital Statistic Office Procedures Manual is a result of ambition, determination and team work,” Phillips said.

LAKE PALESTINE -— Crews continue to search for a missing pilot after his plane landed in Lake Palestine. Crews removed the plane from the water Friday. They suspended the search for 85-year-old Fred Scholz overnight but got back to work Saturday morning. Lt. Col. Rick Woolfolk with the Civil Air Patrol says searchers in a boat located the plane around 5:00 Thursday morning. Friends of Scholz have told KETK he is from Iowa, with a part time residence in the Frankston area.

Woolfolk says sonar was used to find the submerged plane, in about 20 feet of water. Divers were sent to the scene. Woolfolk says the pilot was alone Wednesday afternoon when he flew from Aero Estates, in the Jacksonville area, to Frankston to refuel and then head home. A relative Wednesday night reported the plane was overdue.

TYLER — Tyler Police respond to to a report of a robbery last night. It happened around 11:05 at the Speedy Exxon Convenience Store, 900 W. Front. Officers said they were advised by the store clerk that the suspect entered the store, showed a knife and demanded money from the register. The clerk told the officers that the suspect had a brown colored scarf over his face and was unable to provide a detailed description. The suspect reportedly fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash. He was reportedly wearing a solid green coat, possibly an old military style jacket and dark pants. He was described to be around 26-27 years of age.

Anyone with information about the suspects involved in this crime are urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers, at 903-597-CUFF.

TYLER — Tyler police continue to seek a suspect in a convenience store robbery. Friday night just after 11:00, officers responded to the Speedy Exxon Convenience Store at 900 West Front for an armed robbery that had just occurred. According to a police department news release, officers arrived quickly on scene and were advised by the store clerk that the suspect fled the area northbound across Front Street. A search of the area was conducted, but the suspect was not located.

Police say the suspect, upon confronting the store clerk, displayed a knife and demanded the money from the cash register. The suspect then fled on foot with an undisclosed amount of cash and was last seen wearing a solid green coat, possibly an old military style jacket, dark pants and a tan and brown colored scarf concealing his face. The clerk further advised the suspect appeared to be approximately 26-27 years of age but could not estimate height and weight.

Anyone with information about the suspect involved in this crime is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers, at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to arrests and charges filed against the suspects in this, or any, felony case.

SMITH COUNTY — The U.S. Department of State ordered the release of a former Mexican government official from custody after a Tyler traffic stop. One day after being told to release 41-year-old Hector Hernandez Javier Villarreal, the former secretary executive of the Tax Administration Service of Coahulia, Mexico, and his 28-year-old wife, Maria Teresita Botello, authorities said they are once again searching for the couple.

Smith County sheriff’s deputies arrested the couple last week, and federal officials transported them from the Smith County Jail to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement division, or ICE, of Homeland Security in Dallas. After their arrest, the State Department ordered their release. Villarreal and Botello are wanted for the embezzlement of hundreds of millions, possibly billions, of dollars through Villarreal’s office in Coahuila, Mexico. Smith County Sheriff, J.B. Smith said, in regards to the release, that some people just make mistakes and the paperwork to keep the fugitives was not received in time.

HENDERSON COUNTY — One teen is dead after he was dragged behind a vehicle Thursday night in Henderson County. A group of five people were involved in a fight, and during the fight, Jonathon McRae, 19, of Athens, was dragged and run over by a vehicle, according to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. The incident happened near the intersection of Farm Road 317 and Farm Road 607 around 9:00pm. According to KETK, the driver of the vehicle was identified as 17-year old John Forester of Athens. Forester fled the scene after running over McRae, but soon after turned himself into authorities. He is charged with accident involving serious bodily injury or death, a third degree felony. Forester’s bail is set at $125,000.

HENDERSON — A Longview teen is charged with a first degree felony after he allegedly attacked a person giving him a ride home. On Tuesday at around 9 p.m., the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to a residence on CR 167D in the Kilgore area in reference to an assault. According to KETK, once deputies arrived at the residence, they noticed the victim lying on the floor, face down and short of breath. The victim was able speak to deputies before being taken by ambulance to a local hospital. The victim stated he had attended a basketball game in Longview, and the suspect, Tate Earnest Nelson, 17, of Longview, asked the victim for a ride. The victim was driving as Nelson was giving directions.

As they reached County Road 167D, Nelson asked the victim to pull over so he could use the rest room. When he returned to the vehicle, he allegedly began choking and assaulting the victim. According to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, Nelson removed the unconscious victim from the vehicle and after stomping the victim in the head, walked away, leaving the victim on the ground.

A nearby witness stated they were outside when Nelson approached them and began telling them he thought that he had killed the victim and needed help to get rid of the body. The witness refused to help Nelson, and then noticed the victim crawling up the steps of a nearby residence. Authorities say when Nelson noticed the victim wasn’t dead, he fled the scene in the victim’s vehicle. The witness stated that before Nelson fled the scene, the victim had made it to the door of the house and the resident called 911.

Authorities say as Nelson fled the scene, he was unaware the victim’s cell phone, equipped with a GPS tracking application, was in the vehicle. A short time later, the GPS tracking application indicated that Nelson was traveling westbound on I-20, near Canton. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch notified the Canton Police Department and Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office with the license plate number and description of the victim’s vehicle. At approximately 10:45 p.m., the Canton Police Department was able to locate the vehicle traveling on I-20; after a brief pursuit, law enforcement deployed spikes to stop the vehicle and Nelson was taken into custody.

Nelson is in the Van Zandt County Jail and charged with aggravated robbery with serious bodily injury, a first degree felony. The victim is currently at home, recuperating from his injuries.

TYLER — The North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA) says the Design/Build Contractor, CH2M Hill, is continuing to make progress on the construction of Segment 3B of Toll 49. CH2M Hill is putting the last touches on the SH 64 bridge and will be moving traffic onto the new structure and roadway this month. In preparation for switching traffic onto the new construction, CH2M Hill is increasing activity in this area of the project on Wednesday, February 15th, which officials say will increase congestion in the area. The traffic will move onto the new roadway/bridge beginning February 17th. Officials ask that you allow for potential delays in the area.

TYLER – 51-year-old Kenneth Wise of Bullard has pleaded guilty in Tyler federal court to theft of government property. According to authorities, from March 2007 to April 2011, Wise concealed his ability to work in order to receive more than $65,000 from the Social Security Administration in the form of Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits. The SSDI Program in a federally administered cash assistance program designed to provide a floor of income for workers who become disabled and are unable to work. Wise was indicted by a federal grand jury on Dec. 7, 2011. Wise faces up to 10 years in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing date has not been set.

BROWNSBORO – A suspect is now in custody after a fatal hit and run in Henderson County Thursday night. The pedestrian has been identified as Jonathon Wade McRae, 19. He was killed near the intersection of FM 607 and FM 317. Authorities said John Tanner Forester, 17, of Athens, turned himself in to authorities Friday morning. An investigation is ongoing.

TEXARKANA (AP) — A 17-year-old northeast Texas girl has been indicted on capital murder counts in the deaths of a Texarkana mother and her two children. The Bowie County grand jury returned the indictment Thursday against Rachel Nicole Pittman of Redwater. She remains in the Bowie County jail under $3 million bond and is set for arraignment today.

She’s accused in the May 11 deaths of Amanda Doss, 34, and her two children, Guinevere Doss, 11, and Texas Johnson, 8. Their bodies were pulled from the charred ruins of their home in Redwater, a rural community 13 miles southwest of Texarkana. If convicted, Pittman could be sentenced to death or life imprisonment without parole. A gag order prevents investigators and attorneys from commenting.

TYLER – A man has been seriously injured in a vehicle/pedestrian accident in Tyler. It happened around 6:00 Thursday night in the 2200 block of the West Southwest Loop. The man was walking across the Loop from the north to south and got caught in the traffic. An eastbound pickup tried unsuccessfully to avoid the pedestrian. The 65 year old man was taken to East Texas Medical Center for treatment. Police Sgt. Robert Phillips says, while the man’s injuries were serious, they appear to be non-life threatening. The pickup’s driver was not charged in the accident.

TYLER – One person has been arrested after a pickup hits a car and a Tyler building. The accident occurred around 9:00 Thursday night at 1001 East Lake Street. A pickup hit a vehicle in the parking lot and then ended up inside a vacant office building belonging to East Texas Medical Center Hospital. The driver, who fled the scene on foot, was later located and arrested. Christopher Britton, 42, of Palestine, was charged with leaving the scene of an accident as well as driving while Intoxicated.

LONGVIEW – A fire has temporarily closed a Longview deli. It was reported around 5:30 Thursday afternoon at the La Michoacana Meat Market in the 1400 block of Green Street. Fire Marshal Johnny Zackary tells the Longview News-Journal, the fire started in a frying kettle, and the fire suppression system in the kettle activated to extinguish the fire. The build up of heat and smoke also activated the overhead sprinklers, which finished extinguishing the fire. After the employees cleaned up, the business reopened.

LUFKIN – An Angelina County woman has pleaded guilty to having sex with a 13 year old boy. Natalie Johnson, 32, of Diboll, entered the guilty plea to aggravated sexual assault of a child in State District Court in Lufkin. Authorities say cell phone records showed more than 1,500 calls and text messages between his phone and Johnson’s phone. She could get up to life in prison. Sentencing has been set for April 30th.

GILMER – The Upshur County grand jury has upgraded the charge against a teen involved in a fatal accident. Originally, Benjamin Lee Powers, 19, of Gilmer, was charged with criminally negligent homicide. This week, the grand jury indicted him for manslaughter.

Authorities say on December 30th, Powers was driving his pickup on Farm Road 49 when he tried to pass a vehicle in a no passing zone. The Department of Public Safety says Powers lost control of the truck and crashed. A passenger, Caderrius Green, 19, of Gilmer, was killed. Powers, and another passenger, Cody Garcia, 17, received minor injuries.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department commissioned two new officers Friday. The ceremony was at 10:30am in the Roy Stone Training Center, located inside the Longview Police Department. The new officers are Aulderson Franklin and Kendric Montgomery.

LONGVIEW — After two months of lower sales tax revenue, the city of Longview posted an increase for February. According to KETK, the city got about a one per cent increase from the same time last year. Longview had a streak of 16 straight months with an increase before sales tax revenue dropped in December and January. For the fiscal year, the city is up by $200,000, or 2.4%, from last year. City officials say it’s good to be back in the positive.

TYLER – Tyler’s sales tax revenues deposited for the month of February have decreased 1.01% as compared to February 2011. This has resulted in a .95% cumulative year-to-date increase.

The State Comptroller’s office reports revenue of $3,887,421.02 is comprised of $2,591,614.01 general sales tax revenue and $1,295,807.01 half-cent sales tax revenue. The figures represent receipts from December 2011 collections as there is a two-month lag before taxes are reported and remitted back to the City from the State.

“We are certainly disappointed in the sales tax figures we are seeing this month, particularly given the grown seen statewide as reported by the Comptroller,” said City Manager Mark McDaniel. “We are taking a close look at the situation to determine the factors that may be causing the decline. However, we have implemented a soft hiring freeze as a precautionary measure to ensure we are keeping our expenses in balance with current revenues and are scrutinizing spending closely. In addition, we will continue the postponement of any employee pay adjustments until such time that the revenues reach the three percent level we had committed to in our annual budget.”

SMITH COUNTY — A tractor accident sends one man to the hospital Wednesday morning. It happened on Farm Road 2661 between Highways 31 and 64 around 11. That’s when Smith County authorities say a 25-year-old man drove a mowing tractor on a hill that was a bit too steep. The tractor rolled over on top of him. Officials with the Dixie Volunteer Fire Department tell KETK the man was taken to a local hospital. He’s expected to make a full recovery.

LONGVIEW — Longview is one of 29 cities to be added to the list for improved housing markets for the month of February. The national index list identifies areas that have seen an improvement in housing permits, prices, and employment over the last six months. Low interest rates have helped with the market, but home builders are also seeing an improvement. Several new subdivisions are being built in the area. Local housing officials tell KETK it’s a good sign for the area. There are several other Texas cities already on the list, including Tyler.

LONGVIEW — Longview took its first step toward establishing a local agency to coordinate disaster assistance during an organizational meeting Tuesday. The purpose of VOAD (Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster) will be to coordinate the resources of various agencies during a disaster, so that people get streamlined service and there is no unnecessary duplication of efforts by various agencies. That’s according to Lee Lester, who was elected president of the group at the meeting.

“If we can get to know who does what in our community, we can make referrals to other agencies and work together to help people get their lives back on track after disasters,” Lester said. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, agencies represented at the initial meeting were the Salvation Army, the American Red Cross, the Greater Longview United Way, East Texas Baptist Men and Global Operations Division-International Services.

LUFKIN — Lufkin detectives are continuing to investigate a fatal shooting that happened on California Boulevard Tuesday night, and the victim’s name has been released. Lufkin Police Det. J.B. Smith said the call came in just after 10:00. The victim, identified as Robert Darnell Bennett, 26, was shot twice in the chest. He was not breathing when paramedics arrived on scene and was transported to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Investigators say they have identified possible suspects, but no arrests have been made.

TYLER — The trial of a man accused of shooting a Smith County Sheriff’s deputy begins today. Christopher Summerville, 28, has been charged with 6 counts of aggravated assault on a public servant along with 3 other charges.

In March 2011, Smith County Sheriff’s deputies and U.S. Marshals served a warrant on Summerville at The Arbors apartments on Chimney Rock in Tyler for failing to register as a sex offender. When officials attempted to enter the apartment, Summerville allegedly shot Smith County Deputy Josh Caulkins in the chest. Caulkins was saved by his bulletproof vest. After the shooting, Summerville was taken to a local hospital for a meth overdose. Officials believed at the time that Summerville injected himself with the drug just before they arrived at his apartment complex.

At the time of the shooting, Summerville was not charged with the assault, but about a month later, Tyler Police investigators secured the evidence to arrest him for aggravated assault of a peace officer, which is a first degree felony. Summerville was also charged with manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance and engaging in organized criminal activity, both first degree felonies. Two other people, Kara Hanley and Jeffery Andrysiak, who were in the apartment at the time of the shooting, were also charged for engaging in organized criminal activity.

TYLER – A Tyler apartment has been damaged by fire. It was reported just before 4:30 Wednesday afternoon at The Woodland Apartments, 400 Grande Boulevard. The two alarm fire was termed under control within 20 minutes. Investigators say the fire appears to have started in the upper portion of a coat closet. The fire was contained to the closet but smoke damage was reported throughout the apartment. It did not spread to the attic or neighboring apartments. The residents of the apartment were at home when the fire started, but no injuries were reported.

TEXARKANA – A Titus County man has been sentenced to federal prison for arson. Justin Rodney Glenn pleaded guilty last December to conspiracy to commit arson. He was sentenced in Texarkana Wednesday to 60 months in prison by U.S. District Judge David Folsom. Glenn was also ordered to pay restitution of $169,517.12. He remained in custody following the sentencing hearing.

According to federal prosecutors, from about April 1, 2008 to June 5, 2008, Glenn conspired with others to burn down commercial buildings in order to submit fraudulent insurance claims and collect insurance proceeds. One such business was the Washtub Laundry, also known as Gary’s 24 Hour Wash and Dry, in Mount Pleasant. Glenn recruited and agreed to pay individuals to set fire to the Washtub Laundry, which burned on June 5, 2008. As a result of the fire, Glenn caused a fraudulent insurance claim to be submitted to Certain Underwriters of Lloyds of London resulting in a loss to the company.

TYLER – Tyler ISD parents being introduced to the STAAR End of Course (EOC) Exams still have a lot of questions. That’s why school district officials are holding another STAAR EOC information meeting tonight from 6:00 to 7:00 at Robert E. Lee High School. The information will be presented in Spanish in the library and in English in the Little Theatre. This meeting is for parents of current freshmen from both high schools, and parents of middle school students enrolled in core high school courses. STAAR testing begins in March.

STAAR is the new statewide testing program for Texas high school students, which begins with this year’s 9th graders. TISD officials say parents of John Tyler High School freshmen listened carefully as Tyler ISD administrators explained various aspects of the new tests at a parent meeting last week.

The State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness, or STAAR, will replace the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills, or TAKS, starting in the 2011-2012 school year. Students in grades 3-8 will be tested under STAAR, and first-time high school freshmen and middle school students taking core high school courses will take STAAR EOC exams. Students in grades 10-12 will continue testing under the TAKS program.

STAAR will include more difficult testing and require a higher level of student performance. STAAR is designed to measure a student’s college and career readiness, starting in elementary school. “With the testing dates quickly approaching, we are working diligently to prepare our students,” Marty Barbieri, Tyler ISD Director of Guidance and Counseling, explained to a group of parents. “There are many new aspects of this testing program that both students and parents need to understand,” she continued.

Tyler ISD began to modify its curriculum to prepare students for the STAAR assessments four years ago. In all grade levels and subjects, students are required to use critical thinking, a skill they will need to apply on the STAAR assessments. Tyler ISD teachers are using higher level questioning to give students the opportunity to analyze and solve real life problems. Teachers are also regularly checking each student’s progress and offering numerous tutoring and focused learning opportunities for students struggling with a specific lesson or concept.

To further inform parents about STAAR, Tyler ISD has provided additional resources on its website. Parents are encouraged to go to http://www.tylerisd.org to download or print the guides that contain information relevant to the STAAR tests at the elementary, middle or high school level.

TYLER — The Tyler Junior College Criminal Justice Student Association will host a debate among candidates for Sheriff of Smith County. It will be tonight in the Apache Rooms of Rogers Student Center. The doors open at 6:00 and the debate will begin at 7:00. The public is invited to attend the debate. Parking will be provided for guests on lot S-4, located at the corner of Lake Street and Baxter Avenue.