Today is
Monday November 25, 2024
PALESTINE – The City of Palestine is issuing a boil water notice for Story Elementary. It is needed because of a water break affecting the school. No other residences or businesses are affected by this advisory. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the water system officials will notify residents that the water is safe for consumption.
TYLER – According to the national Weather Service, Tyler’s weather for the month of February 2019 was slightly warmer and slightly wetter than normal. Compared with February 2018, the month was 0.3 degrees cooler, and 4.25 inches drier. February 2018 was the second wettest February on record. The Year-to-date rainfall is 2.39 inches less in 2019 than through the end of February 2018. The winter of 2018-2019 was slightly warmer, 1.8 degrees, and wetter, 4.55 inches, than normal. It was 1.7 degrees warmer than the previous winter, and was 2.40 inches drier. A trace of snowfall occurred in the 2018-2019 winter.
TYLER – A Smith County man has been arrested for aggravated assault. Arrested late Thursday morning was Kevin Michael Smith, 40. He is in the Smith County Jail under a bond of $1.5 million for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon-family violence. His arrest is the result of a domestic disturbance that occurred the night before. Smith is a documented gang member with a lengthy, violent criminal history. Because of his history and the potential for violence, Smith County SWAT team assisted in serving the arrest warrant. He was taken into custody without incident.
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department has four new officers. The four received the oath of office and their policeman’s badge from Chief Jimmy Toler during a ceremony Thursday afternoon. The officers are, from left to right, Caleb Westbrook, Joshua Allen, David Alexander, Josiah Baxter.
AUSTIN – A state legislator from East Texas has filed two bills focusing on the opioid crisis in the state. State representative Jay Dean of Longview has filed the bills which focus on increasing the availability and the visibility of drug take back locations, targeting criminals and empowering people. Dean admits that not every opioid user is an abuser. There are people with a serious illness that need opioids to give them any type of quality of life. His legislation targets the abuser. The National Institute on Drug Abuse says over 130 people die from an opioid overdose every day in this country. And Dean’s news releases says Longview ranks 17th nationally in opioid abuse.
AUSTIN – State Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola has filed legislation to establish a program that brings Texans’ own federal tax dollars back home to improve the quality of nursing home care in the state. Hughes says the proposed legislation could provide much needed relief to Smith County’s 15 long term care facilities that have experienced years of under funding from the state. Under the bill, nursing homes will receive additional funding for meeting nationally recognized performance standards and for making investments in staff wages and benefits. Funding will also be directed towards modernizing buildings. This would create comfortable homelike settings. The funding would also be used for investing in new technology. All of this, Senator Hughes says, would help to improve overall resident quality of life. And Hughes said his legislation will not add to the state budget.
TYLER – In the near future, Tyler may have more paths for walking and biking. The city and the Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization want to create a safer, more connected biking and walking infrastructure. This would be a combination of bike lanes on roads, bike paths and sidewalks for walking. Two major roads have been named as the most important part of the long-range improvement plan. They are South Broadway and Fleishel Avenue. The final plan, called Active Tyler, will be presented to city leaders next month. If approved, TxDOT will be approached for grants to fund the project.
MARSHALL – The Marshall School District’s Assistant Superintendent for Business and Financial Services, Kristin Byrd, has submitted her resignation. The Longview News Journal reports Byrd submitted her resignation, which is effective immediately, after she reached a separation agreement with the district. She had been on paid administrative leave since late last week. School trustees had voted unanimously on Monday to begin termination proceedings against Byrd. That process is no longer necessary since she has submitted her resignation. There is no word on the allegations against Byrd. School Superintendent Jerry Gibson did say it had nothing to do with any criminal or moral actions on her part.
TYLER – A Tyler man has been convicted of assault family violence. The county court at law jury convicted Richard Tyler Bostick of the misdemeanor charge on Wednesday morning. He had been accused of hitting his girlfriend in the face with his hand. Judge Taylor Heaton will sentence Bostick after a pre-sentence investigation has been completed. He faces up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine.
TYLER – The East Texas Chapter of SCORE has received 3 national awards for it Tyler chapter. SCORE is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to educating entrepreneurs and helping small businesses start, grow, and succeed nationwide. The East Texas Chapter was recognized as the Outstanding Turnaround Chapter for 2018 for its growth. Henry Burch, past chair of the local chapter, was recognized for his contributions to the growth of the chapter. Leland Ferguson received a certificate for 20 years of volunteer service to SCORE.
TYLER – The issue of a possible name change for Tyler Junior College comes before school trustees on March 7th. The college is up for re-accreditation in 2021. The accrediting body wants to know beforehand if TJC is going to change its name. Because TJC offers four-year degrees and workforce programs, school leaders want to know if the word “junior” is sending the wrong message to future students, teachers, even job recruiters. A study found recommended new names were “Texas Eastern College,” “East Texas College,” and simply removing the “Junior,” making it “Tyler College.” At next week’s school trustees’ meeting, they want public comment regarding a potential name change for the school.
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department will be getting some new officers Thursday afternoon. Police Chief Jimmy Toler will swear in the four new police recruits, and give them their badge, during the ceremony. The Recruits are:
*David Alexander
*Joshua Allen (Valedictorian & Top Gun)
*Josiah Baxter
*Caleb Westbrook
EAST TEXAS – (AP & STAFF) A former East Texan has been freed after being abducted 18 months ago in Yemen. President Donald Trump announced that Danny Burch, had been freed. It’s unclear who kidnapped him in September 2017. Birch, who was working in the oil field as a mechanic, was abducted in a busy street in the middle of the day. He grew up in White Oak and lived in Kilgore for years. Army Sgt. Maj. Cale Burch is one of Danny Burch’s three children from an earlier marriage. He told The Associated Press that his father is “safe, and that’s all that really matters to me.” Burch says he got a phone call Sunday from the FBI letting him know his father’s release had been brokered.
LINDALE – A portion of County Road 484, north of Lindale, will be closed for several weeks while Smith County Road and Bridge crews repair a bridge. County Engineer Frank Davis said crews will be replacing a wooden deck on the bridge with a concrete deck, and work is expected to take four to six weeks, depending on the weather. County Road 484 runs just south of the Sabine River, from County Road 431, west to County Road 452.
AUSTIN – The Texas Workforce Commission has awarded Trinity Valley Community College in Athens a $279,139 Jobs and Education for Texans grant. The grant will help the school purchase and install equipment to provide students with training for careers in the healthcare profession. The program provides funding for equipment to eligible educational institutions for the purpose of developing career and technical education courses. This may include courses offering dual-credit and technical education programs. Workforce Commissioner Robert Thomas will present a check to representatives from Trinity Valley Community College during a ceremony Friday morning.