Today is
Monday November 25, 2024
AUSTIN – The Texas Railroad Commissioners has awarded the Sabine Mining Company the commission’s 2019 Reclamation Award. The company was recognized for restoring more than 3,400 contiguous acres in Harrison County. The operator replanted native grasses. The mined land has become a native grass habitat for quail, grassland songbirds, Monarch butterflies, pollinating insects and grazing livestock. The restored acreage south of Hallsville is part of the South Hallsville No. 1 Mine. It is a lignite surface mine which has been in continuous operation since 1984. The mine and the adjacent Rusk Mine produce around 4 million tons of lignite annually.
JACKSONVILLE – UT Health – Jacksonville is seeking longest-living person born at that hospital. The hospital has special events planned to mark its 100th anniversary later this year. As part of the year long celebration, the health system would like to tell the stories of those who were part of the hospital’s history, including patients and caregivers. The longest-living person who was born at the hospital will be recognized at a community reception later this year and will be given a gift from UT Health East Texas. if you think you are the longest-living person born at the Jacksonville hospital, contact Becky Shields at rsshields@uthet.com or by calling 903-594-2431.
AUSTIN – Two legislators, one from Tyler, have filed a late-term abortion bill in the state legislature. It was filed by representative Matt Schaefer of Tyler and Senator Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills. Schaefer says the Preborn NonDiscrimination Act prohibits the remaining late-term abortions in Texas, in contrast with recent actions taken by New York and Virginia. The legislation also bans discriminatory abortions, like anti-woman sex-selective abortions. Several other legislators, including Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola, have already signed on to the bill as joint authors. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – TxDOT is planning to conduct the following construction and maintenance work throughout the district during the week of February 25. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.
Nighttime operations to upgrade pavement markings on roadways around Tyler will continue with placement of short line markings when weather conditions are favorable. The contractor utilizes slow-moving mobile operations when installing new pavement markings. When weather permits, work is conducted from 8:00pm to 6:00am through Thursday night. Brief delays are possible. Work locations are as follows:
– SH 31W from Loop 323 to Chandler/Henderson County line
– FM 2493/Old Jacksonville Highway from FM 2813 to US 69/Broadway Ave.
– Spur 147/Gentry Pkwy. from US 271/Beckham Ave. to US 69/Glenwood Blvd.
Law enforcement officers are stationed in the project convoy. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – A Longview arson suspect has been arrested. The Longview Fire Department says the police served an arrest warrant on John Brian Kelly, 48, of Longview. He was arrested last Friday and was freed on a $50,000 bond the same day. According to the fire department’s Facebook page, and investigation indicated Kelly was responsible for a fire on Stonewall Drive. It occurred in August, 2016.
TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Department reports a jury scam is back in the county. It works like this, someone calls posing as a law enforcement official. They demand immediate payment for nonexistent fines or warrants for missed jury service. One of the recent scammers requested the victim go to a local pharmacy and purchase a MoneyPak for the payment and stayed on the line with them until this done. Smith County Jury Coordinator Lisa Bennett says no officer or court clerk will ever make such calls demanding immediate payment for missed jury service. Never provide anyone with debit or credit card numbers or personal information such as Social Security numbers, birth dates or driver’s license numbers. If you receive one of these scam calls, just hang up.
TYLER – A Tyler robbery suspect has agreed to a prison term. The trial of Lance Cody Scott, 22, of Tyler had been scheduled to begin on Monday. But Scott pleaded guilty and agreed to a 30 year prison term. In 2017, he held up the AZ Food Mart on Highway 69 North. Two days later he held up the AB Country Store on Farm Road 14. In both cases, a white male entered the business, armed with a handgun, and demanded money. Scott later turned himself in at the Smith County Jail. When Scott surrendered, detectives had already obtained two arrest warrants charging him with two counts of aggravated robbery.
SMITH COUNTY – Work is starting on the Toll 49 bridge over Interstate Highway 20. Drivers who use Interstate Highway 20, at Toll Road 49, need to watch out for shoulder closures now through the last week in March. The work is being done on the Toll 49 bridge due to a realignment issue caused by a July accident. The location of activities will be on the shoulders from 7:00am till 7:00pm. there will night closures of one lane of the interstate in several weeks. More information will be released when the plans are finalized. Drivers are encourage to watch for message boards as they drive through the area.
BEN WHEELER – The Department of Public Safety continues its investigation into a fatal Van Zandt County accident. The victims, two 15 year old boys, were tossed from the vehicle that overturned Saturday night near Ben Wheeler. They were passengers in a SUV that went off the road and then back on the road. The driver overcorrected and ended up in a ditch where the vehicle rolled over. The driver, Martha Vela, 17, of Ben Wheeler, and a 16 year old girl, were taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment.
ALTO – Cherokee County authorities are continuing their investigation of an attack on an elderly couple Saturday night. The attack occurred on Farm Road 1911, just outside of Alto. The woman had gone outside to see what triggered an alarm on her property. The man she saw hit her in the head with something. When she screamed, her husband came outside and he was attacked. The suspect fled after the woman went inside and came out with a gun, shooting at the suspect. Authorities searched for the suspect, but could not find him. The The couple was taken to a hospital for treatment. Out news partner, KETK, reports the woman had a significant head injury and her husband is likely to lose his eye sight in one eye.
LONGVIEW – Industrial Drive is closed to through traffic between Marshall Avenue, U.S. Highway 80, and Cotton Street. This is to allow for railroad track maintenance. The railroad crossing on Industrial Drive will be closed to all traffic. Drivers are encouraged to use Eastman Road as an alternate route.
JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville police continue their investigation of a shooting that left one person dead. It happened shortly before 1:45 Wednesday afternoon on Kickapoo Street. Killed was Justin Lee Christian, 26. He was first taken to a Jacksonville hospital and later transferred to a Tyler hospital where he died. Investigators say he had been shot once in the head. They do have persons of interest in the case, but charges have not been filed and no arrests have been made.
The UT Health North Campus Tyler MD Anderson Cancer Center has a new director today. Dr. Alexandria Phan has been appointed as medical director of the center. Dr. Phan is board-certified in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology. She has served as principal investigator in numerous clinical trials, many of which were pivotal in receiving FDA approval for new medications. Prior to coming to Tyler, Dr. Phan led GI medical services for five regional locations of Cancer Treatment Centers of America. She has directed GI cancer services and the hematology oncology fellowship at Houston Methodist hospital, and served as an associate professor of GI medical oncology at MD Anderson.
TYLER – Carter BloodCare has a new director of its East Texas operations. Effective immediately, Clinton McCoy assumes the post. He succeeds Carla Beck, who retired in the fourth quarter of last year. McCoy will work out of the Tyler headquarters on South Baxter Avenue. Among his duties will be increasing retention of new blood donors and the frequency of donations among volunteer blood donors. He comes to East Texas from Waco where he was a drive recruiter with Carter BloodCare in the Central Texas area.
TYLER – Arrests were made in Smith County Thursday night following a gambling investigation. The arrests came as a variety of law enforcement agencies served warrants at several locations. They were served at the Lucky Tunes game room on Highway 64 East, a residence on plantation Drive in Tyler and at at a residence on Highway 64 East. The arrests stemmed from an investigation that spanned 5 months. Six persons were arrested at Lucky Tunes for promotion of gambling. One person was arrested for gambling, four were arrested for outstanding warrants and 56 citations were issued for the Class C misdemeanor offense of gambling. Approximately 90 gambling machines were seized. Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said “This investigation is by no means complete.” Additional search warrants and subpoenas are anticipated as this investigation continues.