PALESTINE – A boil water notice in Palestine has been lifted. It was issued last Friday due to a water main replacement for residents in the area of Union Pacific Railroad Park. The city has taken the necessary corrective actions and the water in the Union Pacific Railroad Park area no longer needs to be boiled.
TYLER – Smith County’s fire marshal has been reappointed for another two year term. Smith County commissioner’s on Tuesday reappointed Connie McCoy-Wasson to the post. County Judge Nathaniel Moran told her that she has done a fantastic job responding to the county’s emergencies. The commissioners court voted unanimously to approve the two-year appointment, which will run from December 20, 2018, through December 20, 2020. When first appointed to the post in 2015, she became the first female to serve as Smith County Fire Marshal. McCoy-Wasson has more than 20 years of experience as a deputy fire marshal for Smith County and had served as interim fire marshal prior to her original promotion. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A law enforcement task force says it has evidence linking a suspect in a weekend shooting with 4 area homicides. Kristian Perdomo, 25, of Tyler, was arrested following the wounding of Bradley Brockman, 45. He remains in critical condition in a Tyler hospital following the Sunday afternoon shooting at the Westwood Shopping Center. They have now received forensic confirmation from the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab that links the gun used in that shooting to four recent shootings in the area. Four men died in those shootings. The investigation into the shootings continues and Perdomo, who is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, is now facing additional charges. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON – A woman has died from a Rusk County accident earlier this month. Teresa Louise Clark, 64, of Henderson, died in a Tyler hospital from injuries received in the December 6th accident. The late afternoon accident occurred on State Highway 64, four miles west of Henderson. The Department of Public Safety reports the victim’s SUV was hit by a mini van which had crossed the center stripe of the highway. It was driven by Christopher E. Huss, 55, of Ben Wheeler. He was seriously injured in the wreck, which the DPS says, remains under investigation.
TYLER – A man connected to a Whitehouse murder was sentenced Tuesday. Colton Wade Tate, 22, of Tyler, pleaded guilty to tampering with evidence. He was sentenced by state district judge Christy Kennedy to 10 years deferred adjudication. Tate and Nathan Ryan Garcia, 21, of Whitehouse, were arrested last November. They were charged in the death of Andrew Carpenter, 19, of Tyler. He was shot at a home on Deerwood Drive. Garcia is scheduled to be in court Thursday for a plea hearing and sentencing on a charge of tampering with evidence.
TYLER – Time is running out to help some Smith County residents who are struggling. There is less than a week to donate to the Salvation Army’s Red Kettle Drive. They have raised only 68% of this year’s kettle goal of $400,000. They are down from their total at this time last year and their goal is $25,000 higher than last year. The money helps them provide critical programs, such as their community kitchen and the emergency and family shelters. Currently there is an average of 160 men, women and children living in the Center of Hope’s 200 bed shelter. You can help by donating anytime you see one of The Salvation Army’s red kettles. There are at 37 locations around Smith County.
TYLER – A man arrested in a Sunday shooting in Tyler may be connected to four other shooting since December 7th. Kristian Perdomo, 25, of Tyler was charged with aggravated assault in the shooting. It occurred shortly before 4:15 in the Westwood Shopping Center. Witness information led officers to Perdomo. When asked during a Monday news conference about his link to the other shootings, all homicides, Police Chief Jimmy Toler said…they are closely looking at him in the four other shootings. And he said, depending upon what the forensic analysts shows, “we would anticipate additional charges at that time.” The man wounded Sunday, Bradley Brockman, 45, remains in critical condition in a Tyler hospital. Perdomo remains in the Smith County Jail, charged with aggravated assault. His bond is $1 million. Perdomo’s arrest Sunday marks his 7th arrest in Smith County since 2010. Previous cases include robbery, aggravated assault and engaging in organized criminal activity.
KILGORE – A Kilgore mother has received a written shout out from the Kilgore Police Department. On their Facebook page, the police tell about a mother who caught her child stealing and wanted an officer to talk to the youngster. The child was taken back to the store where they apologized and the mother paid for the item. The boy was placed on community service with the mom. They added, “Its tough being a parent, but raise them up knowing about consequences and holding them accountable, and chances are they will never visit the Bulldog B&B,” also known as the city jail.
TYLER – TxDOT is planning to conduct the following construction and maintenance work throughout the district during the week of December 17. 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.
Motorists traveling I-20 westbound can expect a slow-down near Toll 49 Monday through Wednesday as full depth concrete repair operations are conducted as part of the I-20 Total Maintenance Contract. The contractor will be conducting work in the westbound outside lane a quarter mile east of Toll 49. The outside lane will be closed until the repairs are complete. The work includes removal of the existing asphalt and concrete paving, repairing the subgrade and existing drainage, and placing the new concrete pavement and asphalt surface. Alternate routes are encouraged to avoid delays. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON – An ongoing human trafficking investigation in Rusk County has resulted in two arrests. The arrests occurred as officers executed a search warrant at a residence on Highway 64 in Henderson. Taken into custody was Kendrick Davis, 28, of Henderson. He has been charged with three counts of aggravated sexual assault, two counts of human trafficking as well as aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a firearm. His bonds total $2.6 million. Also charged with two counts of human trafficking was Charles Starling Jr., 43, of Henderson. His bond is $2 million. And we are told more arrests are expected in the case. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A runway project at the Tyler airport has been completed. Tyler’s Pounds Regional Airport has fully opened Runway 4-22. The new extended length of the runway is 8,330 feet. Construction to rehabilitate, widen and lengthen the runway began four years ago. The runway pavement section includes 14 inches of concrete placed over 12 inches of a heavy base section. The runway is now capable of carrying much heavier loads and provides extended length for landing and takeoffs. In total, the budgeted cost for the project was about $48 million, with 90% of the cost covered through Federal Aviation Administration grants. The airport is currently working with the FAA to receive funding to rebuild the taxiway going towards the runaway. A ribbon cutting ceremony to celebrate project completion is scheduled next month.
TYLER – One person has been arrested and one person has been wounded in a Tyler shooting. The initial report said a witness flagged down an officer and reported seeing a shooting happen shortly before 4:15 Sunday afternoon at the Westwood Shopping Center at S SW Loop 323 and Chandler Highway. Witnesses were able to give a suspect and vehicle description and officers were able to arrest a suspect. Kristian Perdomo, 25, was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and was booked into the Smith County Jail. His bond was set at $1,000,000. The man who was wounded is in critical condition in a Tyler hospital. The investigation into the circumstances surrounding the shooting is continuing. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVEW – One person was killed in a vehicle/pedestrian accident in Longview. Killed shortly after 6:30 Saturday night was Jorelle Antwon Reese, 32, of Longview. Longview police say he was walking across West Marshall Avenue when the accident occurred. Investigators say he was not in a designated crosswalk. He later died at a Longview hospital. No information was made available about the car’s driver.
TYLER – A TSA Pre mobile enrollment center is coming to Tyler. From January 21 through January 25, pre enrollment center will be open at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. Travelers can now schedule their in-person appointment for that week to complete the background check and fingerprinting part of the application process. Before applying, be sure to go to the TSA Website at http://www.tsa.gov for full details on how to enroll. Airport Manager Davis Dickson said the enrollment is easy and passengers don’t have to have a ticket or be traveling to access the enrollment center. The mobile enrollment center will be located in the baggage claim area in the airport terminal building. Signs will be present to provide location information inside the terminal.
PALESTINE – The Commission on Environmental Quality has required the city of Palestine to issue a boil water notice. The action is needed due to a water main replacement for residents in the area of Union Pacific Railroad Park. To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to use. The water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source. When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the water system officials will notify you that the water is safe for consumption. Instructions to discontinue boiling will be issued in the same manner as this notice.