Today is
Saturday November 23, 2024
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department reports one man is dead following a fight between family members . According to our news partner KETK, LPD was called Wednesday afternoon to 700 Ethel Street, near La Quinta Inn. Officers found a man at the scene had been shot. He was taken to a hospital, where he later died. An investigation revealed the shooting happened when an argument with family members rapidly increased to the shooting incident. The other family member allegedly involved in the shooting, remained on the on scene and is cooperating with law enforcement.
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A Texas county that wants to keep 17 books off its shelves — some dealing humorously with flatulence and others with issues including sex, gender identity and racism — argued its case Tuesday before 18 federal appeals court judges amid questions on whether the rights of the patrons or county officials were at risk.
Library patrons filed suit in 2022 against numerous officials with the Llano County library system and the county government after the books were removed. A federal district judge in Texas issued a preliminary injunction requiring that the books be returned in 2023. But the outlook became murkier when three judges of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals split three ways on the issue in June — one saying all 17 books should stay on the shelves, another saying only eight had to stay, and another saying the court should leave it up to the county.
The upshot was that eight books were to be kept on the shelves. But the full court voted to toss that ruling and rehear the case. Tuesday’s arguments were heard by the 17 full-time judges of the 5th Circuit, plus Jacques Wiener, a senior 5th Circuit judge with a reduced workload who was part of the original panel.
It is unclear when the full court will rule.
Tuesday’s arguments
Judges closely questioned attorneys on both sides as attorneys supporting the county said government officials’ decisions in curating a library’s book selection amount to protected government speech.
Judge Leslie Southwick expressed concern that allowing the officials to remove certain books amounts to repression of viewpoints,.
Judge Stuart Kyle Duncan was more sympathetic to the county, noting a litany of “weeding†guidelines libraries use in deciding which books to stock based on a variety of factors from the age and condition of the book to subject matter that could be considered outdated or racist.
He raised questions of whether a library could be allowed to remove an overtly racist book by former Ku Klux Klan leader David Duke or the children’s book “The Cat in the Hat,” which has been criticized for allegedly drawing on racist minstrel show culture.
What are the books?
The books at issue in the case include “Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent†by Isabel Wilkerson; “They Called Themselves the K.K.K: The Birth of an American Terrorist Group,†by Susan Campbell Bartoletti; “In the Night Kitchen†by Maurice Sendak; “It’s Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health†by Robie H. Harris; and “Being Jazz: My Life as a (Transgender) Teen†by Jazz Jennings.
Other titles include “Larry the Farting Leprechaun†by Jane Bexley and “My Butt is So Noisy!†by Dawn McMillan.
Already divided
In June’s panel ruling, Wiener, who was nominated to the 5th Circuit by former President George H. W. Bush, said the books were clearly removed at the behest of county officials who disagreed with the books’ messages.
Another panel member was Southwick, a nominee of former President George W. Bush, who agreed with Wiener — partially. He argued that some of the removals might stand a court test as the case progresses, noting that some of the books dealt more with “juvenile, flatulent humor†than weightier subjects.
“I do not find those books were removed on the basis of a dislike for the ideas within them when it has not been shown the books contain any ideas with which to disagree,†Southwick wrote.
Also on that panel was Duncan, a nominee of former President Donald Trump, who dissented fully. “The commission hanging in my office says ‘Judge,’ not ‘Librarian.’ †Duncan wrote.
TYLER – Hiland Dairy Foods Co. announced the 90,000 square-foot expansion of their facility in Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, the company said, the expansion of Hiland’s Tyler location will include “state-of-the-art processing, filling casing, palletizing, load-out, storage areas and a new laboratory.â€
Hiland Dairy President Rick Beaman said, “This expansion is more than just growth in our physical footprint; it’s a commitment to the future of Tyler, We deeply appreciate the support we’ve received from the city, and we’re excited to continue providing good-paying, stable jobs for this community for years to come.â€
Hiland said that the expansion is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026.
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HOUSTON (AP) — A Texas man with a long history of mental illness who has repeatedly sought to waive his right to appeal his death sentence faced execution Tuesday evening for killing his 3-month-old son more than 16 years ago.
Travis Mullis, 38, was condemned for stomping his son Alijah to death in January 2008. His execution by lethal injection was set to take place at the state penitentiary in Huntsville.
Authorities say Mullis, then 21 and living in Brazoria County, drove to nearby Galveston with his son after fighting with his girlfriend. Mullis parked his car and sexually assaulted his son. After the infant began to cry uncontrollably, Mullis began strangling his son before taking him out of the car and stomping on his head, according to authorities.
The infant’s body was later found on the side of the road. Mullis fled Texas but was later arrested after turning himself in to police in Philadelphia.
Mullis’ execution was expected to proceed as his attorneys did not plan to file any final appeals to try and stay his lethal injection. His lawyers also did not file a clemency petition with the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
In a letter submitted to U.S. District Judge George Hanks in Houston, Mullis wrote in February that he had no desire to challenge his case any further. Mullis has previously taken responsibility for his son’s death and has said “his punishment fit the crime.â€
In the letter, Mullis said, “he seeks the same finality and justice the state seeks.â€
Galveston County District Attorney Jack Roady, whose office prosecuted Mullis, declined to comment ahead of Tuesday’s scheduled execution.
At Mullis’ trial, prosecutors said Mullis was a “monster†who manipulated people, was deceitful and refused the medical and psychiatric help he had been offered.
Since his conviction in 2011, Mullis has long been at odds with his various attorneys over whether to appeal his case. At times, Mullis had asked that his appeals be waived, only to later change his mind.
Shawn Nolan, one of Mullis’ attorneys, told the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals during a June 2023 hearing that state courts in Texas had erred in ruling that Mullis had been mentally competent when he had waived his right to appeal his case about a decade earlier.
Nolan told the appeals court that Mullis has been treated for “profound mental illness†since he was 3 years old, was sexually abused as a child and is “severely bipolar,†leading him to change his mind about appealing his case.
“The only hope that Mr. Mullis had of avoiding execution, of surviving was to have competent counsel to help the court in its determination of whether he was giving up his rights knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily and that did not happen,†Nolan said.
Natalie Thompson, who at the time was with the Texas Attorney General’s Office, told the appeals court that Mullis understood what he was doing and could go against his lawyers’ advice “even if he’s suffering from mental illness.â€
The appeals court upheld Hank’s ruling from 2021 that found Mullis “repeatedly competently chose to waive review†of his death sentence.
The U.S. Supreme Court has prohibited the application of the death penalty for the intellectually disabled, but not for people with serious mental illness.
Mullis would be the fourth inmate put to death this year in Texas, the nation’s busiest capital punishment state, and the 15th in the U.S.
Mullis’ execution is one of five set to take place in the U.S. within a week’s time. The first took place Friday when South Carolina put inmate Freddie Owens to death. Also Tuesday, Marcellus Williams was scheduled to be executed in Missouri. On Thursday, executions are scheduled for Alan Miller in Alabama and Emmanuel Littlejohn in Oklahoma.
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A federal jury in Texas on Monday rejected voter intimidation allegations against all but one of a group of former President Donald Trump supporters who surrounded a Biden-Harris campaign bus on an interstate days before the 2020 election.
Only one of the six Trump supporters who were sued in the civil trial was held responsible by the jury. A Texas man whose car brushed up against another as the caravan of vehicles dubbed the “Trump Train†raced down Interstate 35, was ordered to pay the bus driver $10,000 and another $30,000 in punitive damages.
Both sides declared victory at the end of a two-week trial in an Austin courthouse. The five Trump supporters cleared in the lawsuit — which was brought by three people aboard the campaign bus, including former Texas Democratic lawmaker Wendy Davis — described the verdict as vindicating and a relief.
“We’re just ready to feel like normal people again,†said Joeylynn Mesaros, one of the defendants, who described being harassed for participating in the ‘Trump Train.’ “It’s been a thousand something days to have our day in court.â€
Attorneys for those aboard the bus said justice was served, even as they disagreed with the jury’s decision to clear five of the defendants.
“When I came to this case it was never about politics that day. I’m grateful, I’m proud of my team,†said Tim Holloway, who was behind the wheel of the campaign bus on Oct. 30, 2020.
The Biden-Harris campaign bus was traveling from San Antonio to Austin for an event when a group of cars and pickup trucks waving Trump flags boxed in the bus on the highway. Davis testified she feared for her life.
Video that Davis recorded from the bus shows one of the defendants, Eliazar Cisneros, hit a campaign volunteer’s car while the trucks occupied all lanes of traffic, forcing the bus and everyone around it to a 15 mph crawl.
It was the last day of early voting in Texas and the bus was scheduled to stop at San Marcos for an event at Texas State University. The event was canceled after Davis and others on the bus — a campaign staffer and the driver — made repeated calls to 911 asking for a police escort through San Marcos and no help arrived.
The trial centered on whether the actions of the “Trump Train†participants amounted to political intimidation.
No criminal charges were filed against the six Trump supporters.
An attorney for Cisneros, the only member of the convoy who the jury found liable, said they would appeal.
“With regard to my client, it’s not over yet,†attorney Francisco Canseco said.
Davis testified that she felt scared and anxious throughout the ordeal. “I feel like they were enjoying making us afraid,†she testified. “It’s traumatic for all of us to revisit that day.â€
TYLER – On Monday, the United States Department of Education announced 356 schools nationwide as Blue Ribbon Schools. According to our news partner KETK, four of these schools were from East Texas. In a release from the department, National Blue Ribbon Schools are schools that “excel in academic performance or make significant strides in closing achievement gaps among different student groups.â€
Of the 356 nationally recognized schools, the following East Texas schools were awarded:
Caldwell Arts Academy in Tyler for exemplary achievement gap closing
Gus Winston Cain Elementary School in Whitehouse for exemplary high performance
Hudson Elementary School in Longview for exemplary high performance
Neches High School in Palestine for exemplary achievement gap closing
All of the schools were awarded a National Blue Ribbon School flag as a “recognized emblem of exceptional teaching and learning.â€
SULPHUR SPRINGS – The Sulphur Springs ISD is asking the community to help them with efforts end social media threats. According to our news partner KETK, another student in Sulphur Springs was arrested Saturday night for making an online threat to the school.
In a release from the superintendents office, federal law enforcement contacted the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office on Saturday in regards to a social media threat. Sulpur Springs ISD said a 14-year-old middle school girl was taken to a juvenile facility. The student is now facing felony charges for making a terroristic threat.
The district went on to say that type of behavior will not be tolerated as it drains county and city resources.
“We will continue to advocate for those caught participating in this type of behavior to be prosecuted to the maximum extent allowed by law. If you do not monitor you child’s social media, law enforcement will. We will take no chances with the safety of our students and staff. We would ask you again that you partner with us in making this behavior stop,†the district said.
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RUSK COUNTY – A Henderson woman was arrested on after deputies found her to be the passenger of a 12-year-old behind the wheel during a traffic stop, the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office said. According to our news partner KETK, Rusk County sheriff’s deputies stopped a vehicle late Saturday night, September 14, on County Road 201 in Henderson for reckless driving.
Officers found 39-year-old Holly Riehl of Henderson in the front passenger seat. However, operating the vehicle was a 12-year-old child. The juvenile was seated on a cushion and jacket to better see the steering wheel and control console. The sheriff’s office said Riehl was found in possession of an open alcohol container and deputies saw she attempted to toss a plastic bag of cocaine.
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TYLER – Jerry Thomas, from Rusk, was awarded $4.5 million in a lawsuit after an accident that cost him his hand, according to our news partner KETK. In a release from the office of Daniel Gibbins, the lead attorney for Thomas, the lawsuit against Antonio Munoz Asseradero LLC over safety concerns at the sawmill found that unsafe working conditions were the cause of an accident that resulted in the loss of Thomas’ hand.
“This verdict reflects the seriousness of Jerry Thomas’s injury and the negligence that caused it,†Gibbins said. “Justice has been served for Mr. Thomas, and we are proud to have helped him secure the compensation he needs to rebuild his life after this tragic incident.â€
TYLER – Tyler Parks and Recreation Department is again hosting Movies in the Park this fall. The Parks Department has shown 134 movies to date. The Movies in the Park program is a free movie for families and individuals to enjoy at Bergfeld Park, located at 1510 S. College Ave, Faulkner Park, located at 410 Cumberland Rd, and the Tyler Rose Garden, located at 420 Rose Park Dr. Three movies will be hosted starting Oct 5. Come out and see these classics!
Movies in the Park fall schedule:
Bergfeld Park Saturday, Oct. 5 at 7 p.m. – Hocus Pocus, rated PG.
Faulkner Park Saturday, Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. – Bad News Bears, rated PG-13.
Tyler Rose Garden (Queen’s Court) Saturday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. – Elf, rated PG.
The Movies in the Park program is made possible in part through sponsors with the Tyler Parks and Rec department. The fall season sponsors include Southside Bank, and more sponsors are needed!
For more information or questions, please contact Tyler Parks and Rec at (903) 531-1374 or visit TylerParksandRec.com.
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LONGVIEW — Workforce Solutions East Texas has announced the relocation of its workforce center to the Park Place Shopping Center just west of Gilmer Road, at 1905 W. Loop 281, Suite 40. The business hours will be Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Longview Workforce Center will open on October 1, 2024.
Workforce Solutions East Texas provides no-cost recruitment and employment services to businesses and job seekers in the East Texas area. The new facility is 25,712-square-feet. The Workforce Solutions East Texas Board approved entering a five-year lease term with five one-year extension options.
The current Workforce Solutions East Texas, Longview office at 209 S. Center Street will be closed from September 23 to 30, 2024, to prepare for the move. During this time, staff will serve customers virtually by calling 1-844-ETWORKS.