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AUSTIN (AP/Staff) – With Tyler’s Leo Berman already in the running, a second conservative legislator is mulling a challenge to moderate Texas House Speaker Joe Straus. That raises the specter of a Republican leadership battle as lawmakers grapple with a huge budget shortfall early next year. State Rep. Warren Chisum told The Associated Press Tuesday that he would decide before the November elections whether to mount a challenge to the top House leader. Chisum is a Republican from Pampa. Berman earlier announced his decision to run against Straus when lawmakers return to Austin in January.

TYLER — September is Firefighter Appreciation Month, and throughout the period, Carter BloodCare offers the community an opportunity to say thank you to firefighters through blood donation. Donors will be given the opportunity in September to donate the Life Plan credit they receive for donating blood to the fire department of their choice. Those Life Plan credits can then be used, within the year, by that fire department to assist should anyone from their department need blood or blood product. Blood drives will be hosted at the Tyler Donor Center as well as at several Smith County fire stations throughout the month.

A press conference was held Tuesday at Carter BloodCare’s Tyler Donor Center to kick off the month-long campaign. In attendance were Tyler Mayor Barbara Bass, Tyler Fire Chief Neil Franklin, Carter BloodCare staff, and Fire Chiefs from surrounding fire departments.

According to press information, the Carter BloodCare Life Plan assures blood donors that they will receive financial assistance toward uninsured blood product fees if they or their immediate family members require blood transfusions within 12 months of their donation. The Individual and Family Life Plan offers up to $1000 credit toward uninsured blood product fees for the donor and the donor’s tax dependents. The Group Life Plan allows donors to donate an individual credit to a group of their choosing, while still maintaining their Individual Plan. That donor group receives a $10 credit, valid for one year for every registered donor. The donor group can then assign those credits as necessary to those within the group who need them to assist with the cost of used uninsured blood product. You can visit http://www.carterbloodcare.org for more information about Carter BloodCare.

TYLER – The 20th annual Pantry Raid competition between Robert E. Lee and John Tyler High School students is underway. For two decades, the students at each school have had a friendly competition to feed hungry East Texans. The students collect food during Pantry Raid for the East Texas Food Bank. The school that collects the most food will earn bragging rights and proudly display the traveling trophy at their school.

In the past 19 years, the students have collected over 862,000 pounds of food. The Pantry Raid results will be announced at the Robert E. Lee and John Tyler football game on Friday at the beginning of halftime. “We are so thankful to the students who have continued the tradition of taking action against hunger in our community,” said Dennis Cullinane, executive director of the East Texas Food Bank. “The food collected by the students will be given to children, families and seniors who are struggling to put food on their tables.”

TYLER — Police in Tyler are encouraging residents to sign up for the annual Texans Against Crime (T.A.C.) night out. The event will take place on Tuesday, October 12th , 2010 from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. T.A.C. celebrations are held throughout East Texas on the second Tuesday in October. Last year the City of Tyler had approximately 90 block parties throughout the City to promote the program, and they’re hoping for a similar number, or more, this year. Community Response Officer James McCraw says he hopes you’ll sign up as soon as possible so police can start establishing their list of parties. You can register online at http://www.tylerpolice.com or call the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1096.

Police say the T.A.C. program is an annual event designed to unite neighbors and communities to encourage neighborhood communication, community involvement and crime prevention to create safer neighborhoods. T.A.C. encourages neighborhoods to host block parties as an opportunity to get to know your neighbor and fight crime. McCraw says he knows things like buying food for a block party can pose a financial burden. He says one answer is just to keep your party simple — perhaps nothing more than a small gathering on the street.

Police say T.A.C. promotes neighborhood alliances to strengthen communities and preserve the quality of life in East Texas. According to police, the program helps to educate families, friends and neighbors about crime prevention and inform residents that communities are safer when neighbors work together. Police add that getting to know your neighbors is an important step in keeping your community safe.

JACKSONVILLE — A Jacksonville couple are riding their horses — all the way to El Paso. Bob and Sharon Slayden will stay in the saddle though the end of the month as they trek 764 miles on their quarter horses to raise awareness and money for the American Cancer Society. Sharon says this is personal, noting, “My mom died of pancreatic cancer; I have a sister-in-law right now who’s going through brain cancer; and my husband’s mother and daddy died of cancer.” According to Sharon, research is so fantastic today “that a lot of people are getting healed and they’re ‘getting more birthdays,’ as we call it. You know, we’re susceptible to it, because genetically, it moves forward in the family. So we have to know this, and we have to let people know about it — that they can be helped.”

Sharon says she and Bob are covering 25 to 30 miles a day. This is their second such ride; last year they raised a little more than $3,000, and Sharon thinks they’ll do better this year.

TYLER — A man dies in a fall from a tree in Tyler. Police say on Monday at about 12:30 p.m., an accidental injury was reported to Tyler Police Department Dispatchers. According to authorities, a man had been trimming a tree in the 1300 block of South Kennedy Ave. and had fallen from the tree — a distance of approximately fifty feet to the ground.

A witness had observed the accident and called the Tyler Police Department. An ambulance and a Tyler Fire Department first responder unit were dispatched to aid the victim. They prepared the victim for transport to East Texas Medical Center, and he was immediately transported. Shortly after his arrival at the hospital he was pronounced dead from his injuries. An investigation and inquest were conducted, and the case was closed as an accidental injury. Next of kin were notified at the hospital. The victim is identified as 48-year-old Gabino Torrescano of Tyler.

DALLAS – Seven Tyler stores were awarded top honors this month as ShopAcrossTexas.com released its annual Best Stores in Town list. The complete list will be released to the public throughout the coming weeks via ShopAcrossTexas.com. The Tyler stores that made the list are Spinout, Bridgette’s, Haute Totz, Mary V’s, Harley’s Suit Club, Ye Olde Flea Market & Antique Mall and London Shoppe Antiques. The list was determined through a six-week survey conducted on ShopAcrossTexas.com, in which readers voted for their favorite retail across the Lone Star state. You can log onto http://www.ShopAcrossTexas.com to read comments about the stores.

TYLER — Democratic gubernatorial candidate Bill White drops by the Smith County Central Labor Council’s Labor Day Picnic at Tyler’s Lindsey Park. White says Labor Day’s a time to “give thanks” that there are “people who work long hard hours that have moved our country forward in so many ways.” White also said there’s been great response to his border security plan — a thousand new police officers and deputy sheriffs all along the border. White says that presence will send a clear signal to gang members and narco traffickers that things won’t be safe for them if they cross that river.”

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department arrested five people during the beginning of a Labor Day weekend crackdown on drunken driving. The department is one of the law enforcement agencies across North Texas that are participating in the “no refusal” initiative that began at 6 p.m. Friday and ends Tuesday. If a DWI suspect refuses to provide a breath or blood sample, officials will get a warrant for a blood sample.

A first-offense DWI can result in a maximum of six months in jail, a $2,000 fine and driver’s license suspension for a year, police said. Arrested Friday night or early Saturday morning were:

Luis Corona, 17, of Longview, who remained jailed Saturday on $1,000 bond, charged with driving while intoxicated.

Terese Hembrough, 47, of Longview, who remained jailed Saturday on $2,500 bond, charged with driving while intoxicated, second offense.

Anthony Ponce, 23, of Longview, who remained jailed Saturday on $2,500 bond, charged with driving while intoxicated, second offense.

Michael Taylor, 51, of Longview, who remained jailed Saturday, charged with driving while intoxicated and with eight outstanding warrants. Bond has not been set.

Teresa Worthington, 40, of Longview, who remained jailed Saturday on $1,000 bond, charged with driving while intoxicated.

According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, Longview police said 208 wrecks since January were caused by drunken drivers.

KEMAH (AP) — A Lufkin motorcyclist died after a brief chase with police. The Houston Chronicle reports that Joshuah Cavins, 27, was thrown from his bike early Saturday in Kemah.

A news release says that Kemah officers saw two motorcycle riders run a red light just after midnight. When officers initiated a traffic stop on both bikes, one motorcyclist complied, but Cavins fled.

After a pursuit, officers lost sight of him. A short time later, his wrecked cycle was found in a ditch. Cavins was found unconscious about 75 feet from the mangled bike and later died from his injuries. The investigation continues.