According to James Pike with Rusk County Emergency Management, the blaze consumed around 80 acres near County Road 3166 just west of Mt. Enterprise.
Citizens of Rusk County should be aware that there is a burn ban currently in effect.
The forest service, Mt. Enterprise, and Laneville Volunteer Fire Departments are on scene at this time.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Bullard officials have now interviewed multiple students in regards to an allegation by a White Oak student that she was roughed up during a football game last Friday.
The victim said she was shoved by up to eight other students while in her school's mascot uniform during the game between Bullard and White Oak, suffering cuts and a black eye.
Thursday, Bullard ISD officials said they are currently doing everything they can to get to the bottom of the case.
Police said they have been in touch with the family, who as of Monday said the girl still had a black eye from the incident.
"We've interviewed several witnesses or several individuals we believe to be possible witnesses," said Bullard Police Captain Jeff Bragg.
The White Oak students mother said the incident happened while her daughter was near the concession stands and bathrooms on the visitor's side of the stadium. Police said the case has been complicated by the fact that no witnesses have come forward and none of the six officers or additional administrators at the game saw the incident.
"With her not being able to identify the individual or individuals that may have caused any injuries to her or anything like that, that makes it difficult," Bragg said.
"If we find out a Bullard student was involved in incident, we will certainly take disciplinary action against that student," said Bullard Superintendent Keith Bryant. "But you have to remember that at football games, with thousands of spectators, there are kids and adults, many that don't even go to our school district."
The district has also told teachers to keep their ears open, hoping somebody will come forward with more information.
"We say something before every game to all of our students," Bryant said. "That is we have an expectation that you behave in a manner that reflects well on Bullard ISD."
Bullard ISD said that will continue to be their motto and they see no need to increase security during games at this time.
"We have every confidence in Bullard ISD and are sure they will take every step to make sure nothing like this ever happens again," said the superintendent.
Both Bullard police and school officials ask for anybody who may have witnessed or have knowledge about the incident to come forward. At this time, the case remains under investigation.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Multiple fire departments put out a 15-acre blaze Thursday afternoon in Smith County.
According to officials with the Smith County Fire Marshal's Office, the fire was located at 20939 County Road 4129 near the Old Sabine Bottom Wildlife Management Area. This location is about six miles northeast of Lindale and threatens multiple structures.
The fire marshal believes the blaze was sparked by a lightning strike.
The Texas A&M Forest Service, Lindale Fire Department, and Red Springs Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire.
Residents of Smith County are reminded that there is a burn ban in effect.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
From NET Health:
On September 11, 2013, the Texas Department of State Health Services advised the Northeast Texas Public Health District that one (1) bat submitted for analysis tested positive for rabies. The bat was found near the 7100 Block of Cherryhill, Tyler, TX. The known individuals and animals with possible exposure have been identified and addressed. This is the first (1st) laboratory confirmed case of rabies in the City limits of Tyler for 2013.
It is critical for people not to handle bats, skunks, raccoons, or other wild animals. It is important for children to tell their parents of any contact with wild animals or any sick animals. Anyone who knows of a person being bitten by an animal must report the bite incident to the Smith County Rabies Control Authority for proper investigation.
Smith County Rabies Control Authority advises all citizens to confirm that their dogs and cats are currently vaccinated for rabies. City of Tyler Ordinance and Smith County Ordinance require annual rabies vaccinations for all dogs and cats. It is a Class C misdemeanor if you fail to vaccinate your dog or cat by four (4) months of age. Preventive immunization for rabies is the only effective defense against this always fatal disease.
Anyone with questions on rabies control may contact City of Tyler Animal Control at 903-535-0045.
Good afternoon, everyone, and happy Friday!
Here are some stories to finish off the work week:
1. Tyler police say they are continuing to investigate more reports of vehicles vandalized in the early morning hours Friday. One witness observed a white Toyota Camry that was sitting next to a victim's vehicle when the windows were smashed. If you know any other related information related to this suspect vehicle or any other information, please contact Tyler police. (903) 531-1072. Our Laura Sadler spoke with Officer Don Martin this afternoon and will bring you more details on East Texas News at 6.
2. It's becoming an unfortunate regular feature in East Texas news in recent days: fires, including one in Lindale on Hwy 69N, and one in Upshur County that destroyed a man's home. We are also hearing reports that fire crews are en route to a structure fire in Lindale; we will update our website as more information becomes available.
3. Who's getting rain out there? Make sure to send pics to us via sendit@kltv.com! We'll happily take your photos from the sidelines of tonight's football games, too, to use on our website. Send 'em on!
4. Members of the Texas Nationalist Movement say if they get enough petition signatures, Texans will be able to decide whether our state should secede from the union. The group will be collecting signatures in Tyler on Saturday. Details here.
5. The annual Children's Clothing Consignment Sale is set to take place on September 12-14, and you won't want to miss it if you need furniture, home accessories, and, obviously, gently-used clothing for your kids! Details here.
6. Rose City bragging rights on the line tonight in Tyler as RE Lee faces off with John Tyler! Entering the 2013 season, the John Tyler Lions had become the dominant program in Tyler. Since 2010, the Lions had won a combined a 36 games. Tyler Lee had won just four times, under three different head coaches. But after their first 2 and 0 start in 8 years, it appears Tyler Lee football is back. Check out what some of the players told our Ryan Peterson, and make sure to watch KLTV News at 10, Red Zone at 10:35pm, and Red Zone Overtime on KLTV.com after that! We have got East Texas football covered for you!
7. In case you missed it, check out this story about a military father stationed overseas who was able to watch his daughter be born right here in Tyler with new technology. What a heart-touching story, and our Shaley Sanders was invited in to capture their moments of joy. Read that story and watch video here.
Here's the link to our livestream! If our newscasts are on television, they're also on KLTV.com!
We'll see you soon,
Stephanie Frazier
KLTV Web Producer
What is in a name? That's an old question that resonates loudly even today.
There has been an on going debate about the offensiveness of the name of the NFL football team from Washington – the Washington Redskins. Native American groups are offended by the use of the term "redskin" to the point that they are protesting in advance of the team's upcoming games as well as buying media schedules to express their displeasure with the use of the name.
Team owner Daniel Snyder has pledged never to change the name, and if you are a football fan, it is hard to imagine a better rivalry than the Redskins and Cowboys through the years. So what should the sensitivity be to a professional or amateur team's name and the potential to offend? Now, in America, it is certainly appropriate to express your view and if offended, you can express that rationale behind the offense.
I can see why the term "redskin" could be upsetting to Native Americans but I also see decades of support, honor and even reverence associated with this team name. It is ultimately up to the team owner, but if we dilute team names down to characters and causes that are universally accepted, we will end up with 32 teams that all look like the Cleveland Browns, who incidentally were named after their first coach Paul Brown. That is fine until someone in the Brown family commits a heinous crime, causing protests, well you get the picture.
We need to keep the Redskins, the Redskins. It brings character and personality to the sport and ultimately keeps a strong connection to Native Americans.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Crews have contained a grass fire in Cass County.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service Dispatch Tracker web site, the fire was located near County Road 2340, south of Highway 77 in Cass County. This is just southwest of Douglassville.
The fire burned close to 30 acres. Initial viewer reports indicated that multiple homes were being threatened, but that was never confirmed, and no homes were damaged according to the Texas A&M Forest Service Dispatch Tracker web site.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
The city of Longview is looking at plans for a new hotel and convention center, possibly located at Eastman Road and Estes Parkway, just south of Interstate 20.
The Longview city council heard plans last night for the proposed 25,000 square foot convention center, which would cost around $5.5 million dollars.Another contractor also proposed building a full-service Marriott Hotel with around 150 rooms next to the center. The city says the project is just under discussion, but could boost Longview's economy."This project is right there by I-20, lots of traffic going by there, so there's the potential there that you can attract people for conferences for different training events and those kinds of things," said Shawn Hara with City of Longview.
The proposal was made at Thursday night's scheduled city council meeting and has not been approved.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
A Houston man died after he was hit by a car on Highway 31 W., early Thursday morning.
According to authorities, a 38-year-old Houston man, who owned and operated an 18-wheeler, was looking for Alamo Patio around 6:42 a.m. when he parked his truck on the eastbound side of Highway 31 W. near Greenbriar Road, and crossed the highway on foot to see if he was in the right place. After realizing he was not at the correct location he attempted to go back across the highway to his 18-wheeler and was hit in the westbound lane by a female driving a silver Nissan Sentra.
The victim was dead when EMS arrived on the scene.
The driver of the Sentra will not be charged for hitting the victim because the victim was crossing illegally. He was also wearing dark clothing and it was still dark when he crossed.
However, the driver will be ticketed for driving without a license and for not properly securing one of her children in a car seat.
DPS, Tyler Police and Dixie Fire responded to the scene.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Released by the Nacogdoches County Sheriff's Department:
On 09/13/13 at approximately 1415 hrs, Deputies with the Nacogdoches County Sheriff Office conducted a traffic stop on a passenger vehicle on South Street. The vehicle was occupied by two male subjects both from Nacogdoches, Texas.
During the traffic stop, Deputies could smell the odor of marijuana coming from the vehicle. Deputies conducted a search of the motor vehicle due to having probable cause. A search of the vehicle led to the discovery of 12 grams of crack cocaine that was found in the center console of the vehicle. Deputies also found a small amount of marijuana inside the car.
Darreyon Cooper 18 years of age and Timothy Morris 20 years of age were both arrested for possession of controlled substance in a Drug Free Zone a felony of the 1st Degree. . Both subjects were booked into the Nacogdoches County Jail.
An East Texas teen is thankful to be alive after a harrowing crash in which he was trapped and had to be rescued by onlookers. Now Colton MacDonald is thanking his rescuers. With two broken vertebrae, and wearing a neck brace, Colton is just glad he's alive today.
"I'm very thankful to everybody who helped me when I had my accident," he says.
The 17-year old crashed his car Sunday in Longview, and remembers those anxious moments trapped in his car.
"I blacked out in the middle of the collision. I was scared. I wanted someone. I was just terrified. I was worried that I might die," Colton says.
Colton's mother, Mandi MacDonald didn't want time to go by without saying thanks.
"I would like to thank the people that went out of their way to come help my son. If it wasn't for the people that held the car up, I don't know what would have happened; I wouldn't see my son grow up," says Mandi.
Several people helped lift the car onto its side, holding it up until paramedics and police arrived.
"I heard a bunch of people saying it's ok, EMT's are on their way," Colton says.
And they stayed with Colton, talking to him, until rescuers could cut him out of the wreck.
"How thankful I am that they were there. There are good people out there," Mandi says.
Colton has one message to those who helped.
"Thank you; just thank you," he says.
Colton is recovering and plans to meet with those who helped him the day of the accident.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
DALLAS (AP) - A Texas A&M "12THMAN" specialty auto license plate has been awarded to a Houston resident for a record winning bid of $115,000.
According to ESPN, the winner, Tony Buzbee, an attorney from Houston, will be presented with the plates during the second quarter of Saturday's football game versus Alabama. Buzbee, who is a former officer in the U.S. Marine Corps, plants to give the plates to a decorated war veteran who graduated from Texas A&M.
"I'm not saying who it is yet, but I see him as a 12th man to our country," said Buzbee. "He did a lot more than pay $100,000 for a license plate."
Kim Drummond with Austin-based My Plates says bids stalled at about $42,000 at 11:45 a.m. Thursday. But a bidding war ensued that shot the price upward by the noon deadline.
My Plates, the state customized license plate contractor, auctioned off 10-year rights to the plate. The winner can renew rights to the plate after 10 years for $795.
The previous record for a specialty plate was a bid of $25,000 in January for "HOUSTON."
Copyright 20123 KLTV. ALl rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A Texas man is on a mission for a more slender world, and he claims it's as simple as drinking water. That's it. Change nothing else.
"I knew I should be drinking eight glasses of water a day; I never did it, I tried," Blake Sylvia, author of Weight Loss is Easy, said.
He spent more than forty years obese, saying "I've kinda been the fat kid in class since the third grade." That is until an idea came to him through years of trying different diets.
"It was divine intervention," he said.
He began to actually drink those eight glasses a day that he had long been omitting. Drinking one large glass before and during meals made him less hungry. He changed nothing about his diet, he says, but the added water.
"It turned off the hunger mechanism so I would eat less," he said.
Fried chicken and ice cream were still on his plate; nothing was off-limits, so long as that water kept flowing. He lost eighty pounds in less than a year.
Now, he's spreading the word. His book, Weight Loss is Easy, is quickly gaining momentum. The book not only focuses on physical steps to lose weight, but also mental steps.
"I would have told you obesity runs in my family, I don't have time to exercise, weight loss is hard, so I had unintentionally conditioned my mind that weight loss was impossible in my life."
So, there is more to the program than just water, but not much. Sylvia advises losers to read inspirational books for fifteen minutes a day to support their emotional weight loss journey.
We'll drink to that!
Anyone driving down Highway 155 South on Wednesday may have seen a soldier standing in the Texas heat in full uniform holding an American flag.
The soldier, Sergeant First Class Adam Gonzales, a Coffee City resident, says he was there in remembrance of the 12th anniversary of September 11 and that it was a very difficult day for him. He declined to elaborate further about holding the flag.
"I wouldn't feel right until all my brothers and sister come home from Afghanistan" said Gonzales.
A veteran herself, passerby Shawn Victory had to stop and take a picture of Gonzales.
"He held true for what we stand for and what our soldiers mean for the country," said Victory.
The photo was posted on the Army WTF Facebook page yesterday and has already received over 96,000 likes and 30,000 shares.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Colorado mountain towns cut off for days by massive flooding slowly reopened to reveal cabins toppled, homes ripped from their foundations and everything covered in a thick layer of muck. Several Texans have answered the call to travel to Colorado to help the victims of the floods.
According to the Tyler office of the American Red Cross, one person from Tyler is already on the ground to help with the flooding efforts. Another volunteer from Wood County should head to the area soon. Others may be called up if they are needed.
Overall, there are more than 20 Red Cross members from North Texas - two from the East Texas area - in Colorado to provide assistance.
Colorado has been pummeled by up to 15 inches in the past seven days. At least five are confirmed dead and hundreds are still missing.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
There was a special delivery Thursday morning as an East Texas mother gave birth to a healthy little girl.
Four generations of family made it to little Ellarie Mohn's birth, but it was not easy since Ellarie's father is stationed in Japan.
"There we go," smiled Dr. Paul Fanning as he lifted little Ellarie up for family to see.
Ellarie weighs 8 pounds and 12 oz.
"I'm so blessed, just so blessed. She is so perfect," said Ellarie's mother, Erica McCraine.
What makes this day even more special is that McCraine's husband was able to be a part of this unforgettable moment all the way from Japan.
"Honestly, I was just happy when I heard her screaming and knowing she was healthy," said McCraine's husband, Jesse Mohn.
Mohn said he is an Aviation Technician Petty Officer 1st Class, stationed at the Yokosuka Naval Base and was not even sure if FaceTiming would be a possibility. However, thanks to timing, technology and a determined family, he did not miss a second.
"I'm going to see you in a little bit, little girl," Mohn said before his wife was taken into surgery.
Dr. Fanning introduced himself to Ellarie's dad via FaceTime, something he said he has never done before.
"Great day for a birthday party; wish you could be here live, but this is the next best thing," Dr. Fanning said.
"This is unbelievable. At no time in history have I been able to have something like this. It's very, very cool," Dr. Fanning said.
Four generations of family were all present for little Ellarie's birth, including big brother Benjamin.
"We have a beautiful little girl," happy dad Mohn said.
"My first through is that she is perfect," McCraine's mom said as she leaned over her brand new granddaughter.
Mohn and McCraine said it will probably be December or January before they are all reunited, but McCraine said having family here by her side is exactly what will carry her through until they are all together again.
"There's really no words to describe how amazing it is to be able to hold you baby girl, to be able to have your husband here watching and to know that he will be able to hold her soon as well," McCraine said.
McCraine said she, Ellarie and Benjamin will join Mohn in Japan at the end of this year.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
An East Texas man was arrested after a woman reported him to police for attempting to take pictures up her dress while she shopped at Walmart.
According to a report from the Gun Barrel City Police Department, 37-year-old Christopher Lee Pomroy of Gun Barrel City has been jailed on charges of possession of child pornography and improper photography or visual recording.
In the Walmart surveillance video, you see a woman in a long dress making her way up the grocery aisle. Right behind her is a man reaching for his cell phone. According to Gun Barrel City police, that man is Christopher Pomroy.
The video shows the man following her to the end of the aisle while messing with his phone. Then, you see the man crouch down by her feet. That's when police say he started recording.
"After it happened, she saw a flash coming from down below her, and he apparently was right up next to her kneeled down there on the floor acting like he was trying to get something off of the shelf," says Gun Barrel City Police Department Investigator Monte Mansfield.
The victim, who did not want to go on camera or be identified, says this wasn't her first encounter with the man at the Gun Barrel City Walmart. She says earlier this month when she was shopping like she normally does, she saw him doing the same thing. That's why the second time she was prepared.
"Shortly after this happened, she backed away from where she was at and turned around with her phone and took a picture of him and turned that picture over to us," says Mansfield.
Police say they used that photo to identify and arrest Pomroy. Gun Barrel City Police add, that a search of his cell phone revealed photographs related to child pornography.
The victim in this case says she wants people to learn from what happened to her and to pay attention to their surroundings. She says, "When out shopping, women get caught up in what they're doing and some people prey on distractions. He had the opportunity to get closer to me than he normally would in another environment."
The incident at Walmart was not Pomroy's first offense. According to Denton County judicial records, he was scheduled to plea in another improper photography case Wednesday, but he didn't make it to that hearing because he was in jail in East Texas.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
An East Texas man lost everything today when his house burned to the ground. It happened on Aspen Trail near Gilmer in Upshur County.
The homeowner says he left for an early morning motorcycle ride and when he returned just minutes later, his house was completely engulfed.
Riding motorcycles has been Ronnie Jenkins' favorite pastime since he was young. He received his first one at the age of four. Today, taking an early morning joy ride may have saved his life.
"I wasn't gone five minutes and I've lost everything I had," he said.
He went just two miles.
"The flames all the way up the top of them trees there, and I was not gone five minutes," he said.
When he arrived home, his entire house was engulfed. He had just finished adding on a living room.
"It was like an airline done hit it," he said.
Both Gilmer and Pritchett Volunteer Fire Departments responded, but by the time they arrived, the house was a total loss.
With no insurance, Ronnie says his home is now just a pile of junk. But his neighbors were hear all morning, to make sure Ronnie would get back on a motorcycle soon enough.
"Well, I mean, we're neighbors and I hate it that it happened to him," Frances Woolery said.
After calling 911, the Woolerys spent all morning by Ronnie's side.
"I love them people to death; I've been here twelve years and they've been the best neighbors you could ask for," he said.
The American Red Cross was also on scene to help Jenkins.
"I should have known not to go outside; today was Friday the thirteenth," he said, although today, his luck, and his motorcycle, led him safely outdoors.
There were no injuries, but two of his indoor cats perished, as did some of the strays that lived under his deck. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined, but Gilmer Fire officials tell us it is not being investigated as suspicious.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.From the Tyler Police Department:
On Friday, September 13, 2013, Tyler police were notified around 1:30 a.m. that a citizen heard a car window being smashed in the 700 block of W. Rieck Road.
Police located the vehicle at 714 W. Rieck Rd. and discovered that the suspect smashed the two side windows and rear window.
Police searched the area and failed to locate the suspects. Police are investigating damage to other vehicles with numerous broken windshields, side windows and rear windows that were parked in the roadway and one driveway at the following locations:
1012 Kingspark1122 Kingspark1309 Kingspark1201 Riverbend1305 Riverbend1708 Wendover1720 Wendover714 W. Rieck2911 Birdwell2027 Montrose 21927 Montrose 1606 SterlingPolice are seeking any information available that may lead to the identity and arrest of these suspects responsible for the damage they caused. Please contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crime stoppers at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and charges filed against the suspects in this case or any felony case.
Members of the Texas Nationalist Movement say, if they get enough petition signatures, Texans will be able to decide if our state should secede from the union.
The group will be collecting signatures in Tyler on Saturday.
"We want to give Texans the opportunity to experience the freedom and liberty that Americans once had," said Shawn Bradley, the Smith County coordinator for the Texas Nationalist Movement, a nonprofit association seeking Texas independence.
"There is no doubt in my mind that Texas can stand on it's own in this world and be a leader in the world," Bradley says.
First, the group has to get around 100,000 signatures on a Texas independence petition.
"It's going to put on the Republican primary ballot the question, 'should Texas consider becoming an independent nation?'"
Bradley says concerns about our country's direction fuel his group's desire to secede from the union.
"We all have common concerns about the embracing of socialism, the degradation of our economy through massive debt and inflationary monetary policies."
He understands not everyone agrees, but he sites the Texas Constitution as the reason Texans should have the choice.
"All political power is inherent in the people and all free governments are founded on their authority. This is why we're going to the people because that is the source of all political power in our society," Bradley says.
He hopes people on both sides can agree on the right to vote on Texas independence.
We contacted our local representatives, State Senator Kevin Eltife and Congressman Louie Gohmert, among others, about the Texas independence movement. However, none of them wanted to comment on this issue.
Bradley responded to their silence by saying, "I think that will change when I think there is enough evidence of popular support for the idea. When the people make it known they want this, then the politicians will follow suit."
The group's petition signing will be Saturday from 9am-3pm at the corner of Loop 323 and Highway 155 in Tyler.
To learn more about the Texas Nationalist Movement, click here.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
A wreck involving two school buses is slowing traffic in front of a Longview school this morning.
According to authorities, the two buses collided in front of Johnston-McQueen Elementary School shortly before 7:40 a.m. on Thursday.
According to Adam Holland with Longview Independent School District, a Longview school bus was pulling into the school when it collided with a Spring Hill ISD bus that had just dropped students off. Holland said the brakes failed on the Spring Hill bus, causing the collision.
None of the children were transported, although some were treated for minor bumps and bruises. Paramedics advised parents of ten students to take their children to the hospital to be checked for concussions as a precaution.
KLTV has a crew heading to the scene and will have more details shortly.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Crews responded and extinguished a small fire at an East Texas mulch plant Saturday night.
Smith County officials tell us that the fire was at a mulching plant near the intersection of County Road 164 and FM 2493 Saturday night. Smith County Fire Marshall Jim Seaton says that the fire was a pile of mulch that had caught fire, and that there was no damage to the building.
Crews from Flint/Gresham and Noonday responded to the scene and were able to extinguish the flames.
Jim Seaton added that when tree limbs are mulched up, they give off a lot of heat, and that could be what started the fire, but that has not yet been confirmed.
Nobody was injured in this fire.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Fire crews have contained a brush/woods fire near Lake O' the Pines in Marion County.
Officials confirm the fire was located near the intersection of FM 726 and FM 3001. This is near the Ferrells Bridge Dam on the south end of Lake O' the Pines.
Volunteer fire crews from the area and the Texas Forest Service responded to the scene.
According to the Texas A&M Forest Service Dispatch Tracker, the fire torched around 20 acres.
No homes were threatened during this fire.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Crews have contained the brush/woods fire in Titus County.
The fire scorched 18 acres near the intersection of County Road 1360 and Highway 271. This is north of Mt. Pleasant and south of Talco.
The fire was threatening 10 structures at one point. Multiple crews responded to this fire, which officials say started as the result of someone burning trash. That person was issued a citation.
Officials say no structures were damaged and nobody was injured.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
George Zimmerman seems to be out of control at a time when he should be doing everything to stay off the radar.
Whether you agree or disagree with the verdict in the Trayvon Martin case, it is hard to say that George Zimmerman is acting like a man who just missed going to jail for Martin's death. You would think he would be doing his best to stay out of the spotlight, instead he continues to have issues with law enforcement.
Recent incidents include several stops by police for speeding and then now a run-in with his soon-to-be former wife who lied for Zimmerman on the witness stand. Zimmerman's attorney has decided he has had enough and he has elected to drop Zimmerman as a client. The only thing missing at this point is a made-for-TV movie, which would elevate Zimmerman to an even higher celebrity status and be a set up for what looks like a fall based on numerous bad decisions.
Perhaps we can all learn a little lesson from George Zimmerman and that is that when we are given a second chance we need to humbly return to our roots and rebuild, and not follow his example of the appearance of defying and even challenging law enforcement by his actions. You hope at some point he becomes less of a flashpoint for his own sake and moves out of the spotlight for his own good.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Multiple grass fires led to the closure of one lane of Highway 69 near Lindale in Smith County Friday afternoon.
The Lindale Fire Chief has now stated that the cause of the fire has been determined to be a piece of rubber from a blown-out tire.
One southbound lane of Highway 69, just south of Interstate 20 near County Road 461,was closed for over an hour. It has been reopened.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
A domestic dispute ended deadly in Cass County, Texas early Saturday morning.
The Cass County Sheriff's Office says a 12-year-old boy called 911 around 2 a.m. and said his parents were shooting at each other.
Deputies were dispatched to the home on County Road 4921 in Bloomburg, Texas. They found a man wounded in the living room and the woman dead in a bedroom.
The Texas Rangers have reportedly taken over the investigation. They questioned the man after he was treated and released from the hospital.
The 12-year-old boy and another child, both in the home at the time of the shooting, are now staying with relatives.
Copyright 2013 KSLA. All rights reserved.
A Lufkin woman was killed and five people were taken to the hospital following a two-vehicle accident on Highway 103 East in Angelina County Sunday afternoon.
The accident happened on Highway 103 East, near the intersection of Watson-Loggins Lane.
According to Trooper Marc Slocum, a GMC Yukon was traveling eastbound on Highway 103 and was stopped to make a left turn onto Watson-Loggins lane, when a Dodge car also traveling eastbound ran into the back of the Yukon.
Three of the five passengers in the Yukon were transported via ambulance to a local hospital with minor injuries.
All three passengers in the Dodge were transported to a local hospital. The driver of the Dodge was taken by helicopter to ETMC Tyler where she was pronounced dead at 3:34 PM. DPS says she was wearing a seatbelt.
The two other passengers were also taken to a local hospital, one with serious injuries including a laceration to the head and a broken leg.
Names are not being released at this time.
Copyright 2013 KTRE. All rights reserved.
Chapel Hill Independent School District officials have canceled classes at Wise Elementary after a small fire at the school on Thursday morning.
Students were evacuated after 7:00 a.m. as a precaution while a small electrical fire was contained by fire crews. The fire occurred sometime between 1 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. and was discovered by a school employee who opened the building in the morning.
School officials say that the fire started in a bathroom which is connected to a classroom. Fire marshals say the school left the vent fan inside the bathroom running all day and overnight, sparking a small fire.
After an investigation on the fire, fire marshals determined it was a mechanical failure on the vent fan that caused the fire.
"The motor locked up and started melting that vent fan and then caught the toilet paper and stuff on fire in that bathroom," said Connie Wasson, the Assistant Fire Marshal for Smith County. "All of the damage is contained to that bathroom."
School officials say the fire didn't spread and was contained in the bathroom. However, soot did collect throughout the bathroom and classroom.
"The smell was pretty strong from the plastic that had melted in there," said Wasson.
School employees have placed fans in the classroom and hallways to air out the smoke smell and to clean out the air, they said.
Students were held in the cafeteria until they were picked up, playing games and being supervised, school officials say.
"Every teacher has a class list and phone contact information that the parent should have left with us on their emergency cards and that is the way we had those teachers make connections to those parents," said Donnie Cook, Superintendent for Chapel Hill ISD.
Deanna Cook, a parent who picked her child up from the campus, had missed calls from the school, but officials had already sent a school police officer to tell her about the fire.
"At first I was a little worried seeing the cop. I was wondering why could a cop be coming to my house from the school and she said there was a fire but I wasn't really worried because she immediately told me he was okay," said Cook.
The school was able to clear all the children out of the school.
"They responded well and got all the kids home safely and quickly," said Cook.
Witnesses at the scene reported students were outside the school building, while at least two fire trucks responded.
No injuries were reported, but the school says the fire alarms did not go off during the fire, and are speaking with East Texas Alarm about the problem.
About 550 students attend school at Wise Elementary School.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
An East Texas family is taking the Gregg County Jail to court after their loved one died in the jail's custody earlier this year.
51-year-old Bobby Madewell Junior died in the Gregg County Jail on March 21st. Medical examiners say he died of an apparent seizure.
Madewell's family filed a lawsuit against the jail on August 6th, in the Marshall Federal Court.
The lawsuit claims Madewell was not given the right medication while in custody.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
East Texas kids had a day to celebrate themselves today in Tyler.
KLTV partnered with The Boys and Girls Club of East Texas for our annual "Day for Kids" event.
"Oh yeah I'm having a lot of fun," said Dylan Green, a child who attended the "Day for Kids" event.
From sno cones, to petting zoos, face paintings and more, the "Day for Kids" event had it all.
"I was sliding down a twisting slide and I was sliding on my back" said Green.
Thousands came out to enjoy the different activities and booths.
"We believe that children are a blessing from the Lord so in wanting to bless these kids, we wanted to provide a day for them to come and build things, "Said Raychel Mcklevy, an employee with The Boys and Girls Club of East Texas. "They can bounce on bounce houses, and they can learn how to stay protected and safe."
For the Kelli family, having fun while learning how to be safe is what they enjoyed the most.
"For me as a parent I love the fact that Tyler offers this," said Hale Kelli, a mother at the "Day for Kids" event. "It's a lot of fun to come out, but also as an employee of MADD, we are able to teach the community safe events as well and so that's extremely important to me."
It's an event that's made possible by helping hands in the community.
"Really it's the vendors. It's Trinity Mother Frances, and Home Depot, and First Tee, and the police department and all these different people that come and make it possible to do what we did today," said Mcklevy.
All to offer a day all about the kids.
"We're hoping through "Day for Kids" just to give families the opportunity to come and have fun as a family," said Mcklevy. "We want them to relax, and not worry about the pressure to pay for something that's fun, and just be able to have fun as a family."
The Boys and Girls Club of East Texas also offers an after school program to help children with their homework in a safe environment.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
An East Texas man known as a champion for veteran issues has passed away. Vietnam veteran William Perkins of Longview is remembered as the ultimate patriot. Flags at the VFW 1183 fly at half staff remembering the man who everyone knew as 'Perk'.
"I've been knowing Perk since 1958. William was the type of person , he was a father figure to a lot of men. When he was in Vietnam , he was a father figure to a lot of the kids over there. Veterans would tell him a hard luck story and he would reach into his pocket and give them 100, 200 dollars," says fellow Vietnam veteran and longtime friend Don Kinsey.
Perkins died last night after a battle with cancer. But leaves behind a memory no one will forget.
"He had a presence about him. He would come up to you and let you know that he was your brother, and that you were welcome and you had a home," says fellow Vietnam veteran Marvin Ray Gibson.
Perkins established VFW post 1183 in Longview, and never turned is back on a veteran. He helped start and commanded the Vietnam veterans of America 987 chapter and was a tireless worker for veterans issues. Perkins called all Vietnam veterans brothers.
"When he said brother, you were his brother. He spoke from the heart," says Kinsey.
He said to others, he left part of himself in Vietnam. And never forgot to help those who suffered the same.
"A lot of us are still there we haven't come home yet. He was struggling everyday to come back. Anybody he could , he would help. There's a lot of soldiers left on the battlefield that were fondly brothers to him and he still remembers them," Gibson says.
Perkins was 68.
"I can't put it into words how much I'm going to miss him," Kinsey says.
A funeral service for William Perkins is set for Monday in Longview at Grace Hill cemetery at 10 am.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
An East Texas police officer who was injured in the line of duty is now a Star of Texas award winner.
We first told you about Leigh Ann Snyder back in December of 2011, when she was a Longview police officer and was hit head-on by a drunk driver. Since that accident, Snyder went through a controversial departure from the Longview Police Department. And now she is being honored for her service. Still recovering from a near fatal 2011 accident that occurred while on duty, Snyder was honored with a Star of Texas award for those who have sacrificed or fallen in the line of duty, by governor Rick Perry.
"It was very emotional, knowing that it could have been me that day and knowing that my children could have been going across the stage to receive that award. I felt honored to receive it, and be recognized for not just myself...my sacrifices...but all police officers," Snyder said in a phone interview from Fort Hood. Now a reserve officer with the Hallsville police department, her crash and injuries led to a dispute with the city of Longview over their dismissal policy.
"I'm not 100 percent yet. There were disappointments along the way, and hurt. It's made me who I am today and it's only going to go forward from here," she says.
Chief Paul Montoya supported Snyder's nomination, saying it should go to those with character.
"I think it's great the state recognized her for sacrifice that she made for the citizens. Having someone of Leigh Ann's moral character, spiritual character, work ethic, professionalism, dedication, she definitely is the spearhead. We couldn't ask anyone to be a better representation of what we stand for," Montoya says.
Snyder remains humble about the journey to this honor.
"It's been humbling and I've learned a lot through my journey. I am a totally different person than I used to be and it's brought me to a better place. Bad things happen but better things can happen because of it," Snyder says.
Snyder remains in Fort Hood and is starting a non-profit organization for law enforcement officers killed or injured in the line of duty.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
An early morning electrical fire in a bathroom at Wise Elementary School led to canceled classes on Thursday. Officials said the fire started sometime between 1 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. Fortunately, no one was injured.
Debbie Griffin said this is her 29th year of teaching at the school.
"We're a family here at Wise, we're a family and we love each other," she said.
Love she was really feeling on Friday as teachers took the day off from their students to help her recover from the electrical fire that left her classroom covered in soot. Although the flames were contained to the bathroom, smoke damage and soot left four classrooms unusable for the time being.
Griffin said few things from her classroom are salvageable .
"It was very devastating at first, but then you realize it's just stuff," Griffin said.
However, now 29 years worth of teaching material and her students' school supplies are gone.
"As a parent, I can't imagine having to re-buy my school supply list because it gets expensive, and in this economy these days people need help with their funds," said parent Lori Acker.
So, Acker, along with other Chapel Hill ISD parents and employees are donating supplies, something they said they are thankful they can replace.
"This could have been so much worse. As a firefighter's wife, this could have been out of control by the time fire department got here. Lives could have been lost in this and so He's blessed us completely, but also it shows the love and the support of the Chapel Hill family," Acker said.
"You know, the theme this year at Wise is "Whatever it takes," and that's what we are doing and these kids are troopers," Griffin said.
Troopers who remind her of what is most important.
"God puts blessings in front of you that during your daily life, you don't see them, but when something like this happens, God puts those in front of you and then you have to stop and tell him thank you," Griffin said.
If you would like to donate teaching supplies or school supplies, you may drop them off at Wise Elementary School's front office.
Griffin said glue, markers, paper, puzzles and anything else you may think a kindergartner could use would be great.
The Chapel Hill ISD PTO is also working on organizing a fundraiser for school supplies and monetary donations.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
Entering the 2013 season, the John Tyler Lions had become the dominant program in Tyler. Since 2010, the Lions had won a combined a 36 games. Tyler Lee had won just four times, under three different head coaches.
But after their first 2 and 0 start in 8 years, It appears Tyler Lee football is back.
"We've been training as hard as we can to put it out there that Lee is coming back," said Tyler Lee senior running back Dekwqualien Waters. "We're going for state this year. And we're going to really beat JT this week."
While the Red Raiders are taking back the headlines, the Lions have taken notice.
"It's been a long time since they've been 2 and 0," said John Tyler senior Darius Amie. "But they haven't beaten John Tyler yet."
In the Rose City rivalry, the Red Raiders are still fighting for respect.
"We've been hearing about it for a long time the last couple of years," said Tyler Lee senior linebacker Ayaz Ali. "Especially since we haven't had good seasons and they've been going deep in the playoffs. I think it's different this year. They need to be ready for us."
The Lions say they are ready.
"Now we can have a challenge and it's going to be a good game," said John Tyler senior defensive back Greg Johnson. "Everyone is going to want to come and see what they're about and what we're about. It's going to be a good game."
A good game for sure, the rivalry isn't about the playoffs or even a district championship. Simply the right to be called the best in Tyler.
"We're ready to be take this town back and be the talk of the town this year," said Tyler Lee senior lineman William Hults. "I think we're ready."
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
According to the Pritchett Volunteer Fire Department, the fire started just after 9 a.m. at a home on Aspen Trail, just three miles southwest of Gilmer in Upshur County.
The owner of the home told an Upshur County Sheriff's Deputy Jef Rigsby that he left his home to test drive a motorcycle. Upon returning around ten minutes later, the house was engulfed in flames. He sustained no injuries.
Gilmer Fire Department and Pritchett Volunteer Fire Department are currently on scene.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
School officials confirm that elementary, junior high, and high school students will be released at 12:45 p.m. Buses will run at that time.
Leverett's Chapel ISD is located between Kilgore and Overton in Rusk County.
Copyright 2013 KLTV. All rights reserved.
WASHINGTON, DC (RNN) - The Metro Police Department announced multiple dead bodies remained from a shooting inside a building at the Washington Naval Yard, and two suspects may still be on the loose.
Police Chief Cathy Lanier did not give a specific number of dead from the incident, which happened inside the Naval Sea Systems Command Headquarters building around 8:15 a.m. ET. She said a Metro police officer engaged one of the gunmen, killing the suspect and getting injured in the process.
"We potentially have two other shooters that we have not located at this point," Lanier said.
She described one as a white male armed with a handgun in a khaki or tan military-style outfit - short sleeves with a beret hat. The other she said was a black male about 50 years old armed with a "long gun" and wearing an olive or drab colored military -style uniform.
"We have no information to believe either of them are military personnel, but we do believe they may be wearing military uniforms," Lanier said.
Two Navy officials said at least six were killed after shooters opened fire, according to the Associated Press.
Ed Ziegler of the U.S. Navy told CNN that two shooters were down, but he did not specify if that meant the shooters were in custody or dead.
Ed Buclatin, Commander, Navy Installations Command director of public affairs, wrote on Twitter that at least two shooters were responsible, according to his watch team's report. He said four people were killed and eight injured, with "one shooter down."
Janis Orlowski, Chief Operating Officer of Washington Hospital Center, said they were treating three shooting victims, one a male Metro police officer who was undergoing surgery. The other two were female civilians.
Orlowski said all three were expected to survive.One of the women has a gunshot wound to her shoulder; the other female victim received a wound to her head and her hand.
WJLA reported the four deaths and 10 others injured, based on a police source. A defense official told the Associated Press that several had been killed with possibly 10 more injured.
The U.S. Navy's Twitter account confirmed "several" people had been injured when someone opened fire around 8:20 a.m. ET.
CNN reported another member of law enforcement was among the victims, although they did not relay the person's condition.
"[The shooter] was far enough down the hall, and we could see him aim the rifle at us," Terry Durham, a witness, told WJLA. "He fired at us as we ran down the hall."
Durham added it appeared the shooter was firing over their head. Other witnesses said his weapon looked like a rifle.
Scanner traffic from emergency responders indicated a "mass casualty" team performed triage at the scene. A U.S. Park Police helicopter could be seen removing people from the roof of a building.
DC Firefighters, Ladder 36, tweeted an officer had been injured and removed from the scene; the severity of the injury was "unknown." Police scanners reported an officer had been struck twice in the leg.
Scanner traffic stated a woman injured by gunshot was on the roof of the Naval Sea Systems Command headquarters, building 197.
George Washington Hospital has confirmed to CNN one patient was brought to George Washington Hospital at 9:07 a.m.
"There is one confirmed injury," according to the Navy's initial statement. "Emergency personnel are on scene and a 'shelter in place' order has been issued for Navy Yard personnel."
Capitol, DC, and Military Police, as well as fire, ambulance and Emergency Response Team vehicles responded to the scene. The Naval Sea Systems Command's headquarters is the work place for about 3,000 people, according to the statement.
The organization is comprised of command staff, headquarters directorates, affiliated program executive offices and field activities. It is responsible for engineering, building, buying and maintaining ships, submarines and combat systems for the Naval fleet's operational requirements.
The Navy Yard is about 1.5 miles from the U.S. Capitol and 4.5 miles from the Pentagon. Also, it sits roughly 1 mile from the Washington Nationals' baseball field, where a game is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday. A meeting place for family members is set up at the parking lot at the ball field.
Eight nearby schools were placed on lockdown, as well as Fort Myer, which is about five miles away in Virginia. A ground stop at Reagan National Airport has been lifted.
Fire crews from nearby Arlington County, VA and Prince Georges County, MD are filling in for Washington, DC, fire crews who are on scene.
The White House released a statement that President Barack Obama had been briefed several times about the situation at the Washington Navy Yard.
"The President directed his team to stay in touch with our federal partners, including the Navy and FBI, as well as the local officials," according to the statement. "We urge citizens to listen to the authorities and follow directions from the first responders on site."
Family members looking for information about their loved ones can call 202-433-6151 or 202-433-9713.
Multiple agencies are investigating the incident, including the Naval Criminal Investigative Service, DC Metro Police, and the FBI, which has the lead.
"I'm deeply shocked and saddened by the shooting this morning at the Navy Yard," said Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims and their families. I have complete confidence in our first responders, and I continue to be completely focused on this very difficult situation."
Copyright 2013 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.
Rayette Bosley (left) and her daughter Raynae stand outside Beeber Middle School in Wynnefield. They campaigned to save it when it was threatened with closure.
Dimner Beeber Middle School was headed for extinction.
Since it was barely a quarter full and posted poor academic indicators, the District planned to close it and send a few hundred Beeber 7th and 8th graders to nearby Overbrook High School.
But for Raynae Bosley, a rising 8th grader, Beeber was working.
In 7th grade, she said, “all of the teachers didn’t give up on me and they kept getting me up to the next level.”
“I really didn’t want the school to be closed at all.”
She was not alone. The Beeber community, including Raynae and her mother Rayette, launched a fierce and successful campaign last spring to keep the school open.
But the Bosleys are still concerned about the school’s future because Beeber’s rescue came with a catch. They were never formally notified that the middle school would be sharing the building this fall with the first cohort of 9th graders attending a new satellite campus of Science Leadership Academy, a popular special admission high school.
“I believe a lot of the parents were hoodwinked because we weren’t told until after the fact … that there was going to be another school pretty much renting space with our students,” said Katherine Stokes, another Beeber mother.
Stokes believes SLA is moving into Beeber’s Wynnefield neighborhood to test the location for expanding its enrollment and ultimately push Beeber out.
“I truly believe this is probably the last year for this building and this school as Beeber itself,” Stokes said.
“We fought long and hard to keep this school open, not knowing that this was in the works. So we basically saved the school for someone else.”
Superintendent William Hite focused attention on Beeber on opening day in September, when he chose to escort one of its students to school in the morning.
A study in contrasts
Beeber, in a stately and sturdy 1930s building, started out as a junior high school, with a 7th, 8th and 9th grade. This is just what it will have next year, although in two distinct schools with different demographics and different educational approaches.
The building sits in a pleasant, almost bucolic neighborhood, surrounded by neat twins and row houses and just a block away from parts of Fairmount Park. Nevertheless, it has the statistics associated with a failing urban school.
Test scores have been mostly below those of the District as a whole, although 7th and 8th graders did better than entering 6th graders. (This year, the school no longer has a 6th grade.)
Beeber was once on the city’s persistently dangerous schools list, and last year almost all its students – 95 percent – qualified for free and reduced price lunch. Its enrollment, almost entirely African American, has been plunging, largely due to the lure of charter schools. Since 2010-11, it fell from nearly 500 students to just over 250 last year. The building can hold 1,100.
SLA, on the other hand, which operates in partnership with the Franklin Institute, has become one of the District’s most popular schools in the eight years since its founding. It is known for its interdisciplinary, project-based curriculum, in which students pose and answer essential questions. Its test scores are high, and its student body encompasses the races and ethnic groups of the city as a whole.
SLA is gaining a national reputation – Microsoft founder Bill Gates has visited the school – and it holds a major annual conference on educational technology called EduCon. It has far more applicants than slots in its Center City campus, which enrolls fewer than 500 students.
“The whole impetus for [SLA@Beeber] was that so many kids were coming and interviewing and we had so few seats,” said SLA founder and main campus principal Chris Lehmann. SLA had 800 students on its waiting list – students deemed suitable and qualified for whom there was no room.
Plus, Beeber’s location in West Philadelphia makes it easier for more students from other parts of the city to get there.
Sonia Giebel, a Haverford College senior, was an intern at the Notebook this past summer.
Who says you can't get something for nothing? For part of Sunday, rides on SEPTA's Broad Street will be free.
The free Broad Street rides complement the Eagles home opener. A major brewing company decided to offer the service as part of a national promotion, said SEPTA spokesman Manuel Smith.
"Miller Lite has had a free rides promotion across the nation and they really wanted to be able to connect with Philadelphia sports fans," Smith said. "And what's the best time to be able to do that? Join the Eagles home opener."
Riders are not required to be going to the Eagles game to take advantage of the free fare, he said.
"On the Broad Street line, you don't need a token, you don't need a transfer of any kind, from 10 a.m. until 6 p.m.," Smith said. "In addition, we will be running our sports express trains from Fern Rock to to AT&T station starting at 10:10 a.m."
The Philadelphia Parking Authority is also offering a $5 parking rate at its LOVE Park and 15th and Vine Street garages, which are convenient to subway stations.
Nina Davuluri is the new Miss America. (Photo courtesy of the Miss America Organization)
Nina Davuluri became the second consecutive contestant from New York to win the Miss America pageant.
Davuluri won the title as the nationally televised pageant returned home to Atlantic City.
She succeeds another Miss New York, Mallory Hagan, whose tenure was cut short when the pageant moved back to Atlantic City after a six-year stint in Las Vegas, where winners were chosen in January.
Davuluri performed a classical Bollywood fusion dance for her talent competition. She is the first winner of Indian descent.
Miss America to visit Seaside Park
The Miss America Organization tells The Associated Press that the newly crowned Miss America will head to Seaside Park and Seaside Heights tomorrow afternoon to support the reconstruction efforts.
More than four blocks of the iconic boardwalk were destroyed by a raging wind-whipped fire on Thursday.
The visit will come after Davuluri, the new Miss America does the traditional frolic in the Atlantic City surf Monday morning, the day after winning the title.
Michelle Rhee, founder and CEO of StudentsFirst, is in Philadelphia today.
Rhee will join CNN contributor and Capital Prep Magnet School Principal Dr. Steve Perry and former Washington Teachers Union President George Parker for an education town hall this evening "to engage in an open, honest conversation on ed reform specifically with educators."
Those with questions about education reform, concern about Philadelphia schools and interest in hearing Rhee's perspective on improving the quality of education can participate in a chat at noon today with WHYY education reporter Kevin McCorry, who will be speaking with Rhee prior to the event and is interested in discussing readers' questions for her.
Use the discussion box below or join the conversation on Twitter from 12p.m. to 1p.m. using #phillyeducation or @byKevinMcCorry.
The iconic Funtown Pier sign remained as of Friday afternoon. (Justin Auciello/NewsWorks Photo)
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie pledged $15 million in state aid Saturday for businesses impacted by the massive boardwalk fire that ripped through a four-block stretch in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights.
Christie met privately with 30 of the more than 50 business owners who suffered losses in Thursday's fire in Seaside Park and Seaside Heights Saturday, promising an aggressive response to haul away rubble from the fire and help them rebuild again.
"We had two days to feel sad about this, and it is legitimately a sad thing. But we've got work to do now. A couple days to mourn, now we've got to move on and get back to work," Christie said.
Christie's office said the New Jersey Economic Development Authority board plans to extend an initial $15 million from programs offered to help in the recovery from Sandy. Those funds would be made available whether or not the fire-damaged businesses were affected by Sandy, according to the Christie administration.
"It was critical that we move quickly to aid the Seaside business community, which was still struggling to recover from Superstorm Sandy," said Michele Brown, CEO of the New Jersey Economic Development Authority, which is expected to formally take action at a meeting Wednesday.
The wind-whipped fire destroyed dozens of ocean-front businesses, including bars, pizza places and T-shirt shops and shot flames 50 feet into the air. Public works crews had to rip up part of the boardwalk to create a makeshift fire break, robbing the advancing flames of fuel. The crews piled sand in the breech creating dunes to hold back fire rather than water.
During his visit Saturday, Christie also greeted residents, many of whom thanked the governor for coming to the shore town that was still recovering from Sandy when disaster struck again.
"I wouldn't be anyplace else," Christie said, having canceled a weekend getaway to Florida to celebrate his wife's birthday. "When a crisis happens you have to be here to help organize things, to lend encouragement and deliver help."
The good news, if there is any, Christie said, is that the fire was contained before it engulfed the entire boardwalk.
"This could have been significantly worse. We have about four blocks that were taken out, and for those people on those four blocks, it's awful. But, we could have lost all of this," he said, gesturing to a portion of the boardwalk untouched by the flames.
But some Jersey Shore Hurricane News commenters were not pleased with the money coming from a Sandy recovery program.
"What happened is very sad, however, Gov. Christie, how about helping the many, many people who lost their homes which are not yet rebuilt and the many who can't afford to rebuild their homes due to all the FEMA regulations. So many finally had to throw up their hands and give up. Now the same people are dealing with outrageously high rental prices. The homeless should take precedence," says Patricia White Bittner. "Those funds were allocated for Hurricane Sandy victims! This has nothing to do with the hurricane. How can he get away with this?"
However, Rae Gerold-Smith comments that all should receive assistance.
"We're all responsible for helping others in a disaster!" she says.
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
When Pennsylvania House lawmakers return to Harrisburg for the fall session, a proposal on cyber bullying awaits.
The plan to criminalize online communication that disparages or threatens children passed unanimously out of a House committee last spring.
While laws alone won't eliminate online harassment, said bill sponsor Rep. Ron Marsico, the Legislature is not overstepping its bounds in efforts to criminalize it.
"The consequences can be ... very devastating to a child. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has characterized cyber bullying as an emergency public health problem," said Marsico, R-Dauphin.
At a recent hearing, the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association voiced support for the plan, but said it should be changed to ensure that anyone prosecuted under it must be shown to have a malicious intent.
The state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union opposes the legislation, saying it isn't constitutional to censor free speech online just because it is mean-spirited and directed at a child.
State law addresses only general harassment and harassing text messages that are sexually explicit.
A Philadelphia City Councilman says he will head to court to enforce laws that the Nutter Administration does not intend to comply with.
One bill calls for the city to provide an electronic option for every piece of business a resident can currently do with the city by mail or in person. The other calls for a public information technology or IT plan blueprint for a five-year period.
Councilman Bill Green says he's been told the mayor -- who never signed the bills -- is claiming executive privilege.
"I completely disagree with that, there was a specific charter change two years ago," Green said. "City Council has the right to require any information be presented to us with the annual budget. The IT strategic plan is simply an enactment of that charter change."
Green says he plans a challenge if the mayor doesn't carry out the bills, which became law when Nutter did not sign them.
"If he ignores the law, of course I will go to court and seek a declaratory judgment action and force them to uphold the law," Green said.
The councilman says he probably won't need outside attorneys for the paperwork; instead, he will ask his staff to file the suit.
Nina Davuluri, a 24-year-old with plans to be a doctor, was crowned the first Miss America of Indian descent Sunday night in a competition that marked a new era for the pageant in more ways than one.
Davuluri, competing as Miss New York, electrified the crowd and dazzled judges in Boardwalk Hall, performing a Bollywood-style dance in a traditional costume and strutting in a lemon-yellow cap sleeved gown. She was the first Miss America crowned in Atlantic City in six years and the second consecutive Miss New York, taking over from Mallory Hytes Hagan, who pinned the crown atop Davuluri's head as she cried in disbelief.
In a Boardwalk Hall press conference after the pageant, Davuluri said she plans to use the $50,000 in Miss America scholarship money to go to medical school. Monday morning, she'll hit the beach for the traditional morning-after frolic in the Atlantic City surf.
Even before Davuluri's win, it had been a pageant of firsts: The first time three Miss Americas were crowned in a single year, due to scheduling changes as the pageant moved back from Las Vegas. In another first, Miss California, Crystal Lee, was first runner up, marking the first time two women of Asian descent topped the Miss America field.
And Miss Kansas, Theresa Vail, became the first contestant to openly flaunt tattoos rather than cover them up during the competition. Vail, an Army National Guard sargeant, only took up pageants in the last year, but rocketed to fame and won the America's Choice fan voting. She made it through the Top 12 before being eliminated.
Miss Florida, Myrrhanda Jones, spent the evening in flat shoes and a bedazzled leg brace, owing to a ligament injury suffered during rehearsals. Jones proved a favorite with the Boardwalk Hall crowd, which booed and jeered when she was cut off for talking too long in the question-and-answer session.
The crowd, with many women in gowns and men in evening suits and ready to celebrate, may have also been to blame for an awkward moment when Davuluri didn't hear hostess Lara Spencer announcing her and had to be beckoned three times to the stage for her dance performance.
Last week, NewsWorks introduced readers to Chris Saltalamacchio, a pageant consultant who had five clients competing in the Miss America pageant. Two of them -- Miss Connecticut and Miss Maryland -- made it through the Top 15.
On social media, the Syracuse, New York-born Davuluri's win caused elation among Indian-Americans, but also touched off the now-predictable racist backlash on Twitter. There had also been some pre-pageant drama involving Davuluri, when a recording surfaced in which she reportedly called Hagan fat. Davuluri, who has battled bulimia and shed weight to compete in pageants, denied trash-talking Hagan and said the two are friends.
Miss America returned this year to the place where it began back in 1921, when 16-year-old Margaret Gorman won in what was then a decidedly small-time affair. What began as a stunt to attract tourists to the Shore in the fall has evolved into a massive television event, where 53 contestants battle for a year-long job that can involve up to 20,000 miles of travel each month.
_____________________________________________________________
The Associated Press contributed to this report
Like any homeowner, Meghan Wren expects to be able to come and go from her property any time she wants, but in coastal Cumberland County, it's not that simple.
Wren, who lives amid the county's vast salt marshes abutting the Delaware Bay, has to think about whether it's safe to drive a particular stretch of road near her home if there's a high tide combined with a full moon or heavy rain.
Under those conditions, a quarter-mile stretch of Money Island Road can be covered with up to a foot of seawater, which is creeping across the marshes with increasing frequency as ocean levels rise.
Wren has to time her trips along the road to make sure she's not blocked by floodwaters on the way to her job as executive director of the nonprofit Bayshore Center at Bivalve, or on the way home.
One night in 1999, she spent all night in her car on the road after a high tide, a full moon, and 13 inches of rain caused such deep floods that she was unable to get home or return to her office, so simply parked on an unflooded stretch of road, and waited for the waters to recede. More often, she has to wait an hour or two on the road until the water level is low enough to drive through.
Wren says the flooding has been an increasingly frequent occurrence since she moved to the area in 1997, and she blames rising sea levels, whose effect is sometimes amplified by the tides, the moon, and the wind.
"When your road floods like this, you can't not think about sea-level rise," she said in an interview at Money Island marina. "When you are driving through that to get to work, you can't ignore it."
Wren used to drive a Toyota Prius but its electrical system got ruined by 18 inches of water in her driveway during a storm on December 21 last year. So she now has a Ford Escape which is eight inches higher than the Prius, giving her a better chance of getting through floods.
Rising Tides
The flooding faced by Wren and her neighbors reflects a county-wide struggle to deal with rising seas that are increasingly inundating low-lying coastal areas; flooding roads and previously fertile land; infiltrating septic systems, and killing trees that can't live in salt water.
Almost a year since Superstorm Sandy devastated large areas of the Jersey shore, coastal villages like Money Island -- an isolated community of about 40 houses some 15 miles south of Millville -- are grappling with the less-dramatic but profoundly challenging reality of what to do about rising seas.
According to the latest Rutgers University projections, published by the state's Department of Environmental Protection in August, sea levels along the New Jersey coast are expected to rise by 17 inches by 2050 and 44 inches by the end of the century as ocean volumes rise in response to melting polar ice caps in the warmer global climate. Storm surges could be higher, as shown by Sandy, which produced a six-foot surge in the back bays, the DEP said.
The predicted rise along the mid-Atlantic coast is about twice the global rate, because the region's land is sinking at the same time waters rise. In Delaware, between 8 and 11 percent of that state's land mass could be inundated by 2100, according to official projections.
At Gandys Beach, about a mile south of Money Island, Jim Shaw is still repairing the siding on his beachfront house after Sandy, and fears the next storm but is equally worried about rising seas.
"High tide used to come up as far as the deck," he said as waves broke against the pilings supporting a new deck that replaces one destroyed by Sandy. "Now, it goes all the way to the end of the house about 40 feet away. Every year, we have less sand."
Shaw, 70, a retired machinist who bought the house in 1999, said he wants to see bulkheads built out into the ocean to reduce the impact of future storms. But he doesn't know what can be done about rising oceans, and just hopes the elements will allow him to live in his house for the next decade. "I can stay for another ten years," he said.
Shaw's ability to do so may depend on a variety of protective measures now under consideration by state and local officials. They include rebuilding the dikes and levees that previously protected the salt marsh when it was used for making hay, replenishing beaches, and building bulkheads, groins, and jetties to control tidal movements.
But it won't be feasible to defend every stretch of coastline from the rising waters, and in some cases, people may simply have to retreat, Wren said. That option is widely regarded as a last resort, especially among homeowners of modest means who have sunk their life savings into shore houses, and have been visiting or living there for generations.
"There may be some places where it doesn't make sense to invest to protect small installations," she said. "But I would not want to be the one to make that judgment."
Saving What Can Be Saved
Tim Dillingham, executive director of the American Littoral Society, said officials and residents should abandon the idea that the whole coastline of areas like Cumberland County can be defended from rising waters, and should focus instead on what can feasibly be saved, while working to preserve environmentally important coastline.
"We should be identifying what is indefensible," he said.
Public money designated for Sandy recovery and sea defenses should be used to buy out the most vulnerable homeowners, Dillingham said, rather than to build new infrastructure such as sewer lines that would support additional development, as proposed by some local politicians.
But in a sign of local divisions over how to prepare for rising seas, the Cumberland County Board of Freeholders recently passed a resolution calling on the state to divert funds earmarked for the buyout of about 350 Cumberland County homes to instead fund projects like new wastewater plants to protect the shore.
For those advocating retreat, a possible candidate is Bay Point, a remote shore community of about two dozen homes – all of which are built on pilings -- where about 10 homes were lost to Sandy.
Mike Nelson, one of a handful of full-time residents of Bay Point, and one of those who lost his home in the storm, said high tides are getting higher, and flooding is increasing. At full moons, roads are more likely to be covered, cutting off the community from the outside world at times, he said. Cars are getting damaged by the salt water.
Nelson, 57, a retired maintenance supervisor with the Delaware River Port Authority, said he's planning to retreat by rebuilding on the community's north side which he said is more sheltered from storms. For now, he's living in a trailer with his wife, his grandson, and his sister-in-law.
"I'm not going to rebuild in that location," he said, referring to his ruined bayside house.
Staying Put
But Nelson said he has no plans to move away from Bay Point, where his family has been living or visiting since 1947, and where he supplements his retirement income by fishing, and crabbing.
"I have no interest in leaving," he said. "This is my choice to be here, and I'm prepared to do what I have to."
Officials who offer advice on recovering from Sandy and planning for sea-level rise are urging coastal residents to use mapping tools published by Rutgers University, the DEP, and soon, Climate Central, a Princeton-based group.
The tools overlay local facilities such as schools and hospitals with anticipated inundation, allowing officials to plan for their defense or retreat, said Chris Sturm, senior director of state policy for New Jersey Future, a nonprofit that's working on the issue.
"Sea-level rise is gradual, and the same is true for investing in infrastructure," Sturm said. In view of the long lead time needed for building new roads, bridges or drains to cope with rising seas, she urged officials to make plans sooner rather than later, and to budget for them.
On the east side of Cumberland County's Maurice River, the town of Leesburg experiences flooding on three roads every time there's a full moon, said Kathy Ireland, deputy mayor of Maurice River Township.
Some residents have had saltwater intrusion into their septic systems, while the rising influx of seawater is killing increasing numbers of trees, known locally as "ghost forests," stands of which can be seen on the road between Heislerville and Delmont.
In a bid to stop the tide reaching the woods, the township is considering building an earthen berm for several miles along the line between the woods and the salt meadows, Ireland said.
Despite the flooding, most people want to stay and adapt their lives to the new conditions, even if the state offers to buy them out, Ireland said. "Just a few people would be willing to sell and move," she said.
Moving is not an an option for Meghan Wren, who is heavily invested in the community where she has lived for 16 years.
"I've thought about it intellectually," she said. "But I'm not ready for it emotionally."
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NJ Spotlight, an independent online news service on issues critical to New Jersey, makes its in-depth reporting available to NewsWorks.
SEPTA has shared a drastic vision of the future. The transit agency serving Southeast Pennsylvania threatens to shut down nine of 13 regional rail lines and implement other cuts if the state does not provide more funding.
The shortfall in SEPTA's budget for capital investments is unprecedented, said Rich Burnfield, SEPTA chief financial officer. The agency is running rail cars "put in place when Gerald Ford was president," he said.
The aging regional rail lines require the most expensive repairs, SEPTA officials said. Without those repairs, the agency anticipates closing nine lines and truncate others closer to Philadelphia over the next decade.
It's estimated those changes would displace 89,000 riders a day -- adding up to more than 40 million rides in a year. Right now, SEPTA's ridership is at an all-time high.
Pennsylvania's Senate this summer passed legislation that would provide SEPTA with an additional $500 million -- enough, say SEPTA officials, to avert a true crisis. But the deal has stalled in the Pennsylvania House, which is expected to take up the issue again this fall.
The state Department of Transportation is also urging the House to act on funding officials say is urgently needed for bridge and road repairs.
"What we're seeing from SEPTA is not having enough resources for our transportation system [...] It is another unfortunate reality that we're looking at with the shortfall in transportation funding," said Erin Waters, a PennDOT spokeswoman.
House Republicans' spokesman, Steve Miskin, dismissed SEPTA's announcement as "the agency's semi-annual sky is falling PR effort."
"The fact is SEPTA is locally managed. The decisions are locally made and the contracts are locally negotiated," Miskin said. "This is an issue that is in local control."
He said there has been work over the summer on transportation planning, adding that lawmakers are considering how to fund the "critical needs of Pennsylvania infrastructure."
