KPYN News for Monday February 6th, 2012

Texarkana Police looking for an armed robber who is armed and dangerous. Officer Kristi Mitchell of the Texarkana, Ark. Police Department said that authorities are on the lookout for an escapee from the Mississippi Department of Corrections who they say is responsible for an armed robbery which occurred at Midnight February 5th at the Stateline Exxon located at 2324 Stateline Avenue. According to the employee at the store, it was robbed at gunpoint by a white male who demanded the money in the cash register. According to police, the robber left the location in a small black vehicle. After an investigation, Police said that the robber has been identified as 30 year old Johnny Hall, (pictured above) an escapee from prison in Mississippi where he was serving a 30 sentence for theft. Hall is 6’3 and 175 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes and he has multiple tattoos on his neck and face. It’s not known if he’s in the Texarkana, however, he was last seen driving a 2007 Honda Accord with a Mississippi tag of 959AU. Police say that Hall is considered armed and extremely dangerous and said that he will not return to prison. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of Johnny Hall is encouraged to call the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department at 903-798-3154.

The Texas Department of Transportation is reporting that an Atlanta, Tx., man is in critical condition at a Shreveport Hospital after a head on collision on Highway 59 between Atlanta and Linden, TX this morning. According to Texas State Trooper Wayne Johnson, the accident happened during the morning rush hour today when 22-year old Damarcus Alexander Benjamin from Atlanta, who was driving North on Highway 59 in a white 2012 GMC Terrain SUV crossed the median and struck an 18 wheeler head on that was traveling south. According to state police, the cab of the 18-wheeler burst into flames, its driver, 39 year old William Edwin Mcroy from Texarkana was not injured. However Mr. Benjamin was airlifted to LSU Shreveport Hospital where he was in critical condition. State Troopers say that the SUV that Mr. Benjamin was driving was believed to be a loaner car from Classic GMC in Texarkana.


CEDAR HILL, Texas (AP) — A Dallas-area house fire has left a couple and their adult son dead. Officials say the fire began yesterday morning at a home in Cedar Hill. City spokesman Corky Brown says one person was dead at the scene, and two others died at a hospital.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Investigators have blamed arson for a North Texas house fire that killed a 90-year-old man and his disabled 67-year-old nephew. No arrested have been made in connection with Saturday night's fire in Fort Worth. Authorities are also trying to determine if another blaze set less than two hours earlier is related.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A court-imposed deadline to settle the state's political maps has arrived. A federal court in San Antonio gave the Texas attorney general and minority groups until today to agree on temporary redistricting maps. The court said if the two sides can't reach an agreement, the April 3rd primary will be delayed at least two weeks.

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The former director of Mississippi's Medicaid programs will oversee ten Veterans Affairs medical centers across the country. Rica Lewis-Payton will assume her new position as network director of the South Central VA Health Care Network next month. The network is responsible VA centers in eight states including Texas and Oklahoma.
 

KPYN News for Sunday February 5th, 2012

PALESTINE, Ark. (AP) — Arkansas State Police officials have identified the Texan they say fatally shot himself as troopers tried to stop his vehicle on Interstate 40 in eastern Arkansas. A State Police spokesman says troopers found 60-year-old Rex McCollum of Grapevine, Texas dead inside his vehicle from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a chase on Thursday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An Associated Press analysis of Border Patrol records finds that agents have racked up daily overtime at a cost of about $1.4 billion in the past six years, which averages out to two hours per day of overtime for every agent. Over the course of a year an agent can earn about $15,000 more than the base salary, but agents are limited to $35,000 in overtime annually. The overtime data comes as the number of illegal border crossers has allegedly hit a forty year low.

LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney has won Nevada's Republican presidential caucuses, with Texas Congressman Ron Paul vying with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich for a distant second place. Votes were still being tallied late last night in Las Vegas' Clark County.

CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas (AP) — Cable subscribers in Corpus Christi are scrambling to find other ways to watch the Super Bowl because of a prolonged financial dispute between Time Warner Cable and a TV station carrying today's game. NBC affiliate KRIS-TV is among four Corpus Christi stations owned by Cordillera Communications that have been blacked out for Time Warner subscribers since mid-December.

KPYN News for Saturday February 4th, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Austin police have cleared out an Occupy Austin encampment on City Hall grounds that had been in place for four months. Officers began enforcing a city ban on overnight stays in public buildings starting at 10 p.m. last night. Witnesses say protesters gathered their belongings and left peacefully.

HOUSTON (AP) — Police say a man sought as a suspect in the stabbing of a 4-year-old girl led Houston police on a 30-minute chase before holding them at bay for two hours and then shooting himself. A police spokeswoman says Decorory Pruitt held officers at bay at his southwest Houston home before shooting himself just after noon yesterday. The 4-year-old girl Simone Taylor is hospitalized with a severe throat wound.

PECOS, Texas (AP) — A West Texas city council has given preliminary approval to a ban on single-use plastic bags in the town. The Pecos City Council will take a final vote on the ban Thursday. Pecos Mayor Venetta Seals says the city will require the use of biodegradable and multi-use bags that will cost owners up to 40 cents each.

TORONTO (AP) — Canada's prime minister is flexing his nation's energy muscles with a visit to Beijing. That's according to Chinese analysts who call Stephen Harper's visit to China next week an 'open warning' to the Obama Administration. Last month President Barack Obama rejected a measure backed by Congressional Republicans to speed up construction of TransCanada's Keystone XL pipeline from Alberta to Texas.

KPYN News for Friday February 3, 2012

Atlanta-The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Texas is 13 cents more than the average last week, according to the AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch.  The current statewide average is $3.38. The national average is $3.45, increasing seven cents more than the average last week.  The statewide average price is seven cents less than the national average.  The most expensive gasoline averages in the state are in Texarkana and Dallas at $3.40. 

NEW BOSTON-26 year old Joshua West has plead guilty to the June robbery of the Redwater Dollar General Store in Bowie County. Yesterday a Bowie County jury sentenced West to 20 years in prison for aggravated robbery. West's attorney told the court that West robbed the store because of drug addictions. West plead guilty yesterday and told the court he was the lookout when 19 year old Reco Hawkins, Jr. entered the store and pointed a shot gun at the manager. Officials say the men got away with 427 dollars that they then spent on alcohol and drugs.

TYLER — A spokesperson for Carrier says the bargaining process with the sheet metal workers union has come to an end. The workers have agreed to accept severance packages. The details of the packages were not immediately available. Carrier representatives say the closure will directly affect about 500 employees. No word on how many might be transferred to other Carrier plants. The Tyler plant will continue operation through 2013. Carrier has a scholarship program to help employees pay for tuition and book fees, which will still be available to employees of the Tyler facility for up to 4 years. Officials say the Tyler plant operations might shift to Monterrey, Mexico.

STATE-Some folks in Oklahoma and Texas got an unexpected light show late Wednesday night. The Federal Aviation Administration says it was likely a meteor. FAA spokesman Lynn Lunsford says the agency received reports of the light Wednesday night. The sightings were reported as far north as Oklahoma City and as far south as Houston. Media outlets across the ArkLaTex and beyond got reports of a bright, fiery object in the sky after it was spotted around 8 p.m. Some described it as having bright colors and looking like a "shooting star." Some media outlets in the Dallas-Fort Worth area reported a sonic boom when the fireball passed overhead.

KPYN News for Thursday, February 2, 2012

At Left: 40 year old Melissa Goza of Lewisville, Arkansas has been arrested for stealing more than 50k in cash from local financial institutions. Officials with the Texarkana Arkansas Police Detective John Cochran began a theft investigation in reference to Goza a large amount of cash. Officials say the theft took place over a period of several days when Goza would enter the institution and make fraudulent withdrawals of cash. Police say the investigation is ongoing and additional charges are pending. Anyone with information regarding Goza is urged to contact the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department at 903-798-5154 or the Texarkana area CrimeStoppers at 903-793-STOP.

Total sales tax allocations to cities in Cass County are up almost 3 percent overall from last month. Texas Comptroller Susan Combs says state wide sales tax revenue in December was up 9.5% compared with a year ago. Combs says sales tax revenue continues to grow in almost all major economic categories and has increased now for 21 consecutive months. However, in Linden the sales tax allocation check is down by about 5 percent from last year. In Atlanta it's down by 1 percent when completed with last year. Queen City saw an increase of 22 percent in their check. Hughes Springs also received a 9 percent increase. And, the town of Domino is up a whopping 195 percent from last year.

The Cass County Commissioners met last week and decided not to reinstate a full time position to the district clerk's office but did vote to allow a part time employee to work full time hours temporarily. Cass County District Clerk Becky Wilbanks told the commissioners that she needed the part time employee to work full time hours until another employee returned from maternity leave. But, Wilbanks also told the commissioners this was just a band aid solution to a much more desperate situation in her department. Wilbanks says budget cuts in 2010 lead to the reduction in her staff and right now the part time position cannot fulfill the duties required. The next meeting of the Cass County Commissioner's will be held Monday February 13th.

Repairs scheduled for this week at a railroad crossing near Domino have been delayed until January 25. Officials with Union Pacific Railroad say heavy rains expected this week in the area have delayed the closure of FM 2327 near Domino where workers are planning to make much needed repairs to the railroad crossing. Officials say the work is expected to take one day to complete. Traffic will be detoured in the area. If you have any questions about the road closure please call TxDot at 903-799-1484 for more information.

Join us in helping our military personnel overseas call home by donating your old cell phone. Drop off your old cell phones at Liberty Tax Service on Loop 59 in Atlanta. Those old cell phones can be exchanged for phone card so the soldiers can call their loved ones. You can drop off your old phones at Liberty Tax Service 7 days a week. Don't forget to join us this Saturday from 12-2 at Liberty Tax Service on Loop 59 in Atlanta where we will broadcasting live.

Joy Waters the President and CEO of Domino Federal Credit Union says that Domino is scheduled to open their new office at 4702 South Lake Drive in Texarkana next Monday. This will be the 5th location for the Domino Federal Credit Union. Currently, Domino FCU has locations on Kennedy Lane in Texarkana, and at the Domino IP Mill in Atlanta and Linden. Visit their website at dominofcu dot com for more information.

Speed limits in Texas are going up. In Bowie County and across Texas the speed limit will increase from 70 to 75 miles per hour. Carol Rawson the director of the traffic operations division for the Texas Department of Transportation says the state’s economic strength depends on the efficient and safe movement of people and good. Rawson says the new speed limit is not official until the signs go up. Over 1500 miles of roadways in the state will now have a 75 miles per hour speed limit.

17 year old Rachel Pittman of Redwater, Texas has now been charged with capital murder in connection with the killing of a woman and her two children in May. Bail for Pittman has been set at 3 million dollars. Pittman has been incarcerated since last year but due to her age, her name had not been publically released. However, her name had been mentioned on several Internet social sites. Right now, law enforcement and the district attorney have no comments on the case. A gag order was issued last year concerning the case. Pittman allegedly has confessed to the murders of 34 year old Amanda Doss, 11 year old Guinevere Doss and 8 year old Texas Johnson. Pittman was 16 at the time of the homicides. Because of her age, it is unlikely that Pittman will face a death sentence. Pittman has been moved from the juvenile jail to the Bi-State Justice center.

Officials with the US State Department say two missionaries from North Texas were murdered in their home outside the violence-plagued northern industrial city of Monterrey, Mexico. The U.S. State Department identified the couple as American citizens John and Wanda Sue Casias. The couple was found strangled in their home in Santiago. The family was originally from Amarillo, Texas, but lived in North Texas before moving to Mexico in 1982 to pursue mission work. The Casias had been married for 40 years and had 10 children and 54 grandchildren and great-grandchildren. They were members of Liberty Baptist Church in Lewisville, which sponsored much of their work in Mexico. Troy Cave, one of the couple's sons, says they were aware of the danger and the family had tried to convince them to return to the states but they refused. The Mexican Consulate in Dallas said authorities in Mexico are investigating, but wouldn’t comment further.

Smith County has received notice from the Texas Department of Public Safety Division of Emergency Management that residents are eligible to apply for low-interest emergency disaster loans due to drought and related disasters including high winds, high temperatures and wildfires since January 1, 2011. The Administrator of the Farm Service Agency (FSA) will immediately make emergency loans available to eligible applicants in Smith County. To receive details on terms and eligibility for these loans, you can contact the nearest FSA office. In addition, the Small Business Administration (SBA), in an agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), provides Economic Injury Disaster Loans to eligible small businesses dependent on farmers and ranchers in counties that have received a disaster declaration. Disaster loan information and application forms are also available from the SBA’s Customer Service Center by calling the SBA toll-free at 800-659-2955. The deadline to apply for these loans is September 4, 2012.

A military judge today could decide whether to delay the murder trial for the Army psychiatrist charged in the Fort Hood shooting rampage. Maj. Nidal Hasan (nih-DAHL' hah-SAHN') will be back in court at a hearing when his attorneys are expected to tell the judge why they're seeking the delay. The trial is set to begin in March and last about two months at the Texas Army post. Military jurors will be brought from Fort Sill, Okla. Hasan is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. He faces the death penalty or life without parole if convicted in the November 2009 shootings. The 41-year-old Hasan remains jailed. He was paralyzed from the waist down after being shot by police that day.

The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department is currently searching for information in reference to the recent Wells Fargo bank robbery that occurred January 23, 2012.  During the robbery two unknown suspects entered the bank displaying handguns and ordered everyone to the ground.  One of the suspects entered the teller area behind the counter and removed an undisclosed amount of cash from the drawers before fleeing the business westbound on foot.  Both suspects were described as black males wearing all black clothing with ladies hosiery and a bandana used to conceal their faces. Anyone with information regarding this crime is strongly encouraged to notify the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department at 903-798-3130, or Texarkana area CrimeStoppers at 903-793-STOP.  Information leading to the arrest and conviction of the following two suspects will result in a cash reward up to $7000.00.

KPYN News for Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Atlanta Rabbits Senior Rickey Hatley (middle, bottom row) signed a letter of intent today to play College football at the University of Missouri. Rickey signed his letter in the Atlanta High School Library. Sitting next to Rickey is his Mother Latosha Hatley and Father Rickey Hatley. Standing in back of Rickey is his head football coach and AD Matt McClure and Rickey's sister Daja who attends Atlanta High School as a Freshman.

The historic Cass County Courthouse in Linden will be rededicated Feb 18th at 1pm. The Texas Historical Commission and officials from all across the state will be attending. The courthouse was built in 1861 and is the oldest working courthouse in the state of Texas. If you’d like more information call 903-244-1748.

Police in Bowie County are looking for a man who allegedly broke into a Texarkana home early yesterday morning. Officials say they received a call just after 8:30 yesterday morning at a home on George Thomas Road in the Liberty Eyelau area. Police say the suspect broke into the home and grabbed the female resident and threw here against a wall then fled the home. Police say they are looking for a man who was last seen wearing a black mask and black hoodie. Bowie county officials believe the suspect may have fled the home after he heard a child crying.

The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department is currently searching for information in reference to the recent Wells Fargo bank robbery that occurred January 23, 2012. During the robbery two unknown suspects entered the bank displaying handguns and ordered everyone to the ground. One of the suspects entered the teller area behind the counter and removed an undisclosed amount of cash from the drawers before fleeing the business westbound on foot. Both suspects were described as black males wearing all black clothing with ladies hosiery and a bandana used to conceal their faces.  Anyone with information regarding this crime is strongly encouraged to notify the Texarkana Arkansas Police Department at 903-798-3130, or Texarkana area CrimeStoppers at 903-793-STOP. Information leading to the arrest and conviction of the following two suspects will result in a cash reward up to $7000.00.

Officials in Nacogdoches County say two construction workers were seriously injured at an accident at the Fagan Biomass Plant. The men were working on an electrical panel when it arced. Both men are now listed in critical condition. Officials closed the plant for the day yesterday following the accident.
Three teenagers have now been charged with assault with a deadly weapon involving a blow dart attack in the Walmart parking lot in Tyler. Police say 26 year old Kathey Billberry of Chandler and 19 year old Stephanie Spencer were both shot with darts from a blow gun Monday night. Luckily, they were not seriously injured. Police say the attack was caught on video and three teen teens were arrested. Police say during a search of one of the suspect’s trucks they found the weapon, darts and a receipt for their purchase from Academy Sports just an hour before the attack.

Two builders in Tyler say they want to create more jobs not just in East Texas but across the US. Gary Bayless from Bayless Custom Homes says he and Joe runnels are building their first all American made home in Tyler. Bayless says everything from the ground up to the shingles is manufactured and assembled in the US. Runnels says they hope to create jobs and to create jobs you have to buy American. The builders say it cost about three to seven percent more to build an American made home. They hope to have the home completed by the end of May.

Police in Anderson County say 38 year old Charles Wayne Scooter Minchew is wanted for allegedly breaking into a home and attacking his ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend. Officials with the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office say Minchew is now wanted for Burglary of a Habitation with the Intent to Commit a Felony. The victim told police Minchew left but promised he would be back. If you have any information about Minchew’s location you are urged to call the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office.
Vice President Joe Biden stopped in Bowie County yesterday. Biden was reportedly attending a fundraising dinner near DeKalb last night at the Patterson Farm. The invitation only dinner was set up to raise money for what is expected to be the costliest Presidential Campaign in history. Sources say the dinner cost over 30k per plate. Security was tight in Bowie County as Biden traveled through the area.

KPYN News for Tuesday January 31st, 2012

Vice President Joe Biden is visiting Texarkana today

Vice President Joe Biden is in Northeast Texas today; but the White House is tight lipped about exactly where the vice president is heading. Yesterday a C-17 Cargo plane landed at the Texarkana Regional Airport loaded with security vehicles for the vice presidents motorcade. According the Texarkana Gazette; Vice President Biden was expected to appear at a De Kalb fundraiser today and a series of fund raisers in Texas including a private fundraiser in Bowie County. However, no public appearances were scheduled while the vice president is in the Texarkana area.

Property Tax bills in Cass County are due today. The deadline for paying your property taxes is 5 p.m. today. Cass County Tax Assessor-Collector Becky Watson said that payments must be postmarked no later than today, online payments must be made before midnight, or you can make payments in person at the Tax Assessment-Collectors office at 119 Kaufman Street in Linden. The tax office accepts cash, checks, money orders or credit card payments. To pay with a credit card on line, log on to www.casscountyonline.net/tax. The penalties and interest for late payments will begin tomorrow at a rate of 7 percent, with an increase of 2 percent per month until July; that’s when attorney’s fees kick in and other chargers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Closing arguments in a court fight over Texas political maps are scheduled this morning in Washington. At issue is whether the maps drawn by the Republican-dominated state Legislature violated the federal Voting Rights Act.

SPICEWOOD, Texas (AP) — Tanker trucks have delivered 8,000 gallons of water to the village of Spicewood, where the wells are running dry because of the historic drought. The Lower Colorado River Authority plans to truck water into Spicewood for several more weeks while officials look into whether they should drill a new well or pipe water from Lake Travis.

EDINBURG, Texas (AP) — The Border Patrol says it seized more than 16 tons of marijuana in South Texas over the weekend. The largest single bust was at a ranch house north of Garciasville, where agents and Starr County sheriff's deputies found more than 600 bales of pot valued at more than $5.7 million.

WACO, Texas (AP) — Police have taken a 12-year-old into custody after they say the child brought a pocket knife and a pellet gun to a Waco middle school. They say the student showed the gun and knife to friends, who alerted school officials.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — A 26-year-old Lubbock man has been charged with intoxication manslaughter in a crash that killed three people and left him hospitalized. Lubbock police say Brian Hawthorne was driving a pickup truck rolled over Sunday morning, killing two passengers. A bicyclists hit by the tumbling vehicle was also killed.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — An 18-month-old boy is hospitalized in serious condition in the Fort Worth area after being attacked by pit bulls in his family's backyard. Tarrant County Sheriff's Office spokesman Terry Grisham says authorities were called to a home near Lakeside yesterday afternoon. Grisham says the boy's grandfather keeps seven pit bulls at the house, and at least four dogs are believed to have attacked the boy.

KPYN News for Monday January 30th, 2012

A Queen City Man is Back in Jail after escaping from his jail keeper at a Linden Hospital Cass County Sheriff James “Troop” Estes said that 36-year old David Lee Roy Anderson from Queen City Texas is back in jail after escaping from his jail keeper while at Good Shepherd Hospital in Linden late Saturday morning. Police searched for Anderson in nearby woods with the help of scent tracking dogs and helicopters but when day turned to night, Anderson was still at large. However, the Sheriff told KPYN that Anderson was arrested early Sunday morning when he wondered up to a home just outside of Linden on Highway 1841. The woman that lives there called the Sheriff’s department who came out and arrested Anderson without incident. Anderson is back in jail and authorities said that he’ll be charged with escape; he’s already being held on a burglary charge.

FATAL ACCIDENT-WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT
Ark. family sues driver, company over teen's death
(Information in the following story is from: Texarkana Gazette, http://www.texarkanagazette.com)
TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) — The family of a Fouke, Ark., teenager who died after being hit by a tractor-trailer has sued the driver of the truck and his employer.
According to a story in Sunday's Texarkana Gazette (http://bit.ly/x1vrtd), the wrongful death lawsuit alleges the driver of the semi, Marc Simard, was talking on a cellular phone shortly before the Aug. 19 accident along Interstate 30 near Hooks, Texas.
State troopers say 16-year-old Tommie Roden was riding in a car that was involved an earlier accident with a truck, and she may have been walking back to the vehicle when she was killed.
The lawsuit, filed in Texas, seeks compensation for past and future mental anguish for the plaintiffs, including Roden's mother, Sandra Ward.
A message left at Drive Logistics' offices wasn't immediately returned Sunday.

LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) — Three people are dead following an accident involving an SUV and a bicycle. Two people in the vehicle and the bicyclist were killed in yesterday morning's crash near Texas Tech University. Investigators believe the SUV collided with a bicycle that may have been crossing the street before it hit a fire hydrant and overturned.

BAYTOWN, Texas (AP) — A man has been hospitalized after an exchange of gunfire with law-enforcement officers in Baytown. The Houston Chronicle reports the man held a woman and possibly some children inside a home early yesterday. At some point after the hostages were released, the man opened fire on police. They returned fire, injuring the man.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A 21-year-old man wanted in a home invasion and robbery that included a gun battle has been arrested in El Paso. The U.S. Marshals Service says Reese Pearis is in an El Paso jail, awaiting extradition to San Antonio. Pearis is accused of taking part in a home invasion at a San Antonio apartment complex, where shots were exchanged with the unit's occupants.

TEXAS SENATE RACE-DEMOCRATS-ANALYSIS
3 Democrats vying for US Senate nomination
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Democrats have three top candidates to choose from in the primary race for the U.S. Senate, but their ultimate choice will probably say more about the party's future in Texas than who goes to Washington next year.
Every candidate says they are running to win the general election, but the odds are long. Former state Rep. Paul Sadler, party activist Sean Hubbard and trial lawyer Jason Gibson all insist they have a fighting chance to replace Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison this November.
But Democrats currently hold no statewide office. Democrats know they have a long way to go to regaining relevance in statewide races. Each candidate recognizes they are also running to be the party's statewide leader and could have a role in charting the course forward.

GULF OIL SPILL-RESTORATION
Oil spill brings attention to delicate Gulf coast
TIVOLI, Texas (AP) — It took BP PLC's well blowing out in the Gulf of Mexico for the nation to turn its attention to the slow, methodical ruin of the ecosystem that had been happening for years.
Last month, more than a year and a half after the oil spill began, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a three-year, $50 million initiative designed to improve water quality along the coast.
NRCS administrators struggled for years to divide a few million dollars among farmers and ranchers in the five Gulf states. Now, they are getting an eleven-fold increase in funding, money that will allow them to build on low-profile programs that already have had modest success in cleaning crucial waterways by working with farmers and ranchers to improve land use practices.

HOUSTON (AP) — Longtime Houston Chronicle reporter Barbara Karkabi has died at the age of 65. The newspaper reports Karkabi died Saturday from uterine cancer. Karkabi joined the Chronicle's features department in 1979 and retired in 2009. During her time at the paper, she covered emerging ethnic communities, women's issues and other topics.

KPYN News for Sunday January 29th, 2012

UPDATE Sun 1/29/12 Cass County Sheriff Troop Estes told KPYN News that the prisoner who escaped from a Linden Hospital yesterday morning has been captured. According to Sheriff Estes, 36 year old David Lee Roy Anderson was arrested shortly after 1 a.m. this morning at a residence on Highway 1841 just outside of Linden when he wondered up to a home. The woman living at the residence Anderson wondered up to called the Sheriff Department and Cass County Deputies responded and arrested Anderson without incident. Anderson who is now back in jail and the Sheriff said that he'll be charged with escape, he’d already been in jail on a burglary charge. Anderson escaped from Good Shepherd Hospital in Linden yesterday morning at 11:30 a.m., and disappeared in the nearby woods.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A crowd estimated at close to 3,000 people marched to the steps of the State Capitol to hear from anti-abortion leaders. KVUE-TV in Austin reported that keynote speaker was Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott. The Republican told the Texas Rally for Life yesterday that he learned the beauty of life when lost the ability to walk. The rally commemorated the 39th anniversary of the Roe versus Wade Supreme Court decision.

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Officials say an American Airlines passenger jet traveling from Dallas to Seattle carrying 145 passengers and crew members landed in Boise yesterday after the pilot reported a low-oil indicator light. A Boise Airport spokeswoman tells KTVB-TV that the MD-80 landed safely at the Idaho airport.

HOUSTON (AP) — A suspect has been arrested in a Harris County bank robbery. The Houston Chronicle reports that no one was hurt when a lone suspect held up the Community Bank of Texas in the unincorporated Huffman area near Houston late Friday afternoon. Investigators are looking into whether he could be linked to other holdups in the area.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — The new president of Texas Wesleyan University says he wants to prepare students to be critical thinkers and make graduate school accessible to those with work and family obligations. Frederick Slabach was inaugurated on Friday in a ceremony that included a keynote address from former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright.

KPYN News for Saturday January 28th, 2012

The Cass County Sherriff’s Department told KPYN news that there’s a man hunt in Linden for an inmate who escaped from Good Shepherd Hospital in Linden this morning at 11:30 a.m. According to Cass County Sherriff’s Department Captain Scott Sartain; 36 year-old David Lee Roy Anderson (left) from Queen City escaped from his jailer and was last seen wearing a hospital gown and a navy blue jump suit. He’s described at a white male, 5’11 and 115 pounds and he was being held on a burglary charge. Portions of his paper jump suit were found along the woods just north of the hospital. The Cass County Sherriff’s Department, scent dogs and a DPS Helicopter have an area blocked off and are tracking the escapee at this time. Captain Sartain said that additional charges will be filed against Anderson after his capture and that to the best of their knowledge he’s unarmed.  Anyone knowing the whereabouts of David Lee Roy Anderson should call the police.

CASS COUNTY CATTLEMAN'S ASSOCIATION
WINTER JUNIOR LIVESTOCK SHOW
JANUARY 28, 2012

Heifer Show - American
Beef Master Grand Champion - Christopher Birdwell (Simms FFA)
Beff Master Reserved Champion - Zach Mills (DeKalb 4-H)


Brahman Grand Champion - Briar Helms (Redwater FFA)
Brahman Reserved Champion - Lexi Bonner (Redwater FFA)


Brangus Grand Champion - Jake Akin (Hooks FFA)
Brangus Reserved Champion - Dawson Helms (Redwater FFA)


Santa Gertrudis Grand Champion - MIchael McConaughey (Bowie County 4-H)
Santa Gertrudis Reserved Champion - MIchael McConaughey (Bowie County 4-H)


Simbrah Grand Champion - Dakota Hall (Hughes Springs FFA)
Simbrah Reserved Champion - Austin Boswell (Bowie County 4-H)


OVERALL HEIFER AMERICAN GRAND CHAMPION - Christopher Birdwell (Simms FFA)
OVERALL HEIFER AMERICAN RESERVED CHAMPION - Zach Mills (DeKalb 4-H)


Heifer Show - English
Black Angus Grand Champion - Anthony Sciara (Hooks FFA)
Black Angus Reserved Champion - Haleigh Caldwell (Hooks FFA)


Hereford Grand Champion - Daniel Mills (Hooks FFA)


Polled Hereford Grand Champion - Cara Cummings (Longview FFA)
Polled Hereford Reserved Champion - Shelby Boswell (Bowie County 4-H)


Red Angus Grand Champion - Ashley Caldwell (Hooks FFA)


Shorthorn Grand Champion - Ariel Cullom (Hooks FFA)
Shorthorn Reserved Champion - Tadd Mitchell (Linden-Kildare FFA)


OVERALL HEIFER ENGLISH GRAND CHAMPION - Ashley Caldwell (Hooks FFA)
OVERALL HEIFER ENGLISH RESERVED CHAMPION - Anthony Sciara (Hooks FFA)


Heifer Show - Exotic
Charolais Grand Champion - Kade Smith (Happy Face 4-H)
Charolais Reserved Champion - Ravyn Hillis (Bowie County 4-H)


Chianina Grand Champion - Tate Mitchell (Linden-Kildare FFA)


Limousin Grand Champion - Jake Rosewell (Mt Pleasant FFA)
Limousin Reserved Champion - Channing Barton (Hooks FFA)


Maintainer Grand Champion - Luke Smith (Happy Face 4-H)


Simmental Grand Champion - Homer Hancock (Hooks FFA)


OVERALL HEIFER EXOTIC GRAND CHAMPION - Jake Rosewell (Mt Pleasant FFA)
OVERALL HEIFER EXOTIC RESERVED CHAMPION - Homer Hancock (Hooks FFA)


Showmanship (Senior Division) - Haleigh Caldwell (Hooks FFA)
Showmanship (Junior Division) - Zach Mills (DeKalb 4-H)


OVERALL STEER GRAND CHAMPION - Caleb Whatley (Hope 4-H)
OVERALL STEER RESERVED CHAMPION - Hunter Lance (Hope 4-H)

TEXAS REDISTRICTING-PRIMARY
Judges: April 3 primary in Texas still possible
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — There's only one week left to salvage an April 3 primary in Texas. A San Antonio federal court on Friday ordered the state and minority groups to compromise on redrawn political districts by February 6th. The three-judge panel said that if both sides don't reach an agreement by that deadline, the primary will be pushed back.
The court did not indicate a new primary date if a deal isn't reached. But state Democratic and Republican leaders told the court that an April 17 primary is possible if interim maps are in place my mid-February.
Minority groups sued the state over newly drawn political voting maps passed by the GOP-controlled Texas Legislature. The dispute is over whether the new map fairly reflects Hispanic growth.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is flatly denying a Washington Post report that he was deeply involved in the company that produced provocative, racially charged newsletters during the 1990s. In an interview yesterday with CNN, the Texas Congressman described a Washington Post story published on Friday as false.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama has met with former President George H.W. Bush and former Florida Governor Jeb Bush in the Oval Office. The White House did not immediately release details on the meeting yesterday. A spokesman said that the 87-year-old former president and Houston resident used a wheelchair during the meeting.

DALLAS (AP) — Police now say a deadly one-car crash in southern Dallas initially blamed on street racing resulted instead from speeding and a wet road. A Dallas police Senior Corporal provided the clarification yesterday about the Thursday afternoon accident that killed one teen and left two others hospitalized, including the driver. Police now say the car hit a puddle and veered out of control before slamming into a utility pole about 4:15 p.m. on Texas 342 near the University of North Texas Dallas campus.

TX-TEXAS SENATE RACE-DEWHURST
US Senate hopeful Dewhurst releases tax returns
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — U.S. Senate candidate and Texas Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst has released his income tax returns for the last three years.
They show an adjusted income of more than $4.5 million since 2009.
Dewhurst and his wife Patricia reported nearly $1.5 million in losses in 2009, but made more than $1 million the next year and over an estimated $5 million in 2011.
The couple also donated more than $4 million to charity since 2009.
Friday's release came a day after rival Senate hopeful and ESPN personality Craig James released five years' worth of returns.
Dewhurst is considered the frontrunner among 10 candidates for the Republican nomination to replace retiring U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison.
Dewhurst made a fortune in energy and has a net worth of at least $200 million.

TX-TEXAS SENATE RACE-CRUZ
Senate candidate Cruz reports $5M in income
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Former Texas Solicitor General and U.S. Senate candidate Ted Cruz has reported more than $5 million in adjusted income over the last five years.
Cruz released his tax returns Friday, which also showed he had paid more than $1.6 million in taxes.
Cruz released his tax returns after his competitor, Craig James, released his and called on everyone in the senate race to do so. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst also released his tax returns on Friday.
The three men are the leading candidates in the race for the Republican nomination to replace Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison. She is retiring this year.
As solicitor general Cruz represented Texas before the Supreme Court and now works in Houston as an attorney specializing in appellate law.

KPYN News for Friday January 27th, 2012

TEXARKANA, Tx.- A Hooks, Tx., man was killed today in a wreck on S. Lake Drive in Texarkana, Tx. According to the Texarkana Texas Police Department, 48 year-old Dominic Mazzucco from Hooks was traveling east on Lake Drive around 1 p.m. today (Friday, January 27th, 2012) when he collided with a 2003 GMC Yukon driven by 26 year-old Humberto Hernandez Domingez from Texarkana, Ark., who was traveling west on Lake Drive and attempting to make a turn into a private drive in front of the motorcycle. Mr. Mazzucco, who police said was not wearing a helmet, ran into the right side of the Yukon causing multiple injuries. Mazzucco was taken to Wadley Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead. A citation was issued to the owner of the Yukon, 30 year-old Javier Gomez of Texarkana, Tx, for allowing an unlicensed driver to operate a motor vehicle and police said that charges are pending against Hernandez-Domingez.

Today is the 20th anniversary of the Butts murders in Atlanta. Author Sonny Long has written a book about the murders of 29-year old Gerri Faye Butts and her two daughters 11-year old Jessica and 2 year old McKenzie and he’s in Atlanta today promoting the release of the book next week; the book is entitled Among Murderers and Madness,” Long said. The book will be available in early February through Amazon.com and other retail outlets. It will also be available for the Kindle. Sonny Long also told KPYN News that there is a memorial display in remembrance of Gerri Faye Butts and her daughters Jessica and Mackenzie Butts at Yesterday Antique Mall, 212 North East Street in Atlanta today and tomorrow. A memory book is available for friends of the family and public to leave comments and it will be given to Gerri Faye’s mother, Lynette.

Sonny Long will be our guest on coffee and comments this morning at 9:41 a.m. during the original trading post on KPYN 900 AM, 95.5 FM and KPYN.net.

TEXARKANA, Ark. (AP) — United Steel Workers members in Texarkana have voted to approve a tentative contract agreement with Cooper Tire Company. The Texarkana Gazette reports that members of the union's Local 752L approved the contract last night, after both sides announced a four-year deal on January 19th.

TEXARKANA, Texas (AP) — A man who police say opened fire on officers investigating after a traffic accident is dead after being fatally shot by a Texas game warden. The gunfire exchange happened around 1:30 p.m. yesterday on a side road near a federal prison on the southern outskirts of Texarkana, Texas.

The Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce announced that the annual Chamber Banquet will be held on March 24th at 6 p.m. at the Mattie Lanier Richey Center. This years theme is “A Walk in the Park,” and they also said that its time to start making nominations for Business of the Year, M and Woman of the Year and Volunteer of the year. You can buy your tickets to the Chamber Banquet for $20 each at the Chamber of Commerce office in Atlanta, for more information you can call 903-796-3296.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The state and minority groups suing over newly-drawn political maps in Texas are due back in a federal courtroom in San Antonio today. At issue is whether an April 3rd primary date can be salvaged. A three-judge panel in San Antonio has cautioned that the date will work only if all sides agree on temporary maps by a February 6th deadline.

HUNTSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Texas executed convicted killer Rodrigo Hernandez last night. He received a lethal injection for killing Susan Verstegen in San Antonio 18 years ago. DNA that Hernandez submitted as a requirement for parole in Michigan linked him to the slaying several years later. He insisted he was innocent.

TYLER, Texas (AP) — A new dog has joined the Smith County district attorney's office. The Labrador retriever named Sophie is a successor to Macy, who died of bone cancer last month. Sophie is trained to sit by children called to testify in court. A defense attorney says the dog is used theatrically to appeal to jurors' sympathies for the child.

WACO, Texas (AP) — Baylor University officials have five builders working on proposals for a new football stadium. The stadium being considered for a 90-acre site along the Brazos River on the Waco campus would replace 62-year-old Floyd Casey Stadium, which is two miles southwest of the campus.

KPYN News for Thursday January 26th, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas law allowing some illegal immigrants to pay in-state college tuition rates is set to be tweaked. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board will vote today to change the law in an effort to remind those students of their pledge to seek legal status. The tweak won't end the tuition break or the students' ability to qualify.

Due to heavy rains passing through the area this week, work on Farm-to-Market Road 249 (Main Street) in Atlanta will be completed on Tuesday, Jan. 31 requiring the highway to be closed once more, that’s according to TxDot officils who said that Union Pacific Railroad workers will be closing Main Street in Atlanta at the railroad crossing next Tuesday to finish making repairs to the crossing.

The rain has also delayed work and the closing at the railroad crossing on FM 2327 near Domino. Union Pacific Railroad workers have postponed closing the Farm-to-Market Road 2327 to traffic until Wednesday, Feb. 1 to make repairs to the railroad crossing. Anyone having any questions about the road closure, detour routes or construction work can call the TxDOT Traffic section at 903-799-1484 for more information.

HOUSTON (AP) — A former employee of Texas financier R. Allen Stanford tells jurors he believes he saw Stanford falsify accounting figures used in an annual report. Leo Mejia testified yesterday at the financier's fraud trial in Houston. Stanford is charged with 14 counts, including mail and wire fraud.

SIERRA BLANCA, Texas (AP) — Authorities say actor Armie Hammer was arrested at a border patrol checkpoint in West Texas last November after marijuana was found in his car. The 25-year-old, who starred in "The Social Network" and "J. Edgar," spent about a day in jail before paying a $1,000 bond. Hammer's lawyer says no charges have been presented.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge presiding over the Texas redistricting trial in Washington says she's skeptical a top Texas legislative staffer rarely consulted with elected officials when drawing the new map. House staffer Gerardo Interiano testified yesterday there were few matters that required him to talk to Republican House leaders. A three-judge panel is considering whether the Texas Legislature violated the U.S. Voting Rights Act.

KPYN News for Wednesday January 25th, 2012

FM 2327 North Railroad Crossing to Close for Repairs. Due to heavy rains in the area this week, Union Pacific Railroad workers have postponed closing the Farm-to-Market Road 2327 to traffic until Wednesday, Feb. 1 to make repairs to the railroad crossing.

What: Farm-to-Market Road 2327 closed to traffic at the Union Pacific Railroad north crossing.
When: Beginning on morning of Wednesday, Feb. 1 until work is completed.
Where: At the Union Pacific Railroad north crossing near Domino.
Who: Union Pacific Railroad and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). Portable message boards have been placed near the railroad crossing to warn motorists of the scheduled road closure. Traffic will be detoured onto US 59 to opposite ends of FM 2327, but motorist are free to find other alternate routes. The construction schedule and road closure can change again due to inclement weather or other unforeseen problems.
Anyone having any questions about the road closure, detour routes or construction work can call the TxDOT Traffic section at 903-799-1484 for more information.

The Union at Cooper Tire will meet and then vote on a new agreement

Cooper Tire and Rubber Company-Texarkana Plant United Steel Workers local 752L Union Workers will hear details concerning the tentative contract agreement today. The union workers will vote on the new contract tomorrow morning at six in the union hall across from Cooper Tire with the voting expected to wrap up by 8 p.m. tomorrow night. Union Representatives and Company officials reached an agreement last week shortly before the contract was set to expire.

The Cass County Cattleman’s Assosication's Winter Junior Winter Live Stock Show will begin this Saturday morning at the Cass County Expo Building on Highway 59 in Atlanta. FFA Students and 4-H members will exhibit their heifers and steers in one of three divisions including American, English, and Exotic Steers. The Heifer show will begin at 10 a.m. Saturday and the junior and senior showmanship and steer show will follow. KPYN AM-FM and Dot Net will carry the Cass County Cattleman’s Association Junior Winter Live Stock Show on KPYN AM-FM and Dot Net beginning 10 a.m. Saturday. For more information on the show you can call Cass County Agri Life Extension agent Gene Bobo at 903-756-5391.

The death of a 13 month old baby that died in Forman Arkansas Monday morning may have been the result of foul play, that’s according to a story in today Texarkana Gazette. Authorities in Little River County said that the baby’s death has been ruled a homicide after a preliminary autopsy by the Arkansas Crime Lab. Authorities told the Texarkana Gazette that the EMT’s that arrived at the mobile home in Forman at 1:50 a.m. Monday found the bay not breathing. No information was released explaining ho the baby died. The Arkansas State Police are investigating the baby’s death.

Texarkana College’s baseball, softball and golf coaches were at the TC Board of Trustees meeting in the Truman Arnold Center in Texarkana last night to explain the importance of athletics in student’s lives at the community college that is going through a financial crisis. Earlier this month the administration at TC considered cutting athletics to help with an anticipated $3.1 Million deficit.

HOUSTON (AP) — Prosecutors plan to present their first witness today during the fraud trial of Texas financier R. Allen Stanford, who's accused of orchestrating a vast Ponzi scheme and defrauding investors out of more than $7 billion. Opening statements were held yesterday in Houston in the 71-year-old's trial.

LAREDO, Texas (AP) — A federal jury in Laredo will begin their second day of deliberations today in the case of an alleged hit man for a Mexican drug cartel. Gerardo Castillo (kah-STEE'-yoh) Chavez is the first of 34 defendants named in the 51-page indictment to go on trial.

WASHINGTON (AP) — More witnesses are expected to be called today in Washington as a trial continues in federal court over political redistricting in Texas. The three-judge panel is considering whether a district map drawn by the Texas Legislature violates the U.S. Voting Rights Act.

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A West Texas jail will reopen today, 2.5 years after financial and management woes forced it to close. The Presidio County Jail will officially open after it passes an inspection.

KPYN News for Tuesday January 24th, 2012

Jerry Whatley at Whatley Used Cars on HWY 59-Linden HWY found a 1,000 pound Black Angus bull shopping for cars in his sales lot this morning. He worried about the bull in the china closet syndrome so he put it in a pen and needs the owner to call to claim his bull. Call: 903-796-3438.

Motorists traveling on Main Street in Atlanta will need to find an alternate rout today because Union Pacific is working on the railroad at the crossing and they’re rerouting traffic around the closed intersection onto state Highway 43, state highway 77 and motorists can use FM 251 to get back to Main Street.

Union Pacific Railroad will be working on the rail road crossing on Farm to Market Road 2327 near Domino on Wednesday and that crossing will remain closed until the work is complete. Anyone with questions about the work being done or detour routes can call TxDot at 903-799-1484.

The Texarkana, Arkansas Police are looking for two bank robbers who allegedly held up the Wells Fargo Bank on 621 Hickory Street on the Arkansas side of Texarkana. According to police, the bank was robbed Monday afternoon at around 2:43; that’s when the two men entered the bank brandishing hand guns. One of the alleged robbers entered the teller are behind the counter taking an undisclosed amount of cash before they both fled the bank, heading west bound on foot. The alleged robbers are described as black males wearing black clothing with ladies hosiery and a bandana to hide their faces. We have a pitcher of the wanted men on our website at www.kpyn.net. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the alleged robbers is encouraged to call the Texarkana, Arkansas Police at 903-798-3130 or the FBI at 870-774-7682.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Experts on voting patterns and redistricting are testifying in Washington today as a trial continues to determine if the Texas Legislature's new political district map violates the federal Voting Rights Act. Both the state of Texas and the U.S. Justice Department, along with several minority voting groups, are expected to call witnesses examining the impact of political maps.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas lawmakers will hear testimony today on the effects of record-setting drought and wildfires on tourism across the state. Last month, officials said the fires, record heat and drought meant state parks received fewer visitors, causing a $4.6 million funding deficit. Last year's wildfires destroyed nearly 4 million acres and 4,000 homes, making it the most destructive season ever.

HOUSTON (AP) — Lawyers are set to deliver their opening statements today in the case against Texas financier R. Allen Stanford, who's accused of orchestrating a vast Ponzi scheme and defrauding investors out of more than $7 billion. But before that can happen, jury selection needs to wrap up. Stanford denies any wrongdoing and says he ran legitimate businesses.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Crews are working to give a new lease on life to the state's oldest concrete swimming pool. The 96-year-old Deep Eddy Pool on the north shore of the Colorado River is set to reopen in March.

More KPYN News for Monday January 23rd, 2012

The Texarkana, Arkansas Police are looking for two bank robbers who allegedly held up the Wells Fargo Bank on 621 Hickory Street on the Arkansas side of Texarkana. According to police, the bank was robbed Monday afternoon at around 2:43; that’s when the two men entered the bank brandishing hand guns. One of the alleged robbers entered the teller are behind the counter taking an undisclosed amount of cash before they both fled the bank, heading west bound on foot. The alleged robbers are described as black males wearing black clothing with ladies hosiery and a bandana to hide their faces. We have a pitcher of the wanted men on our website at www.kpyn.net. Anyone knowing the whereabouts of the alleged robbers is encouraged to call the Texarkana, Arkansas Police at 903-798-3130 or the FBI at 870-774-7682.

The Texas Department of Transportation said that 1 man and a teenage boy were killed in an accident on State Highway 154 in Harrison County early Saturday morning. According to state troopers, the accident occurred early Saturday morning shortly after midnight when a 2006 Chevrolet Malibu driven by 20-year old Andrew Phillip Foster from Longview swerved after trying to avoid an animal in the eastbound lane of the highway. According to the authorities, Foster entered the westbound lane, and then overcorrected, crossed back in the east bound lane before entering a ditch, striking a culvert, then going airborne striking a tree with its roof. Foster and 1 of the 2 passengers in the vehicle at the time of the accident were killed; the passenger pronounced dead was 15 year old Jason Daniel Yaws from Harleton. The other passenger in the vehicle at the time of the wreck was 15 year old Aaron John Foster from Longview; he was taken to a Longview Hospital where he’s reported in serious condition.

Motorists traveling on Main Street in Atlanta will need to find an alternate rout tomorrow (Jan 24th) because Union Pacific Railroad workers will close the highway in order to make repairs to the railroad crossing. Tr5uaffic will be detoured onto state Highway 43, state highway 77 and FM 251.

Union Pacific Railroad will be working on the rail road crossing on Farm to Market Road 2327 near Domino on Wednesday and that crossing will remain closed until the work is complete. Anyone with questions about the work being done or detour routes can call TxDot at 903-799-1484.

The Little Rock FBI presented awards to several local officers in Texarkana Arkansas this morning at a special ceremony. The awards were given out by the feds for the recent operation state line sweep narcotics bust out that occurred in October last year.

There will be a memorial display in remembrance of Gerri Faye Butts and her daughters Jessica and Mackenzie Butts. The Memorial display will be at Yesterday Antique Mall, 212 North East Street in Atlanta on Friday and Saturday. A memory book will be available for friends of the family and public to leave comments on the 20th anniversary of the murders. The memory book will be given to Gerri Faye’s mother, Lynette.

Former Atlanta journalist Sonny Long has written a book about the infamous Butts murders and its entitled “Among Murderers and Madness.” Sonny Long will be our guest live on KPYN’s coffee and comments this Friday from 9:41a.m. till 10 a.m.

KPYN News for Monday January 23rd, 2012

FM 249 (Main Street) Railroad Crossing in Atlanta to Close for Repairs
Motorists who normally travel Main Street (Farm-to-Market Road 249) in Atlanta will need to find an alternate route Tuesday, Jan. 24. Union Pacific Railroad workers will be closing the highway to traffic on these dates to make repairs to the railroad crossing.

What: Farm-to-Market Road 249 (Main Street) closed to traffic at the Union Pacific Railroad.
When: Beginning on Tuesday, Jan. 24 until work is completed.
Where: At the Union Pacific Railroad crossing.
Who: Union Pacific Railroad and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

Portable message boards have been placed near the railroad crossing since Friday, Jan. 20 to warn motorists of the scheduled road closure. Traffic will be detoured onto State Highway 43, SH 77 and FM 251, but motorist are free to find other alternate routes. The construction schedule and road closure can change due to inclement weather or other unforeseen problems.
Anyone having any questions about the road closure, detour routes or construction work can call the TxDOT Traffic section at 903-799-1484 for more information.

Former Atlanta journalist Sonny Long has written a book about the infamous Butts murders in Atlanta back in 1992 to coincide with the 20th anniversary of the case. Long is now a reporter with the Victoria Advocate in Victoria, Texas but he was working in Atlanta on January 27th, 1992 the day that the bodies of Gerri Faye Butts and her daughters Jessica and Mackenzie were discovered. After being indicted in 2009, Michael Kevin Hailey eventually pleaded guilty to the murder of Gerri Faye Butts. Hailey is still serving a sentence in Louisiana where he was convicted in 2007 of attempted second degree murder in another case. “I strongly believe that this is a story that needs telling. It’s not only about the loss of three lives, but about law enforcement, the criminal justice system, DNA, the role of the Internet and much more,” Long said.
The book, entitled “Among Murderers and Madness,” will be available in early February though Amazon.com and other retail outlets and also available for kindle. You can see what the cover of the book looks like on our website at www.kpyn.net; click on local news.

AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — Two teenagers have died in a traffic accident in the Texas Panhandle. Amarillo police say the car driven by 19-year-old Kaylin Pearson was struck on the passenger side by an SUV early yesterday as the car was making a left turn. Authorities say Pearson and her passenger, 19-year-old Kerniece Jonf, died at the scene.

DALLAS (AP) — A 43-year-old woman has been struck and killed by a Dallas police car. Authorities say Beverly Kirk was attempting to cross the street after an ambulance had just passed and apparently didn't see the marked squad car behind it yesterday morning. Police say the officer was responding to a disturbance call and not required to activate his lights and sirens.

SHERMAN, Texas (AP) — Authorities say three bodies found behind a North Texas barn may be family member who disappeared from their Fannin County home last week. Sheriff's deputies discovered the bodies outside Sherman Saturday while searching for 73-year-old Harold Harpst, 79-year-old Sue Harpst and Sue's daughter, 48-year-old Regina Taunton. The investigation is ongoing.

GOSHEN, N.Y. (AP) — A convicted sex offender is set to go on trial in New York today for killing an aspiring dancer from McAllen, Texas. Michael Mele (MEE'-lee) is charged with murdering 25-year-old Laura Garza after picking her up from a nightclub in December 2008. Mele has pleaded not guilty.

KPYN News for Sunday January 22nd, 2012

(ATLANTA, TX) – On the eve of the 20th anniversary of one of the most horrendous and controversial crimes in East Texas history, veteran reporter Sonny Long has written a book delving into the case.
Long is currently the senior reporter for the Victoria Advocate, a daily newspaper in South Texas, but was a journalist in Atlanta, Texas, when the bodies of Gerri Faye, 29, Jessica, 11, and Mackenzie Butts, 2, were discovered on Jan. 27, 1992.
The book, “Among Murderers and Madness,” chronicles the case through Long’s own experiences, through the voices of those closest to the victims and the suspect, and through media reports of the case.  “Among Murderers and Madness” is a nearly 20-year journey; a winding road from the murders of a mother and her two children, to the “partial” guilty plea 17 years later of a man – Kevin Hailey -- many believed from the beginning had committed the crimes. Along the way, a cast of characters emerge, some good, some bad, some even bizarre. The role of the media covering the case is also examined. Not only the author’s own publication at the time, but the other local newspaper, area newspapers and television stations, as well as the national media including Gentleman’s Quarterly, “The Maury Povich Show,” “Inside Edition” and “A Current Affair” television shows.  The author’s intimate conversations with those closest to the case and his tenacity in keeping the case alive in the minds of the public make “Among Murderers and Madness” the definitive source for not only the senseless stealing of three lives, but for the maelstrom the murders caused in both the lives of two families and in the consciousness of a community.  “I strongly believe that this is a story that needs telling. It’s not only about the loss of three lives, but about law enforcement, the criminal justice system, DNA, the role of the Internet and much more,” Long said.  The book will be available in early February through Amazon.com and other retail outlets. It will also be available for the Kindle. Check local bookstores for availability. “Among Murderers and Madness” is being published by CreateSpace, an Amazon.com company.
Learn more at sonnylong.com or visit the author’s page on Facebook.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul told cheering supporters yesterday in South Carolina that the momentum of his campaign will continue. Exit polls showed the Texas Congressman placing fourth in the Palmetto State's Republican primary last night, behind the winner Newt Gingrich, runner up Mitt Romney, and Rick Santorum.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Defense Department reports that a Houston-area Marine assigned to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii has died of injuries suffered while supporting combat operations in Afghanistan. A Defense Department statement issued yesterday says 22-year-old Corporal Joseph Logan of Willis, Texas was one of six Marines who died Thursday in the southern Afghan province of Helmand. Willis is located fifty miles north of Houston in Montgomery County.

CONWAY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a 22-year-old suburban Houston man suspected of driving a military bus stolen from Springfield, Missouri on Thursday. The Lebanon Daily Record newspaper reports that Tom Mourning of Spring, Texas was charged Friday in Laclede County with one count of first-degree tampering with a motor vehicle. Mourning was being held on $25,000 bond yesterday.

DALLAS (AP) — An attorney with a drug problem has pleaded guilty to killing his former law partner's ex-wife. Scott Marshall was sentenced to 40 years in prison on Friday in the December 2009 death of 25-year-old Staci Montgomery. Marshall previously claimed the shooting in his suburban Dallas home was accidental.

KPYN News for Saturday January 21st, 2012

GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul is looking past today's South Carolina primary with plans to make the most of a handful of caucus states more receptive to his libertarian message. Paul campaigned across seven Palmetto State cities yesterday before today's first-in-the-South primary, flying to a series of rallies in airport hangars. But the Paul campaign is largely skipping Florida to focus on Nevada, Maine and other small states.

LEONARD, Texas (AP) — A 52-year-old Texas man suspected of killing three family members is in custody in Louisiana. Thomas Taunton is wanted by authorities in Fannin County. Taunton was arrested Thursday in Stonewall, Louisiana and was in the DeSoto Parish Jail yesterday.

HOUSTON (AP) — Cupid, an orange tabby cat, is recovering at a veterinary clinic after surgery to remove an arrow that someone shot through his body. Elizabeth Khan tells KPRC-TV in Houston that she saw the 2-year-old male cat walking the streets of her neighborhood for three days before anyone was able to capture the terrified, agonized animal. The feline is being put up for adoption.

BROWNWOOD, Texas (AP) — Residents of a small Texas town are shaking out their shoes and laundry piles a little more than usual after a pet cobra vanished from his home earlier this week. Nick Ferguson, who's the animal control officer in Brownwood, says the sunset monocle is 12 to 16 inches long and whitish-pink in color. He says the owner noticed his snake was missing on Monday.
 

KPYN News for Friday January 20th, 2012

TEXAS WILDFIRES
2011 wildfire season worst in Texas history
Last year's wildfire season was the worst in Texas history.
The Texas Forest Service says wildfires destroyed nearly 4 million acres and 4,000 homes and other structures. Ten people died.
The agency recently declared Oct. 31 as the end of the 2011 season after going back to study fire activity and weather. The season started in mid-November 2010.
Two months ago officials said the season could drag on until spring, because large blazes could ignite anywhere across the drought-stricken state.
But Thursday state fire officials said November rainfall turned out to be more widespread than expected.
The state's longest wildfire season was from April 2005 through September 2006, when blazes charred about 2 million acres and left 12 people dead.
The 2012 Texas wildfire season hasn't started yet.

ABDUCTED WOMAN-TEXAS
Texas torture suspect won't use insanity defense
(Information in the following story is from: Fort Worth Star-Telegram, http://www.star-telegram.com)
WEATHERFORD, Texas (AP) — A Texas man accused of torturing his former neighbor on a deer-skinning device won't use an insanity defense at his trial next month.
That's what Jeffrey Allan Maxwell's attorney told a judge Thursday at a pretrial hearing.
Defense attorney Richard Alley also told the judge that his 59-year-old client is competent to stand trial.
Maxwell is charged with aggravated sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Authorities say Maxwell abducted his ex-neighbor from her home near Weatherford last March. He was arrested 12 days later at his Corsicana home about 100 miles away, where the woman was rescued.
The Fort Worth Star-Telegram reports (http://bit.ly/ybEkV1) the judge also ruled that Maxwell's statements to authorities will be allowed as evidence at his trial.

DRUG LAWSUIT-TEXAS
Johnson & Johnson settles suit with Texas
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Johnson & Johnson subsidiary says a lawsuit that Texas filed against the health care giant has been settled for $158 million.
Texas had been seeking up to $1 billion from the drug maker.
Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., one of the J&J subsidiaries that had been sued, says in a statement it will pay $158 million in full resolution of all claims in Texas.
The settlement represents a resolution to claims brought by the State in 2004 for alleged Medicaid overpayment during the years 1994-2008, and will circumvent potentially lengthy and costly appellate activities.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal praised Rick Perry after the Texas governor bowed out of the Republican race for president yesterday. Perry abandoned his campaign yesterday morning and threw his support behind Newt Gingrich. Jindal endorsed Perry last September, but says he won't support another candidate in the primary.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — An Alabama man charged with threatening to blow up federal offices in Texas has reached a plea agreement. Prosecutors say Thomas John Sitzler threatened by phone to blow up an Internal Revenue Service building in Texas. Prosecutors plan to recommend Sitzler get a year's probation and a $3,000 fine.

HOUSTON (AP) — Houston police say they're testing some evidence found at the scene where an Iranian woman was shot to death. Authorities say Gelareh Bagherzadeh was shot in the head Sunday night as she was driving in her townhome's complex. Police Captain David Gott wouldn't comment on the evidence, and says police are still determining a motive for the shooting.

ABILENE, Texas (AP) — A report on a November bus accident that killed an Abilene Christian University student concludes the driver may have fallen asleep. According to a Texas Department of Public Safety report, Michael Nicodemus told investigators he may have closed his eyes for a few seconds before the crash. Nineteen-year-old Anabel Reid of Petersburg died in the accident.

KPYN News for Thursday January 19th, 2012

Left: LeAnne Daniel announces that she is running for Pike County District Judge in
May.

DALLAS (AP) — A North Texas jury will begin deciding whether to sentence a man to life in prison for aggravated sexual assault. Robert Warterfield was convicted yesterday of assaulting a 7-year-old girl in 1989. He was implicated after DNA tests led to the exoneration of another man in a separate sexual assault case.

WEATHERFORD, Texas (AP) — A Texas man who's accused of torturing his former neighbor on a deer-skinning device is set to have a pretrial hearing today in Weatherford. A judge presiding over the case is expected to decide whether to suppress Jeffrey Maxwell's statements to authorities and other evidence. He's set to stand trial next month.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — An assistant Dallas Mavericks coach was arrested this week in Los Angeles County on an outstanding warrant. Darrell Armstrong was released yesterday morning after someone posted his $40,000 bond. The Mavericks declined to comment.

HOUSTON (AP) — Republican lawmakers blasted President Barack Obama's decision to reject a proposed Canada-to-Texas pipeline. U.S. Senator John Cornyn says the president's rejection of the Keystone XL pipeline "will do nothing but extend the jobs crisis." Environmental groups in Texas praised the move saying the risk of spills from the pipeline was too great.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson says she's long been concerned redistricting in Texas is done in a way that doesn't ensure representation for blacks and Latinos. The Dallas-area Democrat testified yesterday in front of a three-judge panel. Yesterday was the second day of a two-week hearing on whether the maps drawn by state lawmakers violated the federal Voting Rights Act.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A 65-year-old woman arrested for carrying a loaded handgun aboard a plane at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport has been released. Judith Kenney's attorney says she was released on her own recognizance after her arrest yesterday. A Transportation Security Administration spokesman says screeners detected a gun in the woman's carry-on, but she grabbed the bag and left before the screening process was over.

TEMPLE, Texas (AP) — One child and one adult remain hospitalized after a Central Texas collision between a school bus and a delivery truck. Academy school district Superintendent Kevin Sprinkles says one student and the driver are in critical condition following Tuesday's accident. More than 30 people were injured in the wreck near Temple.

UNDATED (AP) — The five Republicans seeking their party's presidential nomination are getting ready for the last televised debate before Saturday's South Carolina primary. Tonight's two-hour debate is sponsored by CNN and the Southern Republican Leadership Conference.

KPYN News for Wednesday January 18th, 2012

Christus St Michael Health System and Atlanta Memorial Hospital have announced a letter of intent on a lease agreement.

At Left: Chris Karam, Debbie Robison, Bobbie Wright

Atlanta Memorial Hospital announced at a 2 PM News Conference Tuesday at Atlanta Memorial Hospital that they have signed a letter of Intent with Christus St Michael Health Care System. According to Francine Francis, Director of Marketing/Communication at Christus St Michael Health System, the agreement entails a 10 year lease of Atlanta Memorial Hospital by Christus St Michael and final diligence has begun. This is just the preliminary steps and no definite time line has been set on when the facility will transfer from Atlanta Memorial to Christus St Michael. When transfer is complete, the name will be changed tentively from Atlanta Memorial Hospital to Christus St Michael Hospital Atlanta. Christus St Michael is a Non-Profit, faith based organization. They look forward to partnering with Atlanta Memorial and the goal is to strengthen the facility and hopefully expand their services.Chris Karam, President/CEO St Michael Health System said "We're excited that with our similar values and mission, the lease agreement will align Atlanta Memorial with Christus St Michael as a leading health system with strong market commitment. The relationship will combine the strengths of both health ministries for the benefit of the people we serve.

TEMPLE, Texas (AP) — Nearly 30 children have been injured following a school bus crash in Central Texas. Authorities say a tractor-trailer apparently ran a stop sign yesterday morning in Temple and clipped the bus, flipping it onto its side. Three adults were also hurt in the wreck.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A 36-year-old man has been found guilty in the 2010 convenience store holdup that left two men dead. Tarrant County jurors deliberated about three hours yesterday before convicting Kwame Rockwell of the death of store clerk Daniel Rojas. Deliveryman Jerry Burnett was also killed in the robbery.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — A woman removed from death row has received a life sentence for masterminding the murders of her boyfriend's parents. Chelsea Richardson received her punishment yesterday in Fort Worth. Richardson had been convicted of plotting the 2003 killings of Rick and Suzanna Wamsley, but her sentence was overturned after her lawyers found prosecutors had withheld evidence.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The state of Texas is defending redistricting maps drawn by the Republican-led Legislature during a federal hearing in Washington. Attorney Adam Mortara argued during opening remarks yesterday that Democrats and minority groups had ample time to weigh in on the maps. A three-judge panel will determine whether the maps violate that federal Voting Rights Act.

KPYN News for Tuesday January 17th, 2012

Pictures from Atlanta Memorial Press Conference

Left: Don Peace and Francine Frances

(L to R) Chris Karam, Sister Jeanne Connell, Debbie Robison, Bobbie Wright

MLK-TEXAS
Runaway horse throws scare into MLK parade crowd
DALLAS (AP) — A runaway horse threw a scare into a crowd watching a Dallas parade marking the birthday of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.
The rider-less horse broke away from its owner about 11:30 a.m. Monday and galloped down side streets before returning to the parade route. Police Lt. Scott Walton says two people suffered minor injuries and one vehicle was damaged before the horse was reined in and hitched to an iron fence.
Meanwhile, Texans elsewhere joined other Americans on Monday in honoring King's memory 44 years after the civil rights leader was assassinated.
In Houston, organizers held their 34th annual MLK day parade and day of service. San Antonio saw its 25th MLK day celebration. And other Texas communities held weekend MLK events, such as San Angelo's Gospel Fest.

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential candidate Rick Perry blasted the Obama administration for intruding on states' right. During last night's debate in South Carolina, the Texas governor said the state "is at war with this federal government and this administration." Perry and Newt Gingrich also attacked front-runner Mitt Romney for his time leading Bain Capital.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — U.S. Senator John Cornyn says he doesn't expect the Texas primary to be held on April 3rd. The Texas Republican says he believes a later primary date was likely considering that the U.S. Supreme Court had yet to rule on a dispute over the state's redrawn voting maps. Cornyn calls the potential delay "not desirable

HOUSTON (AP) — An activist for women's rights in Iran has been killed in Houston. Police say Gelareh (geh-LAH'-reh) Bagherzadeh (bag-HUR'-zah-deh) was found shot to death in a car outside a townhouse early yesterday. Authorities say the 30-year-old student was apparently shot while driving.

BOLL WEEVIL
Boll weevil making final stand in South Texas
(Information in the following story is from: The Brownsville Herald, http://www.brownsvilleherald.com)
BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Cotton's long-time enemy the boll weevil is quickly running out of U.S. territory and is now confined to the southernmost part of Texas along the border with Mexico.
And even there, near where the boll weevil first entered the country in the 1890s, farmers aren't finding the destructive bugs in nearly the numbers of years past.
Texas is the country's largest cotton producer and the last state with boll weevils. The southernmost Lower Rio Grande Valley Zone is the last infected area in Texas. An eradication campaign coordinated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is responsible for the dwindling numbers.
Brad Cowan, a Texas AgriLife Extension Service agent, tells the Brownsville Herald (http://bit.ly/zEO5IC) that many Texas growers haven't seen a boll weevil in several seasons.

KPYN News for Monday January 16th, 2012

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (AP) — Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul has returned to South Carolina and picked up an endorsement from a state lawmaker popular with the tea party. South Carolina State Senator Tom Davis announced his support for the Texas congressman yesterday. Paul placed second in last week's New Hampshire primary.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Since 2009, Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul spent nearly $52,000 of taxpayer money on first-class airfare between Washington and Houston. The practice conflicts with the congressman's image as the only presidential candidate who's serious about cutting federal spending. While the first-class fares were nearly twice the cost of the average airfare between the two cities, Paul's staff says coach seats aren't refundable or as flexible.

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — Texas Governor Rick Perry is appealing a federal judge's refusal to add him and three other candidates to Virginia's Republican presidential primary ballot. In a filing yesterday, Perry's attorneys requested that the court put his name on the ballot, or rule that ballots can't be printed or mailed before the court considers the appeal.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — U.S. Senator John Cornyn (KOHR'-nihn) will discuss the dangers of what he calls "Washington's overreach" before the Austin Economic Club today. The Texas Republican plans to speak about how excessive federal regulation has limited the ability to create jobs.

SHANGHAI (AP) — Retired Houston Rockets star Yao Ming is adding another line to his post-basketball resume: politician. The 31-year-old is becoming a member of an advisory body to Shanghai's legislature. Since he retired last July, he's become a university student and set up a wine business. He also owns a professional basketball team in China.

ANGLETON, Texas (AP) — A man is being held in connection with an attack that left an 85-year-old man dead and his 69-year-old wife in critical condition. City of Angleton spokeswoman Patti Worfe tells the Houston Chronicle that murder charges were pending against James Harris Jr. of El Campo. Worfe says Harris confessed to the stabbing.

MAGNOLIA, Texas (AP) — A one-year-old boy has been killed by his family's pit bull at his grandparents' house. Montgomery County Sheriff's Lieutenant Dan Norris says the boy was mauled Saturday night inside the residence about 50 miles northwest of Houston. The boy was home with his 45-year-old grandmother at the time.

KPYN News for Sunday January 15th, 2012

GREEN BAY, Wis. (AP) — A Texas soldier injured in Afghanistan says it feels surreal that he's going to be honored before this afternoon's NFC playoff game at Lambeau Field. U.S. Army Specialist Christopher Haley lost his right leg and had damage to his left leg and arm after a September 28th bombing. The 22-year-old Packers fan from San Antonio will be invited on the field before Green Bay kicks off against the New York Giants today.

AMES, Texas (AP) — A Texas teenager riding in a pickup was killed when the truck collided with a freight train about 45 miles northeast of Houston on Friday. The train and Ford Sport Trac were westbound until 20-year-old John Allison pulled into the train's path around 4 p.m. Allison was flown to Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston in critical condition. His passenger 16-year-old William Hotaling was killed on impact.

CORPUS CHRISTI (AP) — Police have arrested two 15-year-old boys in connection with the robbery and fatal stabbing of a Corpus Christi woman and prosecutors indicate they could be charged as adults. Police found the 88-year-old woman early Friday morning after neighbors reported hearing a struggle inside her apartment.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota Senator John Hoeven promoted the Keystone XL pipeline to carry oil from Canada to Texas Gulf Coast refineries in yesterday's Republican weekly radio address. President Barack Obama is facing a Congressionally-mandated deadline on February 21st to determine whether the project is in the national interest.

KPYN News for Saturday January 14th, 2012

HOUSTON (AP) — Police are looking for a male suspect after a break-in at a house in southwest Houston that left an 82-year-old woman dead. Police say the intruder beat Margaret Gage with his hands after she tried to intervene as the intruder was kicking her husband in the head. Police Sergeant C.E. Elliott says the 84-year-old husband was treated at the scene Thursday night.

HOUSTON (AP) — A Houston judge has ordered the transgender widow of a fallen firefighter jailed after she was late for a scheduled court date. Nikki Araguz has been waging a court fight for the death benefits of firefighter Thomas Araguz the Third, who died in July 2010 while battling an egg farm fire near Wharton. Araguz's attorney says she could remain jailed for two weeks before entering a plea.

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mexican President Felipe Calderon has asked Republican House Speaker John Boehner to crack down on weapons trafficking that has fueled drug violence in Mexico. Boehner and Michigan Congressman Dave Camp visited Mexico yesterday along with other members of Congress to discuss security and economic issues with Mexican officials.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (AP) —Texas Governor Rick Perry aimed his sharpest criticism at President Barack Obama rather than his GOP rivals as he campaigned yesterday in coastal South Carolina, eight days ahead of the state's primary. Perry spoke to people in crowded restaurants in Bluffton and Charleston, and mostly stuck with the campaign speech he used in Iowa.

KPYN News for Friday January 13th, 2012

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Republican candidates held their first formal debate in the race of the U.S. Senate. Former Texas Solicitor General Ted Cruz yesterday questioned Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst's conservatism, while former ESPN analyst Craig James and small businessman Glenn Addison urged votes not to send a career politician to Washington.

MANOR, Texas (AP) — Authorities are investigating after a Central Texas high school was briefly evacuated when someone spotted a replica grenade in a vehicle. Travis County sheriff's spokesman Roger Wade says Manor High School was cleared when the device was seen before classes began yesterday. Wade says officials are trying to determine why the fake grenade was in plain sight in the vehicle.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The last of four defendants has been sentenced in a murder case that began when a woman lied about being raped. John Rodriguez received a 15-year prison sentence yesterday after pleading no contest in the 2007 shooting death of Nathan Ramirez. On Tuesday, the woman who allegedly falsely accused Ramirez of rape was sentenced to eight years behind bars.

KILLEEN, Texas (AP) — A Central Texas police officer is accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a 16-year-old girl. Killeen police say Officer Kirt Yarbrough Sr. was arrested yesterday and charged with sexual assault. Officials say Yarbrough was placed on administrative leave last week after it was reported he'd been having a relationship with a member of the police Explorer program.

(Houston, Texas) ---- The average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline in Texas is seven cents more than the average last week, that’s according to the AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch. The current statewide average is $3.22.

The national average is $3.38, six cents more than the average last week. The statewide average price is 16 cents less than the national average. The most expensive gasoline averages in the state are in Texarkana, Dallas and Ft. Worth at $3.27. El Paso is reporting the least expensive average in the state at $3.04 for a gallon of regular unleaded. Texans are paying an average of $45 for a typical 14-gallon fill up. Analysts say the recent price increase continues to be attributed to the sustained tension between Iran and both the U.S. and European Union. As tensions increase, the European Union is considering the possibility of banning Iranian oil imports, which was enough to pressure market crude oil prices higher.

To maximize fuel efficiency as well as extend the life of your car, AAA recommends motorists have their vehicle serviced regularly based on the manufacturer’s recommended schedule and identify a quality repair shop.

KPYN News for Thursday January 12th, 2012

The Atlanta Area Chamber of Commerce announced yesterday that they’re having a business after hours event tonight at 5:30 p.m. at the TC Atlanta Campus located at 120 West Main Street on Main Street. According to Lisa Thompson with the Atlanta Chamber, the event is entitled “Learn How Identity Theft can effect you” and it’s hosted by Mark Lingle of Red River Federal Credit Union. Mrs. Thompson said that the after hours event tonight is a good time to network and enjoy d’oeuvres.

KPYN radio announced that they’re bringing the Fox Sports Southwest Fan Express to Texarkana this Saturday morning January 14th and it will be picking up a group of 40 Rangers fans, bring them to the Texas Rangers 2012 Fan Fest at the Arlington, Tx. Convention Center and return to Texarkana Saturday evening. The bus will leave and return from the Westgate Car Wash at 8:30 a.m. Saturday. Westgate Car Wash is located at 3501 Summerhill Rd. in Texarkana, Tx.

The bus, a luxury motor coach, wrapped in Rangers logos and photos, with leather seats, video screens and a bathroom is coming to Texarkana to promote Rangers baseball and local radio affiliate KPYN 900 AM and 95.5 FM in Atlanta, TX. and the television home for Rangers baseball; Fox Sports Southwest.

The Texas Rangers 2012 Fan Fest is Friday January 13th through Sunday January 15th at the Arlington Convention Center, KPYN radio will give away a family pack on the Fan Express Friday morning at 7:30 a.m.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The top Republican candidates vying to represent Texas in the U.S. Senate will hold their first formal debate tonight in Austin. The debate's being hosted by the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation and will focus on federal fiscal policy and other national issues.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Wisconsin's governor will be in Austin today to deliver a keynote address during a conservative legislative forum. Scott Walker is expected to talk about his experience cutting government spending and conservative values. He took office last January, but now faces a recall effort.

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will speak to about 500 soldiers and family members today during a town hall meeting at Fort Bills. It's Panetta's first visit to the West Texas Army installation since he took office last July.

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Grammy-winner Lyle Lovett is getting another feather in his hat when he's inducted into the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame tonight. The native Texan is involved in breeding, riding and showing horses. Past inductees include Grammy winner George Strait, bull-riding champion Ty Murray, Oscar winner Tommy Lee Jones, and Texas Rangers owner and Baseball Hall of Famer Nolan Ryan.

KPYN News for Wednesday January 11th, 2012

The Texarkana Police Department said that a Texarkana, Texas man has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault in an alleged stabbing that occurred at a residence in the 100 block of Royale Street. Texarkana Texas sergeant Steve Shelly said that 23-year old Robert Hamby from Texarkana Texas was stabbed in the leg late yesterday afternoon. According to police, the stabbing occurred in a vehicle outside the residence. Police said that the alleged attacker, 55-year old James Mayhugh (right) fled the scene but was arrested shortly after the alleged attack at the residence of a family member. Mr. Hamby was treated at a local hospital where he was reportedly in stable condition; Mayhugh was booked into the Bi-State Justice Center where he’s awaiting bond.

In a story you're hearing first on KPYN; the Texas Historical Commissions Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program announced yesterday that they’ve scheduled a rededication of Cass County Courthouse Scheduled for February 18, 2012, at 1:00 p.m. Texas Historical Commission officials and dignitaries from the county as well as from around the state will be on hand to see the newly restored courthouse that claims the record as the oldest continuously operating courthouse in the state. Activities will include a Keynote address, recognition of individuals and groups that worked to achieve Completion of this project, and tours of the courthouse. The public is invited to participate. Restoration was accomplished through the Texas Historical Commission’s Texas Historic Courthouse Preservation Program. Established in 1999 by the Texas Legislature to restore Texas’ county courthouses to their original grandeur, the program has helped to preserve the archeological, historical, and cultural resources of Texas. More information on this program is available at www.thc.state.tx.us. Also, for more information you can call Rebecca Narramore at 903.796.3003

Friday is homecoming 2012 at McLeod School in McLeod and they’re 5 boys and girls competing for homecoming Queen and Homecoming King Honors. The 5 young ladies competing for homecoming queen at McLeod this year are Casey Williams, Maggie Weaver, Janice Tolentino, Taylor Parker and Haley Miles. The boys on the McLeod homecoming court are Paul Shepard, Dillon Walton, Andy Otwell, Ryan Carter and Brady Samuel Hindsman. The King and Queen will be crowned at the McLeod basketball games in the McLeod gym Friday; the festivities will begin with the boys JV game at 5 p.m. with the court introduced at ½ time of the game.

Music City Texas Theatre in Linden will host a night of blues this Saturday with a special blues night concert staring Matthew Davidson from Shreveport with special guests Jonathon “Boogie” Long and the Blues Revolution starring Zack Matchett and drummer Chad Solomon also playing on the bill. The doors for the concert will open Saturday at 5 p.m. and the show will begin at 6 p.m. Tickets for the Blues night Saturday at Music City Texas Theatre are $15; for more information you can call Music City Texas Theatre at 903-756-9934 or drop by the theatre between 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. today, tomorrow and Friday.

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — GOP presidential candidates are regrouping today in South Carolina as they try to chase the two-for-two Mitt Romney ahead of the state's primary. Newt Gingrich, Rick Santorum, Ron Paul and Jon Huntsman all have events planned today in the first Southern primary state. They'll join Texas Governor Rick Perry, who's been in South Carolina since Saturday.

PICKENS, S.C. (AP) — Rick Perry's pouring on the down-home charm as he tries to give his campaign a revival in South Carolina. The Texas governor is settling in for two solid weeks of campaigning ahead of the state's January 21st primary. The state's critical for him after he suffered a disastrous finish in Iowa's caucuses and all but skipped New Hampshire's primary.

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — A woman been sentenced to eight years in prison after she was pleaded no contest to a robbery charge in a deal with prosecutors. Authorities say Melissa Ann Ramos falsely accusing a boyfriend of rape, which lead to the man's murder in 2007. She was originally charged with manslaughter.

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A 42-year-old man is being held in Michigan, after authorities say he's suspected in a 1988 shooting that killed a Canadian couple who were living at their South Texas trailer home. Arturo Almaguer was arrested after DNA testing linked him to the shootings.