Tyler Morning Telegraph from Tyler, Texas • 1

New Coach In Town Cowboys hire Texan Wade Phillips to take over America's Team IB ETexas Schools Feeling The Flu Higher-than-normal absentee rates force some area schools to take flu break ic Anna Nicole Smith Dead Medical examiner orders autopsy after Anna Nicole Smith 39 found dead at hotel 7A www tylerpaper com Friday February 9 2007 Volume 77 Number 75 Your Complete Information Source Tyler Texas Teen Held In School Bomb Threat 0 TylerPapercom New Web Site Makes Debut The Tyler Morning Telegraphs Web site iyierPapercom Thursday unveiled a redesign resulting in an all-new look and feel Visitors to the Web site will see major changes in the organization and navigation of TyierPapercom Several -'new features and functions are being introduced all with the goal of improving the experience for the Web site user It is important for people who have book-marked TyierPapercom in their computer favorites to note that the bookmark may need to be redirected said Bret McCormick vice president of Web enterprises for TyierPapercom Bookmarks may have extra- See WEB SITE Page 6A Mathew Jordan a ninth-grader who shared a class with Hickson said he often heard Hickson make threats toward the school He always talked about how he wanted to get back at Ore City he said Recently he said Hickson sent a text message to another student that said I have a big surprise for Ore City The message was turned in to the high school principal Jordan said Hickson was a target of ridicule Another student Adan Saldiema described Hickson as a loner and said that Hickson talked about being a devil worshipper Saldiema said that for an art HICKSON project Hickson made a poster that said Jesus Must Die which the teacher made him take down Hicksons arrest was announced Thursday morning during a news conference at the Upshur County Courthouse in Gilmer by Upshur County Sheriff Anthony Betterton and District Attorney Billy Byrd Hickson made several threats (on the Internet) that he was gonna blow up the school said Betterton Byrd said Hickson also made verbal threats to fellow students and Ore City parents as recently as last week' Byrd said the large amount of evidence in the case helped prove See TEEN Page 6A Internet Journal Entries Suggest Internal Conflict By MARK COLLETTE Staff Writer An Ore City teenager who authorities say threatened to blow up his high school posted journal entries on the Internet on Monday in the form of rambling poems that suggest a brooding internal conflict The five entries posted between 7:04 and 7:29 pm reference Satanism his and others hatred and his apparent dislike for his hometown Posted on a background with a thpme derived from the work of goth metal rocker Marilyn Manson Hicksons stanzas reference the suffering of Jesus Christ to See JOURNAL Page 6A By STEPHANIE JETER Staff Writer And PHILLIP WILLIAMS Special Correspondent ORE CITY A student who threatened to blow up his high school told others he had a big surprise for Ore City made a drawing that showed how he would harm students and wrote angry poems according to authorities and classmates Michael Lee Hickson 17 a senior at Ore City High School remains in Upshur County Jail under a $25000 bond on a terroris tic threat charge He was taken into custody at his home on Tuesday by officials who said he had posted on the Internet' his thoughts about blowing up the school and had made threats Officials on Thursday would not speculate on a motive I I I I High-Speed Chase VFW Robbery Suspect Caught After Car Rolls By KENNETH DEAN Staff Writer 1 A rollover crash on Farm-to-Market Road 14 after speeds of more than 125 mph in wet and foggy conditions ended a Thursday police pursuit of a man wanted in several Texas counties The twisted remains of the 2007 Hyundai Sonata a rental car from Louisiana rested in a field just north of Interstate 20 Lying on the wet ground the suspect was apprehended after he was ejected from the vehicle during the wreck Authorities said Norman Kyle Teny 42 was wanted in connection with several Veteran of Foreign Wars burglaries and others across East Texas a stolen Chevrolet Corvette and a parole violation warrant When they saw him they gave chase Tyler police working in conjunction with Smith County Sheriffs deputies and Smith County Constable Dennis Taylor were able to identify Terry as the suspect in Lindale and Frankston burglaries Taylor told the Tyler Morning Telegraph earlier this week about the burglary in Lindale and how his office was working with police in Frankston and Mineola and he asked for help in identifying the burglars See SUSPECT Page 6A CHASE ENDS: Norman Kyle Terry was apprehended by Smith County law enforcement officers Thursday after a chase that exceeded 125 mph Terry who officers say was wanted In several counties was apprehended as he lay on the wet ground after being ejected from the vehicle during the wreck UTT Moves Ahead On TASCA Buy Nathaniel Moran Seeks Second District 5 Term On Tyler City Council Saturday night dance to the sounds of country pop Latin and swing music The 23000-square-foot Ornelas Activity Center opened in September 2002 after a major fundraising push by TASCA members But within two years the $34 million facility became too expensive for the nonprofit to operate said TASCA President Larry Whitaker We just couldn't afford it We just overbuilt what TASCA was capable of operating he said In 2004 The University of Texas Health Center at Tyler signed a lease for the building They were a tremendous lifesaver Whitaker said "They were a fabulous partner for TASCA and were sorry things didnt work out with them" But in 2006 UTHCT underwent its own financial reorganization because of reduced funds from the state The lease was not renewed Now UT Tyler is considering buying the building using $216 million in Permanent University Fund bond proceeds although Mabry said the university muy also have to dip into its own budget As enrollment grew in the universitys nursing program UT Tyler officials planned to expand die Braithwaite Building which was over cupacity to include more space for faculty offices and seminar rooms at a cost of $24 million Instead UT Tyler officials will negotiate with TASCA to relocate part of the nursing By RHIANNON MEYERS Staff Writer Grandma and Grandpas Saturday night hangout may soon become a study hall for graduate students In another push for growth The University of Texas at Tyler will move forward with plans to buy 34 acres on Old Omen Road including the Tyler Area Senior Citizens Association's Ornelas Activity Center The University of Texas System Board of Regents authorized UT Tyler officials to negotiate with the owners of two pieces of property 2138 acres including the Ornelas Activity Center and 1262 acres of vacant land owned by The Cambridge of Tyler Officials must survey the land first and a final price must be negotiated but UT Tyler President Dr Rod Mabry said it shouldnt take too long to finalize the deals Plans are to move portions of UTTVIcr's growing nursing department most likely the graduate students into the Ornelas Activity Center The rest of the lund could become home to intramural fields parking lots research centers and a new academic building A PLACE FOR SENIORS Tor years the Ornelas Activity Center has been a multipurpose community center a place where senior citizens and others po to play Mah-Jongg and bridge learn tai chi listen to guest speukers and on every third program to the Ornelas Activity Center If the deal goes through TASCA may use the funds from the sale of the Ornelas Activity Center to buy a new smaller building for its community activities Whitaker said Although he couldn't elaborate on the details Whitaker said TASCA has discussed building a new 10000-square-foot facility and setting aside an endowment fund to pay for operations The new facility would still have a dance hall meeting rooms game rooms and computer rooms he said TASCA is in talks with potential partners who could help with operating costs he said "Were going to continue to do what TASCA set out to do Were going to fall back and regroup and bite off something we can afford Before we didn't do that this time well definitely do that" Whitaker said Whitaker expects the new facility to be completed by the time UT Tyler moves into the Ornelas Activity Center if the sale is finalized EXPANSION The rest of the land around the Ornelas Activity Center could become the future site for new centers for UT Tylers two research initiatives the Texas Allergy Indoor Environment and Energy (TxAIRE) Institute and the Center for Orgunic Semiconductor Modeling and Simulation The almost 13 acres of vacant land owned'- by The Cambridge at Tyler is adjacent to 1 1 See UTT Page 6A He said hes working on increasing funding for economic development expanding parks in his district and finding a long-term solution to traffic prob- MORAN lems at the intersection of Rhones Quarter and Shiloh roads An attorney with the Ramey Flock PC law firm Moran 32 has a law degree from Texas Tech Ikjversity The graduate of yiwlutchousc High School also has a bachelors degree in Russiun language and a master's degree in business administration Saturday is technically the first day to file for locul elections but since most government offices arc closed candidates generally won't be able to file until Monday See MORAN Page 6A From Staff Reports Tyler City Councilman Nathaniel Moran said Thursday he will seek a second term in District 5 which covers portions of cast apd southeast Tyler Moran an attorney said his first term was characterized by resolving problems for citizens and neighborhoods in his district and by planning He like other City Council members serves on the steering committee for the Tyler 21 Comprehensive Plan as a non-voting member "1 did my best to respond to every citizen in a timely and concerned manner and to do whatever was possible to help them" Moran said describing his first term in a prepared statement Since his election in 2005 Moran said he has assisted Williamsburg Village in getting increased water pressure worked with The Woods to protect it from an unwanted apartment complex and helped residents with property value drainage parks and street repair issues ic per ct: 3 W0WSKNASDAQ1 Bible Thought Let not the loot of pride come against me and let not die hand of die wicked drive me away Psalm 36 Forecast Mostly Cloudy High 50 Low 35 Northeast Winds About 10 mph 1 1263763 240367 24 rrriH" XEJ iv'SQQiSQ Weather 8B.