Bob Hallmark
Longview Bureau Chief
East Texas
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Bob Hallmark is a longtime reporter for KLTV 7. He grew up in Aldine, a south Texas town. At age 18, he joined the U.S. Navy. He later attended Chapman University in Orange, California.
Before moving to the Tyler-Longview area, Bob worked for Major League Baseball as network director of the Houston Astros Baseball Team. He was also network producer for Houston's International Hockey League, the Houston Aeros Hockey Team. Bob has also worked for radio/television stations in Boise, Idaho.
Bob is married to Norma Hallmark and has two sons: Jacob and Luke. Bob loves the outdoors. He owns a small farm in Hawkins where he raises livestock, including horses. He also does a little farming.
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East Texas farmers, who suffered losses during the tumultuous weather year of 2021, have a chance to recover some of their losses through a government loan program.
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East Texas fireworks vendors are hoping sales will materialize as people look to celebrate New Years Eve.
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In what has become a quirky tradition for the holidays, a Longview homeowner has been entertaining visitors with an unusual display of stuffed exotic animals that are decorated for Christmas.
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Texas Lottery director of media relations Lauren Callahan talks on how gifting to children can create a real problem.
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Nine out of ten wildfires in Texas are caused by humans, TFS says
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Dealing with animal dumping has become a disturbing, reoccurring problem for one East Texas County.
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An East Texas man receives a huge celebration for his 100th birthday by a thankful community.
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An East Texas Army veteran is overcoming obstacles, proving the military motto “overcome and adapt.”
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Hunters are making last-minute preparations for the start of the traditional Texas deer hunting season, which starts the first weekend in November.
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A group of East Texans have been nominated to join an elite group intended to inspire people, in of all things, a 'photo-op'. It's a calendar that will feature East Texans who've overcome adversity and went on to be healthy and fit after 60.
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A huge outpouring of community support for 2 East Texas law enforcement officers stricken and deeply effected by Covid-19.
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27th annual Angel Network golf tournament and concert
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An East Texas gym is a throwback to the old days when boxers trained in dark confines with no air-conditioning, and became tougher for it. With only a fan to ease the heat, kids and adults choose to train in Spartan conditions in Longview.
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Three firefighters suffered minor injuries, and two businesses after a fire broke out at a strip shopping center on Longview’s High Street early Saturday morning.
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Jails have been hit hard over the past year with the pandemic; the Gregg County Sheriff’s office has devised a new way to help with the fight against covid-19 in the jail. The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office has a new method of processing inmates in the midst of COVID.
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A few tips are still coming in on the case of a missing East Texas woman who vanished 21-months ago. Rosemary Rodriguez was driving in the Kilgore area in the fall of 2018, and that's the last time she was seen.
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New details in on the investigation into East Texas petroleum thefts. Investigators with the Gregg county sheriff's office now know 'how' and 'why' it was done. In a continuing investigation, Gregg county sheriff's officers along with other law enforcement are looking into the scope of the organized theft of petroleum products from East Texas locations.
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A man died in a riding lawn mower accident that occurred in Liberty City, according to the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office.
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Bob Hallmark spoke with Glenn Parker of Richard Parker Plumbing about the three months spent repairing thousands of feet of pipe.
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Heavy rain that continues to swell the Sabine river out of it's banks is a particular concern for some East Texans who live along it's edges. They call it 'the bottoms', land where homeowners live near the low-land parts of the river.
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An East Texas sheriff has to release more than a dozen people suspected of being in the country illegally, after being advised that they can't be charged with any crime. Last month, a traffic stop on I-30 near Mount Vernon resulted in finding eighteen Guatemalan immigrants jammed into an SUV.
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As the moderate temperatures of Spring give way to Summer, an East Texas rescue mission prepares for it's busiest time of year. The Summer heat means the homeless will look for a place of refuge, such as the 'Hiway 80 Rescue Mission' in Longview.
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The long road to recovery for one East Texas deputy, once in a coma with 'Covid-19', is not over yet. Gregg county sheriff's 'corporal James Hagler', was released from the hospital last month, but his struggle to recover continues.
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The search is over for a person sought in connection with an East Texas hostage situation. Around 9:40 this morning, Gregg county deputies were called to a house north of Judson on 'Lonesome Pine road.'
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“They actually landed the aircraft at Templehoff in Berlin and unloaded hundreds of aircraft daily with all the essential survival needs of the people,” said organizer and director of Flight of the Phoenix Air Museum, Steve Dean.
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A successful opening weekend for an East Texas renaissance festival. 'Avalon Faire' in Kilgore off of FM 1252, had good crowds on it's opening weekend. The festival features music, acrobats , and of course the crowd favorite, jousting tournament.
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After months in the hospital fighting Covid-19, an East Texas sheriff's deputy is back home. We first told you about Gregg county corporal James Hagler on new year's day. It was a day Shalon Hagler had been waiting months for. Her husband coming home.
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In April 2006, the bludgeoned body of a woman was found dumped in the road near an East Texas interstate. Since then, no clues as to what happened to 'Norma Martinez-Cooper' have ever been found. Now the family is asking for someone, somewhere to help them solve the mystery of her death.
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A late night fire in one East Texas city displaces a family of 5 and destroys everything they have. Just after 10 Wednesday night, Marshall fire units were called to a fire in the 1-thousand block of East Austin street.
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A combination of factors is driving up the sale of firearms in East Texas. Talk from some lawmakers about more 'gun control measure', and even 'stimulus checks', have gun shops doing great business.
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An East Texas business, that started almost by accident, turned out to be a blessing to many who struggled during the pandemic. Driving through Gladewater, you come upon a curious sign for 'Sasquatch's Trading Post' on highway 80.
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A massive bond issue in 2018 has numerous construction projects well underway to completion in one East Texas city. Longview voters approved over 100-million dollars in bonds, and that money is at work. Parks, trails and bridge projects are taking shape.
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The February freeze that left many East Texans in need of a plumber, illustrates a problem that those in the plumbing industry have known for years. There aren't enough young people going into trades like plumbing.
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East Texas jails and state prison systems will begin to allow visitation, after almost a year of being closed to family visits. Governor Abbott issued an executive order that reopens prisons to visitation starting on March 15th, and local jails are following suit.
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East Texas orchard owners are cautiously waiting to find out how much damage was done by the big freeze, and how it will affect production. Peach and grape growers believe they'll lose a percentage of their stock.
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Almost 3 weeks after the winter storm that crippled East Texas roads and shattered countless water pipes in homes, plumbers are finally completing the last few repairs.
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More than two weeks after that winter storm, plumbers in East Texas are still working just as fast as they can to repair damaged pipes. And some East Texans are still surviving without running water. Every day at Parker plumbing in Longview calls for broken pipes keep coming in.
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For some East Texans, it's now been 11 or 12 days since they've had running water because of the winter storm that came through almost 2 weeks ago. And that wait continues as plumbers try to answer calls to fix broken and leaking pipes.
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East Texas businesses are trying to bounce back after the winter storm put them on pause for a week.
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Since Sunday plumbers in one East Texas county have been working non-stop for the enormous call for pipe repair. With hundreds of homes having pipes broken or leaking from the winter storm of last week, the call load is endless for plumbers in Longview.
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Staying safe on the roads
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The state fire marshal's office is investigating after an East Texas man apparently died in a fire. It happened Thursday afternoon at a home on FM 1759 in Upshur county.
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Jonathan Hamilton, 33, of Linden, was arrested Friday night by Hughes Springs police under suspicion for his alleged involvement with a string of a half-dozen recent church vandalism incidents in the Hughes Springs-Avinger area.
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An East Texas man took his turn getting a Covid-19 vaccine shot today, at the age of 97. Arriving at 'Christus Health' in Mineola, 97 year old Paul Harrington, at the request of his family, came to get his Covid-19 vaccine.
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The suspected Starrville church shooter fled the scene using a stolen vehicle, and led a convoy of law enforcement officers on another high speed chase, traveling 3 counties. The chase finally ended in Marshall, on Bomar street, just north of highway 43.
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It's the season of lights, garlands and trees, but one East Texan has come up with a different kind of decorating for the holidays. A casual drive along Pineland street in Longview, and you come across and unusual holiday display. The inspiration of homeowner Rusty Johnson.
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An East Texas business offers a unique service to rescue mission men, to help them improve their lives. 'Tattoo removal.' In agreement with the Hiway 80 Rescue Mission, 'Vanish Laser Aesthetics' of Longview opened it's doors to help men in their job seeking. By removing tattoos.