Local Headlines

Rep. Moran mourns death of Senator Graham

TYLER – United States Congressman Nathaniel Moran of Tyler mourned fellow Republican and United States Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, after the senator died on Saturday night. Graham, a four-term United States Senator, was 71 when he died of a “brief and sudden illness” on Saturday evening. Moran said he was saddened by Graham’s death and lauded the senator’s support for the American military around the globe.

“Saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham. He gave more than two decades of incredible service to the people of South Carolina and to this country,” Moran said on Sunday. “As a staunch defense and foreign policy hawk, he correctly understood the critical role America plays in defense of the cause of freedom. My prayers are with his family, his staff, and all who loved him.”

As Moran noted, Graham was a prominent supporter of the United States’ foreign military aid to countries like Ukraine and Israel. Graham had visited both Ukraine and Israel several times over his four terms in the United States Senate and had just returned from his most recent visit to Ukraine this week when he died. (more…)

Police searching for missing man

LONGVIEW – Longview PD is currently searching for Tommy Madewell, a white man, who was last seen leaving the CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center at around 4 p.m. on July 8. When he was last seen, Madewell was wearing a button down shirt, khaki shorts and a brown pair of shoes.

Anyone with information about his location is asked to contact Longview PD at 903-237-1199.

Man sentenced for solicitation

TYLER – For asking two young girls to change his diaper last summer, an East Texas man received a 16-year prison sentence. On Monday, Whitehouse resident Wesley Worl, 47, entered a guilty plea to the charge of solicitation to commit indecency with a child (sexual contact). After that, he received a 16-year sentence for the crime. Worl was upgraded from a third-degree felony to a second-degree felony, which carries a sentence of two to twenty years, according to the prosecution, because he had previously served time in prison. (more…)

Eight injured in I-20 crash

LINDALE – At least 8 people were injured in crashes on Interstate 20 Sunday after an 18-wheeler rolled over, blocking traffic on the roadway. According to the Lindale Fire Department and our news partner KETK, firefighters were working on a first crash on Interstate 20 when they got word about a rollover crash.

The rollover crash happened at around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday in the westbound lanes of Interstate 20, just before the interstate reaches the Highway 69 bridge near mile marker 557 in the southern part of Lindale. Luckily no injuries were reported from either of those two crashes. Several vehicles then piled up nearby, while other vehicles swerved off the roadway to avoid the crash. Smith County Emergency Services District 2 (ESD2) said they’ve responded to several crashes that happened along Interstate 20, after the rollover.

One crash involved a grey Chevrolet Silverado heading eastbound that crashed and rolled over near Interstate 20 mile marker 569, leaving the truck’s driver injured. A driver in a passenger car that was also heading east was injured when the Chevrolet rolled in the median. Both of those drivers were then transported to local hospitals for treatment. (more…)

Robbery attempt goes sideways

SMITH COUNTY – A man has been taken to the Smith County Jail after allegedly admitting to using meth before colliding with several vehicles and attempting to rob a gas station.

According to our news partner KETK and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to an incident in Tyler on Thursday, where a white Ford truck allegedly rammed another vehicle multiple times before fleeing the area. Law enforcement was then told the suspect had gone to a Texaco gas station on Highway 69.

When law enforcement arrived at the initial scene, they spotted a black SUV on the side of the road with visible damage. The owner of the SUV directed them to where the suspect had left. (more…)

Car crashes into Taco Bell

TYLER – A driver and two Taco Bell workers were hospitalized on Sunday after a car crashed into the Taco Bell on West Gentry Parkway in Tyler. The Tyler Police Department reported that traffic at West Gentry Parkway between MLK Boulevard and Van Highway was being rerouted at around 10:30 a.m. on Sunday because of a major crash.

Officials with Tyler PD told our news partner KETK that a woman was leaving church on Van Highway when she had a medical issue causing her to lose control of the vehicle and cross W Gentry Parkway before crashing into the Taco Bell’s drive-thru window.

The woman was injured in the crash along with two Taco Bell workers, one was burnt by oil and the other was injured by debris from the crash, according to Tyler PD. All three people involved have been transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Tyler PD has since reopened all nearby lanes to normal traffic flow.

Company sues water district over wells

HENDERSON COUNTY — A Dallas-area company, which is attempting to install dozens of high capacity water wells in East Texas, is suing a groundwater conservation district for their “deliberate scheme” to allegedly stop the company from drilling. As the fight for groundwater rights continue in Texas, the owners of Redtown Ranch Holding, LLC and Pine Bliss, LLC filed a lawsuit in federal court on Tuesday against the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District. This stems from a years long dispute, as they attempt to obtain permits to drill 43 water wells on their properties in Anderson and Henderson counties.

Since then, the plaintiffs have faced several obstacles after the district suspended their permits and allegedly blocked them from filing new applications under a new moratorium that was adopted in May.

The Background

In 2024, Redtown Ranch Holdings and Pine Bliss sought 43 permits from the state for high-capacity water wells on their properties, which span an approximate total of 11,500 acres across Anderson and Henderson Counties.

Shortly after passing through a few application processes, the NTVGCD voted to suspend all 40 permits after numerous East Texas public officials began to speak out against the proposed wells and their potential impact on the Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer, which supplies water for the ranches’ groundwater and much of the counties. (more…)

Man charged in deputy-involved shooting

MARION COUNTY — A man was booked into the Marion County Jail on Wednesday due to his alleged involvement in an officer-involved shooting in June. According to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK, the shooting occurred on June 24 in the 2700 block of Highway 49. Once deputies arrived on the scene, a man who was later identified as Robert Landrum discharged a rifle, allegedly striking a deputy’s patrol unit.

As additional deputies arrived on the scene, Landrum allegedly refused to disarm and was shot by law enforcement after pointing his gun towards deputies, the sheriff’s office said. Landrum was then taken into custody and flown to a hospital in Shreveport. After being released from the hospital, Landrum was booked into the Marion County Jail on Thursday and charged with aggravated assault against a public servant.

The Texas Rangers have launched an investigation and the sheriff’s office said no additional information will be released at this time.

Sheriff’s Office mourns deputy

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office gathered together on Saturday to honor fallen deputy Gerald Atchison. The 53-year-old Atchison died unexpectedly on Tuesday after a medical emergency that officials suspect was a heart attack. Atchison was working on duty at the sheriff’s on Tuesday as a property and evidence technician when the medical emergency happened.

Atchison had worked with the sheriff’s office for over 20 years. He started in September of 2003 as a Smith County Jail detention officer. He then graduated from the Tyler Junior College Police Academy in 2005 and was later promoted to the sheriff’s office patrol division.

Saturday’s service, visitation and reception for Atchison were held at the Grace Community Church at 1 p.m. in Tyler.