State Headlines
Crews scamble to more water rescues in Texas after days of punishing rains
Posted/updated on: July 17, 2026 at 3:16 pmUVALDE (AP) — More heavy rains in storm-weary Texas sent first responders rushing to people trapped in high waters Friday, widening the danger caused by floods that have killed at least two people and left hundreds more in need of rescue. A relentless week of punishing downpours in Texas — dumping more than 2 feet (60 centimeters) in some areas — was expected to begin tapering off Friday. But another round of showers worsened already swollen rivers and flooded rural communities near the border with Mexico that had largely been spared major damage. Near Ozona, a small town about 200 miles (322 kilometers) west of San Antonio, floodwaters spilled over Interstate 10. A section of a bridge also collapsed over the Nueces River in Uvalde ... Read More
Lufkin officials urge residents to report squatters after fires
Posted/updated on: July 17, 2026 at 3:16 pmLUFKIN, Texas (KETK)– Lufkin city officials are asking residents to help keep squatters away from abandoned properties near their homes, as fires have allegedly been started by homeless people recently. According to Lufkin Fire Marshal Ozzie Jarman, since 2025, 12 structure fires have been reported at vacant or abandoned homes and it is believed that the fires were started by homeless individuals squatting on the property. Officials said that the majority of the fires occurred in the middle of the night or early in the morning. It was also reported that 25% of the structure fires that have taken place in Lufkin since 2025 occurred at vacant homes. “These fires are unpredictable and extremely dangerous,” Lufkin Police Chief Travis Brazil said. “It is only a ... Read More
SpaceX Starship launch aborted on the pad at the last moment
Posted/updated on: July 17, 2026 at 3:16 pmBOCA CHICA (AP) - SpaceX’s mega Starship rocket came within a second or so from blasting off on a test flight Thursday, but some of the engines failed to ignite, triggering a launch abort amid billowing clouds of smoke and vapor. Elon Musk, the company’s founder and CEO, said two engines will be replaced “to be confident of a good flight” before sending Starship from Texas on a space-skimming journey halfway around the world. It will be the 13th flight for Starship, which at 407 feet (124 meters) tall with 33 main engines is the world’s biggest and most powerful rocket. SpaceX’s launch webcast showed the start of engine ignition three seconds before the planned liftoff, viewed from a drone high above the pad. Although ... Read More
Money laundering scheme worth $29K discovered during Panola County traffic stop
Posted/updated on: July 17, 2026 at 3:16 pmPANOLA COUNTY (KETK) — A traffic stop in Panola County led to the discovery of a nearly $30,000 money laundering scheme on early Thursday morning. According to the Panola County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy conducted a routine traffic stop on State Highway 315 in Long Branch at 3:15 a.m. for a traffic violation. During the stop, the deputy observed several indicators of criminal activity including false statements from the driver. The deputy requested a K9 unit, which gave a positive alert for narcotics prompting a search of the vehicle. Within the vehicle, a bag containing multiple bundles of money wrapped in rubber bands were found, totaling over $29,000. The driver, Jose De Jesus Torres, Jr. of McAllen was arrested for money laundering $2,500 to $30,000, ... Read More
Fed probe suggests Tesla’s self-driving feature wasn’t to blame in crash that killed a grandmother
Posted/updated on: July 17, 2026 at 3:16 pmNEW YORK (AP) — Federal safety investigators looking into a runaway Tesla that killed a grandmother in her home say the driver had pressed the accelerator to full speed, suggesting the vehicle’s self-driving software was not to blame. The driver had told police that he had the self-driving software turned on, but a report from the National Transportation Safety Board on Wednesday concluded that he had actually overridden that feature when he pushed hard on the pedal. Moments later the Tesla Model 3 raced down a residential street in Katy, Texas, at highway speeds, slammed into a brick home and killed a 76-year-old woman standing in the front room. The crash last month drew national attention because Tesla CEO Elon Musk is seeking to reassure ... Read More
US designates 2 new Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations
Posted/updated on: July 17, 2026 at 3:16 pmMEXICO CITY (AP) — The U.S. government has designated two new Mexican cartels as foreign terrorist organizations. They are the Juárez Cartel, on the border with Texas, and Los Viagras, a criminal group from the western state of Michoacán. The Federal Register, the U.S. government’s gazette, published the designation on Thursday. They joined six other Mexican criminal organizations that the U.S. considers terrorist groups, including the Sinaloa Cartel and the Jalisco New Generation Cartel. Gangs in other Latin American countries, including Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador and El Salvador, also have been designated as foreign terrorist organizations by the Trump administration. President Donald Trump began to extend the terrorist label to Latin American cartels in February 2025 to allow U.S. authorities to take more aggressive action against ... Read More
String of overnight car burglaries hits East Texas neighborhoods — What to do to stay safe
Posted/updated on: July 17, 2026 at 3:16 pmCROCKETT (KETK) — A car is stolen or broken into every 23 seconds, according to FBI crime statistics, with an experienced car thief taking less than a minute to steal the average vehicle. In Texas, more than 65,000 cars and trucks are stolen and almost 200,000 are burglarized every year. On Monday night, the Kilgore Police Department reported that they received 8 calls regarding car burglaries, an unusual uptick for the city with a population of less than 14,000. The police department is advising residents to stay alert and take proactive measures to protect themselves from becoming victims. Anyone who may have security video footage or any information regarding the incident is asked to call Detective Torres at 903-983-1559. Vehicle Theft Prevention Ensure all windows ... Read More
Lufkin PD is asking for your help
Posted/updated on: July 17, 2026 at 3:16 pmLUFKIN - Lufkin Police detectives are asking for the public’s assistance in solving the murder of Darrence Kindle, a case that has remained unsolved for nearly nine years, according to release from the City of Lufkin. Kindle was shot and killed during the commission of an aggravated robbery at approximately 10 p.m., November 3, 2017, at the Dollar General on Kurth Drive. The only description detectives have at this time is that the man is approximately 6-feet 1-inches tall, African American, and he was wearing a mask from the movie Scream.The shoes the man was wearing have been identified as limited-edition Nike Zoom Kobe Venomenon 4. The shoes were identified by a forensics company in Arizona. “We will continue to investigate this murder,” said Lt. ... Read More
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