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EAST TEXAS — Labor Day weekend is traditionally one of the biggest grilling holidays of the year. But County officials from all across East Texas had urged using extreme caution before lighting the grill and not just during the holiday, but anytime. KETK reports nearly all East Texas counties are under a burn ban. That means no bonfires, camp fires, wood burning, or open fire pits. If authorities bust you violating the burn ban, you could be fined up to $500. Van Zandt and Rains Counties have not issued burn bans, but caution is advised there as well.

TIMPSON (AP/STAFF) — Two earthquakes have hit East Texas, causing little reported damage but unnerving residents. The U.S. Geological Survey recorded a 4.1 magnitude earthquake at 4:52 p.m. CDT Monday centered about 2 miles west-northwest of the town of Timpson. That’s about 150 miles east-southeast of Dallas and 60 miles southwest of Shreveport, Louisiana. The second earthquake was reported at 6:51 Monday night two miles west northwest of Timpson. It measured 4.3 on the Richter Scale. Timpson police Officer Adam Renfro says he had received reports of dishes and pictures falling from walls but no significant damage. Continue reading Two Earthquakes Rattle East Texas

SMITH COUNTY — A car and structure fire was contained Monday afternoon in Smith County. According to the Noonday and Dixie Fire Departments, the fire erupted at 12309 Greenbriar Lake Road. KETK reports the location suffered a lot of smoke damage, but no injuries were reported.

VAN ZANDT — A man has been taken into custody in Van Zandt County after barricading himself inside of business in Wills Point. According to KETK, several departments responded to the call of a disruptive man at Mitchell Oil company. When they arrived, the man barricaded himself in the bathroom. He then is accused of tearing up the room and attempting to escape through the roof. He made it into the attic where authorities say he tried to set a fire. He was taken into custody and is facing multiple charges, including arson and aggravated assault of a public servant. Continue reading One Man Arrested Following East Texas Standoff

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at other work planned in the Tyler District of the Texas Department of Transportation.

WOOD COUNTY – Beginning Tuesday, TxDOT contract construction crews from Longview Bridge and Road, of Longview, are scheduled to begin approximately one year’s worth of work to add passing lanes to U.S, Highway 69 between Loop 564 in Mineola and Farm Road 779 in Golden. Crews will begin work by widening drainage structures in the work area. The $2.8 million project let to contract in June and is scheduled for completion next summer. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

GREGG COUNTY — An East Texas man is facing two charges of indecency and sexual contact with a child. According to KETK, on Friday afternoon, Gregg County Deputies arrested Orie Bray Patty, 24, of Harleton, on two charges of indecency with a child. Patty was also charged with theft, injury and family violence, and stolen property. Patty is currently in the Gregg County Jail under a $6,000 bond.

RUSK COUNTY — Rusk County Sheriff’s deputies arrested a man accused of sexually assaulting three juveniles. A complaint was filed against Barney Samuel Bradshaw, 35, accusing him of the crimes. Bradshaw was found and taken into custody Thursday in Gregg County on the charges along with a warrant from Tarrant County. He was booked into Rusk County Jail with bond set at $500,000.

DIRGIN (AP) — A Texas family descended from slaves is fighting to keep a mining company from taking over land once owned by their ancestors. For three years, Luminant Mining Co. has tried to purchase the 9-acre plot in Dirgin, in Rusk County. The company already owns more than 75% of the parcel but can’t mine it because of a complex inheritance arrangement and the refusal of some family members. Ida Finley, who is nearly 102, could lose the land worked by her husband and his parents, who were slaves. Luminant says it has offered more than the land’s appraised value, plus compensation to Finley and her granddaughter for their homes. Now the company has sued some of the heirs and asked a court to divide the land or force a settlement.

LONGVIEW — Carrying rifles and shotguns, proponents of open carry laws marched through downtown Longview on Saturday morning. According to the Longview News-Journal, about 130 people participated in the march, which ended on the Gregg County Courthouse lawn. Continue reading Open Carry March in Longview

CHAPEL HILL — A house in Smith County has been destroyed by fire. According to KETK, the fire was reported just before 5:00 Sunday morning in the 10000 block of Lakeshore Drive. The residents were home at the time of the fire, but no injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is unknown.

TYLER — Tyler police are looking for the man who robbed the Food Fast convenience store at 6424 South Broadway shortly before 9:45 Friday night. Store employee’s told officers that a black male entered the store, grabbed one of the workers and demanded money from the cashier. His hand was reportedly covered with some type of rag or shirt and there appeared to be a gun underneath it. An undisclosed amount of money was placed inside a bag and the suspect left behind the store. Authorities said right before the robbery occurred, an employee noticed an older model white, 4 door sedan parked behind the building. The suspect’s face was concealed with a light colored stocking cap. The employees were unharmed during the incident. The suspect was described as a black male, between 5’8-5’10, approximately 150lbs with black hair. He did have a goatee and was wearing a dark brown sweater and dark pants.

GREGG COUNTY — A woman from central Texas remained in the Gregg County Jail on Friday on multiple charges from multiple counties. Tracey Teer Guerrero, 42, of Comfort was booked Thursday into the jail after police responded to a shoplifting call about 11 a.m. at the Walmart in the 500 block of East Loop 281, according to Longview police reports
The woman had eight forms of identification and credit cards that belonged to other people, police said. Walmart employees told police they saw the woman and a man “select various items from the business” and try to leave without paying, police said. Continue reading Central Texas Woman Faces Theft, ID Fraud Charges

HARRISON COUNTY — A Longview man died in a single car wreck in Harrison County early Saturday morning, according to Trooper Brittany Holloway with the Texas Department of Public Safety. According to the Longview News-Journal, Jose Vega, 22, was driving a 1995 Chevrolet Blazer at about 3:30 a.m. along Gum Springs Road when he entered into a curve and the car flipped, Holloway said. There were no passengers or other vehicles involved. Vega was not wearing a seatbelt and was ejected from the vehicle at the time of the crash. The wreck is under investigation.

AUSTIN (AP) – A series of gun-related laws take effect in Texas on Sunday. The changes include reduced training hours to get a concealed handgun license, easier renewal, and arming of school marshals at public and charter schools.

TYLER — Tyler Mayor Pro-Tem Martin Heines Friday announced his intention to run for Mayor in the May 2014 election. Current Mayor Barbara Bass is not seeking re-election due to term limits. Heines is the first announced candidate for the post in next May’s election. Heines, 50, a Tyler native, is a small business owner and property manager/investor currently in his second term as Tyler City Councilman for District 4. He’s also served on the Council Audit Committee and the Council Building/Economic Development Committee. Continue reading Heines Running for Mayor

LONGVIEW — The biggest percentage change of residents without health insurance in East Texas is in Smith County, where 27.2 percent of residents were without insurance in 2010. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report that number fell to 24.8 percent in 2011. The new numbers come from U.S. Census Bureau data released Thursday based on 2011 figures. Data also show the percentage of uninsured people in Gregg County decreased from 25.7 percent in 2010 to 24.1 percent in 2011. Continue reading Survey Shows Uninsured Rates in East Texas

EAST TEXAS — According to Wood County and Cherokee County officials, the counties are now under burn bans. KETK reports all outdoor burning in those counties is prohibited until further notice. There are currently 141 Texas counties under outdoor burning bans, including a number in East Texas.

TYLER — A ribbon cutting ceremony Friday afternoon marked the completion of renovations to the new Community Supervision & Corrections (Adult Probation) Department at 217 East Line Street in downtown Tyler. The building features more than 15,000 square feet of office space for the probation department employees and includes training classrooms and additional parking for probationers. Continue reading Probation Office Moving to Revitalized Downtown Building

HENDERSON — A man is behind bars in Rusk County after law enforcement officials found drugs and a stolen motorcycle while executing a search warrant Thursday. KETK reports Corey Edwards aka “EWOK,” 34, of Henderson, was arrested on scene and charged with possession of marijuana. Additional narcotics charges, as well as charges of being in possession of the stolen motorcycle are pending. Deputies say it happened in the 600 block of Brown Street in Henderson. Confiscated during the search warrant were marijuana, drug paraphernalia, money, and prescription controlled substances, according to officials. Authorities also discovered a motorcycle that has been reported as stolen out of Bell County. Continue reading Henderson Man Jailed after Deputies Find Drugs, Stolen Motorcycle

ATHENS — A Trinity Valley Community College football player has been injured when hit by a truck while crossing the street. Ugonna Nwarie, 19, was using a crosswalk Wednesday morning around 7:45 when hit by the truck which failed to yield the right of way. The driver was cited for failing to yield to a pedestrian in a crosswalk. Nwarie was taken to East Texas Medical Center Athens for treatment of a broken leg.

KILGORE — The arrest report from the Kilgore Police Department says Willie Clarence Sims admitted to the choking of Amanda Woods. According to KETK, police say Sims confessed to accidentally strangling Woods when she asked him to choke her while she smoked crack because it increased her high. Sims said that he then used a belt to choke Woods and that when she collapsed and died, he began to panic. He said he put Woods in her car and drove her to the area where she was found on FM 349. Sims then reportedly went to a friend’s house and called police. When he first spoke to police, he gave several different accounts of the story before finally confessing, according to law enforcement. Continue reading Police: Suspect Admits Strangling Woman in Kilgore

ATHENS — A former Mabank resident, Steven Joe Clowdus, 31, has pleaded to the maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for placement of a serial number with intent to change the identity of a vehicle. The plea took place in Henderson County’s 173rd Judicial District Court. Continue reading Man Sentenced to 10 Years for Fictitious Vehicle ID

MARSHALL — Harrison County officials say three people were arrested Wednesday night following a probe into a broad-based drug distribution ring. According to KETK, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office reportedly seized several pounds of marijuana, numerous packages of marijuana ready for distribution, over 200 grams of methamphetamine, stolen weapons, stolen televisions, cell phones used for distribution, and money from the suspects. Galen Durden, 20, Camesha Robinson, 26, and Ivan Daniels, Jr., 18, are said to be members of the drug distribution ring on which officials say they gained information on throughout a lengthy investigation. Continue reading Authorities: Three Arrested in Major Drug Distribution Scheme

MARSHALL – A couple from Guerrero, Mexico, currently living in Marshall, have been sentenced to federal prison for possession with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. Julia Flores Saucedo, 33, pleaded guilty Jan. 20; her common-law husband, Oscar Diaz-Mendoza, 35, pleaded guilty Feb. 28. Each was sentenced Wednesday in Marshall to 46 months behind bars by U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap. Continue reading Mexican Couple Sentenced for Harrison County Drug Trafficking

MARSHALL – A 29-year-old Sinaloa, Mexico, man currently residing in Marshall, has been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney John M. Bales Thursday. Joeli Higuera Fernandez pleaded guilty on May 3, 2013, to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute and distribution of methamphetamine. He was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison Wednesday in Marshall by U.S. District Judge Rodney Gilstrap. Fernandez was also ordered to submit to forfeiture of $15,000 in currency. Continue reading Mexican National Sentenced in East Texas Meth Conspiracy

TYLER — There are some adjustments to a Smith County burn ban extension announced earlier this week. Those include clarification of the start date, an extra warning for offenders, and a heightened drought index. The Commissioners Court has issued an order to extend the existing burn ban for 90 days, starting Thursday, August 29. The court will have an option to repeal the order prior to the 90th day, if conditions allow. Continue reading Burn Ban Extended For Smith County, Effective Thursday

TYLER — Tyler Investigators have released a photo of murder suspect Elisha “EJ” Williams, 18, of Tyler after securing a warrant for his arrest. Williams was allegedly involved in the shooting death of Briana Raquel Young, who was shot in P.T. Cole Park on Tuesday, July 30. KETK reports Judge Jack Skeen set Williams’s bond at $1,000,000. Investigators have still not been able to locate Williams and need your help in locating him. Anyone with information about Williams or any other further details related to this case is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833). Crimestoppers will pay up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest and charges filed against the suspects in this case.

TYLER – Four persons have been charged with burglary of a habitation in conjunction with an incident Wednesday on Smith County Road 4142. They are Devante Montreal Veasey, age 21; Nathaniel Montez Dorsey, age 23; Ariel De’ja Raibon, age 21; and Maurice Phillips, age 21. Charges are pending on one other man whose identity will be released later, according to officials. Continue reading Four Suspects’ Names Released in Foiled Burglary

AUSTIN — On Wednesday afternoon, Texas Governor Rick Perry hosted a formal signing ceremony for SB 162– also known as the ‘Chris Kyle’ bill –continuing the effort to help ease employment challenges for active duty military members and their spouses. Continue reading Gov. Perry Signs “Chris Kyle” Bill Developed by ETX Rep

GREENVILLE — An amber alert for three-year-old boy, thought to be in grave and immediate danger, has been discontinued. Greenville authorities had said Aaron William Josiah Sneed was taken by his father, Jacob Aaron Sneed, 39. Greenville police say the man has threatened to crash his car in hopes of killing himself and his son. The two were last seen around 7:30 Wednesday night in Greenville. When the Amber Alert was canceled Thursday morning, authorities reported the father and the boy were located at the home of the man’s grandfather in Missouri. Both were said to be okay and in good condition.