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TYLER – A former Henderson High School English teacher has pleaded guilty in Tyler federal court to child pornography charges. James Brent Malone, 42, of Henderson was arrested in January when deputies said he was in possession of more than three images of child pornography. Judge Judith Guthrie Tuesday referred the case to federal judge Leonard Davis for sentencing. Malone is now facing up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000.

LONGVIEW — Two persons have been arrested in Longview on forgery charges. Therion Nalls, 40, (pictured) was arrested at a convenience store where authorities say he was trying to cash a check that had been stolen from Sherwin-Williams Paint Store. The woman who drove him to the store, Shuntilla Richardson, 32, was arrested after officers found several checks and stolen credit cards in her purse. Nalls is being held for forgery of a financial instrument. Besides forgery charges, Richardson is also being held on a burglary warrant out of Smith County and and a drug warrant in Henderson County.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been charged with stealing a car where he use to work. Arrested, following a traffic violation, was Jesse Adam Swensen, 38. Officers say he took the keys to the Infinity sedan from the dealership before he was fired last month. Besides being charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle, Swensen has also been charged with fleeing from a police officer and possession of a firearm by a felon.

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville’s mayor has retained his job. In a runoff election Tuesday, Mayor Kenneth Melvin defeated challenger Rob Gowin. The unofficial tally shows the vote count was 586-510.

TYLER — The Obama administration announces there will be no age restrictions on the morning-after pill. KETK caught up with several East Texans who aren’t pleased. Asked how she’d feel if she learned her daughter was taking the pill, one mother said, “I’d probably be very shocked that I didn’t know that that was going on for her.” A local man simply said, “I think it’s ridiculous.” A local woman added, “Teaching our children they can have freedom, and whatever they do, there’s no consequences, and then go take a pill, I think it’s a tragedy.”

ATHENS — A pair of hefty sentences was affirmed last week by two Texas Courts of Appeals. KETK reports the convictions of George Wayne Smith (pictured) and Samuel DeWayne Colbert, both of Henderson County, were affirmed after both appealed their convictions. Continue reading Lengthy Sentences Affirmed for Two East Texans

NACOGDOCHES — A Texarkana man is jailed in Nacogdoches after allegedly holding his girlfriend against her will for several hours on Tuesday morning. KETK reports it happened on County Road 713. Nacogdoches County dispatch received a call saying that a female was being held against her will at a residence in Nacogdoches County. The victim was only able to communicate through text messages at the time, and notified a friend to call for help. Deputies were able to locate a possible residence where the victim was and verified the location through tracking her phone through the phone company. Continue reading Man Accused of Holding Girlfriend against Her Will

LONGVIEW — Longview ISD trustees Monday unanimously approved ending a two-year salary freeze, effectively restoring scheduled salary steps in their entirety. According to KETK and a school district news release, the vote was 6-0, with Trustee Dr. Mark Camp absent. In addition to teachers, the restored steps will be reflected in the salaries of counselors, librarians, and nurses. All other salary increases –- including professional, para-professional, auxiliary, and manual trade employees — will be calculated at a rate of 4 percent of their pay grade midpoint. Continue reading Longview ISD Approves District-Wide Pay Hike

NECHES — A Neches ISD school board member, busted for alleged possession of child pornography, may face more charges. Anderson County Sheriff Greg Taylor says Joshua Kinkaid was busted for having a picture of a nude 14-year-old girl on his cell phone. Kinkaid is out on $15,000 bond. Taylor says officials have sent Kinkaid’s other cell phones and his computers to a lab to see if there are more such images.

ZAVALLA (AP) – An East Texas police chief has been reprimanded for balking at using his personal vehicle to respond to a traffic accident. The Zavalla City County voted Monday to reprimand police Chief Joey Courtney, who does not have a take-home city vehicle. The Lufkin Daily News reported Tuesday that Courtney refused to use his personal vehicle last week on a pre-dawn traffic accident call. Specifics of the wreck weren’t released. Mayor Jimmy Davis says Courtney is a salaried employee and his job description says the chief must respond to emergencies at any time. Courtney says the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office let him know that deputies could respond because he doesn’t have a take-home patrol vehicle for emergencies.

EAST TEXAS — The East Texas Food Bank’s Summer Food Program got underway at 11:45 Monday morning at City Park, 200 West Queen Street in Tyler. The program provides free nutritious meals to children at 60 sites throughout East Texas. Since school is out, thousands of East Texas children will be looking for places they can meet their friends, have fun and eat healthy meals. The meals are free to all children ages 1 to 18 at participating feeding sites. Continue reading Summer Food Program Begins

MT ENTERPRISE — In Rusk County, a man has been charged in his brother’s death. When sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 15000 Block of County Road 3167 in Mt. Enterprise. They found Alonzo Lewis, 32, dead from a gunshot wound. Charged in the altercation that left Lewis dead was his brother, Brian Jerome Townsend, 24. He was booked into the Rusk County Jail on first degree murder charges and his bond was set at $500,000. The investigation into the incident is continuing.

RUSK COUNTY — A one vehicle accident in Rusk County has left one person dead. Killed when he lost control of his car, which hit a bridge and caught fire, was Arthur Melton Smith, 61, of Shelbyville. The Department of Public Safety says the Sunday afternoon crash occurred at the intersection of U.S. Highway 259 and County Road 186. The crash remains under investigation.

TYLER — In an appearance in Tyler federal court, a Shreveport, Louisiana, man has pleaded guilty to federal wildlife violations. Stephen Anderson Sipes, Jr., 57, pleaded guilty Monday to an Information charging him with negligent transportation of wildlife when he appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. Sipes faces up to one year in federal prison at sentencing. Sipes has agreed to pay restitution of $14,016.49 to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation. A sentencing date has not been set. Continue reading Guilty Plea to Federal Wildlife Violations

HARLETON — Harrison County authorities say a woman has stabbed her boyfriend after another woman wished him happy birthday. The incident happened around 1:00 Sunday morning in Harleton. Rickey Don Johnson, 53, was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Marshall where he was treated for an arm wound and released. Doretha Bowman, 45, is being held in the Harrison County Jail under a $50,000 bond. Authorities told the Longview News Journal the two had been drinking on a front porch of a home on Sid Carver Road when a woman neighbor stopped by and wished Johnson happy birthday. Bowman is said to have become angry and went into the house. When Johnson followed her, she is said to have stabbed him in the arm.

LONGVIEW — A man has died after being hospitalized in a coma following a motorcycle wreck Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Judson Road and East Hawkins Parkway in Longview. According to the Longview News-Journal, Kevin Heath Puckett, 41, Longview, was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center with life-threatening injuries after the crash. Puckett was traveling westbound in the inside lane of East Hawkins Parkway when he lost control of his 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle and fell onto the roadway. Continue reading Man Dies Following Longview Accident

MANY, LA. (AP) – Louisiana State Police says a, Angelina County, Texas man has died in a two-vehicle accident. The accident happened around 7:40 Sunday morning on Louisiana Highway 191 in Sabine Parish. Trooper Scott Moreau says the crash involved a Jeep driven by Tommy F. Tilley Jr., 29, of Diboll and a pickup driven by Earl John Broussard, 65, of Baytown. Moreau says Tilley lost control, crossed the centerline, hit the pickup, then ran off the road and struck several trees. He says Tilley was pronounced dead at the scene. Broussard suffered minor injuries in the crash. The accident remains under investigation.

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

LONGVIEW — Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews this week are scheduled to begin approximately three weeks of base and pavement repairs on Southwest Loop 281, between Farm Road 2205 (Jaycee Drive) and U.S. Highway 80 (Marshall Ave.). Daytime lane closures will be in effect while the work is in progress. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the work zone. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

EAST TEXAS — East Texas municipalities are making plans to battle synthetic marijuana locally after state lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would ban all forms of the drug. Officials say the lack of support from Austin is making it difficult for local law enforcement and drug abuse programs to make a dent in what they’re calling an epidemic. “We’ve seen a lot of kids getting messed up on this stuff,” said Gilmer Police Chief James Grunden. (pictured) Continue reading Synthetic Marijuana Remains an Issue for Authorities

LONGVIEW — Bonds for a Gladewater man arrested after a two-hour Longview manhunt have been set at $121,000. According to the Longview News-Journal, Jason Micheal Brod, 34, faces charges of burglary of a habitation, evading arrest detention, possession of marijuana and theft of stolen property greater than $1,500 but less than $20,000. Longview police responded about 10:45 Friday morning to a report of a suspicious person near homes on Kings Mountain Road. Upon officers’ arrival, police say Brod evaded arrest by running into nearby woods. Brod was caught a few hours later in thick brush behind businesses near the intersection of U.S. 80 and Spur 63. Gregg County K-9 units assisted in the arrest.

DOUGLASS — The Corner Store and Cafe on State Highway 21 in Douglass was said to be destroyed by fire. Firefighters from several area departments battled the blaze for several hours Saturday. According to our news partner 103 The Bull, at least half of the the building, built in the early 1900s, were destroyed. The remaining portion of the building suffered extensive heat, smoke and water damage. No injuries were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

EAST TEXAS — Oncor has reported both Smith and Angelina County experienced power outages due to storms that moved through the area on Sunday. Onncor worked on the problem and the power was estimated to come back on by last night.

FORT WORTH (AP) — Vadym Kholodenko, of the Ukraine, (pictured) has won the 14th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Beatrice Rana, of Italy, placed second, and Sean Chen, of the United States, placed third. The other three finalists were Fei-Fei Dong, of China; Nikita Mndoyants, of Russia; and Tomoki Sakata, of Japan. The winners were announced Sunday night in Fort Worth, where the prestigious contest is held every four years. The winner receives $50,000, and the second- and third-prize winners both receive $20,000. Continue reading Ukraine Pianist Wins Cliburn Piano Competition

AUSTIN — “Happy Holidays” won’t be the only thing teachers and students can say to one another during winter celebrations. The Legislature has cleared the way for “Merry Christmas” and “Happy Hanukkah.” Senator Robert Nichols of Jacksonville says it’s the right thing to do. Continue reading Legislature Approved ‘Merry Christmas’ in Schools

TYLER — Tyler Police are looking for a robbery suspect. Officers were called to the Dollar General Store, 2724 West Gentry Parkway around 9:45 Saturday night in reference to a robbery. Two employees said they noticed a white or Hispanic man enter the store wearing what they thought was a gas mask. He was reportedly armed with a shotgun and demanded money. Authorities said he took an undisclosed amount of cash and fled the scene on foot. No injuries were reported. The suspect is described as 5’10-6’0′ tall, approximately 145lbs, with brown hair. He was wearing a black or blue jacket, red T-shirt, and blue jeans. The incident is still under investigation. Anyone with information about this case is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833).

GREGG COUNTY — One man has been hospitalized in a coma Friday after a motorcycle wreck Thursday afternoon at the intersection of Judson Road and East Hawkins Parkway in Longview. According to the Longview News-Journal, Kevin Heath Puckett, 41, Longview, was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center with life-threatening injuries after the crash. Puckett was traveling westbound in the inside lane of East Hawkins Parkway when he lost control of his 2006 Harley Davidson motorcycle and fell onto the roadway. Continue reading Motorcyclist in Coma Following Wreck

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Sheriff’s Department deputies are investigating a shooting just outside of Tyler this afternoon. Suspect, Joshua Pettigrew (pictured) turned himself in just before 5:30. The 31-year-old was booked into the Smith County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and evading arrest. According to KETK, the incident happened in the 7400 block of County Road 129. A male and female were reportedly involved in a domestic disturbance when the incident began. The male, who has not been named, was leaving the residence when the female, Tina Allen, 49, reportedly got a .22 caliber firearm and opened fire on the male, shooting him in the shoulder. Continue reading Couple Charged in Smith County Shooting

FLINT — A man has been arrested after his car ran off Highway 155 causing a fire to erupt in Flint. Dennis Smith, 29, Chandler, was arrested after driving off the highway, through a fence and into an RV. The RV and car then burst into flames. Investigating officers said Smith was high on synthetic marijuana, also known as K2. There were no injuries in the accident. Smith was booked into the Smith County Jail on a charge of DWI.

LONGVIEW — A felony suspect has been arrested after a Friday morning manhunt in Longview. Police say Jason Michael Brod, 34, was arrested and charged with an outstanding felony theft warrant, as well as felony burglary of a habitation, evading arrest, and possession of marijuana. Continue reading Felony Suspect Caught Following Manhunt

QUITMAN — Members of an East Texas family have been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity after Wood County authorities discovered stolen equipment at their home near Winnsboro. Jason Shane Anders turned himself in to authorities after he was charged with one count of engaging in organized criminal activity and one count of felony livestock theft. He was released on bonds totaling $40,000. His son, Dylan Anders, turned himself in on one charge of organized criminal activity. He was released on a $10,000 bond. Authorities expect a third suspect to be charged. Authorities were investigating a string of cattle thefts when they found the stolen property.