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SMITH COUNTY — Two juveniles are back in custody following their escape Tuesday. Officials said they were apprehended around 9:30 Wednesday morning by Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputies and taken to the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center. Law enforcement officials had been  searching for two 16-year-old males that escaped the custody of a juvenile detention center after authorities said they scaled a fence. According to our news partner KETK, on Tuesday around 2:30 p.m., the two juveniles were in the welding shop of the H.O.P.E. Academy Vocational Residential Program when authorities said they ran away after scaling a fence while using welding gloves and jackets to help them “defeat the security wire on the fence.” The juveniles are on probation for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

WASKOM — According to the Caddo Parish Sheriff’s Office, detectives have arrested a Texas woman for firing a weapon at a couple in Greenwood over the weekend. Our news partner KETK reports that Alicia Whitfield, 40 of Waskom, was arrested after an investigation revealed she fired a weapon at her ex-boyfriend and a woman at the Tobacco Country Bar on Highway 80 in Greenwood, Louisiana. CPSO detectives stated that Whitfield fired several shots from her vehicle after she spotted the couple in the bar’s parking lot on Saturday night. The shots that were fired then struck the victim’s car four times, leaving two bullet holes in the passenger side door, one in a rear tire and one in the back window that exited through the front windshield. No one was injured in this incident. Continue reading Waskom woman arrested for domestic shooting

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK the Smith County Precinct 1 Commissioner Pam Frederick announced on Monday that she is running to be re-elected in 2024. Frederick, who is running as a Republican, was elected to the position in 2022 to fill the term of Neal Franklin, who replaced Rep. Nathaniel Moran as Smith County Judge. Previously she served Bullard for 20 years as member of city council and then as mayor. Frederick said her work as commissioner on the mental health crisis has brought tangible results. Specifically, Frederick said she was proud of creating a mental health diversion officer position at the Smith County Jail. Frederick concluded her announcement by saying that it’s been an honor to serve the community as commissioner. Continue reading Frederick announces Commissioner re-election bid

MARSHALL — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will hold a two-day wild horse and burro event Oct. 13-14 at the Marshall City Arena in Marshall, Texas. The event begins Friday, Oct. 13, at 10 a.m., and will feature 120 animals for adoption. Adoptions take place Oct. 13, noon-6 p.m. and Saturday, Oct 14, 8 a.m.-noon. As part of the program’s efforts to find every horse and burro a good home, BLM now offers up to $1,000 to adopt an untrained animal. This incentive is offered for every animal in Marshall. On July 26, 2021, BLM announced additional steps to secure the health and safety of animals through the Adoption Incentive Program, including conducting inspections of wild horses and burros within six months of the adoption date. Continue reading Wild horse and burro event in Marshall

TYLER – A Bullard man was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday after pleading guilty to leading authorities on a pursuit in a U-Haul van. Steven Shelton-Groves, 30 of Bullard, was arrested in February after officials at the time said they were alerted to him for driving a U-Haul van with stolen property. He also reportedly had a warrant for a parole violation as well. Officials attempted a traffic stop on the van, but said Shelton-Groves drove off and later crashed into two cars going south on Loop 323, injuring several people including himself and his passenger. Shelton-Groves pleaded guilty to evading arrest with a vehicle and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

HOUSTON COUNTY – One person was arrested and a 16-year-old reported missing from Dallas was released to her family after drugs, firearms and drug paraphernalia were found in an East Texas home, according to our colleagues at KETK. According to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrived to the home at 745 SH 21E on Sunday for a disturbance call and observed items that led them to believe drugs were being sold there. Continue reading Missing 16-year-old found during drug bust

TYLER – A mother accused of providing meth to her daughter was sentenced to 10 months in county jail on Monday according to our news partners at KETK. 35-year-old Lajuana Glass was accused alongside Johnny Michael Moore in May 2022 after a girl informed police she had run away and that she was scared of her mother and stepdad. The girl allegedly told police they live inside of a mechanic shop and Glass and Moore allegedly “provided meth to [the victim] before.” Court documents state that the victim tested positive for meth at the hospital and accused Glass and Moore of physically abusing her. Glass will serve 10 months in the Smith County Jail for the charge of abandoning/endangering a child criminal negligence. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced on Monday. Moore has a status hearing for the same charge on Oct. 6.

TYLER — Nicholas Pet Haven in Tyler said on Saturday that they’ll have to close their animal rescue at the end of this year if they can’t gather enough money to pay their bills. According to our news partner KETK, the nonprofit organization said that they had raised $4,750 towards their $16215 veterinarian bill at the time of their post but that vet bill doesn’t even include other bills like their ER bill. They added that they think many people might not be seeing their posts if they’ve been shadow banned by Facebook. To learn more about adopting a pet or about how to donate, click here to visit Nicholas Pet Haven online or call them at 903-312-7585.

TYLER — The East Texas Fair’s last day of the year was Sunday and that was likely their last day ever at the location next to the Rose Bowl. According to our news partner KETK, the fair has been held there next the Rose Bowl since 1912 but now there are reportedly plans in the works for a new location as their current contract comes to an end, according to East Texas State Fair president and CEO, John Sykes. Sykes said they’re still working on the plans and that he hopes to have an announcement soon. “We’re going to build a new fairgrounds. We’ve been trying to do that for many, many years. It’s expensive to do, especially infrastructure,” Sykes said. “If we had the infrastructure already established, it would be relatively easy to get the rest of it done. But don’t give up. I mean, we have some plans in our bucket right now that we’re going to really hopefully surprise some people of Tyler.”

LUFKIN — Pineywoods Community Academy will be closed today as the water Department repairs a major water leak that will shut down a portion of South Raguet Street for the next several hours. South Raguet from West Kerr Avenue to Pershing Avenue will be closed for the next 4-5 hours as the repair is made. Water service will be out in the area from Angelina Street to Timberland Drive. Kurth Memorial Library will also be closed today due to the water leak repair. Additional nearby areas may be affected. If students have in-person classes at Angelina College today they will still need to go, complete assignments, or check in with their instructors. Transportation will not be provided by PCA.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council picked a Tyler construction company to complete the Lindsey Park entrance enhancement project. The Lindsey Park project was won by Paragon Constructions and Associates. According to the city, the project will create a grander gateway with the addition of two archways over each of the park’s entrances off of Spur 364, which is a condition of this particular funding. Continue reading Lindsey Park’s new gateway is in the works

UPSHUR COUNTY – The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said that a 16-year-old juvenile has been arrested in connection to the burning of Mt. Lebanon CME Church on Friday. Upshur County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the fire at Mt. Lebanon CME Church, located on Squirrel Road off of FM 2088, around 7:41 p.m. on Friday. The fire burned the church so badly that it was a near complete loss, according to the sheriff’s office and our colleagues at KETK. Continue reading Minor arrested, allegedly burned Upshur County church