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SMITH COUNTY — Authorities say a murder/suicide is under investigation in Smith County. Officials say at 8:53 p.m. on Friday, Smith County Communications received a 911 call from a reportedly frantic female advising that her son, Cody Hand, had just shot her husband, Dale Hand, and she believed her husband was dead. Deputies responded to an address on County Road 3111 near Gladewater. While deputies were responding to the location, they were informed that Cody Hand was still armed. Moments later, deputies were informed that Cody Hand had just shot himself. Continue reading Sheriff’s Office investigates murder/suicide

TYLER — The City of Tyler Municipal Court is offering a Warrant Solution Program for the month of February. According to a news release, any defendant with outstanding City of Tyler warrants may voluntarily appear in Court to request a payment plan without the risk of being arrested. Defendants eligible for the Warrant Solution Program will receive 1) a $50 reduction on each outstanding case and be allowed 14 days to make the initial down payment to establish a payment plan, or 2) receive a $50 reduction on each outstanding case and an additional $25 reduction on each unadjudicated case if the entire balance is paid in full. Defendants who are unable to pay the authorized monthly installment will be allowed the opportunity to see a judge to explain their circumstances. Continue reading Tyler Municipal Court offers “Warrant Solution Program” throughout February

TYLER — Officials are releasing details on a brief weekend chase that involved a collision and injuries. According to a news release, at 5:50 Saturday morning, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office received information that Steven Shelton-Groves was in the area of Hebron Road and County Road 384 driving a U-Haul van, allegedly with stolen property.  It was also discovered that Shelton-Groves had an outstanding warrant for parole violation stemming from an alleged weapons violation and was flagged as potentially being armed and dangerous.  A Smith County deputy was driving near the area and was stopped at Old Longview Road and Loop 323 when she observed a U-Haul with a man driving.  She then followed the vehicle, reportedly observed multiple traffic violations, and initiated a traffic stop.  Continue reading Man arrested after short pursuit involving crash, injuries

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District for the week of February 13. In Gregg County, weather permitting, Longview maintenance will continue mill and inlay operations on FM 2207. Crews will also be patching potholes at various locations throughout the county. This will be a mobile operation. In 
Smith County, Tyler maintenance will have a crew performing ditch work on Loop 323 near FM 14. Expect one lane closure. When that’s complete, this crew will move to FM 850 to perform fog seal operations. Both locations will be off SH 31 towards Overton. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has announced the successful transition of its Honors Program to a new Honors College, according to a university news release. Honors programming, which began in 2009 with an inaugural cohort of 20 students, has grown to about 200 students and is projected to reach 300 students by fall 2025. Dr. Paul Streufert, UT Tyler associate professor and founding director of the former Honors Program, has been appointed inaugural dean-elect for the new college. UT Tyler’s Honors College is the sixth within the UT System. Continue reading UT Tyler announces new Honors College

SMITH COUNTY — In a Tyler Federal Court last week, Dusty Caudill and David Bartlett pleaded guilty to a conspiracy to transport wildlife in Interstate Commerce and to violating the Endangered Species Act. In February of 2021, Caudill and Barlett attempted to negotiate the sale of two African elephant ivory tusks with an undercover U.S. Fish and Wildlife agent. The tusks were transported from Ardmore, Oklahoma, to Tyler. A third man, Darryl Garcia, still awaits his day in court.

TYLER – Tyler Police report that a woman’s body was discovered Saturday morning in the parking lot of Clear Springs restaurant. According to officials and our news partner KETK, someone at the restaurant reported the body to police around 12:30 a.m. The body was sent for autopsy, according to Tyler PD Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh. Erbaugh said that there is no foul play suspected.

WASHINGTON – Texas Republican Congressman Nathaniel Moran Thursday introduced a bill designed so classified documents won’t be mishandled or misplaced. According to our news partner KETK, the proposed measure is called the Information Security Investment Act. If passed, it would stipulate that every member of federal government elected complete twice yearly training on how to safely keep and store classified documents. With the passage of the bill, those impacted by it, would need to have their training complete with a six month period.

RAINS COUNTY – An early Saturday morning bus crash in Rains County, put six students and their bus driver from Alba-Golden ISD in a Tyler hospital. According to our news partner KETK, authorities say the bus, on the way to a UIL academic meet, crashed into a vehicle that had crossed the center line. The school district announced that no major injuries happened and everyone was released from the hospital by late Saturday afternoon. Alba-Golden Superintendent Macie Thompson said in a release, “Pending the DPS investigation, the AGISD bus driver was not at fault.”

TROUP — According to our news partner KETK, Cooper Reid, the Troup High School who was injured in a September football game with a brain injury is leaving a rehabilitation facility February 15th. Since the injury, Troup and East Texas has shown a tremendous amount of support for Cooper and his family. Reid’s mother asked for prayers and a safe trip home on the 15th in her Facebook post.

UPSHUR COUNTY – Upshur County District Judge Jerald Dean Fowler II pleaded guilty to a driving while intoxicated charge according to Jacob Putman, the Smith County District Attorney, who presided over the case. Fowler was sentenced to one year of probation. He is the 115th District Court judge. Fowler was arrested after a crash in Gilmer in September of 2022. Putman said a DWI is not an offense that an official can be removed for. He said the state judicial conduct commission can decide whether they want to take action.

TYLER — The Tyler City Council signs off on a new hiring option for the police department. Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh says the department has been working on the Prior Service Credit Program for quite some time. Under the program, new Tyler officers can get pay based on up to seven years’ prior experience with other police departments. Erbaugh notes that the move was very timely since hiring is underway as of February 10, continuing through March 16. He says the program is a good way to get more people to apply and that it’s great to have applicants with experience in police work. You can click this link to submit your application.

TYLER — Keep Tyler Beautiful (KTyB) invites the community to help paint the next KTyB restroom mural at P.T. Cole Park on S. Vine St. The event will be held March 11 from 9 to 11 a.m. — just in time for the Grand Opening of the park after a full renovation on March 18. Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult at all times during the event. According to a news release, this mural will be the first restroom mural of its kind in Tyler, with all seven others being painted by an individual artist. For more information about mural opportunities or Keep Tyler Beautiful, visit this link, contact Erin Garner, KTyB Community Coordinator, at (903) 531-1335, or email KTyB@TylerTexas.com.

TYLER — Dr. Cheryl McCullumsmith has been appointed as the Robert M. Rogers Distinguished University Professor and Founding Chair for The Robert M. Rogers Department of Psychiatry at The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine, beginning June 2023. “We welcome Dr. McCullumsmith to UT Tyler, and with her expertise and experience in psychiatry and neuroscience, we look forward to the valuable contributions she will bring to the School of Medicine,” said UT Tyler President Dr. Kirk Calhoun, as quoted in a news release. McCullumsmith is currently psychiatry chair at the University of Toledo, chief medical officer for value based care for the University of Toledo Physicians, and lead of the statewide Ohio Behavioral Health Taskforce. Continue reading Psychiatry chair announced for UT Tyler School of Medicine