Missing Jefferson man found dead

JEFFERSON – Missing Jefferson man found deadUPDATE: Donovan Byrd, who was last seen on June 20, was reportedly found dead on Monday, according to our news partners at KETK. The Jefferson Police Department and the Marion County District Attorney’s Investigator found Byrd dead. Information is limited at this time. “The manner of his death and circumstance are still being investigated. Nothing further will be released at this time given that it is still an open investigation,” JPD said. “We extend our deepest condolences to Mr. Byrd’s family and friends during this very difficult time.”

North Texas recorded one of its hottest summers in 2023

DALLAS – KERA reports that north Texans should feel some relief from the heat after the Fourth of July. Daniel Huckaby, a National Weather Service meteorologist, said the persistent heat dome that set over Texas since June will break down over the top of the Dallas-Fort Worth area after the holiday. “It’s rare that it’s persistent throughout the season,” he said. “It tends to come and go over the course of the season.” Texas has recorded some of its hottest summers in recent decades. According to a report by the Texas Tribune, 19 summers since 2000 have been warmer than the 20th-century average as of 2023. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, seven of the last 30 years have ranked among the top ten years for the greatest consecutive 100 degree days in the summertime. National Weather Service data records show that 2023 and 2022 were in the top ten years for greatest consecutive 100 degree days for the region. But one difference between this year and the past two years is rain.

While 2023 and 2022 had some of the highest number of 100 degree days in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, there was also lower precipitation in April and May of those years compared to this year. Huckaby said this year’s spring rainfall could contribute to a milder summer. “Now that’s not to say that it won’t be hot, it’s always hot here in Texas in the summertime,” he said. “But, we do tend to mitigate those high temperatures just a bit.” During this year’s heat wave, Huckaby said temperatures in the Dallas-Fort Worth area hit 100 degrees a few times, but a lot of the days peaked at 90 degrees. “If we were in drought like we were the last couple summers, those probably would have all been triple digit days,” he said. “So that’s where the difference comes in.” However, Huckaby said the outlook is for the area to have a warmer summer than normal overall for June, July, and August due to a trend toward warmer summers. While this summer may not compare to last year — its second hottest on record — higher temperatures recorded in recent decades are still cause for concern.

Food banks struggle to keep up post-pandemic

AUSTIN – KUT reports that drivers line up down the street to grab groceries from a small, white house in the Dunbar neighborhood of San Marcos. For some time, the renovated house worked for the Hays County Food Bank, but as more and more people rely on it, the food bank has outgrown the space. Executive Director Lisa Young said overhanging tree branches and telephone wires also don’t allow trucks to bring in larger quantities of food. Now, the food bank is moving to a bigger building. “It’s going to be transformational for us,” Young said. The food bank distributes leftover produce, meat and baked goods from local grocery stores. Young said the volume of food the bank sends out has gone up every year since the pandemic. “In 2023, we distributed 1.3 million pounds of food through this little carport here,” she said. “That was a miracle.”

Sari Vatske, president and CEO of the Central Texas Food Bank, said more than 16% of adults and 25% of children in the region are food insecure. This means they don’t know if they will have enough food or where their next meal will come from. At the end of 2023, food insecurity in the 21 counties the Central Texas Food Bank serves — including Travis, Hays and Williamson — was at 14%. That’s slightly higher than the national average, according to Vatske. The phasing out of COVID-19 assistance, like stimulus checks and temporary food stamp programs, has increased reliance on food banks. Inflation has added to the strain. The USDA reports the cost of groceries should go up by about 2.5% each year, with some items like beef and eggs getting even more expensive annually. But prices increased overall by 11.4% in 2022 and another 5% in 2023. “We are surpassing the number of individuals that we’re serving now, beyond at the height of the pandemic,” Vatske said.

Victim in bus stop crash has died

Victim in bus stop crash has diedTYLER – Tyler PD Public Information Officer Andy Andy Erbaugh released a report that authorities are investigating a pedestrian crash on S. Broadway Ave that occurred Tuesday afternoon. A vehicle traveling northbound on Broadway left the roadway and struck the bus stop. The female victim, identified as Sandra Abrego, 43, of Tyler, was at the bus stop when she  was struck by the vehicle. Officials say she died as a result of her injuries. The vehicle that struck the pedestrian remained on scene. This case remains under investigation.

Polk, Trinity among counties affected in mass boil water notice

Polk, Trinity among counties affected in mass boil water noticePOLK COUNTY – The Lake Livingston Water Supply Corporation said 44 Polk County and 16 Trinity County systems are under a boil water notice due to Beryl. According to our news partner KETK, the following are under a boil water notice until repairs to a line break are complete and water is restored to full pressure. List of areas affected can be found here or below. Customers are urged to boil water before consuming it, washing their hands or face and brushing their teeth to ensure the destruction of harmful bacteria and other microbes. The water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil and then boiled for two additional minutes.

People are also encouraged to purchase bottle water or obtain water from another source. When the notice is rescinded, the public water system officials will notify customers, a release said.

For more information people can contact the water supply company at 936-327-3107 or 800-744-9283. Continue reading Polk, Trinity among counties affected in mass boil water notice

SWEPCO releases estimated power restoration times

SWEPCO releases estimated power restoration timesTYLER — According to our news Partner KETK, SWEPCO released estimated restoration times as they work to restore power to East Texas cities affected by severe damage from Beryl. The electric company said as of 7 p.m., power has been restored to nearly 36,000 customers so far. You can find the SWEPCO estimated restoration times for areas impacted by the storm here. Or sign up for email or text alerts for direct updates on estimated restoration time at their home or business. To sign up, customers can visit the SWEPCO website. Continue reading SWEPCO releases estimated power restoration times

NWS: a record 67 tornado warnings issued Monday

NWS: a record 67 tornado warnings issued MondayTYLER – The National Weather Service in Shreveport Monday reported a record number of tornado warnings in their storm coverage area, including East Texas. According to our new partner KETK, 67 tornado warnings were issued due to tropical storm Beryl moving up from the Texas coast.

NWS Shreveport said that the amount of tornado warnings Monday “are further proof that inland tropical impacts can also be quite extreme.”

Before Monday, the most tornado warnings in a day for the area was recorded on Dec. 27, 2015 with 36 tornado warnings.

Golf tournament raises more than $125K for UT Tyler scholarships

Golf tournament raises more than 5K for UT Tyler scholarshipsTYLER – The 2024 BMW of Tyler Patriot Golf Classic raised $126,900 that will go toward student scholarships at the University of Texas at Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, the golf tournament has been one of the university’s largest fundraising events since 1986, having raised a total of nearly $3 million.

UT Tyler President Julie Philley said in a release, “The money raised from this event will help our deserving students attain their academic goals. We are grateful to our community partners for their continued support.”

One injured in Jacksonville shooting

JACKSONVILLE – One injured in Jacksonville shootingA man is injured after a shooting early Tuesday morning in Jacksonville. According to our colleagues at KETK, police received a call about a shooting in the 700 block of Elm Street around 6:56 a.m. where they found a man with a gunshot wound. “The Jacksonville Police Department has identified the shooter and are working diligently towards apprehending the suspect,” authorities said. Jacksonville PD, Fire and EMS responded to the scene.

911 phone lines down in multiple East Texas locations

911 phone lines down in multiple East Texas locationsEAST TEXAS — Tyler Police Department 911 phone lines are down, according to a press release early Tuesday morning. Verizon has reportedly advised they have experienced outages due to recent storms. Smith County dispatch will be answering 911calls from within the city limits.  Alt numbers are 903-939-6001 or 903-566-6600.

In Longview, police say they are experiencing issues with their non-emergency lines for Verizon and T-Mobile customers only. Those who attempt to call will hear a busy signal. Officials said those affected should consider “delaying your call if possible,” but if it is an emergency, to dial 911.The system is reportedly working properly for all other providers and landline users.
Continue reading 911 phone lines down in multiple East Texas locations

Tyler shooting victim shot with AK-47

Tyler shooting victim shot with AK-47TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, a 19-year-old killed in a July 4 fatal shooting in Tyler was shot with an AK-47 style rifle after his friends car made a U-turn behind Bautista Auto, an arrest affidavit showed. The affidavit describes how Rawly Sanchez, 19, and his friends had to do a U-turn when they realized Old Gladewater Highway wouldn’t take them to Montgomery Gardens. When they turned behind Bautista Auto the driver reported seeing a person in a building with an AK-47-style rifle who started shooting at them.

Rawly was hit by the rifle and his friends took him to be treated at a local hospital where he died. Around the same time a Tyler Police Department officer was driving by Bautista Auto when he saw white Ford Explorer with bullet holes in the side. When the officer came back later the Ford was gone and then Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrived on scene. Continue reading Tyler shooting victim shot with AK-47

10 roadways blocked in Tyler after storms move through East Texas

10 roadways blocked in Tyler after storms move through East TexasTYLER – City of Tyler officials say that 10 roadways have downed powerlines or trees blocking them and people are asked to avoid these areas. According to our news partner KETK, these roads or intersections have one lane closed:

West 8th Street and South College Avenue
North Parkdale Drive and Lynn Drive
Belvedere Boulevard and Woodlawn Street
Shiloh Road and Paluxy Drive
Woodland Hills Drive and Cloverdale Drive
Woodland Hills Drive and Peggy Place
Amy Lane and Gail Lane
1903 N. Forest Ave.
320 S. Vine Ave.
421 W. Harpole St.

To contact the Streets Department to report flooded streets, potholes, sinkholes and downed trees, residents can call 903-531-1393 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Residents can also report these type of issues on the MyTyler app. In all cases, the city asks residents to watch for repair crews and to please drive accordingly.

Longview Police ask for help in finding missing man

Longview Police ask for help in finding missing manLONGVIEW — Officials are searching for a Longview man who was reported missing on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, missing 29-year old Stoney Johnson. Longview PD describes Johnson as 5 foot 9 inches, weighs around 150 pounds, has black hair and brown eyes. Johnson is thought to be driving a gray 2012 Ford Fusion with Texas license plate NNB7232. Anyone with information on Stoney Johnson’s location is asked to contact Longview PD at 903-237-1199.