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SHELBY COUNTY – Shelby County Game Wardens are searching for someone who killed and dumped an alligator on Friday or Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the alligator was captured, killed and dumped on either late Friday night or early Saturday morning at the Pinkston Reservoir boat ramp on County Road 1211. Anyone with information on the gator dumping is asked to call Game Warden Sam Anderson or Austin Cryer at 936-332-8487 or 936-591-7265.

GILMER – According to our news partner KETK, the Gilmer Police Department is asking for the public’s help finding the parents or guardian of a 3 or 4-year-old girl found in Gilmer. The girl is white, has brown hair, brown eyes, weighs 41 pounds and is 3-foot-3-inches tall. According to Gilmer PD, she was found with a purple night gown and a diaper on. Gilmer PD said she couldn’t tell them where she lives, her name or her parents or guardians names.

Anyone with information about the girl is asked to call Gilmer PD at 903-843-5545.

LONGVIEW – Longview ISD announced that some high school students who participated in a “prank” that vandalized school property are suspended. According to our news partner KETK with the suspension, they were barred from from participating in graduation. Officials from LISD said in a release, several students were suspected of participating in a “senior prank” between Wednesday and Thursday at the high school. The district also announced that there were also students involved from a “neighboring high school,” Longview ISD has contacted officials from their districts as well.

Longview ISD said, “While we believe important milestones should be celebrated and we understand the long-standing tradition of ‘senior pranks’ at high schools across the country there is a clear line between a prank and the destruction of public property. The disruption of student learning, monetary costs to our district, extra burden on our hard-working staff, and disregard for community property will not be tolerated.”
Continue reading Longview seniors barred from graduation following ‘senior prank’

TYLER – With graduation right around the corner, students and their families are looking forward to celebrating the conclusion of years of hard work. Our partner KETK has a list of graduation ceremonies in East Texas and when they occur. You can find it here.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County residents living in the Commissioner Precinct 3 area began casting their ballots Monday during early voting for the Republican Primary Runoff Election. The only race on the ballot will be for the Smith County Precinct 3 Commissioner Runoff. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, May 20-24, Smith County Commissioner Precinct 3 residents can cast their ballots at The Hub, located at 304 E. Ferguson Street, in Tyler; or Lindale’s Kinzie Community Center, at 912 Mt. Sylvan St., in Lindale.

Because of the construction of Smith County’s parking garage next door to the The Hub, Ferguson Street is closed to drivers. The parking lot across from The Hub is still open for parking, but drivers will have to enter and exit at the intersection of Ferguson Street and Center Avenue. There will be voter parking-marked spaces, with the closest one to The Hub being used for curbside voting.

Smith County has launched a new, easy-to-use interactive map on its website. If you need to make sure you live in the area covered by Commissioner Precinct 3, and when and where you can vote for this runoff, click here and click on the “Interactive Map of Smith County” link. Continue reading Early voting began Monday in runoff election

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine received a $900,000 gift from Texas Mutual Insurance Company to support the occupational and environmental medicine residency. According to a university news release, the six-year gift will expand the residency by 50%. After medical school, physicians complete a three-to-seven-year residency to receive specialized training and obtain an unrestricted license to practice medicine.

According to the Texas Physician Pipeline Mode, 58.9% of physicians who completed their graduate medical education in Texas stayed in the state to practice.

“With the generous support from Texas Mutual, our occupational and environmental medicine residency program will be able to expand, allowing us to train more physicians who will remain committed to serving East Texas,” said Dr. Brigham C. Willis, UT Tyler School of Medicine founding dean. “Having physicians who are deeply rooted in the community is vital for understanding and addressing local health care needs.” Continue reading UT Tyler School of Medicine receives $900k gift

CAMP COUNTY — Our news partners at KETK report the Camp County Sheriff’s Office said a 37-year-old man has been arrested for possession of child pornography. Sheriff John Cortelyou said a search warrant was obtained for Christopher Joseph Daigre’s residence. Cortelyou said Daigre is a registered sex offender. During a non-custodial interrogation, a type of police questioning where the individual is not in police custody, officials said Daigre admitted to possession of child pornography on his cell phone, and showed officers “files containing child sexual abuse material.” The sheriff’s office said in a release they have obtained Daigre’s computer equipment for further investigation.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler President Dr. Kirk Calhoun has been elected to the board of directors for the holding company of Southside Bank. According to our news partner KETK, Calhoun, who will step down as UT Tyler president at the end of May,was elected Wednesday to serve on the Southside Bancshares Inc. board of directors . He will still serves as chair of the UT Health East Texas board of directors.

Lee R. Gibson, president and CEO of Southside said, “We are proud to welcome Dr. Calhoun to Southside’s boards. He has led UT Tyler and UT Health Science Center through extraordinary change and growth and is well-respected across the state. Dr. Calhoun is a true visionary and I have no doubt he will bring great contributions and depth to Southside’s boards. We look forward to the impact his contributions will have on the Bank, our communities, clients, customers, and shareholders.”

Southside Bancshares Inc. is the holding company for the East Texas headquartered Southside Bank.

NACOGDOCHES – Authorities in Nacogdoches said they are searching for a suspect after a child was struck Thursday morning in a hit-and-run crash according to our news partners at KETK.

Officers were still at the scene in the 2100 block of Looneyville Street, as of 8 a.m., and said preliminary information shows a white SUV struck the child and fled the scene.

“The child is believed to be in stable condition and is being treated,” officials with Nacogdoches PD said. “Our officers are still looking for the suspect and vehicle.”

TYLER — It’s a spinoff from last summer’s Dr Pepper Float Ice Cream, Blue Bell Ice Cream will begin selling a highly requested flavor this summer. According to our news partner KETK, the new flavor is A&W Root Beer Float. The A&W Root Beat Float is a creamy vanilla ice cream swirled together with a root beer flavored sherbet.

John Neal Robinson, Blue Bell general sales manager said in a release, “We received many requests for an A&W Root Beer Float Ice Cream. After the huge success of Dr Pepper Float Ice Cream last year, we were ready to work together on another delicious flavor. We recommend enjoying a few scoops in a chilled mug just like your favorite root beer.”

Blue Bell said the new flavor is now available and will be sold in the half gallon and pint sizes through 2025.

HENDERSON COUNTY– A former business manager for an East Texas school district pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing funds from the school in federal court. According to our news partner KETK, 38-year-old Brandon Delane Looney pleaded guilty to theft from a program receiving federal funds while serving as Trinidad ISD’s business manager. Prosecutors said that Looney embezzled more than $300,000 between 2017 and 2023 during his time at Trinidad ISD. Looney could face up to a decade in prison, a fine and mandatory restitution to Trinidad ISD for the funds he stole.

TYLER — The East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) is seeking applicants for GoBus operator positions in East Texas. According to our news partner KETK, ETCOG previously said they were accepting applications for positions in Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt and Wood counties. They held a job fair on Tuesday in hopes of filling the positions.

ETCOG said they are seeking applicants with a high school diploma or equivalent, at least two years of professional driving and customer service experience.

“GoBus is integral to the region and its communities, providing connectivity, fostering economic activity, and ensuring safe, reliable, and friendly transportation services. GoBus staff are dedicated and caring individuals representing the core of East Texans, and in seeking new team members, we hope to present a culture that prioritizes the community and those that work to aid its citizens,” Vince Huerta, ETCOG’s Director of Transportation, said.

Click here for an application.

JACKSONVILLE – According to our news partner KETK, the four fallen Jacksonville police officers were honored on Wednesday for their sacrifice and service as a part of National Police Week. The Jacksonville Police Department and other law enforcement agencies came together to remember the local fallen officers. The names of the officers will be added on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington. National Police Week was first established by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 to pay respect and offer recognition to officers who died protecting others.

“It’s important that we take time every year to stop and remember them and their sacrifice and their service to our community,” Jacksonville Police Chief Joe Williams said.