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LONGVIEW – Another vacant house in Longview has been damaged by fire. The latest occurred 3:00 this morning on Timpson Street. As investigators look into the cause of the fire, initial indications are it was deliberately set. There has been a string of arson fires in South Longview this year. It’s not know if the latest one is connected to the previous fires. A total of 10 have occurred in vacant homes. Gregg County Crime Stoppers has increased the reward for a tip leading to an arrest in the arson cases to $5,000.

TYLER – Acting Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran has taken his oath of office. It was administered Friday morning by U.S. District Judge Michael Schneider at the Smith County Commissioner’s Court meeting. He was selected for the post earlier this week. The position became vacant last month when Joel Baker was suspended without pay by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. The suspension followed Baker’s indictment for violations of the state’s Open Meetings Act. Moran will serve as county judge until either Baker is reinstated or his term expires in 2018. Moran has not decided if he will run for the post then. Continue reading Moran Takes Oath of Office

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating an early Friday morning shooting. Officers were called to a local hospital around 2:00 after a man with a gunshot wound to his upper torso showed up for treatment. The injury is not believed to be life threatening. The victim’s name was not released and additional information was not available. Continue reading Details Sought in Early Morning Shooting

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department is seeking the public’s help in locating in one of their most wanted fugitives. She is Gricelda Hernandez, 33, of Marshall. She is wanted for for an outstanding felony warrant for possession of a controlled substance. Hernandez is described as 5’2, 165 pounds with a medium build. Hernandez has black hair and brown eyes. if you have any information about Hernandez’s current location, please call them at 903-935-4575 or 903-935-4540. If you wish to remain anonymous call Marshall/Harrison County Crime Stoppers at 903-935-9969.

LONGVIEW- A Longview man has been arrested after being accused of shooting a woman several times. Charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon is Jose Isabel Garcia, 40. The man and woman had been arguing when Garcia is said to have grabbed her by the throat, then grabbed a pistol and shot her. The shooting occurred on Alpine Road around 7:00 Wednesday night. Garcia was arrested about an hour later on Colgate Drive. The woman is hospitalized while Garcia is in the Gregg County Jail under a $100,000 bond.

TYLER – A Tyler motorcycle officer has been injured a traffic accident. The accident happened around 1:45 Thursday afternoon. Injured was Sgt. Brian Tomlin, a 24 year veteran and supervisor of the day shift Traffic Unit. He was taken to East Texas Medical Center with non-life threatening injuries. He was heading south on the Old Jacksonville Highway and was at College Avenue when hit by an SUV driven by Richard Berger, 64, of Troup. Berger was cited for Fail-to-Yield-Right-of-Way from a stop sign.

TYLER – Hastings Entertainment will be closing all of its stores, including those in East Texas. The liquidation means the closing of the Tyler store on South Broadway and the Longview store on Loop 281 and stores in Nacogdoches and Mount Pleasant. Last month, Hastings announced it had filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and was seeking a buyer. At the completion of the sale process on Wednesday, the winning buyer was a joint venture that will instead oversee the liquidation of the Hastings Stores. They now say they will have an “everything must go sale” that will end October 31st at the latest.

TYLER – Suspended Smith County Judge Joel Baker has a hearing coming up before the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Court officials say Baker filed the request Wednesday for the post suspension hearing. It has been scheduled in Austin on August 11th. Following the hearing, the commission has 60 days to render a ruling. They can choose to continue the suspension, or terminate it or modify it. Baker was suspended without pay last month following his indictment for violations of the state’s Open Meetings Act.

LONGVIEW — East Texans celebrated the new Longview animal shelter Wednesday. KETK reports shelter donors, Mayor Andy Mack, and city officials gathered to recognize this shelter as a symbol of change in Longview. Mack said the shelter represents the city’s hard work and commitment toward taking better care of animals. Donor Sue Martin said her love for animals inspired her to join in and help. “We knew we had an opportunity to make this happen, so we all got together and everybody gave,” said Martin. It’s just a win-win for Longview and our animals.” The ceremony concluded with donor awards and an official ribbon-cutting ceremony.

SMITH COUNTY — A suspect wanted for evading arrest in Bullard has been taken into custody. A Bullard officer was attempting to conduct a traffic stop Wednesday afternoon on a car driving erratically when the suspect sped off. Police said the man reached the bridge near FM 756, got out of the car and ran. The car rolled into a creek nearby. Officers eventually called off the search due to the heat. Mason Johnston, 21, Jacksonville, was found walking on CR 113 just after 7:00 and was arrested. He was booked into the Smith County Jail with bond set at $10,000.

TYLER — West Nile Virus has turned up in a Tyler testing sample. On July 13, Tyler Mosquito Control (TMC) sent routine samples to Austin of mosquitoes collected from areas located throughout the City of Tyler, according to city officials. Results were received on July 19. One sample batch of mosquitoes taken from the 1400 block of Kidd Drive tested positive for West Nile virus. TMC immediately conducted a door-to-door campaign to inform and educate residents in the area about the virus and preventative measures. Continue reading Tyler Mosquito Control Finds West Nile Virus in Testing Sample

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department is offering safety tips during high temperatures. According to the National Weather Service, afternoon temperatures are expected to climb into the upper 90s to near 100 degrees. When combined with the humidity, the Heat Index will range from 105°F TO 109°F over Southeastern Oklahoma, Southwest Arkansas, North Louisiana, and East Texas. This will create a situation in which heat-related illnesses are possible. Very high body temperatures can cause severe damage to the brain and other vital organs, and even death. Continue reading Tyler Fire Department Urges Caution during High Heat

TYLER — The outside northbound lane of Old Jacksonville Highway in Tyler just south of the Brookshire’s museum is closed to repair a water main break in the area. The City of Tyler Water Service Center states that the water should be back on by 6:00 this evening. Drivers are asked to find alternate routes of travel, if possible, to avoid delays. Those that need to travel in this area are asked to proceed with caution.

PALESTINE — Palestine police are investigating after Blow Vapor Zone was robbed Tuesday morning around 8:00. According to KETK, the victim said while she was working at the business, the robber entered the office where she was sitting and displayed a handgun. She said the suspect ordered her to give him the money. The victim reported that she gave the robber the money she had. The man led her to the bathroom at gunpoint, then locked her in the bathroom, where she stayed for approximately 20 minutes before calling police. The victim said she was the only person inside the business during the robbery. The thief left the location with an undisclosed amount of money. Continue reading Palestine Police Investigate Robbery

ATHENS — The board of trustees at Trinity Valley Community College in Athens have announced Dr. Jerry King is the finalist for the position of President of the college. King was named President Pro Tem for the school in May. The post became vacant in late April when school trustees suspended president Glendon Forgey. He later submitted his resignation. Trustees are scheduled to meet with Dr. King during Monday night’s meeting. No action is scheduled to be taken. When named President Pro Tem, King was serving as the school’s Vice president of Instruction. He has been with the school since 1975, serving in a variety of positions. He was even Mayor of Athens for for 10 years, starting in 1995.

KILGORE — Kilgore College will hold a public ceremony July 28 to officially re-open the Randolph C. Watson Library and dedicate the new Mike Miller Plaza on the Kilgore campus. The grand re-opening and dedication are set for 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. in front of the library. Refreshments will be served and tours of the renovated library will be available, according to a KC news release. Built in in 1967, the library underwent a $2 million redesign and renovation over the last year with Transet Co. serving as project manager. Continue reading Grand Re-Opening of Library, Dedication of Mike Miller Plaza Set for July 28

TYLER — Oakwood Cemetery was given a grant from Historic Tyler Incorporated. With the money, they used new technology to find unmarked graves. According to KETK, in the cemetery there’s white spray paint on the grass, marking areas where they think hidden graves are located. They think they’ve found more than 170 unmarked graves. They say the grant has helped them define the cemetery’s past a little better. The Oakwood Cemetery was established in 1846. There’s a lot of history inside the grave site. The Oakwood Cemetery restoration committee said it’s their mission to uncover some of that history. They received grant money to use ground penetrating radar technology. With the money, they’ve been able to detect old graves that were unmarked.

TROUP — An East Texas woman is said to be in stable condition after a near-drowning. It happened around 9:00 Tuesday morning in Troup. According to KETK, the woman was swimming in the family pool when she lost consciousness. First responders were able to respond quickly and stabilized the woman. She was taken to a local hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has named Dr. Julie Delello director of its Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. Delello is a UT Tyler School of Education faculty member with more than 20 years of experience as a practicing K-16 educator and administrator. She will oversee the center which promotes campus conversations among faculty regarding teaching and learning which are inspired by new developments in higher education. Members of UT Tyler’s Academy of Distinguished Teachers will assist Delello as center advisers.

HARRISON COUNTY – A Gregg County man has died in a one vehicle accident in Harrison County. Pronounced dead at the scene was 24 year old Cody Ryan Rittermeyer of Longview. The Department of Public Safety says his car left the road and he over corrected. The car then rolled. The accident happened around 10:30 Monday night on a service road of Interstate Highway 20 near mile marker 597.

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court Tuesday selected Nathaniel Moran as acting county judge following the recent suspension of Judge Joel Baker. KETK reports Moran is an attorney with the Ramey & Flock firm. His current practice involves both transactional work and litigation. His primary areas of practice revolve around representing businesses. Moran will take the oath of office Friday. Continue reading Nathaniel Moran Named Interim Smith County Judge

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Officials have recovered the body of a drowning victim from Lake Jacksonville. Officials said around 7:00 Sunday night, a young man was swimming near the concession too close to the dam when he went under. His body was recovered less than an hour later. The victim was later identified as Mario D’Andre Burns, 23, Athens.

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating two armed robberies. Officials said an armed suspect reportedly robbed the Valero gas station, 1301 WSW Loop 323, around 9:30 last night. According to the clerk, a Hispanic man wearing a blue hoodie, jeans, and something covering his face had displayed a handgun and demanded money. He fled the scene with an unknown amount of cash. Authorities said about 10 minutes later, they received a report of another armed robbery at the Food Fast, 5120 Old Jacksonville Highway. The suspect’s description was the same as the previous. An undisclosed amount of cash was taken. No injuries were reported. Contact police with any information.

LONGVIEW — Edwards Moving and Rigging of Shelbyville, Ky., is reminding motorists to avoid the route of a convoy that will be wrapping up its trip through East Texas today as it heads to the Eastman plant in Longview. The company began moving a very tall cold box from The Port of Caddo-Bossier, La., Friday at 9:00 a.m. According to a news release from the company, the convoy of men and equipment will average 5 mph again tosday. This super load is much like the one the company transported in July 2015 and will travel the same route. Continue reading Super Load Embarks on Final Leg of Trip to Longview

WINONA – A weekend accident in Smith County has killed a Dallas man. The vehicle/pedestrian accident occurred shortly after 3:45 Sunday morning on Interstate Highway 20, about 5 1/2 miles southeast of Winona. Dead at the scene was Reginald Erwin, 40. He was struck by a car driven by a Longview teenager, Daisy Alavarez. DPS Sgt. Jean Dark reports the car was heading east on the interstate when it swerved to avoid an accident in the roadway and hit the pedestrian.

MARSHALL – Marshall police are looking for a man reported missing over the weekend. Frank Ellis Jr., 27, of Marshall, was reported missing last Saturday by his girlfriend. The last time anyone spoke with Ellis was on the telephone last Wednesday. He is said to stand 5’9″ and weighs around 172 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. It’s not known what Ellis was wearing when he disappeared. If you know where Ellis can be found, you are asked to call the Marshall Police Department at 903-935-4575. You can also call Marshall/Harrison County Crimestoppers at 903-935-9969.

AUSTIN – The Smith County Bar Association has walked off with one of the awards during the State Bar of Texas Bar Leaders Conference. At last weekend’s Houston conference, the Smith County Bar Association was recognized for its access to justice efforts. This includes more than 100 of its members volunteering to assist pro bono clients. The association contracts with a volunteer coordinator who manages more than 35 active pro bono cases each month.