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TYLER Two Smith County Sheriff’s Office employees have been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of a current administrative and criminal investigation. According to a news release from SCSO, Josh and Krista Caulkins were both placed on administrative leave by Chief Deputies Robert Carlson and Fred Little Tuesday at 4:00 p.m. The investigation was initiated regarding an alleged fictitious college degree being submitted on behalf of Josh Caulkins which would qualify him for additional compensation. Continue reading Two Smith County Sheriff’s Office Employees Placed on Leave

JACKSONVILLE — According to Jacksonville Fire Department Chief Brent Smith, a veteran fire captain passed away Monday night. Kevin McKinney, a 31-year veteran of the Jacksonville Fire Department, had been on medical leave for a couple months battling a lengthy illness. Continue reading Fire Department Mourns the Loss of Their Captain

TYLER — Grammy Award winning artist, Dwight Yoakam will headline the next Cattle Barron’s Gala in Smith County. The 2015 Cattle Barons’ Gala Committee made the announcement yesterday. The 28th annual event entitled “Remember the Cause,” benefiting the American Cancer Society, will be held on Saturday June 13, 2015 at Harvey Convention Center. The theme pays tribute to those who have lost the battle and salutes all of the brave who continue to fight against cancer. As the third largest Cattle Barons’ Gala (following Dallas and Houston), this annual event helps raise money to benefit the American Cancer Society. Since Tyler’s first Gala in 1988, thousands of volunteers have raised over 10 million dollars for cancer research, education and patient services. – See more at: http://www.ktbb.com/post/?p=319067#sthash.kSaoentc.dpuf

WASHINGTON (AP/STAFF) — The Democrat-controlled Senate has defeated a bill to approve the Keystone XL oil pipeline. The southern leg of the pipeline runs through much of East Texas, including southern Smith County. It’s been transporting crude oil since January. The Senate’s 59-41 vote Tuesday night was a nail-biter to the end. The bill needed 60 votes to reach the White House. The House passed it overwhelmingly last week. President Barack Obama did not support the bill, but the White House has been mum on whether or not he will veto it. Democrat Sen. Mary Landrieu pushed for the vote in an effort to save her seat in a December 6 runoff election in Louisiana. She faces an uphill battle against Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy, who authored the House bill. All Republicans said publicly they supported the Senate bill, as did several moderate Democrats.

JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Police Department is searching for a suspect wanted for allegedly robbing a gas station at gunpoint in the 1600 block of South Jackson Street around 5:38 last Saturday morning. KETK reports the suspect allegedly displayed a handgun and demanded all of the money from the register. After receiving the money, the suspect then left the store in a dark maroon or black older model vehicle that is missing its back left hubcap. Any information regarding the suspect or his identification can be give to the Jacksonville Police Department or by contacting Detective Chase Berryhill, who is currently working the case. The police department’s main number is (903) 586-2546. Detective Berryhill can be reached at (903) 586-2704.

NEW SUMMERFIELD — Cherokee County authorities have released more information on a weekend fire that killed two people. According to a news release, just before 6:45 Sunday evening, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office received a call on 9-1-1 about a trailer house on fire. The trailer was located on the property of Joe Smith plant farm, on Highway 79 east of Jacksonville, at the intersection of County Road 4208. The New Summerfield Volunteer Fire Department and sheriff’s deputies were the first to respond to the location. Upon their arrival it was discovered that at least two occupants were in the house at the time the fire started. Continue reading More Details Released on Double-Fatality Fire

TYLER — A 32-year-old Flint woman has been sentenced to 54 months in federal prison for student financial aid fraud. Mindy Ritch pleaded guilty May 5 and was sentenced yesterday in Tyler by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. Ritch was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $564,447.72. Continue reading Flint Woman Sentenced to Prison for Student Financial Aid Fraud

TYLER — Habitat for Humanity of Smith County has been awarded a $78,761 U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development Housing Preservation Grant. Officials say the grant will be used to rehabilitate 46 homes of very low and low income homeowners in rural Smith County. The check presentation was held Tuesday at the local Habitat office at 822 West Front Street in Tyler. Continue reading Smith County Habitat Gets USDA Grant

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A Van Zandt County home has been destroyed by fire. KETK reports that the county fire marshal, along with the Grand Saline and Fruitvale Fire Departments, responded to the blaze Tuesday morning. The fire erupted on Van Zandt County Road 1712, north of Grand Saline. One person was taken to the hospital for evaluation; authorities said the person’s injuries were minor. Crews extinguished the fire in the early afternoon.

COFFEE CITY — Two people were killed over the weekend in a head-on collision in Coffee City. According to KETK, Police Chief Donny Malone says a car and truck collided on Farm Road 3505, about two and a half miles from State Highway 155, at around 11:45 Saturday morning. The road connects Farm Road 315 and Highway 155. Malone said the truck, driven by a man, was headed west and the car, driven by a woman, was traveling east toward 155. A preliminary crash report had not yet been filed at last report. The victims’ names were being withheld due to the ongoing investigation, according to Malone. Authorities did state the man was around the age of 50 and the woman 60. Next of kin has been notified. DPS troopers, sheriff’s deputies and EMS crews also responded to the scene.

SMITH COUNTY A home was destroyed by a Tuesday morning fire in Smith County. The Smith County Fire Marshals Office says officials responded to a home in the 5600 block of Farm to Market Road 346 East around 2:45 a.m. According to KETK, investigators are currently trying to determine the cause of the fire. No injuries were reported.

TYLER — A Spring Hill High School athlete who suffered a life-threatening concussion November 7 has been released from the hospital. Garrett Plumlee is recovering at his grandmother’s house in Tyler, according to his father, Gregg County Precinct 1 Constable James Plumlee. KETK reports Garrett took a hit in the third quarter of his final football game and suffered a concussion. Once he was rushed to the hospital, doctors discovered the senior quarterback had experienced a brain hemorrhage. He was then flown to a Plano hospital. Plumlee eventually woke up and became coherent the following Sunday; his brain bleed had stopped. The student was later moved out of ICU and into a primary care unit in Plano before heading to Tyler.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) – The NFL has suspended Adrian Peterson without pay for at least the rest of the season. The league said Tuesday it informed the Minnesota Vikings running back he will not be considered for reinstatement before April 15 for violating the NFL personal conduct policy. The NFL Players Association quickly announced its plan to appeal the punishment. Peterson, of Palestine, pleaded no contest Nov. 4 to misdemeanor reckless assault in Texas for injuries to his 4-year-old son he was disciplining. He had been on paid leave from the team since Sept. 17. Commissioner Roger Goodell announced Aug. 28 an enhanced crackdown on players involved with domestic violence.

LIVINGSTON – The Big Sandy (Polk County) High School principal has been arrested on charges of having an improper relationship with a high school student. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office tells KETK that Kevin Ivy, 36, of Dallardsville, was arrested after officials were told he was sending “sexually explicit” text messages to a female high school student. Ivy resigned from the district last week. Ivy, a former Hallsville varsity boys basketball coach, was booked into the Polk County Jail on Monday on a $12,000 bond. Continue reading Polk County Principal Arrested; Once Coached at Hallsville

WASHINGTON (AP/Staff) — Supporters of a Senate bill to approve the Keystone XL pipeline are still scrambling to find one last vote with the clock ticking. If approved and once completed, the pipeline will begin transporting controversial tar sands oil through East Texas, including eastern Smith County. The southern leg of the pipeline began transporting crude along that route in January. Continue reading Supporters of Oil Pipeline Scramble for Last Vote

LOS ANGELES — Former East Texas resident Matthew McConaughey gets another honor from Hollywood: he got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame Monday. The star of “Interstellar” and “Dallas Buyer’s Club” says he’s thrilled. McConaughey remarked, “I look forward to Monday morning, to goin’ to work. That I’m proud to be able to say. This industry’s given me a lot; it’s given me a chance to live out some dreams I didn’t even know I had.” McConaughey’s originally from Uvalde and grew up in Longview. He graduated from U.T.-Austin in 1993.

QUITMAN — The mother of two East Texas children who were found dead last summer has been arrested and charged with two counts of capital murder. According to KETK, the Quitman Police Department says Daphne Elizabeth McDaniels, 24, was arrested Monday and charged with the murder of her daughters, Gabriella Guerrero, 3, and Natalye Price, 1. McDaniels now lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Quitman Police Captain Terry Bevels says the investigation took months, with interviews conducted in three different states. According to the autopsy, the girls died from blunt force trauma to the head. In July, the two young girls were found dead inside an apartment unit at the Dogwood Villa in Quitman. Continue reading Mother Arrested in Quitman Children’s Deaths

NEW SUMMERFIELD — Two people were killed Sunday night as the result of a house fire in Cherokee County. According to KETK, a Jacksonville Fire Department spokesman said JFD crews assisted the New Summerfield Volunteer Fire Department at a blaze on County Road 4208 off Highway 79 E. According to Wayne Bailey, president of the New Summerfield Board of Fire Departments, one victim was pronounced dead the scene and another passed away at the hospital. The victims’ identities were not immediately released. Bailey said the fire took place around 7:30 p.m.

LONGVIEW — Longview police are investigating a weekend gunfire incident that erupted at a house party. At 1:23 Sunday morning, police were dispatched to a shooting that had just occurred in the 1400 Block of Mahlow Drive. When officers arrived they were told by witnesses that there was a party at the location for some students from a nearby college. The party had been posted on social media and people who were not invited had shown up at the home. There was a confrontation between several of the people attending the party. This confrontation led to several shots being fired from an unknown weapon or weapons. Two of the party attendees were hit by bullets and were transported to Good Shepherd Medical Center with what were termed non-life-threatening injuries. Continue reading Weekend House Party Ends in Gunfire

SMITH COUNTY — Officials Monday identified a man who they say died after accidentally shooting himself at a Smith County gun range. The victim was Gary Dooley, 62, of Hideaway. Justice of the Peace Precinct 2 Gary Alfred ordered an autopsy. Continue reading Authorities Identify Man Shot, Killed at Gun Range

TYLER — East Texas Medical Center has received a couple of national honors. ETMC Tyler been recognized as a 2013 Top Performer on Key Quality Measures by The Joint Commission, the leading accreditor of health care organizations in the United States, according to an ETMC news release. ETMC Tyler was recognized as part of The Joint Commission’s 2014 annual report “America’s Hospitals: Improving Quality and Safety.” Hospital officials say that recognition came for attaining and sustaining excellence in accountability measure performance for heart attack, heart failure, pneumonia and surgical care. ETMC Tyler is one of 1,224 hospitals in the United States to achieve the 2013 Top Performer distinction. Continue reading Two Honors for ETMC

CANTON — The Van Zandt County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating what’s termed a suspicious fire that occurred early Sunday morning. KETK reports the blaze broke out around 1:00 a.m. at the Canton Apartments. According to fire officials, someone entered an apartment and burglarized it prior to setting it on fire. Anyone with information about this fire is urged to call the fire marshal’s office, the Canton Police Department, or Van Zandt County Crimestoppers at (903) 567-STOP.

LONGVIEW – Memorial services for Longview siblings killed in a car accident over the weekend will be held Tuesday at 10 a.m. at Rader Funeral Home. The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the three-vehicle collision occurred near Harris in southeastern Oklahoma. The patrol told reporters that John Nguyen, 22, and Jenny Nguyen, 16, were dead at the scene of the crash on U.S. Highway 259 in McCurtain County on Saturday. The OHP reported that a car driven northbound by John Nguyen crossed the center line of the highway and collided with the rear of a southbound sport utility vehicle, then was struck head-on by another southbound vehicle. Continue reading Services Set for Longview Siblings Killed in Oklahoma Crash

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at work planned in the Tyler District during the Week of November 17, 2014:

SMITH COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) maintenance crews in Tyler this week will be doing edge work on Farm Road 2813 between U.S. Highway 69 and Farm Road 2493. Look for the roadway to be reduced to one lane with flaggers directing traffic through the work zone. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER — Saturday morning a woman found her Tyler restaurant burglarized. Arletha Westley is the owner of Annie Mae’s Soul Food Restaurant, off Frankston Highway and Old Noonday Road. “Hey, we’re all working trying to make it,” Westley told KETK. We all put a lot into this business, and I don’t want anyone to rob me or anyone else.” Continue reading Owner Reacts after Tyler Restaurant Is Burglarized

GILMER (AP/STAFF) – An administrator for East Texas Medical Center in Gilmer says fewer patients and declining federal reimbursement rates are forcing the facility to close. ETMC Gilmer stopped providing inpatient care Oct. 31. Next month it will cease emergency, laboratory, and other services, and by February all operations will end. About 80 employees will be affected. Perry Henderson, a senior vice president for the medical center, says the hospital sustained a loss of more than $2 million in the last fiscal year. The Tyler Morning Telegraph reports the center has struggled to maintain operations in rural areas in recent years. A clinic in Van closed earlier this year and administrators have said services will be cut at the Mount Vernon hospital.

FLINT — Several Smith County fire crews were needed Saturday morning to put out a fire at a Flint church. KETK reports the flames started just before 7:30 a.m. at New Creation Baptist Church in the 1500 block of Farm Road 346. Krissi Perryman, whose husband Doyle Perryman is the pastor, had arrived around 7:20 to prepare for a garage sale fundraiser for the church. When she arrived she noticed steam coming from the roof of the fellowship hall/Sunday school building, but thought it was due to the cold temperatures. She entered the building and found a fire in the attic that had burned through the ceiling. Continue reading Saturday Morning Electrical Fire Damages Flint Church

TYLER — Families and caregivers from across East Texas Saturday attended the regional Cystic Fibrosis Family Education Day on the campus of UT Health Northeast. The event included a keynote address by an adult Cystic Fibrosis (CF) patient, educational sessions on nutrition, clinic research trials, and quality improvement initiatives. Continue reading Cystic Fibrosis Event At UT Health Northeast

TYLER — East Texans Friday celebrated the spirit of giving through National Philanthropy Day 2014, hosted by the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) – East Texas chapter, according to an AFP news release. The annual event was held at Tyler’s Willow Brook Country Club. Margaret and James Perkins received the award for Outstanding Philanthropists, based on their legacy of giving with an emphasis on higher education in East Texas. Continue reading AFP Presents National Philanthropy Day Awards

TYLER — Two men were arrested by Tyler police after a search warrant was served at 1:30 Friday afternoon at a residence in the 5100 block of Stagecoach Drive. Police say Hunter Adams and Devin Reese are in their early twenties. According to a news release, officers located a substance believed to be marijuana at the location. Officers say they also located weapons believed to be related to the case, which is still under investigation