Smith County DA seeks death penalty in 2023 murder

Smith County DA seeks death penalty in 2023 murderTYLER – The Smith County District Attorney’s Office is reportedly seeking the death penalty in the trial of Jamaurea Britton, 20. Britton has been indicted for the 2023 murder of Dejah Hood.

18-year-old Dejah Hood was found dead in a ravine behind the Hollytree Apartments in September of 2023 after she was reported missing by her mother earlier that day. She was reportedly out with friends, including Britton, when she disappeared.

Britton was first interviewed by Tyler PD and reportedly said that Hood had been to his apartment and then left. An affidavit said an officer noticed blood near the entry of the apartment. Britton reportedly denied the blood was human.
Continue reading Smith County DA seeks death penalty in 2023 murder

The great shift.

Speaking broadly, the American workforce is roughly divided into two cohorts – those who shower before they go to work and those who shower after work.

Again speaking broadly, those who shower before work, work in offices. They are the doctors, salesmen, office managers, bookkeepers, bankers, small business owners and other white-collar workers whose daily efforts add value to society.

But the shower-before-work crowd also includes DEI-obsessed HR managers, untethered-from-reality college professors, unaccountable government bureaucrats, bottom-feeding lawyers, “journalists,” and rent seeking climate change activists who deplete societal marrow.

This latter group, along with the approximately 42 million Americans who receive welfare benefits, constitute the core of the 21stcentury Democratic Party.

That’s a dramatic shift.

At one time – not that long ago – the Democratic Party was seen, with some justification, as the party of the shower after work crowd. Those who shower after work do so because they get hot and dirty doing the sweaty work that must be done if the country is to function. These workers are busy all day building houses, working on cars, repairing downed power lines, answering calls to put out fires, and climbing into sweltering hot attics to fix air conditioners.

And for decades they voted for Democrats.

But against the background of a Democratic Party that was already morphing into a coalition of celebrities, the ultra-rich, über-educated white coastal liberals and those who depend on government benefits for daily living, Donald Trump came down the escalator.

Donald Trump is a multibillionaire who built his fortune on the labor of those who shower after work. The respect that Trump has for that worker is authentic to the point that it need not be spoken. Trump never has to put on a hard hat and go to a jobsite for a photo op. He has been to plenty of jobsites when no one in the media was looking. The workers on that jobsite get Trump because he exudes the fact that he gets them.

Trump’s empathy for the common man arrived concurrently with a gnawing fear in the pits of the stomachs of working and middle-class Americans that the country is about to pay a terrible price for having exported its muscular work to third world countries. It’s not hard to imagine how China having more shipbuilding yards than the United States could one day come back to bite in a most unpleasant way.

As to the timing of shower-taking, Democrats like Kamala Harris look condescendingly upon the late shower-takers. They have disdain for people who get dirty at work and who don’t know Pinot Noir from Pinot Grigio. In the past 30-odd years, and with the acquiescence of squishy Republicans, they have allowed the United States to devolve from the Arsenal of Democracy to the Nation of Zoom Meetings.

The Democratic Party of Kamala Harris is by no stretch any longer the party of the working man.

The irony of ironies is that the Republican Party, led by a New York born & bred billionaire, now is.

Texas lawmakers signal openness to expanding film incentive program

AUSTIN – During a legislative hearing that featured clips of television shows filmed in Texas and testimony from movie stars like Dennis Quaid, lawmakers considered whether to overhaul a film incentive program that has lured hit productions like “Yellowstone” and “Friday Night Lights” to the state.

Professionals in the film industry told lawmakers that Texas offers creative professionals an ideal setting to film because of its varied topography and low cost of living. But they said better incentives in other states pull their projects away from Texas, hurting their projects and costing the state millions in possible returns.

“One of my great frustrations was that I wrote ‘Hell or High Water,’ and they filmed the darn thing in New Mexico,” said writer and director Taylor Sheridan. “My love story to Texas was shot west of where it should have been shot.”

The 17-year old program created under former Gov. Rick Perry attracts television, film, commercial, and video game production to Texas by offering grants on eligible expenditures, including the cost of hiring Texas workers and renting film space. Movie and television projects filmed in Texas receive a 5 to 20% rebate — but only until the program runs out of money each budget cycle.

The Legislature has funded the program in varying amounts over the years. Last year, lawmakers injected a historic sum of $200 million over a two-year period, a significant increase from the $45 million over the previous biennium.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick charged the Senate Finance Committee with reviewing how effective that investment was in stimulating local economies and promoting job creation. The committee is also tasked with reviewing other states’ programs and determining how to make Texas’ program more competitive. Lawmakers expressed pride in the program’s return on investment and an interest in making the program work better for filmmakers.

But they noted that because Texas does not have a state income tax or a state property tax, a tax break would not necessarily make sense. The state would need to consider a different model that would create a long-term funding plan.

But some Senators worried that increasing Texas’ incentive might produce a bargaining war.

“I just think we are being naive,” said Sen. Charles Perry, R-Lubbock, adding that states who are “threatened” by Texas may try to institute a stronger incentive. “We have to be cognizant of that.

The current incentives have produced a 469% return on investment, according to Adriana Cruz, executive director of the Texas Economic Development and Tourism division of the governor’s office. That means that for every dollar spent on the program, $4.69 is in turn spent in Texas. The program has also generated more than 189,000 jobs and more than $2.5 billion in state spending, Cruz said.

New Mexico has one of the largest incentive programs in the country, offering 25 to 40% reimbursement. Other states with robust programs include Georgia, which offers a 30% tax credit that has no cap.

Other projects have reportedly been pulled from Texas because of better incentives elsewhere, including Richard Linklater’s “Hit Man” that filmed in Louisiana and “Fear the Walking Dead” that got moved to Georgia.

“Not knowing how much incentive will exist in year three makes it really hard,” Sheridan said. “What would be very helpful is some clarity and understanding and some assurance that this thing isn’t going to go away.”

John Fleming, dean of the College of Fine Arts and Communication at Texas State University, noted that 70% of graduates from the school’s film program said they left Texas because of a lack of job prospects in the state. And 96% of those graduates said they would want to return to the state.

Chase Musslewhite, a Texas film producer who co-founded Media for Texas to advocate for the film industry, said experts have found that incentives above 45% are not viable. She suggested the state consider a franchise tax credit or a constitutional amendment to create a dedicated fund, similar to the Texas Energy Fund.

This story was originally published by The Texas Tribune and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.

Bullard mother found dead with children in murder-suicide

Bullard mother found dead with children in murder-suicideBULLARD – The shooting death of two children and an adult woman was confirmed as a murder-suicide after a month and a week since it was reported as a triple homicide by the Bullard Police Department. According to our news partner KETK, police were dispatched on Sept. 1 to Guinn Street and found 25-year-old Tatyanna Smith and her two children Madilynn Evans, 4, and Maison Evans, 2, dead and a 10-month-old injured.

“After a comprehensive review of evidence, witness interviews, and forensic analysis, investigators have determined that no additional persons were involved, and the case is being reclassified as an isolated incident of a double murder/suicide,” the police department said.

Bullard PD said the child was released from the hospital and is with family.

“In conclusion, The Bullard Police Department is kindly asking the community to respect the privacy of the families during this difficult time,” Bullard PD said. “Your understanding and support are greatly appreciated.”

Student detained after making threat to Center ISD

Student detained after making threat to Center ISDCENTER, Texas – The Center ISD and local law enforcement announced that a student was detained Wednesday night after making a school threat. According to our news partner KETK and Center ISD Superintendent Brian Morris, the FBI notified the district’s police chief of a potential threat of a school shooting. The law enforcement agencies along with school administrators went to the house of the student who the FBI said made the threat and detained them. Morris said the student was taken into questioning and will not be attending their campus “for the foreseeable future.”

Panola County UTV thieves caught via game camera

Panola County UTV thieves caught via game cameraPANOLA COUNTY, Texas – Two minors were charged with burglary on Wednesday after they were caught by a game camera on a stolen UTV. Our news partners at KETK and the Panola County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) report that authorities were able to identify the suspects by using a game camera found on the UTV owner’s property. Both suspects were taken into custody and taken to the Willoughby Juvenile Detention Center in Marshall. The sheriff’s office said they were charged with burglary of a habitation and theft of property.

Tesla is unveiling its long-awaited robotaxi amid doubts about the technology it runs on

DETROIT (AP) — Expectations are high for the long-awaited unveiling of Tesla’s robotaxi at a Hollywood studio Thursday night. Too high for some analysts and investors.

The company, which began selling software it calls “Full Self-Driving” nine years ago that still can’t drive itself, is expected to show off the so-called “Cybercab” vehicle, which may not have a steering wheel and pedals.

The unveiling comes as CEO Elon Musk tries to persuade investors that his company is more about artificial intelligence and robotics as it struggles to sell its core products, an aging lineup of electric vehicles.

Some analysts are predicting that it will be a historic day for the Austin, Texas, company as it takes a huge step toward a long-awaited robotaxi service powered by AI.

But others who track self-driving vehicles say Musk has yet to demonstrate Tesla’s system can travel safely without a human driver ready to step in to prevent crashes.

“I don’t know why the headlines continue to be ‘What will Tesla announce?’ rather than ‘Why does Tesla think we’re so stupid?’” said Bryant Walker Smith, a University of South Carolina law professor who studies autonomous vehicles.

He doesn’t see Tesla having the ability to show off software and hardware that can work without human supervision, even in a limited area that’s well-known to the driving system.

“We just haven’t seen any indication that that is what Tesla is working toward,” Walker Smith said. “If they were, they would be showcasing this not on a closed lot, but in an actual city or on an actual freeway.”

Without a clear breakthrough in autonomous technology, Tesla will just show off a vehicle with no pedals or steering wheel, which already has been done by numerous other companies, he said.

“The challenge is developing a combination of hardware and software plus the human and digital infrastructure to actually safely drive a vehicle even without a steering wheel on public roads in any conditions,” Walker Smith said. “Tesla has been giving us that demo every year, and it’s not reassuring us.”

Many industry analysts aren’t expecting much from the event either. While TD Cowen’s Jeff Osborne expects Musk to reveal the Cybercab and perhaps the Model 2, a lower-cost electric vehicle, he said he doesn’t expect much of a change on self-driving technology.

“We expect the event to be light on details and appeal to the true long-term believers in Tesla,” Osborne wrote in a note. Musk’s claims on the readiness of Full Self Driving, though, will be crucial “given past delays and ongoing scrutiny” of the system and of Tesla’s less-sophisticated Autopilot driver-assist software.

Tesla’s model lineup is struggling and isn’t likely to be refreshed until late next year at the earliest, Osborne wrote. Plus, he wrote that in TD Cowen’s view the “politicization of Elon” is tarnishing the Tesla brand among Democrat buyers in the U.S.

Musk has endorsed Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and has pushed many conservative causes. Last weekend he joined Trump at a Pennsylvania rally.

Musk has been saying for more than five years that a fleet of robotaxis is near, allowing Tesla owners to make money by having their cars carry passengers while they’re not in use by the owners.

But he has acknowledged that past predictions for the use of autonomous driving proved too optimistic. In 2019, he promised the fleet of autonomous vehicles by the end of 2020.

However, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, who is bullish on Tesla stock, wrote in an investor note that robotaxi event, dubbed “We, Robot,” by the company, will be a new chapter of growth for Tesla.

Ives expects many updates and details from Tesla on the robotaxi, plus breakthroughs in Full Self Driving and artificial intelligence. He also is looking for a phased-in strategy for rolling out the robotaxis within the next year, as well as a Tesla ride-sharing app, and demonstrations of technology “designed to revolutionize urban transportation.”

Ives, whose organization will attend the invitation-only event at the Warner Bros. studio, wrote that he also expects updates on Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robot, which the company plans to start selling in 2026.

“We believe this is a pivotal time for Tesla as the company prepares to release its years of Robotaxi R&D shadowed behind the curtains, while Musk & Co. lay out the company’s vision for the future,” Ives wrote.

The announcement comes as U.S. safety regulators are investigating Full Self Driving and Autopilot based on evidence that it has a weak system for making sure human drivers pay attention.

In addition, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration forced Tesla to recall Full Self-Driving in February because it allowed speeding and violated other traffic laws, especially near intersections. Tesla was to fix the problems with an online software update.

Last April in Snohomish County, Washington, near Seattle, a Tesla using Full Self-Driving hit and killed a motorcyclist, authorities said. The Tesla driver told authorities that he was using the system while looking at his phone when the car rear-ended the motorcyclist. The motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

NHTSA says it’s evaluating information on the fatal crash from Tesla and law enforcement officials.

The Justice Department also has sought information from Tesla about Full Self-Driving and Autopilot, as well as other items.

Immigrants brought to U.S. as children are asking judges to uphold protections against deportation

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Immigrants who grew up in the United States after being brought here illegally as children will be among demonstrators outside a federal courthouse in New Orleans on Thursday as three appellate judges hear arguments over the Biden administration’s policy shielding them from deportation.

At stake in the long legal battle playing out at the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals is the future of about 535,000 people who have long-established lives in the U.S., even though they don’t hold citizenship or legal residency status and they live with the possibility of eventual deportation.

“No matter what is said and done, I choose the U.S. and I have the responsibility to make it a better place for all of us,” Greisa Martinez Rosas, said Wednesday. She is a beneficiary of the policy and a leader of the advocacy group United We Dream. She plans to travel from Arizona to attend a rally near the court, where hundreds of the policy’s supporters are expected to gather.

The panel hearing arguments won’t rule immediately. Whatever they decide, the case will almost certainly wind up at the U.S. Supreme Court.

Former President Barack Obama first put the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program in place in 2012, citing inaction by Congress on legislation aimed at giving those brought to the U.S. as youngsters a path to legal status and citizenship. Years of litigation followed. President Joe Biden renewed the program in hopes of winning court approval.

But in September 2023, U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen in Houston said the executive branch had overstepped its authority in creating the program. Hanen barred the government from approving any new applications, but left the program intact for existing recipients, known as “Dreamers,” during appeals.

Defenders of the policy argue that Congress has given the executive branch’s Department of Homeland Security authority to set immigration policy, and that the states challenging the program have no basis to sue.

“They cannot identify any harms flowing from DACA,” Nina Perales, vice president of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said in a news conference this week.

Texas is leading a group of Republican-dominated states challenging the policy. The Texas Attorney General’s Office did not respond to an emailed interview request. But in briefs, they and other challengers claim the states incur hundreds of millions of dollars in health care, education and other costs when immigrants are allowed to remain in the country illegally. The other states include Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Nebraska, South Carolina, West Virginia, Kansas and Mississippi.

Among those states’ allies in court briefs is the Immigration Reform Law Institute. “Congress has repeatedly refused to legalize DACA recipients, and no administration can take that step in its place,” the group’s executive director, Dale L. Wilcox, said in a statement earlier this year.

The panel hearing the case consists of judges Jerry Smith, nominated to the 5th Circuit by former President Ronald Reagan; Edith Brown Clement, nominated by former President George W. Bush; and Stephen Higginson, nominated by Obama.

Social Security cost-of-living benefits increase, announcement coming Thursday

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 70 million Social Security recipients will learn Thursday how big a cost-of-living increase they’ll get to their benefits next year.

In advance of the announcement, analysts predicted that the increase would be about 2.5% for 2025, smaller than increases the previous two years. Recipients received a 3.2% increase in their benefits in 2024, after a historically large 8.7% benefit increase in 2023, brought on by record 40-year-high inflation.

The lower COLA for next year reflects the moderating inflation.

About 70.6 million people participate in the Social Security program, with an average benefit of about $1,920 a month. The AARP estimates that a 2.5% COLA would increase that by $48 a month.

In advance of the announcement, retirees voiced concern that the increase would not be enough to counter rising costs.

Sherri Myers, an 82-year-old Pensacola City, Florida, retiree, is now hoping to get an hourly job at Walmart to help make ends meet.

“I would like to eat good but I can’t. When I’m at the grocery store, I just walk past the vegetables because they are too expensive. I have to be very selective about what I eat — even McDonald’s is expensive,” she said.

With increased participation and fewer workers contributing, the Social Security program faces a severe financial shortfall in the coming years.

The annual Social Security and Medicare trustees report released in May said the program’s trust fund will be unable to pay full benefits beginning in 2035. If the trust fund is depleted, the government will be able to pay only 83% of scheduled benefits, the report said.

The program is financed by payroll taxes collected from workers and their employers. The maximum amount of earnings subject to Social Security payroll taxes was $168,600 for 2024, up from $160,200 in 2023. Analysts estimate that the maximum amount will go up to $174,900 in 2025.

On the presidential campaign trail, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump have presented dueling plans on how they would strengthen Social Security.

Harris, the Democratic nominee, says on her campaign website that she will protect Social Security by “making millionaires and billionaires pay their fair share in taxes.”

Trump, the Republican nominee, promises that he would not cut the social program or make changes to the retirement age. Trump also pledges tax cuts for older Americans, posting on Truth Social in July that “SENIORS SHOULD NOT PAY TAX ON SOCIAL SECURITY!”

AARP conducted interviews with both Harris and Trump in late August, and asked how the candidates would protect the Social Security Trust Fund.

Harris said she would make up for the shortfall by “making billionaires and big corporations pay their fair share in taxes and use that money to protect and strengthen Social Security for the long haul.”

Trump said, “We’ll protect it with growth. I don’t want to do anything having to do with increasing age. I won’t do that. As you know, I was there for four years and never even thought about doing it. I’m going to do nothing to Social Security.”

Smith County District Clerk held in contempt again

Smith County District Clerk held in contempt againTYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that Smith County District Clerk Penny Clarkston was arrested again on Monday for yelling at jurors and physically blocking exit doors during a court proceeding, court documents state.According to a document filed by Judge Austin Reeve Jackson, the court told potential jurors they were free to go when Clarkston started yelling that they couldn’t leave without her permission. As district clerk, Clarkston issues writs, abstracts of judgement and prepares warrants. According to the Smith County website, she also serves as the administrator of the county’s jury system. The document stated that on Monday, the court ordered Clarkston multiple times to stop talking to the jurors and to let them leave but she refused. Clarkston would then ignore several of the court’s orders and proceeded to say “you can’t tell me to do anything,” the documents said. Continue reading Smith County District Clerk held in contempt again

Two arrested after allegedly attacking senior in car

Two arrested after allegedly attacking senior in carTEXARKANA – The Texarkana Police Department said that they arrested two individuals after they allegedly attacked and robbed an elderly person who was giving them a ride.

According to our news partner KETK, at approximately 11:30 a.m. the Texarkana PD responded to a call about an injured man in the 500 block of Blake Street. Officers said they found an 86-year-old man bleeding from a wound on his head that told officers he was flagged by two individuals to give them a ride to Blake Street. Police said that the man told them one of the individuals, identified as Danny Williams, started to choke him with a baseball bat and afterwards struck him in the head with the bat.

Texarkana PD said that the man also told them that the other passenger, identified as Dequeener Mitchell, proceeded to grab his wallet and take the cash out of it before the two individuals fled. Continue reading Two arrested after allegedly attacking senior in car

Hurricane Milton live updates: Monster storm pummels Florida after landfall

Hurricane Milton live updates: Monster storm pummels Florida after landfallHurricane Milton made landfall on Florida’s west coast Wednesday night as a Category 3 hurricane. The monster storm roared ashore with life-threatening storm surge, powerful winds and flooding rains.

Here’s how the news is developing.

4 killed in tornadoes in St. Lucie County

Four people were killed by tornadoes in St. Lucie County on Florida’s east coast, county officials said.

“Numerous homes” have “suffered significant damage,” officials added.
25 minutes ago
Roof of Tropicana Field rips off

Wind gusts climbed to 97 mph in Tampa and 102 mph at the Sarasota Bradenton International Airport as Milton slammed the coast.

Milton’s powerful winds even ripped part of the roof off of Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays.

A drone image above Tropicana Field, home of the Tampa Bay Rays, show the shredded roof of the dome an…
Tampa Bay Times/ZUMA Press Wire via Shutterstock

View of the damaged roof of Tropicana Field stadium, the home of Major League Baseball’s Tampa Bay Rays…
Octavio Jones/Reuters

Tampa hit with 1 foot of rain

Hurricane Milton’s heavy rains sparked a flash-flood emergency for the Tampa Bay area.

Tampa has recorded 1 foot of rain, while Lakeland — about 35 miles inland from Tampa — saw 10 inches of rain.

Fifteen people, including young children, were rescued from a Tampa home Wednesday night when a tree fell on top of the house and water rushed inside, Tampa Police Chief Lee Bercaw said.

Tampa Mayor Jane Castor on Thursday is urging residents to stay inside and off the roads, warning, “It’s not over.”

Over 2,200 flights canceled, at least 6 airports closed

Over 2,200 flights have been canceled across the country on Thurssday as Hurricane Milton pummels Florida.

The St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, Tampa International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Orlando Sanford International Airport, Palm Beach International Airport and Sarasota Bradenton International Airport all closed for the storm.

The Florida Division of Emergency Services said it has partnered with Uber to provide free rides to and from shelters.

Daytona Beach, Cape Canaveral experiencing flash flooding

More than 8 inches of rain pummeled Daytona Beach on Florida’s east coast overnight, causing flash flooding Thursday morning.

The flooding and hurricane-force wind gusts are ongoing from Daytona Beach to Cape Canaveral.

At least 36 tornadoes reported

At least 36 tornadoes were reported across Florida on Wednesday as Hurricane Milton came ashore.

There were 133 tornado warnings issued in South Florida — the most on record for the state and the second-highest for any state in one day.

Multiple fatalities were reported at a St. Lucie County retirement community following a suspected tornado, Sheriff Keith Pearson told ABC News.

Across the state, at least 125 homes have been destroyed, according to Kevin Guthrie, the head of the Florida Division of Emergency Management.

A damaged home after a tornado touched down before Hurricane Milton’s arrival, Oct. 9, 2024, in Fort Myers, Florida.
WZVN

More than 3 million without power in Florida

More than 3 million customers were without power in Florida Thursday morning.

Milton passing into Atlantic Ocean

Hurricane Milton is now heading out into the Atlantic Ocean as a Category 1 hurricane, having completed its swing across Florida.

The eye of the storm is now passing past Cape Canaveral, having taken less than eight hours to make its way across the Florida peninsula.

Wind speed remains at around 85 mph, with movement northeast at 18 mph.

-ABC News’ Kenton Gewecke

Complete coverage

Hallsville man arrested for child pornography

Hallsville man arrested for child pornographyMARSHALL – The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Hallsville man after a search revealed that he was in possession of child pornography. According to our news partner KETK, arrested was 43-year-old Keven Barnett. HCSO detectives received information from the Terrell Police Department about a tip from the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) taskforce that warned of juvenile exploitation in Harrison County. The ICAC and sheriff’s office reviewed the tip and identified Barnett, as being in possession of “multiple videos containing child pornography.” A warrant was issued for Barnett Monday. He was arrested and booked into the Harrison County Jail. Barnett was charged with possession of child pornography and aggravated sexual assault of a child with a bond set at $350,000.