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TYLER – A Nacogdoches man has been charged with a Tyler robbery. Arrested by Tyler police Thursday morning was Christian Dean Jolley, 20. He is said to have robbed the Shamrock station on the East Southeast Loop around 10:45am. Armed with a silver revolver, he is said to have taken money from the cash register and then ran away. Police saw a man running north across the loop and, throwing down a back pack as officers chased him. He was arrested in a parking lot on the Troup Highway. A silver revolver was found in his backpack. He said the cash in his pockets came from the gas station. Jolley was booked into the Smith County Jail on charges of aggravated robbery and evading arrest.

BEAUMONT – Customers of Jason’s Deli are being warned that some of their credit card information had been for sale on the dark web. The problem was found by MasterCard security personnel. The information appears to have come from various Jason’s Deli locations. The company says they have activated a response plan to determine if there was a breach and if there is any continuing threat. They say customers should monitor their payment card accounts carefully and report any suspicious activity to their card issuer. With headquarters in Beaumont, it operates or franchises 266 restaurants in 28 states. Among the Texas locations are Tyler and Longview. You can go to https://www.jasonsdeli.com/security for a statement issued by Jason’s Deli.

LONGVIEW – Longview police have arrested two persons on burglary charges. Arrested Wednesday were Arthur Ray Delagarza Murphy, 25, and Nathan Ray Alexander, 21. Both are from Longview. They are said to have entered a storage building on Cole Drive and took bicycles, tools, and a compressor. Officers, who responded to an alarm at the home, found the suspects and the items they had taken. Both have been charged with burglary of a building. Alexander has also been charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Continue reading Two Burglary Suspects Nabbed in Longview

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Emergency crews responded a reported explosion off US Hwy 69, near Love’s Lookout. According to KETK, Department of Public Safety Troopers said the blast happened at an active gas well just before 7:00 Wednesday night. BreitBurn Energy Partners, L.P. owns the well. No injuries were reported. The explosion remains under investigation.

SMITH COUNTY — A three vehicle wreck in Tyler last night leaves an 11-month-old dead and several others injured. It happened just after 5:30 on Hwy 64 West, two miles outside of the Tyler city limits. According to the DPS report, a Jeep Liberty, driven by Jason Howland, 36, Tyler, was traveling west when he drifted into the neighboring lane and struck a Mazda. Howland over-corrected, swerving into oncoming traffic and was struck by a truck. Howland was not injured in the crash, nor was his 36 year-old passenger, Frederick Fitzgerald, of Dallas. Another passenger, identified as 11-month-old Jaylyn Howland, was transported to ETMC-Tyler where she was later pronounced dead. Continue reading DPS Identifies 11-Month-Old Killed in Crash

TYLER – The Salvation Army began this season with a goal of $375,000 for their 2017 Red Kettle Campaign. The 37 locations around Smith County raised $385,408.42. Two gold coins were even found in one of the kettles Christmas Eve night.The money raised during this time is put into programs run by The Salvation Army 365 days a year including their community dinner, after school program, Reconnect, which is a drug and alcohol recovery program, as well as running their shelter.

KILGORE – Kilgore police are asking for the public’s help in locating a man named in a couple of warrants. He is Brandon Sheppard, 34. He was in a car stopped for a traffic violation on Newton Street late Tuesday night. The officer saw the passenger, a man wearing a grey jacket and jeans, run from the vehicle. Sheppard is named in two warrants in Gregg County, one for assault family violence parole violation and one for aggravated assault causes serious bodily Injury. If you know where he can be found you are asked to contact the Kilgore Police Department.

LUFKIN – A Publisher’s Clearing House scam has cost an elderly East Texas woman $15,000. She lost the money between June and October. She was first called and told she had won $3.5 million. The man said for her to send $8,000 to collect her money. She took out a loan for the money. Later, another man called her and told her to send another $7,000 to collect her prize money. She took out another loan. When she didn’t receive her money, she contacted Lufkin police it in hopes that no one else would fall victim to the scam. She is still making payment on the loans.

LONGVIEW – Funeral services are scheduled for a long time Longview businessman. According to Rader Funeral Home, services for Ernest James Stith, 75, will be held Friday at 2:00pm at the funeral home’s chapel in Longview. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Rosewood Park. Stith, who was born in Jacksonville, died on Tuesday. Stith opened his first Pizza Hut franchise store on East Marshall Avenue in 1967. According to the Longview News Journal, His company, Pizza Hut of East Texas, has a total of 15 restaurants, 740 restaurant workers and five people in the business office in Longview, with an annual payroll of about $3.5 million. Continue reading Funeral Services Set for Longview’s Ernie Stith

TYLER – According to a drug store chain, East Texas has been hard hit by the flu. According to the Walgreens flu index, the Tyler, Longview, Luikin and Nacogdoches areas rank tops in the country for flu activity. The company says the index is compiled using retail prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat influenza across Walgreens locations around the country. They say the Index is not intended to illustrate levels or severity of flu activity, but rather, illustrate which populations are experiencing the highest incidence of flu. Number two on the list is the South Texas area. And the top state with flu activity is Texas. Continue reading Flu Activity High in Texas

HENDERSON COUNTY — Three women were arrested on drug charges following two separate traffic stops in Henderson County. Debra Wade, 57 (pictured) and Sherri Green, 46, were taken into custody in the Trinidad area after midnight Tuesday following an initial traffic violation. The two women were charged with possession of the methamphetamine. Green was also charged with possession of a controlled substance in the form of a pill. Two glass pipes were also discovered in the vehicle. Continue reading Three East Texas Women Arrested on Drug Charges

HENDERSON – A Kilgore man remains jailed on a murder charge. Marvin Durrell Sanders, 37, of Kilgore, was booked Dec. 25 on $1 million bond, charged with murder. According to the Kilgore News Herald, the initial report says the suspect suddenly and inexplicably approached the Rev. Waylon D. Hunt during a family gathering and shot him at point-blank range. The killing occurred early in the evening. Reportedly, family members had been watching a football game at a residence outside the Kilgore City limits. From initial information, “The guy walked into the shop, put a gun to Hunt’s head and shot him,” Rusk Co. Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Joe Sorrells said. According to the JP, there was no motive mentioned in the affidavit. Continue reading Kilgore Man Charged with Family Member’s Murder

TYLER — An East Texas pastor has died after a heroic act on Christmas Day in Costa Rica. According to KETK, Kelly Clarke of New Covenant Church attempted to rescue a little boy who was drowning when he passed away. He and his family were in Costa Rica doing missionary work. The boy survived the the incident. The family has started a GoFundMe page to bring his body back to Texas. To donate, visit: https://www.gofundme.com/8wzp9x-bring-kelly-clarke-home

TYLER – Tyler based John Soules Foods is announcing it is adding a third production facility. They have purchased of a 266,000 square foot facility in Valley, Alabama. According to a news release from the company, phase 1 of the expansion will see the company add 210 employees and invest $70 million into the new facility. Phases 2 & 3 will add an additional 300 employees and invest another $40 million. When all phases are complete, the purchase will increase fully cooked capabilities by over 100 million pounds annually. Besides the Tyler facility, the company also has a production facility in Gainesville, Geogia.

NACOGDOCHES – A Nacagdoches man was killed when the pickup he was a passenger in hit a horse. Killed in the accident around 1:00 Tuesday morning was Austin Blake Stewart, 20. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on U.S. Highway 259, about six miles north of Nacogdoches. The driver, Joseph Blankenship, 20, of Nacogdoches, is in serious condition in a Nacogdoches hospital.

HENDERSON – A Kilgore man remains jailed on a murder charge. Booked into the Rusk County Jail Monday morning was Marvin Durrell Sanders, 37. His bond was set at $1 million. He is said to have shot his cousin in the back of the head while the family was watching the Dallas Cowboys’ game on Sunday. No word on what lead to the shooting.

EAST TEXAS – Hunters for the Hungry is a statewide hunger relief program benefiting member Food Banks. This program provides deer meat for persons throughout Texas. Through the program, hunters can donate legally tagged, field-dressed deer to participating processors. The East Texas Food Bank is partnering with two processors in our area: Carnes Packaging and Country Store in Troup and Massingill Meat Market in Lufkin. These processors prepare and package the venison, then contact the East Texas Food Bank which makes the meat available to their partnering food pantries. This ensures the donations support families and individuals in our local community. You can contact the East Texas Foot Bank for more information.

TYLER – Christmas trees are starting to come down. There are a couple of ways to dispose of them in Tyler. You can drop off natural Christmas trees through January 21st at two locations. They can be dropped off at designated areas at Golden Road Park and Fun Forest Park. Just look for the Christmas tree recycling sign. All lights, ornaments, garland, and tinsel need to be removed from the trees. No flocked trees will be accepted. The trees at the parks are available for area fisherman to pick up and sink in nearby lakes to create fish habitats. Christmas trees will also be picked up at the curb for disposal at the city landfill.

GLADEWATER – Funeral services are scheduled for Gladewater Fire Chief Michael Kirkwood, 42. He died from health complications he had. According to the fire department’s Facebook page, visitation will be on Tuesday from 6:00 to 8:00pm at the Bates Cooper Sloan Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant. Funeral services will Wednesday afternoon at 2:00 at First Baptist Church in Mt Pleasant, followed by burial at Cemetery on Harts Bluff Road. The Longview News Journal quotes Gladewater Mayor Harold Wells as saying that Kirkwood came to Gladewater as a police officer and as a certified firefighter. Wells said he took on the fire chief role several years ago. Continue reading Gladewater’s Fire Chief Dies

TYLER – Four persons, including three children, have been injured in a Smith County fire. It happened on County Road 273, just east of Tyler, late Saturday night. The dad and three children ages 1, 3 and 4 were in the home while the mother was at work. Two young boys were treated and released at a Tyler hospital. The dad’s injuries were said to be non-life threatening. A four year old girl is in critical condition at Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas. The children’s aunt told KETK their the family lost everything, including their home and all their Christmas presents. It appears as if the fire started around a Christmas tree and a space heater in the home’s living room. Continue reading Four Injured, One Critically, in Smith County Fire

LUFKIN (AP) — Prosecutors are seeking to seize nearly $1 million in property from an East Texas minister and his family, who were convicted this summer of fraud charges for using hurricane relief funds to pay off personal expenses and fund their Jasper church. Walter Diggles, the former executive director of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments, was convicted in August of 17 counts of wire fraud and other charges. His wife, Rosie Diggles, was convicted on 12 counts of fraud and money laundering. Their adult daughter, Anita Diggles, was convicted of one conspiracy charge. Assistant U.S. Attorney Thomas Gibson is asking a judge to order the forfeiture of more than $970,000 in property purchased with the funds intended to help with recovery from hurricanes Rita, Katrina, Ike and Dolly.

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Weeks of December 25, 2017 and January 1, 2018. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones.

This work has been postponed several times due to weather or other issues but Anderson County Road 300 traffic is now scheduled to be detoured starting Tuesday, December 26, for work on the US 175 Phase III project from Poynor to Frankston. The US 175 main lanes will remain open. CR 300 traffic will be detoured for approximately three days to allow construction crews to work on tying the intersection of CR 300 into the newly constructed US 175 westbound lanes. The daytime detour will direct traffic intending to turn north on CR 300 to use CR 303 instead. This detour will not directly impact the travel lanes on US 175. Signage and flaggers will be used to direct traffic being detoured to CR 303. The detour is 1.2 miles long and may increase drivers’ trips by about three minutes. We appreciate your patience and support during this work. The project is located in Anderson County but is grouped with the US 175 projects in the Henderson County section of this release. Continue reading TxDOT Road Projects Update

TYLER- A one vehicle accident in Tyler has left one person dead and two injured. It happened shortly after 4:15 Sunday morning on Loop 323 just northeast of Highway 69 North. Dead at the scene was the driver, Gustavo Espinoza, 18, of Tyler. Two passengers were taken to a Tyler hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Investigators say he was heading toward highway 69 when he drove off the right shoulder of the road and the vehicle overturned several times. They found evidence of alcohol at the scene of the crash and have requested an autopsy on Espinoza. The accident remains under investigation.

SULPHUR SPRINGS (AP) — A Texas man has been sentenced to five years in prison after a jury found him guilty of sending threatening Facebook messages to a judge. The Sulphur Springs News-Telegram reported that Robert Alan Hawkins was found guilty and sentenced by a visiting judge this week. Hawkins was charged after sending several threatening Facebook messages to District Judge Eddie Northcutt in December 2016 and January 2017 including a picture of ISIS soldiers about to execute hostages and a comment that this was the “next step.” Hawkins had previously sent letters to Northcutt saying the judge and Hopkins County, about 75 miles northeast of Dallas, were corrupt. Hawkins said he sent the messages to force the county to arrest him so he could expose the corruption during his trial.

PALESTINE – A second suspect in a Palestine burglary has been arrested. The first arrest occurred shortly after 3:30 Friday morning and police received a report of two suspicious persons in the area of Sunset Road. An officer tried to stop two suspects he found walking in the area. One was able to run away. Arrested was Ronnie Morrison, 22, of Palestine. In his backpack they found items that had been stolen from vehicles on Sunset Road. Morrison is being held in the Anderson County Jail on charges of burglary of a vehicle, fraudulent use/possession of identifying information and theft of firearm. Acting on a tip to Palestine Police from one of its Facebook posts, officers in Fairfield arrested Romello Smith, 22, Palestine, (pictured) on Saturday night. He was taken to the Freestone County Jail.

LONGVIEW – One person has been killed in a one vehicle accident in Longview. Gregg County Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Tim Bryan tells the Longview News Journal, killed was Yvette Floyd, 54, of Longview. The wreck was reported shortly after 7:00 Saturday morning on Bronco Drive. Investigators say her northbound car went out of control and hit a tree.

LONGVIEW – Longview has recorded its 10th homicide of the year. It was reported just before 2:00 this morning on Twelfth Street. A man told officers when he arrived home he was confronted by an armed man wearing a bandana. The man shot at the suspect and then entered his home. The suspect, who was dead at the scene, has been identified as Jalen Johnson, 24, of Port Arthur. There was a car that fled the scene and was stopped by a Longview Officer. The driver of the vehicle was identified as Lamontrel Dunn, 26, from Kilgore. He was arrested on outstanding warrants. There is no word at this time if he was connected to the shooting.

LONGVIEW – A new warehouse is coming to Longview and bringing with it 400 jobs. The Longview Economic Development Corporation signed the deal with the Dollar general Corporation on Friday. The warehouse will be built on a 110-acre site at the Longview North Business Park. DG Distribution of Texas will build a nearly 1 million-square-foot distribution center at the location. DG Distribution of Texas is a division of Dollar General Corp. in Tennessee. It will be the company’s 17th warehouse. Groundbreaking is expected to occur early next month and it should open sometime in 2019.

TYLER – A donation has made it possible for a member of the Smith County Sheriff’s Department to wear body armor. The bullet and stab protective vest goes to the department K9 named “Joker.” The vest comes because of a charitable donation from a non-profit organization. The vest, which is sponsored by an anonymous sponsor, will be embroidered with the sentiment “This gift of protection provided by Vested Interest in K9s, Inc.” Delivery is expected within eight to ten weeks. Continue reading Sheriff’s Department Employee Gets Body Armor