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LONGVIEW — Eastman Chemical in Longview was one of 49 chemical manufacturing facilities in the United States granted a two-year exemption from environmental regulations by President Donald Trump’s proclamation, according to our news partner KETK.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) enacted what is known as the ‘HON Rule’ on May 16, 2024. The HON Rule consists of four rules that chemical manufacturing plants must follow during the process of making synthetic organic chemicals.

The Federal Register stated that the EPA was seeking to finalize standards for the production of ethylene oxide (EtO) and chloroprene emissions through the HON Rule. Continue reading Eastman Chemical in Longview is exempt from new EPA rules for two years

TATUM — Our news partner KETK reports that the Tatum Police Department has identified three individuals connected to a string of burglaries that occurred in East Texas over the past month.

Near the end of June, the Tatum Police Department became aware of seven burglary cases, with six incidents occurring at the Tatum baseball park and another one within city limits. The cases were identified as organized criminal activity.

On July 2, members of the Tatum Police Department were notified of a woman who had driven through a Vera Bank in Lufkin and had allegedly withdrawn several thousand dollars from a victim’s bank account. Although officials obtained video from the bank, they were unable to identify the suspect. They requested assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, but were also unable to identify the suspect because her face was not fully visible in the camera footage from the bank. Continue reading Three suspects arrested for linked burglaries

CROCKETT – A woman in Crockett who was accused of causing a man’s death after giving him counterfeit pills laced with fentanyl has been placed under custody, according to our news partner KETK.

On May 21, the Crockett Police Department said that they received reports of an unresponsive man and went to the person’s apartment on Sallas Street at around 11 p.m. Once on the scene, officers, along with Houston County EMS, discovered the individual had died, which was believed to be caused by a drug overdose.

Following the victim’s death, authorities discovered that he had bought the pills from Kimberlee Ann Sherman of Crockett. On May 22, Sherman was arrested and charged with delivery of a controlled substance. She posted a $25,000 bond and was released the following day. Continue reading Crockett woman arrested after fentanyl-related death

PALESTINE – An Anderson County man was arrested early Monday morning after three women were allegedly shot at in Palestine, according to our news partner KETK.

Around 2:38 a.m., officers responded to a home in the 200 block of Lowe Street, where three women had been shot at by Floyd Conley Jr., 50, of Palestine, after one of the victims was shoved out of the home.

“Officers established a perimeter and took up positions outside the residence,” the Palestine Police Department said. “After several attempts to get the suspect to surrender, officers were able to safely call him out of the home and take him into custody without incident.” Continue reading Palestine man arrested after shooting at three women

TATUM — The Tatum Police Department has identified three individuals connected to a string of burglaries that occurred in East Texas over the past month according to our news partner KETK.

Near the end of June, the Tatum Police Department became aware of seven burglary cases, with six incidents occurring at the Tatum baseball park and another one within city limits. The cases were identified as organized criminal activity. On July 2, members of the Tatum Police Department were notified of a woman who had driven through a Vera Bank in Lufkin and had allegedly withdrawn several thousand dollars from a victim’s bank account. Although officials obtained video from the bank, they were unable to identify the suspect. They requested assistance from the Texas Department of Public Safety, but were also unable to identify the suspect because her face was not fully visible in the camera footage from the bank.

Later in July, two suspects were detained in DeSoto during a traffic stop. During the stop, one of the suspects allegedly provided officers with a fake name and date of birth. Multiple stolen identifications, checkbooks and banking information were discovered, which belonged to the victims of the Taum baseball park burglaries. Continue reading Three suspects to face charges linked to series of burglaries

TYLER – Earlier in the summer, the Texas House and Senate passed a bill that banned cell phones, smart watches, and tablets at public schools starting this school year. Now, Texas schools are having to implement their policies and guidelines. Our news partner KETK has compiled a list of schools with information on how your student will be impacted. View that list here.

ANDERSON COUNTY — As the water rights controversy continues to grow, several chicken farms in East Texas, including Sanderson Farms, have filed a lawsuit against the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District.

According to our news partner KETK, the lawsuit follows the district’s transfer of the permits for Redwater Ranch and Pine Bliss LLC to drill into East Texas aquifers and extract billions of gallons of water, intended for use in the Dallas metroplex. The permit has caused many farmers across East Texas to grow worried about the future of their livelihoods, prompting nine farms to come together and take legal action to prevent the permit from being implemented.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit are requesting that the court invalidate the district’s drilling permit application and issue a temporary injunction preventing the district from engaging in any further activities related to drilling permit applications. Continue reading Sanderson Farms enters lawsuit over water dispute

SMITH COUNTY — Our news partners at KETK report that a Smith County father was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Monday after he was arrested for abusing a three-month-old baby in January. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, around 6 p.m. on Jan. 8, a deputy responded to a Tyler hospital, where they were informed by hospital personnel that a three-month-old baby had received significant injuries that looked like child abuse. While the infant was undergoing CT scans and X-rays, the attending nurse informed the deputy that the baby was lethargic, weak and had bruises on their face and neck. An investigator then spoke with the baby’s mother, who told officials that her baby had just returned home after spending several days with his father, Zachray McGinn, at a home located near Whitehouse.

According to officials, the mother explained that she had been in contact with McGinn and his mother, Brittany Mackey, on Facebook Messenger while her child was away. “The mother further explained that on Jan. 8, both McGinn and Mackey dropped off the infant at her residence,” the sheriff’s office said. “It was at this time that the mother observed the lethargic manner of her child and the bruising to his face. Shortly thereafter, the mother took the infant to the emergency room in Tyler.” Continue reading Father sentenced to 10 years for child abuse

HENDERSON COUNTY — The former LaPoynor ISD coach, who was arrested in 2023 after a phone was found recording in the girls’ locker room, was convicted on Friday of tampering with/fabricating physical evidence, according to our news partner KETK.

An arrest warrant reveals that cheerleaders found a cell phone in the girls’ locker room on Sept. 26, 2023. The phone was underneath the bench inside a shoe with the camera pointed upward, recording at the time it was found.

The cheerleaders took the device to another coach at LaPoynor ISD, where Jammie Allen Maze, 46, of Brownsboro, was also there. Maze took the phone and began to press buttons. When the LaPoynor ISD Police Chief received the phone, it had been locked with no way of accessing the contents. Continue reading Former coach convicted of recording girl’s locker room

TYLER — A man attempted to escape from police after he allegedly cashed more than $1,000 in stolen lottery tickets in Tyler on Friday, according to our news partner KETK.

The Tyler Police Department responded to the Texas Lottery Office at 4801 Troup Highway, where two men were seen inside trying to cash stolen lottery tickets. A Smith County arrest affidavit reports that officers then attempted to detain the suspect, Ke’eric Armon Franklin, while he was walking out of the lottery office, but Franklin ran from the scene.

“In full Tyler Police uniform, I told Franklin to ‘halt’ and he asked, ‘Why?’ then sprinted out of his shoes northbound and out of sight,” the officer said. “Franklin ran barefoot to the intersection of Tanglewood and Old Omen, where police told him to stop, but he replied, ‘No, I’m not going to.’” Continue reading Suspect accused of cashing stolen lottery tickets

AUSTIN – The University of Texas System Board of Regents have unanimously named the sole finalists to be UT system chancellor and the president of UT Austin according to our news partner KETK.

On Monday, the board named John M. Zerwas, MD as sole finalist for the chancellorship of The UT System and James E. Davis as sole finalist for the presidency at UT Austin. Board chairman and former Tyler mayor Kevin Eltife praised both Zerwas and Davis for their leadership qualities.

Zerwas, a former physician and Texas State Representative for Fort Bend County, thanked the board of regents and Eltife for supporting him in his current role as interim system chancellor.

Davis, a former Navy cryptologist, Texas Deputy Attorney General and current UT Austin Interim president, was praised by Eltife for the progress that UT Austin has made during Davis’s time at the university. Continue reading UT names sole finalists for chancellor, president

LUFKIN – The Lufkin Police Department was able end a three hour standoff Sunday, triggered by a domestic disturbance. According to our news partner KETK, LPD and SWAT responded to a call at an apartment on Montrose Street. Officers found 20-year-old Francisco Farfan of Lufkin, threatening to shoot himself.

After initial conversation with police, and Farfan not coming out of the apartment, gas canisters were used. After another hour, SWAT used their truck to push in the front door of the apartment. However, Farfan pushed the door closed. At this time, the SWAT team opened the door and hit Farfan with 40-millimeter foam baton round, knocking him down and letting officers gain control of the situation. Francisco Farfan was booked into the Angelina County Jail for aggravated assault, with the possibility of more charges to be filed.

UPSHUR COUNTY – The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office assisted the Texas Department of Public Safety in a sting operation that led to the arrest of a man who was allegedly communicating with a minor online.

According to our news partner KETK, law enforcement believed David Palmer had online communications with a minor in order to meet them in person. However, Palmer was in reality talking to an undercover officer. That officer, directed him to at a meet location in Gilmer. After arriving at the location, Palmer was arrested and charged with online solicitation of a minor. He is in the Upshur County Jail, with his bond set at $75,000.