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TYLER – Months after a cyberattack on UT Health East Texas, their parent company is warning patients their personal information may have been compromised. The ransomware attack from Nov. 23 prompted the parent company, Ardent Health Services, to notify law enforcement and launch an investigation with the help of an outside cybersecurity firm. Though the attack did not disrupt patient care, many hospital systems went offline, with Ardent saying at the time they could not confirm the extent to which patient health or financial data was compromised. Continue reading UT Health cyberattack privacy risks

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report one person was hospitalized Tuesday morning after two separate crashes on the same county road in Smith County. According to officials with Smith County Emergency Services District (ESD) 2, the single-car crashes happened on CR 1125 near Lindsey Park with both cars leaving the roadway and one rolled over. The crashes were reportedly called in at 8:04 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., and officials said the driver in the roll-over crash was removed from the car by a firefighter before being taken to the hospital for treatment. Smith County ESD 2 responded to the scene with two fire engines, two command vehicles, a brush truck and 10 firefighters. The crashes will be investigated by DPS.

TYLER — A portion of Rose Rudman Trail will be closed due to bridge repairs. The trail portion under the bridge will be closed, and trail use will be diverted to the sidewalk along Donnybrook Avenue at the trailhead near Lowe’s. The project is funded by the Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund. The project is set to begin Thursday, Jan. 25 and will run through Friday, Feb. 9.

TYLER – A man was arrested for murder after a man was fatally stabbed in Smith County on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene in the 400 block of CR 34 near Tyler after a 911 call reported a stabbing around 5:15 p.m. When the deputies arrived they found the victim, identified as Noe Luna, 43 of Tyler, had already been taken to a local emergency room by family. Luna reportedly succumbed to his injuries a few hours later.

Letierus Drew, 23 of Tyler, was identified as a suspect during the preliminary investigation, according to authorities, and witnesses told them Drew was not welcome inside the home but had allegedly forced his way in and got into a physical fight with Luna. Drew was booked into the Smith County Jail where his bond was set at $500,000. Continue reading Tyler man arrested in fatal stabbing

UPSHUR COUNTY – A 19-year-old was arrested after a shooting in Mount Pleasant over an alleged drug dispute according to our news partners at KETK. According to police, Shaun Michael Brown was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and booked into jail on a combined $100,000 bond. The shooting reportedly happened around 8:49 p.m. in the 1600 block of Lupine Road. Upshur County deputies and investigators said that an 18-year-old male from Mount Pleasant was “shot multiple times during the course of a drug related dispute over payment for marijuana.”
Continue reading Assault with deadly weapon arrest in drug dispute

BULLARD – The Brook Hill School, which is a a private boarding school located in Bullard, has announced that Braxton Brady is their new Head of School. According to our news partner KETK, Brady is the current Head of School at Evangelical Christian School in Memphis, Tennessee. He also has a Master of Arts from the Covenant Theological Seminary in Missouri. Brady is said to join Brook Hill July 1.

“This announcement marks a significant moment in the life of our school, and we are confident that Braxton’s leadership will further elevate Brook Hill and our mission to educate the next generation for Christ and His kingdom,” acting Head of School and Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Stephen Dement said.

MABANK — The Mabank Fire Department shared that Wayne McKenzie, a longtime member of the department, died on Wednesday, Jan. 17. According to our news partner KETK, McKenzie was 63-years-old and served with Mabank Fire Department for 31 years. According to an obituary from Moorhead Funeral Home, McKenzie was a hard worker who loved the outdoors, animals, construction and restoration. “We are saddened to hear of the loss of a great man and firefighter. We pray for his family at home and the Mabank Fire Department as they mourn the loss of a husband, father, friend, and brother. Rest easy brother, we will take it from here.” McKenzie’s obituary said that he worked at Southern Methodist University for 22 years before working in Mabank and then with Kaufman County until he died.

OVERTON – KETK reports that the Overton Independent School District said that Cristian Rodriguez, a student and football player, was injured in a “serious accident” on Friday night. According to the district, Rodriguez underwent surgery on on Saturday. Overton ISD has scheduled a meeting in the high school library at 5 p.m. on Sunday to pray and make cards for Rodriguez. n update that Overton ISD shared on Facebook said that Rodriguez’s surgery went well and that there is more optimism for his recovery.

TYLER – Smith County Emergency Services District 2 confirmed that a home on Holiday Hills Circle was a total loss after it caught on fire on Saturday. According to SCESD2, and our news partners at KETK, the first firefighters on the scene observed heavy fire conditions. The fire was also reportedly burning in trash and grass nearby the home. SCESD2 said they responded to the scene with 14 personnel, four engines, three tender trucks and two command trucks along with 10 volunteer firefighters. The Red Cross has been called into assist the family, according to SCESD2.

PALESTINE — The Palestine Police Department arrested two men after conducting a traffic stop on Wednesday near West Oak Street and San Jacinto Street and located drugs and a glass pipe. According to our colleagues at KETK, the Palestine PD conducted a traffic stop at around 8:34 p.m. and identified the driver as Jason Barnes, 48 and a passenger as Clinton Moore, 37 both of Palestine. Continue reading Traffic stop leads to arrests for drug possession

LONGVIEW – The Longview News-Journal has identified a 33-year-old homeless woman was killed about 11:30 p.m. Jan. 1 while reportedly crawling under a train in Longview. A police report released by the Longview Police Department through a public information request identified the woman as Ashley Nicole Ray. A witness to the incident told one of the responding officers that Ray had tried to crawl under a train on the tracks at the dead end of the 200 block of North Second Street. Continue reading Homeless woman killed by train identified

MARSHALL – Our colleagues at KETK say that Marshall PD has reportedly arrested one man following a shooting incident.Earnest Lee Cooks, Jr., 18 was arrested on five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and two counts of deadly conduct discharging a firearm. Continue reading Man arrested in shooting incident in Marshall