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SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, David Stein, the current county chair for the Smith County Republican Party, announced his bid for vice chair of the Republican Party of Texas on Monday. During the March primaries, Stein won 66% of the votes or 14,703 votes. After being reelected, he is serving as the county chair for the third time. In a release, Stein said he has been a conservative Republican for his entire adult life and supports the core principles of the party including being pro-life, pro second amendment, pro-military, traditional families and individual liberties.

Stein said due to limited funds, the lack of staff or plan for election integrity efforts, no get-out-to-vote initiative amongst other issues is why there needs to more training for county parties and county chairs. The chairman said he looks forward to interacting with all leaders over the next 11 weeks.

“We cannot continue to take actions that further divide our party instead of trying to find that common ground, which most importantly is getting Republicans such as Donald Trump for President and Ted Cruz for Senate, elected in November General elections,” Stein said.

Due to these concerns, Stein announced his candidacy for Vice Chair of The Republican Party of Texas. The seat is currently held by Dana Myers who recently announced her bid for the Texas Republican Party Chair. Stein said if elected, he would be honored to serve with her.

“I’m asking you to support me in this effort, I’m asking you to believe this is good for our state party,” Stein said.

TYLER – The Texas Health and Human Services Commission said that a data breach might have exposed personal information about 3,392 people in or near Tyler, Texarkana, Longview, Marshall, Beaumont and Nacogdoches. Our news partner KETK reports that on Jan. 11, the HHSC said it discovered that a staff member had allegedly emailed spreadsheets containing full names, home addresses and telephone numbers, health information, services, financial information, Medicaid identification numbers and an individual’s Social Security number to their personal email. These emails were sent between September and October of 2023 and the HHSC said they only determined what the emails contained on Feb. 2 of 2024.

The HHSC said that they’ve already contacted those affected to provide them with one year of free credit monitoring, in order to keep their credit safe from any misuse of their information.
Continue reading East Texans’ data leaked in HHSC breach

TYLER – The Texas Department of State Health Services has announced that they’ve awarded $19.3 million in grants to Federally Qualified Health Centers and similar organizations, including five in East Texas according to our news partners at KETK. This initial round of funding is a part of $40 million from the Texas general revenue fund to help expand Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), FQHC look-alikes and eligible nonprofit health centers. Continue reading Health centers awarded $19M in grants

SMITH COUNTY – One person is dead after a three-vehicle crash in Smith County Monday morning. According to our news partner KETK, the accident occurred around 9 a.m. on State Highway 110 and CR 2121. Initial DPS reports say that a pickup truck turned south off CR 2121 onto Highway 110 and collided with a northbound pickup. The northbound pickup went into the southbound lane, hitting another vehicle head-on. One driver has died. Another is hospitalized, while a third driver had minor injuries.

LONGVIEW — An arrest has been made in Gregg County after a death from a dog attack. Longview police have arrested 56-year-old Martin Rodriguez after an autopsy showed an unidentified 46-year-old man was killed by a dog. The man was found lying dead in a street beside a bicycle on February 1st with wounds that seemed to be from a dog attack. According to our news partner KETK, Rodriguez was being held without bond in the Gregg County Jail on multiple animal at large charges.

TYLER — Beginning Monday, March 11, crews will be repairing curb inlets along the outside northbound lane of South Broadway Avenue from 1st Street to Shaw Street. Portions of the northbound lane will be closed throughout the week. Drivers can expect delays. Motorists are asked to  use caution while traveling on this road, as workers will be present.

MARSHALL — The Marshall Police Department said that a card skimming device was recently found at a QuikTrip gas station off of Interstate 20 near Marshall. According to our news partner KETK, Marshall Police released the following statement:

“Attention, Marshall residents! A skimming device was recently discovered at a local gas station near I20 (QT), thanks to the vigilance of a community member. Skimmers can steal your card information when you pay at the pump, leading to unauthorized transactions and financial headaches.” Continue reading Marshall PD: card skimmer found at I-20 gas station

TYLER — Tyler Police have arrested three suspects wanted in a reported carjacking Friday afternoon. According to officials, just before 12:30, officers were dispatched to the intersection of W. Queen St. and N. Ross Ave. in reference to an aggravated robbery that had just occurred. The victim told officers he was approached by a black male while sitting in his vehicle. The male pointed a handgun at him and demanded his vehicle. The victim complied and exited the vehicle, at which time the suspect got into the victims Chevy Tahoe and drove away. Additional officers flooded the area and began searching for the stolen vehicle. A short time later, an officer spotted the vehicle at a business located on Hwy. 31 W, near Patton Lane. When the driver of the vehicle saw the approaching officers, he fled the scene at which time officers pursued the vehicle. The pursuit was short lived, as the driver pulled over and stopped a short distance away. Continue reading Three suspects arrested following Tyler carjacking

MARSHALL – The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office said three people were arrested on Friday after they discovered methamphetamine, marijuana and Diazepam (Valium) during a search of a residence. According to our news partner KETK, a search warrant was ordered after an investigation revealed methamphetamine was being sold from a residence on Walnut Street in Marshall. Decorian Kashun Stewart, 25, Savion Dashawn Hicks, 21, and Taylor Roshelle Dotie, 22, all of Marshall, were located in the residence by the Harrison County Emergency Response Team (ERT), the sheriff’s office said. Stewart allegedly tried to flush methamphetamine in the toilet when the ERT entered the home, the release said.

Stewart and Dotie were charged with possession of a controlled substance. Dotie and Hicks were both charged with possession of marijuana and Stewart was also charged with tampering with evidence.
According to the release, the drug charges were enhanced because of Drug-Free-Zone violations since the residence is within 1,000 feet of East Texas Baptist University. They are currently booked at the Harrison County Jail. Continue reading Meth, marijuana, Valium discovered, 3 arrests

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, the son of two elected Smith County officials was sentenced to 30 days in the Smith County Jail on Friday after being convicted of misdemeanor interfering with public duties. Derek Phillips, 37, was initially arrested on the charge in March 2023 alongside his mother, Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips, after an incident where authorities said the two tried to interfere with a traffic stop involving Derek’s friend. Bodycam footage from the incident showed a long dispute before the arrests, and in June, both Phillips sued Smith County alleging multiple violations of their Constitutional rights related to the incident. Both were indicted for interfering with public duties in November, and the trial for Derek began on Wednesday where he was convicted. Karen’s trial is currently scheduled for March 20.

Derek’s older brother Lance Phillips, 40, also has a trial date set for April 24 for a misdemeanor charge related to an incident on Jan. 2 where he was taken into custody for disrupting a Smith County Commissioners Court meeting where his father, Terry Phillips, currently sits as Precinct 3 Commissioner.

TYLER – The headliner for the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball held in Tyler will be West Texas native and country singer Randall King. According to our news partner KETK, King has more than 300 million streams with singles like “You In A Honky Tonk,” “Hey Cowgirl” and “Mirror, Mirror.” He tours extensively across the U.S., U.K. and Europe.

Kimberly Taylor, the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball chair said about their headliner, “We are so thrilled to have Randall King performing at Ball. We invite you to join us on June 8 at the Texas Rose Horse Park as we ‘Give Cancer the Boot.”

This years theme of the 36th annual event is ‘Give Cancer the Boot’ and will be held at the Texas Rose Horse Park on June 8. The Cattle Baron’s Ball is the primary fundraiser for the American Cancer Society in Tyler.

TYLER – Tyler police have arrested two people in connection to an armed carjacking early Friday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, officers received a call that two individuals on W. Queen Avenue had held a victim at gunpoint and then took their vehicle. Tyler PD was able to arrest the pair, who were jailed and are now awaiting charges.

TYLER – At the beginning of the season the Texas College Steers Men’s Basketball team was predicted to finish 12th out of 12 in the Red River Athletic Conference. On Thursday, it was announced that the same team will be participating in the NAIA National Basketball Tournament for the first time in school history. The Steers finished the season with a 22-8 record and a conference-best 12-1 record at home. They take on Point Park on March 15th in Henderson, Tennessee.

HARRISON COUNTY – The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office said an Alabama man was arrested on Thursday for breaking into a house and drinking two beers while at the residence. Our news partner KETK is reporting that Alex Ortiz, 29 of Horton, was detained after a caller reported a man had broken into their home. Ortiz reportedly admitted he drank two beers and threw a hammer at a window.

“Before he left, he became angry from things that happened in his past. Once he thought about it, he decided to throw a hammer through the window and departed the location,” the sheriff’s office said. Ortiz was taken to the main Harrison County Jail and was charged with burglary of habitation.

PALESTINE – A man was arrested for burglary after police say he broke into a local Family Dollar and took an ice cream bar. According to our news partner KETK, on Wednesday at 7:46 a.m., Palestine police officers were called to the Family Dollar at 317 E. Spring Street. They were advised the suspect had kicked in the door and made entry, and he was described as wearing a red shirt and blue shorts. The officers saw broken glass at the door and cleared the building before finding the suspect had left through the back door. That Family Dollar was reportedly set to open at 8 a.m., just 15 minutes after the reported break-in. Kilgore was booked into the Anderson County Jail for burglary of a building.

A person was found in the Kroger parking lot that matched the suspect’s description. Officers saw 25-year-old Rhett Kilgore of Buffalo, Texas. “Officers observed Kilgore to have a fresh cut on his right ankle from the sharp glass and to be eating an ice cream bar that had the same wrapper as the ice cream sold at the business,” police said. “When questioned about the burglary, Kilgore made the statement, ‘I got tired of waiting for the business to open.’”

When officers checked security footage, they reportedly saw Kilgore attempting to enter by “pushing a shopping cart into the glass door and breaking the glass.”

SMITH COUNTY — Beginning Thursday March 7, crews will be doing asphalt overlay work on the eastbound lane of Shiloh Road between Paluxy Drive and Rhones Quarter Road. Tyler city officials said in a release, that the center lane will be used as a temporary eastbound lane for the duration of the work. Temporary striping will be in place until the overlay is completed.

Drivers can expect delays and should avoid the area if possible. Multiple lanes will be impacted and some driveways may be temporarily blocked. Motorists are ask to use caution while traveling on this road, as workers will be present. This project is expected to continue through Wednesday, March 13.

KILGORE — A trial date has been set for three people accused of murdering a pregnant woman in 2016. According to our news partner KETK,  Sheryia Grant was eight months pregnant when she went missing in August 2016. Police began a search for Grant when they recovered a suspects’ vehicle and “began to fear the worst.” Authorities reportedly interviewed dozens of people, drained ponds, searched in the woods and wells. After police said they had enough evidence, they arrested Allen Lamont Sutton, his girlfriend Laneshia L. Young and a juvenile from Arp on a related felony charge. Continue reading Trials set in pregnant woman murder case

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department announced that a man arrested for pointing a gun at an officer during a search was sentenced to seven years in prison. According to our news partner KETK, Demarcus McCowan received the sentence after a jury convicted him of aggravated assault against a public servant and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
Continue reading Marshall man gets seven years for aggravated assault

CASS COUNTY – Stolen items valued at more than $1 million were recovered on Monday after a multi-agency investigation in Cass County according to our news partners at KETK. Officials with Texas DPS said they executed a search warrant at the home where the items were found in a joint operation involving the Texas DPS Criminal Investigation Division, Texas Highway Patrol Division, Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Cass County District Attorney’s Office. Officials said the stolen equipment recovered belongs to Graphic Packaging International (GPI), who estimated the stolen property to be worth more than $1 million. Continue reading $1M worth of stolen equipment found in Cass County

RUSK COUNTY – One person was charged with murder in Rusk County after a driver was found dead in their vehicle. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office said they got a call around 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning about a possible accident on Highway 79 at CR 347. Deputies and a DPS trooper saw the driver dead in the driver’s seat. The driver was later identified as 27-year-old Christina Glenn of Houston. “The investigation led to the arrest of the passenger who was charged with murder,” according to Rusk County Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez. The suspect, who was later identified as Justin Edwards, 33 of Houston, was arrested at the scene and the Chapman community is not in danger, Valdez said. Edwards remains in the Rusk County Jail, as of Wednesday, where his bond has been set at $1 million. “The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office is asking the community to keep the Glenn family in their thoughts and prayers,” Valdez said.

SMITH COUNTY — Polls in Smith County and statewide closed at 7p.m. Tuesday. Our news partner KETK has the running results for state and county races, you can find those here.

TYLER – Tyler ISD announced that Principal of Jones Elementary School Dr. NaTasha Crain has been named as the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators 2024 Principal of the Year. According to our news partner KETK, Crain was recognized at the 39th annual TABSE Conference in Houston on Saturday. Crain had the opportunity present to those at the conference a presentation titled “Implementing Social Emotional Learning through Culturally Relevant .”

Dr. Crain said after the conclusion of the conference, “I am so grateful to the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators for this esteemed recognition of Principal of the Year. It is a privilege to be affirmed in this space and to have my work and service acknowledged in such a meaningful way. This award is not only a personal achievement, but also a testament of the collective efforts of our entire school community at Jones Elementary in Tyler ISD.”

Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said, “We are immensely proud of Dr. NaTasha Crain and her well-deserved recognition as the 2024 TABSE Principal of the Year. Her unwavering dedication and commitment to student success and supporting her staff serve as an inspiration to us all.”

TYLER — In 2023, factors such as “unsafe speed”, “failure to drive in a single lane” and “alcohol-related DUI” contributed to 184 fatal crashes and 209 total deaths in the Tyler District. The TxDOT Tyler District, which includes Anderson, Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, Rusk, Smith, Van Zandt, and Wood Counties, released preliminary numbers revealing the top-five contributing factors of fatal crashes in 2023: Continue reading TxDOT releases 2023 Tyler District fatal crash statistics

TYLER — The City of Tyler Solid Waste Department is doing away with the two free bulky item collection weeks each year. Starting March 4, residential customers who receive curbside collection services (excluding multi-family home communities and businesses) can request two bulky waste pick-ups each calendar year at no charge by using the online form found here. Customers will need to place their items on the curb before completing the online form.

Residents may request more than two bulky item collections within a calendar year, but the additional collections will be handled as a special collection request where a fee is charged based on the size and quantity of the items. Continue reading Tyler rolls out new bulky item program

TRINITY COUNTY – Our news partner KETK reports that a man has been sentenced to 28 years in prison for a home invasion from 2021. Rojae Daejon Kizzee, 21, was found guilty of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for entering an occupied home in an attempted robbery, Sheriff Woody Wallace said. Wallace said Kizzee fired a handgun at a woman caring for her 2-year-old in the home and demanded she hand over the family dog. A fight ensued over the gun after the woman caused Kizzee to drop it. Reportedly, Kizzee regained control of the gun and fired it again before escaping. “Kizzee was on the run for several days before being captured after a manhunt with multiple agencies involved,” Wallace said.

The 21-year-old was identified in a lineup and it was confirmed through DNA evidence on the scene. “After meeting with and discussing the details of the crime with the victim in this matter and discussing with her the potential outcomes of this matter I am satisfied with the court’s sentence,” District Attorney Bennie Schiro said.

PALESTINE – According to our news partner KETK, the Palestine Police Department has released the cause of death of Trenton Lee Staneart who was found dead on Jan. 28. According to the release, a final autopsy report shows that Staneart’s cause of death was drowning and the manner of death was accidental. Police said the toxicology results showed that he had used marijuana prior to his death. Police said there was no evidence of foul play.

Trenton Lee Staneart was last seen leaving the sheriff’s office at 4:44 p.m. on Jan. 20 and was found dead in a creek in the woods off of East Lacy Street just after 11 a.m. on Jan. 28. Detectives reportedly identified Staneart and Anderson County Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace James Todd ordered an autopsy after responding to the scene.