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CARTHAGE – The Panola County Sheriff’s Office announced Tuesday that skeletal remains found by a work crew in July have been identified as a woman who haD been missing since 2019. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff Cutter Clinton said the remains were identified as Lauren Elizabeth Thompson, who went missing from the Rock Hill community on Jan. 10, 2019. She was 32 years old at the time. “Our family would like to reiterate out deepest gratitude for the love, intercessory prayer and support demonstrated by many in bringing Lauren home,” Gregory Colvin, Thompson’s father. said. The cause of Thompson’s death is still being investigated. “Our office will be diligent on pursuing all relevant investigative leads,” Clinton said. “Please keep the family of Lauren in your prayers.” Continue reading Remains found in Panola County identified as missing woman from 2019

KILGORE — Seven counties in the East Texas Council of Governments service area have fully completed Broadband Action Plans, according to an ETCOG news release. Officials say ETCOG has been working county by county with local decision-makers since January 2021 to help identify the region’s most critical Broadband needs. Four additional counties are awaiting final edits and budgeting and are anticipated to be considered by their counties shortly, according to the release. On November 18, the Federal Communications Commission released its pre-production draft of new broadband maps. Continue reading Broadband Study & Action Plans completed for seven East Texas counties

LONGVIEW – Last week, Mayor of Longview, Andy Mack had a health event sending him to the hospital. Tuesday, he sent out an update on Facebook letting everyone know how he was doing. Mack said that earlier in the week he had been having a bad headache and neck pain that he thought was attributed to some shoulder pain. But by Wednesday, Dec. 7 the headache had become “unbearable” and he then reached out to his brother, Dr. Ben Mack, to get his opinion. After going through some tests and an MRI, it was revealed that he had a small brain bleed and diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage and is expected to fully recover in short order, according to his statement on Facebook. “The main focus of my treatment has been to manage the pain which I can tell you has completely disappeared. I am expected to be released from the hospital within the next few days and will resume all my normal activities at that time.”

TYLER – A one-car crash shut down traffic Tuesday morning on South Donnybrook Avenue in Tyler after a car hit a power pole. According to Tyler Police and our news partner KETK, all south and northbound lanes of Donnybrook Avenue were closed from East Hudson Street to Troup Highway, and Oncor is onsite to repair the pole on Donnybrook Avenue and East Seagle Street.

TYLER — A one-car crash has shut down traffic Tuesday morning on South Donnybrook Avenue in Tyler after a car hit a power pole. According to Tyler police and our news partner KETK, all south and northbound lanes of Donnybrook Avenue are closed from East Hudson Street to Troup Highway. Oncor is onsite to repair the pole on Donnybrook Avenue and East Seagle Street. Officials said the car was occupied by two teenagers who were both transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

TYLER – Tyler ISD confirmed that a bus carrying students was in a crash while heading back to Tyler High School Monday. According to our news partner KETK, officials say the bus was bringing back students from Tyler ISD’s Career and Technology Center at the time of the the crash. The school district said four students were being assessed, with no immediate word on whether any students were injured.

TYLER — South Donnybrook Avenue remained closed at the East Eighth Street intersection as of late Monday afternoon. Officials say a Tyler Water Utilities crew worked throughout the day to repair a water line that was hit by a contractor. TWU did not immediately have an estimated time on when the line would be fixed or the road reopened. The City of Tyler was urging drivers to use caution and obey all traffic signs and detours in the area.

TYLER – Former Smith County Precinct 1 Constable Curtis Traylor-Harris has been sentenced to a term of five years probation after being found guilty of theft by a jury last week. According to our news partner KETK, he was sentenced to two years in state jail probated, meaning if he were to violate the terms of his five-year probation period, Traylor-Harris would then serve the state jail sentence. Traylor-Harris was originally arrested in Nov. 2021 by the Texas Rangers. He was arrested a second time in May 2022 for allegedly violating his bond conditions. In the incident which prompted the case, multiple items were reported stolen from a home after Traylor-Harris, Chief Deputy LaQuenda Banks, and Sergeant Derrick Holman went there to serve a writ of possession. Continue reading Traylor-Harris sentenced to probation

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview is encouraging the community to assist with Longview’s Homeless Resource Day. Officials say the activity is a collaborative effort of the City of Longview and various nonprofit organizations to provide homeless individuals access to available services. The Homeless Resource Day will take place from 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., Thursday, January 26, 2023, in the Longview Exhibit Center on Jaycee Drive. Check this link for more details.

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview Partners in Prevention’s Unity and Diversity Committee announces Mrs. Amanda Veasy and Mr. Clent Holmes as the 2023 Unity Honors recipients. The Unity Honors is a lifetime achievement award recognizing residents who have demonstrated leadership in promoting unity, mutual understanding, and social justice, according to a news release. Among other things, Veasy is the founder and executive director of One Love Longview. Along with other credentials, Holmes is executive director of Thrive Longview (formerly known as Thrive 360). The Unity and Diversity Committee will honor the two at the 19th Annual Unity Honors Luncheon Feb. 15. Click here for more details.

EMORY – Sidekick’s, a family-owned restaurant in Emory, caught fire Thursday night in the middle of its busy dinner rush — and the Sidekick’s Facebook page says the eatery is a total loss. According to our news partner KETK, the building was quickly evacuated with the help of restaurant employees who reportedly put their lives at risk to make sure nobody was left inside. The Emory Volunteer Fire Department says fire crews from Emory, Alba, East Tawakoni, and Point were all on the scene. “Everyone is still in shock at that has happened. This restaurant has been in my family for 12 years, and I grew up in this restaurant, and to watch it go so fast, it’s crazy,” said assistant manager Danielle Patton. Continue reading Emory restaurant catches fire in the middle of dinner service

TYLER — District 1 Congressman-elect Nathaniel Moran continues preparing for the new term on Capitol Hill. We asked him what particular issues affecting the district he’s planning to work on once he’s seated. Moran says there are plenty — and that a lot will be determined by which committee he’s on. According to Moran, there’s a lot of shuffling right now due to vacancies and the shift from Democratic to Republican control in the House. He says he’ll have a better idea what impact he’ll have once he gets his committee assignment. Moran says the main committee he’s looking to get on is Judiciary, which he says will take a forefront role in East Texas on immigration issues and policy. Moran adds that that committee will also take a leading role in oversight of the Biden Administration. If that doesn’t work out, Moran says maybe he’ll be assigned to a committee on transportation and infrastructure, budget, or foreign affairs.

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District for the week of December 12. In Smith County, Tyler maintenance will have a base failure crew on FM 850, two miles south of SH 31. Motorists should expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. A second crew will assist Special Jobs with a fog seal project on US 271 from Gentry Pkwy, inside Loop 323 to FM 2015 just outside the loop. In Gregg County, Longview maintenance will continue bridge channel maintenance on FM 2207 between FM 1252 and SH 135. Expect lane closures with flaggers and a TMA controlling traffic. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

TYLER — Due to weather and construction issues, traffic on Cambridge Road in Tyler did not shift during the week of Dec. 5 as planned. Traffic is now shifting to the north side of the road as of Monday, Dec. 12.  Eastbound traffic will shift from the south side to the newly paved north side at Townhouse Drive. Drivers will move back to the south side of Cambridge Road just before reaching Potomac Drive to continue traveling east. The shift is needed for demolition of the south side of the roadway to make the area ready for new asphalt pavement, according to a news release. Residents and visitors to the neighborhood are asked to be patient and follow the instructions of the contractors. Click here for all the details.

LONGVIEW — Longview Mayor Andy Mack is in the hospital after a health event, according to Longview Public Information Officer Richard Yeakley. Our news partner KETK reports, Mayor Mack is in stable condition at this time. Officer Yeakley added that the Mack family would appreciate people’s thoughts and prayers. Additional information was not immediately available. Mack became mayor in 2015 and he was previously a city councilman representing District 4 from 1997 to 2005. District 4 Councilwoman Kristen Ishihara, who is mayor pro tem, will fill in for Mack’s responsibilities until he is able to return.