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TYLER – A Tyler man has pleaded guilty to federal charges involving false claims of military service. Officials say Derek Robert Hamm, 38, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, money laundering, violating the Stolen Valor Act, using a fraudulent military discharge certificate, and being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition. As part of the plea agreement, Hamm agreed to pay restitution of at least $2.3 million and forfeiture of the proceeds of his criminal conduct in the amount of $1,675,000. According to court documents, Hamm invented a persona of being a wealthy and successful war hero and created an extensive network of friends who introduced him to potential investors. Within hours of receiving investors’ funds, Hamm spent their money on himself and his family, including expensive jewelry, vehicles, and vacations to expensive resorts on private charter planes. Click here for full details.

TYLER — The Caldwell Zoo announces news regarding what staffers term major improvements. Officials say a complete remodel of the South American section has been unanimously approved by the board of trustees. According to a news release, “The plans will add a vast array of alluring animals and beautiful birds to a major part of the zoo. The Amazon River’s Edge will highlight animals from South America in beautiful and expansive habitats.” Staffers also say new guest experiences will be a part of the remodel. Officials say construction will begin shortly and the estimated completion time frame is 14-18 months.

TYLER — The City of Tyler will host the annual Fourth of July fireworks celebration at Lindsey Park. The fun kicks off as the gates open at 2 p.m., and the fireworks show will begin after dark (around 9 p.m.). The park gate, located off Spur 364, is the only entrance, and admission is free. Live entertainment will include music from DJ Chris Choice. Vendors and Food Trucks can still register to be a part of the event until June 29. To prepare for this event, Lindsey Park will be closed to the public on July 4 until 2 p.m. Alcohol, smoking, and private fireworks are prohibited in the park. Click here for all the details.

OVERTON — Overton city officials say a boil water notice has been rescinded after it was determined the water is safe to consume without boiling. The initial notice was posted June 12 “due to conditions which occurred recently in the public water system,” according to an updated web posting. Officials say the system has taken the necessary corrective actions and has provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that opened the door for resumption of normal water use.

TYLER — 52-year-old Reginald M. Wickware of Tyler has been found guilty and sentenced to life in prison for aggravated sexual assault of a child. According to a news release, Smith County prosecutors presented evidence that Wickware sexually abused an 11 year-old girl in October 2019. During the punishment phase of the trial, the jury also heard evidence that Wickware had 21 previous criminal convictions since the late 1980s, for nine felonies and 12 misdemeanors. Deliberations in the punishment phase took just 15 minutes.

LONGVIEW — With the above-normal heat for a Texas summer, East Texas shelters like Hiway 80 Rescue Mission are seeing more people coming in to cool off, according to our news partner KETK. The blazing temperatures can cause health risks such as dehydration, sunburn and heat exhaustion. “Between our women’s and men’s shelter and our facility in Tyler- Gateway to Hope, we were just shy of 200 folks last night in a shelter. Normally, we are around 150 or so there has been an uptick in people seeking shelter due to this heat wave we’ve experienced,” said Brian Livingston, Executive Director of Hiway 80 Rescue Mission. The heat can affect sleep, especially for those living on the street. Continue reading East Texas cooling stations see uptick in attendance due to hot temperatures

SMITH COUNTY — 25-year-old Taylor Ray Stevenson of Greenville is identified as the person killed in an officer-involved shooting at a home near Lindale. Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith says Stevenson broke in before dawn Tuesday, then reportedly assaulted his girlfriend and allegedly tried to take her phone away. Three small children were on the scene during the incident. Smith says officers responded and tried to talk to Stevenson, but shots were fired. Stevenson was wounded and was later pronounced dead at a hospital. Per standard protocol, the officer involved in the shooting is on administrative leave pending the completion of the investigation. An autopsy was ordered. Continue reading Officials identify man killed in officer-involved shooting

LONGVIEW – 26-year-old Cody Fortman of DeSoto is awaiting his sentence after pleading guilty Wednesday to a 2017 murder in Longview. According to our news partner KETK, officers called to an Annette Drive residence found the body of Nicholas Trevion Johnson, 22, of Longview, dead with multiple gunshot wounds. Fortman was arrested the next day after officials identified him as a suspect through the cooperation of a witness.

BULLARD — A Bullard woman arrested for financial crimes in early May, was arrested again on Friday and charged with the same crimes in a neighboring county. According to our news partner KETK, Misty Adair, 46, was arrested for the same charges in addition to her current charges relating to misapplication of funds and theft of property. However, the warrant for her Friday arrest was issued by Henderson County. Adair has been charged with misapplication of fiduciary property and theft of property between $2,500 and $30,000 by both counties, and her bond was set on Friday at $5,194.80 per charge. Documents seen by detectives showed Adair had access to the Bullard “Youth for Agriculture” bank account since the organization’s 2019 establishment. Continue reading East Texas woman accused of theft for a second organization

HAWKINS — The Hawkins City Council had a meeting on Tuesday and after discussing for two hours during an executive session, they accepted the resignation of the Hawkins Chief of Police Manfred Gilow. According to our news partner KETK, the meeting was scheduled for 6 p.m. at the Hawkins City Hall Council Chambers. Several community members attended the meeting to show support for Gilow and some resigned as well. A new city manager was also hired three weeks ago. Gilow said budget constraints and a shortage of police staff are some of the key reasons that led him to resign. Continue reading Hawkins City Council accepts resignation of police chief during meeting

TYLER – A Tyler man was sentenced to 15 years in prison for a 2020 murder on Tuesday after entering a plea deal. According to our news partner KETK, Kevondus Brantley, 23, is the second of four co-defendants to be convicted of murder after a shooting on Vance Street in Tyler. Kobe Warthsaw, 19, was found guilty of murder by a jury in May after a three-day trial and was sentenced to 40 years in prison. The remaining co-defendants are both scheduled on plea dockets for later this year. The four were arrested and charged with murder in 2020 after a shooting that killed 21-year-old Draveon McCullough. According to officers, McCullough knocked on Warthsaw’s door and a fight began. During the struggle, McCullough was shot and killed. Officers reported finding “a substantial amount of narcotics at the scene.”

TYLER — The UT Tyler Cowan Center Tuesday announced its schedule for 2022-2023. According to press materials, “Unstoppable: The Celebration Continues” is this season’s theme, which officials say builds on the excitement of once again returning to live performances. The season will feature concerts, comedy, lectures, and Broadway shows. Among others, the slate includes performances by the veteran band Chicago and the Texas Tenors, along with productions of the shows “Annie,” “Chicago – the Musical,” and “Tootsie.” Tickets go on sale June 27. Click here for the full rundown.

OVERTON — The City of Overton remains on a boil water notice that went into effect June 12, and a second break in the water line forced the city to shut off the supply altogether according to our news partner KETK. The good news: With the tank level at least 112 feet, officials say everyone should now have water. “As far as conserving water I think we are good, citizens should probably begin conserving water anyway due to the extreme heat and drought situation,” Overton Police Chief Bryan Pool said. Just off FM 850, a contractor hit a water line last weekend, and a second break that happened early Monday morning could be due to extreme heat, according to city officials. As a result, residents are feeling the hit and pressure. Continue reading Boil water notice in Overton, but water service restored

SMITH COUNTY – One person was rushed to the hospital on Monday after a shooting in Smith County, officials said. According to our news partner KETK at around 7:30 p.m., Smith County deputies were dispatched to a residence in the 11800 block of CR 4153 for a report of deadly conduct. At the scene, deputies reportedly found a victim with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Paramedics arrived quickly and took the victim to the hospital. Deputies and investigators spoke with witnesses to identify a suspect, who later walked by the location of the shooting and was detained by deputies. The victim is in “extremely critical condition” with life-threatening injuries, officials said. The Smith County Crime Scene Unit and investigators are continuing their investigation. The names of the parties involved were withheld due to age constraint and more information will be released when it is available.

LONGVIEW – A Longview elementary school student donated more than $1,800 to the Hiway 80 Rescue Mission on Monday, according to our news partner KETK. Evie White is a student at Parkway Elementary, and she sold lemonade and lemon tea to fundraise for the organization that provides food and shelter to women, families and the homeless. Evie set up her stand at the Longview Walmart for two days. Parkway Elementary usually raises money for the mission during the school year, and the child was worried that no one would be fundraising during the summer. Her mom encouraged her to take action to help others. Evie later created a business plan and wrote to Walmart to get permission to sell her lemonade. She was then able to raise a large amount for the Hiway 80 Mission. Evie and her siblings visited the group and gave them the check. Hiway 80 Mission leaders said they were touched.