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PALESTINE — East Texas nonprofits are struggling to stay afloat in today’s sluggish economy. According to our news partner KETK, the Tri-County Meals on Wheels in Palestine previously received $2,000-$3,000 per month in donations and now they only get about $1,000 per month. The organization serves Anderson, Cherokee and Rusk counties. The community fears the program is going to close because of the significant decrease in funding. They are having to pull money from other places within the ministry and reach out to city officials for help. “We have the gas that’s increasing, the food prices increasing, everything is increasing except the funding sources,” said Executive Director Ruby Taylor. “I decided to compose a letter and send it to each county judge, letting them know of our need.” Tri-County Meals on Wheels has lost nearly $85,000 in local funding due to the effects of the pandemic. Some of the people they serve, solely depend on Meals on Wheels to eat everyday. The program does get government funding but that only accounts for 43%, the rest is on them so they are asking for help from the community.

TYLER — Smith County Road 289, south of New Chapel Hill, is back open to traffic after a two-month bridge replacement project. According to a news release, CR 289, also known as Wolfe Lane, now has a new, wider concrete bridge with railing. The bridge project is part of a federal program administered by the Texas Department of Transportation. Smith County Engineer Frank Davis said the County is only required to pay about five percent of the project. Davis said under the same construction contract, a wooden bridge on CR 2110 will also be replaced with a concrete bridge. That project, east of Arp, will begin this coming week and is expected to last about three months. CR 2110 will be closed during the construction project and detour signs will be placed in the area.

TYLER — Leadership Tyler has selected Wendy Frizzell as its new executive director. Leadership Tyler is a non-profit organization whose stated goal is equipping leaders to enrich the Tyler community. Frizzell was a member of Leadership Tyler’s Core Program Class 31. According to a news release, she has an extensive background in marketing and development in the non-profit and healthcare industries. Frizzell will assume the role on May 23. She will be responsible for the planning and management of Leadership Tyler’s three programs and oversee all other operations of the organization. You can learn more about Leadership Tyler here.

LONGVIEW — Gov. Greg Abbott will highlight a community-wide Memorial Day event May 30 at Teague Park in Longview. The City of Longview, Gregg County, and the Boy Scout Troop 201 Alumni Foundation will host what’s termed A Day of Thanks and Remembrance. The event will include a main ceremony featuring Abbott, a flag retirement ceremony, free lunch, and more. The main ceremony begins at 11 a.m. Military and law enforcement recruiters will be on hand, and there will be opportunities for COVID vaccinations and blood pressure checks. Attendees are asked to bring a lawn chair and umbrella and can spend time exploring the park’s Veterans Memorial Plaza. Click here for more details.

TYLER — The Smith County District Attorney’s Office reports 18-year-old Ernesto Castellon of Tyler was handed four life sentences for an incident in which an officer was injured. Castellon was caught in an East Texas Anti-Gang Center operation that included the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, the Tyler Police Department, the Department of Public Safety, and other agencies. Officials say Castellon sold narcotics and automatic weapons to an undercover officer and then tried to flee, causing the injury. Castellon was charged with manufacture/delivery of multiple controlled substances, weapons trafficking, and aggravated assault on a peace officer.

LONGVIEW – Authorities say a man was arrested and jailed after leading police on a pursuit that allegedly damaged their vehicles. That’s according to our news partner KETK. 37-year-old Kelvin Earl Smith Jr. is charged with evading arrest in a vehicle, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, possession of dangerous drugs, and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. At around 6:10 a.m. Thursday, Longview police officers responded to a welfare check call for service in the roadway of H.G. Mosley Parkway near Loring Lane. Upon arrival, officers found a car stopped at a traffic signal for several minutes and the driver “appeared to the passed out,” according to a press release. Smith allegedly led officers on a short pursuit in which two police vehicles were damaged, as well as the suspect’s vehicle.

TYLER – A Smith County judge denied a request Thursday morning from Pct. 1 Constable Curtis Traylor-Harris to reduce his bond. According to our news partner KETK, that’s after Harris was re-arrested while awaiting trial for charges of felony theft by a public servant and misdemeanor public oppression. 241st District Judge Jack Skeen denied Traylor-Harris’ motions to reduce the two $500,000 bonds down to between $20,000 and $30,000. Harris was arrested last week after a video on a Youtube live stream showed him at a graduation in full uniform with his weapon. Conditions of his bond include an order that he cannot possess a firearm, explosive, ammunition or deadly weapon. He would now have to post a $1 million bond to be released again. His next court date is July 7 when he must decide on a plea.

LINDALE – Special Agents with the Texas Department of Public Safety conducted an online solicitation of prostitution operation Tuesday and Wednesday that led to the arrest of eight. Defendants include Jason Wilhelm Veihl, 45, of Canton; Jeffrey Alan Watts, 64, of Tyler; Chaminda P Alwis, 53, of Tyler; Allen Ronald Johnson Jr, 44, of Lindale;David Balderas, 32, of Tyler; Leonardo Hernandez Rodriguez, 23, of Lovington, NM; Ryan Craig Burgess, 30, of Lindale; and Chester Ray Webb, 32, of Tyler. Investigators with the Smith County TAG (Texas Anti-Gang Unit) assisted in the investigation and apprehensions, according to officials.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A man was sentenced to 99 years in prison in Upshur County. On Tuesday, a jury of five men and seven women found Taylor guilty of retaliation against a witness from Jan. 2021, according to our news partner KETK. Charles Lance Taylor, 45, broke into the house of a woman that he previously dated on June 23, 2020 and assaulted and strangled her, according to Upshur County District Attorney, Billy W. Byrd. “The assault was so bad it required the victim to be hospitalized for a brain bleed,” said Byrd. Continue reading Upshur County man sentenced to 99 years for threatening victim

SMITH COUNTY — A 35-year-old man who had special needs died in a house fire Wednesday night, according to Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks. The victim has been identified as Jack McKenzie Ross. Our news partner KETK reports the fire started around 8:00 p.m. on County Road 1113. 26-year-old firefighter Cameron Franks was taken to the hospital for observation after being injured by a power line on the scene but has since been released. No one else was injured in the fire. The Smith County, Noonday and Red Springs Fire Departments assisted with the fire. The cause of the fire has not been determined. Officials are asking the community to pray for the family affected by this tragic fire.

TYLER – Phillip Hayes, the lead defense attorney for convicted murderer and former CHRISTUS nurse William Davis, has been indicted for allegedly trying to solicit a prostitute during the month-long trial. Hayes will go before 7th District Judge Kerry Russell next week to enter a plea. He was arrested in November days after the high-profile Tyler trial concluded. According to our news partner KETK, Davis was found guilty and sentenced to death for killing patients at the hospital where he worked as a nurse.

ANGELINA COUNTY — One woman has been released after a man was shot several times early Wednesday morning in Deep East Texas. According to our news partner KETK, Diboll Police were called to a home on the 500 block of N. 3rd Street, a neighborhood just off Highway 59. When officers arrived, they found a Hispanic male who “had been shot several times during a domestic dispute,” according to a release from the department. The victim’s name was not released, but investigators said he was approximately 30 years old. The suspect was identified as Cynthia Zamora Ramos. She has been charged with aggravated assault-family violence and was initially held at the Angelina County Jail before her release per a judge’s order.

ARP – The city of Arp has rescinded a boil water notice. The notice was issued Monday after officials reported a main water line was hit, and the water was initially turned off to repair the break. The city put out the word Wednesday that everything is back to normal and the water is safe to consume without boiling.

TYLER — As part of National Police Week, Smith County holds its annual Peace Officer Memorial Service on Tyler’s downtown square. Tyler Police Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh told KTBB, “It’s very important to remember those who have given their lives in the service of the communities that they serve. He says law officers “want to make a difference” — and when they are killed doing their jobs, “it’s important that we remember why they died… and these kind of services are just a reminder that these were men and women who just entered a life of service and, doing that, lost their lives.” The event was one of numerous such remembrances being held this week around East Texas and across the country.

TYLER – The North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority (NET RMA) Wednesday announced its partnership with the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) to provide improved billing and customer service systems for Toll 49 customers, according to a news release. NET RMA points to NTTA’s customer service rating of 95.4%. The initial transition was made May 5. As part of the remaining transition, officials say over the coming months, NET RMA is also installing new tolling equipment on Toll 49 to improve scanning and billing efficiency. Continue reading New provider for Toll 49 billing, customer service