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SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road and Bridge crews began the task of replacing a well-traveled bridge on County Road 137 just north of Bullard this week. County officials say the wooden bridge, which crosses over Henshaw Creek, was only large enough to allow a single car to pass at a time. The replacement bridge will be made of concrete, will have a full two lanes, and will improve a number of safety issues for that road, officials say. Crews are moving the location of the bridge slightly to straighten out what’s termed a dangerous curve in CR 137. A county news release says that will improve visibility for both directions of traffic. Weather allowing, the project should be complete in approximately 14 weeks, according to a county news release. Continue reading Construction Underway for CR 137 Bridge

GILMER — A Gilmer-based political action committee filed signatures Wednesday with the Gilmer city manager in hopes of making alcohol sales legal in the historically dry Upshur County seat. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. The group, Gilmer Committee for Economic Growth, gathered more than 430 signatures that, if approved, will place two propositions on the May ballot. “There is no agenda for me other than that I want to see this little historic town square prosper,” said Gerald Jones, treasurer for the committee and owner of Los Pinos Ranch Vineyards. “When all these other little towns are going wet and voting damp, the idea really is, yeah, we would be left behind. Who is going to want to be here?” Continue reading Gilmer Latest to Seek Alcohol Vote

TYLER — Tyler city leaders Wednesday got the lowdown on where the city is in its five-year plan. Mayor Barbara Bass says Earl Campbell Parkway and the completion of Grande were just a few projects under the city’s collective belt. And getting Tylerites more involved is key in having all the plans come to fruition. City Planner Heather Nick tells KETK, “The city is just really excited about all the involvement in this plan. It is so important that you involve your citizens in your community in a plan. If you don’t, it’s just going to remain on the shelf.” The city council should have the entire plan for review come April.

TYLER (AP/Staff) – An undercover investigation has led to prison for the second of two men who tried to sell a fully automatic machine gun at an East Texas truck stop. Federal prosecutors announced Colten David Barrow of Quinlan was sentenced Wednesday to two years in prison. Craig Marcus Cooper of Farmersville was sentenced last Friday to 18 months. Barrow in September pleaded guilty to attempting to sell a machine gun. Cooper pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a machine gun. Investigators say the men in January 2012 went to a truck stop in Van Zandt County to meet someone interested in buying the weapon for $10,000. The buyer was an undercover agent. Officers seized the weapon with the attached silencer.

DALLAS (AP) – A Dallas-area doctor charged in a federal health care fraud investigation now faces identity theft counts. The Dallas Morning News reported Wednesday that documents filed in federal court in Tyler show Dr. Tariq Mahmood faces seven counts of aggravated identity theft. Investigators say the case involves unlawful use of names of Medicare beneficiaries. Mahmood was charged last year with eight counts of health care billing fraud. Mahmood has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His attorney didn’t immediately return a message Thursday. Regulators last February halted funding for Mahmood’s Renaissance Hospital in Terrell and it closed. Mahmood also operated hospitals in Grand Saline, Cameron, Dilley and Center. Gov. Rick Perry last summered ordered state health officials to review facilities owned by the physician from Cedar Hill.

LINDALE — A man wanted for robberies in Lindale and Tyler has been arrested. Adam Heath Bowers, 34, is believed to be one of three persons seen taking merchandise from the Wal-Mart store, located at 105 East Centennial Boulevard in Lindale around 5:30 Monday morning. Bowers has also been identified as a suspect in Monday afternoon’s robbery of the Family Dollar store at 3503 Frankston Highway. He was also wanted for aggravated assault where Bowers allegedly fired shots at an individual off Highway 64 West in Smith County. Continue reading Man Arrested in Smith County Robberies

COLLEGE STATION (AP) — State forestry officials say there’s been a surge in reported timber thefts in East Texas woodlands. A statement Wednesday from the Texas A&M Forest Service says more than 20 timber theft cases have been reported from the Red River in the Ark-La-Tex to almost the Gulf coast of Southeast Texas. What’s making the timber easy pickings is the fact that one-third of the more than 200,000 family forest landowners I East Texas don’t live on the land and aren’t around to guard their timber stands. The state recommends property owners have trusted persons report any cutting, never sign a contract without checking a buyer’s references, insist on getting bids for the timber, mark all property lines and enlist the help of advisers, if necessary, to help in the sale.

LONGVIEW — A Kilgore man, who had been accused of trying to kill his father and himself last May, has been sentenced to 9 years in prison for aggravated kidnapping. In a plea deal, an attempted murder charge was dismissed against William Emmett Lawson, 51, on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he was sentenced to prison. Continue reading Kilgore Man Goes to Prison for Kidnapping

CARTHAGE — A bicyclist has been killed in a Panola County accident. It happened around 5:00 Tuesday morning on U.S. Highway 59 about a mile from Carthage. Killed was Tony Weldon Gilliam, 50, of Carthage. He died about half an hour after the accident in a Carthage hospital. The Department of Public Safety says he was hit by a truck driven by Douglas Minton, 82, of Marshall. It appears as if the accident was caused when Minton had a stroke. He was treated first and Panola County Medical Center a later flown to a Longview Hospital.

PITTSBURG — An Arizona man is in custody following two robberies and a school building fire. Just before 9:45 Tuesday night, Pittsburg police responded to a reported robbery. As they were responding to that call, a report came in about a robbery near the first one. In both cases, the suspect is said to have used a gun and then ran away. About five minutes later a fire was reported in a building on the Pittsburg School District Campus. A suspect in the events was arrested just after midnight in the area of Fulton Street. Arrested and booked into the Camp County Jail was Steven Marlin Schade, 45. He has been charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, one count of arson he was named in an outstanding warrant in Utah.

TYLER — A Shreveport, Louisiana man has appeared in Tyler federal court for sentencing for drug trafficking violations. Brandon Johnson, 22, pleaded guilty last November to possession with intent to distribute approximately 4.5 kilograms of marijuana. He was sentenced Wednesday to 10 months in federal prison U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. Continue reading Louisiana Man Headed to Prison for Drug Violations

TYLER — An Anderson County man has been sentenced in Tyler federal court to prison for drug trafficking violations. Clifford Murray, 29, of Palestine, pleaded guilty on November 6, 2013, to possession with intent to distribute approximately 11.6 grams of crack cocaine. He was sentenced Wednesday to 60 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Michael H. Schneider. Murray was also ordered to pay a $20,000 judgment and submit to forfeiture of seized firearms and cash. Continue reading Palestine Man Sentenced for Drug Violations

TYLER — Another victim has turned up in the ongoing Smith County jury duty scam. Sheriff’s spokesman John Moore updated media Wednesday, saying a woman had been taken for $2,000. Someone claiming to be with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office is contacting individuals claiming that they owe fines for missing jury duty. Continue reading Authorities Continue Investigating Jury Duty Scam

RUSK — The Cherokee County Commissioners Court denied the Richard D. Klein Animal Shelter’s request for additional funding. KETK reports the Jacksonville animal shelter gets $15,000 a year from the county. But shelter officials asked for $7,000 more, to cover different needs. Right now, to drop off an animal, someone who lives in the county has to pay $45. The shelter wants to waive that fee altogether, because not everyone can afford it. Also, the shelter had to discontinue its low-cost spay and neuter program. Shelter officials say commissioners denied their request because they claimed they didn’t have enough information to make a decision. Continue reading Commissioners Deny Additional Funding for Animal Shelter

LINDALE — A man wanted by Lindale police for robbery appears to be a suspect in another Smith County robbery. An aggravated robbery felony warrant has been issued for Adam Heath Bowers, 34. He is believed to be one of the people who was seen taking merchandise from the WSal-Mart store, located at 105 East Centennial Boulevard. Two men and one woman were captured on the surveillance system around 5:30 Monday morning taking items from the store. When a WalMart employee confronted the suspects, one of them reportedly pulled a gun. Bowers has also been identified as a suspect in Monday afternoon’s robbery of the Family Dollar store at 3503 Frankston Highway. Tyler police have obtained an arrest warrant for Bowers in that case.

GLADEWATER — Gladewater High School defensive coordinator John Berry has been named interim head football coach and athletic director. According to KETK, that follows the Sunday morning arrest of Coach Jerrod Baugh on a charge of driving while intoxicated. According to police reports, Baugh was arrested around 3:00 a.m., Sunday morning in the McDonalds drive-thru located at 408 Marshall Avenue in Longview.

TYLER — Tyler police are looking for the man who robbed an individual just before 11:00 last night. The victim told officers he was walking through the woods just west of 1001 West Oakwood when he noticed someone was walking behind him. The man approached him and pulled a handgun, demanding his money. The suspect then left the area with some personal property belonging to the victim. There were no injuries. The suspect is described as a black male wearing a black ski mask, a green military style coat, camouflage pants and work boots. The suspect was believed to be in his 20’s, approximately 5′ – 5’6″ in height and 150 to 160 pounds.

CARTHAGE (AP) — Either Carson Joines has been a very popular man in Carthage, or nobody else wanted to be mayor of the small East Texas over the past 32 years. City Secretary Debbie Pierce tells the Longview News-Journal that Joines has announced that he’s resigning as mayor of Carthage before his term expires in May. The Carthage City Commission will meet Friday morning to fill Joines’ unexpired term. Joines has spent 42 years in office, the first 10 as Carthage mayor pro tem and the other 32 as mayor. In his resignation letter to the commission, Joines says he wanted to give more time to his family. His wife died in 2002 and he has four children, nine grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.

TROUP — A burn pile got out of control, leading to a grass fire that burned two persons. It happened around 2:00 Tuesday afternoon in the 21000 block of Mixon Road in Troup. Smith County Fire officials say that a man in a wheel chair lit the burn pile behind a house and it got out of control, trapping him in the flames. A woman who came to his aid was treated on scene for minor injuries. However, the man sustained more serious burns. He was taken to Tyler’s East Texas Medical center and then airlifted to a Dallas hospital. The house was located near a volunteer fire department, so fire crews were able to respond quickly.

ARP — A Smith County man has been arrested and charged with providing alcohol to minors. Taken into custody was Jimmy Stamps, 22, of Arp. The arrest warrant stemmed from a New Years Eve party in which a 14 year old boy was found passed out in a driveway. According to authorities, there were other minors at the party, but only one was found passed out. Stamps’ bond was set at $2,500 and he was booked into the Smith County Jail.

PALESTINE — A 20-month narcotics and firearms trafficking investigation in Anderson County has resulted in nearly two dozen persons being indicted. Most of them are from Anderson County. A contingent of law officers started arrested the suspects Tuesday morning. At last report, 18 suspects had been taken into custody and four remained at large. Sixteen of them have been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. Continue reading Arrests in Undercover Operation in Anderson County

TYLER — Two persons have been arrested following a Tyler burglary. They are identified as Jonathan Daniel Burkett (pictured), 23, from Tyler, and Jeremy Aaron Junkins, 20, from Whitehouse. They are accused of an auto burglary that took place Tuesday morning shortly before 3:15 at 9402 Tipperary. The officers learned from a resident that the victim had a car parked in the driveway that was burglarized. A garage door opener from that car was used to open the victim’s garage, where another vehicle was located. Police say the suspects burglarized that vehicle and left the scene. Continue reading Tyler Police Arrest Two Suspects in Residential/Auto Burglary

DALLAS — Carter BloodCare says there was a strong response to last week’s weather-related crisis that prompted Carter to issue a special call for donations. Michelle Stefan, Vice President of Corporate and Community Resources for Carter, says thanks to a strong media push, Carter saw over 6,100 donors. According to Stefan, “That’s 11% more per day than usual.” She says the media effort “helped over 18,000 lives to be saved.”

LONGVIEW — Design plans for Longview’s new animal shelter are officially underway. KETK reports the advisory committee met Monday night to propose a few preliminary plans. Committee members say the shelter will add to Longview’s growing list of accomplishments. Recently, committee members toured big city animal shelters like the one in Fort Worth to figure out what’s best for the animals. But the shelter still needs to be approved by the city council. That vote will come later this year.

LONGVIEW — Longview police say they’ve recovered a vehicle stolen from a December crime. According to KETK, 21-year-old Alfonso Hernandez was beaten and dumped in the parking lot of Kevin’s Auto Shop Christmas Day. The men responsible for Hernandez’s beating took off in his black Tahoe. That Tahoe was found in Rusk County over the weekend. Longview police say they’re combing the vehicle for evidence and continue their search for at least three men they say played a role in the beating.

WELLS — Some new developments are reported on the Church of Wells, which first hit headlines in July. That’s when media learned about parents looking for their daughter, 26-year-old church member Catherine Grove, after she disappeared from her Arkansas home. KETK has now learned one of the church’s deacons was recently arrested in the state of New York on a charge of second degree aggravated harassment. Continue reading New Developments in Church of Wells Case

HOLLY LAKE RANCH — Last week, two Holly Lake Ranch men were arrested by the Wood County Sheriff’s Department, accused of animal cruelty. But before the arrests, their pit bull, Mary Jane, was killed by one of the deputies. Now KETK reports that the men are speaking out. Jared Williams and Johnny Munoz flat out deny any type of animal abuse, and say the department has been less than transparent with why their dog was shot and her puppies were taken away. They say they want answers and an apology, and more importantly, want their dogs back. They say their dog was accused of killing two other dogs in the neighborhood, but according to Munoz and Williams, no one in their area is missing a dog. Continue reading Suspects Fight Back in Animal Cruelty Case

DALLAS — More than 400,000 people have now signed a petition on change.org calling for easy access to 911. Last month, Kari Hunt was stabbed to death in a Marshall hotel room. Her nine-year-old daughter called 911 four times from the room but was not connected — because she didn’t know it was necessary to dial “9” for an outside line. Continue reading “Kari’s Law” Effort Gains Steam, FCC Attention

LONGVIEW — A Longview bicyclist has been struck and killed. The accident happened just before 7:00 last night at the intersection of Buchanan Street and Mobberly Avenue. Ivory Van Jackson, 53 was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center where he later died. He was struck after he pulled out in front of a van. The initial report says it appears as if Jackson failed to yield the right of way at the intersection. The accident remains under investigation.

LONGVIEW — A Kilgore man, who had been accused of trying to kill his father and himself last may, has pleaded guilty to aggravated kidnapping. A charge of attempted murder was dismissed against William Emmett Lawson, 51. It’s now up to the jury to decide the punishment in Lawson’s case. Continue reading Kilgore Man Pleads Guilty to Kidnapping