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SMITH COUNTY — TxDOT is planning to conduct the following construction and maintenance work in the district during the week of Oct. 16, 2023. Work schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure, or other unforeseen issues. Please slow down and pay attention in work zones. This week, Tyler Maintenance crews will be repairing base failures on FM 724 at various locations from SH 64 to SH 110. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. A second crew will be repairing base failures at various locations throughout the county. For a full list of projects in the East Texas area, click here.

TYLER — Texas Rose Festival Queen Laura Bryan cut the ribbon for the SPCA of East Texas‘ new 16,000-square-foot building in Tyler on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, this new facility twice the size of their previous building and is located right next to their existing dog park. The new south Tyler location will help them expand their services for people living in Tyler and even further out in places like Jacksonville and Palestine. “This building is so much better for the dogs. For their state of mind. We’ve noticed the difference since we’ve moved over here and the cats too,” said Kat Cortelyou with the SPCA of East Texas. “But it’s also allowing us to help more people that are having dogs dumped on them or you know unwanted litters of puppies or kittens.” Continue reading SPCA of East Texas opens new 16k-sqft facility

GUN BARREL CITY – The Gun Barrel City Fire Department said that they freed a driver who was trapped in their vehicle after crashing into a tree on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, the crash happened around 9:25 p.m. in the 300 block of Legendary Lane when the vehicle left the roadway and hit a tree. According to Gun Barrel City Fire Department, the speed of the crash trapped the driver inside and they had to use Hurst Jaws of Life Rescue Tools to free the driver. The driver was transported to a hospital in Tyler by helicopter, officials said. Gun Barrel City Fire and Police Departments, the Seven Points Police Department and the Texas Highway Patrol responded to the scene.

TYLER– Tyler Junior College hosted a homecoming tailgate and solar eclipse watch party at the W.T Brookshire Conference Center in Tyler on Saturday according to our news partner KETK. Everyone wore their eclipse glasses and safely watched the spectacular astronomical event unfold. “With the annular eclipse, which is what we had today, the moon is further away from the sun and so, we wouldn’t see a total eclipse like we will in April,” said Jean Fuller, a TJC educator. “I’m more excited about it, although this one was cool.” During the eclipse in April, Fuller said it will be a total solar eclipse where you’ll have two minutes where you can look directly at the eclipse without hurting your eyes. Fuller added that East Texas won’t have another total eclipse in until the next millennium.

TYLER – Anderson, Henderson and Smith County Game Wardens responded to an anonymous call about alligator poaching along the Neches River and their investigations led to them discovering a suspect at the scene. According to our news partner KETK, they found an alligator shot with a compound bow behind the Lake Palestine spillway. The investigation also states that after the suspect allegedly injured the 4.5-foot alligator, he jumped into the river to retrieve the alligator. Two other accomplices assisted in dispatching the alligator with a knife before the trio began taking pictures and a video to post on social media. Continue reading East Texas Game Wardens catch alleged poacher

MOUNT PLEASANT – Our news partners at KETK report that two people have been charged with capital murder in connection to the death of a 23-month-old child. According to the Mount Pleasant Police Department, 25-year-old Jermaine Tyrelle Hooks and 25-year-old Chelsea Lashaun Davis were arrested and later indicted for capital murder, and a warrant was issued for Davis for interference with public duties. Police said they received information on July 2 regarding the death of Davis’ 23-month-old daughter. The child had been taken to Children’s Medical Center where she died from her injuries. “After receiving the information and based on the child’s injuries, an investigation into the death was started,” MPPD said in a statement. “The investigation ultimately led to probable cause for the arrest of Davis and Hooks.” Davis and Hooks were arrested on Oct. 12 and booked into the Titus County Jail.

TYLER – Our news colleagues at KETK report that three East Texas men were arrested Thursday and Friday by the Department of Public Safety after an undercover sting. According to officials with DPS, the investigation was led by their criminal investigations division and coordinated stings led to the arrests. Ian Bell, 20 of Tyler, was arrested on Thursday for online solicitation of a minor. Sergio Rubalcava, 28 of Kilgore, was arrested on Friday for soliciting someone under 18 and Tyler Sieber, 28 of Whitehouse, was arrested on Friday for online solicitation of a minor. They are each being held on a $100,000 bond.

TYLER – A man was sentenced to 45 years in prison for aggravated robbery in connection to the fatal shooting of a Tyler teen. Our news partners at KETK report that Lorenzo Martinez entered a guilty plea and subsequently received a sentence on Friday. The charge of robbery arises from an incident that occurred in 2021, involving a shooting outside a residence on Omega Drive in Tyler, resulting in the death of 17-year-old Jesse McNeely. Martinez and his co-defendant, Andres Urrutia, were arrested a few days following the shooting incident in Galveston County. They were subsequently transported to Tyler and booked into the Smith County Jail.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A 43-year-old man, Carlton Grant, was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday in Upshur County after being convicted of a 2018 capital murder. According to our news partner KETK, the body of Rachel Rhoads, 24, was discovered on April 1, 2018 off FM 726, near Highway 154, just one day after she was reported missing. At the time of the discovery, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said circumstances surrounding Rhoads’ death “were suspicious” and then ruled her death a homicide. In a press release from the district attorney’s office, Grant and an accomplice, Lindsey Jo McFadden, 35, walked to Rhoads’ home in the Flamingo Trailer Park to visit her roommate. Neither of them had a vehicle and when they met Rhoads, and asked her for a ride, which she agreed to do. When the group got into the vehicle, Grant choked her with a device made of wire. He then pulled her into the backseat of the car and began punching her and placed a zip tie around her neck.

NATCHITOCHES, LA — Former Tyler Junior College safety Ronnie Caldwell, 21, died Thursday morning after being shot several times, according to reports by ESPN and our news partner KETK. Caldwell was a junior safety for the Northwestern State football team after transferring from TJC following the 2021 season. “The Northwestern State family has suffered a tremendous loss,” head football coach Brad Laird said. “Ronnie Caldwell was a young man who had a bright future ahead of him on or off the football field. He was our voice in the locker room. When Ronnie spoke, others listened. The respect our football team had for Ronnie was evident. He did not play a snap this year because of an injury, but his voice resonated with every member of our team from the first player to the 115th on our roster. Our hearts are broken and ache for Ronnie’s family and friends.” Continue reading Former TJC football player fatally shot in Louisiana

HENDERSON – According to a Rusk County Sheriff’s Office release and our news partners at KETK, a Henderson man was charged with felony of possession of a controlled substance. Joel Gibbs Jr., 47, of Henderson, was arrested at the scene where a search warrant was being executed after deputies allegedly found meth, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and a prohibited weapon. His bond was set at $80,000.

GILMER – A Gilmer ISD teacher was placed on administrative leave after allegations of inappropriate communication with a student according to our colleagues at KETK. In a letter sent to Gilmer ISD parents Wednesday night, Superintendent Rick Albritton assured parents that the district “is taking all responsive action necessary and appropriate, including removal of the educator pending investigation and reporting to the appropriate authorities.” Albritton told KETK News that police have been notified and an internal investigation is underway. Parents or students with information relevant to the investigation are asked to contact Albritton at 903-841-7400.

RUSK COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office announced on Thursday an internal investigation led to the arrest of a former employee. Officials said that Kaitlyn Rhodes was arrested for two felony offenses related to bringing prohibited items into a correctional facility and having an inappropriate relationship with a person in custody. “Rhodes has been separated from her employment with Rusk County,” officials said. “Since criminal prosecution is pending, no additional information can be released by the sheriff’s office at this time.” Her bonds totaled $50,000.

LONGVIEW — According to a release, U.S. Senator John Cornyn announced Thursday that the Longview ISD was awarded a federal grant of $3.2 million to support the development and implementation of magnet schools. Senator Cornyn is a member of the Senate Finance, Intelligence, and Judiciary committees. The Longview ISD has 5 magnet schools total: Longview High School, Forest Park Middle School, Ware East Texas Montessori Academy, Ned. E. Williams Magnet STEAM Academy and East Texas Montessori Prep Academy.

HARRISON COUNTY — The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 3-month-old. According to our news partner KETK, on Tuesday, authorities received reports that a baby had been been taken to a local hospital and then later flown to a children’s hospital in Dallas. The hospital declared the newborn brain dead Wednesday. An autopsy has been ordered.

TYLER — The City of Tyler received a 2023 Municipal Excellence Award in communication programs for cities over 25,000 in population during the 2023 Texas Municipal League (TML) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Dallas. The award recognized the City of Tyler for our city-wide editorial process. The City of Tyler implemented a city-wide editorial process that encapsulates all departments’ marketing campaigns and ties actions to concrete deliverables. The communication team meets with each department annually to identify marketing goals and develops a comprehensive work plan, with check-ins and updates throughout the year. Since implementing this process, the City’s content creation has increased by 72 percent, crisis communication has improved, and City employees outside the Communications Team have been empowered to become communication best practice ambassadors to their departments, improving cross-collaboration and teamwork across the organization. Continue reading City of Tyler wins statewide excellence award

TYLER – As humanitarian concerns grow in Israel amid its war with Hamas, the Texas Baptist Men, who aid in situations like these, have people there right now with relief. “Within 24 hours of the war breaking out, TBM volunteers were on the plane to Israel,” said John Hall, spokesperson for Texas Baptist Men. Many would have never guessed that volunteers from the Lone Star State would fly over 7,000 miles into an active war zone, according to our news partners at KETK. Continue reading Texas Baptist men feeding Israeli community

TYLER – During the 2023 Texas Municipal League (TML) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Dallas, the City of Tyler received a 2023 Municipal Excellence Award in communication programs for cities over 25,000 in population. The award recognized the City of Tyler for our city-wide editorial process. The City of Tyler implemented a city-wide editorial process that encapsulates all departments’ marketing campaigns and ties actions to concrete deliverables. The communication team meets with each department annually to identify marketing goals and develops a comprehensive work plan, with check-ins and updates throughout the year. Since implementing this process, the City’s content creation has increased by 72 percent, crisis communication has improved, and City employees outside the Communications Team have been empowered to become communication best practice ambassadors to their departments, improving cross-collaboration and teamwork across the organization. Continue reading City of Tyler wins statewide excellence award

TYLER – The Rose City Music Festival in Downtown Tyler kicks off this weekend, and our news partner KETK reports that there will be multiple road closures around the area starting Friday morning. City officials say that Downtown businesses will remain open, and that parking at the Fair Plaza Parking Garage is encouraged. Here’s a full list of road closures for the event Continue reading Rose City Music Festival road closures

TYLER — The Rabbi of Congregation Beth El, the Jewish Synagogue in Tyler, says his teenage daughter and two members of the Beth El congregation are currently trying to make their way home from Israel. Rabbi Neal Katz says he has been in constant communication with his daughter and that he hopes she will be leaving her high school studies in Tel Aviv to return to East Texas this week. He says his Synagogue members have had to go to a bomb shelter twice already this week. He says all he can do is pray for them. Continue reading Attack on Israel hits close to home

VAN ZANDT COUNTY— 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a stay of execution Monday for a Texas death inmate. According to our news partner KETK, the execution of 48-year-old Jedidiah Isaac Murphy was scheduled for Tuesday. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice said on Oct. 4, 2000 Murphy forced a 79-year-old woman in Garland to give him a ride at gunpoint. He then forced the woman into the trunk of her car and shot her while she was getting into the trunk. Later, Murphy took the woman out from the cars trunk and drowned her in a creek. The Texas Attorney General’s Office tried to overturn the execution order, but the decision was upheld by the Court of Appeals.

AUSTIN — With the third special session now in progress, Gov. Greg Abbott intends to make progress on what he calls “education freedom.” The governor has asked Texans to contact their state representative to advocate for school choice, while opponents of the idea claim this is just a rebrand of the school voucher plan. Since the topic of school choice has been brought forth, public school districts across East Texas have had concerns, according to our colleagues at KETK. “I think that would be detrimental to public schools. Changing the name from vouchers to school choice and different things like that, I mean, parents have a choice, students have a choice,” Central ISD Superintendent Justin Risne said. Continue reading East Texas school districts raise questions in Austin

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report two people are in custody after a pursuit Tuesday morning on I-20 in Smith County. According to Smith County Constable Precinct 5 Wesley Hicks, they were alerted to a pursuit of a stolen car from Grapevine around 9:38 a.m. that was headed towards Smith County. A Precinct 5 deputy attempted to stop the car at the Hideaway Lake exit before the car fled eastbound, driving on and off the highway several times. Hicks said the car came to a stop at the Love’s Travel Stop on Barber Road after colliding with a chain link fence. Two suspects ran from the car and were caught by authorities. The driver was identified as Robert Harris and has been charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and evading arrest while the passenger, Levell Bagneris, was charged with evading arrest. Both were arrested and booked into the Smith County Jail.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department is working a traffic crash at Old Jacksonville Hwy and South College Ave. that has caused at least 2 power poles and guidelines to break and are in the roadway. There are live power lines in the roadway. There are some road closures to be aware of. Old Jacksonville Hwy is closed from South Broadway Ave. to South Chilton Ave.
South College is closed from West 8th St down to Hamvassy Ln. Avoid this area, officers are in the roadway working the crash and crews are clearing the area.

TYLER — This weekend, Tyler Junior College will host public viewing events for the first of two historic solar eclipses that will pass through East Texas in 2023 and 2024. On Saturday, Oct. 14, an annular — or partial — eclipse will cross North America from northwest to southeast. An annular eclipse occurs when the moon is farthest from Earth and blocks about 80 percent of the sun, creating a “ring of fire” effect around the moon. The eclipse will last from 10:25 a.m. until 1:32 p.m. local time, and the degree of darkness will resemble evening. The next such event in Tyler won’t occur until the year 2165. The TJC Earth and Space Science Center will host a free viewing party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the center, located at 1411 E. Lake St., on the TJC central campus. Solar telescopes and observation stations will be set up, and free solar eclipse glasses will be available while supplies last. Continue reading TJC to host solar eclipse viewing parties