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SMITH COUNTY –Dr. Jose Serpa has been appointed by the Smith County Commissioners Court, Tyler City Council, and by NET Health as the new Health Authority for Smith County.

Continue reading UT Tyler professor appointed as new Smith County Health Authority

TYLER — West Elm Street in Tyler will be closed through Friday in preparation for consent decree repairs, according to the city. The street will be closed going eastbound from South College Avenue to North Broadway Avenue from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Drivers may need to find an alternative route during the closure.

LONGVIEW — Longview ISD Superintendent, Marla Sheppard announced the district’s five-year priorities plan aimed at improving educational experience for future Lobos the first State of the District Luncheon. Our news partner kETK is reporting that the district celebrated their achievements at the first State of the District Luncheon where Sheppard officially announced Elevate 2030. The project lays out five big priorities for the district.

“Our theme is embracing ACE and that’s achievement, customer service and excellence,” Sheppard said.

The first two priorities are empowerment through educational excellence and cultivating growth & excellence in staff.

“We now have 83% of our schools that are performing at an A or B level,” Sheppard said. “We have 52 distinctions, up from 40 the year before, so our children are excelling in so many different areas.” Continue reading Longview ISD announces five-year priority plan

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Commissioners Court approved reconstruction contracts for six county roads on Tuesday as part of a bond program according to our news partner KETK.

The following projects were awarded to the lower bidders for each as part of the Road and Bridge Bond Program. All the projects were awarded to either Texana Land & Asphalt Inc. or A.E. Shull & Company.

County Road 26

CR 26 will be widened with cement stabilization from the existing base material. The area will also be paved with new asphalt for a cost of $1.69 million.
UT Tyler professor appointed as new Smith County Health Authority

These changes will take place from FM 850 to County Road 21, covering 5.16 miles of improvement, with construction scheduled to begin within the next two to three months. Continue reading Six Smith County roads approved for reconstruction

SMITH COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, a contractor from Bullard was arrested on Tuesday for misappropriating approximately $400,000 of his neighbors’ money. He used these funds for personal expenses and to finance his trips to the casino after being hired to rebuild their home, which had been destroyed by a fire.

In January an investigator was contacted by a couple who said that their home had been struck by lightning in early 2024, causing a fire that destroyed a majority of the home. The home was determined to be a total loss by the insurance company, which, in return, settled with the homeowners. Officials said the homeowners then hired their neighbor, 51-year-old Brian Christopher Glass of Bullard, who operates the business, Glass Limitless Homes and Design, to rebuild their home.

“Between April 2024 and July 2024, Glass was paid over $500,000 by the homeowners for the construction,” the sheriff’s office said. “Around July 2024, the victims learned that the subcontractors had quit working due to not being paid by Glass. When the homeowners contacted Glass, he informed them that he needed more money above and beyond the agreed construction price in the signed contract. At this point, the homeowners began paying the subcontractors and businesses owed money for construction materials. This placed a significant strain on their financial situation.” Continue reading Bullard contractor misuses $400K rebuilding funds

SMITH COUNTY – In January 2025, a Smith County Investigator was contacted by a husband-and-wife who informed him that their home had been struck by lightning in early 2024. The lighting strike caused a fire which destroyed a vast majority of their home. The structure was deemed a total loss by the insurance company who, in turn, settled with the homeowners.
The homeowners contacted a neighbor, Brian Christopher Glass – 51 of Bullard, who operates a business by the name of Glass Limitless Homes and Design. Glass was subsequently hired to rebuild their home. Between April 2024 through July 2024, Glass was paid over $500,000 by the homeowners for the construction. Around July 2024, the victims learned that the sub-contractors had quit working due to not being paid by Glass. When the homeowners contacted Glass, he informed them that he needed more money above and beyond the agreed construction price in the signed contract. At this point, the homeowners began paying the sub-contractors and businesses owed money for construction materials. This placed a significant strain on their financial situation.
A lengthy investigation ensued which showed where Glass had appropriated approximately half a million dollars from the homeowners with approximately $400,000 used for personal reasons to include casino visits to Oklahoma and Louisiana. Continue reading Suspect arrested for fraudulent activity

TYLER – Goodwill Industries of East Texas, Inc. is proud to announce that the 2025 winner of the Artie Lee Hinds Award presented at the recent WorkQuest Annual Awards Banquet is Christopher Gates, a program participant of the Commercial Services Division of Goodwill. WorkQuest Texas is a catalyst for employment opportunities for people with disabilities. This private non-profit agency links individuals with disabilities to meaningful career options, through its partners like Goodwill Industries of East Texas. Continue reading Goodwill participant wins award

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that Smith County authorities are looking for Johnny Shane Wells. He’s accused of stealing more than $3,000 from an elderly person after he failed to complete an asphalt project for them. The victim reportedly paid Wells $1,700 for a project, and only a small portion of asphalt was poured. He then received an additional $1,400 from the victim to complete the job, but never returned. Authorities say Wells might be driving a red Ram pickup truck or a black newer-model Chevy pickup truck. The 34-year-old is described as Five feet, 11 inches tall, weighing 250 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Wells has a criminal history for several felony offenses out of multiple states.

OVERTON – A teen has been hospitalized and a woman has been arrested after a 13-year-old girl was hit by a vehicle twice on Overton ISD property on Saturday. Our news partner KETK and a press release from the Overton Police Department (OPD) reports that the victim was accidentally struck by a vehicle, which resulted in her becoming trapped under the car. OPD published a press release that illustrated the situation. Continue reading Overton teen hospitalized after being hit by vehicle twice

TYLER – Tyler ISD Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Hines announced Wednesday morning that no students were injured after a crash involving a TISD bus occurred around 6:50 a.m. in the 500 block of West 32nd Street. No further details from the district or on-scene first responders were given.

SMITH COUNTY, Texas – Gaye Boynton announced her intention to run for district clerk. Boynton’s multiple leadership roles include her time as President of the Tyler Area Association of Legal Professionals, as well as over a decade in the Women’s Ministry at Green Acres Baptist Church. The role of district clerk is important in maintaining the official records of the district courts, which handle felony criminal and family law cases. Boynton will be on the ballot in the March 3, 2026 election as a Republican primary candidate.

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department said that officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Johnson Street Monday night after a shooting report was made. Our news partners at KETK report that officers found a male victim who was shot when they arrived. The victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The shooter is still at large and anyone with information is being urged to contact the Longview Police Department.

TYLER — .S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran, R-Texas, voiced his opinion on Senate Democrats rejecting a continuing resolution (CR) that would fund the government until Nov. 21. According to our news partner KETK, Democrats defeated the proposal with a 44-48 vote after initially trying to pass their own government fund resolution earlier this month. Now, the government faces the possibility of going into a shutdown on Tuesday if both parties cannot come to an agreement by midnight EST on Tuesday.

“House Republicans are standing tall with our military, veterans, families and first responders,” Moran said. “House Republicans passed a clean CR to fund the government, but Senate Democrats are blocking it from becoming law, just like the House Democrats tried to do. Democrats would rather shut down the government in pursuit of unreasonable demands like their $1 TRILLION partisan wish list.”

“We are doing well as a country so the last thing we want to do is shut it down, but a lot of good can come from shutdowns, we can get rid of a lot of things we didn’t want,” Trump said. Continue reading Rep. Moran criticizes Democrats for blocking funding

WINNSBORO – A Winnsboro High School teacher has been suspended by the district she reportedly struck a student in the back of the head last week. Our news partners at KETK report that WISD said they reported the alleged incident to law enforcement, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the State Board for Educator Certification and the Texas Education Agency. Interim Superintendent Aaron Nation said an investigation is pending.