KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – According to our new partner KETK, a member of the Tyler City Council has announced his intention to run for mayor of Tyler in the upcoming 2026 election.

James Wynne has spent the past six years as a councilmember of District 4, and he’s now looking to transition into the role of mayor. Wynne posted a video on YouTube on Friday announcing his intentions to run for mayor.

“No race is run alone,” Wynne said. “I humbly ask for the support of our community in this race for the future of Tyler. Together, we can ensure our city continues to thrive for generations to come.”

More information about Wynee and his experience in local government can be found on his website.

SMITH COUNTY – Two people have been injured after their vehicle crashed into trees on Highway 31 in Smith County according to our news partner KETK. First responders from UT Health, Smith County Emergency Services and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene of the crash and had to use chainsaws to clear the brush around the vehicle.

The two people injured in the crash were extracted from the vehicle put into an ambulance to be transported to a local hospital. Traffic heading westbound on Highway 31 is currently blocked by first responders.

LONGVIEW — Our news partner KETK is reporting that Pine Tree High School assistant principal, Annette Johnson, was selected as an Outstanding Assistant Principal of the Year Region 7 representative in the Texas Association of Secondary School Principals (TASSP). Johnson is currently in her fourth year as an assistant principal and has been a member of the leadership team at Pine Tree High School since 2023. She has taken on various roles in education including high school principal, elementary assistant principal and director of technology.

TASSP recognizes outstanding principals and assistant principals across 20 regional Education Service Centers in Texas.

“I am truly honored to serve alongside my principal, Mr. Beeper Kraus, and my assistant principal colleagues each day,” Johnson said. “Together, we build relationships with the students and their parents, which is a privilege for me each year. The community of Pine Tree supports our teachers and students on a continual basis, and I’m proud to be a part of it.” Continue reading Pine Tree ISD named most outstanding in Region 7

TYLER – The Tyler Fire Department responded to a fire at a recycling center on Highway 31 last night. A nearby business told KETK that they felt their whole building shake as if was hit by a car. They said what they felt must have been an explosion that’s started a fire in a scrap heap at K&L Recycling.

According to our news partner KETK, the Tyler Police Department temporarily shut down traffic in the 4000 block of Highway 31 while firefighters worked to control the fire at K&L Recycling. A KETK reporter at the scene could see smoke rising from the area on Friday. More details as they become available.

TYLER – The owner of the Carlton Hotel, Norf Companies, announced on Friday that the compromised south wall of the hotel’s garage has been fully demolished. According to our news partner KETK, the demolition was undertaken in a collaboration between the Tyler Fire Department, City officials and Norf Companies’ demolition contractor. The sidewalks near the garage are still closed but Elm Street and Spring Street are now back open to road traffic, according to Norf Companies.

“Completing the demolition of the compromised south wall is a significant step toward ensuring public safety,” development director at NORF Companies Ilse Stough said. “We are grateful for the continued support and swift coordination from the City of Tyler, our engineering team, and the demolition contractor. Our focus remains on protecting the public and resolving this matter responsibly.”

Elm Street was first closed after bricks were noticed falling from the wall in August.

TYLER – Tyler City Council has approved an agreement with the Tyler Economic Development Council that will expand sanitary sewage service to a future business par, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

The $992,353.84 development agreement was approved by Tyler City Council on Wednesday, and will expand the city’s sewage system to cover the Wisenbaker Tract. The tract is a 282-acre stretch of land on Highway 271 and FM 14 that the Tyler Economic Development Council (TEDC) acquired to build a new business park. TEDC will manage the design, permitting, bidding and construction of the sewer expansion and the city will cover eligible costs after the project is completed, according to a City of Tyler press release. Continue reading Tyler approves sewer expansion for future business park

MARSHALL – According to a press release from the Marshall Police Department, an juvenile suspect was arrested in an armed robbery on Thursday, August 14. The arrest led officers to recover property stolen in several recent burglaries. During the search for the suspect, officers also apprehended an unrelated individual wanted in connection with an ongoing investigation.

A few minutes after 10 a.m., an Marshall Police officer observed a vehicle stopped in the middle of the roadway in the 150 block of W. Grand Avenue. The driver reported she had just been robbed at gunpoint in a store parking lot while meeting someone that she believed was interested in purchasing a pair of shoes she had listed on Facebook Marketplace. The victim provided officers with a photograph of the suspect. The officer immediately broadcast the suspect’s description, and additional units began searching the area. During this search, an individual fled from officers, and was detained. Continue reading Marshall police arrest juvenile in armed robbery

Update: According to the City of Tyler, Chandler Highway has reopened except for the outside eastbound lane following a fire near K&L Recycling. Tyler Firefighters remain on-site to monitor the situation. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

TYLER – The Tyler Fire Department is responding to a fire Friday afternoon at K&L Recycling, located at the Chandler Hwy. A press release from the city said the roadway is closed at this time. Tyler PD is doing traffic control, and asks drivers to avoid this area. The road will reopen after the fire is out.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in finding a missing 26-year-old man with intellectual disabilities, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s office says that around 6 p.m. on Thursday, Devon Michael Head left his home in Jacksonville carrying a bag with clothes and his Xbox, leaving his wallet and phone. He was last seen on CR 3108 on Friday. Head is described to be 6 feet tall, red hair, weighing 170 pounds, and has intellectual/developmental disabilities.

Authorities believe that after leaving his home, Head may have been picked up by individual(s) he connected with online. If anyone has any information about his location, please contact the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office 903-683-2271.

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is alerting residents about an increase in stolen side-by-side (SxS) vehicles, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) and utility task vehicles (UTVs) so far this year.

The sheriff’s office said the increase in stolen vehicles is a nationwide problem, and they have reported that since the start of the year, 10 ATVs and SxS vehicles have been stolen in Smith County and only two have been recovered.

According to the sheriff’s office, the majority of the thefts occurred between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m., and incidents have taken place at various locations, including locked buildings, attached carports, and large, secluded properties. Continue reading Smith County residents alerted to a surge in ATV and UTV thefts

RUSK — A man deemed armed and dangerous is wanted by the Rusk Police Department and Cherokee County SWAT team as a suspect in Thursday’s shooting in Rusk, according to our news partner KETK.

The Rusk Police Department announced that Donald Everitt Casper is wanted for aggravated assault with a firearm, and is considered armed and dangerous. According to Rusk Police Chief Scott Heagney, Casper is wanted in connection to a shooting at a residence on Main Street that injured one man. Heagney said Casper is suspected of shooting a man in the leg during a “drug deal gone bad”. The victim was driven to a local hospital and sustained non-life threatening injuries, according to Heagney. Officials with the Rusk Police Department and Cherokee County SWAT team are currently searching for Casper, and they suspect he is still in the Rusk or Jacksonville area. Continue reading Rusk Police, SWAT searching for armed suspect

UPDATE: According to Brownsboro Fire Rescue, as of 2:40 p.m. FM 314 and Highway 31 are now open.

BROWNSBORO – A Brownsboro railroad crossing is closed Friday afternoon after a train and an18-wheeler collided on the tracks. According to our news partner KETK, the crash happened at the intersection of Highway 31 and FM 314. City officials ask drivers to use an alternate route because they don’t know how long it will take to clean up the area. The driver of the 18-wheeler is the hospital, his condition is not known.

LINDALE – Lindale Independent School District announced today that every campus within the district has earned an “A” rating from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) for the 2024–2025 school year, with the district as a whole also achieving an overall “A” rating. “This is a testament to the incredible teamwork that happens every single day in Lindale ISD,” said Stan Surratt, Superintendent of Schools. “Our students work hard, our teachers go above and beyond to provide engaging and rigorous instruction, and our families consistently partner with us to ensure success. We are grateful for a community that values and supports public education.” Continue reading Lindale ISD earns ‘A’ rating at every campus and districtwide

LUFKIN — A Lufkin felon facing prison for a federal firearms violation Thursday. Michael Antoine Lovelady, 53, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm. According to information presented in court, on March 14, 2025, Lovelady was arrested during a traffic stop for outstanding warrants. During the arrest, Lovelady attempted to flee when firearm was discovered in his waistband. Lovelady is a convicted felon and prohibited from owning or possessing firearms.

Lovelady was indicted by a federal grand jury on May 15, 2025, and faces up to 15 years in federal prison at sentencing. The maximum sentence prescribed by Congress is provided here for information purposes, as the sentencing will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.