LUFKIN – One person is dead and two have been injured following a single-vehicle crash on U.S. 59 in Lufkin, according to police. The Lufkin Police Department said traffic on U.S. 59 South is was blocked after a single-vehicle crash killed one person. A Grapeland woman, Alishia M. Scott, 43, was pronounced dead at the scene in the 5000 block of U.S. 59 south of Lufkin A man and woman are being treated for their injuries. Her family has been notified. The three were in a Chevrolet Tahoe traveling north toward Lufkin when the accident occurred. An investigation by Lufkin Police and DPS Troopers is under way.
Crash leaves one hospitalized
SMITH COUNTY – Following an SUV and an 18-wheeler collision on Sunday, FM 14 in Smith County, south of Hawkins, was closed. At approximately 5:12 p.m. on Sunday, an 18-wheeler and an SUV collided in the 16000 block of FM 14, trapping one passenger, according to Smith County Emergency Services District 2. One passenger needed to be removed from the SUV in order to be transported to a nearby hospital for treatment after it was flipped onto its roof during the collision. The severity of the passenger’s injuries is unknown to Smith County officials. The driver of the 18-wheeler was not hurt in the collision. In order to clear the road, Smith County officials announced that FM 14 would be closed until further notice at the time of the crash.
In brief: ‘Vought Rising’ first look and more
It seems Tom Hardy will exit the Paramount+ series MobLand after season 2. Deadline reports that the actor will not return to the show if it gets renewed for a third season. Season 2 has yet to premiere, but it has wrapped filming. The outlet reports that Hardy completed the season amid friction between him and the series' writer, executive producer and showrunner Jez Butterworth ...
Ben Stiller and Mike Judge are teaming up for a comedy series at Apple TV. Variety reports that the show, which is currently titled Protective Custody, will star Stiller as a disgraced financier accused of massive fraud ...
The first look at The Boys spinoff series Vought Rising has arrived. Prime Video shared the first trailer for the upcoming show, which is set to debut in 2027. It stars Jensen Ackles and Aya Cash and is set in the 1950s. This prequel follows the origins of Vought International ...
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Primary election day voting
SMITH COUNTY – Smith County will have 19 voting centers open for the Primary Runoff Election from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Tuesday, May 26.
Statewide runoff races are on the ballot. U.S. Senator, Attorney General, Railroad Commissioner and Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3, Judge are on the Republican ticket. The Democratic ballot will have runoff races for U.S. Representative, District 1, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General. The City of Tyler Mayor Runoff Election is not on the current ballot. That election is set for June 13, with early voting beginning June 1. Continue reading Primary election day voting
State park highway shut down
TYLER — Crews have responded to a major crash involving an 18-wheeler on FM 14 , state park highway, Sunday. According to our news partner KETK and Smith County Emergency Services District 2, an 18-wheeler and an SUV crashed on FM 14 at around 5:12 p.m. on Sunday, leaving one passenger trapped.
The SUV was flipped on its roof during the crash and one passenger had to be extracted from the vehicle so they could be taken to a hospital for treatment. Smith County officials do not know the extent of the passenger’s injuries.
The 18-wheeler driver was uninjured in the crash. Smith County officials said FM 14 would be closed until further notice as they work to clear the roadway.
Memorial Day events across East Texas
TYLER – Memorial Day is almost here and East Texans are preparing to host several events that will honor United States soldiers who’ve died while at war. The holiday was first nationally observed as Decoration Day on May 30, 1868, because Union General John A. Logan wanted to honor the Union soldiers who died in the American Civil War, which had ended just three years before.
To help East Texans find local events for the annual observance, our news partner KETK has put together the following list of Memorial Day events happening across East Texas.
Topps Pizza closed after overnight fire
TYLER – The Topps Pizza on Shiloh Road in Tyler is closed after a fire burned the restaurant over Sunday night. According to our news partner KETK, the fire started at around 1 a.m. on Sunday but wasn’t noticed and called in until at around 6 a.m. or 7 a.m. Luckily, the Tyler Fire Department has a station directly next door to Topps Pizza and they were able to quickly put out the fire.
The fire has been ruled accidental and those at the scene speculated that it may have been started by an electrical fan left on overnight. Fire damage was reportedly contained to one area and most of the damage done to the restaurant was from smoke.
Topps Pizza at 3101 Shiloh Road Suite 131 Tyler is currently closed until further notice as the owner works to repair the restaurant. A GoFundMe has been set up to help the business cover repair costs.
19 injured in crowd stampede at South Carolina motorcycle festival
(ATLANTIC BEACH, S.C.) --At least 19 people were injured early Sunday in a crowd stampede at an annual motorcycle festival in Atlantic Beach, South Carolina, authorities said.
The incident at the Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival occurred just after 1 a.m. local time near a stage at the event. Police suspect it was started by an individual who suddenly began running through the crowd, officials said.
"At no time were there any confirmed fights, weapons, or direct threats to public safety. The situation appears to have been triggered when an individual began running, causing a brief chain reaction within the crowd that lasted only seconds," Atlantic Beach Interim Town Manager Titus Leaks said in a statement.
Leaks said that police officers assigned to crowd control at the event in Atlantic Beach, about 17 miles north of Myrtle Beach, quickly calmed the panicked crowd and restored order.
In an earlier online statement, Horry County Fire Rescue (HCFR) referred to the stampede as a "mass casualty incident."
HCFR reported that 19 people were evaluated for non-life-threatening injuries and three people were hospitalized.
Leaks said that once the situation was stabilized, the event resumed normal operations.
"First and foremost, we want to express our sincere concern for anyone who was injured or impacted," Leaks said. "Any situation where individuals are harmed is taken seriously, and our thoughts are with those affected as they recover. The safety and well-being of our residents and visitors remains our highest priority."
The Black Pearl Cultural Heritage and Bike Festival has been held every Memorial Day weekend for the past 40 years, attracting visitors and motorcycle enthusiasts from across the country, officials said.
Last year's event was marred by several high-profile incidents, including a party boat shooting in Little River and multiple fights that sent several people to the hospital, according to ABC affiliate station WCIV in Charleston, South Carolina.
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State suing messaging platform over security concerns
COLLIN COUNTY (TEXAS TRIBUNE) – Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is suing the online messaging service Discord, claiming that the tech company misled users about the platform’s security and exposed kids to predators. In advance of his U.S. Senate GOP runoff against incumbent John Cornyn on Tuesday, Paxton filed the lawsuit on Friday in a Collin County state district court. It is the most recent in a string of lawsuits his office has filed against tech companies and other businesses. Texas has recently filed a lawsuit against Discord, joining Nevada, Indiana, and New Jersey. In March, Florida declared that it was looking into the platform. In recent months, a number of private lawsuits have also been filed, mostly by families who claim that Discord permits children to be sexually abused or exploited while using the messaging app.
Along with a number of other tech companies, Paxton initiated an investigation into the messaging platform in 2024, with a general focus on user data privacy. After conservative pundit Charlie Kirk was killed in October of last year, Paxton declared that he would broaden the scope of his investigation into Discord to include a focus on the platform’s extremist content and the sexual exploitation of minors. People typically use Discord, an online messaging service, to talk to each other while playing video games. Additionally, it has chat features and lets users set up topic-based servers. Paxton has filed lawsuits against other social media and video game companies, including Roblox, Tiktok, and Snapchat, alleging that these companies violate user privacy.
Standoff suspect surrenders
JACKSONVILLE – Over the weekend, a man at the center of an hours-long standoff in Jacksonville turned on himself. At approximately 4:42 p.m., Jacksonville police officers arrived at the Sweet Union Apartments on Highway 69 North. Saturday. The 20-year-old Roy Patrick Hamilton Jr. was accused of assaulting a woman while carrying a weapon. After barricading himself, he eventually left the apartment and became at-large. Hamilton turned himself in to the Cherokee County Jail, according to Jacksonville Police Chief Steven Markasky on Monday. He is currently being held in custody.
In Focus: Upcoming Schedule
05/31/26 – TBA
In Focus: 05/24/26 – Jeffrey Noblitt – Vice President for Marketing and CCO of UT Tyler
Airdate: 05/24/26
Guests: Jeffrey Noblitt – Vice President for Marketing and CCO of UT Tyler
Officer wins DOJ Hero Award
JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville Police Department officer Elyse Hand has won the Department of Justice’s 2026 Hometown Hero Award after she was shot in Nov. 2025. Hand and a Jacksonville PD K-9 were injured while she was serving warrants for a then-wanted fugitive who opened fire as Hand called out to him at his home. Hand is now on the road to recovery with help from her young son and her husband, who’s a Texas State Trooper.
U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs of the Eastern District of Texas announced Hand as their district’s recipient of the 2026 Hometown Hero Award on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, the awards are being given out to law enforcement members around the country this year as part of President Donald Trump’s Freedom250 initiative for the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Photo of Elyse Hand, courtesy of U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs’ Office. Continue reading Officer wins DOJ Hero Award
Pet lovers gather for Dog Days
TYLER – East Texas pet lovers gathered at Bergfeld Park in Tyler on Saturday for a Dog Days of Summer Festival where pet owners could get vaccinations and even adopt a new furry friend. On top of animal services like vaccinations, microchipping and deworming, pets and their owners also got to take part in dog races, a musical sit game and a best dressed pet contest. The festival also featured several local vendors and food trucks with donations benefiting the Pets Fur People Rescue Fund.
Pets Fur People, Angel Paws Advocates, Pawsitive Place Rescue and O’Malley Alley Cats all brought out animals to Saturday’s festival for loving East Texans to adopt. To learn more about each rescue or to adopt one of their animals, check out the following links: Pets Fur People, Angel Paws Advocates, Pawsitive Place Rescue and O’Malley Alley Cats
East Texas educators reflect on first year under state cell phone ban
SMITH COUNTY — With the 2025–26 school year coming to an end, East Texas educators are reflecting on the first year of a classroom cell phone ban and the impact they say it had on students.
The end of another school year is here; hallways are empty, and students are already making summer plans. This school year was different as it marked the first year under Texas House Bill 1481, which bans personal communication devices in the classroom. Interim Principal for Winona High School, Jeff Dozier, said that having a state law enforced helped persuade students to keep their phones out of sight.
Teachers at Winona High School, including Theater Director Jeffrey Stokes, said students were more focused on lessons and less concerned about what their classmates were posting on social media.
Longtime math teacher Josh Loeffler at Tyler Legacy High School remembers when cell phones started popping up in the classroom and is glad to see them go. Engagement that helps students build skills both inside and outside the classroom.