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SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith is renewing his ongoing battle against trail rides following the latest local incident. “We’re not trying to stop anybody from having fun, but each and every time one of these trail ride combination concert events happen, just almost every time you can set your clock by it, there’s going to be a shooting,” Smith said. Three men were arrested with five guns Saturday night at a trail ride on County Road 46 where two people were shot and sent to two hospitals, according to the Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK. Continue reading Sheriff denounces trail ride concerts following latest incident

LONGVIEW — What are your hopes and visions for the Longview Parks and Recreation department for the next 5 to 10 years? The city will host a community workshop on the topic at 6 p.m. on Monday, March 27, at the Broughton Recreation Center. Officials invite residents to come, hear about ongoing updates to the Parks Master Plan, and provide their input. The city is in the process of updating the Parks, Recreation, and Open Space Master Plan, which was a chapter in the Longview Comprehensive Plan adopted in March 2015. Click here for more details.

UPSHUR COUNTY — The 6th Court of Criminal Appeals in Texarkana has affirmed the 99-year prison sentence handed to Charles Lance Taylor in an Upshur County case. That’s according to a news release from the Upshur County DA’s Office. Last May, a jury found Taylor guilty of retaliation against a witness in a January 2021 incident, and the 99-year sentence followed. According to our news partner KETK, officials say Taylor broke into the Morris County house of a woman he previously dated on June 23, 2020, and assaulted and strangled her. Morris County placed Taylor on three years’ probation for the assault, then revoked the probation and sentenced him to three years in prison. The retaliation verdict and 99-year sentence followed Taylor’s threats to kill the victim if she testified against him — which she did in spite of the threats. Continue reading Sentence affirmed in Upshur County death threat case

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District for the week of March 13. In Smith County, 
Tyler maintenance will have a crew performing edge repairs on FM 2607, from SH 64 to FM 850. A second crew will be performing ditch work on FM 850, from SH 31 towards Overton. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic in both locations. In Gregg County, Longview maintenance will continue blade laying on FM 2906, both northbound and southbound, from SH 149 to where state maintenance ends in Easton. Expect lane closures with flaggers and a pilot car controlling traffic. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

LONGVIEW – An early Sunday morning pursuit between law enforcement and a suspect, ended in the shooting death of that individual. According to our news partner KETK, Danny Ray Jackson, 47, of Longview led officers from White Oak, Longview and DPS on a high speed chase that started in White Oak and ended near the intersection of State Highway 31 and West Loop 281 in Longview. At that intersection, gunfire was exchanged between the suspect and law enforcement. Following the officer-involved shooting, Mr. Jackson was taken to a local hospital where died of his injuries. Details are limited at this time. Texas Rangers are investigating the case.

TYLER — This past week, for the second time this year, vandals struck Tyler’s Southside Park. According to a Tyler Parks and Rec Facebook post, several pieces of playground equipment were ripped out or broken. Several signs were pulled up and thrown over bridges into creeks, and trash cans were overturned, with litter left all over the grounds. If you have any information on this incident, you’re asked to call or message the Parks and Rec Department. If you live in the neighborhood and have a camera system and notice anything out of the ordinary, officials ask you to send it to the department. Continue reading Southside Park vandalized again; officials seek leads

TYLER – A UT Tyler pole vaulter from East Texas is a First Team All-American for the second time. According to our news partner KETK, Abeni Kratzmeyer from Mineola finished seventh in the NCAA division two indoor track and Field Championships Friday. Kratzmeyer vaulted a height of 3.95 meters, breaking a school mark by .03 meters. She missed her second vault of the meet and finished seventh nationally overall, thus securing her second All-American team placement.

TYLER – Tyler police arrest a man in connection to the 2022 murder of 53-year-old Anthony Wilson. According to our news partner KETK, Authorities say that Christian Navon Whitney-Polk, 20, was apprehended March 10th and currently is in the Smith County jail. Whitney-Polk is charged with murder and tampering with physical evidence. He is being held on $2,500,000 bond.

TYLER–29 teachers in the Tyler ISD will get excellence in classroom bonuses from $6,000 and $23,500. According to our news partner KETK, these teachers have been designated TOP teachers. That means they meet Tyler Optimal Performance criteria. The criteria for evaluating teachers includes student attendence, growth metrics, educator observations and student surveys. The 29 teachers being recognized are. Continue reading 29 TISD teachers to be bonused up to 23-5K

MARSHALL – A Marshall woman has been found guilty and sentenced for the killing of her boyfriend back in 2020. According to our news partner KETK, Charlene Keigi, 63, of Marshall was found guilty of murder on Thursday in the 71st District Court. Keigi was arrested back on September 14, 2020 for the death of Terry Thomas. The sheriff’s office said Keigi called 911 at about 4 p.m. to report that her recently separated boyfriend was on her property. The call was then disconnected. Officials then said she called back a short time later saying she had shot Thomas, and that she’d be in the front yard waiting for them to arrive. When deputies responded to the scene, they reportedly detained Keigi and began rendering first aid to Thomas until EMS arrived. Thomas was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injures. Keigi was sentenced to 18 years in prison after being found guilty.

PAYNE SPRINGS – The police chief and an officer with the Payne Springs Police Department have been arrested on drug charges, officials confirmed on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse says Payne Springs Chief of Police April Meadows and Officer Jonathan Hutchison (pictured) were arrested Thursday morning after search warrants on their homes revealed controlled substances inside. Hillhouse said authorities are still investigating and there is no evidence at this time showing that either suspect took drugs previously seized by the Payne Springs Police Department, but that they were dealing them “under the pretense of their professional capacity.” Both suspects have been charged for the delivery of a controlled substance and money laundering.

ATHENS – A new trial date was set on Wednesday for an 82-year-old driver in a fatal Athens ISD bus crash case. According to our news partner KETK, John Stevens was charged with criminally negligent homicide and injury to a child after the January 2019 crash with a Union Pacific train killed 13-year-old Christopher Bonilla and injured nine-year-old Joselyne Torres. The case, which has been repeatedly delayed, had previously been set for a jury trial on Feb. 22, 2022. Stevens’s new trial date is Oct. 16, 2023.

TYLER — City Councilman Bob Westbrook and Fitzpatrick Architects share this year’s Brick Award, handed out each year by Heart of Tyler. According to a news release, Westbrook, a longtime restaurateur, spent “countless hours” helping organize two events benefiting the local restaurant scene, specifically downtown. The release says the HOT August Nights dinner raised money for the city’s downtown facade grant and the Rose City Music Festival featured offerings from some 30 restaurants after Westbrook called on them to participate. Heart of Tyler officials say Fitzpatrick Architects “has an active role in almost every ongoing project in the downtown area” and is now based on the downtown square. Continue reading Heart of Tyler honors two with Brick Award

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding a missing 15-year-old. Eric Duran is a listed runaway juvenile who was last seen on February 24. He is described as a Hispanic male, brown hair, brown eyes, 5’04, and 110 lbs. Eric does have ties to the immediate Tyler area. If you have any information as to his whereabouts, call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at (903) 566-6600 or or Detective Jennifer Stockwell at 903-533-1880 ext 26. Officials reiterate that anyone who harbors a child and is criminally negligent about whether the child is younger than 18 years of age, and has voluntarily left home without the consent of a parent or guardian, can be charged with harboring a runaway, a class A misdemeanor.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office seeks your help finding Latravion Dewberry, a listed runaway juvenile who ran away from his residence on February 19. He is described as a black male, black hair, brown eyes, 5’09, and 145 lbs. Latravion was involved in an incident in which he was shot multiple times in December and is still healing from his injuries. Officials say Latravion’s mother is clearly concerned for her son’s welfare and safety and worries that he is around further situations where he’s at risk of death or further bodily harm. It is unknown where Latravion went, but he does have ties to the immediate Tyler area. Continue reading Officials seek missing gunshot victim

TYLER — The Tyler Municipal Rose Garden has been presented with the 2023 Texas Recreation & Park Society Lone Star Legacy Park Award. According to a city news release, a Lone Star Legacy Park is classified as a park that holds special prominence in the local community and the state of Texas. Officials say to qualify for consideration, the park must have endured the test of time and become iconic to those who have visited, played, and rested on its grounds. Lone Star Legacy Parks must be at least 50 years old and open to the public, and must have a significant role in the community’s history, according to the release. The Rose Garden was one of seven parks and open spaces to receive this designation in 2023. Bergfeld Park received the award in 2014.

TYLER — Starting April 1, Tyler Transit is altering the South Tyler Route, also known as Route 12, to provide service to the Department of Veteran Affairs and other businesses along Centennial Parkway, according to a news release. The pilot route will utilize the second entrance into the Villages at Cumberland Park, instead of entering at the first light, and go north (in the opposite direction) every half hour. Tyler Transit will move signage and bus stops across Centennial Parkway to the north side before April 1. Continue reading Tyler Transit altering Route 12 to service veterans

TYLER — The latest poll by The University of Texas at Tyler revealed that border security, gun control and education were currently the most important policy concerns on the minds of Texas voters. UT Tyler’s poll began on Feb. 20, days after Gov. Abbott’s State of the State address to announce legislative priorities for 2023. The survey ended on Tuesday, Feb. 28, with 1,190 total interviews of registered voters in Texas that were completed online or by phone. “Border security, gun control and education were all identified as the most important policy concern more often than they were in October. Inflation and reproductive rights continue to be top five issues, but they were mentioned less often,” said Dr. Mark Owens, associate professor of political science and director of the UT Tyler Center for Opinion Research. Continue reading UT Tyler poll reveals top concerns for voters

PALESTINE — A Palestine man was arrested on Wednesday after a 12-hour standoff with police. According to our news partner KETK, just before 2 a.m., Palestine Police Department officers were called to W. Louisiana Street in reference to a report of a domestic disturbance, with a woman reporting that she had been assaulted by a man at the residence. After officers arrived, an a woman exited the residence and was taken to an emergency room by EMS for treatment. At that time, officers reportedly learned that a 3-year-old girl was still inside the residence. “Officers made verbal contact with the suspect through the door, who made numerous threats to shoot officers if they did not leave,” according to the Palestine Police Department. Continue reading Palestine man arrested after 12-hour standoff with police

RUSK COUNTY — A man and woman were arrested Wednesday after a high-speed chase with law enforcement in Rusk County around 11:30 a.m. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez says the Tatum Police Department tried to stop a Harley Davidson motorcycle on Highway 43 heading toward Henderson but the driver did not stop. He said the Sheriff’s Office and DPS joined in on the pursuit. The chase came to an end near the intersection of CR 2142 and FM 1797. RCSO said the pursuit reached speeds of up to 100 mph on straightaways. Near the end of the chase, officials found about one ounce of methamphetamine, a pistol, and about eight knives, according to Valdez. Continue reading Two arrested after high-speed chase, suspected meth seized

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview will host an E-Waste Recycling event from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 1, at Teague Park. Vouchers are required to participate and are available online. The activity is being held in conjunction with Keep Longview Beautiful’s Love Longview event. The recycling offering is performed with funds from the city’s Sanitation Division and a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality enforcement action grant, but is not a response to an enforcement action, according to officials. The event is for Gregg County residents. No commercial waste will be accepted. Vouchers are required to participate and are available online. Click here to link up with additional information.

TYLER — Area superintendents and school board members gathered Wednesday in Tyler to share their thoughts on the school voucher plan being discussed at the state capitol. That’s according to a Tyler ISD news release. “East Texas, particularly in Smith County, has always enjoyed a special and cordial relationship among the different school options that have existed successfully over the past 50+ years,” Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said. “Educational independence and relationships already exist as a foundation for daily life. And yet, instead of building upon those partnerships, we see attacks at that collaboration when competitive teacher salaries in alignment with other professions should be the focus of any statewide political campaign tour.” Continue reading East Texas superintendents, board members question school voucher plan

AUSTIN — Continuing to reflect a statewide trend, both Tyler and Longview show increases in monthly sales tax allocations over a year ago, according to the latest report from Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. For the month of March, Tyler gets $4,756,454.89, up from $4,185,356.79 in March 2022. Tyler’s year-to-date figure is $16,002,422.59, rising from $15,245,737.53 in March of last year. Longview’s March figure is $3,390,172.78, an improvement from the $3,109,664.00 reported at this time last year. For the year to date, Longview comes in at $11,893,289.13, compared to $11,119,750.26 at this time in 2022.

TYLER – The Feeding Texas network, made up of 21 food banks across the state, is calling on state lawmakers to update the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Vehicle Asset Test today in a virtual day of advocacy. The East Texas Food Bank is among those joining in the action. According to a news release, eligibility for SNAP is primarily based on income and family size. Texas also chooses to use a Vehicle Asset Test, which places a limit on the value of the vehicles a family may own and still qualify for the program. In the 26 counties served by the East Texas Food Bank, officials say 500 East Texas households were denied SNAP in 2019, and that number grew to 2,399 East Texas households in 2022 due to the Vehicle Asset Test. Continue reading Food banks call for updated Vehicle Asset Test

TYLER — On Wednesday, March 8, the Tyler City Council voted to approve a $685,432.47 contract with Missouri petroleum, LLC, for the 2023 ONYX Sealcoat Project, according to a news release. The 2023 ONYX seal coat project includes 32.85 lane miles of work on 73 City Streets.  “ONYX is a street surface preservation sealant to prevent the surface from further deterioration,” said City Engineer Darin Jennings. “Unlike the overlay and most seal coat streets, the streets being done with ONYX are in relatively good condition but are losing their asphalt content on the surface and showing cracks. Continue reading City Council addresses street improvements, fire department upgrades

TYLER — Smith County authorities seek help solving a recent burglary. Officials say on February 25 at approximately 4:06 a.m., three black male suspects broke into the Indian Creek Mart Convenience Store on Spur 364 in Tyler. The suspects took cash as well as a large quantity of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. They used large bolt cutters to break in and were seen wearing gloves with their faces covered by ski masks. Officials say one suspect was wearing a very distinguishable Nickelodeon Rugrats jacket and another suspect had a bright orange face covering ski mask. Continue reading Authorities seek burglary suspects

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has earned the 2023-24 Silver Military Friendly School designation. According to a news release, that means UT Tyler is within the top 20% of participating schools in the Tier 2 Research Institutions Category. “It’s an honor to be recognized in this way for our support of student veterans, active, reserve and National Guard personnel and their families,” said Coby Dillard, UT Tyler director of military and veterans affairs, as quoted in a news release. “Our designation is a great testament to all the tireless, student-led efforts to make UT Tyler a truly military-inclusive institution.” A celebration ceremony hosted by the UT Tyler Military and Veterans Success Center will be 10 a.m. Thursday, March 9, at the UT Tyler Alumni House, located on the UT Tyler campus. Continue reading UT Tyler earns Silver Military Friendly School designation

WASHINGTON, D.C. — East Texas Congressman Nathaniel Moran tells KTBB he’s joined another Texas congressman in an effort to shield the U.S. from undue foreign influence, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moran said, “I recently signed on to a piece of legislation by Chip Roy that’s trying to get the United States out of the World Health Organization. There are so many of these world organizations that are trying to impose their political views on us. We need to continue hold not just our governmental accountable. But we need to hold those entities around the world that are trying to influence our government accountable.” Continue reading Moran discusses budget, foreign influence

TYLER — A Tyler man was sentenced to 17 years in prison on Monday in connection to a 2021 fatal hit-and-run crash, according to our news partner KETK. Juan Jesus Juarez, 24, was sentenced for an accident involving death. He was convicted in February for the crash that happened in Jan. of 2021. The District Attorney’s Office said Juarez was driving the car with his two friends inside, and they had reportedly had drinks. “While drunk, speeding, and not paying attention Juarez drove through a T-intersection in a residential area,” the DA’s office said. Continue reading Tyler man sentenced to prison in fatal hit-and-run crash