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TYLER – Each winter, thousands of visitors travel to Tyler for holiday shopping and to celebrate the season at one of their many “Rose City Christmas” events. One of the area’s most beloved Christmas traditions is the Azalea District Trail of Lights, where local residents deck the halls to share with onlookers during December. According to officials with Visit Tyler, it’s a shining showcase of Tyler’s historic charm and Texas-sized hospitality. Homeowners in the District are encouraged to participate by decorating their homes for the holidays. There is a homeowner’s decorating contest with a chance to win prizes donated by local sponsors. Continue reading Tyler residents spread holiday cheer with Azalea District Trail of Lights

LONGVIEW — An East Texas business suffered thousands of dollars in damages after an 18-wheeler hydroplaned and crashed into their food truck on Oct. 28. According to our news partner KETK, Heather Goettle, the owner of Crawfish Cove at 4934 Estes Parkway in Longview, said the crash knocked down their sign and sheared off their gas line. She believes the damages were worth more than $100,000. Goettle said she could have died if they had been working and had a fire inside the trailer because the gas line was broken off. But, no one was inside the business when the wreck happened. There is also a hole in the bottom of the trailer where it was separated. Continue reading East Texas food truck business suffers major damage after 18-wheeler crashes into it

TYLER — Drivers should take note of more gantry maintenance on Toll 49. The work from SH 64 to I-20, originally set for Thursday and Friday of last week, is now set for Thursday, November 3, and Friday, November 4, from 7 p.m. till 5 a.m. Toll 49 will be closed in the affected area during the maintenance times.

TYLER — The public is invited to attend an open house Thursday to update the Transportation Improvement Program (TIP). According to a news release, that’s a short-range budgeting document that provides details on how federal transportation funding dollars will be spent on planning, design, and construction of highway and transit improvements over the next four fiscal years. The Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) will host the open house from 5 to 6 p.m. in the Tyler Development Center’s Large Conference Room on West Ferguson Street. The public will be notified of changes to the proposed schedule for constructing several TXdot highway projects. Continue reading Open house Thursday on TxDOT construction projects

TYLER — A Tyler man pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 50 years in prison in a Smith County court on Wednesday for the death of a woman in September 2021. According to our news partner KETK, Javier Valenzuela-Avila, 21, was sentenced for the murder of Laura Garcia, who was 25. Garcia’s body was found on Sept. 4, 2021, when police responded to a welfare concern on East Dawson Street. Valenzuela-Avila was admitted to a local hospital under police watch for self-inflicted wounds. He was arrested on Sept. 5, 2021 and booked into the Smith County Jail on a murder warrant with a $1 million bond.

JERSEY CITY, N.J. – East Texas native Kelcy Warren has been named as one of the Forbes 400 wealthiest Americans. That’s according to our news partner KETK. Warren, a White Oak High School graduate, was listed as the 227th wealthiest American by Forbes with a real-time net worth of $4.8 billion as of Wednesday. He co-founded pipeline company Energy Transfer in 1996 with fellow billionaire Ray Davis, but stepped down as CEO in 2020. He remains executive chairman of the board of directors for the company. According to Forbes, despite protests in 2017 criticizing the company’s Dakota Access Pipeline, Energy Transfer finished building the $3.8 billion pipeline after an executive order by President Donald Trump. Continue reading East Texas native listed by Forbes as one of America’s wealthiest

TYLER — Tyler Animal Control and Shelter is offering no-cost adoptions for dogs and cats with a donation of 12 new fleece blankets for November. According to a city news release, the blankets will be used for animals at the shelter. Blankets that are 50″x60″ are preferred to fit a pet’s kennel. Animals adopted from Tyler Animal Services are spayed/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated. The standard adoption fee for dogs is $120 and $80 for cats. To adopt, view available animals or submit an application, visit this link. Call (903) 535-0045 for more information.

CARTHAGE — As the USDA announces a historic round of investments in meat and poultry production, an East Texas packing plant reaps the benefits. BRK Meats in Carthage was given over $500,000 as the Biden Administration makes the effort to ramp up meat and poultry processing. BRK Meats partners with over 200 independent cattle producers. With the money, they’ll add an in-house slaughter facility and a distribution center to their current location — and will be able to look at expanding their area too. The improvements ought to let BRK Meats more than double their employee base.

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Commissioners Court passed a resolution unanimously to designate the Smith County Emergency Operations Center after Judge Jack Skeen Jr. on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, the building will now be known as the Jack M. Skeen Jr. Emergency Operations Center of Smith County. Smith County Judge-Elect Debbie Gunter and Judge Diane DeVasto came up with the idea to honor Skeen, who has served the county and city of Tyler for 50 years. Skeen graduated from Baylor Law School and was the Assistant District Attorney for Smith County, then he became the city attorney and a municipal court judge. In 1982, he was named as the Smith County District Attorney and served for six terms. Continue reading Commissioners approve naming Emergency Operations Center after Judge

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court Tuesday approved an agreement with the City of Winona and the East Texas Municipal Utility District to pay for a nearly $3.7 million water/sewer project with American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. The project will help fix a “significant” water/sewer issue for Northeast Smith County residents, according to a county news release. Smith County was allocated more than $45 million in ARPA funds by the federal government, intended as relief funding from the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic downturn. The Commissioners Court has held workshops to discuss water/sewer projects in rural areas, as well as other needed projects. Officials say they have considered benefit-to-cost ratio and their long-term impact to the community. Click here for more details.

SMITH COUNTY — On Monday, 4,028 Smith County residents early voted and 10 mail-in absentee ballots were received – for a total of 33,546 ballots. Smith County has 153,855 registered voters. Early voting continues this week. Polls are open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. today through Friday, November 4. Election Day is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 8. Continue reading Over 33,000 early votes counted so far in Smith County

TYLER — The race to be the next governor of Texas appears to be tightening up, at least according to the latest poll out of the University of Texas at Tyler. Just a month ago, Governor Abbott held a 9-point lead, according to the UT Tyler September poll of registered voters. Now when polling likely voters, O’Rourke gains ground. Gov. Abbott now holds a 6-point lead 50-percent to 44. UT Tyler Political Science Professor Mark Owens says the top two issues for Texans are the border and the economy, which does favor Gov. Abbott. Lt. Governor Dan Patrick has a 9-point lead over Democrat Mike Collier. Democrat Rochelle Garza is just 4 points back of Attorney General Ken Paxton.

TYLER — A pedestrian was killed Saturday morning after he was struck twice by two separate vehicles on State Highway 31, six miles east of Tyler, according to DPS and our news partner KETK. Officials said Haley C. O’Brien, 23, of Bullard, was driving her 2021 Toyota Prius west on State Highway 31 when she struck a pedestrian who DPS identified as James E. Young, 58, of Longview, who was walking in the westbound lane. After being hit by the Prius, the pedestrian was hit by a 2016 Chevrolet Cruze who officials said was driven by Justin M. Tracey, 28, of Flint. Young was declared dead at 7:50 a.m. by Dr. Louis Fernandez of UT Health Hospital in Tyler. The other two drivers were treated at the scene.

LONGVIEW — Longview police arrested a student accused of making a terroristic threat toward a junior high school on Monday. According to Longview police and our news partner KETK, officers were advised on Oct. 30 that a possible threatening text and picture message about a school campus was shared on social media. Authorities said they investigated the situation, interviewed witnesses and looked at several social media accounts. On Monday, police verified that a student made threats toward the Pine Tree Junior High School campus. The student was later detained on a charge of terroristic threat, said law enforcement. They were not on school property at the time. Continue reading Longview student arrested for allegedly making threat to junior high

TYLER – 37-year-old Sharena Seay of Jacksonville, Florida, has been indicted in a purported cryptocurrency money laundering scheme in the Eastern District of Texas. She appeared in Tyler federal court before U.S. Magistrate Judge John D. Love. According to the indictment, Seay is alleged to have laundered the proceeds of her drug trafficking operations through cryptocurrency. Authorities claim she supplied alpha-Pyrrolidinopentiophenone (alpha-PVP), which is often called “flakka,” and similar synthetic cathinones, such as Eutylone or alpha-PiHP. Seay allegedly distributed alpha-PVP and other controlled substances to various customers across the United States. Continue reading Officials: Florida woman indicted in cryptocurrency money laundering scheme

TYLER — Tyler Recycles Day is back in 2022 on Saturday, Nov. 19, from 8 a.m. to noon. Officials say the event is Keep Tyler Beautiful’s most popular community collection event, joining thousands of local organizers holding recycling events across the country to celebrate America Recycles Day. During Tyler Recycles Day, community members may bring acceptable recyclables to the Downtown Recycling Center on N. Bois D’Arc Ave. Ark-La-Tex Shredding Company and Interstate Batteries will be providing special services for the duration of the event. Ark-La-Tex Shredding will offer free personal document shredding for individuals and businesses. There will be a collection station for all types of batteries hosted by Interstate Batteries. Continue reading Tyler Recycles Day 2022

LONGVIEW — Curbside recycling in Longview will not be available Oct. 31 – Nov. 2. Officials say the change to regular service is due to necessary maintenance at Rivers Recycling, the materials recovery facility that processes the recyclables collected by the city. During this time, contents placed in curbside recycling carts will be taken to the landfill with regular trash. If customers prefer, they may choose to hold their recycling until the week of Nov. 7. Trash collection, yard waste collection, bulky item pickup, and the compost site will continue to operate as normal during this time. For more information, contact the City of Longview Sanitation Division at 903-237-1250.

CANTON — Funeral services are set for former state Representative Dan Flynn of Van, who died this past Friday at 79. Flynn was part of the Texas Legislature from 2003 through 2021. During his time there, he chaired the Defense and Veterans’ Affairs Committee and the Pensions Committee. Governor Greg Abbott says Flynn leaves behind a legacy of leadership and service to the people of Texas. the funeral for Flynn will be this coming Friday in Canton.

TYLER — The followup continues after a Saturday evening fire caused what officials term “significant damage” at a historic structure at Broadway and Houston in Tyler. Our news partner KETK went inside the Ramey House and saw just how extensive the damage was. Jacob Law is co-owner of Stonewater Roofing, the business operating out of the Ramey House. He says, “Tyler Fire Department was able to minimize damage past the third floor with regards to fire. But with tens of thousands of gallons of water going through the building, there’s a big mess in there we’ve got to get started cleaning up, and being a historic building, it’s going to take some challenges.” Continue reading Work continues after fire at historic structure

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District. In Smith County, Tyler maintenance will have a base failure crew on SH 31 West near Loop 323, towards Greenbriar Rd. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic. A second crew will be performing bridge maintenance on FM 1804 near the county line. Flaggers will be controlling traffic there as well. In Gregg County, Longview maintenance is scheduled to begin bridge repair work on South Loop 281 at Birdsong St. Motorists should expect lane closures eastbound and westbound. Crews will also continue herbicide operations throughout the county. Click here for a complete look at roadwork around the district.

TYLER — The Tyler Parks and Recreation Department is beginning renovations to P.T. Cole Park on S. Vine Ave. The park will be closed starting Monday, Oct. 31, and will remain closed until construction is completed, according to a news release. Officials say the park will be receiving renovated restrooms, a new pavilion, playground equipment, basketball courts, and a splash pad. These renovations will be paid for by the Community Development Block Grant and should be completed by February, according to the release. For more information about this and other Tyler Parks and Rec improvement projects, visit this link or call (903) 531-1370.

ELKHART — Officials announced Saturday that an infant, 12 students, and two faculty members were injured and transported to Palestine Regional Hospital after an Elkhart school bus rollover on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, Elkhart ISD officials say the bus was three miles west of Elkhart on Highway 294 when it entered a curve in the road that had standing water on it and rolled over into a ditch. The school district announced Friday evening that the bus was carrying cheerleaders to a game in Clifton. The district says the injuries were minor. The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said Friday’s weather and road conditions were causing dangerous road conditions at the scene. DPS and school officials were also on the scene, according to ACSO.

TYLER – A requiem mass is set for 1 p.m. Monday at Tyler’s Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception for Bobby Joe Manziel Jr., who died Thursday at age 83. Manziel’s online obituary says he oversaw the long-delayed completion of the Tyler area’s Oil Palace, which he operated for 39 years. During that time, “it has been the home of shows, exhibits, concerts, conventions, sporting events, graduations, and Tyler’s own Junior League Mistletoe and Magic and Texas Rose Festival,” according to the obituary. Manziel was also involved in the oil industry, the cattle business, commercial real estate, and heavy equipment construction, according to the obituary. Click here for more information and updates.

TROUP – An auction and fish fry were organized to support the family of Troup High School footballer Cooper Reid. Reid was seriously injured after a football game in September. According to our news partner KETK, the event is set for Nov. 12 from 4-7 p.m. at the FBC Troup Family Life Center. The auction is scheduled to start at 5 p.m. Each fish fry plate will be $10 and will include fish, fries, beans, dessert, and a drink. All of the proceeds will benefit the Reid family.

TYLER — Some good news if you still want to register early for Tyler’s Rotary Christmas Parade. Early registration for entries was originally due to close October 28. The deadline has now been extended till November 4 to accommodate more entries, according to information from organizers. Late registration runs from November 5 till November 11. Businesses, bands, civic and service clubs, and nonprofits are encouraged to join the fun. The parade will be held in downtown Tyler and begin at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 1. For more information, contact Tiffany Damskov at [email protected] or 903-266-0376, or click here.

FLINT — DPS says the driver of a truck that crashed into a house in Flint on Tuesday may have suffered a medical episode. According to our news partner KETK, Sgt. Adam Albritton said the driver submitted a blood sample to confirm a medical episode, but results are pending at this time. Officials say six people were injured after the truck crashed into a home on Walnut Hill and Oak Trail Drive after a two-vehicle collision. Officials said among the injured was a seven-month-old infant who was life-flighted to a Shreveport hospital. The mother and a 10-year-old child were also in the house and transported to a Tyler hospital for their injuries. Continue reading Officials: Driver may have suffered medical episode in Flint crash

EAST TEXAS — Local law enforcement agencies and prevention advocates are taking part in the semi-annual DEA Take Back event to be held Oct. 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at various locations around East Texas. The Tyler Police Department event will be held in the parking lot at Brookshire’s on Rice Road, while the UT Tyler Police will host another at the UT Health Science Center on Highway 271. Other events will be held at Walmart in Kilgore, Walgreens in Marshall, First National Bank in Jefferson, and Brookshire’s in Pittsburg, with still others promoting their prescription drug disposal boxes that are available year-round. Continue reading DEA Take Back events set for Saturday

TYLER — A 14-year-old juvenile turned himself in to law enforcement Thursday on a charge of capital murder following a recent homicide. He was booked into the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center. On October 22nd at around 2:47 p.m., officers responded to N. Broadway Ave. between 24th and 26th Streets. A victim was located on the sidewalk and transported to UT Health, where he died as a result of gunshot wounds. Witnesses said two suspects were seen running after the shooting. The victim has been identified as Cornelius Tims, 43, of Tyler. The other suspect is still sought. If you have any information on this case, contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or call Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833.

EDGEWOOD – Authorities say a man was arrested Wednesday in East Texas and charged with murder, endangering a child, and evading arrest. According to our news partner KETK, Edgewood police say Braylon Diamente Hicks was booked into the Van Zandt County Jail. Hicks was accused of leading East Texas law enforcement on a pursuit from Edgewood to Forney in August. The chase went onto Interstate 20 and reached speeds of up to 120 mph. The Wills Point Police Department said the chase was related to a fatal shooting and kidnapping out of Edgewood. Law enforcement said they found Alyssa Beth Flores in Edgewood with several gunshot wounds, and she succumbed to her injuries. Continue reading Man arrested in murder of woman, kidnapping of baby