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LONGVIEW –  The city of Longview Thursday began experiencing difficulties with its phone service. As of Friday morning, the city says the problem has been resolved.  The 911 emergency answering point was not affected.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been arrested in connection with a murder in White Oak after being on the run for 10 days. According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Gilliam, 39, was charged with murder and failure to register as a sex offender. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail Thursday afternoon. The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office had asked the public for help in finding Gilliam in connection with a May 3 homicide on North White Oak Road, in White Oak. A press release did not include any information about the victim or a possible motive for the killing. Continue reading Longview man arrested in connection with White Oak murder

AUSTIN — The Texas Heartbeat Act, authored by GOP Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola, is headed to the governor’s desk. Senate Bill 8 achieved final passage Thursday in an 18-12 vote according to information received from Texas Right to Life and confirmed by Hughes’s office. When signed into law, the still-controversial bill will abolish elective abortions as early as six weeks. Texas Right to Life says that’s when the preborn child’s heartbeat is detectable using methods according to standard medical practice. The policy would take effect September 1.

AUSTIN — An East Texas-rooted bill that would let Texans carry guns without a permit is now headed to a conference committee to hash out differences between the state House and Senate. The House rejected changes the Senate made to the bill, originally authored by Tyler state Representative Matt Schaefer. The Senate approved amendments that would add penalties for people caught with guns who are felons or have been convicted of family violence. The Senate also added an amendment that would not allow permitless carry for people convicted of assault with a deadly weapon, deadly conduct, or making a terroristic threat in the past five years. Continue reading Permitless carry headed to conference committee

TYLER — With an eye on developing district leaders, the University of Texas at Tyler announced a new partnership with Henderson ISD to make two master’s degrees more accessible to district employees. According to a news release, UT Tyler will offer the Master of Education in curriculum and instruction and the Master of Education in educational leadership degrees via online and on-site instruction. The university will provide a field supervisor to coordinate each program and incorporate district-specific instruction to complement online instruction, according to the release.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man whose trial for a fatal 2017 drunk driving wreck is just weeks away was put back in jail on a $1 million bond after being charged with DWI for the second time since the crash. According to our news partner KETK, 30-year-old Corie Murray was arrested by Longview police around 2:30 a.m. May 2 and charged with driving while intoxicated. He was also booked for two drug possession charges. Murray is accused of intoxicated manslaughter in the 2017 incident. His trial in that case is currently set to begin June 21.

LONGVIEW — The East Texas Food Bank is holding another mega food distribution in Longview Friday from 8-10 a.m. at the Gregg County Fairgrounds while supplies last. Food Bank officials say more than a year into the pandemic, they are still seeing an increased need for food assistance. As with past distributions, the events are open to anyone and there are no eligibility or paperwork requirements. These are drive-thru distributions and walk-ups will not be accepted. Multiple households can carpool. If someone is unable to attend a distribution, they may send a note with a friend or family member to pick up food for them. The note must include their name, signature, and a statement that the individual is permitted to pick up food for you. Any single car may not have more than three of these notes. Drivers should enter from 300 W. Cotton.

TYLER — After six years of serving on the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees, Rev. Fritz Hager Jr. is resigning his post serving Single Member District 6. His resignation is effective June 10, 2021. Hager was first appointed to the Board in 2015 to fill a vacancy in Single Member District 6. In 2016 and again in 2019, he was elected by voters to serve 3-year terms, with his latest term expiring in 2022. Hager said he plans to attend law school to practice law with his wife, Sarina, at their law firm, Hager Law, PLLC. He also said he will continue to serve as a pastor at Bethel Bible Church and as a chaplain in the Texas State Guard. The Board of Trustees will deliberate to determine the statutory options regarding the vacancy.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Deputies made an arrest in connection to a shooting that happened near Chapel Hill on Tuesday, but they are still searching for a second suspect. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to the Jackson Heights area after a man was shot. The suspects reportedly fired shots from a vehicle, then drove off. The victim’s condition is not known. On Wednesday, Smith County investigators announced they found the suspect’s car on CR 489 near Tyler. The owner was identified as Jylon Cross, 19, of Jackson Heights. Continue reading Suspect arrested in connection to shooting near Chapel Hill

TYLER — The trial of one of three men accused in the Nov. 5, 2017, shooting death of Andrew Carpenter, 19, of Tyler, has been scheduled for June 28. According to our news partner KETK, the trial was set after Martin Wesley Reynolds Jr., 21, of Whitehouse, rejected a plea deal in 114th District Court for a 15-year sentence for his guilty plea to the first-degree murder charge. Two other men, Colton Wade Tate and Nathan Ryan Garcia, also are charged with murder in the shooting death. The arrest warrant affidavit said Reynolds and Carpenter got into an argument on the phone. Continue reading Trial date set for Whitehouse man accused in shooting death

TYLER — They made the ultimate sacrifice — and Wednesday on Tyler’s downtown square, officers who died in the line of duty locally and statewide were honored at Smith County’s annual Peace Officer Memorial. Tyler Police Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh says it’s important to hold the ceremony each year. Erbaugh told KTBB he and his colleagues “get into this job to help others” and improve communities — and that they shouldn’t be forgotten when they lose their lives in the process. Erbaugh says he was pleased with the ceremony — and with the crowd, which he says included several family members of Smith County officers who were killed in the line of duty.

TYLER — A busy Wednesday for the Tyler City Council. The Council approved the addition of a five-year implementation schedule to the current Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Master Plan. The schedule covers planned projects through 2025. This year the city is set to complete the Lindsey Park restrooms, the Bergfeld Park tennis courts, and a soccer field at Fun Forest Park. The Council also signed off on pavement improvements for 48 streets. Two veteran councilmembers — Shirley McKellar and Bob Westbrook — were sworn in to new terms, along with first-time Councilmember Stuart Hene. McKellar (pictured at left) was chosen to serve as mayor pro tem. And the city reduced space requirements for backyard chickens and other fowl.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY – One man was killed and another is in critical condition after an 18-wheeler wreck in Nacogdoches County early Tuesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, an 18-wheeler transporting timber was driving behind a 2004 pickup truck on HWY 103, roughly five miles west of Etoile. Investigators believe the pickup truck “made an unsafe turn” in front of the 18-wheeler and it was hit in the driver’s side. Continue reading Fatal accident involving 18-wheeler in Nacogdoches County

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting. Around 2:15 Tuesday afternoon, deputies responded to a report of a gunshot victim on Jackson Avenue in the Jackson Heights community of Chapel Hill. They found a male suffering from at least one gunshot wound. The victim was taken to the hospital; his condition wasn’t immediately known. Authorities say the suspects apparently fired rounds from a vehicle toward the victim and fled the area in an unknown direction. Law officers were reported on location late Tuesday afternoon working the scene and speaking with witnesses. If you have any information on this incident, call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at (903) 566-6600. This is an ongoing investigation and details will be released as they become available, according to officials.

TYLER — Police invite everyone to attend the 2021 Peace Officer Memorial Wednesday at noon on the downtown square in Tyler. Police say the purpose is “to pay tribute to Texas peace officers who made the supreme sacrifice while performing their duties.” In case of rain the memorial will be moved to the sanctuary at First Baptist Church of Tyler located on W. Ferguson Street.

TYLER — Tyler police continue to investigate a family violence incident involving gunshots. Officers responded around noon Tuesday to a home on Parklen Drive. They say they found a female victim with injuries from a physical altercation with her boyfriend, Thaddeus Taylor Jr., 19, of Tyler. Witnesses also said they saw Taylor shooting a gun in the air in the front yard. Officers located the gun and shell casings. Taylor was jailed for assault family violence, discharging a firearm in the city limits, and three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Continue reading Tyler police investigate family violence/gunshots

TYLER — Tyler ISD trustees have certified the results of the May election, which saw board members Aaron Martinez and Yvonne Atkins picked for new terms. The trustees also chose officers for the upcoming school year. Wade Washmon will serve as board president, with Martinez named as vice president.

NACOGDOCHES — A man wanted in multiple states was arrested in Nacogdoches County after a high-speed chase started in Rusk County. According to our news partner KETK, Kentrell Reese bonded out of the Clark County, Arkansas, jail earlier this week on felony charges. He was forced to wear an ankle monitor and told not to leave town. Despite this, he ended up in East Texas, where the chase began in Rusk County. It was not immediately clear what started the pursuit. Reese is also wanted in Illinois for a shooting. He was been extradited back to Clark County, which is southwest of Little Rock.

TYLER — The public is invited to view a virtual presentation posted by the Tyler Area Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) beginning Thursday, May 13, in an effort to amend its long-range and short-range transportation plans. The presentation will be available for 30 days and includes information on draft amendments to the plans relating to the proposed Old Jacksonville Highway improvement projects that are currently under development. According to a news release, the proposed amendments will be considered for adoption by the MPO’s Transportation Policy Committee on June 17, 2021. Go here and scroll down to “Tyler News” to learn more.

TYLER — NET Health’s George Roberts continues urging East Texans to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Roberts says numerous opportunities are available this week at locations around East Texas. He notes that there is no waiting time. He says, “If you’re on the fence about it, please consider…getting your vaccine this week.” You can contact NET Health or visit their website HERE for more information.

AUSTIN (FOX) — Texas’s House of Representatives votes to pass a bill that would punish large cities that defund their police forces. Republican East Texas state Senator Bryan Hughes praises the bill, arguing that citizens in Texas support law enforcement and know the dangers of defunding police. Hughes discussed what happened to one city that attempted it on “Fox and Friends.” He says, “The city of Austin voted to cut its police budget by about 1/3…and what’s happened? A spike in violent crime. Murders are up — the highest spike in 20 years. We know this doesn’t work.” Critics of the bill say it robs cities of the right to make their own financial decisions.

MARSHALL — Police in Marshall are investigating a fatal shooting. Police say multiple calls came in shortly after midnight Sunday reporting a shooting incident at Wendy’s Restaurant on East End Blvd. North. Responding officers found a black Honda sedan with the front passenger door open near the dumpsters. There was one person partially in the vehicle and two seated next to the dumpster. The man found inside the vehicle, Julius Smith, 30 of Marshall, had sustained a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead; an autopsy was ordered. The Marshall Police Department did not immediately make an arrest after consulting with the Harrison County District Attorney’s Office. The occupants of the vehicle were said to be cooperating with investigators. Continue reading Marshall police probe shooting

TYLER — Tyler City Council meetings will open to the public at full capacity starting Wednesday, May 12. City Council meetings will occur on the second and fourth Wednesday of each month at 9 a.m. in Council Chambers on the second floor of City Hall on S. Bonner Ave. Officials say members of the public who wish to participate by making a public comment on any agenda item may only do so in person. Public Participation Forms will be located outside the Chambers’ main entrance. Hand sanitizer and masks will be made available to all attendees as they enter City Hall. Masks are highly encouraged and recommended. For those members of the public who still wish to attend City Council virtually, the City will continue to live stream each Council meeting on Channel 3 and on Facebook to be watched live or on-demand. For more information, call (903) 531-1100. Continue reading City Council meetings to open at full capacity

TYLER – Several people have died in Sunday afternoon highway accidents in Smith County. 60-year-old Christi Kay Gross of Lindale was killed in a wreck on Toll 49 about a mile and a half west of Lindale. Officials say she apparently struck a guardrail and rolled down a concrete embankment. On SH 31 about eight miles west of Kilgore in Smith County, officials believe 36-year-old Marcellia Jones of Henderson was killed when her Nissan crossed into the opposite lane and hit a Cadillac head-on. A passenger in the Cadillac, 34-year-old Katashia Shari Porter of Arlington, was also killed, as were two children in the Cadillac, ages three and five. The Cadillac’s driver went to the hospital in serious condition. Both incidents remain under investigation.

TYLER — The East Texas State Fair will be hosting Taste of The Fair beginning Thursday, May 20th. According to the fair website, the event will feature many of Tyler’s fair food favorites. Those include fair classics such as corn dogs, funnel cakes, and turkey legs, as well as local favorites like the tamale slammer, volcano fries, smoked meatloaf, peach puppies, elote, and much more. This is the third and final off-season fair food event according to fair officials, who say it is set to be the biggest one yet, featuring over 60 different menu items from a variety of vendors. Continue reading Taste of the Fair

HOUSTON — There is blowback to the state’s newly passed election bill, based on a measure initially authored by East Texas state Senator Bryan Hughes. Senate Bill 7 offers protections for poll watchers, limits polling places, and adds restrictions to those assisting voters. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo says it doesn’t have to become law. Hidalgo says, “It is not too late, and it is time for leaders in all communities — but particularly in this community, which is being singled out by these bills — to stand up against voter suppression.” That’s in response to Harris County making voting easier last year during the pandemic. This bill would, for example, outlaw drive- through voting and 24-hour polling places. Hidalgo says this new bill is based on the lie that the 2020 election was somehow stolen.

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a man while they investigate a homicide on North White Oak Road in White Oak. According to our news partner KETK, the Sheriff’s Office began investigating on May 4 and has identified people who might have information about the homicide. Law enforcement is looking to speak with Brandon Allen Gilliam, 39. He is described as being 6’2”, 270 lbs. with brown hair and brown eyes. Gilliam is a registered sex offender, and officers believe that he is non-compliant with the conditions of his registration. He is also wanted by the state parole board for a parole violation. If you have seen Gilliam, you should contact the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, Investigator Jennifer Nieves, or submit your information to Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP.

TYLER — A Smith County jury has convicted and sentenced a gang member who assaulted an officer, according to information from the district attorney’s office. 35-year-old Anthony Bendy Jr. gets 45 years in prison for manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance with a deadly weapon. Authorities say Bendy was stopped last year for a traffic offense, with officers finding drugs and over $1800 in cash. A fight ensued in which Bendy struck one officer in the face and slammed the other to the ground, causing a concussion and two broken ribs. Authorities say Bendy also unsuccessfully tried to take the injured officer’s weapon and then fled — finally being caught after four days. Bendy had four prior felony convictions.

TYLER — A Tyler man is dead after a crash on Toll 49 Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, the crash occurred on Toll 49 between Paluxy and Broadway around 4 p.m. The preliminary DPS report indicates that the driver of a 1998 Kawasaki motorcycle and the driver of a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado, were both traveling westbound on Toll 49. The driver of the Chevrolet made an illegal U-turn, causing the motorcycle to strike the side of the truck. The driver of the motorcycle was identified as Christopher Lee Eickenhorst, 40. Eickenhorst was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chevrolet was identified as Jamal Russell, 30, of Jacksonville. Russell was not injured in the crash. Continue reading One person killed following crash on Toll 49 Thursday