EAST TEXAS – The City of Tyler will need a June 13th runoff to decide a new mayor, as John Nix led with 32% of the votes, while Stuart Hene trails with 26% as of Saturday evening’s count. Candidates James Wynee and Shirley McKellar will not appear on the runoff ballot.
In notable called races, Tyler Junior College’s $167.3M bond fails to secure approval, earning 54.8% of the votes.
Former NBA player Greg Ostertag has won the mayoral election in the city of Mount Vernon with 53.8% of the vote. And Kendra Bircher has won the Tyler ISD District 4 race with 53.4% of the vote.
MARSHALL – A disturbance on the campus of Wiley University led to the arrest of two women. The Marshall Police Department said it was called to the university campus on April 26 regarding a reported disturbance. Working in coordination with Wiley University Security, MPD learned that Marietta Denise Taylor, 50, allegedly made threatening statements in the presence of university security personnel that were directed toward the university.
According to our news partner KETK, it was through their investigation that it was determined there was probable cause to arrest Taylor for making the terroristic threat, a third-degree felony. She was arrested without incident and booked into the Harrison County Jail. On Friday, May 1, Jayla Unique Jackson, 24, was arrested for criminal trespass in connection with the same incident.
“The Marshall Police Department takes all threats of violence seriously and will continue working closely with its law enforcement and community partners to ensure the safety and security of
the public,” MPD said in a statement.
The department asks that anyone with information about this incident to call 903-935-4575.
TYLER – As the May 2 elections approach, several East Texas School districts are asking their residents to pass school bond proposals to help expand facilities for students, repair campuses and more. Our news partner KETK has put together the following list of school bond proposals that will appear on May ballots across East Texas:
ALBA-GOLDEN
Alba-Golden ISD is calling for a $20.6 million bond proposal to fund the following:
Career & Technology Education (CTE) Facility
Agricultural Mechanics & Metal Tech workshop (3,500 SF)
Construction Tech workshop (3,500 SF) Continue reading Bond measures on May ballot
LINDALE – The City of Lindale honored retiring police chief Dan Somes on Friday after he spent more than 20 years serving with the Lindale Police Department. According to our news partner KETK, Somes was part of Lindale PD for 27 years and lead the department as Chief of Police for the past 20 years. He started his career with the city of Seven Points Police Department before joining Lindale’s police force. He was able to radio out his last call at an retirement celebration held at Picker’s Pavilion on Friday. During the event Somes was presented with a shadow box containing a Lindale PD badge and patches.
Part of the new blood Somes referred to is Brent Chambers, who started his tenure as Lindale PD’s new chief of police in March.
TYLER – Smith County Animal Control and Shelter has announced it’s looking to coordinate with local animal shelters to better help local animals following a recent controversy. Pawsitive Place Rescue and Nicholas Pet Haven took to social media recently to criticize how the Smith County shelter reportedly euthanized a dozen dogs without notifying any of the nearby shelters so they could take the animals and spare them from death. Following these posts, the Smith County Animal Shelter detailed several recent policy changes they’ve made to their euthanasia protocols at a meeting of the Smith County Commissioners Court on Tuesday.
Pawsitive Place Rescue and Nicholas Pet Haven said they spoke with Smith County Judge Neal Franklin on Wednesday and that he heard their complaints. They explained that even after these recent policy changes, they’d like to see the county, community and state support efforts to foster, spay and neuter pets to prevent shelters from filling up in the first place.
“The real solution is mandatory spay and neuter,” Nicholas Pet Haven said. “The county and city both have the ability to put this into action yet they refuse to do so. Hopefully, this can be done at the state level. If not, the problem remains. If you are a dog owner and let your dog have one liter after another, then you are the problem.” Continue reading Euthanasia controversy sparks meetings
TRAVIS COUNTY (TEXAS TRIBUNE) – For the time being, a Travis County district judge has permitted the sale of naturally smokeable hemp products like rolled joints and flower buds.
The ban that was granted earlier this month is still on hold as a result of Judge Daniella DeSeta Lyttle’s Friday decision. The Texas Hemp Business Council, Hemp Industry & Farmers of America, and a number of dispensaries and manufacturers in Texas were granted a temporary injunction by Lyttle against new testing regulations that establish a 0.3% total THC threshold, thereby prohibiting the sale of natural smokeable hemp products. Additionally, a 3,000% increase in hemp retailers’ licensing fees is temporarily halted by the ruling.
The ban will be temporarily suspended until the next hearing, which is currently set for July 27. However, if the state appeals the most recent decision and the court consents to hear the appeal, the suspension may end sooner. The state’s regulations will resume once the court grants the appeal, necessitating the removal of smokeable hemp from store shelves.
Attorneys representing the hemp industry contended during a three-day hearing this week that the Texas Department of State Health Services had overreached its constitutional authority by amending the statutory definitions of hemp that were created by legislators in 2019.
State attorneys contended in court that Texas law permits the health agency to enact new hemp regulations by requiring them to give Texans’ welfare top priority when making rules. The judge disagreed, claiming that the regulations were causing the industry irreversible harm.
A Spirit Airlines aircraft prepares to depart from the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport on November 13, 2024 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) -- The Department of Transportation said on Saturday the majority of airlines will be capping tickets prices for Spirit Airlines travelers who need to rebook their canceled flights.
Some carriers have even reduced fares on high volume routes where Spirit used to operate.
Spirit began winding down operations early Saturday morning after talks between the airline and the federal government over a $500 million rescue deal stalled.
Spirit said that travelers who booked their tickets with a credit or debit card will be automatically refunded.
United, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest said they are capping ticket prices specifically for Spirit customers who need to rebook cancelled flights.
To access these special prices, individuals will need to provide at least a Spirit flight confirmation number and proof of payment, the airlines said.
These fares will only be available for a short period:
JetBlue: Available for 72 hours Southwest: Available for 72 hours; only in person at an airport ticket counter Delta: Available for five days United: Available for two weeks online American Airlines and Delta Air Lines are offering reduced fares on high-volume Spirit routes.
United Airlines said for the next two weeks, customers who were booked on Spirit can get one-way tickets on United flights from most cities where Spirit previously operated, including Atlanta, Chicago, Fort Lauderdale, Houston, Las Vegas, Miami, Newark, New Orleans and Orlando.
The airline said it has capped most of its fares at $199, though exceptions apply with longer flights not priced higher than $299.
Travelers will need to enter their Spirit confirmation number and verify they were scheduled to travel between May 2 through May 16 in order to be qualify for these special fares.
American Airlines said it has also launched a page on its website that displays rescue fares to and from a range of domestic and international destinations for Spirit customers needing to rebook travel.
The airline said it's also reviewing adding additional capacity, including flying bigger planes and adding more flights on routes Spirit used to fly, to accommodate as many passengers as possible.
Allegiant Air has also committed to freezing fare prices across routes that overlap with Spirit. To support impacted travelers, Frontier Airlines is offering up to 50% off base fares across its network until May 10.
To help Spirit employees, the Department of Transportation said most major U.S. carriers are extending travel pass benefits and spare jump seats so employees can return to their homebases.
Airlines are also offering Spirit team members preferential employment interviews to ensure they jump the queue. American and United said they're creating microsites for Spirit employees looking to continue a career in aviation, per the federal agency.
MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department made an arrest in a shooting that occurred Saturday, April 25. Officers responded to a call that afternoon in the area of Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. and Holland Street. When the officers arrived they found a man who received a gunshot wound. Their investigation found that 24-year-old Shakira Nysha Brazzell had allegedly shot the victim over an incident from the night before.
Brazzell had left the scene before officers arrived, but came back and turned herself in. The victim was transported to a hospital where he received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.
Brazzell was taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault with a weapon. This investigation remains ongoing.
Anyone with information related to this incident is encouraged to contact the Marshall Police Department at 903-935-4575.
LONGVIEW —Several members of the Longview Fire Department were honored by Governor Abbott recently for their heroic efforts. The incident occurred during the morning of Feb. 28 after a hot air balloon carrying two people crashed into a 920-foot cell tower. Once on the scene, firefighters began using multiple rope systems to safely remove both people from the balloon and bring them back to the ground.
The firefighters who helped safely remove both people from the balloon were honored by Abbott at the department’s annual banquet last Saturday.
“We were deeply honored to welcome Governor Abbott and his team, and we extend our sincere gratitude to the City of Longview and every one of our incredible sponsors,” the Longview Fire Department said. “Your support and generosity transformed this evening into a night to remember for all our members and their families.”
The Food and Drug Administration headquarters is shown in White Oak, Md. (Al Drago/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images, FILE)
(NEW YORK) -- The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the drug Auvelity this week for the treatment of agitation in adults with Alzheimer's dementia.
The extended-release tablet is the first FDA-approved medication for this condition that is not an anti-psychotic.
Anti-psychotics carry serious risks including stroke, sedation and increased death in older adults, according to the FDA. Having a non-antipsychotic option may be safer for patients, experts say.
"We've needed a drug like this for decades, because agitation related to Alzheimer's disease is one of the most challenging, disheartening symptoms that we manage," Dr. Richard Issacson, director of research at the Institute of Neurodegenerative Diseases in Florida, told ABC News. "This new drug would be used because their tolerability profile is better."
Auvelity was initially approved by the FDA in 2022 to treat major depressive disorder in adults. It carries a boxed warning for a higher risk of suicidal thoughts in teens and young adults taking antidepressants.
However, two recent randomized clinical trials found that the drug improved agitation symptoms in patients with dementia and Alzheimer's disease based on caregiver reports and survey data, and helped delay relapse compared to a placebo.
Studies show the drug works by affecting brain chemicals such as glutamate and dopamine to help calm the overactive signals in the brain linked to agitation. Reported side effects include dizziness, nausea, headache, dry mouth, sweating and diarrhea.
The FDA cautions that Auvelity can worsen or reveal suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially when starting the medication. It may also worsen irritability or mania in some patients. It's additionally been linked to an increased risk for seizures, especially at higher doses, and may increase blood pressure.
Clinicians should closely monitor patients when initiating this treatment and throughout the treatment course, experts advise.
As of 2026, about 7.4 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Association. This number is expected to grow to 13.8 million by 2060.
Studies show the drug works by affecting brain chemicals such as glutamate and dopamine to help calm the overactive signals in the brain linked to agitation. Reported side effects include dizziness, nausea, headache, dry mouth, sweating and diarrhea.
The FDA cautions that Auvelity can worsen or reveal suicidal thoughts and behaviors, especially when starting the medication. It may also worsen irritability or mania in some patients. It's additionally been linked to an increased risk for seizures, especially at higher doses, and may increase blood pressure.
Clinicians should closely monitor patients when initiating this treatment and throughout the treatment course, experts advise.
As of 2026, about 7.4 million Americans aged 65 and older are living with Alzheimer's dementia, according to the Alzheimer's Association. This number is expected to grow to 13.8 million by 2060.
Agitation is one of the most common and burdensome symptoms for those with Alzheimer's dementia. A JAMA Neurology study found that 50 to 60% of people with Alzheimer's experience agitation symptoms at some point.
Issacson said there needs to be more hope for Alzheimer's patients and their loved ones.
"We also know that it's not just about drugs. People can exercise, live a healthy lifestyle, eat a Mediterranean style diet, and manage risk factors like blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes," Issacson said. "People can really take control of their brain health, reduce their risk of Alzheimer's and have better treatment outcomes. There's hope and there's so much education and information now online. I think we're making a lot of progress."
Dr. Crystal Joseph, MD, MS is an anesthesiology resident at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center/Harvard Medical School and a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — The next bishop for West Virginia Catholics will be an El Salvador-born advocate for immigrants who has opposed U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown policies.
Pope Leo XIV announced Friday the appointment of the Most Rev. Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, an auxiliary bishop in Washington, D.C., as the new leader of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, which comprises West Virginia, one of the nation’s least racially diverse states.
Menjivar-Ayala, 55, fled El Salvador’s civil war as a teen in the late 1980s, eventually crossing illegally into the United States in 1990, he told The Associated Press in an interview last year. But within “a couple of weeks” he gained humanitarian protection, later was granted a visa as a religious worker, and became a U.S. citizen two decades ago.
Nonetheless, he feels close to immigrants who have been caught up by raids, including last year’s federal law enforcement surge in Washington, because “that could have been me,” he said in 2025.
The Catholic Church has long advocated for humane treatment of migrants and refugees in the United States and around the world. Menjivar-Ayala and other U.S. church leaders have strongly condemned the Trump administration’s mass deportation policies while also affirming a nation’s right to control its borders and urging reconciliation.
New bishop to prioritize those on the margins
Menjivar-Ayala did not mention immigration policies nor Trump is his speech Friday, instead focusing on his desire to be accepted by West Virginians and his willingness to listen to the community. A portion of his speech was in Spanish.
“I have much to learn, but my heart is ready and wide-open,” he said. “Above all, I want to listen to the poor. Those in the margins of the church and society. To workers, to the immigrants, because as Matthew 25 says, the way we treat the least is the way we treat Jesus.”
In the Washington archdiocese, which includes the District of Columbia and parts of Maryland, more than 40% of parishioners are Latino. In West Virginia — all of which is covered by the Wheeling-Charleston diocese — only 2.4% of the population is Latino and 92.6% of its 1.77 million residents identify as white, according to the U.S. Census.
Menjivar-Ayala replaces the Most Rev. Mark Brennan, 79, who has served as West Virginia’s bishop since 2019. Brennan had taken over after a scandal over a former bishop’s sexual harassment of adults and lavish spending of church money. In a shared news conference in Wheeling on Friday, Brennan reminded West Virginians that many in America come from somewhere else.
“But he loves all the people here. He’s not going to be bishop just for one group within the diocese. He’ll be bishop for all the people. I can assure you of that.”
The new bishop, who has spent his ministerial career in the nation’s capital and surrounding communities, will work in a less Catholic and more rural region, overseeing the diocese’s 61,000 Catholics and 92 parishes throughout West Virginia.
While acknowledging the beauty of West Virginia mountains and natural resources, he said many people in one of the nation’s poorest states “continue to endure hardship, marginalization and inequality.” Lauded for his immigration advocacy
Cardinal Robert McElroy of Washington praised Menjivar-Ayala’s advocacy for migrants during his tenure in the capital, saying in a statement that “his passion for justice and sensitive care for the Hispanic and immigrant communities of our Archdiocese have planted seeds of grace that will yield a harvest here for decades to come.”
In an article he wrote last year for the Catholic Standard, the official newspaper of the Washington archdiocese, Menjivar-Ayala spoke out against the treatment of immigrants by Trump’s administration.
“Each day this situation is getting worse and more ominous,” Menjivar-Ayala wrote. “For weeks now, the federal government has pursued a ‘shock and awe’ campaign of aggressive threats and highly visible operations of questionable legality that go far beyond mere immigration ‘enforcement.’”
Menjivar-Ayala, whose appointment comes a few weeks after the pope’s disagreement with Trump over the U.S. war against Iran, will be installed as bishop at a ceremony on July 2. The White House didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on Menjivar-Ayala’s appointment.
Another Latin America-born priest was also named a U.S. bishop on Friday. The Rev. John Gomez will start his tenure in the Diocese of Laredo, Texas, on June 30. Gomez was born in Colombia, came to the United States on a student visa in 2002 and became a U.S. citizen in 2021, according to his current diocese in Tyler, Texas. In a statement, Bishop Gregory Kelly of Tyler praised his “commitment to Hispanic Ministry.”
Pope Leo’s first American bishop appointment, two weeks after his own election in May 2025, was a former refugee: Michael Pham, who was born in Vietnam and became bishop of San Diego, California.
The number of priestly ordinations in the United States has been declining for decades, making foreign-born clergy essential to many parishes nationwide.
CASS COUNTY (KETK) — An East Texas special education teacher is in custody following an anonymous tip of continuous sexual abuse of a disabled person, the Texarkana Police Department said on Friday. Pleasant Grove ISD’s Police Department reached out to the Texarkana PD after receiving an anonymous tip on Monday. Texarkana PD said evidence supported the allegation and law enforcement obtained an arrest warrant for 63-year-old Jeffrey Parker of Queen City.
Parker was identified by law enforcement as a special education teacher at Pleasant Grove ISD. He was arrested in Cass County for continuous sexual abuse of a disabled person and three counts of improper relationship between an educator and student, the police department said. The school district released a statement following the arrest, saying they are aware of the allegations connected to Parker:
” Upon receiving an anonymous report on Monday, April 27, 2026, the District began investigating and took appropriate steps to ensure the matter was promptly referred to Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, Texarkana Texas Police Department and the Texas Education Agency. The District is fully cooperating with all investigative authorities. In addition, the employee was removed from the campus and will not return to PGISD.
The safety and well-being of our students is our highest priority. We want our students, families and community to know that we take allegations of this nature with the utmost seriousness, and we will continue to support our students and families during this time.
Due to student privacy protections under federal and state law, as well as the sensitive nature of this matter, the District is limited in what it can share publicly. Additionally, under Texas law, including Texas Penal Code § 21.12(d-1), the District is prohibited from releasing the name of the accused unless and until an indictment is returned.
The District understands the serious nature of this situation and remains committed to maintaining a safe and secure environment for all students and staff.”
Pleasant Grove ISD
When asked if Parker remains an employee of the district, Pleasant Grove ISD said they could not comment at the moment. Parker is expected to be transferred to the Bi-State Jail and the case remains under investigation.
TYLER – John Gomez, a Tyler-based priest, has been appointed the second bishop of the Diocese of Laredo, the Vatican announced Friday. Gomez’s episcopal ordination and installation as the Bishop of Laredo will be held on June 30, and a farewell celebration in Tyler will be announced soon.
“His experience in diocesan administration as Judicial Vicar and Vicar General, his experience in parish ministry, and his commitment to Hispanic Ministry will serve him well in his new ministry as the second Bishop of Laredo,” Diocese of Tyler Bishop Gregory Kelly said. “I am also grateful to Bishop-elect Gomez for his help to me over this last year as a new bishop in Tyler and will miss his presence and ministry.” Continue reading Pope Leo announces promotion
Workers at Spirit Airlines wait for passengers to arrive for their flights at O'Hare Airport on March 10, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Scott Olson/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) -- President Donald Trump said an announcement was expected Friday on Spirit Airlines, amid a report that the airline was preparing to cease operations after a $500 million rescue deal fell apart.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that the airline is preparing to shut down operations.
When asked if the administration had decided against bailing out Spirit Airlines, Trump told reporters on Friday, "I guess we're looking at it. If we could do it, we do it, but only if it's a good deal."
"No institution's been able to do it," he continued. "I said 'I'd like to save the jobs,' but we'll have an announcement sometime today. We gave them, we gave them a final proposal."
ABC News has reached out to the White House for additional comment.
A spokesperson for Spirit Airlines declined to comment on ongoing discussions as it related to the WSJ report.
"Spirit is operating as usual," the spokesperson said in a statement.
The Florida-based carrier is currently operating with over 40 flights in the air, according to FlightRadar24 data.
Other airlines have responded to the news saying they will be ready to help stranded passengers in the event that Spirit shuts down.
American Airlines told ABC News it will offer fare caps on main cabin tickets for routes they share with Spirit.
Similarly, United Airlines said they’re "preparing to support Spirit customers in the event of a shut down."
"We are ready to support customers who may be impacted if Spirit Airlines ceases operations, with a focus on helping people continue their travel plans with low-fare options," Frontier Airlines posted Friday on X.
ABC News previously reported that Spirit could run out of the cash it needs to keep operating within days, not weeks, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Spirit filed for bankruptcy for the second time last August -- having previously filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in November 2024 -- to restructure financially and "reduce its cost structure," with hopes of emerging from Chapter 11 by the spring or summer of 2026.
The soaring price of jet fuel amid the ongoing war in Iran has had widespread impact on airlines and travel expert Katy Nastro, of airfare monitoring site Going, previously told ABC News that Spirit could be out of time to try and turn things around.
"It's never a good sign to file bankruptcy to begin with, but a second within six months, even worse," Nastro said. "Spirit suggested that they were going to be able to come out of bankruptcy this time by the spring. We're in the spring now, we have higher jet fuel prices -- this is a recipe for disaster for them."
What travelers need to know about Spirit Airlines shutting down
Bradley Akubuiro, a crisis expert and former Boeing spokesperson, told ABC News that losing a budget airline like Spirit will raise the floor on airfares.
"Frontier, Allegiant, and Breeze are still flying, but Spirit was the biggest, and in the markets it dominated -- Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, a lot of the Caribbean -- there isn't another carrier ready to backfill at the same price tomorrow," he explained. "The pain isn't immediate. It's structural. A fare that used to be $89 is $140 six months from now, and most consumers won't connect the two."
When airlines liquidate, they immediately cease operations without notice, which means that passengers will be stranded and employees will not show up to work.
There is generally no airline assistance when it comes to helping stranded passengers after an airline shuts down operations.
For any ticketed passengers scheduled to fly Spirit or already in the middle of their trip, below are some tips from travel experts on how to navigate the situation.
Don't immediately cancel your flight, Nastro advised, adding that travelers who cancel forfeit their right to a refund. And make sure to keep all records and receipts.
If you booked with a credit card, you can dispute the charge with your credit card company and likely get the money back.
There is less protection if you booked with a debit card, but you can still contact your company to see if you can get reimbursed.
If you have travel insurance, she reminded customers to read the fine print as not all of them cover this type of scenario.
Per the Department of Transportation, customers could consider filing a proof of claim in the bankruptcy proceeding to try and get a partial refund, but the claim will be considered along with all the other creditors that the airline owes money to and you may only get a small portion of your money back.
If you're stranded, check options with other airlines that might be able to offer relief flights, fare caps or emergency fares, like they would do after a big weather event.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
S. President Donald Trump boards Air Force One on April 24, 2026 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. (Photo by Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
(WASHINGTON) -- Despite facing the 60-day deadline under the War Powers Act, the president is not asking Congress for authorization, rather providing an update to the posture of U.S. forces in the region.
Echoing Defense Secretary Peter Hegseth, the president noted that he ordered a two-week ceasefire on April 7 that has since been extended.
"On April 7, 2026, I ordered a 2-week ceasefire. The ceasefire has since been extended," Trump wrote. "There has been no exchange of fire between United States Forces and Iran since April 7, 2026. The hostilities that began on February 28, 2026, have terminated."
Trump also stressed that he ordered Operation Epic Fury "consistent with my responsibility to protect Americans and United States interests at home and abroad, and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests."
EAST TEXAS – The City of Tyler will need a June 13th runoff to decide a new mayor, as John Nix led with 32% of the votes, while Stuart Hene trails with 26% as of Saturday evening’s count. Candidates James Wynee and Shirley McKellar will not appear on the runoff ballot.
TYLER – As the May 2 elections approach, several East Texas School districts are asking their residents to pass school bond proposals to help expand facilities for students, repair campuses and more. Our news partner KETK has put together the following list of school bond proposals that will appear on May ballots across East Texas:
