City leaders vote against 287(g)
WHITEHOUSE — The City of Whitehouse has decided not to enter into ICE’s 287(g) program following Tuesday’s city council meeting.
Tuesday night, community members held signs protesting outside the Whitehouse city council chambers. As the meeting got underway, many passionately shared their opinions with the city council members, urging them to oppose the 2-87-g agreement with ICE that would allow trained police officers to help enforce immigration law.
“I strongly oppose 287(g), I don’t believe that it’s the job of local law enforcement officials to do the job of the federal government,” Whitehouse resident Dylan Sigler said. “Whenever I saw that white house was considering this agreement, I felt like it was my responsibility to come out here and voice that dissent.” Continue reading City leaders vote against 287(g)
Man drowns while fishing with family
CAMP COUNTY — A 40-year-old man has died after drowning in a Camp County private pond while fishing with family on Saturday. According to our news partner and Camp County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to a residence on County Road 3211 near Pittsburg at around 2:37 p.m. after receiving reports of a possible drowning.
Family members told law enforcement that the victim, identified as Angel Gonzales of Pflugerville, decided to swim across the pond while the family was fishing nearby. When he reached about halfway across, he went under the water and did not resurface. Emergency crews with the sheriff’s office and the Pittsburg Fire Department searched for Gonzalez but could not locate him. The Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens were then called and located him.
The Longview Fire Department’s dive team was then deployed to recover his body. He was recovered at 4:55 p.m., officials confirmed.
Man drowns in Camp County pond while fishing with family
CAMP COUNTY (KETK) — A 40-year-old man has died after drowning in a Camp County private pond while fishing with family on Saturday.
The Camp County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were dispatched to a residence on County Road 3211 near Pittsburg at around 2:37 p.m. after receiving reports of a possible drowning.
Family members told law enforcement that the victim, identified as Angel Gonzales of Pflugerville, decided to swim across the pond while the family was fishing nearby. When he reached about halfway across, he went under the water and did not resurface.
Emergency crews with the sheriff’s office and the Pittsburg Fire Department searched for Gonzalez but could not locate him. The Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens were then called and located him.
The Longview Fire Department’s dive team was then deployed to recover his body. He was recovered at 4:55 p.m., officials confirmed.
District clerk resigns
TYLER – Smith County District Clerk Penny Clarkston resigned from her position on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, Clarkston said in a letter to Smith County Judge Neal Franklin, the resignation is due to personal family reasons. The resignation takes effect immediately. Earlier this month, Clarkston lost in the Republican primary elections for district clerk. Gaye Boynton won the candidacy with 67.12%.
Clarkston was previously booked into the Smith County Jail for civil contempt of court on two accounts. In July 2024, she allegedly did not hand over information related to a capital murder case. In October 2024, Clarkston reportedly yelled at jurors and physically blocked exit doors.
Doctors say Pfizer’s Lyme disease vaccine trial results ‘encouraging’ after more than 70% efficacy shown

(NEW YORK) -- Earlier this week, pharmaceutical company Pfizer and its partner Valneva announced that an experimental Lyme disease vaccine showed more than 70% efficacy in late-stage clinical trials.
The candidate, PF-07307405, showed 73.2% efficacy in reducing confirmed cases of Lyme disease cases after the fourth and final dose was administered when compared to a placebo.
However, the companies said there were fewer than anticipated cases of Lyme disease during the trial period and the study missed an important benchmark.
The trial did not reach its primary endpoint to provide an idea of how the results of this vaccine would turn out in a much larger population of people. Only with re-analyzing the data were researchers able to generate a statistically meaningful result.
Experts in tick-borne diseases told ABC News they still need to see the full data from the trials and that it's early to determine what kind of impact the vaccine will have -- but they add that results are "encouraging."
"There are many other companies that are trying to develop something, but those are years and years and years away from being anywhere close to being marketed," Dr. Gene Shapiro, a professor of pediatric infectious diseases and epidemiology of microbial diseases, told ABC News. "So, this vaccine was very similar to the vaccine that we know worked in the past. I think we have to pay attention to [this new one]."
Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that is spread through the bite of blacklegged ticks, also known as deer ticks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Symptoms include fever, headache, fatigue and a skin rash known as erythema migrans, the CDC says. If left untreated, the infection can spread to joints, the heart and the nervous system.
More than 89,000 cases of Lyme disease were reported to the CDC by state health departments and the District of Columbia in 2023, according to the latest data available from the federal health agency. Estimates suggest about 476,000 Americans may be diagnosed and treated for Lyme disease annually.
Currently, no vaccine for Lyme disease is available in the U.S. Previously, a vaccine was available, but it was discontinued in 2002, according to the CDC.
"The uptake was poor. The sales were poor, and the company decided to stop selling it," Shapiro said. "The currently developed vaccine [by Pfizer and Valneva] is very, very similar to that vaccine, with very minor modifications."
Dr. Martin Becker, a clinical associate professor in the department of medicine at NYU Grossman Long Island School of Medicine, added that there were concerns raised, including about vaccine recipients having joint problems but several studies examining a link failed to find an association.
Becker said there have been many clinical trials underway "but this one that Pfizer just announced, I believe, is the one that's been most advanced," he told ABC News. "We were eagerly awaiting results from this large Phase III trial. Other previous trials were already published showing the safety and immunogenicity [of the vaccine]."
Pfizer and Valneva said they are planning to file for approval with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, with Pfizer telling ABC News that the trial results show there is a level of protection against Lyme disease.
"It doesn't mean it doesn't work, but it does mean -- if we had higher numbers of incidence of infection -- we would be more confident about the degree of protection. It's very encouraging," Becker said.
Questions remain about whether the vaccine, if approved, will have higher uptake than the previous vaccine did decades earlier.
Shapiro said there might be more uptake with this vaccine if stronger recommendations are made. At the time the old vaccine was approved by federal regulators, Shapiro said the recommendation from the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was to consider the shot for those at higher risk, but it was not recommended for those at low or no risk.
"It was not a very strong recommendation," Shapiro said. "And I think there was less awareness of Lyme disease. So, most likely, [the newer vaccine] would get a stronger endorsement today."
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Sex offender arrested following search
TYLER — A wanted sex offender out of Cass County was arrested on March 20 in Tyler following a coordinated search involving multiple state and federal law enforcement agencies. According to our news partner KETK, the Hughes Springs Police Department said that, Travion Holloman was previously convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child but failed to comply with annual sex offender registration requirements.
A warrant for Holloman was issued in July 2025 out of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.
On March 4, the police department contacted the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division (DPS CID) to assist in locating Holloman. DPS CID coordinated with the DPS Homeland Security Division, the Texas Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Task Force, who were able to locate Holloman in Tyler and take him into custody without incident.
Holloman also had additional outstanding warrants from several counties for probation violation related to the sexual assault case, evading arrest and possession of marijuana.
Palestine court scam
PALESTINE — The Palestine Police Department is warning residents about a fraudulent document circulating in the community that falsely claims to be a court notice and attempts to collect payments.
According to our news partner KETK, officials said the fake “Notice of Default” appears to come from a municipal court and may include a QR code directing recipients to submit payment. Authorities emphasized that the document is a scam designed to create urgency and pressure individuals into sending money or sharing sensitive information.
Police urged residents not to scan the QR code, send payments or provide any personal or financial details in response to the notice.
“These notices are not legitimate,” the department said, adding that scammers are relying on fear and confusion to exploit victims.
Officials advised anyone who receives such a document to disregard it and instead verify any court-related matters directly with their local court. The department encouraged residents to report any suspicious documents to local law enforcement.
Man gets 35 years for murder
MARSHALL – A Marshall man found guilty of murder and other charges related to a deadly shooting in 2024 was given a 35-year prison sentence on Monday. Curtis White, Jr., 19, started his 35-year prison sentence on Monday after being found guilty in the 71st District Court of murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and deadly conduct discharge of a firearm.
According to our news partner KETK, White was fined $10,000. On July 16, 2024, at approximately 11:50 a.m., a maroon car pulled up beside a white Nissan that was stopped at a red light on East Grand in Marshall. This led to the shooting. Before leaving the scene, White, the driver of the maroon car, fired into the Nissan, hitting the driver and a passenger.
The driver was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while the passenger, Markel May, 20, died at the scene. White was taken into custody at the Harrison County Jail on a $1.2 million bond.
Man sentenced for arson/murder
TYLER – A man was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Monday, more than a year after he was arrested for allegedly dousing his girlfriend in gasoline and setting a Tyler house on fire. Following a report of a burning home, the Tyler Fire and Police Departments arrived at the 3300 block of Shady Trail on November 18, 2024, at approximately 3:37 a.m.
Our news partners at KETK report that Gregory Bargaineer, 67, entered the Smith County Jail twenty minutes later “to turn himself in for throwing gasoline on his girlfriend,” according to arrest records.
The body of Bargaineer’s alleged girlfriend, Marilyn Mceachin, was discovered on the floor close to the remains of a bed after the fire department extinguished the flames. Investigators were informed by Bargaineer that the victim had served him with an eviction notice the previous week. Continue reading Man sentenced for arson/murder
Grace girls soccer team honored
SMITH COUNTY -The Smith County Commissioners Court approved a resolution Tuesday, proclaiming March 24, 2026, as “Grace Community School Girls’ Soccer Day” to recognize the team winning the state championship.
The soccer team won the TAPPS All-Around State Championship on March 4, 2026. It was the second time in three years that they brought home the state title.
The girls were joined by dozens of family members and friends for the recognition in Commissioners Court.
Continue reading Grace girls soccer team honored
Fire out and shelter-in-place order is lifted after oil refinery explosion
PORT ARTHUR (AP) – An oil refinery fire near the Texas coast was put out Tuesday and a shelter-in-place order was lifted, hours after a large explosion at the complex shot plumes of smoke into the air, officials said.
No one was injured in Monday’s explosion at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, about 90 miles east of Houston, Mayor Charlotte M. Moses said. She had urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to stay put.
“There’s been an explosion, yes, but we’re OK; everybody’s OK,” she said. “They’re trying to put the fire out as quickly as possible.”
Residents at least several miles away said they felt their homes shake. Some schools in the area were closed Tuesday as a precaution.
The explosion comes amid a spike in gas prices driven by uncertainty over the global oil supply because of the Iran war.
The refinery has about 770 employees and can process about 435,000 barrels of oil per day, according to Valero’s website. The plant refines heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
Images and video posted online show a large plume of smoke and flames billowing out from the refinery.
Valero did not respond to emails and a call from The Associated Press seeking comment. Local television stations reported a company spokesperson said everyone was accounted for.
Texas state Rep. Christian Manuel said in a post on social media that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality arrived at the refinery with air monitoring equipment and was working with local and state partners.
Scoreboard roundup — 3/23/26
Abortion pills are gaining ground as a method for ending pregnancies, and opponents are responding
AUSTIN (AP) – As states that already ban abortion look to further restrict access this year, much of the focus is on pills sent by out-of-state providers.
A survey released Tuesday helps explain the emphasis. It suggests that more women in states with bans obtained abortions last year using the pills prescribed via telehealth than by traveling to places where it’s legal.
Most of the states with the political will to impose broad bans have already done so in the nearly four years since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and opened the door to enforcing them. So far this year, just one state has a new one.
Here’s a look at where things stand as many state legislatures are wrapping up or have completed their 2026 sessions.
States are taking steps to make abortion pills harder to get
South Dakota Gov. Larry Rhoden, a Republican, signed a bill last week that makes it a felony to advertise, distribute or sell abortion pills.
Similar measures have cleared both legislative chambers in Mississippi this year. There, the House and Senate would need to iron out differences between their versions before it can be sent to the Republican Gov. Tate Reeves.
A survey of state abortion policies from the Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights, finds that at least three states — Florida, Oklahoma and Texas — already have laws that specifically ban providers from mailing the pills to patients. Louisiana has classified one of the drugs, mifepristone, as a controlled dangerous substance.
Bills intended to keep out the pills have cleared one chamber of the legislature in Arizona, Indiana and South Carolina this year. Republicans control the legislatures in all three states and the governor’s office in two of them. But in Arizona, any restrictions that pass could be vetoed by Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs.
Survey suggests abortion pills are a growing option in states with bans
A Guttmacher survey released Tuesday sheds light on why abortion opponents may be focusing on pills.
The report suggests that in 2025, for the first time, more women in the 13 states that ban abortion at all stages of pregnancy obtained pills through telehealth than traveled to other states for abortion.
The prescriptions come from providers in states with laws adopted since the fall of Roe that are intended to protect those who prescribe abortion pills to patients in states with bans.
The estimated increase in mailing pills comes as Guttmacher’s estimates also suggest fewer women are traveling to states like Colorado, Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico for abortion.
Guttmacher’s estimates are based on data from a monthly survey conducted among a random sample of U.S. abortion providers, combined with historical data from every provider in the U.S.
That follows a trend that’s been documented in other surveys of abortion providers.
Court battles are also centered on pills
Multiple states have court challenges to the federal rules that allow the abortion pill mifepristone to be prescribed via telehealth.
If they could require in-person prescriptions, it would at least dent the ability of out-of-state providers to get pills into places with bans in place.
Louisiana has such a lawsuit in federal court there; the attorneys general of Florida and Texas have one in Texas; those two states, along with Idaho, Kansas and Missouri, are making the same case in a Missouri court.
Meanwhile, Texas has filed civil cases and Louisiana criminal ones against providers accused of sending pills into their states.
The Food and Drug Administration last year approved a generic version of mifepristone, which frustrated abortion opponents.
One state imposed a ban, but its fate is uncertain
Wyoming is the only state this year that has imposed a new abortion ban.
Under a law signed in March by Republican Gov. Mark Gordon, it became the fifth state with a ban on abortion at about six weeks’ gestational age — before many women realize they’re pregnant. Like most of the others, Wyoming’s ban is on abortions once cardiac activity can be detected.
Courts have rejected previous Wyoming efforts to limit abortion.
The Wyoming Supreme Court in January struck down a ban on abortion at all stages of pregnancy.
The idea of punishing women is not gaining ground
No state has adopted a measure intended to allow criminal prosecutions against women who have abortions.
Proposals to do so keep getting made but sputter early in the legislative process.
The farthest such a bill has made it was a hearing last year before a Senate subcommittee in South Carolina. One was scheduled for a subcommittee hearing in Tennessee this month, but didn’t get one.
Pregnancy Justice, which advocates for the rights of pregnant people, says it’s tracked new “abortion-as-homicide” measures introduced in six states in 2026 — down from 13 states last year.
The major established anti-abortion groups oppose the approach. “Women require compassion and support,” said Ingrid Duran, the state legislative director for National Right to Life. “Not prosecution.”
Melissa Murray, a professor at New York University School of Law, says that introducing bills with penalties against women can break down the idea that such policies are off-limits.
“You keep pushing the boundary, pushing the envelope, eventually you will get what you’re seeking,” Murray said. “It will no longer feel fanciful or shocking.”
She also noted that women are already sometimes charged with crimes related to their pregnancies. This month, police in Georgia charged a woman with murder after allegedly using an abortion pill and the opioid painkiller oxycodone.
Abortion will be on ballots in November
Abortion questions will be before voters in at least three states in November.
Missouri lawmakers are asking voters to repeal the right to reproductive freedom that they put into the state constitution in 2024.
Elsewhere, voters are being asked to add constitutional amendments that largely mirror current state abortion laws.
In Nevada, a state constitutional amendment to allow abortion until fetal viability — generally considered to be sometime after 21 weeks of pregnancy — passed in 2024. But it needs voter approval a second time to take effect.
A Virginia measure on the ballot would guarantee the right to reproductive freedom, including access to contraception and making decisions on abortion care during the first two trimesters of pregnancy.
Large oil refinery explosion near Texas coast forces residents to shelter in place
A large explosion at an oil refinery near the Texas coast on Monday shot plumes of smoke into the air and forced nearby residents to shelter in place, officials said.
No one was injured in the explosion at the Valero refinery in Port Arthur, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) east of Houston, Mayor Charlotte M. Moses said. She urged residents in parts of the west side of the city to stay put, saying firefighters had arrived.
“There’s been an explosion, yes, but we’re OK; everybody’s OK,” she said. “They’re trying to put the fire out as quickly as possible.”
The explosion comes amid a spike in gas prices driven by uncertainty over the global oil supply because of the Iran war.
The refinery has about 770 employees and can process about 435,000 barrels of oil per day, according to Valero’s website. The plant refines heavy sour crude oil into gasoline, diesel and jet fuel.
Images and video posted online show a large plume of smoke and flames billowing out from the refinery. Some residents reported hearing a loud boom and seeing their windows shake.
“For your safety please remain in place until the ‘All Clear’ is given by emergency personnel,” the City of Port Arthur said in a post on its Facebook page.
Valero did not respond to an email or call from The Associated Press seeking comment.
Texas state Rep. Christian Manuel said in a post on social media that the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality had arrived at the refinery with air monitoring equipment and was working with local and state partners.
He told nearby residents to stay inside.
“Please limit outdoor activity, keep windows and doors closed, and follow guidance from local officials,” he said.