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TYLER — Temple Grandin, a prominent autism advocate and leader in the cattle industry, will appear at several Tyler Junior College events this month. Grandin is widely known for her work in animal welfare and autism awareness. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she was diagnosed with autism at age 2. She experienced challenges with speech and social interaction early in life but developed a strong interest in reducing stress in livestock. Her ideas were initially met with skepticism in the cattle industry, but they later transformed cattle handling and housing practices across the United States. Grandin went on to become an influential voice in autism advocacy.

Her life and work inspired the 2010 biographical film Temple Grandin. Continue reading Autism advocate to speak at TJC

GREGG COUNTY — A house was said to be total loss following a fire on Saturday night in Gregg County, according to Fire Marshal Brian Russell. The Kilgore Fire Department responded around 10:15 p.m. to assist Sabine Fire & Rescue with a large house fire on Harvey Road in the Liberty City area near Kilgore. Russell confirmed Tuesday that no injuries were reported and said the home was a total loss. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

HENDERSON COUNTY — The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a missing man who was last seen on Feb. 2. According to the sheriff’s office and our news partner KETK, Devarrius Demontre Richardson was last seen in Log Cabin on Feb. 2. He was later reported missing by the Log Cabin Police Department. Anyone with information regarding his location is urged to contact the sheriff’s office at 903-675-5128.

LUFKIN — A Lufkin resident claimed a top prize winning ticket worth $1 million in the Texas Lottery® scratch ticket game 500X. The ticket was purchased at Kwick Korner Food Mart, located at 203 S. Timberland Drive, in Lufkin. The claimant elected to remain anonymous. For selling the prize winning ticket, the retailer may be eligible for a $10,000 bonus under the Texas Lottery’s Retailer Bonus Program. This was the 13th of 15 top prizes worth $1 million to be claimed in this game. 500X offers more than $229 million in total prizes. Overall odds of winning any prize in the game are one in 3.36, including break-even prizes.

SMITH COUNTY — A man is being sought in Smith County for two felony warrants for child sexual assault and continuous sexual assault of a child. Authorities claim that his wife failed to report the alleged abuse, which occurred over several years. According to our news partner KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office has announced that Filiberto Rodriguez Mora, 46, is currently evading capture and is wanted for:

• Sexual assault of a child with a bond of $500,000
• Continuous sexual abuse of a child with a bond of $750,000
• Assault causing bodily injury

Mora is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs 250 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair. He may be driving a 2006 tan Toyota Sequoia. Deputies also said that Mora is an undocumented immigrant who was previously deported. Continue reading Man wanted for child sexual assault

TYLER – On Saturday, Richard DeFreece of Tyler stopped by the King’s Academy Upper Campus gymnasium to attempt to make 250 paper airplanes, in just 60 minutes. Our news partners at KETK report that DeFreece was able to complete the feat on camera, with multiple timekeepers and in front of several witnesses, who helped count the planes and made sure they could all fly. He’ll have to wait for Guinness World Records to review the evidence of his attempt before verifying his new Guinness World Record. DeFreece said the previous record was for 200 paper planes made in an hour. For 250 planes in a hour, around 4.16 paper planes a minute had to be made.

TYLER – UT Tyler researchers recently conducted a study to see if health patterns in East Texas aligned with pre-COVID-19 data and they found that East Texans have a shorter expected lifespan than most Texans, according to our news partners at KETK. Research analyst Manuel Reyes and his team at the Hibbs Institute for Business and Economic Research took a look at 23 East Texas counties and found the average life span in this region is 75, which is four years less than the state average. Continue reading East Texas life expectancy is shorter

TYLER — Tyler Water Utilities is performing smoke testing, as part of the Consent Decree, to help locate breaks and defects to improve the City’s wastewater system from Monday, Feb. 9 through Friday, Feb. 13. The testing will be conducted by Pipeline Analysis from Cambridge Road, Toll 49, Paluxy Drive and Hollytree Drive.

According to a news city release, during the process, air and smoke will be blown into the sanitary sewer system in the street to monitor where smoke escapes the system. White smoke will exit through vent pipes on the roofs of residences and through any sewer line breaks in the ground. The smoke is non-toxic, leaves no residue and does not create any fire hazards. Continue reading TWU to conduct smoke testing Feb. 9-13

UPDATE: The Wood County Sheriff’s Office said that a missing woman was found dead in a wooded area on Saturday morning. Dispatch received a call on Friday night about an abandoned car they saw stuck on a Wood County Electric Cooperative power line right of way path near County Road 4539 according to the sheriff’s office and our news partner KETK.

The car was determined to belong to 76-year-old Laurie Harberson who was last seen on Jan. 23 near Winnsboro. Deputies searched the area around the car on Friday night but nothing was found until a more intensive search with UTV’s and a K9 was done on Saturday morning. Harberson was found dead during the Saturday morning search, about a half mile away from the right of way path in a densely wooded area. The sheriff’s office believes she died of exposure to the recent winter weather that came through East Texas.
Continue reading Missing woman died of exposure

SMITH COUNTY — The State of Texas’ new school voucher program has broken a national record for first day applicants. According to the Texas Comptroller’s office, at least 46,000 families have applied since the portal opened on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program was approved during the 89th Texas Legislative session. The school choice program gives selected students $10,000 per year towards private school enrollment and children with learning disabilities can get $30,000.

Dr. Jay Ferguson, Head of School at Grace Community, has been advocating for this policy since the beginning and hopes it expands their special education services.

“I think it’s great that so many families around Texas are wanting to participate in the program. For years Grace has been trying to make private Christian education as accessible to as many people as possible. We also have had the opportunity over the past several years to serve kids with learning differences and special needs and hopefully this will expand our ability to serve that group of kids,” Dr. Ferguson said. Continue reading Educators react to record school voucher applications

SMITH COUNTY – A civil lawsuit filed against Smith County in 2023 was settled on Thursday after more than 100 former Smith County Jail inmates alleged they were held in custody for unreasonably long periods. According to court documents and our news partner KETK, the plaintiffs in the case are former Smith County inmates Ladarion Hughes, Angela Alonzo and Demarcus Lively, who alleged that their constitutional rights were violated by the county’s policy and practice of holding individuals in jail for days or weeks beyond their release dates.

All three plaintiffs in the case stated that they were held in the Smith County Jail past their expected release dates, including Hughes, who was subjected to 27 days of unlawful incarceration from late 2021 to early 2022. Additionally, Alonzo stated that he was held in custody for 33 days beyond his 2022 release date. Continue reading Jail settles $1 million lawsuit

GLADEWATER – A Gregg County man was sentenced to 18 years in prison for possession of child pornography on Thursday. Elijah Paul Leggett, 24 of Gilmer, was first arrested for possession of less than 50 depictions or videos of child pornography on March 18, 2025, after a CyberTip came into the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office on Aug. 29, 2024, according to our news partner KETK.

The CyberTip showed that a user on the social media app Kik had uploaded 34 videos of child pornography. The tip showed that the videos were all uploaded from the same IP address and a sheriff’s office investigator was able to identify Leggett as a suspect. The investigator got a search warrant for Leggett’s residence in Gladewater and his residence was then searched on Oct. 2, 2024. Leggett’s affidavit shows that during the search, the investigator interviewed him after he had waived his right to an attorney. Continue reading 18 years for possessing child porn

LUFKIN – Public clarifications about a planned AI data center under development near the city have been issued. A data center project representing a $1.05 billion capital investment is currently being negotiated for the Southland Paper Mill site, According to a City of Lufkin press release and out news partner KETK.

The site lies outside Lufkin’s city limits but is projected to create up to 500 construction jobs over a four-year period, according to the city. If the data center project is constructed, it could create up to 30 full-time jobs. The Lufkin Economic Development Corporation told KETK News that the Denver-based company Amp Z is behind the data center plans.

Amp Z describes their company as an “AI-era digital-infrastructure platform” that combines “utility power with onsite self-generation to deliver gigawatt-scale AI data center campuses.” Continue reading $1B AI data center project planned

SMITH COUNTY – The State of Texas’ new school voucher program has broken a national record for first day applicants. At least 46,000 families have applied since the portal opened on Wednesday, according to the Texas Comptroller’s office and our news partner KETK.

The Texas Education Freedom Accounts program was approved during the 89th Texas Legislative session. The school choice program gives selected students $10,000 per year towards private school enrollment and children with learning disabilities can get $30,000. While many are excited for the new faces that could be joining their campus, some worry about a potential decline in enrollment at public schools. There are also concerns voucher money could be going to families who don’t need it.

According to the Texas Comptroller’s office, about a third of applicants come from households making less than $66,000 a year and eight out of every ten overall said they intend to go to a private school next year. Continue reading School voucher application record

SMITH COUNTY – A grass fire burned an out building, a chicken coop and several vehicles at a residence near Lindale in Smith County on Friday. According to officials and our news partner KETK, firefighters were first sent to County Road 448 early Friday afternoon for a reported grass fire threatening buildings. The Van Fire Department, the Lindale Fire Department, the Mineola Fire Department and the Grand Saline Fire Department all responded to the scene with Smith County Emergency Services District 2.

Firefighters at the scene stopped the fire’s progression and started mopping up any spot fires before any residences were damaged. One family lost an out building, several nearby vehicles and a chicken coop. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office.

Officials said Smith County isn’t currently under a burn ban but residents should take caution and avoid burning because of wind gusts and low relative humidity. The Texas A&M Forest Service said they’ve responded to eight fires from across East Texas on Friday.

PITTSBURG — A house fire in Pittsburg left one person dead on Sunday and an investigation is underway. The Pittsburg fire and police departments, along with the Camp County EMS and sheriff’s office, responded to a residential structure fire at Quitman Street on Sunday, Feb. 1. One person was trapped in the residence, according to our news partner KETK and fire chief Wesley Kizer. Upon arrival, fire crews located an adult male and retrieved him from the structure. The person was transported by EMS to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. According to Kizer, the cause of the fire is under investigation.

TYLER – Texas Department of Public Safety announced they’ll be increasing patrols for Super Bowl Sunday. Officials say this is in an effort to keep roadways safe, and as part of the nationwide Crash Awareness and Reduction Effort (CARE). DPS troopers will be keeping an eye out for impaired driving, speeding, seat belt violations and other dangerous behavior. Last year on Super Bowl Sunday, DPS issued more than 1,300 citations and nearly 3,900 warnings statewide.

CANTON — Van Zandt County residents are one step closer to winning a long-fought battle against a lithium battery storage project being built right in their backyards, ahead of a Commissioners Court vote to pause construction. Finland-based company ‘Taaleri Energia’ announced the ‘Amador Project’ in November of 2024, which would build multiple lithium battery storage and solar projects near Canton.

According to our news partner KETK, residents are raising safety concerns and fears that, if prohibited items are used, they could cause a lithium fire at the facility. The most pressing issue is the lack of local first responders in the event of a lithium fire.

On Wednesday, the Van Zandt County commissioners court will vote to pause construction on all projects until the Attorney General issues a final determination.

“We’re requesting that they pause any further movement on any builds until the one investigation by the attorney general is completed,” White said.

LONGVIEW — Fifteen occupants of a Longview apartment complex have been displaced following a stove-top fire in one of the apartments on Wednesday afternoon. The Longview Fire Department responded to a reported apartment fire at Townhouse South Apartments in Longview at approximately 12:49 p.m. on Wednesday after smoke alarms alerted occupants. According to our news partner KETK, responding units observed ” a large column of black smoke.” Firefighters found heavy smoke and fire coming from an apartment, and the fire was spreading into adjacent apartments.

The fire was brought under control through fire attacks, ventilation, salvage and overhaul operations using on-scene resources. No injuries were reported, but 15 occupants were displaced and the American Red Cross is assisting them.

The Longview Fire Marshal’s Office conducted an investigation after the fire was extinguished. Investigators determined the area of origin to be from a stove top, caused by unattended cooking.

The estimated property loss is undetermined at this time, the fire department said.

The fire department urges and reminds residents to never leave cooking unattended and to ensure smoke alarms are installed and working properly.

PALESTINE — Two people were arrested late Wednesday night in Palestine after police said a traffic stop led to the discovery of drugs and counterfeit cash. According to the Palestine Police Department and our news partner KETK, an officer conducted a traffic stop around 11:38 p.m. on Wednesday, in the 1100 block of East Palestine Avenue involving a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis. Police identified the driver as Juan Manuel Vega, 42, of Palestine. A records check showed Vega’s driver’s license was suspended and he was taken into custody for driving with an invalid license, officials said.

While conducting a search, officers allegedly found a bag of suspected methamphetamine on Vega. An in-depth search of the vehicle uncovered additional suspected methamphetamine hidden inside a container with a false bottom, along with marijuana, drug paraphernalia, counterfeit U.S. currency and prescription medication, according to police. Continue reading Drugs, counterfeit cash seized

WINNSBORO — One former Winnsboro ISD superintendent and another who had been placed on leave have been arrested again on Thursday, almost a month after their first arrests related to allegedly neglecting to report child abuse.

According to our news partner KETK, Brian Wilcox, a former superintendent of Winnsboro ISD and Aaron Nation, the current superintendent who was placed on administrative leave, were arrested on Thursday and charged with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair and unlawful interception, use, or disclosure of wire, oral, or electronic communications.

They were booked into the Hopkins County jail with an undisclosed bond and have since been released, according to jail records. Continue reading New charges for WISD administrators

PALESTINE — A 32-year-old Palestine man was killed after being struck by a pickup truck in a pedestrian-vehicle crash on Thursday morning. Palestine Police Department officers responded to a report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle in the 4400 block of West Oak at approximately 6:32 a.m. on Thursday. According to the police department and our news partners at KETK, the pedestrian entered the roadway on foot and was struck by a 2022 Ram truck driven by a 24-year-old man from Chandler. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene by Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace James Westley and an autopsy has been ordered. The crash remains under investigation, and no names have been released yet.

TYLER – A woman who went missing in December was found dead in a vacant Tyler residence on Jan. 31. According to Smith County Public Information Officer Larry Christian and our news partners at KETK, 21-year-old Aumarie Gasel Deleon was found dead and in a severe state of decomposition in the kitchen area of a vacant residence in northeast Tyler. Deleon was reported missing on Dec. 12, 2025. Smith County Investigators and the Crime Scene Unit responded to the scene along with Smith County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Curtis Wulf, who ordered an autopsy. The Southwest Institute of Forensic Science in Dallas identified Deleon. The case is an ongoing death investigation and further details will be released as they become available, Christian said.

LUFKIN — Lufkin residents spoke out at Tuesday night’s city council meeting, successfully blocking a proposed replacement electric substation from being built near their neighborhoods.

Following more than an hour of public comment, the Lufkin City Council voted 6–1 to deny a special permit that would have allowed Oncor to build a replacement substation on Brentwood Drive, adjacent to the existing facility. The site is near apartment complexes, Anderson Elementary School and the Crown Colony neighborhood.

Lufkin Fire Chief Scott Moody told council members the proposed substation would not pose a safety risk, noting it would use mineral oil for cooling instead of traditional fluids.

Oncor representatives argued the replacement is necessary to keep up with Lufkin’s growth. Attorney Jaren Taylor said the existing substation is expected to reach 117% of its capacity by this summer, limiting the system’s ability to provide backup power during peak demand. Continue reading Council denies special permit for Oncor

KILGORE — The criminal case against the former head football coach at Poteau High School, accused of embezzling from another Oklahoma high school, has been dismissed, according to court records.
Forrest Mazey, 44, was accused of one count of embezzlement out of Pittsburg County in July 2025. He had pleaded not guilty. Court records show the case was dismissed on Jan. 26 following a preliminary hearing.

A felony information sheet said Mazey was accused of “fraudulently appropriating the sum” of more than $4,600 that belonged to McAlester Public Schools.

A probable cause affidavit said that the McAlester Public Schools Campus Police Department was notified of missing funds from one of the school’s athletic programs on June 3, where Mazey previously served as a football coach.

The head football coach at McAlester Public Schools alleged that he logged into the football team’s Adidas sportswear account, which was supposed to have $6,000 in it, but the account was missing $4,676.75.

The money in the account was a credit given to the McAlester football team for purchases, including gear for players and coaches. The affidavit said that the account was only to be used by the head coach of the football program and the athletic director. Continue reading Case dismissed against former coach