KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – Starting Wednesday, downtown Tyler wll be experiencing multiple road closures as well as major traffic changes. Major roadways such as Erwin Street and Broadway Avenue will be effected. Our news partners at KETK have put together a guide with everything you need to know which can be found here.

UPSHUR COUNTY — The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement to join the 287(g) Task Force. According to our news partner KETK, with an agreement reached, deputies will undergo training from ICE officials to educate them on enforcing immigration laws, multicultural communication, and avoiding racial profiling.

Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb stated that he will use the resources available from joining the task force to ensure residents’ safety and well-being.

“In closing, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety and well-being of every citizen in our community,” Webb said. “We will continue to use every resource available to identify criminal activity within our county and to bring those responsible before the proper courts to answer for their actions.”

BULLARD — Bullard’s City Council voted on Tuesday evening to join ICE’s 287(g) Task Force program according to our new partner KETK. This comes after they voted last month to table the motion as the city attorney was not present at the meeting. The 287(g) Task Force Model is a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that allows local law enforcement to enforce U.S. immigration laws, including identifying and processing immigrants with pending or active criminal charges.

In November, Smith County Precinct 4 joined the Task Force Model Program while Precinct 1 declined to join the same program, as Constable Ralph Caraway said his office will continue to enforce the law and protect its community without expanding its responsibility for “targeting any person because of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, color or creed.”

Bullard has become the second city in Smith County to join the Task Force Model, following the Arp Police Department’s addition on Nov. 14.

Check here for all East Texas agencies currently signed on to ICE’s 287(g) program.

HOPKINS COUNTY — More than $370,000 worth of stolen equipment and trailers from several states have been recovered due to a multi-agency investigation in East Texas.
According to our news partner KETK, the case began when investigators from the Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force, in collaboration with the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and several other agencies, investigated reports of trailers and heavy equipment acquired using fraudulent documents. As the investigation expanded, investigators identified links to similar thefts in several Texas counties, including Cooke County.

Cooke County investigators then partnered with the task force, combining their resources and information, which led to the discovery of a key lead in the investigation.

On Monday, investigators executed a search warrant in Kaufman County, where they recovered 14 confirmed stolen items, including equipment and trailers. These items had been reported stolen across five states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Missouri. Continue reading Task force discovers over $370K in stolen equipment

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Commissioners Court has announced the appointment of a new shelter coordinator. According to our news partner KETK, Holli Jones, who previously served as the executive director for Pets Fur People, will take on this role, which became vacant after the former supervisor was dismissed. Jones is expected to begin on Dec. 16. In a new structure, the animal control shelter will divide responsibilities between the shelter coordinator and a separate control coordinator. As of now, it has not been announced who will fill the control coordinator position.

SMITH COUNTY – Holli Jones has been named as the new Smith County Animal Shelter Coordinator and is excited for this new chapter in her life. Jones said she is looking forward to being a part of rebranding and rebuilding the department and she will work hard to push people to adopt dogs from the shelter.

Before becoming executive director for Pets Fur People, Ms. Jones was co-owner of the Green Acres Animal Clinic, where she also served as vice president, manager and veterinary assistant. She worked at the clinic from 2015 to 2023. From 2006 to 2016, she was the assistant to the athletic director at Grace Community School, primarily working in marketing, fundraising and coordinating volunteers. From 1992 to 2015, she was the cheerleading coach for Grace Community School. Smith County has not yet hired a Smith County Animal Control Supervisor.
 

GREGG COUNTY — After an overnight search for a man who fled during a chase with a Gregg County deputy, law enforcement apprehended him on Tuesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, 23-year-old Austin Richert, who had multiple felony warrants, fled from deputies on Monday evening. At around 6 p.m., law enforcement tracked Richert in a wooded area near Old Highway 135.

A struggle allegedly occurred between the suspect and a deputy, causing the deputy to sustain minor injuries. Richert managed to escape, and the sheriff’s office, with the assistance of the Kilgore Police Department and Gregg County ESD 2, could not locate him overnight.

On Tuesday at around 9:30 a.m., Richert was located in Rusk County, where law enforcement arrested him. He was later taken to the Gregg County Jail. The sheriff’s office said Richert is expected to face additional felony charges. The case remains under investigation.

HENDERSON — Our news partners at KETK report that a 33-year-old man was arrested on Monday after authorities say he attempted to meet what he believed was a child during an undercover sting in Henderson County. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said Oscar Campos, of Kerens, had been communicating online and by phone with an undercover official posing as a minor. Campos allegedly traveled to an Athens Walmart expecting to meet the child, but when he tried to get into a vehicle, he was confronted by a task force investigator. Campos attempted to flee but was apprehended. He was booked into the Henderson County Jail on charges of online solicitation of a minor for sexual conduct and evading arrest or detention. Henderson County officials said they remain committed to identifying and arresting individuals who pose a threat to children. The case remains under investigation and additional charges are possible.

SMITH COUNTY – A fatal crash involving two vehicles on Toll 49 is currently under investigation by Smith County authorities. According to Smith County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Andy Dunklin and our news partner KETK, the collision occurred around 12:30 a.m. about a quarter-mile east of Highway 155. Two people have been confirmed dead, and another remains in critical condition. Texas Department of Public Safety officials are continuing their investigation and working to notify affected families.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Deputies responded to a deadly conduct call on CR 2194 near Whitehouse around 1:00 Sunday afternoon. According to officials, Luis Arredondo-Villalobos was waving and pointing a firearm at his neighbors. Deputies were able to speak with several individuals who were able to confirm the behavior of Arredondo-Villalobos and his intoxicated state. Deputies also contacted the brother of Arredondo-Villalobos who confirmed the presence of firearms inside the residence.

Deputies attempted to coax Arredondo-Villalobos out of his residence by using the PA speakers but were unsuccessful. Smith County SWAT responded to the location and continued to try and coax the suspect out of his residence. Continue reading Smith County man arrested on aggravated assault charge

TYLER — The former bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Tyler, Joseph E. Strickland, is set to appear Tuesday at a Grassroots America – We the People meeting, a prominent constitutional conservative organization based in East Texas. According to our news partner KETK, the event, titled “Closing Out 2025 with Conviction, Hope, and Perseverance,” will be held at the Holiday Inn in Tyler. A food-and-fellowship buffet is scheduled from 5 p.m. to 6:25 p.m., with the meeting set to run from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Organizers say book signings and additional speakers may continue until 9 p.m.

Strickland’s appearance marks one of his most public returns to the East Texas community since his removal as head of the Diocese of Tyler on Nov. 11, 2023. Continue reading Former bishop to speak at Grassroots America

RAINS COUNTY — The criminal case against Rains County Judge Linda Wallace has been dismissed, according to newly released documents from the Rains County District Clerk’s Office and our news partner KETK.

The dismissal comes after months of developments connected to the investigation and prosecution of Rains County Justice of the Peace Jenkins Franklin. A full timeline of events is below:

MAY 1: Rains County Justice of the Peace Robert Jenkins Franklin was arrested and charged with official oppression and witness tampering. According to a federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Rains County Justice of the Peace Robert Jenkins Franklin allegedly threatened a defendant to plead guilty in a case over which Franklin had no jurisdiction. Continue reading Charges dropped against another Rains County judge

TYLER – Thanks to the Texas Resilient Landscapes Initiative, Texas landowners can now earn up to $80,000 by reforesting their land. Landowners with 10 to 150 acres of land are being invited by the initiative to reforest their land through a number of different methods including: shredding or mulching for tree planting at $168.75 per acre, prescribed fire burns at $37.50 per acre, direct seeding of trees at $337.50 per acre, planting live cuttings at $375 per acre, planting bareroot or containerized seedlings at $5.60 per seedling and providing temporary browsing protection for seedlings at $4.90 per seedling.

Non-federal, non-industrial and tribal or local government forest landowners can apply to the initiative by Jan. 23, 2026 and another application period will open in the summer or fall of 2026.

To apply or learn more, visit the Texas A&M Forest Service online.

ALBA — Alba-Golden ISD has announced its new regulations after Senate Bill 8, also known as “Bathroom Bill,” went into effect on Dec. 4. According to our news partner KETK, to meet these new regulations, the school district said locker rooms will be designated “NON-PRIVATE” during specific times: 15 minutes before the start of pregame activities, 8 minutes during halftime, 10 minutes after the conclusion of a game and 20 minutes after the conclusion of a practice.

The school district stated that this will enable coaches to manage their responsibilities with teams, such as during pregame, halftime and postgame meetings, while respecting students’ privacy.

Commonly referred to as the Texas Women’s Privacy Act or the “Bathroom Bill,” Senate Bill 8 seeks to limit transgender individuals’ access to specific restrooms in the state. Continue reading Alba-Golden ISD announces ‘non private’ lockers

BULLARD — The suspect in Monday’s hour long Cherokee County SWAT standoff is dead. According to our news partner KETK, the suspect is identified as 53-year-old Shawn Turner Sr. of Bullard, who was firing a gun from the front porch of his home. When deputies responded, Turner allegedly opened fire immediately, wounding one deputy with shrapnel. Deputies returned fire but did not strike Turner, the sheriff’s office confirmed. At around 11:10 a.m., authorities entered the home and found Turner dead from what officials determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The injured deputy was treated at the scene by EMS and is expected to make a full recovery. A second deputy experienced a medical issue during the incident and was assessed by medical personnel; that deputy is also anticipated to return to duty within the week.

Nearby law enforcement activity caused all Bullard ISD campuses to go into a brief secure status that was lifted at around 11:20 a.m.

KEMP – A 54-year-old Kemp man was arrested on Saturday after the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said they found suspected methamphetamines during a search of his RV according to our news partners at KETK. At around 11:39 p.m. on Saturday, Henderson County Sheriff’s Office investigators and deputies executed a search warrant on a recreational vehicle parked in the 1300 block of Pritchett Lane in Kemp. Rodney Blake Bryant, 54 of Kemp, allegedly owned the RV and was wanted for violating his parole, according to the sheriff’s office. During the search of the RV, two large bags of suspected meth were found, along with other alleged drug paraphernalia like a digital scale. Bryant was arrested during the search for his parole warrant and he’s also been charged with manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. He’s currently being held in the Henderson County Jail on $100,000 bond.

KEMP – Our news partners at KETK report that two people were arrested in Kemp on Sunday morning after bags of suspected methamphetamines, a firearm and a large amount of cash were found during a traffic stop. According to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, two of their office’s narcotics investigators were in the 1300 block of Pritchett Lane in Kemp at around 1:19 a.m. when they conducted a traffic stop on a silver Kia sedan. During the stop, investigators spoke with the driver of the Kia, who was identified by the sheriff’s office as Krayton Lavelle Williams, 26 of Athens. The investigators then contacted a K9 unit to come sniff the vehicle and when the unit arrived the K9 alerted near the Kia. The sheriff’s office said investigators then searched the Kia and found a loaded firearm, a large amount of cash and prepackaged bags of suspected meth that were allegedly found in a concealed compartment of the Kia’s dashboard. Continue reading Suspected meth, gun, cash found in traffic stop

TYLER — David Stein announced his intention to run for re-election as Smith County Republican Party Chairman, seeking a fourth term. According to our news partner KETK, Since 2020, Stein and Smith County Republicans have worked diligently to keep the Party strong and relevant. During that time, Smith County has remained heavily Republican and a model for counties across the state. The Party has recruited more Precinct Chairs, kept finances in great shape, elevated its presence in the community by being visible at events in all areas of the county, and continued to elect strong conservative Republicans to local, state, and federal offices. Continue reading Stein announces re-election campaign

EAST TEXAS — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for a missing 78-year-old man who was last seen leaving his home on Sunday morning. According to our news partner KETK, deputies responded to a report of a missing person in the 8600 block of County Road 384 near Tyler at around 7:30 p.m. on Sunday.

A family member told deputies that Emiliano Valle, left his home on foot, heading in an unknown direction at around 6 a.m. on Sunday. Valle is described as a 5’01” Hispanic man with grey hair, who weighs around 250 pounds and is possibly wearing a black suit jacket.

Valle has lymphedema and frequent UTI’s that cause him to get confused and have issues with his memory. He also has trouble walking and requires bandages on his legs. Continue reading Officials searching for missing 78-year-old man

MARSHALL – According to our news partner KETK, U.S. Senator for Texas John Cornyn spoke to graduating students at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall on Saturday. He’s currently running to be reelected to the Senate in 2026 against fellow Republican Primary candidates Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt.

Cornyn discussed several issues on Saturday like the economy, healthcare, education and Affordable Care Act healthcare premiums, which he said are going up by 18% for Texans. He also said that one solution could be to start hospital-based insurance coverage for operations and hospital stays. If Cornyn wins the 2026 Republican Primary in March, he’d face the winner of the Democratic Party Primary in the November election. Several Democratic candidates have already declared for their party’s primary, including Colin Allred and State Rep. James Talarico.

RUSK – UPDATE: The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said that a $25,000 reward is being offered for anyone who provides information leading to the location of James David Blount, a 57-year-old man who was last seen in Rusk on Dec. 2.
ORIGINAL STORY – The Rusk Police Department is currently searching for a missing man after his vehicle was found stopped on Highway 84 near the Neches River on Saturday. James David Blount is a 57-year-old white man who’s 5’09”, weighs around 200 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. Rusk PD said Blount was last seen on Tuesday.

Blount’s vehicle was found on Saturday on Highway 84 west at the Neches River near the Cherokee and Anderson County line. Anyone with information about his disappearance is asked to call 911 or Rusk PD at 903-683-2677.

JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association (JCPAAA) will donate $42,000 to the Jacksonville Police Department during the Dec. 9 City Hall meeting. The contribution will help fund new pistols outfitted with red-dot optics, as well as expanded firearms training for officers. The JCPAAA raised the money through ongoing community events, including several raffles and its annual April BBQ festival.

“We are proud to support our police department and help provide tools and training that enhance officer safety and effectiveness,” said Dillon Rodriguez, JCPAAA president. “This donation reflects the dedication of our volunteers and the strong partnership between our community and law enforcement.”

“The generosity of the JCPAAA and our community makes a real impact. These upgraded pistols and additional training will ensure our officers are better equipped to serve and protect our city,” Police Chief Steven Markasky said.

TYLER – The Texas A&M Forest Service has awarded over $3.5 million in grants for equipment to more than 100 fire departments throughout East Texas, according to our news partner KETK.

For the second round of Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program grants for the next fiscal year, the Texas A&M Forest Service awarded around $17.6 million in funds to volunteer fire departments across the state.

“Texas fire departments are the front line of local response and their equipment capacity is vital to response time and effectiveness,” Texas A&M Forest Service Director Al Davis said after the first round of funding was awarded in October. “This historic funding reflects the strong support of the Texas Legislature and governor. Their investment allows us to continue supporting and equipping firefighters who protect Texas’s lives and property.” Continue reading ETX fire departments awarded $3.5M in grants

SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, former Lindale police officer Michael Lazarine, 47, pleaded guilty Thursday to a charge of restriction and confinement of another officer.

The charge was filed for an incident that took place Sept. 27, shortly after Lazarine had been honored by the Smith County Commissioner Court for saving a choking toddler. On October 17, he was terminated. Lindale Police Capt. Brent Chambers stated that the termination was unrelated to the incident, but added that Lazarine is not eligible for rehire due to it. He appeared in a Smith County courtroom on Thursday, where he pleaded guilty and received a six-month deferred adjudication sentence.

EDOM — Two people have been arrested after an armed bank robbery was reported on Friday morning in Edom according to our news partners at KETK. The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office responded to the First State Bank of Ben Wheeler in Edom at around 9:30 a.m., where bank personnel described the suspects’ vehicle as a gray Nissan pickup with Texas plates. Inside the vehicle was a Black woman driving and a Black man as the passenger, both dressed in gray hoodies. After a bank teller memorized the vehicle’s license plate, the sheriff’s office, along with other local agencies were able to track down the vehicle at a registered address in Ben Wheeler. There, they found two individuals matching the description given by the bank personnel. The suspects were taken into custody and transported to the Van Zandt County Detention Center. The sheriff’s office assured the public that there is no immediate danger. The investigation remains ongoing.

WOOD COUNTY — Our news partners at KETK report a man was arrested in Quitman on Wednesday after allegedly attacking a family member with chemicals, temporarily impairing her vision. According to a Wood County affidavit, the incident occurred on Sept. 16 in Quitman. A family member told officials she awoke to the sound of another relative calling for help on the front porch. When she went outside, she saw Brandon Nichols coming into her yard and running toward her. Nichols then poured an unknown chemical substance onto her face, hair and clothing, the affidavit alleges. The victim described the substance as sticky and painful, causing her eyelashes to stick together and impairing her vision. Continue reading Man arrested for chemical attack

NACOGDOCHES — Our news partners at KETK report one person is in custody following an investigation launched due to a threat against Nacogdoches ISD. The school district’s police department stated on Friday morning that there is no ongoing danger to any campus. The school district partnered with several agencies, including the Texas Department of Public Safety and the FBI, to ensure the proper steps were taken. “That collaboration allowed us to move swiftly, verify the credibility of the threat, and secure the situation before it could escalate,” the Nacogdoches ISD Police Department said. The department did not disclose the specific nature of the threat but stated that if further relevant information becomes available, they will update the public on their Facebook page. Continue reading One in custody after Nacogdoches ISD threat