Cornyn, republican colleagues introduce ‘smash-and-grab’ crimes bill

AUSTIN – U.S. Senator John Cornyn joined Senator Lindsey Graham, and 17 other republican colleagues in introducing the Federal Firearms Licensee (FFL) Protection Act to address the “dangerously high number of smash-and-grab thefts.” The bill targets gun dealers by enhancing penalties for criminals who steal firearms from federally licensed firearms and ammunition dealers.

“Criminals who steal firearms from gun stores should be punished to the fullest extent of the law,” said Sen. Cornyn. “This legislation would prevent gun thefts by strengthening the consequences for those who break the law, and I urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to support it.”

Background:

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reported 4,046 FFL theft incidents from 2021 to 2025. During these burglary, larceny, and robbery incidents, a total of 23,319 firearms were stolen from Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs). Texans have been directly impacted by these crimes as thieves have stolen 2,737 firearms from FFLs across the state during this same four-year period of 2021 to 2025.

The FFL Protection Act would:

• Increase the statutory maximum penalty for knowingly stealing any firearm in an FFL’s business inventory from 10 to 20 years;
• Impose a mandatory minimum sentence of three years for burglary from an FFL and five years for robbery from an FFL;
• Criminalize the attempted theft of a firearm from a licensed importer, manufacturer, dealer, or collector.

The legislation is being led by Sen. Graham (R-SC) and is cosponsored by Senators Ted Budd (R-NC), Katie Britt (R-AL), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), John Hoeven (R-ND), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), Jim Justice (R-WV), Jim Risch (R-ID), Pete Ricketts (R-NE) and Thom Tillis (R-NC).

Cornyn’s office said the legislation is endorsed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).

Quadruple murderer gets life

CHEROKEE COUNTY — A Cherokee County man was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for his role in a 2021 murder in New Summerfield that left four people dead. According to our news partner KETK, Jesse Pawlowski was sentenced to life in prison on Monday without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the murders of John Clinton, Jeff Gerla, Ami Hickey and Amanda Bain.

Arrest affidavits revealed, that Pawlowksi along with with Dylan Welch and Billy Phillips planned to meet Clinton at his trailer home and attempted to steal a handgun from him. After receiving a report of a dead body near the home, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office found that Clinton had been shot in the head. Continue reading Quadruple murderer gets life

Texarkana man arrested after girlfriend’s baby brought to hospital with skull fracture

Texarkana man arrested after girlfriend’s baby brought to hospital with skull fracture A baby’s arrival to a Texarkana hospital with a critical head injury last Thursday has led to the arrest of a man, after investigators discovered the baby was under his sole care when the incident occurred.

Officers were called to the CHRISTUS St. Michael Hospital after a three-month-old baby arrived with a skull fracture, according to our news partner, KETK and Texarkana Police.

Detectives opened an investigation and found that injuries occurred while the baby was under the care of the mother’s 22-year-old boyfriend, Michael Cridell Jr.

Cridell was arrested last Friday and booked into Bi-State Jail for injury to a child causing serious bodily injury. His bond was set at $500,000.

The baby was later airlifted to the Arkansas Children’s Hospital that night. She remains hospitalized and is currently in serious but stable condition.

Marshall water shut off for Scenic Loop

Marshall water shut off for Scenic LoopMARSHALL – Phase one of Marshall’s water stabilization project will begin Monday, meaning temporary loss of water for some residents. According to our news partner KETK, the shut off started at 4 p.m. around U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 43. Affected areas are said to include the Scenic Loop area between Pinecrest Drive and Bell Street. Water should be back on for all residents by 10 p.m. Monday night.

Authorities say the water will be shut off while contractors tie into the newly repaired 16-inch water line that runs under the highway. This outage is required to complete the connections and place the infrastructure into service.

As well as a water shut off, the City of Marshall has issued a boil water notice for the same area.

Federal judge blocks Trump’s $100,000 H-1B visa fee

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event in the Oval Office of the White House on June 03, 2026, in Washington, DC. Trump signed executive orders related to strengthening customs enforcement and reforms to federal work laws. (Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- A federal judge on Monday struck down the $100,000 fee the Trump administration imposed on new H-1B visas for skilled foreign workers.

In a 42-page decision, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin vacated the policy nationwide, concluding that the federal government overstepped its authority by imposing the fee without approval from Congress.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Coast Guard ends search for Lynette Hooker in Bahamas

The Coast Guard searching for a missing person, Lynette Hooker, in the Bahamas. (U.S. Coast Guard)

(BAHAMAS) -- The Coast Guard released new photos on Monday as it announced that it has concluded its search in the Bahamas for Lynette Hooker, an American woman who went overboard and vanished two months ago.

The Coast Guard said it used divers, underwater vehicles, drones and a cadaver dog to "thoroughly examine newly identified areas of interest" last week.

The agency said it also took custody of the Hookers' dinghy so it can be further examined in the U.S.

Last week's search came after forensic evidence found on electronic devices belonging to Lynette Hooker's husband, Brian Hooker, led investigators to new areas of interest, U.S. officials said. One U.S. official told ABC News that what Brian Hooker told investigators does not match the GPS data recovered from his devices.

Lynette Hooker went missing on the evening of April 4. Brian Hooker told authorities that after the couple departed Hope Town on their dinghy to head to their yacht, bad weather caused her to go overboard.

Brian Hooker was arrested on April 8 and questioned by police, and he was released days later without charges.

The Coast Guard said its investigation continues and asks anyone with information to contact the Coast Guard Investigative Service Tips app.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

2 shot at Kaiser medical offices in California: Police

Law enforcement at the scene of a shooting in San, Jose, Calif., June 8, 2026. (KGO)

(SAN JOSE, Calif.) -- Two people suffered life-threatening injuries in a shooting at the Kaiser medical offices in San Jose, California, authorities said.

The San Jose Police Department described the victims as a man and a woman and said both have been taken to the hospital.

Police said the shooting is believed to be an isolated incident and said there's no threat to the public.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Wall Street holds steadier as AI stocks recover some of their sell-of

Wall Street holds steadier as AI stocks recover some of their sell-ofNEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street held steadier Monday and recovered some of its sell-off from last week, as stocks swept up in the artificial-intelligence boom bounced back. Oil prices, meanwhile, rose following fighting between Israel and Iran, but they pared their biggest gains.

The S&P 500 added 0.3%, coming off a drop of 2.6% from Friday that was its worst since October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 80 points, or 0.2%, and the Nasdaq composite climbed 0.9%.

Some of the best performers were companies that sell computer chips, memory and other products fueling the AI boom. They had plunged Friday amid worries that their prices had shot too high due to AI euphoria. Such worries dragged South Korea’s Kospi index down 8.3% early Monday, pummeling tech stocks there like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

But prices recovered as trading moved westward through Europe to New York. Micron Technology rose 9.9% after sliding 13.3% Friday for the largest loss in the S&P 500. That resumed a run where its stock has more than tripled so far in 2026.

Marvell Technology climbed 9.6% in its first trading after S&P Dow Jones Indices said the semiconductor company’s stock has grown enough to join its widely followed S&P 500 index. Marvell’s stock has also more than tripled so far this year, aided by a 32.5% surge in one day last week. That was its best day since it began trading in 2000, and it came after Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, suggested at a conference in Taiwan that Marvell could be “the next trillion-dollar company.”

That such a comment could add billions of dollars to a company’s value in an instant suggests to critics that AI stocks are running too hot. Chip and memory companies are indeed reaping big growth in revenue and profit because of the AI boom, but their stock prices have been soaring at astounding speeds. A widely followed index of semiconductor stocks surged nearly 85% for the year so far through Thursday, for example.

Now, the question is whether Friday’s drop was the start of a downturn or just a pause that helps shake out excessive optimism.

Michael Wilson, a strategist at Morgan Stanley, is relatively optimistic. “Markets rarely move in a straight line at the pace seen since the March lows,” he wrote in a report. “In our view, a correction was inevitable and ultimately healthy if this bull market is going to extend into year-end” and pull the S&P 500 to his baseline target of 8,000. That would be an 8.3% rise from Friday’s close.

Corning climbed 5.6% after Amazon announced a multibillion dollar deal where Corning will produce optical fiber, cable and other products for its data centers across the country.

That helped offset a 0.9% dip for Campbell’s, which reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected but also a worse decline in revenue. The company’s stock is also set to drop out of the S&P 500 index when Marvell Technology’s stock joins it.

All told, the S&P 500 rose 21.99 points to 7,405.73. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 80.77 to 50,786.01, and the Nasdaq composite gained 220.23 to 25,929.66.

In the oil market, prices jumped after Israel and Iran launched strikes against each other, threatening to drag the region back into full-scale war. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, briefly topped $98 overnight.

But it later regressed after Israel and Iran appeared to back away from further strikes. Brent’s price settled at $94.25 per barrel, up 1.2% from Friday.

High oil prices caused by the war with Iran have already sent inflation higher, which increases not only bills for households but also yields in the bond market. High yields worldwide recently have threatened to slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and all kinds of other investments.

On Monday, Treasury yields ticked a bit higher following their jump on Friday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury edged up to 4.56% from 4.55%.

In stock markets abroad, indexes edged lower Europe following sharp losses in Asia.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 3.8%, while stocks fell 1.7% in Shanghai and 1.2% in Hong Kong.

Upshur County law breaks up outdoor party

Upshur County law breaks up outdoor partyUPSHUR COUNTY – Upshur County law enforcement officials broke up an unauthorized private party with over 60 minors in attendance on Sunday.

According our news partner KETK, and the Upshur County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, social media posts were circulating promoting a party for minors that was supposed to happen off of Wren Road, in rural Upshur County on Sunday. The posts caused local law enforcement to be concerned that drugs or alcohol at the party.

Officers from the Upshur County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Game Wardens and the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office went out to the party on Sunday and found more than 60 juveniles gathered at an unauthorized private property off of Wren Road.

They also discovered alcoholic beverages at the scene along with several juveniles who were apparently intoxicated. Drivers at the party were given Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and several minors were given citations for consumption of alcohol.

Law enforcement then dispersed the crowd of minors after they helped collect trash from the scene.

Pedestrian dies in one vehicle crash

Pedestrian dies in one vehicle crashKILGORE – Authorities are reporting a pedestrian was killed on Monday morning at the CB Tire Shop in Kilgore after a truck left State Highway 135.

According our news partner KETK and the Kilgore Police Department, emergency services were sent out to the CB Tire Shop on Highway 135 at around 8:07 a.m. on Monday because of a reported pedestrian crash.

Upon arrival, first responders learned that a white 2024 Ford pickup truck was traveling south on State Highway 135 when the vehicle left the road and hit a pedestrian at the tire shop.

The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene following the crash. Kilgore PD said their preliminary findings show that the driver of the Ford had a medical emergency before their vehicle crashed off the road. Kilgore PD is still investigating this crash.

6.1 magnitude earthquake recorded near Cuba, felt across Florida

(NEW YORK) -- A 6.1-magnitude earthquake was recorded in the Gulf, about 118 kilometers west-northwest of Cuba.

The National Weather Service in Miami said the shaking -- which was initially reported as a 6.4-magnitude quake -- was felt across much of Florida.

There's no tsunami danger for the United States, the NWS said.

This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Ridley Scott to direct Hugh Jackman in new ‘Treasure Island’ film adaptation

Hugh Jackman attends the 2026 Met Gala celebrating "Costume Art" at the Metropolitan Museum of Art on May 4, 2026, in New York City. (John Shearer/WireImage via Getty Images) | Ridley Scott poses for a portrait ahead of his conversation on stage at BFI Southbank on October 5, 2025, in London, England. (John Phillips/Getty Images)

Ridley Scott and Hugh Jackman are taking on an adaptation of a classic novel.

Scott is set to direct Jackman in a new film adaptation of Treasure Island, ABC Audio has confirmed. Jackman will play the pirate Long John Silver in this new take on the Robert Louis Stevenson novel.

According to Deadline, Adolescence writer Jack Thorne wrote the film's script and will executive produce. Scott will also produce the film alongside Michael Pruss for the production company Scott Free.

There is currently no studio attached to the project, but it is set to hit the market on Monday, the outlet reports.

Treasure Island follows a young boy who discovers a map to a legendary buried treasure. He sets out on a journey across the sea to find the fortune, all the while finding himself in a battle of wits with the pirate Long John Silver.

This upcoming adaptation is described as a new take on Stevenson's classic, which was originally published in 1883.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

AI stocks recover some of last week’s sell-off, while oil prices come off their overnight highs

AI stocks recover some of last week’s sell-off, while oil prices come off their overnight highsNEW YORK (AP) — Wall Street is recovering some of its sell-off from Friday, as stocks swept up in the artificial-intelligence boom bounce back on Monday. Oil prices, meanwhile, are higher following fighting between Israel and Iran, but they have come off their peaks from overnight.

The S&P 500 rose 0.5%, coming off a drop of 2.6% from Friday that was its worst since October. The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 35 points, or 0.1%, as of 1:03 p.m. Eastern time, and the Nasdaq composite was 1.1% higher.

Some of the best performers were companies that sell computer chips, memory and other products fueling the AI boom. They had plunged Friday amid worries that their prices had shot too high due to AI euphoria. Such worries dragged South Korea’s Kospi index down 8.3% early Monday, pummeling tech stocks there like Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix.

But prices recovered as trading moved westward through Europe to New York. Micron Technology rose 9.8% after sliding 13.3% Friday for the largest loss in the S&P 500. That resumed a run where its stock has more than tripled so far in 2026.

Marvell Technology climbed 12.7% in its first trading after S&P Dow Jones Indices said the semiconductor company’s stock has grown enough to join its widely followed S&P 500 index. Marvell’s stock has also more than tripled so far this year, aided by a 32.5% surge in one day last week. That was its best day since it began trading in 2000, and it came after Nvidia’s CEO, Jensen Huang, suggested at a conference in Taiwan that Marvell could be “the next trillion-dollar company.”

That such a comment could add billions of dollars to a company’s value in an instant suggests to critics that AI stocks are running too hot. Chip and memory companies are indeed reaping big growth in revenue and profit because of the AI boom, but their stock prices have been soaring at astounding speeds. A widely followed index of semiconductor stocks surged nearly 85% for the year so far through Thursday, for example.

Now, the question is whether Friday’s drop is the start of a downturn or just a pause that shakes out excessive optimism.

Michael Wilson, a strategist at Morgan Stanley, is relatively optimistic. “Markets rarely move in a straight line at the pace seen since the March lows,” he wrote in a report. “In our view, a correction was inevitable and ultimately healthy if this bull market is going to extend into year-end” and pull the S&P 500 to his baseline target of 8,000. That would be an 8.3% rise from Friday’s close.

Corning climbed 6% after Amazon announced a multibillion dollar deal where Corning will produce optical fiber, cable and other products for its data centers across the country.

That helped offset a 0.6% dip for Campbell’s, which reported a stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected but also a worse decline in revenue. The company’s stock is also set to drop out of the S&P 500 index when Marvell Technology’s stock joins it.

In the oil market, prices jumped after Israel and Iran launched strikes against each other, threatening to drag the region back into full-scale war. The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil, the international standard, briefly topped $98 overnight.

But it later eased back after the Iranian military said that it was halting offensive operations. Brent’s price was most recently at $94.31 per barrel, up 1.3% from Friday.

High oil prices caused by the war with Iran have already sent inflation higher, which increases not only bills for households but also yields in the bond market. High yields worldwide recently have threatened to slow economies and undercut prices for stocks and all kinds of other investments.

On Monday, Treasury yields held mostly steady following a jump on Friday. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.56% from 4.55% late Friday.

In stock markets abroad, indexes edged lower Europe following sharp losses in Asia.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 dropped 3.8% after the Japanese government revised the country’s annualized economic growth rate to 1.8% for the first quarter this year, down from an earlier estimate of 2.1%.

Stocks also fell 1.7% in Shanghai and 1.2% in Hong Kong.

Habitat selects new CDO

Habitat selects new CDOTyler – Habitat for Humanity of Smith County is pleased to announce the naming of it’s new Chief Development Officer. He is Tyler-native and veteran communications specialist Mike Landess.  
 
Mike has served on the Smith County Habitat Executive Board for the past 6 years and is a volunteer with their construction teams.
 
He and his wife, Maddie, moved back to Tyler in 2019 after his highly successful, multi-decade career in broadcast journalism. That career began here in Tyler as a high school senior.