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GILMER — An Upshur County drug suspect has pleaded guilty. John Brady Harris, 26, prior to the jury selection of his trial, entered a guilty plea on Monday. State District Judge Lauren Parish sentenced Harris to 20 years in prison for delivery of methamphetamine. On August 12, 2015 Harris was observed on video, selling 1.81 grams of methamphetamine to a confidential informant. He was also under indictment for two different delivery of methamphetamine charges that he entered a plea in, and admitted his guilt.

KILGORE — Two persons are in custody in connection with a Kilgore armed robbery. Arrested were Jonathan Eugene Ballard, 31, of Jacksonville, and Willis Roshuna Ballard, 34, of Longview. They are accused of the April 10th robbery of the EZ Mart at Farm Road 349 and Farm Road 2087. Leads led investigators to Carlisle, where the vehicle used in the robbery was found. Police say, along with the car, they have also recovered a long-barreled shotgun believed to have been used in the robbery. Both men have been charged with aggravated robbery and remain in the Kilgore Municipal Jail with each man under a $100,000 bond.

TYLER — Smith County is one of six counties now eligible for emergency farm loans. The Farm Service Agency announced Monday it is now accepting applications for the emergency loans due to severe storms, tornadoes and flooding beginning March 7th through March 29th, in Anderson, Cherokee, Henderson, Rusk, Smith and Van Zandt Counties. The deadline for applications is December 5th. Smith County Farm Loan Manager, Joseph Grier, encourages farmers to submit their applications as soon as possible. She says if farmers wait too long, a backlog will develop and cause delays. Continue reading Area Counties Eligible for Emergency Farm Loans

TYLER — A civil suit has been filed in district court to remove from office Smith County Judge Joel Baker. The Executive Director of Grassroots America, JoAnn Fleming announced Monday that the suit had been filed. Fleming said the suit was filed by Dallas lawyers Trey Trainor and Joe Nixon. The suit was filed for two reasons, incompetency and official misconduct over a school zones camera agreement and over sexting allegations that surround the judge. Fleming said, since the judge won’t resign, and there is no statutory authority for a recall election, the only way to remove him is to petition to have him removed.

TEXARKANA — An appeals court has upheld the capital murder conviction of an Upshur County man.The 6th Court of Appeals in Texarkana has affirmed the conviction of Jonathan Ray Shepherd, 35. He admitted to killing Cheyenne Green on September 26, 2013 in the stadium parking lot during a football game at Gilmer High School. Since the district attorney was not seeking the death penalty, Shepherd was sentenced to life in prison, without parole. In his appeal, Shepherd maintained the trial court erred in refusing to instruct the jury on a lesser offense of felony murder. The appeals court said the district court did not err and upheld the conviction. Continue reading Upshur County Man’s Conviction Stands

LONGVIEW — A Longview woman has been arrested after being found asleep in her car. The car belonging to 21 year old Destinee Jeffery was parked in the grass near the corner of Mobberly Avenue and Level Street around 4:30 Monday morning. The car’s engine was running and Jeffery was asleep at the wheel. In the car they found a baby bottle nipple with a small amount of green liquid, believed to be Codeine. Also found was a small baggy with numerous pills, believed to be ecstasy or MDMA and, in the trunk, a brick of marijuana inside a suitcase. She’s been charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of marijuana. She free on bonds totaling $60,000.

TYLER — Jury selection is underway in the case of a vicious stabbing at a Tyler apartment complex. According to KETK, on June 29, 2012, Roy Edward Smith reportedly stabbed Victoria Massey multiple times as she left her Moore Grocery Loft apartment on Broadway Avenue. In June of 2014, police received a positive match on a DNA sample that was sent to the Texas Department of Public Safety Crime Scene Lab off of a gray tube sock that contained a rock. Police say the sock was used by Smith to strike Massey in the head prior to stabbing her multiple times. Investigators determined that Smith was already incarcerated in Wichita County, Texas. Continue reading Jury Selection Begins in Brutal Tyler Stabbing

TYLER — A Tyler woman arrested for robbery late last week, has been charged with a second Tyler robbery. Stella Wagner, 36, was arrested for the robbery of the Food Fast store on the West Southwest Loop. It was robbed around 3:45 Friday morning. As officers arrived they saw a car speeding away. The car was later stopped and Wagner was arrested after officers found evidence of the crime in the car. After further investigation, Wagner has also been charged with the robbery of the Food Fast at Houston and Palace last Wednesday morning. Wagner remains in the Smith County Jail. Her bonds total $12,000.

LUFKIN – Police are looking for the man who robbed a Lufkin business. The robbery happened around 7:45 Sunday night at Subway on Champions Drive. The man spent around 45 minutes in the store, even using the restroom and restaurant phone. He gave an employee a note that said, “Give me all the money in the register or I will kill you, then kill myself because I’m not going back to prison.” He went on to explain what the note meant, while holding a gun concealed in a sock. He fled with an undisclosed amount of money. Neither employee was injured. Continue reading Lufkin Business Robbed

TYLER — Graveside services will be held Tuesday for Tyler artist and author Dick Johns. Johns, who was 86, died Friday. Johns was a commercial illustrator, known particularly for his portraits done in a pointillist style called “stipple” in which areas of dark and light are created by changing the spacing between small points of ink. For many years, Johns’s art was used by KTBB in its sales and promotional materials. Continue reading Services Set For Tyler Artist Dick Johns

TYLER — A jury trial originally set to begin Monday in Tyler for D’Mio Ingram has been reset for May 16. Ingram was arrested in 2015 in connection with a fatal shooting at a Tyler gas station. Ingram was arrested for the murder of Laprida Shears, 25, at Bunny’s, located at Highway 14 and Loop 323, in Tyler. Bertram Arnie, 30, Romel Johnson, 29, and Damonte Shears, 26, were injured during the August 29, 2015 shooting. Around 300 people were at the scene. Officials say the shootout involved a Tyler-area gang, as well as a Longview-area gang. Four weapons were used in the shooting. Multiple arrests have been made stemming from the incident. Ingram was indicted on January 5, 2016, in the 241st District Court of Jack Skeen. His bond was set at $750,000. Ingram is a documented member of the 2200 12th Street Gang in Longview.

TYLER — Tyler Junior College has announced the recipients of the college’s annual Rotary Young Citizens and Watson W. Wise Incentive awards. Recipients are chosen by a vote of TJC faculty and staff. The Rotary Young Citizens Award goes to Arlene Campos and Ben Jordan. The Watson W. Wise Incentive Award goes to Sabrah Shipman. Continue reading Three Award Winning TJC Students

GUN BARREL CITY (AP) — A customer eating alone at a Texas restaurant left a big surprise behind for an 18-year-old waitress, a $1,000 tip. Alesha Palmer says she was so stunned by the gift she began crying in the middle of Vetoni’s Italian Restaurant in Gun Barrel City. She was serving a couple she knew last weekend and they asked about her college plans. She says she told them her parents would be helping her pay for it. Another customer who was seated nearby got up to leave and approached the restaurant owner. She says after he left, she asked if everything was all right and her boss showed her the receipt with the huge tip from the man, who asked to remain anonymous.

TYLER – A missing Smith County Woman has been found. Friday, the Smith County Sheriff’s Department has put out a missing person’s alert for Courtney Denise Dollgener. The 27 year old woman was last seen on Thursday evening around 8:00 near Tyler State Park on Farm Road 14. Shortly after 7:30 Saturday morning, the sheriff’s office received a call from an employee at State Park Grocery on Farm Road 14. They said Dollgener was standing outside the store. Deputies say Dollgener, who appeared alert and responsive, said she was tired, hungry and thirsty after walking through the woods all night. After being checked out by EMS, she was turned over to her mother.

LONGVIEW – A police officer has been cleared in a fatal Longview shooting. The District Attorney’s office announced Friday that officer Emit Kennedy has been cleared by the Gregg County Grand Jury in the August shooting death of Devin Dial, 23. On August 28th, 2015, at 11:00pm, officers responded to a call involving a suspicious car in the parking lot of Walgreens near Loop 281 and Gilmer Road. An off-duty police officer had called police after noticing a man had what appeared to be a white mask covering his head. During this time, Dial had moved his vehicle to the west side of the building and out of security camera view, according to officials. When Kennedy, got to the scene, he found a person inside a car. As the officer exited his car, Dial reportedly got of his vehicle while displaying a weapon. The officer then shot Dial.

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville Police say a previously missing woman has been found. Shelia Lakay Fon, 55, had last been seen last week near her home. According to family members, she is a bipolar schizophrenic and has not been taking her medication. According to KETK, police say Fon was found at a Jacksonville hotel in stable condition and her family has been notified of her whereabouts.

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Department has put out a missing person’s alert for Courtney Denise Dollgener. The 27 year old woman was last seen was last seen on Thursday evening around 8:00 near Tyler State Park on Farm Road 14. She was believed to be wearing a white T-Shirt, blue jeans, purple Nike tennis shoes, and white ball cap with “NAVY” on it. Dollgener has several mental disorders and has the capacity of a 5 year old. Anyone that has seen her or has any information should immediately contact the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at 903-566-6600.

LONGVIEW — Longview police continue to look for a teenage runaway. Katherine Princess Nolan, 14, was last seen on April 1, leaving her home to go to a friend’s house. She is described as a black female, 5’4″ and weighs around 128 pounds. She was wearing khaki shorts, a black jersey, and black shoes. Her hair was pulled up in a ponytail. If you have information on Katherine’s whereabouts you are asked to contact Detective Chris Bethard at 903-237-1161 or call the main police number after hours at 903-237-1199

LONGVIEW — Parts of Fredonia Street are closed for Dalton Days. Fredonia Street, between Methvin and Tyler, was closed Friday afternoon at 3:00 pm. It will remain closed until 5:00 this afternoon.

LONGVIEW — A check on tobacco compliance at some Longview businesses has turned up some gambling machines. Longview police say they were found during an inspection of the A-Z Mart located in the 600 block of North Eastman Road. The State Comptroller’s office was contacted and a representative inspected the machines. When they were found to be in noncompliance, the machines were turned off. The police department’s Face Book page said they will continue to investigate the case.

MARSHALL — Marshall police are seeking the public’s help in locating an accused forger.They are looking for Clifford Wayne Hubbard, 41. He is wanted for an outstanding felony warrant for forgery of a financial instrument. He is accused of cashing a fraudulent check at a Marshall Bank. Hubbard is described as a black male, 5’10” tall, weighing 200 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes. The last known address for Hubbard was in Shreveport, Louisiana. Any information you have about Hubbard would be greatly appreciated. Continue reading Accused Forger Sought in Marshall

TYLER –A newly-appointed committee held a meeting Thursday to redefine the rules of procedure, conduct and decorum for Smith County Commissioners Court. According to KETK, a handful of East Texans met to offer suggestions and changes they would like to see. Under the current rules, “the court will not allow a member of the public to question the integrity of the court or its members.” Attendees said they want to throw out that rule, adding it was an abridgement of their free speech. The suggestion comes after a regularly scheduled meeting, in which people questioned Smith County Judge Joel Baker’s alleged inappropriate conduct. Continue reading Proposed Changes for Smith County Commissioners Court Meetings

TYLER — A Tyler woman has been arrested following an aggravated robbery. Around 3:45 Friday morning, officers responded to the Food Fast, 1222 WSW Loop 323, after a reported hold-up. As they arrived, they noticed a white car speeding away from the scene. Following a traffic stop, Stella Wagner, 36, was taken into custody. Police said they found evidence of the crime in her car. She was charged with aggravated robbery, possession of a controlled substance and an outstanding warrant. Wagner was booked into the Smith County Jail.

HENDERSON (Staff/AP) — Jurors who will hold Bernie Tiede’s fate in their hands soon will have to decide who was scamming whom after hearing evidence from his five-year relationship with Marjorie Nugent. KETK and the Longview News-Journal report the state rested its case at 2:24 p.m. Thursday in Tiede’s resentencing trial in Henderson. That left time for Tiede’s defense to begin building its case before court adjourned at 4:40 p.m. Continue reading State Rests, Defense Begins Case in Tiede Trial

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Police are investigating a hit and run accident in which Johnny Manziel was said to have been in the car. The former Cleveland Browns quarterback and former Tyler resident was said to be a passenger in a car that hit a light pole. It then fled the scene. USA Today reports the accident happened Wednesday on Sunset Boulevard. Manziel’s friend Ryan Silverstein was the car’s driver. There were no injuries.

LONGVIEW — A convicted felon has been busted in Longview. It started with officers noticing a car parked half way in the road way in the 500 block of Arkansas Street. The car then pulled into a driveway. As the driver stood beside the vehicle talking with officers, they saw gun on the seat. They also saw a glass pipe commonly used to smoke methamphetamine. They learned 27 year-old Charles Ray Owens was a convicted felon and was arrested for unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. A search of the car turned up just over 27 grams of meth. He was also charged with possession of a controlled substance.