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TYLER – Smith County authorities have arrested the national president of a motorcycle gang for ordering the death of man in 2020. According to our news partner KETK, 57-year-old Kevin Higgins of Kemp, was arrested Tuesday in the death of Brandon Edwards of Chapel Hill. Investigators determined that Kemp ordered the death of Edwards, a rival gang member in fall 2019. Higgins, who is identified as the national president of the motorcycle gang Ugly Man Cossacks, had fellow member Chad Crowell carry out the murder in May 2020.

Initially three members of the Ugly Man Cossacks were arrested in Edwards death. All three have been convicted of organized crime activity in connection to the case. Kevin Higgins is in the Smith County Jail with his bond set at $2.5 million.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – The Cherokee County District Attorney said a Jacksonville man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after a jury found him guilty of capital murder. According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Branton was charged with the 2020 stabbing murder of Randy P. Davenport. Davenport’s body was reportedly found near Love’s Lookout in July of 2020 and he was deemed the victim of an “apparent homicide.” Branton was sentenced to life in prison without parole after eight days of testimony and deliberation, the district attorney said.

He was charged alongside codefendant Ja’Michael Rusk, whose case is still pending.

PALESTINE – A Former Palestine ISD band director that had been accused of an improper relationship with a student received sentencing on April 19. According to court documents, and our colleagues at KETK, Adrian Alonso was convicted on three charges of improper relationship between an educator and a student, and will be serving 11 years of confinement in a state prison. In January of 2023 the Palestine Police Department arrested Alonso after an investigation revealed that he had an “improper relationship, including sexual contact with a student, beginning in 2020.”

LUFKIN – A man was arrested in Lufkin on Tuesday for capital murder in the October death of his 4-month-old son according to our news partners at KETK. According to police, a warrant was obtained for the arrest of 25-year-old Anfernee Durham, of Lufkin, upon the finalization of his 4-month-old son, Kylo Powell’s, autopsy. Officials said his death was ruled a homicide by blunt force trauma to the head and torso by a Harris County medical examiner. He died in a Houston hospital on Oct. 20 after being transferred from a Lufkin hospital three days earlier. Durham was taken into custody with the assistance of the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office, and his bond has been set at $1 million.

TYLER – An arrest was made by the Gregg County Sheriff’s office in the case of a murder dating back to 2016. Officials said that the suspect arrested was Reza Kamali, 87 of Longview. At his arraignment his bond was set at $7.5 million. Ron Horaney was murdered in his home on May, 30, 2016. Witnesses said that Horaney was shot multiple times while answering the door. The sheriff’s office said he was taken to the hospital, where he later died. Horaney was the owner of a major architecture business in Longview. An announced press conference scheduled for Monday afternoon will provide more details.

TYLER – A skunk in Tyler tested positive for rabies, marking the second positive rabies test this month. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler Animal Services was alerted by the Texas Department of State Health Services on Wednesday that one skunk they had submitted for analysis tested positive for rabies. The city said that the skunk had been found near the 1200 block of Larkspur Lane and that any individuals and animals with possible exposure have been identified and addressed. This is the second skunk in the month of April to test positive for rabies in Tyler. Officials warned that preventative immunization is the only effective defense against rabies, and to make sure that pets are up to date on their vaccinations.

LONGVIEW – More than a dozen East Texas school districts are asking voters for millions of dollars in bond measures. Longview ISD is proposing $456 million in updates and new facilities according to our news partner KETK. After two failed bond proposals, Longview ISD is asking for voters’ support on another multi-million-dollar measure. “In November we asked voters to vote on two propositions, we’ve broken that into five,” Wayne Guidry, assistant superintendent of finance, said. Proposition A, with a price tag of $237 million, would go mostly toward high school renovations, CTE building expansion and security upgrades across all 13 campuses. “Proposition B, is a new early learning center, proposition C, D, and E are just addressing our athletic facilities it’s been about 35 years since we’ve addressed the majority of those facilities,” Guidry said. The district is hoping that this third time is the charm. The last time Longview residents approved a district bond was in 2008.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A Kilgore man was arrested during a traffic stop near Gladewater for transporting 163 grams of methamphetamine. According to our news partner KETK, arrested Monday was Gerald Hosea Gibson of Kilgore. Gibson was pulled over for a traffic violation in Gladewater on Highway 80. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigation Unit conducted the search, where it vielded 163 grams of methamphetamine and $2,343. Gibson was charged with manufacturing and delivering a controlled substance. He is currently in the Upshur County Jail on a $100,000 bond.

HENDERSON – CHRISTUS Health broke ground Tuesday on a new, state-of-the-art standalone emergency center in Henderson. The center will be located on Highway 259, just south of Wylie Elementary. The new facility will feature around-the-clock emergency services, including 17 total beds, 13 exam rooms, four triage rooms, state-of-the-art full-service imaging and an onsite laboratory. Representatives from CHRISTUS, the City of Henderson, and Rusk County attended the ground breaking.

CHRISTUS Good Shepherd President and CEO Todd Hancock said, “We have been blessed to work with some great people from Henderson and Rusk County to make this facility a reality. Every stakeholder we have talked to and presented to has gotten on board immediately, as we all realize that more access to high-quality health care is nothing but great for this community.”

The expansion to Henderson is the third announced expansion from CHRISTUS Health in East Texas, joining Mount Pleasant and Palestine. Construction of the 12,500 square-foot emergency center is set to begin in the next few weeks, with a projected completion date of summer 2025.

GLADEWATER – According to our news partner KETK, the Gladewater ISD board of trustees unanimously made the decision on Monday to move to a four-day school week and opted not to have classes on Mondays. Unlike other districts that decided on having a four-day school week with Fridays off, the district of Gladewater will not be in session Mondays of the coming school year. The school board president said this will help attract and retain teachers, giving them more flexibility in their personal lives.

“As you are trying to be competitive in the workplace and attract staff, you want you want to offer something different,” Ross Morgan, school board president, said. “The main component teachers are absent because they have to go to the doctor or they have to take their child to the doctor or maybe a parent to the doctor. A lot of doctor’s offices aren’t open very long if all on Fridays and that was one kind of long discussion or kind of a really important point as to why Mondays are better.” Continue reading Gladewater ISD opts out of Mondays with four-day school week

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department said that they arrested a man and a woman following a theft incident at a Walmart in Marshall on Friday night. According to our news partner KETK, officers were called to the scene on Friday to respond to a shoplifting incident involving a man and a woman. Bridgette Eleanor Peyton, 32 of Burlington, WI, was arrested for failure to identify as a fugitive, credit or debit card abuse, theft of property worth between $100 and $750 and two warrants from Wisconsin.

After Peyton was detained, officers were reportedly told about a fight happening in the parking lot. Marshall PD said the fight was between the owner of a vehicle and a man allegedly caught trying to break into some cars in the parking lot.

Nicholas Eberle, 41 of Franksville, WI, was arrested after a reported short foot chase and charged with theft of property worth $750 and $2,500, evading arrest and detention, failure to identify as a fugitive and a warrant from Wisconsin. Continue reading Wisconsin couple arrested for theft in Marshall

TYLER – GIVE, Girls Invested in Volunteer Efforts awarded an $18,000 2024 grant to Bethesda Pediatrics during an event Sunday in Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, GIVE decided to give a grant to Bethesda Pediatrics because they provide healthcare to children who are uninsured or are enrolled in Medicaid.

Megan Riaz, the director of community relations for Bethesda Health Clinic was there on Sunday to accept the grant for Bethesda Pediatrics said, “We are overjoyed to receive this amazing grant from GIVE to improve our dental clinic with a new dental chair. The dental clinic at Bethesda Pediatrics is growing, and the GIVE grant will allow us to repurpose an existing room to serve more patients with dental care. We are so impressed by the young philanthropists of GIVE and their desire to give back to undeserved children; it is a blessing to our patients.”

The Women’s Fund of Smith County launched GIVE in 2014 in order to help girls in high school learn about leadership and philanthropy. GIVE has given away $77,912 to Smith County non-profits since the group was started.

LINDALE – The Lindale Police Department said that a pedestrian was killed while crossing Highway 69 near Interstate 20 on Friday night. According to our news partner KETK, 60-year-old Bill Darling of Oregon was hit by a Dodge 3500 truck as he crossed the highway. Officers said Darling died at the scene. Lindale PD is continuing their investigation into the incident.

HARRISON COUNTY – A 44-year-old woman was arrested on Sunday in Harrison County after drugs were found during a traffic stop. According to our news partner KETK, Teresa Oney, of Harleton, was stopped for defective equipment at Highway 80 and Loop 281 where deputies conducted a probable cause search. Officials said marijuana and methamphetamines were found, and Oney had five active warrants for her arrest. She was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, tampering with evidence and the active warrants.

SMITH COUNTY — Early Voting began Monday, April 22, and runs through Tuesday, April 30, for the Joint City Election. The Cities of Tyler, Arp and Lindale have races in the election. There are four early voting locations in Smith County, including:

Arp City Hall, 109 W. Longview St. in Arp
Heritage Building, 1900 Bellwood Road in Tyler
The Hub, 304 E. Ferguson St., in Tyler
Lindale Kinzie Community Center, 912 Mt. Sylvan St. in Lindale.

Early voting polling places are open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, April 30.

There will be six polling sites open on Election Day, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 4.

The Smith County Elections Office has launched an interactive map to help voters find what precincts are included in the cities holding an election. Click here for more information.

TYLER — On Monday, April 22, Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) identified a significant break in a water main located at 2025 SSW Loop 323. This break has resulted in the depletion of water tanks on the west side of town, causing water shortages or low water pressure in many households and businesses. TWU crews are working on the repairs, water valves have been identified and shut off, and the leak has been contained.

TWU is working with the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) to determine the extent of the issue. The City will continue to update residents as they learn more.

LONGVIEW – According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Fire Department put out a notice to the public saying that a dangerous drug was found. “We had a recent encounter with ‘candy’ that tested positive for fentanyl,” LFD said in a Facebook post. “This is a narcotic that can be lethal when ingested. This drug is being used to lace other substances and cannot be detected through taste or smell.”

Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug said to be 100 times more potent that morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. It is often disguised as other pills or added into other drugs as it makes drugs cheaper, more powerful and more addictive. However, the drug is also more deadly and can’t be seen, tasted or smelled. Fentanyl test strips are used to test if drugs are further contaminated with the substance. Continue reading ‘Candy’ found in East Texas tests positive for fentanyl

MARSHALL – Two people were arrested in Marshall early Friday morning after a search for narcotics and firearms. According to our news partner KETK, 41-year-old Johnathen O’Neal of Marshall was charged with possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and endangering a child. Also arrested was 38-year-old Daviesha Lewis of Marshall. She is charged with resisting arrest, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and endangering a child.

The Marshall Police said their search was conducted in the 1600 block of Sanford Street and it yielded “a significant quantity of illegal narcotics and several firearms.” Officers add that all drug charges will carry the drug-free zone designation. Both O’Neal and Lewis were booked into the Harrison County Jail. With O’Neal’s bond set at $400,000. Lewis’s bond totaling $103,000.

The operation was a joint effort of the Marshall PD Special Response Team along with the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team.

SMITH COUNTY- A water main break under County Road 431, also known as Jim Hogg Road, has been repaired and the road is back open to drivers. Lindale Rural Water Supply repaired the water main Friday and Smith County Road and Bridge crews have backfilled the hole with a clay and gravel mix and put a temporary patch on the section of road, just north of Interstate 20.

Because of the rain forecasted for the area this weekend, Smith County Engineer Frank Davis said his crews will go back out and start the permanent patching and repaving next week.
 

TYLER – The defense team of a former nurse convicted of murder, appeared in court on Thursday to discuss the reported harassment of jurors. According to our news partner KETK, the 114th district court convened on Thursday to address Judge Austin Reeve Jackson’s motion against the legal team of a convicted former CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Francis nurse. Reeve Jackson said the court had received numerous complaints of investigators and lawyers attempting to contact jurors and “refusing to accept the answer of ‘no, I do not want to speak with you.’”

The judge said jurors informed the court that spouses had opened the door and informed members of the defense that the juror did not wish to speak to the legal team. Jurors were also reportedly “contacted multiple times in the morning, late at night, interrupting family hours, dinner hours from kids and other family members.” Continue reading Judge issues rules in appeal case of convicted nurse

MARSHALL – An East Texas man has been arrested after a coordinated effort between multiple law enforcement agencies. According to our news partner KETK, 21-year-old Cameron Payton was arrested Tuesday for sexual assault of a child and evading arrest. The Marshall PD was aided in the arrest effort by the Joint Harrison County Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, Daingerfield PD, Morris County Sheriff’s Office and Texas DPS.

In a news release from the Marshall Police Department, Marshall Police Chief Cliff Carruth said, “This is a great example of the Marshall Police Department and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office working together and coordinating with regional law enforcement to stop dangerous individuals who are accused of violent crimes in our community.”

After his arrest, Payton was booked into the Morris County Jail where he awaits transfer to the Harrison County Jail.

TYLER – Smith County law enforcement Tuesday arrested a Eustace man for organizing what authorities identify as a plot for gang members to murder a man in 2020. According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Edwards, who was known to be the Sergeant at Arms of a local 1%er Cossacks “outlaw motorcycle gang chapter” was found shot to death off FM 850 in Chapel Hill in May 2020.

Authorities said that 38-year-old Chad Crowell, identified as the National Sergeant at Arms of the Ugly Man Cossacks called a Sergeant at Arms meeting in Fall 2019 where he told those attending, if they see a member of the 1%er Cossacks “you are to put him down.” The club rivalry is due in part to each “club” claiming to be the “real Cossacks” and operating in the same area.

Investigators said that “smash on site” order came from national leadership. Crowell’s bail has been set at $2.5 million.

KILGORE – Two individuals are currently in custody after Kilgore PD responded to an armed home invasion that was reportedly ‘centered around a vape.’ According to the Kilgore Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance in the 600 block of Harris Street on Wednesday night to investigates a report that two men broke into a residence with a machete and assaulted the residents. It was reported that the incident was centered around a stolen vape. The police department said that both of the residents had received injuries from the assault and the suspects had fled before officers arrived. Kilgore PD said that with the help of the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office and the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office they were able to place an 18-year-old and 17-year-old in custody at their residence and seized a weapon as evidence. Both suspects are currently being held in the Kilgore Municipal Jail for burglary of a habitation.