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BULLARD — Our news partner KETK is reporting that a former employee at Bullard Intermediate School has been arrested amidst an ongoing criminal investigation involving child sex crimes. On Oct. 15, the Bullard ISD Police Department interviewed the suspect, Bryan Taylor, who was relieved from his position on the same day after having only been working there for three months. The school district said all screenings and background checks were conducted as district procedures require.

On Wednesday, Taylor was arrested at his residence and booked into the Anderson County Jail. He has been charged with unlawful restraint and attempted sexual performance by a child and is being held on a $1 million bond. Continue reading Former Bullard employee charged with attempted child sex

TYLER – Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) has lifted the Stage 2 mandatory water restrictions that went into effect earlier this month while the Lake Palestine Water Treatment Plant was offline after multiple critical equipment failures and flooding in the filter pipe gallery. To help protect the system and maintain reliable service citywide during that time, TWU activated Stage 2 of the City’s Drought Contingency and Emergency Demand Management Plan, which called for a 10% reduction in total daily water use. Repairs have progressed enough to allow the plant to resume operations safely. With both the Lake Palestine and Golden Road Water Treatment Plants now contributing to the water supply, system pressure and capacity have stabilized. Continue reading Tyler Water Utilities lifts stage two water restrictions

TYLER – Smith County officials said in a release, that one of Smith County’s polling places will be closed for the rest of Wednesday after the water was shut off because of a water main break. The Heritage Building, at 1900 Bellwood Road in Tyler, is the polling place affected. Smith County Elections Administrator Michelle Allcon said she is notified the Texas Secretary of State’s Office this morning. County officials feel the break will be fixed the end of Wednesday.

There are four other early voting locations open until 5 p.m. today:
• The Hub, 304 E. Ferguson St., Tyler
• Lindale Kinzie Community Center, 912 Mt. Sylvan St., Lindale
• Noonday Community Center, 16662 County Road 196, Tyler
• Whitehouse Methodist Church, 405 W. Main St., Whitehouse

Early voting continues through October 31, and Election Day is November 4. There are 17 Texas Constitutional Amendment Propositions on the ballot, as well as several city and school elections throughout Smith County. They can be found by visiting the Smith County website.

 

TYLER — After being notified this morning by the City of Tyler that the water would be shut off all day, the Cotton Belt Building is closed for the day, Wednesday, October 22.

The Smith County Tax Office, Record Services Department and Texas AgriLife Extension Agency are closed and will reopen for normal business hours on Thursday, October 23.

The Tax Office Substations in Noonday, Lindale and Troup remain open today and its online services are available.

HARRISON COUNTY, Texas – For the second time in a month, Ricky Hampton, whose stage name is Finess2tymes, has been arrested in East Texas on drug charges. According to Harrison County Jail records and our news partners at KETK, the rapper on Mondy was hit with eight different charges: possession of marijuana, tampering or fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair, prohibited substance/item in correctional facility, four counts of possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a dangerous drug. He was released from the county jail on Tuesday after posting a bond, which was set at $119,000.

HAWKINS – Hawkins ISD is asking voters to approve a $0.03 increase to the district’s maintenance & operations tax rate in their proposed Voter-Approval Tax Ratification Election, also known as VATRE. Our news partners at KETK report that VATRE is a local school funding election that asks voters whether to authorize the school district to access the maintenance and operations tax rate. $0.03 tax increase would account for $100 of taxable property value. Any property owner who lives in Hawkins ISD would pay 3 cents more per $100 of property value. This change is projected to generate $600,000 in funding for Hawkins’ district operations.

RUSK — Rusk Rural Water Supply Company (RRWSC) has issued a boil water notice to several areas due to a main line leak, according to our news partner KETK.

Due to the leak, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the RRWSC to notify all customers in the following areas to boil their water prior to consumption: Continue reading Main line leak prompts boil water notice in Rusk

LINDALE — A man is currently being held at the Smith County Jail after assaulting the Lindale Police chief on Saturday evening. According to an arrest affidavit and our news partner KETK, the incident occurred on 114 Cannery Row at around 7 p.m. as Lindale Chief of Police Dan Somes was directing traffic. While Somes was directing traffic, Andrew Hist was trying to turn down a street that was blocked off and proceeded to get out of his vehicle, walked over, and allegedly punched Chief Somes in his face.

Following the assault, witnesses helped Somes detain Hist until officers arrived on the scene. While witnesses and Somes attempted to detain Hist according to authorities, he tried to resist and was taken to the ground.

Hist was eventually placed under arrest after additional officers arrived on the scene and he was taken to the Smith County Jail. Following his arrest, Hist was charged with assaulting a peace officer and resisting arrest.

SMITH COUNTY — On the first three days of early voting, just under 1,400 people voted at five polling locations in Smith County. That’s according Smith County Elections Administrator Michelle Allcon. She also added that in comparing running vote totals, “That is under the 2023 numbers. By the end of the third day in 2023, we were a little over 2,100.”

There are 17 Texas Constitutional Amendment Propositions on the ballot for the November 4 Election, as well as several city and school elections throughout Smith County.  For more information about the propositions, click here.

CITY/SCHOOL ELECTIONS

The City of Whitehouse and the East Texas Municipal Utility District, as well as the Arp, Troup and Whitehouse Independent School Districts will all be holding special elections on November 4.

Early voting is being held October 20-31, at five polling locations in Tyler, Lindale, Noonday and Whitehouse. Continue reading Nearly 1,400 ballots cast in Smith County early voting

WHITEHOUSE — With early voting underway, Whitehouse ISD is proposing a voter-approval tax rate that will “enhance teachers’ salaries,” and maintain small class sizes, allowing for more one-on-one attention between students and teachers.

According to our news partner KETK, if approved, tax rates will remain one of the lowest in Smith County, the school district said, and will focus on providing a better learning environment for teachers and students. It aims to “provide the teacher salaries needed to keep & attract experienced educators,” while also focusing on maintaining small class sizes.

Additionally, if passed, it will aim to help grow the district’s college preparation programs, as well as expand academic and fine arts programs, extracurricular activities, and the special education program. It will also allow the district to maintain its current safety programs and provide additional security measures. Continue reading Whitehouse ISD proposes voter-approval tax rate

KILGORE – The Kilgore College Board of Trustees voted on Monday to name Dr. Staci Pollan Martin as the school’s interim president, since their current president Dr. Brenda Kays is retiring in February of 2026. Martin currently serves as Kilgore College’s vice president of organizational effectiveness and excellence, and she’ll officially become the college’s interim president on Nov. 1 according to our news partner KETK.

As a Kilgore College staff member since 2001, Martin has worn many hats including serving as vice president of student life and college affairs, vice president of student services, vice president of institutional planning, registrar and director of admissions.

Martin has a doctor of education degree in higher education from Texas Tech University, a masters of science degree in interdisciplinary studies from Texas A&M University–Texarkana and her bachelor’s of science degree in interdisciplinary studies from Texas A&M University. Continue reading Kilgore College names interim president

TYLER – Our news partner KETK is reporting that a Tyler man has pleaded guilty to two drug-related charges on Monday and accepted a 40 year prison sentence in connection with a 2024 fentanyl death.

Calvin Thomas Spencer, 28, was intially charged with first-degree murder, after Michael Crone, a Tyler-native, died after taking fentanyl pills. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office said Spencer was a barber at a truck stop in the 400 block of East-Northeast Loop 323 in Tyler where he was known to give Crone haircuts.

An arrest affidavit also revealed that Spencer sold Crone M-30 fentanyl pills and later died on Oct. 5, 2024. Continue reading Tyler man receives 40-year sentence in fentanyl death

JACKSONVILLE – The Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District (NTVGCD) has voted to suspend 40 controversial permit applications for high-capacity water wells in Anderson County according to our news partner KETK.

A member of the district’s board confirmed to KETK News that the NTVGCD board met in Jacksonville on Thursday and unanimously voted to suspend their consideration of 40 permit applications that were filed with their board by Pine Bliss LLC and Red Town Ranch Holdings LLC. The applications sparked controversy earlier this year when numerous East Texas public officials began to speak out against the proposed wells and their potential impact on the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer, which supplies water for much of Anderson and Houston counties.

The applications are suspended until studies can be done to determine what impact these wells could have on the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer.

East Texas State Senator Robert Nichols and State Representative Cody Harris attended the meeting on Thursday. According to Harris, the board also voted to accept a settlement offer from Sanderson Farms, a poultry company, who’s suing the district to invalidate their April vote for the permit applications. Continue reading Controversial high-capacity well applications suspended