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ANDERSON COUNTY – The budget reconciliation bill was signed into law by President Donald Trump this weekend, leaving one East Texas organization concerned for the future of food aid for elder Americans according to our news partner KETK.

Tri-County Meals on Wheels serves more than 280,000 meals annually to senior citizens in Anderson, Cherokee and Rusk counties. This new budget suspension has caused them a $1,000 monthly loss of revenue, in a time when the service is needed. The program receives around five calls a week with seniors interested in receiving meal delivery but they may be redirected to a wait list. However the Meals on Wheels in-person cafeteria is continuing to serve lunch as usual.

The organization is encouraging the community to make monetary donations and to volunteer as Meals on Wheels delivery drivers. To learn more, visit Tri-County Meals on Wheels online.

TITUS COUNTY — A woman was charged with manslaughter last week after allegedly killing her daughter in a crash back in June.

According to our news partner KETK and the Department of Public Safety crash report, Margarita Josefina Barrera was driving her 2013 Nissan westbound on FM 899 with her 4-year-old daughter sitting in the third row of the car. According to the report, Barrera was distracted while driving due to another passenger asking for the music to be turned up. DPS said that Barrera was using her phone while driving the vehicle and was failing to drive in a single lane. Due to her distracted driving, Barrea eventually veered off the road and attempted to re-enter the roadway. Her tire caught the edge of the asphalt, causing the vehicle to overturn to its right side. Barrera’s daughter was ejected from the car and later died at Children’s Hospital in Dallas.

Further investigation revealed that the booster seat Barrera’s daughter was sitting in was not appropriate for her age. Following the investigation, Barrera was charged with manslaughter on July 2.

GILMER – A head-on crash in Upshur county has taken the lives of a 53-year-old man and an 11-year-old boy. It happened on Farm to Market Road 852 east of Lake Gilmer at around 1PM Monday. A full-sized SUV was driven by a 16-year-old boy from Gilmer and in the vehicle were 16 -year-old girl and 17-year-old boy, all from Gilmer. Coming the other way on FM-852 was a mid-sized pickup driven by 53-year-old Ignacio Gonzales. Also in the truck was an 11-year-old boy. The SUV crossed over the center stripe on the road and slammed into the pickup, killing both people on board. The investigation is continuing.

NACOGDOCHES – A multi-state offender was sentenced to eight years in prison on Thursday after forcefully spitting in the face of a Nacogdoches police officer in 2024, our news partner KETK reports.

According to the Nacogdoches County District Attorney’s Office, around 1 a.m. on March 16, 2024 police officers were contacted by a citizen that said a person, later identified as 38-year-old Darin Brian Pagel of Nacogdoches, was lying in their yard.

Officers found Pagel to be intoxicated and he was taken into custody for public intoxication when he became agitated. Officials said while Pagel was being searched he “forcefully spat at the officer.” Continue reading Nacogdoches man gets eight years after spitting on police officer

TYLER – A man was arrested on the Fourth of July after he admitted to kicking and striking his dog with a surge protector power strip in Tyler, our news partner KETK reports.

According to the arrest affidavit from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, on Friday around 3:30 a.m. Tyler Police talked to Bryson Joe Jeffery at his home on Broadway Avenue after he tortured his dog.

“Jeffery stated upon returning home he found his female dog had caused damage inside his residence which upset him,” the document said. “In frustration Jeffery began to torture the dog by throwing the dog across the home, kicking it, hitting it and striking it with a surge protector power strip which was located broken inside the home.” Continue reading Tyler man arrested after using power strip to strike his dog

TYLER — Our news partner KETK reports that J-Star Ministries of Harleton headed to Kerrville on Sunday afternoon with supplies for people in their hour of need after catastrophic flooding hit Central Texas on Friday.

Patrick Johnson is the founder of J-Star and he goes to the hardest hit areas around the nation to bring relief to families in need. When he heard the death toll rise in Kerr County, he broke down in tears and said he had to do something to help.

Months ago, the Kilgore Lion’s Club chose to honor J-Star at their convention and gifted him with cleaning supplies, toothbrushes, deodorant, first aid kits, water and nonperishables items. He will distribute those items in central Texas and is asking for more donations for an upcoming second trip to Kerrville.

Johnson first left for Kerr County on Sunday afternoon and will return back to East Texas with a more specific list for their needs. He told KETK News a big need will be shoes for all ages. Continue reading Local organizations lead disaster relief for Kerr County

LAKE PALESTINE – Smith County Emergency Services District 2’s Marine 166 dive and swift water rescue boat had an eventful day at Lake Palestine on Saturday, our news partner KETK reports.

According to the district, the boat first responded to a fire that happened at a private dock at around 7 a.m. on Saturday morning. Marine 166 was able to quickly respond and the fire was extinguished with help from Smith County Emergency Services District 2’s Battalion 1.

Later on Saturday, Marine 166 and Engine 166 responded to a boat that sank on Lake Palestine. The two boaters onboard were able to make it into shore uninjured but the district warned that the boat is sticking out of the water and is a hazard for any traffic through that part of the lake.

The boat sunk at Lake Palestine East in the cove behind Lakeway Habor, around 30 yards from the nearby docks. Texas Game Wardens have been contacted to help remove the boat.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Our news partner KETK reports that a motorcyclist is dead after they ran into a pickup truck in Cherokee County on Sunday evening.

Officials received a call at around 7:25 p.m. of a crash on County Road 4401 between a pickup truck pulling a trailer and a motorcycle.

DPS said the pickup truck was traveling eastbound, and the motorcyclist was traveling westbound on the same roadway when the motorcycle struck the front left of the pickup. The person was ejected from the bike and was found dead on the scene.

The victim’s name has not been released to the media at this time, and more information will be added as it becomes available.

KERRVILLE – As the death toll from recent flooding rises in Central Texas, many organizations from across the state are stepping up to help raise money for flood recovery efforts.

On Sunday, the Associated Press reported that at least 70 people have been killed and 11 campers from Camp Mystic are still missing after flash flooding raised the Guadalupe River in Kerr County by 26 feet in under an hour on Friday.

Our news partner KETK has put together the following fundraisers and volunteering efforts that are being organized to help communities in Kerr County and across Central Texas. Continue reading Here’s how to help flood survivors in Central Texas

TEXARKANA – According to our new partner KETK, Texarkana will now join more than 200 Film Friendly Texas Certified Communities from across the state. A title they hope will bring new life to the city.

When asked by a resident if this means a lot of new movies will be shot in Texarkana, a representative from the city responded, “Hopefully! This designation essentially gives us a stamp of approval from the governor’s office and shows filmmakers that we have gone through the proper steps to educate ourselves on being a community and city open and ready to welcome TV and film production. The sky’s the limit!”

Governor Greg Abbott welcomed the city and stressed the economic importance to cities like Texarkana. Continue reading Gov. Abbott officially names Texarkana as Film Friendly

TYLER – Three people were transported to a local hospital after a tanker truck and a car crashed on U.S. Highway 271 near Interstate 20 on Saturday, according to our news partner KETK.

Smith County Emergency Services District 2 said law enforcement and EMS responded to the scene of a two-vehicle crash between a Nissan Altima and a tanker truck at around 2:11 p.m. on Saturday. 3 people in the Nissan were severely injured or had life-threatening injuries and had to be extracted from the vehicle before being taken to a local hospital.

Smith County Emergency Services District 2 officials told KETK that one person in the tanker truck was also injured and that part of Highway 271 was blocked by the crash on Saturday.

TYLER – As officials continue to try and help survivors of catastrophic flooding, several East Texas firefighters from Smith County and Lufkin have been deployed to assist in central Texas, according to our news partner KETK.

The Lufkin Fire Department deployed Engine 3 to Central Texas with captains Petty and Grace and firefighters Jernigan and Maskunas, as a part of the TIFMAS program. The crew left just before 12 p.m. on Saturday in order to meet with other departments that are gathering together to form a strike team. On Friday, the Lufkin Fire Department also deployed Driver-Operator Byrum and Firefighter Barnes as a part of the Emergency Medical Task Force that’s assisting residents of central Texas.

Smith County Emergency Services District 2 said a member of their district was deployed to Llano on Friday to assist in search and rescue operations there. The district member was activated by the Texas State Operations Center as a part of the Texas A&M Task Force 2.

TITUS COUNTY – The Titus County Sheriff’s Office said a man has been arrested for cockfighting after officials were alerted to an “illegal cockfighting event” on Friday.

According to our news partner KETK, their deputies and investigators were given information about an “illegal cockfighting event” that was being held in the 900 block of County Road 3925 in the early hours of July 4th. Investigators reviewed statements and evidence before applying for a search and arrest warrant from 276th District Judge Michael Kopech. The warrant was issued and the sheriff’s office searched the property.

Timothy C. Thompson, 52 of Titus County, was then arrested for cockfighting and four counts of cruelty to a livestock animal, according to a post from the sheriff’s office. Thompson has been booked into the Titus County Jail and is currently waiting for his arraignment by a magistrate judge.

The sheriff’s office said they are continuing to investigate other potential suspects in this case.