EAST TEXAS – On Wednesday, Van Zandt County Commissioners voted to pass a moratorium, pausing all planned green energy projects in the county until Attorney General Ken Paxton investigates their full effects. According to our news partner KETK, the moratorium passed unanimously, pausing construction of nine battery storage units and seven solar projects in the county. This fight has been ongoing since 2024, when the Finnish-based company Taaleri Energia announced the Amador Bess Project in rural Canton.
Given the proximity of international infrastructure to their homes, national security is a major concern for many residents. Continue reading Lithium storage on hold
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Ukraine's Vladyslav Heraskevych, with his helmet, which features pictures of people killed in the war with Russia. Heraskevych was ruled out of the Men's Skeleton event by the International Olympic Committee just over an hour before competition began, pictured at the Cortina Sliding Centre, on day six of the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics, Italy. Picture date: Thursday February 12, 2026. (Andrew Milligan/PA Images via Getty Images)
(LONDON) -- A Ukrainian athlete has been disqualified and had his accreditation withdrawn at the Winter Olympics after insisting on wearing a “helmet of remembrance” as a tribute to people killed in his country’s ongoing war with Russia, officials said.
Vladyslav Heraskevych, a medal hopeful in skeleton and the Ukrainian flag bearer in the opening ceremonies last Friday, learned of the decision shortly before he was supposed to compete in the men’s skeleton competition on Thursday morning.
The International Olympic Committee said that it had “decided with regret to withdraw his accreditation for the Milano Cortina 2026 Games” after meeting with Heraskevych. The committee cited his refusal to compromise on wearing the helmet that he said honored those pictured on his helmet.
"I am disqualified from the race,” Heraskevych said following his disqualification. “Certainly we didn't find common ground in this regard (with the International Olympic Committee).
The IOC said that they were “very keen” for the athlete to compete and made multiple and repeated attempts to reach a compromise with Heraskevych.
“The IOC was very keen for Mr Heraskevych to compete. This is why the IOC sat down with him to look for the most respectful way to address his desire to remember his fellow athletes who have lost their lives following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” the IOC said in their statement on Thursday morning.
“The essence of this case is not about the message,” said the IOC. “It is about where he wanted to express it.”
Olympic organizers said Heraskevych was able to display his helmet in all training runs and that they offered him the option of “displaying it immediately after the competition when going through the mixed zone.”
“It's not about the messaging, it's literally about the rules and the regulations,” said IOC President Kirsty Coventry. “In this case, the field of play, we have to be able to keep a safe environment for everyone, and sadly that means no messaging is allowed.”
The IOC said that it informed Heraskevych on Tuesday that his helmet was “not compliant with the Olympic Charter … in particular the IOC’s Guidelines on Athlete Expression.”
The alternative the IOC offered was to allow him to wear a black armband or black ribbon as an alternative solution to the use of the helmet, but Heraskevych refused.
“I believe we didn't violate any rules,” Heraskevych said. "I see big inconsistencies in decisions, in the wording, in the press conferences of the IOC, and I believe it's the biggest problem that it's inconsistent.”
Heraskevych went further and said that this incident “looks like discrimination because athletes were already expressing themselves.”
"[A] U.S. figure skater, Canadian freeskier [and] Israeli skeleton athlete who is also here today, they didn't face the same things,” Heraskevych claimed. “So suddenly just a Ukrainian athlete in this Olympic Games will be disqualified for this helmet which is not violating any rules."
Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Amdrii Sybiha issued a statement on Thursday saying that “future generations will recall this as a moment of shame.”
“He simply wanted to commemorate fellow athletes killed in war,” Sybiha said. “There is nothing wrong with that under any rules or ethics. The IOC intimidated, disrespected, and even lectured our athlete and other Ukrainians on how they should keep quiet about ‘one of 130 conflicts in the world.’”
The final decision was made Thursday morning, according to the IOC, when Heraskevych met with Coventry who subsequently explained to him “one final time, the IOC position.”
“As in the personal meetings before, he refused to change his position,” the IOC said.
Heraskevych, meanwhile, said that his fight for justice is not over even if he won’t be competing in the Milano Cortina Olympic Games.
"I believe we need to continue to fight for our rights,” Heraskevych said. “I told you from day one that I do not agree with what the IOC says to us, so probably we will prepare a CAS (Court of Arbitration for Sport) case and we will defend our rights in CAS.”
GLADEWATER — Gladewater ISD is asking voters to approve an $8.1 million bond for safety upgrades, new buses and career and technical education improvements, a proposal district officials say would not increase the current tax rate. The single-proposition bond would span 15 years and address transportation needs, facility renovations and equipment upgrades across the district, according to our news partner KETK.
Superintendent Rae Ann Patty said the bond would not raise the district’s interest and sinking (I&S) tax rate, which is currently .253336. The district passed a bond in 2014 that is set to expire in 2045 and has since paid down that debt enough to add the proposed $8.1 million while maintaining the same tax rate, according to Patty.
The proposal includes the purchase of new school buses that meet updated safety standards, including seatbelt requirements. Patty said that if the bond does not pass, buses would still be prioritized but the number purchased would be reduced due to budget constraints. Continue reading $8.1M bond, but no tax increase
PALESTINE — A man was arrested in Palestine on Wednesday for allegedly promoting child pornography online. The Palestine Police Department began an investigation in January after receiving several reports from the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. It was reported that an individual living on Crestline Drive was uploading, downloading and distributing child sexual abuse material online. Further investigation led police to believe that the IP address used to upload the images was linked to the same residence.
On Wednesday, the police department searched the home and arrested 27-year-old Juan Carlos Torres. He has been booked into the Anderson County Jail on charges of promotion of child pornography and is being held on a $500,000 bond.
UPDATE: As of Thursday afternoon, the teens are in stable condition and Tyler PD said the injuries are non-life threatening. More information will be released as the investigation continues.
TYLER — Two teenagers were injured in a shooting Wednesday night on Gentry Parkway near the Banana Tree Club. According to Tyler Police Department PIO Andy Erbaugh and our news partner KETK, officers were dispatched at approximately 9:03 p.m. to the 1000 block of West Gentry Parkway following a call reporting an aggravated assault.
At the scene, officials found two 14-year-old victims with gunshot wounds. One teen had been shot multiple times in the leg and the other sustained one gunshot wound to the arm. Erbaugh said emergency medical services (EMS) responded and began treating the victims at the scene. Authorities said the suspect fled in a white vehicle last seen traveling west on Bow Street. No suspects have been detained as of Wednesday night.
Detectives and crime scene personnel are en route to the scene of the crime to begin an investigation. Additional details have yet to be released. This is a developing story and KETK News will update this article as more information becomes available.
HENDERSON COUNTY – The Henderson Sheriff’s Office has confirmed two have died in a plane crash near Echo Lake early Wednesday evening. According to our news partner KETK, Chip Crist, a cattle owner near the crash site, said the plane, which had left Florida, refueled in Nacogoches before attempting to continue its flight. Along with fire and police units at the scene, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Federal Aviation Administration are also there.
SMITH COUNTY — In a step towards pet care affordability, Smith County Commissioners have approved the launch of a new low-cost spay and neuter clinic in Tyler. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Smith County Animal Shelter and the Animal Protection League (APL). According to our news partner KETK, the APL has been dedicated to serving surrounding communities for years, offering affordable spay-and-neuter services and vaccinations. With the green light from the commissioners, they will now have a central location to operate from every Tuesday.
The clinic will be conveniently set up in the parking lot behind the county shelter, making it easier for pet owners to access essential services for their furry family members. Continue reading Affordable pet clinic approved
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Van Zandt County officials on Wednesday issued a 30-day burn ban, citing dangerous fire conditions. The ban prohibits any outdoor burning in the county’s unincorporated areas for 30 days beginning Wednesday, the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal said.
LONGVIEW — A man was found guilty on Wednesday for a dog attack that killed a person in February 2024 in Longview. According to our news partner KETK, a district court jury in Longview found Martin Rodriguez guilty of a second-degree felony for a fatal dog attack, after he pleaded not guilty on Tuesday. The attack happened early Feb. 1, 2024, the Longview Police Department responded to a report of a bicycle on a roadway in the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Rayburn Drive area.
Officers found 46-year-old Kenneth Pierson deceased with dog bite wounds along with the bicycle. Following an investigation and an autopsy, the police department obtained an arrest warrant for Rodriguez. Multiple dogs were taken from his home and he was arrested and booked into the Gregg County Jail for animals at large charges. Rodriquez could face up to 20 years in prison for the verdict. Pierson’s mother has filed a lawsuit against Rodriquez, the City of Longview, Zachary Decker and Decker Properties on behalf of her son.
UPDATE: I-20 has reopened and traffic flow has returned to normal, according to the Marshall Police Department.
MARSHALL – Interstate 20 westbound through the City of Marshall is currently shut down following an accident involving an 18-wheeler. According to the Marshall Police Department, traffic is being rerouted off I-20 onto US 59 North, then directed over to State Highway 43 South. This detour is creating significant traffic backups and delays in the area.
Motorists are strongly encouraged to avoid the area if possible and plan alternate routes.Drivers who must travel through the area should anticipate slowdowns, use caution, and remain patient and courteous to other motorists.The closure and rerouting are expected to remain in effect until approximately 6:00 p.m.
TYLER – The City is taking a steady approach to planning permanent repairs on a drainage culvert along East Elm Street, following the discovery of damage. On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the City Council approved two contracts to assess the extent of the damage and began planning repairs to protect nearby buildings and public infrastructure.
On Nov. 10, of last year, the City discovered that a section of a stormwater box culvert along Elm Street, between Broadway Avenue and Spring Avenue, had collapsed. This led to a large washout/void behind the culvert, leaving the culvert’s roof unsupported and in distress. Emergency shoring was installed within the culvert that month to prevent further collapse and soil washout. The box culvert is 90 to 100 years old or older and contains damaged areas beyond the collapsed section that require repair or replacement. Continue reading East Elm Street repairs
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EAST TEXAS – On Wednesday, Van Zandt County Commissioners voted to pass a moratorium, pausing all planned green energy projects in the county until Attorney General Ken Paxton investigates their full effects. According to our news partner KETK, the moratorium passed unanimously, pausing construction of nine battery storage units and seven solar projects in the county. This fight has been ongoing since 2024, when the Finnish-based company Taaleri Energia announced the Amador Bess Project in rural Canton.
HENDERSON COUNTY – The Henderson Sheriff’s Office has confirmed two have died in a plane crash near Echo Lake early Wednesday evening. According to our news partner KETK, Chip Crist, a cattle owner near the crash site, said the plane, which had left Florida, refueled in Nacogoches before attempting to continue its flight. Along with fire and police units at the scene, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Federal Aviation Administration are also there.
