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TYLER – An East Texas marketer is one of seven individuals who have agreed to pay a portion of a $1,459,620 settlement to resolve allegations of paying kickbacks to doctors, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

The U.S. has recently taken over civil lawsuits filed under the False Claims Act in the cases of doctors, executives and marketers who allegedly engaged in illegal payments to doctors for laboratory referrals, which were disguised as managed service organization (MSO) investments.

“The Department of Justice will continue to pursue and prioritize healthcare fraud, including redressing illegal kickbacks,” Assistant Attorney General Brett A. Shumate of the Justice Department’s Civil Division said. “Kickbacks to doctors can undermine medical decision-making, subject patients to wasteful medical treatments and squander taxpayer money.” Continue reading Tyler man to pay part of healthcare fraud settlement

AUSTIN – The Houston Chronicle reports the Texas Senate voted against delaying a controversial East Texas groundwater export project on the same day the company behind it hired one of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s top advisors as a lobbyist. Conservation Equity Management, a company affiliated with Dallas investor Kyle Bass, hired Allen Blakemore on Tuesday, the same day the legislation hit the Senate floor, according to lobbying records filed at the Texas Ethics Commission. Blakemore is Patrick’s political consultant and has also worked on the campaigns of several Republican senators. The Senate, which Patrick oversees, ultimately agreed to back a state-led study of the company’s proposal to pump huge amounts of groundwater out from under Anderson and Henderson counties. But it stripped a provision that would have put the project on hold until the findings came out in 2027. Continue reading Lobbyist hired to delay water grab bill

LUFKIN — Lufkin ISD said on Monday that an unloaded gun was found at their high school, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

The campus went into a “secure,” a safety protocol in which everyone is brought inside, all exterior doors are locked, and the school day continues as usual. Following an investigation, an unloaded firearm was found in a bathroom trash. The school has since resumed regular schedules.

“We want to thank Lufkin ISD Administration and Police Department, as well as the City of Lufkin Police Department, for a swift and professional response in keeping our students and campus safe,” Kaitlin Smith, the communications specialist for Lufkin ISD, said.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Criminal District Attorney Jacob Putman announced this week that he will be running for re-election in 2026. According to our news partner KETK, Putman has served for the past six years, and during his tenure, the district attorney’s office has expanded from 48 to 85 staff members. In 2024, Putman and his office prosecuted over 7,000 criminal cases, including 4,472 misdemeanors and 2,886 felonies.

Due to the number of cases prosecuted in 2024, the attorney’s office was named a Gold Level Agency, the highest award a victim-friendly practice can obtain from the Texas Victim Services Association.

Putman will run in next year’s Republican Primary ahead of the November election.

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County Emergency Services District 2 broke ground on its twelfth fire station, Station 76 on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, the new station will provide the unincorporated community of Jamestown with around-the-clock firefighter coverage, quickening response times to fires in the area.

Smith County ESD2 Chief Eric Greaser said Sunday, “We’re just very excited that we’re going to be able to get full time 24/7 coverage by career firefighters that are both trained as firefighters and as EMS professionals, EMTs, advanced EMTs or paramedics that’ll be working out of this facility with all the equipment that they’ll need to save lives.”

Once firefighters start working at Station 76, ESD2 will have 24/7 coverage of Smith County with 10 engine companies and three tender crews.

TYLER – The close of the second special session on Wednesday evening led to a disappointing end for House Bill 27, which would’ve required a study of new water drilling in East Texas. According to our news partner KETK, HB27 would’ve required the Texas Water Development Board to conduct a study on the effects of drilling permits on the Neches and Trinity Valley Groundwater District. HB 27 also pushed for lawmakers to allow a 16-month pause on approving drilling permits during the TWDB study. This leaves East Texans concerned about controversial groundwater drilling in the Neches and Trinity Valley area feeling let down, but not without hope. East Texas lawmakers are vowing to continue the fight.
Continue reading East Texas representatives, give reactions to failure of water bill

TYLER – One lucky East Texan has purchased a Powerball lottery ticket worth $2 million the Texas Lottery Commission announced on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, the ticket was bought at the Super Food Mart on Loop 323 in Tyler. The winner correctly guessed Saturday’s five white ball numbers, 11, 23, 44, 61 and 62 but not the red Powerball number which was 17.

Nationwide, 18 people were able to guess the five white ball numbers, earning them $1 million prizes. The Tyler winner, and one other person in Kansas, increased their prize to $2 million by including the Power Play option when they bought their ticket. The larger $1.787 billion jackpot will be split between two tickets that were sold in Missouri and Fredericksburg, Texas.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – The North Hopkins ISD Field House was damaged in fire that around 4 p.m. Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, the North Hopkins Volunteer Fire Department, Dike Volunteer Fire Department and the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office all arrived on scene and found the fire centered to a small part of the locker room. An official with the Hopkins County FD said one corner of the building sustained medium damage, while the rest of the building had smoke damage. Authorities report no injuries. The fire marshal and and Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office suspect the source of the fire is electrical. An investigation is continuing.

ODESSA – An Odessa College student from Hallsville died Thursday during cross-country practice, the school confirmed Friday morning.  According to our new partner KETK,Gage Broomall, a second-year athlete, reportedly collapsed at the start of practice Thursday afternoon. Despite immediate efforts from emergency personnel, he did not survive.

A press release from Odessa College said, “Gage was a valued member of the Odessa College Wrangler family, and his loss is deeply felt by his teammates, coaches, classmates, and all who knew him. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, friends, and loved ones during this difficult time.”

To honor Gage’s life and legacy, Odessa College and the Broomall family have established a scholarship in his name. Those wishing to contribute may do so online at: Gage Broomall Memorial Scholarship Fund.

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County Criminal District Attorney Jacob Putman announced Friday that he will be running for re-election in 2026. Putman has served for the past six years, and during his tenure, the district attorney’s office has expanded from 48 to 85 staff members. In 2024, Putman and his office prosecuted over 7,000 criminal cases, including 4,472 misdemeanors and 2,886 felonies.

Due to the number of cases prosecuted in 2024, the attorney’s office was named a Gold Level Agency, the highest award a victim-friendly practice can obtain from the Texas Victim Services Association.

“I am asking for your support so we can continue our mission,” Putman said.”My office has become a leader across Texas in innovation and excellence.”

Putman will run in next year’s Republican Primary ahead of the November election.

SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler couple was arrested after the man admitted to sexually abusing a girl, while the woman failed to report the abuse for over a year, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

Smith County deputies responded to a home in Tyler on Aug. 3, where a verbal dispute was happening between Tiara Leshai Kelly and her live-in boyfriend, Joshua Peairre Flowers. Kelly told deputies she had a recording of Flowers admitting to sexually abusing a young girl, and that this incident happened around a year ago, when they lived in Dallas, according to a Smith County arrest affidavit.

A deputy heard the recording of Flowers admitting to performing a sexual act on the victim. When confronted, Flowers denied any physical contact with the minor. Continue reading Woman aids boyfriend, allows child’s sexual abuse

MARSHALL – Three Louisiana men were arrested in East Texas after a fatal shooting sparked a multi-state chase in the early morning hours of Friday, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

In a report from the Ruston, Louisiana Police Department, around 11:50 p.m. on Thursday, officers responded to the USA Travel Plaza convenience store at 2500 West Alabama Avenue, where a fatal shooting had happened. The deceased victim was identified as 35-year-old Ontario Spivey of Ruston. Officials said they identified the suspect, 31-year-old Virgil Mack Jr. of Dubach, Louisiana, and his vehicle through video surveillance. Soon after, a “be on the lookout” alert was issued to surrounding law enforcement agencies. Continue reading Louisiana murder suspects caught in East Texas

AUSTIN — Efforts to save the life of an East Texan condemned for killing his two year old via “shaken baby syndrome” continue. In an open letter, a group of 20 exonerees are calling on the state to halt Robert Roberson’s execution. The Palestine man is scheduled to die October 16th and would be the first person ever put to death based on the now discredited science.

Sabrina Butler Smith, of Mississippi, spent more than six years in prison, two on death row, after her baby son died. She was 17. Prosecutors say the nine month old was shaken to death, but he had heart, kidney and lung issues. She was the first woman exonerated from death row in the U.S. Continue reading Save East Texan on death row continues