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LONGVIEW – The preliminary autopsy report has been released in the death of Longview businessman Ron Horaney. The autopsy, which was performed June 1st, showed Horaney died from a gunshot wound to his chest and into the abdomen. The death has been ruled a homicide. Horaney, 54, was shot on Memorial Day at his home on Tryon Road, north of Longview, and later died at a local hospital. Gregg County Sheriff Maxey Cerliano Thursday announced a reward of $20,000 is being offered for the arrest and indictment of the person responsible for Horaney’s death. A sketch of a person of interest in the case was released last week.

TYLER – A major change in the flow of traffic will be taking place on Loop 323 and Highway 31 West in Tyler Sunday afternoon. TxDOT Tyler District spokesperson Kathi White says work is scheduled to begin Sunday afternoon at 3:00. The contractor will be working in preparation of moving northbound traffic to the southbound lanes. They expect the change in the traffic flow will be completed by 6:00 Monday morning, but it could be as late at 8:00am. Motorists are advised to avoid the area until the changeover is complete.

TYLER – Habitat for Humanity of Smith County has received a $100,000 grant from the Texas Veterans Commission Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. According to a news release, the grant will be used to make critical repairs on the homes of veterans in need of decent, accessible housing. Those repairs include modifications such as creating handicap accessible bathrooms, leveling of floor and new floor installation, and retooling kitchen cabinets to improve accessibility. Continue reading Smith County Habitat for Humanity Gets Big Vets’ Commission Grant

LONGVIEW — Gregg County Sheriff Maxey Cerliano Thursday announced a reward of $20,000 is being offered for the arrest and indictment of the person responsible for Longview businessman Ron Horaney’s death. According to KETK, Cerliano added authorities are hoping for additional tips. No other new information was released. Gregg County Crime Stoppers can be reached at 903-236-STOP (7867). Continue reading $20,000 Reward Offered in Horaney Homicide Case

TYLER- A reception was held Thursday afternoon for retiring Tyler Police Chief Gary Swindle. A good crowd was on hand to honor Chief Swindle and his 33 years of service to the Rose City. He announced in early April he would be retiring at the end of this month. Chief Swindle started his law enforcement career in 1982 as a a patrol officer, eventually advancing through the ranks as investigator, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, deputy chief and finally, as chief of police in 2000. In 2002, Chief Swindle was appointed by Governor Rick Perry to serve as a Commissioner on the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education. With his retirement, chief swindle says he plans to travel and spend more time with his family.

QUITMAN – An Upshur County man, wanted by area law enforcement agencies, has been arrested following a brief Wood County chase. Arrested after his vehicle wrecked just inside Upshur County was Noel Arreon Weatherby, 38, of Big Sandy. The chase started when Weatherby failed to stop when a deputy attempted a traffic stop. Not only did the suspect wreck his vehicle, so did the did the Wood County deputy chasing him. The deputy suffered minor injuries. A pregnant woman in the suspects car was airflighted to a Tyler hospital. Besides an evading arrest charge in Wood County, Weatherby is named in a felony warrant from Tyler police for evading/resisting in vehicle”. He is wanted by the Smith County Sheriff’s Department for forgery and credit card abuse” Weatherby is also wanted for burglaries in Wood County.

TYLER — A man is dead in Tyler after crashing his motorcycle. Pronounced dead at the scene was Debenaire Julian-Lemark Bell, 22, of Tyler. Just before 8:00 Thursday morning, Bell was traveling east on Loop 323, just west of Texas College Road. Police say he lost control of his bike, crossed the grass median and struck a hospital bus traveling west on the loop. The motorcycle came to a stop underneath the bus. The driver of the hospital bus, the only person on board, was not injured.

LONGVIEW — Bond has been set at $100,000 for a Kilgore man charged with intoxicated manslaughter after police say he caused a wreck that killed a Harleton teenager Wednesday night. Shortly before 9:00 Wednesday night, Longview dispatch received a call in reference to a fatal accident in the 1100 block of West Loop 281. Police say a Range Rover driven by Thomas Henkel, 33, was traveling eastbound on the Loop when he crossed over the center median striking a Ford Escape, driven by Lauren Elrod, 16. Elrod was ejected from her vehicle. She was pronounced dead at the scene. Henkel was charged with intoxication manslaughter and was booked into the Gregg County Jail.

NACOGDOCHES – Nacogdoches police have identified the child that died in an accident involving a rope Sunday. According to KETK, she’s Addison Perez, 8. Officers said the girl had been playing with a rope on a stairwell and, somehow, the rope wrapped around her neck. She died Monday at a Houston hospital. Police said they do believe it was an accident but are still investigating the case, along with CPS.

LINDALE – The Lindale city council has passed a resolution placing City Manager Craig Lindholm on paid leave. A news release said the action was taken pending further action in accordance with the city charter. It was said that the action was taken because of a difference in managerial style from what the city council had expected. No further information was provided. The press release, which was sent by an agency not affiliated with the city, was signed by Lindale Mayor Jeff Daugherty. Lindholm has been in Lindale a couple of years. He was in city government in Texarkana before coming to Lindale in 2014. He replaced former city manager Owen Scott, who retired.

TYLER – Persons flying out of Tyler Pounds Regional Airport will be seeing an expedited screening program. The Transportation Security Administration announced Wednesday the start of TSA Pre✓. This allows select flyers to leave on their shoes, light outerwear and belt, keep their laptop in its case and keep 3-1-1 compliant liquids/gels in a carry-on bag. The Tyler airport becomes on of more than 160 airports in the country where passengers can experience expedited screening. Continue reading Expedited Screening Coming to the Tyler Airport

TYLER — Sales tax allocations for some East Texas cities continue to slide. The state comptroller’s office has sent out sales tax allocations for June, based upon sales made in April. They are sending out $618 million around the state, which is down 1.8% from June of last year. Tyler’s June allocation of $2.9 million is down nearly 11% from the same period last year. Tyler’s yearly allocation is off nearly 5 1/2%. Longview’s June sales tax allocation of $2.1 million is off 8.3% from June of 2015. For the year, Longview’s sales tax allocation is off just over 7%.

TYLER — The City of Tyler has closed the Faulkner Park sprayground due to a water line break Tuesday night. Officials said sprayground is expected to reopen Thursday.

GILMER – A second teen has died as the result of a two vehicle accident in Upshur County. The crash occurred Friday night on State Highway 154, six miles west of Gilmer. Dead at the scene was Haley Johnson, 19, Big Sandy. Bailee Russell, 17, Holly Lake Ranch, died Tuesday morning. Harmony ISD Athletic Director Tim Russell on Tuesday recalled his daughter as “the most extraordinarily beautiful girl I’ve ever known.” The Department of Public safety reports the accident occurred when the other vehicle, driven by Robert Frazier, 23, Gilmer, was in the wrong lane of traffic. The girl’s took evasive action and veered left to avoid a collision at which Frazier veered right. The vehicles struck. Three people remain hospitalized as a result of the wreck. Continue reading Second Teen Dies in Upshur County Wreck

CAYUGA – One person has been killed and one injured in an Anderson County accident. The one vehicle crash occurred shortly after 1:15 Tuesday morning on U.S. Highway 287 near Cayuga. Dead at the scene was Jennifer Elliott, 34, of Canton. She was a passenger in the car and was thrown from the vehicle. The driver, Cash Price, 28, of Canton, was treated and released from a Palestine Hospital. The Department of Public Safety reports Price’s vehicle left the road, hit several trees and rolled over.

TYLER – A one vehicle accident two miles north of Tyler has killed one person. The wreck occurred shortly before 11:15 Monday night on County Road 4114. Dead at the scene was Gregory McKeehan, 35, of Lindale. According to the Department of Public Safety, McKeehan’s pickup was heading west when it left the road, hit a tree, and overturned.

LONGVIEW – A burglar alarm has led to the arrest of two Longview burglary suspects. The burglar alarm went off just before 2:00 Monday morning at a business on West Loop 281. The suspects were gone when police arrived. Their vehicle was found a short time later. In the vehicle officers found narcotics, guns and stolen property. Arrested were Haden Brant Satterwhite, 19, of Longview (pictured) and Shawn Wesley Maynard, 19, of Bryant, Arkansas. Continue reading Longview Police Arrest Burglary Suspects

TYLER – The plant manager at the Trane plant in Tyler,Ted Crabtree, has received an award. Trane’s parent company, Ingersoll Rand, has presented Crabtree with a Leadership Award. It was presented at the company’s global Integrated Supply Chain Conference. He was selected from among hundreds of Integrated Supply Chain leaders worldwide to receive the award. According to a company news release, the award recognizes Crabtree as a servant leader who exemplifies the key company’s values, including: integrity, respect, teamwork, innovation and courage.

WHITEHOUSE – Whitehouse High School Band Director Denny Whitley will be honored this summer. Whitley is a recipient of a 2016 Meritorious Achievement Award from the Texas Bandmasters Association. The award, which was first presented 16 years ago, honors those who exemplify the qualities of a perfect band director. Whitley has been the Whitehouse High School Band Director for the past 27 years. Previously he was band director at Clarksville High School for 13 years. Whitley will receive his award next month in San Antonio at the association’s annual convention.

BELTON (AP) – A former East Texas law enforcement officer has been convicted of capital murder in the 2014 fatal shooting of Little River-Academy police Chief Lee Dixon. David Gene Risner faces the death penalty or life in prison without parole for the slaying as Dixon responded to a report of a man with a gun. A Bell County jury on Monday convicted Risner in the June 2014 death of the only police officer in Little River-Academy, a town of about 2,000 located 60 miles northeast of Austin. The penalty phase was scheduled Tuesday in Belton. Law enforcement records show Risner formerly was a police officer in Edgewood, Gun Barrel City, and Grand Saline. He also worked for the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office.

TYLER — A truck driver has been killed in in a Tyler wreck involving two 18-wheelers. The wreck occurred shortly before 5:00 Tuesday morning on Highway 31 West near Spur 364. Killed was Steven Wayne Richter, 55, of Oglesby, Texas. The other driver was not injured. Tyler police report they have determined the tractor trailer driven by the person who was not injured was originally heading eastbound on Highway 31 west and made a U-turn to head back westbound when the two vehicles collided. Following the crash, Richter’s truck caught fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident remains under investigation.

TYLER – A suspect arrested Monday in a Tyler robbery has been charged in a second one. Arrested Monday near Lake Palestine was Wesley Devoughn Hall, 20, of Tyler. He was first charged with the May 11th robbery of the Dollar General Store at 303 West Gentry Parkway. Tuesday, a second warrant for Hall charged him with the April 9th robbery of the Family Dollar store at 1204 West Bow Street. No injuries were reported in either robbery. He remains in the Smith County Jail. His bonds total $500,000.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police are investigating a report of shots fired. According to police, around 3:30 Monday afternoon, officials responded to a house at the intersection of Scenic Drive and Spring Street. No victims were found at the location, however, authorities were notified of a male at a local emergency room with a gunshot wound. Police did confirm that the victim at the hospital, Victor Jessie, 21, was in fact connected to the shooting on Spring Street. According to KETK, Jessie suffered life-threatening injuries. No arrests have been made and police said witnesses were not cooperating with investigators.

CARTHAGE – A Gregg County man has pleaded guilty in connection to a fatal accident last year. Cody Ryan Bright, 32, of White Oak pleaded guilty Monday in state district court in Carthage to three counts of criminally negligent homicide. Bright was responsible for an accident South of Carthage in April of last year. The wreck killed a 33 year old woman, who was six months pregnant and her 11 year old daughter. Bright was sentenced to 2 years in prison on each charge, which will run consecutively for a total sentence of 6 years in prison. Under state law, that is the maximum sentence.

TYLER — For three days starting Tuesday, state troopers around Texas will be taking part in Roadcheck 2016. It’s an enforcement effort that will be taking place across North America. State trooper Jean Dark of Tyler says the object of the intensified commercial vehicle inspections is to increase motor carrier, vehicle, driver and cargo safety and security. The DPS will be looking for commercial vehicles, including buses, with serious equipment violations and drivers out of compliance with state and federal requirements. Continue reading Road Check 2016 Starts Today

TYLER – A suspect has been arrested in Tyler robbery last month. Wesley Devoughn Hall, 20, of Tyler was arrested Monday by the United States Marshal Service Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force. A Crimestoppers tip led officers to the suspect near Lake Palestine. He was wanted in the May 11th robbery of the Dollar General Store on West Gentry Parkway. He was named a suspect the da yafter the robbery. His bond was set at $250,000.