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TYLER — Carlton Champion was sentenced to life in prison for murder Friday. A Tyler jury Thursday afternoon found Champion, 21, of Tyler guilty in the January death of transgender woman Tyrone Lee Underwood, 24. Tyler police say the two were romantically involved at some point. Continue reading Carlton Champion Jr. Sentenced to Life In Prison

WASHINGTON D.C. – Congressman Louie Gohmert has voted against the year-end federal spending bill, and he’s explaining why. In a prepared statement, Gohmert said the Omnibus “included some good initiatives such as ending the ban on oil exports,” but “the President’s war against people with jobs involving coal is funded as are federal programs that allow millions more acres to be put off limits for oil, gas, or other mineral production.” Gohmert also bemoaned the bill’s continued funding of Planned Parenthood. He additionally criticized “full funding of President Obama’s plan for bringing alleged Syrian refugees into the United States – ‘alleged’ because there is no way to be sure where they are actually from or who they really are.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. — President Obama has granted commutations of sentence to 95 people, including an East Texan, and pardoned two others. KETK reports the president commuted the sentence of Tommy Lynn Johnson, 60, of Athens. He was sentenced to 511 months in prison and five years supervised release for a variety of drug and weapon charges. Among others, those included conspiracy to manufacture, distribute, and possess with intent to manufacture and distribute methamphetamine; and possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime. Johnson’s sentence was amended to 481 months in prison on October 6, 2015, with his term expiring on April 16, 2016.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department Saturday holds the first of three educational public meetings on the new Texas open carry law that takes effect Jan. 1. All the gatherings will be held at Maude Cobb Convention Center. The meetings are scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m.; Monday, Dec. 21, at 6 p.m.; and Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 6 p.m. Police say an in-depth question and answer session will follow each presentation.

TYLER — A former vice-president and trust officer at Regions Bank in Tyler Texas has pleaded guilty in federal court to structuring financial transactions to avoid reporting requirements. Carol D. Rushton, 53, appeared Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Nicole Mitchell, waived grand jury indictment, and pleaded guilty to a one-count information. Federal prosecutors say Rushton caused nine separate transactions of $10,000 or less, totaling $70,500.00, from November 3, 2010-August 15, 2012, at the Regions Bank in Tyler for the purposes of evading federal reporting requirements. She is now facing a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison and a fine not to exceed $250,000.00. A sentencing hearing has not been.

AUSTIN — Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Kimberly Fish od Longview and Col. Jeanette Sterner (Ret.) of Holly Lake Ranch, and reappointed Cary M. “Mac” Abney of Marshall, to the Sabine River Authority Board of Directors. Their terms are set to expire on July 6, 2021. Continue reading Three Appointed to the Sabine River Authority Board

MARSHALL — A TxDOT employee and former Marshall firefighter was arrested Tuesday in Marshall on a Cass County warrant for online solicitation of a minor younger than age 14. That’s according to KETK and the Longview Neww-Journal. “It involved numerous e-mails and texts back and forth,” Cass County District Attorney Randal Lee said Wednesday, regarding the allegations. “She was a teenager.” According to jail records, the defendant, 42-year-old Danny Michael Duncan, has a Jefferson address, 139 County Road 1640 N. He was arrested by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. As of Wednesday evening, Duncan was still in the custody of the Harrison County Jail under a $25,000 bond. “We will pick him up as soon as possible,” said Lee. Continue reading Former Marshall Firefighter Jailed for Online Minor Solicitation

GILMER — A Gilmer man accused of murdering his wife was indicted Wednesday morning by an Upshur County grand jury. According to KETK, deputies arrested Roger Dale Mullins, Jr., 33, early in the morning of October 3, following a standoff beginning late on October 2. Authorities found his wife, Angela LeeAnn Mullins, 24, dead inside the couple’s home off FM 49. Law enforcement responded to the scene after receiving a call about a man with a gun at the home. The suspect’s bond is set at $1 million on one count of murder. He remains in the Upshur County Jail.

WOOD COUNTY — The National Weather Service has determined damage sustained in the Quitman area during Sunday morning storms was not due to a tornado. According to KETK, the NWS says straight line winds were responsible for damage from Randy Road to County Road 4116. Officials received reports of snapped and uprooted trees. Some of those fell on homes, vehicles, and farm buildings in the area. A survey team said peak winds were estimated at 85 miles per hour. No injuries were reported in the incident.

TYLER — Brookshire Grocery Company’s Board of Directors announced Thursday that Rick Rayford has retired as president and CEO, and that Chairman of the Board Bradley W. Brookshire will serve as the company’s chairman and CEO. Bradley Brookshire said in a news release that the company appreciates Rayford’s 44 years of service to the firm. The grandson of company founder Wood T. Brookshire, Bradley W. Brookshire has served as chairman of the board since 2007. He’s part of the third generation of the Brookshire family to lead the company, long a top-tier player in the Tyler economy. He has 38 years of service and has served in various leadership roles. In a statement to the company’s employees, Brookshire thanked them for their support, particularly in recent months as the board evaluated a range of strategic alternatives for the company.

LA MARQUE (AP) — An exotic car salvage yard owner in Lufkin has been sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison after pleading guilty to insurance fraud. The Houston Chronicle reports that in November 2009, Andy House drove his sports car into the Gulf Bay in the La Marque area and left it running in the water. The vehicle was destroyed after the engine was flooded with saltwater. House purchased the 2006 Bugatti Veyron for $1 million in October 2009, and insured the car for $2.2 million. In an insurance claim, House said he swerved into the water after reaching for his cell phone. The insurers accepted the claim. Another motorist later posted a video of the incident on YouTube. House must pay back the settlement of about $600,000 and will have to serve three years of supervised release.

TYLER — The City of Tyler Main Street Department has launched its new holiday ornament sale with an ornament depicting the People’s Petroleum Building in downtown Tyler. Each piece is $15, and all net proceeds benefit the Main Street Department. Ornaments may be purchased at Gallery Main Street, 110 W. Erwin. Main Street Director Beverly Abell notes that her department has to fundraise a significant portion of its budget even though Main Street is part of city government. She says along with using the ornament to raise money, Main Street also raises awareness of the many historic buildings downtown. Continue reading New Downtown Tyler Ornament Series on Sale at Gallery Main Street

ALBA — A Quitman woman has been killed in a two-vehicle wreck in Alba. According to KETK, Alba Police Chief Tim Koonce says at 6:30 Tuesday evening, Jo Ann Hughes, 74, was driving her SUV north on Farm Road 17 when she stopped at the intersection of Highway 69 and then attempted to cross. A semi headed south on Highway 69 struck Hughes’s vehicle. Hughes was pronounced dead at the scene. Another passenger in her SUV was critically injured and taken to a local hospital. He has been identified as Robert Dyer, 66. No other injuries were reported.

HENDERSON — The State Fire Marshal’s Office is now assisting in the investigation of a fire in which an East Texas student was found dead. KETK reports that word comes from Henderson Police Department Lt. Chad Taylor. Taylor added that according to fire officials, it could be up to a month before more information is known because the home was destroyed. At this time, no foul play is suspected. The Webster Drive residence caught fire Sunday. Authorities responded around 11:36 p.m. and were able to save one teenage boy, but 14-year-old William Gonzalez died in the fire. Fire and police officials are investigating the incident. A cause of the fire and point of origin are not known at this time.

TYLER – A vehicle-pedestrian accident in Smith County has killed two persons. The accident happened just before 8:45 Tuesday morning on Farm Road 2767 about four miles east of Tyler. Dead at the scene was Luis Morales-Vega, 38, of Tyler, and Randy Smith, Jr., 26, of Kilgore. The two, along with a third person who was not injured, were standing beside a disabled vehicle when they were hit by a pickup driven by Ashley McGill, 30, of Tyler. Continue reading Two Killed in Smith County Accident

AUSTIN — Thirteen Tyler schools appear on the Texas Education Agency’s list of schools that are failing. They appear on the agency’s Public Education Grant list. A school can get on the list one of two ways: If at least half the students fail any STAAR subject for two of the past three years, reading, writing, math, science and social studies; or if a school was rated “improvement required” in the state accountability system even once during the past three years. Continue reading Some Area Schools’ Grades are Not Passing

LaRUE — Work continues on repairing U.S. Highway 175 between Farm Road 804 and Loop 60/Farm Road 607 at LaRue and east of Athens in Henderson County. Saturday’s rains caused a washout of the road. The road has been shut down, requiring detours. Continue reading U.S. 175 Repairs to Take a Little Longer

LONGVIEW — Brookshire Grocery Co. has purchased about 8 acres on the Fourth Street extension in Northeast Longview, but the Tyler company is mum on its plans for the parcel. That’s according to the Longview News-Journal. Tom Eberhart, co-owner of Eberhart-Miller Real Estate Services in Longview, said Monday that Brookshire closed last week on the property in the Park Central retail and office development. Park Central is about 50 acres total. It is bordered by Hinsley Park on the east and a new Hilton Garden Inn on the west. A Super Sonic restaurant recently opened at the extension’s intersection with Hawkins Parkway. Continue reading Brookshire Grocery Co. Buys Property in Northeast Longview

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department is doing its part to familiarize residents with ramifications of the new Texas open carry law that takes effect Jan. 1. The police department has scheduled three public meetings, all at Maude Cobb Convention Center, to educate the community on the new law. The meetings are scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 19, at 10 a.m.; Monday, Dec. 21, at 6 p.m.; and Tuesday, Dec. 22, at 6 p.m. Police say an in-depth question and answer session will follow each presentation.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County authorities have arrested a suspect in a fatal shooting. According to a news release, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched around 9 p.m. Monday to Highway 31 West between Bellwood Lake Drive and Pioneer Drive, where they were told a woman had shot her boyfriend. EMS was on scene loading a man into an ambulance. Deputies were able to identify a suspect and witnesses. Officials say it appears that there was some sort of disagreement between the suspect and the victim, John Wayne Pierce, 58, of Tyler. Louise Anderson, 48, has been charged with murder and booked into the Smith County Jail. KETK reports her bond is $100,000. The sheriff’s office says the case is still under investigation and further details will be released as they become available.

BEN WHEELER — Gum Creek Mercantile on Highway 64 in Ben Wheeler suffered major damage to its store after storms hit early Sunday morning, but neighbors are rallying to the cause. According to a news release from the Ben Wheeler community, Gum Creek moves into the downtown area across from Moore’s Store Restaurant this week. The release says the move will be a great Christmas gift to owners Joey Stanger and Shaun and Laura Crook. Laura Crook says she never expected the support and that the help “has been a bigger impact than can be expressed.” Laura Crook said. This Thursday is moving day. Several volunteers will help pack up and unpack Gum Creek for a Christmas Grand Opening at 4 p.m. Friday. Laura Crook is inviting everyone to the celebration Friday evening and all day Saturday. She promises “hot cider, warm hugs and plenty of cheer.”

ELDERVILLE — Authorities are investigating a fatal house fire in Rusk County as a possible homicide. KETK reports the Elderville-Lakeport Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene around 6:45 Tuesday morning after 911 received a call about smoke coming from a home on CR 2127. Human remains were found at the scene. The identity is pending. Tatum firefighters assisted with the call. The scene was cleared by firefighters at 7:35 a.m. and turned over to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office. The remains will be sent for autopsy. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. The home was destroyed.

ALTO — One person is dead following a possible electrocution in Cherokee County. According to KETK, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office reports deputies were called to County Road 2449, just north of Alto, Monday night. Upon arrival, they were were directed about 25 yards south of a residence and found Kendrick Polk, 37, of Alto, unresponsive. There were no witnesses to the incident, but officials say it appears Polk was walking toward his home and came in contact with a live power line. From the location of the injuries, the line came in contact with Polk around his waist. Continue reading Alto-Area Man Possibly Electrocuted

TYLER — Robert E. Lee High School has a new head football coach. Clayton George was named to the post at Monday night’s school board meeting. Coach George comes to Tyler from Dallas where he currently is assistant head coach and offensive coordinator at Southlake Carroll. They won state championships in 2002 and 2011. He was named as the 2015 Assistant Coach of the Year by the National Football Foundation Gridiron Club of Dallas. A 1989 Athens High School graduate, George’s coaching career has spanned over two decades in Texas, with experience at the high school, junior college, and Division I university level.

LONGVIEW — One firefighter was injured Monday morning when he fell off a catwalk while responding to a blaze in Longview. KETK reports the fire was reported at the Crosby building at Dana Way and LEDCO Drive near Highway 259. Crews responded around 10:40 a.m. and contained the flames at 11:13 a.m. The injured firefighter was taken to a local hospital; his injuries were deemed non-life-threatening. There were no reports of anyone else being hurt. The amount of damage caused by the fire is unknown at this time. Continue reading Longview Firefighter Injured on the Job

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Commissioners Court voted Monday to keep county buildings gun-free zones. KETK reports the commissioners voted 4-1 in favor of banning open carry at county locations. Precinct 2 Commissioner Darryl Primo voted against the proposal. The Texas Open Carry law kicks in on January 1, 2016. Earlier this month, Smith County Commissioners also voted to ban guns at county locations.

TYLER — Smith County Judge Joel Baker Monday signed a disaster declaration for areas affected by Saturday’s severe weather. Smith County “suffered widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property resulting from severe thunderstorms, tornadic activity, flash flooding, etc.,” the declaration states. More than 50 homes were damaged in the Lindale area, but no injuries were reported, Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson reported. She asked Judge Baker for the Disaster Declaration after Lindale Mayor Robert Nelson requested Smith County’s help in cleaning up the area. Continue reading Disaster Declaration for Smith County Signed after Severe Weather