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TYLER — A jury duty scam is still targeting Smith County residents. In January, February, and June of this year, reports were released to the public about a jury duty scam taking place. Victims were conned out of cash via telephone by someone claiming to be with law enforcement and saying the victims owed fines for not showing up for Smith County jury duty. Wednesday, Sheriff Larry Smith announced the scam has returned with the latest report coming from a Smith County woman who did not comply with the scammers request. Continue reading Jury Duty Scam Continues in Smith County

TEXARKANA (AP/Staff) – A Northeast Texas woman who had minor acting roles in film and television has been sentenced to 18 years in prison for sending ricin-laced letters to President Barack Obama and former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Shannon Guess Richardson was sentenced Wednesday by a federal judge in Texarkana. The 36-year-old pleaded guilty in December to a federal charge of possessing and producing a biological toxin. Under the plea deal, her attorney said Richardson would serve no more than 18 years. Prosecutors say Richardson mailed three letters from New Boston, then went to police and claimed that her husband did it. Richardson was arrested in June 2013 in Mt. Pleasant. Authorities said she tried to implicate her estranged husband after he filed for divorce.

LUFKIN (AP) – An East Texas man has been accused of using dozens of stolen credit and debit card numbers to pump more than $5,000 worth of fuel during one stop. Lufkin police say a clerk became suspicious July 10 when a man took an hour to fuel his Ford F-350 pickup truck and paid with 47 different cards. Police later determined the truck bed was converted into a 600-gallon diesel tank. Jail records show Carlos Miranda of Cleveland was being held Wednesday on charges of credit or debit card abuse and driving with an invalid license. No attorney was listed for Miranda, whose bond was set at $55,000 after his arrest Tuesday refueling at the same store. Sgt. David Casper says information on the credit and debit cards Miranda used was stolen.

TYLER – Drivers who have used Toll 49 without paying may find themselves in court soon. Beginning in late July, the Smith County District Attorney’s Office will initiate legal proceedings against vehicle owners who have repeatedly ignored requests for payment. That’s according to a news release from the North East Texas Regional Mobility Authority. “The vast majority of our customers pay for their use of Toll 49,” says Everett Owen, Interim Executive Director of the NET RMA. “Those customers who pay their fair share expect that we are enforcing the law.” Continue reading Prosecutor Preparing to File Charges Against Alleged Toll 49 Scofflaws

TYLER — Six suspects have been arrested following a lengthy investigation into illegal gambling, money laundering and drug trafficking in the Eastern District of Texas. On July 15, a combined task force of federal, state and local law enforcement executed six federal arrest warrants and four federal search warrants in the Tyler and Gladewater areas as a result of a joint investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Smith County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Texas Racing Commission. Continue reading Local Drug and Money Laundering Ring Busted

MT. PLEASANT — An East Texas man was arrested over the weekend after law officers learned he allegedly attacked several people with a piece of lumber and forced a child to ingest methamphetamine. According to the Titus County Sheriff’s Office, at 4 a.m. on Sunday, deputies were dispatched to the 1400 block of County Road 1340. KETK reports that when authorities arrived at the scene, investigators determined Trevor Ward, 26, had assaulted his girlfriend at her home. During the attack, friends tried to protect the woman, at which time Ward allegedly began assaulting them with a piece of lumber. One person had to be taken to a local hospital with injuries sustained from the fight. Continue reading Man Accused of Lumber Attack, Forcing Child to Ingest Meth

KILGORE – Public hearings are scheduled around East Texas on possible fare increases for the GoBus rural public transportation system. On July 2, the East Texas Council of Governments Executive Committee approved beginning the public hearing process required to raise the rates. The current rate of $2.00 per trip within a county and $5.00 per trip across counties has not been increased since 1997. Continue reading Public Hearings on Fare Increases for GoBus

TYLER — A man struck and killed trying to cross the Tyler loop has been identified as Kenneth Linnel Jones Jr., 23, of Tyler. The accident happened shortly before 10:30 Monday night at the intersection of Loop 323 and State Highway 110 North. Investigators say the man was hit by several cars as he tried to cross in an area that is not designated as a crosswalk. The man was first hit by a vehicle that left the scene. Two other cars, which were unable to avoid hitting the victim, did stop. The first vehicle is thought to be a Chevrolet, and should have damage to its front end. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Tyler Police Department, at 903-531-1000, or Crimestoppers at 903-597-CUFF (903-597-2833).

RUSK COUNTY — A third charge of intoxication manslaughter has been brought against an East Texas woman who reportedly killed two young children and their mother in a Kilgore crash on Loop 259 near Dudley Road. Authorities say the woman was driving in the wrong direction, possibly drunk. According to KETK, a third manslaughter charge was filed against Shelby Taylor, 22, of Henderson, Tuesday mornin. Officials claim she was behind the wheel during the fatal crash. Her bond for the new charge was set at $250,000, which brings the total bond to $751,000. Continue reading Suspect Charged with 3rd Intoxication Manslaughter Charge

BULLARD (AP/Staff) – A Bullard school building designed to look like the Alamo has had its last stand. Bullard Independent School District Superintendent Keith Bryant says the building has fallen into disrepair and is being demolished this week. Bryant says the former classrooms structure, recently used as storage, will be torn down to make way for better roads leading to Bullard Intermediate School. The Tyler Morning Telegraph reported Monday that residents of Bullard are invited to take some of the rubble as mementos. The building was constructed in the mid-1930s as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration. Bullard officials are considering revamping town entryway signs to acknowledge the building designed in the image of the Alamo in San Antonio.

MINEOLA — A woman suspected in a Mineola shooting has been arrested. Arrested late Monday afternoon was Shelby Elayne Adams, 18, of Mineola. She has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and her bond set at $50,000. Shot around 2:00 Sunday afternoon, at the Best Western Inn, at 100 Debby Lane, was Amanda Soape, 27, of Mineola. She was taken to a Tyler hospital with what were termed non-life-threatening injuries. KETK reports police investigators say Adams picked up the handgun and pointed it at Soape and it went off. Adams told officers she thought the gun was actually a Taser.

AUSTIN (AP/STAFF) — Police say a man who was on Texas’ most wanted list for sex offenders was arrested in California. Texas’ public safety department says Leo Colston, 60, who is from Nacogdoches, was arrested in downtown Los Angeles. Colston was convicted in 2002 of an indecent sexual contact charge involving a 7-year-old girl in Houston. The U.S. Marshals Service issued a warrant for his arrest last April for a sex offender registration violation. More warrants were issued for Colston for failure to register as a sex offender by Texas and California police in 2013. The department says Colston will be brought back to Texas to face charges. It wasn’t immediately clear if Colston had an attorney..

MINEOLA — An East Texas woman was hospitalized over the weekend after a gun accidentally fired in a Mineola hotel room. KETK reports that on Saturday at 2:00 a.m., Mineola officers were called to the Best Western Inn, at 100 Debby Lane, on reports of a gunshot victim. When police made it to the scene, they found Amanda Soape, 27, of Mineola, with a gunshot wound. She was taken to a Tyler hospital with what are termed non-life-threatening injuries. Investigators determined Soape and another woman had rented a room and were visited by two men. One of the men had a small handgun and was showing it to the women when it discharged, hitting Soape, according to police. No charges have been filed. The investigation is ongoing.

TYLER — Tyler police say the pedestrian involved in Sunday’s incident on Hwy. 31 West (Chandler Highway) is identified as Jorge Estrella Patino, 23, of Kilgore. Police say Patino is expected to survive from injuries he sustained in the accident. Police were dispatched to the incident in the 5400 block of Chandler Highway at 5:45 Sunday morning. Authorities say a paramedic on his way home stopped to administer medical attention. Officers arrived on scene to find a man had been struck by a Cadillac Deville. Continue reading Pedestrian Identified, Expected to Survive Following Traffic Accident

ATHENS — A former East Texas welder and oil field worker who was convicted of shooting and killing a Henderson County sheriff’s deputy now has an execution date. KETK reports the date was set less than two weeks after Randall Wayne Mays, 52, was denied his latest challenge to his conviction by the United States Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. Judge Carter Tarrance of the Athens-based 392nd District Court set the execution date for March 18th, 2015. Tarrance, who presided over the trial, signed the execution order and death warrant on July 10th. Continue reading Execution Date for Man Convicted of Killing Deputy

TROUP Two persons have been injured in a shooting near Troup. It happened around 9:00 Sunday night just north of the city. The victims are said to have suffered non-life threatening injuries in the incident on County Road 2343. Authorities are searching for the suspects.

TYLER — Here’s a quick look at events and work planned in the Tyler District of the state highway department.

GREGG COUNTY – Texas Department of Transportation maintenance crews Sunday night started to perform pavement texturing operations on Interstate Highway 20 between State Highway 42 and the Harrison County Line. The work will be conducted by a slow-moving convoy between 9:00pm to 5:00am through Wednesday. Motorists are encouraged to be prepared to reduce speed and merge in and around the convoy work area. Continue reading TxDOT Project Updates

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler Bookstore offers a multi-channel textbook rental program designed to deliver maximum savings and convenience for UT Tyler students, Jesse Acosta, vice president for administration, announced. Officials say the program, which began three years ago, allows UT Tyler students to rent their textbooks for less than the cost of purchasing a new printed textbook. Students may rent books online at http://uttyler.bncollege.com or at the store located in the UT Tyler University Center. Officials report UT Tyler saved students $563,694 last year through the program. Continue reading Students Save Money Through Textbook Rental Program

TYLER — Roadwork on South Fleishel Avenue from Dawson to Fifth Street in Tyler will continue for an estimated ten days beginning yesterday. The existing asphalt surface is to be removed and replaced with new asphalt. To minimize inconvenience to the public, all work will be done at night between the hours of 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., according to a news release. During this time, the road will be closed to through traffic. Officials say all work is expected to be complete before July 24, weather permitting.

TYLER – The Tyler Museum of Art is bringing it all back home. Culminating more than four decades since the Junior League of Tyler, Inc. spearheaded community efforts to establish the Museum, the TMA is celebrating its ongoing partnership with JLT in Goodnight Rose City. According to a news release, the new exhibition runs Sunday, July 13, through Sunday, Oct. 19 at the TMA, 1300 S. Mahon Ave. Admission is free. Continue reading TMA, JLT Join Forces in Goodnight Rose City

LONGVIEW — The Gregg Sheriff’s Office arrested a Kilgore man early Friday morning for the alleged sexual assault of a 4-year-old girl. At around 4 a.m., investigators took into custody Brandon Lee Marshall, 20, for aggravated sexual assault of a child. KETK reports he was booked into the Gregg County Jail. His bail was set at $500,000. The arrest stems from reported sexual contact with a child on July 10 on the 300 block of Tami Street in Liberty City.

HENDERSON — A Carlisle man was booked into the Rusk County Jail after he was caught with about $2,000 in crystal methamphetamine, officials say. KETK reports that according to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, dispatchers received a report on a suspicious man at the intersection of Highway 79 and County Road 407. Further investigation reportedly determined Jerry Hurtado, 34, was in possession of 23 grams of meth. He was charged with manufacture and delivery, a first degree felony. He was released on $100,000 bond. Investigators anticipate additional arrests to occur as a result of the investigation.

TYLER — The Committee for Economic Growth Friday turned in signed petitions calling for a local option election this November to allow limited alcohol sales. In order to call an election, state law required the group to collect approximately 2,574 signatures of registered voters in Justice Precinct 5, which includes northwestern Smith County and the cities of Hideaway and Lindale. The petitions were circulated beginning June 12. Smith County Elections officials now have 30 days to verify the signatures. If enough signatures are gathered calling for the election, the Smith County Commissioners Court must order the election for November 2014. Continue reading Petitions Turned in for Alcohol Vote in JP 5

TYLER — According to the Smith County Department of Public Safety, troopers are seeking the public’s help in identifying a vehicle that may have been involved in a fatal hit-and-run July 3. KETK reports troopers responded to a crash scene on County Road 384 just west of County Road 378, where they discovered a vehicle had run off the road. The driver, 48-year-old Jubal Bledsoe, was found injured just south of the roadway and taken to the hospital, where he later died from his injuries. According to medical reports, Bledsoe’s injuries were consistent with a person being struck by a vehicle. Investigators believe that Bledsoe left his vehicle and was hit by another vehicle. Troopers are asking anyone with information regarding this incident to call the DPS office in Tyler at (903) 939-6001.

ATHENS — Two East Texans are behind bars, accused of robbery. KETK reports Manuel Hernandez and Erika Guill were arrested Wednesday in Henderson County. Authorities believe they were the ones who held up a business off Highway 175 in Eustace. Deputies were able to track the pair down and found them hiding at a home near Cedar Creek Lake, officials say. When confronted, Hernandez jumped out of a window, according to authorities. They say he was later found flailing in the nearby lake.

LONGVIEW — State Representative David Simpson of Longview has returned from a visit to our southern border. He tells KETK the immigration crisis is getting worse every day. According to Simpson, “It was overwhelming seeing children, mothers crying in really basically what amounted to a jail.” At a senate hearing Wednesday, immigration officials told Congress 57,000 unaccompanied children have been picked up at the border since October. “Some of the people, when they described the unaccompanied children and why they were coming, they said three reasons: hope, hope, hope,” added Simpson. Continue reading Simpson Offers Comments after Visit to Border

LONGVIEW – A man wanted by Tyler authorities has been arrested following a traffic stop in Longview. John Blake London, 39, of Arlington, was wanted for credit card abuse. When he was arrested, authorities found drugs, a firearm and personal information of over nine persons. London was booked into the Gregg County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and fraudulent possession of identifying information. His bonds total $45,000.

WOOD COUNTY — Wood County Crime Stoppers is asking for the public’s help in finding the person or people responsible for killing livestock. According to KETK, authorities said two goats were killed in the 1200 block of CR 1540. Crime Stoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000, and an additional $500 is being offered by the owner. Contact Wood County Crime Stoppers at 903-763-CASH or call the Wood County Sheriff’s Department at 903-763-2201 Ext. 7375 and speak with Sgt. O’Grady.

TYLER — Wreckage was reported cleared about two hours after Tyler police reported a six-car-pileup on Spur 364 between Loop 323 and Lindsey Park. The wreck happened around noon Thursday, snarling traffic on that stretch. KETK reports there were only minor injuries. The Dixie Fire Department also responded. The cause of the crash is unknown at this time.

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office is asking for assistance in locating 27-year-old Ashley Elizabeth Harrell and her daughter, four-year-old Maddison McKay Harrell. KETK reports Ashley Harrell allegedly took the girl in violation of a court order. The woman is charged with a felony offense of interference with child custody after a Gregg County court awarded custody of Maddison to another family. Ashley and Maddison’s location is unknown at this time. Ashley is 4’11”, 125 pounds, with blonde hair and hazel eyes. Maddison is 3’2”, about 40 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes. Continue reading Authorities Seek Mother Who Allegedly Took Daughter against Court Order