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HARRISON COUNTY — Harrison County deputies are investigating the death of Benjamin Randell Huffman, 53, of Hallsville. It occurred Friday morning in southwest Harrison County. KETK reports that according to Investigator Jay Webb, just before 6:15, authorities were dispatched to Quail Lane and Willie Smith Road on reports of a shooting. When deputies and game wardens arrived at the scene, they found a body on the ground below a deer stand. The witness claims he and Huffman were hunting when the accident occurred. Allegedly, the witness climbed up a stand ladder and turned around to receive a gun. According to the witness, when Huffman handled the rifle, with the barrel facing himself, the rifle discharged a bullet. Continue reading Deputies Investigating Death of Hunter in Harrison County

UPSHUR COUNTY — Authorities in Upshur County say Laurice Henderson, 85, has been found safe. That’s according to KETK. Authorities had earlier initiated a search using air support and tracking dogs.

LINDALE — Still no name of a man killed in a vehicle-pedestrian accident in Lindale. The man was trying to cross U.S. Highway 69 near Burger King when he was struck and killed. The accident happened around 7:45 Thursday night. Several other vehicles nearly hit the man before he was struck by an SUV. His name has not been released. Lindale police say the driver of the SUV will not be issued a citation.

ATHENS — A Henderson County woman is going to prison for stealing items from an elderly woman she had been hired to care for. Brandi Ann Melton, 37, of Trinidad, has been sentenced to two ten year prison sentences. They must be served concurrently. Melton and her boyfriend, Brian Fugett, were arrested in the case in August of 2012. The were accused of stealing jewelry, silver flatware and plates from an 84 year old woman. Sheriff’s department investigators say some of the stolen items have been recovered at a pawn shop in Gun Barrel City.

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court is proposing to create “Transportation Reinvestment Zone Number One, County of Smith.” According to information from the county, “The Zone is intended to support improvements to, and the extension and expansion of, the Toll 49 system…and portions of U.S. Highway 271 and Interstate Highway 20 that are part of the East Texas Hourglass.” County officials add, “The Smith County Toll 49 TRZ proposes to capture 50% of the property tax revenue on future growth in a two-mile corridor along Toll 49.” But some residents are strongly opposed to the project and have launched an effort to see that it’s not approved. Continue reading County Proposes Special Toll 49 Zone, but Some Object

HENDERSON — According to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, five people have been arraigned for the possession of drugs and weapons, as well as theft. KETK reports three men and two women stood before a judge Thursday. They’re accused of possession of controlled substances such as 40 grams of methamphetamine and 3.5 ounces of marijuana, illegal possession of a firearm, possession of drug paraphernalia, and stealing an ATV. Officials also confiscated $1,343. Officials say the drugs have a street value of around $5,000. The case has been under investigation for two years, according to law enforcement. Children ages, 12, 13, and 17 were taken by Child Protective Services and placed with relatives. Continue reading Five Arraigned in Rusk County on Drug, Theft, Weapon Charges

WOOD COUNTY — A one vehicle accident in Wood County has left one person dead. Pronounced dead at the scene was Richard Dale Fink, 80, of Hawkins. He was heading north on Farm Road 14 when his car skidded off the road. The Department of Public Safety report said Fink was not wearing his seat belt. The accident happened around 11:15 Wednesday morning on Farm Road 14, just north of County Road 3410.

TYLER – A lengthy investigation has resulted in two drug arrests in southern Smith County. Yesterday morning around 11:00, a man and woman were arrested at a residence on County Road 112 for alleged possession and distribution of crack cocaine. Authorities say the arrests were the result of an 18-month undercover drug operation by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Unit. The two were taken into custody subsequent to the execution of a search warrant issued by 241st District Court Judge Jack Skeen. The warrant was served by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and two members of the DPS Special Response Team. Continue reading Two Arrested in Smith County Drug Bust

PANOLA COUNTY — Two East Texas teens are dead after a Panola County car accident. The Department of Public Safety reports, Collin Williams, 17, of Deberry, and Madison Rambin, 17, of Carthage, were driving down Farm Road 123 when their truck hydroplaned, left the roadway, and struck a tree. Williams was pronounced dead at the scene. Rambin was life-flighted to a Shreveport hospital, where she later died. A fund has been set up at First State Bank and Trust in Carthage to help Collin Williams’s family. Continue reading Two Teens Die in East Texas Wreck

JACKSONVILLE — Jacksonville’s about to bolster up a brand new elementary school. KETK reports voters approved a nearly $23 million school bond package this week. The majority of the money will be used to build on land previously owned by Lon Morris College. Jacksonville Superintendent Dr. Joe Wardell says school officials are grateful for the community’s support, and they’re wasting no time getting started. Wednesday, the district ordered a topographical survey to find the perfect location for the new elementary school

TYLER — TYLER — Tyler police are seeking the public’s help in solving two crimes that date back to last summer. On August 28 and September 25, an unidentified Hispanic man and woman entered a CVS Pharmacy in Tyler and stole numerous over the counter medications that included Prilosec, Prevacid, Mucinex, Claritin and Delsym. The suspects entered the store and filled a large black bag with over the counter medications and exited the store without paying for the items. Store management estimates the total loss of merchandise at $3,256.00. Continue reading Police Need Your Help in Identifying Two Suspects

NASHVILLE (AP/Staff) — The Country Music Association Awards continued to show its love for Lindale’s Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton on Wednesday night while giving a nod to new duo Florida Georgia Line and doling out a few more awards to Taylor Swift. Lambert won her fourth straight female vocalist of the year award while her husband, Shelton, won album of the year and male vocalist, a category he also won for the fourth year in a row. Lambert and Shelton have been favorites of the CMA’s 6,000 voters for the last three years and Wednesday as no different. Shelton’s album of the year win for “Based on a True Story …” was a bit of a surprise, a year after taking entertainer of the year. Another East Texan was also a big winner last night. Mineola native Kacey Musgraves was named New Artist of the Year.

TYLER – For the second year in a row, the East Texas Food Bank is one of 250 finalists in Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program, which will award vehicles to 100 nonprofit organizations based on votes from the public — and today’s the day you can cast your vote. Toyota’s 100 Cars for Good program will showcase five nonprofit organizations each day for 50 days on its web page. Visitors to http://www.100carsforgood.com will receive two votes each day to select two separate winning organizations they feel are most deserving of new Toyota vehicles. The East Texas Food Bank is one of the five organizations highlighted for voting today. Continue reading East Texas Food Bank Seeks Votes in Toyota “100 Cars For Good” Program

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview and Longview Transit are seeking input from residents through a public forum and survey about pedestrian access to bus service. A public forum will be held from 4:00 to 6:00pm today at the Longview Public Library, 222 West Cotton Street. Free one-day bus passes will be given to the first twenty participants at the public forum. Continue reading Longview Transit Conducts Public Forum and Surveys

TYLER — An Affordable Care Act Town Hall Meeting will be held in Tyler tonight from 6:00 till 8:00 on the Tyler Junior College West Campus. The meeting is hosted by the Northeast Texas Disproportionality Advisory Board. Residents can come learn about:
•Affordable Care Act and You
Health Benefits Exchange
Open Enrollment
Navigators Continue reading Affordable Care Act Town Hall Meeting

TYLER – A 34-year-old Tyler man has been sentenced for stealing government property. Raymond Kyle Welsh pleaded guilty on January 30th theft of government property. He was sentenced yesterday to three years of probation by U.S. District Judge Leonard E. Davis of Tyler. Welsh was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $222,162.14 and ordered to submit to the forfeiture of $26,588. Continue reading Smith County Man Sentenced for Stealing Government Property

TYLER – A 45-year-old Flint man has been sentenced to federal prison for child pornography violations. Barry Porter Griffith pleaded guilty Wednesday to possession of child pornography and was then sentenced to 42 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Leonard Davis of Tyler. According to information presented in court, on October 31, 2012, Texas Department of Criminal Justice network engineers detected significant internet bandwidth being used by a state-owned computer to view pornography online. The engineers identified the user as Griffith, a state parole officer. They remotely viewed the websites that Griffith was accessing and determined that he was viewing child pornography from his office. Continue reading Smith County Man Sentenced for Child Pornography Violations

LONGVIEW — A man on Rusk County’s most wanted list is arrested and booked into the Gregg County Jail. Officials tell KETK Charles Glenn Allen had been sought since he was indicted on aggravated robbery and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges. The Smith County Sheriff’s Department also has a warrant out for Allen for burglary. Allen’s record includes being apprehended in 2012 for evading arrest, a class A misdemeanor. Allen is being held in the Gregg County Jail on $100,000 bond.

ATHENS — A Brownsboro man awaits punishment after being convicted of the aggravated sexual assault of a seven-year-old family member. The verdict came down from the bench late Saturday afternoon in Athens against Christopher Swofford, 33. According to KETK, Swofford was also convicted of indecency with a child by sexual contact and indecency with a child by exposure. The trial involved testimony from Swofford’s wife, Sasha, who had previously been convicted in June by a Henderson County Jury for acts arising out of the same events. Continue reading Brownsboro Man Convicted in Child Sex Case

GREENVILLE — It’s been a year since a road crew in Van Zandt County found the body of murdered Greenville teenager Alicia Moore. It’s been a tough period for the family. Jessica Byrd is Alicia’s aunt. She says every so often, something will pop up and make family members think about the situation and how their lives have changed. Police have arrested Michael Moore (pictured) for her murder. He is the 16-year-old’s great uncle. In a jailhouse interview, Moore has denied any part of the murder.

LONGVIEW — An Athens woman will spend the next 30 years behind bars after pleading guilty to a pair of child sex charges. The Longview News-Journal reports Peggy Weinberg, 27, appeared Tuesday in the Gregg County 188th District Court. She pleaded guilty to aggravated sexual assault of a child and sexual performance by a child. Weinberg was sentenced to two 30-year prison sentences that will run concurrently. She must serve each day of the first 30-year sentence. She will be 57 years old before she is eligible for release. She must also register as a sex offender. Continue reading Woman Gets Lengthy Sentence in Child Sex Case

UPSHUR COUNTY — A Gilmer woman whom police say was killed in front of her toddler son by her estranged boyfriend during a September football game was shot three times, according to the Longview News-Journal. Cheyenne Green, 29, died September 26 of a gunshot wound to her head that perforated her spinal cord, according to the autopsy report released yesterday. Green suffered three gunshot wounds, the fatal shot to her head, a shot to her face and one to her shoulder. Green was at Gilmer High School’s Buckeye Stadium that night to pick up her 2-year-old son from his father, Jonathan Ray Shepherd, 32. Shepherd remains in the Upshur County Jail under $1 million bond, charged with capital murder.

CHAPEL HILL — A highly debated Chapel Hill ISD bond issue is voted down. The $31.2 million bond package would have covered numerous improvements at district facilities. The bond was defeated with 1,054 of the votes. There were 619 votes for the measure.

SMITH COUNTY — The legal sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption has been approved by voters in Justice of the Peace Precints 1 and 4. According to the Smith County Election Administrator, 109 potential votes were not counted and would have to be retrieved from the electronic voting machines at the Elections Office. The official did say they retrieved votes would not affect the outcome. Continue reading Voters Passed Local Options in JP 1 and 4

EAST TEXAS — Texas voters have approved all 9 proposed amendments to the state constitution. Smith County voters also approved all nine amendments. Plus Smith County voters in Justice of the Peace Precincts 1 and 4 have approved local option elections. It usually takes up to 60 days for license applications to go through. Stores in those areas who apply for a license should be selling alcoholic beverages after the first of the year. The only local item not to win at the ballot box in Smith County was the Chapel Hill School bond issue. In unofficial returns, the votes were 1,054 against the proposal and 619 for it. Visit the Elections page at the Smith County Website — http://www.smith-county.com — for up-to-date election information. Continue reading Amendments, Local Option Elections Pass; Two Bond Issues Fail

LONGVIEW — Several roads will be closed this week due to railroad closings, including H.G. Mosley Parkway, Fredonia Street, and Enterprise Street. Enterprise Street will be closed between W. Marshall Avenue and W. Loop 281 on Wednesday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The detour will be to W. Loop 281. H.G. Mosley Parkway will be closed between W. Marshall Avenue and W. Cotton Street on Thursday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The detour will be to Lake Lamond Road. Fredonia Street will be closed between E. Cotton Street and E. Tyler Street on Friday between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. The detour will be to Center Street. Continue reading Railroad Crossing Road Closures through November 8

WHITEHOUSE — Exciting news for the city of Whitehouse. KETK reports the city council just put its final stamp of approval on a new sports park. Last month, $450,000 was added to the budget to complete renovations to the baseball and softball fields. The budget amendment will help pay for two new fields and additional parking. Don Branam, the city’s director of parks and recreation, says, “It’s a small complex, but we feel like it’s gonna be one of the best ones in East Texas.” Renovations to the concession building are also in the works. The project is expected to be complete by spring 2014.

ATHENS – Henderson County Sheriff Ray Nutt’s deputies, along with other law enforcement officers, arrested 10 Henderson County parents who violated court orders requiring them to pay child support, according to a news release from the Texas Attorney General’s office. Tuesday’s sweep was conducted in conjunction with the Texas Attorney General’s Child Support Division. The effort focused on parents who were the subjects of arrest warrants because of their alleged failure to pay child support. “Parents have a moral and legal obligation to make regular child support payments,” Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott said. Continue reading Henderson County Sheriff Conducts Child Support Roundup

TYLER — Tyler Emergency Management officials exercised the City’s Emergency Management Plan Tuesday to evaluate agency preparedness and interagency communications, and they say the effort was a success. Representatives with the Tyler Fire Department and the Tyler Police Department coordinated with the local medical community to exercise various aspects of each agency’s emergency plan. Continue reading Officials Report Success at Emergency Preparedness Exercise

TYLER — A Tyler woman has been hospitalized after her car went off the road and through a bridge support. According to KETK, Minnie Hamilton, 29, was driving eastbound on Smith County Road 1113 toward Highway 155 around 10:00 yesterday morning, when she lost control of her car. Hamilton ran off the road coming around a curve and overcorrected. She crossed the other side of the road and drove into a Lake Placid Road creek, just east of Greenbriar Road. When she went into the creek, Hamilton’s car collided with the bridge support. Continue reading Woman Hospitalized after Car Crashes through Bridge Support