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TYLER – As part of its 90th anniversary year, Tyler Junior College is honoring some of its most famous living alumni through a new program, the Legends of TJC. TJC President Dr. Mike Metke said, “We’re proud to announce Admiral Bobby R. Inman as our first honoree.” From TJC to an exemplary military career Admiral Bobby R. Inman was among the first group of students who rode a school bus from Mineola to attend classes at TJC.

Tuesday, the main lecture classroom in Jenkins Hall, TJC’s oldest and most iconic building, was dedicated and named Inman’s honor, with special memorabilia and historical mementos placed in the room reflecting his accomplishments. Continue reading Bobby Inman, First Legends of TJC Honoree

ATHENS – A contingent of law officers from Henderson and Anderson Counties have arrested a father and son on theft charges. It started with a Tuesday morning call of a truck stolen near Highway 19 South. The vehicle was tracked to the Gibson Road Apartments in Athens, where it was abandoned by the duo. They then got into another vehicle and traveled to Henderson County Road 1099 where they were pursued. Following a brief chase, they were captured on Henderson County Road 4600. Arrested were Stephen Wilcox, 44, and his son Dustin Wilcox, 26. They face charges including theft and Dustin is also facing the charge of evading arrest in a motor vehicle.

NACOGDOCHES – The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s office is investigating the death of a man who was run over by a fork lift. The accident occurred around 8:30 Monday night off Farm Road 2782, southwest of Nacogdoches. Killed was Rubio Munoz Rene, 39, of Center. He worked for a subcontractor of Pilgrims Poultry that was catching chickens at a local chicken farm. He was riding on the folk lift when it came to a stop. The victim slid down the side of the fork lift and underneath the front tires. The operator didn’t see him fall, and thought he had jumped off and went back to his work area. The fork lift operator then backed up over the victim. He died at a Nacogdoches hospital. Sheriff Jason Bridges stated that all early indications of this investigation appear that this was a very unfortunate accident.

TROUP – The city of Troup will be getting assistance in housing stray dogs. Smith County Commissioners have approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Troup to take its stray dogs into the Smith County Animal Shelter. According to the agreement, Troup will be responsible for responding to animal control matters within its city, then transporting the dogs to the Smith County Animal Shelter. The city will pay any fees associated with impoundment, testing, medical treatment or other services. Troup will pay Smith County $50 per dog that is brought to the shelter, as well as an additional $35 for each dog requiring euthanasia. The agreement between Smith County and the City of Troup is effective through Fiscal Year 2018. Continue reading Help for Stray Dogs in Troup

AUSTIN (AP) — Representative Matt Schafer of Tyler sought to ban transgender Texans from using public restrooms of their choice as part of a sweeping Railroad Commission bill. His action was thwarted by the house speaker. House Speaker Joe Straus ruled Tuesday that the rule wasn’t relevant. Schafer and other conservative Republicans challenged Straus with pointed questions, but couldn’t force a floor vote. The Texas Senate already has approved a separate, full bill requiring transgender people to use public bathrooms based on their birth-certificate gender. That proposal hasn’t yet reached the House floor, but may not pass given the uproar and costly boycotts that followed North Carolina approving a similar law last year.

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University freshman biology major Nicholas Leonard of Kilgore, Texas, was awarded the 2nd place Orville Wyse Award for Outstanding Scientific Achievement. The award is for his research and presentation recently at the American Society for Microbiology Texas Branch Conference in New Braunfels, Texas. Leonard is the first LETU student to receive an award at this highly competitive conference. Continue reading An Award for a LeTourneau University Student

LINDALE – A ribbon cutting ceremony this morning signaled the opening of Tyler Junior College North. The school is in The Cannery, Lindale’s new residential, entertainment and retail complex. TJC North will provide general education classes, nursing programs and the recently launched Veterinary Technician Program. Early last month, Dr. Cliff Boucher was named as interim dean for TJC North. He has been with the college since 2010.

KILGORE — A Tyler man is arrested for evading arrest, among other charges. According to Kilgore Police, an officer was attempting to stop a vehicle for speeding Monday afternoon on Highway 31 West. The driver, later identified as Ira Beall, 35, refused to obey and turned on 42 heading toward Longview Street in downtown Kilgore. Two officers inside a restaurant heard the situation on their radios and went outside just in time to see Beall driving down the street with his windows down, tossing items from the vehicle. The officers yelled for Beall to stop and he pulled over. Witnesses had picked up several pounds of marijuana and crack cocaine thrown from the car and turned it over to police. Beall was arrested and transported to the Kilgore City Jail.

NACOGDOCHES – A traffic stop in Nacogdoches County has resulted in four persons being arrested on drug charges. Their car was stopped around 4:30 Monday morning on Highway 259, because they didn’t dim their headlights to oncoming traffic. When deputies saw them acting very nervous, they asked the driver if there were any drugs in the vehicle. When the response was yes, a search turned up 160 pounds of codeine in the truck. The four men, all from Memphis, Tennessee, were taken into custody. Investigators are now working with Houston Police Department to try and identify if the drugs were possibly stolen from a pharmacy in the Houston area.

AUSTIN (AP) — The Texas Senate has approved a bill sharply reducing gun license fees. Jacksonville Republican Senator Robert Nichols originally sought to scrap the full $140 fee for first-time licenses and the $70 charge for 5-year license renewals. But doing so would have cost Texas $55-plus million during a two-year state budget cycle. Instead, Nichols proposed reducing the first-time and renewal fee to $40 each. That means the bill will cost Texas about $15 million annually. It passed 26-5 Monday, and heads to the state House. Continue reading Texas Senate Approves Big Cuts to Statewide Gun License Fees

LONGVIEW – Longview police report the signal lights at the intersection of Hawkins Parkway and Eastman Road will working intermittently this week. On their Facebook page, they are asking that drivers find an alternate route since this intersection is in a heavily traveled area. When the lights are not working the intersection will become a four-way stop.

TYLER – It looks like it was a busy weekend for Smith County lawmen because of suspected drunk drivers. Smith County judicial records show 25 persons were booked into the County Jail for DWI charges. The arrests were made by the DPS, Smith County Sheriff’s Department, and policemen in Tyler, Whitehouse, Lindale and Bullard. Nine of those arrests were for a persons 2nd DWI arrest. Two were arrested for DWI, 3rd or more offenses.

GILMER – The death of an inmate in the Upshur County jail is being investigated by the Texas Rangers. Desmond Juwon Woods, 40, was booked into jail early Sunday for a parole violation. He reported around 8:00 Sunday night he was not feeling well. Sheriff Larry Webb says, while EMS was treating him, he coughed up a bag of what appeared to be illegal narcotics. He was taken to a Longview hospital where he later died. An autopsy has been ordered.

TYLER – Tyler police Vice and Narcotics Sgt. Darin Grissom, a Tyler native, has announced he is running for Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace, which is based in Lindale. Sgt. Grissom, who has lived at Hideaway Lake for about 15 years, has been with the Tyler Police Department for over 28 years. He has received several awards for his performance, including awards for; Meritorious Conduct, Life Saving, Merit and two police commendations. Sgt. Grissom says he is eager to begin a new phase in his life.

TYLER – A University of Texas at Tyler biology professor has been awarded a prestigious National Science Foundation grant. Dr. Jon Seal has received a prestigious Faculty Development Early Career Award An assistant professor of biology, Seal studies fungus-growing Leaf-Cutter ants. He joined The University of Texas at Tyler about four years ago. CAREER grants support early-career faculty who have shown potential to serve as academic role models in research and education. The five year award comes to just over $643,000. Continue reading UT Tyler Professor Receives Prestigious Grant

TYLER – State District Court Judge Jack Skeen has announced he will be seeking re-election as judge of the 241st State District Court. Judge Skeen was first appointed in November 2003 to fill a vacancy on the bench. He has since been elected by the voters of Smith County to 3 consecutive 4 year terms. Prior to putting on the judicial robe, Skeen was Smith County District Attorney for 21 years. Skeen says he believes his experience as DA and district court judge qualifies him to seek re-election.

HENDERSON COUNTY — One person has been arrested following a fatal shooting and reported kidnapping. Gun Barrel City Police said Timothy Washington allegedly shot and killed a man inside of a house on Arbolado Drive. Witnesses reported seeing Washington drive off at a high rate of speed shortly after the shooting. As officers responded to the scene, they saw the suspect’s vehicle in area and pulled him over. As they were conducting the traffic stop, officers discovered the a passenger, who had been taken against their will. A handgun was also found in the vehicle. Washington, 45, has been charged with Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Aggravated Kidnapping, Felon in Possession of Firearm and Murder. The name of the victim has not been released.

MARSHALL — The National Weather Service has confirmed an EF-2 tornado touched down in Marshall Friday evening. KETK reports it wasn’t immediately known what path the storm took as it tore through the city. Multiple trees and buildings were heavily damaged, and more than a thousand residents lost power. No serious injuries have been reported. Residents on Cooks Road said cars, rooftops and other material goods were damaged. Continue reading EF-2 Tornado Confirmed to Have Touched Down in Marshall

TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in TxDOT’s Tyler District during the Weeks of March 27 and April 3. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones.

Smith County – Tyler Maintenance crews plan to continue base repair operations moving to SH 64W near FM 279, and on FM 206. Expect lane closures with flaggers providing traffic control at both locations. Continue reading TxDOT’s Weekly Roadwork Update

LONGVIEW — The first ride-sharing service in Longview has launched — technically. Lyft received a permit from the city recently to operate in Longview, city spokesman Shawn Hara said Friday, but so far, the company has no vehicles registered in the city. According to KETK and the Longview News-Journal, it’s the first ride-sharing service company to ask for and receive a city permit. Lyft opened its service Thursday to several Texas cities, including Longview and Tyler. The San Francisco-based company doesn’t list Longview among the cities it serves, but it includes Longview and all of Gregg County in its Tyler service area, according to lyft.com. Continue reading Ride-Sharing Officially Enters Longview Market

MOUNT PLEASANT (Staff/AP) – A coach who was involved in Thursday night’s deadly crash involving a school bus has been released from the hospital. The Mount Pleasant school district shared a Facebook post Saturday evening with the update on Coach David Bagley. KETK reports he was one of four coaches on the bus that was hit by an 18-wheeler. More than 20 people were taken to the hospital after the accident. Bagley is back home recovering. There was no immediate word on the condition of the students and other coaches still in the hospital. Continue reading Mount Pleasant Coach Released from Hospital

TYLER – Students at The University of Texas at Tyler feel the campus is safe and that the university responds to their needs. This is according to a UT System study on sexual assault and misconduct. The study also gave the university more information about students’ experiences with these behaviors. The Cultivating Learning and Safe Environments report was commissioned by the UT System. Conducted by the UT Austin Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault, this is the most detailed, comprehensive survey of sexual assault and misconduct in the nation that has ever been undertaken by an institution of higher education. Busch-Armendariz, Institute on Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault director, led the research. Of the 8,400 students at The University of Texas at Tyler invited to participate in the survey, 1,149 voluntarily and confidentially completed the online questionnaire. Researchers say this is a good and typical response rate for web-based surveys.

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department continues trying to locate a theft suspect. On March 7th, shortly before 7:30am, a man walked into Walmart on East End Boulevard North and went to the electronics department. He then loaded two computers into a shopping cart and left the store without paying. Surveillance video captured the man leaving in a small white car. Anyone with information on the identity of this man is urged to call the Marshall Police Department at 903-935-4575. Those wishing to remain anonymous are asked to call Marshall-Harrison County Crime Stoppers at 903-935-9969.

JACKSONVILLE – Motorists using U.S. Highway 79 throughout this weekend are advised to use caution or take alternate routes to avoid delays. The 2017 Mud Nationals will take place between Jacksonville and New Summerfield in Cherokee County. The event runs through today. There will be traffic delays as traffic stops for check-in at the park entrance. To help alleviate delays, visitors are encouraged to turn left onto County Road 4208 prior to County Road 4209. This will cause backups to occur on the county road as opposed to the highly traveled US 79. A construction project is set up at this location but no work is occurring at this time. However, there are barricades in place and motorists are cautioned not to remove them. Law enforcement is working traffic control for the event to assist visitor entrance into the park.

AUSTIN – Unemployment in Texas is up slightly. But the jobless number has dropped in Tyler. The Texas unemployment rate in February rose slightly to reach 4.9%, the Texas Workforce Commission reported Friday. It was 4.7% in January. But in Tyler, the opposite is true. Tyler’s unemployment was 5% in January. It fell to 4.8% last month. It was 4.25% in February of last year. In Longview, the February unemployment rate was 6.6%. It was 6.4% in January and 5.4% in February last year.

WASHINGTON (AP/STAFF) — Republican leaders abruptly pulled their troubled health care overhaul bill off the House floor, short of votes and eager to avoid a humiliating defeat for President Donald Trump and GOP leaders. House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., withdrew the legislation after Trump called him and asked him to halt debate without a vote, according to Ryan spokeswoman AshLee Strong. Just a day earlier, Trump had demanded a House vote and said if the measure lost, he would move on to other issues. Among those opposing the measure is Tyler Republican congressman Louie Gohmert. Gohmert said the bill did not go through the process that its should have. Acording to Gohmert, “There were misrepresentations about things we could not get into the bill, which the bill desperately needed that would help us keep our prmises to voters because we would’t be able to get them through the senate.” Gohmert said he would not vote for the bill, “This is not what I promised people we will do. This is not repelling Obamacare, it’s not even coming close. It breaks my heart, I can not vote for this. This is not a good bill.”

MOUNT PLEASANT (AP/STAFF) – Two drivers are dead and dozens of students are injured after an 18-wheeler truck veered into oncoming traffic and struck vehicles including a bus carrying a Texas high school track team. Killed were Angrlica Beard, a first year coach who was driving a car behind the bus, and the truck’s driver, Bradley Ray Farmer, 50, of Bogard, Missouri. Texas Department of Public Safety Lt. Lonny Haschel says the collision occurred late Thursday on U.S. Highway 271, about two miles south of Talco, as the Mount Pleasant High School athletes were returning from a meet. The boys’ team bus toppled over in the initial collision then the big rig struck a car driven by an assistant girls’ team coach. The girls’ team bus wasn’t involved in any collision. Superintendent Judd Marshall said that 18 students were taken to hospitals. Continue reading East Texas Coach Killed in Wreck Involving School Bus