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MARSHALL — Officials are investigating after a decomposed body was discovered in a Marshall residence. The Marshall Police Department Communication received a call shortly after 11:45 Friday morning reporting a deceased person in the 100 Block of Wood Street. The woman has been identified as Hester Foster, 49. She had been reported missing just over a week ago. Her body has been transported to Tyler Forensic Lab, where Justice of the Peace Precinct #2 Judge Clarice Watkins ordered an autopsy to be performed to determine the cause of death.

GLADEWATER — A Gladewater man already well-known to law enforcement has been arrested on a drug-related charge. KETK reports Gladewater investigators and patrol officers concluded an ongoing investigation Thursday night when they arrested Deyron Smith, 25, and charged him with delivery of controlled substance. At the time of his arrest, Smith was in possession of over 10 grams of suspected heroin. Smith was also found to have an outstanding felony indictment for theft through Gregg County and is currently on parole through Gregg County.

BROWNSBORO — A Brownsboro High School student has been identified as Jacob McCawley, 17, after being arrested in connection with graffiti containing threatening statements. According to KETK, parents of BISD students say the threats were regarding writing on the wall of a boys’ restroom vowing “Satanic sacrifices.” School officials in partnership with law enforcement received information about graffiti on a bathroom stall on Tuesday and responded quickly to investigate the matter, according to a BISD news release. Officials say McCawley was immediately detained at the beginning of the school day Wednesday. He’ll be charged as an adult with making a terroristic threat on a public entity. He has also been suspended from school, according to BISD Superintendent Dr. Christopher Moran. Continue reading Suspect Identified in Brownsboro Threats

MT. VERNON — An East Texas school district is standing up to a group’s challenge to religious expression on campus. The Freedom from Religion Foundation last week sent a complaint to Mt. Vernon ISD over religious sayings written on school walls as well as t-shirts being sold by the PTO. Superintendent John Kaufman says the 8 to 10 biblical inscriptions are among 175 historical quotes written on walls at all their schools. According to Kaufman, “We are leaving everything just as it is until our lawyers respond with what we need to do. We’re not gonna be overreactive in this.” He adds that students feel the complaint is an attack on their religious freedom –and, in response, have been wearing t-shirts to school with religious messages on them.

CANTON – A Van Zandt County man has been found guilty of killing his wife. Larry Maples was sentenced Thursday to life in prison. The shooting happened around 6:00 Sunday morning on March 24, 2013. It occurred at a home at 2642 Farm Road 26, west of Canton, where Heather Maples, 34, had been staying. Continue reading Life in Prison for a Van Zandt County Murder

LUFKIN (AP/STAFF) — GE Oil & Gas plans to spend $60 million on expansion and modernization of its foundry in East Texas. The upgrades announced Thursday involve the GE site in Lufkin. The complex produces iron castings used to make beam pumping units and power transmission equipment. GE plans to demolish about 30,000 square feet of its existing 515,000-square-foot facility and construct 72,000 square feet of new buildings. The company also plans to refurbish the remaining facilities at the site in Angelina County. The foundry began operating in 1902.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP/Staff) — The NFL has formally begun a review of Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson’s case, for potential punishment under the league’s personal conduct policy. Spokesman Brian McCarthy said Peterson was told by the NFL on Thursday that his status on paid leave from the Vikings will not change until completion of the process. That means Peterson’s return could take a while. The Palestine native pleaded no contest in Texas on Tuesday to misdemeanor reckless assault, down from a felony charge of child abuse for disciplining his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch. The league said it requested that Peterson submit relevant information from his case and meet with designated experts who will make recommendations for Commissioner Roger Goodell’s consideration. He’ll have the opportunity for a hearing before any punishment is levied.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department would like to identify the credit card abuse suspect in the accompanying photo. The card was stolen in a vehicle burglary on November 2. The suspect in these photos is also a suspect in other crimes that occurred over the November 1 weekend, according to police. The suspect allegedly used the credit card at numerous locations in Longview including Wal-Mart, Valero, Academy, and Lowe’s. The victim told police the suspect used the stolen credit card to purchase thousands of dollars worth of merchandise before the victim could cancel the card. If you have information on the identity of this suspect, contact Sgt. David Scott at 903-237-1199 or remain anonymous and contact Gregg County Crime Stoppers.

LONGVIEW — Longview Police need your help in identifying the suspect in this photo. The Ulta burglary happened on May 2, 2014 around 3:30 a.m. Ulta is located in the 3000 Block of North Eastman Road. Police say the suspect or suspects took a large amount of men’s and women’s fragrances. If you have information on the identity of the suspect or suspects, you’re asked to contact Detective Fred Runnels at 903-237-1146 and reference case number #14-6991.

FLINT — Crews responded to a pipeline fire in the Flint-Gresham area Thursday morning, according to the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office. KETK reports the line is located on County Road 178. A small portion of the road was shut down during the incident. Authorities stated the blaze began around 10:45 a.m. when contract workers were testing the line for a company interested in purchasing it. During a “hot cut operation” to combine two previously capped sections, a fire was sparked. Workers inside the hole were able to escape. The 4-inch main natural gas line was deemed no longer a threat by early afternoon. Crews were allowing the residual gas to burn off. No evacuations were ordered and no injuries occurred. A backhoe was slightly damaged by the flames.

WOODSTOCK, Ga. — Graveside services will be held today in Canton, Georgia, at the Georgia National Cemetery for past Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Jack L. Davidson. According to the website for Lakeside Funeral Home in Woodstock, Georgia, Davidson died peacefully Sunday in Woodstock at age 87. Davidson and his late wife, Ina, had moved there a few years ago to be close to their daughter. Davidson served as TISD superintendent from 1980 till 1991. Following his retirement, he was called back into service numerous times for interim superintendent roles as well as to serve for the Texas Education Agency as a Monitor or Master for school districts that were facing difficulties. Continue reading Services Friday for Former TISD Superintendent Dr. Jack Davidson

LONGVIEW — A Longview family is devastated after its service dog disappears from its yard. KETK reports it happened in the area of Tryon Road and Sunnybrook Drive. The German shepherd helps Jay Myers’s wife, who has multiple sclerosis. Their two boys let the dog outside to do her business Monday. But when they opened the door to let her back inside, she was gone. Myers believes someone took her from the family’s home and is desperate for her to be returned. He says she’s wearing a tag that has flames on one side and says, “Pets rock.” On the other side it has Myers’s name and phone number. The dog has the typical German shepherd markings. You’re asked to call (903) 238-4100 if you have any information.

EAST TEXAS — Meals on Wheels and Walgreens have announced plans for the 4th annual Walgreens Mobile Flu Shot Drive, set to begin Monday, November 10 and ending Friday, November 21. Volunteer pharmacists from Walgreens will travel to homebound seniors to administer the flu shots directly to Meals on Wheels clients. Continue reading Meals on Wheels Offering Mobile Flu Shots

NASHVILLE – Two East Texans have taken five awards at the 48th annual Country Music Association Awards. Lindale’s Miranda Lambert was the biggest winner of the night with four awards. Lambert took home album of the year for “Platinum,” single of the year for “Automatic” and music event of the year for “We Were Us” with Keith Urban. Lambert’s fifth consecutive win for female vocalist of the year Wednesday beat a record set by herself, Reba McEntire and Martina McBride. Her husband, Blake Shelton, was named male vocalist of the year. Song of the year honors went to Golden, Texas native Kacey Musgraves for the song “Follow Your Arrow.” Last year she took home new artist of the year honors. Shortly after Wednesday night’s win, Musgraves joined Loretta Lynn to sing a rendition of Lynn’s “You’re Looking at Country.”

TYLER — Applications for the city of Tyler’s Christmas Parade are due by Friday, November 7. You can go to http://www.TylerPolice.com to download an application packet. School groups (such as bands, dance teams or the National Honor Society), civic organizations, churches, and other non-profit organizations are encouraged to participate, according to a city news release. All entries must be consistent with the city’s overall parade theme of Christmas, the holidays, winter, etc. Continue reading Tyler Christmas Parade Application Deadline Approaching

EAST TEXAS – Bomb threats came in to Smith County and neighboring school districts on Wednesday. All turned out to be fake. The calls came in concerning the Smith County Courthouse and schools in Athens, Frankston and Jacksonville. Continue reading Fake Bomb Threats Reported around East Texas

ATHENS — The mayor of Brownsboro agreed Tuesday to a probationary contract with the state during a hearing for his December 2013 DWI arrest. Mayor Terry Frank Mills, 37, appeared Wednesday morning for a pre-trial intervention in Henderson County Court at Law No. 1. Mills agreed to a 12-month probation and 100 community service hours. He will also pay court fees. The mayor was arrested on December 18, 2013, for driving while intoxicated with a blood alcohol content level greater than .15. The legal limit in Texas is .08. Additionally, he was charged with unlawful carrying weapon, a class A misdemeanor. Continue reading Brownsboro Mayor Agrees to Probation for DWI Arrest

BROWNSBORO — A Brownsboro High School student has been arrested and charged with terroristic threat on a public entity, which is a 3rd degree felony. According to a BISD news release, the student was arrested in response to threatening graffiti discovered in a boys’ restroom Tuesday afternoon. The high school administration worked closely with local law enforcement to identify possible witnesses and the suspect, who was ultimately detained early Wednesday morning prior to arrest, according to the release. The superintendent of schools, Dr. Christopher Moran, commented he was very pleased with the response of students, staff, and local authorities and commends the high school administration and BISD police chief for the timely investigation. Additional law enforcement will be present on all BISD campuses throughout the week to reassure parents, students and staff, according to the news release.

TYLER — Tyler police have cleared the scene and traffic has returned to a normal flow around the downtown square. According to KETK, vehicles were earlier rerouted a block away from the area due to unspecified police activity.

Complete and unofficial returns:
Early Voting and 73 of 73 Precincts Reporting

U.S. Representative, District 1
Louie Gohmert (REP) 36,701 77.03 %
Shirley J. McKellar (DEM) 10,943 22.97 %

State Representative, District 5
Bryan Hughes (REP) 10,145 92.25 %
Ron Walenta (LIB) 852 7.75 %

State Representative, District 6
Joel Gardner (LIB) 3,690 12.15 %
Matt Schaefer (REP) 26,680 87.85 % Continue reading Smith County Contested Races and Propositions

TYLER — A woman has been taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment following a reported sexual assault. It was reported around 8:15 Tuesday night in the 500 block of East Valentine. The 35 year old woman was treated for non-life threatening injuries. She described the suspect as a black male wearing dark clothing. Officers searched the area for the suspect but did not locate him.

JACKSONVILLE — Authorities arrested three people early Tuesday during a drug raid at a Jacksonville home. According to KETK, Cherokee County Sheriff James Campbell said deputies executed a search warrant at a home in the 500 block of Sunset Avenue. The warrant was issued by Judge Dwight Phifer. Deputies, along with help from the Jacksonville Police Department, arrested Jessica Lee Wold, 32, of Jacksonville; Justin Wayne Dedmon, 31, of Jacksonville; and Dewey Dolen Dowdy, 44, of Troup. Law enforcement seized meth, marijuana, drug paraphernelia and cash, according to authorities. Continue reading Three Nabbed in Jacksonville Drug Raid

WHITEHOUSE — Whitehouse Independent School District has received notification from a contracted archival company that a vehicle trailer containing certain records of some former students was recently stolen. KETK reports the information comes in a WISD news release. As a part of the district’s ongoing records management program, a third-party service located in Shreveport, Louisiana, periodically archives a portion of WISD’s paper files of former students. After processing, the archival service placed the paper files into a trailer for return to WISD. The trailer was stolen before the archival service returned the paper records to the school district. The theft has been reported to the Shreveport Police Department and, out of what’s termed an abundance of caution, to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Continue reading FBI Investigating Theft of Former Whitehouse ISD Student Records

TYLER — Tyler Police investigators received three positive DNA test results from the Department of Public Safety leading to the identity of three suspects deemed responsible for an aggravated robbery that occurred December 19, 2012, in City Park, at N. Broadway and Queen Street. Police say information received by a Tyler/Smith County Crime Stoppers tip allowed investigators to suspect three men who were later confirmed by their DNA that was recovered from the victim’s clothing. The victim was robbed, shot in the neck, left for dead, and paralyzed from the gunshot wound. Continue reading DNA Evidence Links Three Suspects to 2012 Park Shooting

CONROE (AP/ABC/Staff) – Minnesota Vikings star Adrian Peterson will avoid jail time after reaching a plea agreement in his child abuse case. A judge agreed to the plea deal during a hearing Tuesday in Conroe. Peterson gets two years’ probation, will pay a $4,000 fine, will perform 80 hours of community service, and must attend parenting classes. Peterson was indicted in September for using a wooden switch to discipline his 4-year-old son earlier this year in suburban Houston. The All-Pro running back was charged with felony injury to a child and had faced up to two years in prison if convicted. Under the agreement, Peterson pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge of reckless assault. Peterson says he never intended to harm his son and was disciplining him in the same way he had been as a child growing up in Palestine.

TYLER — A Smith County man pleaded guilty Tuesday to murdering his wife in February and was sentenced to 50 years in prison. KETK reports Adrian Mata, 29, had waived his arraignment Thursday morning. Mata shot Jennifer Mata, 30, February 25 at their home on Poplar Road. The victim was rushed to a local hospital but died from her injuries a few hours later. When authorities responded to the scene of the shooting, the shooter had fled in his car. He was arrested at a home in The Villages subdivision. Jennifer Mata, a mother of three young children, was a pharmacy technician at UT Health Northeast.

TYLER — Due to the railroad overpass construction on SSW Loop 323 at Bellwood Road in Tyler, southbound traffic has been shut down to one lane. Police advise drivers to exercise caution in that area and to seek alternate routes if possible.

SMITH COUNTY — Officials have reported the death of an inmate at the Smith County Jail. According to officials, around 5:30 Monday evening, as rounds were being made to serve the evening meal, an inmate in a cell on the second floor failed to respond to receive his food tray. Detention Officers entered the cell and found the inmate, identified as Robert Reed Rowan, 27, Flint, unresponsive. Officials said a code blue was issued alerting additional jail staff and inmate medical personnel to respond. Tyler Fire and EMS were also dispatched. Efforts to revive Rowan were unsuccessful. His body has been sent to the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Science in Dallas for autopsy. Continue reading Smith County Officials, Texas Rangers Investigate Inmate’s Death

TYLER – Polls opened in Smith County this morning at 7:00 in the mid-term election. Predicted rain may cut into the voter turnout. Smith County voters have a number of Election Day choices on the ballot. Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert again faces Democrat Shirley McKellar. GOP state Representative Matt Schaefer squares off against Libertarian Joel Gardner, while state Representative Bryan Hughes is opposed by Ron Walenta, also a Libertarian.

Elsewhere, wet/dry elections are being held in Justice Precinct 5 and the city of Bullard; voters will choose board members in Emergency Service District 2; incumbent Democrat Quincy Beavers is challenged by Republican Flor Nichols in Justice of the Peace Precinct 1; and Arp ISD voters will decide on a bond issue.

Smith County voters are reminded that Election Day polling locations are in individual precincts only. Voters need to visit to their precinct polling location. There is no voting at the Smith County Elections Office/Early Voting location today. To find your polling location, you can enter your address and print out directions from the Smith County Web site at http://www.smith-county.com or call the Smith County Elections Office for assistance at 903-590-4777.

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect in recent vehicle burglaries and credit card abuse. The department’s Facebook page says on September 24, multiple vehicles were broken into in the 3400 block of North US Highway 259. One of the victim’s credit cards was used twice, once at a convenience store in Longview then again at the Whataburger in Liberty City. Surveillance video shows a woman using the card at the convenience store, and there was video footage from both locations showing a small white car leaving after the card had been used. You are asked to contact Investigator David Falco at 903-236-8438 or Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP if you have any information about the suspect.