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GREGG COUNTY — The family of a Hallsville teenager shot to death at a Kilgore residence is seeking assistance to pay for funeral costs. According to the Longview News-Journal, services for Kayla Elizabeth Williams, 17, are scheduled 2:00 this afternoon in the chapel at Welch Funeral Home, 4619 Judson Road. Visitation will be 12:00-2:00, just before the funeral service. Continue reading Funeral Scheduled for Hallsville Teenager Shot to Death

LUFKIN — Lufkin Police are investigating the death of an infant. According to KETK, it happened around 10:00 Thursday morning in the 1500 block of Williams Street. Police say a 19-year-old mother called 911 telling officials that her 8-week-old infant was unresponsive. An ambulance took the emaciated baby to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead Friday morning. The infant’s name is being held at this time pending further investigation.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Staff/ESPN) — The 2-year-old son of Minnesota Vikings running back and Palestine native Adrian Peterson has died from injuries suffered after allegedly being assaulted by another man, the Sioux Falls (S.D.) Police Department confirmed Friday. According to ESPN.com, the child had been in critical condition in a South Dakota hospital, and a man who police say was caring for the child has been arrested. Peterson’s father, Nelson Peterson, had told the St. Paul Pioneer Press that the child is Adrian Peterson’s son. Joseph Patterson, 27, is being held on two felony counts of aggravated battery of an infant and aggravated assault domestic. He was in court Friday for a probable cause hearing where bail was expected to be discussed. Continue reading Adrian Peterson’s Son Dies

GILMER — Former Upshur County Commissioner Lloyd Crabtree pleaded guilty Friday and was sentenced to five years’ probation on a 10-year prison sentence for taking a firearm from a peace officer. That’s according to KETK and the Longview News-Journal. The third degree felony stemmed from an Oct. 6, 2012, incident in which Game Warden Shane Bailey allegedly was disarmed and detained at gunpoint by Crabtree and his son, Todd, while the officer was making a routine check on Crabtree’s property for hunting. District Attorney Billy Byrd said terms of Crabtree’s plea bargain and probation sentence include a public apology, 240 hours of community service, a $1,000 fine and a ruling that Crabtree cannot have firearms. Crabtree, his attorneys, and Byrd agreed to the plea bargain.

LONGVIEW — A Longview woman was arrested Thursday after a routine traffic stop led to the discovery of drugs, according to officials. KETK reports Monica Michelle Adair, 41, was arrested for five outstanding city warrants before officials reportedly discovered illegal drugs in her car. Around 4:00 p.m., Longview police officers initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle for an expired inspection sticker, according to authorities. They say Adair was taken into custody on the warrants without incident. While officers were inventorying her car, they reportedly found 6 vials inside the vehicle believed to contain traceable amounts of PCP. Adair was also arrested for possession of a controlled substance. She was booked in to the Gregg County Jail

TYLER — Tyler Police responded to several reports of shots fired late Thursday night. It happened around 11:40 near the downtown square. Responding officers searched the area and located several subjects they believed to be involved in the incident. One person was reportedly in possession of a firearm and said to be responsible for firing the weapon moments earlier. According to KETK, the suspect is Joseph Scott Mendoza, 22, who allegedly fired shots from a rooftop downtown. Mendoza was booked into the Smith County Jail and charged with discharging a firearm within city limits and driving the wrong way on a one-way street. No injuries were reported.

LONGVIEW — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office is now using the RSO Tracker online sex offender management system to better manage its sex offender caseload. That’s according to RSO Tracker officials, who say the usage began October 1. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, Gregg County has 80 registered sex offenders who reside in unincorporated Gregg County and report to the Sheriff’s Office. By state law, sex offenders are required to report changes in their address, employment, and personal information to the law enforcement agency where they live. Continue reading Gregg County Sheriff’s Office Begins Using RSO Tracker

MARSHALL — An East Texas boy reported missing Thursday has been found. KETK reports 13-year-old Paul Bass was found around 11:10 a.m. Friday morning. Harrison County Patrol Deputies found Bass in the area of Farm to Market Road 2625 and Farm to Market Road 31, near the Crossroads Baptist Church. This is the same area where officials say he was seen by a housekeeping crew on Thursday night. According to KETK, Paul is well and will be held at Willoughby Detention Center until further disposition. Continue reading Missing Harrison County Boy Found

TYLER — The 26th Annual Festival on the Square Texas Music concert is set for Saturday in downtown Tyler. Four bands will play throughout the evening at the concert, which is a fundraiser for the City of Tyler Main Street Department. Gates will open at 5 p.m. An acoustic set by Rich O’Toole will begin at approximately 6 p.m., followed by Fred Andrews and Honeybrowne at 7 p.m. Sons of Fathers will take the stage at 8:30 p.m. The headliners, Cody Canada and The Departed, are scheduled to perform at 10:15 p.m. Continue reading Festival on the Square Concert Set for Saturday

TYLER — Tyler-area residents have a chance to interact with the candidates for Texas lieutenant governor this weekend. The East Texas Constitutional Alliance, of which Grassroots America is a founding member, will sponsor a Lt. Governor Candidate Forum and Straw Poll Saturday at the UT-Tyler Ornelas Center on Old Omen Road. Doors open at 2:00 p.m. The event begins at 2:30 and ends at 4:00 with straw poll voting until 5:00. Candidates who have declared for the race are Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst, State Senator Dan Patrick, Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, and Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples. The Republican Primary will be held on March 4, 2014. There is no cost for the October 12 event, and organizers say the public is urged to attend.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A capital murder charge is filed Thursday against a Gilmer man previously held on a charge of murder. Jonathan Ray Shepherd, 32, was in an Upshur County Courtroom for a bond reduction hearing, according to the Longview News-Journal.

Shepherd’s accused of fatally shooting Cheyenne Green, 29, Sept. 26 in the parking lot at Gilmer High School’s Buckeye Stadium during half-time at a sub-varsity football game. The Upshur County D-A said Shepherd’s charge was enhanced after evidence showed he was attempting to kidnap Green when she was killed. Bond remained at $1 million.

MABANK — A two vehicle accident in Mabank has killed one person. The accident happened around 8:00 Thursday morning in the 15,000 block of State Highway 198. Killed was 59 year old Ronny Andrews of Mabank. The accident occurred when the victim’s car hit the rear of a cement mixer. The truck’s driver was not injured.

MARSHALL — Two Marshall men are in custody, charged with aggravated robbery and evading/resisting arrest. They are accused of the robbery of the EZ Mart in the 2500 block of West Pinecrest Drive. They are identified as Eric Charles Cooks and Raymond Johnson, both 39. Marshall police say officers responding to the robbery tried to stop the men’s car which was leaving the vicinity of the robbery. The car failed to stop and a chase followed. The car finally stopped in the 1900 block of Holland Street with one of the men running from the vehicle. He was arrested after a brief foot chase. Both men were arraigned Thursday morning.

TYLER — A UT Health Northeast researcher has been awarded a $100,000 grant to continue work on blood clotting. Researcher Vijay Rao, Ph.D., received the one-year grant from the American Society of Hematology (ASH) to continue his study of how blood clotting works, with the goal of learning how to fix it when it goes wrong. Dr. Rao, a professor of biochemistry, and his team are investigating a protein called tissue factor that triggers the clotting process. Most tissue factor in cells remains idle until galvanized into action by an injury or disease condition, Dr. Rao said. The goal of Dr. Rao’s research team is to understand how tissue factor is activated and deactivated, so that blood clots that lead to heart attacks, strokes and other serious diseases can be prevented. Continue reading Tyler Researcher Gets Grant

NACOGDOCHES — The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office has filed charges on six people from Nacogdoches in connection with a four-wheeler theft ring. KETK reports the thefts occurred between July and September. Law officers arrested Jay Coutee, Christopher Randall, and Jason Briley, all 17, and two 16-year-old juveniles on charges of engaging in organized criminal activity. A warrant has also been issued for the arrest of Andrew Sanders, 17, for the same offense, according to officials. Continue reading Five Arrested in Four-Wheeler Theft Ring, One Still at Large

MT. PLEASANT — An East Texas man is dead after an accident at an industrial plant on Wednesday. Curtis Russell Guest, 53, was reportedly electrocuted while working on equipment at Priefert Ranch Manufacturing in Mount Pleasant. Titus County Justice of the Peace, Kay McNutt tells KETK Guest died after being taken to an area hospital. An autopsy has been ordered to determine the legitimate cause of death. Priefert Ranch Manufacturing, a highly popular ranch and farm equipment plant, is located at 2630 South Jefferson Avenue in Mount Pleasant.

SHERMAN (AP) — A North Texas football coach shot in 2005 by an athlete’s father has been stripped of his duties as athletic director after being sanctioned by the governing agency for high school sports. The Herald Democrat in Sherman reports Gary Kinne will still coach football at the school 60 miles northeast of Dallas. Superintendent Al Hambrick dismissed him as athletic director this week. Kinne recently was suspended a game by the University Interscholastic League for violations including participating in offseason 7-on-7 football. Kinne says he doesn’t agree with his punishment, but accepts it. Continue reading Coach Gary Kinne Loses Athletic Director Title

TYLER — Republican Joel Baker announced Thursday he’s seeking a third term as Smith County Judge. Baker said, “When I ran for office, I pledged: (1) to adequately fund and support law enforcement, and we’ve done that; (2) to work on development of a reasonable jail plan, and we’ve done that; (3) to be a good steward of county funds and resources, and we’ve done that; (4) to maintain low taxes, and we’ve done that – in fact, we have one of the lowest tax rates in the state; (5) to work on and improve transportation throughout the county, and we’ve done that; (6) to be responsive to the needs and concerns of county citizens; (7) to plan for the future of Smith County, and we continue to do that each day; and (8) to implement a phased-in master plan for county facilities; and we have done that.” Continue reading Baker Seeks Third Term as County Judge

TYLER — Citing “numerous tips,” Tyler police have arrested the suspect in a mugging attempt Tuesday evening in the Walmart parking lot on Highway 64 West in Tyler. He’s identified as Gerald Lee McMorris, 52, of Tyler. Investigators secured an arrest warrant for McMorris for robbery, 2nd degree felony, bond $750,000. McMorris surrendered to Tyler Police around 12:30 p.m. Thursday at the police station. Continue reading Suspect Arrested in Attempted Walmart Mugging

OVERTON — A boil water notice is no longer in effect for the City of Overton. The notice was prompted last week when a when a ten-inch water line split down the middle, according to information from the city. Crews got to work on the matter, and officials now say water tests have cleared the way to cancel the notice.

LONGVIEW — No children were on a Longview ISD school bus when it crashed into another vehicle Thursday morning. District officials tell KETK it happened around 8:00 at the intersection of Eastman Road and Highway 80. The driver of the bus and the driver of the other vehicle were taken to a local hospital.

PARIS (AP) — Police are investigating as homicides the shooting deaths of four men found at a house in northeast Texas. A woman called 911 Wednesday night to say someone was bleeding at a house in Paris. Emergency responders found four men dead in a front room of the home. Paris police said Thursday they could provide no details about suspects or the circumstances of the shootings. Continue reading East Texas Quadruple Homicide Under Investigation

MARSHALL — Harrison County Investigators have notified the known family of the alleged homicide victim who was found on Interstate Highway 20 and Farm Road 450 on October 7. KETK reports the victim is Lillian Desiree Descoteau, 51. The Texas driver’s license that was issued to her listed an address in Irving as her residence. Investigators are asking for anyone who may have had any contact with the victim, or may have seen her at any location, to contact the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. All information will be considered confidential or information may be given anonymously to Crimestoppers at 903-935-9969.

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP/Staff) – A federal appeals court has upheld a lower-court ruling to deny a preliminary injunction to stop construction of an oil pipeline running from Oklahoma to refineries along the Gulf Coast. The Keystone XL pipeline would pass through eastern Smith County and other portions of East Texas along the way. The Sierra Club, Clean Energy Future of Oklahoma and the East Texas Sub Regional Planning Commission sued the Army Corps of Engineers for approving construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. They asked for a preliminary injunction to stop TransCanada from constructing the pipeline while the lawsuit went through the court system, but a district court denied the injunction. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday upheld the district court’s ruling.

TYLER — A blaze at a Tyler home points up a warning not to leave even the smallest fires unattended. The Tyler Fire Department was dispatched to the single alarm structure fire just before 11:15 Wednesday morning at 2616 North Border. Firefighters quickly extinguished the fire and contained it to the room of origin, minimizing the level of damage to the structure. The fire was brought under control about 15 minutes. Investigators with the Tyler Fire Marshal’s Office have determined that the fire started in one of the bedrooms from the unattended candles. Moderate smoke damage was reported throughout the structure, with minimal fire damage contained in the bedroom. There were no injuries reported.

SULPHUR SPRINGS — An East Texas city is hoping to be number one in an unusual category. The contest is all about naming the best public restroom in the country, and Sulphur Springs has one of the 10 finalists. It’s the public restroom on the town square, constructed using one-way mirrors. In other words, as City Manager Marc Maxwell says, it’s “just like… you would expect to see in a police interrogation room, you can see out, but nobody else can see in.” The restrooms were built last year as part of the downtown revitalization plan and are open 7 days a week. Online voting for best public restroom continues at http://www.bestrestroom.com through October 31.

JACKSONVILLE — A solution is in sight for an eyesore in downtown Jacksonville. Debris from the former Yum Yum Eatery fills the lot where the restaurant stood before it burned. It’s been a battle trying to get someone to clean it all up. But just last week, an anonymous group offered to pick up the tab, in the neighborhood of $70,000. City Manager Mo Raissi tells KETK he thanks the group on behalf of the city council and the taxpayers, who will now have no responsibility for the cleanup.

KILGORE — The Kilgore Police Department is facing a lawsuit from the mother of a man shot and killed by officers. The Longview News-Journal reports that the lawsuit claims “officers used unnecessary force, lacked proper training and violated proper procedure.” Jamel Freeman, 19, was shot and killed after attacking and stabbing two officers. They were responding to reports of a possible kidnapping. Freeman was known to have mental health issues. The officers were cleared in October 2011 of any wrongdoing.

TACOMA, WASH. (AP) – A Tyler man and two others have pleaded not guilty in the fatal stabbing of a fellow serviceman near a large Army base in Washington State. A $2 million bail has been set for the soldier accused of wielding the murder weapon. Prosecutors charged Jeremiah Hill, 23, with first-degree murder, saying he approached Spc. Tevin Geike, 20, and attacked him just as a verbal confrontation between two groups was calming down. The bail was set at a Tuesday afternoon court hearing. Authorities also charged Cedarium Johnson, 21, of Tyler, and Ajoni Runnion-Bareford, 21, with rendering criminal assistance, saying they helped dispose of the murder weapon. Bail for Runnion-Bareford was set at $250,000. Johnson was released and ordered to be contained at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

QUITMAN — The Wood County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in capturing a man wanted for burglary of a building. Bobby Joe “BJ” Lindley is described as 5’11,” weighing 160 pounds. Authorities tracked Lindley to a motel in Winnsboro, where he was reportedly staying with a girlfriend, but they say he escaped out the back window before he could be arrested. If you have any information regarding Lindley’s location, call Wood County CrimeStoppers 903-763-2274 (CASH).