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UPDATE: According to our news partner KETK, the Sulphur Springs Police Department is reporting that Taylor Rianna Casper was found safe after being reported missing on Sunday.

SULPHUR SPRINGS – The Sulphur Springs Police Department is searching for a 23-year-old autistic woman who went missing near Garret Drive and Highway 11 West on Sunday.
Taylor Rianna Casper is 23-years-old, weighs 160 pounds and was last seen wearing a red jacket and blue jeans. Casper reportedly was last seen walking away from a residence on Garret Drive off of Highway 11 West. Sulphur Springs PD said that Casper doesn’t have her phone. They’ve asked anyone with information about Casper to call Sulphur Springs PD at 903-885-7602.

WINONA – Smith County Emergency Services District #2 officials said that one person has died and four others were injured in a three-vehicle crash on Highway 155 near Winona on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, the crash happened on Highway 155 just north of Interstate 20 at around 4:55 p.m. According to Smith County ESD 2, there were two people entrapped and another person who died when crews arrived on the scene. Four people were then reportedly taken by EMS to a local hospital.

Winona Volunteer Fire Department, the Department of Public Safety and Smith County ESD 2 engines 122,128,127,Chief 127,BC2 T127 and B127.

OVERTON- A car was hit by a train on the railroad crossing at N. Commerce Street and E. Henderson Street, according to our news partner KETK. The crash occurred early Sunday morning. Overton Volunteer Fire Department also reported that there were no injuries. Information regarding the driver of the vehicle as well as a motive behind the car being on the tracks have not been released. The Overton Police Department, Overton Volunteer Fire Department and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office all responded to the scene.

EAST TEXAS – Schools across Gregg and Smith counties are preparing for the new school year! The Tyler Morning Telegraph has put together a list of important information before the first bell rings:
Continue reading Local ISDs preparing for new school year

VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas — Two Chinese nationals were arrested with $250,000 worth of gold bars after a traffic stop on I-20 on Thursday. Our news partners at KETK report that the arrests stemmed from a traffic stop in Wills Point. The driver was identified as 25-year-old Chen, Weijian. Due to a language barrier, Hughes asked Chen to go to his patrol vehicle and speak to him via a translation app. During an interview, Wills Point PD Sgt. Charlie Hughes reported that he had reason to suspect criminal activity. Chen claimed he was heading to Dallas and also claimed he went to Florida to “play.” 46-year-old Lin Wenqiang, the passenger in the vehicle, gave consent to a search but seemed hesitant. A search then revealed a bag located behind the driver’s seat on the floorboard.
Continue reading Quarter-million dollars of gold seized, two arrested

PALESTINE – Palestine Economic Development has announced that crews started the second phase of the Downtown Revitalization project recently. According to our news partner KETK, many of the utilities in the city, like water pipes were originally installed in the early 1900s. They have never been replaced, only repaired over time.

Mary Ann Admire, City of Palestine Main Street coordinator said, “We are incredibly excited to be progressing on the Downtown Revitalization Project, which will replace utilities, sidewalks, and streets in the Central Business District. We are so grateful to the City leadership for their vision and determination to make downtown safe and accessible.”
Continue reading Phase two of downtown Palestine development started

TYLER – Two people were arrested in Tyler after an investigation into human trafficking. According to our news partners at KETK, Tyler police arrested 24-year-old James Emmitt Dews III and 23-year-old Hannah Nicole Moore for trafficking a child. The arrest was made in collaboration with the Texas Attorney General’s Office Human Trafficking Unit and the North Texas Human Trafficking Task Force. Both are in the Smith County Jail with bonds listed at $750,000 each. The investigation is still ongoing.

TYLER — Tickets for the 108th annual East Texas State Fair have officially gone on sale. According to our news partner KETK, this year’s East Texas State Fair will run from Sept. 20 – 29 at 11315A State Highway 64 West and tickets cost $12 for adults, $6 for children 5-12, children under 5 get in free and carnival wristbands for unlimited rides in one day cost $37.

The fair also said that there will be special themed days, Military Appreciation Day will be on Sept 23, offering free admission to active and retired military personnel with valid ID, First Responder Day will be on Sept 25, offering free admission to police, firefighters and EMS with valid ID.

“This year, we’re opening at a new location, offering a fresh experience with new attractions and entertainment for the whole family,” Cody Rosenbalm, CEO and president of the East Texas State Fair, said. “We’re here to make this year’s Fair unforgettable and look forward to welcoming everyone at our new grounds.”

Click here for more information.

TYLER — Construction in downtown Tyler has been going on for months and it’s getting busier with the demolition of buildings for the next phase of the new courthouse project, according to our news partner KETK. “Phase two is starting of the construction of the courthouse but the demolition of the east side of the square actually has to start first and that will begin on Monday,” Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said. People who visit or work downtown should plan for detours and parking changes. “You see all of the fencing all around but you’ll see people in there working and heavy equipment pushing down buildings and walls,” Franklin said.

Currently, crews are looking underground at fiber and utility lines to prevent any issues moving forward. Continue reading Demolition phase is underway for new Smith County courthouse

TYLER – Governor Greg Abbott selected Dr. Jenifer Chilton, The University of Texas at Tyler School of Nursing associate dean for academic affairs, as an inaugural member of the advisory panel for the Healthcare Workforce Task Force. The role of the task force is to address the healthcare workforce shortages in Texas.

“We are incredibly proud of Dr. Chilton’s appointment to the advisory panel,” said Dr. Julie V. Philley, UT Tyler president. “Her expertise and dedication to nursing education and healthcare excellence will be invaluable in shaping the future of our healthcare workforce.”

The task force and advisory panel will meet monthly to discuss healthcare information gained from state agency experts and stakeholders. Chilton will serve as co-chair of a workgroup that will identify barriers and opportunities to increasing the faculty pipeline and other health professions. The task force and advisory panel will issue a final report on Oct. 1.

MARSHALL – Two adults and two teenagers were arrested as a result of a drive-by shooting in Marshall Thursday morning. According to our news partner KETK, arrested were 49-year-old Gerrold Maze, 26-year-old Kisha Carlisle, 19-year-old Rmund Hall and 17-year-old Darrieon Russaw all of Marshall.

This was in regards to two shots fired incidents that occurred around 3:00 a.m. Thursday morning. According to Marshall Police, the first was near Lions Park. The other near a home on Calloway Street. Officers reported no injuries at either location. However, this led them to a home on Twyman Street. At this location, all four persons arrested gave up voluntarily to officers.
Continue reading Four arrested in Marshall drive-by shooting

PALESTINE — Our news partners at KETK report that an Elkhart motorcyclist has died after a two vehicle wreck on Tuesday in front of the Palestine Mall, the Palestine Police Department said. The police department said at around 12:41 p.m., officers and the Palestine Fire Department were dispatched to the 2100 block of Crockett Road due to a two-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle. Palestine PD said when officials arrived at the scene, both vehicles were blocking the road and the motorcyclist was unresponsive. Continue reading Motorcyclist dies in wreck at Palestine mall

TYLER – Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) will begin replacing 8,000 water meters starting on Monday, Aug. 19. This project was approved by the City Council in December 2023. The first phase will take one year to complete and will replace meters identified as having issues with accuracy and reliability. For the next three years, 1,650 meters will be replaced annually until all identified problem meters are switched to the new model. Water meters measure the amount of water delivered to a customer’s tap. The most recent meters in our system were installed in 2005. Over the last several years, 27 percent of the existing meters had problems accurately reading water usage, not registering consumption, and not communicating the information to the Water Business Office. Continue reading TWU begins replacing 8,000 water meters Aug. 19

ANGELINA COUNTY — The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that left two people dead early Wednesday morning. According to Angelina County Sheriff Tom Selman and our news partner KETK, a call reported a shooting in Burke just after midnight Wednesday morning. Officials detained a juvenile, who has not been publicly identified, at the scene. Morgan McRae, 39, was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Hannah Griffin, 31, who had also been shot, was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

Sheriff Selman said that investigators received a warrant for the residence and found the weapon that was used in the shooting. Officials also said there were other children in the home at the time of the shooting. Continue reading Juvenile charged in double homicide

PALESTINE — An Elkhart motorcyclist has died after a two vehicle wreck on Tuesday in front of the Palestine Mall, the Palestine Police Department said. According to our news partner KETK, at around 12:41 p.m., officers and the Palestine Fire Department were dispatched to the 2100 block of Crockett Road due to a two-vehicle crash involving a motorcycle. Palestine PD said when officials arrived at the scene, both vehicles were blocking the road and the motorcyclist was unresponsive. Officials said McShan was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.

An investigation into the wreck indicated that a silver Ford Explorer pulled out of the Palestine Mall onto Crockett Road. The motorcyclist, Gary McShan, 59 of Elkhart, was reportedly driving south on Crockett Road. The Ford Explorer reportedly pulled out in front of McShan causing him to hit the driver’s side of the Explorer.

An inquest is being performed by Anderson County Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Tammy Lightfoot.

TROUP – Smith County road crews were out on Wednesday improving several City of Troup roads, which also falls in Cherokee County, as part of a interlocal agreement. According to our news partner KETK, the road improvements are being funded by the Troup Community Development Corporation, using a half-cent sales tax. The Troup City Council and county commissioners approved the funding.

Smith County Road and Bridge crews worked on paving North Georgia Street from East Duval to East McKay streets and North Carolina Street from East Duval to East Bryant streets. They will work on roads that are used a lot by business and school traffic.

A release also said crews will also work on East McKay Street to the Union Pacific Railroad crossing and Pascal Street from Front to Alabama streets at a later date

HENDERSON COUNTY – Authorities report a man drowned Tuesday night on Lake Palestine. According to our news partner KETK, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said they were called around 8 p.m. to assist Game Wardens on a report of a missing person in the Coffee City area. The man’s body was later recovered and he was identified as Harley Crouch.

SMITH COUNTY – An investigation by Smith County authorities led to the arrest of a man accused of running an asphalt paving scam in several states, according to our news partner KETK. Timothy Mark Adams allegedly skipped town after running scams in Smith County in 2020, and was found Monday in a Florida RV park after Smith County investigators were tipped off to his whereabouts.

The investigation started with an elderly couple reporting that they hired Adams from a Facebook advertisement for asphalt paving in March 2020. They allegedly paid Adams $3,000 in advance to asphalt their driveway, but no work was ever done. Smith County authorities coordinated with investigators in Hoover, Alabama who said they were investigating Adams for similar scams. Through cooperating with other law enforcement agencies, Smith County investigators said that they discovered Adams was running these scams in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama and Texas.
Continue reading Man arrested for multi-state fraud scheme

LONGVIEW — Brookshire’s Grocery Company held an event for the groundbreaking of their upcoming FRESH location in Longview on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, the new FRESH will be located at the corner of US Highway 259 and North Fourth Street and is expected to be finished by the summer of 2025.

This location will be the third FRESH by Brookshire’s, joining one in Tyler and one in Fate. FRESH isn’t just a grocery store, like its sister locations this store will also include dining options, a playground and a patio with an outdoor entertainment space. Continue reading Brookshire’s breaks ground on FRESH location in Longview

RUSK COUNTY — FEMA is opening a Disaster Recovery Center in Rusk County to provide one-on-one help to Texans affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding April 26 – June 5. The center will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday- Saturday, closed Sunday. Any center can help with both Hurricane Beryl and the April 26-June 5 storms and flooding. To find the center location nearest you, click here.

Residents in Anderson, Austin, Bell, Calhoun, Collin, Cooke, Coryell, Dallas, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Falls, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Hockley, Jasper, Jones, Kaufman, Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Montague, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Panola, Polk, San Jacinto, Rusk, Sabine, Smith, Terrell, Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, Walker and Waller counties can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed. Continue reading FEMA opens recovery center in Rusk County

TYLER — The Tyler Parks and Rec Department is beginning renovations to W.E. Winters Park, formerly known as Peach Park, located at 910 S. Peach Ave. The park will be closed to the public until the end of 2024. According to a news release, W.E. Winters Park renovations will include improvements to the playground, restrooms, pavilion, and parking lot and will feature a pollinator-themed design. Additional renovations will be completed at a later stage of development, including adding additional play elements, amenities, and renovations to the multipurpose courts. The current phase of renovations is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. For more information about this and other Tyler Parks and Rec Improvement Projects, click here, or call (903) 531-1370.

RUSK COUNTY — A man has been arrested in Rusk County after officials recovered three reported stolen ATVs, according to our news partners at KETK. According to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office on July 23, a search warrant was served on Rusk County Road 2161 where deputies recovered three stolen ATVs worth around $93,700 that had been concealed behind an outbuilding on gated property. Willie Calvin Stoker II, 41 of Longview, the owner of the property, was also found in possession of a prohibited weapon, a short barrel firearm. Continue reading Longview man arrested after stolen ATVs recovered

POLK COUNTY — Our news partners at KETK report that the Polk County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a man on the Top 10 Wanted Sex Offender List on July 18. The sheriff’s office said in collaboration with the Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigations Division, Spencer Alexander Smith, 32 of Livingston, was arrested after an extensive search across the Polk County area. Smith was a Texas Top 10 Most Wanted Fugitive. Continue reading Authorities catch Top 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the identify of one the people involved in a Monday chase on I-20 that ended after shots were fired at East Texas law enforcement, according to our news partners at KETK. Bykearean Javar Green, 26 of Dallas, was arrested for evading arrest or detention with a vehicle in connection to the chase. Green is being held on a $250,000 bond at the Smith County Jail. The sheriff’s office said three people were in the car, including Green and a minor.

Officials said the sheriff’s office picked up the chase from Harrison County at around 9 a.m. after the car was reportedly stolen from Mississippi. Shots were reportedly fired from the car at law enforcement during the chase in Lindale. Continue reading Officials reveal identity of man in I-20 chase

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler announced that one of their students was selected as the university’s first-ever Jonas Scholar. According to our news partner KETK, Ryan Schalles, a PhD student at UTT’s School of Nursing, has been selected by Jonas Nursing and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to be the school’s first-ever Jonas Scholar.

“Being named a Jonas Scholar is a remarkable achievement for Ryan Schalles and a significant milestone for the UT Tyler School of Nursing,” Dr. Barbara K. Haas, School of Nursing dean, said. “We are immensely proud of him and grateful to Dr. Barbara McAlister for supporting Ryan. Her dedication to mentoring and guiding our students is invaluable and reflects the commitment typical of the UT Tyler School of Nursing faculty.” Continue reading UT Tyler names first-ever ‘Jonas Scholar’ for school of nursing

TEXARKANA — The Texarkana Police Department is searching for a woman accused of stealing $18,000 from a local business where she was employed as a manager, and a reward is being offered for information leading to her arrest. Officials said Jill Wright was to make daily bank deposits as part of her job responsibilities, however she reportedly failed to make deposits for several days in May. According to our news partner KETK, her supervisors reported the theft to Texarkana PD who talked to Wright on the phone weeks ago. She reportedly agreed to visit the station to inform the department what was going on.

Wright allegedly never showed up and avoided calls from the police department. Continue reading Police searching for local manager they say stole $18k