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SMITH COUNTY — The Annual Property Tax Assessment documents have landed in the mailboxes of most East Texas property owners.

“Each year, the state reassesses property values and calculates your tax burden based on the assessment that they assign to your property,”Aden Stiles, with S.T.A.R Tax Protest Services, said. “So, every year, all property owners in Texas have the opportunity to protest this assessment to lower their tax burden and save them as much money as possible.”

Homeowners can file a protest on any property that’s taxed, which could be a vacant land you own, your home, or even a commercial warehouse.

The deadline to protest your property taxes is May 15th. You can protest on your own through the County Appraiser or hire a company.

ANGELINA COUNTY — A Lufkin pediatrician charged in a fatal intoxication crash is being held without bond after prosecutors alleged he repeatedly violated court-ordered conditions by drinking alcohol and attempting to drive while out on bond.

Officials say Dr. George Fidone repeatedly violated bond conditions tied to a court-ordered breathalyzer, including driving after drinking April 16. Fidone was barred from consuming or possessing alcohol or nonprescribed controlled substances as a bond condition.

He was booked into the Angelina County Jail on April 18 and is currently being held without bond on charges of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.

In January, Fidone was involved in a deadly crash that killed an Angelina County man and critically injured his wife. A probable cause affidavit said Fidone had alcohol in his system at the time of the wreck and later tested positive for opioids and THC.

SMITH COUNTY – The Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County is partnering with local law enforcement to encourage families to consider Project Lifesaver devices as summer approaches. The program provides radio-frequency tracking bracelets to individuals with dementia who are at risk of wandering.

The initiative involves the Tyler Police Department, the Lindale Police Department and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, who aim to quickly locate loved ones in minutes rather than hours or days.

The device emits a radio frequency signal, enabling quick location tracking if a person goes missing.The program is available to anyone who might need it, providing a crucial resource for families. Alzheimer’s CEO Bonnie Varner’s Alliance of Smith County emphasized the prevalence of Alzheimer’s and dementia in the area and the program’s potential impact.

“We estimate there’s about 4,500 people in Smith County that have Alzheimer’s or dementia,” Varner said. “This is a very underutilized resource that we would love for more people to participate in. Most people with Alzheimer’s or dementia are known to wander at some point or another, just to know that they have this and they can be found easily is such a peace of mind.”

KILGORE – Following the months-long nationwide search, Dr. Staci Martin was named as the lone finalist for President of Kilgore College on Monday. The search for the college’s next leader began in 2025, after former Kilgore College President Brenda Kays announced her retirement. Martin, who was the college’s interim president, and Tracee Watts, from Brazosport College, were chosen as the two lone finalists in March.

On Monday night at a board of trustees meeting, Martin was named as the lone finalist.

“As this process has continued, we realize that Dr. Martin was the right choice and we’re all thrilled to have her,” Kilgore College Board of Trustees President Josh Edmonson said. “[…] Dr. Martin has done a phenomenal job in the last six months as interim president. So we have no doubt that she will do a fantastic job leading the college.”
Continue reading Lone finalist for president named

UPDATE — Emergency management personnel from several collaborating agencies remain on-site to address the blowout of a natural gas well in Etoile. A Houston crew has arrived at the natural gas well fire and has taken over suppressing efforts.

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is continuing to monitor air quality conditions. According to our news partner KETK, Nacogdoches County officials said three residences on County Road 5061 remain evacuated while nearby residents and motorists are asked to avoid traveling in the FM 226 area.

NACOGDOCHES (AP) — An explosion at a Texas natural gas or oil well site set off a large fire that was seen for miles and led to some evacuations, but caused no injuries, authorities said Tuesday. The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office received numerous calls late Monday of a loud explosion in Etoile in eastern Texas, a small, rural community about 140 miles northeast of Houston. Continue reading Crews work to suppress gas well fire

HENDERSON COUNTY— An East Texas man was sentenced to life in prison last week after he was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child. According to our news partner KETK, 81-year-old former truck driver Randall Tidwell was arrested in 2025 after two underage girls reported that he had sexually abused them over multiple years.

While both girls were living with Tidwell, he allegedly sexually abused both of them inside his truck and at his home in Seven Points. The victims later revealed Tidwell’s actions once they left his home and were living in Kansas. During the investigation, Tidwell admitted to sexually abusing the girls on more than one occasion and was given two life sentences in prison last week after he was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child.

“The children had so much support during the trial, from the eldest’s former principal and her 1st grade teacher, to witnesses from Kansas who flew and drove in from out of State to ensure they received justice for what happened to them,” Henderson County District Attorney Jenny Palmer said “The jury took less than 20 minutes to reach their two life sentences verdict. Tidwell will never again see freedom.”

TYLER – Multiple East Texas schools have received threats over the last few weeks, including Chapel Hill, Rusk, Alto, and Troup. Now, according to our news partner KETK, law enforcement agencies are examining the most effective tactics to prevent these threats from escalating.

Chief Kyndal Brown with Troup ISD recalled an incident on April 13: “So last week we received a phone call just after lunches were over that an individual stated that he was going to come into our high school with an AR-15 style rifle and then he was going to go down to the middle school and obviously, we immediately responded. Both officers were able to immediately secure the exterior,” Brown said. He added that the call was non-credible and that they don’t need to update their protocols in light of these threats.

Troup ISD uses the state-wide Standard Response Protocol: HOLD, SECURE, LOCKDOWN, EVACUATE, AND SHELTER. On Monday, the school entered a ‘SECURE’ status. Continue reading Schools talk safety after hoax threats

RUSK COUNTY — Four people were arrested on Saturday after deputies uncovered a suspected cockfighting operation in Rusk County, where dozens of roosters were found dead. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office said they received information about cockfighting taking place at a property off FM 839 in the Reklaw area. The sheriff’s office patrol and criminal investigation unit, alongside other East Texas sheriff’s offices, arrived at the property and saw the illegal activity. During the investigation, they found 56 dead roosters and 11 that were alive and seized.
Continue reading Illegal cockfighting operation uncovered

TATUM — Six people have been hospitalized following an electrical explosion at a power plant in Tatum on Monday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office said, the explosion identified as an arc flash, occurred around 2:30 p.m. at the Martin Lake Power Plant. An arc flash is an electrical explosion caused when electricity jumps through the air, releasing extreme heat and pressure.

Following the incident, two people were airlifted to the hospital for severe injuries, while another four people were taken by vehicle to the hospital for non-life-threatening injuries.

The plant has returned to normal operations and the cause of the explosion is expected to be investigated by OSHA

TYLER – Saturday’s hailstorm may be over, but the Better Business Bureau (BBB) says another danger is rolling in behind it: opportunistic “storm chasers.”

The BBB advises residents to be cautious of storm chasers who arrive unannounced and offer to repair storm damage at a low cost. Be wary of those who require advance payment or make extravagant promises they have no intention of fulfilling.

Here are some homeowner safety tips from the BBB:

*Vet the contractor carefully: Confirm they meet state and local requirements, ensure licenses are current and check BBB.org for reputable options.
Continue reading BBB has storm scam warning

RUSK COUNTY — A so called “swingers club” has closed its doors, but maybe not for long. LSX venue was forced to shutter last week after violating a ordinance preventing “sexually oriented businesses” from operating within a thousand feet of a residence.

According to our news partner KETK, the venue also failed to apply for needed permits. LSX offered memberships ranging from $10 to $9, 000, advertising as an “adult lifestyle venue in East Texas where like-minded adults over 21 gather to share experiences together.” Activities like cornhole and pool tables were offered, as well as hot tubs and rooms to rent.

It’s possible LSX will pivot to some other operation, with reports saying it’s already rebranded as an event center.

TYLER – The Better Business Bureau in Tyler collected thousands of documents and devices from East Texans on Saturday during their annual Shred Day event.

The annual collection event usually sees between 500 to 800 cars drive up but in just their first hour of collections on Saturday the Better Business Bureau (BBB) saw over 200 cars roll up with documents. The BBB said it’s all being done to protect the identities of East Texans.

“We want to make sure that we are helping people protect their identity. Identity theft happens every 4.9 seconds in this country and so we want to remind people that we need to be secure and make sure that our documents are shredded securely,” Mechele Mills with BBB of Central East Texas said.

The Better Business Bureau’s annual event also takes old computers, hard drives and cell phones to be destroyed and recycled. To learn more, visit the Better Business Bureau online.

WHITEHOUSE – According to the Sheriff’s Office, one person was injured and one was arrested after a stabbing in Whitehouse Sunday morning. The stabbing suspect was taken into custody after a 45-minute standoff with deputies. The incident started on Judy Street in Whitehouse and one man was injured in the stabbing. The suspect was stopped by a deputy in the 1700 block of Centennial Parkway. The suspect refused to get out of the car and deputies negotiated with the suspect for about 45 minutes before he surrendered, according to the sheriff’s office.

The sheriff’s office said the suspect was arrested on an unrelated warrant. The sheriff’s office decline to name the suspect as the Whitehouse Police Department is investigating this as an aggravated assault case.

LONGVIEW – UPDATE: Just days after the crash that killed a Longview teacher and a nurse practitioner, Joel Mack’s final act of generosity is unfolding: in less than 24 hours, his organs will be donated to save others.

Newly released details from the Texas Department of Public Safety shed light on the U.S. Highway 259 crash that killed a Longview nurse practitioner and a Longview ISD teacher last weekend. Our news partners at KETK report that the collision occurred at around 3 a.m. on Sunday in the Diana area, involving Longview ISD teacher Kimberly Law and Hospitality Health ER nurse practitioner Joel Mack, DPS confirmed.
Continue reading Crash kills practitioner and teacher

HAWKINS – People living in Hawkins will vote for a new mayor following political conflict, lawsuit and the arrest of their current mayor.

In the past two years, the City of Hawkins has seen major changes under the current mayor, Debbie Rushing.

“I decided to run for mayor because I’ve noticed things happening in the city in the years that I’ve been here and I raised children here, so it became an important thing for me,” Hawkins’ mayoral candidate, Kayla Ross, said.

Since Rushing’s election in 2024, the city has fired its city judge, shut down the police department, and seen Rushing arrested.

Now, the future of leadership could all change at the ballot box on May 2.
Continue reading Leadership reboot for this city

RUSK – Missing 57-year-old David Blount’s brother, Billy Blount, shared a letter on Friday calling for action and stating that the City of Rusk has “failed his brother, his family, and every resident who expects transparency.” The open letter arrived in the KETK newsroom on Friday afternoon, calling for accountability from those investigating his brother’s Dec. 2 disappearance.

“We have watched in disbelief as the City of Rusk turned what should have been a straightforward investigation into a masterclass in stonewalling and self-preservation,” David’s brother Billy said. “Thank God for the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department and the Texas Rangers who stepped up in our family’s time of desperate need.”
Continue reading Officials respond to family’s questions

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University staff and students gathered in Longview on Friday to break ground on their new Christian Polytechnic University Center. According to our news partner KETK, the new 100,000-square-foot center will be a four-story building that will house more than 25 labs and spaces for the university’s engineering, business and computer science programs.

“There’s been a lot of work, actually many years, to get us to this point,” LeTourneau University President Dr. Steven D. Mason said. “The vision for this building at LeTourneau University, as the Christian Polytechnic University, has been in the making for several years to make it a space and a place that would embody everything that we hope for at an institution like ours.”

The new center is all a part of the university’s Build With Purpose campaign, where university donors are funding projects all across their campus.
Continue reading University gets more space

TYLER – Workforce Solutions East Texas completed moving into a new expanded workforce center on South Beckham Avenue this week. According to our news partner KETK, the new 28,500-square-foot facility will continue to provide Workforce Solutions’ free job recruitment and employment services but at a greater capacity than ever before.

“We’re excited to offer employers and prospective employees a tremendous facility. It allows ample space for recruitment of skilled workers, interviewing, training, enhancing respected skills, and receiving the resources necessary to become valued, long-term assets to the Tyler business community and the surrounding area. I believe employers will see this facility as a force multiplier to ongoing work in building their businesses. Employees will see this as a critical link between their hard work in preparation and the job in which they’ll excel. Together, we’ll set the stage for the next generation in Tyler’s economic development,” Workforce Solutions East Texas’ Executive Director, Doug Shryock said.
Continue reading Employment center gets new site

TYLER – Just days after the abrupt closure of Painted Tree Boutique locations, including one in Tyler, many vendors are now searching for new ways to sell their products, with some turning to creative community-driven solutions to stay afloat.

According to our news partner KETK, Heather Watson, a booth owner and marketing and business growth consultant said,“It’s crazy how much has happened just within a couple of days,”

Watson, like many others, rushed to retrieve her merchandise amid uncertainty about access to the building.

“Initially, it was just that urgent sense of, I need to get out there, I need to get my things out. I don’t know if the door is going to get locked,” Watson said.
Continue reading National closing impacts local businesses

HENDERSON – A man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child in Henderson County. According to our news partner KETK, the Henderson County District Attorney announced on Friday that Dwight Hugh Fitzpatrick received two 40-year sentences for aggravated sexual assault of a child. This comes after more than two years since the investigation began when a child told her grandmother that she had been sexually assaulted.

“We worked closely with the family of the young victim to ensure her needs were our first priority,” DA Jenny Palmer said. “Members of her family appeared in court wearing pink, her favorite color, and expressed their gratitude that she did not have to testify. Representatives from Maggie’s House, along with a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, were also present during the plea.”
Continue reading 80 years prison for sex assaults

TYLER – Early Voting for the May 2 City-School Elections ends today. There are several city and school elections, including a special-called bond election for Tyler Junior College.

The cities of Tyler, Hideaway, Lindale and Winona; and the independent school districts of Lindale and Tyler District 4 are having elections. The City of Lindale is also holding a special election for a charter amendment.
Continue reading Early voting ends today

EAST TEXAS — Over 60 East Texas cities are on a statewide list as the AG’s office checks compliance with rules tied to property tax increases. The investigation was launched by Attorney General Ken Paxton earlier this month, claiming that many cities are not complying with Senate Bill 1851, which requires them to complete and publicly post annual financial audits before increasing property taxes.

Due to possible violations of SB 1851, Paxton is demanding documents from over 1,000 cities across the state to ensure they are complying with audit and transparency requirements before raising taxes. The Office of the Attorney General said the review does not target cities for raising taxes, but instead aims to ensure compliance with audit and transparency requirements.
Continue reading Tax audit compliance check

TYLER – Traffic is currently stopped at the intersection of East Gentry Parkway and North Broadway Avenue after two vehicles crashed there on Friday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler Police are directing traffic and no injuries have been reported.

LONGVIEW – Looking to win the District 3 seat on the Longview City Council, two out of five candidates spoke on issues impacting Longview the most at a forum on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, District 3, which covers the south-eastern part of the city from Interstate 20 to north of U.S. Highway 80, has been under councilman Ray Wade since 2018. The seat opened up when Wade campaigned and lost the race to be a Gregg County commissioner during the March primary election.

Five candidates are vying for the seat to represent the district.

“[It’s] the oldest and most culturally enhanced part of our city,” candidate Marlena Cooper said.

Cooper, along with G. Floyd, were the two candidates present at Wednesday night’s forum, organized by the Longview Chamber of Commerce and the Longview News Journal.
Continue reading District candidate forum