18-year-old arrested after crash and pursuit in Crockett

18-year-old arrested after crash and pursuit in CrockettCROCKETT – The Crockett Police Department said that an 18-year-old was arrested on New Year’s Day after he allegedly crashed into two utility poles in an SUV that was reported stolen.

Crockett PD said some of their night patrol officers reported hearing a loud crash on E Clark Avenue at around 5:50 a.m. and then they reportedly saw a white SUV driving away from that area and hitting a trash can. According to Crockett PD, the officers started pursuing the SUV after the driver refused to pull over for a traffic stop. The SUV eventually lost control and reportedly crashed into a utility pole on E Bonham Avenue.

According to reports from our news partner, KETK, the driver then allegedly got out of the SUV and fled from the officers for about a block until officers were able to arrest him. Jonathan Zuckero, 18 of Crockett, was identified by Crockett PD as the driver of the SUV. During his arrest officers allegedly found Xanax not prescribed to Zuckero and a handgun inside the SUV. Later, Crockett PD said they learned that the SUV was reported as stolen from a local business earlier that night. Crockett PD said the initial loud noise heard on E Clark Avenue was also from the SUV hitting a utility pole.
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Six injured in Highway 69 crashes

Six injured in Highway 69 crashesLUFKIN – According to our news partner KETK, six people were injured on Saturday night in two crashes that happened on Highway 69 South. Huntington VFD said that Fuller Springs Volunteer Fire Department was was called out to a crash scene in the 6000 block of Highway 69 South at around 5 p.m. on Saturday. Huntington VFD had just finished training at a house they burned down and so they responded to the scene as well. Four riders who were on three motorcycles were injured in the crash and were taken to the hospital to be treated after Allegiance Mobile Health arrived on scene, according to Huntington VFD.

Officials had blocked off the southbound lanes of Highway 69 when another crash involving three vehicles happened just before where they had blocked off the road. Continue reading Six injured in Highway 69 crashes

How to request more EV chargers in Longview

How to request more EV chargers in LongviewLONGVIEW – Longview’s Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) is currently running an Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Survey and is looking for the public’s help in placing EV charging stations across the city. Our news partners at KETK report that the survey page allows participants to directly place a pin anywhere within the city. Those who want to make suggestions in-person can do so at the MPO’s public meeting on Wednesday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the Maude Cobb Convention Center.

Texas Rose Festival reveals this year’s theme and queen

Texas Rose Festival reveals this year’s theme and queenTYLER – Organizers are already hard at work for this year’s 92nd annual Texas Rose Festival Parade according to our news partner KETK. On Friday, they unveiled this year’s theme and introduced the world to the newest Rose Queen, Avery Armstrong of Tyler. This year’s princess of the Rose Festival is Mary Dial of Tyler. This year is a special for Mary as her sister was last year’s Rose Festival princess.

At their annual Winter Gala at the Willow Brook County Club, the Texas Rose Festival Association said that “A Tapestry of Tales” is the theme for this year’s festivities. At the black tie optional gala on Friday, they also revealed this year’s queen’s court which includes the princess, ladies-in-waiting and attendants.

KETK is the official home of the Texas Rose Festival Parade so be sure to follow us for everything you need to know leading up to this year’s festivities in October.

Bullard ISD mourns loss of high schooler killed in crash

Bullard ISD mourns loss of high schooler killed in crashBULLARD, Texas – The Bullard Independent School District is in mourning after a high school student died in a motor vehicle crash on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, Madison Nelson, a 9th grader, passed away in the crash, according to a statement released by the district. She represented the 2024 freshman class as a homecoming duchess in this past fall semester.
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Could Texas’ power grid connect to New Mexico?

DALLAS – The Dallas Morning News reports that a small regional electric cooperative in far West Texas is seeking to connect portions of New Mexico to Texas’ self-contained power grid. The Rio Grande Electric Cooperative, a rural electric retail company that owns thousands of miles of power lines across 18 Texas counties, is not wholly part of ERCOT, but it wants to be. Last month, the power provider petitioned the federal regulatory body overseeing the nation’s electric grid and asked regulators to determine whether connecting their customers to ERCOT, including homes and businesses in two New Mexico counties, would trigger federal regulation. Texas has maintained an energy grid largely disconnected from the rest of the country. This isolation has allowed the state to avoid federal regulation, which many lawmakers, including Gov. Greg Abbott, have touted as an economic advantage contributing to the state’s sustained economic growth.

The electric cooperative argues allowing ERCOT power to cross state lines would not trigger federal regulation because all the large electric transmission lines they own are in Texas. The electricity that crosses state lines is transmitted on smaller distribution lines like those connected to homes and small businesses across Texas. They argue that the Federal Electric Regulatory Commission does not have jurisdiction over those lines. The Rio Grande Electric Cooperative’s CEO Theresa Quiroz said in an interview that allowing the co-op to connect its remaining customers to ERCOT was “critical” to the organization’s ability to meet future power needs in its coverage area. “We have a lot of entities inquiring of us whether we have the capacity and ability to serve them,” Quiroz said. “We have an obligation to serve them. However, we can’t do it with what we have in place. At this point, we are having to turn away customers, and we don’t want to do that.” No hearings have been scheduled in the case, but the Rio Grande Electric Cooperative asked federal regulators to issue a ruling by Feb. 24.

Attorney General Ken Paxton to stop in Tyler

Attorney General Ken Paxton to stop in TylerTYLER- Attorney General Ken Paxton’s visit to the Rose City will be part of a state-wide tour on January 6th and 7th.

His tour is in conjunction with Republican Party of Texas Chairman Abraham George, which will include stops in key districts across the state. Paxton said in a press release that the tour aims to draw attention to representatives he believes have “fallen short of upholding conservative principles in the past and are reportedly working for a speaker not elected by a Republican majority.” Continue reading Attorney General Ken Paxton to stop in Tyler

Bullard ISD mourning 9th grader who died in crash

Bullard ISD mourns loss of high schooler killed in crashBULLARD– The Bullard Independent School District is in mourning after a high school student died in a motor vehicle crash on Wednesday.

Madison Nelson, a 9th grader, passed away in the crash, according to a statement released by the district. She represented the 2024 freshman class as a homecoming duchess in this past fall semester.

Dr. Jack Lee, Bullard ISD Superintendent released a statement, saying, “I am deeply saddened to inform you that Madison Nelson, a 9th-grade student at Bullard High School, passed away on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025, in a motor vehicle accident. Madi was a shining star who consistently excelled in the classroom. She was regularly looked up to by other students and represented the Freshman Class as one of our homecoming duchesses earlier this fall semester. Please keep Madi’s family, friends, and teachers in your thoughts and prayers.”
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East Texas firefighters save dog from mobile home fire

East Texas firefighters save dog from mobile home firePAYNE SPRINGS – Payne Springs Fire Rescue firefighters saved a dog that was found lifeless at a fire in the Cherokee Shores area last night.

According to Payne Springs Fire Rescue (PSFR), they were alerted to the fire at around 7:53 p.m. on Thursday. when firefighters arrived at the scene they found a double wide mobile home with a heavy fire spreading into the home from the porch.

PSFR Engine 1 was reportedly able to make a quick knock down before they did a primary search of the home. PSFR said one dog was found lifeless under a bed. The dog was removed and they started to treat it with oxygen. According to a report from KETK, the dog was able to recover after a couple of minutes on oxygen. The home sustained significant damage during the fire and the American Red Cross has been called to help the resisdents.

PSFR said that Gun Barrel City Fire Department, Eustace Fire Department, Payne Springs Police Department, Eustace Police Department, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and UT Health EMS all responded to the scene.

Suspect accused in fatal stabbing sentenced to prison

Suspect accused in fatal stabbing sentenced to prisonNACOGDOCHES — A Nacogdoches man, accused of stabbing his girlfriend to death, was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Dec. 20. According to our news partner KETK, on Oct. 3, 2022, officers were called to a residence in the 2300 block of Elizabeth Street “in reference to callers advising a family member was found deceased in the residence.” Upon arrival, officers found Rose Catherine Garner, 60 of Nacogdoches, dead from injuries caused by a a stab wound.

Investigators obtained a homicide warrant for Garner’s boyfriend, James Edward Harris. He was arrested in Longview the following day and was taken to the Nacogdoches Law Enforcement Center. According to the Nacogdoches District Attorney’s Office, Harris plead guilty to murdering Garner on Dec. 20 at the 420th District Court in Nacogdoches County.