KTBB News, Weather, Talk

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County Judge Neal Franklin issued a Disaster Declaration for Smith County on Friday, January 23, 2026, ahead of the winter storm.

Smith County emergency management officials have been working this week to prepare for road closures and power outages as much as they can.

“I have declared a disaster in Smith County, following the Governor’s Declaration,” Judge Franklin said. “Doing this now allows emergency management officials to respond quickly to any issues that arise during the disaster and to ask for aid when needed.”
Continue reading Disaster Declaration issued

LONGVIEW – Due to incoming inclement weather, CHRISTUS Health Urgent Care in Longview, West Loop 281 and Toler Road, is closed for the weekend. Telehealth visits remain available for non-emergency medical needs. Also closing are CHRISTUS Pediatric Clinic in Tyler closed Saturday and CHRISTUS Urgent Care Sulphur Springs: Closed Saturday and Sunday. Officials ask if your experiencing a medical emergency, please call 911 or go to the nearest emergency room. CHRISTUS anticipate reopening on Monday, January 26 at 8 a.m. To access CHRISTUS Health telehealth, and find “start on demand care.”

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County Jury Duty has been cancelled for Monday. If you received a jury summons for January 26, you do NOT have to report to the Courthouse, the District Clerk’s Office announced. Smith County officials are monitoring the weather and will announce at a later time whether non-emergency county offices will be closed Monday.

LONGVIEW – The Longview ISD broke ground on their new Early Childhood Learning Center Thursday. Our news partner KETK reports that the new center will be built on the site of Jodie McClure Elementary with around $61.8 million in voter-approved bond funds. The multi-building facility would house thirty classrooms, a library, a kitchen and a gymnasium. The 79,000-square-foot facility will house pre-kindergarten children between the ages of four-years-old and just six weeks old.

EAST TEXAS — Due to the winter storm and freezing temperatures this weekend, several community events and high school sports have been cancelled or postponed . Our news partner KETK has a running list – you can find it here. To see the list for Monday school closings, click here.

LONGVIEW — The City of Longview hosted their annual Homeless Resource Day on Thursday at the Longview Exhibit Center, bringing together service providers and volunteers to support the city’s unhoused population. According to our news partner KETK, the event connected attendees with critical resources, allowing individuals to access services on-site or to enroll in assistance programs. Organizations unable to offer direct services participated by volunteering to help meet immediate needs throughout the day.

To remove transportation barriers, Longview Transit offered free shuttle service to and from the event for those without reliable transportation. City officials are also encouraging community members looking to help to visit the City of Longview’s website for information on donating or supporting local efforts that serve the homeless population.

MARSHALL — A reported threat received by Wiley University earlier today has been investigated and determined to be not credible, according to the Marshall Police Department
(MPD).

Wiley University officials notified MPD after receiving an email referencing an “imminent threat.” Although the threat was ultimately deemed not credible, MPD responded immediately
and initiated a full investigation to ensure campus and public safety. MPD immediately coordinated with Wiley University President Herman Felton and his staff, along with Wiley
Police, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Continue reading Wiley University threat “not credible”

TYLER – Freezing temperatures are projected for Tyler and the surrounding areas from Friday, Jan. 23 through Monday, Jan. 26. City officials are monitoring the situation and strongly advise residents to watch the weather forecast, winterize their homes and safely use space heaters and generators. Emergency service capabilities are at full strength, and City departments are in frequent communication with each other to ensure that all necessary preparations are in place. The Tyler/Smith County’s Cold Weather Response Plan is available to review. Continue reading Tips for winter storm

TYLER – With a winter storm expected to impact East Texas this weekend, local shelters are opening their doors to serve as warming centers for residents in need. Our news partner KETK has put together a list of warming centers open to the public, with updates to follow as additional locations announce openings for the weekend. You can view that list here.

SMITH COUNTY — Our news partners at KETK report that a former Smith County Constable was sentenced to two years in jail on Tuesday after violating probation terms. Former Smith County Precinct 1 Constable Curtis Traylor-Harris was initially sentenced to five years of probation after being found guilty of theft while executing an eviction notice in December 2022. Traylor-Harris began his two-year sentence on Tuesday, after violating his probation. Continue reading Former constable sentenced

TYLER — An 18-wheeler truck from Utah delivered 42,000 pounds of mixed goods to the East Texas Food Bank (ETFB) in Tyler. The donation, totaling 25 pallets, was provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to support hunger relief efforts across East Texas. The donation from the Church is part of its ongoing global effort to help individuals struggling with urgent temporal concerns by addressing immediate hunger needs, supporting improved nutrition, and promoting long-term food security. The shipment includes a variety of mixed canned and boxed goods such as vegetables, chili, fruit, beef, peanut butter, dried milk, and numerous other items. Continue reading Food Bank gets big donation