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JACKSONVILLE – A wanted fugitive, who had evaded arrest on several occasions, has been arrested by Jacksonville police. Devante Johnson, 25, was arrested Wednesday by officers acting on an anonymous tip. He fled out the back door of a home on Earl Street. As he ran through the neighborhood he ran through a house and jumped through a closed glass window. As he tried to jump a fence, he was arrested with the help of a police dog. After being treated at the hospital, he was booked into the Cherokee County Jail. Besides several warrants, he’s facing additional charges from an ongoing investigation.

MABANK – The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office expects to make arrests after an 18-month-old was shot in the face. According to KETK, Sheriff Botie Hillhouse says his office will pursue arrests warrants on unnamed individuals. The criminal charges cannot be brought until at least seven days after the incident, according to a Texas Penal Code provision dealing with making a firearm accessible to a child. The child was shot Monday around 11:30 a.m. in the Mabank area. At last report, the child was doing well and recovering at Children’s Hospital in Dallas.

MARSHALL – A million dollar east Texas home has been destroyed by fire. The fire in the 10,000 square foot home on Forest Trail was reported shortly before 4:15 Wednesday morning. At one time, every on duty member of the Marshall Fire Department were on the scene. Fire Chief Reggie Cooper said, “Firefighters were initially able to make an interior attack, however, due to the fire’s intensity, were unable to extinguish the blaze. You can judge the intensity of the fire from the picture made by the Marshall Fire Department. All occupants were out of the house and there were no injuries.” The $1.39 million home was reduced to ashes. They are still trying to determine the cause of the fire. Initial reports indicated intense lightning in the area at the time, and that may be the cause of the fire.

CLEAR CREEK – A southeast Texas school system is naming their sports facility after a coach and John Tyler graduate who was killed while helping rescue people during Hurricane Harvey. The Clear Creek school board unanimously approved the recommendation to name a Clear Creek High School spring sports building after Coach Ruben Jordan. According to a posting on the school district’s web page, The building will bear the name Ruben C. Jordan Spring Sports Facility to honor to the coach who was beloved throughout Clear Creek High School, CCISD and the community as a whole. He had many successes as a football, track and cross country coach for 30 years at Creek before announcing his retirement in 2016. They will soon be announcing a date for a dedication ceremony.

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University’s total Spring 2018 enrollment of 2,944 is the highest it has been in the past several years. It has increased nearly 14% since Spring 2015. Graduate enrollments are 377, and high school dual enrollment has grown to 786, up nearly 347% in the past three years. LETU offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs across a wide range of disciplines and delivery models at LETU’s residential campus in Longview and at centers in Plano, McKinney and Houston.

NACOGDOCHES – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department reports a total of 30 acres of invasive giant salvinia have been found in various locations at Lake Nacogdoches. Within days of the discovery of a half-acre of giant salvinia at the Yellow Bank Creek cove, a larger infestation was found where Little Bayou Loco enters the reservoir. Those areas will be treated with a combination of giant salvinia weevils and careful application of contact herbicide on larger mats of the invasive plant. It’s likely the plant traveled to Lake Nacogdoches by way of a visiting watercraft last summer. This is similar to the most recent infestation at Lake Fork, staff believe there is enough giant salvinia scattered throughout the lake that eradication would be almost impossible at this point. Continue reading Giant Salvinia Found In Another Area Lake

AUSTIN – Area sales tax allocations from the state continues to outpace last year’s numbers. The state comptrollers office is sending out $911.9 million in local sales tax allocations for February. This is just over 6% more than in February of last year. These allocations are based on sales made in December. Tyler’s February allocation tops $4.4 million, which is an increase of just ove two and a half percent. For the year, Tyler has received over $7.8 million. This is a nearly 3.7% increase over the first to months of last year. Longview’s February check is for over $3.3 million, or a 3.3% increase. For the year, Longview has received nearly $6 million, for an increase of nearly six and a half percent.

AUSTIN – A Harrison County residents is one of five persons named by the governor to the Texas Commission on the Arts. She is Karen Partee of Marshall, who is executive vice president and chief marketing officer of Texas Bank and Trust Company. Her term is set to expire August 31st, 2019. The commission fosters the development of a receptive climate for the arts that will culturally enrich and benefit state citizens in their daily lives and attract outstanding artist to become state residents. Partee is a past president and a sustaining member of the Junior League of Longview a member of the Longview Regional Medical Centers Women’s Advisory Council, and the Longview Ballet Advisory Board.

TYLER — Smith County Engineer Frank Davis has plans for several road bond projects to be done in the next couple of months. During Commissioners Court on Tuesday, Davis gave the second monthly report on the progress of the $39.5 million bond approved by voters in November. Four roads in the Bullard area are pegged for reconstruction and overlay in February. They include County Roads 113, 119, 121, and 152. Continue reading Smith County Road Bond Projects Planned

MARSHALL — The Marshall Fire Department is investigating a Wednesday morning structure fire possibly caused by lightning. According to KETK, it was reported just after 4:00 on Forest Trail. The home was a total loss. All occupants were out of the house and no injuries were reported. Fire Marshal Reggie Cooper said, “Though the investigation is ongoing and will be detailed, preliminary reports indicate intense lightning in the area.”

PALESTINE – A Palestine teacher has been arrested. Detectives arrested Samantha Woolverton, 32, at her home on Tuesday. Woolverton has been transported to the Anderson County jail and booked on the charge of improper relationship between educator and Student, a second-degree felony. The investigation is ongoing.

TROUP – Smith County Road 2180, off of Mixon Road near Troup, has been reopened after county road and bridge crews replaced a culvert. The section of the road between County Road 2181 and Farm Road 344, was closed on Monday. The work was expected to take a few days, but was completed on Tuesday. County crews also did some tree removal work while in the area.

MARSHALL – Two-time Academy award winner Denzel Washington has pledged to renew a $1 million gift to Wiley College to continue his funding of its debate program. Washington first donated $1 million to the school in 2007 to support the re-establishment of its program. It had been inactive since the early 1900s, when it was led by English professor and poet, Melvin B. Tolson. Washington starred in and directed the film, “The Great Debaters,” which chronicled the history of the team under Tolson’s mentoring and coaching. Continue reading Denzel Washington Renews His Gift to Wiley College

LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University has been named as one of the top four-year colleges and universities in the nation for providing dynamic pathways to support transfer students from community colleges. The Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society named LETU to its 2018 Transfer Honor Roll, and will recognize the school at the organization’s annual convention in April in Kansas City, Missouri.

MARSHALL – East Texas Baptist University has exceeded the School of Nursing Campaign goal of $1.8 million with the support of over 180 donors for a total of more than $2.3 million. The University intends to start construction this summer in anticipation of relocating the School of Nursing to the Marshall Grand in the spring semester of 2019. “ETBU looks forward to seeing scores of students, staff, and faculty using the Marshall Grand,” said school President J. Blair Blackburn. “With the University’s presence in Downtown Marshall, our local businesses will benefit from the impact on economic development.”

TYLER – Smith County Commissioners learned about the community of Troup during Tuesday’s commissioners’ court session. The presentation came from Troup Mayor Joe Carlyle, who is proud of the city he grew up in and still calls his home. Since serving Troup, Carlyle has seen many changes, including the city becoming more financially solvent, adopting new zoning ordinances, hiring a strong administrator, Gene Cottle, as city manager, completing several capital improvement projects, downtown sidewalk projects, and improving water and waste water infrastructure. Continue reading Troup Featured Before Smith County Commissioners

TYLER – Smith County residents will be able to celebrate Texas Independence Day with fireworks this year. The county commissioners voted Tuesday to authorize fireworks sales from February 25 through midnight on March 2. Although fireworks can be discharged any time of year, there are only certain state-approved holidays when fireworks can be sold in Texas, including July 4 and New Year’s. Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson said she sees no reason for the court not to approve fireworks sales. She said there have not had any issues in the past. The Commissioners Court will consider approving fireworks sales for San Jacinto Day and Memorial Day at future meetings.

KILGORE – The Kilgore Police Department is sending out a gas skimmer alert to area business owners. A gas pump skimmer was found Monday at the Exxon station at Highway 31 and Business 259. This one was hidden inside the gas pump, so it was not visible to the public. They are asking businesses to check their machines and to call them if they find something suspicious. They feel, if one has been found, there are probably others in the area. They even recommend that you walk inside the store and swipe your card. Its less convenient, but your card will not be compromised.

HENDERSON – The arrest of two persons on arson charges in Henderson County may have solved other arson cases. There have been numerous abandoned home fires in the Cherokee Shores area. Following a long investigation, arrested Monday were Tommy Lee Turner, 30, and Haley Lyhn Skaggs, 25, both of Mabank. Henderson County Fire Marshal Shane Renberg tells KETK, while the two have been charged with just one of the fires, but they may be responsible for the others. He says the investigation is continuing and more charges are likely to follow. Continue reading Two Charged With Arson in Henderson County

TYLER – A Smith County sheriff’s deputy has been injured while serving a warrant. Deputy Joshua Cox had to have a tourniquet put on his hand after being pushed through a window while struggling with Tyler Shane Kennedy, 27. It happened early Monday evening at a residence on Rocky Lane. The deputies were serving a warrant on Kennedy for endangering a child when he started struggling with them. Deputy Cox was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released. Kennedy was taken to jail where, besides the warrant, he is now charged with aggravated assault on a public servant and resisting arrest. His bonds top $800,000.

MABANK — A toddler was taken to a Dallas hospital on Monday after being shot in the face in the Mabank area. According to KETK, Henderson County officials say the 18-month-old was shot at a house on Albany Drive around 11:30 Monday morning. The child was taken to a local hospital before being flown to Children’s Hospital in Dallas. Officials are trying to determine if the shooting was accidental or intentional. No arrests have been made.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — An East Texas man has been arrested following an hours-long standoff in Cherokee County. According to KETK, Cherokee County Sheriff’s deputies were called to County Road 1418 in Gallatin around midnight. The property owner is said to have gotten upset a family living in a travel trailer on his property. Cherokee County Sheriff Jim Campbell says the family was given permission to be on the property by the property owner, but they had gotten into an argument. The property owner began making threats to harm and kill the family in the travel trailer. The family left the property. Continue reading Property Owner Arrested following Stand-Off

MILLBROOK, Ala. (AP) — Authorities in Alabama have identified the suspect and the victim in a child porn video being shared around the world. News outlets report that the victim has been located and is safe. Central Alabama CrimeStoppers announced warrants Monday against 44-year-old Germaine Moore of Millbrook, just outside Montgomery. The Marshall Police Department had been warning the public about the disturbing video being shared on social media nationwide, including here in East Texas. Continue reading Suspect, Victim in Widely Shared Child Porn Video Identified

LONGVIEW – The special election for Longview city council precinct 3 has been won by Wray Wade. Saturday night’s unofficial tally was Wade 188 and his brother-in-law Lonnie Murphy 164. But, there were 47 mail in ballots that had not been returned to the city secretary’s office. If mailed and postmarked by the Friday deadline, they could have made a difference in the election. Late Monday afternoon, city spokesman Shawn Hara told KTBB that no additional ballots were received in the mail Monday, so Saturday’s count stands as reported. The outcome of the election will become official after the city council canvasses the results at 11:45am next Monday. The election is to fill the unexpired term of Councilwoman Kasha Williams. She is stepping down to run for the Democratic nomination for Gregg County Pct. 4 county commissioner

HENDERSON – A burn ban is now in effect in Rusk County. The ban, issued by Rusk County commissioners, went into effect on Monday. It is to be in effect for a period not to exceed 90 days or unless terminated earlier.

MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying some vehicle burglars. On the morning of January 28th, shortly after 4:15, the trio committed vehicle burglaries in southwest Marshall. Their actions were caught on a home surveillance video system and show the three entering vehicles and taking various items. Continue reading Marshall Auto Burglars Sought

LONGVIEW – A fire that killed an elderly Gregg County woman is said to have been accidental. At a Monday afternoon news conference, Gregg County Fire Marshal, Mark Moore, identified the victim as 95 year old Syble Alexander. The fire was reported shortly after 4:15 Friday afternoon on Maxey Road north of Longview. Moore said the woman was outdoor burning when the fire spread to the grass and then her residence. Her son, who lives with her, was not a home when the fire started. Alexander was the secretary to former Gregg County Judge Henry Atkinson.

TYLER – Grassroots America says it is not changing its endorsement in the Smith County District Attorney’s race. At a Monday morning news conference, the group’s executive director, JoAnn Fleming, said they are still backing Assistant Smith County District Attorney Jacob Putman. Fleming said they made the decision after reviewing Putman’s cases and an internal audit released by District Attorney Matt Bingham that was critical of the candidate. She said Putman’s work was also reviewed by outside, independent groups. Fleming said, after all of this, they dismissed the entire internal audit and will continue to endorse Putman. Continue reading Grassroots America Still Backing Putman

MARSHALL – The man said to be responsible for an incident at a Marshall Whataburger, that left two law enforcement officers injured, is in jail. James Rashard Singleton, 25, of Marshall, surrendered to detectives at the Marshall Police Department shortly before noon on Monday. He was booked into the Harrison County Jail where he is charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest and evading arrest. Continue reading Man Arrested For Marshall Restaurant Incident

HENDERSON – An additional reward is being issued in connection with a Henderson robbery. Crime Stoppers had already issued a reward in the January 13th robbery of the The Henderson East Texas Professional Credit Union on East Main Street. The credit union is now offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to arrests in the case. A man and a woman, both armed with handguns, took an undisclosed amount of money in the robbery. No injuries were reported.

Continue reading Reward Increased in Henderson Robbery