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HENDERSON – An arrest has been made in a Rusk County murder dating back to 2006. Through the work of investigators with the Rusk County Sheriff’s office, Texas Rangers and Baytown police, Jarrett Murray was arrested on Thursday. He is charged in the May, 2006 murder of Joseph Michael Douglas. His body was found in a rural area off County Road 106, East of New London. Based on requests from the sheriff’s department, the case was added into the Texas Rangers Unsolved Crimes Investigation Program. After interviewing new and former witnesses, and suspects, they were able to come up with new leads and evidence. The findings were presented to the district attorney’s office earlier this month. That led to the issuing of a murder warrant and the arrest of Murray. According to the information they discovered, Murray spoke often of the murder of Douglas.

MARSHALL – A former Harrison County jailer has pleaded guilty to official oppression for punching an inmate. Under a plea agreement, Billy Joe Hopkins was sentenced to 18 months probation and ordered to perform 144 hours of community service. He also has to pay a $250 fine. The other jailer, Sansom Sanni, had already pleaded guilty to making a false report to a police officer. He was granted deferred adjudication on the charge and has paid a fine. The charges surround their actions in the booking of a combative suspect who was said to have spit on the jailers and even bit one.

TYLER – Visit Tyler has come home with three awards from the 2017 conference of the Texas Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus. According to a news release, the People’s Choice Awards are:
-Best Cooperative Marketing Campaign

-Best Advertising (in cooperation with Route2 Advertising)

-Best Convention Promotion
The awards are chosen by a group of people in the tourism industry.

GLADEWATER – Gladewater police have issued an arrest warrant in an August robbery. Named in the warrant is Taron Christopher Venter, 19. It is thought he is not from this area and may have ties to Waxahachie and Desoto. The robbery occurred on August 5th on East Broadway in Gladewater. Venter is said to have blindsided a man by hitting in in the face. The man was severely injured and has not returned to work. After taking his wallet, cellphone, handgun and a small quantity of cash, Venter then fled. Continue reading Gladewater Robbery Suspect Sought

TYLER – The East Texas State Fair is underway, and there’s a change of traffic flow in the area. A news release from the Tyler Police Department advises drivers that West Front Street, in front of Harvey Hall, will be shut down to one lane of traffic in both east and west directions all day Friday until midnight. Then, starting Saturday, all lanes will be open until 4:00pm each day. Then the traffic will revert back to one lane of traffic flow in each direction until closing time of the Fair that night. Officers will be on hand at the cross walk in front of the main gate, providing traffic control.

TYLER – The annual East Texas State Fair is underway in Tyler. It started yesterday morning with senior day activities. Fair goers will have some new attractions this year. There will be a countryfest on each Saturday at the fair with live country music. There will also be Matt’s Family Jam, an interactive musical attraction for everyone. There will be pony rides, a live tiger show, a street artist painting murals using only spray paint and a slingshot to shoot you 150 feet into the air. Then there’s the usual carnival, exhibits and fair food waiting for you September 22nd through October 1st at Tyler’s East Texas State Fair. You can go to http://www.etstatefair.com to keep tabs on the daily activities.

KILGORE — A missing Kilgore man has been found safe, according to KETK. He is Chris Terry, 54. Rusk County Sheriff Jeff Price said “Bubba T” was found very close to his home in the Overton area. Kilgore residents say, the man they have come to know as “Bubba T” went missing around 9:00 p.m. Wednesday, after leaving his house. He was reported missing at approximately midnight. The 54-year-old can be seen carrying the flag for the football team on Friday nights. Numerous agencies and even a hospital helicopter took part in the search.

LONGVIEW – A suspect has been arrested in a Longview homicide. Booked into the Gregg County Jail on the murder charge is Dominique Shaquille Harvey, 22, of Longview. He is charged in the shooting death of Cameron Taye Brooks, 19, of Tyler. He was a student at Tyler Junior College. It happened around 1:00 Thursday morning at the Highland Village Apartments on West Loop 281. Police say Brooks was found dead in the roadway. The death is Longview’s 5th of the year.

LONGVIEW – A man has been arrested after holding up a Longview bank. Charged with robbery is Justin James Johnson, 23, of Longview. He is said to have entered the East Texas Professional Credit Union on West Loop 281 around 11:00 Thursday morning. A police report say his face and body were concealed. They say he pulled an Airsoft gun and demanded money and threatened the clerk. He then left with no money. He was found shortly after leaving and arrested following a short foot chase.

TYLER – The 12th Court of Appeals in Tyler has upheld the murder conviction of a Tyler man. John Douglas Smith, 73, was sentenced to 50 years in prison. He had been convicted of the December, 2015 shooting death of Francisco Douglas, 47. The shooting occurred at the Sunset Valley Mobile Home Park off Highway 64 west. Smith was the caretaker of the park where Douglas lived. The two were arguing over rent when Smith shot him. Smith is the father of former Smith County Constable John Smith.

WINONA — Two people have died following a crash into a building, which then sparked a fire. It happened around 4:30 Thursday morning at Uncle Mike’s Pizza and Pasta on Main Street in Winona. According to the Department of Public Safety, the vehicle was traveling north on Hwy 155 when it veered off and crashed into the building. According to KETK, the driver and passenger in the vehicle were killed. Positive identity has not been made due to the extent of the blaze. Multiple fire crews were at the scene. Four dogs inside the building, which was destroyed, also died in the fire — but five puppies, each a day old, were saved. The restaurant owners and their son, who had been living upstairs, also escaped. The incident remains under investigation.

BERRYVILLE – A woman named in a Smith County warrant has been arrested on drug charges in Henderson County. Ashley Weisinger, 33, of Frankston, was stopped for a traffic violation on County Road 4117 near Berryville. After being arrested on the warrant, the sheriff’s deputy found, in a clear plastic baggie, methamphetamine and a glass pipe commonly used to smoke the drug. She was booked into the Henderson County Jail for possession of a controlled substance. Her bonds total $83,500.

JACKSONVILLE – A two vehicle accident a mile east of Jacksonville has killed a man from Troup. Dustin Michael Jones, 26, was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident, which was reported shortly before 7:45 Thursday morning. He was tossed from his motorcycle when it collided with car driven by Shantell Lee Jernigan, 44, of Jacksonville. The Department of Public Safety reports that Jernigan was making a left turn into the path of the oncoming motorcycle when the accident occurred. The wreck remains under investigation.

DIANA — Dozens of firefighters in Upshur County spent all night Tuesday and into Wednesday fighting a fire at a distribution center for a well-known Diana company. KETK reports the flames raced through the 22,000-square-foot warehouse for Smallwood Company. It wasn’t until 5:00 Wednesday morning that the fire was stamped out. Smallwood Company ran various businesses from the building. Now the home décor items, expensive machinery, computers, and lumber are all gone. The fire remains under investigation. Smallwood Company employees say they will rebuild.

BULLARD A Bullard Middle School mother is opening up about her 14-year-old son Dalton’s suicide this month after the bullying he experienced at school. Monica Jo Bigham says she contacted the school about it on several occasions. She said she was told it was under investigation — that school officials would check into it and make sure it didn’t happen again — and then it would happen again. After being contacted by our news partner KETK, Superintendent Todd Schneider said in the face of the suicide, now is the time for a conversation on the topic. He said parents, schools, and public agencies should come together to identify students who are at risk and get them the help they need.

GILMER — A Gilmer woman faces criminal charges in two counties after police said she took a merchandise-filled shopping cart out of a Longview Walmart without paying, that’s according to the Longview News-Journal. Gabrielle Nichole Gillaspy, 19, was arrested Tuesday at the Walmart on Gilmer Road, where Longview police said she stole items valued at $632. Officers said they also found two small green pills later identified as Clonazepam while searching Gillaspy, who gave a fake name and date of birth. Continue reading Stolen Shopping Cart Leads to Multiple Charges

LONGVIEW – Longview police say a woman was robbed by a man who had just lost a dice game. Arrested last weekend was Daqwaylon Nelson, 21, of Longview, who is in the Gregg County Jail under bonds totaling $154,500. He is charged with failing to identify as a fugitive by giving false information and assault/family violence causing bodily injury. He was also named in a robbery warrant signed by 188th District Judge David Brabham. According to the Longview News Journal, after losing in a dice game June 9, police say Nelson pointed a gun at a woman and took about $600. He then fled in a car. Officers say the woman later identified Nelson as the suspect in a photo lineup.

TYLER – Smith County has started work on updating and redesigning its website. They are looking for public input to help them develop a new website that will address the needs of the county’s residents. You can go to https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/KCSX39W to take the survey.

RUSK – A stolen pickup in Cherokee County results in a chase that ended in Tyler. The pickup was reported stolen early Wednesday morning near Rusk. Around 1:30, it was found at the Whataburger in Bullard. The chase that followed came through Tyler where police used spike strips on Grande Boulevard. When the truck didn’t stop, they laid down another spike strip. That’s when the two suspects bailed out of the vehicle and ran into the woods. They were not found and the search was called off late Wednesday morning.

TYLER – An engaged couple from Tyler wants something different as a wedding gift. They want your blood. Caitlin Campbell and Lathan Pilcher met in 2013 at Carter BloodCare’s 50-gallon Challenge blood drive at TJC. Now they plan to get married. And, instead of wedding gifts, they want to receive blood donations from family, friends and anyone who would like to donate. They issued a 50-gallon Wedding Challenge, a first in the history for Carter BloodCare. All you have to do is go Carter BloodCare through October 30th, and say you want your donation to go to the wedding challenge. As the couple start a new life together, they also hope to save a life.

LONGVIEW – A man involved in a Longview police standoff last year has pleaded guilty. Sonny Dee Edwards Jr., 32, pleaded guilty to criminal mischief. He was sentenced Tuesday to 5 years in prison by state district judge Alfonso Charles. In June of last year, Edwards entered a Longview home, despite a protective order against him. Two women in the home were able to escape through a bedroom window. Edwards was said to have fired several rounds at a police robot, extensively damaging it. He surrendered after the over 7 1/2 hour standoff.

TYLER – Robert E. Lee High School senior Cody Olson has been named a 2018 National Merit Semifinalist by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. A Drum Major for the Lee band, Cody also plays trombone for the Jazz Ensemble. He holds leadership roles in the National Honor Society and Mu Alpha Theta, a mathematics honors organization. After graduation, he plans to attend Harvard University to begin his pursuit of a career in medicine. Continue reading Tyler Student Named National Merit Semifinalist

LONGVIEW – A Longview woman’s run on the TV game show Jeopardy has come to an end. On Tuesday’s show, Angela Ward had a total of $15,000. That was good for a third place finish. She will take home $1,000 for her efforts. She won on Monday with a total of $11,800, which she also gets to keep. The Longview News Journal reports Ward is a former reporter for the paper. They report that about 18 months ago, she performed an online audition, which is a timed test. Based on that score, she was invited to a live audition in Oklahoma City. Her appearances on the show were filmed in Burbank, California in April.

TYLER – Some Smith County road projects have been completed. Smith County Engineer Frank Davis told Smith County commissioners on Tuesday County Road 149 (New England Road), which connects U.S. Highway 69 South and Old Jacksonville Highway, has been improved. County Road 46 has been widened, from 22 feet to 26 feet, and base repairs were made before it was overlaid. And, County Road 4227 had more base failures than they estimated so it cost more and took more time to repair before it before it was overlaid. Continue reading County Road Projects Finished

TYLER – A Tyler native has announced he is running for the city council next year. The announcement comes from Broderick McGee, who is running for the city council district 2 seat. That spot is currently held by Darryl Bowdre, who can’t run again due to term limits. McGee, who is currently on the city Planning and Zoning Commission, is a graduate of John Tyler High School, Tyler Junior College and LeTourneau University. He got his master’s degree in Human Resource Management from Columbia Southern University. He is currently the Human Resource Manager at Kluber Lubrication.

TYLER – Personal protective safety equipment has been given to Smith County to help keep county employee’s safe. The equipment is provided by the Texas Association of Counties Risk Management Pool. And, it’s free. The county has received 72 safety kits, each valued at $56. Each kit includes a reflective safety vest, gloves, hard hat, two pair of safety glasses and two sets of ear plugs. And the first kits are going to Smith County road and bridge crews. The equipment is intended to make employees more visible and to provide the employees with eye, head, hand and ear protection.

KILGORE – A Kilgore man, accused of several area bank robberies, has reached a plea agreement with federal authorities. Hector Camargo, 48, of Kilgore, was scheduled to go on trial next month. But, in a notice filed Monday, acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston announced the agreement. Once it is approved, a sentencing hearing will be set. He is accused of robbing banks in Longview, Kilgore and Liberty City. Camargo remains in the Gregg County Jail on three counts of bank robbery and two counts of possessing a firearm during a violent crime. His bonds total $205,000. Continue reading A Plea Agreement in Several Bank Robbery Cases

TYLER – The city of Bullard will be getting assistance in housing stray dogs. Smith County Commissioners Tuesday approved an interlocal agreement with the city of Bullard to take its stray dogs into the Smith County Animal Shelter. According to the agreement, Bullard will be responsible for responding to animal control matters within its city, then transporting the dogs to the shelter. The city will pay any fees associated with impoundment, testing, medical treatment or other services. Whitehouse will pay Smith County $50 per dog that is brought to the shelter, as well as an additional $35 for each dog requiring euthanasia. The agreement between Smith County and Bullard is effective through Fiscal Year of 2018. Continue reading Help for Stray Dogs in Bullard

WHITE OAK — The White Oak Police Department said an East Texas woman who they say was kidnapped overnight by her ex-boyfriend has been found safe. According to KETK, Melissa Maythe Zapata, 19, was taken from her home by her ex-boyfriend, Dylon Benefield, 21, around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday. Benefield is said to be a member of the Southside Bloods gang. The investigation is ongoing.

TYLER — The Tyler Independent School District School Board met last night to discuss the possible name change of Robert E. Lee High School. According to KETK, no “official” decision has been made. Residents on both sides of the issue got a chance to voice their concerns. At the meeting, one school board member commented that if a vote to change the name of Robert E. Lee is made, other schools like John Tyler High School should also be changed. Because of their connection to slavery, some say anything named after Lee or Tyler should be renamed. This follows a recent school board meeting where community members argued for and against the Robert E. Lee High School name. 43 people spoke on the subject at the August 21 meeting. Continue reading TISD School Board Discusses Robert E. Lee Name Change