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TYLER – Smith County has won a 2024 County Best Practices award from the Texas Association of Counties for their program to recruit jail detention officers from local schools according to our news partner KETK. The county said their Detention Officer Program is the first of it’s kind in the state. The program was started to help address recruitment issues at the Smith County Jail by getting interested high school students to take the state jailer exam after they graduate.

The program was started by Smith County Sheriff’s Office chiefs Jimmy Jackson and Gary Pinkerton. The program has reportedly been a success since Smith County has reported that they’ve gone from having over 20 vacancies for several years, to having zero openings in 2024. One jail officer that was hired right after graduating from John Tyler High School is Justtice Taylor, 19 of Tyler. She, Pinkerton and Jackson have been recruiting at local schools including at her alma mater. Continue reading Smith County receives award for high school officer recruitment

ATHENS – Our news partner KETK reports that Jerry Fontenot, 59 of Athens, was arrested at his residence for four counts of animal cruelty causing death, 12 counts of animal cruelty and two counts of cruelty to a livestock animal. Deputies arrived at Fontenot’s home they found four dead dogs still in chains, 12 other dogs in bad health along with a pig and a donkey. He’s being held at the Henderson County Jail on a total bond of $26,000.

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department announced that 2 people were arrested after a search found multiple kinds of drugs and firearms. According to our news partners at KETK, Longview SWAT and the Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit found fentanyl pills, ecstasy, cocaine, marijuana and two firearms while executing a warrant. Demichael Johnson, 33 of Longview, and Shadiamond Chaseberry, 32 of Longview, were arrested and taken to the Gregg County Jail without incident. Johnson was charged with two counts of manufacturing and delivery of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and unlawful possession of a firearm and his bond was set at $154,500. Chaseberry was charged with possession of marijuana with a bond set at $1,000.

TYLER – Our news partner KETK reports that a fatal two-vehicle wreck occurred Friday afternoon on Highway 64 near Chapel Hill High School. Smith County Public Information Officer Larry Christian said at around 4:18 p.m. deputies responded to a crash on Highway 64 near County Road 289. Roads were blocked well into Friday evening and an investigation is pending.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – A Van Zandt County man was sentenced to six years in a state prison in September after pleading guilty to animal cruelty charges to non-livestock animals. According to our news partner KETK, an SPCA reports said James Henry Eubanks was arrested on Jan. 19 after an investigation led to the removal of 10 “cruelly treated dogs” from a property near Wills Point.

The SPCA release also detailed, “At the time of this investigation, about 6 p.m., the temperature in the area was 15 degrees Fahrenheit. A total of 10 Pitbull-type dogs were confined to the property. Six of the dogs were separated out and confined to their own kennels and of those six dogs, three were deceased. The four remaining dogs were running loose on the property and were attempting to find a windbreak from the freezing wind. Investigators were not able to locate any food available to the dogs and all water sources on the property were frozen solid. Eubanks was identified as the caretaker of the dogs.”

Courtney Burns, SPCA of Texas chief investigator of the Animal Cruelty Investigations Unit concluded in the release, “Animal crimes are notoriously known to yield weak punishments, so getting a sentence of six years in prison is a tremendous win for the SPCA of Texas and Van Zandt County.”

TYLER – Tyler Police report that an argument early Friday afternoon quickly compounded into a shooting leaving one person dead. According to our news partner KETK, officers responded to a shooting at 3800 SSW Loop 323, at Taqueria Juniors. TPD reports the shooting suspect has been a “repeat customer” at the restaurant and there have been disagreements prior to this shooting. Police said that there was an argument at the business that escalated into a physical altercation and ultimately ended in a the fatal shooting. One person has been detained and is being questioned by police.

SMITH COUNTY – Since issuing a burn ban on Tuesday, Smith County officials have given out four citations and several warnings for burning. As of Friday, October 11, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County was at 719. The KBDI ranges from 0 to 800 and is used to determine forest fire potential. “The potential for fire to spread easily will remain until we receive significant rainfall,” Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue said. For the next seven days, there is very little chance of rain and low humidity, increasing the fire danger even more. Continue reading Smith County burn ban update

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that as the climate continues to dry in East Texas it is now causing some ranchers to put hay out early for their cattle. Normally, hay does not get put out until after the first frost but now that the grass is drying up, ranchers need to supplement. “I’m about two weeks away,” said Malcolm Williams, East Texas rancher. The clock is ticking for ranchers to start thinking about putting out hay for their cattle. Continue reading Dry weather, hay out early

TYLER – East Texas election administrators are starting to report an increase in registered voters ahead of the general election in November, according to our news partner KETK.

Local election administrators are inputting the last batch of voter registration applications for the 2024 election year. According the secretary of state, Cherokee and Angelina counties are seeing the most voters in their counties’ history. In Deep East Texas, Angelina County’s registration numbers increased from 53,166 applications in 2020 to 55,980 applications in 2024. After the signing of Senate Bill One in 2021, counties began assessing the status of registered voters.

“We currently have 31,191 voters and in 2020 we had about 29,000 registered voters. I think just as Cherokee county grows and people move to this area, we just have an increase in voters as well,” said Kandace Herring, Cherokee County election administrator. Continue reading East Texas counties see increased voter registration

TYLER – The Smith County District Attorney’s Office is reportedly seeking the death penalty in the trial of Jamaurea Britton, 20. Britton has been indicted for the 2023 murder of Dejah Hood.

18-year-old Dejah Hood was found dead in a ravine behind the Hollytree Apartments in September of 2023 after she was reported missing by her mother earlier that day. She was reportedly out with friends, including Britton, when she disappeared.

Britton was first interviewed by Tyler PD and reportedly said that Hood had been to his apartment and then left. An affidavit said an officer noticed blood near the entry of the apartment. Britton reportedly denied the blood was human.
Continue reading Smith County DA seeks death penalty in 2023 murder

BULLARD – The shooting death of two children and an adult woman was confirmed as a murder-suicide after a month and a week since it was reported as a triple homicide by the Bullard Police Department. According to our news partner KETK, police were dispatched on Sept. 1 to Guinn Street and found 25-year-old Tatyanna Smith and her two children Madilynn Evans, 4, and Maison Evans, 2, dead and a 10-month-old injured.

“After a comprehensive review of evidence, witness interviews, and forensic analysis, investigators have determined that no additional persons were involved, and the case is being reclassified as an isolated incident of a double murder/suicide,” the police department said.

Bullard PD said the child was released from the hospital and is with family.

“In conclusion, The Bullard Police Department is kindly asking the community to respect the privacy of the families during this difficult time,” Bullard PD said. “Your understanding and support are greatly appreciated.”

CENTER, Texas – The Center ISD and local law enforcement announced that a student was detained Wednesday night after making a school threat. According to our news partner KETK and Center ISD Superintendent Brian Morris, the FBI notified the district’s police chief of a potential threat of a school shooting. The law enforcement agencies along with school administrators went to the house of the student who the FBI said made the threat and detained them. Morris said the student was taken into questioning and will not be attending their campus “for the foreseeable future.”

PANOLA COUNTY, Texas – Two minors were charged with burglary on Wednesday after they were caught by a game camera on a stolen UTV. Our news partners at KETK and the Panola County Sheriffs Office (PCSO) report that authorities were able to identify the suspects by using a game camera found on the UTV owner’s property. Both suspects were taken into custody and taken to the Willoughby Juvenile Detention Center in Marshall. The sheriff’s office said they were charged with burglary of a habitation and theft of property.

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that Smith County District Clerk Penny Clarkston was arrested again on Monday for yelling at jurors and physically blocking exit doors during a court proceeding, court documents state.According to a document filed by Judge Austin Reeve Jackson, the court told potential jurors they were free to go when Clarkston started yelling that they couldn’t leave without her permission. As district clerk, Clarkston issues writs, abstracts of judgement and prepares warrants. According to the Smith County website, she also serves as the administrator of the county’s jury system. The document stated that on Monday, the court ordered Clarkston multiple times to stop talking to the jurors and to let them leave but she refused. Clarkston would then ignore several of the court’s orders and proceeded to say “you can’t tell me to do anything,” the documents said. Continue reading Smith County District Clerk held in contempt again

TEXARKANA – The Texarkana Police Department said that they arrested two individuals after they allegedly attacked and robbed an elderly person who was giving them a ride.

According to our news partner KETK, at approximately 11:30 a.m. the Texarkana PD responded to a call about an injured man in the 500 block of Blake Street. Officers said they found an 86-year-old man bleeding from a wound on his head that told officers he was flagged by two individuals to give them a ride to Blake Street. Police said that the man told them one of the individuals, identified as Danny Williams, started to choke him with a baseball bat and afterwards struck him in the head with the bat.

Texarkana PD said that the man also told them that the other passenger, identified as Dequeener Mitchell, proceeded to grab his wallet and take the cash out of it before the two individuals fled. Continue reading Two arrested after allegedly attacking senior in car

MARSHALL – The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office arrested a Hallsville man after a search revealed that he was in possession of child pornography. According to our news partner KETK, arrested was 43-year-old Keven Barnett. HCSO detectives received information from the Terrell Police Department about a tip from the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) taskforce that warned of juvenile exploitation in Harrison County. The ICAC and sheriff’s office reviewed the tip and identified Barnett, as being in possession of “multiple videos containing child pornography.” A warrant was issued for Barnett Monday. He was arrested and booked into the Harrison County Jail. Barnett was charged with possession of child pornography and aggravated sexual assault of a child with a bond set at $350,000.

TYLER – With hot weather and lack of rain, a fire hazard can be created easily. More counties in East Texas have issued burn bans. You can see the list provided from our news partner KETK with this link.

WILLS POINT – A Wills Point animal control officer was arrested on Thursday after admitting to a Van Zandt County deputy of shooting his own dog. According to our news partner KETK, Michael Goggans, with Wills Point Animal Control, was taken into custody and charged with cruelty and torture to a non-livestock animal.

Van Zandt County deputies reportedly told Goggans that he needed to keep his dog confined after separate calls of his dog running loose were reported on June 12 and June 13. A deputy warned Goggans that if the dog was not properly confined, a citation would be issued.

In a release from the the SPCA, “Goggans responded to the deputy’s warning by informing him of his intent to kill the dog. He contacted the deputy again to inform him that he had killed it and that the dog was in the front yard of his residence.”
Continue reading East Texas animal control officer shoots his own dog

CHANDLER – With Veterans Day coming in November, the City of Chandler was honored with the Purple Heart City designation. According to our news partner KETK, this is given to communities that honor and recognize sacrifices of military personnel who were wounded or killed in combat.

Mayor Cy Ditzler said there are many Chandler residents that are Purple Heart recipients. The city council will declare Nov. 11 as Purple Heart Day.

“Each city that is designated, they put a sign on either end of town that declares them as a Purple Heart City,” Ditzler said. “So that you recognize veterans that were injured or gave their lives in combat.”

The Purple Heart is the oldest military decoration still in use.

TYLER – The Tyler Parks and Recreation Department will host it’s annual Fall Family Fun Festival on Thursday, Oct. 24. The festival will be held at the Glass Recreation Center from 4 to 7 p.m.  A release from the city explains, admission is free. Activities for the day will include face painting, games, a costume contest and food trucks will be on hand.

For more information on the Fall Family Fun Festival, visit the Tyler Parks and Recreation website, their Facebook page or call the Glass Recreation Center at (903) 595-7271. 

TYLER — Tyler Junior College is hosting a summit with legislators on ways to implement programs to create a smooth transition after graduation. According to our news partner KETK, Tuesday was the reception for all 50 presidents from every community college in Texas to talk with the U.S. representatives who are in the House Education and Workforce Committee. Community college leaders want to see creativity and innovation take place on their behalf in Congress.

“We’re excited about the opportunities and the dialog that we can have between legislative champions and leaders of community colleges,” said Juan Mejia, TJC president .

On Wednesday, the legislative summit will begin with a dialogue on how to bring more money in for programs that will tie directly to jobs in their area. Continue reading TJC hosts summit with community college leaders and congressmen

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Law enforcement officials are searching for a man who reportedly stole a dump truck Tuesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson says a man in a gray t-shirt stole a dump truck and trailer from a county work site on CR 4211 out of Jacksonville. The man went north to Highway 110 and reportedly forgot to release the vehicle’s air brakes, which led to the tires of the truck smoking and catching fire. He reportedly bailed out of the dump truck in front of the Whitehouse Volunteer Fire Department on Highway 110 and ran away from the scene. TDCJ dogs were unable to find the person and the search was called off, according to Sheriff Brent Dickson.

LONGVIEW – Ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Milton, several Longview Fire Department members are traveling to assist. According to our news partner KETK, the fire department said six of their water rescue team members were activated on Monday to travel to Alabama and assist the Texas Task Force. Officials added that two others from the LFD are on stand-by for the Emergency Medical Task Force.

According to the Associated Press, Milton, a current category four hurricane, is on the path to directly hit Tampa Bay and is expected to make landfall on Wednesday evening or early Thursday morning.

“Please keep these members in your thoughts and prayers for a safe deployment as well as the citizens in the affected area,” Longview FD said.

BULLARD – The City of Bullard has hired a new city manager. According to our news partner KETK, the new city manager is Pam Frederick. Frederick is not unknown to city hall. She was formerly the mayor and a city council member from 2003-2022. Frederick is currently the Smith County Commissioner for precinct 1.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to continue serving our community,” Frederick said. “The experience, knowledge, and relationships I will bring with me to this position will have a positive impact on Bullard as we continue to grow.”

According to a release from the city , the previous city manager, David Hartman, accepted a role for the City of Henderson. Frederick will assume her position as city manager Nov. 12.

SMITH COUNTY – On October 7, 2024, a jury sentenced Defendant David Lloyd Stanley to life in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for committing the offense of Continuous Sexual Abuse of a Child. Prosecutors presented evidence at trial proving that the Defendant sexually abused the child victim from the ages of 7 to 12. Prosecutors also proved that the Defendant possessed thousands of images of child pornography on his cell phone. The cell phone evidence further established that the Defendant had solicited underage girls for sex. The case was tried by Assistant District Attorneys Richard Vance, Catherine McQueen, and Scott Severt in the 475th District Court with the Honorable Judge Taylor Heaton presiding.