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SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Tax Assessor-Collector Gary Barber is reminding property owners that taxes are due Wednesday, January 31, and he is urging people to pay online. According to a news release, payments can be made by scanning the QR code on your statement, which will take you directly to the payment page on your account. Barber said for those who want to pay in-person at the Tax Office, expect long lines and wait times. The Tax Office mailed out 213,369 property tax statements in November, and Wednesday, January 31, 2024, is the deadline to pay them. Taxpayers can make their payments online, in person, through the Tax Office’s drop-box at the Cotton Belt Building, or by mail (it must be postmarked on or before January 31, to be accepted as an on-time payment through the mail). If you have not received a property tax statement, please call the Tax Office at 903-590-2920 or go online. Continue reading Smith County property taxes due Wednesday

PALESTINE — The Palestine Police Department said that Trenton Lee Staneart was found dead in a creek in the woods off of East Lacy Street just after 11 a.m. on Sunday. Detectives reportedly identified Staneart and Anderson County Precinct #3 Justice of the Peace James Todd ordered an autopsy after responding to the scene. Our news partner KETK spoke with Staneart’s girlfriend, Kylie Carroll and she said he was a great father to their children. “He is a really great dad to those kids, and I know that that’s the whole reason we’re out here doing this,” said Carroll. “My kids miss him, too, and they’re too little to know what’s going on.” Carroll said that that it was unlike Staneart to not call her or her know where he was. Continue reading Missing Palestine man found dead

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating a Sunday morning shooting that left a juvenile in critical condition. According to Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh, officers were called to a shooting on South Palmer Avenue around 10:00, where they found a juvenile male with multiple gunshot wounds. Officers began medical treatment until EMS arrived and transported the victim to a hospital on Beckham. He is in critical condition at this time. Tyler PD officers, detectives and crime scene investigators are on scene. This is an ongoing investigation. Contact Tyler PD with any information: 903-531-1000.

JACKSONVILLE – According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPWC) awarded $20.6 million to local parks and $735,590 of that has gone to three East Texas communities. In a release, TPWC said the grants are awarded to “to help create and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities.”

The Lincoln Park in Jacksonville was awarded a $150,000 grant. The Cherokee County park will undergo renovations, “project elements include a seven-foot-wide concrete trail, a playground, site amenities and exercise equipment with shade,” a TPWC press release said. The 10 acre park currently has a covered pavilion, basketball and tennis courts, restrooms and a playground, according to the City of Jacksonville. According to TPWC, local park grants are funded by sales tax on sporting goods. Continue reading East Texas parks awarded $700k in grants

UPSHUR COUNTY – Dalton Brewer has been located and is safe with his family. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office thanks everyone for their assistance. Additional details were not available.  (Previous story) – The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office released a statement on Friday about Dalton Brewer, who has gone missing. According to the statement, Brewer is 26 and was last seen wearing blue jeans, boots, a black t-shirt with a white Polo logo and a zip-up black hoodie. The sheriff’s office said that Brewer lives in the Diana area.

TYLER – Sad news from our news partner KETK, after more than 20 years at KETK/FOX51 in Tyler, Neal Barton is stepping away from the anchor desk. Neal has experience being the driving force behind a newsroom and being the face of the organization, serving as both news director and anchor. For more than 20 years, the people of East Texas welcomed Neal into their homes with the good news and the bad, all delivered with his classic Piney Woods wit. Outside of the regular evening newscasts, Neal also worked to put together weekly episodes of East Texas In Focus, an hourlong program that deep dives into topics that matter. You could also see him speaking his mind on regular segments of Neal Barton’s Point of View, or even see him going live in your town–with a KETK microphone and a cowboy hat, of course– for Small Town Salute Live segments.

He created a holiday initiative, Neal’s Wheels, which regularly brings in bike donations for local children in need. Last year, thanks to the generosity of locals, Neal’s Wheels brought in a record-breaking 206 bikes, scooters and skateboards for kids in need.

TYLER – Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce officials say a homeless man set fire in a bathroom Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, 45-year-old David Alan Sickle was charged with arson. Tyler Deputy Fire Marshall Randy Lee said that Sickle entered the bathroom, stripped down to his underwear and began to bathe with paper towels from the sink. After Sickle was found out, he was asked to get dressed leave. Lee said as he left, Sickle set the bathroom on fire. He was arrested and is being held in the Smith County Jail on a $150,000 bond.

TEXARKANA – Our news partners at KETK report that a man is dead after he was hit by a train early Friday morning in Texarkana. According to Texarkana PD, around 4:30 a.m. they responded to a call about a pedestrian reportedly being hit by a train on the Kansas City Southern Railway Co. tracks, just north of Richmond Road. Officials said a 47-year-old man from Texarkana was found dead at the scene and no foul play is suspected. “We’re still working to figure out exactly what happened and what he was doing on the train tracks at that time of the night,” officials said.

TYLER – Tyler Pounds Field Regional Airport Thursday was the site full-scale emergency response training exercise. According to our news partner KETK, the drill simulated a crash of a commercial aircraft and a bus. First responders from state and local agencies, airport personnel and more that forty actors from UT Tyler participated in the event. It’s been three years since the last training of this type at the Tyler airport.
Continue reading Tyler Pounds Field hosts emergency training drill

PALESTINE – The Palestine Police Department said they’re searching for a man who was last seen on Saturday Jan. 20. According to our news partner KETK, Trenton Lee Staneat was last seen leaving the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office around 4:45 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday, Jan. 28 at 9 a.m., several people are reportedly gathering at the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office in Palestine to search for Staneart. The Palestine PD asks if you have information on the location of Trenton Staneat to call them at 903-729-2254.

POLK COUNTY – Our colleagues at KETK report that Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy issued a voluntary evacuation order for residents along the Trinity River south of the Lake Livingston Dam on Wednesday. Heavy rainfall and heavy discharge from the dam could reportedly impact areas south of the dam including roadways into and out of residential areas, according to Polk County. According to the order, shelter is available at the Dunbar Gym at 1103 Dunbar Avenue in Livingston. To stay up to date on the Lake Livingston lake level and dam discharge rate visit the Trinity River Authority online.

TYLER — An Oncor crew has repaired a damaged power pole on South Broadway Avenue, near Amherst Street.  All northbound and southbound lanes have reopened.  The utility pole was damaged overnight after it was struck by a vehicle.

TYLER – Our news colleagues at KETK report a Tyler man was arrested on Wednesday for sexual assault of a child. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to the scene on CR 326 West around 10:15 p.m. where it was reported a 7-year-old girl had been sexually assaulted. An investigation began and officials said deputies “were able to establish probable cause” against Eugenio Gonzalez-Hernandez, 18 of Tyler. Officials said a search warrant was issued for investigators to gather additional physical evidence, and an arrest warrant was issued for Gonzalez-Hernandez. He was booked into the Smith County Jail where his bond was set at $750,000.

TYLER – Tyler Pounds Regional Airport Thursday is holding a full-scale incident exercise from from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It’s purpose is to evaluate the preparedness of first responders and airport personnel in the event of an actual emergency. A press release from city officials said drones are prohibited during the time of the exercise

Officials are asking businesses and residents north of Gentry Parkway to North Loop 323 to check cameras or doorbell cameras from Jan. 21 between 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. and report to them if you’ve seen anyone matching Morris’ description. Crimestoppers is offering a reward of up to $1,000 for his location. You can also contract Tyler Police at 903-531-1000.

TYLER — East Texas doctors said they are seeing cases of the common cold, COVID-19 and even RSV, but flu cases this season have outnumbered all of them. According to our news partner KETK, cold weather is a notorious time for people to spread and contract respiratory illnesses. Dr. Douglas Curran, a family doctor with the East Texas Community Clinic, said their family clinic saw a total of 60 flu cases in just one day. “It’s that time of year. We are all inside and we are people that just continue to go despite being under the weather,” said Curran. Nacogdoches physician, Loyd Whitley, said this year he’s seen flu cases go through his office at a high rate. “I’m worried that we are on an uptick, and we may see more of it,” said Whitley. Continue reading East Texas doctors see uptick in flu cases

TYLER — The Tyler ISD Foundation awarded 26 grants across 16 campuses totaling nearly $80,000 that will go towards approved projects that will enhance students’ learning. According to our news partner KETK, the grant funds will go toward approved projects that will enhance students’ learning. “So many of us learn better when we’re busy with the information and we’re actually participating and active with it,” said Sarah Starr, a Three Lakes Middle School media technology specialist. Teachers at Three Lakes Middle School will use the grant for what they call “classroom transformation stations.” “I am going to be using it for the reconstruction era of the civil war and we are all going to reconstruct our country with hard hats,” said Jennifer Constante, a Three Lakes Middle School 8th-grade social studies teacher. The middle school will have about 15-20 different themed kits that teachers can check out of the library. Empowering instructors to keep young minds active within their learning environments. Through Tyler ISD Grants for Great Ideas Program, more than seven thousand students will be impacted this school year.

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK a man pleaded guilty to capital murder on Monday for the deaths of two dentists in Smith County. Steven Alexander Smith, 42, of Tyler, was charged with capital murder of multiple persons and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for killing Dr. Blake G. Sinclair, 59 and Dr. Jack E. Burroughs, 75, after shooting them at Affordable Dentures & Implants on Highway 31 in March 2022. According the Smith County District Attorney, Jacob Putman, Smith pleaded guilty to capital murder and will be imprisoned for life without the possibility of parole.

Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said Steven was a patient at the clinic who got in an altercation about work on some dentures.  According to the sheriff’s office investigation, Smith got angry at the clinic staff and went to his pickup truck. He later went back to the lobby of the clinic with a handgun and shot the two doctors inside.

SMITH COUNTY – High water has closed two Smith County roads. CR 113, southeast of Tyler is closed between CR 112 and CR 119. At the high-water crossing on CR 2164, southwest of Arp, work crews have put up barricades. To report a Smith County road with high water, call dispatch at 903-566-6600. Also, our news partner KETK has a list for road affected by high water in the region, you can find the list here.

TYLER – Construction began earlier this month on the main entrances to Lindsey Park off Spur 364. Each remodeled entrance will feature an archway. One archway will lead to soccer fields, while the other archway will bring visitors to softball fields. Each archway will have new lighting, landscaping and irrigation. A press release said that the entrances should remain open for most of the construction period. The Lindsey Park entrance project is being funded by the Governor’s Community Achievement Award, which was presented to Keep Tyler Beautiful in 2020. Construction should be complete by Spring of this year.

TYLER – The heavy consistent rain in our area can cause flooding on roads. Our news partner KETK has a list for those roads affected. You can find it here.

TYLER – Our colleagues at KETK report that a Tyler woman was arrested on Monday for intoxication manslaughter in connection the death of her 9-year-old daughter. According to an arrest warrant, authorities responded to the scene of a two-car crash on SH 64 on Jan. 4 where it was determined a red Chevrolet Trailblazer SUV “was driving on the wrong side of the roadway” causing a head-on crash. Both occupants of the Trailblazer, identified as Krystle Medeiros, 38 of Tyler, and her daughter, were taken to the hospital for treatment before troopers arrived to investigate. Continue reading Woman arrested for intoxication manslaughter

TYLER – Months after a cyberattack on UT Health East Texas, their parent company is warning patients their personal information may have been compromised. The ransomware attack from Nov. 23 prompted the parent company, Ardent Health Services, to notify law enforcement and launch an investigation with the help of an outside cybersecurity firm. Though the attack did not disrupt patient care, many hospital systems went offline, with Ardent saying at the time they could not confirm the extent to which patient health or financial data was compromised. Continue reading UT Health cyberattack privacy risks

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report one person was hospitalized Tuesday morning after two separate crashes on the same county road in Smith County. According to officials with Smith County Emergency Services District (ESD) 2, the single-car crashes happened on CR 1125 near Lindsey Park with both cars leaving the roadway and one rolled over. The crashes were reportedly called in at 8:04 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., and officials said the driver in the roll-over crash was removed from the car by a firefighter before being taken to the hospital for treatment. Smith County ESD 2 responded to the scene with two fire engines, two command vehicles, a brush truck and 10 firefighters. The crashes will be investigated by DPS.

TYLER — A portion of Rose Rudman Trail will be closed due to bridge repairs. The trail portion under the bridge will be closed, and trail use will be diverted to the sidewalk along Donnybrook Avenue at the trailhead near Lowe’s. The project is funded by the Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund. The project is set to begin Thursday, Jan. 25 and will run through Friday, Feb. 9.