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ATHENS – There is still no trace of an Athens woman who has been missing since August 8th. A Silver Alert was issued for Diana Lynn Musella. She was last seen leaving her apartment that morning. When she never arrived at her destination that day, she was reported missing. She is said to be driving a silver or beige Toyota Corolla with the Texas license plates DNZ2279. If you see her, you are asked to contact the nearest law enforcement agency.

HALLSVILLE – A man who ran from a traffic stop in Harrison County is now in custody, thanks to a county resident. A state trooper tried to stop Derek Hunt, 44, of Hallsville, on Loop 281 on Thursday afternoon. He ran from the scene. During the two hour search for Hunt, he is said to have stolen a vehicle, which he abandoned, and even swam across a lake to escape authorities. He was later arrested on Roy Green Road after a man, who saw him trying to hide, held him at gunpoint until sheriff’s deputies arrived. He is now facing several felony and misdemeanor offenses as well as an outstanding warrant from Marion County.

AUSTIN – East Texas has a new millionaire. A Kilgore resident claimed a Powerball prize worth $1,000,004 for the drawing on August 15. The ticket was purchased at Food & Fuel Stop on Stone Road in Kilgore. The the winner elected to remain anonymous. The second-tier winning ticket matched all five of the white ball numbers drawn (12-15-28-47-48), but not the red Powerball number (16). The winner had an additional win of $4 on the same ticket.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department lost one of its own in a one- vehicle crash Thursday night on FM 2906 in Gregg County. Police say Stedmond Coleman was off-duty at the time. He was flown to UT Health-Tyler, and a child was taken to a local hospital, where she was treated and released. Coleman later died at the hospital. According to the police deparrment’s Facebook page,the department is mourning the loss and praying for Coleman’s wife and family. Coleman had worked in the police department for just under five years.

TYLER – Tyler police have arrested two suspects in a gas skimming case. Officers found a vehicle matching the description of the suspects’ vehicle, and stopped it. The driver, identified as David Perez, was already under investigation for previous skimmer cases in Tyler. The second suspect, identified as Julius Nunez Mila, was arrested for similar activity and other unrelated charges. Both were booked into the Smith County Jail.

ATHENS – A Henderson County mother, accused of killing her two children, has been found competent to stand trial. The competency hearing for Sarah Nicole Henderson, 29, was held Thursday in state district court. Her trial is now scheduled for next January. She is charged with killing her two daughters, 7-year-old KayLee Danielle and 5-year-old Kenlie, last November. Henderson County deputies received a call for assistance regarding a possible suicidal female at a residence outside of Payne Springs. Although EMS cancelled the call for assistance, deputies arrived at the residence seven minutes later. Sheriff Botie Hillhouse says a man and woman told deputies they were fine and no one was in danger. Early the next morning, the husband called 911 to report his wife had shot the children.

HALLSVILLE – A Marshall woman has been arrested after stolen items were found in her car. The Longview News Journal reports Amanda McNeal, 37, was arrested in Hallsville following a traffic stop. Her bonds total $10,500. Besides charges of theft of property valued between $750 and $2,500-enhanced and possession of a dangerous drug, jail records show she also has two warrants for speeding and a warrant for disregarding a red light. In her car they found items that had been stolen in stores in Longview and Marshall.

LONGVIEW – A burn ban is up in Gregg County. County Judge Bill Stoudt issued the out door burn ban on Thursday because of worsening drought conditions. The order is aimed at preventing wildfires in the unincorporated areas of Gregg County. A violation of the order could result in a fine of up to $500. Other burn bans can be found in Smith, Harrison, Upshur, Wood, Rusk, Cherokee and Anderson Counties.

PALESTINE – City utility crews in Palestine are scheduled to repair a section of the raw water line leading from the Neches River to the city’s water treatment plant on Thursday. Starting at 8:00pm, and continuing through the night, residents and businesses are asked to limit water use. Please regulate any water for only necessary uses until otherwise notified. Crews are expected to be finished with the repairs by Friday morning.

TYLER – Two persons arrested in a Tyler shooting incident have been indicted by the Smith County grand jury. The panel returned indictments last week against Davonta Hill, 24, and Datreon Jackson, 23, both of Tyler. The men were indicted on three felony counts of engaging in organized criminal activity. They are said to have been responsible for the May 30th shooting at Fun Forest Park that left three persons injured. Both men remain in the Smith County Jail. Hill’s bonds total $1.5 million and Hill’s bonds come to $900,000.

TYLER — Tyler Junior College is looking to redo its performing arts center, Wise Auditorium. According to our news partner KETK, Fitzpatrick Architects of Tyler is tasked with re-designing the building. The firm has previously designed two other buildings for the school. The revamped auditorium would feature a larger stage for performances, a re-done backstage area, and rehearsal space. Wise Auditorium was built in 1956.

GILMER – Two suspects have now been formally charged with the death of a Longview woman in Upshur County. Carlton Lamar Grant, 37, from the Metroplex, appeared in a Gilmer courtroom on Monday; he’s charged with capital murder. Lindsey Jo McFadden, 29, of Longview, was formally charged on Tuesday. Both are accused in the April death of Rachel Rhoads, 24. The couple are said to have been trying to kidnap her when they strangled her and set her body on fire off Farm Road 726. The two suspects remain in the Upshur County Jail under bonds of $5 million each. McFadden and Rhoads were said to be friends of the victim, who attended drug rehab classes together.

TYLER – A Wood County woman has pleaded guilty to stealing money from her Tyler employer. In a state district court in Tyler Wednesday, Kelli Meechelle Hagan, 45, of Hawkins, pleaded guilty to second-degree theft. She accepted a 10-year deferred adjudication sentence. She was also ordered to pay restitution. The amount will be determined later. Hagan was arrested last October. She had been accused of taking over $200,000 from her employer, bankruptcy attorney William Lively. The thefts are said to have occurred over a 4 year period.

TYLER – A father gets probation in a retaliation case connected to his son’s murder case. On Tuesday, a jury found Martin Wesley Reynolds Sr., 45, of Meridian, Mississippi, guilty of retaliation against a witness in his son’s murder case. On Wednesday, the jury sentenced him to 10 years probation. Postings the man made on his Facebook page qualified as threats. The eyewitness said in court he is receiving counseling for both the killing he saw and the threats from the suspects father. The man’s son, Martin Wesley Reynolds Jr., 21, of Whitehouse, is charged with killing Andrew Carpenter, 19, of Tyler, last November. Continue reading Probation Given in a Tyler Retaliation Case

KILGORE – A major expansion has been announced in Kilgore. Orgill, Inc. on Elder Lake Road in Kilgore, will be the site of of the company’s next distribution center expansion. The decision represents new investment of $29 million and the creation of 83 jobs. This would increase employment to 224. The company has projected to invest at least $15 million in new construction and property improvements and $14 million in personal property. The Kilgore Economic Development Corporation is projecting incentives up to $1.1 million. The incentive package includes a generator and switching gear for uninterrupted power; a new driveway into the facility; land donation; tax abatements from the city of Kilgore, Kilgore College and Gregg County; and cash incentives of $557,000 to be paid over 10 years.

NACOGDOCHES — An East Texas couple heads to prison for forcing a woman to work for them to pay off a purported debt. Tyno Keo and Phearom lay from Nacodoches face six months in prison, and they have to pay back a lot of money. In court docments, Lay claimed her sister owed them $50,000 for shared family medical expenses. To pay off the debt, Lay arranged for a sister to leave Cambodia and come work for them. They are accused of taking her passport and visa — and forced the woman to work long hours for minimal pay in their home and business to repay the supposed debt.

LONGVIEW – Starting Wednesday, Graystone Road in Longview is now open to all traffic. Major construction activities at the intersection of Graystone Road and Grace Creek have been completed. The street work is part of the 2016 bridge and culvert Improvements project. This project consisted of replacing the two existing 80” steel culverts, with three 10’x 8’ concrete box culverts.

ARP — There’s now a community effort to help a local firefighter after more than 50 percent of his body was burned in a fire. According to our news partner KETK, Chris Vannoy noticed smoke coming from a neighborhood building in Arp. He called it in to local authorities, then went to check on what might be causing the haze. When he opened the door to the shed, he was severely burned by a flash fire. His injuries are from the waist down. A Gofundme page was set up to help him through the process of recovery. The fund drive has already raised at least $7,000 for the family. Go to https://www.gofundme.com/5rxj8q-chriss-medical-expenses to reach the Gofundme page.

TYLER — The Tyler ISD Board of Trustees approved the budget for the 2018/2019 school year during Monday night’s regularly scheduled meeting. Even though state funding decreased this year, Tyler teachers are getting raises. Each teacher will be making $1,500 more a year. Administrative staff members are getting 3% raises. The property tax rate for Tyler ISD will not be going up. That’s because of higher property tax valuations. Home values have gone up across the city, which means the average homeowner will see just a $51 increase on their property tax bill. The school district will also hire four more police officers for their schools.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A Longview man has been sentenced to the maximum 10 years in prison in an April 2017 driving while intoxicated crash in Upshur County. According to the Longview News Journal and our news partner KETK, Gene Arthur Smith, 57, was driving on a farm-to-market road April 1, 2017, when his vehicle hit a tree. Smith was not seriously injured. His blood alcohol level was tested at 2.5 times the legal limit. At the time of the crash, Smith was on probation out of Van Zandt County on a charge of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. He has five previous arrests for felony offenses.

LINDALE – Lindale police are asking for the public’s help in identifying two theft suspects. They are said to have taken items from Walmart without paying for them. The items were loaded into a white Dodge Avenger. If you can identify them, please contact the Lindale Police Department.

TYLER – Smith County Commissioners have approved an increase in the fee for renting the R.B. Hubbard Center, also know as “The Hub.” The county uses it for a variety of things, including elections. The public has rented it for a variety of events, including weddings. The commissioners, at the Tuesday meeting, increased the rental fee by $50, to $150. The refundable deposit remains at $100. County Judge Judge Nathan Moran said renters now have the ability to use refrigeration and kitchen space in the back, so they want to cover those costs. And he said, as the demand increases, they want to make sure the folks reserving the facility are doing so in a serious manner and are committed to covering the costs the county actually incurs. The change also sets a time frame for renters to deliver a deposit and creates a cancellation policy.

TYLER — Fit City Tyler will be having a planning meeting for Fall 2018 on Wednesday, August 22nd, from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m. Participants will gather in Room 104 at the TJC RTDC Building on SSW Loop 323. Fit City Tyler welcomes everyone to the meeting. A news release from the group says, “We want everyone to help make Tyler a Fit City one step, one bite and one health-conscious decision at a time, by helping plan our major health programs and community events for 2019.” By the way, attending the meeting will earn you a free Fit City t-shirt. You can go to https://www.fitcitytyler.com/ for more information.

LONGVIEW – This month, the Longview school district, like Tyler, has begun a new bag policy for all the district’s athletic events. The Longview policy says that bags must be clear and not larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches or be in a clear one gallon resealable plastic freezer storage bag. The only non clear bags that are permitted are small clutch bags, with or without a strap, that are the size of a hand. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at designated areas. Among the items not approved are backpacks, large tote bags and diaper bags. You can find out more on the Longview school district’s Face Book page.

LONGVIEW — LeTourneau University nursing graduates who have graduated during these past three years — which were the first three years of the LETU nursing program — have achieved a 100% pass rate on the National Council Licensure Examination (NCLEX). According to a news release from LETU, NCLEX pass rates are monitored by the Texas State Board of Nursing and are viewed as a measure of how well nurses are prepared to provide safe, quality care for health care consumers. “A lot of people choose a nursing program based on the pass rate of the NCLEX,” said LETU Dean of the School of Nursing Dr. Kimberly Quiett as quoted in the release. Quiett began the nursing program at LETU in 2014. In the fall, the official NCLEX results will be released for all of the nursing programs.

ARP – An off duty Smith County fireman was injured in a Monday fire. Airlifted to a Shreveport hospital with burns over 50% of his body was Chris Vannoy, 24. He saw smoke coming from a building behind a neighbor’s house. He called it in and then went to check on it. When he opened a door, the flames flashed around him. How the fire started remains under investigation. It was reported shortly before 2:45 Monday afternoon on Longview Street in Arp.

JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville fire officials are still trying to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a large portion of the Western Pulp Products-Central Division facilities. The fire on North Bolton Street was reported around 10:00 Friday night. Five area fire department, some from Smith County, helped Jacksonville firemen put out the fire. The fire was hard to extinguish because of cardboard packing materials that was highly compacted in the eastern portion of the building. No injuries were reported.

NACOGDOCHES – An East Texas legislator has announced he will be running for Speaker of the Texas House. The announcement was made Monday by Republican State Representative Travis Clardy of Nacogdoches. Clardy was first elected in 2012 to represent House District 11, which includes Cherokee, Nacogdoches and Rusk counties. A lawyer in Nacogdoches, Clardy currently serves as vice chair of the House Committee on Local and Consent Calendars, and a member of the House Higher Education and Energy Resources committees.

TYLER — Smith County is getting free safety equipment from the Texas Association of Counties Risk Management Pool. A news release from the association says the move is saving local taxpayer dollars and protecting county employees on the job. This year, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office is receiving $13,000 and the Smith County Road and Bridge Department is getting $3,100 from the association’s Employee Safety Equipment Program. Equipment available includes personal protective equipment such as heat gear, hard hats and gloves, and hearing, eye, and respiratory protection; courthouse security devices; fire protection; and tactical safety gear for law enforcement.

TYLER — TxDOT is planning to conduct construction and maintenance work throughout the Tyler District during the Week of Aug. 20. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance crews plan to conduct edge work on FM 346 between Teaselville and Flint. In Gregg County, Longview Maintenance crews plan to conduct ditch maintenance on SH 149 near Knox Lee Power Plant. Expect lane closures with flaggers managing traffic control at both locations. Go to https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/local-news/tyler/036-2018.html for a full rundown of this week’s work schedule.