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TYLER – The Chairman of Tyler’s Planning and Zoning Commission, David Hudson, has been named as the American Planning Association Texas Chapter’s 2016 Planning Commissioner. This award is given in recognition of Commissioner Hudson’s extensive involvement with the commission and his integrity towards Tyler. Hudson, who currently is a member of the Board of Trustees at Tyler Junior college, is currently serving his eleventh year on Tyler’s Planning and Zoning Commission. Hudson, who is a former state representative, will be honored at the annual APA Texas Chapter conference that will be held in San Antonio from November 2 to 4.

EAST TEXAS — The University of Texas at Tyler Longview University Center and Texas State Technical College in Marshall have developed a partnership. It is designed to provide students a pathway to a bachelor’s degree. Students majoring in computer aided drafting and design, industrial maintenance, industrial controls technology and computer aided manufacturing will earn an associate of applied science from TSTC. Then they can pursue the UT Tyler bachelor of science in industrial technology degree at the Longview University Center. The program is unique in that in addition to a heavy dose of technical courses, students earn a minor in business administration.

TYLER – Citing what they call significant competitive pressure combined with unfavorable economic conditions, Brookshire’s Grocery Company will be laying off around 85 employees. According to Ellen Reynolds, the company’s Communications Manager, the layoffs will affect corporate, manufacturing and logistics areas within the company. With the layoffs comes the closing of the company’s bakery. A news release said there will be no impact to the company’s approximately 14,400-plus employees in retail and other support functions. Affected employees will receive severance and transition assistance.

LONGVIEW – A Gladewater man is free on bond following his arrest on drug charges. Jeremy Lynn Young, 35, was arrested on Spur 63 as Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit unit and Special Investigations and Apprehension Unit executed a search warrant. During the search, officers seized a quantity of methamphetamine and assorted drug paraphernalia. He was charged with possession of a controlled substance. He was released from the Gregg County Jail on Monday on a $10,000.

LONGVIEW – Three persons have been arrested as special law enforcement units in Gregg County executed a narcotic search warrant. The warrant was served at a South 12th Street home. Taken into custody were Richard Reed, 46, (pictured) Blake Irving Thomas, 22, and Quinndale LaShun Wofford, 27, all of Longview. In the house officers seized narcotics, including marihuana, ecstasy, Xanax, synthetic cannabinoid, and powdered cocaine. They also recovered a stolen pistol, magazines, and ammunition. Reed and Wofford, besides having outstanding warrants have been charged with drug violations. Thomas, besides a drug violations, was charged with a felon in possession of a firearm.

LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been arrested following a double stabbing earlier this month. Taken into custody was Johnathan Sosa, 18. He is accused of stabbing two persons at a home on Hughes Street October 7th. The investigation led officers to Sosa. He was arrested by Gregg County sheriff’s deputies at a home on Valentine Lane last Friday. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail on the outstanding warrants of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and aggravated assault family violence with a weapon. Sosa remains in the Gregg County Jail on $25,000 bond.

SMITH COUNTY — A North Texas teenager has been arrested in Smith County. According to Smith County judicial records, LaDarrion McWarren Johnson, 17, of Denton, has been jailed on two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of evading arrest. The evading arrest charge stems from an incident in Denton County. According to KETK, Johnson was scheduled to appear in the 241st District Court of Judge Jack Skeen on Friday, October 7, but failed to appear following his indictment September 1. The crimes for which Johnson is accused allegedly occurred in May. Johnson was booked into the Smith County Jail on Monday. His bond was set at $1,000,000. A plea docket agreement hearing is scheduled for Wednesday, November 9, with a trial date of Tuesday, November 14.

SMITH COUNTY — A Lindale man who was hospitalized following an officer-involved shooting is now in jail. According to KETK, Jeremy Randal Wood, 26, was booked into the Smith County Jail on Monday after being released from the hospital. On Friday, September 30, Lindale police responded to a 911 call from Jackie’s Office Club on South Main Street on reports of a “man with a gun.” When officers arrived on scene scene, police say they spotted a white male with a gun. He was later identified as Wood. Officers gave Wood several commands to drop the gun, but he refused and allegedly pointed the weapon at police. One officer fired a shot and hit Wood in the chest. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Continue reading Officer Involved Shooting Suspect Jailed

KILGORE — Authorities are investigating a September house fire in Kilgore as arson. According to KETK, back in mid-September, a home in the 700 block of Martin Luther King Street burned to the ground. The incident is being investigated as arson and insurance fraud, according to Kilgore Fire Marshal Brandon Bigos. Due to the open investigation, a cause or other information related to the blaze could not be released. The house destroyed was also the home of Sheryia Grant, 20, of Kilgore and her sister. Grant disappeared at eight months pregnant in August, however, Bigos said there is no link between the two cases. Continue reading Arson Investigation Underway in Kilgore

TYLER — Tyler Police responded to an attempted robbery at the Pac-N-Sac gas station, 403 SSE Loop 323. Officials said it happened around 12:30 this morning. The clerk said a young Hispanic man, wearing a black hoodie, armed with a knife, entered the store, walked around the counter and demanded money. The female clerk was armed with a taser and refused to comply with the suspect. She then threatened him with the taser and chased him out of the store. The suspect fled the scene on foot. Nothing was taken during the robbery and no injuries were reported. Continue reading Armed Robbery Suspect Sought

TROUP – A Troup woman has become the 5th person to be arrested in connection with a Smith County Murder. Tammy Lynn Dilbeck, 34, was booked into the Smith County Jail over the weekend. She has been charged with the July 13th shooting death of Jordan Ladue during a Troup robbery. She was indicted by the Smith County grand jury in the case last week and booked into jail on Saturday. She has been charged with capital murder by terroristic threat. Her bond is $1,000,000. Previously arrested in the case was Joshua Adam Scales, 29, Jana Lang 28, Casey Luna, 28, and Ralph Paul Pressley, 32. Scales is from Tyler an the others are from Troup.

EAST TEXAS – The state’s largest power generator, Dallas-based Luminant, said it will eliminate 132 jobs in December. The report comes in a release from the Texas Workforce Commision. The layoffs will occur by December 16th at Luminant’s mines in Rusk and Panola counties. The announcement of Luminant’s plans come about a month after the Westmoreland Coal Co. said it will cut about 250 Texas jobs when it closes its Jewett Mine in central Texas. Coal power plants are struggling financially as natural gas and renewable power gain market share. In a letter to the Texas Workforce Commission that was released Monday, Tim Bosecker, Martin Lake mines director wrote, “This has been a very difficult decision, but one that is required to continue to run the business efficiently.”

QUITMAN – Wood County murder trial, that was set to begin later this month has been cancelled. It will be rescheduled. The continuance was requested by the attorney for Jason Russell Walter, 41, of Mineola. He is accused of the shooting death of Christopher Jason Griffin, 19, of Mineola. The shooting occurred on Father’s Day of 2014. It stemmed from an argument that started inside a convenience store on North Pacific Street in Mineola. The shooting occurred after the argument moved outside and behind the store. Walters was at the scene with a gun when police arrived.

WINNSBORO – The Department of Public Safety has identified the person killed in a weekend accident in Wood County. The crash happened shortly before midnight on Saturday on Highway 11, just west of Winnsboro. Dead at the scene was Corey Gibson, 24, of Como. His minivan was heading east, at the what the DPS says was an unsafe speed, when the vehicle left the road and rolled over in a ditch. The vehicle then hit a billboard and caught fire.

TYLER — The left northbound lane of Loop 323 at Woodhue Drive in Tyler will be closed from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m. each day through this coming Saturday. City officials report Maximus Operating, LTD has requested the lane closure for a rig move. Tyler Police will be present and directing traffic in this area. If at all possible, drivers are asked to seek alternate routes. Those driving in this area are asked to proceed with caution during this time. The location is 300 feet south of the Lion Drive intersection.

LONGVIEW – A man in a clown mask has robbed a Longview business. The robbery happened shortly before 10:30 Monday morning at Rapid Payday & Title Loans on Judson Road. The suspect displayed a handgun, took an undisclosed amount of money, and then fled the area on foot. No injuries were reported. Besides the clown mask, the suspect was said to have been wearing blue jeans, a hoodie and dark shirt with a Nike symbol.

LONGVIEW — A ribbon cutting was held Monday to celebrate the opening of the new FM 2275/George Richey Road extension from McCann Road to U.S. 259 in Longview. TxDOT and its partners, the City of Longview, the Longview Metropolitan Planning Organization, the Longview Economic Development Corporation, and Gregg County hosted the event. According to information from TxDOT, the extension is designed to provide a much needed east/west thoroughfare that will ease congestion and improve safety from U.S. 259 westward to State Highway 300 in Longview. The project is being built in two phases. In spring 2014, construction began for the segment from U.S. 259 to McCann Road, which opened to traffic following the ribbon cutting. Continue reading Ribbon Cutting Held for George Richey Extension

LONGVIEW — A Gladewater teenager has been arrested for allegedly racing late Friday night in Longview. KETK reports that around 10:45 p.m., a Longview police officer was on patrol on West Loop 281 when he says two cars were racing in the eastbound lanes of traffic. The officer initiated a traffic stop and one of the vehicles turned into a nearby parking lot. The driver of the car, identified as Dakota James Mixon, 19, was arrested and booked into the Gregg County Jail without incident. Mixon’s bond was set at $1,000.

TYLER — Tyler Police investigate an early morning robbery. According to authorities, it happened just before 4:00 this morning at the Fast Fuel gas station, 2524 Shiloh Road. The clerk reportedly told officers that the armed suspect, described as a young Hispanic man wearing a black hoodie, walked around the counter and demanded money. After receiving an undisclosed amount of currency, the suspect fled the scene in an older model grey single cab truck. Officers searched the area but were unable to locate the suspect. No one was injured during the robbery. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tyler Police Department as soon as possible.

EAST TEXAS — Don’t be surprised this week if you pass a stopped school bus, operating a visual signal, and are stopped by a state trooper. Texas Department of Safety troopers will be watching for drivers who violate the law on this, National School Bus Safety Week. It runs October 17th through the 21st. They will look for violators in a variety of ways. State Trooper Jean Dark says they may be following a school bus, driving ahead of it or they may even be riding on the bus. Dark says a driver who disregards a stopped school bus is putting kid’s lives in danger. And she says, that is cause for concern. Drivers who violate the law could face fines as much as $1,250. Continue reading DPS Checks On School Bus Safety

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating an armed robbery at The Family Dollar store on Bow Street. According to officials, the suspect entered the store around 10:00, showed the clerk a handgun and demanded money. A store employee reportedly grabbed the suspect from behind and a struggle took place. The suspect broke free and struck the store employee with the handgun causing injury. The suspect fled the scene in an unknown direction. He’s described as African American, 5’8” to 5’10, 150-160 lbs, wearing black clothing with his face covered. Continue reading Family Dollar Robbery Under Investigation

HENDERSON — A large fire in Rusk County forced the closure of Highway 64 briefly. According to KETK, crews are battling tank fires at Lone Star Equipment on Highway 64 near Henderson. No injuries were reported. Highway 64 has since reopened.

MOUNT PLEASANT — An Oregon sex offender has been taken into custody after deputies received a suspicious person call earlier this week. According to KETK, Titus County Sheriff’s Deputies found Steven Wayne Kay, Jr. on Highway 271 near Mt. Pleasant. During the investigation, authorities found drug paraphernalia and arrested Kay. Kay was registered in Oregon, but had failed to notify them he left the state and also failed to notify Titus County. He was living at a home on County Road 1535. Due to Kay Jr. not properly registering as the state law requires, officials filed a case and obtained an arrest warrant for sex offenders duty to register. He was booked into the Titus County Jail.

GREGG COUNTY — A Longview man accused of sending text messages with pornographic images and solicitation of a minor is indicted in Gregg County. According to the Longview News-Journal, Timothy Layne Riley, 41, was released Feb. 27 on $100,000 bond, a day after Longview police arrested him on a charge of solicitation of a minor with intent to have sexual contact. The mother of the 16-year-old girl told police Feb. 18 that Riley had been sending inappropriate texts to her daughter. The messages included Riley asking the girl to send him sexual photos and sending the girl graphic photos of himself. Continue reading Longview Man Indicted for Solicitation of Minor

TYLER – Two Robert E Lee High School Students have received honors from the 2017 National Merit Scholarship Program. Mary Claire Neal has been named a Semifinalist and Kushan Gupta a Commended Student. Neal joins around 16,000 students across the nation in receiving Semifinalist honors. These academically talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships. Gupta joins 34,000 Commended Students across the nation in being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the competition for National Merit Scholarships, Commended Students do become candidates for special scholarships sponsored by corporations and businesses.

LONGVIEW – The City of Longview has partnered with local businesses to add three more locations for glass recycling for a total of six drop-off locations. At each location, glass bottles and jars may be deposited into 95-gallon carts with yellow lids. Other kinds of glass such as light bulbs, mirrors, and auto glass will not be accepted. Glass recycling is not available for curbside collection at this time. Continue reading Longview Adds Three More Glass Recycling Sites

LONGVIEW – A man involved in a fatal hit and run accident in Longview in July has been indicted by the Gregg County Grand Jury. Bryan Arnold, 50, of Longview has been indicted on charges of intoxicated manslaughter. He is accused of hitting Paul Price, 19, of White Oak. Price was hit while riding his bicycle with the flow of traffic on West Loop 281. He later died at a Longview hospital. Arnold, who left the scene later used a roommate’s phone to call police to say he was involved in the accident. He remains in the Gregg County Jail under a $125,000 bond.