KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER — A home in Tyler has unexpectedly became the backdrop for proposals being deemed the “engagement house” on social media. According to our news partner KETK, while he was in Tyler for work, James Meador was driving around town and found a home that he knew would be the perfect spot to ask his girlfriend Laura Hammers to spend the rest of her life with him. The home is located in the Azalea District and it is a popular destination during Christmas season because of its beautiful decorations.

The lights hold a special meaning for the homeowners who had a tree in their wedding that was decorated with crystals.

“In our own wedding, we had a tree. It was not a tree with lights, it was a tree with crystals, it was an indoor tree that my parents actually made for our wedding,” homeowner Ashley Lesniewski said. Continue reading Azalea home nicknamed the “engagement house”

JACKSONVILLE – An East Texas man is dead after a traffic accident that led to a shooting on Thursday. According to the Jacksonville Police Department and our news partner KETK, around 9:50 p.m. Jacksonville police and firefighters responded to a traffic accident at the intersection of Myrtle Drive and Sam Boles Road. Officials said they saw that one of the occupants, identified as Angel Balderas Jr., 33 of Jacksonville, had a single gunshot wound. Balderas was transported to a local emergency room where he later died.

The shooter was detained and questioned but officials said no charges will be filed at this time. The police department said no other details will be released due to it being an ongoing investigation.

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department said they arrested a man on Friday after he allegedly pointed a rifle at officers from a home on Tupelo Drive. According to our news partner KETK, Longview PD officers were responding to a domestic incident in the 200 block of Tupelo Drive at around 8:50 p.m. on Friday when they first made contact with Benjamin Howell, 41 of Longview.

After the officers arrived at the Tupelo Drive home, Howell reportedly fled inside and then pointed his rifle out at the officers. According to a Longview PD press release, the officers then took cover and called for the Longview SWAT unit and the Negotiations unit.

Officers reportedly heard one gunshot from inside the home and after negotiators made repeated attempts to contact Howell, the SWAT team had to resolve the standoff through non-lethal force measures, Longview PD said. Continue reading Standoff suspect arrested in Longview

PALESTINE – Current and former educators are demanding answers regarding the school voucher bill that was recently passed by the Texas Senate.

According to our news partner KETK, a protest over the bill took place on Friday afternoon at 519 North Sycamore Street in Palestine near the office of Texas State House Representative Cody Harris. The protest included current and former educators expressing their frustration at the bill that was passed.

Harris released a statement expressing his disappointment with the protest and wished the group would have come to him directly to vocalize their concerns.

“While I will always encourage constituents to reach out to my office to share their views, I was disappointed that this group did not choose to try and schedule an appointment to sit down and visit about their concerns.” Harris said. Continue reading East Texans protest Texas Senate passing school voucher bill

Tyler – The East Texas Food Bank will hold the second annual Empty Bowls Tyler event on Thursday, February 27 at the ETFB, to bring awareness to the 1 in 6 adults, including 1 in 4 children in East Texas who are hungry, brought to you by presenting sponsor the Hall Family of Dealerships and restaurant sponsor Hibbs- Hallmark Insurance. “We are so excited to bring Empty Bowls back for our second year,” said David Emerson, CEO of ETFB. “We have some of the best restaurants in Tyler participating in this event. We hope people will come out and enjoy some great food and drinks, listen to live jazz music and take home a bowl made by Tyler ISD children.” Empty Bowls will feature live music and a raffle and silent auction for great prizes. Guests can purchase handcrafted bowls from East Texas artists. The event will be held from 5:30-7:30 p.m. Tickets are $50 and are available at EmptyBowlsTyler.com. No guests under 21 years of age. Each ticket provides 250 meals to our neighbors facing hunger.

NACOGDOCHES — Our news partner, KETK, reports that a Nacogdoches man has died after being thrown off his motorcycle during a major vehicle accident Thursday evening.

According to the Nacogdoches Police Department, at around 8 p.m. dispatch received calls of an crash involving a SUV and motorcycle on NE Stallings (Loop 224) and Center Hwy. Officers determined the motorcyclist, Shawn Pritchard, 45 of Nacogdoches, was northbound on NE Stallings and the SUV driver was traveling southbound when the two vehicles collided in the intersection. Authorities said that the SUV driver turned left in front of Pritchard causing the collision and ejecting him off the motorcycle. Pritchard was transported to a local hospital but later died due to his injuries while the SUV driver was treated for minor injuries.

The police department said that the investigation is still ongoing “to determine any and all circumstances related to the accident.”

HENDERSON COUNTY — Our news partner, KETK, reports that a Waco man was booked into the Henderson County Jail on Friday after reportedly attempting to meet with minors for sexual purposes.

The Henderson County Crimes Against Children’s Task Force conducted an online investigation and identified Jose Antonio Arriaga-Perez, 32 of Waco, who was allegedly attempting to meet with minors for sexual purposes. The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said Perez was arrested for online solicitation of a minor sexual conduct and is also facing a federal ICE detainer charge. Perez was transported and booked into the Henderson County Jail.

TYLER — Cheyenne Russell was settling into her new apartment with her two children when her ex-boyfriend, Jorian Jackson, arrived with belated Christmas gifts.

Russell, 26, and Jackson, 29, began to fight over their fractured relationship that ended about a year prior. That’s when Jackson allegedly shot and killed Russell. Russell’s children saw it all. Jackson “caused the red on mommy’s dress, then she started making choking and coughing sounds,” they told police. Russells’ death on Jan. 6 is part of an escalating trend and comes at a time when advocates are again beseeching lawmakers to broaden protections for domestic violence survivors. Advocates see a number of proposals as opportunities to strengthen Texas law as it relates to domestic and sexual violence.

If passed, these bills could make it easier to remove firearms from people accused of family violence, teach teenagers about dating violence and create a state database of violent offenders that is similar to the one for sexual offenders. Other bills would remove firearms from known sexual predators and create a process for survivors to sue institutions that protected sexual offenders. Similar proposals have been debated at the Texas Capitol before, with advocates enjoying moderate success. Those same boosters hope to see equal support moving forward as more Texans seek help from community organizations created for survivors. Representatives of shelters across the state will converge in Austin on Feb. 20 to voice their concerns and proposals to lawmakers. Continue reading Domestic violence survivors and supporters hope lawmakers take action

JACKSONVILLE– Our news partner, KETK, reports that an East Texas man is dead after a traffic accident that led to a shooting on Thursday.

According to the Jacksonville Police Department, around 9:52 p.m. Jacksonville police and firefighters responded to a traffic accident at the intersection of Myrtle Drive and Sam Boles Road.
Officials said they saw that one of the occupants, identified as Angel Balderas Jr., 33 of Jacksonville, had a single gunshot wound. Balderas was transported to a local emergency room where he later died.

The shooter was detained and questioned but officials said no charges will be filed at this time. At this time the police department said no other details will be released due to it being an ongoing investigation.

TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, a Romanian national was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday after he was found guilty of engaging in organized criminal activity in Smith County. Fabrizio Slatineanu reportedly entered America illegally from Mexico and was caught taking part in a credit card skimming scheme where he stole over $280,000 from Smith County residents in a single weekend, according to the 114th District Court.

During the sentencing hearing, multiple victims testified about how they had lost thousands of dollars from their savings accounts. During the hearing, Captain Jeff Roberts, a member of the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, testified about how Romanian organized crime played an increased role in types of financial crimes similar to Slatineanu’s case.

Roberts also said he thinks open borders have helped to increase these kinds of crimes. Continue reading Romanian gets life for skimming scheme in ETX

LUFKIN, Texas (KETK) – A Lufkin man was sentenced to more than 14 years in federal prison for drug trafficking and illegal possession of a firearm on Thursday.

According to our news partner KETK, acting U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Texas Abe McGlothin, Jr. said that Bradley Skyler Bryan, 27 of Lufkin, has pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamines and possession of a firearm by a felon.

In April 2024, Bryan’s vehicle was searched during a traffic stop in Lufkin. An officer reportedly found “marijuana, vape pens, pills and a large amount of methamphetamine” along with a concealed handgun. Continue reading Lufkin man gets more than 14 years for drug trafficking

SMITH COUNTY – Acccording to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith has apologized after holding an immigration panel where he attempted to ease concerns within the Hispanic community. Smith said the forum came about after Hispanic employees working for the sheriff’s office reportedly advised Smith that many illegal immigrants were afraid to send their children to school, attend church, go to work and report violent crimes.

“I am but a mortal human being who strives to always do what is right. That does not mean by any stretch of the imagination that I am exempt from making mistakes. In a rush to try to make matters better, unfortunately I made some of those matters worse,” Smith said.

He apologized to Smith county residents, Gov. Greg Abbott and his office, Border Czar Tom Homan and President Trump. Continue reading Sheriff Larry Smith apologizes after holding immigration forum

JACKSONVILLE – In reports from our news partner, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have arrested five “undocumented aliens” in Jacksonville.

According to a press release from Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson, an ICE Removal Operations team and Homeland Security investigators arrested five people in a “targeted enforcement action.”
The five people arrested were described as “undocumented aliens ranging in age from mid-30’s to mid-60’s with criminal histories.” No further information on their arrests was provided by the sheriff’s office.

The arrests come during continued stress and confusion around this latest round of ICE raids. On Jan. 30, several East Texas sheriffs held an immigration Q&A session held in Tyler to explain the role of local sheriff’s offices in regards to ICE raids. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is not a part of ICE’s 287(g) program unlike Smith County and Gregg County, which just joined the program on Tuesday. The program allows local deputies to identify undocumented immigrants with criminal charges for ICE to pick up.

Tyler – The 2025 Campus Teachers of the Year have been selected. A total of 30 outstanding teachers have been nominated for their commitment and dedication to excellence in education. Chosen by colleagues at their respective campuses, these teachers exemplify the highest standards of teaching excellence. Their diligent efforts and innovative approaches have contributed to the academic success and personal growth of their students. The 30 nominees will now vie for the titles of District Elementary Teacher of the Year and District Secondary Teacher of the Year. The selection process involves the submission of written portfolios and interviews with a selection committee. Winners will be determined based on scores from both components. Continue reading Tyler ISD announces 2025 campus Teachers of the Year

UPDATE: According to the Tyler Police Department Cathy Gray was found on Thursday evening not far from her home.

TYLER – Our news partner, KETK, reports that Tyler officials are searching for missing 62-year-old Cathy Gray who is believed to have walked away from her home.

The Tyler Police Department said Gray was last seen at her residence in the 3400 block of Pebblebrook Drive at around 9 a.m. on Thursday. She is described as being 5 feet, 2 inches and is slim with brown hair and blue eyes. Authorities said she was last seen wearing a white puffy coat, blue jeans and brown shoes. Anyone who has seen her is asked to contact the Tyler Police Department.

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that for years veterinarians, shelters and rescues have recommended pet owners to get their dogs and cats microchipped. There are dozens of companies that manufacture the microchips. In the past five years, Spence and White Veterinary Hospital in Tyler, has used Save This Life. However, in recent days, pet owners and veterinarians have noticed that the microchip company had gone dark. Save This Life has pulled their records from the national registry where owner information could be found if their pet was ever lost. Continue reading Texas-based pet microchip company shuts down

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partner, KETK, reports that an East Texas man has been sentenced after a jury found him guilty of murder in July 2024.

Melvin Orlando Guevara, 22 of Tyler, was sentenced on Wednesday in the 114th Judicial District Court for capital murder by terror threat. This comes seven months after the murder of Eduardo Torrez, who was shot at his birthday party. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to a house in the 8900 block of CR 4136 at approximately 6:30 p.m. after receiving reports that a man had been shot and was not breathing.

Once deputies arrived, they reportedly found Torrez in his bedroom, and began lifesaving measures before EMS arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene. A court document said that Torrez was celebrating his birthday with family and friends when Guevara walked into the residence displaying a pistol, entered Torrez’s room, and shot him multiple times in front of his ex-girlfriend. After obtaining an arrest warrant, officials located a vehicle said to belong to Guevara at Highway 31 East and Loop 323. A felony stop was conducted at a nearby car wash and he was taken into custody.

GREGG COUNTY — Gregg County is the second county in East Texas to partner with ICE to identify and report immigrants in the United States illegally. According to our news partner KETK, on Tuesday, Gregg County commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the sheriff’s office to enter an agreement with federal officials, which is the ICE 287(g) program apart of The Illegal Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1966.

This program gives deputies the ability to identify undocumented criminal immigrants through the federal immigration system then contact ICE directly and have the detainer put on immediately.

“The 287g program is not new. We’ve been doing it for four decades and if you’re not here illegally, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about, but if you’re here illegally and you commit a crime and come to jail, will you get a detainer on you? probably,” Chief Deputy Craig Harrington said. Continue reading Gregg County second in East Texas to have agreement with ICE

LONGVIEW — OUr news partner KETK is reporting that the Longview Police Department will begin encrypting their radio communications, or police scanner, as an essential move to protect department communication and combat crime. Many calls contain sensitive information including medical information, addresses and witness identities. By encrypting their communication, the police department says this will ensure that information remains protected and out of the public domain.

Additionally, the move is expected to improve officer safety, especially during rapidly developing situations. Suspects can flee crime scenes, destroy evidence or ambush officers if they have access to instant information through the radio channels. Though, this access will be closed to the public, authorities reassured they are committed to transparency and will continue to provide timely updates through official channels.

“The community can stay informed about major incidents without compromising security or personal privacy,” the police department said.

TYLER – On Wednesday, the Tyler City Council approved a request to name an unnamed field at Fun Forest Park in honor of Reverend Ralph Caraway, Sr. The North Tyler Youth Baseball and Girls Softball Association initially proposed the request in recognition of Reverend Caraway’s profound impact on the community.

Under Tyler’s ordinance for naming or renaming parklands and park facilities, a park can be named in honor of a living community leader. On Jan. 29, the City of Tyler Parks Board voted unanimously in favor of naming the field after Rev. Caraway. While parks are often named after financial donors or coaches with extensive records of wins, Reverend Caraway’s contributions go beyond the scoreboard. His leadership and mentorship have shaped the lives of thousands of youth and adults throughout the Tyler area. Continue reading Baseball field named in honor of Rev. Ralph Caraway, Sr.

HENDERSON – The Henderson ISD Board of Trustees formally announced the hiring of their new superintendent during a special Tuesday night meeting. According to our news partner KETK, Brian Bowman joins the district with over 20 years of service in education leadership. Before coming Henderson, Bowman served as the superintendent of Diboll ISD.

Bowman said in a press release about how excited he is to join Henderson ISD, “For me, this new role represents more than just a new opportunity—it’s a return to the East Texas region I call home. With children and grandchildren in the area, this is more than just a professional been move; it’s a chance to reconnect with a community that has always to me and my family. I’ve long admired Henderson ISD’s tradition of excellence and am eager to build on its strong foundation to support students, staff, and families.”

Bowman officially started his new role with the district on Wednesday.

TYLER – On Wednesday, the City Council approved an agreement with Cyclyx International, marking a significant expansion of the City’s recycling program. For years, the Tyler Recycle Center has only accepted plastics #1 and #2 due to limitations in processing capabilities. Through this new partnership, starting March 3, the City will now be able to accept all plastics, except PVC, helping to divert more waste from the landfill. Under the agreement, Cyclyx International will accept all eligible plastics for at least one year and will pay the City $0.035 per ton of collected material. The partnership aligns with Tyler’s commitment to sustainability and waste reduction. Cyclyx specializes in breaking down plastics into a feedstock that can be reused by industry partners such as Exxon to create new plastic products. This process ensures that more materials are repurposed rather than discarded, keeping more materials out of the landfill. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of this expansion by bringing their plastics to the Downtown Tyler Recycle Center.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Our news partner, KETK, reports that two men were arrested on Tuesday after Cherokee County authorities located 44 grams of crack cocaine in back-to-back search warrants.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Jacksonville Police Department conducted a search warrant for a vehicle parked at 704 Sheridan Street. During the search, authorities reportedly found two grams of suspected methamphetamine and a firearm. Following an investigation, a second search warrant was conducted at on a residence on County Road 3509 in Cuney. Officials said they located 44 grams of crack cocaine, 11 grams of methamphetamine and five firearms were seized, one of which was reportedly stolen from Cherokee County. Rickey Lynn Allen, Sr., and Eddie Floyd Dennis were arrested in the investigation. Continue reading Cherokee County officials find 44 grams of crack cocaine

HENDERSON COUNTY — In the past two months, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department has arrested 50 people for drug related charges, many of them have led to arrests made by residents. According to our news partner KETK, recent arrests have involved lengthy investigations that have led to warrants.

Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse spoke about how most of his recent arrests have initially been search warrants allowing them to enter their homes. “Most of them have been through investigations where we’ve gotten some information and been able to get a search warrant and go and actually search a house,” Hillhouse said.

Hillhouse has been the sheriff since 2016 and his main focus has been on getting drugs off the street. He has asked residents to call in credible tips to his office, local law enforcement and Crimestoppers, recently those tips have resulted in arrests. Continue reading East Texas residents calling in drug related crimes

TYLER — Nine people have been sentenced in connection to a large-scale federal drug trafficking ring that operated in East Texas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Texas announced on Monday that in 2021, law enforcement determined the organization was run by Edgar Garcia, Jr., as the head of the operation. Authorities began the investigation to identify who was receiving methamphetamine from Garcia.

A release from U.S. Attorney’s Office stated, “During the investigation, law enforcement executed residential search warrants, purchased methamphetamine and/or firearms directly from Garcia and other members of his drug trafficking organization, and directed traffic stops to intercept narcotics and firearms being transported for distribution. Ultimately, multiple kilograms of methamphetamine were seized during the operation.”
Continue reading Nine sentenced in large-scale drug trafficking ring

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a wanted 32-year-old man who has been missing for a year. According to our news partner KETK, the sheriff’s office identified the man as Brantaja Dewaye Holloway-Blevins who is wanted for manufactured delivery of a controlled substance since August 2024. Holloway-Blevins is described as a black man, with black hair and brown eyes, weighs around 160 pounds and is 6 foot 1 inch.

Anyone with information about Holloway Blevins is asked to contact the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at 903-566-6600 or the Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A man has been arrested for allegedly hitting a New Diana ISD student with his vehicle on Monday while she was crossing the road to board a school bus. According to our news partner KETK, the crash took place at the intersection of FM 726 and U.S. Highway 259 when a driver, who was later identified as Jerry Martin, 56 of Longview, ignored the red flashing lights on the bus and struck the student. Martin was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is currently being held in the Upshur County Jail on a $100,000 bond. The student has been treated and released from a local hospital, according to New Diana ISD assistant superintendent Greg Pope.

New Diana ISD is being joined in warning drivers by others school districts like Palestine ISD and Mount Pleasant ISD, they’ve has accidents like this in the past. Both districts are urging drivers to be extra cautious for school busses. Continue reading Man arrested after girl struck boarding school bus

RUSK COUNTY — Two Kilgore men were arrested on Friday after allegedly attempting to steal copper from a decommissioned mining facility according to our news partner KETK.

The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office along with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden responded to a trespassing report on Feb. 7 in the vicinity of Liberty Mine and Luminant Mining property in Rusk County. Surveillance cameras on the property reportedly captured two men unlawfully present at the site. Upon investigation, the sheriff’s office determined that the individuals were attempting to remove copper from a decommissioned dragline, or a large piece of heavy mining equipment no longer in use, without the property owner’s consent.

Deputies spoke with a man, later identified as Brandon Wright, of Kilgore, and arrested him on criminal trespass, burglary of a building and has since been released from the Rusk County Jail. A second suspect, identified as Kenneth Logan King, of Kilgore, was also taken into custody on the same charges, criminal trespass and burglary of a building and remains incarcerated on a bond totaling $16,000.

LUFKIN – According to our news partner KETK, the Lufkin Police Department have found a dead body in a secluded area of Sabine Parish in Louisiana Monday morning. Lufkin PD, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers were in the area to follow up on a lead they got this morning when they found the body of a dead male. Local investigators and Sabine County law enforcement are currently processing evidence at the scene. Lufkin PD said they’ll update the public after they’ve identified the body and notified any relatives.

Officials said they believe the body is connected to a missing persons case that Lufkin PD is investigating with the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office.

Anyone with information in this case is asked to call the Lufkin Police Department at 936-633-0356, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office at 936-634-3331 or Deep East Texas Crime Stoppers at 936-639-8477.

LIVINGSTON — A routine traffic stop in Livingston led to a narcotics investigation where five people were arrested. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, during the night on Feb. 5, officers stopped a vehicle on Mill Gate Road for a traffic violation.

Officers identified the driver as Justin Martin, 36 of Cleveland, and passenger Holli Pederson, 27 of Livingston. They began to search the vehicle after allegedly smelling burnt marijuana. Officials then determined that Martin and Pederson were in possession of meth and marijuana. Martin was arrested for manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance with a $50,000 bond while Pederson was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with a $15,000 bond.
Continue reading Five arrested following narcotics investigation in Livingston