KTBB News, Weather, Talk

TYLER – Judge Derrick Choice announced on Monday that he is running to be reelected as Smith County Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace in 2026. Choice was first elected to the position in 2022 after the resignation of former judge Quincy Beavers Jr. Choice is running for reelection as a part of the 2026 Democratic Primary, ahead of the local elections in November.

“Serving the people of Smith County has been one of the greatest privileges of my life. Over the past term, I have worked diligently to ensure that justice is served with fairness, integrity, and compassion. I remain committed to being a voice for the people upholding the law while also understanding the needs of the community I proudly call home,” Choice said on Monday. “With your continued support, I look forward to building on the progress we’ve made and continuing to serve with dedication, transparency, and respect for all.”

SABINE COUNTY– According to our news partner KETK, four more people were arrested by the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office over the weekend in connection with “Operation Crystal Ball.” The sheriff’s office first initiated the operation in March in order to combat meth activity in the county. Since its start, the operation has resulted in more than a dozen charges involving nearly 20 individuals, as well as the seizure of approximately 495 grams of methamphetamine.

As the operation is in its completion phase, members of the sheriff’s office are arresting individuals who were found dealing meth or in possession of large amounts of drugs. Those arrested over the weekend include: Lori Nicole Williams: charged with the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, Kade Harley: charged with the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, Cody Rhodes: charged with the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance and Justin Tood Short: charged with possession of a controlled substance.

All four people arrested over the weekend remain in custody.

NEW BOSTON – East Texas State Rep. Gary VanDeaver of New Boston said on Monday that he won’t be running for reelection in Texas House District 1 in 2026. This announcement comes less than two months after the Republican Party of Texas officially penalized him for making votes and taking actions against party platform policies.

Our news partner KETK News spoke with VanDeaver on Monday. He said he’s been working up to this announcement for the past couple of months and those penalties had nothing to do with it.

“This is a decision I’ve been working on trying to make for at least two months. Really a little longer than that. I just believe the time is right,” VanDeaver said. “I believe that these representative positions were never intended to make careers and never intended to be full time jobs. Our forefathers they set up a system where we serve temporarily and then we go home and we live under the laws we make and so at the end of this term, I will have served for 12 years, and I just believe that’s really long enough.”
Photo courtesy of Gary VanDeaver.

VanDeaver’s last term will end in Jan. 2027 and several candidates have already announced campaigns to replace him as State Representative for House District 1. Sean Huffman is running unopposed so far in the Democratic Primary, while Josh Bray and Chris Spencer have both announced their running in the Republican Primary. Continue reading State Rep. Gary VanDeaver not seeking reelection

SMITH COUNTY — The City of Troup is alerting residents of a prominent fundraiser they may receive in the mail, calling it a scam. The fundraisers are sent by an organization known as the United States Deputy Sheriff’s Association (USDSA), which presents itself as a non-profit dedicated to supporting local law enforcement and the community. In recent mailings, the group requests donations for their Troup Area 2025 Fund Drive, claiming that they provide police agencies in Troup with bulletproof vests, helmets and other lifesaving equipment.
Continue reading Scam alert from the City of Troup

Update: KTBB received an email from from Sergent Pedro Maya of the Tyler PD, informing us the accident has been cleared up.

TYLER – The Tyler Police Department is currently working a Major Traffic Accident at East Front Street and South Porter Avenue. At this time, all west bound traffic on East Front Street is being re-routed onto Old Henderson Highway, all east bound traffic is being re-routed onto South Palmer Avenue. East and West bound lanes on East Front Street are currently closed between Old Henderson Hwy and South Palmer Avenue. Officials said the scene remains active and officers are on-site directing vehicles. Drivers are urged to find alternative routes and use extra caution due to poor weather conditions.

TYLER — With the Christmas season here, so are the parades! But incoming weather has caused multiple parades to be postponed. Our news partners at KETK, have provided a list of Christmas parades in east Texas. Continue reading East Texas Christmas parades

TYLER — A tanker truck stalled on Troup Highway, causing temporary traffic delays on Monday morning. According to our news partner KETK, officials with Smith County ESD2, the truck stalled along Troup Highway near Toll 49, blocking traffic. No injuries were reported, and the cause of the tanker’s stoppage was not immediately released

TYLER — The Christmas season is here. And so are the Christmas parades. Our news partners at KETK, have a running list for you. You can see it here.

SMITH COUNTY— An 18-wheeler rolled over on Highway 110 North, south of Swan, Monday morning in Smith County. According to our news partner KETK, crews were out clearing the scene as boxes from inside the 18-wheeler were also thrown alongside the road. Traffic delays have also happened.

ZAVALLA – The Huntington Volunteer Fire Department assisted at the scene of a house fire that was started by lightning on Saturday night. According to our news partner KETK, Huntington VFD were called out at around 11:37 p.m. on Saturday to assist Zavalla Volunteer Fire Department with a fire burning a home on Massey Road near FM 1270. The fire reportedly started when lightning struck the home’s roof, burned a hole in the side of the attic, allowing winds to spread the flames faster than the firefighters could stop it. After fighting the fire for 4 hours, the roof collapsed and most of the items inside the home were destroyed.

Angelina River Fire Rescue and the Colmesneil Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the scene on Saturday.

MARSHALL — The Marshall Police Department said that a sinkhole caused part of East Grand Avenue to collapse on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, Marshall Police are asking drivers to avoid the area where the roadway collapsed in the 900 block of East Grand Avenue. Officials said that Marshall Public Works Crews are working with the Texas Department of Public Transportation to asses the damage to the road.

TYLER — A pedestrian was struck by a train in downtown Tyler Thursday. According to the Tyler Police Department and our news partner KETK,  the individual was hit on the tracks near Goodwill and the intersection of Bonner Avenue and Locust Street. The person has transported to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries. Authorities have not released details about what led to the crash or provided an update on the victim’s condition.

HENDERSON COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, recent federal funding cuts have put Henderson County’s plans to expand high-speed internet access into jeopardy. The county, Texas was originally slated to receive $3.3 billion from the federal government’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program but that amount was recently cut down to $1.3 billion.

“This reduction directly jeopardizes the county’s plan because Phase III relies on the federal BEAD money,” Henderson County said on Friday. “The county’s plan was designed to connect every resident to high-speed internet. Officials chose to split the work into three phases because the overall project is large and costly.”

County officials explained that the project’s second phase is currently in the process of connecting nearly 5,000 locations in rural Henderson County, thanks to $2.3 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and other state funds. Continue reading Henderson County internet expansion threatened by cuts

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A Thursday afternoon fire in Van Zandt County resulted in the loss of one of the Whitton Volunteer Fire Department’s brush trucks. According to our news partner KETK, the fire reportedly broke out between FM 316 and FM 3080 in Mabank as multiple departments worked to protect a nearby structure. Whitton VFD confirmed that one of their brush trucks was destroyed in the response, the largest equipment loss the department has experienced.

Equipment losses can significantly affect how small volunteer departments operate. Whitton VFD is funded through county stipends, community fundraisers and donations, which help support daily operations and future emergency responses.For more information about the department or how to donate, you can visit the Whitton Volunteer Fire Department online or call them at 903-848-0260.