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TYLER — The Tyler Sister Cities organization is helping out with the situation in Ukraine. Details were announced at a Wednesday news conference featuring Tyler Mayor Don Warren and Mayor Jerzy Łużniak of Tyler’s sister city Jelenia Góra, Poland. Officials say Jelenia Góra’s Sister Cities organization is assisting its sister city in Ukraine, as well as providing aid and sheltering refugees arriving in Poland — 2,000 of them in Jelenia Góra alone, according to information shared at the news conference. The Tyler Sister Cities organization is raising funds to assist Jelenia Gora with its humanitarian efforts. All donations made through Tyler Sister Cities will be wired directly to Jelenia Góra for aiding the Ukrainian people, according to Tyler officials. Continue reading Tyler Sister Cities aiding Ukraine

CHEROKEE COUNTY — The first days of a murder trial in Cherokee County resulted in a mistrial on Monday after an investigator reportedly failed to disclose a piece of digital evidence to all parties in the trial. According to our news partner KETK, Cody Ray Roberts is charged with capital murder of 18-year-old Trevor Lawson, who was found dead by an apparent gunshot wound in a home on CR 2117 in the Maydelle area on November 7, 2018. Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson said the trial for the murder of Lawson began in the 369th District Court on Monday. A jury was picked and the state began calling witnesses on Tuesday. Continue reading Mistrial declared in Cherokee County murder case

TYLER – A Tyler man originally charged with murder in a 2020 shooting after a fight at a party pleaded down to a lesser charge on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, 23-year-old Tommy Pettigrew was charged with killing 39-year-old Christopher Bolden outside after a fight between them at Pettigrew’s house. Pettigrew agreed to a plea deal that dropped the charge down to criminally negligent homicide, which normally carries a maximum jail time of just two years. However, because a deadly weapon was used, it is punished as a third-degree felony, which bumps the maximum sentence to 10 years under Texas law. That’s the sentence handed to Pettigrew as part of the plea deal.

LONGVIEW — Longview police have arrested two suspects in a recent carjacking. On March 12 at about 2:28 p.m., officers were dispatched to a location on West Loop 281. A man told them he had left his 15- and 12-year-old children in his vehicle while he was making a purchase in a store. The children came inside and told their father two men had threatened to shoot them if they did not get out of the vehicle. The children did get out, and the two men drove away. Officers were able to track the vehicle to a Princess Street location, where they found 19-year-old Juan Gonzalez and 18-year-old Jonathan Coto, both from Longview. The two were charged with aggravated robbery.

TYLER — Tyler police have identified the suspect in a fatal hit and run February 19. They identify her as Chatiryn Akerra Butler, 18, of Tyler. Police have obtained an arrest warrant on Butler (pictured) for accident involving death, a 2nd degree felony with a $100,000 bond. The victim was 30-year-old Kelsey Hise in the incident around 7:30 p.m. on North Broadway near Queen Street. If you have any information on Butler’s whereabouts, contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or call Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833.

TYLER — Encouraging trends continue on the latest NET Health COVID-19 dashboard. Among other things, NET Health’s George Roberts points out that the Tyler hospital patient number is down to 47 from 78 last Thursday. Roberts continues urging everyone to get vaccinated, noting that it’s not clear when another variant might become an issue. He says officials continue to monitor the BA-2 and deltacron variants, though neither is prompting any serious worries at this point. For more information on COVID-19 in East Texas, click here.

TYLER — Smith County Road 289, south of Chapel Hill, will be closed to through traffic beginning Wednesday, March 16, for the replacement of an existing bridge. County officials say residents and businesses on CR 289 will have access north of the bridge from Texas Highway 64 and south of the bridge from CR 285 (Old Omen Road). According to a news release, CR 289, also known as Wolfe Lane, will see a new, wider concrete bridge with railing constructed. The bridge project is part of a federal program administered by TxDOT. Continue reading Smith County Road 289 to close Wednesday for bridge construction

LONGVIEW — On Wednesday, March 16, Page Road in Longview between Delia Drive and Lois Lane will be closed to through traffic for the day. In the afternoon, Page Road will be opened to one lane of traffic eastbound. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes. Officials say the project consists of street improvements for the new Hallsville Elementary School. The lane closure is anticipated to last months. If you have any questions related to construction, call the city’s project manager, Zack Shaner, at 903-237-1321.

TYLER — Contractors will be doing asphalt seal work on New Copeland Road between East Grande Boulevard and Loop 323 from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 15 through Tuesday, March 22. Drivers can expect lane closures and traffic delays. Drive with caution in the area.

TYLER – A Tyler woman employed as a nighttime nurse for a nonverbal, immobile special needs child is accused of treating the child like “a rag doll,” according to an arrest warrant obtained by our news partner KETK. 35-year-old Jessica Fowler is charged with injury to a child, a third-degree felony in Texas, and has posted a $200,000 bond since being arrested last week. According to the arrest warrant, the child who suffered from multiple medical conditions which required constant and sensitive care. If convicted, Fowler faces up to 10 years in prison.

HENDERSON – Rusk County Commissioners have lifted the county’s burn ban, though they encourage people to use “extreme caution” for outside fires. According to our news partner KETK, the burn ban had been active since March 3, prohibiting all outdoor burning in unincorporated areas of the county. Though the actual ban is lifted, people can still be cited for a fire that gets out of control and damages neighboring property or causes injury. Continue reading Rusk County burn ban lifted

TYLER — The search is over for a suspect in the shooting of two 13-year-old girls around 8 o’clock Saturday night in North Tyler. Tyler police reported Monday that 17-year-old Jaqualin Xavier Humphrey of Tyler turned himself in to members of the U.S. Marshal’s Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force. He was arrested and booked into Smith County Jail on five warrants for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. According to our news partner KETK, investigators on the scene, after multiple interviews with witnesses, identified Humphrey as the suspected gunman. Police reports say the two girls were passengers in a car with several other juveniles when they were shot. Detectives said the girls were in stable condition.

TYLER — It’s another busy week for roadwork in TxDOT’s Tyler District. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance will have a base failure crew on FM 3226. A second crew will be performing ditch work on various roadways throughout the county. Both projects will be under one-way traffic worked by flaggers. In Gregg County, maintenance crews will be continuing mill and inlay operations on FM 2204 westbound, from the US 259 Bypass to west of Greenhills Rd. Flaggers will be controlling traffic there as well. Crews will then start edging operations on FM 449 with traffic controlled by flaggers and a pilot car. Continue reading TxDOT’s weekly roadwork update

TYLER — University of Texas officials visit Tyler to share details about a recently-announced $300 million endowment for seven institutions to help students pay for college. As far as what it means locally, Board of Regents Chairman Kevin Eltife says “perpetually, ongoing, a million dollars a year in additional tuition money, scholarship money, to the University of Texas at Tyler — which means anyone with an adjusted gross income of $80,000 or less can go to (the) University of Texas at Tyler with their tuition and fees covered…We supplement all the other grants that are out there. Also…we think this means about an additional 200 students will now be able to attend the University of Texas at Tyler and won’t have an issue with financial problems getting in.” Continue reading More details on $300 million UT endowment

SMITH COUNTY — A Garland woman pleaded guilty in Smith County to smuggling migrants. According to our news partner KETK, on Thursday, Sheri Lin Ha, 24, pleaded guilty to smuggling of persons and received five years of deferred adjudication. Ha was indicted by a grand jury in December 2021 on charges for smuggling seven undocumented migrants in her car. The woman was arrested in July 2021 after Smith County authorities pulled over the Ford Expedition she was driving. Officials noticed there were seven male passengers in the vehicle, who were undocumented migrants from Guatemala. During the stop, deputies also found a vial of illegal drugs on Ha. Officials believed she was trafficking for profit, said Sgt. Larry Christian, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Public Information Officer.

WHITEHOUSE — After more than 40 years of service, Ronny Fite is being remembered as one of the strongest leaders the Whitehouse community has ever had. According to our news partner KETK, due to complications with COVID-19, lifetime resident and longtime Fire Chief of Whitehouse Fire Department has died at the age of 68. Fite devoted his life to the betterment of our East Texas community. “He always cared for his community. He was pro-Whitehouse. Whatever it needed or whatever it took, he was going to make sure that they had it. With the Fire Department, you know he tried to make it the best in the county,” said President of Emergency Services District 4, Johnny Brown. Continue reading Whitehouse public servant remembered as strong leader

FLINT — Smith County Sheriff’s Office and DPS personnel allege illegal gambling as they execute a search and seizure warrant at the Top Shelf Poker Room in Flint. Officials say the action followed numerous complaints. According to our news partner KETK, Top Shelf Owner and Operator Jesse Vann is questioning the law enforcement move, saying his business acts as a social club the same way many others do in the state of Texas. But authorities say they were following the law as currently written. According to a Sheriff’s Office news release, “This investigation is ongoing and we expect further developments in the near future.”

TYLER — The Tyler Parks and Rec Department is beginning renovations to Noble E. Young Park on Seaton St. For the duration of the project, the park will be closed out of concern for safety, according to a news release. The park will be getting a new pavilion, restrooms, a walking trail, playground equipment and outdoor exercise equipment that includes some ADA-compliant pieces. These renovations will be paid for by the Community Development Block Grant Program and should be completed by August, according to the release.

TYLER — Contractors will be applying pavement markings on some Tyler streets beginning Monday, March 14. The markings will be for the Tyler Bikes Stripes project that contractors were not able to finish due to road projects and asphalt repair projects, according to a news release. Residents and businesses are asked to refrain from parking in the streets while crews apply the markings. Crews will be working Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The painting should be completed by the end of the month, according to the release. Click here for additional information.

TYLER — NET Health’s George Roberts remains pleased with COVID-19 trends in his survey area. He attributes recent high spread numbers in Van Zandt County to an “influx of data,” with figures dating to January — and says he expects that issue to be resolved soon. “Overall, things are…moving in a positive direction,” says Roberts. He notes that the hospital patient number is now down to 78 from the 87 reported Monday. But one thing hasn’t changed: Roberts still strongly encourages vaccinations, pointing to the continued wide availability of the shots. Roberts says the omicron BA-2 variant now makes up about 11.6 per cent of cases nationwide and some seven per cent in Texas — and isn’t creating any cause for alarm at this point, though officials continue to monitor it. For more information on COVID-19 in East Texas, click here.

TYLER — A 33-year-old man and a 75-year-old woman were indicted for their roles in a cryptocurrency money laundering scheme in East Texas. According to federal authorities, Manik Mehtani, of McLean, VA, and Lois Boyd, of Amelia Court House, VA, were indicted by a federal grand jury, charging them with a violation of the Travel Act, money laundering and money laundering conspiracy. According to the indictment, Boyd and Mehtani allegedly plotted with others to receive money from victims of fraud schemes and launder the money through cryptocurrency. They allegedly have routinely structured deposits in order to avoid requirements of reporting transactions and to conceal the nature and source of the money. Continue reading Two indicted in money laundering conspiracy

GILMER — Upshur County authorities confirmed Thursday that the chief deputy district clerk was arrested for official oppression. According to our news partner KETK, 51-year-old Jon Christopher Coleman, from Gilmer, was arrested by Texas Rangers. Additional details surrounding the circumstances of the investigation were not available. Coleman was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Potter and released on $3,500 bond.

TYLER — Eastbound traffic on the Loop between New Copeland Road and T.K. Gorman resumed late Thursday afternoon after being shut down since early morning. Tyler police said a drunk driver wrecked into a power pole, breaking it. The driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and when released, booked into the Smith County Jail for driving while intoxicated. Oncor crews worked nearly all day to repair the pole and get the road reopened.

BRYAN — The Lindale native on trial for capital murder of a Department of Public Safety trooper on Thanksgiving Day, 2017, has been found guilty and given an automatic sentence of life without parole. Dabrett Black, 37, was found guilty by a Brazos County jury on Thursday afternoon, according to our news partner KETK and its network affiliate KAGS. On November 23, 2017, Trooper Damon Allen, 41, made a traffic stop of Black’s vehicle on Interstate 45, just south of Fairfield. DPS reports say Allen approached Black’s vehicle, spoke with him, and returned to his patrol unit. Moments later, DPS says Black began shooting at Allen multiple times with a rifle. Continue reading Lindale native found guilty of killing DPS trooper on Thanksgiving 2017

TYLER — The Tyler City Council Wednesday received an update from Pipeline Analysis, LLC about the ongoing mandatory improvements and future rehabilitation plans for the city’s sewer system. In less than 30 days, the city will be halfway through the consent decree regarding the project. According to a news release, throughout the past five years, ongoing repairs and capacity improvements have resulted in a 40 percent decrease in sanitary sewer overflows. Challenges include the increased cost of materials and labor, according to the release. However, Pipeline Analysis believes moving up the inspection schedule and identifying and repairing defects earlier will help control the costs. Click here for further details.

LONGVIEW – Gas prices in the Longview area hit their highest point in history on Thursday. The average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $4, according to AAA. According to our news partner KETK, gas prices have skyrocketed over the past few weeks due to a variety of factors, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The previous record for Longview was $3.97, set in July of 2008 during the Great Recession. Tyler is considered likely to break its record for unleaded gasoline in the next day or two. It currently sits at $3.94, and the highest it has ever reached is $3.97. It should be noted that prices are always affected by whatever inflation issues are present at any given time.

CHAPEL HILL — Classes resumed at Chapel Hill High School Thursday following a bomb threat, and officials say the bomb search has concluded. Out of what was termed an abundance of caution, the school dismissed classes beginning at 1:15 Wednesday afternoon. The campus had earlier gone on lockdown, with students and staff evacuated from the building. According to the CHISD website, “All students and staff remained safe during the lockdown, evacuation, and dismissal process. Authorities have also concluded their search and have secured the campus.” There was no immediate word on any further investigation.

TYLER — Following autopsies, a recent double fatal shooting has been ruled a double suicide. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office issued that update Wednesday. The victims, discovered February 25, were 21-year-olds Cody Russell Lovelady Jr. of Flint and Jarah Breann Shelton of Tyler. Officials say around 11:15 that morning, a deputy saw a black Ford F-250 on FM 2868 near the intersection of Hwy. 155 South. The vehicle was still running and a female was sitting in the front seat with a handgun. After removing the handgun, authorities say the deputy realized that the female and a male who was also in the front seat were both dead. The deputy secured the vehicle and called for assistance.

TYLER — The City of Tyler has named a new city engineer and canceled its May election. Darin Jennings gets the engineer’s post after serving as the development services engineer manager since 2021. Officials say in his new position, Jennings will plan, direct, and administer all activities of the Engineering Department. Those include overseeing the design and construction of capital improvement projects and Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund administration. Meantime, the election was canceled because all candidates are unopposed. Mayor Don Warren gets a new term, along with Councilmembers Broderick McGee, James Wynne, and Brad Curtis. Click here and scroll down to “Tyler News” for more details on both items.