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ATHENS – Ahead of Charlie Kirk’s memorial service in Arizona on Sunday, many East Texans gathered together in Athens to mourn the conservative political speaker, who was killed in Utah on Sept. 10. According to our new partner KETK, many people spoke, prayed and participated in a moment of silence at a vigil in Kirk’s honor in downtown Athens on Saturday.

A similar event was held by residents of Palestine on Wednesday night. Another vigil will be held in Tyler’s Bergfeld Park from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Kirk’s memorial service will be held on Sunday at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona.

LUFKIN — The Lufkin Police Department has arrested a man who was wanted for allegedly leaving several marijuana-filled Easter eggs in Lufkin parks earlier this year. According to Lufkin Police and our news partner KETK, Avante Nicholson was arrested after the Texas Rangers searched a home on Scott Street. Texas Rangers were searching the house to find a suspect in the Sept. 13 murder of 26-year-old Shelby County man, JaMichael Phillips.

The suspect was not staying at the home but Nicholson was found in the bathroom. Lufkin PD said the Texas Rangers also wanted to question Nicholson as a potential witness to the murder of Phillips.

Nicholson was wanted on three warrants for delivery of marijuana in a drug free zone and another warrant for delivery of marijuana. Lufkin PD said Nicholson’s warrants stem from the April discovery of five Easter eggs filled with marijuana at Morris Frank Park, Winston Park and Grace Dunn Richardson Park and near a Motel 6. Continue reading Man arrested after marijuana scavenger hunt

HENDERSON COUNTY — Judge Dan Moore retired after 20 years of service, celebrated by friends, family, and colleagues in the 173rd District Courtroom on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, the retirement event was marked by stories, laughter and gifts from those who worked with Judge Moore during his tenure.

Moore’s staff honored him with a framed flag that had flown over the Texas House of Representatives, symbolizing his dedication to public service. The courtroom was filled with people, reflecting the high regard in which Moore is held by the community. “It was a packed courtroom and a fitting send-off for a man who spent 20 years serving Henderson County from the bench,” Henderson County officials said.

NEW BOSTON – The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is currently investigating the death of an inmate who was killed at the Telford Unit in New Boston on Monday.

According to our news partner KETK and the Texas Attorney General’s Office, Isaac Jediah Acosta, a 20-year-old Hispanic man, was found unresponsive inside the Telford Unit with multiple puncture wounds from a knife or edged instrument on his body. Acosta was taken to the unit’s emergency room, where EMS tried to save his life. Life-saving measures failed and Acosta was pronounced dead at around 1:24 a.m. on Monday, a custodial death report revealed.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice’s Office of Inspector General is investigating Acosta’s death as a homicide. KETK News has reviewed a video shared by a family member of Acosta, which has been circulating on social media and allegedly shows Acosta’s stabbing.

In the video, many inmates can be seen fighting outside of their cells in a common area of the Telford Unit. The video also shows a body being dragged along the ground of the area on a mattress.

TITUS COUNTY – The Texas Game Wardens said that an alligator was found dead and tied down with a large stone on Lake Bob Sandlin recently. According to our news partner KETK, game wardens stated that they were contacted about a dead alligator found floating in Lake Bob Sandlin, Titus County. The alligator had been shot, and its neck was tied with a ski rope that had a large architectural stone tied to the other end to try to sink the animal.

Game wardens found a house that had stones matching the ones tied to the alligator. They contacted the homeowner, who then confessed to shooting the alligator with a .308 caliber rifle and tying the stone to its neck to try to conceal the crime, according to the Texas Game Wardens. The homeowner was issued citations and civil restitution, which could involve a fine or community service. According to the Texas Game Wardens, waste of game is a Class C misdemeanor, which could result in a fine of between $25 and $500.

MARSHALL – According to a press release from the Marshall Police Department(MPD), several individuals have been arrested in connection with a gathering that turned violent at City Park over the weekend that resulted in injuries and disrupted emergency access.

On Sunday, September 14, 2025, at approximately 8:34 p.m., MPD Patrol officers responded to a large disturbance after receiving calls for police response at City Park. The fighting began between two juveniles, and escalated when a large group of adults also became involved. When officers arrived, they discovered that the disturbance had grown to a point where it was obstructing emergency and medical access to surrounding roads near City Park and a local medical facility. Continue reading Marshall police make several arrests after a riot at City Park

DALLAS (AP) — Flights at Dallas-area airports were stopped and delayed Friday afternoon due to a telecommunications equipment issue, federal officials said.

The Federal Aviation Administration said it was slowing flights to Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field because of a reported local telephone company equipment issue. The FAA said the issue did not involve FAA equipment, and they were working with the telephone company to determine the cause. KTBB called both Tyler Pounds Regional Airport and East Texas Regional Airport and could not get a comment.

The FAA expects the delays to continue well into Friday night.
Continue reading Telecommunication issues causes flight delays at airports

TYLER – A Tyler doctor who was arrested in 2024 for allegedly sexually assaulting his patients was sentenced to 8 years in prison on Friday, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

On Oct. 24, 2023, 56-year-old Kenneth Donald Haygood was temporarily suspended by the disciplinary panel of the Texas Medical Board after violating a June 2023 Final Order, which restricted him from seeing female patients. The order stated that he needed to complete multiple continuing medical education courses and pass exams, in addition to paying a $5,000 administrative penalty. According to the Texas Medical Board, Haygood did not get consent before doing a physical exam of a female patient, and inappropriately discussed the encounter with the patient’s family via text message “in an attempt to intimidate them as witnesses.” Continue reading Former Tyler doctor sentenced to eight years

TYLER – Crews are putting the finishing touches on the fairgrounds for the 109th East Texas State Fair, with the highlight this year being the inaugural pro rodeo, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

The East Texas State Fair is partnering with Cavender’s to bring a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA)-sanctioned rodeo to Tyler, welcoming pro rodeo athletes across the country to East Texas. The rodeo will feature events such as bull riding, barrel racing and team roping, along with entertainment suitable for all ages.

The President of East Texas State Fair, Cody Rosenbalm, explains the community’s reaction to the rodeo: “We knew people were going to be excited about it, but we were not expecting this level of response from the community. There’s a big demand in Tyler for more rodeo opportunities.” Continue reading East Texas State Fair saddles up for first pro rodeo

JACKSONVILLE — According to our news partner KETK, a new 100,000-square-foot TubeFab facility is coming to Jacksonville, creating immediate new full-time jobs for residents and potentially more in the future.

TubeFab, a company that assembles copper tubing parts, plans to invest nearly $30 million in a new facility located in Jacksonville’s Norman Industrial Park. As of now, the facility will create at least 40 full-time job opportunities, with the possibility of more than 80 jobs in the future.

“We’re honored TubeFab chose Jacksonville as the site for this transformative expansion,” JEDCO’s Chairman of the Board, Darrell Dement, said. “This partnership represents exactly the kind of forward-looking development we strive to attract. These are the types of projects that bring new energy, innovation, and opportunity to our city.”

TubeFab was founded in 2014 and specializes in the fabrication of copper tubing parts and assemblies for the HVAC/R market. The new facility will help TubeFab grow its operations while also highlighting Jacksonville’s role as a manufacturing hub in East Texas.

TYLER — A man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Thursday after a Tyler apartment shooting left one man injured in April, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

Around 10 p.m. on April 23, officers from the Tyler Police Department responded to a shooting at Southwest Pines Apartments on 3220 Walton Road, where they located one victim with a gunshot wound to the leg. Officers were able to apply a tourniquet to stop the bleeding, and he was taken to a local hospital. Continue reading Man sentenced to 12 years after Tyler apartment shooting

HENDERSON COUNTY — A man was arrested on Wednesday evening in Henderson County after several different illegal drugs were found inside his apartment, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

Diondre Antione Young was arrested after a search warrant was conducted by the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office at his apartment, located in the 200 Block of West College Street in Athens. During the search, law enforcement discovered cocaine, fentanyl pills, Xanax pills and marijuana. Following a brief struggle, Young was subsequently arrested and taken to Henderson County Jail.

Young was charged with possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and resisting arrest. His bond is set at $31,500.

SMITH COUNTY – Two East Texas men were arrested on Wednesday after they attempted to steal from vehicles in Smith County.

According to the a press release from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, at 1:05 a.m., deputies responded to the 11800 block of Bird Point Trail just south of Tyler, where a burglary was in progress involving multiple vehicles.

Deputies began speaking with witnesses who reported that two suspects had begun lifting vehicle door handles in their driveway. The homeowner confronted both suspects, who then ran from the area. Continue reading Two in Whitehouse arrested following car break-in attempts

MINEOLA – City of Mineola officials say that a water main break has caused the line pressure to drop and a Boil Water Notice has been posted. The area affect is Hwy 80 East from Hwy 69 to Graham Street, from Newsom Street to Blair Street over to Wigley Street, then back down Wigley Street to Hwy 80. Customers in this area will have to boil their water prior to consuming.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. Instead of boiling, you can purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.

Once the boil water notice is no longer in effect, the public water system will issue a notice to customers that the boil water notice is over.

TROUP, Texas – An elderly woman near Troup filed a theft report with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Saturday reporting that a handyman had possibly stolen several thousand dollars’ worth of jewelry from their home. Authorities later identified the handyman as Christopher McDowell – 53 of Troup. McDowell had worked inside the home multiple times, and even reportedly stayed in the victim’s bedroom for an “unusual length of time.” After a warrant was obtained, authorities arrested McDowell Wednesday night for the criminal offense of Theft of Property $2,500<$30K enhanced to a Third-Degree Felony. The bond was set at $100,000.

MARSHALL — A Marshall woman was sentenced to 16 years in prison for intoxication manslaughter after she killed a mother with a vehicle in 2024, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

At around 10 p.m. on Nov. 3, 2024, Marshall Police officers responded to Martindale Drive, where they found an ongoing altercation between multiple women and a disturbance involving around 40 people.

Officials said that 23-year-old Derkyla Fort was found underneath a vehicle along with her injured 5-year-old nearby. Fort was later pronounced dead at the scene, and her son was taken to a local hospital. The investigation led officers to believe Samantha Johnson was the one driving the vehicle that hit Fort, and she was later arrested.

Johnson pleaded guilty to intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle and was sentenced to 16 years in prison on Monday.

LONGVIEW – State Rep. James Talarico (D-Round Rock) made a stop in Longview on Wednesday evening to host a campaign rally as part of his run for the U.S. Senate, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

Talarico, an eighth-generation Texan, is the second major Democrat to enter the Senate primary, joining former U.S. Rep. Colin Allred (D-Dallas), who unsuccessfully challenged Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) in last year’s election.

The rally, held at the Longview Community Center, highlighted Talarico’s push to connect with voters in East Texas, a region long considered a Republican stronghold. Continue reading Rep. James Talarico brings U.S. Senate campaign to Longview

RUSK COUNTY – A woman was arrested in Rusk County earlier this month after 20.3 grams of methamphetamine were reportedly found inside her vehicle, according to our news partner KETK.

At around 10:30 a.m. on Sept. 6, Rusk County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a call regarding a suspicious white Ford F-150 being parked in a closed dental office parking lot near State Highway 43. Once deputies arrived on the scene, the driver had left, and a witness told authorities that they had given them enough money to get to a gas station and stated the driver had two dogs with her. Continue reading Woman arrested after 20 grams of methamphetamine found

HUNTINGTON — A Huntington ISD teacher has resigned after students reported she made a negative comment following the death of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Superintendent Carolyn Fiaschetti confirmed to our news partner KETK that Brianna Parrish, who taught U.S. government and world geography, stepped down on Tuesday. Parrish had initially been placed on leave after the district learned of the reported comments, though officials did not disclose what was said. The resignation comes as the Texas Education Agency reviews more than 280 complaints against teachers accused of making inappropriate remarks about Kirk.

“While all educators are held to a high standard of professionalism, there is a difference between comments made in poor taste and those that call for and incite further violence – the latter of which is clearly unacceptable,” TEA Commissioner Mike Morath said in a statement.

UPDATE: According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Police Department arrested a 21-year-old woman on Wednesday afternoon for the fatal shooting at an apartment complex on Sept. 12. Jarya Lashay Wilson, 21, of Longview, was arrested for murder and booked into the Gregg County Jail, where she is being held on a $50,000 bond.

LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department is currently investigating a fatal shooting that happened at an apartment complex on Bostic Drive on Friday.

Longview PD said officers responded to a shooting that was reported at around 10:31 p.m. on Friday in the 200 block of Bostic Drive.

When officers arrived to an apartment complex on Bostic Drive, they found two male victims who had been shot. A Longview PD press release identified one victim as Jonathan Lee, of Lakeport. Lee was pronounced dead at the scene. Continue reading Woman arrested after fatal Longview shooting

TYLER – Oncor Electric Delivery will be doing utility work Thursday, Sept. 18, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. According to the City of Tyler, the work will be on South Southeast Loop 323. The right, northbound lane between McDonald Road and Tanglewood Drive will be closed. Drivers are asked to anticipate delays and seek other routes. Signs will be posted, and workers will be available to help manager traffic. City officials ask that caution be used when traveling the work zone.

FLINT– The father of the Flint man accused of vandalizing the marble statue of Jesus at St. Mary Magdalene Church explained to officers that his son acted in this way because he is a worshipper of Satan, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

At around 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 7, Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputies discovered that the face and hands of the Jesus statue located at the front of the church had been vandalized. Officials were able to obtain video footage of the incident, which showed around 1:14 a.m. the suspect shattering the hands, wrists and part of the face of the statue. After damaging the statue, the suspect was seen walking south towards County Road 1299. Continue reading Father of suspect in church vandalism cites Satan worship

TYLER — Ambetter Insurance may no longer be accepted by UT Health East if an agreement is not reached between the two companies by November. According to UT Health and our news partner KETK, UT has been working with Ambetter to reach a new agreement that would ensure that their members continue to have in-network access to their facilities. If a new deal is not reached by Nov. 1, UT Health East Texas facilities will be out-of-network for Ambetter customers.

Additionally, if an agreement is not reached by the start of the new year, UT Health physicians and providers will also be out-of-network for Ambetter customers starting on Jan. 7, 2026. However, UT Health does state that those under Ambetter can still access emergency services at in-network rates. Continue reading UT Health East Texas and Ambetter Insurance face network dispute

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Office in Troup said they are receiving calls from concerned citizens about a scam text. According to a social media post on the county’s Facebook page, the fraudulent text appears to be from the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles (TxDMV) and claims the person has an outstanding ticket. The text reportedly threatens that if the person does not click a link to pay a fine, their vehicle registration and driving privileges will be suspended. The victims are calling the JP 3 Office, which offers auto-registration services.

Officials remind the public that neither Smith County nor the State of Texas’ DMV would ever text anyone about a ticket or demand payment. Do not click on any link, and immediately delete the text. If you ever question whether a text, call or email is legitimate, it’s probably is not. Always call the department or organization it appears to be coming from directly.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Emergency Services District 2 recently purchased land to relocate several fire stations in order to reduce fire response times. Our news partner KETK spoke with Eric Greaser, Chief of Operations for Smith County Emergency Services District 2 (ESD2), on Tuesday about the new land the district has purchased to relocate fire stations near Dixie, Noonday, and Winona.

“These stations that were located here from the volunteer fire departments oftentimes were on donated land or the best that they could do at the time,” Greaser said. “It didn’t necessarily address access on major roadways or where the call volumes have evolved to. So this is a more strategic plan for acquiring these properties and making sure that we can have great access to those calls and reduce response times.” Continue reading Smith County ESD2 buys land to relocate fire stations

LONGVIEW – State Representative Jay Dean of Longview has announced a $10 million grant for the East Texas Regional Airport, secured with the help of Governor Greg Abbott and House Speaker Dustin Burrows. According to our news partner KETK, the grant, awarded by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), will be used to make state-of-the-art upgrades to the airport, enhancing the services provided to customers from Gregg County and across East Texas.

Dean expressed gratitude for the funding, thanking Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt and the Gregg County Commissioners Court for their efforts in securing the grant. He specifically praised Judge Stoudt for being “warrior” throughout the process of upgrading the airport.

To learn more about the airport’s services, visit the East Texas Regional Airport online or in person at 269 Terminal Circle in Longview.

SMITH COUNTY — A student who made a threatening post on social media has been arrested, according to Whitehouse ISD, and our news partner KETK. The district said they were notified by law enforcement on Tuesday that the student who made the threat is in police custody and will face legal consequences. Due to the threat, the district said that students may see an increase in officers on and around campus over the next week as a precaution.

Parents and students who hear of any further threats have been advised to report them directly to school staff or local law enforcement.

“WISD and our law enforcement partners take every report seriously, and the safety of our students and staff is always our top priority,” Whitehouse ISD said.

SMITH COUNTY – A 33-year-old man was arrested on Monday after reportedly being caught stealing from a Smith County golf course. According to our news partner KETK, Cody Kovarik was apprehended at a Lindale RV park for the Friday morning burglary at Garden Valley Golf Course. Smith County Sheriff’s Office said video surveillance from Friday captured Kovarik stealing several items from an outbuilding at the golf course.

Kovarik has a history of committing thefts in Smith County. He was listed by authorities as a suspect in an unrelated case from August. Kovarik been charged with unauthorized use of a motor vehicle and burglary of a building. He is in the Smith County Jail. His bond has been set at $125,000.

TYLER – Smith County Commissioners considered deducting the time Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips spent in jail from her salary on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, Phillips makes nearly $96,000 a year. Commissioners took no action on Tuesday, so Phillips pay will not be deducted. Instead they took a vote asking the Texas State Legislature for clarification.

In a public comment at the commissioner’s court on Tuesday, Phillips asked “why would you start a new precedent with my case?”

Phillips, was found guilty last year for interfering with public duties after a 2023 traffic stop involving her son. Continue reading Smith County Commissioners ask for clarity in County Clerk salary

MARSHALL – The Texas Rangers are currently investigating the case of a woman who died on Sunday while in the custody of the Harrison County Jail.

According to our news partner KETK and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, 35-year-old Alicia Stuebenbrach died after being transported to a hospital in Marshall. The cause of her death is currently unknown after she was pronounced dead at 4:21 p.m. on Sunday.

The Texas Rangers are investigating Stuebenbrach’s death in accordance with state law, which requires that an outside agency must investigate an in-custody death. The investigation remains ongoing at this time.

A press conference regarding the case will be held at the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office starting at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday.