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TYLER — A march through downtown Tyler was held in support of the former Bishop of Tyler, Bishop Joseph Strickland on Saturday morning. Bishop Strickland was removed as the Bishop of Tyler by the Vatican last Saturday on Nov. 11. According to our news partner KETK, Bishop Strickland had become a “fierce critic of the pontiff and has come to symbolize the polarization within the U.S. Catholic hierarchy.” Earlier in the year, the Vatican sent two other Bishops to investigate the governance of the Tyler Diocese. Saturday’s march was organized by the Knights of The Republic and it started at 10 a.m. in downtown Tyler. Continue reading March in support of Bishop Strickland

TYLER — Texas currently holds the lowest gas prices in the nation and Tyler holds the lowest in the state, however these prices are expected to increase due to the holiday demand. Texas gas prices are the lowest of the nation at $2.82 for a gallon of regular unleaded fuel, according to the AAA Texas Weekend Gas Watch. It is a 26-cent decrease from the state’s average this time last year, $3.08. Tyler holds the lowest gas price average at $2.68 per a gallon of regular unleaded fuel, 66 cents less than the national average of $3.34. Continue reading Tyler gas prices lowest in the state

ANGELINA COUNTY – An Angelina County jailer was arrested on Thursday for distributing tobacco, a prohibited substance, to jail inmates. DPS said in a statement that Blane Wilson, 24 of Huntington, was arrested after the Texas Rangers were requested in October to investigate the allegations. Officials said Texas Rangers found during the investigation that Wilson had “transported prohibited substances into the facility and reportedly sold the substances to inmates in the jail facility.” Wilson was booked into the Angelina County Jail for felony prohibited substances and items in a correctional facility, and was released the same day after posting a $5,000 bond.

RUSK COUNTY – A Kilgore man was arrested for possession of marijuana after a traffic stop in Rusk County on Tuesday. Our news partners at KETK report that 20-year-old Christopher Marshall was reportedly stopped for speeding on Highway 259 South. During the traffic stop, authorities said “evidence was discovered which led to a probable cause search of the vehicle.” A search of the vehicle resulted in deputies seizing roughly one quarter pound of suspected marijuana. Marshall was arrested and charged with a state jail felony for possession of the substance. His bond was set at $6,500.

TEXARKANA – Our news colleagues at KETK report that an East Texas man was arrested after allegedly bringing meth to a local emergency room “to make sure it was safe.” 65-year-old Timothy Smith reportedly visited an emergency room on Nov. 9 in Texarkana. “While he wasn’t sick, he did want them to do him a favor – to test his meth to make sure it was safe,” Texarkana PD said. Continue reading Man arrested after allegedly asking ER to test his meth

CHEROKEE COUNTY – Officials announced on Friday they have received confirmation of a case of chronic wasting disease in Cherokee County according to our news partners at KETK. This marks the first detection in a deer breeding facility in the county, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD.) Officials said a 4-year-old buck tested positive after annual chronic wasting disease surveillance at the facility using postmortem testing. Continue reading Chronic wasting disease case confirmed in Cherokee County

TYLER — Jacob Ledbetter of Rockwall is the pioneer graduate of the state’s first of its kind master’s degree at UT Tyler. UT Tyler’s Masters of Science – Cybersecurity and Data Analytics program was fully established last year as an effort to aid the shortage of cybersecurity professionals. This program is the first of its kind in the state of Texas to combine both cybersecurity and data analytics, according to UT Tyler and our news partner KETK. Ledbetter had always had an interest in computer forensics, deciding to change his career path after receiving his bachelor’s in criminal justice. “I made some sacrifices this past year to get to this point, and it has been a rewarding experience. Having no prior knowledge, I am thankful my professors and adviser were understanding and patient while providing me guidance.” Ledbetter said. Continue reading New program at UT Tyler names first graduate

TYLER — Tyler ISD held their annual “State of the District” where school officials discussed safety measures on their campuses. According to our news partner KETK, the event was held during the monthly Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon, where the superintendent of Tyler ISD, Marty Crawford, recognized the importance of school safety and said that a student cannot perform well if they don’t feel safe. “You know, our school system employs a police officer to put in every campus, and that’s unheard of across the state almost. That’s one thing that’s a challenge every day, but we think we’re seeing some success there because we have a solid safety and security department to keep our kids and our teachers safe,” said Crawford. The event honored first responders with the 2023 Community Partner of the Year Award where they presented plaques to 10 different agencies from the local, county and federal level in recognition of their commitment to creating a secure environment. Continue reading Tyler ISD’s State of the District focuses on school safety

CHEROKEE COUNTY — A Cherokee County constable was indicted by a grand jury on an assault charge. According to our news partner KETK, the indictment stated James “Jamie” Beene is accused of hitting another man with his vehicle, causing serious bodily injury. Beene is the Precinct 4 Constable for Cherokee County. The indictment states that the incident happened on Oct. 26, 2021. Beene is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony. Records show that Beene was booked into the Rusk County Jail on the charge from Cherokee County on Nov. 9 and has since been released on a $25,000 bond.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — Our news colleagues at KETK report a traffic stop led to the arrest of two wanted individuals and the seizure of drugs in Nacogdoches County. According to the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy patrolling the intersection of FM 225 and CR 703 noticed a silver 2006 Honda traveling south on FM 225 with an expired vehicle registration and a faulty tail light. The driver reportedly failed to stop, leading to a pursuit that reached speeds of more than 100 mph. Deputies pursued the driver west onto SH 7 before turning into a dead end road, CR 615. The driver, later identified by as Christopher Dewayne Harvey, 48, of Lufkin, allegedly exited the vehicle and ran into nearby woods. Continue reading Two arrested after high speed chase in Nacogdoches County

TYLER — With Thanksgiving approaching, many families will find it challenging to purchase food for their holiday gathering. Our news partner KETK has a list of food drives in our area. To find the list, click here.

UPSHUR COUNTY – Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb Thursday morning had details on the arrest of double-homicide suspect 41-year-old Alvin McKnight Jr. Webb said the sheriff’s office received information Tuesday night about McKnight’s location that lead them to pinpoint a bus traveling from Abilene to San Bernardino, Calif.
Continue reading Suspect in Upshur County double murder arrested in California

SMITH COUNTY — On Wednesday, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office announced they are searching for a 17-year-old female last seen a week ago. According to our news partner KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office issued a statement on missing person, Raelyn “Ollie” Smith, 17, who went missing on Nov. 7. Officials said she was last seen wearing a black shirt, shorts, black rim glasses and a black beanie. She has two tattoos, a moth and flowers on her left wrist and a seeing eyeball on her left forearm. Smith reportedly suffers from anxiety and depression but does not take medication at this time. She was last seen in the company of a 16-year-old. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at 903-566-6600.

TYLER — A Tyler man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Tuesday after pleading guilty to injury to a child. According to our news partner KETK, Lasabien Ford, 26, was arrested in January after an 8-month long search in the case where he was accused of hitting his infant son. According to his arrest warrant, Ford had held down the infant’s mother while she was holding the child and “continued to swing at her” resulting in the child being struck in the head with his fist. The warrant said the child went to the ER where a skull fracture was discovered.

BALTIMORE (AP) — U.S. bishops inside a Baltimore hotel approved materials on how Catholics should vote in 2024 elections. Soon after, their recently ousted colleague and dozens of his supporters rallied outside the annual fall business meeting. Bishop Joseph Strickland is a conservative cleric who was recently removed by Pope Francis as head of the diocese of Tyler. His ouster followed his increasingly severe criticisms of the pontiff. Strickland prayed the rosary with dozens of supporters along the waterfront. Inside their conference room, the bishops approved a document about how Catholics should rely on the church’s teaching when making their ballot choices. The document restated many longstanding positions like opposition to abortion. Continue reading Ousted Tyler bishop rallies outside values meeting

UPSHUR COUNTY — Upshur County officials said capital murder suspect Alvin Charles McKnight Jr. is in custody as of Wednesday night at 11:30 p.m. According to our news partner KETK, Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb is expected to provide more information Thursday morning at the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office Training Center. McKnight Jr. had been added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List Tuesday. He was wanted after two sisters were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds on Nov. 4. McKnight’s sister was arrested for allegedly helping him flee Upshur County.

HOUSTON COUNTY – A custodial death report released last week revealed information on an inmate’s death in a Houston County prison according to our news colleagues at KETK. 41-year-old Clint Wilson died in TDCJ’s Wainwright Unit, located in Lovelady, on May 18. According to the report, there has been an evaluation by a medical examiner/coroner, but the manner of death in the report is listed as “could not be determined.” The report stated that Wilson was found unresponsive in his “restrictive housing cell” on May 18 around 6:24 a.m. and correctional staff attempted life-saving measures, but Wilson was pronounced dead at 7:15 a.m. Wilson was reportedly serving time for murder and had been in custody since 2013.

NACOGDOCHES – A woman and juvenile were injured after a shooting last week in Nacogdoches according to our ews partners at KETK. Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a call shortly before 6 a.m. on Nov. 7 saying that a woman was being treated at a local hospital for “numerous injuries” after an assault at a residence in the 15000 block of U.S. 59 N. A firearm was discharged during the altercation, injuring a juvenile. The juvenile’s wounds were non-life threatening and both the juvenile and adult victim were treated and released from the hospital the same day. Authorities are withholding the identities of the victims at this time, and as the investigation continues more details will be released. The NCSO thanked the Nacogdoches Police Department for their help with the case.

JACKSONVILLE – An athletic trainer contracted by Jacksonville ISD was arrested on Nov. 8 for second-degree felony sexual assault of a child. According to our news partner KETK, Kyle Kingrey was arrested by Cherokee County Sheriff’s officers after they were contacted by school district police about Kingrey having an inappropriate relationship with a student. Officials with Jacksonville ISD said that Kingrey was not employed directly by the district, but supplied to them by an outside source. Kingrey was booked into the Cherokee County Jail  with bond set at $100,000. The sheriff’s office said this is an ongoing investigation. Continue reading Jacksonville athletic trainer arrested for child sex assault

WHITEHOUSE — Whitehouse ISD Superintendent Dr. Christopher Moran was named the lone finalist for superintendent of San Angelo ISD on Monday by their board of trustees. According to San Angelo ISD and our news partner KETK, Moran will replace Dr. Carl Dethloff as superintendent, who plans to retire at the end of December 2023. The board of trustees is set to vote on Moran after a state-mandated 21-day waiting period. “It is a joy and honor to be named lone finalist of San Angelo ISD,” Moran said. “The Moran family is looking forward to joining a wonderful community in West Texas with strong values and a love for every student. We are committing our very best every day for the entire San Angelo community.” Moran is a 32-year veteran educator, and became superintendent of Whitehouse ISD in 2016. Whitehouse ISD said they are working with Moran to develop an interim plan until a new superintendent is hired. Continue reading Local superintendent lone finalist for San Angelo schools

BALTIMORE (AP) — Catholic leaders called for peace in a war-torn world and unity amid strife within their own clerical ranks on Tuesday, as U.S. bishops gathered in Baltimore for their annual fall meeting. The meeting came soon after two actions by Pope Francis that illustrated the divisive challenges facing the Catholic Church – removing one of his harshest conservative critics from his role as bishop of Tyler, Texas, and releasing a document conveying a more welcoming stance to transgender people than the official positions of the U.S. bishops. In his opening address Tuesday, Archbishop Timothy Broglio, the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, expressed empathy for those in conflict zones, from Myanmar to the Middle East. “We recognize and defend the right of Israel to exist and to enjoy a place among the nations,” said Broglio, who heads the Archdiocese for the Military Services, USA.” At the same time, we know that the Palestinians … have a right to a land that is their own. The Holy See has long advocated for that right.” Continue reading Catholic bishops meet; leaders call for unity amid internal strife

TYLER – In a released Tyler ISD announced that Tyler Legacy High School’s athletic field-house will go under a new name. Monday night, the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name the Field House at Tyler Legacy High School after former coach Mike Owens. It will now be called the Coach Mike Owens Field House. Coach Owens led the former Robert E. Lee High School (REL) to the 2004 Class 5A Division I State Football Championship. He retired after the 2010 season in 2011.

UPSHUR COUNTY, Texas – Our news partner KETK reports that a double homicide suspect from Upshur County has been added to the Texas Most Wanted List. It was announced on Tuesday by DPS that Alvin “Pookie” McKnight Jr., 41, of Gilmer, was added to the Texas 10 Most Wanted Fugitives List and Texas Crime Stoppers. A cash reward of up to $7,500 is being offered in exchange for information leading to his arrest. Upshur County Crime Stoppers are also offering a reward for any anonymous tips leading to McKnight Jr.’s arrest. That reward is $10,000. He is wanted after two sisters were found dead from apparent gunshot wounds on Nov. 4, and McKnight’s sister has since been arrested for allegedly helping him flee Upshur County.

PANOLA COUNTY – Two fugitives were arrested Monday in Panola County due to the efforts of the Panola County Sheriff’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Service. According to our news partner KETK, 42-year-old Timothy Earl Brown was arrested for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements, which is a federal probation violation. Also arrested was 29-year-old Angel Uscanga-Baldovinos of Carthage, for a federal probation violation. A spokesperson with the Panola County Sheriff’s Office said “We value our partnerships with agencies like the U.S. Marshals which assist us in accomplishing our mission of keeping our community safe.”

TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating a fatal hit and run accident involving a pedestrian. It happened just before 10:00 Monday night at the intersection of Martin Luther King Jr Blvd and Haynie Avenue. Arriving officers said the victim was severely injured and transported to a local hospital where he later died. His identity is being withheld pending notification of family. The vehicle that struck the victim left the scene. It’s described as a maroon or burgundy Yukon or Tahoe that will likely have front end damage. Anyone with information is urged to contact Detective Chamberlain at 903-531-1058.