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TYLER — According to our news partner KETK, East Texas lawmakers held a town hall meeting on Thursday to answer voters’ questions about the latest legislative session.

State Senator Bryan Hughes and State Representative Daniel Alders gave a recap of the progress they made down in Austin. They covered hot topics like the addition of the 10 commandments in the classroom, protection against election fraud, and the tragic Hill County flooding. Attendees also heard from the other side of the aisle when members of the political group, Smith County Young Democrats, questioned both lawmakers about Senate Bill 31 and infant and maternal mortality rates in Texas.

“There’s no doubt that the responsibility of the state government is to primarily ensure that Texans are safe, and so we need to make sure that our communities have the communication systems in place,” Alders said.

“We want answers as to why we are continuing to legislate health care instead of letting doctors do their jobs, that conversation should be between a family and a doctor, not our legislators, not our governor, not the us government,” Smith County Young Democrats member, Kristen Hardin-Zigler said. Continue reading East Texas lawmakers discuss multiple current topics

TYLER — The City of Tyler received more than $2 million from the Federal Aviation Administration (FFA) to rebuild an old passenger boarding bridge at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport.

According to a report from our news partner KETK, the project will provide a new jet bridge that can better serve larger aircraft, which could allow the airport to grow in the future. This new bridge will also help expand the airport’s capacity and improve its positioning.

Replacing this part of the airport first came to mind back in December 2023 after the Tyler City Council approved a study from engineers that evaluated the airport’s need for new boarding infrastructure. Some of the equipment was expensive to maintain and replacement parts were becoming harder to find.

The total cost of the project amounts to $2,163,253, with the FAA granting about 95 percent of the funds and the City of Tyler covering the other $108,163, which is funded through the Half Cent Sales Tax.

The Tyler City Council has chosen GEMS Technical Services Incorporated to take care of the bridge’s construction.

TYLER – A Mexican national has been sentenced for being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm in the Eastern District of Texas, according to a press release from the office of Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

According to information presented in court, on August 5, 2024, Tomas Ocamp-Mondragon, 37, a Mexican national illegally living in Tyler, was stopped for a traffic violation in Smith County. It was determined that he was intoxicated, and he was arrested. During the arrest, a loaded firearm was discovered in his pocket.

Further investigation revealed Ocampo-Mondragon was a citizen of Mexico and had previously been found unlawfully present in the United States on September 14, 2019, in Las Cruces, New Mexico. He was also found to be in possession of a firearm during that encounter. He voluntarily returned to Mexico on January 3, 2020, and did not have permission to return to the United States.

Ocamp-Mondragon, pleaded guilty to being an illegal alien in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 10, 2025. The case was a joint investigation by Immigration and Customs Enforcement-Department of Homeland Security, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives.

ATHENS – An Athens man has been sentenced to federal prison for habitual drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, according to a press release from Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.

According to information presented in court, on October 19, 2023, James Kiser, 40, was arrested after selling approximately 34 grams of methamphetamine to another person for $500 cash. Further investigation revealed Kiser has 27 prior convictions for criminal offenses in Henderson and Smith counties.

Kiser pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on July 10, 2025.

This case was investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jim Noble.

UPSHUR COUNTY – An Upshur County man was sentenced to 90 years in prison on Wednesday for the sexual assault of a young girl in 2024, our news partner KETK reports.

On Sept. 25, 2024, Upshur County District Attorney’s Office deputies were made aware that a woman found a video on her boyfriend’s, Gary Christopher Durham, hidden phone that showed him sexually assaulting her daughter.

Once the deputies arrived at the home, Durham arrived shortly after because the victim’s mother had called him at work to confront him. When Durham got there, he dropped to his knees and said, “I’m a monster.”

Officials said that the first assault happened on Oct. 1, 2022 when the child was between the age of eight or nine. Continue reading Upshur County man gets 90 years for sexually assaulting young girl

TIMPSON – Officials said an 18-year-old man was shot in the chest and leg in Timpson on Sunday night, but no arrests have been made, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

At around 10pm, Shelby County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to gunshots on 216 Park Street in Martin Luther King Jr. Park, where they learned that 18-year-old Jakorvian Porter of San Augustine was being taken by a private vehicle to a Nacogdoches hospital.

Officials said Porter was admitted in critical condition but shortly after was care-flighted to a Tyler hospital.

“Porter is currently in stable condition, but suffered extremely serious wounds, having been shot in both the chest and one leg,” the sheriff’s office explained. “Three individuals were detained near the scene and questioned and released, during the early morning hours on Sunday.”

If anyone has any information on this ongoing investigation they are encouraged to contact the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office at 936-598-5601 or contact Criminal Investigation Division Captain Cameron Nichols.

TIMPSON – A Lufkin man was arrested for murder on Saturday after a gas station shooting in Timpson left one dead, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

Around 9:06pm, deputies from the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office responded to gunshots on 674 North 1st Street at Bink’s Timpson Quick Stop. There, 45-year-old Tommie Lee Bryce of Timpson was found dead from an apparent gunshot wound.

Officials said that 40-year-old Jarrod Dukes of Lufkin was arrested for murder and is being held at the Shelby County Jail on a $200,000 bond.

If anyone has any information on this ongoing investigation they are encouraged to contact the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office at 936-598-5601 or contact Criminal Investigation Division Captain Cameron Nichols.

TYLER — Family members and friends of David Dykes are coming together today to honor his life. Dykes began preaching in 1970, and went on to serve as the senior pastor of Green Acres Baptist Church from 1991 to 2021. He then served as Pastor Emeritus of Green Acres. He was also the author of several books, including Handling Life’s Disappointments, Ten Requirements for America’s Survival, and Angels Really DO exist.

Dyke’s memorial service will be held at the Green Acres Baptist Church on July 9 starting at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers Dykes family requests that donations are made to the Green Acres Foundation.

Details into his death is unknown and his family requests privacy during this time.

TYLER– The tragedy in the Hill Country brings camp safety protocols to the forefront, the Camp Tyler director assures parents that emergency procedures are in place. Camp Tyler director, Kathy Lagesse, tells our news partner KETK she wants to ease parents’ minds this summer.

“What did happen at Camp Mystic touched the whole camp industry, Lagesse said. “Every camp I know is coming to task, going over their policies and procedures that we practice.”

Camp Tyler sits high off of Lake Tyler and according to Lagesse, they do not have flashflood issues.

“Our elevation is such that it would be just the most slim percentage that we would ever have any type of flooding at all,” Lagesse said. “You can visualize, see the slope that we’re on, so that is addressed. We know where the flood plain zone is.”

Most of the camps in Texas, including Camp Tyler, are aligned with the Texas Safety Youth Act and the American Camping Association. Continue reading ETX camp discusses safety protocols amid flood tragedy

TYLER – A man stole hundreds of dollars from a Zippy J’s in Tyler early Wednesday morning after shutting off the store’s power and claiming to have a gun that he was ‘not afraid to use.’

According to a report from our news partner KETK, at Zippy J’s #19 on 1610 South Vine Avenue in Tyler, a man shut off all power to the store before entering the north side of the building.

“With his hand in a backpack, he tells them he has a gun and he is not afraid to use it,” Zippy J’s clerk said. He stole about $700 from two registers.

The store clerk said the man ran across the street towards Tyler Bingo Hall after he obtained the money. As of now, the Tyler Police Department is unsure if the man had a gun.

SMITH COUNTY – According to a press release from Smith County, county Road 431, also known as Jim Hogg Road, is closed between CR 472 (just north of Interstate 20), and CR 41 (Sand Flat Road).

The road is expected to be closed for about two weeks. Detour signs have been set in place to alert drivers that alternate routes need to be taken while a drainage culvert is replaced on CR 431.

UPSHUR COUNTY – The man responsible for causing thousands of dollars of damage to Union Grove High School in January has been sentenced to ten years in prison after pleading guilty to criminal mischief on Tuesday, according to the Upshur County District Attorney’s Office and our news partner KETK.

The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office arrived at the scene after receiving reports of vandalism at Union Grove High School. Once at the school, deputies observed considerable damage to the campus, including broken windows, destruction of the school’s trophy case, and other damage to school property, including water fountains and monitors. Continue reading Man sentenced to ten years for vandalizing high school

TYLER – Our news partner KETK reports that a man was arrested on July 1 in Tyler after admitting to a predator-catcher organization that he had videos and pictures of children being sexually assaulted on his phone.

According to a Smith County arrest affidavit, around 5:40 p.m., deputies responded to 4373 Gallion Circle, where a private organization, EDP Watch, used a decoy to locate a possible child predator attempting to meet with a 12-year-old girl. The organization said they used a decoy that posed as a 12-year-old girl to communicate with the suspect, Joel Gaona, and that they were set to meet him, but he didn’t show up.

The document explained that EDP Watch then went to Gaona’s home, and videoed the interaction in which he admitted to having child pornography on his phone. Goana gave his phone to the organization after he was told they had software that would erase everything off of it. Continue reading Tyler man arrested for trading child pornography

TYLER – After more than a year-long pause, the City of Tyler announced the official return of its curbside recycling program, beginning Monday, July 14. The service was temporarily suspended following a structure fire at Rivers Recycling in Kilgore, which handled the processing of materials collected through our curbside recycling program. This unfortunate incident resulted in significant damage and the closure of the plant. However, we are pleased to announce that a new facility, the Northeast Texas Regional Materials Recovery Facility (NETX), has officially opened its doors, and the City of Tyler has signed a contract with them to sort and sell all curbside recycling materials. Continue reading Curbside recycling service has resumed in Tyler