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CHAPEL HILL — The Chapel Hill ISD announced this week it will continue its policy to operate the Community Eligibility Program (CEP) under the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program for the 2022-2023 school year. Schools qualifying to operate CEP serve breakfast and lunch to all children at no charge and eliminate the collection of meal applications for free, reduced-price, and paid student meals. This new approach reduces burdens for both families and school administrators and helps ensure that students receive nutritious meals, according to a news release.

TYLER — The City of Tyler Solid Waste department will begin collecting residential garbage and recycling at 6 a.m. for the month of August due to high temperatures. The earlier start time will allow crews to work during the cooler hours and finish routes earlier, according to a news release. Solid Waste will collect at 6 a.m. Monday, Aug. 1, through Friday, Sept. 2. Customers are asked to place garbage and/or recycle containers at the curb by 6 a.m. on their scheduled collection day. Customers may also place containers out after 6 p.m. the day before their scheduled collection if preferred. The start time change will not affect the scheduled collection days. For more information about garbage and recycle schedules or other special projects, visit this link or download the Tyler Talks Trash app and never miss a pick-up.

FLINT — Little to no rain is forcing many East Texas towns and utility companies to begin rationing their water. According to our news partner KETK, Southern Utilities Company in Smith, Cherokee, and Rusk counties is now enacting Stage 2 in the Drought Contingency Plan. That means means mandatory restriction of residential and recreational water use. Even- numbered addresses can water overnight only on Tuesdays. Odd-numbered addresses can water on Thursdays. Penalties could range from a written warning to temporary disconnection. Click here for details.

HENDERSON COUNTY – A man and woman were arrested Monday night in Henderson County after an hours-long standoff that resulted in an RV catching fire. According to our news partner KETK, the sheriff says Eustace Police were conducting a traffic stop when the man evaded them and fled on foot. Several officers began attempting to locate the man, and found he had barricaded himself inside a travel trailer. Officials said police then made contact, and the man told them he had a hostage inside and displayed what appeared to be a long rifle to police. The standoff ended when the man was tasered. The two have been identified as Mike Downey and Kristin Odell. Authorities say it was later confirmed that Odell had fled with Downey. Both face multiple charges.

TYLER — Safety and security highlighted Monday’s Tyler ISD board meeting, and the district is also celebrating some good testing news. Trustees approved the purchase of safety equipment and additional vehicles for the district’s police department. Officials say Tyler ISD is committed to ensuring all students and staff are safe and secure. They add that the district is well ahead of state and national efforts regarding the safety and security of students and staff. Meantime, a news release reports Tyler ISD’s STAAR results show marked improvement in Grades 3-8 reading. Officials say despite struggles seen by many districts during the pandemic, Tyler ISD had the same or a higher percentage of students pass than the state average in five subjects. Click here and scroll down to “NEWS” to learn more about both topics.

TYLER — The entrance gate at the Tyler Rose Garden will be closed from Monday, July 25, until Friday, July 29, while contractors resurface the interior parking lot area. Officials say the timeline may change depending on weather. Visitors can access the garden by entering through the Rose Garden Center from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. or through the side gate on Houston Street from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Parking will be available along Rose Park Drive, West Houston Street, and South Peach Avenue. For questions regarding the temporary alternate parking, contact the Rose Garden at (903) 595-7289.

WILLS POINT – A gas leak in Wills Point has been repaired after crews spent much of Monday working on it. The Wills Point Police Department earlier warned people away from South Mary Street and West O’Neal Street. According to our news partner KETK, citizens were asked to avoid the intersection through School Street and the Highway 80 intersection. The repair was announced late Monday afternoon.

TYLER — UT Health East Texas confirmed that the hospital has treated one patient with monkeypox in the past few weeks. According to our news partner KETK, a statement from UT Health East Texas says the patient was sent home in good condition.“Even before this patient arrived, our infection prevention team was reviewing CDC and other guidance to develop best practices and procedures, appropriate levels of isolation and other precautions necessary when managing suspected cases,” said the statement.

MARSHALL – Temperatures in Harrison County are expected to rise into the triple digits this week. As a result, the City of Marshall will open the Marshall Fire Department Community Room to serve as Emergency Cooling Center starting Monday of this week. This center will provide members of the public who lack air-conditioning at home with relief from the heat, free of charge. The cooling center will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Currently, the city has one Emergency Cooling Center identified and will operate in areas based on heat forecasts identified by the National Weather Service. More locations may be added and or extended based on existing weather conditions. Click here for more information and updates.

WASHINGTON/COLLEGE STATION (AP/Staff) — A couple of major and interlocking developments involving Sanderson Farms, including a reported lawsuit and new leadership. The Justice Department is reportedly filing suit against some of the largest poultry producers in the United States, including Sanderson, which has a strong presence in East Texas. It’s part of an effort to end what the government says are longstanding deceptive and abusive practices for workers. Three people familiar with the matter tell The Associated Press the suit was being filed Monday in Maryland. Continue reading New developments involving Sanderson Farms

LEVERETT’S CHAPEL — Progress is reported in the Leverettt’s Chapel school district. According to our news partner KETK, community members were concerned about the future of the district, with some blaming the school board and members submitting their resignations. For weeks, frustrated parents and alumni tried to demand answers only for school board meetings to be canceled. But Friday’s meeting was not — and now those resignations have been rescinded, along with that of school Superintendent Matt Everett. “With the changes we made tonight, I believe that we are on the correct path at this point and things will continue to get better but it’s not gonna happen overnight,” said school board Vice President James Rogers. Continue reading Progress reported at Leverett’s Chapel meeting

TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District. In Smith County, Tyler Maintenance will have a base failure crew on SH 155 just before US 271. This will be under a flagging operation. Once complete, this crew will be moving to FM 757 just before SH 31 to perform the same kind of work. This will be under a flagging operation also. In Gregg County, Longview Maintenance is scheduled to perform blade level-up, base repairs and edging operations on FM 2207 from FM 2207 at SH 135 S to FM 2207 at 135 N. Expect lane closures north and southbound with flaggers and a pilot car controlling traffic. Click here for the complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

TYLER – Dozens of East Texans reported seeing a fireball move across the sky Sunday night. According to our news partner KETK, the American Meteor Society (AMS) says a Tyler man reported it had a “long multi colored tail.” He said it came into view at a shallow angle and reported seeing the colors purple, pink, blue, yellow, and white coming from the fireball. AMS received 219 witness reports of the fireball and three videos. “The initial computer generated trajectory shows that this fireball entered the atmosphere over Cistern, Texas and its flight ended just a few miles west of Austin,” the AMS said. “Several witnesses near the flight path reported hearing a delayed sonic boom, indicating that meteorites from this fireball may have survived down to the ground.” Continue reading Fireball spotted in night sky

TYLER (AP) – Southside Bancshares Inc. (SBSI) on Monday reported net income of $25.4 million in its second quarter. The bank said it had earnings of 79 cents per share. The holding company for Southside Bank posted revenue of $66.2 million in the period. Its revenue net of interest expense was $63.9 million, beating Street forecasts.

PALESTINE — In what may be a major blow to the city of Palestine, Union Pacific Railroad has been given permission to leave the station for good. IT’s a fight over a promise made in 1872: If Palestine gave the railroad land and money,the railroad would keep a repair shop in Palestine — forever. That word is literally in the agreement. The owners of the railroad have changed many times, but the courts have ruled that “forever” means “forever’ — until now. The 5th Circuit has ruled federal law lets the train uncouple from the town. Former railroad worker Harris Lohmeyer is hoping the courts will read it again. A county commissioner says that repair shop is still in use after all these years and needs to stay. Lohmeyer thinks they will appeal further.

EAST TEXAS — Smith County has seen a rash of trail ride shootings. Law enforcement broke down the expectations of Chapter 751 of the Texas Health and Safety Code, also known as The Mass Gathering Act in a town hall meeting Sunday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Constable Josh Joplin shared that just in the last two years alone, more people have lost their lives at the expense of these violations. “I’ve had people shot in the head at these trail rides, I’ve had people shot in the face, I’ve had people shot in the leg… I mean gunplay is a serious issue with this as well.” Constable Joplin said. Continue reading Enforcing the Mass Gathering Act: Smith County Constable breaks down the law

TYLER — A contractor will be replacing the signal cable in the intersection of West Front Street and South Lyons Avenue in Tyler Monday, July 25, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. During this time, the intersection will be dark. The Tyler Traffic Department will place temporary stop signs. The intersection should be treated as a four-way stop. Motorists are asked to drive safely and follow all road signs.

SMITH COUNTY — Officials said five are dead after a two-vehicle crash on Smith County Road 48 and Highway 110 North caused traffic detours for hours. According to our news partner KETK, officials with DPS said the call came in around 5 a.m. Friday, and all passengers from both cars involved are dead. There were two passengers in a Chevy Tahoe and three in a Dodge Charger which caught fire at the scene. The passengers of the Dodge Charger were identified as 23-year-old Matthew Reneaux, of Henderson,  26-year-old Jennifer Felix, of Tyler, and 38-year-old Marvin Jenkins, Jr., of Tyler. The passengers of the Chevy Tahoe were identified as 39-year-old Gabriel Salamanca and one juvenile, whose name was not disclosed, both of Mexico. Continue reading Identities released following fatal Smith County wreck

RUSK COUNTY — Danielle Harrison is working to become an Eagle Scout, but to do that she had to come up with a project. She saw there was a need for a K9 training course in East Texas. According to our news partner KETK, right now, officers have to travel to Dallas at their own expense to train their K9s. That’s why Danielle Harrison chose to make one in Rusk County for her project. “I found out we don’t have training facility for police K9s in East Texas. So, I decided that I would just make one,” said Harrison, Eagle Scout candidate. “Since there isn’t anything like this, it’s going to be great especially to fill up training days. We have to do so much training every month and so this will be a good thing to add to our training. Some variety and also fun for the dogs too,” said Lucrecia Davidson, K9 officer. Continue reading Eagle Scout candidate brings first East Texas K9 training course to Rusk County

GILMER — The 6th Court of Appeals in Texarkana has upheld a term of eight life sentences in an Upshur County child indecency case. According to officials, Thomas Auld was found guilty last year of eight counts of indecency with a child by contact. The child victim, 12 years old at the time of the trial, described abuse against her when she was 10 and 11 years old. Officials say Auld knew the victim. Officials say the sentences took into account “the egregious facts of this case plus the prior criminal history of the defendant.”

TYLER — NET Health’s Russell Hopkins sizes up the latest covid numbers in his agency’s survey area. According to Hopkins, it’s very difficult to stay on track with how things are going each day as the numbers fluctuate, but current figures do seem to indicate a leveling off. All counties in the area are currently showing moderate spread except Wood, which is now in the substantial spread range. Hopkins is reiterating familiar mitigation measures: stay home when you’re sick, get tested, get vaccinated, and follow other practices recommended since the pandemic’s beginning. He notes that home testing remains available.For more information on COVID-19 in East Texas, click here.

SMITH COUNTY — DPS advises that I-20 eastbound is shut down at Highway 271 due to a multi-vehicle crash. Drivers are advised to avoid the area. We’ll have updates as they become available.

OVERTON – Three Overton City Council members who submitted resignation letters in May have been served restraining orders that require them to return to their positions until the spots can be filled. That’s according to our news partner KETK. The City of Overton filed temporary restraining orders against Josh Hill, Reggie Thompson, and Monty Ward last week, and said that two-thirds of the Council must be present to conduct business. The Overton City Council has just four members. Both Ward and Hill cited ethical issues with the Overton city government as part of their reasons to leave the council. Continue reading Three Overton council members told to return following resignations

LONGVIEW — A 23-year-old man was arrested after a man was fatally shot around 2:43 p.m. Thursday on Arthur Street in Longview. According to our news partner KETK, John Lee Smith of Longview was jailed and charged with murder and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon. His bond has been set at a combined $300,000. When officers arrived, they found the victim, Phillip Hudson, 31, of Longview, with what appeared to be multiple wounds, police said. Officials say he died from his injuries at a hospital.

TYLER – The Department of Justice announced criminal charges against 36 defendants in 13 federal districts across the United States for more than $1.2 billion in alleged fraudulent telemedicine, cardiovascular and cancer genetic testing, and durable medical equipment schemes. One defendant, 54-year-old Jeffrey Paul Parnell, is from Tyler. In connection with this national effort, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Texas has charged a total of 21 individuals, including doctors, laboratory executives, hospital executives, and marketers for their involvement in alleged healthcare kickback and money laundering conspiracies. Additionally, 33 doctors and healthcare executives have agreed to pay over $32 million in order to resolve False Claims Act allegations for their involvement in the scheme, according to a news release. Continue reading Officials: 21 charged in healthcare kickback conspiracy

ATHENS – Henderson County firefighters have responded to at least 40 fires this week alone and 134 for the month of July, so County Judge Wade McKinney has signed a declaration declaring a Local State of Disaster. According to our news partner KETK, the declaration says the Keetch-Byrum Drought Index value for the county is now within the highest range of the index, indicating a severe drought and increased wildfire occurrence. “Our first responders are reaching their limit,” Judge McKinney said. “Day and night they are working to protect life and property from these fires. We all need to work to limit the demand for their services.” The declaration will be in effect for seven days unless it is extended by Commissioners Court. Henderson County joins numerous other area counties in maintaining a ban on outdoor burning.

TEASELVILLE — Authorities are following up after a missing man was found dead in the Teaselville community. According to a news release, Smith County Emergency Communications received a report at 8:48 Thursday morning of a body in a wooded area behind the dollar store on FM 344 West. The man was identified as Caleb Ray Mosley, 20, of Bullard. He had previously been reported as a missing person to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office on July 17. Smith County Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Andy Dunklin came to the location for the inquest and ordered that the body be taken to Forensic Medical in Tyler for an autopsy.

LONGVIEW – A Lindale man pleaded guilty Wednesday to a federal child pornography charge in Gregg County, according to federal documents. According to our news partner KETK, Michael James Quam, 29, was arrested and booked into the Gregg County Jail Wednesday. Quam pleaded guilty to one count of transportation of child pornography, along with aiding and abetting and possessing or accessing child pornography, said court records.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a missing man who was last seen at the Dollar General in Teaselville. According to our news partner KETK, Caleb Mosley, 20, has brown hair, hazel eyes, is about six feet tall and weighs about 160 lbs. There was no immediate word on any possible connection with the dead body found Thursday morning near the store. According to his mother, Mosley was last seen Saturday morning and has a concussion. Mosley was reported to be disoriented and in need of medical attention. He has scratches across his arms, back, and torso. Some are noted to be very deep. Anyone with information on Mosley’s location is encouraged to call the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office at 903-683-2271 or the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at 903-566-6600.