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CHAPEL HILL — Chapel Hill ISD trustees Monday unanimously approved the 2022-2023 Compensation Plan offering significant pay raises for teachers and staff, according to a news release. The teacher starting pay will be set to $50,000 with continuing teachers receiving an increase of $1,600. All other employees will see an increase of three percent based on the midpoint of their pay grade. The plan will take effect in the 2022-2023 academic year and covers a variety of employee incentive opportunities, according to the release.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — One person is dead following a late Monday night pursuit in Van Zandt County that ended in a fiery crash. According to DPS, preliminary investigation indicates the driver was evading law enforcement traveling east on I-20 near Mile Marker 536 at a high rate of speed. Officials say she exited onto the south service road approaching CR 4414, failed to negotiate the curve, and traveled north into a grassy area south of I-20. They say the vehicle continued in the grassy area, struck a tree, and caught on fire. The victim’s identity wasn’t immediately available.

MARSHALL — Marshall police are seeking a man following a shooting at a clothing store Monday afternoon on East End Boulevard. 39-year-old Montrell Antwon Hatton of Marshall is accused of wounding two female victims who were taken to the hospital. Police say he had left the scene when they arrived and is now sought on two aggravated assault warrants. Hatton is believed to be driving a late model white four-door Chevrolet pickup truck. Authorities say he should be considered armed and dangerous. Anyone with information about his whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Marshall Police Department at 903-935-4575. If you have information but wish to remain anonymous, you may call the Marshall/Harrison County Crimestoppers at 903-935-9969 or use the P3 mobile app.

TYLER – A second person linked to allegations involving the Smith County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office has been rearrested for an alleged bond violation. According to our news partner KETK, online judicial records show former Pct. 1 Sgt. Derrick Holman was arrested June 3 and released the same day after posting a $60,000 bond. Last year, Holman was charged with theft, abuse of official capacity, and official oppression along with Constable Curtis Traylor-Harris and Chief Deputy LaQuenda Banks. They are accused of stealing cash, electronics, jewelry, and more from a property room while working. Traylor-Harris was recently rearrested for an alleged bond violation as well after he appeared in a graduation video in full uniform in possession of his weapon, which officials say violated terms of his bond.

TYLER — Authorities have arrested 32-year-old Robert Harrison Johnson IV in DeSoto for allegedly causing the fire that killed his half-brother last month in Smith County. At 8 p.m. on May 18, officials were dispatched to a home on Smith County Road 1113 for a structure fire with a man trapped inside the residence. Jack McKenzie Ross, 35, who was both mentally and physically disabled, died after resuscitation efforts were unsuccessful. At the time, the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office reported that Ross’s brother was able to escape the fire before responders arrived. After a lengthy investigation, the Fire Marshal’s Office now believes Johnson, who lived in the home with Ross, intentionally set the fire in a bedroom of the house and left the property while the fire consumed the home and resulted in the death of Ross, Smith County Fire Marshal Jay Brooks said. Continue reading Suspect arrested for murder for allegedly starting fatal fire

TYLER – Officials sound the “all clear” after the NorthPark Medical Plaza building at CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Frances Hospital-Tyler was evacuated Tuesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, the action came because a “suspicious object” was found on the fifth floor. After a search of the floor, officials say the device was discovered to be harmless. The Tyler Fire Department says the object was found around 8:45 a.m. Public Information Officer Paul Findley said at a media briefing the device had been recovered and appears to be some kind of “tool or instrument that was spring-loaded.” He said it was “not some sort of weapon — it was an instrument.” Findley said patients had been taken to other buildings around the campus and all other staff had been moved. Officials say all units were cleared from the scene at 11:41 a.m. and the Tyler Fire Marshal’s Office and hospital security will continue to investigate the origins of the object.

TYLER – On Tuesday, June 7, eastbound IH 20 in Smith County will have one lane closed at mile marker 560 as crews work on hazmat removal from an accident that occurred this past weekend. The inside (left) lane will be open, but the outside (right) lane will be closed. Currently, the work is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and continue until 4 p.m. This location is east of Lindale between CR 495 and Lavender Rd.

TYLER — TxDOT will be busy with another round of construction and maintenance work in the Tyler District this week. Tyler Maintenance will have a base failure crew on FM 15. Flaggers will control traffic. A second crew will be performing a level-up job on FM 2661 at the railroad tracks. Longview Maintenance was expected to begin cutting high edges on FM 2207 between SH 135 and FM 1252. There will also be a mobile patching crew on various roadways. Click here for the complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

TYLER — The East Texas Food Bank kicks off the Summer Food Program on Tuesday, June 7, at 27 East Texas locations so children will not go hungry during the summer break. “The Summer Food Program began in 2005 to fill the meal gap left when the school year ends and children lose access to free and reduced-price meals they depend on for nourishment,” said Dennis Cullinane, East Texas Food Bank CEO, as quoted in a news release. In 2021, the East Texas Food Bank served 28,811 meals to children. “This year we believe the need will be greater with the rising costs of food and are preparing to serve 50,000 meals across East Texas,” added Cullinane. Continue reading East Texas Food Bank begins Summer Food Program

TYLER — The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce holds a big membership event this week, beginning Tuesday. For two and a half days, over 250 volunteers will work against the clock and against each other to sign up new Chamber members. According to a news release, they’ll also create a greater community awareness of the Chamber’s role. The event is organized by Jimmy Cusano and a group called Your Chamber Connection. Their specialty is high energy membership campaigns that allow volunteers to conduct “out of the box” membership fun while building the membership base. according to the release. The YOUR CHAMBER Membership Event runs June 7-9. For more information on how you can be involved, call the Chamber at (903) 592-1661.

RUSK COUNTY — No one was killed after a “hard landing” at the Rusk County airport on Monday. According to our news partner KETK, officials say a husband and wife were in an R44 helicopter, which is a four-seat aircraft. Both sustained injuries from the crash and were taken to local hospitals. At this time, their injuries are not life-threatening, according to Rusk County Office of Emergency Management officials.

TYLER — Tyler police make an arrest in a Memorial Day homicide. On May 30 around 6:15 a.m., dispatch received a 911 call about a disturbance and shots fired on Pinedale Place near the New Copeland Road intersection. When officers and EMS arrived, it was discovered that a man now identified as 33-year-old Austin Lee Deweerdt had been shot. He was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Police now report that Christopher Ryan Henry, 29, of Flint turned himself in Friday on a murder warrant and was jailed on $1,000,000 bond.

HARRISON COUNTY — A Marshall man is behind bars after a man was found dead in a house by a family member on Saturday. On Saturday, deputies were called to a house in the 500 block of Carey Road in Marshall at approximately 6:50 p.m. A family member found David Yale Allen, 64, of Marshall, dead inside the house, according to the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. Officials began investigating and named Christopher Cisco, 27, of Marshall, as the suspect on Sunday. An arrest warrant for murder was issued and Cisco was located and arrested near the intersection of Karnack Highway and US Highway 59, officials said. He was booked into to the Harrison County Jail.

TYLER — A portion of Smith County Road 1125, also known as Greenbriar Road, will be closed for about a week, starting Monday, June 6, to put the finishing touches on the new bridge at Butler Creek. Work to be done includes installing a guardrail and asphalt overlay. Smith CR 178, also known as Old Palestine Highway, is currently under construction. Work will be in the southwest part of the county on CR 178, between FM 2868 and FM 346, and will include widening and total reconstruction of 2.6 miles of roadway. Visit this link for all the details.

TYLER — A Tyler man was arrested last Monday after his four-year-old stepson suffered third-degree burns in a bathtub. Joshua Tranair Meekings, 26, has been charged with injury to a child, a felony in the first degree. According to our news partner KETK, he is currently in jail on a $1 million bond. According to an arrest affidavit, on May 27, a detective with the Smith County Sheriff’s office was notified of a CPS report concerning an injury to a child. The child’s injuries were so severe that he was flown to Parkland Hospital in Dallas the day before after being stabilized in Tyler for burn injuries.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department says it needs your help locating a runaway. Riley Jones is 14 years old, approximately 5’05”, and weighs approximately 120 pounds. She has black hair and blue eyes. Riley was last seen wearing a black hoodie and all-black clothing. Anyone with information in regard to Riley ia asked to contact the Longview Police Department at 903-237-1199.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – The Mud Creek and Mud Creek Relief Bridge replacement project on SH 135 in Cherokee County, originally slated to begin June 1, has been placed under time suspension due to migrating birds nesting under the bridges that are currently in place. That’s according to a TxDOT news release. In accordance with The Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), officials say work will be delayed until the birds have abandoned their nests. There is no time frame to when this project might be continued, according to the news release. Traffic on SH 135 in the affected area will continue as normal until further notice.

EAST TEXAS — One week after 19 students and two teachers were gunned down at a Texas school and one day after four were shot and killed at an Oklahoma hospital, President Joe Biden addressed the nation on gun violence Thursday evening. Texas Congressman Louie Gohmert spoke during the House Judiciary Committee hearing on gun control legislation. “Democrats control the cities with the worst murder rates,” said Louie Gohmert. “That’s right. Your ideas have been shown to get people killed.” Lawmakers on both sides have been negotiating gun laws since the Uvalde shooting, and some GOP members fear losing their Second Amendment rights. The President and the Democratic party argue that we need stricter gun laws. Continue reading East Texas politicians respond to President Biden’s gun violence address

TYLER – Hogg Middle School is going to be closed before the 2022-2023 school year. The school is being closed because the 2022 bond was passed. Therefore, Tyler ISD is going to have a four quadrant middle school concept, according to our news partner KETK. Tyler ISD said they want to preserve the 92-year-old building. Officials will still use the facility for administrative offices and for the community and extracurricular activities. “We’re appreciative of voters giving us the opportunity to move forward with a more efficient middle school concept for our students, teachers, and staff,” said Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford. “Making the move this summer will help the district accomplish budgetary goals of lowering its tax rates while still providing raises for teachers and staff. It will also allow us to prepare the Hogg facility for administrative and other uses. Most importantly, it will not prolong a disruption in school assignments for incoming 6th graders and current 7th graders once we can get into a new Hubbard facility.” Continue reading Hogg Middle School to be closed in Tyler

EAST TEXAS – Two East Texas lawmakers were recently appointed to the Senate Special Committee to Protect All Texans. Sen. Robert Nichols (R-Jacksonville) will serve as chair of the committee, while Sen. Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) will be a member of the committee. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick named them, along with several other members to be charged with studying five areas: school safety, mental health, social media, police training and firearm safety. The committee does not include Democratic Sen. Roland Gutierrez, who represents the Uvalde area. Patrick said he asked Nichols to hold his hearing on June 23 or a date shortly after in order to give the community of Uvalde time to complete all funeral services. He is also asked to coordinate with the House of Representatives Chair to hold their hearings on the same date, if possible, to accommodate both invited and public witnesses.

TYLER – The 321st District Court in Smith County, which handles family court cases has been moved out of the courthouse in downtown Tyler. This is to make room for the newly-created 475th District Court, according to our news partner KETK. Judge Robert Wilson, who presides over the 321st Court, said he is “beyond excited to make the move” to his new courtroom on the fifth floor of the Annex building. The move takes effect Monday, June 6. On Tuesday, county commissioners approved moving two bailiffs to the Annex Building due to the increased traffic flow. The court was created to assist with the backlog of felony cases and jail overpopulation. Currently, the county only has three district courts to handle hundreds of cases. Continue reading Smith County family court moved to make room for new district court

TYLER — A Tyler man was indicted on two charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after being accused of shooting two 13-year-old girls in March. According to our news partner KETK, Jaqualin Humphrey, 18, turned himself in to authorities in March after the Tyler police named him as a suspect. The shooting took place in the area of North Ross Street and West Bow Street in Tyler on Saturday, March 12. Police responded to reports of gunshots in the area and about two 13-year-old girls who were each shot one time. Police determined that the girls were passengers in a car with several other juveniles, which was being driven by an adult, when they were shot. They were listed in stable condition following the shooting.

GREGG COUNTY – A man is wanted on several outstanding felony warrants including aggravated assault family violence, abandon/endangering a child, and parole violations. According to our news partner KETK, officials say various law enforcement agencies are seeking 28-year-old Caimbrian Austin Walker. They say Walker is known to frequent the Kilgore and Longview areas and should be considered armed and dangerous. They said don’t approach or attempt to apprehend him, just contact authorities. According to the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office, Walker is active on such social media as Facebook, Snapchat, and Instagram “where he seeks out females to chat with and meet.” You can contact the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office at 903-236-8400 or Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP with any leads.

TYLER — The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce gets ready for a big membership event. For two and a half days, over 250 volunteers will work against the clock and against each other to sign up new Chamber members. According to a news release, they’ll also create a greater community awareness of the Chamber’s role. The event is organized by Jimmy Cusano and a group called Your Chamber Connection. Their specialty is high energy membership campaigns that allow volunteers to conduct “out of the box” membership fun while building the membership base. according to the release. The YOUR CHAMBER Membership Event will run June 7-9. For more information on how you can be involved, call the Chamber (903) 592-1661.

MARSHALL — Marshall police say a man has been arrested after an incident in which a patrol car was struck and an officer was hurt. According to a news release, on May 27, officers arrested Jessie Turlington, 42, of Marshall for an accident involving damage to a vehicle and accident involving injury. On the night of May 24, a Marshall Police patrol car was struck and pushed off the road by a dark sedan at Durrell St. and E. Grand Ave. The driver then left the scene. Authorities say the officer was taken to Marshall Christus Medical Center with non-life-threatening injuries. Footage from the patrol car was shown on Marshall/Harrison County Crime Stoppers, and police received a call about the car’s location. Subsequent investigation led to Turlington’s arrest and jailing.

TYLER – After gas prices seemingly plateaued for a couple of weeks, and actually dropped a few cents, Wednesday morning saw them jump back up in East Texas to new record highs. According to our news partner KETK, AAA reports the average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline in the Tyler metro area reached $4.28. For the Longview region, the price spiked to $4.35. The cost of gas has been rising rapidly over the past several weeks not just in East Texas, but nationally as well. The average price across the Lone Star State is $4.29. That’s still better than most people are doing across the United States. The national average for a gallon of gas is currently $4.67.

TYLER — A Tyler woman has been indicted by a grand jury in connection with the death of a 3-year-old that was found in a vehicle last summer. According to our news partner KETK, Daniell Michelle Ervin, 37, has been charged with injury to a child and was formally indicted on April 21. She was booked into the Smith County Jail on Friday, May 27 with a $10,000 bond. Tyler Fire and EMS responded to a call on July 16, 2021 at around 6 p.m. on Church Avenue. Upon arrival, they found the child unresponsive in a vehicle outside of their home and were unable to revive the toddler. Ervin is scheduled to appear in court on June 22 in front of Judge Jack Skeen, Jr.

TYLER — One person is dead in a Tyler traffic mishap. Police say around 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, they responded to a major crash involving a van and a motorcycle at West Gentry and M.L. King. The investigation showed that the van turned in front of the motorcycle, causing the collision. The rider of the motorcycle was identified as Jeremy Jasper, 30, from Tyler. He was transported to UT Health on Beckham and pronounced dead. Next of kin has been notified. Following traffic tie-ups resulting from the crash, police say the area was cleared and all lanes of traffic reopened.

TYLER — Tyler police are seeking leads in a Memorial Day homicide. On Monday around 6:15 a.m., dispatch received a 911 call about a disturbance and shots fired on Pinedale Place near the New Copeland Road intersection. When officers and EMS arrived, it was discovered that a man now identified as 33-year-old Austin Lee Deweerdt had been shot. He was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead. No suspect was immediately named as authorities continue to investigate. Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-CUFF.