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FLINT — Smith County Sheriff’s Office and DPS personnel allege illegal gambling as they execute a search and seizure warrant at the Top Shelf Poker Room in Flint. Officials say the action followed numerous complaints. According to our news partner KETK, Top Shelf Owner and Operator Jesse Vann is questioning the law enforcement move, saying his business acts as a social club the same way many others do in the state of Texas. But authorities say they were following the law as currently written. According to a Sheriff’s Office news release, “This investigation is ongoing and we expect further developments in the near future.”

TYLER — The Tyler Parks and Rec Department is beginning renovations to Noble E. Young Park on Seaton St. For the duration of the project, the park will be closed out of concern for safety, according to a news release. The park will be getting a new pavilion, restrooms, a walking trail, playground equipment and outdoor exercise equipment that includes some ADA-compliant pieces. These renovations will be paid for by the Community Development Block Grant Program and should be completed by August, according to the release.

TYLER — Contractors will be applying pavement markings on some Tyler streets beginning Monday, March 14. The markings will be for the Tyler Bikes Stripes project that contractors were not able to finish due to road projects and asphalt repair projects, according to a news release. Residents and businesses are asked to refrain from parking in the streets while crews apply the markings. Crews will be working Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The painting should be completed by the end of the month, according to the release. Click here for additional information.

TYLER — NET Health’s George Roberts remains pleased with COVID-19 trends in his survey area. He attributes recent high spread numbers in Van Zandt County to an “influx of data,” with figures dating to January — and says he expects that issue to be resolved soon. “Overall, things are…moving in a positive direction,” says Roberts. He notes that the hospital patient number is now down to 78 from the 87 reported Monday. But one thing hasn’t changed: Roberts still strongly encourages vaccinations, pointing to the continued wide availability of the shots. Roberts says the omicron BA-2 variant now makes up about 11.6 per cent of cases nationwide and some seven per cent in Texas — and isn’t creating any cause for alarm at this point, though officials continue to monitor it. For more information on COVID-19 in East Texas, click here.

TYLER — A 33-year-old man and a 75-year-old woman were indicted for their roles in a cryptocurrency money laundering scheme in East Texas. According to federal authorities, Manik Mehtani, of McLean, VA, and Lois Boyd, of Amelia Court House, VA, were indicted by a federal grand jury, charging them with a violation of the Travel Act, money laundering and money laundering conspiracy. According to the indictment, Boyd and Mehtani allegedly plotted with others to receive money from victims of fraud schemes and launder the money through cryptocurrency. They allegedly have routinely structured deposits in order to avoid requirements of reporting transactions and to conceal the nature and source of the money. Continue reading Two indicted in money laundering conspiracy

GILMER — Upshur County authorities confirmed Thursday that the chief deputy district clerk was arrested for official oppression. According to our news partner KETK, 51-year-old Jon Christopher Coleman, from Gilmer, was arrested by Texas Rangers. Additional details surrounding the circumstances of the investigation were not available. Coleman was arraigned by Justice of the Peace Potter and released on $3,500 bond.

TYLER — Eastbound traffic on the Loop between New Copeland Road and T.K. Gorman resumed late Thursday afternoon after being shut down since early morning. Tyler police said a drunk driver wrecked into a power pole, breaking it. The driver was taken to the hospital with minor injuries and when released, booked into the Smith County Jail for driving while intoxicated. Oncor crews worked nearly all day to repair the pole and get the road reopened.

BRYAN — The Lindale native on trial for capital murder of a Department of Public Safety trooper on Thanksgiving Day, 2017, has been found guilty and given an automatic sentence of life without parole. Dabrett Black, 37, was found guilty by a Brazos County jury on Thursday afternoon, according to our news partner KETK and its network affiliate KAGS. On November 23, 2017, Trooper Damon Allen, 41, made a traffic stop of Black’s vehicle on Interstate 45, just south of Fairfield. DPS reports say Allen approached Black’s vehicle, spoke with him, and returned to his patrol unit. Moments later, DPS says Black began shooting at Allen multiple times with a rifle. Continue reading Lindale native found guilty of killing DPS trooper on Thanksgiving 2017

TYLER — The Tyler City Council Wednesday received an update from Pipeline Analysis, LLC about the ongoing mandatory improvements and future rehabilitation plans for the city’s sewer system. In less than 30 days, the city will be halfway through the consent decree regarding the project. According to a news release, throughout the past five years, ongoing repairs and capacity improvements have resulted in a 40 percent decrease in sanitary sewer overflows. Challenges include the increased cost of materials and labor, according to the release. However, Pipeline Analysis believes moving up the inspection schedule and identifying and repairing defects earlier will help control the costs. Click here for further details.

LONGVIEW – Gas prices in the Longview area hit their highest point in history on Thursday. The average price for a gallon of unleaded gasoline was $4, according to AAA. According to our news partner KETK, gas prices have skyrocketed over the past few weeks due to a variety of factors, including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The previous record for Longview was $3.97, set in July of 2008 during the Great Recession. Tyler is considered likely to break its record for unleaded gasoline in the next day or two. It currently sits at $3.94, and the highest it has ever reached is $3.97. It should be noted that prices are always affected by whatever inflation issues are present at any given time.

CHAPEL HILL — Classes resumed at Chapel Hill High School Thursday following a bomb threat, and officials say the bomb search has concluded. Out of what was termed an abundance of caution, the school dismissed classes beginning at 1:15 Wednesday afternoon. The campus had earlier gone on lockdown, with students and staff evacuated from the building. According to the CHISD website, “All students and staff remained safe during the lockdown, evacuation, and dismissal process. Authorities have also concluded their search and have secured the campus.” There was no immediate word on any further investigation.

TYLER — Following autopsies, a recent double fatal shooting has been ruled a double suicide. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office issued that update Wednesday. The victims, discovered February 25, were 21-year-olds Cody Russell Lovelady Jr. of Flint and Jarah Breann Shelton of Tyler. Officials say around 11:15 that morning, a deputy saw a black Ford F-250 on FM 2868 near the intersection of Hwy. 155 South. The vehicle was still running and a female was sitting in the front seat with a handgun. After removing the handgun, authorities say the deputy realized that the female and a male who was also in the front seat were both dead. The deputy secured the vehicle and called for assistance.

TYLER — The City of Tyler has named a new city engineer and canceled its May election. Darin Jennings gets the engineer’s post after serving as the development services engineer manager since 2021. Officials say in his new position, Jennings will plan, direct, and administer all activities of the Engineering Department. Those include overseeing the design and construction of capital improvement projects and Half-Cent Sales Tax Fund administration. Meantime, the election was canceled because all candidates are unopposed. Mayor Don Warren gets a new term, along with Councilmembers Broderick McGee, James Wynne, and Brad Curtis. Click here and scroll down to “Tyler News” for more details on both items.

AUSTIN — Tyler and Longview continue to mirror a positive statewide trend in sales tax allocations from the Texas comptroller’s office. For March, Tyler gets $4,185,356.79, compared to $3,697,853.62 a year ago. For the year to date, it’s $15,245,737.53, up from $12,509,929.92 at this time last year. Longview picked up $3,109,664.00 for March; that figure was $2,519,508.46 a year ago. As for the year to date, Longview shows $11,119,750.26, compared to $9,062,804.44 at this time in 2021.

AUSTIN – A Tyler resident claimed a top prize winning ticket worth $3 million in the Texas Lottery scratch ticket game $250 Million Cash Party. The ticket was purchased at Raceway 6760, on Main St. in Lindale. The claimant elected to remain anonymous. This was the last of four top prizes worth $3 million to be claimed in this game. $250 Million Cash Party offers more than $250 million in total prizes, according to a news release. Officials say overall odds of winning any prize in the game are one in 3.45, including break-even prizes.

TYLER — Former Smith County elections official Denise Hernandez pleaded guilty Wednesday morning to spiking drinks with colon cleanser and giving them to her employees without their knowledge. According to our news partner KETK, Hernandez was charged with two counts of assault causing bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor in Texas. She had faced up to one year in jail for each charge along with a maximum fine of $4,000. Hernandez agreed to a plea deal that included 18 months of deferred adjudicated probation with no fine and cost of court proceedings. A Smith County prosecutor said that the two victims in the case agreed to the conditions of the plea deal. Continue reading Former Smith County elections administrator pleads guilty to spiking drinks

LONGVIEW — Longview Fire Department Battalion Chief Justin Jenkins was given a Unit Citation Award for saving a man’s life in an apartment fire. According to our news partner KETK, Jenkins was presented with the award on Feb. 24 for his heroism in the line of duty from the Longview Fire Department. On Jan. 22, at 7:36 p.m., LFD was called to 717 S. Green St. for an apartment fire. Jenkins had just returned to Fire Station 1 from a prior response and quickly arrived at the new fire. When he arrived, he began performing his size up around the building. Residents and bystanders notified Jenkins that there was a man still inside of the apartment. Continue reading Longview Fire Department chief given Unit Citation Award

TYLER – A Tyler man punched his ex-wife repeatedly and threatened her life while attempting to kidnap her, according to our news partner KETK. 37-year-old Adrian Perez is charged with kidnapping for an incident back on Friday, March 4. He is being held in the Smith County Jail on multiple bonds totaling close to $900,000. According to the warrant, Perez’s ex-wife ran from his home after sustaining “serious bodily injury inflicted upon her by [him].” The victim was able to drive to a Super 1 Foods on Gentry Parkway where a friend came to pick her up. The documents say that she planned to leave her car at the store and then be taken to a safe home. However, Perez had followed her, according to the warrant, and cut them off in the parking lot. He then allegedly grabbed her from the car by her hair, punched her in the face and torso, then threatened to kill her while dragging her to his truck.

GREGG COUNTY — One person is dead and three others are injured after a rollover crash half a mile west of Longview between Estes Parkway and Old Kilgore Highway. According to DPS, a 2020 Honda Passport towing a small box trailer was traveling west on I-20 in the outside lane. A 2004 Volvo Conventional Tractor towing a 2007 Featherlite trailer was also traveling west, approaching the Honda from behind. DPS said that the driver of the Volvo failed to control its speed and struck the towed trailer, causing the Honda to roll onto its side into the center median and its towed trailer to vault over the concrete barrier into the eastbound lane. The Volvo traveled into the center median, struck the concrete barrier and caught fire. Continue reading DPS identifies man who died in in 18-wheeler crash on I-20 near Longview

TYLER – A Tyler man was denied service at Fuzzy’s Taco Shop in Tyler for being intoxicated before allegedly hitting a woman with his car when he left, according to our news partner KETK. 25-year-old Devonte Crawford-Milton is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for the incident at the Troup Highway location just after midnight on Friday, March 4. The documents state that Milton was driven to the restaurant by a friend from a local bar. The manager denied entrance to both Crawford-Milton and the friend due to “their obvious intoxicated and belligerent state,” according to the warrant. Crawford-Milton then allegedly got back into the car by himself and backed into a parked car. As he was driving away, the warrant says that he “drove around the parking lot of Green Acres Shopping Center attempting to strike pedestrians.” Continue reading Warrant: Tyler man denied entrance to Fuzzy’s before hitting woman with car

UPSHUR COUNTY– The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office is looking for information about a theft at a church. The sheriff’s office said that they’re looking for a 1998 Ford Mustang that is painted a dull gray (possibly primer) with a wide black stripe on the hood and the spoiler on the trunk, and also may be black in color. The license plate is believed to have red coloring on it and is possibly from another state. Three people were inside the car on Sunday, March 6. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Investigator Rob Bowen at 903-680-8223

ATHENS — A $20,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for a 35-year-old cold case murder out of Henderson County. According to our news partner KETK, 29-year-old Rickey Herriage’s body was discovered on March 8, 1987. Officials say his body was “bullet riddled” and had been thrown off the side of a bridge on CR 1500 on the same morning or the night before. To be eligible for a $5,000 payment, contact Henderson County Crime Stoppers at 800-545-8477, and you can remain anonymous. The rest of the $15,000 will be paid by Herriage’s family and friends. Continue reading $20,000 reward offered for information about 35-year-old cold case murder

MARSHALL — A Waskom man was sentenced to 50 years in prison last week after pleading guilty to murdering his girlfriend’s 5-year-old son. According to our news partner KETK, 33-year-old Larry Prudhomme entered his plea in the 71st District Court in Marshall on March 2. Deputies were called out to a home in Waskom in 2019 in reference to a child injury. When they arrived, Prudhomme and the victim’s mother, Danielle Faulkner, said the child fell off the porch, causing him to have a seizure and trouble breathing. While treating the boy, EMS noticed he was extremely bruised all over his body and told deputies that they didn’t feel the amount of bruising was consistent with falling off the porch. Prudhomme was initially charged with injury to a child, but the charge was upgraded to murder after the victim died. Faulkner has her next court date scheduled for April 12.

TYLER — Median home prices in Tyler have reached nearly $263,000, up 13.9 % from 2020 and making the price of a local home hit a record-breaking high. According to our news partner KETK, Chairman John Wampler of the Greater Tyler Association of Realtors says we may never see property appreciation like this again. Wampler says, “I mean it’s a very crazy market out there right now. We have a record amount of sales, a record amount of price per square foot for each property. It’s just our inventory is the biggest issue. I think we are down active listings 43 percent from 2020.” This can be frustrating to both homeowners and buyers due to the lack of homes for sale. Continue reading Tyler home sales and prices reach an all time high

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 3226. This will be under one-way traffic with flaggers controlling traffic. A second crew will be performing ditch work on various roadways. In Gregg County, maintenance crews will be continuing mill and inlay operations on FM 2204. There will be left lane closures east and westbound from US 259 BUS to Danville Rd. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.

LONGVIEW — The city of Longview adds two street closures Tuesday after beginning one closure Monday morning. Starting Tuesday, Page Road, between Delia Drive and Lois Lane, will be closed to through traffic for improvements for the new Hallsville Elementary School. Go to this link for additional information on that project. Also beginning Tuesday, northbound traffic on S. High Street, at Nelson Street, will be reduced to single lane traffic due to installation of a new sewer main. Click here for more on that effort. East Whaley Street, from North Fredonia Street to North Green Street, is temporarily closed as of 6 a.m. Monday due to street paving. Click here for details. Drivers are encouraged to use alternate routes in all cases. Officials note that all three projects will move forward as weather permits.

LONGVIEW — A man was shot Friday night in Longview while he was reportedly committing a burglary, according to our news partner KETK and a statement from the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. The release said that around 8 p.m. on March 4, deputies were called to a Longview home for a shooting on Juanita Road. When they arrived, they found Matthew Dillon George, of Longview, suffering from a gunshot wound. Detectives soon figured out that he was shot “while committing burglary,” according to the statement. The release said that the homeowner “verbally gave orders for George to leave, which he refused.” The homeowner then shot George because she was “fearing for her safety.” Continue reading Sheriff: East Texas homeowner shoots burglar

FRANKSTON — A 54-year-old man was hit and killed by a pickup truck near Frankston early Friday morning. According to our news partner KETK, around 5:20 Friday morning, DPS troopers responded to the scene of a vehicle-pedestrian crash on SH 155, roughly three miles south of Frankston. A preliminary investigation indicated that 31-year-old Antonio Roman, of Palestine, was traveling north bound on SH 155 in a 2019 Ford F-250. At the same time, 54-year-old Ian Folakan, of Frankston, was walking south in the northbound lanes, straddling the inside and outside lanes. Continue reading 54-year-old struck, killed by pickup near Frankston

TYLER — Tyler police arrested a man early Saturday morning after he allegedly attempted to kidnap his ex-wife from the Super 1 Foods near Gentry Parkway and Beckham Avenue before leading officers on a vehicle pursuit. According to our news partner KETK and Tyler PD spokesperson Andy Erbaugh, the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Adrian Perez, was apparently thwarted in his attempt to kidnap his ex, though it is still unclear how. When officers initially responded to the scene, they learned that the suspect had allegedly used or displayed a weapon in his kidnapping attempt. Shortly after, officers obtained a warrant for attempted aggravated kidnapping and immediately began searching for Perez. Continue reading Tyler man arrested after alleged attempt to kidnap ex, leading police on chase