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EAST TEXAS — Though all school districts in East Texas remain mindful of the COVID-19 surge, they are addressing it in a variety of ways. Tyler ISD released its back-to-school plan earlier this summer. All learning will be in person, and masks are optional. Longview ISD will offer both in-person and remote learning and will continue to monitor conditions in the school district on a daily basis, according to information from its website. Both districts started classes Monday. Continue reading Schools share COVID-19 response plans as classes begin

TYLER — A Smith County Sheriff’s Office spokesman says one person has been arrested following a fatal weekend stabbing. Sgt. Larry Christian says deputies responded around 9:45 Saturday evening to a mobile home park on Highway 64 West after a caller said a brother and sister had stabbed each other at the location. The deputies say a man and woman were outside a residence with a large amount of blood on them. Christian says the deputies had to physically remove the man from the woman so aid could be rendered. A deputy began CPR on the woman until the arrival of paramedics. It was subsequently determined that the woman, Courtney Davis, 32, of Tyler had died due to her injuries. The man, Michael Davis, 40, went to the hospital with minor injuries. Davis was later jailed on a charge of interference with public duties. The investigation continues.

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department has made an arrest in a shooting around 8:50 Sunday evening at South Fleishel Avenue and East Elm Street. 18-year-old Juan Carlos Martinez is jailed on $750,000 bond on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The 14-year-old male victim was last reported in stable condition at a local hospital. Police say the investigation continues. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tyler Police non-emergency number, (903) 531-1000, or Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at (903) 597-2833.

CHEROKEE COUNTY – A car has been retrieved by a dive crew and salvage team after it was discovered under a bridge in Lake Palestine. According to our news partner KETK, Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson was on the scene at CR 3504 and FM 346. He said the car had been underwater for a while, but he was not sure how long. Officials said nothing noteworthy was inside. A source at the scene said the vehicle was a compact car. Dickson was told about the car about a week ago by a game warden. He said they got it out Friday because it was the first day they could get a dive crew and salvage team.

TYLER — The UT Tyler Cowan Center announced Friday that this fall’s ZZ Top concert is due to go on as scheduled. A statement on the Cowan Center’s Twitter page says facility personnel continue to “join in mourning the loss of Rock & Roll Legend Dusty Hill and send our condolences to the ZZ Top family.” The statement says the December 1 show “is still scheduled at this time, with long-time friend of the band Elwood Francis sitting in on bass.” Any updates will be passed along as soon as they are available, according to Cowan Center officials. Hill, a founding member of the band, died July 28 at the age of 72.

TYLER — This Saturday brings another edition of Hit the Bricks, held the second Saturday of each month in downtown Tyler. Among other things, you can meet the artist behind the pet portraits displayed at Gallery Main Street. Alexandria Woodcock’s artist reception will be held in the Plaza Tower atrium from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Also, The Foundry Coffee House & DT Missions Committee are hosting an art event in support of For The Silent. And Tyler’s local Rose City Farmers Market will be open from 8 a.m. to noon at ETX Brewing. Click here for a more complete rundown.

TYLER — A Smith County sheriff’s deputy has been arrested on a 3rd degree felony charge of misuse of official information. Authorities also say the suspect, Luis A. Sandoval, has been terminated from his job. Sandoval is currently free on $250,000 bond. According to a news release, the investigation has been ongoing for several months and remains active, so information will remain limited until at least two ongoing investigations are completed.

AUSTIN – A large group of pro-choice organizations and abortion doctors filed a 47-page motion Wednesday to oppose Judge Reeve Jackson’s move to dismiss the heartbeat bill lawsuit against him. That’s according to our news partner KETK. The law bans nearly all abortions after six weeks when a fetal heartbeat is detected. The lawsuit ultimately seeks for a judge to block the law or at the very least temporarily halt it from taking effect on September 1.

TYLER — A Smith County jury has found 61-year-old Steven Hill guilty of aggravated sexual assault of an elderly individual. Authorities say the victim was 81 years old and blind at the time of the offense. The victim was living at her daughter’s house, along with Hill, who was the daughter’s brother-in-law. Several other family members also lived at the residence. Key testimony came from one of the family members, a 15-year-old girl, who saw the defendant lying in the bed under the covers with the victim late one evening and alerted her mother. Sentencing is scheduled for September 14. Hill is currently on parole for burglary charges out of Ellis County.

TYLER — Tyler Junior College has recently named a pair of new leaders. Jim Pulliam joined TJC as chief information officer, overseeing the College’s Office of Technology Services. He previously served as CIO at the Children’s Home Society of Florida in Orlando. Brent Wallace is now dean of the School of Continuing Studies and executive administrator of TJC West. He previously served at Louisiana State University-Shreveport (LSUS), where he was executive director of the LSUS Division of Continuing Education and Public Service.

BALTIMORE (AP/Staff) – Baltimore Orioles slugger and Longview native Chris Davis has announced his retirement. Davis ends a career in which he became one of baseball’s most prodigious home run hitters before his production declined amid injury problems. Davis led the majors in home runs with 53 in 2013 and 47 in 2015, and the Orioles signed him to a seven-year, $161 million contract. He hit 38 homers in the first year of the deal but his numbers sank quickly after that. Davis was going to miss the entire 2021 season after surgery in May to repair the labrum in his left hip.

LONGVIEW — The East Texas Food Bank is holding another mega drive-thru produce distribution Friday in Longview from 8-10 a.m. at the Gregg County Fairgrounds. These events are open to anyone and there are no eligibility or paperwork requirements. These are drive-thru distributions and walk-ups will not be accepted. Multiple households can carpool. To pick up items for another household not present, a note must be provided. Especially given the recent surge in COVID-19 cases, Food Bank staffers say they are still seeing an increased need for food assistance. As of March 2021, 240,000 people in East Texas are facing hunger. That means 1 in 5 East Texans, including 1 in 4 children, are at risk of hunger, according to officials. Continue reading Mega drive-thru produce distribution in Longview

FRANKSTON — Police are investigating an alleged school shooting threat made toward Frankston ISD on social media Wednesday night. Our news partner KETK was sent a screenshot of the suspected post. It included a picture of a pistol that was posted on an Instagram story by an apparent student with the caption “I’m going to shoot the school.” The post was reported by students and parents to the district, who turned the investigation over to police. The district released a statement saying that police have been in contact “with the individual.” Continue reading Police investigating school shooting threat made on social media

TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office announces an arrest in a vehicle assault from last month. Around 2 a.m. July 26, DPS troopers were sent to a Stonebridge Way residence. The caller had reported that a vehicle had crashed into their home and subsequently fled. During the investigation, Smith County investigators say they determined that Nathaniel James Williams, 18, of Tyler, intentionally ran his vehicle into the home with the intent to harm an individual known to him. Unbeknownst to Williams at the time, he had targeted the wrong residence, according to authorities. At around 9:30 p.m. on August 10, Williams was finally arrested by Tyler police on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with bond set at $250,000.

AUSTIN — There’s more good news from the state comptroller’s office on sales tax allocations for Tyler and Longview. For the month of August, Tyler gets $5,161,863.71, up 15.33 per cent from a year ago. Longview receives $3,843,298.05, a jump of 16.05 per cent from this time last year. Year-to-date figures are also positive, with Tyler up 15.15 per cent and Longview’s figure increasing by 13.93 per cent.

RUSK COUNTY – No injuries were reported, but one person has been arrested following a Rusk County school bus crash. DPS says troopers responded around 6:49 Wednesday morning to CR-414 half a mile south of US-79, south of Henderson. The investigator’s preliminary report indicates the driver of the school bus was traveling north on CR-414 approaching a private drive. The driver of a second vehicle, a Jeep Wrangler, was stopped on a private drive, pulled out of the drive, and struck the right side of the school bus. The Jeep driver was arrested for no driver’s license, failure to yield right of way – private drive, and failure to report a non-injury accident at once to proper authorities. The investigation is ongoing.

TYLER — Tyler Transit will host three public meetings regarding the changes of its fixed route bus system as recommended by the 2020 Tyler Transit Route Study. Officials say the public is invited to attend the meetings and learn how Tyler Transit is changing its fixed route structure, including routes, stops, and schedules. The meetings will be held at the following times and locations: Wednesday, Aug. 18, from noon to 1 p.m. at the Tyler Public Library Taylor Auditorium; Wednesday, Sept. 1, from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Glass Recreation Center Multi-Purpose Room; and Saturday, Sept. 11, from 11 a.m. to noon at the Tyler Junior College Robert M. Rogers Nursing and Health Sciences Building, Room 131.

BULLARD – The Bullard Independent School District welcomes students back to school on August 18 and has released its Return to School Plan for in-school learning. According to a news release, the plan continues to follow recommendations for school opening and operations provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Texas Education Agency, and state and local health officials. Last April, school trustees approved lifting the district’s masking requirement to make masking optional for all students and staff. This year’s protocols keep masking optional yet recommended. Additionally, quarantining is only required when individuals are symptomatic. You can go here for more information. Further details are provided at this link and on this web page.

TYLER — It was a very busy Wednesday for the Tyler City Council. The Council voted to have the city examine traffic crash history on Grande Boulevard between Gleneagles Drive and Shady Oaks Drive, an area with a history of multiple traffic accidents. In another item, the Council agreed to development of a 30-year vision and master plan for wastewater treatment plants. According to a news release, the master plan will provide “a comprehensive review and evaluation of both the Southside and Westside Wastewater Treatment Plants.” Continue reading Council acts on several items at Wednesday meeting

TYLER — Texas College will host a public COVID-19 vaccination clinic on Wednesday, August 11, from 9:00 A.M. until 3:00 P.M. The College will be collaborating with the Northeast Texas Public Health District (NET Health), The National Council of Negro Women, Inc. (NCNW) GOOD HEALTH WINs initiative, as well as Dr. Shirley McKellar, City of Tyler Mayor Pro Tem and District 3-Northwest Councilmember. The clinic will be open to the public, and no appointment will be necessary to receive the vaccine. Continue reading Texas College to host COVID-19 vaccine clinic Wednesday

MARSHALL — A Marshall man was arrested for allegedly kidnapping his ex-girlfriend from her home. According to our news partner KETK, On Aug. 6, around 11:20 p.m., authorities were alerted of a crash on Victory Drive. Responding officers found a man chasing a woman around the vehicle. The woman reportedly told officers she had been kidnapped. According to the police release, when the man began driving, the victim was able to grab the steering wheel, causing the vehicle to go off the road and crash. Erick Arellano Lozada, 21, of Marshall, was arrested and taken to the Harrison County Jail on Aug. 7. He’s been charged with aggravated kidnapping, abandon/endanger child criminal negligence, assault causing bodily injury family violence and driving while intoxicated.

AUSTIN – Several abortion groups named as plaintiffs in a lawsuit against Smith County District Judge Reeve Jackson and several others filed a motion over the weekend to halt enforcement of the “heartbeat law.” That’s according to our news partner KETK. The law, authored by East Texas State Sen. Bryan Hughes, is set to go into effect Sept. 1 and is seen as one of the most restrictive abortion measures in the nation. The motion filed by the pro-choice groups asks the judge to issue an order that would keep the law from taking effect in September until a final ruling has been issued. It also asks that the law be found unconstitutional and taken off the books. The lawsuit, which seeks to strike down the law, was filed last week. Jackson has moved that the suit be dismissed.

TYLER — After holding several community meetings to gather resident input throughout the summer, the Smith County Commissioners Court on Tuesday voted to call a bond election in November for Phase 2 of the Smith County Road and Bridge Capital Improvement Project. The bond to do Phase 1 work was approved in November 2017, by 73 percent of the voters. At the end of the first phase, more than 250 miles of road will be completely reconstructed and/or repaved, according to a news release. In another move, the court voted to maintain its current tax rate of 33.5 cents per $100 valuation for the upcoming fiscal year. County Judge Nathaniel Moran says it’s about “maintaining a low tax rate while providing excellent service.” For more details on these items, click here and then click the “News” tab toward the bottom of the page.

TYLER — The city of Tyler is continuing to caution drivers about sealcoat and asphalt overlay work on some local streets. In one project, Missouri Petroleum will be doing pavement sealing through Aug. 13 in the neighborhood near Southside Park including South Donnybrook Avenue, Atlanta Avenue, Knoxville Drive, Vicksburg Drive, Savannah Drive and Mobile Drive. Drivers can expect major traffic delays, lane and road closures, and delays at intersections. Signs and flaggers will be present. Parking on South Donnybrook Avenue will be closed. Residents could be delayed getting in or out of driveways and onto other streets in the area until the paving material has cured. Continue reading Traffic reminders continue due to sealcoat, asphalt overlay work

EAST TEXAS (AP) – With the price of chicken soaring, the third-largest poultry producer in the U.S. is being bought for $4.53 billion. Cargill and privately held Continental Grain formed a joint venture to acquire Sanderson Farms. They will pay $203 per share in cash for a company that last year processed more than 4.8 billion pounds of meat. Restaurant chains have begun to offer their own variations of fried chicken sandwiches, further heightening demand for poultry. Continue reading With chicken prices soaring, Sanderson Farms sold for $4.5B

LONGVIEW — Industrial Blvd. at the railroad tracks in Longview will be closed from 10 p.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday for railroad track maintenance. If you have any questions related to construction, call City Engineer Alton Bradley at 903-237-1067.

TYLER — A variety of local leaders team up for a Tyler news conference on what’s termed the “substantial spread” of COVID-19 in recent weeks. The conference was livestreamed by our news partner KETK. One key point: a continued call for people to get vaccinated as soon as possible. Speakers also pointed out the surge in COVID patients going to the hospital. NET Health CEO George Roberts noted that about 95 per cent of them have not been vaccinated — and he listed a number of locations where you can get your COVID shot. You can get more information through the link in “Coronovirus update,” the accompanying story on this web page. Continue reading Local leaders team up to address COVID-19 resurgence

TYLER — Republican gubernatorial candidate and former state Senator Don Huffines comes down hard on Governor Abbott during a campaign swing through East Texas. He told KTBB, “I, like most Republican primary voters — we’re just tired of being lied to, tired of broken and empty promises…by our Republican leadership, particularly…our governor.” Huffines says among other things, the border is not secure, property taxes are not going down, and people don’t have confidence in elections. Huffines says he’ll win because he has the answers to those problems. Continue reading Gubernatorial hopeful Huffines visits East Texas

TYLER — The Tyler Police Department is investigating a shooting around 8:50 Sunday evening at South Fleishel Avenue and East Elm Street. Police say the 14-year-old male victim is in stable condition at a local hospital. Anyone with information is asked to call the Tyler Police non-emergency number, (903) 531-1000, or Tyler-Smith County Crime Stoppers at (903) 597-2833.