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TYLER – The investigation continues in an early Sunday morning shooting in northern Smith County. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff Deputies arrived at the 100 block of Dobbs Terrace, and found 20-year-old Edgar Rios Villanueva with several gunshot wounds to his chest. He went to the hospital and is now listed in stable condition. Deputies are still searching for the suspected shooter, Nonaciano Carreno Hernandez, 43, of Tyler. Hernandez is now under an arrest warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with bond set at $400,000. If you have any information, call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at (903) 566-6600.

TYLER — Tyler’s Rose Garden Center will be closed Monday, Aug. 16, through Thursday, Aug. 19, to replace a water main at the Rose Complex construction site. The Rose Garden will still be open on those days from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The West Houston Street gate will be the only point of entrance. For questions regarding the temporary closure, contact Lisa Wells at (903) 531-1212 or [email protected].

LONGVIEW – Officials arrest a man in connection with an early Saturday morning fire that damaged two businesses and injured three Longview firefighters. According to our news partner KETK, Longview Fire Marshall Kevin May, said the fire is being investigated as an “intentionally set fire”. May also added that injuries to the firefighters are minor.

LUFKIN – Four murder warrants were issued Friday in Lufkin in connection to the April shooting death of Christopher “Lil Chris” Rogers on April 27th. According to our news partner KETK, Lufkin Police said they have an outstanding warrant. 19 year old Ta’Zyion “Dada” Douglas of Nacogdoches is at large and considered a flight risk. He is a black man is 5’6” and weighs 180 pounds. Authorities ask that if you know the whereabouts of Douglas to please contact them.

LONGVIEW — The Longview Public Library will be closed beginning Monday, August 9, to allow repairs to the building’s air conditioning system. The building will remain closed until the maintenance work can be completed, which officials say could take two weeks or more. During the building closure, library staff are working to continue to provide some services and programming to patrons. Curbside library services will be available for drive-thru reservations at the rear of the Library. Click here for more details.

TYLER — Crown Construction will be working to repair utility cuts in Tyler’s brick streets through Oct. 22. Motorists can expect to see minor traffic delays and lane closures. Officials say workers will notify residents as they move from site to site. Residents and business owners should talk to workers if they need to pass by or get in or out of driveways, according to a news release. Drivers are reminded to obey all traffic signs and slow down in and around the construction zone. Click here for a more detailed look at the project.

TYLER — Tyler Police have obtained an arrest warrant on Jason Rhodes Jr., 20, of Tyler for capital murder in a June 30 incident. His bond is set at $1,000,000, and he remains at large. Two other suspects, also from Tyler, have already been arrested in the Galveston County city of Dickinson. The case involves the shooting death of 17-year-old Jesse McNeely of Tyler. Police say there was an altercation outside a home on Omega Drive when McNeely was shot. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or CrimeStoppers at 903-597-CUFF (2833).

LONGVIEW – A Spring Hill ISD band director died Thursday night after a reported battle with COVID-19. According to our news partner KETK, a post was made on a Facebook page announcing the death of 25-year-old Ryan Burns. Students were told about it Thursday night at band camp. Spring Hill High School Fine Arts Director Michael Moody, who created the post, said Burns was “very intelligent, dedicated and loved teaching at Spring Hill!” Counselors, parents, and other band directors have been made available for students to help them grieve. Moody says and camp will continue “as normal as possible.”

LONGVIEW — Beginning at 8:00 a.m. Monday, August 9, Longview’s Fairmont Street will be reduced to one lane of traffic, westbound only. Officials say the closure is needed to facilitate the reconstruction of Fairmont Street. One-way westbound traffic is anticipated to continue for one year. The work is part of the Fairmont Street Reconstruction project, Toler Road to H.G. Mosley Parkway. Additional detours will be needed when full-lane road closures are required. Full lane closure will be limited to daytime hours, typically 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The contractor will maintain access for local traffic throughout construction, according to a news release. If you have any questions related to construction please call the city Project Manager Bob Watson at 903-239-5504.

TYLER — Major road construction on Hollytree Drive from Rice Road to Wimbledon Drive in Tyler began Monday, Aug. 9, and runs through Saturday, Sept. 11, weather permitting. Officials say southbound traffic on Hollytree will be closed first, while the northbound lane remains open. At the beginning of the project, there will be no access to Hollytree Drive from Rice Road. Residents in the apartments will have access to their driveways and the complex. Motorists will need to use Plantation Drive to access Spring Branch Drive, West Rieck Road, River Bend Drive, Parkview Drive, and Wimbledon Drive. Major delays, lane closures, road closures, one-way traffic, and delays in getting to driveways and other streets in the area can be expected. Drivers are reminded to obey all traffic signs, flaggers, and detours — and slow down in and around the construction zone.

NACOGDOCHES — Two teenagers were shot while sitting in their car at a Nacogdoches apartment complex early Friday morning. According to our news partner KETK, Nacogdoches Police media relations officer Brett Ayres released a statement saying officers responded to the Orton Hill Apartments around 1:45 a.m. The shooters fled the scene before officers arrived. The two teens were taken to a Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Identities have not been released. Police are still combing through the scene for evidence and will release more information as it becomes available.

TYLER — 114th District Judge Reeve Jackson has filed a motion to dismiss a federal lawsuit against him over the “heartbeat bill” that Gov. Greg Abbott signed into law earlier this year. According to our news partner KETK, Jackson was named at the top of a lawsuit by abortion groups that seeks to strike down a law that restricts nearly all abortions in Texas after six weeks. The law was authored by State Sen. Bryan Hughes of Mineola. Hughes continues his strong defense of the law, also voicing support for Jackson — who, for his part, has deemed the lawsuit “frivolous.”

TYLER — The East Texas Food Bank is holding another mega drive-thru produce distribution Friday in Tyler from 10 a.m. to noon at Lindsey Park. As with past distributions, the 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. As the pandemic resurgence continues, food bank staffers say they are still seeing an increased need for food assistance. Continue reading Drive-thru food distribution Friday in Tyler

TYLER — The Tyler Animal Shelter is undergoing a beautification project to add murals inside the facility and is searching for sponsors and donors. According to a news release, five local artists were selected to paint different areas throughout, including inside the animal meeting rooms in hopes of supporting adoptions. There will be a come-and-go event on Aug. 19 from 3 to 5 p.m. to look at the new murals as many of the artists wrap up their projects, as well as meet the available cats, dogs, and other pets. Money collected from donors and sponsors will go to expenses for the artists and the event. Sponsors will have their name or logo displayed in the Shelter with or nearby the murals. Those interested in becoming a sponsor or donor can reach out to Payton Weidman at (903) 343-3662 or [email protected].

TYLER — Chase Bank is hosting two blood drives Friday in Tyler. The first is from 9 a.m. to noon at the bank office on Independence Place. The second runs from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the bank branch on South Broadway near the Walmart Supercenter. Carter BloodCare officials continue to stress the ongoing effects of the pandemic and the slow summer months as they repeat their call for donations. To receive more information or to schedule an appointment time for either Chase Bank blood drive location, contact Shelly Ensminger at (903) 561-0894.

CANTON — Three people, including a mother and son duo, have now been arrested after a body was found in a shallow grave in Van Zandt County. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff Steve Hendrix confirmed 44-year-old Roger Deloss McCasland and 65-year-old Debbie Runnae Spriggs were arrested this week and charged with murder. Previously, Spriggs’s son, 45-year-old Casey Lynn Spriggs, was arrested for murder as well. Officials identified the body as Ladarron Perkins. They say the murder likely happened in Dallas. The investigation continues.

TYLER — The Junior League of Tyler is now seeking grant applications from community nonprofits. According to a news release, the Junior League supports Tyler area nonprofits on an annual basis through grant requests voted on by Junior League of Tyler membership. Eligible non-profits have until September 1 to submit an application. The Junior League has given more than $7.5 million back to the community since its founding in 1960 and will give $290,000 to fund selected community projects and endeavors this year alone. Click here for more information.

KILGORE — The East Texas Council of Governments’ Rural Transit System, GoBus, announces its new app is live and free to download in the Google Play Store or Apple App store. Searchable under the name GoBus Transit, the app helps existing GoBus customers with trip planning, real-time bus tracking, and fare payments, according to a news release. Officials say one of the central focuses of the GoBus app for both the agency and riders is flexibility. By using the app, customers will benefit from more accurate wait times and save time planning trips at their convenience, according to the release Click here for more information.

ATHENS — The Athens bus driver charged for a student’s death after a crash with a train in 2019 had his case delayed further on Thursday in a bizarre twist of events. According to our news partner KETK, a prosecutor from the Texas Attorney General’s Office did not show up to the hearing at the 392nd District Court in Athens. The hearing was set for 9 a.m. in front of Judge Scott McKee and when the case was called, no prosecutor was present. 81-year-old John Stevens is charged with criminally negligent homicide and injury to a child after the January 2019 crash that killed 13-year-old Christopher Bonilla and injured 9-year-old Joselyne Torres. Continue reading Athens bus driver crash case delayed again

LONGVIEW — Beginning at 7:00 a.m. Thursday, August 5, Longview’s Fairmont Street will be closed to all traffic between Cove Place and H.G. Mosley Parkway. Drivers are encouraged to use an alternate route. Detour signs will redirect traffic between H.G. Mosley Pkwy., Hwy. 80, and Rockwall Dr. during the closure, according to a news release. Utility work on Fairmont Street is expected to be completed by 5:00 p.m. the same day. The work is part of the Fairmont Street (Toler Rd. to H.G. Mosley Pkwy.) Utility Improvement project. If you have any questions related to construction, call the city’s Project Manager, Bob Watson, at 903-239-5504.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — An East Texas man who is charged in the January 6 Capitol riot has rejected a plea deal offer from government prosecutors. According to our news partner KETK, 34-year-old Alex Harkrider of Carthage was released on bond in April until his trial. He is charged along with 30-year-old Ryan Nichols, a Longview resident, of several crimes stemming from the riot ranging from civil disorder to assaulting federal officers. Harkrider’s D.C.-based attorney Kira West announced in a hearing Wednesday that Harkrider would not be taking a plea offer. There was no mention of what kind of deal the U.S. attorney’s office had brought to him.

TYLER — Newly-elected 114th District Court Judge Austin Reeve Jackson and an East Texas pro-life activist have been sued by pro-choice groups in an effort to block the Texas “heartbeat bill” that was created by State Sen. Bryan Hughes and signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this year. Hughes, meanwhile, is continuing to defend the bill — and Jackson is striking back against the lawsuit. According to our news partner KETK, the bill is one of the most restrictive abortion bills since Roe v. Wade legalized abortion back in 1972. Continue reading Judge Austin Reeve Jackson, East Texas pro-life activist sued

TYLER — The demolition of Tyler’s Harvey Convention Center got underway Wednesday afternoon. Officials kicked off the process in a brief ceremony. Mayor Don Warren was joined by other officials, some past mayors, and the public; he called the experience “just awesome.” Were there a lot of cheers and maybe some tears? Warren responded, “A little of both. We had one girl that was in tears…just because of so many fond memories…but for the most part, everybody’s so excited about the future, the new Rose Complex.” Warren says demolition should take about a week, with the first stages of construction for the replacement facility likely in October — and completion hoped for about a year after that.

TYLER — The back-to-school event #SchoolisCool is scheduled for Thursday from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Fun Forest Park on N. Glenwood Blvd., for children and their parents to prepare for the new school year. This is a free admission drive-thru event, according to a news release. #SchoolisCool is presented by the City of Tyler Parks and Recreation Department, the Business Education Council, Tyler Independent School District, and many other partners and sponsors. The event will feature free backpacks filled with school supplies for students 18 or younger. Attendees are asked to note that the child must be present to receive the supplies. For more information, please call (903) 531-1100 or go to this link.

LONGVIEW — Jury trials scheduled for the Longview Municipal Court on August 9, 10, and 11 have been canceled. If you were called as a juror for one of these dates, your appearance is no longer required. Officials note that you may be called upon to serve at some time in the future. The court is expressing gratitude “to those that were prepared and willing to serve in this important civic duty.”

TYLER — Tyler ISD announces that Ashley Phelps, Tyler ISD Elementary Teacher of the Year, has been selected as the Regional Elementary Teacher of the Year by the Region 7 Education Service Center. Coach Phelps is the physical education teacher at Andy Woods Elementary School. She will now move on to compete against the other 38 Regional Teachers of the Year for the Texas Elementary Teacher of the Year title. A panel of judges determined by the Texas Association of School Administrators will make the selection this Fall.

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court honored several people, churches, and organizations with Community Hero Awards Tuesday for holding COVID-19 vaccination clinics and testing sites. Commissioner JoAnn Hampton and NET Health CEO George Roberts passed out the recognitions to several pastors and community leaders. “I am very grateful for what you and your churches did for our county and for your communities in their time of need,” Commissioner Hampton said. “Thank you individually and collectively for all that you do for this community.” Hampton emphasized the importance of community members to get vaccinated in order to fight against COVID-19. You can find a list of all the honorees by clicking here.

CANTON – A man has been arrested after a body was found in a shallow grave on a private Van Zandt County property last Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, officials identified the body as Ladarron Perkins, saying that 45-year-old Casey Lynn Spriggs from Dallas shot and killed him. The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office says it was determined that the murder likely happened in Dallas. Spriggs was taken to the Van Zandt County Jail and charged with murder. His bond was set at $1,000,000. The sheriff’s office said that the investigation is ongoing and additional arrests are forthcoming.