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UPSHUR COUNTY — According to our news parnter KETK, a jury found a 56-year-old man guilty of failure to register as sex offender and sentenced him to life in prison on Wednesday as a habitual offender on account of his prior convictions. In 2023, Ronald Wayne Stivers of Illinois was a registered sex offender in Mississippi before he fled the state and moved in with a woman in Gladewater, according to officials. Stivers reportedly met the woman through Facebook and alternated his identity by lying about his name and changing his license plate.

Once his true identity was uncovered, the woman forced Stivers out of her home and he was later arrested on June 17, 2024. Officials said Stivers was sentenced to life in prison on June 11, 2025 as a habitual offender. Continue reading Sex offender hiding in Gladewater gets life in prison

ANDERSON COUNTY – Thursday’s heavy rains in Anderson County caused several road closings and mother and her child were rescued in a high water situation. According to our news partner KETK, Christina Crockett, from the Anderson County Emergency Management Office, urged residents to use caution, especially in low-lying areas.

In Palestine, Slocum’s Swiftwater Rescue Team received a call in rural Palestine for Laura Foster and her 2-year-old daughter who were trapped on top of their vehicle. They were brought to safety by the rescue team, who responded to multiple people stranded because of high water.

There are dozens of roads across Anderson County are flooded over or completely washed out.
Continue reading Anderson County flooding causes closed roads and water rescues

UPSHUR COUNTY – A jury found a 56-year-old man guilty of failure to register as sex offender, and sentenced him to life in prison on Wednesday as a habitual offender on account of his prior convictions.

On May 16, 1986, the Defendant was sentenced for Theft in the State of Illinois. On July 5, 1989, the Defendant pled guilty to Criminal Trespass of Habitation in the State of Illinois.

On June 11, 1998, he was sentenced for Aggravated Sexual Assault (Adult Woman), Felony Escape, Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault with Deadly Weapon (Knife),and Aggravated Sexual Assault of a Child nine years of age in the State of Illinois. Continue reading Man who failed to register as sex offender found in Gladewater

LONGVIEW – A 22-year-old man was arrested on Wednesday after robbing local dollar stores in Longview, according to our news partner KETK.

The Longview Police Department received multiple reports of thefts that occurred at local dollar stores over the weekend, and after investigating they determined that only one of the incidents qualified as a robbery.

Further investigation led the suspect to be identified as Daqalyn Charles, 22 of Longview. Officers were able to locate and arrest him in the act of another theft. Officials said during the arrest Charles was found to be in possession of illegal drugs and was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance.

Charles was booked into the Gregg County Jail and is being held on a bond totaling $310,000.

NACOGDOCHES – Carbon monoxide poisoning is being considered after three adults were found dead Thursday afternoon inside a home in Nacogdoches, According to the Nacogdoches Police Department an our news partner KETK.

Officers and firefighters responded to the scene at 4300 block of Mystic Lane for a death investigation. Initially officers responded to perform a welfare check on a resident, but upon arrival found three adults dead inside the home and no sign of foul play.

“Although it is early in the investigation, carbon monoxide poisoning is being considered as a potential cause,” officials said. “CenterPoint Energy is also on scene to help determine the cause. The identities of the deceased are being withheld pending notification of their family.”

The department said further information will be released as it becomes available.

KILGORE– Over the past two weeks, five men have been arrested for online solicitation of a minor after a sting operation in Kilgore. According to the Kilgore Police Department and our news partner KETK, multiple departments have been working together in an online solicitation of a minor investigation.

All but one man drove into Kilgore to meet up for sex with a minor and were arrested by detectives. Marshall Anthony Knapik, 27 of Longview, is being held on a $25,000 bond. Dale Edward Shelton, 34 of Tyler, is being held on a $25,000 bond. Alvaro Andres Rosas-Delgado, 23 of Longview, is being held on a $50,000 bond. Ryan Hampsten Jacks, 34 of Troup, is being held on a $40,000 bond.

Casey Stinson of Bowie had planned to make a trip after his girlfriend went to work, but couldn’t change his flat tire, so he was arrested by the Palo Pinto County Sheriff’s Office after Kilgore PD learned he would not be making the trip.

PALESTINE — Many roads across East Texas have been closed due to heavy rains and flooding.

Our news partner KETK has compiled a list of roads and highways currently closed or flooded to keep residents safe and informed. To view the full and updated list, click here.

BULLARD – Our news partner KETK reports that one person is dead after an alleged drunk driver’s vehicle flipped over onto a fence on Wednesday night in Bullard.

According to the court documents, around 8 p.m. a trooper responded to an one vehicle roll-over on County Road 3601 where a man was by the road saying “his passenger was missing.”

The trooper said the man, identified as 30-year-old Cordale Rayshon Graham, smelled of alcohol and kept saying “he was the passenger because he was drunk.”

Bullard Fire Department located the other person who was dead on the passenger side of the vehicle. Continue reading Drunk driver arrested after truck flips, leaving passenger dead

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partner, KETK, reports that several wrecks involving 18-wheelers are causing delays on Interstate 20 for drivers. Officials say that traffic delays could last into early Friday morning.

According to a crew on the scene, at least two crashes involving tractor trailers have caused traffic to be backed up near Mile Marker 560 which is near Farm-to-Market Road 14 and Lavender Road.

TxDOT cameras show heavy traffic in the westbound lanes. Updates will be given as they become available.

To check for wrecks, and traffic conditions on TxDOT’s “Drive Texas”, click here.

RUSK – Our news partner KETK reports that the execution date has been set for an East Texas man who helped murder his girlfriend’s baby with a hammer in 2008.

According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ), 35-year-old Blaine Milam of Gregg County is set to be executed on September 25 for his involvement in the murder of his girlfriend’s 13-month-daughter during what they described as an “exorcism.”

On Dec. 2, 2008 in Rusk County, Milam and his girlfriend, Jessica Carson murdered the infant by using a hammer to beat her. They also attest to biting her on the chest, arms, throat, feet and lower back. In confession, the couple told authorities that they were trying to “beat the demons out” of the baby. Continue reading Execution set for Rusk man who murdered infant in an ‘exorcism’

TEXARKANA – A truck driver was arrested for DWI on Wednesday night after crashing his 18-wheeler in Texarkana causing parts of the city to not have power and the road to be temporarily closed, according to our news partner KETK.

The Texarkana Police officers responded to a crash around 11:30 p.m. involving an 18-wheeler at New Boston Road and Taylor Street.

Officials said the truck left the road and took out a major electrical transmission pole, causing about third of the city to be out of power for a little while. The truck was also carrying a full load of lumber, which ended up all over the roadway.

The driver, Fredrick Beal, 39 of Texarkana, wasn’t injured. He was, however, arrested for DWI with an open container and unlawfully carrying of a weapon. He is currently being held in the Bi-State Jail.

The department said people are encouraged to avoid this area, since they are still working to clear the scene and New Boston Road is closed.

TYLER — Habitat for Humanity of Smith County has been awarded a $40,000 grant from the CenterPoint Energy Foundation to support its Critical Repairs Program. This funding will help provide essential home repairs for qualifying low-income homeowners in Smith and Cherokee Counties—enhancing safety, restoring livability, and extending the life of aging homes.

“At Habitat for Humanity of Smith County, we believe everyone deserves a decent place to live,” said Noemy Rivera, Director of Critical Repair. “This grant is vital to our mission and will directly improve the quality of life for families in need by making their homes safer and more livable.”

June Deadrick, Vice President of Community Relations at CenterPoint Energy, added, “The CenterPoint Energy Foundation is proud to support Habitat for Humanity of Smith County in its efforts to preserve affordable housing. By investing in critical home repairs, we’re helping to improve living conditions for vulnerable families in Smith and Cherokee Counties.” Continue reading Habitat for Humanity awarded $40,000 grant

TYLER — The Tyler City Council approved a resolution supporting the Transportation Alternatives Set-Aside (TA) grant application for the Midtown to Downtown Shared Use Path. According to a news release, the project aims to create a 2.5-mile, 10-foot-wide shared-use path connecting some of Tyler’s most visited destinations, including Tyler Junior College, the future UT Tyler School of Medicine, UT Health East Texas, Christus Trinity Mother Frances Hospital, Downtown Tyler and the new Smith County Courthouse.

The route would stretch from East Fifth Street to South Broadway Avenue, creating a safe, accessible trail for community members, students and employees traveling on foot, by bike or by mobility device.

The proposed path includes wide concrete trails designed to meet ADA standards, pedestrian lighting, access ramps, crosswalks, pedestrian hybrid beacons at signalized intersections, signage, and enhancements to drainage and grading for improved accessibility and safety in these high-traffic areas. Continue reading Council moves forward with plan for shared use path

TYLER – According to a statement released from The City of Tyler, the City of Tyler Water Utilities is temporarily closing all public boat ramps on Lake Tyler and Lake Tyler East due to heavy rainfall .

Ramps are being closed due to boating hazards resulting from debris washed into the lakes, and to reduce damage from shoreline erosion caused by boat wakes. In addition, the lakes are closed to boat traffic from lake residents.

The ramps will be closed until further notice. The ramps are anticipated to reopen once the water levels recede.

LUFKIN – A former Wells ISD math teacher was arrested again on Tuesday for a new charge of indecency with a child sexual contact, according to a report from our news partner KETK.

An affidavit from the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office revealed that an underage family member reported that Hillary Danielle Williams, 34 of Lufkin, inappropriately touched her on February 19.

The affidavit stated that Williams slept in the middle of the bed with her boyfriend on one side and the victim on the other. The victim explained that she woke up to Williams inappropriately touching her over her clothing. The victim said Williams never mentioned the incident, but she had recently found out that “Williams had been taking nude pictures of her while she was in the shower,” which upset her. Continue reading Woman arrested for reportedly molesting underage family member

PAYNE SPRINGS – Our news partner, KETK, reports that Payne Springs Fire Rescue units found one motorcycle rider after a collision.

According to Payne Springs Fire Rescue, a motorcyclist was flown to a local hospital on Monday after colliding with a deer in Hidden Hills Harbor. Their condition is unknown.

SMITH COUNTY — Continuous days of rain have pummeled East Texas this week and the roads are paying the price, according to our news partner KETK. “We’ve seen a lot of damage to the roads, the rain, just the sheer amount of rain we’ve had,” Smith County Commissioner Precinct 2, John Moore said. The rain left its mark by closing at least five roads in Smith County on Wednesday. The rain is also affecting already damaged roadways, according to Moore.

“You had roads that were compromised because of gophers, leafcutter ants, and other things that nature puts on our roadways, that’s bad enough, but some of this flooding has been bad enough that it really wouldn’t have mattered what was going on,” Moore said.

He explains that the amount of rain is too much for the already saturated areas, leading to compounding road damage. Continue reading Ongoing rainfall damages, closes several roads

TYLER — The City of Tyler approved the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) safety improvement project and new upgrades to a state highway on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, more than 700 crashes have occurred between 2015 to 2024 on State Highway 110, according to TxDOT, and 16 percent resulted in severe injuries or fatalities. TxDOT is designing methods to improve safety.

“It is requested that the City Council adopt a resolution of support that authorizes and directs the City Manager or the City Manager’s designees to participate with TxDot in the design of a safety project on State Highway 110 from north of Aberdeen Drive to County Road 2123,” Traffic Engineer Cameron Williams said. “The funding is coming from TxDOT but they don’t want to do something without the city’s involvement and support.” Continue reading City approves safety plan for local highway

VAN ZANDT COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, an East Texas man is among the 244 people arrested in connection to the FBI’s Operation Soteria as they combat the exploitation of children in the digital space.

The Grand Saline Police Departmet received a cyber tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) about suspected child sexual abuse material uploaded on the internet.

During an investigation, officers discovered a suspect’s residence and conducted a search warrant in April that resulted in several electronic devices being seized. Walter Lynn Baird was arrested on April 14 and charged with possession of child pornography, then charged with indecency with a child sexual contact on May 15, according to the police department. Continue reading East Texas man among those arrested in FBI’s Operation Soteria

WINONA — According to our news partner KETK, Winona residents were left outraged after a town hall meeting was held on Tuesday, where they discovered the reason for high water and sewage rates costing them hundreds of dollars

The Winona City Council brought in Texas Rural Water Association wastewater specialist Louis Booth to discuss why several residents are seeing an increase in their water and sewage bills. After a rate study was conducted by the association, it was proposed that water and wastewater rates should see increases to generate more revenue for the companies. During the meeting, Booth told residents that their water rate would see a $14.16 increase and their wastewater rate would see a $17.75 increase. Continue reading Winona residents left outraged over water, sewage

LONGVIEW – Our news partner KETK reports that one firefighter was injured after a house fire in Longview early Wednesday morning.

According to the Longview Fire Department, around 12:45 a.m. firefighters responded to a fully involved house fire at 101 Harlem Avenue where one firefighter was treated and released for an injury after performing roof operations. Officials said crews found the structure to be vacant and the fire caused around $68,000 in damage.

NACOGDOCHES – According to our new partner KETK, a Union Pacific Railroad worker died on Monday while working near the South Fredonia Street railway crossing in Nacogdoches.

The Nacogdoches Police Department said officers responded to reports that a someone had been struck by a train at around 3:28 p.m. on Monday. In a statement obtained by KETK, Union Pacific Railroad said they were saddened by this loss.

“We are saddened by the loss of a Union Pacific employee in Nacogdoches, Texas. The incident, which occurred around 4 p.m. CDT on June 9, is under investigation. Our sincerest sympathies are with his family, friends and co-workers.”
Union Pacific Railroad

Continue reading Union Pacific worker killed by train in Nacogdoches

PALESTINE – Our news partner KETK is reporting that the future of the NASA’s balloon launches at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine is coming into question due to proposed budget cuts for 2026. According to a NASA 2026 budget technical supplement released on Tuesday, cuts are being made to the the NASA Astrophysics Research program to align with President Donald Trump’s Budget Request for 2026.

These cuts include the Balloons, Astrophysics Data Analysis Program, which would have it’s 2026 budget eliminated entirely. In a statement shared with KETK by a NASA scientist at the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility in Palestine, NASA officials urged calm because they are still in the budget negotiation process.

The Palestine facility launches 15 scientific balloons for NASA each year and is a NASA funded federal facility that would close without federal funding.

TYLER – Starting on July 1, Texas will no longer be issuing paper license plates. Gov. Greg Abbott signed House Bill 718 into law back in 2023 which will now require dealers to issue metal plates to buyers at the time of sale according to our news partner KETK.

On Tuesday, the Smith County Tax Office hosted a free training for vehicle dealers regarding the new law. Paper tags issued prior to July 1 will remain valid until expiration. The different types of tags that will be provided are as follows: buyer’s temporary tags, dealer’s temporary tags, 30-day & one-trip permits, dealer agent tags, dealer vehicle specific tags and internet down tags.

Texans buying a vehicle from a dealer will receive metal license plates at the time of delivery, allowing them to immediately display the plates while awaiting their registration window sticker. Continue reading Smith County holds training for new license plate law

TYLER – A Tyler man was sentenced to 15 years in prison after being arrested for trafficking a child in last summer. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler police arrested 25-year-old James Emmitt Dews III and 24-year-old Hannah Nicole Moore for trafficking a child. Authorities say their investigation started when the teen’s mother reported finding messages on her child’s cellphone from two people later identified as Dews and Moore. Officers said that Dews and Moore arranged for the minor to have sex with different people. This was an arrangement that Dews and Moore profited from.

In a later interviews, the teen identified Dews as her “pimp”. She said that Moore handled “all the adds” on a website that featured prostitutes and escorts. Also, that Moore would “set up the johns” for the teenager to have sex for money. Dews pleaded guilty Monday and was sentenced to 15 years in prison for trafficking a person. Moore was released out on bond on September of last year and has been in and out of court multiple times since January.

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report a man is still on the run and a woman was detained after a high speed police chase early Tuesday morning in Tyler, officials said. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy was trying to make a traffic stop on a car near Loop 323 and Texas College Road early Tuesday morning when the driver drove off reaching speeds of 100 mph. The man slowed down the car in front of the Rose Valley Apartments and jumped out of the drivers side and ran through the complex but was not found, officials said. Afterwards, a woman jumped into the driver’s side and began driving the car into the complex. The sheriff’s office said she jumped out of the car and was detained but suffered from abrasions, scrapes and broken teeth. Officials identified her as Danija Blessiana Dixon, 21 of Tyler, and when the driver is identified the appropriate charges will be filed.

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that the Tyler Police Department said one person is in critical condition after a sedan and an SUV crashed on U.S. Highway 69 in Tyler on Tuesday. According to Tyler PD, a white sedan was traveling north on Highway 69 at around noon when the sedan attempted to turn left onto FM 2016. When the sedan turned, it crossed the path of a black SUV heading south on Highway 69, causing the crash.The driver of the sedan was taken to a local hospital, where they are currently in critical condition, according to Tyler PD. Three people in the SUV were also taken to a local hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.Tyler PD said only one lane is open on both sides of U.S. 69 to the north and south of FM 2016. The department asked drivers to avoid the area as they investigate the crash scene.

SMITH COUNTY — A portion of County Road 2173 that suffered a culvert washout due to heavy rains has been closed until the pipe can be replaced. Also known as Carl Dowdy Road, the closed portion of the road is near Paluxy and southwest of Whitehouse. The road will be closed until the pipe comes in and can be repaired. Please use an alternate route.

Smith County has a road closure map on their website. Click here to see what roads or county buildings are closed.

TYLER — Beginning Tuesday, June 24, at 7 a.m., Neighborhood Services will reopen its Housing Choice Voucher Program Waiting List for the first time since the pandemic. Applications will be accepted online only through 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, allowing eligible applicants to access housing assistance.

The Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government’s primary tool for helping low-income families, older adults, and individuals with disabilities afford safe, decent homes in the private rental market. Accepted applicants may use the assistance to lease single-family homes, apartments, or townhomes, not limited to public housing units.

“Access to housing is foundational. It is what helps families build stability and move forward,” said Prentice Butler, Housing Manager for the City of Tyler. “Reopening this list gives our residents a fair shot at finding a safe place to live and thrive.” Continue reading City of Tyler opens housing voucher applications

TYLER – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made a brief appearance in Tyler to discuss several pending bills, including Senate Bill 3, which would ban THC from Texas. According to our news partner KETK during the press conference, Patrick said more than 8,000 smoke shops have opened in Texas and that these shops are statistically located near high schools to lure students. “We have to take care of our young people and our schools; this is an organized assault on the State of Texas by the cannabis industry,” Patrick said.

When asked if regulating the usage of THC, Patrick said it would never be possible:

“You can’t regulate 8,000 to 9,000 shops. We don’t have enough law enforcement for that,” Patrick said. “Our number one issue as elected officials is public safety it is up to us to protect the public, and this has the potential to destroy this entire generation of young people coming up.”

While Patrick believes that SB 3 will have a positive impact across the state, several East Texas business owners spoke about the potential negative implications. Co-owner of Dragon’s Breath in North Tyler said a full THC ban will do more harm than good. Continue reading Patrick says THC businesses are targeting East Texas youth