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’
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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
