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TYLER – Our news partner KETK reports that East Texas Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX) attended a town hall in Tyler on Friday to discuss the One Big Beautiful Bill Act and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act.

The town hall event was hosted at Tyler Junior College by the Texas chapter of Americans for Prosperity (AFP), a conservative political advocacy group backed by the billionaire Charles Koch.

In Jan. 2025, The Hill reported on AFP’s newly announced a $20 million nationwide campaign to push Congress to renew the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act that was passed under President Donald Trumps first term in office.

Moran supported renewing the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act on Friday by warning about how much taxes could go up next year. Continue reading Tax discussion at a town hall with Representative Moran

UPDATE: On June 3rd at approximately 11:30pm the Tyler Police Department was notified and confirmed that Donald Harter had returned home. He is unharmed and safe at home.

TYLER – The Tyler Police Department is searching for 81-year-old Donald Harter who went missing from a Tyler residence around 8 p.m. Tuesday, according to our news partner KETK. Tyler PD said Harter left the residence on Loop 323 in a 2005 silver Ford F-150 with the Texas license plate number 8124DV. According to Harter’s family he cannot care for himself and it is not confirmed what he was last wearing.

NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 22-year-old Alto woman for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and endangering a child after an altercation on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, deputies were sent to the 5400 block of FM 1638 just north west of Nacogdoches at around 12:40 p.m. on Sunday following a reported altercation.

Rayla Eleigha Upshaw, of Alto, allegedly crashed the back of her vehicle into the front of another vehicle. Upshaw reportedly had a one-year-old child in her vehicle at the time of the crash.

Upshaw was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and endangering a child. She’s currently being held at the Nacogdoches County Jail on a total bond of $60,000.

TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners Court received a progress report on the courthouse construction project on Tuesday, June 3. According to a news release from Smith County, Brandy Ziegler, partner with Fitzpatrick Architects, has been working on the project for more than two years and said, “it’s wonderful to watch this plan come to life,” as the 100-plus-year building is constructed. She noted that the Hoar Construction team moved with their families to Tyler for the project.

“We want you to understand the hard work and dedication that goes into this project every day,” Stephen Flournoy, project executive for Hoar Construction, said, adding that the project is 35 percent complete.

“We are one-third of the way there,” he said, adding that the cost and timing of where the project is right now is where they want to be.

Bradley Barr, Senior Superintendent for Hoar Construction, gave some “high-level statistics” about the construction project. They include: Continue reading Smith County Courthouse construction update

GILMER – Our news partner KETK reports that the Texas Department of Public Safety has issued a Silver Alert for Jay Lindsey, 73 of Gilmer, who was last seen on May 27.

Lindsey is a white man with a bald head, grey facial hear, blue eyes, weighing around 167 pounds and standing at 5’8″. He was last seen in the 4000 block of FM 555 in Gilmer at around 12 p.m. on May 27, according to DPS.

His vehicle is a gray 2016 GMC Canyon four-door pick-up truck with the Texas license plate number: JSD5270. Anyone who’s seen him is asked to contact the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office at 903-843-2541.

TEXARKANA – Our news partner KETK reports that an East Texas police officer has been placed on administrative leave after being charged with sexual assault of a child.

According to the Texarkana Police Department, Zackary Gilley, 32, had been employed by the department since 2018, and was arrested on Monday night.

The chief of police said both an internal and criminal investigation were started after allegations involving a 15-year-old girl came to light.

Investigators gathered facts from a forensic expert and consulted with the Bowie County District Attorney’s Office before requesting that warrants be issued by a district judge. Continue reading East Texas police officer charged with child sexual assault

TYLER – According to a press release from The U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) and the FBI, there are several imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be members of the USMS, court officers, or other law enforcement officials.

The USMS is urging people to report the calls their Local FBI office and file a consumer complaint with the Federal Trade Commission, which has the ability to detect patterns of fraud from the information collected. Texas residents have experienced a recent uptick in these scam calls.

During these calls, scammers attempt to collect a fine for phony threats of arrests or other legal sanctions due to claims of identity theft, failing to report for jury duty, civil process issues or under the premise of a false crime. They then tell victims that they can avoid arrest by making a payment first. Often that means withdrawing cash and transferring it to “the government” by depositing cash into bitcoin ATMs or other electronic means such as prepaid cards. Continue reading U.S. Marshals warn against phone scams

Tyler – The East Texas Food Bank kicks off the free Summer Food Program for children on Tuesday, June 3, at 35 East Texas locations with a special event at the Glass Recreation Center in Tyler from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. featuring food, activities and more. “It’s so important to make sure children do not go hungry in the summer just because school is out,” said David Emerson, CEO of the East Texas Food Bank. “Here in East Texas, 1 in 4 children are food insecure so it’s up to our community to make sure we fill that meal gap when the school year ends and kids lose access to free and reduced-price meals they depend on.” ETFB will help ensure children don’t go hungry when school is out—tackling geographic, financial, and systemic barriers to food access. This summer, ETFB will serve 106,000 meals to over 3,000 children. Meals are provided at various community sites Monday-Friday. There is no need to register. The program is for children 18 and younger. Besides the meal, some of the locations at parks, churches and libraries offer other free activities for children. Check with the Summer Food Program you plan to visit for more information. For the full list of locations and serving times visit EastTexasFoodBank.org/SummerFood or by calling 903-597-3663.

LONGVIEW – Our news partner KETK reports that the Longview Fire Department said they responded to a fire at the Alpha Omega Recycling facility on Sunday.

The fire was reported after workers at the Alpha Omega facility on 315 Whatley Road noticed that smoke had started coming from chemicals. Longview Fire Department said this smoke suggested the materials in the facility had spontaneously combusted.

After Longview firefighters had responded to the facility, the found smoke coming from the back of an exterior structure. Longview Fire Department said their firefighters were able to contain the fire damage to the structure and one of its walls.

No injuries were reported and Longview Fire Department estimated the fire did around $50,000 in damage. The fire department responded to the facility with six fire engines, three ladder trucks, two ambulances and six support vehicles.

The facility, which is owned by the Amlon Group, recycles liquid waste, metal industrial waste and hazardous materials for businesses.

TEXARKANA — A man was arrested over the weekend in connection with a Texarkana homicide and is accused of firing more than 50 rounds into the house that led to the death of a 21-year-old.

According to our news partner KETK, detectives were able to find the suspect and worked with Houston PD officers last week to arrest 24-year-old Benjamin Brem.

Just after midnight on May 10, officers responded to a shots-fired call in the 1300 block of Carroll Street. According to police, officers discovered an injured 52-year-old man and 21-year-old Jaylen Betts dead inside the house. The 52-year-old man was taken to the hospital; however, an update on his condition has not been released. More than 50 rounds were fired into the house from the street, according to officers. Brem is expected to be brought back to Texarkana from Houston and will be booked for murder and evading arrest.

UPDATE: According to the Texas DPS, 32-year-old Trevor McEuen who was wanted for murder was taken into custody early Monday morning in Van Zandt County after a SWAT standoff.
McEuen is being held at the Kaufman County Jail on the following charges: Capital murder by terror threat/other felony, five counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, arson, murder.

VAN ZANDT COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — Kaufman County has issued a $10,000 reward for information leading to the capture of a man wanted for murder.

According to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, around 5:33 a.m. on Monday, Trevor McEuen removed his ankle monitor and left his family’s home in Van Zandt County hours before he was due in court on a murder charge, the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office said. Continue reading 2023 fatal shooting suspect in custody

Tyler – The East Texas Food Bank will have their summer food kickoff event Tuesday, at 11:00 a.m. at the Glass Recreation Center in Tyler. Food Bank CEO David Emerson will be the keynote speaker, as he will talk about the benefits of the program, and feeding kids this summer. Lunch will be served for kids 18 and younger. Activities like face painting, balloon animals and games will be offered. ETFB will have Summer Food sites at 35 locations in East Texas. To see a map for those locations, go here.

TYLER — Our news partner KETK reports that The National Institutes of Health has issued UT Tyler a $441,000 grant for funding to develop cancer-targeting nanotechnology.

“At UT Tyler, we’re committed to advancing research that can save lives,” interim dean of UT Tyler Fisch College of Pharmacy Dr. Pamella Ochoa said. “This NIH grant not only affirms the excellence of our faculty but also highlights our continued role in driving scientific innovation that can benefit East Texas and beyond.”

1 in 10 adults has received a cancer diagnosis, according to UT Tyler. Dr. Santosh Aryal’s and Dr. Farah Deba’s research will focus on using immune system cells to target cancer with nanotechnology. Continue reading $441K grant given to UT Tyler to develop cancer-targeting nanotechnology