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CANTON — Van Zandt County residents are one step closer to winning a long-fought battle against a lithium battery storage project being built right in their backyards, ahead of a Commissioners Court vote to pause construction. Finland-based company ‘Taaleri Energia’ announced the ‘Amador Project’ in November of 2024, which would build multiple lithium battery storage and solar projects near Canton.

According to our news partner KETK, residents are raising safety concerns and fears that, if prohibited items are used, they could cause a lithium fire at the facility. The most pressing issue is the lack of local first responders in the event of a lithium fire.

On Wednesday, the Van Zandt County commissioners court will vote to pause construction on all projects until the Attorney General issues a final determination.

“We’re requesting that they pause any further movement on any builds until the one investigation by the attorney general is completed,” White said.

LONGVIEW — Fifteen occupants of a Longview apartment complex have been displaced following a stove-top fire in one of the apartments on Wednesday afternoon. The Longview Fire Department responded to a reported apartment fire at Townhouse South Apartments in Longview at approximately 12:49 p.m. on Wednesday after smoke alarms alerted occupants. According to our news partner KETK, responding units observed ” a large column of black smoke.” Firefighters found heavy smoke and fire coming from an apartment, and the fire was spreading into adjacent apartments.

The fire was brought under control through fire attacks, ventilation, salvage and overhaul operations using on-scene resources. No injuries were reported, but 15 occupants were displaced and the American Red Cross is assisting them.

The Longview Fire Marshal’s Office conducted an investigation after the fire was extinguished. Investigators determined the area of origin to be from a stove top, caused by unattended cooking.

The estimated property loss is undetermined at this time, the fire department said.

The fire department urges and reminds residents to never leave cooking unattended and to ensure smoke alarms are installed and working properly.

PALESTINE — Two people were arrested late Wednesday night in Palestine after police said a traffic stop led to the discovery of drugs and counterfeit cash. According to the Palestine Police Department and our news partner KETK, an officer conducted a traffic stop around 11:38 p.m. on Wednesday, in the 1100 block of East Palestine Avenue involving a 2007 Mercury Grand Marquis. Police identified the driver as Juan Manuel Vega, 42, of Palestine. A records check showed Vega’s driver’s license was suspended and he was taken into custody for driving with an invalid license, officials said.

While conducting a search, officers allegedly found a bag of suspected methamphetamine on Vega. An in-depth search of the vehicle uncovered additional suspected methamphetamine hidden inside a container with a false bottom, along with marijuana, drug paraphernalia, counterfeit U.S. currency and prescription medication, according to police. Continue reading Drugs, counterfeit cash seized

WINNSBORO — One former Winnsboro ISD superintendent and another who had been placed on leave have been arrested again on Thursday, almost a month after their first arrests related to allegedly neglecting to report child abuse.

According to our news partner KETK, Brian Wilcox, a former superintendent of Winnsboro ISD and Aaron Nation, the current superintendent who was placed on administrative leave, were arrested on Thursday and charged with tampering/fabricating physical evidence with the intent to impair and unlawful interception, use, or disclosure of wire, oral, or electronic communications.

They were booked into the Hopkins County jail with an undisclosed bond and have since been released, according to jail records. Continue reading New charges for WISD administrators

PALESTINE — A 32-year-old Palestine man was killed after being struck by a pickup truck in a pedestrian-vehicle crash on Thursday morning. Palestine Police Department officers responded to a report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle in the 4400 block of West Oak at approximately 6:32 a.m. on Thursday. According to the police department and our news partners at KETK, the pedestrian entered the roadway on foot and was struck by a 2022 Ram truck driven by a 24-year-old man from Chandler. The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene by Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace James Westley and an autopsy has been ordered. The crash remains under investigation, and no names have been released yet.

TYLER – A woman who went missing in December was found dead in a vacant Tyler residence on Jan. 31. According to Smith County Public Information Officer Larry Christian and our news partners at KETK, 21-year-old Aumarie Gasel Deleon was found dead and in a severe state of decomposition in the kitchen area of a vacant residence in northeast Tyler. Deleon was reported missing on Dec. 12, 2025. Smith County Investigators and the Crime Scene Unit responded to the scene along with Smith County Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace Curtis Wulf, who ordered an autopsy. The Southwest Institute of Forensic Science in Dallas identified Deleon. The case is an ongoing death investigation and further details will be released as they become available, Christian said.

LUFKIN — Lufkin residents spoke out at Tuesday night’s city council meeting, successfully blocking a proposed replacement electric substation from being built near their neighborhoods.

Following more than an hour of public comment, the Lufkin City Council voted 6–1 to deny a special permit that would have allowed Oncor to build a replacement substation on Brentwood Drive, adjacent to the existing facility. The site is near apartment complexes, Anderson Elementary School and the Crown Colony neighborhood.

Lufkin Fire Chief Scott Moody told council members the proposed substation would not pose a safety risk, noting it would use mineral oil for cooling instead of traditional fluids.

Oncor representatives argued the replacement is necessary to keep up with Lufkin’s growth. Attorney Jaren Taylor said the existing substation is expected to reach 117% of its capacity by this summer, limiting the system’s ability to provide backup power during peak demand. Continue reading Council denies special permit for Oncor

KILGORE — The criminal case against the former head football coach at Poteau High School, accused of embezzling from another Oklahoma high school, has been dismissed, according to court records.
Forrest Mazey, 44, was accused of one count of embezzlement out of Pittsburg County in July 2025. He had pleaded not guilty. Court records show the case was dismissed on Jan. 26 following a preliminary hearing.

A felony information sheet said Mazey was accused of “fraudulently appropriating the sum” of more than $4,600 that belonged to McAlester Public Schools.

A probable cause affidavit said that the McAlester Public Schools Campus Police Department was notified of missing funds from one of the school’s athletic programs on June 3, where Mazey previously served as a football coach.

The head football coach at McAlester Public Schools alleged that he logged into the football team’s Adidas sportswear account, which was supposed to have $6,000 in it, but the account was missing $4,676.75.

The money in the account was a credit given to the McAlester football team for purchases, including gear for players and coaches. The affidavit said that the account was only to be used by the head coach of the football program and the athletic director. Continue reading Case dismissed against former coach

LONGVIEW — After nearly three decades of service, the assistant fire chief of the Longview Fire Department is retiring. Steven Green was the assistant fire chief of Longview for more than 28 years and the fire department announced his retirement on Wednesday.

The fire department celebrates Green, saying he served the department throughout many changes and transitions while contributing in various roles.

“Thank you for your years of commitment and we wish you all the best in what comes next,” the fire department said.

(SMITH COUNTY) – A house fire on Hill N Dale Road west of Tyler Tuesday night started in an outdoor kitchen area and spread to the home. Our news partner KETK and Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue reported that the residents had just cooked in the covered outdoor kitchen area. Soon after, it caught fire and spread to the home. Both the residence and the outdoor kitchen area were a total loss. Four adults and six children lived at the home and were assisted by Red Cross. No injuries were reported.

Tyler — As millions of Americans prepare for Super Bowl LX, Mothers Against Drunk Driving® (MADD) Texas calls all football fans to make a winning move before kickoff by planning a safe ride home. With celebrations planned nationwide, Super Bowl Sunday remains one of the most dangerous days of the year for impaired driving crashes. According to the latest data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 48% of all motor vehicle traffic fatalities on Super Bowl Sunday in 2023 involved drivers with some level of alcohol in their system, and 42% involved drivers who were legally impaired (BAC .08 or higher). Alcohol consumption increases during major sporting events, particularly around pre-game, halftime, and post-game gatherings, contributing to elevated roadway risk during and immediately following the Super Bowl. Continue reading MADD: plan for Super Bowl

EAST TEXAS — Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed two people with roots in our region to the Early Childhood Education and Care Task Force. The task force was launched Jan. 20 to improve the quality, access and affordability of child care for families. According to our news partner KETK, Jeff Austin III of Whitehouse and Nancy Windham of Nacogdoches, were among 11 others named to the task force.

Austin received his Bachelor of Science in Political Science and Business as well as a Master of Business Administration from The University of Texas at Tyler. He is also a graduate of the Harvard Business School Advanced Management Program, SMU’s Southwestern Graduate School of Banking, Banking Leadership Texas and Leadership Tyler. Austin is currently the chairman of the Board of Austin Bank Texas N.A. and Austin Bancorp.

Windham attended Stephen F. Austin State University and is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma Economic Development Institute, and also studied basic industrial development at Texas A&M University. Currently, she is the Regional Economic Development Advisor of the Texas Forest Country Partnership.

Abbott also said, “The real reason why we passed this bill, the real reason why we’re having this announcement today, is because of the importance of helping parents across the entire state be able to access quality and affordable early child care and child education for their children,” .