Canada suspends animal exports from Texas due to New World screwworm concerns

OTTAWA (THE TEXAS TRIBUNE) – Canada has suspended several animal exports from Texas due to concerns about the New World screwworm, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is immediately suspending the export of horses, pigs, cattle, bison, sheep, goats, deer, elk, moose, llamas and more. Imports from other states are permitted, provided the animals have not resided in or passed through Texas during the 21 days immediately prior to their arrival in Canada.

The USDA stated in a news release on Tuesday that its accredited veterinarians must include information on whether the animal resided in or was transported through a state affected by New World Screwworm, and that exporters/shippers have been advised that this is required; otherwise, the shipment will be refused entry into Canada.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency announced in a news release that it will continue to work closely with its United States counterparts to assess developments and adjust measures as needed.

“While our colder climate is not hospitable for the long-term establishment of the fly in Canada, they can survive shorter periods of time in the summer months,” the CFIA stated in the news release. “Taking this action now is an appropriate risk mitigation measure to prevent its introduction and protect animal health.”

The decision comes after an infestation of flesh-eating flies was confirmed in South Texas in June, setting off alarm bells for the state’s cattle industry.

Since then, the New World screwworm has continued to infiltrate livestock and other animals in Texas, with 34 confirmed cases as of July 10.

The Texas Animal Health Commission identified a potential cause last month: small wildlife and rodents, such as armadillos, opossums, and rabbits.

Until then, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins has pointed to multiple causes, including border policies under President Joe Biden and the illicit movement of cattle at the hands of drug cartels.

However, the source of the first case of New World Screwworm remains under investigation, according to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. Other health experts say it’s still undetermined what allowed the invasive pest to finally breach the Texas-Mexico border.

The USDA closed all southern ports of entry to livestock imports from Mexico in May 2025 and has kept them closed since then, preventing cattle from legally crossing into the U.S. from Mexico.

Experts project that 500 million sterile flies are needed weekly to eradicate the pest, and at the moment, the U.S. government is producing about 100 million every seven days out of a facility in Panama.

That capacity is set to expand, but not enough to reach the 500 million threshold. And other technologies officials hope to pair with fly sterilization are not yet ready for deployment or are the subject of disagreement, leaving the Trump administration and Texas officials without a speedy path to eradicate the threat.

The original copy of this article is post at The Texas Tribune.

New leadership sweeps over Nacogdoches ISD with 4 new principals

NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK) — Nacogdoches ISD is entering a new era of leadership, as four skilled and familiar faces take on principal roles to continue strengthening and supporting the education of the students.

In July, the Nacogdoches school district announced that four campuses, including the high school, will be under the leadership of new principals this upcoming school year.

At Nacogdoches High School, the home of the dragons, longtime educator Shawn Lucena will be taking over as the next principal, with a focus on preparing students for success after graduating with the CTE program.

“The focus is student learning,” Lucena said. “Everything that we do – extra-curriculars, certifications – will be gauged by that.”

Lucena has been directly involved in the Career and Technical Education Department for the past two years as the director, working to make student achievement in the classroom a cornerstone at the school. He’s been involved with the district for almost 20 years in many roles, including as a teacher and assistant principal.

In the elementary campuses, Melinda Wiebold was named the Emeline Carpenter school and Tammy Pankratz is back at Mike Moses.

Wiebald has shown a streak of success in Nacogdoches in her previous role as the principal of Fredonia Elementary. In six years, she raised the campus from a low-performing score to a B rating from the Texas Education Agency.

“I’m thrilled to be back on campus and look forward to a great year at Carpenter,” Wiebold said. “We’ve got a great facility, great staff and students who can do exceptional work, and I’m grateful to be a part of that for the new year.”

Over at Mike Moses, Pankratz returns as principal, bringing experience as an administrator and executive director. She’s familiar with the campus as an alum and her extensive career with the school in many different roles.

“Tammy Pankratz has an extensive background in school and district administration, and I’m excited for her to be back at Mike Moses Elementary,” Nacogdoches ISD Superintendent Grey Burton said. “Her expertise and knowledge as an educator will be a benefit to the students and staff at Mike Moses Elementary.”

Margie Chumbley Academy for Success will be led by Tena Hill, who is transitioning from her assistant principal role after former principal James Adams was named assistant superintendent of the district.

Hill has decades of experience in education, with the last 16 years working with the school district. From teacher to principal, Hill is a great fit for the campus, the district said.

“She’s been there supporting the students and staff at the school,” Burton said. “Ms. Hill has a love and appreciation for the students at Margie Chumbley and will continue the progress already being made there.”

NASA astronaut joins Russian cosmonauts in launch to International Space Station

Expedition 75 Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina (top), NASA astronaut Anil Menon (C) and Roscosmos cosmonaut Pyotr Dubrov wave farewell prior to boarding the Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft for launch on July 14, 2026, at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- A NASA astronaut blasted off from a launch site in Kazakhstan Tuesday along with two Russian cosmonauts as part of a mission to the International Space Station.

Anil Menon launched aboard the Roscosmos Soyuz MS-29 spacecraft from the Baikonur Cosmodrome site around 10:47 a.m. ET along with cosmonauts Pyotr Dubrov and Anna Kikina.

This marks Menon's first space flight, and the second flight for the Russian cosmonauts, according to NASA.

The space craft docked with the station at 1:52 p.m. ET.

Once aboard the station, they will join up with the members of Expedition 74 crew, three NASA astronauts, one European Space Agency astronauts and three cosmonauts, who have been on the station conducting scientific experiments.

Menon, Dubrov and Kikina's mission will last about eight months and they are scheduled to return to Earth in April 2027.

Menon, an emergency medicine doctor, will "conduct scientific research and technology demonstrations aimed at advancing human space exploration and benefiting life on Earth," according to NASA.

That includes research into production of semiconductor crystals in space, and testing augmented reality and artificial intelligence tools for medical support in space, NASA said.

"He will be a test subject helping researchers understand how blood flow is affected in space to protect future astronauts. He also will test bioprinting vascular constructs in microgravity to improve understanding of the aging process to advance therapeutic developments," the agency added.

During an April news conference, Menon said the mission is a critical stepping stone as NASA sets its sights on building a moon base and, eventually, sending people to Mars.

"I've always thought about these long-duration missions like Mars, it might take three years to get there, or the lunar base where you're actually working on the moon, which would be an opportunity for a lot of people in the future," Menon said.

In June, Menon spoke with ABC News' medical correspondent Dr. Darien Sutton about the upcoming mission, explaining that his work caring for patients is often more challenging to him than preparing for his trip to space because, as a physician, he is always trying to minimize risk for his patients.

"I think I have a little bit more of a sense of adventure for myself and I'm willing to take on a little more, make my own decisions about where my risk lands and where I put my energy. And so I think taking care of patients is a little more difficult for that reason," Menon told ABC News.

Menon and his wife, Anna, are both NASA astronauts, a development he says the couple never anticipated.

"There was a 0% chance we thought this would happen," he said during the April news conference, adding that he had previously been rejected by NASA before ultimately being selected in December 2021.

"I wanted to be an astronaut, but I thought that door was closed because I had tried and had been unsuccessful at an interview."

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

What it means when federal authorities say cars are being weaponized

BIDDEFORD, Me. (AP) – The term weaponized vehicle has become commonplace at news conferences and in statements released by federal officials during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.

Federal authorities initially used that language Monday when talking to state officials about the actions of a Maine driver who was fatally shot by immigration officers. In public statements, Department of Homeland Security officials shifted their description to say officers fired into the vehicle “fearing for public safety.”

It was the second time in a week that federal immigration authorities shot and killed someone behind the wheel of a car, initially accusing the driver of attempting to ram into immigration officers.

But while the weaponization of a car is often used to justify the use of deadly force against a driver, the legal definition is a lot less clear cut.
Courts agree cars can be considered weapons

In numerous state and federal courts, judges have agreed that vehicles can be considered weapons when they are used to inflict harm. But many of those cases have been considerations of whether enhanced charges such as aggravated assault with a deadly weapon can be levied against a person after an injury or death was already caused by a vehicle.

Many state laws that address assault with a vehicle are designed to enhance manslaughter or other charges against people violating traffic laws or driving requirements. Judicial opinions have largely focused on crimes of negligence, road rage or driving while intoxicated, and in rare instances, cases where someone purposefully drove their car into a crowd of people.

They rarely deal with the question faced by police or federal law enforcement officials of when a moving vehicle should be considered a dangerous weapon, and when that allows for the use of deadly force.
Training often says to move rather than shoot

Many law enforcement departments and agencies weigh the potential for unintended harm heavily when instructing officers or agents on when it’s acceptable to fire a weapon at a moving vehicle.

Many department policies tell officers to move out of the way of a vehicle rather than shoot because of the potential harm to bystanders who could be struck by unintended gunfire or by a careening vehicle if the driver is incapacitated.

Policies often say a suspect fleeing is not enough justification for using deadly force. Some require another weapon such as a firearm being used as a threat from the person in the vehicle to establish a clear threat to public or officer safety.
Experts say many factors determine when a car is weaponized

Exceptions exist in many use-of-force policies for what became a familiar scene abroad and at times in the U.S. — a person driving a vehicle into crowded public streets to inflict as much damage as possible.

But, experts say those exceptions have been used as a defense in situations where a person was not posing the same level of threat.

They say officers and juries should consider factors such as the speed of the vehicle, whether there are large gatherings of people on the sidewalks or nearby, and the reason for the initial police interaction. For example, a person fleeing an armed robbery at a bank might pose a higher danger than someone fleeing a traffic stop.

Former Uvalde school police chief court appearance postponed due to flooding

Update: Former Uvalde school police chief Pete Arredondo was due to appear in federal court Tuesday, but the hearing was abruptly postponed due to heavy rain and flooding in parts of Texas, and a new date has not yet been scheduled, according to ABC News.

UVALDE ABC) — Former Uvalde, Texas, school police chief Pete Arredondo is due in federal court Tuesday as part of his push to compel federal agents to testify at his trial for allegedly endangering students during the response to the Robb Elementary School mass shooting.

Arredondo is charged with 10 counts of endangering students for allegedly failing to quickly respond to the May 24, 2022, shooting, in which 19 students and two teachers were killed.

Arredondo filed a civil lawsuit this year to compel 19 U.S. Customs and Border Protection employees to testify during his criminal trial, which is set to begin on Feb. 22, 2027.

Arredondo’s attorneys have argued the testimony is vital for him to have a fair trial.

“The testimony will not only be material to determining whether he alone is responsible for the delay, it will also be helpful to show that Mr. Arredondo is not personally responsible for many shortcomings or any delay of CBP agents as part of the law enforcement response,” defense attorney Paul Looney wrote in a court filing.

This year, Looney filed a formal request to make the agents available to testify at trial, arguing that the accounts of the agents who stormed the classroom where the shooter was barricaded is necessary to prove Arredondo was not responsible for the botched response. Uvalde District Attorney Christina Mitchell has sued to compel similar testimony, but CBP declined the requests to facilitate the testimony.

CBP Chief Counsel Andrew Block said in court filings that the testimony is not necessary for Arredondo’s defense, could be sought through other means, could impact CBP operations, and may result in the disclosure of “confidential law enforcement techniques and procedures.”

“You seek testimony from 19 CBP employees, which would require CBP to make all 19 officers available before and during the trial, pulling them off duty, incurring travel costs, and lost work hours, which negatively impacts CBP operations and national security,” Block wrote.

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Inflation fell more than expected in June as gas prices eased

A shopper browses near 'Sale' signs in the meats section of a grocery store on July 7, 2026 in Pasadena, California. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- Inflation dropped more than expected in June as gas prices eased in response to negotiations between U.S. and Iran over the Middle East conflict.

Prices rose 3.5% in June compared to a year earlier, marking a retreat from a year-over-year inflation rate of 4.2% in the prior month, federal government data released on Tuesday morning showed.

The reading for June marks the lowest inflation since March, though the pace of price increases remains more than a percentage point higher than its pre-war level.

Last month, oil prices fell to their lowest level since before the late February outbreak of the Iran war. That drop came after a preliminary agreement included provisions aimed at resolving a global crude shortage.

A spike in oil prices over recent days amid a resumption of fighting, however, threatens to push gas prices higher, erasing some of the relief delivered last month.

Brent crude futures, the benchmark index for worldwide trading, rose to $86.90 a barrel on Tuesday. That figure stood roughly even with its level a month earlier, though it remained more than 20% higher than its pre-war level.

The inflation report on Tuesday offered some additional bright spots outside of energy prices.

Core inflation -- a measure of price increases that strips out volatile food and energy prices -- clocked at 2.6% over the year ending in June. That reading indicated a slight decline from the previous month, suggesting the cooldown had extended beyond gasoline.

Even after easing last month, overall inflation stands markedly higher than the Federal Reserve's target rate of 2%.

Speaking to a House committee on Tuesday, Fed Chair Kevin Warsh vowed to address elevated inflation.

"My colleagues and I recognize that high inflation has been an undue burden on American households and businesses," Warsh said, before noting that "volatilities and variations are inevitable, especially in an unsettled world."

Inflation spiked in the early 2020s in response to economic disruption wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. Price increases eased significantly by 2024, but sped up in recent months as the Iran war choked off global oil supply. Over that entire period, inflation remained above the Fed's target rate.

"If we get policy right -- and I assure you, we will -- the inflation surge of the last five years will be a thing of the past," Warsh told lawmakers.

In roughly two weeks, the central bank will issue its next decision on the level of interest rates. The Fed is widely expected to hold interest rates steady, according to the CME FedWatch Tool, a measure of market sentiment.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Woman charged in officer shooting

WOOD COUNTY – Charges of attempted capital murder have been brought against an East Texas woman who is accused of deceiving law enforcement and allegedly guiding officers into an ambush that injured two officers during a shooting. According to court documents, Quitman resident Stephanie O’Connor-Bathe is accused of two counts of attempted capital murder of a peace officer in relation to an officer-involved shooting on February 14 that seriously injured a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper and a Wood County deputy. Continue reading Woman charged in officer shooting

Rubio expands plans for high-level meeting focused on ‘far-left terrorism’

Marco Rubio, Secretary of State looks on as U.S. President Donald Trump meets with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, President of Ukraine for bilateral talks at Bestepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit, July 8, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)

(WASHINGTON) -- Secretary of State Marco Rubio is preparing to host delegations from more than 70 countries this week for a gathering focused on addressing what the Trump administration describes as the overlooked threat posed by "the resurgence of transnational far-left terrorism," according to a State Department official and internal documents reviewed exclusively by ABC News.

"For too long this threat has remained a blind spot in the international community's counterterrorism focus, underestimated and under-resourced, despite the danger it poses," a note shared with foreign governments describing the concept of the meeting reads.

It goes on to assert that law enforcement and counterterrorism experts have revealed a "clear trend" of "globally networked, politically-motivated terrorists -- particularly far-left terrorists" increasingly turning to "organized, deadly violence to advance their political objectives."

The meeting, which will take place in Washington on Thursday, will lay the foundation for "coordinated action" to counter international organizations that are "seeking to implement an extreme political vision through intimidation and coordinated campaigns of terror," the document states.

Representatives from roughly 60 countries were initially expected to attend, but the State Department said in a post to X on Friday it would expand the ministerial due to "overwhelming interest" by inviting additional countries "working to combat the growing international threat of far-left violence."

A State Department official said more than 10 additional invitations had been extended.

Some critics of the Trump administration's counterterrorism approach have claimed its focus on threats from the far left is misguided.

Analysis conducted by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in 2025 found that while left-wing violence in the U.S. has increased over the past decade, "it has risen from very low levels and remains much lower than historical levels of violence carried out by right-wing and jihadist attackers."

The CSIS report concluded it was "important to resource all dimensions of the terrorism threat."

"Left-wing terrorism is a Trump administration priority, but jihadist terrorism also remains a concern even though it has declined," it states. "Right-wing terrorism could come roaring back, especially if in 2028 there are complaints of a 'stolen election' or similar incendiary claims."

The ACLU has also taken issue with multiple actions taken by the Trump administration's counterterrorism approach, accusing it of targeting politically opposed but peaceful activists and donors "under the guise of addressing political violence and domestic terrorism."

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‘Trump does like a winner’: Ukraine victories could mean more US backing, Zelenskyy adviser says

President Donald Trump meets with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for bilateral talks at Bestepe Presidential Compound during the NATO Summit on July 8, 2026 in Ankara, Turkey. (Win Mcnamee/Getty Images)

(LONDON) -- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy left last week's NATO summit armed with a valuable commitment from President Donald Trump -- that Kyiv would get approval to produce vital interceptor missiles for the Patriot air defense system, which since 2023 has helped defend Ukraine's skies against Russian aircraft, drones and ballistic missiles.

Zelenskyy and his top officials have long warned that Ukraine needs more air defense systems and far more ammunition to blunt Russia's daily long-range strikes. In recent weeks and with interceptor missile stocks reportedly running low, those warnings have become more dire.

Trump's approval for Kyiv to get a production license to produce Patriot interceptors on home soil is "really good news for Ukraine," Chrystia Freeland, previously Canada's deputy prime minister and now an economic adviser to Zelenskyy, told ABC News on the sidelines of the Chatham House think tank's conference in London last week.

"It would be even better if they were getting Patriots right now, because they're being hammered," Freeland added. "It's great to get the licenses. But between getting the licenses and actually being able to make the Patriot [missiles] to defend themselves, it's going to take time. And during that time, lots of people are going to die."

As civilian casualties in Ukraine rise, securing more air defense systems and ammunition are a priority for Kyiv, Zelenskyy has said repeatedly. Russian strikes killed at least 265 civilians in Ukraine and injured 1,816 in June, senior United Nations official Rosemary DiCarlo told the body's Security Council earlier this month.

The combined casualty total for June is the highest recorded since the first months of Russia's full-scale invasion, DiCarlo said. Moscow's full-scale invasion ?in February 2022, a top U.N. official told the Security Council on Thursday.

In a post to X on Monday, Zelenskyy said that he and Trump "have reached an important deal on licenses to produce Patriot systems. Our teams are now working to implement this truly historic political agreement. We worked toward this for a very long time."

Trump said during his warm meeting with Zelenskyy in the Turkish capital Ankara that the two leaders had developed a "good relationship." The friendly exchange was a far cry from the infamous bilateral meeting at the White House last year which devolved into a heated public argument, with Trump and Vice President JD Vance openly admonishing Zelenskyy.

Freeland said that while Trump's backing was welcome in Kyiv, Ukrainian leaders were focused on the bigger strategic picture. "They're playing 100% to necessity. Ukrainians aren't fighting to put on a show for Trump. They're fighting because otherwise they will die," she said.

"Trump does like a winner. He is not averse to flip flops. And I do think the stronger Ukrainians are the more likely they are to get his support," Freeland added.

The Ankara declaration -- NATO allies traditionally issue a joint communique to mark the end of each summit -- said that Ukraine "contributes to transatlantic security" and is in line to receive some $80 billion in allied funding across 2026, with 2027 funding to be "at least equivalent."

"Allies stand united in our unwavering support for Ukraine in defending its freedom, sovereignty, and territorial integrity," the statement read.

The outcome was a positive one for Ukraine, Freeland said. "I would emphasize that the Ukrainians are making their own luck. I think the better they do, the more enthusiasm there is for supporting them. I think the Ukrainians recognize," she said.

European allies, in particular, Freeland said, had shown they "are prepared to hang in there." She added, "I think neither the Russians nor the Americans thought that Europe could do it."

Russia's full-scale invasion of its neighbor is now in its fifth year, the latest round of conflict having followed a lower-intensity conflict which began in 2014 with Russia's annexation of Crimea and its fomentation of separatist rebellion in Ukraine's eastern Donbas region.

A campaign that was designed to deliver a rapid Russian victory has now lasted longer than World War One, with Kyiv claiming to have inflicted nearly 1.5 million casualties on the invading forces while Russia's ongoing offensives in the east of the country remain at a glacial pace.

Ukrainian long-range strikes into Russia, meanwhile, have increased exponentially in scale and intensity, putting particular pressure on the country's lucrative oil production, refining and export sectors. Ukrainian drones are also increasingly targeting the supply routes into Crimea, seeking to effectively blockade the occupied peninsula from afar.

Ukraine's foreign partners have been lauding the country's reported successes. Even Trump, who famously suggested last year that Ukraine did not "have the cards" to play, said last month that Zelenskyy was "doing pretty well" in the showdown with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Both the Trump administration and former President Joe Biden's administration had put pressure on Kyiv to refrain from attacking certain targets, with Ukraine's strikes on Russian oil facilities reportedly a particularly sensitive subject under both administrations.

But Ukraine's ongoing success on that front, Freeland said, showed it had been "a mistake to ask the Ukrainians to tie one hand behind their back."

"One of the things that has changed is Ukrainians are now using their own weapons and they're making their own weapons, and that means they don't need to ask anyone's permission for where they strike. And I do think that's made a big difference," she added.

Though the wartime narrative appears to be swinging somewhat in Ukraine's favor, the country's cities remain under near-constant fire and Kyiv's forces do not appear able to liberate significant territory still occupied by Russian troops. In his latest casualty update in February, Zelenskyy said Ukraine had lost at least 55,000 soldiers killed since 2022.

Ukraine also still appears to be frozen out of NATO membership in the short term, despite Zelenskyy's repeated and recent appeals for the alliance to set out a clear roadmap for Ukraine's accession, which allies have repeatedly said they support in principle.

"I have actually heard, behind closed doors and also in public, more and more European leaders saying Russia shouldn't have a veto on who is in NATO, and Ukraine now has the strongest army in Europe, we should have them on our team," Freeland said.

Moscow and Kyiv still appear far apart on the key issues in any future settlement. Though Putin has claimed a willingness to negotiate, he is still refusing to engage directly with Zelenskyy and is still demanding a raft of major Ukrainian concessions in exchange for peace.

"I think it's impossible to foresee what will happen next," Freeland said when asked about the war's outlook. "Where are we right now? We know that the Ukrainians are doing well ... We know that Russia is suffering more than it has since the beginning of the war."

"I think that the view that Ukraine was about to collapse was always overdone. And I think that was a line that Russia pushed in order to get Western allies, particularly the United States, to push Ukraine to surrender. And they were effective, for a while," she added.

"What I think is important for us to recognize and what is absolutely true, is Ukraine's success right now is showing us that if we give them the tools, they will finish the job," Freeland said.

ABC News' Yulia Drozd contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Boil water notice after storm disruption

MABANK – A boil water notice has been issued for a portion of the City of Mabank following a storm on Monday morning that disrupted a pump station. According to the city, residents within the Elm Grove Pump Station jurisdiction are subject to the boil water notice and are asked to bring any water intended for cleaning or consumption to a vigorous rolling boil for at least two minutes before use.

In lieu of boiling their water, the city said residents may also purchase or obtain water from an alternative source until the notice is revoked. A notification will be sent out by the public water system once the boil water notice is no longer in effect, according to our news partner KETK.

Those with questions regarding the boil water notice can contact the City of Mabank Water Department at 903-887-241.

Gov. Abbott apoints new Angelina County judge

ANGELINA COUNTY, Texas (KETK)– A Lufkin city attorney was appointed on Monday by Gov. Greg Abbott as the new judge of the 217th Judicial District Court in Angelina County

Kristi Skillern will be entering the position, replacing Judge Robert Inselmann, who recently announced his retirement after serving as the 17th District Court judge since 2015.

Skillern enters the position after winning the Republican Primary runoff this past May against Stephen Walker and will begin her tenure once Inselmann’s officially concludes at the end of 2026.
Family still searching for missing Gilmer man after 20 years

Prior to becoming a city attorney, Skillern served as in-house counsel for State Farm Insurance and as defense counsel for Stradley & Wright and Smith and Knott PC. Skillern also holds a law degree from St. Mary’s School of Law and is a member of the State Bar of Texas and the American Bar Association.

Outside of her judicial career, Skillern is an active member of the Lufkin community, serving as a volunteer for the Salvation Army and the First Baptist Church of Lufkin.

Entry into ICE 287(g) program discussed

BROWNSBORO — During a town hall meeting for the City of Brownsboro on Monday evening, city officials discussed the possibility of their police department entering the 287 (g) program. The 287(g) Task Force Model is a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that allows increased local law enforcement to enforce U.S. immigration laws, including identifying and processing immigrants with pending or active criminal charges.

Our news partner KETK reports that during the meeting Brownsboro residents were given the chance to ask questions and share their thoughts on the city’s consideration of entering the 287(g) program.

Brownsboro Police Chief Scott Myntti was also present at the town hall, where he provided residents with more details about the program and discussed the possibility of Brownsboro becoming the newest East Texas city to enter into 287(g). A decision on whether or not Brownsboro will enter the program has not yet been made, and it is uncertain at this time when that decision will be reached.

30 years for uploading child pornography

30 years for uploading child pornographyBULLARD – A man was sentenced to serve 30 years in state prison on Monday after he was arrested for uploading pornographic images of children as young as one year old to his Google account in February. Dakota Reece was arrested after a Cybertip was received by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 8 from Google Inc. The tip reported Reece had uploaded 61 files of child pornography to Google Photos in 2025, according to our news partner KETK.

“All 61 media files were photos or videos of nude children ranging in age from approximately 1 year old to approximately 14 years old in provocative positions […] as well as adults engaging in [sexual acts] with children as young as 1 year of age,” Reece’s arrest documents read.

Reece’s phone was searched under a warrant on Feb. 2. Law enforcement learned from an email on the phone that their account had been disabled after it was flagged for containing harmful content. Continue reading 30 years for uploading child pornography

DPS seeks information on police impersonator

POLK COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — The Texas Department of Public Safety is seeking any victims of a person who allegedly impersonated law enforcement and conducted traffic stops in Deep East Texas.

DPS is actively investigating reports they’ve received of a police impersonator in the area. The person allegedly conducted traffic stops while driving an unmarked black 2022 Jeep Gladiator on U.S. Highway 190 in Walker, San Jacinto and Polk counties.

DPS told KETK News that they are still working to identify the suspect.

Anyone who believes they have been pulled over by a person driving the 2022 Jeep is asked to contact the Conroe DPS Criminal Investigations Division by phone at 346-260-9824 or by email luke.williams@dps.texas.gov.

Driver arrested after synthetic urine, cocaine found in vehicle

HOUSTON COUNTY (KETK) — A Houston County driver was arrested on Sunday after law enforcement allegedly found synthetic urine and cocaine in his vehicle.

The Houston County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded to Highway 19 South near Lovelady after receiving reports of a reckless driver and a suspicious person. When they arrived, a deputy detained the driver, who was showing signs of being in medical distress.

Before towing, the vehicle was checked, where they found a Tylenol bottle containing suspected cocaine residue and a bottle that appears to have a bottle of synthetic urine, the sheriff’s office said.

Witnesses said the driver crossed into oncoming traffic, forcing another driver to leave the roadway to avoid a head-on collision. The suspect then allegedly exited his vehicle and attempted to open the doors of other vehicles and would run into oncoming traffic while saying people were trying to kill him.

Once arrested, the suspect was identified as Sergio Ortiz, who was first taken to a medical center before being taken into the Houston County Jail.

Ortiz has been charged with: Possession of a controlled substance, reckless driving and possession of a substance designed to falsify drug test results

“We encourage anyone who observes reckless or suspicious activity to immediately contact the Houston County Sheriff’s Office so deputies can respond and help keep our community safe,” the Houston County Sheriff’s Office said.

Houston man guilty of drug trafficking in Homeland Security investigation

BEAUMONT – A Houston man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced. Indolfo Hernandez, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on July 10, 2026.

According to information presented in court, in January 2024, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine throughout Texas and neighboring regions. The organization, based in Houston and operating within the Eastern District of Texas, was led by Hernandez. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 16 kilograms of methamphetamine that had been distributed by Hernandez and his co-conspirators.

This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic inter-agency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.

In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. Hernandez faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.

Robbery attempt goes sideways

Robbery attempt goes sidewaysSMITH COUNTY – A man has been taken to the Smith County Jail after allegedly admitting to using meth before colliding with several vehicles and attempting to rob a gas station.

According to our news partner KETK and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to an incident in Tyler on Thursday, where a white Ford truck allegedly rammed another vehicle multiple times before fleeing the area. Law enforcement was then told the suspect had gone to a Texaco gas station on Highway 69.

When law enforcement arrived at the initial scene, they spotted a black SUV on the side of the road with visible damage. The owner of the SUV directed them to where the suspect had left. Continue reading Robbery attempt goes sideways

Thousands died in England and Wales from recent heat waves: Report

People shield from the sun under umbrellas next to the Victoria Memorial outside Buckingham Palace as the UK is hit by another heatwave. (Vuk Valcic/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

(LONDON) -- More than 2,700 people are estimated to have died in England and Wales in recent months as a result of heat-related causes, a new report has found.

The excess deaths occurred as a result of heat waves in May and June, according to researchers at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), Imperial College London and the Met Office.

Globally, heat is the leading cause of weather-related deaths, according the World Health Organization (WHO).

The heat wave that occurred between May 21 and 29 was likely responsible for around 550 deaths, while the heat wave that occurred from June 18 to 28 was likely responsible for about 2,200 deaths, the analysis found.

Both heat waves broke long-standing temperature records, according to the report.

In the U.K., the temperature threshold for an official heat wave is lower than in much of the U.S.

A heat wave is defined as a period of at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures meeting or exceeding the heat wave temperature threshold, according to the Met Office. The threshold varies by county and ranges from 77 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit.

Across much of the U.S., the temperature threshold is at least three consecutive days with daily maximum temperatures at 90 degrees or greater.

The most heat-related deaths occurred southeast of England, with 549 in total. London saw 453 deaths and the West Midlands reported 368 deaths, researchers said. They suggested that people in areas less frequently exposed to extreme heat may be more vulnerable.

"It is vital that action on adapting Britain’s homes, workplaces, and critical infrastructure to extreme heat outpaces these health risks, especially if we are to protect those most vulnerable to its impacts, such as older people, babies, and children," Malcolm Mistry, assistant professor in climate and geo-spatial modeling at the LSHTM, said in a statement.

About 42% of heat-related deaths that occurred in the U.K. during those months were exacerbated by human-caused climate change, researchers said.

"Climate change is further boosting the temperature of essentially every heat wave we observe today," Flavio Lehner, a climate scientist at Cornell University, said in a statement to ABC News. "In other words, had the same weather pattern occurred 50 or 100 years ago, it would have also resulted in a heatwave, but one that was a bit cooler."

It’s not only daytime high temperatures that are a concern. Heat waves are becoming even more dangerous as overnight low temperatures are still too high for people to recover from the heat stress they experience during the day, according to the WHO.

Western Europe, the region most impacted by the historic heat wave in late June, experienced its hottest June on record last month, according to Copernicus, Europe's climate change service.

Many June and some all-time records for daily maximum temperature were broken in several countries, according to Copernicus.

France's nationwide average temperature hit 30 degrees Celsius, or about 86 degrees Fahrenheit, on June 24 -- the highest-ever temperature recorded, according to weather officials at Meteo-France, the national weather service. High temperatures in Paris recorded in the triple digits in the days after.

High temperatures also impacted cities like Madrid and Rome, according to Copernicus.

There were more than 5,000 excess deaths in Germany and another 4,700 deaths in France, Belgium, Spain and the Netherlands between June 20 and 28, Reuters reported.

Rising atmospheric and ocean temperatures "reflect a climate system continuing to accumulate heat" that result in increasingly intense heat waves and a persistently warm ocean, Samantha Burgess, strategic lead for climate at the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, said in a statement.

"June 2026 underscored how profoundly the climate is changing," Burgess said. "Western Europe recorded its warmest June on record, and continued record warmth in the global ocean."

Matthew Glasser and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Man sentenced for solicitation

TYLER – For asking two young girls to change his diaper last summer, an East Texas man received a 16-year prison sentence. On Monday, Whitehouse resident Wesley Worl, 47, entered a guilty plea to the charge of solicitation to commit indecency with a child (sexual contact). After that, he received a 16-year sentence for the crime.

Worl was upgraded from a third-degree felony to a second-degree felony, which carries a sentence of two to twenty years, according to the prosecution, because he had previously served time in prison.

After review by the appeals staff of the DA’s office, the state declared that this was the most serious charge Worl could face for what transpired. The 475th District Court’s Judge Taylor Heaton stated that although he was reluctant to accept the plea agreement, Worl could receive the maximum sentence possible for this crime. Worl was mandated to register as a sexual offender for the duration of the legal requirement.

An 11-year-old girl reported to police on July 29, 2025, that she and her friend were riding their bikes close to Andy Woods Elementary School and Pollard Park in Tyler. Continue reading Man sentenced for solicitation

2nd American infected with Ebola in DRC evacuated to Germany, WHO chief says

Medical workers disinfect a facility used to treat an Ebola patient at the Heal Africa Hospital on June 4, 2026 in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo. (Daniel Buuma/Getty Images)

(NEW YORK) -- A second American citizen infected with Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has been transferred to Germany for care, the head of the World Health Organization said on Monday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced over the weekend that the unnamed patient works for a humanitarian aid organization and tested positive for the Bundibugyo virus, the strain of Ebola that is behind the DRC's outbreak.

In a post on X on Monday, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, director-general of the WHO, said the organization "has provided clinical care and close monitoring" for the patient in the Ituri province, where most of the DRC's cases have been confirmed.

Samaritan's Purse, which has been responding to the outbreak, confirmed on Monday that one of their staff members is the infected patient.

"We can confirm that one of our Samaritan's Purse staff members working in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), has tested positive for the Ebola virus," Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse, said in a statement. "This respected and faithful staff member has been a part of our Disaster Assistance Response Team for 15 years and has been serving in a logistics capacity in the DRC over the past month. He was not involved in direct patient care at our two Ebola Treatment Centers."

Samaritan's Purse said it immediately contacted the CDC, the State Department and the DRC's government upon learning of the positive test and that the organization has begun contact tracing.

The first American infected with Ebola was a doctor who contracted the disease while treating patients in the DRC. Dr. Peter Stafford was evacuated to Germany at the time to receive specialty care and was hospitalized at Charité University Hospital in Berlin, according to Serge, the international Christian missionary group that employs him.

His wife, Dr. Rebekah Stafford, and their four children were also evacuated to Germany and moved into a separate space at the hospital as high-risk contacts. Peter Stafford was discharged from the hospital in June, and the family has since returned to the United States.

The outbreak in the DRC has led to more than 1,900 cases and more than 700 deaths, according to the latest figures from the DRC's Ministry of Health.

"As infections among response personnel are not unexpected in an outbreak of this scale, protecting frontline responders must remain a top priority," the WHO's Tedros wrote on X. "We are deeply grateful for the courage and commitment of all health workers working to end this outbreak."

Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.

Keystone Pipeline system’s operator agrees to pay a $26.9M penalty over a major Kansas oil spill

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A proposed legal settlement with the U.S. government would require the Keystone Pipeline system’s operator to pay a $26.9 million civil penalty over a major oil spill in Kansas in December 2022 and spend about $40 million more to prevent future accidents.

The agreement would resolve allegations from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Kansas that South Bow, based in Canada, violated U.S. and state clean water laws. The rupture dumped nearly 13,000 barrels of heavy crude oil into a creek running through a rural pasture in Washington County, Kansas, about 150 miles (241 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City.

The accident was the largest onshore crude pipeline spill in the U.S. in nine years and surpassed all 22 previous ones on the same pipeline system combined, according to a 2021 report from the U.S. Government Accountability Office. The total amount of oil spilled would have nearly filled an Olympic-sized swimming pool.

South Bow also would pay Kansas more than $3 million for environmental restoration projects under a proposed decree filed Friday in U.S. District Court in Kansas. A judge would have to approve the proposed decree after a 30-day public comment period.

“The oil spill blanketed land and water, rendering the waterway lifeless and useless and requiring extensive cleanup and remediation,” Jeffrey Hall, the EPA’s assistant administrator for its enforcement office, said in a statement. “The substantial penalty reflects the seriousness of the environmental harm.”

South Bow spokesperson Sara Hunter said in an emailed statement Sunday that the company “proactively” launched its response to the spill before receiving formal directives from government officials, including “comprehensive environmental remediation” completed in February 2024. She also said that since the spill, the company has done more than 12,000 miles (19,312 kilometers) of pipeline inspections and 400 excavations to examine pipe and make repairs where necessary.

“This work reflects our ongoing commitment to the safe, reliable operation of our pipeline system and to continuously strengthening pipeline integrity,” she said.

The company that built the pipeline, TC Energy, spun off South Bow as a separate firm in 2024, after the Kansas cleanup was done.

No pipeline workers or area residents were injured in the spill, and officials said public water supplies weren’t affected. However, a complaint filed Friday by the U.S. government along with the proposed settlement said more than 2,700 animals were harmed or killed. The area is home to an endangered species, the long-eared bat.

In a May 2023 report for the U.S. government, an engineering consulting firm said that a bend in the Keystone system where the spill occurred had been “overstressed” since its installation in December 2010 — likely because construction activity itself altered the land around the pipe. The complaint filed Friday in court said soil under the pipe had been “improperly compacted” and that while the company re-excavated the site in 2013, it did not replace that section of pipe.

The 2,689-mile (4,327-kilometer) Keystone system carries thick, Canadian tar sands oil to refineries in Illinois, Oklahoma and Texas.

In April, President Donald Trump gave the go-ahead for South Bow and another company to build a second pipeline from Canada to Wyoming, a smaller version of a massive $8 billion pipeline project known as Keystone XL blocked by former President Joe Biden’s administration in 2021 over environmental concerns.

Missing man has been found

Missing man has been foundUPDATE: The Longview Police Department said Tommy Madewell was found on Monday after he was last seen on July 8.

LONGVIEW – Longview PD is currently searching for Tommy Madewell, a white man, who was last seen leaving the CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center at around 4 p.m. on July 8. When he was last seen, Madewell was wearing a button down shirt, khaki shorts and a brown pair of shoes.

Anyone with information about his location is asked to contact Longview PD at 903-237-1199.

Community mourns 12-year-old killed in shooting with vigil

NACOGDOCHES (KETK) — A Nacogdoches elementary school hosted a vigil on Sunday to honor the life of a fifth-grade student who was shot and killed over the Fourth of July weekend.
Community mourns 5 victims of Highway 155 crash near Lake Palestine

The vigil for 12-year-old Redarion Davis took place at 6 p.m. on Sunday in the Emeline Carpenter Elementary school parking lot where fellow students, staff, family and friends gathered together to honor his memory.

“It’s not easy to hurt. It won’t go away. The pain won’t stop taking place but it lets the family know that the community, his school and friends are there for them and with them,” Zion Hill Baptist Church pastor Donald Lacey said on Sunday.

Davis sustained a fatal gunshot wound to the head after being involved in a shooting on the fourth of July and later died from related injuries, the Nacogdoches Police Department confirmed.

The Nacogdoches Police Department said 19-year-old Zamarion Douglas has since been arrested and charged with injury to a child in connection to the shooting.

Rep. Moran mourns death of Senator Graham

Rep. Moran mourns death of Senator GrahamTYLER – United States Congressman Nathaniel Moran of Tyler mourned fellow Republican and United States Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, after the senator died on Saturday night. Graham, a four-term United States Senator, was 71 when he died of a “brief and sudden illness” on Saturday evening. Moran said he was saddened by Graham’s death and lauded the senator’s support for the American military around the globe.

“Saddened to learn of the passing of Senator Lindsey Graham. He gave more than two decades of incredible service to the people of South Carolina and to this country,” Moran said on Sunday. “As a staunch defense and foreign policy hawk, he correctly understood the critical role America plays in defense of the cause of freedom. My prayers are with his family, his staff, and all who loved him.”

As Moran noted, Graham was a prominent supporter of the United States’ foreign military aid to countries like Ukraine and Israel. Graham had visited both Ukraine and Israel several times over his four terms in the United States Senate and had just returned from his most recent visit to Ukraine this week when he died. Continue reading Rep. Moran mourns death of Senator Graham

San Augustine Rural Water Supply issues boil water notice for all customers

SAN AUGUSTINE (KETK) – The San Augustine Rural Water Supply issued a boil water notice for all of their customers on Sunday after a water line break happened in the City of San Augustine.
East Texas Rep. Moran mourns death of U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham

Anyone on the San Augustine Rural Water Supply should bring any water for cleaning or consumption to a vigorous rolling boil for at least two minutes before use.

“Children, Seniors and Persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria, and all customers should follow these directions,” the San Augustine Rural Water Supply said. “To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes.”

The supply said when when the notice is no longer necessary they’ll notify customers that they can go back to normal water use.

Anyone with questions is asked to contact the San Augustine Rural Water System in person at 220 W. Columbia Street in San Augustine or by phone at 936-288-0489.

Eight injured in I-20 crash

LINDALE – At least 8 people were injured in crashes on Interstate 20 Sunday after an 18-wheeler rolled over, blocking traffic on the roadway. According to the Lindale Fire Department and our news partner KETK, firefighters were working on a first crash on Interstate 20 when they got word about a rollover crash.

The rollover crash happened at around 2:45 p.m. on Sunday in the westbound lanes of Interstate 20, just before the interstate reaches the Highway 69 bridge near mile marker 557 in the southern part of Lindale. Luckily no injuries were reported from either of those two crashes. Several vehicles then piled up nearby, while other vehicles swerved off the roadway to avoid the crash. Smith County Emergency Services District 2 (ESD2) said they’ve responded to several crashes that happened along Interstate 20, after the rollover.

One crash involved a grey Chevrolet Silverado heading eastbound that crashed and rolled over near Interstate 20 mile marker 569, leaving the truck’s driver injured. A driver in a passenger car that was also heading east was injured when the Chevrolet rolled in the median. Both of those drivers were then transported to local hospitals for treatment. Continue reading Eight injured in I-20 crash