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LONGVIEW — Longview ISD announced their lone finalist for superintendent as Dr. Marla Sheppard, a 29-year veteran educator. According to our news partner KETK, Sheppard has served as a math and science teacher, assistant principal and middle and high school principal in Houston ISD. She was also an assistant superintendent at Fort Bend ISD where she was responsible for 16 schools.

“I am honored to be chosen to serve the Longview community,” Sheppard said. “I am grateful to the board for their trust in me and I look forward to creating long-lasting relationships with the students, staff, and greater community.”

Sheppard said she looks forward to the journey forward in the community and she is excited for the opportunity to lead Longview ISD. She will begin her tenure at the district after the state-required 21-day waiting period. Continue reading Longview ISD announces lone finalist for superintendent

LONGVIEW — A Gladewater man pleaded guilty to murder on Monday after being accused of killing Victor Hugo Herrera in 2022 with a claw hammer. According to our news partner KETK, Preston Wade Graham pleaded guilty on Monday in the 188th District Court in Gregg County and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

According to an arrest warrant, on Oct. 10, 2022 Longview officials received an emergency call from the roommate of Herrera. Officials said when police responded to the residence in the 1000 block of Baxley Lane in Longview, the roommate said Herrera was injured and appeared to be struck in the head sometime between Oct. 9 and Oct. 10. Continue reading Man charged in brutal 2022 murder sentenced to prison

TYLER – Lawsuits and claims from the Phillips family related to their criminal cases could cost Smith County an estimated $300,000. County officials said this in a commissioner’s court meeting on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, Assistant District Attorney Thomas Wilson provided the briefing on pending or contemplated litigation against the county involving Karen, Derek and Lance Phillips, as well as family friend Cody Voss.

Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips originally filed her lawsuit against Smith County in June 2023. She is seeking $10 million in damages in connection to her March 2023 arrest. The lawsuit was paused by the court pending the outcome of her criminal case, and Wilson said that “as a result of the guilty finding by the jury I would anticipate that this claim will no longer go forward.”
Continue reading Phillips criminal case lawsuits could cost Smith County $300K

TYLER – With Memorial Day weekend here, Texas launched it’s annual “Click It or Ticket” seatbelt safety campaign on Monday. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Department of Transportation and the Department of Public Safety held press conference in front of a “Click it or Ticket” monster truck and was attended attended by many in the East Texas law enforcement community.

Heather Singleton, a DPS traffic safety specialist said at the launch event, “A lot of people don’t really understand the severity of not wearing a seatbelt. And that’s why we have these campaigns that include education, along with the enforcement officers who are out doing this enforcement beginning today. They’re going to be educating drivers that they speak with as well.”
Continue reading ‘Click It or Ticket’ seatbelt safety campaign begins

HAWKINS – Some residents in the City of Hawkins said they’ve grown frustrated with their local police department after an officer shot and killed a neighborhood dog in early May. According to our new partner KETK, their concerns have intensified because the officer involved has not been disciplined. City hall was packed Monday night with citizens willing to give their opinion.

One person said, “It’s either fix [the police department] or get rid of it because our community deserves better.”

“I shot two of them stray dogs that were going to kill me and my dogs, so I just want to speak up for the people here to let you know, me and my family and us we all need the police department here,” Robert Burke, a Hawkins resident, said.
Continue reading Hawkins residents raise concerns about their police department

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County officials and others involved in the construction project held a Topping Out Ceremony for the County’s Parking Garage on Monday, May 20, 2024. The ceremony signifies the last of the 504 precast pieces being placed on top of the garage. Smith County Officials, representatives from Hoar Construction, SCI Construction and Fitzpatrick Architects, as well as employees, signed the 44,000-pound piece of concrete before it was hoisted by a 212-foot crane and secured on the top of the garage. The project is about halfway completed and is expected to open in October.

WHITE OAK — Brandon Gilliam, 42, was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Monday after pleading guilty to the 2021 murder of Steve McDowell. According to our news partner KETK, Gilliam’s sentence comes only weeks after Regina Massie, 40, also pleaded guilty in connection to McDowell’s murder. Case records revealed that Gilliam and Massie were hired by McDowell to fix his truck but then he discovered money was missing from the truck. Massie reportedly told investigators that Gilliam hit McDowell in the head with a foot-long pipe after he was confronted about the money missing from McDowell’s truck. Gilliam then reportedly tried to suffocate McDowell by covering his mouth and nose. Massie also quoted Gilliam as saying “McDowell should not have died over $35.” Gilliam’s sentence started on Monday.

LONGVIEW – According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Police Department is warning the public of a scam after they recently arrested a person for allegedly stealing between $30,000 and $150,000. Muhammad Muzammil, 23 of Bolingbrook, Illinois, allegedly used scam tactics to scam a local victim out of a “significant amount of money,” according to Longview PD.

“Unfortunately, these types of crimes are becoming more common and often target the elderly and young adults. Protect yourself and your loved ones by staying informed and vigilant,” Longview PD said. Visit the Federal Trade Commission online for more information on scams and how to protect yourself from them. Continue reading Illinois man arrested for theft of more than $30,000

TYLER — The U.S. Postal Service is asking all homeowners to check their mailboxes as part of their Mailbox Improvement Week. According to our news partner KETK, the postal service designates the third full week of May as Mailbox Improvement Week to encourage customers to examine and potentially improve their mailboxes. The USPS said in a release,, “neat, attractive, mailboxes make a significant contribution to the appearance of the countryside and streets in suburban areas.”

Some changes homeowners could do include: Replacing loose hinges on a mailbox door, repaint a mailbox that may have rusted or started to peel, remounting a loosened mailbox post and replace or add house numbers.
Continue reading USPS reminds homeowners about mailbox maintenance

SMITH COUNTY – Romanian national Alin Nistor was given 12 years in prison on three separate charges of fraudulent use of debit card information, food stamp fraud, and theft of property. He was sentenced by Judge Reeve Jackson in the 114th District Court on Thursday, May 16, 2024. Nistor and his wife were identified by the Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center to be connected to a large organized crime ring of other Romanian nationals committing fraud across the country. According to a release and an investigation headed by the Tyler Police Department, a traffic stop resulted in officials finding “345 large cans of baby formula in their car” with the intent to resell and several Lone Star welfare cards and gift cards that had modified information from California residents. Evidence was also presented of Nistor’s wife stealing over $5,000 worth of printer ink cartridges from a Walmart weeks prior.

MALAKOFF – The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said that they arrested a woman on Saturday after suspected cocaine and a ‘large sum’ of cash was found during a traffic stop. According to our news partner KETK, Courtney Dawson, 29 of Malakoff, was arrested after Henderson County narcotics investigators Brad Beddingfield and Jonathan Daille found “a substance believed to be cocaine along with a large sum of U.S. Currency,” during a traffic stop, according to the sheriff’s office.

Dawson reportedly had an outstanding warrant for manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance and has been charged with manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence. She’s being held in the Henderson County Jail on a total bond of $1,550,000.

SHELBY COUNTY – Shelby County Game Wardens are searching for someone who killed and dumped an alligator on Friday or Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the alligator was captured, killed and dumped on either late Friday night or early Saturday morning at the Pinkston Reservoir boat ramp on County Road 1211. Anyone with information on the gator dumping is asked to call Game Warden Sam Anderson or Austin Cryer at 936-332-8487 or 936-591-7265.

GILMER – According to our news partner KETK, the Gilmer Police Department is asking for the public’s help finding the parents or guardian of a 3 or 4-year-old girl found in Gilmer. The girl is white, has brown hair, brown eyes, weighs 41 pounds and is 3-foot-3-inches tall. According to Gilmer PD, she was found with a purple night gown and a diaper on. Gilmer PD said she couldn’t tell them where she lives, her name or her parents or guardians names.

Anyone with information about the girl is asked to call Gilmer PD at 903-843-5545.

LONGVIEW – Longview ISD announced that some high school students who participated in a “prank” that vandalized school property are suspended. According to our news partner KETK with the suspension, they were barred from from participating in graduation. Officials from LISD said in a release, several students were suspected of participating in a “senior prank” between Wednesday and Thursday at the high school. The district also announced that there were also students involved from a “neighboring high school,” Longview ISD has contacted officials from their districts as well.

Longview ISD said, “While we believe important milestones should be celebrated and we understand the long-standing tradition of ‘senior pranks’ at high schools across the country there is a clear line between a prank and the destruction of public property. The disruption of student learning, monetary costs to our district, extra burden on our hard-working staff, and disregard for community property will not be tolerated.”
Continue reading Longview seniors barred from graduation following ‘senior prank’

TYLER – With graduation right around the corner, students and their families are looking forward to celebrating the conclusion of years of hard work. Our partner KETK has a list of graduation ceremonies in East Texas and when they occur. You can find it here.

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County residents living in the Commissioner Precinct 3 area began casting their ballots Monday during early voting for the Republican Primary Runoff Election. The only race on the ballot will be for the Smith County Precinct 3 Commissioner Runoff. From 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, May 20-24, Smith County Commissioner Precinct 3 residents can cast their ballots at The Hub, located at 304 E. Ferguson Street, in Tyler; or Lindale’s Kinzie Community Center, at 912 Mt. Sylvan St., in Lindale.

Because of the construction of Smith County’s parking garage next door to the The Hub, Ferguson Street is closed to drivers. The parking lot across from The Hub is still open for parking, but drivers will have to enter and exit at the intersection of Ferguson Street and Center Avenue. There will be voter parking-marked spaces, with the closest one to The Hub being used for curbside voting.

Smith County has launched a new, easy-to-use interactive map on its website. If you need to make sure you live in the area covered by Commissioner Precinct 3, and when and where you can vote for this runoff, click here and click on the “Interactive Map of Smith County” link. Continue reading Early voting began Monday in runoff election

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine received a $900,000 gift from Texas Mutual Insurance Company to support the occupational and environmental medicine residency. According to a university news release, the six-year gift will expand the residency by 50%. After medical school, physicians complete a three-to-seven-year residency to receive specialized training and obtain an unrestricted license to practice medicine.

According to the Texas Physician Pipeline Mode, 58.9% of physicians who completed their graduate medical education in Texas stayed in the state to practice.

“With the generous support from Texas Mutual, our occupational and environmental medicine residency program will be able to expand, allowing us to train more physicians who will remain committed to serving East Texas,” said Dr. Brigham C. Willis, UT Tyler School of Medicine founding dean. “Having physicians who are deeply rooted in the community is vital for understanding and addressing local health care needs.” Continue reading UT Tyler School of Medicine receives $900k gift

CAMP COUNTY — Our news partners at KETK report the Camp County Sheriff’s Office said a 37-year-old man has been arrested for possession of child pornography. Sheriff John Cortelyou said a search warrant was obtained for Christopher Joseph Daigre’s residence. Cortelyou said Daigre is a registered sex offender. During a non-custodial interrogation, a type of police questioning where the individual is not in police custody, officials said Daigre admitted to possession of child pornography on his cell phone, and showed officers “files containing child sexual abuse material.” The sheriff’s office said in a release they have obtained Daigre’s computer equipment for further investigation.

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler President Dr. Kirk Calhoun has been elected to the board of directors for the holding company of Southside Bank. According to our news partner KETK, Calhoun, who will step down as UT Tyler president at the end of May,was elected Wednesday to serve on the Southside Bancshares Inc. board of directors . He will still serves as chair of the UT Health East Texas board of directors.

Lee R. Gibson, president and CEO of Southside said, “We are proud to welcome Dr. Calhoun to Southside’s boards. He has led UT Tyler and UT Health Science Center through extraordinary change and growth and is well-respected across the state. Dr. Calhoun is a true visionary and I have no doubt he will bring great contributions and depth to Southside’s boards. We look forward to the impact his contributions will have on the Bank, our communities, clients, customers, and shareholders.”

Southside Bancshares Inc. is the holding company for the East Texas headquartered Southside Bank.

NACOGDOCHES – Authorities in Nacogdoches said they are searching for a suspect after a child was struck Thursday morning in a hit-and-run crash according to our news partners at KETK.

Officers were still at the scene in the 2100 block of Looneyville Street, as of 8 a.m., and said preliminary information shows a white SUV struck the child and fled the scene.

“The child is believed to be in stable condition and is being treated,” officials with Nacogdoches PD said. “Our officers are still looking for the suspect and vehicle.”

TYLER — It’s a spinoff from last summer’s Dr Pepper Float Ice Cream, Blue Bell Ice Cream will begin selling a highly requested flavor this summer. According to our news partner KETK, the new flavor is A&W Root Beer Float. The A&W Root Beat Float is a creamy vanilla ice cream swirled together with a root beer flavored sherbet.

John Neal Robinson, Blue Bell general sales manager said in a release, “We received many requests for an A&W Root Beer Float Ice Cream. After the huge success of Dr Pepper Float Ice Cream last year, we were ready to work together on another delicious flavor. We recommend enjoying a few scoops in a chilled mug just like your favorite root beer.”

Blue Bell said the new flavor is now available and will be sold in the half gallon and pint sizes through 2025.

HENDERSON COUNTY– A former business manager for an East Texas school district pleaded guilty Thursday to stealing funds from the school in federal court. According to our news partner KETK, 38-year-old Brandon Delane Looney pleaded guilty to theft from a program receiving federal funds while serving as Trinidad ISD’s business manager. Prosecutors said that Looney embezzled more than $300,000 between 2017 and 2023 during his time at Trinidad ISD. Looney could face up to a decade in prison, a fine and mandatory restitution to Trinidad ISD for the funds he stole.

TYLER — The East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) is seeking applicants for GoBus operator positions in East Texas. According to our news partner KETK, ETCOG previously said they were accepting applications for positions in Anderson, Camp, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Marion, Panola, Rains, Rusk, Smith, Upshur, Van Zandt and Wood counties. They held a job fair on Tuesday in hopes of filling the positions.

ETCOG said they are seeking applicants with a high school diploma or equivalent, at least two years of professional driving and customer service experience.

“GoBus is integral to the region and its communities, providing connectivity, fostering economic activity, and ensuring safe, reliable, and friendly transportation services. GoBus staff are dedicated and caring individuals representing the core of East Texans, and in seeking new team members, we hope to present a culture that prioritizes the community and those that work to aid its citizens,” Vince Huerta, ETCOG’s Director of Transportation, said.

Click here for an application.

JACKSONVILLE – According to our news partner KETK, the four fallen Jacksonville police officers were honored on Wednesday for their sacrifice and service as a part of National Police Week. The Jacksonville Police Department and other law enforcement agencies came together to remember the local fallen officers. The names of the officers will be added on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington. National Police Week was first established by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 to pay respect and offer recognition to officers who died protecting others.

“It’s important that we take time every year to stop and remember them and their sacrifice and their service to our community,” Jacksonville Police Chief Joe Williams said.

UPSHUR COUNTY – A 50-year-old Upshur County man was found guilty of 12 counts of sexual assault of two children. According to our news partner KETK, Walter Bartram was tried for seven counts of aggravated sexual assault of child under 14 and five counts of sex assault to another child.

The Upshur County district attorney’s office reported that in January 2020 one of the victims came to them to report the abuse that occurred between 2006-2011. Both victims testified in the trial, and the jury later returned a verdict of guilty. The defense asked for the judge to sentence Bartram, and the State said they will be asking for the maximum sentences for the charges.

Criminal District Attorney Billy Byrd said, “Both victims were brave and while moving forward in life they too still deal with the pain and hurt these horrific crimes caused both of them and have impacted their lives forever.”

A sentencing hearing will take place after a presentence investigation report. Bartram currently remains at the Upshur County Jail.