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TYLER — The Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) reports the state added 40,100 ‘non-farm jobs’ to the market in January. According to our news partner KETK, this creates a total of 14 million positions for job-seekers and outpaces the nation in job growth rate. According to the TWC report, Tyler has 115,900 workers and Longview has 123,600 workers.

“Smith County added three jobs in the private sector every day, which outpaced the state and the country last year.  We’ve managed to maintain job growth when other communities have struggled,” President of the Tyler Economic Development, Scott Martinez, said.

The leading industries creating jobs in Texas are construction (11,000 new jobs) and medical services (10,000). “These jobs help our families everywhere. These are people in our community who have opportunities to support themselves with these jobs”, Martinez adds. Continue reading East Texas job growth continues

PALESTINE – An East Texas man has been sentenced to 230 years in prison after he was found guilty of sexual assault of a child and possession of child pornography, according to our news partner KETK. Joseph Zeleny was arrested in 2023 after the Palestine Police Department received a complaint regarding the ongoing sexual abuse of a child that had gone on for several years. Following an investigation, Zeleney was taken into custody and charged with sexual assault of a child.

After his arrest officials later found over 3,000 images of child pornography on Zeleny’s devices, according to authorities. On April 2, Zeleny was found guilty of sex counts of sexual abuse of a child and 11 counts of possession of child pornography. Zeleny was sentenced to 230 years in prison on Monday and fined $160,000.

LONGVIEW — Six people were displaced after a weekend house fire in Longview, and officials say a 5?year?old’s quick thinking helped ensure no one was seriously hurt. The Longview Fire Department responded to a house fire on Jester Circle at approximately 6:19 a.m. on Friday. Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy flames and began extinguishing it. All residents were safely outside by the time first responders arrived. Six people were displaced, and the American Red Cross has been contacted to assist those affected.

Fire officials stated that a 5-year-old played a crucial role in the safe evacuation of the home. An investigation determined that the fire was caused by an electrical malfunction originating from an outdoor electrical outlet on the front porch, which spread into the home. The incident resulted in an estimated $75,000 in damage.

Residents are encouraged to inspect their outdoor electrical outlets regularly and ensure they are properly protected from weather exposure. Anyone who notices damage or anything unusual should have the outlet evaluated by a qualified professional immediately.

SMITH COUNTY – A multi-state ATM hacking ring stretching across East Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas has led to three arrests. According to Smith County arrest documents, three men were taken into custody for their role in an ATM “jackpotting” scheme in which suspects scouted machines, opened them and connected Raspberry Pi devices to allow an off-site accomplice to wirelessly force the ATM to dispense cash for the crew on the ground.

According to our news partner KETK, once the cash was taken from the ATM it was then funneled to criminal associates outside the United States. The documents also state that the people stationed at the ATMs had to remain in constant communication with their remote counterparts for the jackpotting attempts to succeed.

“Jackpotting requires extensive coordination and communication during and after the attack. In every offense, suspects on the ground can be seen communicating nonstop via cell phone with their remote criminal associates who give orders and provide technical instructions for installing malicious software and hardware,” an arrest document described. “Typically, these criminal groups also stay in constant contact with a minimum of two lookouts roving the area in separate vehicles.” Continue reading Three arrested in jackpotting scheme

HENDERSON – Officials at Henderson ISD, have chosen Dr. Nikki Driver as the middle school’s new principal after Superintendent Brian Bowman met with staff in small groups to get their feedback on who should lead the middle school going forward. Staff consistently identified Driver, their current assistant principal, as their top choice to be the new principal of Henderson Middle School, according to our news partner KETK.

“Dr. Driver has demonstrated exceptional leadership, a deep understanding of instruction, and a genuine commitment to our students and staff,” Bowman said. “Her experience, along with her ability to connect with people and lead with purpose, makes her the right choice to lead Henderson Middle School.”

Driver has also worked as an instructional coach at Henderson Middle School and taught for five years at Northside Intermediate. Driver earned her Ph.D. in educational policy from Walden University, her masters of education from Stephen F. Austin State University and holds certificates in Principal as Instructional Leader, Special Education, ESL and Core Subjects.

“I am honored to lead Henderson Middle School and continue working with this exceptional team,” Driver said. “This is a campus full of passionate educators who show up for kids every day, and I am excited to continue moving forward together.

LINDALE – Two people were sent to a local hospital for treatment on Saturday after an 18-wheeler caught fire when it crashed into the woods along Interstate 20. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK, the crash happened on Interstate 20 near Jim Hogg Road when an 18-wheeler left the road and caught fire. The fire spread into the woods but Lindale Fire Department was able to put the fire out.

The Lindale Fire Department reports that two people were taken to a local hospital by EMS so they could be treated for injuries. The condition of those two people is currently unknown.

EAST TEXAS — Two people were arrested on Saturday after they reportedly led law enforcement on a pursuit through Van Zandt County in a stolen 18-wheeler. According to the Gun Barrel City Police Department and our news partner KETK, officers were sent out to the local Burger King at around 3:27 p.m. on Saturday because of a report that a stolen 18-wheeler was parked behind the fast food restaurant.

Officers located the 18-wheeler and noticed that a man was still inside its cab. One officer was able to remove the keys from the vehicle’s ignition but it was determined to be hot-wired since the driver drove off after the keys were removed.

The officers started pursuing the 18-wheeler and with the help of the Van Zandt County and Kaufman County Sheriff’s Offices, they were able to stop the vehicle near County Road 2514 and County Road 2517. Continue reading Stolen 18-wheeler chase

SMITH COUNTY — A man was arrested on Sunday morning after he allegedly led Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputies on a chase through downtown Tyler. Jose Juan Barboza, 25, of Rusk, has been identified by the sheriff’s office as the alleged driver. According to the sheriff’s office and our news partner KETK, a deputy started pursuing a white pickup truck at around 1:30 a.m. on Sunday near the intersection of Broadway Avenue and Loop 49. The truck was heading north on Broadway Avenue at speeds over 100 miles per hour and eventually reached downtown Tyler.

Barboza reportedly ran red lights heading north through Tyler and stopped the truck near the intersection of East Queen Street and Broadway Avenue, just north of downtown Tyler. The suspect led deputies on a brief foot chase, and was arrested a short time later, according to the sheriff’s office.

Barboza was arrested and booked into the Smith County Jail for driving while intoxicated and evading arrest.

UPDATE: The National Weather Service has confirmed that an EF1 tornado touched down in Lindale on Saturday morning with winds near 100 mph.

SMITH COUNTY – Easter weekend got off to a stormy start on Saturday as severe weather moved through East Texas, damaging several homes and causing flooding across the area.

According to our news partner KETK, residents near Lindale were the hardest hit on Saturday after a tornado was reported to have touched down in that area. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, one house on FM 18 and another house on County Road 498 were both extensively damaged during when a tornado touched down near Lindale.

Longview residents in Gregg County were also affected on Saturday as heavy rains caused flooding and downed power lines which left some without power for a time.

Over in Marshall, the Marshall Police Department also reported flooding in their streets. In the image below Marshall PD officers can be seen rescuing someone who was trapped when their vehicle was stuck in flood waters under the Franklin Street Bridge.

PAYNE SPRINGS – The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department confirmed crews recovered the body of a Mabank man late Friday night after a boating incident. Officials identified the victim as 42-year-old Sammy Matlock. His body was located around 10:30 p.m. Saturday night. According to TPWD, Matlock was not wearing a life jacket when the boat capsized.

According to our news partner KETK, Matlock was one of three men were fishing on Cedar Creek Lake near Payne Springs on Thursday at around 10:30 p.m. when their boat took on water and capsized. Two men made it to shore and contacted emergency crews.

The third individual, Matlock, tried to swim to shore. Witnesses reported hearing him call for help, but he could not be found initially.

TYLER — One person was injured on Friday night after a vehicle crashed into a building on Magnolia Drive in Tyler. According to the Tyler Police Department and our news partner KETK, a vehicle crashed into a Tyler Junior College building at around 8 p.m. on Friday. The driver was injured and taken to a local hospital to be treated. The driver’s condition is unknown.

Tyler PD and the TJC Police Department are investigating the crash. Additional details were not available.

TYLER — Country music band Little Texas will take center stage at the 38th annual Tyler Cattle Baron’s Ball on June 27, bringing star power to one of the region’s biggest fundraisers for the American Cancer Society at the W.T. Brookshire Conference Center. According to our news partner KETK, this year’s gala features a venue change, moving to the conference center after being hosted at the Texas Rose Horse Park in previous years. Over nearly four decades, the Tyler Cattle Baron’s Ball has raised millions locally to support cancer research and families in East Texas.

“Our East Texas community has united to raise over $18.5 million for the American Cancer Society. This incredible achievement is a direct result of the generosity of our donors, supporters and volunteers,” American Cancer Society Staff Partner Melissa Ivey said.

The country music group Little Texas is known for the song “God Bless Texas.” The band has specific ties to the East Texas region, as two of its members were born and raised in Longview.

EAST TEXAS — The average base pay for public school teachers in East Texas remains among the lowest, as salaries across the state have dropped in the past five years, a study reports. In a study conducted by the University of Houston Education Research Center, researchers found that the average base pay of traditional public school teachers dropped in the 2024-2025 school year from $66,449 to $62,715, after seeing an increase the year prior.

According to the study, teacher base pay averaged $69,205 from the 2014-2015 school year to 2020-2021. Since then, the average has stayed “considerably lower” at $65,699.
Average Base Pay of Traditional Public School Classroom Teachers (in Constant 2024 Dollars), 2014–15 through 2024–25. Courtesy of the University of Houston Education Research Center.

Two educational service regions encompass East Texas and they have some of the lowest averages across the state. Continue reading Teachers among lowest paid in the state

LUFKIN – A man is dead following an argument and shooting in a residential neighborhood on Chester Street early Friday morning. Lufkin Police arrested and charged 42-year-old Alex Dewayne Walker, with murder in connection with the death of 43-year-old Korsah Lemar Simmons, of Lufkin.

Early Friday morning, police were sent to a disturbance call. As officers arrived, one individual at the home was yelling, “he shot my uncle.”

Walker was standing outside the home and when officers approached, Walker laid on the ground, face down with his hands on his back. Officers found a 9mm gun in Walker’s front pants pocket.

As officers made their way into the home, they found Simmons on the floor in the bedroom with multiple gunshot wounds. Officers began lifesaving measures waiting for EMS to arrive. Simmons was pronounced dead at a hospital later in that morning.

Walker was booked into the Angelina County Jail, charged with murder. Bond has been set at $500,00

PAYNE SPRINGS — More than 12 hours after a boat carrying three people capsized on Cedar Creek Lake, emergency crews continue an intensive search for a missing man feared to have drowned, according to our news partner KETK.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department said three men were fishing on Cedar Creek Lake near Payne Springs on Thursday at around 10:30 p.m. when their boat took on water and capsized. Two men made it to shore and contacted emergency crews.

The third individual, a 42-year-old man, tried to swim to shore. Witnesses reported hearing him call for help, but he could not be found.

The Payne Springs Fire and Rescue said a resident assisted by launching a pontoon boat, transporting firefighters and other residents to begin an initial surface search while additional rescue boats were on their way. Payne Springs Fire and Rescue conducted a surface and an underwater search before being assisted by the Texas Game Wardens. Search efforts continued until 2 a.m. Friday morning.

Search crews, including Texas Game Wardens, are on the lake on Friday looking for him. However, the search is being hindered by weather conditions and water depth, the department stated.

TYLER – Texas College has named Dr. SherRhonda Gibbs as their next president, making history as the Tyler institution welcomes its first-ever woman president. Gibbs is currently employed as the Dean of the Business and Economics Division at Morehouse College and has previously worked at the Monfort College of Business at the University of Northern Colorado, the University of Southern Mississippi’s School of Management and at Jackson State University.

She has her PhD in Business Administration – Management and has also worked as a software engineer with the Mayo Clinic and IBM. During her tenure at Morehouse, she helped raise more than $30 million to support student real estate, entrepreneurship, asset management, finance and professional development programs.

“The selection of Dr. SherRhonda Gibbs represents a defining moment for Texas College. Her visionary leadership, commitment to student success and record of transformative impact position her to lead this institution into a bold and prosperous future. We are glad to welcome her as our next President,” Texas College board chair Bishop Lawrence Reddick III said.

Current Texas College President Dr. Dwight J. Fennell will end his tenure with the historically Black college on June 30. Gibbs will start her tenure as president of Texas College on July 1.

TENNESSEE COLONY – Seven people have been arrested for their alleged involvement in a scheme to bring meth into the Mark W. Michael state prison in Tennessee Colony. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) and the Texas Board of Criminal Justice’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) said they conducted a “high intensity interdiction operation” at the Michael Unit in January after they learned that drones were used to deliver large amounts of contraband into the prison.

During the operation, TDCJ said more than 100 cellphones, a large amount of meth, synthetic cannabinoids and other drugs were reportedly found in the prison.

“This operation underscores both the risks posed by contraband and the strength of our response,” TDCJ Executive Director Bobby Lumpkin said. “We will remain relentless in our fight to stop illegal narcotics from entering and harming those in our facilities.” Continue reading Meth, phones into prison by drone

LUFKIN — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is offering a $4,000 reward for information that will lead to the arrest of a Lufkin man who is currently on the Texas 10 Most Wanted Sex Offender List. According to the DPS and our news partner KETK, Jacarlos Mark has been wanted by the Lufkin Police Department since 2025 for failure to comply with sex offender registration requirements in relation to a sexual assault of a minor conviction he received in 2003.

Mark is described by the DPS as 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighing about 240 pounds. He has several tattoos on his neck, chest and both legs.

To be eligible for the $4,000 reward, information must be provided to the authorties thorough one of the following methods: Call the Crime Stoppers hotline at 1-800-252-TIPS (8477), submit a web tip through the DPS website by selecting the fugitive in relation to the tip and then clicking on the link under their picture or submit a Facebook tip by clicking the “SUBMIT A TIP” link (under the “about” section)

RUSK COUNTY — After being extradited from an Arkansas jail to Rusk County, the newly released arrest documents outline what investigators say led a man to allegedly kill his wife with an axe. According to our news partner KETK, on March 18, around 2 p.m., Rusk County dispatch received a call from a family member of Scott Thompson. The family member reported that Thompson had claimed he had “killed his wife with an axe, left her in the hallway, and locked her in the trailer,” according to the affidavit.

When deputies arrived, they knocked repeatedly but received no answer. They observed “blood through the backdoor window in the hallway leading to the kitchen area,” and under “exigent circumstances,” the deputies forced entry into the house. A deputy found Thompson’s wife, Amanda Thompson, deceased and with wounds consistent with sharp force trauma to the back of her head, according to the affidavit.

Investigators quickly identified Scott as a suspect who had left the residence shortly before deputies arrived. Surveillance footage helped authorities determine the vehicle he was driving, and they were able to obtain his phone number. Tracking data indicated he was traveling toward Arkansas. Continue reading Woman brutally murdered with axe

LONGVIEW – The Longview Parks and Rec Department is seeking community input as they begin early planning for a new inclusive playground. According to our news partner KETK, The playground will be at Teague Park and aims to be a facility that supports children with physical or developmental disabilities. As planning for the park begins, the city is looking to connect with organizations that support children with disabilities.

“Please share any contact info or group names in the comments so we can send them our planning survey,” Longview Parks and Rec Department said. “Help us make sure every kid in Longview has a great place to play.”

Those wanting to share input on the construction of the new park can contact the city by email at [email protected].

TYLER – To help restock the Pet Food Bank, for the month of April, Tyler Animal Services is waiving adoption fees for dogs and cats with the donation of at least six bags of dog or cat food 15 lbs. or smaller. The Pet Food Bank was established in 2015 so that families in need or those who could not afford to feed their pets would have a safety net to keep pets in their homes. Many times, people who want to surrender a pet only need time to get over a short-term financial hurdle.   
   
The Pet Food Bank provides assistance through donated food and cat litter. Over the years, more than 36,000 pounds of food and litter have been distributed. All donated items go back into the community and are not used by the animals kept at the shelter.   
   Continue reading Animal shelter has special this month

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – Precinct 1 County Commissioner Mitch Curtis was arrested in December 2025 for official oppression and impersonating a public servant; and on Thursday, those charges against him were dropped.

According to the County District Attorney’s Office and our news partner KETK, the charges were dropped because the complaining witness declined to assist with the case. In June of 2025, the lawsuit was initially filed against Curtis for allegedly pretending to be a police officer in an effort to stop a man from shooting guns on his own property. Curtis is still holding the position of Precinct 1 County Commissioner as of April 2.

LONGVIEW – After pleading guilty to possessing child pornography, a Longview eye doctor was sentenced to 40 years in the Texas Department of Corrections Institutional Division on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, 51-year-old August Wallace, was arrested on Oct. 10, 2025, following an investigation that revealed he had sent multiple explicit images of himself to a 16-year-old girl living across the country.

According to John W. Moore, the criminal district attorney of Gregg County, Wallace requested that the girl send explicit pictures of herself, too, while threatening to kill himself if she didn’t. Law enforcement was contacted by the victim’s family after Wallace sent a screenshot of her home and delivered letters to her location.

After being arrested for online solicitation of a minor, a forensic examination found numerous files on his phone that contained explicit or pornographic images of children. Wallace was then additionally charged with possession of child pornography.

Wallace appeared in court on Thursday, receiving his concurrent sentences of 40 years for child pornography and 10 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for online solicitation of a minor.

KILGORE – After 50 years, a long-standing mystery at the Kilgore Public Library has finally come to an end.
Since the mid-1970s, the identity of the owl bandit and the location of the wooden “Owl of Wisdom” have remained unknown. The entire city has been curious about who took the owl that once sat at the library’s east entrance.

“In the 1960s, we’d go to the library, study and have things going on, and I remember we all talked about the owl out there. It was just one of those things that was there. Then one day it disappeared,” T. Anderson, a former Kilgore Bulldog, said.

The man who reportedly stole it, Steve Blunt, died a few years ago, but it was his wish for the owl to be returned to the library. Continue reading The ‘Owl Bandit’ case solved

EAST TEXAS — The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office received approval on Tuesday to formally join an ICE task force model, marking a significant advancement one year after its initial partnership with federal immigration authorities. According to our news partner KETK, the sheriff’s office began collaborating with immigration authorities last year by adopting the jail enforcement model in March 2025.

This model trained local officers to identify, process, and initiate removal proceedings against undocumented immigrants who were already in the agency’s jail or detention facility with pending or active criminal charges. All enforcement activities occur within the jail setting.

The newly approved Task Force Model grants officers the authority to exercise limited immigration enforcement while carrying out their routine law enforcement duties. This includes identifying individuals’ immigration status during traffic stops or DUI checkpoints and sharing that information with ICE. Continue reading Another law enforcement agency joins ICE