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SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County resident was scammed out of $17,000 after a New Jersey woman claimed to be a family member asking for money. According to our news partner KETK, In September, a woman reported being contacted through Facebook who identified themselves as a family member. The person then convinced the victim that she was eligible to receive a grant from the United Nations Democracy Fund Program. Over the several weeks of communication, the victim sent a total of $17,000 to the suspect with the promise of getting a check for $75,000. Continue reading Smith County Woman Defrauded out of $17,000

TYLER — According to our news partner KETK, Breast Cancer Awareness month is taking on a new meaning for students and faculty at Robert E. Lee High School in Tyler this year. The school colors officially are red white and black, but on Tuesday morning students and teachers gathered on the campus quad in effort to “Turn Robert E. Lee Pink”. Everyone wore their pink gear in support of Dr. Kristen Walls. Walls is an assistant principal of student and faculty services and has been fighting breast cancer over the last several months. Walls colleagues describe her as a mentor, and someone I look up to. Dr. Walls was part of the “Turn Tyler Pink” event on Tuesday night.

LINDALE — The Lindale Chamber of Commerce is putting the finishing touches on the upcoming Countryfest event. The fun takes place this Saturday at the Picker’s Pavilion from 9am to 4pm. Event organizers invite you to stroll through the arts and craft booths, tame the mechanical bull, take in the Car Displays, enjoy live entertainment, taste the variety offered from food trucks, and bid on auction items. Children can spend the day at a variety of activities including a climbing wall, an array of carnival games and the Kids ID Booth with Lindale Police. For more information click the link. https://lindalechamber.org/events/details/countryfest-2019-66

TYLER — The City of Tyler recognized Building Services Supervisor Gary Smith on Tuesday with the Blueprint Blue Ribbon Award. The council highlighted Smith at the city council meeting for his willingness to go above and beyond the call of duty. Smith is described as innovative and continually working to improve community facilities and teams to benefit the residents of Tyler. Smith has served the city for over 29 years.

LONGVIEW — Longview ISD is hosting numerous town hall meetings to gather input from parents about receiving a district-wide charter status. According to our news partner KETK, the district currently has six charter schools operated by the nonprofit East Texas Advanced Academies. The charter status means the school is still part of a public school education, but has the opportunity to receive more state funding. Continue reading LISD Hosts Series of Town Hall Meetings on District-Wide Charter Status

GREGG COUNTY — Elections will be held on the 1st Tuesday in November and new voting machines will be used in Gregg County at the polls. According to our news partner KETK, if you missed the chance to practice on Tuesday evening at Braughton Recreation Center, you will have another opportunity Thursday at Greggton Community Center. The displays will be up and running from from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. The new machines will print out a ballot for you to confirm before you place it in a scanner, which will read and count your vote.

TYLER — Better Business Bureau Serving Central East Texas has received two Outstanding BBB Awards – one for Outstanding Marketing/Branding Program and another for Outstanding Social Media Program. The awards were presented from the International Association of Better Business Bureaus at the 49th International Assembly of BBBs in Grand Rapids, MI. The distinctions recognize outstanding overall communications by a local BBB. The Better Business Bureau system was founded in 1912.

ALTO — The Alto Bond Committee will be hosting their last town hall meeting on Tuesday to discuss the proposed $10.5 million bond package. According to our news partner KETK, the bond is designed to address security issues and damaged facilities due to tornadoes that ripped through the city in April. To discuss the proposal, the meeting will be held on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Booker T. Washington Community Center. The bond election is slated for November 5.

PITTSBURG — Pittsburg police received a report of a runaway teen, Jacob Wesley Perry on October 7 and are asking the public for information regarding his whereabouts. According to our news partner KETK, Perry, 17, was last seen in a 2008 white Dodge pickup bearing a TX license plate BT14248 which was found abandoned in Holbrook, Arizona. He is described as a white male weighing 160 lb. and is 5’7″ tall. Police state there is no signs of foul play and ask if you have any information to call the Pittsburg Police Department at (903)-856-3330.

CROCKETT — A East Texas man was taken into custody after he confessed to robbing a bank the day before his wedding. According to our news partner KETK, Heath Bumpous, of Crockett, robbed a Citizens Bank so he could pay for the wedding ring and the venue for the nuptials. The 36 year old pillaged the Citizens State Bank by implying that he had a weapon, and demanded money. He then fled with the cash and drove down back roads. Bumpous’ fiancee called him and convinced him to turn himself in to police after she saw his image in security footage circulating on social media. Most of the stolen money was recovered.

TYLER — Tyler Firefighters are inviting the community to paint the town pink on Tuesday. The 11th annual Turn Tyler Pink Cancer Awareness event will be held at the T.B. Bulter Plaza in downtown Tyler from 5-7 p.m. The event is completely free and provides numerous educational booths for women about cancer awareness and early detection. The Tyler Professional Firefighter’s Association created the Tyler Firefighter Cancer Awareness & Relief Effort (C.A.R.E.) to fundraise for local firefighter families Continue reading Turn Tyler Pink Event Tuesday

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler has announced the release of its first edition of “A Patriot’s Guide to Success: Words of Wisdom from East Texas Leaders.’’ Contributing guidance and inspirational stories from a broad-range group of about 60 East Texas leaders, the book was produced as a companion piece for UT Tyler’s annual Career Success Conference, which brings together business and industry leaders from across the nation, including UT Tyler alumni, to share their success stories. It is the first book published by the UT Tyler Press.For more information, contact the UT Tyler Office of Career Services or send an email to uttylercareersuccess@uttyler.edu.

TYLER — The Tyler Senior Center was closed on Monday for emergency repairs after discovering a leak. The necessary repairs were completed this afternoon so the center on Garden Valley Road plans to be open for their regular hours and activities on Tuesday.

TYLER — With more than 660 faculty and nearly 13,000 students per semester, TJC awards more than 2,500 degrees and certificates each year. With that current reality in mind, the school looks back as it prepares to inaugurate President Dr. Juan E. Mejia on Friday. Tyler Junior College has had 7 presidents in the past 93 years. Continue reading TJC Prepares to Inaugurate New President

TYLER — People unemployed or underemployed in Tyler and Smith County can often feel like they will never get beyond those barriers. The East Texas Human Needs Network aims to remove those obstacles by giving hundreds of individuals a leg up. “Take the Step: A Job Skills Event” is being offered free and will take place from 10 am. to 2 p.m., on October 22 at St. Louis Baptist Church in Tyler. A brief and private intake assessment and referral process will identify each individual’s barriers and assist on-site agencies in offering assistance. http://www.takethestep.today/. To make “Take the Step” accessible, ETHNN partner Champions for Children will provide free on-site childcare for children ages 2 to 12.

HENDERSON — Dogs now have a new place to stretch their paws. According to our news partner KETK, the newly christened ‘Fair Paws Dog Park’ is located at Fair Park in Henderson. The area was built as a partnership between the City of Henderson and the PAWS-itive Foundation, Inc. The park became a reality as the result of community donations, local businesses, and volunteers, the park has been in progress since the official groundbreaking on August 2nd of last year.

GREGG COUNTY — Gregg County Jurors have found Montorio Harris not guilty in the 2017 shooting death of 34-year-old Donald Ray Kenney on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, the 27-year-old had been in the Gregg County Jail on a $200,000 bond since February 5, 2017, after police found Kenney’s body along railroad tracks near Southwest Loop 281 in Gregg County. The trial began Monday, September 30 with jurors reaching their decision Friday, October 4.

TYLER — CityFest is an event that Evangelist Andrew Palau said has been in the works for downtown Tyler for two years. The crowds would not disappoint with thousands on hand for Saturday’s festival and an equally impressive lineup to take the stage on Sunday night. The roars from the crowds could be heard blocks away as people cheered for a variety of musical acts that shared the stage with Evangelist Palau. The Luis Palau Association was established in 1966 has preached the gospel of Christ around the world.

TYLER –Are you registered to vote in the upcoming elections? The deadline to register is Monday. According to our news partner KETK, eligible Texans who are not already registered to vote may complete and print a voter registration by requesting an application from their county elections administrator. Local post offices, most high schools and libraries will also have applications. Once completed, eligible Texas voters should submit the application to the county voter registrar in their county of residence. Continue reading Voter Registration Deadline is Monday

TYLER — Suddenlink customers are venting frustrations with their cable and internet provider for service and billing problems. According to our news partner KETK, customers report having their plans suspended abruptly for non-payment, though their payment accounts were set to autopay. Suddenlink is telling customers, when customers can get to a service representative, that autopay setups were deleted when the company went to a new system earlier this week. On Saturday the provider released the following statement. Continue reading Suddenlink Customers Upset, Pour in to Local Store

KILGORE — Kilgore held its 5th annual Oktober Fest which promotes local businesses and traditional festivities on Saturday. According to our news parnter KETK, the event has grown through the years. This year the festival takes in three blocks of vendors, food, games, and the festival staple…beer. Despite being a German culture festival, the event had activities for all ages, including kids.

EAST TEXAS — TxDOT is planning to conduct the following construction and maintenance work throughout the district during the Week of October 7, 2019. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones. In Smith County – Tyler Maintenance crews on Monday plan to conduct edge repair work on FM 16 between FM 14 and US 271, and culvert repairs on SH 110S just north of Whitehouse. In Gregg County – I-20 WB Overlay Project Continues from SH 31 to SH 135. The contractor continues asphalt operations, striping, and placing edgeline rumble strips on the roadway. Complete report available by clicking the link. https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/local-news/tyler/050-2019.html.

GREGG COUNTY — East Texas law enforcement get calls about stray or wandering animals quite often. Cattle, horses, dogs – all the usual animals. According to our news partner KETK, this time, though, was a most unusual animal. An elk. A lone, stray elk. The Gregg County Sheriff’s Officers responded to the roadway at Hwy 322 and FM 349. The animals are far more common in mountainous regions, Elk usually don’t mistake hills for mountains. Deputies eventually “persuaded” the animal to leave the roadway and return to a wooded area. They’re also asking anyone who might have an elk that’s gone missing to give GCSO a call.

TYLER — The Tyler Professional Firefighter’s Association created the Tyler Firefighter Cancer Awareness & Relief Effort (C.A.R.E) to fundraise for local firefighter families battling cancer and to support other local women’s cancer organizations in East Texas. On Friday they had the kick-off event with the goal to Turn Tyler Pink. The fundraising event, in which the firefighters sell t-shirts and educate the public during the month of October, will take place on Tuesday, from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. on the square in downtown Tyler.

HENDERSON — A Henderson ISD school board member accused of paying for his opponents signs to be stolen, pouring sugar in his vehicles has tank , and slashing a tire denies all the charges. According to our news partner KETK, Jon Best has spoken against the charges through a release from his lawyer. “Jon Best has not made a statement since his arrest on September 27 for good reason. Only the entire truth should be told to the public. Not lies, not innuendos, and not partial conversations. Jon and his lawyer want to hear all of the recordings and videos just like all the voters.” Complete Statement on next page. Continue reading Henderson ISD Board Member Denies Duey’s Charges

ATHENS — An East Texas man scheduled to be executed by the state on Oct. 16th has had his execution delayed to allow his mental state to be evaluated. Randall Wayne Mays was set to die for the murder of two Henderson County deputies. During a disturbance call back in May of 2008, May’s shot 3 deputies, killing Officers Paul Habelt and Tony Ogburn. Mays’ attorneys filed a motion to find him unable to be executed because he has recently been diagnosed with schizophrenia. Continue reading Execution Halted for Man who Killed 2 Henderson County Deputies

TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department is teaming up with the National Fire Protection Association to promote this year’s Fire Prevention Week Oct. 6-12. “Not Every Hero Wears a Cape. Plan and Practice Your Escape!” is this years theme. The NFPA is approaching the century mark of being the official sponsor of Fire Prevention Week. For more information about Fire Prevention Week and home escape planning, visit http://www.fpw.org.

WHITEHOUSE — Camp Tyler Outdoor School is hosting its first Fall Festival on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, Camp Tyler is offering a traditional carnival theme hoping to stir some memories from the past. The fall festival will have games and activities. The free event will have concessions available for a small charge. Continue reading Camp Tyler Outdoor School to Host Fall Festival

TYLER — A 22-year-old Harrison, Michigan man was sentenced on Thursday for child exploitation violations in the Eastern District of Texas. Daniel Wayne Little, II, pleaded guilty in May, to coercion and enticement of a child and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison. According to information presented in court, over a 10-month period , Little pursued an inappropriate relationship with a 10-year-old child. Little used the internet to find the victim and then sought sexually explicit images and videos from her, demanding specific images and videos and describing how he wanted to engage in with her. Little was indicted by a federal grand jury in Nov. of 2018.