TYLER — One man has been arrested for murder after a 63-year-old was killed in a shooting at the Relax Inn on E. Gentry Parkway in Tyler on Saturday morning. According to the Tyler Police Department and our news partner KETK, officers were dispatched to the Relax Inn at 1812 E. Gentry Parkway at around 4 a.m. on Saturday because of a reported shooting. 63-year-old Rodney Houston was found shot at the scene and transported to a local hospital to be treated for injuries from the shooting.
Houston later died from his injuries at the hospital, according to Tyler PD. Detectives with Tyler PD interviewed 37-year-old Arthur McCain as a suspect in the shooting on Saturday.
Later on Saturday, McCain was booked into the Smith County Jail on a warrant for murder in connection to the shooting. He’s currently being held on a $1,500,000 bond. Continue reading Man charged in motel murder
TEXAS TRIBUNE – Former Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Archer, who represented west Houston for three decades in Congress, died on Saturday in Virginia. He was 98.
His death was announced Sunday by the Archer Center, which he co-established after he retired from Congress.
Best known for his time in federal politics, Archer first served two terms in the Texas House. He started as a Democrat in 1967, but switched parties two years later.
Archer was then elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970 to serve Texas’ 7th Congressional District, succeeding George H. W. Bush. During his long tenure, he rose to chair the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He spearheaded major federal tax legislation, including reducing the estate tax and creating the $500-per-child tax credit.
In 2001, he established the Archer Center in partnership with the University of Texas System. More than 2,200 students have participated in its fellowship program, according to the center.
“The University of Texas System is fortunate, proud, and honored to have Congressman Archer’s name permanently associated with our work and our mission,” said Chancellor John M. Zerwas in a statement shared by the Archer Center. “Through his extraordinary legacy of leadership and public service, thousands of Archer Fellows have been exposed to the highest ideals of civic engagement and inspired to carry those values forward in their own lives and careers.”
William “Reyn” Archer III, in a statement, said his father felt that his biggest achievement was in “helping individual people.”
“He cared deeply for the power of one person achieving their best,” his eldest son said. “Through the Archer Center, he leaves a lasting legacy of that desire for Texas and Texans.”
CARTHAGE – Danny Buck Davidson died July 5th at age 79. He was portrayed in the movie, “Bernie,” about the convicted murderer Davidson sent to prison. Actor Matthew McConaughey starred as Davidson in the film. The original murder trial happened in 1999, and in 2016, the case was retried.
Davidson was district attorney for nearly 30 years, having just retired two years ago, saying he wanted to spend more time with his children and grandchildren.
He graduated from Baylor Law School in 1974. Funeral services are pending.
In this photo provided by Ukraine’s 93rd Kholodnyi Yar Separate Mechanized Brigade press service, Soldiers of the Alcatraz batalion, patrol the frontline city Druzhkovka, Donetsk region, Ukraine, Thursday, July 2, 2026. (Iryna Rybakova/Ukraine’s 93rd Mechanized Brigade via AP)A Ukrainian drone attack struck an oil terminal in St. Petersburg on Saturday, Russian officials said, as Kyiv presses on with bombardment of Russia’s oil infrastructure.
Almost daily long-range attacks on Russian oil facilities have created a fuel crisis and heaped political pressure on the Kremlin as its all-out invasion of Ukraine stretches into its fifth year.
Gov. Alexander Beglov said the city’s Kirovsky district on the Baltic Sea was hit. He also said that air defenses shot down 72 Ukrainian drones across Russia’s second-largest city and the surrounding region.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the attack as part of Ukraine’s “long-range sanctions” against Russia. He said that Ukrainian forces also hit a military target on the island of Kronstadt, just off the coast of St. Petersburg.
“The Ukrainian defense forces hit the port oil infrastructure, which earns money for the Russian war, and there were also hits on Kronstadt — an important military target,” he said in a post on Telegram.
St. Petersburg’s Kirovsky district was previously hit in June, ahead of Russia’s flagship St. Petersburg International Economic Forum.
The Crimean peninsula, which Russia annexed in 2014, has suffered particularly from heavy strikes, causing local authorities to suspend gasoline sales to civilians. A Ukrainian attack on Saturday killed one person and injured two more, including a 10-year-old child, the Moscow-installed Gov. Sergei Aksyonov said.
Ukrainian attacks bring the war home
Russian President Vladimir Putin has shrugged off Ukraine’s strikes on Russia’s energy facilities as “not critical,” and insisted the war will continue until his goals are met.
He has described the attacks on Russian energy as an effort by Ukraine to distract attention from its losses on the battlefield, although analysts say the advance of Russian forces has been stymied in recent months.
On Friday, Putin visited the Russian military headquarters directing the war in Ukraine and received a report on the capture of the city of Kostyantynivka, after weeks of intense street battles. He hailed it as a key step toward capturing the nearby cities of Sloviansk and Kramatorsk, the key remaining strongholds in the so-called “forest belt” of heavily fortified cities in the Donetsk region that remain in Ukraine’s hands.
The capture of Kostyantynivka, a big transport and industrial hub, is of “major strategic importance,” Putin, clad in military fatigues, said in televised comments.
In a briefing Saturday, Col. Gen. Sergei Rudskoy, the first deputy chief of the General Staff of the Russian armed forces, said that Ukrainian troops had been pushed back several kilometers (miles) and that fighting was taking place on the outskirts of the nearby town of Oleksiievo-Druzhkivka.
“The city is now under our full control. Units of the Southern Army Group are completing the clearance of city blocks, rooting out small groups and individual Ukrainian fighters who may still be hiding in basements and ruins,” he said.
Zelenskyy denied that Russia took control of the city. “It is just another Russian lie, an attempt to generate some kind of a news story,” he wrote on social media Saturday. “If Kostiantynivka were under Russian control, then perhaps Putin would have no problem meeting me there to find a diplomatic way to finally end this war. But the fact is, he won’t cross the front line — reality is very different from Putin’s words.”
But the Kremlin quickly dismissed Zelenskyy’s offer, with Russian presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling Radio Komsomolskaya Pravda on Saturday evening that Putin would meet the Ukrainian leader in Moscow once Kyiv was ready to make “important, consequential decisions.”
Putin appears to believe his government can keep the fuel crisis from eroding his authority and support for the war he launched more than four years ago. At the very least, the attacks have brought the war home even more poignantly for millions of Russians, shattering Putin’s narrative of the conflict as something that doesn’t affect the lives of ordinary people in his country.
The border city of Belgorod, which Ukrainian drone strikes have also repeatedly targeted, was left almost completely without power on Saturday due to overnight attacks, local media reported.
Meanwhile, eight people were wounded after a Russian attack struck residential buildings in Ukraine’s southeastern region of Zaporizhzhia, including two children, local authorities said on Saturday.
A banner depicting President Donald Trump is held aloft as mourners gather during funeral prayers held as part of the dayslong funeral ceremonies for the slain Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and members of his family outside the Imam Khomeini Mosalla Grand Mosque in Tehran, Iran, Sunday, July 5, 2026. (AP Photo/Altaf Qadri)TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran’s top officials and brothers of the new supreme leader emerged into public view Sunday to attend funeral prayers for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Their appearance signaled confidence in their safety as Iran pushes back on U.S. demands in negotiations to permanently end the war.
Crowds of hundreds of thousands chanted “Death to America” and “Death to Israel,” as they called for revenge over the Feb. 28 attack that killed the 86-year-old supreme leader and other top officials, triggering the war. Some hard-liners called for the assassination of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Iran’s new supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, has yet to make an appearance in the funeral ceremonies, which are unfolding over several days. He is believed to be in hiding after reportedly being wounded in the airstrike that killed his father.
At the height of the war, before an April ceasefire, Israel had targeted top leaders, in at least one case likely using their public appearance to fix their position. It has also threatened to kill the younger Khamenei.
The U.S. is meanwhile pressing ahead with negotiations with Iran aimed at fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz and rolling back its disputed nuclear program.
Ziba Naderi, a 42-year-old nurse attending the funeral Sunday, said Iran needed to heed Mojtaba Khamenei’s commands. “I heard the call for revenge, but our leader should say what we need to do,” she said. “And we must listen to him.”
Top officials appear as the crowd size swells
Ayatollah Jafar Sobhani, a 97-year-old Shiite cleric, led the prayers at Tehran’s Grand Mosalla for the late Khamenei his family members killed in the strike.
On hand were Khamenei’s other sons, Masoud, Meysam and Mostafa, who haven’t been seen since the war. Revolutionary Guard head Gen. Ahmad Vahidi, who was photographed for the first time since the war on Thursday, could be seen in the crowd by Associated Press journalists, flanked by plainclothes security forces and wearing a black baseball cap.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian, Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf — who has led the negotiations with the U.S. — and Esmail Qaani, who leads the elite Quds Force of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also attended.
The crowd had grown from the day before. Mourners dressed in black carried banners and flags honoring Khamenei.
Some mention Trump by name as mourners call for revenge
Posters and graffiti at the Grand Mosalla called for the killing of Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Why is the biggest bastard in the world still alive?” Mohammad Rasouli, a poet who emceed the event before the prayers, said to the crowd over loudspeakers, referring to Trump. “The world is no longer a good place” for Trump, he added as the crowd cheered.
“I came here to shout and seek revenge,” said Gholamreza Sabooni, a 29-year-old man who works in a grocery. “They killed our imam, we should kill their leader, Trump.”
The U.S. president was giving a speech at the same time across the world in Washington, D.C., for the 250th anniversary of America’s founding.
“We’ve had tremendous success,” Trump said about the U.S. military. “You look at Venezuela, you look at Iran. We wiped it out, wiped out their military.”
U.S. federal authorities have been tracking Iranian threats against Trump and other administration officials for years. That stems from Trump ordering the 2020 killing of Gen. Qassem Soleimani, who had led the Quds Force. Iran repeatedly has denied plotting to kill Trump, though hard-line propaganda footage long has suggested Trump was in Tehran’s crosshairs.
Trump meanwhile promised to destroy Iran’s very civilization during the war, among other threats.
Funeral postpones talks with US
Khamenei’s body will be transported to cities in Iran and neighboring Iraq, with authorities planning to drive his casket and others through the streets of Tehran on Monday. Authorities have shut down streets, airspace and daily life for the mourning, which will end Thursday as he is buried at the Imam Reza shrine in Mashhad, Khamenei’s place of birth.
Authorities offered no attendance count for the event Saturday and Sunday. Other cities across Iran also held mourning ceremonies.
Talks over reaching a permanent end to the war appear to be on hold until the end of the funeral.
The funeral was in part a show of unity and defiance as Iran demands a measure of control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for global energy that it shut down during the war. The U.S. has rejected those demands, and the sides are divided on other key issues, including the conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran’s nuclear program.
The U.S. assisted 70 transits of the Strait of Hormuz over the past 72 hours, including 18 on Saturday, a multinational maritime body overseen by the U.S. Navy said Sunday. It called traffic steady along routes near Oman and Iran but still below prewar levels. The threat level remained “substantial” and mine clearance and surveying work continued.
“Our foreign policy should not be shaped in a way that allows our martyred leader’s blood to be dishonored and other countries can afford to do such things, without any serious response from our government and diplomatic system,” mourner Mohammad Reza Sharifi said.
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Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Associated Press writer Cara Anna in Lowville, New York, contributed.
SMITH COUNTY – One child is dead after they were fatally injured in an ATV crash in Smith County on Saturday. According to Smith County Emergency Services District #2, a minor was killed in an ATV crash on FM 2493 at around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday night. FM 2493 runs from Bullard through Flint and into Tyler.
Information about the crash is limited but the Texas Department of Public Safety is responsible for investigating most fatal crashes on public roads.
In 2025, the Bullard area also lost 9th grader Madison Nelson to an ATV crash.
HOUSTON (AP) — The Houston Astros optioned struggling outfielder Jake Meyers to Triple-A Sugar Land in one of four roster moves made before Saturday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.
The Astros also optioned outfielder Joey Loperfido to Triple-A, recalled outfielder/infielder Zach Dezenzo from Triple-A and reinstated infielder/outfielder LaMonte Wade Jr. from the injured list.
Meyers, a Gold Glove finalist in 2024 and the Astros’ third-longest-tenured position player, went hitless in Friday’s 3-1 loss to the Rays, dropping his batting average to .206 for the season. He has posted a .167/.231/.250 line since June 2, and he started just three of the Astros’ previous 10 games.
“He’s helped us to win a lot of games, helped us win a lot of postseason games,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “He’s part of this organization’s success, but he understood it. We’re going to help him. We’ve pinpointed some things that he’s going to be working on in Triple-A.”
Loperfido, who was reacquired in a trade from the Toronto Blue Jays at the start of spring training, is batting .136 since returning from the injured list June 4.
Wade was 4 for 12 with a home run in four games with the Astros after signing as a free agent on June 4. He landed on the IL with a right hamstring strain on June 9.
Dezenzo batted .191 in 21 games with the Astros earlier this season before being optioned to Triple-A on June 5.
“(We’re trying to see) if having Wade and Dezenzo can spark something up and see if we can get something going,” Espada said.
The Astros began Saturday with a 43-47 record, three games back of the Texas Rangers for first place in the AL West.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Riley Greene hit a two-run homer in the first inning, Jack Flaherty pitched three-hit ball over 5 2/3 innings and the Detroit Tigers beat the Texas Rangers 3-0 on Saturday.
Tyler Holton retired the only batter he faced after relieving Flaherty, before Keider Montero pitched three no-hit innings with one walk for his first career save and to finish off the seventh shutout by the Tigers this season.
Flaherty (2-8) struck out five without a walk, but did hit a batter. The right-hander has gone at least five innings not allowing a run in both starts since coming off the injured list because of a left-foot strain. He is 2-1 in his last five starts after going into June with an 0-7 record his first 12 starts.
Cal Quantrill (3-1) made his third consecutive start for Texas in the spot of injured Jack Leiter, Quantrill struck out two, walked one and hit a batter while allowing three hits and three runs — two earned — over five innings.
The Rangers were held scoreless for the sixth time this season. This one came two days after a season-high 17 hits to beat Detroit 10-4 in the opener before the series paused Friday for a World Cup game played at the adjacent home stadium of the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys.
After Quantrill retired the first two batters of the game, Kerry Carpenter hit a sharp single before Greene’s 12th homer, a 386-foot shot pulled down the right-field line. The Tigers led 3-0 after an error on left fielder Alejandro Osuna’s misplayed flyball in the third set up an RBI groundout for Ben Malgeri.
Up next
A matchup of former first-round draft picks in the series finale Sunday. Casey Mize (3-5, 2.63 ERA), the No. 1 overall pick in 2018, starts for Detroit while Kumar Rocker (2-6, 3.83), the third overall pick in 2022, is set to pitch for Texas.
HOUSTON (AP) — Yordan Alvarez hit a two-run homer off Casey Legumina with no outs in the ninth inning to cap a big night and give the Houston Astros a 10-8 victory over the Tampa Bay Rays on Saturday.
The Rays had won nine in a row, the longest winning streak in the American League this season.
Named to his fourth All-Star team before the game, Alvarez homered twice and drove in six runs. He leads the AL with 29 homers and has four multi-homer games this season.
Jose Altuve drew a walk to open the ninth against Legumina (2-2). Altuve was 2 for 3 with two walks and three runs.
After Hunter Brown allowed a season-high seven runs over four innings, Houston’s bullpen combined to hold the Rays to a run over the final innings, with Josh Hader (3-0) earning the win.
Named to his second All-Star team on Saturday, Junior Caminero went deep with one out in the first inning to give the Rays a 1-0 lead. He has hit 11 home runs over his last 11 games and has 26 overall.
The Rays regained the lead when Richie Palacios hit a two-run homer in the second inning, and they scored three runs in the third and one in fourth to make it 7-2 before Yainer Diaz hit a two-run home run of his own in the bottom of the fourth.
Jonny DeLuca answered Alvarez’s fifth inning RBI single with a solo homer in the seventh, but Houston tied it with a three run seventh inning, capped by Zach Dezenzo’s pinch-hit, two-out RBI single off Craig Kimbrel.
Up next
RHP Peter Lambert (6-5, 3.51 ERA) was set to start for the Astros on Sunday in the series finale. The Rays had not announced a starter.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — That was quite a big brew outside the home ballpark of the Texas Rangers for America’s 250th birthday.
The Rangers partnered with Budweiser on Saturday to set a Guinness World Record for the largest-ever glass of beer. A 12-foot tall, 600-gallon glass beer stein was filled in a plaza outside Globe Life Field before the team’s July 4 game against Detroit.
It took nearly two hours to fill the stein before the new record was certified by a Guinness adjudicator who was present for the record.
That broke the previous world record of 550 gallons that was set in 2014 by by Stod Fold Brewing Company, which is based in Halifax in the United Kingdom. That total had significance to that year’s Tour de France bicycle race.
HOUSTON (AP) — Morocco is heading back to the World Cup quarterfinals and coach Mohamed Ouahbi believes his team has established itself among soccer’s elite.
Azzedine Ounahi scored twice to lead Morocco to a 3-0 win over Canada in the Round of 16 Saturday to make the country the first African nation to reach the quarterfinals more than once.
“We are no longer a surprise,” Ouahbi said through an interpreter. “Now when people talk about Morocco we’re a major contender and it’s a great source of pride. I think it’s only the beginning and I hope we continue to have runs like this.”
And despite already making history in this World Cup, Morocco has much higher goals.
“We want to keep going,” Ouahbi said. “We don’t want to stop.”
It’s Morocco’s second straight appearance in the final eight after becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals in 2022.
“We are so proud to represent Africa because it’s a continent with a lot of talent and Africa deserves to be in the best level in football,” goalkeeper Yassine Bounou said.
Neither team was able to break through until Ounahi took a free kick from Achraf Hakimi and made a right-footed shot through traffic from outside the box to the bottom right corner to put Morocco on top 1-0 in the 50th minute.
Ounahi made it 2-0 on a right-footed shot from the middle of the box off a pass from Brahim Díaz in the 82nd minute.
Soufiane Rahimi added a goal in the final minute of stoppage time.
Morocco will meet France, which beat Paraguay later Saturday, on Thursday in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
The loss ends a historic run for World Cup co-host Canada, which won its first-ever knockout round game, beating South Africa 1-0 to reach Saturday’s match. The country was playing in the World Cup for just the third time and the run enchanted a nation that is normally far more interested in hockey than the pitch.
Canada coach Jesse Marsch shared his postgame message to the team.
“I told them that I was proud of them and I challenged them to understand that we can play like this all the time against the best teams in the world,” he said. “We can be better on the day. And then the challenge is, can we hold that standard for 90 minutes?”
Morocco, No. 7 in the FIFA rankings entering the tournament, dispatched the Netherlands in a penalty shootout to reach the Round of 16 and send the country to its earliest World Cup exit.
Marsch lauded how his team performed against a squad of Morocco’s caliber and how Canada controlled the match for much of the day.
“The way we pushed, the way we were in the match, the quality we showed, the overall impact in the match, we were better,” he said. “We were better than the No. 7 team in the world today.”
Ouahbi had a strong response when told of those comments.
“In terms of intensity they were good,” he said. “They were good for 98 minutes. Were they better? It’s hard to say. It takes some nerve to say that when you lose 3-nil.”
Canada had a couple of chances to score late. Jonathan David had a free kick from outside the box in the 78th minute, but his shot sailed over the crossbar.
Just after that, Tajon Buchanan’s shot from about 30 yards was stopped with a diving save from Bounou. Bounou, who was born in Canada to Moroccan parents, had three saves.
The victory set off a huge celebration for Morocco’s fans back home.
Within minutes, thousands poured into the streets of Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city. Horns echoed as supporters climbed onto car roofs, waving flags and chanting.
Traffic ground to a halt along the Corniche Boulevard, one of the city’s main avenues, where ecstatic Atlas Lions supporters danced, set off fireworks and waved flares. Other major boulevards across Casablanca were also jammed with jubilant fans.
Canada reached the Round of 16 despite missing star Alphonso Davies for the majority of the tournament because of a hamstring injury. The Bayern Munich player logged only 15 minutes as a substitute in the victory over South Africa but wasn’t available Saturday.
“His hamstring didn’t feel right,” Marsch said. “We were hoping that by the time he woke up this morning that he would feel better, but he didn’t.”
This game was a rematch from the last World Cup when Morocco beat Canada 2-1 in the group stage. Morocco went on to finish fourth.
It was an extremely physical match with eight yellow cards being issued. Both teams received four.
Hakimi and Canada’s Richie Laryea received yellow cards in the 40th minute. Hakimi shoved Laryea to the ground and then Laryea pushed him and a minor scuffle ensued.
Morocco midfielder Ismael Saibari left with an injury in the 22nd minute.
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Associated Press writer Akram Oubachir in Casablanca, Morocco, contributed to this report.
LONGVIEW — Newly released records have provided more details about an alleged assault outside Whisky J’s in Longview last month that left a woman seriously injured. According to arrest affidavits and our news partner KETK, officers responded to the bar on the morning of June 21 after reports of an assault in the parking lot.
The victim told officers she was walking through the parking lot after leaving the bar when she was suddenly attacked by multiple people. She said she did not know the suspects or have any prior issues with anyone inside the bar. She described one attacker as a Black woman wearing an orange wig.
Investigators interviewed several witnesses, including a security guard who told officers he heard a woman say, “The next white b***h that walks out, I’m going to hit her,” before seeing a group of women assault the victim. Two other witnesses also told officers they saw multiple women attack the victim, while another said he heard someone say, “Any white girl can get it,” and “Free Karmelo” before the assault began. Continue reading New details in Whisky J’s assault
TYLER – America’s 250th anniversary is here and East Texans across the area were out celebrating on Saturday with fireworks, hotdogs, an airshow and more. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler’s annual July 4 Festival moved into its new home at The Park of East Texas on Saturday. The free event featured food trucks, local vendors, family-friendly activities and they topped it all off with a fireworks show.
Over at the Boulders at Lake Tyler, they celebrated the holiday with a Red, White & Wings airshow where East Texans could enjoy food trucks, and watch an airshow flyover. The event also served as a fundraiser for local veterans with funds being donated to CampV.
In Kilgore, residents gathered at Kilgore City Park for their July 4th celebration, which was complete with food vendors, family fun, an inflatable obstacle course and their very own fireworks show.
CASS COUNTY, Texas (KETK) – The Linden Volunteer Fire Department responded to a fire at an oil storage tank site on Friday.
The fire was reportedly started after a bolt of lighting hit an oil storage site off of County Road 1754 when storms were moving through Cass County at around 3:04 p.m. Because the oil site was already burning, the department said they couldn’t do much until the fire burned itself out, at which time they sprayed it with foam.
Linden firefighters were assisted at the scene by Cass County Emergency Services District 2, Cass County Emergency Services District 4 and the Avinger Volunteer Fire Department.
Officials with Linden VFD said the fire was extinguished at 6:30 p.m. on Friday.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said he considered the matter resolved after he and team director Ibrahim Hassan had a physical confrontation with a police officer at the team’s hotel in Dallas.
Video began circulating Thursday, a day before Egypt beat Australia in the round of the 32 at the World Cup, showing both men arguing with a Dallas police officer, apparently over a player preparing to take a picture with a young fan in the hotel lobby.
The officer approaches Hossam Hassan first, but his interaction with Ibrahim Hassan became a shoving match. Ibrahim Hassan appeared to be upset at the officer intervening.
Dallas police issued a statement saying officers were responding to a request from hotel security about an individual without event credentials attempting to gain access. The statement said the issue was resolved at the scene, and that police met with Egyptian representatives to address their concerns.
Hossam Hassan said through a translator the team had accepted an apology from police.
“We are really happy to be here at this tournament and we are satisfied with the security personnel that are accompanying us,” Hossam Hassan said. “I would like to point to the high-level organization we have with us and the level of security we have with us.”
Hassan is the first person to play and coach for Egypt at the World Cup. The victory over Australia came in Egypt’s debut in the knockout round of the tournament.
People dance in the street as they wait for the National Mall to reopen after being evacuated due to weather during Independence Day events honoring the nation’s 250th anniversary, Saturday, July 4, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais)WASHINGTON (AP) — Severe weather disrupted celebrations of America’s 250th anniversary of independence Saturday in several East Coast cities, including Washington, where storms prompted a roughly two-hour evacuation of the National Mall. President Donald Trump said he will still speak there later Saturday night.
Elsewhere, severe weather prompted the cancellation of celebrations in Hartford, Connecticut, along with Harrisburg and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Spectators at Boston’s fireworks and concert were told to briefly seek shelter before events later resumed. An evacuation was also ordered in Philadelphia. New York and Pittsburgh moved forward with fireworks but shifted the time to accommodate the shifting weather.
Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as onetime colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own. Organizers of celebrations months in the making had to adjust or cancel activities entirely as much of the East Coast sweltered under heat that approached and in many cases surpassed triple digits.
Heat is defining the big weekend in many places
The disruption was particularly acute in Washington, where signs at the Great American State Fair posted an alert shortly after 7 p.m. ET encouraging participants to leave the area. Crowds gathered in museums, subway stations and federal buildings near the Mall. At the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center they waited in chairs and sat on the floor to cool off in the air conditioning.
“I’m not going to let some rain stop our 250th,” Trump said in a social media post announcing his plans to still deliver a speech, which was expected to begin around 11 p.m.
Crowds were building in the area several hours before the evacuation. Tina Hale, 58, of Cohoes, New York, watched three of her grandchildren children dip their hands into a pool of water near a museum. Hale pointed toward the sky and urged them to look up as three military jets roared above the crowd.
“If that doesn’t make you proud to be an American,” she said.
David Koshko, 42, and his wife, Jennifer Koskho, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, came to Washington for a baseball game but planned to stay for the city’s fireworks show. After baking in the heat for hours during the Pittsburgh Pirates’ win over the Washington Nationals, they took a break in the shade of an overpass near the National Mall to plot their next stop.
“Just to be a part of the 250 years (anniversary) is an amazing thing,” said David Koshko, a commercial driver and veteran of the Marine Corps reserves.
In Philadelphia, fireworks began to crack as early as midday in the birthplace of the nation near the site where the Declaration of Independence was adopted by delegates to the Second Continental Congress. Hundreds of visitors were gathering at Independence Hall in the sweltering heat to await the celebrations coinciding with the France-Paraguay World Cup knockout game at Philadelphia Stadium, which began with commemorations of the holiday.
“It’s one big party in here,” Carlos Alban, who traveled to Philadelphia from Chicago to watch the match, said as he arrived at the stadium, adding that he spotted a fan in the parking lot dressed as one of the Founding Fathers.
About 45 minutes before another World Cup match in Houston, a message from astronauts aboard the International Space Station noting the holiday was beamed into the stadium.
In New York, tall ships, with their masts, rigging and white sails outlined against a blue sky, made a procession around the Statue of Liberty and up the Hudson River, recalling the fanfare around America’s 200th anniversary in 1976.
The 43 ships were followed by a display of aerial might with a stealth bomber and the Navy’s Blue Angels. Patrouille de France, the French Air Force’s acrobatic teams, flew over New York Harbor with their red, white and blue trails, evoking images of the American flag.
“We got up early and just rode our bikes about a mile down here to come see the scene,” said Oona Moore, a Jersey City, New Jersey, resident who took in the New York festivities. “We saw the tall ships and we saw the planes, you know, all different manner of military aircraft. I’ve never seen it so close and in the sky at the same time.”
At George Washington’s Mount Vernon, people took the Oath of Allegiance to become U.S. citizens. They stood with eyes closed and hands over hearts for the national anthem.
An uneasy nation gets ready to celebrate
Trump spoke Saturday with world leaders including Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who both congratulated the U.S. as they engage in a war. The president has also heard from Britain’s King Charles III and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in recent days.
Inside the U.S., The celebrations are unfolding against the backdrop of a deep divide this election year that has been expanding for years, visible in everything from political expression to cultural norms to age-old questions over race, class and immigration.
At Mount Rushmore on Friday, Trump spoke of communism as a “mortal threat to American liberty” with the Republican president saying it was more dangerous than either World War or 9/11.
Without naming Trump, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat who is also a democratic socialist and recently backed several successful congressional candidates in their primaries, appeared to reference Trump during a speech Friday.
“Those ideals upon which our nation was built — they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them,” he said.
Vice President JD Vance said small but loud voices would speak on America’s birthday about its imperfections instead of its greatness.
“They will tell you that America is just another country, where the weak struggle against the strong,” Vance said speaking aboard the USS Kearsarge in New York Harbor.
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Associated Press writers Emily Wang in New York, Luis Andres Henao in Philadelphia, Kristie Rieken in Houston, Sarah Rankin in Richmond, Va., Jeffrey Collins in Columbia, S.C., Safiyah Riddle in Los Angeles and Jesse Bedayn, Anna Johnson, Will Weissert and Michael Kunzelman contributed to this report.
WOOD COUNTY – Texas Game Wardens said they found one man dead in Lake Hawkins on Saturday after he reportedly drowned. According to our news partner KETK, the 27-year-old male swimmer was swimming near a park at Lake Hawkins when he never came back from under the water. His body was recovered from the water at around 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, after officials conducted a search of the lake.
Game wardens told KETK News that a local Justice of the Peace could order an autopsy on the man’s body.
TYLER – One person has died after a shooting happened at the Relax Inn on East Gentry Parkway in Tyler on Saturday morning, according to our news partner, KETK, and Tyler Police. Officers responding to a reported shooting, arrived at the motel at around 4 a.m., and found a victim at the scene.
The person was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries from the shooting, and died at the hospital, according to police. Detectives are interviewing a suspect reportedly involved in the crime. According to a news release, the shooting was “not a random incident.” A warrant for murder is currently pending for the suspect.
GLADEWATER — For America’s 250th birthday, East Texans are coming together for Independence Day festivities like no other. With fireworks popping across the night sky and boats launched on lakes, residents are finding any way they can to enjoy the holiday weekend.
Texas Game Wardens, however, ask that you spend the Fourth of July safely, following all laws while out on the lake, according to our new partner, KETK. “I want to stress: slow down. Just slow down. We’re going to have an added crowd out here,” Texas Game Warden Todd Long said. “The fireworks show tends to bring in lots of other boats, canoers, kayakers, people of different levels of experience.” Continue reading Boating safety urged for Fourth
ARLINGTON (AP) — Egypt coach Hossam Hassan said he considered the matter resolved after he and team director Ibrahim Hassan had a physical confrontation with a police officer at the team’s hotel in Dallas.
Video began circulating Thursday, a day before Egypt beat Australia in the round of the 32 at the World Cup, showing both men arguing with a Dallas police officer, apparently over a player preparing to take a picture with a young fan in the hotel lobby.
The officer approaches Hossam Hassan first, but his interaction with Ibrahim Hassan became a shoving match. Ibrahim Hassan appeared to be upset at the officer intervening.
Dallas police issued a statement saying officers were responding to a request from hotel security about an individual without event credentials attempting to gain access. The statement said the issue was resolved at the scene, and that police met with Egyptian representatives to address their concerns.
Hossam Hassan said through a translator the team had accepted an apology from police.
“We are really happy to be here at this tournament and we are satisfied with the security personnel that are accompanying us,” Hossam Hassan said. “I would like to point to the high-level organization we have with us and the level of security we have with us.”
Hassan is the first person to play and coach for Egypt at the World Cup. The victory over Australia came in Egypt’s debut in the knockout round of the tournament.
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into StubHub over widespread reports that the company is canceling or failing to provide World Cup tickets that fans have purchased. Since the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off, fans across the country, including in Texas host cities like Dallas and Houston, have reported that StubHub canceled their tickets days or even hours before kickoff.
StubHub has blamed the cancellations on “transfer problems” tied to FIFA’s ticketing platform, but consumer complaints point to a broader pattern often called “ghost ticketing,” in which sellers list tickets they do not actually possess, collect payment, and then cancel when they cannot deliver.
“My office is investigating reports that StubHub is failing to deliver tickets that Texas fans have rightfully purchased,” said Attorney General Paxton. “In many cases, attending a World Cup match is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If StubHub is ghost ticketing Texans out of that experience, my office will use every tool available to hold them accountable and help fans who have been wronged.”
Texans who purchased World Cup tickets through StubHub and did not receive them, or received tickets significantly inferior to what they paid for, are encouraged to file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. To access the online complaint form, click here.
WISE COUNTY – On July 1, Texas Department of Public Safety, Criminal Investigations Division special agents served a search warrant at a residence in Runaway Bay, as part of an ongoing investigation involving the alleged downloading of child sexual abuse material. During the search, DPS CID special agents located and seized multiple electronic devices.
A preliminary forensics examination identified several files depicting child sexual abuse material on the seized electronic devices. Michael Jeffrey Anderson, 40, of Runaway Bay was arrested and charged with possession or promotion of child pornography, a first degree felony.
He was also charged with possession, promotion, or production of certain visual material depicting a child, a state jail felony. Anderson was taken to the Wise County Jail. This is an open investigation, and no further information is available.
Anyone with information related to this investigation or with knowledge of any crime is encouraged to contact the Texas Department of Public Safety. The public can report suspicious behaviors via the iWatchTexas app or by calling 1-844-643-2251. A report usually takes less than five minutes, and all reports are confidential (providing contact information, which is optional, allows follow-up questions).
The iWatchTexas app is available at no cost to iPhone users on the Apple App Store (iWatchTexas) and for Android users on Google Play (iWatchTexas). Texans are urged to download the app now.
Note: The iWatchTexas program is not designed to report emergencies. You can visit the website here. If a situation requires an emergency response, call 911.
Thank you to our local law enforcement partners, who assisted with the investigation: the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Dallas Police Department, and the Runaway Bay Police Department.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — No matter what Mohamed Salah decides about his future with Egyptian soccer — more World Cups or not — the star striker can say he was the captain for the country’s first victory in the knockout round.
Hossam Abdelmaguid scored the deciding goal in a shootout, and Egypt won its debut in the elimination round of the World Cup by beating Australia 4-2 on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in the round of 32 Friday.
Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan didn’t stop any of Egypt’s four shots after replacing starter Patrick Beach late in extra time.
The victory comes in Egypt’s fourth World Cup, the first one with an expanded field of 48. Australia is now 0-3 in the knockout round.
Egypt will next face defending champion Argentina, which beat Cape Verde 3-2 in extra time Friday night, in the round of 16 on Tuesday in Atlanta.
“Me feeling today is that it’s incredible,” said Salah, the 34-year-old former Liverpool player who is one behind national team coach Hossam Hassan’s Egyptian record of 69 international goals. “I always like seeing the boys happy and enjoying the moment. Nothing can match that. So today was one of the best days of my life.”
Harry Souttar opened the shootout by missing high for Australia, and 18-year-old Lucas Herrington hit the crossbar with the fourth attempt to set up Abdelmaguid’s clincher for the Pharaohs.
The 25-year-old Abdelmaguid, who doesn’t have an international goal in 15 appearances, went low left as Ryan dived to the defender’s right, setting off a raucous celebration among 70,244 fans at the sold-out home of the Dallas Cowboys, plenty of them wearing Egyptian red.
Egypt didn’t even have a victory in the World Cup before beating New Zealand 3-1 in the group stage less than two weeks ago.
“I was only thinking about the Egyptian fans,” Hassan said through an interpreter. “During the entire time and during the penalty shootout, I was just praying, ‘God, please make the Egyptian people happy.’ Even before the penalty shootout, to be honest.”
Egypt’s other shootout scorers were Mahmoud Saber, Ramy Rabia and Salah, who played every minute of regulation and extra time despite a hamstring injury sustained in the team’s group finale.
Jackson Irvine and Awer Mabil scored in the shootout for Australia.
“When I went to the players and talked to them, I wanted to take some pressure off,” Hassan said. “Do not look at the pressure. Just let everything out, don’t think about anything. Think about your penalty kick. Don’t even think about the goalkeeper. Just think about your kick.”
Emam Ashour gave Egypt the lead in regulation by scoring in the 13th minute with a header that beat Beach just inside the near post. Australia evened the match in the 55th when Egypt defender Mohamed Hany became the first player to score two own-goals in the same World Cup.
The own-goal came when Aiden O’Neill took a free kick from left of the penalty area and Hany headed the ball past goalkeeper Mostafa Shoubir for a spot in World Cup infamy. His other own-goal came in a 1-1 draw with Belgium in the group stage.
Less than 10 minutes earlier, Hany was down near the same spot after colliding with Connor Metcalfe on the Australia midfielder’s header attempt. Medical personnel tended to Hany with a stretcher waiting nearby, but he was helped up and stayed on after what appeared to be a concussion check.
Australia’s only scoring in World Cup knockout rounds has been two own-goals. The Socceroos lost to Italy 1-0 in 2006 and lost to Argentina 2-1 four years ago in Qatar. The goal against Argentina was an own-goal.
“It hurts when you get that close,” Australia coach Tony Popovic said. “Unfortunately, we bow out in a penalty shootout, so it’s difficult to take right now.”
Omar Marmoush had a great chance to give Egypt a two-goal lead in the opening seconds of the second half, but he sent a shot wide.
The late goalkeeper switch to the 34-year-old Ryan, for his 105th international appearance, came despite several strong saves from the 22-year-old Beach, who was playing in only his sixth game for the Socceroos.
Beach made a sprawling save on a header from Rabia in the waning moments of regulation, and seconds later had a much easier stop on Salah’s shot.
Egypt had one more chance before the end of regulation, but Haissem Hassan was turned away by Souttar, who deflected the shot with his knee.
Dallas Stars captain Jamie Benn is returning for an 18th season with the only team he has ever played for in the NHL.
The Stars announced Friday, two weeks before Benn’s 37th birthday, that he has signed a one-year deal for the 2026-27 season. The contract has a base salary of $850,000, the league minimum, with another $1,150,000 in potential performance bonuses.
“Jamie’s leadership and commitment to this organization is truly unmatched and he has helped define our culture,” general manager Jim Nill said. “He continues to set the standard on and off the ice, and we’re excited to have him leading our team for another season.”
Hall of Fame center Mike Modano is the only player in franchise history with more than Benn’s 1,252 regular-season games, 414 goals and 992 points. Benn has 80 points (28 goals and 52 assists) in 126 postseason games, and still hopes to win a Stanley Cup title.
Benn has been the Stars captain since 2013-14, and this is the second offseason in a row he had a decision to make about whether to play another season. He also played on a one-year deal last season after the end of a $76 million, eight-year contract.
He missed the first 19 games last season because of a punctured lung and his 60 games played were his fewest in a full 82-game regular season. He had 15 goals and 21 assists with a $1 million base salary, and earned another $2 million in bonuses.
After the Stars were knocked out in the first round of the playoffs in May, Benn said he was going to sit back before making a decision about another season. His coach and teammates were clear then that they hoped he would keep playing.
“For me, it’s a slam dunk. He needs to come back,” coach Glen Gulutzan said after completing his first season back with the Stars.
Benn was the only player Gulutzan also coached during his first tenure behind the Dallas bench (2011-13).
Tyler Seguin has been teammates with Benn since 2013-14, after he was traded from Boston and the same season Benn became the Stars captain.
Seguin, who is going into the final season of a $78.8 million, eight-year contract, made it clear after last season that he hoped for another chance at the Cup with Benn.
Dallas went to the Western Conference final in each of the previous three seasons before the early postseason exit this year.
ATLANTA (AP) — The Atlanta Braves signed former NL MVP outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a minor league contract on Friday in their ongoing search for a veteran who can provide offensive help.
The 39-year-old McCutchen was released by the Texas Rangers on May 27 after he hit .192 in 37 games as a designated hitter, pinch hitter and outfielder.
The NL East-leading Braves (50-35) signed first baseman Carlos Santana, 40, to a minor league deal last week. McCutchen, the 2013 NL MVP with Pittsburgh, is expected to soon report to Triple-A Gwinnett. On Thursday, another veteran first baseman, Rowdy Tellez, was designated for assignment as rookie shortstop Jim Jarvis was recalled from Gwinnett.
McCutchen played his first nine seasons in the majors with the Pirates and earned five straight All-Star berths from 2011-15 while becoming one of the team’s most popular players. After stints with five other teams from 2018-22, he returned to the Pirates for the 2023-25 seasons.
In 2025, McCutchen hit .239 with 13 homers and 57 RBIs in 135 games before becoming a free agent. He is a career .271 hitter with 333 homers, 1,157 RBIs and 220 stolen bases in 2,299 games.
Braves manager Walt Weiss said McCutchen is “one of the most respected players in the game. … He’s a pretty cool name to have in a Braves uniform.”
Weiss said McCutchen will be a good leader for young players. “He’s going to impact any room he’s in,” Weiss said.
The Braves on Friday also recalled right-hander Anthony Molina, activated left-hander Danny Young (elbow) from the injured list and optioned right-hander James Karinchak to Gwinnett. Right-hander Ian Hamilton was designated for assignment.
HOUSTON (AP) — Nick Fortes homered and hit a run-scoring double, Junior Caminero added a solo shot, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Houston Astros 3-1 on Friday night to extend the longest active win streak in the major leagues to nine games.
The Rays have homered in a season-high eight consecutive games. Tampa Bay had its streak of nine straight games scoring at least four runs snapped.
Steven Okert (1-1) replaced starter Spencer Arrighetti to begin the seventh and struck out Jonathan Aranda swinging before Caminero hit a 1-1 slider over the wall in left field to give the Rays a 2-1 lead.
Kevin Kelly (5-3) pitched 1 2/3 innings of no-hit relief for the win.
Bryan Baker pitched a 1-2-3 ninth for 23rd save this season.
Yordan Alvarez hit his American League-leading 27th home run this season, a 427-foot shot off Rays starter Nick Martinez in the sixth that made it 1-1. Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber leads MLB with 30 homers.
Caminero has 25 homer runs, tied with Minnesota’s Byron Buxton for second in the AL. The 22-year-old Caminero had a string of six consecutive games with a homer snapped Thursday in a 5-2 win at Kansas City
Fortes hit a two-out solo shot, his second this season, in the sixth inning that opened the scoring.
Tampa Bay’s Cedric Mullins went 0 for 4 and snapped his career-long streak of reaching base in 25 straight starts.
Arrighetti gave up a run and two hits.
Up next
Rays RHP Drew Rasmussen (7-4, 2.45 ERA) starts Saturday against RHP Hunter Brown (1-0, 1.78) in the second of a three-game series.
Duane Schwingel plays a harmonica on the National Mall, Friday, July 3, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)WASHINGTON (AP) — The 250th anniversary of American independence is colliding with a country gripped by political polarization and a heat wave bearing down on millions of people across multiple states as celebrations get underway across the United States on Saturday.
The signing of the Declaration of Independence, one of history’s most celebrated articulations of democratic ambitions, is being marked in myriad ways. President Donald Trump, set to take a central role in festivities, plans to speak on the National Mall in Washington ahead of what’s being billed as a historically enormous fireworks show that will rain down over the nation’s capital. The president was in South Dakota at Mount Rushmore on Friday, where he delivered a dark speech about the threat of communism in the U.S. as the chiseled images of four of his most prominent predecessors loomed behind him.
Elsewhere, fireworks are scheduled to be set off Saturday over Navy Pier in Chicago and against the skyline of New York City, which also hosted a ball drop at midnight to usher in the holiday with the same fanfare as New Year’s Eve. Bristol, Rhode Island, describes itself as home of the nation’s oldest Independence Day celebrations dating to 1785. In Los Angeles, Queen Latifah will host a concert featuring performances by The Smashing Pumpkins and Chris Stapleton. Chaka Khan is billed as a special guest.
Anticipation for the milestone holiday has been building for much of the year, serving as an opportunity for Americans to reflect on their complicated history as onetime colonists of an empire who became a superpower of their own. Celebrations months in the making had to adjust or cancel activities entirely as much of the East Coast sweltered under heat that approached and in many cases surpassed triple digits.
Heat is defining the big weekend in many places
In Washington, the Great American State Fair was closed for several hours Friday afternoon during the worst of the heat. The city’s Independence Day parade scheduled for Saturday was canceled.
To the chagrin of many on the East Coast, the weather was downright pleasant on the other side of the country. The Pacific Northwest enjoyed temperatures in the 60s on Friday with a few light showers.
In the Seattle suburb of Issaquah, Megan Kurowski, 31, brought her two dogs to the dog park so they could get some exercise before she went to work. Kurowski said she was feeling positive about America’s 250th anniversary and was planning a possible paddleboard to watch the fireworks.
“Everyone’s just, from what it seems, been pretty excited about celebrating 250 years,” she said.
Other American pastimes are overlapping with the holiday.
More than a dozen Major League Baseball games are on the schedule for Saturday. The World Cup, being hosted in the U.S. for the first time in 32 years, will have matches in Houston and Philadelphia on Saturday following a nail-biter overtime win by Argentina over Cape Verde on Friday outside Miami.
An uneasy nation gets ready to celebrate
The celebrations are unfolding against the backdrop of a deep divide that has been expanding for years, visible in everything from political expression to cultural norms to age-old questions over race, class and immigration.
At Mount Rushmore on Friday, Trump spoke of communism as a “mortal threat to American liberty.”
“It is the greatest threat to our country, including World War I, World War II, Pearl Harbor or even 9/11,” he said.
Without naming Trump, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, a Democrat who is also a democratic socialist and recently backed several successful congressional candidates in their primaries, appeared to reference Trump during a speech Friday.
“Those ideals upon which our nation was built — they are strong enough to endure any authoritarian regime, but only if we reach for them,” he said.
Ahead of the holiday, auto technician Joe Fuqua-Bejarano in Topeka, Kansas, sized up “what makes us awesome” as a people. It is clearly not the politics, in his view, but rather resilience.
“We’ve just all got to find unity somewhere, whether that’s in laughter or perseverance, and keep everybody cool,” he said from the fireworks stand where he is doing a booming business as a side hustle.
Jerry Chin of Newcastle, Washington, said he wasn’t aware that the U.S. was celebrating its 250th anniversary and planned to stay low-key around the holiday. He and his wife generally skip the fireworks and instead stay home with their fearful dogs to keep them calm.
“America’s a great place,” he said, “but there are some concerns.”
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Associated Press writers Martha Bellisle in Seattle and John Hanna in Topkea, Kansas contributed to this report.
PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — A wildfire burning southwest of Denver forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and destroyed more than 160 structures by Friday as erratic winds pushed the blaze across two Colorado counties.
The Aspen Acres fire is one of about 40 uncontained large blazes burning mostly in the West, fueled by months of dry weather and a record lack of snow this past winter in some places.
Fire personnel were scooping water from the Pueblo Reservoir to fight the Aspen Acres fire, which had expanded to about 115 square miles (297 square kilometers) by Friday afternoon with zero containment.
All of Colorado City, an unincorporated community of about 2,200, was ordered evacuated as well as the towns of Beulah, Rye and San Isabel, according to the Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office.
About 50 National Guard soldiers were being sent in Friday to help with staffing checkpoints on roads in Custer and Pueblo counties.
Guard members would also help State Park Rangers as they bring on additional boats to keep boaters clear of water-scooping operations.
Fire crews on the western side of the Rocky Mountains had contained about 65% of the Snyder Fire on the Colorado/Utah border, where three members of a helitack team were killed and two others injured last weekend when they were overcome by flames.
The Cottonwood fire in southwestern Utah had grown to about 147 square miles (380 square kilometers) by Friday while the Babylon fire in the southeast corner of the state was up to 133 square miles (344 square kilometers).
TYLER — One man has been arrested for murder after a 63-year-old was killed in a shooting at the Relax Inn on E. Gentry Parkway in Tyler on Saturday morning. According to the Tyler Police Department and our news partner KETK, officers were dispatched to the Relax Inn at 1812 E. Gentry Parkway at around 4 a.m. on Saturday because of a reported shooting. 63-year-old Rodney Houston was found shot at the scene and transported to a local hospital to be treated for injuries from the shooting.
SMITH COUNTY – One child is dead after they were fatally injured in an ATV crash in Smith County on Saturday. According to Smith County Emergency Services District #2, a minor was killed in an ATV crash on FM 2493 at around 10:30 p.m. on Saturday night. FM 2493 runs from Bullard through Flint and into Tyler.
LONGVIEW — Newly released records have provided more details about an alleged assault outside Whisky J’s in Longview last month that left a woman seriously injured. According to arrest affidavits and our news partner KETK, officers responded to the bar on the morning of June 21 after reports of an assault in the parking lot.
WOOD COUNTY – Texas Game Wardens said they found one man dead in Lake Hawkins on Saturday after he reportedly drowned. According to our news partner KETK, the 27-year-old male swimmer was swimming near a park at Lake Hawkins when he never came back from under the water. His body was recovered from the water at around 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, after officials conducted a search of the lake.
TYLER – One person has died after a shooting happened at the Relax Inn on East Gentry Parkway in Tyler on Saturday morning, according to our news partner, KETK, and Tyler Police. Officers responding to a reported shooting, arrived at the motel at around 4 a.m., and found a victim at the scene. 
PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — A wildfire burning southwest of Denver forced the evacuation of thousands of residents and destroyed more than 160 structures by Friday as erratic winds pushed the blaze across two Colorado counties.