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SMITH COUNTY – Acccording to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith has apologized after holding an immigration panel where he attempted to ease concerns within the Hispanic community. Smith said the forum came about after Hispanic employees working for the sheriff’s office reportedly advised Smith that many illegal immigrants were afraid to send their children to school, attend church, go to work and report violent crimes.

“I am but a mortal human being who strives to always do what is right. That does not mean by any stretch of the imagination that I am exempt from making mistakes. In a rush to try to make matters better, unfortunately I made some of those matters worse,” Smith said.

He apologized to Smith county residents, Gov. Greg Abbott and his office, Border Czar Tom Homan and President Trump. Continue reading Sheriff Larry Smith apologizes after holding immigration forum

JACKSONVILLE – In reports from our news partner, and the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) have arrested five “undocumented aliens” in Jacksonville.

According to a press release from Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson, an ICE Removal Operations team and Homeland Security investigators arrested five people in a “targeted enforcement action.”
The five people arrested were described as “undocumented aliens ranging in age from mid-30’s to mid-60’s with criminal histories.” No further information on their arrests was provided by the sheriff’s office.

The arrests come during continued stress and confusion around this latest round of ICE raids. On Jan. 30, several East Texas sheriffs held an immigration Q&A session held in Tyler to explain the role of local sheriff’s offices in regards to ICE raids. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office is not a part of ICE’s 287(g) program unlike Smith County and Gregg County, which just joined the program on Tuesday. The program allows local deputies to identify undocumented immigrants with criminal charges for ICE to pick up.

Tyler – The 2025 Campus Teachers of the Year have been selected. A total of 30 outstanding teachers have been nominated for their commitment and dedication to excellence in education. Chosen by colleagues at their respective campuses, these teachers exemplify the highest standards of teaching excellence. Their diligent efforts and innovative approaches have contributed to the academic success and personal growth of their students. The 30 nominees will now vie for the titles of District Elementary Teacher of the Year and District Secondary Teacher of the Year. The selection process involves the submission of written portfolios and interviews with a selection committee. Winners will be determined based on scores from both components. Continue reading Tyler ISD announces 2025 campus Teachers of the Year

UPDATE: According to the Tyler Police Department Cathy Gray was found on Thursday evening not far from her home.

TYLER – Our news partner, KETK, reports that Tyler officials are searching for missing 62-year-old Cathy Gray who is believed to have walked away from her home.

The Tyler Police Department said Gray was last seen at her residence in the 3400 block of Pebblebrook Drive at around 9 a.m. on Thursday. She is described as being 5 feet, 2 inches and is slim with brown hair and blue eyes. Authorities said she was last seen wearing a white puffy coat, blue jeans and brown shoes. Anyone who has seen her is asked to contact the Tyler Police Department.

TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that for years veterinarians, shelters and rescues have recommended pet owners to get their dogs and cats microchipped. There are dozens of companies that manufacture the microchips. In the past five years, Spence and White Veterinary Hospital in Tyler, has used Save This Life. However, in recent days, pet owners and veterinarians have noticed that the microchip company had gone dark. Save This Life has pulled their records from the national registry where owner information could be found if their pet was ever lost. Continue reading Texas-based pet microchip company shuts down

SMITH COUNTY – Our news partner, KETK, reports that an East Texas man has been sentenced after a jury found him guilty of murder in July 2024.

Melvin Orlando Guevara, 22 of Tyler, was sentenced on Wednesday in the 114th Judicial District Court for capital murder by terror threat. This comes seven months after the murder of Eduardo Torrez, who was shot at his birthday party. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to a house in the 8900 block of CR 4136 at approximately 6:30 p.m. after receiving reports that a man had been shot and was not breathing.

Once deputies arrived, they reportedly found Torrez in his bedroom, and began lifesaving measures before EMS arrived and pronounced him dead at the scene. A court document said that Torrez was celebrating his birthday with family and friends when Guevara walked into the residence displaying a pistol, entered Torrez’s room, and shot him multiple times in front of his ex-girlfriend. After obtaining an arrest warrant, officials located a vehicle said to belong to Guevara at Highway 31 East and Loop 323. A felony stop was conducted at a nearby car wash and he was taken into custody.

GREGG COUNTY — Gregg County is the second county in East Texas to partner with ICE to identify and report immigrants in the United States illegally. According to our news partner KETK, on Tuesday, Gregg County commissioners voted 4-1 to approve the sheriff’s office to enter an agreement with federal officials, which is the ICE 287(g) program apart of The Illegal Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1966.

This program gives deputies the ability to identify undocumented criminal immigrants through the federal immigration system then contact ICE directly and have the detainer put on immediately.

“The 287g program is not new. We’ve been doing it for four decades and if you’re not here illegally, then you have absolutely nothing to worry about, but if you’re here illegally and you commit a crime and come to jail, will you get a detainer on you? probably,” Chief Deputy Craig Harrington said. Continue reading Gregg County second in East Texas to have agreement with ICE

LONGVIEW — OUr news partner KETK is reporting that the Longview Police Department will begin encrypting their radio communications, or police scanner, as an essential move to protect department communication and combat crime. Many calls contain sensitive information including medical information, addresses and witness identities. By encrypting their communication, the police department says this will ensure that information remains protected and out of the public domain.

Additionally, the move is expected to improve officer safety, especially during rapidly developing situations. Suspects can flee crime scenes, destroy evidence or ambush officers if they have access to instant information through the radio channels. Though, this access will be closed to the public, authorities reassured they are committed to transparency and will continue to provide timely updates through official channels.

“The community can stay informed about major incidents without compromising security or personal privacy,” the police department said.

TYLER – On Wednesday, the Tyler City Council approved a request to name an unnamed field at Fun Forest Park in honor of Reverend Ralph Caraway, Sr. The North Tyler Youth Baseball and Girls Softball Association initially proposed the request in recognition of Reverend Caraway’s profound impact on the community.

Under Tyler’s ordinance for naming or renaming parklands and park facilities, a park can be named in honor of a living community leader. On Jan. 29, the City of Tyler Parks Board voted unanimously in favor of naming the field after Rev. Caraway. While parks are often named after financial donors or coaches with extensive records of wins, Reverend Caraway’s contributions go beyond the scoreboard. His leadership and mentorship have shaped the lives of thousands of youth and adults throughout the Tyler area. Continue reading Baseball field named in honor of Rev. Ralph Caraway, Sr.

HENDERSON – The Henderson ISD Board of Trustees formally announced the hiring of their new superintendent during a special Tuesday night meeting. According to our news partner KETK, Brian Bowman joins the district with over 20 years of service in education leadership. Before coming Henderson, Bowman served as the superintendent of Diboll ISD.

Bowman said in a press release about how excited he is to join Henderson ISD, “For me, this new role represents more than just a new opportunity—it’s a return to the East Texas region I call home. With children and grandchildren in the area, this is more than just a professional been move; it’s a chance to reconnect with a community that has always to me and my family. I’ve long admired Henderson ISD’s tradition of excellence and am eager to build on its strong foundation to support students, staff, and families.”

Bowman officially started his new role with the district on Wednesday.

TYLER – On Wednesday, the City Council approved an agreement with Cyclyx International, marking a significant expansion of the City’s recycling program. For years, the Tyler Recycle Center has only accepted plastics #1 and #2 due to limitations in processing capabilities. Through this new partnership, starting March 3, the City will now be able to accept all plastics, except PVC, helping to divert more waste from the landfill. Under the agreement, Cyclyx International will accept all eligible plastics for at least one year and will pay the City $0.035 per ton of collected material. The partnership aligns with Tyler’s commitment to sustainability and waste reduction. Cyclyx specializes in breaking down plastics into a feedstock that can be reused by industry partners such as Exxon to create new plastic products. This process ensures that more materials are repurposed rather than discarded, keeping more materials out of the landfill. Residents are encouraged to take advantage of this expansion by bringing their plastics to the Downtown Tyler Recycle Center.

CHEROKEE COUNTY — Our news partner, KETK, reports that two men were arrested on Tuesday after Cherokee County authorities located 44 grams of crack cocaine in back-to-back search warrants.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office and the Jacksonville Police Department conducted a search warrant for a vehicle parked at 704 Sheridan Street. During the search, authorities reportedly found two grams of suspected methamphetamine and a firearm. Following an investigation, a second search warrant was conducted at on a residence on County Road 3509 in Cuney. Officials said they located 44 grams of crack cocaine, 11 grams of methamphetamine and five firearms were seized, one of which was reportedly stolen from Cherokee County. Rickey Lynn Allen, Sr., and Eddie Floyd Dennis were arrested in the investigation. Continue reading Cherokee County officials find 44 grams of crack cocaine

HENDERSON COUNTY — In the past two months, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department has arrested 50 people for drug related charges, many of them have led to arrests made by residents. According to our news partner KETK, recent arrests have involved lengthy investigations that have led to warrants.

Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse spoke about how most of his recent arrests have initially been search warrants allowing them to enter their homes. “Most of them have been through investigations where we’ve gotten some information and been able to get a search warrant and go and actually search a house,” Hillhouse said.

Hillhouse has been the sheriff since 2016 and his main focus has been on getting drugs off the street. He has asked residents to call in credible tips to his office, local law enforcement and Crimestoppers, recently those tips have resulted in arrests. Continue reading East Texas residents calling in drug related crimes

TYLER — Nine people have been sentenced in connection to a large-scale federal drug trafficking ring that operated in East Texas. The U.S. Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Texas announced on Monday that in 2021, law enforcement determined the organization was run by Edgar Garcia, Jr., as the head of the operation. Authorities began the investigation to identify who was receiving methamphetamine from Garcia.

A release from U.S. Attorney’s Office stated, “During the investigation, law enforcement executed residential search warrants, purchased methamphetamine and/or firearms directly from Garcia and other members of his drug trafficking organization, and directed traffic stops to intercept narcotics and firearms being transported for distribution. Ultimately, multiple kilograms of methamphetamine were seized during the operation.”
Continue reading Nine sentenced in large-scale drug trafficking ring

SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a wanted 32-year-old man who has been missing for a year. According to our news partner KETK, the sheriff’s office identified the man as Brantaja Dewaye Holloway-Blevins who is wanted for manufactured delivery of a controlled substance since August 2024. Holloway-Blevins is described as a black man, with black hair and brown eyes, weighs around 160 pounds and is 6 foot 1 inch.

Anyone with information about Holloway Blevins is asked to contact the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at 903-566-6600 or the Smith County Crime Stoppers at 903-597-2833.

UPSHUR COUNTY — A man has been arrested for allegedly hitting a New Diana ISD student with his vehicle on Monday while she was crossing the road to board a school bus. According to our news partner KETK, the crash took place at the intersection of FM 726 and U.S. Highway 259 when a driver, who was later identified as Jerry Martin, 56 of Longview, ignored the red flashing lights on the bus and struck the student. Martin was arrested on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is currently being held in the Upshur County Jail on a $100,000 bond. The student has been treated and released from a local hospital, according to New Diana ISD assistant superintendent Greg Pope.

New Diana ISD is being joined in warning drivers by others school districts like Palestine ISD and Mount Pleasant ISD, they’ve has accidents like this in the past. Both districts are urging drivers to be extra cautious for school busses. Continue reading Man arrested after girl struck boarding school bus

RUSK COUNTY — Two Kilgore men were arrested on Friday after allegedly attempting to steal copper from a decommissioned mining facility according to our news partner KETK.

The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office along with the Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Warden responded to a trespassing report on Feb. 7 in the vicinity of Liberty Mine and Luminant Mining property in Rusk County. Surveillance cameras on the property reportedly captured two men unlawfully present at the site. Upon investigation, the sheriff’s office determined that the individuals were attempting to remove copper from a decommissioned dragline, or a large piece of heavy mining equipment no longer in use, without the property owner’s consent.

Deputies spoke with a man, later identified as Brandon Wright, of Kilgore, and arrested him on criminal trespass, burglary of a building and has since been released from the Rusk County Jail. A second suspect, identified as Kenneth Logan King, of Kilgore, was also taken into custody on the same charges, criminal trespass and burglary of a building and remains incarcerated on a bond totaling $16,000.

LUFKIN – According to our news partner KETK, the Lufkin Police Department have found a dead body in a secluded area of Sabine Parish in Louisiana Monday morning. Lufkin PD, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Rangers were in the area to follow up on a lead they got this morning when they found the body of a dead male. Local investigators and Sabine County law enforcement are currently processing evidence at the scene. Lufkin PD said they’ll update the public after they’ve identified the body and notified any relatives.

Officials said they believe the body is connected to a missing persons case that Lufkin PD is investigating with the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office.

Anyone with information in this case is asked to call the Lufkin Police Department at 936-633-0356, the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office at 936-634-3331 or Deep East Texas Crime Stoppers at 936-639-8477.

LIVINGSTON — A routine traffic stop in Livingston led to a narcotics investigation where five people were arrested. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, during the night on Feb. 5, officers stopped a vehicle on Mill Gate Road for a traffic violation.

Officers identified the driver as Justin Martin, 36 of Cleveland, and passenger Holli Pederson, 27 of Livingston. They began to search the vehicle after allegedly smelling burnt marijuana. Officials then determined that Martin and Pederson were in possession of meth and marijuana. Martin was arrested for manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance with a $50,000 bond while Pederson was arrested for possession of a controlled substance with a $15,000 bond.
Continue reading Five arrested following narcotics investigation in Livingston

CHANDLER — A traffic issue in Chandler, caused by a blocked railroad crossing, is causing traffic delays. A train is reportedly parked on the tracks at FM 315 south. No word on when the train will be moved. Drivers are urged to use an alternate route.

EAST TEXAS — The Texas Education Agency has added the names of two East Texas educators to their growing list of people flagged in a certification fraud investigation. According to our news partner KETK, these teachers, coaches and educators are under investigation to see if they were involved with an alleged Houston-based scheme to falsify TEA certifications for hundreds of people, according to NBCDFW. As of now, there are 163 teachers on the list.

The educator certification is an official recognition indicating that an individual has met all the requirements to work as a certified teacher. With an educator certification, people can potentially receive higher pay and are permitted to work at public schools.

The two East Texas educators added on Tuesday are Reginald Hill with Carthage ISD and Taishia Holt with Lufkin ISD. Carthage ISD’s website lists Hill as a teacher and assistant football coach. Continue reading Two East Texas coaches named in TEA fraud investigation

TEXARKANA – Police are searching for a suspect after an argument at a Texarkana apartment complex led to a shooting that injured two people Saturday evening. According to our news partner KETK, investigators with the Texarkana Police Department say that a dispute between neighbors at the complex in the 1400 block of Richmond Road around 8:30 p.m. devolved into violence when a man pulled out a gun and fired it at the ground. The bullet ended up ricocheting and hitting two people. The alleged shooter and another suspect then assaulted one of the victims before running off, according to Texarkana PD.

Both victims were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police responded and found one suspect, Morgan Lanham, inside an apartment at the complex. He was arrested for assault. They are still looking for the suspected shooter, 27-year-old Dantray Copeland, on charges of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon and Felon in Possession of a Firearm. They believe he may have gotten a ride out of the area.

Anyone with information on where Copeland should call TTPD at (903) 798-3876 or Texarkana Area Crime Stoppers at (903) 793-STOP.

TYLER – The East Texas Council of Governments(ETCOG) has awarded $81,429.64 to several local governments and agencies in order to reduce solid waste that ends up in landfills. According to our news partner KETK, the funds will help the awarded areas start or expand their projects which can divert waste from landfills by reducing waste at the source or on it’s way to the landfill.

ETCOG’s Solid Waste Advisory Committee is made up of local solid waste experts who rank and scores each area’s application for these grants before they send them to ETCOG’s Executive Committee which forwards their own recommendations to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality for final approval.

“ETCOG appreciates the efforts of many of our jurisdictions to apply for these funds, as well as the Solid Waste Advisory Committee’s commitment to making East Texas a cleaner place to live,” ETCOG’s Economic Development Specialist, Bridget Booty said. “These essential projects led to the cleanup of hundreds of sites, over twenty tons of appliances, five tons of recyclable materials, almost 2,000 tires, and the collection of nearly 350 tons of solid waste last year. We are excited about the varied projects and look forward to seeing the results this year’s projects will bring to the region.”

ETCOG shared the list below which shows how much each area was awarded and what kind of project their funds will be spent on.

AVINGER – East Texas State Rep. Jay Dean hosted a town hall on Saturday in order to discuss water issues in his district and across East Texas. According to our news partner KETK, Dean represents Gregg, Harrison and Marion counties in the Texas House and he’s been an outspoken on local water rights for years. Also on hand for the discussion Saturday were East Texas State Representatives Cole Hefner of Pittsburg and Gary VanDeaver of New Boston.

Much of the town hall focused on the potential sale of water from the nearby Lake O’ The Pines to Dallas but the proposed Marvin Nichols Reservoir to the north was also discussed. Jefferson, Pittsburgh, Daingerfield, Avinger, Lone Star, Ore City and Hughes Springs all helped fund the Lake O’ The Pines when it was first created and those cities would have to vote to sell the lake’s water to Dallas.
Continue reading State Rep. Jay Dean hosts ‘Let’s Save Our Lakes’ town hall

TYLER – Congressman Nathaniel Moran of Tyler is looking to hire a veteran, a Gold Star family member or an active-duty spouse to serve as an aide in one of his offices. According to our news partner KETK, this opportunity comes via the Green and Gold Congressional Aide Program which was created to provide opportunities in Congress to veterans, Gold Star family members and spouses of those on active-duty in the military.

Congressman Moran said in a release, “I am proud to announce that my district office will participate in the Green and Gold Congressional Aide Program. This program provides employment opportunities for veterans, Gold Star families, and active-duty spouses within the House of Representatives. These individuals have sacrificed in service to our country, and it is a privilege to provide employment opportunities to those who have answered the call to serve.”
Continue reading Congressman Moran to hire congressional aide with this unique background

MARSHALL – A man was arrested for DWI after an injury-causing collision in Marshall on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, police grabbed a fleeing 22-year-old Pablo Villa after his involvement in a car accident on East End Blvd South near Highway 59. Officers charged Villa with driving while intoxicated and causing a collision with injury. After posting a bond of $12,000, he was released from the Harrison County Jail.

HARRISON COUNTY – Two people are behind bars after a search warrant was conducted in a Harrison County house on Friday as part of a drug trafficking investigation. According to our news partner KETK, the Joint Harrison County Violent Crime and Narcotics Task Force arrested 59-year-old Bobby Treece of Karnack, for the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. Also arrested was 37-year-old Amber Watson, from Marshall. Watson was charged with manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia.

During the search, officers found more evidence, leading to a second charge of manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. MPD said both Treece and Watson are being held in the Harrison County Jail.

LONGVIEW – The Longview Trade Days is returning to its original location at the Longview Exhibit Center this weekend after renovating the building and installing new heating and air conditioners. According to our news partner KETK, Longview Trade Days Coordinator Billy Clay said that everyone is excited to be back in their original location.

“Everyone is proud to back supporting East Texas vendors while proving locals with some much needed finds,” said Clay.

Longview Trade Days will run Saturday from from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Sunday.

TYLER – Our news partner, KETK, reports that officials have arrested a man wanted for murder after he fled from law enforcement on Thursday.

The U.S. Marshals’ Joint East Texas Fugitive Task Force tried to serve a failure-to-appear warrant for a murder charge to 29-year-old Billy Maddox Jr. at the Liberty Arms Apartments in Tyler. However, Maddox allegedly fled the scene, heading north. Officials from multiple agencies, including the Smith County Sheriff’s Office and Tyler Police Department, immediately began a search for Maddox. He was then spotted crossing County Road 35 before he was arrested near County Road 14 at around 3:25 p.m., Tyler PD said.

A representative from the sheriff’s office said Maddox was arrested on a homicide warrant in connection to the 2022 death of a 17-year-old who overdosed on fentanyl. Maddox was originally indicted and arrested for manslaughter on May 26, 2023, before bonding out on June 2, 2023. Continue reading Man wanted for murder in fentanyl overdose case arrested in Tyler