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TYLER – A $1,000 prize is currently being offered by Operation Game Thief for information regarding a recent unlawful killing and disposal of two deer close to Lake Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, a white-tailed doe and a yearling buck were shot either late on December 14 or early on December 15 in a residential area on Big Oak Bay Road close to Lake Tyler, according to Operation Game Thief. Reports say a small caliber gun was used to shoot the animals before their carcasses were dumped and wasted.
Continue reading Reward offered after deer killed

VAN ZANDT COUNTY – The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office arrested a driver on Friday after they allegedly shot at a vehicle following a minor crash. Our news partners at KETK report that just before 6 p.m. on Friday, two vehicles were involved in a minor crash on State Highway 64 near Loop 49. As one driver left the scene, the other driver followed them while calling 911. As they reached the T intersection at CR 4915, the second driver allegedly caused a crash with the first vehicle in an attempt to stop it. Neither of the drivers were identified by law enforcement on Friday. Officials said the initial crash was not report-able and caused less than $1000 of damage.

SMITH COUNTY – Debby Gunter, a Smith County judge in the 241st District Court, has declared her intention to run for reelection in 2026. Gunter is seeking re-election in the Republican Primary on March 3. He was first elected as a judge of the court in 2023.
Continue reading Local district judge running for re-election

TYLER – One person involved in a pursuit was taken into custody on Friday after shots were fired during a traffic stop in Lindale. According to our news partner KETK and the Lindale PD, the pursuit started in Lindale near the Cracker Barrel as a traffic stop on a white Pontiac Grand Prix. During the stop, shots were fired from the vehicle by an assault rifle before the Pontiac drove off down Highway 69. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the pursuit before the Pontiac entered Tyler city limits.

Tyler Police Department officers responded to the pursuit which eventually came to an end when an officer did a pit maneuver on the Pontiac, near the intersection of Shawnee Boulevard and Highway 110. The driver was taken into custody and according to Lindale PD, the officer that performed the pit maneuver was evaluated for minor injuries at the scene. A woman whose vehicle was hit as the pursuit ended was also evaluated for minor injuries at the scene. Continue reading One arrested after Smith County pursuit

LONGVIEW — Longview Independent School District distributed an early Christmas gift of more than $3.17 million in performance-based incentive pay to high-performing teachers and staff on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, the funding was provided through the districts ‘Longview ISD Incentive for Teachers’ (LIFT) program, which rewards measurable performance, campus-wide achievement and specialized credentials earned during the school year.

“This is not a bonus for showing up,” Superintendent Dr. Marla Sheppard said. “These dollars reflect results and growth. They reflect the expectation that excellence in Longview ISD will be recognized in a meaningful way.”
Continue reading Longview awards over $3M in teacher incentives

WINNSBORO — Winnsboro ISD Board of Trustees dismissed its police chief following a unanimous vote on Thursday evening. According to our news partner KETK, the decision to consider Police Chief Heath Guy’s termination in a closed executive session was agreed upon by both parties. No additional details were given by the school district regarding the evidence presented by both parties that led to Guy’s termination. Guy was placed on administrative leave in June due to reportedly failing to notify the district about a Texas Rangers investigation of a sexual relationship between a Winnsboro ISD employee and a student. The employee, Nicholas Gabriele, was arrested in June after allegedly admitting to the improper relationship.

VAN – Our news partners at KETK report a man wanted for burglary of a building, criminal mischief and theft in Van was arrested last week after a pursuit through Smith County. According to the Van Police Department, they received reports of a building burglary on Nov. 28. Within 24 hours of these reports, law enforcement identified Daylan Blue as a suspect and issued warrants for his arrest. On Dec. 11, Blue was spotted by Smith County Sheriff’s Office deputies who attempted to stop his vehicle. Van PD said a pursuit ensued and Blue was subsequently arrested. Continue reading Burglary suspect arrested after pursuit

OVERTON — Our news partners at KETK report the Overton City Council voted Thursday night to appeal a Texas Department of Transportation demand to remove the horseshoes from Warren Street. TxDOT contacted the city in early December, stating the horseshoe markings did not meet state roadway standards and directed officials to remove them. On Thursday, city leaders instead chose to formally appeal the decision. The issue first gained attention in October when Gov. Greg Abbott announced that TxDOT had begun removing nonstandard surface markings from roadways across the state. City officials say the horseshoes represent Overton ISD’s mascot, the Mustang, and have been part of Warren Street since the early 1990s. While acknowledging TxDOT’s concerns, council members voted to challenge the order rather than remove the markings. Continue reading Overton appeals TxDOT demand

HARRISON COUNTY – Elysian Fields High School head girls basketball coach Crystal Roberts has resigned after being arrested for an alleged theft at Walmart’s Marshall location. Roberts, 44, was arrested on a property theft charge between $100 and $750. She was later released from the Harrison County Jail after posting a $700 bond the day of her arrest. Her resignation letter was effective as of Monday.

SMITH COUNTY — The man who vandalized a marble statue of Jesus at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Flint was sentenced Thursday to one year in state jail. Jordan Grey Clark, 36, pleaded guilty to criminal mischief at a place of worship in connection with the Sept. 7 vandalism. The statue, located outside of the church, was found with its nose and hands shattered. Deputies discovered the damage around 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 7. Surveillance footage later showed a suspect approaching the statue around 1:14 a.m. and using a hammer to break parts of the face and hands before walking south toward County Road 1299. Investigators noted the suspect was wearing gloves, which prevented them from lifting fingerprints from the statue or nearby objects.

According to our news partner KETK, an anonymous tip received days later led detectives to Clark, who lived nearby and was reportedly “acting strangely,” according to investigators. Authorities then contacted Clark’s father, who told deputies his son has schizophrenia and refuses to take medication because he believes it makes him feel uncomfortable. The father also said Clark does not own a vehicle or a smartphone, believing smartphones are possessed, and instead uses a flip phone. Continue reading Man who vandalized Jesus statue sentenced

BEN WHEELER — According to our news partner KETK, several firefighters, along with the fire chief of the Ben Wheeler Fire Department, have resigned from their positions recently. Following the resignations, the department’s Board of Directors released a statement on Thursday, stating that they are aware of the issues that led to the resignations, but they will not disclose them. The board also noted that the false claims being spread are inaccurate and have only caused drama and defamation to those who still serve the community.

The Board of Directors also addressed any financial concerns residents might have had, stating that the department is financially solvent with “more than satisfactory funds on hand.”

A new fire chief will be elected in January during the regularly scheduled elections, the board stated.

JACKSONVILLE – Community leaders, health care professionals and local officials gathered Thursday to celebrate the groundbreaking of CHRISTUS Health’s new state-of-the-art facility in Jacksonville that will significantly expand access to specialty medical services across the region, particularly for patients in surrounding rural communities. The 30,000-square-foot facility will house interventional pain management, pain management, orthopedic and vascular services under one roof. Once complete, the center will feature 24 exam rooms, six recovery suites, four procedure rooms and full-service imaging, creating a streamlined, patient-centered environment for both outpatient and procedural care.
  
A key feature of the new facility is a seamless integration into the hospital system’s broader network of care. The center will operate on the same electronic medical record (EMR) platform as the rest of the system, allowing physicians, specialists and care teams to access patient records in real time. This connectivity supports better care coordination, reduces duplication of services, and enhances patient safety and outcomes. Continue reading CHRISTUS breaks ground on new facility

PALESTINE – The Palestine ISD released a statement Thursday mourning the death of longtime teacher John Lamb, who was killed in a car crash on Wednesday evening. According to our news partner KETK, the crash occurred on U.S. Highway 79 after a Ford pickup struck Lamb near Country Road 367. Lamb was pronounced dead on the scene, while the passenger in his car was taken to the hospital. The district described Lamb as a positive impact on several generations of students during his time in Palestine. “His classroom was a place where students learned not only academic lessons, but lessons about perseverance, perspective and the world beyond the page,” Palestine ISD said.

SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County road bond approved by voters nearly a decade ago now shows a $7 million discrepancy between financial reports and is projected to cost more than $135 million, prompting a local watchdog group to call for a forensic audit. Grassroots America, a Smith County-based conservative advocacy nonprofit that monitors government spending, raised the concerns Tuesday during the Smith County Commissioners Court meeting. Continue reading Watchdog flags discrepancy in road bond

RUSK — Our news partners at KETK report that Heal Corp is assisting local authorities in the search for James David Blount, a 57-year-old man who has been missing since early December, according to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Blount was last seen Dec. 2 in Rusk. His vehicle was later found stopped on Highway 84 near the Neches River, close to the Cherokee and Anderson County line, Rusk police said. Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson said Heal Corp is now helping investigators verify locations that have already been searched and eliminate potential areas of interest. Continue reading Cadaver dogs, divers join search for missing man

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County non-emergency offices will be closed Wednesday and Thursday, December 24-25, so that our employees can spend Christmas with their families. There will not be a Smith County Commissioners Court meeting on Tuesday, December 23. Commissioners will hold its next regular meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 30, in the Commissioners Courtroom. County offices will be closed Thursday, January 1, for New Years Day.

GREGG COUNTY — A former Gregg County deputy was arrested on two consecutive days this week for charges of driving while intoxicated. According to our news partner KETK, jail records revealed that former Gregg County Deputy Joshua Isaiah Tubb, 47, was arrested by Kilgore police on Sunday and again on Monday, both times on DWI charges.

Tubb was released after posting bail following his Sunday arrest. However, jail records show he remains in custody after his Monday arrest, with a bond set at $32,500.

Gregg County Chief Deputy Craig Harrington confirmed that Tubb resigned from the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office following the arrests. “We hold our deputies to the highest standards and accountability,” Harrington said.

 

SMITH COUNTY– One of the candidates running for County Clerk in the upcoming Smith County Republican Party Primary election has been removed from the ballot after she lacked the required signatures needed to be eligible.

According to our news partner KETK, on Dec. 8, Terry Morrow filed her application and petitions to challenge the incumbent Karen Philips for the county clerk spot. In lieu of paying the $750 filing fee, Morrow obtained 500 signatures and her application was accepted on Dec. 11. Phillips also submitted her application for re-election on Nov. 8, which was the first day of candidate filing. She also received the 500 signatures required to appear on the ballot and her application was approved on Nov. 14.

While the county chair is required to verify the total number of signatures, they are not required to confirm the validity of each signature unless challenged by an opponent. Continue reading Smith County candidate removed from ballot

BROWNSBORO — A Brownsboro elementary school teacher has pleaded guilty and received eight years of deferred adjudication probation after injuring a child in 2024. According to our news partner KETK, Kyle Lee Rocha, of Chandler, was arrested on Sept. 24, 2024, in connection with an incident that occurred earlier that month in a Chandler Elementary School behavioral classroom.

An affidavit describes the incident as captured on classroom footage, which showed Rocha picking up paperwork from the floor and placing the papers on the student’s desk, instructing the student to keep the pages on his desk. The student was reportedly seen throwing the paperwork into a clothes basket on his desk and tilting his desk several times as Rocha stood in front of him.

Footage reportedly showed the student rocking his desk backwards, tilting the front of the desk up. Rocha then allegedly “placed both of his hands onto the front of the desk and pushed the desk backwards, purposefully causing the desk to fall over” and the student to fall, hitting the back of his head and elbows against the desk behind him. Continue reading Teacher gets probation after injuring student

SMITH COUNTY – Two East Texas politicians were given recognition this week for their continued dedication to the counties they represent. According to our news partner KETK, State Representative Cole Hefner of Mount Pleasant, was presented with the Courage Award, which is annually given to a public official who demonstrates courageous leadership. The award was created in 1989 by members of President John F. Kennedy’s family to recognize and celebrate the political courage he admired most.

Also, East Texas State Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola was named Lawmaker of the Year from State Armor. The title was given to Hughes in recognition of the significant legislative work he has accomplished this year. Congressman Nathaniel Moran praised both politicians for what they have accomplished this year, including preventing the Chinese Communist Party from infiltrating school districts, agriculture and local government.

UPDATE: Nearly two hours after the crash occurred, firefighters were able to remove the driver of the 18-wheeler, who had been pinned in. The driver was transported to a hospital, Smith County ESD2 Assistant Chief JD Smith said. KTBB talked to ESD2 around 2 p.m. and they said the area had been cleared.

SMITH COUNTY — A collision between a Camaro and an 18-wheeler has been reported near Lindale on Wednesday morning. According to Smith County ESD2, the incident occurred on Interstate 20 at mile marker 560, just outside Lindale, around 10 a.m. At least one individual is believed to be trapped inside one of the vehicles, and the 18-wheeler, which was transporting wood, ended up in a ditch. Drivers are advised to avoid the area for the time being. We will update when more information is available.

TYLER — The Blackstone Hotel, with Valencia Hotel Group, is coming back to Tyler and bringing 60 full-time jobs with it. According to our news partner KETK, the new full-service, luxury hotel is being built under a 3-year plan, on the corner of Broadway and Fergueson, promising at least 60 full-time jobs with an annual payroll of $2 million.

This economic boosting promise is why Smith County Commissioners took up a vote for a 10-year tax abatement of 50% for Blackstone Hotel, as long as Valencia Hotel Group upkeeps their promise of 60 full-time employees.

Scott Martinez, President of Tyler Economic Development Council, says his organization will be the monitor of this agreement. Continue reading Blackstone hotel promises 60 jobs, gets tax abatement in return

TYLER — The Blackstone Hotel, with Valencia Hotel Group, is coming back to Tyler and bringing 60 full-time jobs with it. According to our news partner KETK, the new full-service, luxury hotel is being built under a 3-year plan, on the corner of Broadway and Fergueson, promising at least 60 full-time jobs with an annual payroll of $2 million.

This economic boosting promise is why Smith County Commissioners took up a vote for a 10-year tax abatement of 50% for Blackstone Hotel, as long as Valencia Hotel Group upkeeps their promise of 60 full-time employees.

Scott Martinez, President of Tyler Economic Development Council, says his organization will be the monitor of this agreement. “So the hotel will give a quarterly and annual report on their employment numbers and their investment, as well as their sale sets to the city,” Martinez said. “So we can track to make sure they’re following through with what they committed to do.” Continue reading Tyler’s new luxury hotel to add 60 jobs

BULLARD — According to our news partner KETK, a state death report reveals neighbors believed a Bullard man was attempting suicide by cop, which led to a deadly Bullard SWAT standoff on Dec. 8.

The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 53-year-old Shawn Turner Sr. of Bullard, who was firing a gun from the front porch of his home. Neighbors told law enforcement they were in fear and believed he was attempting suicide by cop. The state report revealed that Turner “retrieved an AR-style rifle and began firing at officers, at which point officers returned fire.”

Turner then allegedly went back into the house, where he continued firing at officers until he changed weapons and killed himself. Turner would have been charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon. The Texas Rangers are currently investigating the case.

CASS COUNTY — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has suspended one of its troopers following a Sunday arrest for driving while intoxicated. According to our news partner KETK, 43-year-old Trooper Decori Charles Birmingham was suspended from his duties after being arrested by a fellow DPS trooper and charged with DWI. He was booked into the Cass County Jail without incident.

This comes after Birmingham was involved in a two-vehicle crash in Cass County at the intersection of State Highway 8 and State Highway 77 on Saturday. Birmingham was off duty at the time of the crash and was driving his personal vehicle. Birmingham has been with the Texas Department of Public Safety since 2014 and is stationed in Linden.

“DPS takes these allegations very seriously and the department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has also launched a separate administrative investigation,” a DPS spokesperson said.

TYLER — An Oklahoma man has pleaded guilty to child exploitation charges after being involved in transporting three minors across state borders into Texas, where they were forced into prostitution. According to our news partner KETK, The United States Attorney’s Office Eastern District of Texas said that 44-year-old Rolando Alexis Bravo transported the minors from Lawton, Oklahoma to Dallas on Nov. 16, 2023, where he met with a co-conspirator. There, the co-conspirator allegedly obtained hotel rooms in Tyler where the children engaged in prostitution.

Bravo could potentially face life in federal prison and a sentencing hearing will be scheduled once the presentence investigation by the U.S. Probation Office is complete. The case is being investigated by the FBI and the Tyler Police Department. The case is part of Project Safe Childhood, launched in 2006 to combat the epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.