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LUFKIN — The family of a man who was killed in a Lufkin car crash on Jan. 17 is suing the pediatrician, George Fidone. A family is seeking $1 million from Lufkin pediatrician, George Fidone, for allegedly driving while intoxicated and killing husband and father, D. Marcus Hadnot, in a January car crash.

The crash occurred on College Drive when a Mercedes, driven by Fidone, crashed into Hadnot’s Kia at around 10:15 a.m. Hadnot and his dog, who were in the car, were later pronounced dead following the crash. Fidone told officers he was on his phone and allegedly admitted that the crash was his fault before heading to the hospital for minor injuries. He was later arrested after blood collected from the crash reported a 0.14 blood alcohol level, an arrest affidavit stated.

He was booked into the Angelina County Jail and charged with two counts of intoxicated manslaughter with a vehicle and two counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle. Continue reading Crash victim’s family sues doctor

SMITH COUNTY — Two teenagers have been arrested in connection with the deadly Sunday morning shooting that left two dead and another injured, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office confirmed.

Tyler teenagers, Brandon Young, 18, and Andru Davis, 18, were identified by investigators to be directly involved in the shooting and were believed to be at a known address in Houston. On March 24, Smith County Investigators worked with the East Texas Anti-Gang Center to notify Houston officials of their location. A team was sent to the address and attempted to apprehend the suspects.

Upon arrival, Young was quickly found and taken into custody without incident. However, Davis fled the scene, according to the sheriff’s office. Law enforcement personnel were surrounding the residence, and Davis was apprehended shortly by a police K-9 and taken into custody. Due to being bitten, Davis was transported to a local hospital.

Young was booked into the Smith County Jail for warrants of engaging in organized criminal activity and deadly contact. He is being held on a $750,000 bond. Continue reading Arrests following fatal club shooting

EAST TEXAS — Road closures continue for night work from 8pm – 6am Wednesday night into Thursday morning. All access roads connecting I-20 and Toll 49 will be closed. Drivers are encouraged to plan ahead and use alternate routes.

SMITH COUNTY – Construction contracts for four major projects totaling more than 16 miles of road were awarded Tuesday, March 24, by the Smith County Commissioners Court. Texana Land & Asphalt Inc. came in as the lowest bidder on all four projects, which will all entail completely rebuilding the roadways and overlaying with asphalt.

County Road 129, from CR 113 to U.S. Highway 69; and CR 146 will have 2.595 miles of roads improved for $704,852. Smith County Engineer Frank Davis said the project will take about three months and will be paid for out of the Road and Bridge Budget. Both roads are south of Tyler and are in Smith County Commissioner Precinct 1.
Continue reading Smith County Road Projects

PALESTINE – A traffic stop in Palestine led to the arrest of four others after officers found more than 16 grams of suspected methamphetamine in the vehicle on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK and the Palestine Police Department, an officer conducted a traffic stop on a Dodge Ram pickup truck early morning Wednesday on North Loop 256 near North Queen Street.

The vehicle was occupied by four individuals, including passenger 49-year-old Robert Anderson, who had an active warrant out of Travis County for criminal trespass of a habitation. While Anderson was being arrested for the warrant, officers reportedly located a bag containing a meth pipe that belonged to him.

Officers conducted a further search of the vehicle and found several glass pipes with residue and containers containing about 16.44 grams of suspected methamphetamine. Another small bag of suspected meth, weighing less than a gram, was found.

The substances tested positive for methamphetamine and the other three passengers were arrested for drug charges.

EDGEWOOD – A police pursuit through Van Zandt County ended Tuesday afternoon when a fleeing driver slammed into a patrol car and was taken into custody. According to our news partner KETK, the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, officers from the Edgewood Police Department responded to a call on U.S. Highway 80, near The Lumber Yard Cafe, after receiving reports of a disturbance.

When officers arrived, they saw a 47-year-old man get into a 1999 Ford pickup and speed off. As he fled, the driver allegedly struck an Edgewood patrol vehicle, sparking a pursuit. Officers requested help from the Department of Public Safety and the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office as the chase continued toward downtown Wills Point on Highway 80. DPS deployed two sets of spike strips, successfully slowing the vehicle.

He was taken to a local hospital for evaluation before being booked into the Van Zandt County Detention Center, where he was charged with aggravated assault of a public servant and evading arrest in a vehicle. Authorities said his name is not being released at this time.

During the pursuit, Wills Point ISD was placed on hold and was lifted at around 3:40 p.m. as a precaution to ensure student safety.

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County residents can take one free trip to the landfill during the annual Smith Countywide Cleanup, which runs from March 30 through May 1, 2026. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office Environmental Crimes Unit and Commissioners Court are once again offering the yearly program, which allows residents to take one truckload of bulky items (3 cubic yards of solid waste) to the Greenwood Farms Landfill for free.

During National County Government Month in April, one voucher per resident is available in-person only at the Smith County Courthouse Annex, the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office/EOC or any of the Justice of the Peace/Constable Offices throughout the county. The City of Whitehouse is also a voucher pickup location again this year. The vouchers are available beginning March 25, and can be used beginning Monday, March 30, through Friday, May 1, 2026.
Continue reading Smith County Cleanup

WHITEHOUSE — The City of Whitehouse has decided not to enter into ICE’s 287(g) program following Tuesday’s city council meeting.

Tuesday night, community members held signs protesting outside the Whitehouse city council chambers. As the meeting got underway, many passionately shared their opinions with the city council members, urging them to oppose the 2-87-g agreement with ICE that would allow trained police officers to help enforce immigration law.

“I strongly oppose 287(g), I don’t believe that it’s the job of local law enforcement officials to do the job of the federal government,” Whitehouse resident Dylan Sigler said. “Whenever I saw that white house was considering this agreement, I felt like it was my responsibility to come out here and voice that dissent.” Continue reading City leaders vote against 287(g)

CAMP COUNTY — A 40-year-old man has died after drowning in a Camp County private pond while fishing with family on Saturday. According to our news partner and Camp County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were dispatched to a residence on County Road 3211 near Pittsburg at around 2:37 p.m. after receiving reports of a possible drowning.

Family members told law enforcement that the victim, identified as Angel Gonzales of Pflugerville, decided to swim across the pond while the family was fishing nearby. When he reached about halfway across, he went under the water and did not resurface. Emergency crews with the sheriff’s office and the Pittsburg Fire Department searched for Gonzalez but could not locate him. The Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens were then called and located him.

The Longview Fire Department’s dive team was then deployed to recover his body. He was recovered at 4:55 p.m., officials confirmed.

TYLER – Smith County District Clerk Penny Clarkston resigned from her position on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, Clarkston said in a letter to Smith County Judge Neal Franklin, the resignation is due to personal family reasons. The resignation takes effect immediately. Earlier this month, Clarkston lost in the Republican primary elections for district clerk. Gaye Boynton won the candidacy with 67.12%.

Clarkston was previously booked into the Smith County Jail for civil contempt of court on two accounts. In July 2024, she allegedly did not hand over information related to a capital murder case. In October 2024, Clarkston reportedly yelled at jurors and physically blocked exit doors.

TYLER — A wanted sex offender out of Cass County was arrested on March 20 in Tyler following a coordinated search involving multiple state and federal law enforcement agencies. According to our news partner KETK, the Hughes Springs Police Department said that, Travion Holloman was previously convicted of aggravated sexual assault of a child but failed to comply with annual sex offender registration requirements.

A warrant for Holloman was issued in July 2025 out of the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.

On March 4, the police department contacted the Texas Department of Public Safety Criminal Investigation Division (DPS CID) to assist in locating Holloman. DPS CID coordinated with the DPS Homeland Security Division, the Texas Attorney General’s Office and the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Apprehension Task Force, who were able to locate Holloman in Tyler and take him into custody without incident.

Holloman also had additional outstanding warrants from several counties for probation violation related to the sexual assault case, evading arrest and possession of marijuana.

PALESTINE — The Palestine Police Department is warning residents about a fraudulent document circulating in the community that falsely claims to be a court notice and attempts to collect payments.

According to our news partner KETK, officials said the fake “Notice of Default” appears to come from a municipal court and may include a QR code directing recipients to submit payment. Authorities emphasized that the document is a scam designed to create urgency and pressure individuals into sending money or sharing sensitive information.

Police urged residents not to scan the QR code, send payments or provide any personal or financial details in response to the notice.

“These notices are not legitimate,” the department said, adding that scammers are relying on fear and confusion to exploit victims.

Officials advised anyone who receives such a document to disregard it and instead verify any court-related matters directly with their local court. The department encouraged residents to report any suspicious documents to local law enforcement.

MARSHALL – A Marshall man found guilty of murder and other charges related to a deadly shooting in 2024 was given a 35-year prison sentence on Monday. Curtis White, Jr., 19, started his 35-year prison sentence on Monday after being found guilty in the 71st District Court of murder, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and deadly conduct discharge of a firearm.

According to our news partner KETK, White was fined $10,000. On July 16, 2024, at approximately 11:50 a.m., a maroon car pulled up beside a white Nissan that was stopped at a red light on East Grand in Marshall. This led to the shooting. Before leaving the scene, White, the driver of the maroon car, fired into the Nissan, hitting the driver and a passenger.

The driver was taken to a nearby hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while the passenger, Markel May, 20, died at the scene. White was taken into custody at the Harrison County Jail on a $1.2 million bond.

TYLER – A man was sentenced to 45 years in prison on Monday, more than a year after he was arrested for allegedly dousing his girlfriend in gasoline and setting a Tyler house on fire. Following a report of a burning home, the Tyler Fire and Police Departments arrived at the 3300 block of Shady Trail on November 18, 2024, at approximately 3:37 a.m.

Our news partners at KETK report that Gregory Bargaineer, 67, entered the Smith County Jail twenty minutes later “to turn himself in for throwing gasoline on his girlfriend,” according to arrest records.

The body of Bargaineer’s alleged girlfriend, Marilyn Mceachin, was discovered on the floor close to the remains of a bed after the fire department extinguished the flames. Investigators were informed by Bargaineer that the victim had served him with an eviction notice the previous week. Continue reading Man sentenced for arson/murder

SMITH COUNTY -The Smith County Commissioners Court approved a resolution Tuesday, proclaiming March 24, 2026, as “Grace Community School Girls’ Soccer Day” to recognize the team winning the state championship.

The soccer team won the TAPPS All-Around State Championship on March 4, 2026. It was the second time in three years that they brought home the state title.
The girls were joined by dozens of family members and friends for the recognition in Commissioners Court.
Continue reading Grace girls soccer team honored

WHITEHOUSE — The City of Whitehouse is set to discuss joining ICE’s 287(g) program during Tuesday’s city council meeting. Council members will consider and potentially take action on entering the agreement after the Department of Homeland Security invited the city to participate in the task force.

According to our news partner KETK, joining the program would give local officers the authority, under ICE supervision, to arrest individuals who are in violation of federal immigration laws. Officials emphasized that this would not change their current arrest procedures or alter day?to?day operations. If approved, the city estimates it could receive up to $1.1 million within the first 12 months.

Under the task force model, participating officers can exercise limited immigration authority while performing routine duties, such as determining a person’s immigration status during a traffic stop or DUI checkpoint and sharing that information with ICE. Officers may also assist directly in ICE?led operations.

SMITH COUNTY – Two men have died after a shooting happened at a club in Smith County on Sunday morning. Smith County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1 Derrick Choice told our news partner KETK that he was called out to the Exotic Social Club on State Highway 64 at around 8 a.m. on Sunday to assist at the scene of a fatal shooting. Continue reading Update on fatal club shooting

WASKOM – Interstate 20 eastbound has reopened after it was blocked due to an 18-wheeler crashed in Waskom on Monday. The Waskom Police Department said an 18-wheeler and a vehicle crashed on I-20 eastbound near mile marker 633 at around 3:26 p.m. According to Waskom PD, all eastbound traffic is currently being directed onto the exit 633 on-ramp.

TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler named Dr. Jenifer Chilton as the dean of the School of Nursing. Chilton has served as interim dean since 2025, according to a UT press release.

“A longtime and highly respected member of our School of Nursing faculty, she has served as interim dean, providing steady leadership,” said UT Tyler President Julie V. Philley, MD. “Dr. Chilton brings a spirit of innovation and collaboration, along with a deep commitment to the university’s mission.”

Chilton first served as a preceptor for UT Tyler community health students in 2004 and became a clinical instructor in 2007. Starting in 2021, Chilton served as the associate dean for academic affairs, playing a key role in advancing the school’s academic mission, improving student outcomes and fostering a collaborative environment for faculty and staff. Continue reading School of nursing announces new dean

Tyler – Where Tyler police officers will train to serve and protect East Texas is about to be on full display. On Thursday, April 9, at 4 p.m., the Tyler Police Department will host a grand opening for its new Police Training Facility, located at 2520 East Commerce Street. The event will give the public an opportunity to explore the space and connect with Tyler police officers.

The Tyler Police Department, which includes 204 sworn officers, has developed a culture of expertise, with nearly half of its officers serving as certified trainers. The department launched its in-house police academy in 2021 to expand training capabilities.
Continue reading Tyler PD academy grand opening April 9

HOPKINS COUNTY — Months after a video surfaced of an East Texas breeder shooting a dog, a federal investigation revealed deplorable conditions at her unlicensed facility — charges that could send her to prison for up to 20 years. According to our news partner KETK, an indictment delivered from a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Texas on Monday names Kristine Michelle Hicks, 51, of Cumby and charged her with acting as an unlicensed animal dealer and four counts of wire fraud.

Hicks’ appearance in federal court comes after being arrested on Dec. 21, 2025, for a social media video depicting her allegedly shooting at a dog three times and leaving it for dead, spurring an investigation into her breeding facilities.
Continue reading Dog breeder faces federal charges

SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Sheriffs Office has issued a Scam Alert. The White Collar Crime Division of the Smith Couty Sheriff’s Office is actively monitoring and documenting impersonation and Bitcoin scams targeting families of jailed inmates. 

The pattern used centers on fraudulent claims of bond?related ankle monitor fees, directed payments through Bitcoin ATMs, and the misuse of Smith County law enforcement identities, Smith County Sheriff’s Officials reported on Monday. Victims receive unsolicited phone calls and/or text messages from individuals claiming to be with Smith County Pretrial Services, the Smith County Jail, or a lieutenant or deputy with the Sheriff’s Office. Continue reading Scam Alert: Bitcoin scam

SMITH COUNTY — The dome has been installed on top of the new Smith County Courthouse. Overnight, the 56,000-pound lower portion of the dome was installed. Hoar Construction officials monitored wind conditions throughout the weekend and were able to install it during the early morning hours of Monday, March 23. After 8 a.m., they installed the 16,000-pound upper portion.

A 900-ton mobile crane — one of the largest cranes of its kind and reportedly the second largest crane on wheels in the United States — was used, said Fletcher Rives assistant project manager for Hoar Construction.

“This milestone represents a major step forward in the restoration and brings the courthouse closer to completion,” Rives said. Continue reading Courthouse dome installed

SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road 129 will be closed Monday and Tuesday, March 23-24, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. between CR 146 and CR 113. Smith County Road and Bridge crews will be installing cross culverts under this section of the road.

The Texas Department of Transportation will be closing CR 436 at its intersection with Farm-to-Market Road 16 on Tuesday, March 24, from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. This road will be closed for the tie-in of CR 436 to the new elevation of FM 16.

Smith County has an interactive map that shows what County Roads are closed. It can be found by clicking here. Go to the “How Do I” tab at the top of the page, select view and then click on “County Road and Office Closures.”

PALESTINE – The Anderson County Tax Office will be closed on Monday after a vehicle crashed into the office on Sunday. According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety is currently investigating how the vehicle crashed into the tax office, which is located at the Anderson County Courthouse Annex.

According to our news partner KETK, no injuries have been reported at this time. A specific time and date for when the office will reopen has not been announced.

MARSHALL, Texas (KTAL/KMSS) — The city of Marshall has restored full water capacity following a water main break. Restoring full water capacity is the process that allows the resin beads in a water tank to remove hard water minerals. While the city has made progress, permanent repairs to the damaged pipe are still needed, and crews are working to stabilize the system.

Residents are still encouraged to limit water use until the repairs are completed. The boil water advisory for Marshall was lifted by the city at around 5 p.m. on Sunday.

An Emergency Burn Ban remains in effect. Residents are reminded that all outdoor burning is prohibited until further notice.