Today is
Monday June 08, 2026
MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department is now using a new radio system. The department is addressing some misunderstandings about the changeover. They stress that the changeover does not put the public at any risk in the event of a major incident. They still are able to communicate with the sheriff’s department.They can even use an analog channel that was once used by the Marshall Fire Department. That channel is monitored by both police and sheriff’s department dispatchers. And they added, since they switched to the new system, there has been no emergency situation that required direct communication with the sheriff’s department.
TYLER – The trial of Jessica Lauren Vass, who is charged with killing two persons in a traffic accident a year ago, has been rescheduled. In an appearance in state district court in Tyler Monday, the Lindale woman’s trial was rescheduled for May 21. She was indicted last September on two counts of intoxication manslaughter. The wreck Killed Gary McCrary, 62, of Flint and Annette Burkhart, 56, of Garland. McCrary was assisting Burkhart in changing a flat tire on her car when the Vass vehicle hit the back of his pickup, which then hit the Burkhart car. Her car then hit the couple as they stood on the shoulder of Loop 49 just north of Highway 64.
LONGVIEW – The cause of a weekend fire in Longview remains under investigation. A woman in the home when the fire started was taken to the hospital for treatment of smoke inhalation and minor burns. Several of her pets died in the fire. The fire was reported shortly before 2:30 Sunday morning on Sandlin Street, west of Willow Park.
TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the week of April 16th. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones.
The Legacy Trails – Hike and Bike Trail Development:
The contractor continues sidewalk construction on the West Trail, which runs from Three Lakes Parkway to FM 2813. Sidewalk construction also continues along the Oncor easement between Dueling Oaks and Cumberland Road. No lane closures are planned. This project consists of constructing 4.4 miles of hike and bike trails in Southwest Tyler. It includes the construction of parking lots, driveways, landscaping, pedestrian ramps, crosswalks and drainage structures along the 10-foot wide hike and bike trails. The anticipated completion date is the spring of next year. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Tyler Junior College has announced Presidential Honors Scholars Ebony Griffin and Jairo Tec as the recipients of its annual Rotary Young Citizens Award. Selected by a vote of TJC faculty and staff, each received a $500 scholarship from the TJC President’s Circle fund. Griffin is a biology major from Rusk, and Jairo Tec is a general studies major from Henderson. Both plan to transfer to the University of Texas at Tyler.
KILGORE – Kilgore College is accepting applications for two board appointments to fill the vacant seat of the late James Walker and the seat of Bob Heath, who is retiring. Heath represents the South Zone, Voting Unit #1, Place 7. The remainder of the term for this seat lasts until May of 2019 when a regular election will be held. Walker’s vacant seat is Voting Unit #2, Place 2, North Zone. Anyone interested in being appointed to serve in one of these two vacant board seats can submit a letter of interest to Nancy Law, located in Office 100 on the first floor of the Stewart McLaurin Administration Building on the Kilgore campus. Applications will be accepted until 5:00pm on Monday, April 30.
TYLER – A San Antonio law firm is filing a claim against CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital and the Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital. The action is planned following the arrest of a former nurse who has been charged with murder.The Crosley Law Firm, with the assistance of a Tyler firm, is filing the action on behalf of a man who is said to be one of the victims of William Davis, 34, of Hallsville. Tyler police arrested Davis on Tuesday in connection with the death of a decorated army veteran. Davis was fired by the hospital in February. Davis’ license was suspended last month by the Texas Board of Nursing. The law firm contends the hospital knew of its Davis’ improper and dangerous conduct, but failed to intervene, causing further harm and injury to their patients. After the hospital receives notice of the claim next week, the lawyers will be able to file a lawsuit in 60 days.
2017 was a strong economic year for Tyler and Smith County. That was the message presented Thursday at the annual appreciation luncheon of the Tyler Economic Development Council. Council president and CEO Tom Mullins said, last year, over $200 million in new investments and over 1,900 jobs were announced. The biggest project last year was announced by Sanderson Farms, which will have facilities in the Lindale and Winona areas. And Mullins said he feels 2018 will be even stronger than last year.
KILGORE – High school students in the Kilgore area will soon have access to new dual credit courses in agriculture thanks to a partnership between Northeast Texas Community College and Kilgore College. The two schools held an official signing for the formal agreement late Thursday morning in Kilgore. The new dual credit courses will be available for the fall semester. The courses will lead to certificates and associate’s degrees in Farm and Ranch Management and Conventional and Sustainable Agriculture. Career opportunities for graduates of these programs include: equipment retail sales and service, farm operations, crop production management and agribusiness opportunities such as farm insurance, commodity marketing and more.
MARSHALL – A video showing a Marshall teacher’s altercation with a student last week is getting a lot of social media attention. The video shows a girl arguing with her teacher because she took her phone. The argument then turns physical as the student pushes the teacher and she falls to the floor. Her injuries were said to be minor. School Superintendent Jerry Gibson told the Marshall news Messenger, the student was placed under arrest by the school district’s police department and has been charged with assault of a public servant and injury to the elderly. Both are third-degree felonies.
TYLER – The Tyler police department could soon be using a drone to help them with their work. The Tyler city council on Wednesday gave approval for the police department to seek a drone permit from the Federal Aviation Administration. With the help of a private donation, the police department has purchased a $6,000 drone. It can help officers in many ways, including assisting in finding lost persons. And you don’t have to worry about your privacy. The commercial model drone purchased by the police department is noisy, it can’t sneak up on you. It should take several months before they get the FAA approval.
CANTON – Van Zandt County authorities have seized 87 animals from some property near Canton where they found 50 dead horses. According to the SPCA of Texas, the animals consist of 70 horses, 9 donkeys, 6 pigs and 1 longhorn. More than half of the horses, the donkeys and the longhorn were roaming on a large, fenced pasture on the property. They had no access to food and little to no access to water. The other horses were confined to two smaller pastures on the property with no access to food and minimal water. They said the horses were so desperate for food that they were eating the bark off of the trees, leaving some trees completely bare. The pigs were confined to a small wire pen with no access to food. The animals, which were seized on Tuesday, will be examined by medical staff and cared for until a custody hearing takes place. That is scheduled to be held in Canton on April 19th.
TYLER – A former nurse at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital’s Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital in Tyler remains in jail on a murder charge. Arrested in the lobby of the Tyler Police Department Tuesday night was William George Davis, 34, of Hallsville. Davis is said to have entered a patient’s room and performed an “unskilled and/or unnecessary and/or inappropriate intervention.†His actions are said to have caused the patient to have a stroke which led to their death. Davis was jailed under a $2 million bond. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A gun has been found on a Longview school campus. The handgun was discovered around 10:00 Wednesday morning in the possession of a Pine Tree middle school student. The gun was not loaded. District officials say the campuses did not go into lockdown and there was no threat to their students at any time. According to a statement released by the district, the district’s safety plan was followed and the student was removed from the campus.
AUSTIN – Tyler and Longview’s sales tax allocation continues to run ahead of last year’s numbers. The State comptroller is sending out $651 million in local sales tax allocations for April. That is 5% more than in April last year. These allocations are based on sales made in February. Tyler’s allocation tops $3 million. That is nearly 3% more than last April. For the year Tyler’s allocation exceeds $14million, which is up nearly 5%. Longview’s April allocation is $2.3 million. That’s an over 5% increase. For the year, Longview’s checks top over $10.5 million. That’s an increase of nearly 8%.