Today is
Tuesday June 09, 2026
TYLER – For the seventh straight year, Tyler Junior College met and exceeded its goal of collecting 50 gallons of blood. Lauren Tyler, TJC director of student life, said 52.5 gallons or 420 units were collected during the week-long blood drive at the college.
TULSA, Okla. (AP) – An emergency medical care provider in Oklahoma, with ties to Tyler’s former East Texas Medical Center, has authorized a payment of $300,000 to settle a federal kickback lawsuit. The lawsuit, filed in January 2017, alleged that Emergency Medical Services received $20 million in kickbacks from a former Texas contractor. The Tulsa World reports that the EMSA Board of Trustees unanimously approved the settlement during a special meeting Monday. Federal officials said in court filings last week that a settlement had been reached in principle with EMSA and its former president and CEO, Stephen Williamson. A spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Joseph Brown, whose Eastern District of Texas office brought the lawsuit, declined to comment to the newspaper on the settlement.
TYLER – The new Dawson Street Garage at CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital – Tyler, has been officially opened. The ribbon cutting ceremony was held late Tuesday morning. The new parking garage will make it easier to get to the hospital as well as the Louis and Peaches Owen Heart Hospital. It has space for 850 vehicles. There is a partially covered walkway from the garage to the hospital entrance. For those who have trouble walking to the hospital, there is shuttle service every 5 to 7 minutes. The new garage is part of a multi-million-dollar expansion project that includes the nearly 200,000 square foot Bradley-Thompson Tower to be built on the south side of the hospital. The tower is expected to be completed in the spring of 2020.
LONGVIEW – Longview police are reporting they found more than they bargained for when they served a warrant in a drug case. The warrant was served at a home on Beaumont Street. Besides finding over 7 grams of crack cocaine, they also found an aquarium. Instead of fish, it contained a copperhead snake. Matthew James Breedlove, 52, said he found it in his yard and captured it. They called Longview Animal Control officers, who took the snake to a separate location and released it into the wild. They kept Breedlove, who was booked into the Gregg County jail on a charge of the manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. His bond was set at $40,000.
LONGVIEW – A Cass County man has been charged in White Oak with kidnapping. Douglas Eugene Barron Jr., 37, of Marietta, is said to have kidnapped a disabled man, stole his car, and tried to force him to withdraw money from his bank account. The Longview News Journal reports the incident happened early Saturday morning at Citizens National Bank in White Oak. Barron was said to have been arrested at a convenience store across the street from the bank. He is charged with aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, injury to the disabled and unauthorized use of a vehicle. He is the Gregg County Jail under bonds totaling $127,500.
TYLER – The Tyler Municipal Rose Garden has been recognized by the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association. The group has designated the garden as a Great Public Space for 2018. It was one of six selected by the organization. They were chosen because, according to the association, they illustrate most effectively what it means to be a “great†place, including design, functionality, sustainability, character, quality, and community participation. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Some new roles for Tyler Junior College’s top two executives have been announced. TJC Board of Trustees approved the changes at a meeting late last week. School president Dr Michael Metke was named Chancellor for the College District of TJC and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Juan E. Mejia, formerly TJC provost and vice president for academic and student affairs, was been named President of the branch locations and TJC District Provost. He will directly oversee the 4 branch locations and the school’s Online Virtual Campus. He will continue to serve as Chief Academic Officer and Chief Student Affairs Officer.
TYLER – Traffic is blocked on a street north of downtown Tyler. Officers are working a traffic accident involving a tractor trailer that hit a power pole at North Broadway and East. Berta. This is just north of Gentry Parkway. Traffic going north and south on North Broadway at the accident site is blocked by the truck and it is not passable at this time in either direction. Motorists are advised to avoid this area by using alternate routes. No injuries were reported in the accident.
TYLER – The 34 Annual Taste of Tyler comes to Harvey Hall Tuesday evening from 6:30 to 8:30. You will be able to sample the food and beverages from over 40 Tyler restaurants. Along with the food and drink there will also be entertainment. Advance tickets to the Taste of Tyler are available at Papacita’s Restaurant, The Diner and at the Junior League office. Advance tickets are $25. If tickets remain, they will be available at the door for $30. This city-wide event raises money to support a High School Culinary Education Program across the area. Also Tuesday night, it’s the 36th annual Taste of Longview.
MARSHALL — Officials Monday released more information on a fatal Sunday morning shooting at Harrison County’s Sabine River Rats ATV park. According to our news partner KETK, deputies and DPS troopers responding to 911 calls around 1:30 a.m. say they found 22-year-old suspect Blayne Anderson (pictured) in a truck, apparently either asleep or passed out. Deputies say he was arrested without incident. 25-year-old victim Keith Carr was found several feet away, and a pistol was recovered. Officials were told Anderson shot Carr multiple times following an altercation some three hours earlier after Anderson reportedly assaulted Carr’s ex-girlfriend. Anderson was jailed with no bond immediately set.
SAN ANTONIO — It was ten years ago this week that a small army of state and federal law enforcement descended upon a sprawling West Texas ranch, making international headlines. The Yearning for Zion Ranch in Eldorado, at the time, was run by a breakaway sect of the Mormon church called the FLDS, which promoted polygamy and child brides. The sect’s spiritual leader, Warren Jeffs, was eventually sent to prison in East Texas for abusing little girls. One of his former wives, Flora Jessop, says a decade later, he’s still in charge. According to Jessop, “He’s the one doing the orders, he is still moving families around, he is still dictating lives, he is still destroying lives.” The only difference, she says, is that Jeffs is not mobile. He’s stuck in a prison cell at the Louis C. Powledge Unit near Palestine. Meanwhile, that ranch is still up for sale. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – It is time for the bi-annual Smith County cleanup program. It starts Monday and runs through Saturday, May 5th. Smith County residents can use vouchers to redeem at the landfill on the Old Kilgore Highway. The vouchers are available at the courthouse annex and all JP and constables’ offices. You can take 3 cubic yards of solid waste, which fills the bed of a regular sized pickup, and/or bulk items to the landfill. Among the many items that will be accepted include furniture, toys and tree trimmings. Items not accepted include: hazardous waste, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, gasoline, oils, paint, acid, batteries, Asbestos, wet paint, Freon, whole tires, televisions, computers, refrigerators and freezers.
TYLER – Smith County is conducting a free symposium on how county government works generally across the state and specifically in Smith County. The symposium will provide a general overview of the county government structure in Texas, the role of various elected county officials and legislative restraints on how county government operates. Smith County Auditor Ann Wilson will speak about government finance and County Judge Nathaniel Moran will talk specifically about Smith County government. The session is Monday morning from 9:00 to 11:45 at the R.B. Hubbard Center on East Ferguson.
TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the week of April 2nd. 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.
In Smith County, I-20 westbound will be closed Monday evening for work on the FM 849 Bridge Replacement Project at Hideaway. Traffic will be moved to the ramps from 7:00pm, Monday, until 6:00am, Tuesday. Use alternate routes to avoid any slow-down at this location. Additional project information is available in the Smith County section of this news release.
In Gregg County, night work is set to begin Monday on the State Highway 149 at Sabine River project. Work will be performed from 7:00pm to 5:00am for the next two weeks. Alternate routes are recommended. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A Smith County man, accused of making threats against several witnesses who are scheduled to testify during his son’s upcoming murder trial, is in jail. Picked up in Mississippi on Saturday was Martin Wesley Reynolds Sr., 45. On Wednesday evening, Smith County authorities tried to serve the warrant on him at him residence in Whitehouse, but he was not there. He will now be extradited to Smith County. Reynolds’ son is one of three suspects in last November’s shooting death of Andrew Carpenter, 19. He was shot to death at a residence on Deerwood Drive.