Today is
Tuesday June 09, 2026
LONGVIEW – LeTourneau University theology professor Jonathan Lett has been awarded a grant to travel during the next two summers to Oxford, England. He will be working in an enhanced summer program developing interdisciplinary skills in science and religion. The grant is provided by Bridging the Two Cultures of Science and the Humanities II, a project run by Scholarship and Christianity in Oxford. This is a British subsidiary of the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, with funding by Templeton Religion Trust and The Blankemeyer Foundation. The two month-long summer research seminars in Oxford start this summer.
LONGVIEW – The Sears store in the Longview Mall is one of four Sears stores and four adjacent Sears Auto Centers being bought by Washington Prime Group. The Ohio-based real estate group owns and manages the mall. According to the company website, Sears will continue to operate the properties. The Company will have control of these properties for future redevelopment should Sears decide to close them. The purchase price for all the properties is $28.5 million. The acquisition is expected to be completed in the second quarter of the year.
KILGORE – Kilgore police are trying to identify two men involved in a burglary last month. It occurred February 27th at East Texas Warehouse and Storage on Warehouse Drive. If you can identify these men, you are asked to contact the Kilgore Police Department or Gregg County Crimestoppers at 903-236-STOP.
LONGVIEW – A former Spring Hill coach admitted to administrators he had an improper relationship with a student. That information is contained in a warrant that was filed Monday in the case of Jacob Vincent Badgett, 25, of Longview. He is currently free on a $50,000 bond following his arrest last week. The Longview News Journal reports, the day before his arrest, Badgett told the athletic director to “call 911.” He said he “had an explicit relationship with a student.†Badgett also resigned the day before his arrest.
CHAPEL HILL – Chapel Hill High School teacher William Perkins has been charged with of the display of harmful material to minor. He surrendered at the Smith County Jail shortly after noon on Monday and was later released on a $2,500 bond. At school, Perkins is said to have had a laptop that was displaying multiple pornographic images. Several students recorded the images and reported them to school personnel. Perkins’s laptop was seized and the case was forwarded to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigation Division for investigation. After getting a search warrant, officers found multiple images on the laptop’s hard drive. Investigators say the pictures were sexually explicit.
LAKE FORK – For the third time in less than two weeks, Lake Fork has delivered what many anglers dream about for a lifetime – a 13-pound-plus largemouth bass. Angler Alex Finch, of North Richland Hills, landed the 13.06 pound Legacy Class largemouth bass during a solo fishing trip March 11. The catch checked off a “bucket list†item he’s been aiming at for years. The fish is now in the “Lunker Bunker†at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center in Athens. The fish’s roommates are two other Legacy Class entries for the season. One caught on March 8th and one on March 2nd.
NACOGDOCHES – Nacogdoches County authorities have filed more charges in a probe of a theft ring ring that is responsible for 26 car burglaries. Warrants have been obtained on Kawmain Singleton, 23, of Center and Jamonie Nash 18, of Timpson. Jamarcus Suell, 23, from Lufkin, who sheriff investigators have established was one of the ring leaders in this theft ring, remains in jail on 20 counts of burglary of a motor vehicle. Investigators say this theft ring was responsible for car burglaries in Nacogdoches County, Sabine County, Shelby County, San Augustine County, and Angelina County, and may be possible linked to cases in Newton and Cherokee counties.
TYLER – The city of Tyler will be featured in an upcoming program on C-SPAN. During a news conference Monday, it was announced this is part of an effort to highlight the history and literary stories of cities across America. C-SPAN’s 2017 Cities Tour takes two shows on the road – Book TV and American History TV. According to a city news release, they visited various literary and historic sites, interviewed local historians and non-fiction authors, and conducted educational and community outreach, wrapping up their filming this morning. Tyler’s program will air on May 5 and May 6 on the BookTV show on C-SPAN2 and on the American History TV show on C-SPAN3.
TYLER – In an effort to stop drunk drivers, the Tyler Police Department will have extra patrols out during spring break this week. In Texas each year, over half of drivers involved in deadly drunk driving crashes are between the ages of 17 and 34. The Tyler Police Department and law officers across the state have increased DWI patrols. It’s an effort to identify and stop impaired drivers. During last year’s spring break in Texas, there were 410 crashes involving young drivers who were driving under the influence of alcohol. Those crashes killed 20 people and seriously injured another 48. Officers are urging drivers to plan a sober ride as part of their spring break activities. The increased enforcement runs through March 20th.
LONGVIEW – The investigation of a fatal Longview fire continues. Randall Russell and his daughter, Lisa Russell Tesmer died in the Cherie Lane fire around 11:00 Friday evening. Fire Marshal Kevin May said Monday they have yet to rule on the cause of the fire. According to the police department’s Facebook page, the residents in the adjacent duplex were not injured.
AUSTIN – Governor Greg Abbott has appointed 12 persons to the Governor’s Commission for Women. He reappointed to the panel Laura Koenig Young of Tyler. Young is president of sales and marketing for Brighton Collectibles. Her term will expire December 31st, 2019. The committee has been asked to develop a strategy and to implement a plan to help make Texas the number one state for women-owned businesses. It will also help address the issue of human trafficking and help rebuilding efforts following Hurricane Harvey.
NACOGDOCHES — The Lumberjack Marching Band at Stephen F. Austin heads overseas today. It’ll perform at the St. Patrick’s Day parade in Dublin, Ireland next Saturday. David Campo is the associate director of bands at SFA. He calls the invitation “a great honor” and “an incredible challenge.” He says this all started five years ago, when the band was invited to march in the New Year’s Day parade in London and the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. At this parade, Campo says the band will play the SFA fight song, his own arrangement of “The Yellow Rose of Texas,” and an arrangement of “When Irish Eyes Are Smiling” — adding, “We’re sort of covering all our bases.”
NEW LONDON – An east Texas volunteer fireman has died from injuries received in an accident last month. KETK is reporting M.V. Hudson passed away Saturday morning. Hudson and two other firemen were heading to a grass fire on February 28th when the driver lost control of the vehicle. The vehicle rolled, trapping the men inside. The other firemen, Mark Norwood and Larry Bathke, received minor injuries.
TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the week of March 12th. 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 Anderson County, Palestine Maintenance will conduct base repair operations on Farm Road 2267 between State Highway 155 and Farm Road 321. Edge repair work will be performed on U.S. Highway 287 from Farm Road 321 to Farm Road 2706. Expect lane closures with flaggers providing traffic control at both locations. You can go to https://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/media-center/local-news/tyler/011-2018.html and see the project update for TxDOT’s Tyler District.
EAST TEXAS – Severe thunderstorms rumbled through east Texas Saturday night and Sunday morning, resulting in death and golf ball size hail. One of the storm deaths was in Longview. It happened at the Flamingo Mobile Home Park on West Fairlane Drive when a tree fell on a mobile home around 4:30 Sunday morning. Relative tells KETK the victim was Angel Rocha, 41, of Henderson. He had been living in the mobile home the past four or five months. His 12 year old son was taken to the hospital where he was treated and released. Read the rest of this entry »