Today is
Tuesday June 09, 2026
KILGORE – Gregg County authorities continue their investigation into an early morning robbery. It happened shortly after 1:00 Friday morning at Zippy J’s #7 on Old Highway 135 near Kilgore. Two men with a handgun demanded money from the clerk. They took an undisclosed amount of money and left in an unknown direction. They may have been driving a late model, light-colored Dodge Charger R/T. They are described as two thin White or Hispanic males; both wearing dark clothes and both had their faces concealed. One suspect is said to be around six feet tall, and the other was around five feet five inches tall. No injuries were reported. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – Construction has now started on a large warehouse being built in Longview. It’s the Dollar General distribution center that is being built in Longview’s North Business Park. The Longview Economic Development Corporation signed the deal with the Dollar General Corporation in December. The nearly 1 million-square-foot distribution center, which is being built on a 110-acre site, will be bringing 400 jobs to Longview. The Longview Economic Development Corpation estimates the economic impact of the project could reach $700 million during the next 25 years. The facility is expected to open sometime next year
WINONA – Smith County authorities are asking for the public’s help in identifying two robbery suspects. The robbery occurred January 25th at the that the Aces High Liquor Store on South Main Street in Winona. Two white males entered the store and pointed guns at the clerks. They demanded money from the cash register, took several bottles of liquor and then left the store. The store’s employees were not injured. Detectives have been using video surveillance footage in their investigation. You can see pictures from that video at the Smith County Sheriff’s Department Facebook page
ATHENS – Traffic stops in Henderson County lead to drug charges and three persons arrested. Sheriff Botie Hillhouse says when Roderick Gerard Young, 47, of Athens, was pulled over, he had 35 white rocks, believed to be crack cocaine, in his possession. Deputies also found a large sum of money. From the evidence, investigators believe Young was selling drugs in Henderson County. He was booked into the Henderson County Jail on the charge of the manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – The Longview Municipal Court is offering a warrant amnesty program in an effort to clear outstanding warrants. When a person comes in voluntarily and either pays in full or pays a minimum of half the total amount due and starts a payment plan for the balance owed, all warrant fees will be removed. You can save an additional 20% off the fine amount. The percentage savings is only on the fine, not the court costs. And, if you see them now, they will lift the warrants and give you an extension of time to pay. This way you can use your income tax refund to pay the fine. The amnesty program will run through the end of next month.
TYLER – Two persons have been arrested after two suspected gambling operations are raided in Smith County. Dilshad Ali, 58, and Salin Hussain, 65, were placed under bonds of $150,00 each for keeping a gambling place, gambling promotion, and possession of gambling devices and equipment. Their arrests follow raids at the Minute Stop Valero gas station as well as the Express Beer and Wine store, both on Highway 64 west. Deputies seized 11 gaming machines and money, issued 6 citations. They also served a warrant at a residence on Heritage Drive looking for financial records. Read the rest of this entry »
PALESTINE – A Palestine man is accused of making a bomb threat. Charged with making a false report or alarm is John Arthur Stephens Jr., 35. Employees with Metro PCS told officers Stephens came into the store on Crockett Road wanting to disconnect his phone. They said that Stephens said that a bomb would be delivered to the store. He then left. Officers found Stephens in a nearby parking lot and arrested him. He was booked into the Anderson County Jail.
TYLER – The Women’s Fund of Smith County awarded four high-impact grants at its 2018 Grants Announcement Reception Thursday evening. Grants totaling $298,457 were presented to nonprofit programs which benefit women and children in Smith County. The Women’s Fund of Smith County was created in 2007. As members of the organization, more than 250 women benefit from education on community needs and best practices in philanthropy, as well as by participating in the annual grants process. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A suspect has been arrested in a Tyler robbery. Cornelius Andre Brown, 37, of Tyler was arrested Wednesday night after the car he was in was stopped on Park Street. He is accused of the robbery of the Valero station on Tyler’s West Southwest Loop around 7:30 Wednesday night. a man is said to have entered the store, stole several music CD’s and t-shirts and then ran out and got into a car. The clerk took a photo of the suspect’s license plate. When the car was stopped, Brown had items taken from the robbery in his possession and confessed to the crime. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A Tyler man, severely burned when his clothing caught fire, has died. Family members of Otis Brown, 90, tell KETK, he died at in the burn unit at Parkland Hospital in Dallas. He was burned around 4:00 Wednesday afternoon at a home on North Border Avenue. Police say Brown was standing too close to a space heater when the trench coat he was wearing caught fire. He then started running through the house and into the yard where a neighbor saw him and called for help. He suffered 2nd and 3rd degree burns over half of his body.
TYLER – A man’s request for a new trial is being denied. James Arthur Fulton, 42, Bulverde wanted a new trial in the death of Haile Beasley, 21, of Tyler. On Wednesday State District Judge Jack Skeen approved Fulton’s request for a new attorney. But, during a Thursday hearing, the judge rejected Fulton’s request for a new trial. Fulton had wanted a new trial because he says evidence that the prosecutors had was not made available to his defense team. Two months ago, Fulton was sentenced to 10 years in prison for the wreck that killed Beasley. Read the rest of this entry »
San Antonio – The Heartland National TB Center in San Antonio, part of UT Health Northeast in Tyler, has been awarded a 5-year, $6.7 million grant by the Centers for Disease Control. The center was also selected as one of four TB Centers of Excellence in the U.S. The center works through education to reach the CDC’s goal of preventing, treating, and controlling tuberculosis (TB) and tuberculosis infection. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – A narcotics search warrant served at a Longview house has resulted in the arrest of three persons. Arrested were Brenda Carol Smith, 51, David Ray Click, 59, and Paul Douglas Cash, 35, all from Longview. All three were booked into the Gregg County jail. They face a variety of dug charges. During the search of the house officers seized, 84.8 grams of methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia, money, and a loaded handgun.
JACKSONVILLE – A wanted fugitive, who had evaded arrest on several occasions, has been arrested by Jacksonville police. Devante Johnson, 25, was arrested Wednesday by officers acting on an anonymous tip. He fled out the back door of a home on Earl Street. As he ran through the neighborhood he ran through a house and jumped through a closed glass window. As he tried to jump a fence, he was arrested with the help of a police dog. After being treated at the hospital, he was booked into the Cherokee County Jail. Besides several warrants, he’s facing additional charges from an ongoing investigation.
MARSHALL – A million dollar east Texas home has been destroyed by fire. The fire in the 10,000 square foot home on Forest Trail was reported shortly before 4:15 Wednesday morning. At one time, every on duty member of the Marshall Fire Department were on the scene. Fire Chief Reggie Cooper said, “Firefighters were initially able to make an interior attack, however, due to the fire’s intensity, were unable to extinguish the blaze. You can judge the intensity of the fire from the picture made by the Marshall Fire Department. All occupants were out of the house and there were no injuries.†The $1.39 million home was reduced to ashes. They are still trying to determine the cause of the fire. Initial reports indicated intense lightning in the area at the time, and that may be the cause of the fire.