Today is
Wednesday June 10, 2026
TYLER – A man accused of an Oklahoma Robbery has been arrested in Smith County. Smith County Sheriff’s deputies were first called Wednesday morning to check on Bruce Hicks Junior, 28, of Copperas Cove for emotional issues. They then learned the SUV he was driving was stolen out of Love County Oklahoma during a robbery of the vehicles owner. The owner, an 89 year old man was attacked and beaten as he walked across a parking. A search of the vehicle turned up 19 pounds of marijuana. He is currently being held in the Smith County Jail under bonds totaling $120,000.
TYLER – Robert E. Lee High School Principal Dr. Dan Crawford has written an open letter in regards to hazing incidents. During the last half of the previous school year, Dr. Crawford received numerous reports of hazing and bullying of freshmen. It’s a “tradition” that is known as “T’ing.” Dr. Crawford says hazing and bullying is prohibited on and off-campus and they will investigate any reported incidents. You can go to https://www.tylerisd.org/cms/lib/TX01918383/Centricity/Domain/35/Letter%20from%20Dr.%20C_Hazing%20and%20Bullying.pdf to read the principal’s letter on the subject.
SMITH COUNTY – Work on the new Farm Road 849 bridge over I-20, at Hideaway will necessitate nighttime closures of I-20 with traffic moved to the ramps. The Texas Department of Transportation says the work will be conducted in the eastbound lanes one evening, and the westbound the next to allow the contractor to set the new bridge beams. Work will begin next Tuesday night. Motorists are urged to take alternate routes to avoid delays during this work. Following the beam installations, the contractor will continue bridge deck work, earthwork and various other activities. Daily lane closures will be utilized on the inside lanes in each direction for bridge work in the median of the interstate. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – Two men’s car was stopped for a traffic violation on Interstate Highway 20 near Farm Road 14. After talking with the driver, the state trooper had a police dog brought to the car. The dog uncovered 51 pounds of suspected marijuana. Booked into the Smith County Jail on a charge of possession of marijuana was Brandon Rohrer, 30 and Duy Min Ho, 43, both from Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Suspect Duy Min Ho
PALESTINE – Beginning the first of next month, all municipal court sessions in Palestine will move from Tuesdays to Wednesdays. Court Administrator Courtney Acklin said the move is for scheduling purposes. Currently, some court dates have to be rescheduled due to scheduling conflicts and Acklin says the move to Wednesdays will help alleviate future conflicts. Court will begin at the same time, 9:00am and 1:30pm. Those who have deadlines pending before the court will not see any changes in deadlines.
HOUSTON (AP/STAFF) — A chain of dental clinics, which has clinics in East Texas, has agreed to pay about $24 million in civil penalties to settle allegations that it submitted Medicaid claims for unnecessary dental procedures on children. A Justice Department statement Wednesday said the federal government would receive more than $14 million of the settlement reached by Marietta, Georgia-based Benevix LLC and its Kool Smiles clinics. Texas and 16 other states will share almost $10 million, and three whistleblowers will share more than $2.4 million. The business has two clinics in Longview and one each in Tyler and Lufkin. A Benevis statement denies wrongdoing, blaming “professional disagreements between qualified dentists” in determining the necessity and cost of care.
MARSHALL – Work is starting in Marshall to find a new City Manager. Marshall City Manager Lisa Agnor has announced her intention to retire, effective April 15. The Marshall City Commission will begin discussions on a transition plan and finding Agnor’s replacement. She has been with the city for 15 and-a-half years, and was appointed as City Manager in April 2015. Prior to that, she served as City Secretary/Director of Finance. Agnor said she feels like now is the right time for me to make this move. her daughter is expecting her second child soon and she says she wants to be able to spend more time with her family and grandchildren.
AUSTIN – The state comptroller’s office is sending out the monthly sales tax allocation checks. Tyler and Longview are running ahead of last year’s numbers. The state is sending out $709.2 million in local sales tax allocations for January. That’s 9.5% more than last January. These allocations are based on sales made in November. Tyler’s check is $3,422,968.87. This is over 5% above the check for January of 2017. Longview’s January check is $2,590,117.50. This is an increase from last January of nearly 5 1/2%
TYLER – The Tyler city council on Wednesday approved $300,000 for four capital improvement designs to various parts of Tyler’s drainage system. Construction on all four is estimated at $1.5 million. According to Mayor Martin Heines, the improvements are part of the City’s 10 year, $100 million dollar plan to improve Tyler’s infrastructure. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – A dispute has led to a Longview shooting. One person received non life-threatening injuries in the shooting, which occurred shortly before 3:15 Tuesday afternoon on West Radio Street. The suspect had fled the scene by the time officers arrived. The investigation is ongoing.
GLADEWATER – The family of a man shot and killed by Gladewater police have filed a federal lawsuit. Patrick Michael Wise (pictured), 34, of Gladewater, was killed in April, 2016. The Longview News Journal reports the suit, alleges civil rights violations, excessive use of force and wrongful death. Named in the suit was the city of Gladewater and the police officer, Robert Carlsen. The suit seeks a jury trial. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL – A Marshall robbery suspect, who is said to have beaten two convenience store employees with a baseball bat, will be going to prison for a long time. On Monday, Broderick Maximillian McHenry, 32, of Shreveport, pled guilty to the July, 2016 robbery of the EZ Mart on West Pinecrest. Tuesday, he was sentenced to 60 years in prison. Following the robbery, A witness followed the suspect, relaying information to authorities. Sheriff Tom McCool located the vehicle at Highway 43 South near Cave Springs Road and a chase followed. Spikes across the road caused the suspect’s car to crash into a yard. After a brief foot chase, McHenry was arrested.
TYLER — Smith County has cancelled jury duty for today. Smith County residents who were planning to report for jury duty with their yellow cards don’t have to make the trip to the county courthouse. No new panels will be needed today, Smith County Jury Coordinator Lisa Bennett said. However, if you have been asked to return for jury duty by a specific court, you must still report.
AUSTIN – The Texas Department of Public Safety is adding an East Texas man to its 10 Most Wanted Fugitives list. He is Blake Everett Reed, 32. In September 2016, Reed is said to have assaulted a Wood County woman. He was arrested and charged with multiple felonies by the Wood County Sheriff’s Office, including aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Reed was released on bond several days later. Since last May the Wood County Sheriff’s Office has issued multiple warrants for Reed’s arrest. The DPS says Reed is a violent criminal who has ties to Wood and Smith counties, including the cities of Hawkins, Mineola and Tyler. A cash reward of up to $5,000 is now being offered for information leading to his arrest.
AUSTIN – Governor Gregg Abbott has announced that the state will be providing $23 million in grant funding for rifle-resistant vests to police departments across the state. Legislation was passed by the legislature creating the funding for the grant program. The grants will provide law enforcement officers from 453 different jurisdictions around the state with a total of 32,842 rifle-resistant vests designed to protect against high caliber rounds. Among the vests coming to East Texas, 72 will be going to Gregg County and 59 are earmarked for Van Zandt County. Read the rest of this entry »