Today is
Wednesday June 10, 2026
TYLER – You will see a bright yellow decal on some area gas pumps, compliments of the Smith County Sheriff’s Department. The sheriff’s department fraud detectives are putting out the decals as a proactive measure against gas pump skimmers. They are to remind you to be aware of this type of credit card fraud. It also serves as a caution to any would be suspects that the detectives check many gas pumps throughout Smith County on a daily basis. They encourage you to report any suspicious activity at gas stations to the sheriff’s office. Also, be sure to check your credit card statements for potential fraud. And, should you become a victim of fraud, contact the sheriff’s office or your local law enforcement agency.
TYLER – With the possibility freezing drizzle coming to the area, the Texas Department of Transportation crews are preparing Interstate Highway 20 and other major roadways for winter conditions forecast for the area New Year’s Weekend and into next week. Pre-treating operations using a brine solution began Thursday and will continue through Saturday, targeting roadways and elevated structures that have the potential to freeze during winter conditions. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – Once again this year, Longview Transit, in partnership with R&K Distributors, are providing a “Safe-Ride-Home†on New Year’s Eve. For the tenth consecutive year, Longview Transit will give free rides to anyone within the Longview city limits. This is on New Year’s Eve between 8:00pm and 3:00am. The curb to curb service will be available to any destination within the city limits of Longview. The service is for persons who that have had a couple of drinks or those that simply do not want to drive that evening. To get more information about Safe-Ride-Home, or to schedule a reservation, you can visit the website at http://www.longviewtransit.com or call 903-753-2287 ext. 10.
DALLAS (AP/STAFF) — Two men have been taken into federal custody on charges of trafficking a Texas middle-school student for sex. Federal prosecutors in Dallas said in a statement Thursday that Shenandoah West Moneypenny, 34, of Gladewater, and Shawn Dale Sanders, 43, of Dallas, each face one federal count of conspiracy to use a minor to engage in sexually explicit conduct for the purpose of producing a visual depiction of such conduct. The 13-year-old victim told law enforcement she met Moneypenny online earlier this year. Using a Craigslist ad, Moneypenny arranged for the girl to have sex with men, including Sanders, who sent pictures to Moneypenny as payment. The two were arrested December 18 and are being held at the Kaufman County jail without bond. Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN – All three suspects wanted in a Lufkin murder are now in custody.The Lufkin Police Department and the U.S. Marshal Service on Thursday morning arrested two of three men wanted in the shooting death of a Lufkin man earlier this month. Taken into custody following a raid on an Orange County home, were Jermaine Gray, 34, and Clifford Gray, 32. The third suspect , McClendon Harrison, 29, turned himself in Thursday afternoon in Shelby County. The three are accused of the murder of Jerone Jones, 38. He died at a Lufkin hospital December 18, following an argument with the men in the front yard of a home on 1819 Spence Street.
TYLER – A Nacogdoches man has been charged with a Tyler robbery. Arrested by Tyler police Thursday morning was Christian Dean Jolley, 20. He is said to have robbed the Shamrock station on the East Southeast Loop around 10:45am. Armed with a silver revolver, he is said to have taken money from the cash register and then ran away. Police saw a man running north across the loop and, throwing down a back pack as officers chased him. He was arrested in a parking lot on the Troup Highway. A silver revolver was found in his backpack. He said the cash in his pockets came from the gas station. Jolley was booked into the Smith County Jail on charges of aggravated robbery and evading arrest.
BEAUMONT – Customers of Jason’s Deli are being warned that some of their credit card information had been for sale on the dark web. The problem was found by MasterCard security personnel. The information appears to have come from various Jason’s Deli locations. The company says they have activated a response plan to determine if there was a breach and if there is any continuing threat. They say customers should monitor their payment card accounts carefully and report any suspicious activity to their card issuer. With headquarters in Beaumont, it operates or franchises 266 restaurants in 28 states. Among the Texas locations are Tyler and Longview. You can go to https://www.jasonsdeli.com/security for a statement issued by Jason’s Deli.
LONGVIEW – Longview police have arrested two persons on burglary charges. Arrested Wednesday were Arthur Ray Delagarza Murphy, 25, and Nathan Ray Alexander, 21. Both are from Longview. They are said to have entered a storage building on Cole Drive and took bicycles, tools, and a compressor. Officers, who responded to an alarm at the home, found the suspects and the items they had taken. Both have been charged with burglary of a building. Alexander has also been charged with unauthorized use of a vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The Salvation Army began this season with a goal of $375,000 for their 2017 Red Kettle Campaign. The 37 locations around Smith County raised $385,408.42. Two gold coins were even found in one of the kettles Christmas Eve night.The money raised during this time is put into programs run by The Salvation Army 365 days a year including their community dinner, after school program, Reconnect, which is a drug and alcohol recovery program, as well as running their shelter.
KILGORE – Kilgore police are asking for the public’s help in locating a man named in a couple of warrants. He is Brandon Sheppard, 34. He was in a car stopped for a traffic violation on Newton Street late Tuesday night. The officer saw the passenger, a man wearing a grey jacket and jeans, run from the vehicle. Sheppard is named in two warrants in Gregg County, one for assault family violence parole violation and one for aggravated assault causes serious bodily Injury. If you know where he can be found you are asked to contact the Kilgore Police Department.
LUFKIN – A Publisher’s Clearing House scam has cost an elderly East Texas woman $15,000. She lost the money between June and October. She was first called and told she had won $3.5 million. The man said for her to send $8,000 to collect her money. She took out a loan for the money. Later, another man called her and told her to send another $7,000 to collect her prize money. She took out another loan. When she didn’t receive her money, she contacted Lufkin police it in hopes that no one else would fall victim to the scam. She is still making payment on the loans.
LONGVIEW – Funeral services are scheduled for a long time Longview businessman. According to Rader Funeral Home, services for Ernest James Stith, 75, will be held Friday at 2:00pm at the funeral home’s chapel in Longview. A visitation will be held one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Rosewood Park. Stith, who was born in Jacksonville, died on Tuesday. Stith opened his first Pizza Hut franchise store on East Marshall Avenue in 1967. According to the Longview News Journal, His company, Pizza Hut of East Texas, has a total of 15 restaurants, 740 restaurant workers and five people in the business office in Longview, with an annual payroll of about $3.5 million. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – According to a drug store chain, East Texas has been hard hit by the flu. According to the Walgreens flu index, the Tyler, Longview, Luikin and Nacogdoches areas rank tops in the country for flu activity. The company says the index is compiled using retail prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat influenza across Walgreens locations around the country. They say the Index is not intended to illustrate levels or severity of flu activity, but rather, illustrate which populations are experiencing the highest incidence of flu. Number two on the list is the South Texas area. And the top state with flu activity is Texas. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Tyler based John Soules Foods is announcing it is adding a third production facility. They have purchased of a 266,000 square foot facility in Valley, Alabama. According to a news release from the company, phase 1 of the expansion will see the company add 210 employees and invest $70 million into the new facility. Phases 2 & 3 will add an additional 300 employees and invest another $40 million. When all phases are complete, the purchase will increase fully cooked capabilities by over 100 million pounds annually. Besides the Tyler facility, the company also has a production facility in Gainesville, Geogia.
NACOGDOCHES – A Nacagdoches man was killed when the pickup he was a passenger in hit a horse. Killed in the accident around 1:00 Tuesday morning was Austin Blake Stewart, 20. He was pronounced dead at the scene of the accident on U.S. Highway 259, about six miles north of Nacogdoches. The driver, Joseph Blankenship, 20, of Nacogdoches, is in serious condition in a Nacogdoches hospital.