Today is
Saturday June 13, 2026
MARSHALL – East Texas Baptist University President J. Blair Blackburn and University of Texas Health Science Center at Tyler Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Jeff Levin have signed an articulation agreement. The Tyler health center will now accept qualified ETBU students into select graduate degree programs. Students will also receive special consideration for available scholarship awards following acceptance to the program.
TENNESSEE COLONY – An inmate in a prison in Anderson County is in the hospital after he was speared by another prisoner. KETK reports an inmate threw a 24-inch paper spear from his cell at the Coffield Unit in Tennessee Colony. He was first was taken to the prison infirmary and then transferred to a Palestine hospital. He was then taken to a Tyler hospital. Doctors had to perform surgery to remove the tip of the spear. He is listed in stable condition following the Monday morning incident.
MARSHALL – Marshall police are working on the thefts of semi-trailers loaded with various types of building materials. The thefts occurred on July 29, September 16 and September 30. The semi-trailers were parked at different locations throughout Marshall and the tractor used to move them was captured on surveillance video. During the September 30 theft, the suspect was captured on the truck’s interior camera system before he stole both the tractor and trailer. The tractor was found abandoned in Marshall and the trailer was located in Dallas, were the other trailers were also found. You can go to https://www.dropbox.com/l/scl/AACo93iYCbnk332tWwW__gnvbe7RqJ64Kf4 to see the trailer surveillance video.
TYLER – If you are not registered to vote in the November 7th election, today is the deadline for you to register. The deadline pertains to new registrations and address changes only. Smith County residents can register at the elections office on East Ferguson. You can also register online at Votetexas.gov. If registering online, the application must be printed out, signed and postmarked by October 10. The election will include the Smith County bond proposal for road and bridge projects, elections for the cities of Arp and Whitehouse, and several statewide Constitutional Amendments. Early voting starts October 23rd.
LONGVIEW – Concern over racing on Loop 281 in Longview has resulted in two arrests. Arrested Friday night were Cody Glen Green, 20, of Hallsville (pictured) and Jesus Roldan, 19, of Longview. They were clocked at speeds of nearly 80 miles an hour in a 50 mile per hour zone. They were arrested for racing and their cars were impounded. The police department has assigned officers along Loop 281 and Eastman Road and other known racing locations. Racing is a Class B Misdemeanor, punishable by fine up to $2,000, and or confinement in jail up to 180 days.
TYLER – Following recent reports of sexual assaults on campus, Tyler Junior College is banning non-resident visitation beyond the ground floor lobby at campus dorms. They are also increasing police patrols. Because of the ongoing investigation, the school will not discuss the incidents, but, In a letter to employees,TJC President Dr. L. Michael Metke says the incidents do not fit the bill of a stranger upon stranger attack and there is no immediate threat to safety. He added, “Students should take reasonable precautions about allowing admittance to dorms and private rooms. Anyone with concerns about their safety should call campus police. They can provide escort services on campus and address any safety issues.” Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The five suspects identified in a recent Tyler burglary are now in jail. The five are accused of stealing five rifles, ammunition and a variety of other items, from Atwood’s on the WNW Loop Sunday morning. The store manager discovered when he arrived at work that the front glass doors had been broken out. One of the suspects, the only one from Tyler, was in custody on a probation violation. The other suspects, three from Hawkins and one from Big Sandy, were booked into the Smith County Jail on Thursday and Friday. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A candlelight vigil to honor Spc Alex Missildine will be held Saturday at 6:45pm on the Tyler square. The Ultimate Sacrifice program is to honor the Robert E. Lee High School graduate killed by an improvised explosive device in Iraq. He was killed last Sunday when an IED detonated near his convoy. Missildine, 20, served with the division’s 710th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team based at Fort Polk, Louisiana. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON – In Rusk County, it’s a long prison term for a man found guilty for sexual abuse of a child. The district attorney’s Facebook page says Norman Oneal Copeland, 50, appeared before the judge in the 4th Judicial District Court on Wednesday. He had been arrested last October on a charge was continuous sexual abuse of a child under the age of 14. After listening to the evidence, he was found guilty. Then, following testimony in the punishment phase, Copeland was sentenced to life in prison, without the possibility of parole.
DIANA – Investigators say a fatal Upshur County fire may have started in the home’s kitchen. It was reported around 5:00 Thursday morning on State Highway 154, west of Diana. Killed was Sherri Hogue, 62. Her husband, James, was flown to a hospital in Sherveport where he is in critical condition. A grandson who lived with them was treated for smoke inhalation. Their home was destroyed by the fire. The state fire marshal’s office is heading up the investigation.
TYLER – The East Texas State Fair came to an end last Sunday. Fair officials say it was a tremendous success. Attendance saw a slight drop from previous years. But a cool front brought cooler temperatures and the crowds back for the final weekend. Final attendance was 230,471, 5% less than the previous year. But, The fair saw the largest livestock show in its 100-year history, bringing in entries from as far away as Mississippi. And several competitive events, like the horticulture contest and youth creative arts saw a larger than normal number of entries. The fair provided an estimated $9.8 million in economic impact on the City of Tyler and Smith County. Proceeds from the East Texas State Fair will benefit the Fair’s youth education programs. This includes Academic Rodeo which begins in November, and the over $40,000 in scholarships the Fair plans to provide for local youth in the coming months.
TYLER – The UT Health Northeast Psychology Internship Program has been awarded a $1 million dollar grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Officials with UT Health said in a news release that the funding would be used to increase the size and breadth of its program, which provides behavioral health services for patients.
TYLER – A man said to be responsible for several Thursday night accidents has been arrested by Tyler police. A witness followed the suspect believed responsible for three separate accidents. No injuries were reported. Officers tried to stop him on East Erwin outside the Loop. He drove into the county where he fled on food into a wooded area. He was arrested after officers chased him on foot. Eugene Johnson, 31, of Tyler is charged with 3 counts of leaving the scene of an accident, DWI with open container, evading in a vehicle, and evading on foot. He remains in the Smith County Jail under bonds totaling $13,500. Johnson has an extensive criminal history, dating back to 1998.
TYLER – The Smith County grand jury has indicted 7 men who are accused of taking part in an operation that mailed large quantities of marijuana to Tyler. Their suspected involvement in a drug and money laundering operation has caused them to be charged with engaging in organized criminal activities. The men are from Tyler, Oklahoma and California. They are all in custody with bonds ranging up to $3 million. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – For the time being, Gregg County is suspending Yahoo emails. The action is being taken because of the recent increase in viruses and other suspicious activity. County Judge Bill Stoudt said the action was the recommendation of the county’s IT director. The judge said the department is reviewing the matter, which should take a couple of weeks. Once the county is assured that the treat level is minimal, the judge said the Yahoo emails will be allowed back into the network. Until the, Yahoo users are asked to call a county department instead of using email.