Today is
Sunday June 14, 2026
LINDALE – A multiple vehicle accident on Interstate Highway in Smith County has killed at least one person. It was reported shortly after 11:45 Thursday morning when a pickup hit the rear of a passenger van that had slowed down for the traffic ahead. The van’s driver was killed. No word at this time on any injuries. The accident occurred in a west bound lane of the interstate near the Highway 110 exit. Both west bound lanes had been shut down, but now both are open.
EAST TEXAS – Area stores are preparing for an influx of shoppers this weekend. Just in time for back to school shopping, it’s the sales tax weekend in Texas. It runs Friday through Sunday. The law exempts most clothing, footwear, school supplies and backpacks priced for less than $100 from sales tax. The state comptroller’s office says this will save shoppers about $8 on every $100 they spend during the weekend. State-wide, shoppers are expected to save around $87 million in state and local sales taxes during the sales tax holiday, which has been an annual event since 1999. You can go to the Comptroller’s website, http://www.texastaxholiday.org for lists of apparel and school supplies that may be purchased tax-free.
KILGORE – Kilgore police report two separate accidents, both involving drivers who had been using K2. In one, a car was resting against a tree with the driver passed out, his foot on the brake and the vehicle still in drive. In the second case, a driver hit a guardrail before hitting another vehicle. No injuries were reported and the drivers were charged with DWI. Kilgore police report that K2, a synthetic cannabinoid, is now bought in unlabled bags as opposed to the flashy packaging that was previously sold in stores. And they remind you, using K2 can be extremely dangerous.
HOUSTON (AP/STAFF) — Former Governor Mark White was remembered Wednesday as a dedicated and caring Texas leader by someone who later held the same elected position, George W. Bush. Bush, the nation’s 43rd president, spoke at White’s funeral at Second Baptist Church in Houston. Two other prominent Texas Republicans, Gov. Greg Abbott and ex-Gov. Rick Perry, now U.S. Energy Secretary, were among the hundreds of mourners. White, a native of Henderson, who battled kidney cancer, died Saturday at age 77. White, his casket draped in a Texas flag, was a lawyer and Democrat who served one term as Texas governor, from 1983 until early 1987.
LINDALE – Lindale police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a theft suspect. He is said to have entered WalMart in Lindale on numerous occasions and took items without paying for them. He has been seen in a gold Buick and an older black Chevy truck. If you can identify him, you are asked to contact the Lindale Police Department.
TYLER – A Longview man, Desmond Denard Brown, 31, is heading to prison for drug trafficking. Brown was sentenced Wednesday to just over 65 months in prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark in Tyler. Brown pleaded guilty back in March to possessing with intent to distribute and distribution of crack cocaine. Federal prosecutors say Brown distributed about 28 grams of crack cocaine in Gregg County.
TYLER – A Tyler man is facing a variety of charges following a traffic stop and foot chase. Byron Leanthony Taylor, 23, ran from the traffic stop, but was chased down and arrested. He showed officers where he had a gun hidden. It had been reported stolen. They also found some marijuana in his vehicle. Taylor is charged with theft of a firearm, unlawful carrying a weapon and possession of marijuana. There was also a warrant out for him for an accident involving injury charge from a previous Smith County case. He was booked into the Smith County Jail with bonds totaling $7,500.
AUSTIN – Sales tax allocations for Texas cities are up slightly. But some East Texas cities continue to show a slight decrease. The state comptrollers office shows sales tax allocations to Texas cities for August are up just over 1%. Tyler’s sales tax allocation is down nearly half a percent from the same period last year, to over $3.8 million. Tyler’s year to date figure is up 3% to over $27.2 Million. In Longview, the August figure is down over 20% to just over $2.6 million. For the year, Longview has received over $19.8 million. This is down nearly 3% from the figure in 2016.
TYLER – A slight tax increase is contained in Tyler’s proposed budget, which was presented to the city council Wednesday. The one cent tax hike takes the city’s tax rate from 23 cents to 24 cents per $100 valuation. The increase is proposed to cover lower sales tax revenues and a decline in the oil and gas sector. But, the tax hike is not the only proposed increase. Hikes are also proposed for city water, wastewater and garbage collection. Public input on the proposed budget will be taken at the city council meetings on august 23rd and 30th. The final adoption of the budget is scheduled at the council meeting September 13th.
TYLER – Smith County commissioners have been given a look at a proposed six year road and bridge capital improvement with a price tag of between $100 million and $120 million. The plan lists projects for more than 1,167 miles of roadway. It was formulated from three citizen input meetings and meetings with representatives from cities within the county, as well as the Texas Department of Transportation. The commissioners also discussed potential ways of financing the plan, including the possibility of a bond election. You can go to https://www.smith-county.com/Commissioners/CommunityInput/RoadImprovement.aspx for more information about the county’s road and bridge plan, or to submit road opinions through an online form. The citizen feedback forms are also available at the Smith County Commissioners Court offices located at 200 East Ferguson, Suite 100. They can also be found at any of the Justice of the Peace/Constable offices throughout the county.
LONGVIEW – A man charged with several child sexual assault charges, is in jail in Longview. Javier Bahena Quintana, 42, of Longview, was arrested in North Carolina. He was booked into the Gregg County jail on Monday. He is facing three counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of indecency with a child sexual contact. Besides being held on bonds totaling $400,000, he is also held on an Immigration and Naturalization Service detainer.
AUSTIN – The so-called “bathroom bill, which pased the senate last week, has not moved in the house. With the special session set to end next week, the bill has still not been sent to a house committee. The bill would require transgender Texans to use public restrooms corresponding to the gender on their birth certificates. Among those supporting the measure is Tyler Representative Matt Schaefer. He says privacy for women and girls in public bathrooms, showers and locker rooms is about safety and common sense. He says, “it’s also about sports and women’s programs.” Schaffer adds that private businesses should be protected from lawsuits if the business owner chooses to keep men’s and women’s changing rooms and bath rooms separate.
TYLER – According to a national publication, Tyler’s Christus Mother Frances Hospital is one of the best in Texas. The U.S. News and World Health Report has the Tyler hospital tied with 7 other hospitals for the 12th best in the state. It is also “Recognized” in the Piney Woods region.
MARSHALL – The trial for former Hallsville coach Dean McDaniel is currently underway in Marshall. McDaniel, a track and cross country coach for 13 years at Hallsville ISD, announced in October, 2015, he would resign at the end of the year. He cited personal reasons for his actions. He turned himself in two months later following a grand jury indictment. He is charged with three counts of indecency with a child by exposure and one count of improper relationship between an educator and a student. A panel of six men and six women was seated Monday to hear the case.
TYLER – Dallas-based developer Tai Ly is buying the Smith County office building that was formerly the Carlton Hotel. Smith County commissioners approved the sale at Tuesday’s meeting. County public information officer Casey Murphy says the selling price is $537,500. The building, at the corner of South Broadway and Elm, opened over 60 years ago. It was bought by the county in 1977. The last county office moved out, for better facilities, nearly four years ago. The new owner is now required to get the necessary building permits within the next 90 days. They are also required to invest at least $1 million into the project and spend over half of that amount on improvements whithin the next 18 months.