Today is
Sunday June 14, 2026
TYLER – A new Half Mile of History marker has been unveiled in Tyler. In a ceremony on the downtown square, the marker honoring Edgar “Leo” Chesley was unveiled. Chesley moved to Tyler in 1933 and became very active in the community. Among other things, he was President of the Rose Parade “Strutters” organization, a director of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce, Director of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra and President of East Texas Savings and Loan Association. The marker honoring Chesley will be installed in the Half-Mile of History sidewalk in downtown Tyler.
LINDALE – Lindale police are trying to identify a man thought to be responsible for some vehicle burglaries. The burglaries occurred a few nights ago at the Hampton Inn. The suspect is described as a white male with an earring in his left ear. They say the man is working alone and driving a silver or light colored Ford Taurus or similar vehicle. The hotel’s video shows the man holding items that were identified by one of the victims as items coming from his vehicle. If you can identify him, you are asked to contact Lindale police.
KILGORE- A missing Kilgore man has been found. Yesterday, Kilgore police were asking the public’s help in locating the missing man. They said Robyn Allmond, 50, is suffering from a medical condition that may alter his ability to remember his surroundings and to return home. This morning, on their Facebook page, they announced Allmond has been found. No other information was released.
MARSHALL – A missing East Texas Teen has been located. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Department had been asking for the public’s help in locating Stephanie Ree Grace, 15. They report the girl has been found in Illinois and is safe. She is now in the custody of her grandfather. When reported missing, it was said she had last seen on Tuesday of last week at her home on U.S. Highway 80 in Longview. Authorities felt she may have been in the company of an adult friend identified as Brittany Badgett. They released no information on how the girl was found.
TYLER – We could find out today if the Carlton Hotel will be getting a new owner. Smith County commissioners are scheduled to discuss, in executive session, the possible sale of the building, which was opened over 60 years ago. County Judge Nathaniel Moran had previously said they have received some proposals for the property. But he gave no details. So during today’s meeting the commissioners could accept a proposal, or keep looking. The county bought the building in 1977. The last county office moved out, for better facilities, nearly four years ago.
TYLER – The trial of a man accused in a fatal Tyler wreck is being delayed. The trial of James Arthur Fulton, 41, has now been set for October 9th. A pre-trail hearing will be held on September 14th. On May 14th of last year, Fulton’s truck hit 21-year-old Haile Beasely’s car head-on in the eastbound lanes of West Grande Boulevard. The Tyler woman was pronounced dead at the scene. Fulton told officers he had two beers at a local restaurant prior to the crash. He then passed several field sobriety tests at the scene. Last November, Fulton was indicted on one count of criminal negligent homicide.
KILGORE – Kilgore College Trustees have hire a firm to help them cut costs through energy savings. They have hired the McKinstry Company. The Seattle company has offices in Dallas and Houston. They will analyze the college’s energy consuming systems to determine where where the energy savings lies. After determining where they can reduce energy and operating expenses, the company will then will develop a plan to implement facility upgrades that generate the savings. A news release from the college says McKinstry has a long-standing history of hiring military veterans and plans to hire Kilgore College graduates who are veterans to work on this project.
TYLER – Here’s a look at work planned in the district during the Week of July 24th. These schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.
Night work is slated to start Wednesday for a new U.S. Highway 271 project in Tyler. The project consists of repairing the base in the main lanes, conducting work on the side streets, applying a new surface, and striping. This work will have major impacts on traffic flow. Work will be conducted from 7:30pm to 6:00am, Sunday through Thursday nights. Expect lane closures and delays during this work. Get additional project information in the Smith County section of this release. Read the rest of this entry »
BULLARD – A member of the Lake Palestine East Volunteer Fire Department has drowned. Zane Simons, 19, was swimming with friends on Friday evening when he had a seizure and drowned. CPR was performed on him and he was rushed to a Tyler hospital where he died. To assist the family in paying for his funeral, a gofundme account has been established. You can go to https://www.gofundme.com/zane-simons-funeral-fund if you would like to donate.
LONGVIEW – There will be no jury selection in Gregg County on Monday. The district clerk’s office has posted on the county web site that jury selection set for Monday in Gregg County has been canceled.
GLADEWATER – A Gladewater man has been charged with making a terroristic threat. Arrested shortly after 6:00 Friday evening was Leroy Carter III, 58. According to the Gladewater Police Department Facebook page, Carter threatened to come to the Sonic Drive-In on East Broadway and shoot employees. Carter is being held in the Gregg County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
TYLER – A Tyler policeman is trading is changing weapons, from a revolver to a bible. A ceremony was held Friday afternoon as Detective Josh Green retired after 20 years on the Tyler police force. He is retiring to pursue full-time ministry. Green was the Senior Pastor for the County Line Baptist Church in Bullard for the past 5 years. He said he felt God’s calling to plant a church where a Gospel presence is desperately needed. After retirement, he and his family will be moving to Fort Collins, Colorado to begin the work of church planting. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A Tyler man, Joshua Adam Scales, 30, has been found guilty of murder. State District Judge Christi Kennedy sentenced him Friday afternoon to 35 years in prison. Scales had been charged with the shooting death of Jordan Ladue, 30. He was killed during a Troup robbery in July of last year. Scales was arrested a few days later in Reklaw at a relative’s house. He was caught as he was trying to crawl out of a back window of the house. Three others have been previously sentenced in the case.
AUSTIN – There was a slight uptick in Tyler’s unemployment rate last month. But, it is still beating the state and national rates. Tyler’s unemployment rate went from 4.1% in May to 4.3% in June. A year ago, Tyler’s unemployment rate was 4.8%. In Longview. June’s unemployment rate was 5.6%. That’s up from 5.3% in May. But that’s still better then a year ago when Longview’s unemployment rate was 6.9%. The June unemployment rate for Texas was 4.6% while the national rate was 4.4%.
LONGVIEW – A man accused of stealing an electric cart from the Wal-Mart in Longview has been arrested. Edward Mark Dickard, 52, of Longview, is said to have taken the cart from the store on Loop 281 shortly after 6:45 Wednesday morning. He wasn’t hard to find. Police found him driving the cart, valued at $4,000, on Highway 259. Dickard was arrested without incident and booked into the Gregg County Jail on a charge of theft of property.