Today is
Sunday June 14, 2026
JACKSONVILLE – The Cherokee County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) has received the 2017 Local Health Department of the Year Award, medium category. It was handed out in the annual conference of the National Association of City and County Health Officials in Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. In a statement to CCDPH Executive Director Christopher Taylor, NACCHO officials said that the Jacksonville based county health department “stood out . . . by showing creativity, innovation, sufficient evidence of outcomes and impact on the community, with partners, community and key stakeholders.â€
SEVEN POINTS – A warrant arrest in Henderson County has resulted in additional charges against Billy Charles Hogue Jr., 32, of Tool. A deputy saw him walking along Highway 274 in the Seven Points area. Knowing he had an outstanding felony arrest warrant for possession of a controlled substance against him, the deputy arrested Hogue. He was then said to have found on him suspected methamphetamine. Hogue was also charged with a new charge of possession of a controlled substance. He remains in the Henderson County Jail.
TYLER – Arrests have been made in connection with gas skimmers that has turned up in Tyler and Smith County. At a news conference in Tyler today, it was announced five persons have been arrested in the Houston area in connection with the cases. And additional arrests are expected. The arrests follows an investigation that started in April of last year. It was conducted by local, state and federal law enforcement agencies. And it is not just a local problem. The large scale organized crime investigation has found victims all the way from Maryland to Utah. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER- The city of Tyler wants to know what you think of front yard fences. The city is taking a survey to find out what residents feel about physical design alternatives for front yard fences. Such a survey is often used when designing zoning codes, planning redevelopment, and conducting urban planning research. The survey is online and will be open through July 28. All responses are anonymous. But, your input will assist the City in their review of the existing front yard fence regulations. You can go to Tyler-pz-dot-org to take the survey.
KILGORE – Three dozen young ladies have been named Kilgore College Rangerettes. The announcement was made this morning in a closed ceremony in Dodson Auditorium on the Kilgore campus. It brings to an end a week-long process of 89 candidates vying for a spot on the 2017-18 Rangerette line. The new Rangerettes will join 36 sophomores to make a team of 72. Among the new members of the squad is a student from Abilene and another one from Edinburg, which is north of McAllen. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – A Longview burglar is heading to prison. Detric Deshawn Sheffield, 31, was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to burglary. Last September, officers answered a suspicious person call. They saw a man coming from the back of a home on Lane Wells Drive. He was carrying what appeared to be a duffel bag and a back pack. He grabbed a bicycle and fled. He later abandoned the bike and fled on foot, but was arrested a short time later.
GILMER – An Upshur County man has received a lengthy prison sentence for the death of his grandson. Randell Jay Phillips, 42, of Big Sandy, has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the death of 2 year old Skylar Rabourn. The youngster died last October when Phillips’ vehicle left the road and hit a tree. The boy, who was unrestrained in the front seat, was trapped under the dashboard of the vehicle. He as pronounced dead at the scene. Phillips was charged with murder the case because of his prior DWI convictions in Gregg County. Over three hours after the fatal crash, his blood alcohol level was still two times the legal limit.
SAN FRANCISCO – Children’s clothing retailer Gymboree is announcing the stores it plans to close as it restructures in bankruptcy. The company said it is aiming to slash its debts and close hundreds of stores amid crushing pressure on retailers. When it filed for bankruptcy protection last month, the business announced it could close up to 450 stores. They have now qannounced they will close 350 of their over 12-hundred stores. They have 20 stores in Texas. While stores in the Metroplex, Houston and El Paso are on the closings list. The Tyler store in the Broadway Square Mall will remain open.
TYLER- The Tyler city council has approved a long-range master plan for the Rose Garden Complex. The approval follows 10 months of work on the proposal. Under 20 to 25 year plan, Harvey Hall would be demolished and a new one built. Some of the existing fair buildings will be demolished and replaced with a single multi-use building. The plan also calls for a sports museum. The long range plan calls for extending Houston Street to Parkdale Drive and closing off a portion of Lyons Avenue at Front Street. The city council called for a traffic study before the traffic changes are implemented.
LONGVIEW – A Longview man has been jailed after being accused of stealing an ambulance. The police first encountered Daniel Wayne Shaklee, 31, on Glover Drive. Officers requested paramedics to evaluate the man. He asked to be taken to the hospital. On the way, he jumped from the ambulance and ran into a wooded area. When found, he asked again to go to the hospital, where he refused treatment. Officers say he then left and stole an ambulance. He was arrested at Methvin and High Streets. After being cleared at the hospital, he was booked into jail on a theft charge.
LINCOLN, New Mexico – A Gregg County woman has been killed in a New Mexico accident. The accident occured shortly before 4:00 Tuesday afternoon. Dead at the scene was Beverly Bradbury Cline, 78, of Kilgore. The accident occurred when a car driven by a Capitan, New Mexico woman drove onto the shoulder of the road and hit Cline and a parked vehicle. Investigators say the woman admitted to using medicinal marijuana and methadone earlier in the day. She has been charged with vehicular homicide.
TYLER – The City of Tyler is currently accepting applications from residents to serve on city boards and commissions. To serve, you must live inside Tyler City limits and not have any delinquent city taxes, city utilities or other city assessments. In addition, you must not have any pending claims against the city. And there may be additional requirements for some board positions. Those who are appointed will serve voluntarily, without pay, for a two-year term. Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN – A state report shows sales tax allocations are still rising in the area. The July sales tax allocations are based on sales made in May. Tyler’s allocations tops $3.1 million. This is up 7.5% from the same period last year. For the year, Tyler’s sales tax allocations are up over 3.5% to $23.3 million. Longview’s July allocation is $2.4 million, an increase of 10.6%. For the year, Longview has received over $17 million, which is up just under 1% from the same period last year.
GILMER – The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office is warning that a couple of old scams have resurfaced. One is where someone calls saying that a family member is in jail and is needing money to get the family member out of jail. They suggest you call that jail to see if that family member is there. And the second one is a caller says they represent Upshur County Sheriff’s Office as a third party representative and are trying to settle a civil litigation out of court and requesting a certain amount of money to be sent to them. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office does not hire third party representatives. If you have questions, you can contact the Upshur County Sheriff’s Department.
TYLER – Smith County commissioners received a safety award at Tuesday’s meeting. The 2016 safety award was presented by the Texas Association of Counties. It was presented to Smith County by Isaac Garcia, a representative of the association’s Risk Management Pool. He told the court the county’s losses for worker’s compensation have been very good in 2016, as well as the past several years. And he said he expects to see good things continue in 2017, and for the county to apply for the Gold Star Safety Award.