Today is
Thursday June 18, 2026
TYLER – The Junior League of Tyler raised $307,000 during the 2016-2017 year. The Fund Development committee made the announcement Monday night at Willow Brook Country Club during the final membership meeting of the year. “We are truly grateful to all of the individuals, businesses and foundations who continue to support the league in our fundraising efforts,†said Karolyn Davis, Fund Development Vice President of the Junior League of Tyler, in a news release. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Monday night, state Attorney general Ken Paxton was in Tyler. He was speaking at a grassroots event about a law he filed Monday. It would make banning sanctuary cities constitutional. Paxton’s office filed the federal lawsuit Monday, a day after Republican Governor Greg Abbott signed it into law. The law, which is slated to take effect in September, would let police officers ask people about their immigration status during routine traffic stops. Paxton argues that it is constitutional and vital to security of the state’s border with Mexico. Paxton say it’s difficult when you have cities that are not helping or making it difficult for law enforcement to do their job. Paxton told KETK they took quick action to avoid law suits all over this state.
MURCHISON – One person has died in a two vehicle accident in Henderson County. Killed was 75-year old Charles Lee Gifford of Brownsboro. His truck and a pickup driven by 35 year old Joseph King of Tyler were both heading west around 10:30 Tuesday morning on State Highway 31 near Murchison. The Department of Public Safety reports King’s pickup ran into the rear of Gifford’s pickup. Gifford’s vehicle then went into a side skid, left the road and hit a tree. Gifford later died at an Athens hospital.
TYLER – Last year, an entertainment venue was announced for South Tyler. Now the project is being scratched. Cinergy Entertainment Group had planned to put the entertainment center in the Village South Shopping Center on South Broadway. They planned glow in the dark bowling on 20 lanes, billiard tables, a game floor, laser tag area and a zip line. They also planned movie screens, which are not possible because of the nearby Studio Movie Grill. Because they couldn’t show movies, they decided not to move forward with the project. Work continues on attracting another entertainment venue for that space.
TYLER – The Tyler school system has announced the valedictorians and salutatorians from the 2017 graduating class. The valedictorians are Jacob Mackey of Robert E. Lee and Gicela Aparicio at John Tyler. The salutatorians are Mary Claire Neal of Robert E. Lee and Alyssa Mayfeild at John Tyler. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Texas Spine & Joint Hospital has been recognized by Becker’s Hospital Review for their performance with Medicare patients. The Tyler hospital is 1 of only 19 hospitals in the nation and 1 of 3 in Texas to have a double 5-Star rating. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services give hospitals an overall star rating and a star rating based on patient survey. Survey data comes from patients treated in all TSJH facilities, both inpatient and outpatient. according to a news release from the hospital, very few hospitals receive 5-stars in both areas.
WHITEHOUSE – Two missing Smith County teenagers have been found. Angel Michelle Owen and Mason Alexander Bautista, both who are 15, were reported as runaways last Wednesday. They were last seen in a Gold 2003 Jeep Liberty. Sheriff’s department Sergeant Darrell Coslin said they were found in Louisiana over the weekend. They have been reunited with their families.
TYLER – A Tyler restaurant that opened about six years ago has close. What About Kabob was located in in the River Oaks Plaza on the WSW Loop near Brookside Drive. They billed the restaurant as providing the hippest food ever to hit Tyler and East Texas. They provided Gyros and Doner Kebabs to hamburgers. According to their Facebook pages, They were sorry they had to close the restaurant. “Just not enough business to stay open. We may reopen in a different location at a later time. We will miss you all!”
HOUSTON – An East Texas Doctor has been elected president-elect of the Texas Medical Association. He is Dr. Douglas W. Curran, an Athens family physician. He was named to the post over the weekend at TexMed, the association’s annual conference, which was held in Houston. He will become TMA’s 153rd president next May. Dr Curran has practiced medicine for 38 years. He practices at East Texas Medical Center and Lakeland Medical Associates in Athens. Dr. Curran also has represented the Henderson County Medical Society in the TMA House of Delegates, the association’s policymaking body, for more than 19 years.
NACOGDOCHES COUNTY — Texas Parks and Wildlife were called in to help investigate a drowning in Nacogdoches County. The Sheriff’s Department responded to a private pond off FM 343 around 8:30 Monday morning. Two men, using a flat bottom boat, were fishing on the pond when the victim reportedly had a heart attack and fell into the water. The boat reportedly flipped. The other man said he was unable to save his friend and swam to the bank. Game Wardens along with the Dive Team from Nacogdoches Fire Department searched the private pond and recovered the body of Larry Hooper, 65, was recovered around 5:00 Monday evening. An autopsy has been ordered.
EAST TEXAS — Wood County officials are looking for a man they say is wanted for assault with a deadly weapon. According to KETK, Blake Reed is also wanted for harassment of a public servant. Reed is believed to be in the Hawkins area. Anyone with information is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 903-763-CASH or the Wood County Sheriff’s Office at 903-763-2201.
TYLER – Students on the Patriot Talon staff at The University of Texas at Tyler received 21 awards at the 2017 Texas Intercollegiate Press Association Convention held in Dallas. For the fourth consecutive year, setting a state record, Patriot Talon managing editor Nathan Wright of San Angelo placed first in the print sports writing on-site contest, where all students compete despite school enrollment and publication schedule. He also placed first in newspaper design and presided over this year’s convention as the student president. Overall, Wright has won six on-site contests in four years of attending TIPA conventions. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – Longivew police detectives are asking for the public’s help in identifying a couple wanted as suspects in a motor vehicle theft case. If you have information about the suspects, please contact Det. Fred Runnels at 903-237-1146, Gregg County Crime stoppers at 903-236-7867, or greggcountycrimestoppers.org and reference case #17-4802. Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN (AP) — The Texas Senate has voted to authorize nearly $340,000 over the next two years to reimburse counties whose police officers attend U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement training on better enforcing federal immigration law. A bill by Senator Bob Hall of Edgewood, approved Monday, creates a program administered by the governor’s office that reimburses counties for police attending ICE training. It now heads to the state House. Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN (AP) — The Texas Senate has approved allowing concealed carry permit holders to have guns in their locked cars parked outside schools. Senator Bryan Hughes’ bill was approved Monday 25-6. A similar, bipartisan measure has cleared a committee in the state House but not yet reached a floor vote in that chamber. It is aimed at teachers who have licenses to carry concealed handguns and want to keep guns in their cars while at work. State law bans guns on school grounds. Read the rest of this entry »