Today is
Thursday June 04, 2026
LONGVIEW – Crews with Union Pacific are working to clean up after nine cars derailed in Longview Sunday afternoon. According to the Longview News Journal, the derailment occurred between Second and Third streets on the railroad tracks between Methvin and Cotton streets. No streets were blocked and no injuries were reported. The cause of the derailment is under investigation.
TYLER – The 12th Court of Appeals in Tyler has up held the conviction of a Tyler woman for Injury to a child. The court affirmed the conviction of Taylor Nicole Skinner, 25. She was sentenced to 25 years in prison last June for the injuries sustained by her 15 month old child. The youngster was admitted to a Tyler hospital with severe injuries in September of 2017, and later transferred to a Dallas hospital for surgery, and has since recovered. Skinner was the second person convicted in the case. Terral Deshon Carter, 27, of Tyler, the woman’s boyfriend, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for his part in the youngster’s injuries.
TYLER – It is time for annual Smith County-Wide Clean Up. The program, which will run throughout April, allows residents to take bulky items to the landfill for free. Smith County residents can use vouchers, available at the Smith County Courthouse Annex and all justice of the peace/constable offices, to redeem at the Greenwood Farms Landfill, at 12920 Farm-to-Market Road 2767, or Old Kilgore Highway, in Tyler. Smith County citizens will be able to take 3 cubic yards of solid waste, which fills the bed of a regular sized pickup, and/or bulk items to be disposed of at the landfill. Items NOT accepted include: hazardous waste, pesticides, herbicides, solvents, gasoline, oils, paint, acid, batteries, Asbestos, wet paint, Freon, whole tires, televisions, computers, refrigerators and freezers.
TYLER – Monday through Friday is Rose City Restaurant Week. The annual event, which helps raise funds for non-profits, also celebrates eating out in Tyler. The goal of Restaurant Week is to encourage the community to support some of the best local restaurants while raising money for he Junior League of Tyler. Nearly two dozen restaurants are participating in this year’s drive. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – United Way of Smith County president and CEO, Nan Moore has told her board she will retire within the next 12 months. Moore has served in executive nonprofit positions for more than 26 years. She is currently in her twelfth year of service to United Way of Smith County as President and CEO. She has led the organization in successful campaigns along with the move into the new main offices in the Tyler Woman’s Building. Moore has assured United Way’s board, staff and partner agencies that she will stay on until a successor is named. The United Way of Smith County will begin a nationwide search for a new President and CEO and has asked immediate past chairman of the board, Mike Thomas to serve as the Search Committee Chairman.
MARSHALL – A Harrison County man has been charged with killing his wife. Charged with murder is Billy Marsh, 45. He turned himself at the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office. He is now in the county jail. Around 7:00 Friday morning, there was a 911 call about a dead person. When officers arrived at the Big Oak Mobile Home Community on Lansing Switch Road, they found the body of Keyocea Marsh, 40. The investigation is continuing.
GLADEWATER – A Gladewater police officer has not been indicted in a shooting that occurred last November. But, while the Gregg County Grand Jury did not indict former officer Jacob Lira, they did indict the man he shot, Matthew Murchison, 30, (pictured) of Gladewater. He is charged with assault of a peace officer. Murchison was shot in the leg when he pulled his hands from his waistband into a shooting position. When he then bit and hit the officer, a taser was used on him. During the investigation, Murchison is said to have told the Texas Rangers that his intention was to commit suicide by cop. Officer Lira is currently a patrol officer for the Kilgore Police Department.
TYLER – The Tyler Fire Marshal’s Office has completed the investigation of a fatal fire that killed three persons. The fire was reported February 8th on Grand Avenue. The fire killed a 60 year old woman, a 40 year old man and a 1 year old girl. Still being treated at a Fort Worth hospital from injuries received in the fire is a six year old girl and a one year old boy. According to fire marshal Paul Findley, the fire began in the front living room area of the home and quickly intensified. He said, while they believe the fire was unintentional and originated as the result of an accident, the official cause of the fire will remain undetermined.
LONGVIEW – A 35 year old man has received life-threatening injuries after jumping from a Longview bridge. Police Lt. Shane McCarter told the Longview News Journal that the incident happened shortly after 4:00 Thursday afternoon at a bridge near Nelson and Green Streets. McCarter released no further information.
LONGVIEW – The city of Longview saw a drop in part 1 crimes in 2018. These offenses are most commonly identified as crimes against a person. These are also the most commonly reported crimes across the country. Longview saw a 7.4% reduction in violent crimes and an overall drop of 7.3% in total part 1 crimes. The largest drop was in robbery. There were 101 robberies in Longview in 2017. Last year there were 58, for a drop of 42.6%. Burglary dropped by 15.5% while forcible rape declined by 12.9%
TYLER – The Tyler city council will hold a called meeting Friday to cancel the special called election for District 6 on the council. The election was called after city councilman John Nix submitted his letter of resignation, effective this past Wednesday. The deadline for candidates to file for the post was this past Monday. The only person to file was Criss Sudduth. At Friday’s meeting, besides cancelling the election, they will also declare Sudduth as the council member for District 6. Later the city council will issue a certificate of election to Suddeth, and he will be sworn into office.
TYLER – A Smith County Jury has found Mark Vanhouten, 55, of Tyler, guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a child. The victim told her mother in 2016 what had happened. During the course of the investigation, Vanhouten’s DNA was identified from swabs taken from the victim. Also, incriminating pictures and internet search history were located on his computer. After convicting him the case on Wednesday, the jury in the 7th District Court sentenced him to 25 years in prison, without parole.
KILGORE – Kilgore College will become the first college in East Texas to implement a revolutionary new method of instruction which they say is proven to increase student success. They will be starting 8 week terms, rather than one long 16-week fall and spring semester. Most courses at the school will be divided into two eight-week terms with a short break in between. It begins this fall. A news release from the school says the the new eight-week term model, called “Focus to Finish,” will allow students to work smarter, not harder. Studies show full-time students who take just two or three classes every eight weeks are better able to maintain focus and excel in the classroom. This scheduling method will also give part-time students the opportunity to attend the college on a full-time basis. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has launched a new community outreach program as part of their five-year strategic plan. it’s called the “100 Communities Initiative.” The university plans to visit communities around East Texas to learn about their needs as they work to build new partnerships. It’s all in line with their mission statement, to be the educational and economic driver of East Texas. It’s also geared to drive up the enrollment numbers and to make students aware of their options. The goal is to reach over 100 individual communities in the region.
NACOGDOCHES – Nacogdoches County authorities have arrested a man said to be a large drug distributor with ties to the Mexican cartel. Through the work of several agencies, a SUV driven by Matthew Fallis, 41, of Waxahachie, was stopped late Wednesday morning. They searched the vehicle after a sheriff’s office K-9 alerted them to drugs. They found 1. 5 pounds of crystal methamphetamine, 3 ounces of black tar heroin and two loaded 9 MM pistols. They also seized over $7,000 they found in the vehicle. Investigators say Fallis has direct connections to a Mexican cartel gang that was moving large amounts of Methamphetamine from Dallas to Nacogdoches, and other areas, on a weekly basis. Fallis and a passenger, Mary King, 37, of Dallas, have been charged with two counts of delivery of a controlled substance. Fallis, who is on parole, was also charged with unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.