Today is
Monday November 25, 2024
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.
MARSHALL – A Marshall woman accused of trying to hire a hit man to kill her husband has pleaded guilty. Trisha Groot George, 34, entered the plea in state district court on Wednesday to solicitation to commit capital murder for remuneration. She was then sentenced to five years in prison. The Longview News Journal reports an assistant DA told the judge that while George’s husband asked for leniency in the case, requesting that she be given probation, the state was still proceeding with its recommended plea agreement of five years’ confinement. George was arrested last August after the man she tried to hire for the job turned out to be an undercover police officer.
TYLER – Over 80 persons have applied to become Tyler Junior College’s next president. They come from throughout the United States and Canada. After a thorough review of each applicant by a board-appointed screening committee, the pool was narrowed to several semi-finalists. They will be interviewed and the TJC Board of Trustees will select three to five finalists. Late next month, the final candidates will visit the college to interview with the board, tour the campus and participate in open forums. At the conclusion of final interviews, the Board will select the sole finalist. The search for TJC’s next president began in January after TJC’s Chancellor and CEO Dr. Mike Metke announced he would retire this summer.
MARSHALL – Some Marshall area residents have received a text message that they owe a fine for red light photo enforcement violations. While the person owes a fine, the collection agency attempting to collect it, Municipal Services Board, is not authorized by the city to collect it. They have been issued instructions to stop all attempts to collect by text. If you do owe an outstanding balance on a red light photo enforcement violation in Marshall, do not attempt to pay the violation by using the site included in the text. You may view photos and a video of the violation and pay the fine by credit card at http://www.photonotice.com and enter city code MRSHL.
TYLER – One person has been injured and one is arrested following a stabbing on the Tyler Junior College campus. It occurred on a parking lot Wednesday night. Arrested was Nakearaney Domineke Reese. 21, of Tyler. Jail records show she has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and violating a no-trespassing order, which was issued last November. A news release from the school said Reese was not affiliated with TJC. The school said the injured girl was taken to the hospital for treatment of a non-life threatening stab wound.
TYLER – Tyler Junior College students Caleigh Reese and Griselle Esparza have been selected as 2019 Coca-Cola Academic Team Scholars. Reese, a sophomore general studies major from Rusk, has been named a Coca-Cola Silver Scholar and will receive a $1,250 scholarship. After graduating from TJC in May, Reese plans to transfer to The University of Texas at Tyler and pursue a career in nursing. Esparza, a sophomore biology major of Tyler, originally from Monterrey, Mexico, is a Coca-Cola Bronze Scholar and will receive a $1,000 scholarship. Following graduation from TJC in May, Esparza plans to transfer to a university and major in biology. Besides the scholarships, both also receive a commemorative medallion. Read the rest of this entry »