Today is
Tuesday November 26, 2024
TYLER – The names of the victims of a Tyler fire have been released. Fire Marshall Paul Findley identified them as a 1 year old girl, Cambryn Anderson-McAllister and Christopher Anderson, 40, who both died last Saturday. The third victim, Sharon Brown, 60, died last Sunday. Two children remain in a Fort Worth hospital after being transferred from Tyler on Saturday morning. Camden Anderson, 6, and Collin Anderson, 2, are both recovering from their injuries. The fire was reported around 6:15 last Friday evening at a home on North Grand. The fire is said to have started in the living room. The cause remains under investigation.
KILGORE – The Kilgore Public Library will be opening a Seed Library on Saturday. Library patrons will be able to check out seeds as well as books and other materials. The goal of the seed library is to cultivate a community of sharing and promote home gardening. Library patrons are encouraged to learn how to save seeds from the plants they grow and return the seeds to the library for other persons to plant in the following years. Saturday’s event will include a series of brief gardening talks as well as activities for children, a story time and planting activity.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has received a $12,000 gift as a part of a collaboration between its School of Education and the Cooperative Teachers Credit Union. The gift will support the East Texas Center for School Based Research and Instruction. It provides professional development for teachers and administrators in the region. According to a news release from the school, the money will fund upcoming center projects designed to provide resources to help meet educational needs in area schools and communities. Projects include a school leadership conference, a literacy academy, an annual school law conference, a conference focused on women in leadership and seminar-style events called “ED Talks.”
TYLER – A Tyler woman has signed the official closing documents for her new home with Habitat for Humanity of Smith County. Diana Bautista and her two teenaged daughters plan to move into their new home on North Tenneha this weekend. She says, as a single mom, all they could afford was a one-bedroom garage apartment , and now, they have a home of their own. She and her daughters completed over 350 “sweat equity” hours by helping build her home and others. She is purchasing the house from Habitat with no interest on the 30 year mortgage. Read the rest of this entry »
CARTHAGE – An Overton man has been killed in a two vehicle accident in Panola County. Pronounced dead at the scene was Jesus Ramon Reyes, 41. He was killed when his pickup ran into the back of a trailer that was being pulled by a Mack truck. The Department of Public Safety report says the truck was legally stopped to make a left turn onto a private drive when the accident occurred. The Carthage man who was driving the truck was not injured. The accident occurred Wednesday afternoon shortly before 5:15 on U.S. Highway 79, just over two miles west of Carthage.
LONGVIEW – A jury in state district court in Longview has sentenced Johnifer Ray Mumphrey, 54, of Kilgore, to 55 years in prison. His punishment was enhanced because of his criminal record, which includes two felony convictions for burglary and sexual assault. Last May, he is said to have stormed into a home and choked a woman and hit her in the face with his fist. A couple of days after the incident, he was arrested by Kilgore police. He was charged with burglary of a habitation, with intent to commit assault.
AUSTIN – The state’s Million Dollar Loteria game has created a millionaire in Smith County. A Tyler resident claimed a top prize winning ticket worth $1 million in the Texas Lottery scratch ticket game. The winning ticket was purchased at Tiger Express #7, located on East Main Street in Whitehouse. The winner elected to remain anonymous. This was the third of five top prizes worth $1 million to be claimed in this game, which offers more than $90 million in total prizes.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – A Cherokee County sheriff’s deputy has been arrested and charged with indecency with a child. Arrested by the Texas Rangers Tuesday afternoon was Jonathan Bryan Shobert, 46, a sergeant with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. According to the arrest warrant, which was obtained by our news partner KETK, the incident took place on January 26. Shobert is currently free on a $50,000 bond.
TYLER – East Texas Christian Academy’s Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Myron Bruce as Head of School. The appointment becomes effective in June. For the past the past 4 years, Bruce has been the Regional Development Director for Freed Hardeman University. He has also served in the ministry for 16 years. Bruce will begin his work at the school immediately in a part-time development capacity. He will be working alongside Dr. Michael Weimer to facilitate the planned transition.
EAST TEXAS – Recent fires in Tyler and Smith County have killed five persons. Now, a fire in Nacogdoches County has killed two. It was reported shortly after 6:00 Wednesday morning on Andy Lane. One woman was dead at the scene. The other died at a Nacogdoches hospital. Injured was a 14 year old girl. She was airlifted to a burn center hospital in the Dallas area where she is listed in critical condition. The names have not been released. Investigators say It appears that the fire started on the front porch of the residence. The cause remains under investigation.
TYLER – Tyler is being recognized as a dementia friendly community. Tyler and Fort Worth were the only cities in Texas to have received this recognition. The recognition came after the Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County submitted documentation and letters. It showed Tyler is engaging in important work to support those in our community that are living with dementia as well as their caregivers and families. Included was a summary of the amazing accomplishments of the Tyler Area Chamber Senior Resource Committee and their members and partners. There were also letters of support from the Northeast Texas Public Health District, Smith County Commissioners Court and three Chamber Committees. Next, they want to form subcommittees to continue moving this progress forward. You can be a member of one of these sub committies by contacting Stephanie Taylor with the Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County.
TYLER – A third person has died as the result of a Tyler fire. A 60 year old woman is the latest victim. She died at a Dallas hospital. Previously a 40 year old man and a young girl died from injuries received in the fire. Two children are still in the hospital, being treated for their injuries. They are continuing to improve. The fire was reported around 6:15 Friday evening at a home on North Grand. The fire is said to have started in the living room. The cause remains under investigation.
TYLER – TxDOT is planning to conduct the following construction and maintenance work throughout the district during the week of February 11. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.
In Henderson County, an emergency maintenance contract is underway to repair the State Highway 274 Bridge at the Cedar Creek Lake Reservoir Spillway. The project has been awarded to Longview Bridge and Road. The bridge, located between Trinidad and Tool, was initially closed January 30th as a precautionary measure after an exposed roadway joint was observed during a routine visual inspection. A thorough inspection conducted by bridge experts on January 31 indicated some concrete deterioration underneath the structure. Barring any unforeseen issues, the project is expected to be completed by the end of the month. For now, motorists must use alternate routes along SH 334, SH 198 and SH 31 to reach their destinations. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A one vehicle accident has killed a Tyler man. Killed when his car overturned in a creek around 4:15 Saturday afternoon on North Parkdale Drive was Terry Dewayne Cain, 38. Tyler police say his car appeared to have been traveling north when it veered left and went off of the road rolled over in the creek, and came to rest upside down. The investigation into the accident is continuing.
GLADEWATER – Gladewater has a new police chief. Former Gregg County Sheriff’s Office supervisor Gordon Freeman was chosen among a group of 30 candidates for the position. Gladewater City Manager Ricky Tow made the announced Saturday on Facebook. He begins his new duties February 25th. Freeman retired last year from the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office as a lieutenant. He succeeds Robert Vine who was hired several months ago at the police chief of Dayton, Texas. In making the announcement, Tow said Freeman was chosen from a very qualified group and “rose to the top due to his experience and knowledge of over thirty years in law enforcement along with his connections in and around the counties that Gladewater sets in.â€