Today is
Friday June 05, 2026
TYLER – Here is a summary of the city projects now underway in Tyler. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues.
2018 Asphalt Enhancement (Overlay) Project
– Location: Various Streets throughout the City of Tyler
– Contractor: Reynolds and Kay, Ltd.
– Cost: $4,292,993.10
– Funding Source: Half Cent, TWU Capital Fund, General Fund
– Impact to Traffic: Traffic will usually be directed around work areas by flagging operations
– Anticipated Construction Completion: April 2019
– Status: Construction is on-going. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The City of Tyler Solid Waste Department and Keep Tyler Beautiful are providing two locations for Christmas tree recycling in Tyler this year. Residents can drop off their undecorated, non-flocked natural Christmas trees through Sunday, January 20, in designated areas at Golden Road Park and Fun Forest Park in Tyler. Golden Road Park is located at the intersection of McDonald Road and Golden Road. Fun Forest Park is located in the 900 block of North Glenwood Boulevard. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON – A Paris, Texas woman has died in a Tyler hospital from injuries received in a Rusk County accident. Lecia Beshirs Allen, 48, died Saturday following the Friday morning accident on U.S. Highway 259, 5 lies south of Henderson. Allen, who was not wearing a seat belt, was tossed from the vehicle. Her vehicle left the road, flipped and struck a group of trees.
LINDALE – An early morning accident on Interstate Highway 20 in Smith County has killed a hunt county man. The one vehicle wreck killed Michael Allen Hokerk, 30, of Quinlan. The accident happened around 12:30 Monday morning 3 miles west of Lindale. The Department of Public Safety reports his pickup was west bound when it left the road and hit a tree. Hokerk was pronounced dead at the scene. The accident remains under investigation.
ATHENS – Seniors at Athens High School left a present in the office. According to the district’s Facebook page, they wrapped individual pencils and desk drawers. Chairs and cup holders were also wrapped. They even removed a light bulb from the tree, which turned the whole thing off. They then created a treasure hunt of clues to find it. Merry Christmas from the senior class of 2019. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Department is asking for the public’s help in finding a man accused of sexually abusing a child. Accused of the continuous sexual abuse of a young child is Juan Rios, 35. He is described as a white male, about 6’5″ and weighing around 190 pounds. He has black hair, brown eyes and multiple tattoos. If you know where he can be found, you are asked to contact the Smith County Sheriff’s Department.
WELLS – The Texas Department of Transportation is urging motorists to use caution as drivers get use to the new traffic pattern on U.S. Highway 69 in Wells. It has the southbound lanes carrying two-way traffic. So it won’t cause holiday traffic problems, no work will be conducted on the project next week. The week after Christmas, the contractor is scheduled to begin pavement removal operations on the east side of the roadway. Motorists can expect lane closures and brief delays for the duration of the project. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – Children hospitalized at Longview’s CHRISTUS Good Shepherd Medical Center got some special visitors Friday morning. The Longview Police Department’s SWAT Team members, rappelled down a wall of the hospital. Following that: a visit with the children in their unit and delivery of gifts. The department says this lets them demonstrate their abilities to the community and bring joy to children spending the holidays in the hospital. And, to change things up a little, this year they did not wear their super hero costumes, as they have done in years past. The is the 5th straight year for Operation Christmas Cheer.
GILMER – in Upshur County, you do the crime you pay the time. And at Christmas, that even means the Grinch. According to the Facebook page of the sheriff’s department, Deputy L.P. Nolen has a zero tolerance for the offense of “Unlawful Grinchiness.” The Grinch was arrested at Gilmer Elementary.
KILGORE – It is now official, Dr. Andy Baker is the Superintendent of the Kilgore School District. He was named as the lone finalist for the post at a meeting late last month. By state law, the district had to wait 21 days before he could officially be hired. At a called board meeting Friday morning, his hiring was made official. Baker was formerly superintendent of Edgewood school system, in Van Zandt County, where he served since 2011. He can now move to Kilgore over the winter holiday and be ready for the first day of school when it resumes in January. He succeeds Cara Cooke, who resigned in July after five years as school superintendent to take a job in Aransas Pass.
TYLER – Tyler police have stepped up traffic enforcement for the holidays. The police department is participating in a state grant that is providing funding to the department to enforce traffic laws. This is being done in order to reduce the number of traffic accidents especially in high crash areas throughout the city. The program has proven to be an effective tool to help reduce the number of crashes by having the high visibility of patrol units in areas where crashes are reported to have occurred. The the intent of the enforcement program is to act as a deterrent, persuading people to avoid speeding, running red lights, texting, driving while intoxicated because they know that officers are on the look-out. This special enforcement project is running till January 2nd.
AUSTIN – Area unemployment was unchanged in November. The Texas workforce commission reports Tyler’s unemployment was 3.4% last month. That is unchanged from the October figure. But it is still below where it was a year ago at 3.6%. Longview’s unemployment rate from October to November is also unchanged, at 3.8%. It was 4.3% a year ago. The state’s unemployment remains at the same historic 42-year low it was in October, 3.7%.
KILGORE – A cyclist has been seriously injured in a Kilgore accident. Melissa Riley, 28, of Kilgore, was first taken to Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center in Longview. She was later transferred to Parkland Hospital in Dallas. Investigators say she was riding next to a tractor-trailer rig when she fell under the vehicle. She was then run over by a vehicle that had been following the truck. The accident, which occurred just before 5:15 Wednesday afternoon, remains under investigation.
LONGVIEW – Longview police are investigating the death of a homeless man. The body of Donald Woodlief, 61, was found Thursday morning behind a former gas station on South Mobberly Avenue. Investigators say there were signs of trauma to his body. An autopsy was ordered to help in identifying the injuries and the cause of death.
AUSTIN – Former state senator and former Tyler mayor Kevin Eltife is the new chairman of The University of Texas System Board of Regents. He was unanimously elected chairman at a special called meeting on Thursday. Eltife was appointed to the board last year by Governor Greg Abbott. His appointment was for six years. Chancellor James B. Milliken said he is looking forward to working with Eltife. The University of Texas System is one of the nation’s largest systems of higher education, with 14 institutions, which includes the University of Texas at Tyler.