Today is
Sunday June 07, 2026
TYLER – Emergency crews are working to clear an area on North Northeast Loop-323 north of Duncan Street in Smith County where a vehicle struck a power pole. Traffic is being detoured around the area. Motorists are urged to use caution in the area.
CANTON – Following an investigation of several months, 11 persons from Van Zandt, Kaufman and Dallas counties have been named in federal indictments on a variety of charges. The investigation was conducted by local and federal authorities. The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s department has identified the suepects. They are Lisa Powers, Canton, Christopher Colgrove, Forney, Terrance Cullins, Canton, Shauna Thomas, Fruitvale, Christopher Herring, Wills Point, Stephanie Stevenson, Canton, Rexford Morris, Grand Saline, Robby Baker, Canton, Nash Fuller, Grand Saline and David Walker, Seagoville. One other person was also indicted, but that person is not yet in custody. The federal charges include, conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of a firearm in the furtherance of a drug trafficking offense and unlawful possession of a firearm by felon.
LONGVIEW – Funeral services are pending today for former Longview Police Chief Don Dingler. He passed away at his home on Wednesday. Dingler was Longview’s police chief from February 1, 2011 until July 31, 2015 when he retired. He had been with the police department since 1973, serving in patrol, traffic, training, jail services, and narcotics. Chief Dingler was a graduate of the FBI National Academy and the Bill Blackwood Law Enforcement Management Institute of Texas. According to a posting on the department’s Facebook page, ” Chief Dingler was a smiling face around the police department and the community for over a quarter of a century and his direction and kindness will be dearly missed.”
TYLER – Trustees at Tyler Junior College have adopted the school’s new budget. At Thursday meeting, trustees approved a budget of $92.895 million. That’s an increase of 2.41% over the current budget. The tax rate of 19.9926 cents per $100 of valuation will remain the same. With the new budget comes a 2% raise for all employees.
TYLER – Three Cubans, living in Austin, are facing additional charges in connection with gas skimmers found in Tyler last month. They were arrested at the Exxon station on the south southeast loop on July 27th. They have now been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. The investigation has found that the three men were committing similar crimes all over the state. Investigators with the North Texas Financial Crimes Task Force, Tyler Police Department, Smith County Sheriff’s Office and the United States Secret Service are pulling the entire Texas statewide crime spree into Smith County for prosecution. The three remain in the Smith County Jail with each under an additional bond of $1,500,000.
KILGORE – A two vehicle accident in Rusk County has killed an Upshur County man. The accident happened shortly after 3:30 Wednesday afternoon on U. S Highway 259, six miles south of Kilgore. Dead at the scene was Gary Glenn Porter, 38, of Gilmer. The DPS says the accident started with a truck and its trailer in a turn lane, preparing to turn onto Farm Road 918. For some reason, Porter’s pickup drifted into the turn lane and hit the back of the trailer. A Henderson man, who was driving the Mack truck, was uninjured.
TYLER – A two vehicle accident on Tyler’s northeast loop has killed a Gladewater man. The accident occurred shortly after 5:15 Wednesday morning, just north of the Tyler city limits. Killed was Kevin Christopher Turner, 27. The Department of Public Safety says a tractor-trailer rig was attempting turn north on the loop. The driver was unable to complete the turn, because of the traffic, and stopped in the center crossover median. This left the trailer in the south bound lane of traffic. Turner’s van hit the trailer. He later died at a Tyler hospital.
TYLER – An employee of a Tyler car wash is being accused of setting up the robbery of 2 customers. Charged with two counts of aggravated robbery is Hauns Demond Thompson, 33, of Tyler. His bonds total $300,000. The robbery occurred back in July in the waiting room at Ed’s Car Wash on South Broadway. The arrest affidavit, which was opened on Wednesday,says the suspect, who was dressed in all black, took the two victims’ property, including a Gucci fanny pack, six I-phones, two watches, and two rings. The other suspect in the case is identified as Jamarcus Durham, who goes by the name “Bull.” He remains at large.
MARSHALL – East Texas Baptist University in Marshall has more students attending this year than ever before. The enrollment of 1,613 total students is a 5.2% percent increase over Fall 2017. The fall enrollment also represents 23.3% growth over the last three years. And the University’s 83% retention rate continues to rise. Graduate students also reached an all-time high with a 14 percent increase. The University now offers 11 graduate and 43 undergraduate programs.
MARSHALL – Komatsu is partnering with Texas State Technical College to provide job training. The $131,404 Skills Development Fund grant is from the Texas Workforce Commission. It will benefit workers in the 14 county Workforce Solutions East Texas area, including Smith and Gregg County. The grant will be used to provide custom training to 60 new and incumbent workers in the manufacturing field. Trainees will include data terminal operators, fabrication machine operators and quality control inspectors. A big two foot by four foot check, symbolizing the grant, was presented in a ceremony Wednesday morning at the school in in Marshall.
TYLER – A suspect in a Smith County shooting last year has drawn a prison term. In state district court in Tyler Wednesday, Joel Camacho, 23, of Tyler, entered a guilty plea. Judge Jack Skeen then sentenced him to 20 years in prison. Camacho waived his right to appeal. He was one of three men charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in the case. The shooting, which wounded one person, occurred last September near the Eagle Creek Mobile Home Park off State Highway 271 North.
LONGVIEW – A Gregg County woman has been indicted on a charge of solicitation to commit murder. According to the Longview News Journal, Deeanna Ann Aldredge, 23, of Gladewater, is accused of offering to pay $500 to have the father of her child killed. The action came after she lost custody of the youngster. She has been in the Gregg County Jail since June 19th. Her bond is $250,000.
TYLER – Smith County commissioners have adopted a new budget and approved an ever so little tax increase. The action came at Tuesday’s meeting. While approving a balanced budget, the commissioners approved a tax rate of .337311 cents. This is an increase of .007311 over the current tax rate. That means, before exemptions, the average home owners tax bill would increase around $26.00. And on a 4 to 1 vote, the commissioners voted to increase salaries for elected officials. The lone no vote came from commissioner Terry Phillips.
LANEVILLE – One person was killed and 4 injured in a two vehicle accident in Rusk County. The accident happened around 7:15 Tuesday morning on Farm Road 225, nearly 5 miles north of Laneville. Dead at the scene was Payton Lynn Crustner, 9. She was wearing the bottom portion of her seatbelt but was thrown from a car during the crash. She was in a car driven by Miranda Michell Clark, 32, of Laneville. She was hit by a pickup driven by old Marcus Wayne Dukes, 18, of Laneville. The DPS says his pickup was in the wrong lane on a curve when it hit Clark’s car.
TYLER – Three persons have been implicated in a human trafficking case in Smith County. A woman told the Department of Public Safety that she was their victim. Our news partner, KETK, says the activities took place at Tyler motels. Arrested in the case are Brenton Lee Coe, 29, of Tyler, (pictured) and Brittiany Mendoza, 27, of Henderson. Each are charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. They are being held on bonds of $500,000 each. The third suspect, Deantawn Dremal Hopkins, 24, of Tyler, is in prison on a drug charge.