Today is
Sunday June 07, 2026
HALLSVILLE – A man who ran from a traffic stop in Harrison County is now in custody, thanks to a county resident. A state trooper tried to stop Derek Hunt, 44, of Hallsville, on Loop 281 on Thursday afternoon. He ran from the scene. During the two hour search for Hunt, he is said to have stolen a vehicle, which he abandoned, and even swam across a lake to escape authorities. He was later arrested on Roy Green Road after a man, who saw him trying to hide, held him at gunpoint until sheriff’s deputies arrived. He is now facing several felony and misdemeanor offenses as well as an outstanding warrant from Marion County.
AUSTIN – East Texas has a new millionaire. A Kilgore resident claimed a Powerball prize worth $1,000,004 for the drawing on August 15. The ticket was purchased at Food & Fuel Stop on Stone Road in Kilgore. The the winner elected to remain anonymous. The second-tier winning ticket matched all five of the white ball numbers drawn (12-15-28-47-48), but not the red Powerball number (16). The winner had an additional win of $4 on the same ticket.
TYLER – Tyler police have arrested two suspects in a gas skimming case. Officers found a vehicle matching the description of the suspects’ vehicle, and stopped it. The driver, identified as David Perez, was already under investigation for previous skimmer cases in Tyler. The second suspect, identified as Julius Nunez Mila, was arrested for similar activity and other unrelated charges. Both were booked into the Smith County Jail.
ATHENS – A Henderson County mother, accused of killing her two children, has been found competent to stand trial. The competency hearing for Sarah Nicole Henderson, 29, was held Thursday in state district court. Her trial is now scheduled for next January. She is charged with killing her two daughters, 7-year-old KayLee Danielle and 5-year-old Kenlie, last November. Henderson County deputies received a call for assistance regarding a possible suicidal female at a residence outside of Payne Springs. Although EMS cancelled the call for assistance, deputies arrived at the residence seven minutes later. Sheriff Botie Hillhouse says a man and woman told deputies they were fine and no one was in danger. Early the next morning, the husband called 911 to report his wife had shot the children.
HALLSVILLE – A Marshall woman has been arrested after stolen items were found in her car. The Longview News Journal reports Amanda McNeal, 37, was arrested in Hallsville following a traffic stop. Her bonds total $10,500. Besides charges of theft of property valued between $750 and $2,500-enhanced and possession of a dangerous drug, jail records show she also has two warrants for speeding and a warrant for disregarding a red light. In her car they found items that had been stolen in stores in Longview and Marshall.
LONGVIEW – A burn ban is up in Gregg County. County Judge Bill Stoudt issued the out door burn ban on Thursday because of worsening drought conditions. The order is aimed at preventing wildfires in the unincorporated areas of Gregg County. A violation of the order could result in a fine of up to $500. Other burn bans can be found in Smith, Harrison, Upshur, Wood, Rusk, Cherokee and Anderson Counties.
PALESTINE – City utility crews in Palestine are scheduled to repair a section of the raw water line leading from the Neches River to the city’s water treatment plant on Thursday. Starting at 8:00pm, and continuing through the night, residents and businesses are asked to limit water use. Please regulate any water for only necessary uses until otherwise notified. Crews are expected to be finished with the repairs by Friday morning.
TYLER – Two persons arrested in a Tyler shooting incident have been indicted by the Smith County grand jury. The panel returned indictments last week against Davonta Hill, 24, and Datreon Jackson, 23, both of Tyler. The men were indicted on three felony counts of engaging in organized criminal activity. They are said to have been responsible for the May 30th shooting at Fun Forest Park that left three persons injured. Both men remain in the Smith County Jail. Hill’s bonds total $1.5 million and Hill’s bonds come to $900,000.
TYLER – A Wood County woman has pleaded guilty to stealing money from her Tyler employer. In a state district court in Tyler Wednesday, Kelli Meechelle Hagan, 45, of Hawkins, pleaded guilty to second-degree theft. She accepted a 10-year deferred adjudication sentence. She was also ordered to pay restitution. The amount will be determined later. Hagan was arrested last October. She had been accused of taking over $200,000 from her employer, bankruptcy attorney William Lively. The thefts are said to have occurred over a 4 year period.
TYLER – A father gets probation in a retaliation case connected to his son’s murder case. On Tuesday, a jury found Martin Wesley Reynolds Sr., 45, of Meridian, Mississippi, guilty of retaliation against a witness in his son’s murder case. On Wednesday, the jury sentenced him to 10 years probation. Postings the man made on his Facebook page qualified as threats. The eyewitness said in court he is receiving counseling for both the killing he saw and the threats from the suspects father. The man’s son, Martin Wesley Reynolds Jr., 21, of Whitehouse, is charged with killing Andrew Carpenter, 19, of Tyler, last November. Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE – A major expansion has been announced in Kilgore. Orgill, Inc. on Elder Lake Road in Kilgore, will be the site of of the company’s next distribution center expansion. The decision represents new investment of $29 million and the creation of 83 jobs. This would increase employment to 224. The company has projected to invest at least $15 million in new construction and property improvements and $14 million in personal property. The Kilgore Economic Development Corporation is projecting incentives up to $1.1 million. The incentive package includes a generator and switching gear for uninterrupted power; a new driveway into the facility; land donation; tax abatements from the city of Kilgore, Kilgore College and Gregg County; and cash incentives of $557,000 to be paid over 10 years.
LONGVIEW – Starting Wednesday, Graystone Road in Longview is now open to all traffic. Major construction activities at the intersection of Graystone Road and Grace Creek have been completed. The street work is part of the 2016 bridge and culvert Improvements project. This project consisted of replacing the two existing 80†steel culverts, with three 10’x 8’ concrete box culverts.
LINDALE – Lindale police are asking for the public’s help in identifying two theft suspects. They are said to have taken items from Walmart without paying for them. The items were loaded into a white Dodge Avenger. If you can identify them, please contact the Lindale Police Department.
TYLER – Smith County Commissioners have approved an increase in the fee for renting the R.B. Hubbard Center, also know as “The Hub.” The county uses it for a variety of things, including elections. The public has rented it for a variety of events, including weddings. The commissioners, at the Tuesday meeting, increased the rental fee by $50, to $150. The refundable deposit remains at $100. County Judge Judge Nathan Moran said renters now have the ability to use refrigeration and kitchen space in the back, so they want to cover those costs. And he said, as the demand increases, they want to make sure the folks reserving the facility are doing so in a serious manner and are committed to covering the costs the county actually incurs. The change also sets a time frame for renters to deliver a deposit and creates a cancellation policy.
LONGVIEW – This month, the Longview school district, like Tyler, has begun a new bag policy for all the district’s athletic events. The Longview policy says that bags must be clear and not larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches or be in a clear one gallon resealable plastic freezer storage bag. The only non clear bags that are permitted are small clutch bags, with or without a strap, that are the size of a hand. Exceptions will be made for medically necessary items after proper inspection at designated areas. Among the items not approved are backpacks, large tote bags and diaper bags. You can find out more on the Longview school district’s Face Book page.