Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
TYLER – In Tyler federal Court, a mother and son from Dallas have been sentenced for their roles in a synthetic drug conspiracy. Sharjeel Jeff Ali, 29, was sentenced to 30 months in prison. His mother, Nadia Farishta,54, was sentenced to 47 months in federal prison. They will also will forfeit over $250,000 in seized U. S. currency and bank accounts, and around 55 pounds of synthetic drugs, and drug paraphernalia. The United States will also take money judgments in the amount of $500,000 against the woman and her ex-husband, who was sentenced to 60 months in federal prison earlier this year. Also previously sentenced in the case were the woman’s daughter and son-in-law. Read the rest of this entry »
HARLETON – A two vehicle accident that left one person dead in Harrison County remains under investigation. Dead at the scene was Colleen Mansfield, 51, of Diana. The Department of Public Safety reports she crossed over to the other lane of traffic, on a curve, and collided with a pickup. The man driving the pickup was not injured. The accident occurred shortly after 6:45 Thursday morning on State Highway 154, about three miles east of Harleton.
TYLER – An accident at a Tyler intersection is causing a problem. A vehicle hit a utility pole at West 5th Street and South College Avenue. The intersection is currently controlled by stop signs and functioning as an all-way stop intersection until the signal is repaired. Drivers are urged to use caution at this intersection or use an alternate route.
TYLER – A Houston man has received a lengthy prison sentence for a Tyler murder. Jared Wilson, 32, had been convicted of the shooting death of Thomas Wilson of Lindale in July of last year. He was sentenced Thursday to life in prison. The altercation which led to the shooting took place in the parking lot of the Royal Inn Suites on West Northwest Loop 323. Police say the shooting stemmed from an argument between the two men over car keys belonging to Tom Wilson’s niece, who was the girlfriend to Jared Wilson. The suspect, who ran from the scene, was taken into custody near Anderson County after a state trooper located his vehicle.
AUSTIN – A state grant is coming to a Henderson County school system. The Texas Workforce Commission has awarded a $100,326 Jobs and Education for Texans grant to the Eustace Independent School District. The grant will help the school district purchase and install equipment to provide 192 students with training for careers in the welding profession. The purchased equipment will continue to support the welding program and future students enrolled with Eustace ISD.
LONGVIEW – Longview’s 9th homicide of the year is under investigation. The shooting death was reported shortly before midnight Wednesday on Thirteenth Street. A man was found dead in a carport at the residence. A second man was also shot. He is in the hospital for treatment of a non-life threatening injury. Names have not been released.
LONGVIEW – Twin brothers from Gladewater are involved in child indecency cases in Longview. On Wednesday, a jury found Randal Chaise Harty, 35, guilty of indecency with a child by exposure. Harty, a registered sex offender, was sentenced to 20 years in prison. KETK reports he was caught masturbating in the vicinity of a child. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – An outdoor burn ban that has been in place in Gregg County has temporarily been lifted. It went into effect October 16th when the lack of rainfall placed the county in drought-like conditions. Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt temporarily lifted the ban on Wednesday. County commissioners will reconsider the ban at Monday morning’s meeting.
SHREVEPORT – A Longview doctor is free om bond following his arrest in Shreveport. The Shreveport times reports Dr. Richard A. Hamer was arrested October 28th during a prostitution sweep. He is currently free on a $1,000 bond. According to doctor.com, Hammer is a neurologist who opened his practice in Longview in 1995. He is affiliated with hospitals in Longview and Mount Pleasant. The operation, which was dubbed “Slick John,” resulted in the arrests of 57 people ranging in age from 19 to 66. The police told the paper that the operation also found a missing juvenile.
LONGVIEW – One person has been killed in a Longview accident. It happened around 10:30 Tuesday night on West Marshall Avenue just east of Spur 63. Dead at the scene was 36 year old Ronchey Lemond Thomas of Longview. Police reports say he was heading west at a high speed when he side swiped a car and then slid into a signal pole which hit the driver’s side of the car. Thomas, who was not wearing a seat belt, was thrown from the vehicle.
WASHINGTON (AP/STAFF) — Congressman Jeb Hensarling of Texas has become the latest Republican House member to announce his retirement. Hensarling, who chairs the powerful Financial Services Committee, tells fellow Republicans in an email Tuesday that as his term as chairman comes to an end, it’s the right time to leave Congress and spend more time with his teenage kids. He writes that although he will not be running for re-election, there are 14 months left in his term to continue the fight for the causes for which he remains passionate. Hensarling has served the 5th congressional district since 2003.The district covers Anderson, Cherokee, Henderson, Kaufman, and Van Zandt counties.
TYLER – Don’t be surprised if you see a Tyler policeman with a beard in November, even though beards have not been allowed. Police Chief Jimmy Toler has authorized all sworn officers, who wish to support the United Way with a minimum donation of $25.00, to wear a groomed beard, with restrictions, for the month of November only. The department is not a stranger to donating to the United Way. The department received the Community Champion Award given by United Way for the past nine years in a row. Employees of the police department have given over $62,000 over the past three years.
AUSTIN – The Texas Water Development Board has approved financial assistance for the Craft-Turney Water Supply Corporation in Cherokee County. The $1,625,000 will be used to finance planning, acquisition, design, and construction costs associated with a water system improvement project. Improvements to the system include a new water well, two high-service pumps at a new pump station, and a new 100,000-gallon ground storage tank.
ATHENS – A traffic stop in Athens has led to the arrest of four persons on a variety of charges. Sheriff’s deputies tried to stop the car for driving recklessly, but it fled. When it finally stopped, the driver, Levi Gad Lebleu, 36, of Athens, fled. He was chased down by a deputy while another deputy detained three passengers in the car. Also arrested were Anthony Michael Lebleu, 37, of Athens, Sara Irene Peasner, 26, of Athens and Derek Lee Payton, 27, of Athens.
TYLER – Former Texas House member Ted Kamel of Tyler has announced he will be running for the District 6 post now held by representative Matt Schaefer, in the March Republican primary. Kamel made the official announcement Monday night. He held the post for four terms, from 1991 to 1999. He Lost to Leo Berman in 1998. Kamel listed his top five reasons for running for the position. One is creating a medical school within the U-T System in Smith County. Two is pushing for term limits. Third is expanding the Texas education code to athletic events where our flags are honored. Fourth, mental health issues will be a top priority. And fifth,he wants to bring a track record of effective leadership back to Austin. He also said he wants to bring town hall meetings back to the district.
TYLER – A man remains in a Tyler hospital after being tasered while trying to flee Smith County deputies. Sheriff Larry Smith says the condition of DeAndre Demarcus Foster, 33, of Tyler, continues to improve. His vehicle was stopped for an expired vehicle registration Friday afternoon on Highway 64 West. When he pulled from his pants’ pocket a clear plastic baggie containing suspected illegal controlled substance, deputies started to arrest him. When he started to run away, a deputy used a Taser on him. He fell to the ground but got up and started to run again and a Taser was used on him again. As deputies tried to place handcuffs on Foster, he continued to resist and was tased a third time. Sheriff Smith said in a news release, “due to the immediate danger and continued resistance by Foster, two drive stuns were performed with the Taser. Deputies were then able to handcuff Foster.†When he started convulsions, EMS was called and he was taken to the hospital.
MARSHALL – Marshall’s new police chief has taken his oath of office. The swearing in ceremony for Cliff Carruth was held Monday afternoon at the Marshall Police Department. He replaces Ron Davis, who was hired in May as Interim Police Chief. Chief Curruth has a total of 26 years of experience in law enforcement, six of those were as a police officer with the Longview Police Department. He recently retired from the FBI where he was the Senior Supervisory Resident Agent at the Little Rock Division. Carruth is a graduate of Longview’s LeTourneau University as well as the East Texas Police Academy in Kilgore and the FBI Academy.
TYLER – State Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola has been honored as a “Champion for Long Term Care.†He received the award Monday afternoon 30 in a ceremony at Tyler’s Providence Park Rehabilitation & Skilled Nursing Center. The Texas Health Care Association presented him the award for his efforts to improve long term care in Texas during the 85th regular session of the Texas Legislature.
TYLER – It looks like it will a cold and wet night for trick or treating in the area Tuesday night. For those who do venture out, Tyler police want to make sure it is a safe time for youngsters. Some simple precautions will make sure the evening is an enjoyable one for the trick or treaters. Children should not accept, and especially not eat, anything that isn’t commercially wrapped. Parents, inspect the wrapped treats for signs of tampering, such as an unusual appearance or discoloration, tiny pinholes, or tears in wrappers. Throw away anything that looks suspicious. Law enforcement authorities should be notified immediately of any suspicious or unlawful activity. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A new director of public safety at Tyler Junior College is now on the job. Brent Chambers started his new duties Monday. Chambers retired from the FBI this month. Since 2010, he had served as supervisory senior resident agent for the East Texas resident agencies where he oversaw all FBI investigations and operations across 30 counties and offices including Lufkin, Texarkana and Tyler. In 2009, he was named Federal Agent of the Year by the North Texas Crime Commission.
WINONA – A two vehicle accident near Winona over the weekend has killed one person and left two injured. The accident occurred on State Highway 155 shortly before 1:15 Sunday afternoon. Dead at the scene was Nikisha Brooks, 34, of Gulfport, Mississippi. Her vehicle collided head on with an SUV driven by Christopher Suttle, 37, of Flint. Suttle and a passenger, Tara Suttle, 38, of Flint, were both taken to a Tyler hospital for treatment. The Department of Public Safety says the accident occurred when Brooks’ southbound vehicle crossed over to the northbound lane of traffic.
PALESTINE – A former Anderson County commissioner is among four arrested in a Palestine park. KETK reports Randy Watkins, 68, Montalba, was arrested on October 6 for indecent exposure. The four were arrested by Palestine police for indecent exposure and public lewdness stemming from actions at a city park. The investigation started from complaints received by the city’s Community Services department at Upper and Lower Lake Park. Throughout the month, detectives investigated the area and obtained evidence on several men using the park for lewd acts. The investigation is still ongoing and additional arrests may occur. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A Smith County constable has started serving his time in a federal prison. Shortly before 2:00 Friday afternoon. Precinct 1 Constable Henry Jackson was booked into the federal prison at Seagoville. He pleaded guilty to four counts of willful failure to file a federal income tax return and was sentenced to six months in prison. He was also ordered to pay restitution of over $160,000. Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran sent Jackson a two-page letter asking him to resign. He also repeated the request in a face to face meeting. Jackson has refused.
TULSA, Okla. (AP/STAFF) – A federal judge has denied motions to dismiss a civil fraud lawsuit against an Oklahoma emergency medical services company and a Texas contractor. The Tulsa World reports a U.S. District Judge has rejected requests for dismissals by the Emergency Medical Services Authority, its former CEO, Texas contractor Paramedics Plus and others named in the case. The lawsuit filed in January claims that Paramedics Plus and its parent company, East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System, entered into a $20 million kickback scheme to obtain and keep a profitable public ambulance services contract awarded by the authority and its director. It claims the “pay to play” scheme violates anti-kickback statutes and the False Claims Act. Company officials say they “fundamentally disagree with the allegations” in the lawsuit and believe the claims are unsupported.
The 14th national prescription drug take back day is today. There is a site in Tyler to help you get rid of old medications. The Medication Cleanout Event is being hosted by the Tyler Police Department and the Broadway Square Mall. It will be set up from 10:00 till 2:00 in the mall parking lot on the northeast side of J.C. Penney. You just drive up and drop off your unused and expired medications for safe disposal without getting out of your vehicle. The event is free with no questions asked. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – Yahoo emails are once again being accepted by Gregg County. Earlier this month the county suspended Yahoo emails because of the recent increase in viruses and other suspicious activity. At the time, County Judge Bill Stoudt said the action was the recommendation of the county’s IT director, Donald Miller. Thursday, Miller lifted the suspension. But they will continue to closely monitor the system. Nearly seven years ago, an international cyber attack on the Gregg County Tax Assessor cost at least seven taxing entities a total of about $200,000. Investigators traced the malware to a Russian website.
TYLER – A Longview man has been arrested following a federal indictment on drug charges. The indictment against Joey Deshun Hymes, 39, was unsealed Thursday following his arrest. He is charged with possession with intent to distribute cocaine. The indictment says he distributed 28 grams of cocaine on December 20th of last year. He is scheduled to appear at a detention hearing next Tuesday. He remains in the Smith County Jail. He could get up to 40 years in prison if convicted.
LONGVIEW – What started out as a criminal trespass case turned into a drug arrest in Longview. Arrested was Tristan Ray Griffith, 20, of Longview. Officers were called to East Hawkins Parkway Thursday afternoon. When the officer and his K-9 arrived, they were told a suspect was selling drugs. When they found Griffith, he was arrested for possession of marijuana. He was also issued a criminal trespass warning for the location. Griffith is currently free on bond. Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE – Several persons have been injured in a fire at a Kilgore apartment complex. The fire was reported just before daybreak Friday morning at the Stone Ridge Apartments on Stone Ridge Road. When they arrived firemen found one building, which contained 8 apartments, on fire. The injuries occurred when some of the residents jumped from their second story apartments. The injuries were said not to be serious. The fire was contained to that one building. The displaced residents were taken to Forest Home Baptist Church to await the Red Cross. Investigators are now trying to find out how the fire started.
MARSHALL – A Marshall robbery suspect is in jail. Friday morning Marshall police said they were looking for Dandre Torrez Dunn, 24, of Marshall. A warrant had been issued charging him with one count of aggravated robbery. He is said to be the armed ram who robbed a convenience store on East End Boulevard South around 10:00 Monday night. The suspect escaped with an undisclosed amount of cash. The suspect was taken into custody by Longview police Thursday afternoon.