Today is
Thursday June 04, 2026
SMITH COUNTY – Three are dead in a crash Wednesday on Toll 49, 4.2 miles southwest of Lindale. Troopers responded at 12:30 p.m. Preliminary crash investigation revealed that the driver of a Toyota, Barbara Busch Beagle, 62, of Tyler, was traveling south when for a yet to be determined reason, she traveled into the northbound lane. That’s where her vehicle struck a van driven by Kendrick Lamone Hartsfield, 41, of Tyler. JP John Johnson pronounced both drivers dead at the scene as well as a passenger in Beagle’s vehicle, Kei Lei Harding, 34, of Tyler. The impact caused both cars to catch fire. The crash remains under investigation.
COFFEE CITY – A Tyler man has been killed in a Henderson County traffic accident. Pronounced dead at the scene was Charles Edward Price, 78. The Department of Public Safety says he was killed when north bound car entered the south bound lane and hit a car driven Sheryl Anne Keel, 54, of Palestine. Price, who was not wearing a seat belt, was tossed from the vehicle. Keel is listed in stable condition in a Tyler hospital. The accident occurred just before 1:45 Wednesday afternoon on State Highway 155, about a mile and a half north of Coffee City.
KILGORE – Kilgore police say they have a suspect in the vandalism at the Veteran’s Memorial in the city park. Sometime Saturday night, someone drove a vehicle into the park and crashed into the Veterans Memorial wall, a bench, and a sign. They have estimated the damage at up to $5,000. At the time, investigators said they felt this was not an accident, but the act was intentional. With the help of a local resident, a suspect’s vehicle has been identified. Wednesday afternoon detectives found the vehicle and identified a suspect. The investigation is continuing.
AUSTIN – Sales tax allocations from the state continue to show an increase for Tyler and Longview. The May sales tax allocations for the cities are based on sales made in March. Tyler’s May check is for $4,029,887.18. This reflects a 1.09% increase from May of last year. Tyler’s year to date total comes to $19,188,257.95. This reflects at 5.78% hike over the same period last year. Longview’s May check is for $3,310,896.29. This is an increase of 13.28%. Longview’s year to date total has increased 5.92% to $14,293,678.47.
TYLER – An assistant professor of geography at the University of Texas at Tyler has received a grant from the National Science Foundation. The $75,000 grant to Dr. E. Cory Sills will allow her to conduct archaeological research at the Maya Paynes Creek Salt Works of Belize. She will examine wooden architecture and salt-making artifacts preserved underwater in Paynes Creek National Park. The UT Tyler project is part of a collaborative effort with Louisiana State University to investigate how staple goods and resources have been produced and distributed over time in complex societies.
PALESTINE – A fatal vehicle/pedestrian accident in Palestine remains under investigation. Killed in the accident shortly after 2:00 Tuesday morning was Daunte Kemp, 33, of San Antonio. He was wearing dark clothing and was walking in traffic when hit by an SUV driven by Joseph Vaughn, 22, of Rusk.
TYLER – Honors have been passed out at the annual TISD Educator of the Year Banquet. The top teachers were selected from the nominees, who were from each campus. Named as the Elementary Teacher of the year was Kristin Kervin, a kindergarten teacher at Dixie Elementary. The Secondary Teacher of the Year is Steven Barb. He is a special education teacher at Hogg Middle School. They will now compete for the Region VII Teacher of the Year Award and a chance to compete for the state Teacher of the Year Award. For the first time, the Principal of the Year award was handed out. It went to Claude Lane, the principal at Moore Magnet School. The Rookie of the Year honors went to Deanna Hinton of Robert E Lee High School.
SHREVEPORT, La. (AP/STAFF) — A Rusk County man, whose body was pulled from the Red River, has been identified. The Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office on Tuesday identified the victim as Nathaniel H. Cozart, 49, of Mount Enterprise. Cozart’s body was spotted in the river Monday morning around 11:45. Authorities say his death remains under investigation.
WINONA – The investigation continues in Smith County in what is being called a double murder and suicide. Investigators say the father, Vincent Monteagudo, shot his 14 year old daughter Olivia and his 47 year old wife, Karen, and then turned the gun on himself. All three died from gunshot wounds to the head. A motive for the shootings is unclear. It all began Monday afternoon with a welfare check at a home on Dallas Street in Winona. That’s when the three bodies were found. Their bodies were sent to a Tyler lab for autopsy.
TYLER – A Smith County man has won a new car by donating to the United Way of Smith County. Herbert Washington of Tyler was surprised on the job at Trane by United Way representatives. He was presented keys to a Volkswagen Jetta from Patterson Volkswagen. The names of anyone who pledged at least $5 per week to the local United Way campaign in 2018 were put into a drawing and Washington was the winner. Washington not only gave last year, he has given to the United Way campaign consistently each week for more than 30 years.
LONGVIEW – Longview police are looking for a silver Cadillac that was involved in a hit and run accident. It happened just before 12:45 Tuesday afternoon at the intersection of High Street and Avalon. Investigators say a 20 year old man was in the crosswalk when he was hit. He was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has announced that it will launch a new baccalaureate program this fall. The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board has approved UT Tyler’s new bachelor of science in chemical engineering program. The University’s new degree program will offer students the option of one out of four concentrations. The choices are biomedical, energy, environmental engineering and material science. The school has also partnered with Houston Community College to allow students to earn a bachelor of science degree in engineering at the UT Tyler Houston Engineering Center.
TYLER – Tyler Junior College officials have announced new leadership roles in the institution’s enrollment management and advancement divisions. The announcement invloves 5 persons. Britt Sabota has been named TJC registrar. She will oversee services including student records management, academic transcripts, enrollment verification, course schedule and registration maintenance, and graduation. Chris Fontaine has joined TJC as director of academic advising. He will oversee services such as selection of appropriate areas of study, test interpretation, transfer requirements, goal setting and academic plan development. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – A fatal weekend fire in Smith County remains under investigation. Pronounced dead at the scene was Tammy Kirkley, 52. Her dog was also killed by the fire in her mobile home at the Northgate Mobile Home Park on Farm Road 14. It was reported around 9:15 Saturday morning. They are still trying to determine the cause of the fire, which started in the bathroom. Investigators say there were no smoke detectors in the home.
KILGORE – An Overton teen has been killed in a one vehicle accident in Rusk County. Bagley Mahdessian, 15, died in a Longview hospital following the accident, which occurred around 7:00 Monday night. She was a passenger in a car driven by Demarcus Keshaun Holsome, 18, of Reklaw. The Department of Public Safety reports that Holsome was traveling at and unsafe speed went he went off the road in a curve. He over corrected and ended up in a ditch where the car rolled onto its top. Holsome is said to be in stable condition in a Henderson hospital. The accident occurred on County Road 165, about three miles south of Kilgore.