Today is
Monday June 08, 2026
TYLER – Work has started on the most complex phase of the Runway 4-22 Rehabilitation Project at Tyler Pounds Regional Airport. This is one of the last major tasks to complete the work for the runway project. The contractor is planning to work seven days a week, and times even at night, in order to meet the 120-day schedule of this phase. When the work is complete, the runway pavement section will include 14 inches of concrete placed over 12 inches of a heavy base section. It’s length will be 8,330 feet. The runway will be capable of carrying much heavier loads and provide extended length for landing and takeoffs. Read the rest of this entry »
PALESTINE – Palestine police are continuing to ask the public’s help in locating a missing teenager. She is Gabriela Pineda, 15. She is thought to be a runaway. She is described as a Hispanic female is 5’5, 120 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. If you know where she can be found, you are asked to contact Palestine police.
LONGVIEW – Officials are now saying a Longview fire that killed a man was intentionally set. The body of Johnny Quentin Miller, 44, of Longview was found in a burning duplex on Loring Lane late last Wednesday morning. The preliminary autopsy report showed he had hemorrhaging around his anterior neck muscles and almost his entire body was covered in burns. It also said no soot was found in his airway. It could take up to six weeks before the final autopsy report is available. And while the Longview News Journal reports the fire was intentionally set, the item that ignited the fire is still undetermined.
TYLER – Two persons arrested in connection with a Smith County murder last November, have had charges against them dropped. Judge Christi Kennedy announced the tampering with evidence charges have been dropped against Daniel Cole Perry, 23, of Tyler and James Hunter Ansley, 26, of Whitehouse. Still charged with murder in the case are Colton Wade Tate, 21, of Tyler and Nathan Ryan Garcia, 20, of Whitehouse. Their trial dates have been rescheduled for July 16th. They are charged with the death of 19 year old Andrew Carpenter of Tyler. He was found with a gunshot wound in a residence on Deerwood Drive. He later died at a Tyler hospital.
LONGVIEW – Longview police say a man previously identified as a suspect in a sexual abuse of a child case was not the person named in the arrest warrant. Police spokesman Lt. Shane McCarter told KTBB, at the time of the arrest, they did believe the man was Larry Don Morgan of Kilgore. They discovered the mix up through fingerprints. The man, who had been reported missing a week ago, has since been released to the custody of his caregivers. Authorities continue searching for Morgan, who has been on the lam for nearly three years.
TYLER – At a Monday workshop session, Tyler school trustees heard a report on the cost of changing the names of the city’s two main high schools. If they do change the names, the cost would be a lot less if done during the campus renovations, which are now underway. But, the longer you wait, the more costly it becomes. It could go as high as $2.2 million. This would cover new signs as well as rebranding uniforms, merchandise and logos. There was a lengthy discussion among the board members. And, since it was designated a discussion item, no vote was taken. No word at this time when the issue will come up again and when a vote could be taken.
GLADEWATER – The attempted robbery of a Gladewater business in under investigation. It happened shortly after 11:45 Sunday night at the G&J Food Mart. The police report says at least one shot was fired by the suspect at a store employee, who was not injured. The small semi-automatic handgun was fired after the suspect demanded money from the cashier. The suspect is said to be a man about 6 feet tall and weighing between 200 and 250 pounds. He was last seen wearing a white cloth mask, dark blue or black clothing, including a hoodie, and black shoes.
LAKE PALESTINE – A fish kill at Lake Palestine is under investigation. Hundreds of fish have been found dead. A Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesperson tells our news partner KETK, the dead fish are primarily white bass. And they said the kill is a naturally-occurring disease within the white bass population brought on by post spawn stress.
TYLER – Tyler’s teachers of the year will be announced tonight. The 2018 district Elementary and Secondary Teachers of the Year will be announced at the annual awards banquet at the Crosswalk Conference Center at Green Acres Baptist Church. The district teachers of the year will advance to compete for Regional Teacher of the Year through the Region 7 Service Center. You can go to https://www.tylerisd.org/toy to see the campus nominees.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler announced its UT System Regents’ Outstanding Employee Award recipient. He is Chemistry Laboratory Supervisor Jason DiStefano. He has been at UT Tyler since 2004. He is one of 30 systemwide staff who each received $10,000 in recognition of exceptional workplace performance.
LONGVIEW – A tip has led law officers to a Gregg County man who has been wanted for nearly three years. Arrested Sunday in the area of Texas Street and Marshall Avenue was Larry Don Morgan, 36, of Kilgore. He had been named in a warrant for indecency with a child-sexual contact. He was last seen walking around Martin Street in downtown Kilgore early on the evening of June 25, 2015. Following his arrest, Morgan was booked into the Gregg County Jail.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has announced its collaboration with the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement. The organization was founded by Scarlett Lewis, whose 6 year old son was killed in his first grade classroom at Sandy Hook Elementary in 2012. The partnership will launch the university’s social emotional learning research. It will also spearhead area school districts’ efforts to ensure officials are meeting the social, emotional and academic learning needs of East Texas students. Lewis will be speaking with area schools and will also be speaking at U-T Tyler in a couple of weeks.
TYLER – Ceremonies are scheduled around the area honoring peace officers who made the ultimate sacrifice. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation which designated May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day. The week in which that date falls is Police Week. Marshall Police are hosting a ceremony honoring fallen law officers on Wednesday at noon at at the Marshall Visual Arts Center. In Tyler, a ceremony is scheduled at noon on Tuesday on the dowtown square. Eighteen officers will be recognized during the service.
TYLER – Tyler school trustees will learn Monday what it would cost if they decide to change the names of the city’s two high schools. School trustees last year discussed changing the name of Robert E Lee High School. The suggestion was hotly contested at a meeting. The suggestion even resulted in community members circulating petitions for and against the proposal. The cost of changing the names of the city’s high schools is listed on the agenda for the workshop meeting of the school board Monday morning at 11:00. The agenda stresses the cost analysis is for discussion only and no action will be taken.
LONGVIEW – Three vacant leadership positions at the Longview Police Department have been filled by promotions. Officer Drew Allison and Officer Jeremy Higginbotham were both promoted to sergeant. Sergeant Shane McCarter was promoted to lieutenant. They will begin their new duties on Monday.