Today is
Monday June 08, 2026
NECHES— Our news partner, KETK, reports that Neches ISD has canceled classes for Thursday and Friday after an “unbelievable amount” of health-related absences.
According to NISD, the trend of sickness has been worse over the past couple of days, with record-low attendance leading them to cancel classes. The district said they want to allow time for families to get healthy and for their staff to thoroughly clean their facilities.
“We believe we have made the decision that is in the best interest of our district,” NISD said. “We will use banked minutes in our calendar and no make-up days will be needed.”
NISD said Friday’s basketball games will take place as scheduled and all students will return to school Feb. 17 after winter break.
WILLS POINT — According to a report from our news partner, KETK, an East Texas teacher has been arrested following allegations of sex crimes against children.
Wills Point ISD released a statement on Monday regarding, Jimmy Hanks, who was arrested by the Rains County Sheriff’s Office. Hanks is a former high school teacher in Wills Point and owns a local business, Bulldog Nutrition, in Edgewood. School officials said that the alleged behavior did not occur on the school’s campus or property and that officers will continue investigating the allegations and take proper legal action.
The sheriff’s office said during the course of the investigation, probable cause was established, and an arrest warrant was issued. Hanks was later arrested and remains at the county jail for continuous sexual abuse of a young child. School officials said that the alleged behavior did not occur on the school’s campus or property and that officers will continue investigating the allegations and take proper legal action. Read the rest of this entry »
HARRISON COUNTY — A Marshall man was arrested on Tuesday following an ongoing investigation into crack-cocaine trafficking. According to the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK, officers searched a home on 329 Floyd Evans Road where they found crack-cocaine on the property.
During the search, officials said they identified the property owner as 72-year-old James Earl Rudd who has an extensive criminal record, including prior convictions for drug trafficking and homicide.
Rudd was arrested for the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance and was booked into the Harrison County Jail. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be filed officials said.
MABANK — Our news partner, KETK, reports that a Dallas man has died after his vehicle crashed into an embankment and was submerged under water on Saturday in Mabank.
Officers with the Mabank Police Department were dispatched to the 17000 block of eastbound U.S. Highway 175 in reference to a vehicle crash. Once officers arrived, they spoke with witnesses who said the vehicle left the roadway and crashed into the bridge embankment and was submerged under water. Authorities attempted to remove the man from the vehicle however after several attempts, “officers realized that a rescue was not likely due to vehicle’s position in the water and the damage sustained during the crash.”
A short time later, officers pulled the vehicle from the water and located the man dead inside. The man was identified as Bradley Michael Leonard, 68 of Dallas. The cause of the crash remains under investigation.
KARNACK— Our news partner, KETK, reports that one man was injured in Harrison County after an officer-involved shooting occurred Monday evening. According to the Harrison County Sheriffs Office, around 7:12 p.m. their communications office received a 911 call regarding a white male trying to enter into a home on Pine Island Rd. Officers reported hearing a man yelling in the background as the situation unfolded through the phone.
While deputies were enroute, the person who called 911 informed them the man had successfully entered the home and had a gun. Everyone inside the home were able to escape safely to a neighboring property.
When deputies arrived, the man allegedly appeared on the front porch armed with a firearm. Officials said the subject then pointed the firearm in the direction of the deputies, prompting them to respond by firing their service weapons striking him. Read the rest of this entry »
EDOM – Van Zandt County leaders held a townhall to inform residents of their future plans to move out of the current courthouse building. On Monday night, according to our news partner KETK, dozens of residents were able to hear two plans for the county. The first proposed project is to completely move their courthouse operations to a building downtown. The second proposed project is to build a brand-new jail and Sheriff’s office. The county’s current courthouse was built in 1937 and is need of major renovations.
County Commissioner Brandon Barton said documents and the amount of people living in Van Zandt County has outgrown the 88-year-old building.
“From 2010 to 2020, the county grew at 25% and they’re projecting that for the future also,” said Van Zandt Co. Precinct 4 county commissioner, Brandon Barton said.
“We’ve had water problems, we’ve had leak problems, the walls in the courthouse are crumbling. We’ve run out of space, we have no more room,” Barton said. Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN – The Lufkin Police Department is asking the public to help them locate two men who were last seen on Tuesday, Jan. 28. According to our news partner KETK, Robert Saxon is a 6’1? tall 79-year-old white man who weighs around 220 pounds. Michael “Mike” Allen is a 5’7? tall 44-year-old white man who weighs around 160 pounds.
Both men where last seen in Angelina County on Jan. 28, according to Lufkin PD. Officials are also searching for Saxton’s silver Ford F-150 pick-up truck with an extended cab and the dealer tag #31C883A. Anyone with information about the men or the truck is asked to call the Lufkin Police Department at 936-633-0356 or the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office at 936-634-3331.
HENDERSON COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, a UT Tyler employee was reportedly hosting child pornography online before he was arrested on Thursday, arrest records have revealed. A criminal investigator for the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children Task Force started an investigation after they found at least one file of interest to child porn investigations being hosted on the BitTorrent network, which is designed for people to share files with one another.
Using a computer running investigative BitTorrent software, the investigator was able to find a direct connection to a singular IP address which let them download files being hosted by that address.
On Tuesday, Nov.12 between 11:30 and 11:58 p.m., a download of two files of interest was completed.
One file was a video that depicted two white girls who were both under the age of 15 performing a various sexual acts. Another download was conducted later that same day and that video reportedly contained a girl under 7-years-old, according to arrest documents. Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE: According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Police Department were notified by a citizen on Saturday around 2:20 p.m. of a possible body in a wooded area in the 4700 block of Tanglewood. Officers then reportedly identified the body as Nyah Newton who went missing on Jan. 10.
“There are no obvious signs of foul play in this case, however, an autopsy has been requested. At this time the investigation is still ongoing,” Longview PD said.
Investigators said they have met with family and updated them on the case.
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department is seeking the public’s help as they search for a missing 21-year-old woman. Officials said Nyah Newton was last seen in the 4480 block of Tanglewood Road. She is described as being around 5 feet 2 inches tall and weighs around 90 pounds. She has black hair and brown eyes.
LONGVIEW — Our news partner, KETK, reports that an East Texas woman was arrested for aggravated robbery after she allegedly tried to steal a woman’s purse at a Longview business.
According to Longview PD, on Jan. 31 around 4:40 p.m. officers responded to a robbery at a business in the 1000 block of North Eastman Road. Officials said that officers contacted the victim who said another woman had tried to steal her purse and left her with bodily injuries. The victim was transported by Longview Fire EMS to a local hospital where she was treated. Investigators later identified the suspect as 46-year-old, LaCarol Joyce Henderson of Longview.
Henderson was booked into Gregg County Jail on Sunday for aggravated robbery and was released on a $50,000 bond.
LUFKIN – Our news partner, KETK, reports that the Lufkin Police Department said that a man last seen on Friday was found dead in a wooded area.
Joe Flood, 66 of Lufkin, was reportedly last seen at his home in the 200 block of Echo Lane between the hours of 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 31. A Lufkin Police Department lieutenant told KETK on Monday that Flood had been found dead in a wooded area. Lufkin PD is investigating his death but they do not believe he was the victim of a crime.
Lufkin PD said Flood left his phone, wallet and keys at home before leaving on foot.
MYRTLE SPRINGS – The Wills Point Fire Department has confirmed that three people were injured in a three vehicle crash on Interstate 20 this morning.
According to our news partner KETK, two vehicles and an ambulance reportedly crashed at around 4 a.m. on Sunday in the west bound lane of Interstate 20 near the 518 mile marker at the Turner-Hayden Road exit, west of Myrtle Springs. The Texas Department of Public Safety, EMS and the Wills Point Fire Department all responded to the scene and three people were taken by EMS to be treated at a local hospital, according to the fire department.
Officials confirmed the three people are in stable but good condition as of 2:39 p.m. on Sunday. Interstate 20 was closed following the crash but was later cleared and reopened at around 6 a.m. this morning.
HAWKINS — In the wake of an eventful month for Hawkins, including the resignation of the city’s third police chief and increasing calls to disband the police department, Mayor Deborah Rushing now faces growing pressure to step down. Rushing, who took office as mayor in April 2024 for the small town of Hawkins (population 1,401), is now named in a lawsuit filed by Shahaub Tafreshinejad, son of Alderwoman Eleta Taylor, seeking her removal from office.
According to our news partner KETK, the 26-page lawsuit alleges that Rushing displayed “early signs of incompetence and misconduct” due to issues such as illegal dual-office holding. Specifically, the lawsuit claims Rushing simultaneously served as both the mayor and municipal judge, a position forbidden by law.
The document also accuses Rushing of repeatedly using her mayoral position to place herself on the city council’s agenda, despite lacking the necessary support. The lawsuit details how, after multiple failed attempts to get on the agenda, Rushing’s persistence led to an “unwilling” council decision to appoint her, described as occurring “under duress” following what was characterized as “borderline harassment” from Rushing. Read the rest of this entry »
RUSK – According to our news partner KETK, Cherokee County officials have seized 19 illegal gambling machines from three businesses operating in Rusk. Members of the Special Investigative Unit from the sheriff’s office and Jacksonville Police Department started a month-long undercover investigation of the three businesses after receiving numerous complaints about illegal gambling from the community.
The 19 machines were seized from: Big Easy Market and Game on 591 N. Main Street, Rusk Eagle Mart at 555 South Dickinson Drive, DK’s/Skeeter’s Gas Station at 467 North Dickinson Drive. $66,000 was seized along with the 19 machines and that the stores will remain open for business without the illegal gambling machines. Investigations into other illegal gambling operations across the county including in Jacksonville, Mount Selman and Alto are in progress. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Our news partner, KETK, reports that a Bullard man has been arrested by college police after being in possession of child pornography.
According to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office, the Henderson County Crimes Against Children Task Force received information regarding possible child pornography back in November. Following an investigation, officials obtained a search warrant and reportedly found child pornography after analyzing the electronic devices from a Bullard home. Task Force Investigators contacted the University of Texas at Tyler Police Department, and requested assistance in arresting Brandon Reeves Baschnagel, 41 of Bullard, for possession with intent to promote child pornography.
The UT Tyler PD then turned him over to investigators. Baschnagel is now booked into the Henderson County Jail and charges will be filed in Henderson County and Cherokee County, according to the sheriff’s office.