Today is
Wednesday June 10, 2026
SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, Texas leaders met in Smith County to push the Jenna Quinn Law through the U.S. House of Representatives. Lawmakers met at the Smith County Advocacy Center in Tyler to discuss Jenna’s Law, a bill aimed at preventing sexual abuse of children on a national level. If passed, the bill will center around giving teachers, educators and care givers adequate training and identify, prevent and report child sexual abuse. The bill received its name from Jenna Quinn, a child sexual abuse survivor, and is now an outspoken advocate for survivors of child sexual abuse.
Quinn is spearheading the bill with Sen. John Cornyn and Texas Rep. Nathaniel Moran to empower young victims. The bill will give almost $170 million of funding from the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act. The law has passed in 35 states so far and Quinn said it proves that the legislation works. Moran said more than 42 million children are abused in the nation and believes that statistic will bring both sides of the aisle together to help give a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A UT Tyler employee was placed on leave after allegedly claiming the university is still doing DEI work, despite new state laws banning the office. DEI, or Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Offices, were banned from public higher education institutions in a law that took effect on Jan. 1. The law states that higher education workers can no longer sign any statements dedicated to upholding DEI or attend trainings that reference “race, color, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation.†Our news partner KETK reports that they have launched an investigation into the employee.
According to an article posted by the Texas Scorecard, and part of an investigation and video by Accuracy in Media, UT Tyler Director of Student Belonging, identified as Tarecka Payne, told an undercover investigator that the university had to change the name of its DEI department three times. The article states she said the university can still do DEI work, but they just have to be “creative.†Read the rest of this entry »
LIVINGSTON — According to our news partner KETK, newly released documents obtained by Houston-area NBC affiliate KPRC sheds light on the death of an 11-year-old Livingston girl that went missing on Feb. 15. According to records from the Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office, the examiner ruled that Cunningham’s cause of death was due to “homicidal violence with blunt head trauma.â€
According to Polk County records, Don Steven McDougal, 42, was with the victim, Audrii Cunningham, on the morning of Feb. 15. Records show that McDougal and the child left Cunningham’s home in the suspect’s 2003 Chevrolet Suburban with the intent of dropping off the child at a school bus stop outside of the subdivision. Authorities said Cunningham never made it to Creekside Elementary school that day. McDougal was reportedly a friend of the Cunningham family, resided on their property in a camper and had access to the victim’s home. An Amber Alert was issued later that night and law enforcement began a search for the missing girl. Read the rest of this entry »
CROCKETT — The Crockett Police Department said a woman was arrested on Monday for allegedly assaulting her boyfriend and attempting to stab a police officer. According to our news partner KETK, the police department and a deputy with the Houston County Sheriff’s Office were dispatched to the 300 block of Rose Street in reference to an assault at around 2:08 a.m. The caller reportedly told dispatch his girlfriend, Jhaeneisha Deshay Anderson, 40 of Crockett, had assaulted and injured him. When authorities arrived at the scene, they reportedly saw the man had multiple injuries to several areas of his body and officers learned that Anderson was heavily intoxicated and aggressive. Police said Anderson was barricaded inside the residence with three of her children.
Officers obtained keys to the residence and unlocked the door after Anderson reportedly refused to leave the residence. Read the rest of this entry »
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PALESTINE – The City of Palestine Police Department said that two individuals were arrested following a traffic stop that led to the discovery of alleged drug paraphernalia. According to our news partner KETK on Sunday night around 10 p.m., Palestine PD reports that they made a traffic stop near for traffic violations on a vehicle that they had observed leaving a “known drug trafficking area.†Authorities had reasonable suspicion and detained and investigated the two individuals in the vehicle. They said the driver was identified as Sheila Brantley, 63 of Palestine, and the passenger provided an identity that officers determined to be false.
Officials said that after being asked to exit the vehicle, the passenger allegedly became uncooperative and resisted arrest, after being restrained and secured in a patrol vehicle she was identified as Janna Linderman, 49 of Palestine. Palestine PD said that as Brantley exited the vehicle, they noticed a metal pipe allegedly connected to drug use falling from her clothing, the pipe was later tested and tested positive for cocaine. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER– Ruby’s Mexican Restaurant announced on Tuesday a man has been arrested after breaking into their location on Gentry Parkway. “We want to thank our Tyler Police officers for responding right away and finding this guy,†the restaurant said. “Our most important priority is our employees and their safety, and they can now breathe a little knowing this guy is off the streets.†According to our news partner KETK, Tyler PD responded to the location around 6:30 a.m. where Timothy Gardner, 26 of Tyler, was arrested for burglary of a building.
In a post to social media, the restaurant said someone had broken into the location and “ransacked the place.†No employee was reported to be injured, according to the restaurant.
WINONA – According to our news partner KETK Winona Volunteer Fire Department Lieutenant Joseph Boehm died in a car crash on Saturday night. Boehm was 29-years-old and had been a member of Winona VFD since 2021. According to the department, Boehm had got his firefighter 1 and 2 certifications and in 2023, he was promoted to lieutenant. He was awarded Rookie of the year his first year of service, and firefighter of the year the last two years in a row. He leaves behind his loving wife, three children, extended family members.
Boehm’s funeral service will be held at Stewart Funeral Home in Tyler at 10 a.m. on Thursday. Donations for his family’s funeral expenses can be sent to the funeral home in the care of Winona Volunteer Fire Department or to directly to the department via Cash App at $WinonaFireDepartment.
UPSHUR COUNTY – Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd said that Michael Caffey was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday for the murder of his father Timothy Caffey. Byrd said that Timothy Caffey, 66, had taken his son Michael off the street in order to help him but that Michael reportedly started using methamphetamines and demanded money from his father. According to our news partner KETK, Timothy was murdered at his home in the Latch community on March 26 of 2023. Byrd said Michael was arrested the next day in Liberty City while wearing clothes reportedly covered in his father’s blood. Byrd thanked the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office investigators Rob Bowen, Michael Barton and Linda Roberts, his investigator Jon Warren, citizens who provided information and the jury for bringing this case to a decision.
WHITE OAK – A White Oak man pleaded guilty to the murder of his wife and was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Friday. According to court records, James Michael Alexander Sr, 64 of White Oak, pleaded guilty to the murder of his wife and was sentenced to 30 years in prison. In July, officials reported finding the body of a deceased woman in the 100 block of Larkspur, who was identified as Kimberly Alexander, 61. Police later found James at a hotel room in Longview that he had leased, and he was taken into custody without incident.
LONGVIEW — According to our news partner KETK the Longview Police Department is offering a cash reward for information leading to the arrest of a man suspected of leaving the area after a shooting incident that left one injured on Monday. According to the release, officers responded to a shooting incident at around 9:28 p.m. and located a man with a gunshot wound. An investigation led to an arrest warrant for 26-year-old Diovanni Cisneros, of Longview, for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The victim was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Longview PD said they believe Cisneros has left Longview and efforts are underway to locate him. Gregg County Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward for the first, most accurate tip leading to his arrest. The investigation is still ongoing and police ask the public who know the whereabouts of Cisneros to contact Longview PD at 903-237-1110 or Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP(7867) or online at greggcountycrimestoppers.org for anonymous tips.
ALTO – According to our news partner KETK, Alto ISD announced on Thursday that during a special meeting on Monday they started the process to fire Blake Attaway, a teacher and coach arrested for an alleged improper relationship with a student. The process to terminate Attaway’s employment has a legally set amount of time the district said they have to wait for to allow Attaway to request a hearing before they can finalize his termination. According to the district, Attaway has not been on their property since Feb. 6 and they have made the required reports to the State Board for Educator Certification. Read the rest of this entry »
MAYDELLE – According to our news partner KETK a teenager is dead and a 20-year-old is injured after a shooting Wednesday night in the Maydelle area. According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a report of a shooting on CR 1804 where they found a 17-year-old with an apparent gunshot wound. The teen was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead, and officials said that during the investigation it found that a second victim, a 20-year-old man, was taken to a local hospital by private car for treatment. Authorities said the 20-year-old is in critical condition, and the case is being actively investigated.
LONGVIEW – A 32-year-old man was found guilty by a jury on Thursday for murder in the 2022 death of his girlfriend. According to our news partner KETK, Adrian Grissom, 32 of Longview was initially arrested on Jan. 16, 2022 after he told police in an interview they had gotten into a fight which led to her death. According to documents, 23-year-old Cyan Winn had attempted to remove a gun from her purse and told Grissom to back up during the fight. Grissom allegedly told police he then “pushed Winn to the ground from a chair as she was pulling a handgun out.†According to documents, the two fought for the gun and Grissom got control of the gun before he said the handgun “discharged one time.†His trial began on Monday where Grissom was found guilty of first-degree murder.