Today is
Wednesday June 10, 2026
HENDERSON – Henderson ISD announced that all security lock downs and holds have been released after it was determined there was no immediate danger to students or staff. According to our news partner KETK and a release from the school district, the “information was relayed through a third-party agency that was in contact with the person making the threats.†Henderson ISD said the phone being used to send the threat was located in Europe and not near an HISD campus. Henderson ISD had announced on Wednesday that two of their campuses are under lock down as a precautionary measure due to “an unconfirmed report regarding a potential threat to our schools.â€
“While this was very inconvenient for our staff, students and their families, our top priority remains the safety of the HISD family. We appreciate everyone’s efforts today which helped ensure the day went smoothly in spite of the many obstacles that arose. We also appreciate the Henderson Police Department and our campus SROs for their unwavering dedication to the safety and protection of our staff and students,†the school district said. Read the rest of this entry »
GILMER — A man accused of killing his ex-partner and her sister has been indicted on capital murder. According to our news partner KETK and the Upshur County Criminal District Attorney’s Office, Alvin “Pookie†Charles McKnight, Jr., 41 of Gilmer, was indicted on capital murder after being arrested in November 2023 when investigators found two sisters dead on Nov. 4. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said that the shooting happened at a house in the 2800 block of U.S Highway 271 South. When deputies arrived at the scene, they reportedly found Mandy Ray, 35 of Gilmer, and Dermetrica Dashaunda Waters, 37 of Gilmer, dead from apparent gunshot wounds. Officials said that McKnight and Waters lived with each other until recently. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the two victims were sisters and that McKnight has a child with Waters. Read the rest of this entry »
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LONGVIEW – Additional charges have been filed against two women, formerly employed by Longview ISD, in connection to alleged abuse at an elementary school. According to our news partner KETK, Cassandra James, 49, and Linda Lister, 62, were both originally indicted for endangering a child in June 2022. The women are two of six total facing charges in connection to abuse allegations stemming from a Longview ISD elementary school. The four other former district employees indicted for charges related to the mistreatment of students are: Paula Hawkins Dixon, Priscilla Johnson, Cecilia Gregg and Cynthia Talley. The latest indictments, filed at the end of 2023, charge the women on one count of endangering a child and 16 counts of injury to a child for dates that occurred in September and October 2021. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – 29-year-old Harley Morris has been missing from Tyler since Jan. 21. Crimestoppers is offering a reward up to $1,000 for information on Morris’ location. According to our news partner KETK, his family is now offering a reward of $10,000 for any information on his whereabouts. Anyone with information is encouraged to call the Tyler Police Department at 903-531-1000 or Crimestoppers at 903-597-2833.
Police said he was last seen wearing a black jacket with grey sleeves, black pants and a black Prime 102 baseball style hat. He is described as 6’3, 160 pounds with blond hair and brown eyes. He was last seen on Jan. 21 at 3 a.m. walking north in the 2100 block of North Grand Avenue alone after leaving the 50 Grand Club. Police are asking residents and businesses north of Gentry Parkway to North Loop 323 to check cameras or doorbell cameras from Jan. 21 between 3 a.m. to 7 a.m. and report to them if you see anyone walking. Police also ask that people check their residence or business for items Morris was wearing when he went missing: a Prime 102 cap, black shoes and a black/grey hoodie.
TEXARKANA — The Texarkana Police Department arrested four young men in connection to multiple robberies on Feb. 2. Texarkana PD arrested Vincent Threadgill, 18, Jamarjay Williams, 17, Jaqaveyies Williams, 17, and Kaderies Williams, 23, for organized retail theft and booked into the Bi-State Jail. A $10,000 bond was set for each of them. According to our news partner KETK officers received a call of four men stealing ammunition from Academy Sports before leaving in an older model gold Chevrolet sedan. Officers reportedly searched for the vehicle in the area, but could not find it. An hour later, police were dispatched to Ross Dress for Less, where an employee reportedly told dispatchers that they had seen four guys in red hoodies stealing items from the store and were leaving in a gold car.
Authorities said police were close by and saw the car as it drove across the parking lot. Police were able to stop the vehicle and an officer recognized the four guys from the surveillance video at Academy Sports. Inside the car, police officers reportedly found new clothing items with tags from Ross, Burlington Coat Factory and another store. Officials said police found new gun magazines and two boxes of ammo. Police later spoke to workers at Burlington and discovered that the four men could be seen on video stealing items there between the time they were at Academy Sports and Ross.
TYLER – Smith County Jail records show that Patrick Mahomes Sr. was arrested for driving while intoxicated in Tyler on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, the Tyler Police Department arrested Mahomes his alleged third DWI or more. Mahomes Sr. is the father of Patrick Mahomes II, the quarterback for the Kansas City Chiefs. Mahomes Sr. was arrested for his second driving while intoxicated charge in 2018. His 40 day sentence was served on weekends through Feb. 2019 to Feb. 2020. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, Mahomes Sr. played for several MLB teams as a pitcher. Mahomes bond was set at $10,000 and he was released on Sunday, according to jail records from Smith County.
TYLER — According to our news partner KETK a Tyler man was sentenced to life in prison for the violent murder of a mother of four on Friday. David Thompson, 51, was found guilty for the murder of Jaci Wilkerson, who was found dead at The Lodge Apartment Complex on South Broadway on May 25, 2022. According to the affidavit, Willison’s body was found in a pool of blood inside of the apartment and authorities believed she was killed with a machete. A machete was reportedly found on Thompson’s bed inside the apartment with a “significant amount of blood.â€
Authorities said an investigation with Thompson’s roommate revealed that he was in the apartment at the time of the murder, according to officials but said he did not heard anything because he was on muscle relaxers. The roommate said when he woke up for the second time to use the bathroom, walked up to Thompson’s door and found Wilkerson on the floor, but said he never heard any struggle. The roommate said Thompson was “crazy†and was in “a violent relationship†with Wilkerson. Police also spoke with the upstairs neighbors who said she heard a woman yell, “Oh my God! Please stop!†followed by a loud thud. The neighbor said the commotion scared her awake, and they recalled hearing the sound of doors closing and a vehicle starting.
GLADEWATER – According to our news partner KETK Upshur County Sheriff’s Office conducted a raid on a residential compound that led to several arrests. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office Special Investigations Unit (SIU) lead a raid on a residential compound in the 9000 block of Bob-O-Link Road in Gladewater. Officials said the raid was the culmination of the nearly two-year-long drug distribution investigation. Members of the SIU, Upshur County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigators and patrol deputies raided the compound on Friday “just after daybreak.â€
Authorities said that during the raid they found a malnourished dog chained to a dog house in a cage with no food or water, and the dog has reportedly been transported to a veterinarian for evaluation. During the raid, a deputy was injured after being bitten by another dog, and the deputy was treated at a medical facility and released. That dog is being quarantined due to no evidence of rabies immunization, authorities said. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Texas A&M AgriLife released a crop and weather report on Wednesday that Texas hay supply is near a 50-year low, and prices near record highs. “There’s just no hay,†said Peter Sorensen, Midway Package & Feed Frankston employee. According to our news partner KETK and the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service, hay supply remains low and prices rise as Texas cattle ranchers try to feed their herds through winter. “Outside of fertilizer costs, then the actual cost of producing hay so it just depends on, it’s a lot different things that have accumulated over time that have influenced our shortages as well as our prices,†said Vanessa Corriher-Olson, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension, Professor & Forage Extension Specialist. “A lot of the farmers and ranchers around here are having to go out of state to get it. Prices are way up and it’s a vicious cycle what’s happening through the country though with the economy, it’s affecting the small guys, the farmers, the ranchers,†said Sorensen. Sorensen is optimistic about the upcoming East Texas weather for crops. Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE – Kilgore ISD announced on Thursday that they were awarded a $1.5 million grant to replace older diesel buses with new electric buses. According to our news partner KETK, Kilgore ISD was awarded the grant by the Environmental Protection Agency as a part of their Clean School Bus Program. The grant allowed for up to $375,000 per bus for replacement and $20,000 per bus for charging infrastructure. The new electric busses have a range of 120 miles between charging and will be able to reliably provide transportation throughout the district.
Kilgore ISD said that with the grant they were able to replace 2010 or older year model diesel buses with 2022 or newer year model busses that have little to no emissions, as well as two charging stations capable of charging two buses each. “We are thrilled to introduce these electric buses to our fleet, and we are very grateful to receive the grant funding to make this transition possible,†Brady Wheeler, Director of Transportation for Kilgore ISD, said.
TYLER – Officials said the effects of inflation are beginning to dwindle in the market. This year’s chair for the Greater Tyler Association of Realtors, Shannon Franzen, said inventory is up in most counties surrounding Tyler. According to our news partner KETK in previous years, there was only a 1 month supply of homes. This number tells you how many months it would take for all the current homes for sale on the market to sell, given a monthly sales volume. “We’re at a 4.4, so it’s just in a much healthier place,†Franzen said. On top of that, interest rates are lower now than they were in 2023, and Franzen said they could get even lower this year. Read the rest of this entry »
NACOGDOCHES — Our news partner KETK is reporting that the campaign manager for Gov. Greg Abbott has sent a cease and desist notice to Texas House Rep. Travis Clardy, saying he is falsely claiming the governor has endorsed him for re-election. Clardy currently represents in District 11 including Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Rusk, Sabine and Shelby counties. Abbott endorsed Clardy’s opponent, Joanne Shofner, in December, stating she is the new conservative voice needed in Austin to help secure key republican victories.
According to Clardy’s website, Abbott released the statement in Dec. 2020. Clardy has held the position for 11 years and has been in several committee assignments including House Higher Education Committee and International Relations and Economic Development Committee. “It is unfortunate that you would misrepresent Governor Abbott’s position on your race on your website, which serves only to confuse voters about who is the actual conservative candidate in the race. Which begs to question, what other matters have you tried to confuse voters on,†said in the letter. Read the rest of this entry »
JACKSONVILLE – According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (TPWC) awarded $20.6 million to local parks and $735,590 of that has gone to three East Texas communities. In a release, TPWC said the grants are awarded to “to help create and enhance outdoor recreational opportunities.â€
The Lincoln Park in Jacksonville was awarded a $150,000 grant. The Cherokee County park will undergo renovations, “project elements include a seven-foot-wide concrete trail, a playground, site amenities and exercise equipment with shade,†a TPWC press release said. The 10 acre park currently has a covered pavilion, basketball and tennis courts, restrooms and a playground, according to the City of Jacksonville. According to TPWC, local park grants are funded by sales tax on sporting goods. Read the rest of this entry »
UPSHUR COUNTY – Dalton Brewer has been located and is safe with his family. The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office thanks everyone for their assistance. Additional details were not available. (Previous story) – The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office released a statement on Friday about Dalton Brewer, who has gone missing. According to the statement, Brewer is 26 and was last seen wearing blue jeans, boots, a black t-shirt with a white Polo logo and a zip-up black hoodie. The sheriff’s office said that Brewer lives in the Diana area.