Today is
Thursday June 04, 2026
LIVINGSTON, Texas (KETK) — Three people were arrested in Livingston after law enforcement stopped their vehicle and reported finding methamphetamine, drug paraphernalia and a stolen welding machine inside.
The Livingston Police Department said officers located a car near Dairy Queen that was connected to a person with active warrants. The car stopped in a parking lot and spoke with the driver, identified as Ivy Donaghue, 43, of Madisonville, who then ran from officers and was caught quickly.
While Donaghue was running, a passenger, identified as 30-year-old Jo Groze of Woodville, moved into the driver’s seat and drove away. The vehicle was later found on U.S. Highway 190 East and stopped by a Polk County deputy and a DPS trooper.
In the vehicle, they found methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, alongside a stolen welding machine that had been reported stolen out of Robertson County.
A second passenger, 34-year-old Christopher Andrews of Woodville, was also in the car.
All three suspects are now charges of evading, manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, and theft of property between $2,500 and $30,000.
HENDERSON — A Henderson ISD student was arrested on Monday after a possible weapon was found in their vehicle. According to the district, during a routine check of the Henderson High School parking lot, a staff member discovered what appeared to be a weapon inside a student’s vehicle.
The Henderson Police Department was contacted after the vehicle was found, and following an investigation, a student was arrested and charged in connection with the incident.
Henderson ISD officials said they do not believe there was an active threat to students or staff.
VAN ZANDT COUNTY – A former Van Zandt County detention officer was placed under arrest after it was discovered he was communicating with an inmate over the phone. According to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK, on March 16 it was discovered that Damion Smith was in possession of a cell phone while on duty and was using the phone to communicate with a female inmate, which is a violation of both departmental policy and state law.
It was later discovered that Smith had initially been untruthful with investigators and had later recanted those statements before he was terminated from his position.
Following the investigation, Smith was taken into custody from his home on Tuesday and was charged with contraband in a correctional facility and a false report to a peace officer.
“This type of behavior will not be tolerated by our employees. When an employee criminally violates the law, the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office will take appropriate action,” Sheriff Bridger said.
GREGG COUNTY — A two-vehicle crash on State Highway 149 in Gregg County left one person dead and another injured on Monday afternoon. According to the Texas Department of Public Safety and our news partner KETK, a vehicle driven by 31-year-old Braxton Meshell was traveling southbound near the 9900 block of Highway 149 while a second vehicle was traveling northbound. Meshell was approaching another vehicle that was slowing down to make a left turn when he took a “faulty evasive action” and steered into the oncoming lane and collided with the second vehicle.
The Elderville-Lakeport Volunteer Fire Department responded to the crash and located the two vehicles, one of which was on fire. Firefighters extinguished the flames and began extricating the occupant using the “jaws of life.”
The fire department did not specify which vehicle was on fire. Meshell was pronounced dead at the scene and the other driver was taken to a Tyler hospital with injuries, DPS said. The crash is still under investigation.
RUSK COUNTY — An investigation is underway after a gunfire incident left Rusk County homes and vehicles damaged on Monday night. According to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, they received a deadly conduct call at 802 Cross Park at approximately 10:27 p.m. on Monday. The complainant told deputies that unknown individuals shot at his vehicle and home.
The deputies discovered that the gunfire damaged a total of two homes and two vehicles, leaving about 30 shell casings at the scene.
Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez said they are actively working on leads related to the case. He asks the public for any information on the case or those involved to contact the sheriff’s office at 903-657-3581.
LONGVIEW — The City of Longview has been awarded a grant worth over $100,000 to help ensure officer safety. The grant was provided to the department from the governor’s office and was approved by the Longview City Council last week during their most recent meeting.
According to our news partner KETK, the grant funding will be used to purchase bullet-resistant glass to install in patrol vehicles to better protect officers and officials. The grant was approved after a patrol vehicle was shot by a suspect during an incident in May 2025 while officers were inside the car.
“This is another important step in helping protect our officers and the community we serve every day,” Longview PIO LaDarian Brown said. “We are grateful for the continued support of our community and the partners who believe in investing in public safety in Longview.”
MORRIS COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — An out-of-state corporation recently broke ground in Naples as the start of a large-scale natural gas-based generation facility that encompasses over 100 acres of Morris County.
The Arkansas Electric Cooperative Corporation (AECC) is set to begin construction of its 850-megawatt facility in the summer as a two-turbine plant, with full operation expected by 2029.
According to the corporation, it evaluated potential sites in Arkansas before selecting the Morris County location. The AECC’s President and CEO Vernon Hasten said Morris County’s proximity to natural gas pipelines and transmission is its “primary factor” in location selection.
“The facility in Morris County, Texas, is crucial to maintaining reliable energy resources,” Hasten said. “AECC continues to develop proven, readily dispatchable power generation technologies to provide our members with reliable, affordable electricity.”
The facility is part of the AECC’s plan to address the company’s wholesale generation needs.
The plant’s location within the Southwest Power Pool regional transmission organization’s footprint accordingly supports reliability, according to the AECC.
“This new state-of-the-art asset will be one of the lowest-emitting and most efficient simple cycle natural gas generation stations in AECC’s fleet,” the AECC said.
The AECC provides services to more than 1 million members, including those in upper East Texas counties such as Bowie County.
HOPKINS COUNTY, Texas (KETK)– Miller Grove ISD Superintendent Dr. Linda Rankin announced on Tuesday that she will be resigning from her position at the end of the current school year.
During her time at Miller Grove, Rankin has helped the district improve its finances, increasing its fund balance from $2.07 million to $3.01 million, and securing a $1.2 million grant to acquire three air-conditioned buses, according to the board of trustees.
Under her leadership, Rankin oversaw the construction of an additional agriculture classroom and the installation of a new greenhouse facility while also prioritizing campus safety by strengthening security protocols and training initiatives.
Rankin said she will remain fully committed to supporting the district’s students, staff and community over the final few months of her tenure. Rankin also said she will work closely with the board of trustees to ensure a successful transition for the next superintendent.
“Serving the Miller Grove ISD community has been one of the greatest honors of my career,” Rankin said. “Our students have always been at the heart of every decision I’ve made. They mean so much to me, and it has been a privilege to watch them grow, achieve, and succeed. I will always cherish the time I’ve spent with them and will continue to be one of their biggest supporters in all they do.”
Rankin’s final day with the district will be July 1.
The advanced systems that allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel while going down the road will be scrutinized again by federal investigators on Tuesday in connection with two fatal crashes involving Ford’s Blue Cruise system.
The National Transportation Safety Board is expected to recommend ways to improve these partially automated driving systems as it wraps up its investigation into the 2024 crashes in Texas and Pennsylvania that killed three people when the Ford Mustang Mach-E cars slammed into vehicles that were stopped.
The NTSB has previously investigated a number of other crashes involving similar systems, including Tesla’s autopilot system.
Ford and other automakers emphasize that these systems are not designed to replace the human drivers sitting behind the wheel, who have to be ready to take control at any time. The NTSB has said their investigation is examining the effectiveness of these systems and how well they monitor driver engagement.
But Missy Cummings, a professor of engineering and computing at George Mason University, said these crashes highlight some of the dangers of partially autonomous driving systems that allow people to disengage.
“Allowing people to take their hands off the wheel will also mean they will likely take their minds off the driving task,” Cummings said.
Ford’s Blue Cruise system does allow drivers to take their hands off the steering wheel while it handles steering, braking and acceleration on highways. The company says the system isn’t fully autonomous and it monitors drivers to make sure they pay attention to the road.
There are no fully autonomous vehicles for sale to the public in the U.S.
One of the crashes occurred in San Antonio, Texas, killing one person, while the other happened in Philadelphia in which two people died. The driver in the Philadelphia crash was later charged with DUI homicide. That criminal case is still pending with no trial date set.
The Texas crash occurred on Interstate 10 in San Antonio. The NTSB report says the Mach E struck the rear of a 1999 Honda CR-V that was stopped in the middle of three lanes around 9:50 p.m. The 56-year-old driver of the CR-V was killed.
Another driver who was able to avoid the CR-V told investigators that neither its tail lights nor hazards were working at the time.
The other crash involving a Mach E killed two people around 3:20 a.m. March 3 in the northbound lanes of Interstate 95 in Philadelphia. The Pennsylvania State Police said the Ford was in the left lane when it struck a stationary Hyundai Elantra that earlier had collided with a Toyota Prius.
During the crash, the driver of the Prius, who was outside of his vehicle, also was struck and thrown into the southbound lanes. A person from the Hyundai also was on the roadway and was hit. Both young men died.
SMITH COUNTY — Arrest documents related to the deadly Smith County shooting in March indicate that the man charged with murder acted in retaliation for a gang shooting that occurred in December. On March 22, Smith County deputies responded to a shooting at Club Exotic on State Highway 64 West in Tyler. Witnesses reported that a man wearing a ski mask jumped onto the hood of a car and yelled, “Y’all going to die for 38!” and “If y’all ain’t gang, move.” The Smith County Sheriff’s Office believes that “38” likely refers to Aaron Jackson, who was killed at the Valley Blues Club.
The suspect, identified as Andru Davis, then began firing into the crowd, injuring four people. Among those injured were Keundas Sandford and Keoin Dewayne Redd, both of whom died from gunshot wounds at the scene.
Following an investigation, they found that Davis and the second suspect, Brandon Young, were a part of the Shoot First Nation West Side Rollin’ 60’s Crips and had gone to Houston following the shooting. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A Tyler man was sentenced to 39 years in prison on Monday after he was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child. Christopher Lynn Bowles, who was previously wanted by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office on charges of sexually assaulting a child and the continuous sexual assault of a child under the age of 14, Bowles was located in DeFuniak Springs, Florida, in November 2025 and was taken into custody, according to our news partner KETK.
During his trial, Bowles was found guilty of two counts of aggravated sexual assault of a child and one count of continuous sexual abuse of a child under 14. Bowles was sentenced to 39 years in prison on Monday.
BULVERDE (AP) – A 15-year-old student shot a teacher at a Texas high school and then fatally shot himself Monday, according to authorities, who were still investigating what led to the early morning attack.
No other injuries were reported at Hill Country College Preparatory High School in Bulverde, a small but growing city near San Antonio.
The teacher was taken to a nearby hospital. Comal County Sheriff Mark Reynolds said hours after the shooting that he did not know her condition.
“What happened today is something no community ever wants to face, but we prepare for something that we hope never occurs,” Reynolds said.
He said the student shot the teacher before turning the gun on himself. Reynolds said investigators were working to understand the relationship between the student and the teacher and looking into how the firearm was obtained.
The small campus of roughly 250 students was placed on lockdown shortly after 8:30 a.m., according to the school. One student told San Antonio television station KSAT that they heard loud bangs coming from a room on the second floor and then heard screaming.
Another student told the TV station that she heard five shots and yelling before her debate teacher told students to get inside a classroom.
Students were bused to a nearby middle school, where parents stood in long lines, some praying, as they waited to be reunited. Reynolds said the family members of the shooter had also gone into reunification line.
“We’re trying to collect as much information as we can from witnesses,” Reynolds said.
Jesse Lopez, a parent, told KSAT that it will be difficult to tell his daughter that she has to eventually go back to class.
“For one, she has autism, and she’ll be afraid to go back, she’ll be real afraid to go back,” Lopez said.
The school canceled classes for Tuesday but counselors would still be made available for students and families, principal Julie Wiley said in a statement. She did not provide details about the teacher’s condition.
“Our hearts are with everyone impacted, especially that teacher, their family, and our school community,” Wiley said. “We know this has been a difficult day.”
The high school, which is part of the Comal Independent School District, focuses on academics and skills to prepare students for college, according to the district’s website. Its curriculum is centered on science, technology, engineering, arts and math, known as STEAM, with electives that include cybersecurity and engineering.
The school opened in August 2020 with a freshman class. It has since grown to offer grades nine through 12.
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Associated Press reporter Heather Hollingsworth contributed to this report from Kansas City, Missouri.
CHANDLER – Residents and city administrators met in Chandler on Saturday to discuss a $5.8 million bond proposal to fund a new city hall and storm shelter complex. During a bond open house on Saturday, residents got to hear from Chandler City officials, the project architect and city bond financial advisors about what the bond will fund. For $5,864,000, the bond would fund a new police station, a new fire station, a new city hall and a new city storm shelter that would all be housed within the same complex, according to our news partner KETK.
According to tax information provided by the City of Chandler, if the bond passes, it will be implemented in one of two scenarios that would offset the I&S tax rate increase needed to fund the bond. In scenario one, the I&S tax rate increase will be offset by profits from the lease of the ESD 12 building and in scenario two, the increase will be offset by the ESD 12 lease and funds made from the sale of the current city hall building. The first scenario would lead to a $0.0762 property tax increase while the second scenario would lead to $0.0126 property tax increase. Read the rest of this entry »
GLADEWATER – The City of Gladewater named Tim Basham as their new fire department chief this week. Basham, who’s replacing outgoing chief Michael Robbins, came out of retirement and completed an agility test in his Wrangler jeans and cowboy boots to be requalified for service. According to our news partner KETK, Basham had previously served in the metroplex before his initial retirement.
“The City of Gladewater is proud to congratulate Fire Chief Tim Basham on his appointment as our new Fire Chief. We wish you continued success and offer our prayers as you move forward in your service to our community,” the City of Gladewater said. “Your extensive experience and knowledge gained from the metroplex will be a tremendous asset to our department and the citizens we serve. We also recognize your dedication and determination- returning from retirement and completing your agility test in true East Texas fashion, wearing Wranglers and cowboy boots, speaks volumes about your commitment and character.” Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN, Texas (KETK) — An AI-technology company based out of Nevada entered a purchase and sale agreement with Jefferson Enterprise Energy, LLC for a 132-acre property in Lufkin, according to a filing from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The purchase of the property cost the AI-company, 1606 Corp., a total of $11,168,864, consisting of $7 million in cash that must be paid at closing on April 15. Included in the purchase are associated development rights, improvements and equipment.
A press release filed with the SEC said the property has a 50,000-square-foot warehouse, which is capable of supporting large-scale data center infrastructure.
1606 Corp. believes the purchase of the site is “attractive” for potential partnerships with data center operators looking to develop new data centers in the area.
KETK News spoke with 1606 Corp CEO Austen Lambrecht and he said the opportunity to bring a new business to the city is exciting.
“It’s exciting to bring new business to the community,” Lambrecht said.
According to Lambrecht, the company is talking with people on the ground in Lufkin to determine how they can best use the site once they gain control of the property.
“We’re talking with different people in Lufkin on what the best usage would be but we don’t have site control yet, so we haven’t gone through that yet,” Lambrecht explained.
Lambrecht said they’re waiting for final funding to come through in order to complete the transaction for the property on April 15.