Today is
Thursday July 23, 2026
MOUNT PLEASANT — A 19-year-old East Texan has been arrested for allegedly killing his father, who was found with apparent gunshot wounds. According to our news partner KETK, a 911 call came in around 8 a.m. on Monday reporting an unconscious man bleeding inside a home on Red Springs Avenue. Upon arrival, officers found 51-year-old Rodney Harris deceased from apparent gunshot wounds. Detectives responded and immediately launched a homicide investigation.
Police identified 19-year-old Azion Jayden Harris, the victim’s son, as a person of interest. He was located and detained later Monday.
Azion Harris was arrested and transported to Titus County Jail on charges of murder, possession of a controlled substance and unlawful carrying of a weapon. The investigation remains ongoing.
RUSK – The Rusk Police Department is currently searching for a missing man after his vehicle was found stopped on Highway 84 near the Neches River on Dec. 6. According to our news partner KETK, James David Blount is a 57-year-old white man who is 5’09”, weighs around 200 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. Rusk PD said Blount was last seen on Tuesday, Dec. 2.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said that a $25,000 reward is being offered for anyone who provides information leading to the location of Blount.
Blount’s vehicle was found on Saturday on Highway 84 west at the Neches River near the Cherokee and Anderson County line. Heal Corp search and rescue personnel have been searching the Neches River near where Blount’s vehicle was found but they hadn’t turned up anything as of Dec. 21.
Anyone with information about Blount’s disappearance is asked to call 911 or Rusk PD at 903-683-2677.
HENDERSON – The Henderson Police Department said a woman was shot on Sunday while in her vehicle near the intersection of FM 225 and Highway 79. According to our news partner KETK, the woman was shot around 1 p.m. by a suspect who reportedly fled the scene in a black truck. Department Deputy Chief Chase Berryhill confirmed on Monday that the victim has since died. The woman has been identified as Dora Morales-Ruiz, 39, of Henderson. Law enforcement immediately began looking for the suspected shooter and they eventually found the suspect dead in Rusk County. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating the death of the suspected shooter.
“The Henderson Police Department would like to thank the Texas Department of Public Safety, Rusk County Constable Stewart and the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance and cooperation during the search for the suspect,” Henderson PD said.
TYLER – One person involved in a pursuit was taken into custody on Friday after shots were fired during a traffic stop in Lindale. According to our news partner KETK and the Lindale PD, the pursuit started in Lindale near the Cracker Barrel as a traffic stop on a white Pontiac Grand Prix. During the stop, shots were fired from the vehicle by an assault rifle before the Pontiac drove off down Highway 69. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the pursuit before the Pontiac entered Tyler city limits.
Tyler Police Department officers responded to the pursuit which eventually came to an end when an officer did a pit maneuver on the Pontiac, near the intersection of Shawnee Boulevard and Highway 110. The driver was taken into custody and according to Lindale PD, the officer that performed the pit maneuver was evaluated for minor injuries at the scene. A woman whose vehicle was hit as the pursuit ended was also evaluated for minor injuries at the scene. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — The man who vandalized a marble statue of Jesus at St. Mary Magdalene Church in Flint was sentenced Thursday to one year in state jail. Jordan Grey Clark, 36, pleaded guilty to criminal mischief at a place of worship in connection with the Sept. 7 vandalism. The statue, located outside of the church, was found with its nose and hands shattered. Deputies discovered the damage around 8:45 a.m. on Sept. 7. Surveillance footage later showed a suspect approaching the statue around 1:14 a.m. and using a hammer to break parts of the face and hands before walking south toward County Road 1299. Investigators noted the suspect was wearing gloves, which prevented them from lifting fingerprints from the statue or nearby objects.
According to our news partner KETK, an anonymous tip received days later led detectives to Clark, who lived nearby and was reportedly “acting strangely,” according to investigators. Authorities then contacted Clark’s father, who told deputies his son has schizophrenia and refuses to take medication because he believes it makes him feel uncomfortable. The father also said Clark does not own a vehicle or a smartphone, believing smartphones are possessed, and instead uses a flip phone. Read the rest of this entry »
BEN WHEELER — According to our news partner KETK, several firefighters, along with the fire chief of the Ben Wheeler Fire Department, have resigned from their positions recently. Following the resignations, the department’s Board of Directors released a statement on Thursday, stating that they are aware of the issues that led to the resignations, but they will not disclose them. The board also noted that the false claims being spread are inaccurate and have only caused drama and defamation to those who still serve the community.
The Board of Directors also addressed any financial concerns residents might have had, stating that the department is financially solvent with “more than satisfactory funds on hand.”
A new fire chief will be elected in January during the regularly scheduled elections, the board stated.
SMITH COUNTY– One of the candidates running for County Clerk in the upcoming Smith County Republican Party Primary election has been removed from the ballot after she lacked the required signatures needed to be eligible.
According to our news partner KETK, on Dec. 8, Terry Morrow filed her application and petitions to challenge the incumbent Karen Philips for the county clerk spot. In lieu of paying the $750 filing fee, Morrow obtained 500 signatures and her application was accepted on Dec. 11. Phillips also submitted her application for re-election on Nov. 8, which was the first day of candidate filing. She also received the 500 signatures required to appear on the ballot and her application was approved on Nov. 14.
While the county chair is required to verify the total number of signatures, they are not required to confirm the validity of each signature unless challenged by an opponent. Read the rest of this entry »
BROWNSBORO — A Brownsboro elementary school teacher has pleaded guilty and received eight years of deferred adjudication probation after injuring a child in 2024. According to our news partner KETK, Kyle Lee Rocha, of Chandler, was arrested on Sept. 24, 2024, in connection with an incident that occurred earlier that month in a Chandler Elementary School behavioral classroom.
An affidavit describes the incident as captured on classroom footage, which showed Rocha picking up paperwork from the floor and placing the papers on the student’s desk, instructing the student to keep the pages on his desk. The student was reportedly seen throwing the paperwork into a clothes basket on his desk and tilting his desk several times as Rocha stood in front of him.
Footage reportedly showed the student rocking his desk backwards, tilting the front of the desk up. Rocha then allegedly “placed both of his hands onto the front of the desk and pushed the desk backwards, purposefully causing the desk to fall over” and the student to fall, hitting the back of his head and elbows against the desk behind him. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Blackstone Hotel, with Valencia Hotel Group, is coming back to Tyler and bringing 60 full-time jobs with it. According to our news partner KETK, the new full-service, luxury hotel is being built under a 3-year plan, on the corner of Broadway and Fergueson, promising at least 60 full-time jobs with an annual payroll of $2 million.
This economic boosting promise is why Smith County Commissioners took up a vote for a 10-year tax abatement of 50% for Blackstone Hotel, as long as Valencia Hotel Group upkeeps their promise of 60 full-time employees.
Scott Martinez, President of Tyler Economic Development Council, says his organization will be the monitor of this agreement. “So the hotel will give a quarterly and annual report on their employment numbers and their investment, as well as their sale sets to the city,” Martinez said. “So we can track to make sure they’re following through with what they committed to do.” Read the rest of this entry »
BULLARD — According to our news partner KETK, a state death report reveals neighbors believed a Bullard man was attempting suicide by cop, which led to a deadly Bullard SWAT standoff on Dec. 8.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office identified the suspect as 53-year-old Shawn Turner Sr. of Bullard, who was firing a gun from the front porch of his home. Neighbors told law enforcement they were in fear and believed he was attempting suicide by cop. The state report revealed that Turner “retrieved an AR-style rifle and began firing at officers, at which point officers returned fire.”
Turner then allegedly went back into the house, where he continued firing at officers until he changed weapons and killed himself. Turner would have been charged with aggravated assault on a peace officer with a deadly weapon. The Texas Rangers are currently investigating the case.
CASS COUNTY — The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has suspended one of its troopers following a Sunday arrest for driving while intoxicated. According to our news partner KETK, 43-year-old Trooper Decori Charles Birmingham was suspended from his duties after being arrested by a fellow DPS trooper and charged with DWI. He was booked into the Cass County Jail without incident.
This comes after Birmingham was involved in a two-vehicle crash in Cass County at the intersection of State Highway 8 and State Highway 77 on Saturday. Birmingham was off duty at the time of the crash and was driving his personal vehicle. Birmingham has been with the Texas Department of Public Safety since 2014 and is stationed in Linden.
“DPS takes these allegations very seriously and the department’s Office of Inspector General (OIG) has also launched a separate administrative investigation,” a DPS spokesperson said.
CENTER — Due to ongoing illnesses impacting students and staff, Excelsior ISD announced on Monday that its campus will be closed for the remainder of the week. The district said the decision was made to protect the health and well-being of the school community while ensuring students are safe during the upcoming holiday break. All activities and events will also be cancelled.
“This decision was made with the safety of our students, staff and families as our top priority,” Excelsior ISD said. “We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we take this precautionary step.”
NACOGDOCHES — According to our news partner KETK, a 36-year-old man was arrested on a murder charge following a stabbing late Saturday night in Nacogdoches. Nacogdoches Police Sgt. Brett Ayres said officers responded to a medical call just after midnight in the 300 block of East Main Street, where a person was reported to be bleeding. Officers located the victim, who had been stabbed multiple times in the chest, and EMS transported the victim to a local hospital, Ayres said.
Witnesses led police to Cruz De La Luz Vargas Nava, 36, of Nacogdoches, as the suspect. He was found shortly after and taken into custody on probable cause. The victim later died at the hospital, police said. Vargas Nava was subsequently booked into jail on a murder charge. The investigation remains ongoing.
TYLER — A panel of GOP candidates took place in Tyler, featuring Stuart Hene, John Nix and James Wynne, all of whom are competing for the position of mayor of the City of Tyler.
The current mayor, Don Warren, was first elected in 2020. His six-year term will conclude in 2026, following his third term. Voters in Tyler will have the opportunity to elect Warren’s successor in May 2026. Hene currently serves as the councilman for District 1 in central Tyler. He attended Rice Elementary, Hubbard Middle School, and Tyler Legacy High School (prior to its renaming). Hene earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from Baylor University and obtained his law degree from the Oklahoma City University School of Law.
John Nix describes his journey to Tyler as a young carpenter armed only with tools and an old used car. Over the years, Tyler has become a place that he and his family proudly call home. As a small business owner, Nix says he understands the importance of having a well-functioning city. Nix served as Tyler City Councilman for District 6 from 2013 to 2019. Nix currently works as the president of Nix Construction, Inc. and Nix Builders and as the owner of Nix Properties, LLC. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A Tyler driver is warning other motorists of a worn out curb that pops tires at the entrance of Sprouts on Broadway Avenue.
On Sunday night, Levi Rodriguez hit a curb on the driveway into the main entrance to Sprouts Farmers Market in Tyler. It was late at night and he did not see the hole before the jagged edge instantly flattened his tire. He said he talked to the Sprouts night manager who told him it happens multiple times a day to their customers. Rodriguez was not the only one that succumbed to this curb. He instantly posted to social media about what happened and received hundreds of comments with some people saying the exact same thing happened to them.
Rodriguez said the night manager told him it was a battle between the City of Tyler and the Texas Department of Transportation, to see who’s responsible for the repairs. The storm water inlet is owned by the City of Tyler and South Broadway Avenue is under the care of TxDOT. The city told our news partner KETK that private owner of the driveway is responsible for maintenance. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tyler fire crews were called to the Shiloh apartment complex early Thursday morning after a resident spotted flames on a neighbor’s balcony. According to our news partner KETK, the fire was reported around 4:30 a.m. at 2911 Shiloh Road. Crews evacuated the building as a precaution. While the flames did not damage the inside of the apartment, they did spread into the attic.
Structural damage to the roof forced the evacuation of all four top-floor units, and apartment management worked to relocate displaced residents into vacant units within the complex.
No injuries were reported, and the cause of the fire is still under investigation.
LONGVIEW — A Texas DPS trooper was involved in a crash in Longview on Wednesday during an emergency call. According to our news partner KETK, a Texas Department of Public Safety trooper, escaped injury Wednesday after another vehicle struck the side of his patrol unit.
The trooper was responding to an emergency call when the crash occurred at the intersection of Gilmer Road and Loop 281, authorities said.
Albritton said the trooper is unharmed, and the other driver was taken to a local hospital as a precaution.
LINDALE — Investigators with the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force arrested a Lindale man Tuesday following an online tip from X Corp, formerly known as Twitter.
According to our news partner KETK, the tip indicated that an individual had posted and sent direct messages soliciting child pornography in exchange for pornographic pictures of a minor in his family, Smith County arrest papers revealed. Some messages also included a video depicting an adult assaulting a child believed to be 12 to 14 years old.
Investigators traced one of the X accounts’ IP addresses to Lindale and obtained a search warrant for the resident’s home. An email linked to the account identified the suspect as Joshua Zane Attaway. On Tuesday, Smith County officials arrived at Attaway’s residence, where he was sitting outside. Attaway was interviewed, where he admitted to owning the X account and allegedly sending the messages. Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE: The 19-year-old cyclist involved in the crash has died, according to Tyler Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh. The identity of the cyclist has not been released.
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department is currently responding to the scene of a major crash that happened on E Fifth Street near Loop 323 on Sunday night. According to our news partner KETK and th Tyler PD, the crash happened in the 2600 block of E Fifth Street near the intersection of SSE Loop 323. Officials said that eastbound traffic is closed on E Fifth Street from west of SSE Loop 323.
The crash scene is still active and Tyler PD officers are in the road directing traffic. Tyler PD asked drivers to find alternative routes through the area.
UPSHUR COUNTY — The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office announced on Tuesday that it has reached an agreement to join the 287(g) Task Force. According to our news partner KETK, with an agreement reached, deputies will undergo training from ICE officials to educate them on enforcing immigration laws, multicultural communication, and avoiding racial profiling.
Upshur County Sheriff Larry Webb stated that he will use the resources available from joining the task force to ensure residents’ safety and well-being.
“In closing, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to working alongside our law enforcement partners to ensure the safety and well-being of every citizen in our community,” Webb said. “We will continue to use every resource available to identify criminal activity within our county and to bring those responsible before the proper courts to answer for their actions.”
BULLARD — Bullard’s City Council voted on Tuesday evening to join ICE’s 287(g) Task Force program according to our new partner KETK. This comes after they voted last month to table the motion as the city attorney was not present at the meeting. The 287(g) Task Force Model is a partnership with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) that allows local law enforcement to enforce U.S. immigration laws, including identifying and processing immigrants with pending or active criminal charges.
In November, Smith County Precinct 4 joined the Task Force Model Program while Precinct 1 declined to join the same program, as Constable Ralph Caraway said his office will continue to enforce the law and protect its community without expanding its responsibility for “targeting any person because of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, color or creed.”
Bullard has become the second city in Smith County to join the Task Force Model, following the Arp Police Department’s addition on Nov. 14.
Check here for all East Texas agencies currently signed on to ICE’s 287(g) program.
HOPKINS COUNTY — More than $370,000 worth of stolen equipment and trailers from several states have been recovered due to a multi-agency investigation in East Texas.
According to our news partner KETK, the case began when investigators from the Northeast Texas Auto Theft Task Force, in collaboration with the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and several other agencies, investigated reports of trailers and heavy equipment acquired using fraudulent documents. As the investigation expanded, investigators identified links to similar thefts in several Texas counties, including Cooke County.
Cooke County investigators then partnered with the task force, combining their resources and information, which led to the discovery of a key lead in the investigation.
On Monday, investigators executed a search warrant in Kaufman County, where they recovered 14 confirmed stolen items, including equipment and trailers. These items had been reported stolen across five states: Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Louisiana and Missouri. Read the rest of this entry »
RAINS COUNTY — The criminal case against Rains County Judge Linda Wallace has been dismissed, according to newly released documents from the Rains County District Clerk’s Office and our news partner KETK.
The dismissal comes after months of developments connected to the investigation and prosecution of Rains County Justice of the Peace Jenkins Franklin. A full timeline of events is below:
MAY 1: Rains County Justice of the Peace Robert Jenkins Franklin was arrested and charged with official oppression and witness tampering. According to a federal lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas, Rains County Justice of the Peace Robert Jenkins Franklin allegedly threatened a defendant to plead guilty in a case over which Franklin had no jurisdiction. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Thanks to the Texas Resilient Landscapes Initiative, Texas landowners can now earn up to $80,000 by reforesting their land. Landowners with 10 to 150 acres of land are being invited by the initiative to reforest their land through a number of different methods including: shredding or mulching for tree planting at $168.75 per acre, prescribed fire burns at $37.50 per acre, direct seeding of trees at $337.50 per acre, planting live cuttings at $375 per acre, planting bareroot or containerized seedlings at $5.60 per seedling and providing temporary browsing protection for seedlings at $4.90 per seedling.
Non-federal, non-industrial and tribal or local government forest landowners can apply to the initiative by Jan. 23, 2026 and another application period will open in the summer or fall of 2026.
To apply or learn more, visit the Texas A&M Forest Service online.
ALBA — Alba-Golden ISD has announced its new regulations after Senate Bill 8, also known as “Bathroom Bill,” went into effect on Dec. 4. According to our news partner KETK, to meet these new regulations, the school district said locker rooms will be designated “NON-PRIVATE” during specific times: 15 minutes before the start of pregame activities, 8 minutes during halftime, 10 minutes after the conclusion of a game and 20 minutes after the conclusion of a practice.
The school district stated that this will enable coaches to manage their responsibilities with teams, such as during pregame, halftime and postgame meetings, while respecting students’ privacy.
Commonly referred to as the Texas Women’s Privacy Act or the “Bathroom Bill,” Senate Bill 8 seeks to limit transgender individuals’ access to specific restrooms in the state. Read the rest of this entry »
BULLARD — The suspect in Monday’s hour long Cherokee County SWAT standoff is dead. According to our news partner KETK, the suspect is identified as 53-year-old Shawn Turner Sr. of Bullard, who was firing a gun from the front porch of his home. When deputies responded, Turner allegedly opened fire immediately, wounding one deputy with shrapnel. Deputies returned fire but did not strike Turner, the sheriff’s office confirmed. At around 11:10 a.m., authorities entered the home and found Turner dead from what officials determined to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The injured deputy was treated at the scene by EMS and is expected to make a full recovery. A second deputy experienced a medical issue during the incident and was assessed by medical personnel; that deputy is also anticipated to return to duty within the week.
Nearby law enforcement activity caused all Bullard ISD campuses to go into a brief secure status that was lifted at around 11:20 a.m.
MARSHALL – According to our news partner KETK, U.S. Senator for Texas John Cornyn spoke to graduating students at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall on Saturday. He’s currently running to be reelected to the Senate in 2026 against fellow Republican Primary candidates Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Congressman Wesley Hunt.
Cornyn discussed several issues on Saturday like the economy, healthcare, education and Affordable Care Act healthcare premiums, which he said are going up by 18% for Texans. He also said that one solution could be to start hospital-based insurance coverage for operations and hospital stays. If Cornyn wins the 2026 Republican Primary in March, he’d face the winner of the Democratic Party Primary in the November election. Several Democratic candidates have already declared for their party’s primary, including Colin Allred and State Rep. James Talarico.
RUSK – UPDATE: The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said that a $25,000 reward is being offered for anyone who provides information leading to the location of James David Blount, a 57-year-old man who was last seen in Rusk on Dec. 2.
ORIGINAL STORY – The Rusk Police Department is currently searching for a missing man after his vehicle was found stopped on Highway 84 near the Neches River on Saturday. James David Blount is a 57-year-old white man who’s 5’09”, weighs around 200 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. Rusk PD said Blount was last seen on Tuesday.
Blount’s vehicle was found on Saturday on Highway 84 west at the Neches River near the Cherokee and Anderson County line. Anyone with information about his disappearance is asked to call 911 or Rusk PD at 903-683-2677.
JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association (JCPAAA) will donate $42,000 to the Jacksonville Police Department during the Dec. 9 City Hall meeting. The contribution will help fund new pistols outfitted with red-dot optics, as well as expanded firearms training for officers. The JCPAAA raised the money through ongoing community events, including several raffles and its annual April BBQ festival.
“We are proud to support our police department and help provide tools and training that enhance officer safety and effectiveness,” said Dillon Rodriguez, JCPAAA president. “This donation reflects the dedication of our volunteers and the strong partnership between our community and law enforcement.”
“The generosity of the JCPAAA and our community makes a real impact. These upgraded pistols and additional training will ensure our officers are better equipped to serve and protect our city,” Police Chief Steven Markasky said.
TYLER – The Texas A&M Forest Service has awarded over $3.5 million in grants for equipment to more than 100 fire departments throughout East Texas, according to our news partner KETK.
For the second round of Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program grants for the next fiscal year, the Texas A&M Forest Service awarded around $17.6 million in funds to volunteer fire departments across the state.
“Texas fire departments are the front line of local response and their equipment capacity is vital to response time and effectiveness,” Texas A&M Forest Service Director Al Davis said after the first round of funding was awarded in October. “This historic funding reflects the strong support of the Texas Legislature and governor. Their investment allows us to continue supporting and equipping firefighters who protect Texas’s lives and property.” Read the rest of this entry »