Today is
Sunday June 14, 2026
TEXARKANA, Texas – A 50 year old Avery, Texas man was sentenced to federal prison for crimes he committed in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston Friday. Bobby Wayne Lance was sentenced to a total of 1054 months Friday during a sentencing hearing before U.S. District Judge Robert Schroeder, III. According to information presented in court, Lance robbed a Bowie County convenience store, a Lamar County movie theater, and a Franklin County bank in a crime spree that spread over several days in November 2015. Read the rest of this entry »
(LUFKIN, TEXAS, June 22, 2017) Two Lufkin men were arrested early this morning after robbing the Denman Avenue Jack in the Box at gunpoint and leading officers on a pursuit in a stolen car.
Douglas Richard, 19, and Edward Hernandez, 21, were taken into custody around 1:45 a.m. at the entrance of The Settlement on U.S. 59 south. The men entered the store’s back door around 1:30 a.m. –
Richard wielding a handgun. They then stole the cash drawer before fleeing the scene in the manager’s car. Minutes later, an officer spotted the stolen vehicle on Southwood Drive and a high-speed pursuit ensued. The chase spanned from Lufkin to Diboll and back, reaching speeds of 90-100mph. It ended on U.S. 59 south at the entrance to The Settlement after officers successfully piked the vehicle’s tires.
Officers recovered the register drawer along with the stolen vehicle. An hour before the robbery, Richard and Hernandez attempted to purchase food at the restaurant by walking up to the window.
The pair left on foot after being told that the restaurant did not take “ walk up†orders.
Hernandez told investigators Richard was getting “driven up†and talked about “hitting a lick†to put some money in his pocket as they walked around town before the robbery. Richard and Hernandez are both charged with two counts of aggravated robbery, while Richard received an additional charge of evading arrest with a vehicle with a previous conviction. The Diboll Police Department, Texas Department of Public Safety and Angelina County Sheriff’s Office assisted during the pursuit.
June 21, 2017- TYLER, TX- BBB Serving Central East Texas is alerting the community about a scam which claims to benefit Tyler Fire Department and reminds consumers to do their homework before sending money to any organization. The scam had earlier been reported by the fire department, but the BBB is offering more details.
The scam was reported via BBB Scam Tracker, an online tool used to provide consumers with a place to report scams and fraud and to warn others about malicious or suspicious activities. A local business owner reported that Firehouse Promotions contacted them for the third year in row claiming to be selling advertisement space on magnetic boards for $500 to help benefit Tyler Fire Department. BBB contacted Tyler Fire Department who confirmed that Firehouse Promotions is not raising money on their behalf. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER –The City of Tyler Parks Department and the Texas A&M Forest Service have postponed an invasive species workshop and field day that had been scheduled for Thursday. Officials now say that workshop is being rescheduled for sometime this fall. We’ll have an update when more information becomes available. For more information, call Tyler Urban Forester Cody Goldman at (903) 531-1179.
AUSTIN — Suicide rates in Texas were more than triple for white people than for black and Hispanic people in 2015, according to a new analysis from The University of Texas System and UT Health Northeast.
3,403 Texans died from suicide in 2015, the most recent year for which there are numbers. This is more than double the number killed by homicide, and was the second leading cause of death for ages 15-24, after unintentional injuries (e.g. car accidents). Suicide was the fourth leading cause of death for ages 5-64. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER, Texas – Two Tyler, Texas men have been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced Acting U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston.
Hubert Wright, 60, pleaded guilty on Jan. 9, 2017, to possessing with intent to distribute over 500 grams of cocaine and possessing firearms in furtherance of drug trafficking. Wright was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Ron Clark.
Kevin Williams, 38, pleaded guilty on Jan. 10, 2017, to possessing with intent to distribute crack and powder cocaine and was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison by Judge Clark. Read the rest of this entry »
HAWKINS (AP) — An East Texas rancher lassoed a 10-foot alligator and wranglers crawled atop the thrashing reptile’s back after it got a little too close to the landowner’s cattle. Bystanders shot video of the recent takedown near Hawkins. Byron South of Convergent Hunting Solutions says he got a call from the landowner, Hal Conover, after the alligator broke into a pen where he was weaning calves. Game wardens were also summoned. South told The Associated Press that Conover was able to throw a rope around the reptile. The video later shows two men atop the gator as it thrashes and bites one man’s hand. The man suffered minor injuries. The alligator was eventually loaded into a trailer and hauled to a wildlife park.
TYLER — After completing the investigation of the fire scene at Tyler Welders Supply on Monday, June 19, 2017, Smith County Fire Marshal Connie McCoy-Wasson said the fire appears to be accidental in nature.
The exact cause of the fire that occurred on Tuesday, June 13, 2017, remains undetermined, but no foul play is suspected and no criminal charges will be filed, Mrs. McCoy-Wasson said.
The fire marshal released the fire scene back to the company, and Tyler Welders Supply will begin a private investigation in to what started the fire at 3539 U.S. Highway 271 in Tyler.
TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler has helped create a beneficial program that gives area business discounts to veterans, Dr. James Lumpkin, College of Business and Technology dean, announced. Graduate students in Dr. Kerri Camp’s Advanced Marketing Fundamentals course collaborated with the East Texas Veterans Alliance and Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce on the “Recognizing Our Servicemembers Everyday†or R.O.S.E. Veteran Discount Program. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Authorities say they’ve arrested a suspect following an incident that involved drugs, a struggle, and a chase. On June 19 at 4:30 AM the Smith County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call regarding a suspicious person in the 3300 block of N. Northeast Loop 323. The caller stated that the suspect appeared to be casing the business for a possible robbery. Smith County Sheriff’s Office Deputies responded to the location and were advised of the suspect’s descriptions and the description of the vehicle that they were seen in. Deputies then observed the vehicle parked on the side of the building occupied by three individuals. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – If you have a Smith County jury summons asking you to report for jury duty today, it’s your lucky day! Smith County residents who were planning to report for jury duty with their yellow cards today don’t have to make the trip to the Smith County Courthouse. No new panels will be needed, Smith County Jury Coordinator Lisa Bennett said. However, if you have been asked to return for jury duty by a specific court, you must still report.
RUSK COUNTY – DPS Troopers have cleared the scene of a fatal crash located at Hwy-64 and CR-4108 in Rusk County. Troopers were called to the scene at approximately 9:15 AM. Preliminary crash investigation revealed that a Chevrolet Tahoe was traveling west on Hwy-64 when it ran into the back of Honda passenger car that was stopped along with other traffic, for a flagman on the side of the roadway. The initial crash caused a chain reaction involving two other passengers cars ahead of the Honda. The driver of the Honda was pronounced dead at the scene, next of kin has not been notified. The driver of the Tahoe and one of the other passenger cars involved went to Henderson ETMC. One driver was not injured. We will update this story as more information becomes available.