Today is
Thursday July 23, 2026
SMITH COUNTY – According to a press release from the Smith County Sheriff’s office, on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, Smith County Investigators as well as the Texas Department of Public Safety Dive Team were on location at a privately owned pond off of County Road 42 in northwest Smith County. During their search, members of the DPS Dive Team recovered human skeletal remains in the pond.
Earlier, personal effects belonging to Courtney Martin had been located in the pond by local citizens. Courtney Martin was reported missing by her family in May of 2023. The remains were processed by Smith County Crime Scene Investigators and Smith County Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace Danny Brown arrived for the inquest. Judge Brown ordered an autopsy, and the skeletal remains were taken to the Southwest Institute of Forensic Science in Dallas. SWIFS personnel were able to positively identify the remains as that of Courtney Martin by utilizing dental records provided by the family.
Smith County Sheriff Sgt. Larry Christian said in the press release, “Unfortunately, this is a tragic and sad end to the disappearance of Courtney Martin, however, this investigation will continue as foul play is expected.”
PANOLA COUNTY, Texas (KETK) — A man was sentenced to 55 years in prison on Monday after pleading guilty to 11 counts of possession of child pornography, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
Earlier this year, Louisiana State Police contacted Panola County Sheriff’s Office deputies about an investigation regarding a Panola County resident involved in child pornography. On Feb. 4, Clay was arrested and booked into the Panola County Jail after a search warrant was executed on a vehicle parked outside the Panola County courthouse.
Shawn Brian Clay entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to 55 years in prison on 11 counts of possession of child pornography, according to Panola County Criminal District Attorney Larry Fields.Fields said Clay was sentenced to 45 years in prison on 10 counts of possession of child pornography plus 10 years in prison on one remaining count of possession of child pornography. Clay will also be required to register as a sex offender.
TYLER – Construction equipment is out and ready in Tyler’s downtown square setting the scene for the Downtown Improvement Project groundbreaking on Friday. With the good, comes the bad, concerns brought up include a lack of parking, several businesses told our news partner KETK they are happy some spaces are already set to change.
The City of Tyler said they hope this will strengthen the heart of downtown and tourism efforts for years to come. The downtown improvement project groundbreaking ceremony will kick off on the square on Friday at 9:30 a.m.
UPDATE: BIG SANDY – According to a report from our news partner KETK, Lucas Stevens, wanted for multiple felony warrants, was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after a manhunt across several Texas counties ended in Smith County. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – According to a press release from the City of Tyler, all non-essential City offices will observe the following schedule on Monday, Sept. 1, in observance of Labor Day.
This includes City Hall offices, the Tyler Water and Utilities Business Office, Solid waste offices and the Tyler Recycle Center, Animal Shelters, The Tyler Public Library, Tyler Pounds Airport administrative offices, and Municipal Courts.
Residential Garbage collection will also be suspended on Monday, September 1, but will resume according to the following schedule: Read the rest of this entry »
HALLSVILLE – Hallsville Police is investigating an accident after a train and a car collided on Wednesday afternoon, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
Hallsville police say that an accident occurred between a train and a car at the South Cypress Street railroad crossing at around 4pm. According to officials, the two people inside the car were able to exit before being hit by the train, but they were taken to a local hospital for evaluation.
As of now, police said they are still investigating and working through the events of the accident.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler announced that Dr. Barbara Haas will serve as the university’s new provost. She has served as interim provost since June. Haas succeeds Dr. Amir Mirmiran who recently transitioned to a new role as the Dean of the Graduate School and Chief Research Officer. Haas earned her PhD in nursing from The University of Texas at Austin, master’s in nursing from Marquette University, and bachelor’s in nursing from the University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire. You can read the school’s full press release here.
SMITH COUNTY – Whitehouse ISD has officially teamed up with the University of Texas at Tyler to provide discounted tuition rates for its employees pursuing advanced degrees, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
This partnership aims to support the professional growth and lifelong learning of Whitehouse ISD staff, while also strengthening ties with higher education partners. The initiative is expected to benefit district employees by making higher education more accessible, ultimately enhancing the quality of education within the district.
Whitehouse ISD and UT Tyler held a ceremonial signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to launch this agreement on Wednesday morning.
WINNSBORO — The Winnsboro Police Department announced on Wednesday that a man was arrested following the burglary of a convenience store, three more suspects remain at large, according to our news partner KETK.
The Winnsboro Police Department said that Alex Fowler was detained as a suspect in the burglary that occurred at the Armadillo Convenience Store around 2 a.m.
The department was alerted to a business alarm. When officers arrived, several suspects were spotted wearing black with face coverings. The suspects fled from the scene. One of them was caught trying to pickup another suspect in a car. Fowler, the driver, was taken to a local jail and booked on similar warrants that were previously issued out of Parker County, Winnsboro Police said. Warrants are now being issued for Fowler’s connection with the convenience store burglary. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL — An East Texas man has been charged with solicitation of prostitution in Marshall, and now the police department is searching for potential victims. According to our news partner KETK, a search warrant was executed in Jefferson on Aug. 21, where Trevor Lee Lohr, 33, was arrested for solicitation of prostitution stemming from various incidents that occurred in Marshall. Earlier this month, Lohr had been arrested for harassment and solicitation of prostitution.
The criminal investigation division of the Marshall Police Department is leading the case and continues to follow leads to protect all victims. The investigation is ongoing, with additional charges expected to be filed.
At this point, investigators believe there “may be multiple victims.” Read the rest of this entry »
ARP — An assistant principal at Arp Elementary has been arrested for failing to report that her adult son was in a sexual relationship with a minor, resulting in the minor becoming pregnant at the age of 14, an arrest affidavit revealed.
Our news partner KETK has created a timeline of the Arp Police Department’s investigation into Karla and Blake Florence and how it led to their arrests based on a Smith County affidavit. You can view the entire timeline here.
TRINITY COUNTY — All bodies have been recovered after three men died from inhaling toxic sewer gas Wednesday afternoon in Southeast Texas.
According to our news partner KETK, Trinity County Sheriff office received a call at around 3:52 p.m. that the men were found unconscious at a sewer plant in the Westwood Shores area. Deputy Chief Jeremy Carroll said two of the bodies were recovered just before 7 p.m. and the third a short time later.
The victims were ages 46, 47 and 52. Authorities said two of the men worked for H2O Innovate and the third for Hydroclear. According to Carroll, one of the crew members was working on the manhole and attempted to cap a line after a water leak that would cause sewage to back up the line they were working and during this time, he lost consciousness.
“We believe a crewmember jumped inside to cap the line to prevent the sewage from backing into the area that they were working,” Carroll said. “The gas buildup started giving him some type of medical issue or caused a medical issue, at which time one of his partners with the same company went into the manhole after him.” Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE — The Kilgore Fire Department has named Ryan Riley its new fire chief according to our news partner KETK. Riley has been a firefighter since 1987, beginning his career as a volunteer in New London. He has been a member of the Kilgore Fire Department since 2017, serving as the rescue chief, emergency management coordinator and fire marshal.
“His leadership and dedication have been invaluable to our community,” the City of Kilgore said.
Riley will be replacing former Kilgore Fire Chief Mark Henderson.
Update: The Wood County Sheriff’s Office said Meinert was found safely and is with his family.
MINEOLA– The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) has issued a Silver Alert for a missing man with a cognitive impairment, last seen in Mineola on Monday night, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
DPS says that 72-year-old Lawrence Meinert was last seen around 11 p.m. on the 280 Block of CR 2798 wearing a gray striped shirt, gray shorts and brown flip flops. He is described as being five feet, eleven inches tall, and weighing 150 pounds with white hair and hazel eyes.
His vehicle is a gray 2005 Chevrolet Silverado with the Texas license plate number HKX4749.
If anyone sees Meinert or his truck, they are encouraged to contact the Wood County Sheriff’s Office at 903-763-2201 or their local law enforcement agency.
PALESTINE – A Palestine man was arrested on Aug. 18 after police discovered drugs and more than 40 guns in his vehicle and home. According to our news partner KETK, officers with the Palestine Police Department attempted to stop Llewellyn Lynn, 47, for alleged traffic violations around 2 p.m. on August 18, but Lynn did not stop and instead drove into the driveway of his house.
Upon exiting the vehicle, Lynn was reportedly uncooperative, but police eventually managed to arrest him. A search of Lynn’s vehicle revealed more than five pounds of marijuana and two guns, the police department said. Search warrants for the residence and two storage units were secured from 87th State District Judge Amy Thomas Ward. During the searches, police said more than five ounces of meth, an additional three pounds of marijuana and over 40 guns, some of which were allegedly stolen.
Lynn was then booked into the Anderson County Jail for possession of more than five pounds of marijuana, evading arrest and unlawful carrying of a weapon. His bond was set to $85,000, and he was released from jail on Aug. 20. The police department said additional charges are expected as the investigation continues.
NACOGDOCHES – U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) visited Stephen F. Austin State University (SFA) on Monday to meet with East Texas educational leaders and students. According to our news partner KETK, during that visit he spoke to SFA students and leaders about expanding Pell Grant eligibility and added funding for agriculture research facilities. He also discussed the Big Beautiful Bill and its potential benefits to the higher education system in Texas.
Cornyn also heard an update from SFA leadership regarding their $85 million Arthur Temple College of Forestry & Agriculture Extension Building. The building is part of the only doctoral forestry program in Texas. The media also had the opportunity to speak with Cornyn at the Pineywoods Dining Hall which hosted a roundtable discussion at 4 p.m. on Monday. Cornyn ended on Monday by saying he’ll bring East Texas’ education success stories back to Washington D.C.
HENDERSON COUNTY – The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that one person was killed in a shooting near Chandler on Monday night. Our news partner KETK reports that a shooting call came in at around 9 p.m. on Monday night. The shooting happened off of Shady Trail in the Westwood Beach area of Lake Palestine, to the south of Chandler.
One male was found shot dead at the scene. The sheriff’s office is currently searching for 18-year-old Chuck Brady Norris, in connection to the shooting.
According to the sheriff’s office, Norris could be driving a silver Chevrolet Impala. Anyone with information on the shooting or Norris is asked to call the sheriff’s office at 903-675-5128.
KILGORE– An eighth-grade student at Kilgore Middle School suffered a severe head injury last week after being body-slammed during lunch in the school cafeteria, sparking outrage among parents and community members. According to our news partner KETK, the incident happened Thursday afternoon when Lukas Hardeman was talking with friends at the lunch table. Family members said another student picked him up and slammed him headfirst into a steel chair.
Hardeman was rushed to a local emergency room, then transferred to a Dallas hospital where surgeons cut two holes into his skull to stop bleeding and relieve swelling. Doctors later confirmed he has a six-inch skull fracture, though thankfully no signs of permanent brain damage. He now faces a long recovery that includes monthly trips to Dallas for physical and speech therapy.
The incident has drawn criticism of Kilgore ISD’s handling of bullying reports. At a school board meeting held before Hardeman’s return home, parents and community members demanded accountability and stricter policies. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL — According to our news partner KETK, two men have been arrested following a vehicle shooting early Sunday morning in Marshall that left one person seriously injured.
The Marshall Police Department responded to reports of gunfire around 2:33 a.m. in the 400 block of W. Pinecrest Drive. The victim, who sustained gunshot wounds to both legs, was taken to a hospital and remains in serious condition. As the investigation went on throughout the night and into Monday morning, police executed several search warrants. This led to the arrest of Braylon George, 20, and JerBraylon Brazzell, 19, both residents of Marshall. They are being held on a $100,000 bond.
The suspects have been charged with aggravated assault from a moving vehicle. Authorities are still searching for a third suspect involved in the incident. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The City of Tyler said that crews will start demolishing the unused South Glenwood Ground Storage Tank on Tuesday, bringing an end to the decades-old unused structure.
According to our new partner KETK, the water tank on South Glenwood Boulevard was first constructed more than 50 years ago in the 1940’s and was used to store water from Well 2. The well is being decommissioned this year as Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) phases out wells in favor of surface water sources, according to the City of Tyler.
TWU is working with Hunter Demolition and Wrecking Corporation on a $276,684 contract to remove the unused tank and its related structures, including a nearby wall, a brick building, water lines and the surrounding fence. Work on demolishing the tank and surrounding structures is expected to be complete by October 2025.
GLADEWATER – A Gladewater man was arrested on Saturday after police officers allegedly found multiple weapons and illegal drugs inside his car, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
Officers from the Gladewater Police Department stopped a vehicle blocking the roadway on South Tyler Street, where they found several firearms and marijuana inside the car. Officials said that the driver, 24-year-old Rey Rodriguez, was arrested on-site for unlawfully carrying a weapon and possession of marijuana. He was then transported to the Gregg County Jail, where he posted his $5,000 bond the same day.
“Thanks to the quick response of our officers, several weapons and illegal drugs were removed from our streets,” police said. “The Gladewater Police Department remains dedicated to keeping our community safe.”
ANGELINA COUNTY — An East Texas teen has been arrested after leading deputies on a high-speed chase on Wednesday night. According to our news partner KETK, Angelina County deputies noticed a driver in a white Cadillac going 77 mph on a 55 mph zone on Highway 94 in Hudson. As deputies attempted to catch up with the vehicle, the driver reportedly accelerated and took off.
The driver turned onto FM 1194 South and reached speeds of 85 mph. The driver, identified as Caleb Perez, 18 of Hudson, attempted to make a turn onto Parks Circle but ran off the road, through a ditch and then struck a telephone pole.
At this point, authorities arrested Perez, who had an active warrant for aggravated robbery, the sheriff’s office said. He was also charged with evading arrest with a vehicle and possession of marijuana.
Perez remains in the Angelina County Jail and is being held without bond for the active warrant.
AUSTIN – During a Natural Resources Committee hearing on Thursday, Texas State Representatives voted unanimously in favor of House Bill 27, which looks to protect East Texas aquifers. According to our news partner KETK, the bill will shut down production and export permits of certain aquifers for 16 months while the Texas Water Development Board conducts a thorough study on East Texas groundwater.
The proposal was added to the Special Session two agenda by Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday evening and he explained that the bill is intended to protect East Texas aquifers.
Before the bill was passed, State Rep Cody Harris (R-Palestine) said the proposal solidifies a promise he made to East Texans to protect their water rights.
“We need to ensure appropriate studies are conducted to protect the health of East Texas aquifers,” Abbott said in a statement Wednesday. Read the rest of this entry »
Update: KTBB confirmed Thursday afternoon with the Longview Police Department that all power has been restored.
LONGVIEW – Our news partner KETK reports that power outages in the Longview area have caused some city and school district facilities to close operations for the day.
According to the City of Longview, the Development Services office, Green Street Recreation Center and Parks and Recreation Administration building are currently without power.
Longview ISD said the LEAD Academy and the DADE center experienced a power outage. They say SWEPCO expects power to be restored later today, but the afternoon classes are canceled. Students were dismissed starting around 10:15 a.m. with buses running.
Both the district and city said they would update residents when power has been restored.
ANDERSON COUNTY – Texas death row inmate Robert Roberson is seeking another stay of execution and a new trial after claiming the Anderson County Judiciary acted unconstitutionally multiple times in his case, citing new evidence brought to Roberson’s legal team in June.
Roberson was convicted in 2003 of killing his chronically ill 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis, by violently shaking her before taking her to a hospital. A 125-page petition filed Wednesday in the 3rd District Court in Anderson County claims Nikki was taken off life support at the direction of her grandparents — despite Roberson being her sole conservator — only after representatives with the Anderson County Judiciary falsely told hospital staff the couple was Nikki’s legal conservators. Roberson was arrested for capital murder after Nikki died. Read the rest of this entry »
CHEROKEE COUNTY- A Jacksonville convicted felon has been sentenced to federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, according to a press release from the Acting U.S. Attorney’s office.
According to information presented in court, on November 17, 2023, local law enforcement responded to a call regarding reckless driving. When they arrived at the location, they were shown doorbell security camera footage of an individual later identified as Eric Pryor, 52, stepping out of a car and firing four shots at a truck. The truck went through the front yard of the residence to avoid the shots. The two vehicles were soon located on Highway 135 and Pryor admitted to firing the handgun at the truck. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW –According to a press release from the office of the Eastern District of Texas Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs, a Mexican national illegally living in Longview has been sentenced for unlawfully returning to the United States.
According to information presented in court, on August 13, 2024, Jose Refugio Jara-Palafox, 45, was arrested in Gregg County. Following the arrest, it was determined that he had been deported on five prior occasions and has multiple convictions including two DWIs, indecent exposure, leaving the scene of an accident, and presenting false documentation at a port of entry.
Jara-Palafox pleaded guilty to illegal reentry following removal, and was sentenced to 16 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker on August 21, 2025. Jara-Palafox will be deported once he has served his sentence.
TYLER – Drivers may want to take a closer look at the cars around them, according to a report from our news partner KETK. The Texas Department of Public Safety has rolled out new low-profile patrol vehicles across East Texas, designed to blend in with everyday traffic while watching for unsafe driving.
Known as “slick-top ghost-letter units,” the vehicles carry subtle markings and fewer visible lights than traditional patrol cars. DPS officials say the design gives troopers an advantage in spotting reckless drivers, impaired motorists and other roadway dangers without being easily recognized right away.
The ghost units are part of DPS’s broader push to make Texas highways safer, especially as speeding, distracted driving and impaired driving continue to be leading causes of deadly crashes statewide.
MARSHALL – UPDATE: According to Marshall PD, Highway 59 South and Travis Street have reopened after a multi-vehicle accident on Thursday morning.
ORIGINAL STORY: The Marshall Police Department is asking the public to avoid Highway 59 South and Travis Street on Monday morning while they are working a multi-vehicle accident, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
Marshall Police officers are currently investigating the cause of the crash that led to multiple lanes being blocked.
As they work to clear the scene, police are encouraging the public to avoid the area. More information will be released as updates becomes available and when lanes open back up.
TYLER – Texas Parks and Wildlife is reporting several bear sightings across East Texas and encouraging people to stay away from its path. According to our news partner KETK, it’s a rare sight for East Texans to spot a bear because the last few bears in the state are predominantly found in the southwest; however, one bear is being spotted all across the piney woods.
“We believe it’s a male, young male, subadult,” Texas Parks and Wildlife District biologist Ruben Gay said. “It has a signature upside-down Nike swoosh in a way that looks like it is on the right side of his face, so that’s helping us verify it.” Gay said with over 14 reported sightings across East Texas, they’ve been able to track his travels as he moves loosely.
“We first started tracking it in the park’s Texas area near Mud Creek, kind of over there near 204 and 110 area in Cherokee County on July 15th,” Gay said.
Seemingly every corner of East Texas has seen this bear with sightings in Anderson, Cherokee, Rusk and Panola counties. This youngster has potentially found the bare necessities in the piney woods. Read the rest of this entry »