Today is
Friday June 05, 2026
TYLER — Several roads in downtown Tyler have seen an increase in traffic and an impact on parking due to ongoing construction. According to our news partner KETK, College Avenue and Erwin Street are the busiest roads downtown, while Elm Street, near The Foundry, is also closed. This has removed dozens of parking spaces and has made getting to restaurants like Heritage East and Moocho Burrito challenging.
Multiple businesses within the square are reporting dips in sales. Good Vibez Nutrition reports a 20% loss over the past year, Crema reports a 20% decrease, and Heritage East reports a 15% decline in bar revenue. Downtown restaurants and retail say the road projects have affected parking, equipment deliveries, and overall attendance.
Good Vibez Nutrition has started thinking of the resources needed to keep businesses up past this rebuilding period. Read the rest of this entry »
WINNSBORO — A former and a current Winnsboro Independent School District superintendent were arrested Monday on charges related to failing to report child abuse. According to our news partner KETK, Brian David Wilcox, Ashley Wilcox and Aaron Nation were booked into the Wood County Jail on Monday, the school district on Monday.
Wilcox is charged with two counts of failure to report child abuse with intent to conceal and remains in the Wood County Jail on a $30,000 bond. Nation faces charges of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence and failure to report child abuse with intent to conceal. His bond was set at $40,000 and has since been released. Wilcox previously served as Winnsboro ISD superintendent before resigning in September 2025 to take another school position. Nation has served as the district’s interim superintendent since Wilcox’s resignation and was named the district’s new superintendent on Jan. 6. His arrest comes just a week after his appointment. Read the rest of this entry »
CUMBY, Texas (KETK) — 56 dogs were seized from a property in Hopkins County, just weeks after a video surfaced on social media showing the owner shooting at a dog and leaving it for dead.
The owner’s attorneys told KETK News on Monday that the video’s portrayal and the ensuing speculation on social media are misleading. Here’s what we know:
Giant German Shepherds
Kristine Hicks and her family own and operate the Giant German Shepherd’s Ranch in Cumby, where a variety of German Shepherds are bred to serve as family companions, guard dogs, service dogs or working dogs.
Hicks’ attorney states that for over 20 years, Hicks and her family have been “legally breeding, raising and rescuing” German Shepherds. They have provided dogs to officers in Dallas, Fort Worth and the Waco area. Additionally, the dogs they have bred have been sent to Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, to Army Special Forces and they have donated puppies to disabled Marine veterans.
“Their reputation with law enforcement, military and civilian customers is impeccable and their accolades and experience speak for themselves,” her attorney’s office said.
Arrest made, dogs seized
The Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office said Hicks was arrested on Dec. 21 and was charged with cruelty to a non-livestock animal. Additional state and federal agencies have been contacted for assistance in the ongoing investigation into the ranch.
Hicks’ lawyers claim that the dog killed in the video had a large mass of tissue that was dragging on the ground and causing the animal discomfort.
Hicks welcomed investigators and the Animal Investigation and Response team to the property on Jan. 1 for an animal welfare check. Their statement claimed that an investigator told them there was no criminal neglect at the ranch.
Yet, shortly after their visit, federal law enforcement contacted the SPCA of Texas to assist in removing the dogs from the property.
“This situation required an immediate and coordinated response for a large number of animals, and we are grateful for our experienced and compassionate staff members whose expertise is critical in providing lifesaving care,” SPCA of Texas senior vp and chief operating officer MeLissa Webber said.
On Saturday, SPCA staff loaded 56 dogs into crates and took them to the Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center, where they plan to medically evaluate and forensically examine the animals.
Threats made to Hicks
Hicks and her family have received countless death threats since the video surfaced.
“Every night has become a nightmare as they attempt to return to a sense of normalcy, not knowing whether further verbal or direct threats to their lives will occur. Kerra, the dog referenced in the video, had developed a grapefruit-sized mass on her breast tissue that was dragging on the ground and causing significant discomfort,” Hicks’ lawyers said. “They have been fully cooperative with the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office and the Animal Investigation and Response team throughout multiple visits to their property and look forward to clearing their names in court.”
MOUNT ENTERPRISE – Rusk County Emergency Services said that a serious crash blocked State Highway 315 to the north of Mount Enterprise on Sunday. According to Rusk County Emergency Services, a crash between vehicles possibly resulted a death at around 5:35 p.m. on State Highway 315, just to the north of the City of Mount Enterprise. Officials said they expected the crash to block the roadway until around 8:30 p.m. while they investigate and clean up the scene.
The roadway has since reopened.
HENDERSON COUNTY – A man has been arrested for capital murder in connection to the 2018 killing of Gabriel and Beverly McBride of Chandler.
According to our news partner KETK, in 2018, Gabriel McBride, 47 of Chandler, and his daughter, 17-year-old Beverly McBride, were both found shot to death in their home to the south of Chandler. New evidence, witness information and years of investigation led to an arrest warrant to be issued in this case for Lance Kaeden Rains, 25 of Chandler. Rains was taken into custody on Saturday and is currently being held in the Henderson County Jail on a charge of capital murder of multiple persons. Rains is being held on a $2 million bond.
The sheriff’s office thanked the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Rangers, the Henderson County District Attorney’s Office, the Henderson County Attorney’s Office, the Midwest City Police Department of Oklahoma and the community for their help in this case.
SMITH COUNTY — A routine traffic stop for speeding in Smith County resulted in the arrest of a man wanted on a drug-related warrant. Authorities also seized nearly $30,000 in cash, a firearm and evidence suggesting a money laundering scheme. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County deputies stopped a vehicle on Dec. 28 along Highway 31 East and identified the driver, Tyler James Starling, who was wanted on an active warrant for possession of approximately 10 pounds of marijuana that authorities say had been smuggled and left at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
Starling was taken into custody, and deputies searched his vehicle, where they seized a handgun, a cellphone and $29,528 in cash, Smith County arresting documents revealed.
When asked about his employment, Starling told deputies he owned a trucking company. Investigators later confirmed the company existed but found the LLC had been inactive. A search of the Texas Workforce Commission showed no reported work history for Starling, and company mileage records indicated roughly 1,000 miles driven since the business was formed in 2021. Read the rest of this entry »
LINDALE – East Texans gathered near Highway 69 in Lindale to protest against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) after Renee Good was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minnesota on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, the protestors joined demonstrations being held across the state and country after the killing of Good, which has prompted nationwide debate over ICE operations. An organizer from Saturday’s protest explained why they came out to demonstrate.
“To wake up and open their eyes to all of the illegal activities that are being pushed on us by the Trump administration, he is totally ignoring the Constitution of the United States of America,” Smith County Democratic Party precinct chair Tony Johns said. “We’re going to put a stop to it and protest is a visible main means to let everybody know that the Democrats are alive and well, especially in this very conservative part of East Texas.” Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN – Several Angelina County fire departments battled an hours-long commercial structure fire at a business off Highway 69 near Lufkin on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, the Fuller Springs Volunteer Fire Department responded to reports of structure fire at the East Texas Diesel auto repair shop at around 5:10 p.m.
The City of Huntington Volunteer Fire Department then responded with an engine at 5:15 p.m. along with crews from the Hudson Volunteer Fire Department, the Zavalla Volunteer Fire Department, the Diboll Fire Department, the Moffett Fire Department, the Central Volunteer Fire Department, the Rivercrest Redland Volunteer Fire Department and the Lufkin Fire Department.
The fire was ultimately extinguished and all firefighters had cleared the scene by 10:44 p.m. on Friday. Huntington VFD said no injuries were reported from the fire.
GUN BARREL CITY – Two duck hunters were saved from Cedar Creek Lake by a Gun Barrel City Fire Department rescue boat on Saturday after their duck hunting boat sank.
According to our news partner KETK, the Gun Barrel City Fire Department said they responded to a report of a duck hunting boat taking on water on Cedar Creek Lake near Oak Hill Drive at around 10:16 a.m. on Saturday. The Seven Points Fire Department arrived at the shore of the lake first and searched for the boaters in the lake near Oak Hill Drive. They couldn’t spot the boaters or their boat, which had sank, according to Gun Barrel City Fire Department.
Gun Barrel City Rescue Boat 1 was launched along with a Tool Fire Department rescue boat. The lake had high winds at waves at the time which reduced the searcher’s visibility on the lake.
The two men were found by the Gun Barrel City rescue boat nearly 500 yards away from Oak Hill Drive. The men were in the 56-degree water for around 90 minutes and were taken to a local hospital to be evaluated.
“I am very proud of how all of the agencies worked together today to rescue the duck hunters and safely return them to their families,” Gun Barrel City assistant fire chief Jason Raney said. “The conditions on the lake, with high winds and rough water, made this a very dangerous rescue for the personnel aboard Rescue Boat 1.”
The Texas Game Wardens are currently investigating the sinking of the duck hunting boat.
EAST TEXAS — As Texas’ labor force reached record high numbers of over 15.9 million people in 2025, three East Texan cities saw changes in employment and unemployment rates.
On Friday, the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) announced that the Texas civilian labor force has grown to a total of 15,938,000 people registered after adding 59,900 people since September 2025. The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in Texas is registered at 4.2%. In East Texas, the Longview metropolitan statistical area (MSA) saw an increase in employment while Texarkana MSA and Tyler MSA saw increases in both employment and unemployment since 2024.
Tyler’s unemployment rate currently sits at 4%, the lowest of the three East Texas cities. Longview and Texarkana rates compare at 4.6% and 4.4%, respectively.
“Texas’ increasing job numbers are encouraging, and it’s vital that these are good jobs that provide family-sustaining wages and benefits for Texas workers,” Alberto Treviño III, the TWC Commissioner Representing Labor said. “We must continue to prioritize investments in skills training and development to ensure that all Texans can access these opportunities and share in the state’s prosperity.” Read the rest of this entry »
OVERTON — Overton is appealling the Texas Department of Transportation’s (TxDOT) order to remove horseshoe-shaped road markings from Warren Street.
According to our news partner KETK, the appeal process officially began Thursday after TxDOT directed the city to remove the markings, saying they do not comply with a new order from Gov. Greg Abbott requiring the removal of nonstandard surface markings from Texas roadways. TxDOT notified the city by email on Dec. 8 that the horseshoe markings needed to be removed as soon as possible, citing letters sent in October to all affected cities and counties. The City of Overton said they never received the October letter.
On Dec. 18, the Overton City Council voted to formally appeal the decision, arguing that the horseshoes represent the city’s school mascot, the Mustang, and have been painted on Warren Street since the early 1990s. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – Longview City Council officially approved a contract to repair the public pool at the Paula Martin Jones recreation center on Thursday. The pool first closed in March of 2025 but was closed again after leaking issues continued in the pool’s gutter system. At their meeting on Thursday, city council approved a $417,000 contract with Sunbelt Pools, Inc. of Dallas to repair the pool.
“Our aquatics consultant worked with us on the Stanford pool. They actually have walked through the facility,” Longview Parks and Recreation Department director John Albertson said. “They’ve looked at everything that we’ve recommended, and they agreed that those were necessary repairs to make in order to get it back operational.”
The repairs are expected to start in the next few weeks and could take up to six months before they’re finished, according to our news partner KETK.
GREGG COUNTY — A suspect in connection with the 2012 fatal shooting in Longview has been extradited from Mexico to face trial. Longview Police Department Public Information Officer LaDarian Brown confirmed Jose Amaro Olivarez has been extradited to face trial after being charged with murder due to allegedly killing Francisco Roque in 2012.
According to our news partner KETK, Roque was allegedly shot by Olivarez several times in the 800 Block of Dalston Avenue following an argument between the two. Roque, who was 38 at the time, was later taken to a local hospital, where he died due to his wounds.
Olivarez, who was 26 years old at the time, fled the scene before officers arrived and was last seen in a 1998 Ford Van prior to his arrest. Olivarez was booked into the Smith County Jail on Tuesday before being taken to the Gregg County Jail on Wednesday.
TYLER — Arrest documents detail the moment a 23-year-old man was shot five times outside a Tyler nightclub on Dec. 28 in what the Smith County Sheriff’s Office claims involved the West Side Rolling 60’s Crips gang. According to our news partner KETK, Aaron Gordon Johnson Jr. arrived at The Valley Blues Club on Dec. 28, 2025, with his two half-brothers. Smith County records indicate he had a 9mm Glock 19, but had left the firearm in his vehicle.
Johnson told investigators that while inside the club Westside gang members attempted to start problems with him and his half-brothers. At that point, he decided to return to his car so he could drive to the club entrance and pick them up but said he was being followed by gang members.
When the car failed to start, he retrieved the gun from the vehicle, placed it in his waistband and began walking back toward the club. Read the rest of this entry »
CHEROKEE COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a court is requiring the Cherokee County Republican Party to put a candidate on the primary ballot after she was denied due to errors found in her application to run. Karen Morris applied to run on the general primary ballot on Dec. 8 for the Cherokee County Republican Chair position, currently held by Janet Stanovich.
Morris’ application was denied on Dec. 12 as the party claimed the application was incomplete because she had not listed the office she is seeking and left two sections of the petition incomplete. After learning that her application was denied, she texted a respondent asking whether she could submit a new petition to have it accepted, but the respondent did not answer.
On Dec. 15, Morris provided the party with a declaration to be a write-in candidate for the primary ballot and a completed petition to run for the position. Morris also sent a formal written demand that the respondent accept her application. Read the rest of this entry »