Today is
Friday June 05, 2026
TYLER — A Tyler homeowner is stuck with a $5,000 repair bill after a viral TikTok “Door?Kick Challenge” left her garage door damaged by a stranger caught on camera.
Mishae Boren, a resident of Tyler, recounts a frightening experience when her daughter heard a loud bang as individuals struck the garage doors. The noise resembled thunder and caused the part of the house where her room is located to shake. When she and her husband ventured outside, the culprits had already left. In the darkness, they were unable to assess the damage, and it wasn’t until the following morning that they discovered the garage doors weren’t functioning properly. It was then that they reviewed their security footage to see what had happened.
Reports of this challenge have been circulating since 2021; the trend encourages individuals to kick and pound on doors, imitating a home invasion. Law enforcement agencies nationwide are advising against participation, highlighting the risks of injury as homeowners may defend themselves. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A second person has been arrested in connection with the fatal shooting at Valley Blues Club in Tyler last month. According to the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, Jaqwaylon Ogechi Pettigrew, 20, Tyler, was charged as the result of an arrest warrant affidavit. The warrants were issued for the following offenses: Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity, a 2nd degree felony – $400,000 Bond, Evading Arrest or Detention, a Class A Misdemeanor – $200,000 Bond and Tamper/Fabricate Physical Evidence with Intent to Impair, a 3rd degree felony – $300,000 Bond. Pettigrew remains in the Smith County Jail at this time. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Around 10,000 Optimum internet service customers are eligible for compensation after losing service over the weekend when two aerial fiber cables were shot, according to our news partner KETK. According to Optimum, two aerial fiber lines were hit by bullets, which severed the fiber strands within. A company representative said that repairing these lines is a delicate, time-consuming task, requiring technicians to line up hundreds of tiny hair-sized fibers to join them so light and data can flow through.
Optimum’s payment, billing and service policy allows customers to call within 30 days of a 4+ hour long outage to receive a credit for their lost service.
The Smith County Sheriff’s Office has been contacted to investigate the shooting that left the two aerial fiber lines damaged, according to Optimum.
EAST TEXAS – A dry week marked by high winds has placed several East Texas counties under burn bans or facing elevated fire danger, prompting officials to urge residents to avoid any outdoor burning, according to our news partner KETK. See below for list of these areas.
OFFICIAL BURN BAN: – Anderson County, Panola County, Harrison County, Shelby County, Rusk County, Bowie County, city of Sulphur Springs, city of New Boston and Marion County.
ELEVATED FIRE RISK: – Angelina County, Houston County, Polk County, Smith County, Titus County and Upshur County.
Even in counties without an active burn ban or advisory, residents are urged to stop all burning until dry conditions subside.
RUSK – East Texans gathered together on Saturday to continue the search for James David Blount, a Rusk man who went missing over a month ago on Dec. 2. Blount is a 57-year-old white man who’s around 5’09”, weighs about 200 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. His vehicle was found abandoned on Highway 84 West at the Neches River near the Cherokee and Anderson County line.
According to our news partner KETK, more than 40 community members gathered together to search for the second weekend in a row on Saturday morning. Searchers combed the woods on horseback and with ATVs in hopes that they’d find any evidence related to Blount’s disappearance. The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said that a $25,000 reward is being offered for anyone who provides information that leads to the location of Blount. Anyone with information about Blount is asked to call 911 or the Rusk Police Department at 903-683-2677.
BULLARD – A Bullard man arrested for child grooming in 2024 has been sentenced to serve six years on probation. According to our news partner KETK, Randy Lloyd Smith, 48 of Bullard, was arrested by the Bullard Police Department on Aug. 28, 2024 after officers helped the Smith County Sheriff’s Office find a runaway at his home in Bullard on July 25 of that year, according to Smith’s arrest affidavit.
The arrest document described how officers found four minors at the home, including the runaway. The runaway minor was interviewed by law enforcement and said that, after they left their parent’s home, an unnamed person had picked them up to go to Smith’s house. An investigator interviewed another one of the minors found at Smith’s home. That minor said Smith was touching one of the other minors inappropriately and that he had bought them all alcohol, vapes and a sex toy. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — Due to high winds and dry conditions, Smith County ESD 2 is seeing a high volume of wildland and grass fires today.
According to our news partner KETK and ESD 2 Fire Chief Eric Greaser, they have received roughly 40 calls Thursday regarding wildfires, some of which are threatening structures. Greaser said most fires have been three to five acres; however, one reached about 30 acres. Greaser believes dry fuels, low humidity and high wind conditions are causing the uptick in fires. Greaser also stated that most of the calls they have received regarding wildfires are in the southern part of Smith County, impacting areas including Whitehouse, Bullard, and Flint.
While Smith County is currently not under a burn ban, Greaser is asking residents to refrain from burning brush piles and be cautious while grilling due to the high volume of fires. Greaser also advised against discarding cigars or similar products in the grass and miscellaneous burning.
HENDERSON COUNTY — Two alleged heroin dealers were arrested following a New Year’s Eve traffic stop in Henderson County that led deputies to suspected meth, heroin and drug paraphernalia.
According to our news partner KETK, Henderson County sheriff’s deputies stopped a vehicle about 5:45 p.m. in the 600 block of Peach Tree Road in the Mabank area. A deputy identified the driver and passenger as Karin Elizabeth Beamon, 47, and Amanda Grace Hayes, 46. Additional deputies and a K-9 unit were called to the scene to conduct an open-air sniff. The K-9 alerted on the vehicle, and deputies searched the car where they found suspected methamphetamine in a plastic bag, a used glass pipe and other drug paraphernalia.
During the investigation, deputies learned the women were allegedly planning to travel to Dallas to purchase heroin and bring it back to Henderson County. Hayes also admitted to concealing a plastic bag containing a large amount of heroin on her person, according to deputies. Read the rest of this entry »
Happy New Year from all of us at KTBB 97.5FM and 92.1 The TEAM FM! – May this new year bring you a peace filled life, warmth and togetherness in your family and much prosperity! May all your expectations and goals be fulfilled!
TATUM — The second wanted suspect in the Tatum Police Department’s investigation of a series of June car burglaries has turned himself in.
According to our news partner and Tatum police, Cecil Deon Ruffin surrendered to the department on Dec. 8. He currently remains in Rusk County Jail on a $50,000 bond. Ruffin was one of three wanted suspects in the case, which involved multiple car burglaries across Tatum. The investigation began in June when authorities identified seven car burglary cases, six at Tatum Baseball Park and one elsewhere within city limits. Police determined the incidents were linked to organized criminal activity.
On July 2, another theft was reported when a woman allegedly drove through a Vera Bank in Lufkin and withdrew several thousand dollars from a victim’s account.
Authorities later identified the woman from the Vera Bank as Amanda Martin. Read the rest of this entry »
WASKOM — The two children killed in a Waskom house fire have been identified by Harrison County officials as brothers Isaac Nicholas Pedraza, 8, and Hector Cesar Pedraza, 11.
On Dec. 30, Harrison County emergency units responded to a call of a residential structure fully engulfed in flames with possible occupants trapped in the 300 to 400 block of Noble Street in Waskom. Officers arrived on the scene and immediately requested for additional emergency resources, confirming the structure was fully involved and that two children were believed to still be inside the residence.
According to our news partner KETK and the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, the father of the children sustained injuries while attempting to rescue his sons and was later transported by air to a local hospital where he received treatment for his burns. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department is investigating a shooting that led to the death of one person on Saturday evening.
According to our news partner KETK, officers responded to a reported shooting in the 100th block of West Highland at around 7 p.m. Once on the scene, authorities located one man who had sustained gunshot wounds. The victim, later identified as Byrondrick Davis, was taken to a local hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Longview Police Department at 903-237-1199 or Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-7867.
UPDATE: The Texas Department of Public Safety identified the pedestrian who was killed in Thursday’s crash as Rodolfo Mora, 68, Tyler. The investigation remains ongoing and no charges have been filed against the driver at this time.
TYLER – A man has died after being hit by a vehicle on Loop 323 in Tyler on Thursday. According to Smith County Justice of the Peace Andy Dunklin and our news partner KETK, a man was hit by a vehicle while in the 200 block of East NE Loop 323 near Lavender Road. Dunklin pronounced the man dead at the scene and has ordered an autopsy to be performed.
RUSK — A search is scheduled for Saturday in Rusk as volunteers gather to look for missing man James David Blount, who was last seen on Dec. 2. According to our news partner KETK, Saturday’s search is scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. at Truckerz, located on West Sixth Street in Rusk. Participants will search wooded areas on foot. Volunteers are encouraged to wear sturdy shoes or boots, brightly colored clothing and safety vests if available. ATVs, four-wheelers and vehicles capable of traveling dirt roads are also encouraged.
Blount is described as a white man who is 5 feet, 9 inches tall, weighs about 200 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. Rusk police said he was last seen on Tuesday, Dec. 2. His vehicle was later found along Highway 84 near the Neches River on Dec. 6.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office said a $25,000 reward is being offered for information that leads to Blount’s location. Law enforcement agencies, along with Heal Corp., previously searched the Neches River and surrounding areas however, as of Dec. 21, those efforts had not located Blount.
LONGVIEW — Longview Transit and R&K Distributors are partnering up to provide free rides to anyone within Longview city limits on New Year’s Eve. The “Safe-Ride-Home” initiative is back for the tenth year, providing curb-to-curb pickup and scheduled ride services to anyone from 8 p.m. on Dec. 31 to 3 a.m. on Jan. 1. Whether riders have had a couple drinks or simply do not want to drive that night, the free rides make transportation easier and safer for everyone in the Longview area.
Start the year off safe and schedule your free ride at 903-753-2287 or at http://www.longviewtransit.com starting Dec. 27, at 8 a.m.