Today is
Friday June 05, 2026
SABINE COUNTY– According to our news partner KETK, four more people were arrested by the Sabine County Sheriff’s Office over the weekend in connection with “Operation Crystal Ball.” The sheriff’s office first initiated the operation in March in order to combat meth activity in the county. Since its start, the operation has resulted in more than a dozen charges involving nearly 20 individuals, as well as the seizure of approximately 495 grams of methamphetamine.
As the operation is in its completion phase, members of the sheriff’s office are arresting individuals who were found dealing meth or in possession of large amounts of drugs. Those arrested over the weekend include: Lori Nicole Williams: charged with the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, Kade Harley: charged with the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, Cody Rhodes: charged with the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance and Justin Tood Short: charged with possession of a controlled substance.
All four people arrested over the weekend remain in custody.
NEW BOSTON – East Texas State Rep. Gary VanDeaver of New Boston said on Monday that he won’t be running for reelection in Texas House District 1 in 2026. This announcement comes less than two months after the Republican Party of Texas officially penalized him for making votes and taking actions against party platform policies.
Our news partner KETK News spoke with VanDeaver on Monday. He said he’s been working up to this announcement for the past couple of months and those penalties had nothing to do with it.
“This is a decision I’ve been working on trying to make for at least two months. Really a little longer than that. I just believe the time is right,” VanDeaver said. “I believe that these representative positions were never intended to make careers and never intended to be full time jobs. Our forefathers they set up a system where we serve temporarily and then we go home and we live under the laws we make and so at the end of this term, I will have served for 12 years, and I just believe that’s really long enough.”
Photo courtesy of Gary VanDeaver.
VanDeaver’s last term will end in Jan. 2027 and several candidates have already announced campaigns to replace him as State Representative for House District 1. Sean Huffman is running unopposed so far in the Democratic Primary, while Josh Bray and Chris Spencer have both announced their running in the Republican Primary. Read the rest of this entry »
ZAVALLA – The Huntington Volunteer Fire Department assisted at the scene of a house fire that was started by lightning on Saturday night. According to our news partner KETK, Huntington VFD were called out at around 11:37 p.m. on Saturday to assist Zavalla Volunteer Fire Department with a fire burning a home on Massey Road near FM 1270. The fire reportedly started when lightning struck the home’s roof, burned a hole in the side of the attic, allowing winds to spread the flames faster than the firefighters could stop it. After fighting the fire for 4 hours, the roof collapsed and most of the items inside the home were destroyed.
Angelina River Fire Rescue and the Colmesneil Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the scene on Saturday.
HENDERSON COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, recent federal funding cuts have put Henderson County’s plans to expand high-speed internet access into jeopardy. The county, Texas was originally slated to receive $3.3 billion from the federal government’s Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program but that amount was recently cut down to $1.3 billion.
“This reduction directly jeopardizes the county’s plan because Phase III relies on the federal BEAD money,” Henderson County said on Friday. “The county’s plan was designed to connect every resident to high-speed internet. Officials chose to split the work into three phases because the overall project is large and costly.”
County officials explained that the project’s second phase is currently in the process of connecting nearly 5,000 locations in rural Henderson County, thanks to $2.3 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds and other state funds. Read the rest of this entry »
Happy Thanksgiving! All of us here at KTBB and The Team FM would like to express our appreciation for our listeners and sponsors, and send you warm wishes for a very Happy Thanksgiving! May this day be a beautiful reminder of all the wonderful things in life.
TYLER — AAA has projected an unprecedented number of travelers this weekend. According to KETK up to 5.8 million drivers in Texas and 81.8 million drivers nationwide from Wednesday to Monday. Consequently, it’s essential to be prepared for any potential road mishaps. AAA advises travelers to hit the road early, ideally before 11 A.M., or any time after 8 p.m. to avoid commuter traffic.
Daniel Armbruster from AAA emphasizes, “Tired driving can be just as dangerous as drunk driving. It’s crucial to take naps and rest during holiday travel.” He recommends setting a designated rest stop every 100 miles to maintain alertness while driving. As you prepare for your travels, reports indicate that Smith County is averaging $2.53 per gallon for fuel, which is 10 cents lower than the current state average. To find the lowest gas prices before heading out on your trip, visit KETK’s East Texas Gas Prices.
TYLER — On Tuesday morning, just one week after Smith County Precinct 4 decided to join the 287(g) Task Force Program — which permits local agents to enforce immigration protocols — concerns from employees and business owners are surfacing. According to our news partner KETK, a meeting, hosted by the Tyler Area Builders Association, brought together restaurant owners, hospitality and construction workers, along with other industry leaders. Among the attendees was Bob Westbrook, a member of the Texas Restaurant Association, who expressed his worries about how employee absenteeism could impact the economy.
Westbrook stated, “It’s important that our employees feel safe going to the grocery store, that they feel safe going to school, that they feel safe coming to work because we desperately need them. If not, businesses lose essential workers; service slows, projects stall, and the economic ripple affects every resident.”
This issue is hitting the construction industry and housing market particularly hard. Kerry Hamblett from the Tyler Area Builders Association noted that the already minimally staffed construction sector could face even greater shortages. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — As Cyber Monday and online holiday shopping ramp up, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is reminding East Texans to take steps to shop safely online. DPS Chief Information Officer Jessica Ballew says the high volume of shoppers during the holidays creates prime opportunities for online scams.
“Scammers count on people being distracted, rushing to make purchases, or simply losing track of what they’ve bought,” Ballew said. She adds that taking a few extra seconds to verify a website, use a secure connection or check for trust seals can help protect your data from being compromised.
Our news partner KETK recommends shopping with trusted sources and well-known retailers, and avoiding unsolicited links sent through emails, texts or online ads. Scammers may promote fake websites with deals that seem too good to be true or send fake package-tracking messages. DPS advises shoppers to watch for odd formatting or subtle spelling errors. Read the rest of this entry »
MINEOLA — Two Christmas parades in East Texas will not include horses after Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller issued an urgent alert to horse owners and trainers regarding the reporting of Equine Herpesvirus Type 1 in Waco. According to our news partner KETK, the Mineola Chamber of Commerce has cancelled all horse entries for this year’s Christmas Parade out of an abundance of caution.
“This decision was not made lightly, but the health and safety of our community—and our four-legged friends—comes first,” Mineola officials said. “We appreciate everyone’s understanding and look forward to welcoming horse entries back in future parades when it is safe to do so.”
On Friday afternoon, the New Boston Chamber of Commerce also announced it would not include horses in their Christmas Parade. Read the rest of this entry »
PANOLA COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a Central Heights Middle School teacher has been put on leave following a sexual assault arrest. Landon Christopher Odom, 26 of Gary, was apprehended on Thursday and taken into custody following a sexual assault investigation involving a minor.
Central Heights ISD released a statement shortly after that the instructor was placed on leave and removed from all school-related responsibilities.
“It is the District’s understanding that the investigation does not relate to school-based conduct or students of CHISD,” the district said in a statement issued on Friday.
The district added that it is cooperating fully with law enforcement and remains committed to maintaining transparency with parents and the community. The investigation is ongoing as authorities continue gathering evidence and conducting interviews. Odom is being held on a $100,000 bond in the Panola County Jail.
MARSHALL — A federal lawsuit claims an East Texas rehabilitation program built around manual labor instead functioned as an unpaid labor pipeline, one that seized participants’ tips, controlled their benefits and kept them working across several businesses. The lawsuit, filed in the Eastern District of Texas, details accusations against Timothy Wiseman, Wiseman Ministries Inc., Wiseman Transport LLC, ten unnamed defendants and the ministry’s recovery program, Isaiah 58 Farms.
According to our news partner KETK, Isaiah 58 Farms is a 150-acre income-producing commercial blackberry farm with housing for up to 40 men, allowing residents to “experience restoration and recovery.” Active since 2003, Wiseman Ministries says it helps individuals dealing with “life-controlling issues.” However, the lawsuit argues that Tim Wiseman and Wiseman Ministries failed to pay employees despite requiring them to work 40-hour weeks.
The lawsuit claims that instead of lawful wages, participants received “points” or credits. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has reappointed three East Texans to serve on the board of directors of the Sabine River Authority of Texas. According to our news partner KETK, Richard “Blair” Abney of Marshall, Joshua A. “Josh” McAdams of Center and Cliff Todd of Long Branch were all reappointed to the board on Thursday, along with Kevin M. Williams of Orange.
As members of the Sabine River Authority’s board of directors, the East Texans will help to conserve, store, control, preserve, utilize and distribute the Sabine River’s waters.
Todd is a farmer and rancher in Panola County and serves as an Executive Vice President for Topcat Companies in Longview. Todd’s also a member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, a board member of UT Health Carthage and a commissioner with the Panola County Emergency Services District. He received his bachelor’s of science degree in agriculture from Stephen F. Austin University in Nacogdoches. Read the rest of this entry »
East Texas HS Football Scoreboard – Carthage, Marshall, Kilgore, and Athens still fighting for a championship; Troup and Pine Tree are done. Check all the high school football scores on the East Texas High School Football Scoreboard!
RAINS COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK charges have been dropped in a case where a Rains County judge was accused of tampering with a witness.
Rains County Justice of the Peace Robert Jenkins Franklin was arrested on two counts of official oppression and two counts of tampering with a witness in May, after he was accused of telling a defendant, “I heard you have a problem with me, boy. You take that deal, boy — or dead men can’t testify.”
Van Zandt County District Attorney Tonda Curry was assigned to serve in the case and she told KETK News that the charges against Franklin in this case were dropped because the evidence against him was enough for an indictment but later investigation called witnesses into question and she couldn’t prove the case beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to Curry, the indictment against Franklin will officially be dropped once he completes a year of deferred adjudication that he recently received in a disorderly conduct/display of a firearm case. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY — A murder mystery that lingered for nearly four decades has finally been solved, thanks to cutting-edge forensic testing funded by a Texas-based non-profit dedicated to cracking cold cases. According to our news partner KETK, Seasons of Justice, founded in 2020, specializes in financing advanced DNA analysis for long-stalled investigations. Its work proved crucial in identifying the person responsible for the 1987 killing of 29-year-old Rickey Herriage — a brutal crime that had haunted Henderson County investigators for 38 years.
Herriage was murdered in the late hours of March 7, 1987, after he was shot multiple times and thrown from a bridge. His body wasn’t recovered until 1 p.m. on March 8 by a man picking up beer cans on a bank on County Road 1500. His case remained dormant until 2019, when Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse revived the investigation and sent clothing from the original crime scene to Pure Gold Forensics in Redlands, California. Technicians there extracted a usable DNA profile and entered it into the national CODIS database, but no immediate match surfaced.
Determined to push further, the sheriff’s office partnered with Seasons of Justice to pursue more exhaustive DNA testing. The expanded analysis finally produced a breakthrough: a match linking the DNA on Herriage’s clothing to Dallas Reynolds Casanova. Read the rest of this entry »