Today is
Saturday June 06, 2026
HAWKINS – Friday night, the Hawkins City Council met in a special session, with the agenda only holding one item to discuss and vote on hiring the law firm ‘Flowers Davis’ in Tyler to represent the city in a termination appeal.
According to a report from our news partner KETK, former Hawkins officer, Eric Tuma, was removed from his position by the city council earlier this month. A highly debated move and amid ongoing department drama. Mayor Debbie Rushing said the special session decision will be helpful and could lead to hiring a city attorney.
“Having that mediator will be nice,” Rushing said.
According to former councilwoman, Eleta Taylor, the council has tried to get legal representation for the city several times.
“We did try when I was on the council several times to get one, and it didn’t go right,” Taylor said. “…Three, at least three or four times, I’m thinking we tried to get it.”
During the meeting, some residents said using this specific firm could be a conflict of interest, but Mayor Debbie Rushing said it would not. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY – A 42-year-old man was found guilty of continuous sexual abuse of a young child on Thursday and sentenced to life in prison by a Henderson County jury, according to our news partner KETK.
Manuel Lynn Tijerina will spend the rest of his life in prison without the possibility of parole after being found guilty in a child sexual abuse case involving a 9-year-old.
The Eustace Police Department said they received a report from Child Protective Services on July 15, 2021 regarding the victim’s outcry of sexual abuse from a family member. Officials learned that Tijerina was touching the victim as they laid in the same bed. The victim told a forensic interviewer with Maggie’s House Child Advocacy Center that Tijerina touched them multiple times. One of the victim’s siblings said that Tijerina touched their upper thigh numerous times and made sexual comments toward them.
According to officials, both siblings saw Tijerina physically abuse their mother and went on to testify against him in court. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Our news partner KETK Reports that Jon Leslie Wilbeck, a 20-year firefighter for the City of Tyler, was arrested on Thursday for driving while intoxicated.
According to Smith County arrest records, Wilbeck was arrested for driving while intoxicated by the Tyler Police Department and was released hours later.
City of Tyler Fire Chief, David Coble, has confirmed that Wilbeck is a current employee and that the department has taken action following the incident.
“The fire chief, which is myself, has opened an internal affairs investigation into the matter,” Coble said. “Of course, he is innocent until proven guilty, we are going to do an investigation and afterwards we will decide what happens.”
NACOGDOCHES – According to a report from our news partner KETK, a Nacogdoches man was sentenced for threatening to shoot a woman to death.
Two years ago, a Nacogdoches woman was getting ready for church when a man appeared in her bathroom and threatened to kill her with a rifle. On Thursday, the man received five years in prison, the minimum sentence for burglary of a habitation with intent to commit aggravated assault.
The Nacogdoches County District Attorney’s Office identified the man as William Hagan, who said he would kill the victim due to her alleged lies. The victim attempted to defuse the situation, but he went on to grab his rifle and told her he was going to kill her and then himself.
According to officials, Hagan told the victim it would not hurt when he shot her, and considered going to where she worked and killing her there. Hagan then told her he would allow her one phone call before he shot her after she stated she wanted to call her son. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – An East Texas native plans to run for the U.S. House of Representatives in Texas’ First Congressional District, according to a report from The Tyler Morning Telegraph.
Dax Alexander, a democrat, announced on June 24th that he will be running a grassroots campaign, challenging incumbent U.S. Representative Nathaniel Moran. Alexander says that his campaign is focused on “real representation and community-first values”. His platform is centered around issues he says affect families across the district.
Some of Alexander’s areas of focus include bi-partisan immigration reform, expanding medicare, lower prescription drug costs, gun safety with universal background checks and red flag laws, climate and environmental protections, reproductive rights, and government accountability. The Smith County Young Democrats have endorsed Alexander, and have called him “a bold new leader who actually reflects the values and hopes of East Texans.”
Congressman Moran was chosen by voters in November 2022, and is currently serving in his second term. Before being elected, the congressman served as the Smith County Judge, a Tyler City Council member, and Mayor Pro Tem of Tyler. Read the rest of this entry »
FRANKSTON – In a report from our news partner KETK, the Frankston Police Department said the Spring Market grocery store on Pine Street was broken into early this morning.
According to police, a citizen saw the suspected vehicle at around 4:50 a.m. in the parking lot. The store was subsequently broken into, and the ATM was stolen. Officials said no arrest has been made and the investigation is ongoing. The police department is expected to release additional information.
POLK COUNTY – A man was arrested in Polk County after a number of different drugs, including crack cocaine and methamphetamine, were found inside his apartment, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
On Wednesday, members of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office and the Livingston Police Department executed a search of an apartment in Livingston as part of an ongoing drug trafficking investigation. The apartment belonged to Michael Dewayne Montgomery, who had been a primary suspect in the investigation.
According to officials, once inside the apartment, a number of different drugs were found, firearms and multiple different materials used to distribute drugs.
Drugs found inside the apartment include, five ounces of crack cocaine, one ounce of powdered cocaine, two and a half ounces of pressed methamphetamine pills, one pound of synthetic marijuana, and one ounce of marijuana.
Following the investigation, Montgomery was arrested and charged with four counts of manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance, along with endangerment of a child and unlawful possession of a firearm.
TYLER — As East Texas cities gear up for a star-spangled celebration this Fourth of July, our news partner KETK has put together a list of festive events happening in towns such as Canton, Longview, Lufkin and Tyler.
Big Sandy
America the Beautiful Fourth of July Parade and Fireworks Show: The parade lineup begins at 8 p.m. on Wiley Boulevard, with the parade starting around 8:30 p.m. Following the parade, the fireworks show will start at approximately 9 p.m.
Date: July 4 at 8 p.m.
Bullard
Blast over Bullard and Kids’ Bike Brigade: This event will feature activities for all ages, including games, local vendors, food, and live music. Don’t miss the Kids’ Bike Brigade, coordinated by the Bullard Police Department during the Blast Over Bullard event.
Date: June 28 from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Read the rest of this entry »
ANGELINA COUNTY — A man was arrested by Angelina County officials on Thursday for allegedly burglarizing Roganville Baptist Church in Jasper County.
According to our news partner KETK and Angelina County Sheriff Tom Selman, officials placed a warrant for Gavyn Randall Deaton’s arrest as a suspect in the burglary of the Roganville Baptist Church. Angelina County deputies stopped and arrested Deaton without incident at around 12:45 p.m.
Selman said Deaton is facing three burglary charges and is currently booked in the Angelina County Jail. Official are working to extradite Deaton back to Jasper County.
SMITH COUNTY – Texas Highway Patrol is investigating after a hit-and-run left a bicyclist dead on Thursday in Smith County, according to our news partner KETK.
During the early morning hours on Highway 64 near Big Oak Bay Road, a bicyclist was struck by an unknown vehicle, and the vehicle did not stop. The rider was found dead and the department is investigating this case as a fatal hit-and-run.
East Texans are encouraged to contact the Texas Highway Patrol in Tyler if they have any information.
PANOLA COUNTY – The Panola County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man they suspect was responsible for several burglaries earlier in the month, according to our news partner KETK.
After multiple burglaries occurred along Highway 795 and Highway 149 in the Beckville and Tatum areas, investigators gathered information that led them to believe that 25-year-old Kobe Holt of Carthage was a suspect in the burglaries.
Holt was arrested during a traffic stop on Tuesday. The following day, officials obtained a search warrant at a home off Highway 315 in Carthage, and recovered stolen property, including a firearm and power tools which were returned to the victims.
Based on the property recovered, officials believe Holt is linked to at least eight burglaries that will be presented to the Criminal District Attorney’s Office. Investigators will continue to search for the remaining stolen property. Additional charges are expected.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact the Panola County Sheriff’s office.
TYLER — The Tyler City Council approved a $1,277,421 project contract on Wednesday aimed at improving six locations that are prone to flooding in Tyler according to our news partner KETK.
The city said they went into a contract with Reynolds & Kay LTD for the 2025 Structure Flooding Project funded by the Stormwater Capital Outlay Budget and Half Cent Sales Tax Fund. This project will tackle frequent flooding issues experienced by the following six areas: Persimmon Drive, Haverhill Drive and Old Henderson area, Golden Rd and Black Fork Creek, Kensington Drive, parts of Ninth Street and Princedale.
This part of the project is all about the stormwater system as hundreds of feet of new piping, new inlets, a concreate junction box and outfall protection will be placed to direct water away from homes. Sidewalks and fencing will also be replaced.
Construction is expected to begin later into 2025 and completed in phases to prevent disruption. According to project officials, the city will see many benefits from this project including safer streets, stronger peace of mind and fewer flood threats. Read the rest of this entry »
CHANDLER – According to our news partner KETK, a woman was stabbed nine times during an argument at a home near Chandler on Tuesday morning. Deputies were told that the suspect had escaped, and the victim was transported to a hospital in Tyler, where she was in stable condition. Once officials arrived at the scene, they spoke to the victim’s boyfriend, Christopher Alan Douzart, who said she had been stabbed nine times by the suspect at his house. Officials identified the suspect as Courtney Ann Coats.
A search warrant was obtained for Douzart’s home, where authorities discovered several baggies and scales, which are frequently used in drug distribution. Douzart was taken into custody for the manufacture and delivery of a controlled substance. Following Douzart’s arrest, investigators obtained a search warrant for Coats. At 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, authorities were able to arrest Courtney and charge her with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Both suspects are currently being held in Henderson County Jail awaiting arraignment.
ATHENS – Our news partner KETK reports that the Henderson County Jail announced their launch of a groundbreaking educational initiative in early June to help inmates foster rehabilitation and skill development.
By partnering with NCIC Correctional Services, the jail has the ability to give inmates tablets “equipped with a comprehensive curriculum designed to enhance personal growth, career readiness, and life skills.” Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse explained that in even in just a few weeks they have seen glimpse into the future of the successes this program will bring to the inmates.
KETK news had the opportunity on Wednesday morning to talk to Hillhouse and two inmates about the program and the positive impact it has on their lives. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Roadwork is nothing new to the Lone Star state, but the Texas Department of Transportation in East Texas has some local projects in the works.
“There’s a few that are going on, south towards Bullard…” says Jeff Wooliferd with TxDOT East Texas. “We’re still in works with the utility companies. Relocating utilities is always a big portion of some of these projects. On the portion where they’re expanding to four lanes, the contractor has also begun digging some ditch operations.”
Crews have already begun digging up some utility lines, and will begin working to expand Old Jacksonville road from two lanes to four near Bullard. In another project, they’re adding an overpass at 2493 and US Highway 69.
While the work presents a challenging undertaking, Jeff Wooliferd says, “We’re expecting that to start at full blast again pretty soon. Working with the utility companies has been tricky, but we’re still working with them to get it done.”
The projected completion for those projects is Spring of 2027.