Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
KILGORE – The Kilgore Police Department said that one man has died and another was injured during a shooting at the corner of Thompson Street and Myrtle Street on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, their 911 Communications Center started getting calls about the shooting shortly after midnight on Sunday morning. When officers arrived they found one man dead and another man who had to be airlifted out to a local hospital.
The Northeast Texas Regional SWAT team was called out to the first scene but then responded to a second scene where the suspect reportedly was. The suspect exited the second location after negotiations and was reportedly taken to the Kilgore Police Department. Kilgore PD said their investigation is ongoing.
HENDERSON COUNTY – Marijuana packaged in gallon size bags, rifles and large amounts of money were discovered on Thursday during a home search, the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said. According to a release, a narcotic search warrant was executed at around 3:34 p.m. at an Athens home where 25-year-old Jordi Pereira was taken into custody.
According to our news partner KETK, Pereira was found to be in possession of “large amounts†of suspected cocaine and marijuana. Reportedly the marijuana was found in gallon size bags and a large amount of THC wax and THC vape cartridges were also located. Pereira was booked at the Henderson County Jail for two charges of manufacture or delivery of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana and delivery of marijuana. According to records, Pereira’s bond amounts totaled $450,000 and he was released on Friday after posting bail.
“Rifles with high-capacity magazines were recovered during the execution of the search warrant along with a large amount of United States currency,†a release said.
The sheriff’s office said Pereira is currently waiting arraignment.
TYLER — A Tyler man was arrested on Wednesday after reportedly assaulting and taking a weapon from an officer. According to our news partner KETK, a detective with the Tyler Police Department clocked a vehicle traveling 60 mph in a 40 mph zone in the 300 E Southeast Loop 323 area. The detective pulled over the driver, 20-year-old Cordrell Smith Radway, where he reportedly ran from the officer “while still being detained and not free to leave.â€
After a short chase, the detective caught up to Radway and “ended up on the ground†where Radway reportedly actively resisted arrest and repeatedly tried to stand up. The affidavit said the detective then used his pepper spray. During the altercation, Radway reportedly grabbed the detective’s hand while pepper spraying him, took the can away and bit the detective’s left forearm, leaving a visible bite mark. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, 37 sections of road throughout Tyler will be closed either partially or fully for the 2024 ONYX road resealing project starting on Monday, June 24. The road sections affected will start to be resealed beginning on June 24 till July 12 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. if the weather permits it.
The closures come after a $362,975.35 contract with Innovative Roadway Solutions, LLC. was approved by the city of Tyler through the general fund to reseal city streets that have lost asphalt on their surface because of years of wear and tear. The ONYX surface treatment has reportedly been used by TxDOT to treat road shoulders for years. The Onyx Mastic Seal treatment consists of an “asphalt emulsion, catalysts, polymers and fine aggregates.†Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — President Joe Biden issued new protections for undocumented spouses and children of U.S. citizens on Tuesday that protects them from deportation. The new policy would be eligible for people who have been in the country for at least 10 years. Biden’s policy would allow nearly 500,000 spouses to stay in the country allowing non-citizens to stay in the U.S. while filing for permanent residency instead of returning to their home country.
According to our news partner KETK, Republican U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran said this action taken by Biden is “unfortunate†and that the president is trying to act on border policy five months away from the election. Biden’s executive action is expected to be challenged in court, however if Biden’s policy does go into effect, it would be the most significant action on immigration, since former president Obama’s DACA policy. Read the rest of this entry »
WILLS POINT – A Wills Point animal control officer was arrested on Thursday after admitting to a Van Zandt County deputy of shooting his own dog, the SPCA of Texas said. According to our news partner KETK, Michael Goggans, with Wills Point Animal Control, was taken into custody and charged with cruelty and torture to a non-livestock animal.
Van Zandt County deputies reportedly told Goggans that he needed to keep his dog confined after separate calls of his dog running at large were reported on June 12 and June 13. A deputy warned Goggans that if the dog was not properly confined, a citation would be issued. “Goggans responded to the deputy’s warning by informing him of his intent to kill the dog. He contacted the deputy again to inform him that he had killed it and that the dog was in the front yard of his residence,†the release said. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tyler ISD denounced the new Title IX regulations imposed by President Joe Biden that expands protections for LGBTQ+ students during Tuesday’s school board meeting according to our news partner KETK. During the meeting, the school board said they aim at protecting the rights of female students and rejected Biden’s new regulations that “attack the fundamental fabric of Title IX protections for daughters, wives and mothers by transforming traditionally private or single-sex settings into unsafe spaces for biological women.â€
Title IX, a regulation imposed by the U.S. Department of Education, aims to protect people from discrimination based on sex in education programs or activities that receive federal financial assistance. The new regulation to be enacted on Aug. 1, would mandate that schools cannot discriminate against students based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, TxDOT reports that 10 out of 657 DUI-alcohol related crashes last year in the Tyler District happened during the July 4 holiday. TxDOT said last year’s crashes in the Tyler district resulted in 46 fatalities and 106 serious injuries. The release said that from June 21 to July 7 patrols are increased to reduce the amount of DWI-related crashes and injuries. Currently, a DWI can result in fines and fees of up to $16,000 in Texas.
“Drunk driving can change lives forever,†TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams said. “In the worst case, families lose loved ones or face devastating injuries. But even when there isn’t a crash, the decision to drink and drive can ruin careers and relationships. That’s why we want everyone to know how important and easy it is to always plan ahead for a sober ride.â€
“Even though the number of drunk driving deaths on Texas roadways in 2023 is down 15% from 2022, we must strive to continue that trend,†TxDOT said.
RUSK COUNTY – A White Oak man was arrested on Monday after allegedly attempting to steal 21 firearms from a habitation near Lake Cherokee. According to our news partner KETK, the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office was alerted of a burglary of a habitation in progress by a lake patrol officer. Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez said after probable cause was developed and consent to search the vehicle led to the discovery of 21 firearms, Mark Wiggins, 65 of White Oak, was arrested. Wiggins was charged with burglary of a habitation, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon and theft of a firearm. He is currently at the Rusk County Justice Center with bonds totaling $65,000.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and no further information will be released at this time,†Valdez said.
UPSHUR COUNTY — An Upshur County man was sentenced to life in prison for aggravated sexual assault of a 10-year-old and 13-year-old in Pritchett. According to our news partner KETK, the jury reportedly took less than 20 minutes to assess the maximum punishment for one life sentence and two 20-year sentences for indecency with a child. The district attorney’s office thanked the jury for delivering the maximum sentence.
According to a release, the trial began on Tuesday where the jury learned that one of the children was adopted by new parents after being removed from her biological parents’ house due to neglect and drug use. Two years later, her grandfather began sexually abusing her by first showing her pornography and then acting those things out, the Upshur County Criminal District Attorney’s Office said. Read the rest of this entry »
WILLS POINT – A Wills Point man that was accused of murdering his elderly mother pleaded guilty in May and was sentenced to 25 years of incarceration on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, Gerald Wayne Powell was sentenced to 25 years on Thursday with 1,144 days credit that he’s already served.
In April of 2021, Van Zandt County law enforcement was notified by Powell’s sister that he had killed a family pet and that he was planning to kill their mother. Law enforcement reported that they surrounded Powell’s home and began negotiations with him using a bullhorn and phone.
According to the former Van Zandt County Sheriff Steve Hendrix, Powell claimed that he was heavily armed and would harm law enforcement. Hendrix said that during the negotiations they learned that lived with his mother, was a veteran and claimed to be suffering from PTSD. Law enforcement reported that Powell eventually surrendered himself and they discovered his 91-year-old mother shot to death in the home afterward.
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police department reported a hit-and-run crash and a series of attempted home entries, resulting in one man dead after allegedly trespassing in a home. According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Police Department said on Sunday at approximately 12:38 a.m. there was a hit-and-run crash reported in the area of George Richey and Fenton Road. Police reported that when they arrived to the scene of the crash there was one person trapped in an SUV and a witnesses said the other driver ran. 20 minutes after the crash, police received a call regarding a man that attempted to enter a home in the 3600 block of Stracener Road. The caller said that the man fled after a resident confronted him with a firearm. Longview Police said that several minutes later they received a call from the 3600 block of Clemens Road that someone had entered a home and was shot by a resident. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Petra Hawkins has won the Tyler City Council District 2 runoff, according to Smith County unofficial voting results. Hawkins won with 52.7% and 508 votes to Stephen Dinger’s 47.3% and 456 votes.
The runoff election was held after Dinger, Hawkins and Dexter Floyd each failed to reach a majority of the vote during the May elections. Dinger originally won 45.65%, Hawkins had 36.52% and Dexter Floyd had 17.83% back in May.
TYLER – The Tyler Fire Department put out a fire at the Broadway Salvation Army thrift store on Friday evening. According to our news partner KETK, firefighters responded to 633 N Broadway at around 7 p.m. where there was a heavy fire on the outside of the building. Officials said the fire mostly started in the fenced in area where donations are dropped off and traveled inside but was contained by sprinklers. Tyler Fire Battalion Chief David Admire Jr. said the building sustained some structural and water damage on the inside but it is not a total loss.
“Four or five sprinkler heads went off and they were able to control the interior fire,†Admire said. The Tyler Fire Department said no one was at the location at the time of the fire and it will be investigated.
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Gov. Greg Abbott is allowing the Texas and U.S. flags in Van Zandt County to be lowered at half-staff in honor of a county commissioner who died during severe storms. Longtime Van Zandt County Precinct 2 Commissioner Virgil Melton Jr. died on June 3 after a tree fell onto his car while he was driving at night.
According to our news partner KETK, Van Zandt County will be allowed to lower the flags to half-staff beginning June 17 in honor of the life and public service of Melton. Flags should be returned to full-staff by sunrise on June 19, Abbott said.
“The First Lady and I extend prayers of comfort for the Melton family during their time of grief and urge all Texans to remember and honor Commissioner Melton’s service to his community as a dedicated elected official and to his country as a United States Marine who was awarded a Purple Heart and a Navy Commendation Medal for Valor,†Abbott said.
The governor said individuals, businesses, municipalities, counties and other political subdivisions in the surrounding area may fly flags at half-staff.
LONGVIEW – After a long discussion Thursday evening and a vote, the Longview City Council unanimously approved a proposed bio-mining facility. According to our news partner KETK, the plant will be located on 2120 East Loop 281 and operated by Mint Innovation. There, the company will extract valuable metals like gold and copper from old devices that ended up in the trash.
During public comment, several people expressed concerns over the environmental impact the facility could pose. Specifically, the chemicals that will be used. The final decision will come from Mint Innovation, which is considering the City of Longview and other cities for their second facility.
“I’m a byproduct of Flint, Michigan,†one speaker said. “Was born and raised there. I in good conscience could not sit here and by the side and not say anything.†Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A Tyler man was found guilty of sexual assault after a jury trial, and is scheduled to be sentenced next month. According to our news partner KETK, Vincente Zavaleta, 45 of Tyler, was originally arrested in March 2023 in connection to a cold case investigation involving the sexual assault and kidnapping of women going back more than 10 years. Zavaleta was linked to the 2012 case he has now been convicted of after a DNA profile was linked to him, and investigators said the victim gave a description of a truck used in the crime that reportedly matched the description of a truck linked to Zavaleta. His jury trial began on June 4, and he separately has been indicted for sexual assault and aggravated kidnapping in connection to a case from 2016. Zavaleta’s sentencing has been set for July 16.
HENDERSON COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, former Payne Springs Chief of Police April Meadows accepted a plea last month for charges of money laundering and manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance. According to court documents, she must give up her peace officers license as part of her plea. A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 27 at 9 a.m.
Meadows was accused alongside former Payne Springs police officer Jonathan Hutchison, who is also accused of money laundering and manufacturing/delivery of a controlled substance.. Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse said at the time of their arrests that search warrants of their homes revealed controlled substances inside.
UPDATE: Gracie Alderman was found safe Wednesday night, according to authorities.
SMITH COUNTY – The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) is seeking help to find a 7-year-old who was ordered into their custody on Friday by a Smith County judge. According to our news partner KETK, the department needs the public’s help finding Gracie Alderman who is about four feet tall with red hair and brown eyes. Authorities said Gracie is believed to be with Galen Alderman and Sara McInnis in a silver Acura RDX. The license plate of the vehicle is from Texas and it says TBL0979, DFPS said.
KILGORE – According to our news partner KETK, several East Texas fire departments responded to a structure fire at Rivers Recycling at approximately 7 p.m. on Wednesday. The fire has been contained but officials said it could burn for a week. Officials will launch an investigation to figure out what caused the recycling facility to catch in flames. Reportedly, the fire happened after hours and the gate to the facility was closed when the fire department responded to the scene. FM 1252 has been reopened for drivers as the fire is not threatening structures or trees in the area.
The City of Longview announced that they will be pausing curbside recycling until further notice because of the fire at Rivers Recycling. The City of Longview said that for the time being, anything placed in curbside recycling will be taken to the landfill alongside regular trash.
A Kilgore Fire Marshal told KETK’s Ashlyn Anderson that no structures other than the ones on the site are in danger, but that the fire has the potential to burn for up to three weeks.
TYLER – The City of Tyler said the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is going door to door to help with disaster claims and some residents might be eligible for assistance. According to our news partner KETK, FEMA personnel will stop by between 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. to explain the process as some residents may qualify for basic home repairs and other storm damage related expenses. People can apply online or by calling the helpline at 800-621-3362 from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. The deadline to apply for FEMA assistance is July 16.
If residents are not home at the time FEMA stops by, they will leave a flyer with information and ways to contact them. Personnel will prioritize areas where many residents filled out the Individual State of Texas Assessment Tool Damage Surveys. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office said they are looking for a man who reportedly carjacked a vehicle on Monday and pulled a knife on the driver. According to our news partner KETK, around 4:30 a.m. the driver of a white over gold 2003 Ford Expedition saw a person walking down SH 110 and decided to give them a ride. The man, described as a white male in his late 20s or early 30s with dark sandy blonde hair, entered the vehicle and allegedly pulled a knife on the driver and ordered them to get out of the car, a release said.
The sheriff’s office said the last place the stolen vehicle was located was in Terrell on East I-20, but the Terrell Police Department were unable to locate it or the suspect. The owner of the vehicle was able to call police after walking to a Valero station because the man reportedly took their cell phone.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 903-566-6600.
PALESTINE — The Palestine Police Department arrested a wanted man who reportedly hid drugs inside a washing machine at a laundromat. According to our news partner KETK, police were patrolling the area of North Queen Street and West Spring Street on May 31 where they saw Cordero Smith driving a vehicle and recognized him due to numerous outstanding warrants for his arrest. Police reportedly observed Smith enter the County Rub laundromat with another person.
When police attempted to arrest Smith after he left the laundromat, he allegedly attempted to evade them. Officers at the scene used their taser and took Smith into custody. Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN – A man is now in custody following an hours-long standoff with Lufkin authorities. Jason Penick, 47 of Lufkin, was arrested for aggravated assault of a public servant after he reportedly shot at arriving officers before barricading himself inside a home. According to our news partner KETK, the situation started as a disturbance call but then escalated when Penick reportedly fired at responding police officers. The man then barricaded himself inside the home and the other residents were safely evacuated, according to a Lufkin PD press release.
Additional reports were made about shots being fired but these are actually gas canisters being shot into the home, Lufkin PD explained. The Lufkin PD Swat Team, Angelina County Sheriff’s Office and the Texas Department of Public Safety responded to the situation.
MARSHALL — A Marshall man has been listed on the newly released Texas’ 10 Most Wanted Criminal Illegal Immigrants List. Oscar Oswaldo Madrid-Cartagena, 36 of Marshall, is wanted for sexual assault. He is described as being 5 foot 8 inches, 150 pounds and should be considered armed and dangerous. According to our news partner KETK, Madrid-Cartagena is a criminal illegal immigrant from Honduras with ties to North and Northeast Texas, including the cities of Dallas and Marshall. Officials said he was arrested in 2013 for alien inadmissibility and subsequently was removed from the U.S.
On Oct. 2023, Madrid-Cartagena was reportedly arrested by the Richardson Police Department and bonded out of jail. On March 5 a warrant was issued for his arrest. Read the rest of this entry »
Programming Note: KTBB AM 600 is currently off the air due to power outages caused by the storms that came through last night. Oncor and our engineers are working on the situation and we hope to be back on the air shortly. In the mean time you can listen to us on 97.5 FM, through our app or on your computer.. We regret the inconvenience.
GLADEWATER – The Gladewater Police Department said a woman with 12 warrants was arrested after she bit an officer during the arrest process. According to our news partner KETK, police responded to a call about a woman following people around the Dollar General on 904 E Broadway Ave. When they arrived, officers encountered the suspect who they identified as Angela Renee Baird-Curtis, 36 of Gladewater, who was wanted in the City of Gladewater for multiple warrants. “During the arrest process, Baird-Curtis resisted, leading to an altercation where she attempted to escape and assaulted an officer by biting him,†Gladewater PD said. The officer was able to detain Baird-Curtis with the help of a bystander, a release said. Baird-Curtis was charged with resisting arrest search or transport, assault of a public servant, escape while arrested and her bond totals $42,000. She is currently being held at the Gregg County Jail.
GILMER – The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said that a dead body was found in a vehicle connected to a recent missing person case on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, Upshur County Sheriff’s Deputy David Hazel said that on Saturday, Gilmer PD found a vehicle with a decomposing body inside. The body is reportedly being sent to have an autopsy done on it. Officials with the The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the car found with the remains was the same car connected to a missing person in the county. The identity of the deceased could not be confirmed by officials at this time, but a missing person had been reported in Upshur County on May 19.
PALESTINE – The Palestine Police Department said they arrested a 19-year-old man for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in connection to a stabbing on Monday. According to our news partner KETK, at around 2:21 a.m. on Monday a Palestine PD officer responded to Palestine Regional Medical Center-East Campus and reportedly found someone transporting a stabbing victim. According to Palestine PD, the officer helped medical staff put the victim on the gurney before they were taken for emergency treatment.
Then Palestine PD officers reportedly went to the 500 block of Fort Street to investigate the stabbing and speak with anyone involved. Marvin Osarius Villalobos-Flores, 19 of Palestine, was identified as a suspect in the assault and officers also found a kitchen knife reportedly used to do the stabbing. Palestine PD said the stabbing victim is expected to survive.
Villalobos-Flores was booked into the Anderson County Jail on the charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and is being held on a $100,000 bond.
WHITEHOUSE — A Whitehouse man was sentenced to 55 years in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to stabbing his mother to death in October 2021. According to our news partner KETK, at around 5:15 p.m. the Smith County Sheriff’s Office responded to a 911 call of a woman being stabbed by her son in a neighborhood south of Whitehouse off Highway 110. Before deputies arrived to the scene, dispatch received a second call from the victim and reportedly told officials her son had stabbed her and had stolen her Honda CRV. When deputies arrived, they took her to a local hospital where 60-year-old Bernice Slabaugh, later died from her injuries. Officers with the Tyler Police Department located the car on Golden Road and pulled it over. The driver was detained and later identified as Carson Aaron Epifano, 26 of Whitehouse, and the son of the victim.