Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
TYLER – Severe weather hit our area again Friday night and more than 4,038 are without power across East Texas as 1:52 p.m. Sunday. Our news partner KETK has a list of power outage numbers that have been compiled from various power companies and electricity cooperatives. You can find the current list here.
LUFKIN – According to our news partner KETK, arrest warrants were issued after a “senior prank†went too far last Thursday. Lufkin ISD Police issued warrants for five high school seniors who they say vandalized the high school campus after hours. The students have also been barred from walking in graduation on Thursday night. A similar “senior prank†vandalism incident occurred this year in Longview, and students involved were not allowed to participate in graduation.
“Lufkin ISD will not tolerate this type of behavior that results in destruction of public property and disregard for staff, other students and the learning environment of our campuses,†Lufkin ISD said. “Parents need to have conversations with their children that these pranks can lead to school consequences, criminal charges and restitution for damages.â€
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler’s (UTT) Master of Business Administration program has been ranked among the top 30 in the nation by Fortune Magazine. According to a release from UTT, their program is ranked 29th nationwide for Fortune Magazine’s “Best Online MBA Programs in 2024.†UT Tyler said that they are one of only two UT system schools in the top 30, having been ranked 46th last year. “This recognition by Fortune Magazine is a testimony to the quality of our programs and our dedicated Soules College of Business faculty, who prepare the next generation of business leaders and professionals in the East Texas region and beyond,†Dr. Amir Mirmiran, UT Tyler provost and executive vice president for academic affairs, said. UT Tyler said that their online MBA program is affordable and flexible, offering a number of different concentrations and being able to be completed in as little as one year.
LONGVIEW – According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Police Department is warning the public of a scam after they recently arrested a person for allegedly stealing between $30,000 and $150,000. Muhammad Muzammil, 23 of Bolingbrook, Illinois, allegedly used scam tactics to scam a local victim out of a “significant amount of money,†according to Longview PD.
“Unfortunately, these types of crimes are becoming more common and often target the elderly and young adults. Protect yourself and your loved ones by staying informed and vigilant,†Longview PD said. Visit the Federal Trade Commission online for more information on scams and how to protect yourself from them. Read the rest of this entry »
MALAKOFF – The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said that they arrested a woman on Saturday after suspected cocaine and a ‘large sum’ of cash was found during a traffic stop. According to our news partner KETK, Courtney Dawson, 29 of Malakoff, was arrested after Henderson County narcotics investigators Brad Beddingfield and Jonathan Daille found “a substance believed to be cocaine along with a large sum of U.S. Currency,†during a traffic stop, according to the sheriff’s office.
Dawson reportedly had an outstanding warrant for manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance and has been charged with manufacturing or delivering a controlled substance and tampering with physical evidence. She’s being held in the Henderson County Jail on a total bond of $1,550,000.
SHELBY COUNTY – Shelby County Game Wardens are searching for someone who killed and dumped an alligator on Friday or Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, the alligator was captured, killed and dumped on either late Friday night or early Saturday morning at the Pinkston Reservoir boat ramp on County Road 1211. Anyone with information on the gator dumping is asked to call Game Warden Sam Anderson or Austin Cryer at 936-332-8487 or 936-591-7265.
GILMER – According to our news partner KETK, the Gilmer Police Department is asking for the public’s help finding the parents or guardian of a 3 or 4-year-old girl found in Gilmer. The girl is white, has brown hair, brown eyes, weighs 41 pounds and is 3-foot-3-inches tall. According to Gilmer PD, she was found with a purple night gown and a diaper on. Gilmer PD said she couldn’t tell them where she lives, her name or her parents or guardians names.
Anyone with information about the girl is asked to call Gilmer PD at 903-843-5545.
JACKSONVILLE – According to our news partner KETK, the four fallen Jacksonville police officers were honored on Wednesday for their sacrifice and service as a part of National Police Week. The Jacksonville Police Department and other law enforcement agencies came together to remember the local fallen officers. The names of the officers will be added on the walls of the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial in Washington. National Police Week was first established by President John F. Kennedy in 1962 to pay respect and offer recognition to officers who died protecting others.
“It’s important that we take time every year to stop and remember them and their sacrifice and their service to our community,†Jacksonville Police Chief Joe Williams said.
UPSHUR COUNTY – A 50-year-old Upshur County man was found guilty of 12 counts of sexual assault of two children. According to our news partner KETK, Walter Bartram was tried for seven counts of aggravated sexual assault of child under 14 and five counts of sex assault to another child.
The Upshur County district attorney’s office reported that in January 2020 one of the victims came to them to report the abuse that occurred between 2006-2011. Both victims testified in the trial, and the jury later returned a verdict of guilty. The defense asked for the judge to sentence Bartram, and the State said they will be asking for the maximum sentences for the charges.
Criminal District Attorney Billy Byrd said, “Both victims were brave and while moving forward in life they too still deal with the pain and hurt these horrific crimes caused both of them and have impacted their lives forever.â€
A sentencing hearing will take place after a presentence investigation report. Bartram currently remains at the Upshur County Jail.
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department was notified by the Southwestern Institute of Forensic Sciences of Dallas that remains found by the Smith County Sheriff’s Office belonged to Jose “Alex†Perez who had been missing since April 26. According to our news partner KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office discovered the remains on May 5, and they were later identified as Jose Alejandro “Alex†Perez, 44 of Tyler. Perez went missing from the Towne Oak Apartments in Tyler at 9 p.m. on April 26. The Tyler Police Department said that they are working closely with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office to proceed with the investigation of his disappearance and death. Anyone with information regarding Perez’s last days is encouraged to contact the Tyler Police Department.
LONGVIEW – According to our news partner KETK, a Longview man that was accused of killing one of his housemates during a dispute over loud noises and stabbing another pleaded guilty to murder and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on Monday. According to court records, Michael Ralston, 51 of Longview, pleaded guilty to murder on Monday and was sentenced to 30 years of confinement.
Records also show that Ralston pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a deadly weapon on Monday and was sentenced to 20 years of confinement concurrently.
In March of 2022, Ralston and his housemate Eric Wynns, 44, were having a dispute over loud noises. The two were reported as “intentionally being loud to annoy each other.†Another housemate told police that both Ralston and Wynns were hearing impaired and that they called Ralston the “Deaf Dragon.†Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The University of Texas System Board of Regents voted unanimously to name Julie V. Philley, MD, the next president of the University of Texas at Tyler. Philley currently serves as the university’s executive vice president for health affairs and vice provost and is a board-certified physician in pulmonary and critical care medicine. Philley will begin her appointment on June 1, 2024, succeeding Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, following his retirement on May 31. A native of Overton, Philley returned to East Texas in 2012 as an assistant professor of medicine at UT Health Tyler. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas Woman’s University and studied medicine at UT Health Houston’s McGovern Medical School. Philley and her husband, Richard Lee, are engaged in numerous Tyler activities, where Lee is the Music Director of the East Texas Symphony Orchestra and the Tyler Civic Chorale.
TYLER – ERCOT issued a “weather watch†due to high temperatures and a high level of expected maintenance outages that could lead to the potential for lower reserves. According to our news partner KETK, a weather watch is issued during times of expected high demand, mainly during the summer or winter months. Jason Blakeney, owner of Blakeney Hardware, has spent years working in the energy industry and believes there is simply too much demand on our state’s power grid.
“When that happens and you have the housing industry build up as fast as it has it puts a strain on our already strained power supply,†Blakeney said.
According to census data, Texas added more people than any other state in the last year, growing by half a million people. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — According to our news partner KETK, Gov. Greg Abbott released a letter on Wednesday “instructing” the state’s higher education leaders to ignore revisions made to Title IX, a federal law prohibiting public schools from discriminating based on sex. Rep. Nathaniel Moran spoke in Congress claiming East Texans are against the new regulations.
Moran spoke to Congress on Tuesday, claiming the new regulations, which are set to take effect on Aug. 1, are an attack on women’s sports. Moran said that East Texans feel the new rules are “an inexcusable federal assault towards girls and women that has no place in schools.†Moran said Title IX rule is immoral and offensive to women across the country.
Title IX, a regulation imposed by the U.S. Department of Education, “strengthens vital protections for students in our nation’s schools and provides clear rule to help schools meet their Title IX obligation to eliminate sex discrimination in their education programs and activities.â€
According to Moran, Van ISD said in a letter, “the changes to Title IX forces schools to treat boys as if they were girls and to accept every student’s self declared gender identity.†KETK’s request to Van ISD for the full letter has not yet been returned. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department is responding to a vehicle and a train collision causing several crossings to be blocked. According to our news partner KETK, the train collision occurred at the railroad crossing on North Center Street. The police department said no injuries have been reported at this time. Several crossings including Lake Lamond, North Center Street and North Fredonia are blocked by the train. People are asked to find an alternate route at this time.
SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a Bullard man accused of impersonating an officer has pleaded guilty Tuesday in the 7th District Court. Jason Fears, 36, was arrested in January 2023 after officials said he flashed red and blue lights and made a hand signal at someone to pull over in Chandler. The person Fears attempted to pull over, followed Fears into Tyler.
Fears was pulled over in Tyler for speeding and when the Tyler police officer learned about the incident in Chandler, he was arrested and charged with impersonating a public servant. Fears was sentenced to 10 years at the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
LONGVIEW – More than a dozen East Texas school districts asked voters for millions of dollars in bond measures. After two failed bond proposals, Longview ISD was able to get their $456 million bond passed. The last time Longview residents approved a district bond was in 2008.
“That it’s 10 dollars a year increase on your taxes for every 200,000 dollar evaluation on your home,†Karen Haas, Longview PAC, said. But for renters and other homeowners, the district said they won’t be impacted at all. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – UT Tyler has announced that they’re partnering with U.S Dermatology Partners in order to start a new Department of Dermatology. According to our news partner KETK, they plan to start offering courses within next year, hire a department chair and program director before applying to become a Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education accredited dermatology residency program. The aim of the department is to help create a generation of dermatologists and physicians trained in dermatology to serve local communities. The department will also engage in clinical research with U.S. Dermatology Partners, one of the largest private dermatology practices in the United States. U.S. Dermatology Partners has 11 locations across East Texas where they do surgical, medical and cosmetic dermatology. Read the rest of this entry »
TRINITY COUNTY – Trinity County declared a local state of disaster on Monday following severe damage caused by tornados and storms. By Thursday, mandatory evacuations were ordered for part of the county. According to our news partner KETK, the county suffered severe damage because of tornadoes, continuous rain, flooding on county roads and damage to infrastructure on Sunday. With more rainfall into Thursday morning, mandatory emergency evacuations were ordered for the end of Doug Bell Road. County officials went door-to-door in boats to collect residents and their pets to take them to safety.
Trinity County Judge Danny Martin signed the disaster declaration after determining that measures had to be taken to “alleviate the suffering of people and to protect and rehabilitate property.â€
“You are more than willing to stay at home if you want to, but we are not coming back for you after today,†Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace said in a video posted to social media. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – According to our news partner KETK, an increased police presence was seen Thursday morning at the rheumatology practice of a murder suspect’s son. Dr. Kayvan Kamali’s Rheumatology Association of Longview, located on Judson Road, had several sheriff’s office and DPS vehicles parked outside.
Kayvan’s father, Reza Kamali, was recently charged with the 2016 murder of a beloved community figure. Though sources said Gregg County is leading the investigation, some DPS troopers were called to assist at the scene. A DPS spokesperson said he believes this event is in connection to the murder investigation of Ron Horaney, in which three people have been charged so far.
‘I hope no parent ever has to go through this’: Ron Horaney’s mother reacts to arrests made in case
On May 30, 2016 Horaney was found dead in his home from multiple gunshot wounds. The case went with few new developments until April, when authorities arrested Reza Kamali first. According to Reza’s arrest affidavit, Reza ordered Horaney killed “up close and personal because of a family dispute.â€
The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office was not able to comment on the situation because of a pending judge-issued gag order.
TYLER — The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved Gov. Greg Abbott’s request for a disaster declaration for Texas communities affected by severe weather including many portions of East Texas. Texas counties in the disaster declaration include Angelina, Hardin, Jasper, Newton, Orange, Sabine, San Augustine and Tyler. The Trinity Fire and Rescue responded to multiple storm related calls including homes destroyed by a tornado and multiple calls of people trapped in flooded cars and houses.
According to our news partner KETK, on Tuesday Trinity County Judge Danny Martin issued a disaster declaration after determining that measures had to be taken to “alleviate the suffering of people and to protect and rehabilitate property.â€
People can apply online and download applications on the SBA website. Applicants can also call SBA’s customer service center at 800-659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information in disaster assistance. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Arrest records show that six people have been arrested after they reportedly tried to cash forged checks totaling $46,161. According to our news partner KETK, an arrest warrant for Tony Lee Head alleges that, between March 31 and April 2, he passed a forged check to Brookshire’s that said it was from Integrity Turf Management or Integrity Tree Care & Landscape.
According to Head’s arrest affidavit, the company did not authorize that check or any of $46,161 in forged checks addressed to Tony Lee Head (pictured left), Jessica Carmon Henderson, Dale Forbus Reynolds, Howard Bowen, Kevin Ray Eddins and Lizabeth Marie Arnold.
A Tyler PD detective who was investigating the check forgery case said the case started when Henderson was employed by Integrity Turf Management (ITM) as an accountant for about a month. Henderson reportedly was given access to the business’s Intuit QuickBooks and all of their financials. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The Tyler Fire Marshal’s Office said that a Dairy Queen near The Village at Cumberland Park in Tyler was struck by lightning on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, the fire from the strike didn’t burn that much of the building but firefighters did have to tear out part of the ceiling inside the fast-food restaurant to check for fire. No injuries were reported from the fire and lightning strike. The Dairy Queen will have to be closed for at least a couple of days for repairs, according to the fire marshal’s office.
TYLER — According to our news partner KETK, a recent study from the University of Texas at Tyler found the economic impact the solar eclipse had in the City of Tyler. The total solar eclipse was observed in Tyler on April 8 and the Hibbs Institute for Business & Economic Research released a study that found visitors brought in about $7.7 million.
According to the study, researchers estimated the economic impact of visitors and their expenditures during the solar eclipse weekend including dining, entertainment and shopping at retail stores. The influx of tourists was anticipated several weeks beforehand, allowing hotels to considerably raise their rates for the event weekend, which had been fully booked. The study found that booked hotels brought in about $1 million and the calculated visitor spending during those days was $6.7 million. However the study did not take into account locals who joined the visitors and their estimated expenditures.
For a full breakdown of the study including the methodology, people can visit the current edition of the Hibbs Briefs.
TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Game Wardens said that their Marine Theft Investigation Unit seized over $100,000 of equipment at the Sealy Big Bass Splash Tournament last weekend. The Marine Theft Unit reportedly patrolled the tournament for two days and inspected 300 boats, 243 motors and 100 trailers in that time. San Augustine, Sabine, Angelina, Jasper, Tyler and Nacogdoches County Game Wardens helped the unit inspect the boats which were attending what Texas Game Wardens said is the largest amateur fishing tournament in the state.
TYLER – After severe weather hit East Texas, several power companies and cooperatives have reported that 12,752 people are without power as of 9:00 a.m on Monday. Our news partner KETK has compiled a list of power outages in East Texas counties.
GILMER – The Gilmer Police Department said they seized guns, drugs and cash while executing a search warrant on Thursday. Our news partner KETK is reporting that the Gilmer PD executed a search warrant at a residence which allegedly housed two known drug dealers in Upshur County at around 6 a.m. on Thursday. While searching the home Gilmer PD officers reportedly found two guns, $2,269 and 36 grams of black tar heroin. A request for more information was not immediately fulfilled by Gilmer PD. We will continue to update as more info becomes available.
LUFKIN – According to our news partner KETK, officials are investigating after an overnight shooting in Lufkin that left a man injured. According to police, officers responded to a report of a man with a gunshot wound to the head around 10:20 p.m. in the 100 block of West Laurel Avenue after the man had sought help from a neighbor. The man was flown to an out-of-town hospital where he remained in stable condition, according to authorities, and the incident is under investigation.
“The man told officers he had been robbed and shot by a man that he knew but he didn’t know the suspect’s name,†officials said.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Lufkin Police Department at 936-633-0356 or Crime Stoppers at 936-639-TIPS.
LONGVIEW – A Longview woman plead guilty on Thursday to manslaughter in the death of a 41-year-old man from Longview after an argument reportedly turned into physical violence. According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Police Department responded to a call at around 7:48 p.m. on May 13 to the 400 block of E. Pliler Precise Road due to a reported shooting. When officers arrived, they reportedly saw Chris Baker, 41 of Longview, who had been injured. The Longview Fire Department took Baker to a local hospital with life-threatening injuries and he died the following day. Detectives spoke with Jeanne-Marie Minter, who reportedly told officers Baker and her had been arguing, and that turned into physical violence. Police said Minter got away and retrieved a firearm, went back to the room where her and Baker argued and then shot him. Minter plead guilty to the death on Thursday and was sentenced to 13 years in prison.
TYLER – Smith County authorities have arrested the national president of a motorcycle gang for ordering the death of man in 2020. According to our news partner KETK, 57-year-old Kevin Higgins of Kemp, was arrested Tuesday in the death of Brandon Edwards of Chapel Hill. Investigators determined that Kemp ordered the death of Edwards, a rival gang member in fall 2019. Higgins, who is identified as the national president of the motorcycle gang Ugly Man Cossacks, had fellow member Chad Crowell carry out the murder in May 2020.
Initially three members of the Ugly Man Cossacks were arrested in Edwards death. All three have been convicted of organized crime activity in connection to the case. Kevin Higgins is in the Smith County Jail with his bond set at $2.5 million.