Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
CHEROKEE COUNTY – The Cherokee County District Attorney said a Jacksonville man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday after a jury found him guilty of capital murder. According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Branton was charged with the 2020 stabbing murder of Randy P. Davenport. Davenport’s body was reportedly found near Love’s Lookout in July of 2020 and he was deemed the victim of an “apparent homicide.†Branton was sentenced to life in prison without parole after eight days of testimony and deliberation, the district attorney said.
He was charged alongside codefendant Ja’Michael Rusk, whose case is still pending.
TYLER – A skunk in Tyler tested positive for rabies, marking the second positive rabies test this month. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler Animal Services was alerted by the Texas Department of State Health Services on Wednesday that one skunk they had submitted for analysis tested positive for rabies. The city said that the skunk had been found near the 1200 block of Larkspur Lane and that any individuals and animals with possible exposure have been identified and addressed. This is the second skunk in the month of April to test positive for rabies in Tyler. Officials warned that preventative immunization is the only effective defense against rabies, and to make sure that pets are up to date on their vaccinations.
LONGVIEW – More than a dozen East Texas school districts are asking voters for millions of dollars in bond measures. Longview ISD is proposing $456 million in updates and new facilities according to our news partner KETK. After two failed bond proposals, Longview ISD is asking for voters’ support on another multi-million-dollar measure. “In November we asked voters to vote on two propositions, we’ve broken that into five,†Wayne Guidry, assistant superintendent of finance, said. Proposition A, with a price tag of $237 million, would go mostly toward high school renovations, CTE building expansion and security upgrades across all 13 campuses. “Proposition B, is a new early learning center, proposition C, D, and E are just addressing our athletic facilities it’s been about 35 years since we’ve addressed the majority of those facilities,†Guidry said. The district is hoping that this third time is the charm. The last time Longview residents approved a district bond was in 2008.
GLADEWATER – According to our news partner KETK, the Gladewater ISD board of trustees unanimously made the decision on Monday to move to a four-day school week and opted not to have classes on Mondays. Unlike other districts that decided on having a four-day school week with Fridays off, the district of Gladewater will not be in session Mondays of the coming school year. The school board president said this will help attract and retain teachers, giving them more flexibility in their personal lives.
“As you are trying to be competitive in the workplace and attract staff, you want you want to offer something different,†Ross Morgan, school board president, said. “The main component teachers are absent because they have to go to the doctor or they have to take their child to the doctor or maybe a parent to the doctor. A lot of doctor’s offices aren’t open very long if all on Fridays and that was one kind of long discussion or kind of a really important point as to why Mondays are better.†Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department said that they arrested a man and a woman following a theft incident at a Walmart in Marshall on Friday night. According to our news partner KETK, officers were called to the scene on Friday to respond to a shoplifting incident involving a man and a woman. Bridgette Eleanor Peyton, 32 of Burlington, WI, was arrested for failure to identify as a fugitive, credit or debit card abuse, theft of property worth between $100 and $750 and two warrants from Wisconsin.
After Peyton was detained, officers were reportedly told about a fight happening in the parking lot. Marshall PD said the fight was between the owner of a vehicle and a man allegedly caught trying to break into some cars in the parking lot.
Nicholas Eberle, 41 of Franksville, WI, was arrested after a reported short foot chase and charged with theft of property worth $750 and $2,500, evading arrest and detention, failure to identify as a fugitive and a warrant from Wisconsin. Read the rest of this entry »
HARRISON COUNTY – A 44-year-old woman was arrested on Sunday in Harrison County after drugs were found during a traffic stop. According to our news partner KETK, Teresa Oney, of Harleton, was stopped for defective equipment at Highway 80 and Loop 281 where deputies conducted a probable cause search. Officials said marijuana and methamphetamines were found, and Oney had five active warrants for her arrest. She was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana, tampering with evidence and the active warrants.
LONGVIEW – According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Fire Department put out a notice to the public saying that a dangerous drug was found. “We had a recent encounter with ‘candy’ that tested positive for fentanyl,†LFD said in a Facebook post. “This is a narcotic that can be lethal when ingested. This drug is being used to lace other substances and cannot be detected through taste or smell.â€
Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid drug said to be 100 times more potent that morphine and 50 times stronger than heroin. It is often disguised as other pills or added into other drugs as it makes drugs cheaper, more powerful and more addictive. However, the drug is also more deadly and can’t be seen, tasted or smelled. Fentanyl test strips are used to test if drugs are further contaminated with the substance. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The defense team of a former nurse convicted of murder, appeared in court on Thursday to discuss the reported harassment of jurors. According to our news partner KETK, the 114th district court convened on Thursday to address Judge Austin Reeve Jackson’s motion against the legal team of a convicted former CHRISTUS Trinity Mother Francis nurse. Reeve Jackson said the court had received numerous complaints of investigators and lawyers attempting to contact jurors and “refusing to accept the answer of ‘no, I do not want to speak with you.’â€
The judge said jurors informed the court that spouses had opened the door and informed members of the defense that the juror did not wish to speak to the legal team. Jurors were also reportedly “contacted multiple times in the morning, late at night, interrupting family hours, dinner hours from kids and other family members.†Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE – Two individuals are currently in custody after Kilgore PD responded to an armed home invasion that was reportedly ‘centered around a vape.’ According to the Kilgore Police Department, officers responded to a disturbance in the 600 block of Harris Street on Wednesday night to investigates a report that two men broke into a residence with a machete and assaulted the residents. It was reported that the incident was centered around a stolen vape. The police department said that both of the residents had received injuries from the assault and the suspects had fled before officers arrived. Kilgore PD said that with the help of the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office and the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office they were able to place an 18-year-old and 17-year-old in custody at their residence and seized a weapon as evidence. Both suspects are currently being held in the Kilgore Municipal Jail for burglary of a habitation.
NACOGDOCHES COUNTY – A Memphis man was arrested in Nacogdoches after deputies seized about 319 pounds of promethazine on Saturday during a traffic stop. According to our news partner KETK, deputies pulled over Rodarius Criss, 24, at around 1 a.m. for a traffic violation. A K9 officer was called after Criss reportedly denied deputies permission to search the vehicle. After the K9 alerted officials, a probable cause search was conducted, a release said. Criss was charged with possession of a dangerous drug.
Promethazine is a prescription medication used to treat allergies and nausea, the National Library of Medicine said. The sheriff’s office said the drug is misused for its sedative effects. Read the rest of this entry »
CROCKETT – The Crockett Police Department had a simple traffic stop on Tuesday net them eight pounds of cocaine. According to our news partner KETK, the CPD stopped 30-year-old Eric Galvan of Jacksonville and 31-year-old Emilio Osorio of Tyler for a traffic violation. During the vehicle inspection, officers found an aftermarket speaker box in the truck. Inside the box, they found three “bricks of suspected cocaine†wrapped in electrical tape that weighed over eight pounds. At this time, Galvan tried to run. But, he was quickly caught and arrested. Galvan was charged with possession of a controlled substance, evading arrest or detention, and resisting arrest, search or transport. Osorio was charged with possession of a controlled substance. Both were booked into the Houston County jail.
GREGG COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a former East Texas elementary school teacher pleaded guilty on Monday to four counts of injury to a child causing bodily injury. Cecilia Gregg, who reportedly had been working with the district since 2009, was charged with four counts for allegedly striking students with her hand.
In July 2022, six former J.L. Everhart employees were indicted for charges related to the mistreatment of elementary students: Paula Hawkins Dixon, 58, Cassandra Renee James, 48, Linda Kaye Brown Lister, 61, Priscilla Johnson, 56, Cecilia Gregg, 57, Cynthia Telley, 56.
Longview ISD released a statement in 2022 addressing the allegations. Read the rest of this entry »
JACKSONVILLE – According to our news partner KETK, an investigation is open into allegations of a teacher injuring a student by the Jacksonville Independent School District. Concerned parent Ashelle Whitaker said her 7-year-old son was hurt by his second grade teacher. Whitaker said physical marks and his reaction were telling that something happened.
“I see him coming down the hallway with a bloody tissue up to his mouth and his eyes swollen, him crying his eyes out, snot rolling down,†said Whitaker. “He said [the teacher] took me into the room alone, and she repeatedly pushed me up against the wall and I could not breathe,†said Whitaker. Whitaker was heartbroken and she immediately called 911, filed a report with CPS, the school’s resource officer spoke with the Smith County Advocacy Center. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, Tyler ISD said a bus carrying students hit a parked car on Appletree Lane on Thursday after the bus driver had a “unusual medical situation.†According to a Tyler ISD representative, the bus driver and students were uninjured after the bus hit the car but the driver is being checked out by first responders at the scene.
SMITH COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, rescue teams in East Texas remain busy as they address issues including flooded roadways, downed power lines and even rescue crews due to recent weather conditions. In Cherokee County, on the 2500 block of FM Road 855, authorities worked to save a woman Tuesday night who got swept away in her car from flood waters. A day later, the road is shut down and the vehicle remains trapped in water with no word yet when officials plan to move it. Over in Smith County, two people had to be rescued Wednesday morning near Troup after being stuck for nearly two hours.
Downed trees on roads were also keeping crews busy. “We’ve worked on dozens of trees,†Moore said. “Road and bridge [crews] have cut up and cleaned up many.†Rusk County has experienced flooding and downed trees with many residents losing power in the process. “We had a couple of transformer explosions,†Rusk County Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez said. “Just a whole lotta mess.†Read the rest of this entry »
SHELBY COUNTY – According to our news partner KETK, the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) arrested four individuals suspected to be involved in a theft ring in Shelby County on Monday. Shelby County Sheriff Kevin Windham reported that on Monday at 8:30 a.m. investigators and deputies responded to a call in the 7000 block of Highway 7 West in Center, and upon arrival the investigators recognized the property as a “highly trafficked area for drugs and stolen property.â€
The SCSO said that they spent more than 34 hours on the grounds and recovered over $150,000 of stolen property. Read the rest of this entry »
TEXARKANA — A 20-year-old man from Texarkana has been arrested for possession of child pornography. According to our news partner KETK, Facebook and Instagram discovered videos of suspected child pornography had been uploaded on their platforms. The social media companies then reported the illegal posts and messages to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Texarkana PD said they received those tips after the IP address of the computer from which they were posted showed to be in the Texarkana area. After several weeks of investigation, police identified the suspect as Angel Hernandez. He is currently held in the Bi-State Jail on a $100,000 bond for the charge of possession of more than or equal to 50 depictions of child pornography.
TYLER – Dr. Barbara Hass, dean of UTT’s school of nursing, was appointed onto a state committee to address the nursing shortage. According to our news partner KETK, the purpose for this committee was to review and amend the definitions of the Professional Nursing Shortage Reduction Program in the Texas Administrative Code, so that the program will be better equipped to adapt to evolving healthcare needs. UTT said that the committee is comprised of 19 representatives from community colleges, public health-related institutions, the hospital industry, public technical colleges, independent institutions and public universities. The United States Registered Nurse Workforce Report Card and Shortage Forecast said in 2019 that a shortage of registered nurses was projected to increase throughout the country through the year 2030, and the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects more than 193,000 openings for registered nurses each year through 2032 with retirements and workforce exits factored. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – East Texas schools are announcing school closures and delays for Wednesday morning due to complications of weather, power outages and flooding. The full list can be found on our news partner KETK’s website.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson said a woman has been rescued from a vehicle after getting stuck in high water on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK the the woman was helped out of her car on FM 855 by a passerby and first responders are working on getting her vehicle out of the water. The Cherokee County Sheriff Dickson said the woman is safe. The Smith County Water Rescue was reportedly at the scene.
KETK has been following flooding and fallen trees obstructing roadways as storms pass through East Texas on Tuesday and expected to continue through Wednesday. People can find a full list here.
HENDERSON – CHRISTUS announced that they are moving forward with the development of a new emergency center in Henderson. According to our news partner KETK, CHRISTUS will be holding a groundbreaking celebration on April 23 at 10:30 a.m. at a seven acre site south of Wylie Elementary School on Highway 259. The new facility will feature around the clock emergency services with 17 beds, 13 exam rooms, four triage rooms, state-of-the-art full service imaging and onsite laboratory services. The project is scheduled to start construction in late spring and is projected to be completed in the second half of 2025. “We are passionate about increasing access to health care for patients across East Texas,†Chris Glenney, senior vice president for group operations of CHRISTUS Northeast Texas said. “Henderson is a key area for growth in East Texas, and we know there is a need for patients to access the exceptional health care we provide.†Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department said a man was arrested for an active warrant and drugs like methamphetamine, marijuana and Xanax were found after a search. According to our news partner KETK, Derek Elam, 49, was arrested by the U.S. Marshals in conjunction with the Gregg County Organized Drug Enforcement Unit, Longview Police Special Investigation Apprehension and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms. Longview PD said a search of the motel room at Knights Inn uncovered 422 grams of counterfeit Adderall, 108 grams of methamphetamines, 43 grams of Xanax, 8 grams of cocaine, 7 grams of ecstasy, 7 grams of marijuana and 2 grams of hydrocodone.
SHELBY COUNTY – A Shelby County man is pending trial after being charged with livestock theft and exploiting an elderly man according to our news partner KETK. According to the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA), Danny Matthew Wright was arrested after he reportedly stole cattle from his employer, an elderly Shelby County resident. “With assistance from Shelby County Constables, Josh Tipton and Taylor Fanguy, the team discovered the identification of a stolen cow through a brand registered to the victim,†TSCRA said. Wright was indicted by a grand jury on the charges, and was arrested on Jan. 5 before he was released a few days later. Wright is currently pending trial.
MOUNT PLEASANT – The Mount Pleasant Fire Department said in a post that crews were working a fire at the Pleasant Oaks landfill early on Sunday morning. According to our news partner KETK, crews from Mount Pleasant and Titus County Fire Departments worked the fire and eventually cleared the scene. Mount Pleasant FD said that landfill workers are still at the scene digging the fire out to extinguish it further and monitoring the landfill as the day goes on.
TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) arrested a woman following the investigation of a dog that was abandoned near Lake Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Animal Control responded to a report on March 13 of an abandoned dog in the 17600 block of Southpoint Road near Lake Tyler. Upon their arrival they contacted the caller who said they found the puppy abandoned at Hill Creek Park on Lake Tyler.
Officials said the dog, a black and white Pit Bull mix, was taken to the Smith County Animal Shelter and listed for adoption. The sheriff’s office said that a Facebook comment had tagged an individual identified as Megan Baldree, 36 of Tyler, as being the owner of the puppy. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – On April 8, the sun and moon will align and parts of East Texas will experience totality during the 2024 solar eclipse. Following are events in Tyler. Check our news partner KETK’s site for more locations and events.
Texas African American Museum: The Empowerment Community Development Corporation will hold a Total Solar Eclipse Black Out Festival. They are expecting one minute and 49 seconds of totality.
Caldwell Zoo: The zoo will be holding A Wild Solar Eclipse event with commemorative treats and gifts available. Eclipse viewing glasses will be given out until the supply runs out.
Discovery Science Place: They will hold special activities and act as a viewing location.
Tyler Parks and Recreation: Lindsey Park and Faulkner Park will be viewing locations and the Goodman-LeGrand Museum will have a lunch on the lawn event.
Broadway Square Mall: From 12:30 – 2:30 p.m., families are invited to a solar eclipse watch party at the JCPenney parking lot.
TYLER – A once-in-a-lifetime Total Solar Eclipse will hit the skies Monday and our news partner KETK is reporting that the TJC Earth and Space Science Center has been working to educate East Texans on what to expect. With the chance of severe weather in the forecast, backup plans are being put in place, but if it does rain on the day of the eclipse TJC will be canceling events. Hartweg added that if it’s just cloudy, don’t worry, because you still have a chance to view the spectacular sight. East Texans will also get the chance for an extra surprise in the sky during totality. “There is a comet that may be potentially visible and for people to kind of be on the lookout for it will be near Jupiter,†said Hartweg.
“We’re doing our best to make sure people understand that to get the full experience, you need to be in what we call the path of totality, that’s a spot that’s 100% total eclipse,†said Beau Hartweg, the director of the Tyler Junior College Earth and Space Science Center. “We’ll have some solar telescopes out and different ways for people to view the eclipse,†said Hartweg. Read the rest of this entry »
NACOGDOCHES COUNTY – The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office said that three people were arrested for numerous felonies on Tuesday in connection to a “suspected human trafficking incident.†According to our news partner KETK, the incident started as a traffic stop by Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office deputies who pulled over a black 2009 BMW X5 SUV on Tuesday night at the intersection Durst Street and Stallings Drive in Nacogdoches. Deputies reportedly noticed an 8-year-old asleep in the backseat of the car and an empty alcoholic beverage in the floor board. Deputies then asked to search the vehicle and found a black duffle bag in the backseat floor board, according to a press release.
Officials estimated that the drugs are worth over $150,000. Luis Emmanuel Quevedo-Vasquez, 29, Carmen Guadalupe Diaz, 24, both of Green Bay, Wisconsin, were all taken into custody when the drugs were discovered. Diaz and Quevedo-Vasquez were asked about the child and they reportedly couldn’t give deputies the child’s last name or it’s mother’s name. Officials said this is an ongoing investigation. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Brookshire’s Grocery Company presented a check worth more than $184,000 on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, the check is to be split between several non-profits that was raised during their Fresh 15 race. “We’re beyond proud of this achievement and grateful to everyone who made it possible,†Fresh 15 organizers said. “Together, over the past 11 years, we’ve donated over $1.7 million to many deserving charities in East Texas.†According to the grocery company, they donation of $184,500 is the largest amount they have ever raised. The money will be split between 30 organizations. Fresh 15 Race Director Ashleigh Endicot said, organizations apply every year to become recipients and they choose non-profits that best align with the promotion of the race. “We are a team that comes together and able to impact our community directly, you know over the 11 years we’ve given back $1.7 million right here, so it’s not like is going somewhere else it’s coming directly into the community that we live,†Endicot said.
LINDALE – The Tyler district of the Texas Department of Transportation said that Interstate 20 westbound at US Highway 69 will be closed until noon on Monday. The closure is needed as crews will be setting up large cranes in the westbound lanes to haul away a heavy load stuck in the median since last month, according to TxDOT. I-20 westbound will exit the interstate at exit 557 and will go north through Lindale on US 69 to FM 16 and back to I-20 by taking FM 849 south through Hideaway.
The northbound outside lane of US 69 will also be temporarily closed off to help I-20 traffic get redirected onto US 69. TxDOT asked motorists to plan ahead, follow posted signs and prepare for delays.