Today is
Sunday June 07, 2026
CAMP COUNTY – A man was killed after a tree fell through his mobile home on Sunday night near Pittsburg, according to our news partner KETK.
Deputies responded around 11:48 p.m.to a mobile home on Farm to Market Road 556 where a fallen tree left 55-year-old Kevin Ford dead and his mother injured. Officials said the residence was almost split in half due to a tree falling down the middle and the man was found crushed under it. The man’s mother was found trapped inside the house but was eventually taken to a local hospital for her injuries, the sheriff’s office said.
“When they arrived on the scene, they found an oak tree, big tree that had fallen over right in the center of the motorhome,” Camp County Sheriff John Cortelyou said.
Pittsburg Mayor David Abernathy said they had trees and powerlines down but no injuries have been reported within city limits.
TYLER – Lance Phillips, who was recently convicted for assaulting a peace officer while being removed from a Smith County Commissioners court, has filed a federal lawsuit against Smith County officials.
According to a report from The Tyler Morning Telegraph, Lance Phillips claims that his constitutional rights were violated while attending commissioners court meetings. The meeting in question is the same one where the assault occurred.
Prior to his trial for that charge, Phillips filed the federal lawsuit on May 4th against Smith County , Smith county Judge Neal Franklin, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith, and the Smith County Courthouse Head of Security, LT. Matt Lazarine. The complaint claims Phillips’ constitutional rights, including the First Amendment and the Fourth Amendment, were violated. He alleges that this infringement happened when he was told to stop talking during the public comment section of multiple commissioners court meetings, due to his going off topic and when he was physically removed because he refused to get back on topic. Read the rest of this entry »
CAMP COUNTY – Our news partner KETK reports a man was killed after a tree fell through his mobile home on Sunday night near Pittsburg.
According to the Camp County Sheriffs Office, around 11:48 p.m. deputies responded to a mobile home on Farm to Market Road 556, where 55-year-old Kevin Ford was found dead, and his mother injured.
The residence was almost split in half due to a tree falling down the middle and the man was found crushed under it.
Ford’s mother was found trapped inside the house and was eventually taken to a local hospital for her injuries.
Pittsburg Mayor David Abernathy said they had trees and power lines down but no injuries have been reported within city limits.
FLINT – According to our news partner KETK, demolition has started for the Lakewood Church building on Sunday, after a fire in April had caused irreparable damage.
The demolition began on the day of Pentecost, and church members said that the day marks a new beginning for their church.
“Today is the day of Pentecost and it just so happens that it’s all starting today and that’s the day of fresh beginnings, the day God started a new thing on the day of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus died. And so that is also a new thing for us, that we’re starting this new building,” Lakewood Church pastor Raymond Graham said. “God will make all things new.”
Despite the damage, they were successful in removing the church’s steeple. They plan to use the steeple for their new church building, which they hope to have open by Christmas.
TYLER – 8-year-old Abigail Vernon from Sulphur Bluff has dreamed of showing her Brahman Bull V6 Mr. Pickup Man in the show ring. Unfortunately, she was too young for the juniors catagory. According to our news partner KETK, she didn’t let that stop her, and set out to show Mr. Pickup man anyway – with the adults.
Along with Pickup Man, she has traveled all across the United States, winning banners, trophies and grand champion titles. Abigail is proving everyone wrong and showing that nothing can stop her from following her dreams. In December, Abigail asked her mother, Charli, if she could write a children’s book about her memories with Pickup Man. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – As severe weather continues to move through the area, around 13,000 East Texans have been left without power as of 8 a.m. Monday.
KETK has compiled the list of East Texas power outages from the Texas Power Outage Map – you can view that map here.
Airdate: 06/08/25
Guests: Tami Urias and Carol Whiteside of the Discovery Science Place
LUFKIN – According to our news partner KETK, officials are currently investigating the death of a man found deceased in Lufkin on Sunday. According to the Lufkin Police Department, a man was found dead on Sunday morning on the train tracks between Abney Street and Angelina Streets. Lufkin PD said they are investigating his death and working to contact the man’s family.
The department asked anyone with information about his death to contact Lufkin PD at 936-633-0356.
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department has arrested a 28-year-old man for murder in connection to a fatal shooting that happened on Melba Street on Saturday.
According to our news partner KETK, officers were sent to the 200 block of Melba Street at around 9:18 p.m. on Saturday to respond to a reported shooting. According to a Longview PD press release, officers found a man at the scene who had been shot. The victim, identified as Isaiah Ross of Longview, was taken to a local hospital where he later died. Investigators then identified a suspect and got an arrest warrant. According to Longview PD, Dominique Johnson, 28 of Longview, was then arrested in Kilgore by the Kilgore Police Department.
Johnson was booked in to the Gregg County Jail on Sunday for a charge of murder.
TYLER – As severe weather continues to move through the area, around 35,000 East Texans have been left without power as of 1:41 a.m. Monday.
KETK has compiled the list of East Texas power outages from the Texas Power Outage Map – you can view that map here.
TEXARKANA – An East Texas police officer was placed on administrative leave on Monday, shortly before he was charged with sexual assault of a child. According to our news partner, KETK and the Texarkana Police Department, Zackary Gilley, 32, had been employed by the department since 2018 and was arrested on Monday night.
The chief of police said both an internal and criminal investigation were started after allegations involving a 15-year-old girl came to light.
Investigators gathered facts from a forensic expert and consulted with the Bowie County District Attorney’s Office before requesting warrants be issued by a district judge.
Gilley was called to the police department Monday night and arrested for: Two counts of sexual assault of a child, one count of indecency with a child by contact, one count of indecency with a child by exposure. Read the rest of this entry »
NACOGDOCHES — Two men were arrested on May 30 by Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office deputies for allegedly using a wrecker company to transport 48 packages of hydroponic marijuana according to our news partner KETK.
A traffic stop was conducted on a tow truck hauling a vehicle on Loop 224 near University Drive for a traffic violation. The driver, identified as Jerome Brown, 30, and the passenger, Corey Roberts, 39, told authorities conflicting information.
A K9 was brought onto the scene, where it gave a positive alert, leading to a search of the vehicle. Authorities found 48 packages of suspected hydroponic marijuana in the trunk of the vehicle. Read the rest of this entry »
FRANKLIN COUNTY — According to our news partner KETK, a 28-year-old man from Mount Vernon has been sentenced to prison after pleading guilty to traveling with intent to engage in illicit sexual conduct with a minor. According to information presented in court, Zachary Arzola met the victim through social media in September 2022 when she was 14 and eventually traveled to Ohio to meet her in December 2022.
While in Ohio, Arzola provided the victim’s family with a falsified driver’s license that presented him as a 16-year-old. Arzola later returned to Ohio in 2023, where he picked up the victim from her home and took her back to Texas with him.
After returning to Texas with the victim, Mount Vernon Police discovered Arzola and the victim at his house. Arzola later admitted in court documents that he persuaded the victim to have a sexual relationship with him. Read the rest of this entry »
WINNSBORO – A former Winnsboro ISD coach has been arrested after allegedly admitting to having a sexual relationship with a student, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
In arrest warrant was obtained for 30-year-old Nicholas Gabriele on Thursday after community members notified the Wood County Sheriff’s Office that he had started a sexual relationship with a senior in high school. According to the sheriff’s office, Gabriele was an assistant football coach and an economics teacher with Winnsboro ISD for the 2024/2025 school year.
“Texas Rangers, along with an investigator from the sheriff’s office, were able to locate Gabriele in Ennis, where he was arrested without incident and admitted to the improper sexual relationship,” the sheriff’s office said. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department said that a 38-year-old man was killed in an officer-involved shooting on Thursday night, according to our news partner KETK.
Officers responded to the 3100 block of Cascades Court at around 7 p.m. on Thursday for a report of a suspicious person and a disturbance inside of a home. When officers entered the home, Tyler PD said an officer-involved shooting injured John Augustine Tangney O’Kelly, 38 of Tyler. O’Kelly was then taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The Texas Department of Public Safety’s Texas Rangers are currently investigating the shooting.