Today is
Sunday June 07, 2026
WACO – Our news partner KETK is reporting that Whitehouse native and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes II was inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Waco on Saturday.
Mahomes, a three-time Super Bowl Champion, was quarterback for the Whitehouse High School Wildcats before playing for Texas Tech University in college. Whitehouse ISD Athletics congratulated him on his achievements and being a part of the 2025 Texas High School Football Hall of Fame class.
“Congratulations to our very own Patrick Mahomes on being inducted into the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame! From Friday night lights at Whitehouse High to the brightest stage in the NFL, Patrick has always represented our community with class, grit and heart. This honor is a testament to his hard work, leadership, and the legacy he continues to build both on and off the field. Congratulations, Patrick! Your journey continues to inspire young athletes here in East Texas and across the country. We’re so proud to call you one of our own!”
Whitehouse ISD Athletics
Mahomes wasn’t the only #bEASTTexas legend to be honored this year. Legendary Gilmer Buckeyes football coach Jeff Traylor and longtime East Texas sports broadcaster David Smoak were right alongside Mahomes in the Texas High School Football Hall of Fame Class of 2025.
TYLER – The Dollar General Literacy Fund recently awarded $61,500 in literacy grants to East Texas nonprofit organizations, libraries and schools.
“For over 30 years, the Foundation has been investing in literacy and basic education programs in our hometown communities,” executive director of the Dollar General Literacy Foundation Denine Torr told our news partner KETK. “Today’s grant announcement is a celebration of our unwavering commitment to student and teacher success. We are grateful to all the grant recipients for their commitment to advancing education and helping students thrive.”
The Texan organizations receiving the grants are expected to help more than 50,000 individuals. The grants will help support schools, public libraries and nonprofit organizations that are within a 15 mile radius of a Dollar General Store or distribution center.
A list of the donations and the programs that received them can be found here.
LONGVIEW – Our news partner KETK reports that this May, Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center is recognizing National Stroke Awareness month by bringing attention to the risk factors and prevention methods that are associated with the disease.
According to local medical professionals a stroke is defined as a disruption of blood flow due to the blockage of an artery most commonly caused by a blood clot. Joe Bowers, the stroke medical director at Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center, said that about 85% of strokes are labeled as ischemic strokes and the remaining 15% are considered hemorrhagic strokes.
Bowers described how damaging a stroke could be to the brain. “For every minute that you’re having a stroke you’re losing millions of brain cells. That varies depending on the size of the stroke and what part. The longer you go, the more the brain is being affected,” said Bowers. “Within the first few hours there’s this window where those brain cells are kind of stunned but they’re salvageable. After the first few hours those brain cells typically don’t recover. So the quicker we can intervene, the more likely we can salvage more brain tissue that hasn’t been permanently injured. Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE: Rains County Justice of the Peace Robert Jenkins Franklin was arrested on Wednesday for two counts of official oppression and two counts of tampering with a witness.
Franklin is currently being held at the Van Zandt County Detention Center
ORIGINAL STORY: RAINS COUNTY – An East Texas judge is accused of threatening a defendant, according to a report from our news partner KETK.
A lawsuit filed in the United States District Court, Eastern District of Texas, alleges that Justice of the Peace Jenkins Franklin threatened Coby Wiebe to enter a guilty plea in a criminal case over which he had no jurisdiction, saying, “I heard you have a problem with me, boy. You take that deal, boy — or dead men can’t testify.” Two days later, the defendant entered a no-contest plea in a felony case. Read the rest of this entry »
TEXARKANA — According to our news partner KETK, the Texarkana Police Department is looking for a suspect identified in a string of burglaries at two oil change businesses in Texas and one in Arkansas.
Surveillance video from a nearby apartment complex captured two men carrying a safe while running from one of the businesses, Texarkana PD said. Authorities identified one suspect as Jaquavion Williams and issued felony warrants for his arrest. Williams told detectives he would turn himself in, but that did not happen.
Police are asking for those with information about William’s whereabouts to call them at 903-798-3116 or contact Texarkana Area Crime Stoppers at 903-793-STOP. People with information can stay anonymous and possibly earn a $1,000 reward.
TYLER — Pope Leo XIV, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, was involved in a leadership assessment while working in the Vatican, that lead to Bishop Joseph Strickland’s removal from the Diocese of Tyler in 2023 according to our news partner KETK.
The Vatican Dicastery for Bishops performed a formal investigation of Strickland looking into his social media use and diocesan management. Strickland, who served at the Diocese of Tyler for 11 years, faced criticism on several posts including a tweet that said Pope Francis was “undermining the Deposit of Faith.”Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden and Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas of Tucson conducted the investigation and concluded that Strickland’s tenure in office should not continue.
Pope Francis, known for his more progressive values, was open about his concerns with conservatives being in the U.S. Catholic hierarchy. Strickland opposed Francis’ stance on LGBTQ Catholics and having women in governance, according to the Associated Press. Read the rest of this entry »
GOLDEN OAKS – According to a report from our news partner KETK, a woman was attacked by a pack of dogs in Golden Oaks Wednesday night and had to be airlifted to a local hospital.
Around 8:41 p.m., Payne Springs Fire Rescue volunteers received a call about a woman who was attacked by a pack of dogs and experienced traumatic injuries, officials said. When volunteers arrived, they requested UT Health Air 1 launch to the Gun Barrel City Fire helicopter pad.
The woman’s condition is unknown at this time.
HENDERSON COUNTY – A man arrested in Gun Barrel City has been sentenced to life in prison after multiple grams of illegal drugs were found inside his vehicle, according to our news partner KETK.
Jeffrey Lee Sharp was arrested in October 2023 during a routine traffic stop. According to officials, during the stop an investigator smelled marijuana coming from Sharp’s car, which led him to conduct a probable cause search of the vehicle. During the search a clear baggie that contained multiple baggies with methamphetamine and a bag of marijuana.
During the court hearing, the jury heard testimony stated that Sharp was a habitual offender, which extended his sentence. Sharp was previously sentenced to 35 years in prison for delivery of a controlled substance and was on parole at the time of his arrest. Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN – The Lufkin Police Department is investigating a shooting that occurred in a residential neighborhood on Wednesday afternoon.
According to our news partner KETK, the shooting occurred around 1:30 p.m. outside a home near Wilson and Culverhouse streets. The suspects were seen driving a gray four door Nissan sedan according to Lufkin PD. Nobody was injured during the shooting and officials believe this was a targeted incident. Witnesses were unable to identify a suspect and Lufkin PD is still seeking information. Anyone with any information about the incident is encouraged to call CrimeStoppers at 639-TIPS or contact the Police Department’s non-emergency number at 633-0359.
TYLER – Tyler City council will call a vote to amend an ordinance, establishing a hazard area by the six runways at Tyler Pounds. The predicted areas to be impacted the most are outlined in black, but the final decision will be made by the FAA according to our news partner KETK.
Business owners within the heavily restricted area are confused about what they can have on their property. If the ordinance were to pass, the FAA would restrict various building heights, frequencies, lighting concerns, and business that could attract birds to the area.
The vote will be taken by city council, May 28.
AUSTIN – According to our news partner KETK, Texas House of Representative passed a bill sponsored by Republican State Rep. Cody Harris of Palestine on Tuesday to help rural hospitals and preserve access care across East Texas.
In 2019, Harris said they created a tool to help smaller counties work together to fund Medicaid through local participation programs. This bill will extend this ‘life-saving’ program and give rural communities the stability they need to keep their secure and care available close to home.
Harris said he is proud to carry HB 3505 and fight for the future of rural healthcare in Texas.
SMITH COUNTY – According to the Tyler Morning Telegraph, county officials are looking at future jail needs, but say there are no current plans to expand or seek bond funding.
County Judge Neal Franklin said the presentation of of a jail feasibility study is only to prepare for the future.
“This is something that I felt like we needed to present,” Franklin said. “There are no bond plans – let me make that really clear. There is no plan on putting a November bond election for any jail or anything in fact.”
The study looks at population growth, inmate trends, and the county’s current jail setup. Based on those findings, it projects future needs and how those could be met with new construction. The current capacity across the downtown and North Jail is 1,092 beds. According to the study, the county may need between 1,400 and 1,500 beds in the future. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – According to our news partner KETK, the City of Frankston said the city has nearly 25 homes with trees toppled on them and one injury as a result of severe weather.
East Texas was slammed with severe weather Tuesday afternoon that caused quite a scare for people in Frankston. Even though the storm has passed, the damage has left its mark on the community. At one Frankston home, more than five trees fell directly on top of the roof.
The Frankston Office of Emergency Management Coordinator Gerald Hall said the path of the storm is quite noticeable in the city.
In a separate neighborhood, one person went to the hospital with a broken ankle after a tree fell on the person’s home. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Our news partner KETK reports that an 18-wheeler is jackknifed at I-20 mile marker 553 eastbound, and blocking the right lane, according to the Lindale Fire Department.
Traffic is down to one lane, and drivers are encouraged to slow down and use caution during severe weather.
HALLSVILLE – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) is seeking answers in relation to a murder that occurred in 2013 in Hallsville and has yet to be solved, according to our news partner KETK.
51-year-old Lillian Desiree Descoteau’s body was found by two truck drivers near FM 450 ramp onto IH-20, just south of Hallsville on October 7, 2013, according to officials.
“She had been sexually assaulted, beaten and strangled. Descoteau’s body was only clothed in a light blue pullover, a white bra and a shiny diamond stud earring in one ear,” DPS said.
Descoteau had lived in several states across the country, including Alaska, Colorado, Ohio, Georgia and lastly Irving, Texas, where she worked as a commercial driver for a brief period. Read the rest of this entry »