Today is
Tuesday July 21, 2026
SMITH COUNTY — As East Texas counties continue searching for solutions to protect their property and water rights, Van Zandt County is proposing a partnership with Smith County to better protect the region’s natural resources. According to our news partner KETK, Van Zandt County proposed a 391 commission, which would create a council including commissioners and residents from both counties. It would allow neighboring counties to work together to protect the region’s groundwater and property rights. The commission would oversee potential projects in the area and discuss developmental issues that affect both counties.
Following Tuesday’ s meeting, attended by several key lawmakers and public officials, Smith County Commissioners voted to table the decision until they obtained further information on the proposal. During a Smith County Commissioners Court meeting earlier this month, Van Zandt County resident David Dunigan said if Smith County entered the partnership, it would ensure better protection of the region’s natural resources.
“Your voice is going to tell people we can’t be predatory against East Texas counties anymore,” Dunigan said. “I really urge you guys to amplify your voice for the citizens of this county, and for the surrounding East Texas counties to be able to at least say yes, we want something, or no, we don’t.” Read the rest of this entry »
TEXARKANA, Texas (KETK) — Two people are dead and one person is recovering at a hospital after a domestic dispute led to a shooting at Texarkana Aluminum early Tuesday morning, the Nash Police Department confirmed. According to Nash PD, the shooting occurred at the facility’s parking lot at around 6:37 a.m. 48-year-old Eddie Hill Jr. was attempting to intervene in what is believed to be a domestic dispute between 40-year-old Wendell Champion Jr. and his wife, who worked at Texarkana Aluminum.
Champion Jr. then shot and killed Hill Jr. and shot his wife. She was transported to a local Texarkana hospital and is in stable condition, the police department said. Champion Jr. then shot and killed himself, Nash PD said. Champion Jr. had been convicted of murder in Harris County in 2010 and was released on parole in 2025.
There is no danger to the public at this time, the police department said.
Both Hill and Champion Jr.’s wife were employees of Texarkana Aluminum, which will continue operations as normal but has counseling available for employees.
Missouri’s top court is hearing an important legal challenge Tuesday to one of President Donald Trump’s earliest redistricting successes while lawmakers in Louisiana and South Carolina weigh whether to become the most recent Republican states to redraw U.S. House districts ahead of the midterm elections.
Rather than waning, a national redistricting battle that began 10 months ago has intensified as the November elections draw nearer — inflamed by a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that weakened the federal Voting Rights Act and provided grounds for states to try to eliminate voting districts with large minority populations.
Missouri was the second Republican state after Texas to heed Trump’s call last year to redraw congressional districts to help the GOP win additional seats in the midterms. At issue before the Missouri Supreme Court is whether the new districts violate a state constitutional requirement to be compact, and whether they can remain in place for this year’s elections despite an initiative petition seeking to force a public referendum.
In South Carolina, the issue facing Republican lawmakers is whether redrawing the state’s lone Democratic-held seat could open the door to a clean sweep for Republicans or backfire with additional losses by making more districts competitive for Democrats. State senators must decide whether to allow consideration of a redistricting plan put forth in the House after the legislature’s regular work ends Thursday.
Congressional redistricting also is under consideration in Louisiana, where the Supreme Court’s recent ruling invalidated a majority-Black district as an illegal racial gerrymander. The state’s May 16 congressional primaries already have been postponed. What remains undecided is how many seats Republicans will try to pick up while redrawing the districts.
Alabama also is poised to switch its congressional districts for this year’s elections, after the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday overturned an order for it to use a map with two largely Black districts.
Republicans think they could gain as many as 14 seats from new House maps enacted so far in Texas, Missouri, North Carolina, Ohio, Florida and Tennessee. Democrats, meanwhile, think they could gain six seats from new maps in California and Utah. The Virginia Supreme Court last week struck down a redistricting effort that could have yielded four more winnable seats for Democrats.
South Carolina weighs political risks of redistricting
A South Carolina House committee is to consider Tuesday whether to send a congressional redistricting plan to the full chamber for debate. The House also appears poised to pass legislation that could delay the June 9 congressional primaries until August to allow time for new districts to be enacted. That comes even as some absentee and overseas military ballots already have been cast.
But any redistricting effort also must clear the Senate, where support is less certain. Two-thirds of senators have to agree before the regular General Assembly session ends Thursday to let the legislature take up redistricting later.
Trump said on social media Monday that he was closely watching the redistricting vote, urging South Carolina senators to “be bold and courageous” and to delay the House primaries so new districts can be drawn.
Although Republicans have a supermajority in the chamber, several senators aren’t sure the proposed map guarantees the GOP will win seat held by long-serving Democratic U.S. Rep. Jim Clyburn. And they think enough Democratic voters could be pushed into other districts that the plan could backfire, resulting in a 5-2 or even a 4-3 Republican split.
Some also question whether it is fair for Republicans to get all the seats in a state where the Democratic presidential candidate has gotten at least 40% of the vote every election this century, even if Trump is asking for the new map.
Louisiana GOP looks to target one or two seats
State Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, a Republican who oversees the Louisiana Senate committee tasked with redistricting, said his panel plans to vote Tuesday on a U.S. House map, with a full Senate vote expected Thursday.
The committee has several options, including versions that would leave Democrats favored in only one district or none. Kleinpeter said a map eliminating all majority-Black districts would be difficult to hold up in court.
Last Friday, dozens of people urged lawmakers to retain two majority-Black districts during a grueling nine-hour hearing that featured civil rights activists and the only four Black congressmen elected to represent the state since the end of the Reconstruction era.
Missouri map splits Kansas City district
Missouri currently is represented in the U.S. House by six Republicans and two Democrats under a map passed by the Republican-led legislature after the 2020 census. But with Trump’s backing, Republican state officials adopted a new map last September that improves their chances of winning an additional seat by targeting a Kansas City district held by longtime Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, who previously was the city’s first Black mayor.
The new House map places portions of Kansas City in neighboring Republican districts and stretches the remainder of Cleaver’s 5th District far eastward into Republican-heavy rural areas. A state judge in March rejected an assertion that the map violates a constitutional compactness requirement, finding that the new districts on average are more compact — even if the 5th District is not. That was appealed to the state Supreme Court.
A separate case also being argued Tuesday at the state Supreme Court contends the new districts should have been automatically suspended in December when opponents submitted more than 300,000 petition signatures seeking to force a statewide referendum.
But Republican Attorney General Catherine Hanaway and Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins contend the new districts can be suspended only if — and after — Hoskins determines the petition meets constitutional requirements and has enough valid signatures. Hoskins has until Aug. 4, the day of Missouri’s primary elections, to make that determination.
A state judge in March agreed with the Republicans’ position while also ruling that the plaintiffs lacked grounds to sue and had done so too soon.
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Brook reported from Baton Rouge, Louisiana, Collins from Columbia, South Carolina, and Lieb from Jefferson City, Missouri.
WILLS POINT – The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office said that 76-year-old Alfredo Chavez was found dead in a wooded area on Friday after he went missing from Wills Point on April 23. Chavez’s body was found at around 11 a.m. on Friday in a heavily wooded area of Van Zandt County. Following his disappearance on April 23, the sheriff’s office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, Texas Game Wardens, Texas Department of Corrections search dogs and several nonprofit search and rescue organizations were brought together to search for Chavez but he wasn’t found until several weeks later.
The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office suspects no foul play in Chavez’s death.
TYLER – The City of Tyler has started sewer work on South Bonner Avenue from West Front Street and West Woldert Street near Caldwell Elementary School and Caldwell Middle School. The sewer work capacity upgrades are part of the city’s ongoing Consent Decree agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to upgrade and revitalize the city’s aging wastewater system.
The upgrades are expected to take about a week, during which time Caldwell Elementary School parents should enter to pick up car riders on South Bois D’Arc Avenue, south of the intersection at West Elm Street. Read the rest of this entry »
TROUP – A case of botulism was confirmed in the City of Troup on Monday, according to the Northeast Texas Public Health District. The city said that the disease is not contagious and that, due to HIPAA regulations, the name and address of the person involved cannot be released.
Although it is not contagious, botulism is a potentially fatal disease that is largely caused by environmental factors, including dust, soil and contaminated food. The disease attacks the body’s nerves, causing difficulty breathing and muscle paralysis.
According to the Northeast Texas Public Health District, symptoms of botulism include: Muscle weakness, blurred/double vision, drooping eyelids and slurred speech.
Anyone impacted by these symptoms should seek medical treatment immediately.
GREGG COUNTY – A former sheriff’s deputy was booked into the county jail on Friday for allegedly violating his probation. According to Gregg County records and our news partner KETK, former Gregg County Sheriff’s Office deputy Joshua Tubb, 48, of Kilgore, received a 180-day jail sentence for a March 24 DWI conviction. He has not been booked into jail, however, because the court placed him on two years of probation instead.
On Friday, Gregg County Judicial records show that Tubb’s probation was revoked and a warrant was issued for his arrest for violating the terms of his probation in his DWI case.
Tubbs was then booked into the Gregg County Jail that same day. He’s since been transferred into the custody of another agency.
The Texas Tribune – Federal officials opened a civil rights investigation into the state-controlled Houston ISD over its plans to relocate students with disabilities, separating them from classmates.
Some students with disabilities will be required to move campuses next school year where they will learn in a “contained” setting, Houston ISD Deputy Superintendent Kristen Hole announced earlier this week. It is part of an effort to centralize special education services, so programs spread across several campuses could be consolidated into one site. The majority of special education students will not be affected.
Hole said the changes will mean better instruction for children with disabilities with more small-group settings for individualized attention.
However, the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights is examining whether the move runs directly counter to the federal law that says students with disabilities should learn alongside classmates who do not have disabilities as much as possible.
“Schools cannot exclude students with disabilities simply because of their disability status. Placement decisions must be made individually, based on each student’s needs, rather than by blanket policies that segregate students by disability category,” Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights Kimberly Richey wrote in a statement. “The allegations described here are alarming.”
Houston ISD did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the investigation. The district’s website notes that student services will still closely follow individualized education plans, or IEPs, which is a written plan of each students’ needs.
Federal officials cited concerns from Houston families that their children will lose out on a chance to improve their social skills in general education classrooms. Parents also worry that longer transportation times to these alternative campuses will be challenging for children with medical and behavioral needs.
Houston ISD previously has struggled to provide supports to the more than 20,000 students who qualify for special education services. In 2020, special investigators with the Texas Education Agency found HISD in “systemic and widespread” noncompliance with special education law.
About a decade ago, federal officials found Texas failed to properly educate many students with disabilities.The state had quietly capped the percentage of students that schools could identify as in need of special education services.
Houston ISD has been under state control since June 2023 due to chronic poor academic performance. For the district to regain local control, Texas Education Agency Commissioner Mike Morath has said, in addition to improving academic outcomes, HISD must get its special education programs in compliance with state and federal law.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
The Texas Tribune – As Texas struggles to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population, a state fund had $1.28 billion available this year to support projects that could deliver water even in a severe drought.
Unfortunately, 23 worthy projects requested a total of $4.2 billion, prompting the state to deny 13 of them — the first time the SWIFT fund had to say no to an applicant in its 11-year history.
It was lamentable timing for a state plagued by a brutal drought and aging water infrastructure.
“We have more demand than we actually have the capacity to fulfill this year,” said Marvin Cole-Chaney, director of program administration and reporting for the Texas Water Development Board, which administers SWIFT, the State Water Implementation Fund for Texas.
One of the denied projects is a desalination plant with the potential to create 100 million gallons of drinking water a day along the Coastal Bend in South Texas — an area including Corpus Christi, which is in the grips of a devastating drought.
The denial surprised John Byrum, executive director of the Nueces River Authority, which proposed building the plant as a critical source of water for Coastal Bend cities.
Under the scoring system used to set priorities for SWIFT, the river authority’s plant ranked 11th. The top 10 proposals will next submit more-detailed applications for the money.
“We really thought our project would rate higher,” Byrum said. “We were disappointed.”
The river authority requested $140 million to fuel plans to build a seawater desalination plant in Harbor Island, which sits within the cities of Aransas Pass and Port Aransas. A desalination plant filters salt and other minerals out of seawater to make it drinkable.
The proposed project, which received federal permitting in September and is projected to cost $3.2 billion, would distribute water to cities, water districts and businesses across South Texas, including Corpus Christi, which is nearing a water crisis. The coastal city is one of the biggest water suppliers in the region and may be just months away from a water crisis as its main reservoirs have shriveled to below 8% capacity.
Corpus Christi paid $2.7 million to the river authority to reserve an option to buy 50 million gallons of water a day once the Harbor Island desalination plant is running.
City leaders are bracing for a Level 1 water emergency, the point when the water supply is projected to be 180 days from falling short of demand, which could be triggered as soon as September. Commissioners in Nueces County, which includes Corpus Christi, voted unanimously last week to declare a county-wide water emergency, restricting residents’ outdoor watering.
SWIFT offers low-interest loans with extended and flexible repayment plans. The water development board said the denied projects may be eligible for other funding options, such as the Drinking Water State Revolving Fund, but Byrum believes the SWIFT fund should place a higher priority on an area’s need for water.
The water development board considers several factors when prioritizing projects, ranking them on a scoring sheet with a maximum score of 86. Projects can earn the most points by serving large populations, with readiness and water conservation among other factors also taken into account.
A project’s “emergency need” carries little weight, earning a maximum five points.
None of the 10 highest-ranked projects earned any points for “emergency need,” a designation restricted to public water systems where supply is expected to fall short of demand within 180 days, federal money was sought or received to deal with the emergency, or the need for water will occur a decade sooner than anticipated by state planners.
The Harbor Island plant, despite targeting an area that critically needs water, earned no emergency need points and lost potential points because it is in rural Nueces County with a relatively low population. Its score of 62 was just one point behind the 10th-place project.
This year’s 10 highest-rated SWIFT projects span the state, including the Riverbend Water Resources District — the top-rated project on the SWIFT scorecard. Riverbend is seeking $2.98 million to assess and expand water infrastructure to meet Texarkana’s growing population.
The North Texas Municipal Water District is asking for nearly $419 million for a pipeline and treatment plant in Leonard, a town in Fannin County. The water district is also receiving around $611 million to design a new raw water pump station.
Money is also being directed to South Texas, where the Hidalgo County Drainage District made a pitch for $120 million for its proposed Santa Cruz Reservoir.
Byrum said the Nueces River Authority is going to apply for the water board’s other funding programs, as well as seek private funding, in hopes of getting the Harbor Island desalination plant built.
SWIFT was created by the Texas Legislature and approved by voters in 2013, allowing the one-time transfer of $2 billion from the state’s rainy day fund. Revenue bonds over the next 50 years, starting in 2015, will finance around $27 billion in water supply projects through SWIFT.
To date, the water development board has committed about $17.2 billion in SWIFT money to 76 projects. The agency estimates the funding saved entities almost $2.1 billion over the life of the debt compared to market rates.
This article first appeared on The Texas Tribune.
HAWKINS – Severe storms moved through the area Sunday night, leaving uprooted trees and some structure damage in Wood County. Fortunately no injuries were reported. Our news partner KETK has compiled some videos and photos submitted by their viewers. You may view that gallery here.
GREGG COUNTY – The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has announced they will be investing about $1 billion in several projects in Gregg County in the next decade. Both the county and TxDOT believe the projects will keep pace with East Texas’ projected growth. Gregg County Judge Bill Stoudt spoke at a recent Longview Chamber of Commerce meeting which gave attendees an update on the status of the Gregg County projects. TxDOT was there as well.
TxDOT also officially announced the expansion of the interstate; I-20 will be expanded to three lanes. Another $140 million will be spent on Highway 42 and 31; both will become four lane highways between Smith and Kilgore. And there are also big plans at 31 and I-20, according to TxDOT Spokesman Jeff Williford. “Taking away those left exits. I think everyone knows those left exits as your kind of heading in that direction and how awkward they can be. So, they would do away with those with an interchange and flyovers and things like that,” Williford said.
Williford said the cloverleaf interchange will run about $270,000,000, and all the projects have important goals.
Some of the projects, like the widening of the interstate, do not yet have funding in place. That project has the big price tag of about $580 million.
PITTSBURG – Pittsburg ISD has announced that the current superintendent for Red Lick ISD may soon lead their district. Current Red Lick ISD superintendent Brandon Dennard was named Pittsburg ISD’s lone finalist to be their next superintendent on Thursday, after a comprehensive candidate search process was completed with help from Powell Law Group.
According to our news partner KETK, Dennard has over 25 years of experience in public school education and has been with Red Lick ISD near Texarkana since 2018. During his tenure as superintendent at Red Lick ISD, the district earned an “A” accountability rating and completed $1.9 million in improvements.
Throughout his career in education, Dennard has served, not only as a superintendent but also as an assistant superintendent, a principal, an assistant principal, a counselor, a teacher and as a coach. Dennard got his master’s degree in educational administration from the then-Texas A&M University-Commerce. He’ll be officially hired by the Pittsburg ISD board of trustees after a legally required 21-day waiting period.
VAN – The Van Police Department helped arrest two burglary suspects involved in a high-speed chase that started in Heath on Saturday morning. Officers were sent out to the Promontory neighborhood at around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday to respond to a reported burglary at an occupied residence. Suspects were reportedly spotted in a vehicle leaving the area and officers attempted to do a traffic stop on their vehicle but they fled. A chase ensued along Interstate 20 and by the time they reached Van Zandt County, the suspects’ vehicle was going over 100 miles per hour, according to our news partner KETK.
A Van PD officer was listening to the chase on his radio and was able to help bring the pursuit to an end by deploying spikes across Interstate 20 at mile marker 536 near Tyler. The suspects’ vehicle went on for only a mile after that but then two people in the vehicle ran into the woods nearby.
Texas Game Wardens were then called out to help find the two suspects. K9 Roux, her handler, Texas Department of Public Safety troopers and a drone pilot eventually caught the pair after they fled through the woods for almost five miles. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – A Longview man was booked into the Harrison County Jail earlier this week on felony warrants out of Caddo Parish, Louisiana, and has since been extradited to Caddo Parish.
According to jail records, 41-year-old Nicholas Nolan Satterwhite was booked into the Travis Street Annex on May 2. Records show Satterwhite is wanted by the Shreveport Police Department on charges of indecency with a child involving sexual contact and online solicitation of a minor.
Caddo Parish warrant records list bonds totaling $250,000. He was extradited on May 7.
The investigation remains ongoing through authorities in Louisiana.
HENDERSON COUNTY — The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help in finding a man with several outstanding warrants for his arrest after he was accused of committing forgery and fraud. According to the sheriff’s office and our news partner KETK, an investigation was opened against 48-year-old Richard Lang after several businesses in the Chandler area reported counterfeit currency being used during transactions.
During the investigation, officials discovered that Lang had used counterfeit $100 and $20 bills at local businesses to purchase merchandise, fuel and lottery tickets. Investigators also gathered witness statements, surveillance videos and additional counterfeit currency during the investigation that linked Lang to the offenses.
Anyone with information about Lang’s whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 903-675-5128 or the Henderson County Crime Stoppers at 800-545-TIPS.
NACOGDOCHES, Texas (KETK)– For more than a century, Stephen F. Austin State University has served as a cornerstone of higher education in East Texas. Now, the university is undergoing what leaders describe as a once-in-a-generation transformation fueled by the University of Texas System.
SFA officials say a 10-year campus master plan carrying an estimated $1 billion price tag is designed to modernize facilities, improve the student experience and position the university for another century of growth and success.
Construction equipment has now taken over portions of the campus known for its towering pine trees and blooming azaleas, signaling the start of a major expansion effort.
“This institution has a really strong history of being resilient and able to weather storms and get through tough times,” SFA President Dr. Neal Weaver said. “When you take that resilience and match it with the power and resources of the University of Texas System, you see what is happening here right now.”
Since joining the UT System in 2023, at least $58 million has already been invested into SFA. The university recently opened a new cafeteria — the first built on campus since the 1960s — while at least $160 million in additional projects are currently under construction or in development.
One of the most visible projects is underway at SFA’s Arthur Temple College of Forestry and Agriculture, where construction crews are building a more than 100,000-square-foot facility aimed at expanding a nationally recognized academic program.
“We’re about to break ground on a brand-new entrepreneurship center, about a $45 million project that should open in 2027,” Weaver said. “Then this summer, we’re breaking ground on a brand-new $70 million residence facility that will add about 350 beds to campus.”
The growth comes as student enrollment continues to rise. SFA welcomed the largest first-time undergraduate class in school history for the Fall 2025 semester and recently recorded its largest spring enrollment increase in more than 15 years.
Weaver credits the university’s focus on affordability and workforce preparation for helping attract students.
“Being a part of the University of Texas System has allowed us to invest in the Purple Promise program,” Weaver said. “That allows students to come to school tuition- and fee-free if they come from a family that earns less than $100,000 a year.”
According to a 2025 economic report from SFA’s Center for Business and Economic Research, the university generates nearly $348 million in local economic activity and supports approximately 4,819 jobs.
“As we see more people coming to town because of SFA, we’re going to see more investment, more consumers, and more workforce candidates being generated through the university,” Kelly Augustine, President of the Nacogdoches Chamber of Commerce, said. “We’re very excited about that.”
The report also found that during the 2022 school year, SFA attracted more than 205,000 visitors to Nacogdoches — spending nearly $9 million at local hotels, restaurants and retail stores.
Students themselves spent nearly $102 million locally, directly supporting about 1,100 jobs. Nearly $40 million of that spending was recirculated throughout the Nacogdoches area economy, supporting hundreds more jobs.
Augustine believes the university’s impact goes beyond economics.
“We see students giving their free time to volunteer activities,” Augustine said. “We see faculty and staff applying their talents and knowledge with nonprofits and businesses across town.”
University officials expect enrollment to reach 15,000 students over the next decade, a number that could significantly reshape the future of Nacogdoches and the surrounding East Texas region.
“Just think about it — $1 billion being spent right here in Nacogdoches,” Weaver said. “That alone is a powerful economic driver for this region. We know there’s going to be a lot of money and jobs coming to Nacogdoches and East Texas.”
As cranes rise and construction continues across campus, university leaders say SFA is not simply expanding buildings — it is investing in the future of an entire community.
TYLER — The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s new requirements for SNAP retailers will directly affect millions of people who depend on the program, especially in communities where healthy food is already hard to find. Under the updated rules, grocery stores that accept SNAP must stock more than twice as many whole?food items as before, including proteins, grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables. For the 3 million Texans who use SNAP, this could mean better access to healthier choices in stores that previously offered limited options.
But the impact won’t be the same for everyone:
For SNAP users:
Better variety for families trying to stretch benefits while still eating nutritious meals.
More healthy foods on shelves — especially in small or rural stores that previously carried mostly processed items.
Potentially higher prices if retailers pass along the cost of stocking more perishable foods. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — A Smith County gang member has been sentenced to three concurrent life terms after pleading guilty in a crack cocaine and money laundering conspiracy tied to the 5-2 Hoover Crips.
The Smith County District Attorney’s Office announced Thursday that Samatraus Forge pleaded guilty to his role in a 12-person conspiracy tied to crack cocaine trafficking, money laundering and gang activity. Judge Taylor Heaton handed down three concurrent life sentences, underscoring Forge’s role in the operation. Prosecutors presented evidence identifying him as a member of the 5-2 Hoover Crips, a gang that ran multiple drug houses and funneled narcotics through areas designated as drug-free zones.
A lead investigator from the Tyler Police Department testified about the year-long probe, revealing that at least three houses were used to move roughly $4,000 in narcotics proceeds each month. Forge is the first to be sentenced in the case. Eleven other defendants have been charged with engaging in organized criminal activity and are awaiting trial.
TYLER — After accepting a guilty plea deal, a man has been sentenced to eight years in state prison for a 2025 shooting at Lake Tyler on Thursday.
On May 18, 2025, the Tyler Police Department responded to a report of gunshots at a parking lot near Lake Tyler. Officials said no one was injured in the shooting. The suspected shooter, Dezavion Williams of Henderson, had a rifle and was taken into custody by officers. Williams was arrested and booked into the Smith County Jail for aggravated assault mass shooting.
On April 23, Williams was offered a guilty plea deal, according to Smith County judicial records. Williams accepted the guilty plea at a pre-trial hearing on Thursday and was sentenced to eight years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A search is underway for individuals believed to have attacked an elderly East Texas man on Tuesday evening. The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office said the aggravated assault occurred Tuesday from around 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the 8800 block of FM Road 279 in Edom. A preliminary investigation indicates that an elderly man from Edom was involved in a physical altercation and was assaulted by unidentified individuals who were driving a red Ford Expedition.
Anyone with information or who may have witnessed the incident is asked to contact Investigator D. Henson at dhenson@vanzandtcounty.org, Investigator C. Hanner at channer@vanzandtcounty.org, or the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office at (903) 567-4133.
MARSHALL — The City of Marshall is mourning the passing of its municipal court judge, who died earlier this week. According to city officials and our news partner KETK, Judge Tristen Ellis died on Monday after serving as municipal judge since November 2025. The city said that Ellis leaves behind a legacy of integrity, fairness and dedicated public service.
“Judge Ellis was a valued member of the Marshall community and brought wisdom and professionalism to the Municipal Court,” Mayor Amy Ware said. “He was widely respected for his unwavering commitment to justice.”
His family will announce information about Ellis’s memorial services, and updates will be provided at a later date regarding the appointment of an interim judge.
GLADEWATER — Gladewater ISD is moving forward with a series of major upgrades after voters approved the district’s $8.1 million bond during Saturday’s municipal election. The district was one of nine across the region where voters said “yes” to new school funding. A significant portion of the bond will go toward campus safety, including installing keyless entry systems at every school. The district will also purchase new school buses equipped with seat belts, thereby improving student transportation safety.
Another major focus of the bond is strengthening the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, an investment aimed at preparing the future workforce of East Texas. Superintendent Rae Ann Patty said the upgrades will ensure students are learning on equipment that reflects real?world industry standards.
Work will begin this summer, starting with HVAC system upgrades and the purchase of new buses. Most construction and classroom improvements are expected to be completed during the 2027–2028 school year.
The bond marks a significant step forward for Gladewater ISD as it works to enhance safety, modernize learning spaces, and expand opportunities for students across the district.
KILGORE — A pedestrian was killed last month in Kilgore after falling from the bed of a pickup truck and being struck by a police vehicle responding to a crash, according to a report from the Texas Department of Transportation. According to our news partner KETK, the incident began when a driver of a pickup truck, believed to be intoxicated, was traveling north on State Highway 135 with a passenger in the bed of the truck in the early hours of April 18. The passenger, who was also reportedly intoxicated, had been asleep during the ride.
According to the report, the passenger woke up at some point, and around the same time, the driver missed an exit and attempted to make a U-turn. During that maneuver, the passenger fell from the bed of the truck onto the roadway. The Kilgore Police Department said they received an automatic 911 call from a smartphone, along with GPS coordinates for its location. Dispatchers sent units to the potential crash after they “could hear an unresponsive individual with labored breathing throughout the call.”
The crash report states that a person driving a Kilgore Police Department vehicle was traveling northbound on State Highway 135 en route to a crash and encountered the pedestrian—who was wearing dark clothing and no reflective materials—lying in the outside lane. Read the rest of this entry »
WILLS POINT – The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for 76-year-old Alfredo Chavez, who was last seen in Wills Point on April 23. Chavez is described as 5’7? Hispanic man, who weighs around 120 pounds and has brown eyes and brown hair. According to a Silver Alert, he was last seen in the 14300 block of Clark Lane in Wills Point on April 23 at 2 p.m., while wearing a dark long-sleeve shirt, green sweatpants and flip-flops.
The sheriff’s office said Chavez may be with a small Chihuahua dog. They also said he suffers from dementia, may be disoriented, may knock on the door of nearby homes and only speaks Spanish.
On April 25, the sheriff’s office said Chavez was still missing after an extensive search of the area. Anyone with information about his disappearance is asked to contact the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office at 469-376-4500.
AUSTIN (THE TEXAS TRIBUNE) — In March, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick directed state senators to explore ways to close “gambling loopholes” that allow online prediction markets to operate in Texas, raising concerns that state elections and sporting events could be manipulated for profit.
Patrick’s directive was the first time a state leader officially acknowledged the existence of rapidly growing prediction markets, which let users wager on outcomes tied to anything from the weather to election winners and sports scores.
Most prediction markets didn’t operate in the U.S. before 2025.
Texas Lottery intensifies campaign against harmful gambling habits
Any attempts by the Texas Legislature to restrict prediction operators, however, would run into federal roadblocks as the Trump administration insists that oversight belongs to a U.S. agency, not the states.
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has taken vigorous steps to retain exclusive regulatory oversight, suing to block five states from taking legal action against predictive markets, including a lawsuit filed Tuesday against Wisconsin.
Prediction market operators argue that state gambling laws don’t apply to them because users aren’t placing bets, they’re risking money on predictions — no different than other exchange-traded financial contracts that speculate on the future performance of commodities. Congress created the CFTC in 1974 to regulate futures trading.
Sara Slane, head of corporate development for Kalshi, the country’s largest prediction market, said she believes federal regulators provide adequate oversight, a perspective Kalshi is “never shy” about sharing with state officials.
“We are regulated at the federal level, but of course, given now the popularity of prediction markets, we are doing a lot of educating on the state level,” Slane said. “That’s the dialogue that we’ll envision having, certainly, in the state of Texas.”
Amid fears of insider trading and market manipulation, other states have struggled to regulate prediction markets under their current gambling laws, including 15 states that have sued, investigated or sent cease and desist orders to operators for allegedly violating gambling restrictions or failing to acquire gambling licenses.
Texas, however, has been slower to react, uncharacteristic for a state that has stood firm against efforts to expand online wagering.
The National Association of Attorneys General and the Ohio attorney general’s office asked Texas in March to join a legal brief arguing that the CFTC does not have sole authority to regulate the markets, emails obtained by The Texas Tribune show. Although 39 states signed on, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office didn’t respond.
Prediction markets say they’re different from sportsbooks. Gambling addicts say it’s all the same
The same thing happened last week when the two organizations again asked Texas to support a similar brief joined by 37 states.
In August 2025, Paxton was one of four state attorneys general who did not sign a letter urging then-U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi to crack down on offshore gambling.
Paxton’s office did not respond to requests for comment on whether state gambling laws applied to prediction markets and why Texas did not join the two briefs or the letter to Bondi. When the Tribune asked to view internal communications related to prediction markets, the office declined, saying the information was protected by attorney-client privilege. The Ohio attorney general’s office and the national group declined to comment.
Opponents of legalized gambling say prediction markets, despite being portrayed as a form of futures trading, are simply a new form of gaming, producing the same problems as other types of wagering, including addiction, financial ruin and family strain.
“This is public health. It rewires the brain, it requires increasing amounts of dopamine, people will bet more and more and more,” said Russ Coleman, board chair for Texans Against Gambling. “The number of suicides that will result, the number of families that will be broken up, the number of embezzlement cases — it will hit.”
Jonathan Covey, director of policy for Texas Values, a conservative advocacy group, said the markets have the potential for additional harm because many facilitate wagering on elections.
“Elections, they’re not just economic activity, they’re core functions of our state sovereignty,” Covey said. “We have Penal Code chapter 47 that says election betting is illegal, and prediction markets have been trying to sort of relabel that activity.”
Last week, Kalshi revealed that it had fined three congressional candidates, including one in Texas, for attempting to wager on their own elections. That revelation — and the recent arrest of a U.S. Army soldier accused of using classified information for an almost $410,000 payday on another platform — has added fuel to opponents’ concerns that the current regulatory framework is unprepared to address potential manipulation.
Betting on federal oversight
Prediction markets operate by offering “event contracts” tied to different outcomes, such as the number of strikeouts in an Astros’ ballgame or the winner of the Texas attorney general Republican runoff. Sports-related contracts represent 80% to 90% of Kalshi’s monthly trading volume, according to investment research platform Artemis.
There are very few explicit federal restrictions on futures trading beyond motion picture box office receipts and, thanks to the Onion Futures Act of 1958, the price of onions. A CFTC advisory in March also clarified that contracts related to war, assassination or terrorism are not allowed.
Polymarket, which bills itself as the world’s largest prediction market, has offered contracts based on the wars in Iran and Ukraine, but those are hosted on a platform outside of the U.S. and are not subject to CFTC regulation. Polymarket also maintains a U.S. product under CFTC regulation.
The CFTC permits prediction market operators to self-regulate their contracts, a structure Chair Michael Selig described as the government granting them “quasi-regulatory authority.” The CFTC, he told a U.S. House hearing mid-April, can review and reject contracts, acting as the “second line of defense” after the operators themselves.
“The Commodity Exchange Act sets forth a regulatory scheme where the exchanges are the first line of defense,” Selig said.
That self-governing was displayed last week when Kalshi announced enforcement action against the congressional candidates who bet on their own races, including Zeke Enriquez, who finished 11th in the 21st Congressional District Republican primary. Kalshi fined Enriquez $784 and banned him from using the exchange for five years for buying less than $100 worth of event contracts in the GOP primary.
The CFTC also solicited public comments from mid-March through Thursday for input on future rules specifically addressing prediction markets. On Thursday, the National Conference of State Legislatures, which represents state lawmakers including those in Texas, submitted a comment urging the CFTC to place event contracts related to sports under state gambling laws.
In Texas, Patrick opened the door to potential regulation in March when he directed the State Affairs Committee to study how federal law has been exploited to “circumvent Texas gambling prohibitions.” As presiding officer of the Texas Senate, he has long opposed efforts to loosen state gambling restrictions.
Patrick also told senators to prepare recommendations for the 2027 session of the Legislature to ensure prediction markets do not endanger the integrity of elections and sports in Texas.
The committee has no meetings currently scheduled.
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Coleman said Patrick’s directive was a “happy surprise” as his organization works to raise awareness of the rapidly expanding prediction markets. While uncertain what effect it will have, he hoped it indicated Patrick’s continued opposition to gambling writ large.
“Maybe it was stretching a little bit to read too much into that, but it says that he’s paying attention,” Coleman said.
The CFTC’s efforts to discourage states from regulating prediction markets started after Selig, appointed by President Donald Trump, began in December as the only commissioner at the agency, which is designed to be led by five presidential appointees. Selig and the CFTC did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Covey said Selig’s treatment of prediction markets was “concerning” because states have traditionally had the power to determine what kinds of gambling are permitted within their borders.
“The CFTC is treating these as financial documents, but the states are the ones that have always regulated gambling,” Covey said. “When a federal agency pushes to expand these markets nationwide, it risks overriding state authority and exposing consumers to something that many states would otherwise restrict.”
Covey said operators, relying on federal oversight, have set up shop in states without formal notification, leaving political leaders playing catch-up.
“I think that this issue has not been highlighted, and a lot of people are not aware of it,” Covey said.
In Republican-led Texas, efforts to regulate prediction markets may be complicated by many state officials’ close ties to Trump. Truth Social, the social media platform created by the president, announced in October it would launch its own prediction market platform. Donald Trump Jr. is an adviser for Kalshi and Polymarket.
“There’s a lot of political overtones to this,” Coleman said.
As courts, Congress weigh in, sportsbooks enter the picture
People on both sides of the issue expect questions about state vs. federal regulation to be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. Three federal appeals courts are reviewing disputes between prediction market operators and states, with oral arguments completed in two cases and a third set for next week — although no cases are pending before the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which oversees Texas.
“This is so, so far down the road that I can truly understand why state lawmakers are saying, ‘OK, great, Dan Patrick, it’s on the interim charge, thank you, we’ll keep our eye on this,’ but at this point it’s got to play out in the courts,” Coleman said.
Several bills have been introduced in Congress to restrict who can use prediction markets and prohibit contracts related to sports or war, including one sponsored by Rep. Greg Casar, D-Austin. On Thursday, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution banning senators from using prediction markets. Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said on the Senate floor that the ban also applied to Senate staff.
Meanwhile, prediction markets have provided sportsbooks access to residents of states like Texas where online gambling is generally forbidden.
Two of the largest online sportsbooks, FanDuel and DraftKings, have launched prediction market products offering sports contracts that accept money from Texans. Gaming advocates had worked, unsuccessfully, to persuade Texas lawmakers to legalize daily fantasy sports in 2017 and online sports betting in 2023 and 2025. Today, opening DraftKings’ sports betting app in Texas automatically pivots players to its prediction market.
DraftKings says there is “clear consumer interest” in Texas.
“Drawing on more than a decade of experience serving sports fans, and informed by ongoing, thoughtful dialogue with regulators and policymakers, DraftKings has developed a platform designed to enhance the fan experience while making available responsible engagement tools and resources,” a statement from a DraftKings spokesperson read.
FanDuel responded to questions about their prediction markets by pointing to interviews with other outlets, including a CNN interview with company President Christian Genetski, who described the markets as a “reasonable facsimile” to sportsbooks.
What could Texas do?
Carol Ann Maner, chair of the Texas Coalition on Problem Gambling, a nonpartisan organization focused on bolstering resources to combat gambling addiction, said the exponential growth of prediction markets is a great concern from a public health perspective.
The coalition has not identified examples of problem gambling stemming from prediction markets, but Maner said the similarities between them and sportsbooks means the risks are no different.
“It would be almost like malpractice on our part to pretend not to know that this would be harmful,” she said.
Gambling opponents say Texas lawmakers still have several opportunities to regulate or investigate prediction markets without crossing the CFTC.
Covey suggested scrutinizing advertising that is often indistinguishable from sportsbook operations and can target younger audiences. Federal regulations allow prediction markets to be used by those 18 and older, while most states restrict gambling to those 21 and up.
“Their advertising really is a pretty significant insight into where they feel like they’re pulling their customer base from,” Covey said.
Kalshi and Polymarket previously ran Instagram ads in Texas that explicitly called their services “betting,” the Tribune found in September. Ads using direct gambling terminology were removed after Event Horizon and the Tribune reported on their proliferation, but new ads still frame the markets as a more profitable alternative to sportsbooks.
Legislators could also request or subpoena information from operators to glean details on how Texans use prediction markets. The Senate State Affairs Committee used that tool last year when it scrutinized lottery couriers, learning that 99.9% of the largest courier’s sales in 2024 were done online, which Patrick and other lawmakers said violated state law.
Another idea is banning state officials and employees from participating in prediction markets if they have insider information. Four state governors have issued executive orders barring state employees from using nonpublic information to influence contracts purchased on prediction markets. The orders do not outright ban employees from using the markets.
Slane said she understands why state leaders may be apprehensive about giving up oversight but is confident Kalshi is on “firm legal ground” being regulated exclusively by the feds.
“It’s not a fight that we want to be in, but we’re not surprised that we are in it,” Slane said. “I think when people sort of take a step back, certainly from a state level, and they’re simply viewing this as a federal preemption issue over states’ rights, your natural intuition is to be the defender of your state rights.”
Nayomie Mendoza has become accustomed to how Cinco de Mayo is celebrated in the U.S.: the platters of tacos, the pitchers of margaritas and the jubilant sounds of mariachi bands.
She is among a number of Mexican American business owners who’ve become more vocal about also honoring Mexican history and the significance of the holiday, as a way to combat anti-immigrant sentiments amid heightened immigration enforcement efforts that have targeted Latino communities.
Mendoza, owner of Cuernavaca’s Grill in Los Angeles, said she prefers a celebration that reflects “everything that as a community we’re enduring today.” So, Mendoza will host Cinco de Mayo festivities at her restaurant that, along with traditional mariachi and Mexican cuisine, will include a nod to Mexican perseverance over the French in the Battle of Puebla over 160 years ago.
“Just looking at how much they did with very little resources,” she said. “It just showed resilience. So, on Cinco de Mayo we always make it a testament of our resilience.”
Restaurants owners aren’t the first Latino community leaders to reclaim Cinco de Mayo in the U.S. — moving away from a flattening of Mexican culture toward highlighting history and community. This year, the celebrations are noticeably embracing traditional Mexican culture and focused on preservation, said Sehila Mota Casper, director of Latinos in Heritage Conservation.
“These are just incredible moments of educating and knowledge sharing,” Mota Casper said. “The more we educate, the more knowledge we share, the better a community and people we become.”
Restaurants emphasize authenticity over tequila shots
Hispanic-owned firms accounted for 8.4% of 5.9 million U.S. employers in 2024, according to the Census Bureau’s annual survey of businesses. They also were approximately 18% of all restaurant businesses in the United States last month, according to the National Restaurant Association, which uses census data.
U.S. revelers hoping to crowd restaurants and toss back shots of tequila may find more wholesome and intentionally planned offerings, said Raul Luis, who owns the Birrieria Chalio Mexican Restaurant, with locations in Los Angeles and Fort Worth, Texas. On Cinco de Mayo, he wants his customers to eat and drink the types of “guisados” — traditional Mexican braises or stews served as taco filling — that one would eat when invited into a Mexican family’s home.
Well-made, traditional cooking will keep customers coming back, even if they aren’t Hispanic, Luis said.
“It’s the ultimate opportunity for restaurants to take advantage of that moment and bring them in and entice them to authentic Mexican food,” Luis said.
What Cinco de Mayo celebrates
Cinco de Mayo marks the anniversary of the 1862 victory by Mexican troops over invading French forces at the Battle of Puebla. The triumph over much larger French troops who were better-equipped was an enormous emotional boost for Mexican soldiers led by Gen. Ignacio Zaragoza.
In Mexico, historical reenactments are held annually in the central city of Puebla to commemorate the victory. Participants dress as Mexican and French troops and as Zacapoaxtlas — the Indigenous and farmer contingent that helped Mexican troops win.
In the U.S., May 5 is seen as a day to celebrate Mexican American culture, stretching back to the 1800s in California. Festivities typically include parades, street food, block parties, mariachi competitions and baile.
Folklórico, or folkloric ballet, features whirling dancers in bright, ruffled dresses and their hair tied with shiny ribbons.
The day often is mistaken for Mexican Independence Day, which is on Sept. 16.
Latino activists and scholars say that disconnect in the U.S. is bolstered by the hazy history of Cinco de Mayo and marketing that plays on stereotypes that include fake, droopy mustaches and gigantic, colorful sombreros.
A testament to Mexican resilience
Since returning to the White House in 2025, President Donald Trump has continued to label Mexican immigrants as criminals and gang members, and Latino communities have been a target of his hard-line immigration tactics. Memes shared from official White House social media accounts perpetuate negative stereotypes about Latinos, while a federally led English-only initiative and ban on diversity, equity and inclusion programs all seem to target communities of color.
All together, it’s generated a great deal of fear in Latino communities.
Mendoza, the Los Angeles restaurant owner, said it’s also been a hard time for the restaurant industry because of rising costs. But in spite of it all, Cuernavaca’s Grill will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.
As part of the restaurant’s Cinco de Mayo festivities, she’ll invite customers to contribute to a food and toy drive meant to support those who are struggling in the current climate.
“This is a testament of our resilience,” Mendoza said. “It’s a testament of our hard work. It is pride to our community and everything that we’ve accomplished.”
TRINITY COUNTY, Texas (KETK)— The Trinity County Sheriff’s Office has opened an investigation after gallon barrels of chemicals and paint were illegally dumped into a local creek.
According to the sheriff’s office, 55-gallon barrels containing chemicals, paint and unknown substances were dumped from a white rental truck into a creek near the Port Adventure subdivision, less than half a mile from Lake Livingston.
“Dumping chemicals into our waterways can harm wildlife, contaminate drinking water, and create long-term environmental damage that affects this county for years to come,” Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace said.
A cleanup effort to remove the chemicals from the water has begun and crews from Lone Star Hazmat are currently on the scene. The sheriff’s office is asking anyone who witnessed the products being dumped to contact authorities at 936-642-1424 so they can build a strong case against potential suspects.
“If we allow this kind of behavior, we are inviting more of it,” Wallace said. “A dirty environment attracts more crime, more dumping, and more people who have no respect for this county.”
TYLER — The WAGES Act, introduced by Representative Nathaniel Moran (R), Texas, looks to give manual labor companies more support in apprenticeship programs through a tax credit. According to our news partner KETK, Moran is making waves in East Texas blue-collar industries through his new Workforce, Apprenticeship Growth and Education Support (WAGES) Act. He’s making the pitch this week to companies in the Pineywoods and if passed, the new law would allow companies with a registered apprenticeship program to pay apprentices and mentors while covering program expenses.
WAGES would help the next generation of workers at Trane Technologies get adapted to their work environment before taking on the job.
“It says we want to give you an employment tax credit up to $5,000 per apprentice per quarter against those taxes you’re paying every quarter,” Moran said. Read the rest of this entry »
SAN AUGUSTINE, Texas (KETK)– An East Texas man was sentenced to 99 years in prison on Thursday after committing murder with a crossbow in 2022.
Lorenza White was arrested in December 2022 after deputies from the San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office received a call regarding an unresponsive and bloodied man lying in the front yard of a house on FM 711.
Once on the scene, deputies found the victim dead from injuries he sustained after being shot by a crossbow in the back. White was later arrested in Lufkin after he was seen driving in the victim’s truck, which had been reported stolen.
After being placed under arrest, White admitted to officials that he had shot the victim with a crossbow and then stole his truck. White was later charged with murder, aggravated robbery and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
On Thursday, White was sentenced to 99 years in prison after being found guilty by a jury of murder.
TYLER – Voters from across East Texas passed 9 out of 11 proposed school bonds on Saturday, investing over $309 million in total to help expand facilities for students, repair campuses and more.
Our news partner KETK has put together a list of school bond proposals that were voted on from areas across East Texas on May 2. You may view that list here.