Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
RUSK – A former Rusk Chamber of Commerce manager was given a five year probated sentence after she entered a plea bargain on Feb. 8, according to Cherokee County District Attorney Elmer Beckworth. Officials said that in March of 2022, Tara Tatarski was indicted by a grand jury for theft of property greater than $30,000 from a nonprofit organization. According to our news partner KETK and Beckworth, as a part of her plea bargain Tatarski will have to pay restitution and serve five years probation. Current Rusk Chamber of Commerce Board President Cord Stover issued the following statement, “We are aware of the guilty plea and that the case was brought to a conclusion. Our focus as a Chamber remains on our members, our wonderful community and bright future ahead,†Stover said. After the Chamber found irregularities in their annual review, Tatarski was arrested in December of 2020 at her home in Rusk.
LONGVIEW – On Feb. 15, the Longview Police Department said they responded to a shooting. According to a release, the shooting took place on the 1400 block of Bois D’Arc Street and when police arrived they found a man on the side of the road with gunshot wounds. The victim was taken to the hospital by the emergency medical service immediately. After an investigation, detectives issued an arrest warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for 26-year-old Trenton Craig. Officials said they located Craig on Feb. 16 and arrested and transported him to the Gregg County Jail.
WASHINGTON – A Gun Barrel City man was arrested by the FBI on Tuesday on charges of obstruction, engaging in physical violence and others related to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot. According to our news partner KETK, William Sarsfield, 46 of Gun Barrel City, is identified by the FBI through surveillance footage and Metro Police bodycam footage, and can be seen “repeatedly engaging in the assault against law enforcement officers guarding the United States Capitol inside the ‘tunnel.’†After arriving in Washington on Jan. 6, 2021, court documents state, Sarsfield attended the “Stop the Steal†rally and marched to the U.S. Capitol with hundreds of rioters before making his way through police lines and to the Lower West Terrace. Sarsfield is also seen on surveillance footage grabbing two police shields and passing them forward in the tunnel, and according to court documents, joined rioters in yelling “heave ho†and “push.†Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – U.S Attorney Brit Featherston announced that a Tyler man was sentenced to 18 years in federal prison for child exploitation violations on Thursday. On March 28, 2022, Daniel Dylan Skipworth, 20, pleaded guilty to transporting a 13-year-old girl from Alabama to engage in sexual activity at his home in Tyler. U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker sentenced Skipworth to 216 months in federal prison for the charge. Officials said that Skipworth’s conviction was the result of cooperation between the FBI, Tyler Police Department and Smith County Sheriff’s Office. According to Featherston, GPS data from the child’s phone was analyzed as a part of official’s investigation. The case is a part of Project Safe Childhood, a program launched by the Department of Justice in 2006 to combat child sexual exploitation and abuse, according to officials.
HENDERSON COUNTY – The Coffee City Police Department said they responded Thursday morning to a report of a woman walking on the center median of the bridge on SH 155. According to our news partner KETK, Lesa Phillips was identified as the woman. When officials arrived, Phillips was allegedly uncooperative and attempted to walk onto the southbound lanes during rush hour traffic. According to a release, officers were able to get a hold of Phillips right before she was struck by a vehicle clocked going 70 mph. Phillips continued to resist and allegedly kicked one of the officers trying to detain her. Once detained, Phillips allegedly attempted to kick out the windows of the unit transporting her to the Henderson County Jail. Phillips was booked and charged with felony assault of a peace officer, resisting arrest, search or transport, public intoxication, failure to identify and walking on a highway with traffic.
SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating a large commercial building on fire Thursday morning. According to our news partner KETK there were no injuries, and officials said crews were continuing to work Thursday morning to extinguish the fire that has been enhanced by high winds. “When firefighters arrived, the building was 90-100% involved with fire,†officials said. According to officials, Lindale, Red Springs and Winona Fire Departments responded around 6:30 a.m. to a 30,000 square foot building on fire in the 11700 block of County Road 497 north of I-20. According to Smith County Fire Marshal Chief Deputy Chad Hogue, the building belongs to Keyla’s Furniture, and was used for cutting lumber and building furniture.
UPSHUR COUNTY – Upshur County District Judge Jerald Dean Fowler II pleaded guilty to a driving while intoxicated charge according to Jacob Putman, the Smith County District Attorney, who presided over the case. Fowler was sentenced to one year of probation. He is the 115th District Court judge. Fowler was arrested after a crash in Gilmer in September of 2022. Putman said a DWI is not an offense that an official can be removed for. He said the state judicial conduct commission can decide whether they want to take action.
SMITH COUNTY – A Tyler man was convicted on Friday in a fatal hit and run crash from 2021. According to our news partner KETK, A Smith County jury in the 114th District Court concluded that Juan Juarez, 24, was guilty of an accident involving death. On Jan. 23, 2021, Juarez drove his car with his two friends inside after they had drinks, authorities said. The vehicle reportedly went over a curb and crashed into two metal fences. The fence broke through the windshield and impaled Marco Antonio Lopez-Penado, who was a passenger in the back said Jacob Putman, the Smith County Criminal District Attorney. Authorities said Juarez walked away from the scene.
SMITH COUNTY – A man is wanted by Smith County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office. Donovan Meynard Williams, 51, is one of several suspects involved in a “large multi-county organized criminal enterprise ring,†Smith County officials said. Williams resides in Precinct 4 of Smith County off of County Road 31 E. in Tyler and drives a red Chevrolet Colorado with the license plate number of LCN0550. He is known to run from police and is considered to have violent tendencies, according to Smith County officials. If you have any information about Williams’ whereabouts, please contact Lt. Josh Hill with the Smith County Precinct 4 Constable’s Office at (903)-590-4885 or email at jhill@smith-county.com.
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Judge Neal Franklin issued a Disaster Declaration on Thursday for the county due to damage caused by the winter storm, the county announced. Across the county, trees and limbs have fallen causing damage to houses and buildings along with power outages. Residents whose property was affected should report them. “Smith County Road and Bridge employees have been working around the clock since Tuesday to clear downed trees and limbs on county roads,†the county said. To report downed trees in the roadway in Smith County outside of city limits, call the non-emergency dispatch at 903-566-6600.
WINNSBORO – The Winnsboro Police Department is asking for public assistance in finding a truck involved in a hit and run in which a child sustained injuries. According to our news partner KETK, on Jan 30, at approximately 1:40 p.m., a white Chevrolet pickup truck turned right onto Taylor Drive and while turning, accelerated quickly and ended up hitting a wall at the Country Lane Apartments on Taylor Drive. The wall that the truck ran into had a child on the other side of it causing injury to the child. According to Winnsboro officials, the vehicle immediately reversed, left the scene, traveled north on Taylor Drive and then accelerated westbound down Coke Road.
SMITH COUNTY – Authorities are continuing to investigate a fatal officer-involved shooting in Smith County. According to our news partner KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office says 32-year-old Brandon Duvall was shot by deputies around 9:55 p.m. on Saturday in northwestern Smith County. A call initially came in to dispatch at 7:05 p.m. as a domestic disturbance, authorities reported. Officials said the caller identified herself as a victim of an assault by her boyfriend at their residence. Sheriff Larry Smith said his office had answered calls at the home before, but none of them were severe or ended in an arrest. Read the rest of this entry »
CARTHAGE – Carthage Police Department said they found a black male with gunshot wounds while responding to a 911 call about a shooting around 3:04 a.m. on Sunday. The shooting took place on the 600 block of South Adams Street in Carthage and there was no suspect on the scene, according to our news partner KETK. An Allegiance ambulance transported the victim to a hospital in Longview for treatment, a. Carthage Police Department later announced that a suspect had been arrested around 7:05 a.m. An arrest warrant was issued by the Panola County District Attorney’s Office for Nathanael Chardonnay. Chardonnay was charged with attempting to commit murder and his bail is set at $30,000.
TYLER – Tyler Fire Department responded to a structure fire around 3:26 a.m. off of Ada Avenue on Saturday Jan. 28. According to our news partner KETK. firefighters arrived on the scene and saw smoke and flames emerging from the roof and a rear window. All residents were able to get out of the home safely. Three fire engines, a ladder company, a battalion chief and a investigator all responded to the scene and the fire was quickly controlled, officials said. A firefighter was treated and released from a local hospital after receiving 2nd degree burns on their face and their were no other injuries, according to Tyler Fire. An occupant told officials that they woke up near a candle that was left burning in one of the building’s bedrooms and a 12-year-old helped their 84-year-old relative get out of the flaming structure. The American Red Cross will be providing assistance to the family.
HALLSVILLE – Police departments throughout East Texas are adding Narcan as a tool to save people’s lives. Hallsville Police Officer Ryan Waldow says he saw a need for access to Narcan while on a call. According to our news partner KETK, Waldow took the initiative to research the medicine and find a way for every officer in his department to have it in their patrol car. Tyler PD has equipped their team with Narcan for more than 3 years and says it works wonders. “So when we get there first, whether we beat the fire department, you know the medical people in the fire department or EMS, it allows us to take that quick action to save a life,†said Andy Erbaugh, Public Information Officer, Tyler PD. Officer Andy Erbaugh said everyone in the field has to go through training and they keep the drug in the first aid kits in their patrol cars. Read the rest of this entry »
PANOLA COUNTY – Two people were arrested and officials are still looking for another person after a chase that spanned across two East Texas counties. According to our news partner KETK, the Panola County Sheriff’s Office received a call around 7:59 a.m. on Thursday about a pursuit that had began in Nacogdoches County and was moving into Panola County on Highway 315. Panola County deputies and officers with the Precinct 2 and Precinct 3 Constable’s Office also helped Nacogdoches and Rusk County law enforcement. “The fleeing car was traveling at an excess of 100 mph and was passing multiple vehicles in an unsafe manner,†said Cutter Clinton, the Panola County Sheriff. Deputies set up spikes on Highway 359 near Southside Baptist Church and constables set up spikes on Lasalle Parkway. The driver was able to avoid the spikes, and they allegedly swerved at a constable, who discharged their service pistol and shot the tires. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Despite months of hurdles, the Tyler W.T. Brookshire Convention Center’s construction has an end in sight, according to our news partner KETK. “It’s been a long time coming, and so the fact that we’ve pushed through and we are at this place and this beautiful facility will open, we are just very excited,†said Shari Lee, Visit Tyler President. Tyler deputy city manager Stephanie Franklin says walls have gone up, lighting is being put in, and painting has started. As they get closer to the doors opening everyone is ready for one thing. “I think we are excited to see what this brings to the City of Tyler,†said Franklin. As they near the finish line, there is a lot of interest, especially in the tourism department. Read the rest of this entry »
PALESTINE – A Palestine ISD band director was arrested for an improper relationship with a student, according to our news partner KETK. The Palestine Police Department said they got a report on Jan. 12 of an improper relationship between a teacher and a student at Palestine High School. “During the investigation, detectives learned a teacher, identified as Adrian Alonso, 37, of Palestine, had an improper relationship, including sexual contact with a student, beginning in 2020,†police said. On Thursday, law enforcement secured a warrant for Alonso. He was charged with improper educator/student relationship, which is a second-degree felony, police said. Alonso was out of the area due to a school trip, and police said they found him in Fort Worth. He was arrested and taken to the Tarrant County Jail, and he is expected to be extradited to Anderson County. His bond is set at $500,000. The Palestine Independent School District is fully assisting police, and the investigation is still open.
TYLER — TCU quarterback Max Duggan can add yet another prestigious trophy to his resume after he was named the 10th annual Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award winner on Wednesday night. According to our news partner KETK, Duggan not only led the Horned Frogs to the national championship game but he was also a Heisman Trophy finalist and won the Davey O’Brien Award. Along with Duggan, the other three finalists were Texas Longhorns running back Bijan Robinson, UTSA quarterback Frank Harris and Kansas State running back Deuce Vaughn. “I’m honored to present the award to Max Duggan,†Earl Campbell said. “All of these players had incredible seasons. They all deserved their place as a finalist.†Duggan totaled 282 yards of offense and four touchdowns in TCU’s win over the Michigan Wolverines. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – As the new year begins, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said the jail is still understaffed and searching for new hires. According to our news partner KETK, there’s still a lot of work to be done. “There’s a lot of moving parts that the general public has no idea,†said Smith. He said a lot goes into operating a jail. With 33 unfilled positions, it only makes things more difficult on the staff they do have. “The ones that are just coming into the workforce that are eager to do things even get disheartened when they see there’s no light at the end of the tunnel. Read the rest of this entry »
WASHINGTON, D.C – With Kevin McCarthy finally confirmed as U.S. House speaker, former Smith County Judge Nathaniel Moran officially joins Congress. During a visit with KTBB, Moran expressed his gratitude to predecessor Louie Gohmert “for his nearly two decades of service.” Moran added that he’s “extremely grateful for the assistance he’s given me during the transition.” The new congressman noted that a lot of Gohmert’s staff will stay on board with their new boss. As to what lies ahead, Moran tolod us, “There’s this grassroots desire to see change in Washington, D.C. We’ve been developing new rules that are gonna govern how our conference and Congress runs itself…It really restores transparency and trust.” Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – Longview Police Department has announced that officer Larry Solomon died from angiosarcoma cancer at his home, surrounded by his family on Saturday morning Jan. 8. According to our news partner KETK, Solomon was a veteran of the U.S Marine Corp and served as police officer in Longview for eight years. He and his wife had two children. Longview Police Department thanked the community for supporting Solomon’s family at this time. His funeral services will be held with Cammack Family Welch Funeral Home, officials said.
KILGORE – Kilgore Police Department has announced that they have a new K9 school resource officer named Dodo. According to a Facebook post and our news partner KETK, Dodo is a 20-month-old German Shepard and is replacing Ruger who has retired for health reasons. Officials said that Dodo was trained by Texas K9 Solutions in Winona. Dodo has the ability to detect tobacco products, vapes, alcohol, gunpowder and various illicit drugs, according to the post. Dodo was picked because, officials said, he interacted so well with students while being vetted. The post added that Dodo was paid for with money seized from a doctor who was convicted of illegally prescribing opioids in East Texas. Dodo rides in a Dodge Charger which has been repainted with school colors and the Bulldog mascot.
LONGVIEW – Last week, Mayor of Longview, Andy Mack had a health event sending him to the hospital. Tuesday, he sent out an update on Facebook letting everyone know how he was doing. Mack said that earlier in the week he had been having a bad headache and neck pain that he thought was attributed to some shoulder pain. But by Wednesday, Dec. 7 the headache had become “unbearable†and he then reached out to his brother, Dr. Ben Mack, to get his opinion. After going through some tests and an MRI, it was revealed that he had a small brain bleed and diagnosed with a subarachnoid hemorrhage and is expected to fully recover in short order, according to his statement on Facebook. “The main focus of my treatment has been to manage the pain which I can tell you has completely disappeared. I am expected to be released from the hospital within the next few days and will resume all my normal activities at that time.â€
TYLER – A one-car crash shut down traffic Tuesday morning on South Donnybrook Avenue in Tyler after a car hit a power pole. According to Tyler Police and our news partner KETK, all south and northbound lanes of Donnybrook Avenue were closed from East Hudson Street to Troup Highway, and Oncor is onsite to repair the pole on Donnybrook Avenue and East Seagle Street.
KILGORE- Kilgore Police Department said that on Dec. 3 while responding a two-vehicle crash on Interstate 20, they found six Mexican nationals who were allegedly being smuggled by the driver of a red 2015 Ford SUV. According to our news partner KETK, Adan Torres-Ramirez, 30, of Huntsville, Alabama was allegedly transporting the six passengers to Florida for work. Officials added that none of the passengers knew the driver. During their investigation Kilgore PD interviewed the six passengers and determined that they had only been in the United States a few months and how much the driver and his boss had allegedly charged them for transportation, work and lodging. Torres-Ramirez was charged with six counts of smuggling of persons and is being held on $700,000 bond. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – While they may look like they have a hard exterior, on the inside this group of East Texas bikers have soft hearts. According to our new s partner KETK, the group known as Bikers Against Bullying East Texas, or Babet for short, said they just want to spread joy this holiday season and the rest of the year. The bikers teamed up with Mobile Home Masters in Tyler to make the Christmases of many foster kids a lot brighter, bringing in bags of toys, not on Santa’s sleigh, but on motorcycles. The president of Mobile Home Masters, Matias Pena, said it was a no-brainer partnering together for a good cause. “Getting involved with the kids is very important. They are our future, so making sure that we take care of them, put a smile on their face is something they’ll remember forever,†said Pena. It’s the toy run’s third year, and it’s bigger than ever before.
PALESTINE – A firefighter was injured by a handgun accidentally going off outside of Palestine Fire Station #2 on Saturday Dec. 3, according to our news partner KETK. Officers from Palestine Police Department arrived at the station and said they found the injured firefighter who had already been given emergency medical aid by members of Palestine Fire Department. According to Palestine PD, the firefighter was transported to Palestine Regional Medical Center ER and they expect them to recover. Witnesses said that one of the injured firefighter’s co-workers took their new gun from their vehicle and was showing it off when it discharged. The Palestine Fire Department employee whose gun went off accidentally has been placed on administrative leave while Palestine PD investigates.
TYLER — Law enforcement officials said they arrested a man in Tyler Friday evening, who was wanted for capital murder. According to our news partner KETK, Jason Edward Rhodes, 21, was arrested after a chase around 6:30 p.m. Rhodes led officers on a chase in a vehicle before running away in the area of Bow Street and Valentine Street, prior to his arrest. Deputies attempted to pull over the vehicle, a black Ford Mustang, on FM 14 but the driver drove away heading south. The driver lost control and hit a pole at Fannin Avenue and Valentine Street, officials said. When the car crashed, the passenger, identified as Rhodes, ran from law enforcement and the driver was taken into custody. Rhodes was caught in the 400 block of Bow Street. According to the sheriff’s office, Rhodes was the last of three suspects in a capital murder case out of Tyler to be arrested.
TYLER — UT Health Tyler has named Zach Dietze as CEO, effective Jan. 1, 2023. The organization said that Dietze is an experienced healthcare executive who most recently served as chief operating officer of Hillcrest Medical Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Before that, he served as assistant administrator, then as CEO of Seton Medical Center in Harker Heights and as a program manager at Harris Health System in Houston. “We are thrilled to welcome Zach back to Texas and to UT Health East Texas. He is a people-first, physician-driven leader who understands that serving people is at the heart of everything we do,†said Donald Baker, market president of UT Health East Texas, as quoted in a news release. Dietze received his bachelor’s degree from The University of Texas at Austin and his Master of Healthcare Administration from Trinity University in San Antonio.