Today is
Tuesday July 21, 2026
WINNSBORO, Texas – The Winnsboro High School teacher who was suspended after she was reported for striking a student in the back of the head has since resigned. Our news partner KETK reports that Aaron Nation, Interim Winnsboro ISD Superintendent, announced Friday morning that the teacher resigned after she was suspended last week. The district said they reported the alleged incident to law enforcement, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the State Board for Educator Certification and the Texas Education Agency.
SPRING HILL, Texas – Four ballot items highlight Spring Hill ISD’s latest bond proposal for the November election. SHISD has not passed a bond since 2008. The main highlights include bus replacements, Jr. high improvements, and athletic facilities. The bond was announced via district social media, and official bond website. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON – Officials and our news partners at KETK have confirmed at least five cases of tuberculosis at the Bradshaw State Jail in Henderson. These cases occurring between June 23rd and September 24th. The Texas Department of Criminal Justice (TDCJ) says they’re aware of these cases and is working closely with the Department of Health and Human Services to manage them. Officials with UT Health stepped in and took preventative measure to stop further spreading.
SMITH COUNTY – Our news partners at KETK report that Smith County authorities are looking for Johnny Shane Wells. He’s accused of stealing more than $3,000 from an elderly person after he failed to complete an asphalt project for them. The victim reportedly paid Wells $1,700 for a project, and only a small portion of asphalt was poured. He then received an additional $1,400 from the victim to complete the job, but never returned. Authorities say Wells might be driving a red Ram pickup truck or a black newer-model Chevy pickup truck. The 34-year-old is described as Five feet, 11 inches tall, weighing 250 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Wells has a criminal history for several felony offenses out of multiple states.
OVERTON – A teen has been hospitalized and a woman has been arrested after a 13-year-old girl was hit by a vehicle twice on Overton ISD property on Saturday. Our news partner KETK and a press release from the Overton Police Department (OPD) reports that the victim was accidentally struck by a vehicle, which resulted in her becoming trapped under the car. OPD published a press release that illustrated the situation. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Tyler ISD Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Hines announced Wednesday morning that no students were injured after a crash involving a TISD bus occurred around 6:50 a.m. in the 500 block of West 32nd Street. No further details from the district or on-scene first responders were given.
SMITH COUNTY, Texas – Gaye Boynton announced her intention to run for district clerk. Boynton’s multiple leadership roles include her time as President of the Tyler Area Association of Legal Professionals, as well as over a decade in the Women’s Ministry at Green Acres Baptist Church. The role of district clerk is important in maintaining the official records of the district courts, which handle felony criminal and family law cases. Boynton will be on the ballot in the March 3, 2026 election as a Republican primary candidate.
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department said that officers were dispatched to the 500 block of Johnson Street Monday night after a shooting report was made. Our news partners at KETK report that officers found a male victim who was shot when they arrived. The victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. The shooter is still at large and anyone with information is being urged to contact the Longview Police Department.
WINNSBORO – A Winnsboro High School teacher has been suspended by the district she reportedly struck a student in the back of the head last week. Our news partners at KETK report that WISD said they reported the alleged incident to law enforcement, the Department of Family and Protective Services, the State Board for Educator Certification and the Texas Education Agency. Interim Superintendent Aaron Nation said an investigation is pending.
MARSHALL – James Patrick Bailey, 41, has been charged with possession of visual material depicting sexual assault and possession of a controlled substance by the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO). This comes after Bailey reportedly possessed “disturbing and inappropriate” videos and photos of children and uploading that material to a social media platform. The HCSO received the case assignment from the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children Taskforce on June 23. A search warrant was also conducted at Bailey’s home, which revealed 23 electronic devices, 3.9 grams of suspected methamphetamine and other drug paraphernalia.
PANOLA COUNTY, Texas – Lawrence Williams was arrested by the Panola County Sheriff’s Office and charged with theft of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, with additional charges expected. Search warrants were conducted at multiple homes connected to Williams and an investigation into multiple thefts. It was determined that a weapon used in an aggravated robbery from Sept. 19 had not been pawned yet. Investigators said the gun was brandished by Williams during a theft of a radiator. Also found was a handgun, a magazine for another firearm, digital scales, multiple game cameras, assorted ammunition and an air compressor.
LUFKIN – A vehicle chase in Lufkin resulted in a two-vehicle collision that left one person dead. Our news partners at KETK reported Tuesday that that Wells ISD Superintendent Friday Wright lost his wife, Morgan, in the crash. Morgan was a staff member in Lufkin ISD and a mother to two children. Lufkin Police Department officers received reports of a stolen Chevrolet truck being driven by a 16-year-old minor from Trinity County at around 1 p.m. Monday. Police the minor driving the truck towards downtown Lufkin, leading to a pursuit. Read the rest of this entry »
TATUM – Our news partners at KETK and the Tatum Police Department report that a fugitive has been arrested and brought back to East Texas after fleeing the state following a warrant for her arrest linked to seven car burglaries. Authorities in Kansas initially pulled over Brittany Ann Ramkelawan for a traffic violation in Dickson County on September 18th. Monday she was eventually transported back to Henderson, where she is currently in custody at the Rusk County Jail. She is charged with engaging in organized criminal activity. Two other suspects, Cecil Ruffin and Amanda Martin, are also at large.
PALESTINE – Our news partners at KETK report that three people have been arrested after several children were left abandoned at a motel in Palestine. Officers arrived at the unnamed motel and found 4 children ages 6, 4, 20-months-old and a 7-month-old who were left alone in a room with no adult supervision. The room was registered to Eric Adams, 30, who had been staying there with others since Sept. 12. After officers arrived, Leah Vernon, 37, and the mother of the children, Laquella Berry, 26, arrived to the room where they were all arrested. The trio was charged with four counts of abandoning/endangering a child and booked in the Anderson County Jail.
TYLER – In a statement, the University of Texas at Tyler announced a new executive director of the Cowan Center. Ryan Poynter was given the nod late Monday morning, and is a graduate from the University of the Cumberlands. Poynter also has experience in both property management and capital budgeting. The R. Don Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center opened in 1997 according to the university.
WILLS POINT – A minor has confessed to the murder of a Wills Point man, who was discovered with multiple gunshot wounds on Sunday night at a residence on Bull Durham Road, according to our news partner KETK. Wills Point Police Department received reports of a shooting Sunday. As part of their investigation, authorities interviewed a juvenile who confessed to the murder just before 4 a.m. on Monday. They also confessed to using a family-owned revolver. The victim has been identified as Derek Abernathy. Chief of Police Aaron Long stated that the suspect and the victim were well acquainted. The minor is anticipated to face charges.
SMITH COUNTY, Texas – Our news partners at KETK reports that four people are dead after a Monday morning crash on Highway 31 near the Smith County and Gregg County line. Smith County ESD 2 Public Outreach Coordinator Nikki Simmons in a statement said the crash occurred at around 7 a.m. on Highway 31 near FM 2767. The four victims were dead on arrival. Traffic along the highway and nearby CR 245 is expected to be closed for several hours. No children were reportedly involved.
LINDALE – The Lindale Fire Department (LFD) and our news partners at KETK report that one person has been flown to a hospital after they were injured in a rollover crash on Interstate 20 near Lindale Sunday. LFD responded to the crash at 12:11 p.m. and found a driver trapped in their vehicle. A UT Health helicopter helped extract the victim and flew them to receive medical attention. Department officials stated that the victim’s injuries are not life-threatening.
CORRIGAN, Texas – Corrigan-Camden ISD is asking for the community’s support after a student athlete suffered a medical emergency at Friday night’s football game against Joaquin.
According to our news partner and the district, the athlete was supporting his team from the sidelines when he collapsed. The medical emergency was unrelated to the game but local first responders, students and staff all immediately rushed in to care for the student. The student was then taken to the hospital where they remain in critical condition, according to a post from the district.
“We appreciate our first responders, staff, students, and community members for their prompt assistance last night,” Corrigan-Camden ISD said. “It is comforting to know that we have a caring community.”
Corrigan-Camden ISD asked the community to help support the student’s family by donating, gift cards, cash or food. To donate contact Corrigan-Camden High School or Lindsey Ratliff at 334-332-1171.
DALLAS – WFAA-TV in Dallas reports that Spectrum internet customers in the northern DFW metroplex may have experienced outages Friday. Upwards of 25,000 users ranging from households to businesses across multiple cities suddenly lost service reportedly around 4 p.m., the reason being: a stray bullet. Dallas was hit the hardest by the outage, with significant disruptions also reported in Irving, Plano, Arlington, Austin, and San Antonio. According to a Spectrum spokesperson, a stray bullet struck a fiber optic cable in the Dallas area, triggering the widespread service disruption. This comes just a week after DFW Airport and Love Field experienced their own telecommunications failure tied to cutting fiber optic cables.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler, after two years of construction, announced the grand opening of the newly renovated and expanded David G. and Jacqueline M. Braithwaite School of Nursing building Saturday. Our news partners at KETK reports Interim dean Dr. Jennifer Chilton said the new facilities are a is a ‘win-win’ for students and the future of East Texas healthcare. In an interview with KTBB, Dr. Chilton expanded on the importance of the facility, stating “it’s a beacon of healthcare that can be seen beyond East Texas.”
The City of Tyler announced on their Facebook page that parts of downtown will be closed as construction continues. Beginning on Monday, September 29th, work will begin at the corner of Erwin Street and College Avenue. Erwin Street will close to thru traffic during this phase along with College Avenue, while Ferguson Street will remain open. You can find a map of the effected roadways here.
SMITH COUNTY — Two individuals from East Texas have been arrested for allegedly scamming an elderly person out of $750 for chimney repairs that were reportedly unnecessary.
According to our news partner KETK, law enforcement initiated an investigation in August following a report in March regarding two suspects soliciting chimney sweep services from a victim. Steven Gonzalez, 33, and Erika Salinas, 33, both residents of Tyler, are accused of telling the victim that his chimney required repairs and quoted a price of $750.
Subsequently, when the victim tried to contact the business they operated under, ETX Chimney Sweep, he received no response despite sending multiple text messages to Salinas requesting a refund. Read the rest of this entry »
HAWKINS – The city of Hawkins officially has a new approved budget for the upcoming fiscal year, as city council members voted on the matter Thursday. The city is already over $5 million in debt, and the approved budget will be running at a deficit of $1,157,366. The city also has multiple projects slated, including hiring employees for the city water department, railroad repair, and most notably, the lack of a city police department. The new budget addressed that as well, with $162,000 being allocated for officers. Some council-members hope the new funding will help them hire a chief. Mayor Deb Rushing suggested the vacant police building could be turned into a substation of the Wood County Sheriff’s Office.
TYLER – A new AAA study reveals that 96% of drivers admit to aggressive driving behaviors when on the roads. According to our news partner KETK, actions like speeding, running red lights and honking out of anger, is prevalent among nearly all drivers. Some of the main factors were listed as stress, impatience and overall road congestion. Contrary to popular belief, aggressive driving is not limited to urban areas but is increasingly seen in smaller and rural areas as well. Since 2016, the act of cutting off another driver is up 67%, hitting the horn is up 47%, but the acts of tailgating and yelling at another driver are down 24% and 17% respectively.
ATHENS – After being arrested for possession of meth at his apartment almost three weeks ago, Athens ISD Board of Trustees have accepted the resignation of now former band director Nicholas Bartlett Durham. According to our news partner KETK, the 45-year-old had his apartment searched by Henderson County deputies at the 200 block of Wood Street. Found in his possession was an undisclosed amount of suspected methamphetamine. Durham was later taken to the Henderson County Jail for possession of a controlled substance and released the following day. After Durham’s resignation was accepted, the board announced Cheyenne Hernandez as the district’s interim band director.
LONGVIEW – On Thursday, the Longview Police Department arrested 11 men for solicitation of a prostitute following a sting operation last week. According to our news partner KETK, last week, officers conducted a prostitution sting near the 1500 block of East Marshall Avenue. The men approached undercover female officers posing as prostitutes and agreed to exchange U.S. currency for sexual acts. James Russell, Michael Gentry, Angel Cheney, Armando Gonzales, Pablo Luna, Stefan Morrow, Jorge Real, David Grotheim, Mark Jones, Santos Morales-Villeda, and Gilberto Santana-Cruz were arrested and booked into the Gregg County Jail on solicitation of prostitution charges.
TROUP, Texas – An elderly woman near Troup filed a theft report with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office Saturday reporting that a handyman had possibly stolen several thousand dollars’ worth of jewelry from their home. Authorities later identified the handyman as Christopher McDowell – 53 of Troup. McDowell had worked inside the home multiple times, and even reportedly stayed in the victim’s bedroom for an “unusual length of time.” After a warrant was obtained, authorities arrested McDowell Wednesday night for the criminal offense of Theft of Property $2,500<$30K enhanced to a Third-Degree Felony. The bond was set at $100,000.
TEXAS – The start of September marks a new slate of laws, over 800, that are now in effect in Texas. A majority of them take place in the classrooms of public schools. Among the marquee of classroom-centered laws include Senate Bill (SB) 10, which requires schools to post a “durable poster or framed copy” of the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom. SB 11 allows for students and staff to have allocated time to pray and read religious texts.
One of the most notable laws passed include House Bill (HB) 33, which has been deemed The Uvalde Strong Act. The Act opens the door to better police training and coordination for events similar to the 2022 Robb Elementary School shooting. One major footnote of the last legislative session is the lack of action regarding THC. For months, heated debate took place led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick to implement a blanket ban on THC products. But that plan stalled earlier this week.
You can find the full list of every single bill passed here.
EAST TEXAS — NET Health received confirmation of a travel-related positive case of measles in an adult resident of Rains County, Texas. The individual has voluntarily remained isolated at their residence throughout their contagious period and has recovered from their case of measles.
