Today is
Thursday June 04, 2026
TYLER — Union Pacific Railroad began clearing a homeless encampment from its property in Tyler on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, the company said the encampments are illegal and that removing them is part of an effort to improve safety for trespassers and the surrounding community.
The cleanup was carried out with assistance from the Tyler Police Department at an encampment site located on railroad property.
Union Pacific stated that individuals at the site were warned twice over the past month to remove their belongings and relocate, according to the company.
TYLER — The founder of the well-known boutique and restaurant in Tyler, the Potpourri House, died on Saturday at the age of 89.
According to the Potpourri House, Carol Ann Ellsworth, who died at Mother Francis Hospital surrounded by friends and family, initially founded the business with her husband, Frank Leslie “Les” Ellsworth II, on Front Street in Tyler in 1981.
Since then, the Potpourri House has been a popular destination for Tyler natives for over 40 years. The business was later passed down to Ellsworth’s son.
“Carol served as the visionary with Les for the business that has now been thriving in Tyler for more than 45 years,” the Potpourri House said. “Carol loved the Lord and her family and friends. She will be greatly missed.”
HENDERSON COUNTY — The Texas Rangers are investigating the death of an inmate from Henderson County Jail, who died due to unknown causes in January. According to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK, 42-year-old Karl Dora was admitted to the county jail on Aug. 1, 2025. He was found unresponsive in his jail cell by inmates on Jan. 25 and was taken to a local hospital.
After spending five days at the hospital, Dora was pronounced dead on Jan. 30, and the cause of death remains unknown. Dora’s death is currently being investigated by the Texas Rangers.
SMITH COUNTY — A Bullard man was arrested in early February for allegedly uploading pornographic images of children as young as one year old to his Google account. He reportedly traded his phone after learning his account had been deactivated. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County arrest documents revealed officers began investigating Dakota Reece on Jan. 8 after receiving a cyber-tip from Google Inc. through the Internet Crimes Against Children Data Systems.
The tip reported that the user, later revealed to be Reece, had uploaded 61 media files to their Google Photos at the end of 2025 that had been flagged to contain child pornography.
“All 61 media files were photos or videos of nude children ranging in age from approximately 1 year old to approximately 14 years old in provocative positions […] as well as adults engaging in [sexual acts] with children as young as 1 year of age,” documents read.
On Feb. 2, a search warrant was obtained for Reece’s Google account were law enforcement learned an email was sent to him on Dec. 3, 2025, informing him that their account had been disabled because it contained harmful content. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A man is being sought in Smith County for two felony warrants for child sexual assault and continuous sexual assault of a child. Authorities claim that his wife failed to report the alleged abuse, which occurred over several years. According to our news partner KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office has announced that Filiberto Rodriguez Mora, 46, is currently evading capture and is wanted for:
Mora is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs 250 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair. He may be driving a 2006 tan Toyota Sequoia. Deputies also said that Mora is an undocumented immigrant who was previously deported. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tyler Water Utilities is performing smoke testing, as part of the Consent Decree, to help locate breaks and defects to improve the City’s wastewater system from Monday, Feb. 9 through Friday, Feb. 13. The testing will be conducted by Pipeline Analysis from Cambridge Road, Toll 49, Paluxy Drive and Hollytree Drive.
According to a news city release, during the process, air and smoke will be blown into the sanitary sewer system in the street to monitor where smoke escapes the system. White smoke will exit through vent pipes on the roofs of residences and through any sewer line breaks in the ground. The smoke is non-toxic, leaves no residue and does not create any fire hazards. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — The State of Texas’ new school voucher program has broken a national record for first day applicants. According to the Texas Comptroller’s office, at least 46,000 families have applied since the portal opened on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Education Freedom Accounts program was approved during the 89th Texas Legislative session. The school choice program gives selected students $10,000 per year towards private school enrollment and children with learning disabilities can get $30,000.
Dr. Jay Ferguson, Head of School at Grace Community, has been advocating for this policy since the beginning and hopes it expands their special education services.
“I think it’s great that so many families around Texas are wanting to participate in the program. For years Grace has been trying to make private Christian education as accessible to as many people as possible. We also have had the opportunity over the past several years to serve kids with learning differences and special needs and hopefully this will expand our ability to serve that group of kids,” Dr. Ferguson said. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Tyler Police Department is investigating a Tuesday evening shooting at the Southwest Pines apartment complex on Walton Road. According to Tyler Police Department’s Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh, and our news partner KETK, the victim reportedly tried to drive himself to the hospital but crashed. He was taken to a local hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound. The condition of the victim is unknown. Additional details were not available.
TYLER — UPDATE: CenterPoint Energy had capped off the main natural gas line so no further natural gas will be released into the air from the damage caused by the single vehicle crash. Any residents who were evacuated can now return to their homes.
Residents near U.S. Highway 31 were asked to evacuate after a vehicle crash on Thursday morning ruptured a main natural gas line. According to our news partner KETK, the Tyler Police Department responded to a crash at 2:45 a.m. on U.S. Highway 31 West and Whiteside Drive where a vehicle struck a natural gas pipeline, causing it to rupture.
The driver of the van is identified as Don Porter, a 57-year-old male from Tyler was arrested for Driving While Intoxicated and booked into the Smith County Jail. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Smith County property taxes were due Saturday, January 31. Smith County Tax Assessor-Collector Gary Barber is warning taxpayers that changes at the post office mean you should drop your payment in the mail as soon as possible. Officials say the easiest and fastest way to pay your property tax bill is online. Payments can be made by scanning the QR code on your statement — which will take you directly to the payment page on your account.
“If you want to skip the long lines at the Tax Office, I highly recommend you pay online,” he said.
Taxpayers can also make their payments in person, through the Tax Office’s drop box outside of the Cotton Belt Building, or by mail. The U.S. Postal Service recently changed how postmark dates are determined.
In the past, the postmark reflected the date you dropped your mail in a mailbox or at the post office. Now, the postmark will show the date your envelope is first processed by an automated postal service sorting machine. This could be later than the day you mailed it, which could mean that your tax payment is past the deadline, Barber said. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tyler Police and fire crews are working a crash on Highway 31 W and Whiteside Drive. A vehicle reportedly struck a natural gas pipeline causing the main line to rupture. It’s estimated to take hours to shut off and repair the pipeline. Centerpoint Energy was able to close several remote valves to slow the leak but not able to shut it off completely. Centerpoint Energy crews are in the area measuring gas concentration.
Residents were advised to evacuate.
Tyler Police and Tyler Fire personnel are on scene directing traffic. Drivers are urged to seek an alternate route that avoids Hwy 31 W between Eisenhower Dr and Loop 323.
KILGORE — Officials are seeking help in identifying individuals who are suspected of having committed property damage on a historic Kilgore theater in December. According to our news partner KETK, the Kilgore Police Department seeks public assistance in identifying four individuals caught on video who may have damaged the Crim Theater in downtown Kilgore around midnight on December 30, 2025.
According to the police department, the suspects kicked in the door and possibly entered the theater. They fled the scene in a black pickup truck.
Anyone with information regarding the suspects’ identities or the incident is asked to contact Detective Justin Murphy at 903-218-6904 or [email protected]. The reference case number is 2512-1719.
SMITH COUNTY — After several dogs, including multiple puppies, were found abandoned at a mobile home park in Chapel Hill, Nicholas Pet Haven and Smith County Animal Control are looking for volunteers to foster the dogs.
According to our news partner KETK, members of animal control arrived at Woodcrest Mobile Home Park on Monday morning after receiving a Facebook post asking for support for the dogs. Animal control found 11 dogs, including seven puppies and four adult dogs, and provided them with food, water and shelter from the freezing temperatures.
Animal control believes the dogs were likely abandoned by former tenants at the mobile home and stated that the manager of Woodcrest has warned residents not to feed the dogs, claiming they will receive citations if they do.
After confirming the dogs were abandoned, Nicholas Pet Haven and Smith County Animal Control have been in contact with rescue groups and local animal shelters as they are looking to find volunteers to foster the dogs. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — Winter weather is here and school districts and churches are announcing closures to ensure the safety of residents. Our news partner KETK has compiled a list of school closures, delays and church closures. You may view that list here.
RUSK — Former Rusk Police Chief Scott Heagney is seeking reinstatement after his termination earlier this month, according to a grievance filed with city leadership. According to our news partner KETK, Heagney, who was fired on Friday, has submitted an internal grievance to the city manager, mayor and city council requesting speedy and retroactive reinstatement. His attorney, David Schleicher of Waco, said the termination occurred while Heagney was actively cooperating with the city to schedule a required fitness-for-duty exam.
City officials previously said Heagney was terminated after an administrative review, citing that he was unavailable during duty hours while on administrative leave without requesting alternative leave.
“We look forward to Mr. Heagney immediately being returned to serving as Rusk Police Chief,” Schleicher said. “Though we believe the order for a fitness-for-duty exam was not justified, we will continue to cooperate in getting the exam scheduled and completed.” Read the rest of this entry »