Today is
Monday November 25, 2024
EAST TEXAS — Tyler Police Department 911 phone lines are down, according to a press release early Tuesday morning. Verizon has reportedly advised they have experienced outages due to recent storms. Smith County dispatch will be answering 911calls from within the city limits. Alt numbers are 903-939-6001 or 903-566-6600.
In Longview, police say they are experiencing issues with their non-emergency lines for Verizon and T-Mobile customers only. Those who attempt to call will hear a busy signal. Officials said those affected should consider “delaying your call if possible,†but if it is an emergency, to dial 911.The system is reportedly working properly for all other providers and landline users.
Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — FEMA’s Disaster Recovery Centers will be closed across Texas on Monday as Hurricane Beryl makes landfall, FEMA Region 6 announced. According to our news partner KETK, FEMA centers like the one at the Hub in Smith County were initially set up to help people recover from severe weather that hit East Texas in April.
The centers will re-open on Tuesday, July 9. To learn more, click here.
EAST TEXAS — Acting governor of Texas, Dan Patrick, has added 81 counties to a disaster declaration for hurricane Beryl, including many counties in East Texas, according to our news partner KETK.
As of Saturday, 121 out of Texas’ 254 counties are under the disaster declaration.
Anderson, Angelina, Austin, Bastrop, Bell, Bowie, Brazoria, Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Collin, Colorado, Comal, Dallas, Delta, Ellis, Falls, Fannin, Fayette, Fort Bend, Franklin, Freestone, Galveston, Grayson, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hill, Hopkins, Houston, Hunt, Jasper, Jefferson, Kaufman, Lamar, Lee, Leon, Liberty, Limestone, Madison, Marion, McLennan, Milam, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Rains, Red River, Robertson, Rockwall, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Travis, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Van Zandt, Walker, Waller, Washington, Williamson and Wood counties were all added to Patrick’s disaster declaration on Saturday.
Patrick said that the state has more than 2,000 responders and 850 assets that can be deployed to help in rescue operations.
TYLER– A Tyler man has been charged with six counts of aggravated assault following a report of shots fired Friday morning. It happened around 9:00 at a home on 1st Street in Tyler. Police said upon arrival, officers were able to remove several children and adults from the home, including the suspect, Chandler Haught, 22. Officials said Haught and the people inside the house are acquaintances and that this was not a random incident. There was evidence of shots being fired. The handgun was located. No injuries were reported.
Haught was transported to the Smith County Jail and booked on six counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. The case remains under investigation and will be forwarded to the Smith County DA’s Office.
VAN ZANDT COUNTY –Â TxDOT has scheduled a closure on I-20 in Van Zandt County for Monday that will affect the FM 859 bridge north of Canton from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. TxDOT announced that during the time of road work, the main lanes of I-20 will be closed in both directions while crews work on the bridge. The FM 859 bridge will also be closed while crews are working.
TxDOT said that I-20 traffic will be diverted onto the frontage roads during these closures. This closure is part of a larger project to replace the FM 859 bridge.
During the construction of the new bridge, I-20 traffic will be reduced to one lane during the nighttime, according to TxDOT. The timeframe of the next phase will be provided after further progress of the project.
TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine held a White Coat Ceremony for their second class. According to a release and our news partner KETK, in the ceremony the new students received their white coats, and the Humanism in Medicine pin. There was also a speech by former UT Tyler President Dr. Kirk Calhoun and a recitation of the Physician’s Oath. The university said that this class’ tuition is being funded by a “generous anonymous donor.†The school also said that 85% of the school of medicine’s inaugural class has ties to East Texas.
“This White Coat Ceremony is a rite of passage that marks a profound milestone for our students,†Dr. Julie Philley, UT Tyler president, said. “It signifies the beginning of their journey into the medical profession and all of the responsibility that comes with it.†Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Tyler Fire Marshal’s office is reminding all residents that, in accordance with the Tyler Fire Code, the discharging of fireworks without a permit within city limits is strictly prohibited. This regulation is enforced to ensure the safety and peace of all community members.
As the City and community continue to recover from recent storms, it is especially critical to adhere to this ordinance. The presence of storm debris across Tyler poses significant hazards. Fireworks can easily ignite this debris, potentially leading to dangerous fires that could threaten homes and lives.
“We appreciate everyone’s cooperation in keeping our city safe, particularly during this critical time of recovery and rebuilding,” said Fire Marshal Joey Hooton. “Let’s work together to ensure a safe and peaceful Fourth of July holiday for everyone.” Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN (AP) – A Texas court on Monday set an execution date for Robert Roberson, who was sentenced to death in 2003 for killing his 2-year-old daughter but has consistently challenged the conviction on the claim that it was based on questionable science.
Roberson has maintained his innocence while being held on death row for more than 20 years. The Texas Court of Criminal Appeals previously halted his execution in 2016. But in 2023, the state’s highest criminal court decided that doubt over the cause of his daughter’s death was not enough to overturn his death sentence.
His new execution date is set for Oct. 17. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — The deadline for applying for FEMA assistance has been extended to Aug. 15. This means disaster survivors in Texas now have a little more time to apply for FEMA assistance. However, disaster survivors are encouraged to not wait. The sooner they apply, the sooner they may be eligible for assistance to help with their recovery from the recent storms.
Homeowners and renters in Austin, Bell, Calhoun, Collin, Cooke, Coryell, Dallas, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Falls, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Hockley, Jasper, Jones, Kaufman, Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Montague, Montgomery, Navarro, Newton, Polk, San Jacinto, Smith, Terrell, Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, Walker and Waller counties with uninsured losses from the storms and flooding that occurred April 26-June 5 may be eligible for FEMA assistance.
Visit any Disaster Recovery Center. For locations and hours, click here.
Texans do not have to visit a Disaster Recovery Center to apply for FEMA assistance. Homeowners and renters can go online here.
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road 2110 has been reopened this week after Road and Bridge crews repaired the washed-out road and replaced the culvert damaged from the severe weather earlier this month. According to a news release, several Smith County roads suffered wash outs and undermined culverts or bridges caused by storms in late May and early June throughout the county.
CR 3203 and 381 remained closed while the Road and Bridge Department is waiting on new pipes to replace the culverts that were undermined by severe weather. Read the rest of this entry »
ANGELINA COUNTY — An appeals court has refused to take up the criminal case of former Angelina County Judge Meydon Lymbery. According to our news partner KETK, Lymbery was indicted for violating the Open Meetings Act, which sets the regulations that government entities must follow for holding meetings and when they are allowed to take action. He was found guilty on one count of violating TOMA last December after pleading not guilty. In February, the Twelfth District Court of Appeals issued an opinion affirming the judgement of the trial court.
Back in April, Lymbery filed for discretionary review from a higher court stating that the charge stemmed from a “spontaneous social gathering†of him and several county commissioners, and that the state had not sufficiently proved he violated the act.
On Wednesday, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals refused to review his petition.
PALESTINE — A man was arrested in Palestine after witnesses said he was shooting a handgun in the area of Larry Street Park. According to our news partner KETK, officers responded to a shots fired call on June 22 at 4:21 p.m., and found 48-year-old Floyd Conley Jr. Officers described Conley as appearing “heavily intoxicated†and had ammunition on him. Witnesses at the scene told officers that Conley fired the weapon, reloaded and continued to fire. They said when officers arrived, he threw the gun in the woods. Officers found empty shell casings in the area that matched the ammunition Conley had on his person. Conley was booked into the Angelina County Jail.
“I commend the Officers for their quick response and arrest of this suspect.†PPD Chief Mark Harcrow said. “Its a miracle that no one in the area was injured.â€
LONGVIEW — The Longview Police Department said a Taco Bell employee was shot and killed Wednesday morning after a unknown suspect attempted to rob them. According to our news partner KETK, police responded to a shooting at the Judson Road Taco Bell parking lot around 12:40 a.m. The restaurant employees were said to be outside while power was out in the area when an unknown suspect walked up and attempted to rob them. The suspect reportedly shot an employee and stole a car, Longview PD said. The employee was later pronounced dead at the scene. The car was recovered nearby.
The police department said they are actively investigating with the help of the Texas Department of Public Safety Rangers. A person of interest has been identified. Officials said more information will be released as the investigation develops.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Longview Police Department at 903-237-1110 or Gregg County Crime Stoppers at 903-236-STOP.
TYLER — Managers of the SPCA of East Texas Facebook account noticed several posts on their page on Saturday, that they did not publish. According to our news partner KETK, the posts, that are still up, include pictures of dogs ready for adoption, but with a catch. The post alleged applicants had to pay a deposit, something the shelter does not require.
“Our main page had been hacked, all of the administrators were taken off the page and nobody was able to access,†Karen Kilgore, with the SPCA of East Texas, said. Those who hacked the account posted several dogs, including French bulldogs and yorkies, and asked for a $400 deposit. “We do not take deposits. We go with best fit, so a lot of people realized something was up, it must not be us, but some people did not. They fell victim and lost several hundred [dollars], one lady I know at least $600,†Kilgore said.
The shelter still does not have access to their Facebook account, a platform they used to promote animals that needed forever homes. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — A bomb threat was called into a Brookshire’s grocery store in Bullard on Monday, marking the third in the span of a week in East Texas and reports of more across the state. According to our news partner KETK, the Bullard Police Department said the threat was “the same report received by numerous area Brookshire’s stores.â€
Bullard PD said they conducted a search of the store and found no devices. Managers then decided to reopen the store to the public. The police department also said federal agencies are conducting an investigation regarding the influx of bomb threats made against the local grocery chain.
A spokesperson from the FBI Dallas Field Office told KETK News that they are aware of the threats and are also investigating. “We will continue to work closely with local, state and other federal agencies on these incidents,†the FBI spokesperson said. Read the rest of this entry »