Today is
Thursday July 23, 2026
TYLER — Texas Rose Festival Queen Laura Bryan cut the ribbon for the SPCA of East Texas‘ new 16,000-square-foot building in Tyler on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, this new facility twice the size of their previous building and is located right next to their existing dog park. The new south Tyler location will help them expand their services for people living in Tyler and even further out in places like Jacksonville and Palestine. “This building is so much better for the dogs. For their state of mind. We’ve noticed the difference since we’ve moved over here and the cats too,†said Kat Cortelyou with the SPCA of East Texas. “But it’s also allowing us to help more people that are having dogs dumped on them or you know unwanted litters of puppies or kittens.†Read the rest of this entry »
UPSHUR COUNTY — A 43-year-old man, Carlton Grant, was sentenced to life in prison on Thursday in Upshur County after being convicted of a 2018 capital murder. According to our news partner KETK, the body of Rachel Rhoads, 24, was discovered on April 1, 2018 off FM 726, near Highway 154, just one day after she was reported missing. At the time of the discovery, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said circumstances surrounding Rhoads’ death “were suspicious†and then ruled her death a homicide. In a press release from the district attorney’s office, Grant and an accomplice, Lindsey Jo McFadden, 35, walked to Rhoads’ home in the Flamingo Trailer Park to visit her roommate. Neither of them had a vehicle and when they met Rhoads, and asked her for a ride, which she agreed to do. When the group got into the vehicle, Grant choked her with a device made of wire. He then pulled her into the backseat of the car and began punching her and placed a zip tie around her neck.
NATCHITOCHES, LA — Former Tyler Junior College safety Ronnie Caldwell, 21, died Thursday morning after being shot several times, according to reports by ESPN and our news partner KETK. Caldwell was a junior safety for the Northwestern State football team after transferring from TJC following the 2021 season. “The Northwestern State family has suffered a tremendous loss,†head football coach Brad Laird said. “Ronnie Caldwell was a young man who had a bright future ahead of him on or off the football field. He was our voice in the locker room. When Ronnie spoke, others listened. The respect our football team had for Ronnie was evident. He did not play a snap this year because of an injury, but his voice resonated with every member of our team from the first player to the 115th on our roster. Our hearts are broken and ache for Ronnie’s family and friends.” Read the rest of this entry »
HARRISON COUNTY — The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 3-month-old. According to our news partner KETK, on Tuesday, authorities received reports that a baby had been been taken to a local hospital and then later flown to a children’s hospital in Dallas. The hospital declared the newborn brain dead Wednesday. An autopsy has been ordered.
TYLER — The City of Tyler received a 2023 Municipal Excellence Award in communication programs for cities over 25,000 in population during the 2023 Texas Municipal League (TML) Annual Conference and Exhibition in Dallas. The award recognized the City of Tyler for our city-wide editorial process. The City of Tyler implemented a city-wide editorial process that encapsulates all departments’ marketing campaigns and ties actions to concrete deliverables. The communication team meets with each department annually to identify marketing goals and develops a comprehensive work plan, with check-ins and updates throughout the year. Since implementing this process, the City’s content creation has increased by 72 percent, crisis communication has improved, and City employees outside the Communications Team have been empowered to become communication best practice ambassadors to their departments, improving cross-collaboration and teamwork across the organization. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Rabbi of Congregation Beth El, the Jewish Synagogue in Tyler, says his teenage daughter and two members of the Beth El congregation are currently trying to make their way home from Israel. Rabbi Neal Katz says he has been in constant communication with his daughter and that he hopes she will be leaving her high school studies in Tel Aviv to return to East Texas this week. He says his Synagogue members have had to go to a bomb shelter twice already this week. He says all he can do is pray for them. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — This weekend, Tyler Junior College will host public viewing events for the first of two historic solar eclipses that will pass through East Texas in 2023 and 2024. On Saturday, Oct. 14, an annular — or partial — eclipse will cross North America from northwest to southeast. An annular eclipse occurs when the moon is farthest from Earth and blocks about 80 percent of the sun, creating a “ring of fire” effect around the moon. The eclipse will last from 10:25 a.m. until 1:32 p.m. local time, and the degree of darkness will resemble evening. The next such event in Tyler won’t occur until the year 2165. The TJC Earth and Space Science Center will host a free viewing party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the center, located at 1411 E. Lake St., on the TJC central campus. Solar telescopes and observation stations will be set up, and free solar eclipse glasses will be available while supplies last. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY — A LaPoynor ISD coach was arrested after a phone was found recording in the girls locker room, according to court documents and our news partner KETK. Jammie Allen Maze, 44, of Brownsboro, was arrested for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence on Sept. 29. According to Maze’s arrest warrant, cheerleaders found a cell phone in the girl’s locker room on Sept. 26. The phone was reportedly underneath the bench inside a shoe with the camera pointed upward, recording at the time it was found. The cheerleaders took the device to another coach at LaPoynor ISD where Maze was present. According to documents, Maze took the phone and began to press buttons. When LaPoynor ISD Police Chief J. Daniels received the phone, it had reportedly been locked with no way of accessing the contents. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — A University of Texas at Tyler professor was awarded over $300,000 from the National Institutes of Health. Dr. Santosh Aryal, an associate professor of pharmaceutical sciences and health outcomes, received a $307,859 subaward to improve models for future nanomedicine testing that will help reduce animal testing, our news partner KETK reports. According to a release from UT Tyler, Aryal specializes in nanotechnology and nanomedicine that focuses on using camouflaged nanoparticles to treat cancer. Receiving this award is truly a testament to the collaborative spirit of the Fisch College of Pharmacy faculty and the supportive environment at UT Tyler. It’s an honor to be part of a community that fosters innovation and pushes the boundaries of scientific discovery,†said Aryal. Read the rest of this entry »
ANDERSON COUNTY — The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office said that a man died in the Anderson County Jail on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, Rodney Lynn McKenzie, 47, was arrested by Frankston Police just before midnight on Thursday, October 5 on two outstanding traffic warrants issued by Anderson County Justice Court, Precinct 2. McKenzie was taken to Anderson County Jail and reportedly screened by medical staff before being booked. From 1:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Friday Oct. 6 he was held in the booking area before he was moved into a cell. Around 6 a.m. and again at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday morning jail staff reportedly saw McKenzie moving in the cell. At 10:05 a.m. inmates notified the control operator by intercom that McKenzie was reportedly in “medical distressâ€, according to the sheriff’s office. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Tyler Police Department said on Friday they are investigating several incidents of a recent scam. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler Police Department Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh said most of the victims were elderly. Officials said victims reported that in store aisles and parking lots, someone would drop cash and after they picked up the cash and put it in their wallet, the person would approach the victim and tell them it’s their money. “Then, when the victim exposes their wallet, they or another suspect will steal the wallet or items from it,†officials said. One resident who frequently goes into Hobby Lobby said he’s concerned. Police said it has also been reported that a suspect will drop cash by a register after they see someone has put their debit card in the machine. One suspect will then confront the victim about the money while another takes the debit card from the machine. Read the rest of this entry »
BRAZORIA — A Tyler man is back in custody after allegedly walking away from a prison trusty camp. According to the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and our news partner KETK, Cadarion Avery, 22, was serving a 5-year sentence for a theft out of Smith County when he left the camp around 11:30 p.m. Friday night. The trusty camp, a housing location outside the main prison for inmates with nonviolent offenses, was located at the Clemens Unit in Brazoria. He was found on Saturday just before 8:00 a.m. near the Clemens Unit, according to TDCJ. Avery will now face felony escape charges.
LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been arrested after he reportedly hit and killed a bicyclist while driving intoxicated. According to our news partner KETK, Longview Police Public Information Officer Brandon Thornton said that Sergio Retana-Garcia, 28, was driving westbound on East Marshall Avenue when he collided with an individual who was riding their bike while traveling in the same direction. Retana-Garcia reportedly drove away from the scene and the individual was pronounced dead by authorities. Retana-Garcia was later found and booked into the Gregg County Jail for driving while intoxicated 3rd or more and collision involving death.
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue was one of 30 professionals nationwide to be selected to participate in a Wildland Fire Investigator Course in Redding, California. “The class exceeded my expectations. It was a privilege to have instructors with so much knowledge and experience in the wildland fire investigation field,†Hogue said. “The U.S. Forest Service and CAL FIRE personnel are topnotch and I’m excited to bring back what I’ve learned and share it with local fire investigators.†The training was offered September 25-29, 2023, by the U.S. Fire Administration/National Fire Academy, U.S. Forest Service and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Read the rest of this entry »
GREGG COUNTY — Longview ISD and Kilgore College executives are set to sign a dual credit expansion program into effect this Thursday. Here’s what that means for local students. According to our news partner KETK, the growth of the dual credit program will build on the current systems in place under the newly enacted House Bill 8. According to both institutions, the aim is to provide increased educational opportunities and cost-effective pathways for high school students to earn college credit. “Effective immediately, HB-8 brings significant changes to the tuition rates for dual credit students. Students enrolled in public schools, who are officially certified by the state of Texas as free and reduced lunch recipients, will now receive dual credit courses tuition-free,†Dr. Brenda Kays, Kilgore College President. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Nicholas Pet Haven in Tyler said on Saturday that they’ll have to close their animal rescue at the end of this year if they can’t gather enough money to pay their bills. According to our news partner KETK, the nonprofit organization said that they had raised $4,750 towards their $16215 veterinarian bill at the time of their post but that vet bill doesn’t even include other bills like their ER bill. They added that they think many people might not be seeing their posts if they’ve been shadow banned by Facebook. To learn more about adopting a pet or about how to donate, click here to visit Nicholas Pet Haven online or call them at 903-312-7585.
TYLER — The East Texas Fair’s last day of the year was Sunday and that was likely their last day ever at the location next to the Rose Bowl. According to our news partner KETK, the fair has been held there next the Rose Bowl since 1912 but now there are reportedly plans in the works for a new location as their current contract comes to an end, according to East Texas State Fair president and CEO, John Sykes. Sykes said they’re still working on the plans and that he hopes to have an announcement soon. “We’re going to build a new fairgrounds. We’ve been trying to do that for many, many years. It’s expensive to do, especially infrastructure,†Sykes said. “If we had the infrastructure already established, it would be relatively easy to get the rest of it done. But don’t give up. I mean, we have some plans in our bucket right now that we’re going to really hopefully surprise some people of Tyler.â€
LUFKIN — Pineywoods Community Academy will be closed today as the water Department repairs a major water leak that will shut down a portion of South Raguet Street for the next several hours. South Raguet from West Kerr Avenue to Pershing Avenue will be closed for the next 4-5 hours as the repair is made. Water service will be out in the area from Angelina Street to Timberland Drive. Kurth Memorial Library will also be closed today due to the water leak repair. Additional nearby areas may be affected. If students have in-person classes at Angelina College today they will still need to go, complete assignments, or check in with their instructors. Transportation will not be provided by PCA.
LINDALE — Lindale ISD notified guardians Tuesday night of a student email account that was hacked. According to our news partner KETK, a Lindale Junior High student’s email was hacked and messages from a hacker were sent out through the student email and other communication groups including HUDL and Canvas. The school said in a statement, “Please tell your child not to respond to messages from other students or to open any files that they are sent. If your child has been sent any messages that they believe could be from a hacker, please contact your campus principal.†Lindale ISD’s Technology Department is investigating the origination of the hack and have involved district and local law enforcement.
CHEROKEE COUNTY — A 14-month old boy has died after reportedly drowning in a pond on family property. According to the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a residence on County Road 3705, in the Mount Selman area, on September 21 in reference to a drowning. Deputies found the child receiving CPR from a family member. EMS took the child to a Jacksonville hospital. The child was later transferred to Children’s Hospital in Dallas, where he died Monday. The case remains under investigation.
SMITH COUNTY — A 28-year-old man accused of selling a fatal dose of Fentanyl to a teenager fails to show up for his trial. The judge has issued an arrest warrant for Billy Maddox after he did not appear for jury selection in his trial Monday in Tyler. Maddox is charged with manslaughter in the death of a 17-year-old boy who died from an overdose of Fentanyl. Prosecutors say the pills contained substances other than what was claimed, and that Maddox failed to render aid and did not call for help. In fact, an arrest affidavit says Maddox shared an Instagram post with a photo of the teenage boy passed out on his stomach. The post was captioned, “Look how that perc got him sleeping,” with several laughing emojis.
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Judge Neal Franklin rescinded the burn ban Tuesday, September 26, after the county received some much-needed rain. Franklin made the decision based on the recommendation of Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue. “Smith County received an adequate amount of rainfall Sunday night and during the early morning hours of Monday to reasonably lift the burn ban, which was enacted on August 1, 2023, for the safety of the public,†Hogue said. “I would like to thank the residents of Smith County for their understanding and cooperation while the burn ban was necessary.†Hogue encouraged anyone planning to conduct outdoor burning to do it in a safe manner. Read the rest of this entry »
WOOD COUNTY — A Gilmer man has been charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault in connection to a wreck that killed one of his passengers and injured another. According to our news partner KETK, the preliminary report from DPS indicated Leopoldo Guerrero, Jr., 24, was driving a 2007 Chevrolet 1500 east on State Highway 154, 13.3 miles west of Gilmer on Sept. 18 at 7:00 a.m. DPS said he veered off the roadway to the north and the truck overturned. 34-year-old Diana M. Valenzuela from Longview was taken to a Quitman hospital where she died a few hours later. A 25-year-old passenger was taken to a Tyler hospital with incapacitating injuries. After an investigation, Guerrero Jr. was charged with intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — A former Tyler ISD substitute teacher was indicted for aggravated sexual assault of a child and improper relationship between an educator and a student on Aug. 3. According to our news partner KETK, 48-year-old Karen Dunn was an ISS substitute at Ramey Elementary School when a 10-year-old reported she had “touched her inappropriately†with three other students in the classroom. Tyler ISD police were called to Ramey Elementary School on May 16 after the child reported the incident to another teacher, saying Dunn told her about things she does with her sister and boyfriend, handed the child a piece of paper with her name, address and phone number on it and told the child to come over. The number was not one Tyler ISD had on file for Dunn. Dunn had been a substitute since 2016 and was terminated when the child reported her after a member of Tyler ISD HR contacted Dunn using the phone number given to the child. Dunn is still in the Smith County Jail on a $250,000 bond. Her next court date is scheduled for Oct. 2.
TYLER — Tyler police are asking motorists to use caution Monday morning when approaching intersections as multiple are without power. According to our news partner KETK, the following intersections are without power as of 7 a.m.: Broadway Avenue/Centennial Parkway, S Broadway Avenue/Market Square Boulevard, Loop 323/E Erwin Street and Loop 323/Lyons Avenue. Authorities are working to get generators deployed to these locations. “If you approach any intersection that is without power, treat it as a four-way stop. If you come to an intersection with blinking red lights, treat that as a four-way stop,†police said. “Emergency crews are working to get all intersections up and running as quickly as possible.â€
TYLER — A former Smith County deputy was sentenced on Wednesday to three years probation and a $1,000 fine for fraud with identification documents after entering a plea agreement. According to our news partner KETK, Luis Alberto Sandoval, 30, was with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office from November 2017 until his arrest in August 2021. He pleaded guilty in February to the federal charge after being accused of misuse of information to assist a Mexican drug trafficker. A warrant alleged Sandoval got a text message from a phone in Mexico asking him to the run the driver’s license of a known drug dealer who attempting to cross back into the U.S. Read the rest of this entry »
COFFEE CITY — One week after Coffee City deactivated their police department and fired their police chief, many drivers who’ve been pulled over say they want their speeding tickets dropped. “I intended to come up here with the hopes of getting the ticket dismissed since they dismissed all of their policemen,†said Steve Prather, who was at city hall to contest a ticket. Prather went into city hall with hopes to challenge his citation on Wednesday. “I just paid them $315 to get a deferred adjudication,†said Prather. Coffee City resident, Kolby Horton said he has $11,000 worth of tickets that he said were given unlawfully. Horton said it caused him to plead guilty to each offense. Acording to our news partner KETK, if you got a ticket from the Coffee City Police Department, the city secretary said you have to pay the ticket or choose to go to trial. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tyler police have arrested three more suspects following a shooting on New Copeland Road, near Rose Rudman Park, on August 28. Willie Ogilvie, charged with deadly conduct and Anjaylee Goodwyn, charged with tampering with evidence, were booked into the Smith County Jail on Tuesday September, 19. A juvenile suspect has also been charged. On September 19, Tyler Police were notified that Angel Lopez was arrested by the U.S. Marshall’s Service on warrants in this case and booked into the Harrison County Jail for deadly conduct and tampering with evidence. Jace Ogilvie (pictured) was booked into the Smith County Jail on a deadly conduct charge August 29. He was charged September 1st with tampering with evidence. According to Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh, further arrests and charges are pending as the investigation continues. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tyler Water Utilities has been notified of a man and woman who have been calling local hotels claiming they are representatives of the Tyler Water Business Office and requesting payment. The callers state the hotels have 60 gallons of water left to use and need to pay $7,500 by Venmo, Cash App, or Zelle to keep their service on. They also claim their meters were changed out and to keep them, the hotel must make this payment. The caller then states they will give them a bank code to make the payment and then they will need to call back with a confirmation number. The female is using the name Amy Diaz. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A 34-year-old Dallas man was sentenced Friday to 60 years in prison for continuous human trafficking of minors. A Smith County jury found Korwin Jones guilty after four days of testimony, including the testimony of two victims who Jones trafficked. Jones became the target of an inter-agency investigation into human trafficking after a sting in the Dallas area. The Texas Rangers and Plano PD conducted an undercover operation that led to ties in Smith County. They notified the East Texas Anti-Gang Center (TAG) of a trafficker known as “BMT†who was trafficking girls under the age of 18. Smith County District Attorney’s Office investigator Chris Miller identified “BMT†as Korwin Jones, a known felon and gang member. Read the rest of this entry »