Today is
Friday June 05, 2026
LONGVIEW — A former Longview ISD employee has plead guilty to charges stemming from an investigation of abuse against special education students that occurred from August 2019 to October 2021. According to our news partner KETK, on Wednesday, 56-year-old Cynthia Talley pleaded guilty to unlawful restraint of a minor and three counts of injury to a child with intent to cause bodily injury. Talley is one of six women arrested in 2022 after Longview ISD officials reportedly saw video footage of J.L. Everhart Elementary employees and campus administration mistreating special education students.
Talley’s sentencing hearing will be held on Jan. 1, 2025. The other former LISD employees also charged for mistreatment of students are Paula Hawkins Dixon, Cassandra Renee James, Linda Kaye Brown Lister, Priscilla Johnson and Cecilia Gregg. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — NET Health observes National Influenza Vaccination Week by providing flu vaccines in their main offices at 815 N. Broadway, on the corner of North Broadway and Gentry Parkway. The hours of operation for the NET Health Immunizations Clinic are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m., and from 1:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. On Wednesdays, the clinic remains open until 6:00 p.m.
NET Health provides the seasonal flu vaccine on a first come, first serve basis while supplies last.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the most simple and safest protection against the influenza virus (i.e., the flu) is vaccination. Flu vaccines are updated every year to better match the strains of the flu virus expected to be in circulation across the United States, and people who are at an increased risk for health complications from the flu should receive the flu vaccine before flu season arrives in northeast Texas. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — The Longview Fire Department held a grand opening Tuesday afternoon for their new station that will serve a growing area of the city. According to our news partner KETK, Station 8, located on 5922 Lou Galosy Way, was funded by a 2018 legislation that approved $52 million for public safety. Longview leaders said they are excited to support an area that is rapidly growing. Longview Fire Chief J.P. Steelman said the new station is a night and day difference compared to the previous one.
Instead of a traditional ribbon cutting ceremony, the fire department held a hose uncoupling with members of the community present. People were able to see inside the new facility that is just off George Richey Road.
LINDALE — A Smith County daycare worker is accused of assaulting six young children. Catherine Guziejka, 44, Lindale, is being held in the Smith County Jail charged with injury to a child- after seen kicking kids in her care. A coworker at Punkin’ Doodles Day Care in Lindale saw on surveillance footage the suspect kicking a 2-year-old boy in the small of his back. The boy’s father contacted the Smith County Sheriff. When deputies reviewed video, they saw 134 incidents over months, all similar, her kicking young kids.
Guziejka was fired and reported to CPS. The owner says she was hired in September of last year and passed all background checks with the required training and qualifications. The daycare closed down, has been sold and is set to reopen in December.
LONGVIEW — The Longview Independent School District said their Education Support Center will be closed Friday due to damage from a fire just after midnight. According to our news partner KETK, a press release from the district stated the fire caused “significant damage” to the building’s northwest wing. No injuries have been reported from the fire and the Longview Fire Department is investigating the cause.
“We are incredibly grateful to the firefighters and first responders who acted so quickly to contain the fire and prevent further damage,” Longview ISD superintendent Dr. Marla Sheppard said. “Their dedication and skill ensured that no one was harmed and that the impact was minimized as much as possible.” Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler received a $2.25 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education to fund initiatives designed to bolster retention and graduation rates. According to a news release from the university, the grant is part of a federal initiative aimed at strengthening the academic quality and management of institutions that educate under-served students.
“This grant will significantly enhance our ability to support students from the moment they arrive on campus to the day they walk across the stage at graduation,” said UT Tyler President Julie V. Philley, MD. “By offering more tailored academic support, we are committed to fostering an environment where every student can achieve their full potential.” Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The arrest documents of a convicted murder who was charged on Monday in connection to a fatal house fire, allege that he threw gasoline on who he claimed to be his girlfriend, the day he was supposed to be evicted and less than 20 minutes later drove himself to the Smith County Jail. According to our news partner KETK, the Tyler Fire Department and police responded to the Shady Trail around 3:40 after someone in the neighborhood called about the fire.
Gregory Bargaineer, 67, went to the Smith County Jail around 3:55 a.m. “to turn himself in for throwing gasoline on his girlfriend.” Bargaineer’s alleged girlfriend was later identified as Marilyn Mceachin and her body was found on the floor near the remnants of a bed after the fire department put out the flames, the affidavit said.
Tyler PD detained Bargaineer and took him in for questioning where he made several claims. Later, investigators found discrepancies with his statements such as the victim threw gas on him. Read the rest of this entry »
TROUP — The City of Troup gathered together for ‘Holiday in the Country’ and to watch the second annual Christmas Tree lighting on Monday, according to our news partner KETK. The 30-foot-tall Christmas tree is now officially lit, kicking off the Christmas season in downtown Troup. It was a special night because the honorary tree lighter is Troup native, Cooper Reid. The family was asked to be the honorary Christmas tree lighters last year, but couldn’t make it due to Cooper’s condition. Now, it’s one year later and he is greatly improving. In 2022, he was injured during a homecoming football game and since then, he has been on a journey to recovery since surviving a brain injury.
“We were very honored and happy that we would be here this time, this year. Last year, I don’t know that Cooper would have been able to even light the Christmas tree on his own, so I think that God worked it out just the right way, so that he was ready to do it on his time,” said Susanne Reid, Cooper’s mother. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER (AP) — Country singer Sundance Head, a winner on “The Voice,” is recovering at home after he was accidentally shot in the stomach while handling a firearm on a hunting trip at his East Texas ranch, his agent said Sunday.
Head, winner of the 11th season of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2016, was leaning into his vehicle to grab his .22 caliber pistol when it fell out of its holster and onto the exterior of the vehicle and fired off a shot that hit Head in the stomach, his agent, Trey Newman said in an email. Newman said Head was airlifted to a hospital in Tyler. He said no vital organs were hit and no surgery was needed. Head was released later Friday, he said.
Before his win on “The Voice,” Head competed in “American Idol” on Fox in 2007, making it to the top 16 before being eliminated. Head, who has upcoming performances scheduled in Texas and Illinois, is from the community of Porter, located north of Houston.
TYLER — Starting Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Saturday, Nov. 23, the northbound lane on Broadway Avenue near the Chamber of Commerce, located at 315 N. Broadway Ave., will be closed daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for roof work. Motorists are encouraged to drive with caution in the area.
Also starting Tuesday, North Bois D’Arc Avenue from West Wilson Street and West Bow Street will be closed. Detours will be in place. Work is expected to be complete by Tuesday, Nov. 26.
LONGVIEW — The Longview City Council has voted to approve an ordinance to require owners to spay and neuter stray dogs and cats. According to our news partner KETK, the step was taken by the council in order to fix their stray animal problem and prevent overcrowding. The council voted 6-1 to implement a new ordinance and enact pet and breeder permits for owners of loose dogs and cats.
“It really has the ability, like a pebble in the in the pond, to reverberate throughout East Texas,” said Kelly Heitkamp, an animal welfare attorney.
The Longview Animal Advisory committee worked for months to find a solution to overcrowding and the safety of their residents. The ordinance will require owners of stray dogs and cats to be sterilized. Sterilization requirements and the intact pet permit include exemptions such as infertility or chronic health issues, according to the city. Read the rest of this entry »
GILMER — An Upshur County woman has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following a drunk driving crash involving three children. According to Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd, Breanna Rena Simmons, 32, pleaded guilty to three counts of intoxication assault with a vehicle with deadly weapon, and driving while intoxicated with child passenger with deadly weapon.
Officials said Simmons was traveling on Turkey Road in Upshur County on March 29 when she crashed into a tree, severely injuring all three of her children, including an unrestrained toddler. The impact was so great that it caused the engine of her SUV to be thrown from the vehicle into a ditch on the other side of the road. She was going 64 mph at impact, Byrd said. The posted speed limit was 25 miles per hour. Simmons blood alcohol content was .18 grams of alcohol per 100 ml about three hours after the crash. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Looking for new winter activities in Tyler? Thanks to the Discovery Science Place, people can soon go to their new skating rink. According to our news partner KETK, the skating rink will have a grand opening event on Nov. 15 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. and tickets are $15 which includes, 45 minutes of skate time, dinner, a picture with Santa, holiday crafts, cookie decorating and hot cocoa.
“This exciting addition is perfect for everyone—from beginners to seasoned skaters. Enjoy public skating sessions, host unforgettable birthday parties, or book after-hour events that will leave your guests buzzing with joy,†the Discovery Science Place said. “Schools can take advantage of our special field trip packages, combining education and fun on the ice. Lace up your skates and make unforgettable memories.â€
Public skating will be $7 an hour and guests are asked to arrive 15-20 minutes early to get skates. People can book public skating sessions online or purchase by the hour at the front desk.
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Road 474, between U.S. Highway 69 North and CR 431 (Jim Hogg Road) will be closed to through traffic today, November 4, through Friday, November 8. The closure is for the construction of a sanitary sewer line.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The nation’s deep partisan divisions extend to trust in the vote tallies for this year’s election, as a new poll finds that Republicans are much more skeptical than Democrats that ballots will be counted accurately.
Voters generally show more distrust toward nationwide voting results compared to the tallies done by their own local election offices, according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.
About half of Republican registered voters have “a great deal†or “quite a bit†of trust that the vote will be accurately counted by their local election officials and around 4 in 10 say the same about the vote count in their state, but only around one-quarter have at least “quite a bit†of trust in the nationwide count.
Republicans voters’ overall level of trust in all three, however, is lower than it is among Democratic voters. Roughly three-quarters of Democrats say they have at least “quite a bit†of confidence that votes will be counted accurately nationwide, in their state or by their local election officials.
This year’s election marks the first presidential race since former President Donald Trump began a campaign of lies about a stolen 2020 election — a narrative that has undermined public confidence in election results among a wide swath of conservative voters, despite no evidence of widespread fraud.
Election experts have warned that Trump may be laying the groundwork to once again challenge the election if he loses.
David Farrington, a 78-year-old conservative in Fort Worth, Texas, said he distrusts mail-in ballots and ballot drop boxes, both common targets for claims of voter fraud and election conspiracies attempting to sow distrust in election results.
“It’s not the vote count that I’m worried about,” Farrington said. “I have every faith in all the precincts and their ability to count the ballots that are there. But the ballots — we don’t know if they’re legitimate or not.â€
Conversely, Ruth Edwards, a 28-year-old kindergarten teacher in Tampa, Florida, said she has “never seen evidence that elections are rigged.â€
“It’s just people who are upset about their candidate losing who are now claiming it’s rigged with no evidence,†said Edwards, a Democrat. “It’s ridiculous.â€
Voters overall are more likely to believe that votes in the 2024 presidential election will be counted accurately by their local election officials or in their state than nationwide, according to the poll. About 6 in 10 voters have “a great deal†or “quite a bit†of confidence that votes in the 2024 presidential election will be counted accurately by their local election officials or in their state, while about half say this about votes counted nationwide.
About one-quarter in each case have “a moderate amount†of confidence. About 3 in 10 say they have “only a little†or no confidence in the nationwide count, while fewer say that about the tally in their state or by local officials.
Drew Inman, a 31-year-old Republican working in law enforcement in New Jersey, said he is skeptical that votes will be counted accurately at all levels, but especially in counties outside his own.
“I definitely trust my vote to be counted at a local level more than I trust the national vote count,” he said. “… When you go national, there’s a lot more people involved and that can create corruption.â€
While ballots can include races for federal offices such as president or Congress, the U.S. does not run national elections as other countries do. All elections are run by the states and administered by local election offices in thousands of townships, cities and counties.
Election officials have recognized that many skeptical voters tend to point to other jurisdictions with false claims of fraud. Some groups have tried to counter this perception by emphasizing that elections in every state are run at the local level.
“What is difficult is when we have national elections, oftentimes people will maybe throw election professionals under the bus from another state, and that is not helpful,†said Tammy Patrick, a former election official now with the National Association of Election Officials.
Older voters have more faith in the vote count at all levels than younger voters, including the count conducted by local election officials. About half of 18- to 29-year-old voters have at least “quite a bit†of confidence that votes will be counted accurately in their state or by their local election officials, compared to around 7 in 10 voters ages 60 and older.
The gap is smaller for the nationwide vote count, though: About 4 in 10 18- to 29-year-old voters have at least “quite a bit†of confidence, compared to about half of voters ages 60 and older.
Bill Sanchez, a 29-year-old criminal defense attorney in Monroe County, Pennsylvania, said older voters have been watching and participating in the election process for longer, giving them more time to build trust.
“Younger voters have less experience voting and have spent a lot of their lives surrounded by this kind of misinformation that we’re seeing more and more of,†Sanchez said. “… It just sets the base for younger voters to be more distrustful.â€
About 6 in 10 Republicans say people voting who are not eligible is a major problem in U.S. elections, compared to 2 in 10 Democrats. Democrats and Republicans differ most sharply over whether mail ballots that are returned via the U.S. Postal Service or a drop box will be counted accurately. About 6 in 10 Democrats are “extremely†or “very confident†that mail ballots that are returned by these methods will be counted accurately, compared to around 1 in 10 Republicans.
Democrats, meanwhile, are much more concerned about voter suppression than Republicans. About half of Democrats say voter suppression is a major problem, compared to about one-third of Republicans
And about 4 in 10 voters are concerned about other countries tampering with U.S. voting systems or election results, which is down slightly from when the question was last asked in February 2020. This is something that independent voters are at least slightly more likely to be worried about than Democrats or Republicans.
Sanchez, the attorney from Pennsylvania, said he is more concerned about voter suppression than widespread fraud or ballots being miscounted and called for the expansion of early voting and mail ballots to “make voting as accessible as possible.†He also worries about the potential that false claims of voter fraud could incite violence and unrest, and said he hopes election officials’ attempts to inform voters ahead of the election will help.
“There’s a lot of misinformation and disinformation about election security from bad faith actors who are trying to build distrust and take advantage of the fact that people don’t always understand everything about the process,” Sanchez said. “And when we don’t understand things, we end up fearing it.”