Today is
Friday June 05, 2026
SMITH COUNTY -DPS has confirmed two are dead after a two-vehicle collision Thursday morning. According to our news partner KETK, DPS Sergeant Adam Albritton said the accident involved an SUV on FM2908 traveling north and a pickup truck going east on CR 384. Albritton said the truck ran a stop sign at the intersection and collided with the SUV. The driver and its passenger in the pickup truck were thrown from the vehicle. They later died. The driver of the SUV was taken to a hospital. As of this time, their identities have not been released.
TYLER — Tyler police are investigating a fatal shooting. It happened around 11:40 Saturday, August 10, on Lorance Street. Arriving officers found a 17-year-old victim suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital where he died from his injuries. The suspect was identified as a 16-year-old male from Tyler. He was charged with manslaughter and manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance. He was arrested August, 15 and booked into the Smith County Juvenile Attention Center in Tyler.
TYLER — An investigation into a Tyler man for child pornography reopened a 2020 “suspended†sexual assault of child case. According to our news partner KETK, Austin Wayne Odell, 38, was arrested on possession of child pornography and sexual assault of a child on Aug. 3. According to an affidavit, a peace officer with the Texas Department of Public Safety obtained 99 videos and four images of child porn that were downloaded in 2023 from devices connected to an IP address that traced back to Odell’s address.
On Aug. 31, 2023, the officer executed a search warrant at Odell’s residence where he seized multiple devices but reportedly did not find any child porn. Later, the officer reportedly learned that Odell went out of town and took his computer with him. Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE — With a nationwide truck driver shortage, Kilgore college is working to bridge the gap by opening a new training institution, focusing on safety in training. According to our news partner KETK, Kilgore College has been training truck drivers on campus since 2010, now their program is expanding due to a rising need. At their ribbon cutting, the college shared some staggering statistics saying the shortage of drivers has now topped 60,000 nationally.
According to the American Journal of Transportation by 2030 there will be a shortage of 160,000 drivers. The journal said several factors are causing the shortage including a high demand for truck drivers, a retiring workforce and a lack of new drivers. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man was arrested for intoxicated manslaughter following a fatal crash on Highway 31 early Wednesday morning. According to an affidavit and our news partner KETK, Cesar Efrain Viramontes-Cocolan, 22, of Tyler, was driving a pickup truck traveling westbound on State Highway 31 near FM 2908. The document said that Viramontes swerved into oncoming traffic and struck another vehicle head on killing the driver. DPS confirmed that the identity of the deceased driver was Maria Hernandez, 58, of Tyler.
According to Sgt. Adam Albritton, DPS media and communications, the vehicle that was struck was an SUV that had an 18-wheeler driving behind it. Albritton said that the 18-wheeler attempted to avoid crashing into the other vehicles but was unable to.
According to the affidavit, it was observed that there were no “obstacles or anything that would necessitate that Viramontes veer onto the wrong side of the road.†The document said that when interviewed at the hospital, Viramontes told officials that the other driver was “swerving in and out of their lane†but was unable to explain why he swerved into traffic. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — At their budget workshop for the 2025 fiscal year on Wednesday, the Smith County Commissioner’s Court verbally agreed to add 10 new detention officer jobs in the county. According to our news partner KETK, the move comes after years of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office having to go over budget on overtime because of a need for additional staffing at the Smith County Jail and elsewhere.
“Each year, knowing what we spent the year before, we’ve found less and less overtime,†Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said. “The definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing and expecting a different result.â€
At the workshop, Smith presented data that showed how the sheriff’s office reportedly had $300,000 budgeted for overtime and ended up spending $1,019,020 in 2020. Similarly, in 2021, they had even more overtime budgeted with $450,000 and they ended up spending $1,525,436. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Painted Tree Boutiques is coming soon to the City of Tyler where the former Bed Bath & Beyond was located. According to our news partner KETK, the boutique offers a one-of-a-kind retail experience with home decor, fashion and gifts but with a twist. The boutique will reportedly have hundreds of shops all under the same roof, creating a big way to shop small. “From the shop owners to the staff, everyone at Painted Tree Boutiques fosters togetherness,†the boutique’s website said. “It’s about supporting local entrepreneurs and giving the local community a treasure trove of delightful things.â€
This will be the store’s first East Texas location with over 12 in the state. The boutique will be located at the Cumberland Mall on 8970 S Broadway Ave, Suite 144 but when it will open has not been released at this time. Small business owners and sellers can now open their own shop at Painted Tree Boutiques by visiting their website or calling 844-762-3342. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — Two people were arrested on Monday in connection to Dollar General thefts, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office said. According to our news partner KETK,  around 11:30 a.m. on Monday, Whitehouse police officers responded to a theft at a Dollar General on Highway 110, but the suspects had already fled in a black pickup truck, the sheriff’s office said.
Officials said about 20 minutes later, a theft was also reported at the Dollar General on FM 2493 in Flint.
“It was quickly determined that both thefts involved the same male and female suspect who entered the store and filled grocery carts full of merchandise and then exited,†Smith County official said. “Smith County Property Crimes Investigators had been monitoring the radio traffic of these two thefts due to the ongoing nature of similar thefts in the past few weeks. They quickly responded and developed a known suspect vehicle and license plate from surveillance video.†Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tickets for the 108th annual East Texas State Fair have officially gone on sale. According to our news partner KETK, this year’s East Texas State Fair will run from Sept. 20 – 29 at 11315A State Highway 64 West and tickets cost $12 for adults, $6 for children 5-12, children under 5 get in free and carnival wristbands for unlimited rides in one day cost $37.
The fair also said that there will be special themed days, Military Appreciation Day will be on Sept 23, offering free admission to active and retired military personnel with valid ID, First Responder Day will be on Sept 25, offering free admission to police, firefighters and EMS with valid ID.
“This year, we’re opening at a new location, offering a fresh experience with new attractions and entertainment for the whole family,†Cody Rosenbalm, CEO and president of the East Texas State Fair, said. “We’re here to make this year’s Fair unforgettable and look forward to welcoming everyone at our new grounds.â€
Click here for more information.
TYLER — Construction in downtown Tyler has been going on for months and it’s getting busier with the demolition of buildings for the next phase of the new courthouse project, according to our news partner KETK. “Phase two is starting of the construction of the courthouse but the demolition of the east side of the square actually has to start first and that will begin on Monday,†Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said. People who visit or work downtown should plan for detours and parking changes. “You see all of the fencing all around but you’ll see people in there working and heavy equipment pushing down buildings and walls,†Franklin said.
Currently, crews are looking underground at fiber and utility lines to prevent any issues moving forward. Read the rest of this entry »
ANGELINA COUNTY — The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a shooting that left two people dead early Wednesday morning. According to Angelina County Sheriff Tom Selman and our news partner KETK, a call reported a shooting in Burke just after midnight Wednesday morning. Officials detained a juvenile, who has not been publicly identified, at the scene. Morgan McRae, 39, was found dead from multiple gunshot wounds. Hannah Griffin, 31, who had also been shot, was taken to a local hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
Sheriff Selman said that investigators received a warrant for the residence and found the weapon that was used in the shooting. Officials also said there were other children in the home at the time of the shooting. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — Brookshire’s Grocery Company held an event for the groundbreaking of their upcoming FRESH location in Longview on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, the new FRESH will be located at the corner of US Highway 259 and North Fourth Street and is expected to be finished by the summer of 2025.
This location will be the third FRESH by Brookshire’s, joining one in Tyler and one in Fate. FRESH isn’t just a grocery store, like its sister locations this store will also include dining options, a playground and a patio with an outdoor entertainment space. Read the rest of this entry »
RUSK COUNTY — FEMA is opening a Disaster Recovery Center in Rusk County to provide one-on-one help to Texans affected by severe storms, tornadoes and flooding April 26 – June 5. The center will operate from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday- Saturday, closed Sunday. Any center can help with both Hurricane Beryl and the April 26-June 5 storms and flooding. To find the center location nearest you, click here.
Residents in Anderson, Austin, Bell, Calhoun, Collin, Cooke, Coryell, Dallas, Denton, Eastland, Ellis, Falls, Guadalupe, Hardin, Harris, Henderson, Hockley, Jasper, Jones, Kaufman, Lamar, Leon, Liberty, Montague, Montgomery, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Newton, Panola, Polk, San Jacinto, Rusk, Sabine, Smith, Terrell, Trinity, Tyler, Van Zandt, Walker and Waller counties can visit any open center to meet with representatives of FEMA and the U.S. Small Business Administration. No appointment is needed. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Tyler Parks and Rec Department is beginning renovations to W.E. Winters Park, formerly known as Peach Park, located at 910 S. Peach Ave. The park will be closed to the public until the end of 2024. According to a news release, W.E. Winters Park renovations will include improvements to the playground, restrooms, pavilion, and parking lot and will feature a pollinator-themed design. Additional renovations will be completed at a later stage of development, including adding additional play elements, amenities, and renovations to the multipurpose courts. The current phase of renovations is expected to be completed by the end of 2024. For more information about this and other Tyler Parks and Rec Improvement Projects, click here, or call (903) 531-1370.
TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler announced that one of their students was selected as the university’s first-ever Jonas Scholar. According to our news partner KETK, Ryan Schalles, a PhD student at UTT’s School of Nursing, has been selected by Jonas Nursing and the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) to be the school’s first-ever Jonas Scholar.
“Being named a Jonas Scholar is a remarkable achievement for Ryan Schalles and a significant milestone for the UT Tyler School of Nursing,†Dr. Barbara K. Haas, School of Nursing dean, said. “We are immensely proud of him and grateful to Dr. Barbara McAlister for supporting Ryan. Her dedication to mentoring and guiding our students is invaluable and reflects the commitment typical of the UT Tyler School of Nursing faculty.†Read the rest of this entry »