Today is
Saturday June 06, 2026
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 »