Today is
Saturday July 25, 2026
TYLER – Sept. 11, is a day that brings people of the United States together. All the things that usually divide don’t matter. “Still great sadness comes back from 20 years ago, but the day after the day, there was such a unified spirit,†Louie Gohmert, U.S. Representative said. That spirit strengthened in downtown Tyler as East Texas first responders and community members united for the people who died and for those who went above and beyond the call of duty, as reported by our news partner KETK. “When I got there the thing that I remember most getting there where the rubble was and everything was feeling helpless,†Larry Smith with the Smith County Sheriff’s office said. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — A Tyler woman was sentenced to eight years of deferred adjudication Thursday morning and ordered to pay back more than $40,000 in restitution for an embezzling scheme. According to our news partner KETK, Vicki Melhart, 40, pleaded guilty to writing herself checks while working for Deerbrook Storage Unit. Between Oct. 2, 2019, and April 4, 2020, she wrote 107 checks for more than $40,000 out of the company’s account. The owner of the company told police that Melhart’s job had been “renting units, paying various bills, and taking payments.†She was fired when the owner found out that she had been writing the checks and forging his or his son’s signature. Read the rest of this entry »
RUSK — The father of a missing 5-week-old baby pleaded guilty to charges in the disappearance and was sentenced to 15 years in prison on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, 36-year-old DeAndre Argumon pleaded guilty to abandoning a child nearly one year after his son Armaidre went missing in September 2020. He had already been convicted back in April for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle in connection to Armaidre’s disappearance. An Amber Alert was issued when he went missing and a massive search was conducted by multiple law enforcement agencies. Armaidre has not been seen since Friday, September 18 in Wells, a small community in southern Cherokee County. To this day, he still has not been found.
AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott signed a bill partially authored by Sen. Bryan Hughes made to protect Texans from wrongful censorship on social media. According to our news partner KETK, the legislation requires large social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram and YouTube to make regular reports of removed content, create a complaint system and disclose their content regulation procedures. Abbott was joined at the signing by Hughes and Rep. Briscoe Cain, who are the authors of the bill. Sen. Charles Perry, Sen. Dawn Buckingham and Sen. Angela Paxton were also present. Specifically, the bill prevents social media companies with more than 50 million monthly users from banning users based on their political viewpoints. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — More than $1 million in grants was given to six East Texas veteran organizations on Wednesday. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Veterans Commission’s Fund for Veteran’s Assistance presented the money at Habitat For Humanity of Smith County in Tyler. The funds were approved back in May through a program that provides approximately 140 grants to organizations across the Lone Star State. The CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Smith County, Jack Wilson, was there to receive the group’s big check. He mentioned, he felt grateful for the money because it’s going to help change lives. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — All Smith County law enforcement has been approved for pay raises, which Sheriff Larry Smith and Judge Nathaniel Moran hope will help address a massive staffing shortage. According to our news partner KETK, the two held a press conference Tuesday afternoon at the commissioner’s courtroom. Moran said while other areas of the country are “looking to defund police,†Smith County would “refund our law enforcement.†For instance, the starting salary of a detention officer in the county jail would rise from $33,620 to $41,500. This equates to nearly a 25% pay raise. The sheriff said that it also means the raises will make the county more competitive not just with other law enforcement agencies, but with the private sector as well. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER (AP/Staff) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has signed into law an overhaul of the state’s election rules following months of protests by Democrats. The sweeping bill signed Tuesday by the two-term Republican governor further tightens Texas’ strict voting laws. Texas joins more than a dozen states that have passed Republican-backed voting changes since the 2020 election. The new laws have been driven in part by former President Donald Trump’s claims that the 2020 election was stolen. Opponents of the changes in Texas have already begun filing lawsuits in federal court. The legislation was initiated by state Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola, who was among those on hand for the signing ceremony. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick was also on hand.
TYLER — A portion of South Broadway Avenue (between Rowland Place and East Charnwood Street) will be closed to northbound traffic Wednesday, Sept. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to remove a large dead tree from the right-of-way. Northbound drivers will be detoured onto East Dobbs Street where they can turn left onto South Donnybrook Avenue. There, motorists can continue north to East Charnwood Street where they will be able to turn left to go west, back to South Broadway Avenue. This will only affect the northbound traffic on South Broadway Avenue. Drivers are reminded to obey all traffic signs, flaggers, detours and slow down in and around the area.
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The City Council in Portland, Oregon will vote Wednesday on an emergency resolution that would ban the purchase of goods and services from Texas in response to the new law prohibiting most abortions there. The resolution would also bar city employee travel to the state. Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office said in a news release the Portland ban would be in effect until Texas either withdraws the abortion law or it gets overturned in court. The news release said the Portland City Council stands unified in its belief that all people should have the right to choose if and when they carry a pregnancy. The Heartbeat Act was authored by Senator Bryan Hughes, of Mineola.
TYLER — Tyler police say a portion of Front Street is now clear following a Monday morning wreck. Police had been asking drivers to avoid the street in the area near the PATH building after the wreck left power lines across the roadway, temporarily shutting down traffic in that vicinity.
TYLER — The NET Health Board of Directors has considered the substantial increase of COVID-19 cases that has occurred locally since July 1, 2021, which is due in large part to the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant and has contributed to the stress being experienced by area hospitals treating the sick in our community, COVID-related and otherwise. The percentage of East Texans aged 12 years and higher who are fully vaccinated are generally 40% or less, with some counties only around 33%. Read the rest of this entry »
WASHINGTON (AP/Staff) – President Joe Biden is lambasting the Supreme Court’s decision not to block a new Texas law banning most abortions in the state. The law was spearheaded by state Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola (pictured). Biden said Thursday he is directing federal agencies to do what they can to “insulate women and providers” from the impact. Hours earlier, in the middle of the night, a deeply divided high court allowed the law to remain in force in the nation’s biggest abortion curb since the court legalized the operation nationwide a half-century ago. The court voted 5-4 to deny an emergency appeal from abortion providers and others. The Texas law prohibits abortions once medical professionals can detect cardiac activity, usually around six weeks and before most women know they’re pregnant.
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. (AP) – Authorities at Grand Canyon National Park say they are scaling back the search for a Texas man who has been missing for nearly three months. Park officials say 49-year-old Charles Lyon of Tyler was last seen at a hotel in Tusayan on June 10. They say Lyon abandoned his vehicle on the canyon’s South Rim along Desert View Drive near Lipan Point on or around June 11 and was believed to be traveling alone. Beginning on June 11, crews searched extensively by ground and helicopter in the vicinity of Lipan Point and along Desert View Drive but there was no sign of Lyon. Park officials say the search will continue in a limited and continuous mode.
TYLER — Wednesday, lots of new laws went into effect in the state. One law that had lots of people on both sides of the issue was permit less carry. Representative Matt Schaefer, of Tyler, authored the bill. He said, “Second Amendment rights have been restored for millions of of law abiding Texans.” The law will allow Texans ages 21 and older to carry handguns without training or a license as long as they are not legally prevented from doing so. SMU Political Science Professor Matt Wilson says it remains to be seen if this law will have an effect on violence and gun sales. Read the rest of this entry »
CHEROKEE COUNTY – Two Cherokee County employees were arrested for allegedly tampering with a government document to gain power of attorney, according to Sheriff Brent Dickson with the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. According to our news partner KETK, Peggy Cornelius and Suijuan Chen are being charged with tampering with a government document and also giving a false statement to peace officers. The issue did not involve city business, said Dickson. Cornelius and Chen turned themselves in on Friday and were arrested then. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — The Chapel Hill ISD board of trustees approved a temporary mask mandate on Monday. According to our news partner KETK, masks will be required during indoor classes and activities starting on Aug. 31. Students will be given a mask, if they do not have one. Longview ISD also previously issued a temporary mask mandate. Some East Texas schools have recently closed their doors due to an increase in COVID-19 cases.
EAST TEXAS — Volunteers across Texas begin efforts to help with disaster relief in Louisiana and Mississippi. John Hall with Texas Baptist Men says volunteers headed down Monday for what he’s calling an extensive deployment. The American Red Cross is helping out, too. Volunteers from the north Texas chapter are already in Louisiana distributing cots, blankets, comfort kits and meals to people in hard-hit areas. Over the next few days, more response vehicles and volunteers are expected to be sent out from Abilene, Corsicana and Tyler. Texas is also sending power crews to help.
TYLER — Commemorative bricks from Harvey Convention Center are now available for purchase at the Rose Garden Center, 420 Rose Park Dr. Each brick is $50 and can be paid with check or money order. The demolition ceremony of Harvey Convention Center took place on Aug. 2 in anticipation of the new conference center. The new Rose Complex Master Plan will feature 60,000 square feet of indoor meeting space, a large outdoor space for events and a 3.5 acre greenspace. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — University of Texas System Chancellor James B. Milliken and other education and business leaders were invited to the White House Wednesday to meet with President Biden and members of his cabinet and national security team to discuss how the government, education and private sectors can work together to improve the nation’s cybersecurity, that’s according to a news release from the school. At the meeting, Milliken announced UT institutions will expand existing and develop new short-term credentials in cyber-related fields to diversify and strengthen America’s cybersecurity workforce. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Booster vaccines are now being offered to East Texas residents who have weakened immune systems by NET Health in Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, people can get a Pfizer or Moderna shot at the NET Health Immunization Clinic located at 815 North Broadway Avenue, next to the Tyler Municipal Court. The location is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Appointments are recommended so officials can allow people to social distance. Walk-ins are still available. For appointments, click here. The CDC has announced that only those who are moderately-to-severely immunocompromised may receive a third dose of the Pfizer or the Moderna vaccine. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Texas Sen. Ted Cruz will be in Tyler Tuesday afternoon to tour the Genesis World Group Headquarters. According to our news partner KETK, a press release from his office states that the tour will begin around 12:30 p.m. and he will take questions from the press an hour later. According to their website, Genesis “develops, tests, and supports industry-leading software for mission critical and business critical two-way communications networks.†After the tour, Cruz is scheduled to go down to Diboll where he will take place in a closed roundtable discussion with East Texas leaders near Whispering Pines Park. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Tyler ISD approved a one-time incentive to give $500 to eligible district employees who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler ISD said the funding will be provided with Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief, or ESSER funds. The incentive was approved at the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees School Board Meeting on Monday at 7 p.m. Carthage ISD was another school district that announced they will be offering a $500 incentive. The U.S. Congress provided financial support for districts and schools though the ESSER Fund to address to ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Read the rest of this entry »
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — An investigation is underway following a fatal vehicle/pedestrian accident in Van Zandt County. It happened around 10:45 Friday night on SH-64 approximately three miles southeast of Canton. According to DPS Troopers, the driver of a 2021 Buick Encore was traveling west on SH-64 and struck a pedestrian on the roadway. The pedestrian, identified as Devin M. Hill, 30, of Tyler, was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver was not seriously injured.
SMITH COUNTY — Department of Public Safety Troopers are investigating a fatal head-on collision Sunday afternoon on Spur 364 just west of Tyler in Smith County. 48-year-old Holly Lewis, of Brownsboro, was pronounced dead at the scene. A 17 year-old female passenger in Lewis’ vehicle was transported to UT Health East Texas in critical condition. 19-year-old Jeffery Harmon, of Tyler, was taken to a local hospital in critical condition. The preliminary report indicated Lewis crossed into the eastbound lane and struck Harmon’s vehicle.
LONGVIEW — Longview police arrested a man after they found a person lying on the floor with several gunshot wounds on Sunday. According to our news partner KETK, Longview Police arrested 20-year-old Willie Brasher III of Longview. Brasher was taken to the Gregg County Jail and booked on an aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge. At 1:15 a.m. Longview PD were dispatched to the Loop apartment complex located at 2801 Bill Owens Pkwy after a shooting. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — With reports of a possible turkey shortage this year, Tyler’s Sam Greenberg of the Greenberg Smoked Turkey Company has an update. Fire wiped out all the company’s holiday sales last year, but Greenberg says rebuilding is almost complete and business will be back to normal in October. While some have reported a turkey shortage, Greenberg says that’s not been a problem in Tyler — noting that his company only lost half its turkeys. He adds that customers have been unbelievable since hearing about last year’s fire. The company ships all over the world.
TYLER — As of 1:00pm on August 21st, a stretch of Old Bascom Rd is closed. It is closed from Old Omen Road to Southwood Drive. Recent heavy rains have caused a portion of the road to collapse. Tyler Police officers are on scene and road crews are responding to address the issue.
TYLER — Tyler Police have made an arrest in a homicide case. According to officials, Manuel Mendez Prieto II was charged with murder Friday and is being held in the Smith County Jail on a $1,000,000 bond. Prieto had previously turned himself in on an unrelated outstanding warrant for aggravated robbery with a $250,000 bond. On the morning of August 17, police were called to Front and Palmer regarding a truck that had hit a utility pole. Police say the driver, identified as Michael Lee Tucker, 29, Tyler, had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene. The investigation led detectives to a residence on South Palmer, where the shooting appears to have occurred.
TYLER — Tyler Police are investigating an early morning stabbing. Police responded around 6:45 Friday morning to Third Street where a male victim was located and taken to a local hospital in critical condition. A female suspect has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault and evading arrest/detention. Investigators believe the stabbing happened at a gas station on WNW Loop 323. Friday afternoon, police identified the suspect as 19-year-old Yesenia Bailon of Tyler. She has been booked into the Smith County Jail. The victim is now in stable condition.
TYLER — East Texas hospitals are struggling with staff shortages as COVID-19 patient numbers rise everyday. According to our news partner KETK, Gov. Abbott announced the state is stepping in to help recruit out-of-state medical workers. One of the hospitals to receive the help is UT Health East Texas. UT Health’s Chief Medical Officer Dr. Thomas Cummins said about 20 nurses and respiratory therapists made it to East Texas with more expected to arrive in the coming days. “Having experienced ICU and medical nurses and ER nurses to be able to help take care of patients is an invaluable asset to have and certainly helps bring some relief to some very tired staff members,†Cummins said. Read the rest of this entry »