Today is
Saturday July 25, 2026
FAIRFIELD — The Lindale man accused of killing a DPS Trooper is set to appear in court. Dabrett Black is facing a capital murder charge for the death of Trooper Damon Allen. Allen was shot after a trafficl stop on Thanksgiving, 2017. Black fled the scene and was arrested a short time later near Houston after a standoff with police. A change of venue to Freestone County was granted. Two hearings are scheduled for today, one to withdrawal counsel and one for competency. Black faces life in prison if convicted.
TYLER — Newly revealed court documents involving the arrest of former Smith County elections official Denise Hernandez showed multiple employees accusing her of being a bully toward them. According to our news partner KETK, Hernandez was arrested last week. She’s accused of spiking drinks that she gave employees with colon cleanser and did not tell them until after they finished. She had originally told them they were energy drinks. Hernandez has been charged with two counts of assault and has been released on a $20,000 bond. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — Severe storms moved through East Texas Tuesday morning, prompting at least two tornadoes, according to our news partner KETK. At least one tornado hit the Tyler area. According to a news release from the city of Tyler, about 25 children aged 9-16 were participating in a soccer camp at Lindsey Park when they were rushed off the fields into the park restrooms as the twister was seen heading straight to the soccer fields. Lindsey Park Crew Leader Dorean Lindsey said his team spotted the tornado and began working to get the children and coaches off the field and into the restrooms, where they could take cover. Read the rest of this entry »
ATHENS — The Athens city council called a special session today to discuss what steps to take following the arrest of their mayor. According to our news partner KETK, the meeting is scheduled for 10 a.m. in the Derek D. Daniels Conference Room of the Athens Partnership Center. According to the agenda, the council is scheduled to “Discuss, consider, and take action, as necessary, concerning the acceptance of resignation letter from Monte Montgomery.†Read the rest of this entry »
ATHENS — Monte Montgomery submitted his resignation as mayor of Athens Friday, June 4, “effective immediately,” according to the city’s Facebook page. The move follows Montgomery’s arrest in Gregg County for online solicitation of a minor, as reported earlier by our news partner KETK. The arrest was part of a multi-agency sting. The 63-year-old’s bond was set at $300,000 surety with conditions, and he bonded out a short time later. Read the rest of this entry »
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A Grand Saline man died about 9 p.m. Tuesday when he was struck by an Amtrack train as he tried to run across the tracks. According to our news partner KETK, Jimmy Don Brittain, 47, died at the scene, Van Zandt County Sheriff Steve Hendrix said. Brittain was running across a section of Union Pacific tracks that run parallel to Highway 80 and did not make it. He went down an embankment near the old rodeo grounds and apparently underestimated how far away the train was, the sheriff said. The conductor hit the emergency brake but was not able to stop in time. “We have ruled this death an accident,†Hendricks said.
TYLER — A warrant has been issued for a man wanted in a murder investigation. Tyler Police detectives obtained a capital murder warrant on Dakevian Beniot Scroggins, 27. Officials say they believe Scroggins in still in the East Texas area and should be considered armed and dangerous. He currently has warrants from other law enforcement agencies, including an active parole violation warrant issued by the Texas Boards of Pardons/Parole in Austin. On May 13, Christopher Frank Eiglebiger, 33, was found fatally shot at a home on Crosby Street. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Texas Senator John Cornyn will keynote the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce Energy Summit Thursday with an on-stage discussion moderated by Ken Waits, President & CEO of Mewbourne Oil. According to a press release, Sen. Cornyn will discuss the state of the energy industry nationally and what the future holds particularly for the fossil fuel and renewable energy industries important to East Texas. He will then answer questions from the audience. Following the keynote discussion, Sen. Cornyn will hold a press conference. The keynote discussion starts at 12:15 at Green Acres Crosswalk Conference Center.
TYLER — Authorization for the Health Science Center at UT Tyler to allocate its resources to attain accreditation of a doctor of medicine (MD) program, a step needed to create a new medical school, has passed through the Texas Legislature and will soon be on its way to Governor Abbott’s desk for signature. According to a press release, the authorization is included in Senate Bill 1, the state’s biennial budget. Led by Chairman Kevin Eltife, of Tyler, the UT System Board of Regents approved a proposal in February 2020 to launch efforts to establish a medical school in Tyler. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — With more people getting vaccinated everyday, more people are willing to travel. According to our news partner KETK, Tyler Pounds Regional Airport has been working on a master plan for more than two decades. Their goal is get more commercial airlines to come to the airport, but, first they hope to renovate some areas. On Wednesday, City of Tyler and airport leaders met to discuss this. Officials want to focus on fixing runway 1331, since the pavement is old and in bad condition. Experts said it also may only last another 1-5 years. Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN — The Legislature is close to passing a bill that would require new signage in some public buildings. Under Senate Bill 797 some public schools and universities would be required to display the phrase “In God We Trust” in prominent places inside all campus buildings. The bill, authored by Republican Senator Bryan Hughes of Mineola, would require that any school that had a poster or framed copy of the phrase donated to it would be required to hang it in a conspicuous place in each building of the school. A spokesman for Senator Hughes said Wednesday afternoon that the bill has gone back to the Senate for further review after receiving preliminary passage in both legislative chambers.
AUSTIN (Staff/AP) — State Representative Matt Schaefer of Tyler is upbeat about passage of his permitless carry bill by the full Legislature. He told KTBB, “It’s important to defend Second Amendment rights. It’s equally important to restore Second Amendment rights that have been eroded over the years. This bill will allow Texans to enjoy the same Second Amendment freedoms that millions of other Americans enjoy — and now is the time.” Governor Abbott says he’ll sign the still-controversial measure into law. The bill lets people carry handguns without a license, and bypass the corresponding background check and training.
LONGVIEW — A man has been charged with murder in connection with the shooting death of a Longview man in his home on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, Adam Tuan Nguyen, 23, Longview, is in Gregg County Jail facing murder, drug and tampering with physical evidence charges and a charge for being a felon in possession of a firearm. He is accused of killing Brantravious Williams, 21. Police went to Williams’s home in the 1200 block of Second Street at 11:15 Saturday morning in response to reports of gunfire. Williams was found dead in the home. Another person who had been shot was taken to a hospital with what police said were non-life-threatening injuries. The case remains under investigation.
EAST TEXAS — NET Health is holding two-dose Pfizer vaccine and the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine clinics at the Harvey Hall Convention Center, this Tuesday through Friday (May 25th -28th) from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. All of NET Health’s COVID vaccine clinics will be closed this Saturday May 29th and will resume operation on Tuesday June 1st. Mobile COVID vaccine clinics are also being held at several school campus locations this week and are open to anyone above the age of 12,any employee within the listed school district, and any citizen or community member who travels to the vaccine clinic location. For more information, click here
TYLER – A Tyler woman who confessed to writing more than $40,000 in checks to herself from the business that employed her has been indicted by a Smith County grand jury. According to our news partner KETK, an arrest warrant indicated Vicki Melhart, 39, wrote the checks while working for Deerbrook Storage Unit. The 107 checks were made out between October 2, 2019, and April 4, 2020. 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. In total, the checks added up to $40,125.35. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Green Acres Baptist Church has chosen their next senior pastor, who will replace senior pastor David Orlo Dykes. According to our news partner KETK, Dr. Michael Gossett was selected as the next senior pastor, effective Sept. 1. “He is a genuine guy who has a passion for God, and a passion to reach people for Jesus Christ,†Dykes said. Dykes has been pastor at Green Acres for 30 years, and announced his retirement in February. A committee then started the process of finding a candidate to recommend as pastor. The pastor search committee said Gossett was picked unanimously.
LONGVIEW — Longview police are investigating a shooting after one man is dead and one person drove themselves to a local hospital. According to our news partner KETK, around 11:15 a.m on Saturday, police arrived on the scene in the 1200 block of Second Street where they found one man dead with a gunshot wound and discovered that another person with non-life threatening injuries drove themselves to a hospital. Police have not released the name of the man and have not released information of the other person involved. Police encouraged that anyone with information contact the Longview police department at 903-237-1199.
TYLER — An Oregon man was arrested in Tyler after he was accused of killing a 30-year-old Portland woman who was a mother and worked as a TriMet driver. According to our news partner KETK, Henry Brogdon, of Portland, was arrested by the United States Marshal’s Service in Tyler on Friday and was booked in the Smith County Jail. Brogdon faces charges of murder in the and unlawful use of a weapon for his alleged role in the slaying of 30-year-old Breauna White. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — Rain and flooding are continuing to cause problems in East Texas, but things were improving as of late Thursday afternoon. TxDOT says water has receded and roads that were flooded in Cherokee County are open to traffic. Those are: FM 855, FM 1247, FM 23, and FM 1857. In Smith County, FM 724 is open and back to normal traffic flow. FM 1804 in Smith County and FM 1254 in Wood County remain closed due to flooding. Motorists are reminded not to drive around barricades put in place for the safety of the traveling public or drive through still or moving flood waters. Hidden dangers could exist such as debris, tree branches, power lines, or damage to the road. TxDOT reminds you: #Turn Around, Don’t Drown. For road conditions and traffic updates visit DriveTexas.org.
EAST TEXAS — Kids and teens preparing to attend summer camps and any summertime activities that require proof of COVID vaccination can begin their two-dose Pfizer vaccine series at the NET Health COVID vaccine clinics being held at Harvey Hall Convention Center in Tyler or any COVID vaccination clinics in East Texas. NET Health is offering the two-dose Pfizer vaccine and the one-dose Johnson and Johnson vaccine at Harvey Hall Convention Center, Tuesdays through Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — A Longview man has been arrested in connection with a murder in White Oak after being on the run for 10 days. According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Gilliam, 39, was charged with murder and failure to register as a sex offender. He was booked into the Gregg County Jail Thursday afternoon. The Gregg County Sheriff’s Office had asked the public for help in finding Gilliam in connection with a May 3 homicide on North White Oak Road, in White Oak. A press release did not include any information about the victim or a possible motive for the killing. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — After six years of serving on the Tyler ISD Board of Trustees, Rev. Fritz Hager Jr. is resigning his post serving Single Member District 6. His resignation is effective June 10, 2021. Hager was first appointed to the Board in 2015 to fill a vacancy in Single Member District 6. In 2016 and again in 2019, he was elected by voters to serve 3-year terms, with his latest term expiring in 2022. Hager said he plans to attend law school to practice law with his wife, Sarina, at their law firm, Hager Law, PLLC. He also said he will continue to serve as a pastor at Bethel Bible Church and as a chaplain in the Texas State Guard. The Board of Trustees will deliberate to determine the statutory options regarding the vacancy.
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Deputies made an arrest in connection to a shooting that happened near Chapel Hill on Tuesday, but they are still searching for a second suspect. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to the Jackson Heights area after a man was shot. The suspects reportedly fired shots from a vehicle, then drove off. The victim’s condition is not known. On Wednesday, Smith County investigators announced they found the suspect’s car on CR 489 near Tyler. The owner was identified as Jylon Cross, 19, of Jackson Heights. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The trial of one of three men accused in the Nov. 5, 2017, shooting death of Andrew Carpenter, 19, of Tyler, has been scheduled for June 28. According to our news partner KETK, the trial was set after Martin Wesley Reynolds Jr., 21, of Whitehouse, rejected a plea deal in 114th District Court for a 15-year sentence for his guilty plea to the first-degree murder charge. Two other men, Colton Wade Tate and Nathan Ryan Garcia, also are charged with murder in the shooting death. The arrest warrant affidavit said Reynolds and Carpenter got into an argument on the phone. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — A busy Wednesday for the Tyler City Council. The Council approved the addition of a five-year implementation schedule to the current Parks, Recreation, and Open Spaces Master Plan. The schedule covers planned projects through 2025. This year the city is set to complete the Lindsey Park restrooms, the Bergfeld Park tennis courts, and a soccer field at Fun Forest Park. The Council also signed off on pavement improvements for 48 streets. Two veteran councilmembers — Shirley McKellar and Bob Westbrook — were sworn in to new terms, along with first-time Councilmember Stuart Hene. McKellar (pictured at left) was chosen to serve as mayor pro tem. And the city reduced space requirements for backyard chickens and other fowl.
NACOGDOCHES COUNTY – One man was killed and another is in critical condition after an 18-wheeler wreck in Nacogdoches County early Tuesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, an 18-wheeler transporting timber was driving behind a 2004 pickup truck on HWY 103, roughly five miles west of Etoile. Investigators believe the pickup truck “made an unsafe turn†in front of the 18-wheeler and it was hit in the driver’s side. Read the rest of this entry »
HOUSTON — There is blowback to the state’s newly passed election bill, based on a measure initially authored by East Texas state Senator Bryan Hughes. Senate Bill 7 offers protections for poll watchers, limits polling places, and adds restrictions to those assisting voters. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo says it doesn’t have to become law. Hidalgo says, “It is not too late, and it is time for leaders in all communities — but particularly in this community, which is being singled out by these bills — to stand up against voter suppression.” That’s in response to Harris County making voting easier last year during the pandemic. This bill would, for example, outlaw drive- through voting and 24-hour polling places. Hidalgo says this new bill is based on the lie that the 2020 election was somehow stolen.
TYLER — A Tyler man is dead after a crash on Toll 49 Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, the crash occurred on Toll 49 between Paluxy and Broadway around 4 p.m. The preliminary DPS report indicates that the driver of a 1998 Kawasaki motorcycle and the driver of a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado, were both traveling westbound on Toll 49. The driver of the Chevrolet made an illegal U-turn, causing the motorcycle to strike the side of the truck. The driver of the motorcycle was identified as Christopher Lee Eickenhorst, 40. Eickenhorst was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chevrolet was identified as Jamal Russell, 30, of Jacksonville. Russell was not injured in the crash. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — Newly obtained court documents reveal that the former CHRISTUS nurse accused of killing three patients has been indicted for a fourth murder. According to our news partner KETK, William George Davis, 37, was arrested back in 2018 and charged with capital murder of multiple persons along with five counts of aggravated assault. The original indictment for capital murder from nearly three years ago listed Christopher Greenway, John Lafferty, and Ronald Clark as victims. They died between June 2017 and August 2017. Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN (AP) – Texas would allow people to carry handguns without a license, and the background check and training that go with it, under a measure approved by the state Senate on Wednesday. The bill was authored by State Representative Matt Schaefer, of Tyler. Texas already has some of the loosest gun laws in the country and has more than 1.6 million handgun license holders. State lawmakers have gradually reduced classroom and training instruction needed to get one over the last decade. The bill pushed by the Legislature’s Republican majority would eliminate the handgun license requirement despite objections from law enforcement.