Today is
Friday November 29, 2024
SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office has determined that a Saturday evening fire of a school bus converted into a home was accidental. Around 6:35 p.m. on Saturday, January 14, Smith County Emergency Communications received calls reporting an explosion on Canyon Circle, in northern Smith County. After a preliminary investigation, the cause of the fire was an accidental fuel-air explosion most likely caused by a propane leak inside the school bus, which had been converted into a tiny home and was occupied by the resident at the time of the explosion, Smith County Chief Deputy Fire Marshal Chad Hogue said. The bus was outfitted with gas and electric utilities. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Roadwork continues this week on the Rice Road sink hole in Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, the work started Sunday night, and closed a portion of Rice Road from S. Broadway Avenue to Old Bullard Road will be closed. Old Bullard Road will be closed to northbound traffic as well. ââŹĹOnce we found the sinkhole and we started excavating and digging down there it was almost like a pandoraââŹâ˘s box of things that we kind of found,ââŹÂ saidĂ Kate Dietz, PE, City of Tyler Director of Utilities. ââŹĹTraffic will still be able to go North and South on Old Bullard, similar to when we did the temporary pavement repair,ââŹÂ said Dietz. They hope to have the sinkhole repaired, the road repaved and be ready to open again by the end of the week. Problems began on Dec. 1 when Rice Road closed due to the discovery of the sinkhole. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Texas Financial Crimes Intelligence Center says it prevented tens of millions of dollars in losses last year connected to organized fraud. According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, the center’s first year in operation prevented loses of nearly $48.5-million. It also helped root out 396 credit card skimmers. The center opened last year in Tyler as the first-of-its-kind in the nation, putting various law enforcement agencies in coordination to the fraud. Beyond just gas pumps, the center has recorded what the state calls “an astronomical amount” of fraud from other types of credit card skimming committed by foreign nationals, including ATM and point-of-sale skimming that specifically targets state benefit cards.
HOUSTON (AP/Staff) ââŹâ Lovie Smith of Big Sandy has been fired as coach of the Houston Texans on Sunday night after just one season where the team went 3-13-1. It’s the second straight season in which the Texans have fired a coach after just one year. They parted ways with David Culley last January after he went 4-13 in his only season.
TYLER ââŹâ The queen of the 90th Texas Rose Festival is Laura Elaine Bryan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Arnold Bryan. The All Saints Episcopal School graduate and SMU sophomore was introduced Thursday evening along with her court and the festival theme, ââŹĹThe Story of Film.ââŹÂ Laura’s family has been involved with the festival since 1973 — she herself was an attendant to the queen in 2010. Laura says she’s honored to be chosen — and really looking forward to the big event. She tells KTBB, “I think the festival really just brings everyone together…It’s such a staple of Tyler, and it’s one of the first things people ask me about when I say I’m from here.” Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Smith County deputies are searching for two men who led law enforcement on a chase in Smith County on Wednesday. The Smith County SheriffââŹâ˘s Office said the suspects were driving a stolen truck with a flat bed trailer that were both taken from the Dallas area. According to our news partner KETK, the chase happened around 3:40 p.m. During the incident, the truck crossed a median on Interstate 20 near Santa Land. Santa Land closed on Wednesday, their last day of the season, while law enforcement looked for the two men. The suspects are still at large.
TYLER — A 19-year-old man has been arrested after a shooting on Rhones Quarter Road just after 3:00 Tuesday afternoon. Responding officers found a 41-year-old man in an ambulance receiving treatment for a single gunshot wound to the back. Officers were told that the shooter had left the scene in a vehicle… that vehicle, occupied by the suspect and a family member, was located in the Texas Bank parking lot. The suspect was arrested without incident. He has been named as Jacob Wayne Gore of Tyler. Police say he is in the Smith County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon with a $250,000 bond. The victim was taken to the hospital and is said to be in stable condition. He has been identified as Dalton Morgan of Henderson.
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TYLER — The U.S. Congress began its new term Tuesday, but Nathaniel Moran will have to wait to become Texas District 1’s first new congressman in 18 years. Such action cannot be taken until a new speaker of the House is chosen, and that didn’t happen Tuesday. Moran, a former Smith County judge, won the seat in November by a wide margin. Once he takes office, what will be his top priorities? ââŹĹThe recession of the economy and border security by far are the top two issues people want us to address in Congress,ââŹÂ said Moran, on election night of 2022. Local party leaders said the Republican congressman has to be ready to hit the ground running. ââŹĹIt has to be determined which committee he gets on and thatââŹâ˘s really gonna dictate a lot of what heââŹâ˘s going to be able to push forward as a freshman legislature,ââŹÂ said Smith County Republican Party Chair David Stein. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The National Weather Service Office in Shreveport has predicted severe thunderstorms for Tyler and the surrounding area beginning Monday, Jan. 2. Damaging winds, isolated tornadoes, large hail, and locally heavy rainfall were deemed possible.ĂÂ The City of Tyler streets and stormwater crews will respond and intervene during a severe weather event where roads have washed out and other public facilities may be compromised.ĂÂ If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1, stay on the line and DO NOT HANG UP until your call is answered. Answer all questions and follow instructions.ĂÂ The Tyler Police Department’s non-emergency line (903) 531-1000 should be used for all other calls and notifications, including traffic signal issues. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The City of Tyler announced that there would be no trash collection on Monday, Jan. 2. According to officials and our news partner KETK, trash collection will start up again on Tuesday, Jan. 3. The routes that are normally collected on Mondays will be collected on Tuesday and the routes that are collected on Tuesday will be collected on Wednesday. ThursdayââŹâ˘s routes will be collected on Thursday, Jan. 5 as usual as well as Friday’s on Jan. 6. The Downtown Recycle Center, closed on Monday, Jan. 2, reopens on Tuesday, Jan. 3.
TYLER — UT Health Tyler celebrated a very special birthday on New Years Day. Edgar Espinoza Jr. was born at 5:30 a.m. on New YearââŹâ˘s Day, making him the hospitalââŹâ˘s first baby of the year. According to our news partner KETK, after ringing in the New Year with their family, the EspinozaââŹâ˘s did not know the hospital was going to be the first stop. ââŹĹWhen we got home it was just instant back to back, just non-stop, pretty consistent contractions,ââŹÂ said the father, Edgar Espinoza Sr. When they arrived at the emergency room, the UT Health staff cheered mom on. ââŹĹIt actually did help and I remember as soon as he was born, I was like, so is he the first baby? And she said for sure here,ââŹÂ said the mother, Jessenia Espinoza. Junior came three weeks early and there were no complications during the birth. Read the rest of this entry »
WOOD COUNTY — 30-year-old Justin K. Fitzgerald of Mineola is dead after being hit and killed by a vehicle while fleeing from Wood County deputies on Wednesday around 6:30 p.m. According to our news partner KETK, deputies responded to a call about shots fired east of Mineola off Highway 80. As deputies arrived, Fitzgerald ran into the woods. A perimeter was established and a short time later, the sheriffââŹâ˘s office said they were notified of several houses that were broken into near the area of FM 1801. Additional units arrived and began “pushing into the tree line” in an attempt to locate Fitzgerald. He then ran out of the tree line near Highway 80 and ran into the highway, where he was struck by a vehicle. He was flown to a Tyler hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Texas DPS is investigating the crash.
GREGG COUNTY –The Longview Municipal CourtââŹâ˘s Warrant Amnesty Program will be available from Jan. 1 through April 30, 2023, offering those with outstanding warrants an opportunity to resolve cases and save on their court fines. During the amnesty program, all warrant fees will be removed when someone voluntarily contacts the court to pay at least half the total amount due and start a payment plan for the remaining balance. An additional 20% will be removed from the fine amount for those who pay their balance in full. The discount only applies to the fine amount and does not include court costs. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL – The City of Marshall has opened a warming center for those unable to escape the extreme cold affecting the area in the coming days. The warming center is located at the Marshall Fire Department Central Station on South Grove St. The center will be available through Saturday, Dec. 24, at 4:00 p.m.
JACKSONVILLE — Police say a suspect turned himself in Wednesday night in a Jacksonville homicide and was jailed without incident. An arrest warrant had been issued for Tarasian S. Baker (pictured), 26, for capital murder after police received multiple calls in reference to a shooting in the area of Wilkens and Border Streets in Jacksonville on Dec. 20. The bond has been set at one million dollars. The victim has been identified as Anthony L. Miner, 22, of Tyler. According to JPD and our news partner KETK, several calls about gunshots fired came in around 5:00 p.m. Tuesday. Upon arrival, officers found Miner deceased from an apparent gunshot wound. The Texas Rangers and the Cherokee County SheriffââŹâ˘s Special Investigative Unit are assisting with the investigation.