Today is
Tuesday July 21, 2026
SMITH COUNTY — A woman has been arrested after reportedly stealing more than $100,000 from an East Texas nonprofit. According to our news partner KETK, Palestine Police said they received a report of a possible embezzlement on Friday involving 75-year-old Jo Ellen Walley, the former treasurer of Harvey Women’s Club, a nonprofit.
During the investigation, detectives learned that Walley had made several transactions paying herself or personal bills from the club accounts amounting to more than $100,000 throughout the last few years.
Walley was taken into custody on Monday after officers executed a search warrant of her home on Chaparrel Run. She was booked into the Smith County Jail and charged with misapplication of fiduciary property.
TYLER — The City of Tyler hosted an open house on Tuesday morning to provide updates on the progress of improvements to the downtown square.
During the open house, city officials announced that construction on College Street is expected to be completed by May, when it will transition from a one-way street to a two-way street. Officials used renderings to outline the timeline for the remainder of the development and discussed the expected benefits of the ongoing work. The project aims to improve safety and accessibility in the area through infrastructure changes and updated traffic patterns.
Garnett Brookshire, co-owner of the Plaza Tower, has monitored the construction progress from his office window. He noted that the project represents a significant capital investment that could change the district’s atmosphere. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — Several East Texas firefighter crews have been deploy to help respond to wildfires and elevated fire conditions being reported across the state. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Emergency Services District 2 has deployed a NWCG qualified dozer operator, a dozer operator trainee and a heavy equipment boss trainee to Childress to help fight wildfires there.
The district said this was the first time the Texas Intrastate Fire Mutual Aid System (TIFMAS) has been used to deploy their dozer operators. TIFMAS Coordinator Josh Bardwell said their deployment has been years in the making.
“A couple of us former TFS heavy equipment operators that came to the County years ago are proud to see this come to fruition,” Bardwell said. “We retooled the county’s fire dozer training and qualification process to meet state standards years ago and it’s paying off.” Read the rest of this entry »
RUSK — The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Rangers, HEAL Corp, ALERT Academy and Houston County Search and Rescue are conducting another search for Rusk missing man James David Blount.
According to our news partner KETK, Blount was last seen near his residence on Dec. 2, 2025, more than 90 days ago. The 57-year-old white man is around 5-feet-9-inches tall, weighs about 200 pounds and has brown hair and blue eyes. His vehicle was later found abandoned on U.S. Highway 84 at the Neches River.
The sheriff’s office is searching the woods behind Blount’s house and workshop on Highway 84. Officials are searching this area more thoroughly on Friday and Saturday in order to rule out the area immediately surrounding Blount’s home.
Cherokee County Sheriff Brent Dickson told KETK News that “a bunch of different stuff” was found during their search but they can’t say whether any of the items are actually related to Blount’s disappearance. Dickson added that they’re looking into all of the things they’ve found during their continuing search. Read the rest of this entry »
NACOGDOCHES — A judge ruled on Thursday that Stephen F. Austin State University must maintain all existing women’s sports teams, after the university cut several sports teams in August 2025. According to our news partner KETK, a U.S. District Judge approved a stipulated agreement requiring SFA to continue its current women’s teams with funding, staffing and benefits comparable to other varsity intercollegiate programs while the plaintiffs’ claims proceed in court.
“We are pleased that SFA has entered into this agreement, which will preserve the existing women`s teams and allow the case to move forward as quickly as possible,” the Arthur Bryant Law Firm said in a statement.
The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by several women athletes in August 2025 alleging the Nacogdoches-based university violated their Title IX rights when it decided to cut the women’s beach volleyball and bowling teams, as well as the women’s and men’s golf programs.
JACKSONVILLE — The Jacksonville Police Department has arrested a man following a lengthy investigation into alleged sexual coercion, stalking and harassment involving multiple victims. According to our news partner KETK, Jacksonville PD said Dewayne Scott Chapline, 58, was taken into custody Friday after investigators linked him to a prolonged campaign of online harassment carried out through email accounts, social media platforms and impersonation-style identities.
According to investigators, Chapline allegedly used threats and intimidation to pressure a victim into sending sexually explicit images. Police said he then used those images to blackmail the victim, continuing to demand additional content while threatening further harm.
Chapline faces charges of sexual coercion, stalking, online impersonation, obstruction or retaliation and harassment. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — With many East Texas students on spring break this week, parents are being asked to keep track of their children’s locations after d several reports of kids banging on neighbors’ doors late at night in Chapel Hill.
Smith County Precinct 4 Constable Josh Joplin stated that after reviewing camera footage, it was confirmed that a number of boys were banging on doors and ringing doorbells at around 2 a.m. in residential Chapel Hill neighborhoods.
Joplin said that while kids may view it as a harmless prank, knocking on a stranger’s door late at night could become dangerous and possibly deadly. “We most certainly don’t want an injury or death to occur in this community from a prank gone wrong,” Joplin said. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Goodwill Industries of East Texas is helping to put more money back into East Texans’ pockets with their free tax preparation services. According to our news partner KETK, Goodwill’s free tax preparation services are offered through their Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program which is made possible by their IRS-certified volunteer tax preparers.
“This means MORE money back in YOUR pocket with no fees, fast e-filing, and direct deposit refunds. Perfect for low-to-moderate income households with simple tax returns,” Goodwill Industries of East Texas said.
All that’s required for those using VITA program services is to bring the following items: Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — This year Tyler residents may notice some new bold messaging on the side of Tyler ISD school buses. Messages like “This Seat Changes Lives” and “Be the First Smile of the Day” or even “Not Just a Bus Driver. A Route Model” will now be displayed on Tyler ISD buses as the district attempts to attract 20 new bus drivers.
“We’re hoping it sparks interest to maybe be that water cooler conversation where somebody might be sitting at home thinking, ‘Oh, I might want a few extra hours or something that’s flexible’, and a bus driver might be the perfect job for them,” Jennifer Hines with Tyler ISD said.
Tyler ISD will pay for new drivers’ CDL training, the role’s starting pay is $18.36 and drivers will have flexible hours, including time off during the school day.
“Our bus drivers are often the first smile students see in the morning and the last smile they see at the end of the school day,” Hines said. “We wanted this campaign to capture the heart behind the role. When you think about it, this seat truly changes lives. Our drivers help students arrive safely, consistently, and ready to learn.” Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — As part of the ongoing US 69 and FM 2493 improvement project, a traffic switch is scheduled to occur the week of March 9, weather permitting.
Traffic will shift to the newly constructed, realigned section of FM 2493 at US 69 in Bullard. Once the switch is in place, the existing portion of FM 2493 (S. Houston St), south of CR 3801, will be closed to thru traffic.
Motorists should use caution in the area and anticipate possible delays as crews continue work in the area.
SMITH COUNTY — A man was arrested in Smith County following a sting where he allegedly made plans for a prostitution operation involving someone he believed was a 15-year-old. The operation began on Feb. 27 when an undercover officer posted a commercial sex advertisement on a website known for prostitution and the exploitation of minors, according to our news partner, KETK. The officer was contacted by Christopher David Stevens, a man with a prior conviction as a sex offender, according to an arrest affidavit from Smith County.
In communications with the undercover officer, Stevens allegedly acknowledged he was interacting with a minor and expressed his intention to engage in sexual activities. He offered to secure a hotel room in his name for their meeting. As part of the arrangement, the undercover officer informed Stevens that she would be traveling from Abilene to Tyler. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY — A 38-year-old man has been charged with murder after surveillance video at an Athens sober living home allegedly showed him dragging what appeared to be a body from a bedroom, a Henderson County arrest affidavit revealed. On Tuesday evening, law enforcement was called after Derris Reynolds’ family members reported him missing. He was last seen on Feb. 25 at a sober living residence.
According to our news partner KETK, family members then requested the property owners to check the security footage of the residence where Reynolds was last seen. Once the homeowners reviewed the security video, they contacted the Athens Police Department.
Officers reviewed the security footage and saw Nicki Lee Gibby, 38, also a resident of the home, entering Reynolds’ bedroom. An argument between the two could be heard on the recording, and Reynolds was never seen leaving the room, according to the affidavit. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — In 2025, factors such as “unsafe speed”, “failure to drive in a single lane”, and “intoxication” contributed to 148 fatal crashes and 165 total fatalities in the Tyler District. The 165 fatalities are one more than the 2024 total (164), and the second lowest total since 2019 (148).
The TxDOT Tyler District, which includes Anderson, Cherokee, Gregg, Henderson, Rusk, Smith, Van Zandt, and Wood Counties, revealed the top five combined contributing factors of fatal crashes in 2025: Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — In the past year, Texas’ job growth rate has outpaced the national rate, with three East Texas cities seeing significant non-farm job additions along labor force growth.
According to data from the Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) and our news partner KETK, Texas added 146,300 non-farm jobs for an annual growth rate of 1%, faster than the nation as a whole by 0.4%. In East Texas, the metropolitan statistical areas (MSA) of Longview, Texarkana and Tyler saw the addition of over 3,000 non-farm jobs, supporting the growth of the labor force from November 2024 to November 2025.
The civilian labor force for Texarkana MSA and Tyler MSA had over-the-year (2024 to 2025) growth rates of 1.9% and 2.1%, respectively. While both cities saw employment rates increase, however, the over-the-year rates for unemployment also increased with Texarkana’s at 10.7% and Tyler’s at 5.5%. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Brad Brookshire, the grandson of Brookshire Grocery Company founder W.T. Brookshire, is retiring as the chain’s CEO after working in his family’s business for 49 years. According to our news partner KETK, Brad Brookshire spent 20 years as the company’s chairman of the board and 10 years as CEO. Brad has also worked as a Brookshire store director, vice president, executive vice president and as president of the company.
According to a Brookshire press release, Brad Brookshire was part of the creation of the Super 1 Foods banner over 41 years ago. During his time as CEO, Brookshire Grocery Company grew from 152 stores to 222 stores.
In 2020, Brad Brookshire was named to Governor Greg Abbott’s Strike Force to Open Texas as the representative for the state’s grocery industry. That same year, he was also inducted into the Food Industry Hall of Fame. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County will have 33 polling locations open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Tuesday, March 3.
During the two weeks of early voting, there was a total of 27,964 ballots cast, consisting of 27,010 in-person and 954 mail-in ballots. That surpasses the total of 18,019 early votes in 2024; 18,688 early votes in 2022; and 19,219 early votes in 2020. Smith County has 160,066 registered voters.
Smith County residents can choose any of the 33 voting centers to cast their ballots on Election Day. There is an easy-to-use interactive map that tells you what is on your ballot and what voting location is closest to you. Find it here.
The March 3 Election Day locations include: Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE — The Kilgore Police Chief is currently recovering from injury after he was involved in a confrontation following Tuesday’s city council meeting. According to Chief Todd Hunter, who posted about the incident on Wednesday evening, several firefighters and himself were recognized during the council meeting for their years of service to the Kilgore community. Our news partner KETK reports, Hunter said that during the meeting, a person who had been confronting officers for more than a year for his social media content was in attendance and mockingly booed Hunter as he was being recognized for his 15 years of service to the community.
After the recognition portion of the meeting was complete, Hunter went into the lobby, where he began visiting with residents and colleagues. This is where he was reportedly approached by the individual who had been heckling him during the meeting. Hunter said the individual sought him out in a room full of people and proceeded to aggressively bump the chief in the chest. Hunter quickly brought the person to the ground and placed him under arrest with the help of officers in the area.
Following the incident, Hunter said he did sustain a shoulder injury. The alleged agitator, Eric Brian Trotter, 39, of Kilgore, is facing two felony charges. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — A 33-year-old man was arrested Monday following a DNA swab that came back as a positive match led to the discovery that he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old girl in 2020. According to our news partner KETK, Martin Roman Torres was booked into the Smith County Jail Monday for allegedly sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl in June 2020, according to an arrest affidavit.
The affidavit claims the girl and her sister ran away from a group home on June 22, 2020, around 7 p.m. The girls were at the park when Torres approached them and began talking to them. He invited the girls to stay with him that night and as they were walking to his home, he wanted to stop for marijuana, the affidavit reported. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — An East Texas woman arrested for a December hit-and-run that killed a 19-year-old cyclist initially claimed she thought she had a tire blowout when the collision occurred. However, after driving past the scene and spotting police vehicles, she reportedly reflected, “I should have went back.”
According to our news partner KETK, footage obtained showed the truck Andrea Tanner was driving allegedly struck Lofton Williams, 19, of Argyle on Dec. 7 near the intersection of Wayside Drive and E. Fifth Street. At around 6:45 p.m., a loud crash can be heard off-screen after Tanner’s black truck was seen traveling the same lane as Williams. After hitting the cyclist, Tanner is seen on footage turning into a Brookshires less than a mile from the crime scene before exiting and driving to the Taco Bell next to it. There, video captures her going in and out of her truck several times and manipulating the grill area and the driver’s side light.
Tanner was taken into the Smith County Jail on Monday and charged with collision involving personal injury or death and is being held on a $250,000 bond. The Tyler Police Department said the case will now be forwarded to the Smith County District Attorney’s Office. Read the rest of this entry »
UPSHUR COUNTY — A woman pleaded guilty on Wednesday in a tax fraud scheme tied to her two Longview businesses, resulting in a tax loss of nearly $250,000. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Texas and our news partner KETK, Marneitha Reese Scott, 57, of Gilmer, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to aid, assist, counsel or advise in tax fraud. Evidence showed that Scott operated two tax return preparer businesses in Longview under the name F.A.S.T. Financial Firm.
“Scott and others recruited tax preparers to work at the businesses to prepare and file income tax returns for clients,” the U.S. attorney’s office said. “With others, Scott created a scheme to defraud the United States by instructing the tax preparers to create fraudulent entries on client tax returns, including, for example, claims for business losses when the client had no business.”
The tax returns were reportedly filed by Scott or her employees working at her direction, resulting in a tax loss for tax years 2019-2022 of $243,899.
Scott could face up to five years in federal prison, a potential fine and restitution at sentencing.
TYLER — Broadway Avenue has long been known as one of the most congested roads in Tyler. Five years ago, it ranked among the 50 most congested roads in the state, according to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). By 2023, its ranking improved significantly, dropping 40 spots to 87th place. In 2024, Broadway Avenue exited the top 100, landing in 102nd place. The following year, in 2025, it dropped another 18 spots to 120th place.
According to a City of Tyler news release, the continued drop is the result of multiple years of planning and annual traffic signal re-timing, initiated in 2019 as part of the Intelligent Transportation System (ITS) Master Plan Study. This study set out a 10-year signal re-timing effort to reduce congestion and improve safety each year. Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE: The Daingerfield Police Department has confirmed the suspect’s identity as 65-year-old John Dupriest Jr.
EAST TEXAS — The Palestine Police Department is investigating a fatal crash that left one pedestrian dead on Tuesday evening after being struck by a UPS truck. According to the department and our news partner KETK, the wreck was reported around 8 p.m. Officers and firefighters arrived at the intersection of South Loop 256 and F.M. 322 and transported the pedestrian to a local hospital. The pedestrian was pronounced dead later that evening.
Based on witness statements and evidence at the scene, authorities believe the UPS driver was traveling west on South Loop 256 when the pedestrian attempted to cross the loop traveling north near the intersection. While the pedestrian was attempting to cross, the driver had a green light and entered the intersection, striking her with the truck.
According to officials, the driver remained at the scene following the crash and cooperated with authorities throughout the incident. The department said at this time no charges are being filed.
The investigation is ongoing. The pedestrian’s identity has not been released. The department stated she is not a resident of Palestine.
WHITEHOUSE – Five polling centers all across Smith County are now set up and ready for East Texas to start early voting. Crews loaded up the truck and delivered everything from booths and tablets, to traffic cones.
The City of Whitehouse spent all day organizing and getting things ready to show off their brand-new voting facility. Maurine Smith has been an election judge in Whitehouse since 2004 and is grateful to have the new location. The new Whitehouse City Center is located on 109 East Main Street and for this early voting period its the only place to cast a vote in the city of Whitehouse.
Smith County poll locations like the Whitehouse City Center are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during the week or from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — In a step towards pet care affordability, Smith County Commissioners have approved the launch of a new low-cost spay and neuter clinic in Tyler. This initiative is a collaborative effort between the Smith County Animal Shelter and the Animal Protection League (APL). According to our news partner KETK, the APL has been dedicated to serving surrounding communities for years, offering affordable spay-and-neuter services and vaccinations. With the green light from the commissioners, they will now have a central location to operate from every Tuesday.
The clinic will be conveniently set up in the parking lot behind the county shelter, making it easier for pet owners to access essential services for their furry family members. Read the rest of this entry »
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — Van Zandt County officials on Wednesday issued a 30-day burn ban, citing dangerous fire conditions. The ban prohibits any outdoor burning in the county’s unincorporated areas for 30 days beginning Wednesday, the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal said.
For more information on the ban visit the Van Zandt County website.
TYLER — Union Pacific Railroad began clearing a homeless encampment from its property in Tyler on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, the company said the encampments are illegal and that removing them is part of an effort to improve safety for trespassers and the surrounding community.
The cleanup was carried out with assistance from the Tyler Police Department at an encampment site located on railroad property.
Union Pacific stated that individuals at the site were warned twice over the past month to remove their belongings and relocate, according to the company.
TYLER — The founder of the well-known boutique and restaurant in Tyler, the Potpourri House, died on Saturday at the age of 89.
According to the Potpourri House, Carol Ann Ellsworth, who died at Mother Francis Hospital surrounded by friends and family, initially founded the business with her husband, Frank Leslie “Les” Ellsworth II, on Front Street in Tyler in 1981.
Since then, the Potpourri House has been a popular destination for Tyler natives for over 40 years. The business was later passed down to Ellsworth’s son.
“Carol served as the visionary with Les for the business that has now been thriving in Tyler for more than 45 years,” the Potpourri House said. “Carol loved the Lord and her family and friends. She will be greatly missed.”
HENDERSON COUNTY — The Texas Rangers are investigating the death of an inmate from Henderson County Jail, who died due to unknown causes in January. According to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office and our news partner KETK, 42-year-old Karl Dora was admitted to the county jail on Aug. 1, 2025. He was found unresponsive in his jail cell by inmates on Jan. 25 and was taken to a local hospital.
After spending five days at the hospital, Dora was pronounced dead on Jan. 30, and the cause of death remains unknown. Dora’s death is currently being investigated by the Texas Rangers.
SMITH COUNTY — A Bullard man was arrested in early February for allegedly uploading pornographic images of children as young as one year old to his Google account. He reportedly traded his phone after learning his account had been deactivated. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County arrest documents revealed officers began investigating Dakota Reece on Jan. 8 after receiving a cyber-tip from Google Inc. through the Internet Crimes Against Children Data Systems.
The tip reported that the user, later revealed to be Reece, had uploaded 61 media files to their Google Photos at the end of 2025 that had been flagged to contain child pornography.
“All 61 media files were photos or videos of nude children ranging in age from approximately 1 year old to approximately 14 years old in provocative positions […] as well as adults engaging in [sexual acts] with children as young as 1 year of age,” documents read.
On Feb. 2, a search warrant was obtained for Reece’s Google account were law enforcement learned an email was sent to him on Dec. 3, 2025, informing him that their account had been disabled because it contained harmful content. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A man is being sought in Smith County for two felony warrants for child sexual assault and continuous sexual assault of a child. Authorities claim that his wife failed to report the alleged abuse, which occurred over several years. According to our news partner KETK, the Smith County Sheriff’s Office has announced that Filiberto Rodriguez Mora, 46, is currently evading capture and is wanted for:
Mora is 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighs 250 pounds and has brown eyes and black hair. He may be driving a 2006 tan Toyota Sequoia. Deputies also said that Mora is an undocumented immigrant who was previously deported. Read the rest of this entry »