Today is
Saturday June 06, 2026
SMITH COUNTY — The reconstruction of County Road 3111 — just south of Interstate 20 and west of Kilgore – has begun and is expected to take about three months. Road Improvements will be made to 4.25 miles of CR 3111, also known as Joy Wright Mountain Road, as well as CR 3118, 3119 and 3120. The roads are located in Precinct 3, and are part of the Smith County Road and Bridge Bond Program. Reynolds & Kay will reconstruct part of CR 3111, from its intersection with CR 3207, north to Interstate 20. The section of CR 3111, from FM 2767 to the Gregg County Line, will be improved by Smith County Road and Bridge crews once Reynolds & Kay is complete with their work. Work on the project includes widening, reconstructing and paving the roads, and is expected to cost $1,479,092.
TYLER — The Tyler Police Department will be adding additional officers on the street utilizing STEP (Selective Traffic Enforcement Program) starting on Friday, June 30th through Wednesday, July 5th. The program is based on crash data in the city limits of Tyler that allows Tyler officers to pin-point target problem areas. Officials said with increased traffic in Tyler for the 4th of July holiday, officers will be specifically watching for hazardous violations such as speeding, intersection enforcement, seat belt violations and impaired drivers.
LONGVIEW — A man has been arrested after an apartment shooting in Longview left a woman injured. According to our news partner KETK, on Monday morning, around 7:20 a.m. Longview officials responded to reports of a shooting that took place at an apartment complex located on Young Street. Upon arrival, police said they found a female victim with a gunshot wound and had her taken to a local hospital by EMS with a non-life threatening injury. During their investigation, police said they identified Larry Anthony Jr., 26, as the suspect and detained him before taking him to the Longview Police Department Criminal Investigations Division. The release stated that detectives obtained a warrant for Anthony’s arrest, charged him with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon – family violence and booked him into the Gregg County Jail.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) – U.S. authorities have announced the arrests of four men they say were part of a human smuggling effort last year that ended in the deaths of 53 migrants, including eight children, who were left in a tractor-trailer in the scorching Texas summer. The four new arrests were made Monday in Houston, San Antonio and Marshall. Authorities said on the anniversary of the June 27, 2022, tragedy that the four Mexican nationals had a planning role in the smuggling operation, and were aware that the trailer’s air-conditioning unit was malfunctioning and would not blow cool air to migrants trapped inside during the sweltering three-hour ride from the border city of Laredo to San Antonio. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — A Longview man facing charges in the January 6th Capitol incident says his alleged actions were caused by brainwashing. Attorneys for Ryan Nichols say in a court filing this week that an individual on social media called “1% watchdog” presented himself as a military veteran with PTSD, who was also a government official with important contacts. The attorneys say 1% watchdog radicalized Nichols and other veterans who had never been to a protest to go to Washington, D.C. The filing questions why the federal government has allowed 1% watchdog to remain “unidentified and at large.” The attorneys allege, in fact, that 1% watchdog is a “federal asset.”
NACOGDOCHES (AP) — An assistant women’s bowling coach at Stephen F. Austin is out after the university discovered he cheated on his wife, who is the team’s head coach, with a student-athlete. SFA assistant Steve Lemke opted to resign rather than be fired after the school learned of the affair, which led to a split with his wife, the Lufkin Daily News reported Tuesday. The 38-year-old Lemke, who is married to head coach Amber Lemke, helped coach the team to two national titles and two second-place finishes before resigning April 10. The couple has since filed for divorce, according to court records.
TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler School of Medicine received a $500,000 gift from the Byers Family Foundation, the university announced on Tuesday in a release. The university said the gift will be used to name a professorship in family medicine to aid in the recruitment of nationally recognized faculty. “We are excited to offer our support to the UT Tyler School of Medicine,†Brent Byers, president of the Byers Family Foundation said. “We feel attracting dynamic professors to our region, especially in family medicine, is a priority. This school is a game-changer for health care and the economy of East Texas and we are pleased to join with others who have helped to make this a reality.†Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — Most City of Longview offices were re-open and with power on Tuesday, June 20, following storms early morning on Friday, June 16. Parks and Recreation Department offices on Timpson remain without power and closed at this time. The Longview Public Library, which has served as a public cooling center during the storm response, is open on regular schedule on Tuesday, June 20, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Â Residents needing a place to cool down or recharge devices are welcome to visit the facility during those times.
TYLER — Tyler Police Department confirmed that a woman who was in a single-vehicle crash on Loop 323 was hit by another vehicle while walking down the loop on Saturday. According to our news partner KETK, Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh said that officers received a call about a pedestrian being hit by a vehicle near West Shaw Street and Loop 323 around 9 p.m. on Saturday. According to authorities, the woman had been in a crash and was walking north on the loop when she was hit. After she was hit the vehicle did stop at the scene and officials said she was taken to a local hospital. Her condition is unknown.
LONGVIEW — In Longview, some residents have been without power for days and with the heat index being in the 100’s people are hot and want answers. According to AEP SWEPCO, they have restored power to over 60,000 people but they still have a long road ahead of them. “It’s a lot of the transmission and distribution places that took a damage, significant damage,†said Warner. Even with over 2,500 linemen working all hours of the day, they said power may not be restored until Friday. “This is without question, one of those moments when you have to say it’s unprecedented,†said Warner.o over 60,000 people but they still have a long road ahead of them. Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE — Due to widespread power outages, both Kilgore College campuses (Kilgore and Longview) will be closed on Monday, June 19, according to a news release. College administration will assess the power situation Monday afternoon to make a determination about Tuesday operations.
ANGELINA COUNTY — The Angelina County Sheriff’s Office said that a man died at Angelina County Jail on Friday night, only a few hours after being booked. According to our news partner KETK, Glenn Earl Smallwood Jr., 33 of Lufkin, was arrested by Lufkin Police Department after they received information about a man sitting on a curb of the 1200 block of Sayers Street, officials said. According to a press release, an officer found Smallwood and he found him to be “mumbling, not making any sense and intoxicated.†Read the rest of this entry »
GREGG COUNTY — Due to the ongoing problems caused by severe storms Thursday night and Friday morning, Gregg County has canceled jury duty for Monday, June 19, according to Gregg County District Clerk Trey Hattaway.
EAST TEXAS — As recent severe weather has led to wide-spread power outages around East Texas, and with a Heat Advisory from the National Weather Service, local cooling centers are opening to help area residents. The Longview Public Library will remain open as a cooling shelter. Staff are looking ahead for future days and will provide more information as plans are finalized.
Longview ISD will open the Foster Middle School cafeteria and gymnasium to the public from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Sunday, June 18 as a heat relief and device recharging center. Area first responders are also invited to use the washing facilities for their clothes and equipment. Read the rest of this entry »
EAST TEXAS — SWEPCO has activated an all-in response to restore electric service to all impacted customers after the early morning storms on Friday. In a release, SWEPCO said they have requested mutual assistance from neighboring utility companies to help restore communities electricity as quick and safe as possible. They added that customers should prepare for, “prolonged power outages and in some cases additional outages as we repair damage to our system.†There are currently more than 233,800 SWEPCO customers without power in the East Texas and northwest Louisiana territories. the most trecent update, ISWEPCO said the Longview service territory customers should expect to have power back by 10 p.m., Friday, June 23. Read the rest of this entry »