Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
SMITH COUNTY — A Troup woman was arrested and charged with theft of property from Azleway Children’s Services. According to our news partner KETK, Toni Marie Rambo, 54, has been accused of stealing almost $190,000 from Azleway, where she was employed as Director of Quality Control. She was charged with theft of property greater than $100,000 in value and less than $300,000. The 1st degree felony is an enhanced charged as she is accused of stealing from a non-profit agency. According to arrest documents, Rambo misappropriated $48,049 in 2015, $53,546 in 2016, $42,969 in 2017 and $26,437 in 2018. The thefts were discovered by a forensic accounting analysis. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County has become the latest ‘Sanctuary County’ in the state for gun rights after Tuesday’s 4-1 vote in favor of the agenda item in Commissioners Court. According to our news partner KETK, with its passage, money and resources will no longer be spent to enforce laws believed to infringe on second amendment rights. Commissioner Terry Phillips is spearheading the move and believes it is the right thing to do with the recent concern of red flag laws and gun confiscation. “Really the constitution, the way I see it, it’s to fight against a tyrannical government, that might come against the people or something, so I just think it’s important that we show our support for the constitution,†said Commissioner Terry Phillips.
HENDERSON COUNTY — The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office said a suspect wanted for evading pursuit has been arrested. According to our news partner KETK, Leo Ralph Boyd III was arrested Sunday afternoon by officers with the Chandler Police Department. HCSO had asked for the public’s help in identifying Boyd after he evaded pursuit by multiple law enforcement agencies. Witnesses say multiple law enforcement vehicles were pursuing the suspect on Hwy 31 West. According to HCSO, agencies involved in the chase included Chandler PD, HCSO, Eustace Police Department, Athens Police Department, DPS, and Brownsboro Police Department.
SMITH COUNTY — A Whitehouse man has been charged with DWI following a wreck involving an ambulance. Jose Martizez-Moran, 21, was arrested Thursday following a head-on collision with an ambulance. According to our news partner KETK, the crash happened on Highway 31, just outside of Chandler. Martinez-Moran was driving in the wrong lane when he hit the ambulance, which was heading east. The driver of the ambulance and his partner were not seriously injured. Martinez-Moran was released from the Smith County Jail after posting bond. He was also arrested for DWI September 1, 2019.
SMITH COUNTY — Smith County Offices in Troup were closed Monday morning due to a power outage. The Smith County Justice of the Peace/Constable’s Office for Precinct 3, as well as the Auto Registration Substation, were down until electricity could be restored. The city was out clearing debris on the streets before 5 a.m. that made roads difficult to navigate following overnight storms across the area.
COLLEGE STATION — A historic Union Pacific train engine is spending the next two weeks in Texas — hitting East Texas along the way. Big Boy Steam Locomotive Number 4014 is touring the U.P. system to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the Transcontinental Railroad. Number 4014 is in El Paso for public viewing Sunday afternoon through Tuesday afternoon. It will head east to San Antonio, where it will make a stop on Election Day. Then the engine will go to Houston before turning northwest to Bryan/College Station, then head northeast with stops in Palestine and Marshall before leaving the state in Texarkana. The entire schedule is on U.P.’s website or Facebook page.
ANDERSON COUNTY — An Anderson County sheriff’s deputy was shot, the suspect was killed in two gun battles Saturday. The deputy has been identified to our news partner KETK by family members as Deputy Bradley Colman. Colman was shot at the Hickory Ridge Mobile Home Park on FM 320 while reportedly investigating a stolen vehicle. The suspect fled the scene in the deputy’s vehicle. DPS troopers arrived on the scene and provided first aid. Other troopers assisted in the search for and pursuit of the suspect. Deputy Colman was airlifted to a Tyler hospital, where he underwent surgery for non-life threatening injuries. He is expected to make a full recovery. Multiple law enforcement agencies joined in the search for the suspect, who was found a short distance from the scene of the shooting. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Colorful floats, precision marching bands and glittering dresses made the 86th annual Texas Rose Festival Parade a feast for the eyes and ears. According to our news partner KETK, the “star†of the parade was the Rose Queen herself, Hanna Claire Waits. The festival had the theme “Portraits of Inspiration.†Hanna Claire Waits was crowned Queen of the 2019 Texas Rose Festival in a coronation ceremony Friday evening. The official coronation was held at the R. Don Cowan Fine & Performing Arts Center on the campus of the University of Texas at Tyler. The event served to introduce Queen Hanna and her to the public as part of the 2019 Texas Rose Festival. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Jason’s Deli and Nothing Bundt Cakes located inside the Broadway Market Center are officially back open for business after being closed for nearly two weeks due to plumbing issues. Our news partner KETK was first to report that the shopping center had been closed down after the restaurant, Jason’s Deli contacted the city with plumbing and sewer issues. When city water came to investigate they found kitchen utensils and roots inside the old, damaged pipes. The discovery led the city to suggest any of the businesses that require water to operate, should close down. In a Facebook post issued on Friday afternoon, Jason’s Deli announced that the restaurant is open for business again. Nothing Bundt Cakes, Starbucks and Marble Slab Creamery have also reopened.
TYLER — A Tyler man accused of running over a 14-year-old boy on Lake Palestine received a continuance for his case. According to our news partner KETK, Jeffrey Hampton, 33, is charged with manslaughter and accidental boating death. He is accused of running his boat into a dock where Roberto Carlos Bermejo Hernandez was standing. In a hearing that lasted less than two minutes Friday, a defense attorney said that they needed more time to comb through the evidence and was not ready for a pre-trial hearing. Judge Christi Kennedy pushed back Hampton’s pre-trial hearing until January. His trial will be set in February. Read the rest of this entry »
LINDALE — Smith County Road 463 was closed for awhile following an accident Thursday morning but is now open to traffic. Our news partnerreopens KETK reports two people were injured after an 18-wheeler was cut off and forced off Interstate 20, onto the county road.
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — A Van Zandt County church was destroyed in an early morning fire on Wednesday, according to our news partner KETK. The fire was reported at the Wallace Methodist Church on Highway 243, west of Canton. The South Van Zandt Volunteer Fire Department remained at the scene until just after 4:30. It’s unclear what started the fire. No injuries were reported.
SMITH COUNTY — A new courthouse could be in the near future, but not without voter input. According to our news partner KETK, before a plan is presented, Smith County officials want to hear from the public. They want to know if a new courthouse is needed, where it should go, what factors are most important, and what questions need to be answered. Information will be gathered through summer 2020 and then a vote for the proposed plan will be called upon in November of 2020. For more information regarding the plans, visit the county website: https://www.smith-county.com/online-services/online-county-services/court-house-planning
HENDERSON COUNTY — Two men have been arrested on possession charges following a building check at a game room Monday night. John Edward Bernard (pictured), 58, the manager of the Silver Mine game room on State Highway 198, reportedly attempted to hide a used narcotic pipe behind the business counter. Officials said a small bag containing meth was also found. Kevin Jay Todd, Jr., 34, was a customer in the business. Deputies said Todd attempted to hide suspected narcotics behind a gaming machine. A small black case containing meth was recovered. Both were taken to the Henderson County Jail and charged with felony possession of methamphetamine.
SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man indicted for a July murder initially claimed self-defense for the crime, according to an arrest warrant obtained by our news partner KETK. Humberto Lauro Leal, 39, is accused of stabbing Luis Rene Maruffo-Castaneda back on June 30 at his home north of the Tyler city limits. When a Smith County detective arrived on the scene, he found Castaneda dead in the driver seat of his car. Leal told the detective he lived there and claimed Castaneda was trying to kill him. Leal claimed he stabbed Castaneda in self-defense. Leal had a gunshot wound in his lower abdomen. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A Tyler man is accused of sharing more than 400 photographs and videos of child pornography over his Tumblr account, according to an arrest warrant obtained by our news partner KETK. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office opened an investigation in March after receiving a tip from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. The tip flagged 49 photos shared by the Tumblr account “youngisbetterr.†Investigators served a subpoena to Suddenlink Communications where they discovered a laptop that uploaded the videos belonged to the wife of Matthew Landua. Landua, 25, was interviewed by authorities in April when a search warrant was executed on his house and confirmed that the “youngisbetterr†account belonged to him. Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE — Kilgore Police have arrested one person after an incident left two women dead. According to our news partner KETK, around 3 p.m. Wednesday, officers and detectives responded to Stone Creek Apartments on Pine Burr Lane following a 911 call. Authorities found two women dead inside one of the apartments. An unidentified man was arrested a short time later near the area. Several apartments are being considered crime scenes. The names of the victims have not been released. Kilgore PD say they believe they have the man responsible for the murders in custody and do not believe there is any threat to the community.
TYLER — The winners of Tyler’s top awards express their surprise and appreciation at Tuesday’s annual meeting of the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce. Longtime civic leader Bob Garrett was honored as Tyler’s outstanding citizen with the T.B. Butler Award. He told the attendees, “So many of you…you live authentic lives. And that that has inspired me, for whatever I’ve done…I’ve done it because I wanted to be like you.” Among other things, Garrett leads Fair Oil Company and the Fair Foundation. He serves as board chair of Southside Bank. Read the rest of this entry »
QUITMAN (AP) — A man previously accused of involvement in a Louisiana cattle theft ring has been indicted in Texas on charges he also stole cows from a rancher there. The Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association said in a news release Monday that Texas authorities arrested Justin Glenn Thompson last week on an additional felony cattle theft charge. He was indicted on three related charges last month as part of a joint investigation by the raisers association and Louisiana’s Agriculture Department. Investigators say in this case, Thompson purchased cattle from a Texas rancher by saying he was a representative from a Louisiana-based feeding company. But authorities say he doctored invoices and wrote bad checks to divert profit to himself. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Businesses in the Broadway MarketCenter are still closed as of Tuesday due to plumbing issues caused by kitchen utensils found inside the sewer lines, according to our news partner KETK. The shopping center is located at the corner of Rice Road and Broadway. “The plumbing issues at Broadway Market Center are due to a back-up the primary sewer line that runs the entire length of the affected businesses,†says Ruben Veloz, the Commercial Property Manager of Dunhill Properties, the managers of the Broadway Market Center. “Utensils found in the sewer line contributed to the blockage. Although these pipes are maintained periodically, issues like this will happen.†Read the rest of this entry »
ALTO — The Alto Bond Committee will be hosting their last town hall meeting on Tuesday to discuss the proposed $10.5 million bond package. According to our news partner KETK, the bond is designed to address security issues and damaged facilities due to tornadoes that ripped through the city in April. To discuss the proposal, the meeting will be held on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. at Booker T. Washington Community Center. The bond election is slated for November 5.
PITTSBURG — Pittsburg police received a report of a runaway teen, Jacob Wesley Perry on October 7 and are asking the public for information regarding his whereabouts. According to our news partner KETK, Perry, 17, was last seen in a 2008 white Dodge pickup bearing a TX license plate BT14248 which was found abandoned in Holbrook, Arizona. He is described as a white male weighing 160 lb. and is 5’7″ tall. Police state there is no signs of foul play and ask if you have any information to call the Pittsburg Police Department at (903)-856-3330.
GREGG COUNTY — Gregg County Jurors have found Montorio Harris not guilty in the 2017 shooting death of 34-year-old Donald Ray Kenney on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, the 27-year-old had been in the Gregg County Jail on a $200,000 bond since February 5, 2017, after police found Kenney’s body along railroad tracks near Southwest Loop 281 in Gregg County. The trial began Monday, September 30 with jurors reaching their decision Friday, October 4.
TYLER — Tyler police have arrested a suspect in a shooting at a home on Jan Street that they believe was related to drug activity. Around 9:55 p.m. Thursday, 18-year-old Levi Mercer told responding officers he had been shot in the stomach during a struggle with a person later identified as 17-year-old Marcus Bell of Tyler, who was also shot during the incident. Officers found Bell around midnight at his home on Alpine Street and learned he had been shot in the left upper thigh. Police say the gun used in the incident was found inside the Jan Street home. Both teens went to the hospital. Upon release, Bell was jailed on a charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, with bond set at $150,000.
SMITH COUNTY — A Flint man has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce, transfer, and forge false identification documents. Jose Luis Marquez Rodriguez, 53, pleaded guilty on Oct. 1 before U.S. Magistrate Judge K. Nicole Mitchell. He agreed to the forfeiture of several firearms and ammunition; a computer and three printers; $9602 cash; funds in three bank accounts totaling $21,359.09; and two pieces of property in Flint. Rodriguez also agreed to a money judgment in the amount of $308,961.09, representing proceeds received from his conduct. According to information presented in court, beginning in April 2009, Marquez Rodriguez was involved in a conspiracy to produce and sell fictitious U.S. identification documents to others. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Smith County Commissioners went into an executive session on Tuesday to discuss purchasing the John Tyler Agriculture Learning Center for the future site of the Smith County Road and Bridge Facility. According to our news partner KETK, the property is a 10-acre farm located off northwest Highway 69 in Smith County. Tyler ISD decided to sell the property in August and accepted sealed bids until September 12. The district reserves the right to waive any informality or reject any or all bids. Currently, there is no negotiation between the Commissioner’s Court and Tyler ISD but the Commissioners voted to offer to purchase the property for $140,000 from Tyler ISD. There is no word on if Tyler ISD will accept or deny the offer.
GREGG COUNTY — Texas Rangers are investigating after a Gregg County Sheriff’s deputy shot and killed a burglary suspect. The suspect was later identified as Dewayne Morgan W/M age 37 of Tatum, deputies responded to a call at the home off I-20, near the West Access Road, at 10:47 Sunday night. The homeowner told deputies he had shot at the burglar, but it’s unclear if the burglar was hit. The suspect ran across I-20 into the eastbound ditch where the deputy used his taser. A violent encounter ensued, and the deputy shot the man. The suspect was transported to a Marshall hospital where he later died. The deputy was transported to a separate hospital for treatment of his injuries,and later released.
WOOD COUNTY — A woman is killed in a wreck involving an ambulance Saturday. According to the DPS report, the crash happened on FM-515, four miles northwest of the city of Yantis, in Wood County. Jennifer Annette Dougherty, 44, of Quinlan was traveling west on FM-515 when she drove into the eastbound lane of traffic. Dougherty struck a 2016 Chevrolet ambulance driven by Erica Lynn Blalock, 24, of Quitman. Dougherty was pronounced at the scene. Blalock was treated and released. The crash remains under investigation.
EAST TEXAS — TxDOT is planning to conduct the following construction and maintenance work throughout the district during the Week of Sept. 30, 2019. Schedules are subject to change due to weather conditions, equipment failure or other unforeseen issues. Slow down and pay attention when traveling through work zones. In Smith County, the new bridge on CR 1113/Lake Placid Road at Butler Creek has been opened to traffic ahead of schedule. The contractor will continue to conduct minor work at this location. Tyler Maintenance and Special Jobs crews plan to conduct mill and inlay operations at various locations on SH 110 from north of I-20 to FM 16 for the next few weeks. Crews will also perform routine maintenance such as edging, and pothole and sign repairs, on various roadways around the county. Expect lane closures with flaggers providing traffic control. Much more at https://www.txdot.gov/
LUFKIN — Lufkin police are investigating after a man was shot Sunday night. According to our news partner KETK, authorities say they got reports of gunfire around 10:30 P.M. near the intersection of Paul Avenue and Arena Street. Police say they arrived on the scene to find a man with a gunshot wound. They attempted to find the shooter but weren’t able to locate anyone connected to the crime. The victim was taken to the hospital, his condition is unknown.