Today is
Friday June 19, 2026
TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District for the week of March 13. In Smith County, 
Tyler maintenance will have a crew performing edge repairs on FM 2607, from SH 64 to FM 850. A second crew will be performing ditch work on FM 850, from SH 31 towards Overton. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic in both locations. In Gregg County, Longview maintenance will continue blade laying on FM 2906, both northbound and southbound, from SH 149 to where state maintenance ends in Easton. Expect lane closures with flaggers and a pilot car controlling traffic. Click here for a complete rundown of roadwork around the district.
TYLER — This past week, for the second time this year, vandals struck Tyler’s Southside Park. According to a Tyler Parks and Rec Facebook post, several pieces of playground equipment were ripped out or broken. Several signs were pulled up and thrown over bridges into creeks, and trash cans were overturned, with litter left all over the grounds. If you have any information on this incident, you’re asked to call or message the Parks and Rec Department. If you live in the neighborhood and have a camera system and notice anything out of the ordinary, officials ask you to send it to the department. Read the rest of this entry »
PAYNE SPRINGS – The police chief and an officer with the Payne Springs Police Department have been arrested on drug charges, officials confirmed on Thursday. According to our news partner KETK, Henderson County Sheriff Botie Hillhouse says Payne Springs Chief of Police April Meadows and Officer Jonathan Hutchison (pictured) were arrested Thursday morning after search warrants on their homes revealed controlled substances inside. Hillhouse said authorities are still investigating and there is no evidence at this time showing that either suspect took drugs previously seized by the Payne Springs Police Department, but that they were dealing them “under the pretense of their professional capacity.†Both suspects have been charged for the delivery of a controlled substance and money laundering.
ATHENS – A new trial date was set on Wednesday for an 82-year-old driver in a fatal Athens ISD bus crash case. According to our news partner KETK, John Stevens was charged with criminally negligent homicide and injury to a child after the January 2019 crash with a Union Pacific train killed 13-year-old Christopher Bonilla and injured nine-year-old Joselyne Torres. The case, which has been repeatedly delayed, had previously been set for a jury trial on Feb. 22, 2022. Stevens’s new trial date is Oct. 16, 2023.
TYLER — City Councilman Bob Westbrook and Fitzpatrick Architects share this year’s Brick Award, handed out each year by Heart of Tyler. According to a news release, Westbrook, a longtime restaurateur, spent “countless hours” helping organize two events benefiting the local restaurant scene, specifically downtown. The release says the HOT August Nights dinner raised money for the city’s downtown facade grant and the Rose City Music Festival featured offerings from some 30 restaurants after Westbrook called on them to participate. Heart of Tyler officials say Fitzpatrick Architects “has an active role in almost every ongoing project in the downtown area” and is now based on the downtown square. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in finding a missing 15-year-old. Eric Duran is a listed runaway juvenile who was last seen on February 24. He is described as a Hispanic male, brown hair, brown eyes, 5’04, and 110 lbs. Eric does have ties to the immediate Tyler area. If you have any information as to his whereabouts, call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at (903) 566-6600 or or Detective Jennifer Stockwell at 903-533-1880 ext 26. Officials reiterate that anyone who harbors a child and is criminally negligent about whether the child is younger than 18 years of age, and has voluntarily left home without the consent of a parent or guardian, can be charged with harboring a runaway, a class A misdemeanor.
TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office seeks your help finding Latravion Dewberry, a listed runaway juvenile who ran away from his residence on February 19. He is described as a black male, black hair, brown eyes, 5’09, and 145 lbs. Latravion was involved in an incident in which he was shot multiple times in December and is still healing from his injuries. Officials say Latravion’s mother is clearly concerned for her son’s welfare and safety and worries that he is around further situations where he’s at risk of death or further bodily harm. It is unknown where Latravion went, but he does have ties to the immediate Tyler area. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Tyler Municipal Rose Garden has been presented with the 2023 Texas Recreation & Park Society Lone Star Legacy Park Award. According to a city news release, a Lone Star Legacy Park is classified as a park that holds special prominence in the local community and the state of Texas. Officials say to qualify for consideration, the park must have endured the test of time and become iconic to those who have visited, played, and rested on its grounds. Lone Star Legacy Parks must be at least 50 years old and open to the public, and must have a significant role in the community’s history, according to the release. The Rose Garden was one of seven parks and open spaces to receive this designation in 2023. Bergfeld Park received the award in 2014.
RUSK COUNTY — A man and woman were arrested Wednesday after a high-speed chase with law enforcement in Rusk County around 11:30 a.m. According to our news partner KETK, Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez says the Tatum Police Department tried to stop a Harley Davidson motorcycle on Highway 43 heading toward Henderson but the driver did not stop. He said the Sheriff’s Office and DPS joined in on the pursuit. The chase came to an end near the intersection of CR 2142 and FM 1797. RCSO said the pursuit reached speeds of up to 100 mph on straightaways. Near the end of the chase, officials found about one ounce of methamphetamine, a pistol, and about eight knives, according to Valdez. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW — The City of Longview will host an E-Waste Recycling event from 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday, April 1, at Teague Park. Vouchers are required to participate and are available online. The activity is being held in conjunction with Keep Longview Beautiful’s Love Longview event. The recycling offering is performed with funds from the city’s Sanitation Division and a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality enforcement action grant, but is not a response to an enforcement action, according to officials. The event is for Gregg County residents. No commercial waste will be accepted. Vouchers are required to participate and are available online. Click here to link up with additional information.
TYLER — Area superintendents and school board members gathered Wednesday in Tyler to share their thoughts on the school voucher plan being discussed at the state capitol. That’s according to a Tyler ISD news release. “East Texas, particularly in Smith County, has always enjoyed a special and cordial relationship among the different school options that have existed successfully over the past 50+ years,†Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said. “Educational independence and relationships already exist as a foundation for daily life. And yet, instead of building upon those partnerships, we see attacks at that collaboration when competitive teacher salaries in alignment with other professions should be the focus of any statewide political campaign tour.†Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN — Continuing to reflect a statewide trend, both Tyler and Longview show increases in monthly sales tax allocations over a year ago, according to the latest report from Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar. For the month of March, Tyler gets $4,756,454.89, up from $4,185,356.79 in March 2022. Tyler’s year-to-date figure is $16,002,422.59, rising from $15,245,737.53 in March of last year. Longview’s March figure is $3,390,172.78, an improvement from the $3,109,664.00 reported at this time last year. For the year to date, Longview comes in at $11,893,289.13, compared to $11,119,750.26 at this time in 2022.
TYLER – The Feeding Texas network, made up of 21 food banks across the state, is calling on state lawmakers to update the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) Vehicle Asset Test today in a virtual day of advocacy. The East Texas Food Bank is among those joining in the action. According to a news release, eligibility for SNAP is primarily based on income and family size. Texas also chooses to use a Vehicle Asset Test, which places a limit on the value of the vehicles a family may own and still qualify for the program. In the 26 counties served by the East Texas Food Bank, officials say 500 East Texas households were denied SNAP in 2019, and that number grew to 2,399 East Texas households in 2022 due to the Vehicle Asset Test. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Smith County authorities seek help solving a recent burglary. Officials say on February 25 at approximately 4:06 a.m., three black male suspects broke into the Indian Creek Mart Convenience Store on Spur 364 in Tyler. The suspects took cash as well as a large quantity of cigarettes and e-cigarettes. They used large bolt cutters to break in and were seen wearing gloves with their faces covered by ski masks. Officials say one suspect was wearing a very distinguishable Nickelodeon Rugrats jacket and another suspect had a bright orange face covering ski mask. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler has earned the 2023-24 Silver Military Friendly School designation. According to a news release, that means UT Tyler is within the top 20% of participating schools in the Tier 2 Research Institutions Category. “It’s an honor to be recognized in this way for our support of student veterans, active, reserve and National Guard personnel and their families,†said Coby Dillard, UT Tyler director of military and veterans affairs, as quoted in a news release. “Our designation is a great testament to all the tireless, student-led efforts to make UT Tyler a truly military-inclusive institution.†A celebration ceremony hosted by the UT Tyler Military and Veterans Success Center will be 10 a.m. Thursday, March 9, at the UT Tyler Alumni House, located on the UT Tyler campus. Read the rest of this entry »
WASHINGTON, D.C. — East Texas Congressman Nathaniel Moran tells KTBB he’s joined another Texas congressman in an effort to shield the U.S. from undue foreign influence, particularly in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. Moran said, “I recently signed on to a piece of legislation by Chip Roy that’s trying to get the United States out of the World Health Organization. There are so many of these world organizations that are trying to impose their political views on us. We need to continue hold not just our governmental accountable. But we need to hold those entities around the world that are trying to influence our government accountable.” Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Tyler Fire Department’s Civil Service Exam is open to non-certified firefighters. The test is scheduled for Tuesday, April 11. The online application is open through Thursday, March 27. Anyone interested in applying should visit this link. Officials say anyone interested in becoming a member of the Tyler Fire Department family can go here to see if they are eligible to apply.
TYLER — The Smith County Collections Department is preparing for its annual Warrant Round Up next week. “Smith County Courts have hundreds of active warrants they are seeking to clear,†Judicial Compliance/Collections Director Sheryl Keel said as quoted in a news release. “We are encouraging defendants to take advantage of the options available to settle outstanding warrants immediately.†Keel says once the arrest period begins Sunday, March 19, Smith County will target persons on the delinquent and/or warrant list, and arrests can take place at any location — including the defendant’s home, school, or workplace. “I urge you to contact the Judicial Compliance Department at 903-590-4624 to make arrangements on your case,†she said. For more information about warrants or citations, visit this link.
LONGVIEW – A woman was arrested and has been named the “primary suspect†by police in a fatal Sunday morning shooting at the Waffle House on Estes Parkway in Longview. According to our news partner KETK, officials say police responded to the incident around 6:30 a.m. and discovered Michael Bauchum, 30, “shot and critically injured during a domestic dispute.†Bauchum was taken to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries, and Rashandra Godfrey, 37, of Longview, was booked into Gregg County Jail for murder.
TYLER — TxDOT schedules another week’s worth of roadwork in the Tyler District for the week of March 6. In Gregg County, Longview maintenance will continue level-up work on FM 2906, both northbound and southbound, from SH 149 to where state maintenance ends in Easton. Expect lane closures with flaggers and a pilot car controlling traffic. In Smith County, 
Tyler maintenance will have a crew performing edge repairs on FM 2607, from SH 64 to FM 850. A second crew will be performing ditch work on FM 850, from SH 31 towards Overton. Expect lane closures with flaggers controlling traffic in both locations. Click here for the complete rundown of roadwork around the district.
CHAPEL HILL – The Chapel Hill Independent School District will host three community meetings where Superintendent Lamond Dean will present on the upcoming school bond propositions and answer any questions that attendees may have. “We encourage all members of the community to attend these important meetings,†said Dean as quoted in a news release. “The school bond propositions could have a significant impact on the future of our schools, and it’s important that we provide an opportunity for residents to learn more and ask questions.†The meetings are open to all members of the community and provide an opportunity for residents to learn more about the school bond propositions and how they could impact CHISD schools, according to the release. Click this link to learn more.
LONGVIEW — Beginning Tuesday, March 7, Sabine Street east of Carter Street and Center Street south of Ware Street in Longview are scheduled to be closed to all traffic. Traffic will be detoured to Nelson Street as a result of this closure. Officials say the closure is necessary for the construction of the High Street bridge and is scheduled to last for the duration of the project. This project is being managed by the Texas Department of Transportation Longview Area Office and constructed by Ragle Inc. If you have any questions related to construction, call TxDOT at 903-234-0532.
TYLER – A man has been captured after being in a standoff with authorities in Tyler Friday morning. According to our news partner KETK, constables were called to a residence regarding a man refusing to leave after being evicted from the home in the area of Alamo Drive and S. Vine Avenue. Sgt. Larry Christian with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office confirmed the identity of the suspect is Curtis Clark, 44, and said that Clark made threats of bodily harm towards authorities, which led to them calling the SWAT team to the scene. Clark had been posting videos on his Facebook page during the standoff and a voice can be heard in the video saying, “I’m going to go out like a soldier, I guarantee that.†Clark had barricaded himself in the home and was in a standoff with the SWAT team as they were trying to talk him out of the residence. He was booked into the Smith County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault on a public servant. His bond was set at $500,000.
KILGORE – Brigitta’s Hungarian Restaurant in Kilgore is closed after losing its roof during Thursday’s severe weather. That’s according to our news partner KETK. In an update posted to its Facebook page, the restaurant said there was no internal damage except for some leaks. The post said the frame of the roof is mostly unharmed and the ceiling is intact, so they’re planning to re-roof the restaurant.
LONGVIEW — The city of Longview is putting the word out on a traffic adjustment. According to a news release, on Feb. 28, the contractor completed the necessary concrete and asphalt approaches to correct the bridge deck on the west side of McCann Road at the bridge. Next, they will begin the remaining work on the east side approaches to correct the bridge deck, according to the release. Starting the week of March 6, the plan is to swap traffic from the east side of McCann Road at the bridge to the west side. Officials say this consists of moving the concrete barriers to the west side of McCann Road in order to safely delineate the north and southbound lanes. Barriers will prohibit entering or exiting the intersection of Spur 63 and McCann Road, next to Electric Cowboy and Lone Star Ice House. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Gov. Greg Abbott is set to attend a Parent Empowerment Night at Grace Community School in Tyler on Thursday, March 9. That’s according to our news partner KETK. The event, hosted by the Parent Empowerment Coalition, starts at 5 p.m. and is free for all to attend. According to an Eventbrite page that can be viewed at this link, Abbott will be discussing “the growing need and desire for parent empowerment.†At a similar event in Corpus Christi, Abbott said, “We must reform curriculum, get kids back to the basics of learning and we must empower parents to be more involved in the education of their children.†Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — Animal shelters in East Texas are having a big influx of puppies. The executive director of Pets Fur People in Tyler, Gayle Helms, says her shelter is having its biggest surge of abandoned puppies in the 25 years she’s been there. The shelter has received at least 20 puppies in the past few weeks. Helms says the puppies are being dumped at nearby cemeteries and churches. She says it is putting a financial strain on the shelter because of medical requirements and overtime. The Smith County Animal Shelter says it’s also at near capacity. Shelter staff remind citizens that there are numerous low-cost spay and neuter clinics in East Texas.
MARSHALL – Harrison County deputies arrested two suspects on Wednesday an hour after one was released from jail. That’s according to our news partner KETK together with its partners KTAL and KSHV. A caller reportedly told the HCSO a white Chevrolet was parked off the road and people were walking through the woods shining flashlights around the property. According to officials, when deputies responded to the scene on FM 2199 they found Wade Heim and Brandy Wolf, both of Marshall, whom the HCSO says it has encountered many times before. Officials said the suspects had a rifle with the serial numbers removed. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The 41st Ever Rose City Chili Cookoff is set for March 4-5 at Sharon Shrine Temple on Hwy. 31 East in Smith County. There’s a $25 entry fee for Chili Appreciation Society International (CASI) chili on Saturday, with turn in time at 1:00 p.m., and Sunday with a turn in time at 12 noon. It’s a CASI sanctioned event, so you must follow CASI rules. The winner of the Sunday cookoff automatically qualifies to be invited to cook at the Terlingua International Chili Championship in November. It costs $10 to enter beans, which will be turned in for judging on Saturday at noon. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The Smith County Sheriff’s Office is currently investigating a runaway identified as Kiana Valdez, according to a news release. Kiana has been missing from the family residence on Shady Creek Rd. near Tyler since Wednesday. Kiana is described as a Hispanic female, 17 years of age, 5’2â€, 102 lbs., with black hair and brown eyes. Officials say the parents do not know what Kiana was last wearing. She does not have any medical or physical issues and is not on any medication. The parents could not provide information on acquaintances or known locations where she might go, and she has no history of running away. If you have any information as to the whereabouts of Kiana Valdez, call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at (903) 566-6600.