Today is
Monday June 08, 2026
RUSK COUNTY — 
Our news partners at KETK report human remains were found in a burning vehicle in Rusk County early Sunday morning. According to the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, deputies and the fire department were dispatched to CR 4132 and CR 4135 in reference to a vehicle on fire. Once the fire was put out, officials were able to examine the four door sedan where they reportedly located human remains inside. Read the rest of this entry »
RAINS COUNTY — Three East Texas children are dead after a Friday evening crash on US 69, the Texas Department of Public Safety said. According to DPS’s preliminary investigation and our news partner KETK, a 2006 Hyundai Elantra was driving southbound on US 69 near Penny Road at around 7:20 p.m. A Ford F150 was also traveling southbound and the third vehicle, a 2006 Chevrolet Silverado was traveling northbound.
When the vehicles began to slow down, the driver of the Hyundai reportedly veered into the shoulder to avoid hitting a vehicle in front of it. When the Hyundai drove back into the southbound lane, DPS said it struck the Ford F150 and entered into the northbound lane. Read the rest of this entry »
GREGG COUNTY – 
A traffic stop in Gregg County led to the seizure of an illegal psychedelic and now officials are warning the community of the risks the drug poses. According to the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office and our news partners at KETK, deputies found 2C-B, an illegal drug “often disguised as a harmless party drug,†during a recent traffic stop. The Alcohol and Drug Foundation said 2C-B can cause hallucinations, nausea, anxiety and panic. Read the rest of this entry »
GILMER – 
The Upshur County Sheriff’s Office said they’ve started a criminal investigation into former District Clerk Nicole Hernandez, according to our news partners at KETK. According to a press release, the sheriff’s office was asked to start an investigation into Hernandez’s conduct as Upshur County District Clerk by Upshur County District Attorney Billy Byrd on Thursday, Aug. 29. Hernandez reportedly resigned from her position on the same day. The sheriff’s office said that they’ll turn over the findings to Byrd once they’ve completed their investigation. On Friday, Melissa Chevalier was named the new Upshur County District Clerk by District Judge Dean Fowler.
SMITH COUNTY – A Tyler man received a 20 year prison sentence Wednesday for possession of meth. According to our news partner KETK, 54-year-old Roy Lee Bosell was arrested after a traffic stop for outstanding warrants. A Smith County deputy found marijuana in Bosell’s pocket. A K9 then alerted officers to drugs in his vehicle. With the vehicle search, deputies found “multiple bags of methamphetamine as well as other illegal contraband and drug paraphernalia.â€
Tuesday, Bosell pleaded not guilty to the possession charge. The next day, a jury found him guilty. Because of four previous felony convictions, Bosell’s punishment range for the crime was 2-20 years in state prison, and he was sentenced to the maximum of 20 years.
TYLER – The son of the Smith County Clerk and a Smith County commissioner, was charged with obstruction, retaliation on Friday. According to our news partner KETK, Lance Phillips, whose parents are Clerk Karen Phillips and Commissioner Terry Phillips, was charged while he was already being held in the Smith County Jail for his conviction on charges of hindering a proceeding by disorderly conduct.
The list of legal troubles for the 40-year-old include being arrested for assault of a public servant, pleading guilty to evading arrest and being arrested for disrupting a Smith County Commissioners Court meeting. Phillips has a bond of $750,000 for the charge of obstruction, retaliation.
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SMITH COUNTY — A Smith County man was sentenced to life in prison on Wednesday for drug possession. According to our news partner KETK, 63-year-old Billy O’Neal Black was given a life sentence for possession of a controlled substance in the amount of four grams but less than 200 grams.
A release from the Smith County DA’s office said that Black was stopped by Tyler police during a traffic stop in December of last year. He tried to run from officers initially. A vehicle search yielded multiple bags of crack cocaine and methamphetamine individually packaged for sale, marijuana, powder cocaine mixed with Viagra, and roughly $1,200 in cash. He was charged with possession of marijuana, possession of a controlled substance and evading arrest/detention.
During sentencing, the jury received evidence that Black had three previous felony convictions, which the DA’s office said places him in the habitual offender category and can receive punishment of 25 years to life.
TATUM – 
Love your neighbor is not what an East Texas man was arrested for after allegedly pointing a firearm at another Tatum resident, according to our news partners at KETK. On Wednesday, a Tatum Police Department officer was investigating a report where a man had allegedly pointed a firearm and threatened his neighbor. The neighbor told police Kekoa Elijah Hurt threatened to kill him. “Our police officer made contact with the alleged suspect and determined that there was sufficient evidence to arrest the suspect,†Tatum PD said. Hurt was arrested for deadly conduct and taken to the Rusk County Jail where he is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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TYLER – Tyler will soon be home to a brand new all-inclusive ballfield. The city of Tyler announced on Wednesday a partnership with the Miracle League of Tyler to create a state-of-the-art, all-inclusive Miracle League ballfield at Faulkner Park. According to our news partner KETK, the cost of the field is roughly $1,680,000. Completion of the construction of the field is scheduled by the end of next summer.
The Miracle League of Tyler is an organization that focuses on making baseball accessible. The new complex will have an all-inclusive ballfield with accessible bleachers, a concession stand and restrooms “to ensure that everyone, regardless of their physical abilities, can fully participate,†according to the city.
The Miracle League of Tyler is contributing $1,164,141.44 toward the project, complemented by up to $500,000 from the City of Tyler’s half-cent sales tax fund. SCI construction will complete the field.
TYLER – 
Our news partners at KETK report that arrest documents of a Jacksonville man accused of child sex crimes depict an online undercover operation where he thought he was chatting with a 15-year-old girl. 36-year-old Andrew Holmans was arrested Thursday and charged with child grooming, employing, authorizing, or inducing a child to participate in a sexual performance and online solicitation of a minor. A DPS special agent was undercover on Kik, known to law enforcement as an app used by sexual predators, when Holmans started a conversation on Aug. 8, the affidavit said. The affidavit goes on and details conversations where Holmans would send, to whom he thought was a 15-year-old, pornographic material, what he wanted to do to them and inappropriate photo requests. According to the affidavit, Holmans would describe what he was going to do to the “child†once they met up Thursday morning at a public place in Tyler. Holmans was booked into the Smith County Jail on Thursday and is being held on a combined $1.5 million bond.
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TYLER – 
Colin Allred, named the most bi-partisan Texan in congress by the Common Ground Committee, made several stops in East Texas on Sunday and Monday.The Democratic Texas senate candidate campaigned in Tyler on Sunday and attendees at the St. Louis Baptist Church said they are excited for his grassroots campaign. “I don’t see Texans in partisan labels, I really don’t. I see us as Texans,†Allred said. Allred recognized that the state must come together to protect Medicare, social security and the border. “I want to have conversations with Texans about where I think we can go together. I think we’ve had 12 years of incredibly divisive and actually not very productive, in terms of getting things done,†Allred said. According to his campaign officials, Allred also shared his message to more than 250 people Sunday afternoon in Tyler and at Wiley University Monday. “I’m a fourth-generation Texan, former NFL linebacker, voting rights attorney and dad to two perfect little boys. On Nov. 5, I’m going to beat Ted Cruz,†Allred said.
TYLER – 
The Tyler City Council voted on Wednesday, Aug. 28, to authorize a $1,501,920 contract with TanksCo Inc. for the West 2nd Street elevated storage tank rehabilitation project. The one-million-gallon water storage tank on the south side of West 2nd Street and Butler Avenue was inspected in the fall of 2019 and identified as needing improvements. Rehabilitation of the West 2nd Street elevated storage tank includes sandblasting and painting the interior and exterior of the tank, access improvements, steel repairs, a tank mixer, altitude valve and appurtenances, minor yard piping and tank disinfection to prepare it for service. Read the rest of this entry »