Today is
Wednesday June 10, 2026
KILGORE – 
The Kilgore Police Department said on Tuesday, a traffic stop led to the arrest of a felon after finding a handgun and meth in a chip bag according to our news partners at KETK. According to a release, an officer saw a suspicious driver and pulled them over due to a reported traffic violation. During the stop, police confiscated a “large amount†of meth hidden in a chip bag and the driver was also in possession of a handgun. “We can’t be any more clear, if you sell or traffic dope in our city you are going to jail for a long time,†Kilgore PD said.
TYLER – Monday, workers from Tyler’s largest union, IUE-CWA 86782, held an informational picket at their union hall across from the Trane Technologies plant. According to our news partner KETK, the union stressed the informational picket is not a strike. It’s a membership drive and an opportunity for union members to use their own time to spread the word about what they want from the company without having to stop working.
IUE-CWA 86782 recording secretary Tierra Zhane provided the following list of demands they have for their union’s contract with Trane. Livable wages. Affordable insurance. The ability to use personal time without having to provide documentation. And, no unaffordable surcharges to insurance that “eat up†a proposed 45 cent pay increase.
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LONGVIEW – Authorities in Longview are investigating truck crashing into a house Tuesday morning. According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Fire Marshall said the accident happened around 10 a.m. with a report of a truck having crashed into a home on Mill Run Drive, near the Compassionate Hearts Alliance. The Fire Marshall said the driver had non life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
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ATHENS – 
Texas State Sen. Robert Nichols was honored by Raise Your Hand Texas on Monday for his defense of public education and opposition to school vouchers, according to our news partners at KETK. The group is honoring 100 Texas state legislators as Public Education Champions for their “steadfast commitment to Texas public schools, teachers and students.” In addition to his defense of public schools and teachers, the group said that Nichols has “remained steadfast in opposition to school vouchers which would defund local public schools and siphon taxpayer dollars to private schools and vendors with no accountability and transparency.†Nichols was recognized by Will Holleman and Deann Lee of Raise Your Hand Texas and Dr. Janie Sims, superintendent of Athens ISD, in a ceremony at Central Athens Elementary on Monday.
TYLER – City of Tyler officials say their non-emergency offices and facilities will be closed Friday, May 10, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 6 through May 10 is Public Service Recognition Week. With the exception of emergency and essential services, the city will be doing their part in recognizing their employees Friday. Public Service Recognition Week has been celebrated since 1985. It’s goal is to honor the men and women who serve as federal, state, county and local government employees.
ANDERSON COUNTY – The Texas Department of Transportation said that FM 3224 in Anderson County is closed due to much of the ground beneath the road being eroded due to heavy rains and flooding. According to our news partner KETK, the Anderson County Emergency Management Office said that FM 3224 between Highway 287 and County Road 422 is closed until further notice.
County officials also add that County Road 103 at County Road 108 near Elkhart is closed because of standing water in the roadway. Westside Fire Department reports that FM320, CR2212, CR425, CR2202 also has water covering the roads.
TxDot advises when approaching standing water, always do so carefully.
TEXARKANA – 
The Texarkana Police Department said that they were a part of a multi-day sting that resulted in the arrests of five men. According to the Texarkana PD, and our news colleagues at KETK, they participated in a sting alongside the Bowie County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Department of Public Safety, Texarkana Arkansas Police Department, Miller County Sheriff’s Office and the FBI. The police department said that the purpose of the operation was to arrest individuals attempting to solicit sex with a minor. The operation led to the arrest of three men, Dylan Dickens, Jesus Rosales and Keith Godfrey for online solicitation of a minor after they allegedly communicated with an officer “they believed to be an underaged girlâ€. The Texarkana PD said that there were two additional arrests made as a part of the operation that were not related to solicitation of a minor, Henry Oller and Lance Bradshaw were arrested and charged with solicitation of prostitution. All five of the men have been booked into the Bi-state County Jail, Dickens has been released after posting bail on Friday.
TYLER – The parents of a baby were arrested Sunday night after a Smith County Sheriff’s Deputy discovered suspected fentanyl in the 6-month-old’s diaper. According to our news partner KETK, arrested were 27-year-old Dre-Darian Taerondrick Ester and 22-year-old Jada La Nae Speight, both of Tyler. The pair were driving on Loop 323 and the Van Highway when an officer pulled their vehicle over for a traffic violation. The deputy reported the vehicle smelled of marijuana. As the deputy did a probable cause search, they discovered a 6-month-old baby girl in a car seat. The deputy then reportedly saw a “bottle of pressed fentanyl†that was being held inside the baby’s diaper.
The pair were charged with Manufacture/delivery of a controlled substance between four and 200 grams, possession of marijuana between four ounces and five pounds and abandonment/endangerment of a child in imminent danger.
Ester and Speight are being held in the Smith County Jail on $105,000 bonds. Child Protect Services has taken custody of the child.
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SMITH COUNTY – Sunday afternoon, human remains were found on an oil well service road near Troup. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff’s Office received a call about human remains being located off of FM 346 East, between Troup and Whitehouse. When deputies arrived, they found the remains about 100 yards off of FM 346.
Official commented that, “This investigation continues and investigators are confident in having investigative leads to follow which will ultimately lead to the identity of the suspects. This continues to be an active investigation.â€
Authorities added that the remains haven’t been identified and have been sent to Dallas for an autopsy. The Sheriff’s Office confirmed that foul play is suspected .
LONGVIEW – 
Kristen Ishihara has won the race to become the next mayor of Longview according to our news partners at KETK. Ishihara won with 4103 votes against Temple Carpenter’s 1393 votes. “I am just truly humbled by the support,†said Ishihara. “The trust of the voters, that means so much to me.†Both Carpenter and Ishihara have served the city of Longview as members of city council. Ishihara for nine years, before leaving the seat in 2023. She will now rejoin Carpenter on the council as Mayor.
LONGVIEW – 
The Longview Police Department said a pedestrian died at a local hospital after a crash on Wednesday according to our news partners at KETK. According to a release, police were called to a crash at the 900 block of Pine Tree Road involving a Ram pickup truck and a pedestrian at around 8:40 p.m. The pedestrian, an adult woman, reportedly tried to cross the road and failed to yield the right of way to the pickup truck that was travelling northbound in the inside lane, police said. “The pedestrian was taken to a local hospital and later died from injuries,†the police department said.
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SMITH COUNTY – The Cities of Tyler, Lindale and Arp have races on the ballot for the Joint City Election on Saturday. There will be six polling locations open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on May 4.
Arp First Baptist Church, 304 W. Front St. in Arp
Heritage Building, 1900 Bellwood Road in Tyler
The Hub, 304 E. Ferguson St. in Tyler
Lindale Kinzie Community Center, 912 Mt. Sylvan St. in Lindale
St. Louis Baptist Church, 4000 Frankston Highway in Tyler
Three Lakes Middle School, 2445 Three Lakes Parkway in Tyler
For those voting Saturday at the Hub, Ferguson Street has been closed this week but it is being reopened in front of the Hub Saturday for voter parking only. Only 660 people voted during the seven days of early voting.
Early voting numbers are expected to be posted at 7 p.m. on Saturday, and Election Day results will be posted once all six Election Day locations have delivered their ballots. To find out the results Saturday evening, visit http://www.smith-county.com and click on the red banner at the top of the page. If you need information on Election Night, please call the Elections Office at 903-590-4777.