Today is
Monday June 15, 2026
EAST TEXAS – The East Texas Council of Governments was recently awarded a Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant of $1 million from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This grant will allow ETCOG to lead environmental site assessments and reuse planning throughout the region. With a primary focus on Longview, Marshall, Kilgore, and Gladewater, this funding aims to revitalize and re-envision contaminated properties, fostering sustainable redevelopment across the 14-county ETCOG region. Read the rest of this entry »
JACKSONVILLE – The East Texas Food Bank has a new mobile food pantry available for Jacksonville and Cherokee County. According to our news partner KETK, the mobile food pantry will be at Jacksonville’s Alexander Gym Tuesday July 11 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the second Tuesday each month thereafter. The food bank will be offering fresh produce and meat during this stop. Read the rest of this entry »
BOWIE COUNTY – Law enforcement is asking for help in finding two inmates who escaped from Bi-State Jail in Bowie County. According to our news partner KETK, the two men are Wayde Burton Land and JC Lee Kirby. Jail surveillance video showed the pair leaving the jail in street clothes and going toward Texas Boulevard in Texarkana. The Bowie County Sheriff’s office ask if you have information on Land or Kirby to call them at 903-798-3149.
LONGVIEW – A guilty plea Thursday gets a Longview man 22 years in prison. According to our news partner KETK, 33-year-old James Barron was convicted in the death of 58-year-old Llewellyn Williams. In 2020, Williams was found dead in his home after police were called to stop and perform a wellness check. After an autopsy and evidence gathered at Williams home, law enforcement ruled his death a murder. Barron was indicted for murder in September of that year and has remained in the Gregg County jail since then.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler hosted its first white coat ceremony last week for their inaugural class of medical students. According to our news partner KETK, 40 students said the physician’s oath and received a white coat with a humanism in medicine pin. University president Kirk Calhoun said, “This is a momentous occasion for UT Tyler, a day to recognize the impact these students will have on the health care of the East Texas region.†School officials say that 95% of students in this class are from East Texas.
TYLER – A Smith County mother was indicted for abuse of a corpse after her newborn child’s body was found in March in a bucket outside a home. According to our news partner KETK, Jazzlyn Cooper-Holmes, 23 of Longview, was arrested on March 18 after officials with the sheriff’s office were called to the home in Lindale where the baby was found. The homeowner, who reported to live with Cooper-Holmes, showed deputies a red mop bucket that was reportedly placed outside. Read the rest of this entry »
GREGG COUNTY — On July 2, a crash involving a Freightliner truck tractor left a woman dead and one injured person in Gregg County.
According to DPS and our neews partners at KETK, a 2014 Freightliner Truck Tractor towing a 2012 Heil semi-trailer was traveling south on State Highway 42 about a mile south of White Oak around 7:15 p.m.
Tonya Gonzales, 50, of Longview, was traveling east in a 2012 Nissan Altima on Texaco Road approaching the intersection.
Officials said the investigation revealed that Gonzales disregarded the stop sign and collided with the truck tractor in the intersection.
Gonzales was pronounced dead on the scene by Justice of the Peace Tim Bryan and the driver of the truck tractor was taken to a local hospital with non-incapacitating injuries.
According to the DPS report, Gonzales was not wearing a seatbelt.
VAN – Van ISD announced Wednesday that Jeremy Peterson has been named middle school principal. According to our news partner KETK, the Kirbyville native has been an educator for 18 years. The entire time in the Van school district. Van Superintendent Don Dunn said, “Mr. Peterson brings a wealth of experience, a strong passion for education and is well-equipped to guide Van Middle School toward continued growth and success.†Peterson earned his bachelor’s degree from UT Tyler and his master’s at Lamar University.
SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Commissioners Court on Wednesday approved the appointment of Tyler Fire Marshal Paul Findley to become the Smith County Fire Marshal.
Our news partners at KETK report his appointment is effective on July 10, County Judge Neal Franklin said. Findley received unanimous support from the commissioner’s court.
Findley works for the Tyler Fire Department as Fire Marshal and Public Information Officer. He has spent 26 years in the fire service and earned certifications as a Master Firefighter, Master Fire Inspector, Master Arson Investigator and Fire Instructor with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.
He is also licensed as a Master Peace Officer with more than 16 years in law enforcement and has maintained his paramedic license in the mid 1990s. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that a Tyler man was sentenced to life in prison in the June 2021 death of a Tyler teenager after pleading guilty to capital murder.
Andres Urrutia, 21, pleaded guilty on June 12 to the murder of 17-year-old Jesse McNeeley, who was found shot at his home on Omega Drive.
Two other men were indicted for capital murder in the case alongside Urrutia. Urrutia was arrested days after the shooting in Galveston County for murder and on four outstanding felony warrants unrelated to the case.
A few weeks before pleading guilty, the district attorney’s office elected to seek the death penalty in Urrutia’s case. His two co-defendants are set to appear in court in November.
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department is asking for help in locating a missing person. According to our news partner KETK, she is 32-year-old Jasmine Lucky. Jasmine is 5’6″, weighs around 240 pounds and has a scar on her neck. Authorities say her last know location was downtown Longview near Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center. If you have information on Jasmine’s whereabouts, contact the Longview Police Department.
KILGORE – Authorities in Kilgore Monday announced they are looking for a Kilgore man whose been reported missing. According to our news partner KETK, missing is 24-year-old James “Bud” Schilling. Kilgore PD says that Schilling is 6’2″, slender build with brown eyes and brown hair. He was last seen near the Post Oak Road Church of Christ. The Kilgore Police Department asks if you have information to please contact them. For additional photos of James Schilling, go here.
TYLER — Nearly 1,202 are without power in East Texas as of 9:50 p.m. Monday as thunderstorms popped up in East Texas according to our news partner KETK. To see a list broken out by county of outage data supplied by ONCOR, SWEPCO and other electric co-ops Click here.
TYLER – The Texas Department of Public Safety is making its presence known during the July Fourth holiday. According to our news partner KETK, the DPS is watching for violators of the Move Over, Slow Down law. The Move Over, Slow Down law requires all drivers to slow down when they encounter tow trucks or emergency vehicles on the side of the road with their emergency blinkers on. DPS Director Steven McCraw said “Please be mindful of our state’s traffic laws, be courteous of other drivers on the roads and make safety your first priority so everyone can have a good holiday.â€
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department has identified a man who was taken into custody after being barricaded in a house for four hours on Saturday, according to our news partners at KETK.
Jerry Jamies, 29, who reportedly assaulted a female resident of the home, eventually came out and was subdued by officials using OC spray. Jamies was transported to a local hospital by EMS and will next be transported to Smith County Jail, according to a Tyler PD press release.
Detectives have a obtained a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for Jamies and the warrant has a $750,000 bond, officials said.