Today is
Monday June 15, 2026
TYLER – Ernest Blanton of Tyler went missing Sunday night after he walked into some woods. However, Ernest has dementia. He has a Project Lifesaver bracelet from the Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County. The radio tracking bracelet is waterproof. So, when Ernest was missed, his wife called the Tyler Police Department with his bracelets tracking number. And they located Mr. Blanton quickly. Claudia Blanton said, “We are very thankful to have the bracelet. We would be a loss without it.. To me it is a Godsend. I appreciate Tyler Police Department.†According to the National Alzheimer’s Association, the survival rates of dementia wanderers falls to about 34% after 24 hours
TYLER – Smith County Clerk Karen Phillips has filed lawsuits with her son and a family friend alleging that a Smith County deputy infringed on Voss’s right to travel, assaulted him and used coercion to obtain his ID. According to our news partner KETK, she is referring to an incident March 28 when Cody Voss, a friend of the family, was pulled over by Smith County deputies with a tail light out. The officer asked Voss for his drivers license. On bodycam, Voss can be heard saying “I’m not driving. This is the county commissioner’s house and the county clerk.†Officials with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office said both Phillips were arrested for interfering with the traffic stop, and they can be heard shouting at deputies on the bodycam footage. Karen Phillips is suing for $10 million while Cody Voss and Derek Phillips are suing for $150.5 million. Full story
MARSHALL – Our news partners at KETK report that a juvenile is dead after a shooting early Wednesday in Marshall.
Just after 1:30 a.m., Marshall’s emergency dispatch received calls about a person lying in the roadway of the 1800 block of Alexander Street. When they arrived, officers found a young male dead from an apparent gunshot wound.
Marshall Police detectives, Crime Scene Investigators and the Joint Harrison County Violent Crimes and Narcotics Task Force investigators began documenting evidence and canvassing the neighborhood for witnesses and surveillance video footage.
“Investigation showed that the young man had been lying in the street long enough for at least two cars to drive past, yet they did not call police,†according to Marshall police.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call MPD at 903-935-4575. Anyone who wants to remain anonymous is asked to call Marshall/Harrison County Crime Stoppers at 903-935-9969.
Because the victim is a juvenile, police will not release any identifying information.
TYLER – Tyler Water Utilities (TWU) is pleased to announce that its 2022 drinking water quality report is now available for all customers to read. The report shows that TWU consistently provides safe, high-quality drinking water that safeguards public health.
TWU meets and exceeds all safety guidelines set by state and federal regulations. The utility tests drinking water throughout the treatment process and at locations throughout the City, ensuring the water they deliver to their customers is under the maximum contamination level (MCL) for all national primary drinking water standards set by the Environmental Protection Agency. In addition, 26 water experts with a combined 259 years of experience and a variety of degrees and TCEQ-issued licenses performed over 252,000 water quality tests in 2022.
Tyler is also fully compliant with the EPA’s Unregulated Contaminant Monitoring Program. This is a program the EPA uses to collect data for contaminants suspected to be present in drinking water but that do not have health-based standards set under the Safe Drinking Water Act.
Residents can find the water quality report on TWU’s website. It will be sent to every customer’s home or business and emailed to residents who signed up for electronic billing. Residents who live in an apartment, condo, or rental property in Tyler can view the report online or request a copy from your property manager or owner.
Customers can contact TWU at (903) 531-1238 if they have any questions or concerns.
SHREVEPORT — According to our news partner KETK, the National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a Ozone Action Day Wednesday June 7. Counties included are Smith, Gregg, Harrison, Henderson, Rusk and Upshur counties. An Ozone Action Day is posted when weather conditions in combination with pollution emissions to form high levels of ozone close to the ground and it could cause harmful health effects. People with breathing conditions should be mindful of this.
JACKSONVILLE – A Jacksonville girl is reported missing by the Cherokee County Sheriff’s office, and they are asking for the public’s help. Madison Clark has not been seen since May 27th and was last spotted at 6:30pm that evening getting into a white, four-door sedan.
She is described as 5’3″, 112 pounds and was last seen wearing a yellow t-shirt, black pants and red/black/white Nike high top shoes. She has dyed red hair and has two studs in her nose and is wearing earrings.
The release says she also goes by the nicknames “Madi,” “Royalty” or “Jersey.” If you have any information on Madison Clark please call the Cherokee County Sheriff at 903-683-2271 or simply call the local police.
GILMER – Hawkins ISD announced services for Jaykob Dodd who died in a car accident last weekend. According to our news partner KETK, there will be a visitation Thursday night from 6 to 8 at the Croley Funeral Home in Gilmer. The funeral is Friday morning starting at 10, with the burial afterwards at Enoch Cemetery. A candlelight service will be held Saturday night at 8:30 in the Hawkins ISD parking lot. An obituary for Jaykob Dodd can be view here.
MARSHALL – A person who calls the city of Marshall “homeâ€, recently bought a lottery ticket and won a million dollars. According to our news partner KETK, the winner, who is a Marshall native has elected to remain anonymous. Since 1997, the Texas Lottery has contributed $31 billion to the Foundation School Fund. This fund helps support Texas public education.
ANGELINA COUNTY — Angelina County authorities make a wellness check, instead find about 271 marijuana plants. According to our news partner KETK, Angelina County Deputies and EMS found an unconscious white male in the same place where the plants were growing. Deputies then arrested a woman because she wouldn’t identify herself, while another was released. The man who was found unconscious was hospitalized briefly, but charges are expected to be filed.
JACKSONVILLE – Jacksonville’s 39th annual Tomato Fest is Saturday June 10. According to our news partner KETK, Jacksonville Mayor Randy Gorman issued a proclamation officially changing Jacksonville’s name to “Tomatoville”, through this Saturday. The Tomato Fest is when the Jacksonville tomato takes center stage each year. On the schedule in Tomato Fest; a dodgeball tournament, salsa contest and, as you would expect a tomato growing contest. Festival planners expect a record number of vendors and attendees.
TYLER – Senator Ted Cruz was in Tyler on Monday touring the University of Texas Health Science Center. KTBB’s Paul Gleiser caught up with the senator for a conversation on the debt ceiling fight in Washington. The bill that avoided a default on the US debt passed, but Cruz was not happy with the version that was agreed upon.
“I think the spending and the debt we’ve seen from Washington is wildly irresponsible and we are bankrupting this country,” Cruz said. “Historically the most effective lever point to reign in spending has been the debt ceiling. So I was a proponent from day one, let’s use this debt ceiling as leverage to force some kind of reasonable spending restraint.”
Cruz is of the opinion that the White House “rolled the Republican leadership.” He feels the spending restraints in the deal were very modest.
“They (the White House) got Republicans to fund virtually the entire Biden political agenda,” Cruz said, “and it was a real missed opportunity.”
Cruz feels the agreement will only fuel continued inflation that will be felt due to the accumulated debt.
When asked why the Congress hasn’t passed a budget in regular orders since 1996, Cruz was pessimistic.
“I don’t think that will be fixed,” he replied.”The incentives right now in Washington is for both sides to go right up to the edge of the cliff, threaten either a government shutdown or a default on the debt because what happens then is a giant omnibus budget bill gets negotiated behind closed doors…and it’s Mitch McConnell and Chuck Schumer who negotiate it and then roll out a giant bill that inevitably funds all the Democratic priorities.”
Cruz also discussed the charges of politicization of the FBI and Justice Department. You can hear the entire conversation here…
Ted Cruz Interview
TYLER – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) Monday toured the University of Texas Tyler Health Science Center in Tyler, Texas. Sen. Cruz toured the Public Health Lab of East Texas and participated in a roundtable with UT Tyler leadership.
About the tour, Sen. Cruz said, “Texas is the home of innovators, and I’m proud to see UT Tyler Health Science Center leading the way on the cutting edge of innovative healthcare, and the new medical school training our next generation of leaders in the healthcare industry. In the Senate, I’m fighting for Texas healthcare and innovation, and I will continue to champion the good work being done here at UT Tyler Health Science Center.â€
UT Tyler President Kirk A. Calhoun, MD, FACP, said, “We appreciate Senator Cruz for visiting our campus today to learn more about what UT Tyler is doing to address health care and workforce needs in East Texas. As we prepare to welcome the first class of medical students at the UT Tyler School of Medicine, I want to thank all of our elected representatives, the UT System and our East Texas community for the continued support of our health care education and research advancements.â€
COFFEE CITY – The city of Coffee City is grieving over the death of one of their police officers. According to our news partner KETK, Officer Shaun Jackson died Thursday night. Jackson had not been with the department long. In a facebook post Police Chief JohnJay Portillo said that “Though Officer Jackson had only been with us a short time he quickly demonstrated the commitment to the public safety of the citizens, visitors and business owners of the city of Coffee City.†The cause of death has not been reported.
ATHENS – An Athens woman has been arrested and charged with injury to a child in the death of her 10-year-old autistic stepson in 2022. Our news partners at KETK report that the arrest warrant says that 38-year-old Shonna Pickle told authorities that she called 9-1-1 after finding the boy unresponsive the day after Christmas. He was pronounced dead at the emergency room, but a doctor reported seeing bruising on his neck and stomach that was not consistent with CPR. After an investigation and testimony from her husband, a caregiver and medical authorities, the warrant was issued. Pickle had lost custody of her four other children due to charges of abuse. She was arrested for injury to a child and her bond set at $500,000.
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — One person is dead after a Sunday afternoon motorcycle crash on Highway 80 near Fruitvale. Our news partner KETK reports that according to a preliminary DPS report, a 2008 Harley Davidson was traveling west on the highway around 2:30 p.m. “at an unsafe speed to negotiate a curve,†and left the road striking a guardrail. The driver, identified as Tommy Stites, 55 of Baytown, was pronounced dead on the scene, and DPS reported he had not been wearing a helmet. The investigation is ongoing.