Today is
Thursday July 23, 2026
MARSHALL —
A reported threat received by Wiley University earlier today has been investigated and determined to be not credible, according to the Marshall Police Department
(MPD).
Wiley University officials notified MPD after receiving an email referencing an “imminent threat.” Although the threat was ultimately deemed not credible, MPD responded immediately
and initiated a full investigation to ensure campus and public safety. MPD immediately coordinated with Wiley University President Herman Felton and his staff, along with Wiley
Police, the Harrison County Sheriff’s Office, and the Texas Department of Public Safety. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – 
Freezing temperatures are projected for Tyler and the surrounding areas from Friday, Jan. 23 through Monday, Jan. 26. City officials are monitoring the situation and strongly advise residents to watch the weather forecast, winterize their homes and safely use space heaters and generators. Emergency service capabilities are at full strength, and City departments are in frequent communication with each other to ensure that all necessary preparations are in place. The Tyler/Smith County’s Cold Weather Response Plan is available to review. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — 
Our news partners at KETK report that a former Smith County Constable was sentenced to two years in jail on Tuesday after violating probation terms. Former Smith County Precinct 1 Constable Curtis Traylor-Harris was initially sentenced to five years of probation after being found guilty of theft while executing an eviction notice in December 2022. Traylor-Harris began his two-year sentence on Tuesday, after violating his probation. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — 
An 18-wheeler truck from Utah delivered 42,000 pounds of mixed goods to the East Texas Food Bank (ETFB) in Tyler. The donation, totaling 25 pallets, was provided by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to support hunger relief efforts across East Texas. The donation from the Church is part of its ongoing global effort to help individuals struggling with urgent temporal concerns by addressing immediate hunger needs, supporting improved nutrition, and promoting long-term food security. The shipment includes a variety of mixed canned and boxed goods such as vegetables, chili, fruit, beef, peanut butter, dried milk, and numerous other items. Read the rest of this entry »
JACKSONVILLE – Friday, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office executed a narcotic search for narcotics at a home located in rural Jacksonville. Investigators saw 43-year-old Jessica Wolf smoking methamphetamine during a video visit with an inmate currently in the county jail. Deputies searched the residence and found 46 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana and a firearm.
Wolf was arrested for possession of marijuana, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver. Bond was set on all three charges for a total of $651,000.00.
TYLER – 
January is Cervical Health Awareness Month and Cervical Cancer Screening Month. Dr. Daren Yeager, board-certified obstetrician and gynecologist with UT Health East Texas Physicians, shares five things to know about this important topic.
Most cases of cervical cancer are caused by the human papillomavirus, or HPV, which is a very common virus spread through intimate skin-to-skin contact. While many HPV infections clear on their own, some high-risk types can lead to cervical cancer if not monitored.
Screening is recommended for people with a cervix starting at age 21. Pap tests are typically done every three years, while HPV testing may be done every five years for those over 30. A healthcare provider can recommend the best schedule based on individual health history. Read the rest of this entry »
PALESTINE — East Texans may soon have a new opportunity to change careers without returning to school. The Bitcoin Mining Institute (BMI) has announced plans to establish a location in Palestine, where they will hire technicians to repair computers used in bitcoin mining. According to our news partner KETK, Chief Executive Officer Tyler Schmill announced that their offices will undergo construction for the next six months. They will begin hiring at least 20 technicians and plan to hire a total of 350 employees over the next five years.
Schmill said people do not need prior experience in cryptocurrency, information technology or data center management before starting work there. Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – Longview firefighters responded to a fire that left three people displaced from their home on East Marshall Avenue on Sunday night. According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Fire Department, responded to a report of structure fire in the 2000 block of East Marshall Avenue, near Sonic at around 9:23 p.m. The firefighters arriving at the scene found a home fully on fire and Longview FD said the fire did around $94,000 in damage before it was put out.
Three occupants from the home and three dogs were displaced because of the fire. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation but fire officials said investigators do not suspect foul play was involved. Anyone with information about the fire is asked to call the Longview Fire Department at 903-237-1119.
RUSK – Rusk city officials announced on Friday that Police Chief Scott Heagney is no longer employed by the city. According to our news partner KETK, Heagney was placed on administrative leave twice in 2025, once in April after a complaint was filed against him and for the second time in December because of an “internal personnel matter.”
“The City does not comment on personnel matters. However, City officials emphasize that the decision was made following appropriate administrative review and in the best interests of the City and the community it serves,” Rusk city officials said on Friday
The City of Rusk said public safety services will continue and that they’re trying to keep leadership stable after Heagney’s departure. Rusk officials added that they’ll release more information when it’s appropriate.
TYLER – Starting Tuesday, Jan. 20, and continuing through Tuesday, Feb. 10, the intersection and sidewalk at West Elm Street and South Bois D’Arc Avenue will be closed. Oncor crews will be working in the area to improve the electrical infrastructure to the Fair Building at 109 West Elm Street.
Traffic control signs and devices will be in place. Drivers are urged to use caution when traveling through the area.
SMITH COUNTY — A multi-vehicle crash is causing traffic delays at the intersection of Old Jacksonville Highway and Loop 49 on Thursday. The Smith County Sheriff’s Office and multiple fire units are working to clear the area. Four to five vehicles were involved in the crash, with at least one vehicle rolling over. Traffic is currently backed up at the location, and drivers are advised to avoid the area.
TYLER — 
A former Tyler ISD staff member was arrested on Wednesday night on a sexual assault charge, according to our news partner KETK. Arrest documents from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office reveal that a Tyler police officer was patrolling the area of Fun Forest Park around 9:20 p.m. when they witnessed two people who “were clearly nude” in the back of a vehicle.
Officers approached the vehicle and identified the woman as Anahi Arellano, a former instructional aide at Bell Elementary, along with a male companion. Initially, the male provided false information regarding his age, but it was later verified that he is 16 years old.
Arellano allegedly admitted to officers that she and the minor had “sexual intercourse” in the back of the vehicle, prompting her arrest. She was booked into Smith County Jail on Wednesday night, facing a sexual assault charge. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – City offices will observe the following schedule on Monday, Jan. 19, in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. City Hall – City Hall offices will be closed Monday, Jan. 19. Tyler Water Utilities- The Water Business Office will be closed on Monday, Jan. 19. The deadline for delinquent accounts will be extended to Tuesday, Jan. 20, at 10 a.m.
The kiosk at the drive-through offers 24/7 access for water utility customers with its ability to accept checks, money orders, credit/debit cards and cash payments. Those choosing to pay with cash should be aware that no change will be given.
Anyone wishing to make a payment may also use one of two available drop boxes. One box is located in front of the Water Business Office at 511 W. Locust St. The other is a drive-up box located in the Brookshire’s parking lot on the corner of South Broadway Avenue and Rice Road. Payments will be credited on the next business day. Please do not drop cash into these boxes. Payments may also be made online at CityofTyler.org, over the phone by calling (903) 531-1230, or at one of many businesses in Tyler that accept water utility payments. For a list of participating businesses, please visit the City’s website. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER –
As election day approaches and campaign signs take over yards and roadsides, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) reminds people of sign placement guidelines. According to our news partner KETK, as Candidates are preparing for the primary election on March 3, but TxDOT advises campaigners to be aware that placing political signs on public lands is illegal.
“We want to remind everyone that TxDOT has guidelines regarding placing signs in the right of way,” Jeff Williford, the public information officer for the TxDOT Tyler District, said. “We know that a lot of signs will start showing up as we get closer to election day, but if a political sign is placed in the right of way, we are required to remove it without notice.”
Read the rest of this entry »
UPDATE: According to ESD2, the fire is nearly extinguished and residents are allowed to return to their homes.
TYLER — Crews are responding to a grass fire off County Road 219 in Smith County on Wednesday. Since then, residents were asked to evacuate as a precaution. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County ESD2 said several crews responded to the fire on Haverhill Road off CR 219, but no structural damage was reported due to barriers placed around surrounding houses. Officials confirmed no injuries were reported.
The fire is believed to have quickly progressed due to windy conditions. Earlier, the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office urged residents to refrain from burning as winds are predicted to be 15 to 25 mph with higher gusts possible.
SMITH COUNTY – The large industrial fire at Four Seasons Containers LLC in November began in a dumpster and spread to the building, Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue reported on Wednesday, January 14.
“The fire originated in a roll-off dumpster where waste from the recycling process conducted at the business was disposed of on a regular basis,” Hogue said. “The fire spread from the roll-off dumpster to the building, resulting in the destruction of the approximately 24,000-square-foot building. The exact cause of the fire within the dumpster was undetermined.”
The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office was aided by agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in a thorough investigation to determine the fire origin and cause, Hogue said.
Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – All non-emergency Smith County offices will be closed for business on Monday, January 19, 2026, for Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Offices will reopen for normal business hours on Tuesday, January 20, and Commissioners Court will be held at its normal time, at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Smith County Annex Building, located at 200 E. Ferguson St. in Tyler.
HENDERSON COUNTY — An Athens traffic stop led to the arrest of a wanted fugitive and the seizure of marijuana, methamphetamine and drug distribution tools on Monday. According to our news partner KETK, a Henderson County narcotics investigator and K-9 deputy conducted a traffic stop for a traffic violation and detected an odor of marijuana from the vehicle at approximately 2:30 p.m. in the 500 block of West Corsicana Street on Monday.
The deputies identified the driver as 32-year-old Armond Jamal Roberts, who kept giving different names due to being a wanted fugitive from the sheriff’s office. While conducting a search of the vehicle, deputies located a large gallon bag that contained marijuana along with small bags and scales that are commonly used in narcotics distribution. Additionally, the deputies found two plastic bags containing several small, bright-colored pills, which tested positive for suspected methamphetamine.
Roberts was arrested and booked into the Henderson County Jail is being held under a $104,285 bond for manufacture or delivery controlled substance and his warrant
AUSTIN (AP) – Several appeals in some of Texas’ highest-profile capital punishment cases are set for 2026 as the state continues to maintain a historically low number of executions.
2025 marked the second year Texas was not the leading state in executions in a single year, but the state is still the overall leader nationally in the death penalty. Harris County alone, which handed down its 300th death sentence last year, accounts for more executions than any other state.
But Texas’ executions have gradually declined in the last decade, and in 2025 the low number of executions was in part fueled by two last-minute stays. Their resolutions, however, along with a third successful appeal for another death row inmate, may still ultimately result in executions.
Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL — A former Marshall ISD teacher was sentenced to six months in jail and placed on deferred adjudication probation after pleading guilty to an inappropriate relationship with a student.According to our news partner KETK, 25-year-old Margaret Claire Burris, was arrested Feb. 2024, and charged with an improper relationship between an educator and a student, police said. The case was first reported to the Marshall Police Department in early February by the Marshall ISD Police Department.
According to investigators, they found text messages and photos exchanged between Burris and the student, some of which were sexually explicit. The evidence was obtained after a search warrant was executed on the student’s cellphone. Burris pleaded guilty Jan. 8 and was sentenced to 180 days in the Upshur County Jail and 10 years of deferred adjudication probation. Under Texas law, if the defendant successfully completes deferred adjudication probation, the charge may be dismissed and no formal conviction is entered.
CASS COUNTY — 
The Cass County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a woman who has not been seen since December, according to our news partners at KETK. Authorities say Isabel Tresidder was last seen leaving her residence on Dec. 31, 2025, with a man driving a black Honda Civic. Her family has not heard from her and is concerned about her safety. Tresidder is 18 years old, stands 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighs about 140 pounds and has blonde hair. Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to contact the Cass County Sheriff’s Office.
WOOD COUNTY — A man was arrested for theft as deputies investigate multiple burglaries in the Alba area. According to our news partner KETK, Wood County Sheriff’s Office deputies were sent to a suspicious persons call in rural Alba on Dec. 31 of last year. Deputies found Dillon Bell walking down the middle of the road, in an area that had several burglaries recently.Investigators found a stolen firearm on Bell’s person which he admitted to stealing from a nearby vehicle several days prior. Bell was booked into Wood County Jail for unlawful carrying of a weapon, theft of a firearm, debit/credit card abuse and burglary of a vehicle, with a total bond of $30,000
GRAND SALINE — A man was arrested Monday after officials found two dead dogs and several others emaciated on his Grand Saline property. According to our news partner KETK, Kenneth Wayne Adams was arrested and charged with cruelty to non-livestock animals on Monday following an investigation in December by Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office and the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
On Dec. 13, 2025, Van Zandt County deputies responded to a report of deceased animals on a property, where they found two dead pit bull-mixed dogs chained to trees that were severely emaciated. The deputies made contact with Adams, the property owner, and requested the SPCA of Texas Animal Cruelty Investigators (ACI) Unit to assist the investigation. Adams told investigators that the deceased dogs belonged to previous owners who had moved out two weeks prior. Read the rest of this entry »
GILMER — 
Our news partners at KETK report that two juveniles were arrested after gunfire struck a Gilmer home late Monday night, sending bullets through a bedroom window, authorities said. The shooting was reported about 11:44 p.m. at a residence on Circle Drive, according to the Gilmer Police Department. Investigators said several bullets hit the home, with about three passing through a bedroom window. No injuries were reported. Police identified two juvenile suspects and a vehicle believed to be connected to the shooting. Around 1:54 a.m. Wednesday, officers located the vehicle in Gilmer. The suspects attempted to drive away, but the vehicle was later stopped and the occupants ran from the scene on foot, police said. Both juveniles were arrested shortly after. Investigators determined the vehicle had been reported stolen from Longview, and a handgun was recovered.
Update: Boil water notice for the city of Gilmer has been rescinded.
GILMER — The City of Gilmer has issued a boil water notice for communities along US Highway 271 North until further notice. According to our news partner KETK, Monday, Gilmer officials issued a boil water notice due to a loss in water pressure requiring the city to make water system repairs. The notice affects residences and businesses off of US Highway 271 N on Crawford and Harvey streets.
The city encourages all residents to boil their water for two minutes prior to consumption or to purchase bottled water until further notice. Questions regarding the boil water notice may be directed to Gilmer’s public works director at 903-843-8206.
WINNSBORO — Winnsboro Independent School District named Aaron Nation as its new superintendent during a school board meeting Monday night. District officials said Nation had served as interim superintendent since September and was named the lone finalist for the position in December.
In a statement, the district congratulated Nation and expressed support for his continued leadership, “WISD congratulates Mr. Nation and looks forward to continuing the great work and positive momentum already underway across our district,” officials said.
TYLER – The National Weather Service in Shreveport has announced that its meteorologists will be holding several SKYWARN spotter trainings in East Texas soon.
“The SKYWARN presentation covers severe thunderstorm characteristics, cloud formations, identifying the different threats associated with severe storms, how to report and basic weather safety,” NWS said.
This year NWS meteorologist will be going to the following East Texas locations to conduct these SKYWARN training classes.
Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — 
The Smith County Sheriff’s Office has confirmed the arrest of a suspect in connection with a December shooting at the Valley Blues nightclub that left one person dead, according to our news partners at KETK. The shooting occurred around 2:45 a.m. on Dec. 28 at the Valley Blues Club on County Road 486. When authorities arrived, they found two men with gunshot wounds: Aaron Gordon Johnson Jr., 23, and Aaron Lamar Jackson, 23. Both were taken to local hospitals with critical injuries, and Jackson later died. Authorities believe that the shooting was gang-related, claiming that rival gangs were both at the club, leading to the incident.
According to Smith County PIO Sgt. Larry Christian, Johnson has been arrested for his involvement in the shooting. He was booked into Smith County Jail on Jan. 2 on charges of deadly conduct by discharging a firearm, unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon, and tampering with or fabricating physical evidence with intent to impair.
Johnson remains in custody, and additional charges may be filed, Christian said.
WASKOM – A week after a fatal house fire killed Waskom ISD students, Isaac and Hector Pedraza, the district announced it will be holding a prayer walk in honor of both students and their family.
The prayer walk will be held on Tuesday morning, starting at 7:30 a.m. outside of Waskom High School. All parents, community members and students are invited to join the walk as it will be a time for reflection, unity and comfort.
The district announced earlier this month that the tragic loss will delay the start of the second semester by a day, allowing students and teachers to attend the funeral services for Hector and Isaac, scheduled for Wednesday. Once school resumes on Thursday, counseling and support services will continue to be available for students and staff. Families are encouraged to reach out to the school district for additional support if needed.
TYLER — After several days of no rain and high winds, several East Texas counties are now under burn bans or facing elevated fire danger, prompting officials to urge residents to avoid any outdoor burning. The list shared from our news partner KETK has burn bans issued for these counties: Harrison ,Panola, Shelby, Rusk, Bowie, Marion and the City of Sulphur Springs. Elevated fire risk is in force for Anderson, Angelina, Houston, Polk, Smith, Titus and Upshur counties.