Today is
Friday June 05, 2026
JACKSONVILLE – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has appointed David Broom to serve as the new District Attorney for the 2nd Judicial District in Cherokee County. Before being appointed, Broom served as an assistant district attorney in the Cherokee County District Attorney’s Office and is a member of the Texas State Bar and the Cherokee County Bar Association.
Broom was appointed to the position after Abbott named the now former Cherokee County District Attorney, Jonathan Richey, to be judge of the 369th Judicial District Court. Broom holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Marketing from UT Tyler and a law degree from the University of North Texas at Dallas College of Law.
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SMITH COUNTY – One person is confirmed to have been injured following a crash in Smith County on Wednesday afternoon involving an ATV. The crash occurred in rural Tyler at around 4:40 p.m. and involved an ATV and a Honda. Smith County ESD 2 confirmed that one person was injured in the crash but could not confirm whether they were the driver of the Honda or the ATV.
HENDERSON COUNTY – A Mabank man has been found guilty and sentenced to three life terms for multiple child abuse-related crimes, according to Henderson County District Attorney Jenny Palmer. Accord to our news partner KETK, Palmer said that 40-year-old of Mabank, received the sentences last week after being convicted of continuous sexual abuse of a young child, aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child.
The charges stem from April 2023, when a mother brought her 13-year-old child to a hospital for medical concerns. The child told medical staff she had been sexually abused by Henley, a family member.
The Henderson County Sheriff’s Office Crimes Against Children Task Force investigated the case. Authorities said DNA evidence confirmed Henley had sexually abused the victim. During the investigation, the victim’s sibling also reported she had been abused by Henley, beginning when she was 9 years old.
Henley’s life sentence for continuous sexual abuse is without parole, making him ineligible for release.
LUFKIN – The City of Lufkin general election, which was scheduled for May, has been cancelled because both candidates are running unopposed. The Lufkin City Council approved the ordinance on Tuesday to cancel the May elections. Due to the cancellation, the city said Jimmy Ford, who was running unopposed to represent Ward Five, will be sworn in at the council meeting on May 5. Additionally, William Price, who was running unopposed to represent Ward Six after incumbent Adam Lowther decided not to run for re-election, will be sworn in on May 5 as well.
LONE STAR – An investigation by the Texas Railroad Commission found that drilling fluids containing oil from a reserve pit at a Rose City Resources well site on U.S. Steel property leaked into a damaged pipe and flowed into a nearby low?lying area. From there, the fluids migrated through underlying rock formations and ultimately entered the Ellison Creek Reservoir. According to our news partner KETK, the Railroad Commission concluded that Rose City Resources is responsible for the unpermitted disposal and will be required to handle the cleanup, with the Commission providing oversight.
To date, cleanup efforts have primarily targeted the origin point and the lake’s east side, but Tuesday’s observations emphasize the need for more comprehensive action. Inspection findings indicate that areas on the western shoreline require more attention, aligning with suggestions from local officials. The public is encouraged to report any additional affected areas to the Morris County Sheriff’s non-emergency number at 903-645-2232.
HOUSTON COUNTY (KETK) — A Houston County jail employee has been arrested on Wednesday following allegations of sexual misconduct involving an inmate.
According to the Houston County Sheriff’s Office, an inmate reported sexually inappropriate behavior by jailer Cameron Lee Burch on Jan. 17. Sheriff Zak Benge said the report was relayed to the jail administrator, prompting an internal investigation.
Investigators determined Burch engaged in inappropriate conduct. When he returned to duty on Jan. 19, he was immediately terminated, Benge said.
The case was referred to the Texas Rangers, who presented evidence to a grand jury. An indictment was issued, and a warrant was obtained for Burch’s arrest.
At about 4 a.m. Wednesday, Burch turned himself in to the Houston County Jail. He is charged with official oppression and violating the civil rights of a person in custody, with no bond posted.
TYLER – The City of Tyler will welcome a delegation from its sister city Yachiyo, Japan, from March 25 through March 30, marking the 30th official trip in a partnership that has spanned more than three decades and resulted in over 780 community members collaborating across the Pacific.
The visit celebrates a relationship first established by twinning ceremonies in 1992, with ties strengthened through educational, cultural, and business exchanges that continue to enrich both communities.
The delegation of 15 representatives will receive an official greeting at Tyler City Hall on Thursday, March 26 at 8:30 a.m. A welcome ceremony and gift exchange will be led by Mayor Don Warren, members of the Tyler City Council, and City officials.
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HENDERSON – A corrections officer was arrested on March 12 following the discovery of burritos containing tobacco being smuggled into the Bradshaw State Jail. According to an arrest affidavit and our news partner KETK, Investigator Daniel Johnson from the Office of Inspector General responded to the Bradshaw Unit on March 12 after tobacco was reported to be found in a bathroom trash can.
Immediately before locating the contraband, unit staff reported that James Thibodeaux, a correctional officer, was observed exiting the restroom. Investigators were able to make contact with Thibodeaux, who agreed to speak to them. Thibodeaux reportedly admitted to investigators that he received payment to drop burritos containing tobacco into the bathroom trash can, with the intention of an inmate receiving them. Thibodeaux was booked into the Rusk County Jail with the charges of prohibited substance/item in a correctional or civil commitment facility. He had a $15,000 bond and was released two days later.
UPDATE: The deceased truck driver has been identified as Tammy Lee Asher, a 59-year-old female from Beaumont, Texas. Her family has been notified. All lanes of Loop 49 are open. The scene has cleared, and traffic can resume on Loop 49. This case remains under investigation, according to Tyler Police Department Public information Officer Andy Erbaugh.
The crash between two 18-wheelers occurred Wednesday morning when a westbound truck had careened into the eastbound lanes, colliding with another truck head on. The driver of the westbound truck was pronounced deceased on scene. Traffic at Old Jacksonville Highway and Highway 69 is being diverted and drivers are urged to take alternate routes.
QUITMAN – Following a severe water line break, all Quitman ISD campuses released early on WednesdaY, that according to our news partner KETK. The school announced on Wednesday morning that a broken main water line at the elementary campus was being worked on. A maintenance team assessed the situation and found that repairs would not be completed in a timely manner. Buses began their routes at 11:30 a.m, and parents needing to make arrangements for their child should contact the campus’s front office.
WASHINGTON (AP) — Air traffic controllers will use radar, not just visual checks, to ensure that helicopters maintain a safe distance from arriving and departing airplanes in the wake of last year’s fatal midair collision near Washington, D.C., federal officials announced Wednesday.
The Federal Aviation Administration said recent near-misses show that previous guidelines for pilots to maintain visual separation between helicopters and airplanes have failed to provide adequate protection around busy airports.
Under the new guidelines, air traffic controllers must use radar to keep helicopters and airplanes apart by specific lateral or vertical distances. The new requirement applies to more than 150 of the nation’s busiest airports, extending a restriction already put in place at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport.
“Today, we are proactively mitigating risks before they affect the traveling public,” FAA Administrator Bryan Bedford said in a news release. “Following the mid-air collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), we looked at similar operations across the national airspace. We identified an overreliance on pilot ‘see and avoid’ operations that contribute to safety events involving helicopters and airplanes.”
Officials also specifically mentioned a Feb. 27 near-miss in which a police helicopter had to turn to avoid an American Airlines flight that was landing at San Antonio International Airport in Texas. A similar close call happened on March 2, when a helicopter had to turn away from a small aircraft that had been cleared to arrive at California’s Hollywood Burbank Airport, officials said.
The January 2025 collision between an American Airlines jet and an Army Black Hawk helicopter killed 67 people, making it the deadliest plane crash on U.S. soil since 2001. Among other factors contributing to the crash, investigators said controllers in the Reagan tower overly relied on asking pilots to spot aircraft and maintain visual separation.
The night of the crash, the controller approved the Black Hawk’s request to do that twice. However, investigators say the helicopter pilots likely never spotted the American Airlines plane as the jet circled to land on the little-used secondary runway.
Many of the people who died were young figure skaters and their parents and coaches who had just attended a development camp in Wichita, Kansas, after the U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held there.
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SMITH COUNTY – When Smith County Sheriff’s Deputy and K-9 Handler Jose Terrazas retired earlier this month, he requested that his longtime partner, K-9 Lobo, be able to retire too. On Tuesday, Smith County Commissioners Court approved that wish, allowing the 9-year-old Dutch Shepherd who served for nearly eight years to go home and rest easy with his partner.
Deputy Terrazas served the Smith County Sheriff’s Office for 16 years. For the last eight, he has been a K-9 handler with the Criminal Interdiction Unit, along with Lobo. For six years, Lobo was assigned to the Sheriff’s Office SWAT Team. He was responsible for many large narcotics seizures during his career, including a $250,000 cash seizure on Interstate 20, Lt. Hobson said.K-9 dogs typically work for six to eight years. During their service, they are exposed to a variety of high-stress situations.
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