Today is
Friday June 05, 2026
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HENDERSON COUNTY – The Henderson Sheriff’s Office has confirmed two have died in a plane crash near Echo Lake early Wednesday evening. According to our news partner KETK, Chip Crist, a cattle owner near the crash site, said the plane, which had left Florida, refueled in Nacogoches before attempting to continue its flight. Along with fire and police units at the scene, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Federal Aviation Administration are also there.
LONGVIEW — A man was found guilty on Wednesday for a dog attack that killed a person in February 2024 in Longview. According to our news partner KETK, a district court jury in Longview found Martin Rodriguez guilty of a second-degree felony for a fatal dog attack, after he pleaded not guilty on Tuesday. The attack happened early Feb. 1, 2024, the Longview Police Department responded to a report of a bicycle on a roadway in the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Rayburn Drive area.
Officers found 46-year-old Kenneth Pierson deceased with dog bite wounds along with the bicycle. Following an investigation and an autopsy, the police department obtained an arrest warrant for Rodriguez. Multiple dogs were taken from his home and he was arrested and booked into the Gregg County Jail for animals at large charges. Rodriquez could face up to 20 years in prison for the verdict. Pierson’s mother has filed a lawsuit against Rodriquez, the City of Longview, Zachary Decker and Decker Properties on behalf of her son.
UPDATE: I-20 has reopened and traffic flow has returned to normal, according to the Marshall Police Department.
MARSHALL – Interstate 20 westbound through the City of Marshall is currently shut down following an accident involving an 18-wheeler. According to the Marshall Police Department, traffic is being rerouted off I-20 onto US 59 North, then directed over to State Highway 43 South. This detour is creating significant traffic backups and delays in the area.
Motorists are strongly encouraged to avoid the area if possible and plan alternate routes.Drivers who must travel through the area should anticipate slowdowns, use caution, and remain patient and courteous to other motorists.The closure and rerouting are expected to remain in effect until approximately 6:00 p.m.
TYLER – The City is taking a steady approach to planning permanent repairs on a drainage culvert along East Elm Street, following the discovery of damage. On Wednesday, Feb. 11, the City Council approved two contracts to assess the extent of the damage and began planning repairs to protect nearby buildings and public infrastructure.
On Nov. 10, of last year, the City discovered that a section of a stormwater box culvert along Elm Street, between Broadway Avenue and Spring Avenue, had collapsed. This led to a large washout/void behind the culvert, leaving the culvert’s roof unsupported and in distress. Emergency shoring was installed within the culvert that month to prevent further collapse and soil washout. The box culvert is 90 to 100 years old or older and contains damaged areas beyond the collapsed section that require repair or replacement.
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TYLER — Temple Grandin, a prominent autism advocate and leader in the cattle industry, will appear at several Tyler Junior College events this month. Grandin is widely known for her work in animal welfare and autism awareness. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, she was diagnosed with autism at age 2. She experienced challenges with speech and social interaction early in life but developed a strong interest in reducing stress in livestock. Her ideas were initially met with skepticism in the cattle industry, but they later transformed cattle handling and housing practices across the United States. Grandin went on to become an influential voice in autism advocacy.
Her life and work inspired the 2010 biographical film Temple Grandin. Read the rest of this entry »
GREGG COUNTY — A house was said to be total loss following a fire on Saturday night in Gregg County, according to Fire Marshal Brian Russell. The Kilgore Fire Department responded around 10:15 p.m. to assist Sabine Fire & Rescue with a large house fire on Harvey Road in the Liberty City area near Kilgore. Russell confirmed Tuesday that no injuries were reported and said the home was a total loss. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.
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LUFKIN — 
A Lufkin resident claimed a top prize winning ticket worth $1 million in the Texas Lottery® scratch ticket game 500X. The ticket was purchased at Kwick Korner Food Mart, located at 203 S. Timberland Drive, in Lufkin. The claimant elected to remain anonymous. For selling the prize winning ticket, the retailer may be eligible for a $10,000 bonus under the Texas Lottery’s Retailer Bonus Program. This was the 13th of 15 top prizes worth $1 million to be claimed in this game. 500X offers more than $229 million in total prizes. Overall odds of winning any prize in the game are one in 3.36, including break-even prizes.
TYLER – 
UT Tyler researchers recently conducted a study to see if health patterns in East Texas aligned with pre-COVID-19 data and they found that East Texans have a shorter expected lifespan than most Texans, according to our news partners at KETK. Research analyst Manuel Reyes and his team at the Hibbs Institute for Business and Economic Research took a look at 23 East Texas counties and found the average life span in this region is 75, which is four years less than the state average. Read the rest of this entry »
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SMITH COUNTY – A grass fire burned an out building, a chicken coop and several vehicles at a residence near Lindale in Smith County on Friday. According to officials and our news partner KETK, firefighters were first sent to County Road 448 early Friday afternoon for a reported grass fire threatening buildings. The Van Fire Department, the Lindale Fire Department, the Mineola Fire Department and the Grand Saline Fire Department all responded to the scene with Smith County Emergency Services District 2.
Firefighters at the scene stopped the fire’s progression and started mopping up any spot fires before any residences were damaged. One family lost an out building, several nearby vehicles and a chicken coop. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation by the Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office.
Officials said Smith County isn’t currently under a burn ban but residents should take caution and avoid burning because of wind gusts and low relative humidity. The Texas A&M Forest Service said they’ve responded to eight fires from across East Texas on Friday.
PITTSBURG — A house fire in Pittsburg left one person dead on Sunday and an investigation is underway. The Pittsburg fire and police departments, along with the Camp County EMS and sheriff’s office, responded to a residential structure fire at Quitman Street on Sunday, Feb. 1. One person was trapped in the residence, according to our news partner KETK and fire chief Wesley Kizer. Upon arrival, fire crews located an adult male and retrieved him from the structure. The person was transported by EMS to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. According to Kizer, the cause of the fire is under investigation.
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