Today is
Friday July 24, 2026
TYLER – 
Tyler Parks and Recreations has extended the deadline for resident feedback on the Tyler Parks, Recreation and Open Space Master Plan online survey until Tuesday, Dec. 31. The survey gathers community input on playgrounds, trails, athletic fields, and other available amenities to improve City parks, recreation areas and open spaces. Feedback on the master plan shapes how the Parks team prioritizes different projects for the next 10 years. Residents are encouraged to complete the survey available at City of Tyler Parks, Recreation and Open Space Survey 2025. All participants will be entered into a raffle for a chance to win an Echo Dot. Read the rest of this entry »
PALESTINE – A retired Anderson County judge who signed death row inmate Robert Roberson’s execution warrant earlier this year has recused herself from his case. According to The Texas Tribune, senior state District Judge Deborah Oakes Evans signed the court filing last Monday. No reason was given for her decision.
“I have not yet been served with this order and do not know anything about what prompted Judge Evans to sign this order soon before Thanksgiving,” Gretchen Sween, Roberson’s attorney, told The Texas Tribune.
Roberson was convicted of capital murder in 2003 for the death of his chronically ill 2-year-old daughter, Nikki Curtis. At his trial, prosecutors accused Roberson of shaking Nikki so violently that she died. But Roberson, who was diagnosed with autism after his conviction, has maintained his innocence.
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TYLER – In honor of Rosa Parks, a seat on each Tyler Transit bus will be reserved for her memory on Monday, Dec. 2. Dec. 1 marks the anniversary of a milestone in the Civil Rights movement. In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat in the colored section of the bus for a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. After refusing the bus driver’s order to move, she was arrested for civil disobedience.
Rosa Parks’ action sparked the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted 381 days until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that racial segregation on public transit systems was unconstitutional. The boycott helped end segregation of public facilities in the United States, and Rosa Parks became known as the “mother of the freedom movement.”
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department said that one person was injured in a shooting Friday night. According to our news partner KETK, the incident happened in North Tyler, at Queen Street and West Gentry Parkway around 9:15 p.m. Tyler PD public information officer Andy Erbaugh said the injury wasn’t life-threatening, but it wasn’t random. The investigation is still running and no information is available on a suspect.
TYLER – The 22nd annual Tyler Turkey Trot 5K and Fun Run was Thanksgiving morning. According to our news partner KETK, the event started with the kids race at 8:30 a.m. And the 5K got it start at 9 a.m. The event started and finished at the Racquet & Jog on S. Broadway Avenue. The Kids’ race started at 8:30 a.m. and the 5K got started at 9 a.m.
Registration for the Turkey Trot included a medal and a commemorative t-shirt. Funds raised will be given to the Promise Academy private Christian school in Tyler.
“We just love being part of the community, we get to see the people come together, it’s fun just organizing it and seeing the fruits of your labor, so it’s just nice to see families come together in a tradition they can partake in,” said Michelle Pena, race organizer with the Tyler Turkey Trot.
KETK’s Chief Meteorologist Carson Vickroy, placed 5th out of 2250 runners in Thursday’s 5K race. To see the full race results click here.
ANGELINA COUNTY — The FBI is asking for the public’s help in identifying potential victims of an East Texas man accused of running a decadelong series of fraudulent investment schemes that targeted individuals across the country. According to our news partner KETK, Matthew Jess Thrash of Lufkin, has been indicted in the Eastern District of Texas for federal violations of wire fraud and money laundering. The FBI believes that Thrash targeted individuals between 2012 through 2024 using several false investment schemes including a fake sports management company, a fake sports memorabilia store and the fraudulent sale of stock in cannabis dispensaries. He reportedly targeted victims throughout Texas, Las Vegas, Shreveport and Tampa.
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MARSHALL — A Marshall man has been arrested for the murder of a relative. According to our news partner KETK, Marshall Police answered a call of a reported stabbing incident Wednesday afternoon, during the lunch hour, near the intersection of Norwood and Randolph Streets. Upon arriving, investigators found out the caller allegedly stabbed a person that was also his relative. 36-year-old Brian Griffin was booked into the Harrison County Jail and charged with murder. MPD said the investigation is continuing.
LINDALE – 
Our news partners at KETK report that experts are predicting record-breaking travel numbers for Thanksgiving and QuikTrip clerk Adam Woodsom is no stranger to the holiday rush that brings an onslaught of travelers to the gas pumps. Woodsom, who works at the Lindale location just off Interstate 20, said this year he’s already seeing more people traveling for Thanksgiving than in year’s past. “Time goes by fast I like being busy,” Woodsom said. “We’ve had a lot more family travel, especially now that winter break has started.” Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The United Way of Smith County will host the fifth annual “Tyler Gives” on Giving Tuesday, December 3rd. Supplemented by a $75,000 matching grant, the online fundraiser addresses local needs by providing dozens of local nonprofits with essential year-end funding. Since its inception on Giving Tuesday in 2020, more than $1-million has been raised through Tyler Gives. The United Way of Smith County and event sponsor Express Employment Professionals provide the $75,000 matching grant and cover all credit card fees from donations during the fundraiser. Beginning at 8 a.m. on December 3rd, the first $50,000 in donations through TylerGives.org will be matched. Another $25,000 will be matched beginning at 2:00 p.m. Donors can select a specific agency to support or choose to support all equally with one gift. Read the rest of this entry »
TROUP – A “Buddy Bag” or a K9 Med Kit is now in the hands of the Troup Police Department to protect their four legged officer. According to our news partner KETK, the Troup Police Department applied for the kit donation through Protection4Paws, a non-profit that donates equipment specifically for K9 officers
Each “Buddy Bag” has an oxygen mask, specialized burn sheets, bandages, gauze and other items designed for a dogs needs. In this case, Troup K9 Officer Cooper.
Troup PD said in a press release, “Officer Jones, along with the Troup Police Department, is deeply committed to the safety and well being of his loyal partner, K9 Officer Cooper, and views the Buddy Bag as an essential tool in ensuring that Cooper is always ready and safe to perform his duties.”
TYLER — Our news partners at KETK report that injuries have been reported following a stairwell collapse at the University of Texas at Tyler. According to the UT Tyler department of marketing and communications, three people were injured at around 12:30 p.m. when the stairwell collapsed. Officials said construction workers were on the scene for a planned demolition, however something went wrong. University officials said the stairwell connects the Hudnall-Pirtle-Roosth Building and Stewart Hall. This is a developing story, KETK will keep you updated as more information becomes available.
CASS COUNTY — Our news partners at KETK report the Cass County Sheriff’s Department issued a missing person alert for a 30-year-old man last seen on Friday. According to a release, Omar Daniel Zambrana Flores was last seen at around 4 a.m. on Friday leaving his residence without a vehicle on CR 2913 in Hughes Springs. Flores is a Hispanic man and is 5 foot 9 inches. Anyone who knows his whereabouts is asked to contact the sheriff’s office at 903-756-7511.
SMITH COUNTY – A Smith County man was given a 20 year prison sentence on Friday after pleading not guilty to a 2023 charge of intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle. According to our news partner KETK, 23-year-old William Chaplinski of Big Sandy, was found guilty in Sept. 2023 fatal head-on crash.
Crash reports from the DPS said Chaplinski crossed the center line in a Nissan Titan in attempts to pass another vehicle when he collided into a Kia Sportage head-on. The driver of the Kia, 42-year-old Harry Collins, III of Tyler, was pronounced dead at the scene. Chaplinski was booked into the Smith County Jail on Sept. 9, 2023 after authorities said he was “determined to be intoxicated at the time of the crash.”
A year later,Chaplinski entered a not guilty plea with the court, for the intoxication manslaughter with a vehicle charge and was found guilty. He will now serve a 20-year sentence in state prison.
TROUP – The Troup Police Department said that the city has reached an agreement with the family of a juvenile who reportedly drew graffiti on a public restroom on Nov. 20. According to our news partner KETK, officials said they identified the juvenile while investigating the vandalized restroom at the city splash pad. Police said the youth was cooperative and remorseful. The city said the family agreed to pay for the cost of cleaning the graffiti.
SMITH COUNTY— A Tyler man has been arrested for murder after a body was discovered that was later ruled as fentanyl overdose. According to our news partner KETK, Smith County Sheriff’s Office was called to a residence on CR 490, between Swan and Lindale. On their arrival, deputies were told the body of Michael Crone was found by a roommate lying on the floor of their residence.
The sheriff’s office said, “During the investigation, deputies observed a small piece of tin foil just inside the sink in the bathroom which contained what appeared to be a partially burned substance. Also located within the same area was a paper rolled which appeared to be utilized as a straw.”
Detectives determined that Crone’s phone was missing and alongside the narcotics found at the residence, led them to believe the phone contained “information regarding his death.” Investigators also felt that the phone was destroyed to hinder the death investigation.
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PANOLA COUNTY – A multi-county box truck pursuit ended Thursday morning when a deputy hit the truck, preventing it from entering a school zone. The Panola County Sheriff’s Office said the driver has been arrested with additional charges expected. According to our news partner KETK, at around 7:19 a.m. the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office notified Panola County Dispatch that a Tatum officer was pursuing a box truck on Highway 149 and was headed toward Panola County.
“The Tatum officer was monitoring traffic on Hwy 149 on the north side of Tatum, when the truck passed him in the oncoming traffic lanes,” the Panola County Sheriff’s Office said.
The sheriff’s office said deputies, constables and Department of Public Safety troopers responded and some joined the pursuit as the truck continued to travel into the oncoming lanes. A constable used his patrol vehicle to hit and disable the truck at around 7:25 a.m. before it entered a nearby Beckville school zone, PCSO said. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The Glass Recreation Center will be closed from Sunday, Nov. 24, through Sunday, Dec.1, for annual maintenance. This includes resurfacing gym courts and repainting interior walls. Classes and programs will resume normal schedules when the center reopens on Monday, Dec. 2, at 7 a.m. For more information, contact the Glass Recreation Center at (903) 595-7271 or at their website.
TYLER – 
The Tyler ISD Board of Trustees held a first reading of the proposed 2025-2026 school calendar during its November regular meeting. Community members can view the proposed calendar and provide input by completing the calendar survey by 4:00 p.m. on Monday, December 2, 2024. Tyler ISD’s calendar development process emphasizes collaboration and inclusivity. According to Chief Communications Officer Jennifer Hines, community feedback plays a pivotal role in shaping a calendar that aligns with the needs and priorities of students, staff, and parents. Read the rest of this entry »
HOUSTON COUNTY – Law enforcement’s preliminary report of a Saturday afternoon accident that led to the death of two East Texas students provides more details. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Department of Public Safety, a preliminary investigation found that around 3:40 p.m. on Saturday, a Ford Fusion was traveling north on Highway 19 and a GMC Terrain was southbound.
“It is reported that the driver of the Ford traveled off the road to the right and overcorrected the maneuver back to the left, which caused the Ford to travel into a side skid into the southbound lane where it was struck by the GMC.” DPS said.
The driver of the Ford was identified at 17-year-old Carter Snider of Hawkins. Carter was taken to a hospital where he later died. A 16-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the accident site. Another passenger in that vehicle is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The driver and passenger of the GMC, both 60-years-old were also hospitalized, the DPS report said.
Update: Authorities said a convicted murderer who was charged on Monday in connection to a fatal house fire, allege that he threw gasoline on his girlfriend the day he was supposed to be evicted. Tuesday, officials identified the victim as Marilyn Mceachin.
TYLER — Tyler Police have made an arrest in connection to a Monday morning house fire in which a woman was found dead. According to our news partner KETK, 67-year-old Gregory Bargaineer allegedly walked into the Smith County Jail lobby and “made statements about an incident with a female at their residence on Shady Trail.”
Investigators report that fire crews were sent to a house fire at 3300 Shady Trail and Bradshaw Drive around 4:00 a.m. Crew members found a woman’s body in back of the house. Her body has been sent for autopsy with identity release pending that report. Evidence gathered by Tyler PD during interviews led to Bargaineer’s arrest. He is has been charged with murder and held on a $750,000 bond.
TYLER – Kerry Max Cook was found innocent of the 1977 murder of Linda Jo Edwards back in June and now he’s suing Smith County and the City of Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, the allegations of his lawsuit are listed in a complaint filed by Cook’s lawyers Nov. 14. The complaint alleges that the City of Tyler, Smith County and several named officials violated his civil rights by engaging in a “homosexual witch-hunt” which led to him spending 20 years on death row for a crime he’s been found innocent of by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Cook stated in the release, “For over 20 years I fought for my life from a death row cell,” Cook said in a press release. “After being kicked out the back door of Smith County’s legal system in 1999, I fought for another 25 years to clear me and my family’s name. This year, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals finally declared me ‘actually innocent,’ but my struggle does not end there. Today, I am pressing forward with a civil suit against the officers who framed me and against the broken Tyler and Smith County police agencies that let it happen.”
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SEVEN POINTS – 
UPDATE: KETK reports the missing man has been found.
Our news partners at KETK report the Texas Department of Public Safety has issued a Silver Alert for a 79-year-old man who was last seen in Seven Points on Saturday. Jesse Goode, is 79-years-old has gray hair, blue eyes, weighs 217 pounds and is 5’10”. He was last seen at 4 p.m. on Saturday in the 400 block of Nob Hill Lane near Cedar Creek Reservoir and Seven Points in Henderson County. A suspected vehicle to look out for is a white 1995 Ford F-150 with the license plate number: STH2454. The Silver Alert added that the truck has a small crane in the bed to lift a scooter. Anyone who sees Goode is asked to call 911 and Seven Points Police Department can be contacted at 903-423-2111 to report any other information.
TYLER –
Our KETK news partners report that Big Sandy and Hawkins ISD are in mourning after each district lost a student in a fatal crash on Saturday. “Big Sandy ISD is sad to learn of the passing of a member of our Wildcat family yesterday in a car accident. The district extends its deepest condolences to his family and to our many students who were friends with him and loved him.” Hawkins ISD also posted about losing one of their students in a fatal crash they said has impacted both communities. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – 
13 East Texas hospitals have been given “A” safety ratings for the Fall of 2024, that’s up two from 11 A ratings in the Spring of 2024. The ratings are reported twice a year by the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit that studies hospitals from across the country. They study hospitals for their numbers of errors, injuries, accidents and infections and rate them on a scale from A to F, with A being the safest. Our news partners at KETK have put together the following list of Fall 2024 ratings for East Texas hospitals: Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – 
What: Starting Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Saturday, Nov. 23, the northbound lane on Broadway Avenue near the Chamber of Commerce, located at 315 N. Broadway Ave., will be closed daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for roof work. Motorists are encouraged to drive with care in the area.
Where: Broadway Avenue near 315 N. Broadway Ave.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Saturday, Nov. 23 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
What: Starting Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Tuesday, Nov. 26, North Bois D’Arc Avenue from West Wilson Street and West Bow Street will be closed. Detours will be in place and motorists are encouraged to drive with care in the area.
Where: North Bois D’Arc Avenue from West Wilson Street and West Bow Street
When: Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Tuesday, Nov. 26
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Update: Our news partner KETK provided this late Friday night. Misty Head, wife of singer Sundance Head, said the singer remains in good spirits and there was no internal damage. Sundance was reportedly at his ranch hunting when the incident occurred.
“He was out of the vehicle reaching in to grab his [gun], when he grabbed it the [gun] came out of its holster and hit the exterior of the Jeep just right and went off. Sundance said it happened so fast and he could see the bullet dislodging,” the post said.
Sundance allegedly did not call 911, when attempting to reach for his phone after getting hit, the phone was covered in blood and took off down the driveway to the main road to flag someone for help.
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TYLER — A 70-year-old man from California is now behind bars for the sexual assault of an Irving woman. The man was busted in Tyler. Irving police say Patrick Hoversten was caught on camera pushing his way into a business and forcing a woman into a back room to sexually assault her. Hoversten is a truck driver from Sonoma, California. Public records show the suspect has a lengthy criminal history dating back to 1975, including multiple felony charges and a charge for indecent exposure, which he spent time in prison for since it was a repeat offense. Hoversten is facing aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault charges
TYLER – 
A Longview woman has been sentenced to federal prison for distributing fentanyl resulting in death in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs. Rebecca Diane Merkel, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute fentanyl and was sentenced to 240 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle. According to information presented in Court, Merkel operated what was known to drug users as the “Walmart of drugs” out of her residence located on Williams Street in Longview. There, she and her co-defendants sold various illegal narcotics, including methamphetamine and pills laced with fentanyl, in exchange for money, stolen goods, and firearms. Merkel’s customers included street-level dealers in Gregg, Rusk, and Panola counties. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON – Trey Pinnell of Henderson, and a 2024 graduate of Henderson High School, had high hopes of winning at this years National FFA Convention. According to our news partner KETK, Trey had an invention he thought could be a winner. Baling pine straw, packaging it and selling it as mulching material.
The convention ran from Oct. 23 through Oct. 26 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana. The purpose of the convention is to help students develop career and college leadership skills to bring back to their local FFA chapter. Pinnell took to the stage with three other team members on Oct. 25 with high hopes of winning.
“Being on that stage in front of that many people is something I’ll never forget. I was really nervous, obviously a lot of people out there. When I heard my name, I kind of looked at my [agriculture] teacher, I couldn’t really believe it.†Pinnell said.
Trey, a 2024 Henderson High School graduate, became the first person in school history to have won a national FFA title.
TYLER – 
The City of Tyler is taking action to tackle erosion problems caused by two tributaries of West Mud Creek near the Glenwood Church of Christ. On November 13, the City Council approved a contract for erosion remediation work for $3,388,043 with Baker & Company Construction, LLC. This project aims to stabilize and protect the channel bottom and banks of Tributary A and Tributary A-1, ensuring the safety of public and private properties in the area. Read the rest of this entry »