Today is
Tuesday July 21, 2026
LONGVIEW – The newest member of the Longview City Council took his oath of office on Thursday evening. According to our news partner KETK, Brandon Smith, who was elected earlier this month to represent District 3, was sworn into office during the Longview City Council Meeting.
District 3 covers the southeastern part of the city from Interstate 20 to north of Highway 80, including neighborhoods along Highway 259.
During Thursday night’s council meeting, Smith said he wants to focus on repairing roads and youth programs and emphasized that he is ready to work for the people in the district.
“We have to work together and we have to do what we are called to do,” Smith said. “We have to be responsible and make the right decisions for the City of Longview and for every citizen in Longview.”
GUN BARREL – Gun Barrel City has named its new interim city manager on Friday as they continue their nationwide search to find someone to permanently fill the position.
According to our news partner KETK, city officials say as the search continues, Steven Norwood will begin serving in the interim role immediately and assist the City’s Economic Development Corporation (EDC) operations until a permanent EDC Director is hired.
“Mr. Norwood has more than three decades of experience in municipal government, having served in leadership positions across Texas, including as City Manager in multiple communities,” Gun Barrel City officials said. “Throughout his career, he has overseen municipal operations, economic development initiatives, infrastructure projects, strategic planning, budgeting, and organizational leadership.”
The city said Norwood’s appointment was made to ensure continuity of services while officials continue their search for a permanent city manager. The city manager and EDC director positions are expected to be filled in the upcoming months.
MARSHALL – Police in Marshall are investigating an early Saturday morning shooting that left two people dead and two others injured at a Marshall Whataburger.
The Marshall Police Department said officers responded to the Whataburger on Victory Drive at around 1:50 a.m. when a 911 call was received reporting a shooting at the location. When officers arrived, they found multiple people suffering from gunshot wounds in the parking lot. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Old Bascom Road will remain closed while crews complete drainage repairs and prepare for a full road reconstruction project. The road has been closed since May 22 while crews replace collapsed tin culverts with new concrete box culverts. The ongoing culvert replacement is expected to take about three more weeks.
During the replacement work, it was determined that Old Bascom Road must be reconstructed before reopening. Once the culvert work is complete, the City has contracted Reynolds & Kay to begin the rehabilitation project. Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN – A man was arrested on Wednesday after he allegedly beat and strangled a person at a motel in Lufkin.According to our news partner KETK and the Lufkin Police Department, 41-year-old Javier Dejesus Martinez, was arrested after detectives learned he strangled and struck a victim in a local motel on Tuesday.
Then on Wednesday, the victim reportedly went to work at a convenience store on U.S. Highway 69. The victim was planning to leave Martinez and had already put their belongings in their vehicle.
Martinez worked at a convenient store nearby and had seen the victim in the parking lot. Lufkin PD reported that after seeing the victim on Wednesday, Martinez repeatedly struck them with a closed fist, knocked them to the ground and dragged them on the pavement.
“Witnesses took photos of the incident but told Sheriff’s deputies that Martinez threatened to kill anyone who called the police and he said he was not afraid of the police or confrontation,” a Lufkin Police Department detective said.
Martinez then left the convenience store property in the victim’s vehicle and witnesses contacted the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office. Lufkin PD detectives became involved after the victim told deputies about the violence at the motel.
A detective with Lufkin PD found the victim at local hospital on Wednesday and set up a violence exam at Harold’s House, where their new and older wounds were documented.
The detective was able to secure a warrant for Martinez’s arrest in connection to the motel beating on Wednesday and they also discussed the case with Lufkin PD patrol officers.
At around 11 p.m. on Wednesday night, Lufkin PD officers were patrolling the city when they saw Martinez walking on north Timberland Drive. Martinez was arrested without incident and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Martinez is currently being held in Angelina County Jail on a $500,000 bond for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and has received an additional charge from the Sheriff’s Department for continuous violence against the family with no bond.
AUSTIN (AP) — The Texas education board on Friday approved a required reading list for more than 5 million public school students that includes Bible passages, widening conservative efforts to push Christian teachings in U.S. classrooms.
The Texas State Board of Education, which is controlled by Republicans, approved the list of over critics who argued the titles lack diversity and blur the separation of church and state enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Supporters say Judeo-Christian traditions were fundamental to the nation’s founding and that should be reflected in the public school curriculum.
The proposal, which mandates literary works such as Charles Dickens’ “Great Expectations” alongside passages from the New Testament, has been closely followed by education observers who say it appears to be the first of its kind in the nation. It is a departure from letting schools or teachers decide what students read.
The rollout will be staggered, starting with elementary school students in 2030.
Texas, which educates roughly 1 in 10 of the nation’s public school students, has been at the forefront of a charge by conservatives to incorporate more religion into classrooms. The state also allows public schools to hire chaplains to counsel students, mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in classrooms and has approved an optional Bible-infused curriculum.
A focus on Christianity
Critics say the reading list lacks diversity, blurs the separation of church and state that is enshrined in the Constitution and leaves teachers and students with little room to decide what to read.
“Kids of all faith backgrounds and no faith are served by Texas schools and they should all feel welcome in Texas schools,” said Elva Mendoza, legislative communications associate for the progressive Texas Freedom Network. “But this is sending the message to children that one and only one religious text — a Christian one — is worthy of making this required reading list.”
Others have applauded the possibility of mandated Christian religious reading in public schools. Brooke Mazel, a retiree from Lubbock, encouraged the board to adopt biblical materials, saying her children and grandchildren grew up with “strong faith and family values.”
“America should celebrate our 250 years that started as a nation of unwavering Christian values,” Mazel said.
The board is also set to vote Friday on a social studies curriculum that links Bible stories with American history.
Texas may be a trailblazer
A state law passed in 2023 required a mandatory list of at least one literary work be taught in each grade level. The proposed new list contains around 200 texts, including Bible passages, essays and books, far in excess of that requirement.
Antero Garcia, president of the National Council of Teachers of English and a Stanford University professor, said he doesn’t know of any other state with a mandatory reading list that includes religious texts. Educators at the district and school level usually choose the texts their students will read, Garcia said.
Kasey Meehan, director of PEN America’s Freedom to Read program, agrees the move is “unique” to Texas.
Picture-book stories for elementary students including “David and Goliath” and “Daniel and the Lion’s Den” are on the required reading list. By fourth grade, students would encounter passages about Jesus in the New Testament.
By middle school, students would be expected to read several passages about Jesus, including passages from his most famous sermon, and another where he instructs people to cast aside earthly anxiety and seek the kingdom of God.
For high schoolers, the list requires the reading of specific Bible passages as supportive materials for literary works including works by Dickens and Jane Austen’s “Pride and Prejudice.”
Holding diversity in check
Such strict requirements amount to “almost de facto censorship,” Meehan said, comparing the list to book bans.
“It certainly leans ideologically more conservative,” she said. “It excludes a lot of diverse voices from the reading list.”
The list mandates that students reading Shakespeare’s “The Tragedy of Julius Caesar” also read a eulogy for President Ronald Reagan written by former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, a staunch conservative.
Frank Strong, an English and journalism teacher and co-founder of the student advocacy group Texas Freedom to Read, said diversity is not only important for students needing to see themselves in what they read but also as a way to learn about different cultures.
Many of the books on the reading list are not controversial, but Mendoza asks why books like “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom” need to be required for kindergartners.
“Can’t our kindergarten teachers be trusted to choose board books?” Mendoza asks.
AUSTIN (THE TEXAS TRIBUNE) – The Texas Supreme Court on Friday rejected an appeal by Robb Elementary students and teachers who argued failures by the Department of Public Safety and Uvalde County contributed to a botched response to the 2022 shooting that killed 19 students and two teachers.
The court’s order, issued without comment, upheld a February ruling by the San Antonio-based 4th Court of Appeals that dismissed the lawsuit.
DPS and the county were sued for negligence by five teachers and 20 students who were at the school but not in the classrooms where the shootings occurred.
“Most were barricaded in nearby classrooms and could hear the gunfire, and some saw the shooter as he moved through the campus. The shooter also fired into the windows of at least one of the classrooms where the appellants were located,” the appeals court noted. “Several appellants lost friends and cousins in the shooting, and others were physically injured during the evacuation. All were traumatized.”
The lawsuit argued that DPS and Uvalde County failed to protect students and teachers — an allegation, the court acknowledged, “we quite frankly cannot disagree with.”
Even so, the appeals court said, their lawsuit argued that DPS and the county acted negligently under the Texas Tort Claims Act — a law that did not apply to their claims.
Students and teachers alleged that law enforcement officers failed to use their communication equipment and protective gear as they waited more than an hour to intervene and protect those inside the elementary school.
They also alleged that responders used “defective operational equipment in a manner that delayed rescue causing distinct injury,” because radios could be used only within a 10-foot radius of the building.
Students and teachers were injured “not only by the shooter’s conduct, but also by the delayed rescue itself,” the lawsuit said.
The appeals court ruled that under the Tort Claims Act, students and teachers had to show the “use of the property must have actually caused the plaintiff’s injury.”
The lawsuit did not present evidence that properly functioning radios would have minimized or eliminated the delay in the rescue, the court ruled.
In addition, many of the lawsuit’s claims revolved around law enforcement’s failure to use body armor, shields, firearms and protective gear. However, “it is well-established that non-use of property” does not waive the county’s and the Department of Public Safety’s immunity from lawsuits under the tort act, the appeals court ruled.
“As judges, we are bound by the maxim that ‘the waiver of governmental immunity is a matter addressed to the Legislature, not the courts,’” the opinion said.
To find the original article, go to The Texas Tribune.
UPDATE: Emiliano Lorenzo Alonzo Ebanez was taken into custody at around 5:41 p.m. on Wednesday, the Jacksonville Police Department said. He is currently in the Cherokee County Jail, according to our news partner KETK.
JACKSONVILLE — Three men were hospitalized after two separate shootings began in Jacksonville on Sunday night.
The Jacksonville Police Department received several 911 calls on Sunday at around 9:35 p.m. of a shooting in the area of Lincoln Park near MB Davis Boulevard and Holloway Street. When officers arrived, they found three men suffering from gunshot wounds.
All three victims were transported to local hospitals, where they remain in stable condition, according to police.
As officers worked the scene and attempted move away a large crowd, additional 911 calls came in at around 10:10 p.m. reporting a second shooting. This incident occurred outside the 7-Eleven at 202 North Jackson Street, where another crowd had gathered.
Detectives are actively investigating both shootings and are working to identify everyone involved. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Jacksonville Police Department at 903-586-2546.
CANTON – As a contractor works to repair a sewer main over the next two weeks, the City of Canton is advising drivers to be wary while traveling along Highway 19 and Dealers Row.
According to our news partner KETK and the city, while traveling through Highway 19, drivers should expect traffic devices set up through the work zone as repair crews work along the east shoulder and the west side of Highway 19. The work will also cause brief delays as drivers pass, an estimated one to five minutes.
Construction is expected to last one to two weeks, but it should not affect First Monday as all work and equipment will be cleared during the event.
SMITH COUNTY – On June 11, Deputies with the Smith County Sheriff’s Office responded to County Road 390, near the Old Kilgore Highway in Tyler, after receiving reports of a deceased dog found inside a metal crate on the property.
Upon arrival, deputies made contact with one of the residents, who reported that two deceased dogs and two living dogs were inside dog crates. Deputies were guided to the location of the crates, where they confirmed two deceased dogs and one severely malnourished, maggot infested dog.
The resident stated that the dogs were strays she and her mother had cared for over the past year but had recently stopped caring for. She admitted the dogs had been confined without reasonable access to food or water.
When investigators arrived on scene, met with deputies, and contacted Animal Control. Animal Control took custody of the two surviving dogs and transported them for emergency medical treatment. Unfortunately, one of the rescued dogs later died due to the severity of the neglect. Read the rest of this entry »
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TYLER – The Tyler Chamber of Commerce convened local developers, engineers and government officials on Tuesday for a briefing on proposed revisions to the federal Waters of the United States regulations that could significantly reshape how water resources are managed across Texas.
The session focused on emerging federal guidance and the potential ripple effects for water quality, permitting and land-use planning at the state and municipal levels.
The proposed updates follow a 2023 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that narrowed the definition of federally protected waters. In response, federal agencies are revising their rules, a move that could transfer substantial regulatory authority from Washington to state and local governments.
ANGELINA COUNTY (KETK) — A Lufkin man was pronounced dead on Monday afternoon after his vehicle reportedly drove off U.S. Highway 59 and into the Neches River, officials said.
According to a preliminary report from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the crash occurred at around 1:43 p.m. near the Polk and Angelina County line. A 2022 Ford Bronco was traveling north on the highway before reportedly traveling off the road, down an embankment and into the Neches River.
DPS identified the driver as 71-year-old Theodore Fajen III of Lufkin, who was pronounced dead on the scene by a justice of the peace.
The investigation remains ongoing and no information is available at this time, DPS said.
TYLER – The push to modernize the Water Business Office came from our customers. Over the past several years, utility customers have asked for more payment options, better account information, and tools that make managing utility accounts easier. On Wednesday, June 24, the City of Tyler took another step toward those goals when the new utility payment system went live.
The new payment provider, Invoice Cloud, introduces several expanded features designed to give people more flexibility in how they pay and manage their accounts.
Anyone currently enrolled in autopay will need to re-enroll in the new system. Read the rest of this entry »
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks rose on Wall Street Wednesday as falling bond yields and lower oil prices helped ease pressure on the market.
The S&P 500 climbed 0.8%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 432 points, or 0.8%, as of 11:03 a.m. Eastern. The Nasdaq composite rose 0.9%.
Technology stocks were gaining ground after two days of losses that weighed on the market. That helped push indexes higher as gains broadened out to other sectors, including retailers and industrial companies.
Apple rose 1%, Amazon jumped 3% and Caterpillar rose 1.6%.
Nvidia rose 0.6% following a 4.1% drop on Tuesday. Micron Technology, which reports its latest results later Wednesday, fell 0.4% following its 13.2% plunge on Tuesday.
Google’s parent company Alphabet rose 1.8%. The company is replacing Verizon in the Dow on Monday. Alphabet will become the fifth Magnificent 7 company to join the index. The others are Apple, Amazon, Microsoft and Nvidia.
Big Tech companies, especially those focused on artificial intelligence, have pricey values that give them more sway over the market’s broader direction. That was the case on Tuesday when sharp losses for a few valuable tech companies pulled the market lower.
Oil prices continued slipping as the U.S. and Iran negotiate a possible end to their war. Brent crude, the international standard, fell 4.2% to $73.58 a barrel. It has been trading below $80 in recent days but is still above the roughly $70 per barrel it was trading at in late February before the war began. U.S. crude prices fell 4.6% to $69.85 a barrel.
Oil companies lagged the market. Exxon Mobil fell 2.7% and Chevron lost 2.8%.
Some of the bigger winners on Wall Street included homebuilders following approval of legislation beneficial to the industry. KB Home surged 16.4% and D.R. Horton jumped 7.8%.
Treasury yields mostly fell, removing more pressure from stocks. The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.41% from 4.50% late Tuesday. The yield on the 2-year Treasury eased to 4.15% from 4.16%.
Treasury yields are still elevated from earlier in the year, especially the 2-year Treasury, which more closely tracks anticipated action from the Federal Reserve. The central bank has signaled that it is considering raising its benchmark interest rate by the end of the year. Wall Street is forecasting at least one hike to interest rates by December, according to data from CME Group.
The Fed is worried about stubborn inflation, which had been rising throughout the year as tariffs raised the costs for a wide range of goods. A shock to energy prices because of the U.S. war with Iran worsened inflation. Gasoline prices surged and shipping costs rose. The impact is expected to linger even as oil and gasoline prices fall.
The central bank will get a fresh update on inflation Thursday, when its preferred measure for prices is released. Economists expect it to show that prices rose 4.1% in May, which would be the highest level in three years.
Gold prices fell 3%, and at one point slipped below $4,000 an ounce. Gold was above $5,000 an ounce earlier in the year. The precious metal is often seen as a barometer of the appetite for risk among investors, with more buying at times of increased anxiety and more selling as anxiety eases.
Markets were mixed in Europe and Asia.
TYLER – Keep the momentum. Build for the future. That’s the message Stuart Hene carried throughout his campaign, and it’s the trajectory he plans to continue as he steps into his new role as Tyler’s mayor.
On Wednesday, June 24, elected Mayor Stuart Hene was sworn into office for the 2026-2028 term. He brings 5 years of experience serving as the District 1 councilmember from 2021 to 2026, demonstrating a strong commitment to public service and the Tyler community.
Throughout his campaign, Hene emphasized the importance of building on the foundation created by City improvement projects. His goals include: Investing in infrastructure and public safety. Strengthening neighborhoods and housing. And, building opportunities for the community and maintaining the quality of life.
Hene plans to accomplish his vision for a better Tyler by continuing collaboration between council members, City employees, and all of his constituents. Read the rest of this entry »
DETROIT (AP) – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is retreating from a plan to use warehouses to hold up to 10,000 people on a single site, jettisoning a key piece of former Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s $38-billion plan to rapidly expand detention capacity this year.
The federal government, which was sued by Michigan and a Detroit suburb, informed a judge Monday that a warehouse purchased in Romulus will be sold. Plans also are unraveling in Social Circle, Georgia, and the El Paso suburb of Socorro, local officials said.
The three cities are among 11 where the federal government spent a combined $1.074 billion on warehouses.
The New York Times first reported last week that federal immigration officials now plan to get rid of seven of the 11 warehouses — either giving them to other federal agencies or selling them outright.
DHS didn’t confirm the reports but said in a statement that it is “moving swiftly to utilize EXISTING detention space with our state and county partners.”
Pushback to warehouse purchases was immediate
“Wildly foolhardy” is how Claire Trickler-McNulty, a former ICE official under the Obama, Trump and Biden administrations described the plans to convert the buildings into immigrant detention.
One issue was that Noem’s purchases were largely carried out of public view and angered communities that were caught by surprise. Some only learned about ICE’s ambitions after the agency bought or leased space for detainees.
After Noem was fired, her replacement, Markwayne Mullin, quickly paused the purchase of new warehouses.
Objections came from Republicans and Democrats alike
Some were opposed on moral grounds to ICE’s presence in their neighborhoods, while others questioned whether the facilities would be a drain on local resources, such as sewer and water systems.
Seven federal lawsuits were filed, and regulatory roadblocks created hassles elsewhere.
Meanwhile, questions about how much DHS paid for some warehouses triggered an internal audit. The agency shelled out double what the New Jersey warehouse was valued at in tax records and nearly five times more than the assessed value of the Social Circle warehouse.
Trickler-McNulty, the former ICE official, said ICE does have a few facilities that it owns that it inherited from its predecessor agency, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, but generally ICE has contracted out its detention needs.
“Facilities over 2,000 people just break down. It’s very hard to run a very big facility, to keep it staffed, to keep all of it moving,” she said.
Former head of plumbing business takes over for Noem
Mullin, who took over and expanded his family’s plumbing business before representing Oklahoma in the U.S House and Senate, acknowledged there had been issues at his confirmation hearing.
He noted that most municipalities don’t have the capacity in their infrastructure for waste and water.
Indeed the water issues were such a challenge that a federal lawsuit filed over the Salt Lake City warehouse, the costliest purchased at $145.4 million, said ICE officials told the mayor that they might need to truck water and sewage from the facility as an “interim solution.”
Plans begin to unravel
The New York Times story, which cited internal documents that the newspaper obtained, said the Salt Lake City warehouse is among those that federal immigration officials plans to hand off or sell. Also on the list is the Romulus warehouse, as well as one in New Jersey and two each in Georgia and Pennsylvania.
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said it would have been an “abomination” if the 249,000-square-foot Romulus warehouse was transformed into immigrant detention, as was planned when it was purchased for $34.7 million,
“The ICE warehouse proposal was every bit as ill-conceived as it was cruel and unnecessary, and I am relieved that this chapter is coming to a close,” Nessel, a Democrat, said.
Social Circle, Georgia, announced last week in a statement that it has received notification from U.S. Rep. Mike Collins, a Republican, that the Department of Homeland Security is no longer pursuing an ICE detention facility there.
Meanwhile, acting ICE Director David Venturella told officials in the El Paso area during a visit there earlier this month that the agency has changed its plans for three warehouses it purchased in nearby Socorro for $122 million, said Rep. Veronica Escobar, who was present for the visit.
Escobar, a Democrat who represents El Paso, said during a news conference that ICE no longer plans to detain up to 8,500 immigrants in the facilities as originally envisioned, and instead will convert the property into an ICE campus, she said. The site will include an unspecified smaller number of detainees but also ICE offices and training space, she said.
Frustrations persist as communities seek details
However, many of the communities remained frustrated, as they struggled to get information about possible sales.
In Pennsylvania, state and local officials said Tuesday that they hadn’t received any new information from DHS about two warehouses bought earlier this year by the department. Both are being held up by the state’s denial of permits over concerns that drinking water and sewer service are inadequate to handle thousands of inhabitants.
U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser, whose district includes both warehouses, said he met Friday with DHS personnel, but that the agency hadn’t made a decision whether to use them as detention centers or sell them.
In Georgia, the city manager in Oakwood, said Tuesday he is talking to his state congressional delegation, trying to confirm rumors that a warehouse there will be sold. “I have not heard anything yet,” B.R. White said.
Work appears to continue on other warehouses
In Maryland, where a judge extended a stoppage on transforming a sprawling warehouse into a processing facility for immigrants, ICE is currently collecting public comments about the environmental impacts of the facility. And an announcement earlier this month disclosed more details on plans for the facility, including six secure recreation yards.
Patrick Dattilio, the founder of Hagerstown Rapid Response, which formed in opposition to housing ICE detainees in the warehouse, said there has been little communication outside of the lawsuit. But he remains committed to keeping it from opening.
“It’s a big warehouse,” Dattilio said. “It’s not meant for people.”
MINEOLA – Ahead of wildfire season, Anheuser-Busch, delivered over 1.5 million cans of emergency drinking water to volunteer fire departments across the country, including several in East Texas.
The donations provide volunteer firefighters with vital resources during wildfire season as their resources are often restricted due to limited department budgets.
“Anheuser-Busch is proud to periodically pause brewing beer at several of our breweries in order to produce clean emergency drinking water that is then provided to volunteer firefighters across the country,” External Affairs Officer Cesar Vargas said. “Our partnership with the National Volunteer Fire Council to support front-line first responders builds on our 100-year legacy of being there to support our communities when natural disasters strike.” Read the rest of this entry »
POLK COUNTY (KETK) — After a two week trial, a Polk County jury has found David Stimmell guilty of murder on Friday in connection to a 2024 shooting in Onalaska that left one person dead and two injured.
On Jan. 2, 2024, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office responded to a shooting in the Kickapoo Marina subdivision. Upon arrival, detectives then located and identified a dead male at the residence, identified as 50-year-old James McClanahan.
Detectives later found and identified another person injured and Stimmell, who had gunshot wounds. Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives and Texas Rangers were able to locate several witnesses who identified many involved parties. Following an investigation, Stimmell was booked into the Polk County Jail and charged with murder, tampering with evidence and violation of protective order with a bond totaling over $1 million.
During the trial this month, evidence presented established that a confrontation at the residence had occurred, which escalated into the deadly shooting, the Polk County District Attorney’s Office said.
“Multiple witnesses testified regarding the events leading up to the shooting and the actions that occurred during the incident,” the DA’s office said. “The jury heard testimony from eyewitnesses, law enforcement officers and other expert witnesses as the State presented evidence detailing the circumstances surrounding the offense.”
On Tuesday, the DA’s office announced that Stimmell had been convicted of murder in the death of McClanahan.
“The successful prosecution of this case reflects the teamwork, dedication, and professionalism of all law enforcement involved, including the investigators, prosecutors, paralegals, and victim assistance staff who worked tirelessly to seek justice for James McClanahan and his loved ones,” Polk County Criminal District Attorney Shelly Sitton said. “The District Attorney’s office joined by the Polk County Sheriff’s Office remains committed to holding violent offenders accountable and ensuring the safety of our community.”
SMITH COUNTY – Smith County Animal Control is seeking the public’s help in identifying a person who recently abandoned multiple puppies in front of a community office near Lake Palestine. According to our news partner KETK, the Smith County Animal Control said the individual who unloaded the puppies from his truck and left them in front of their office on Saturday.
Smith County was able to obtain video of the person dumping the pupies and is asking anyone who regonizes the person or their truck to call animal control at (903)-266-4303.
You can view that video from KETK here.
FORT WORTH (AP) — Eight protesters accused by the Justice Department of having ties to antifa were sentenced Tuesday to decades in federal prison over a shooting outside a Texas immigration detention center that wounded a police officer and prosecutors called an act of terrorism.
One of the defendants, a former U.S. Marine Corps reservist convicted of opening fire during the July 4 demonstration outside the Prairieland Detention Center near Dallas, was sentenced to 100 years in prison, the maximum punishment.
The lengthy sentences were condemned by family members and supporters in a news conference outside the federal courthouse in Fort Worth. Hope Song, whose son Benjamin Song received the heftiest sentence, disputed prosecutors’ claims that her son shot the officer and said he didn’t intend to hurt anyone.
U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor, one of two judges overseeing the proceedings, said what happened wasn’t a protest but “an assault on democracy.”
“The need to deter this type of conduct is high,” O’Connor said.
The seven other protesters received prison terms ranging from 30 to 70 years.
Prosecutors said the eight are members of antifa, a decentralized anti-fascist organization and a target of the Trump administration. Antifa is not a single organization but rather an umbrella term for far-left militant groups that confront or resist neo-Nazis and white supremacists at demonstrations.
President Donald Trump last fall signed an executive order designating antifa a domestic terrorist organization, even though there is no domestic equivalent to the State Department’s list of foreign terror organizations.
The defendants deny any affiliation with antifa and maintain they attended the demonstration in support of detained immigrants.
Prosecutor Frank Gatto urged the judge to impose stiff penalties.
“People with that kind of extremist beliefs need extra time in prison,” Gatto said. “They believe violence is justified.”
Phillip Hayes, Song’s attorney, said outside the courthouse that he takes issue with the idea that the protesters are extremists.
“This is a bunch of kids and young adults who really have a really big heart and really wanted their voice to be heard,” Hayes said. “It was never intended that anybody get hurt. It was never intended that any shots would be fired.”
Prosecutors said in court that Song had yelled “get to the rifles” and opened fire, striking a police officer who had just pulled up to the center.
Hayes argued that Song’s shots were “suppressive fire” and that a ricochet bullet hit the officer after he arrived on the scene and “aggressively” pulled out his firearm. He said his client will appeal the 100-year sentence.
“Song, aside from this day, has had an impeccable life. A former Marine. A good student,” Hayes said. “He had a lot of good qualities that were just ignored. The judge went ahead and gave as much as he could.”
Other defendants and their family members pleaded for leniency in court.
Autumn Hill said the gathering “seemed more like a party to me than anything else” and that she and others who participated “didn’t expect or want any violence or destruction of property to occur.”
Amber Lowrey told the judge that her sister, Savanna Batten, is a compassionate person with dreams of opening a bakery. She said Batten’s activism started with animal rights and evolved into anti-war and human rights advocacy.
“She’s the best person I know,” Lowrey said.
Hill and Batten both received 50-year sentences.
Other defendants previously pleaded guilty to providing material support to terrorists rather than take their case to trial.
Critics warn the case could have wide-reaching impact on protests given that organizations operating within the U.S. are supposed to be protected by First Amendment free-speech rights.
Last week, federal prosecutors charged 15 people with impeding the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota. They claimed the demonstrators were members of antifa who conspired against the federal government to block arrests and deportations by setting up blockades around government buildings and throwing chunks of ice at federal vehicles, among other actions.
SMITH COUNTY – Smith County earned the 2025 Safety Achievement Award from the Texas Association of Counties Risk Management Pool for its record of commitment to safety in the workplace.
Several TAC representatives presented the award during Smith County Commissioners Court Tuesday, June 23.
TAC representative Harold Hall said Smith County was one of only 17 counties out of 254 in Texas to receive the honor. He and other representatives talked about their work with some of the county’s largest departments, like the Road and Bridge Department and the Sheriff’s Office. They also work with the Human Resources and Purchasing Departments.
Hall said he often works with the Smith County Road and Bridge Department and called them one of the best to work with. Read the rest of this entry »
UPSHUR COUNTY – A new state report revealed that Longview ISD teacher Kimberly Law was driving with a blood alcohol level nearly double the legal limit before the April crash that killed her and a Longview nurse practitioner.On April 19, DPS responded to a collision at around 3 a.m. on Sunday in the Diana area involving Law and Hospitality Health ER nurse practitioner Joel Mack.
According to our news partner KETK, Law was allegedly driving south on the northbound lane of U.S. 259 when she struck Mack’s vehicle, which was driving north in the same lane, a preliminary investigation revealed. Law was pronounced dead at the scene and Mack was transported to a local hospital for his injuries.
Mack later died from his injuries, DPS said.
KETK News obtained a TxDOT crash report, which says Law was found to have a BAC of 0.157%. The legal limit in the U.S. is 0.08%. According to Alcohol.org, a BAC over 0.15% is considered “very high,” with symptoms such as a less control over balance and voluntary muscles, which makes walking and talking difficult.
“However, a person’s BAC level is not only affected by how much alcohol is consumed but by other factors such as an individual’s weight, gender, pattern of drinking and genetics,” the website said. Read the rest of this entry »
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NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks drifted through a mixed day of trading on Monday after oil prices eased and falling Big Tech stocks weighed on Wall Street.
The S&P 500 slipped 0.4%, coming off its 11th winning week in the last 12, and pulled 1.8% below its all-time high set early this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 148 points, or 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite slumped 1.3%.
In the oil market, prices fell following talks over the weekend between the United States and Iran on their war. U.S. Vice President JD Vance said they created a “good foundation for a successful final deal.”
An end to the war could clear the Strait of Hormuz for oil tankers and allow for the undisputed resumption of deliveries from the Persian Gulf. Iran’s military had said Saturday that it closed the Strait of Hormuz again, though U.S. Central Command has disputed that.
U.S. stocks are drifting near their records.
The price for a barrel of Brent crude oil fell 3.2% to $77.52, closer to its roughly $70 price from before the war. Benchmark U.S. crude oil fell 2.6% to $73.86 per barrel.
The lower oil prices, though, did not pull down Treasury yields in the bond market. Yields have been climbing because of speculation the Federal Reserve may hike interest rates this year to keep a lid on inflation, which has been accelerating because of expensive oil caused by the Iran war. Economists expect a report on Thursday to show a measure of inflation for U.S. consumers sped up to 4.1% in May from 3.8% in April.
The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.50% from 4.46% late Thursday and from just 3.97% before the war.
Traders are betting on a nearly 90% chance the Fed will raise its federal funds rate at least once by the end of the year, with a small minority calling for four increases. That’s up from the 57% chance seen just a week ago, according to data from CME Group.
High yields in bond markets worldwide caused by worries about inflation are threatening to slow economies, and they have already sent rates higher for mortgages and other kinds of loans. High yields also hurt prices for investments, particularly those seen as the most expensive. That raises the pressure on companies whose stock prices have soared in the mania around artificial-intelligence technology.
SpaceX fell 16.4% to $154.60. It’s the third straight drop for the company behind xAI since a big three-day run following its ballyhooed debut on the U.S. stock market, when it initially sold its stock at $135 per share.
The day’s heaviest weights on the S&P 500 included drops of 5% for Alphabet, 4.7% for Amazon and 4.5% for Broadcom.
Elsewhere on Wall Street, AbbVie climbed 6.2% after saying it agreed to buy Apogee Therapeutics and its potential treatments for patients with dermatologic, respiratory and other related inflammatory and immunological diseases.
Apogee Therapeutics soared 46.7% following the announcement of the deal, valued at roughly $10.9 billion.
All told, the S&P 500 fell 27.79 points to 7,472.79. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 148.01 to 51,712.71, and the Nasdaq composite fell 351.33 to 26,166.60.
In stock markets abroad, the United Kingdom’s FTSE 100 rose 0.7% after Keir Starmer said he was stepping down as leader of the governing Labour Party and will leave office within weeks.
In Asia, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 jumped 1.5% and ended at another all-time high, led by AI stocks. South Korea’s Kospi rose 0.7% to its own record, helped by AI-related companies.
Tyler – As families across East Texas prepare to celebrate Independence Day, UT Health East Texas is reminding the community to put safety first. Each year, thousands of people nationwide require medical treatment for fireworks-related injuries during the July 4 holiday, with children and young adults among those most affected.
While many serious injuries involve professional-grade or illegal fireworks, even small devices like firecrackers and sparklers can cause significant harm.
“We see a wide range of injuries in the emergency room during the Fourth of July holiday,” said Brittany Ray, RN, trauma services education and injury prevention specialist. “Even sparklers burn at about 2,000 degrees, hot enough to melt some metals, making them especially dangerous for children.” Read the rest of this entry »
BOSTON (AP) — A Delta Air Lines jet was roughly 300 feet (90 meters) from an American Airlines plane during a close call at Boston’s airport that forced the Delta aircraft to abort a weekend landing attempt, an aviation expert said Sunday.
The Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating the incident between two commercial flights that happened Saturday at Boston Logan International Airport.
Todd Curtis, a former safety engineer at Boeing, estimated the distance between the two jetliners using Flightradar24, a website that tracks flights. Curtis now coproduces a podcast about flight safety issues.
“This is a significant incident,” Curtis said, adding that it was particularly concerning because it involved two professional airline crews.
He said federal aviation officials have been concerned about such runway incursions for a while now and will scrutinize Saturday’s close call.
Near-misses and runway incursions at U.S. airports will be the subject of a hearing on Capitol Hill on Tuesday. The Senate Commerce?Subcommittee?on?Aviation, Space,?and Innovation will?seek ways to strengthen safety across the national airspace system.
The Delta flight from Dallas had to execute a go-around, or aborted landing, to avoid the American plane departing from an intersecting runway, according to the FAA and flight logs.
The crew of Delta flight 2351 coordinated with air traffic control to perform the go-around, an airline spokesperson said. The plane, which had 129 passengers and six crew members on board, landed safely and deplaned normally, according to the spokesperson.
Go-arounds are safe, routine procedures performed at the discretion of the pilot or air traffic controllers, according to the FAA.
LONGVIEW – A person is in the hospital after crashing into a Longview residence and causing significant damage, according to our news partner KETK. The accident occurred Monday morning officials say. The driver is facing “priority 1 injuries” and has been transported to the hospital after being pulled from the vehicle according to the Longview Fire Department. The department says they have stabilized the structure with the help of 16 personnel that responded to the scene.
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