Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
SMITH COUNTY – One person is dead after a three-vehicle crash in Smith County Monday morning. According to our news partner KETK, the accident occurred around 9 a.m. on State Highway 110 and CR 2121. Initial DPS reports say that a pickup truck turned south off CR 2121 onto Highway 110 and collided with a northbound pickup. The northbound pickup went into the southbound lane, hitting another vehicle head-on. One driver has died. Another is hospitalized, while a third driver had minor injuries.
TYLER – The headliner for the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball held in Tyler will be West Texas native and country singer Randall King. According to our news partner KETK, King has more than 300 million streams with singles like “You In A Honky Tonk,†“Hey Cowgirl†and “Mirror, Mirror.†He tours extensively across the U.S., U.K. and Europe.
Kimberly Taylor, the 2024 Cattle Baron’s Ball chair said about their headliner, “We are so thrilled to have Randall King performing at Ball. We invite you to join us on June 8 at the Texas Rose Horse Park as we ‘Give Cancer the Boot.”
This years theme of the 36th annual event is ‘Give Cancer the Boot’ and will be held at the Texas Rose Horse Park on June 8. The Cattle Baron’s Ball is the primary fundraiser for the American Cancer Society in Tyler.
TYLER – Tyler police have arrested two people in connection to an armed carjacking early Friday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, officers received a call that two individuals on W. Queen Avenue had held a victim at gunpoint and then took their vehicle. Tyler PD was able to arrest the pair, who were jailed and are now awaiting charges.
SMITH COUNTY — Beginning Thursday March 7, crews will be doing asphalt overlay work on the eastbound lane of Shiloh Road between Paluxy Drive and Rhones Quarter Road. Tyler city officials said in a release, that the center lane will be used as a temporary eastbound lane for the duration of the work. Temporary striping will be in place until the overlay is completed.
Drivers can expect delays and should avoid the area if possible. Multiple lanes will be impacted and some driveways may be temporarily blocked. Motorists are ask to use caution while traveling on this road, as workers will be present. This project is expected to continue through Wednesday, March 13.
KILGORE — 
A trial date has been set for three people accused of murdering a pregnant woman in 2016. According to our news partner KETK, Sheryia Grant was eight months pregnant when she went missing in August 2016. Police began a search for Grant when they recovered a suspects’ vehicle and “began to fear the worst.†Authorities reportedly interviewed dozens of people, drained ponds, searched in the woods and wells. After police said they had enough evidence, they arrested Allen Lamont Sutton, his girlfriend Laneshia L. Young and a juvenile from Arp on a related felony charge. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department announced that a man arrested for pointing a gun at an officer during a search was sentenced to seven years in prison. According to our news partner KETK, Demarcus McCowan received the sentence after a jury convicted him of aggravated assault against a public servant and unlawful possession of a firearm by a felon.
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CASS COUNTY –
Stolen items valued at more than $1 million were recovered on Monday after a multi-agency investigation in Cass County according to our news partners at KETK. Officials with Texas DPS said they executed a search warrant at the home where the items were found in a joint operation involving the Texas DPS Criminal Investigation Division, Texas Highway Patrol Division, Cass County Sheriff’s Office and Cass County District Attorney’s Office. Officials said the stolen equipment recovered belongs to Graphic Packaging International (GPI), who estimated the stolen property to be worth more than $1 million. Read the rest of this entry »
RUSK COUNTY – 
One person was charged with murder in Rusk County after a driver was found dead in their vehicle. The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office said they got a call around 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning about a possible accident on Highway 79 at CR 347. Deputies and a DPS trooper saw the driver dead in the driver’s seat. The driver was later identified as 27-year-old Christina Glenn of Houston. “The investigation led to the arrest of the passenger who was charged with murder,†according to Rusk County Sheriff Johnwayne Valdez. The suspect, who was later identified as Justin Edwards, 33 of Houston, was arrested at the scene and the Chapman community is not in danger, Valdez said. Edwards remains in the Rusk County Jail, as of Wednesday, where his bond has been set at $1 million. “The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office is asking the community to keep the Glenn family in their thoughts and prayers,†Valdez said.
SMITH COUNTY — Polls in Smith County and statewide closed at 7p.m. Tuesday. Our news partner KETK has the running results for state and county races, you can find those here.
TYLER – Tyler ISD announced that Principal of Jones Elementary School Dr. NaTasha Crain has been named as the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators 2024 Principal of the Year. According to our news partner KETK, Crain was recognized at the 39th annual TABSE Conference in Houston on Saturday. Crain had the opportunity present to those at the conference a presentation titled “Implementing Social Emotional Learning through Culturally Relevant .â€
Dr. Crain said after the conclusion of the conference, “I am so grateful to the Texas Alliance of Black School Educators for this esteemed recognition of Principal of the Year. It is a privilege to be affirmed in this space and to have my work and service acknowledged in such a meaningful way. This award is not only a personal achievement, but also a testament of the collective efforts of our entire school community at Jones Elementary in Tyler ISD.â€
Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford said, “We are immensely proud of Dr. NaTasha Crain and her well-deserved recognition as the 2024 TABSE Principal of the Year. Her unwavering dedication and commitment to student success and supporting her staff serve as an inspiration to us all.â€
TYLER – Tyler ISD announced on Monday that junior William Baker from Tyler Legacy High School has earned a perfect score on the the ACT. According to our news partner KETK, less than 0.18% of students who attempt the ACT get a perfect composite score of 36.
Tyler Legacy High School Dean of Instruction Kala Morrow said, “Will is an exceptional student who works hard and exemplifies the qualities of leadership that we want to see in all of our Red Raiders. He is extremely driven and focused on academic success, and we congratulate him on this amazing accomplishment. We are so proud of Will and cannot wait to see what the future has in store for him.â€
To be one of the 2,542 out of 1.8 million students who earned a perfect composite score on the ACT, Will had to get a perfect 36 on four tests over English, mathematics, reading and science.
CHEROKEE COUNTY– One person is dead and another is injured after a single vehicle accident Saturday afternoon. According to our news partner KETK, an initial DPS report says the says a 2017 Toyota Corolla was eastbound on SH 21 near Alto Saturday afternoon. The report states the driver “failed to drive in a single lane, leaving the highway to the south, overcorrecting back to the left.†The overcorrection caused caused the vehicle to swerve into a north ditch where it struck a tree on the passenger side.
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TYLER – The City of Tyler announced the Traffic Department is working at Grande Boulevard and Old Noonday Road intersection in Tyler until 5p.m. Monday. There will be lane and road closures periodically throughout the day. Drivers will need to use caution in the area, obey traffic signs and watch out for road crews.
WOODLAWN – 
Our colleagues at KETK report that Woodlawn Volunteer Fire Department ESD#6 members Justin Blassingame and Mitchell Guffey are driving a trailer full of boxed food to help those in need in the Texas Panhandle. As Texas’s largest wildfire ever continues to burn, help is pouring in from across the state including here in East Texas. The Harrison County Fire Marshal’s Office thanked Blassingame, Guffey and several others for their work to get these supplies to where they’re needed. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL – 
The City of Marshall said that a fire that happened at a home in the 800 block of Alvin Street on Friday has displaced a family of five. According to our colleagues at KETK, a large plume of black smoke was seen from the fire station and when firefighters arrived they saw fire coming out of the windows of the home. No injuries were reported and all five family members had safely left the home. However, the home was severely damaged by the fire and the Red Cross has been notified to help the displaced family.
TEXARKANA –
The Texarkana Police Department said that they arrested a man on Saturday after he was reportedly seen at a local McDonald’s with a machete and a whip according to our news partners at KETK.
Around 10 a.m. on Saturday, Texarkana PD said they received a call about a suspicious person with a machete and a whip at a McDonald’s near New Boston Road.
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ATHENS –
Cattle auction prices have risen to record numbers in part due to East Texas rancher’s reducing their herd sizes in response to the 2022 drought.
“We actually had record-high calf prices last week in parts of Texas,†David Anderson, extension economist with Texas A&M AgriLife, said.
Due to the extreme drought in 2022, East Texas ranchers resorted to selling their cattle resulting in increased cattle sales for the Athens Commission Company.
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PARIS –
Our news partners at KETK report that a recent development in a murder case from 1996 has led to a Hopkins County Jail inmate being under investigation. According to the Paris Police Department, a DNA analysis reportedly reveals that it was likely that David Davy, a current inmate of Hopkins County Jail on unrelated felony charges, was present during an aggravated assault that resulted in a death in 1996. Read the rest of this entry »
GREGG COUNTY – 
Our news partners at KETK report that during this year’s early voting primary, Gregg County voters surpassed the early voting totals reached in the 2022 and 2020 primaries. According to data provided by Jennifer Briggs, the Gregg County Elections Administrator, 7,068 people voted early in the 2024 primaries, compared to 6,762 early votes in 2022 and 6,709 in the 2020 primaries. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER –
The Tyler Police Department said they are searching for a woman suspected of pulling a gun at a man at Discount Tire on Friday according to our news partners at KETK. According to Tyler Police Department PIO Andy Erbaugh, at around 1 p.m. a woman was getting her vehicle serviced at the Discount Tire on Loop 323 when a man attempted to repossess her vehicle. The woman reportedly pulled out a gun on the man who then stopped trying to hook up the vehicle. The woman allegedly drove off and police are now working on an arrest warrant. Erbaugh said they know the identity of the woman but will not release the information as the investigation continues.
HENDERSON COUNTY – 
Five people accused in the 2022 kidnapping and torture of a woman found in Athens were each sentenced to 10 years deferred adjudication after either pleading guilty or nolo contendere to engaging in organized criminal activity, according to our news partners at KETK. Six people have been charged in the case, with the sixth person set to start pre-trial on March 19. All of them were initially arrested for aggravated kidnapping and later indicted for engaging in organized criminal activity. They were accused of holding a woman they had met online against her will in a home for a week as she was “severely tortured.†Read the rest of this entry »
LONGVIEW – It was a guilty verdict for a Longview man in the 2020 shooting death of Valerie Hackett. According to our news partner KETK, 41-year-old Brandon Harris shot and killed the 24-year-old Hackett Jan. 30, 2020 at the Ware Meadow Apartments in Longview. Harris was indicted for capital murder June 28, 2023. His trial began on Monday and concluded with the guilty verdict by a jury.
MARSHALL – A Marshall man has been given a 25 year prison sentence for first-degree murder. According to our news partner KETK, 23-year-old Jakeous Jamal Johnson received that sentence in the death of 50-year-old Cedric Eugene King. King was shot to death early morning Thursday June 17, 2021. Johnson was arrested at the scene and booked for first-degree murder. Johnson pleaded guilty to that charge Wednesday and sentenced the same day.
TYLER – 
The Tiger Creek Animal Sanctuary in Tyler has come to a settlement in an Endangered Species Act lawsuit brought against them by the Animal Legal Defense Fund in March of 2022. The settlement forces Tiger Creek, to make “significant changes to the facility and level of care being provided to the animals†in order for them to come in full compliance with the Association of Zoos and Aquarium’s (AZA) standards with in two years. According to the ALDF, an agreed upon neutral third party auditor will make visits to the sanctuary in the lead up to their two year deadline to become AZA compliant. Tiger Creek, who continues to claim the allegations against them are baseless, has also reportedly agreed to become AZA accredited within five years of the settlement’s execution. If Tiger Creek fails to make the necessary changes required to become AZA compliant, all of their endangered and threatened animals will be transferred to the facilities of ALDF’s choosing, per their agreement. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Caldwell Zoo announced on Wednesday that they had been made aware of a scam involving fraudulent tickets. According to our news partner, zoo officials said in release the best way to be sure your tickets are real is to get them from Caldwell Zoo. You can do this in person at the zoo or online here.
KILGORE – The Kilgore Police Department asked for the your help and found a woman with dementia, who her family thought was missing . According to our news partner KETK, 77-year-old Dortha Jackson Wilson was seen turning onto I-20 near Kilgore near noon. Officers were notified they say, “She is fine, and her family has been contacted.â€
TYLER – The Texas Baptist Men are getting together to aid those who are affected by the ongoing fire in the Texas Panhandle. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas A&M Forest Service latest count as of Wednesday has over 600,000 acres of active wildfires in Texas with the majority being in the Panhandle.
David Wells, director of disaster relief for Texas Baptist Men, said, “These wildfires, a lot of them covered a lot of ground. It did hit the city of Fritch. And then for some of these homeowners, it’ll take a while for their insurance to figure out everything. So for a lot of these homeowners, you’re like six months to a year, if not more, out. You know, that they have full recovery.â€
The Texas Baptist Men said that they are planning to set up a temporary help center for residents in Fritch that have been hit by the fire.
TYLER – The Smith County Sheriff’s Office needs your help in finding a missing teen. Missing is 15-year-old Armani Gatewood. Currently he is listed as a runaway. His parents report that Armani ran away from home Feb. 5. Gatewood is a black male, 5’05’, 120 lbs. He has been seen several times with other juveniles in the area of The Ranch apartments in Tyler on Paluxy Drive. On those occasions he ran away when approached. If you have information on the location of Armani Gatewood, call the Smith County Sheriff’s Office at 903-566-6600 or go to their website here.
AUSTIN – The Texas Health and Human Services Commission has received an increasing number of complaints about a phone scam targeting those who use Lone Star Cards and receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).
The HHS Office of Inspector General is reporting their Fraud Hotline is getting 10-15 complaints per day about the new telephone scam that involves a technique called spoofing. The scam mimics the Lone Star Card Help Desk, lulling victims into a false sense of security. Victims of this scam report getting a call that lists the Lone Star Card Help Desk caller ID (800-777-7328). The caller, sometimes a prerecorded voice, asks for the client’s PIN, Social Security number and date of birth in exchange for new or increased benefits.
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DIANA – On Monday, the New Diana ISD Board of Trustees announced that they have officially named Marshall Moore as the superintendent of the district.
In a release from the school district, Moore said this about his new job. “I have been in education for 16 years, out of which eight years have been in administration. As an administrator, I have served alongside fantastic staff and communities. I am delighted to bring my family back to East Texas. Growing up in this area and always hearing about New Diana’s long-standing record of tradition and excellence made this an opportunity that was too good to pass up. As I assume this new role, establishing relationships and trust with all stakeholders will be my top priority. I look forward to building upon New Diana’s already distinguished reputation.â€
The board of trustees made the announcement of Moore’s hiring official after waiting the required 21 days to do so.