Today is
Sunday July 26, 2026
LONGVIEW – 
Our news partners at KETK report that the Longview Police Department says 2023 is on track to have one of their lowest incidents of crime since the 1990’s, as they are still vetting the numbers. KETK spoke with the department to break down these numbers in this KETK investigation. “We’re just not a violent city. We’re not that. If we ever were, we’re not that anymore,†said Captain Darin Lair. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Thursday, a Tyler woman was sentenced to 12 years in prison for arson in an April house fire that destroyed a house, car, motorcycle and killed a dog. According to our news partner KETK, 52-year-old Ruthie Cassettari was arrested in June after a fire on Kevin Drive in Tyler. Authorities say at that time, the homeowner felt Cassettari may have set the fire. Ring camera video shortly before the fire showed a car parked in front of the home that was the same make and model as the vehicle that Cassettari drove.
Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler Thursday announced two teams of their mechanical engineering students won a total $30,000 through the Department of Energy Innovation Competition. According to our news partner KETK, the students were selected by the DOE for developing projects that will help their communities have clean energy.
Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Southside Bank has announced the opening of a new loan production office in Dallas at 5949 Sherry Lane, Suite 1055. the office officially opened on January 16 and will primarily serve clients in the Dallas area. This new office adds to the bank’s 15 locations throughout North Texas, and Lee Gibson, Southside’s President and CEO says it further demonstrates Southside’s commitment to growing their North Texas presence.
Southside Bank is headquartered in Tyler, with approximately $7.97 billion in assets. They currently operate 55 branches and a network of 73 ATMs throughout East Texas, Southeast Texas, and the greater Dallas/Fort Worth, Austin, and Houston areas.
TYLER– The Tyler Parks and Rec announced on Wednesday that the Glass Recreation Center is closed until further notice due to a water leak. According to our news partner KETK, officials say the water at the center has been shut off and the center will be closed until the situation can be accessed. The Glass Recreation Center say they will provide updates when they get more information.
KILGORE – Kilgore city officials report that five water breaks that were discovered Wednesday morning have been fixed. According to our news partner KETK, the breaks were found around 10:15 a.m. on Longview Street and Kay Street were repaired by 5:15 p.m. The city wants to remind homeowners to call city crews to turn off their water and to not get into their meter box. They wrote in a release, “If you have a personal shutoff installed as part of your repair from this freeze, the city will waive the fee for turning off the water.â€
The city of Kilgore website also has a trash pickup update. You can find that here.
SHELBY COUNTY – 
Our colleagues at KETK report a 60-year-old man died in custody in Shelby County, the sheriff’s office said. James Jackson of Center died at approximately 5:35 a.m. on Wednesday morning. The Texas Rangers were called in and are investigating the death.
TATUM – 
Our news partners at KETK report that the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals decided last week to uphold the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s designation that Panola and Rusk counties do not meet national air quality standards for harmful dioxide due to a local coal plant. According to the Sierra Club, the EPA made its original nonattainment designation for the two counties in the 2010 sulfur dioxide National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Locals also raised health concerns in 2019 over possible exposure from the Martin Lake coal plant pollution. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – With severe winter conditions subsiding, TxDOT is asking drivers to be aware of their workers as they go about their day. With TxDOT working hard to treat roads, bridges and overpasses, they are also responsible with whats left after the freeze has gone. Jeff Williford, Public Information Officer for Tyler’s TxDOT District said, “Clean up, just from the granular material and things we put out. Branches, like I said before. We’ll work on clean-up of those, moving them from the roadway. Keep that in mind when you see us out, even after these events, to give us room â€
Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE – With the icy winter weather letting up, Kilgore city officials report three water main breaks. According to our news partner KETK, two of the breaks are on Longview Street with the third on Kay Street. Repairs are expected to take most of the day. Highway 42 at Longview Street is currently running at one lane. Kilgore police said on Wednesday that there are still some scattered patches of ice, along with some black ice on the roads.
TYLER – With cold weather lingering Wednesday morning, about 5,177customers in East Texas are without power as of 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday. Our news partner KETK has compiled a list of counties with power outages from ONCOR and SWEPCO’s power outage maps, as well as several electric co-ops. You can find that list here.
TYLER — With road conditions improving, City of Tyler offices will open Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, Monday trash collections will resume, and Tuesday collections will resume on Thursday of this week. Monday and Tuesday recycling routes will resume on Wednesday, and crews will continue to collect until the backlog is complete. Residents are advised to leave both trash and recycling carts out until collected.
SHELBY COUNTY – The Texas Department of Public Safety said that a 54-year-old Shelbyville woman died on Monday after crashing into trees on FM 2694 acording to our news partners at KETK. DPS’s preliminary investigation showed that at around 8:10 a.m. a 2020 Jeep SUV was traveling west on FM 2694 at an “unsafe†speed when it slid across the eastbound side of the road and hit two trees. Officials said that Barbra Jackson, 54 of Shelbyville, was removed from the vehicle by someone who saw the crash and then the Jeep caught fire and burned. Jackson was pronounced dead at the scene by Shelby County Justice of the Peace Marla Denby. DPS is continuing to investigate the crash.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – 
Our news colleagues at KETK report a Jacksonville man is dead after a wreck in Cherokee County on Sunday. According to a preliminary crash report from DPS, a 2017 Chevrolet pickup was going north on SH 135 on Sunday at 3 a.m. roughly six miles northeast of Troup. The pickup reportedly “failed to drive in a single lane,†veering into the southbound lane before hitting a ditch and catching fire. The driver, identified as 23-year-old Miguel Mendez from Jacksonville, was pronounced dead at the scene.
TYLER – Due to extreme cold and worsening road conditions, non-emergency City offices for the City of Tyler will be closed to the public on Tuesday, Jan. 16. In a press release, officials say this is to comply with ERCOT’s request to conserve energy. Also closed will be the front lobbies of the Ferguson Street and Faulkner Park Police Stations and property returns and the Property and Evidence Unit. Weather permitting, all departments including Transit and Paratransit, will return to regular operations on Wednesday. City officials also say that trash collection for Monday and Tuesday are backlogged and will resume Wednesday. They ask that residents leave both trash and recycling carts out until they are dumped. Emergency services continue at full strength as needed.
Â
TYLER — It was successful search for a missing Tyler boy. According to our news partner KETK, 9-year-old Jordan Pickett went missing around 3:45 p.m. Thursday. Initial police reports say Jordan jumped out of family member’s car at an apartment complex on S. Fleishel Ave. However, he was found safe and unharmed shortly before 11:00 p.m.
LAIRD HILL– The Rusk County Sheriff’s Office said that they seized what they suspect to be heroin and methamphetamines during an investigation Wednesday in Laird Hill. According to our news partner KETK, arrested was Roy Westley Lick of Overton. Charges against Lick are manufacture and delivery of a substance, possession of a controlled substance, both penalty group 1. He was also charged with resisting arrest, search or transport. Lick is being held in the Rusk County Jail on a $102,500 bond. Officials said that they expect more arrests in this ongoing investigation.
TYLER – With extreme cold weather settling into our area, several locations are already to open as shelters and warming centers. Our news partner KETK will be continuously updating the list of available locations here.
TYLER – After Thursday night storms, several thousand people in East Texas are without power. Our news partner KETK has compiled a list of counties with power outages from ONCOR, SWEPCO, and several electric co-ops. You can find the list here.
SMITH COUNTY– All non-emergency Smith County offices will be closed Monday January 15. observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. According to a press from the county, offices will be back to normal business hours on Tuesday January 16.
CASS COUNTY — 
Our news partners at KETK report two people on a motorcycle are dead after striking a wild animal Tuesday night on the roadway. According to DPS, a 2004 Honda VTX motorcycle was heading west on U.S. Highway 67 when it struck a wild animal in the roadway “knocking the driver and a passenger onto the road.†The driver, identified as Benny Dan Snyder, 53 of Redwater, and the passenger as Darlene Green-Hurst, 40 of Maud, were pronounced dead at the scene. Officials said the two were not wearing helmets.
TYLER – After closing arguments and deliberations Tuesday, Daniel Nyabuto was found guilty of intoxication manslaughter in the death of Smith County Sherriff’s Deputy Lorenzo Bustos. On Wednesday, Nyabuto was sentenced to 32 years in prison. According to our news partner KETK, prosecutors said in July of 2022, Nyabuto was driving drunk when he rear-ended a patrol car causing the death Deputy Bustos. Bustos was completing the final night of his training when he died.
TEXAS – The Electric Reliability Council of Texas has issued a weather watch on Wednesday for two days next week. According to our news partner KETK, ERCOT said the weather watch was issued for Jan. 15 through Jan. 17 due to a forecast of extreme cold weather across their region, higher electrical demand and the “potential for lower reserves.†To monitor the power grid, you can go to the ERCOT website.
TYLER – Tuesday marked Texas College’s 130th year providing higher education. According to our news partner KETK, Texas College was founded in 1894 by a group of ministers from the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, now the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, in order to provide post-secondary education for the city. According to Texas College, they are the oldest higher education institution in the city of Tyler. The school started in a four-room frame house on the same grounds that the school currently stands, starting with a class of only six students. By the end of the first year, enrollment had increased to over 100 students.
SMITH COUNTY – 
One person is dead after an early morning fire in Winona. According to Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue, the call came in at 3:10 a.m. that a residence in the 11000 block of CR 3168 was on fire. At least 15 Smith County Emergency Services District 2 firefighters and UT Health EMS responded. The Smith County Fire Marshal’s Office and ATF are investigating the cause of the fire. The identity of the victim has not been released pending family notification according to our colleagues at KETK.
TYLER — 
One person is dead and four injured after a wreck on SH 31 near Surrey Trail on Tuesday according to our news partners at KETK. A DPS report said a 2006 Chrysler 300 was heading north on Surrey Trail at around 5:50 p.m. and attempted to turn west onto SH 31 but collided with a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado. The driver of the Chrysler, identified as Mary L. Crockett, 55, was pronounced dead on the scene. DPS said the driver and passengers in the Chevrolet had non-incapacitating injuries and taken to a local hospital.
WHITEHOUSE – One person is dead after an officer-involved shooting in Whitehouse on Friday. The deceased has been identified as Andre White, 30. The Whitehouse Police Department said that they responded to 502 W. Main St., Pecan Woods Apartments, for a disturbance around 12:15 p.m. According to our news partner KETK, a summary of the incident, as stated in a custodial death report, indicates that White yelled “let’s get this party started†before shooting a handgun at officers, with two rounds hitting the patrol car. The report stated that one officer returned fire and shot White, who died at the scene. “It is not clear at this time why the suspect began firing a weapon at the officers and complainant,†the report stated. “The officers had only been on scene approximately 15 seconds before the shoot[ing] occurred.†Texas Rangers are still investigating the shooting and the officer was put on administrative leave, per policy. A witness told KETK they believe the disturbance was between a couple, which lead to police being called and ultimately the shooting.
MOUNT PLEASANT – 
A man was arrested on Tuesday in Mount Pleasant after police said he fled in a stolen car while an officer attempted to make a traffic stop. According to Mount Pleasant PD, officers attempted to stop a car around 11:30 a.m. that was displaying a false registration in the area of 100 S Lee Ave. when the driver, identified as Eduardo Flores, 40, fled from them. Officials said officers followed him into the east side of Titus County and were able to spike the car’s tires, “but the suspect still refused to yield.†Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – With strong winds making their way through East Texas, over 3,500 customers are without power as of 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday. Our news partner KETK, has a county by county list of those impacted on the ONCOR and SWEPCO service maps and other electric co-ops as well. You can find the list here.
SMITH COUNTY – Smith County officials say that scam phone calls are starting back now that the holidays are complete. According to the Sheriff’s office, a caller will identify themselves as Lt. Robert Strickland or Sgt. Larry Christian, both employees of the Smith County Sheriff’s Office. The caller is told for failure to appear in court, they have to pay a fine. The caller will stay on the line with the victim with instructions on how on how to deposit the money.
Read the rest of this entry »