Today is
Tuesday July 21, 2026
WOOD COUNTY – One man died on Sunday after an 18-wheeler hydroplaned and crashed into his vehicle near Mineola. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Department of Public Safety said that 45-year-old David Earl Johnson of Grand Saline was driving his vchicle west on Highway 80 about half a mile west of Mineola at around 10:47 a.m. on Sunday, as an 18-wheeler was heading east.
Johnson’s car was hit when the 18-wheeler hydroplaned on the wet roadway and crossed into the westbound lane of Highway 80. He was fatally injured in the crash and was later pronounced dead at the scene, according to DPS
Does true crime fascinate you? You definitely need to get David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called CrimeDoor. You can get CrimeDoor in the Apple Store and Google Play below.
How would you like to animate your life? Get David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called ToonCamera. You can download ToonCamera in the Apple Store.
TYLER – With all of the votes counted, Stuart Hene is now Mayor-Elect of Tyler with 5,170 votes to 3,833 votes for John Nix. Current Mayor Don Warren reaches the end of his third and final term on June 24. Hene will be sworn into office on the same day.
In Longview’s District 3 City Council race in Gregg County, Brandon Smith defeated Marlena Cooper with 223 votes to Cooper’s 204 with all votes counted.
HOPKINS COUNTY (KETK) – The SPCA of Texas rescued eight adult dogs and three puppies from a residence near Sulphur Springs on Wednesday.
Local law enforcement responded to a 911 call on Monday from a person who said he couldn’t separate dogs that were fighting inside his home, according to the SPCA of Texas. Responding officials found many dogs inside the man’s home home, which had “extensive accumulations” of urine, feces and debris.
The 911-caller had a medical emergency and had to be transported to a local hospital to be treated. The SPCA said the responding law enforcement at the home then found a dead dog, prompting them to contact the SPCA of Texas’ Animal Cruelty Investigations unit for help. Two investigators from the unit responded to the home on Tuesday and found several dogs fighting inside.
“Cases involving large numbers of dogs often present unique welfare and safety concerns, particularly when animals are living in overcrowded and unsanitary conditions,” SPCA of Texas’ ACI Unit Chief Investigator Courtney Burns CAWA said. “As stress levels increase and dogs are forced into close proximity with one another, competition for essential resources and limited opportunities to avoid conflict can increase the likelihood of fights and injuries. We appreciate the Hopkins County Sheriff’s Office for their swift response and assistance in this case. These dogs are now receiving comprehensive veterinary and forensic evaluations while our investigation continues.”
The 11 dogs and puppies were then taken into custody by the investigators, who then transported them to the SPCA of Texas’ Russell E. Dealey Animal Rescue Center. Several other dogs were also seen on the property and investigators are currently working on recovering them.
MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash that occurred Friday morning at the intersection of Loop 390 and Scottsville Road. This marks the second fatal traffic crash in Marshall this week.
Officers responded to the crash involving a passenger vehicle and a truck at around 9:52 a.m. Marshall Fire Department paramedics transported the driver of the passenger vehicle to a hospital where he later died.
That driver has been identified as 98-year-old Felton Augusta Hopkins, Jr.,of Marshall. The driver of the truck was not injured in the crash.
Police have not filed charged. The crash remains under investigation.
HOUSTON (THE TEXAS TRIBUNE) — Republican Party of Texas Vice Chair D’rinda Randall became the party’s new leader Friday after defeating her former running mate, incumbent Chair Abraham George, shaking up the top of the state’s majority party ahead of the fall midterm elections.
Randall, who first became involved in GOP politics nearly two decades ago, campaigned on her accomplishments as the party’s second-in-command during the last two years, touting financial wins like the return of certain convention corporate sponsors and her support for grassroots members, pointing to volunteer training she led.
George conceded in a social media post shortly before Friday’s general session at the convention began, after delegates overwhelmingly backed Randall in an initial round of votes among each Senate district caucus.
“While this race has come to an end, our mission continues,” he said. “Now is the time to come together, unite behind our Republican nominees, support the entire Republican ticket in November, advance our legislative priorities in the next session, and continue standing firmly for the conservative principles outlined in our platform.”
George’s tenure came to an end after a memorable two-year run that saw the party claim long-sought legislative victories in Austin, including private school vouchers and a variety of socially conservative new laws. That productivity, driven by a hard-right turn in the Texas House, reduced the infighting that has plagued the Texas GOP in recent years. Attorney General Ken Paxton led a long list of elected officials and activists lining up behind George, while Randall touted a much narrower stable of backers.
Yet as the convention kicked off in earnest Thursday, the George R. Brown Convention Center in downtown Houston remained sparsely populated, with many of the over 7,000 registered delegates appearing to skip the event despite Gov. Greg Abbott’s incentive program for county parties to fill their allotted delegate seats. The convention also fell just before FIFA World Cup games kicked off in Houston, driving up the cost of lodging in a city that was hundreds of miles from many would-be delegates’ home towns.
Amid the grassroots apathy, George also faced criticism earlier this week from a member of the State Republican Executive Committee, the party’s governing board, who claimed the party was taking a $651,000 loss to run the convention. In a response, George said the deficit was closer to $100,000 and would end up in the black “when you factor in the registrations that will be paid over the next couple of days.” But that did not appear to allay concerns about the state of the party’s finances heading into the fall midterms.
Randall’s victory arrives at a crucial juncture for the party, as it tries to write its next chapter and unite voters behind Paxton, the Senate nominee who defeated incumbent John Cornyn after a bruising primary that has left behind scars within the GOP.
Trey Trainor, a longtime GOP operative who was tapped to lead the convention’s platform committee, which drafts the party’s planks, said George’s ousting stemmed from financial woes and a struggle to engage members.
“Look, I think everybody’s incredibly nervous about what happened during the primaries,” Trainor said. “They see that the Democrat Party is incredibly engaged. I think the low turnout that you see here shows some apathy of Republican voters, and they really look to the party leadership to create that enthusiasm and drive people to the polls.”
The removal of George, the Texas GOP’s first Indian American chair, also arrived at a time when the party is experiencing a wave of anti-Indian sentiment, particularly in George’s backyard of North Texas. Much of the same faction that has targeted Muslims for what they see as the proliferation of Sharia law is also raising alarm about the state’s fast-growing Indian community, urging a halt to legal immigration to combat alleged H-1B visa exploitation and labor competition.
George regularly draws racist replies to his social media posts, even when pushing for conservative priorities such as abolishing the H-1B visa program; yet, delegates at the convention did not indicate that topic surfaced in deliberations about the chair election.
The mix of headwinds facing George created the opening for Randall and her running mate, David Covey, a hard-right activist who previously served on the state party’s governing board and unsuccessfully ran against former House Speaker Dade Phelan of Beaumont in 2024. Covey also previously ran for party chair in 2021, finishing as the runner-up to George’s predecessor, Matt Rinaldi.
Some of Randall’s supporters also charged that the incumbent chair has been too welcoming to establishment Republicans, after he warmed up to Phelan’s successor, House Speaker Dustin Burrows, following initial reservations over his election aided by Democrats. That line of criticism laid bare the challenge faced by party chairs, who must balance the delegates’ appetite for a grassroots fighter while also raising money from the party’s establishment ranks.
Burrows was set to address the convention — the first sitting speaker ever to do so — Friday afternoon.
In a statement, Burrows congratulated Randall and Covey and said he looked forward to “working together to strengthen our party and advance the conservative principles Texans value.”
LUFKIN – Water service will be shut off Saturday night at 11:45 PM to allow crews to repair a water?main located outside the Loop on Frank Street. The outage is expected to last approximately four hours, according to Joshua Gentry from The City of Lufkin.
This shutdown will affect customers and businesses in the area from Southside Bank to the Loop, including: McDonald’s, Whataburger, Green Briar Apartments, Castle Pines Nursing Home, and other nearby homes and businesses.
City crews will be on-site throughout the repair and will restore service as soon as work is complete.
LONGVIEW – As Longview ISD continues construction on its new multi-purpose facility, the district is considering naming it after one of their most accomplished alumni Trent Williams. Before making the decision to name the facility after Williams, the district is currently seeking public input and asking community members to submit their feedback through an online survey.
Williams graduated from Longview High School in 2006 and has since gone on to have a successful career in the NFL. After being drafted by the Washington Commanders in 2010, Williams spent nearly 10 years with the organization and is now with the San Francisco 49ers and will enter his 16th year in the league this fall. Read the rest of this entry »
COLLIN COUNTY (ABC NEWS) – Karmelo Anthony, who was sentenced to 35 years in prison for the fatal stabbing of Austin Metcalf, filed a notice of appeal on Wednesday. In a one-page document filed with the court in Collin County, Texas, Anthony said he could not afford an attorney for the appeal and asked the court to appoint one.
The Texas Department of Criminal Justice also released a new photo of Anthony, 19, in which he’s seen sporting a shaven head and wearing a sleeveless tunic.
He was transferred to the Wallace Pack Unit, a prison near Navasota, just outside of Houston, according to Texas officials, where he will begin his 35-year imprisonment sentence, as he is now in state custody.
Anthony was found guilty of murder over the fatal stabbing of Metcalf, another teen, at a high school track meet last year.
The deadly stabbing occurred at a Frisco Independent School District stadium on April 2, 2025, during a track and field competition involving multiple schools in the district.
Police said Metcalf, an 11th grader at Frisco Memorial High School, was stabbed during an altercation under his school’s tent in the stadium bleachers.
Witnesses told officers that the two got into an argument over Anthony, a then-17-year-old student at Frisco Centennial High School, being under Metcalf’s school tent during the rainy track meet, according to the arrest report.
Multiple current and former students recounted the incident during the trial. One witness testified that Anthony was asked to leave the tent about 15 times. Some witnesses recalled Anthony saying, “Touch me and see what happens,” during the altercation. Another witness quoted Metcalf as telling Anthony, “I’m not going to fight you.”
Witnesses recounted that Metcalf shoved or nudged Anthony, who was sitting on the bleachers, before Anthony stabbed him with a pocket knife. The blade perforated Metcalf’s right ventricle, and he was pronounced dead after being transported to an area hospital.
Prosecutors called the stabbing “senseless” and “plain and simple murder,” while the defense argued that Anthony acted in self-defense.
The jury began deliberating midday Tuesday before reaching the guilty murder verdict in three hours, according to a court spokesperson. The jurors also could have considered manslaughter, which carries a sentence of up to 20 years.
The same jury reached a decision on the sentence after several more hours of deliberation on Tuesday.
SMITH COUNTY – An investigation into a dog theft case in May has led to the uncovering of extreme animal abuse at a Smith County home and officials are now seeking information on the suspect who has reportedly left town.
According to a press release from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies first received a report of two stolen dogs after a witness saw a delivery driver pick up the animals. After the driver never returned the dogs, despite being told to by their supervisor, the case was turned over to the Criminal Investigation Division. Read the rest of this entry »
KILGORE – The eastbound lanes of I-20 near Highway 31 in Kilgore are to be closed to about 6.pm. on Thursday as crews clean debris from a semi-truck crash off the roadway, that according to our news partner KETK.
The Kilgore Fire Department said, the truck tractor and trailer drove off the roadway and into the tree line off of I-20 near mile marker 590. Firefighters were able to extricate the driver, who was the sole occupant. The driver has been hospitalized for non-life threatening injuries.
Crews are now working to clean debris from the crash and remove the truck, which is expected to close down the eastbound lanes of I-20 in the area for the next five to six hours, Adam Albritton from DPS told KETK News.
TYLER – There are confirmed reports of a two vehicle accident on Highway 110 and Grande Blvd in Tyler. At this time, traffic is slow, but moving. You might consider taking an alternate route and watch out for emergency personnel. At this time, there are no reported injuries.
How would you like to make your job of being a parent easier? Get David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called Parent Pass. You can download Parent Pass in the Apple Store and Google Play below.
MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department is investigating a fatal two-vehicle crash Wednesday afternoon at East End Boulevard South.
At around 3:40 p.m., officers responded to a report of a collision involving a pick-up truck and a passenger vehicle. When officers arrived, they determined the driver of the car had died at the scene. The driver and the passengers in the pick-up truck were not injured.
The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. The crash remains under investigation by the Marshall Police Department.
DALLAS – Fabio Luisi wanted his Ring Cycle to be heard and not seen.
Wagner’s four-opera epic “Der Ring des Nibelungen,” approaching the 150th anniversary of its premiere in 1876, has been reinterpreted and deconstructed by directors finding various meanings in the conflicts among gods, humans, giants and dwarfs.
While most new recordings are on video, Luisi led his Dallas Symphony Orchestra in concert performances that were released on 13 compact discs by Delos on May 22 and are available on streaming services.
“Wagner conceived this as a total immersion in visual and acoustic, but I could focus really only on the music, and this was the point actually — not to be distracted by staging and not to have to cope with maybe strange ideas of staging,” Luisi said. “I think the music tells everything.”
Luisi became DSO music director in 2020 and broached the idea while dining two years later with Morton H. Meyerson, a longtime board member.
“Fabio came back from lunch sort of giddy but sort of sheepishly saying: `Do you think that this would ever be possible?” recalled Kim Noltemy, the Dallas CEO at the time. “So, I said, well, let’s give it a try. So, we called around to see if there were people who wanted to support it and did a budget.”
After securing a waiver from the orchestra allowing for the needed rehearsals and performance length, recordings were made during four concerts from May 1-5 and six more from Oct. 5-20. Each opera was performed two or three times.
Americans in cast fill big roles
American singers featured prominently, with Mark Delavan as Wotan, Lise Lindstrom as Brünnhilde and Sara Jakubiak as Sieglinde, part of a cast that included Christopher Ventris (Siegmund), Daniel Johansson (Siegfried), Deniz Uzun (Fricka), Tómas Tómasson (Alberich), Michael Laurenz (Mime) and Stephen Milling (Hagen).
Delavan sang Wotan at New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 2013 after Luisi took over from an ailing James Levine in Robert Lepage’s much-maligned production staged on a 45-ton set of 24 rotating planks.
“We’re accessible and they know that we’re hungry and we have a chip on our shoulders,” Delavan said. “What conductors like about American singers is their technique is sound. Even a European conductor would say: Well, I’m going to give up some of the communication skills, only one degree of separation with the language, but I’m going to get a solid technique, and I’m going to get pretty good acting chops.”
Lindstrom has been in Atlanta to sing in its production of “Götterdämmerung,” the concluding night of the tetralogy, leading to what is being billed as the first complete Ring Cycles in the America South in 2029.
“The wonderful thing about it is the intimacy between the orchestra and us, because we’re not separated by a chunk of stage or a chunk a scenery or a chunk of concept,” she said of the Dallas performances. “And for people like me, who have had the opportunity to perform the role before, I have all those iterations to rely on for my portrayal that I can sort of filter myself through.”
A younger Luisi listened to famous renditions
Luisi, 67, first heard a Ring recording in Georg Solti’s famous studio set with the Vienna Philharmonic from 1958-65. He also admires Karl Böhm’s live recording from the 1967 Bayreuth Festival and Marek Janowski’s 1980-83 studio version with the Staatskapelle Dresden.
He first conducted Ring when he was music director of Dresden’s Semperoper from 2007-10. Luisi’s Dallas performances include more legato and softer sound than his rendition a decade earlier at the Met. He tries to keep an arc from the first notes of “Das Rheingold” to the final strains of “Götterdämmerung.”
“I have a deeper understanding about the meaning of this piece,” he said. “I consider the ring to be a big Bruckner symphony. So we have the introduction, then we have the first movement, this is “Walküre,” which happens to be a slow movement, and then we have the scherzo, which is “Siegfried,” of course, and then the long, long, last movement. There is a unity.”
JACKSONVILLE – The faith-based nonprofit Highway 69 Mission announced on Monday that it will be permanently closing at the end of this summer.
According to our news partner KETK, the Highway 69 Mission, based in Jacksonville, was founded in 2018 and has always tried to provide spiritual, psychological and social assistance to those seeking refuge. The mission also provides outreach services to homeless people along with those suffering from mental illnesses, substance abuse and PTSD.
The organization said the decision to close was made after seeking God’s guidance along with much prayer and thoughtful consideration. Read the rest of this entry »
WASHINGTON (AP) — Mismanagement at a massive Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Texas created unsafe conditions that contributed to detainee deaths and suffering even as millions of wasted tax dollars enriched contractors, according to a federal report released Tuesday.
The Government Accountability Office report documents serious problems at Camp East Montana, a sprawling tent facility at Fort Bliss in El Paso where three detainees have died in little more than six months. Evidence in one of those deaths, of a 55-year-old Cuban migrant who died in January after being held down by guards, was “missing or destroyed,” the report found.
ICE rushed to open the camp in August before construction was complete and failed to conduct required oversight to ensure detainees were held in sanitary conditions and receiving adequate medical care, according to the report.
The Department of Homeland Security noted that ICE has replaced the contractor running the facility. “This new contractor will allow Camp East Montana to continue abiding by the highest detention standards with the ability to provide more medical care on-site,” said DHS spokesperson Lauren Bis.
The GAO’s findings echo past reporting by The Associated Press and other news outlets about dangerous conditions at Camp East Montana, which quickly became the nation’s largest immigration detention facility.
But the government report also details previously undisclosed incidents, including that a detainee escaped in October due to what ICE called the contractor’s oversight failure. In January, a security guard lost a loaded firearm inside the facility that was never recovered.
The contractor failed to administer skin tests to screen detainees for tuberculosis, relying on a questionnaire instead, the report said. The inadequate screening allowed a detainee with tuberculosis to be housed with the general population, which later suffered an outbreak.
GAO is an independent, nonpartisan agency in Congress that investigates how federal funds are spent and evaluates whether programs and policies are operating effectively. The office opened its review into Camp East Montana at the request of Democrats in the House and Senate.
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois called the report’s findings “damning.”
“We now know even more details of how dangerous and irresponsible the Trump administration’s mass deportation campaign truly is,” said Durbin, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, adding that “those detained are experiencing conditions that shock the conscience.”
A rush to build led to an inexperienced contractor
Facing pressure to increase its detention capacity, the Trump administration routed the contract to build Camp East Montana through the Army to speed construction after ICE twice failed to successfully award one. That resulted in selecting a small, little-known contractor, Acquisition Logistics, for the $1.3 billion deal despite it having no prior experience operating detention facilities and facing what ICE called a “significant learning curve.”
The Army — and later ICE after the camp was transferred to the agency — wasted millions of dollars paying for services it did not need because the contract did not account for fluctuations in the detainee population, the report said.
The Army blew up to $11.5 million paying for guards, medical services, transportation and meals in the weeks before the camp held detainees. The agencies wasted millions more because it was contracted to pay the cost of meals for the camp’s maximum population of 5,000, even when the number of detainees there dropped to around 1,600, the report said.
Facility didn’t initially meet detention standards
The facility did not meet ICE detention standards or the contract’s requirements in several ways when it opened, in part because it had not been inspected as required by ICE policy, the report said. The camp lacked security cameras on the perimeter and had other surveillance blind spots that raised the risk of sexual assaults or escapes.
The camp could not accommodate detainees using wheelchairs and had no showers compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, resulting in the disabled being held in medical care rooms.
The recreation area wasn’t available for several days, and after one yard was opened, it wasn’t enough space to provide required time for detainees. The law library, space to meet with attorneys and a visitation area did not open for weeks, resulting in detainees being deprived of legal resources and contact with family and friends, the report found.
The problems persisted as ICE began transporting more detainees there from across the country, the GAO found. While built to house up to 5,000 immigrants for short-term stays, its population has averaged about half of that from October until April, according to ICE’s most recent data.
Missing evidence and other problems
Detainees held at the facility didn’t receive comprehensive health assessments, which meant that those with chronic conditions received substandard care, the report said.
The contractor cleaned the dormitories weekly rather than daily as required, resulting in unsanitary conditions. Some guards offered detainees cookies if they would clean their own rooms. Acquisition Logistics didn’t reply to messages seeking comment.
The GAO report says investigations into the January death of Geraldo Lunas Campos were undermined after “evidence associated with the incident was missing or destroyed.” It did not elaborate. Campos died after he was restrained by guards and an outside autopsy report ruled the death a homicide due to asphyxia. The contractor at the facility did not provide use-of-force and death reports to ICE as required, according to the new report.
An investigation by ICE’s Office of Professional Responsibility into the death is on hold pending a criminal investigation by the FBI.
On Jan. 14, Nicaraguan detainee Victor Manuel Diaz, 36, died of suicide after staff put him in a medical holding room instead of suicide-resistant cell and left him unattended for intervals longer than 15 minutes, the report said. Staff could not see into the room because the contractor had failed to install vision panels that had been requested months earlier, it found.
“These are huge discrepancies in their failure to prevent suicides,” said Diaz family attorney Randall Kallinen, noting that the report strengthens a potential wrongful death claim he’s considering. “They are part of an entire laundry list of problems at Camp East Montana.”
ANGELINA COUNTY (KETK) — During a Commissioner’s Court meeting on Tuesday, Angelina County community members voiced concerns about how AI data centers entering the community could pose risks to the environment and quality of life.
In a packed courtroom on Tuesday, citizens addressed the Angelina County Commissioner’s Court while standing up to AI data centers. Including Christina Perez, whose family still lives next to the former Southland Paper Mill site, where land has already been purchased to develop an AI data center.
“Not wanting to see my childhood home turned into a battery for a machine,” Perez said.
On the other end of the debate is Bobby Tillman, a Democrat running for Texas State Senate District 3 against republican Trent Ashby. Tillman is okay with the idea of having AI data centers as long as Angelina County is protected through regulation.
“When I say restrictions, I want at least restrictions where they are safe for the environment and safe for the community,” Tillman said.
Angelina County Judge Keith Wright says the court shares the community’s concerns about how data centers could impact the area’s quality of life, but wants residents to know that county leaders don’t have the authority to stop the centers from coming in.
“We have no authority to do a moratorium or to stop any type of development in the county,” Wright said.
Wright says the only steps they can take right now are coming to terms with developers.
“The only way you can do it is in an agreement where you’re either doing a tax abatement agreement, a pilot agreement, a road use agreement,” Wright said.
Leaving residents to wonder what their future holds as their home enters the new world of technology.
Just when you’ve thought you’ve heard it all in regards to text files. Find David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called TinySong. You can get TinySong in the Apple Store.
SMITH COUNTY – Tyler residents will be able to vote in this year’s mayoral election between candidates Stuart Hene and John Nix.
There were 6,777 in-person and mail-in ballots cast during early voting. That is more than the 5,415 early votes cast in the May 2 Tyler Mayoral Election. There are 67,097 eligible voters for this election. You must be registered and reside in the city limits of Tyler to be eligible to vote in this election.
Here are the polling places in Smith County on Saturday, June 13th:
SMITH COUNTY – A Smith County man was sentenced to 30 years in prison on Monday following an investigation that revealed he was a member of a crack cocaine distribution network. According our news partner KETK and the Smith County District Attorney’s Office, 64-year-old Charles Miller was found guilty of engaging in organized criminal activity following an investigation conducted by members of the Tyler Police Department.
During the investigations, which lasted for over 20 months, investigators utilized surveillance footage and search warrants to dismantle the drug trafficking organization, which led to the arrest of Miller and 11 others connected to the operation.
On Monday, Miller was sentenced to 30 years in prison. Read the rest of this entry »
ZAVALLA (KETK) — The City of Zavalla is back to square one with no formal police services after the city council denied a motion to enter an agreement with the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office on Monday.
On May 1 in council members voted to deactivate its police department. The decision came due to a lack of formal police services in the area. The city council met with Angelina County Sheriff Tom Selman, who proposed an agreement to supply the city with regular deputy patrols.
The proposal would include 911 dispatch services, crime scene investigation and detective work in the area while allowing the city to save money, Selman said. The proposal would cost the city $15,000
Previously, the Zavalla Police Department had five members in 2025 and was budgeted $180,397 in the 2023-2024 year, a drop of more than $50,000 from their $234,832 2022-2023 budget. That drop in the department’s budget came as the city reported revenue fell from $1,011,372 in 2022-2023 to $988,928 in 2023-2024.
After receiving the proposal on May 11, the city council requested several changes to the agreement, leaving the decision to be considered at Monday’s meeting.
Alderman Sue Hough motioned to enter the agreement on Monday night, saying the additional services are “badly needed.”
“Our attorneys went over it, I also realize we’re already having to pay $5,000 plus for the dispatch and that is included in that $15,000 so actually, we’re not paying that much more for the added services, and some of those services are badly needed,” Hough said at the meeting.
The agreement ultimately failed after lacking a second the motion, with Alderman Jennifer Copeland saying she’s concerned the city won’t receive additional services from the agreement.
“My problem with the agreement is that we’re not getting anything extra for our money,” Copeland said. “The residents of Zavalla are also Angelina County residents. There is not one extra thing that you’re not already required to do that they’re not already paying taxes on.”
With the proposal dismissed, the city of Zavalla remains without a formal police service entity.
“It was a good-faith effort for us to partner with you,” Selman told council members at the meeting. “To deliver to the citizens out here, for which we were gonna deliver anyway. Y’all were just dumping this in our lap, something we’ve never had to do in the last twenty-something years. I’m disappointed to say the least because this was a very good agreement.”
Though the agreement was shot down, Selman isn’t opposed to revisiting it in the future.
“I think you’ve done a huge disservice to the citizens of Zavalla,” Selman added.
Here’s a great concept! Staying in shape can really pay off! Find David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called Sweatcoin Walking Step Counter. You can get Sweatcoin Walking Step Counter in the Apple Store and Google Play below.
Do you have the desire to produce music, but you don’t have the talent? Go get David Rancken’s App Of The Day. It’s called Mureka. You can download Mureka in the Apple Store and Google Play below.
CHEROKEE COUNTY — A Cherokee County man was sentenced to life in prison on Monday for his role in a 2021 murder in New Summerfield that left four people dead. According to our news partner KETK, Jesse Pawlowski was sentenced to life in prison on Monday without the possibility of parole after pleading guilty to the murders of John Clinton, Jeff Gerla, Ami Hickey and Amanda Bain.
Arrest affidavits revealed, that Pawlowksi along with with Dylan Welch and Billy Phillips planned to meet Clinton at his trailer home and attempted to steal a handgun from him. After receiving a report of a dead body near the home, the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office found that Clinton had been shot in the head. Read the rest of this entry »
MARSHALL – Phase one of Marshall’s water stabilization project which beganMonday, meaning temporary loss of water for some residents. The shut off started at 4 p.m. around U.S. Highway 59 and State Highway 43. Affected areas are said to include the Scenic Loop area between Pinecrest Drive and Bell Street. Water should be back on for all residents by 10 p.m. Tuesday night, according to the City of Marshall website.
Authorities say the water will be shut off while contractors tie into the newly repaired 16-inch water line that runs under the highway. This outage is required to complete the connections and place the infrastructure into service.
As well as a water shut off, the City of Marshall has issued a boil water notice for the same area.
UPSHUR COUNTY – Law enforcement officials broke up an unauthorized private party with over 60 minors in attendance on Sunday.
According our news partner KETK, and the Upshur County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, social media posts were circulating promoting a party for minors that was supposed to happen off of Wren Road, in rural Upshur County on Sunday. The posts caused local law enforcement to be concerned that drugs or alcohol at the party.
Officers from the Upshur County Precinct 1 Constable’s Office, the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, Texas Game Wardens and the Gregg County Sheriff’s Office went out to the party on Sunday and found more than 60 juveniles gathered at an unauthorized private property off of Wren Road.
They also discovered alcoholic beverages at the scene along with several juveniles who were apparently intoxicated. Drivers at the party were given Standardized Field Sobriety Tests and several minors were given citations for consumption of alcohol.
Law enforcement then dispersed the crowd of minors after they helped collect trash from the scene.
KILGORE – Authorities are reporting a pedestrian was killed on Monday morning at the CB Tire Shop in Kilgore after a truck left State Highway 135.
According our news partner KETK and the Kilgore Police Department, emergency services were sent out to the CB Tire Shop on Highway 135 at around 8:07 a.m. on Monday because of a reported pedestrian crash.
Upon arrival, first responders learned that a white 2024 Ford pickup truck was traveling south on State Highway 135 when the vehicle left the road and hit a pedestrian at the tire shop.
The pedestrian was pronounced dead at the scene following the crash. Kilgore PD said their preliminary findings show that the driver of the Ford had a medical emergency before their vehicle crashed off the road. Kilgore PD is still investigating this crash.
