Today is
Monday July 27, 2026
TYLER – Jaime W. Burke-Hicks, a teacher and student council adviser at The University of Texas at Tyler University Academy Longview campus, has been named the National Student Council Middle-Level Adviser of the Year at the 2023 Vision National Leadership Conference. She was named the Texas Association of Student Councils’ Middle-Level Adviser of the Year in May.
“This national recognition speaks volumes about Mrs. Hicks and her contributions to the district. I congratulate her, and we are extremely proud,†said Dr. Jo Ann Simmons, UA superintendent. Read the rest of this entry »
HALLSVILLE – Harrison County Sheriff’s are investigating the shooting of a Hallsville man. According to our news partner KETK, authorities were called to Walker’s Mill Road in Hallsville where they found 44-year-old Kevin Rogers shot. Rogers died at the scene. The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office is running an inquiry on the case.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler was awarded $211,000 by the National Institutes of Health to help improve blood-clotting medications for treatments in lung disorders and diseases. The project is designed to identify dosing of fibrinolytic, or clot-busting, agents that can be safely and effectively administered to the compartment surrounding the lung to dissolve clots large enough to impair lung function. Dr. Steven Idell, UT Tyler professor of medicine and senior vice president for research, serves as principal investigator for the one-year NIH project. Read the rest of this entry »
CAMP COUNTY – A man was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday for the 2021 murder of a 21-year-old Camp County woman.
According to the sheriff’s office, Tyrek Neal, 25 of Daingerfield, pleaded guilty to fatally shooting Makayla Goodson, 21, numerous times in her home in the Thunderbird Point community on Nov. 5, 2021.
Camp County Sheriff John Cortelyou said he wanted to congratulate the team who worked tirelessly on the case.
“This shows that it is not any one person, but a whole team that works together to have a successful outcome, and I want to say thanks team,†Cortelyou said.
CROCKETT – Crockett Police have arrested a 17-year-old boy in a trio of robberies of businesses in Crockett. According to our news partner KETK, authorities arrested Jose Berrios Jr. Sunday for driving with a suspended license. During the stop, officers identified Berrios’ vehicle from video footage from a robbery at a local gas station. Police were able to collect blood and fibers from a robbery July 5 at a lumber store in Crockett. Because Berrios used a gun in one of the robberies he has been charged with aggravated assault and burglary. He remains in jail with a bond set at $60,000. Police also believe that Berrios was responsible for an unsolved aggravated robbery that took place back in April at a Crockett food store.
HENDERSON COUNTY – Law enforcement Monday arrested persons with what they say was a large quantity of suspected meth found during a traffic stop. According to our news partner KETK, arrested was 54-year-old Timothy Haley and Lauren Carpenter, 34 both of Chandler. Also arrested was 27-year-old Alec Graham of North Richland. The trio were stopped near Chandler on FM 315 by Henderson County Sheriff’s. The suspected meth was discovered during the search of their vehicle. All three were arrested and booked into Henderson County jail on first-degree possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver.
WHITE OAK – Police in White Oak are investigating a homicide after officials said Kimberly Jayne Alexander, 61, of White Oak, was found inside a home with a gunshot wound, according to our news partner KETK. Officials said they were notified on Monday of a deceased person inside a home in the 100 block of Larkspur where Alexander was found. The case is being investigated as a homicide. In a statement posted on the White Oak Police Department Facebook page, the investigation led to a warrant for murder on the suspect, James Michael Alexander, 63 of White Oak, who was Mrs. Alexander’s husband. Information had been gained that he recently leased a room at a Longview hotel. White Oak officers located him there and took him into custody without further incident. The Gregg County Sheriff’s Department lent their assistance with the arrest.
TYLER — Whitehouse native, Super Bowl Champ and MVP Patrick Mahomes will be one of three NFL quarterbacks featured in the Netflix series “Quarterbackâ€. According to our news partner KETK, the eight part series will follow Mahomes, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins and Marcus Mariota of the Atlanta Falcons during the 2022 NFL season. The series will look at the season from each quarterbacks point-of-view. Covering before, during and after the games and even following the players on their off days. And, each players will be “mic’d up” during the games. It’s an NFL first. To see the first minutes of the Netflix series “Quarterbackâ€, click here. “Quarterback†has a July 12 release date.
EAST TEXAS – The East Texas Council of Governments was recently awarded a Brownfields Assessment Coalition Grant of $1 million from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. This grant will allow ETCOG to lead environmental site assessments and reuse planning throughout the region. With a primary focus on Longview, Marshall, Kilgore, and Gladewater, this funding aims to revitalize and re-envision contaminated properties, fostering sustainable redevelopment across the 14-county ETCOG region. Read the rest of this entry »
JACKSONVILLE – The East Texas Food Bank has a new mobile food pantry available for Jacksonville and Cherokee County. According to our news partner KETK, the mobile food pantry will be at Jacksonville’s Alexander Gym Tuesday July 11 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. and the second Tuesday each month thereafter. The food bank will be offering fresh produce and meat during this stop. Read the rest of this entry »
BOWIE COUNTY – Law enforcement is asking for help in finding two inmates who escaped from Bi-State Jail in Bowie County. According to our news partner KETK, the two men are Wayde Burton Land and JC Lee Kirby. Jail surveillance video showed the pair leaving the jail in street clothes and going toward Texas Boulevard in Texarkana. The Bowie County Sheriff’s office ask if you have information on Land or Kirby to call them at 903-798-3149.
LONGVIEW – A guilty plea Thursday gets a Longview man 22 years in prison. According to our news partner KETK, 33-year-old James Barron was convicted in the death of 58-year-old Llewellyn Williams. In 2020, Williams was found dead in his home after police were called to stop and perform a wellness check. After an autopsy and evidence gathered at Williams home, law enforcement ruled his death a murder. Barron was indicted for murder in September of that year and has remained in the Gregg County jail since then.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler hosted its first white coat ceremony last week for their inaugural class of medical students. According to our news partner KETK, 40 students said the physician’s oath and received a white coat with a humanism in medicine pin. University president Kirk Calhoun said, “This is a momentous occasion for UT Tyler, a day to recognize the impact these students will have on the health care of the East Texas region.†School officials say that 95% of students in this class are from East Texas.
TYLER – A Smith County mother was indicted for abuse of a corpse after her newborn child’s body was found in March in a bucket outside a home. According to our news partner KETK, Jazzlyn Cooper-Holmes, 23 of Longview, was arrested on March 18 after officials with the sheriff’s office were called to the home in Lindale where the baby was found. The homeowner, who reported to live with Cooper-Holmes, showed deputies a red mop bucket that was reportedly placed outside. Read the rest of this entry »
GREGG COUNTY — On July 2, a crash involving a Freightliner truck tractor left a woman dead and one injured person in Gregg County.
According to DPS and our neews partners at KETK, a 2014 Freightliner Truck Tractor towing a 2012 Heil semi-trailer was traveling south on State Highway 42 about a mile south of White Oak around 7:15 p.m.
Tonya Gonzales, 50, of Longview, was traveling east in a 2012 Nissan Altima on Texaco Road approaching the intersection.
Officials said the investigation revealed that Gonzales disregarded the stop sign and collided with the truck tractor in the intersection.
Gonzales was pronounced dead on the scene by Justice of the Peace Tim Bryan and the driver of the truck tractor was taken to a local hospital with non-incapacitating injuries.
According to the DPS report, Gonzales was not wearing a seatbelt.
VAN – Van ISD announced Wednesday that Jeremy Peterson has been named middle school principal. According to our news partner KETK, the Kirbyville native has been an educator for 18 years. The entire time in the Van school district. Van Superintendent Don Dunn said, “Mr. Peterson brings a wealth of experience, a strong passion for education and is well-equipped to guide Van Middle School toward continued growth and success.†Peterson earned his bachelor’s degree from UT Tyler and his master’s at Lamar University.
SMITH COUNTY – The Smith County Commissioners Court on Wednesday approved the appointment of Tyler Fire Marshal Paul Findley to become the Smith County Fire Marshal.
Our news partners at KETK report his appointment is effective on July 10, County Judge Neal Franklin said. Findley received unanimous support from the commissioner’s court.
Findley works for the Tyler Fire Department as Fire Marshal and Public Information Officer. He has spent 26 years in the fire service and earned certifications as a Master Firefighter, Master Fire Inspector, Master Arson Investigator and Fire Instructor with the Texas Commission on Fire Protection.
He is also licensed as a Master Peace Officer with more than 16 years in law enforcement and has maintained his paramedic license in the mid 1990s. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Our news partners at KETK report that a Tyler man was sentenced to life in prison in the June 2021 death of a Tyler teenager after pleading guilty to capital murder.
Andres Urrutia, 21, pleaded guilty on June 12 to the murder of 17-year-old Jesse McNeeley, who was found shot at his home on Omega Drive.
Two other men were indicted for capital murder in the case alongside Urrutia. Urrutia was arrested days after the shooting in Galveston County for murder and on four outstanding felony warrants unrelated to the case.
A few weeks before pleading guilty, the district attorney’s office elected to seek the death penalty in Urrutia’s case. His two co-defendants are set to appear in court in November.
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department is asking for help in locating a missing person. According to our news partner KETK, she is 32-year-old Jasmine Lucky. Jasmine is 5’6″, weighs around 240 pounds and has a scar on her neck. Authorities say her last know location was downtown Longview near Christus Good Shepherd Medical Center. If you have information on Jasmine’s whereabouts, contact the Longview Police Department.
KILGORE – Authorities in Kilgore Monday announced they are looking for a Kilgore man whose been reported missing. According to our news partner KETK, missing is 24-year-old James “Bud” Schilling. Kilgore PD says that Schilling is 6’2″, slender build with brown eyes and brown hair. He was last seen near the Post Oak Road Church of Christ. The Kilgore Police Department asks if you have information to please contact them. For additional photos of James Schilling, go here.
TYLER — Nearly 1,202 are without power in East Texas as of 9:50 p.m. Monday as thunderstorms popped up in East Texas according to our news partner KETK. To see a list broken out by county of outage data supplied by ONCOR, SWEPCO and other electric co-ops Click here.
TYLER – The Texas Department of Public Safety is making its presence known during the July Fourth holiday. According to our news partner KETK, the DPS is watching for violators of the Move Over, Slow Down law. The Move Over, Slow Down law requires all drivers to slow down when they encounter tow trucks or emergency vehicles on the side of the road with their emergency blinkers on. DPS Director Steven McCraw said “Please be mindful of our state’s traffic laws, be courteous of other drivers on the roads and make safety your first priority so everyone can have a good holiday.â€
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department has identified a man who was taken into custody after being barricaded in a house for four hours on Saturday, according to our news partners at KETK.
Jerry Jamies, 29, who reportedly assaulted a female resident of the home, eventually came out and was subdued by officials using OC spray. Jamies was transported to a local hospital by EMS and will next be transported to Smith County Jail, according to a Tyler PD press release.
Detectives have a obtained a warrant for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon for Jamies and the warrant has a $750,000 bond, officials said.
HARRISON COUNTY – The Harrison County Sheriff’s Office said that Robert Daniel Smith was arrested after a chase and exchange of gunfire around 11:41 p.m. on Sunday. Our news partners at KETK report that the sheriff’s office said that Smith’s vehicle was spotted in the parking lot of The First Community Baptist Church in Harleton by a patrol deputy. According to the sheriff’s office, Smith then attempted to strike the deputy’s patrol unit. Smith then fled northbound on FM 2208 and allegedly started to fire multiple gunshots that hit the pursuing deputy’s vehicle, officials said. According to the sheriff’s office, the chase continued into Marion County before Smith turned around and was confronted by the pursuing deputy who returned fire. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — There are variety of Fourth of July events scheduled for the East Texas area. The fireworks and celebrations will run during the weekend through Tuesday July 4. Our news partner KETK has a list of events, please click here to see it.
TYLER – NET Health, the Northeast Texas Public Heath District announced that former Tyler Mayor Kevin Eltife has received the 2023 W.T. “Doc†Ballard Award. According to our news partner KETK, Eltife is being recognized for service and leadership in the creation of the UT Tyler School of Medicine. He is a former Texas District 1 Senator and is the current chairman of The University of Texas Board of Regents. Eltife said at the award presentation, “This community is exceptionally giving, and ‘Doc’ Ballard embodied that quality as well. I not only want this medical school to be a vehicle for better health for the community, but I also want to it to provide an amazing educational opportunity for East Texas students.” The award is named after “Doc†Ballard, who was a registered professional engineer at the Texas Department of Health.
TYLER – The son of the Smith County Clerk and a county commissioner was held in contempt of court Friday morning after appearing for an arraignment hearing. Our news partners at KETK report that Lance Phillips, 40 of Tyler, was in court for a misdemeanor charge of disruption of a meeting he received after being removed from a Smith County Commissioner’s Court meeting in May.
“When the bailiffs were coming and he sat down from the pew on the floor with his back to the wall and made the officers have to literally carry him out the courtroom,†Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith said at the time of his disruption of a meeting charge. “If he acts like he did today he’s gonna wear out the hinges on the door in the jail.â€
The first time Phillips attempted to speak at a commissioner’s court meeting in May, he said he planned to “correct the slander†about his family following the arrest of his mother and brother for interfering with a traffic stop. However, he was removed from the podium for not speaking on an agenda item. Phillips told KETK at the time of his disruption arrest that he planned to plead not guilty at his upcoming court date. After being arrested for contempt of court at his arraignment hearing, Phillips was booked into the Gregg County Jail.
TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler University Academy campus in
Palestine, an open enrollment university charter school, is recruiting for Grades K-12. Since the UA
is a state-funded public charter school, there is no student tuition.
The campus was recently named a 2022-23 Project Lead The Way Distinguished School, and the
district was also named a 2022-23 PLTW Distinguished District for the third consecutive year. UT
Tyler UA is one of just 17 PLTW districts nationwide and the only one in Texas to receive such
recognition this year. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — A Tyler man is found guilty and is given a life prison sentence without parole because of sexual abuse of child under 14. According to our news partner KETK, prosecutors say that 57-year-old Reiner Wiseman sexually abused a 13-year-old multiple times over a six month period. Wiseman had just recently been released from prison in another state after serving a 25-year sentence for sexual assault. At the conclusion of sentencing, the Smith County DA Jacob Putman praised the response of the Tyler Police Department and the Smith County Children’s Advocacy Center. Putman also noted that the victim testified against their abuser.
UPSHUR COUNTY – A Gilmer man has been indicted for murder in Upshur County after his father’s body was found in March by a roofing crew. According to our news partner KETK, Michael Timothy Caffey, 46, was indicted by the grand jury on June 22, and as of June 29, remains in the Upshur County Jail since his March 28 arrest. The body of his father, 66-year-old Timothy Caffey, was found by a roofing crew at a residence who called authorities to the scene. Timothy was found at his home that he shared with his son, and officials said at the time that evidence indicated his death was the result of a homicide. Read the rest of this entry »