Today is
Monday July 20, 2026
UPSHUR COUNTY – The County Commissioners’ Court unanimously voted to join the future Northeast Texas Groundwater Conservation District on Wednesday, according to our news partner KETK. Upshur County Precinct 1 Commissioner Gene Dolle said they voted to join the planned district as part of a growing effort to conserve the area’s underground water resources.
Smith and Gregg County Commissioners have also voted to join the district recently. According to Dolle, the effort to create the district has been spearheaded in Upshur County by their recently elected County Judge L. Brandon Dodd. Dodd is working closely with State Rep. Jay Dean, a longtime champion of local water conservation.
The district will be comprised of anywhere between a dozen and 16 East Texas counties that sit over the Carrizo-Wilcox aquifer and aren’t yet a part of a groundwater conservation district. It would be led by its own board and the East Texas Council of Governments, and work with state lawmakers, and individual counties to help safeguard local water resources.
NACOGDOCHES — Beach volleyball players from Stephen F. Austin State University filed a lawsuit against the head coach and the university, claiming they faced retaliation for their support of a Title IX lawsuit against the institution, according to our news partner, KETK.
The suit was filed Monday by Ryann Allison, one of the two plaintiffs, among seven female student athletes, who have filed a Title IX sex discrimination class action lawsuit against the university. The action was prompted by the decision to cut three women’s athletics programs, including beach volleyball. The case is currently still in litigation.
At the end of the 2025-2026 school year, Allison was the only athlete to remain at SFA with plans to continue her senior season. In response to the initial lawsuit, the school reinstated all three programs into the athletic department.
Throughout the initial case, Allison and the second plaintiff, fellow teammate Brynn Dowd, were outspoken in their support for the lawsuit. Dowd expressed that she was proud of what the Title XI plaintiffs were doing and that she would also like to help rebuild the previously cut program, documents said.
Shortly after the end of the season on April 28, Allison had an end-of-year meeting with head beach volleyball coach Gretchen Hand that resulted in Allison being removed from the team for the next season. Dowd reported experiencing the same thing.
The lawsuit states that the defendants had no legitimate reason to remove the players from the team, and when asked why, Hand allegedly told the plaintiffs separately, “You don’t need to understand why.” In addition to her first given reason, Hand reportedly told Dowd that her decision “wasn’t about ability.”
Documents said that both plaintiffs demand a trial by jury. A spokesperson from SFA said the investigation is ongoing and that the university will not be commenting at this time.
Where Myers vs. Stephen F. Austin State University stands now
Filed in 2025, the case first began when the university axed three women’s programs (beach volleyball, golf and bowling) due to alleged budget cuts. The lawsuit against the institution claimed that the university discriminated against its female student-athletes by eliminating the teams.
In September 2025, the university filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit on three grounds, as they had already reinstated beach volleyball and golf and claimed that the plaintiffs’ allegations were insufficient to show noncompliance with Title IX.
According to court documents obtained by KETK News, U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. Truncale ruled that the motion to dismiss is “granted in part and denied in part.” Despite the procedural ruling that SFA “won” the first ground, the case can still go “forward, full steam ahead,” Arthur Bryant, the attorney for the plaintiffs, said.
The next steps for the plaintiffs are a motion for their class certification and a motion to preserve the claims of all the women athletes, he said, for the trial set in mid-December.
CROCKETT – Police said law enforcement responded to a vehicle burglary on Tuesday at the J.H. Wotters Crockett Library. The caller said someone was going through her vehicle before leaving the scene, according to our news partner, KETK.
When officers arrived, they began a search of the area and deployed a drone to use thermal imaging. They then located the suspect attempting to hide between a bush and a nearby church. As the drone moved overhead, police said the suspect attempted to flee again, but was surrounded by law enforcement and taken into custody.
Police were able to recover the victim’s stolen wallet from the suspect’s pocket. The suspect, identified as Trent Omar Shedd, of Crockett, was taken to Houston County Jail and charged with burglary of vehicles and evading arrest.
PLANO – A Dallas convicted felon has been sentenced to 15 years in federal prison for a firearms violation in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Antonio Detravion Woodard, Jr., 24, pleaded guilty to being a felon in possession of a firearm and was sentenced to 180 months in federal prison on July 13, 2026.
According to information presented in court, on January 10, 2025, Woodard called for a Lyft and upon arrival, pulled out a gun and told the driver, “this is a robbery.” Woodard asked the driver for access to his Cash App and Wallet. Upon inspection, Woodard discovered that the driver had no cash. Woodard was upset and demanded the victim to “not tell the police what happened.” The driver was able to hit the safety feature in his Lyft app and local law enforcement responded.
Further investigation revealed Woodard was a convicted felon and prohibited by federal law from owning or possessing firearms. This case is part of a nationwide initiative of the Department of Justice to stop illegal immigration, and eliminate cartels and transnational criminal organizations. The effort protects communities from violent criminals. This case was investigated by the Plano Police Department and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Abe McGlothin, Jr.
BEAUMONT – A Houston man has pleaded guilty to federal drug trafficking violations following a Homeland Security Task Force investigation in the Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs announced. Indolfo Hernandez, 36, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to possess with intent to distribute 50 grams or more of methamphetamine before U.S. Magistrate Judge Zack Hawthorn on July 10, 2026.
According to information presented in court, in January 2024, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization that was distributing large amounts of methamphetamine throughout Texas and neighboring regions. The organization, based in Houston and operating within the Eastern District of Texas, was led by Hernandez. During the investigation, law enforcement seized more than 16 kilograms of methamphetamine that had been distributed by Hernandez and his co-conspirators.
This case is part of the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad. Through historic inter-agency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders.
In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. Hernandez faces a minimum of 10 years and up to life in federal prison at sentencing. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of an investigation by the U.S. Probation Office.
LUFKIN — Sensitive information may have been stolen from a Lufkin accounting firm, a cyberthreat intelligence program reported in late June, according to our news partner, KETK. SOCRadar, which is an extended threat intelligence platform, helps warn organizations of cyber threats. It found that the accounting firm Todd, Hamaker & Johnson was attacked by ransomware Akira on June 30.
Approximately 40 gigabytes of client and employee data were breached in the attack, and Akira is threatening to release the information publicly, the Lufkin Daily News reported. Akira uses ransomware to impact a wide range of businesses in North America, Europe and Australia, threatening to breach and release information that is sensitive, according to the FBI.
Since 2023, Akira has been known to attack small to medium-sized businesses specialized in many industries, including financial services.
SOCRadar says Akira uses “double extortion tactics,” which encrypt data and exfiltrate sensitive information to pressure victims. The accounting firm has not commented to confirm the information breach, when contacted by news media.
HENDERSON COUNTY — A Dallas-area company, attempting to install dozens of high capacity water wells, is suing a groundwater conservation district to stop the company from drilling, according to our news partner, KETK. The lawsuit was filed against the Neches and Trinity Valleys Groundwater Conservation District, alleging a ‘deliberate scheme’ to stop Ranch Holding, LLC, and Pine Bliss from drilling.
It was filed in federal court on Tuesday. This stems from a longtime dispute, as they attempt to obtain permits to drill 43 water wells on their properties in Anderson and Henderson counties. Since then, the plaintiffs have faced several obstacles after the district suspended their permits and allegedly blocked them from filing new applications under a new moratorium that was adopted in May. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – A Tyler drug dealer has been sentenced to over 15 years in federal prison for trafficking methamphetamine in the Eastern District of Texas, according to U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs.
Charles Ray Griffith, Jr., 36, also known as Root, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 188 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Jeremy D. Kernodle on July 6, 2026. According to information presented in court, Griffith was detained while driving vehicles on two separate occasions in July and September 2024, resulting in the discovery of a total of 140.30 grams of methamphetamine. Read the rest of this entry »
PLANO – Five defendants were sentenced to 903 months in federal prison as U.S. Attorney’s Office advances DOJ mission to protect the he Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) initiative that was established by Executive Order 14159, Protecting the American People Against Invasion. The HSTF is a whole-of-government partnership dedicated to eliminating criminal cartels, foreign gangs, transnational criminal organizations, and human smuggling and trafficking rings operating in the United States and abroad.
Through historic interagency collaboration, the HSTF directs the full might of United States law enforcement towards identifying, investigating, and prosecuting the full spectrum of crimes committed by these organizations, which have long fueled violence and instability within our borders. In performing this work, the HSTF places special emphasis on investigating and prosecuting those engaged in child trafficking or other crimes involving children. The HSTF further utilizes all available tools to prosecute and remove the most violent criminal aliens from the United States. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – UPS announced on Monday that they’re investigating allegations that Tyler workers were told not to call 911 for heat-related incidents, after a local driver collapsed from heat recently, according to our news partner, KETK.
In a video shared to the Teamsters Local 767‘s social media pages, local president and principal officer Dave Reeves stopped by the UPS warehouse in Tyler last week to remind workers to call 911 immediately if they experience the symptoms of heat illness.
Reeves said that on June 26, a UPS driver collapsed from heat and another driver had to call 911 to get them help. Reeves claimed that management had previously informed workers not to contact 911 immediately in the case of a heat-related incident.
“If we eat lunch together and y’all walk in and y’all see this guy’s lying on the ground and he’s puking on himself in a convenience store, get your phone out and dial 911,” Reeves said in the video. “No more bulls**ting around with these guys, we have it in a message where they’re saying don’t call 911.” Read the rest of this entry »
TEXAS TRIBUNE – Former Republican U.S. Rep. Bill Archer, who represented west Houston for three decades in Congress, died on Saturday in Virginia. He was 98.
His death was announced Sunday by the Archer Center, which he co-established after he retired from Congress.
Best known for his time in federal politics, Archer first served two terms in the Texas House. He started as a Democrat in 1967, but switched parties two years later.
Archer was then elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1970 to serve Texas’ 7th Congressional District, succeeding George H. W. Bush. During his long tenure, he rose to chair the powerful House Ways and Means Committee. He spearheaded major federal tax legislation, including reducing the estate tax and creating the $500-per-child tax credit.
In 2001, he established the Archer Center in partnership with the University of Texas System. More than 2,200 students have participated in its fellowship program, according to the center.
“The University of Texas System is fortunate, proud, and honored to have Congressman Archer’s name permanently associated with our work and our mission,” said Chancellor John M. Zerwas in a statement shared by the Archer Center. “Through his extraordinary legacy of leadership and public service, thousands of Archer Fellows have been exposed to the highest ideals of civic engagement and inspired to carry those values forward in their own lives and careers.”
William “Reyn” Archer III, in a statement, said his father felt that his biggest achievement was in “helping individual people.”
“He cared deeply for the power of one person achieving their best,” his eldest son said. “Through the Archer Center, he leaves a lasting legacy of that desire for Texas and Texans.”
WOOD COUNTY – Texas Game Wardens said they found one man dead in Lake Hawkins on Saturday after he reportedly drowned. According to our news partner KETK, the 27-year-old male swimmer was swimming near a park at Lake Hawkins when he never came back from under the water. His body was recovered from the water at around 4:50 p.m. on Saturday, after officials conducted a search of the lake.
Game wardens told KETK News that a local Justice of the Peace could order an autopsy on the man’s body.
TYLER – One person has died after a shooting happened at the Relax Inn on East Gentry Parkway in Tyler on Saturday morning, according to our news partner, KETK, and Tyler Police. Officers responding to a reported shooting, arrived at the motel at around 4 a.m., and found a victim at the scene.
The person was taken to a hospital to be treated for injuries from the shooting, and died at the hospital, according to police. Detectives are interviewing a suspect reportedly involved in the crime. According to a news release, the shooting was “not a random incident.” A warrant for murder is currently pending for the suspect.
GLADEWATER — For America’s 250th birthday, East Texans are coming together for Independence Day festivities like no other. With fireworks popping across the night sky and boats launched on lakes, residents are finding any way they can to enjoy the holiday weekend.
Texas Game Wardens, however, ask that you spend the Fourth of July safely, following all laws while out on the lake, according to our new partner, KETK. “I want to stress: slow down. Just slow down. We’re going to have an added crowd out here,” Texas Game Warden Todd Long said. “The fireworks show tends to bring in lots of other boats, canoers, kayakers, people of different levels of experience.” Read the rest of this entry »
AUSTIN – Attorney General Ken Paxton announced an investigation into StubHub over widespread reports that the company is canceling or failing to provide World Cup tickets that fans have purchased. Since the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off, fans across the country, including in Texas host cities like Dallas and Houston, have reported that StubHub canceled their tickets days or even hours before kickoff.
StubHub has blamed the cancellations on “transfer problems” tied to FIFA’s ticketing platform, but consumer complaints point to a broader pattern often called “ghost ticketing,” in which sellers list tickets they do not actually possess, collect payment, and then cancel when they cannot deliver.
“My office is investigating reports that StubHub is failing to deliver tickets that Texas fans have rightfully purchased,” said Attorney General Paxton. “In many cases, attending a World Cup match is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. If StubHub is ghost ticketing Texans out of that experience, my office will use every tool available to hold them accountable and help fans who have been wronged.”
Texans who purchased World Cup tickets through StubHub and did not receive them, or received tickets significantly inferior to what they paid for, are encouraged to file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division. To access the online complaint form, click here.
WISE COUNTY – On July 1, Texas Department of Public Safety, Criminal Investigations Division special agents served a search warrant at a residence in Runaway Bay, as part of an ongoing investigation involving the alleged downloading of child sexual abuse material. During the search, DPS CID special agents located and seized multiple electronic devices.
A preliminary forensics examination identified several files depicting child sexual abuse material on the seized electronic devices. Michael Jeffrey Anderson, 40, of Runaway Bay was arrested and charged with possession or promotion of child pornography, a first degree felony.
He was also charged with possession, promotion, or production of certain visual material depicting a child, a state jail felony. Anderson was taken to the Wise County Jail. This is an open investigation, and no further information is available.
Anyone with information related to this investigation or with knowledge of any crime is encouraged to contact the Texas Department of Public Safety. The public can report suspicious behaviors via the iWatchTexas app or by calling 1-844-643-2251. A report usually takes less than five minutes, and all reports are confidential (providing contact information, which is optional, allows follow-up questions).
The iWatchTexas app is available at no cost to iPhone users on the Apple App Store (iWatchTexas) and for Android users on Google Play (iWatchTexas). Texans are urged to download the app now.
Note: The iWatchTexas program is not designed to report emergencies. You can visit the website here. If a situation requires an emergency response, call 911.
Thank you to our local law enforcement partners, who assisted with the investigation: the Wise County Sheriff’s Office, the Dallas Police Department, and the Runaway Bay Police Department.
SMITH COUNTY – A dead skunk has tested positive for rabies after it came in contact with at least one dog, according to Smith County Animal Control, and our news partner, KETK. Officials said the skunk had been in direct contact with at least one dog, but may have come in contact with as many as three dogs. The skunk’s body was submitted to the state laboratory for rabies testing in Austin, and Smith County was informed about the positive result on Thursday. The dead skunk was reported on Monday. Animal control officers responded to the location of the dead skunk, and took its body for local testing. Read the rest of this entry »
RUSK COUNTY – The South Rusk County Water Supply Corporation has issued a boil water notice for their customers after they had a temporary break in water service on Thursday, according to county officials, and our news partner, KETK.
Any customer who experienced a water outage in the South Rusk County Water Supply Corporation area recently is asked to please bring any water for cleaning or consumption to a vigorous rolling boil for at least two minutes before use.
South Rusk County Water Supply Corporation officials said they will notify their customers when it becomes no longer necessary to boil water. Anyone with questions can contact their office at 903-863-2124.
(AUSTIN) — Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts today released an updated Economic Impact Analysis of Texas Military Installations report. The analysis estimates that the state’s military installations contribute nearly $148.8 billion annually to the Texas economy and support more than 628,800 jobs statewide.
Developed in collaboration with the Texas Military Preparedness Commission, the analysis measures the direct and indirect economic contributions of military installations in Texas through employment, economic output, gross domestic product and disposable personal income.
“Texas has a long and proud tradition of supporting our nation’s military,” Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock said. “The men and women who serve at our military installations strengthen our national security while making a tremendous contribution to the Texas economy. This analysis demonstrates the far-reaching impact these installations have on communities across our state through jobs, economic activity and continued investment.”
In 2025, Texas military installations supported 212,541 direct jobs, including more than 124,886 active-duty and full-time National Guard and Reserve personnel. When indirect employment is included, military installations supported an estimated 628,884 jobs across Texas.
Besides the $148.8 billion the military installations contribute to the Texas economy, the analysis also estimated that the installations generated $91.4 billion in Texas gross domestic product and $43.6 billion in disposable personal income.
Texas is home to 14 military installations representing the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force, as well as National Guard and Reserve components. Encompassing more than 1.4 million acres, these installations play a critical role in supporting the nation’s defense while serving as major economic drivers for communities throughout Texas.
The 2025 Economic Impact Analysis of Texas Military Installations includes statewide findings and detailed economic impact information for each of Texas’ 14 military installations.
AUSTIN – The Texas Health and Human Services Commission launched upgraded EBT cards for clients of the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, popularly known as WIC, to make it easier for families to manage their benefits.
The new WIC card integrates with the upgraded myWIC app, allowing clients to track benefits and purchases in real time. With the new card, WIC benefits can be added remotely. Clients will also be able to freeze and unfreeze their benefits in the myWIC app for enhanced security.
“We want Texas families to feel supported every time they use WIC,” HHS Executive Commissioner Stephanie Muth said. “These upgrades make it easier for families to see their benefits, plan their shopping and feel confident they are getting the nutritious foods they need.”
The cards were distributed to clients at their scheduled appointments and can be used beginning July 1. Clients must create a PIN for their new cards in the myWIC app or by calling the Texas WIC Card Management Line at 833-966-1382.
Texas WIC clients receive fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, cheese and other healthy foods to help meet their family’s nutritional needs. WIC also offers free classes on breastfeeding and healthy eating, along with one-on-one nutrition counseling.
Women can apply for WIC as soon as they learn they are pregnant. Anyone with children under the age of 5 can apply for WIC, including dads, foster parents, guardians or grandparents.
The HHSC WIC program serves more than 760,000 women, infants and children each month. For more information or to apply for benefits, visit here or call 800-942-3678.
AUSTIN — Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock today said state sales tax revenue totaled $4.2 billion in June, 4.2% more than in June 2025. The majority of June sales tax revenue is based on sales made in May and remitted to the agency in June.
Receipts from the sectors mainly affected by business spending were mixed last month, with the construction and wholesale trade sectors coming in above their June 2025 totals, and the mining and manufacturing sectors falling below collections from a year ago.
From the large sectors driven primarily by consumer spending, remittances from the retail trade sector were once again up more than 3% compared with the same month a year ago, and remittances from the services sector increased by nearly 9%.
Within the retail trade sector, collections from electronic shopping outlets had the largest increase, showing a double-digit increase for the fourth consecutive month. Receipts from the general merchandise subsector were down approximately 2% compared to last June.
Receipts from restaurants were up 4.8% from a year ago, well above the rate of inflation for food away from home.
Total sales tax revenue for the three months ending in June 2026 was up 6.9% compared to the same period a year ago. Sales tax is the largest source of state funding for the state budget, accounting for 58% of all tax collections.
Texas collected the following revenue from other major taxes:
motor vehicle sales and rental taxes — $641 million, up 2% from June 2025;
motor fuel taxes — $336 million, down 2% from June 2025;
oil production tax — $736 million, the largest monthly collections on record, up 82% from June 2025;
natural gas production tax — $212 million, down 1% from June 2025;
hotel occupancy tax — $74 million, up 9% from June 2025; and
alcoholic beverage taxes — $163 million, up 2% from June 2025.
Marshall — As a part of its grid enhancement project, Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) is launching the first phase in Marshall to improve its power grid infrastructure, the company announced on Tuesday.
Earlier this month, the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) awarded SWEPCO a $200 million grant aiming to upgrade approximately 700 miles of power line infrastructure in Northeast Texas, ultimately enhancing reliability for more than 192,000 Texas customers, according to our news partner, KETK.
The first project will begin in Marshall, marking the first step in the effort to modernize electric infrastructure and reliability, SWEPCO said.
“When we analyzed our system, upgrading copper wire to more modern equipment stood out as an area that would have the biggest impact,” Adam Keeth, SWEPCO Director of Distribution Engineering & Reliability, said. “By replacing it with modern aluminum?alloy conductors and installing stronger poles, we’re building a system that can better withstand ice, wind, and long?duration storms and deliver more reliable service to our customers.”
The project includes the following upgrades:
Replacing copper wire with stronger conductors
Installing new utility poles designed to withstand severe weather
Strengthen the power distribution network
Support long-term reliability for homes, schools, hospitals and businesses
As work continues throughout the region, the full project is expected to be completed by 2031.
“Together, these efforts will modernize some of the oldest portions of the distribution system, rebuilding them to a more resilient, storm-hardened design within fully cleared rights-of-way,” SWEPCO said.
Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke L. Rollins announced the Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers (SPUR) Program that will provide temporary support for eligible beef processing establishments. Under SPUR, the U.S. Department of Agriculture will provide up to $500 million in payments to eligible entities to support stronger and more stable market opportunities for American ranchers.
“America’s ranchers deserve a strong, competitive marketplace that rewards their hard work and preserves opportunity for generations to come,” said Secretary Brooke L. Rollins. “Today, historically tight cattle supplies, the Biden administration’s anti-cattle focus, consolidation in and foreign ownership of meat packing and the reemergence of New World Screwworm have created extraordinary market conditions that are placing significant pressure on our independent and regional beef processors. Through the Strengthening Processing for U.S. Ranchers (SPUR) Program, USDA is taking targeted action to preserve the independent processing capacity that ranchers rely on, strengthen competition across the American beef supply chain, and support rural communities across the country. This is another important step in our Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry by strengthening domestically owned processing capacity and ensuring America’s cattle producers continue to have strong market opportunities and meet America’s historically high beef demand. As we Make America Healthy Again, we are working to ensure American families have continued access to nutritious, high-quality American beef while promoting greater competition, a more resilient food supply chain, and long-term affordability at the grocery store.”
“Small and mid-size beef processors are essential to maintain the diversity of America’s food system,” said Under Secretary for Food Safety Mindy Brashears. “Supporting this processing capacity helps preserve market options for our United States ranchers, strengthens regional supply chains and ensures American families continue to have access to safe, high-quality beef produced here at home.”
“Competitive supply chains help ensure American ranchers have reliable markets for their cattle,” said Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Richard Fordyce. “Through the SPUR Program, USDA is bolstering market opportunities for ranchers and supporting a resilient beef industry.”
These payments are authorized under the Commodity Credit Corporation Charter Act and are administered by the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Payments are intended to provide financial support to eligible beef processors who have faced increased costs of acquiring cattle for processing due to the abnormally low number of cattle being raised in the U.S at this time and other conditions currently impacting the cattle market. Additional information, including applications, will be provided to eligible entities using contact information that is currently on file with the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service.
Entities eligible to receive funding under SPUR must be beef processing establishments under Federal inspection, as well as beef processing establishments inspected under the Talmadge-Aiken Cooperative Inspection Program and the Cooperative Interstate Shipment Program (CIS). Further, eligible entities must be U.S. owned and cannot be nationally dominant in beef processing (or owned by an entity that is). For purposes of SPUR, nationally dominant will be defined as an entity holding a market share greater than or equal to the entity holding the fourth-largest share of the beef processing market.
For decades, the beef processing industry in the U.S. has been heavily concentrated and today just four companies control nearly 85% of the beef processing market, including two foreign owned companies. Ensuring domestic processors can continue operating during this period where the U.S. cattle herd is at a 75-year low is critical to national security and will ensure a strong supply chain once the herd is rebuilt.
This new program also directly supports the USDA Plan to Fortify the American Beef Industry and the USDA Small Processors Action Plan (PDF, 2.3 MB) by ensuring American ranchers have access to regional processing capacity they rely on to support branded and value-added beef programs, such as the Product of USA label that USDA started promoting earlier this year.
SHERMAN – A Denton man who committed three armed robberies of banks in the Denton County area, has been sentenced to 78 months in federal prison, announced Eastern District of Texas, U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs. Jonathan Mark Fleming, 41, pleaded guilty to bank robbery and was sentenced to 78 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Richard Schell on June 29, 2026.
According to court records, from November 2022 to February 2023, the defendant committed three armed robberies of banks in the Denton County area. For each robbery, the defendant dressed in all black, wore black gloves, black ski goggles and a black mask. He also brandished a firearm. During the first two robberies, the defendant arrived at the banks in a red Dodge Challenger. For the final robbery, he arrived in a Dodge Ram truck. Investigators were able to track the truck to the original dealership and learned the defendant had purchased the truck with a large cash payment and a trade-in of a red Dodge Challenger.
Having identified the defendant as a possible suspect, a search warrant was subsequently obtained for Fleming’s apartment on February 23, 2023. During the search of the apartment, Fleming was located as the sole occupant and was arrested. Officers also located items that they had observed on video surveillance from the robberies, including a black/gray duffel bag, black clothing, a black face covering, a gun belt with holster, and black ski goggles.
A large sum of United States currency, which was still wrapped in bank currency bands, was also located inside the apartment, as well as multiple firearms; specifically, a black M&P Smith and Wesson handgun in a holster (believed to be used in the robbery committed on November 10, 2022); a black newly purchased Glock handgun with a receipt; and two AR-style rifles. In addition, two police radio scanners and multiple receipts, detailing large deposits ranging from $19,000 to $40,000 into various bank accounts, were located. In all the defendant stole approximately $450,000.00 in cash from the three bank robberies.
This case was investigated by the Denton Police Department; Lewisville Police Department; Flower Mound Police Department; and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Matthew T. Johnson.
MARSHALL – Police and other investigators made a second arrest in connection with the early Saturday morning shooting in Marshall that left two people dead and two others injured. The shooting happened outside a Whataburger restaurant.
Jamarrio Dominique Epps, 21, of Longview, has been arrested and charged with murder. Epps was taken into custody by Longview Police Department’s SWAT team, after Marshall police issued an arrest warrant. Previously, Marshall Police arrested Davion McDale Brown, 19, who was charged with capital murder in connection with the same incident. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – Investigators were notified by Child Protective Services and hospital staff regarding a two-month-old baby brought to CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital with head trauma consistent with child abuse, according to a news release. Medical personnel reported the infant was suffering from brain bleeding, seizures, and facial bruising. The baby was later airlifted to Children’s Medical Center in Dallas for specialized treatment.
Investigators conducted interviews with the baby’s mother, other adults, and the children residing in the home, and discovered the home lacked air conditioning and was infested with flies. The floor was heavily littered with rat feces, diapers, and clothing.
The investigation also revealed that several of the children were routinely locked in a room when the mother left the residence, leaving another adult in charge. Investigators learned on the night of June 16, the two mothers of the children, identified as Sidney Whitt, 21, and Jacqulun Morales, 29, left the residence and placed Morales’s sister, Shelby Munoz, 18, in charge of the children. Prior to leaving, they locked the baby and two other children in a bedroom. Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN – Patrol officers Wednesday night located and arrested a man who was wanted on aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges, according to a news release from police. Javier Dejesus Martinez, 41 of Lufkin, was arrested as he walked to a gas station near Timberland and Atkinson Drives. He has been charged with felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. This follows reports to police and the Angelina County Sheriff’s office of family violence.
Detective Reagan Matthews said the incident started with Martinez and the victim in a local motel Tuesday. Martinez strangled and struck the victim several times while at the motel.
The following day, the victim went to work at a convenience store on U.S. 69 north in Central and had belongings in the vehicle to leave Martinez. However, Martinez worked at an adjacent convenience store, and when he saw the victim in the parking lot, he reportedly began repeatedly striking the victim with a closed fist, knocking the victim to the ground and dragging the victim on the pavement, Matthews said.
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, Matthews said. Martinez left the premises in the victim’s vehicle, and witnesses then called the Sheriff’s office. They were able to provide photos and video, she said.
When deputies talked with the victim at the convenience store, they were told of the abuse at the Lufkin motel, which is when detectives became involved in the case.
Matthews located the victim at a local hospital and scheduled an intimate partner violence exam with Harolds House, which documented both the new and older wounds.
Around 11 p.m. Wednesday, patrol officers recognized Martinez as he was walking on north Timberland Drive and arrested him without incident. Sheriff’s detectives are working on separate charges from the convenience store incident. Martinez had been on parole from federal prison on drug possession and trafficking charges.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz and Tim Kaine (D-VA) introduced the Feedstocks, Uniformity, Safety, and Energetics (FUSE) Act. This legislation establishes a Pentagon pilot program to evaluate the extent 3D-printable energetic materials can safely expand domestic production capacity and strengthen the defense industrial base.
Sen. Cruz said, “Critical energetic materials like RDX and HMX are essential to modern weapons systems but are hazardous to produce and rely on a limited domestic supplier base, creating safety and supply chain vulnerabilities. This legislation will enable the Department of War to test the performance and scalability of 3D-printable energetic materials at secure facilities and provide a controlled means of conducting assessments. I’m proud to introduce it and urge my colleagues to move it toward passage.”
According to Sen. Kaine, “Additive manufacturing in defense technologies has enormous capacity to boost our military readiness by enabling us to quickly develop parts and munitions and strengthen our supply chains. Virginia is home to many innovative additive manufacturing companies. This legislation would help us better understand how additive manufacturing can be applied to produce energetics and explosives and reduce choke points in production.”
This provision creates a pilot program to assess whether 3D-printable explosive and propellant materials can be safely used in military manufacturing. The program will test whether these materials can make munitions production safer, more reliable, and less vulnerable to supply chain disruptions compared to traditional manufacturing methods.
RDX and HMX are utilized in the manufacture of melt-castable explosives, nuclear devices, plastic explosives, rocket fuels, and booster charges that are employed in military applications. RDX and HMX are also extensively used in quarrying, metal mining, coal mining, and non-metal mining industries.
CARTHAGE — Panola County is currently suing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton to block the release of information on defendants in a recently dismissed lawsuit that accused several local officials of racketeering and misconduct, according to our news partner, KETK, and legal records. The dispute between Panola County and the Texas Attorney General’s Office started after county resident Lisa Broomfield submitted a Public Information Act request seeking a broad set of county records related to her lawsuit.
Broomfield had sued several current and former Panola County officials whom she accused of racketeering, misconduct and running a “duck fund” that allegedly took payments for favorable outcomes in cases. On March 24, 123rd District Court Presiding Judge Edwin A. Klein dismissed and disposed of Broomfield’s claims against the officials. Before that dismissal, Broomfield had requested many official documents pertaining to the officials involved in her lawsuit on Nov. 22, 2025.
Broomfield filed a Nov. 22, 2025, request seeking a wide range of official records related to her lawsuit. She asked for documents showing whether the Panola County Commissioners Court approved or paid for legal representation for several county officials, including any contracts, retainer agreements, invoices or meeting records where such matters were discussed.
She also requested emails, text messages and other communications from Jan. 1, 2021, to the present that referenced herself, individuals involved in her family court proceedings, various county officials and members of the commissioners court. The county then informed Bloomfield that they did not have the records requested in the Panola County District Clerk’s office and that the Panola County Judge’s office did not have recordings of the Panola County Commissioners Court.
Then on Dec. 10, 2025, the county filed a request with the Texas Attorney General’s Office that asked them to rule that certain documents Broomfield requested were exempt from release. On March 16, Panola County received a response from the Texas Attorney General’s Office, which determined the records Broomfield requested were not confidential and must be released. In response to that letter, Panola County filed a lawsuit against the Texas Attorney General’s Office on April 15, asking the 200th District Court in Travis County to find that the documents Broomfield requested are exempt from release.
“The information that the Attorney General ruled is not confidential and must be released to the Requestor consists of the communications between the undersigned, as counsel for Panola County, and Panola County officials, which are protected from disclosure by the attorney-client privilege and attorney billing invoices related to services rendered in litigation, which are not subject to disclosure,” Panola County’s lawsuit petition said.
Paxton’s office filed a response to Panola County’s petition on June 2, asking the presiding judge to enter a final judgment finding that the records can be released. 200th District Court records have no upcoming hearings listed for this case.
OVERTON — A crash on Hwy 323 in Overton has left a 26-year-old woman dead, according to Overton police, and our news partner, KETK. The crash happened on Thursday morning near the overpass. Kameron Smiley, 26, was pronounced dead at the scene of the single-vehicle crash. Officers working the crash advised drivers to avoid the area and use an alternate route. Read the rest of this entry »