Today is
Wednesday June 10, 2026
SMITH COUNTY — A portion of County Road 2173 that suffered a culvert washout due to heavy rains has been closed until the pipe can be replaced. Also known as Carl Dowdy Road, the closed portion of the road is near Paluxy and southwest of Whitehouse. The road will be closed until the pipe comes in and can be repaired. Please use an alternate route.
Smith County has a road closure map on their website. Click here to see what roads or county buildings are closed.
TYLER — Beginning Tuesday, June 24, at 7 a.m., Neighborhood Services will reopen its Housing Choice Voucher Program Waiting List for the first time since the pandemic. Applications will be accepted online only through 6 p.m. on Thursday, June 26, allowing eligible applicants to access housing assistance.
The Housing Choice Voucher Program is the federal government’s primary tool for helping low-income families, older adults, and individuals with disabilities afford safe, decent homes in the private rental market. Accepted applicants may use the assistance to lease single-family homes, apartments, or townhomes, not limited to public housing units.
“Access to housing is foundational. It is what helps families build stability and move forward,” said Prentice Butler, Housing Manager for the City of Tyler. “Reopening this list gives our residents a fair shot at finding a safe place to live and thrive.” Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick made a brief appearance in Tyler to discuss several pending bills, including Senate Bill 3, which would ban THC from Texas. According to our news partner KETK during the press conference, Patrick said more than 8,000 smoke shops have opened in Texas and that these shops are statistically located near high schools to lure students. “We have to take care of our young people and our schools; this is an organized assault on the State of Texas by the cannabis industry,” Patrick said.
When asked if regulating the usage of THC, Patrick said it would never be possible:
“You can’t regulate 8,000 to 9,000 shops. We don’t have enough law enforcement for that,” Patrick said. “Our number one issue as elected officials is public safety it is up to us to protect the public, and this has the potential to destroy this entire generation of young people coming up.”
While Patrick believes that SB 3 will have a positive impact across the state, several East Texas business owners spoke about the potential negative implications. Co-owner of Dragon’s Breath in North Tyler said a full THC ban will do more harm than good. Read the rest of this entry »
TEXARKANA – According to our news partner KETK, the Texarkana Police Department, with the help of their K9 Gator, arrested a woman who had escaped from a community correctional facility on Sunday afternoon.
Around 4:50 p.m. Olivia Alexandria May, 32 of New Boston, escaped from the Bowie County Substance Abuse Treatment Facility for women but she was soon tracked down by their K9 “Gator” and several officers. Officials said May was found in the woods behind Highland Park Baptist Church and was arrested for unauthorized absence of a community correction facility. She is currently being held in the Bi-State Jail on a $30,000 bond.
CAMP COUNTY – A man was killed after a tree fell through his mobile home on Sunday night near Pittsburg, according to our news partner KETK.
Deputies responded around 11:48 p.m.to a mobile home on Farm to Market Road 556 where a fallen tree left 55-year-old Kevin Ford dead and his mother injured. Officials said the residence was almost split in half due to a tree falling down the middle and the man was found crushed under it. The man’s mother was found trapped inside the house but was eventually taken to a local hospital for her injuries, the sheriff’s office said.
“When they arrived on the scene, they found an oak tree, big tree that had fallen over right in the center of the motorhome,” Camp County Sheriff John Cortelyou said.
Pittsburg Mayor David Abernathy said they had trees and powerlines down but no injuries have been reported within city limits.
TYLER – Lance Phillips, who was recently convicted for assaulting a peace officer while being removed from a Smith County Commissioners court, has filed a federal lawsuit against Smith County officials.
According to a report from The Tyler Morning Telegraph, Lance Phillips claims that his constitutional rights were violated while attending commissioners court meetings. The meeting in question is the same one where the assault occurred.
Prior to his trial for that charge, Phillips filed the federal lawsuit on May 4th against Smith County , Smith county Judge Neal Franklin, Smith County Sheriff Larry Smith, and the Smith County Courthouse Head of Security, LT. Matt Lazarine. The complaint claims Phillips’ constitutional rights, including the First Amendment and the Fourth Amendment, were violated. He alleges that this infringement happened when he was told to stop talking during the public comment section of multiple commissioners court meetings, due to his going off topic and when he was physically removed because he refused to get back on topic. Read the rest of this entry »
CAMP COUNTY – Our news partner KETK reports a man was killed after a tree fell through his mobile home on Sunday night near Pittsburg.
According to the Camp County Sheriffs Office, around 11:48 p.m. deputies responded to a mobile home on Farm to Market Road 556, where 55-year-old Kevin Ford was found dead, and his mother injured.
The residence was almost split in half due to a tree falling down the middle and the man was found crushed under it.
Ford’s mother was found trapped inside the house and was eventually taken to a local hospital for her injuries.
Pittsburg Mayor David Abernathy said they had trees and power lines down but no injuries have been reported within city limits.
FLINT – According to our news partner KETK, demolition has started for the Lakewood Church building on Sunday, after a fire in April had caused irreparable damage.
The demolition began on the day of Pentecost, and church members said that the day marks a new beginning for their church.
“Today is the day of Pentecost and it just so happens that it’s all starting today and that’s the day of fresh beginnings, the day God started a new thing on the day of Pentecost, 50 days after Jesus died. And so that is also a new thing for us, that we’re starting this new building,” Lakewood Church pastor Raymond Graham said. “God will make all things new.”
Despite the damage, they were successful in removing the church’s steeple. They plan to use the steeple for their new church building, which they hope to have open by Christmas.
TYLER – 8-year-old Abigail Vernon from Sulphur Bluff has dreamed of showing her Brahman Bull V6 Mr. Pickup Man in the show ring. Unfortunately, she was too young for the juniors catagory. According to our news partner KETK, she didn’t let that stop her, and set out to show Mr. Pickup man anyway – with the adults.
Along with Pickup Man, she has traveled all across the United States, winning banners, trophies and grand champion titles. Abigail is proving everyone wrong and showing that nothing can stop her from following her dreams. In December, Abigail asked her mother, Charli, if she could write a children’s book about her memories with Pickup Man. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – As severe weather continues to move through the area, around 13,000 East Texans have been left without power as of 8 a.m. Monday.
KETK has compiled the list of East Texas power outages from the Texas Power Outage Map – you can view that map here.
LUFKIN – According to our news partner KETK, officials are currently investigating the death of a man found deceased in Lufkin on Sunday. According to the Lufkin Police Department, a man was found dead on Sunday morning on the train tracks between Abney Street and Angelina Streets. Lufkin PD said they are investigating his death and working to contact the man’s family.
The department asked anyone with information about his death to contact Lufkin PD at 936-633-0356.
LONGVIEW – The Longview Police Department has arrested a 28-year-old man for murder in connection to a fatal shooting that happened on Melba Street on Saturday.
According to our news partner KETK, officers were sent to the 200 block of Melba Street at around 9:18 p.m. on Saturday to respond to a reported shooting. According to a Longview PD press release, officers found a man at the scene who had been shot. The victim, identified as Isaiah Ross of Longview, was taken to a local hospital where he later died. Investigators then identified a suspect and got an arrest warrant. According to Longview PD, Dominique Johnson, 28 of Longview, was then arrested in Kilgore by the Kilgore Police Department.
Johnson was booked in to the Gregg County Jail on Sunday for a charge of murder.
TYLER – As severe weather continues to move through the area, around 35,000 East Texans have been left without power as of 1:41 a.m. Monday.
KETK has compiled the list of East Texas power outages from the Texas Power Outage Map – you can view that map here.
FORT CAMPBELL, KY. – An East Texas infantryman assigned to the 101st Airborne Division has died following a training accident near Camp Croft in Hungary, according to military officials and our news partners at KETK.
The soldier was identified Saturday as Sgt. Aaron Cox of Mabank. He was a member of the division’s 2nd Mobile Brigade Combat Team and died Thursday in a vehicle accident while preparing for Exercise Saber Guardian 25.
Cox enlisted in the Army in 2021 and was on his second deployment, having previously served in Poland in 2022. During his service, he received several medals, including the Army Achievement Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal and National Defense Service Medal.
The incident remains under investigation, military officials said.
WINONA – Luis Hernandez has won the Winona ISD Board of Trustees Place 3 seat after a runoff election held Saturday, following a tie in the May 3 election, according to unofficial Smith County results.
Hernandez received 244 votes, defeating incumbent Randy Hawkins, who received 181. The initial election ended in a rare tie, with both candidates receiving 137 votes. After a recount confirmed the tie, a second election was scheduled.
Hernandez campaigned on expanding athletic programs and implementing long-term planning for the district.