Today is
Thursday June 04, 2026
RUSK COUNTY – A cyber tip from the North Texas Internet Crimes Against Children lead to the arrest of an East Texas man possessing child pornography on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK and the Rusk County Sheriff’s Office, investigators obtained an arrest warrant for 35-year-old Christopher Smith II of Mount Enterprise following the cyber tip. A search warrant was also obtained to locate any additional child pornography he may have in his possession.
The sheriff’s office and a Texas Department of Public Safety officer who specializes in digital forensics executed the search warrant at Smith’s home. Smith was taken into custody and several items were seized as evidence, the sheriff’s office said. Smith is currently in the Rusk County Jail under a $65,000 bond for his possession of child pornography charge. According to the sheriff’s office, the case is still under investigation and may result in additional charges.
TATUM – A safety concern along a stretch of highway in East Texas is getting attention after the Tatum police chief made a public plea for action. The concern is along State Highway 149, from the city limits traveling south to Tatum Middle School, where on Tuesday, an 18-wheeler hydroplaned into oncoming traffic before slamming onto school property.
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SMITH COUNTY – Traffic along Interstate 20 entering Lindale is back open after an 18-wheeler crash backed up traffic for miles. Our news partner KETK reports that the crash happened around 5:30 p.m. on I?20 between U.S. 69 and FM 14. DPS officials reported that a pickup truck carrying a camper lost control on the interstate and an 18?wheeler struck the camper from behind. No injuries or fatalities have been reported.
JACKSONVILLE — An infant was safely reunited with their mother after being briefly kidnapped, with law enforcement locating the toddler in a wooded area in Jacksonville. According to our news partner KETK, Jacksonville Police responded to a welfare check on Wednesday at around 1 p.m. on Myrtle Drive. A man had reportedly entered a residence and took a 1-year-old child. The man was later identified as Brian Damon Black, 42, of Jacksonville.
The initial caller was concerned that Black was seen walking into a nearby wooded area with a child. The child was located unharmed and reunited to the mother.
Black was located a short time later in a wooded area near Skyline. He was arrested following a brief pursuit.
Black was booked into the Cherokee County Jail on charges including burglary of a habitation, kidnapping and evading arrest or detention.
LINDALE — The Texas Rangers are investigating the death of a Lindale ISD student following a choking incident at school, district officials confirmed on Wednesday. In a letter addressed to parents and the community, Lindale ISD said the student, Adrian Thompson, suffered a medical emergency that prompted immediate lifesaving efforts on campus. According to our news partner KETK, staff responded by performing the Heimlich maneuver, using a LifeVac device and administering CPR. Emergency services were then called, and Thompson was transported for treatment before being taken to a medical center in Fort Worth.
The district commended the actions of staff, including teachers, aides, the school nurse and first responders, for their quick response. Lindale ISD also emphasized that safety protocols and lifesaving equipment have been in place across the district for medical emergencies.
The Texas Rangers are now leading the investigation into the incident. District officials said the findings will be shared with Thompson’s family and the community once available. In addition, Lindale ISD said it will seek an independent review of its safety equipment and emergency response procedures. Read the rest of this entry »
HIDEAWAY – Drivers on Interstate 20 east near Hideaway should expect significant delays Wednesday evening after a crash involving an 18-wheeler and a pickup truck towing a camper. The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. on I-20 between U.S. 69 and FM 14. According to preliminary information from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the pickup truck lost control on the interstate and an 18?wheeler struck the camper from behind.
TxDOT cameras show a miles-long backup in the eastbound lanes, where only one lane remains open. Traffic is moving slowly through the area. Injuries are currently unknown. People are asked to avoid the area at this time.
MARSHALL — The Marshall Police Department announces the arrests stemming from a large-scale disturbance that occurred on March 29, on Sanford Street. The incident involved about 300 individuals during a large party and prompted an extensive criminal investigation by Marshall Police.
Responding patrol officers made initial contact with the disturbance and arrested four individuals for offenses directly related to the incident. Officers also recovered three firearms at the scene. Following the initial response, Marshall Police Detectives initiated a comprehensive investigation of evidence collected during the incident.
Through this investigation, Detectives identified 14 individuals who actively participated in a riot as defined under the Texas Penal Code.
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LONGVIEW — The City of Longview is urging pet owners to take preventative measures to protect their animals due to a potential uptick in wildlife carrying diseases, including distemper.
According to the Longview Animal Care and Adoption Center (LACAC), animal control officers have responded to 26 calls involving raccoons so far this year. Although the LACAC does not frequently test animals for distemper, they stated that local raccoons are showing symptoms similar to the disease.
Distemper is a viral disease that can pose a serious risk to unvaccinated dogs as it attacks their respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Dogs at high risk of being impacted include puppies younger than four months and dogs that have not received their vaccinations.
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TYLER – For the 17th consecutive year, the Arbor Day Foundation has named the City of Tyler a 2025 Tree City USA, honoring its continued commitment to effective urban forest management.
Tyler earned this national recognition by meeting the program’s four core requirements: maintaining a tree board or department, having a tree care ordinance, allocating at least $2 per capita toward community forestry and holding an official Arbor Day observance and proclamation.
For the tenth year, the city also received the Tree City USA Growth Award. This award recognizes environmental improvement and a higher standard of tree care. Tyler is one of only half of the current Texas Tree Cities to receive this honor.
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SMITH COUNTY — The Annual Property Tax Assessment documents have landed in the mailboxes of most East Texas property owners.
“Each year, the state reassesses property values and calculates your tax burden based on the assessment that they assign to your property,”Aden Stiles, with S.T.A.R Tax Protest Services, said. “So, every year, all property owners in Texas have the opportunity to protest this assessment to lower their tax burden and save them as much money as possible.”
Homeowners can file a protest on any property that’s taxed, which could be a vacant land you own, your home, or even a commercial warehouse.
The deadline to protest your property taxes is May 15th. You can protest on your own through the County Appraiser or hire a company.
ANGELINA COUNTY — A Lufkin pediatrician charged in a fatal intoxication crash is being held without bond after prosecutors alleged he repeatedly violated court-ordered conditions by drinking alcohol and attempting to drive while out on bond.
Officials say Dr. George Fidone repeatedly violated bond conditions tied to a court-ordered breathalyzer, including driving after drinking April 16. Fidone was barred from consuming or possessing alcohol or nonprescribed controlled substances as a bond condition.
He was booked into the Angelina County Jail on April 18 and is currently being held without bond on charges of intoxication manslaughter and intoxication assault with a vehicle causing serious bodily injury.
In January, Fidone was involved in a deadly crash that killed an Angelina County man and critically injured his wife. A probable cause affidavit said Fidone had alcohol in his system at the time of the wreck and later tested positive for opioids and THC.
SMITH COUNTY – The Alzheimer’s Alliance of Smith County is partnering with local law enforcement to encourage families to consider Project Lifesaver devices as summer approaches. The program provides radio-frequency tracking bracelets to individuals with dementia who are at risk of wandering.
The initiative involves the Tyler Police Department, the Lindale Police Department and the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, who aim to quickly locate loved ones in minutes rather than hours or days.
The device emits a radio frequency signal, enabling quick location tracking if a person goes missing.The program is available to anyone who might need it, providing a crucial resource for families. Alzheimer’s CEO Bonnie Varner’s Alliance of Smith County emphasized the prevalence of Alzheimer’s and dementia in the area and the program’s potential impact.
“We estimate there’s about 4,500 people in Smith County that have Alzheimer’s or dementia,” Varner said. “This is a very underutilized resource that we would love for more people to participate in. Most people with Alzheimer’s or dementia are known to wander at some point or another, just to know that they have this and they can be found easily is such a peace of mind.”
KILGORE – Following the months-long nationwide search, Dr. Staci Martin was named as the lone finalist for President of Kilgore College on Monday. The search for the college’s next leader began in 2025, after former Kilgore College President Brenda Kays announced her retirement. Martin, who was the college’s interim president, and Tracee Watts, from Brazosport College, were chosen as the two lone finalists in March.
On Monday night at a board of trustees meeting, Martin was named as the lone finalist.
“As this process has continued, we realize that Dr. Martin was the right choice and we’re all thrilled to have her,” Kilgore College Board of Trustees President Josh Edmonson said. “[…] Dr. Martin has done a phenomenal job in the last six months as interim president. So we have no doubt that she will do a fantastic job leading the college.”
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UPDATE — Emergency management personnel from several collaborating agencies remain on-site to address the blowout of a natural gas well in Etoile. A Houston crew has arrived at the natural gas well fire and has taken over suppressing efforts.
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is continuing to monitor air quality conditions. According to our news partner KETK, Nacogdoches County officials said three residences on County Road 5061 remain evacuated while nearby residents and motorists are asked to avoid traveling in the FM 226 area.
NACOGDOCHES (AP) — An explosion at a Texas natural gas or oil well site set off a large fire that was seen for miles and led to some evacuations, but caused no injuries, authorities said Tuesday. The Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office received numerous calls late Monday of a loud explosion in Etoile in eastern Texas, a small, rural community about 140 miles northeast of Houston. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON COUNTY— An East Texas man was sentenced to life in prison last week after he was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child. According to our news partner KETK, 81-year-old former truck driver Randall Tidwell was arrested in 2025 after two underage girls reported that he had sexually abused them over multiple years.
While both girls were living with Tidwell, he allegedly sexually abused both of them inside his truck and at his home in Seven Points. The victims later revealed Tidwell’s actions once they left his home and were living in Kansas. During the investigation, Tidwell admitted to sexually abusing the girls on more than one occasion and was given two life sentences in prison last week after he was found guilty of aggravated sexual assault of a child.
“The children had so much support during the trial, from the eldest’s former principal and her 1st grade teacher, to witnesses from Kansas who flew and drove in from out of State to ensure they received justice for what happened to them,” Henderson County District Attorney Jenny Palmer said “The jury took less than 20 minutes to reach their two life sentences verdict. Tidwell will never again see freedom.”