Today is
Thursday June 04, 2026
TYLER — Members of Indivisible Smith County and the East Texas Organizing Coalition rallied outside Congressman Nathaniel Moran’s office Tuesday, demanding he back a War Powers Resolution to halt what they called an unauthorized march toward conflict with Iran. The demonstration came after Moran publicly criticized President Donald Trump’s threat to destroy “an entire civilization.”
On our weekly In Focus program, Moran said while he backed efforts tied to U.S. national security, including targeting Iran’s nuclear capabilities, he believes certain language being used goes too far. “Certainly, I do not agree with and do not support the notion of destroying a civilization,” Moran said. “That goes beyond where we need to go as a nation.”
The protesting organization is urging the congressman to invoke a War Powers Resolution, which would check the president’s authority to engage the nation in armed conflict without Congressional approval. Read the rest of this entry »
HENDERSON — One East Texan just got a million dollars richer, claiming the top prize ticket of a Texas Lottery scratch ticket game. According to the Texas Lottery, an anonymous Henderson resident claimed the winning ticket of the Million Dollar Loteria game purchased at Green Top C Store at 1203 Kilgore Drive.
The store is eligible for a $10,000 bonus under the Texas Lottery’s Retailer Bonus program. The claimed prize was the sixth of 10 top prizes worth $1 million, Texas Lottery said.
MARSHALL – Traffic delays are expected on Interstate 20 in Marshall following a crash on Tuesday afternoon involving two 18-wheelers. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), said the crash occurred on I-20 going westbound near FM 3251 and involved two 18-wheelers and an SUV. Both westbound lanes of I-20 are currently closed, and the DPS is advising drivers to seek an alternative route until the roadways reopen. A DPS spokesperson could not confirm if any injuries were sustained during the crash.
CHEROKEE COUNTY – County officials released a statement regarding the arrest of a jailer: Jonathan Mendez, 28, of Jacksonville. Mendez was arrested after Sheriff Brent Dickson was made aware of Mendez allegedly falsifying his timesheet. Detectives developed evidence indicating that Mendez had falsified his Cherokee County timesheet for personal financial gain. After a warrant was obtained, Mendez was subsequently arrested and booked into the Cherokee County Jail the same day on a tampering with government records charge . His bond was set at $10,000.
EAST TEXAS — Law enforcement officials responded to a potential threat reported to Troup ISD via phone call Monday. The school was placed on lock-down. According to a statement from the Troup Police Department, all three campuses were secured, allowing only emergency personnel access. At the same time, Troup Police began an investigation into the reported threat.
After a thorough investigation, it was determined that the reported threat was a hoax intended to prompt an emergency response from law enforcement and school officials. Once it was confirmed that there was no credible threat to students or staff, everyone was released in accordance with school safety procedures.
The investigation remains active and ongoing. Officials say they have developed several leads.
“Rest assured that the individual(s) responsible will be identified, arrested, and held accountable to the fullest extent of the law. The safety of our students, staff, and community remains our highest priority. We appreciate the swift response and cooperation from all agencies involved, as well as the patience and understanding of parents, students, and staff during today’s events.” – Troup Police
ATHENS – Athens City Council has hit the pause button regarding potential zoning changes around a data center. Data Center developer Data Factory has leased land in the city. Their website says they plan to open with 10 megawatts of power this year, along with bitcoin mining operations.
Dozens of citizens showed up to Monday night’s city council meeting, with many waiting outside the council chambers. Every resident who spoke in the public comment session of the meeting spoke against the data center. Athens City Council members were set to vote on several potential zoning changes, including codifying what is classified as a data center. Officials say previous zoning laws did not account for this project.
Right now, it’s unclear how much water the center would use. City council unanimously voted to table all zoning items related to the data center. Officials plan to review and research those changes.
TYLER — What began as public backlash over library leadership has now escalated into a federal lawsuit, with former director Ashley Taylor accusing the City of Tyler of violating her constitutional rights and bowing to outside political influence. In the lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas last week, Taylor claims she was retaliated against for protected speech and targeted by false attacks from an outside advocacy group. She argues city officials violated her First Amendment rights and allowed Grassroots America – We the People (GRA) to interfere with her employment through what she describes as defamatory public campaigns.
Taylor alleges in the lawsuit the following legal violations: first amendment retaliation, viewpoint discrimination, tortious interference with existing employment relationship.
Count 1: First Amendment Retaliation
The complaint alleges that as director, Taylor’s work involved protected expressive activity such as curation, programming and signage. Yet, the lawsuit claims the GRA launched a multi-year pressure campaign against the library and Taylor. Read the rest of this entry »
ATHENS – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has announced that the City of Athens has been named as a Music Friendly Texas Certified Community.
“Congratulations to the City of Athens on earning the Music Friendly Texas Certified Community designation,” Abbott said. “With support from the Texas Music Office, the Texas music industry accounts for more than 196,000 direct and indirect permanent jobs and generates over $31 billion in annual economic activity statewide. Together, we will continue to work alongside communities in every region of our state to create good-paying jobs and boost economic growth.”
The Texas Music Office is a part of the governor’s office which works with communities who are interested in bringing more music to their area by creating a Music Friendly Texas Liaison position in their city government.
Read the rest of this entry »
LUFKIN, Texas (KETK) – A Huntington man was sentenced to a total of 110 years in prison on Thursday after he was found guilty of sexually abusing three young children over a span of several years.
According to a statement from Angelina County District Attorney Amy Wren and our news partner KETK, the first two victims in this case where helped by another child to tell their mother and their aunt about inappropriate behavior from Andrew Jacob Shortt, 30 of Huntington, in the year 2012.
“The victims were instructed by their mother not to tell their father and also, that ‘what happens between these four white walls, stays between these four white walls’. Shortt then
moved into the victims’ home and began sexually abusing them more frequently, perpetrating acts that constituted aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child on a regular basis,” Wren’s statement explained.
Three years later in 2015, the victims were able to report Shortt’s abuse of them to their father and the Angelina County Sheriff’s Office. Shortt was arrested that summer but the charges were dropped in 2016 after the victims’ family intervened. Read the rest of this entry »
NACOGDOCHES – Texas lawmakers gathered at the Lone Star Legislative Summit at Stephen F. Austin State University on Friday to talk with East Texans about the area’s ongoing groundwater issues.
2026 marks an interim year for the Texas Legislature, but that’s not stopping leaders from fighting for East Texans and the regions’ natural resources, according to our news partner KETK. The Lone Star Legislative Summit in Nacogdoches brought State Representatives, State Senators and other politicians to the rural community to discuss these issues and more.
Groundwater is held underneath land, and surface water is found in bodies of water. With the Pineywoods holding a lot of resources representatives like Alders feel our water is best kept at home. While retiring State Senator for District 3 Robert Nichols suggested that sharing with other Texans may end up pumping more than what’s needed. He wants to protect East Texas counties from giving too much water to other communities.
Several East Texas communities are still working to create their own conservation districts. Next year, lawmakers will meet to continue debating this issue in the 90th Texas Legislative Session.
TYLER – A Smith County judge will review evidence in Robert Roberson’s case to see if the previous Dallas-based Shaken Baby ruling would warrant a new trial. The state and the defense met on Zoom with Smith Co. judge, Austin Reeve-Jackson, on Friday for a status hearing. Judge Jackson ruled to move forward to re-evaluate evidence from the 2003 trial, 2004, and 2005 appeals.
Roberson is challenging his 2003 conviction for the killing of his 2-year-old daughter, Nikki. This hearing stems from an early 2000s Dallas-based case that let Andrew Roark go free because new scientific discoveries debunked the shaken baby theory that convicted him to 35 years in prison.
“I do feel a bit morally affronted that the state’s answer seems to be about trying to inject bias against Mr. Roberson based on a completely bogus representation of record when this is supposed to be about science,” Roberson’s attorney, Gretchen Sween, said. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A former Chapel Hill ISD educator is currently under investigation by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). According to an official record of certification obtained by CBS19, Joseph Hewitt is currently under review by the TEA Educator Investigations Division. Hewitt served as the Chapel Hill ISD Fine Arts Director for several years, but has since left the district before the end of the Spring 2026 semester.
The district has removed his listing from their staff page, and Assistant Band Director William Ross is serving in his place. Click here for the original article. Investigative journalist, Sarah J. Fields, was first to report the story.
MARSHALL – The Marshall Police Department Special Response Team (SRT) and the Harrison County Special Response Team executed a search warrant at East Houston Street and Fairfield Avenue. The warrant was obtained by the Joint Harrison County Violent Crimes & Narcotics Task Force following an investigation regarding suspected drug-related activity in the neighborhood.
The operation was conducted with assistance from federal law enforcement partners, including
the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, as part of a
broader criminal enterprise and drug trafficking investigation.
Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – The Tyler Police Department cut the ribbon on its new in-house training facility on Thursday. The 10,000-square-foot facility is located on E. Commerce St. and will serve officers from across East Texas.
Training to serve and protect East Texas was on full display. Thursday, people in the community were able to see how their local heroes will continue to keep their homes and streets safe. The facility will enable Tyler PD to foster an environment that is committed to consistency in training that will lead to consistency in enforcing the law.
At the end of the month, the Tyler Academy will graduate their sixth class since 2021. In early May, the inaugural class will begin in the new facility.
LONGVIEW – Firefighters from the Longview Fire Department responded to a commercial structure fire at a warehouse on Wednesday afternoon. Once on the scene, firefighters observed smoke coming from the burning warehouse and they eventually contained the fire to a single area, which helped minimize damage to the structure. The department used four fire engines and two ladder trucks to extinguish the fire.
No injuries have been reported as employees safely evacuated from the warehouse prior to firefighters’ arrival on the scene. The cause of the fire is currently under investigation.