Today is
Saturday November 23, 2024
TROUP — The City of Troup gathered together for ‘Holiday in the Country’ and to watch the second annual Christmas Tree lighting on Monday, according to our news partner KETK. The 30-foot-tall Christmas tree is now officially lit, kicking off the Christmas season in downtown Troup. It was a special night because the honorary tree lighter is Troup native, Cooper Reid. The family was asked to be the honorary Christmas tree lighters last year, but couldn’t make it due to Cooper’s condition. Now, it’s one year later and he is greatly improving. In 2022, he was injured during a homecoming football game and since then, he has been on a journey to recovery since surviving a brain injury.
“We were very honored and happy that we would be here this time, this year. Last year, I don’t know that Cooper would have been able to even light the Christmas tree on his own, so I think that God worked it out just the right way, so that he was ready to do it on his time,” said Susanne Reid, Cooper’s mother. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER (AP) — Country singer Sundance Head, a winner on “The Voice,” is recovering at home after he was accidentally shot in the stomach while handling a firearm on a hunting trip at his East Texas ranch, his agent said Sunday.
Head, winner of the 11th season of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2016, was leaning into his vehicle to grab his .22 caliber pistol when it fell out of its holster and onto the exterior of the vehicle and fired off a shot that hit Head in the stomach, his agent, Trey Newman said in an email. Newman said Head was airlifted to a hospital in Tyler. He said no vital organs were hit and no surgery was needed. Head was released later Friday, he said.
Before his win on “The Voice,” Head competed in “American Idol” on Fox in 2007, making it to the top 16 before being eliminated. Head, who has upcoming performances scheduled in Texas and Illinois, is from the community of Porter, located north of Houston.
LINDALE — According to our news partner KETK, two East Texas lawmakers are requesting an investigation into Undine, an investor-owned water utility, after customers have reported irregular water billing.
State Rep. Cole Hefner and State Sen. Bryan Hughes are urging the Public Utility Commission of Texas to investigate the company after receiving numerous complaints from community members in the Lindale and Hideaway areas.
Customers of Undine have reportedly seen unexplained usage increases on their monthly bill with a 300% increase or in some cases, bills exceeding $1,000. The water company has allegedly sent threats that they would disconnect customers’ water service if they did not pay their bills, “creating a potentially dangerous situation for residents of these communities.” Read the rest of this entry »
HOUSTON COUNTY – Law enforcement’s preliminary report of a Saturday afternoon accident that led to the death of two East Texas students provides more details. According to our news partner KETK, the Texas Department of Public Safety, a preliminary investigation found that around 3:40 p.m. on Saturday, a Ford Fusion was traveling north on Highway 19 and a GMC Terrain was southbound.
“It is reported that the driver of the Ford traveled off the road to the right and overcorrected the maneuver back to the left, which caused the Ford to travel into a side skid into the southbound lane where it was struck by the GMC.” DPS said.
The driver of the Ford was identified at 17-year-old Carter Snider of Hawkins. Carter was taken to a hospital where he later died. A 16-year-old boy was pronounced dead at the accident site. Another passenger in that vehicle is hospitalized with life-threatening injuries. The driver and passenger of the GMC, both 60-years-old were also hospitalized, the DPS report said.
Update: Authorities said a convicted murderer who was charged on Monday in connection to a fatal house fire, allege that he threw gasoline on his girlfriend the day he was supposed to be evicted. Tuesday, officials identified the victim as Marilyn Mceachin.
TYLER — Tyler Police have made an arrest in connection to a Monday morning house fire in which a woman was found dead. According to our news partner KETK, 67-year-old Gregory Bargaineer allegedly walked into the Smith County Jail lobby and “made statements about an incident with a female at their residence on Shady Trail.”
Investigators report that fire crews were sent to a house fire at 3300 Shady Trail and Bradshaw Drive around 4:00 a.m. Crew members found a woman’s body in back of the house. Her body has been sent for autopsy with identity release pending that report. Evidence gathered by Tyler PD during interviews led to Bargaineer’s arrest. He is has been charged with murder and held on a $750,000 bond.
TYLER – Kerry Max Cook was found innocent of the 1977 murder of Linda Jo Edwards back in June and now he’s suing Smith County and the City of Tyler. According to our news partner KETK, the allegations of his lawsuit are listed in a complaint filed by Cook’s lawyers Nov. 14. The complaint alleges that the City of Tyler, Smith County and several named officials violated his civil rights by engaging in a “homosexual witch-hunt” which led to him spending 20 years on death row for a crime he’s been found innocent of by the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals.
Cook stated in the release, “For over 20 years I fought for my life from a death row cell,” Cook said in a press release. “After being kicked out the back door of Smith County’s legal system in 1999, I fought for another 25 years to clear me and my family’s name. This year, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals finally declared me ‘actually innocent,’ but my struggle does not end there. Today, I am pressing forward with a civil suit against the officers who framed me and against the broken Tyler and Smith County police agencies that let it happen.”
Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Our news partner, KETK, reports that one person is dead after a Monday morning house fire, the Tyler Fire Marshal’s Office said.
According to Assistant Fire Marshal Brandon Davis, investigators are at the home on Shady Trail Drive in North Tyler where one fatality has been confirmed.
At this time the person’s identity has not been released.
TYLER — Starting Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Saturday, Nov. 23, the northbound lane on Broadway Avenue near the Chamber of Commerce, located at 315 N. Broadway Ave., will be closed daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for roof work. Motorists are encouraged to drive with caution in the area.
Also starting Tuesday, North Bois D’Arc Avenue from West Wilson Street and West Bow Street will be closed. Detours will be in place. Work is expected to be complete by Tuesday, Nov. 26.
TEXARKANA – The Texarkana Texas Police Department is requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing woman. According to our news partner KETK, Diane Rogers left her home in Texarkana earlier today and has not been seen since. She was last seen wearing a blue shirt, blue jeans and blue shoes. Rogers was driving a maroon Ford SportTrac with Texas license plate BM15112.
Rogers has been diagnosed with a cognitive disorder; everyone is very concerned for her safety.
The Texarkana Texas Police Department urges anyone with information regarding Diane Roger’s location to contact the department immediately at 903-798-3116.
RUSK – 
Out news partners at KETK report the Rusk Rural Water Supply Corporation has issued a boil water notice for customers on 43 roads throughout Cherokee County after a “problem at the plant.” Customers in the following listed areas are required to bring any water for cleaning or consumption to a vigorous rolling boil for at least two minutes before use: Read the rest of this entry »
SEVEN POINTS – 
UPDATE: KETK reports the missing man has been found.
Our news partners at KETK report the Texas Department of Public Safety has issued a Silver Alert for a 79-year-old man who was last seen in Seven Points on Saturday. Jesse Goode, is 79-years-old has gray hair, blue eyes, weighs 217 pounds and is 5’10”. He was last seen at 4 p.m. on Saturday in the 400 block of Nob Hill Lane near Cedar Creek Reservoir and Seven Points in Henderson County. A suspected vehicle to look out for is a white 1995 Ford F-150 with the license plate number: STH2454. The Silver Alert added that the truck has a small crane in the bed to lift a scooter. Anyone who sees Goode is asked to call 911 and Seven Points Police Department can be contacted at 903-423-2111 to report any other information.
TYLER –
Our KETK news partners report that Big Sandy and Hawkins ISD are in mourning after each district lost a student in a fatal crash on Saturday. “Big Sandy ISD is sad to learn of the passing of a member of our Wildcat family yesterday in a car accident. The district extends its deepest condolences to his family and to our many students who were friends with him and loved him.” Hawkins ISD also posted about losing one of their students in a fatal crash they said has impacted both communities. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – 
13 East Texas hospitals have been given “A” safety ratings for the Fall of 2024, that’s up two from 11 A ratings in the Spring of 2024. The ratings are reported twice a year by the Leapfrog Group, a nonprofit that studies hospitals from across the country. They study hospitals for their numbers of errors, injuries, accidents and infections and rate them on a scale from A to F, with A being the safest. Our news partners at KETK have put together the following list of Fall 2024 ratings for East Texas hospitals: Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – Four local school district superintendents met in Tyler on Thursday to address issues facing East Texas education like school funding and teacher shortages.
According to our news partner KETK, Tyler ISD Superintendent Dr. Marty Crawford led the panel which included Lindale ISD Superintendent Stan Surratt, Chapel Hill ISD Superintendent Lamond Dean and Carthage ISD Superintendent Jarrod Bitter. The panel discussed state funding, inflation, accountability standards, school vouchers and teacher shortages as a part of the Annual State of the District Address at the Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce luncheon.
“It’s hard to sift through all the noise portrayed by some media and quite a bit of social media,” said Crawford. “I believe today conveyed the good things going on in our East Texas Public schools and the challenges on the horizon. Regardless of what the demagogues portray, our East Texas public schools are pragmatic and operated in a morally and fiscally conservative fashion.”
Stan Surratt said he was proud of East Texas schools despite the lack of state funding. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – 
What: Starting Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Saturday, Nov. 23, the northbound lane on Broadway Avenue near the Chamber of Commerce, located at 315 N. Broadway Ave., will be closed daily from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. for roof work. Motorists are encouraged to drive with care in the area.
Where: Broadway Avenue near 315 N. Broadway Ave.
When: Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Saturday, Nov. 23 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
What: Starting Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Tuesday, Nov. 26, North Bois D’Arc Avenue from West Wilson Street and West Bow Street will be closed. Detours will be in place and motorists are encouraged to drive with care in the area.
Where: North Bois D’Arc Avenue from West Wilson Street and West Bow Street
When: Tuesday, Nov. 19 through Tuesday, Nov. 26
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