Today is
Thursday June 04, 2026
SMITH COUNTY — Friday is the final deadline for Texas property owners to protest their tax bill and the Smith County Appraisal District is seeing hundreds of people try to file a dispute last-minute. Experts like S.T.A.R. Tax Protest CTO Deric McCurry have said property owners who file a protest may be able to lower their assessed value and save money on taxes, potentially making their home more attractive to buyers. McCurry recommends requesting an appraisal review board hearing for a better chance at a settlement.
“If you’re looking for maximum saving before going in front of an appraisal review board, provide evidence of things like condition documentation on your home and comparable sales that have happened,” McCurry said.
Appraisal districts like the one in Smith County do offer review hearings, but with time running out Chief Appraiser Carol McNeil said property owners are better off filing online immediately then scheduling a follow-up appointment. Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY – Early voting for the May 26 Primary Runoff Election runs Monday through Friday, May 18-22, 2026.
Statewide runoff races are on the ballot.
U.S. Senator, Attorney General, Railroad Commissioner and Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 3, Judge are on the Republican ticket. The Democratic ballot will have runoff races for U.S. Representative, District 1, Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General.
There are five early voting locations open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.
The polling places include:
*Heritage Building: 1900 Bellwood Road, Tyler
*The Hub: 304 E. Ferguson Street, Tyler
*Lindale Kinzie Community Center: 912 Mt. Sylvan St., Lindale
*Noonday Community Center: 16662 CR 196, Tyler
*Whitehouse City Center: 109 E. Main Street, Whitehouse
Election Day is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 26, 2026.
For more information about voting locations, times and what is on the ballot, or to use the Smith County interactive map, visit here.
Tyler — The Tyler Area Chamber of Commerce and its Veterans Committee invite you to a Memorial Day Ceremony on Saturday, May 23, from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at The Boulders at Lake Tyler, on McElroy Road.
As we mark 250 Years of Freedom, we remember that liberty comes at a cost. This year’s theme, 250 Years of Freedom, 250 Years of Sacrifice, honors the 1.4 million Service Members who died defending our nation, as well as the families and loved ones they left behind. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – CHRISTUS Mother Frances Hospital continues to lead the way in advancing patient care through innovation, becoming the first hospital in the nation to employ the new V2 Swoop Portable MRI, utilizing the newest FDA cleared software inside an operating room during a pituitary tumor resection.
The groundbreaking procedure was performed by Dr. Todd Patrick, chief of neurosurgery, marking a significant milestone in surgical precision and patient-centered care.
By bringing advanced imaging directly into the operating room, the Swoop system allows surgeons to capture real-time images during procedures, improving decision-making, reducing the need for repeat imaging and enhancing overall surgical outcomes. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER – In order to prolong the life of local roads before expensive repairs are required, the City of Tyler is moving forward with a significant street maintenance initiative. The Tyler City Council approved a $946,751 contract with Reynolds and Kay for the 2026 Seal Coat Project Wednesday. Approximately 17 lane miles of city streets will be covered by the project; the roads were chosen based on pavement condition ratings. Read the rest of this entry »
HARRISON COUNTY – After leading deputies on a police pursuit, a Tennessee man who was awaiting a court appearance on a child-rape charge committed suicide in Harrison County on Tuesday night.
The sheriff’s office, as well as our news partner KETK, reports that around 11:30 p.m., a deputy pulled over 36-year-old Trinidad Torres on Highway 59 South. Torres was reportedly acting tense during the stop, and the deputy asked him to get out of his car after discovering a pistol in his possession. Torres reportedly refused to get out of his car and started to drive away from the scene. Before Torres crashed his car into a cable close to the 1300 block of Highway 59, a chase started. Read the rest of this entry »
TYLER — The University of Texas at Tyler R. Don Cowan Fine & Performing Arts Center announced its 2026–27 season, unveiling a dynamic lineup that brings some of the most celebrated names in music, Broadway, entertainment and storytelling to East Texas. With chart-topping artists, smash-hit musicals and nationally recognized performers, the upcoming season promises to be one of the Cowan Center’s most exciting and wide-ranging yet.
“This season reflects our commitment to presenting world-class talent across genres,” said Ryan Poynter, Cowan Center executive director. “From iconic rock and country artists to award-winning Broadway and innovative live experiences, we’re offering something unforgettable for every audience member.” Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — The Smith County Commissioners Court striked down a motion to conduct an audit on previous road bonds in a meeting on Tuesday. According to our news partner KETK, the independent audit would examine how the county has spent millions of dollars from taxpayer-funded road bonds from 2017 to 2021. The motion came to the court after a watchdog group raised concerns about a possible $7 million discrepancy, rising project costs and delays.
Ultimately, the court rejected the motion by a majority vote. Precinct 1 Commissioner Christina Drewry was the sole vote in favor of the audit.
“This is about not repeating the same mistakes,” Drewry said. “We didn’t do a great job of capturing all of the documents, the inspections, the engineering. There are documents that are missing. We shouldn’t have that. The road bond was $84 million.”
VAN ZANDT COUNTY — The Texas Department of Public Safety is seeking any information known of a hit-and-run that left a pedestrian dead on May 8 in Van Zandt County. According to our news partner KETK and DPS, the incident occurred on County Road 2501, rural Van Zandt County at around 11:30 p.m. The pedestrian was walking south and was struck by an unknown vehicle traveling in an unknown direction of travel.
The DPS asks that anyone with any information regarding the fatal crash is urged to contact them at 940-327-9122.
LONGVIEW — A Monday night dispute in Longview ended in violence when a man was stabbed and hospitalized, authorities said. According to our news partner KETK, the Longview Police Department said officers were dispatched to a “reported cutting” in the area of Hawthorne Avenue and East Culver Street on Monday at around 5:52 p.m. When they arrived, they learned two men had been involved in a verbal altercation.
During the altercation, the victim was reportedly stabbed and was taken to a local hospital for life-threatening injuries.
53-year-old Catalino Garcia Ramirez was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He remains in the Gregg County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
TYLER – On Wednesday, May 13, City of Tyler City Council members were sworn into office. Those taking their oath of office included newly elected Councilmembers Clint Childs (District 4) and Carleen Dark-Bays (District 6).
Re-elected Council member Petra Hawkins (District 2) will be re-sworn in at a later date.
Following the swearing-in, the council held its first meeting, where they elected District 2 Council member Petra Hawkins as Mayor Pro Tem. Members of the Council elect the Mayor Pro Tem, who serves in the Mayor’s absence for a one-year term.
SMITH COUNTY — As East Texas counties continue searching for solutions to protect their property and water rights, Van Zandt County is proposing a partnership with Smith County to better protect the region’s natural resources. According to our news partner KETK, Van Zandt County proposed a 391 commission, which would create a council including commissioners and residents from both counties. It would allow neighboring counties to work together to protect the region’s groundwater and property rights. The commission would oversee potential projects in the area and discuss developmental issues that affect both counties.
Following Tuesday’ s meeting, attended by several key lawmakers and public officials, Smith County Commissioners voted to table the decision until they obtained further information on the proposal. During a Smith County Commissioners Court meeting earlier this month, Van Zandt County resident David Dunigan said if Smith County entered the partnership, it would ensure better protection of the region’s natural resources.
“Your voice is going to tell people we can’t be predatory against East Texas counties anymore,” Dunigan said. “I really urge you guys to amplify your voice for the citizens of this county, and for the surrounding East Texas counties to be able to at least say yes, we want something, or no, we don’t.” Read the rest of this entry »
SMITH COUNTY — A person has been arrested after a traffic stop in Smith County led officers to the discovery of a suitcase containing over 27 pounds of marijuana on Monday afternoon.
According to an arrest affidavit obtained from the Smith County Sheriff’s Office, deputies initiated a traffic stop on a vehicle on I-20 for traveling in the left-hand lane while not passing. The driver was identified as Reinaldo Hernandez.
Deputies detected the odor of marijuana while speaking to Hernandez. After getting consent to search and being denied, a detective and his K-9 partner conducted a free-air sniff, which resulted in a positive result. They then located a suitcase in the bed of the vehicle. The suitcase contained 25 vacuum-sealed bags containing marijuana. The bags totaled a weight of 27.5 pounds.
Hernandez was arrested for possessing marijuana in an amount equal to or less than 50 pounds but greater than 5 pounds. He was booked into the Smith County Jail on Monday and was later released after posting bond.
HENDERSON COUNTY – An East Texas county has passed a resolution asking the governor and a state representative to stop local officials from becoming “powerless observers” in the face of the fast growth of A.I. data centers. The resolution, which expressed concerns about the potential effects of large-scale data center projects on local infrastructure and natural resources, was read by the county’s attorney during a Henderson County Commissioners Court meeting on Tuesday morning.
Our news partners at KETK report that additionally, the resolution calls for an independent evaluation of the effects on natural resources before any new A.I. data centers are built. In order to address what the county refers to as “urgent reliability, water supply, and local governance concerns,” it also requests that state lawmakers investigate the matter and, if required, call a special session.
The decision was made almost a month after Data Factory showed interest in constructing a 10-megawatt facility in Athens. The company refers to its facilities as “flexible power farms,” a form of infrastructure that it claims can support high-performance computing while stabilizing strained power grids.
TYLER – Traffic signal work at the intersection of Troup Hwy and Loop 323 has now been completed. KTBB talked to Tyler PD Public Information Officer Andy Erbaugh Tuesday afternoon and he made the confirmation.