Local Headlines

Roberson hearing in the Texas House, without Robert Roberson

AUSTIN – It was a packed committee room Monday in the Texas House. According to our news partner KETK, legislators met with witnesses to listen to testimony in the case and conviction of Robert Roberson of Palestine. Roberson is on death row for a crime that is now being called into question. He was found guilty in 2003 of killing his 2-year-old daughter, a conviction for which he was set to be executed last Thursday. A ruling from the Texas Supreme Court spared him in the 11th hour, citing concerns about a last-minute subpoena ordering Roberson to be present for House testimony about his case on Monday.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice would only allow Roberson to attend the proceedings virtually, an accommodation which Roberson’s attorneys and the House committee alike argued would not be acceptable. Given that Roberson has been diagnosed with autism, and he has been in custody for more than two decades, his attorneys argue that his ability to effectively communicate would be severely impeded in a virtual setting.

On Monday’s witness list was TV personality Dr. Phillip McGraw, Novelist John Grisham, Former judge on the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Elsa Alcala, Terry Compton, a juror from Roberson’s 2003 trial and Gretchen Sween, Roberson’s attorney.
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Early voting in Smith County through November 1

SMITH COUNTY – Smith County residents began casting their ballots October 21 during two weeks of early voting for the November 5, 2024, Presidential Election. Now through November 1, registered voters can cast their ballots at any of the eight early voting locations, which include:

First Christian Church – Christian Life Center Room 5: 4202 S. Broadway Ave, Tyler
Heritage Building: 1900 Bellwood Road, Tyler
The Hub: 304 E. Ferguson Street, Tyler
Kinzie Community Center: 912 Mt. Sylvan St., Lindale
Noonday Community Center: 16662 CR 196, Tyler
Starrville Church of the Living God, 18396 Highway 271, Winona
Whitehouse Methodist Church: 405 W. Main Street, Whitehouse
Green Acres Baptist Church – Flint Campus, at 1010 CR 137, Flint
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Committee calls for suspension of Palestine Westwood football coach

PALESTINE – Our KETK News partners report that Westwood ISD has confirmed that the District 9-3A Division I District Executive Committee has recommended the suspension of their head football coach following reports that he filmed opponents while scouting.

Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has reported that coach Richard Bishop was suspended and that the school will have to forfeit all their district football games from this season but the district told KETK that the District Executive Committee (DEC) has only recommended those steps to the UIL’s State Executive Committee.

Dave Campbell’s said that Bishop allegedly carried out a plan to record their opponents signals, a plan that the DEC allegedly said was “intentional, serious and egregious.”

Westwood ISD Superintendent Wade Stanford told KETK that they’re planning to appeal these charges at an upcoming meeting.

Gilmer spa busted for prostitution

GILMER – Our KETK News Partners report that The Gilmer Police Department busted a local massage spa for prostitution on Monday in an operation they named “Operation Not So Happy Ending.”

AA Spa at 1324 Highway 271 North in Gilmer was initially investigated after Gilmer PD received information about alleged prostitution happening there.

On Monday, they launched “Operation Not So Happy Ending” by sending in an undercover officer. The operation reportedly led directly to the arrests of two women, Kun Lu and Zhai Li.

According to Gilmer PD, Lu was arrested for a massage therapy license violation and Li was arrested for prostitution and a massage therapy license violation. Gilmer PD added that the AA Spa has been shutdown following their operation.

“This type of criminal conduct is commonly associated with human trafficking/sex trafficking. The Gilmer Police Department continues to take an active role in deterring this type of criminal behavior in our community.”

East Texas man arrested after DNA links him to 16-year-old homicide cold case

LUFKIN – Our news partner, KETK, reports that an East Texas man was arrested earlier this month after DNA sample collected in 2008 identified him as suspect in a homicide cold case.

The Grand Prairie Police Department and Fire Department responded to a structure fire on the evening of Aug. 8, 2008 in the 2600 block of Channing Drive. Officials said they located a body later identified as 45-year-old Raymond Hernandez inside the residence.

An autopsy would later rule Hernandez’s death as a homicide.

In November 2008, DNA from a possible suspect was collected and entered into the Combined DNA Index System, also known as CODIS. However, there was no matching DNA in CODIS of the suspect.
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27 East Texas counties declared disaster areas

TYLER – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has issued a disaster declaration for many counties across the state including several in East Texas due to the current risk for wildfires.

The declaration was issued by Governor Abbott on Thursday. You can find the list of counties, including the 27 East Texas counties bolded, on our news partner KETK’s website or by clicking here.

Abbott also directed the Texas Division of Emergency Management to activate more emergency response resources to support firefighters working on wildfires across the state.
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Update: road reopens after Athens building fire

UPDATE: ATHENS – Athens Public Safety announced that as of 4 p.m. West Corsicana Street is reopened.

ATHENS – Athens Public Safety announced on their Facebook that parts of West Corsicana Street are closed due to a structure fire. According to our news partner KETK, the City of Athens said the fire department received at call at 11:45 a.m. about a fire at a vacant furniture store, next to Travel Inn on West Corsicana Street. Officials said no one was inside the vacant building and The Travel Inn was evacuated. The Athens Fire Department had the blaze controlled by 1:30 p.m. They were assisted by District 8 Fire Department, Long Cove Fire Department, South Side Fire Department, Henderson County Fire Marshal and the Athens Police Department. According AFD Public Information Officer Michael Hannigan, the empty store had significant damage, while The Travel Inn had damage to several rooms. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Rusk County motorcycle crash sends one to hospital by helicopter

RUSK COUNTY – The Crims Chapel Volunteer Fire Department said that a motorcycle crash in Rusk County sent one person to the hospital by helicopter on Sunday. The single vehicle crash happened near State Highway 322 and County Road 240 in northern Rusk County at around 11:30 a.m. on Sunday. EMS at the scene asked that a helicopter be brought in and the patient was sent to a hospital in Tyler to be treated. There was no word on the condition of the person injured.

Man arrested after threatening Trinity County law enforcement

TRINITY COUNTY – Trinity County Sheriff Woody Wallace said that one man was arrested on Sunday after he reportedly said he was “going pig hunting” or planning to kill police officers.

According to our news partner KETK, Randall Konetzke was reportedly seen driving recklessly on FM 356, stopping in front of the Trinity Police Department and then speeding back onto FM 356 where he stopped. When officers responded Wallace said Konetzke was outside of his vehicle, which was parked on the side of the road, talking to another driver. When he saw the officers, he started to walk back to his vehicle and then the officers told him to stop but he continued to try and get into his truck.

A brief struggle ensued and Konetzke was arrested. He was charged with unlawful possesion of a firearm by a felon, terroristic threat to a public servant and resisting arrest, search or transportation.

Smith County Burn Ban Update

SMITH COUNTY — Since issuing a burn ban on October 8, Smith County officials have been called out to about 50 calls for illegal burning. “Due to the burn ban being in place for about a week and the information being highly promoted, we are transitioning to issuing citations rather than giving warnings,” Smith County Fire Marshal Chad Hogue said.

As of Tuesday, October 15, the Keetch-Byram Drought Index (KBDI) for Smith County was at an average of 727. The KBDI ranges from 0 to 800 and is used to determine forest fire potential. For the next several days, there is very little chance of rain and low humidity, increasing the fire danger even more.

“The Fire Marshal’s Office would like to thank Smith County residents for understanding the potential fire danger conditions and choosing not to burn during this burn ban,” he said.

The Commissioners Court issued an “Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning” on Tuesday, October 8. It is in effect for 90 days, unless conditions improve, and the Commissioners Court approves terminating the order early. (more…)

UT Tyler hosts annual engineering competition

TYLER – The University of Texas at Tyler held their third annual Ratliff Relays engineering competitions on Saturday. The relays consist of cardboard boat races, carbon dioxide rocketry, water rockets, robotic car races and the always popular drone races.

“They will learn the dynamics from the classroom and then they will apply the concepts to a real design and prototype. So from this competition, students will have a lot of fun and they will realize how to apply our knowledge to solve real world problems,” said associate professor of mechanical engineering at UT Tyler, Chung-Hyun Goh.

National School Bus Safety Week

TYLER – Tyler ISD recognizes National School Bus Safety Week from October 21 to October 25. This annual campaign serves as a powerful reminder of the critical role every driver plays in ensuring the safety of children as they travel to and from school. Each school day, millions of children rely on school buses, and the greatest risk to their safety occurs when children enter or exit the bus. Tyler ISD is using National School Bus Safety Week to raise awareness and encourage the entire community —parents, students, teachers, motorists, and school staff — to commit to these safe reminders. (more…)