Local Headlines

Major drug trafficking ring dismantled

UPSHUR COUNTY – Following a nearly three-year investigation of drug trafficking in Upshur County, seven people have been placed under arrest in connection with a drug ring that had been distributing large amounts of fentanyl and methamphetamine.

According to our news partner KETK and the Upshur County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy assigned to the DEA Task Force opened an investigation in December 2023 on Cole Seabolt, who is known as an illegal drug supplier in the county.

During the course of the investigation, authorities became aware of a drug trafficking organization that had operated in Upshur and surrounding counties, distributing large amounts of methamphetamine and fentanyl.
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Police vehicle fatally strikes pedestrian

KILGORE — A pedestrian was killed last month in Kilgore after falling from the bed of a pickup truck and being struck by a police vehicle responding to a crash, according to a report from the Texas Department of Transportation. According to our news partner KETK, the incident began when a driver of a pickup truck, believed to be intoxicated, was traveling north on State Highway 135 with a passenger in the bed of the truck in the early hours of April 18. The passenger, who was also reportedly intoxicated, had been asleep during the ride.

According to the report, the passenger woke up at some point, and around the same time, the driver missed an exit and attempted to make a U?turn. During that maneuver, the passenger fell from the bed of the truck onto the roadway. The Kilgore Police Department said they received an automatic 911 call from a smartphone, along with GPS coordinates for its location. Dispatchers sent units to the potential crash after they “could hear an unresponsive individual with labored breathing throughout the call.”

The crash report states that a person driving a Kilgore Police Department vehicle was traveling northbound on State Highway 135 en route to a crash and encountered the pedestrian—who was wearing dark clothing and no reflective materials—lying in the outside lane. (more…)

Moran pitches WAGES Act

TYLER — The WAGES Act, introduced by Representative Nathaniel Moran (R), Texas, looks to give manual labor companies more support in apprenticeship programs through a tax credit. According to our news partner KETK, Moran is making waves in East Texas blue-collar industries through his new Workforce, Apprenticeship Growth and Education Support (WAGES) Act. He’s making the pitch this week to companies in the Pineywoods and if passed, the new law would allow companies with a registered apprenticeship program to pay apprentices and mentors while covering program expenses.

WAGES would help the next generation of workers at Trane Technologies get adapted to their work environment before taking on the job.

“It says we want to give you an employment tax credit up to $5,000 per apprentice per quarter against those taxes you’re paying every quarter,” Moran said. (more…)

Voters approve $8.1M ISD bond

GLADEWATER — Gladewater ISD is moving forward with a series of major upgrades after voters approved the district’s $8.1 million bond during Saturday’s municipal election. The district was one of nine across the region where voters said “yes” to new school funding. A significant portion of the bond will go toward campus safety, including installing keyless entry systems at every school. The district will also purchase new school buses equipped with seat belts, thereby improving student transportation safety.

Another major focus of the bond is strengthening the district’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, an investment aimed at preparing the future workforce of East Texas. Superintendent Rae Ann Patty said the upgrades will ensure students are learning on equipment that reflects real?world industry standards.

Work will begin this summer, starting with HVAC system upgrades and the purchase of new buses. Most construction and classroom improvements are expected to be completed during the 2027–2028 school year.

The bond marks a significant step forward for Gladewater ISD as it works to enhance safety, modernize learning spaces, and expand opportunities for students across the district.

Elderly man with dementia missing

WILLS POINT – The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching for 76-year-old Alfredo Chavez, who was last seen in Wills Point on April 23. Chavez is described as 5’7? Hispanic man, who weighs around 120 pounds and has brown eyes and brown hair. According to a Silver Alert, he was last seen in the 14300 block of Clark Lane in Wills Point on April 23 at 2 p.m., while wearing a dark long-sleeve shirt, green sweatpants and flip-flops.

The sheriff’s office said Chavez may be with a small Chihuahua dog. They also said he suffers from dementia, may be disoriented, may knock on the door of nearby homes and only speaks Spanish.

On April 25, the sheriff’s office said Chavez was still missing after an extensive search of the area. Anyone with information about his disappearance is asked to contact the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office at 469-376-4500.

Area students approved for choice program

EAST TEXAS — Nearly one-third of students who applied for Texas’ new school choice program have been approved so far, according to updated data from the Texas Comptroller’s Office and our news partner KETK.

Of the 8,855 East Texas students who submitted applications, 2,744 have been accepted to receive a Texas Education Freedom Account (TEFA). The update comes after Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock announced Monday that more than 53,000 additional students statewide are expected to be awarded TEFA funding for the 2026–27 school year in Tier 2. Those awards follow the 42,600 students approved late last month in Tier 1.

“Texas families have waited a long time for school choice, and the response to TEFA shows just how much this opportunity means to parents across our state,” Hancock said. “This first year is groundbreaking for Texas. (more…)