CBS19's top 19 stories of 2023
Here's a list of the top 19 stories you clicked on this year.
The past year feels like it's flown by, and pretty soon East Texas and the rest of the world will be ringing in 2024.
It was a busy 12 months across the Pineywoods and the Lone Star State.
From beloved Troup ISD student athlete Cooper Reid becoming homecoming king after a traumatic brain injury in 2022 to Tyler apartment residents facing eviction and the historic removal of Catholic bishop in East Texas, CBS19 honored our promise of putting East Texas first and keeping you informed.
As we looked ahead to a new year, here are 19 stories you clicked on the most in 2023:
May 27, 2023 4 Texas children who were believed to be in 'grave or immediate danger' found, AMBER Alert canceled
The four children reported missing out of San Antonio through an AMBER Alert have been found, according to an update from officials.
The El Paso Police Department was searching for four children who were last seen Friday, May 26 at the time.
Police were searching for Jennifer Carmony, 42, in connection with the abduction. Law enforcement believed the children were in grave or immediate danger.
March 11, 2023 Coyote or dog? DNA results for the adorable Dallas pup 'Toast' are in.
"Toast" might be the most popular pup in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex.
She was found huddled next to a dumpster in southern Dallas by DPD officers on patrol. The rumors started swirling about whether or not she may actually be a coyote as opposed to a domestic dog.
A DNA test was done to see if she was a coyote or a dog. Dallas Animal Services officer Jacqui Sutherland – who predicted Toast was an Australian cattle dog mix – told our sister station, WFAA, the results of the test would take 10 to 14 days to determine the puppy's genetic makeup.
Feb. 8, 2023 'Solemn honor': Texas service dog with 250+ Southwest flights takes her final trip
We're not crying, you're crying.
OK, we're all crying after watching this video posted by Southwest Airlines on Tuesday.
The Dallas-based airline on Feb. 2 had a very special guest on a Love Field-bound plane: Kaya, a German Shepherd service dog who was taking her final flight.
Kaya, who was traveling with her handler, Cole Lyle, was recently diagnosed with an untreatable form of cancer, as the flight's pilot announced to passengers.
Aug. 23, 2023 COVID shuts down school district in Texas for the rest of the week
A small South Texas school district located southeast of San Antonio is shutting down until next Tuesday, citing a "recent surge of positive COVID-19 cases within our district."
A letter from Runge ISD Superintendent Hector O. Dominguez Jr. notified families of the closures. Extracurricular activities and team practices are also on hold until 7:50 a.m. on Aug. 29.
"The safety and wellbeing of our students, staff and community is a top priority," Dominguez said in the brief letter, dated Monday, which is also when all the district's buildings were sanitized.
Jan. 7, 2023 BE PREPARED: Extreme East Texas - Winter Storm Ready
The historic winter storm of 2021 is still in the back of East Texans' minds when the temperatures drop.
In our winter weather special, EXTREME EAST TEXAS: Winter Storm Ready, the CBS19 Weather Experts looked at the pros and cons of living on the Texas power grid (ERCOT).
We explained the difference between frost and freeze warnings issued by the National Weather Service. We also looked back at the Jeep squad who came to the rescue to help people get to work when the roadways were iced over.
Nov. 3, 2023 VIRAL VIDEO: Whiskey Myers guitarist Cody Tate posts video of adults taking all of the Halloween candy from bucket on his porch
Halloween is the one night a year when kids can dress up, tour the town, knock on the doors of complete strangers and be met with that famous East Texas generosity.
However, generosity can be taken for granted, like it reportedly was in one Tyler neighborhood.
Cody Tate, guitarist and singer for the country band Whiskey Myers, lives in Tyler. And this year, Halloween just happened to fall on the same day the Texas Rangers were playing in Game 4 of the World Series against the Arizona Diamondbacks (#WentAndTookIt).
May, 4, 2023 Texas 9-year-old in need of loving forever family
Every week, our sister station in Austin, KVUE, features a child in the Texas foster care system who is in need of a forever family.
This week, Hannah Rucker met up with 9-year-old Adalynn. She's a little girl with a big, beautiful personality.
"I'm silly, and I like piggyback rides. And make sure you have lots and lots of makeup!" Adalynn said.
Sept. 15, 2023 3 YEARS LATER: No new leads on East Texas child missing since 2020
It's been three years.
The last time then-5-week-old Armaidre Argumon was seen was Sept. 18, 2020, with his father, DeAndre, in the 500 block of Old Forest Rd. in Wells. That same day, an AMBER Alert was issued for the child.
During a Sept. 22, 2020, press conference, the Wells Police Department revealed the DeAndre had been arrested for endangering/abandoning a child and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. Prior to this arrest, officials say he had just been been released from jail on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, after being picked up on a parole violation.
Sept. 6, 2023 Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders, who was born in Tyler, named Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week
A University of Colorado quarterback with East Texas ties has been named The Earl Campbell Tyler Rose Award National Player of the Week for the first week of the college football season.
Shedeur Sanders, who was born in Tyler and is the son of former professional football player Deion Sanders, was announced as the weekly winner on Wednesday, Sept. 6.
Sanders was 38-for-47 for a school record 510 yards and four touchdowns in a 45-42 victory at #17 Texas Christian University. According to the announcement, his performance is one of the best single-game performances by a Colorado signal caller.
Sept. 29, 2023 Your cellphone is expected to go off the afternoon of Oct. 4 - Here's why
This week, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) conducted a nationwide test of its emergency notification systems in October.
The test occurred Wednesday, Oct. 4, between 1:20-1:50 p.m. CT (2:20-2:50 p.m. ET/11:20-11:50 a.m. PT).
The purpose of the test is to assess the effectiveness of FEMA's Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alerts.
Dec. 19, 2023 East Texas highway named among top 100 congested roadways in state
An East Texas stretch of road has been named among the most congested roadways in the state.
It's a roadway filled with traffic that drivers, especially those in Tyler, may be familiar with - most notably during the holidays.
According to a study from the Texas A&M Transportation Institute, South Broadway Ave. in Tyler from West Southwest Loop 323 to Toll 49 ranked as number 87 among the top 100 congested roadways in Texas in 2023. It's the only roadway in East Texas to be a part of the list.
Aug. 28, 2023 Residents upset after most tenants issued eviction notices at 1 Tyler apartment community
Eviction notices were sent to more than a dozen tenants at the Residences at Earl Campbell in Tyler. But those renters said they didn’t do anything wrong. In fact, they blame an apartment complex employee.
Tenants said Monday the leasing office at this apartment complex issued a three-day eviction notice on Friday to 75% of the residents.
Renters said the issues began earlier this month when their leasing agent sent them a special offer: half off their rent if they paid through the agent. Excited and relieved to be getting a discount, several residents took advantage of the offer.
July 22, 2023 Baby giraffe Zuri dies at Cameron Park Zoo
The Cameron Park Zoo is mourning the loss of another one of their beloved giraffes, a baby Masai calf named Zuri.
According to a release from the zoo, Zuri died on the morning of July 22.
Zuri's death comes just days after the death of her mother, 10-year-old Penelope, who died on Wednesday, July 19.
Feb. 7, 2023 No fans allowed for Tyler High - Texas High basketball game following brawl earlier in season
No fans will be allowed to attend the Texas High at Tyler High basketball game on Tuesday, Feb. 7, Tyler ISD athletic director Greg Priest said.
The contest is scheduled for 7 p.m. at the Lions Den on the Tyler High School campus.
Both the Tyler ISD and Texarkana ISD decided this was the best decision, Jennifer Hines, Tyler ISD Chief Communications Officer, said of the no fans allowed.
Sept. 15, 2023 Troup's Cooper Reid crowned homecoming king
A year after Troup High School student-athlete Cooper Reid suffered a life-altering brain injury during a football game, he returned to the field Friday night.
Cooper was part of Troup High School's 2023 Homecoming Court and his mother, Susanne escorted him down the field. Minutes later, the crowd erupted in cheers as they stood up when Cooper was crowned.
Before the announcement of the homecoming court, the Tigers football team greeted and huddled around their teammate.
Aug. 7, 2023 Texas woman grateful to live another day after being brutally attacked by snake, hawk
A Silsbee woman says she's now keeping a vigilant eye on the sky after being brutally attacked by both a snake and a hawk.
Peggy Jones was mowing the grass on her property late July when a snake fell from the sky.
While the snake was gripping her arm, a hawk swooped down and began viciously attacking her.
Nov. 13, 2023 CATHOLIC CARDINAL: Inquiry from pope found continued leadership of now-dismissed Diocese of Tyler Bishop Joseph Strickland 'not feasible'
A statement from a Catholic cardinal out of Houston has revealed that a visitation by two bishops in June found the continuation of now-dismissed Diocese of Tyler Bishop Joseph Strickland's leadership to be "not feasible."
Strickland was removed as the bishop of Tyler on Saturday by Pope Francis.
According to a statement from Cardinal Daniel DiNardo of the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston, Pope Francis in June directed an Apostolic Visitation of the Diocese of Tyler. Bishop Dennis Sullivan of Camden and Bishop Emeritus Gerald Kicanas of Tucson were appointed to conduct the visitation.
Oct. 19, 2023 HOOKED ON EAST TEXAS: What's 100 inches long, weighs 283 pounds and lives in East Texas? This record-breaking fish!
If someone asked you, "What's the biggest fish you've ever caught"? What would you say? Well, angler Art Weston has a fish tale like no one else.
Back in September, Weston traveled from his home in Kentucky to Lake Sam Rayburn for a fishing trip. And it was a trip he nor his guide Captain Kirk Kirkland will ever forget.
Weston and Kirkland landed a world-record Alligator Gar.
"This fish was 100 inches long, by 48-inch girth [and] was 283 pounds," Kirkland said. “It is the biggest freshwater fish ever caught with a rod and reel totally freshwater.”
March 6, 2023 Got spare change? These coins may be worth thousands!
Many of us pay no mind to the change we empty out of our pockets at the end of a busy day.
But you may want to start sifting through those coins because they could be worth thousands!
Coin Trackers has updated their list of the 25 most valuable pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters ever produced in the United States.