local news

WASHINGTON - Money to help about 1 million homeowners reduce their loans will soon be available. More than 40 states have agreed to a settlement with the five largest mortgage lenders. California and New York are among the states holding out but are said to be moving closer to backing a deal. The money available to homeowners could run as high as $25 billion if all states approve the deal. Read Mo

Texas AG Accepts Redistricting Voting Map SAN ANTONIO — The Texas attorney general has accepted a deal on temporary voting maps that could salvage the state's April 3 date for primary elections. In a statement released today, Attorney General Greg Abbott said that seven minority groups agreed to a plan that minimizes changes to the original redistricting maps drafted by the GOP-controlled Legislat

WASHINGTON – There were less people out of work in January, dropping the unemployment rate to 8.3 percent, the lowest in nearly three years. The economy created 243,000 jobs last month, the most in nine months. Employers have added an average of 201,000 jobs per month in the past three months. More jobs and higher incomes should help consumers boost spending and increase economic growth.

PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — Six more weeks of winter. But if it stays as mild as it has been in some parts of the country, the groundhog is off the hook. Pennsylvania's Punxsutawney Phil emerged from his lair to "see" his shadow this morning, in the process predicting six more weeks of winter. Of course it's all scripted. Phil's prediction is determined ahead of time by the Inner Circle, a group

Birth Control Pill Recall WASHINGTON — A packaging error has led to the recall of 1 million packets of birth control pills that could leave women with an inadequate dose of the hormone-based drugs and raise the risk that they will get pregnant accidentally.

TYLER -- Three suspects, including a local standout high school football player, have been arrested for shooting several people with blow darts.

TYLER -- Tyler Police have released a surveillance photo of the man suspected of robbing a woman of her purse and then knocking her to the ground. Officers responded to the East Texas Medical Center parking garage Sunday night where 63-year-old Shirley Steelman of Kilgore was walking to the entrance of the garage and was approached by the suspect. Police say the suspect who had a weapon stole the

WASHINGTON — The U.S. economy grew at a modest 2.8 percent annual rate in the fourth quarter of last year. The Commerce Department says Americans spent more on cars and trucks, and companies built up stockpiles. Consumer spending was up from October through December of 2011, it grew at a 2 percent annual rate, that’s up modestly from the third quarter. But growth was held back by the biggest annua

LOS ANGELES — A private research firm is reporting that foreclosures were a smaller share of all U.S. homes sold in last year's third quarter. RealtyTrac cites delays by banks in putting properties on sale and slower home sales. Even with the decline, foreclosures still made up 20 percent of total homes sold in the July through September period.

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says he wants to close the gap between rich and poor. In his State of the Union address Tuesday night, Obama proposed refinancing at lower interest rates on some mortgages, forcing colleges to keep tuition down and higher taxes for the wealthy. In the GOP response, Gov. Mitch Daniels says Obama has resorted to "extremism" to divide Americans. Today the

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama's State of the Union address tonight includes an appeal for the middle class. President Obama will make an argument for economic fairness for the middle class and say he is the one to deliver it. He is also expected to urge higher taxes on the wealthy, propose ways to make college more affordable and offer new steps to tackle the housing crisis. The address befo

If you have been receiving unemployment benefits, you could be in for a big surprise when you start filing your taxes. Bob Meighan, vice president at Turbo Tax, says unless filers asked that federal taxes be withheld from their jobless benefits, they will owe taxes on the income. On the upside, Meighan reminds the unemployed they might be eligible for tax breaks they didn’t get before, such as the