Good morning, Longview.

Doug Sapp, known as Happy T.

Clown, brought joy to Longview community events before dying on March 21 at 82 after a cancer diagnosis. His funeral is set for noon Thursday at Trinity Episcopal Church (906 Padon St) where family and friends will gather to remember his long career.

East Texas cities are hosting spring clean-up events that let residents dispose of litter and bulky items, with Whitehouse hosting its Don’t Mess With Texas Trash-Off event (starting at 8 a.m. at City Park on April 5) and Tyler holding the Great Tyler Cleanup on April 12.

Smith Countywide Cleanup will run from April through May to accept bulky items with vouchers at Greenwood Farms Landfill (open 6:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. on weekdays, 6:30 a.m.-noon on Saturdays) while Gilmer and Angelina County also host local events.

A quarterly report from Kilgore's tourism office showed that last year's events—Oktoberfest and the Derrick Lighting Ceremony—drew larger crowds as Oktoberfest attendance grew from 3,100 to 4,400 and the Derrick event reached 4,400 visitors while about 1,084,000 trips were made, even though overall visits fell 8% from 2023 and hotel bookings rose by over 2%.

A Dairy Queen spokeswoman confirmed Tuesday that the restaurant at 2101 N.

Eastman Road closed (after an earlier closure on Gilmer Road led to an auction of the building and its contents). The only remaining Dairy Queen in Longview is at 5002 Estes Parkway.

Longview ISD is offering a $10,000 stipend for recognized elementary teachers joining Bailey Elementary School, and new hires can earn up to $32,000 based on student growth and evaluation scores — with half paid in December and half in May.

The district will host a career fair at Hudson PEP Elementary on March 29 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. featuring on-the-spot interviews for Bailey, SPED and bilingual teaching positions and providing childcare.

U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran will host a telephone town hall on March 31 at 7 p.m. for constituents to voice opinions and discuss issues with his office + call-in details will be provided upon registration on the day of the event.

Longview PRCA Rodeo

7:30-9:20 p.m. — Longview Rodeo Arena — Ticket prices vary — Experience thrilling rodeo action while supporting a good cause with every ticket purchased.

City of Longview Job Fair

3-7 p.m. — Maude Cobb Convention Center — Free entry — Explore job opportunities in various City departments and the skills needed to succeed.

Guthrie Creek Open Pickleball Tournament

8 AM – 8 PM — Guthrie Park — Proceeds benefit the local pickleball community — Enjoy spirited competition at the fifth annual tournament hosted by the Longview Pickleball Club.