Lexi Vennetti
Multimedia journalist
East Texas
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Lexi Vennetti is a multimedia journalist. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism at Indiana University.
While at IU, Lexi reported for Big Ten Student U, Indiana University Student Television, and award-winning school newscast, IU NewsNet. Lexi interned at FOX 59 and WISH-TV in Indianapolis, and WFIU/WTIU in Bloomington, Indiana. She also cheered for Indiana University for one year and was the Vice President/ Recruitment Chairman of her sorority Zeta Tau Alpha.
Lexi was born and raised in Orland Park, Illinois, a southwest suburb of Chicago (Go Blackhawks and Cubs!).
She is excited to learn about East Texas and to share impactful stories.
If you have any story ideas that you would like Lexi to share, feel free to email her at alexa.vennetti@kltv.com.
Education
Updated: 19 hours ago
|By Lexi Vennetti
East Texans are weighing in on a plan to improve traffic congestion along one of the busiest roads in South Tyler. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) held a third public meeting on Tuesday to get input of a project that would widen Old Jacksonville Highway.
Updated: Mar. 27, 2023 at 7:28 PM CDT
|By Lexi Vennetti
The university has received a $100,000 grant from NASA to advance the fundamental understanding of plants in space.
Updated: Mar. 27, 2023 at 1:06 PM CDT
|By Lexi Vennetti
You can see the five planets for the next two weeks, until April 12, the best time to see all five will be Tuesday evening.
Updated: Mar. 23, 2023 at 10:33 PM CDT
|By Lexi Vennetti
After going through a procedure to check for breast cancer, an East Texas woman is surprised to find a bill asking her to pay for something that, by state law, is supposed to be covered by insurance.
Updated: Mar. 21, 2023 at 11:15 PM CDT
|By Lexi Vennetti
Payne Springs interim police chief “Going to try to restore the faith back in the community”
Updated: Mar. 20, 2023 at 7:30 PM CDT
|By Lexi Vennetti
Cavender’s Boot City in Tyler is getting ready to re-open their doors on Tuesday. KLTV 7 took a tour of the renovated store that the family calls, “home.”
Updated: Mar. 9, 2023 at 9:05 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
A group of UT Tyler students will travel to Costa Rica this spring break, but not for a vacation. It’s a mission trip known as “alternative spring break.” This is the university’s first international service trip.
Updated: Mar. 9, 2023 at 11:19 AM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The University of Texas at Tyler has earned the 2023-24 Silver Military Friendly School designation. A Silver designation means that UT Tyler is within the top 20% of participating schools in the Tier 2 Research Institutions Category.
Updated: Mar. 7, 2023 at 8:16 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
According to QuoteWizard, auto thefts in Texas are up from 249 per capita in 2011 to 287 per capita in 2020, which is a 15% jump and the 12th highest rate in the nation.
Updated: Mar. 6, 2023 at 3:21 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti and KLTV Digital Media Staff
Juan Jesus Juarez was found guilty last month in the death of Marco Antonio Lopez Penado.
Updated: Mar. 2, 2023 at 11:29 AM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
KLTV 7′s Lexi Vennetti talks with East Texas farmer Bobby Trimble, owner of Trimble Farms in Big Sandy, about the Food and Drug Administration’s release of a draft on how plant-based milk alternatives can still be called “milk.”
Updated: Feb. 28, 2023 at 11:00 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The Texas Department of Public Safety, which oversees the licensing process, announced the change mid-January that young adults aged 18-20 can now get a license to carry handguns.
Updated: Feb. 28, 2023 at 2:08 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Zach Warren's actions saved the life of a man involved in a car crash.
Updated: Feb. 24, 2023 at 6:33 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
After Traditions in Tyler closed last month, there is now an auction set for Saturday.
Updated: Feb. 23, 2023 at 3:38 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
New results from a pilot program in the UK showed many benefits to workers’ health and productivity with a four-day work week, as 92% of the businesses that tried the four-day week decided to keep the schedule long-term.
Updated: Feb. 21, 2023 at 6:48 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Jarvis Christian University in Hawkins is honoring Black History Month with a presentation by a former Department of Education director.
Updated: Feb. 17, 2023 at 5:06 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
If you have tree brush and limbs in your yard from the storm earlier this month, you might have to wait a little longer to get it picked up. That’s because the City of Tyler is facing the most work orders it has seen in years, but the city is adding manpower to help speed up the clean up.
Updated: Feb. 16, 2023 at 6:25 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Reed said it was set to be complete by this spring, but it will now be complete by the fall, due in part to the underground construction. “There were sewer problems that needed to be addressed, there was water line, new water line structures put in and removal of old water lines.”Along with the underground reconstruction, the project is behind because of the weather.
Updated: Feb. 16, 2023 at 4:40 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Troup ISD students, staff, and community members will be out in support to welcome Cooper home tomorrow afternoon as the Reid family drives through the town.
Updated: Feb. 13, 2023 at 3:18 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Residents at The Hamptons Senior Living in Tyler have special Valentines this year including visits from school kids and a special serenade from the East Texas Men In Harmony barbershop quartet.
Updated: Feb. 8, 2023 at 9:24 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The Tyler Police Department is sweetening the pot to attract new hires.
Updated: Feb. 8, 2023 at 11:10 AM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The council recently approved a new contract to repair the aging stormwater infrastructure of Tyler.
Updated: Feb. 7, 2023 at 11:12 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Jeff Williford explains TXDOT’s plan to address the road repairs from last week’s winter storm damage.
Updated: Jan. 31, 2023 at 10:17 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The Tyler Economic Development Council has announced the purchase of 412 acres in the northern part of Smith County will be used as an industrial park.
Updated: Jan. 31, 2023 at 7:06 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
A married couple said they were right outside their camper home when a tree fell and crushed it.
Remembering Columbia: Tyler doctor who took historic disaster photo reflects on its 20th anniversary
Updated: Jan. 30, 2023 at 11:07 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
This week marks two decades since the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy, where seven crew members killed. Twenty years later, we remember Columbia and a famous photo of one of the most devastating events in East Texas history, taken by a doctor from Tyler.
Updated: Jan. 25, 2023 at 7:49 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The Tyler Police Department raised the most money out of the Smith County first responders, about $1,800 for the Salvation Army. The funds collected in the holiday drive support the shelter and programs like The Angel Tree and community meals.
Updated: Jan. 23, 2023 at 5:38 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
It’s time to start filing your taxes! The 2023 tax season officially starts today, but things could look a little different this year.
Updated: Jan. 18, 2023 at 11:31 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Karen Holt, Executive Director for the East Texas Chapter of American Red Cross explains what National Blood Donor Month is and why it is so important.
Updated: Jan. 17, 2023 at 6:49 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
KLTV's Lexi Vennetti reports on the Hoops for Coop fundraiser held at Troup ISD in support of Cooper Reid, the high school football player injured during a game last year.
Updated: Jan. 11, 2023 at 9:59 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti and Christian Terry
Superintendent Macie Thompson explained this came about as a way to give teachers more planning time for their lessons as well as for teacher recruitment and retainment.
Updated: Jan. 10, 2023 at 8:12 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti and KLTV Digital Media Staff
Nathaniel Williams was convicted in December of intentionally crashing his vehicle into a house he thought his ex-girlfriend was.
Updated: Jan. 3, 2023 at 11:37 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) is calling on East Texas cities to apply for transportation alternatives projects, like adding sidewalks and bike lanes.
Updated: Jan. 2, 2023 at 6:49 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
“Short term shortages are not that uncommon. Long term shortages, especially medications that are critical during cough cold and flu season, that’s what is making this unusual,” Drug Emporium Pharmacy Manger David Davis said.
Updated: Dec. 14, 2022 at 12:34 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The City of Tyler recognized a baby who completed the Infants at Work program.
Updated: Dec. 7, 2022 at 10:29 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
“So many times people with disabilities are on the receiving end of things ... they want to feel like they can give, that they’re part of the community, that they have something to offer, and so these kinds of trips show them that,” Phillips said.
Updated: Dec. 6, 2022 at 6:44 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
It has been nine months since a tornado hit the Gilmer area. For the Glarborg family, their shed was destroyed when a tree fell on it in the storm. Inside the shed? Christmas decorations, pictures, and memories.
Updated: Nov. 30, 2022 at 9:07 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
If you’re in the market for a fresh Christmas tree, Breckenridge Village of Tyler (BVT) is now offering an opportunity to buy a tree, and give back to the community.
Updated: Nov. 29, 2022 at 10:36 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
A Lindale native who “got the bug to want to fly” from his Navy pilot father helped save a life while on a Thanksgiving Day rescue mission in the Coast Guard. Lt. Travis Rhea shares his story with KLTV’s Lexi Vennetti.
Updated: Nov. 28, 2022 at 7:28 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The National Retail Federation predicts holiday sales during this November and December to increase between 6% and 8% over 2021.
Updated: Nov. 28, 2022 at 5:08 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Tuesday is being called Travel Deals Tuesday by some; for some companies, it’s the biggest travel day sales for the year.
Updated: Nov. 22, 2022 at 7:08 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Pastor Jeremiah Dollgener walks with KLTV 7′s Lexi Vennetti along the growing line of cars looking to get food.
Updated: Nov. 15, 2022 at 10:21 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
The Silver Santa and Blue Santa events are aimed at bringing Christmas cheer to people who need it most during the holidays.
Updated: Nov. 14, 2022 at 6:53 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti
Across the country, there is a shortage of professionals who work in skilled trades, especially electricians. Finding tomorrow’s skilled workers is one of the goal’s of the eighth annual National Apprenticeship Week.
Updated: Nov. 7, 2022 at 3:47 PM CST
|By Lexi Vennetti and KLTV Digital Media Staff
Morris County Judge Doug Reeder said the woman apparently was preparing to go to work when the incident happened.
Updated: Nov. 2, 2022 at 9:03 PM CDT
|By Lexi Vennetti
Animals adopted from Tyler Animal Services are spayed/neutered, microchipped and vaccinated.
Updated: Nov. 1, 2022 at 8:27 PM CDT
|By Lexi Vennetti
While flu season is just starting, case counts have ramped up early. According to the CDC, it’s been more than a decade since flu hospitalization rates have been this high, this early in the season.
Updated: Oct. 30, 2022 at 6:24 AM CDT
|By Colten Sneed and Lexi Vennetti
The traffic lights are out following a single-vehicle car crash.
Updated: Oct. 26, 2022 at 11:48 PM CDT
|By Lexi Vennetti
Private 1st Class John Henry Williams, his uncle, served in World War ll. More than 70 years later, Williams’ dog tag was found in France and returned to Clark!
Updated: Oct. 26, 2022 at 11:17 AM CDT
|By Lexi Vennetti
Artist John York was at Tyler’s Downtown Square Wednesday morning working on a watercolor painting of the Smith County Courthouse. York said he has loves the old Tyler look and feel and has a connection to the history with his family and wants to preserve it in the way he can, through painting.
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