Shelby County Today

October 1, 2020 - The 44th Annual East Texas Poultry Festival opening ceremonies were held this morning on the Frances Oates Stage under the big tent for the first time at the John D. Windham Civic Center and past Poultry Festival royalty returned to the hen-house to officially open the festival with the cutting of the feather boa. Past Queens attending were Shana Bowen Brittain (1984), Terrie Moore Elliot (1988), Macayla Perry Hill (2013), Madelynn Hutchins (2016), and Kristen Orsak (2019). The current year's Poulty Festival Queen's Court which usually does the cutting of the feathers was unavailable due to the Chamber having to postpone the Queen's Pageant activities.

Shana Brittain (center) enjoyed the honor of cutting the feathers with Macayla Hill (left) and Terrie Elliot (right).

Josh Payne, ETPF Chairman, welcomed everyone to the festival which is presented by Farmers State Bank, "I just want y'all to know that we almost didn't have this this year but we met and decided this community needs it. We just trust that everybody will be responsible and we think everybody will have a great time. We couldn't ask for better weather."

Payne then thanked Focused Care of Center for sponsoring the opening ceremonies and gave thanks and appreciation to the Poultry Festival steering committee. He next introduced Malcolm Monroe, the new pastor at First United Methodist Church, who then gave the invocation, followed by the Center High School band who performed the National Anthem under the direction of Chris Smith.

Opening ceremonies missed several key ingredients due to COVID-19 limiting the ability of some to participate including the Timpson kindergarten students who have led everyone in the Pledge of Allegiance for years at the festival. The show must go on and thanks to Shelby Chick the Pledge of Allegiance was honored at the event.

Shelby County Judge Harbison then gave a welcoming speech, "This festival brings all the people of the county together to celebrate the poultry industry which is a vital part of the county's economy." She ended by challenging everyone to make the world a better place to live urging everyone to be diligent during the festival to practice social distancing, wear your mask especially in a crowd, be kind, be respectful, be safe, be smart, be responsible and to remember the life you save may be your own or someone that you love.

David Chadwick, City of Center Mayor and President of Farmers State Bank, addressed those in attendance, "Quite a different group than we are used to seeing today but you know what? It still has the same excitement that we have had for 44 years." He commended the success and perseverance of the Poultry Festival and those who organize it each year.

Mayor Chadwick then gave an update on construction downtown which more than halfway complete and looks forward to the festival returning to downtown next year. "This is a year for adjustment and we have certainly adjusted to a different location with different rules and the Judge listed all the things that we need to do to take care of ourselves. But the one thing that we don't have to adjust is how much we enjoy one another. We are here to have a good time, we are here to be wise with what we do and we are here to celebrate East Texas to the fullest. Welcome. Welcome. Welcome. Enjoy."

September 30, 2020 - On Friday, October 2, 2020, at 1:30 (Central Standard Time) Lieutenant Commander (Lt. Cmdr.) Nicholas "Nick" Sherrouse will retire from the U.S. Navy after completing 33 years of service to our Nation. The ceremony is being hosted by the Acting Director Defense Media Activity, Colonel Paul Haverstick. 

Lt. Cmdr. Sherrouse is a native of Timpson, Texas and he graduated from the Timpson Independent School District and enlisted into the Navy in November 1987.

Lt. Cmdr. Sherrouse has received a multitude of personal military decorations and honors to include the Joint Service Commendation Medals (2 stars), Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medals (6 stars), and the Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medal, the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal and various unit and campaign awards.

He is married to Retired LSCM(EXW) Rebecca Sherrouse, U.S. Navy, of Cantonment, Florida.

Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc. Social Services Department Announces The Rural Workforce Academy

Are you currently unemployed and have time on your hands?

Do you have reliable transportation?

Are you interested in a certified nursing assistant program, electrical technical certification program, welding certification program, or construction certification program?

AND, are you interested in the cost being FREE?

The Rural Workforce Academy has partnered with Prairie View A&M University and has been awarded funding to be able to support and assist those interested in furthering their education and gain knowledge to become self-sufficient.

If you answered yes, to these questions, please contact your Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc. representative in your local county to find out more information on these programs.

For Shelby County, contact the Social Services Department via phone at 936-598-6315 or in person 214 Nacogdoches St., Center, TX 75935.

September 25, 2020 - VFW Post 8904 honored all the Mothers and Spouses who have lost a child, husband, or wife in time of war during a Gold Star Mother's Day program at the Veterans Memorial on Friday, September 25th.

Post Quartermaster Larry Hume welcomed everyone and gave some background to Gold Star Mother's Day, "Dating back to World War I that ended on November 11, 1918, families would hang a banner with blue stars, one for each family member that was in service. And in the event that their loved one would die in service of their country, the blue star would then be covered with a gold one, and Sunday, September 27th is Gold Star Mother's Day. And we are here today to especially recognize two Shelby County mothers, one wife who gave their loved ones to the war on terror.

"Lois Harper, her son Larry Polley, Jr. was killed in Iraq January of 2004; Kevin Casey Roberts was killed in Afghanistan May 28 (2008), he's the husband of Donnice Roberts; and Cory Bertrand, the 18-year-old son of Charlotte Allen was killed-in-action in Afghanistan five months later in October of 2008."

Hume listed the number of Shelby County lives who died in service to their country for each war or conflict: Mexican American War - 14 people; Civil War - 24 people; Spanish American War - 1 person; World War I - 35 people; World War II - 126 people; Korean War - 8 people; Vietnam War - 12 people; and the War on Terror in Iraq - 1 person and Afghanistan - 2 people. He continued by saying, "One thing that all of these people have in common other than having given their life for their country, is they all had a mother."

In honor of all mothers and their families who lost a son or daughter in the service of their country, Auxiliary Chaplian Joy Hutto placed the memorial wreath on the veteran's memorial. Following the wreath placement, Gene Hutto played Taps in honor of those lost.