Shelby County Today

July 29, 2025 - Six members of the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department recently attended a week of training at the 96th Annual Texas Fire Training School presented by the Texas Engineering Extension Service, a division of the Texas A&M University System. The school is held at the Brayton Fire Training Field, the largest training facility of its kind in the world.

Firefighter Brock Pugh, Firefighter Julie Bates, and Assistant Fire Chief Michael Bates completed HAZMAT Awareness and Operations. Firefighter Michael Parker took Common Passenger Vehicle Extrication, and Assistant Fire Chief Stephen Ewing served as a Guest Instructor in ASP-701 Fundamentals of Fire Attack.

Over 800 students and 300 instructors participated in the school this year. The school offers courses in all disciplines of fire/ rescue, from basic firefighter skills to all types of technical rescue, to officer development and leadership training. The Joaquin VFD has maintained a presence at the school every year since 1973, recognizing it as an invaluable resource to acquire the training necessary to meet the needs of a growing community.

July 22, 2025 - The Piney Woods Photographic Society held their regular monthly meeting this past Saturday, July 19, 2025, in Center, Tx. at the First Methodist Church.

The July Challenge was "Show Me Your Patriotism" where club members may submit up to 3 of their pictures that represent Patriotism, a reminder for everyone what it means to be an American.

To view all the challenge photos, check out Piney Woods Photographic Society Flickr page, https://www.flickr.com/groups/pineywoodsphotographic/ or for more information about the PWPS check out our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/groups/PineyWoodsPhoto.

July Challenge
"Show Me Your Patriotism"

1st Place Tie: Debra Cockrell, "God and Country"

1st Place Tie: Julie Cantrell-Green, "Beneath The Flag They Served"

3rd Place: Charley Cantrell, "A Seat For The Stars And Stripes"

July 17, 2025 - The Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library is pleased to announce that it is a recipient of the 2025 Texas Book Festival Grant for the development of their book collection. The grant is for $2500 and will be used to enhance the library's Young Adult and Spanish book sections. The Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library is one of only 50 libraries in the state of Texas to receive the award. This is the third time in recent years that the library has received the award, having also won it in 2018 and 2023.

The Texas Book Festival has contributed over $3.7 million to Texas libraries since launching the grant program. The Texas Book Festival is proud to support the work of local libraries by fostering a love of reading and best serving library patrons with books that meet their needs and interests.

Look for announcements and promotions from the library when the new books arrive.

July 4, 2025 - The Declaration of Independence and Bill of Rights were recited at the 1885 Historic Courthouse on July 3, 2025, in recognition of Independence Day.

Lawyers April Prince, Stephen Shires, Scott Peal and Jeff Adams gathered before the courthouse and took turns reading portions of the text.

The program opened with Stephen Shires explaining what they would be reading and introducing the other lawyers present.

The reading of the Declaration of Independence (Video 2:50) was performed first followed by the reading of the Bill of Rights (Video 12:15) which are the first 10 amendments of the Constitution.

A new addition for 2025 was the includision of "The American's Creed," read by Maggie Casto (Video 17:20) who was present and is a member if the Daughters of the American Revolution and Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

A goal of the Texas Criminal Defense Lawyers Association is for there to be a formal reading of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights to be performed annually in each of the 254 Texas counties.