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June 15, 2026 - At 10:39am, the National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a Flash Flood Warning until 1:45pm for Sabine Parish in northwestern Louisiana, Northern Sabine County in eastern Texas, San Augustine County in eastern Texas, and Shelby County in eastern Texas.
At 10:39am, doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain have fallen over the past 3 hours. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.
Impact includes flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.
Some locations that will experience flash flooding include: Center, Milam, Many, San Augustine, Zwolle, Converse, Patroon, Rosevine, Bland Lake, Shelbyville, Neuville, Macune, Oak Grove, Pleasant Hill, Florien, Huxley, Noble, Fisher, Sexton and Toledo Bend Reservoir North.
Precautionary/Preparedness actions: Turn around, don't drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.
June 12, 2026 - Texas Game Wardens in Shelby and Sabine counties responded to a single-vessel incident on the Sabine River near Joaquin around 2:30pm Saturday, June 6.
A witness reported that Matthew Freeman [Mathews], 21, of San Augustine, was operating a flat-bottom boat at a high rate of speed when he lost control of the vessel and collided with a tree. Freeman was ejected from the vessel and did not resurface. He was wearing the vessel’s emergency engine cut-off switch lanyard but was not wearing a personal flotation device.
Freeman was recovered around 5:30 p.m. by Texas Game Wardens and the Logansport Fire Department Dive Team. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, DeSoto Parish Sheriff’s Office and Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Agents also assisted with the incident.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Mr. Freeman’s family and friends during this difficult time.
Texas Game Wardens encourage all boaters to wear a life jacket, use their engine cut-off switch and operate at safe speeds appropriate to the conditions.
(Editor's note: Freeman's funeral was held Friday, June 12, 2026, at Wyman Roberts Funeral Home in San Augustine)
June 12, 2026 - State Highway 7 West in the Mt. Herman community was the scene of a single-vehicle rollover crash incident on Thursday, June 11, 2026.
The vehicle involved was discovered on the westbound side of the roadway in the ditch when emergency responders arrived at the location sometime around 3:15pm.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Cpl. Taylor Buster, a maroon Chevrolet Malibu driven by Sammie Smith, 70, of Carthage was westbound on State Highway 7 West when the vehicle exited the roadway to the right where it vaulted over a driveway before flipping and coming to rest upright.
Smith was transported from the scene by ambulance to Shelby Emergency Department for treatment of possible injuries.
The crash was investigated by DPS Trooper Matt Chandler, assisted by Cpl. Taylor Buster and Trooper Ashley Hughes.
West Shelby County Volunteer Fire Department personnel and Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies assisted at the scene.
June 11, 2026 - Hurst Street at the intersection of Arcadia Road was the scene of a two-vehicle crash incident on Sunday, June 7, 2026, at around 7:30pm.
When emergency personnel arrived at the scene, a motorcycle involved in the crash incident was lying in the outside southbound traffic lane.
According to the Center Police Department, a white 2016 Dodge Challenger driven by Raquel Clifton, 53, of Center was southbound on Hurst Street in the outside traffic lane.
At that time a black 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle operated by Nicolas Lengl, 35, of Center was also southbound traveling in the inside lane when he made an abrupt lane change, striking the Dodge on the driver’s side front quarter panel.
Lengl was transported by ambulance to the Shelby Emergency Department for treatment of possible injury. He was issued a citation for no insurance.
Center Police Officer Amanda Earl investigated the crash and she was assisted at the scene by Center Police Officer Andrew Wells.
Joe Adams
June 11, 2026 - A Tenaha man has been convicted and sentenced to two life sentences following a three-day trial in the 273rd Judicial District Court with Judge Jim Payne presiding.
The majority of testimony was heard Tuesday, and the jury began Wednesday considering the guilt or innocence of Joe Adams. After only 17 minutes of deliberation, the jury returned with a guilty verdict.
This article is copied from Shelby County Today without permission.
After the guilty verdicts, the trial entered the punishment phase, and testimony continued for the jury to hear. Once the jury entered deliberations following testimony, they took 43 minutes to return with the dual life sentences for burglary of a habitation and felon in possession of a firearm. Both charges carried a punishment enhancement of habitual 25 years to life, in consideration of Adams’ criminal history.
Deputies responded on May 8, 2025, to reports of a man walking down railroad tracks with two rifles and aiming them. Aaron Jones, who was a Sheriff’s Department Deputy at that time responded to Tenaha and began searching for Adams. Once he located Adams on FM 947, he ordered him at gunpoint to put the rifles down before taking him into custody without incident.
This article is copied from Shelby County Today without permission.
Tenaha ISD Police Chief David Jeter arrived at the location and assisted Jones in the arrest. Meanwhile, Adams recounted to the officers how he had come into possession of the rifles. Adams shared that he had broken into the house of a friend of his and this was predicated on a claim that he had seen a white SUV leaving his friend's house and that he had heard a scream from within the residence. Jurors learned in testimony that Adams had used a piece of rebar to break a window to gain entry into the house and once inside he claimed to discover two rifles on a table, which he took in order to prevent something from happening.
A resident testified to seeing Adams point one of the rifles at her children who were playing in her back yard just previous to Deputy Jones’ arrival.
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D.J. Dickerson, Shelby County District Attorney Investigator, testified that Adams is a “danger to our community,” and “a nuisance to our society.” He also testified that law enforcement had already been looking for Adams on the day of his arrest, because of reported social media threats made by him against Tenaha ISD.
This wasn’t the first time Adams had been accused of making similar threats, as reported by Shelby County Today in 2023. (Related Article: Tenaha Man Arrested Following Alleged Threats).
This article is copied from Shelby County Today without permission.
After the verdict of the jury was read aloud, Judge Payne issued judgment on case numbers 25CR22772, and 25CR22773 against Adams finding him guilty and sentencing him to life in prison in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice Institutional Division (TDCJ-ID). No fine was assessed by the jury, Adams was remanded to the custody of the Shelby County Sheriff for delivery to the TDCJ-ID.
June 10, 2026 - The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality required the Flat Fork Water Supply Corp. public water system, TX2100007, to issue a Boil Water Notice on June 3, 2026, for CR 3760 to inform customers, individuals, or employees that due to conditions which occurred recently in the public water system, the water from this public water system was required to be boiled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
The public water system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water distributed by this public water system used for drinking water or human consumption purposes and has provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling prior to use as of June 10, 2026.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Elise Neuwirth at 936-590-6451.
June 3, 2026 - Due to a line break on CR 3760, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the Flat Fork Water Supply public water system, TX2100007, to notify all customers on CR 3760 to boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). Children, seniors, and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria, and all customers should follow these directions).
To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.
In lieu of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the public water system officials will notify customers that the water is safe for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
Once the boil water notice is no longer in effect, the public water system will issue a notice to customers that rescinds the boil water notice in a manner similar to this notice.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Elise Neuwirth at 936-590-6451.
June 8, 2026 - County Road 4745 in the Timpson area just near U.S. Highway 59 was the scene of a four-wheeler crash incident on Friday, June 5, 2026.
This article is copied from Shelby County Today without permission.
Shelby County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the scene to aid those involved in the incident and Texas DPS investigated the crash.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the preliminary crash investigation indicates that at approximately 12:35am, a Honda all-terrain vehicle (ATV) ridden by Derek Hendricks, 29, of Center was westbound at an unsafe speed approaching a curve when he lost control, and the ATV overturned.
This article is copied from Shelby County Today without permission.
Hendricks was transported to Nacogdoches Medical Center for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
This article is copied from Shelby County Today without permission.
According to DPS, this is an ongoing investigation, and no further information is available at this time.
Do Not Drive: Loss of Control from Control Arm Separation
A detached control arm can cause a loss of vehicle control increasing the risk of a crash
June 8, 2026 - Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2021-2026 Bronco Sport and 2022-2026 Maverick vehicles. The front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or incorrectly repaired at the vehicle assembly plant, allowing the control arm to disconnect from the front wheel knuckle.
Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy is completed. Dealers will inspect and repair the front lower control arm ball joints as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed by June 5, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26S36. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on May 29, 2026.
June 6, 2026 - As of Friday evening June 5, 2026, the Center Police Department has yet to give any broad strokes elaboration on what may have occurred at the residence on Bolton Street.
According to Center Police Department booking information Travor D. Hubbard, 32, a resident of the house that was cordoned off with police vehicles, officers and caution tape was arrested on June 1, 2026, on warrants for violation of promise to appear - misdemeanor c; and child not secured by seatbelt - misdemeanor c. He laid out one day in the city jail and then paid a fine of $740.50 and he was released on June 2, 2026.
June 1, 2026 - Center Police Department was at a residence on Bolton Street Monday for the majority of the day. After receiving calls indicating the presence of law enforcement at the residence, Shelby County Today went to the location to determine the circumstances.
At 1:30pm, officers were at the scene where a residence had been cordoned off with yellow tape. Officers would not elaborate on the circumstances of their investigation.
According to the Center Police Department, detectives are working an active crime scene on the 1200 block of Bolton Street; however, there is no threat to the general public. It was further stated the incident was isolated and they were just waiting on some documentation to come back. No further details were available at the time of this report.
June 6, 2026 - State Highway 7 West was brought to a stop Friday afternoon, June 5, 2026, as the result of a two-vehicle crash in the middle of the roadway at CR 1140 around 4:15pm.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Ashley Hughes, a red 2005 Ford passenger vehicle driven by Marcus Lister, 50, of San Augustine was eastbound on State Highway 7 West approaching the intersection of CR 1140. At that time a blue 2006 Ford pickup truck driven by Steven Watts, 52, of Center was westbound on SH 7, and when turning onto CR 1140 failed to yield right of way turning left into the path of Lister causing the vehicles to collide.
Lister was transported from the scene by ambulance for treatment of possible injuries.
Watts was cited for fail to yield right of way.
Assisting at the scene were deputies with the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department and the Center Fire Department.
Both vehicles were towed from the scene by Hughes Wrecker Service and Sandhill Wrecker.
Shelby County Sheriff's Sgt. Misty Ray is seen stopping westbound traffic at the crash scene.
June 5, 2026 - State Highway 7 West is the scene of a two-vehicle collision at CR 1140 the roadway is blocked in both directions until the scene can be cleared as of 4:37pm.
The roadway is reopened as of 5:20pm in both directions. Travelers are encouraged to use caution, especially in the inclement weather.
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