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May 24, 2022 - Emergency personnel responded to a single-vehicle crash west of Tenaha on U.S. Highway 59 on Friday, May 20, 2022, near CR 4648.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper David Shields, at around 5:30pm a silver 2011 Nissan Versa driven by Roger Gonzalez, 20, was northbound on U.S. Highway 59 when the driver reported having fallen asleep. The Nissan traveled off the roadway to the right, struck a culvert and rolled from the right side onto its top.
No injuries were reported as a result of the crash and no citations were issued at the time of the incident pending outcome of the crash investigation.
Taylor Fanguy, Constable Precinct 4, and Tenaha Police Department, assisted at the scene with traffic control until the scene was clear.
May 24, 2022 - State Loop 500 at CR 2010 was the scene of a single-vehicle crash involving a utility pole on Friday, May 20, 2022, just before 3pm.
Emergency medical services personnel arrived on scene and assisted the driver up a hill to an ambulance.
A grey 2001 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 driven by Gwendolyn "James" Dodd, 53, of Center was westbound on SL 500 when, due to a medical emergency, the vehicle left the roadway to the left and struck a utility pole head-on.
Dodd was transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for medical evaluation. No citations were issued at the time of the crash.
The Chevrolet was towed from the scene and the utility company was notified about the pole which was broken during the incident.
Investigating the crash was Center Police Officer Spencer Anderson, assisted by Sgt. Andrew Williams.
May 24, 2022 - (Photos courtesy Timpson VFD) - Fire Departments were dispatched to the home of Antonio Acosta and Whitney Acosta on Sunday, May 22, 2022, at 1:50am in the 8000 block of State Highway 87 North. When Timpson Volunteer Fire Department personnel arrived, the structure was fully involved.
Timpson VFD Chief Acosta reports, firefighters set up a defensive attack to keep the fire from spreading, while Center Fire Department and Tenaha Volunteer Fire Department responded and provided mutual aid.
Everyone safely evacuated the home with no injury to residents or firefighters. Units returned to the station around 4am.
Chief Acosta, who is also the owner of the home offered, "a big thank you to everyone who responded that night, also for all of the outpouring support of prayers, donations, love, and calls. We appreciate all of them more than we could ever express!"
Monetary donations to assist the Antonio and Whitney Acosta are being accepted at Sabine State Bank in Center.
Donations are also being accepted through a GoFundMe account by clicking the following link:
Acosta Family House Fire Fundraiser
May 20, 2022 (Sample Ballots) - General Primary Run Off Elections for both the Democrat and the Republican Parties to nominate candidates for the November Election start with early voting each weekday at the Center Community House, 423 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas 75935 between the hours of 8am and 5pm beginning on May 16, 2022 and ending May 20, 2022.
During Run Off Election Day, May 24, 2022, polls will be open from 7am to 7pm.
Election Day Polling Places (Same locations for Democrat and Republican Ballots):
- 1N, 1S, 1SE, 1SW, 1W, 2, 3 (Center, Excelsior, Sardis) - Center Community House, 423 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas 75935
- 5 (Joaquin) - First United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall, 175 Faulkville Road, Joaquin, Texas 75954
- 4, 6, 7 (Huxley, Dreka, Shelbyville) - First Baptist Church – Shelbyville, Fellowship Hall, 5030 SH 87 South, Shelbyville, Texas 75973
- 8 (Tenaha) - First United Methodist Church, Schiede Hall, 256 N. George Bowers Drive, Tenaha, Texas 75954
- 9N, 9S (Timpson) - American State Bank Annex, 830 N 1st Street W, Timpson, TX 75975
Application for ballot by mail shall be mailed to: Jennifer L. Fountain, Early Voting Clerk, P.O. Box 1987, Center, Texas 75935. Application for ballots by mail must be received no later than the close of business on May 13, 2022.
On the Democrat Ballot races yet to be decided for the November General Election are:
- United States Representative, District 1 - Victor D. Dunn or Jrmar (JJ) Jefferson
- Lieutenant Governor - Mike Collier or Michelle Beckley
- Attorney General - Rochelle Mercedes Garza or Joe Jaworski
- Comptroller of Public Accounts - Angel Luis Vega or Janet T. Dudding
- Commissioner of the General Land Office - Sandragrace Martinez or Jay Kleberg
On the Republican Ballot races yet to be decided for the November General Election are:
- Attorney General - Ken Paxton or George P. Bush
- Commissioner of the General Land Office - Tim Westley or Dawn Buckingham
- Railroad Commissioner - Wayne Christian or Sarah Stogner
To view the official election notices (in English and Spanish) submitted by County Clerk Jennifer Fountain, click each party here - Democrat Party, Republican Party.
Joaquin VFD at Joaquin Elementary School to teach Fire Safety Education
May 23, 2022 - Over the week of May 16th through 22nd the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department was only dispatched to two calls. In addition to those calls the department also participated in the education of fire safety at Joaquin Elementary School.
On Tuesday, May 17th the Joaquin Elementary School held a Summer Safety Program and the JVFD was invited to demonstrate what firefighters do. The demonstration included showing some of the fire trucks and the purpose of the tools on them, how to put on bunker gear and air packs, and what to do in the case of a fire among other things. The Joaquin VFD appreciates the chance to enlighten young minds to the world of firefighting.
Thursday, May 19th was the first call of the week which was dispatched as a fire on FM 2787. This turned out to be a control burn on a brush pile.
Friday, May 20th saw the last call of the week for someone having a seizure at the Brookshire Brothers on the Haslam strip. Members of the JVFD EMR team arrived to secure the patient until Allegiance EMS arrived to check them out.
That’s the extent of the JVFD’s activities for this report, so until next time we hope everyone has a great week.
May 21, 2022 - The National Weather Service has extended Severe Thunderstorm Watch 258 to include the following areas until 1 am CDT Sunday
In Arkansas this watch includes 2 counties
In southwest Arkansas:
Columbia, Lafayette
In Louisiana this watch includes 2 parishes
In northwest Louisiana:
Bossier, Caddo
In Texas this watch includes 11 counties
In northeast Texas:
Angelina, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby
This includes the cities of Bossier City, Bradley, Carthage, Center, Hemphill, Henderson, Jacksonville, Jefferson, Lewisville, Longview, Lufkin, Magnolia, Marshall, Nacogdoches, Pineland, Rusk, San Augustine, Shreveport, and Stamps.
May 21, 2022 - A guardrail located near CR 4350 on U.S. Highway 96 North was the scene of two separate crashes involving the same guardrail on Thursday, May 19, 2022.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) State Trooper Dustin Ramos, at just before 6am a Shelby County Sheriff's Deputy who was traveling south on U.S. Highway 96 discovered a crash which occurred just previous to his arrival.
The DPS investigation determined a tan 2011 GMC pickup truck driven by Shannon Spruiell, 55, of Joaquin was southbound when the driver believes he fell asleep and traveled across the roadway where he struck a mailbox and a guardrail before coming to rest in the roadway. Emergency personnel helped move the vehicle out of the roadway so traffic could flow.
Spruiell refused treatment from emergency medical services personnel.
He was issued a citation for wrong side of road not passing. The truck was towed from the scene.
As the crash was being assessed, a second crash occurred. According to Texas DPS Trooper Keith Jones a silver 2014 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Cedric Lamon Mosley, 25, was northbound on U.S. 96 when the Malibu struck damaged guardrail which was in the roadway from the previous crash.
Mosley was not reported to have been injured and no citations were issued at the time of the crash.
Assisting at the scene with traffic control were Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies and Center Fire Department personnel.
May 21, 2022 - U.S. Highway 59 in Timpson was the scene of a two-vehicle crash Monday, May 16, 2022.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster, at 9:05pm a white 2017 Kia Forte driven by Jamarria Lynnette Thompson, 19, of Garrison was southbound on U.S. Highway 59 North and attempted to make a left turn onto State Highway 87.
At that time a red 2014 Ford Mustang driven by Whitney Laine Ramsey, 24, of Timpson was northbound on U.S. Highway 59 when the Kia failed to yield right of way to the Ford which then collided with the Kia.
Thompson and her passenger Ashanti Page, 19, were transported by ambulance service to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for treatment of possible injuries.
Ramsey was transported by private vehicle to Nacogdoches Medical Center in Nacogdoches.
Thompson was issued a citation for fail to yield right of way on green signal.
The Timpson Volunteer Fire Department assisted with traffic control and assisted emergency medical services with with their patients.
Also assisted at the scene were units with the Shelby County Sheriff's Department.
May 20, 2022 - Shelby County will have an online survey from May 19th to June 2nd, in order to gather information for their Hazard Mitigation Plan.
Shelby County and the participating jurisdictions encourage residents to take the survey online. The survey’s goal is to record public input for the plan draft. Discussion will include identifying natural hazards and hazard-related challenges facing the County in order to begin developing a plan to preserve strengths, resolve weaknesses, and meet future mitigation goals.
If there are any questions about the plan or survey, please call the County at 936-598-3863.
Survey Link: https://forms.gle/HJYoFdsofRhhmJyS8
May 19, 2022 - State Highway 7 East at Flat Fork Creek was the scene of a single-vehicle crash Monday, May 16, 2022.
Emergency personnel was dispatched to the scene of the incident. When the Texas Department of Public Safety and Shelby County Sheriff's deputies arrived at the scene a vehicle was sitting partially in the eastbound traffic lane.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Dustin Ramos, at 8:30am a red 2015 Jeep driven by Sierra Harvey, 18, of Center was westbound when Harvey reached down for her watch and failed to drive in a single lane to the right and struck a guard rail.
Harvey was transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center in Nacogdoches and she was cited for failure to drive in a single lane.
The Jeep was towed from the scene.
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