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April 25, 2022 - During the week of April 18th through 24th the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to exactly one call. This was quite the “night and day” to last weeks total of nine calls.
On Sunday, April 24th, Joaquin VFD responded to reports of a gas leak on FM 2428 in Joaquin. After arriving on scene, members of the department confirmed that gas was present and waited until a representative of the City of Joaquin came out to repair the leak.
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At this time the Joaquin VFD would like to remind everyone of the blood drive that will take place Saturday, May 7th at the JVFD central station on the square in Joaquin. Anyone who signs up for the drive ahead of time and is in attendance on the day of will be eligible for a door prize of a 77-quart cooler or outdoor folding chairs. The sign up sheet can be accessed by using a cell phone camera to scan the QR code on any of the blood drive posters located around town.
We look forward to seeing anyone who can make it out to the drive and help save a life. With that, the JVFD hopes everyone has a safe and fire-free week.
April 25, 2022 - A disposal site located on FM 139 near FM 2787 is dealing with a fire resulting from weather conditions April 25, 2022.
Due to the fire, FM 139 at that location is being blocked off while emergency personnel addresses the fire.
Travelers on FM 139 may want to consider taking an alternate route until the fire has been abated.
April 24, 2022 - The water on N.E.W. WSC no longer requires boiling.
On April 18, 2022, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality required the N.E.W. Water Supply, #2030034, to issue a Boil Water Notice 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.
N.E.W. Water Supply 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. We have also provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling prior to use as of April 23, 2022.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact the office:
220 West Columbia Street
San Augustine, Texas.
936-288-0489 or Charles Sharp 936-201-5001.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation.
If a customer, individual or employee wishes to contact the executive director, please call (512)239-4691.
Effective April 18, 2022 Until Further Notice
April 18, 2022 - Due to a break in the line at Plant 1, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required the N.E.W. Water Supply Corporation PWS #2030034 to notify all customers on FM 711, CR 203, CR 205, Kelleyville, Harmony, Fountain Town and Woodland Acres Communities to boil their water prior to consumption (eg., 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 the 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 N.E.W. Water Supply Corporation at 220 W. Columbia Street, San Augustine, Texas, 75972, or call 936-288-0489 or Charles Sharp at 936-201-5001.
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) can also be reached at 512-239-4691.
April 21, 2022 - An attempted traffic stop led the Shelby County Sheriff's Department on a pursuit on April 20, 2022, which traveled a large portion of the eastern and southern parts of the county.
According to Sheriff Kevin Windham, the initial traffic stop for a defective headlight developed into a pursuit after the driver failed to stop on Haslam Strip (U.S. Highway 84). The subsequent pursuit traveled FM 139 to the East Liberty area and then south of Shelbyville.
As the pursuit traveled south of Shelbyville on CR 1090, one patrol unit was unable to continue the pursuit as it had crashed.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) a single-vehicle crash was investigated involving a Shelby County patrol unit on County Road 1090, approximately one mile northwest of State Highway 147.
The preliminary investigation by DPS indicates that at approximately 9:15pm, a vehicle was actively fleeing from the Shelby County patrol unit. After the vehicles traveled onto a dirt portion of the road, the Deputy lost control of the vehicle and struck several trees.
The fleeing vehicle continued and had not been located at that time.
The Shelby County Patrol unit was a 2014 Chevrolet SUV driven by Deputy Jordan Ford, who was not injured.
Sheriff Windham had staged his vehicle at the intersection of CR 2110 (Cannon Cemetery Road) and State Highway 87 (SH87) in attempts to head the suspect off in the event he traveled that direction. As it happened, the suspect did travel CR 2110 and once at the intersection with SH87 the vehicle he was driving struck Sheriff's Windham's unit, causing minor damage.
The vehicle continued from there south on SH87 where the pursuit finally came to an end at the 9000 block. From there the driver further evaded on foot and was finally apprehended by Sheriff Deputy Aaron Jones.
It was then discovered the driver had a female passenger and a 9-month-old baby in the car with him during the pursuit. The cries of the 9-month-old were clear when the woman was removed from the car, and then found the baby in a child safety seat.
The driver of the vehicle was identified as Gary Smith, 19, and he was charged with aggravated assault on a public servant; abandon or endanger a child with imminent bodily injury or death; evading arrest with a motor vehicle; and evading arrest on foot.
Assisting in the pursuit was the Center Police Department and investigating the crash incident was DPS Trooper Daniel Dellenger.
April 21, 2022 - Folsom Chapel Road (FM 2026) was the scene of a major single-vehicle crash Wednesday, April 20, 2022, which resulted in the vehicle involved catching fire and burning.
Emergency personnel with the Center Fire Department responded to the scene along with emergency medical services and when they arrived the pickup truck involved was in flames; however, the driver had escaped before the truck ignited..
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) they investigated the single-vehicle crash approximately three and one-half miles west of U.S. Highway 96.
The preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 8:45pm, a white 2017 Dodge pickup was traveling east driven by George Leon, 19, of Center. It is reported that a wild animal traveled into the pickup’s path, causing Leon to take evasive action. The pickup traveled off the road and struck multiple trees and then caught fire.
Leon was not injured and he was cited for not having a driver's license.
There is no additional information available from DPS at this time.
The crash investigation was conducted by DPS Trooper Daniel Dellenger.
Fire personnel fought the fire emmitting from the truck and worked to prevent the fire from spreading further. Once the fire was out, they assisted wrecker personnel in extracting the truck from the set of trees it was lodged against.
Their efforts were finally completed just before 11pm and they returned to the station.
April 21, 2022 (Alert Flyer) - The Texas Department of Public Safety issued a silver alert for a missing elderly man out of Smith County, Tyler, Texas area.
Freddie Head, 73, was last seen on the 13000 block of CR 4173, Tyler, Texas at 9:30pm on Wednesday, April 20, 2022. Head is a white male, 5'6" tall and weighing 160 lbs, with gray hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing gray and blue plaid shirt and blue jeans driving a 1996 maroon Dodge Ram 1500 pickup with Texas license plate BC65734. The vehicle is an extended cab with faded paint on the hood and roof and a #6 sticker on the back glass.
If seen, call 903-566-6600 to report information to the Smith County Sheriff's Department.
April 14, 2022 - If you have any damage to your home or business from the storms on April 12 – 13, 2022, please document and take pictures of the damage. It is a possibility that residents of Shelby County would qualify for individual assistance.
You must report the damages on-line in the i-STAT tool at damage.tdem.texas.gov, click on the April Severe Weather event.
Notice of Special Election
(A viso de elección especial)
To the registered voters of the County of Shelby, Texas:
(A los votantes registrados del Condado de Shelby, Texas):
April 20, 2022 (PDF of Notice) - Notice is hereby given that the polling places listed below will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., May 7, 2022, for voting in a special election to adopt or reject the proposed Constitutional Amendments as submitted by the 87th Legislature, Second and Third Sessions, of the State of Texas.
(Notifíquese, por las presente, que las casillas electorales sitados abajo se abrirán desde las 7:00 a.m hasta las 7:00 p.m. el 7 de mayo de 2022 para votar en al elección especial para adoptal o rechazar la enmiendas propuestas constitucional asi como fueron sometidas por la 87a Legislatura, de la Estado de Texas.)
Location(s) of Polling Places:
(Dirección(es) de las casillas electorales):
- Precincts 1N, 1S, 1SE, 1SW, 1W, 2, 3 (Center, Excelsior, Sardis) - Center Community House, 423 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas 75935
- Precinct 5 (Joaquin) - First United Methodist Church, Fellowship Hall, 175 Faulkville Road, Joaquin, Texas 75954
- Precincts 4, 6, 7 (Shelbyville, Dreka, Huxley) - First Baptist Church – Shelbyville, Fellowship Hall, 5030 SH 87 South, Shelbyville, Texas 75973
- Precinct 8 (Tenaha) - First United Methodist Church, Schiede Hall, 256 N. George Bowers Drive, Tenaha, Texas 75954
- Precincts 9N, 9S (Timpson) - Timpson School Gym Foyer, 836 Bear Dr., Timpson, Texas 75975
Early voting by personal appearance will be conducted each weekday at:
(La votación adelantada en persona se ilevara a cabo de lunes a viernes en):
Center Community House, 423 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas
between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. beginning on April 25, 2022 and ending May 3, 2022.
(entre las 8:00 de la mañana y las 5:00 p.m. de la tarde empezando el 25 de abril de 2022 y terminando el 3 de mayo de 2022.)
Application for ballot by mail shall be mailed to:
(Las solicitudes para boletas que se votarán adelantada por correo deberán enviarse a):
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 April 26, 2022.
(Las solicitudes para boletas que se votarán adelantada por correo deberán recibirse para el fin de las horas de negocio el 26 de abril de 2022.)
Issued this the 19th day of April, 2022.
(Emitada este día 19 de abril de 2022.)
April 19, 2022 - The Shelby County Commissioners accepted a quote on April 13, 2022, for painting and flooring work in the Shelby County District Attorney's office.
Two quotes were received by the county with the first quote being from T and T Construction (Anthony Tomlin) in the amount of $32,560 and a second quote for $30,000.
Karren Price, District Attorney, described a soft flooring issue in the front hall area of her office and in the front office where a wall was removed in the past. The quote from T and T Construction included repairing any sub-flooring as needed.
A motion carried to move forward with the original bid received from T and T Construction for $32,560 because the quote is locked in for a turn key job. The funds for the work were to come out of Courthouse Repairs.
A motion carried by the commissioners approving the replacement of the control system board for the Sheriff’s Office in the amount of $27,050.
"This is the control panel that controls the locks," said County Judge Allison Harbison.
Sheriff Kevin Windham confirmed the control board is for the jail and that the equipment has reached the end of its life.
"It's our jail control board, it controls every doors inside of that jail, it controls sally port," said Sheriff Windham. "It's a computer that controls all of these locks."
He reiterated the board has reached the end of its life and they were able to extend its life temporarily.
Sheriff Windham shared with the court the board is as old as the jail and has been in service since that time.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Minutes of March 2, 2022 Special meeting, March 9, 2022 Regular meeting, March 16, 2022 Special meeting, March 23, 2022 Special meeting, March 30, 2022 Special meeting of the Shelby County Commissioner’s Court. 2. Pay weekly expenses. 3. Officers Reports. 4. Current payroll. 5. Painting and flooring for the District Attorney’s office at a cost of $32,560. 6. Replace the Control system board for the Sheriff’s Office in the amount of $27,050. 7. Adjourn.
April 19, 2022 - It was reported by a family member, on April 16, 2022, at approximately 1:42pm, to the Center Police Department that one Marcus Dewaynn Roberts, a 51-year-old black male, approximately 6’ tall, and approximately 250 pounds, has been missing since April 3, 2022.
Mr. Roberts was last seen by his mother at her residence of 602 Martin Luther Kind Drive. Mr. Roberts was last known to be wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and white shoes, and had been carrying a fishing pole that day.
Mr. Roberts may have been a passenger in a black in color Ford F150, accompanied by a white male and a white female, direction of travel unknown. The family of Mr. Roberts, along with the Center Police Department are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Mr. Roberts and or any information leading to his whereabouts.
Please contact the Center Police Department at (936) 598-2788, with any information.
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