The story headline links to a better view of the story and share features.
News
February 3, 2021 - The City of Center, Texas, led by the Center Economic Development Corporation, and in partnership with Lit Communities, LLC, is proud to announce a city-wide survey designed to assess residential and business demand for a fiber optic network that could be built throughout the city.
Businesses and homes in Center have long struggled with inadequate internet connectivity in addition to unreliable speeds and service. The survey is available to all City residents and businesses and those in close proximity to the City. It will ask questions regarding the respondent's current service, price, speed and reliability as well as what types of services they would like to see offered through a network.
The City will then look to determine the best method of moving forward to expand a broadband network through Center. To take the survey please click on to the City of Center website: www.CenterTexas.org.
February 2, 2021 - The Texas DSHS Covid-19 Dashboard reported 159 active cases on Tuesday, February 2, 2021. Since the last report two days ago, the report included 10 new confirmed cases and 29 new probable cases.
February 2nd (3:15pm) Numbers:
Total Confirmed Cases - 824 (10 new cases)
Total Probable Cases - 603 (29 new cases)
Total Fatalities - 49
Total Estimated Active Cases - 159
Total Estimated Recovered - 1,219 (19 new)
February 1, 2021 - CR 1145 was the scene of a major crash involving an all terrain vehicle on Saturday, January 30, 2021 just west of Center.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, at 5:40pm a silver 2008 Arctic Cat Prowler 700 driven by a 14-year-old male was also occupied with a 20-year-old male passenger in the front right, 15-year-old female passenger on the center console, and a 16-year-old female passenger and 16-year-old male passenger both in the rear bed of the vehicle.
The Arctic Cat was westbound on CR 1145 at an unsafe speed on wet roadway when the vehicle overturned before ejecting all passengers and leaving the driver pinned beneath the vehicle.
Center Fire Department personnel utilized Jaws-of-Life to help lift the vehicle off the driver before being moved to an ambulance. All passengers were also transported by ambulance as a precaution.
The crash remains under investigation.
Pictured are (from left): Shawna Walker, Paralegal; Karren Price, District Attorney; Lynda K. Russell, Assistant District Attorney; Ricky Allen, Investigator; and Whitley Williams, Paralegal.
February 1, 2021 - The Shelby County District Attorney's Office held a swearing-in ceremony for new Assistant District Attorney, Lynda K Russell and new Investigator, Ricky Allen.
In addition to Russell and Allen, District Attorney Karren Price introduced her other staff members Shawna Walker, Paralegel; and Whitley Williams, Paralegel.
Administering the oath of office to Russell and Allen was Donna Hughes, Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1.
A press release issued by the District Attorney's Office reads as follows: We are swearing in the last two slots in our team today and I want to introduce everyone. I'm grateful for each of these folks and wanted to let everyone know who each is and briefly describe their role. This is an awesome job you have trusted me with and I want you to know I will remember every day that I work for you and so will these staff members.
Shawna Walker, Paralegal:
Shawna is from Timpson, is married to Kenny and has a herd of beautiful grand babies. She is the senior member of our team in terms of service in this office. She has been in the D.A.'s office since 1999, and around the courthouse for longer than that. She has critically important knowledge of a lot of history, processes and people. None of us can succeed without her.
Whitley Williams, Paralegal:
Whitley is the youngest of our team, is also from Timpson, is married to Taylor and has two sweet babies, one preschooler and one infant. Whitley is a little dynamo and a great worker. While she is young with much to learn, I can find no quit in her and I am happy she decided to return after a 6-month hiatus last year surrounding the birth of her baby boy.
Whitley has a can do, willing to jump in and try, team spirit who understands the important services we provide to our community and recognizes that we are here to help.
Ricky Allen joins the D.A.'s office:
Today marks the first day since January 1 that the District Attorney's office is fully staffed. Today we welcome Ricky Allen, a Timpson native, DPS Narcotics retiree and former Chief Deputy for Shelby County as our investigator. Ricky brings over 30 years experience in law enforcement to the table, and I am confident in telling you he has seen it all. It was my desire to find the right fit, meaning someone who had in fact seen it all and someone who also understands the importance of good report writing and the difficulties of trial preparation when the work isn't done at the front end of our cases.
I have complete faith in Ricky's ability to communicate our requirements and needs to the officers who rely on us to finish the business they begin, and in his ability to aid them in building rock solid cases.
Lynda K. Russell joins the D.A.'s office as Assistant District Attorney:
Ms. Russell requires no introduction. She is not a native of Shelby County but adopted us over 40 years ago and has dedicated herself to us ever since. I doubt there is a charity she has not contributed to, a Board she hasn't served on or an entity to which she hasn't volunteered time or funds. Hers has truly been a life of service to her community and in my opinion, we owe her a debt of gratitude for that service.
Lynda K., as we all know her, has roughly 30 years experience as an attorney, 12 as our District Attorney. I never have to question her loyalty to the mission of a prosecutor, the law or our community and that is important to all of us. She brings integrity, trustworthiness, dedication and great knowledge of the law and our jurisdiction to the table, and like Ricky, she's probably seen it all by now.
I believe she is the best person for the job and I have complete faith in her and her abilities, I hope you will join me in welcoming her back to the work she enjoys and where she can do the most good for our community.
January 27, 2021 - The plaintiffs in the Morrow, et al v. City of Tenaha Marshal, et al case have given notice in federal court as of December 10, 2020, they are satisfied with the county defendants in the case and seek to discharge the county from further obligations.
This came following the decision of Shelby County Commissioners' in October 2020 to pay the county's remaining obligation of $186,500 per the federal court's memorandum of opinion of September 15, 2020 regarding remaining attorney's fees, which at that time totaled $289,433.96.
The plaintiff's notice to the court further stated the release of the county defendants in no way reduces the remaining defendants' liabilities in the case.
At the time Shelby County paid the $186,500; the difference then for the City of Tenaha to pay appeared to then be $102,933.96.
Although the defendants originally named no longer hold their offices and have not been financially liable to the plaintiffs, their offices were made responsible.
The plaintiffs have intent to release Shelby County from the lawsuit; however, the court record does not yet reflect a dismissal by United States District Judge Rodney Gilstrap.
January 31, 2021 - Due to COVID-19 exposure, Shelby County Outreach Ministries, which includes our Helping Hands and Senior Nutrition departments, will be closed this week, February 1 – February 5.
We plan to resume normal operating hours and days on Monday, February 8th. We are sorry for the inconvenience.
God Bless you and stay safe.
January 31, 2021 - The Texas DSHS Covid-19 Dashboard reported 139 active cases on Saturday, January 30, 2021. The report included 4 new cases and 9 new recoveries.
The active cases have been over 100 since January 7th; however, they are steadily coming back down and getting closer to the double digits which is good considering January included several days with active cases over 200.
January 30th (1:05pm) Numbers:
Total Confirmed Cases - 814 (0 new cases)
Total Probable Cases - 574 (4 new cases)
Total Fatalities - 49
Total Estimated Active Cases - 139
Total Estimated Recovered - 1,200 (9 new)
January 30, 2021 - Roy Cheatwood, Constable Precinct 3, reports the discovery of a missing person in Shelby County.
According to Constable Cheatwood he received a phone call from DeSoto Parish Sheriff's Department Lt. Reggie Roe on January 28, 2021 at 9am seeking the assistance of Cheatwood in helping to locate the whereabouts of Charles Clifton Evans.
Lt. Roe shared with Constable Cheatwood, Evans had left his mother's home in Logansport on the previous morning and had not been heard from or seen since that time.
Constable Cheatwood began searching for Evans in locations he was known to frequent and by 5pm he received a tip on a possible location of Evans in the Huxley area at Ragtown Park. Constable Cheatwood engaged the assistance of Texas Department of public Safety State Troopers in accompanying him to the location of FM 139.
When the officers arrived at the address, they found Evans to be walking to his vehicle. Not long after finding Evans, Constable Jamie Hagler arrived to assist the officers.
Trooper Jones contacted DeSoto Parish and alerted Evans mother he had been located and he was "OK."
"I want to say thanks to everyone involved," said Constable Cheatwood. "Working together makes a difference."
January 29, 2021 - The Texas DSHS Covid-19 Dashboard reported 144 active cases on Friday, January 29, 2021.
Since the last report on Wednesday, a total of 22 new cases were reported along with 2 new deaths and 20 new recoveries. Of the two days of new cases, 7 were confirmed cases and 15 were probable cases.
January 29th (6:05pm) Numbers:
Total Confirmed Cases - 814 (6 new cases)
Total Probable Cases - 570 (6 new cases)
Total Fatalities - 49 (2 new)
Total Estimated Active Cases - 144
Total Estimated Recovered - 1,191 (20 new)
January 28th Numbers:
Total Confirmed Cases - 808 (1 new case)
Total Probable Cases - 564 (9 new cases)
Total Estimated Active Cases - 143
January 28, 2021 - Timpson City Secretary Misty Burgess announced the upcoming election for three council seats at the Timpson City Council meeting held January 19, 2021. (Click here to view notice of May Election).
Burgess announced three candidate packets had already been picked up by incumbents Charleston Johnson, Kyle Allen and Tiffany Collins. The last day to file for a place on the ballot is February 12, 2021, and the final day to file a declaration of write-in candidacy is February 18, 2021.
Burgess further announced the following important dates:
- April 19, 2021 - First day of early voting
- April 20, 2021 - Last day to apply for a ballot by mail
- April 27, 2021 - Last day of early voting
- May 1, 2021 - Last day to receive ballot by mail
- May 1, 2021 - Election Day
During the meeting a motion carried by the council to approve an order of notice of the General Election May 1, 2021 to elect three council members.
Kenneth Walker, councilman, requested the council re-visit the Goodwin-Lasiter sidewalk design for the sidewalk at the corner of Austin and Bremond Streets.
"What they've planned here is not going to fix the whole situation. There are other issues with the sidewalk that that's not even going to affect," said Walker. "It's already, there's already been two people that fell."
Walker stated there are other issues needing to be addressed with the sidewalk project besides an ADA compliant ramp. He wants the council to investigate further on the additional issues when they discuss the sidewalk in the future.
Smith and Kyle Allen, councilman, suggested other possible methods to repair the sidewalk that may need to be considered.
"Hopefully if we qualify for some of these sidewalk grants we can get it completely fixed correctly," said Smith.
During the meeting bids were opened for a 2001 F250 work truck and a 1999 F150 work truck. The winning bid for the 2001 F250 was by Sandhill Wrecker Service, Larry Joe Eaves, in the amount of $850. Sandhill Wrecker Service, Larry Joe Eaves, was also the winning bidder of the 1999 F150 with a bid amount of $500.
A motion carried to sell both vehicles to Sandhill Wrecker Service for $1,350.
The council went into executive session to discuss the possible pay raise of a particular employee due to additional responsibilities. When they returned to open session, a motion carried to move the item to the March agenda for consideration at that time and to give time to review the budget.
The meeting was then adjourned.
Related article:
Timpson Council Remains Cautious Over Sidewalk Repairs
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Consent agenda: A. Minutes of the November 17, 2020 regular meeting. B. Minutes of the December 9, 2020 special meeting. C. Minutes of the January 7, 2020 special meeting. D. November 2020 financial statement. E. December 2020 financial statement. F. November 2020 accounts payable. G. December 2020 accounts payable. H. Emergency PO for Mall Energy to repair generator at the sewer plant in the amount of $4,810. 2. Bids from Sandhill Wrecker Service for 1999 F150, and 2001 F250 totaling $1,350. 3. Frank Campos to perform financial auditing services for FY ending September 30, 2020. 4. Resolution 2021119-02 designating GrantWorks as the contractor to provide Texas CDBG application and project related administration services for the 2021-2022 Community Development Block Grant Project. 5. Order of notice, General Election to be held May 1, 2021 to elect three city council members. 6. Employee pay raise added to the March agenda for consideration at that time and to give time to review the budget. 7. Adjourn.
Pages
