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October 17, 2024 - (Notice) - Voters who are familiar with voting at Panola College on Loop 500 in Center (Precinct 1SE) should be aware that it is no longer their voting location as announced by Nancy Adams, Elections Administrator for Shelby County.
The new location will be at the Shelby County Family Life Center located at the corner of Loop 500 and Shelbyville Highway, 1426 Shelbyville Street, Center, Texas 75935.
This is the voting location for Precinct 1SE for the General, Center ISD, and City of Center elections for election day only, on November 5, 2024.
Early voting for Precinct 1SE will continue to take place at the Center Community House, 425 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas 75935.
October 16, 2024 - Fire personnel and law enforcement quickly went en-route around 2pm to a house fire Wednesday, October 16, 2024, in the 6000 block of State Highway 87 North where an individual was reported to be trapped in the back of the home.
One of the first on scene was Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster, who responded in light of the individual trapped inside. To gain access to the house, Trooper Buster kicked the door in and went inside. A neighbor, Cole Milford, assisted in getting the resident out of the home.
Emergency Medical Services were on scene and assessed the individual who was rescued from the house. He was transported by ambulance to Shelby Emergency Department for medical evaluation and possible smoke inhalation.
The fire had progressed quickly at the residence of Rickey and Dorothy Cartwright before fire personnel could arrive, and firefighters with the Timpson Volunteer Fire Department and Center Fire Department worked to extinguish the blaze.
Fire appeared to be most prevalent on the left side of the household and to an exterior structure at that end of the building; however, it appeared damage was extensive throughout the structure.
November 6, 2024 - The Commissioners' Court rescinded the burn ban during their meeting today.
Declaration of Disaster and Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning
October 16, 2024 - (Order) - Whereas, the County of Shelby is under imminent threat of severe damage, injury of loss of life or property resulting from the threat of wildfires due to extremely dry grassland fuel, drought and other weather-related conditions; and
Whereas, the County Judge of Shelby County has determined that to mitigate the hazard posed by wildfires during the current dry conditions, extraordinary measures must be taken to alleviate the suffering of people and ot protect or rehabilitate property,
Now, therefore, be it proclaimed by the County Judge of Shelby County:
1. That a local state of disaster is hereby proclaimed for Shelby County pursuant to § 418.108(a) of the Texas Government Code.
2. This Declaration of a local state of disaster shall continue for a period of not more than seven days from the date of this declaration unless continued or renewed by the Commissioners Court of Shelby County.
3. All outdoor burning is prohibited in the unincorporated areas of Shelby County. This Order does not prohibit outdoor burning activities carried out by Federal Certified Agencies.
4. This Declaration of shall be given prompt and general publicity and shal be filed promptly with the County Clerk of Shelby County.
5. This Declaration of the local state of disaster activates the Shelby County Emergency Management Plan.
This Proclamation shall take effect immediately from and after its issuance; Ordered this 16th day of October, 2024.
October 14, 2024 (Click to view Election Order in English/Spanish) - Center ISD has two upcoming elections, General Election and a Special Election.
General Election: An election is hereby ordered to be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 for the purpose of voting on:
- Three Board Members Positions
Special Election: A special election is hereby ordered to be held on Tuesday, November 5, 2024 for the purpose of electing:
- a School Trustee [Board Member] to fill a two-year unexpired term
Early voting by personal appearance and election day voting by personal appearance is at the Center Community House, 425 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas 75935.
Schedule:
- Monday, October 21, 8am to 5pm
- Tuesday, October 22, 8am to 5pm
- Wednesday, October 23, 8am to 5pm
- Thursday, October 24, 8am to 5pm
- Friday, October 25, 8am to 5pm
- Saturday, October 26, 7am to 7pm
- Sunday, October 27, 11am to 5pm
- Monday, October 28, 7am to 7pm
- Tuesday, October 29, 7am to 7pm
- Wednesday, October 30, 7am to 7pm
- Thursday, October 31, 7am to 7pm
- Friday, November 1, 7am to 7pm
Early voting ends November 1.
Below is the ballot information for the November 5 Center ISD Election.
Board Members (Vote for None, One, Two, or Three)
James Paul Ragan
Brian Horton
Casey Lout
Kris Kirby
Josh Burns
Kevin Link
Colton Belrose
Phil Calvert
Jason Mitchell
Special Election Board Member, Unexpired Term (Vote for None or One)
Cody Miller
Robby Dubea
October 14, 2024 (Click to view Order of Election in English/Spanish) - City of Center, Shelby County, Texas will have an election on November 5, 2024 for the purpose of electing the following officers:
- District II - Council Member
- District IV - Council Member
- At-Large - Council Member
- At-Large - Council Member
Early voting and election day voting is at the Center Community House, 425 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas 75935.
Early voting hours are Monday, October 21 through Friday, October 25, 8am - 5pm each day and Sunday, October 27, 11am - 5pm.
Extended early voting hours are Saturday, October 26, 7am - 7pm, and Monday, October 28 through Friday, November 1, 7am -7pm each day.
Early voting ends November 1.
Below is the ballot information for the November 5 City of Center Election.
City Council Member, District 2: (Vote for None or One)
Tracy Bolton
Marlene Hernandez
City Council Member, District 4: (Vote for None or One)
Randy Collard
City Council Member, At Large: (Vote for None, One, or Two)
Leigh Porterfield
Terry Scull
Kimberly Gardner
October 12, 2024 - FM 139 near FM 2787 was the scene of a crash involving two truck tractors on Tuesday, October 8, 2024.
The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department responded to the scene and assisted with traffic control.
It appeared that one truck tractor, a grey Freightliner owned by J Smith Containment Solutions LLC out of Center, pulling a container used for hauling sand struck the rear of another truck tractor, a white Freightliner owned by BigCart Logistics LLC out of Houston, also carrying a container used for hauling sand.
The truck that struck from the rear was towed from the scene by Hopkins Wrecker Service. It didn’t appear that either driver involved was injured due to the incident.
According to information from the Texas Department of Public Safety, the preliminary crash investigation indicates that at approximately 4:10pm, a 2015 Freightliner truck tractor semi-trailer driven by Randel Andrade, 36, Gallo of Miami Gardens of Fl. was traveling south, followed by a 2019 Freightliner truck tractor semi-trailer driven by Trenton Ivy Jr., 24, of Bossier City, La. It is reported that the driver of the 2015 Freightliner locked up his brakes while traveling down a hill and was struck in the rear by the 2019 Freightliner in the northbound lane. Andrade was transported to Nacogdoches Memorial for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. Ivy was not reported injured. This is an ongoing investigation, and according to DPS, no further information is available at this time.. The crash was investigated by Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster.
October 11, 2024 - Shelby County Sheriff Kevin W. Windham reports that on October 9, 2024 at 7:09pm, Chief Deputy Chad Hooper was contacted by an agent with the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) in regards to a possible threat towards Center Independent School District (CISD).
Chief Hooper immediately contacted Shelby County Sheriff’s Office Investigators, Sergeant Aaron Jones and Cameron Nichols, who then responded to the suspects’ address provided by the FBI. Chief Hooper then contacted Center Police Department (CPD), and CPD provided the FBI with contact information for CISD.
With the assistance of CISD Police Chief Pete Low and the Texas Department of Public Safety, the suspect was placed into custody at approximately 8:30 p.m. The suspect was interviewed at the SCSO, charged with Terroristic Threat (M-A), and released to juvenile probation. Suspect is being held at a juvenile facility.
No further information will be released.
Related article: Center ISD Issues Letter Regarding Potential Threat Discovered By FBI
October 10, 2024 (Click for Spanish) - Center Independent School District posted a letter on their Facebook page Wednesday, October 9, 2024 at 11:18pm regarding a potential threat discovered by the FBI.
Attention Center ISD:
Wednesday night at approximately 7:15 p.m., Chief Pete Low was notified by the FBI that there was a potential threat of a school shooting. Chief Low, of the Center ISD Police Department contacted other local law enforcement agencies, (The Shelby County Sheriff's Office and The Department of Public Safety). All three agencies worked together to address the issue. Several personnel from the represented law enforcement agencies, along with school administrators went to the residence of the student who allegedly made the threats. Law enforcement detained the student and took the student in for questioning. School administrators handled the situation according to Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code.
Center ISD takes these threats very seriously and will do our best to prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. We would like to express our appreciation to everyone who was part of getting this situation resolved tonight. The student in question will not be on their assigned campus for the foreseeable future. Parents, please remind your children that if they see something on social media, or overhear a conversation between students that is threatening in nature, PLEASE say something to an adult. There are some things that we cannot tolerate and threats against the school is one of them.
I apologize for the late notice, but Chief Low, Mr. Henson and I have just gotten back from the sheriff's office.
Sincerely,
Dr. Brian Morris,
Superintendent of Schools
Center ISD
October 9, 2024 - Governor Greg Abbott today issued a proclamation declaring October 2024 as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month to raise awareness and educate Texans about the dangers of fentanyl to save more lives.
“Fentanyl is a clandestine killer that rips away loved ones forever," said Governor Abbott. "Texas continues to take significant action to combat the growing fentanyl crisis that is plaguing our state and our nation. Last year, I signed a law designating October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month in Texas to ensure all Texans, particularly our children, know about the dangers of deadly fentanyl. As part of Texas’ ongoing ‘One Pill Kills’ campaign, we are raising awareness about the deadly consequences of fentanyl and educating Texans on how to prevent, recognize, and reverse fentanyl poisonings to protect a family member, friend, and neighbor. Working together, we can fight back to save countless lives from this deadly threat.”
View the Governor's proclamation here.
Fentanyl is the No. 1 killer of Americans ages 18-45. Fentanyl-related deaths in Texas increased over 600% from 2019 to 2023, taking the lives of more than 7,000 innocent Texans in just 4 years. This crisis affects the lives of everyone, tearing away friends and family members from their loved ones. Knowing how to recognize the signs of fentanyl poisoning and having open conversations about the dangers of fentanyl can help save a life.
WATCH: Texas Is Fighting The Fentanyl Crisis
Last year, Governor Abbott signed four pivotal laws to combat the growing national fentanyl crisis:
House Bill 6 (Goldman/Huffman) creates a criminal offense of murder for supplying fentanyl that results in death, enhances the criminal penalty for the manufacturing or delivery of fentanyl, and requires deaths caused by fentanyl to be designated as fentanyl toxicity or fentanyl poisoning on a death certificate. Current law does not require such classification on a death certificate, with most fentanyl-related deaths currently classified as an overdose.
House Bill 3144 (Lujan/Campbell) establishes October as Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month to help increase awareness of the dangers of fentanyl.
House Bill 3908 (Wilson/Creighton), also known as Tucker’s Law, requires public schools each year to provide research-based instruction on fentanyl abuse prevention and drug poisoning awareness to students grades 6 through 12. The bill also requires the Governor to designate a Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Week.
Senate Bill 867 (West/Rose) allows the distribution of opioid antagonists, including life-saving NARCAN, to Texas colleges and universities to prevent opioid poisonings.
October 8, 2024 - As the Poultry Festival was nearing its end on Saturday, October 5, 2024, an assault took place within the vicinity of the carnival rides and law enforcement was 
alerted of what happened. Center Police Department officers converged on the square and ended up with several individuals at the intersection of Cora and Shelbyville Streets.
Officers were seen speaking with several individuals there, and with two young men in handcuffs, as well as an apparent victim of a stabbing. Officers located another individual just inside the fence and escorted him out to a patrol unit.
Many people from within the confines of the fenced area were seeking to go home, while others were arriving seeking friends and family members at the event, but it was quickly apparent the area was locked down until the officers could be sure there was no immediate threat to anyone else. More units with the Texas Department of Public Safety, Shelby County Sheriff's Department and Texas Game Wardens then arrived to help surround the fenced area of the event.
According to a press release from the Center Police Department, a physical disturbance occurred around the ferris wheel [at the Poultry Festival], at approximately 8:30pm. Initial 911 calls received by the Center Police Department communications center, stated a large group or people were fighting, and weapons were involved.
Officers responded to the area and observed a large group of individuals actively fighting. While officers were breaking the disturbance up, a large number of people began to flee from officers on foot. Officers quickly pursued the individuals and were able to apprehend the parties involved in the initial disturbance.
The press release continues, During the investigation, officers learned that one person had been stabbed, he was identified as Or' Larryian Moore, 18, from Center. EMS was notified and Moore was transported to the Center Emergency Department for treatment of his wounds.
It was then learned that a firearm was brandished, but never shot. Officers attempted to locate the firearm, and it was learned that a juvenile female involved in the incident took the firearm and handed it to another person who was successful at exiting the festival with it.
During the investigation, a suspect was identified as Jikei Cartwright, 17 years of age from Shelbyville. On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, Cartwright was arrested for Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, felony 2.
The press release ended by stating, Center Police Department thanks the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, Texas Parks and Wildlife, and the Texas Department of Public Safety for their fast response and assistance with the investigation. Center Police Department also thanks the citizens who assisted with crowd control and provided information that aided in the identification of parties involved in the disturbance.
The Center Police Department knows that the actions of others and the criminal offense that took place inconvenienced some festival goers, the response and actions of the Police Department and Festival Committee were made with the safety and well-being of everyone involved in mind. Safety is the highest priority to both the P.D. and Festival Committee.
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