Shelby County Today

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2017 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that assorted sliced deli meat products served to customers at Dion’s restaurants may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The assorted sliced deli meats were produced by Peter DeFries Corporation, an Albuquerque, N.M. establishment.

The sliced roast beef, ham, pastrami, and turkey items were produced between Dec. 14, 2016 and Dec. 29, 2016, however product may have been available in restaurant locations through January 4, 2017.

These items were distributed to Dion’s restaurant locations in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. The sliced deli meat products are used on pizzas, salads, and open-faced sandwiches for customers at Dion’s restaurants.

The problem was discovered through routine testing conducted as part of the Peter DeFries Corporation’s Listeria testing program. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.  

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

Consumers who have purchased these products from Dion’s restaurants are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.

National Weather Service Shreveport, Louisiana
12:19pm CST, Thursday, January 5, 2017

January 5, 2017 - The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a hazardous weather outlook for portions of South Central Arkansas, Southwest Arkansas, North Central Louisiana, Northwest Louisiana, Southeast Oklahoma, East Texas and Northeast Texas including Sevier, Howard, Little River, Hempstead, Nevada, Miller, Lafayette, Columbia, Union, Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, De Soto, Red River, Bienville, Jackson, Ouachita, Sabine, Natchitoches, Winn, Grant, Caldwell, La Salle, McCurtain, Bowie, Franklin, Titus, Camp, Morris, Cass, Wood, Upshur, Marion, Smith, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Rusk, Panola, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Angelina, and San Augustine.

This afternoon and tonight, a reinforcement of colder arctic air will begin to surge south into the region this afternoon and evening with temperatures expected to fall to near or below freezing late mainly over Southwest Arkansas, Northeast Texas, and Southeast Oklahoma. 

With the approach of an upper level disturbance that will emerge late tonight over the Rockies and near the upper Red River Valley, areas of light snow are expected to develop over Oklahoma late this evening and quickly advance east across the state into Western and Central Arkansas after midnight. Snowfall accumulations of up to one half inch will be possible late tonight mainly across McCurtain County, Oklahoma and across the northern sections of Southwest Arkansas which may result in light accumulations on elevated objects such as bridges and overpasses. Given the warm ground temperatures, road surfaces should see little if any impacts. 

Farther south across the Interstate 20 Corridor of East Texas and North Louisiana, a few pockets of snow flurries will be possible late tonight but no snow accumulations are expected. 

Across the southern sections of Northcentral Louisiana, temperatures should remain near or just above freezing late tonight with the potential for light rain possibly mixing with sleet. However, no ice accumulations are expected.

Days two through seven, Friday through Wednesday, scattered areas of light snow will remain possible Friday across Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma, and Southwest Arkansas as the upper level disturbance continues to advance east along and north of the Red River Valley with the potential for light snow flurries across portions of extreme Northern Louisiana Friday afternoon. Little if any snow accumulations are expected Friday but any residual water that has melted on the ground will quickly freeze Friday evening possibly creating areas of black ice especially on bridges and overpasses resulting in hazardous driving conditions. Temperatures will climb back above freezing around midday Saturday thus melting any ice that may form.

A slow warming trend will commence late this weekend and early next week with scattered showers and a few thunderstorms possible Tuesday night ahead of the next cold front.

Spotter Information Statement - Activation of Emergency Managers, Storm Spotters, and Amateur Radio Operators may be needed late tonight across Southeast Oklahoma and the northern sections of Southwest Arkansas for the potential for snowfall reports.

January 5, 2017 - The jury that has been summoned for Monday, January 9, 2017 for the 273rd District Court Honorable Charles R. Mitchell presiding has been cancelled due to the scheduled cases being resolved or passed.

Anyone receiving a summons for that day is released from jury service until they receive a future summons.

Thank you,
Lori Oliver
District Clerk
Shelby County, Texas
 

January 4, 2017 - State Highway 87 South at the intersection of CR 2124 was the scene of a two-vehicle collision involving a truck and a motorcycle which has resulted in serious injury to the rider of the motorcycle.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper, at 4:50pm a red 1993 Ford 1-ton dually pickup truck driven by Christopher Cartwright, 31, of Shelbyville was exiting CR 2124 onto State Highway 87 heading south.

At the time Cartwright entered SH 87 a black 2004 Kawasaki 1500 motorcycle ridden by Charles Berry of Shelbyville was southbound on SH 87 when the truck failed to yield right of way and entered his path causing the motorcycle to collide with the rear of the truck.

Witnesses at the scene reported the truck was hauling a boat at the time of the incident, and Berry held onto it as the truck traveled down the road until it came to a halt not from from the crash scene.

Berry was wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. He was transported by ACE EMS to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department. Berry was then transported to a trauma surgeon at Nacogdoches Medical Center in Nacogdoches for treatment of his serious injuries.

Berry was cited for failure to control speed.

Cartwright and his two passengers a male and female each 19 years old were not reported to have been injured as a result of the crash. Cartwright was issued citations for failure to maintain financial responsibility, and no insurance.

Assisting at the scene were Shelby County Sheriff Lieutenant Kevin Windham, Shelby County Constable Jamie Hagler and the Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department.