News

The story headline links to a better view of the story and share features.

March 9, 2016 - The National Weather Service in Shreveport LA has issued a flash flood warning for Shelby County an surrounding areas until 12:15pm CST. At 8:10am CST, Doppler radar indicated a cluster of thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. These areas have already received three to six inches of rainfall overnight, and in addition to new flash flooding, any ongoing flooding will be exacerbated.

Some locations that will experience flooding include: Milam, Many, San Augustine, Coushatta, Zwolle, Logansport, Hemphill, Garrison, Joaquin, Converse, Rosevine, Patroon, Melrose, Neuville, Etoile, Shelbyville, Bland Lake, Woden, Macune and Martinsville.

Move to higher ground now! Act quickly to protect your life.

NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SHREVEPORT LA
11:09 PM CST Tuesday, March 8, 2016

The National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a Flash Flood warning for Southwestern Caddo Parish in Northwestern Louisiana, West Central De Soto Parish in Northwestern Louisiana, Harrison County in Northeastern Texas, Marion County in Northeastern Texas, Rusk County in Northeastern Texas, Panola County in Northeastern Texas, Western Shelby County in Eastern Texas, Gregg County in Northeastern Texas until 5:15 am CST, Wednesday, March 9, 2016.

At 11:08pm CST doppler radar indicated a thunderstorm producing heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is expected to begin shortly.

Some locations that will experience flooding include Longview, Marshall, Henderson, Kilgore, Carthage, White Oak, Gladewater, Center, Vivian, Hallsville, Greenwood, Overton, Waskom, Jefferson, Tatum, Tenaha, Timpson, New London, Clarksville City and Beckville.

Precautionary/Preparedness actions...

Move to higher ground now! Act quickly to protect your life.

Be especially cautious at night when it is harder to recognize the dangers of flooding.

If you encounter flooded roads, turn around, don't drown! Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.

Please report flooding to your local law enforcement agency when you can do so safely.

March 8, 2016 - Due to local flooding, Timpson ISD will have a delayed start of one hour Wednesday morning.

Mid Johnson
Timpson Independent School District

March 8, 2016 - The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning until 8:45pm for the southeastern part of Shelby County. At 7:48pm a severe thunderstorm was located near Hemphill, or 23 miles northwest of Toledo Bend Dam, moving north at 40mph.

Hazards include 60mph wind gusts and quarter size hail. Hail damage to vehicles is expected. Expect wind damage on roofs, siding and trees.

Locations impacted include Milam, Zwolle, Hemphill, Converse, Rosevine, Oak Grove, Pleasant Hill, Huxley, South Mansfield, Noble, Sexton, Toledo Bend Reservoir North, Pelican, Bronson and Evelyn.

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions: For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.

March 8, 2016 -  The National Weather Service has issued a tornado watch for Shelby County until 6pm this evening, Tuesday, March 8, 2016.

Other counties included in this watch are: Angelina, Austin, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Chambers, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Grimes, Hardin, Harris, Harrison, Houston, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Madison, Marion, Montgomery, Morris, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Smith, Titus, Trinity, Tyler, Upshur, Walker, Waller, and Wood.

March 7, 2016 - Until further notice, the City of Huxley has issued a Boil Water Notice for English Bay Marina area due to loss of pressure.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking and making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to comsumption. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source.

When it is no longer necessary to boil the water the City of Huxley will notify you. If you have questions regarding this matter, you may contact Huxley City Hall at 936-368-2266.

Submitted by Debbie Runnels, City Secretary

National Weather Service, Shreveport, LA
11:42am CST, Monday, March 7, 2016

The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for portions of South Central Arkansas, Southwest Arkansas, North Central Louisiana, Northwest Louisiana, East Texas and Northeast Texas.

Day One, Today and Tonight

Isolated showers and thunderstorms will be possible tonight. However, severe weather is not expected.

Days Two through Seven, Tuesday through Sunday

Showers and thunderstorms will be possible across the area Tuesday. However, the threat for flash flooding will increase Tuesday night through Thursday over the region as the intensity of rainfall picks up. Isolated severe thunderstorms will also be possible over East Texas and Western Louisiana Tuesday with the threat shifting eastward to encompass all of North Louisiana Wednesday. Damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes will be possible with these storms but again the primary threat with this storm system will be flash flooding. Widespread rainfall amounts of four to eight inches with isolated higher amounts in excess of ten inches will be possible through Saturday.

National Weather Service, Shreveport, LA
12:24 pm CST Monday, March 7, 2016

Heavy rainfall expected for the four state area Tuesday through Thursday.

Flash flood watch remains in effect from Tuesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon...

The flash flood watch continues for portions of Arkansas, Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma and Texas including the following areas in Arkansas - Columbia, Hempstead, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Sevier and Union. In Louisiana - Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, DeSoto, Grant, Jackson, La Salle, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Red River, Sabine, Union, Webster and Winn. In southeast Oklahoma - McCurtain. In Texas - Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur and Wood.

The flash flood watch continues from Tuesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon.

Flash flooding is likely as multiple waves of thunderstorms move across the area Tuesday through Thursday. Widespread rainfall amounts of three to six inches are expected. Isolated higher amounts of up to ten inches will be possible especially over extreme eastern Texas, western Louisiana, and southwest Arkansas which will further elevate the flash flood threat for these areas.

This heavy rainfall will also result in flooding of area rivers.

Precautionary/preparedness actions...

A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation. You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should flash flood warnings be issued.

Raven WhitteckMarch 7, 2016 - The mother of a child who perished in a house fire on February 17, 2016 has been arrested by the Shelby County Sheriff's Department on a charge of child endangerment relating to a surviving child. The charge stems from indications of drug interaction with the child and are not directly related to the fire.

Following the fire, the sibling of the child who perished, a 4-year-old was taken into custody by the Department of Family and Protective Services.

According to an arrest affidavit, on March 2, 2016 Sheriff's Investigator Chad Brown was advised by Texas Child Protective Services that the 4-year-old male child had been drug tested and the test returned a positive result for methamphetamine.

Jesse Whitteck Sr.Investigator Brown was provided with the results which showed the child tested positive for methamphetamine in a 5-panel hair test (4,113 pg/mg).

An arrest warrant on the charge of endangering a child, state jail felony, for Raven Whitteck, 29, of Joaquin was issued by Shelby County Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1 Maxie Eaves. Whitteck was taken into custody on Friday, March 4, 2016. According to Shelby County Jail records, Whitteck bonded out on a $5,000 bond March 5, 2016. The arrest log also indicates there have been three different sets of arrests for endangering a child in the past month for different incidents including Elisha Remedies and Phillipe Falcon on February 29; Rileigh Windham on February 20 and Jarvis Taylor on February 11.

In a press release issued by the Shelby County Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Willis Blackwell reports that two arrests have been made by the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office in connection with a child being exposed to methamphetamine.

The Sheriff’s Office received information from the Child Protective Services division of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services that a four year-old child under investigation with the department had tested positive for methamphetamine.  

The father of the child, Jesse Whitteck Sr. was arrested on March 7, 2016, also being charged with Endangering a Child, State Jail Felony.  

As stated in the affidavits for the arrest warrants, both parents tested positive for methamphetamine as well.

Sheriff Blackwell advised that the arrests were not in connection to the tragic house fire that occurred at the Whitteck’s residence on February 17, 2016, an incident that is still under investigation.

March 3, 2016 - U.S. Highway 59 on the south end of Timpson was the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Thursday, March 3, 2016.

According to Timpson Police Officer Jake Metcalf, who was dispatched to the crash at U.S. Highways 59 and 84, upon arrival he located a white Buick Enclave operated by Rose Pool, 75, of Nacogdoches with passenger Barbara Harris, 68. The Buick had just exited from U.S. 84 onto U.S. 59 South when it came into the path of a 1998 Freightliner 18-wheeler driven by Kevin Foster, 48, of Tenaha causing the vehicles to collide.

The 18-wheeler came to a halt on the shoulder of the roadway and the Buick was left with the front driver wheel having been shorn off and the vehicle blocking the outside southbound traffic lane, and partial inside traffic lane, in front of Woodland Christian Church. No injuries were reported as a result of the crash.

Pool was issued a citation for fail to yield right of way at an intersection. The 18-wheeler was allowed to drive from the scene as the damage was inflicted on the trailer and the truck and trailer were still able to be driven. The Buick had to be towed from the scene as its damage was major.

Officer Metcalf thanked Timpson Volunteer Fire Department, Timpson Volunteer EMS, Timpson Police Chief Kent Graham and Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster for their assistance on the crash.

Pages