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January 17, 2025 - Crews are scheduled to begin today to pre-treat US 59 through the Lufkin District, and will continue with pre-treatment on major roads, overpasses, and bridges Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, if needed.
Crews will begin working 12-hour shifts on Monday in order to monitor road conditions. The district’s Emergency Operation Center will open on Monday and will remain open throughout the weather event.
A brine treatment discourages precipitation from freezing and sticking to pavement, and will be applied to overpasses, major structures, bridges, overpasses, and major roadways throughout the district.
“The Lufkin District is prepared for this weather event, and will work to keep the roadways clear if the predicted weather materializes in this nine-county district,” said Rhonda Oaks, public information officer. “Motorists should reduce speed as they approach a TxDOT work crew and give them room to work as we pre-treat the roads in anticipation of winter weather.”
January 15, 2025 - The Shelby County Commissioners put the brakes on a cooperative road agreement between the county and USDA during their meeting held January 15, 2025.
The commissioners discussed the cooperative road agreement between Shelby County and USDA, Forest Service National Forest and Grasslands in Texas.
Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison explained the proposed agreement is for five years and before entering into an agreement some explanation over the agreement is merited from the USDA.
“We have not gotten any in lieu of taxes since before [20]23,” said Judge Harbison. “We’re trying to get them to re-adopt the agreement with the US Government, and it was nearly there and then they had the Speaker’s race mess.”
The Senate has passed the agreement, but the Representatives have not yet passed it explained Harbison. According to Judge Harbison, Sabine County Judge Milton agrees with her and will not be signing their agreement until the agreement has been passed.
“Every couple of years they do give us some funds to get rock, or they give us rock, this is something totally different,” said Judge Harbison. “This is us saying, ‘we’re going to take care of all of your forest service roads.’”
Stevie Smith, Commissioner Precinct 3, commented John Price had some concerns over the agreement as well.
Judge Harbison stated she would like to see the item tabled and have someone from the US Forest Service be present at a meeting to explain the agreement.
Judge Harbison moved to table the item and a second was heard by Commissioner Tom Bellmyer. The motion carried.
“The bill most greatly affects precinct two and precinct three. But, y’all are still going to make sure people can get to their homes through the Forest Service Roads,” said Judge Harbison. “When I grew up, because I had to go on two or three miles of County Road, and then I had a two-and-a-half mile road to go down to the Forest Service. The County Road was always a little shaky, but you never got stuck on the Forest Service Road and then they just dumped them all off on the counties.”
At the January meeting of the Shelly County Commissioners it was approved to advertise for bids on a new haul truck for Precinct 3.
Judge Harbison presented the commissioners with the option to set a bid procurement period and public opening date for precinct three haul truck.
Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer, said the court failed to do that last week for the public record.
“For the sake of time I'm going to email the specs to previous bidders that we had hits from on the truck, but I'm also going to list it on buyboard. The bids will be due at three o'clock next week, which I believe is the point to be opened public,” said Blackwell.
The bids will be due Tuesday, January 21, by 3pm in the County Treasurer’s office.
A motion by Commissioner Smith was seconded by Commissioner Bellmyer and the motion carried.
During the Commissioner Court reports Judge Harbison shared about a trip that she recently took to Austin, “We made a fast and furious trip to Austin to the legislative reception and we saw both of our senator and our State Rep and had a really good meeting on Tuesday morning with the Texas Judges and Commissioners.”
She said she also visited with Jim Allison, who is a legal counsel for the Judges and Commissioners Association.
The meeting went into a closed executive session at 9:46am with Sheriff Gerald Corbell and returned to open session at 10:15am.
Upon returning from closed executive session, Commissioner Roscoe McSwain moved to revert back to FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) guidelines, all non law enforcement personnel will receive overtime after 40 hours. The motion received a second from Commissioner Bellmyer and it carried.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:15.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Pay weekly expenses. 2. Pay current payroll. 3. Record the filing to the Vehicle Inventory Tax Fund audit for January 2025. 4. Set bid procurement period and public opening date of January 21, 2025 for Pct. #3 Haul Truck. 5. Revert back to FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) guidelines, all non law enforcement personnel will receive overtime after 40 hours. Agenda items tabled during the meeting include: 1. Cooperative Road Agreement between Shelby County and USDA, Forest Service National Forest and Grasslands in Texas.
January 13, 2025 - A vehicle pursuit involving Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) State Troopers that began between Tenaha and Timpson on U.S. Highway 59 on Monday, January 13, 2025, ended safely in Timpson.
The pursued vehicle came to rest in a grocery store parking lot in Timpson following a collision with a sign post before Troopers took the Polk County man into custody.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, the preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 11:40am, a traffic stop was initiated on a black 2011 Nissan passenger car for reckless driving, however, when the Trooper activated his lights and sirens, the driver failed to stop. The Nissan traveled approximately 18 miles, doubling back several times before he lost control, left the roadway, and struck a street sign. The driver of the Nissan was then taken into custody without further incident. After the arrest, it was discovered that the 2011 Nissan matched the description of a vehicle that eluded the Garrison Police Department earlier in the morning on Monday.
The driver Peyton Hathaway, 18, of Livingston, was placed under arrest for evading arrest or detention with a vehicle, possession of a controlled substances penalty group 2, tamper/fabricate with physical evidence with intent to impair, which are all three felonies. Hathaway was also arrested for reckless driving and duty on striking fixture on a highway landscape, which are both misdemeanor offenses.
This is an ongoing investigation, and no further information is available at this time.
DPS Troopers involved were Sgt. Aaron Shelton, Trooper Jordan Ford and Trooper Daniel Dellenger.
January 10, 2025 - The Shelby County Commissioners approved bonds for incoming elected and appointed county officials during their January 8, 2025 meeting and agreed to move forward with the purchase of Automated External Defibrillators (AED) for the Shelby County Courthouse.
County Judge Harbison referred to the previous meeting where the only bonds that were still needed for approval were from Constable Precinct 3 and Constable Precinct 5.
Commissioner Tom Bellmyer moved to approve the bonds and the motion was seconded by Commissioner Stevie Smith.
Judge Harbison presented the commissioners with needed repairs of leaks in the Courthouse foyer.
“The week of Christmas when it rained so much, I believe there was nearly two inches of water in the corner down there where [Courthouse Security] sits and he was a little concerned because some breakers started blowing,” said Judge Harbison.
Judge Harbison elaborated that the source of the leak isn’t know exactly and she would like to get someone to look at it.
Commissioner Bellmyer moved to seek a review and a quote for the repair, and Commissioner Smith seconded his motion.
The commissioners approved a quote for previously approved AEDs in the courthouse and the total for three defibrillators was $4,095 from HSI Headquarters.
Commissioners Bellmyer remarked the last time when the AEDs were approved was in September 2024 and the motion was to approve the purchase of the three units for each floor.
“They’re pretty simple to use, we had them when I worked [elsewhere] the people that we buy them from will give basic training but they will talk to you and tell you what to do,” said Bellmyer.
He repeated he thinks it’s important for the courthouse to have one on every floor. Additional action wasn’t necessary since the purchase was already previously approved.
Commissioner Precinct 3 stated his precinct is needing another haul truck and he moved to advertise for bids for one new haul truck for Precinct 3. A second was heard by Commissioner Bellmyer.
During the Commissioners’ Court Reports Roscoe McSwain, Commissioner Precinct 1, thanked Commissioner Smith for supplying a track hoe to help with work in Precinct 1, which has helped prevent the need to rent one.
Commissioner Bellmyer commented on a continuing aggravation with people in the community dumping trash on the side of the road when the commissioners have dumpsters in their yards.
“I have started getting a lot more calls than I usually get about trash and debris on the side of the road,” said Commissioner Bellmyer. “Every week, I’ve got people are throwing out garbage, bags of household garbage, mattresses and things that nearly every creek bridge in my precinct has new debris thrown off of them.”
Commissioner Bellmyer reiterated that every precinct has a dumpster.
Prohibited items aren’t allowed, such as, tires, paint, batteries, but there are many large items that are accepted.
The meeting adjourned at 10:06am.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Minutes of December 4 Special Meeting, December 11 Regular Meeting, December 18 Special Meeting, December 25 Special Meeting and December 31st Special Meeting of the Shelby County Commissioner’s Court. 2. Pay weekly expenses. 3. Officers Report. 4. Bonds of the incoming elected and appointed County officers. 5. Repair leaks in the Courthouse foyer. 6. Advertise for bids for one (1) new haul truck for Pct. 3. 7. Adjourn.
January 10, 2025 - The Shelby County Commissioners met for their final meeting of the 2024 year on December 31, 2024, and approved the mileage rate change for 2025 in accordance with IRS Standard Rates.
County Judge Allison Harbison stated the rate is going up from .67 to .70 cents.
Roscoe McSwain, Commissioner Precinct 1, moved to approve the mileage rate change and Stevie Smith, Commissioner Precinct 3, seconded his motion. The motion carried.
The commissioners accepted the bonds of incoming elected officials and appointed county officers. Judge Harbison listed those bonds they were presented with.
“JP 4s bond is good until July, so she’ll be needing to get a new bond then and then we’ll come back and approve that bond when we get it,” said Judge Harbison. “Then also the county attorney’s bond is good through July also, that was because of their appointment.”
Judge Harbison planned to put bonds on the agenda again for any they did not yet have.
Judge Harbison stated she had bonds for Sheriff, Tax Assessor/Collector, Commissioner 1, Commissioner 3, Justice of the Peace Precinct 3, Constable, Constable 2, and Constable 4.
Judge Harbison stated she had an opinion from Texas Association of Counties counsel stating that for those offices which bonds haven’t yet been received, the office holder’s bond from the previous term would carry over.
Commissioner Tom Bellmyer moved to approve the bonds, and Commissioner Shannon Metcalf seconded the motion.
The meeting adjourned at 9:43am.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Weekly expenses. 2. Payroll. 3. Mileage rate change for 2025 in accordance with IRS Standard Rates. 4. Bonds of the incoming elected and appointed county officers. 5. Adjourn at 9:43am.
January 9, 2025 - Panola College will close all locations on Friday, January 10th, due to inclement weather.
January 9, 2025 - Center ISD will have a two hour delayed start to school tomorrow, Friday January 10, 2025.
We will continue to monitor roads and weather throughout the night. If something changes, we will notify you immediately. Continue to monitor parent square, local and social media pages.
January 8, 2025 - Winter storm warnings continue to be in place for areas around Shelby County, and according to the National Weather Service temperatures are still projected to reach 26 degrees with chance of precipitation at 80% on Thursday.
As of 9:42pm, Shelby County Today has not received any alerts indicating school delays; however, this information will be updated should such circumstances be reported.
Residents are encouraged to use extreme caution when traveling as the development of ice on the roadways is very possible.
January 8, 2025 - U.S. Highway 59 outside of Tenaha near CR 4620 was the scene of an 18-wheeler rollover crash on Monday, January 6, 2025.
Emergency responders with the Tenaha Police Department and Tenaha Volunteer Fire Department responded to the crash to assist those involved.
According to information from the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS), the preliminary crash investigation by DPS State Troopers indicates that at approximately 11:32am, a white 2025 Freightliner truck tractor semi-trailer driven by Michael Graham, 55, of Bossier City, Louisiana, was traveling north. It is reported that the truck suffered a blow out on its rear tire, which caused the driver to lose control and travel off the road to the right, where the trailer overturned.
Graham was not injured, and according to DPS no further information is available.
January 8, 2025 - Firefighters responded to a fully involved house fire on the 300 block of CR 2816 Friday, December 3, 2025.
When firemen arrived at the scene after 4:50pm, the mobile home had already burned to the ground. Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) and Center Fire Department firefighters attacked the flames with water to both extinguish the flames and to prevent further spread.
The structure was a total loss due to the fire. The cause was not determined at the time.
The resident, Betty Denby, was unharmed and made it out of the house before the entire house was engulfed in flames.
On scene, Shelbyville VFD had two brush trucks, an engine, two tankers and Center Fire Department’s tanker.
The firefighters left the scene at 6:50pm.
Shelbyville VFD was dispatched to another fire on Saturday, January 4, 2025, at the 7000 block of U.S. Highway 87 South just past CR 2110 at 4:18pm for a house fire.
According to the Shelbyville VFD, firefighters were able to stop the fire quickly and it was determined the cause of the fire was due to a candle left burning.
Thermal temperature measurements were taken by the fire department and it was confirmed the fire was out.
Shelbyville VFD was dispatched once again to the same location at 1:52am on Sunday, January 5, 2025; however, this time the mobile home was burned to the ground.
On scene, the fire department had an engine, two brush trucks and one tanker. Center Fire Department was also on scene to assist.
Firefighters worked on extinguishing the fire until 6:38am when they returned to the station.
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