Shelby County Today

April 26, 2024 - The Shelby County Commissioners considered a property tax exemption during their meeting held Wednesday, April 24, 2024, and donated equipment for the Precinct 5 Constable’s office during their meeting held Wednesday, April 24, 2024.

The tax exemption being considered was for qualifying child-care facilities allowed under Senate Bill 1145 and Senate Joint Resolution 64 which was authorized with the passing of Proposition 2 in the 2023 Constitutional Election.
 
“Most counties are not adopting this tax exemption until somebody applies,” said Judge Harbison. “We have had an application and catch two it is, they can't qualify this year unless we do it by the 30th of this month.” 

Judge Harbison said she sent it to County Attorney John Price to look at it and research it. 

The Crayon Box has applied and there are several requirements they have to meet.

“The qualifying child care facility has to participate in the Texas Workforce Commission Rising Star program and I have certification that they do,” said Judge Harbison. “They have to have at least 20% of the total number of children enrolled in the facility. They have to receive subsidized child care services.” 

Judge Harbison confirmed for Commissioner Bellmyer, The Crayon Box exceeds the 20%, with 89 children enrolled and 32 of those receiving childcare assistance.

The abatement states the percentage tax exemptioon adopted by the governing body cannot be less than 50%. Price confirmed it could be greater, but not less than 50%.

“The daycare facilities in our county are few and far between, good daycare facilities and from what I understand this one is a good daycare,” said Blackwell.

Commissioner Lout move to approve the property tax exemption. Commissioner Bellmyer seconded the motion and it carried.

Commissioner Bellmyer then moved to approve the resolution adopting a property tax exemption for qualifying child-care facilities at 50%. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Lout and it carried.

The commissioners considered a donation of equipment by the City of Timpson to benefit the Precinct 5, Deputy Constable.

“This is a mobile in-car printer for the deputy constable to write citations and give out tickets and court dates for the deputy criminal trespass and things like that and the city of Timpson is going to be purchasing it,” said Judge Harbison.

Commissioner Bellmyer confirmed it means the constable would be performing traffic stops and he commented that he looks forward to reports on that.

Judge Harbison said she would to Constable Tipton now that his office will be performing traffic stops, a racial profiling report would need to be provided.

Commissioner Bellmyer moved to approve the City of Timpson making a donation to support the deputy constable. The motion was seconded by Commissioner Smith, and the motion carried.

The commissioners approved a property proclamation declaring April 28 through May 5 as Texas Soil and Water Stewardship Program Week. 

The proclamation reads as follows:
WHEREAS, fertile soil and clean water provide us with our daily sustenance, and
WHEREAS, effective conservation practices have helped provide us a rich standard of living, and
WHEREAS, our security depends upon healthy soil and clean water, and 
WHEREAS, stewardship calls for each person to help conserve these precious resources,
Therefore, I, do hereby proclaim the week of April 28- May 5, 2024 as
Texas Soil and Water Stewardship Week.

Commissioner Smith moved to approve the proclamation, and it was seconded by Commissioner Lout. The motion carried.
 
During the meeting Ann Blackwell, County Treasurer, reported making the final payment on the Master Plan for the Historic Courthouse in the amount of $9 ,000.

Jimmy Lout, Commissioner Precinct 2, mentioned having a lot of tree expense due to a hail storm. $10,000 this week and an additional $6,000 expected in the following week.

Stevie Smith, Commissioner Precinct 3, said they would be doing the exact same thing in his precinct.

A part for the heating system at the Sheriff’s Department was reported at a cost of $4,800.

Tom Bellmyer, Commissioner Precinct 4, referenced a bill for signs in his precinct which he has not yet received. Blackwell agreed to hold the check and not pay yet.

Two bills from SWEPCO, one for the active courthouse, and another for the Historic Courthouse were just received the night before the meeting and were added to the bills at $3,437.79.

A motion by Commissioner Bellmyer to approve and pay weekly expenses was seconded by Commissioner Lout. The motion carried.

The meeting adjourned at 9:58am.

Agenda items approved during the meeting include:
1. Pay weekly expenses.
2. Current Payroll.
3. Property Tax Exemption for qualifying Child-Care Facilities allowed under Senate Bill 1145 and Senate Joint Resolution 64 authorized with passing of Proposition 2 in the 2023 Constitutional Election.
4. Resolution Adopting a Property Tax Exemption for Qualifying Child-Care Facilities.
5. Donation of equipment by the City of Timpson to benefit the Precinct 5, Deputy Constable.
6. Proclamation declaring April 28th – May 5th, 2024 as Texas Soil and Water Stewardship Week.
7. Adjourn

April 28, 2024 - (Update - 11:14): Tornado Watch 158, previously in effect until 11pm CDT this evening, is now in effect until 1am CDT this evening for the following areas:

In Texas this watch includes five counties in Northeast Texas.

Angelina, Nacogdoches, Sabine, San Augustine, and Shelby.

This includes the cities of Center, Hemphill, Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Pineland, and San Augustine.

(Update - 9:27pm): Tornado Watch 158, previously in effect until 9pm CDT this evening, is now in effect until 11pm CDT this evening for the following areas:

In Texas this watch includes 11 counties in Northeast Texas.

Angelina, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, and Smith.

This includes the cities of Carthage, Center, Hemphill, Henderson, Jacksonville, Longview, Lufkin, Marshall, Nacogdoches, Pineland, Rusk, San Augustine, and Tyler

(Update - 7:25pm): Tornado Watch 158 remains valid until 9pm CDT this evening for the following areas.

In Texas this watch includes 11 counties in Northeast Texas.

Angelina, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, and Smith.

This includes the cities of Carthage, Center, Hemphill, Henderson, Jacksonville, Longview, Lufkin, Marshall, Nacogdoches, Pineland, Rusk, San Augustine, and Tyler

Tornado Watch 158 is in effect until 9pm CDT, April 28, 2024, for the following locations:

Texas counties included are: Anderson, Angelina, Austin, Bastrop, Brazos, Burleson, Caldwell, Cherokee, Colorado, Dewitt, Falls, Fayette, Freestone, Gonzales, Gregg, Grimes, Guadalupe, Harrison, Henderson, Houston, Karnes, Lavaca, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Madison, Milam, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Panola, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Trinity, Walker, Waller, Washington, and Wilson.

April 28, 2024 - (Update - 9:44pm): The National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a Flash Flood Warning as of 9:05pm for Northwestern Angelina County in eastern Texas, Northern Nacogdoches County in eastern Texas, Northwestern Shelby County in eastern Texas, Southeastern Rusk County in northeastern Texas until midnight CDT tonight.

At 9:05pm CDT, Doppler radar indicated thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warned area. Flash flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly.

• Hazard: Flash flooding caused by thunderstorms.
• Source: Radar indicated.
• Impact: Flash flooding of small creeks and streams, urban areas, highways, streets and underpasses as well as other poor drainage and low-lying areas.

Some locations that will experience flash flooding include Lufkin, Nacogdoches, Diboll, Hudson, Tenaha, Timpson, Garrison, Melrose, Woden, Martinsville, Trawick, Pollok, Burke, Appleby, Mount Enterprise, Redland, Stockman, Lawsonville, Arcadia and Central.

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions: Turn around, don’t drown when encountering flooded roads. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles.

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

Be aware of your surroundings and do not drive on flooded roads.

(Update): Flood watch remains in effect from 7am CDT this morning through Monday evening.

• What: Flooding caused by excessive rainfall continues to be possible.
• Where: Portions of Arkansas, including the following counties, Columbia, Hempstead, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Sevier and Union, Louisiana, including the following parishes, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, De Soto, Grant, Jackson, La Salle, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Red River, Sabine, Union, Webster and Winn, southeast Oklahoma, including the following county, McCurtain, and Texas, including the following counties, Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur and Wood.
• When: From 7am CDT this morning through Monday evening.
• Impacts: Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
• Additional Details: A line of showers and thunderstorms will move into extreme Southeast Oklahoma, adjacent sections of Southwest Arkansas, and Northeast Texas this morning, but should weaken later this morning. However, additional showers and thunderstorms are expected to redevelop this afternoon across these areas, before shifting slowly east northeast into Southwest Arkansas, Deep East Texas, and North Louisiana this evening and overnight. Locally heavy rainfall is possible with these storms, this afternoon and tonight, with the heavy rain threat shifting into Northcentral and Northeast Louisiana Monday morning. Widespread rainfall amounts of 2-4 inches are expected, with isolated higher amounts possible. Given the saturated grounds, the heavy rainfall will quickly run off, and could result in flash flooding.

  Click here for more flood safety information

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions: You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

April 27, 2024 - Flood watch in effect from Sunday morning through Monday evening.

• What: Flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible.
• Where: Portions of Arkansas, including the following counties, Columbia, Hempstead, Howard, Lafayette, Little River, Miller, Nevada, Sevier and Union, Louisiana, including the following parishes, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiborne, De Soto, Grant, Jackson, La Salle, Lincoln, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Red River, Sabine, Union, Webster and Winn, southeast Oklahoma, including the following county, McCurtain, and Texas, including the following counties, Angelina, Bowie, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Franklin, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Morris, Nacogdoches, Panola, Red River, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Upshur and Wood.
• When: From Sunday morning through Monday evening.
• Impacts: Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
• Click Here for Additional Details 

Precautionary/Preparedness Actions: You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared to take action should flooding develop.

April 26, 2024 – Two East Texas men have been sentenced to federal prison for separate drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Damien M. Diggs.

Terrence D. Williams, 33, of Center, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 210 months in federal prison by Judge Crone on April 26, 2024.

Law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization distributing large quantities of methamphetamine in the Shelby County area and were able to identify Williams as the primary source of supply. Agents were able to link Williams to over a dozen methamphetamine traffickers. Williams would transport large amounts of methamphetamine from the Houston area to Shelby County, where he would then distribute the methamphetamine to numerous street level dealers. In July of 2022, agents attempted to conduct a traffic stop on Williams. Williams fled from the officers leading law enforcement on a high-speed chase during which he threw a backpack from the vehicle. The backpack contained almost four kilograms of methamphetamine.

Christopher Shane Osborn, 46, of Lufkin, pleaded guilty to conspiring to possess with intent to distribute methamphetamine and was sentenced to 84 months in federal prison by U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone on April 26, 2024.

According to information presented in court, Osborn was a member of a drug trafficking organization distributing methamphetamine in the Lufkin area since 2020. So far, this investigation has resulted in the incarceration of nine narcotics or firearms traffickers for a total of over 919 months in federal prison. This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF) operation. OCDETF identifies, disrupts, and dismantles the highest-level criminal organizations that threaten the United States using a prosecutor-led, intelligence-driven, multi-agency approach. Additional information about the OCDETF Program can be found at https://www.justice.gov/OCDETF. This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

This case was investigated by the Texas Department of Public Safety, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives and the Nacogdoches Police Department, Panola County Sheriff's Office, and Center Police Department.

Osborn and Williams were both prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Donald S. Carter.