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June 21, 2023 - On June 16 2023, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality required the City of Tenaha public water system, 2100002, to issue a Boil Water Notice to inform customers, individuals, or employees that due to conditions which occurred recently in the public water system, the water from this public water system was required to be boiled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
The public water system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore the quality of the water distributed by this public water system used for drinking water or human consumption purposes and has provided TCEQ with laboratory test results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling prior to use as of April 1, 2022.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Alison Rhone at 936-332-4439.
June 16, 2023 - Boil Water Notice for City of Tenaha Public Water Systems 6-16-2023
Due to reduced distribution system pressure, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the City of Tenaha public water system to notify all customers on The City of Tenaha. To boil their water prior to consumption (e.g., washing hands/face, brushing teeth, drinking, etc). Children, seniors, and persons with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to harmful bacteria, and all customers should follow these directions.
To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and ice making should be boiled and cooled prior to use for drinking water or human consumption purposes. The water should be brought to a vigorous rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes.
In lieu of boiling, individuals may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the public water system officials will notify customers that the water is safe for drinking water or human consumption purposes.
Once the boil water notice is no longer in effect, the public water system will issue a notice to customers that rescinds the boil water notice in a manner similar to this notice.
Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact Alison Rhone at 936-332-4439.
June 21, 2023 - East Lamar Water Supply water quality report for January 1 to December 31, 2022 is now available. East Lamar WSC provides surface water and ground water from the Wilcox Aquifer located in Shelby County. To view the report, click here.
Maximum Contaminant Level Violation - TTHM
The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has notified the East Lamar WSC public water system that the drinking water being supplied to customers had exceeded the Maximum Contaminant Level (MCL) for total trihalomethanes. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has established the MCL for total trihalomethanes to be 0.080 milligrams per liter (mg/L) based on a locational running annual average (LRAA), and has determined that it is a health concern at levels above the MCL. Analysis of drinking water in your community for total trihalomethanes indicates a compliance value in 2nd quarter of 0.0807 mg/L for 140 CR 1396.
Trihalomethanes are a group of volatile organic compounds that are formed when chlorine, added to the water during the treatment process for disinfection, reacts with naturally occurring organic matter in the water.
Some people who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCI, over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidney, or central nervous systems, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.
You do not need to use an alternative water supply. However, if you have health concerns, you may talk to your doctor to get more information about how this may affect you.
We are taking the following actions to address this issue:
- We have taken more control of the chlorine chemical feed by keeping it at the normal lower level and expect the LRAA to be back to normal in the upcoming Quarter.
Please share this information with all people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (i.e. people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.
If you have questions regarding this matter, you may contact Rodney Warr at 936-591-5338, 2018 CR 4293, Tenaha, Texas 75974.
Posted/Delivered on June 21, 2023.
June 21, 2023 - According to the National Weather Service, Shreveport, Louisiana, Shelby County should receive a break from the excessive heat with the current heat advisory ending at 7pm.
The county is in a heat advisory area with temperatures this afternoon climbing to the mid to upper 90s which combined with the high humidity will results in heat indices of 105-110 degrees in the area.
Projected highs for the remaining of the week is in the low to mid 90s.
Click image to visit weather for Shelby County on weather.gov
June 21, 2023 - The Shelby County Commissioners recognized June as Hunger Awareness Month during their meeting held June 7, 2023.
Sherry Harding, Executive Director of Shelby County Outreach Ministries (SCOM), shared that Shelby County Outreach Ministries has been serving the community for over 26 years, and their mission is to feed the hungry and assist the needy in Shelby County.
She said that their motto is, “striving to be the hands and heart of Christ in the community.”
In 2022, SCOM estimates that over $300,000 went back into the community in the form of food, utilities, volunteer hours, and other forms of client assistance. Harding says that in 2022 they distributed 2,785 emergency food boxes, feeding 5,309. In that same year, Harding reports they met 4.594 different needs in the community.
Thus far, in 2023, they have distributed 1,207 emergency food boxes, feeding approximately 3,000 people. To date of the meeting, SCOM numbers indicated meeting a total of 1,416 needs in the community.
Harding said during the month of May they fed 30 extra families, and they are averaging 250-300 emergency food boxes going out on a monthly basis.
“We all know children are at home right now during the summer, we also know that the rising cost of inflation is affecting everyone,” said Harding. “We’ve had an opportunity to look into some of the senior citizens that we’re serving, and the majority of our people are living on $600 and less a month.”
Harding described how many of the programs offered by SCOM are a benefit to people in the community, with only nine full-time employees.
“We are honored today that we are proclaiming June as Hunger Awareness Month,” said Harding.
She stated there are different activities to support feeding the hungry which are ongoing during June and including assisting the needy. Some local businesses will have donation jars and containers for food items to be donated.
Anyone interested in making a donation, Shelby County Outreach Ministries is open Monday through Friday from 9am until 4pm and is accepting food items or monetary donations. Shelby County Outreach Ministries is located at 930 Shelbyville Street in Center.
A motion carried to declare June as Hunger Awareness Month.
J.J. Ford, representing Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT), gave a report on recent activities at the Historic 1885 Courthouse, where the DRT are now the courthouse docents.
She stated that during the months of April and May, 2023, the 1885 Courthouse welcomed 56 visitors to the courthouse. The visitor who had traveled the furthest was from England at an estimated distance of 4,839 miles. The second furthest visitor was from Anchorage, Alaska at a distance of 4,155 miles estimated.
Overall, the courthouse had 13 out-of-state visitors from Alaska, Florida, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Missouri, Illinois, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Then there was the one out-of-country visitor from England.
The first group of the visitors were the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce Ambassadors for their meeting on April 19 and the courthouse was their program along with the DRT Traveling Trunk.
The busiest day for visitor traffic at the courthouse not from a singular group was on Friday, May 19 with 14 visitors. There was one social media photographer to visit who highlight the courthouse on their social media account.
The DRT had 10 volunteers donate 159 volunteer hours as Docents of the courthouse and keeping it open to the public.
Event that are scheduled and upcoming include:
- June 23 - CRT Convention at the 1885 Courthouse
- July (date pending) - Rotary Club to Meet at the Courthouse for tour
- August 18-20 - Wedding Booked
- August 25-27 - Wedding Booked
Merle Howard, DRT President, reported if there would be any reason the CRT couldn’t meet upstairs in the courthouse due to air conditioning repairs, there is an alternate option of utilizing the Community House.
Vickie Martin, DRT member, stated it has been an honor to be able to share Shelby County History with visitors and she thanked the Commissioners’ Court for appointing the DRT as Docents for the courthouse.
Commissioner Tom Bellmyer remarked Tom Smeltzer has been working on the sprinkler system at the courthouse and it’s fully operational now.
Shelby County Judge Allison Harbison stated that three years ago iPads were purchased for elections and the county has now received notification the iPads will no longer be supported by Apple, which leaves the county with 33 iPads which are no longer useful for use during elections. The company that originally sold those original iPads to the county for the Elections Administration office has offered the possibility of a three-year lease of iPads.
A motion carried by the commissioners to table the iPads for review of the lease.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:15am.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Pay weekly expenses. 2. Current Payroll. 3. County Treasurer to attend on-line NACO Enterprise CyberSecurity Leadership 12-week course to be paid from General Fund Records Management. 4. Proclamation declaring June as Hunger Awareness Month. 5. Texas Association of Counties Blue Cross Blue Shield group health insurance plan for FY2024. 6. Adjourn at 10:15am. Agenda items tabled during the meeting include: 1. Leasing or purchasing iPad’s for the Election Administration office.
June 20, 2023 - On Saturday June 17 at approximately 2:45pm the Center Fire Department was notified of a fire at the Portacool Manufacturing Plant located at 711 FM 2468.
Center Fire Dept immediately responded and found heavy smoke coming from the structure and a second page was sent out asking for all available help. The fire began to spread quickly and ultimately the main production building was a total loss.
Firefighters worked together for over 8 hours battling this blaze. I would like to thank all of the Shelby County Volunteer Fire Depts along with DeSoto Parish, Nacogdoches, San Augustine, and Carthage Fire Departments for their assistance with manpower and apparatus.
Also thanks to Allegiance EMS, our local law enforcement, and TDEM Liaison Officers. Thank you Center ISD for providing school buses for fire personnel to sit inside to cool down and Feed Trough Cafe and Shelby County Ag Mechanics Foundation for the food and rehab trailer.
To all others whose name I failed to mention; if you were there providing food, drinks and support, thank you very much. Our prayers go out to all of the employees at Portacool.
Keith Byndom
City of Center / Fire Chief
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Voluntary Conservation Notice Effective Tuesday, June 20 from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. CT
June 20, 2023 – The Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) is echoing a notice from the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) asking Texans to voluntarily reduce electricity use, if safe to do so, due to extreme temperatures and forecasted record demand. The Voluntary Conservation Notice is in effect from 4 p.m. – 8 p.m. CT today, Tuesday, June 20.
ERCOT is not experiencing emergency conditions. Voluntary conservation is a widely used industry tool that can help lower demand during a specific period of time, typically late afternoon, and evening.
ERCOT is requesting all government agencies (including city and county offices) to implement all programs to reduce energy use at their facilities.
Today’s Voluntary Conservation Notice is part of ERCOT’s Texas Advisory and Notification System (TXANS), which alerts the public of grid conditions. Last week, ERCOT issued a Weather Watch from June 15 – June 21 due to increased temperature and high demand.
ERCOT and the PUCT are asking Texans to take simple power conservation steps to reduce demand on the grid. The PUCT’s Power to Save website has tips for reducing electricity use in homes and businesses and other energy saving tips are available at TXANS (ercot.com).
On June 19, 2023, ERCOT broke the June peak demand record, unofficially, with 79,304 MW, surpassing the June 2022 record of 76,718 MW. Last summer, ERCOT set 11 new peak demand records. The current all-time record of 80,148 MW was set on July 20, 2022.
ERCOT will continue to use all tools available to manage the grid reliably, including using reserve power, calling upon reductions by large electric customers that have volunteered to lower their energy use, and bringing more generation online sooner.
June 19, 2023 – Portacool, LLC, a global leader in portable evaporative cooling solutions and Evaporative Media Technologies, experienced a serious fire incident at one of its manufacturing facilities in Center, Texas, on June 17, 2023.
We express our gratitude to the local and surrounding area fire departments and emergency responders for their swift action and tireless efforts in containing the fire and ensuring the safety of everyone involved.
Portacool is committed to minimizing the impact on our customers, team members, and the local community. Our dedicated team is working diligently to assess the damage, enact the company’s contingency plans and ensure continuity of operations.
We would like to assure our valued customers and suppliers that we are taking all necessary measures to mitigate any potential disruptions to our production and supply chain. Our experienced team is actively communicating to address their concerns, provide alternative solutions, and minimize any potential delays in fulfilling orders.
Portacool recognizes the importance of our manufacturing plant to the local economy and remains fully committed to the community. We are providing support to our affected team members and their families during this difficult period.
Portacool will continue to provide updates on the situation as more information becomes available.
About Portacool, LLC
Established in 1990, PortacoolTM is a global leader in portable evaporative cooling solutions and Evaporative Media Technologies. Based in Center, Texas, with a distribution facility in Wilmer, Texas, Portacool has revolutionized the cooling industry through innovative product design and media technology, catering to various cooling applications. Portacool and Kuul® evaporative technologies are industry leaders in evaporative cooling. Our portable evaporative coolers have proven highly effective across diverse sectors such as agriculture, horticulture, manufacturing, industrial, business, entertainment, sports, home, and hobby, offering practical and cost-effective cooling alternatives to traditional air conditioning. Backed by an extensive network of distributors spanning 50 U.S. states and 56 countries, Portacool, LLC remains at the forefront of the cooling solutions industry, continually redefining global cooling standards.
June 19, 2023 - Until Saturday, the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department had not had a single call for the week of June 11th through 17th. The call received Saturday evening however, would prove to be more than enough to make up for the week’s lack of call volume. Here’s a description of what transpired.
Saturday at 3:13pm the JVFD was called to aid Center FD with a fire at the Portacool manufacturing plant on FM 2468. Joaquin joined several other departments from Shelby County and surrounding areas that were responding to the call. The tower of smoke rising from the facility could be seen from miles away.
Upon arriving, the Joaquin VFD positioned its apparatus at the back of the plant near the truck bays and ran an attack line into one of the few buildings still standing. Firefighters donned full bunker gear and air packs to go inside to prevent this building from succumbing to the flames.
With the temperature outside being in excess of 100 degrees it did not take long for firefighters to become exhausted and need to take a break to cool down. Thankfully, EMS and good samaritans were on scene to provide water and cooling towels as needed.
At last count there were 35+ apparatus and 80+ personnel on scene to fight this fire. By around 9:00pm most departments that were there for mutual aid were able to pack up their equipment and clear the scene. Joaquin VFD pulled back into their station at about 10:30pm.
Events of this magnitude do not happen often, especially in this area. Fortunately, no one was inside the facility when the fire broke out. The Joaquin VFD sends their thoughts and prayers to all of the people whose lives will be effected as a result of this fire.
With that, this edition of the report will come to a close. The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department hopes everyone has a great and safe week going forward.
Related article:
Firefighters Working to Extinguish Portacool Fire; Statement from Company (Updated)
June 18, 2023 - Josh Tipton, Constable Precinct 5, is seeking the whereabouts of Roderick Grace, 37, who has been missing for three to four weeks.
Grace was possibly last seen in the Timpson area traveling to Garrison or the Nacogdoches area.
He is described as a black male, 6ft tall and 170 lbs, with tear drop tattoos on the left side of his face and two stars going down the right side of his face.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts is encouraged to please contact Constable Tipton at 936-615-8223 or the Center Police Department at 936-598-2788.
June 17, 2023 - (Photo Album) - The Center Fire Department along with the assistance of neighboring fire departments including West Shelby County VFD, Tenaha VFD, Timpson VFD, Shelbyville VFD, Joaquin VFD, Huxley VFD, San Augustine VFD, DeSoto Fire District 1, Carthage FD and Nacogdoches FD have been fighting a fire at the Portacool Plant in Center since not long after 2:45pm. The cause of the fire is unknown at this time as firefighters continue to contain the blaze while protecting nearby buildings and houses.
The Media, Plastic and Shipping building appears to be mostly down and firefighters have continued to work to save the Production building and its contents.
Several members of the community brought ice and water to help keep everyone there and firefighters from overheating.
Shelby County Sheriff's Department Deputies, and Center Police Department have been assisting with traffic control at both ends of FM 2468.
Statement from Portacool:
"Today at approximately 2:45pm, there was a fire that swept through the Portacool manufacturing facility. This is currently being investigated. It has been confirmed that no one was in the plant at the time of the fire.
This article is copied from Shelby County Today without permission.
The safety and well-being of our employees and surrounding neighbors are our top priority. As more information becomes available, we will provide updates.
Please keep the Portacool family in your prayers."
Related article:
- Joaquin VFD Reports on Response to Portacool Fire
- Center FD Reports on Portacool Fire, Offers Thanks for Assistance
- Portacool LLC Manufacturing Employee Information Update
Courtesy photo
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