Shelby County Today

April 30, 2021 - Center Police Department was dispatched to a two-vehicle crash on Tenaha Street Monday, April 26, 2021.

The crash occurred just before the intersection with Hudson Street at around 8:30pm. 

When officers arrived, a white 2007 Ford Edge had come to rest in some bushes and a white 2008 GMC Acadia was facing out from a private driveway.

According to Center Police Officer Maegan Wright, a white 2007 Ford Edge driven by Bradley Porter, 29, was northbound on Tenaha Street. As the Ford approached a private driveway, a white 2008 GMC Acadia driven by Corbin Odom, 18, entered Tenaha Street in front of the Ford and caused the vehicles to collide.

Maggie Vaughn, 30, a passenger in the Ford was transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for possible treatment.

Odom was not reported to have been injured, a 17-year-old and 16-year-old passenger were both in the GMC and the 17-year-old was taken by private vehicle to a medical facility.

Odom was issued a citation for failure to yield right of way and Porter and Vaughn were each issued citations for open container.

April 30, 2021 - U.S. Highway 59 at the intersection with U.S. Highway 84 was the scene of a major two-vehicle crash in Timpson on Monday, April 26, 2021 at 5:50pm. 

Emergency personnel with Timpson Volunteer Fire Department, Volunteer Ambulance Service and Shelby County Sheriff's Department were dispatched to the scene.

Upon arrival a white 2018 Acura RDX was located on the southbound median and a black 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport was also in the inside southbound lane on a curb.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Brent Murray, the white Acura RDX driven by Ann Youngblood Tomlin, 75, of Center was eastbound on U.S. Highway 84. At that time a black 2016 Land Rover Discovery Sport was southbound on U.S. 59. 

The Acura failed to yield right of way at a stop sign to the Land Rover which then struck the Acura.

Tomlin was transported from the scene by Timpson Volunteer Ambulance Service to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department. Her passenger Gracie Lynn Clifton, 20, was taken to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital by private vehicle.

A citation was issued to Tomlin for disregard stop sign.

TVFD diverted traffic around the crash location until both vehicles were cleared.

April 28, 2021 – Texas A&M Forest Service law enforcement investigators arrested Jacob Twomey of Panola County on Monday, April 26, on a grand jury indictment. Twomey was charged with Timber Purchase as Trustee with Intent to Defraud an amount greater than $500, but less than $20,000 – a state jail felony.

The plaintiff of this case is a landowner who came into an agreement with Twomey on July 31, 2020, to harvest timber for a fixed rate per ton. While payments were made at first, about halfway through the harvesting period Twomey stopped making his payments while continuing to harvest the landowner’s timber.

“The plaintiff was partially paid for his timber,” said Mike Kuhnert, an investigator for the Texas A&M Forest Service Law Enforcement Department. “But after payments stopped, he continued to cut. By the end of the harvest, the money had still not been received.”

Investigator Kuhnert first received the complaint on November 2, 2020. The suspect was then conducting business as One Up Services, an LLC based out of Tenaha, Texas, which is owned and operated by Twomey.

“Multiple opportunities were given to compensate the landowner in full, because that is our ultimate goal,” said Kuhnert. “When no resolution was reached, the case was submitted to a grand jury and received a grand jury indictment.”

Landowners who have entered into agreements with timber harvesting companies have the protection of the law under the Texas Natural Resources Code. Texas A&M Forest Service law enforcement investigators are subject matter experts regarding this code, and the natural resources code states that money collected from timber is trust money. If a trustee fails to pay all beneficiaries for the timber within 45 days of the timber being sold, that person has committed the offense of timber fraud.

“Timber Theft is a growing crime in Panola County, and my office will prosecute these crimes as they occur,” said Danny Buck Davidson, Criminal District Attorney. “I appreciate the Texas A&M Forest Service Law Enforcement Department in assisting our landowners with protecting their timber assets.” 

To report suspected timber theft activities, call the timber theft hotline at 1-800-364-3470, and for more information, visit https://tfsweb.tamu.edu/lawenforcement/reporttimbertheft/

April 27, 2021 - Tenaha ISD breakfast and lunch menus for May 2021. Click each below to view the menu.

• Elementary and Junior High
• High School