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December 2, 2020 - Shelby County Today has had reports from citizens of increased scam calls where the caller is claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. The caller is stating that your social security number has been compromised in an attempt of tricking you or bullying you into giving your personal information!
The Inspector General in December 2018 warned the public about fraudulent phone calls threatening arrest or legal action. The article provided advise regarding how to handle a scammer.
Press Release
December 7, 2018 - The Acting Inspector General of Social Security, Gale Stallworth Stone, is urging citizens to remain vigilant of telephone impersonation schemes that exploit the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) reputation and authority.
The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) continues to receive reports from across the country about fraudulent phone calls from people claiming to be from SSA. Recent reports have indicated that unknown callers are using increasingly threatening language in these calls. The callers state, due to improper or illegal activity with a citizen’s Social Security number (SSN) or account, a citizen will be arrested or face other legal action if they fail to call a provided phone number to address the issue. This is a scam; citizens should not engage with these calls or provide any personal information.
SSA employees do contact citizens, generally those who have ongoing business with SSA, by telephone for customer-service purposes. However, SSA employees will never threaten you for information; they will not state that you face potential arrest or other legal action if you fail to provide information. In those cases, the call is fraudulent, and you should just hang up.
“Unfortunately, scammers will try anything to mislead and harm innocent people, including scaring them into thinking that something is wrong with their Social Security account and they might be arrested,” Stone said. “I encourage everyone to remain watchful of these schemes and to alert family members and friends of their prevalence. We will continue to track these scams and warn citizens, so that they can stay several steps ahead of these thieves.”
The OIG recently warned that some of these impersonation calls have “spoofed” SSA’s national customer service phone number, displaying 1-800-772-1213 as the incoming number on caller ID.
The Acting Inspector General urges citizens to be extremely cautious, and to avoid providing information such as your SSN or bank account numbers to unknown persons over the phone or internet unless you are certain of who is receiving it. If you receive a suspicious call from someone alleging to be from SSA, you should report that information to the OIG at 1-800-269-0271 or online at https://oig.ssa.gov/report.
For more information, please visit https://oig.ssa.gov/scam.
December 1, 2020 - Crews will apply a brine mixture to elevated surfaces today in Nacogdoches and Shelby counties ahead of possible freezing temps and expected rain tonight.
Motorists should reduce speed and allow crews to work through these areas. Motorists should stay alert for possible icy patches on rural roads and reduce speed or avoid driving in severe winter weather conditions.
Visit drivetexas.org for a live look at statewide road conditions.
November 30, 2020 - According to the National Weather Service weather forecast, temperatures tonight will be below freezing across the Shelby County area until around 9am Tuesday morning.
- Wrap all exposed pipes located outside or in unheated areas
- Remove garden hoses from outside faucets and insulate outside faucets
- Cover vents around the foundation of your home
- Take care of plants and animals outside
- Check on elderly friends and family to ensure they have proper heating sources
Space heater safety
- Place heaters at least three feet away from anything that can burn
- Locate space heaters out of high traffic areas and doorways where they may pose a tripping hazard
- Plug space heaters directly into a wall outlet. Do not use an extension cord or power strip which could overheat and result in a fire
- Do not plug any other electical devices into the same outlet as the heater
- Place space heaters on level, flat surfaces. Never place heaters on cabinets, tables, furniture, or carpet, which can overheat and start a fire.
November 30, 2020 - On Monday, November 30th at 1:47pm, the National Weather Service, Shreveport, LA, issued a freeze warning in effect from Midnight tonight to 9am CST Tuesday, December 1, 2020.
Expect sub-freezing temperatures as low as 26 degrees for portions of north central and northwest Louisiana, south central and southwest Arkansas and east and northeast Texas. (Includes Shelby County)
Expect sub-freezing temperatures from midnight tonight to 9am CST Tuesday.
Impacts are: frost and freeze conditions will kill crops, other sensitive vegetation and possibly damage unprotected outdoor plumbing.
Precautionary/Preparedness Actions:
Take steps now to protect tender plants from the cold. To prevent freezing and possible bursting of outdoor water pipes they should be wrapped, drained, or allowed to drip slowly. Those that have in-ground sprinkler systems should drain them and cover above-ground pipes to protect them from freezing.
Weather Alert for the areas of Sevier, Howard, Little River, Hempstead, Nevada, Miller, Lafayette, Columbia, Union, Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, De Soto, Red River, Bienville, Jackson, Ouachita, Sabine, Natchitoches, Winn, Grant, Caldwell, La Salle, Bowie, Franklin, Titus, Camp, Morris, Cass, Wood, Upshur, Marion, Smith, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Rusk, Panola, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Angelina, San Augustine which includes the cities of De Queen, Nashville, Mineral Springs, Dierks, Ashdown, Hope, Prescott, Texarkana, Stamps, Lewisville, Bradley, Magnolia, El Dorado, Shreveport, Bossier City, Minden, Springhill, Homer, Haynesville, Ruston, Farmerville, Bernice, Mansfield, Stonewall, Logansport, Coushatta, Martin, Arcadia, Ringgold, Gibsland, Jonesboro, Monroe, Many, Zwolle, Pleasant Hill, Natchitoches, Winnfield, Colfax, Montgomery, Dry Prong, Clarks, Grayson, Columbia, Jena, Midway, Olla, Clarksville, Bogata, Mount Vernon, Mount Pleasant, Pittsburg, Daingerfield, Lone Star, Naples, Omaha, Atlanta, Linden, Hughes Springs, Queen City, Mineola, Winnsboro, Quitman, Hawkins, Gilmer, Big Sandy, Jefferson, Tyler, Longview, Marshall, Jacksonville, Rusk, Henderson, Carthage, Nacogdoches, Center, Lufkin, San Augustine, Hemphill, and Pineland.
November 25, 2020 - Loop 500 just east of U.S. 96 South was the scene of a single-vehicle crash Tuesday, November 24, 2020.
When emergency personnel arrived at the scene of the crash, they located a vehicle which had rolled and come to rest down a hill off the roadway.
According to Center Police Officer Kevin Sage a red 2017 BMW X3 driven by Jamie Jamison, 43, of Center was eastbound on Loop 500 when the vehicle left the roadway to the right. The BMW then traveled over a culvert and rolled twice before coming to rest facing south.
No injuries were reported as a of the crash and no citations were issued at that time.
November 25, 2020 - The Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department was dispatched to a structure fire at the 3000 block of State Highway 147 Saturday, November 21, 2020 at 5:40pm.
Around three miles from the intersection of State Highway 87 was the location of the fire, and when the firemen arrived it was quickly determined a structure was not involved and the fire involved grass and woods only.
However, a heavily wooded area had multiple spots which were on fire around a hunting area.
Fire was extinguished along a driveway leading into the woods and then firemen traveled further into the wooded area to eliminate the remaining hot spots. Once the fires were out the firemen returned to the station at 7pm.
November 24, 2020 - Tenaha Street in Center was the scene of a two-vehicle collision Thursday, November 19, 2020.
When officers arrived at the scene, one vehicle remained in the roadway while the other involved was located in a private parking lot across from Henrietta Street.
According to Center Police Officer Brian Wright, at 3:30pm a white 1998 Ford Ranger driven by Aaron Tello, 21, was southbound on Tenaha Street approaching Henrietta Street when a northbound black 2010 Ford F-150 driven by Georgia Bloodgood, 74, of Center attempted to make a left turn into a private driveway in front of the Ranger.
As a result the two vehicles collided leaving the Ranger in the middle of the roadway with major damage and the F-150 in the intended parking lot driveway, also with damage.
No injuries were reported as a result of the crash incident and no citations were issued at that time.
November 22, 2020 - As of Sunday, November 22, 2020 the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) reports Shelby County now has a cumulative case count of 597 for a total increase of 14 since November 13th. On Saturday, 7 new cases were reported for the largest single day increase since the last report.
November 13th - Cumulative total 583
November 14th - 0 new cases (Cumulative total 583)
November 15th - 3 new cases (Cumulative total 586)
November 16th - 0 new cases (Cumulative total 586)
November 17th - 2 new cases (Cumulative total 588)
November 18th - 0 new cases (Cumulative total 588)
November 19th - 1 new case (Cumulative total 589)
November 20th - 0 new cases (Cumulative total 589)
November 21st - 7 new cases (Cumulative total 596)
November 22nd - 1 new case (Cumulative total 597)
DSHS also reports 4 new deaths for Shelby County due to COVID-19 for a cumulative count of 36.
November 16, 2020 - In October, the Center Police Department put an end to a large scale theft ring involving seven suspects. The bust of the theft ring has returned stolen property to five different families who reported having their storage units burglarized spanning from August to mid-October.
Center Police Department Street Crimes Detectives were able to develop a suspect vehicle by security camera footage which led to an arrest. After the suspect was in custody, they moved in on a residence on College Street in Center on October 22, 2020 where the suspect lived and confiscated a large quantity of stolen property.
Officers loaded property as evidence from the exterior of the house into the back of a pickup truck for transport to the police department.
While that property was transported, the officers went to more locations with one being on Terry Street where more evidence was loaded onto a trailer. Next stop by police officers was to a storage building facility located on Riggs Street accompanied by a resident from the house on College Street. The officers then entered a storage unit the resident had access to and proceeded to remove items as evidence, meanwhile leaving property which belonged to the resident in the storage unit.
The officers loaded the majority of the content of the storage unit on to the trailer, filling it, and then placed additional property in the back of a pickup truck for transport to the police department.
According to Center Police Department Detective Andrew Williams, four of the suspects arrested in connection to the thefts are Alisha West, 33 of Center; Angel Carrillo-Olivia, 22 of Nacogdoches; Salvador Loza-Hernandez, 21 of Center; and Ariel Hernandez Corpus, 29 of Sabinas.
Alisha West, Angel Carrillo-Olivia, and Salvador Loza-Hernandez were all charged with Burglary of a Building. Ariel Hernandez Corpus was charged with Burglary of a Habitation. Angel Carrillo-Olivia, Salvador Loza-Hernandez, and Ariel Hernandez Corpus all have a hold for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Charges are pending on additional suspects at this time.
Since August, stolen items included guns, tools, welding machines, lawn mowers, dishes, cookware, furniture, appliances, baby items, and many other various household items.
The case is ongoing and additional charges are anticipated.
In addition to the recovery of property on College Street, the Center Fire Department responded to a structure fire at the same location on November 4, 2020. To view the story on the fire - Center FD Fights House Fire on College Street.
November 16, 2020 - Shelby County Office of Emergency Management is reminding everyone to continue safe practices to help slow the spread of COVID 19. The upcoming holidays will lead to more activities, traveling, and gatherings. Plus the recent increase in active cases and hospitalizations throughout the state and country makes it all the more important to adhere to all the recommendations by health authorities.
While the active “lab confirmed” cases in Shelby County are relatively low at this point, Texas Dept. of State Health Services has recently begun reporting the number of “probable” cases to us. These probable cases include positive test results from the antigen tests that provide results to the patient in approximately 15 minutes. These tests are performed by health care providers and are done with a nasal swab similar to the lab confirmed tests. Health care providers are then required to report the antigen test results to DSHS and DSHS then reports the numbers of positive antigen test results to the Shelby CO Office of Emergency Management once a week.
Currently, according to the reporting to us by DSHS, there are 29 active lab confirmed cases in Shelby Co along with 25 probable cases bringing the total of Shelby County cases to 54.
Please remember to follow these recommendations by the CDC to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus:
- Cover your mouth and nose with a mask while around others
- Stay home if you are sick
- Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough and throw away tissue after use
- Avoid large crowds or gatherings
- Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer
- Clean and disinfect surfaces often
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