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January 21, 2026 - The Shelby County Commissioners have lifted the burn ban on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, that was put in place on January 1, 2026.
it was agreed that if necessary, Judge Allison Harbison can put the ban back in place at any time.
Residents are encouraged to use caution when burning.
January 21, 2026 - The 273rd Judicial District Court that grand jury scheduled for Monday, January 26, 2026, has been cancelled due to inclement weather.
New summons will be reissued by mail.
Thank you,
Dee Dee Green
District Clerk
Shelby County, Texas
January 20, 2026 - The Lufkin District of the Texas Department of Transportation will begin pre-treating roadway surfaces and bridges ahead of anticipated winter weather that could impact travel conditions.
Due to forecasted rain, maintenance crews will begin applying a brine solution to prevent the build-up of ice on state-operated roads as weather permits Wednesday morning, and will step up operations throughout Wednesday night and the rest of the week.
Road treatments will continue while below-freezing temperatures and inclement weather present dangerous road conditions.
Current forecasts call for possible wintry precipitation from Thursday night into Monday morning across the state.
Motor graders and brine-filled tanker trucks are staged throughout the district's nine counties, and additional equipment is available to be deployed if necessary.
Motorists are encouraged not to drive if hazardous conditions exist. More information on the status of roads can be found at DriveTexas.org.
January 20, 2026 - Winter storm watch in effect from Friday morning through Sunday morning for the following areas:
Sevier, Howard, Little River, Hempstead, Nevada, Miller, Lafayette, Columbia, Union, Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, Union, De Soto, Red River, Bienville, Jackson, Ouachita, Sabine, Natchitoches, Winn, Grant, Caldwell, La Salle, McCurtain, Red River, Bowie, Franklin, Titus, Camp, Morris, Cass, Wood, Upshur, Marion, Smith, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Rusk, Panola, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Angelina, San Augustine, Sabine
Including the cities of Jonesboro, Tyler, Natchitoches, Hope, Haynesville, Hawkins, Many, Mount Vernon, Columbia, Logansport, Carthage, Longview, Bossier City, Farmerville, Mineola, Jena, Nacogdoches, Olla, Lufkin, Linden, Magnolia, Ringgold, Lone Star, Montgomery, Pineland, Monroe, Bernice, Winnfield, Ashdown, Homer, Midway, Clarksville, Naples, De Queen, Gilmer, Jefferson, Zwolle, Ruston, Grayson, Bradley, Hemphill, Martin, Arcadia, Quitman, Jacksonville, Mansfield, Pleasant Hill, Coushatta, Springhill, Winnsboro, Center, Atlanta, Big Sandy, San Augustine, Rusk, Pittsburg, Colfax, Mount Pleasant, Omaha, Queen City, Hughes Springs, Clarks, Prescott, Idabel, Stamps, El Dorado, Mineral Springs, Marshall, Broken Bow, Henderson, Shreveport, Minden, Texarkana, Daingerfield, Dry Prong, Stonewall, Bogata, Nashville, Lewisville, Dierks, and Gibsland 124 PM CST Tue Jan 20 2026* What: Heavy accumulations of mixed wintry precipitation are likely across the entire area.
- Where: Portions of south central and southwest Arkansas, north central and northwest Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, and east and northeast Texas.
- When: From Friday morning through Sunday morning.
- Impacts: Expect power outages and tree damage due to the ice. Travel could be limited to near impossible in certain areas. Hazardous conditions could impact all commutes into Monday after precipitation has ended due to refreezing ice on roadways.
Precautionary/Preparedness Actions: Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.
Persons should consider delaying all travel in this time period. If travel is absolutely necessary, drive with extreme caution. Consider taking a winter storm kit along with you, including such items as tire chains, booster cables, flashlight, shovel, blankets and extra clothing. Also take water, a first aid kit, and anything else that would help you survive in case you become stranded.
January 19, 2026 - Emergency personnel with the Center Police Department responded to a two-vehicle crash at the intersection of Hurst and Nacogdoches Streets on Saturday, January 17, 2026.
When the officers arrived around 9:20am, a pickup truck and passenger car remained blocking the middle of the roadway on the north and southbound side.
According to the Center Police Department, a black 2022 GMC Sierra 1500 driven by Jose Valdez Hernandez, 21, of Center was southbound on Hurst Street and was stopped at the red light.
A red 2025 Honda Accord driven by Johnathan Melton, 47, of Center was northbound in the middle lane of Hurst Street and failed to maintain a single lane and striking the GMC.
No injuries were reported to have resulted from the crash. No citations were issued and both vehicles were towed from the scene.
January 18, 2026 - Two more suspects have been arrested for the murder of JaMichael Phillips, who was killed September 13, 2025, after being shot in the back of the head.
The arrest of the most recent two individuals brings the total suspects arrested thus far to six. The suspects are alleged to have fired on Phillips through his bedroom window as he attempted to flee.
Thomas Gardner
Thomas Gardner, 26, of Center was arrested on Saturday, January 18, 2026, by Center Police Officers and was booked into the Shelby County Jail on the charge of capital murder, felony 1. His bond is set at $1,000,000.
Michael Jones
Michael Jones, 33, of Center was arrested on January 6, 2026, by Center Police Department and he was charged with capital murder, felony 1; and tamper/fabricate physical evidence with intent to impair, felony 2. Each of his charges have had a bond of $1,000,000 set.
Those previously arrested and charged in the death of Phillips include Alijah Ja'von Nicholson, Colby Lister, Deterion Alexander, and Rico Rose.
Related article:
Fourth Suspect in Custody for Shooting Incident on CR 2235 (Update)
January 17, 2026 - Effective January 17, 2026 Until further notice
Due to electrical issues at the plant, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required the N.E.W. Water Supply Corporation PWS # 2030034 to notify all customers on FM 711, CR 202, CR 203, CR 205, CR 223, Harmony, Fountain Town, Kellyville and Woodland Acres Communities to boil their water prior to consumption (eg., 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 the 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 N.E.W. Water Supply Corporation at 220 W. Columbia Street, San Augustine, Texas, 75972, or call 936-288-0489 or Charles Sharp at 936-201-5001.
January 16, 2026 - Due to a loss of pressure from a broken main, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the Choice Water system, ID# 2100005 to notify all customers that were without water January 15, 2026 on HWY 96S, FM 417, FM 2140, all dirt roads leading off the main roads(everyone without water) 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 Matt Di Verdi 936-591-4346
January 15, 2026 - Construction Notice: Railroad Avenue will be closed to traffic on the blocks between Louisiana Street and Shelbyville Street beginning January 19 for road construction.
Please be sure to remove all vehicles from the street.
January 15, 2026 - The May Uniform Election Day for local non-county political subdivisions such as cities and schools is Saturday, May 2, 2026.
Upcoming calendar dates to note are listed below for candidates and voters.
Candidates:
- Wednesday, January 14 - First day to file for a place on the general election ballot.
- Friday, February 13 - Last day to file for a place on the general election ballot (5pm).
- Tuesday, February 17 - Last day to file a declaration of write-in candidacy.
Voters:
- Monday, April 2 - The last day to register to vote in the cities and schools elections. Visit votetexas.gov to register and for more information.
- Monday, April 20 - First day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance.
- Tuesday, April 28 - Last day of Early Voting by Personal Appearance.
- Saturday, May 2 - Election Day
Ballot by Mail
- First day to apply for a ballot by mail using Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM) or Federal Postcard Application (FPCA) is Thursday, January 1, 2026.
- Last Day to Apply for Ballot by Mail (Received, not Postmarked) is Monday, April 20, 2026.
- More information about Voting by Mail: https://www.votetexas.gov/voting-by-mail/index.html
- More information and how to file an Application for a Ballot by Mail (ABBM): https://www.votetexas.gov/voting-by-mail/application-for-ballot-by-mail.html
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