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May 5, 2022 - With heavy rains and flooding reported across the region, it’s important to keep these five safety tips in mind:
1. Saturated soils and gusty winds can bring down trees and potentially power lines, causing major safety hazards. Treat all downed power lines as energized and dangerous! Stay away and keep kids and pets away. Report the hazard immediately to SWEPCO by calling 1-888-218-3919 or call 911.
2. Do not touch water or anything in contact with water when a downed power line is nearby.
3. Don’t go into any room or basement if water is covering appliance cords that are plugged in or if water has reached wall outlets.
4. Do not walk through moving water. Six inches of moving water can knock over an adult.
5. Do not drive into flooded areas. A foot of water will float many vehicles. Two feet of rushing water can carry away cars, SUVs, and pickup trucks.
SWEPCO customers can report power outages by:
- Visiting SWEPCO.com
- Through SWEPCO’s mobile app, which is available in the App Store and Google Play
- Calling 1-888-216-3523.
For updates on outages, customers can sign up for text alerts at SWEPCO.com/Alerts or check SWEPCO.com/OutageMap.
In cases where power goes out during storms, wet conditions can also make it difficult for heavy equipment to go off road when restoring power, causing the need for specialized off-road equipment that may slow the restoration process.
May 5, 2022 - The Center Police Department has issued a statement regarding the shooting incident from and suspect in their case.
According to the press release, Center Police Department received a 911 call on May 3, 2022, at approximately 11:58pm in reference to a person being shot at Portacool Park.
Upon arrival, Officers observed a vehicle attempting to leave the scene at which time the person was detained by officers. Officers were then approached by a second person asking for help for his friend that had been shot.
Officers observed the victim sitting in the driver's seat of his vehicle with an apparent gunshot wound. Allegiance EMS then arrived on scene and transported the victim to Shelby E.R. and was then life-flighted to LSU in Shreveport. The victim was identified as Kelton Tremaine Jones, 22, of Center. The suspect was identified as Reggie Lamar Daniels, 22, of Center. The third person was interviewed and released a short time later.
Reggie Daniels has been charged with aggravated assault with a Deadly Weapon (F2) and is currently being held in the Shelby County Jail on a $500,000 Bond.
May 4, 2022 - Center Police Department (CPD) officers responded to Portacool Park just behind city hall for a shooting incident at just after 12am on Wednesday, May 4, 2022.
Officers quickly arrived at the scene on Child's Street at the intersection of Malone Street and received additional support from Shelby County Sheriff's Department deputies. Officers assisted emergency services personnel moving a man from a white 2013 Mazda to an ambulance.
The ambulance then transported the man to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for further treatment and possible further transport.
Two other individuals were detained by CPD officer at the scene of the incident. The area of the parking lot where the incident occurred was cordoned off by Sheriff's Deputies. Located within the area was the Mazda and a white 2005 GMC Sierra. Officers held the scene in anticipation of detectives to investigate further.
(Update): According to the Shelby County Sheriff's Department Jail log Reggie Lamar Daniels, 22, of Center was arrested on May 4, 2022, and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felony 2.
Additional details will be updated once they are available.
May 5, 2022 - Tornado Watch 181 is in effect until 6pm CDT for the following locations.
Texas counties included are:
Anderson, Angelina, Bastrop, Bell, Blanco, Bowie, Brazos, Burleson, Burnet, Camp, Cass, Cherokee, Coryell, Ellis, Falls, Fayette, Franklin, Freestone, Gillespie, Gregg, Grimes, Harrison, Hays, Henderson, Hill, Hopkins, Houston, Kaufman, Lampasas, Lee, Leon, Limestone, Llano, Madison, Marion, Mclennan, Milam, Morris, Nacogdoches, Navarro, Panola, Rains, Robertson, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Smith, Titus, Travis, Trinity, Upshur, Van Zandt, Walker, Washington, Williamson, and Wood.
May 3, 2022 - H-E-B is voluntarily issuing a recall for H-E-B Bakery Two Bite Brownies (12 oz) and H-E-B Simply Delicious Cookies with Brownie Bites Party Trays for potential metal fragments in product. The potentially affected products were manufactured by an outside supplier and distributed only to H-E-B and Joe V’s Smart Shop stores in Texas and Mexico.
All products related to this recall have been removed from store shelves. H-E-B made the decision to issue a recall upon investigation of two consumer complaints. As soon as we confirm that the product meets our high quality and safety standards, H-E-B will have the products back on shelves.
The voluntary recall impacts the following products:
Customers who purchased the items should stop eating the product and can return it to the store for a full refund. Customers with any questions or concerns may contact H-E-B Customer Service at 1-855-432-4438 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Central Standard Time.
May 3, 2022 - The month of April 2022 had 16 days of 80 degrees and above temperatures and only 1 day with the low being in the 30s.
The weather data for Center, Texas during the month of April 2022 is as follows:
Hottest temperature day - 87.4 on April 16
Lowest temperature day - 37.2 on April 9
Total rain fall for the month - 7.70 inches
Number of days with rain - 7 days
04/01/2022 - Low of 40.8, High of 71.6
04/02/2022 - Low of 48.0, High of 80.4, Rain 0.01
04/03/2022 - Low of 49.1, High of 73.1
04/04/2022 - Low of 53.8, High of 81.5, Rain 0.08
04/05/2022 - Low of 60.6, High of 86.5, Rain 1.03
04/06/2022 - Low of 55.0, High of 78.8
04/07/2022 - Low of 46.2, High of 72.3
04/08/2022 - Low of 44.1, High of 69.3
04/09/2022 - Low of 37.2, High of 81.3
04/10/2022 - Low of 59.7, High of 83.1
04/11/2022 - Low of 64.4, High of 87.3, Rain 0.23
04/12/2022 - Low of 60.1, High of 79.2, Rain 2.91
04/13/2022 - Low of 54.7, High of 77.7, Rain 2.24
04/14/2022 - Low of 50.9, High of 76.6
04/15/2022 - Low of 53.4, High of 77.9
04/16/2022 - Low of 71.8, High of 87.4
04/17/2022 - Low of 62.8, High of 86.4
04/18/2022 - Low of 55.8, High of 72.5
04/19/2022 - Low of 48.7, High of 72.3
04/20/2022 - Low of 57.7, High of 81.0
04/21/2022 - Low of 66.9, High of 82.8
04/22/2022 - Low of 63.0, High of 83.7
04/23/2022 - Low of 66.2, High of 84.0
04/24/2022 - Low of 68.9, High of 87.3
04/25/2022 - Low of 61.3, High of 72.9, Rain 1.20
04/26/2022 - Low of 54.0, High of 74.3
04/27/2022 - Low of 48.4, High of 77.7
04/28/2022 - Low of 52.3, High of 82.9
04/29/2022 - Low of 59.0, High of 85.5
04/30/2022 - Low of 68.0, High of 86.5
May 3, 2022 - The water on San Augustine Rural WSC no longer requires boiling.
On April 29, 2022, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality required the San Augustine Rural Public Water System, #2030007, 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.
San Augustine Rural Water 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 May 3, 2022.
If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact the office: 220 West Columbia Street, San Augustine, Texas. 936-288-0489 or Charles Sharp 936-201-5001.
Thank you for your patience and cooperation.
If a customer, individual or employee wishes to contact the executive director, please call (512)239-4691.
Effective April 29, 2022 Until further notice
April 30, 2022 - Due to a break in the line, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required San Augustine Rural Public Water System PWS #2030007 to notify Customers on FM 353, Hwy 21 E and Sunrise Community 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.
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 San Augustine Rural Water System at 220 W. Columbia Street, San Augustine, Texas, 75972, or call 936-288-0489
or Charles Sharp at 936-201-5001.
(Photos from April 15 crash on April 15.)
May 3, 2022 - The Timpson Volunteer Fire Department has reported its list of calls for the month of April 2022.
This list includes:
- 4 down power line calls
- 1 woods fire call
- 7 trees down calls
- 1 brush/grass fire call
- 1 smoke scare call
- 2 crashes without injury
Timpson Volunteer Fire Department would also like to extend a "thank you" to the Tenaha Volunteer Fire Department and Center Fire Department for their assistance on a wild land fire.
Also Timpson Volunteer Fire Department will be having their regular business meeting tomorrow night Tuesday, April 3, at 6pm if anyone would like to get an application to join the department and visit with them.
May 2, 2022 - During week of April 25th to May 1st the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department responded to one call. Despite being the sole call for the week it had all the excitement necessary to make up for it.
On Monday, April 25th, the JVFD was dispatched to a disposal well on fire on FM 139. One of the tanks on the site had been struck by lightning and sparked what seemed to be a minor fire. The Joaquin VFD responded to the call with help from DeSoto Fire District 1, and attempted to put foam on the burning tanks.
A representative of the site warned everyone that one of the tanks was about to explode, and with little time to react everyone on the site moved back as far as possible. Moments later the tank exploded and flew several feet into the air and landed on power lines in the nearby pasture. At this point any chance of extinguishing the fire was gone and members of the JVFD and DFD1 set up a perimeter outside the site. A second tank also exploded but it was not clear if it also went airborne or not.
From their safe distance the first responders utilized a drone provided by Precinct 3 Constable Roy Cheatwood to measure the temperature of the third and final burning tank. Once it was determined that the tank was under the minimum explosive temperature it was decided that the worst of the danger had passed. A few members of the JVFD stood by for a few more hours before clearing the scene to ensure the fire did not get out of control again.
This fire went from under control to out-of-hand very quickly and the JVFD is beyond thankful that no one was harmed in the process. With that, the Joaquin VFD hopes everyone has a safe and fire-free week going forward.
(Photo courtesy Joaquin VFD)
April 30, 2022 - Emergency personnel responded to a saltwater well disposal site off FM 139 Monday, April 25, 2022, where a fire had ignited during inclement weather conditions.
Officials with the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) as well as Constable Precinct 3, Texas Department of Public Safety, Shelby County Sheriff's Department and DeSoto Fire District 1 fire personnel all were at the location after the fire was reported.
(Photo courtesy Joaquin VFD)
While fire personnel sprayed water onto the tanks which were in flames when they arrived at the site, and the circumstances quickly became more dire as additional tanks caught on fire. One tank on the site erupted into the air and landed in a nearby field. Law enforcement shut down traffic on FM 139 to prevent any risk to travelers on the roadway.
Fire personnel gave greater clearance at that time to the tanks that were in flames and to the entire site.
Power utilities were disconnected by Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative personnel and the tanks eventually burned to a point where they cooled down. Joaquin VFD personnel utilized a drone supplied by Roy Cheatwood, Constable Precinct 3, to implement its infrared software and determine the hot spots on the location.
No injuries were reported as a result of the incident and the Joaquin VFD confirmed the fire was believed to have started due to lightning strike. Additional details may be reported when they are made available.
April 29, 2022 – Three brothers and another man, all from Carthage, have been sentenced to federal prison for drug trafficking violations in the Eastern District of Texas, announced U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston today.
Lavara Geray Hinton, 39, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2021; Perry Cornelius Hinton, 42, pleaded guilty on May 6, 2021; Alex Christopher Hinton, 41, pleaded guilty on May 19, 2021; and David Wayne Anderson, 41, pleaded guilty on July 22, 2021--all to conspiring to distribute methamphetamine. Lavara Hinton was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, Perry Hinton was sentenced to 64 months in federal prison, Alex Hinton was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison, and David Anderson was sentenced to 120 months in federal prison today by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker.
According to information presented in court, the Hinton brothers, Anderson, and other co-conspirators purchased bulk methamphetamine from various suppliers and distributed it to mid-level dealers and retail customers in the Panola County area. Lavara Hinton would accept firearms in trade for methamphetamine and would later sell the firearms. Lavara Hinton sold more than 600 grams of pure methamphetamine and 33 firearms to confidential informants working with law enforcement. Perry and Alex Hinton assisted Lavara Hinton by coordinating bulk methamphetamine purchases from their suppliers and also sold methamphetamine to their own customer bases. Anderson purchased methamphetamine from Lavara Hinton for personal use and for further distribution to his own customers.
The Hinton brothers, Anderson, and two others whose cases remain pending were indicted by a federal grand jury on Sep. 17, 2020, and charged with federal drug trafficking and firearms violations.
This effort is part of an Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force (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 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Panola County Sheriff's Office, the Gregg County Sheriff's Office, and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney D. Ryan Locker.
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