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April 19, 2022 - It was reported by a family member, on April 16, 2022, at approximately 1:42pm, to the Center Police Department that one Marcus Dewaynn Roberts, a 51-year-old black male, approximately 6’ tall, and approximately 250 pounds, has been missing since April 3, 2022.

Mr. Roberts was last seen by his mother at her residence of 602 Martin Luther Kind Drive. Mr. Roberts was last known to be wearing a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and white shoes, and had been carrying a fishing pole that day.

Mr. Roberts may have been a passenger in a black in color Ford F150, accompanied by a white male and a white female, direction of travel unknown.  The family of Mr. Roberts, along with the Center Police Department are asking for the public’s assistance in locating Mr. Roberts and or any information leading to his whereabouts.

Please contact the Center Police Department at (936) 598-2788, with any information.


Ebenezer Recreation Area

April 19, 2022 - Officials with the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas, Angelina National Forests, have advised two prescribed burn today locations:

Angelina N. F. – Compartments 76 (Clear Creek Rx) and 80 (Ebenezer Rx), Located in the Sandy Creek Recreation Area and Ebenezer Recreation Area, for 2,323 acres, with Helicopter Support, and Winds are predicted from the East/Southeast @ 9-15 MPH.

Please drive with caution. Also, we advised and long range drift SMOKE may affect some of the areas.


Clear Creek Recreation Area

April 18, 2022 - From the severe storms of early last week all the way to Easter Sunday, here’s a list of all the calls the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department responded to in that time.

Starting the night of Tuesday, April 12th to the morning of Wednesday, April 13th the JVFD had 7 recorded calls of trees being down on roads and power lines. Reports of trees down were widespread across the jurisdiction of the JVFD, and much of the clearing was done by breaking up into small teams to more efficiently remove the obstructions.

Also coming in on the morning of April 13th was a call about a car in a ditch off of FM 2428 with the driver unresponsive. The Joaquin VFD secured the scene for Allegiance EMS and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office as they checked out the driver.

Lastly on Thursday, April 14th the JVFD responded to a major two vehicle accident on Highway 84 in front of the local grocery store. The driver of one vehicle was extricated using new battery-powered extrication tools, before being checked out by Allegiance EMS and JVFD Emergency Medical Responders. That driver was later airlifted by LifeAirRescue. Assisting with the extrication was a few members of DeSoto Fire District 1. Traffic on the highway was cut down to two lanes for the duration of the scene. 

All operations by the department were performed in a safe manner. The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department hopes that everyone had a happy Easter and has a great week going forward.

April 16, 2022 - Due to a break in the line, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required the N.E.W. Water Supply Corporation PWS #2030034 to notify all customers in the  Fountain Town and Woodland Acres Commutes 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.

April 15, 2022 - Emergency personnel responded to a major two-vehicle crash at around 6:25pm on Haslam Strip (U.S. Highway 84) at the stop light located in between a dollar store and grocery store on April 14, 2022.

Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department assisted emergency medical services personnel in moving those who were injured to an ambulance.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Jesse Fountain, a black 2005 Ford F-150 Lariat driven by Harrison Ledger, 18, of Joaquin was eastbound on U.S. Highway 84 approaching a traffic signal light.

Ledger traveled through the intersection as the light transitioned to red. At that time a tan 2010 Ford F-150 XLT driven by Catherine Solis, 20, of Joaquin had a green light and exited from the dollar store. The Lariat struck the driver’s side of the XLT causing major damage.

Ledger was transported for possible injuries by private vehicle to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for medical evaluation. 

Solis was flown by helicopter to LSU hospital for treatment of her injuries and her passenger Alberto Solis-Beltran, 56, was transported by ambulance to Nacogdoches Medical Center for treatment of possible injuries.

Ledger was issued a citation for no driver's license and disregard red traffic light signal. Solis will also be issued a citation for no driver's license.

Roy Cheatwood, Constable Precinct 3, and Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies also assisted at the scene.


A large tree (seen above) fell across a bridge on CR 4020 and blocked the roadway.

April 15, 2022 - (Photos Courtesy Timpson VFD) - The Timpson Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) reports having 12 calls during the night of the storm Tuesday night, April 12, 2022.

Fire personnel were out all night to try and keep roadways open and passable as they worked alongside Tom Bellmyer, Commissioner Precinct 4, and Josh Tipton, Constable Precinct 5.

Timpson VFD is accepting applications for volunteers to join and help your community.

A tree fell across CR 4849 blocking both the roadway and a driveway. Fire department personnel removed the tree and make the way passable once again.


CR 4888 was completely blocked by a fallen tree.


Timpson VFD personnel and Constable Precinct 5 Josh Tipton worked together to clear trees from FM 1970.

April 15, 2022 - The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality required the Five Way public water system, 2100008 to issue a Boil Water Notice on 04/08/2022, 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 04/14/2022.

If you have questions concerning this matter, you may contact, Matt Di Verdi at 936-591-4346


April 8, 2022 - Due to a broken water main the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality has required the Five Way Water system, ID# 2100008 to notify customers that were without water 04/08/2022 on Hwy 7 E, airport road, FM 699 and Spur 699 (anyone 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.

April 14, 2022 - Officials with the National Forests and Grasslands in Texas, Angelina and Sabine National Forests, have advised a prescribed burn today location:

Angelina N. F. – Compartments 88/90/92, Located in the Boykins Springs Recreations area, 2,994 acres, All Blocks, with Helicopter Support and Winds are predicted from the East/Northeast at 6-7 MPH.

Please drive with caution. Also, we advised and long range drift SMOKE may affect some of the areas.

April 13, 2022 - The intersection of State Highway 7 East and State Loop (SL) 500 was the scene of a truck-tractor rollover crash Tuesday, April 12, 2022. 

When emergency personnel arrived at the crash scene, a truck-tractor hauling "diesel mud" had come to rest on its passenger side on the southbound shoulder of SL 500.

The contents of the trailer had steadily poured out of the container on the back of the trailer and oozed into a nearby drain pipe and subsequently into a nearby creek.

Emergency medical services personnel came to the aid of the driver of the truck, who was walking and did not appear to have any major injury.

The truck was marked with "CHI, An Omni Environmental Solutions Company" and an operation was conducted by a crew from Gibson's to clean up the spilled contents of the trailer and to upright the vehicle.

Center Fire Department assisted in attempting to prevent the spilled material from continuing its spread from the crash site. Texas Department of Public Safety also assisted at the scene. 

As attempts were made to cleanup the spill, the impending storm hit bringing with it large quantity of rain and wind adding to the cleanup struggle.

Additional details are not yet known from Center Police Department; however this information will be updated as it is made available.

April 13, 2022 - Tornado Watch 120 remains valid until 5pm CDT this afternoon April 13, 2022, for the following areas

In Arkansas this watch includes five counties in southwest Arkansas:

Columbia, Hempstead, Lafayette, Miller, Nevada.

In Louisiana this watch includes three parishes in northwest Louisiana: Bossier, Caddo, Webster.

In Texas this watch includes nine counties in northeast Texas:

Angelina, Cass, Cherokee, Gregg, Harrison, Marion, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk.

This includes the cities of Atlanta, Bossier City, Bradley, Carthage, Henderson, Hope, Hughes Springs, Jacksonville, Jefferson, Lewisville, Linden, Longview, Lufkin, Magnolia, Marshall, Minden, Nacogdoches, Prescott, Queen City, Rusk, Shreveport, Springhill, Stamps, and Texarkana.

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