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October 14, 2025 - The upcoming November 4, 2025 Ballot Language for the Constitutional Amendment Election. Early voting starts October 20, 2025.
Proposition 1 - SJR 59
"The constitutional amendment providing for the creation of the permanent technical institution infrastructure fund and the available workforce education fund to support the capital needs of educational programs offered by the Texas State Technical College System."
Proposition 2 - SJR 18
"The constitutional amendment prohibiting the imposition of a tax on the realized or unrealized capital gains of an individual, family, estate, or trust."
Proposition 3 - SJR 5
"The constitutional amendment requiring the denial of bail under certain circumstances to persons accused of certain offenses punishable as a felony."
Proposition 4 - HJR 7
"The constitutional amendment to dedicate a portion of the revenue derived from state sales and use taxes to the Texas water fund and to provide for the allocation and use of that revenue."
Proposition 5 - HJR 99
"The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation tangible personal property consisting of animal feed held by the owner of the property for sale at retail."
Proposition 6 - HJR 4
"The constitutional amendment prohibiting the legislature from enacting a law imposing an occupation tax on certain entities that enter into transactions conveying securities or imposing a tax on certain securities transactions."
Proposition 7 - HJR 133
"The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of all or part of the market value of the residence homestead of the surviving spouse of a veteran who died as a result of a condition or disease that is presumed under federal law to have been service-connected."
Proposition 8 - HJR 2
"The constitutional amendment to prohibit the legislature from imposing death taxes applicable to a decedent's property or the transfer of an estate, inheritance, legacy, succession, or gift."
Proposition 9 - HJR 1
"The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation a portion of the market value of tangible personal property a person owns that is held or used for the production of income."
Proposition 10 - SJR 84
"The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for a temporary exemption from ad valorem taxation of the appraised value of an improvement to a residence homestead that is completely destroyed by a fire."
Proposition 11 - SJR 85
"The constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to increase the amount of the exemption from ad valorem taxation by a school district of the market value of the residence homestead of a person who is elderly or disabled."
Proposition 12 - SJR 27
"The constitutional amendment regarding the membership of the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, the membership of the tribunal to review the commission's recommendations, and the authority of the commission, the tribunal, and the Texas Supreme Court to more effectively sanction judges and justices for judicial misconduct."
Proposition 13 - SJR 2
"The constitutional amendment to increase the amount of the exemption of residence homesteads from ad valorem taxation by a school district from $100,000 to $140,000."
Proposition 14 - SJR 3
"The constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Fund to provide money for research on and prevention and treatment of dementia, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and related disorders in this state, and transferring to that fund $3 billion from state general revenue."
Proposition 15 - SJR 34
"The constitutional amendment affirming that parents are the primary decision makers for their children."
Proposition 16 - SJR 37
"The constitutional amendment clarifying that a voter must be a United States citizen."
Proposition 17 - HJR 34
"The constitutional amendment to authorize the legislature to provide for an exemption from ad valorem taxation of the amount of the market value of real property located in a county that borders the United Mexican States that arises from the installation or construction on the property of border security infrastructure and related improvements."
November 1, 2025 - Commissioner Stevie Smith reports repairs to CR 3267 have been completed and the roadway is now open to traffic.
October 29, 2025 - Stevie Smith, Commissioner Precinct 3, has announced that CR 3267 will be closing Thursday morning, October 30, 2025.
Once materials are on site, which is projected to be completed October 29, a one mile stretch of CR 3267 will be closed from just north of the intersection of CR 3280 to the intersection of CR 3286.
Commissioner Smith stated Momentum Pipeline damaged the road when they moved in with heavy loads. He said the commissioner crew stripped back the roadway and put down heavy load plates as a temporary fix, but the road is now at risk of being damaged again.
Commissioner Smith explained that no one lives in the immediate area of the project, which is expected to start in the morning and remain closed until the job is finished.
October 31, 2025 - Center Police Department confirms the discovery of the body of a male invividual that was on fire early Friday, October 31, 2025.
According to the Center Police Department, a 911 call was received at 6:14am regarding a down person on fire at a residence on the 500 block of Nobles Street in Center.
When patrol officers arrived at the scene, they observed the body of a deceased male.
Center Police Department Criminal Investigation Division was able to identify the deceased individual as Stacy Ruth, 55, of Center.
Ruth was transported to Dallas for autopsy.
Center PD Investigators are currently working this incident as an active criminal investigation.
October 31, 2025 - Nancy Adams, Elections Administrator for Shelby County, submitted an extra polling location notice to the Pricinct 5 voters. "Notice is hereby given to the registered voters of Precinct 5 that the First Methodist Church in Joaquin will no longer be used as a polling location. Precinct 5 voters will vote at the Word of Faith Outreach Fellowship Hall, located at 12413 US Hwy 84 E in Joaquin. This includes the November 4, 2025 Special Election."
The Word of Faith Outreach Fellowship Hall is the location listed on the official Notice of Special Election for Proposed Constitutional Amendments by 89th Legislature. This notice is to make sure Joaquin Precinct 5 voters are aware of the polling location change from previous elections.
October 14, 2025 - Early voting by personal appearance will be conducted beginning on Monday, October 20, 2025, and ending on Friday, October 31, 2025, at the main Early Voting location: Center Community House, 423 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas. Hours of operation will be Monday through Saturday 8am - 5pm with extended hours on Thursday, October 30, through Friday, October 31, 7am - 7pm.
La votación adelantada en persona se Ilevará a cabo a partir del lunes 20 de octubre de 2025 y finalizará el viernes 31 de octubre de 2025 en sitio principal de votación adelantada: Centro Casa Comunitaria, 423 San Augustine Street, Centro. El horario de atención será de lunes a sábado de 8:00 a.m. a 5:00 p.m. con horario extendido del jueves 30 de octubre al viernes 31 de octubre de 7:00 a.m. a 7:00 p.m.
October 30, 2025 - A Center man has apparently shot himself with a firearm as deputies were attempting to serve an arrest warrant on him Wednesday night, October 29, 2025.
Deputies were on the 900 block of FM 138 just outside of Center and before the officers could make visual contact with the individual they heard gunfire.
Karren Price, Shelby County District Attorney, has confirmed the shooting incident and that deputies were serving a warrant on Kerry Dale Hite, 65, of Center.
"They went to arrest him and they never even made visual contact with him. When he heard who was at the door he shot himself,” said Price.
EMS transported Hite from the scene with serious injuries and he was later life-flighted by helicopter to LSU Hospital in Shreveport.
Price explained that standard protocols have been followed in this incident involving officers, and the Texas Rangers were called in to conduct an investigation of the incident.
October 29, 2025 - The Shelby County Commissioners decided to lift the burn ban on Thursday morning, October 30 at 8am during their meeting Wednesday, October 29, 2025.
This decision was made with continued promise of strong winds on Wednesday. (Wind Advisory Issued from Tuesday 10pm to Wednesday 7pm)
Roscoe McSwain, Commissioner Precinct 1, moved to lift the burn ban effective Thursday morning at 8am and Shannon Metcalf, Commissioner Precinct 2, seconded the motion.
Those who burn are encouraged to continue to be extremely careful and be aware they can still be liable for damage to others property should their fire get out of control and cause damage.
Related Article: County Issued Declaration of Disaster Order Prohibiting Outdoor Burning
October 28, 2025 - Tornado Watch 634 is in effect until 10pm CDT for the following locations:
Texas counties included are Angelina, Chambers, Hardin, Harrison, Jasper, Jefferson, Liberty, Nacogdoches, Newton, Orange, Panola, Polk, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine, Shelby, Tyler.
October 28, 2025 - A Wind Advisory was issued October 28 at 12:03pm until October 29 at 7pm by National Weather Service, Shreveport LA.
Northwest winds 15 to 25 mph with gusts up to 40 mph are expected for portions of south central and southwest Arkansas, north central and northwest Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, and east and northeast Texas.
The Wind Advisory is from 10pm this evening to 7pm Wednesday.
Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.
Instructions: Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles. Use extra caution. Secure outdoor objects.
A large number of law enforcement officers from multiple agencies moved quickly to the location of the shooting incident on FM 147 to come to the aid of those involved.
October 28, 2025 - A Shelbyville man has been arrested following a shooting incident that took place in the Shelbyville area on FM 147 on October 27, 2025.
The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department has confirmed the incident and what is alleged to have occurred. Dispatch received a 911 call at 11am from a man who had allegedly shot someone in the shoulder and he informed that he had the firearm.
Donald Land
Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers, Texas Game Wardens, Shelby County Constables, and Shelby County Sheriff’s Department deputies all responded to the scene. The alleged shooter, who was the caller, told the Sheriff’s Office that he would be waiting at the intersection of FM 147 and State Highway 87 for law enforcement to arrive.
Several responding units stopped with the alleged shooter, and other units continued on to the 400 block of FM 147 to locate the alleged victim. Once on the scene of the alleged shooting, it was determined no one had actually been shot.
Previous to the alleged shooting incident, there was an altercation between a man and his common-law-wife in which he is alleged to have assaulted her.
According to Shelby County Sheriff's Investigator Mandy Fears, the woman contacted her son-in-law to pick her up and when he arrived to pick her up, the woman’s common-law-husband then allegedly assaulted the son-in-law who had a handgun on his person for protection. The son-in-law revealed the handgun while still sitting in the car he was driving, and a tussle ensued between the two men. During the tussle the firearm went off; however, no one was struck by the bullet.
Shelby County Sheriff's Department Investigators and Texas Game Warden Sam Anderson coordinate with Chief Deputy Mike Hanson.
At that time the son-in-law called 911 and, said “I just shot someone,” because he thought that he did and that he would be at the end of FM 147, approximately 1/4 mile away from the residence where the altercation took place.
Shelby County Sheriff’s Office investigators provided a courtesy transport of Donald Land, the alleged victim, to the Sheriff’s Department and there interviewed all parties involved.
Through interview it was determined charges should be pressed against Land.
Deputies prepare to depart the scene to interview those involved in the shooting incident.
According to the Shelby County Jail log Donald Land, 61, of Shelbyville was arrested on two charges of assault family violence, misdemeanor a.
The incident remains under investigation.
Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers converged on the location to assist in the apprehension and investigation of the shooting incident in Shelbyville.
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