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Update: As of 9 PM, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting approximately 1,000 outages. 800 of these outages are located in the Woden area and are dependent upon Oncor completing work on the line feeding into the DETEC system.
The other 200 outages are located in the Oakdale Community and Lake Pinkston area of Shelby County. This area saw heavy tornado activity and massive damage to the DETEC system.
At this time, outages are expected to continue into Monday afternoon.
If you or someone in your household is dependent upon life support, identify a location you can move to that has an alternate power source.
DETEC would like to remind members to be safe - STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES. Consider them all to be live and dangerous.
Outages may be reported by calling: 1-800-392-5986. Due to heavy call volume, please have the telephone number associated with your account and meter number available to expedite your outage report by using the automated system. This information may be found on your bill.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
April 14, 2019 - As of 12:30pm, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting approximately 1,600 outages scattered across the system.
Crews are reporting many trees, lines and poles down. Please understand the extent of damage and continued high winds, has slowed restoration efforts considerably. At this time, outages are expected to continue into Monday afternoon.
If you or someone in your household is dependent upon life support, identify a location you can move to that has an alternate power source.
DETEC would like to remind members to be safe - STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES. Consider them all to be live and dangerous.
Outages may be reported by calling: 1-800-392-5986. Due to heavy call volume, please have the telephone number associated with your account and meter number available to expedite your outage report by using the automated system. This information may be found on your bill.
Thank you for your patience and understanding.
As of 9:45 AM on Sunday, April 14th, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting approximately 1,600 members remaining without power. Approximately 800 of these members are located in the Woden area and will remain out until Oncor can make repairs affecting our system. The remaining 800 are scattered across the system with the majority being in the southern portion.
Crews will continue to work as quickly and as safely as possible. Above all, DETEC encourages everyone to keep safety a priority. Should you encounter a downed line, consider it live and dangerous. Please report all downed lines and outages to DETEC at 1-800-392-5986.
Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is a non-profit electricity provider serving 8 counties in Deep East Texas: San Augustine, Shelby, Sabine, Panola, Nacogdoches, Rusk, Jasper and Newton.
April 13, 2019 - A storm wreaked havoc on Boles Field Road which runs east from Shelbyville to Huxley through the Sabine National Forest and was littered with debris and fallen trees.
According to the National Weather Service alert, at 3:11 PM CDT severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from six miles north of Shelbyville to seven miles west of Pineland, moving east at 25 mph.
Tom Gardner and his wife Katy live on FM 2694, Boles Field Road, just past 'Welcome Hall' and they reported a tornado traveling through and lasting just minutes but left much damage in its wake.
Mrs. Gardner said, "It happened so quick, I come and looked out here and then looked out back and had a big tree done gone down back there. I said 'Lord have mercy.'" They also reported a tree collapsed on a dog kennel next to the house along with tree limbs down all around the property. It was noted leaves were plastered to the side of the house from the strong winds.
Besides the Gardners', other homes down Boles Field Road had trees down on their property as well.
The Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department and the Huxley Volunteer Fire Department were paged out to help remove a large number of trees across the roadway. The Texas Department of Transportation then arrived with heavy equipment and moved the remaining debris off the roadway and pushed fallen trees into the woodline and as far away from the road as possible.
Along the edge and deep in the Sabine National Forest trees could be seen with the tops freshly snapped off.
April 13, 2019 - SWEPCO crews are working to restore power as safely and as quickly as possible to the nearly 14,000 customers who remain without power after severe storms with high winds struck the Ark-La-Tex Saturday.
The outages include approximately 11,000 customers in Louisiana, 2,500 in Texas, and 400 in Arkansas. About 16,700 customers were without power at 4 p.m. Saturday.
Additional storms may delay repairs already underway and cause additional outages.
Power is expected to be restored to 95 percent of customers by:
Louisiana
- Shreveport – 11:59 p.m. Sunday
- Bossier City – 11:59 p.m. Saturday
- Benton – 11:59 p.m. Sunday
- Haughton – 11:59 p.m Sunday
- Plain Dealing – 10 p.m. Saturday
- Vivian – 10 p.m. Saturday
Texas
- Longview – 2 p.m. Sunday
- Marshall – 2 p.m. Sunday
- Gilmer – 10 p.m. Saturday
- Gladewater – 10 p.m. Saturday
- Kilgore – 10 p.m. Saturday
Employees are assessing damage in and around Mansfield, Natchitoches, and Hornbeck. SWEPCO will share estimated restoration times for these areas once they are available.
Public safety reminders:
- Downed power lines - Never touch a downed line, or go near it, no matter how harmless it looks. The line could be energized. Don’t touch anything in contact with the line, such as trees, fences or puddles of water. Stay away, and keep others away, especially children and pets. Call SWEPCO at 1-888-218-3919 or 911 immediately.
- Portable generator safety – If you use a portable or RV generator, do not plug the generator into your circuit box. Portable generators can "backfeed" electricity up the line and risk the lives of repair workers and the public. Follow the manufacturers' instructions carefully, and plug essential appliances directly into the generator.
How to report, track outages
- Use the SWEPCO app, available for download via the App Store or Google Play.
- Visit SWEPCO.com/OutageMap to find detailed information without logging into your account
- Sign up for text and email updates, including estimated time of restoration, at SWEPCO.com/Alerts.
- Call 1-888-218-3919 to report your outage
For updates and photos, follow SWEPCO on Facebook and Twitter.
Update: As of 8:45 PM, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting 2,700 members without power.
April 13, 2019 - Due to the afternoon storms, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting over 4,000 power outages.
Crews are currently working to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible. Above all, DETEC encourages everyone to keep safety a priority. Should you encounter a downed line, consider it live and dangerous. Please report all downed lines and outages to DETEC at 1(800) 392-5986.
At 311 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 6 miles north of Shelbyville to 7 miles west of Pineland, moving east at 25 mph.
At 313 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Woodlawn to 6 miles south of Joaquin, moving east at 35 mph.
At 258 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Center to near Rockland, moving east at 30 mph.
At 246 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Longview to near Timpson, moving east at 35 mph.
Radar indicates possible 70 mph wind gusts. Expect considerable tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings.
April 13, 2019 - The National Weather Service issued at 2:58pm, CDT Saturday, April 13 a severe thunderstorm warning remains in effect until 3:45pm CDT for Southeastern Nacogdoches, Central Shelby, Southeastern Angelina, San Augustine, and Southwestern Sabine Counties.
At 258 PM CDT, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from near Center to near Rockland, moving east at 30 mph.
HAZARD...70 mph wind gusts and nickel size hail.
SOURCE...Radar indicated.
IMPACT...Expect considerable tree damage. Damage is likely to mobile homes, roofs, and outbuildings.
Locations impacted include... Center, San Augustine, Pineland, Rosevine, Macune, Shelbyville, Bland Lake, Neuville, Zavalla, Chireno, Broaddus, Hurstown, Denning, James, Jericho, Calgary, Bronson, McElroy, Arcadia and Chinaquapin.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 700 PM CDT for eastern Texas.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.
April 13, 2019 - Hazardous weather roadway alerts:
- Shelbyville VFD is clearing a tree on FM 2694 across roadway
- Water over road 3 miles down FM 2026.
April 12, 2019 - The jurors scheduled to return to the 123rd Judicial District Court, Shelby County, Texas, on Tuesday, April 16, 2019, are released and need not appear. The Defendant entered a plea of guilty and waived the right to a jury trial.
Thank you for your time, service, and commitment to your community.
April 11, 2019 - The City of Palacios Police Department contacted the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) on Monday, April 8, 2019, and requested assistance is apprehending a suspect who was wanted in a violent aggravated sexual assault case that occurred in their city.
The SCSO began gathering information on the suspect, Rogelio Avila Romero, 55, of Joaquin and requested the assistance of Constable Precinct 3, Roy Cheatwood and Deputy Constable Newton Johnson in locating Romero. Due to the nature of the charge, the suspect was known to have violent tendencies.
SCSO Lieutenant Del Birdwell, along with SCSO deputies Ruth Gonzales and Tanner Peace met Cheatwood and Johnson Wednesday, April 11 and traveled to the 1200 block of FM 139 in Joaquin where Romero was known to reside.
As officers approached the residence, a vehicle pulled out of the driveway. After a positive identification was returned, officers initiated a traffic stop and located Romero in the vehicle. Romero was arrested transported to the Shelby County Jail.
The SCSO would like to extend their thanks to Constable Cheatwood and Deputy Constable Johnson for their assistance in this situation.
April 10, 2019 - The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department is phasing out our “alternate” emergency phone number, 936-269-3800. This number should Not be used in an emergency.
Instead, we would like to encourage all residents in the Joaquin area to utilize the Shelby County 911 System in the event of an emergency. This was a difficult decision because the 3800 number has been synonymous with the Joaquin VFD since 1973. However, changing technology has rendered the phone system for that number obsolete, and we are no longer able to repair it when it breaks.
Calling 911 is the fastest way to get help in an emergency. We also recommend that residents save the Sheriff’s Office number (936)-598-5600 in their cell phones in the event of a 911 malfunction.
The Sheriffs Office dispatchers operate the 911 system, and they are the ones dispatching first responders to an emergency. Again, please do Not use 269-3800 for an emergency. Instead, dial 911.
April 9, 2019 - Shelby County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) deputies Josh Tipton and Jimmy Wagstaff, while on routine patrol, observed a suspicious vehicle parked in a car wash stall in Timpson on Monday, April 8, 2019 at approximately 12:45 p.m., .
As officers approached, a male subject exited the vehicle and attempted to walk away. While walking away, Deputy Tipton observed the subject throw an object in a trash can. Deputy Tipton detained the subject, identified as Phillip Lucas, 31, of Mt. Enterprise. The driver was identified as Ashley Phillips, 30, of Timpson.
Drug paraphernalia was identified in plain view in the vehicle. Through a further search of the vehicle and discarded item officers located 8.5 grams of methamphetamine, 2.05 grams of pills listed in Penalty Group 2 and over four (4) ounces of marijuana. The paraphernalia found included scales and small bags for distribution.
Lucas was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance PG 1 with Intent to Deliver (F-1) $150,000 Bond; Possession of Marijuana with intent to Deliver (SJF) $10,000 Bond; and Possession of a Controlled Substance PG 3 with intent to Deliver (SJF) $10,000 Bond.
Phillips was arrested and charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance PG 1 with Intent to Deliver (F-1) $500,000 Bond; Possession of Marijuana with intent to Deliver (SJF) $10,000 Bond; and Possession of a Controlled Substance PG 3 with intent to Deliver (SJF) $10,000 Bond.
The SCSO would like to thank the Timpson Police Department for their assistance.
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