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June 6, 2016 - Recall Affecting Several Businesses

Fast Facts

FDA advises consumers with severe peanut allergies to avoid the products listed below being recalled because of peanut residue in certain flour originating from Grain Craft.
  
Grain Craft has recalled its affected flour. FDA is working with other companies that received the affected flour product from Grain Craft to determine if further recalls are needed.
   
On June 3, 2016, Hostess recalled products containing flour it had received from Grain Craft.

What is the problem and what is being done about it? Grain Craft first notified FDA on April 26 that sampling by a customer found peanut residue in cookies and subsequent analysis revealed the source of the peanut residue to be its soft red winter wheat flour. Since that time, Grain Craft analyzed additional samples of the flour and found positive samples for peanut residue. FDA also collected samples at Grain Craft and found evidence that some soft red winter wheat flour contained peanut protein. Grain Craft ceased manufacturing and distribution of its soft red winter wheat flour on April 30. Subsequent FDA sampling did not show the presence of peanut protein. Following ongoing discussions with FDA, Grain Craft issued a recall to its customers. FDA is working with companies that received flour from Grain Craft containing undeclared peanut residue to determine if their products pose a safety hazard and need to be recalled.

On June 3, 2016, Hostess recalled products containing flour it had received from Grain Craft. Hostess had received two adverse events involving children with peanut allergies who suffered immediate allergic reactions after consuming Hostess donut products. Hostess subsequently tested the soft red winter wheat flour it had received from its supplier and notified FDA that the flour contained peanut residue. Hostess has since tested other shipments of flour from the same supplier as well as finished products and has found other instances of products or flours with low level peanut residues.

Grain Craft sells only to other companies and not directly to consumers. In general, FDA is prohibited by law from releasing publicly certain information about supply chains, such as the names of customers, if it constitutes confidential commercial information. In the meantime, reporters and consumers should contact Grain Craft directly with questions about their customers. A list of those products recalled can be found on the FDA website and will continue to be updated as the agency learns more.

What are the symptoms of peanut allergies? Following ingestion of a food allergen(s), a person with food allergies can experience a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction called anaphylaxis.

This can lead to:

    constricted airways in the lungs
    severe lowering of blood pressure and shock ("anaphylactic shock")
    suffocation by swelling of the throat

Allergic reactions can include:

    Hives
    Flushed skin or rash
    Tingling or itchy sensation in the mouth
    Face, tongue, or lip swelling
    Vomiting and/or diarrhea
    Abdominal cramps
    Coughing or wheezing
    Dizziness and/or lightheadedness
    Swelling of the throat and vocal cords
    Difficulty breathing
    Loss of consciousness

What specific products are recalled? FDA will continue to update this list if additional products are recalled.

    Cinnabon Stix
    Safeway 8" Single Layer Red Velvet Cake
    ACME 12” Decorated Chocolate Chip Cookie
    Jewel 12” Decorated Chocolate Chip Cookie
    Chick-fil-A Chocolate Chunk Cookies
    Hostess Snack Cake and Donut Products

Consumer advice for those with peanut allergies: FDA advises consumers with severe peanut allergies to avoid the recalled products listed on this page because of peanut residue in soft red winter wheat flour originating from Grain Craft.

The amount of peanut exposure from use of the flours and affected products is low and not expected to cause adverse health effects in the vast majority of peanut allergic consumers.

If symptoms of an allergic reaction, such as shortness of breath, swelling of the lips, tongue or throat, or hives, occur, stop eating the product and seek immediate medical care.

The FDA tracks allergic reactions to FDA-regulated foods. Should you experience an allergic reaction to any FDA-regulated food, report it to your local FDA Consumer Complaint Coordinators.

If you are unsure of your risk, ask your healthcare provider.

Individuals who do not have peanut allergies do not need to avoid these products.

June 5, 2016 - Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers were alerted to the scene of a crash on State Highway 87 South involving a single vehicle just over 1 miles south of Loop 500.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, at 1:10pm on State Highway 87 South Joseph William Rogers, 20, of Center with passenger Mitchell Nachman was traveling north in a green 2003 Ford Explorer.

The Explorer struck a patch of water in the roadway and hydroplaned across the southbound lanes before the vehicle exited onto the southbound shoulder where it struck a fence causing damage to the front end of the Explorer with it finally coming to rest facing south.

Rogers was issued a citation for unsafe speed. DPS Trooper Jones was assisted at the scene by DPS Trooper Dustin Ramos.

June 3, 2016 Full weather report for the Month of May 2016


June 1, 2016 - Center, Texas Weather Stats for May 2016

Highest Temp was 90 degrees on 5-25-2016
Highest Temp on Record was 100 degrees on 5-21-1943
Lowest Temp was 52 degrees on 5-03, 5-04, 5-06. and 5-07-2016
Lowest Temp on Record was 40 degrees on 5-08-1992, 5-01-1996, and 5-04-2013

Rainfall Recorded was 4.81 inches
Average Monthly Rainfall is 4.47 inches
Above Average by 0.34 inches
Highest Recorded for this Month was 16.50 inches in 1953
Lowest Recorded for this Month was 0.10 in 1947

5 Month's Rainfall is 30.02
5 month's Average Rainfall is 22.63
Above Average by 7.39 inches

Due to technical issues, Jim Forbes was unable to submit the full weather report for May at this time.

(Submitted by Jim and Ann Forbes, U.S. Weather Observers)

June 1, 2016 - State Highway 87 South just outside of Shelbyville was the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Saturday, May 28, 2016 which sent four to the hospital.

Half of the highway was blocked as emergency personnel helped those involved and the Shelbyville Volunteer Fire Department (SVFD) directed traffic. SVFD and ACE EMS worked together to move those involved from their vehicles to a waiting ambulance.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) State Trooper Keith Jones, at 8:28am 2003 white GMC Yukon XL owned and operated by Graciela Martinez-Banuelos, 41, with two male passengers age 4 and age 8.

Carl Davis Smith, 64, of Center was driving a tan 2010 Ford F-150 north out of Shelbyville when Martinez-Banuelos exited the roadway to the right and over corrected left onto the wrong side of the roadway and into the path of Smith. Both vehicles collided front left to front left resulting in heavy impact and major damage.

All involved were transported for minor injuries by ACE EMS to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for treatment.

Martinez-Banuelos was issued citations for wrong side of roadway and no driver's license.

Both vehicles were towed from the scene. Trooper Jones was assisted at the scene with the investigation by Texas DPS State Trooper Cpl. Jimmy Faulkner.

June 1, 2016 - FM 699 north of Center was the scene of a single-vehicle crash involving a truck colliding with a tree on Friday night, May 27, 2016.

Passersby helped the driver after the crash and neighbors in the area eventually arrived with chainsaws while TxDOT was en-route and removed the tree from the roadway.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster, at around 10:30pm Fern Thomas Jernigan Jr., 36, of Joaquin was traveling westbound on FM 699 in a 1996 white Dodge Ram 2500 when the truck collided with a large tree across the roadway. After the truck collided with the tree it left the roadway to the left where Jernigan was able to bring the truck to a halt.

Minimum damage was incurred by the truck and it was towed from the scene. No citations were issued.

TxDOT representatives arrived at the scene and cleared the remainder of the debris from the roadway.

May 30, 2016 - The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, unaccounted for since World War II, have been identified and are being returned to his family for burial with full military honors.

Marine Pfc. James B. Johnson of Poughkeepsie, New York, will be buried May 31 in Arlington National Cemetery. In November 1943, Johnson was assigned to Company K, 3rd Battalion, 8th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, which landed against stiff Japanese resistance on the small island of Betio in the Tarawa Atoll of the Gilbert Islands, in an attempt to secure the island. Over several days of intense fighting at Tarawa, approximately 1,000 Marines and sailors were killed and more than 2,000 were wounded, but the Japanese were virtually annihilated. Johnson died sometime on the first day of battle, Nov. 20, 1943.

The battle of Tarawa was a huge victory for the U.S. military because the Gilbert Islands provided the U.S. Navy Pacific Fleet a platform from which to launch assaults on the Marshall and Caroline Islands to advance their Central Pacific Campaign against Japan.

In the immediate aftermath of the fighting on Tarawa, U.S. service members who died in the battle were buried in a number of battlefield cemeteries on the island. In 1946 and 1947, the 604th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company conducted remains recovery operations on Betio Island, but Johnson’s remains were not recovered. On Feb. 28, 1949, a military review board declared Johnson’s remains non-recoverable.

In June 2015, a nongovernmental organization, History Flight, Inc., notified DPAA that they discovered a burial site on Betio Island and recovered the remains of what they believed were 35 U.S. Marines who fought during the battle in November 1943. The remains were turned over to DPAA in July 2015.

To identify Johnson’s remains, scientists from DPAA and the Armed Forces DNA Identification Laboratory used Y-Short Tandem Repeat DNA analysis, which matched a nephew; laboratory analysis, including dental analysis, chest radiograph comparison, and anthropological comparison, which matched Johnson’s records; as well as circumstantial and material evidence.

DPAA is grateful to History Flight, Inc. for this recovery mission.

Of the 16 million Americans who served in World War II, more than 400,000 died during the war.

For additional information on the Defense Department’s mission to account for Americans who went missing while serving our country, visit the DPAA website at www.dpaa.mil or call 703- 699-1420.

May 29, 2016 - As of 1 PM, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting less than 30 meters without power.

DETEC crews will continue to work until all power is restored.  

We commend the DETEC and contract crews for their diligent work and thank you all for your patience as they worked to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.  

If you are still experiencing an outage, please call 1-800-392-5986.


May 29, 2016 - As of 11 AM, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting less than 100 meters without power with the majority of these being in the Hemphill area. 

DETEC crews will continue to work until all power is restored.  Thank you for your patience as we work to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.  

Above all, we want to ask you to be safe - STAY AWAY FROM ALL DOWNED LINES.  Consider them all to be live and dangerous.  Call DETEC at 1-800-392-5986 to report downed lines and outages.

Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative, Inc. serves some 40,000 meters in eight counties of Deep East Texas, including Jasper, Nacogdoches, Newton, Panola, Rusk, Sabine, San Augustine and Shelby.

May 27, 2016 - (Update) - As of 7am, Saturday, May 28, 2016 Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting approximately 7,400 meters without power.

Panola - 325
Shelby - 1500
Nacogdoches - 2300
San Augustine - 800
Sabine - 2500
Jasper - 20
Newton – 8

DETEC and contract crews will continue to work until all power is restored.   If you have medical needs that require electricity, it is recommended that you secure alternative shelter with power. 


As of 4pm, May 27, 2016 Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting approximately 11,200 meters without power following last night’s storm and today’s continued weather occurrences.

Panola County: 40
Shelby County: 1660
Nacogdoches County: 3000
San Augustine County: 2130
Sabine County: 3220
Jasper County: 370
Newton County: 805

DETEC and contract crews will continue to work through the afternoon and night until all power is restored. It is expected that restoration will continue into tomorrow (Saturday). If you have medical needs that require electricity, it is recommended that you secure alternative shelter with power. Thank you for your patience as we work to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible. 

Above all, we want to ask you to be safe - Stay Away From All Downed Lines.  Consider them all to be live and dangerous.  Call DETEC at 1-800-392-5986 to report downed lines and outages.


As of 10 AM, Deep East Texas Electric Cooperative is reporting approximately 7600 meters without power.

Panola County: 20

Shelby County: 1000

Nacogdoches County: 1500

San Augustine County: 1500

Sabine County: 3400

Jasper County: 20

Newton County: 230

DETEC and contract crews are working to restore power as quickly and as safely as possible.

Above all, we want to ask you to be safe - Stay Away From All Downed Lines.  Consider them all to be live and dangerous.  Call DETEC at 1-800-392-5986 to report downed lines and outages.

May 27, 2016 Update It is no longer necessary for customers on 139 to boil their water.


May 17, 2016 - Due to water main break, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required our water System, Paxton Water, to notify customers of the need to boil their water prior to consumption. This is for the customers that were out of water on May 17, 2016 on FM 139 south of county road 3360.

To ensure destruction of all harmful bacteria and other microbes, water for drinking, cooking, and making ice should be boiled and cooled prior to use. The water should be brought to a vigorous, rolling boil and then boiled for two minutes. In lieu of boiling, you may purchase bottled water or obtain water from some other suitable source.

When it is no longer necessary to boil the water, the water system officials will notify you that the water is safe for consumption. Instructions to discontinue boiling will be issued in the same manner as this notice.

If you have any questions concerning this matter, you may contact Vince Di Verdi at 936-590-9177 or 936-332-7683.

May 26, 2016 - The entrance to Walmart and McDonalds located on Hurst Street in Center was the scene of a two-vehicle crash on Thursday, May 26, 2016.

When emergency personnel arrived at the crash, the vehicles were still in the middle of the roadway.

According to Center Police Officer Angela Neal, at 11:57am Ida Eddins, 77, of Center was pulling out of the Walmart parking lot in a grey Ford F-150 entering Hurst Street. As the Ford entered Hurst Street it traveled in front of a Mazda 6 driven by Oscar Gonzalez, 33, of Center causing the Mazda to collide with the left front quarter panel of the F-150.

Gonzalez was transported from the scene by private vehicle to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department.

No citations have been issued at this time.

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