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December 11, 2017 - The deadline for filing for a place on the 2018 March Primary ballot was 6pm Monday, December 11, 2017 and closed with 6 races unopposed. Candidates who filed locally primarily filed with the Republican Party with only one filing with the Democratic Party.

According to the Texas Secretary of State, Roland Pablos, the following candidates filed with the Republican and Democratic Parties of Texas.

Local Races:
District Judge, 273rd Judicial District (1 Candidate) - James A. (Jim) Payne, Jr. (REP)
County Judge (1 Candidate) - Allison Harbison (REP, Incumbent)
District Clerk (1 Candidate) - Lori Oliver (REP, Incumbent)
County Clerk (1 Candidate) - Jennifer Fountain (REP, Incumbent)
County Treasurer (2 Candidates) - Ann Blackwell (REP, Incumbent) and Donna Whitney (REP)
County Commissioner PCT 2 (1 Candidate) - Jimmy Lout (REP, Incumbent)
County Commissioner PCT 4 (4 Candidates) - Bradley Allen (REP, Incumbent), Kevin Foster (REP), Sammy K Todd (REP), and Tom Bellmyer (REP)
Justice of the Peace PCT 1 (3 Candidates) - Melissa Crouch (REP, Incumbent), Randy Robertson (REP), and Tommy Moody (REP)
Justice of the Peace PCT 2 (1 Candidate) - Marla Denby (REP, Incumbent)
Justice of the Peace PCT 3 (3 Candidates) - Darrell Alford (REP), Deborah Sharp (REP), and Margie Anderson (REP, Incumbent)
Justice of the Peace PCT 4 (2 Candidates) - Jackie Kirkwood (REP) and Jenny L. Hicks (DEM, Incumbent) *Updated Information
Justice of the Peace PCT 5 (2 Candidates) - Tracy Broadway (REP) and Vernett Richardson (REP)

Federal and State Races:
U. S. Senator (5 Candidates) - Beto O'Rourke (DEM), Edward Kimbrough (DEM), Geraldine Sam (REP), Mary Miller (REP), and Ted Cruz (REP, Incumbent)
U. S. Representative District 1 (3 Candidates) - Brent Beal (DEM), Louie Gohmert (REP, Incumbent), and Roshin Rowjee (REP)
Governor (12 Candidates) - Adrian Ocegueda (DEM), Andrew White (DEM), Cedric Davis, Sr. (DEM), Demetria Smith (DEM), Grady Yarbrough (DEM), Greg Abbott (REP, Incumbent), James Jolly Clark (DEM), Jeffrey Payne (DEM), Joe Mumbach (DEM), Lupe Valdez (DEM), SECEDE Kilgore (REP), and Tom Wakely (DEM)
Lieutenant Governor (4 Candidates) - Dan Patrick (REP, Incumbent), Michael Cooper (DEM), Mike Collier (DEM), and Scott Milder (DEM)
Attorney General (2 Candidates) - Justin Nelson (DEM) and Ken Paxton (REP, Incumbent)
Comptroller of Public Accounts (2 Candidates) - Glenn Hegar (REP, Incumbent) and Tim Mahoney (DEM)
Commissioner of the General Land Office (4 Candidates) - Davey Edwards (REP), George P. Bush (REP, Incumbent), Miguel Suazo (DEM), and Rick Range (REP)
Commissioner of Agriculture (2 Candidates) - Kim Olson (DEM) and Sid Miller (REP, Incumbent)
Railroad Commissioner (2 Candidates) - Christi Craddick (REP, Incumbent) and Roman McAllen (DEM)
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 2 (1 Candidate) - Steven Kirkland (DEM)
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 4 (2 Candidates) - John Devine (REP, Incumbent), and R.K. Sandill (DEM)
Justice, Supreme Court, Place 6 (2 Candidates) - Jeff Brown (REP, Incumbent) and Kathy Cheng (DEM)
Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals (1 Candidate) - Maria T. (Terri) Jackson (DEM)
Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals Place 7 (1 Candidate) - Ramona Franklin (DEM)
State Senator, District 3 (1 Candidate) - Robert Nichols (REP, Incumbent)
State Representative District 9 (2 Candidates) - Chris Paddie (REP, Incumbent), and Garrett Boersma (REP)
Justice, 12th Court of Appeals District, Place 3 (1 Candidate) - Greg Neeley (REP, Incumbent)

December 10, 2017 -  U.S. Highway 96 North was the scene of an early morning fatality crash Saturday, December 9, 2017.

When emergency personnel arrived at the scene of the incident, a Dodge pickup truck was found located between three large pine trees in front of a residence just south of the intersection with the north end of State Loop 500.

It was quickly determined by officers and EMS at the scene, the driver did not survive the collision.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Jesse Fountain, at 7am Troopers were dispatched to the scene of a reported crash on U.S. Highway 96 North. A blue 2011 Dodge 1500 pickup truck was southbound on U.S. Highway 96 when, for an unknown reason, it exited the roadway to the left.

The Dodge traveled through a stand of bamboo before colliding head on with three trees at high speed and causing major damage to the vehicle.

Melissa Crouch, Justice of the Peace Precinct 1, pronounced the driver Joseph Michael Windham Sr., 35, of Center dead at the scene. No autopsy was ordered. Next of kin was then notified.

Windham was transported from the scene by Mangum Funeral Home.

Trooper Fountain was assisted in the investigation by Troopers Richard Hill and Sean Smith. Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies Adam Renfro and Jesse Travis were also on scene.

December 8, 2017 - The jury that has been summoned for Monday, December 11, 2017 for the 123rd District Court, Honorable LeAnn K. Rafferty presiding, has been cancelled due to the scheduled cases being resolved or passed.

Anyone receiving a summons for that day is released from jury service until they receive a future summons.

December 8, 2017 - The Center Fire Department was dispatched Thursday, December 7, 2017 at 11:11pm to a reported grass fire; however, upon arrival a house was discovered to be fully engulfed in flames at 1015 Wiseman Street in Center.

Flames had traveled the surrounding area of the structure and caught several trees as well as being very close to the roadway.

Firemen extinguished the surrounding area and kept the flames at bay within the structure which was already collapsed on the ground previous to their arrival. A second structure near the house had fire within an attic space, which the firemen eventually extinguished.

Once the fires were extinguished, the firemen returned to the station at 1:05am 

The owner of the structures is unknown at this time and the cause of the fire was undetermined.

December 7, 2017 - County Road 1000 just outside of Center was the scene of a single-vehicle crash which left a vehicle on its side in a ditch.

Emergency responders with Center Fire Department, Shelby County Sheriff's Department, ACE EMS and Center Police Department all responded to the scene from which the driver was already gone when they arrived.

An eyewitness to the incident was able to report to authorities on what occurred and the circumstances of the driver no longer being at the location.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Richard Hill, at 4:30pm a black 2002 Chevrolet Suburban driven by Juanita Campos, 41, of Center was westbound on County Road 1000 at an unsafe speed.

Campos lost control of the Suburban causing it to travel off the roadway to the right and up and embankment where it came to rest on the driver's side. 

Campos was transported by private vehicle to CHI St. Luke's Health Memorial for treatment of unknown injuries.

She was issued citations for unsafe speed and no driver's license.

December 7, 2017 - County Road 4310 was the scene of a two-vehicle crash involving a pickup truck and an 18-wheeler hauling oilfield equipment Friday, December 1, 2017.

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Keith Jones, at 3:43pm a white 2013 Kenworth truck-tractor owned by Redback Coil Tubing LLC. and driven by Gilberto Perez-Juarez, 54, of Carthage was southbound on CR 4310.

As the Kenworth met a black 2003 Ford F-350 driven by Waylon Griffith Jr., 50, of Tenaha traveling in the opposite direction. The Ford stopped and the Kenworth failed to give one half of the roadway as the left side of the trailer the truck-tractor was hauling struck the left side of the Ford, causing damage.

No injuries were reported as a result of the crash at the scene. Perez-Juarez was issued a citation for fail to give half of roadway.

Trooper Jones was assisted at the scene by Trooper Sean Smith.

December 5, 2017 - Just a reminder, the Capt. Jesse Amason Camp # 282 Sons of Confederate Veterans will meet December 9, 2017 at the Masonic Lodge on Hwy 96, south of town, at 6:30 PM for our Christmas party. If you get to the loop you have gone too far. The Carthage Camp and others have been invited to join us. Please bring a covered dish.

December 1, 2017 - The Texas Department of Transportation will be replacing trhe bridge on CR 4293. Barricades will go up on Friday, December 8 and work will begin Monday, December 11. Construction will take about two months to complete. If you travel this area, please find an alternatre route. 

Submitted photo

December 1, 2017 - Just before the Shelby/Nacogdoches County line a driver lost control of the vehicle she was driving and crashed just beneath a bridge on FM 138 Thursday, November 30, 2017.

Emergency personnel were dispatched to the location of the driver and ACE EMS transported her from the location.

Submitted photo

According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Jonathan Stinson, at around 7:20am a red 2004 Dodge Neon driven by Andrea Kalise Starghill, 43, of Center was eastbound on FM 138 when she fell asleep. The Neon traveled off the roadway to the left and struck a guardrail on the passenger side, causing major damage to the vehicle and guardrail.

The car continued down an embankment alongside a bridge and came to a stop just before a waterway and facing southwest.

ACE EMS transported Stargill with unknown non-life threatening injuries to Nacogdoches Medical Center - Shelby Emergency Department for treatment.

No citations were reported at the time of the crash. Trooper Stinson was assisted at the scene by Troopers Dustin Ramos and Jesse Fountain as well as Garrison Police Chief Tim Barton.

Garrison Volunteer Fire Department firemen directed traffic at the location until the scene was clear.

November 29, 2017 - The following criminal defendants failed to appear for a felony arraignment hearing in the 123rd Judicial District Court, Shelby County, Texas:

  • Raul Lara-Ortega
  • Bruce Edward Cohoon
  • Mario Garza-Cuapio
  • Richarde Gabriel Ennett
  • Samantha Jane Knight
  • Jeffery Scott Wright
  • Kennis Keith Henderson
  • Lynn Dale Taylor

As a result, District Judge LeAnn Kay Rafferty ordered each defendant's bond be forfeited and that a capias issue for the arrest of each defendant.  Each defendant immediately must contact the Court Manager, Karen Warr, 936-598-9928 to schedule a court appearance. 

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