Shelby County Today

January 10, 2017 - On January 9, 2017, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) required our public water system The City of Joaquin, PWS ID (2100010) to issue a Boil Water Notice (BWN) to inform our customers that due to the presence of contaminants or an interruption in service, water from our system must be boiled prior to consumption.

Our system has taken the necessary corrective actions to restore adequate pressure, disinfectant levels, and/or bacteriological quality and has provided TCEQ with testing results that indicate that the water no longer requires boiling as of January 10, 2017.

If you have questions, contact Stacy Cranford at (936) 269-3021.

If a customer wishes to reach TCEQ, they may call 512-239-4691.

Due to loss of pressure, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) has required our water system City of Joaquin (2100010) to notify customers of the need to boil their water prior to consumption.

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 questions concerning this matter, you may contact Stacy Cranford at (936)269-3021.

January 6, 2017 - The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office is seeking information in regards to a recent burglary which occurred on January 02, 2017 sometime between the hours of 9:00 pm and 1:00 pm January 3, 2017 at the roping arena located on Highway 96 North of Center, Texas.

The unknown suspect(s) entered the building and stole a Coat’s Roping Saddle with an elephant hide seat, along with power tools and assorted bottles of liquor.

Center Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information. Anyone who has information regarding this crime should call Center Crime Stoppers at 936-598-SAFE (7233) or submit a tip online at www.centercrimestoppers.com. Remember you don't have to give your name. All calls and cash rewards are completely anonymous. Rewards will only be paid on tips submitted through the Center Crime Stoppers system.

If a caller does not wish to remain anonymous or receive a reward, they may contact Lt. Kevin Windham at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office 936-598-5600 or (C) 936-572-1972.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 6, 2017 – The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert due to concerns that assorted sliced deli meat products served to customers at Dion’s restaurants may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. The assorted sliced deli meats were produced by Peter DeFries Corporation, an Albuquerque, N.M. establishment.

The sliced roast beef, ham, pastrami, and turkey items were produced between Dec. 14, 2016 and Dec. 29, 2016, however product may have been available in restaurant locations through January 4, 2017.

These items were distributed to Dion’s restaurant locations in Colorado, New Mexico, and Texas. The sliced deli meat products are used on pizzas, salads, and open-faced sandwiches for customers at Dion’s restaurants.

The problem was discovered through routine testing conducted as part of the Peter DeFries Corporation’s Listeria testing program. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a health care provider.  

Consumption of food contaminated with L. monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, a serious infection that primarily affects older adults, persons with weakened immune systems, and pregnant women and their newborns. Less commonly, persons outside these risk groups are affected.

Listeriosis can cause fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions sometimes preceded by diarrhea or other gastrointestinal symptoms. An invasive infection spreads beyond the gastrointestinal tract. In pregnant women, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of the newborn. In addition, serious and sometimes fatal infections can occur in older adults and persons with weakened immune systems. Listeriosis is treated with antibiotics. Persons in the higher-risk categories who experience flu-like symptoms within two months after eating contaminated food should seek medical care and tell the health care provider about eating the contaminated food.

Consumers who have purchased these products from Dion’s restaurants are urged not to consume them. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

Consumers with food safety questions can "Ask Karen," the FSIS virtual representative available 24 hours a day at AskKaren.gov or via smartphone at m.askkaren.gov. The toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline 1-888-MPHotline (1-888-674-6854) is available in English and Spanish and can be reached from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. Recorded food safety messages are available 24 hours a day. The online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at: http://www.fsis.usda.gov/reportproblem.

National Weather Service Shreveport, Louisiana
12:19pm CST, Thursday, January 5, 2017

January 5, 2017 - The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a hazardous weather outlook for portions of South Central Arkansas, Southwest Arkansas, North Central Louisiana, Northwest Louisiana, Southeast Oklahoma, East Texas and Northeast Texas including Sevier, Howard, Little River, Hempstead, Nevada, Miller, Lafayette, Columbia, Union, Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, De Soto, Red River, Bienville, Jackson, Ouachita, Sabine, Natchitoches, Winn, Grant, Caldwell, La Salle, McCurtain, Bowie, Franklin, Titus, Camp, Morris, Cass, Wood, Upshur, Marion, Smith, Gregg, Harrison, Cherokee, Rusk, Panola, Nacogdoches, Shelby, Angelina, and San Augustine.

This afternoon and tonight, a reinforcement of colder arctic air will begin to surge south into the region this afternoon and evening with temperatures expected to fall to near or below freezing late mainly over Southwest Arkansas, Northeast Texas, and Southeast Oklahoma. 

With the approach of an upper level disturbance that will emerge late tonight over the Rockies and near the upper Red River Valley, areas of light snow are expected to develop over Oklahoma late this evening and quickly advance east across the state into Western and Central Arkansas after midnight. Snowfall accumulations of up to one half inch will be possible late tonight mainly across McCurtain County, Oklahoma and across the northern sections of Southwest Arkansas which may result in light accumulations on elevated objects such as bridges and overpasses. Given the warm ground temperatures, road surfaces should see little if any impacts. 

Farther south across the Interstate 20 Corridor of East Texas and North Louisiana, a few pockets of snow flurries will be possible late tonight but no snow accumulations are expected. 

Across the southern sections of Northcentral Louisiana, temperatures should remain near or just above freezing late tonight with the potential for light rain possibly mixing with sleet. However, no ice accumulations are expected.

Days two through seven, Friday through Wednesday, scattered areas of light snow will remain possible Friday across Northeast Texas, Southeast Oklahoma, and Southwest Arkansas as the upper level disturbance continues to advance east along and north of the Red River Valley with the potential for light snow flurries across portions of extreme Northern Louisiana Friday afternoon. Little if any snow accumulations are expected Friday but any residual water that has melted on the ground will quickly freeze Friday evening possibly creating areas of black ice especially on bridges and overpasses resulting in hazardous driving conditions. Temperatures will climb back above freezing around midday Saturday thus melting any ice that may form.

A slow warming trend will commence late this weekend and early next week with scattered showers and a few thunderstorms possible Tuesday night ahead of the next cold front.

Spotter Information Statement - Activation of Emergency Managers, Storm Spotters, and Amateur Radio Operators may be needed late tonight across Southeast Oklahoma and the northern sections of Southwest Arkansas for the potential for snowfall reports.