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August 24, 2016 - (Editor's note: The individual who ran from the ambulance was in the custody of the Shelby County Sheriff's Department and not that of the ACE EMS personnel. While under the medical care of EMS personnel and as the amulance was en-route to the hospital, a demand was made by the individual to stop the ambulance and let him out, which the driver did. This is something EMS personnel are legally required to do if an individual being transported makes such a request.)
A man escaped from an ambulance on Tuesday, August 23, 2016 as he was being transported to the hospital.
Shelby County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to a fight on CR 1145 sometime before 9pm which resulted in the arrest of two people involved.
Taken into custody were Josh Fuller and his brother Justin Fuller, 27, both of Center. Due to an apparent medical issue, Josh Fuller was transported from the scene by ACE EMS.
As the ambulance was closing in within a mile of Nacogdoches Medical Center - Center Emergency Department on Loop 500, Josh Fuller escaped from the ambulance out the back door. Eyewitness accounts stated he tried to get into a vehicle that was passing by; however, ambulance personnel made them leave.
Fuller ran into a wooded area along the roadway and in the direction of Lakewood subdivision.
Law enforcement and the Center Fire Department responded to the scene and began searching for Fuller. The CPD K-9 was called in to assist in searching the area; however, Fuller had too much of a lead in his escape for him to be located.
The search of that particular area was called off at 11pm. At this time Fuller remains at large and the Shelby County Sheriff's Department is investigating the incident.
According to the Shelby County Jail log the other involved party, Justin Fuller, was charged with assault family violence, misdemeanor a.
(Update): According to the Shelby County Jail log, Joshua Fuller, 31, of Center was arrested on August 26, 2016 for assault family violencence, misdemeanor a.
August 23, 2016 - Tuesday 3:35pm to Wed 7pm Urgent - Weather message National Weather Service Shreveport LA 335 PM CDT Tue Aug 23 2016
A heat advisory is in effect from Noon until 7 PM CDT Wednesday for Northwest and Northern Louisiana and portions of deep East Texas and portions of Southern Arkansas, Union, Caddo, bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Lincoln, De Soto, Red River, Bienville, Jackson, Ouachita, Sabine, Natchitoches, Winn, Grant, Caldwell, La Salle, Shelby, San Augustine, including the cities of EI
Dorado, Shreveport, Bossier City, Minden, Springhill, Homer, Haynesville, Ruston, Farmerville, Bernice, Mansfield, Stonewall, Logansport, Coushatta, Martin, Arcadia, Ringgold, Gibsland, Jonesboro, Monroe, Many, Zwolle, Pieasant Hill, Natchitoches, Winnfield, Colfax, Montgomery, Dry Prong, Ciarks, Grayson, Columbia, Jena, Midway, OIIa, Center, San Augustine, Hemphill, Pineland.
A heat advisory in effect from Noon to 7pm CDT Wednesday. The National Weather Service in Shreveport has issued a heat advisory which is in effect from noon to 7pm CDT Wednesday.
Hot temperatures and elevated relative humidity values will combine to result in heat Index values Between 105 and 110 degrees on Wednesday.
The hottest portion of Wednesday will be Between Noon and the Early evening hours.
Heat related illnesses are possible. Caution is recommended for those who will be outdoors and for Persons without air conditioned residences.
Take Extra precautions if you work or spend Time outside. When possible, reschedule strenuous activities to Early morning or evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat stroke. Wear Light weight and loose Fitting clothing when possible and drink plenty of water.
To reduce Risk during outdoor work, the occupational safety and Health administration recommends scheduling frequent Rest Breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone overcome by heat should be moved to a Cool and shaded Location. Heat stroke is an emergency, Call 9 1 1.
A heat advisory Means that a period of hot temperatures is expected. The combination of hot temperatures and High humidity will Combine to create a situation in which heat illnesses are possible. Drink plenty of fluids, Stay in an air-conditioned room, Stay out of the Sun, and Check up on relatives and neighbors.
August 23, 2016 - The City of Joaquin will be performing necessary road repairs on East Saddle Street in Joaquin, Texas. Citizens should expect temporary traffic delays through Friday August 26, 2016 (weather permitting). We apologize for any inconvenience.
August 22, 2016 - AUSTIN – Late yesterday, U.S. District Judge Reed O’Connor’s issued a nationwide injunction prohibiting the Obama administration from enforcing its bathroom directives against public schools across the country. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton represents a 13-state coalition in the federal court lawsuit in the Northern District of Texas challenging the Obama administration’s unlawful federal directive that schools allow students to use whatever bathrooms and other intimate facilities they prefer. Attorney General Paxton released the following statement after the court’s ruling in favor of the Texas-led coalition:
“We are pleased that the court ruled against the Obama Administration’s latest illegal federal overreach. This President is attempting to rewrite the laws enacted by the elected representatives of the people, and is threatening to take away federal funding from schools to force them to conform. That cannot be allowed to continue, which is why we took action to protect States and School Districts, who are charged under state law to establish a safe and disciplined environment conducive to student learning.”
The court prevented the federal government from relying on its flawed, unlawful guidance documents to schools and employers in an injunction that is effective nationwide.
To view a copy of the opinion click here:
August 19, 2016 - Emergency personnel responded to two crashes at the same scene sometime after midnight on Friday, August 19, 2016 on U.S. Highway 84 two miles west of Joaquin.
The crashes occurred as the result of a large tree falling across the roadway. Two pickup trucks were involved in the initial crash and an 18-wheeler traveling on the other side of the roadway collided with the tree in the second crash.
The roadway was blocked for several hours while Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department and Tenaha Volunteer Fire Department redirected traffic away from the scene on both sides of the incidents.
TxDOT was on scene clearing the tree debris from the roadway to assist the vehicles in being removed from the area.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Sean Smith, at 12:35am a blue 1997 Fird F-150 driven by Lea Rae Satterfield, 24, of Early with passenger Emerson Hansen was westbound on U.S. Highway 84. Multiple trees had fallen in the roadway and as Satterfield traveled through a blind curve he could not see the obstruction in time. He attempted to take evasive action by veering left; however, he struck a tree.
At that time Trevor Blain May, 19, of Joaquin with passenger Clay Adkison, 17, was eastbound in a black 2004 Ford F-150 through a blind curve and didn't have time to stop. May took evasive action verring to the right, yet struck the tree and the back left of the other pickup truck.
Trooper Smith reported the second crash to have occurred at 12:39am when a white 1999 Volvo truck-tractor pulling a trailer driven by Jeffery Lynn Buffington, 51, of Spiro, Ok. was westbound on U.S. Highway 84. Buffington traveled through a blind curve, attempted to take evasive action and unable to stop, struck the tree.
No citations were issued and no injuries were reported as a result of the crash.
August 19, 2016 - Three people involved in a crash on State Highway 7 West Wednesday, August 17 were transported to the hospital following a collision with a tree.
West Shelby Volunteer Fire Department (WSVFD) firemen were dispatched to a tree across all four lanes of State Highway 7 West at 3:45am approximately 6 miles from Center. Following the dispatch of the firemen, a collision occurred as a black Chrysler 300 struck the large tree head-on.
The Shelby County Sheriff's Department arrived at the crash scene and the Center Police Department also arrived to provide assistance. While the officers and ACE EMS personnel saw to those involved in the crash, WSVFD firemen worked to cut the tree into smaller pieces so it could be more easily cleared from the highway. The Center Fire Department also assisted in this effort.
Driver of the Chrysler was Nicole Ellington, 46, the front passenger was Louis Edwards, 64, and the back seat passenger was Joyce Edwards, 64. They all were transported from the scene by ambulance to Nacogdoches Memorial Hospital in Nacogdches.
Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Austin Lunsford led the crash investigation. He was assisted with the investigation at the scene by Shelby County Sheriff's Deputy Adam Renfro and Center Police Officer Jake Gross.
August 18, 2016 - Rain fall across Shelby County has led to several vehicles leaving the roadway in a skid. One Center man found himself in a dangerous situation after his vehicle left the roadway and came to rest in a pond.
Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Dustin Ramos responded to the single-vehicle crash on SH 87 South just north of Shelbyville on Tuesday, August 16, 2016. A Chevrolet Silverdo driven by Brian Denby, 45 of Center, was southbound when the vehicle hydroplaned and exited the roadway to the left entering a pond backwards. The truck also went through a fence owned by Bridgette Wilburn.
After the vehicle came to rest, Denby was unharmed and was able to safely exit his vehicle as its front was still on land. According to Constable Pct 2 Jamie Hagler, the pond is deep and it was fortunate the truck didn't go all the way in.
According to Trooper Ramos, Denby was cited for unsafe speed for the wet roadway conditions. Also responding to the scene were DPS Troopers Jimmy Faulkner and Austin Lunsford.
Rain continued to fall as the crash scene was worked and the vehicle was pulled out by Jason Burch, Hughes Wrecker Service.
August 16, 2016 - Beginning August 22nd, Childs Street, beside City Hall, will be closed to traffic and under construction. The City will place barricades and detour signage. Childs Street will be widened to accommodate for two-way traffic, move the Tenaha Street intersection to line up with Foster Drive, and have a right-turn lane for school buses.
During construction, City Hall customers will be able to access the current parking lot via a temporary driveway from Malone Drive. Access to Center Middle and Intermediate campuses will need to be made via Kennedy Street.
Once Childs Street is reopened, Fair Street, adjoining the tennis courts, will be closed to build a new parking lot for the Portacool Park expansion.
If you have any questions, please contact City Hall at 936/598-2941.
Amputation at Tyson Foods Exposes Chemical, Fall, Fire Hazards at Center Texas Plant
Agency fines company $263K for 15 serious, 2 repeated workplace safety violations
August 16, 2016 DALLAS - A gruesome employee injury led federal workplace safety inspectors to discover the nation's largest meat and poultry processor endangered workers by exposing them to amputation hazards, high levels of carbon dioxide and peracetic acid without providing personal protective equipment.
Responding to a report of a finger amputation at the Tyson Foods Inc. chicken processing facility in Center, Texas, U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration inspectors identified two repeated and 15 serious violations. The company faces $263,498 in proposed fines.
The investigation determined the employee suffered an amputation when his finger became stuck in an unguarded conveyor belt as he worked in the debone area and tried to remove chicken parts jammed in the belt.
OSHA inspectors also found more than a dozen serious violations including failing to ensure proper safety guards on moving machine parts, allowing carbon dioxide levels above the permissible exposure limit, failing to provide personal protective equipment and not training employees on hazards associated with peracetic acid. Used as a disinfectant, the acid can cause burns and respiratory illness if not handled safely.
"Tyson Foods must do much more to prevent disfiguring injuries like this one from happening," said Dr. David Michaels, Assistant Secretary of Labor for Occupational Safety and Health. "As one of the nation's largest food suppliers, it should set an example for workplace safety rather than drawing multiple citations from OSHA for ongoing safety failures."
Inspectors also found employees exposed to slip-and-fall hazards due to a lack of proper drainage, trip-and-fall hazards caused by recessed drains and fire hazards resulting from of improper stored compressed gas cylinders. The inspection falls under OSHA's Regional Emphasis Program for Poultry Processing Facilities.
OSHA cited the company for repeated violations for not making sure employees used appropriate eye or face protection when exposed to eye or face hazards. The agency cited Tyson for a similar violation in a 2012 investigation at its Carthage facility. The company also failed to separate compressed gas cylinders of oxygen and acetylene while in storage - a violation for which OSHA cited the company in 2013 at its Albertville, Alabama, facility.
The citations are available here and here.
Headquartered in Springdale, Arkansas, Tyson is the world's largest meat and poultry processing company. With more than $40 billion in annual sales, the company produces more than 68 million pounds of meat per week. It has 15 business days from receipt of its citations to comply, request an informal conference with OSHA's area director, or contest the citations and penalties before the independent Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission.
To ask questions; obtain compliance assistance; file a complaint or report amputations, eye loss, workplace hospitalizations, fatalities or situations posing imminent danger to workers, the public should call OSHA's toll-free hotline at 800-321-OSHA (6742) or the agency's Dallas Area Office at 972-952-1330.
August 15, 2016 - U.S. Highway 96 South just north of the FM 417 intersection was the scene of a two-vehicle crash Sunday, August 14, 2016.
When emergency personnel arrived, it was discovered a car left the roadway and collided with a parked trailer.
According to Texas Department of Public Safety State Trooper Taylor Buster, at 2:30pm a red 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt driven by Adrian Mekel Demon Johnson, 18, of Center was northbound on U.S. Highway 96 South through a curve when the Chevrolet began to hydroplane.
As the vehicle was spinning, it left the roadway to the right and the driver's side collided with a parked trailer, causing major damage to the Chevrolet.
ACE EMS arrived at the scene and Johnson was transported from the scene to Nacogdcohes Medical Center - Center Emergency Department for treatment.
Johnson was issued citations for unsafe speed for roadway conditions.
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