The story headline links to a better view of the story and share features.
News
January 24, 2026 - Shelby County Commissioner Stevie Smith reports a section of CR 3790 about a mile from Hwy 84 is closed due to a culvert wash out. The roadway will remain closed until the culvert can be replaced.
January 23, 2026 - The Shelby County Appraisal District will close Monday, January 26, 2026 due to inclement weather and open late on Tuesday, January 27 2026.
January 22, 2026 - Much of our area will see an extended period of time of sub-freezing temperatures. Right now we are looking at around 60-90 hours of below freezing temperatures across the region.
South of I-20, freezing temperatures will start around 3am Saturday, January 24 and will remain below freezing until 3pm on Monday, Janaury 26.
It's important to finish home preparations before Friday.
- Cover your exterior faucets
- Open cabinets under your sink and drip indoor faucets (A slow drip is all that is needed. If too many houses 'run' water in their faucets overnight, it can also drain a water system's supply.)
- Locate your water shut-off valve and know how to turn it off
- Turn off your sprinklers as they will create very icy surfaces
Be Kind to Your Water Supply
Be aware that water leaks resulting from frozen pipes can drain local water supply systems. It is very important that once pipes start to unfreeze, be sure to check your yard and inside your home carefully for water leaks. Even small leaks can result in problems for local water supplies because of the number of homes impacted by the freeze. To many leaks on a system can result in low water pressure or no water for the community.
Be sure to know how to turn off your water if needed.
Updated: The entire Four-State region is now under either a Winter Storm Watch or Winter Storm Warning as a significant winter storm is poised to impact the entire region this weekend. A combination of freezing rain, sleet, and snow can be expected with this event.
January 22, 2026 - The National Weather Service, Shreveport, Louisiana issued an Winter Storm Watch at 12:00 noon on Tuesday, January 22, 2026 for Shelby County, Texas. Winter Storm Watch is in effect from Saturday morning through Sunday morning.
WHAT... Heavy mixed precipitation possible. Total snow and sleet accumulations up to one inch and ice accumulations between three tenths and three quarters of an inch possible.
WHERE... Portions of north central and northwest Louisiana and east Texas.
WHEN... From Saturday morning through Sunday morning.
IMPACTS... Expect power outages and tree damage due to the ice. Travel could be impossible.
Precautionary / Preparedness Actions: Monitor the latest forecasts for updates on this situation.
Chances of at least some moderate impacts are increasing with an expected winter storm by the end of the week into this weekend. There still remains some uncertainty with precip types and amounts, so stay tuned for the latest information on this forecast!
It only takes a quarter of an inch of ice accumulations to start bringing down tree branches which could lead to power outages. For reference, some models are showing between a half to one inch of ice accumulation for portions of the area.
January 22, 2026 - The National Weather Service, Shreveport, Louisiana issued an Extreme Cold Watch at 11:18am on Tuesday, January 22, 2026 for Shelby County, Texas. Extreme Cold Watch is in effect from Sunday evening through Tuesday morning....
WHAT... Dangerously cold temperatures as low as 0 degrees possible.
WHERE... Portions of south central and southwest Arkansas, north central and northwest Louisiana, and east and northeast Texas.
WHEN... From Sunday evening through Tuesday morning.
IMPACTS... Frostbite and hypothermia will occur if unprotected skin is exposed to these temperatures. An extended period of freezing temperatures could cause ruptured water pipes.
Precautionary / Preparedness Actions:
- Dress in layers including a hat, face mask, and gloves if you must go outside.
- Keep pets indoors as much as possible.
- Make sure outdoor animals have a warm, dry shelter, food, and unfrozen water.
- Make frequent checks on older family, friends, and neighbors. Ensure portable heaters are used correctly. Do not use generators or grills inside.
January 22, 2026 - Early voting for the March 2026 Primary begins Tuesday, February 17 at the Center Community House, 423 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas.
Early voting dates and times are as follows:
- Tuesday, February 17 through Friday, February 20 - 8am to 5pm
- Saturday, February 21 - 7am to 7pm
- Sunday, February 22 - 11am to 5pm
- Monday, February 23 through Friday, February 27 - 7am to 7pm
Election Day is Tuesday, March 3, 2026.
Nancy Adams, Elections Administrator
La votación anticipada para las primarias de marzo de 2026 comienza el martes 17 de febrero en Center Community House, 423 San Augustine Street, Center, Texas.
Las fechas y horarios de la votación anticipada son los siguientes:
- Del martes 17 al viernes 20 de febrero, de 8:00 a 17:00 h
- Sábado 21 de febrero, de 7:00 a 19:00 h
- Domingo 22 de febrero, de 11:00 a 17:00 h
- Lunes 23 al viernes 27 de febrero, de 7:00 a 19:00 h
El día de las elecciones es el martes 3 de marzo de 2026.
Nancy Adams, Elections Administrator
January 21, 2026 - Center Police Department (CPD) officers responded to a two-vehicle crash on Tenaha Street at the intersection of Foster Street January 8, 2026.
Details on this incident were unavailable from the CPD until the time of this report.
Several CPD units responded to the location at the time of the incident to aid those involved and direct other vehicles around the incident scene, as it was a high-traffic time of day on Tenaha Street.
According to the Center Police Department, at sometimne just bwfore 5pm, a silver 2017 Nissan Sentra driven by Arturo Rico, 53, of Tenaha was southbound on Tenaha Street approaching the intersection of Foster Street. At that time, a white 2016 Chevrolet Equinox driven by Karyn Fenton, 76, of Center was attempting to enter Tenaha Street from Foster Street and failed to yield right of way to the Nissan, and causing it to collide with the Equinox.
Both vehicles came to rest on the opposite side of the roadway with the intersection of Childs Street.
Fenton and her passenger Teresa Shear, 57, were each transported to Nacogdoches Medical Center for treatment of possible minor injuries.
Rico was transported by private vehicle to Nacogdoches Medical Center for medical evaluation.
No citations were issued and both vehicles were towed from the scene.
January 21, 2026 - The Shelby County Commissioners have lifted the burn ban on Wednesday, January 21, 2026, that was put in place on January 1, 2026.
it was agreed that if necessary, Judge Allison Harbison can put the ban back in place at any time.
Residents are encouraged to use caution when burning.
January 21, 2026 - The 273rd Judicial District Court that grand jury scheduled for Monday, January 26, 2026, has been cancelled due to inclement weather.
New summons will be reissued by mail.
Thank you,
Dee Dee Green
District Clerk
Shelby County, Texas
January 20, 2026 - The Lufkin District of the Texas Department of Transportation will begin pre-treating roadway surfaces and bridges ahead of anticipated winter weather that could impact travel conditions.
Due to forecasted rain, maintenance crews will begin applying a brine solution to prevent the build-up of ice on state-operated roads as weather permits Wednesday morning, and will step up operations throughout Wednesday night and the rest of the week.
Road treatments will continue while below-freezing temperatures and inclement weather present dangerous road conditions.
Current forecasts call for possible wintry precipitation from Thursday night into Monday morning across the state.
Motor graders and brine-filled tanker trucks are staged throughout the district's nine counties, and additional equipment is available to be deployed if necessary.
Motorists are encouraged not to drive if hazardous conditions exist. More information on the status of roads can be found at DriveTexas.org.
Pages
