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June 16, 2023 - Emergency assessment and response is well underway by SWEPCO crews across the service area after powerful storms brought down trees in east Texas and into northwest Louisiana. As of 11 a.m., Friday, more than 237,000 customers were without power. Many roads were also blocked by some of the same downed trees that took down power lines.
Crews are working now to support four regional hospitals impacted by the extreme weather in Shreveport, Louisiana and Marshall and Longview, Texas to help make those facilities safe.
Described by some as a storm with hurricane-level impacts, SWEPCO has activated an all-in response. Already, we have requested mutual aid assistance with a call for an additional 185-line worker crews and forestry resources with an estimated 2,000 additional utility professionals to join in the recovery work.
Reports show the early morning storms delivered howling winds that included peak wind gusts that snapped trees and downed lines. As a result of the wide-spread damage, the restoration and recovery effort will take time and officials report that could span many days. Crews continue to assess damage to identify the extent of the severe weather impacts, equipment repairs and time needed to safely restore power.
Estimated restoration times may be shared by late Friday evening, once the full assessments are completed.
Peak wind gusts were initially reported as follows:
In addition to our crews, law enforcement and city officials have joined in support to help clear roads.
For your safety and for the efficiency of our crew efforts, please refrain from approaching our crews while they are on scene. Contact our customer service personnel with any questions.
As always, your safety and the safety of our crews is paramount. Stay away and keep children and pets away from downed lines. Treat all downed power lines as if they are energized and dangerous. You can report hazards to SWEPCO at 888-218-3919.
5:08pm Update: Power has returned at the Shelby County Today office, and although some portions of Center area have regained power, the north part of Center remains without power.
4:38pm Update: Shelby County Today has received reports of power being out all over Shelby County.
4pm Update: The power is out downtown as well.
June 16, 2023 - According to Swepco’s outage map, the northern side of the City of Center is experiencing a power outage affecting 1,035 customers. The outage was reported just after 2pm. No estimation of restoration has been given as the outage situation is still being assessed.
The outage is impacting many businesses in town if you are planning a shopping trip.
June 16, 2023 - All Panola college locations will be closed today, Friday, June 16, due to weather related issues.
Jessica Pace, Vice President of Institutional Advancement
June 15, 2023 - A Shelby County jury in the 273rd Judicial District Court with the honorable Jim Payne presiding, has found Michael Masterson guilty on June 15, 2023 on all charges presented to them following a three-day trial.
Masterson was on trial for his involvement in the deaths of five people, including his own two children, and a third in his vehicle a step-daughter who was the daughter of David Hogan, as well as injury to another individual which took place August 16, 2020.
Following three days of testimony, the jury came to a decision after just over 30 minutes of deliberation.
The verdict was read on each charge against Masterson and they included five charges of manslaughter for which the jury found Masterson guilty regarding Mason Masterson (MM), Ella Masterson (EM), Mackenzie Parks (MP), Victoria Hogan (VH), and Sandra Parks. In addition, Masterson was found guilty of the charge aggravated assault with a deadly weapon against MP and the answer on the special issue verdict form on deadly weapon from the jury was “we do.”
During closing arguments John Price, County Attorney, who was assisting Karren Price, District Attorney, in the prosecution of the case reminded jurors of the expert testimony provided by Texas Department of Public Safety State Troopers who according to Price helped show beyond a reasonable doubt that Masterson was guilty of all the charges.
The first Trooper on scene that day was Keith Jones who determined unsafe speed and wrong side of roadway were the reasons for the crash.
Five members of the DPS reconstruction crew who participated in the examination of the scene later that night and Price explained they all testified Masterson was reckless in his actions which caused the crash.
Price reminded the jurors that during analysis by the troopers they were able to determine from the event data recorders (EDR) of both trucks involved what their speed had been. In the GMC driven by Mackenzie Parks the EDR showed it was traveling at 47.8 mph during the crash.
Masterson’s truck EDR recorded 78.3 mph, which was the speed the year model vehicle he was driving tapped out at; however, the vehicle's speedometer was locked at 83 mph and Price explained it was the opinion of Trooper Taylor Buster, as part of the reconstruction crew, the truck was traveling at around 80 mph. To corroborate this, Price explained that during the 5 second window of the EDR data it did indicate Masterson tapped the brakes on the truck, but there was no decrease in the speed to the vehicle. Price suggested what was even more important than the speed was Masterson’s vehicle was on the wrong side of the road as indicated by eyewitness accounts.
Sean Hightower, attorney for Masterson, argued this incident has been stated to have occurred in a matter of seconds while coming through a curve and up a hill. He said officers testified about the centrifugal force generated while traveling through a turn. Hightower stated the issue wasn’t whether it was reckless to travel at the speed Masterson was traveling with children in the vehicle, and that the subject at issue was whether Masterson was aware travel at the speed the truck was would cause the death of another.
Hightower stated the evidence proved Masterson was not aware and that was not his intent, or what he was trying to do. He continued by arguing Masterson didn’t make a conscious decision to travel through the curve and run into another vehicle.
Hightower said it was a horrific terrible accident and he encouraged the jury to go with the lesser included offense of criminally negligent homicide, because that was what the officer had originally suspected, and what Hightower said the reconstruction team later confirmed. He asked the jurors to look at all of the evidence in front of them and determine if Masterson was aware he was going to cause the deaths and injury to those involved.
Karren Price rebutted Hightower, saying it was Masterson’s actions and no one else’s which caused him to be operating the vehicle at speeds of 78 to 80 mph, and that it certainly wasn’t 55 mph.
She reminded the jurors of the testimony of the surviving passenger from Mackenzie Parks truck, her brother; and the driver who had been traveling just behind Parks who stated if it had not been the GMC it would have been her.
Price put the jurors right in the driver’s seat by asking them of their awareness when driving and if they are not aware of their actions when they depress the accelerator and what action it produces. She stated that what the jurors do after going into the juror room will forever define justice for the families.
After the jury verdicts were read, the trial went into the punishment phase and sentencing is projected to be determined Friday.
Related articles:
June 15, 2023 - Flat Fork Water Supply water consumer confidence report for January 1 to December 31, 2022 is now available. Flat Fork WS provides ground water from Carrizo-Wilcox Aquifer located in Center, TX, Shelby County and purchases surface water from the City of Center located in Shelby County. To view the report, click here.
June 14, 2023 - Law enforcement officials were on high alert Wednesday afternoon, June 14, 2023, following the receipt of a threat of some sort to the active Shelby County Courthouse located on San Augustine Street in Center.
Although officers were already within the building, additional units surrounded the courthouse for the protection of everyone inside.
Multiple law enforcement agencies responded to the courthouse including Texas Department of Public Safety; Shelby County Sheriff's Department; Center Police Department; and Constables with Precinct 1,2 and 4.
The threat didn't come to fruition and the officers maintained an active vigil until the courthouse was empty for the day.
Related articles:
- DPS Investigates Multi-Fatality Crash on FM 2026 (Updated 8-18)
- Shelby County Grand Jury Delivers 110 Indictments
- Masterson Found Guilty on All Charges
June 14, 2023 - The Shelby County Appraisal District mailed appraisal notices on May 15th. Your city, county, school district and other local taxing units will use the appraisal district’s value to set your 2023 property tax rates.
Under Texas law, county appraisal districts are required to notify property owners about changes in their property’s value. The notice contains important information about the property’s location, its ownership and property tax exemptions that have been applied to the property.
Property owners who disagree with the appraised value of their property, the exemptions or any other action by the appraisal district have the right to appeal to the Shelby County Appraisal Review Board (ARB) even if they do not receive an appraisal notice. The ARB is an independent panel of citizens responsible for hearing and settling property owner protests. The notice of appraised value includes instructions on how and when to file a protest, a protest form, and the Comptroller’s Property Taxpayer Remedies of which will also be available on the appraisal district’s website. The deadline for filing a protest with the ARB is June 14th or 30 days after the day your notice was mailed.
The Comptroller’s publication, Property Taxpayer Remedies, explains in detail how to protest your property appraisal, what issues the ARB can consider and what to expect during a protest hearing. The publication also discusses the option of taking your case to district court, the State Office of Administrative Hearings or binding arbitration if you are dissatisfied with the outcome of your ARB hearing.
Property Taxpayer Remedies is available on the Shelby County Appraisal District’s website at shelbycad.com or by calling (936) 598-6171. The publication is also available on the Comptroller’s Property Tax Assistance Division’s website at comptroller.texas.gov/taxes/property-tax/.
June 13, 2023 - Scammers are contacting individuals pretending to be Shelby Savings Bank. They are using technology to change the phone number that appears on your caller ID so the number you see appears to be coming from Shelby Savings Bank. These calls are NOT Shelby Savings Bank.
- Scammers may say that there is a problem with your account and that you need to verify some information.
- Scammers want you to act before you have time to think.
- Do NOT give your personal or financial information in response to a request that you didn’t expect.
Shelby Savings Bank will NOT call, email, or text you to ask for your personal information, like your Social Security, bank account, or credit card numbers.
If you receive a phone call, text or email contact Shelby Savings Bank immediately at 936-598-5688.
June 13, 2023 – A traffic switch is planned for next week, weather permitting, onto newly completed southbound lanes of US 69 in Zavalla.
Crews are currently working to complete the striping on the southbound side between Clay Plant Road and FM 1270 and will make the traffic shift once it is completed. During construction of the southbound lanes, motorists have utilized the northbound lanes for two-way traffic. Once traffic is shifted, both the southbound and northbound lanes will be fully opened to traffic.
“This is another successful phase of construction completed in this area that we are proud of,” said Rhonda Oaks, public information officer. “The enhanced safety of this newly constructed divided highway will also enhance US 69 as a major evacuation route in the event of major storms on the Gulf Coast.”
Drewery Construction, Nacogdoches TX, will serve as contractor for the $11.9 million construction project, which is one of three projects on US 69 near Zavalla that were designed to widen the two-lane roadway to a four-lane divided highway that included the construction of bridges and overpasses.
Motorists are urged to use caution and stay alert as this new traffic pattern is implemented. Obey all traffic control as this traffic switch is made.
For more information, contact Rhonda.Oaks@txdot.gov or call (936) 633-4395.
June 12, 2023 - The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department had an above average call volume over the week of June 4th through 10th with 11 separate calls. Here’s a summary of the week’s events.
Sunday morning at 11:26am and Monday night at 10:24pm the JVFD would be called to perform a lift assist at the same residence on Carroll Street. The call on Monday night would also result in the patient being transported by Allegiance EMS.
Wednesday evening at 6:26pm a call was received for a motor vehicle accident on Highway 84 East. The driver of a red KIA SUV had fallen asleep and drifted into the oncoming lane of traffic where he collided with the driver of a black Chevy. The JVFD medical team arrived on scene to tend to the two drivers involved in the accident while other members provided traffic control on the roadway. The Chevy driver was transported by ambulance to an emergency room while the KIA driver was treated on scene. Once the vehicle’s were removed from the road the scene was cleared.
Wednesday night at 10:18pm a page came in for a pickup truck fire at a residence on FM 139. The JVFD responded with Engine 1 and used the front preconnect line to extinguish the fire. The pickup was unfortunately a total loss.
Thursday afternoon at 1:08pm the JVFD was dispatched to Childress Street where a man had fallen through the floor of a heavy equipment trailer. The man had injured his leg in the fall but was able to pull himself back up onto the trailer where he was when JVFD units arrived. Allegiance EMS was there soon after and the patient was loaded into the ambulance and taken to an emergency room.
Thursday evening at 5:10pm a call was received for a grass fire near County Road 3343. The JVFD responded with a brush truck and was able to put the fire out fairly quickly.
Almost simultaneously a page for an elderly man having a medical emergency at a residence on Marshall Street was also received. Members of the JVFD not currently on the scene of the grass fire were redirected to this call. The medical team checked out the patient before DeSoto EMS arrived to transport him.
Saturday morning at 11:59am a call came in for a minor accident on the Haslam Strip in front of Nu Way involving a white sedan and an 18-wheeler. The driver’s of both vehicles were unharmed, but the big rig was still in the roadway. Since it was not disabled in the accident it was moved to the side of the road. The JVFD remained on scene until a DPS agent could arrive.
Saturday afternoon at about 2:20pm, as a storm was bearing down on the area, the JVFD was dispatched to a tree across the road and a single vehicle accident that were both located on Highway 84 East. A few members of the JVFD dealt with the accident scene while others searched for the tree blocking the road. There were no serious injuries reported from the accident, but the tree was never located.
Saturday evening at 5:29pm the JVFD was requested to help EMS with a lift assist on Carroll Street. This time to help the patient back into his home.
With that, this edition of the report will come to a close. The Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department Hopes everyone has a great and safe week ahead.
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