The story headline links to a better view of the story and share features.
News
March 27, 2023 - The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers investigated a single-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 84, near the 880-mile marker, that occurred Sunday, March 26, 2023.
The preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 3:30am, a 2001 Ford pickup was traveling west. It is reported that the driver left the road to the left and struck a barbed wire fence. Further investigation revealed that the driver was intoxicated.
The driver, Jose Vasquez, 19, of Tenaha, was transported to Nacogdoches Medical Center for treatment. Vazquez is charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor offense.
There is no further information available.
March 27, 2023 - Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Troopers arrested a Nacogdoches man for driving while intoxicated after an investigation into a single-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 96, near County Road 4360, that occurred Saturday, March 25, 2023.
The preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 5:05am, a 2012 Chevrolet pickup was traveling south. It is reported that the driver failed to drive in a single lane and left the road to the right, where he struck a guardrail. Further investigation revealed that the driver was intoxicated.
The driver, identified as Kaleb Bradford, 20, of Nacogdoches, was not injured. Bradford was arrested and charged with driving while intoxicated, a misdemeanor offense.
This is an ongoing investigation and there are no further details available.
Assisting at the scene until the scene was clear and traffic was no longer delayed, were Shelby County Sheriff’s Deputies and Center Fire Department personnel.
March 27, 2023 - The week of March 19th through 25th yielded three calls for the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department (JVFD). Here’s a summary of the week’s events.
On Monday at 2:58pm a call was received regarding a brush fire on County Road 3290. The JVFD responded with an off-road brush truck and a tanker for extra water, and they were able to get the fire under control in under an hour.
Friday morning at 8:38am a call came in for a male possibly having a heart attack at the Executive Inn on the Haslam Strip. The JVFD medical team responded in association with Allegiance EMS to help the patient.
Lastly, on Saturday at 4:16pm a call was received for a grass fire that had gotten out of control on County Road 3169. The fire began in a pasture but had spread to the side of the road and was able to jump to the other side and get into the woods. The JVFD responded with two brush trucks and a tanker for supplemental water. After about 90 minutes the fires were able to be extinguished and the scene was cleared.
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.
March 23, 2023 - The National Weather Service, Shreveport, LA issued the following Hazardous Weather Outlook at 6:14am on Thursday, March 23, 2023.
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for south central Arkansas, southwest Arkansas, north central Louisiana, northwest Louisiana, southeast Oklahoma, east Texas and northeast Texas.
Today and tonight - An isolated severe threat is possible this evening, as scattered showers and thunderstorms develop over Southeast Oklahoma, portions of extreme Northeast Texas, and adjacent sections of Southwest Arkansas. Also, can`t rule out some isolated flash flooding, brief heavy rainfall will be possible with some storms.
Friday through Wednesday - A much greater and significant severe weather threat will exist across much of the region Friday. Tornadoes, damaging winds, and large hail will be possible, with locally heavy rainfall also accompanying the stronger storms. The threat for severe weather should end late Friday evening as the storms exit the region to the east.
Additional showers and thunderstorms are possible Sunday as a warm front moves northward into the area. Isolated strong to severe storms can not be ruled out Sunday afternoon and evening over portions of Deep East Texas and adjacent North and Central Louisiana south of Interstate 20.
Spotter activation will likely be needed on Friday.
March 21, 2023 - Donna Hughes, Justice of the Peace for Precinct 1, addressed the Shelby County Commissioners' Court March 8, 2023, with a proposal for some needed refurbishment in the building where her office is located.
The floors are concrete in the building and without any covering, sound travels throughout the building. Hughes explained she has placed rugs on the floor in attempts to dampen the sound; however, there is very little privacy in her office or in the courtroom.
She presented a bid from Russell Flooring for carpeting in the building.
"The building is so nice and I think eventually we're going to need to invest this in the building and I say, hey lets do it while we can go ahead and get all the years of use out of it because this carpet is going to last probably as long as the building does," said Hughes.
A motion carried by the commissioners to approve the expenditure of "right at $10,000" and use funds out of Courthouse repairs.
The commissioners went into executive session at 9:48am and returned to open session at 10:13am.
Following the executive session Tom Bellmyer, Precinct 4 Commissioner, commented on Judge Allison Harbison and County Attorney John Price researching and coming up with the right and legal answer to the subject of their executive session discussion.
Tracy Broadway, Precinct 5 Justice of the Peace, has been covering the duties of Precinct 4 Justice of the Peace in addition to his own duties as JP 5.
A motion carried to compensate Broadway retroactively from the date Judge LeAnn K, Rafferty assigned him to those additional duties at half the normal JP 4 salary, $591.73 per pay period, until a decision is made and someone is placed in that office.
The meeting then adjourned at 10:15am.
Agenda items approved during the meeting include: 1. Minutes of February 1, 2023 Special meeting, February 8, 2023 Regular meeting, February 15, 2023 Special meeting, February 22, 2023 Special meeting of the Shelby County Commissioner’s Court. 2. Pay weekly expenses. 3. Commissioner Pct. 1 and Commissioner Pct. 2 to sell a Lee Boy Lay Down Paver to Angelina County for $35,000 and for the proceeds to split between Precinct 1 and 2. 4. Make renovations to the Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace courtroom and office. 5. Compensate Broadway retroactively from the date Judge LeAnn K. Rafferty assigned him to those additional duties at half the normal JP 4 salary, $591.73 per pay period, until a decision is made and someone is placed in that office. 6. Adjourn 10:15am.
March 20, 2023 - Over the week of March 12th through 18th the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department responded to a total of 5 calls. Here’s a summary of the week’s events.
Early Sunday morning at 4:24am Center Fire Department requested assistance from the JVFD on a house fire on Highway 7 East. Upon arriving, the house was found to be fully involved with flames on the back side that were quickly spreading to the front rooms. The Joaquin VFD took 2 trucks with large capacity water tanks, both of which had to be refilled during the fight to get the fire under control. After a couple of hours of intense firefighting by both Center and Joaquin, the fire was able to be contained. The house was a complete loss, but was fortunately uninhabited.
Tuesday night at 8:51pm a call was received in regards to a large burn pile that may be spreading on County Road 3290. This was later discovered to be a control burn and showed no signs of potentially spreading any further.
Wednesday morning at 12:26am Allegiance EMS requested the JVFD’s help with a lift assist on a patient at a residence on Carroll Street.
Thursday afternoon at 3:02pm a call came in for a female possibly having a heart attack at a residence on Highway 7 East. The Joaquin VFD responded is association with Allegiance EMS to get the patient the help they needed.
Lastly on Saturday at 12:00pm a call was received for a person in respiratory distress at the Joaquin Apartments on Highway 84 East. The JVFD responded to provide assistance until Allegiance could arrive.
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 going forward.
Related article: Center Fire Department Fights Two House Fires on Sunday
March 17, 2023 - Center Fire Department personnel responded to two house fires on Sunday, March 12, 2023, with one in the county and the other within the Center city limits.
The first fire took place before dawn in the 3000 block of State Highway 7 East at 4:06am. According to the Center Fire Department, when fire personnel arrived at the house, the structure was well involved in fire and there was smoke throughout the house. Fire personnel entered the building and began performing a search for anyone inside the structure. Due to worsening conditions, the firefighters backed out of the building and due to the need of additional support called for assistance from the Joaquin Volunteer Fire Department, who responded with other units and provided additional water.
Indications are the fire started in the back of the structure; however, the cause is unknown. It was later confirmed the house was unoccupied. Fire personnel returned to the station at 8:31am.
Later that day at 4:43pm, fire personnel were dispatched to a structure fire in the 1300 block of Louisiana Street, and when they arrived arrived heavy smoke could be seen pushing from the attic space of a brick structure. Fire was showing through a window and door on the left side of the house, and entry was made into the home where the main body of the fire was knocked down at that time.
It was then discovered that fire had made its way into the attic space. Ventilation was made and final extinguishment was accomplished. Once it was determined all fire was clear, the fire department units returned to the station at 7pm.
March 16, 2023 - The National Weather Service (NWS), Shreveport, LA, issued an updated Hazardous Weather Outlook at 11:14pm, Thursday, March 16, 2023.
Tornado Watch 69 in effect until 1am, Friday, March 17, 2023.
This Hazardous Weather Outlook is for southwest Arkansas, northwest Louisiana, east Texas and northeast Texas.
- Tonight - A line of strong to severe thunderstorms will continue to move across portions of Southwest Arkansas, East Texas, and Northwest Louisiana tonight. Damaging straight- line winds, large hail are the primary threats. A tornado or two cannot be completely ruled out. The severe weather threat should diminish during the early morning hours of Friday.
- Friday through Wednesday - Temperatures are expected to fall to near or below freezing Saturday and Sunday nights across portions of extreme Northeast Texas, Southwest Arkansas, and North Louisiana, as colder and drier air continues to spill south into the region this weekend. Precautions should be taken to protect tender vegetation from these cold temperatures.
At 11:07pm, the NWS in Shreveport issued a severe thunderstorm warning until 11:45pm for Southwestern De Soto Parish in northwestern Louisiana, Northwestern Sabine Parish in northwestern Louisiana, Southeastern Panola County in northeastern Texas, Northern Nacogdoches County in eastern Texas, Shelby County in eastern Texas, and Northern San Augustine County in eastern Texas.
At 11:06pm, severe thunderstorms were located along a line extending from 7 miles north of Logansport to near Center to near Nacogdoches, moving southeast at 35 mph. Radar indicated 60 mph wind gusts and penny size hail. Expect damage to roofs, siding, and trees.
A Tornado Watch remains in effect until 1:00am for eastern and northeastern Texas. A Tornado Watch also remains in effect until 5:00am for northwestern Louisiana.
For your protection move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a building.
Tornado Watch 69 remains valid until 1am Friday for the following areas:
- In Southwest Arkansas - Columbia, Lafayette, and Nevada
- In Northwest Louisiana - Bossier, Caddo, and Webster
- In Northeast Texas - Angelina, Cherokee, Nacogdoches, Panola, Rusk, San Augustine, and Shelby.
This includes the cities of Bossier City, Bradley, Carthage, Center, Henderson, Jacksonville, Lewisville, Lufkin, Magnolia, Minden, Nacogdoches, Prescott, Rusk, San Augustine, Shreveport, Springhill, and Stamps.
March 16, 2023 - On Tuesday, March 14, 2023, a Bad Boy Avenger Lawn Mower was stolen during the daytime hours from the Iglesia Fiesta Pentecostal Church located at 1318 Shelbyville Street. If you or anyone you know has any information regarding this theft please contact the Center PD at 936-598-2788 or the Church Pastor, Martin Soto at 936-572-2375.
March 15, 2023 - County Road 1520 will be closed starting tomorrow, March 16, from FM 138 to CR 1515
Pages
