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Around Town
October 15, 2025 - Brady Lane Wells was sworn in by Allison Harbison, Shelby County Judge, as Shelby County’s newest lawyer following Commissioners' Court on October 15, 2025.
“We have got a new attorney in town, and we're so excited because used to, 15 years ago, you could throw a rock and hit an attorney, and there's just not that many attorneys practicing anymore, because they're getting old like me,” said Judge Harbison.
Wells works for Fairchild, Price, Haley & Smith, LLP, and John Price complimented Wells on his work ethic, as well as expressing how proud he is to have him at the law firm.
Seth Elmore, attorney; Brady Wells, attorney; Allison Harbison, Shelby County Judge; and John Price, attorney.
“I just like to say this young man has worked his way through college, along with his family support and help, he has worked for our firm part-time when he went through SFA, I don't know that he's ever been in a non-working position. He passed his bar with flying colors. He's been an outstanding addition to our firm for many years,” said Price. “But to have him now, as a lawyer, licensed in the state of Texas and being a member of our firm, I cannot tell you how proud that makes me individually. Known him for a long time, fine young man, and we’re so proud to have you on board.”
Jason Wells, Brady’s father, made a special presentation of his father’s Rolex watch to his son in recognition of his accomplishment.
“I've never seen a kid with as much perseverance and dedication, discipline as this young man. Proud to, you know, to claim him as my son.” Said Jason Wells. “In 2012, a lot of you knew my dad Bertis Wells, in 2012, as dad was getting a little older, he gave me a gift. I put that gift in a safe, because I was hoping that this day would come.”
With proud tears, Wells presented his son with his father’s watch. After receiving the watch, Brady commented that maybe there was a reason he had forgotten his watch at home.
Judge Harbison then administered the Attorney’s Oath to Wells.
Wells is a 2018 graduate of Center High School, and he attended Stephen F. Austin State University. He earned his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Texas A&M School of Law in May 2025 and after passing the Texas Bar, he was issued his license on October 6, 2025.
October 15, 2025 - The Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library is pleased to announce that they are the recipients of the 2025 "John Reagan Harris Community Fund at East Texas Communities Foundation" Grant.
The proceeds from the grant will be used to enhance our library's services such as Hotspots and children's book collections. The grant will improve lighting in the Redditt Room and the library is also pleased to announce that, with this grant, we will begin offering the Mango Language Online Learning program and lessons to all library patrons free of charge.
Watch for further announcements concerning the Mango Language program when it becomes available soon!
Shawn Lowater (left), Assistant Librarian, is shown receiving the grant check on behalf of the library from Dana Durman (right), Program Officer for the East Texas Communities Foundation.
Pictured are (from left) Larry Hume, Derrick Roberts, and Mary Roberts.
October 13, 2025 - VFW Post 8904 members held a remembrance of the service and sacrifice of Afghanistan Veterans during a program held October 9, 2025.
Post Commander Derrick Roberts offered the opening prayer and led the program.
“24 years ago, America launched its counter-attack against terrorism, attacking terrorist targets in Afghanistan and ushering in Operation Enduring Freedom and the global war on terrorism,” said Roberts. “To date, there have been over 23,000 military deaths in Afghanistan. Among that number are the sons and daughters os big cities and small towns. Four years ago we lost 13 service members killed in August 26, 2021, near Kabul’s international airport less than a week before the United States was set to complete its military withdrawal on August 31. We remember them today also.”
Shelby County, Texas, as in all previous wars also suffered losses. Roberts reminded everyone that Army Specialist Cory Bertand and Sgt. Kevin Casey Roberts were two of those lost.
U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Kevin Roberts was killed in action on May 7, 2008, when his vehicle hit an improvised explosive device (IED). Sgt. Roberts was not from Shelby County but met a local girl and fell in love with Shelby County.
“As was his wish, he is buried in the West Hamilton Cemetery in Shelbyville,” said Roberts.
U.S. Army Specialist Cory Bertrand died in Afghanistan five months later on October 14, 2008, one month before his 19th birthday. His vehicle also struck an IED.
“He is buried in Pleasant Hill Cemetery also in Shelbyville,” said Roberts.
Derrick Roberts then place a wreath in honor of those that have served and who have sacrificed.
A moment of silence was then honored in memory of those who have served, but have since passed.
October 9, 2025 (Photo Album) - The Chicken Trot 5K had a great turnout with an estimate 200 runners/walkers who are competing for the fastest time or who are just there to challenge themselves to cross the finish line. One hundred and seven-nine registered runners finished the race along with an unknown number of unregistered participants who just came for the challenge.
Proceeds from the 5K will support the charitable giving of the Rotary Club of Center whose lastest service project is to build raised garden beds which are wheel chair accessible. Past service projects included ADA playground equipment installed at Portacool Park, installation of new carpet in the Redditt Room at the Fannie Brown Booth Memorial Library, and books for elementary kids in Shelby County.
Overall First Places:
Male - Adrian Ramirez, Time 00:17:49, Tenaha
Female - Rachel Newton, Time 00:23:23, Center
The results of the 5K are below. Please note, runners who placed 1st, 2nd, or 3rd overall for male and female categories were not included in the age division top three.
2nd Place Overall Male - Daniel Flores, Time 00:17:52
Overall Male
1st Place - Bib# 321, Adrian Ramirez, Time 00:17:49, Tenaha
2nd Place - Bib# 461, Daniel Flores, Time 00:17:52
3rd Place - Bib# 453, Israel Carmona Torres, Time 00:19:25, Plattsburg
3rd Place Overall Male - Israel Carmona Torres, Time 00:19:25
Overall Female
1st Place - Bib# 403, Rachel Newton, Time 00:23:23, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 477, Madison Murphree, Time 00:24:55, Center
3rd Place - Bib# 333, Anna Hagler, Time 00:26:09, Center
2nd Place Overall Female - Madison Murphree, Time 00:24:55
Male 0 - 11
1st Place - Bib# 362, Christian J. Tello, Time 00:32:53, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 406, Elijah Eaves, Time 00:33:04, Center
3rd Place - Bib# 462, Giovanni Flores, Time 00:36:16
3rd Place Overall Female - Anna Hagler, Time 00:26:09
Female 0 - 11
1st Place - Bib# 495, Blakely Raymond, Time 00:46:28, Shelbyville
2nd Place - Bib# 473, Stephanie Paredes, Time 00:50:08, Center
3rd Place - Bib# 433, Evangeline Lane, Time 00:50:42, Joaquin
Male 12 – 19
1st Place - Bib# 492, Rene Hernandez, Time 00:20:17, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 435, Jairo Hernandez, Time 00:20:20, Tenaha
3rd Place - Bib# 427, Troy Currey, Time 00:20:34, San Augustine
Female 12 - 19
1st Place - Bib# 436, Kynslee Stevens, Time 00:27:02, Shelbyville
2nd Place - Bib# 469, Emma Lewis, Time 00:29:48, Center
3rd Place - Bib# 479, Bethany Kilpatrick, Time 00:30:14, Tenaha
Male 20 - 29
1st Place - Bib# 449, Antonio Chavez, Time 00:19:55, Tyler
2nd Place - Bib# 316, Jacob Garcia, Time 00:22:07, Center
3rd Place - Bib# 452, Luis Enrique Monfil Cruz, Time 00:22:23, Plattsburg
Female 20 - 29
1st Place - Bib# 378, Yadira Morales, Time 00:28:15, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 344, Stephanie Salgado, Time 00:28:18, Houston
3rd Place - Bib# 472, Adriana Barcenas, Time 00:29:37, Center
Male 30 - 39
1st Place - Bib# 353, Allen Woodfin, Time 00:19:36, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 384, Martin Barcenas, Time 00:23:02, Center
3rd Place - Bib# 437, Steve Chavez, Time 00:23:21, Center
Female 30 - 39
1st Place - Bib# 443, Caroline Chadwick, Time 00:31:09, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 330, Kasi Ashley, Time 00:32:15, Center
3rd Place - Bib# 442, Joanna Santana, Time 00:34:10, Center
Male 40 - 49
1st Place - Bib# 458, Michael Kay, Time 00:28:14, Shelbyville
2nd Place - Bib# 468, JC Lewis, Time 00:34:19, Center
Female 40 - 49
1st Place - Bib# 404, Candice Eaves, Time 00:44:13, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 356, Marlene Hernandez, Time 00:45:32, Center
3rd Place - Bib# 476, Lindsey Wagoner, Time 00:45:52, Baton Rouge
Male 50 - 59
1st Place - Bib# 415, Antonio Ruiz, Time 00:27:29, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 301, John Solice, Time 00:28:53, Timpson
3rd Place - Bib# 377, Keith Riley, Time 00:29:55, Mineola
Female 50 - 59
1st Place - Bib# 470, Jeanne Brewer, Time 00:31:16, Franklin
2nd Place - Bib# 487, Delia Diaz, Time 00:37:09
3rd Place - Bib# 371, Anittra Adkison, Time 00:42:34, Garrison
Male 60 - 74
1st Place - Bib# 336, Mark Cline, Time 00:27:32, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 425, Jim Sawyer, Time 00:34:30, Spring
3rd Place - Bib# 374, Arturo O. Mendoza, Time 00:48:51, Center
4th Place - Bib# 365, Howell Howard, Time 00:51:49, Center *Rotarian
Female 60 - 74
1st Place - Bib# 345, Deborah Chadwick, Time 00:31:23, Center
2nd Place - Bib# 407, Tonya Andrews, Time 00:33:19, Center
3rd Place - Bib# 382, Jayne Crain, Time 00:53:30, Center
Male 75+
1st Place - Bib# 485, Jessie Bashan, Time 00:59:41
Thank you from the Center Rotary Club for all who registered to participate in the 5K. Also, thank you to the sponsors who make the 5K possible and the many volunteers who put in the time to make it a success.
Deuce Wulf, Derrick Roberts, Ben Wulf, Easton Wulf, Emi Wulf, Jennifer Wulf, Tim Wulf, Fred Wulf, Mary Lou Lubinski, Ken Lubinski, Mickey Wulf, David Chadwick, Jerry Pinkston, and Laticia Bomar.
October 6, 2025 - Family members of Mike Wulf were presented a memorial plaque in his memory at Center High School where it is now displayed in his honor.
Catherine Pinkston Roughrider Scholarship Foundation (R.S.F.) board members were present with family as the plaque was presented and placed within the Roughrider Scholarship Foundation display case.
Wulf proudly served his country in the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970 and achieved the rank of Staff Sergeant. He was a member of VFW Post 8904, Gold Legacy members, and was Commander of the post during his passing. He moved to Center in 1977 and was a past member of the Shelby County Cookers and upon his passing served on the board of the Shelby County Outreach Ministries. He was the chief cook for the Friends of the Roughrider Athletic Booster Club.
Mike worked at General Shelters for 11 years and served as the plant manager for the production plant in Munday, Texas. He also worked for Port-a-Cool and was a Regional Sales Manager. In his retirement, he enjoyed serving his community and spending time with his granddaughters and great-grandson.
This scholarship is in memory of Mike Wulf and will be awarded for the first time in 2026.
To view his obituary, click here.
For more information about the Catherine Pinkston Roughrider Scholarship Foundation, visit online https://roughriderscholarship.org/
October 6, 2025 - The 49th Annual East Texas Poultry Festival was a huge success! Thank you to all our sponsors, volunteers, and the community for your support.
I would also like to extend my sincere appreciation to the Center Police Department as well as to our other local law enforcement agencies, the Sheriff’s Office and State Troopers, for their outstanding service during this year’s Festival. Their presence, professionalism and dedication helped ensure a safe and enjoyable weekend for all attendees.
We are so grateful for their continued commitment to protecting our community and supporting our local events. Thank you!
October 6, 2025 (Photos) - The Creative Art Show 2025 on display in the First Baptist Church Family Life Gym during the 49th East Texas Poultry Festival was a superlative showcase of the talented artists located in Shelby County. The walls were full of artwork on paper and along with the Quilt Show the two brought a rainbow of color inside the gymansium. Art on canvas was on display on tables.
The results of the Creative Art Show sponsored by Doches Credit Union:
Adult Art Division
1st place - Isabella Galaviz
Intermediate Youth Art Division
6th-8th Grades
1st grade - Makena Hodge
2nd place - Lyla Snyder
3rd place - Makena Hodge
Elementary Art Division
Kindergarten – 2nd Grade
1st place - Annistyn Murray
2nd place - Evalee Andrews
3rd place - Elizabeth Adres
Honorable Mention - Evalee Andres, VIN Khan, and Emery Andres
3rd - 5th Grades (Sketching)
1st place - Adeline Andrews
2nd place - Riley Price
3rd place - Bryce Samford
3rd - 5th Grades (Painting)
1st place - Evie Ideker
2nd place - Kennedi Barr
3rd place - Bryce Samford
Honorable Mention - Ellie Pitts and Adeline Andrews
Shelbyville Elementary
Kindergarten (Drawing)
1st place - Kendall Koltonski
2nd place - Case Price
3rd place - Marlie Howard
Honorable Mention - Zailyn Taylor
1st Grade (Drawing)
1st place - Carter Rash
2nd place - Gavin Chism
3rd place - Cooper Kay
Honorable Mention - Cru Cooper
2nd Grade (Drawing)
1st place - Arianna Esquivel
2nd place - Chloe Sparks
3rd place - Maverick Johnson
Honorable Mention - Aubrey Allen
3rd Grade (Drawing)
1st place - Avery McKelvey
2nd place - Gemma Jones
3rd place - Amelia Jones
Honorable Mention - Aubree Scarber
Editor's Note: Quilt Show and Photography Show results will be announced separately.
October 6, 2025 (Photos) - Nickolas Smith of Center took the heat of the Carolina Reaper to win the trophy in the 49th East Texas Poultry Festival Wing-It competition on October 4, 2025.
The contest started with eight contestants who had five minutes to eat three wings followed by a burn period. Those not afraid of the challenge were Allen Nestle, Andrew Williams, William Jacobs, John Clevenger, Charity Jacobs, Corey Hagler, and Laurel Smith. All survived the first round of buffalo hot sauce but the Yellow Bird Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce in the second round brought down three contestants. Ghost Peppers range from 855,000 to 1,041,427 Scoville heat units.
With five contestants going into the third round, more were sure to tap out as Tabasco’s Scorpion Sauce was next up with a Scoville scale of 1.2 million to 2 million heat units. The sauce did not disappoint as it took out two more contestants leaving the final three.
The final round and the sauce to determine the winner was Elijah’s Xtreme - Xtreme Regret (Screaming Hot) which is made with two of the hottest peppers in the world: Carolina Reaper and Trinidad Scorpion Peppers (1.4 million to 2.2 million Scoville heat units). The first of the final three to pull off their gloves and reach for water to quench the fire was Center PD Lt. Andrew Williams. The next one to not be able to endure the heat was Allen Nestle which left Smith as the sole survivor.
Winning the 7th Annual Wing It contest, Smith joins the League of Fire Champions: (2024) Adam Vigil of Huxley, (2023) Matthew Kay, (2022 - tied) Allen Nestle of Center and Weston Boyd of Georgetown, (2020) Ray Fountain of Center, and (2019) Jason Filz of Huxley.
Video timeline for each division: Peeps, (1:20); Chicks, (3:24); Pullets, (9:06); Roosters and Hens, (11:47).
October 6, 2025 - (Photo Album) - The 49th East Texas Poultry Festival's 'Strut, Cluck, and Crow' Chicken Clucking Contest did not disappoint during the Saturday, October 4, festival activities. Contestants took to the stage in four different age categories strutting, cackling, and crowing with some even squawking and screaming in hopes of impressing the judges and crowd.
Those whose performance won the hearts of the festival goers were:
Peeps ages 5 and Under
1st place - Nahm Coffman
2nd place - Shephard Coffman
3rd place - Tuff Hatcher
Honorable Mention - Jaycen Coffman
Chicks ages 6-11
1st place - Jay Merchant
2nd place - Judah Maxey
3rd place - Danyon Smith
Honorable Mention - Michael Hill, Jaycee Cooper, Millie Windham, Lane Cooper, Genesis Rodriguez, Naomi Gandy, Jaycee Fuller, Jordyn Fuller
Pullets ages 12-16
1st place - Maylea Rodgers
2nd place - Dru Moody
3rd place - Justin Justus
Honorable Mention - Gabi Mayo, Lilia Swink, Wyatt Foster
Roosters and Hens 17 and Up
1st place - Vernon “The Don” Washington
2nd place - Clayton Paul “Rhode Island” Windham
3rd place - Nancy Turner
Honorable Mention - Bridget “Big Hen” Tipton, Brenda Addison, William Jacobs, Jordan Coffman
October 5, 2025 (Photo Album) - The 2025 East Texas Poultry Festival Car and Motorcycle Show Saturday recorded what event organizers called a record number of entries for the show in recent years.
In people’s choice balloting for three classes of cars and truck, Dickie Gilchrist’s 1940 Ford coupe won the “1948 and Older” division trophy.
Taking home the trophy for vehicles in the “1949 to 1972” class was Roy Blackshear’s 1950 Ford pickup truck.
The most votes cast for cars and trucks “1973 and Newer” awarded the trophy to Alex Munoz for his 2010 Chevrolet pickup.
People’s Choice voting in the “Motorcycles” division, handed the trophy to Brett Amy for his custom painted 2014 Harley Davidson.
Voting by car show entrants and attendees awarded the “People’s Choice” trophy to Vance Payne whose custom created mini replica “T-bucket roadster” was an overwhelming crowd pleaser.
Raymond Motor Company in Center sponsored the 2025 East Texas Poultry Festival Car and Motorcycle Show.
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