Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc. and Goodwill Industries of Lufkin, have partnered together to assist clients with Free income tax preparation. You can file a tax return to claim the tax benefits you earned with the Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit. If you worked in 2012, had children living with you and earned less than about $47,000 or did not have children living with you and earned less than about $14,000, you Could Qualify! The Tri-County Community Action Agency will be open for income tax assistance at the old Center Elementary School at 214 Nacogdoches Street across from the square. Please contact Brenda Allen at 598-6315, ext. 35 to schedule an appointment.

Time is running out! Shelby County residents have three days until the end of January to pay property taxes or to set up a payment plan. According to Tax Assessor Collector Pam Shoffer, property taxes can be paid in person at her office or be sent in the mail. If you are planning to pay in person, payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card. Those residents paying with a credit card will incur an additional 2.5% charge. Payments that are mailed in must be postmarked before February 1st in order to avoid penalties. Ms. Shofner’s office is open 8:00 am - 4:30 p.m Monday - Friday. For more information or questions, you can call the tax office at 598-4441.

The Sabine County Columbia Memorial Committee and the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum will pay tribute to the Space Shuttle Columbia and the Crew of STS-107 and to the two who lost their lives in the recovery efforts at the 10th Annual Memorial Ceremony. The program will be held at the First Baptist Church Family Life Center in Hemphill beginning at 7:30 a.m., on February 1. The public is invited to attend the events being held in Sabine County beginning on January 30th through February 2nd commemorating the legacy of space shuttle Columbia and the crew of Mission STS-107. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum 409-787-4827.

The Center City Council will meet in regular session on today at 5pm in the Council Room at City Hall. The following items are on the agenda for appropriate action: the approval of Minutes of the Regular Meeting on January 14, consider discussion and possible action on the following: approve Resolution 2013-5 – Membership in Cities Advocating Reasonable Deregulation (CARD) and Opposing Legislative Attempts to Eliminate or Diminish Cities’ Original Jurisdiction on Utility Rates Cases, approve Work Authorization #9 – Lakewood Subdivision Sewer Extension, authorize to negotiate for Comprehensive Planning Services, zoning Board of Adjustments Committee – Nominations and/or Confirmation of Appointments for 2013 Terms and presentation of 2012 Racial Profiling Report. That's a Center City Council meeting today at 5pm in the Council Room at City Hall.

Notice is hereby given that a Special meeting of the Governing body of the Shelby County Commissioners’ Court will be held today at 9:30 a.m. in the Courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse to deliberate and consider action on the following items: approve and pay monthly expenses and amend budget line items accordingly, discuss and possibly take action on approving the purchase of a new computer system for Judge Dickerson, recognize Charlotte Allen, Shelby County Veteran Service Officer, on Certification of Completion during 2012 for the Texas Veterans Commission, discuss and possibly take action on approving renewal of Shelby County’s Crime policy with Texas Association of Counties, discuss and possibly take action on approving an Emergency Action Plan for Watershed Flood Control at the Attoyac River Bayou, discuss and possibly take action to change the open enrollment period for the payroll deducted Liberty National Insurance from January 1st through January 31st, to January 1st through February 28th each year, discuss and possibly take action on the pay for conditional bonds, and Sheriff Blackwell will address the court concerning moving one of his investigators from hourly pay to salary. That's a Shelby County Commissioners’ Court meeting today at 9:30 a.m. in the Courtroom of the Shelby County Courthouse

The ground shaking is becoming an all too common wake-up call in parts of the ArkLaTex. Just hours after a 4.1 magnitude earthquake shook East Texas, many are now asking why this keep happening and what if the rumbling gets rougher? From shock and concern to the quick realization that, once again, the ground is rumbling in Shelby County. That's the reaction from those who felt Thursday night's earthquake in Timpson. The trembles reported as far east as Bossier City. Fortunately, this one left just a small mark behind. But what if East Texas were to experience an earthquake with a magnitude greater than 4.1, that could mean trouble. Emergency Management Coordinator, Larry Burns says, "If it gets over a 5.0, then we could have some catastrophic damage. As the dust settles, the focus now looks to the cause of the shakes. Everyone has his own theory. According to research ongoing at Stephen F. Austin University and University of Texas, Burns tells us they've got some ideas about the cause but, for now, they're not publishing any of those findings.

Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration scrapped plans last week to shutter Louisiana's Medicaid hospice program in February, meaning the state will continue to provide end-of-life care to people on their death beds who can't afford private insurance. The cut would have made Louisiana one of only two states that don't pay for hospice care through its Medicaid program, and the plan faced strong resistance from state senators, who were seeking ways to avoid shuttering hospice to new adult recipients on Feb. 1. More than 5,800 people received hospice services through Louisiana's Medicaid program in the last budget year, according to the health department.

Texas lawmakers want to hear from experts and the public on ideas for improving school safety in the wake of last month's shootings at a Connecticut elementary school. The Senate has scheduled a hearing for this morning. Lawmakers are already considering having the state pay for special weapons training for teachers and other school personnel. The state's largest teachers group has opposed that idea. Three Houston area lawmakers want to set up special taxing districts to pay for school security. And Attorney General Greg Abbott has called on schools to review existing security plans. School safety ranks among the top issues for lawmakers this session after the shootings in Newtown, Conn. At least two Texas school districts allow some teachers and administrators to carry concealed weapons.

Funeral Announcements

Wayne Powdrill, 68, of Center, passed away yesterday  in San Augustine.  Visitation will be held from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m, today at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m., tomorrow at Watson & Sons Chapel with burial to follow at White Rock Cemetery in Center.

Charles Richard Hoyle, 67, of Center, passed away Yesterday at Hospice Home Place in Tyler.  Visitation will be Friday, January 25 from 4:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. at Mangum Funeral Home.  Graveside Service will be 2:00 p.m Saturday, January 26 at Good Hope Cemetery.

James Johnstone, 75, of Santa Fe New Mexico, passed away on January 3rd.  Visitation  will be Sunday, Jan. 27 at 12:00 until service time at 1:30 p.m at Mangum Funeral Home Chapel with burial to follow at Mount Pleasant Cemetery in Center.

Local Arrest Report for January 22^nd

Manuela Cigarroa, 62, of Little Rock was arrested by DPS for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Juan Cigarroa, 67, of Little Rock was arrested by DPS for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Barrett Moss, 30, of Center was arrested by Shelby County Sheriffs for Assault and Family Violence and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm.

All Suspects are Innocent Until Proven Guilty Before a Court of Law

Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc. and Goodwill Industries of Lufkin, have partnered together to assist clients with Free income tax preparation. You can file a tax return to claim the tax benefits you earned with the Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit. If you worked in 2012, had children living with you and earned less than about $47,000 or did not have children living with you and earned less than about $14,000, you Could Qualify!  The Tri-County Community Action Agency will be open for income tax assistance at the old Center Elementary School at 214 Nacogdoches Street across from the square. Please contact Brenda Allen at 598-6315, ext. 35 to schedule an appointment.

Shelby County residents have until the end of January to pay property taxes or to set up a payment plan.  According to Tax Assessor Collector Pam Shoffer, property taxes can be paid in person at her office or be sent in the mail.  If you are planning to pay in person, payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card.  Those residents paying with a credit card will incur an additional 2.5% charge.  Payments that are mailed in must be postmarked before February 1st in order to avoid penalties.  The Shelby County Commissioners’ Court approved last week to publish the names of property owners with delinquent taxes that remain unpaid. Payments are to be made to the Shelby County Tax Assessor Collector by February 22 or names and amounts owed will be printed in the newspaper.  Ms. Shoffer’s office is open 8:00 am - 4:30 p.m Monday - Friday.  For more information or questions, you can call the tax office at 598-4441.

The City of Center is announcing the 1st Annual Electronics Recycling Day to be held on Friday, January 25 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Historic Downtown Square. People can bring old electronics devices and dispose of them for free.  Also at this time, the Shelby Beautiful Clean Committee of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a “Shred Day” where you can bring any documents or paper to be destroyed.  The City partnered with STS Recycling in Jacksonville, who will collect all electronic devices and recycle them properly. People can bring old computers, monitors, keyboards, phones, cell phones, televisions at no charge.  Any hard drives will be cleaned to Department of Defense standards and owners may receive a certificate of completion.  For more information, you can call the City of Center at 598-2941.

The CHS Senior Class invites the public to the 40th Annual Powder Puff Classic Tomorrow at 6:00 p.m at the CHS Football Stadium. Featuring the Seniors and Freshmen against the Juniors and Sophomores, the Powder Puff Classic is an enduring tradition: the girls play, the boys cheer, twirl, dance, and compete for Homecoming Queen. There's plenty of fun for the whole family. Concessions will be available. Tickets are $3 for everyone and all proceeds benefit the Class of 2013.

The City of Center is excited to announce that the Insurance Services Office has enhanced the City’s rating from a 4 to a 3. ISO ratings are assigned to communities based on scoring criteria: 50% of the score is the total classification of the fire department itself, this includes personnel and equipment; another 40% of the score is the total classification of the City’s water supply system, this includes infrastructure, water supply, water flow and pressure; the final 10% of the score is the total classification of the City’s dispatch capabilities. There are also supplemental points given to the City because of the building code and inspection departments. A community has to contact ISO to initiate an audit. The results are then tabulated after which ISO will change the classification.  The lowered ISO rating should reduce property insurance rates inside the City of Center.   While ISO will be coordinating with the Texas Department of Insurance and the State Fire Marshal’s Office to push this information to the insurance carriers, Center Fire Chief Keith Byndom is also encouraging people to tell their insurance agents when their policies are ready to be renewed.” The effective date of this change will be June 1. 

Shreveport's nasty problem with sewerage overflows has city leaders looking for ways to fix it and avoid more fines from the federal government.  According to sources, the Department of Justice and the city have been engaged in talks to figure out how much time and money will be needed to make the much needed repairs. One resource that could be tapped is the city's water customer. And if that's the case, customers could see their water bill going up in the near future to offset the cost of repairs.  The Department of Justice is likely to come down on the city with a strict mandate, and order some major repairs to the system to bring Shreveport into compliance with EPA standards.  This project is expected to cost 200 to 300 million dollars.

A fight between two people erupted in gunfire Tuesday at a Houston-area community college, leaving three people wounded, including a maintenance worker caught in the crossfire.  No one was killed, but the volley of gunshots just after noon on the Lone Star College campus sent students and others scrambling for safety and sparked fear of another campus massacre slightly more than a month after 26 people were killed at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.  Harris County sheriff's officials said late Tuesday that Carlton Berry, 22, had been charged with aggravated assault in the shooting.  Authorities offered no details about what led to the fight. One of the people involved had a student ID.  The conditions of the other person involved in the shooting and maintenance worker were not available.  Police evacuated and closed the campus after the shooting. It reopened in the late afternoon, with classes expected to resume today.

 Funeral Announcements

Steve Walker, 62, of Center, passed away Saturday, January 19 at Shelby Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., today at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center. There will be no funeral services.

William Rial “Bill” Taylor, Sr., 84, of Timpson passed away Saturday, January 19 in Garrison. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, January 22, at First Baptist Church in Garrison. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery in Timpson.

Tri-County Community Action Agency, Inc. and Goodwill Industries of Lufkin, have partnered together to assist clients with FREE income tax preparation. You can file a tax return to claim the tax benefits you earned with the Earned Income Credit and Child Tax Credit. If you worked in 2012, had children living with you and earned less than about $47,000 or did not have children living with you and earned less than about $14,000... You Could Qualify! The Tri-County Community Action Agency will be open for income tax assistance at the old Center Elementary School at 214 Nacogdoches Street across from the square. Please contact Brenda Allen at 936-598-6315, ext. 35 to schedule an appointment.

Shelby County residents have until the end of January to pay property taxes or to set up a payment plan. According to Tax Assessor Collector Pam Shoffer, property taxes can be paid in person at her office or be sent in the mail. If you are planning to pay in person, payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card. Those residents paying with a credit card will incur an additional 2.5% charge. Payments that are mailed in must be postmarked before February 1st in order to avoid penalties. The Shelby County Commissioners’ Court approved last week to publish the names of property owners with delinquent taxes that remain unpaid. Shelby County will be publishing the names and dollar amounts owed by those with delinquent taxes. Payments are to be made to the Shelby County Tax Assessor Collector by February 22 or names and amounts owed will be printed in the newspaper. Ms. Shoplifter’s office is open 8:00 am - 4:30 p.m Monday - Friday. For more information or questions, you can call the tax office at 936-598-4441.

The City of Center is announcing the first annual Electronics Recycling Day to be held on Friday, January 25, 2013, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Historic Downtown Square. People can bring old electronics devices and dispose of them for free. Also at this time, the Shelby Beautiful Clean Committee of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a “Shred Day” where you can bring any documents or paper to be destroyed. The City partnered with STS Recycling in Jacksonville, who will collect all electronic devices and recycle them properly. People can bring old computers, monitors, keyboards, phones, cell phones, televisions at no charge. Any hard drives will be cleaned to Department of Defense standards and owners may receive a certificate of completion. According to City manager Chad Nehring, “The City operates a ‘single-stream’ recycling program, which means people do not have to sort recyclable materials. This makes it very easy for a consumer to participate in the recycling program,” For more information, you can call the City of Center at 598-2941.

The CHS Senior Class invites the public to the 40th Annual Powder Puff Classic this Thursday at 6:00 at the CHS Football Stadium. Featuring the Seniors and Freshmen against the Juniors and Sophomores, the Powder Puff Classic is an enduring tradition: the girls play, the boys cheer, twirl, dance, and compete for Homecoming Queen. There's plenty of fun for the whole family. Concessions will be available. Tickets are $3 for everyone and all proceeds benefit the Class of 2013.

Notice is hereby given that a San Augustine County Commissioners Court meeting will be held today at 9:0 a.m in the Commissioners Court Room at 100 W. Columbia, Room 103 in San Augustine. Again, that is a San Augustine County Commissioners Court meeting today at 9:00 a.m.

Meetings for the City of Joaquin, Joaquin Public Safety and the Joaquin Economic Development Corporation are scheduled this evening. The Joaquin Economic Development meeting will be at 5:00, the Joaquin Public Safety meeting will be at 5:30 and the City of Joaquin meeting will be at 6:00 p.m.

Notice is hereby given that a regular called Council Meeting of the City of Tenaha will be this evening beginning at 5:15 p.m in the Tenaha Municipal Building located at 238 N. George Bowers Drive in Tenaha. Again that is a City of Tenaha Council Meeting this evening beginning at 5:15 p.m.

As forecast, retail gas prices started to retreat last week and the downward trend is expected to continue throughout the rest of January. Although pump prices will likely fall in the short term, AAA forecast they will peak in Spring when refineries begin the switch to the summer fuel blend and demand starts to pick up. In 2012, the national average peaked at $3.94 in April, but is forecast not to surpass $3.80 this year. In addition, U.S. demand for oil dropped to its lowest level in 16 years, while refinery output rose the most in 150 years, according to the American Petroleum Institute. As of this morning, the lowest gas prices in the local area is at Valero on Hurst Street at 3.19/g, followed by Shell on Tenaha Street near FM 2026 at 3.19/g.

Louisiana's unemployment rate dropped to 5.5 percent in December, but a separate survey of payrolls showed significant job losses last month. Still, it capped a strong year for the state's labor market. Bureau of Labor Statistics numbers released Friday show Louisiana unemployment fell from 5.8 percent in November and 7 percent in December 2011. The number of unemployed Louisianans fell to 115,000 from 120,000 in November. In December 2011, 144,000 Louisianans were unemployed. The broadest measure of those who are seeking work averaged 12.7 percent in Louisiana over the 12 months ending Oct. 31, the most recent figures available. That number includes people who are working part time because they can't find a full-time job, are looking for work only sporadically, or have given up looking.

A new federal study shows that Texas' four-year high school graduation rate climbed to 78.9 percent in 2009-2010, just above the national average -- a stark change from previous data that suggested the state was among the country's leaders in on-time graduation. The National Center for Education Statistics released a report Monday that showed freshman four-year graduation rates statewide rose from 73.1 percent in 2006-2007 school year to 78.9 percent in 2009-2010. Nationally, the on-time graduation rate was 78.2 percent, the highest since 1976. However, nearly half of America's other states had four-year graduation rates higher than Texas. Overall, Texas' dropout rate fell to 2.7 percent for 2009-2010, compared to 3.2 percent the year before. Nationally, the dropout rate was 3.4 percent for the 2009-10 school year, according to the study.

 Funeral Announcements

B.B. (Bittie) Askew, 98, of Vidor, passed away Saturday, January 19, 2013 in Port Arthur. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., today at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center with graveside service following at Oaklawn Memorial Park in Center.

William Rial “Bill” Taylor, Sr., 84, of Timpson passed away Saturday, January 19 in Garrison. Visitation for family and friends will be 6:00 – 8:00 p.m today at Taylor Funeral Home in Timpson. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 PM, Tuesday, January 22, at First Baptist Church in Garrison. Burial will follow in Woodlawn Cemetery in Timpson.

Steve Walker, 62, of Center, passed away Saturday, January 19 at Shelby Regional Medical Center. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., tomorrow at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center. There will be no funeral services.

Shelby County residents have until the end of January to pay property taxes or to set up a payment plan. According to Tax Assessor Collector Pam Shoffer, property taxes can be paid in person at her office or be sent in the mail. If you are planning to pay in person, payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card. Those residents paying with a credit card will incur an additional 2.5% charge. Payments that are mailed in must be postmarked before February 1st in order to avoid penalties. The Shelby County Commissioners’ Court approved last week to publish the names of property owners with delinquent taxes that remain unpaid. Shelby County will be publishing the names and dollar amounts owed by those with delinquent taxes. Payments are to be made to the Shelby County Tax Assessor Collector by February 22 or names and amounts owed will be printed in the newspaper. Ms. Shoplifter’s office is open 8:00 am - 4:30 p.m Monday - Friday. For more information or questions, you can call the tax office at 936-598-4441.

Notice is hereby given that a San Augustine County Commissioners Court meeting will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, January 22nd at 9:0 a.m in the Commissioners Court Room at 100 W. Columbia, Room 103 in San Augustine. Again, that is a San Augustine County Commissioners Court meeting tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

Meetings for the City of Joaquin, Joaquin Public Safety and the Joaquin Economic Development Corporation are scheduled tomorrow night, January 22nd. The Joaquin Economic Development meeting will be at 5:00, the Joaquin Public Safety meeting will be at 5:30 and the City of Joaquin meeting will be at 6:00 p.m.

Notice is hereby given that a regular called Council Meeting of the City of Tenaha will be tomorrow beginning at 5:15 p.m in the Tenaha Municipal Building located at 238 N. George Bowers Drive in Tenaha. Again that is a City of Tenaha Council Meeting, Tuesday, January 22 beginning at 5:15 p.m.

The City of Center is announcing the first annual Electronics Recycling Day to be held on Friday, January 25, 2013, from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm at the Historic Downtown Square. People can bring old electronics devices and dispose of them for free. Also at this time, the Shelby Beautiful Clean Committee of the Shelby County Chamber of Commerce is hosting a “Shred Day” where you can bring any documents or paper to be destroyed. The City partnered with STS Recycling in Jacksonville, who will collect all electronic devices and recycle them properly. People can bring old computers, monitors, keyboards, phones, cell phones, televisions at no charge. Any hard drives will be cleaned to Department of Defense standards and owners may receive a certificate of completion. According to City manager Chad Nehring, “The City operates a ‘single-stream’ recycling program, which means people do not have to sort recyclable materials. This makes it very easy for a consumer to participate in the recycling program,” For more information, you can call the City of Center at 598-2941

Last Wednesday, Center Police arrested Shakeitha Cartwright, 29, of Center. Cartwright is charged with capital murder in the death of her five-month-old daughter Keilly Hoyt. New information has revealed that Cartwright admitted to police that she shook her child and threw her into a child safety seat after losing her temper, according to an arrest affidavit. The affidavit states police arrived at the home, located on the 1200 block of Shelbyville Street, and saw Cartwright on the front porch holding Keilly. According to sources, EMS officials called the police because the child had bruising which looked suspicious. An officer arrived at the hospital and saw the baby had a bruised left eye, multiple small puncture marks consistent with bite marks, signs of dehydration and bruises all over the body. The officer reported seeing a large bruised area on the back of the child in the buttock area and wounds on both sides of Keilly's buttocks, as well as bruises on the soles of her feet. An X-ray showed Keilly had multiple broken bones, including both femurs, both forearms, both shoulders and the jaw. Child Protective Service Officials have removed three children living in Cartwright's home.

Louisiana is paying $108 million to get out of a deal that helped rebuild and upgrade the Superdome in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina, but which resulted in soaring interest costs as the economy soured. The State Bond Commission received the final details Thursday of the debt refinancing for the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District, including the termination payment to end the previous arrangement with Bank of America Merrill Lynch. The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District is borrowing $361 million to restructure the bond deal from 2006; it became saddled with problems as part of the credit crunch and financial downturn two years later. "The bond sale was held this week, with $311 million bought publicly and another $50 million bought by the state. All the borrowing will be paid off by 2039. However, on the lighter side, the Superdome will be the site of Super Bowl 47 February 3rd.

The Texas jobless rate for December has slipped to 6.1 percent in the fourth straight month of declines. The Texas Workforce Commission on Friday announced the latest figure compares to a 7.4 percent metro unemployment rate a year ago. The statewide jobless rate for November was 6.2 percent. The Texas economy with overall annual growth of 2.5 percent. According to sources, Texas employers added 4,100 total non-farm jobs last month for a total of 260,800 jobs added over the year. Six out of 11 major industries in Texas added jobs in December, led by 13,300 jobs added in professional and business services.

 Funeral Announcements

W.R. Langston, 88, passed away on Sunday, January 13 in Houston. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. today in the Wyman Roberts Memorial Chapel with burial to follow in the Liberty Hill Cemetery in San Augustine.

James Doyle Folsom, 65, of Center, passed away Tuesday, January 15 at his residence. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., today at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center. Graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 19 at Oaklawn Memorial Park in Center.

Gwendolyn Yvette Hightower, 45 of Garrison, passed away Monday, January 14 in Garrison. Visitation for family and friends will be today from 5:00 p.m to 7:00 p.m at Garrison Funeral Home. Funeral services will be tomorrow at 1:00 p.m at Mt. Mariah Church in Garrison with burial to follow at Mt. Mariah Cemetery in Garrison.

Services are pending at Community funeral Home for 5-month old Keilly Hoyt of Center who passed away Wednesday, January 16th at Shelby Regional Medical Center.

Local Arrest Report for January 17^th

Shakeitha Cartwright, 29, of Center was arrested by Center Police for Murder.

Cynthia Washington of San Augustine was arrested by San Augustine Police for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Curtis Johnson of San Augustine was arrested by San Augustine Police for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Odis Mathis of San Augustine was arrested by San Augustine Police for Criminal Trespassing.

Meetings for the City of Joaquin, Joaquin Public Safety and the Joaquin Economic Development Corporation are scheduled for Tuesday night, January 22nd. The Joaquin Economic Development meeting will be at 5:00, the Joaquin Public Safety meeting will be at 5:30 and the City of Joaquin meeting will be at 6:00 p.m.

Notice is hereby given that a regular called Council Meeting of the City of Tenaha will be on Tuesday, January 22 beginning at 5:15 p.m in the Tenaha Municipal Building located at 238 N. George Bowers Drive in Tenaha. Again that is a City of Tenaha Council Meeting, Tuesday, January 22 beginning at 5:15 p.m.

According to the Public Works Department, starting tomorrow, January 19^th, The City of San Augustine will be starting a waste water construction project which will consist of a collection line, manhole replacement and three lift stations. The work will be performed by contractors. It will began on Willow Lane and Highway 21, and MLK, the work will go up Willow Lane to Hoyt, then to MLK, then down MLK to 21 East, then down Highway 21 East to Willow Lane. The construction project overall, will take several weeks to complete. The City of San Augustine apologizes in advance for any inconvenience that you my experience during this project.

East Texas Extended Care staff will be at Center Antiques and Sandwich Shop today from noon until 3pm with flu and pneumonia shots available to the public. If you have insurance that covers for the vaccines or have medicare, then it will cost you nothing. However, if you have no insurance, the Flu shot is $20 and the Pneumonia shot is $45. Again, East Texas Extended Care staff will be at Center Antiques and Sandwich Shop today from noon until 3pm with Flu and Pneumonia shots. For more information, call at 936-254-3338

On Wednesday, January 16, Center Police Department responded to a call at 1207 Shelbyville Street in reference to an unresponsive child. Ace EMS arrived on scene and transported the child to Shelby Regional Medical Center. Justice of the Peace Maxie Eaves pronounced the child deceased at approximately 10:15 a.m. The child has been identified as five month old Keilly Hoyt of Center. At approximately 11:10 p.m, the mother, 29 year old Shakeitha Cartwright, was arrested and charged with Murder. Carwright's bond has been set at $500,000. Cartwright is currently in the Shelby County jail. The body has been sent to South West Institute of Forensics in Dallas and results are pending. On January 17, the offense of Murder has been upgraded to Capital Murder due to the severity of the injuries and the added information received regarding the autopsy results.

Louisiana leaders are tackling the topic of security in schools just one day after President Barack Obama announced his plan to curb gun violence across the country. No votes were taken in Thursday's committee hearing which included testimony from representatives from teacher unions, law enforcement officials and other state school administrators. Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton addressed the issue of more guards in schools. She also said she is proposing new legislation that calls for armed guards at all schools in Louisiana.

Gov. Rick Perry likes bragging that Texas is open for business, but the state budget on the table suggests the trough of taxpayer dollars for private companies may be drying up. Budget proposals lawmakers laid out this week include no new money for Perry's signature business incentive programs, the Emerging Technology Fund and the Texas Enterprise Fund. Lawmakers also froze out the tech and enterprise funds in the 2011 session, but did let the programs carry over unused money. Perry's tech fund also has come under new scrutiny. It has given more than $194 million since 2005 to private startups with the promise of creating jobs and bringing groundbreaking technologies to the market, but bankruptcies in the fund's portfolio last year raised questions about whether the state was getting a return on its investments.

 Funeral Announcements

Emma Candace Milford, 97, passed away on Tuesday, January 15. Visitation for family and friends will begin at 9:30 a.m today and continue until service time at 11:00 a.m at Taylor Funeral Home Chapel in Timpson. Burial will follow in Corinth Cemetery in Timpson

James Doyle Folsom, 65, of Center, passed away Tuesday, January 15 at his residence. Visitation will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., tomorrow, January 18 at Watson & Sons Funeral Home in Center. Graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m., Saturday, January 19 at Oaklawn Memorial Park in Center.

Services are pending at Community funeral Home for 5-month old Keilly Hoyt of Center who passed away Wednesday, January 16th at Shelby Regional Medical Center.

The City of Center is in line to receive a $100,000 state park grant to help pay for the Center park expansion project. The Texas Parks and Wildlife Department will make a recommendation in favor of Center to receive the Outdoor Recreation Grant. According to Center City Manager Chad Nehring, “The State of Texas had a special state-wide grant competition.” There were a very limited number of awards that were going to be made, however our park planner was confident that this project would score competitively.” Nehring said. In fact, the City scored 84 points to come in 4th place in the statewide competition and there were only 10 funded projects in this grant round. The Center Park expansion includes building additional ball fields designed for softball use. The Parks Master Plan and Capital Improvements Program also call for Community Park to be repurposed for multi-purpose fields for football and soccer play. In 2012, the City completed the purchase of 19 acres for the Center Park expansion. The project is currently in the design phase with construction possibly beginning before Spring 2013.

Notice is hereby given that a regular called Council Meeting of the City of Tenaha will be on Tuesday, January 22 beginning at 5:15 p.m in the Tenaha Municipal Building located at 238 N. George Bowers Drive in Tenaha. Again that is a City of Tenaha Council Meeting, Tuesday, January 22 beginning at 5:15 p.m.

Meetings for the City of Joaquin, Joaquin Public Safety and the Joaquin Economic Development Corporation are scheduled for Tuesday night, January 22nd. The Joaquin Economic Development meeting will be at 5:00, the Joaquin Public Safety meeting will be at 5:30 and the City of Joaquin meeting will be at 6:00 p.m.

The Center City offices will be closed on Monday, January 21^st in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

The Shelby County Bass Anglers will host the 2012 Awards Banquet tomorrow evening at 7:00 pm at the Windham Civic Center. The meal will be provided by the Shelby County Cookers and door prizes will also be awarded. The membership meeting for the 2013 season will be held the following Tuesday night, Jan 22^nd at the Shelby County Courthouse @ 6:30 pm. Anyone interested in joining the Shelby County Bass Anglers is invited to attend both the banquet and the membership meeting. Anyone with questions concerning these events, please contact David Koonce at (936) 598-3389.

According to the Public Works Department, starting on Saturday January 19^th, The City of San Augustine will be starting a waste water construction project which will consist of a collection line, manhole replacement and three lift stations. The work will be performed by contractors. It will began on Willow Lane and Highway 21, and MLK, the work will go up Willow Lane to Hoyt, then to MLK, then down MLK to 21 East, then down Highway 21 East to Willow Lane. The construction project overall, will take several weeks to complete. The City of San Augustine apologizes in advance for any inconvenience that you my experience during this project.

Theater students at Center High School are ready to perform an original show entitled “Moving Targets” inspired by issue of bullying. “Moving Targets,” is a drama about the bullies as well as the victims. “Moving Targets" will be presented this evening at 7:00 p.m in the Center High School Auditorium by the Center High School Varsity Players. The play is targeted more for Middle School and High School students and their parents. The public is invited to come and view “Moving Targets,” this evening at 7:00 p.m. Admission is $3 for adults, $2 for students.

A San Augustine man was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly molesting a 16-year-old girl. On December 5, 2012, the victim's mother reported that Stacy Jones, 34, of San Augustine inappropriately touched her daughter. Chief Gary Cunningham, with the San Augustine Sheriff's Office says Jones and the victim were left alone in the kitchen. Jones was released on Tuesday on $3000 bond. A district court date will be set at a later date.

Center Police and other local agencies are currently investigating the death of a 5 month old baby girl. According to sources, at around 9:40 a.m yesterday, Center police were called to a residence in the 1200 block of Shelbyville street. 5 month old Keilly Hoyt who had suffered multiple injuries, was transported by ACE EMS to Shelby Regional Medical Center, where she later passed away. While the case is still under investigation, The child's mother, SkaKeitha Cartwright, 29 of Center was arrested last night and charged with murder.

Starting February 1st Medicaid will no longer cover hospice care in Louisiana. It's part of the state's budget cuts. The changes do not effect Medicare. Hospice care givers actually think it will end up costing more. Concerned citizens say individuals have to go somewhere and tha the cost of a hospital stay will dramatically increase versus having hospice care at home. Hospice care supporters plan to rally at the Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge next Wednesday, January 23rd.

Following a White House ceremony on Wednesday where President Obama unveiled plans to pass universal background checks and bans on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines, Gov. Rick Perry expressed outrage at the president's plan to curb gun violence, saying he's "disgusted" by the "political left" using the Connecticut school massacre to push for greater restrictions on guns and that the Second Amendment trumps Barack Obama or any other president. Perry's comments came after first-term Rep. Steve Toth introduced a bill in the Texas House seeking to ban in the state any federal ban on assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

Attention all Ladies, free or low Cost Mammograms are coming to the area

January 22 at The Garden Club in San Augustine from 10:00 a.m- 5:00 pm. You are eligible, if you are a female, age 35 or older, do not have any breast symptoms or problems, are not currently pregnant or nursing, live in Jasper, Newton, Shelby, Polk, Hardin, Tyler, Sabine and San Augustine, Counties, have not been diagnosed with breast cancer within the past 2 years and have not had a mammogram in the last 3 yrs. For more Information and to schedule your appointment contact Ava Whitener at 409.384.2099. Also, Ms. Whitener wants everyone to know that she will be at the San Augustine Community Center tomorrow to sign ladies up for the free mammograms.

Property tax time is here! Shelby County residents have until the end of January to pay property taxes or to set up a payment plan. According to Tax Assessor Collector Pam Shoffer, property taxes can be paid in person at her office or be sent in the mail. If you are planning to pay in person, payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card. Those residents paying with a credit card will incur an additional 2.5% charge. Payments that are mailed in must be postmarked before February 1st in order to avoid penalties. Her office is open 8:00 am - 4:30 p.m Monday - Friday. For more information or questions, you can call the tax office at 936-598-4441.

Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the San Augustine Commissioners Court will be held tomorrow at 9:00 a.m in the Commissioners Court Room at 100 W. Columbia, Street Room 103. Items on the agenda to discuss and take possible action are to consider approval of the minutes of the Special Commissioners Court meeting held December 27; approval of monthly reports; discuss and consider action in regards to business with the county clerk’s office to be presented by Diana Kovar and discuss and consider action on 2012-2013 community plan. That's a meeting of the San Augustine Commissioners Court tomorrow at 9:00 a.m.

We have already seen several waves of rain bands move through East Texas yesterday and more heavy downpours are on the way. A slow moving storm system will bring the Piney Woods more pockets of rain throughout the rest of the day. We are still looking at an additional 2-4" of rain to fall from tonight through early Thursday morning; keep in mind that this is on top of the rainfall we have already received today. Due to the threat for more heavy downpours, a flash flood watch has been issued for all of our East Texas counties through early Thursday morning. While flooding may not be a widespread issue, we certainly cannot rule out some minor flooding on secondary roads and in the low lying areas which are prone to flooding when heavy rain events take place. In addition to the heavy rain threat, there will also be a slight risk for severe weather on Wednesday afternoon as a warm front moves up from the Texas coast.

Once again, Center Crimestoppers is looking for information regarding the theft of an Ameritech Peterbilt truck and flatbed trailer. The truck was parked on private property located in the 1100 block of Southview Circle Friday, January 4th. However, when the driver returned on Monday, January 7th, The truck and trailer were no where to found. Based on reports received on Monday, the truck and trailer was later discovered blocking CR 2045. According to the Center Police Criminal Investigation Division who are actively investigating the theft., the truck and trailer was totally stripped all the way down to the lugnuts. If you please call Center Crime Stoppers at 936-598-7233 or send a web tip at www.centercrimestoppers.com . You could earn a cash reward up to $1,000 if your information leads to the arrest of the suspects. And remember you don’t have your give your name!

For the first time since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, the Caddo Parish Schools Director of Security gave the school board a security briefing. Roy Murray says that when looking at Caddo Parish schools, his biggest concern is controlling access to the buildings. Murray also said, "What we have to do is find ways to keep people out the best we can,." To do that, Murray suggests using fences to block off back entrances to the public and asking teachers to lock their classroom doors. School board members also said they would like to see an armed law enforcement officer at every school. Now, only about half of the schools in Caddo Parish have school law enforcement officers.

Texas legislators opened their 140-day session Tuesday poised to debate how to pay for public schools, decide whether to drug test unemployment recipients and possibly confront a mounting water crisis under the strain of a rapidly growing population. Hot-button issues over abortion access and gun laws also were expected to generate widespread attention during the 83rd legislative session, which featured a unique political backdrop due to the high number of newcomers. With 43 freshmen in the 150-member House , the most in four decades, it will be one of the most inexperienced Legislatures in recent history. The comptroller has set $101.4 billion in available spending for the next two-year budget cycle, which Democrats say is a healthy enough forecast to reverse the slashed spending of two years ago, but Republicans are already signaling they want to hold the line on spending. Other top issues for 2013 include public education, water conservation, gun rights and cancer research.

 Local Arrest Report for January 5^th and 6th

• Kimberly Smith, 48, of Timpson was arrested by Shelby County Sheriffs for Theft by Check.

• Cory Garrett, 19, of Nacogdoches was arrested by Shelby County Sheriffs for Violation of Probation.

• Emerson Evans, 48, of Center was arrested by Center Police for Driving While Intoxicated.

• Kenneth Campbell, 71, of Center was arrested by Center Police for Criminal Mischief.

• Anthony Jackson, 56, of Center was arrested by Center Police for Assault.

• Thomas Braxton, 39, of Center was arrested by Center Police for Driving While Intoxicated and Driving While License Invalid.

• Aaron Bolton, 23, of Shelbyville was arrested by Shelby County Sheriffs for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

• Rileigh Windham, 18, of Center was arrested by Center Police for Public Intoxication.

Property tax time is here! Shelby County residents have until the end of January to pay property taxes or to set up a payment plan. According to Tax Assessor Collector Pam Shoffer, property taxes can be paid in person at her office or be sent in the mail. If you are planning to pay in person, payments can be made by cash, check, or credit card. Those residents paying with a credit card will incur an additional 2.5% charge. Payments that are mailed in must be postmarked before February 1st in order to avoid penalties. Penalties for unpaid property taxes as of February 1st will be 7%, 9% for March and 11% for April. Taxes deliquent in May will incur a 13% penalty followed by a 1% penalty in June and July. Ms. Shoffner urges residents to pay taxes for the current year first. Her office is open 8:00 am - 4:30 p.m Monday - Friday. For more information or questions, you can call the tax office at 936-598-4441.

Notice is hereby given that a meeting of the San Augustine Commissioners Court will be held on Thursday, January 10th at 9:00 a.m in the Commissioners Court Room at 100 W. Columbia, Street Room 103. Items on the agenda to discuss and take possible action are to consider approval of the minutes of the Special Commissioners Court meeting held December 27; approval of monthly reports; discuss and consider action in regards to business with the county clerk’s office to be presented by Diana Kovar and discuss and consider action on 2012-2013 community plan. Thats a meeting of the San Augustine Commissioners Court will be held on Thursday, January 10th at 9:00 a.m.

In Shelby County, there is a new Sheriff in Town. According to Sheriff Willis Blackwell, "As of Dec. 31 no one here had a job. Sheriff Blackwell had all Sheriffs Department employees reapply for their jobs. The results however has two former employees claiming discrimination played a role in their release. As a part of the rehiring process, Sheriff Blackwell assembled an interview panel to reevaluate the candidates. After the smoke had cleared, six people were released, including a woman and two African-American deputies, Lester Pitts and Curtis Archie. The releases by the Sheriff were based on the the interview panels recommendation. While no discrimination lawsuits have been filed at this time, Pitts and Archie are in conversation with human rights organizations. There are minorities in the sheriff's department working in the jail and dispatch. The sheriff says that makes the department qualify as an equal-opportunity employer.

Last week, ten burglaries were reported to the Shelby County Sheriff’s Department. According to sources, between the hours of midnight and 5:00am, unknown suspect or suspects kicked the front door to the following businesses: Worsham Grocery, Toledo Baptist Church, MKO Trucking, Harveys Landing, Lout Town Grocery, Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Samson Oil Field Company, The City of Huxley, Air Port Scrap Metal, and a barn off of FM 2694 where a green Yamaha four-wheeler was stolen. If you have any information about these cases please call Center Crime Stoppers at 936-598-7233 or send a web tip at www.centercrimestoppers.com . You could earn a cash reward up to $1,000.00 if your information leads to the arrest of the suspects. Remember Crime Stoppers wants your information, not your name!

A new cast of lawmakers will gather in Austin this week for the 83rd Texas Legislature, but they bring with them a familiar agenda that includes taxes, education, health care, abortion and even groping. Republicans retain control of the House, the Senate and the governor's mansion, so they will set the agenda. Democrats, as in years past, will try persuasive arguments, fiery debates and parliamentary maneuvers to try and shape the bills that end up on Gov. Rick Perry's desk. The one piece of legislation that must pass is the state budget, which this year will originate in the Senate where Dewhurst presides. Today, Comptroller Susan Combs will declare how much money lawmakers have available to spend, and then a draft budget labeled Senate Bill 1 will begin its journey into law.

In Funeral Announcements

Clovis Bruce Bittick, 65, of Center, passed away December 31 at Nacogdoches Medical Center. Visitation will be held from 11:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. Today at Watson & Sons Funeral Home.  Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 p.m with Burial to follow at Oaklawn Memorial Park in Center. 

LaVerne Broyles, 79, of Tenaha, passed away December 31 at Green Acres Nursing Home. A graveside service will be held at 1:00 p.m., tomorrow at Ramah Cemetery in Tenaha.

Arrest Report for January 1st

Allen Collins, 30, of Center was arrested by Shelby County Sheriffs for Violation of Probation for Possession of a Controlled Substance.

Adrian Bush, 34, of Douglas was arrested by Shelby County Sheriffs for Non-Payment of Child Support.

Jonas Goodwin, 28, of Center was arrested by Shelby County Sheriffs for Criminal Mischief.

Jordan Leigh LaFitle, 22, of Joaquin was arrested by Shelby County Sheriffs for Assault.

Kendrick Brooks of San Augustine was arrested by San Augustine County Sheriffs for Possession of an Open Alcohol Container in Vehicle and Resisting Arrest.

Antonio Barrios-Belman of San Augustine was arrested by San Augustine County Sheriffs for Public Intoxication, Reckless Driving, and Resisting Arrest.

Juan Barrios-Belman of San Augustine was arrested by San Augustine County Sheriffs for Public Intoxication.

HoopInsider’s basketball polls are out for the week and there’s been some moving around among area ranked teams. In Class A, Div. I, San Augustine dropped to No. 6, down from No. 2 last week. Meanwhile, Tenaha is now No. 5. Broaddus is No. 7 and Grapeland remains No 1.

In the Class A, Div. II poll, there’s little change, as Roxton remains No. 1, and Laneville No. 2. Chireno is No. 4 and Douglass No. 6. The Class 2A poll is headed up by Kountze at No. 1, and White Oak and Tatum, 3 and 4 respectively, and Crockett is No. 7.  In 3A, Princeton is the top team.

In high school basketball action Monday, Central Heights beats San Augustine, 62- 56; and Broaddus over Slocum, 51- 44.

A San Augustine man has been arrested for failing to comply with the rules associated with sex offender registration. 47-year old Darren Martin was taken into custody last Thursday and released on a personal recognizance bond Friday morning. San Augustine County Chief Deputy Gary Cunningham said his department had reason to believe Martin was driving to Shelby County to stay with his mother during the week and only coming back to San Augustine County on weekends. Cunningham said according to the sex offender registration guidelines, you can’t do that – you have to register where you spend the night each night. The San Augustine County Sheriff’s Office did a sex offender compliance check on Martin in early 2012, and he was found to not be in compliance. He was given a chance to correct the problem, but didn’t, according to Cunningham. The Texas Department of Public Safety’s online sex offender database states that Martin’s risk level is “moderate”. He was convicted of sexually assaulting a 16-year old girl in May of 2002 and sentenced to a 10-year prison term. He’s currently on parole.

New Shelby County Sheriff Willis Blackwell was sworn-in at midnight Tuesday during a ceremony at the Shelby County Sheriff’s Office. County Judge Rick Campbell administered the oath of office to Blackwell, and to newly elected and re-elected county constables. Including re-elected Pct. 1 Constable Zack Warr; Pct. 2 newly-elected Constable Jamie Hagler; Pct. 3 re-elected Constable Billy Hearnsberger; new Pct. 4 Constable Bryan Gray, and re-elected Constable Pct. 5 Stanley Burgay. Sheriff Blackwell then swore-in his deputies, including: Chief Deputy Shad Sparks; Investigators Ricky Allen and John Pope and Deputies Derek Barbee, D. J. Dickerson, Chad Brown, William "Bubba" Lee, Michael Griffin, Jim Ed Mathews, Jeremy Pope, Chris King, Robert Carlsen, Kurtes Lawrence, and Roy Bailey; Courthouse Deputies Walter Shofner, Misty Ray, and Jimmy Wagstaff; and Jail Administrator William Cox.

Throughout the year, Shreveport authorities track the number of homicides within the city. The total for 2012, 20, according to the Shreveport Police Department.  That the same number of homicides as in 2011 but lower than the number of homicides in 2010, being 30.  Meanwhile, Bossier City police reported three homicides in 2012. That's down from 9 homicides reported in 2011. The lower number of homicides in Shreveport and Bossier City reflects a downward trend in homicides statewide, according to the Louisiana Statistical Analysis Center.  It reports an overall drop in Louisiana homicides to 437 in 2010 from 486 in 2009. Of the 437 deaths in 2010, 351 involved a handgun; of 2009's 486, 402 involved a handgun.  Authorities are working on strategies to lower these numbers and make the streets a little safer.

Shortfall and sacrifice: that's how the Texas Legislature two years ago defended gutting $5.4 billion from public education, laying off thousands of public workers with slashed spending and stripping Medicaid to the bone.  The Texas economy is humming. Unemployment is at a four-year low of 6.2 percent, sales tax receipts are skyrocketing and money is pouring in to state coffers behind a new energy boom, fueled by oil gushing in West Texas and a fracking frenzy from North Texas to San Antonio.  Currently, Medicaid is the biggest issue though. Lawmakers must pay a $4.7 billion tab on the state's health program for its poorest residents and the disabled before writing a new budget for 2014-15.   Gov. Rick Perry and other top GOP leaders want to limit spending increases to a formula of population growth plus inflation. Nonetheless, Lawmakers will have much to discuss next week with the start of the 83rd legislative session.