Local News
Tornadoes touched down in county
By Nathan Straus
nstraus@jacksonvilleprogress.com
The National Weather Service has confirmed two tornadoes touched down in Cherokee County during a Dec. 23 tornado warning.
Both tornadoes occurred during the afternoon and were classified as zeroes on the Enhanced Fujita scale of tornado damage, making them the weakest tornadoes in strength.
Lara Keys, an intern at the NWS center in Shreveport, said one tornado hit about a mile northeast of Jacksonville Club Lake on the east end of County Road 4218.
“There was not too much damage,” Keys said. “A few trees down, mostly.”
According to Keys, a second hit northeast of Baron’s Lake on CR 4619, north of Farm-to-Market Road 13. She said this twister also did most of its damage to trees.
NWS agents are still out at storm scenes evaluating damage, she said.
Cherokee County Sheriff’s Department officials said very little, if any, damage was reported in the county.
Jacksonville Fire Department firefighters said no complaints of damage came to them.
Keys said at least three more tornadoes hit East Texas.
“There was an EF 1 in Union, southeast of Clayborn, an EF 2 in Longview in the east and an EF 3 in south Lufkin,” Keys said.
She said the Lufkin tornado was the most damaging one at a width of about 300 yards and a four-mile path length. Keys said it did major damage to a funeral home and destroyed a welding shop, but the NWS is still waiting on a dollar estimate in damage.
An EF 0 tornado, according to meteorologists, can move as fast as 72 mph with gusts of between 45 mph and 78 mph.
- Local News
-
-
More life jackets needed
Lake Jacksonville is fresh out of its 18 or so life jackets put up for visitors to borrow and return, said Jacksonville Fire Department Chief Paul White.
The life jackets were added as part of the “Kids Don’t Float” program just before July 4. -
City hires Silvey as building inspector
Jacksonville has a new building inspector after three or so months of keeping a vacant position.
Building Official Jody Watson said the new hire, Chris Silvey, brings strong Jacksonville ties with him. -
JISD evaluation instrument sees few tweaks
It happens every year at Jacksonville Independent School District: the board of trustees evaluates the sitting superintendent, then decides whether to renew the superintendents contract.
After this, Board President James Houser said the board looks at what changes might need to be made to the instrument used to evaluate the superintendent. -
Chamber joins Texas Trail
The Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce has joined the Texas Forest Trail Partnership Program for 2010, said Chamber President Peggy Renfro.
It is a partnership that has happened in the past, she added, but now the Chamber will take a more active role. -
Mission House helps community
In Bullard, an organization called Mission House has been working since 2005 to better the community and the surrounding East Texas areas.
“I believe it was 2005 when I opened Mission House,” said Hazel Mason, mission coordinator for First United Methodist Church. -
What's News for July 29, 2010
Get your non-profit organization’s fundraisers and other events in the Daily Progress’s What’s News calendar free of charge by e-mailing event information to living@jacksonvilleprogress.com. The newspaper reserves the right to edit any submission for space and content
-
JFD fireman electrocuted at incident site
Jacksonville Fire Department Lt. David Glidewell received a medium strength electrical shock at a house fire on the 900 block of Fort Worth at around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.
Fire Marshall Dennis Tate said Glidewell was treated and released from ETMC-Jacksonville Tuesday evening and should be back to work Thursday. -
Mayor holds meetings with residents
Jacksonville’s citizens are looking forward to the coming opportunities for earnest discussions with Mayor Robert Haberle.
Some, such as Janis Adams, said she believes Haberle’s decision to open a room for citizens every other week is a good one. -
Rusk PD arrests 13
The Rusk Police Department arrested 13 people in mid-July for various charges. Among these were five or six arrested for traffic charges or charges alleged in conjunction with being in a motor vehicle. All arrests were made between July 8 and July 23, according to police department officials.
-
Take a dive
Five-year-old Dylan Caldwell takes his first ever dive at the Jacksonville city pool. The Alto boy was coaxed in by family members who swam with him.
- More Local News Headlines
-
