Firearm confiscated from Nederland student
Feb. 24, Nederland ISD administration announced that a student was under investigation for bringing a firearm to school. According to the district announcement, the Nederland High School student was identified, the weapon confiscated, and the incident referred to the Nederland Police Department for further investigation.
“The student has been removed from campus in accordance with the Student Code of Conduct,” the district assured stakeholders in the aftermath of the incident. “Campus administrators immediately reported it to the Nederland Police Department and the situation was handled quickly.”
Pedestrian killed near Kirbyville
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) reported a Jasper County woman was killed Feb. 24 near Kirbyville.
Sgt. Shana Clark, DPS spokesperson, reported Christina Rivas, 33, of Jasper, was struck on U.S. 96, south of Kirbyville, by a northbound 2015 Hyundai Tucson.
Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Raymond Hopson pronounced Rivas dead at the scene.
The incident is still under investigation.
Quicker results for VA claims
Veterans can now access their disability benefit claim decision notice letters electronically on VA.gov, empowering them to quickly and easily see their disability decisions. Before this option was available, veterans had to wait for a paper copy of their decision notice to be mailed to them.
This service became available to veterans on Jan. 17. Since launching, nearly 280,000 decision notice letters have been downloaded.
The new electronic option is also expected to reduce calls to the National Call Centers, freeing up call center respondents to answer other questions and requests from veterans and their families. Veterans can log in to www.va.gov/claim-or-appeal-status/ to instantly view or update a claim status.
Mother, baby injured in crash
Feb. 26, Port Arthur Police Department reported a mother and her infant were injured in a single-vehicle rollover crash.
Police Chief Tim Duriso reported the accident happened in the 100 block of State Highway 365 West about 8 a.m. The mother, who was ejected from the vehicle, and the baby were transported to Christus St. Elizabeth Hospital in Beaumont.
No other information was available as of press time.
Water pressure paused, resumed
Residents of Nederland were called on to conserve water “ASAP” on Feb. 20, as city officials warned of a lack of water pressure at approximately 7:45 p.m.
According to a city announcement, the call for conservation came as the result of a break in a main waterline caused by an independent contractor.
Roughly two hours later, Nederland officials announced, the water system repairs were completed, but customers saw upwards of an additional several hours of decreased water pressure as the line pressure returned to normal.
Feb. 25, Nederland residents in the 500–600 blocks of 13th and 14th Streets, 300-400 blocks of 14th and 15th Street, the 1200 block of Detroit Ave, and the 1400 block of Boston Ave. were warned of planned water shutoff beginning at 8 a.m. lasting “no more than six hours” related to the NISD bond work.
Area couple killed in Colorado crash
A Fred couple was killed in a two-vehicle crash in Colorado on Feb. 16.
Calvin Wallet, 47, and Jessica Wallet, 39, died from injures sustained in the crash.
According to Sgt. Troy Kessler of the Colorado State Patrol's Public Affairs Office, the accident occurred at 7:22 p.m. at milepost 357 on Interstate 70 near Limon, Colorado. Kessler reported the roads were dry with no adverse weather conditions.
Jessica Wallet was driving a 2022 Toyota RAV4 westbound on Interstate 70 in the right lane behind a 2015 Freightliner semi-tractor trailer.
Kessler reported the Toyota SUV collided into the rear of the 18-wheeler. After impact, the SUV and Freightliner remained in contact until the 18-wheeler travel a short distance and pulled unto the right shoulder, dragging the SUV.
Jessica Wallet was transported to a nearby hospital where she later died. Calvin Wallet was pronounced dead at the scene.
Kessler added the couple was wearing seatbelts and no excessive speed is suspected in the crash.
An eight-month-old infant, in a child-restraint seat, suffered minor injuries.
The 46-year-old driver of the 18-wheeler, from Dallas, was not injured.
A GoFundMe account has been set up for funeral expenses for the couple.
Moped driver killed in I-10 crash
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) responded a fatal crash on Interstate Highway 10, near the 823-mile marker, on Feb. 27.
According to DPS, the preliminary investigation indicates that, at 5:49 a.m., a Vespa moped was traveling west. DPS reported a 2019 Dodge pickup struck the moped from behind, throwing the rider from the moped. The rider was then struck by a westbound 2008 Ford SUV.
The driver of the moped was pronounced deceased on the scene.
The driver of the pickup and one passenger were uninjured during the crash. The driver of the SUV was not injured.
DPS reported the investigation is ongoing and no further information was available at press time.
Slam the Scam
National Slam the Scam Day, March 9, is a federal program “to help raise awareness and prevent scammers from succeeding in their crimes,” especially in government imposter scams. Consumer awareness is the most effective method of deterring these crimes, according to the Federal Trade Commission.
“Slamming the scam begins with consumers quickly taking a step to hang up the phone, or delete suspicious texts and emails, without responding to the scammers,” said Gail S. Ennis, Inspector General for the Social Security Administration. “That remains the easiest and most effective method to avoid falling prey to these vicious scams.”
Real government officials will NEVER: threaten arrest or legal action against you unless you immediately send money; promise to increase your benefits or resolve a problem if you pay a fee or move your money into a protected account; require payment with gift cards, prepaid debit cards, wire transfer, Internet currency, or by mailing cash; or try to gain your trust by providing fake “documentation,” false “evidence,” or the name of a real government official.
Additional resources for the press and public can be found at https://www.ssa.gov/scam/resources.html. The public is encouraged to report Social Security-related scams and fraud online at https://secure.ssa.gov/ipff/home. Other government imposter scams may be reported to the Federal Trade Commission https://www.ftc.gov/scams.
LU police talk shooter drills
Lamar University Police Department officers recently orchestrated active-shooter training on the university campus “to ensure that LU students, faculty and staff are prepared for worst-case scenario,” according to an LU announcement Feb. 26.
“Now, we’re wanting to do more broader-scale training,” LU Sergeant Colt Ryan said of ongoing efforts to conduct more training drills.
At least once a month, the officer explained, LU will host shooter drills throughout the campus. The uptick in demonstration drills is in response to an uptick in violence throughout the U.S.
“We saw the need for this training,” he said, “and we wanted to offer it now – before it’s too late. It’s a reality we have to face. You never you when it could happen.”
Listen to Ryan explain more of the initiative on the LU Moment at https://loom.ly/MvndUyY.
Grant invests in Hardin County training aids
Hardin County Emergency Services District (ESD) No. 5 received a $10,000 grant that allowed for the purchase of a Dell computer, training videos and mannequin, according to an award announcement released at the end of February. The training aids grant was provided by the Texas A&M Forest Service Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.
ESD No. 5 responds to numerous medical calls and the training aids will be valuable in providing members basic life support training, according to agency administration.
“We already had a training session with the department and the firefighters loved it,” Hardin County ESD No. 5 Administrator Bill Lambert said.
In addition to the new training aids, the department is also seeking new members; interested parties can call (409) 287-3062 for more information.
According to information from the Texas A&M Forest Service, part of the Texas A&M University System, the grant program is funded through the Texas Legislature’s Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program for the purposes of “protecting lives, property and natural resources.” The cost-share funding to rural volunteer fire departments provides for the acquisition of firefighting vehicles, fire and rescue equipment, protective clothing, dry hydrants, computer systems and firefighter training.
For more information on programs offered by Texas A&M Forest Service, visit texasfd.com.