The second third of 2024 saw extensive flooding wreaking havoc throughout the county. Polk County remained under a disaster declaration following severe thunderstorms that produced heavy rainfall that resulted in widespread flooding in low-lying areas and on roadways.
Polk County Judge Sydney Murphy issued a local declaration of disaster and a voluntary evacuation order for the low-lying unincorporated areas along the Trinity River and below the Lake Livingston Dam. Later however, Murphy issued a mandatory evacuation order for those areas which are vulnerable to flooding as discharge from the dam is increased – specifically, River Lake Estates, Holiday Lake Estates, Taylor Lake Estates, Route 66, Siesta Country 3 and 4 and other low-lying areas. Residents were urged to take precautions and heed the mandatory evacuation order and to avoid travel at night when visibility was limited.
Severe flooding occurred downtown when Choates Creek left its banks on U.S. Business 59 and S.H. 146 resulting in motorists having to seek alternate paths. The water receded relatively quickly downtown with roadways soon becoming passable.
Livingston, Goodrich, Big Sandy and Leggett ISDs suspended classes for the day with Onalaska ISD having a two-hour delayed opening and Corrigan-Camden ISD remaining open but with limited access for some bus routes.
Livingston Golf Coach Frank Brister and the Livingston High School men’s golf team headed to the UIL state tournament, playing on the Legends Golf Course in Kingsland. The team took seventh at state, shooting 50 over par and falling just three strokes short of sixth place. Brayden Akers shot a team-best 6 over par. The state tournament was Livingston’s second in the past three years under Brister.
Torrential rains throughout Polk County resulted in a new historic release at Lake Livingston Dam. As of 3:05 p.m. May 2, Trinity River Authority (TRA) officials were releasing 124,097 cubic feet per second (cfs), exceeding the maximum release during Hurricane Harvey in 2017 which was 110,600 cfs. TRA officials assured the public that the structure of the dam was not at risk, that it was well-maintained and was designed to pass more than 300,000 cfs. They indicated
they would continue releases until the elevation of the reservoir returned to the conservation pool of 131 feet above mean sea level (msl).
Over 20 inches of rain in a short span of time resulted in Choates Creek, which runs through downtown Livingston, escaping its bed and flooding a big portion of the downtown area, affecting numerous homes and businesses and effectively cutting the city in half. Local law enforcement, firefighters, first responders and city crews worked around the clock to mitigate the devastation the town experienced.
First responders quickly pivoted from water to fire when lightning struck the Pine Hill Apartment Complex located at 1025 W. Church St. in Livingston engulfing it in flames and displacing numerous residents.
Due to the extensive damage to public and private property, and the disruption of public services caused by unusually heavy rainfall and resultant flooding, Livingston Mayor Judy B. Cochran issued a local disaster declaration for the City of Livingston, activating the city’s emergency management plan and noting that extraordinary measures must be taken to protect citizens and to protect or rehabilitate property. Polk County school districts remained closed for two days due to the flooding.
Over 700 homes were said to have flooded in Polk County with two of the most impacted areas being Holiday Lake Estates and Taylor Lake Estates. With water pouring into areas of the two neighborhoods on the south end of the county, volunteer fire departments and game wardens sweeping the area in boats.
A bond issue election to build a new high school in the Onalaska Independent School District overwhelmingly passed – 386 “for” to 147 “against” – in the May 4 uniform election. Voters in the OISD were voting on the issuance of $42 million for the construction of a new high school facility.
Over $1.1 million in scholarships was awarded to the Livingston High School Class of 2024 during the 35th annual Livingston ISD Honors Night, on behalf of LHS and the Green and White Scholarship program.
The top 10% of the graduating class was recognized. The 23 students, from one to 23, included: Mya Llanes, Madison Parrish, Sloane Curtin, Elijah Clark, Briana Johnson, Jack New, Eli Wood, Gavin McFarlain, Drew Davidson, Ja’Bari Carter, Natalie Wooten, Jordan Bush, Jy’Asia Terry, Hailey Ruiz, Chance Benningfield, Kaytlynn Shirley, Jayden Randolph, Jace Morris, Josi St. Martin, Emily Flores, Madison Berry, Evan Luna and Allison Lytle. Also recognized were Gavin McFarlain and Jayden Vickery who were named Mr. and Miss LHS, having been selected for the honor by the LHS faculty. Additionally, Kenneth Darden, a 1980 graduate, was recognized through the Outstanding Graduate Program.
A new non-profit foundation for the advancement of mental health was formed. The Mental Health Advancement Foundation is a new 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to educating and supporting the community in mental health. Cofounded by Executive Director Shawna Munson and Director Kelly Rice, the foundation aims to raise awareness about mental health issues, educate the community on mental health, provide support to those in need and advocate for improved mental health services in the area. Some of the foundation’s goals include mental health education, therapy grants, provider scholarships and fundraising and community events.
Congressman Morgan Luttrell and Governor Greg Abbott both wrote President Joe Biden requesting a presidential disaster declaration for Polk County and other Texas communities impacted by the severe weather and flooding. Polk County received the Presidential Disaster Declaration, clearing the way for FEMA Individual Assistance.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) personnel arrived in Polk County and began setting up stations to assist Polk County residents impacted by the event with completing an application or answering questions regarding application status.
The City of Livingston upgraded to a new emergency notification system, allowing the city to better notify its residents, business owners and patrons of severe weather issues, health and safety concerns and other important information. Participation in the system is voluntary but encouraged.
Based on her performance at the Texas Junior High State Finals in Gonzales, Livingston’s own Leddy Lattner qualified to represent the Texas Region in the National Junior High Finals Rodeo June 23-29 in Des Moines, Iowa, along with contestants from every state in America, as well as from Mexico, Canada, Australia and other countries. Lattner represented Region 9 in the state finals where she won the first round of girls’ breakaway, tied for four of five in the short round, finished second in the average and was one of only four girls advancing to the national finals representing Texas.
The National Junior High Finals Rodeo is one of the largest rodeos in the world. Approximately 1,200 middle school students that are the “best of the best” from 43 states, 5 provinces in Canada, Australia, and Mexico qualify for the National Junior High Finals Rodeo to compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships and prizes. Contestants will compete in a variety of events, including barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, tie-down roping, chute dogging, team roping, ribbon roping and junior bull riding.
The Polk County Office of Emergency Management hosted a Hazard Mitigation Plan Update Meeting and National Weather Service Hurricane Season Update to seek input in updating the county’s hazard mitigation plan. Polk County hired Langford Community Management Services to help guide the update process and submit the plan to FEMA.
A surprise visit and comprehensive inspection by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards resulted in a notice of non-compliance for the Polk County Jail, citing three noted deficiencies: magistrates notification were exceeding the 12-hour requirement; staff exceeded the 15-minute requirement to observe and document inmates in restraints by 20 to 45 minutes; and staffing records indicating that the minimum standards of one to 48 ratio was unmet.
However, Sheriff Byron Lyons responded to the commission’s inspection, sent them a reply and began conducting additional training. The staffing shortage is not anything new, having been a problem for several years and not just in Polk County, but all over the state.
Dan Reilly, a warning coordination meteorologist from the National Weather Service Houston/Galveston, presented the 2024 Hurricane Season forecast during a multi-agency, multi-jurisdiction workshop hosted by the Polk County Office of Emergency Management. Reilly said the NOAA forecast was 85% above normal, 10% near normal and 5% below normal. He said the forecast included 17-25 named storms, eight to 13 hurricanes and four to seven major hurricanes. He also suggested going to hurricanes.gov once a day to see what’s out there.
A freedom parade kicked off the festivities for the 3rd annual Juneteenth Celebration of Freedom hosted by the Dunbar Community Committee. Following the parade, everyone gathered at the Dunbar Gym for barbecue sandwiches, live entertainment, games and prizes. An after party featured DJ J. Gutta Live in the Mixx.
42-year-old Don Steven McDougal, under indictment on two counts of capital murder in the death of 11-year-old Audrii Cunningham, was transferred to Tyler County Jail due to a jailer shortage in Polk County. The exchange, in which inmates from Tyler County were sent to Polk County, was by agreement of all parties to accommodate visitation purposes for McDougal and his attorney.
“Promoting Community Commerce” was the theme of a Lunch & Learn hosted by the Livingston-Polk County Chamber of Commerce and presented by three representatives of Polk County Publishing Company (PCPC) – Publisher Kelli Barnes, Advertising Representative Madison Bland and Editor Emily Banks Wooten. Following the presentation, Barnes presented a $3,000 check to the chamber to commemorate a project in which PCPC and the chamber partnered to bring a fun, tourist/newcomer map to fruition. Of the maps, 10,000 were delivered to the chamber for mass distribution.
The Polk County Higher Education & Technology Foundation announced the hiring of Kristin Tow-Walker Walker as the new executive director of Texas State University System (TSUS) Polk County Center. Tow-Walker brought a wealth of experience to the Polk County Center, having previously held leadership positions with Lamar State College Orange, Trinity Valley Community College and Navarro College.
In an effort to increase turnout and make jury service more appealing, the Polk County District Clerk’s Office hosted Jury Appreciation Day in which the entire judicial center took part in welcoming and serving the jurors. Those showing up for jury duty were treated to breakfast provided by local eateries and numerous gift cards – sponsored by the local attorneys – were given away as door prizes throughout the morning.
The Lake Livingston Dam, damaged by the heavy rainfall and flooding, underwent repairs as safely and as quickly as possible to address areas of the dam that experienced erosion caused by high-impact flows. Crews and material suppliers worked around-the-clock to ensure that the dam could handle potential storm flow releases. The damage was more visible after the rains receded, and the level of the lake was lowered to assist in the repairs.
The Trinity River Authority (TRA) confirmed June 28 that the spillway of the Lake Livingston Dam had been adversely impacted, resulting in the declaration of a “potential failure watch” condition which required continued monitoring and evaluation of the spillway’s integrity, as well as the implementation of necessary repairs and remedial actions. TRA officials said that although there was no immediate danger of either failure or breach of the dam, the potential did exist however remote it might be. Day-to-day operation of the dam continued as necessary, with gate operations varying as conditions and construction activities dictated.
Brandon Prescott of Livingston was installed as the president of the Board of Directors of the Deep East Texas Council of Governments on June 27 in Lufkin. One of the largest rural COGs in the nation, DETCOG is a voluntary association of local governments in an 11-county region encompassing all of Angelina, Houston, Nacogdoches, Newton, Polk, Sabine, San Augustine, San Jacinto, Shelby, Trinity and Tyler counties. One of 24 regional COGs in Texas, DETCOG is both a political subdivision of the State of Texas and a federally chartered Economic Development District founded to facilitate planning, eliminate duplication, and promote economy and efficiency in the coordinated development of the region. It is governed by a diverse 58-member board of directors which is representative of the population it serves. As required by law, more than two-thirds of its board members are elected officials of member counties and cities.
Hurricane Beryl made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane at Matagorda, Texas at 4 a.m. July 8. It then weakened to a high-end tropical storm with some wind gusts near the center near hurricane force. Flood, wind and tornado threats gradually decreased Monday as Beryl continued tracking north.
Due to the weather damage and power outages from Beryl, all Polk County and City of Livingston offices remained closed for two days, with essential personnel reporting to their respective departments for further instructions. Power connectivity and communications were severely impacted by the weather.
Lilli DeFord led a riderless horse during a special tribute in memory of her late grandfather, James Bergman, during the 63rd annual Polk County Youth Rodeo in the Barney Wiggins Memorial Arena. Bergman, who died Sept. 23, 2023 after a lengthy battle with cancer, was a charter member of the Polk County Youth Rodeo Association. In attendance for the special tribute were his wife, Jullie, along with their children and grandchildren.
FEMA representatives continued working two different disasters in Polk County – the spring flooding and Hurricane Beryl – from the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center at the Livingston Municipal Library. With Polk County having received a Presidential Declaration, local citizens were eligible for FEMA’s Individual Assistance Program.
The Onalaska Police Department approved the appointment of Byron Dunaway as chief of police with the standard probationary period during its July 1 meeting. Dunaway filled the vacancy left with the resignation of Jessica Stanton, the former chief.
Corrigan-Camden’s Cammy Parrish was awarded the 2024 Dr. Audrey Young Athlete of the Year award, presented by Young, who serves on the State Board of Education.
The excitement was palpable at Corrigan-Camden ISD as work began on the upgrades, renovations and complete remodels, thanks to a $21.5 million bond that was passed in November of 2022.
Dr. Tom Johnson, president of Lamar State College-Orange, Dr. Brett Welch, provost of Lamar University, and Kristin Tow-Walker, executive director of the Texas State University System Polk County Center, spoke to the Rotary Club of Livington about the array of educational opportunities coming to town, both academic and workforce, and the opportunities that await.
The Texas State University System (TSUS) held its grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony to inaugurate the Polk County Center, a joint educational venture in Livingston between Lamar State College Orange, Lamar State College Port Arthur, and Lamar Institute of Technology – known collectively as the Lamar State Colleges on Aug. 14. The center will offer a diverse range of courses and training programs offered jointly by the state colleges.
