The Jim Wells County Commissioners Court on May 15 voted to extend the county's disaster proclamation issued May 9 after severe storms caused damage across the county.

“Now, therefore, let it be ordered by the commissioner's court of Jim Wells County that the state of disaster proclaimed by Jim Wells County, Pedro Pete Trevino Junior, Jim Wells County Judge, on May 9 shall continue until terminated by the order of the Jim Wells County Commissioners Court,” Judge Pedro Pete Trevino Jr. said during the meeting.

The extension was adopted as an emergency measure effective May 15, 2025, enabling continued damage assessments and recovery coordination. County officials said the extension is intended to allow teams to finish assessments and pursue federal and state assistance, including Small Business Administration (SBA) disaster services.

County staff and commissioners described widespread tree and structural damage and ongoing debris collection. A county official reported that, as of the meeting, the county had logged 46 structures with major damage, 22 fully destroyed, 44 with minor damage, 340 affected areas and a total of 430 reports — figures the court noted have increased since the county opened a resource information center.

The county opened a resource information center at the former bank building, 601 East Main Street in Alice; the judge said the center was open “on to today, 06:00 and tomorrow, 8 to 5,” and that hours could be extended depending on demand. County officials also announced a one-day disaster assessment event at the Jim Wells County Fairgrounds Merchants Building on Wednesday, May 21, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., to host multiple agencies and complete damage assessments.

Officials said participating organizations will include the Red Cross, Real Transportation, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Salvation Army, Coastal Bend Food Bank, Endeavors, local health services and H-E-B. County staff said collecting standardized assessment information is important to qualify for higher-level state and federal assistance; the judge said Governor Greg Abbott announced a joint preliminary damage assessment for South Texas and that county teams will participate in assessments Tuesday.

The court and precinct crews described debris-collection operations and asked residents to be patient and to drive slowly near cleanup crews. County officials said a dumpster at the fairgrounds is available for brush; collection at the fairgrounds runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. until further notice and crews are prioritizing brush and vegetation rather than household trash. Real Transportation is offering free rides to the resource center and to the fairgrounds assessment event for residents who need transportation.

The court accepted a motion to extend the proclamation and voted to approve it; the motion was seconded and the chair announced the motion carries. No roll-call tally with individual votes was recorded in the transcript.

County officials urged residents affected by the storms to visit the resource center or the May 21 assessment event to register damage for potential assistance and to follow county emergency updates on social media and through the county emergency system.