Raccoon Causes Alarm in Panola County Courthouse

CARTHAGE — An unwelcome visitor rattles a bunch of nerves inside an East Texas courthouse. Panola County Elections Adminstrator Cheyenne Lampley says as she was getting ready to leave her office, she “heard a blood-curdling scream.” Lampley then saw a huge raccoon running toward her. She closed her office door and watched through the glass. Lampley says the animal headed back to the front door and began jumping up, trying to open the door to get out. That’s when another worker “reached over and opened it just a little bit so it could run out.” Lampley reports the raccoon came back and made a destructive path throughout the building, creating holes in the ceiling — and she says those won’t be fixed until after the new year.