Columns

It’s only a month until Valentine’s Day.  The Van Zandt County Library has ideas for parties, and decorations that can enhance your celebration of it.  Think about it now to insure a fun weekend. 

You may not believe it, but this year’s seniors will be graduates soon.   Give them a boost by reminding them of information on careers, schools, grants, and other helps that the Library offers.  College is important, but may not be the only education that your child wants or needs.

The Van Zandt County Genealogy Society has an interesting display in the main Library foyer.  Copies of marriage licenses are included.

If you are eligible to vote, be sure you are registered.   By now, your new registration card may have arrived if you were on Van Zandt County rolls last year.  Check with the county clerk to be sure.

Oftentimes, when children come home for the holidays to spend much-needed time with their parents, they are surprised to realize they aren’t as independent as they once were.   Their home may not be as well-kept, their food supply may be low, their hearing, vision and skin may be deteriorating.

As your parents age, they will eventually need more help with daily activities but they may be too proud to ask or don’t want to burden you.  If you have noticed signs of a gradual decline, I have a few suggestions that will help YOU help your parents.

1.        First things first, always empathize with your parents and understand the grief that comes with losing their mobility and independence.  It is not an easy adjustment, so be patient.

In the face of disaster, Texans have always come together with courage, compassion and unity to ask, “How can I help?”

If you want to volunteer for disaster work, there are many tasks to do after a disaster— cleaning-up and rebuilding are two of the biggest. The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) suggests that volunteering through a local voluntary organization may be the best way to find meaningful volunteer work after the disaster.

Such organizations are often in the best position to know about opportunities for volunteers in the long and difficult recovery phase. In addition, volunteering through an established organization provides a better chance of having insurance and liability protection when you work as a volunteer.

CANTON HERALD, Jan. 12, 1950

Berry A. Mitchell, pioneer citizen, died at Home Sunday. Final Rites Monday: Berry A. Mitchell, age 73, affectionately known as Uncle Berry died Sunday morning, Jan. 8, 1950 at his home in Canton. (Unreadable) life began in the Mount Pisgah community south of Canton Aug. 28, 1876 as Berry A. Mitchell and grew up with (unreadable) and became the endearment of the plain Uncle Berry death to the thousands of people all over Texas who had loved him and shared in his life. It was announced from the pulpit of the First Baptist Church in Canton where he had been choir director for the past forty five years.

Jesus had a birthday

He spent the day at home

I wonder who visited him

Or was he there alone?

Did we think to honor Him?

Or from the subject race?

Did we forget our salvation

Comes only by His grace?

Did we send our thanks to him?

Or just think it kind of nice?

That the doors of Heaven opened

The day of His sacrifice.

As He lived He walked the earth

Seeking soles to have and heal

His thanks and praise to Father God

Are precious and very real.

Holy wisdom comes from God

And a wise thing we can do.

Is say each day that we awake

My Jesus I love you.

LB 2016

CANTON HERALD, Jan. 5, 1950

Winter’s first blast on Canton struck late Tuesday night unexpectedly when the mercury took a dip from 68 degrees to a low of 20 degrees early Wednesday morning.  Sleet fell during the night and the countryside showed indication that cold weather is here to stay.  Highways leading out to the county seat are covered with ice making them hazardous to travel.  Over the state the mercury is reading from 0 to 30 according to the section.  In the panhandle zero weather is expected for several days.  Several section of the state reports snow and sleet.

Don’t be fooled by the instant success diet

How is that for a perfect attention getter? It isn’t going to happen. It will never happen. All the diet selling shysters are back taking our dollars again this year.

The ads are so good.

LOSE 10 POUNDS IN MINUTES. GET ALL YOUR FRUITS AND VEGITABLES IN A CAPSULE. READ MY NEUTRITION BOOK AND LOSE A TON OF WEIGHT. MY SEMINAR WILL ADD 50 DECADES TO YOUR LIFE.

The doorbell rings and your sister-in-law has this new diet on DVD and when you recruit a million friends you instantly become a trillionaire. My favorite is the elderly ex-athletes that will mail you five meals a day and you will lose a pound a minute. We all should know instant gratification won’t work. It did not work last year.

It goes without saying that many people received smart phones as Christmas presents this year.  And of course it also goes without saying that smart phones are known for distracting drivers and pedestrians when they are driving or walking on our roadways and crossing intersections.  Many people either ignore the recommendations to wear bright reflective clothing when walking on streets and crossing intersections at night or simply find themselves in a situation where they were unable to plan ahead and wear appropriate safety enhanced clothing.  After all most people don’t leave the house thinking well my car will break down on the side of the road today so I better wear my reflective clothing.

I just wanted to take time out to talk to you about our Utility/Streets Crew. These guys are the ones who work on water breaks and sewer stops. They also have many other duties which include mowing right of ways, patching roads, trimming trees and changing street signs. These employees must have a wide range of skills in order complete their jobs.

We have Rick Malone, Joe Adams, Eric Pickens, J. Allen Horton, Anthony Prox, Randy Byars, Tim Spurgeon, Jesse Bates, and Harvey Hayes working in these departments.  

I want to take the time to thank the staff for their hard work and dedication.

Governor takes action to stem illegal border crossings

Quoting U.S. Border Patrol data regarding illegal border crossings, Gov. Greg Abbott on Dec. 15 said the number of apprehensions through October and November "are on average two to three times higher than last year.”

Abbott added that in the Big Bend sector, unaccompanied minor arrivals for that period has increased almost tenfold. In the Rio Grande sector, it doubled from 3,219 to 6,465.

“Texas will not sit idle in the face of this challenge,” Abbott said. “We will not be victimized as a state by a federal government’s apathetic response to border security.”

To respond to the problem, Abbott said he plans to:

 • Extend the deployment of National Guard troops at strategic locations on the border;