Columns

BBB is cautioning consumers about the online Secret Sister Gift Exchange. The exchange has been circulating on social media sites and claims that participants will receive up to 36 gifts in exchange for sending one gift valued at $10. Users are encouraged to invite others to participate in the holiday gift exchange, where they will receive information on where to mail gifts to.
While gift exchanges grow in popularity during the holiday season, BBB advises consumers to use caution when choosing one to participate in. According to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service's gambling and pyramid scheme laws, gift chains like this are illegal and participants could be subject to penalties for mail fraud.

Governor communicates stance on refugees to White House

Gov. Greg Abbott on Nov. 16 wrote a letter to the White House, informing President Obama “the State of Texas will not accept any refugees from Syria in the wake of the deadly terrorist attack in Paris.”

“Further,” Abbott wrote, “I and millions of Americans implore you to halt your plans to accept more Syrian refugees in the United States. The FBI director testified to Congress that the federal government does not have the background information that is necessary to effectively conduct proper security checks on Syrian nationals.”

Abbott quoted FBI Director James Comey, who last month told the U.S. House Committee on Homeland Security, “We can query our database until the cows come home, but there will be nothing show up because we have no record of them.”

My young children know my Mom as their sweet grandmother with a touch of Alzheimer’s and limited mobility due to a stroke.

They don’t know her as a Holocaust escapee who went on a five-nation odyssey, including being smuggled from occupied France into Spain in a hay wagon when she was just 4 years old.

They will one day, because a writer from the company I run sat down with her, interviewed her at length, and turned her recollections from those years (still sharp, by the way), along with family photos, and documents from the 1940s into a hardcover memoir.

Every family has great stories to tell, but what happens if those stories aren’t preserved?
 
So how can any family create a book that captures family memories without headaches, hassles, or revisiting family drama?

Here are nine tips to capturing your family memories:

Canton Herald, Nov. 17, 1949:

Verlon Carey, Canton and Miss Becky Scott of Board, were awarded Gold Stars Nov. 9 for outstanding

4-H Club work.  Twelve girls and 19 boys were given other county awards as part of the National

4-H Achievement Week program held in the Legion Hut at Canton.

A report from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) that claims red and processed meats cause cancer is a bunch of bull, according to Van Zandt County Farm Bureau President, Brian Cummins. 


"Science does not support the IARC's claim," Cummins said. "Scientists on IARC's panel who studied the issue for seven days could not come to an agreement on whether or not there's solid evidence that red meat causes cancer. And yet, they issued a report saying it's probable."


IARC, an arm of the World Health Organization, classified processed meats like ham and bacon as carcinogenic to humans. 
Red meat was classified as probably carcinogenic to humans.


"Scientists have been studying cancer and its causes for years," Cummins said. "Genetics, environment and lifestyle choices all play a role in whether or not this complex disease develops in a person or not. Science simply does not support IARC's claim that meat causes colorectal cancer."

As families travel long and short distances to gather together on Thanksgiving and begin the holiday season, the roads become more heavily traveled and the chances for car crashes go up.

In fact, the Thanksgiving holiday is one of the most dangerous holidays of the year when it comes to vehicle crashes and fatalities.

During the Thanksgiving holiday weekend in 2013 there were 301 people killed in traffic crashes across the nation — and tragically, 58 percent of those killed were not buckled up. Buckling up is the single most effective step you can take to increase your chances of a safe road trip on Thanksgiving!

Taking those few seconds to make sure all of your passengers, young and old, are buckled up, as well as keeping your focus on driving and preparing ahead for the trip, can make all the difference.   

Canton Herald, Nov. 3, 1949

Jamie Loughmiller, freshman queen, was crowned Monday night, Oct. 31, as football queen of Canton High School.  The freshman class collected $155.90 to win over the seniors who collected $152.08, the juniors were next with $108.11 and the sophomores collected $43.30. 

The class representatives and escorts were Wanda Chaney and Wendell Wisdom; seniors Sally Dawson and Bob Skidmore; juniors, Marie Heidle and Kearby Joe Fugate; sophomores,  Bette Skidmore and Eugene Blackwell; freshmen, the queen was escorted by co-captains Jimmy Tunnell and Dan Hilliard.  Jimmy Tunnell presented the queen with a football and Dan Hilliard crowned her.  Jerry Bledsoe sang “I dream of Jeannie (Jamie) With the Light Brown Hair.”

Mr. and Mrs. Hulbert W. Parker celebrated their golden wedding anniversary Oct. 23 with a family reunion at their home in Ben Wheeler.

The Van Zandt County Library has an important off-site partner in The Library of Genealogy and Local History which is located in the Courthouse Annex, across from Hillcrest Cemetery in Canton.  

The Genealogy Society of Van Zandt County is one of the most active in the state of Texas and has had many award winning members and books compiled by members. 

At the VZC library, members of the group have a display in the foyer each month.   Currently displayed are books about various communities in the county.  

The phone number, 903-567-5012, will get you to a volunteer who can help you with family searches and other history questions as well as hours of operation.

The “CRE” is an update to the Biennial Revenue Estimate, a document that gives state lawmakers a good idea of how much revenue will be available for general-purpose spending in 2016-2017, the next two-year state budget period. 

The CRE, Hegar said, reflects “any new laws from the session that could affect state revenue, as well as the most current fiscal and economic data.” The 140-day legislative session concluded four and half months ago, on June 1.