News

Oct. 9 11:24 p.m. – Arrest: Warrants – Driving while license suspended and Failure to Maintain Financial Responsibility – Courtney Shae Sumrall, 24, Canton

Oct. 13 9:45 a.m., 1300 block Hwy. 19 – a 2005 white Chrysler crashed into The Hair Salon. The car was being driven by Virginia Taylor Thomas, 76, Canton. She was pulling into the handicapped parking space and didn’t hit the brakes. Thomas was taken by ambulance to East Texas Medical Center in Athens.

Oct. 13 11:48 a.m., 600 block of East Hwy. 243 – Arrest: Theft >$100<$750 – Monica R. Roberts, 46, Canton

Canton Fire Department and Rescue will be selling pink T-shirts to support the fight against breast cancer and also to raise breast cancer awareness.

Firefighter Tony Bates said that “51 percent of proceeds goes towards research and 49 percent of the proceeds goes to a benevolence fund,” said Bates.

T-shirts are available until Oct. 31 for $10 and can be picked up at the Canton Fire Department, located 1390 S Trade Days Blvd., Canton.

Cash or checks are accepted. 

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According to Canton ISD Superintendent Jay Tullos, the Texas Department of Transportation is considering widening Hwy. 243 from Hwy. 64 to the intersection of 243 and Hwy. 19. CISD trustees want the transportation agency to consider extending the widening project.

“While we are very appreciative and excited about this project, we would request an extension to the project on Hwy. 243 another 1.4 miles to end just past Canton Intermediate School,” a letter signed by all trustees and Tullos reads.

Canton High School and Canton Intermediate School are both on Hwy. 243. “Every morning and afternoon, there is a safety issue on this portion of the state highway due to students and parents entering and exiting these campuses,” the letter reads.

The Hillcrest Cemetery Restoration Committee works on preserving and repairing the integrity of the historic cemetery in downtown Canton.

The committee is asking for any ancestors of the Ford family plot to come forward to provide information.

According to Elvis Allen, committee member, the Committee is looking for additional information concerning five graves within the cemetery.

“Howell E. Ford and Fredonia Hubbard Ford have five markers next to their graves.  Unfortunately, these gravestones only have initials and none have birth or death dates.  The initials are J.F., H.F., B.F., C.F. and M.F.  We are looking for information about these plots,” said Allen.

Allen also said that here were more than 100 graves without headstones or that have destroyed stones.

For those with information, contact Lawrence Greer at 903-829-2076 or Elvis Allen at 903-962-7103.

Van Zandt County walking and exercise enthusiast Bob Moore and members of multiple economic development corporations from around the county came together Oct. 13 to ask commissioners to proclaim Van Zandt County the “The Walking County of Texas.”

The proclamation stated that Van Zandt County “has 5,400,000,000 steps walked in Canton and the county during First Monday each and every year… and that the cities and towns in the county have developed unique walking programs as an ongoing working example for promoting the importance of walking in America.”

Moore, a walking, exercise and nutrition guru, presented each commissioner and Judge Don Kirkpatrick with their own walking sticks during the meeting.

Kirkpatrick then proclaimed the county was hereby recognized as “The Walking County of Texas.”

Burn ban

The board of the Van Zandt Children’s Advocacy Center has appointed Dr. Dana Harader as the new executive director. 

Harader brings 15 years in related experience to the agency in program development, implementation and training for direct service personnel and teachers about working effectively with children and their families.

A native of Garland, Harader received both her master’s of education in emotional behavior disorders/autism and her doctorate in special education leadership from the University of North Texas. 

She has previously served as an assistant professor at Texas A&M- Commerce and at Murray State University in Murray, Ky.

Tyler shop tricks out truck for 15-year-old cancer survivor

Last week, Tyler Autry thought he and his mom, Amy, were headed to Tyler for yet another doctor’s visit.

Tyler, 15, has been to the doctor a lot in the past two years.  In May 2013 he was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer.

“I had been sick for about six moths and the doctor could not find out why,” Tyler said. “One day when I was really sick, I went the ER at Medical City in Dallas.  They did scans to make sure it wasn’t my appendix, and they found the tumor.”

After a year of chemotherapy and radiation treatments, Tyler is now in remission and is eagerly awaiting his 16^th birthday early next month.

And what does every boy want for his 16^th birthday? Wheels.

Shackle Island Studios and Red Headed Revolution Pictures have unveiled their newest Public Safety Film titled “Happy Halloween With Dr. Gangrene.”

The new short film features Larry Underwood as Dr. Gangrene listing a number of safety tips to pint sized trick-or-treaters. The safety film was written by Larry Underwood and directed by Cameron McCasland, a former resident of Van Zandt County.

“Dr. Grangrene” was filmed in middle Tennessee and features McCasland’s young children Roxie and Marie McCasland as well as Jessica and Joseph Auguon Drake Jr. whom McCasland had previously worked with on other projects.

The poster for the short was designed by J. Kyle Kelly at Villain Place in Nashville. Kelly also shared shooting duties and editing on the project. The cartoon image of Dr. Gangrene is courtesy of artist Jeff Carlson.

The Van Zandt County Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating several fires that have occurred over the past several days, Fire Marshal Chuck Allen said.

Rolling Oaks

Oct. 17, the Fire Marshal’s Office responded to Rolling Oaks on a reported structure fire. “It was reported that three structures were on fire with others being threatened,” Allen said. “It was determined that an abandoned mobile home was on fire. The cause of the fire is suspicious in nature.”

Anyone with information regarding the Rolling Oaks fire is urged to contact CrimeStoppers at 903-567-STOP or Deputy Fire Marshal Danny Wilson at 903-567-7486.

The Mountain, Canton

At the same time as the Rolling Oaks fire was being reported, the Fire Marshal’s Office was also dispatched to The Mountain in Canton.