News

For the ninth consecutive year, the Canton ISD is proposing to keep the tax rate steady at $1.471 per $100 of valuation.

Trustees approved the district’s proposed $19.2 million in budgets and tax rate July 13. A public hearing on the budget and tax rate is set for 5:45 p.m. Aug. 17 and then the board is scheduled to adopt the budget and tax rate at its meeting following the public hearing.

The general fund budget of $15,490,853 is 2.35 percent more than last year’s budget, CISD Business Manager Denise Stone said.

The budget includes a 1 percent pay scale increase for employees in addition to all teacher step salary increases.

The district’s food service fund budget is $692,221 and the debt service budget is $3,007,983.

Trustees also approved the 2015-’16 teacher pay school which included raises of more than 1 percent to years five and 22 to cover the additional cost of insurance and an added step 27.

According to police reports, the driver accidentally hit the gas instead of the brake causing her vehicle to jump the curb, run over a handicapped parking sign, continue over the sidewalk and strike 18-year-old Jessica Bunch who was standing in front of the RedBox movie machine.

The Expedition hit both the teen and the RedBox.

Online survey available through July 31

The East Texas Medical Center Regional Healthcare System has embarked on a process to identify the health needs of the communities it serves and is seeking the public’s assistance.

ETMC is asking members of the community at-large (age 18 and older) to complete a short, online survey that asks questions about access to doctors and health information, as well as health status and medical issues of concern to them and their communities.

Survey participants are asked to provide their name and contact information in order to be entered in a drawing for prizes, including the grand prize of an Apple iPad. However, all responses are confidential and names are not associated with survey responses.

By Larry Briscoe

Correspondent - 

Two men, including the owner of the Rockin’ M Airport in Quinlan, were killed July 1 when their single-engine plane crashed near the airport.


Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Kyle Bradford released the names of the victims. They are airport owner Walter Meziere, 54, of Quinlan and Joe Livingston, 49, of McKinney.
 Justice of the Peace David McNabb pronounced the men dead at the scene at 4 p.m.

Dispatch received the call at 12:59 p.m.

Emergency personnel were notified the plane had crashed off the runway engulfed in flames.

Bradford confirmed the accident and stated the plane crashed for a yet undetermined reason “into a grassy area located on CR 3511. It has been confirmed that the pilot and passenger did not survive.”

The Canton Economic Development Corporation hosted a groundbreaking ceremony July 6 to kick off the construction of a new Country Inns & Suites Hotel and Conference Center on a 6-acre tract west of Splash Kingdom Waterpark on Interstate 20.  

The CEDC and city of Canton are partnering with C & E Group Inc., Splash Kingdom, Dr. John Pino and Jim LaPorte on this almost $9 million capital project. “A hotel of this caliber and the 5,000 square foot conference center will enhance our position as a get-away destination, growing our main industry – tourism.  We couldn’t be more excited about the synergistic relationship with Splash Kingdom, the creation of jobs and the economic impact this will have on local businesses,” said Julie Seymore, Canton’s economic development director.

By Donnita Fisher

Managing Editor - 

In addition to being the traditional red, white and blue celebration of patriotic pride and celebration of America’s birthday that it always is, the Canton Chamber’s Fourth of July parade served as the unveiling of a special memorial art gallery – “Platoon of the Fallen.”

 Marchers in the parade carried large paintings of Texas military men killed during the War on Terror. Canton was chosen as one of the first cities to host a platoon.

By Donnita Fisher

Managing Editor - 

The Canton Council has started the legal process to get two properties cleaned up or torn down.

At a special meeting June 29, the council voted 4-0 to send letters to the owners of property at 901 W. College St. and 1755 Elliott St. telling them to bring their empty buildings up to standard, raze them or else.

“Neither one of these buildings are worth fixing up,” City Manager Lonny Cluck said. “But to put this in perspective, the city could have half a million dollars tied up in tearing these buildings down.”

The buildings – one an abandoned nursing home – contain asbestos but they have become havens for vagrants and drug addicts, Cluck said.

While councilmembers expressed concern about legal proceedings, concern for the community has to outweigh that, they said.

By Payton Weidman

Staff Writer

A few rain clouds couldn’t stop the fun at the first Free State Jubilee held on First Monday Grounds in Canton June 27. 

The event had a cakewalk booth, three different bounce houses for kids, live music, a Corn Hole tournament, a salsa and canning competition and information about gardening and beekeeping.

“The Free State Jubilee was a huge success by all accounts,” said county extension agent Melisa Rhodes. “The rain clouds may have darkened the skies and rained down on Van Zandt County but it did not stop the first annual Free State Jubilee! The rain stopped just in time for everyone to enjoy the cooler temperatures and experience all the fun and educational opportunities that the Free State Jubilee had to offer.”

By Donnita Fisher

Managing Editor

Canton ISD trustees spent the June 15 meeting looking at preliminary budget figures.

Trustees agreed CISD employees will get a 1 percent pay increase for the 2015-’16 school year in addition to salary scales adjustments.

“So a teacher will actually see a 3 to 4 percent increase,” Board President Kenneth Pruitt said.

In Canton ISD, a beginning teacher will earn $34,106. A teacher with five years experience earns $36,850. After 10 years, a teacher in CISD would make $40,917. That figure would increase to $49,852 after 20 years and top out at $53,268 after 26 years.