News

By Donnita Fisher

Managing Editor

While the Canton Economic Development Corporation’s sales tax revenue is up 6.25 percent year-to-date, projections based on five-year history call for the year to end just about on target, CEDC Executive Director Julie Seymore told the board last week.

The CEDC budgeted $850,000 and the projected figure is $844,023 for a variance of $5,977 or 0.7 percent, Seymore said.

The June sales tax figure (for sales made in April and reported in May) of $69,854.99 was up 6.9 percent over 2014’s June number of $65,316.18.  

The CEDC receives a 1/2-cent in sales tax funding.

Workforce Training Program

By Payton Weidman

Staff Writer

Looking for things to do this Fourth of July?  Well look no further, here’s a list of the celebrations going on in or nearby Van Zandt County.

ATHENS – Saturday, July 4 at the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center after 4 p.m. free admission for the annual firework show will begin.

Visitors are encouraged to fish in the stocked pond until 8:30 p.m.  No license is required to fish, and bait and tackle are furnished for free.

The fireworks will begin at 9 p.m.  Food and beverages will be available for purchase, and people are encouraged to bring picnics.

Children can enter the Canton Chamber of Commerce Fourth of July parade being pulled in a wagon, riding a bike or being pushed in stroller.

Entry in the children’s portion of the parade is free. A parent or guardian must be present to sign the child in.

Chamber officials said the children will be at the back of the parade and will need to be in the line up area behind First United Methodist Church, 600 S. Buffalo St. at 6 p.m.

The parade route is about three-quarters of a mile long. The parade will travel north on Buffalo, turn right onto Dallas Street (Hwy. 64), right onto Capital Street and then disperse on Peace Street.

For more information, call 903-567-2991 or email cantonchamberofcommerce@yahoo.com.

By Donnita Fisher

Managing Editor

The Canton City Council approved a Canton Economic Development Corporation agreement and added its own incentives to a deal to bring a hotel and conference center to property on I-20 adjacent to Splash Kingdom last week.

The city agreed to give C&E Group $200,000 incrementally with payments based on reaching construction benchmarks. 

This loan will be forgiven incrementally based on the amount of property tax being paid after the new building is on the tax rolls.

“The amounts paid each year in property taxes will reduce the outstanding principle amount by that amount,” Mayor pro tem Shawn Stewart said.

The city’s additional funding brings the total incentive package to $376,000.

Members of the Jesse Miller Foster Chapter of the United Daughters of the Confederacy conducted a special memorial service and marker dedication for all Confederate veterans buried at High Cemetery June 13.

The ceremony took place during the regular High Cemetery Association Memorial Day event.

Chapter members taking part in the dedication were Donna Carter, Chapter President, of Edgewood, Benja Mize, Lou Ann Everett, Sandra Jones, Sherrie Archer and Sylvia Barbee of Canton, Sibyl Creasey of Ben Wheeler, Betty Wilson of Grand Saline, Sylvia Sims of Edgewood, Linda Dean of Wills Point, Cynthia Harman of Colfax, and Carrie Woolverton of Kaufman. The association president, Pastor Jim Leach, also took part in the ceremony.

Summer Reading at the Van Zandt County Library at 10 a.m. on June 26, will be ZOOFARI.  Unsure of what that is join us to find out. It will be an hour long and prizes will be available. Story time for toddlers is June 23 and is titled Fishing.

There will be no Summer Reading on July 3, as the library is closed for Independence Day activities around the County.

There are computers available to card holders at the library and they are great if you need information in a hurry.  But there is a whole section of non-fiction books on hundreds of subjects that are informative or just fun.  Look in the Numbers 000-900 for great books to read.  

The Free State Jubilee Saturday, June 27, will offer something for the whole family. 

There will be carnival type of games, three bounce houses, an indoor shooting gallery and an archery shooting area plus face painting and tattoos – all free to the kids, according to Van Zandt County Extension Agent Melisa Rhodes.

“In addition to all these fun activities there will be educational opportunities to learn about gardening, recycling projects  and demonstrations on knitting and crocheting,” Rhodes said. “And for all you anglers, we will also be having a casting/pitching contest with the assistance of the Grand Saline High School Fishing team.”

The Van Zandt Extension Education Association will be conducting a cakewalk and there will be other contests and competitions.

Chamber adds watermelon-eating contest to pre-parade events

By Donnita Fisher

Managing Editor

The Fourth of July will be a non-stop celebration in Canton complete with parades, parties, First Monday and fireworks.

Parade, watermelon, fireworks

The Canton Chamber of Commerce is looking for entries for their Fourth of July parade set for 7 p.m. July 4.

 The chamber would also like to recognize local veterans by putting on parade floats. Contact the chamber office and “we will have rides for the parade all set up,” said Laura Mendoza, chamber office administrator.

Main Street and the Canton Rotary Club will present “The Little Rascals" Friday, June 26, as the next summer outdoor movie offering.

The movie will start about dark (9 p.m.) across from the Plaza Theater in downtown Canton.

“Come watch Alfalfa and the gang try to raise money to rebuild their clubhouse,” organizers said. “All you need to bring is yourself, a friend and a lawn chair.”

“The Little Rascals” is rated PG.

The Plaza Theater is located at 119 N. Buffalo St.

Concessions will be available including hotdogs, popcorn, candy and soft drinks. All proceeds will go to the Canton Main Street Program, which helps with the revitalization of downtown Canton.

The next movie will be “The Lego Movie” July 17.

For questions, contact the Main Street office at 903-567-1849.

By Donnita Fisher

Managing Editor

Although the county budgeted more than $450,000 to try three capital murder cases in 2014 and 2015, to date less than $112,000 has been actually spent, 294^th District Court Judge Teresa Drum told Van Zandt County Commissioners last week.

Drum provided an update on the county’s capital murder budget during the commissioners court meeting June 9.

Commissioners originally budgeted $457,316.10 for three capital murder cases – Danny Greenhow, Larry Maples and Michael Moore, Drum said. “Expenses were budgeted for the DA’s office, the Sheriff’s office, indigent defense expenses, as well as jury and district clerk expenses,” she said.