A message from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association
North and Central Texas had it all in 2016 when it came to storms. We saw record setting large hail in Wylie, catastrophic flooding in Palestine, and 18 tornadoes across the area. This past year was a typical year, with severe thunderstorms occurring throughout the year. Are you ready for whatever 2017 will throw at you?
Preparing to load and unload meals for the Meals on Wheels Ministry in Canton are left to right, Bob Summit, on-site coordinator in Canton, Billy Foster and Hank Stuth.
By David Barber Senior Reporter
What began as a ministry in the First United Methodist Church in Canton has grown to a local and county-wide service operating out of the Senior Citizens building downtown.
The Meals on Wheels Ministry is currently serving meals four days a week to around 60 homebound elderly and disabled citizens not only in Canton but throughout Van Zandt County.
Around 10-12 volunteers deliver meals over four different routes in Canton and in the county.
“The program grew to the point that they needed more room to operate and that is why it moved from the Methodist church to the Senior Citizens building,” recalled Bob Summit, who has served as site manager for the Meals on Wheels Ministry in Canton for the past 17 years.
With the appointment of Dan Maucieri as the Van Zandt County Human Resources Director, commissioners were faced with the problem of finding room in the already packed courthouse for another office. The suggestion of adding a human resources director to take some of the load off of the county treasurer’s office came from an outside audit.
Commissioner Virgil Melton Jr. said that an office was needed for Maucieri, citing the need for “confidentiality,” as a major factor.
“We knew that we were not going to keep him in the treasurer’s office because of confidentiality reasons. We began looking for a place to create an office. After discussion with department heads and elected officials, we considered taking up a spot in the law library for the human resources department,” said Melton.
Neches River Chapter Daughters of the American Revolution will present a program for the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society Saturday, Feb. 25.
Each year, DAR recognizes the contributions of the first president of the United States, George Washington.
“The chapter has partnered with the Genealogical Society for the event. The guest speaker will be Canton Mayor Lou Ann Everett. Chapter Awards will be presented and refreshments will be served. All are invited to attend,” members said.
The Van Zandt County Genealogical Society meetings are held the fourth Saturday of each month, except December. For more information contact the Library of Genealogy and Local History at 903-567-5012.
For more stories like this one, subscribe to the Canton Herald or pick up a copy from one of our vendors.
A final list of candidates for the May 6 city and school elections in Van Zandt County has been released as the filing deadline was Feb. 17. Candidates seeking office are as follows:
City of Canton Candidate filing for two seats, currently held by Connie Odic and Nathan Moore are up for election. Moore and Odic have filed for re-election. The mayor position held by Lou Ann Everett is also up for election on the May 6 ballot. Everett has also filed for re-election. Everett will be challenged by Roy J. Yarbrough.
Each city council seat will be for a two-year term beginning in May 2017.
If those views of brown lawns and shriveled blower beds are causing a case of the winter doldrums, local horticultural experts say there’s nothing for it but to aim for a green infusion indoors with a few cheerful potted plants and live table decorations.
A mix of vibrant blooms or exotic succulents are the perfect reminder that winter doesn’t last forever, and there’s no shortage of plantscaping options for filling favorite spaces with color, texture, fragrance and – better yet – oxygen-infused air.
Our little green friends can help restore balance to home environments (and residents’ lungs), cleansing the air by reducing mold spores, neutralizing free radicals and adding humidity to dry, stale interiors. And there’s even a technical term for the way humans gravitate to lush, natural settings – biophilia, which means “love of life or living systems.”
The Texas State Library and Archives Commission released a study showing that Texas public libraries provide $2.628 billion in economic benefits to the state. Collectively, in FY2015, Texas public libraries were found to offer a sizeable return on investment. For every one dollar spent, libraries offered $4.64 worth of services, resources, and economic opportunity to communities.
“The study quantifies what most Texans understand. Our public libraries bring tremendous value,” said TSLAC Director and Librarian Mark Smith. “Libraries function as key engines of economic vitality in their communities.”
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin’s Bureau of Business Research IC2 used a data-intensive process to document and quantify economic benefits. The findings showed that libraries produced $976 million in direct economic activity and more than 11,000 jobs in FY 2015 were dependent on public library expenditures.
Sheriff Dale Corbett, Bobby Harvey, Mary Harvey, Ginger Carson, Joe Carson and Gary Ross
By Tim Ball Precinct Watch Association Chair
A meeting of the Van Zandt County Precinct Watch Program was held at Callender Lake Feb. 9, with 34 members and nine guests attending for the Precinct 4 monthly meeting.
Among the guests attending were representatives of the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s office, Sheriff Dale Corbett, Captain of Patrol & Operations Tim Scharfenberg, Crime Prevention Specialist, Reserve Deputy Anthony Risner. Other guests included guest speaker U.S. Marshal Brandon Corbett, PWA Vice Chair John Murry and Membership Coordinator Sheila Bellamy.
