News

It was all about selling and keeping animals during the Canton City Council meeting Oct. 18.  Councilmembers discussed requiring vendors who sell animals to have a license in Dog Alley, the Canton Animal Shelter agreement with cities in Van Zandt County and allowing chickens in the city limits.

Councilman Shawn Stewart said he asked that a discussion be held regarding the licensing of vendors at Dog Alley, as a way of “gathering information.”   

“I am referring to the area known as Dog Alley. The intent of the discussion is to not put vendors out of business or create additional hardships. We want to know who is doing what, who are the vendors that are selling animals and what role should the city play,” said Stewart.

Stewart said the city has animal control personnel on site at Dog Alley during First Monday.

During the Oct. 11 commissioners court, Kevin Cashion of Gollob, Morgan and Peddy, Inc. presented an 80-page audit to the county commissioners concerning fiscal year 2015.

Cashion issued a warning to the commissioners stating that some financial procedures would need to be changed

Specifically, Cashion said that procedures involving the passing of deficit annual budgets and borrowing among fund balances would need to be changed.

During the lengthy presentation, Cashion touched on the actions of previous county auditors and also reminded the commissioners that “this is the second year in a row that the commissioners have been cautioned for specific accounting practices.” 

Cashion also spoke on problems such as the county treasurer’s office being cited for failure to comply and being understaffed; the county using FEMA funds while being deficit; and implementing the segregation of duties.

The Van Zandt County Humane Society will be hosting an adoption clinic on Saturday, Oct. 29, at Tractor Supply Company in Canton. 

 Carol Whatley, president of the organization, looks forward to the event.  "The TSC team is always so generous in offering their space for our dogs.  We're more than happy to set up our pens there and we hope to find homes for some of our bigger dogs.  All the little ones, 10 pounds and under, are at Petsmart in Tyler each Saturday.  This is a better location for the bigger ones.

Early voting kicked off this week for the 2016 General Election.

Early voting continues to be held at Canton City Hall, 290 E. Tyler, St. Canton

A photo ID is required to vote. See below for types of ID accepted. 

Voting times are:

For Thursday, Oct. 27 through Saturday, Oct. 29

Thursday, Oct. 27- 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 28- 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Saturday, Oct. 29- 8 a.m.- 8 p.m.

For the week of Monday, Oct. 31 through Saturday, Nov. 4.

Monday, Oct. 31- 8 a.m.- 5 p.m.

Tuesday, Nov. 1- 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 2- 8 a.m.-8 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 3- 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

Friday, Nov. 4- 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

The GriefShare Ministry of First Baptist Church of Canton will offer a Surviving the Holidays seminar from 9:30 a.m. to noon Nov. 12.

“There is help for those dealing with grief during the holidays. No matter how long it’s been since your loved one died, grief can make the holidays a painful time. But there’s hope, join us for an encouraging seminar that will help you survive the holidays and discover new reasons to enjoy them again,” organizers of the event said.

Books and materials are made available for participants. To register for the seminar and for more information call First Baptist Church at 903-567-4157 by Nov. 9.

George Washington Tull, an Irishman who settled in Van Zandt County in the 19^th century, left big footprints in local pioneer history.

One of his finest legacies is his great nephew, Charles Stanley Tull Sr., a  1955 Edgewood High School graduate, retired Dallas police officer, student of history and one of Canton’s best storytellers.

Stanley recently spoke to the Heritage Society in Edgewood, weaving the story of his ancestors who made a difference in this area.

As a child, Stanley told the Heritage Society how he lived a few yards away from Edgewood’s downtown Heritage Center in the tiny two-room log Spradlin Cabin, now part of the Heritage Park Museum of East Texas.  His parents married in 1929 and had four children there, three of whom survived. 

Stanley was born in Springtown, then moved to the Bethlehem Community before moving to Edgewood, then Canton.

The Whitton Fire Department annual garage sale will be held Thursday, Oct. 27 Saturday, Oct. 29 starting at 8 a.m. each morning. All proceeds benefit the fire department's operating costs. Donations for the sale are being accepted.

Call 903-848-0260 to schedule a pickup by volunteers or items can be dropped off under the pavilion to the west of the fire station, 2665 VZCR 2404, Canton.

Four Mile Lutheran Church will hold a yard and bake sale Oct. 27-29. Beginning at 8 a.m. until 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 29 customers can fill large garbage bags with “anything that can be stuffed into the bag,” organizers said. Leftover items will be donated to the homeless shelter in Dallas and the Family Resource Center in Gun Barrell.

Thrivent Financial will match the funds raised at the sale.

“This sale gives us the opportunity to give to many charities throughout the year, such as fire departments, libraries, Manna, the ABC Room and the Humane Society. It also allows us to donate school supplies, clothing, food and toys for the neediest at Christmas.

The community sale will be held at Four Mile Lutheran Church near Prairieville, 2 miles east of the Prairieville Grocery Store at VZCR 2607 and FM 90.

For directions or information, call  903-887-0833 or 903-385-0017.

The Whitton Fire Department annual garage sale will be held Thursday, Oct. 27 Saturday, Oct. 29 starting at 8 a.m. each morning. All proceeds benefit the fire department's operating costs. Donations for the sale are being accepted.

Call 903-848-0260 to schedule a pickup by volunteers or items can be dropped off under the pavilion to the west of the fire station, 2665 VZCR 2404, Canton.

Texas State Comptroller Glenn Hegar released the state’s most recent monthly sales tax revenue figures recently, indicating that three out of six county cities had collected more revenues when comparing October 2016 figures with those posted for the same calendar month in 2015.

Canton finished as the county’s biggest gainer for the month, collecting $13,714.08 more than the $257,984.67 collected in October 2015.

The city of Wills Point bounced back from a marginal loss last month, .29 percent, to post the biggest percentage gain of any county city for the month, 12.69 percent. Wills Point received a payment of $93,362.10 for the month, up $10,511.10 from the $82,851 collected last year over the same time period.

Grand Saline, which had been the county’s biggest gainer in dollar figure and percentage change in September, also saw modest gains for the month by seeing an increase in of $1,287.95 for the month.