News

The East Texas Chapter of Master Naturalist, a non-profit organization, will hold its second annual open house from 6: 30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 27, at the Tyler Nature Center located at 11942 FM 848 in Tyler.  

In preparation for the 2017 classes, members will present table displays showing prospective trainees the types of volunteer activities members are involved in every week.

Light refreshments will be served and Valerie Marler with Crosstimbers Ranch Wildlife Center will give a presentation on bobcats.  

Visit the website at http://txmn.org/etwdHYPERLINK "http://txmn.org/etwd/"/ for an application and more information.

The Master Naturalist program is sponsored by Texas Parks and Wildlife and Texas A & M AgriLife.

ETCMN meets at 6:45 p.m. on the fourth Thursday of every month except November and December. 

Canton ISD has received a Superior Achievement rating in the Financial Rating System of Texas, scoring 96 out of 100 points. The rating was based off the 2014-’15 school year.

“The district operates very efficiently,” said Denise Stone, business director for Canton ISD. “We have received a superior rating since the 2002-’03 school year.”

The district received four points off because of the ratio of long-term liabilities (debt) to total assets of the district. The ratio would have to be high enough to support long-term solvency. 

“At the end of the year the district had over $40 million in debt and our total assets were $51.5 million. We would have to be $36 million in long-term liabilities to get the maximum score,” Stone said. “But we are getting close to getting to that number.”

Superintendent Jay Tullos then updated the board on the activities of various programs throughout the district. 

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 American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Van Zandt County leadership team is hosting a meeting at 6: 30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 25, at the American National Bank meeting room to share with residents the importance of Relay For Life in the fight against cancer.

Relay For Life is the signature event of the American Cancer Society. It is a fun-filled overnight event that mobilizes communities throughout the country to celebrate survivors, remember loved ones, and empower others to fight back against a disease that takes too much.

Early Voting by personal appearance will be conducted each weekday at the Canton City Hall, 290 S. Tyler St., Canton, Texas as follows:

Monday, Oct. 24-Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 28, 2016- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 31-Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Wednesday, Nov. 2, 2016- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Thursday, Nov. 3- Friday, Nov. 4, 2016- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

All polling places listed below will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2016, for voting in an election for the purpose of electing the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only and for the sale of mixed beverages in restaurants by food and beverage certificate holders only in the City of Canton:

1-A      Grace Bible Fellowship, 17897 FM 1255, Canton

2-A      Farm Bureau Auditorium, 281 E. Hwy. 243, Canton

The sun sets over a Friday night game of the Canton Eagles football team. The Canton Band warms up to take the field during a halftime performance. The Canton Eagles will take the field Friday night with a record of 5-2, against Dallas-Roosevelt. 

Local Perfectly Posh consultants will be representing The You Deserve It Foundation Saturday, Oct. 22 in a community-wide service project benefitting the East Texas Crisis Center’s Canton location.   Consultants will be onsite at Higginbotham Brothers from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to collect donations of unused pampering products and other items needed by the Crisis Center. 

Items needed by East Texas Crisis Center in Canton are travel-sized items such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, antiperspirant/deodorant, disposable razors, cotton balls, Q-tips, hairbrushes or combos, small travel toiletries. Cosmetic bags, socks, undergarments, makeup, disposable makeup sponges, small spiral notepads, pens, crayons, coloring books and small stuffed animals.

Donations can be dropped off in tent that will be set up in front of Higginbotham Brothers located at 221 E. Highway 243 in Canton.

The county commissioners took to business Oct. 11, officially declaring October as Domestic Violence Abuse Month and also declaring Nov. 12 as First Responders Day. East Texas Crisis Center representative Crystal Mayer asked the commissioners to officially recognize Canton Fire Captain Brian Horton as the recipient of the HOPE award, an award that highlights the efforts of an individual to combat domestic violence. Crystal Mayer presented the award to Capt. Horton and also asked commissioners to declare October as domestic violence abuse month.

All polling places listed below will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Nov. 8, 2016, for voting in an election for the purpose of electing the sale of beer and wine for off-premise consumption only and for the sale of mixed beverages in restaurants by food and beverage certificate holders only in the City of Canton:

1-A      Grace Bible Fellowship, 17897 FM 1255, Canton

2-A      Farm Bureau Auditorium, 281 E. Hwy. 243, Canton

3-A      Sr. Citizens Building, 200 W. Grove St., Canton

4-A      First Assembly of God Church, 801 E. Hwy. 243, Canton

Early Voting by personal appearance will be conducted each weekday at the Canton City Hall, 290 S. Tyler St., Canton, Texas as follows:

Monday, Oct. 24-Thursday, Oct. 27, 2016- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 28, 2016- 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 31-Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2016- 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The monthly meeting of the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22 at the Van Zandt County Library, 317 First Monday Lane in Canton.  

The guest speaker will be Jack Pollard,  who will be speaking on the settlement of his ancestors in Van Zandt County and the life of his father, Thomas G. Pollard Sr.

Mr. Pollard will share stories from the book “The Man from Edom” written by his mother Edna Martin Pollard about Thomas G. Pollard Sr., who was born in Martins Mill, lived in Edom and Tyler and became a State Senator. 

      Van Zandt County Genealogical Society meetings are held the fourth Saturday of each month except December at 2 p.m. at the county library. 

For more information about the Society contact the Library of Genealogy and Local History located in the County Courthouse Annex Building in Canton, 903-567-5012.

Meetings are open to the public.