News

KWJB 95.1 FM will broadcast the candidates forum from the Texas Farm Bureau in Canton at 6 p.m. tonight (Thursday.)  

The forum will also be rebroadcast at 6 p.m.  Feb 15.  

Lou Ann Everett will be the radio host for the broadcast.  

Also, at 2 p.m. Jan. 31, KWJB will be rebroadcasting the sheriff’s race portion of the candidates forum that was held recently in Canton.

KWJB listeners can hear the candidate forum broadcasts on 95.1 FM, 1510 AM, streaming on KWJB.com and over the free KWJB phone APP available from the iPhone APP Store and GooglePlay Store.  

For more information contact Everett, KWJB public service director, at LouAnn@KWJB.com.  

The Texas Star Quilters Guild had a busy year in 2015. 

In December, the ladies had a Christmas luncheon.  The guests of the luncheon were Joni Lunsford representing CASA, Joyce representing Hope Pregnancy and Susie Pulley representing Child Welfare, Santa’s Kids. 

Following the luncheon, the installation of officers for 2016 was held.  Karen Denney installed President, Beverly Pendergrass; First Vice President, Betty Thompson; Second Vice President Sue Norton; Secretary, Gloria Harmon; and Treasurer Barb Lathem. 

The purpose of the guild is to preserve the heritage of quilting and to be a source of information and to provide a gathering of people with a common interest.  Visitors are always welcome.  Any person interested in quilting, the quilters meet the third Monday of the month at the Senior Citizen Building in Canton. 

The meeting will start at 9 a.m. for a sit and sew or a class.

The TVEC Charitable Foundation recently awarded a $2,000 grant to the Van Zandt County Veterans Memorial.

The funds will be used to assist in expenses incurred to maintain and operate the museum.

Volunteers staff the office, assisting visitors with a walk-through of the memorial and aiding any veterans with any concerns or issues.

Art Printing of Texas and Project Graduation have teamed up with the Heather Massey family to raise funds for Project Graduation and the Heather Cancer Fund.
A 28-page full color glossy inspirational glossy calendar is now on sale to benefit Project Graduation and Heather Massey, a Canton High School student who was diagnosed with cancer.  The calendars will have inspirational quotes from the Bible.

“Our goal is to sell 2,500 2016 inspirational calendars. If we reach our goal, $10,000 will be donated towards Heather’s cancer fund. Please help us to help Heather and her family,” organizers said.

Cost of the calendars is $10 and they can be picked up at the Canton Herald newspaper office and the Art Printing of Texas office located at 680 W Dallas Street, Canton.

To reserve a calendar call or email Susan Massey at 903-292-8613 or Project Graduation/Kim Cade at 903-343-3179. Or email txartprinting@gmail.com. 

The Canton Tea Party hosted a Republican candidate forum for local candidates in the March Primary election Jan. 11 at the Church of Christ in Canton.

Visitors and candidates were welcomed to the event by Tea Party Leader Jerry Trollinger.  The event was moderated by Andrew Vaughn of the Vaughn Law Firm in Canton and Timna Rutledge of The Northeast Texan.

Candidates were given a time of introduction and asked questions pertaining to their respective offices.

The night began with Mary Lou Bruner campaigning for a spot on the Texas State Board of Education District 9. Bruner reviewed her qualifications, which include 36 years as a Texas public school teacher, along with numerous degrees and certifications.

Bruner said her stand would be to “make sure that students are taught the traditional knowledge and skills that have made America the world leader in truth and education, not political correctness.”

Judge Teresa Drum introduced the new County Auditor, Freddy Thomas during the commissioners court meeting Jan. 12.

Judge Drum said that the court appointed Thomas Jan. 4. 

“On Dec. 10, 2015, JJ Minyard pled and was convicted of theft and was sentenced to 10 years in prison.

Chris Martin has stated he has no evidence of accessory before or after the fact, and no co-conspirators. I would suggest that anyone that has evidence of a criminal conspiracy to report to law enforcement. Last year the commissioner’s court retained a new outside auditing firm even though the cost to the citizens was more money since the former firm failed to detect theft in two of their annual audits.

“Volunteers are essential to Manna Food Bank. Our volunteers are a diverse group of people that are passionate about serving our community. All volunteers should schedule a volunteer day and time in order to partake in the volunteer experience,” said Manna Director Kathy Silver.

 A typical day includes food sorting, inspecting, grocery packing or working on special projects or events. 

Hours of operations are Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 11 :45 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Currently, there is a great need for offsite volunteers for pick-up twice a week locally as well as in Tyler, Silver said. 

Those who can volunteer are asked to call Kathy Silver at 903-567-6107 or contact her at manna@etcable.net

Nine Canton High School students will represent the school at the state level musically next month.

Four CHS students have been named to the All-State Band and five have earned a place in the All-State Choir.

Band

More than 9,000 high school band students from across Texas auditioned in 20 different regions for a place in the Association of Texas Small School Bands. The top chairs in each region advanced to one of the five area auditions held earlier this month across the state.

Only 290 of these 2,020 students were selected for all-state honors.

Representing Canton will be Jack Dyre playing baritone sax; Samantha Ellis playing clarinet; Savannah Ellis playing flute and Emily Nicks playing trumpet.

Toward the end of her life, Billi Cosper couldn’t remember where she had been yesterday, but she did remember places she’d visited years before.

Mrs. Cosper died Jan. 12 at the age of 88, but shortly before Christmas she shared the story of her visit to the North Pole (Lapland, Finland.)

“I remember it was cold and I wanted to be warm!” she said.  “They had taken us to an army surplus type of store and gotten us heavy coats and hats and things but it was still cold.”

It got even colder, she said, when during a ceremony to mark the occasion, one of the guides “slipped an ice cube down our backs.”

“It was to tell us how cold it really was outside,” Mrs. Cosper said.

Although she, herself, didn’t see Santa, Mrs. Cosper said he was there. “He was out working I guess, but there really is a Santa’s Workshop. On my visit there was also three ladies from Cuba there and they were so excited that they would get to tell Santa their wish list.”

C.B. Wiley has filed for re-election as Precinct 2 Constable.

Wiley began his law enforcement career almost 50 years ago as a police officer. He served as Van Zandt Justice Of the Peace prior to being elected to his current post as constable of Precinct 2.

 As a Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officers Standards and Education certified peace officer and instructor, Wiley is a Master Peace Officer with many hours training in every field of police work, he said.

“I know the law and the duties and responsibility of a constable as I’ve done the job serving Van Zandt County for many years,” He said.

Wiley said he will respond to the citizens “24/7 or any time you need help.”

Wiley also founded the Van Zandt County Bloodhound Team, which consists of 22 man-tracking bloodhounds, about 35 years ago. The team looks for lost children and elderly, as well as fugitives as they attempt to evade law enforcement officers.