News

Residents of Canton and Canton ISD who want to serve the community on the city council or school board can file for office now through Feb. 19.

CISD

The board of trustee seats up for election are those currently held by T.A. Hale, Mike Malouf and Kym Phillips.

Those wishing to run for school board can pick up candidate packets at the CISD Administration Office, 1045 S. Buffalo, during business hours or by mailing Canton ISD, ATTN: Stacie Wilkerson, 1045 S. Buffalo St., Canton TX 75103.

To be eligible to run for a school board position in Texas, a person must have been a resident of the state for one year and a resident of the district he or she wishes to serve in for six months prior to the filing deadline.

The Talent Box, a non-profit community theatre located at 244 N. Fourth St. in Wills Point, will hold auditions for "Charlotte's Web” at 2 p.m. Jan. 24 and 7 p.m. Jan. 25.

The play is adapted from the book written by E. B. White. 

Nancy Dansby of Terrell will direct the play and will need children and adults to fill the cast.  The cast includes Fern, Wilbur's first friend who saves his life, Fern's family members, narrators, bossy geese, a sheep and lamb, baby spiders and even a mean old rat named Templeton. 

Production dates are April 1, 2, 3, 8, and 9.

For additional information or questions, call the theatre at 903-873-8945. Leave your name and telephone number and  someone will return your call.

The Van Zandt County Genealogical Society will hold its monthly meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23 in the Buchanan Room of the County Library located at 317 First Monday Lane in Canton. 

The newly elected officers will be installed by Benja Mize of Canton. 

The officers for the new year are President, Jan Crow; First Vice President, Ellen Wheeler; Second Vice President, Beth Gordon; Recording Secretary, Sylvia Barbee; Corresponding Secretary, Sandra Jones; Treasurer, Scott Fitzgerald; Publicity, Sherrie Archer; Directors at Large, Shirley Fuller and Tom Tyler; Parliamentarian, Donna Carter; and Webmaster, Angela Jobe.

The Genealogical Society meetings are held the fourth Saturday of each month except in December at 2 p.m. in the Buchanan Room of the county library. 

The meetings are open to the public. 

For more information about the Genealogical Society call the Library of Genealogy and Local History at 903-567-5012.  

The Canton Chamber of Commerce’s next business mixer will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. today (Thursday, Jan. 21) at Duke’s Travel Plaza, located at the northeast corner of Hwy. 64 and I-20.

The event will take place in the new restaurant portion of the travel plaza and be hosted by Duke’s Burger & Sports Co.

Those attending are reminded to bring their business cards for networking and door prizes.

For more stories like this one, subscribe to the Canton Herald or pick up a copy from one of our vendors. 

Dec. 31, 2015, 4:07 p.m. – 603 E. Hwy. 243: Public intoxication and theft under $100 arrest – Gerald P. Weaver, 37, Wills Point.

Jan. 1, 8:30 a.m. – First Monday Grounds: Theft of property >$1,500 to <$20,000. A white box 8-foot trailer was taken.

Jan. 1, 8:23 p.m. – Curry Inn: Public intoxication arrest – Joel Coffman, 43, Canton.

Jan. 3: Traffic stop – Warrant arrest – Morris L. Moreno, 19, Kaufman.

Jan. 3: Warrant arrest – Ruby Darnell Brown, 28, Wills Point.

Jan. 3, 11:52 a.m. – McLemee Grounds: Theft >$2,500 to <$30,000. A golf cart was taken.

The Van Zandt County Genealogical Society will hold its monthly meeting at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 23 in the Buchanan Room of the County Library located at 317 First Monday Lane in Canton. 

The newly elected officers will be installed by Benja Mize of Canton. 

The officers for the new year are President, Jan Crow; First Vice President, Ellen Wheeler; Second Vice President, Beth Gordon; Recording Secretary, Sylvia Barbee; Corresponding Secretary, Sandra Jones; Treasurer, Scott Fitzgerald; Publicity, Sherrie Archer; Directors at Large, Shirley Fuller and Tom Tyler; Parliamentarian, Donna Carter; and Webmaster, Angela Jobe.

The Genealogical Society meetings are held the fourth Saturday of each month except in December at 2 p.m. in the Buchanan Room of the county library. 

The meetings are open to the public. 

For more information about the Genealogical Society call the Library of Genealogy and Local History at 903-567-5012.  

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. 

In a press release dated Jan. 8, VZC Sheriff Michael Lindsey Ray announced that the VZC Sheriff’s Office along with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service arrested Robert Spain Jr. of Ben Wheeler on four counts of promotion of child pornography.

According to Sheriff Ray, “On Jan. 8, a search warrant was executed in the Ben Wheeler area, in the 11,000 BLK of FM 773. Robert Spain Jr, 48, of Ben Wheeler, already a sex offender was arrested and transported to the justice center for book in on four counts of promotion of child pornography.”

Spain has a recommended bond of $200,000 and is awaiting arraignment. The investigation is ongoing and evidence removed from the house is being sent to the forensic lab for analysis. 

My Credit Union is celebrating 20 years of serving Canton and Van Zandt County with an open house from 10 a.m. to 1 pm. Wednesday, Jan. 20.

“Come joins us, local officials, members and friends and help us

commemorate this milestone anniversary,” organizers said.

There will be sandwiches, soft drinks and other goodies, they said.

RSVPs are requested and can be made by calling 903-567-5981.

My Credit Union is located at 408 E. Hwy. 243.

For more stories like this one, subscribe to the Canton Herald or pick up a copy from one of our vendors. 

Canton ISD “met standards” on the Texas Academic Performance Report but scored very highly in almost all categories, Curriculum Director Brenda Sanford told trustees Jan. 11.

Sanford presented the CISD Annual Report during a public hearing.

The five components of the annual report are the Texas Academic Performance Report, PEIMS Financial Standards Report, 2015-’16 Campus Performance Objectives; 2015-’16 Violence and Safety Report and information from the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board concerning teacher retention, attendance and drop-out rates.

The TAPR compiles student test scores. CISD students scored “well above the state average and well above the regional average in all areas,” Sanford said.

In the performance index categories of student achievement, student progress, closing performance gaps and post-secondary readiness, the district “not only met but was far above the target scores,” Sanford said.