News

The Library of Genealogy and Local History, maintained by the van Zandt County Genealogical Society is an off-site facility of the Van Zandt County Library. The genealogy library is located in the County Courthouse Annex on Groves Street in Canton.

The library is staffed by volunteer librarians who work a 3 and a half hour shift each week. There are usually two librarians available to assist patron in their research, if needed.

Other volunteer opportunities in the genealogical society are assisting in the research and publication of the society’s quarterly and various publications and helping with the annual seminar and beginner’s workshops.

If you have a few hours to volunteer each week and would be interested in helping at the library, contact Society President Jan Crow at 903-567-5012.

The Van Zandt Genealogical Society meets at 2 p.m. the fourth Saturday of each month at the VZC Library, 317 First Monday Ln. in Canton.

Ron Carroll, recently retired Precinct 4 County Commissioner and a former chief of police, has announced his candidacy for Van Zandt County Sheriff in the March 1 Republican Primary Election.

After learning of the current sheriff’s decision to not seek re-election, Carroll said he decided to seek the position.  

“I believe that Van Zandt County is at a crossroads and the citizens deserve a full-time sheriff with proven conservative leadership and experience who will implement a long-term plan to improve response times, prosecute drug dealers, reduce burglaries and thefts and protect our community.” Carroll said. “Therefore, after much prayerful consideration and encouragement, I am officially announcing my candidacy for Van Zandt County Sheriff in the upcoming March 1 Republican Primary Election.”

During the Dec. 22 county commissioners meeting. Commissioner Pct. 4 Tim West once again asked for county departments to submit their respective monthly reports.

West, who said that the reports were “slipping again” in regards to the amount of reports received, said that a monthly report by the offices and departments of the county was required by law to be submitted.

West also discussed with fellow commissioners about the need to discuss options on how to receive the reports.

“These reports are required by law to be submitted. We have got to have them. For months we have been asking for the reports to be submitted.  I suggest we look into ways on how to get the reports submitted to us,” West said.

Commissioners did approve the monthly reports that were submitted.

Three longtime employees of Van Zandt County were honored with a reception for their respective retirements Dec. 22.

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.

Radio station KWJB has moved its FM frequency to 95.1, station officials announced last week.

KWJB, called The Bee, has its studios in Canton and is the only commercial broadcast station located in Van Zandt County.

“The success of the Bee has enabled it to expand its signal area from Terrell to Tyler and Athens to Mineola. In order to increase our listening area we moved from 95.7 to the 95.1 FM frequency,” said John Butler of Butler7media, the owner of the station. “Based on encouraging and positive comments from listeners, we felt good about making this significant investment to better serve our growing followers of The Bee in East Texas.”

A reception in honor of retiring Canton Main Street board member Donna Rakestraw will be help from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Tuesday, Jan.  12, at the Plaza Museum, 119 N. Buffalo St.

The community is invited.

The reception is hosted by Canton Main Street.

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

Minyard solely responsible for embezzlement, Martin says

Van Zandt County District Attorney Chris Martin held a press conference Dec. 22  “to discuss some of the continuing questions regarding the Van Zandt County tax assessor-collector investigation and prosecution” that resulted in J.J. Minyard pleading no contest to taking more than $178,000 from county coffers.

Martin told those gathered in the county court at law courtroom that “the investigation is over. There are no co-conspirators. She acted alone.  The evidence points to that and J.J. Minyard told me that herself.”

On Monday Dec. 14, Edom TEA Party hosted an event with Terry Holcomb Sr., Executive Director with Texas Carry of Coldspring, Texas at Edom City Limits. The presentation was designed to provide citizens of Van Zandt County with everything they needed to know about the new laws pertaining to concealed carry and open carry which will go into effect on January 1, 2016.

Texas Carry Inc. is an all-volunteer, non-profit, non-partisan grassroots organization devoted to protecting and improving the fundamental civil right to keep and bear arms in Texas. They exist only to work for our members and millions of Texas gun owners. They have no obligation to any politician or national organization. 

The goals of Texas Carry are to organize activities among members to advance Texas second amendment rights, effectively lobby the legislature and demand compliance of state and federal laws from local infringement.

Kevin Lilly’s McDonald’s is hosting a blood drive from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 9, at the restaurant, 2254 N. Trade Days Blvd.

The Carter BloodCare bus will be in the parking lot.

For more information or to schedule an appointment time, contact Lanie Jennings at 903 571-9667.

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

The Van Zandt County Commissioners met for the first time in 2016 on Monday, Jan. 4.

Commissioner and County Judge Don Kirkpatrick rang in the new year by ratifying and extending the local state of disaster declaration due to heavy flooding throughout Van Zandt County.

Heavy rains and turbulent weather hammered the county the weekend after Christmas, leading to washed out roads and stranded drivers on highways due to high water.

On Dec. 28, 2015, VZC County Judge Kirkpatrick issued a disaster declaration that requested state assistance from Texas Governor Greg Abbott.

VZC Fire Marshal Chuck Allen asked the commissioners to extend the original declaration.

 “We are still not really sure how many homes were affected by the floods. The Red Cross is still doing door-to-door assessments. But, there were 20 homes reported to me that had been affected, “said Allen.