News

Tom Elliott has filed as a Republican candidate for Van Zandt County Commissioner Precinct 1. 

He is challenging incumbent Brandon Brown.

“I have lived in Precinct 1 for 15 years with my wife, Trish Gray Elliott,” Elliott said. “I am a conservative Republican, who believes in a balanced budget and fair day’s work for a fair day’s pay.  I will be a full time commissioner with no other distractions to consume my time.”

Elliott has served on the Cozby-Germany Hospital board of trustee. He resigned the position when he decided to run for commissioner, “so I could dedicate my time to the job at hand,” he said.

Elliott holds a bachelor of science in aeronautical science from Embry-Riddle University in Daytona Beach, Fla. He served in the U.S. Army for 24 years and retired in 1990 as a lieutenant colonel.

Two, new computers were stolen from the basement of Van Zandt County Courthouse Dec. 4.

The computers were inside two boxes and were stolen in the middle of the day.

Security cameras captured the thief carrying boxes containing the computers out of the courthouse door.

The thief, wearing a blue Dallas Cowboys 8 jersey on the day of the crime, is described as a white male with short, white hair.

The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who recognized the man or who has information about the theft, call 903-567-4133.

Canton High School student and cheerleader Heather Massey is currently battling undifferentiated sarcoma.

To help the Massey family, Canton High School is selling #HeatherStrong bracelets.

The bracelets are $2 each and can be purchased at any CHS home sporting event or in the Canton High School office.

“The Massey family can use all the help they can get from the community,” said CHS student body secretary Samantha Oakley. “All proceeds will go to Heather and her family. Let's pitch in and help Heather together!”

Incumbent Pct. 1 Commissioner Brandon Brown has filed for re-election.

A lifelong resident of Van Zandt County, Brown said he is proud to live here and he is happy he is able “to give back to my county some of what has been given to me over the years.”

Brown said his past business experience helped him set priorities and he hopes to further accomplish those goals.

During his first campaign, he said his priorities were keeping taxes low and growing economic development; maintaining and refurbishing roads and bridges; supporting law enforcement; reducing the county debt; and being a full time commissioner.

Keylee Latham, the Martins Mill girl who burned over 60 percent of her body July 5, 2014, will be celebrating her 13^th birthday this month and has asked the public to help with “Keylee’s Wish.”

“Keylee’s Wish,” is to collect gifts for children of Shriner’s Hospital for Christmas in honor of Keylee’s 13^th birthday.

New, unwrapped gifts can be donated from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19 at Serenity Springs, 3865 FM 858, Ben Wheeler.

“Stop by for some hot cocoa, cake and also to help make “Keylee’s Wish” come true,” said Sam Craft, Keylee’s grandfather. “After all that Keylee has gone through, she still wants to give to other children in need. It is just amazing and so giving, and through it all, she still keeps her smile.”

For more information, visit prayersforkeylee@Facebook.com

The Canton Masonic Lodge has been preparing Christmas Dinner at the Lodge since the mid-80s. Every year since, they have invited everyone to come and enjoy a free Christmas meal with friends and neighbors.

Some thought the meal was for the poor or disenfranchised, but it was never intended to be exclusively for the poor. The meal is for anyone who would like to come and have dinner with others.

Perhaps there are those alone for the holiday and don’t have the desire to prepare a big meal. Christmas is a time to give thanks for a lot of things, including friends and neighbors who enjoy getting together for a meal and fellowship. 

Canton Foursquare Church is hosting a comedy night with Kenn Kington at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 18, at the church located at 19830 I-20 in Canton.

Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door.

Kington is the creator of “The Ultimate Comedy Theater. He has been on Comedy Central and had three cable network specials. He is in production of ta network TV pilot.

His comedy “is something for everyone with no side effect – no cringing, blushing or embarrassing situations or language,” organizers of the event said.

For more information or for tickets, call the church at 903-865-1305.

Rain may have melted the Canton Chamber of Commerce’s plans for a Dec. 12 Candy Land Christmas parade, but the lights will go on tonight, Thursday, Dec. 17.

The twilight parade will begin at 6:30 p.m. with entries rolling their way down Buffalo Street before sliding around the courthouse square. Radio station KWJB 95.7 will broadcast Christmas music to coincide with the parade. Also, Santa will be at the Plaza Museum, 119 N. Buffalo St., after the parade to hear Christmas wishes and take photos.

Voting for the Festival of Trees continues until after the parade.

The Festival of Trees was once an annual event for Canton presented by the chamber of commerce.  After a successful return in 2014, the chamber brought back the fundraiser again this year.

Gum Creek Mercantile on Hwy. 64 in Ben Wheeler suffered major damage to their store after storms hit early Sunday morning, Dec. 13

Gum Creek features custom, quality wood flooring and doors, home furnishings and décor, jewelry and a wide variety of gift items.

This would typically end the season for a small business, however nothing in Ben Wheeler is typical.  With a rallying of support, Gum Creek moves into the downtown area across from Moore’s Store Restaurant this week. This one-day move is sure to be an epic undertaking but with the support of the Ben Wheeler Arts and Historic Foundation, Door Control Services and other local businesses and neighbors, the move will be an astounding Christmas gift to owners Joey Stanger and Shaun and Laura Crook.

 “We never expected this and the support and help from our little community has been a bigger impact than can be expressed,” Laura Crook said.

Previous official sentenced to 10 years for stealing $178K

Former Van Zandt County Tax Assessor-Collector J.J. Minyard appeared in court in Canton Dec. 10 and pled guilty to stealing $178,856.08 from taxpayers during her tenure as an elected official.

Minyard was the county’s tax assessor-collector from 2009 to 2012. She was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to repay restitution.

Minyard’s arrest and conviction comes on the heels of a joint investigation by VZC Criminal District Attorney Chris Martin and Sgt. Johnny Hatcher, an investigator with the Criminal Investigations Division of the Texas Attorney General’s Office.

According to information from Martin’s office, a yearlong investigation revealed that Minyard had manipulated more than 120 deposit slips by overstating the amount of checks collected while understating the amount of cash collected.

Minyard pocketed the cash, Martin said.