Van Zandt County cities came close to making it a clean sweep in sales tax revenue collection gains in the month of July with the office of Texas State Comptroller Glenn Hegar announcing last week that Canton, Edgewood, Grand Saline, Van and Wills Point all outpaced collection totals from the same calendar month in 2016.
Edom, which has enjoyed a solid year overall in sales tax revenue growth after a rocky 2016, proved to be the county’s outlier by seeing sales tax revenue collections drop from $1,599.52 down to $1,302.75. The drop of $296.77 when comparing July 2016 totals to those posted July 2017 amounts to a negative dollar change of 18.55 percent.
The city of Canton led all county cities in overall dollar change, receiving a county-best payment of $317,658.34 in July 2017, up $43,537.55 or 15.88 percent over collections in July 2016.
For the sixth consecutive year, the Wills Point ISD, Wills Point PTO and Wills Point Chamber of Commerce have joined together to collect and distribute school supplies at a Back to School Fair for students who qualify for free and/or reduced lunches. This year’s Back to School Fair has been scheduled for Aug. 12 from 9 a.m. – noon at the Wills Point High School campus.
Russell Memorial United Methodist Church, located at 201 S. 4th St., is hosting its monthly Neighbor to Neighbor Lunch this Saturday, July 22. Anyone who wants a good meal is invited to the Deen Building (corner of 4th Street and Orville) for a free meal between the hours of 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Local Back the Blue events in Wills Point included a rolling caravan of vehicles from the Van Zandt County Regional Airport to the high school parking lot.
The Wills Point Police Department has put together a concerted effort to improve relations between the department and community at-large over the past year, hosting a series of events to help bridge the gap between the residents of the city and first responders. In March, the department hosted its first ever Spring Fling event at the south ballpark, drawing crowds with food, fellowship and music. The WPPD took another step forward in its effort to reach the community, welcoming hundreds to both the Wills Point High School and Lester Park for their first ever Back the Blue BBQ Contest and Car Show. Despite the lingering threat of inclement weather throughout most of the morning, both events went off without a hitch, earning high praise from many event attendees.
Events kicked off July 14 with the BBQ Contest beginning at Lester Park with a series of smaller events leading into Saturday morning.
Lawmakers plan to file teacher pay legislation in special session
AUSTIN — A special session of the Texas Legislature, called by Gov. Greg Abbott, is set to begin on July 18. The agenda is big.
Before adjourning in late May, our 150 state representatives and 31 state senators did the only thing the Texas constitution requires them to do each time they meet for 140 days every two years: they passed a state budget to cover the next two years.
But Abbott decided he wanted them back in Austin to extend the functions of the Texas Medical Board, and to do it with all possible speed. Abbott added a while-you’re-at-it list of 19 other topics for lawmakers to resolve to his satisfaction after they breathe new life into the Texas Medical Board.
No one who serves in the 85th Legislature was surprised by Governor Greg Abbott’s call for a special session to convene on Tuesday, June 18. When the regular session adjourned on Memorial Day, most of the legislators knew that there were critical items which did not pass both houses that would bring us back in special session.
The primary reason the special session has been called is to pass legislation to continue the Texas Medical Board and several other licensing agencies. Such legislation, known as a “sunset bill” is necessary to prevent the automatic closing of a state agency after a pre-determined amount of time. The Governor emphasized that no other issues would be placed on the agenda until after the sunset bills pass.
Tornado takes heavy toll of life, property in 1919
Editor’s Note: The following was an article published in the April 11, 1919, Canton Herald regarding a tornado that went through Van Zandt County. The path of the tornado was similar to that of the April 29, 2017, tornadoes.
A destructive storm passed about five miles south of Canton around 4 a.m. Wednesday resulting in a number of deaths and damaging residences and property.
At press time, the number of fatalities reached 10 in Van Zandt County and the number may continue to rise.
The tornado entered the county near the southwest corner passing about three miles northwest of Eustace and then moved entirely through the county in a northeasterly direction before leaving the county a few miles southeast of Grand Saline.
Manna is participating in the Senior Box Program through East Texas Food Bank. Applicants must be 60 years old and qualify by gross income guidelines.
“If you are on Medicaid or Food Stamps you automatically qualify. We must see proof of age and income. You must apply for this program and you may do so at Manna,” said organizers.
For questions about the program, call 903-567-6107. Manna is open the third Saturday of each month from 9 a.m. to noon.
The Wills Point ISD’s Bookmobile made its weekly trek around the community July 12, delivering books to local children in order to keep them engaged with reading and learning throughout the months between school years. Participation in the WPISD Summer Bookmobile program is free for all children. Library cards are issued to children after a first visit unless the child still has their card from last summer. Stops each Wednesday for the bookmobile include the First Baptist Learning Center from 9-9:45 a.m.; Country Meadows Day Care from 10-10:30 a.m.; the Cartwright Center from 10:45-11:05 a.m.; the Wills Point Community Center from 11:15 a.m.-noon; Methodist Day School from 1:15-2 p.m.; the Dairy Queen parking lot from 2-2:30 p.m.; and Oak Grove Baptist Church in Elmo from 3-3:30 p.m.
The 20th Annual East Texas Baptist Campmeeting Revival, presented by Edgewood Evangelist Dennis Erwin, will be held July 17-21 at the Civic Center in Canton.
The non-profit meeting is free and open to the public. Services begin at 7 p.m. Monday through Friday with special events daily, including a golf tournament, picnic and other special events.
The Wednesday morning service from 9:30-noon will feature sermons from young preachers and a revival sermon by Dr. Russell Rogers. A gospel concert will be presented in each service by nationally known southern gospel and Bluegrass groups.
Erwin stated, “Feel free to bring your comfortable chair and meet us at the Civic Center, July 17-21.” For more information or questions call Evangelist Dennis Erwin at 903-896-7727.
