News

Fire engines from Wills Point and Edgewood responded to a house fire on Gunter Street around noon June 22. The fire sent plumes of dark smoke throughout the eastern portions of the city. No one was at home at the time of the fire, and no injuries were reported. A fundraiser for the homeowners was launched online at www.gofundme.com/gunter-street-house-fire.

Body recovered early Sunday morning at Cedar Cove

The body of a Greenville man was recovered at Lake Tawakoni after he apparently drowned late Saturday night.

Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Game Warden Dwayne Noble said Andre Smith and an unidentified woman were floating in a raft at Cedar Cove near the RV Park at Cedar Cove Landing when the incident occurred.

Warden Noble said an object fell from the raft, possibly cigarettes or a lighter, and Smith entered the water to retrieve it. He said he was swimming fine but started having trouble, and the woman entered the water to help him.

“He started pulling her down, and she swam to a pier not more than 50 yards away,” Noble said.

He said when she turned around and looked, Smith could not be seen.

Emergency personnel were notified at 10:02 p.m. Saturday to respond to the 100 block of Private Road 5504, Point.

Days of uncertainty about the fate of Wills Point Volunteer Fire Department Chief Ed Leipply and the status of the WPVFD and its relationship with Emergency Services District #4 were put to rest at least temporarily last week after a series of meetings essentially resulted in all parties pushing the reset button.

ESD Meeting – June 20

Questions about both Leipply and the WPVFD came to the forefront early last week after the ESD board’s published agenda for their June 20 meeting included holding a potential vote of no confidence on the chief.

Vote of no confidence ends tenure

It was a night of high drama at the Wills Point Fire Department headquarters June 20 with the Van Zandt County Emergency Services District #4 taking on an agenda that included potentially taking a vote of no confidence on Chief Ed Leipply.

Word of the agenda item gradually spread since it was posted at both the department and the VZC Courthouse, eventually resulting in a larger than usual crowd finding its way to the fire house for the meeting.

After opening the meeting by approving minutes from the board’s previous meeting on June 6, ESD business shifted to the public comment portion of the agenda (by law, board members are not allowed to directly address or respond to public comment.)

Public Comment

As Texas Legislature heads into a special session, threats to electrical grid security loom

Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) called on Gov. Greg Abbott to add electrical grid security to the agenda items for the legislative special session starting in July.

"There are several very real threats to the Texas power grid, and the consequences would be so severe that we should address this now,” Hall said. “There are hostile countries that might cause this, but there are also natural forces that may also cause the same result soon. Either way, we need to be prepared.”

The American Cancer Society Relay For Life of Van Zandt County and the Survivors’ Celebration Reception Dinner have been rescheduled for Friday, July 7, at The Arbors at the First Monday Grounds in Canton. The events, originally scheduled in May, were postponed due to the tornadoes that hit Van Zandt County in April.

The Wills Point Police Department will be doing its second major community outreach event of the year July 15, hosting a Back the Blue BBQ Cook Off, Car Show and Audio Competition benefitting the department's K-9 and highlighting the work done by the high school automotive program.

Back in March, the department hosted a Community Spring Fling that drew a sizeable crowd to the south ball park for an afternoon of food, fellowship, music and dancing.

The July 15 Back the Blue Car Show, hosted by the WPPD and Unique Karz, is set to include a Full 28 Class Show with first and second place being awarded in all classes. Additionally, several Best of Show Awards will also be presented.

Those interested in entering a vehicle are asked to pay a $20 entry fee with 100 percent of the proceeds from the event going towards the K-9 and WP Youth Programs.

Members of the Wills Point community and beyond joined together June 17, braving warm temperatures and high humidity once again for the largest Juneteenth celebration in the area.

Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston with the news that the Civil War had ended and the enslaved were now free. 

This announcement came two years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation on September 22, 1862. The celebration of June 19 became “Juneteenth,” and the observance has grown beyond the borders of Texas and traveled to other countries. It became an official state holiday in Texas after having been signed into law on June 13, 1979.

This year's local Juneteenth celebration commemorated the 152nd anniversary of Granger's arrival in Galveston.

Several donations earmarked for the Van Zandt County Tornado 2017 Fund were recognized and accepted June 13 by the VZC Commissioners Court.

Monetary donations were presented by WESTEX of FMC Motor Coach Rally Chapter, $1,200; and VZC employee Bonnie LaPrade, $1,800.

Commissioners also recognized and accepted the donation of a portable building from Winslow Carport to be used at the current VZC debris site near Wills Point.

A donation of 450 gallons of fuel and a fuel tank from Duko Oil Co. of Emory was recognized and accepted by the commissioners’ court.

The free installation of a culvert at VZCR 3104, north of VZCR 3106, from citizen Lee Thornton was also recognized and accepted by the commissioners.

Wills Point water customers were given a boil water notice earlier this week after an issue with a valve at the water plant late June 18 resulted in pressure being below the minimum water pressure threshold.

Due to the low-pressure issue, officials within the utilities department began a process of issuing a boil water notice while also taking water samples that could be tested by an outside lab.