Members of the Wills Point Police Department were recognized for their service during National Night Out Aug. 2. Officers included Lonnie Carroll, Adam Wall, Aaron Long, Bernardo Garza, Chief Rob Powell, Mike Samford, Cassie Mosley and Tyler Scott.
By David Kapitan, Staff Writer
More than 100 people made their way to the Wills Point Community Center Aug. 2, recognizing the service and dedication of law enforcement officers at the city’s first ever National Night Out event.
NNO has been a growing tradition for communities all over the country since its first inception more than three decades ago, carrying a stated goal of “promoting police-community partnerships and neighborhood camaraderie to make our neighborhoods safer, better places to live.”
A spaghetti dinner and bingo night will be hosted Aug. 20 by The Talent Box, a nonprofit community theater located at 244 N. Fourth St. in Wills Point.
The dinner begins at 6 p.m. followed by the bingo.
This is not a season ticket event, theater officials said. Funds raised will be used to help pay for current theater expenses.
Admission includes dinner and one bingo card. Additional cards may be obtained for a donation.
Residents living in and around the Wills Point can learn about their risk for cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis, diabetes and other chronic, serious conditions with affordable screenings by Life Line Screening.
The Community Room will host this community event on Aug. 19 at 307 N. Fourth St. in Wills Point.
Screenings can check for:
• The level of plaque buildup in your arteries, related to risk for heart disease, stroke and overall vascular health.
Aug. 16 will be C.B Wiley Day in Van Zandt County Precinct 2.
Wiley served as Precinct 2 constable for many years. He died earlier this summer. Aug. 16 would have been his 80th birthday.
To commemorate Wiley, Precinct 2 Justice of the Peace Ronnie Daniell will host an open house for the newly remodeled Precinct 2 office and courtroom from 5 to 7 p.m. Aug. 16.
There will be a presentation to the Wiley family at 5:30 p.m.
The Wills Point Chamber of Commerce held their July member luncheon on July 20 at the Wills Point Community Center. The luncheon was sponsored by Wills Point Independent School District and meal was catered by Pudgy’s Mexican Food in Wills Point.
With over fifty in attendance, chamber president Brandi Weaver recognized its newest members; Open Heart Open Home, Clown Company, Fifty Shades of Rust, Hickory Roots BBZ and Lilly Enterprise / McDonalds. Weaver also recognized Ramsey's Roadhouse and Dairy Queen for sponsoring the 2016 Highway 80 Progressive Car Show.
Tragedy for one Van Zandt County family struck July 22, when 2-year-old Abel Lunsford was reported missing and was later found deceased.
According the VZC Sheriff’s Office, they received a call at 12:46 p.m. July 22 in reference to a missing child on Van Zandt County Road 4614, east of Ben Wheeler.
Monthly sales tax revenue figures for the six Van Zandt County continued to be a mixed bag during the month of July, with information released by the office of Texas State Comptroller Glenn Hegar showing the gains made by Edom, Grand Saline and Van being offset by drops in collections by Canton, Edgewood and Wills Point.
Van, for the second time in as many months, helped lead the way for Van Zandt County by seeing sales tax revenue figures improve $2,951.75 over the $54,385.79 collected in July 2015.
Grand Saline finished just behind Van, seeing sales tax revenue collections climb $1,272.51 over the $45,465.82 collected for the same calendar month last year.
Locust Grove, located at 13422 Hiram Rd. in Wills Point, will host a special Fifth Sunday Gospel Sing event from 2 to 4 p.m. July 31.
The event will bring together singers and musicians from many local churches around the Wills Point area, organizers said.
“This is an inter-denominational event and everyone is welcome to join us,” they said. “So whether you want to have a chance to sing and play with other musicians or would just like to hear some good old fashioned gospel music, come on over to Locust Grove!”
The Swiss Alps provided a breathtaking backdrop for this year’s crop of the Voyageurs International Ambassador Band Program earlier this summer. The group included five students from Wills Point, and three from Canton.
By David Kapitan, Staff Writer
A handful of Van Zandt County band students got to enjoy the trip of a lifetime earlier this summer, taking part in a whirlwind European trip that included stops in England, France, Italy, Austria, Germany, Switzerland and Lichtenstein among others.
Canton’s Hannah Boswell, Ian Keel and Anna Thrasher, as well as Wills Point's Shelby Robinson, Casey Lawson, Dakotah Jackson, Anna Paredes and Andrea Paredes were among the local band students to make the trip through Voyageurs International’s Ambassador Band Program.
