The Van Zandt County Political Forum will be hosting a debate at 7 p.m. on Monday, Feb. 1 at the Old School Museum in Grand Saline. Both Precinct 1 commissioner candidates, both TAC candidates, and all four sheriff candidates are expected to attend. The public is asked to submit questions for the candidates to DMason0305@gmail.com. For more information see Van Zandt County Political Forum on Facebook.
The first outhouse race in Van Zandt County will take place Feb. 6 at the Grand Saline Buzzard Festival.
Outhouse racing has been a part of festivals for many years in the northern part of the country but Grand Saline Main Street officials believe the Buzzard Festival will be the first in Van Zandt County.
The World Championship Outhouse Races has taken place in Virginia City, Nev., for the past 26 years.
Participants build an outhouse on wheels then teams of up to five people push or pull the decorated outhouse the length of the designated racetrack.
Lake Fork Golf Course is showing its appreciation to all law enforcement officers with a free round of golf.
In the month of February 2016, all police officers, sheriffs, game wardens and state troopers are invited to play a round of golf at no charge by presenting a badge and I.D.
“Law enforcement is often times a thankless job. We want to show our officers that we do appreciate the protection they provide us. This is our small way of saying thank you,” said Donnie Knecht, golf course manager.
Feb. 13 Canton’s Two-Acre Lake (behind the Wal-Mart Super Center by Mill Creek Lake) will be the site of a Kids’ Trout Fishing Day.
The event, which is sponsored by Texas Parks & Wildlife Department, the city of Canton, local merchants, civic organizations, and many individual contributors, will run from 1 to 4 p.m.
Soft drinks and hot dogs will be provided, and there will be drawings for door prizes for participating kids.
Manny Triana, as "Elvis," will entertain the audience at The Talent Box Sweetheart Dinner Dance Feb. 13 at The Wills Point Community Room, 307 N. Fourth St. in Wills Point. The evening will begin at 6:30 p.m. with dinner, followed by entertainment at 7:30 p.m. Music, will be played for dancing between the Elvis sets and after the entertainment. Admission is $54 per couple and $30 for singles.
Reservations can be make by calling the theatre at 903-873-8945 and leaving a message. Tickets may also be purchased on line via the website www.thetalentbox.org.
The East Texas Genealogical Society will meet at 2 p.m. Feb. 13 in the Taylor Auditorium at the Tyler Public Library, 201 S. College Ave. in Tyler.
The meeting will include a presentation on antebellum plantation records by Ari Wilkins, a genealogist and family historian with concentrated interest in North Carolina and Louisiana research. She also specialized in African American genealogy and research.
The meeting is free and open to the public.
For more information, visit the website www.etgs.org.
The ABC Room will host its Ninth Annual Bunco Celebration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 20 in the Deen Building of Russell Memorial United Methodist Church in Wills Point..
“It’s a day of fun and laughs for women and men,” said Karen Forester with the ABC Room.
A $30 ticket is good for three rounds of Bunco, dessert and coffee, a lunch provided by the Ladies Guild of St. Therese Catholic Church in Canton, a door prize ticket and a goody bag and a chance to shop in the silent auction. Cost for those who sign up early is $25.
The Wills Point Police Department is taking no chances regarding the influx of unlicensed door-to-door solicitors that periodically make their way through the local community, issuing a third warning is as many months about the need to exercise caution and verify that the person or people that are soliciting have a city issued permit to do so in their possession. In a previous press release, the WPPD noted, “The city of Wills Point requires these salespersons to get a permit to be allowed to go door-to-door within the city limits. However, the Police Department is finding that few ever apply for and get the required permit. If you are approached by a door-to-door salesperson in the residential areas, ask to see their Wills Point City issued permit (they are required to carry it with them at all times).”
An ongoing arson and burglary investigation by local law enforcement officials added another chapter late last week with two more arrests stemming from incidents that took place in the Rolling Oaks subdivision located near the Van Zandt and Hunt County lines in 2015. On Jan. 15, Van Zandt County Fire Marshal Chuck Allen posted on a message on Facebook confirming the arrests of 39-year old Clark Anthony Hooser, Jr. and 30-year old Amanda Rose Scherer as part of the investigation.
Another local election season got underway this week with candidate filing for two seats on the Wills Point City Council and three places on the Wills Point ISD Board of Trustees beginning Jan. 20. Filing will through Feb. 19 for both the city and school, with election day set for May 7.
City Council Candidate filing for two seats, currently held by Wade Emerson and Mike Jones, will be up for election on the May 7 ballot. Candidate packets for a seat on the council can be picked up at the Wills Point City Hall building located at 120 N. 5th St. during regular business hours.
