News

The Wills Point Tiger Band traveled to Princeton last weekend to competing against 23 of the other the best marching bands in the state of Texas at the Princeton Invitational Oct. 10.

Wills Point performed exceptionally well, according to Tiger Band Director John Young, ranking third overall in the prelims before moving up to second place overall in the finals.

“Our show is titled Infinite Love,” Young said. “ ‘Elsa's Procession to the Cathedral’ by Wagner, ‘Marriage of Figaro’ by Mozart, ‘Love Theme from Romeo and Juliet’ by Roto and selections from ‘Elephant Love Song’ from the musical Moulin Rouge. In the prelims we placed third overall with a first place in music. In the finals, we placed second overall. The first three places were Canton, Wills Point and Whitesboro. I was excited to see the band step up and perform in a final setting this year with great energy and confidence. The band played its very best that evening.”

The Wills Point ISD Board of Trustees received some good news this week, learning that the district had received the highest possible rating in the Texas Education Agency developed Schools Financial Integrity Rating System of Texas accountability system.

In a presentation made by Mary Ann Sanderson, WPISD director of finance, trustees were told that the system uses seven indicators focusing on audit results, district debt payments, administrative costs ratio and data quality.

Wills Point ISD received the highest possible point total in the evaluation, 30 out of a possible 30 points. The passing standard for this year was set at 16 out of 30 points.

In years past, the system included various rankings including Superior Achievement, Above-Standard Achievement, Standard Achievement and Substandard Achievement. The system was simplified this year, with just two designations: passed or substandard. Wills Point ISD easily earned the “passed” designation.

Early voting for the Nov. 3 State Constitutional Amendment and Van Zandt County Special Road Tax election begins Monday, Oct. 19.

Early voting will be from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday until Oct. 30 at the Plaza Museum, 119 N. Buffalo St. in Canton.

County voters are being asked “to adopt or reject the Special Road Tax not to exceed” 10 cents on $100 property valuation to be used for county road and bridge maintenance.

There are seven constitutional amendments on the ballot.

Approval of Proposition 1 would increase the residence homestead exemption for public school property taxes from $15,000 to $25,000.

Proposition 2 would allow extend a residence homestead exemption to the surviving spouse of a totally disabled military veteran.

The Wills Point Chronicle has new deadlines.

Deadline for all articles, photographs, display advertising and classified ads for the coming week’s issue is now 5 p.m. Monday.

For questions, call 903-567-4000.

To send news and information, email local@vanzandtnews.com.

For questions about display advertising, call 903-873-2525 and ask for Glenn McNeill Jr.

For questions about classified ads, email classifieds@vanzandtnews.com.

The Wills Point City Council cemented a key leadership position during its monthly meeting on Tuesday night, removing the interim tag from Pam Pearson’s job title to make her the first full-time administrator the city has had since Feb. 16, 2015.

The position had been in flux in recent years, with Wills Point mayors past (Deby Frye) and present (Mark Turner) and various department heads taking on the responsibilities at various times.

City officials hired Mike Ohrt for the position in July 2013, but Ohrt’s tenure lasted less than a year following a lack of confidence vote by council members in February 2014.

Immediately following Ohrt’s dismissal, Mark Turner advised that he would be acting as city administrator “with assistance from other leadership positions within the city.”

In March of this year, city leaders appointed longtime resident Pam Pearson as the interim city administrator.

The Wills Point Ladies Club's Ninth Annual Pancake Fundraiser Breakfast is set for this Saturday, Oct. 17, at the Wills Point Community Center. 

The event will be held from 7 to 11 a.m., and the menu will include pancakes, sausage, bacon, fruit and beverage. The cost is only $5 per ticket which can be purchased in advance from any Ladies Club member or at the door. 

All proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Ladies Club High School Scholarship Fund. 

The Ladies Club will also be selling raffle tickets for various great prizes, including dinner at Four Winds Steakhouse. The proceeds from the raffle will go to support the group’s Community Service Fund.

 “We invite the whole community to fellowship and enjoy a scrumptious breakfast while helping us support our youth in their efforts to pursue higher-level education and in service to our community,” organizers said.

The Wills Point Community Center is located at 307 N. Fourth St.  

Whitton Community Dinner will be held at 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct 24.  Dinner will be spaghetti with hearty meat sauce, salad, garlic bread, iced tea and great desserts. “Come, bring the family for a fun time!” remarked Whitton Community spokesperson.

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The East Texas Crisis Center in Canton is asking for help to raise awareness to end domestic violence.  One in three women will experience domestic violence in a lifetime.  One in three children will witness domestic violence, said Crystal Mayer, Victim Advocate for Van Zandt and Rains counties.   

“Twenty people per minute are victims of physical violence (slapping, pushing, and shoving) by an intimate partner in their lifetime.  Eighteen to 35 is the age range for which domestic violence is highest.  Thirty is the average number of new domestic violence clients seen by the East Texas Crisis Center in Van Zandt County each month,” said Mayer.

“At 9 a.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2015, a proclamation will be signed during Commissioner’s Court, inside of the Courthouse by County Judge Don Kirkpatrick.  This year the HOPE award will be presented to two police officers in Van Zandt County,” Mayer said.   

Helen Boothe and The Terrell Pickers and Grinners will be at the Talent Box, a nonprofit community theatre, 244 N. Fourth St. in Wills Point, to entertain you. 

This event will be held Oct. 24 with Henry Bates of Wills Point emceeing the event.  This is a fundraiser for the theater and funds raised will be used for theater expenses. 

Dinner will be served at 6:30 p.m. with entertainment at 7:30 p.m. 

There will be good old-fashioned country music, good ol’ gospel music and comedy. 

Musicians will include Buddy Boothe of Wills Point, Bryan Boothe of Wills Point, Leon Jordan of Kaufman, Joe Davis of Kaufman, and Don Moffitt of Kaufman. 

Vocalists are Helen Boothe of Wills Point, Jan Bates of Wills Point, Doris Downs of Kaufman and Shirley Sikes of Kaufman.

Admission for dinner and entertainment is $25 per person.  For entertainment only is $15 per person.

The Trail of Darkness is a spooky experience – including a maze – located at 1317 VZCR 1905 in Fruitvale. The location is about 1.5 miles from the intersection of Hwy. 19 and Hwy. 80.

The haunted adventure will be open 7 p.m. to midnight Saturdays and Sundays through Nov. 1.

Admission is $12 for adults and $8 for kids under age 12.

Anyone who donates canned food items will receive $1 off admission.

The canned goods will be donated to the First Baptist Church Food Pantry in Wills Point and Manna in Canton.

All football players for Van Zandt County will receive $1 off admission and police officers, police department personnel and first responders will receive $1 off admission for themselves and their children. (ID must be shown.)

For more information, call 903-802-8054 or visit the Trail of Darkness Facebook page.