News

Crossroads Church in Canton will be presenting Judgement House: 59 Minutes (Eternity is less than an hour away) from 4 to 7 p.m. every Saturday and Sunday beginning Oct. 10.

Judgement House is a dramatic walk-through presentation about the truth of people’ choices and their consequences both in this life and the next, organizers said.

Four different people “are living different lives, in different places with different struggles, aspirations and routines but the one thing they do have in common is that they each have only 59 minutes to live.”

Judgement House is a walk-through, live drama where groups of 10 are guided through different rooms representing a scene from an unfolding story that is acted out in short dramatizations.

The tour takes about 45 minutes. A new tour begins every 15 minutes a new tour

begins.

The event is free and individuals and groups are welcome. Reservations are not required,

From 2 to 4 p.m. Oct. 17, the ABC Room will host a Sip and See Open House introducing its new building to the community. 

At the beginning of the open house there will be a dedication ceremony. 

“Our new room will be dedicated in memory of Dan Perez Jr.,” said Karen Forester, ABC Room board president. “Dan worked tirelessly finishing our building. He and wife, B.J., are cherished friends of the ABC Room.

Perez died May 31.

Mrs. Perez has recently joined the ABC Room board of directors. 

Originally called the Rainbow Room, the ABC Room provides emergency resources for children taken in to state care.

The new facility is located at 124 W. Dallas St. (Hwy. 64.) Parking is in the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Department parking lot.

The Van Zandt County Farm Bureau is hosting an informational meeting about November ballot issues at 7 p.m. Oct. 12.

Items to be discussed include the county road tax and several state propositions, Van Zandt County Farm Bureau President Brian Cummins said.

The purpose of the meeting is not to endorse or condemn any issue, but to provide information so that voters can make informed decisions, Cummins said.

County voters are being asked to approve an additional tax of 10 cents per $100 of property valuation that can only be used for county road and bridge maintenance.

County Commissioner Virgil Melton Jr. will be on hand to explain how commissioners will use the funds if approved by the voters. Van Zandt County Appraisal District Chief Appraiser Scott Hyde will talk about the tax implications of the road tax and how the proposal will affect the average homeowner. 

Stephen Blackwell, currently a semifinalist in NASH Next, an artist development competition with a stated goal of “discovering and releasing music from prominent and talented newcomers," returned to his roots earlier this week by enlisting the faculty and staff of Edgewood High School to help with a video shoot for a performance of an original song entitled “Small Town Livin’ Life.”

Blackwell, who graduated from EHS and currently resides in Wills Point, entered the NASH Next competition back in June. 

Van Zandt County Judge Don Kirkpatrick exercised his rights under Chapter 418 of the Texas Government Code, issuing a disaster declaration Oct. 6 with the purpose of “mitigating the hazard posed by wildfires by curtailing the practice of outdoor burning.”

The move comes on the heels of a series of grass fires over the past week that have threatened homes and laid waste to roughly 200 acres in and around the area.

On Sept. 28, multiple departments from Wills Point, Whitton and Elmo were dispatched to battle a grass fire located south of Wills Point between FM-47 and CR 3918. Reports from that incident indicate that the fire was triggered when workers in the area clearing a portion of the land and brush got into old fencing or metal with a piece of equipment, sending off sparks.

Three houses were threatened in that fire, but local departments were able to contain the blaze with no injuries or damages to homes being reported.

The Wills Point Chamber “Hit the Bricks” for the Chamber Day 2015 was Sept.16.

Directors and volunteers spent the day visiting with local merchants, sharing information with them about Chamber programs and fall activities.

There were four teams led by Bobbi Byford – TVEC, Buck Van Trease – Van Zandt Animal Care Center, Sandra Miller – Brookshire’s and Byron Wright – Chapel of the Lake.

Big Tex, represented by John Terrell, was recognized and presented with their membership plaque by Sherry Scott-Moore – Century 21 and Royce Pollard – My Credit Union.

Input from the businesses will be compiled used to help move forward with a business plan that is designed around the needs of local businesses.

Despite the best efforts of the teams, there were businesses who did not receive a visit so there will be a second day set aside to continue the work of "touching each and every local business."

Chamber luncheon

Months and months of planning and preparation made by the Wills Point ISD Alumni Association finally came together at the high school cafeteria Sept. 26 with the 5-year reunion for graduates of Wills Point ISD.

More than 200 Wills Point graduates, ranging from graduating classes in the 1940s all the way to the class of 2008, attended the event.

Festivities opened with registration and campus tours beginning around 10 a.m., and more than an hour of free time for people to reconnect before lunch service began.

Current Wills Point staff members, including WPHS Principal Jim Lamb, Tiger Band Director John Young, Ag. Sciences teacher Corky Ragland and head football Coach/Athletic Director Greg Cranfill each spoke to graduates about their respective programs, and how they’ve grown and changed over the years.

First Monday grounds in Canton used to home to a real Hack – a hack by the name of Hack Berry.

The nonagenarian First Monday guru now lives in Wills Point, but was always a figure to be seen at Frist Monday.

“As far back as I can remember, I have been involved in First Monday more than anyone else. I was a seller, promoter and everything in between for 58 years at First Monday, In fact, I remember when the best things to find at First Monday were handles,” Mr. Berry said.

In 1933, when Mr. Berry was 8 years old, the handmade handles for shovels and farm equipment was the item sought out by buyers who came from far and wide to see what Trades Days had to offer.

Mr. Berry ended up in Van Zandt County by way of his grandparents, who came from Arkansas in a covered wagon accompanied by eight children.

The Texas Association of Business gave State Rep. Dan Flynn the TAB's Champion for Free Enterprise Award for his efforts in the 84th Legislative Session.

This is TAB's highest legislative distinction.

"Rep. Flynn has a long commitment to the business community in Texas," said Bill Hammond, Texas Association of Business CEO.  "Rep. Flynn backs the issues that keep our business community strong, vibrant and a top job creator."

Flynn received a TAB score of 100 percent for the 2015 session and has an average of 95 percent for his cumulative legislative career.

Local fire departments and the office of the Van Zandt County Fire Marshal are once again offering words of caution to those working outside or burning out in the county.

A large grass fire nearly destroyed three homes between FM 47 and CR 3918 Sept. 28.

The incident reportedly occurred while workers were clearing a portion of land and brush when one of the pieces of equipment being used got into some old fencing or metal on the property that sparked a fire that burned several acres.

Several fire departments including Wills Point, Whitton and Elmo sent vehicles to the scene to control the fire and save homes in the area.

No injuries or damage to homes was reported after the incident.