News

A well-liked and respected football coach and teacher with deep ties to the Wills Point area was seriously injured in a sideline collision late in the fourth quarter of a game between Scurry-Rosser and Malakoff Sept. 25.

According to reports, Coach Mark Bachtel, who enjoyed a successful stint as head football coach and athletic director at Wills Point High School from 1995 to 2008, was on the sidelines serving as an assistant coach when a play swept to the edge of the field and spilled onto the sidelines.

Bachtel, who also teaches eighth grade history at Scurry-Rosser, was knocked off his feet and hit his head, causing multiple skull fractures and other related injuries.

In an evening ceremony Sept. 21, the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas was recognized for its efforts on behalf of child victims of physical and sexual abuse across Texas.

Recognized by First Lady Cecilia Abbott, Honorary Chair of the 32nd Annual Governor’s Volunteer Awards and the OneStar Foundation, CACTX joins a select group of individuals, groups and organizations honored for a significant and measurable contribution to their communities.

“The power of the public-private partnerships our membership has established at 69 different children’s advocacy centers across the state cannot be overstated. Through these intricate collaborations, our network is able to provide much needed assistance to nearly 40,000 Texas children every year who have been subjected to heartbreaking abuse,” said Joy Hughes Rauls, executive director of CACTX.

Sen. Bob Hall has been named to the Joint Interim Committee to Study Border Security by Lt. Governor Dan Patrick. 

The committee, created by House Bill 11 during the recent 84th Legislative Session, will monitor the Department of Public Safety border surge, and the newly budgeted $800 million appropriated to further secure the Texas-Mexico border. 

Hall was one of five senators named to this committee. 

"This last session, we provided a historic level of funding and resources to our border security efforts," Patrick. "These five senators have the insight needed to support the needs of our law enforcement officials along the border.”

Van Zandt County Commissioners tackled a relatively light agenda on Tuesday morning, powering through two dozen items in just over an hour. Highlights of the meeting included a presentation made by the Van Zandt County Child Welfare Board and several annual bookkeeping items.

Business opened with County Judge Don Kirkpatrick announcing that a special meeting will be held at the Farm Bureau office in Canton on Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. to discuss the proposed special road tax that will be on the November ballot.

Kirkpatrick explained that he, along with county commissioners and possibly Scott Hyde of the Van Zandt County appraisal district will be on hand to help educate the public about the tax, and what impact it could have on the county.

A special groundbreaking ceremony for the new city-owned Wills Point EMS #1 was held Sept. 11. Once completed, the building will allow Champion EMS to move from its current shared location at the Wills Point Fire Department to its own standalone facility. Attendees at the festivities included councilman Oscar Rogers, Mayor Mark Turner, Champion EMS CEO Stan Holden, councilman Mike Jones, Champion EMS Director of Operations Arnie Spears and Wills Point Fire Chief Ed Leipply. 

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Editor's Note: This story was previously published in a special section commemorating the 5-year reunion held in October 2010. The only change made is updating the year’s since the 1965 State Championship from 45 to 50.

It has been 50 years since the Wills Point Tigers won a state championship in football, but the enjoyment of the feat is still alive for those involved, and having the head coach from that team still living in the area makes the savoring that much easier.

For the coach though, the remembrances and enjoyment is of 25 years’ worth of teams and titles, though there is only one trophy from a state title game.

Ken Autry Davis was 27, and a second-year head coach when his Tigers’ team won a state championship in football. Wills Point went 15-0, including a 14-0 win over White Deer in the title game. The coach, however, remembers the last play from the year before just as clearly.

The Van Zandt County Genealogical Society’s annual all day genealogical seminar is scheduled from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26 at St. Teresa Catholic Church Fellowship Hall located at 14786 FM 859 South, in Canton.  The deadline for registering is Sept. 24.

The fee for the event is $40 which will include a continental breakfast and a catered luncheon by Laurie’s Kitchen.

Newspaper research, Republic of Texas, American Revolution and Civil War research will be topics with Lynna Kay Shuffield of Houston, a well-known genealogist and lecturer, as the featured speaker.

Advanced registrations are now being taken at the Library of Genealogy and Local History located in the courthouse annex in Canton. 

Registrations are may also be made by sending a check or money order for $40 to the Van Zandt County Genealogical Society, P. O. Box 1388, Canton, 75103. 

Staff from U.S. Congressman Jeb Hensarling’s office will be in Van from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25, to meet with constituents needing assistance with federal agencies. 

Hensarling’s staff will be available at the Van City Hall, 113 W. Main St.

“Dealing with federal agencies can be an intimidating experience.  I want my constituents to know that my staff and I stand ready to help.  I hope that you will let my office assist you in your dealings with federal agencies or bureaucracies,” Hensarling said.

Providing outstanding constituent service is a priority for his office, the congressman said. He said this meeting in Van provides an additional opportunity for constituents with questions or concerns to bring those to his attention.

District offices located in Dallas and Athens are always open for constituents to visit, as well as mail, fax, email or call for assistance, he said.

The Council of Van Zandt Communities met at the Van Zandt Country Club in Canton Sept. 8 for their monthly Visions meeting on local happenings, and to hear a presentation from Ed Fasulo, the facility manager for the Morton Salt operation located in Grand Saline.

The groups’ goals include “improving communication and coordination among the cities and communities, becoming a force affecting administrative and legislative change that will benefit all individuals, cities, communities, schools, and government bodies, encouraging more effective participation of citizens in local, county, and state government, sharing of calendars of events and supporting city, county, and community events, and supporting a legislative year visit to Austin through Van Zandt County Days at the State Capitol.”

As part of this month’s agenda, attendees to the Vision meeting where given an overview of both the history and future of Morton Salt in Grand Saline and beyond by Fasulo.

The search for a new Edgewood Police Chief is ongoing but the city has received six applications, Mayor Charlie Prater said.

Prater asked council members to review the applications and submit their top two selections to City Secretary Petra Marley.

The council had contemplated disbanding the police department and placing the city under the jurisdiction of Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office. However, council members approved next year’s budget this week and decided to continue with the hiring process.

Council members were asked to have their interview recommendations to Marley by Sept. 14 at which time she will tabulate the selections. The top three candidates will be contacted for interviews. The finalists be interviewed by Prater and the council.

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