A rivalry game, a milestone anniversary and a major reunion are coming together to create a perfect storm for Wills Point alumni to return home, celebrate and reminisce during the final full week in the month of September.
Beginning Sept. 21, and culminating Sept. 26, the Wills Point Alumni Association, Wills Point ISD and Wills Point community as a whole will celebrate not only the annual homecoming week and game against the Canton Eagles, but also the big 5-year reunion honoring every graduate of the WPISD.
This year’s festivities will include an added wrinkle, with 2015 marking the 50th anniversary of the 1965 State Champion Wills Point Tiger football team.
The City of Wills Point moved swiftly in finding a bridge to its next full-time chief of police, hiring and administering the oath of office to interim Chief John Turner in a brief ceremony Sept. 2.
Hiring someone to fill in the chief of police position for the city became a necessity after Kirk King announced his resignation effective Aug. 25.
Shortly after the resignation, the city issued a press release explaining “Kirk King tendered his resignation as Chief of Police with the city of Wills Point.
In his statement to city manager Pam Pearson, King stated, ‘As much as I have wanted to continue the restructuring of the Wills Point Police Department, I have other matters that also deserve my undivided attention.”
The Texas Inmate Families Association will hold its next Parole Packet Workshop from noon to 3 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Freedom Fellowship Church, L2915 SSE Loop 323L in Tyler.
The Free State Master Gardener Association (Van Zandt County) will host a rose program at 6 p.m. Sept. 10 at the Farm Bureau Building, 281 E. Hwy. 243, Canton.
Mark Chamblee of Chamblee’s Rose Nursery will be the guest speaker. His program will be titled “How to Grow Beautiful, Low-Maintenance Roses In Your Landscape.”
The East Texas Chapter of Texas Master Naturalist will meet Thursday, Aug. 27, for its regular monthly meeting.
Spencer Dumont, Texas Parks and Wildlife Inland Fisheries Region 2 director, will present the program, “A Dinosaur Among Us, the Life and Times of an Alligator Gar.”
The meeting will be held in The Nature Center at 11942 FM 848 in Tyler. The meeting begins at 6:45 pm. The program will start at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend.
The multimedia presentation will highlight the alligator gar’s unique life history from spawning through old, old age. Dumont will also review the history of alligator gar management, as well as the status of and distribution of alligator gar in Texas and the U.S.
Seventeen local professionals attended the 27th Annual Crimes Against Children Conference held Dallas earlier this month as part of the multi-disciplinary team of the Children’s Advocacy Center.
The Cross Brand Cowboy Church of Tyler will be hosting a benefit for Van tornado victims at 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, and 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30.
R.J. Vandygriff will be presenting his award winning one-act play “The Cowboy Ain’t Dead Yet.” The show depicts the American cowboy from the early trail drive days of the 1800s to today’s modern rancher.
The Van Zandt County Commissioners met Aug. 18 in a special session to discuss the upcoming local elections and the 2015-’16 county budget.
A public hearing was held on the matter of the proposed budget for the fiscal year to end Sept. 30, 2016. No county residents spoke during the public hearing held for the proposed budget.
County Judge Don Kirkpatrick said he was “pleased that the proposed budget is balanced and that the revenue exceeds the expenditures by $144,924 without a tax rate increase.”
Kirkpatrick pointed out that the proposed tax rate of $0.485847 will raise the commissioner’s budget by 1 percent more in property taxes which will raise the road and bridge budget in VZC by $293,379.
NASH Next, an artist development competition with a stated goal of “discovering and releasing music from prominent and talented newcomers,” is carrying a strong Van Zandt County presence in its inaugural year with the inclusion of local singer-songwriter Stephen Blackwell in the field of 100 semifinalists.
Blackwell, and Edgewood graduate who lives in Wills Point with his wife Robin (formerly Sewell), a Wills Point native, and their two sons, Dodge and Truett, entered the competition back in June.
The City of Wills Point joined a crowded club in Van Zandt County by announcing the resignation of Chief of Police Kirk King effective Sept. 4.
Edgewood and Canton found themselves in a similar position recently with Canton announcing this week that the city had promoted Lt. Brad Allison from within to serve as its next police chief.
In a press release announcing the resignation, city explained, “Kirk King tendered his resignation as chief of police with the city of Wills Point.”
In his statement to City Manager Pam Pearson, King stated, ‘As much as I have wanted to continue the restructuring of the Wills Point Police Department, I have other matters that also deserve my undivided attention.’ Kirk King started with the city as chief in December of last year. He replaced Scott Johnson who retired after many years of service. Sergeant Rob Powell will be instrumental in running day to day operations until the interim chief is announced.”
