News

A Celebration of Life Service for Larry Ottinger, 70, of Wills Point, will be held at 3:00 p.m., Sunday, July 19, 2015, at International Outreach Church, located at 1404 Lake Drive, Wills Point. Burial will follow at White Rose Cemetery under the direction of Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point.

Larry went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, July 14, 2015.

At his Wills Point office July 8, Precinct 3 Justice of the Peace Herbert Dunn officiated the wedding of Jerry Rosengartner and Paul Connell.

With the ceremony, Rosengartner and Connell became the first couple to be married in Van Zandt County since the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling June 26 gave same-sex pair the right to legally wed.

The couple actually got their marriage license in Kaufman County but came back to Van Zandt County for the ceremony. Connell, 48, has been a resident of the Wills Point area for the past 15 years. Rosengartner, 24, has lived here six years. They have been a couple for the past six years.

Rosengartner said he will take the last name Connell.

Despite some set-up delays with software, The Van Zandt County Clerk’s office began issuing marriage licenses for same-sex couples July 1.

As of July 14, the office had issued two licenses.

Local justices of the peace have taken varying stances on performing same-sex marriage ceremonies.

Pct. 3 JP Herbert Dunn said he has no problem performing the ceremonies and officiated at the counties first same-sex union July 8.

Pct. 2 Judge Ronnie Daniell has stopped doing weddings altogether in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision.

A sign on Daniell’s office door makes his position clear to those seeking wedded bliss. “Based on my Christian convictions,” the sign reads, “I, Judge Ronnie Daniell, will no longer perform weddings as justice of the peace Van Zandt County precinct #2. I must stand for my Lord, His holy word and my firm belief that is it truth.”

Things continued to trend in a mostly positive direction for Van Zandt County cities this month, with the office of Texas State Comptroller Glenn Hegar releasing figures that indicate that four out of six local cities would be in line for larger sales tax revenues for July 2015 than those that were collected for the same period back in July 2014.

Hegar’s report shows that Canton, Edgewood, Grand Saline and Wills Point all continued their recent upward trend while Edom and Van either took or continued a downward trend by falling behind last year’s July collection totals.

The city of Grand Saline, which has been on a hot streak in 2015, posted the largest positive dollar change for any county city in July 2015 by collecting $45.465.82. That figure was up $13,736.09, or 43.29 percent, over the $31,729.73 collected back in July 2014.

The Wills Point Riding Club will have its busiest weekend of the year beginning today (July 17), playing host to large crowds of community members and visitors during its annual two-day rodeo event.

The WPRC UPRA Rodeo is scheduled to take place nightly on July 17-18 at the Bill “Ike” Allred Arena. Each night of the rodeo action is scheduled to begin at 8:30 p.m., and feature the Flying “C” Rodeo Company and professional barrelman and entertainer Cameron Keeton.

Following a lengthening tradition, the two-day rodeo event will bookend the annual WPRC Rodeo Parade, which is set to begin at 10 a.m. on July 18 in downtown Wills Point. This year’s parade will feature a “Blazin’ Saddles” theme.

The WPRC announced this week that Leon Lester, one of the founding members of the riding club, will be grand marshal of this year’s parade.

On Tuesday night, the Wills Point City Council moved one step closer to putting roadwork on Juanita Street into its rearview mirror.

The council approved a bid to repair drainage issues that have been a bump for both city leaders and area residents

Stretching back to 2013.

The project was initially put in motion back in February 2013 when city staff members were directed to develop cost estimates for road projects throughout the city. In March of that same year, plans were made to proceed with a reconstruction project of both Juanita and Gordon Streets.

Phase one of the project, which began in April 2013 and included curb and gutter replacements, and phase two, which started in August 2013, were both completed as planned.

By Pam Millican

Correspondent

The Children’s Shelter, an emergency placement shelter for children in Van Zandt County, is undergoing some major changes.

The shelter is owned and maintained by a board of trustees who contracts with Azleway to provide “house parents” who oversee the children and day-to-day running of the shelter.

 “Most people don’t realize there is a children’s shelter in Van Zandt County and we have been in the same location for 37 years,” said Kerry Cartier, shelter board president.

The location of the facility is undisclosed for the safety of the children.

When Child Protective Services has to remove a child from his or her home for the child’s safety due to parental neglect or when the there is no one to care for the child due to the parent’s incarceration, CPS contacts Azleway.

Visitation service for Homer Lee “Buck” Taylor, 78, of Terrell, was held Sunday, July 5, 2015, at Allan Fuller Funeral Home Chapel in Wills Point. 

He passed away Sunday, June 28, 2015, at his residence in Terrell.

Buck was born Aug. 1, 1936, in Dallas.

Allan Fuller Funeral Home www.allanfullerfuneralhome.com

The Wills Point ISD, Wills Point PTO and Wills Point Chamber of Commerce are joining forces once again to host the fourth annual “Back-to-School Fair” for district students who qualify for free and/or reduced lunches. 

The event will be held at the high school from 9 a.m. to noon Aug. 8.

The fair helped to provide school supplies, haircuts, vaccinations, dental supplies and eye screenings to an estimated 293 students in 2013. That number grew to 339 students being afforded those services during last year’s event.

 “This number represents more than double the amount of students helped from the first year of the fair, and we couldn't have done it without the support of our caring and generous community,” organizers said.

July 1, the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office assisted the U.S. Marshal Fugitive Task Force in apprehending 28-year-old Joshua Borth of the Wills Point area. 


Borth is wanted by the Durango, Colo., Police Department for Sexual Assault of a Child while at a homeless shelter.

Borth is being held at the Van Zandt County Justice Center without bond until he can be transported back to Durango. 


Borth was arrested in the Myrtle Springs area without incident after being located in an abandoned structure on his family’s property. He was armed with a stolen .22-caliber long rifle and 30-06 rifle.


Borth attempted to climb out a window but quickly realized he was surrounded and gave up, the sheriff's department said. 
Borth was found with camping gear and survival equipment; it is believed Borth has been hiding in the woods on his family’s land for the past week.