News

Hope Pregnancy Center held a BBQ fundraiser on June 16, at the Pregnancy Center catered by BBQ & A Prayer. The event was designed for patrons to donate needed items to the Center and also have a chance to have some great barbeque. Donations are still needed including: Johnson & Johnson baby toiletries, Dr. Brown’s bottles, bathing suits, clothes size 9 months to 2T, Amazon and Walmart gift cards. Photo by Britne Hammons

There is a common misconception among the public and home gardeners that vine-ripened tomatoes taste better. But picking tomatoes at color break does not hurt quality, reduces fruits’ exposure to damage and can extend their shelf-life, according to a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service expert.

Each year, children get heat stroke or die from being left unattended in a hot car, but a Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service passenger safety expert says there are ways to avoid tragedy. Bev Kellner, AgriLife Extension traffic safety project director, said as temperatures increase, so does the likelihood of heat stroke and death for children left alone in a vehicle.

Canton Police Department officers were involved in a hot pursuit through Canton on Saturday, June 18, leading to the arrest of Michael Tuff with charges of evading arrest or detention in a motor vehicle, a third-degree felony. According to the affidavit released by the department, officers were alerted that a stolen vehicle was eastbound on Interstate 20, passing the 514-mile marker. As the vehicle approached the 530-mile marker CPD officers got behind the vehicle and activated emergency equipment and the stolen truck pulled over to the shoulders if he was going to stop. Officers observed an object fly from inside the vehicle out the passenger window into the grass just before the guardrail under FM 1255. Officers advised dispatch that something was thrown from the vehicle and then it merged back onto interstate 20 and accelerated away from officers.

The Van Zandt County Library welcomed Wildlife on the Move on June 17. The presentation was part of the Van Zandt County Library Summer Reading program held every Friday at the library. There were 120 children and 84 adults who attended Friday’s program. Numerous animals were presented to the crowd including snakes, lizards, iguanas, a possum and more. The children delighted in having a hands-on presentation of the many animals that Wildlife on the Move members brought with them. See more photos of the library’s activities on page 10A.

The Texas Education Agency (TEA) released spring 2022 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) results for end-of-course (EOC) assessments June 16. The results include assessments in Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S History.

Lucy Marine Maloney, her husband, Mal, and son, Mark from Palm Springs California, visited the Hillcrest Cemetery in Canton on June 14. This visit completed a long-awaited journey of Mrs. Maloney as she researched her family’s genealogy.

Area residents will have plenty of things to keep themselves busy in the coming weeks with multiple communities in and around the Van Zandt County area announcing Independence Day celebrations, including Canton and Van. Van will host their Independence Day celebration a little early, with events slated for June 25.

A proclamation recognizing the month of June as Elder Abuse Prevention Month in Van Zandt County was approved unanimously June 8 by the VZC Commissioners Court during its regular meeting. The proclamation, sponsored by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, was read by VZC Judge Don Kirkpatrick.

The office of Texas State Comptroller Glenn Hegar released its latest monthly sales tax revenue last week, indicating that six out of seven local entities had posted sales tax revenue gains when comparing against the same calendar month from the previous year.