November 2021

Various factors affect an individual’s risk for type 2 diabetes. An impairment in the way the body regulates and uses glucose, or sugar, as fuel, diabetes is a chronic disease that researchers estimate affects nearly half a billion people across the globe. One recent study conducted in affiliation with the International Diabetes Federation examined global diabetes data published between 1990 and 2018. That study represented 138 countries and researchers ultimately estimated that diabetes could affect 700 million people by 2045.

UT Health East Texas is offering a free, virtual seminar at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 18. The seminar will feature a presentation on Type 2 Diabetes: What You Need to Know by Kurtis Kostan, MD, board-certified internal medicine physician with UT Health East Texas Physicians Clinic on Three Lakes Parkway in Tyler.

The field of Van Zandt County volleyball teams left in this year’s playoffs was winnowed down to one last week, as Van survived two more hard-fought matches to reach the Regional Semifinal round of the playoffs.

Van Zandt County was well represented at the UIL State Cross Country Meet last week with three local athletes, Canton sophomore Graycee Wilson, Edgewood senior Kaley Nicholson and Martins Mill junior Mattie Burns all qualifying to compete.

The final Friday night of the 2021 regular season brought with it plenty of drama with one team at home idle, two teams fighting for their playoff lives and three teams already assured of a playoff spot. Van Zandt County ultimately finished with no new additions to the playoff field as Fruitvale and Grand Saline each suffered setbacks Nov. 5, leaving Canton, Edgewood and Van as the last team’s standing locally.

With his prediction in the ‘tie-breaker’ game, Allan Holloway of Canton is the winner of Football Contest No. 11 in the Van Zandt News.

Top, Mia Nixon, who has won state championships in golf and basketball during her time at Martins Mill, committed to play golf collegiately at Texas A&M University during a special signing ceremony Nov. 10. Bottom, Martins Mill standout student-athlete Jada Celsur was joined by family, friends and teammates as she signed her letter of intent to play basketball at Texas Woman’s University next season. Courtesy photos