July 2022

The list of Van Zandt County cities implementing water conservation plans in Van Zandt County continued to increase last week, with the City of Edgewood joining both Wills Point and Van in calling for water use restrictions due to ongoing drought conditions.

Multiple fire departments sprung into action to contain a fire sparked when a lightning bolt struck an oilfield tank and two wells on a property near County Road 1106 and County Road 1107 July 14. No injuries were reported as a result of the blaze. Photo by Nick Gibbons/The County Eagle

County officials received a welcome bit of good news last week with the Texas Commission on Jail Standards removing the VZC Jail from its list of non-compliant facilities. The jail was placed on the non-compliant list after an inspection conducted in early February revealed multiple shortcomings, including failures to properly document medication distribution and not enough face-to-face observations for violent inmates housed at the facility.

A heat wave across the state is exacerbating the extreme drought conditions plaguing Texas agriculture. Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service agents and regional specialists around the state have reported a wide range of issues related to triple-digit temperatures and worsening conditions for livestock and crop producers.

David Yager, 29, pleaded guilty July 12 in federal court in the Eastern District of Texas to violating a detainee’s civil rights by using excessive force against him. Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division; U.S. Attorney Brit Featherston for the Eastern District of Texas; Assistant Director Luis Quesada of the FBI Criminal Investigative Division; and Special Agent in Charge Matthew DeSarno of the FBI Dallas Field Division made the announcement.

The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office released the following arrest report from Jul. 5-Jul.

Photos by Faith Caughron.

A change in the criminal history clause of the Van Zandt County Game Room Ordinance received unanimous approval from the VZC Commissioners Court during its regular session July 6. The action by the commissioners’ court was taken following a presentation by VZC Criminal District Attorney Tonda Curry.

Kaufman County Criminal District Attorney Erleigh Norville Wiley and the Terrell Police Department announced the convictions of Bianca Newman, Justin Prox, Darrius Hubbard, and Anthony Holliman in the Pizza Hut murders July 6.

Due to the loss of a major water well source, the City of Van announced July 5 that Stage Three of the city’s Drought Contingency Plan is being implemented, effective immediately. “Stage Three of the Drought Contingency Plan is being implemented due to the unexpected loss of a water well source along with summer drought conditions within its service area,” said City of Van Public Works Director Kevin Johnson.