May 2023

Many property owners around Van Zandt County have been treated to an unwelcome dose of sticker shock in recent weeks, receiving letters from the appraisal district outlining sizeable increases in both residential and commercial property values.

The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Offi ce released the following arrest report from Apr. 25-May.

A two vehicle-accident approximately two miles east of Canton along State Highway 64 resulted in the death of a Lancaster woman and three others being sent to area hospitals for treatment. According to a preliminary accident report released by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the accident occurred shortly after noon at approximately 12:20 p.m.on Sunday, April 30 and involved a 1992 Oldsmobile 88 and a 2020 Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Two men with ties to the Wills Point community were arrested this week following an early afternoon chase involving Kaufman County law enforcement officials. According to a Terrell Police Department press release of the incident, the chase began shortly after officers “observed suspects using drugs, in open view, near a local store on S.

The Four Mile Lutheran Church, located at 460 VZ County Road 2607, will celebrate its 175th anniversary with special worship services beginning at 10:45 a.m. May 7. The celebration will include a worship service, followed by a historical marker presentation at the gravesite of Henriette Reierson and a potluck. Additional information about the church can be found by visiting www.fourmilelutheranchurch.

The Van Area Chamber of Commerce will be sponsoring the annual Cinco de Mayo Festival from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Trick or Treat Just like some months have two full moons this year has two Halloweens. Oct.

Readers who are over 40 years old might still have a context for the phrase from a classic country song: “Here’s a quarter / Call someone who cares…” The updated version of this song might go something like: “Here’s a burner phone with 100 pre-paid minutes / Feel free to use up those minutes in useless conversation about your ruined love life, since you were so shortsighted as to reject continued investment in our relationship / On the other hand, here’s the number of a Therapist I highly recommend…” OK, the syllables don’t quite fit the original tune – life is just more complicated now.

Better Sleep Month is observed during the month of May and aims to encourage healthy patterns of sleep and educate on the benefits of sleeping well. According to Amy Valdez, Texas A&M AgriLife Program Specialist, “sleep is just as important as including a well-balanced eating pattern and physical activity into our daily lives. It can have a great impact on our physical and mental health, and a lack of sleep can be detrimental”.

The Van Zandt County Republican Club has announced that it will be hosting a special property tax forum for residents to discuss the recent news that local commercial and personal property valuations have increased 22.7 percent over the past year.