July 2023

1942 – 2023 Funeral services for Bennie Frank Simpson, 81, of Grand Saline, was held Saturday, July 22, 2023, at Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point. Burial followed at Oak Hill Cemetery..

1944 – 2023 Sharon Lynn Shinpaugh (Sherry Lynn) was born Sept. 14, 1944, in Grand Saline.

1929 – 2023 A funeral service was held for Aris Charlene McWilliams, 94, of Canton was held on Thursday, July 20, 2023, at Eubank Funeral Home in Canton with Bro. Steve Glosup and Bro.

Mabank Police Officers responded to a reported shooting July 13 in the 1400 block of Pharm Hills Road in the city. When officers arrived, they found a adult male with an apparent gunshot wound to the head inside the residence according to a release from Mabank Police Department posted on social media.

The lives of Native Americans who were killed during the Battle of the Neches were honored during a special special ceremony held July 15. According to the American Indian Cultural Society, “The Texas Cherokee and 12 associated tribal bands, under the leadership of Chief John ‘Duwa’li’ Bowles, Chief Big Mush and six other Tribal Chiefs and Leaders were slain July 16, 1839. This massacre, by the Republic of Texas Army under the direction of President Mirabeau Lamar, took the lives of many innocent tribal men, women and children. The associated tribal bands on this land included: Cherokee, Shawnee, Delaware, Kickapoo, Quapaw, Choctaw, Biloxi, Ioni, Alabama, Coushatta, Caddo of the Neches, Tahocullake, Mataquo and possibly other groups.”

“I started my business in Canton nine years ago,” said Jose Parga of J Parga Treen Service of Canton. “I offer tree cutting, tree trimming and removal and stump grinding services in the Van Zandt County area.” Once a month, Jose offers his companies tree services to any senior citizen who feel they need assistance and are on a fixed income and otherwise would not be able to afford the service.

Average gasoline prices in Texas have risen 3.5 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.14/g July 17, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 13,114 stations in Texas. Prices in Texas are 5.3 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 85.9 cents per gallon lower than a year ago. The national average price of diesel has risen 0.1 cents in the last week and stands at $3.80 per gallon.

Good Hope Baptist Church, located at 150 VZ County Road 3108, will host their 5th Sunday Singing event from 2-4 p.m. July 30.

sports@vanzandtnews.com The Texas State Comptroller’s Office delivered its latest monthly sales tax revenue report to local cities last week, reporting mixed results when comparing against collection totals against the same month from the previous year.