December 2024

The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office released the following arrest report from December 17th through December 23rd. Steven Flores, 58, La Combe, Louisiana, Driving while intoxicated.

May 31, 1938 - December 19, 2024 Services for Mrs. Betty Pickens Phillips, 86, of Grand Saline, were held Saturday, December 21, 2024, at Fruitvale Church of Christ, with Carl McCann officiating under the direction of Bartley Funeral Home.

August 26, 1935 - December 16, 2024 A memorial service for Thomas Walton Tyler, 89, of Canton (formerly Mesquite), will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, January 3, 2025, at Eubank Funeral Home.

May 31, 1937 - December 20, 2024 Graveside services for Norma Mitchell Flanary, 87, of Grand Saline, were held Friday, December 27, 2024, at Rodgers Cemetery under the direction of Bartley Funeral Home. Norma Berneice Mitchell Flanary passed away December 20, 2024, in Quitman.

May 22, 1940- December 18, 2024 Jerry L. Ross, born on May 22, 1940, in Dallas and passed away peacefully on December 18, 2024, in his hometown of Dallas at the age of 84.

June 1, 1928 - December 22, 2024 Services for Marie Mc-Cauley Hastings, 96, of Grand Saline, were held Friday, December 27, 2024, at Bartley Funeral Home, with Chaplain Samuel Glenn officiating. Interment was in Woodside Cemetery.

Nine newly elected Van Zandt County public officials will be taking the oath of office during a 9 a.m. ceremony Wednesday, January 1, 2025, in the 294th District Courtroom in the VZC Courthouse.

Midwestern State University in Wichita Falls recognized 1,080 honor students for the Fall 2024 semester. The President’s Honor Roll included 368 students, the Provost’s Honor Roll included 328 students and the Dean’s Honor Roll included 382 students.

As we prepare for the start of the new year of 2025 arriving soon, it is time to take a look back at the events that made 2024 such a memorable year in Van Zandt County. VZC residents will not soon forget 2024 as the year was filled with a number of news events that covered a wide range of topics.

Dear Friends, A proposed lithium-ion battery storage facility in Van Zandt County has the potential to harm public safety, the environment, and the future well-being of our county. Last month, I urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to delay the Amador Energy Storage Project until critical safety, environmental, and community concerns are addressed.