May 2026

Local voters made their way to the polls in recent weeks, helping to chart the path forward for Wills Point ISD staff, students and stakeholders by casting ballots for three positions on the board of trustees: Place 3, Place 6 and Place 7.

In a 36-3 vote May 2, the voters in the City of Fruitvale approved the ‘legal sale of mixed beverages within the city limits of Fruitvale, Texas’ proposition. There were 19 votes cast during Early Voting and 20 votes cast on Election Day, according to the City of Fruitvale results.

Early Voting for the Van Zandt County Republican Party and Democratic Party Runoff Elections scheduled for Tuesday, May 26, will begin Monday, May 18, according to the VZC Clerk’s office. There will be only one week of Early Voting which will take place from 7 a.m.

DK Baseball Clinics (DKBC) has named Josh Farnsworth the May 2026 Legacy Edition Tribute Bat Program Honoree, recognizing his 15 years of dedicated service to youth baseball and his transformative leadership within the Edgewood Baseball/Softball Association.

The modern-day eastern turkey restocking program that began back in 1979 has been successful in some areas and somewhat of a bust in others. In earlier days, pen raised domestic birds were introduced in the wild without success.

The Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office released the following arrest report from April 28 through May 5. Leija, Kathie, 28, Wills Point, ASSAULT CAUSING BODILY INJURY TO A FAMILY MEMBER Lewellyn, Lucas Charles, 20, Canton, THEFT OF PROPERTY >=$2500<$30K Spears, Tara Lynn, 43, Tyler, DWI Alvarez, Jesus Alejandro, 32, Ben Wheeler, DWI 3RD OR MORE IAT, TERRORISTIC THREAT AGAINST PEACE OFFICER/JUDGE Jennings, Matthew Shane, 23, Winnsboro, THEFT OF PROPERTY >=$100<$750 Johnson, Jeremy Clifton, 38, Grand Saline, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B <1G, THREE COUNTS OF POSSESSION OF A DANGEROUS DRUG Moyer, Sean Bradley, 41, Wills Point, POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA <2 OZ Pullen, Rachel Louise, 51, Eustace, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B>=4G<200G Quezada, John Alexis, 20, Terrell, POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA <2 OZ, DANGEROUS DRUGS CLASS C Watters, Pascal Todd, 55, Eustace, EVADING ARREST/DETENTION WITH VEHICLE Young, Ondriah Nikole, 34, Kilgore, PROHIBITIVE SUBSTANCE/ITEM IN CORRECTION/CIVIC COM FACILITY Bell, Adam Jace, 25, Celeste, DWI Cundiff, Heather Lee, 37, Flint, DWI Grant, Louis Douglas, 25, Arlington, POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA >4 OZ<50 LBS Hornsby, Christopher Lee, 44, Canton, DWI -2ND ARREST Rodriguez-Perez, Primitivo, 27, Seagoville, DWI Stafford, Raymond Lewis, 79, Wills Point, MANSLAUGHTER Ward, Joshua Aaron, 24, Edgewood, POSSESSION CLS PG2 >=1G<4G, FIVE COUNTS OF TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C Magnuson,NinaFlorine, 53, Fruitvale, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B>=1G<4G Malone, Dustin James, 49, Wolfe City, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B< 1G, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B>=1G<4G Warner, Jeffery Lynn, 62, Fruitvale, ENGAGING IN ORGANIZED CRIMINAL BEHAVIOUR, PAROLE VIOLATION Washington, David Matthew, 28, Dallas, POSSESSION CLS PG2 >=4G<400G, DWI 2ND ARREST, TAMPERING/ FABRICATION PHYSICAL EVIDENCE W/INTENT TO IMPAIR Batie, Jeramy Wade, 29, Van, DWI Bell, Bobby Lee, 45, Chandler, ASSAULT CAUSING BODILY INJURY TO FAMILY MEMBER Delarosa, Juan Francisco, 31, Edgewood, THEFT OF PROPERTY >=$100<$750 Land, Kelsy D’Lena, 32, Wills Point, UNAUTHORIZED USE OF VEHICLE Neagle, Christina Marie, 36, Eustace, DWI O’Brien, Sean David, 46, Tulsa OK, DWI 3RD OR MORE IAT, POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA<2 OZ Tunnell, Mikhayla Renee, 27, Mineola, ASSAULT OF A PUBLIC SERVANT, INTERFERNCE WITH PUBLIC DUTIES Wilson, Stacy Alexander, 33, Quinlan, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B<1G, DANGEROUS DRUGS CLASS C Allen, Sean Michael Jr., 27, Unknown, THEFT OF A FIREARM, ENGAGING IN ORGANIZED CRIMINAL ACTIVITY Bennett, Charles Neal, 33, Kemp, MANUFACTURE/DELIVERY CLS PG 1 >=4G<200G Criswell, Denise Bennett, 44, Wills Point, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B<1G, FALSE DRUG TEST/FALSIFICATION DEVICE Morris, Thomas Wayne, 39, Dallas, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B<1G Russell, Tesla Dawn, 35, Canton, HINDERING APPREHENSION OR PROSECUTION OF KNOWN FELON Crutcher, Christopher Edward, 39, Austin, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B<1G, RESISTING ARREST SEARCH OR TRANSPORT, POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA <2 OZ, TWO COUNTS OF PUBLIC ORDER CRIMES CLASS C Garcia, Jose Luis, 41, Wylie, POSSESSION CLS PG 1/1B<1G, DWI, TRAFFIC OFFENSE CLASS C, UNLAWFULLY CARRYINGAWEAPON Lesley, Stinson Neill, 48, Tyler, MANUFACTURE/DELIVERY CLS PG 1 >=4G<200G Rowley, Gena Elizabeth, 46, Tyler, MANUFACTURE/DELIVERY CLS PG 1 >=4G<200G..

Van Zandt County Historical Commission Media Chair Starting May 15, Van Zandt County kids and adults will have the opportunity to explore the history of the county and have fun doing it. This summer, the VZC Historical Commission (VZCHC), the Van Zandt County Museums group and local libraries will conduct the History Detectives of Van Zandt County treasure hunt, a summer activity that will help interested residents journey through historic locations, learn about the past, and (for top Detectives) earn prizes.

davidb@vanzandtnews.com Incumbent Van Zandt County Pct. 2 Commissioner Cliff Williams and challenger James Cooley were in attendance April 27 to participate in a Political Forum sponsored by the Republican Club of Van Zandt County (RCVZC) at the VZC Farm Bureau Event Center in Canton.

The Republican Club of Van Zandt County (RCVZC) is inviting the Christian community across East Texas to attend a Town Hall meeting focused on faith, government, and what organizers describe as growing ideological threats facing the nation.

During its 99th annual convention held April 9-11 in Pilot Point, the North and East Texas Press Association (NETPA) recognized Van Zandt Newspapers L.L.C. with a number of awards.