News

Conservative attorney, business owner, and public servant Brent Money today launched his campaign for the now vacant Texas House of Representatives District 2 seat. He enters the race having already raised more than $50,000 from people who live and work in the district. A sixth generation Hunt County resident, Brent is guided by the deep Texan conservative values of faith, family, and service to others. Brent has built a successful law and title business, Money Law & Title, with six offices across northeast Texas.

Kindness, Friendship, and Unity BRANDI COLLARD-SIMPSON Director, Grand Saline Public Library The Grand Saline Public Library is kicking off its annual Summer Reading Program by donating books to Grand Saline ISD and Fruitvale ISD kindergarteners to encourage a love of reading and learning. The theme of this year’s program is All Together Now: Kindness, Friendship, and Unity.

Bright Star Baptist Church of Wills Point hosted a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater called “Burritos and Banditos” on Saturday, May 20. The play began at 6 p.m.

Six new members were inducted into the Van ISD Faculty and Staff Hall of Fame during the fifth annual Van ISD Honor Banquet May 9 at the Hideaway Lake Clubhouse near Lindale with approximately 130 in attendance.

The University of Texas at Tyler announced the students who were named to the spring 2023 Dean’s List. To qualify for the Dean’s List, a student must have completed 12 or more semester hours of undergraduate college- level credit in the awarding semester with a grade point average of at least 3.75.

For the most part, incumbent candidates on the May 6 ballot in the city and school elections performed well throughout Van Zandt County. Another major result from the elections came in Edgewood ISD where a $39 million school bond issue received strong support from voters as it passed by almost 200 votes, 500-303.

The Van Zandt County Republican Club hosted a special forum at the Canton Civic Center May 9 to discuss the recent rise in property tax valuations. The event, which was originally slated to be held at the Canton Farm Bureau, drew close to 1,000 attendees. Among those in attendance to discuss the rise were featured State Senator Bob Hall, Van Zandt County Chief Appraiser/Tax Administrator Emily Reeves, Grassroots America We the People Government Watchdog Committee Chairman Tom Fabry, Hunt County Chief Appraiser Brent South and realtors Tiffany Koffel and Christy Beckham.

DAVID KAPITAN sports@vanzandtnews.com Bond measures have been far from a sure thing across Van Zandt County over the past seven years with all five measures brought before voters, four separate efforts from Wills Point ISD and one from Martins Mill ISD, all coming up short. After a multi-year behind the scenes effort to gauge both its short and longterm needs, Edgewood ISD took its turn in the spotlight during the recently concluded 2023 election cycle by putting forth a proposed $39 million bond measure before voters that would drastically reshape the district.

DAVID BARBER davidb@vanzandtnews.com Prior to a unanimous 147-0 vote by the Texas House of Representatives to expel him from office May 9, Republican District 2 State Representative Bryan Slaton of Royse City resigned May 8 after the House General Investigating Committee, in a report released May 6, found that he engaged in inappropriate sexual conduct with a subordinate in addition to other charges of misconduct. The House committee recommended expulsion for Slaton in the committee’s 16-page report.

With news breaking earlier this week that Republican District 2 State Representative Bryan Slaton of Royse City had resigned from office following an investigation into multiple misconduct allegations, the first challenger for now vacant seat has stepped forward.