News

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.

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.

“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.

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.”

In an unexpected move, the Van Zandt County Commissioners Court voted 3-2 to deny a proposal regarding fiscal year 2024 VZC Elected Officials Salaries. The decision was announced at the conclusion of the July 12 court which was rescheduled due to a potential lack of a quorum for the originally regularly scheduled July 19 meeting.

DAVID BARBER davidb@vanzandtnews.com Staffing issues at the Van Zandt County Jail were updated by VZC Sheriff Joe Carter during the July 12 meeting of the VZC Commissioners Court. The regular meeting was moved to July 12 due to a potential quorum issue for the regularly scheduled July 19 meeting.

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The Texas Education Agency released spring 2023 State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness results for end-of-course assessments. The results include assessments in Algebra I, English I, English II, Biology, and U.S. History.

Older adults and people with disabilities who are on Medicaid (and their authorized representatives) should be on the lookout for important notices from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) about their Medicaid renewal.

The Church @ The Mill will be hosting their free annual back-to-school clothes drive from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.