News

The Grand Saline Police Department took to social media last week, announcing the arrest of a suspect on a pair of charges including continuous sexual assault of a child and possession of child pornography.

A multiple agency effort during a high-speed chase led to the arrest of three people on March 17. According to police reports, a DPS 101 helicopter was in pursuit with the Allen Police Department and other agencies on Interstate 20 eastbound. The suspects inside the white Honda Civic were wanted for felony retail theft. The Canton Police Department was called in to set up spikes on Interstate 20 to intercept the fleeing vehicle.

In 2019, Kaufman County voters put their support behind a bond measure designed to improve existing infrastructure countywide. Another element of those efforts will be unveiled in the coming week with the newly constructed Kaufman County Pet Adoption Center, located at 1904 US 175 in Kaufman, set to open its doors April 5 for a special grand opening/open house event.

Local residents will soon have the opportunity to rid themselves of unwanted trash and appliances with the City of Wills Point and office of Precinct 3 Commissioner Keith Pearson announcing that their annual clean up event will take place April 1-2 in conjunction with the annual Don’t Mess With Texas Trash-Off.

The University Interscholastic League’s Lone Star Cup is awarded annually to six high schools, one in each of the six UIL classifications (1A, 2A, 3A, 4A, 5A and 6A). The award honors the best overall athletic and academic programs in Texas based on their team performance in district and state championships.

Workers began trimming of all 16 trees around the Van Zandt County Courthouse in downtown Canton March 18-19 as well as cutting down four live oak trees. The trees that were cut down were no longer alive. The trees that were cut down will be replaced, according to the VZC Commissioners Court. Photos by David Barber

Editorial cartoonist Ben Sargent once penned a masterful sketch of a newspaperman — a skinny, bug-eyed fellow in a baggy suit with a press card in the band of his porkpie hat. The unnamed journalist was depicted in the simple act of entering a dark room at city hall and switching on a light.

Athletes representing Athens, Canton, Edgewood, Eustace, Grand Saline, Mineola and Sunnyvale made their way to Van last week to compete in the annual Al Rholes Relays March 10. Individual varsity boys results included: -100: Austin Hayes, EW, second, 11.11; Jackson Rainey, Van, third, 11.22 -200: John Crow, Van, second, 23.87; Luca Kozhev, Van, fifth, 24.53 -400: Brayden Bradshaw, Van, fifth, 56.67; Diego Martinez, GS, sixth, 56.76 -800: Diego Martinez, GS, sixth, 2:17.66 -1600: Miguel Arce, Canton, third, 4:44.26 -3200: Miguel Arce, Canton, second, 10:18.34 -110 Hurdles: Reed Johnson, Van, third, 16.66; Payton Butterfield, GS, fourth, 16.73; Jacob Elliott, Canton, fifth, 16.96; Rocco Foley, Canton, sixth, 17.15 -300 Hurdles: Reed Johnson, Van, second, 42.24; Rocco Foley, Canton, third, 43.42; Austin Snyder, Canton, fifth, 44.25 -4x100: EW, second, 45.12; GS, fourth, 45.57; Canton, fifth, 46.04 -4x200: Van, first, 1:33.76; EW, second, 1:35.22; GS, fifth, 1:36.47 -4x400: EW, fifth, 3:46.2; Canton, sixth, 3:49.31 -Long Jump: Payton Butterfield, GS, first, 20-4.75; Austin Hayes, EW, third, 19-4.25; Ja’Braylon Pickens, Canton, fourth, 19-3.5 -Shot Put: KD Erskine, Van, third, 40-1; Dylan Calvert, GS, sixth, 38-1 -Discus: Preston Yarber, Canton, first, 161-9; JT Rucker, GS, fifth, 124-5 -Triple Jump: Payton Butterfield, GS, first, 42-0; Hudson Griffin, GS, second, 41-2.5; Ja’Braylon Pickens, Canton, third, 40-5; Caleb Higgenbotham, GS, sixth, 38-5 -High Jump: Nathan Goodson, Canton, second, 6; Jeremiah Cea, GS, fourth, 5-8 -Pole Vault: Grant McCarver, Canton, first Individual varsity girls results included: -100: Ava Hopson, Van, second, 13.11; Chloe Westberry, Canton, fifth, 13.3; Kiley Mays, Canton, sixth, 13.59 -200: Payton Brey, Canton, first, 27.24; Zoe Lake, EW, third, 28.53; Kiley Mays, Canton, fifth, 29.29 -400: Rockie Collier, Canton, first, 1:02.89 -800: Kaley Nicholson, EW, fifth, 2:42.3; Amity Hall, Van, sixth, 2:44.88 -1600: Graycee Wilson, Canton, first, 5:41.2; Kaley Nicholson, EW, second, 5:54.38; Lana Stapleton, Canton, fifth, 6:07.31; Abby Clyburn, Van, sixth, 6:07.86 -3200: Graycee Wilson, Canton, first, 12:14.94; Kaley Nicholson, EW, second, 12:40.22; Lana Stapleton, Canton, fifth, 13:27.25 -100 Hurdles: Marti Lewis, GS, fourth, 18.28; Lyndsi Love, GS, fifth, 21.86 -300 Hurdles: Chloe Barton, Van, second, 49; Kimber Holley, Canton, fifth, 55; Lyndsi Love, GS, sixth, 56 -4x100: Van, first, 51.17; Canton, third, 52.02; EW, sixth, 53.46 -4x200: Van, second, 1:51.76; Canton, fourth, 1:54.07; EW, sixth, 1:57.5 -4x400: Canton, third, 4:29.73; Van, fifth, Amity Hall, 4:34.84 -Long Jump: Kori Nicklas, Canton, first, 15-11.25; Landry Jones, Van, second, 15-7.75; Rosy Schira, Van, third, 15-4; Ava Hopson, Van, fourth, 15-4; Favor Cantrell, Canton, fifth, 15-2.5; Payton Brey, Canton, sixth, 14-11.75 -Shot Put: Landrie Valenzuela, Canton, second, 33-2; Anna Nicholson, EW, fifth, 28-1 -Discus: Virginia Bradway, Canton, first, 96-10; Chelsea Chitty, Canton, second, 93-6; Raeleigh Strickland, Canton, third, 89-0; Clara Pool, EW, sixth, 78-7 -Triple Jump: Emma Welty, Canton, first, 32-4; Kori Nicklas, Canton, third, 30-03; Kara Pride, Canton, fifth, 29-4 -High Jump: Rockie Collier, Canton, first, 5-0; Adyson Horan, Van, third, 4-8 -Pole Vault: Hannah Cade, Canton, second, 10-6; Kaymon Dale, Van, third, 10-6; Kimber Holley, Canton, sixth, 8-0 Canton was scheduled to host the Eagle Relays March 24 before competing in Eustace March 31 and Mineola April 7..

The Van Zandt Master Gardeners will resume their free learning series to the public with the first educational class to be held at the Van Zandt County Library from 6:30 to 8 p.m., Thursday, March 24. The topic will be ‘Preparing Your Spring and Summer Garden.’