Columns

Coaches play a critical role in shaping not only the athletic success of their players but also their personal growth and life outcomes. Their influence extends far beyond wins and losses.

City of Van Emergency Management Coordinator In February, the Van City Council held discussion and voted to call for a bond election for the purpose of replacing a decommissioned water well. The measure will be on the ballot for city residents on May 3, 2025, in conjunction with the regular city elections Water Well #3, which was drilled in September of 1984, has been in trouble since its inception when a casing fracture began allowing bacteria to enter the well.

In the world of education and athletics, leadership changes are inevitable. New presidents, superintendents, principals, and other school leaders frequently step into their roles with the promise of innovation and improvement.

This proposed bill is about spending our public tax dollars on private school vouchers (please see the article in the Van Zandt News, March 2 issue, page 3). Updates to this proposed bill are summarized here: This bill was recently revised and now increases the basic allotment per student by $220.00 from $6,160.00 to $6,380.00, which is still woefully inadequate, however, it also increases the amount for private school vouchers from $10,000.00 to about $10,893.00 so the loss per student is even greater than the original bill.

In the world of education and athletics, leadership changes are inevitable. New presidents, superintendents, principals, and other school leaders frequently step into their roles with the promise of innovation and improvement.

Van Zandt County Democratic Party Chair The chart below shows what your school district stands to lose with a private school voucher program (SB2). It also shows how much your school district could gain if the State of Texas funded Public Schools at the same $10,000 per student that will be allotted to students in Private Schools if SB2 becomes law. Would you rather have a loss of revenue in your school district or a substantial increase?

Dear Editor, We don’t need a new jail. We need to pay more in salary to the jailers and deputies we currently have employed, and to attract new jailers to work here.

We at Van Zandt Newspapers are starting up a ‘Around Van Zandt County’ page every week to keep our readers in the know. This page will be dedicated to highlighting the vibrant and fun happenings in our community.

jackwelch1975@gmail.com Professional football continues to expand, providing better opportunities for players aspiring to compete at the highest level. In the United States, leagues such as the National Football League (NFL) and the United Football League (UFL) dominate the landscape, however, beginning this summer, the International Football Alliance (IFA) will enter the stage, adding another competitive platform for athletes.

Dear Editor: I am calling on the 89th Texas Legislature to pass HB 2171, which would require the playing of our state song, ‘ Texas, Our Texas’ after the national anthem at public K-12 sporting events. The 41st Legislature adopted ‘ Texas, Our Texas’ as the official state song, written by English immigrant William J.