A rare East Texas snowfall provided hours of entertainment for Wills Point area residents Jan. 10. Some used the opportunity to build a snowman while others captured family photos to mark the occasion. Six of seven Van Zandt County school districts, including Wills Point, cancelled school Jan. 11 as a safety precaution against possible unsafe driving conditions. Courtesy photos
After officially being sworn into office Jan. 1, new Van Zandt County Sheriff Steve Hendrix attended his first VZC Commissioners Court meeting Jan. 6 to speak with the commissioners during their regular meeting.
The Wills Point ISD made it official Jan. 5, administering the oath of office to Timothy Scharfenberg to serve as the district’s new chief of police. The district moved forward in its effort to establish its own police department back in 2019 in an effort to heighten security measures on all five campuses. Scharfenberg succeeds Chad Wilhelm, who moved over to the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office.
Van Zandt County’s new elected officials were administered the oath of their respective offices during the 2021 Inauguration Ceremony held at the Van Zandt County Courthouse Jan. 1. Families and dignitaries came to witness a few new faces that will serve Van Zandt County. The inauguration ceremony was a bit different this year, due to COVID-19 restrictions and mandates. Only family members of those being sworn in and county officials could attend.
The Northeast Texas Public Health District provided mixed news for Van Zandt County residents this week, announcing a modest increase in confirmed and probable (those with COVID-19 positive antigen tests) coronavirus cases entering the new year while also giving an update on are hospitalizations.
With 2020 now in the rearview, we here at the Wills Point Chronicle decided to look back at some of the biggest and most talked about local and area stories featured in our pages over the past 12 months.
I often get a kick out of ‘fooling’ some of my guests in hunting camps by cooking wild pork in conventional ways that venison is prepared and watching them brag on how good that venison tastes. Some of these are the same folks that swear that wild hogs are not ‘fitten’ to eat!
The Wills Point ISD covered familiar ground at its first meeting of 2021 this week, receiving an update on both distance learning and potential options for the 2021-’22 school calendar.
The Wills Point Tigers hit the ground running last week, kicking off District 14-4A play with games against the Mabank Panthers Jan. 5 and Brownsboro Bears Jan. 8.
The Wills Point Lady Tigers and Mabank Lady Panthers met on the hardwood Jan. 5, dueling back and forth in a game marked by wild momentum swings for each side.
The 87th session of the Texas Legislature opened Tuesday with COVID-19 encompassing every aspect of what the lawmakers do, according to new House Speaker Dade Phelan.
The City of Austin and Travis County tried to impose New Year’s weekend restrictions on restaurants, but Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and Gov. Abbott won the final round of a legal battle.
That’s the word that I think describes the events of 2020. Do you remember where you were and what you were doing this time last year? I don’t think we could have imagined how last year could have unfolded.
Our family didn’t have money to spare when I was little. Papa pastored a small country church, and his salary didn’t go far when providing for four kids. There weren’t many programs we could tune in on our little black and white TV set, so indoor entertainment meant board games – especially Monopoly®. I learned to play early, but I wasn’t very competitive. I lacked the killer instinct my big brother, Kevin, had.
Inez Dale, 77, died on Dec. 28, 2020, in Phoenix, Arizona, due to non-COVID related respiratory failure. She lived in Canton and Fruitvale since 1986 with her husband, Dick Dale, who preceded her in death in 2010. For nearly 20 years, she served diligently as the primary caregiver at the Van Zandt County Children’s Shelter and is survived by countless foster youth and their families.
Funeral services for Rita Joyce Bailey, 80, of Wills Point, were held Saturday, Jan. 9, 2021, at Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point.
A drive through visitation for James Stephen “Steve” Plunk, 49, of Wills Point, was held Saturday, Jan. 2, 2020, at Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home in Wills Point. The family asked that visitors please remain in their vehicles. The family did not have a register book to sign, but instead asked that you post memories, pictures, and condolences to the online tribute page. A special playlist of Steve’s favorite songs is available on Spotify with the title “Steve Plunk Memorial” to play during the visitation or anytime thereafter.
Funeral services for May Bell Hindman Robertson, of Edgewood, were held Wednesday, Dec. 23, 2020, at Hiett’s LyBrand Funeral Home Chapel in Edgewood.
