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Thanks for the Memories
Thanks for the Memories

By Dina Moon

Thanks for the Memories

Have you heard of Simplicity by September? No? Maybe you know it as Junk Free July? Organized in October? Less Mess March? It’s ok. Clearly, we’ve got some work to do. There’s a movement going on in the world. We GenXers have hit the wall. We were tasked with caregiving for our Greatest Gen parents, or even our Boomer elders (I had both), and we weren’t expecting the fallout to be this grim. Those generations subscribed to a waste not/want not philosophy. They realized the value of things. Their epiphany was centered around the fact that things cost money, but if they only took care of all possessions properly, if they guarded/ tended/repaired/saved, then they would never need to buy those things again. “I could toss this tin foil, but what if I just kept saving the tiny pieces until it formed a ball large enough to take up a spare bedroom? I’d never have to worry about having enough tin foil again!” Saving the Benjamins was all that mattered to them. It is a worthy and valid hill to die on, I must say. But, the result is utter chaos, especially to those of us left behind to declutter homesteads, execute wills, and dispense tchotchkes. It’s like we all woke up one morning, after futile attempts to find anyone willing to house Great Aunt Opal’s fox stole that she only ever wore once a year when Uncle Opie took her downtown to see the Christmas window at Niemen-Marcus, shouting the same mantra. WE WILL NOT DO THIS TO OUR CHILDREN. We won’t force them to hang onto the gift tags we saved for them from the baby showers thrown for us when they were still safe in our bellies (true story). They will not inherit bags upon bags of empty penny roller casings (also true). Their inheritance will not center around a metric ton of instamatic triplicate pictures that show more fingertips than scenery (yep). And, unlike our parents, we’ll save our children the guilt of having to feel that feeling of impending doom from throwing away the things they know we cherished. We will get rid of everything. We will do it right now.

BBB Warning: Employment and Online Purchase Scams

BBB Warning: Employment and Online Purchase Scams Commonly Target College Students and Young Adults

During this time of the year, college students are preparing for the upcoming semester and purchasing required items such as textbooks, laptops, meal plans and budgeting for other living expenses. The National Retail Federation expects total spending for back-tocollege goods to reach a record $74 billion in 2022, with an average of almost $1,200 per household. Households with college-aged and K-12 children may spend upwards of $2,000 on back-to-school items this year. To help offset the cost of attending college and for their own spending, many young adults seek employment near their college which can have disastrous results if the employer turns out to be fraudulent. In addition to this risk, increased inflation has led to more consumers comparatively shopping online for their back-toschool items, providing an opportunity for scammers to advertise high-demand products at low prices that are never delivered.

Busy as a Bee

Busy as a Bee

The first week of school has been completed, and the busyness of the new school year and the extracurricular activities that are already happening resembles a bee hive in full swing. Just like the bees all have their specific roles in the hive, so do all of the teachers, students, and administrative staff. How appropriate that August 20th is National and International Bee Day (the 3rd Saturday in August) as well as, this year, the 9th day of the school year. The calendar itself always plays a large part in how school learning and activities happen since it is helpful for teachers to facilitate learning among their students based on what the day/date of the calendar is. National Bee Day could be used in biology, horticulture, mathematics, art or music.

Monarch Butterflies Facing Battle Royal for Survival

The monarch butterfly has been placed on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s Red List as endangered. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo by Laura McKenzie)

Monarch Butterflies Facing Battle Royal for Survival

Monarch caterpillar on a milkweed plant. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo courtesy of Aggie Horticulture.)

Monarch Butterflies Facing Battle Royal for Survival

Monarch populations are especially susceptible to significant environmental changes when they are gathered together in large numbers. (Texas A&M AgriLife photo)

Monarch Butterflies Facing Battle Royal for Survival

By Paul Schattenberg

Forney ISD Names Mr. Cary Griffin Media Suite at City Bank Stadium

Forney ISD Names Mr. Cary Griffin Media Suite at City Bank Stadium

Cary Griffin, a community leader, business owner and avid volunteer, took his pursuits to heart as he connected the Forney community through his writing and volunteer work. In 1972, Cary and his wife, Judy, became the owners of the Forney Messenger. With a degree in English from UCLA, Cary spent the next 46 years using the newspaper as a conduit to write and inform readers of the local news. He and Judy were involved in all aspects of the community, which created rich content for meaningful local stories.

NORTH FORNEY HIGH SCHOOL BAND
NORTH FORNEY HIGH SCHOOL BAND

NORTH FORNEY HIGH SCHOOL BAND

This past weekend North Forney High School Band showcased their talents in the 11th Annual March-A-Thon. Over 100 students took to the streets in the Windmill Farms, Travis Ranch and Devonshire neighborhoods, performing at lawn concerts and entertaining the community. The 2022-2023 school year saw the band move to a 6A division class, under the direction of Head Band Director Mr. Jim Gist and Assistant Directors Mr. Mason Jocoy, Mr. Ryan King, and Mr. Kohei Sakai. These students and directors have been back honing their skills and getting ready for their upcoming marching season since July. They are looking forward to an awesome school year and would greatly appreciate the community coming out to support them at football games and UIL Competitions.

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Forney Messenger

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 936, Forney, TX 75126
Physical Address: 201 W. Broad St., Forney, TX 75126
Phone: 972-564-3121
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