News

The 1920 Greenwood District in Tulsa, Oklahoma, was a sight to behold with its multiple newspapers, movie theaters, grocery stores, schools, churches, hotels, medical centers, and nightclubs. Historians credit Tulsa for embodying very progressive racial views. See, Greenwood was a black neighborhood, a very successful black neighborhood. A black family could live, shop, and even obtain a bank loan from another black person without leaving the comfort of their own neighborhood, a feat unheard of anywhere else in the US at that time. Booker T Washington deserves much of the credit for Greenwood’s success. His visit in 1905 set all of the wheels in motion. He was instrumental in guiding the community’s black leaders toward developing 4,000 acres within Tulsa two full years before OK was even considered for statehood. I bet you’re asking why Tulsa? Again, we turn to the historians who explain that post-emancipation slaves largely stayed & settled in the Oklahoma area. They would soon rub elbows with prosperity when massive amounts of oil were discovered in 1901 and again in 1905 with the Glenpool area wells. Soon, the whole country wanted a piece of the action, too. In 1900, Tulsa’s population was 1,400. By 1920, they hit 98,874. The money was flowing as fast as the oil, and, since Booker T had persuaded the Greenwood community to stress education over everything else, a very savvy black community was poised to achieve a lifestyle that would be envied by black neighborhoods throughout the country. The Greenwood District was so successful, it picked up a trendy nickname: Black Wall Street. This is how it was meant to be, they thought. Look at us working hard one generation past slavery. Look how we’re going to persevere. Look what we’ve created. Alas, you may already know this won’t end well. If not, consider this a spoiler alert of catastrophic proportions.

An historic weather event occurred in Texas the week of February 14-19, 2021. Record setting low temperatures and actual snow fell in most of North Texas with the Forney area receiving a number of inches of snow and personal pictures normally seen in Colorado. Electricity distribution was endangered and water froze in pipes in extremely cold homes. But the Forney Family stepped up and volunteered to cook for families who had no power, bring firewood to help create warmth in people’s fireplaces, and transport those who had no other way to get to warmer accommodations.

If you have a child or other family member who has special needs due to physical or mental conditions, you face a variety of challenges planning for their care, including financial ones. You may also have some wellmeaning relatives who want to help, but who may not realize that their moves could actually result in some serious lifestyle and monetary problems for your loved one. Fortunately, by planning ahead, you can avoid these potential traps.

The City of Forney continues to search for creative new ways to support its residents and the local economy. Earlier this month, the City launched a new program that brings attention to our local businesses using a facet of life that many people encounter countless times a day: digital media.

In early November, the Forney ISD school board surprised the swim and dive teams through a Facebook live announcing the addition of an aquatic training facility to be built this spring and summer. And on Monday, February 8, Forney ISD signed an MOU with Metroplex Aquatics to manage the facility for $0 operating costs to the district while also providing community engagement opportunities.

“I think God the Father has given his Son power over everything because Jesus is greater than all. He has come from heaven,” says Kianna, 10.

I don’t know if either of these words is the “best” to put together to describe an important literary “ERA” of the early 1900’s, but I have never come up with two that are totally more descriptive and correct. If I had, my name might now be in literature books!

Speaker Dade Phelan released Texas House committee assignments for the 87th Legislative Session, naming Representative Bell (R-Forney) to Vice-Chair of Criminal Jurisprudence and Public Education Committees. This will be Representative Bell’s second session serving on both of these committees.

I hope that most of you know that I own Flower Basket. And today, you will all learn that my birthday is on Friday. According to my children, these two facts make it impossible to shop for me (“What are we gonna get a florist the week of Valentine’s Day? Flowers?”) so they’ve worked very hard to make my birthday gifts meaningful; and every gift they give is that much more special because I know that they gave it so much thought.

“Honey, do you want to watch the new movie, The Little Things? Weston and Katie are going to take us!” (Vivian)

The students listed on the Dean’s List of Academic Honors at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, are undergraduates who have achieved a grade point average of at least 3.5 out of a perfect 4.0 in all work attempted while enrolled in not less than 12 semester hours. The university would like to recognize the following students for earning the honor for the Fall 2020 semester.

The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) will temporarily change the disinfectant in its water treatment process from March 1 through March 29, 2021. The annual, routine change is necessary to maintain the regional system and year-round water quality.

For most of my life I have heard the above advice but did not take it seriously until the past years of retirement when I have had more time to work outside and suffer various “dings,” scratches, bites, stings, burns, a possible snake bite, and various rashes. I must admit that I have not used the “miracle stuff” recently, because my supply died from too much attention, especially watering in a container that did not drain well, but just the other day I happened across a “blurb” on the internet, extolling the virtues of this WONDER PLANT. Allow me to share what I have experienced and what I have learned by listening and reading.