News

I was scanning the news articles on the Internet the past few days while waiting for it to warm up outside, and something “caught my eye.” It seems that a certain Bosnian city, MOSTAR (Balkans area), which is in the southern part and famous for “differences of opinions along ethnic lines,” but also for fine architectural accomplishments (Bosnia-Herzegovina), made headlines for something we take for granted.

When the Texas Legislature meets in 2021, lawmakers are expected to take on the complicated and contentious process of redistricting — the decennial redrawing of maps for the state’s congressional, legislative and State Board of Education boundaries.

One of the largest tasks Texas lawmakers will tackle during the 2021 legislative session that begins in January is writing the state budget, which outlines state spending for the next two years.

Mulberry Park in Forney is now home to a brand-new outdoor dek hockey rink. Open to the public, the recently completed “sport court” features a space customized to play dek hockey and is adjacent to the tennis courts at Mulberry Park. The rink is open from 8:00 am to 11:00 pm daily, and a limited number of sticks and balls are available for public use.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) Torch Awards for Ethics is a highly sought-after accomplishment for businesses. In order to receive this prestigious award, a company must consistently exhibit high standards of honesty, integrity, and transparency. The specific criteria for the BBB Torch Awards are:

The North Texas Municipal Water District (NTMWD) will be performing prescribed burns to address brush and excessive vegetative thatch at the East Fork Water Reuse Project (Wetland) in Kaufman County. The prescribed burns will be conducted over multiple days beginning in December 2020 through February 2021. The timing and conclusion of the prescribed burns will depend on local weather conditions.

Southern Arkansas University has announced that 426 students earned a 4.0 for the fall 2020 semester and have been named to its’ President’s List.

Congratulations to Central Penn College’s Allied Health students who have been pinned, symbolizing the successful completion of the academic portion of their program.

If you’ve been contributing for many years to your 401(k) or similar retirement plan, it may be your largest pool of money. So, if you are facing a financial need, you may think about tapping into your account. After all, it’s your money – why not use it?

**Billy Owen Costello, son of William O. “Bill” (farmer, mail carrier, car salesman) and Maxine Costello (my 3rd grade school teacher), one afternoon had a “bright idea” of how all of us “kids” in the neighborhood could get rich—by PICKING COTTON! He told us to meet beside the Costello house at 7:00 a. m. the next morning and to be ready to work at our new business!

For two decades, Anthony “Tony” Hambric served the United States in the U. S. Army. A graduate of Wills Point High School, Hambric enlisted in the Army in 1980 for the opportunities it would present to him. “I always wanted to be a mechanic and do something technical,” he said. “I also wanted to see the world and get my education.”

On Dec. 22, Gov. Greg Abbott sat in a conference room at the Ascension Seton Medical Center in Austin and rolled up his sleeve for the cameras. A nurse pricked a dose of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine into his left arm and state officials and hospital staff in the room applauded.

Parents of children enrolled in afterschool programs are happier with their participation than ever before, according to a new study. At the same time, there aren’t nearly enough programs available, and students from low-income families are the most likely to lack access. For every child in an afterschool program today, three more are waiting to get in.