Columns & Editorials

The road to the presidential election should be an opportunity to teach our children concepts such as politics, bias, research, civil rights or patriotism. Instead, this election season seems to teach more rage and hate than anything useful. As a parent and educator, I am saddened by the loss of learning opportunities that are falling victim to less-than-helpful red vs. blue rhetoric. As a Christian, I am deeply disturbed by the degree of hate being flung about like bubbles through a bubble wand. What happened to society, conversation and agreeing to disagree?

The Pirates were determined to not have a repeat of last week’s game. Senior night was celebrated pregame before the players took to the tunnel. Joshua started out with the first possession of the game going three and out. Austin Cruise led the Pirates down to the twenty-three-yard line before being stopped by the Owls defense. Sophomore kicker Brandon Perez nailed a forty-yard field goal through the uprights to put the Pirates up 3-0. The rest of the first quarter was controlled by the Owls. Joshua scored on three straight possessions making the score 3-17 at the end of the first.

One of the ways homeowners can keep their lawns looking lush and green is to aerate the turf when the need arises. Aerators perforate the soil with small holes. These holes allow air, nutrients and water to penetrate all the way to the roots, helping them grow deep and strong. Deep, strong roots are essential to healthy, lush lawns. While aeration can help many lawns, not every lawn will necessarily need to be aerated. Lawns that get heavy use, such as those that are often played on by children or pets, will likely benefit from periodic aeration. Feeling the lawn also can help homeowners determine if it needs to be aerated. Lawns that dry out quickly or feel spongy may be overcome with thatch, which can prevent lawns from getting the air, water and nutrients they need to thrive. Lawncare professionals recommend aerating lawns that contain thatch that is more than one-half inch. Thatch also can foster grub infestations, providing another benefit to removing it and aerating a lawn. When to aerate depends on the type of grass. Homeowners should consult with a lawncare professional about the best time to aerate their particular lawns, but it’s generally recommended that cool-season grasses be aerated in early spring or fall, while it’s best to aerate warm season grasses in late spring.

According to the World Health Organization, tobacco kills up to half its users, annually killing roughly six million people each year. The WHO notes that more than five million of those deaths are the result of direct tobacco use, while more than 600,000 deaths can be attributed to non-smokers being exposed to secondhand smoke. While many in the United States may understand the threat that smoking poses to their overall health, the WHO notes that studies indicate knowledge about the specific health risks of tobacco use is not widespread. A 2009 survey of smokers in China found that less than 40 percent of smokers knew that smoking tobacco causes coronary heart disease, while only 27 percent were aware of the link between smoking and stroke. It’s also important that smokers recognize that cigarettes once characterized as “light” or “low tar” are not healthier than more traditional cigarettes. While the US Food and Drug Administration has banned the use of such terms in cigarette sales within the United States, smokers traveling or living overseas should be mindful that other countries may not operate under such restrictions. In addition, the American Cancer Society notes that there is no proof that cigarettes sold as “all natural” and marketed as having no chemicals or additives are any safer than traditional cigarettes and that the best way for men, women and children to avoid the dangers of tobacco is to never smoke or to quit immediately.

Hitting the trail for a hike is good for the mind and body. Fortunately, there are still plenty of opportunities to get out and do so this fall. As you plan your next outdoor adventure, consider supporting your journey with the following tech tools and gear:

More Americans are investing their time and energy in the pursuit of fitness these days, with the percentage of people belonging to gyms and health clubs nearly doubling from 2000-2017, according to Statista. Beyond casual workouts, participation in extreme sports and endurance events has grown exponentially in the past 25 years. Whether you’ve recently started exercising, are ramping up your efforts or have always been an avid sports enthusiast, you’ve probably dealt with soreness and fatigue after a tough workout.

Existing-home sales continued to climb in August, marking three consecutive months of positive sales gains, according to the National Association of Realtors . Each of the four major regions experienced both month-overmonth and year-over-year growth, with the Northeast seeing the greatest improvement from the prior month. Total existing-home sales, completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 2.4% from July to a seasonally-adjusted annual rate of 6.00 million in August. Sales as a whole rose year-over-year, up 10.5% from a year ago (5.43 million in August 2019).

In every election, lines and wait times seem to be longer, particularly in Forney. If everything goes right, this election will be better. Kaufman County Commissioner’s Court has added two new voting locations at the FISD Administration Building, and at the Trinity Church in Talty. Officials in the Forney Sub- Courthouse have worked with Election officials to create more space for Early Voting and on Election Day. So hopefully lines will move quickly with more locations to vote early.

Students at Trinity Valley Community College have new options available to them. The clothes closet and food pantry, part of the new on-campus Advocacy Resource Center, opened its doors to students last week.

Sergeant Alan Ruehs of Forney served in the United States Army from 1996 to 2014. After having grown up on his family’s farm in Michigan, he lacked a clear direction for his life when the farm went out of business. Eventually Ruehs found himself talking with an Army recruiter and ultimately enlisting in the Army for what he describes as a great career. The many benefits of the Army – college payment, medical insurance, etc. – were a few of the reasons Ruehs stuck with the military. But none were as impactful as the relationships he built with fellow servicemen and women.

Like many mature (aka OLD) hunters of my generation, I am sometimes a bit slow on incorporating new ideas into the way I hunt. After all, hunting methods that have worked during the past half century need no improvement; or do they? There is always something new to be learned about any topic and especially so when we consider reclusive wild critters such as whitetail deer or wild hogs. This brings us to the topic of this week’s column: The use of scents to help us bag that buck of our dreams or put fresh wild pork in the freezer.

(Article One) Shortly after the War Between the States had taken its heavy toll on so many, including a family in Brooksville, Mississippi, the story began. Two fine, young sons of Madison Macajah and Nancy Brooks were killed in the war—Samuel at age 23 and Benjamin at age 21.

Dwight Powell has always been one of my favorite Dallas Mavericks players, both on and off the court, and has shown steady progress; however, on January 21 of this past season, he “went down” with a serious ruptured Achilles tendon as he was patrolling under the basket.