News

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s Healthy Lawns and Healthy Waters Program will host a residential rainwater harvesting and turf management training June 22nd.

Graduates included students from the College of Allied Health, College of Arts and Humanities, College of Bible and Ministry, Paul R. Carter College of Business Administration, Cannon-Clary College of Education, Carr College of Nursing, College of Pharmacy, College of Sciences, Honors College and University College.

The University of Utah congratulates more than 8,700 students who were named to the Spring 2021 Dean’s List. To qualify, students must earn a GPA of 3.5 or higher in at least 12 graded credit hours during any one term.

Bethany College has released the Academic Dean’s Honor Roll for Fall 2020. Students must be enrolled full-time with a semester grade point average of at least 3.50, to qualify.

Find adventure with friends and family this summer at a Texas State Park. Two new features, now available on the Texas State Park Online Reservations webpage, make it easier than ever to plan spontaneous camping trips. Visitors can now see and reserve available campsites for the same day and for the upcoming weekend.

The beginning of summer is magical for many people simply because of the promise it holds--days and days of moderately scheduled activities followed by open days with no schedule at all. But that isn’t the case for the staff that is overseeing the finishing construction of the three new schools slated to open for the 2021-2022 school year. Griffin Elementary School, Rhodes Intermediate School, and Jackson Middle School are in the last big push days to be finished in time. Of course all of the wonderful rain that has been happening the last three months has put a crimp in finishing the schedule but, the crews working on these three campuses have pivoted to interior work when the exterior has been covered in rainfall.

Thursday, June 3rd

Forney resident, John Wayne Gaylord has authored a “verse by verse journey through the book of Revelation” entitled Finally Home. A project that took nearly four and a half years to complete, Gaylord has invested countless hours into the study and interpretation of this often-confusing book of Scripture. He began this undertaking while teaching the Believers Bible Study Class at First Baptist Forney, a class he led for two decades. Over the course of three and a half years, this group studied Revelation together. At the encouragement of students in the class and with the support of others in his life, his years navigating Revelation with the Believers Class prompted Gaylord to compile all of this information into one easy-to-read resource.

He was born and “early” raised in Manchester area, England, but Michael Lawrence Renshaw answered a call in 1968 to “come to Dallas to join with a newly forming soccer club, called THE DALLAS TORNADO in the North American Soccer League. That was not surprising, since folks who knew him back in England said that “since the day he could walk, he had a soccer ball at his feet!” He followed that by playing for “Blackpool” before moving to the United States. And, it was not surprising that he realized his dream of playing soccer for the National Team, although it was the U. S. National Team.

I really enjoy our backyard out here in one of the still somewhat rural areas of Forney, as I watch with amazement the numerous birds fly to-and-fro and build nests, catch insects, conduct “courting rituals,” and rest on limbs really close to me if I hold still enough! I think that the male and female cardinal pair are my favorites, but the goldfinches, cedar waxwings, blue-jays, mourning doves, and even hawks and crows provide nice, relaxing respites from lawn-mowing and tree-trimming duties (which I actually “love,” as my wife will tell you) that let me escape into a daydreaming reverie quite often. Last week, I saw a beautiful, colorful “crane” of some type (at least three feet tall with neck extended) out in the now watery area of our sloping back yard and thought about fishing with David Costello, Ruby Taylor, and Rod Stark here in Forney and with my Dad and Grandpas and Cousins during trips to Oklahoma.

“There is a really big group of people ready to be told about God,” says Marissa, 12.

The new Downtown Mesquite Farmers Market will begin on June 12. The weekly marketplace of fresh produce and creative artisans will take place Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. through November 27 at Front Street Station. For more details, visit www.downtownmesquitetx.com.

The City of Forney is set to host its annual Independence Day Celebration on Saturday, July 3, at Forney Community Park. An event that draws crowds of residents and out-of-town visitors alike, this yearly tradition will continue this summer, bringing a free family-friendly event to the area.