News

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, restaurant, school and work closures were integral components of mitigation plans designed to prevent the virus from spreading. That resulted in much fewer cars on the road. Many things have changed since then, and life has gradually returned to pre-pandemic conditions. That return to normalcy has been marked by a return to the workplace. The United States Census Bureau says the average person commutes just over 27 minutes each way when traveling solo by car. Those times were slashed when only essential personnel were commuting during the height of the pandemic. Census data paints a picture of shorter commute times now. Data indicates that, in 2019, there were nearly nine million workers who were doing their jobs outside of a centralized workplace. In 2021, that part of the workforce increased to about 27.6 million workers, resulting in roughly 18.6 million fewer commuters across the U.S. Census surveys indicate round-trip commute times dropped by around 7 percent in 2021 from 2019, equalling about 4 minutes saved on a round-trip commute each day. Only time will tell if commutes will continue to decrease or if a return to the office from remote working will once again increase commute times.

Representative Keith Bell’s Capitol Update

Stephen F. Austin State University recognized the outstanding academic achievements of a select number of students by naming 1,500 to the Dean’s List for fall 2022. To qualify for the Dean’s List at SFA, the student must have earned a semester GPA over 3.5 in 12 or more semester hours while a full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate student.

Ouachita Baptist University has named 382 students to its Fall 2022 President’s List.

Ouachita Baptist University has named 382 students to its Fall 2022 Dean’s List.

Mansfield Yiu Earns Dean’s List Honor at Lee University

Fairfield Lake State Park, 96 miles south of Dallas, is expected to close permanently by the end of the month because its landlord is selling the land.

Op-Ed By State Representative Keith Bell

The University of Texas at Tyler announced students who were named to the fall 2022 President’s Honor Roll.

Everyone wishes for good fortune and a problem free life. Yet many people are disappointed with their situations. Is wishing effective or is it overrated? The answer is yes to both. So what’s the catch?

The annual white bass run is heating up and anglers across Texas are preparing for exciting days on the water. Each spring, white bass run upstream from reservoirs into rivers and creeks to spawn, creating prime fishing opportunities for new and seasoned anglers. White bass can be targeted from the bank, motorized boat or paddle craft in multiple publicly accessible locations throughout the state.

Remembering teachers that left an impact on your life helps to carry on their legacy. There are many fine teachers in Forney ISD, and my family has had the blessing to have had them as instructors through three generations of Forney ISD students. And even though I never attended school in Forney, I, too, was blessed to have many excellent teachers in my school career. One of those teacher/mentors was Mr. Jim Johnson at Texas A&M. On Sunday, February 28, 2021, a celebration of Mr. Johnson’s life was held for all of us Aggies and the other many, many people whose lives he had touched. He had passed away in May 2020 and, due to COVID, the memorial was postponed to the later date.

The Mesquite Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) Task Force presented seven awards on Jan. 19 at the Mesquite Chamber of Commerce Luncheon. The BRE Awards honored Mesquite businesses and community members. The 2022 award winners are as follows.