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Home buyers must confront a host of variables in the best of times, but in recent years buyers have been forced to contend with a real estate market marked by a significant increase in home prices. According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, the median home sales price in the third quarter of 2023 was $431,000. That marks a significant increase since the start of 2020, when the median sales price was $329,000. That 31 percent increase in a little less than four full years can be traced to a host of variables, not the least of which is the global COVID-19 pandemic, which officially earned that designation in early March 2020. But the rise in home prices is not as recent a phenomenon as some may think. In fact, data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis indicates the median home sales price rose by 576 percent between 1980 and the third quarter of 2023.

A ‘Second’ Opening

In April of 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. was arrested and jailed in Birmingham, Alabama. Alone for several days in the dull “monotony of a narrow jail cell,” as he described it, King penned a letter that has been described as one of the most important historical documents ever written. Considered a classic treatise on civil disobedience, it is perhaps one of the most beautifully crafted and eloquent letters ever composed. Every American should read it.

Nutritious diets have long been touted as essential components of healthy lifestyles. Many people have a tendency to view diet as something that’s purely physical, associating the foods they eat with how they look and how much energy they have. While accurate, it doesn’t paint the full picture of just how big and positive an impact healthy diets can have on overall health.

January 25, 2024

Valentine’s Day is the perfect opportunity to let that special someone know how you feel about them. Whether it be a spouse, a new boyfriend or girlfriend, or a best friend, let these thoughtful gift ideas show them how much you really care: 1. A perfect brew: As most tea and coffee drinkers know, the ideal temperature beverage can be a fleeting thing, especially with all of life’s distractions and demands. That’s not the case with Nextmug, a gift that will spoil your Valentine with the perfect brew every time. This temperature- controlled, self-heating mug maintains a beverage at the user’s ideal temperature (warm at 130 degrees, hot at 140 degrees, and piping at 150 degrees) for hours using smart technology that requires no app or data-sharing. Stylish, ergonomic and simple to use, it eliminates the need to reheat a drink after getting sidetracked by workplace duties or household chores. To upgrade your gift, consider an additional docking coaster so they can enjoy a hot drink in multiple locations.

Drought continues to linger in patches of the state, but Texas agricultural producers face much better cropping outlooks going into spring, according to Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service experts.

The Texas Department of Transportation will host both in-person and virtual public hearings on the proposed project of US 80 between Farm to Market 460 and Spur 557, and Spur 557 from US 80 to I-20 in Kaufman County. TxDOT will hold in-person and virtual public hearings to seek public input on the project.

With profound sadness, the City of Forney acknowledges the passing of former Councilmember Derald Cooper. Derald devoted his time and enthusiasm to public service, leaving an enduring impact on our community.

Valentine's Day spending shows little sign of waning. Floral arrangements are among the most popular purchases on this special day. According to Rio Roses, customers spent $2.3 billion on flowers for Valentine's Day in 2022. Valentine's Day tends to be the busi-est day for florists as plenty of people want to surprise sweethearts with bouquets and other floral arrangements. Red roses account for 70 percent of all Valentine's Day flower purchases. Finance Buzz researched the average cost of a dozen roses in each state so shoppers could expect what they would pay to gift their loved ones, and the average price for a dozen roses in the United States was $80.16 at that time. Pennsylvania had the most affordable roses and Hawaii the most expensive. Roses can be costly, and recipients may want to do their bests to ensure the flowers last as long as possible.

FISD Board Recognizes Karaleigh Deason

Saint Valentine is the patron saint of lovers and engaged and married couples. He also is the name behind the holiday that inspires images of red hearts and rose petals in the middle of February.

On January 26, 2024, Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, with the help of multiple law enforcement agencies in a coordinated effort, seized five kilograms of methamphetamines and five pounds of marijuana during a traffic stop.