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Longtime supporter of the Forney Area United Way, Smurfit Kappa’s Forney Mill donated yet again in 2022. Through the company’s campaign, during which employees pledged to contribute, the grand total of Smurfit Kappa’s donation was $36,806. This generous contribution was recently presented by Bob Brown, Vice President of Mills, to the Forney Area United Way, which was represented by President Darrell Grooms.

County Officials Sworn in During Special January 1st Meeting

Anglers across Texas and the nation marked their calendars for opening day of a new Toyota ShareLunker season. The 37th season kicked off New Year’s Day as anglers cast their lines in hopes of landing a Legacy Lunker largemouth bass (13-plus pounds) in Texas’ world-class fisheries.

The human body is a marvel. How the body transforms over the course of an individual’s life is one of its more remarkable qualities, and those changes never cease, even as individuals near retirement age. The changes associated with aging include physical transformations but also more subtle shifts the naked eye cannot see. For example, metabolism slows as individuals grow older, and aging also can lead to a decrease in bone density and muscle mass. These changes affect how men and women at or nearing retirement age should approach their diets in recognition of the various ways their nutritional needs change at this point in their lives. Any modifications to a diet should first be discussed with a physician, but the following are some ways aging adults can use diet to combat age-related changes to their bodies.

On December 19th Texas Secretary of State John Scott released a report on the second and final phase of the agency’s full forensic audit of the 2020 General Election in four of Texas’ largest counties: Collin, Dallas, Harris and Tarrant. Phase 2 of the audit, undertaken over the past year by the Texas Secretary of State’s Forensic Audit Division, included a comprehensive examination of election records from the 2020 General Election in each of the four counties, resulting in more than 369 GB of data obtained. The Phase 2 final report, which spans 360 pages, includes key findings from the 2020 General Election on aspects of the election process, including: reconciliation of voters checked in versus ballots cast; physical security of election equipment; adequacy of counties’ training materials; ballot-bymail processes; provisional ballots; voter registration; and complaints received regarding alleged irregularities.

The end of any year causes one to look back in reflection of the events that had occurred in the last twelve months. Forney Education Foundation experienced a wonderful 2022 due in large part to the amazing support of the teachers and community that believed in and understood the mission of FEF. The donors that gave so generously to the Foundation– regardless of the amount–also understood that the funds are very carefully spent to benefit the teachers and students in Forney ISD. Since the Grant Train has rolled through FISD for this school year, the teachers are looking forward to receiving their grants next semester and implementing them in their classroom.

The New Year is a time of resolutions. It’s a time when people commit to making a change in their life. Losing weight, changing jobs, saving money, making money, a new relationship, getting in shape, going back to school, or giving up smoking, are just some of the goals people set for themselves on January 1st.

Though it might not be home to as many celebrants as Australia and the United States, the tiny Pacific island nation of Kiribati will be the first country to ring in the new year in 2022. This small nation beats New Zealand’s Chatham Islands to the punch by 15 minutes. When Kiribati is welcoming the new year, it will only be 5 a.m. on December 31 in New York City. The uninhabited atoll Baker Island and the uninhabited coral island Howland Island are the last places to welcome 2022. These tiny islands do so seven hours after the ball drops in New York City’s Times Square.

The City of Mesquite now offers a way to sign up for emergency and general information and weather alerts. Mesquite Alerts, powered by CodeRED, is a high-speed emergency mass notification service that allows residents to opt in to receive real time notifications.

An ornament designed and painted by a Terrell High School student hangs in the House of Representatives chamber in the State Capitol this Christmas. Evelyn Aviles hand-painted the ornament as a tribute to her school by including the Terrell High School mascot, a tiger, with a bow and the words “Terrell 2022” across the top. Representative Bell and wife Annette hung the ornament from the tree in a special ceremony in the House Chamber.

Retirement is something millions of professionals aspire to. Retirement isn’t necessarily when a person stops working forever. In fact, many retirees continue working as part-time volunteers and consultants.

With more free time on their hands, retirees may spend a portion of that time dining out at local eateries. While it’s commendable to want to support local businesses, eating out can quickly devour a budget if those on fixed incomes are not careful. Certain strategies can be used to help retirees save money while dining out.

If you’re feeling stressed about rising rents and interest rates, you are not alone. Most American renters say their rents increased in the past 12 months, and for many, their wage gains didn’t keep pace. In addition, mortgage rates have reached a two-decade high.