July 2022

As the temperatures rise across the country, extreme heat can have a significant impact on everyone’s safety, but it can be especially stressful and confusing for individuals with Alzheimer’s and other dementias. Alzheimer’s disease causes a number of changes in the brain and body that may affect their safety, including changes in sensitivity to temperatures.

While watching tv the other night, a commercial came on that got my attention. Yeah, that’s right. Believe it or not, an ad that was worth watching. In a closeup of his face, the owner of a local business was speaking directly into the camera. And lo and behold, he was actually not pushing his product!

As Texas Agriculture Commissioner, I am responsible for the licensing of more than 850 entities that currently grow, handle, sample or process hemp in Texas. Hemp and marijuana are two different names for the flowering plant known as cannabis. The legal difference between the two is the concentration of tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC. THC is what gives the ‘high’ feeling people associate with cannabis. By law, marijuana has a concentration of THC that is 0.3% or higher. Hemp has a concentration of THC that is 0.3% or lower by dry weight.

A funeral service filled with remembrance for Glenn B. Tolbert will be held Saturday, July 30, 2022, at 10 a.m., at Max Slayton Funeral Chapel.

Sept. 17: The City of Terrell, in partnership with The Terrell Chamber of Commerce, will host the first ever Terrell Mural Walk. The Mural Walk will be held in historic downtown Terrell from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Participants are invited to enjoy a self-paced tour of the City’s existing historic murals as well as two murals – the Jamie Foxx mural in the 100 block of South Alley and a vintage-inspired fitness mural on the Lyric building – the future home of Hard Bodies - located at 115 W. Moore Ave.

United Way of Kaufman County will be conducting it annual Agency Grant reviews in February 2023. If you are an organization providing services to Kaufman County residents that are compliant with our Community Impact guidelines (Education, Health and/or Financial Stability), have a 501(c)3 standing with the IRS, have annual audits or reviews and would like an application to apply for grant money, please contact the United Way office at deb@kaufmancountyunitedway.org.

Triple-digit temperatures are forecast throughout the week for North Texas, with temperatures on Wednesday climbing to near-record levels, according to the National Weather Service. To help keep everyone safe during this latest heatwave, the American Red Cross is urging people to use caution and follow our heat safety tips.

More than 15-million pints of blood are transfused in this country each year. That exceeds 40,000 pints daily. Hospitals in north, central and east Texas are using only a fraction of that amount, but Carter Blood-Care still requests 1,000 volunteer blood donors each day to keep pace with local hospital demands.

Governor Greg Abbott encouraged Texans to remain vigilant during increased wildfire activity this week as the State of Texas continues ongoing coordinated wildfire response efforts through the Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM). Critical fire danger and widespread drought conditions have resulted in multiple wildfires continuing to burn across Texas, including the Chalk Mountain Fire in Somervell County and the 1148 Fire in Palo Pinto County. Both fires have caused local officials to issue voluntary evacuation orders for residents.

Film Alley will be partnering with Carter BloodCare to host a blood drive event Aug. 5 from 2 – 7 p.m.