Fannin County Family Crisis Center (FCFCC) is collecting fans for those in our community that do not have air conditioning. We currently have a waiting list of families that simply cannot afford the luxury of central air. Fans help cool the home and circulate the air.

As healthcare workers serve the communities in North Texas, Hawaiian Falls honors healthcare workers at several hospitals in Roanoke, Mansfield and Waco with free season passes for the summer.

Beginning June 1, SMU Dedman School of Law will launch a clinic project with an emergency helpline that offers North Texas residents the opportunity to secure free legal assistance with matters related to the COVID-19 pandemic, such as housing, immigration and consumer protection.

In order to help support the ongoing mission of our local food pantries, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension in Fannin County will be hosting a food drive the first week of June (June 1-5). Donations of non-perishable food items may be dropped off at the Derrell Hall Education Center between the hours of 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.

The Honey Grove Library and Learning Center is thrilled to be recipient of a grant of $8,000 from the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to support family literacy.

Though large group activities have been suspended for now, the Creative Arts Center is open and will be offering a four-week course in Abstract Acrylic Painting beginning Wednesday, June 17 from 2-4 p.m. The class will be taught by Katherine Kluger. In with the Fun - Out with the Fear will be a hands-on introduction to abstract art, "making friends" with Wassily Kandinsky, Jackson Pollock, Piet Mondrian and Marc Chagall and gaining an understanding of their thought process and painting techniques. The cost for the course is $125 per person and advance reservations are required with payment. Space is limited to accommodate social distancing for safety and health.

The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma announced last week all Choctaw casino locations plan to resume operations on June 1 with increased health and safety measures. This includes all Choctaw Casinos & Resorts as well as Casino Too locations (travel plazas). This target opening is contingent upon key health indicators.

We will be open for seating customers. We can only seat around forty at a time. Please continue to practice social distancing, wear a mask, and sanitize your hands.

While you're spending so much time (stuck) at home these days, you can’t help but notice the home improvement projects you haven’t gotten to or didn’t quite finish. And then there’s the lawn. How can you not notice your lawn and how green or dandelion-crammed it is compared to say, the neighbor’s lawn – not that you’re into comparing.

Texas Governor Greg Abbott and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) today announced $3.6 million in funding for nursing facilities to purchase tablets, webcams, and headphones to connect residents with their loved ones during the COVID-19 pandemic. Texas is encouraging nursing facility providers to submit applications to HHSC to receive up to $3,000 in federal funding per facility for purchasing communication technology devices.

We would like you to know that maintenance of the cemetery has not been interrupted. Please remember that we still rely on individual family donations to maintain the cemetery.

Usually bird counts are done during the winter when birds are easier to see, but, with time on their hands, four Fannin County birdwatchers - Gary Fernandes, Jessica Womack, Melinda Jeffries and Patsi Tindel - individually watched for birds in May and shared and compiled their results, which they called "Separate, but Together Bird Count." photo of a dickcissel by Jessica Womack

"The event industry is made up almost entirely of small businesses. These businesses are dramatically impacted with the rescheduling of events due to lost cash flow from the delay of payments to the loss of another day they could have held an event," explains Wendy Kidd, owner of Each and Every Detail, a full planning event service in McKinney. "Each wedding on average has 15 vendors servicing that event, which means 15 businesses are impacted per event rescheduled."

The Martha Jefferson Randolph Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is lending a helping hand to healthcare and other essential workers on the front lines of the pandemic, ensuring that Texoma's residents and facilities have more protective wear resources to face the threat of the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

Rudy Littrell of E-Flat Porch Band. McKinney is now a certified Texas Music Friendly Community as recognized by Governor Abbott and the Texas Music Office (TMO). photo by Allen Rich

AJ and Lenda Fidelman, Fields of Fidelis co-owners and husband-and-wife team, show off a full basket of fresh cut lavender. Fields of Fidelis, a veteran-owned boutique lavender farm in North Texas, hosted a day of volunteer activities as a form of outdoor therapy for military veterans on Sunday, May 17, 2020. photo courtesy of Ten Eleven film+photography

Yes, it is time for annual the Red River Valley Tourism Association's giant sale that includes: yard sales, garage sales, sidewalk sales, farmer's markets, and trades day sales. These sales are usually located in the participating communities, not set-up along the highway. The sale covers 425 miles along Highway 82, the Highway 287 corridors and beyond. This year the participating communities on Hwy 82 are: Clarksville, Detroit, Reno, Paris, Honey Grove, Bonham, Muenster, Saint Jo, Nocona and Henrietta. On Hwy. 144 is Burkburnett, and on Hwy 287 Bowie, and Quanah.

Since the Bonham Public Library Board had to cancel the annual Books n' Blooms Bazaar in April, it has decided to have a virtual sale.

Popular Hungr-Buster® available for only $3 via DQ app, which must be downloaded by May 27, 2020.

Memorial Day commemorates the men and women who died while in the battlefields for their country. We want to observe and memorize these veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. It is a time for remembering those who gave their life so that we could have the luxuries and freedom that we enjoy today.

Board members of the Dial Cemetery Association and friends have placed flags at the gravesites of all military veterans who are interred there. Dial Cemetery is one of the oldest cemeteries in Fannin county and is populated by members of many of the earliest settlers of this area of Texas.

Another reason to celebrate next week…we will be open for seating customers. We can only seat around forty at a time. Please continue to practice social distancing, wear a mask, and sanitize your hands.

"Texans always get the job done, especially when we work together," Texas Governor Greg Abbott says in the public service announcement. "As we safely open up our state, we need to unite as one Texas to contain COVID-19 and to get Texans back to work. If you go out in public, stay six feet apart from others, wear a face covering, and wash your hands regularly. Be a good neighbor. Be a Texan. Together, we’re going to make our way through this."

Opening the concert will be Still Kickin', a fairly new classic rock band from our area soon to become everyone's favorite. Headlining the show will be 78 Live, one of Fannin County's favorite classic rock dance bands. You will not be disappointed. "This is our first post-coronavirus shutdown event," said promoter Rick Massey. "Due to the fact that we are an outdoor facility, everyone will be spread out and encouraged to keep social distancing. Hand sanitizer will be available and we plan to have masks for sale."

We will be doing Shrimp or Chicken plates on Sunday, May 24. For Pick up! 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.

"These grant opportunities underscore USDA's commitment to all segments of agriculture, including swiftly expanding areas of urban agriculture," Under Secretary for Farm Production and Conservation Bill Northey said.

There will only be one distribution of staples and produce on Friday, May 22. North Texas Food Bank will be back in Honey Grove soon as possible. This will be drive-through only.

The Fannin County Museum of History, Sam Rayburn House State Historic Site and Fort Inglish Frontier Village are now open in Bonham for visitors, with restrictions.

The Annual Mulberry Memorial Day and Homecoming for May 24, 2020 has been postponed until a later date this year due to the Coronavirus. The members and friends of the Association will be notified by letter at a later date as to when we will have the event.

We are only open for to-go and pickup orders, and are not open for dining-in at this time.