Names in the News, July 26

Phone and text scams cost people across the country millions of dollars a year. Phone fraudsters use the threat of arrest warrants, the promise of romance and even disasters to con unsuspecting people aout of hundreds, sometimes thousands, of dollars. These thieves often target senior citizens, because the scam artists know that most seniors will be polite and trusting. Many of these crimes are perpetrated outside the jurisdiction where the crime occurred, making them tough to investigate.

It has been a busy beginning to fall at Garrett Junior High School.

Nothing signals autumn more than when bulk-bins of pumpkins pop up in the grocery store.

Let’s go from Halloween and pumpkin-spiced everything to a four-week stint of non-stop holidaymaking with a late Thanksgiving this year on Nov. 27, Hanukkah from the evening of Dec. 14-22 and Christmas on Dec. 25, and then we’ll ring in 2026! Whoa! Let’s catch a breath!

As I am preparing to write this week’s column, I am reviewing our school calendar and thinking about our community support. I am so grateful for our traditions and community.