A new season in a new location

Back in July, I wrote about summer’s ‘quick retreat’ to remind readers that fall would occur as the season naturally shifts, usually, as we turn the calendar page to September. That’s when the sun would take a different slant and, as leaves began to fall, the air would occasionally whisper ‘Fall is coming’.

Well, I know that will still happen, but when? By now, Northeast Texas often gets a let-up in temperatures and at least one measurable rain episode by the first 10 days of September.

Not this year! Summer’s retreat is delayed as dangerous heat persists. But some hopeful news came today from former Hopkins County Judge Cletis Millsap. He messaged that we should see lower and cooler temperatures within seven days.

The National Weather Service has posted the Annual Consecutive 100-degree Days List for DFW. In that report, 2023 ranks sixth on the list for the top 10 consecutive 100-degree days. 2023 is actually tied with 2022, tallying 21 consecutive days of sizzling triple digits in the DFW region. The year of 1980 still wins, however, posting 42 consecutive days of record- breaking, punishing heat. That was a very bad year for the Texas power grid, for livestock, and for people.

And, here’s another high point. Sept. 1 marked the 150th birthday of the Weather Forecast Office in Fort Worth. The service began on Sept. 1, 1898, as part of the U.S. Army Signal Service. Long referred to as 'the weather bureau,' the official name became the National Weather Service under the newly-formed National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in 1970. Today, the Fort Worth office has the responsibility of providing public weather forecasting for 46 Texas counties.

☀ We’ve been very busy at the News-Telegram. Since we publish on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the Labor Day holiday required an accelerated schedule. Our staff compiled two weeks worth of content over a oneweek period, just to keep up with the closures that might disrupt the regular publishing and distribution schedule. But, we did it as a team, and now things are returning to a normal schedule.

And, we need your stories. Got something that’s newsworthy? Please contact us.

Something else we did as a team over the Labor Day weekend was to make the move to new offices. We vacated the 200 Main St. location and moved into the office building at 1428 South Broadway St. The signage is still marked as Freedom Realty, but our new signs are coming soon.

We’ll miss being downtown, but the new offices are more spacious, with several staffers now having their own office space.

As for myself and Melinda Hitt, our classified specialist, we share the front office. We’ll greet you at the door, so stop in and see us in our new location!