COUNTY LIFE
Groundhog hopes to send winter packing
Saturday update – In a Groundhog Day update, Punxsutawney Phil apparently did not see his shadow this morning in Pennsylvania so Spring could arrive early. Thanks Phil we hope you are right.
The National Weather Service predicts Groundhog Day on Feb. 2 will be mostly sunny with a high near 31 degrees in Punxsutawney, PA, home of Phil the groundhog.
As the northeastern United States was enveloped with a “polar vortex” this week, everyone wants to know if Phil, will give the good word that winter will be leaving early.
The Groundhog Day tradition derives from the Pennsylvania Dutch superstition if a groundhog emerging from its burrow on the Feb. 2 sees his shadow due to clear weather it will retreat to its den and will persist six more weeks. If it does not see its shadow due to cloudiness, spring will arrive early.
While Groundhog Day is popular folklore and Punxsutawney has capitalized on it for an annual festival, there is no correlation between the groundhog seeing its shadow or not and the arrival or spring.
The National Climatic Data Center compared U.S. national temperatures from 1988 to 2012 to determine the accuracy of Phil’s predictions, and he’s only been proven correct 39 percent of the time – significantly worse than chance.
See the last 10 years of predictions in your weekend News.
(Center) Lynetta Slaton, lieutenant/support services with the Bowie Police Department was honored with a party Tuesday celebrating her 50th year working with the City of Bowie. She received a Bowie knife plaque in a surprise reception. Her son, Bo Slaton, and mom, LaVelle Boudreaux are pictured. Slaton is the longest serving city employee. (Courtesy photo)
Rainfall continues to push local lake levels upward.
As of May 17 Lake Nocona was 85.8% full at 825.51 mean sea level. It is full at 827.5 msl. One month ago it was at 67.3 msl.
Lake Amon G. Carter continues to be more than 100% full at 921.59%. It is full at 920 msl. One month ago it was 91.4% full at 918.85 ms.
Early voting begins May 20 and run through May 24 in the 30th Senatorial District runoff election for both the Democratic and Republican Party Primaries.
In the March primaries due to the large number of candidates no one received the necessary majority. The seat became vacant when Sen. Drew Springer (R-Muenster) decided not to seek re-election.
On the Democratic ticket, voters will choose between Michael Braxton and Dale Frey. On the Republican ticket Brent Hagenbuch and Jace Yarbrough battle it out. The winner in each party will face off in the November general election.
Early voting for the runoff runs May 20-24 from 7 a.m. to 7 p..m. at the Montague County Courthouse Annex Community Room. This is the only location for early voting.
On election voting polls will be located in the courthoue annex, Bowie Senior Citizens Center, Nocona City Hall and Saint Jo Civic Center. They will be open 7 a.m.. to 7 p.m.
Those who voted in the March primary can only cast ballots in that party primary, voters cannot switch parties. Those who did not vote in the primary can vote in either party primary.
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