By BJ Austin, KERA News & Wire Services
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/kera/local-kera-978129.mp3
Dallas, TX – This summer's North Texas heat wave is now the 9th longest for consecutive 100 degree days.
Monday was Day 17. Jennifer Dunn with the National Weather Service in Fort Worth says there's no relief in sight.
Dunn: It looks like the triple digit temperatures are likely to continue for at least the next seven days. We're going to be right around 100. On a couple of days we may be 99 degrees, but I'm sure that's not going to feel much different. So, as far as relief goes, it doesn't look like it for the next seven days. The only relief we may get is going to be those pop-up thunderstorms.
But Dunn says those storms will be brief and isolated over the region - if they happen at all.
Outdoor burn bans extend to 247 Texas counties
The Texas Forest Service says the record number of counties with outdoor burn bans has reached 247 as the drought lingers.
An agency map Monday afternoon showed scattered areas in northern and southern parts of 254-county Texas as the only areas without burn bans during the hot, dry weather.
The Texas Forest Service says the previous record, before this year's drought, was set in January 2006 with 221 counties having outdoor burn bans. That mark was passed last month.
Reward In Richardson Flag Desecration
The Richardson Central Rotary Club is hoping a one thousand dollar reward helps find those responsible for desecrating more than 50 American flags flying in front yards for the Fourth of July.
Carl Bonds, Rotary Club President, says no one heard or saw anything during the night. Residents in the Canyon Creek neighborhood discovered the vandalism early on the morning of July 7th. Bonds hopes the reward kicks the police investigation into high gear.
Bonds: They bent the flag poles and then they tore the flags. One lady has several in her front yard. They were ripped and several of them thrown in the yard. We don't know who did it, but we're going to find out.
The Rotary Club, neighborhood association and area Boy and Girl Scout troops have put up 12-hundred flags for the Fourth in Canyon Creek since 2008.
Anyone with information should contact the Richardson Central Rotary Club.
reward@rcrotary.com or 972-559-4792.
DISD Loses Chief Academic Officer
The Dallas School District's Chief Academic Officer is retiring August 31st.
Ivonne Durant is a 42 year veteran educator. For the last 16 years at the Dallas ISD, Durant was dean of instruction, principal, an area superintendent, and chief Academic officer.
Interim Superintendent Alan King says a temporary manager will take over Durant's duties until the "new" superintendent can appoint someone.
Video game company EA adding 300 jobs in Texas
Video game company Electronic Arts is expanding its EA Sports division and adding 300 jobs in Central Texas.
Gov. Rick Perry on Monday joined company officials for the announcement in Austin. EA currently employs about 450 people in the Austin area.
Perry says the new hires will include 150 full-time workers and 150 contract employees.
The jobs will include software engineers, game designers, artists, programmers and senior technical positions.
Perry touted the video gaming industry in Texas, ranked No. 2 behind California, with $25 billion in overall annual revenue. The governor says Texas "is ready to compete for a bigger piece of that pie."
EA Sports is the developer behind games including "Madden NFL" and "FIFA Soccer."
The company is based in Redwood City, Calif.