On this Labor Day and first full week of September, temperatures are sweltering in triple digits with a pattern that is typical of Mid-July to Mid-August.  Today will mark our second consecutive day at 100+, but it would be our fourth day there if this past Saturday had not officially recording 99 degrees as the high.  We went into the weekend with 101 degrees last Friday, the last day of August.

Here’s a look at today’s forecast highs from our in-house computer model, the FutureSky Forecast.  Most areas should uniformly top out near 100-102 degrees with similar readings Tuesday through Thursday.

Today is the hottest Labor Day since Labor Day of 2000 when we hit a record setting 111 degrees.  It was also the 4th day in a row of 109+ degree record highs and the 6th day in a row of record heat.  Here’s the top 5 hottest Labor Days on record.

A pattern shifts looks pretty promising this Friday into Saturday as an upper level trough in the Great Lakes digs deep enough south to send a fairly strong cold front into North Texas.  The front will likely trigger strong to severe storms somewhere in a Friday afternoon to Saturday morning time frame with highest probabilities for Friday evening.  Damaging winds will be the main threat, but locally heavy rainfall and lightning will be issues as well.

The highs today and tomorrow will be well below the record highs, but Wednesday and Thursday will push to within a few degrees of the records.    These highs are certainly much warmer than the average 93 degrees, but will make this coming weekend oh so much more enjoyable!

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After a long, political battle, both on Capitol Hill and in Detroit, the U.S. Department of Energy and the Obama administration have confirmed new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards for all cars made between 2017 and 2025.

The final ruling, originally due two weeks ago but delayed because of continued political wrangling, will require average fuel economy of all new cars and trucks sold in the U.S. to reach 54.5 mpg by 2025.

Speaking at a press conference earlier today, U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood proudly announced the new standards.

“Today is a monumental day for the U.S. people,” he said at a White House Conference moments ago. “This will cut oil consumption by 12 billion barrels,” he explained.

“President Obama understands that when consumers have the option to save fuel, everyone wins,” he continued. “Under today’s standards, Americans will have the choice of buying the kind of vehicle they want. Everyone wins when we reduce fuel use and cut carbon emissions.”

“We’ll lead the world in building the cars and trucks of the future,” said Lisa P. Jackson, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator. “These new standards ensure that the progress we’ve seen so far will continue for years to come,“ she added.

Cars built under the new standards will emit half as much greenhouse gas as current models, Jackson explained, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by a massive 6 billion metric tons.

Although the new standards will increase the price of new cars by around $1800 by 2025, current analysis suggests that the improvement in fuel economy could net U.S. drivers an average $8,000 in gasoline savings per car when compared with a similar model from 2010.

This equates to a nationwide saving by 2025 equivalent of $1.7 trillion of gasoline per year.

“We commend the Obama administration, the auto industry, and environmental organizations for working together to bring about this historic leap in fuel efficiency.  The new standard of 54.5 mpg by 2025 for cars and light trucks will effectively double fuel efficiency and provide many benefits to drivers and the country” said Phyllis Cuttino, Director of the Clean Energy Program at Pew Environment Group, a non-profit group that works to promote clean energy economies and ecological practices through pragmatic, science-based policies.

“Our nation will be more secure, our environment will be cleaner, and consumers will have more money in their pockets as a result of the new rule,” she continued.

Under the new ruling, an estimated 570,000 jobs could be created in the U.S auto industry, as automakers strive to find new ways to build ever-efficient cars.

“This helps drive innovation,” said Jackson. “Innovation is the sweet spot where our economic and environmental needs meet.”

____________________________

This story originally appeared at Green Car Reports.

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American Airlines parent company AMR Corporation’s headquarters. (credit: Chuck Schechner/NewsRadio 1080 KRLD)

FORT WORTH (CBSDFW.COM) – AMR Corporation, the parent of American Airlines, announced today it has entered a non-disclosure agreement with US Airways under which the two companies will discuss a possible merger.

In a short statement issued jointly this morning, the companies said they have “agreed to exchange certain confidential information and, in close collaboration with AMR’s Unsecured Creditors Committee, to work in good faith to evaluate a potential combination.”

The Fort Worth-based carrier filed for bankruptcy in November.  Since then, it has been working with its union employees to strike new deals aimed at cutting costs.

Both companies said today they do not expect to discuss any further details of their talks until either a merger is completed or the deal called off.

In addition, both companies announced they will not talk to other airlines about a merger while these discussions are underway.

The president of Local 513 of the Transport Workers Union at DFW, Darrin Pierce, said the announcement shows the two carriers are becoming more serious about their discussions.

“Our position is that we want to make sure whatever road is taken we’ve done the work we can do to protect our members and get the best deal possible,” Pierce said.

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Cats from shelters along the Gulf coast arrived at the SPCA of Texas Tuesday morning. (credit: Facebook/SPCA of Texas)

McKINNEY (CBS 11 NEWS) – 181 animals from the Gulf Coast arrived in North Texas today from animal shelters threatened by Hurricane Isaac.

The SPCA of Texas says it received 87 cats and 60 dogs from the Louisiana SPCA in New Orleans.  34 cats from the Humane Society in Gulfport, Mississippi were also transferred to North Texas.

The SPCA of Texas has a “Memorandum of Understanding” with these groups that provides for mutual assistance of this type should any natural disaster strike.

Kitten transported from a shelter threatened by Hurricane Isaac. (credit: Facebook/SPCA of Texas)

To help make room for the newly arrived dogs and cats, the SPCA of Texas is offering a 50-percent discount off all adoption fees through Friday, August 31. The SPCA of Texas’ two shelters—in Dallas and McKinney—will be also open until 8pm Tuesday and Wednesday.

The SPCA is providing ongoing updates about the rescue efforts on their blog.

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• Texas Judge Preparing For ‘Civil War’ If Obama Re-Elected
• Health Officials: No Need To Call 911 For Mosquito Bites
• Randy Travis’ Truck Found Abandoned In North Texas Field
• Billboard Controversy Comes To North Texas
• Texas Woman Aims For Skunk, Shoots Husband

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Fort Worth News

Fort Worth News

10. Cowboys must cut to 75 by 3p today. Gone (injured) for sure are Caleb McSurdy, Donovan Kemp and Kevin Kowalski. And receiver Raymond Radway was released this morning. Sad, the McKinney North High School had this team made last summer until breaking his leg on the final play of the preseason in Miami.

9. We might be looking at a wasted rookie year for 4^th-round draft pick Matt Johnson. He missed OTAs because his school (Eastern Washington) was taking late finals. In Oxnard he immediately pulled a hammy and in Saturday night’s game pulled it again. Probably looking at starting the year on PUP, which means missing the first 6 weeks.

8. A couple years ago it was Jerry Jones causing a buzz with his Papa John’s dancing. Now it’s his rapping in a TV commercial.

7. Cowboys are toying with the idea of keeping 7 receivers on the roster. Which, of course, is unheard of. If so, they would be Dez Bryant, Miles Austin, Kevin Ogletree, Dwayne Harris, Cole Beasley, Andre Holmes and Danny Coale.

6. Kiss Cam never fails to deliver. After a handful of sweet pecks exchanged on JumboJerry, a man made us all giggle when, instead of kissing his lady, he simply licked the length of her face.

5. Up: Felix Jones, Mo Claiborne and Kevin Ogletree; Down: Tyron Smith, Dan Connor, replacement refs.

4. Give credit to Rams’ head coach Jeff Fisher for not going for 2 and attempting to tie the game with 2 minutes left. But also blame him for calling a fake punt earlier in the game. That’s weak.

3. So, along with a new mentor in Jay Novacek, Dez Bryant has new rules. No alcohol. No strip clubs. Driven everywhere. In other words, “The Josh Hamilton Babysitting Blueprint” is in effect. We saw it in Oxnard when Dez dined at BJ’s Brewhouse with a Cowboys’ official watching closely near his booth.

2. Dwayne Harris jokingly refers to himself as “Mr. Everything.” Maybe we should edit that to “Mr. August.” On August 11, 2011 Harris, then a rookie, opened eyes with 5 catches for 127 yards and 2 touchdowns in a pre-season game against the Broncos. And on Saturday he produced two more scores in an exhibition game. In the last two Augusts Hair-iss has TD catches of 76 and 61 yards.

1. Most troubling scene was Pro Bowl nose tackle Jay Ratliff leaving Cowboys Stadium on crutches. He missed most off-season work with foot probs and is now dealing with the dreaded high ankle sprain. He’s doubtful for Sept. 5 vs. Giants, meaning more playing time Josh Brent and Sean Lissemore. In other words, that’s a significant drop-off right up the Cowboys’ defensive gut.

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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• Texas Judge Preparing For ‘Civil War’ If Obama Re-Elected
• Employer Allegedly Tells Worker: Get An Abortion Or Get Fired
• Fan Sues Dallas Cowboys For Burned Buttocks
• Teacher Gets 5 Years For Having Sex With Multiple Students
• KRLD Restaurant Week

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Richie and Jackson (Photo by Leah Watkins, CBSDFW)

DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN)- Richie’s Make-A-Wish buddy Jackson is back from Maui and back on the radio with us today on 105.3 The Fan.

Apparently he went to a luau, flew in a helicopter and hung out with former Mavs’ coach and basketball Hall-of-Famer Don Nelson in Hawaii. Can’t wait. Refresher about his story here.

PLAY: Jackson returns from Hawaii

Download: 082412-jackson.mp3

*iPad & iPhone users click here for audio

Listen to Richie & Greggo “RAGE” with Sybil and Armen, weekdays 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. on 105.3 The Fan.

(© Copyright 2012 CBSDFW.COM, CBS Local Media. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

Also Check Out:

• Texas Judge Preparing For ‘Civil War’ If Obama Re-Elected
• Employer Allegedly Tells Worker: Get An Abortion Or Get Fired
• Fan Sues Dallas Cowboys For Burned Buttocks
• Teacher Gets 5 Years For Having Sex With Multiple Students
• KRLD Restaurant Week

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Fort Worth News

Fort Worth News

The weather pattern continues with below normal temperatures today, but southeast winds over the past 24 hours have increased the humidity and this can be felt today.  Temperatures will warm a little above yesterday’s levels, but the humidity will make it feel noticeably warmer.  Here’s how our in house computer model paints the forecast high temperatures today.  I think it’s pretty good call, just a degree shy of our official forecast high of 93 degrees.

While today remains quiet, our storm team will be watching two areas for storm potential.  The first and more significant feature will be the upper level low tracking from the desert southwest into Oklahoma.  This will trigger showers and storms mainly for northwestern portions of North Texas Friday, Saturday and Sunday.  The other feature will be the moist southeast flow from the Gulf of Mexico.  This will trigger spotty activity Friday and Saturday for southeastern portions of North Texas.

Friday’s forecast below will feature hot, windy and humid conditions with dry hours for the Metroplex but afternoon into evening storms for areas north and west.  Areas east and southeast will see morning clouds with spot showers and isolated storms with the afternoon heat as the cloud deck separates.  Winds will be fairly strong from the south/southeast at 15-25 mph with stronger gusts.

Saturday’s forecast below looks much the same as Friday’s, however afternoon storm chances push into the western half of the Metroplex.  Again, southeastern areas deal with spotty light morning rain with clouds that break up during the day with isolated storms possible in the afternoon.  Again, south/southeast winds will run 15-25 mph with stronger gusts.

Sunday will see the southeast flow shutting down and the upper level low shifting farther north with a lingering heat-of-the-day storm chance north and northwest of the Metroplex.  The winds will not be as strong from the south, however still expect a breezy day.

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