Cold air poured south into the U.S. this week, as arctic high pressure stretched from Canada all the way across the border into northern Mexico. Bone-chilling, pipe-bursting temperatures—averaging 40-50 degrees below normal for a huge swath of the country—brought widespread misery on a scale rarely before seen in Texas, where all 254 counties were placed under a disaster declaration last Friday as the state’s residents braced for the winter storm.

Residents and staff of Mesa View Assisted Living voted in a hotly contested election to select the facility’s Valentine’s Day King and Queen. Residents Calvin Nimmo and Bessie Gerken were crowned by popular vote. The pair were awarded Valentine’s Day chocolates, sweet treats, and a matching crown and tiara. Happy Valentine’s Day to Calvin, Bessie, and all of the lovely residents and staff at Mesa View.

Naturalist Hal Borland wrote, “No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn.” Thank goodness for that assurance. After almost two weeks in the deep freeze, Mother Nature has relented. Temperatures are on the rise, and there’s good news in town.

Chamber of Commerce representatives gathered around noon Friday for a ceremonial ribbon-cutting to welcome Temporarily Yours, a new business established by Dawn Dial to fill the temporary staffing needs of local businesses. With 35 years of experience in office, clerical, and administrative settings, Dial said she is prepared to boost the staffing needs of business owners for either one-time projects; single-day, last-minute fill-ins; or to address temporary employee absences. Dial has no fixed office, so the ribbon-cutting was held at the Canadian Visitors’ Center. Chamber representatives present for the event were Sherye Talley, Sherry Timmons, Dawn and Joe Dial, Barry Hosford, Jackie McPherson, and Michelle Rowden. Temporarily Yours can be reached by phone or text at 806.217.0158.