Cut fiber optic cable leads to loss of service for Verizon, Peoples customers

This afternoon, the City of Commerce published a statement on Facebook saying that damage to a fiber optic cable has resulted in a loss of telephone, internet, and cable services for customers of Verizon and Peoples digital services. The statement did not say who cut the cable or where the incident occurred. The statement said service should be restored later this evening, perhaps around 8:30.

The City of Greenville is poised to lower its municipal property tax rate for the eighth year in a row. The anticipated change is an attempt to mitigate the effect of rapidly rising property values. The Greenville Herald-Banner reports property values overall have increased by more than 15 percent in the past year. The proposed rate reduction is exactly one cent below the current rate. Right now, property owners are charged 56.9 centers per $100 of valuation.

The Greenville city council has about a month to work out its annual budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The final version of the budget is scheduled to be approved at the Tue. Sept. 12 meeting of the Greenville city council.

Firefighters in Red River County this morning contained a grass fire south of Detroit. Temperatures climbed into the low triple digits across the region today. Fannin, Van Zandt, Kaufman, Rockwall and Dallas counties all currently have bans on outdoor burning.

Tonight, mostly clear skies over the region, with lows in the upper 70s. Tomorrow, sunny and hot once again, with highs near 102. The region remains under an excessive heat warning.