Telephone News

Dallas gets a new additional possibly cooler telephone area code

It'll be a telltale sign you're a newbie.

Photo courtesy of Jasmin

UPDATE 1-12-21: The new area code goes into effect on January 15, 2021. It'll encompass the metropolitan area of Dallas and surrounding communities including Allen, Blue Ridge, Crandall, Frisco, Grand Prairie, Rockwall, Royse City, Venus, and Waxahachie. County-wise, the area code will reach from Dallas County into Collin, Denton, Fannin, Hunt, Johnson, Kaufman, and Tarrant counties.

Customers in the 214, 469, and 972 area code overlay region may be assigned a number with the new 945 area code when they request new service, additional line, or move their service.

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Dallas will get a new area code in 2021, one that is possibly cooler than the other three already in existence.

The new code is 945, and will join the already-existing trio of 214, 972, and 469.

The new code has a kind of cool, post-modern vibe. Try it out: "My number is 945-555-1212." Very end-of-the-world, very Mad Max.

A release from the Public Utility Commission of Texas says that the agency approved the additional area code to accommodate the area's growing population.

In a statement, Governor Greg Abbott celebrates the new area code as a sign of prosperity.

"The growth of the population in Dallas and surrounding cities is a reflection of the continued economic vitality in the region and across the state," Abbott says. "When the availability of jobs intersects with the quality of life in Texas, this kind of growth is to be expected. I applaud the PUC for taking this prudent step."

The Public Utility Commission estimates that the remaining well of available phone numbers that start with 214, 469, and 972 will run out in the first three months of 2021.

From then on, new numbers assigned will begin with 945 — representing an easy way to tip off longtime locals and telephony aficionados that you're new in town.

The PUC expects the new code to tide us over for another 13 years.

They also expect that the addition of a fourth area code for the region should be a simple process. Customers with 214, 469, and 972 numbers will keep them. Calm down.

Whoever does their social media is on top of their game. For example, they're offering tips on Twitter on how to remember the new code.

"Experts say it's easier to remember things when they're associated with something more familiar," they tweet. "So, when you're trying to remember the area code that will be added in the Dallas area next year, try this handy association: 945 was also the year Eric the Victorious of Sweden was born."

They also share a short history of Dallas area codes including the fact that 214 was one of the original area codes implemented in 1947 as part of the North American Numbering Plan.

It was a long reign for 214, which prevailed as the only area code for Dallas until 1996, when 214 was split into 214 and 972.

Dallas proper got 214, and 972 was assigned to the 'burbs. Does anyone remember the horror of being relegated to a 972 area code? The scramble to get a 214? So people didn't know you lived in the 'burbs?

In 1999, the geographical line dividing 214 and 972 was eliminated, and 469 was introduced as an overlay area, with no geographic association.

And 469 lucked out because it came along during the ascent of cell phones and as a result, acquired a high-tech hipster vibe. Poor 972 has never really lived it down.

technology

Pestilence News

New invasive pest in Texas is destroying grasses and pasture

TAMU

Mealyworm is small but damaging.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller has issued an urgent alert to farmers to inspect their pastures for a newly detected and highly damaging pest: the pasture mealybug (Helicococcus summervillei).

According to a release from the Department of Agriculture (TDA), this invasive species, never before reported in North America, has been confirmed in multiple Texas counties and is already causing significant damage to pasture acreage across the southeast portion of the state.

The pasture mealybug causes “pasture dieback,” leaving expanding patches of yellowing, weakened, and ultimately dead turf.

This pest was first detected in Australia in 1928; its first detection in the Western Hemisphere occurred in the Caribbean between 2019 and 2020.

The TDA is working with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to coordinate a rapid response and protect Texas producers.

Mealybug history
Although the mealybug is just now being spotted, researchers suspect it may have been introduced before 2022.

Since mid-April 2025, southern Texas pasture and hay producers have been reporting problems in their fields. These fields show grass patches becoming brown or necrotic, or patches that are completely dead. Originally, it was presumed that symptoms were caused by another mealybug called the Rhodes grass mealybug, which has been reported in the U.S. since 1942. However, further investigations confirm that it's this new pasture mealybug (Heliococcus summervillei).

It has devastated millions of acres of grazing land in Australia and has since spread globally. Its rapid reproduction, hidden soil-level feeding, and broad host range make it a significant threat to pasture health and livestock operations.

MealybugTAMU

Adult females are approximately 2-5 mm long, covered in a white, waxy coating. They are capable of producing nearly 100 offspring within 24 hours, resulting in several generations per season. While adult females can live for up to 100 days, most damage is inflicted by the youngest nymphs, which feed on plant sap and inject toxic saliva that causes grass to yellow, weaken, and die.

“This is a completely new pest to our continent, and Texas is once again on the front lines,” Commissioner Miller says. “If the pasture mealybug spreads across Texas grazing lands like it has in eastern Australia, it could cost Texas agriculture dearly in lost productivity and reduced livestock capacity. TDA is working hand-in-hand with federal and university partners to respond swiftly and protect our producers from this unprecedented threat.”

Houston has a problem
The estimated impact area currently covers 20 counties, primarily in the Houston area, including: Cameron, Hidalgo, Willacy, Refugio, Calhoun, Victoria, Goliad, Dewitt, Lavaca, Fayette, Jackson, Matagorda, Brazoria, Galveston, Wharton, Colorado, Austin, Washington, Burleson, Brazos, and Robertson. AgriLife entomologists have submitted a formal Pest Incident Worksheet documenting significant damage to pastures and hayfields in Victoria County.

Research trials are underway to determine the best integrated pest management options. Currently, there is no known effective labeled insecticide for pasture mealybug.

Affected plants include: Bermudagrass, Bahia grass, Johnsongrass, hay grazer (sorghum–sudangrass), St. Augustine grass, various bluestem species, and other tropical or subtropical grasses. Damage can occur in leaves, stems, and roots.

Symptoms:

Yellowing and discoloration of leaves within a week of infestation
Purpling or reddening of foliage
Stunted growth and drought stress despite rainfall
Poorly developed root systems
Dieback starting at leaf tips and progressing downward
Premature aging, making plants more vulnerable to pathogens

How to spot it

Scout regularly for mealybugs on grass leaves, stems, soil surface, leaf litter, and under cow patties
Focus on unmanaged areas such as fence lines, ungrazed patches, and roadsides
Look for fluffy, white, waxy, or “fuzzy” insects on blades and stems
If plants appear unhealthy and insects match this description, investigate further

“Early identification is critical, and we need every producer’s eyes on the ground,” Commissioner Miller added. “We are working diligently with our federal and state partners to determine how to best combat this novel threat and stop it in its tracks.”

If you observe suspicious symptoms or insects matching the descriptions above, contact TDA at 1-800-TELL-TDA immediately.

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