A familiar face to those who have attended a storm spotter class and who has been interviewed about weather matters many times is calling it a career.
John Baxter, warning coordination officer for the National Weather Service, will retire at the end of this month.
His career started with the NWS in 1961 and included working for the now-closed weather service office in Meridian.
Baxter said the time is right.
"I've been at it for 51 years, and I'm not getting any younger, and just woke up one morning a few weeks ago and I'd been thinking about when am I going to retire?" said Baxter. "And then one morning I woke up and said this is a good time."
Baxter will enjoy retirement with his wife, Dr. Kathy Baxter, who was an instructor at Meridian Community College.
