Editor's Note: KOIN 6 News anchorman Jeff Gianola will retire around Thanksgiving 2025 after more than 40 years as a Portland journalist. In this series, Jeff looks back at some of the most memorable stories he's covered and shared.

This story begins in 1983.

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) -- In September 1983 I came to Portland when I was hired by KATU as a news reporter. But during the audition, I was asked to tape a weather segment.

So it was that I was reporting news and then doing the weather each Friday. It soon became a tradition to have help with the forecast from Bob the Weather Cat.

Bob the Weather Cat -- whose real name was Hank -- belonged to news photographer Bob Foster, who came up with the idea. But on his first appearance, I forgot his name was Hank and called him Bob. The name

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