Reigning Miss Nebraska Brook Matthews poses for a picture with meteorologists David Lawrence and Mike Moritz of the Hastings, NE, forecast office at the Home and Builders Show in Kearney, NE. The NWS booth included a display which outlined improved building practices suggested by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Several people who stopped by the NWS display were in the process of building or planning new home construction and wanted more information regarding anchoring, tie-downs, and better building practices. Thanks to a major snow and ice storm just days earlier, the show also provided the staff a unique opportunity to gauge the general public's attitude regarding the performance of the NWS. Comments were very positive. With the recent storm, the "hot" item was a NOAA blue ice scraper with website information. About 600 of the ice scrapers were distributed. Warning Coordination Meteorologist Steve Kisner, Science and Operations Officer Rick Ewald and meteorologists David Lawrence, Jeremy Wesely, and Mike Moritz represented the NWS. Photo by NWS Hastings staff.

Three Raleigh Southeast High School Students toured the Raleigh, NC, Weather Forecast Office (WFO) recently as part of a career counseling service for visually impaired students sponsored by the North Carolina State Division of Services for the Blind. The students are all regular listeners to NOAA Weather Radio. From left, Rod Gonski, lead forecaster, Jerrie Chiles, Wake County Schools Transition Program Leader, Brice Smith, Bryan Alfold, Matthew Didsbury, high school students, and Caejne Washington, Program Assistant Leader. Photo by Jonathan Blaes, Information Technology Officer, WFO Raleigh

Take a look at other NWS news, as submitted for the NOAA Weekly Report.