Senator Ben Nelson (left) and Meteorologist-In-Charge Steve Schurr talk with reporters at a brief news conference during the Senator's recent visit to WFO Valley (Omaha), NE. Senator Nelson is a ranking member on the Senate Commerce Sub-Committee on Disaster Prevention and Prediction. This subcommittee was formed in the wake of last year's devastating hurricane season and the tsunami last December. During the news conference the Senator explained that the new subcommittee will look into ways of making sure the U.S. has the most advanced warning system available, highly educated personnel, and state-of-the-art equipment. His visit came three days prior to the 30th anniversary of the deadly Omaha tornado in 1975. Photo by Brian E. Smith, WFO Valley (Omaha), NE.

Sarah Allen (center), general forecaster at WFO Baltimore/Washington gave a tour of the office on May 20, 2005, to a group of interested Cub Scouts. This is part of a comprehensive outreach program that involves hundreds of residents in the Baltimore Washington warning area each year.

Bob Cianflone, left, a National Weather Service employee who works in the Office of the Chief Information Officer in Silver Spring, MD, recently won first place in this year's Potomac River Kayak Race. He also won first place in the 100-yard downriver sprint, the secondary kayak race of the day. The race course began at Brunswick, went upstream towards Harper's Ferry, (where the Potomac meets the Shenandoah River), and returned to Brunswick. While the race is primarily on flatwater, some dangerous sections in the river require substantial maneuvering to traverse, according to Cianflone and it is quite easy to become a swimmer rather than a paddler. He added that he always wears a Coast Guard approved life vest or Personal Flotation Device (PFD) for any water activity. The kayak competition, which gets much media coverage by area outfitters and paddling enthusiasts, offers a nice trophy and a cash award to the winner. The contest is sponsored by the U.S. National Park Service, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Power Squadrons, Maryland Department of Natural Resources Police, and the City of Brunswick, MD.

Senior Forecaster David Schumacher, and 8-year-old Rebecca Zeitler (daughter of Science and Operations Officer Jon Zeitler), discuss aviation weather with a pilot at the Experimental Aircraft Association's 41st Annual Southwest Regional Texas Fly-in at Hondo, TX, recently. Approximately 125 pilots and spectators visited the booth, many of whom were well-versed in weather and expressed deep appreciation for the aviation weather services provided by the NWS. Photo by Jon Zeitler.

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